THERE are diversity of Things, of whose Being we know, whose Quality we know not: All confess we enjoy a Soul which Comman­deth, and Restraineth, in us. What a one it is, none can tell. Hence are those many Di­sputes concerning its Essence, Seat and Subject, with the subordinate Faculties of it. No Per­son hath throughly been acquainted with this secret Governor in Man. Some Philosophers have defined it a Harmony: Some a Divine Vertue, a Particle of the Deity: Some the most exile and slender Air: Some, a Blood: Some, Heat, or Fire: Some, Number. So innate is Error, that we most Err concerning our own selves.

2. MORE judiciously do they define it, who attest it an Immortal Spirit, an Incorporeal Sub­stance, Created by Infusion, and Infused in its [Page 2] Creaation, made to the Image of the Creator, capable of the light of Understanding, Wis­dom, Holiness, Blessedness, and Eternity: So that in its conjunction with the Body, it Ani­mateth, giveth Life, Action, and Motion, (wherein it differeth from an Angel) and in its separation from the Body for a time (un­till it shall be re-united at the Resurrection) it Subsisteth, as the Angels, and hath its pro­per Acts and Apprehensions, as they have: Now, as the Eye beholds the Eye in a Glass; so the Soul discerneth it self by a kind of Re­flex.

3. THE Soul is a divine Ghost sent from Heaven, into these Tabernacles of Clay, to give them Life and govern them; yet is it neither visible coming nor departing: It is an Immortal Form of Mortality: The Body De­cayeth, the Soul doth not, being neither sub­ject to Time nor Age: The Motions thereof are Eternal; it apprehendeth things Present, Absent, Past, and Future; it Deliberateth, Formeth, Directeth, Discourseth, Judgeth, Doubteth, Concludeth: So excellent it is, that Cicero the Orator said, God hath not given any thing so Divine to Man; and that there are certain Lineaments thereof more beauti­ful than of the Body.

4. THE Body is adorned by the Soul; without which, Beauty it self appears Gastly: And good Abraham said, Give me a possession of a Burying-place, that I may Bury my Dead [Page 3] out of my sight, Gen. 23.4. The Soul cannot be Deformed by any unevenness, discompo­sure, or disproportion of the Body which it Animateth: As a beautiful Creature is the same in a poor Cottage, as in a magnificent Palace: So is Vertue, which is the Beauty of the Soul. Could we but behold the Soul of a Saint, there's no Embellishment on Earth so Glorious; no Created Beauty here of so di­vine a Lustre.

5. THE Soul, tho now enclosed in Ob­scurity (having only some diviner Breathings in the Raptures and Heavenly Contemplati­ons, which sometimes allarum it up, like Moses, to the Mount, or like a Jacob's Lad­der, ascendeth it into God's Presence) hath some knowledge of its Original by Faith and Joy unspeakable in the apprehension thereof, 1 Pet. 1.8. which arresteth the Desire, as ap­peared in St. Peter seeing Christ's Transfi­guration, Matt. 17. and St. Paul's wishing to be Dissolved, was a signal Evidence of our interest in Heaven; therefore our Pusilanimi­ty cannot deter us from it, Phil. 1.

6. HE knoweth whether he shall go who remembreth whence he came: But what shall be the transcendent Beauty of a Devout Soul in its Separation, when it shall be restored to its native Heaven; when it shall be all Il­lumination, and God shall be all in all? Christ's Raiment on the Mount became shining white as Snow, so as no Fuller on Earth could white [Page 4] them, Mark 9.3. And Moses Face when he talked with God, became so Glorious, that Israel could not behold it without a Veil, 2 Cor. 3.13. What then shall our Glory be when we shall be like Christ? 1 Joh. 3.2.

THE Faculties of the Soul are the Vn­derstanding, Will, Memory, Affections, and Senses Internal and External. My purpose being not to enter the List with Philosophers, but to direct Christians, I shall not further consider these, but what concerns the Practi­cal part, and right governing the thoughts of the Heart and Mind, to the Service of God and our Mortification, and the means of qua­lifying our selves for it.

2. THE Heart, in Scripture often taken for the principal Seat of the rational Soul, imparteth any Faculty hereof: The Mind is the inward act, the result and product of its Reason, and Discourses the Thoughts. The Learned affirm, the Mind is the fountain of Counsel, and Soul of Life: And again, we understand by the Mind, and live by the Soul. The Mind of Man is sometimes a Sovereign, to govern in Vertue and Sanctimony it self; and the Body sometimes a Tyrant, and in­dulging [Page 5] to Vice, which like the Worm bred in the Wood destroyeth its own Original: It is often misled by tumultuous Passions, Lusts, Vain-desires, and other Perturbations of a dis­composed Mind, which unthron'd Reason dangerously gains an Usurpation.

3. A prudent Man, whose Knowledge is his Life, in the light, height, and use thereof, differing him not only from the Brutes, but ignorant Men; doth principally enjoy him­self in his Mind and inward Man. There is indeed in humane Possessions, nothing great and excellent, but a magnanimous and good Mind; contemning External Greatness, or supposed Excellencies, such as Power, Strength, Riches, Beauty, Wit, &c. obvious to Sense in respect of that which is within, apprehen­sible by the enlightned Understanding.

4. AND certainly the All-wise God, who Created the Affections, ordained them to some excellent end and use in the Soul, as Hand-maids to Devotion and Religion: nei­there would he in our Regeneration, kill, but correct them, by moderating them, where they grow extream; and retrenching them into their own Channels, where they over-flow their banks, like over-rank Water Sour­ces, becoming muddy and choaked up with that which they fetch in from without; or reducing them, where they are Exorbitant.

5. ALL Extreams are foolish and dange­rous: A Stoical Apathie is incompatible with [Page 6] a well-composed Mind, as a violent Passion with a Prudent: The dead Calm corrupteth Air and Water, and violent Blasts disturb them; the moderate more safely purifie; but the mean is best. Affections are, as it is said of Caligula, There is no better Servant, nor worse Master; they are good commanded, but mischievous reigning; like Fire, and Water, very necessary, and very destructive.

6. WITHOUT Love there can be no ac­ceptable Service; without Anger, no Zeal; without Fear, no co-ercive power in the Soul; without Hope, no Comfort; which bringeth us to a necessary Consideration of the Hearts Corruption; the vanity and exorbitancy of the Thoughts; and the necessity of their Re­gulations by some Rules of Practice.

THE Corruptions of the Heart, are, as in the Primitive Age of the World, Gen. 6.5. Only evil continually. The Heart is the foun­tain of Sin; and the Evangelist tells us, Mat. 15.19. from thence spring evil Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, false Witnesses, Blasphemies, all the Sins of Man. All Iniquity is here forged; as it is written, Isai. 32.6. His Heart will work Iniquity; hence [Page 7] words of falshood are conceived and uttered, Isai. 59.13. Here the kingly Prophet declares is the root of War, Psal. 55.21. And the Royal Preacher acknowledges it the seat of Mischief, Prov. 6.18. Error, Frowardness, and that Obdurateness, which excludeth all capacity of hearing God's Word and Judgments, which should lead us to Repentance whereby we may be healed, Psal. 95.10. Prov. 11.20.

2. THE Heart is deceitful above all things; who can know it? Jer. 17.9. There lodgeth Hypocrisie, Jer. 3.10. and many se­cret Sins; like that unseen Multitude, which rangeth through the Paths of the Deeps, such are the dark Councels of the Heart of Man, which Solomon informs us, Prov. 20.5. Nor is this the Condition of some few, but the se­cret Corruption of all natural Men; nor are the Regenerate absolutely freed from these Pollutions, being yet partly flesh: We have St. Paul's word for it, Gal. 5.17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

3. THE danger hereof fully appears, that these are the Seeds of every Sin, and fomen­ters thereof; yea, that which obstructeth Faith and Repentance; for as the Physicians affirm, if there be a fault in the first Conco­ction, there will follow the like in the rest; [Page 8] so it is here, the Hearts Sickness is derived to the Tongue, and all the Actions of Man: It is a People, said the Lord, that do err in their Hearts, and they have not known my ways, Psal. 95.10. As the Eye is deceived through a false Medium; So is the Mind through the cloud of false Opinion: And the Wise Man tells us, Prov. 24.9. That the thought of Foolishness is Sin, into which they must needs run, says the Psalmist, Who set not their heart aright, and whose Spirit is not stedfast with God, Psal. 78.8.

4. THE Almighty searcheth the Secrets of all Hearts, and will at the Great Audit, make all the Thoughts thereof manifest: God re­quireth the Heart, says Solomon, Prov. 23.26. and David tells you, If a Man regard Iniquity in his Heart, the Lord will not hear him, Psal. 66.18. and Wisdom expresses, Prov. 16.5. That the Thoughts of the Wicked are an abomination to the Lord; and they who have wicked Thoughts, run swiftly to iniquity; and De­struction is in their Paths, Isai. 59.7. In the Corruption of the Heart, the very fibrae and remainders of Sins reviving root, Satan's ve­nom remaineth: The Hydra's ever-growing Heads, which (when occasions and ability so fail, that the impious cannot serve the De­vil in External Actions) will shew its venom in their will to Sin.

5. IN the next place, it is a very difficult thing rightly to compose the Thoughts, in re­spect of the Hearts unfathomed Deceitfulness, [Page 9] and the Mind's unlimited Agility; in these depths of quick-shifting Thoughts, Sin easily hideth it self: External Sins in Words or Works, are (like the Plague of Leprosie, Levit. 13.12, 13. broken all abroad and covering all the Skin) nearer the Cure, and by so much the more easily amended, or overcome, by how much more evident they are, not only to others, but also to our selves.

6. THE Sins of the Heart are harder to be cured, the more secret, and invisibly they are Committed: The Thoughts are more secure­ly Extravagant, Negligent and Presuming by how much less they are obvious, to any Pre­tender, or Censurer without: And where the Heart is smitten with some awful fear of God, and resolution to Repent, maketh In­quest after Sin; that which is in Word, or Action, is more easily and frequently found: But the sin of the Mind, like Jonathan and Ahimaaz at Bahurim, is let down into the depth of the Heart, whose secret Enemies are like those Ligurian Mountainers, whom the Roman's Chased, more hardly found, than Vanquished. Moreover, Man's innate Self-Love and natural Complacency, makes him unapt, and loth to Condemn himself, in any thing wherein he conjectures others cannot.

7. LASTLY, The restless machina­tion of Satan is to suggest Self-delusions, as he doth Temptations to Sin, whereby his Baits may be swallowed. His policy is to keep the Heart for his Retreat; and if any reproof [Page 10] happily chase away Prophaneness, Anger, Obscenity, or Calumny out of the Tongue, or Adultery, Theft, Murther, or the like, from the outward Man; yet if he can but foment and maintain any of these in the impure Heart, he will find opportunity and diaboli­cal Suggestions, to make an Eruption: Or if not, he knoweth where he has Possession, be the Words and Actions never so well framed, that God hath no part there, which brings me to the next Consideration.

THERE is great necessity of Regulating our Thoughts and Heart, without which, as the Prophet says, Isa. 29.13. It is in vain to draw near to God with our Lips. And the art of governing the Affections and Thoughts, must be performed by Wisdom and Ingtegrity. Wisdom is as a Mistress to tumultuous Servants, at whose Presence the most Disorderly are suddenly Composed and Silenced. An understanding Heart is the in­ward illumination of the Soul, which God beholds; without which, all External appear­ances of Sanctity make formal Hypocrites no better than Aegyptian Temples, grave and de­cent outwardly, but within, very ridiculous; [Page 11] setting up for Gods, Apes, Serpents, Cats and Crocodiles.

2. SOLOMON, to whom God granted a free choice of any thing he would request, de­sired, an Vnderstanding Heart, 1 Kings, 3.5.9.12. This was more estimable to him than Riches or Life; and he, whom God was pleased to make the Wisest of Men, of all the Holy Pen-men, gave most Precepts concerning the Heart and Mind; and we are commanded for our further directions, to search the Scrip­tures, which as the Apostle tells us, are only able to make us wise to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. And St. James requires us to ask Wisdom of God, that giveth to all Men liberally, and Vpbraideth not, James 1.5. He that trusteth in his own Heart, is a Fool, Prov. 28.26. A­gain, the Wise Man like a true Prognostick, tells you, That the Heart of the Sons of Men is full of Evil, and madness is in their Heart while they live, Eccl. 9.3. Unhappy is he who go­eth on perversely in the way of his own Heart, or walks contrary to the Apostle's Rule, 1 Cor. 3.19. persuing the Wisdom of this World, which is foolishness with God.

3. WE must so compose our Hearts, that they may be upright and sincere in the sight of God. Without this, our best actions, as Prayer, Hearing, Repentance, Alms, and what-ever else we do, is worth nothing. O Jerusalem, saith the Lord, wash thy Heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be Saved: [Page 12] How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge in thee? Jer. 4.14. It is but folly to labour the Cure in the outward part, while the Contagion and Venom of Sin invades the inward; or to wash the Eyes with floods of Tears, where the sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron, and graven with the point of a Diamond, upon the Table of the Heart, Jer. 17.1.

4. THE Psalmist tells us, Psal. 84.5. Bles­sed are they in whose Heart are the ways of God: And that he is good unto such as are of a clean Heart, Psal. 73.1. And the Prophet tells you, Jer. 29.13. They shall find him who seek him with all their Heart. And they that know righteousness, have the Law of God in their Heart, Isa. 51.7. And Psal. 37.31. Their steps shall not slide; they delight to do God's Will, Psal. 40.8. And Psal. 119.11. They hide up the Law of God in their heart, that they might not sin against him: The knowledge of God is pleasant unto their Soul, Prov. 2.10. and Prov. 3.2. They shall have length of days and Peace; and when they go, it shall lead them; when they sleep, it shall keep them; when they wake, it shall talk with them, Prov. 6.22. It is a Lamp and Light to direct them in the ways of Life to preserve them from Sin.

5. NOW, however the ways of an Hy­pocrite may seem clean in his own Eyes, yet seeing the God of Justice Weigheth the Spirits, Prov. 16.2. it highly concerneth every Man to look to the ordering of this inward House, [Page 13] that it may be a clean Temple, for God's Spi­rit to dwell in, without whose guidance, Man runs to Destruction, both Body and Soul. If we govern our Thoughts aright, we have our conversation in Heaven, we walk with God: And in our many dangerous sicknesses of Mind, sundry Distempers, and Perturba­tions of fluctuant Thoughts, the wearied Soul shall ever have recourse unto this Ark for Rest.

6. THERE are troublesome Errors of sick minds which see false Comforts instead of true. There is Anxiety, Impatience and Grief which devoureth the Heart: There is the fire of Anger to inflame, Envy and Ma­lice to transport, vain Hopes and Fears, whose vicissitudes do miserably afflict the disquiet Mind. There are many Perturbations, which if not prudently managed, will master Rea­son, and violently carry Men into the most dangerous Precipices, from whence they can­not, when they would retrieve themselves: All which to a wise and good Man, shall prove but Exercises to make his Victory over his own Passions more Glorious.

7. NOR is he less Honourable who is vict­or over himself, than he that conquereth o­thers. The great Conquerors of Kingdoms have been overcome of their own Affections; whereby they have foolishly eclipsed all the Glory of their Victories. The Strong may vanquish others; but only the Good can [Page 14] over-come themselves. I shall conclude with the Saying of a Pious Man, I had rather over-come my own Mind, than all my Enemies; and I would I were secure of my self: All the Powers of Hell, cannot over-come me, nor make me unhappy if my own Affections be­tray me not.

FOR the right composure of Mind and Thoughts, it is very requisite to con­sider those Rules of Practice which concern the same in general; and then that which ap­pertaineth to some particular Passions of the Mind. First, Have a care of thy Soul as thy greatest Interest, and that which surpasseth all things in the World: Next have a care of thy Mind, which, if well composed, is prudent­ly Content in every Estate, without which Even Temper, nothing can prove good, or comfortable. What is Strength? Sickness may anticipate, but Age must bow down to the Grave. What is Beauty? Why those Flow­ers quickly fade, and many times become the Snare and Destruction of foolish and unhappy Owners.

2. WHAT are Honors, where a qualifi­cation of Mind is wanting to manage them? [Page 15] Those Phaetons precipitate themselves, and set the World on fire. What are Riches with­out a Mind well qualified, but snares, and easie ways to Hell? All things duly weighed to a prudent Mind, which can limit it self within the desires of Necessaries, a little is e­nough; but to an ambitious Mind, nothing can satisfie. Alexander had a monstrous Mind when he was grieved, that there was but one World for him to Conquer. 'Tis the Mind that maketh truly Rich or Poor; That, con­tented in every Estate, aboundeth in its own Happiness; but discontented, can be blessed in none.

3. THE way to gain Riches, is not so much by adding to an Estate, as by depriving the Mind of that foolish desire of having Su­perfluity beyond use. Temporal Riches are but a burden to him, who hath truly placed his Affections on Heaven, where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt, and where Thieves do not break through and steal, Matth. 6.20. That which must once be lost, is nothing worth; which Consideration possibly made Stilpo an­swer like a Philosopher, who when Demetrius had taken Megera, and out of a noble Care to give him Protection from Plundering, asked him if the Soldiers had taken ought from him, he answered, No; for, said he, I saw no Man that would take any Knowledge, or Learning from me.

4. THE Mind is Sacred, and out of the [Page 16] reach of violent hands; so that to make thee happy, which is the scope of a prudent Desire, the way is not to labour so much, and disquiet thy self in things External, but to compose thy Mind aright, to value and make a good Use of what thou hast; to get true Wisdom and Understanding, and well-ordered Affe­ctions, quietly to endure want, or enjoy plen­ty: In which there is not only an admirable skill and strength of Mind requisite, but also an holy Habit. No Precepts can suddenly make a Man practically wise, or good; which must make us resolve quickly to study this Divine Philosophy: And indeed, Experience here discovereth a marvellous Stupor, and In­cogitancy of most Men. In any bodily Disse­ction, we speedily consult the Physician; but in our Soul's Distempers, we not only delay our seeking help, but are too often impatient of offered Remedies. That which thou design­est to do well, speedily put in practice.

5. SOLOMON's advice is, Prov. 4.23. To keep thine Heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of Life. Many think it enough to keep their Tongues and their Hands. But it highly concerneth all Christians to keep their Hearts from Satan's Snares; there he begin­neth all his Stratagems which afterwards break out into Words and Actions. It is true, that bare Suggestions without any delight, or consent of our own, are no more our Sins, than any Robbery or Murder committed [Page 17] without our Consent or Knowledge: But ex­cept we are vigilant over our Thoughts, and carefully stand upon our guard, Satan's delu­ding Influences will create a Delight, and ex­cite in us a Consent, and concession to them; Therefore the Counsel of the Wise Man is this, Prov. 7.25. Let not thine Heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

6. CHECK the first beginnings of Sin in thy Thoughts use them roughly at the door, and think of the Prophet Elisha's saying, 2 Kings 6.33. Is not the sound of their Masters Feet behind them? We must there chiefly observe and extinguish Sin, where 'tis born, and quench the Sparks, before they break out into master­less Flames. We must crush the Cockatrice in the Egg, before it proves a fiery flying Serpent. We neglect not the biting of a Ser­pent, but presently seek remedy to keep the Venom from the Heart: With how much more care and diligence should we look to the biting of the Old Dragon, Rev. 12.9. who is able, if a little neglected, to kill Body and Soul? Of evil Seeds, spring evil Plants. Mur­der from Revenge in the Heart; Adultery from Lust unextinguish'd there; and God justly castigateh evil Intentions, though they do not always break forth into Actions.

7. KEEP a good Conscience, and put on Sanctity. The Wicked meditate on Evil; and the Prophet Esay affirms, cahp. 59.7. That their Thoughts are Thoughts of Iniquity; Wasting and Destruction are in their paths. As our Act­ions [Page 18] follow our Thoughts, so do they leave Impressions in them, which prove occasions of their further Operation; and Solomon tells you, Prov. 12.5. That the Thoughts of the Righteous are right; but the Counsels of the Wicked are deceit. Love good Thoughts, and thou shalt be furnished with them; as Flow­ers spring out of Buds, so good Desires flow from Celestial Thoughts. We often think of those we Love, and are ambitious of their Acquaintance. Think often of God, for his Love will cause thee to detest all thoughts of Evil, and will hinder the approaches of that old malicious Serpent to thy Heart.

8. FIX thy Thoughts on something cer­tain. The Heart is a spiritual Labyrinth, in whose perplexed turnings we often lose our selves; and the best fruits of idle and extra­vagant Fancies, are but as the Eyes, continu­ally rolling up and down, seeing nothing in­tentively, but a wandring Mind. It is a sig­nal Token of a composed Mind, if it can con­tain it self, and not launch out into those vain Evagations and wandring Thoughts: From whence waking as out of some feverish Dream, after much thinking, we can give our selves no true account, what the Mind has busied it self about; but that in long think­ing, we thought on nothing to the Purpose.

9. THE Mind is Man's most active Fa­culty: In a Moment, with the flight of a Thought, it mounts from Earth to Heaven, and back again from Age to Age; from Pre­sent, [Page 19] to Future: Like Lightning, it shoots from East to West, vanishing in the Appear­ance. It is not a little skill to arrest it so, as that we may say with David, Psal. 108.1. My heart is fixed; O God, my heart is fixed. Without this we can neither Hear nor Pray, otherwise than prophane Hypocrites, provok­ing God's Anger, by drawing near him with their Lips, when their Hearts are far from thinking on him.

10. SEEK Peace with God through Faith in Christ; for therein consists the true Com­posure and happy Rest of the Mind. The Prophet tells you, Isa. 57.21. There's no Peace to the Wicked; neither is there any true Rest out of Christ Jesus. Sin is the distemper and disquiet of the Soul. Until that Jonah be cast over-board, we can never appease the Surges of a troubled Mind. This thou mayest seek by hearty sorrow for thy Sins; this restrin­gent Acrimony shall heal the Fountains, that Death and Barrenness may no more fluctuate from the Mind into thy Words and Actions. 'Tis a good symptom of Recovery when the Disease changeth Place: So when we are plea­sed with Repentance, who were wont to please ourselves with Sin, 'tis a token that Sin declineth in us.

11. BY Committing thy works unto the Lord, thy thoughts shall be Established, Prov. 16.3. and by filling thy Soul with such happy thoughts, as constant Meditation, or God's Word will furnish thee: And Wisdom, as a [Page 20] Monitor advises thee, Ecclus. 6.37. Let thy mind be upon the Ordinances of the Lord, and meditate continually on his Commandments; he shall establish thine Heart and give thee Wisdom at thine own desire. Overcome thine own Mind, and in every thing as much as possi­bly thou canst, subject it to right Reason, and let not Affection or Passion master it.

12. SET thy Mind ever upon some good, to prevent the rising of evil Thoughts, that the Tempter may never find thee at leisure to entertain him. The Mind is naturally active and prone to thoughts: Even when thou lyest Dormant it hath its Motions. Imploy it then in some Business, it cannot be Idle. As the Earth neglected, for want of Culture, bringeth forth noisom Weeds; so will the Mind evil and vain extravagant Thoughts, if it be not duly Cul­tivated. Often the light of Reason is Eclip­sed by the mischievous interposition of vici­ous Thoughts: Yet perplex not thy Mind with too much, or too weighty Affairs: Propor­tion thy undertakings to thy Strength: The Mind requireth some intermissions and rest, which otherwise, like the Fields, with perpe­tual Bearing, will grow Fruitless. The Un­ballanced Ship is easily Overset with every gust of Wind: And too much Burden Sink­eth her.

13. THERE is an Ark of God's secret Counsel, which our thoughts must not pry in­to. There are also admirable Mysteries, from whence God calleth out of the fiery Bush, Exod. [Page 21] 3.2, 5. Come not nigh hither, put off thy Shoes from off thy Feet, &c. Resign thy Thoughts to God's Immensity: It is enough to believe his Truth, tho thou canst not examine his incomprehensible Secrets. If thou wilt play with these Flames, thou wilt burn thy Wings: God hath revealed suficiently enough to make thee Happy: Ambition of knowing more, de­stroyed Mankind.

14. COMMUNE with thine own Heart concerning that, which may advantageously make thee Happy. Divine Soliloquies are Hea­venly Raptures and the Soul's prepossession of that Blessedness. Inure thy Heart to ponder on good and heavenly things; and such will thy Thoughts, Words and Actions be. The Heart of the Wise teacheth his Mouth, says Solomon, Prov. 16.23. Custom grows ha­bitual; therefore also the Wise man saith, Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath Vnderstanding, Prov. 14.33. If the Wicked, the worst of Fools, have any notion thereof, it can no more rest with them, than Light­ning in the Air.

