The Puritannical Blog

"O Immortal God! How long shalt Thou suffer the great cruelty of the ungodly to exercise their fury upon Thy servants, which do further Thy Word in this world.!.. O Lord, we know surely that Thy true servants must needs suffer, for Thy name sake, persecution, affliction, and troubles in this present life, which is but a shadow, as Thou has shown unto us by Thy Prophets and Apostles. Yet, we desire Thee Merciful Father, that Thou wouldst conserve, defend and help Thy Congregation, whch Thou has chosen before the beginning of the world, and give them Thy Grace, to hear Thy Word, and to be Thy tue servants in this present life." [George Wishart]

"Let us proclaim our union in all things in which we agree; and as for the rest, let us forbear as brothers" Zwingle

If a natural conscience may go thus far, then what difference is there between this natural conscience in hypocrites and sinners, and a renewed conscience in believers? or, how may I know whether the working of my conscience be the working of nature only, or else of grace wrought in it?

Answer.—I grant that it is difficult to distinguish between the one and the other: and the difficulty hath a twofold rise.



1. It ariseth from that hypocrisy that is in the best saints. The weakest believer is no hypocrite, but yet there is some hypocrisy in the strongest believer. Where there is most grace, there is some sin; and where there is most sincerity, yet there is some hypocrisy.

Now it is very incident to a tender conscience to misgive and mistrust its state, upon the sight of any sin. When he sees hypocrisy break out in any duty or performance, then he complains "Surely my aims are not sincere! my conscience is not renewed! it is but natural conscience enlightened, not by grace purged and changed."[1]

It ariseth from that resemblance there is between grace and hypocrisy; for hypocrisy is a resemblance of grace, without substance; the likeness of grace, without the life of grace. There is no grace but a hypocrite may have somewhat like it; and there is no duty done by a Christian, but a hypocrite may outstrip him in it. Now, when one that hath not true grace shall go further than one that hath, this may well make the believer question whether his grace be true or not; or whether the workings of his conscience be not the workings of nature only, rather than of grace wrought in it.

But to answer the question—You may make a judgment of this in these seven particulars:—

1. If a natural man's conscience putteth him upon duty, he doth usually bound himself in the work of God. His duties are limited; his obedience is a limited obedience. He doth one duty, and neglecteth another. He picketh and chooseth among the commands of God; obeyeth one, and slighteth another. Thus much is enough; what need any more? If I do thus and thus, I shall go to heaven at last. But now, where conscience is renewed by grace, there it is otherwise. Though there may be many weaknesses which accompany its duties, yet that soul never bounds itself in working after God: it never loves God so much, but still it would love him more; nor seeks him so much, but still it would seek him more; nor doth it serve God so well at any time, but it still makes conscience of serving him better. A renewed conscience is a spring of universal obedience, for it seeth an infinite excellency, and goodness, and holiness in God; and therefore would fain have its services rise up towards some proportionableness to the object. A God of infinite excellency and goodness should have infinite love, saith conscience: a holy God should have service from a holy heart, saith conscience.

Now then, if I set bounds to my love to God, or to my service to God; if I limit myself in my obedience to the holy God; love one command, and slight another; obey in one point, and yet lie cross in another; then is all I do but the workings of a natural conscience. But, on the other hand, if I love
the Lord with my whole heart, and whole soul, and serve him with all my might and strength; if "I esteem all God's precepts concerning all things to be right," [Ps 119:128] "and have respect to all his commands;" [Ps 119:6] then is my love and service from a renewed conscience.

2. If a natural man's conscience check or accuse for sin, then he seeketh to stop the mouth of it, but not to satisfy it. Most of the natural man's duties are to still and stifle conscience. But now, the believer chooseth rather to let conscience cry, than to stop the mouth of it, until he can do it upon good terms, and till he can fetch in satisfaction to it from the blood of Jesus Christ, by fresh acts of faith apprehended and applied. The natural man seeketh to still the noise of conscience, rather than to remove the guilt. The believer seeketh the removal of guilt by the application of Christ's blood; and then conscience is quiet of itself. As a foolish man, having a mote fallen into his eye, and making it water, wipeth away the water, and labours to keep it dry, but never searcheth his eye to get out the mote; but a wise man mindeth not so much the wiping, as the searching his eye; somewhat is got in, and that causeth the watering, and therefore the cause must be removed. Now then, if, when conscience accuseth for sin, I take up a life of duties, a form of godliness, to stop the mouth of conscience; and if hereupon conscience be still and quiet: then is this but a natural conscience; but if, when conscience checks, it
will not be satisfied with any thing but the blood of Christ, and therefore I use duties to bring me to Christ; and if I beg the sprinkling of his blood upon conscience, and labour not so much to stop the mouth of it, as to remove guilt from it; then this is a renewed conscience.

