Works

SECT. I.

FIrst, Consider the extraordinary good of Christian society. The Children of God are like Ambergreece, sweetest in composition. When Flower is added to Flower, and many tied together, the Posy is the more pleasant.

Company is in itself eligible; Banishment is esteemed a civil death, and counted a punishment but one remove from a natural death. Hence, how much hath it been bewailed, not only by a Cain; Thou hast driven me this day from the face of the earth, Gen. 4. 14. but even by a David; I am like a Pelican of the Wilderness, I am like an Owl of the Desert; I watch, and am as a Sparrow alone upon the house top, Psa. 102. 6, 7. But how much worth is the society of the Saints? Christian society is like an Arch-building, wherein every stone upholds its fellow, which if it should not, the whole would suddenly fall. One hand, saith Euripides, can make but weak defense; but as our Latin Proverb is, Multorum manibus grande levatur onus, Many hands make light work. Several Horses may draw that weight with ease, which one is not able to stir. Saints help each other, as the several parts of the building; the Foundation bears up the Walls, the Walls bear up the Roof, the Rafters bear up the Laths, the Laths bear up the Tiles ; Hence it is esteemed a privilege to a Town or City to be made a Corporation. And Merchants manage their callings, not only more orderly, but also more successfully, when they are once made a company. Surely Paul would never have sent some hundred miles for Timothy, if his company had not been of great value. Dr. Taylor blessed God that ever he came into Prison, to be acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford. One sinner is a Devil to another, tempting and provoking each other to wickedness ; Therefore the Philosopher, seeing two vicious persons together, cried out; See how the Viper is borrowing poison of the Asp ! But one Saint is an Angel to another, persuading and encouraging one another to holiness. They take sweet counsel together, and go to the house of God in company. The Patriarchs removed their Habitations for the benefit of water-springs. Every Saint is in some sense a Well of living water ; and did men but know their worth, they would delight more to be with them. Sure I am, he that hath such a good Neighbor, shall never want a Good-morrow. As a Pomander Ball cast into a Censer, will fill the whole house with its pleasant savor, so a Christian will endeavor to perfume all that come near him. How pleasant then is the favor arising from many Christians in company together!

The society of the Prophets is able to make even a Saul to prophesy; The Pleiades, which are the seven stars, joined in one constellation, (Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades ? Job 38. 31.) help one another in their work, which is to bring on the Spring, the best season of the year; Christians in consort are an abridgement of Heaven, shining like a Firmament of bright Stars, not one malevolent aspect among them, and they all conspire together, to further a spring and new shoot of grace, the best of blessings in each others hearts. As Sincerity is the heart of Religion, so society is the breath of Religion, it helps to preserve it alive. The spiritual life of the Philippians, did upon their first quickening, appear by this, and twas also very helpful for their continuance and increase, Phil. 1. 5.

No Christians are so full, but they stand in need of their fellows ; He that had as large a stock of grace as any since Christ, yet could not live without commerce with others, Rom. 15. 24. The goodliest house may want a shore. The Shunamite, though she told the Prophet she dwelt among her own people, and therefore needed not any to speak for her to the King, was glad to receive that kindness by the hands of the Servant, which she denied to accept from his Master.

I shall mention the advantage of good Company, in five particulars.

First, By good Company, sinful souls have been converted. A crooked Bough, joined to a strait one, groweth strait; Latimer was converted from Popery, by the good Company and Conference of Master Bilney. The Daughters of Jerusalem, came to be in love with the Bridegroom, by being in company with his Bride; by being acquainted with the Church, they became enamored with Christ. At first they wondered at her fondness of him, that she was so impatient till she had found him ( Cant. 5. 8, 9.) but they had not been long with her, before the heat of her love had warmed them with the same earnest desire and longings. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with thee! Cant. 6.1. They that come where ointments and sweet spices are stirring, carry away some of the savor. One live coal may set a whole stack on fire; Evil Company, like the River Melas in Baeotia, makes all the sheep that drink of it black ; but Good Company, rather like Clitumnus in Italy, makes them that drink of it white. Saul, by being in Company with a wise Servant, was brought to hear of a Kingdom; He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise, Prov. 13. 20. This made Algerius the Italian Martyr, say, I had rather be in Prison with Cato a wise man, of whom I might learn some good, then in the Senate-house with Caesar.

As one Circle caused by a stone thrown into the water, begets a second, and that a third ; And as one Rain-bow begets another, and they two together beget a third; so one Christian helps to beget another to Christ, and they two joining, turn more from the errors of their ways. Holiness like an Elixar, by contraction, if any disposition in the metal, will render it of the same property. The Indians were brought to embrace the Christian faith, by the holy conference and company of Edesins and Frumentius, two private Christians.

Secondly, By good company pious souls have been confirmed. Whilst Latimer and Ridley lived, they kept up Cranmer by intercourse of letters. Christian conference is a great help to perseverance. The staff of bonds was the Jews beauty and safety, Zach. 11.14. Company causeth courage ; the beams of joy are the hotter for reflection. Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat, saith the Moralist, The very countenance of a good man makes us cheerful. Our sight of him is reviving to us. When Paul saw the brethren, he blessed God, and took courage, Act. 28. 15. When many Mariners pull at a rope together, they strive with the more alacrity; therefore Christ sent his Disciples by two and two, Mark 6.7. When Jonathan went against the Philistines, he would take his Armor-bearer along with him. The blessed Jesus going into the Garden to his bitter, bloody Agony, chose Peter, James and John to accompany him. The great Apostle expected comfort from the Ro • man's company, and hoped to confirm them by his; For I long to see you, that I might impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established. The closer the stones of the Edifice are joined together, the stronger is the Building; That I might be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Grace is the Oil of gladness, and the more of this oil, the more of gladness; when Paul's faith and the Romans met in one channel, such a river of oil would be a river of pleasure : The union of such flames could not but become a good fire, to refresh and rejoice their hearts: Job. 41.16. As its said of Leviathan, that his scales are his pride, i.e. his streng • h in which he boasteth; and the reason of it is rendered, One is so near to another that no air can come betweeu them; They are joined one to another they stick together, that they cannot be sundered : So it may be said of the people of God, Their unity will be their security ; when one is so near to another that no enemy can come between them, when they are joined one to another and stick together that they cannot be sundered, then it may be said of them as of him, In their neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before them, ver. 21.

Secondly, By good company erring Saints have been recovered. Holy David lay sleeping in his sin till his good friend Nathan jogged and awakened him. Many a one hath been roused out of his spiritual lethargy by private admonition. Hence saith Solomon, Two are better then one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up, Eccles. 4. 9, 10. Men that are troubled with the Falling-sickness, are sometimes carried away and die with their distemper, it seising upon them when none is with them; but when they fall amongst company, by rubbing and chaffing them they often come to themselves again. Every scandalous sin especially is a kind of Falling-sickness, very dangerous to the soul; its ill therefore for them that are overtaken with it and have none with them by serious admonition to recover them out of it.

I have read of a Minister that in the night had a sudden motion to go visit a certain neighbor, and though he argued with himself the unseasonableness of the time, and his ignorance of any cause for such an action; yet the impulse upon him was so strong that he could not withstand it; so going to that friends house late in the night, he found none at home save the Master of the house. Truly, (saith the Minister to him) I am come to your house thus late, but I know not to what end, nor for what purpose. Yea (saith the man of the house) but God knoweth; for I have made away, through my profaneness, so many children's portions, and here is the rope in my pocket, with which I was going to hang myself. But what, replied the Minister, if I can tell you of one that made away with more portions, and yet was saved? Who was that ? said the Neighbor. Adam, saith the Minister, who as a public person, was entrusted with the stock of all his posterity, and prodigally wasted them, yet was saved. Thus by his serious and seasonable counsel, he stayed the man from his purpose, and was, probably, instrumental for much spiritual good to him.

Fourthly, By good Company, dull Christians have been quickened. Two cold things, steel and flint, smitten together, send forth fire. When two lie together they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone? Eccles. 4. 11. When David was old, and his natural heat decayed, they got a young damsel to lie near him, and to put some warmth into him; Cold Christians have been heated, by being near others that have been glowing coals. When Silas and Timothens came from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in Spirit ; before, he was warm, but then in a light flame, Act. 18. 5. Some men of weak stomachs, have fed the more for seeing others fall so heartily to their meat. As Iron sharpeneth Iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend, Prov. 27. 17. Some interpret the words thus, Rub Iron against Iron, and it giveth an edge unto it; so if a man lie often grating upon his friend, by unkind usage, it will sharpen his countenance to discontent, and make his spirit keen and angry ; and to make good this exposition, they observe, that the wise man doth not say, so a friend sharpeneth, &c. but, so a man ; because, by his unworthy carriage, he puts off the nature of a friend, and therefore doth not deserve the name • But I rather incline to the other interpretation; As Iron sharpeneth Iron ; Rub one file against another, and though before they were dull and blunt, they both become thereby bright and sharp ; So friends that are heavy and backward, and over-run with rust, for want of use, by mutual conference and communion, they become lively, quick, and keen, about spiritual things. Christian society, like rubbing Iron against Iron, takes away that rust which made them so dull and unactive, and sets a spiritual edge upon them. Urbanus Regius, an eminent Dutch Divine, meeting with Luther about Goburg, he spent a whole day in conference with him, of which himself writeth, that he never had a more quickening, comforting day all his life time.

Fifthly, By good Company, much sin hath been prevented ; Christian society is like the pulse, which ariseth from the heart, and hath a double Motion, of contraction, and dilatation, both for the expelling of noxious fumes, through the insensible pores of the flesh, and for the drawing in of cool air to refresh the heart and vital parts. Its useful to increase grace; Sothern-wood groweth best in Gardens where its first planted; Grace shoots up most in God's Vineyard, amongst his Plants; The out-lying Dear, that leave the Herd, seldom thrive. Those parts die that are severed from the body. Its useful to prevent vice. That deformed Harlot hath been ashamed to appear in such honest Company. The Romans durst not call for their obscene Plays in Catos presence.

When David was like to be slain, Abishai came and rescued him; good company hath prevented the Christians falling from Christ. Peter confessed Christ among the holy Apostles, though he denied him among the ungodly Servants of the High Priest. If one prevail against a man, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not easily broken, Eccles. 4. 12. Two streams united into one channel, may bear up a Vessel of some burden. Junius being much tempted to Atheism, professed himself very much helped against it, by discoursing with a plain Countryman near Florence.

Naturally, saith Chrysostom, A man hath but one head to advise him, one tongue to speak for him, two hands to work, two feet to walk, and two eyes to see for him. Now, saith he, had a man that skill and cunning, to make that one head many, and that one tongue many, and so his eyes, and feet, and hands many, he would hardly be circumvented by any carnal policy. Good Company doth this, it makes that one head many, that one tongue many, those two hands, eyes, feet, many ; for Saints study for others good as well as their own; their eyes, their tongues, their hands and feet are always employed for the benefit of their companions. Now in many Counselors there is much safety. He that hath many eyes to watch for him, is likeliest to be kept from falling. No Vessels are in such hope of security, and to be defended from Pirates, as those that sail with so strong a Convoy. As God hath set conscience to watch over the inner man, and by reason of that help we avoid much unholiness; so God hath set Christians to watch over one another's outward man ; and truly, these eyes being over us, may prevent the commission of much evil.

