Dirtll· S. Direll-9· Dircll. ro. Direa. r1. Direl/. Jl• Direll. 13· The meam of Sa11i1!i( Souls. §. 8. DireCt. 8. Ketp them alfo os mHch as is pof!ible in good company, a1rd out of bad {educinr compony: Efpecial!y thofe that are to be tluir fami/itJrs. The worlds cxp,erience telleth us wha~ power Company hath, ro make men better or worfe. And what a great advantage iris, · ro wozk any thing on mens minds,to have intercft in them, and intimacy with them ; Efpecially with dtofe that arc yet to recicve their deepefl impreffions. 9· 9· Direct. 9• Ktep tlum from the mojl d•ngerou~ baitr, opportunities pnd temptations to jCN[uali1)'• Withdraw the Tinder and Gunp~wdcr fro~ the ~re. There is. no curing a drunka•d ordinarily m an Ale-houfc or Tavern, or a Forn1cator while he u near the ob)td:s of his lull, nor a Gluaon at a full enticing table; Set them at a farther diflance from the danger, if you would have the:m fafe. Nemo ditt tutu.r ptriculo proximu.r. Scnec. • ~· 10. Direct. JO. 'l'ake tbe. advantage o[ tbtjr pe.rfuJt&l afflinion.r, or any other ~totable warnings that are near them. Ket! them oft m the bou[e of mournmg, where death may bt aJ tn their fight; And k,sep them out of tbe IJortfe of fqo/ijiJ mirth. The time of ficknefs is an awakening time, and power– fully opmeth the car to counfel. The fight of the dead or dying perfons, the hearing of fick mens willies and complaints, the fight of Graves an4 dead mens bones ( if n(l[ too oft eo make it cufio~ mary) doth often force the mofi fooli!h and obtlinate, to fome man-like profitable thoughts. When th~ noife o~ foolith mirth and fp,orts, .at rabble mceti~gs,and Stape-pl.ayes, a~d May-games, and ry– oungs, or tmmoderate, rude or ternptmg Playes, do k1ll all fober favmg mouons, and undifpofc rhe mind to all thats good. Though feafonablc and ufeful delights are lawful, yet fuch as are unfeafo· n,ablc, immoderate, cn[naring , fcandalous , or unprofitable , arc pernicious and poyfon to the foul. 9· 11. Dire6t. 1 I• Engage them in t!Jt reading of the holy Scriptum, and ofJuch Boel;_r of prallical Divi~ity, a.r d9 at once moft plainly acquaint tbem witb the Principle.r of Religion , and piercingly {tt them home upon the CQnfcience : that j«dgemmt and ajfe{jjon , head and heart may be edified at 0 ; 1 ce. Such fuitablc Books may be 'datly their cOmpanions ; and it is a great advantage to them thac they may have a powerful Sermon when they pleafe, and read over the fame things as ~ft as the frailty of their memories do require. Such private innocent companions have faved many a foul. p. 12· Direct. 12. EnJ!,age them in a conftant courfe 9f prt:yer ( whether it be with a Book or form, or without, according to the parts and condition ofl1he petfon ). For the often approaching to God in fo holy a work, will affright or fha.me a man from fin, and fiir him up to ferious thoughts of his falvation, and engage him to a godly life. 9· 13. Dirc6t. r3• If you would have aU thefe meant effellual to ment converfion and falvationjhew them all bearty love and kjndnefi, and do them all the good you can. Men arc: naturally mote eafily fenGble of the good of their bodies than of their fouls: And a kindnels to the body is thankfully re– ceived, and may prepare them to receive a greater benefit. JYhat you are unable to do for them your felvu, folicite tbofe tbat are able to de : Or if you cannot do th11t neither, at leaft Jfoew your pity and good wiQ : Love is the mofi powerful Preacher in the world. 9·14· Djretf.t4· Be Jure that you have no faUings-out or quarrels with any thatyou would doggod upon! And tothat end, ufoaUy it U the beft way, to have a.r little to tkJ with them in buying and feUing, ot' aHyworldlymatter.r, where Mine andThine may comtintocompetitWn, as poffibty as you can: Or ifyou cannot avoid it, you muft be COHttnt to part 'll'ith fomewhat of your right , and fuffer {ome wrongs for fear ofhurt to your neighbour.r foul. Even godly perfons, yea, Parents and Children, Brethren.and Sifiers ufually fall out about Mine and 1hint! And when felf-intcrdl hath bred the quarrel, they ufually think ill of the per{on who is fuppofed to injure them: And then thty are mad~ unc:apablc ofreceiving any fpiritual good by him : And if he feem Religious, they arc oft alienated from Religion for his fake. .(l.nd all unconverted perfons are felfijh, and ufually look that you (bould fulfill their defires, and fuit your felvts to their interefi, wichout refpect to right or wrong, or to your own fufferings! Yet fuch as thefc mufl be pitied and helpt: And therefore it is ufually bctl, to avoid all chaffering or worldly dealings with them, ldl you Iofe them. And when that cannot be, you mull judge a little departing from your own right, to be a very cheap price to procure the good ofa neigh– bours foul. ~- 1 5· Direct. 15• See that in matters of I<.rligion you neither mn too far from {ucb m~n in things lawf 11 J, nor yet do any thingfinful in cemplyance with them. By concurring with them in any fin, you wi11 harden them, and hindeuheir converfion ; And fa you will by fingular or violent oppofirion in things indifferent. Thofe perfons are quite mifiaken, who think that Godly men mufi go as far from the ungodly as cvc:r they can, in lawful thines: and fJ.y, The ungodly do thJH, and tlurefore we muft do otherwi[e! Paul was ofanother mind and practice, when he circumcifcd Timothy, and be– came aU things to aD men to fave {ome. To place Religion in thi~~s ind.ifferent,a~d to cry out againfi lawful th;ng.r as finful, or tO fly from others by nc:edlefs .fingula.nttcs , ts a great caufc of the hard– ning and perdition of multitudes, turning their hearts againH Religion, and making (hem think that it is bot unnecdfary fcruplc, and that Religious perfons are but fclf-conceited brainfick people, that make to themfelvcs a duty of their fuperllition, and conderim 311 that be: not as humorous as they. Lay not fuch t\umbling blocks before any whofe fouls you defire to fave. CHAP.
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