my confcience, as in the fight of thee my God. "Amen." IT MEDITATION LXXXIX. Of pious Conference. T is a part of their character, who feared the Lord, that they "fpake often to one another," Mal. iii. 16. And be fure, their fpeaking was (as became fuch) for the Lord; and like our blessed Saviour, Acts i 3." Of the things pertaining to the "kingdom of God." For as thofe are the things moft material and worthy of all; fo is it propereft for the natives and heirs of Heaven, to fpeak in the holy language of their heavenly country. And though the chief feat of religion is the foul, yet I cannot fee, why it fhould be there imprifoned, and kept as a mighty fecret, that no body must be aware of, the faith that I am to have to myself towards God, Rom. xiv. 22. is only in fome doubtful matters, which might give offence to be promulged. But fure the great articles of Christian faith, and the known points of Chriftian duty, are not so to be ftifled when as the familiar difcourfing of them, and the open fignifying of our confent and heartinefs to them, may do fo great fervice to God, to his truth, and to the fouls of men. For what does put more life into a cause, and more animate a party, than mutual conference, to declare our fentiments and affections, and to engage and hearten one another? thus do hell's votaries, in their clubs and juntos, heighten their zeal for the interest of their Mafter; till they push on without fear or wit, VOL. I. 3 H upon upon their endless downfall. And thus do travellers, and foldiers, and scholars, and tradesmen, and hufbandmen, and all guilds and fraternities, difcourfe over their proper affairs; and faften and tie themselves together, by fuch correspondencies, and interlocutions with one another. And muft the followers and fellow members of Jefus alone, be filent, and have nothing to fay of him, and his religion and kingdom? If we are indeed believers in him; O how can we forbear to speak on such accounts? for "I believed, and therefore fpake," Pfal. cxvi. 10. "While I was mufing, the fire kin"dled, and I fpake with my tongue," Pfal. xxxix. 3. O! who that would approve himself faithful to the Lord, can fee and hear him fo difhonoured every day, and have nothing to fay in vindication of his glory? what we are full of, how hardly can we hold in? but when it lies next our hearts, it is apt to pour out at our mouths. And can the true zeal and love of God be hid and pent up, to make no discovery of itself? can they that have their converfation, and all their main traffic in heaven, have no communication of it, among themselves? O my foul, what a great neglect, and foul fault is this among us, that every thing is fo commonly talked of, but only that, which most of all concerns us? that the moft companies hunt away with full cry, after a wrong fcent; and find them quite other fubjects of difcourfe; corn and cattle, weather and trade, fashions and fooleries, the news of the neighbourhood and of the times, their lufts and pleasures; thefe are the things that employ almoft all tongues, and engrofs all the discourse. "They fpeak vanity every one with his neighbour," Pfal. xii. 2. And it is well if not villany alfo, to debauch the company, and draw more into the fnare of the devil. But the beft and moft needful things, how are they drove clean away, with abundance of other noife and clatter? fcarce a word to be heard of or for Chrift, even among fuch as call themfelves Christians. Instead of praifing him, and his love; and recommending his ways, and encouraging one another, to continue ftill true to his fervice; there is deep filence, or fuch talk, as rather emboldens each other to flight his gofpel, and run out quite contrary to the way it prescribes; as if our meeting and chatting together, were only a combination and caballing against him, to bring his religion out of use and requeft; and make it look as an absurd pedantry, and piece of ill manners, and a kind of affront to the company, to introdure any thing that makes for their edification and falvation, as if that were only to be told within the church-walls, and no where else ever to be mentioned. Not a word to be edged in among fome companies, for God and the foul; but as foon as any thing of that harsh found is ftarted in their hearing, it must be ftruck dead with a fcoff, or quite juftled out with any other kind of ftuff. They will not fpeak as becomes Chriftians for fhame, left they should be jeered, or laughed out of fociety, for fpeaking against fin, among hardened finners, and fpeaking for God, among fuch trufty fervants of the devil. Such a torment to them is this melancholy difcourfe; they can be at no ease, till it is drove away, quite to the ends of the earth. But O what a deadly diftemper of mind, and filthy corruption of the fpiritual appetite is thus betrayed, when the things moft excel, lent are fo lothed, and nothing that looks heaven.. ward fhall be endured? My foul! how fhould a holy indignation at such worldlings and epicures, and enemies of all righteoufnefs, open the mouths and engage the tongues. of all that are faithful, boldly to fpeak, and bravely to fhew themselves in the cause, and for the glory of their dear and blessed Lord! as they muft put to to filence the ignorance of foolish men, by welldoing, fo fhould they put to fhame the filence of ungodly men, by their pious speaking. When God has given the tongue to be the inftrument of his praile, and of our brethren's good, and the key to unlock the treafures of the heart; fo as to make others partakers of the grace which he has beftowed on us fhall we fruftrate the great end of fpeech, and turn it all to impertinence and mifchief? when we may do fuch a great deal of good, with that which cofts us fo little; and by dropping a few fea fonable words, may convince a finner; gain a foul, ftartle and stop one, that is going in the way to be undone, enlighten the ignorant, fettle the wavering; make serious them that are trifling; and hearten on fuch as have their faces already fet to wards heaven. Thus "the lips of the righteous "are faid to feed many," Prov. x. 21. When they not only fhut out, vain prate, foolifh chat, and corrupt communication, that do nothing but waftẹ time, and poison the hearers, but oblige the company with that greateft kindnefs, of fuch fpeech, as Minifters grace to the hearers. Here then, my foul, let me not ftick to break the cuftom of an evil world; nor fear the brand of fingularity, for fpeaking more than may be thought fafhionable; when it is no more than my duty, and what every faithful fervant of the Lord is obliged to perform. Though I would not fpeak as a babbler, I know not what; nor talk of things holy and heavenly, in fuch a manner as to expofe them to the fcorn of any captious hearers; nor tell the profane wits, but them that "fear God, what he has "done for my foul," Pfal. lxvi. 16. Nor talk hollowly, of what I myself have never felt, which were to make that infignificant noite, of the founding brafs and tinkling cymbal; yet from the experimental fenfe of my foul, and for confcience fake to wards wards God, and the defire of doing good, I will not withhold, where I may make bold to speak, among the younger and inferior, and fuch capacities as are not above my own level, to whom I may be fitted to speak more agreeably, when others overshoot them, and foar in the clouds above their reach; or elfe, among fuch well-difpofed, humble Chriftians, as will never carp at any, for want of their depth and learning; if he be but fincerely pious and willing, and affectionately concerned, to do all that he can, for the glorifying of God, and helping fouls home to him. And with the higher fort of companies, that are fuperior to me in place and judg ment, I will have communion (when I may) by afking them queftions, to get into their treafures; and giving them fuch occafion, to impart, of what they have received; that fo I may draw from them, to make myself the better, for what God has beftowed on them. And thus may I, both improve, and alfo fpend my ftock; and what my mind is feafted, even to think of, let me enlarge the pleafure, in making the entertainment more public that my correfpondents alfo may fhare with me; and we may all magnify the Lord, and exalt his name together, 66 My GOD, infinitely good! thou haft every way obliged me, to employ the tongue which thou hat given me, in speaking of thee, and for thee; to celebrate thy works, and predi"cate thy word. And never can I better ufe it, "than in fuch thy fervice; to tell what thou hast "done for my foul; and fend home pertinent ap"plications, to the fouls of others. I confefs, Lord, "my own finful omiffions herein; and bewail the common neglect of fo laudable a work; and the general |