The society of Saints, is sometimes in Scripture compared to a Garden ; It hath fruits and drugs in it, of all sorts, some for food, some for Physic, some for corrosives, some for Cordials, some to warm the frozen Saints, some to cool the fiery sinner, some are profitable for one purpose, some for another; For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; So we being many, are one body in Christ, and we all members one of another, Rom. 12. 5, 6. A company of Christians, is a great Fair, where all sorts of provision, both for necessity and delight, is to be had. Hence Satan is so busy and diligent, if it be possible, to prevent Christian Communion, I was coming once and again, but Satan hindered me, 1 Thes. 2. 18. And his servants have learned this of their hellish Master. Julian the Apostate, and the Heathen Emperors banished Christians into Islands where they could not have access one to another, being suspicious that their mutual communion would tend much to their mutual comfort and confirmation. Bradford was accused to do more hurt in prison, by his Letters and Speeches, then in the Pulpit by his Preaching. One Christian cometh to another, as Paul to his Romans, with the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of Christ. Therefore as Cato would often make division amongst his Servants, judging their union to tend to his disadvantage; so Satan soweth discord amongst Christians, knowing their concord would tend to the throwing down his Kingdom.

Surely, of all fellowships, this is the only good fellowship ; Next to communion with God, there is no communion like the communion of Saint •• The World doth but catechrestically name their rabble of drunken, swearing, and riotous wretches, Good Fellows ; No otherwise then the Atheistical Popes are termed Pii, the greedy cormorants called Innocents, and the earthly Muck worms Caelestines. The conjunction of sinners, is a combination with Devils; The Prince of darkness is the head of their league, and they all wear his black colors. But the communion of Saints is a fellowship with God, he is the foundation of their union; These things write I unto you; that ye may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, 1 Joh. 1. 3. What fellowship can in any respect compare with theirs, who have fellowship, not only with Christians, the highest and most excellent of Men, or with Angels, the noblest and most honorable of creatures, but even with God himself, the Fountain and Ocean of all honor and perfection! O how happy is that company which hath his presence ! how amiable is that Council which hath such a President ! and how desirable is their amity, who are united under this blessed and glorious Potentate ! May it not be said of such Companions, what Zebah and Zal • unna spake of Gideon's brethren, Each one resembled the child of a King ? Judge. 8. 18. Their Parentage is so great, their society is so gracious, and their privileges are so glorious, that if a man purchase his freedom of a Company in one of our Cities, at so dear a rate ; what should he not give or do to be free of this Corporation ? He that hath but an eye of faith to see the glory • nd magnificence of this Society, may well express himself, as Titus the Emperor, when he saw the remainder of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Now I well perceive that this is none other then the house of God, and the dwelling of the God of Heaven; neither was it for naught that the Jews stood so earnestly in the defense thereof; For great is the glory of this Temple; The splendor thereof is without compare.

SECT. II.

SEcondly, Consider, Wicked men join together to advance the Kingdom of Satan, and to provoke one another to lewdness and wickedness ; and shall not Saints unite to exalt the interest of Christ, and to provoke one another to love and to good works? There is so much monstrous enmity in the hearts of carnal ones, against God and holiness, that when the tide of their own lusts, and the stream of their headstrong passions would carry them swiftly towards Hell, yet as if this were too little, they hoise up sail and help one another forward with the strong winds of provocation. They encourage themselves in an evil matter, they commune of laying wait privily, Psa. 64. 5. As Samson's Foxes, they join tail to tail, with their firebrands to burn up the good Corn; As Simeon and Levi, they are brethren in iniquity, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations ; Shall they as Ananias and Sapphira, agree together to tempt the Spi • it of the Lord? and shall not Saints agree together to please the Spirit of the Lord? Surely, if sinners have their Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us all have one purse ; Saints may well • ave their, Come let us go up to the House of the Lord, Come let us walk in the light of the Lord, • sa. 2. 5. Come let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a Covenant not to be forgotten.

It is confiderable, that though sinners differ never so much amongst themselves, yet they can unite against the Lord and his chosen. Herod and Pilate, before at odds, can comply as friends, and join together against the Lord Christ. As Dogs of differing colors, disagreeing bigness, and of several kinds, that sometimes for bones and scrap • fight and mangle and tear one another, can with one voice, and cry, and consent, pursue the poor innocent Hare ; So the Kennel of Satan's Hell-hounds, though sometimes they quarrel among themselves, about the honors and riches of this world, and are ready to rent one another in pieces, yet can, with open mouth, and full cry, all join to persecute the harmless Lambs of Christ.

We read of such different metal, such a speckled rabble gathered together against Israel, that one would think the diversity of their Countries, Constitutions, Customs, Languages, Lusts, should have kept them from melting and running into one piece ; Yet, Lo, they all unite against God's people; They take crafty counsel against thy people; They consult against thy hidden ones; They have said, Come let us cut them off from being a Nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance; For they have consulted together with one consent, they are confederate against thee. The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarens, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, the Philistines, and the Inhabitants of Tyre, Assur also is joined with them, and they have holpen the Children of Lot, Psalm 83. 3, to 9.

Shall such a cursed crew agree together to pull down Zion, and not the blessed Company of God's Children unite to build it up? O! how shameful is it, that Satan's black Regiment, should with one consent watch for us, as the Dragon for the Man-child, to devour us; And as Herod for the Babes of Bethlehem, to destroy us; And that we should not watch over one another for our safety and defense ! It may well be our grief, that the Children of this World, are wiser in their Generation then the Children of Light.

It is true, the combination of wicked men is no true union : but rather a conspiracy against God, and against their own souls. Satan serving them, by drawing them into this league, and making them to be of one hellish heart, infinitely worse then Scyron and Procrustes, famous Robbers in Attica, served the poor Travelers, why by cutting short the taller, and stretching out the lesser, brought all to an even length with their bed of brass ; Yet such a confederacy may well move us to pity such distracted ones, and doth too much reflect upon us for our dissensions.

Thirdly, Consider the backwardness of our own hearts to any good, and the need we have of all helps to quicken them towards heaven. How averse are our souls to anything that is spiritual! How many excuses, pretences, delays will they make! To sin man needs no Tutor ; he can ride post to Hell without a spur ; but how backward to do that work which he must do or be undone forever! The stone is not more untoward to fly, nor lead to swim, then our carnal hearts to exercise any grace, or perform any duty incumbent on us: Our head-strong passions hurry us, our worldly interests bias us, and our desperately wicked hearts draw us from God and Heaven. If the wood be green, there is need of constant blowing, or the fire will go out; when the iron is so dull, it must go often to the Whetstone, or little work can be done with it. Its no wonder that the Spirit of God useth precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, when man is like the wild Asses colt, so blockish and dull to understand God's way, and so backward and heavy to walk in it.

How much are we in the dark about the ways, and Word, and Truths of God! and how apt through mistakes to stumble and fall, calling evil good, and good evil! and do we not want their company who carry a light, a lanthorn with them? How often do we flatter ourselves that we are rich in grace, and in the favor of God, when its little so, looking on ourselves through the false spectacles of self-love? and doth it not behove us to be much in their society who will set before us a true looking-glass, wherein we may behold the native countenance of our souls without any fraud or falsehood? We are full of doubts, and want counsel; and Physicians that are able themselves, will in their own cases ask advice of others. We are liable to many sorrows, and want comfort; and who can give it us better then those who fetch all their cordial waters out of Scripture? We are apt to slumber and nod, and neglect our spiritual watch ; the flesh is drowsy, and the cares of the world fume up into our heads, and incline us to sleep; what then will become of us if we have none to jog and awaken us? It will go but ill with the new man, if whilst he hath so many enemies to hurt him, he hath never a friend to help him; Exhort one another daily, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3. 13.

I have somewhere read of a King, that having many servants, some wise, some indiscreet, some profitable, some unprofitable, was asked why he would keep those foolish unprofitable fellows. To which he answered, I need the other, and these need me, and so I will have them all about me. I am sure weak Christians need the strong; its ill for a tottering house to have no prop; and strong Christians may need the weak; That knife which is best metal, may sometimes need a dull Whetstone; The smallest wheel, nay, pin in a Watch is necessary; and so each needing the other, there is great need they should hold together; While there is flesh and spirit combating within us, and the worse so potent and likely to conquer, we shall want all manner of Auxiliaries to relieve the better part.

Fourthly, Consider The evil of neglecting Christian Communion ; I know the Children of God must sometimes be solitary, there are some duties which cannot otherwise be performed, and some callings which cannot otherwise be followed; but as there are seasons for solitariness, so also for society; to forbear the society of Saints without a necessary cause, is a sin, and bringeth great disadvantage, both upon ourselves and others.

1. Upon ourselves, we lose those helps which God hath afforded for the edification of our souls. Fire laid abroad, q • ickly abateth, nay, goeth out, when if it be raked up together, it continueth and increaseth. I suppose the Spirit of God is so exact in registering the absence of Thomas from the Apostles company, when Christ vouchsafed them his personal and gracious presence, and the sad fit of unbelief which he fell into upon it, partly, as a warning to all Christians, that they lose not such seasons, as they love their immortal souls, John. 20. 24, 25. But Thomas one of the twelve, was not there when Jesus came; The other Disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands, the print of the Nails, and put my fingers into the print of the Nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Had Thomas been present when the Lord appeared, how strongly might he have withstood Satan's assaults against his faith! His senses had been sufficient to have confuted the father of lies, and helpful to have quenched his fiery darts; but by his absence how dangerously was he shaken in that fundamental truth!

Satan hath a wonderful advantage of that person whom he meets (without any warrant from God) alone. If I travail alone between Sun and Sun, I have the Law for my protection, that if I be robbed, I may recover my loss of the Country; but if at other times, it is at my own peril. If I be alone at the call of my God, either when secret duties, or my particular calling require it, and my grand enemy set upon me, I may expect help from him whose work I am about; but if when he commandeth me to associate with his people, I needlessly wander from them, and any hurt befall me, I must thank myself, and look for no reparation at his hands. It is observable, that the house of Job's Eldest Son, which was the grave wherein all his children were buried, stood alone ; otherwise the wind from the Wilderness, could not have smote the four corners thereof. O tis dangerous to be solitary, when God requires thy company amongst his chosen.

There is a woe to him that is alone, such a man shall be sure to have Satan for his companion. He is ever ready to assault, when none is near to assist. Eve was tempted with too much success when she was alone, without her Husband; Dinah gadding from her fathers house, was defiled; Joseph was then assaulted, when the whole Family was gone, save the instrument of the assault; How soon are stragglers snapped up, when those that march with the body of the Army are safe! Pirates lie skulking to find a Vessel sailing alone, when those that sail in company are a convoy to each other; They who separate, are soon seduced. The Cormorant, or Sea-Eagle hath this property, that she will not seise upon the fish in the water, when they are in sholes, but when single she makes them her prey. Solitude is not more hurtful to the body then to the soul, and to nature then to grace. When David was an exile from the society of the Israelites, and wandered abroad, he fell into diffidence and distrust, nay, into hard and blasphemous thoughts of God; as if he had forgotten to be gracious, as if he himself had cleansed his heart in vain ; He then said, in his haste, that all men (even Samuel who had anointed him to the Kingdom, and promised him from God, that he should be King) were liars.

