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because of the fcandalous ways of fome, whilft, in the mean, time, you wholly flight, and over-look the holy and heavenly converfation of many others? Are all that profefs godliness loofe and carelefs in their lives? No, fome are an ornament to their profeffion, and the glory of Chrift: And why muft the innocent be condemned with the guilty? Why the eleven, for one Judas?

Query 3. If you condemn religion because of the fcandalous lives of fome that profefs it, muft you not then caft off all religion in the world, and turn down-right atheists? Surely this is the confequent of it; For what religion is there, but fome that profefs it walk contrary to their profeffion? And then, as Conftantine told the Novation, you must fet up a ladder, and go to heaven by yourself.

But, alas! it is not our printed apologies for religion, but the visible reformations of its profeffors, that muft both falve its honour, and remove those fatal ftumbling-blocks at which the blind world strikes, and falls into eternal perdition.

Now there are two ways by which this may be effected: First, By convincing the confciences of profeffors of their mifcarriages, and the evil aggravations of them. Secondly, By medicating the heart, and cleanfing the fountain whence they proceed. In the first of thefe, a worthy and eminent fervant of Chrift hath lately laboured, holding See Gospela clear gofpel-glafs before the faces of profeffors, glass. which truly reprefents their spots and blemishes: if he that reads it will confider, apply, and practise, it shall doubtlefs turn to his falvation; but, if it turn to no good account to him that reads it, I know it fhall turn to a teftimony for him. that wrote it. The fecond is a principal defign of this small treatise, the subject whereof is exceeding weighty, and of daily ufe to the people of God, though the manner of handling it be attended with many defects and weakneffes: every one cannot be excellent, who yet may be useful.

I will exercise your patience no longer than whilft I tell you, 1. Why I publish it to the view of the world.

2. Why I direct it particularly to you.

Firft, For the publication of it, take this fincere and brief account, That as I was led to this fubject by a special providence, fo to the publication of it by a kind of neceffity: the providence at firft leading me to it, was this, A dear and choice friend of my intimate acquaintance being under much inward trouble, upon the account of fome special heart-diforder,

opened the cafe to me, and earnestly requested fome rules and helps in that particular; whilft I was bending my thoughts to that special cafe, divers other cafes of like importance (fome of which were dependant upon that confideration) occurred to my thoughts, and this fcripture, which I have infifted upon, prefented itself, as a fit foundation for the whole difcourfe; which being lengthened out to what you fee, divers friends requested me to tranfcribe for their use, divers of the cafes here handled, and fome others begged me to publish the whole, to which T was in a manner neceffitated, to fave the pains oftranfcribing, which to me is a very tedious, and tiresome work: and just as I had almost finished the copy, an opportunity préfented (and that fomewhat ftrangely) to make it public. So that from first to laft, I have been carried beyond my first intentions in this thing.

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Objection. If any fay, The world is even cloyed with books, and therefore though the difcourfe be neceffary, yet the publication is needlefs.

Solution 1. I anfwer, There are multitudes of books indeed, and of them many concern not themselves about roottruths, and practical godlinefs, but spend their ftrength upon impractical notions, and frivolous controverfies; many alfo ftrike at root-truths, and endeavour to undermine the power of godlinefs; and some there are that nourish the root, and tend to clear and confirm, to prepare and apply the great truths of the gofpel, that they may be bread for fouls to live and feed on : Now, though I could wish that those who have handled the pen of the fcribe, had better employed their time and pains, than to obtrude fuch useless difcourfes upon the world; yet for books of the latter rank, I fay, that when husbandmen complain of too much corn, let Chriftians complain of too many fuch books.

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2. And if you be fo highly conceited of your own furniture and ability, that fuch books are needlefs to you ; if you them alone, they will do you no hurt, and other poor hungry fouls will be glad of them, and blefs God for what you despise

and leave.

Objection. If it be faid that feveral of the cafes here handled touch not your condition, I anfwer,

Solution. That which is not your condition may be ano ther's condition. If you be placed in an eafy, full and profperous ftate, and fo have no need of the helps here offered to fupport your hearts under pinching wants, others are forced to live by faith for every day's provifion: If you be dandled upon the knee of providence, fome of your brethren are under

its feet: If you have inward peace and tranquillity of fpirit, and fo need not the counfels here given, to ward off those de fperate conclufions that poor afflicted fouls are ready to draw upon themselves at fuch a time; yet it may be a word in fea fon to them, and they may fay as David to Abigail, Bleed be thou of the Lord, and bleed be thy advice."

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2. That may be your condition fhortly, which is not your condition at prefent; fay not, thy mountain stands strong, thou fhalt never be moved: there are changes in the right-hand of the Most High; and then those truths which are little more efteemed than hedge-fruits, will be as apples of gold in pictures of filver. In Jer. xxxiii. 10, 11. the prophet there teaches the Jews (who then dwelt in their own houses) how to defend their religion in Babylon, and what they fhould fay to the Chaldeans there, and therefore that verfe is written in Chaldee. So much for the reafons of its publication. Next, for the dedication of it to you, I was induced thereto by the consideration,

1. Of the relation I have to you above all the people in the world: I look upon my gifts as yours, my time as yours, and all the talents I am intrufted with, as yours: it is not with you as with a woman whofe husband is dead, and fo is freed from the law of her husband, the relation ftill continues, and to do all the mutual duties of it.

