!>ire~ions for Confermce. Much lcfs th~good difcomfe of a jincere Cbrijlian, that is dull and cold in that difcourfe. And if a duty had ~ome hypocrifie in it? it is not ~h~ duty but the: hypocrifie that God di~iketh, and you rnuft fort'ake: As 1f then: be coldmji m a duty, 1t JS the coldne{s, and nor the dHty that IS to be blamed and forborn. And rPhoUy to omit the duty, is worfe than to do .it with fomc: coldne[s or hypiJCTifit, w~ich is not the predominant complexion of the duty. ~· 4 . Objtcf. Bt<t if it be not the fruit of tiJ< Spirit, it it not acctptable to God' And tlw ,.,J,ich Objefr. I forct my tongue to i< >tone of the fruits of tbt Spirit : 1herrfure I mujl flay tiU tbt Spirit mov~nj:: I· There are many duties done by Reafon and the commonaffithilcesofGod, that are better Anfw. rhan the total omiffion of them is. Elfeno unfaneliticd man (hould hear the Word, or pray, or re. tieve the poor, or obey his Prince or GovernOlnS, or do any dt.ity towards children or neighbours, becau{f whatfclVCt is not the fruit of the fpccial grace of the Spirit is fin; and without fiirh ic is impollible to pltafe G<ld; and all men havt not faith, Heb. 11· 6. 2 'JheJJ. 3· z, 2· It is a ditlracted conetit of the Q.!akers and orher Fanaticks, to think that Reaf.m and the Spirit of God are not conjund: principli:s in tbc fame ad:· D~th the Spirit work on a man as on a beafi or afione? an~ caufe you to fpeak as aClock that ftr1keth 1t knoweth not what; or play on mans fou.l, as on an 1nfiru~ rnent ofMufick,- that hath neither knowledge of the melody, nor any pleafun: in it? No • rbe Spirit of God (uppofeth NatHrt, and workcth on man as man ; by exciting your own Vnderftanding and IYiU to do their parts. So that when, againfl all the remnant of dulnefs and backwardnefs tha't is in you, you can force your fetvu to do your duty, it is bccaufe tk.e Spirit of God affifieth you to take that refolution, and ufe that force : t'or tlius the Spirit fuivcth again!\ the fldh, Gal. 5• 17· F..om.7. 16,17, 1"S,&c. Though it is confdfed,_,that there is more of the fipirit "where: there is no backwardnds 1 or rdifiancc, or nwl Of forcing. ~· 5• Dittt1:. 3· 5y aU mtam lab,ur to be furnijhed with underjlanding in the m•tters ofG•'d : For, Dirtu. ; ; 1 , An underfianding perfon h1th a Mine of holy matter in himfclf-, and never is quite void of mat.ter tor good difcourle: He is the good Scribt, that is iAjlru{/ed to the Kingdom ofGod, that bringot~ out of his trea[ury things""" and old, Matth. 13· 52· 2. And an underllanding perfon will fpcok difcreetly, and {o will much furthe:r the [ucce(s of his difcoulfe, anQ not make it ridiculous, contemptuous ot un.. effectual through his indifcrction. But yet if you are ig1tora~t and W.Jnting in underihnding, do not therdore be filent : for though your abili•y is leaf!, your#tceflity is greatejl. Let HtctJlity therefore conllrain ycu toask in!lruchon, as it confiraineth the needy to beg for what they want. But fpare no pains to increafe your know1cdgt. - · ~· 6. Dired:. 4· Ifyour o""' tmdtrjlandingsandhearts do not furnifh you with matter, have rtcourfe to DireiJ. f' tbofe manif,/d helps that Godvouchfoftth you. As I· You may difcourfe of the lajl Sermm that you heard, or fome.onc lately preached that nearly touched you • •· Or offomething in the lajl Bou"- you read. 3· Or 1>f fame Text ofS,ripture obvious to your thoughts. 4· Or of fame notable (yea, ot ordinary ) providence which-did lately occurr. 5· Or of fome examples of good or evil that are frelh betore you: 6. o. of the right doing of the duty tbat you are about; or any fuch like help•. 0 0 9· 7• Direfr,;5• Tall<_ not of vain unprofitable controver{ies, nar often of[mtJU circumftantial malltrs DtrelJ. 5• that malte but little to tdificlltion: For rhere may be idle talking about matte:rs of Rtligion as well as abom other fmalkr thing•. Efpecially fee that the quarrells of the times, engage not your tho.ughts and {):leeches roo far, inco a courfe of unprofirablcncfs or contention. 9· 8. DireCt 6. Furni{h your {clveJ before hand r:ttitb matter for the mtJjl edifyi"llg di{cour[t ; anel1uvcr Dirrli. 7• go abroad empty. And lc:t the matter be ufually, 1. Thi"!_g,l of tre~giJt, and nodin.tll matters: 2·1hing-s of crr:ainty and not uncertain things. Particularly the htren fubJed:s for your ordinary difcourfe are thefe: I· God himfelf, with his Attributes, Re1ations and Works. 2. The great myfierie of rnal)s Redemption by Chrifi : His perlon, office, fuffc:rings, doctrine, example and work: His rc:furrection 1 afce11fion, glory, intercctfion, and all the privilcdges of his Saints. 3· The Covenant of Grace, the promifes, the duties, the conditions and the threa.mings. 4· The workings of the Spirit of Chrifi up· on the foul, and every grace of the Spirit in us; with all the figns, and helps, and hinderances of it. 5· The wayes and wiles of Satan and all our fpiritua1 enemies; the particlllar temptations which we are in danger of; what they are, and how to avoid them, and what are the mofi powerful helps 01gainll them. 6. The corruption and dec_eitfulneCs flf the heart : The nature and workings, effr.:Ch" and figns of ignorance,unbelief, hypocribe, pride, fcnfuality, worldlincfs, impiety, injufiice, intern~ perance, unchancablcnefs, and every other fin: with all the helps againfi them all. 7..The many duties to God and man which we have to perform : both internal and external, and huw to do them,. and what are the chicfcfi hindrances "J.nd·hclps. (As in reading, hearing, meditating, pnyer, giving alms, 6... c. ) And the duties of our Relations, and feveral places, with the contrary fins. 8. The Vanity of the world, and dcceitfulnefs of all earthly things. 9· The powerful Rta{ont ufed by Chrifi to draw us to hulinef~, aud the unreafonable madncfs of all that is brought againfi it, by the D~vil or by wicked men. 9· Of the li.Jtfc:rings which we mufi expect and be prepared for : ro. Or ileath and the prcparatio~s tlnt will then be fou?d ncccffar.y ; .~nd how to make ready for {_u grea.t a change: llo or the day of judgement, and who Will bethen JUihtied, ~nd who condemned. 12· Ofthe joyesof Heaven, the employment, the company, the nature and duration. 13. Of the mi[erie1 of the damned and the thoughts that theft they will have of their former lite on <arth. 14· Ofthe flare of the Church· on catth, and what we ought to do in our places for its welfare. Is there not matrcr enough jn all thefe great and weighty points, fur your hourly meditation and <onferencc?
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