It is a disadvantage to others. When Saints do not meet together, their love cooleth, nay, contentions frequently follow, to the hardening of the wicked, and the discouraging of the weak. The Temple or body of Christ is not built up with blows and Schisms. The parts of the Temple were framed and squared in Lebanon ; at the rearing of it up in Zion, there was no noise either of Axe or Hammer; Babel itself could not be built by divided tongues, muchless Zion by divided hearts. When Christians divide and separate, weak beginners know not what to do, whom to follow, but are ready to say with Cicero, when Caesar and Pompey were at odds; Quem fugiam scio, quem sequar nescio; I know whom to fly, but I know not whom to follow. O how dreadful are the consequents of such civil wars! Discord is not without cause described by the great Italian to be clothed with a garment of divers colors, made up of patches, and they rent, cut, and torn, her lap f • ll of writs, citations, processes, and arrests, attended only wi • h Clerks, Scriveners, Attorneys and Lawyers ; but she was followed with bitter clamours, and diswal howlings.

Melancthon persuading the Protestants in his time to peace, tells them a parabolical story of the Dogs and Wolves, who were meeting to fight one against another; The Wolves sent out their Scout to know the strength of their adversaries. The Scout returns, and tells the Wolves, that indeed the Dogs exceeded them in number, but they need not fear them; for he had observed, they were not like one another ; Besides, they marched as if they were offended rather with themselves, then their enemies, grinning and snarling, yea, biting and tearing one another; therefore let us not be discouraged, but march on resolutely. Dissention amongst men, brings destruction on men. A Kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand. They who imbodied to ••• her, may be able to overcome thousands, divided and taken singly may be overthrown by a very few. The hardest Adamant, if once broken, flieth into such small dust, that its scarce discernible, and so cometh to nothing. The people of God have not seldom made themselves a prey to Persecutours, by their heart burnings and divisions; When the Town is once set on fire by the Granadoes shot in from them that besiege it, the enemies hope to take it with the more ease.

Naturalists tell us, that a Punice stone, cast into the waters, though it be never so big, whilst it remains entire, and the parts hold together, twill swim above the water, but break it once in pieces, and every part sinks to the bottom. Truly, such often times is the state of the faithful. They, who holding together are safe, and as a bundle of st • ves, not to be bowed, when parted and taken singly are easily broken. It is the Shepherds observation, that when Sheep Butt one against another ; its a sign of foul weather, and of an approaching storm; We have too much cause to fear that the Schisms and Conten • ions in the Church of God at this day, do portend some heavy judgment to hang over our heads.

SECT. III.

I Shall now direct thee Reader, how 〈◊〉 • xercise thyself to godliness in Christian Company.

First, I must give thee a Word of Caution; Take heed of those sins which Christians when they accompany together are most prone to. Saints are apt to be secure, as thinking themselves safe, when they are as they imagine, among none but themselves; But truly, seeming honest men, may deceive us sooner then known cheats, because we are apt to con • ide in the former, when we fear and take heed of the latter. The Plague may soonest be conveyed through perfumed linen. Satan tempted Eve in the form of a Serpent ; but when he sets upon Christ, whom he knew hard to be conquered, he sets upon him in the shape of a Dove ; None so fit as a Peter to persuade him to pity himself. As God can send us a Pearl in a Toads Head, bring light out of darkness, and enable us to get good by polluted persons; So Satan like Hannibal can convey poison through a gold ring, bring darkness out of light, and make us the worse for the Company of the best Christians. The society of the godly, is like the Shop of an Apothecary, in which there are many Cordial Iulips, Purging Potions, and Wholsom Drugs, but also some poisonous, which need strong correctives, and therefore they must be the object of our caution, as well as of our choice.

There are two or three things which Christians when they meet together, too frequently err in, against which I would advise thee; In misspending time, censuring the good, a • d backbiting the bad.

1. Take heed of misspending that season ; Time is in itself of great price, and ought to be redeemed; but Opportunity is of greater value, and tis infinite pity to cut such a precious commodity to waste. Its ordinary, even with good men when they meet, though it relate nothing to their callings or concernments, to be talking chiefly of corn and cattle, and markets, and fayrs, and foreign transactions, as if they had not a God, a Christ, a soul, an eternal estate to be minding each other of. Our words are the servants of our reason, and to send more then will perform our business, or to send them upon unnecessary and trifling errands, argueth vanity and folly. Have we not the country to which we are all travailing, the purity and pleasantness of the way thither, the excellency and certainty of our reward there to talk about? St. Bernard complained that in his time, Christians were faulty in this particular,

Some spend their time in nice Questions, as what Christ disputed of amongst the Doctors? where Paradise stood? in what part of the world is local Hell? What became of Moses body? how many orders and degrees of elect Spirits ? These curious persons, the further they go, the nearer they approach a Sun that blinds them. Others in circumstantial c • ntroversies, when in the interim the essentials of Religion are laid by; Such talk is but a wasting time, and those that sweat at it, are but laborious loiterers, like those that take great pains to crack or cleave a date stone, which when they have done, affords them no Kernel. Would it not be counted a piece of great folly, for a man that had a wound near some vital part, to be very busy in laying a plaster upon his scratched finger, while the other lay unregarded? Were it not a piece of strange madness, when the enemy is at the walls, and the town every moment in danger of being stormed, the Bullets flying thick about the streets, for the people within to be sitting still and consulting, whether a Musquet would carry further then a Trunk, or whether more are killed with Bullets or Arrows? Truly, such folly, such madness, is it to employ ourselves about needless discourse about the world, or superficial circumstantial things, when our inestimable souls are continually in danger of being surprised and slain. The Apostle reproveth such as spent their time about fables and endless genealogies (that is things frivolous, and besides our work of Christianity, though not false or directly opposite to it) which minister Questions rather then godly edifying, 1 Tim. 1. 5.

To prevent this, Reader, Offer some serious discourse, either by way of Position or Question. Thy profit by good company, doth very much depend upon thyself. Thy Question or Position is the fire which draweth out, either the quintessence or dregs of things. It may be there is one in thy company rich in grace, in gifts; these are the treasure of the soul, but if ever thou wouldst be the better for it, thou must open it by the Key of some savoury question or sentence. An ordinary person by some practical question, may lay the foundation for a goodly fabric of rich and excellent discourse. A little water poured into a Pump may fetch up many Buckets full. A small Lacquey may call us to a costly Banquet.

Ferus on Matthew affirmeth, that it was the practice of the Monks, to meet together once in a week, and to acquaint each other with their temptations, the means of resistance, and the issue thereof ; I believe, if Christians were more openhearted, in declaring to one another the state of their souls, their experiences in point of loss or gain in spirituals, and sense of God's favor or anger, &c. it would much tend, not only to the honor of God, but also to the defeating of our great enemy, and our own mutual advantage. Satan hath many wiles where-with to wrong and destroy souls; he proceedeth many times in the same method with several Christians; now when one acquainteth another with the snares he laid to catch him, and the way he took to avoid it, hereby the other is fore-warned and fore-armed; fore-warned to expect that such a trap should be laid for him, and fore-armed how to avoid it. An Almanac, Calculated for London, without any sensible error, may serve the whole Kingdom. That which hath been one Saints condition or temptation, may be any Saints; and that way which one hath taken to escape a peril, or improve a providence, may be useful and helpful to any of the Saints.

Some tell us the Art of medicines was thus perfected. When any one met with an Herb, and discovered the virtue of it by any accident, he did post it up in some public place ; and if any were sick or diseased, he was laid in some common passage, that every passenger might communicate the best Receipt he knew for that distemper; and so the Physicians skill was completed, by a collection of those posted Experiences and Receipts. I cannot but think that our souls would be more safe, and our spiritual sicknesses less dangerous, if Christians were more free in revealing what means have, through the assistance of the Spirit, been instrumental for their recovery out of their inward distempers, and the preservation of their health.

2. Take heed of censuring the good ; This is another sin, that even good men are guilty of when they meet together; Some no sooner creep into the Cradle of Profession, but immediately they leap out of it, into the Chair of Censure ; If a Christian do stumble, he saith he falls, and so carrieth it up and down; He always greatens others, and lessens his own sins. Things in a mist, seem bigger to us, then in a fair day, by reason of the indisposedness of the air or medium; He looks on the sins of others, through the mist of envy, and so makes them bigger then they are; He beholds his own sins, as God doth himself afar off, or as things on a Steeple, which seem small and little. Because some persons are not of his party, therefore they are in the bond of iniquity, saith the Censorious man. Thus the Romans judged others not Saints, because they were not exactly of their own size, Rom. 14. 3. If good men are brought to the fire of affliction, it is, saith he, because they bear not good fruit, and are fit for nothing but fuel. Thus Job's friends judged him an Hypocrite, and without armor of proof, because he was the Mark at which the Arrows of the Almighty were levelled, Job. 4. 5, 6, 7. If a good man step awry, he tells others positively that his whole way and course is wrong. From his failing in one action the Censurer condemneth his whole conversation, as feigned and fraudulent; as if the best gold did not need some grains of allowance, and the brightest burning Taper had not some smoke with it; He judgeth according to appearance, and doth not judge righteous judgment ; When an action is doubtful, and admits of a good or bad construction, to be sure he will take it in the worst sense. He never meets with an ambiguous text, but he makes a bad comment on it. If Christ associate with Zacchaeus (though not for communion with him in his sins, but for the conversion of his • oul,) he will presently cry him up for a Wine-bibber, a Glutton, and a friend of Publicans and Sinners ; In this, and in all the rest he judgeth without judgment; For indeed it is from want of judgment, that the heaviest judgment comes. O how sad is it, that those who believe a day of judgment, should walk so contrary to the rule of their Judge ! Mat. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Jam. 3. 1. The Dogs were kinder then such Men, for they licked the sores of honest Lazaru • ; but these rub and fret the sores of Godly men, by publishing them to others. Its our duty to mourn for the sins of good men; Lest when I come, my God will humble me, saith Paul, for them that have sinned ; how contrary are they to Christianity, that are glad they have somewhat to talk of! I cannot esteem them Christians, that think their feast wanteth music, unless the Baptist Head be brought in a Charger at the first course; A desire to disgrace others, never sprang from grace ; Its ill to inquire into others actions, that we might have matter to draw up a bill of Indictment against them; Like those who in reading Books, mark only the faults ; or such as take more pleasure in beholding a Monster then a perfect Man, such is a censorious person; But it • a swinish property to feed upon excrements. They have too much affinity to the old Serpent, that can pick nourishment out of poison. Have not all men business enough of their own, without raking into others graves ; But as the Fish Sepiae darken the waters, that they may escape the Net ; so they darken the credit of others, that they may escape the net of censure, which is due to themselves.