3. There is no natural man, let him go never so far, let him do never so much in the matters of religion, but still he has his Delilah, his bosom-lust. Judas went far, but he carried his covetousness along with him. Herod went far; he did many things under the force of John's ministry; but yet there was one thing he did not; he did not put away his brother's wife;—his Herodias lay in his bosom still. Nay, commonly all the natural man's duties are to hide some sin; his profession is only made use of for a cover-shame. But now the renewed conscience hateth all sin, as David did: "I hate every false way." [Ps 119:104] He regardeth no iniquity in his heart: he useth duties, not to cover sin, but to help work down, and work out sin. Now, then, if I profess religion; if I make mention of the name of the Lord, and make my "boast of the law, and yet through breaking the law, dishonour God;" [Rom 2:23] if I live in the love of any sin, and make use of my profession to cover it, then I am a hypocrite, and my duties flow but from a natural conscience: but, on the other hand, if I "name the name of the Lord Jesus, and withal depart from iniquity;" [2 Tim 2:19] if I use duties, not to cover, but to discover and mortify sin; then am I upright before God, and my duties flow from a renewed conscience. [Matthew Mead--The Almost Christian Discovered]

Christian Reader,

The more excellent any duties of religion are, the more useful unto the glory of God, with the good of mankind; the more diligent and industrious is the common enemy of such things, either to corrupt the minds of men about them, or to divert their hearts and affections from them. Of this nature is charity and bounty towards God's people the poor, and such others as are declared and proposed as meet objects of them in Scripture; and such entertainments hath it met withal. Whoever readeth the word of God with any attention or understanding, and withal considers the various disposal of the conditions of mankind, of Christians, of believers in this world, according to the sovereign pleasure of his holy wise Providence, cannot but judge, that among all the external duties which are required of us in this world, there is none more necessary, none more useful, none wherein the glory of God is more concerned, than the due and abundant exercise of the fruits of
charity towards its proper objects. The commands for it are so multiplied, the motives unto it are so excellent, the rules and directions for its exercise so plain and express, that it cannot be wholly neglected, without an open contempt of the authority, love and wisdom of God: whence the Scripture pronounces plainly all religion to be vain, where this grace and its fruits are separated from it. Whereas therefore it was a design beneath the craft of the old serpent, to seduce the minds of men unto an open rejection or condemnation of it, unless he could at the same time have wrought them into a general renunciation of all religion; he made it his business in the days of superstition and darkness, to corrupt them with false notions about it, and to divert its exercise from its proper objects, that under an apprehension of its necessity, the real use and benefit of it, unto the glory of God, and advantage of the souls of men, might be utterly lost. And the success he had herein, through the foresight, which the subtilty of his nature, and long experience have furnished him withal, hath been of no small use unto him, after the first design of it was in a great measure defeated. Hence it is, that whilst the true nature of charity, its proper use, fruits, objects and ends; with that respect which it hath unto God and our own souls, were lost, obscured, depraved or corrupted, and all made subservient unto a proud imagination of merit, and other various superstitions, none more promoted the outward works of it than he, and they abounded amongst men. But when the false ends, rules and motives unto it, which ignorance and superstition had imposed upon its exercise were discovered and decried, he made use of pretences from former abuses, to alienate the minds of men from a due apprehension of the absolute necessity of the constant and diligent exercise of this grace in such outward duties as whereby others might be relieved. So he became a gainer by his loss. All things in point of doctrine, as to the nature and work of Charity unto the defeatment of superstition being rightly stated among us, men grew cold and regardless of their duty in it; as though they were resolved they would not do well, unless they might do it on evil motives and for ill ends. And because too much formerly hath been ascribed unto it, unto the corruption of all religion, some think it reason enough quite to neglect it. But these methods of Satan have been sufficiently detected; and I suppose most men are and may be easily convinced, that there is a wide distance between performing works of charity to merit the salvation of our souls, and the neglect of them unto their damnation, and a safe plain path to walk between them.But the truth is, the most forcible objections against the due exercise of charity, and abounding in the fruit of it, are those which arose from that influence which unbelief and corrupt affections have upon the minds of men. And amongst those the chiefest, and that which men judge to have the evidence of demonstration in it