2. By the confideration of my neceffitated abfence from you, I would not that personal abfence should by infenfible degrees untwift (as ufually it doth) the cord of friendship; and there fore I have endeavoured (as abfent friends ufe to do) to preferve and ftrengthen it by this fmall remembrance, It was Vefpafian's answer to Apollonius, when he defired accefs for two philofophers, My doors (faid Vefpafian) are always open to philofophers, but my very breaft is open to thee.' I cannot fay with him, my doors are open for the free accefs of friends, being by a fad providence fhut against myfelf; but this I can fay, my very breaft is ftill open to you; you are as dear to me

as ever.

3. Another inducement (and indeed the main) was the perpetual usefulness and neceflity of these truths for you, which you will have continual need of: And I know few of you have fuch happy memories to retain, and I cannot be always with you to inculcate these things, but litera fcripta manet. willing to leave this with you as a legacy, as a teftimony of fincere love for, and care over you: this may counfel and diject you when I cannot: I may be rendered useless to you by

I was

a civil or natural death; but this will out-live me, and oh that it may ferve your fouls when I am filent in the duft.

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To haften now to a conclufion, I have only these three re- : quefts to you, which I earnestly befeech you not to deny me; yea, I charge you, as ever you hope to appear with comfort before the great Shepherd, do not dare to flight thefe requests.

1. Above all other ftudies in the world, ftudy your own hearts: wafte not a minute more of your precious time about frivolous and faplefs controverfies. It is reported even of Bellarmine (how truly I examine not) * Quod a ftudiis fcholafticae theologiae averteretur fere nauseabundus, quoniam fucco carebant liquidae pietatis, (i. e.) he turned with loathing from the ftudy of school-divinity, because it wanted the sweet juice of piety; I had rather it should be faid of you, as one said of ‡ Swinkfeldius, (" He wanted a regular head, but not an honeft "heart") than that you should have regular heads, and irregular hearts. My dear flock, I have according to the grace given me, laboured in the courfe of my miniftry among you, to feed you with the heart-ftrengthening bread of practical doctrine; and I do affure you, it is far better you should have the sweet and faving impreffions of gofpel-truths feelingly and powerfully conveyed to your hearts, than only to underftand them by a bare ratiocination, or dry fyllogiftical inference. Leave trifling ftudies to fuch as have time lying on their hands, and know not how to employ it : remember you are at the door of eternity, and have other work to do; thofe hours you spend upon heart-work in your closets, are the golden spots of all your time, and will have the sweetest influence up to your last hour. Never forget these fermons I preached to you upon that fubject, from 2 Kings xx. 2, 3. Heart-work is weighty, and difficult work; an error there, may coft you your fouls: I may say of it, as Augustine speaks of the doctrine of the Trinity, Nihilo facilius aut periculofus erratur; A man can err in nothing more eafily or more dangerously. O then ftudy your hearts.

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2. My next requeft is, That you will carefully look to your converfations, and be accurate in all your ways, hold forth the word of life: be fure by the ftrictness and holiness of your lives, to fettle yourselves in the very confciences of your ene mies. Remember that your lives must be produced in the great day, to judge the world, 1 Cor. vi. 2. O'then, what manner of perfons ought you to be! you have many eyes over you;

*Fuligattus in vita Bellarm.

Caput regulatum illi defuit, cor bonum non defuit.

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the omniscient eye of God, that fearches heart and reins, Rev. ii. 23. the vigilant eye of Satan, Job i. 7, 8. the envious eyes of enemies, that curioufly obferve you, Pfal. v. 8. the quick and obfervant eye of conscience, which none of your actions escape, Rom. ix. 1. !

O then be precife, and accurate, in all manner of converfation; keep up the power of godliness in your clofets and families, and then you will not let it fall in your more public employments and converfes in the world: I have often told you, that it is the honour of the gofpel, that it makes the best parents and children, the best masters and fervants, the beft hufbands and wives in the world.

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My third and laft requeft is, that you pray for me: I hope I can fay, and I am fure fome of you have acknowledged, that I came at first among you, as the return and anfwer of your prayers and indeed fo it fhould be, fee Luke x. 2. I am perfuaded alfo, I have been carried on in my work by your pray ers; it is fweet when it is fo; fee Eph. vi. 18, 19. And I hope by your prayers to receive yet a farther benefit, even that which is mentioned, Heb. xiii. 18, 19. Philem. ver. 22. And truly it is but equal you should pray for me, I have often pray ed for you: let the pulpit, family, and closet witness for me; and God forbid I should fin against the Lord in ceafing to pray

for you.

Yea, friends, your own intereft may perfuade to it: what mercies you obtain for me, redound to your own advantage; if God preserve me, it is for your use and service: the more gifts and graces a minifter hath, the better for them that shall wait on his miniftry; the more God gives in to me, the more I fhall be able to give out to you. I will detain you no longer, but to entreat you to accept this small teftification of my great love, and have recourfe to it, according as the exigencies of your condition shall require read it confideringly, and obe diently; judge it not by the dress and ftyle, but by the weight and favour of what you read. It is a good rule of Bernard, In legendis libris, non quaeramus fcientiam fed faporem, (i. e.) In reading books, regard not fo much the science, as the favour. That it may prove the favour of life unto life to you, and all those into whofe hands it fhall come, is the hearty defire of

From my study at Ley in
Slapton, 08. 7. 1667.

Your loving, and faithful pastor,

JOHN FLAVEL.

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