These men are usually eagle-eyed abroad, but as blind as Moles at home ; The most vicious, are ever the most suspicious ; As Galileus looked through his Prospective-glass to find Mountains in the Moon, so these examine others lives, and search their actions as narrowly as Laban did Jacob's stuff, to find matter of accusation. But as its Fabled of old Lamia, that she had eyes like unto spectacles, which she might take out and put in at her pleasure, and that as soon as she came into her house, she always locked them up in her coffer, and sat down to spinning as blind as a Beetle, and that when she went abroad, she put them into her head, and would very curiously behold what other men did. So the Censurer is so quick-sighted abroad, that he can see the moats in others eyes, but so blind within doors, that he cannot see the beam in his own.

Some of these men have a fine way of censuring and condemning others by commending them, that you will not easily discern their envy or ill-will, because of the throng and press of their subtle praises. They will set forth a Christian, eminent for grace, with many and large flourishes of commendation, but after all, in two or three words, dash out all they had spoken, and leave a blot in the room; As the Holy Ghost saith, truly of Naaman ; He was a Mighty man, Captain of the Syrian Host, but a Leper. So they of a Saint, whose worth they cannot for shame deny; He hath great parts, many excellent gifts, large abilities, but I wish the root of the matter were in him, or, but he knoweth them too well, or, but he is covetous or proud ; as the Smith that shoeth an Horse, and pretendeth therein to do him a kindness, but pricks him in shooing him, and therefore had better have let him alone; This one fly of But, &c. mars the whole Pot of Ointment. The Censurer with that short Knife, stabs his Neighbors fame to the heart.

Reader, I beseech thee, both for thy own sake, and the Gospels, to be tender of the repute and credit of Saints; A good man's name, is like a Milk white Ball, which exceedingly gathers soil by tossing, and therefore is to be sparingly talked of; Words reported again, have another sound, and many times another sense ; Besides, one Dog sets many others a barking. Talk of his failings as low as thou wilt, the world is quick of hearing, and they take the size of all Christians clothes, by the measure of the weakest; Thy charity should clap a Plaister, supposing there be a real wound, and cover it with the hand of privacy, to keep it from the open air. The Egyptian who carried something wound up in a Napkin, answered discreetly to him that asked, What it was? It is covered, to the end that no man might see ; Truly, if we know of others failings and infirmities, we should hide them with the mantle of love, and not show them to any, but in relation to the offenders good and recovery; for why should a fallen brother have cause to complain, I am wounded in the house of my friends, had it been an enemy I could have born it, but it was thou O man, my friend, mine equal, and my acquaintance! Apelles drew Antigonus, who had but one eye, half-faced, whereby that blemish was hid, so should Christians their brethren.

The wise man tells us, the worth of a good name is above all wealth, Eccles. 7. 1. A good name is better then precious Ointment. What a great thief is he then, that robs his Neighbor of it! Our rash judging others, like the Rams-horns before Jericho, may blow down that with a blast, which we cannot build up again while we live. An ill report is soon raised, but not so soon laid ; It usually like the Crocodile, groweth whilst it continueth. Our tears should be the grave to bury our Neighbors failings in, and not our mouths a grave to bury their names in. That one act of Alexander, merits eternal memory, who having read a Letter with his favourite Hephestion, wherein his mother calumniated Antipater, he presently took his Signet from his finger, and oppressed Hephestions lips with it, conjuring him (as it were) to seal up his lips, and not once to open them, in revealing another's disgrace. Suppose the person I censure be really evil, yet my duty is to do what I can to amend, not to divulge his errors; But if he be good, I dishonor God by disgracing his Friend, and shall be sure to pay for it, either in tears or torment. How shall I be able to stand in that day, when men shall give an account of all their hard speeches ? and what shall I answer, when God shall ask me as once he did Aaron and Miriam, Wast thou not afraid to speak against my Servant Moses?

3. Take heed of back-biting the bad. When Men speak evil of others that are absent, before many, purposely to defame and disgrace them, this is back-biting and condemned by God, though what we speak of them be true; Doeg spake nothing but truth of David and Abimelech ; yet the Scripture calls him a lying and deceitful tongue, Psa. 52. Somtimes it may be a duty to reveal others deeds of darkness, as when these two things concur.

• 1. That we have cause for it. When what we mention is naked truth, and the sin not any ways rendered more ugly and deformed, by misconstructions or aggravations; And,
• 2. When we have a call to it, as when we are desired to mention what we know of others, by them that have good ground to inquire after them, or when through ignorance of such things, others may be deceived in them, or when we are lawfully required before a Magistrate, to testify our knowledge of such persons or actions; I may add a third, and that is,

When our desires and ends are purely to get our hearts affected with the dishonor that is done to God by their wickedness, and the danger and misery of their own souls ; This is supposed to be the subject matter of the Saints discourse, Mal. 3. 16. when in evil days they spake often one to another. But for men to make it their business to publish others profaneness, this is profane; Thou shalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer among thy people, Lev. 19. 16. The word for Tale-bearer in the Hebrew, is Bakel, and signifieth a Pedlar, which fitly sets forth the property of a Back-biter ; The Pedlar goeth up and down the Country offering his wares at every door, very willing to put them off; he takes them up at one place, and never ceaseth travailing till he hath sold them at another. So the back-biter catcheth up an evil report of a man at one house, and cannot rest till he is at some other house to tell it again, offering to vend it at a very low rate, to any man that will take it off his hands; Nay, he is so full, that he is ready to burst, if none will allow him vent. He is bigg with child, and can find no ease, till another's ears be the Midwife to deliver him of such a deformed Monster. But this is opposite to the rule by which we should walk, Tit. 2. 3. Our God commandeth us, Speak evil of no man ; Not of good men, for they are God's portion ; not of bad men, for so is God's precept ; This unchristian course of some professors, hath procured them many a mischief, and brought up an ill report upon them all. The sinner is apt to say of such, as Ahab of Micaiah, I hate him, for he never speaks well of me. And thus instead of saving their neighbors souls, which ought to be the work of every Christian, they harden them in their sins, and help to deepen their condemnations. Without doubt, that time which men spend in reporting others wickedness, would be far better employed, in confessing and be wailing their own; It will prove at last but an evil means to raise our own names higher, by pulling down others, and building on their ruins • ; and to relate their vices as a foil to render our virtues more beautiful and glorious; Let not the evil speaker be established in the earth; Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him, Psa. 140. 11. He that plotteth to pluck up others names, doth it with an intent to plant his own the surer; but he shall not be established in the earth, saith God. He judgeth himself safe, because others cannot stand before him, or are disabled by reason of the disgrace he hath brought on them to oppose him; But evil (like a pack of ravenous hounds) shall (with open mouth) bunt (this butting Stagg) and (sooner or later) overthrow him.

It was wise counsel which Diogenes gave the Emperor; Take heed, saith he, of two sorts of beasts in thy Court, both which bite dangerously, the tame Beast, the Flatterer; and the wild Beast, the Back-biter : Well might he call them Beasts ; for a Man-like Spirit scorns to be so brutish, as to claw the itching ears of others with flatteries, and hates to be so currish and cowardly, as to bite them behind their backs; David would have no such to be his Servants, Psa. 101. 6, 7. The Back-biter hath this sad unhappiness, that he wounds three with one Arrow of his viperous tongue, Himself, his Hearer, and his Neighbor he speaks of.

• 1. Himself ; for such weapons recoyl and fly upon him that dischargeth them. The Holy Ghost compareth a back-biting tongue to a sharp sword ; and indeed, like Saul's sword, it may be the death of the owner; God joins this sin with Murder, Lev. 19. 16. to note, saith one, that the Back-biter is a Man-slayer, and surely such a one shall not escape vengeance.
• 2. His Hearer ; The Receiver is as bad as the Thief. If there were no Tale-hearer, there would be no Tale-bearer ; Some are fitly compared to Brass Pots, though they are great, you may carry them by the ears, which way you please. Its an excellent expression of Solomon; As the North-wind drives away Rain, so doth an angry countenance a Back-biting tongue, Prov. 25. 23. Its a memorable saying of Bernard ; The Detractour, and willing hearer of it, do both carry the Devil abo • t them ; the one carrieth him in his tongue, the other in his ear. It was the wish of Plautus, that there were a Law for the hanging of Tale-bearers by the Tongue, and Tale-bearers by the Ears.
• 3. The Person he speaketh of ; He that takes away a man's name, leaves him little for this world worth keeping. This evil tongue is fitly compared to an arrow, for it wounds a man even afar off. As secret poison works incurable effects, many times before it is discerned, so doth a back-biting tongue. A man were better, like him one of the Ancients mentions, carry a stone in his mouth three years, to prevent much babbling, then be guilty one hour of back-biting.

SECT. IV.

SEcondly, If Christians would exercise themselves to godliness, they must be serviceable to the good of each other. The Temple was built in Solomon's time, by men of all sorts; There is not the meanest Christian, but may do somewhat in his place, towards the building of the Spiritual Temple; The Communion of Saints, consisteth in three things.

• 1. In a mutual Communication of their graces and gifts ; Grace is given us, not only for ourselves, but also for the good of the Saints, 1 Cor. 12. 5, 6. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; differences of administration, but the same Lord; diversities of operation, but the same God, which worketh all in all; But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The water of life is like a common stream, for the benefit of many.
• 2. In a mutual joining in the ordinances of God, Act. 2. 43. The Servants of the same Lord, wait upon him, sometimes singly, sometimes in company. There are set seasons, wherein they all meet together to attend him, though when they are parted they are all about his business; And the same day there were added to the Church three thousand souls; And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles, Doctrine and Fellowship, and breaking of Bread, and Prayer.
• 3. In mutual serviceableness each to other. Every man is a Steward to manage his abilities for others good, and to improve his Talents for his Masters glory; Now if our stock were our own, that we were the Proprietors, to let it lie still would argue us guilty of much folly ; but when it is altogether another's, and we are but factors for him, to neglect the improvement of it, speaks us arrant thieves, and guilty of unfaithfulness ; As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God, 1 Pet. 4. 10. Its but an ill property of the Swan, that she cannot endure the Goose should come near her, to take part of her food. Though it might be a fault in the Church of Syracuse, what Hilary mentions, that by a Law there was a community of outward goods ; yet I am sure it is none, that there should be a community of spiritual gifts. Wicked men are said to be of the night, but Saints of the day ; now as the day enlightens and warms all it shines on, calls them to their work, to their walk, and helpeth to prevent their fa • ls and wandering; even so should the Saints, In love serve one another, Gal. 5. 13. Such a man is of the earth (is right earth, that standeth on its own center ) who is wholly for himself. All things that have affinity with the Heavens, move upon the Centre of another which they benefit. The Bramble which receiveth all good, and keepeth it to itself, piercing instead of pleasuring those that come near it, will be cast ere long into the Fire. It is said of one, as all the encomium could justly be given him, Sibi natus, sibi vixit, sibi mortuus, sibi damnatus; He was born to himself, he lived to himself he died to himself, and he was damned to himself. We have a common saying, He that is not good to himself; is good to nobody ; and its as true again, He that is good only to himself, is as good as nobody ; It was the voice of a cursed Cain, Am I my brothers Keeper ? The voice of the blessed Apostle, Consider one another, to provoke to love; Exhort one another whilst its called today; Let no man seek his own, but everyone his brothers good, to edification, Phil. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 34.