15. TAKE the Prophet's advice, Jer. 17.10. To set God ever before thee, as a Search­er of hearts: And that which thou wouldst detest to speak before others, abhor to think with thy self. Thoughts are the words of the Heart, which God heareth; who therefore saith, Matt. 9.4. Wherefore think you Evil in your hearts? And Solomon gives us this Charge, Eccles. 10.20. Curse not [Page 22] the King, no not in thy Thought. Thou must be pure in Heart, if ever thou meanest to see God. Let not thy Heart dissent from thy Tongue; neither desire to appear more Holy than thou art, if thou intendest to please him who is Omniscient.

16. PRAY, and beseech the Lord with the earnest Supplication of the Psalmist, to Cre­ate a clean heart, and to renew a right Spirit within thee, Psal. 51.10. To encline thy heart unto his Testimonies, Psal. 119.36. Then Pray with the Prophet, Jer. 24.7. That God would give thee a heart to know him: To prepare thy Heart that thou mayst truly fear him, Medi­tate on him, and Love him above all: And That he who cast out the tumultuous Rabble from Jairus's House, would also be pleased to cast out of thy Soul and Mind, all those thoughts which offend him, or hinder the rai­sing up thy Soul to the life of Grace here, whereby it may be fit for the life of Glory hereafter.

FOR the right governing the Thoughts arising from some particular Affections, or Passions, which usually discompose and render the Mind less apt for the Service of God, and less comfortable to our selves, we must ever have in mind the General Rule be­fore [Page 23] laid down, that extream and violent Pas­sions of any kind, are Distempers of the Soul, which at best befool a Man, if not, as Hypocra­tes thinketh, maketh him Lunatick; they are like a Deluge, which rather overflow and drown, than refresh the Mind; they are like an enraged Sea, full of hazard; they disturb the Intellectuals, and distract the Will. Behold, how all things in troubled Waters, seem wrea­thed, and disordered, which in the still are clearly seen; so is it here: The calm Affections are more fit for God's Service, and our own.

2. LOVE and Delight, are great Actors in this present Life; and every Man hath some share in them. Now our main skill is to fix 'em on right Objects, as God, Psal. 37. and upon heavenly Things, as St. Paul directs us, Col. 3.1. By this means we cannot fall into any Excess, but shall be undoubtedly happy; that we pervert not the Order, we must not delight in, or love any object but God; let him be our first and chief Love and Delight, and we shall have Felicity in all that is subordinate.

3. LET no inferiour Love or Delight allure us away from him who is perfect Love. Tho there is a time, place, and measure for Secu­lar Delights, so far as they are subordinate to God's Will, which may make us fit for his Service, and administer occasion of Expressi­ons of Thankfulness to him: But if on the contrary, they prove hurtful to us, if God loves us, he will take that away from us, which else would wean us from him. [Page 24] A necessary Rule for them to consider, who too impatiently bear the loss of that they so much loved or delighted in.

4. LET us neither love nor delight in any temporal things, otherwise than to hold it with a loose Hand; and let us follow the A­postles advice, 1 Cor. 7.31. To use this World as not abusing it; for the fashion of this World passeth away. And St. John commands us in his first Epistle, chap. 2.15. That we should not love the World, nor the things that are in the World. We must be contented to part with all, when God in his good pleasure sees convenient. It was Job's Resolution, chap. 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord.

CONCERNING Joy, Rejoicing and Mirth, the Rules are, That God would not have us disconsolate, but to rejoice and be cheerful in him evermore, 1 Thess. 5.16. Me­lancholy, Dejectedness, worldly Sorrow, bit­terness of Spirit, and secret repining against God's Providence, are dangerous Symptoms of Incredulity: For if, as the Apostle says, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by Faith, we have peace of Conscience, and cheerful access to God through Christ; there will be joy in the Holy Ghost: We shall rejoice in hope, and glory in our [Page 25] Tribulations, being assured of a blessed issue thereof.

2. JOY and Rejoicing in God, in things Divine and Spiritual we are secure and happy. The end of Temporal Rejoicing, is many times clouded in sudden and unexpected Sorrow. Such was Belshazzar's Feast with a thousand of his Princes, Dan. 5.1, 5, 6. The scene of Joy was changed into sudden Astonishment, at the sight of that dreadful Hand which de­cypher'd his doom upon the Palace Wall. Se­cular Joy▪ entertaineth deluded Men, as that old lying Prophet of Bethel did the Man of God, first feeding, then afflicting with the sad Intimation of ensuing Destruction, 1 Kings 13.11, 22. Acquaint thy self with true good, that thou mayst rejoice securely. They most delight in Secular things, who are ignorant of Eternal.

3. LET not thy Heart be too much tran­sported with Secular Joy; they that supera­bound in Mirth and Joy in Prosperity, are too much cast down and dejected in Adversity: For both Extreams proceed from impotency of Mind. In every Exultation look with a thankful Heart on the Lord that gave it, and with a prudent Heart on that which may quickly change this Scene of Mirth into Hea­viness. Taste thy Joy as the Israelites did their Passover, with bitter Herbs, and prepa­red to be gone, Exod. 12.8. Let the thoughts of Sorrow season all thy Mirth, lest a sudden [Page 26] Surprizal astonish and vanquish thee: For foreseen Dangers least prejudice the Wise.

4. KEEP Innocency and a good Consci­ence: These shall Comfort thee, as Lamech said of his Son Noah, Gen. 5.29. The Wise Man tells you, Prov. 15.15. All the days of the afflicted are Evil; but he that is of a Merry heart, that is, a good Conscience, hath a con­tinual Feast. Wicked Mirth, Sardonick Laugh­ter, and foolish Jesting, as they demonstrate much Levity, so do they dangerous Uncom­posedness, Vanity and weakness of Mind. In such Laughter, the heart is Sorrowful, says Solomon, Prov. 14.13. And the end of that mirth, is heaviness: And Eccl. 2.1. Behold, this also is Vanity. Again, The heart of the wise is in the House of Moorning: But the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth, Eccl. 7.4.

5. WE read that Christ Wept over Jeru­salem, Luke 19.41. and over Lazarus, John 11.35. But we never read of his Laughter: 'Tis a rare Government of the Mind to have Mirth season'd with Wisdom, wherein a prudent Cheerfulness commendeth Mirth, well regulated in an holy thankful use of that we enjoy, as the best of things, meerly Secu­lar: To imitate the Austerity of Cato, or the Sullenness of Crassus, who is reported to have Laughed but once in his Life; or to be an ever Weeping Heraclite, or an ever Laugh­ing Democritus, is to launch out into vain and unsafe Extreams. Indeed, of the two, Tears are to be preferred before excessive Laughter: [Page 27] For too much Mirth is a symptom of Folly, which fluctuates from the Heart, and a true Signet of Forgetfulness, or ignorance of this mutable Life.

6. AND indeed Voluptuousness is Satan's Hook which produces to Destruction; it is the Mother of Sin, and the Nurse of the never dying Worm: And as Oil killeth Insects, but Vinegar restores them; so Joy and Plea­sure destroy incautious Sinners; but sharp Afflictions safely Cure them: So that they at last arrive to that apprehensive sense of understanding, That it is good for them to be Afflicted, Psal. 119.71. Never rejoice at an­others Affliction, for it is Odious to the Al­mighty, and seldom evadeth such Revenge as pointeth out the Sin.

7. IT is a Maxim of Wisdom to weigh the Joy, which will prove an excellent Gage for thy Heart: For the Prophet Jeremy tells you, Chap. 17.9. That, The Heart is deceit­ful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? If thou rejoicest in Evil, thy Heart must be agreeable to it; but if thou delightest in Goodness, then a secret Power and Spirit of Sanctity ruleth in thee. Ob­serve in Musical Instruments, how some Strings sound at the Moving of others, and accord very Harmoniously: So it is with the Strings of thy Heart, which internally As­senteth to any wicked external Action. The uncircumcised Heart rejoiceth at that Obsce­nity that vexed Righteous Lot: The Holy [Page 28] are cheerful and glad, like the wise Mer­chant, Matt. 13.44, 45, 56. Who when they find the treasure of God's inesti­mable Mercy opened to them, go away re­joicing with that happy Convert, Acts 8.39. While he that hath no interest therein, sitteth numbring the Minutes, and thinking every Divine Exercise long; goeth away either as Ahab, with Indignation, or with Sorrow, like the rich young Man in the Gospel, Matt. 19.22.

8. DANGEROUS Perturbations of the Mind, are in the dominion of Sorrows; and there is as much occasion of prudent Rules to be used, as of a Rudder in a Storm. In every affliction, examine well thy Heart for the Cause: Wherefore is the living Man Sor­rowful? Man suffereth for his Sin. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord, Lam, 3.39, 40. It is a vain attempt, and a high presumption to seek for any Relief from Affliction; but by this means all other Lenitives are as Draughts of Cold Water in a hectick Fit; it is more Inflaming, like David's Harp to a moody Saul, where the vexing Spirit returneth with greater Vio­lence.

9. PLACE thy Sorrow upon Sin, which is the right Object: It is the vulgar Error and dan­ger of many, to be dejected for that loss which indeed cannot prejudice their Bodies; but take a delight in Sin, which woundeth the Soul, and may make them for ever Unhappy. [Page 29] We many times grieve for that which should occasion us to Rejoice. And St. Paul tells us, Rom. 8.26. That all things work together for good; and whom the Lord loveth, he Chasteneth, Heb. 12.6. Next, let us consider the com­fortable effects of God's Chastisements; It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness, unto them which are Exercised thereby, Heb. 12.11. We are impatient and roar out as Men un­der the hands of a skillful Chirurgeon, when he exerciseth the Lancet or Cauterie to Cure us. It was David's Complaint, who said, I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my Heart, Psal. 38.8. Yet in the issue confessed, It is good for me that I have been Afflicted; and declares this Experience, Before I was afflicted, I went a­stray, but now have I kept thy Word, Psal. 119.67, 71.

10. GIVE not thy Heart over to excessive Sorrow; for there is a Worldly Sorrow to Death; and a Sorrow to Repentance not to be Repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. Exorbitant Grief is like the immoderate Overflowing of Nilus, a presager of dangerous Sterility. Stand rea­dy prepared for sharp Encounters. Ships are built to endure Storms and raging Seas. And prudent Minds are composed to endure and make good use of Sorrows. Let every Di­stress awaken thy mind to fly to thy Redeem­er: And then Afflictions will appear like that Rain which fell on the Ark; the more it pour­ed down, the more that was lifted up, and saved from the fury of the Waves: Or like [Page 30] Moses Rod, to open a way through the briny Floods, to our promised Rest, Exod. 14.21, 22.

ANGER is an Appetite of punishing any Injuries Received, or Conceived: The product is Malice, which is inveterate An­ger: The Fruit of it is Revenge, or at least a well-wisher to it; but being weak it becomes vain. The Accomplices are Hatred and Envy; which shews an abhor­rency to any thing which displeases our que­rulous Palate; for we think every thing, though good, and never so well performed, to be evil, because we may have an Antipa­thy to the party that transacts them.

2. ANGER is an Amarulency, em­bittering the Soul: A turbulent Passion, an usurped Power, deposing the Sovereignty of right Reason: It is a Spiritual infernal Fire, the Souls Tyrant, the seed of Malice, and an Enemy to good Council. Its Rage is a Precursor of Destruction, Ruin, and De­solation; a Companion of Misery, and the Souls Precipice. This Affection is of so high a concernment, that some have writ whole Tracts upon this Subject: But my design in this Treatise is only to consider the Go­vernment of the Mind and Thought in re­lation [Page 31] to the service of God: With some Rules of practice for the better performance of it.

3. THERE is an impious and fooolish Anger; whereof Christ said, Mat. 5.22. Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: And St. Paul advises us, Col. 3.8. with this friend­ly Exhortation, But now put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, &c. And the Wise man Philosophically informs you, that a stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fools wrath is heavier than both. And he gives you fur­ther notice, that wrath is cruel, and anger outragious, Prov. 27.3, 4. An Example of which, we have in Gen. 4.5. When Cain committed that Fratricide upon Abel: Fur­thermore, Solomon the chief Anatomizer of Anger, and Dissecter of that Passion, affirms, that an angry man stirreth up strife, and a fool­ish man aboundeth in transgressions: Prov. 29.22. And Eliphaz the Temanite, when he re­proved Job for Cursing the day of his Birth, admonish'd him in this Phrase, that Wrath killeth the foolish man, and Envy slayeth the Silly one.

4. THERE is a good Anger, such as was in Moses, Exod. 16.20. Phinehas, Numb. 25.7. And Nehemiah, Nehem. 5.6. Without which there can be no Zeal: For Stoical Apathie agreeth not with true Religion: Observe what a Bee is without is sting, no­thing but a Drone; even such is man which [Page 32] cannot, or will not be angry. Some anger is necessary, which the holy Spirit menti­ons, Ephes. 4.26. Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the Sun go down upon your wrath. There is such use of this Souls Fire, that the inward man cannot subsist without it. But the skill is how to reduce it to practice: It must be as the Celestial Fire, wherewith the Sacri­fice was to be offered, which we may dis­cern by these Three Distinctions: First, It is Incensed only against Sin, and that which any way displeaseth God, and Obstructeth his Service. Secondly, It Launcheth out only upon some particular Causes and Oc­casions, but not Unadvisedly. Thirdly, It goeth, like that Burning Lamp between the pieces of Abraham's divided Sacrifice, Gen. 15.17. That is, between the Person, and the Offence, proportionably loving the one, and hating the other: This being without Gall and Bitterness, but zealous in opposi­tion to evil: For it is sin not to be angry with Sin.

5. THIS Affection is an Excellent Sub­servant to the Mind, exciting the Faculties; it is Fortitudes Incentive, and Zeals Natu­ral heat; it is Modesties Centinel, and Tem­perances Guardian: And doth by an Ex­cellent Allay of Pleasure, Contract the Di­lated Heart and Mind, with some unpleasing but profitable Austerities; which otherwise, would be exposed to dangerous and wicked Temptations.

IN every Apprehension of injury, look up to God, and say with David when Shimei cursed him, Let him Curse for the Lord hath bidden him, 2 Sam. 16.11. Consider if thou hast not offended thy Maker, and provoked him to Excite Enemies against thee; if upon thy Inquest thou findest out the Sin thou standest guilty of; hasten and make thy Peace betimes with him. Think not thy self Com­petent for greater Matters, and all others Inferiour to thee: That Pride is like Tinder in the Heart, where every Spark is apt to foment Indignation, and kindle Anger's Fire. Be ever Composed rather to bear an Injury, than to Retaliate it: Indeed it is grievous to suffer; but it is dangerous to requite it: Seeing God saith, Vengeance is mine, Deut. 32.35.

2. MAKE a right use of all injuries: Let them be as so many Exercises to thy Wis­dom, Meekness and Patience; And then thine Enemy shall study to be thy Friend: So that thou mayst express that with Verity, which Demosthenes affirmed but Ironically, at his sentence of Banishment: Thy Ene­mies are so Courteous, that it is a very hard task to find anywhere so good Friends. Be angry with Evil, and imitate the Example of Moses the meekest man, who was so pro­voked [Page 34] with the Idolaters, that he expos'd many of them to the Sword, Exod. 32.19. Basil fitly compared this anger to a Dog which Barks at Strangers, chases away Wolves, and other Instruments of Evil, but forgets not to fawn on his Master.

3. SUFFER not Anger to be of a long Duration, lest it Engender into Malice; but take St. Paul's advise, Eph. 4.26. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the Devil. As he must do, who sleeps with his Anger, which indeed is the Devils Anvil on which he Forgeth his Mis­chiefs. When we compose our Bodies to rest, we commonly secure our Fire from doing any harm; and why should we be so Negligent of that Precious Part, the Soul, as to sleep with this fire of Hell in our Bosoms? We are ig­norant, when we close our Eyes, whether we shall ever open 'em in this World, or have any time to agree with our Adversary, before we appear at the great Tribunal.

4. ACT nothing in furious Anger; but endeavour to allay it. A Prudent Man, will not put to Sea in a Storm, but will wait in Expectation of fair Weather: So in Anger we must expect Calm Affections before we can act any thing prudently: We have a frequent Proverb, and not unfit here to be used, that, a hasty man can never want Wo: And Solomon furnishes us with many, per­tinent to our Purpose, Eccles. 7.9. Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry: And Prov. 12. [Page 35] 16. A Fools wrath is presently known, and he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife, Prov. 15.18. And St. James gives this candid advice, in his Epistle, Chap. 1.19. That we should be slow to speak, slow to wrath.

5. THAT Advice was good which the Philosopher Prescribed to Caesar, When you are angry, answer not, untill you have first Re­peated the Letters of the Alphabet: By that time the Choler being a little digested, his Judgment might be Recollected, whose sud­dain Excursion out of its Seat of Passion leav­eth a Man an Incompetent Judge; for it is natural to frail Mortality to think them evil, whom they have any Antipathy against. Architas Considered well, when he said to his offending Servant, 'Tis well for you that I am angry: And Socrates, who in like case said, I would beat thee, but that I am angry. Other Passions, in Extreams, discompose the Mind, but anger Precipitateth it: To be a Ma­ster of other Affections, demonstrateth him very Moderate; but to gain a Conquest over Anger declares him to be Prudent.

6. IN no Passion do we more lose our Friends, our Advantages, our Judgment, our Selves; nor give an Enemy more Ad­vantage, than in Anger. He is a Fool that can be angry at nothing; and he Wise who will not at every thing: It is as great a Ver­tue to Conquer thy Self, as it is to encounter with the fiercest Lyon: He made a good choice who chose rather the Meekness of [Page 36] Moses, than the strength of Sampson: He that hath vanquished his Anger, hath gain'd the Victory over a dangerous Enemy. Allay and overcome thine Anger with Reason, that chasing it with due Revenge, it may prove Justice 's Hand-maid, not its Mistress.

7. DID we Consider the dangerous Effects it brings, we would hasten and wean our selves from it. I shall Endeavour to give you a Catalogue of some of the accomplices of Anger, and then tell me whether it be not a Passion of a Pernicious Consequence: To begin, it is a short madness, differing from it only in point of time; it distorts the Countenance, precipitates the Mind, and so disturbeth the Reason, that, for the time, it converts Man to a Beast: From hence prceed, the Unguarded Mouths, Unbridled Tongues; Reproaches, Calumnies, Contu­melies, Conflicts, and Fruits of Fury spring from that Fountain: This whets the Sword, and breaks the Sacred Bands of Nature and Religion, provoking men at that height by their Assasinations to be Butchers of Men.

7. OBSERVE how a sudden Deluge, sweeps along the Verdant Fields, and de­stroys the Husband-mans most flourishing Hopes; even so rusheth the most impious deluge of Anger into the Mind, covering dan­gerously for the time, if not drowning the fairest Plants of Vertue, Wisdom and Tem­perance, under that bitterness of Mind, and breathing of Revenge, leaving neither Ve­nerable [Page 37] Age, Tender Youth, nor any thing Sacred or Unspar'd. It depriveth thee of Councel, rendreth thee Obnoxious to thy Friends, exposeth thee to thine Enemies, and maketh thee altogether Fruitless; when Patience and Mildness would leave better Impression and Root, then the best Precepts sowed in Storms: In short, it makes thee assume the shape of an Unjust Judge, who Correctest thy Child, or Servants Fault with a greater fault of thine own Intemperance.

8. DESIRE and Anger are the worst Counsellers; they not only disturb the Soul, but deform the whole Frame of the outward Man: Could the angry man but take a Pro­spect of himself, and stedfastly behold, what change that Passion worketh in his Countenance, its impossible he could be Ena­moured with that Distemper: He would find it as much altered from its Native Beauty, as the Face of the Thundring Skie, dif­fers from the lovely Serene, or the Enrag­ing Boysterous Sea does from a Pleasant Calm: Plato advised his Scholars, when they were Angry, to look into a Glass: And if ever the Odious Spirit of Satan looked out of the Windows of Man's Face, 'tis in his Exhorbitant Anger: What a Deformity does it Operate in the Divine Soul, Obvious to the Eye of God? It brings along with it the same disadvantage, as those Dogs of the Prophane Donatists, whom they fed with the Bread of the Holy Eu­charist; [Page 38] for which they escaped not, with­out an evident Sign of Gods Justice; for the Dogs were so Inflamed with Raging Madness that they fastened upon their own Masters, as Strangers and Enemies, Tear­ing them with Revenging Teeth: Even so it often comes to pass that impious Anger, destroyeth the Angry.

9. HE that can by a Regular Reason, Bridle his Anger, reaps great Advantage: First, In Point of Pacification, according to Solomons Counsel, Prov. 15.1. A soft Answer turneth away Wrath. Secondly, In respect of Victory; for as the Patient Man enclineth the Prudent as Witnesses to his Party; So that shall more Foil the Outra­gious and Violent with Meekness, than by Retaliation of Injuries and Contumelies: In which Sense, what Solomon says, con­firms it for a Truth, A soft Tongue breaketh the Bone, Prov. 25.15. Next, thy Councel better recovereth its Seat by thy forbear­ance, and thou losest nothing of thy In­terest, by delaying that which thou once must express, or act. To conclude, in the most just Occasions of Anger, remember God's indulgence with thee: Be not like that Evil Servant, who having found much Mercy would shew none, lest thy Judgment be equivolent, Matth. 18.34.

10. MALICE is the Venom of the Old Dragon; Satan's bitter Influence on the Wicked, and his lively Image in them. It [Page 39] is the Fire of Hell breaking out on the Men of this World: It is the Mother of Re­venge, and Symptome of an Unregenerate Heart, the Affection of a Reprobate Mind, the Devils Leaven, which must be purged out of those, who will Communicate with Christ our Passover. Malice, is the Fuel of God's Anger, and an Obstruction to his Mercy, who cannot justifie the Malicious, for what he has said is just and true, Mat. 6.15. If ye forgive not Men their Trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you. And seeing it is wholly disagree­able with the Love of God; therefore it is impossible, as St. John says, To Love God, and hate thy Brother, 1 John 4.20. Con­cerning which, I need prescribe no other Rule, than this; If Malice possess thy Heart, then desert all Pretences and immediately cast it out, if ever thou hopest to enter into that Kingdom, where inhabits all Love, Peace and Tranquility, with Joy unspeak­able, and full of Glory.

ENVY is an inveterate Grief at others Welfare and Prosperity; and an Evil Perturbation of the Mind, so odious, that to expose it to View, is a Motive suffici­ent to make us loath and detest it: It is a [Page 40] Tare of the Wicked 's sowing, and worthy of Divine Revenge and Punishment; it is an impediment to Piety, a path to Hell, and a secluder from the Kingdom of Heaven: It is a Pernicious Attendant to Posterity, A Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, Eccles. 4.4. A Fruit of Unregeneration, Rom. 1.29. It is the Daughter of Self-Love and Pride, the Result of Carnal Minds, 1 Cor. 3.3. A Work of the Flesh, Gal. 5.21. It is an Ob­struction of Edification, and Growth by the sincere Milk of Gods Word, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2.

2. IT is a Blasphemous Censure of the Most High, whose Judgment it dissalloweth, secretly Murmuring and Repining at his Providence, who Wisely Disposeth of all things in Heaven and Earth, Setting up and pulling down, and distributing to every one, according to his good Pleasure, Dan. 4.25. To display it farther, it is a Diabolical Wisdom, a Companion of Confusion and every evil Work, James 3.14, 15, 16. It is the mischievous Canker, which nippeth the choicest Buds of Vertue, attempting either to cloud them with Incredulity, by reason the Envious cannot attain thereto, or labour­ing to blast them with impious Calumnies.

3. I need not here cite the Example of Antigones, and Teutamus, Conspiring against the truly Noble Eumenes; or of Philip's Sy­cophants against Aratus: Nor of Domitians envying Agricola his worth: Nor Saul's envying David, Cain Abel, Rachel her Sister, [Page 41] the Patriarchs Joseph: Seeing it is manifest that Christ Jesus, in whom were all Perfections, was envyed. There 's nothing so little, but stimulateth it: Nothing so Sacred or High, but this Hellish Fury will flie at. Joseph's Party-Coloured Coat awaken'd it, and it was vigilant to strike at the Saviour of the World: The Natals hereof were in Lucifer, envying God's Monarchy, and ambitious to share in his Sovereignty.

