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An hundred and six Lessons, or Christian Directions, composed together by three godly Divines, for the benefit of all those which desire to walk according to Gods Word. Occasioned and begun by Mr. Newman, encreased and enlightned Mr. Johnson, multiplied and ordered by Mr. Breercliffe. Also, a briefe and profitable Exposition on Psal. 119. 9.
IT is of absolute necessity to be a Christian,* 1.1 that, is, to dwell in Christ and Christ in you.
2 Be assured that can never be, till you hate, deny, get out of your selves, and prize Christ a∣bove all.
3 This cannot be attained, till you truly know your selfe and Christ.
4 It is the safest to forbeare the search of any or all knowledge, till thou knowest thy selfe.
5 The better you know your selfe, the greater will your terrour be.
6 That terrour will whip you to confesse the ne∣cessity of a Christ, and compell you to seeke and long for him, be restlesse, tremble, despaire, be in Hell till you finde him.
7 Let every lust of thy heart stand back,* 1.2 to make roome for Christ.
8 Let self-righteousnesse be odious to thee, when Christs Righteousnesse comes.
9 Welcome the spirit of Christ into thy heart with joy.
10 Hunger after Christ in the purest way of re∣vealing himselfe.
11 Use no ordinance without some advantage or growth.
12 Soake thy heart often in the feeling natures misery.
13 Breake not prison from under the Spirit of bondage, till God set you free.
14 Dwell continually in the thoughts of thy sins, till they appeare thy greatest ill, and Christ thy greatest gaine.
15 Stand loose from all earthly comforts.
16 Chuse any suffering rather then the least sin.
17 Let sin lie heavie, that affliction may lie light
18 Get solid proofe of your interest in Christ.
19 Take heed you blot not your evidence for heaven.
20 Keepe close with God in your generall and particular callings.
21 Evidence your title to Christs Legacies.
22 Take heed of that,* 1.3 that breeds estrangement between God and you.
23 Eye God that eyes you in all your enter∣prises.
24 Goe any whither rather then lose Gods com∣pany.
25 Thinke nothing too deare for God when he calls for it,
26 Reckon that your gainfullest and sweetest time by Gods communion.* 1.4
27 Labour to keep in long the fire of heat, which Gods presence hath kindled.
28 Resolve to eat the bitterest Roul, God reach∣eth you.
29 Be most in the duty you finde God most in.
30 In all Companies, keep Company with God
31 Account thy selfe most honoured in Gods honour.
32 Let every injury to God and his cause injure you.
33 Let neither God nor Devill find thee idle.
34 Be in daily expectation and readinesse for Christs comming.
35 Serve God as heartily as ever you served sin.
36 The nearer-home, the more long for it.
37 Prize the least mercy of God, at the highest rate.* 1.5
38 Employ every talent received, to the utmost advantage for God.
39 In every duty go out of your self into Christs strength.* 1.6
40 Let the inlargement of Christs Church in∣large thy heart.
41 Bewail the Churches misery above thine own
42 Affect no perferment, but such as may perfer you into Gods favour, in the Court of Grace.
43 Account no pains or cost great to please God and his children.* 1.7
44 Contempt for Grace and Christ will cer∣tainly end in honour, beleeve it.
45 In the least tempest think not thy self safe in any labour but in Christ
46 You shall never be free from horrour, if you yeeld to sin horribly against God.
47 Welcom God into thy house, and thou shalt be welcome into his, not otherwise.
48 For Commerce, Prov. 11. 1, For Converse, Prov. 11. 42.
49 Leave the savour of grace in every company
50 Let them be dearest to thee that are dearest with God.* 1.8
51 Desire no delight in the friendship or fellow∣ship of the godlesse.* 1.9
52 Fear their friendship who are great without God.
53 You shall finde more losse and hazard then comfort & gain,* 1.10 in the tillage of great mens favour
54 Countenance grace in the meanest member.
55 Remember them to God that you desire should remember you.* 1.11