A Company of Christians, like the Plants in Paradise, should impart an aromatical savor each to other; A friend must show himself friendly, saith Solomon, Prov. 18. But how? By endeavoring to make his friends better. It was a commendable property, which some mention in Socrates, That he always studied how he might better the minds of his Familiars. And Seneca, when the Scholars of Theophrastus had shown him two men, that were intimate friends, whereof the one was very rich, and the other very poor, he said to them, If they be friends, how comes it to pass that the one is so poor, and the other so rich? Intimating, that had there been any true friendship, the rich man would have imparted of his goods to the poor man. As true love cannot stand without communicating of our temporal riches, so neither without imparting of our spiritual, for the supply of others necessities; If there be love in feasting one another's bodies, there is much more in feeding each others souls; And if to distribute and communicate of our earthly treasures we must not forget, for with such sacrifice God is well pleased ; then to distribute and communicate of our heavenly treasures we must be more forward, because with such Sacrifice God is better pleased.

Besides, it is an encouragement to Christians, that they do not diminish, but increase their spiritual stocks by trading. He were not a man that would not do another a courtesy, when by doing it he should do himself no injury. How bad is he then that will not benefit his Neighbor, when thereby he doth a real kindness to himself ? Money laid up, rather wasteth with rust, then increaseth; but Money laid out, brings in considerable profit. To him that hath shall be given. When the Servant that had received five Talents, traded and gained five more, Take the Talent, saith Christ, from the unprofitable servant, and give it to him that hath gained five ; our Communication to others, is no diminution, but an addition to our selves. Live coals are made the hotter for those near them, which they enlivened. The truth is, there is no Usury so lawful as of spiritual riches, nor is there any so profitable; Our use upon use, which almost doubleth the principal in seven years, is nothing to this; O Christians, therefore lose not a tide, a market, an opportunity, if possible; hereby, though your beginnings be small, your latter end shall wonderfully increase; Many that have begun with very little, have by trading thus, come to die worth thousands.

Before I come to show wherein Christians should be serviceable each to other, I must a little explain myself, lest I should seem to allow that which the Word of God forbids, namely, that every private Christian ought to be a Preacher : Such a tenent would cut asunder the nerves and ligaments of this society, which is Order. Every star must give light in its own and proper sphere.

1. There is an authorative, public counseling, admonishing, &c. which belongeth only to Pastors lawfully called. Observe what the holy Ghost saith, Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Pastors? Are all Teachers? No, all are not gifted for it. It would much reflect upon the King of Heaven to send servants upon such weighty errands, that were unfit for them, and did rather render their business ridiculous. Its no easy thing for a person to be qualified for a public preacher: The great Apostle crieth out, Who is sufficient for these things? though the voice of ignorant men is, Who is not sufficient for these things ? Besides all are not called to it. It is not gifts and parts that will make a Subject an Officer at home, or an Ambassador abroad, but a Commission from his Prince; Let no man take this honor upon him, unless he be called of God, as was Aaron. There be many works which private Christians may not meddle with, as to consecrate things, to constitute Ecclesiastical laws, to excommunicate, to receive in those that are cast out, to administer the Sacraments, &c. But those works which they may and ought to do, as, to exhort, advise, admonish, comfort, &c. they must do them as private members, not as public Officers in the name or stead of Christ, and to private members, not to the Church.

2. There is a private charitative counseling, comforting, admonishing others; this may belong to any Christian, so he keep within his own place, and carry himself therein according to Divine commands; for God hath made no man a Treasurer, but every man a Steward of those talents with which he is entrusted. Hence the Apostle frequently commandeth believers to mind these duties, Gal. 6.1. Heb. 3. 13. 1 Peter 4. 11. But in these Christians must keep within their bounds; as fixed Stars give light to others, continuing still in their own orbs; and not as Planets (according to some) wander up and down out of their places. The members of the body do not intrude into each others office. Uzzah's upholding the Ark, when shaken, though questionless out of a good design, yet was the cause of his death, and instead of furthering it, hindered its march towards the place of its rest.

Private Christians ought to be serviceable to each other in these particulars.

• 1. In instructing the ignorant ; Among Christians there are many who have but ignorant heads, though they have holy hearts ; though for the time they have enjoyed the means, they might have been teachers of others, yet themselves had need to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God ; Now the work of knowing men must be to instruct such; though they be dull and heavy, we should bear with them, and condescend to them. St. Austin said he would speak false latin if his bearers understood it better then true. By many blows we make a nail enter into an hard board; by precept upon precept, and line upon line, we may beat truths into the heads of them that are very dull. Job's friend tells him, Behold thou hast instructed many, Job 4. 3. In this sense Job was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; eyes to prevent their wandering in a wrong way, and feet to prevent their stumbling in the right way. David was no Priest yet he would teach others God's precepts; When he had once tasted God's love, others should taste some honey dropping from his lips; Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee, Psal. 51.

  It is a noble Work for Christians that have abilities and understanding to take some pains to teach and instruct them that are ignorant. They cannot worship God as they ought because they are unacquainted with his Word and Will. How can a servant please his Master that doth not know his pleasure? They cannot do the good they should, because they know not their duty: They who are almost quite blind will do but little work. They are more open to temptation both from evil men and the evil one, because of their ignorance. Its as easy to give a child poison as wholesome milk, because it hath not wisdom to discern the difference: Its not hard to put the poison of error into their mouths, who are but babes in understanding. When the quick-sighted walk steadly, these dark-sighted persons walk stumblingly in the way of God's commandments. O do what thou canst Reader to inform such poor creatures in the truths of God; for as the Eunuch said to Philip, How should they understand unless someone guide them? We count it worthy and honorable to teach others some curious Art, or high calling ; sure I am there is a day coming, when to have taught one poor Christian how to serve God better, and to honor him more, will cause more comfort, and bring more credit, then the instructing thousands in the greatest and deepest mysteries of Nature or Art.

• 2. By quickening the slothful. The Eagle loveth her young, yet when they are ready for flight, and lie lazing in their nest, she will pierce and prick them with her claws, to make them fly abroad: Love to others souls should stir us up to rouse drowsy Christians out of their spiritual slumbers, and lethargies. One Bell man that is stirring at midnight, by crying Fire, Fire, awakens hundreds that were fast asleep in a short time: One lively active believer, acquainting men with the jealousy and justice of God, and his severe proceedings against secure persons, who neglect their spiritual watch, may quickly call them from their beds to their watch and work. Consider one another, saith the Apostle, to provoke one another to love and to good works, Heb. 10.24. The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is, Consider • ne another into a Paroxysm, a violent heat of an Ague or Fever, to make each other fervent and fiery in love and good works. Consider one another's backwardness and dullness, and provoke one another to your duties and that with diligence. Consider one another's states and conditions, and provoke one another to a suitable seriousness in working out your salvations. Consider one another's hindrances, and temptations, and weaknesses, and provoke one another to love and to good works. Christians should say to one another, as Judah to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that I may fight against the Canaanites, and I will go up with thee into thy lot : Help me by jogging and awakening me if I sleep, and I will do as much for thee, Judge. 1.13. And encourage one another as Joab his brother Abishai, 2 Sam. 10. 11,12. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and the Cities of our God: And the Lord do that which seemeth him good. Thus the children of God should bespeak each other, If the world be too hard for thee, I will endeavor to assist thee, by discovering the vanity of its shallow allurements, and the foolery of its skin deep affrightments; If the Devil or Flesh be too hard for me, thou shalt do thy utmost to succor me in withstanding their battery • , and repelling their poisonous and fiery darts. Only let us be of good courage, let us watch, stand fast in the faith, quit ourselves like men for our God, and our Redeemer, and our souls, and our eternal sal • ations, and the Lord will be found faithful, who hath assured us that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able.

• 3. By comforting the sorrowful. Christians should have a Cordial in store for them that are fainting ; a cup of wine for the heavy in heart, and be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary; Com • fort the feeble; i. e. the sick at heart, such as are ready to sink under the weight of sin, and are frighted with the apprehension of the eternal fire, 1 Thess. 5. 14. Amalek is branded with a mark of infamy, and was followed with a curse and slaughter from God, for falling upon the faint and feeble ones of Israel, Deut. 25.18. God cannot endure it, he cannot bear it, that his weak sickly ones should be wronged. He is tender of them himself; he carrieth his lambs in his arms, Isa. 40. 11. and others must do so too, or he will make them rue it. The world doth as the herd, push the wounded Deer out of their company; but Saints endeavor to bind up the broken in heart, to comfort them, as Paul commands his Corinthians, lest they be swallowed up of too much sorrow, 1 Cor. 2.14.

  The Husbandman doth mind his young tender trees in a special manner above them that are grown up and strong, because such are in more danger of breaking, and bruising, and other hurt then grown trees; so that besides the wall or common fence a • bout the Orchard, he makes a special fence with bushes and stakes about these, and gives them more choice nourishment, and more frequent watering; God is most choice of his little ones, his weak children. When Israel was a child I loved him, I drew him with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man, Hos. 11. 1, 3. Christians must imitate God in this • and be followers of him as dear children. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, Hebr. 12.12. The Martyrs in prison, by discoursing on the promises shook off their carnal se • ters. Holy Bradford made his dark dungeon by this means lightsome to his fellow-prisoners. Luther professed Melancthon very helpful to him against his inward doubts, as he was to Melancthon against his frights about the public state of the Church. A friend is born for the day of adversity : And tis pity he was ever born, that denieth to do that for which he was born. It appertains especally to the office of a friend, saith Seneca, to asswage his friends grief by speech; to drive away his sadness by cheerfulness; and to refresh him with his very presence. When women travail they carry frequently with them strong waters, and if one fainteth or is sick, she that hath those cordial waters prayeth her to take some for her ease and comfort. The Apostle prepareth for the Christian, choice and rare cordials in 1 Thess. 4. about the six last verses, and then wisheth them to make use of them for their mutual good; Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

• 4. By admonishing the sinful. Saints, like Clocks made up of curious wheels and engines, are soon discomposed, and therefore often want some workman to set them in order again. A good man if his friend follow virtue, will be a Father to encourage him; if he be full of doubts, will be a Minister to direct him; but if he follow vice, will be a Magistrate to correct him. Christians must allow one another for their infirmities, but not allow one another in their infirmities. If a brother be overtaken with a fault, restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, Gal. 6.1. Which words are very emphatical, and point to us.

1. The nature of his fall ; he is overtaken with a fault, he doth not overtake the fault. He is rather passive of it, then active in it. A sinner like Ahab, sells himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord; but a brother, like Paul is sold under sin. Its proper to the wicked to be volunteers in this unholy war against God. Saints fight not, except they be pressed. The Christian is drawn to iniquity by cords of vanity, the other draweth iniquity with cords of vanity.