4. NATURAL Historians acquaint us of some Countries free from Serpents; but who can inform me of any barren of Envy? I doubt it is the common Plague that visits all places: Like those Croaking Plagues of Egypt, which did not spare Pharoahs Bed-Chamber; it deludeth the Country with False Opticks, thinking our Neighbours Fields more Fruitful than our own: 'Tis a Mon­ster; not of Gods making, but born of de­praved Affections, as Anger, Fear, Jealousie, Self-Love, which creates Indignation, if another attain to a Happy and Prosperous Condition: Envy thinks all the World too little for its own Orifice: All this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings Gate; said ambi­tious Haman in his Envy, Esth. 5.13. And again, To whom would the King delight to do Honour more than to my self, Chap. 6.6.

THAT Envy hurteth the Invidious most, is apparent, that there is not a greater Torment invented by the worst of Tyrants: Nothing can be more unjust to others, nor no­thing more just to themselves. The Serpent's Poyson infecteth not himself; but Envy proves fatal to them that embrace it: For as the Moth eateth the Garment which breeds it; and as the Rust consumes the Iron, so Envy preys upon the Mind that entertains it. It is more Miserable that can be expressed; for it is not only afflicted with its own Mis­fortune, but it is disquieted at others Exhilira­tion: Whatever is a Pleasure to others, is but a Torment to him. Another Man's Store, is the Envious Man's Want; another Man's Health, is his Sickness; and another Man's Praises, his reputed Dishonour.

2. OTHER Sins have some Remisness, Anger will waste it self in time: Hatred may be extinguished in the end, but Envy never ceaseth: Fierce Lyons are Tamed and be­come Tractable, but the Envious grow worse and worse. The more Christ did good to the Jews, curing their Sick, healing their Infirm, and bestowing the words of Eternal Life upon them, the more destructively did [Page 43] they Envy him. It is the Canker that blast­eth Friendship: The corruption of Life and plague of Nature. It is the Devil's incentive to Rebellion, who when he could not in his Malice hurt God, assailed Man: For it instigated Cain to Murder his Brother Abel; and the Jews to Crucifie the Saviour of the World.

3. BESIDES, it hath irrational Effects: It would stop up the Fountains, and vail the Sun-beams: It regardeth neither bounds of na­tural Civility, or Religion. Rachel Envied her Sister, Gen. 31. Jacob's Sons their Brother Joseph, Gen. 37.11. The Jews, the very Preaching and Hearing the Gospel, Acts 13.45. It is the rottenness of the Bones, Prov. 14.30. It slayeth the Silly, Job 5.2. And lastly, it excludeth from Heaven; for what should Envy lay claim to so bless'd a Habitation; where there is nothing but love and rejoicing in each other's Happiness?

4. FURTHERMORE, it is a perverse Di­stemper of a diseased Mind, rendring the En­vious his viewing of the good of others, as it were with sore Eyes grieved with seeing. It delighteth and triumpheth in Men's Mise­ries: As Flies feed themselves upon others Ulcers, so the Envious propose to themselves a pleasant Entertainment by Discoursing upon others Misfortunes and Afflictions: And to set a gloss upon their Hypocrisie, they will sometimes personate the Compassionate and Merciful, and like subtil Alchymists, pretend [Page 44] to Extract Pity, when indeed it is only to stretch their Malice to a larger Extent, by which means it might not be acquainted with any Limitations.

5. SOMETIMES Proteus like, they will pretendedly act on the Theatre of Justice; then will they seem zealous of Laws, and due Punishment of Delinquents, when indeed they do but pervert Judgment into Wormwood, and Kill or Rob by Authority, whom they durst not Assassinate or Assault by the Sword, or open Violence. Sometimes they will assume larget pretences of Sanctity, ap­pearing like the Devil at Endor, in the Pro­phet Samuel's Mantle, performing some things externally good, whereby they may atchieve some greater Evil. Even so the false Apostles Preached Christ, of meer Envy to St. Paul, that they might add more affliction to his Bonds, Phil. 1.15, 16.

6. IT is at best but a fruit of the Flesh, Gal. 5.21. Meer Folly, Tit. 3.3. Devilish, Sensual, Earthly, St. James, 3.14, 15. A dan­gerous Signal of a Reprobate Mind, given up to Destruction, Rom. 1.28, 29. The most that Envy can acquire towards its own Satis­faction, is to Mourn when others Rejoice, and possibly to hurt Temporally, with its own external Destruction of Body and Soul. To define it further, It is no better than the Spi­rit of Satan reigning in the Envious.

7. THIS Mischief sometimes craftily steals on incautious good Men: As Joshua was En­vied, [Page 45] for Moses's sake, Num. 11.28, 29. And the Psalmist confesseth, My feet, saith he, were almost gone, for I was Envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the Wicked, Psal. 73.2, 3. The Prophet Jeremiah and Habak­kuk, were a little infected with this Contagi­on, which the Scripture as a Monitor, ad­monisheth all Men to beware of that Snare, which entrapped such good Men.

8. THE acts thereof are inconsistent with right Reason, if we respect the Supream Gi­ver of that which stimulateth Envy; for how irrational a presumption is it in Man, to con­troll the providence of God? If Jacob's Eyes wax dim with Age, and would not permit his dear Joseph to alter the Imposition of his Hands, or to transpose the Blessing at his pleasure, how much less will the all-seeing God, permit the Envious Man to pervert his Hands? Next we must respect the quality of the Envied; Is he Evil whom thou Enviest? Then thy Compassion is summon'd to pity him, because his Sin represents him more Wretched than all the World can do. Is he Good? How guilty then must thou be in En­vying his Felicity?

ENDEAVOUR to put on Christ, and then thou art sure to chase away Envy. It [Page 46] is the Apostle's Rule, Rom. 13.13, 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in Strife and Envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Strive by a Holy imitation, to follow the Example of thy Lord and Master, who was meek and lowly in Heart, and en­vied no Man, Matt. 11.29. Christ loved all respectively: For Love envieth not, 1 Cor. 13.4. If we love for the sake of him who first loved us, we shall never be perplexed for any competent Blessings he in his good plea­sure bestows, but should rather wish them greater: We shall wash off that guilt of un­dervaluing others, and abandon that pre­sumption of over-rating our selves; and this sort of Ambition which acts contrary to these Remedies, reigns only in the Dominion of the Envious.

2. THE Meek Moses was so free from Pride and Ambition, that he reprehended those that Envied for his sake; and wisht that all God's People could Prophesie; and besought the Lord, that he would put His Spirit upon them, Num. 11.29. Discipline thy self in God's School, for there is the best and safest cure of Emulation. It was a Paradox to David, Psal. 73.16. Vntil saith he, I went into the Sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. There thou mayst learn not to value Transitory things too much; to consider well his Hand, which setteth up, and pulleth down: To refer all thy Desires to the advancement [Page 47] of his Glory; and humbly to acknowledge, and in a high manner express thy thankful­ness for those favours of Providence he hath conferred on thee; having the possession of these thoughts, thou mayest quite Banish Envy.

3. NEXT consider where thou placest thy Enmity. The Psalmist found in the Sanct­uary, that his Enemies were not to be Envy­ed: Surely, said he, thou didst set them in slip­pery places: Thou castedst them down to De­struction, Psal. 73.18. Let not this Memento flip out of thy Mind, That God mixeth Bit­ter with Sweetness to all in this Life. One hath great Riches, but no Child to enjoy it; nor perhaps a generous Heart to make use of those goods of Fortune God hath been pleased to bestow upon him; Another is in perfect Bodily Health, but his Soul may be sick unto Death: Others contrive and hoard up Wealth, but with such a seared Conscience, that the poorest Saint is incomparably more happy. Another is advanced to Honours, perhaps only to make his Fall the greater. Another in divers respects may be very Prosperous in the Eye of the World; but may resem­ble the Moon, who is most tenebrous towards Heaven, when she Illuminates the Earth. So it is with Man very observable. that the greater Lustre they shine with in the Eye of the World, the more despicable they are in the sight of Heaven; for God abhorreth all those Pomps and Vanities, and [Page 48] layeth up such severe Judgments for the Own­ers, that a Soul in the midst of Torments is as proper an Object of Envy, as the glittering Shadows, who are hasting thither.

4. O let us not forget then that we are Bre­thren, Members of one Body, whereof Christ Jesus is the Head; therefore let us with all Gen­tleness and Meekness take St. Paul's advice, Gal. 6.1. Brethren, if a Man be over-taken in a Fault, restore such a one in the Spirit of Meek­ness, considering thy self, lest thou also be tempt­ed. Let us support one another through Love, and mutually rejoice at each others Happiness; and by these means we shall cast away the works of Darkness, Strife and Envy.

IMPATIENCE is a Distemper of the Mind, proceeding from several Causes, as Indig­nation, Anger, Envy, Sorrow, apprehension of Injuries, Affliction, deluded Hopes, and the like. As the diseased Body cannot endure Heat or Cold; so an impatient, and discon­tented Mind, cannot comply with Prosperi­ty, or Adversity. Every present Estate seem­eth uneasie, wanting a true relish to make it palatable; it is not only a Guilt, but a Pu­nishment of the Sin of Ingratitude against God; Therefore the Almighty threatned to send them trembling Hearts, Sorrow of Mind, [Page 49] and pendulous Thoughts, and Fears, Deut. 28.65, 66, 67. In the Morning thou shalt say, would God it were Evening: and at Even thou shalt say, would God it were Morning.

2. SICK of this wayward Distemper was he, who being at Rome, lik'd Tyber best, but when at Tyber gave Rome the Preference; the sick Person shifteth Rooms and Beds, as the wounded Hart flieth from Brake to Brake, but can find no ease, whilst the fatal Arrow, that Messenger of Death sticks fast in his side. So it is observable Malecontents waver, be­tween contempt of the present, and vain hopes of the future. But Coelum, non animum mut at, he transmueth the Air, not his Mind; that crosseth the Ocean. Wherever thy Progress is, thy Mind bears thee company, and according to its Malignancy, a proportionable Remedy must be applied.

3. TRIVIAL matters doth not perturb the the Healthy, but a small Accident discompo­seth the Sick. The sound and strong Man can rest any where, but to the infirm, a Bed of Gold, or Wood, produces the same ease; and a rich Palace, or a poor Cottage, affords him equality of rest. So it is observable, a fixed and stable Mind will rest contented any where; he is become a Proficient, and can say with St. Paul, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be Content, Phil. 4.11. And a Mind so serene and calm, is Health to the Sick, Enlargement to the Prisoner, and far excells a Kingdom to the Possessor; [Page 50] whereas the impeteous Mind is troubled and discomposed with every trifle. I do well, said pievish Jonah, to be angry even unto death, Jo­nah 4.9. And all this Morosety was but for a poor Gourd, when at that juncture he ought to have been more concerned at so many thou­sand Lives, which were near Destruction.

4. TO cure this, no Cataplasm Exter­nally applyed can afford any Operation; but it must be a Catholicon Internally used, which must purge the Mind of these Ma­lignant Perturbations which disaffect it, and to strengthen it by a right Informatio [...] of the Understanding, and rectifying th [...] distempered Affections, untill the Mind en­joy a Calm of Patience. And indeed Pa­tience is a Magnanimous Vertue, and attend­ed with a Train of [...]piritual Qualifications▪ First, It is Afflictions Cordial, and Despair Antidote, the Daughter and Nurse of Hope, Rom. 8.25. And the Saints Communio [...] with Christ, Rev. 1.9. It is the way to th [...] Inheritance, Heb. 12.1. The Seal of Salv [...] ­tion, 2 Pet. 1.10. A Symptome of Fait [...] and Hope in Christ, 1 Thess. 1.3. Patienc [...] is an Equanimity in bearing Adversity; an [...] a Fruit of Charity: And the Apostle gi [...] you this Certificate, That the Fruit of th [...] Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Ga [...] 5.22. And Charity suffereth long, 1 Cor. 13.4.

5. IMPATIENCE is a Perturbati­on of the Mind, a Self-corroding, Torment­ing bitterness of the Soul, proceeding from [Page 51] Impotency, or Levity of Mind: A secret contest with, and repining at the Provi­dence of God. It is the absurdity of Rich Men, and the vexation of the Poor: The Mo­ther of Despair, and sad fury of the Internal habitation; every Room, and Recess thereof, it disturbeth with hideous Cries, like Ziim and Ohim, doleful Beasts in the Desolations of Babylon, Isai. 13.21.

6. IT is a folly and sober distraction, where­in the deseased Mind rejecteth all wholesome Prescriptions; it Rebelleth against the Physici­an, and lacerateth open its own Wounds; it is an Heart-corroding canker, the internal Man's Woolf, which devoureth that which feedeth it; the Worm which gnaweth the Soul, which Prometheus-like, cherisheth the Vul­ture which afflicteth it, and delighteth in that which grieves it: Nor is the best of Men free from this Distemper, for David with his Soul made this inquest, Why art thou so sad, O my Soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me, Psal. 43.5.

7. OUR Blessed Saviour, who was free from Sin, who bare all our Sorrows, in the sense of his Father's wrath, acknowledg­ed, that his Soul was heavy to the death: And wrestling with that most unknown Passion, cryed out upon the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He could no otherwise be sensible of Hell Torments, (due to us) in his Humane Soul, than by losing the present sense of the Deities As­sistance, [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] which wheresoever it is, makes Eternal Happiness: He lost in that Agony a present sense, not an Indeficient Interest: For even then, he called God, his God; which Demonstrated a vast distance between the Impatience, of Desperate and Irreco­verable Sinners, and the Estate of those Good Men who are under Tribulation for the Infirmity of their Souls: The just Man may be compared to the Israelites, march­ing with the Egyptians through the Red-Sea, where there is a way opened to their Promised Rest, but the Waters return with a full force and drown the Enemy.

8. AS to this Malady we must not plead ignorance, but be sensible that it groweth Gradually: First, In unadvised Anger mix [...] with Sorrow; which are the Seminaries of Impatience: Next, it goes forward, to a dislike of every Accident and Estate; from thence to an internal Repining: So like a Gangren, it invadeth the Souls Vitals, Hope, Content, and a Cheerful dependance upon God's Providence, and then marches forward to vio­lent Despair; so that it behoves a Man high­ly to prevent this danger by checking its Primitive Motions; and learning to make a Prudent use of every Affliction, and to Expel all those discomposed Thoughts which nourish it; likewise to practise in the whole Course of Life, that Christian Patience, and Moderation, which becometh those, who depend on the Providence of God: Some [Page 53] Motives to it, I shall shew in the next Chapter.

FIRST, God Commandeth us, by his Holy Apostle in several places; as Rom. 12.12. 1 Thess. 5.8. 1 Tim. 6.8. Heb. 13.5. And David earnestly perswades us to this duty, Psal. 37. from the first, to the four­teenth Verse. Secondly, Consider well the dis­advantages of Impatience, and the Advan­tages of Patience; Seneca was of that good Opinion, that no man could be happy who did not think himself so: It imports not what thy Condition is, if thou thinkest it evil? The Patient Man is happy in every Estate; because God will hear him, Psal. 40.1. And the Wise Man gives this Result, Eccles. 7.8. The Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit. And the Apostle gives us this assurance, Rom. 2.7. That the Lord will give him Eternal Life. And the Evan­gelist gives us this Encouragement, by Pati­ence a Man possesseth his own Soul, Luke 21.19. All Affliction to him is but a whole­some Bitter Potion, which he freely swal­loweth, as being prescribed to Operate his Cure, and to produce him the quiet Fruits of Righteousness, Heb. 12.11. The Apostle like­wise tells you, 1 Tim. 6.6. That Godliness with Contentment is great gain.

[Page 54]2. PATIENCE allays a ponderous burden, and makes it easie; and therein defeateth the adverse Party; the product of whose Injury is the Perplexity and Im­patience of the injured. When Job Exer­cised his Affliction with Patience, Satan was foiled at his own Weapon. As Ballast, if it be well placed that it cannot move, or shoot, the Sailing Ship Rides secure; but if otherwise, she is Foundred: Even so it is with Patience in the Soul. It was a Bles­sed Victory obtained at Job's first encounter, at which the Angels of Heaven could do no less than give a Plaudite; for when Satan had fully charged him with all his Machi­nations, and Job had received all those fierce Blows on his Shield of Patience; he made this meek Reply, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the Name of the Lord: And the Holy Ghost thus testi­fieth, In all this Job sinned not, Job 1.21, 22. And Job was happy in being so great a Victor; and happy are all they who imi­tate that invincible Patience in their sufferings.

3. THOSE who are Impatient, must submit to that Term of being Evil; and the Almighty will not lend an Ear to them: They are by every Condition made worse, being Authors of their own misery; and make their own Burdens intollerable, by striving under that, which no violence can cast off: They are Satan's Captives, in­troducing their Fretful Impatience only [Page 55] to adorn his Triumphs; they prove scorns to Men, who can no less than deride, if not loath that Morosity, and peevish Way­wardness, which causeth the Impatient male­content neither to enjoy Friends nor him­self. An Example we have of that Mirror of Impatience Diogenes the Cynick, who be­ing Asked by Alexand [...]r the Great, if he lacked any thing; to which he Morosely Re­plyed Yea, I do, Stand out of my Light. Now whether he embraced this Churlish Humour, to profess himself a Votary to his own Passions, or to lay Claim to an equal Capacity and Right of Contemning his Friends Greatness, as much as he slighted his Poverty; that I cannot Expostulate: But he chose rather to Inhabit in a Tub, than expect the delayed Beneficence of him that promised to build him a House: And certainly by this his Impatience, he reaped no Advantage.

4. CONSIDER that Momentary Af­flictions are of no Duration: If all the World, Men and Devils, Conspired to vex and molest thee, they could not long make thee an Object of their Fury and Malice. The Apostle like a good Prognostick fore­tells our Necessities, Heb. 10.37. Ye have need of Patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promises: For yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Then Blessed are all they, who with meekness [Page 56] and a patient Confidence expect him. Be therefore Patient, Stablish your hearts: For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, James 5.8. Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, Psal. 30.5. Howe­ver the longest day as its due must accept of a period: And the most tedious misery of a good Christian shall have such a Counsuma­tion as may render him happy.

5. CONSIDER the extent of thy suffering: Perhaps thou art envied without Cause: Thou owest thanks to God for that Conformity to his dear Son: Thou art Op­pressed, Plundred, Imprisoned, Exiled: But yet thou hast not resisted unto Blood▪ Thou art Listed, and Enrolled a Souldier under Christ's Banner; in whom Believing and Patiently bearing Tryall, thou canst not miscarry; and dost thou Recoil at those Military Charges, which have not exposed thy Life to danger? What if Heavens Ge­neral drew thee out, and posted thee for one of the Forlorn Hope of Martyrdom, and the Fiery Tryal? Wouldst thou desert the Service? Or complain of Danger?

6. CONSIDER nothing is befallen you, but what is common to many: Pau­lus Aemilius well observed in his sudden Victory over Perseus, that there is nothing durable in this World: Dost thou in the loss of some Secular Comfort, Cry with the afflicted. Church, behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, Lam. 1.12. If [Page 57] it be any comfort to have Partners in mighty Wo, consider well that thousands of others suffer at a higher rate: As he said, who, to Comfort an Embittered Friend, as they beheld a Populous City from the House Top, considered how many heavy Hearts, and weeping Eyes, are now under these Roofs? From hence may be Learned, that in thy afflictions, thou art not singular.

7. CONSIDER that many good Chri­stians excelling thee in Perfections, have had a greater share of Afflictions than thou couldst undergo: And St. James makes no scruple in his 5 Chap. v. 11. But that ye have heard of the patience of Job: And therein the issue of Patience: God deliver'd him to Satan: Behold he is in thine hand, Job 2.6. Yet all that the Devils Malice could Inflict upon him, redounded the more to Illustrate his Happiness: For the Almighty had Pro­nounced him Righteous, and knew his Strength was of that Extent, loud enough to proclaim him a Champion. If Saul was unwilling to expose David to an unequal Conflict, shall we think the Almighty would hazzard us, if we were not certain to gain the Conquest? He will not venture thee into the Lists, without his Grace, which makes thee invincible: He views thy Try­als with delight, and has a Proportionable reward always ready.

8. THEREFORE be not deceived nor dis­couraged, they are not miserable, whose Suf­ferings [Page 58] are ample: 'Tis honourable to receive Wounds in War; for Scars are Honors Cha­racters, written in the Face and Breast of the Valiant: Enquire into thy own Heart, and then thou canst not but express thy Thankfulness, for his afflicting thee so lightly; for no Man is so miserable as wicked. Consider the issue of Afflictions, and the end why God afflicteth thee. The Physician prescribes not bitte [...] Pills, nor doth the Surgeon exercise his Lance [...] or Cautery to kill, but to cure the Patient. So God doth not delight in the death or afflictio [...] of a Sinner, but he permitteth thee to wee [...] now, to prevent Eternal Weeping hereafter▪ It is not thy Misery that affects him, but th [...] Health; and he prescribeth such bitter things as are proper to thy Malady; and if lenitiv [...] Physick, or a less quantity would effect the operation, he would not have exhausted one dra [...] or scruple more than he thought necessary.

9. PATIENTS undergo much under Physicians Skills, when their promising helps ar [...] uncertain; how much rather ought we pat [...] ently to submit our selves under the Hand [...] God, who will not fail of his promise to us▪ But upon serious Consideration, thou report­est that this Objection will arise, That tho [...] invocatest him for help, and he heareth not: T [...] which I answer, That it is God's infinit [...] Mercy not sometimes to hearken to thy re­quest, but to fulfil his own Will and Pleasure in order to thy Salvation. Thus the Almighty, who is the great Physician of Souls, deals indul­gently with all his Patients.

[Page 59]10. SEEING then Calamity is often the Discipline of Virtue; Shall his Stomach be averse to the Antidote, who greedily swal­lowed down the Poyson? All Impatience re­ceives its Nativity from Satan, who Conspires by all his treasonable diabolical Arts to poy­son the Soul of Man, and to plunge him into the Pit of Despair, and by Rebellion to mur­mur at the taste of the Marahs of Affliction; For it is very infallible, that Satan envies the Image of God in Man, and is displeased when God bestows his Favours on frail Mortality. Strive therefore in storms of Misery, to calm thy Mind, and be patient under every Affli­ction; which that thou mayst the better do, observe these Rules laid down in the next Chapter.

LOVE and Honor God above all things, and thou wilt not repine at any order of his Providence. It was the saying of Old Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3.18. When we express our love to God in a regular Manner; we shall truly discern that all his Judgments are Just, and what he inflicts on us. His fatherly Corre­ctions, are the Products of his Love and Wis­dom for our Amendment, who therefore cor­recteth every Son, out of an earnest Desire, [Page 60] that none should perish; and he that indulg­eth himself to his pleasure, profit, or ease, and omitteth his duty towards God, must needs be impatient of any loss which may befall him. Next to thy Maker, love thy Neigh­bor as thy self; and a trifling Injury shall not molest thy quiet.

2. LET us take the Apostles advice, to be content with Necessaries, 1 Tim. 6.8. Having Food and Raiment, let us be therewith content. And what can the richest Treasures of Princes afford them more than Tranquility of Mind? It was a prudent Speech of that Indian King Taxiles, to the invading Alexander, What oc­casion have we, said he, to fight and wage War one with another, if thou comest not to take away our Water, and our Necessaries, by which we must subsist? As for other Goods, if I abound more in Riches than you, I am ready to acquit some of them to you; and if I have less, I will not think scorn to receive from you the like favour. And I would to God that all Societies of Men were so happily composed.

3. FREQUENTLY and thankfully re­count what God hath done, and still doth for thee. Foolish Men by their Impatience, cre­ate an over-sight, and look through false Op­ticks upon their happy Estates; and rever­sing often something to nothing, by which means showers of Blessings are turned into Curses, which brings a severe Doom upon themselves. 'Tis the part of a Fool rather to mourn for a Loss, than rejoice for any Profit, [Page 61] or Gain. Many reckon what they are not pos­sessed of, not what they enjoy beyond many thousands that are dignified because, prudenti­al and more thankful: They imagine their morose Humor must not be contradicted, and their Sweets must not be mixed with Bitter; but I may say to them, as Job said to his Wife, tempting him, Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women; what, shall we receive good at the Hands of God, and shall we not receive Evil? Job 2.10.

