* gets the start of religion in the morning, it can hardly overtake it ' all the day ; and so the heart is habituated to vanity all the day ' long : but when we begin with God, we take him along with us ' to all the businesses and comforts of the day ; which being sea^ ' soned with his love and fear, are the more sweet and savoury to « us.'
2. Be choice in your company. Christ indeed conversed fre- quently with publicans and sinners, but it was still in order to their good, and there was no danger of receiving any evil from them, there was nothing in him to fasten a temptation upon, but we can seldom get off without a taint.
3. Quicken up your zeal for God ; this will be a spur to the dis- charge of your duty in all places, times, and companies. ' Love ' (saith Mr. Gurnal) ever goes armed with zeal, that is her dagger ' she draws against all opposers of truth.' Qui non zelat non amat.
* 2*lr. T. Case in epistle to the morning exercise.
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Many times we liear the name of God profaned, and dare not take as much hberty and boldness to reprove sin, as they do to commit it : whence is this but from the want of zeal ? O it would make thee, as it did Jonathan, to cast a kingdom at thy heels, to appear against sin : And methinks thy interest in God should provoke thy zeal. We must not neglect the duty of a friend, for fear of in- curring the suspicion of an enemy : It is better to lose the smiles than the souls of men : If thou discharge thy duty, the sin is his ; if not, it is thine too.
4. Furnish your hearts with such principles, as are antidotes and preservatives against infections. As physicians advise in times of infection, to carry some preservatives still about you. Of this sort I shall commend four or live, and shut up this head.
1. Nothing must lie nearer thy heart, if thou be a Christian, than the glory of thy God ; all ends, interests, and designs, must be subjected to that ; and whatsoever cannot be subordinated, must be rejected. If this principle were but settled upon the heart, what brave spirits would it breed and raise in thy breast I It would untie thy tongue, like CrcEsus"* dumb son, to plead for thy father. It ^vas a brave speech of Hierom, in an evil day, when the rage of the enemy was great against the name and people of God; ' O that ' they would turn their weapons upon me, and be satisfied with ' my blood." And a sweet one is that of Bernard to the same purpose, Malo in nos murmur homimim^ qiiam in Deum ; Rather let their reproach fall on us, than on God. Bonum est miJd si d'lgnetur Deus, me id'i pro clypeo ; I should account it a mercy^ if God would vouchsafe to use me as a shield. Much like that of David, " The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen " on me." If God's glory be thy principal end, thus it will sub- ject all other ends and interest to it, and then it will open thy mouth to plead for him, and appear in all the concernments of his name.
2. The peace of thine own conscience, is to be preferred to the favour of any man, and will abundantly recompense the frowns of men. " This is our rejoicing, even the testimony of our con- science." This is the sweetest friend, sacrifice it not to any man's lust or will.
3. The greatest expression of love to another, is to hate his sin, Prov. xxvii. 6. " Faithful are the wounds of a friend ;" and the greatest injury to another, is to connive at his wickedness, Lev. xix. 17.
4. No man shall be a loser at last, by being faithful to God, and to his duty ; if you have no reward from men, yet be sure you shall from God : And yet God so orders it oftentimes, that men shall love you better for your faithfulness ; Prov* xxviii. 23,
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*f He that rebukes ca man, aft el-wards shall find more favour than " he that flatters with his hps."
5. A Christian should do that, and nothing but that now, which he judges will be comfortable to him in a calm review at death and judgment : This would make you accurate Christians indeed. O treasure up these principles, and live in the daily exercise of them,
Prepare for fiery trials, whilst the Lord gives you such a graci- ous season of peace and liberty.
Eccl. viii. 5. " A wise man's heart discerneth both time and *' judgment." And indeed it is a special point of wisdom, to ap- prehend and improve seasons aright. Christian, thou must use thy foreseeing faculties, to discover danger at a * distance, and so prevent surprizals ; " A prudent man foreseeth the evil,'' Prov. xxii. S. Yea, sense itself teacheth the brute beasts to get to the hedge, when a storm is coming ; and canst thou not foresee a storm in the clouds, do they not gather blacker and blacker over thy head ? O prepare for it ; get thy suffering graces, thy winter garments on. " Put them in mind (saith the apostle) to be ready " to every good work," Tit. iii. 1. be it active or passive obedi- ence, you must be ready for it. Blessed Paul had fitted and pro- vided himself. Acts xxi. 13. " I am [ready] not only to be bound, " but to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus :" He had, as I may say, laid his neck on the block before hand, 2 Tim* iv. 6. " I ani ready (saith he) to be offered up." Thus Christ wa3 ready for his sufferings, " Lo, I come, (saith he) upon the Fa- " ther's call," Psal. xl. 7. And as this is an argument of an heart truly gracious, so it is a singular advantage to the Christian when troubles come ; it is as the shoe, Eph. vi. 15. " And your feet shod " with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Ah ! when you come off* these plains of peace and liberty, into the hard, rugged paths of suffering, you will find what a benefit it will be to you^ to be well shod with this preparation of the gospel of peace. Ha- bakkuk had it, chap. iii. 16. "I trembled in myself, that I might " rest in the day of trouble : And when difficulties and straits came, he could go av/ay singing under them, ver. 17. " Though " the fig-tree," &c. yea, he could walk securely through the thickets of trouble, and over the craggy rocks and precipices of danger^ as is intimated, ver. 19. " The Lord God is my strength, " and he will make my feet like hinds feet,'"'' i. e. to pass with ease, per monteSi per rupta, in such ways of difficulty as v/ould dis-
♦ It is difficult to find shelter in adversity, which was not sought after in times of peace and prosperity. Aug,
548 AXTIPHAR.MACTM SALUiiEIlllIMUM.
tract others : " And he will set me upon my high places ;'' i. o, he * M ill enable me to go without fear over mountains of trouble. O Christian, how soon a storm may rise thou knowest not, Gen. xxii. 2. Acts xii. 1. to be sure it will not be long, the heavens are black, and some drops already fallen : Prepare therefore for it, and have your suffering graces ready.