2. The duty of his friend, restore such a one. Its 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an allusion to Surgeons, who set bones out of joint, though they put their Patients to pain, and make them angry at present. So must Christians endeavor the jointing of their brethren, whose souls are out of order, though at present they have little thanks for their labor. This courtesy we owe to our brothers Ox or Ass, much more to his Soul, Exod. 22. 4. Its a strict command, warn the unruly, 1 Thes. 5. 14. though most men draw back, when they are called to this burden, that fallen brethren lie under the same misery that Travelers do, to find many Hosts, but few Friends, and may cry out, as Lewis the eleventh of France, I have plenty of all things, but such as will tell me my faults.

3. The manner how this friendly part must be performed, with the spirit of meekness ; The bitterness of reprehension is much sweetness, by the pleasingness of our expressions. Gentle sores are but anguisht with too hard a pressure. Though Swine are driven with violence, yet Children that wander, are gently led home. According to the wound must the plaster be more or less searching. Christ reproves Martha mildly, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but he rebuked Peter sharply, Get thee behind me Satan.

The Apostle writing to the Romans, commendeth them highly, that they were able to admonish one another, Rom. 15. 14. They had piety and grace enough to perform the duty, notwithstanding the arguments of ill will, or loss in estate, or other evils which the flesh suggested to the contrary; and they had prudence and discretion enough to perform the duty, so as it might most probably be profitable: But how unlike are Christians in our days, to those in the Primitive times! Admonition is a Lyon which few dare come near, for fear it will tear them in pieces; We carry ourselves rather like Machiavels Scholars, who taught his followers, if their friend were up to the knees in water, to lend him their hand to help him out, and so if he were up to the waste, but if he were up to the chin, then to lay their hand on his head, and duck him under, that he rise no more. How many that should reprove others, have their mouths stopped, as the Dogs by the Thief, with a piece of bread, some kindness or other! Or else as Erasmus saith of Harpocrates, they hold their finger in their mouths, and are afraid of giving offense; they are rather like the reflection of a Looking-glass, ready to imitate others sinful gestures and actions, then rebuke them for them; There is no reprover in the gate.

Nay Heathen exceed in this many of us; The Great Philosopher tells us, That is true love, which to profit and do good to us, feareth not to offend us; and that it is one of the chiefest offices of friendship, to admonish. Euripides exhorts men to get such friends as would not spare to displease them, saying, Friends are like new wines, those that are harsh and sour keep best, the sweet are not lasting. Phocian told Antipater, Thou shalt not have me for thy Friend and Flatterer too. Diogenes when men called him Dog, for his severe kind of reproving; would Answer, Dogs bite their enemies, but I my friends for their good ; And are we so hardly drawn to this duty? O how justly might the Lord reprove us cuttingly, and set our sins in order before our eyes, to our comdemnation, for our backwardness to reprove others to their humiliation. We have most of us cause with Reverend Mr. Robert Bolton, to confess and bewail our neglect herein.

SECT. V.

FIfthly, By bearing each others infirmities. Christians like the clearest fire, will have some smoke, whereby they are apt to offend each others eyes, and to cause anger. The best and most pious, may sometimes be peevish. Those brethren that love sincerely, may too often quarrel ; True Members of the same body, may by some accident be dis-jointed ; Though contentions argue them to have flesh, yet they may arise where there is spirit. Therefore the Holy Ghost commandeth, Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ ; Here is the Commandment enjoined, and the Argument whereby it is enforced, Galat. 6. 2.

First, The Precept; Bear one another's burdens.

There is a threefold burden that Christians must bear for each other.

I. The civil burdens of their miseries and sufferings ; Have a fellow-feeling with them in their afflictions; Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is afflicted, and I burn not? saith holy Paul. Herod and his men of War, will set a persecuted Christ at naught ; The Chief Priests and Elders will mock him when he hangs upon the Cross, Luk. 23. 11. Mat. 27. 4. Edom rejoiced in the day of Jerusalem's trouble, they cried Aha, so would we have it ; But the true seed of Jacob, sigh for others sorrows, they weep with them that weep; Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and them that suffer adversity ; If one part of the natural body be in pain, the other parts are sensible of it; When one branch of a Tree is torn and mangled in Summer, the other branches are affected with it, and out of Sympathy (as it were) will not thrive so well as formerly. If one person of a family be sick, how much do his relations from a principle of nature, lay to heart his pain and illness! Christians are all members of the same body, branches of the same vine, children of the same family, and it would be monstrous and unnatural for them, not to feel each others miseries, and suffer in each others sufferings.

II. The Spiritual burden of their iniquities and sins ; Whether more immediately against God. Though we must not bear with them in their sins, yet we must help to bear their sins with them. We ought to sit on the same floor with them that are fallen down, and to mourn with them, and for them, and to bear some of the weight; This temper was so eminent in Ambrose, he would so plentifully weep with the sinning party, that a Great Commander under Theodosius beholding it, cried out, This man is only worthy the name of a Bishop.

As Stags when they swim over a River, to feed in some Meadow, they swim in a row, and lay their heads over one another's backs, bearing the weight of one another's horns, and when the first is weary, another taketh his room, and so they do it by course. So Christians must be willing to bear each others weight, whilst they are passing through those boisterous waters, till they land at their glorious eternal harbor.

Or whether their sins are immediately against ourselves ; If the teeth bite the tongue, that seeketh no revenge. When the feet through their slipping, throw the body upon the ground, it riseth up, and all is well. Some Christians are of such weak stomachs, that they can digest nothing that looks like an unkindness or injury; But its the glory of a man to pass by offenses. Cyprian saith, to bear with affronts, is a ray of Divinity. A noble-spirited man will disdain to take notice of pet • y dis-respects, he will over-come contempt by contempt. But an heaven-born Christian hath higher principles, and more sublime motives to forgive his offending brother. I Paul, the Prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with a longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, Ephes. 4. 1, 2. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you, verse ult. It is reported of Cosroes the Persian King, that he caused a Throne to be made for him, like Heaven, with the Sun, Moon, and Stars, artificially placed above it, and under his feet thick and black clouds, and high winds and tempests. He that would have an Heaven here, I mean, enjoy God, and himself, must of necessity trample these under his feet.

It is good advice which Bernard gives in such a case; Dost thou hear that a brother hath said or done somewhat that reflecteth upon thee, or is injurious to thee? then saith he;

• 1. Be hard to believe it. He should have a loud tongue, that can make thee to hear such a report. I would give him little thanks (in case the honor of God were not concerned) that were the messenger to bring me such a sour present ; his pains would deserve but a poor reward, that brought me tidings of a discourtesy to rob me of my charity. The evidence shall be very clear, or I will write Ignoramus upon his Bill of Indictment ; But if the thing be so plain that it cannot be denied, then saith he,
• 2. Excuse his intent and purpose. Think with thyself, Possibly he had a good end in it. He spake as he heard, or he did what he did upon some good ground and account. Though the action seem to savor of injury, yet certainly in his intention there was no evil. Had I his eyes, I should see his end was right and honest; But if there should be no reason for hope, that his purpose was good, then saith he,
• 3. Think he did it ignorantly ; that had he known the consequence, he would not have been guilty of such a crime. Surely the man thought no hurt, he spake on a sudden, such words came out of his mouth before he was aware, or he would never have spoken them; I myself in an heat, might have been as harsh. When high winds blow, storms will follow.
• 4. If thou canst not be persuaded but the injury was wittingly offered, then think, He was overcome with some great temptation. There were extraordinary fumes at that instant flying up into his head, which made him talk idly, and of which now he may be repenting before the Lord. The strong man was too hard for the weak Christian. Flesh and blood was easily conquered by Principalities & Powers ; I may well forgive him, his sin will cost him sorrow enough before his Father smile on him.

III. The Natural burden (as I may call it, though it hath a relation to spiritual, but not fully in the former sense) of their infirmities. Some by reason of bad instruments, are but bunglars at their work; They have naturally understandings very dull to receive, and memories very slow to retain spiritual things. They have ill constitutions of body, and thereby the worse frames of soul, and the more apt to be peevish and fretful; Now we exhort you brethren, that ye support the weak, and be patient towards all men, 1 Thes. 5. 14. All the persons in God's family, are not of the same height and strength : though some are Old Men and Fathers, and others are Young and strong; yet some are little Children, Babes in Christ; some can go alone, or with a little help, if you hold them but by their leading-strings ; but others must be carried in arms, and will require much love and patience to overcome their childish frowardness. Christ winks at their weaknesses, who hath most reason to be moved with them; though his disciples were raw, and dull, and slow to believe and understand, yet he bears with them. Nay, though when he was watching for them, and in his bloody sweat, his whole body being in a goar blood, under the weight of their and others sins on his back, and they lay sleeping and snoring, and could not watch with him one hour, he doth not fall fiercely upon them, but calmly asketh them, Could ye not watch with me one hour? and afterwards excuseth it for them,

First, From the natural cause ; There heads were full at that time of • fumes ; Their eyes were heavy with sorrow. They were full of grief for their dear Master, and their sorrow hindering the digestion of their food, filled them with vapors, which ascending to their brains inclined them to sleep.

Secondly, From the Moral cause ; they would, but they could not. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak ; there better part would move more swiftly, and do anything at my call and command, but their flesh draweth back, and makes them drive heavily. Its no wonder that their pace is so slow, when like the snail, they have such an house, such an hindrance upon their backs; The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Who can think of this infinite grace of the blessed Redeemer in making such an Apology for them, whom he had such cause to be full of fury against, and not be incited to imitate so admirable a pattern!

There is another famous instance in the Old Testament, and that is God's patience towards peevish Jonah, by which all may see how much he bears with his froward children.

First Jonah runs from his business; God sends him to Nineveh, he will go to Tarshish ; here was plain rebellion against his Sovereign. One would have expected that the jealous God should have given him a Traitors wages, and when he was at Sea have suffered the Ocean of waters to have swallowed up his body, and the Ocean of fire and wrath, his soul ; but loe, he cannot permit his Jonah to perish; he will rather whip him to his work, then let him wander to his ruin. But how gentle is the rod? God cannot forget the love of a Father, though Jonah forget the duty of a child, but will rather work a miracle, and make the devourer his Savior, then Jonah shall miscarry. It is true, he was tossed with a violent tempest and thrown over-board, but God provided him a shelter before the storm, and prepared a Whale to swallow him down, not for his destruction, but his deliverance; And the Lord spake to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah upon the dry land.