4. IN all Discontents look up to him, who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Christ Jesus: Consider that he suffered and under­went what thou couldst not perform; yet not for himself, for he knew no Sin; but it was to work thine and the World's Salvation: If through Faith in him, thou canst have Peace with God, thou shalt not only bear, but rejoice in Tribulation, knowing as the Apostle says, that it worketh Patience, Rom. 5.3. If thou wilt preserve Innocency and a good Conscience, thou wilt advantageously acquire peace and contentment of Mind, which shall Compose thee in the midst of Tu­mults in things External: But as a Seditious City, or a Discorded House cannot be Happy; so a discorded Mind, cannot be at Unity in it self.

5. KEEP within the Jurisdiction of thy proper Business, Employment, or Calling. Un­dertake not, neither propound to thy self any thing too great for thy Management. Over­grasping thy Hand, Enervates it, and tor­ments [Page 62] it with fruitless Pain: And aiming too ambitiously, crucifies the Heart, when they fall from the Precipice of their vain Propo­sals. Art thou endowed with Riches? Act­ively offer them to that use for which they were sent; which is God's Glory. Is thy Fortune slender? Contract thy Mind within its Limits, which is to Necessity, not Opini­on: We read of a Philosopher in his Journey, which drank Water in his Hand, and cry'd out, With how few Vtensiles is Nature content! I could wish many would follow his Exam­ple, that they might enjoy that Peace and Tranquility of Mind.

6. BUT many become their own Tor­menters and Authors of their own Discon­tents, proposing such strange Fabricks of their Babels, erecting airy Castles and Tow­ers to Heaven; adding House to House, and Land to Land, Province to Province, and Kingdom to Kingdom; chasing for their main Concernments in the dangerous attempts of doubtful Adventures, Grandeur, and affluence of Riches. They go Remote to find that which with Prudence may be produced at Home, in our own Bosoms, which is to be satisfied in that which God hath allotted for us, with a contented Mind.

7. IT was remarked of Pyrrhus that act­ive Epirot, that Fortune made him happy enough with Sufficiency, to live Peaceably at Home, if he could have contented himself only with the Sovereignty over his own Sub­jects: [Page 63] But his insatiable Avarice, (which neither the Sea, Mountains, Inhabitable De­serts, nor the Confines which separate Asia from Europe could Limit) instigated him per­petually to seek out new matter of Trouble to himself and others: Which his faithful Friend Cineas, did once Prudently, tho with­out Effect, intim [...] [...] him, whereupon new Overtures of honourable and profitable Un­dertakings for the Tarentines, occasioned by Cineas Quaeres. Pyrrhus had said, When we have Overcome the Romans, there can neither- Grecian nor Barbarous City in all the Coun­try withstand us, but we shall Conquer all the rest of Italy with Ease. And what shall we do then, (said Cineas?) Pyrrhus reply­ing, telleth him of Conquering commodious Sicily. Again he demanded, That being Won, shall our Wars end? Pyrrhus replied, The way was then open enough to attain great Conquests, and who would not af­terwards go into Africk, and so to Carthage? But when we have all in our Hands, (said Cineas) what shall we do in the end? We will then (good Cineas, said he) be quiet and take our Ease, make Feasts eve­ry day, and be as Merry one with another as we can possibly. Cineas having brought him to that point, said to him, My Lord, What hindereth us now to be Quiet and Merry together, since we enjoy that presently without farther Travel and Trouble, which we should now go seek for Abroad with such shedding of Blood, [Page 64] and so manifest Dangers? And we know not whether we shall ever attain unto it, after we have both suffered, and caused others to suffer in­finite Sorrows and Troubles.

8. LEARN to obtain a faithful depen­dance on Gods Providence. This ground of Content the Holy Ghost proposeth, Heb. 13.5. Let your Conversation be [...] Covetous­ness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor for­sake thee. When Men too much depend on second Causes, they are impatient at every Cross. They would impiously prescribe God the time, as Jehoram would, 2 Kings, 6.33. and rebellious Israel, Exod. 32.1. Or in the Means, as Naaman, 2 Kings, 5.11. But in assurance that God will never fail us, we must patiently expect his help. In every Affliction remember that God beholdeth thee, and his Providence will give the issue with the Tryal.

9. ART thou in Want, which excites thy Discontent? Then call to mind what thou broughtest into this World, and what thou shalt carry out: Thou hast not such Possessi­ons, Houses, Riches, Apparel as some have; yet no Man liveth so poor as he was Born. This was that which that Exemplar of Pati­ence said in all his Losses, Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb, and Naked shall I return thither, Job 1.21. So St. Paul maketh it a ground of his Exhortation to Contentedness, We brought nothing into this World, and it is certain we shall carry nothing out, 1 Tim. 6.7. [Page 65] Kings and Princes are cast out Naked in the day of their Nativity, and are beheld as Weep­ing little Masters of the World. The Great Saladine will inform you what they carry hence; who ordered, that at his Funeral one should carry a Shirt or Winding-sheet, on the Point of an advanced Lance, and go before the Herse and proclaim thus, Saladine the Conqueror of the East, carrieth hence with him only this of all that he hath gotten.

10. FEED not the bitter humour of Dis­contents, for the growths thereof are sad and dangerous. Give not over thy mind to hea­viness, and afflict not thy self in thine own Counsel, Ecclus. 30.21. The exhileration of the Heart is the Life of a Man, and prolongeth his days. Some Minds are like the Sea, which instantly turneth sweet Showers into its own Bitterness; because they indulge to Impatience, pleasing themselves with that which tormenteth them: But the prudent in every Affliction, elevate their Souls to God, seeking Comfort in him, and consider of the Life to come; where there shall be no more Curse, Rev. 22.3. no more Discontent, but every Heart shall be filled with Joy.

HE is not living in the World that is void of Hope: The Child hopes to arrive to Manhood, the Aged to linger out a Year longer: The Poor hopes for Wealth; the Sick for Health: The Imprisoned for Liberty: And the Afflicted that Joy may be the Scene of the Morning: Hope in­duces the Husband-Man to Sow, and Ma­nure his Ground, the weary Traveller to endure his tedious Ways, and the Experi­enced Swimmer to spread his tyred Arms upon the Death-threatning Waves: Thus is the whole Span of Man's Life Employed, in Suffering and Hoping.

2. BUT in Hopes, there's a vast diffe­rence: As for Example, the Human vain Hope is of all others the most pernicious: Such a Hope is but the Denomination of an uncertain Good; 'tis a treacherous Guide, leading to desperate Precipices; the Ignis fatuus of the Mind and the Waking Man's Dream. It was the Tempters Artifice first to assail Man's Innocency, with vain hope grounded on a lying Promise; without this flash of Vanity, Satan had never gain'd so many Vassals. Imprimis, He sheweth the forbidden Fruit; and in a wicked Elegancy Preached this Doctrin, In the day ye Eat thereof ye shall be as Gods, Gen. 3.5. Thus [Page 69] was unhappy man caught by this alluring Bait.

3. SO he Accosted the Second Adam, the Lord of Glory, when he represented to him the Kingdoms and Glory of the World, Matth. 4.8. Satan still makes it is his Bu­siness to give us a Prospect of false Heavens, to precipitate us into a true Hell; suggest­ing vain hopes that he might deprive us of the real: There is none commits the least sin, but a Train of vain Hopes attends it: Several instances we have, as in Cain's Mur­der, Amnons Lust, Judas's Treason, or A­chitophel's Despair: The Sinner many times hopes for some other product of his Resolu­tions, than from the Sin he transacts.

4. THE worst have not lost their hopes of some good; but all their wishes are in vain: For the hopes of the Wicked are often frustrated, but the Justice of the most just Judge cannot. We must expect from Rea­son's Providence; and when Time's Glass is fully run, there must be something future, all which carries the face of Goodness; yet so flattering a Liberty is Self-hopes, that every man, especially the Juvenile, who are least acquainted with Fascination, and Constant Inconstancy of the World, relying much on hope, and depending little on Me­mory, promise themselves great things: But when the Malignants Sing Requiems to their Souls, sudden Destruction is the more ter­rible in its assault, by Reason it poured up­on them unsuspectedly; The Hypocrites [Page 70] hope shall perish; their hope shall be Sorrow of Mind, Job 11.20.

5. AND truly such is Worldly Confi­dence in an Evil Conscience: However it may appear to have purchased thee A Cove­nant with death, and an Agreement with Hell, Isai. 28.15. yet it will deceive thee: How­ever it fawns, and promises long Life, and vigour in an Arm of Flesh, and the vain Councels of Men, raising thy Hopes to high Flights; yet they are but Phantasms of deluded Men, and create an Eruption in the midst of their full Career, delivering up their Mind to dangerous Convulsions; and by the Ascent, is cast down from so high a Pinacle, as renders the Fall the more de­sperate: How often do despairing Wretches wish they had never hoped, when the va­nity of it is plainly Demonstrated, like Pha­roah's Chariot-Wheels, they fall off, where they are most deeply engaged, between Floods of returning Miseries, Exod. 14.25.

6. NOW I come to shew you, there is a hope of the Righteous, which never fails; this is a prudent Expectation of fu­ture Happiness; fulfilling of his Promises who is Yea, and Amen, both in this Life, and that which is to come. This is a Ver­tue infused into our Hearts by Gods Holy Spirit, who cannot deceive, as the Psalmist confirms it, Psal. 31.24. Be of good Courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. The Eye of the Lord is up­on [Page 71] them, Psal. 33.18. And they trust in him▪ who will certainly perform his Promise And thrice happy are they in whom the Lord taketh pleasure, their Expectation shall be Gladness.

7. SOLOMON says, They have hope in death, Prov. 14.33. And the Apostle tells you, they are saved thereby, Rom. 8.24. Hopes in any Creature may be frustrated, but hope in God maketh not ashamed; for he is good to all them that trust in him, Lam. 3.24, 25. This hope is not Humane, or Conjectural, liable to Fraudulency, but Theologically grounded on the infallible Word of God, in whom is only our Confidence, Psal. 119.81. Now the Ob­ject of this Hope, is what God has promised; Remission of Sins, Grace, Glory, and all things necessary for this present Life, and the future; and the instrumental Motive is justifying Faith, from whence it springs; for the Apo­stle tells you, Heb. 11.1. Faith is the Substance of things hoped for. The supream end, God's Glory; the subordinate, our own Salvation, and present Comfort, whereby we may effe­ctually offer up our Thankfulness to God to who begetteth us again to a lively hope in Christ, 1 Pet. 1.3.

8. St. John tells you in his first Epistle, 3.3. That he which hath this Hope is purified; and the Psalmist animates you, saying, It is an Ex­pulsion of servile Fear, Psal. 5.6.4.5. As also a dependance on God, and casting all our Care upon him, a Fortitude in bearing Affli­ctions, [Page 72] and a Joy in Adversity. The Subject of this Hope, are God's Saints; Faith and Hope accord in the Cause, and God's Spirit giveth both; and in the certainty, as we believe, so we hope. All they differ in is this, That Faith begetteth Hope, whereby Faith hath the Preference. Secondly, Faith beholdeth the the verity of God's Promises, Hope on the Goodness of them; as Faith can entertain nothing but infallible Truth for its Object, so Hope can enjoy nothing but Goodness. Faith apprehendeth the Truth, and Hope patiently expects the fulfilling of it. Now the Object of this Hope hath four Qualifications, Good, Future, Difficult, and Possible.

9. GOOD: Whatsoever is contrary to it, may be an object of Fear, which has no cohe­rence with this Hope. Now whereas there is a real Good, so there is an appearing or seem­ing one, which being not sincere, creates a vain, or impious Hope; as if a Man hopes for Ease, Pleasure, Riches and Honours: These are not Verities, nor good of themselves, but in their use; and so their hopes may be vain and of no duration. A Man hopes a Revenge on his Enemy, a Satisfaction of his Lusts, or the like. This Hope is impious, and not du­rable; and must in the end render a Man un­happy. But if we hope for the Glory of God, our Soul's Health and Comfort, or what is really good in it self; this is true Hope, and shall attain to that heighth of Perfection, tho to transitory Eyes it seems not to be durable; [Page 73] as when we invocate for some Temporal Things, which Omnipotency discerneth not to be agreéable to our Necessities, or for him to grant; as when Christ prayed that the Cup might pass from him; and when Moses hoped to go into Canaan, Christ was heard, and Moses not defeated of his hope, because in both God decreed that which was best; and that is ever consistent with true Hope, which gives not the Deity Prescriptions, but confidently expecteth, either what it hopeth, or something better.

10. FUTURE Rom. 8.24, 25. Joy is of things Present, or so represented; as when we re­joice in Hope, Rom. 12.12. Hope maketh that present, by a Prepossession of that which is to come; for Hope acts contrary to that which is present. Difficult: Such are all things Ex­cellent; perhaps deluded Hope makes it an easie step to Heaven and Salvation. But they that indeed go that Path, shall find it narrow, and inviron'd with a World of Difficulties. Lastly, Possible; That which is impossible to Carnal Reason, may be hoped for, because 'tis possible to God; therefore Abraham belie­ved above Hope: And we expect the Resur­rection of the Dead; and some things which sinful Men think possible, are impossible.

11. ALL things are possible to Omnipo­tence, which he'll perform; and he will per­form what he has Promised. But some things he disannuls, and so are impossible. Omnipo­tency will not lie, nor be unjust; for that im­porteth [Page 74] Impotency, and is a declining of his Attributes: To hope that those Asseverations God hath pronounced concerning Supine Sin­ners, shall not be accomplished, is a Hope al­together vain and fruitless; for it is impossi­ble for the Divine Majesty to be untrue: To be resolute in Sinning, and yet to hope for Par­don, is a frivolous Hope, because it is impossi­ble for God to be unjust; a severe Lesson for Presumptuous Sinners, who resolve to enjoy their Lusts and Pleasures, glut themselves with Revenge, and yet hope when this Life's Scene is ended, the few Petitions of their Epilogue shall purchase favour.

12. IF thou goest on in this Career, thou wilt be guilty of a gross Absurdity; for if thou resolvest to Sin, and invocatest the Al­mighty to be Merciful, thou dost in effect be­seech God to unthrone himself of his Justice, and to be indulgent to an Impenitent Sinner. This being impossible, it concerns thee, to arise from sleep, and shake off all vain and de­luding Hopes, that thou mayst fix on the true and never failing, which is the Anchor of the Soul, a laying hold on the Land of the Liv­ing; it is the ease of Sorrows, Grief's Asswa­ger, Affliction's Comforter, and Despair's An­tidote. Again, it is Faith's Perspective; the Nebo where we take a view of the Promised Rest, and the Faithful Spy to discover the Holy-Land, bringing us the Tastes from Escoll, the Fruits of the Spirit, the Possession which they hold, who enjoy no more, and yet are Rich in all Things.

IN order to this Governance, endeavour to fortifie thy Mind with Resolution and So­briety; which will guide to Purity of Life. For every one that hath this Hope, purgeth him­self as he is pure, 1 John 3.3. A true Hope, with a Resolution to persist in any known Sin, is incompatible. The Devout Man's Hope never faileth, of which Seneca could say, That Fortune hath often deserted the Innocent, but good Hope never. Hope to the End; for the Perfection of that Virtue is Perseverance. We must wait for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemp­tion of our Body, Rom. 8.23. Though deferred Hope disturbs the Heart; Though it tarry, wait, for it shall surely come, Hab. 2.3. What ever Tryals we undergo, let us put on Job's Resolution, Chap. 13.15. Though he stay me, yet will I trust in him. We belong to him that Redeemed us; If we hold fast the Confidence, and the rejoicing of the Hope firm unto the End, Heb. 3.6.

2. THOUGH through Humane Frailty thou sometimes art assaulted with Fear; yet be confident, and pursue the Psalmists Rule, who expresses, What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, Psal. 56.3. Fear and Hope may inhabit together, especially where the fear of the Lord doth not abrogate Faith's Confidence, but Carnal Security. Treasure up the Pro­mises [Page 76] of God; to that intent were they writ­ten, and divulged, That we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15.4. Fix not thy rest on this World, or place thy Confidence on any thing in it; it is but comparable to a broken Reed, a slack Rope, on the raging Sea, or a false Friend in Adversity; and like the Quick-Sands, on which infatuated Builders lay their Founda­tions: As Moses told Israel, Ye are not come to your rest, Deut. 12.9.

3. ALL temporal Enjoyments are liable to Vicissitudes, and no Constancy to be found a­mong the Sons and Daughters of Men. Pro­sperity is like a Fair Morning, quickly over­cast with hideous Storms; like the Morning Dew, soon vanishing; or like a pleasant Flow­er, or a Jonah's Gourd; such are all Humane Enjoyments. So that there is no sure Hope, but in the Almighty, who is immutable, nei­ther deceiveth those that trust in him; there­fore, beware of vain Hopes, especially those which are Irrational, (lest thou tempt the Lord) for they are fraudulent to Men. Such is their Reliance who contemn the ordinary means in Expectation of Miracles, and act contrary to the express Word of the most High, in vain hope of obtaining a Pardon.

4. PROPOSE not too great things to thy self; for we are frequently the evident Authors of our own Misfortunes, when we promise Peace, Health, and Prosperity to our selves. This soaring Ambition's Wings are sometimes [Page 77] deplumed, and we fall into bitterness, when we come short of that which to our selves we so vainly promised. So that it were much better never to climb too high, than put our selves in so much danger as falling from so great a Precipice; but rather let us invoke the Great Being, who is the Author of our Hope, and the Donor of all Consolation, to infuse a sure Hope and a stedfast Confidence, by a Divine Inspiration into our Souls.

FEAR is a pensive and anxious Expectati­on, of some danger approaching, either Imminent, or a Supposition of appearing so. We are timerous at any Malevolency, which is real, or apparent; and many times at that which proves not so. Fear is opposite to For­titude, as one extream of Participation; and as it allayeth too much Presumption by its li­mitation, it becomes beneficial; but when it [Page 80] exceeds its Extent, it grows Pernicious. Ver­tue is absent, when Fortitude is not present: And he can never express his Duty towards God well, or demonstrate his Justice to the World, who acts contrary; for Satan is vigi­lant in his diabolical Operations upon the Timerous, offering to his View continual Ob­jects of imposterous and vain Fears; like Hunters Suels to chase the fearful Deer from the safe ways: So Satan driving through Pusilanimity and Timidity, that he maketh them Evil for fear of Men, whom the fear of God cannot make Good.

2. TO omit many acceptations of the Word: I shall only handle some few; First, there is a natural Fear, and that of two sorts, in respect of the Object: First, Concerning the avoidance of Sin, for the love of him who knew no Sin. It happen'd so with Adam in his state of Innocency, who having heard the Threatning, feared to Sin, signalizing he would not be guilty of offending his Crea­tor, whom he loved above all: But however Adam in the Temptation lost this Fear, and so Sinned, yet in the rectitude of his Mind, he reassumed it. Secondly, In relation to the avoidance of Sorrow in apprehension of God's Anger against Sin commited. In this Christ Feared, Matt. 26.38. Heb. 5.7. He that knew no Sin.

3. THE nearest to this, is the filial fear of the Regenerate, who tho through Infirmi­ty they frequently Sin, and fear to displease [Page 91] God by any Offence; as Solomon declares, Prov. 8.13. The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil. This is the beginning of Wisdom, and it is principally demonstrated in four things: First, That we place God ever before our Eyes, moving as always in his Presence. Secondly, That we acknowledg him as the Omniscient Witness and supream Judge of all our Thoughts, Words and Actions. Thirdly, That we fear not the Creatures, as we do the Creator. Fourthly, That we ever perform that which is just and acceptable to him; tho no Mortal Eye can testifie against us, or the World may be offended; yet let us follow those Patterns of Goodness, as Joseph, Daniel, and many other Servants of the Most High.

4. THERE is a fear of Infidelity in them that love the Sin, but fear the Punishment. This is that servile Fear which the Wicked affect; which tho perhaps it may restrain them from sinful external Acts, yet it is not predominant over any constant Duty: For no sooner their dread is vanished, but they turn with as great eagerness in pursuit of their sinful Game, as the Dog to his Vomit, or the Sow to her wallowing in the Mire. This fear is not consonant to God's Children, because a guilty Conscience ever attends it, as incredulity and expectation of God's just Judgments on their Sins, without hoping and trusting in Christ's Merits. A Christi­an Fortitude dissipates Fears, which made the Psalmist animate himself, Psalm 49.5. [Page 92] Wherefore should I fear in the days of Evil? And Psal. 23.4. I will fear no Evil, for thou art with me. Again, Psalm 27.1. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my Life, of whom shall I be afraid?

5. THE Wicked fear where no fear is: They fear not God for love of him, but for Self-ends and fear of Punishment; as the Grecians Worshiped their false Gods; and the Commonalty the great Lords▪ Which is a Symptome of a base and impious Mind, pro­hibited to them that are adopted Heirs of the Heavenly Jerusalem, to whom the Wise Man speaks, Prov. 3.25, 26. Be not afraid of sud­den fear, neither of the Desolation of the Wick­ed when it cometh; for the Lord shall be thy Confidence, and shall keep thy Foot from being taken. And Isaiah, encourages us in Chap. 4.1.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee: Be not dismay'd, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, and I will help thee. And in the 43 Chap. ver. 1. Fear not, for I have Redeemed thee.

6. ALL which Precepts are to be appre­hended of servile fear, which is to despond of God's Mercy, rendring Men Desperate, not provident to avoid Danger, nor impor­tunate to flie to God for help. The first is evident in Jehoram's Message, Behold, said that Prophaner, beheld, this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? 2 Kings. 6.33. And in that precipitate Counsel, Job 2.9. Curse God and die. The second Effect [Page 93] we read in Jacob, who being in danger of his Life, instantly Prayed, and sent Presents to appease his revengeful Brother. Not to be afraid of God's Judgments on Sin, is carnal Security, and stupid Carelesness of Seared Con­sciences, 1 Tim. 4.2. Not to fear imminent Dangers, demonstrates an improvident Mind. And not to fear God's dreadful Presence, must needs be imputed to sinful Mortals as an ig­norance of the Deity, and a Man's own self.

7. BUT to be a timorous Antemon, who was possessed with so large a stock of Fear, that he durst not stir abroad; but kept Two Servants at home to guard his Head, with a Brass-Shield; is not only an impious but ridiculous Fear. To stand in awe of Men, more than God, is the fear of Hy­pocrites: To fear without Confidence in God, for the diversion of evil (as Belshaz­zar, when seeing the Hand-writing upon the Wall, his Knees trembled, and the joints of his Loins were loosed; or as Saul at En­dor) is such a Fear, as God Challenges no share in it. This Fear is a perpetual tor­ment to the wicked, and can by no means quiet the voice of their Conscience: It is an Imperious Mischief, an Anticipiation of Evil, not yet come, an Inducement to a Man's unhappiness, not only with pre­sent evils, but with future, which, were Fear banished, they could not molest him; Semblant to that Fear of Enevitable death, which forceth men continually to die, for fear of Dying once.

[Page 94]8. BUT to fear God with a filial Fear, proceeding of Love to him, as in Christian verity, the fountain of Wisdom and true Happiness: And with such a Fear, God is well pleased; he will deliver them, and fulfill their desire; he will learn them the way of Righteousness: They shall enjoy all that is good, and when they seem to lack, they shall be supplied most; it shall be Health, and Strength to 'em, Prov. 3.8. They shall have Understanding, Blessings Temporal and Eternal, and be Animated to perform Acts of Goodness, and deal Uprightly with all Men: Examples of which we have in Obadiah, 1 Kings 18.3, 12, 13. and Joseph, Gen. 42.10.

9. THIS Fear brings more advantage to the Possessor, than great Riches to the Wicked: It is the Souls Angel-Guardian, Innocencies Keeper; it is Securities Anti­dote, the Minds Centinel to awaken it, and give the Alarm against the assaults of the Subtile Enemy. This armeth a Man, with a true and unfailing Confidence: 'Tis indeed the sum of what God requires of us, Deut. 10.12. And what the Preachers Doctrin, informs us of, even, the whole Duty of Man. Eccles. 12.14. Of this only is that saying true, The Mother of the Fearful, never weeps much; because such are truly Blessed.

