CHAP. XI. Counsel to Young Students of the Law in London. GOD hath made much use of honest lawyers, as the instruments of our safety and of the just and orderly government of the land. They are not bred up in mere idleness and luxury, (as too many are of higher birth,) but in such diligent study as improveth their understandings, and keepeth them from that debauchery which idleness and fulness cherish. Their studies and callings make it their interest as to know, so also to maintain the laws; and that is, to maintain propriety, just liberty and order, and so to preserve justice and the common peace except in countries that have pernicious laws. Injustice in judges and lawyers is like heresy, ungodliness and persecution in pastors of the church-directly contrary to their very calling and profession; but it is more easily and commonly seen and hated, because it is against the well-known interest of mankind. Shame, therefore, and the common hatred of the unjust, are in this case great restraints of evil. But notwithstanding all this, bad men will do badly, and turn even the rules of justice to oppression, to serve the wills and lusts of those who can promote them, that by them they may serve their own. On this account, therefore, it is of great importance to the common good, as well as for their own benefit, that young men who study the law, may prove wise and honest. 1. And here, first, I warn all such youths, to take heed of the sins of sensuality. Alas! London doth so abound with temptations, that, without grace and wise resolution, you are unsafe. There are so many sensual, proud, and ungodly young men ready to entice you; so many play-houses, taverns and filthy houses to entertain you; that if you go without grace and wit, the flesh and the devil will soon precipitate you into the slavery of brutish flesh. Then you forfeit God's favour and protection; and he may leave you to more sin and misery, or to grow up to be the servants of oppression, the enemies of piety, and the plagues of the commonwealth. 2. Study hard; for idleness never yet made good lawyers, nor very useful men. 3. Abhor and avoid ill company, especially of two sorts: (1.) Those who would entice you to the aforesaid places and practices of voluptuousness, &c. (2.) Those that being themselves deceived would deceive you, against religion and your salvation. It is too well known that such persons in London are not rare, though the danger by them is not known enough. Even those that are so unchristian and inhuman as to prate against the Christian faith, against the truth, authority or sufficiency of the sacred Scriptures, the life to come, and against the immortality of the soul, if not also against the government and providence of God, will yet talk as confidently as if they were in their wits, yea, and as though they were the greatest wits among us. For my part, I could never yet get one man of them soberly to join with me in a fair disquisition of the truth, and to follow it on till we came to see the just conclusion. Most commonly they will fly from me, and refuse disputes, or will turn all to some rambling rant or jest, or, when the truths of religion are stated, they are gone, and will proceed no further and come no more. Young unfurnished heads are unfit to dispute with the devil, or with any such of his messengers. A pest-house is not more dangerous to you than companions of this description. But if they have perplexed you, desire some wellstudied minister of Christ either to meet them, or to resolve your doubts. If you will read what I have written on that subject, you may find enough to resolve your mind, if it be justly received, viz. in my " Reasons for the Christian Religion," my "Unreasonableness of Infidelity," in my "Life of Faith," and in "More Reasons for the Christian Religion." Avoid also the snares of those that would draw you into uncharitable factions, and, on a pretence of right religion, to hate, censure, or fly from all that are not just of their sect and way; especially the proud faction of church-tyrants, who, under a pretence of order and piety, would set up a lifeless image of formality, and would burn, banish, silence, or persecute all that are not for domination, usurpation and worldly interest. 4. Let not rising and riches be the chief end of your stu dies, but to serve God in the just service of your king and country, to promote justice, and to do good in the world. 5. Live in the familiarity of the most useful men of your profession, that is, the wisest and the most conscionable; and choose those pastors, for your best helpers in religion, who keep the most closely to God's word, and warp not after any dangerous singularities, worldly preferments, or unpeaceable and teasing impositions on their brethren; and who live as they preach,—in love, peace and holiness,—as men that set their hearts and hopes on future blessedness, and that labour for the edification and concord of the church, and the saving of men's souls. CHAP. XII. Counsel to the Sons of the Nobility and of Magistrates. THOUGH men of your rank are furthest out of the hearing of such persons as me, and are usually the greatest contemners of our counsel, yet that will not excuse us from due compassion to the land of our nativity, from love and pity to yourselves, nor from any probable ministerial attempt to do you good. Your dangers are much greater than those of other men ; or else Christ had never so often told us, how hard it is for rich men to be saved; and how few such escape