Well now, the child is brought home, you will look that he should make some recompense for his former disobedience, by his faithfulness and diligence for the future; that the danger he had been in, the death he had so narrowly escaped, the miracle which had been wrought for him, and the extraordinary mercy he had so lately received, should have melted him wholly into God's mould, and have made him, like Abraham, to have come up wholly to God's foot. But alas he addeth sin to sin, and neither mercy nor misery prevail with him to know himself. Indeed he undertakes the journey and message he was called to upon a second command, but as unwillingly as the Bear goeth to the stake. After he had pronounced a sentence of death upon the Ninevites, and shown them a warrant under the high God's hand and seal for their speedy execution ; how ill doth he take it, that upon their humble petition a Reprieve should be granted them? he frets inwardly against God, and through the exceeding heat of his heart his tongue blisters with casting God's mercy in his teeth. He was wrath for that in which he had cause to rejoice: His love to his brethren might have made him glad of their escape, and his love to his God should have quieted him in all his wise and holy proceedings; But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry, and he prayed unto the Lord: O Lord, was not this my saying in my Country? for I knew that thou art a gracions God, &c. Therefore O Lord take away my life. He quarrels with God's providence, and he doth as it were twit God with (that which is the glory of all his Attributes and actions, and the best friend the poor children of men have) his Grace and Pity, desiring rather the destruction of above sixscore thousand persons, then that himself, by the blind ignorant world, should be reckoned a false Prophet. Behold impatience in its largest dimensions! Jonah will die, because so many thousands are allowed out of infinite kindness to live. O what a nest of vermin was in the womb of this disobedience! Here is pride both in preferring his own will before God's, and in his unwillingness to suffer a little in his repute in the eye of the people: Here was passion to the height, and that against God himself: Here was murmuring against sparing mercy, and the Divine pleasure: Here was unbelief, as if God could not repair his name, and repay him for the loss of his credit: Here was uncharitableness and want of love towards the poor Ninevites, whose condition called for the deepest compassion. What answer can be judged tart enough to such a passionate prayer? What language can be too harsh, what carriage can be too heavy towards such a cross-grain'd child? Its abominable for any man to contend with his Maker. Its bad for servants to strive with their Master ; or children to resist their Father, though both these are their fellow-creatures : But for any to contend with God, whose dominion over us is unquestionable, and their dependence on him indispensable, between whom and them there is an infinite distance, is infinitely worse: But for Jonah, not only a man, but a new man, a child of God, a Prophet of the Lord, that should have taught others by his precepts and by his pattern, to submit to the severest Divine pleasure, one that had been signalized above others with eminent and distinguishing favors, both for this and the other world, to fly thus in God's face, is worst of all. Surely, no punishment can exceed the desert of such peevishness, such passion : Some dreadful thunder cannot but be expected, as the consequent of such hot weather. But hear O heavens, give ear O earth, and be astonished at the calm mild voice of the Great God; And the Lord said unto Jonah, Jonah, dost thou well to be angry? Mark what love sounds in this language ? Such an affectionate voice after such gross disobedience might make even marble to weep ; and as that voice from heaven, turn a Saul into a Paul. Could the fondest and most indulgent Father in the world be more meek, more mild in his expression! He appeals to Jonah 's conscience whether such behavior was answerable to his Oath of Allegiance; Dost thou well to be angry? Is this passion suitable to that submission which thou owest to me and my Providences! Eli said as much to his wicked sons; It is not a good report which I hear of you my sons, &c. when God was so incens • d against him for his mildness, that he sends him an ear-tickling and an heart trembling message : And yet God himself is so favorable and compassionate to one whose sin admitted of greater aggravations in some respects then those of Eli 's sons, ( Jonah sinned after such a miraculous salvation, and that against choosing, calling, pardoning, saving love, which Eli 's sons did not;) nay, and when the Malefactor upon the reading of this gentle Indictment to him, instead of pleading guilty, and begging a Psalm of mercy, had stubbornly and obstinately justified himself; God who might have awarded judgment against him according to law, still forbeareth him, and when his pathetical words would not reclaim him, he trieth if a miraculous work will reduce him to his allegiance. O the tenderness of God towards his froward Children! I have sometimes wondered at his infinite patience towards so disobedient a Prophet; but alas, I experience it daily in his superabundant grace and goodness towards my own soul, notwithstanding my greater provocations.

Reader, by all this thou mayst see what cause thou hast to bear with thy fellow-Christians, when God beareth with his creatures, notwithstanding those multiplied affronts and dis-respects, which they offer to his glorious holy and infinite Majesty.

Secondly, We may observe in the foregoing Text, the prevailing Argument to this Precept; And so fulfil the Law of Christ. This was the great Law which Christ commanded so frequenty, so affectionately, and the Apostle mentioneth it here, as if it were the only Law, or all the Law, because this love is the fulfilling of the whole Law ; As if he had said, O my Galatians, if ye have any love to Christ, and would evidence it to yourselves and others, let there be no bitterness, nor envyings, nor heart burnings amongst you, but love your Neigbours as yourselves, suffer with them in their sufferings; let their sore eyes and tears for sin, set your eyes a watering; pardon them, though they may offend and provoke you; bear with them, notwithstanding their passion and peevishness; for hereby ye will obey that great Law, which is indeed the whole Law containing your duty toward your brother, or that Law which the heart of Christ was so infinitely set upon, that he will have it called his Law, the Law of Christ; • his is my commandment, that ye love one another. Though he was the Churches only Law-giver, and so all the commandments enjoined her were his ; yet as amongst all the Disciples there was one that had most of his heart, and was called the Disciple whom Jesus loved ; so possibly amongst all the commendments, that of love had most of his heart, and may fitly be called the commandment which Jesus loved. My commandment; the Law of Christ.

O how sweet is the music, when Saints join thus in consort ! and how harsh is the sound of jarring strings ! a mutual yielding and forbearance is no small help to our peace and safety. There is a story of two Goats, which may excellently illustrate the benefit of this duty. They both met on a narrow bridge, under which a very deep and fierce stream did glide; there was no going blindly back, neither could they pass forward for the narrowness of the Bridge; Now had they fought for their passage, they had been certain both to perish; this therefore they did, they agreed that the one should lie down, and the other go over him, and by this means both their lives were preserved. Whilst Christians are fighting like some small chickens, they are a prey to Kites, and other ravenous creatures. In quietness shall be their strength (Isa. 30. 15.) is true in this, as well as other senses.

SECT. VI.

THirdly, Christians ought in good Company, not only to do what good they can to each other, but also to receive what good they may from each other ; God sets up such candles, not for us to play, but to work by. The strongest Christian may gain by the weakest ; A small brimstone match, may help to light a great Torch; A servant may sometimes think of a way to enlarge his imprisoned Master, when his Master dreams not of it. Every loop or pin was helpful to the Tabernacle ; An homely digger that is poor, doth sometimes discover rich Mines, which wealthy Merchants took no notice of. Apollo, one mighty in the Scriptures, is content to learn of an Handy-craft man; Cordials are not to be refused, because brought to us in a wooden spoon. Who ever sent away silver or gold, because brought to him in a bag of Leather? The Moon though she be but small, and seated in a lower Orb then the stars of the first magnitude, and though she hath her spots and imperfections, yet she lends an useful light to men, prevents their stumbling and wandering out of their way, and produceth here and there a motion subordinate and obedient to an heavenly influence; when those luminaries that are above her in place, are below her in use and service : Proud men disdain to take poor Saints advice, as if wisdom had forsaken all commerce with inferior persons, and taken up her abode only in stately Palaces. Upon this score Darius (instead of the thanks which he owed) paid Charidemus with no less then death for his good counsel; But its the folly as well as the arrogancy of some, rather to ascend to a dangerous height, then descend at the call of one below them; O how mad is he that will rather run on in hazardous paths to his ruin, then turn back and retreat at the desire of one that is his inferior! And such proud Christians have this usually for their reward of God, that when the humble that will stoop to take up jewels at the feet of the meanest are enriched, they get nothing by godly conference. We give no relief to them that go gorgeously attired, and brag of their own large revenues.

There lieth a great deal of wealth and worth in some obscure and neglected Christians; men do not more usually trample upon the golden veins of earth in America, then conceited persons trample on the spiritual riches in poor Christians; but a wise man will better himself by his enemies, much more by his godly friends, both in taking their counsel and receiving their admonition, if occasion be.

1. In Taking counsel ; It was said of Demosthenes, that he was better at praising virtue, then practicing it. We must write by that Copy which we set others. It was the speech of a Philosopher, That its the easiest thing in the world to give good counsel, and the hardest thing to take it. Job's friends, though falsely, taxed him as guilty of this crime, Job 4. 3, 4, 5. Behold thou hast instructed many, and strengthened the weak hands; Thy words have up holden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees; But now it is come upon thee and thou faintest, it toucheth thee and thou art troubled. Doctor Preston confessed on his death-bed, that he found it difficult to take that Physic which he had often administered to others. But all Christians must and will endeavor it; Solomon makes it the mark of a prudent man; The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkeneth to counsel is wise, Prov. 11. 15. When out of self-conceit we refuse others advice, we bewray our own pride and folly. Quintilian said of some, They might have proved excellent Scholars, if they had not thought themselves so already ; this is true of too many in our days; They might have proved excellent Christians, if they had not thought themselves too good to learn ; He that every day layeth up something, though but little, will in time have a good stock.

2. In Receiving admonition. The stomach of man naturally riseth against this bitter Physic, though it conduceth so much to his health; Faithful reproof is the awakening a man out of sleep, and such are very apt to be angry. The Hedg-hog brusleth up her prickles, and will pierce if it be possible those that come to take hold of her.

There are two things that cause men to rage against reproof.

• 1. Guilt of the sin objected. Guilt makes men angry when they are searched, and like Horses that are g • lled, to kick, if they be but touched. They hate, saith the Holy Ghost, him that reproveth in the gate. The easiest medicines, and mildest waters, are troublesome to sore eyes. Praxaspes having reproved Cambyses for his drunkenness, did so exasperate him, that he shot the Son of the Reprover through the heart, to confute the Father by showing the steadiness of his hand. Though you stir one that hath a boil never so gently, yet he will fret and fume. Ahab conscious of his own filth and wickedness, hates Michaiah for telling him the truth. There is s • arce a more probable sign, that the crime objected is true, then wrath and bitterness against the person that chargeth us with it. Children that have cankers, will not suffer honey to come near their mouths, as sweet as it is. Though men are bold to sin, even to the face of God, yet they are so proud, that they would not have it visible to the eye of a man; therefore when by their admonitions they find that they are discovered, they wrangle and quarre • .
• 2. Love to sin makes men impatient under reproof. Twas David's fondness of Absalom, that made him so strict in his charge to his Captains concerning him, Deal gently with the young man Absalom, for my • ache. It is love of lust, that makes us so desirous it should be spared, and so passionate when it is pierced by a reproof. A man may gather that sin to be his Delilah, which he will suffer none to hurt. Eglebert King of West Saxons, slew Earl Cambra for telling him of his faults, but it was because his sin was dearer to him then his soul. When a persons sin is to him as the apple of his eye, no wonder if he be offended at any that shall touch it. Solomon calls reproofs ear-rings ; I am sure they are ill bestowed on such uncircumcised ears, Prov. 25. 12.

But Grace will teach a Christian contentedly to take those potions that are wholesome, though they be not toothsom. It is holy David's expression, Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent Oil; it shall not break my head, Psa. 141. 5. Faithful reproof is a token of love, and therefore may well be esteemed a kindness. Such wounding of a friend is healing, and so David might well call it an excellent Oil. And he did not only say so, (which is easy and ordinary) but acted accordingly; He did not as the Papists, who highly commend holy water, but turn away their faces, when it comes to be sprinkled on them. When he had by sin, and continuance in it, so gangrend his flesh, and corrupted himself, that he was in danger of death, he suffered his sores to be thoroughly searched without regret. Nathan was the Surgeon whom God employed to search that wound which had divers months been festering in his soul; and truly he did not dally with his patient, though he were a Prince, but thrust his instrument to the bottom; yet whatever pain it put him to, he took it patiently, and was so far from being angry with the Prophet, that he made him one of his Privy Council. It is a sign of a polluted nature, for a man like a Serpent, if he be but touched, to gather poison, and vomit it up at the party. Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee; Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee.