56 Make great account of them who are in Gods stead to you,* 1.12 and declare it faithfully.
57 Seek not friends for earthly but heavenly ends
58 Be as willing to get friends on whom you may sow, as from whom you may reape.
59 The brighter thy vertues be, the greater are thy sins.
60 Thinke thy soule to be as a God inhabiting humane body, use it not as a beast.
61 That God will require an exact account of thy particular calling.
62 That all persecutions wee suffer, are seeds, whose fruit is glory.
63. That grace and glory shall once meet.
64 Be resolved it is a sweet thing, to want the sweets of this world.
65 That if you would be content with hearbs, you need not flatter a Dyonisius.
66 Having bags of bread, i. e. Scriptures, know not a stint-stone, i. e. humane curiosity.
67 A holy man is for a good infinitely above earth it selfe, and delights in that good.
68 Take heed of a snare even in every lawfull pleasure.* 1.13
69 Pleasures in ill,* 1.14 renders thee unpleasant to God and good men.
70 It is observed for him that hath a soule, to affect practise beyond the body, birth or earth.
71 Desire and get learning and grace too, and so possesse all that excellency in heaven and earth.
72 Desire not to have for possession, but for dis∣pensation to God and his children. Of a steward be not a theife.
73 Chuse the fattest pasture for thy soule.* 1.15
74 Determine to be trusty, desire not to bee trusted.* 1.16
75 Esteeme of sinne by its parting,* 1.17 not by its comming.
76 Be sure you prize not credit, nor any thing else at a higher rate then godlinesse.* 1.18
77 Esteem no price too great for truth and wis∣dome.
78 Know that an uncleane body cannot be the harbour of a chaste and loyall soule.
79 Be not disposed to sloath, which is the losse of health, wealth, grace and glory.
80 Encline not to anger but love, which brings ease, gaine and safety.
81 A meek spirit is the best preserver of Christi∣an peace, and Christian communion.
82 To be enclined to curiosity in search of our own faults, is a vertue; a sin, in search of others.
83 Stand a loofe from appearance of sinne, and the practise must needs stand farre from thee.
84 Get ground daily of your corruptions.
85 Be ashamed to commit the least sin,* 1.19 that the master of great sins may be affraid of thee.* 1.20
86 Give not liberty to any passion in natures way, without God.
87 Godly and righteous living will bring esteem in despite of malice and envie.
88 Confider how much worke thou hast to doe in so small a time.* 1.21
89 The earlier you begin, the easier will thy dayes work be,* 1.22 whether in generall or particular calling.
90 Resolve to make the decay of thy body or e∣state, the renewing of thy soule.
91 Resolve not to goe one step out of the way to heaven.
92 Resolve next to thy heart, to keep thy tongue from straying.
93 Be sure no excellency is attained, where hu∣mility, temperance, and diligence make not the way
94 Credit got by seeming graces will not last.
95 A sincere heart gives the best relish to any holy duty.
96 Performe holy duties aswell as doe them, and marke the successe.
97 Attend holy duties though they bring not present profit, cease not though thou speed not; be not like a Cripple that followes a little way and falls off.
98 Resolve the higher you are, the nearer you will be to Heaven.
99 Great wings ought to take high flights, not like Swans having feathers enough, & flies nought
100 Having got a gracious spirit let it not run out in extravagance; we let water out and not wine.
101 Be sure, better fruit is expected in a garden, then in a wildernesse; from the tree of life, then from the corrupt roote of nature.
102 Know that selfe-love will make thee hate∣full to either.
103 Few hate them who hate none, and truely love all.
104 Resolve to begin at the beginning of Chri∣stianity, or never looke to attaine to the end.
105 Resolve to be a through Christian, or never begin it to deceive thy selfe, and displease God.
106 Consider what Christianity will cost thee, and resolve to beare it, or never beginne to pro∣fesse it.