the idolatrous damning love of the world, and become sincere believers and followers of a crucified Saviour. Luke xii; xvi. &c. 1. One part of your great danger is, that you are commonly bred up among the baits of sensuality. It is not for nothing that "fulness of bread" is made one of the sins of Sodom, (Ezek. xvi. 49,) and that he who afterwards lay in the flames of hell, is described as being "richly clothed and faring sumptuously every day." Not that all rich clothes, or sumptuous, seasonable feasting, is a sin; but that both these usually signify sensuality and cherish it. It is the sure brand of the ungodly, to be "lovers of pleasure more than of God." They that but seldom come where tempting plenty is of delicious meats and drinks, are too often overcome. But they that are bred up where plenty of both these is daily before them, are in greater danger lest their table and their drink become a snare. Feast not therefore without fear, remember that fleshpleasing sensuality is as damnable in the rich as in the poor; and that the greatest wealth will not allow you to take any more for quantity or quality, than is consistent with temperance, and than truly tendeth to fit you for your duty. Your riches are given you in trust as God's stewards, that with them you may be enabled to serve your country, relieve the poor and promote good uses; but not for the purpose of serving your fleshly lusts, nor to be abused to excess or for cherishing sin. To be sober and temperate, is the interest of your own souls and bodies, and, under your great temptations, it is the more laudable. 2. Another of your dangers is, the ill examples of too many persons of your rank. You are apt to think that their wealth, pomp and power make them more imitable than others, as being more honourable. And if they wallow in drunkenness or filthy lust, or talk profanely, you may think that such sins are the less disgraceful. But can you dream that they are the less dangerous and damnable? Will God fear them or spare them? Must they not die and be judged as well as the lowest? Is it not an aggravation of their sin, that it is done by men who had the greatest mercies, and who were put in trust and honour purposely to suppress sin in the world? As their places signify more than others, so do their sins; and accordingly shall they be punished. Doth the quondam wealth, honour or pleasures of a Dives, a Pharaoh, an Ahab, a Herod, a Pilate, a Nero, ease a lost and tormented soul? 3. Another of your temptations will be pride, and overvaluing of yourselves, on account of wealth and worldly honour. But this is so foolish a sin, and against such notoriously humbling evidence, that, as it is the devil's image, it is nature's shame. Is not your flesh as corruptible as a beggar's? Do you not think what is within that skin; and how a leprosy, or the small-pox would make you look; and how you must shortly leave all your glory, and your bodies become unpleasant spectacles? Do you not think what it is to lie rotting in a grave and to turn to earth? Do you not know how much more loathsome a thing all the vice and un holiness of your souls is; and what it is to have to do with a holy God, and to be near to judgment and an endless state? He is mad in sin, whom such considerations will not humble. 4. Another of your dangers is from flatterers, who will be pleasing and praising you, but who will never tell you of that which should humble you and awake you to a sense of your everlasting concerns. But in this respect none are so dangerous as a flattering clergy, who, being themselves carnal worldlings, would serve that flesh which is their master, by your favour and beneficence. Ahab had such prophets, who said, "Go and prosper;" in whose mouths the devil was a lying spirit. How many sincere men have been undone by such! Remember then what it is to be a sinful man, and what need you have of vigilant friends and pastors, that will deal faithfully with you, as if it were on your death-bed: and encourage such, and abhor worldly flatterers. Your souls have need of as strong physic, and as plain dealing as the souls of the poorest men; bear it, therefore, and thankfully accept it. 5. One of your greatest dangers here will be, that your own fleshly minds and this worldly sort of men (especially if they be of the clergy,) will be drawing you to false and contemptuous thoughts of serious godliness, and of serious godly men. Whereas, if you be not such yourselves, you are undone for ever; and all your flatterers, your big names, wealth and honour will neither save you, nor ease your pains in hell. As ever you believe that there is a God, believe that you owe him the utmost reverence, obedience and love, which your faculties can perform. And as ever you care what becomes of you for ever, pay him this great due, and hate all that would divert you; and, much more, all those diabolical suggestions which would draw you to think that to be a needless thing which must be your life and your all. 6. But, above all, I beseech you, fear and watch, lest you be drawn to espouse any thing, as your interest, which is against the interest and command of Christ, and against his kingdom, or the good of his church or of the commonwealth. As the devil first undid the world, by making deceived Eve believe, that God's command was against her interest; so doth he to this day, but with none so much as with nobles and rich men. God hath commanded you nothing but what is for your own good, nor forbidden you any thing but what |