is this, that what they part withal for the relief of others, doth in proportion decrease their own enjoyments. And whereas the minds of many do greatly extend their desires beyond their present possession of earthly things, and the necessary occasions, as they suppose, of the most, at present and for the future with respect unto their families, being proportioned in a scanty measure unto what they enjoy, the force of this objection is great, and worketh effectually on all occasions of the due exercise of charity. Neither can it be otherwise conceived, if respect be had unto the present instance only. For he that maketh the best and most advantageous bargain or purchase, is sure enough to be a loser by it, if there be not a time of making a return in his way of trade. But the common assurance hereof, is sufficient to satisfy the minds of men, in parting with their money on such occasions. Wherefore against this last strong hold of Satan in the imaginations of men, against the due exercise of charity and bounty, the reverend Author of the following discourse hath planted that battery from Scripture, reason and experience whereby what seemeth of real strength in it, is utterly demolished. His design is not to prove, nor will he undertake that he who is bountiful unto others, shall surely thrive in this world, if he hath no other end of his charity and bounty, but only that he may so thrive. But on a right and due performance of this duty, in obedience to the command of God, out of love to Christ, according unto the rules, and for all its proper ends, he undertakes to demonstrate, that no man shall be a loser thereby. Yea he goeth farther, and proves from plain testimonies of Scripture, (against whose evidence there is no rising up, but by express unbelief) confirmed with signal instances of experience, that in the ordinary way of God's dealing with professors of the gospel, their charity, liberality and bounty shall certainly conduce unto their advantage in this world, especially where they are eminent in their exercise; so as that the truth lies absolutely on the other side of this objection. And no more is required for the satisfaction of the minds of men herein, but that they exercise faith in the promises of God, in proportion unto that trust which they have unto the advantages of trade from common prudence and experience. For in neither way men ordinarily expect present sensible returns; nor will an industrious person be discouraged, if he find no great present gain in his trade, or meet with some losses, whilst he is in the way that rationally and probably leads to advantage. Nor ought we to prescribe other measures unto ourselves, nor expect immediate visible advantage, as to the concerns of this world in what we trade withal for immortality and glory, especially having the security of God's promise to rely upon, which so far exceeds what the minds of men may fancy to themselves, from the ordinary course of things here below. Allow therefore the determination of times, seasons, ways and manner of things unto the sovereign pleasure of God, and there is no more certain truth than what is here proposed; namely, that abounding in works of Charity is "the best and safest way of thriving" in this world. And an eminent truth is, which the reverend Author hath rescued from general inadvertency or oblivion, the effects whereof have been little discerned, because the faith of it hath been so much lost. And I must add, that Divine Providence hath cast the discovery and defence of this great and useful truth upon a person eminently suited unto the work he is called unto. For whereas he is deprived of all outward advantages (as well as many others) not only of increasing his wealth in the world, but of ordinary supplies for himself and family, beyond his own peculiar patrimony, he abundantly manifests himself
to live in the faith of that truth, which he endeavours to implant on the minds and consciences of others; and doth but invite men into the same belief and practice with himself. And the truth which he pleadeth for, is so fully confirmed and illustrated by himself, that there remains no more for me or others to do unto that end, but to give our testimony unto it, and to recommend the adoption of it with all professors of the Gospel, which I hereby do, and shall do, as God shall administer opportunity. [John Owen's reccomendation from Thomas Gouge 'Riches Increased"]

Dear friends, many and great have been the breaches that the Lord hath made upon your persons, upon your near and dear relations, and upon your sweetest comforts and contentments. There is not one of you but may truly say with Job, "He breaketh me with breach upon breach," Job 16:14. God hath chastised you all round with various rods; and oh that the Lord would help you all to "hear the rod, and him who hath appointed it," Mic 6:9.

Now that you may give me leave a little to open and apply to your particulars, that

Mic 6:9, "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall hear thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it."

The matter that I shall offer to your consideration from this scripture, will be not only of special concernment to yourselves, but also of high concernment to all sorts and ranks of men and women, in this sad day, when the sword devours on the one hand, and the pestilence rageth on the other hand.

