Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

86 The L 1 F E of the Part ILL left we afcribe Melancholy Phantafms and Paffions to God's Spirit: for they are ftrange apprehenfions that Melancholy can taufe (though Bag(ham revile me for fuch. au intimation, as if it were injurious to the Holy Ghoft.) z. I would warn all yóongPerfons to live modeftly, and keep at a fufficient diftance from Obje&s that tempt them to carnal Luft, and to takeheed of wantonDalliance, and the begin- nings or Approaches of this Sin, and that they govern their Thoughts and Senfes carefully. For I can tell them by thefad Experience of many, that venerous Crimes leave deep wounds in the Confcience ; and that thofe that were never guilty ofFor- nication, are oft caft into long and lamentable Troubles, by lettingSatan once into their Phantafms, from whence 'till Objeasare utterly diftant, he is hardly got out; etpecially when they areguilty of voluntary a&ive Self-pollution. But above all I warn ycung Students, and Apprentices, to avoid the beginnings ofthere Sins; for their Tóuthfninefs and Blend's areOft the incentives of it, wvhed poor labouring Men are in lets danger ; and they little knowwhat one Spark may kindle. 3. I advife all Men to take heed of placing Religion too much in Fears, and 'fears, and Scruples ; Or in anyother kind of Sorrows but fuck as tendeth to raifc us to a high Eftimation of Chrift, and to the magnifying of Grace, and a Cweeter talle ofthe Love of God, and to the firmer Refolution againft Sin : And that Tears and Grief be not commended inordinately for themfelves, nor as meer Signs ofa Con- verted-Perron : And that we call Men more to look after Daft than after Sansas fuck ; fet Self-love on Workand fpare not ;- fo yon will call themmachmore to the Love of God, and let them know that that Love is.their belt fign, but yet to be ex- ercifed on a higher Reafon, than as afign of our own Hopes : for that Motive alone will not produce true Love to God. And as the ntinemians toomuch exclude Humiliation and fignsof Grace, fo too many of late have made their Religion to confift toomuch in the Peeking of theft out of their proper time and place, without referring them to thatObedience, Love and Joy, in which true ReligionBoth prin- cipally confift. Reader, I do but tranfcribe thefe three Counfels for thee, from a Multitude of Melancholy Perlons fad Experiences. § 185. ThisYear Salisbury-Diocefs was more fiercely drivenon to Conformity, by Dr. Seth Ward, their Bithop, than any place elfe, or than all the Bithops inEng land betidesdid in theirs. ManyHundreds were Profecuted by him with great In- duftry. And among others, that learned, humble, holy Gentleman, Mr. Thorns Grove, an Ancient Parliament-Man, of as great Sincerity and Integrity, as almoft any Man I ever knew : He Rood it out a while in a Law -Suit, but was over- thrown, and fain to forfake his Countrey, as many Hundreds more are quickly like to do § 186. And his Name remembreth me, that Ingenuity obliged- me to Record my BenefasPor. A Brother's Son of his, Mr. Rob. Grove, is one of the Bilhop of . moon'sChaplains, who is the only Man that Licenfeth my Writings for the Preis, (fuppohng them not to be againft Law, which elfe I could not exile& ;) And be- tides him alone, I could get no Licenfer to do it. And becaufe beingSilenced, Wri- ting is the fargreaten part of my remainingService to God for his Church, and with- out the Prcfs my Writingswould be invain, I acknowledge that I owe muchto this Man, and one Mr. Cook, the Arch-bilhop's Chaplainheretofore, that I livenot more in vain. § i 8a. Andwhile I am acknowledging my Benefators, I add, that this Year died Serjeant john Fountain, the only Perrot fromwhom I received an Annual Sum of Money; which though through God's Mercy I needed not, yet 1 could not in Civility rehire : He gave' me i o h. pqr Ann. from the time of my Silencing'till bis Death : I was a Stranger to him before the King's Return ; rave that when he was Judge (before lie was one of the Keepers of the GreatSeal) he didour Countrey great Service againft Vice. He was a Mail of a quickand found Underftanding, an upright impartial Mind and Life; of too much teftinefs inhis weaknefs, but of a Moll: believing furiousFervency towards God, and open zealous owningof truePie- tyand Hal inefs (withoutowning the'littlePartialitiesof Seas)as moll Men that ever I Caine near in Sicknefs: Whenhe lay lick, (which was almof a Year) he rent to the Judge, and Lawyers that fent to vifit him, filch Anfwers as there: [ I thank your Lord, or Matter, for his kindnefs : Prefent my Service to him, and tell him, It great is a

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=