10. NOW by reason, we are but Men, even frail Mortals, not yet perfect in Love, and so liable to many Fears, and subject [Page 95] to many Sins, Failings and Hazards, and thereby exposed to many dangerous and servile Fears: Which by the stupendious and tender Mercy of the Almighty, may con­vert it in the Issue to our Happiness; but if we are so prone to Sin, even under so much Fear, what would we be if we were se­cure from all? Therefore I have thought it necessary to lay down some Rules for the Governing of our Thoughts in Fears; which I shall shew in the next Chapter.

FIRST, for God's Glory, and the Sal­vation of thine Immortal Soul, contemn any danger: It was our Saviour's Precept, Fear not them who are able to destroy the Body only; for they cannot diminish thy happi­ness: They may indeed make an Addition to thy Felicity, if thou bearest well thy in­juries. These Objects are only dreadful to the ignorant; like that Cumane Ass in the Lyons Skin, or the Crocodile, fierce against the timerous, but fearful of the Couragious; so is the Impatient, who cannot submit to take up the Cross, which like Moses Rod, thrown down became a dreadful Serpent; but at God's Command, re-assumed; an harmless-Rod; to divide the Briny Floods, and open a way into the Promised Rest: Many men [Page 96] heighten their own Fears, deluding Fancy, representing that monstrous, which right Reason would discover Innocent; in a con­stant and Prudent Resolution to meet with difficulties.

2. FEAR God, and be not dismayed, Josh. 1.9. Endeavour to fix thy Mind up­on such a Basis of Moderation, that thy Re­solution neither rise to Temerity, nor fall to Timidity; neither to be Obstinate, nor to be afraid of any thing: But in a Me­dium, carry such an even temper, as that Prudence may claim that priviledge to fit at the Helm without the Interruption of either Extreams: Take the Prophets Coun­sel, Isai. 8.13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts, and let him be your Fear, and your Dread, and he shall be your Sanctuary: But fear not their Fear, who say a Confederacy. The present fear of God Createth us an Eternal Securi­ty: Fear him and he will banish all other fears from thee. Behold the Psalmist how he is fortified; Though I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, Psal. 23.4. And Psal. 118.6. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man can do unto me. And in Con­clusion, the fear of the Lord immergeth all other fears.

3. IN every danger, impress on thy heart the Omnipotency of God, and en­deavour to have an Affiance in him: He that pursues this Rule, shall act safely: [Page 97] When a Fiery-Furnace was threatned, Sha­drach, Meshac, and Abednego answered the Incens'd King, Our God whom we serve is idle to deliver us, Dan. 3:17. And David tells you, Psal. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And when our Enemies seem most formidable, there are more for us than can be against us: As it appeared in the case of the Prophet Elisha, 2 Kings 6.16. It animated the Royal Prophet to cry out, In the Lord put I my trust; how say ye then to my Soul, flee, as a Bird to your Mountain? Psal. 11.1. All Confidence in Men, even their Councels, or an Arm of Flesh, is un­happy, and must come to nothing; but God endures to all Eternity: Which made the Psalmist declare; Therefore will we not fear, though the Earth be removed: And though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea.

4. TAKE Solomon's Counsel, and hear­ken unto the Word of God, Pro. 1.33. Whose hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. And Prov. 3.23, 34. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely; when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid. Here­in shall be made manifest Gods Power, Truth, Providence, Mercy and Justice that thou may­est trust in him; according to the Expression of the Psalmist, They that know thy Name, will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee, Psal. 9.10. Love [Page 98] the Lord thy God with a sincere heart: And the more thou lovest him, the more thou wilt rest assured of his Love and Pro­tection: and the more perfect thy love is, the more it casteth out fear, 1 John 4.18.

5. TAKE Job's advice, Chap. 22.24. Depart from iniquity, and say of it, as the Princes of the Philistines said of David, Let him not go down with us to the Battle, lest in the Battle he be an Adversary to us, 1 Sam. 29.4. Fix thy self to seek the Lord, as Je­hosaphat did, when the Armies were upon their March towards him, against whom he Atchieved a Glorious Victory, 2 Chron. 2.3. Entertain a good Conscience, it shall be a Wall of Brass unto thee: The safety of that makes a man assume the Courage of a Lyon: But if we perceive the smoak of Infernal Brimstone ascend there, we must needs faint, like the men of Ai when they beheld their City on Fire, Josh. 8.20. Guilt of Sin in the Conscience creates Sordidness in Men; they may possibly express Tran­scendent Words who possess a Timerous Conscience; but as one said of the fearful Dog, He must needs fear, who hath no peace in himself.

6. CONSIDER with David, Psal. 37.37. The end of the Saints and Apostles sufferings, which hath ever been happy; and they are the more Partakers of Christ's Glo­ry, for bearing a share in his sufferings: Consider how long they have suffered, and [Page 99] then thou canst not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer: Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison, that you may betryed —be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. True it is, Flesh and Blood claims Allowance for its Infirmity; but the more we can apply to our hearts the end of the Saints, and the quiet fruits of Righteousness, to them that are exercised, the less we must needs be sen­sible of the Malignity of any Creature.

7. ENDEAVOUR for Peace with God; give him no rest till he speaks unto the Voice within thee, thy Conscience: And firmly resolve not to let him go, untill he Bless thee, and assure thee of thy Remission in Christ Jesus. He hath nothing to fear or molest him, whose sins are forgiven. When the sting of Death is taken out, who would not be Valiant? Which occasioned St. Paul to express himself, 1 Cor. 15.57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And St. John says in his first Epistle, Chap. 5.4. And this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith.

8. IN thy greatest Fears pray most fer­vently: Even so did our Saviour, being in an Agony, He prayed more earnestly: So did Jacob in fear of his Brother's long studied Revenge, Gen. 32.9. Pray and beseech God that he would illuminate and open thine Eyes to behold his saving Health. God ma­ny [Page 100] times sounds his Allarm to awaken our drouzy Souls, and open our Mouths to earnest Prayer, which in Prosperity are too prone to the Spirit of Slumber and Cold­ness: Fear hath many Tongues, and can open the Mouth of the Dumb: Even Jonahs Ma­riners in their Fear will pray, and instigate others to the same Duty: That one Ex­ample of Athis, Croesus's Son, sheweth what the violence of Fear can do; he who before was dumb, on a sudden cryed out, O Cyrus spare my Father, and by our Misfortunes, learn, that thou also art but a Man.

CARE is the Child of Providence: Some say, the Soul's Apparator to Summon all its Faculties to its Senate or Counsel. It is rather Counsel's President, determining what to pursue and what to decline: It is the Weight which moveth all the Wheels; which taken off, or quite run down, all the Nerves of Providence are loosed, and the Souls Faculties become inactive and resty, so as we neither affect the Good, nor fear the Bad.

2. CARE is the Centinel which gives the Allarm to awaken Wisdom to its Offices, and the Steward of the internal Habitation: It is the Pilot which sitteth at the Helm, to steer and direct the Course; lest Industry be want­ing to prudent Decrees and Resolutions, or sucess to Industry. So necessary is this Vi­gilancy of the Soul, that without it we can neither be profitable to our selves or others, in things Divine or Humane: Tho Salvati­on shall neither be in his Care, as the Apo­stle mentions, Who Willeth, nor of him that Runneth, but of God, that sheweth Mercy, Rom. 9.16. Yet if thou use not thy diligence to lay hold on his Promises, thou shalt find, that he which Created thee without thy Care, will not Save thee without it; for he [Page 103] hath made thee a voluntary Agent, and hath endowed thee with Reason, that thou might­est use his Ordinance, for the benefit of thy own Salvation.

3. THO, as the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 3.7. It is neither in him that Planteth, nor in him that Watereth, but in God who giveth the En­crease: Yet if the Dispensation be committed to thee, Woe be to thee if thou Preach not the Gospel: And Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently: Tho, as the Psalmist mentions, Psalm 127.1. Except the Lord build the House, they labour but in vain that build it: And, Except the Lord keep the City, the Watchman Waketh but in vain; and the Builder shall work to Confusion: Yet if thou art a careless Inhabitant of Laish; if thou art not vigilant, or in necessity Build not, thou temptest the Lord thy God, Judges 18.7. It is in the power of Omnipotency, who said at first, Gen. 1.11. Let the Earth bring forth Grass, the Herb yielding seed, and the Fruit-Tree yielding Fruit after his Kind. Which to this day are duly performed: But except thou Plant and Sow, thou must not expect to Reap: Neither hath the Almighty Wis­dom fixed this care in our Hearts for our selves only, but likewise for them to whom he hath given dependance on us. So that if any Man will not Work, according to the Apostle's Order, Let him not eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. And, If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own House, he hath de­nied [Page 104] the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel, Tim. 5.8.

4. IT is an exquisite care which the great Being hath Implanted in the Hearts of Mo­thers, for the Preservation of their Children, in which, They shall be saved if they continue in the Faith and Charity, 1 Tim. 2.15. Neither is any Employment, Calling, or Person among the Sons of Men exempt from Care. Kings, as the honoured Parents of Kingdoms, embrace Care of the largest size, like those Aegyptian Plagues, Exod. 8.3, &c. Not forbearing their Sacred Beds: They must take care for the Weal of their Subjects. It was a mark of Shame and Dishonour which the Holy Ghost fixed on Gallio, Acts 18.17. But Gallio cared for none of these things.

5. CHRIST in his suffering for us, omitted not this Emblem in his Crown of Thorns. Nor can the Brutes and Animals subsist without their Care: God hath given them a marvel­lous Instinct and natural Sagacity, to build and lay up for themselves and their Young: So that the Sluggard may well be sent to School to Solomon's Industrious Ant, labour­ing in Summer against the Winter, Prov. 6.6. And the Careless Daughters, who think they were Born to live at Ease, may learn of the provident Bee, and other Creatures, Pru­dent in their Kind, Isa. 32.9, &c.

6. CARE there must of necessity be used, and the best are not secluded from it; but the malicious Enemy striveth to pervert it to [Page 105] Man's Destruction, endeavouring to make some so Ebrious with desire of Ease, that they sleep Negligently: And where he encoun­ters with an active and industrious nature, he laboureth to introduce some vain or im­pious Object of Cares, to extract a distraction from that which should conduce to their Hap­piness. The misery that attends Infatuated Mankind, is, when their Cares, like the River Jordan, empty their sweet Streams into a dead Sea of unprofitable desires and vanities.

7. THERE is no sin which hath not some unhappy Cares to surround and foment it: And commonly more Acts of Supere­rogation, than Salvation requireth. Im­pious Cares are Revenge's, Brokers, Lust's Pan­ders, Avarices Vassals, Errours Nurses, Mo­thers sin, and Vice's Hand-Maids, in all which they but fight for a destructive Helena, or a mischievous Gain. How happy might Adul­terers, Murderers and Robbers be, were so much Adventure, Vigilancy, Charge and Care bestowed on God's Service, as they employ in their Sins! Taking more care and pains to go to Hell, than by the tender Mercy of God, would guide them to Heaven.

SEEK first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Mat. 6.35. That all things [Page 106] necessary may be Administred unto thee: Let thy main Care be for God's Glory and thy own Salvation; to acquire that one neces­sary thing, which on [...] gain'd, shall never be taken away or lost, Luke 10.42. Mar­tha's many Incumbrances in this case, can­not avoid Subordination: This is Treasure in Heaven, neither in Danger of Thieves, or Moths. That same Hysteron Pro­teron, wherein Worldly desires appear like those unmannerly Imps in Elies discomposed time, claiming to be served before God himself, must needs come to nought; and it proves but lost labour to rise early, late take rest, and eat the bread of Carefulness, Psal. 127.2. That Manna which was kept all Night, except only for the Sabbath, was Corrupted, Exod. 16.20, 24. All our labour to lay up, except for Salvation (the eter­nal Sabbath) is but lost: Therefore La­bour for the Meat which endureth to Eternal Life, John 6.27.

2. SET your affections on things above, Col. 3.2. And study a holy Contempt of this World: It is Affection creates us Care; and where that is, there our Cares and our Minds will be fixed. 'Tis the highest Pru­dence to lop off vain Cares, that our better placed Care may be more Fruitful, and to thrust out worldly thoughts: As Christ did the tumultuous Company at Jairus house, which otherwise like those Guests at Beth­lehem, [Page 107] would afford him no room: As when the Superfluity of the Branches are pruned off, the Vine is recompenced in the Fruit: So it is in the cutting off vain Cares; the more thou diminishest from them, the more fruitfully shall thy Soul be augmented in Spi­ritual things: As when Elijah was taken up to Heaven, his Mantle fell off, 2 King. 2.13. So do the Cares of this World, when our Hearts are addicted to Heavenly things.

3. HOW properly may vain, childish things, like dead Leaves neer the fruitful Autumn, fall off our minds, when we sub­scribe our selves Men? And when that which we have in possession is perfect, how easily do our Worldly Cares wither and fall away; even like the Glow-worms fraudulent Lustre, which vanishes at the ap­proach of the Morning Light? In what­soever State thou art, learn therewith to be content: Discontent and avaritious Desires force the heart, upon the sharp Tenters of Care: If a Man be content with little, he will not care for much: Cares follow Riches, and augment with their Encreases, Mat. 13.22.

4. TRUST in the Lord, and commit thy ways to him, and he will bring it to pass, Psal. 37.5. Cast thy care upon him, for He careth for thee, 1 Pet. 5.7. and hath Pro­mised, He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. 13.5. And the Prophet declares this comfortable Report, Jer. 17.7, 8. Bles­sed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and [Page 108] whose hope the Lord is; for he shall be as a tree planted by the Waters; and shall not be careful in the year of drought. Gods Provi­dence is vigilant over his Servants, and it can neither err, nor be defeated: He that gave us Life, will not fail to give us Meat and Cloathing; he that feeds the Fowls of the Air, and adorns the fading Flowers, with such varieties of Beauty, will not forget to Feed and Cloath Man, whom he has appointed to be Lord over them.

5. HE knoweth our Necessities before we ask, and that all our Care cannot add one Cubit to our Stature: Riches and Honors, for which men take such indefatigable care, come neither from the East, nor from the West, nor yet from the South; but it is God which both giveth and taketh away. Some in­crease in Wealth, Sleeping, or Waking; others with unwearied industry wax poor: Labour to perform thy endeavour with Cheer­fulness, and commit the Issue to God: By which means thou wilt avoid all Diffidence and Distracting Care.

6. BE vigilant over thy Soul; otherwise Cares will choak up the holy Seed of God's Word, whereby it will become unprofitable to thee: It will Eclipse the light of Heaven­ly Knowledge, it will clog the Heart, and creep on like an Ephialt, which having seized us, we groan under it, and can nei­ther shake it off, nor awake to an holy Expectation of the coming of Christ. Fre­quently [Page 109] Recollect thy Mind of thy Mor­tality, Frailty of Life, and the Vanity of all Transitory things: What are Riches and Magnificence in this World? They are like Childrens Bubbles filled with Air, which vanishes in their breaking: Even such are we, like Dreams, or a Scene, wherein our parts once Acted, we must shrink into Natures Tyring-room, never to return.

7. IT is uncertain what hour may be our last; but it is certain one must come, and how nigh it may be at hand, is be­yond our knowledge; perhaps this night the Sentence may come forth, and a Writ of Alienation on thy Store laid up for many years; and this harsh Summons may reach thy Ears; Thou Fool, this night shall thy Soul be required of thee; then whose shall all those things be? Luke 12.20. When the Hives in their Plenitude warn the Masters of their Republick, that they want a Deducti­on of their Colony, they Swarm and Flie: But if you cast a little Dust among them, they presently settle. So the only Expe­dient to settle our Swarm of Busie Cares, is the memento of our Original, That Dust thou art, and to Dust thou shalt return, Gen. 3.19. Lastly, to remember the Apostles Rule, Phil. 4.6. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication, let your Requests be made known unto God: Those wants and cares are happy which [Page 110] chase us to him: Therefore let us depend and hope in him, and Invocate him by Prayer.

AMONG those thoughts which dis­compose the Mind, the Jealous are not the least: And the Wise Man acknowledges, [Page 113] Prov. 6.34. that Jealousie is the rage of a Man; and it is frequently so exasperating to unplacable. Anger, That he will not regard any Ransom, neither will he rest content, though thou givest many Gifts, Verse 35. I mention not here that Jealousie, as 'tis Attributed to God, and sometimes importeth Anger, as in Ezek. 8.3. and Chap. 16.42. or execu­tion of Justice, Deut. 29.20. nor Indignati­on at that which molesteth those the Almigh­ty loveth, Ezek. 39.25. Zach. 1.14. or Pit­ty to his People, Joel 2.18, 19. nor as in Man, signifying only Envy and Emulati­on, as Rom. 10.19. and Chap. 11.11. or Fear of Danger to those whom we are most Indulgent, as 2 Cor. 11.2. Neither do I mean that of Ambition, to exclude Corri­vals of Sinister Ends, such as St. Paul charg­ed the false Apostles amongst the Galatians: Nor of Suspicion, which is an opinion or dread of some evil, sprung from Symptoms of Levity, or Airy notions, which sometimes set Friends at a great distance, and im­bitter Humane Societies: But of that which God gave a Law to Israel, Numb. 5.14.

2. THIS is a perturbation of Mind, compounded of Fear, Love, Indignation, and Suspition; a bitter Electuary of Ingredi­ents, though good and proper in themselves if applyed to their distinct uses: This Jea­lousie is the Bane of unhappy Love; the Gall of Wedlock; the sad Asmodeus, which makes the most flourishing Families detestable, if [Page 114] not desolate: It is a Tenebrous Apparition of disturb'd Thoughts, restless in the inquest after that which they most abhor, and dread to find: It is the Souls Absynthium, and o­verflowing bitterness, the Scourge and Tor­ture of Afflicted Minds, really tormenting sometimes with Imaginary, but often with vain Evils: It is the Devils Master-piece, and Quintessence of his Envy, rendring the Honourable, and (otherwise) Happy Estate of Matrimony, which the Almighty ap­pointed to be the greatest Worldly Comfort; he by his Diabolical Malice strives to make it the most odious and unhappy: Therefore it may well be nominated in Numb. 5.30. The Spirit of Jealousie. For a worse Fury could never have been contrived to per­plex frail Mortality.

3. NOW whereas the Drama in this unhappy Scene, is of two Persons at least, the Rules of Advice in this case, must have a double Address; which is to the Jealous of either Party: And first, Espouse not ano­thers sin by a foolish and impious Conni­vance at the basest Action. He that in­hibiteth Divorce in any other cause, as 1 Cor. 7.12. permitteth it in the cause of Adultery, Mat. 19.9. And the Law allows, when the Jealous man shall have set his Wife before the Lord, and Justice shall be executed up­pon her, Then shall the Man be guiltless from iniquity, and the Woman shall bear her ini­quity, Numb. 5.31.

[Page 105]4. BE not rash, lest thou prove injuri­ous to the Innocent; it is an innate Cor­ruption, to view others faults, rather than their Vertues, and to surmize that to be Evil which may be transacted: And this Axiom may be fitly applyed, That they who are evil themselves, claim that priviledge of being Jealous of others: And he that looks through a yellow Glass, thinks all the World of the same Colour: Consider well, and then tell me, if it be not thy own guilti­ness which is the false medium, that casteth that Complexion on others, which indeed thou only retainest thy self.

5. GIVE not place to the Devil; his Ma­lice is like those Envious Philistins, who cast filth into the pure Fountains of Humane Propagation, to create a jealousie between the Married Pair, that by this Venom he may put them at variance, whom God com­manded to a perfect Union. Sometimes he will aggravate slight suspicions, which so encreases the rage of each other, that Rea­son is many times lost in the Battle: Or else, rather than lose his Game, he will suggest some vain Chimera of that which never was, or perhaps never like to be accomplished: Sometimes he will throw Temptations be­fore 'em, such as private Meetings, Whispe­ring, or some such loose Behaviour and Fa­miliarity with others, as may unhappily create suspicion in the Good and Prudent.

6. NEITHER shall he be destitute of [Page 106] the service of other Mischievous Tongues to foment and feed this Malignant Humour: He that said Matrimony might be happy, if the Wife were blind, and the Man deaf, either did, or might mean, if the Wife had not wandring Eyes, she would never spy out Vanity, nor the Husband open Ears, he could not hearken to Malicious Reports: Seriously consider the vanity of this Evil, and then thou wilt prudently acknowledge, that all self-vexation is folly; and to invert the Theme, all folly is self-vexation: If with all thy Art and Care, thou couldst invent any Stratagem beyond tormenting thy self, there were some Plea for thy vexation: But none can be Chast against their Will, was a Sen­tence among the Heathens; and Argus's hundred Eyes cannot be so vigilant, but oppor­tunity may prove too crafty for him.

7. IF thy Jealousie be fruitless, then thou hast occasion to vex at the Levity and Vanity of thy own Mind: If it be just, what is the monstrous Object of thy Hatred and Malice? Assure thy self the Adulteress is unhappy e­nough; and there is no Creature on Earth more despicable and odious, nor no Sin in this Life, accompanied with so many varieties of Plagues and Judgments; so that indeed they are great Objects of Pity, if all these wretch­ed Ingredients can render them to be so, as a wounded Conscience, the Devil's Earnest to the Impenitent, and assurance of Hell and Damnation.

[Page 107]8. IN the next place, my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of Suspici­on. And first, Let Man himself consider how odious Adultery is, and out of all measure sin­ful; for he sinneth against his own Body, defileth the Temple of the Holy Ghost, Cor. 6.18, 19. and pierceth through his own Bowels with a Dart of Rottenness, Prov. 7.23. And that which will render him in the end mourn­ful: But beyond all this, in case of Impeni­tency, which the stubborn Presumer may just­ly suspect, it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the Kingdom of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. And in the Adulteresses Crime, some Aggravations are appertaining to it, as rob­bing her Husband of his Posterity; obtruding a base and adulterous Issue, and so stealing away his Estate and Inheritance, by giving it to a Stranger, and fixing on an indelible Cha­racter of Dishonor and Bastardy upon her Child, who but for her impotent and ungo­vern'd Lust, might have proved noble and le­gitimate. An Injury which she can never ex­piate, nor repair to the innocuous Son with Rivers of Tears, and streams of her infected Blood. This multiplied Sin is sometimes con­ceal'd from Men, but never from the All-seeing God, who is a severe Revenger of all Iniquity.

9 OTHER Sins are grievous and perni­cious; yet neither Lying, Stealing, Idolatry, Murder, nor Witchcraft, can of it self dissolve the Sacred Bond of Wedlock, as this only base act of Adultery doth: Therefore our Sa­viour [Page 108] admits of no Divorce but upon that oc­casion. And it is remarkable, that when God would display the loathsomness of Idolatry, which most displeased him, he styl'd it Whore­dom, and himself a jealous God; and certain­ly, though that be abolished of the bitter Wa­ter, causing the Curse, and rotting of the Thigh with swelling, which attended that antiquated Ceremony; yet the bitter Moral and Substance are not quite extinguish'd, Numb. 5.18.

10. AVOID what you are sensible of hath created your Suspicion; otherwise you are guilty, if not of Adultery, yet of a just Cause of Jealousie. Lysander punished one of his Sol­diers for going out of his Quarters, resolving that he would have none of his, look, or go out like a Plunderer. Dinah's idle visits, Gen. 34.1, 2. proved her dishonor, effusion of guiltless Blood; her Father's Trouble, and her Bro­ther's Curse: The wisest of Men recordeth it, as the mark of an Harlot, Prov. 7.11, 12. Her feet abide not in the house; now she is without, now in the streets, lying in wait at every corner.

11. IT was an Italian Severity in Sulpitius, and a Diposition to part with his Wife, who divorced her for going out of doors bare­headed: The Law, said he, confined thee to mine Eyes and Approbation, and not to please others. The common Law noted any, going out un­vail'd, with the odious brand of Adultery. So careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that Sin. However foolishly strict they were, I am sure Jerom's Rules fore-no­ted [Page 109] is good; Whatsoever, saith he, may proba­bly be feigned, be thou cautious it may not be feign­ed: Thou owest this to thy Husband's Love, thine own Indemnity and Honor, and the Right and Credit of thy Children.

THE External Actions of Men are the product and fruit of their Thoughts; and as we owe Sanctimony to God, and our own Consciences within, so do we good Ex­amples to our Neighbors in things External. And our blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount, excites us with this Doctrin, Mat. 5.16. Let your Light so shine before Men, that they may see your good Works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven.