"The Lord's voice crieth unto the city." Tremellius turns it thus,


"The voice of the Lord doth preach unto this city, for what the matter is, thy name seeth: hear ye the rod," etc. This city, viz., Jerusalem, and so consequently to all the Israelites; for in this city all offices and duties of godliness and humanity were more religiously performed, or to be performed, than in any other place, because of the presence and majesty of God that was amongst them. "But thy Majesty seeth what wickedness is practised amongst them," as is evident in the verses following.

"Crieth." The word is from kara, which signifies,

First, "To cry aloud," or "to make a noise," Isa 58:1; "cry aloud" there is kara. The word signifies, to cry so loud as that all may hear that have ears to hear.

Secondly, The word signifies, "openly to proclaim, preach, or publish a thing." Exod 33:19, "I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee." Here is the word kara.

Thirdly, The word signifies, "to cry out." Gen 39:15, "I lifted up my voice and cried." Here is kara. The Hebrew word NAP hath nine other significations in Scripture, but because they are not pertinent to what is in my eye, I shall pass them by at this time.

"And the man of wisdom shall see thy name." Vethushiia properly signifies essence; and, therefore, according to the Hebrew, the words should be read thus, "And the man of essence shall see thy name," etc., that is, he that is a man indeed, he that is not a sot, a stock, a stone. Most men are men of folly, and so not worthy of the name of men; but as for such as are truly wise, they "shall see thy name." There is a great measure of spiritual art, of holy and heavenly wisdom required, both to enable a man to hear the voice of the rod and to understand the language of the rod. This wisdom is too high for a fool, Prov 24:7.

"Shall see thy name." Now the Hebrew word here used (m#, may be better derived from fare, which signifies to fear, than from raah, that signifies to see, and so the words will run smoothly thus, "The man of wisdom, or of essence, shall fear thy name," considering that, it is majesty itself that crieth, and that he is immediately to deal with God himself, and not with a poor, weak, mortal worm.

"Hear ye the rod." The word hear is from (m# shamang, which signifies,

First, "To mark, observe, and attend to what is said." Gen 29:33, "The Lord hath heard that I was hated;" that is, "he hath marked it, he hath observed it." So here, Oh mark the rod! Oh observe the rod! Oh attend to what is spoken by the rod!

Secondly, The word signifies, "to understand what is spoken;" so Gen 42:23, "They knew not that Joseph understood them." In the Hebrew it is, "that Joseph heard them." Now to hear the rod, is to understand what is spoken to us by the rod.

Thirdly, The word signifies, "to believe a thing reported to be true;" so Exod 6:9, "They hearkened not unto Moses," that is, "they did not believe the report that Moses made." "Hear the rod," that is, "believe the report the rod makes." The rod reports, that of all evils sin is the greatest evil; and that of all bitters, sin is the greatest bitter. Oh believe the report of the rod! The rod reports, that God is angry, that God is displeased. Oh believe its report! The rod reports the creatures. [Thomas Brooks]

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His commentaries and other works had enlightened the nobility and instructed the more intelligent of the townspeople; but in his Catechisms the "light was parted" and diffused over the "plains," as it has once been over the "mountain-tops." When the earth is a parched desert, the herbs burned up, it is not the stately river rolling along within its banks that will make the fields to flourish anew. Its floods pass on to the ocean, and the thirsty land, with its drooping and dying plants, tasting not of its waters, continues still to languish. But with the dew or the rain-cloud it is not so. They descend softly, almost unseen and unheard by man, but their effects are mighty. Their myriad drops bathe every flower, penetrate to the roots of every herb, and soon hill and plain are seen smiling in fertility and beauty. So with these rudiments of Divine Knowledge, parted in these little books, and sown like the drops of dew, they penetrated the understandings of the populations among which they were cast, and wherever they entered they awoke conscience, they quickened the intellect, and evoked a universal outburst, first of the spiritual activities, and next of the intellectual and political powers; while the nations that enjoyed no such sowing lay unquickened, their slumber became deeper every century, till at last they realised their present condition, in which they present to Protestant nations a contrast that is not more melancholy than it is instructive.

