-- Tit. 7. Directions to Merchants, Factors, Travellers, Chaplains, that live among heathens, infide
agreed with him to repay such losses as were by his default. And when it is considered what strict justice doth require, it must also be considered what charity and mercy do require, that the poor be not oppressed.
Tit. 7. Directions to Merchants, Factors, Chaplains, Travellers, that live among Infidels Quest. I. 'Is it lawful to put one's self, or servants, especially young unestablished apprentices, into temptations of an infidel country (or a Popish), for the getting of riches, as merchants do?'
Answ. This cannot be truly answered without distinguishing, 1. Of the countries they go from. 2. Of the places they go to. 3. Of the quality of the persons that go. 4. Of the causes of their going.
I. Some countries that they go from may be as bad as those that they go to, or in a state of war, when it is better be absent, or in a time of persecution, or at least of greater temptation than they are like to have abroad. And some are contrarily as a paradise in comparison of those they go to, for holiness and helps to heaven, and for peace and opportunities of serviceableness to God and the public good.
II. Some countries which they may go to, may have as good helps for their souls as at home, if not by those of the religion of the nation, yet by Christians that live among them, or by the company which goeth with them; or at least there may be no great temptations to change their religion, or debauch them, either through the civility or moderation of those they live among, or through their sottish ignorance or viciousness, which will rather turn men's hearts against them. But some countries have so strong temptations to corrupt men's understandings through the subtilty of seducers, and some have such allurements to debauch men, and some such cruelties to tempt them to deny the truth, that it is hard among them to retain one's innocency.
III. Some that go abroad are understanding, settled Christians, able to make good use of other men's errors, and sins, and ill examples or suggestions, and perhaps to do much good on others; but some are young, and raw, and inexperienced, whose heads are unfurnished of those evidences and reasons by which they should hold fast their own profession, against the cunning reasonings of an adversary, and their hearts are unfurnished of that love to truth, and that serious resolution which is necessary to their safety, and therefore are like to be corrupted.
IV. Some are sent by their princes as agents or ambassadors on employments necessary to the public good: and some are sent by societies on business necessary to the ends of society: and some go in case of extreme poverty and necessity, having no other way of maintenance at home: and some go in obedience to their parents and masters that command it them: and some go to avoid the miseries of a war, or the danger of a sharp persecution at home, or the greater temptations of a debauched or seducing age, or some great temptations in their families. But some go for fancy, and some for mere covetousness, without need.
By these distinctions the case may be answered by men that are judicious and impartial. As, I. Affirm. 1. It is lawful for ambassadors to go among infidels, that are sent by princes and states; because the public good must be secured.
2. It is lawful for the agents of lawful societies or trading companies to go ('cæteris paribus,' the persons being capable); because trade must be promoted, which tendeth to the common good of all countries.
3. It is not only lawful, but one of the best works in the world, for fit persons to go on a design to convert the poor infidels and heathens where they go. Therefore the preachers of the Gospel should not be
backward to take any opportunity, as chaplains to ambassadors, or to factories, &c., to put themselves in such a way.
4. It is lawful for a son or servant (whose bonds extend to such a service) to go in obedience to a superior's command; and God's special protection may be trusted in a way of obedience.
5. It is lawful for one in debt to go, that hath probable hopes that way and no other to pay his debts. Because he is a defrauder if he detain other men's money, while a lawful way of repaying it may be taken.
6. It is lawful for a duly qualified person to go in case of extreme poverty, to be able to live in the world; and that poverty may be called extreme to one that was nobly born and educated, which would be no poverty to one that was bred in beggary.
7. It is lawful for a well qualified person, who desireth riches to serve God, and to do good with, to go in a way of trading, though he be in no poverty or necessity himself. Because God's blessing on a lawful trade may be desired and endeavoured, and he that should do all the good he can, may use what lawful means he can to be enabled to do it. And other men's wants should be to us as our own, and therefore we may endeavour to be able to relieve them.