2. GOOD Actions proceed from a sound Credence, without which they cannot be good, nor pleasing in the Sight of Heaven, For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin, Rom. 14.23. For Faith apprehending Christ to our Justifi­cation, renders our Works acceptable to him, if they extend to Fruits of Regeneration; and uniting us to Christ, dedicateth us to a Capa­city of his Sanctifying Spirit, and enableth us in some measure to vanquish Sin, and perform that wh [...]ch is holy in his sight. Now the A­postle mentions, St. James 2.18. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, and I will shew thee my Faith by thy Works. And St. Paul says, Rom. 3.28. A Man is justified by Faith only, with­out the Deeds of the law.

3. THOUGH our best Performances can­not justifie us before the Almighty, because imperfect, yet are they never separated from true Faith; and they are the Path-way to the [Page 112] heavenly Jerusalem, though they cannot finish our happy Arrival. Therefore to the Young-Man's Query, who desired to be justified by Works; our Saviour replies, Mat. 19.16. Keep the Commandments: Thus he was convin­ced, who had not yet learned the Righteous­ness of Faith, which saith, Believe and thou shalt be Saved; thereby implying, that yet he was wanting in some things, who was ex­cellent in others, and therefore must seek Sal­vation by Faith, and the way to Heaven by Sanctity. This is a Condition, not an Obli­gation of our Salvation; for as we can never acquire Salvation by it, so we can never ex­pect any without it, because our very best En­deavours and Performances we owe to God's Honor and Glory.

4. IT is not sufficient to have a good In­tention, either to speak, or to do good; for Sa­tan is well-pleased, that Men should draw near unto God with their Lips, if their Hearts be far from him; or that they speak well, if they will perform Evil. Words at best are but Feminine Virtues, but Works are M [...]sculine; Of these the Spiritual Pharoah giveth charge to smother them. But we desire to convert our Words into Actions, and not only to speak, but to Effect holy Performances.

5. ACTIONS Humane, Natural, or Civil, are no otherwise here concerned, than as they are in order to the Moral, and so regulated by the Law, and holy Word of God, in the affir­mative or negative Precepts, which is the on­ly [Page 113] Rule of all our Moral Actions towards God or Man. Neither Examples, Prescriptions, Universality of Consent, nor Commands of Men, must be prevalent with us, against the express Word of God: For these claim Privi­lege only in those things which God's Law alloweth, and refereth to our Authority.

FIRST, Neither Propose, nor Act any thing Evil or Unjust, for any Worldly profit, Honours, or Pleasures: For it is an apparent detriment to acquire the World with the loss of thy Soul, Mat. 16.26. What can Secular Honours advantage thee, when thou art condemned by the Almighty? Should all the World extol thee, and thou be Ca­nonized a Saint in the opinion of the mul­titude, or thy Actions be highly applauded, equivalent to Herod's Speech, and be rendred Supernatural: God's Angel may smite thee, and the Worms destroy thee. What are Plea­sures? In their Birth they look towards a Pre­cipitate End; and the Vicissitude of this Scene serveth only to aggravate the misery: Like that ungrateful sound, which reached the Ears of Dives in Hell, Son remember that thou in thy life time, receivedst thy good things, Luke 16.25. Present remembrances of past pleasures, embitter the Torment.

[Page 114]2. LET God's Law be thy Rule and Counsellor, and weigh all thy Actions by his Standard, before thou Execute any Purpose. David could not enterprize before he had con­sulted God's Oracles: Nor the very Heathens, before they sent for the double Effataes of their Priests. When the Word of God is our Rule, we abhor setting up strange God's in our Hearts, like those who adore their own Inventions, in Will-worship and voluntary Religion; wherein all, even the most zea­lous and painful Actions, as Pilgrimages, superstitious Fasts, foolish Penance and ido­latrous Oblations, or costly Dedications, shall be rejected, with a Who required this at your Hands? Isa. 1.12. And the Prophet tells you, Micah 6.7, 8. The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of Rams, or with ten thousand Rivers of Oil: And, He hath shewed O Man, what is good: And what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

3. IN Religious Acts, God left not Israel to their own disposing in minor things, but commanded Moses, See thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed thee in the Mount, Heb. 8.5. Also when God's Word is our Rule, we will neither lay Snares upon our own Consciences, placing Religion in those things which God hath left Indiffe­rent, (as they who prohibited certain Meats or Marriage, 1 Tim. 4.3.) Nor will we di­spense with that Word in any one point [Page 115] which any humane Authority pretends, or imposes to the Contrary.

4. IN all thy acts and designs, before thou execute them, duly and seriously con­sider the Event, which is like a Ship's Rud­der, tho it comes last, it directs first and last. Endeavour to gain a fore-sight, and consider the Sequel. O that they were Wise, saith the Lord; That they understood this; That they would consider their latter End, Deut. 32.29. By which means thou wilt in all sinful Actions, with the Holy Apostle, be ever ready to conclude, That the end of those things is Death, Rom. 6.21.

5. IN all thy actions fix thy self in the presence of God, by following David's Exam­ple, Psalm 16.8. Ever remember thou art in his Sight, and that neither thy Thoughts nor Actions can be excluded from him; for neither Solitude nor Darkness can vail thee from his All-seeing Eye, Psalm 139.11, 12. In all thy Undertakings accustom thy self to the rule of Charity, for that is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. and the Fruit of God's Spirit, Gal. 5.22. And there can be no performances acceptable to God, if we omit this Duty and Command of the Apostle, Let all things be done in Charity, 1 Cor. 16.14.

6. IN all Religious Duties, act not the Impostor, for the Hypocrite doth but perso­nate, act and counterfeit the Saint; he seems good, but is doubly Impious, as the Orator said of the Servilii, which were very like, but not the same; so resembling, that they were not d [...] ­stinguished [Page 116] abroad amongst Strangers, but were known at home by their own Acquaintance. But when the Hypocrite hath deceived all the World, he can never defraud his own Conscience. Therefore let this advice be thy faithful Monitor, to be just and sincere in thy Deportment, before God and Man: Let Christ's Rule be thy constant Pattern, What­soever ye would that Men should do to you, do ye even so to them: For this is the Law and the Prophets, Matt. 7.12.

7. TRANSACT nothing which must cost thee a bitter Repentance. When the Philo­sopher had a great price set him upon Folly, replied, I will not buy Repentance so dear. Never act any thing against thy Conscience, for fear or favour of Men; but rather esteem a good Conscience before all Treasure on this side Heaven: In some things we Sin all, But happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth, Rom. 14.22. Lastly, In all thy undertakings beseech and humbly implore the Almighty to Direct, Counsel and Bless thee; and according to the Apostle's Direction, In every thing by Prayer and Sup­plication, let your requests be made known unto God, Phil. 4.6. For he is unworthy to re­ceive a Blessing, who omits the duty of Ask­ing.

SOLOMON tells you, Prov. 18.14. The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmi­ties, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? The word signifies a smitten, contrite, or broken Spirit. It is a kind of Speech borrowed from corporal Affliction, by Stripes, Contusions, Bruises, or Wounds, wherein by Incision and Launcing the Sinews and Veins, the Body is debilitated and endangered to Death, and [Page 119] Disabled so, that it is void of Supportation; it is liable to Inflamations and Distempers, that every slight touch prejudices it: It depri­veth a Man of Rest, so that he is impatient of this present Posture, and more perplexed at a Mutation. To express it further, it is the intense sorrow of the Soul, a weak Confidence, and an infeebled life of the Spirit; so that God may well nominate it, A wounded Spirit.

2. THIS Affliction is of that Magnitude, that it exceeds all other Temporal Sorrows: And none can truly give their Verdict of it, but they who can join and say with David, The sorrows of Death compassed me, and the pains of Hell gat hold upon me, Psal. 116.3. Other Sorrows may be Mitigated, by administring to the Afflicted something equivalent to the loss sustained; as where one Treasure is lost, another may be found; or by some compen­sation or repair, may be Retaliated; as Job had a second Posterity and encrease of Wealth: And Elkanah declared such a Me­dium of Consolation to Afflicted Hannah, when he said to her, Am I not better to thee than ten Sons, Sam. 1 1.8.

3. BUT these Comforts are no ways con­ducive to an afflicted Spirit; for furnish him with Riches, the company of the dearest Friends, or that which might afford Relief, Refreshment and Delight to others, yet to him it procures no Ease, no more than if you put on a rich Purple Robe upon broken Bones: No, no, the Grief is internal, and no exter­nal [Page 120] means can Cure it. In other Crosses, time will asswage, by Prudence and persua­sive Arguments, excellent lenitives of Sor­row: In some cases to divert, Wine, merry Society, Musick, or the like means, may bear some part, which the Wise Man accords to, Give strong Drink to him that is ready to per­ish, and Wine to those that be of heavy Heart▪ Let him drink and forget his Poverty, and re­member his Misery no more, Prov. 31.6, 7.

4. DAVID'S Harp did for the time re­fresh Saul, and Charm the Evil Spirit: But this grief admits of no Efficacy in such Com­forts. In other Pressures we may receive Ease, or be conducted from the Evil, as St. Paul was from the Jews Conspiracy, Acts 23.31. and David from Saul, 1 Sam. 19.12. But there is no flying from a wounded Spirit: Where ever we go our Affliction attends us, even our secret Tormentor in our own Bo­soms In short, as it is in one sense a Separation from God, so no Creature in Heaven or Earth can Cure it: There is no Sanctuary for a troubled Soul, but only Gods favourable Pre­sence: No other Expedient can be used, till he return and Comfort it.

5. SO Horrid in the mean time is this Affliction, that the desperate Traytor Judas took Death for his Sanctuary, as an Antidote against his guilty Conscience [...] but with what ponderosity it sits upon the Hearts of God's Servants, may appear by the Complaints of Job and others; Wherefore is light given to [Page 121] him that is in Misery, and Life unto the bitter in Soul, which long for Death, but it com­eth not, and, dig for it more than for hid Treasures; which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the Grave, Job 3.2O, 21, 22. This was Job's Complaint. And the Prophet complained of his Birth, Jer. 20.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. And the Prophet Elijah being threatned by Jezebel at Beer-she­ba, poured out himself, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my Life, for I am not better than my Fathers, 1 Kings, 19.4. And Jonah at the loss of his Gourd, expressed himself, say­ing, It is better for me to die than live, Jonah 4.8.

THE Conscience is the Cognition of the Heart, and is a divine internal Light, which we cannot Extinguish; a Su­pream Court of Judicature within us, and above us; and a silent Register of our Thoughts and Words: It is a thousand Wit­nesses, as the Apostle says, Accusing, or Ex­cusing, Rom. 2.15. Such is the Impartiality of this Judge, that no Bribery can tempt him [Page 122] to Justifie the Wicked, nor Condemn the Just; but he is the first Revenger of Impiety, and an excluder of the Guilty from Absolution.

2. IN true Tranquility of Conscience, the Heart is cheerful in every Estate and Condi­tion, Rom. 5.1, 3. and dreadeth no Judge nor Witness: It is a continual Feast; the Soul's Paradise; the Mind's fair Haven; an unvaluable Possession, which renders every owner Happy: It is an immoveable Com­fort, the first Fruits of Heaven, and Riches which shall never be taken away. As no Wind can move or shake the Sun-beams, so neither Life nor Death, Prosperity or Adver­sity can Transfix this. While this is secure, tho Men receive many sharp Encounters, as the Citizens of Ai did, Josh. 7. Yet are they confident to resist; they can resolve with that pattern of Patience, Job 13.15. Tho he Kill me, yet will I trust in him: But if that fail, and the Smoak ascendeth, their Hearts are under a great Consternation, Josh. 8.20.

3. THE Almighty Woundeth and Heal­eth, Deut. 32.39. Job 5.18. But it is with his Justice and Mercy. The Wise Man says, Prov. 6.32, 33. We wound our selve by Sin: and God healeth us by Afflictions, as Chirur­gions do with the Lancet and Cautery. Sins are the Thieves which rob us, and leave us wounded us by the way, till the good Samari­tan [Page 123] appears with his Wine and Oil, to cleanse, supple and bind up our Wounds: He scourgeth the Conscience with a sense of his Anger, to make us sensible of our Sins, and to bring us to an abhorrence of them. And thus he sometimes Disciplines us with external Afflictions.

4. GOD sometimes wounds the Heart and terrifies the Conscience, by the Word Preach­ed; and then we are Pricked at the Heart, and with St. Peter's Auditors cry out, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? Acts 2.37. Sometimes he smites the Conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce Wrath, and severe imminent Judgments; in which, as the Psalmist complains of, Psalm 55.4, 5. An Horrible fear overtaketh them (like the Earthquake at Horeb, preceeding the Still small voice of Mercy, 1 Kings 19.11, 12.) In sense of a Spiritual Desertion, while he hideth away his Face; Spiritual Wants, or permission to some grievous Temptation, cold Fits of Despair and Buffetings by the Messengers of Satan, in all which tho there be means of Comfort appointed, yet none can prevail, till the Spirit of God the Com­forter, return and Heal.

5. THE same Hand giveth the Wound, and prescribeth the Plaister; as it was said, Hos. 5.13. The Assyrians and Jareb could not [Page 124] heal Judah and Ephraim of their Wound; so no Mortal Creature can administer Com­fort whereby to heal a wounded Spirit, till he who correcteth in Measure approaches and bindeth it up, Jer. 30.11. &c. He, only he, says the Psalmist, Psalm 147.3. He healeth the broken in Heart, and bindeth up their Wounds: Even he who was Wounded for our Sins, and bruised for our Iniquities, and by whose Stripes we are Healed, Isa. 53.5.

THERE are some things which Princi­pally afflict and wound the Consci­ence, and comes up, as the Prophet mentions, 1 Sam. 13.17. like those Philistim Spoilers, in three Companies, to destroy and drive Men into Despair: And the first Apparition and Assault, is the apprehension of God's Wrath, for some Hainous Sin committed: An In­stance we have in Cain, having Murdered his Brother, cryed out, My Sin, or Punish­ment is greater than I can bear, Gen. 4.13. And Judas having betray'd his Lord and Master, durst not approach to him to beg Mercy, by reason he apprehended an impla­cable Anger in Christ.

[Page 125]2. IT is certain, according to the Apo­stles saying, That the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Disobedience, Col. 3.6. And that his Wrath is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men, Rom. 1.18. And that the Impenitent by their hardness of Heart, treasure up to themselves Wrath against the day of Wrath; That the [...]e shall be Indignation and Wrath to them that obey not the Truth, Rom. 2.5, 8. But when thou, who art of a wounded Spirit, and broken Heart, hast well considered, perhaps thou wilt find that these things are of no Con­cernment to thee, but to those who live in Sin.

3. THE second Obstacle in wounding the Conscience, is sense of Spiritual Wants, as Hope, Faith, assurance of Salvation, the Spirit of Sanctification and Prayer. These being the Graces of the Almighty, and the Presence of his Holy Spirit in the Regenerate, may yet for the time be an hidden Treasure, an Immortal Seed under the frozen Clods, without any appearance of Life. And the truly Devout may weep and complain, like the Pe­nitent Magdalen in the Garden, for the loss of Christ, when at the same season he is dis­coursing with them; but they are ignorant of his Presence, John 20.14.

[Page 126]4. THE third Obstacle, is fear of some strong Temptations and Tryals, at which the afflicted and affrighted Conscience is Amazed, as the Disciples were when Jesus slept in the Storm, and the Ship was Over­mastered with Waves, and ready to Travel to the bottom of the Sea, upon Death's Er­rand, Matt. 8.24, 25. Or like St. Peter on the Water, when he beheld the rough Bil­lows come Plowing before him, cryeth out, Save Master, we Perish, Matt. 14.30. When it evidently appears, they cannot Perish who are with Christ; nor they cannot be Safe who are without him.

AS God is Just, so he is Merciful; he is no enexorable Radamanth, but he is easie to be entreated: Concerning whom we have a Word more sure, than any Testimony of Man; for the Almighty, in Exod. 34.6. being his own Herald, thus proclaims himself, The Lord merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thou­sands, forgiving Iniquity, and Transgression, and Sin. Now if that which others report of the Kings of Israel, 1 Kings 20.31. That they were merciful Kings, Could perswade them to seek Mercy, and to enjoy their Lives and Liberties; how much more should that, which God, who cannot lye, hath declared himself, Tit. 1.2. move the afflicted Soul humbly to Petition him for Mercy; who is more ready to grant it, than we are, or can be to entreat it; for ask it we never could, except his preventing Grace and holy Spirit invisibly moved us.

2. GOD delights not in the Death of Sin­ners, but in their Conversion, Ezek. 18. And as it is a true Prognostick of a Guests being welcome by the good Aspects and Deport­ment of the Family; So it is an evident sig­nal that a Penitent Sinner is welcome to Hea­ven, by the Angels loud Exultations. If God in his good Pleasure would have destroyed thee; how often and justly might he have taken thee away in thy Sins? But now that [Page 128] his Eye hath spared thee, his Goodness is to lead thee to Repentance, which never comes too late, if seriously performed. He terrifieth with present Sense of his Anger against Sin, that Men may be excited to Repentance, and by forsaking their Sin, be more assured of the Mercy of God, and their own Salvati­on. As stormy Winds by shaking the Trees, do fix and root them deeper, and seasonable Weather purifies the Air and Water by their Agitation; so doth the Almighty mundifie the Minds and Hearts of his Servants, by Me­naces, Judgments, and Afflictions, 1 Cor. 7.11. Psal. 119.

3. IT is God's Mercy to afflict thee now, that thou mayst Repent and be Saved. It is the most unhappy Condition of a Sinner, when God concealeth his Anger to the last, and then denounceth the Impenitent as incorrigible, Isai. 1.5. So that if no Remorsness of Consci­ence appears, thy Case is desperate. But this Soul's Conflict, concludes another Co-ercive Power in thee, resisting Sin, whereby thou mayst be capable of a state of Regeneration; for tho the Spirit of God at the present in its Motions are but weak in thee, yet it is invin­cible.

4. St. Paul tells you, Rom. 3.23, 24. All have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God; being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Which plainly demonstrates, that 'tis not a Man's own Righteousness that can contribute to his Sal­vation; [Page 129] and David, in Psal. 32.1, 2. says, Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered, and to whom the Lord imputeth no Sin. Not who hath no Sin; for on those Terms none could be blessed. It is not in the quantity of the Debt, as in St. Luke 7.42, 43. where fifty and five hundred are equa1ly forgiven: And where an Infinite Majesty is offended in the least, ne­ver any of God's Servants were Saved, for being less guilty than thou art. Thou fearest God's Wrath, because thy Sins are great, and appear so to thy Conscience. They which are Saints had some, and he that breaketh one Commandment is guilty of the breach of all, and liable to the Curse of the Law, James 2.10, 11. A diminutive wound to the Heart will as surely Kill, as the deepest and widest Orifice. A small Shelf of Sands will as surely bulge the Ship, as the greatest Rocks. A lit­tle Postern-gate, or breach in a City Wall un­guarded, will let in the Enemy: So the small­est Sins, if not covered by Faith, and cured by Repentance, will destroy the Soul.

5. WHEN we consider Noah's Drunken­ness, David's Murder and Adultery, Solomon's Idolatry, Manasses's Murder, Witchcraft, and Idolatry; St. Paul's Persecution, and St. Pe­ter's denial of Christ; it is apparent, that these committed sinful Acts of a deeper die than thou canst charge thy Conscience with­all; and that if God's Justice should be execu­ted according to the rigor of his Law, No flesh living could be justified, Psal. 143.2. Rom. [Page 130] 3.20. Therefore is Christ the End of the Law, to every one that believeth, Rom. 10.4. An Instance of which we have in the Patriarch Abraham, the Prophet David, the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and all those that are Sa­ved; when we rely on him and his Merits, by God's own Covenant of Grace, and the Rigor and Curse of the Law is suspended. God therefore gave us his Son, with this Pro­viso, That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life, John 3.16. And the Apostle intimates, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God. And Rom. 8.1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. And if God Justifies, who shall Condemn?

6. NO Sin is of that extent, or Equivalent to the Mercy of God, and the Merits of Christ. All Actions of the Creature are finite; but the Mercy of the Creator, and the Merits of a Sa­viour are infinite. A drop of Water holds some Proportion with the Sea, being both fi­nite; but finites with infinites holds none: Fear not then, nor let Pusilanimity over-rule the [...] if thou canst Repent and Believe, for there is Balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there; Therefore let not Despair seize upon thee.

HUMILITY is Religion's Basis; and God giveth Grace to the Humble, but resisteth the Proud. When the subtle Tempter cannot prevail in his Perswasions to evil, he insinuateth himself into the Minds of them who have performed some Pious Acts of Christianity, by his mischievous Suggestions, elevating them to a secret Admiration of the same, whereby they may be deprived of that Grace which enabled them to that Perform­ance. The Poor Publican in his Humility not daring to lift up an Eye toward that hea­venly Majesty, he had so grievously offend­ed, having nothing to say, but only, God be merciful to me a Sinner, went home justified rather than the Proud Pharisee, who boasted of much Sanctity.

2. HUMILITY is the securest Virtue; but Pride the Worm at the Root of Religion, eateth up the Vitality of it. Now by reason it is difficult for Dust and Ashes to enjoy any extraordinary Temporal Blessings, without being puft up in Mind, above his Opinion of others in a lower Sphere; God justly per­mits many of his Servants to depend on their own Strength, (like a tender Nurse, who withdraws her Hand a little from her Charge, to make it sensible of its own Weakness, and to check it from a dangerous Presum­ption) [Page 132] so that by falling under some great Temptation, they may be disciplined in Hu­mility safely to distrust their own Strength, and fix their Dependence on God. For St. Peter was in a better posture Weeping, than when he presumed to lay down his Life for his Master; then he fell by ab­juring his Lord; but now he rose again by his bitter, but sincere Repentance. Now if the serious Considerations of thy Sins do truly humble thee, thou hast acquired a speedy way to thy Repentance.

3. THE Almighty often in his great Council orders the greatest Enormities of some of his People to stand upon Record; that we may draw from thence this Conclu­sion, That if we can Repent sincerely of Sins, of as deep a Die as they are, we also shall find Mercy; but by the way, with this deep Consideration, that we never en­tertain any of them in our Thoughts, to be guilty of Presumption, but as Motives to Repentance, whereby we may lay hold with Faith on him, who freely forgiveth the Penitent, not the obstinate Presumptu­ous Sinner; and nothing more offends the Divine Providence, than a despairing of his Mercy, (which is a secret questioning the Veracity of his Promises) and Impeniten­cy, which is the undoubted Issue of Incre­dulity. Indeed there is no greater Inju­stice to God's Mercy, than by Despair to persevere in Sin, seeing his Truth is en­gaged [Page 133] for our Pardon, if we believe and Re­pent, for he has not declared in vain, Isai. 1.18. Though your Sins be as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wool.

CONSIDER why Christ came into the World: The beloved Disciple informs you, John 3.16. Because he so loved it. God sent him to save Sinners; not only them who had broken some of his Commandments: But as St. Paul saith, He came into the World to save Sinners, of whom I am chief, 1 Tim. 1.15. He came to call, (as himself professeth) Not the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Mat. 9.13. Mark 2.17. He called the heavy laden not fallaciously, but indeed to ease and dis­burthen them of their Sins, Mat. 11.28. He saved the Publicans and notorious Sinners, and to manifest the same in contempt of Pha­risaical Calumnies, conversed with them.

2. CONSIDER, that God who com­manded us to forgive, not only seventy times, but oftner, would not enjoin us that which himself could not, or would not perform. He is essentially, and so infinitely gracious, that his Mercy is more than thousands of Oceans, which can never be exhausted. Man hath [Page 134] but a slender Stock, a finite Mercy at the best, and such as may be diminished and vanquish­ed by Injuries. He that enjoineth Man to forgive without Exception, could not in his Justice command and require Man to forgive more than himself in his abundant Mercy could or was willing to assent to. Add to this a Consideration of his tender Love; He hath planted a Paternal Love and Care, not only in Parents for their Children, but (lest we should suppose it rather habitual than natu­ral, taught by Precept or Example, rather im­planted by the Almighty in their Natures) in the very brute Beasts of the Field, and Birds of the Air, for the Preservation of their Young; All this Love in the Creature is but momen­tany, but in God it is Essential, Infinite, and Unchangeable.