Pride scorns a corrector, and thinks it a disgrace to amend upon another's desire; hence it hates him that endeavors it: Amos for reproving the golden calves was accused by Amaziah, the chief Priests of the Idols of Bethel, and struck by Uriah the son of that Amaziah with a spear on the head, whereof he died, saith Buntingus Itenerar. Sacr. But reprove a wise man and he will love thee.

Austin notes it as a sign of grace in his friend Alipius, that he received his reproof so well. Paul rebuked Peter sharply, and that before a considerable Company of Peters friends, yet he loved not Paul the less for it; for in his Epistle which was written some time after that contest, and after the Epistle to the Galatians which records it, he makes honorable mention of Paul's writings, and of that very Epistle among the rest (2 Pet. 3. 15, 16.) and calleth him his beloved brother. As they who love their sins, hate the reprover ; so they that hate their sins, love him. When Isaiah had declared from God a dreadful threatening against Hezekiah for his pride, he doth not fly out into a passion against the Prophet, but submits with Good is the word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken. It is said of Gerson the great Chancellor of France, that he rejoiced in nothing more then a friendly reprehension. And it is storied of our Richard the first, that he would be admonished by a poor Hermit. Alphonsus King of Aragon, being asked what company he liked best; answered, Books, for they, saith he, without fear and flattery, will tell me my faults faithfully. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A loving reproof is a wound in love, the wound of a friend ; and therefore we must bestow our anger upon our faults ; that deserve the reproof, not upon our friends that give the reproof. How foolish is he that breaks his own head, & then rageth at his friend for endeavoring to cure it. Ahab quarrels with Elijah, as the Incendiary of Israel, for reproving their Idolatries; when alas like AEtna, that flame arose out of their own bowels, which threatened to reduce them to ashes. Some of the Heathen were so sensible of their proness to err, and to be partial in their own cases, when they had erred, that they both kindly accepted reproofs, and earnestly desired a Reprover. It is reported of Alexander, that having had a Philosopher a long time with him, he should say to him, Recede a me; prorsus consortium tuum nolo, quod cum tanto tempore, mecum degeris nunquam me de vitio aliquo increpasti; Be gone from me, I will have none of thy company, for thou hast lived long with me, and couldst not but observe some failings in me, yet thou hast not reproved me of any. And Augustus Caesar for this cause did much lament the death of Varro, because thereby he was deprived of one that would deal faithfully with him when he offended.

Yet as they say, some roses are too tender to endure the strength of the smell of Wormwood ; so some Christians that its hoped are sound, cannot without wry mouths, and angry faces, drink down this bitter liquor. Asa was a good man, yet time was when he imprisoned a Prophet for bringing him an admonition from God. One would have thought that the King would have bid the servant welcome for his Masters sake ; but truly a prison was all the reward he had for his pains. It was the speech of a wise and experienced Christian, That he never was acquainted thoroughly with any one, but first he displeased him by admonishing him of his faults: But as light stuff and rubbish kindleth sooner then solid and more substantial wood; so they are the weaker and less wise Christians that are so soon fired into a pet and passion, if but told of their errors. It is childishness to be unwilling to take bitter medicines. A prudent person will rather permit cupping-glasses and corrosives to be applied to his body, then suffer his distemper to reign and kill him. The sharpest fruit is most profitable and wholesome. The Lemon is more tart, yet is more excellent then the Orange, which delighteth the taste.

Reader, is it not better to be awakened by a rousing reproof, then to sleep the sleep of death ? and wilt thou be angry with thy friend for doing thee that courtesy? Is it not better for thy familiar companion to tell thee meekly of thy miscarriages, and call thee to repentance, then for God to reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thine eyes? When God uttered his voice, the Heavens thundered, the mountains smoaked, and Moses himself trembled. The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; the voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, yea, the Cedars of Lebanon; the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness, yea it shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh; How wilt thou then endure the thundering of such a Cannon, a reproof for thy sins from the Almighty God, at whose rebuke the earth quakes, the rocks are rent in pieces, and the foundations of the world are moved! The Israelites said unto Moses, Speak thou to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak, lest we die, Exod. 20. 19. Truly so mayst thou say to thy companion, Speak thou to me of my offenses, deal plainly with me about anything that thou seest amiss in me, and I will hear thee; but let not God speak to me lest I die, lest his voice strike me down, strike me dead. There is an absolute necessity of thy sense of, and sorrow for thy sins. This ordinarily must be wrought in thee, either by admonition from man, or by some severe rebuke from God. Consider seriously therefore, whether it be not easier to take a faithful check from thy fellow creature, then to be called to repentance by some dreadful judgment from the jealous God. O tis a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; for our God is a consuming fire.

One thing more Reader is considerable; It is not enough to take a reproof with patience, but also to be awakened by reproof to repentance. Its a dreadful aggravation of sin to continue in it after thou art convinced of it. Such impudence is followed with fearful vengeance. He that being often reproved heardeneth his heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy, Pro. 29. 1.

Fourthly, Christians if they would exercise themselves to Godliness in good company, must rejoice in each others grace and good. True love will rejoice in the welfare of another, as its own; Peter beholding those eminent Graces in Paul, did not repine that a brighter star was risen which would eclipse his splendor, but glorified God in Paul, and gave him the right-hand of fellowship. Its a profane Esau that hates a Jacob for having obtained his Fathers blessing beyond himself. Envy is from the evil one. Saul who was without God, eyed and hated David for slaying more of God's enemies, and obtaining thereby greater renown then himself could. Yet alas, the spirit which dwelleth in the best, lusteth to envy: Corrupt nature will show itself if it be possible at this window. There are some Countries, as Candie, that have (Naturalists tell us) no poison ; but there is not any Christian without a spice of this sin. Joshua is ready to envy them that seemed by their light to darken his Master.

Cantharides a venomous worm, usually breedeth in Wheat when it is ripe ; the highest Christians, as the greatest Favorites at Court, are usually the greatest objects of envy. But O tis a sign of a weak eye not to behold the sunshine of others holiness without pain. The holy Apostle is enlarged in thanksgiving to God for the faith, and love, and patience of the Thessalonians, and their grace was • strong cordial to revive him in his sorrows and distress. We give thanks to God for you all; Remembering without ceasing, your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. We were comforted over you, in all our afflictions and distress by your faith. Nay, he was so far from grieving at others graces, that he professeth the joy of his life did very much depend upon their perseverance in piety; For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord ; As if he had said, Our life will be but a death in regard of sorrow and grief, it will be so doleful a being, that it will not deserve the name of a life, if ye should once be loose and wandering from the Lord, 1 Thes. 1. 2, 3, 4. 2 Thes. 3. 6, 7, 8. 1 Colos. 12. Grace cannot but desire and delight in its like. He that truly loves his God, will rejoice in his brothers graces, because they tend to his Fathers glory ; and he that truly loves his brother, will be glad at his grace, because it tends so exceedingly to his brothers good. Pedaretus when he could not be admitted to be one of the three hundred, among the Spartans, went home, rejoicing that his Country had three hundred better men then himself. Surely then, Christians when they behold others sparkling with grace, and shining as lights in the World, should rejoice that the blessed God hath some that can do him more service, and bring him more glory then themselves.

Good Wish about a Christians Carriage in Good Company, wherein the former heads are applied.

THe Father of mercies, and only wise God, who hath appointed • he way in which I should walk, during the time of my Pilgrimage, and understandeth the multitudes of rubs and hindrances that I shall encounter with, the power and policy of those enemies which will beset me therein, as also how weak I am, and unable to hold out; how weary I shall soon be, and ready to give over if I should travail alone, having out of his boundless grace and goodness, called me to the communion of Saints, that I might be directed by their counsel, and encouraged by their company, notwithstanding all opposition, to run the ways of his commandments: I Wish that I may esteem his precept herein as my glorious privilege, improve their society to the greatest advantage, both for my own welfare, and my God's honor and delight, to converse with those brethren here, with whom I hope to dwell in my Fathers house forever ; What an inestimable dignity doth my God invest me with, in imposing on me so sweet a duty! How wretchedly ungrateful should I be, if his paths should not be the more pleasant to me for such companions! The worth and riches of this society, may well invite me to trade with them, and give me hopes of profiting by them. All the companions on earth, of the highest Callings, are but a rabbel of Cennel-rakers, to this noble society. The Prince of this Senate is the Heir of all things, the blessed and glorious Potentate ; such a Sovereign, whose dominion is universal, from Sea to Sea, whose Kingdom is eternal, throughout all Generations, and even the highest have gloried in being his Subjects. The Charter and Privileges of this Society, are the inestimable Covenant of Grace, exceeding great and precious Promises, wherein pardon of sin, peace of conscience, new natures, adoption, justification, the love of the blessed God and eternal life are granted to them, and entailed on them forever. The Servants of this Corporation, are all the creatures, in their several places, striving which shall do them the greatest kindness; They are in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field, (though never so ravenous by nature) are at peace with them ; The glorious Angels pitch their Tents about them, and count it their honor to wait upon them, both living and dying. The Livery in which this company is attired, is the Royal Robes of Christ's righteousness, which renders them without spot or wrinkle, and far more beautiful and amiable then Adam in his estate of unspotted innocence. Their Garments smell of Myr • he, Aloes, and Cassin, and for their richness infinitely surpa •• that clothing which is of wrought gold. Their food is hidden Manna, such meat as endureth to eternal life, the bread that came down from Heaven, the flesh of the Son of God, which is meat indeed, and the blood of the Son of God, which is drink indeed. Their inheritance is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, a Crown of life, Rivers of pleasures, an eternal weight of glory. Some Societies have boasted, that Kings and Lord's have been Free of their Company; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's, is both Freee and Head of this Society; they are his Hephzibah, his delight ; his Segullah, his peculiar treasure. Ah! who would not have communion with them whose communion is with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son ! Lord, let my ambition be to be enrolled a Citizen of Zion, and to walk amongst them, worthy of that vocation wherewith thou hast called me, since the communion of thy Saints here, is some weak resemblance of Heaven, where all thy chosen shall glorify and worship thee without fault and faintness; teach me to hallow thy name, by doing thy will on earth, as it is in heaven.

I Wish that the gain which I am sure to reap by joining with Christians in their common stock, may make me more diligent at this spiritual trade. The greatest privileges are granted to Corporations, not to particular persons ; The greatest victories are obtainted by Regiments and Brigades, not by Soldiers engaged singly against their enemies. That Ointment which yielded so grateful a savor as to delight God himself, was compounded of several spices, Exod. 30. 23, 24, 25. My God hath ordained the communion of the faithful, for the building up one another in their most holy faith ; and if I expect his blessing, it must be in his own way. The body thrives best when all the members concur to perform their distinct and proper offices, for the good of the whole. Men make the most ravishing music, when many join in consort. The two Disciples travelling together, found the blessed