The love of children if the father's blessing, and it is a great blessing. How many fathers have their hearts rent and divided by the rents and divisions that are amongst their children! It doth blast and wither all the comfort the parent hath, to see that there is no agreement of love, no correspondency or affection amongst those that came from the same bowels, the same loins. This is a blessing which was no common in the world, no not in those times. Adam had not this blessing. Adam when he had only two sons, they could not agree, but one murdereth the other. Abraham enjoyed this blessing, when he had but two sons, one is mocking the other, Ishmael is mocking Isaac. Isaac failed of this blessing, he had but two sons and one threatened to murder the other. The days of mourning for my Father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob. This was not Jacob's blessing, he had twelve sons, there was one of them, Joseph the common butt of all his brethren's envy, they did all spite him, the Archers did shoot at him and grieved him and sorely hated him. They could not all agree, there were divisions among them. It is no ordinary blessing then. You see David a holy man, yet what divisions were there among his children, one murdereth another, Absalom caused Amnon to be murdered: Adonijah riseth up against Solomon, he cannot bear it, that his brother should have the crown. You see then that this is a blessing, and it is an extraordinary blessing. Therefore take notice of it, you that have an agreeing family, children that live together in love and unity, look upon it as a special blessing from God. [Joseph Caryl]

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We learn what kind of ministry is likely to do most good, namely, that which works upon the consciences of men. John the Baptist lifted up his voice like a trumpet; he preached the doctrine of repentance with power. "Repent ye: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt 3:2). He came hewing and cutting down mens sins, and afterwards preached Christ to them. First he poured in the vinegar of the law, then the wine of the gospel. This was that preaching which made men studiously seek after heaven. John did not so much preach to please as to profit; he chose rather to discover men's sins than to show his own eloquence. The best mirror is not that which is most gilded, but that which shows the truest face. That preaching is to be preferred which makes the truest discovery of men's sins and shows them their hearts. John the Baptist was a burning and shining light; he did burn in his doctrine and shine in his life; and therefore men pressed into heaven. Peter, who was filled with a spirit of zeal, humbled his hearers for their sins and opened to them a foundatin in Christ's blood. "They were pricked in their heart" (Acts 2:37). It is the greatest mercy to have a soul searching ministry. If one had a desperate wound, he would desire to have it searched to the bottom. [Thomas Watson]

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Children are the blessings of the Lord.

They are put here as part of his inheritance. Children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. They are special blessings. Children (as it is to be observed) are a resemblance of our immortality, because a man revives again, lives anew (as it were) in every child; he is born again (in a civil sense) when others are born to him. There be some who account their children, but bils of charges, but God puts them upon the account of our mercies; how holily and piously speaks Jacob concerning his children. These (saith he) are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Some think themselves blessed, if they may have one or two children; one to inherit their estates, one or two to delight themselves in, to play with, or to bear their name; but if they come a number, to a great number, they then think themselves exceedingly burdened, then they are troubles. When God casts up the estate of a blessed man in outward things, he saith not only that he hath a child, that he is not barren, but that he hath many children, that he hath his quiver full of such arrows, as the expression is, Psalm 127:5. and that is made the blessedness of a man there, Happy is the man (saith he) that hath his quiver full of them, that hath many arrows, such are children of the youth, Verse 4. There are some rich and covetesous men, that are in this point beyond other rich in folly. You shall hear them pride themselves, that they have no children, or but few; this they conceive sets them off in the opinion of the world for the richer men, whereas one child is more riches than all the things that are in the world. And we know it is an ordinary thing (though indeed it is a very sinful thing) to say, tis true such a one is a rich man, he hath a fair estate, but he hath a great charge, a great many children, as if that did take off from his riches, or make him less happy; as if he were the poorer because he hath a larger share of that ancient blessing upon man, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. [Joseph Caryl]

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Some parts of Scripture are clear and easy, some are obscure and very knotty; some parts of Scripture show what God made us, others, how sin spoiled us; A third, how Christ restored us. Some parts of Scripture shew forth acts of mercy to keep us from sinking; others record acts of judgement to keep us from presuming. And because the way to heaven is not strewed with roses, but like the crown of Christ here upon earth, set with thorns; because not smiles and loving embracements from the world, but wounds, and strokes, and temptations, do await all those tht have recieved the Spirit, and are enrolled for Christian warfare; because every true Israelite must expect thta which Jacob upon his death-bed spake of Joseph, thta the Archers will shoot at him, hate him and grieve him. In a word, because many are the troubles of the righteous; therefor the Scripture doth present us with sundry platforms of the righteous conflicting with many troubles.[Joseph Caryl]