3. NOW consider, did God give Man (suppose David) so much Love and Mercy, as that upon the Mediation of the Tekoite, he could presently be reconciled to a Re­bellious Absolom; hath he given thee Bowels of Compassion, and an ardent Zeal for thy Childrens Good and Safety, to mourn for their Transgressions, and to be ready up­on the least appearance, or signs of amend­ment, to enter into a Reconciliation with them, and canst thou conceive that God will not be much more ready to Pardon thee, if thou canst heartily Repent and Implore Forgiveness, through the Merits of a Crucified JESVS, the Son of [Page 135] his Love, and in whom he hath proclaimed from Heaven, He is well pleased, Matt. 3.17.

4. THE Custom among the Molossians was, whom Plutarch mentions, that the Pe­titioner should take up the King's Son in his Arms, and so kneeling before the Altar, no­thing was denied for the Protection and Safe­ty of the Suppliant. So Themistocles found favour with King Admetus. So likewise will our Heavenly King give Audience to our Pe­titions, if we present him in the Arms of Faith, his Beloved Son Christ Jesus with the Merits of his Death and Passion. A wound­ed Spirit, a broken and a contrite Heart, is an acceptable Sacrifice to God, and that which he will not despise, Psalm 51.19. Thou canst not reasonably think thy Case dete­stable, for that which God approveth and loveth in thee, and hath so mercifully Che­rished in those he dearly loved. The Royal Psalmist, the Man after his own Heart, felt this which thou art afraid of, My Heart, saith he, is Wounded within me, Psalm 109.22.

5. CONSIDER seriously, that a calm Con­science is not always the best, nor a Tem­pestuous the worst: There is a Lethargy and Stupidity of an evil Conscience in a Carnal Security: This Calm is such a Storm, where­in the Soul, (like the Men of Laish) is qui­et and secure, until some Spiritual Danites awake it, and the Sinner goeth on like Agag, thinking surely that the Bitterness of Death is past: As some Heart-sick Patient, in whom [Page 136] Nature's strength is so far decayed, that he is insensible of the undiscovered approaches of Death now imminent; even such is the calm Conscience of a secure Sinner.

6. NOW, if that Angel Guardian, the Con­science, which God and Nature has placed within the Breast of a Righteous Person, be sometimes at Variance and upon the seasonable point of Admonition for some Sin Unre­pented; we may infer it to be like the Ship in which Jonah fled, followed with Storms, untill he was cast forth, whereby his Hap­piness might be the greater: But the danger is desperate with those, when the Mind is Drowsie and will not be awakened from its Guilt and Impenitency; but are given up to the Spirit of Slumber; those I say, if at any time their Conscience within 'em whispers and severely Checks 'em, then are they rea­dy to cry out as Ahab to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine Enemy? If we are not sen­sible of our Wounds, the sign is Mortal; therefore let us not our selves remove from that wholesome Discipline, or fly that Chirur­gion, whose Lancet threatens none but the imposthumated Parts; but rather chuse wisely that main skill of knowing, whether our Con­sciences thus lull'd up in treacherous sleep, or disturbed by that Voice within us; which of these two, I say prognosticates the most Dan­ger.

TO this a serious Examination is requi­site; wherein I shall lay down these Particulars: First, some Reasons why we must seriously examine our Consciences. Se­condly, The main Lets incident thereto. Thirdly, Certain Rules by which we may throughly Examine. Fourthly, Interroga­tories to be proposed to the afflicted Consci­ence. Fifthly, Some Conclusions necessary to be drawn from the Whole.

2. FIRST, We ought to Examine our selves; for certainly God hath not so often Commanded it in vain, Lam. 3.40. Psal. 4.4. 1 Cor. 11.28. 2 Cor. 13.5. Secondly, With­out this we cannot know our Sins, and so not Repent, nor have any solid Comfort in Impenitency. We are extream apt to mi­stake our selves; which if we do, we can have no sound Comfort in the Testimony of a good Conscience, which presupposeth Faith and Illumination. Thirdly, Without this, we cannot possibly know which way we are going, the Broad way to Destruction, or the Narrow to Salvation, which were very ne­cessary to comfort us, if we go right, or to recal and rectifie us, if wrong. Fourthly, Without this, we can never make a right [Page 138] use of God's Chastisements, nor obtain any comfortable way out of 'em: Neither can we distinguish his Operations of Mercy in us, when he Humbleth us here, that we may be Exalted hereafter.

3. NOW, the common Obstructions to this Duty, are first an Evil Conscience, which being wounded by a deep Guilt, cannot en­dure any Searching. Secondly, Native Hy­pocrisie, misrepresenting us to our selves, by denominating us highly Pious, and looking upon it as an important Injury not to be counted so. Thirdly, distracting Cares of this Life, and Carnal Security, which say with those Jews, Hag. 1.2. The time is not come: These make Men refer their Repen­tance to the last Hour, even to the hazard of their Immortal Souls.

4. NOW, the Rules to be observed, are these: First, Earnestly endeavour to find out and abandon all thy known Sins. Secondly, Rest not in outward appearances, but enter­tain the illumination of God's Word into the secret and dark recesses of thy Heart: For, the Woman in the Gospel, first lighted, and then swept the Room, Luke 15.8. Thirdly, Judge thy self as impartially as thou wouldst do an Enemy. Skillful Painters place their Work at some distance from 'em, that they may be able to judge and amend their Errors. So must thou fix thy actions upon some other Person; like David, who could no [...] behold his Sin in himself, till Nathan [Page 139] shewed it him in another, 2 Sam. 12. I need not instance in Judah, Gen. 28. Or in Ahab, 1 Kings, 20.4.

5. BEGIN Early, and be constant in this Duty. If thy Thoughts, after some slen­der pursuit, return as those Men of Jericho, with a Non est Inventus, Josh. 2.22. Know that thou hast more need of greater dili­gence to repeat often thy Examination. Ex­amin thy self by the whole Law of God: And enquire what thou hast done in opposi­tion to Sin. Few wicked Men, but are con­tent to observe some of God's Laws, if thou wilt grant them Naaman's Plea only, The Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing. And sometimes Herod, Ahab and Pharaoh, will have certain fits of seeming Devotion and Repentance. The Brazen Serpent will not Sting: And Men's Corruptions are most ap­parent when opportunity gives them Birth.

6. NOW, The Interrogatories to be pro­pounded to thy Conscience, are these: First, doth Sin reign in thee, so that thou yieldest a willing obedience to it? Or doth it bear sway and tyrannize over thee? For between these there is an immense difference. True it is, all Men sin, but Sin reigneth only in the Unregenerate; Let not sin reign in your mortal Body, Rom. 6.12. And St. Paul fur­ther tells ye, that the Regenerate sin, Rom. 7.15.19. That which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not, but wh [...]t I hate, [Page 140] that do I: For the Good that I do, I would not: But the Evil which I would not, that I do. From this Inference, ask thy Conscience whether thou wouldst have committed this Evil which now wounds it? If not, it is no more thou, but Sin that dwelleth in thee.

7. DOST thou detest all Sin, because it is contrary to God's Holy Will? And rather more for the love of God, than for fear of his Judgments? Dost thou not only grieve for every Sin which thou hast committed, but also for the [...]ravity and Corruption of thy Will, and the infirmities of Flesh and Blood, disabling thee to the purer service of God? If thou art in this State, thou art not disesteemed in the Eye of the Almigh­ty: Neither will God ever Condemn thee, for that, which he hath given thee a compe­tency of Grace to abhor and condemn in thy self: For if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged, 1 Cor. 11.31. The Unrege­nerate Person Idolizes Sin, but is afraid of the Punishment; but the Regenerate abhors it, therefore God will not judge him for it, but will rather say what he said to the Wo­man taken in Adultery, Neither do I Con­demn thee, go and Sin no more, John 8.11.

8. WOULDST thou embrace Sancti­ty, and is it thy Heart's desire to serve God in sincerity? So that thou can'st say with the Church, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our [Page 141] Soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. If thou dost hunger and thirst af­ter Righteousness, be assured thou shalt be satisfied, Matt. 5. Dost thou in the inward Man consent to the Law of God? 'Tis In­fallibly certain, if thou dost pursue after Holiness, without which, none can see God, thou art esteemed of the Almighty. For our best Perfection at present is this, not that we are throughly Pious, but that we chase after it.

9. HAST thou with the Kingly Pro­phet, Psalm 119.6. a respect to all God's Commandments, so that thou dost not in thy Heart dispense with any of them, for Pleasures, Profits, or any secular Advan­tage, but wouldst earnestly enjoy that Pri­viledge of keeping them all? If so, let not slip the Anchor of thy Hope, but receive Comfort: For hower Satan's Delusions may allure thee, and thy own Corruptions may betray thee, yet thy minor serving of thy Creator without Exemption or dispensati­on to any Sin, concludeth thee in a State of Regeneration, the Denomination fol­lowing the better Part, as appears in St. Paul's Expression of himself in the same case, Rom. 7.25. With the Mind I my self serve the Law of God; but with the Flesh, the Law of Sin. That is, groaning under the Tyranny, but not dispensing with its Reign.

[Page 142]10. DOST thou resolve to oblige thy self to avoid Sin? Then God will accept thee, 2 Cor. 8.12. David said, I will keep thy Statutes, and I have sworn, and I will per­form it, that I will keep thy Righteous Judg­ments, Psal. 119, 8.106. It is evident he made a breach of his Performance, tho his Intentions were quite contrary, 2 Sam. 12.9. Dost thou conscientiously and diligent­ly use the means to take cognizance of thy Sins; as by applying the word of God home to thy Conscience? for by the Law comes the knowledge of Sin. Rom. 7.7. Dost thou carefully shun all occasions and in­centives moving thee and enticing thee to Sin and Wickedness? It is a vanity in him to detest Drunkenness, who will not re­strain his boon Companions: It is impossi­ble for him to hate Adultery, who fixeth his Eye upon the Lascivious, and is entang­led in the snare of the Adulterer: Such are apt then to forget what was mentioned in our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 5.28. Whosoever looketh on a Woman to Lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her al­ready in his Heart. And Solomon's Advice is very proper, Come not near the Door of her House, Prov. 5.8. For Opportunity and Occasion is Lust's Pander.

[Page 143]11. ASK thy Conscience whether it can presume to sin wittingly and willingly? And whether it can be sedate in any known and unrepented Sin? If it be disturbed, dissipate thy Fear; for this very distur­bance of Conscience, which so much appals thee, is a principal Mark of a good Con­science. It is true, as the Woman sang of Saul and David, 1 Sam. 18.7. Saul hath slain his Thousands, and David his ten Thou­sands: So, Despair hath cast away some, but Presumption, Multitudes. Hath not thy Conscience at some time, in a parti­cular Measure, been refreshed by a Divine assurance of thy Interest in a Saviour, a resolution to forsake all thy Sins, Peace with God, and Salvation by the Merits of Christ? We commit a gross Mistake, if we always judge of our State by pre­sent Sense: For there are certain hours of Tentation, wherein the light of Grace is obscurely Eclipsed to our Sense, and the stupid or afflicted Conscience feeleth no present Illumination of God's Spirit, which yet in due time shall return, and compen­sate our Tryals, with greater advantage of Assurance.

[Page 144]12. NOW the Conclusions necessary to be con­sidered are these: First, The Almighty's Judgments are ever just, yea, when Flesh and Blood says with Nichodemus, How can these things be? John 3.9. When the too Curious Inquests after them are to be Stayed with a, Nay but, O Man, Who art thou that Repliest against God, Rom. 9.20. And so also his Mercies are as the unsounded Deeps, beyond all apprehension of carnal Reason; often Medicable by Wounding and Afflicting the Guilty Consci­ence; Comforting by terrifying, introducing to Glory and Immortality through Corruption; kil­ling Sin in the Flesh by Death, the Fruit of Sin, and guiding to Heaven, (as I may say) by the Gates of Hell, and fear of Damnation.

13. THE most Notorious Sins committed in Ignorance and Incredulity, after Repentance, are no Arguments to Despair: For the Apostle tells you, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Neither Fornicators, nor Ido­laters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers [...]f themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners shall In­herit the Kingdom of God; and such were some of you: But ye are Washed, but ye are Sanctified, but ye are Ju­stified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. And the same Apostle, was a Blasphe­mer, and a Persecuter, and Injurious; but obtained Mercy, forasmuch as he did it ignorantly, and in unbelief, 1 Tim. 1.13. In his Conversion these Sins fell off, as the Viper of Melita from his hand, with­out any danger to his Life, Acts 28.5. So God pro­nounceth of the Convert by the Mouth of his Pro­phet, Ezek. 18.22. All his Transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him.

14. SINS of the Regenerate, though violent Perturbations of Mind, or Tentations ensna [...]ing them, are not to be reckoned among Symptoms of Reprobation, or Apostacy: Such was Peter's denyal, [Page 155] and Davids Adultery, and Murder: Therefore the Apostle's, Counsel is very charitable, Gal. 6.1. If any Man be overtaken in any fault, ye that are Spi­ritual restore such a one with the Spirit of Meekness, con­sidering thy self, lest thou also be tempted. And Christ hath taught us, without distinction of great and little Sins, to say daily, forgive us our trespasses: This Life is a Spiritual Combate, a Truceless War against the Powers of Darkness, wherein the Strong­est may be, and often are carried away Captive, and yet be healed and recovered, Eph. 6.12. Their Captivity concludeth not their not being true Is­raelites, who would fain return.

15. EVERY Sin against Knowledge doth not presently infer a Reprobate Mind: The most Exquisite and Dexterous are sometimes taken in Satan's snares; St. Peter, though forewarned, de­nyed Christ through sudden apprehension of fear: Not out of Malice, but infirmity: We, nay the best of Men, are but partly Flesh and partly Spirit, so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to, nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest. St. Paul, and all that are Regenerate, doth allow the Law of God, yet sometimes feel another law­less Law, carrying them away Captive to Sin, Rom. 7.23.

16. THOUGH every Sin against Consci­ence is very dangerous, and every perseverance therein, the very Suburbs of Hell; yet every such E­normity excludeth not Repentance and Remission: Because sin not only allureth, but sometimes exer­ciseth the rage of a Tyrant, and Captivates us a­gainst our Wills. There may also be a Lethargy or Epilepsie of the Soul: There is such mischievous sub­tilty in Satan, that his Snares, though visible, are not always avoided; whose Messengers, though felt with grief of Soul, are not always overcome; yet he that gave Waters to the Horeb Rock, Exod. 17. [Page 146] 6, 7. can smite our harder Hearts, and make the Waters of Life flow Plentifully, to Repentance, ne­ver to be repented of.

17. THOUGH every Relapse into Sin is very dangerous, yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd, those breaches may be repaired by Re­pentance, 2 Pet. 2.20. And Solomon tells you, The Just man falleth seven times a day, Prov. 24.16. Sa­tan doth not always present New Scenes, but some­times dresses up his Old Artifices, therewith to be­guile: Though our Infirmities are numerous, God's Power is made manifest, by sustaining us, that though we fall, we shall not fall away. Though Satan's power, subtilty, and restless malice, are ve­ry potent, yet he and his Messengers are limited by their Chain, and can receive no Commission, if it be but to enter into a Herd of Swine, but from the Almighty, Mat. 8.31. And the Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 10.13. That God will not suffer us to be tempted, above what we are able: So that we may resolve, that neither Life, nor Death, nor any Crea­ture shall be able to saparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.39.

FIRST, use thy utmost endeavour to possess the Testimony of a good Conscience, which thou canst by no means attain, but by being vigilant over thy Soul, and with a fixed Constancy resist­ing Temptations. Every Sin, yea, even the least, woundeth the Soul afresh: Be not secure of minor Sins, but let a good Conscience be most precious unto thee; part not from it for any Pleasures, Ho­nours, or Riches of this World; but rather part [Page 147] from Life it self. Enjoy a tender Conscience: A seared one, like Callous Flesh, is insensible of that which toucheth it; to this, Custom creates a prone­ness to sin, and takes away the sense of it, 1 Tim. 4.3. Tit. 15.

2. APPROVE thy self in every Action to God, fixing thy self ever in his presence, who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest, 1 Pet. 3.12. And va­lue not whoever is disgusted, if God approveth thee Walk not according to the Wisdom of the Flesh, but by the Rule of Gods Grace, which shall at last be thy rejoicing, 2 Cor. 1.12. Resign not thy self to Sins Dominion; which is impossible, except thou wholly deliverst up thy self, by consenting to thine own Captivity; as the Ear-bored Servants, who pro­fessed love to their Masters; and so would not be Manumissed and freed from them, Exod. 21.5, 6. Detest Sin and it shall not prejudice thee: No sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious; but e­spicially beware of presumptuous sins, lest they get the Dominion over thee, Psal. 19.13. Numb. 15.30, 31. Deut. 17.12.

3. CONTEMPLATE on God's Justice and Mercy together; let them be inseparable in thy Thoughts. For if thou inspectest into his Justice only, thou art liable to Despair upon the sight of thy sins: And if thou viewest his Mercy only, thou wilt with facility presume, when thou beholdest that transcendent Immensity, which is ever ready upon unfeigned Repentance to pardon Sinners: The Sailers of Old, upon the Yards of their Ships, con­jectured the Ignis lambens for a good or a bad fata­lity; if they beheld but one flame, they denomi­nated it an unlucky Helena; but if two, they ac­cepted it for Castor and Pollux, Good Prognosticks of fair and prosperous Weather: Even so it is in Mercy and Justice, the Consideration of them singly, may prove pernicious, but both linked to­gether may compleat thy Happiness.

[Page 158]4. LABOUR for true Faith in Christ, who is the Propitiation for our sins, 1 John 2.2. Whose Blood cleanseth us from all sin; 1 John 1.7. And holding Faith and a good Conscience, That we may avoid being Shipwrack'd, 1 Tim. 1.19. 1 Tim. 3.9. There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of Fiery Serpents, but to look up to the Brazen Serpent, which Prefigured Christ apprehen­sible by Faith; the only Medicament for Sin-wound­ed-Consciences: Permit but this very sense and ap­prehension of God's Wrath which now appaleth thee, to induce thee the more arduously to detest all Sin; and thou shalt thereby be ascertain'd, that God hath wounded thee, only to heal thee.

5. REMEMBER that what the Law averrs, it declares only to them who are under the Law, not under Grace, Rom. 3.19. They are under the Law who plead Not guilty, and insist upon their Justification by works of the Law: We are under Grace, who perceiving our Sin and Misery by the Law, fly wholly to him for Mercy, who freely justifieth the Sinner, Rom. 3.24. The Imprecations and Menaces of the Law are not to break the bruis­ed Reed, nor quench the Smoaking Flax, but to depress the heart that is elevated with an opinion of self merit, who safely go on to undo themselves after a presumptuous manner.

6. LET thy Repentance be speedy, that Sin take no root in thy heart. Neither let thy Wound putrifie before thou apply the Remedy: But ascend with all diligence to the Throne of Grace to implore Mercy, before Wrath is gone out against thee: Rely on this Second Table, Repen­tance, who hast lost the first, of Innocency: Con­demn thy self, and Christ will Justifie thee: He only expects thy voice, to give thee audience: When thou comest with thy Accusation and confessest thou hast sinned, then Christ he readily receiveth [Page 159] the Humble Penitent, and Proclaims thy Sins are forgiven thee. Observe how quickly the Pardon followed David's Confession; no sooner had he acknowledged, I have sinned against the Lord, but Omnipotency declares by the Prophet, The Lord also hath put away thy Sin, 2 Sam. 12.13. St. Peter quickly Repented, and as quickly found Mercy: Esau stayed too long, and so found no place for Repentance, though, He sought it carefully with Tears: Heb. 12.17. If the Granado fired, be suddenly re­torted, it proves prejudicial to the Assailant: Such are the product of Satan's Fire-Works, if thou cast out his Temptations, and heartily repent thee, where any of his Darts pierce thee.

7. GIVE not thy self up to pensive Dedolency, mundane Sorrow, and fruitless Solitariness; that will but animate the bitterness of Spirit: Think not too much of thy Afflictions, but dulcifie them with remembrance of God's Mercy towards thee: Assume not to thy self a Worldly Sorrow that is unto death, 1 Cor. 7.10. But comfort up thy self in God, as David did, Psal. 43.5. Why art thou so sad, O my Soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? Trust in God, for I shall yet praise him. And So­lomon tells ye, A merry heart doth good, like a Medicine, but a broken Spirit drieth the Bones, Prov. 17.22. And again, a merry heart maketh a Cheerful Countenance, but by the Sorrow of the heart the Spirit is broken, Prov. 15.13.

8. BE very attentive to God's Word: For he is the God of all Consolation, and the Word is his Mind and Revealed Will for the benefit of our Sal­vation: It is a full Magazine, and there is no Af­fliction incident to frail Mortality, but may there meet with a proper Antidote: There thou shalt find Rules to guide thee, and preserve thee from sin: There thou shalt have a prospect of the Divine Mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the [Page 150] guilt of all thy Transgressions: But then appear not only to be a hearer, but a doer of the Word, and Treasure up those Gracious Promises in thy heart; so shalt thou in due season feel the Operation of the Holy Spirit distilling the former, and the Latter-Rain upon the seed, whereby it may take root and be fruitful.

9. LASTLY, Add Zealous and Frequent Prayer, as God's Servants have practised in all their distresses, Psal. 6.9. And be ascertain'd that he will not leave thee Comfortless, but will at length appear with great assurance of thy Salvation, and will in­finitely recompence thy Patience in suffering and perseverance in invocating for pardon. Satan is never more baffled and infatuated in his own Stra­tagems, than when he gains a License to wound the hearts of those who are precious in the sight of the Almighty: For, as Romanus the Martyr told the Tormentor, Look how many Wounds thou givest, so many Mouths thou settest open, to cry to God for help; and indeed these Jewels cannot arrive to their Glo­rious Lustre, without being Ground hard by Affli­ction.

THE next thing which wounds and afflicts the Conscience, is Sense of defects, and Spi­ritual Wants: As want of Faith, Hope and Assu­rance of Salvation; Want of Sanctification, Purity of Heart, the Spirit of Prayer, and Hearing, and want of ability to perform other Holy Duties. In these the Spirit is stupified, and overcast even in the best of Christians for a time: The Religious Per­son sometimes is sensible of a dulness, and want of Fervency in Prayer, and of a comfortable assurance, that God heareth or regardeth it, because he doth not presenty answer, or not grant our Petitions. Sometimes they feel a Deviation of the Mind, and discomposure of thoughts, in attention, and unbe­lief in hearing and reading the Word: Sometimes want of Patience, want of Love to God, and Cha­rity to Men: In short, such a general debility, or distemper of the Internal Man, that he readily con­cludes with St. Paul, That in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7.18. These are great Maladies of the [Page 153] Soul, and Wounds of the Spirit; but it inferreth a good Prognostick of a bad Cause: Where these are and the Sinner is insensible, they are desperate Sym­ptomes.

2. IN this Case let us consider, that the very same measure of Grace, which to the present sense of a Regenerate Man, seemeth incompetent, may yet be a sufficient measure to save him: And when he Invocates the Divine Assistance, he is most strong, though in his own sense he is weak and de­ficient: For in St. Paul's distress the Lord thus an­swered his Petition, My Grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.8. It saith not it shall be, but it is suffi­cient, meaning the present measure of Grace he had in his Possession, when he looked upon him­self as a weak Vessel.

3. THE most Pious, their measure of Assu­rance is such, as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, that so an entrance may be administred to them a­bundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom, but they are in duty bound also to Work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. All Incredulity inferreth not a Reprobate sense: There is Incredulity in the very Elect before, and a perplexing Remnant after their Calling; yea, even in their best Estate here; else why did the Holy Apostles pray, Lord encrease our Faith, Luke 17.5. And why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbelief, Mark 16.14.

4. AND Saving Faith differeth in degrees: So that there is a stronger and a weaker Faith, yet both true, and justifying: So do all other Graces, one hath a greater and more Excellent measure of the Spirit of Prayer than another: One hath a more discer­ning and attentive Spirit of Hearing than another, and yet in either instance, the minor may be true and sufficient: For to every Man is given according [Page 154] to the measure of Christ, Ephes. 4.7. One hath ten Talents, and another but two: Nay, even in one and the same Person's Faith, there is sometimes a gran­der, and sometimes a diminutive measure of Confi­dence and Assurance: And so we must judge of other Gifts; sometimes there is more fervency in Prayer, and other times less. The Sun doth not display his Radiant Beams on us always alike, neither doth the light of Gods Grace illuminate us after one manner.

