100 Dircll. 1. Dire[i. 2• Direl1. 3· Dirc11. 4· Dirrl1. 5• DirrC/.6. Dirtl1· 7· 1>ire8ions for Holy [onfmnce. Tit. 1 . 1>ireElions for [hriftian Conference and Edij}ing JPeecb. §. 1· Direct. I· THE O)Ofi nece!fary direction, for a (Tuitful tongue, is to gtt a wrUfur•ifhed mind a)td a holy /rt.;rt, and to wal~ witb God in /;olintfs your [tlvu : For out of the abundance of rhe he:art the mouthwill fpeak: That which you are fulldl of, is readiefi to come forth: I· Spare for no fiudy or labour to get undcrflanding in the things of God: le is a wea– rintfs to hear men talk foolift1ly of any thing: but no where fa much as about Divine and Hea– venly things. A wife Chrifli;m injlru{led to the Kingdom of God, hath a treizfury in his mind, our of \~hi_ch he can bring f orth th!ngJ mw _and _old : ~ar. 13. 52· Prov. 14• j. Go from the preflnce of & j volijh mau, ~IJen thou pcrccwtji not m .hzrn the lzps of ~nowledge. 2· Get aU. th.d holincjt, in your fr!ves to wlnch yon would pcrfwade another. There IS a firangc commumcating power in 1he courfe of nJiurc, for t.very thing to produce its likC'. Learning and good utterance is very helpful: But it is bo/i,;rfs that is aptefl to beget holinefs in others. Words which proceed from the Love of God, and a truly Heavenly mind do mof\ powerfully tend to breed in others, that Love of God and Heavenly~mindednefs. 3• Live in the praCtice of that which you wouJd draw your Neighbour to practice. A man th1t cometh warm from holy meditation, or fervent puyer, dorh bring upon his hea.rt, a fulnefs of matter, and an earnefi defirc-, and a ficncfs to communi~;atc that good to others which he himfdf hath felt. , ' §. •· Direct. 2 . EfpeciaUy fee that yo11 foundly Believe your _{elver n>lw you are to [peak.. to othm. l;le that hath ficrct int1dcliry at his heart, and is himfelf unfatisficd whether there be a Heaven and Hell, and whether fin be fo bad, and holinefs fo neceffAry as theScripture fpcaks, will fpeak but hc:~nhfly of them ro another. But if we believe thefe things as if we fow them ~lrh our eyes, how hear– tily (hall we difcourfe of them! 9· 3• Direct. 3· K"P a compaffionate fenfe of tbe mifery, of ignorant ungodly impenitent foulr. Think wh:H a miferable bondage of darknefs and ft:nfualiry they are in : and thar it is light that mufi recover rhem; Think ofr how quickly they mufl dye, and what an appearance they muft make before the Lord ; and how miferable they muft be for ever, if now they be not convinced and fan– ctifitd? And furc this will Oir up your bowds ro pity them, and make you fpeak. 9· 4· DireCI:. 4· ·Sul•d:u foolifh fhame or bafhfulnefi, andget a holy forlitudc of mind. Remember what a fin ir ·is to be a ltlled of fuch a matler, and fuch a caufe and work, which all woald be glad to own at latl ? Ami that when the wicked are not a01amed of the fervicc of the: Devil, and the bafeR: wotks. And remember that threatning, MJtk. 8. 38. Whofoevtr Jl>aU be aj/Jatmd of me aud of my words, in thit adzdurtJI~ and fin[Hl gemration, of him alfojhaU the Son of itzan be ajhamed, when be 'COrnerb in the6/or) of t.H' Father rvitb the holy A'itge/1. §. S· Di1cct. 5· Be ulwayu furnijhed with thofe particula( truths wbicb may bt mofl ufeful ill tbif {trvicc. Study to do yrrur wurlt (in your degree ) as Mmillers lfudy to do theirs ; \Vho are not contented with the habaual furniture of thc:ir minds, bar they alfo m~kcparticul.u prcpanions, for their particular work. If you arc to go into the field to your tabour, you will take thofe rooJs with you by whrch it mufi be docc :. fo do when you go abroad among any that you may do good w, and be: nnt unfurnifhed for cdifymg difcourfe. . 9· 6. Direct. 6. Spta~ mejt of thegrcatrjl things, (the folly of fin, the vanity of the World, the certainty and, nccrnels of death and judgement, the overwhelming weight of Eternity, the neceffiry ot. Holine£5, the work of Redtmption, &c.) ; and cbooft not the fmaUer matters of Religio~J to fpend your time upon, ( unkfs upon fome fpecial rtafon.) Among good me1. that will not lofi: their rjmeon vanity, 1he IJevil too oft prcvailcth, to make them loft: it by fi1ch rd igious conference, as is little to edification, that r,reatcr matters may be rhereby thrufi out: fuch as P;;ul calle'th v1it: janglings, ai1d fluting abeut qutftions wbich mgender {lrife, and not Godly edifying : A· about their feveral opinions, or parties, or comparing one Preacher or perfon with another, or iUch things as tend but little to make the hearers more wife or holy or Heavenly. 9· 7· Direct. 7· Suit aUyour difcourfetothe qu•lityof your A•ditorr: That which is hefi in it felf, may nor be befi for every hearer. You mull vary both your fubjed- and manner of difcourfe, 1. Ac– cording to the variety of mens knowledge: The wife and the foo\ilh mufi no! bef~oken to alike. 2 . Ac– cordingw the variety of their mora.! qualities: One may be very pious, and another weak in grace, and another only teachable and tradable, and another wicked and impenirenr, and 3.oothcr obtiinarc and fcornful: Thefe mufi not be talkt to with the fame manner of difcour(e. 3· According to the variety of particul3.r fins which they are inclined to: which in fome is pride, in fame {enfuality~ luft or idlenefs, in fome covetoufnefs, and in fome an errone'bus zeal again(\: the Church and caufe of Chrifl! Every wife Phyficion will vary his remedies, not only according to the kJnd of the difcafe, but according ro its various acci,dents, and the complexion alfo of the patient. 9· 8. DireCT. 8. Be fore to do mofl where you have mojl autbority and Qb/igatio;: : He that will negkct 3.nd flight his F""mily, Rdations, Children and Servants who are under him and aJwayes wirh him, and yet be ztalous for the Convcrfion ·of £bangers, doth difcovcr rnuc~ hypocrifie, and fl1tweth that it is fomething clfe than the love of fouls or fcnfe of duty, wh1ch cmyerh him on.
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