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"When I look to God's throne, I see much, yea, inaccessible majesty in it". and this he expresses in God's covering of it, and spreading a cloud over it. He will not let his glory out and [appear] on the creatures, for a blink of it would consume and eat them up. Therefore as Moses put a veil on his face when he spoke with the children of Israel, so he puts these heaavens between his glory and us, which is called the spreading of a cloud between him and us, that we in the state of mortality may have a being before him for a time. For if the firmament were away, his glory would consume God's creatures. [James Durham]

There are many promises made of this benefit. Now it is faith that recieves the promises: "I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more", (Jer 31:34). Now, wherever there is a promise, there must be faith; for as the law with all its threatenings to the fallen creature is the strength of sin (1 Cor 15:56), 'The strength of sin is the law'), so, the gospel, with its promises, is the strength of faith; and therefore our comfort thence ariseth, If we would live and act comfortably on the promises, we must live by faith. [Thomas Manton]

I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with the greatest earnestness the work of catechising, and, as a meet help, the usefulness of this book, as thus printed with the Scriptures at large: but meeting with a private letter of a very learned and godly divine, wherein that work is excellently done to my hand, I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it, and offer it to publick view.

The author having bewailed the great distractions, corruptions, and divisions that are in the Church, he thus represents the cause and cure: Among others, a principal cause of these mischiefs is the great and common neglect of the governors of families, in the discharge of that duty which they owe to God for the souls that are under their charge, especially in teaching them the doctrine of Christianity. Families are societies that must be sanctified to God as well as Churches; and the governors of them have as truly a charge of the souls that are therein, as pastors have of the Churches. But, alas, how little is this considered or regarded! But while negligent ministers are (deservedly) cast out of their places, the negligent masters of families take themselves to be almost blameless. They offer their children to God in baptism, and there they promise to teach them the doctrine of the gospel, and bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; but they easily promise, and easily break it; and educate their children for the world and the flesh, although they have renounced these, and dedicated them to God. This covenant-breaking with God, and betraying the souls of their children to the devil, must lie heavy on them here or hereafter. They beget children, and keep families, merely for the world and the flesh: but little consider what a charge is committed to them, and what it is to bring up a child for God, and govern a family as a sanctified society.

O how sweetly and successfully would the work of God go on, if we would but all join together in our several places to promote it! Men need not then run without sending to be preachers; but they might find that part of the work that belongeth to them to be enough for them, and to be the best that they can be employed in. Especially women should be careful of this duty; because as they are most about their children, and have early and frequent opportunities to instruct them, so this is the principal service they can do to God in this world, being restrained from more publick work. And doubtless many an excellent magistrate hath been sent into the Commonwealth, and many an excellent pastor into the Church, and many a precious saint to heaven, through the happy preparations of a holy education, perhaps by a woman that thought herself useless and unserviceable to the Church. Would parents but begin betimes, and labour to affect the hearts of their children with the great matters of everlasting life, and to acquaint them with the substance of the doctrine of Christ, and, when they find in them the knowledge and love of Christ, would bring them then to the pastors of the Church to be tried, confirmed, and admitted to the further privileges of the Church, what happy, well-ordered Churches might we have! Then one pastor need not be put to do the work of two or three hundred or thousand governors of families, even to teach their children those principles which they should have taught them long before; nor should we be put to preach to so many miserable ignorant souls, that be not prepared by education to understand us; nor should we have need to shut out so many from holy communion upon the account of ignorance, that yet have not the grace to feel it and lament it, nor the wit and patience to wait in a learning state, till they are ready to be fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. But now they come to us with aged self-conceitedness, being past children, and yet worse than children still; having the ignorance of children, but being overgrown the teachableness of children; and think themselves wise, yea, wise enough to quarrel with the wisest of their teachers, because they have lived long enough to have been wise, and the evidence of their knowledge is their aged ignorance; and they are readier to flee in our faces for Church privileges, than to learn of us, and obey our instructions, till they are prepared for them, that they may do them good; like snappish curs, that will snap us by the fingers for their meat, and snatch it out of our hands; and not like children, that stay till we give it them. Parents have so used them to be unruly, that ministers have to deal but with too few but the unruly. And it is for want of this laying the foundation well at first, that professors themselves are so ignorant as most are, and that so many, especially of the younger sort, do swallow down almost any error that is offered them, and follow any sect of dividers that will entice them, so it be but done with earnestness and plausibility. For, alas! though by the grace of God their hearts may be changed in an hour, (whenever they understand but the essentials of the faith,) yet their understandings must have time and diligence to furnish them with such knowledge as must stablish them, and fortify them against deceits. Upon these, and many the like considerations, we should entreat all Christian families to take more pains in this necessary work, and to get better acquainted with the substance of Christianity. And, to that end, (taking along some moving treatises to awake the heart,) I know not what work should be fitter for their use, than that compiled by the Assembly at Westminster; a Synod of as godly, judicious divines, (notwithstanding all the bitter words which they have received from discontented and self-conceited men,) I verily think, as ever England saw. Though they had the unhappiness to be employed in calamitous times, when the noise of wars did stop men's ears, and the licentiousness of wars did set every wanton tongue and pen at liberty to reproach them, and the prosecution and event of those wars did exasperate partial discontented men to dishonour themselves by seeking to dishonour them; I dare say, if in the days of old, when councils were in power and account, they had had but such a council of bishops, as this of presbyters was, the fame of it for learning and holiness, and all ministerial abilities, would, with very great honour, have been transmitted to posterity.