5. A true saving Faith may be very impotent, and the Believer may be insensible for some space, but yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it, as may appear in St. Peter's Example. There are doubtings and failings in the best on Earth, by Reason we are but here partly Spiritual: We are not yet arrived to perfection: Faith here must re­ceive continual encreases, and be subject to Tryals: And the like does ensue to all other Vertues and Graces: That true Faith, never shall finally fall away, or utterly fail, though it be subject to In­tension and Remission; because Christ interceeded for us, as he said to St. Peter, behold, Satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not, Luke 22.31, 32. Be­cause his Grace by which we are called, and stand, is immutable in the Counsel and Decree of Hea­ven, and are Sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Pro­mise, 2 Cor. 1.22. And the like we are to judge of of all the Fruits of Sanctification, which being the Donations and Graces of God, are such as he re­penteth not of, neither finally withdraweth, Rom. 11.29.

6. THOU hast indeed a true sense of thy Spiritual wants, and mournest at thy Corruptions of Heart, which on every occasion produce sin­ful Acts against thy Maker; if this be a heavy burden unto thee, receive this Comfort, that thy sin is excluded its proper place, and become a [Page 155] Stranger unto thee: For nothing in its own pro­per station is so ponderous. The danger is want of Sense, and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness: If a wounded Person is insensible, he is either dead, or in some dangerous Exstacy: No part hath sense but the Living; though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole, yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth Life; and indeed in Gods Medi­caments, who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him, 'tis a better State, (in re­spect of the quiet Fruits of Righteousness, accruing to them that are thereby Exercised, and the Ulce­rous Corruptions of our Souls, often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed) than the se­cure prosperity of Sinners; for it is good and be­neficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted, Psal. 119.67.

7. WHEN thou hearest, or readest the Scrip­tures, art thou sensible of the want of Faith, Assu­rance, Sanctification, and the Spirit and Fervency of Prayer? If so, be comforted: For as the Solar Eclipse, and Descension of Light towards us, can be discerned by no Lustre, but its own; so neither can the want of Grace be possibly discerned by any thing but Grace. Hast thou a hearty desire to have these wants of Grace supplyed? Then that very holy Ambition is Grace it self; without which thou couldst not desire it: Our blessed Lord in his Sermon on the Mount, Math. 5.6. pronounces, Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after Righte­ousness; for they shall be filled: God will never desert that Soul which desireth him, and his saving health: None can hunger but the Living; and none hun­gers for Grace, but he that subsisteth by it: But then thy desire of that Seed must be ardent, not languid, such as cannot rest unsatisfied with any thing else in the World.

8. THERE may be an Enervate, and Ob­lique [Page 156] appetite of Salvation in Balaam, for fear of Damnation; but he more loved the Wages of Un­righteousness: The happiest thirsts for the Waters of Life, and afflicteth the Soul till it be obtained; and enjoys no rest, or peace without it: So that indeed this very State which so much afflicteth thee is the most secure and happy; and thou shalt once know, that which one said in the happy Event of his unhappy Shipwrack, We had perished, if we had not thus perished. And when thou hast received the Spirit of God in such a measure as thereby to discern the things that are freely given thee of God; then thou shalt find, That Blessed is the Man whom the Lord chasteneth and teacheth in his Law, that he may give him rest from his days of adversity, Psal. 94.12, 13.

9. MAKE that inquest with thy Soul, whe­ther ever thou wert possest of that, which thou art now sensible thou wantest? If so, be assured it shall revive again, and finally overcome; For whatso­ever is born of God overcometh the World; and this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith, 1 John 5.4. And this sense and sorrow is a signal of the recovery of the health of thy most precious part, thy Soul; as the seven times Neezing of the Shunamite's Child presaged his reviving, 2 Kings 4.35. If thou never yet enjoyd'st the Grace which thou now beginnest to be sensible of, it now evi­dently is apparent thou shalt acquire it; for this internal perplexity, is but as the motion of the Waters of Bethesda, a certain Prognostick of a heal­ing Power descending on thee.

10. NEXT ask thy self, according to that say­ing of the Prophet, Jer. 2.17. Hast thou not procu­red this unto thy self? Even this which thou now com­plainest of? Hast thou not neglected the appointed means? If want of Faith perplex thee; hast thou not negligently heard the Gospel? Hast thou laid it up in a Solicitous Heart? Hast thou valued it, [Page 157] and begged it fervently and frequently of God, above all things in the World? Thou art querulous for want of the Spirit of Prayer; Hast thou not negle­cted this Duty formerly; and dost thou now du­ly prepare thy self for that holy Office? Dost thou use that vigilancy which Christ enjoyn'd, of Watch and Pray; by recalling thy profane and wandring Thoughts from their Extravagancies, and all at­tention of Spirit, fixing them on the Holy Je­sus? Thou art sensible thy Heart, Tongue, nor Actions are not Sanctimonious: Appeal to thy own Conscience, and then tell me, if thou hast not heretofore us'd all Arts, and sollicited all things to appear in the throng, to drown the loud checks of that voice within thee, and hast looked upon it as thy utter Enemy? Now if thou wouldst cease the Effect, remove the Occasion; duly observe God's holy Ordinances, and he will infallibly per­form his Promises.

11. ENQUIRE whether thou dost not per­severe in some habitual sin? It is a great folly to cry out of the Heat, and still cast oyl on the Fire: If it be an Achan's Wedge hidden, search for the Cursed thing, Josh. 7.25, 26. and the Plague in thine own heart, 1 Kings 8.38. And by removing the Impediment and Obstruction, thou shalt be Comforted: If it be a sleeping Jonah, cast him over-board: And as Eliphaz said to Job, If thou re­turn to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put iniquity far from thy Tabernacles: The Almighty shall be thy defence; then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God: Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, Job 22.23. &c.

12. TO reduce what has been said into pra­ctice, follow these Rules; Give an audit to God's Word preparedly, that is, renew thy Repentance, and Invocate the Father of Lights to Illuminate [Page 158] thee, that thou mayst be a Reverend and an Atten­tive Auditor: Faith comes by Hearing; so doth Sanctification, God's Spirit operating upon his own Ordinance to make it Active: The occasion why so many hear, so often; and so few so sel­dom practise and receive true Comfort by it, is for want of a due preparation; resembling them that sow among Thorns: Let Faith and all Chri­stian Graces be valuable to thee for his sake who is the Author of all our Happiness. How few set a right Estimate on Heavenly things till it be too late? Mundane Vanities, are Rated high, and of­ten purchased at a dear Rate; but where are those that rise Early, rest Late, Eat the Bread of Care­fulness, venture Sea, and Land to obtain the holy City, even the New Jerusalem? Be eager in the pursuit of these things thou standst in need of, and the Almighty will not with-hold them from thee.

13. OUR Saviour affirms to us, John 7.38, 39. He that believeth in me, out of his Belly shall flow Ri­vers of Living Waters: That is, fluency of Graces proceeding from the Holy Ghost. If thou wilt la­bour, and endeavour to attain unto this Faith, chase away all Obstructions that do oppose thee: For a Resolution to persevere in any known Sin, and True Faith▪ are inconsistent. An obdurate Heart is like the great stone on the mouth of the Well at Padan-Aram, which kept Men back from the Wa­ters of Refreshment: These Impediments, I say, must first be removed; for sin in the Affections, is like a venomous Toad in the Mouth of the Foun­tain, obstructing the Waters of Life.

14. CONSIDER the Operation of the Almigh­ty in thee, and compare thy misfortunes with o­thers: If thou art not heard by the Great Being, perhaps thy Supplication is not consonant to his Will: For his design is to save thee, and infallibly to bless thee; and if he performs that by a means [Page 159] suitable to Omnipotency, wilt thou be impatient, with Naaman, if thou art not healed according to thy way which thou proposest? Is not it enough that he will effect that which is properest and best for thee and canst thou pretend to outvie his Wis­dom? Perhaps he thinks it requisite to try thy per­severance and patience, whereof I confess, I know no severe object, than an opinion of his not hea­ring our Prayers. It was no small tryal, when Da­vid cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou for­saken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the Words of my Roaring? Psal. 22.1. But the Acclamation on the Cross, carryed a louder sound, Mat. 27.46. Moses was denied entrance into Ca­naan, but was received into Heaven: The Cup did not pass away from Christ, but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption; and so, he was heard, Heb. 5.7.

15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp en­counters of the Tempter? Then observe the Al­mighty by this means doth more confirm it. Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees, which loosing the ground, Engrafts them the deeper? Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity, and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit, provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca, when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins, Why am I thus? Gen. 25.22. Despond not, but consider the work of him, with whom we have to do: Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him, and to Con­sult his Oracles: Thus he exerciseth thee to humi­lity, without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee. He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling, could have prevented him from falling in­to that Sin: But in so doing he kept him from pre­sumption, and fitted him to confirm his Brethren.

16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God, who hath expresly said, ask and ye shall have: And to [Page 160] consider that God is perfect Holiness, is a vehement Motive conducing to it; and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us, and freely give us that which he loveth: It pleased the Author of our Being, that Solomon, before Riches, Revenge, and Life it self, should petition him for Wisdom; upon which, he did not only grant his request, but additionally gave him Riches and Honour: And undoubtedly it doth so much please God, that a­ny of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants, before all things give Grace the Preferrence; and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life, he will not deny them, but will insert to their grant, more than we are able to ask or think of.

NEXT We are to Consider the Conscience afflicted with Fear of Temptations, and a defection through them, enclining it to a despair of Grace sufficient to resist them; by this means the Soul is immerst with heaviness, through mani­fold Temptations, 1 Pet. 1.6. In which case it is necessary to consider, That first, A Temptation is a Tryal, or taking an Experiment of something or other: The Devil who cannot compel, tryeth men whether he can allure them to Sin; and this is apprehensively Temptation.

2. THERE is a Temptation of Tryal, which you see, Acts 20.19. 1 Cor. 10.13. Rev. 3.20. and St. James saith, My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations: And Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation. For when he is tryed, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him. St. James 1.2, 12. God is said to tempt no man, (that is, to Evil: Evidently implying, as there is no Sin in him, so neither is there any occasioned by him) yet tried Abraham (to manifest him openly to o­thers and himself: For no man knoweth himself, which is untried) which denominates tempting, or [Page 163] proving: As you will find in Exod. 15.25. and Ch. 16.4. Deut. 8.16. and Chap. 13.3. Psal. 26.2. 1 Pet. 1.7. And there is a Temptation of seducement, which is a Solicitation to defection and falling from God, by sinning, and committing evil, 1 Tim. 6.9. 1 Thes. 3.5. So that God tempteth, that he may Discipline us, but the Devil that he may destroy us.

3. SOME Temptations spring from the Cor­ruption and Sin Inherent in the Flesh, St. James 1.14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts; such as are mentioned, Gal. 5.19, 20. Some are suggested by the Tempter, who be­ing a Spirit hath power to insinuate and convey his impious notions into our minds: Suggestion be­tween Spirits, are as Contiguity and touching of Bodies; for whereas he cannot discover the unut­tered secrets of the heart, (it being the Almighties peculiar Prerogative) but he observes mens natu­ral inclinations and habits, by their Words and Actions, and so prepares Baits accordingly; thus he fishes in these depths, till he perceives his Sugge­stions are swallowed, and the Sinner taken: And by this means he presenteth such Thoughts, as he conjectureth will take, by that which is obvious to the Senses of men: As he fitted an opportunity of Treason to impious Judas, by the malice of the high Priests: Of Lust to Amnon; of venturing on the cursed thing to Achan; of the Revenge to Cain; of Idolatry to Ahaz, by the Altar of Damascus, 2 Kin. 16.10. &c.

4. OF Temptations, there are four degrees, by which it ariseth to full Maturity: First, Suggesti­on. Secondly, Delight therein. Thirdly, Con­senting. Fourthly, Acting the same: As St. James tells ye, Chap. 1.14, 15. Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts, and enticed; then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin, and Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. The first of these [Page 164] (a bare Suggestion) is not our Sin, if there be no delight, or consenting to it: For Christ was temp­ted, Mat. 4.1. Luke 4.2. in all points as we are, yet without sin, Heb. 4.15. The Sin is Satans, when ever he Suggesteth evil: The Second (as the Third and Fourth) is Sin in its degree; for every delight in evil, declares a Mans inclination to be such: A declining from Good, and a proneness to consent and act evil.

5. A tryal of Temptation to the Just, is but as Fire to Gold; it purifieth, and createth a valuati­on in God's Esteem; as the Psalmist tells ye, Psal 116.15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; and the Apostle informs ye, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the tryal of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold which perisheth, though it be tryed with Fire, might be found unto praise, &c. And that mirror of Patience is Comforted, Job 23.10. When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold. Temptation there­fore burneth out the dross, and is as a Winnowing Wind; For Satan by a Temptation winnowed St. Peter: Now Consider with thy self, can the Re­finer of Gold take that Care, that he will not lose it in the Furnace? Can the Husbandman, so oppor­tune the Wind, that he will not lose the Corn, but cleanse it from the Chaff? And canst thou think that the Almighty will suffer thee to be lost, by permitting thee to Temptations? No, assure thy self he cannot err: He measureth all, Is Faithful, and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able, 1 Cor. 10.13. He knoweth how to deliver his out of Temptations, 2 Pet. 2.9. Therefore God commands us not to fear any of these things, which they should suffer, whom Satan should cast into Prison, Rev. 2.10.

6. THERE can be no Conquest gained with­out an Enemy, nor no Crown without a Conflict: No Faith without Troubles, nor no Combate with­out [Page 165] some Adversary: When the Almighty puts thee to Tryals, he stedfastly beholds how thou enter­tainest the Enemy, and as thou standest the Shock, he supplieth thee with fresh aids, as necessity re­quireth, and in the mean time prepareth the Crown: Many by a long and secure peace grow Impotent; and for want of Experience unable to resist an enemy when he invadeth, perhaps their own Pride (born out of self-ignorance) overcometh them; or fulness may debauch them; whereas Ex­ercise makes them Vigorous, and Temptations humble: Lest I should be Exalted above measure, saith Saint Paul, There was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh, the Messengers of Satan to buffet me, 2 Cor. 12.7. And indeed Conscience of a Sin, and fear of pu­nishment, makes the Regenerate more Religious; and is much the firmer Faith, which Repentance storeth up, That ye Sorrowed after a Godly sort, what Carefulness it wrought in you, 2 Cor. 7.11.

7. THE Spiritual Pharoah most eagerly pursu­eth those who are departing out of his Kingdom: He passeth by his own, as Captives: And chaseth those in whom he perceiveth Christ liveth: When he must be cast out, then he teareth most furiously, Luke 9.42. So that his rage against thee is no Ar­gument of Despair, but rather of great Affiance, that Satan himself, finds thou art none of his Dis­ciple; were he secure of thee, he would let thee go unmolested to destruction, and never disquiet thee, lest any agitation should bring thee to Re­pentance, and him to loss: This Lesson our Savi­our taught, When a strong Man armed keepeth his Pa­lace, his Goods are in peace, Luke 11.21.

8. CONSIDER well that the best have been, and the best that live are tempted: The Jebusites were left in Jerusalem, for an Exercise of Vertue, 2 Sam. 5.6. The Apostle wrapt up into the third Hea­ven, was buffetted by Satans Messengers, 2 Cor. 12. [Page 166]12. EVERY day dedicate thy first and last 2, 7. Once for all, Christ in whom was no sin, was tempted, Heb. 4.15. That thou are tempted, is no inference of Despair: It seems a Paradox, how Heaven and Earth are here so annexed; we being partly Spirit, and partly Flesh; that we cannot appear as we would, Gal. 5.17. We find an irksome Law in our selves, opposing us: Our Reparation is something, and Supernatural, but so short of that which shall be, that our selves (like the Israelites in Ezra's time) sound a discordious Concord of sharps and flats, joy and sorrow, Ezra 3.13. We must expect perfection in Heaven, for our present freedom from sin, is rather a desire to be free, than our being so.

9. NEXT let us consider that God's Grace (who at his pleasure chaineth up the Tempter) is suffici­ent for thee, Rev. 20.1. 2 Cor. 12.9. He restrain­eth him so much, that he cannot be a lying Spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets, untill he have leave (to tempt him out to his destruction) from him who justly permitteth to strong Delusions, that they should perish in believing Lies, who receive not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved: Omnipotence knows best how far he will suffer thee to be tempted, and accordingly measureth out a sufficiency of Grace to all the Regenerate: Why he suffered David so dangerously to fall, or St. Peter, and St. Paul is dubious, except to humble them, and leave us motives to Repentance; and as for his Judgments be assured they are ever just.

10. WHEN thou art under any Temptation examine thy self whether thou delightest in it? If thou takest no pleasure in it, nor consentest to it, but rather startlest at it, as a thing which thy Soul de­tests, and abhorrs, it shall not prejudice thee: Now consider whether the Temptation which commonly assaulteth thee is such as probably ariseth from the Corruption of thine own heart, which is usually [Page 167] inferred by the Thoughts Parley from one thing to another, by direct or natural mediums: But if it be a Temptation of Satan's cast into thy Soul, it is vulgarly abrupt, and such as thou didst not think of, Incongruous, Sudden, Unnatural, and such as thou tremblest at, as Blasphemous, Sanguine, or Desperate: Though in some Temptations he takes the opportunity of deluding our sight and hearing, joyning himself with our natural inclination to sin: And these are his Messengers the Apostle mentions, 1 Cor. 12.21, 22. Gal. 5.20. Who are like Traytors Corrupted by some Foreign State, against their na­tive Country: Now if a Temptation arise of Cor­rupted nature, the Remedy must be the depression of carnal Reason and Affections: For if it be Satan's Instigations, the very discovery will infer a Detestati­on whereby thou mayest gain the Conquest; for if we yield not to his allurements, he is utterly vanquished.

11. WHEN any motion excites thee, either Internally, by Suggestion, or Externally by per­suasions of Men, observe the Apostles Rule, 1 Job. 4.1. Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whe­ther they are of God: because many false Prophets are gone out into the World; and by this thou art proved, whe­ther thou lovest the Lord thy God with all thy Heart: And St. Paul tells ye there must be also Here­sies among you, 1 Cor. 11.19. Therefore Examine whether they bring any Propositions against Faith, the substance of the Gospel, Sanctimony com­manded in God's Law, Peace, Order, Charity, and Unity: To this end, that if we discern any thing in Mens perswasions or any internal Sugge­stions, contrary to our great Law-Giver, we may conclude them Carnal, Earthly, Sensual and De­vilish, and so use our utmost endeavour to resist them, which may be perform'd by the practice of these Rules following.

[Page 168]Thoughts to the Almighty in Sincere and Fervent Prayer, to preserve thee from Temptations, and to guide all thy Thoughts, Words and Actions, so that waking thou mayst walk sincerely in his pre­sence, and sleeping rest assuredly in his Protection: Prepare and fortifie thy self against these encounters of Temptations with the whole Armour of God, Eph. 6.12. Thou must expect Tryals, for thy Adver­saries are Formidable, such as Flesh and Blood, Principalities and Spiritual Wickednesses: It is a Conflict the more terrible, by being Abstruse, and with an invisible, puissant, indefatigable, and rest­less Antagonist, with whom thou canst not Truce safely: Therefore contrive before-hand, like the Wise Master-Builder, to fix the Basis upon a Rock; against which no Winds, Storms, or Floods can prevail, Mat. 7.24, 25.

13. THE Mariner doth not design his Ship only for a Calm, but also against furious Storms and rough Seas: Prepare thy self with the Anchor of the Soul, Heb. 6.19. Hope to lay hold on Christ, who therefore suffered, and was tempted, that he might deliver thee from, and in Temptations: Next, Fraught thy self with Patience, and all things ne­cessary for Tryals, which thou must in reason ex­pect, before thou canst arrive at thy desired Haven: It were great Incogitancy to think that Satan, who could not abstain from tempting the Lord Jesus, in whom was found no sin, will ever give thee a Cessation from Temptations, in whom he con­ceives some hopes of prevailing; for he will en­deavour to perplex thee, though he cannot attain to vanquish thee.

14. BE vigilant, lest ye enter into Temptati­on: Because your Adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lyon, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. And be not less vigilant for your own Salvation. Some have not observed whether a [Page 169] mischievous Temptation hath hurried them, but hath been surprized and led into some desperate sins, which upon true Opticks have abhorred and trembled at: Thou must expect many assaults, for Satan leaves them sometimes, to return with seven worse Spirits, Luke 11.26. That security may de­stroy thee, when no other means are prevalent. Be not Precipitated into any sudden undertaking, but consult first the Oracles of God, and there receive direction: Let them be as the Cloudy Pillar to Israel, and where that directeth, Steer thy Course accordingly.

15. FOLLOW the Apostle's advice, St. James 4.7. Resist the Devil, and he will flie from you: If thou Surrendrest, or givest him the least advan­tage, he is Tyrannical: Next observe St. Paul's Exhortation to his Son Timothy, to flie youthful lusts, 2 Tim. 2.22. For they are like Serpents, and there's no safe debate with them, except by fasting and Prayer: Therefore the exquisitest way is flight: Stop thy Ears to the Enchanting Syrens; and with the Patientest of Men, make a Covenant with thine Eyes, not to behold that which shall prejudice thee, Job 31.1. Take heed of all Incentives, and Inau­spicious motives; beware of Tamar's ways, and Dalilah's Embraces; Solomon's Curtisans Invitations, and presented Opportunities, Suspected Company, Lascivious Entertainments, Betraying Gifts, and whatsoever may lead thee to the paths of Death.

16. AS the subtile Enemy fixes his Gins, ac­cording as he finds the assaulted inclinable to be en­snared; so be thou careful most to fortifie thy self where thou findest him placing his main Batteries: And most carefully watch over thy self, where he most frequently assaileth thee: In this use Perseve­rance, which will prove an Antidote against that Malice which else would destroy thee. To reckon up all the Artifices of this Tempter would be Volu­minous; [Page 170] I shall only instance some few: And first he represents himself in the shape of a Serpent, with his destructive Commentaries on the forbid­den fruit. Secondly, He appears like a holy Pro­phet, with lying Visions to Bewitch the foolish and impotent: Next he comes like a Court like So­phister with ample promises of Wealth, Ho­nour and Pleasure; another time he Acts the Pan­der, and produces a Bathsheba, bathing her self. And lastly, He hellishly studies the secret Con­spirator, and assists Judas in the betraying of his Lord and Master; and for revenge of so horrid a Fact, makes him become his own Executioner; there­fore search into his Gifts, and whatever they are fear the Enemy: As Saul said of David, 1 Sam. 23.22. See his place where his haunt is, for he dealeth very subtily: He never pretends the least shadow of Goodness, but there's some mischief in the end of it; he is studious of Men, and where a Gentle dis­position is evident, he tempts to Luxury; an Am­bitious, to some lofty and impious designs; and the Angry to Revenge: In this so important Affair, thou canst not be too Politick; therefore where thou art most weak, let thy Fortifications and Guards be strongest.

17. FLY Idleness, that lazy Matron of all Evil, and Basis of Mischief. Ever employ thy self a­bout acts of Vertue, and then there will be no space or room for the Tempter. What advantage did he reap upon the Royal Prophet, by staining so glorious a Life, which was produc'd by his few hours Vacancy? Dally not with Temptations; for hap­py shall he be who parleys not with them, but is Careful and Vigilant, and is ready to say as Elisha said of Jehoram's Messenger, 2 Kings, 6.32. When he cometh, shut the Door, and hold him fast there: Is not the sound of his Master's Feet behind him? The same Remedy we must use to Satan's Messengers, [Page 171] who are sent to Destroy us: We must crush the Cocatrice Eggs, lest breaking out into a fiery Ser­pent, we cannot Conquer it, but say too late, as the Turk mention'd of Scanderberg, ‘This Enemy should have been Subdued in his Minority; for a Attemptation is Nourished that Hour it is not Mastered.’

18. INVOKE the Almighty constantly and fervently; use his own Words, Lead us not into Temp­tation. In many Instances, these are a Divine Re­venge on some precedent unrepented Sin; against which the Sanctimonious frequently make their Supplications: And if, as often as Satan assaileth, we could address our selves to earnest and zealous Prayers, we should worst him at his own Weapon, & receive frequenter Allarms to awaken us to a strong­er Guard; even the shadow of the Almighty. The first Enemy that assailed Israel in his way to Canaan, was vanquish'd by Prayer. When Moses held up his Hands, Israel prevailed, Exod. 17. The same repulse we must use to our grandest Enemy.