8. In a time of such civil war, when a man knoweth not which side to take, it may be better for some men to live abroad; yea, among infidels.
9. There is little to dissuade a man whose trade leadeth him into a country that is better than his own, or so sottish as to have small temptation, and that hath the company of faithful Christians, with which he may openly worship God, and privately converse to his spiritual edification.
10. In urgent cases one may go for a time, where he can have no use of public church-worship, so be it he have private means and opportunities of holy living.
11. It is lawful on less occasions to leave one's own country in a time of debauchery, when temptations at home are greater than those abroad, or in time of such persecution as may lawfully be avoided, than at another time.
12. A settled Christian may go more safely, and therefore lawfully on smaller urgencies, than a young, raw, lustful, fanciful, unsettled novice may.
II. Neg. 1. It is not lawful for any one to seek riches or trade abroad or at home, principally for the love of riches, to raise himself and family to fulness, prosperity or dignity: though all this may be desired when it is a means to God's service and honour, and the public good, and is desired principally as such a means.
2. It is not lawful to go abroad, especially into infidel or Popish countries, without such a justifiable business, whose commodity will suffice to weigh down all the losses and dangers of the remove.
3. The dangers and losses of the soul are to be valued much above those of the body and estate, and cannot be weighed down by any mere corporal commodity.
4. It is more dangerous usually to go among Turks and heathens (whose religion hath no tempting power to seduce men) than among Socinians or Papists, whose errors and sins are cunningly and learnedly promoted and defended.
5. It is not lawful for merchants or others for trade and love of wealth or money, to send poor raw, unsettled youths into such countries where their souls are like to be notably endangered, either by being deprived of such teaching and church-helps which they need, or by being exposed to the dangerous temptations of the place; because their souls are of more worth than money.
6. It is not lawful therefore for master or servant to venture his own soul in such a case as this last mentioned; that is, so far as he is free,
and without necessity doth it only for commodity sake.
7. We may not go where we cannot publicly worship God, without necessity, or some inducement from a greater good.
8. The more of these hindrances occur the greater is the sin: it is therefore a mere wilful casting away of their own souls, when unfurnished, unsettled youths (or others like them) shall for mere humour, fancy, or covetousness leave such a land as this, where they have both public and private helps for their salvation, and to go among Papists, infidels or heathens, where talk or ill example is like to endanger them, and no great good can be expected to countervail such a hazard, nor is there any true necessity to drive them, and where they cannot publicly worship God, no, nor openly own the truth, and where they have not so much as any private company to converse with, that is fit to further their preservation and salvation, and all this of their own accord, &c.
Quest. II. 'May a merchant or ambassador leave his wife, to live abroad?'
Answ. 1. We must distinguish between what is necessitated, and what is voluntary. 2. Between what is done by the wife's consent, and what is done without. 3. Between a wife that can bear such absence, and one that cannot. 4. Between a short stay, and a long or continued stay.
1. The command of the king, or public necessities, may make it lawful, except in a case so rare as is not to be supposed (which therefore I shall not stand to describe). For though it be a very tender business to determine a difference between the public authority or interest, and family relations and interest, when they are contradictory and irreconcileable, yet here it seemeth to me, that the prince and public interest may dispose of a man contrary to the will and interest of his wife; yea, though it would occasion the loss, 1. Of her chastity. 2. Or her understanding. 3. Or her life: and though the
conjugal bond do make man and wife to be as one flesh. For, 1. The king and public interest may oblige a man to hazard his own life, and therefore his wife's. In case of war, he may be sent to sea, or beyond sea, and so both leave his wife (as Uriah did) and venture himself.
Who ever thought that no married man might go to foreign wars without his wife's consent? 2. Because as the whole is more noble than the part, so he that marrieth obligeth himself to his wife, but on supposition that he is a member of the commonwealth, to which he is still more obliged than to her.
2. A man may for the benefit of his family leave his wife for travel or merchandize, for a time, when they mutually consent upon good reason that it is like to be for their good.