I do therefore desire, that all masters of families would first study well this work themselves, and then teach it their children and servants, according to their several capacities. And, if they once understand these grounds of religion, they will be able to read other books more understandingly, and hear sermons more profitably, and confer more judiciously, and hold fast the doctrine of Christ more firmly, than ever you are like to do by any other course. First, let them read and learn the Shorter Catechism, and next the Larger, and lastly, read the Confession of Faith.

Thus far he, whose name I shall conceal, (though the excellency of the matter, and present style, will easily discover him,) because I have published it without his privity and consent, though, I hope, not against his liking and approbation. I shall add no more, but that I am, Thy servant, in the Lord's work,

Thy servant,
in the Lord's work,
THOMAS MANTON

When God and man are rightly compared, or men consider God and themselves rightly, it heightens the excellency of God. If we have low thoughts of God, we have high thoughts of ourselves, and if we have low thoughts of ourselves, we have high thoughts of God. Therefore labor to have our eyes filled with the greatness and absoluteness of God, and that will bring us to right thoughts of ourselves. [James Durham]

I trust I need no tmuch entreat your Ladyship to look to Him who hath stricken you at this time; but my duty, in the memory of that comfort I found in your Ladyship's kindness when I was no less heavy (in a case not unlike that), speaketh to me to say something now. And I wish I could ease your Ladyship, at least with words. I am persusaded your physician will not slay you, but purge you, seeing He calleth Himself the Chirugeon, who maketh the wound and bindeth it up again; for to lance a wound is not to kill, but to cure the patient (Deut. xxxii. 39). I believe faith will teach you to kiss a striking Lord; and so acknowledge the sovereignty of God, (in the death of a child) to be above the power of us mortal men, who may pluck up a flower in the bud and not be blamed for it. If our dear Lord plucks up one of His roses and pull down sour and green fruit before before harvest, who can challenge him? For He sendeth us to His World, as men to a market, wherein some stay many hours and eat and drink, and buy and sell, and pass through the fair, till they be weary; and such are those who live long and get a heavy fill of this life. And others again come slipping into the morning market, and neither do sit nor stand, nor buy nor sell, but look about them a little, and pass presently home again; and these are infants and young ones who end their short market in the morning, and get but a short view of the fair. Our Lord who hath numbered man's months, and set him bounds that he cannot pass (job xiv 5.) hath written the length of our market, and it is easier to complain of decrees than to change it.

I verily believe when I write this, that your Lord hath taught your Ladyship to lay your hand on your mouth. But I shall be far from desiring your Ladyship, or any others, to case by a cross, like an old useless bill that is only for the fire; but rather would wish each cross were looked in the face seven time and were read over and over again. It is the messenger of the Lord, and speaks something; and the man of understanding will hear the rod, and Him that hath appointed it. Try what is the taste of the Lord's cup, and drink with God's blessing, that ye may grow thereby. I trust in God whatever speech it utter to your soul, this is one word in it,_"Behold, blessed is the man whom God correcteth" (Job v. 17); and that it saith to you, "Ye are from home while here; ye are not of this world, as your Redeemer Christ was not of this world." There is something keeping for you, which is worthy the having. All that is here is condemned to die, to pass away like a snowball before a summer sun; and since death took first possession of something of yours, it hath been and daily is creeping nearer and nearer to yourself., howbeit with no noise of the feet. Your husbandman and Lord hath lopped off some branches already; the tree itself is to be transplanted to the high garden. In a good time be it. Our Lord ripen your ladyship. All these crosses, and when I remember them, they are heavy and many--Peace, peace be the end of them!) are to make you white and ripe for the Lord's harvest hook. I have seen the Lord weaning you from the breasts of this world. It was never His mind it should be your patrimony; and God be thanked for that. Ye look liker one of the heirs. Let the movables go; why not? They are not yours. Fasten your grips upon your heritage; and our Lord Jesus make the charters sure and give your Ladyship to grow as a palm tree on God's mountain. [Samuel Rutherford]

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We see then, that Jesus Christ our Lord would gather to him both great and small, to be honoured of all, and that they which are in honour, should humble themselves before him, and we might be all knit together, and serve him with one consent, knowing that GOD his father, gave him sovereign rule and dominion, to the end that all knees should bow before his majesty. This is very necessary, to make the subjects on their part, more ready and willing to submit themselves to the obedience of justice, & to them that bear the sword. For we know what pride is in men, and in their nature, that they will not willingly submit themselves, unless they know {138:A} that it be God,s will. When we know that Princes and ministers of justice are appointed by God, & be not established by force (as if God corrected us by the hands of thieves) but are as God,s lieutenants, and represent his person: and yet notwithstanding, are members of the Church, yea, honourable members, and Jesus Christ will have his glory appear in them, and them to be his officers: When we know this, we have good occasion to humble ourselves, not by constraint, but of a willing heart, knowing that is a service agreeable to God, for subjects to obey their superiors in modesty and humility. So have they also that rule, occasion to rejoice, in that that God hath received them to be his flock. And this ought to stir them up to do their duty, knowing that it is a good calling, and such an one as God alloweth of. For if they were not persuaded that God will use them to his service, and that it is a lawful estate which they have, what a thing were it? They should be always in trouble, and give themselves to evil. But when they are once persuaded and resolved of this, that the state which they have, was not invented by men, at haphazard, but that God established it, and he will that we know, that it is an holy vocation, then it behooveth them to be throughly moved, to execute their office faithfully. Neither may we doubt, but Paul meant in this place, to {138:B} give Kings and Magistrates a law: and so by the contrary shew, what condemnation is provided for them, if they abuse the seat which God hath dedicated to so good and excellent an use for all mankind, and which is to be referred to his glory, as the chiefest and most principal end. This is it which Princes and Magistrates have to gather out of this place, to wit, that they must give an account to God, seeing he hath advanced them to so great an honour, and hath placed them, as it were, in his seat, and will have them govern, as it were, in his person. So did Moses and Joshua [Deut. 1.17,] give the Judges which they made well to understand. Take good heed, you are not here in your own proper names, men shall not be your warrants, it is God that must govern above all, & to him belongeth this honor: and it pleaseth him that you should be his officers, and have his place. Seeing then it is so, walk in fear & carefulness, considering that it is an horrible sacrilege, if you defile the seat of justice, which God hath consecrated to himself and to his majesty. And therefore it behooveth princes & magistrates to take good heed to themselves, knowing that God will have an account of them, & they must appear before the Lord Jesus, to give an account of their office, which they have executed. And herewith also Paul sheweth, wherein they have to employ themselves, to wit, {139:A} in this, that we their subjects be maintained and kept in good peace, that every man may quietly enjoy that that is his own, that no man be oppressed and put to wrong, that they themselves stand for right and equity, without accepting of persons, that there be no partiality nor favour used, no hatred nor revenge shewed, and that there be an honest and indifferent dealing, betwixt man and man, that our lives be honest and seemly, not dissolute and lawless, and that there be no enormities amongst us, but that they keep men in subjection, to keep under their beastly appetites, and especially that they maintain God,s honour, and the pure and true religion. This is the lesson that is here given to Magistrates, and especially to them which will be taken and accounted faithful. For if the Heathen Princes and unbelievers cannot be excused, what will become of them, that pretend God,s name, & will also be taken for Christians? And mark a threatening by the way, which may make their hairs stare on their heads, & is contained in this text, if they do not their duty. And this order of God may not be broken: Mark then why he hath established Kings and Magistrates, and worldly government, to wit, first of all, That we might live, saith Paul, in all godliness. What meaneth this word Godliness? It meaneth God,s honor, when there is a pure & holy religion amongst us. [John Calvin]

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