3. He may not leave her either without or with her own consent, when a greater hurt is like to come by it, than the gain will countervail. I shall say no more of this, because the rest may be gathered from what is said in the cases about duties to wives, where many other such are handled.
Quest. III. 'Is it lawful for young gentlemen to travel in other kingdoms, as part of their education?'
Answ. The many distinctions which were laid down for answer of the first question, must be here supposed, and the answer will be mostly the same as to that, and therefore need not be repeated.
1. It is lawful for them to travel that are necessarily driven out of their own country, by persecution, poverty, or any other necessitating cause.
2. It is lawful to them that are commanded by their parents (unless in former excepted cases, which I will not stay to name).
3. It is the more lawful when they travel into countries as good or better than their own, where they are like to get more good than they could have done at home.
4. It is more lawful to one that is prudent and firmly settled both in religion, and in sobriety and temperance, against all temptations which he is like to meet with, than to one that is unfurnished for a due resistance of the temptations of the place to which he goeth.
5. It is more lawful to one that goeth in sober, wise and godly company, or is sent with a wise and faithful tutor and overseer, than to leave young, unsettled persons to themselves.
6. In a word, it is lawful when there is a rational probability, that they will not only get more good than hurt (for that will not make it lawful), but also more good than they could probably have other ways attained.
II. But the too ordinary course of young gentlemen's travels out of England now practised, I take to be but a most dangerous hazarding, if not a plain betraying them to utter undoing, and to make them afterwards the plagues of their country, and the instruments of the common calamity. For, 1. They are ordinarily sent into countries far worse and more dangerous than their own, where the temptations are stronger than they are fit to deal with; into some countries where they are tempted to sensuality, and into some where they are tempted to popery or infidelity. In some countries they learn to drink wine instead of beer; and arising from the smaller sort to the stronger, if they turn not drunkards, they contract that appetite to wine and strong drink, which shall prove (as Clemens Alexandrinus calleth gluttony and tippling,) a throat-madness, and a belly-devil, and keep them in the sin of gulosity all their days. And in some countries they shall learn the art of gluttony, to pamper their guts in curious, costly, uncouth fashions, and to dress themselves in novel, fantastical garbs, and to make a business of adorning themselves, and setting themselves forth with proud and procacious fancies and affections, to be looked upon as comely persons to the eyes of others.
In some countries they shall learn to waste their precious hours in stage-plays, and vain spectacles, and ceremonies, attendances and visits, and to equalize their life with death, and to live to less use and
benefit to the world than the horse that carrieth them. In most countries they shall learn either to prate against godliness, as the humour of a few melancholy fools, and be wiser than to believe God, or obey him, or be saved; or at least to grow indifferent and cold in holy affections and practices: for when they shall see Papists and Protestants, Lutherans and Calvinists of contrary minds, and hear them reproaching and condemning one another, this cooleth their zeal to all religion, as seeming but a matter of uncertainty and contention. And when they also see how the wise and holy are made a scorn in one country, as bigots and Hugonots, and how the Protestants are drunkards and worldlings in another country, and how few in the world have any true sense and savour of sound and practical religion, and of a truly holy and heavenly life, (as those few they are seldom so happy as to converse with,) this first accustometh them to a neglect of holiness, and then draweth their minds to a more low, indifferent opinion of it, and to think it unnecessary to salvation. For they will not believe that so few shall be saved as they find holy in the world: and then they grow to think it but a fancy and troubler of the world.
And it addeth to their temptation, that they are obliged by the carnal ends which drew them out, to be in the worst and most dangerous company and places, that is, at princes' courts, and among the splendid gallantry of the world: for it is the fashions of the great ones which they must see, and of which when they come home they must be able to discourse: so that they must travel to the pest-houses of pomp and lust, of idleness, gluttony, drunkenness, and pride, of atheism, irreligiousness, and impiety, that they may be able to glory what acquaintance they have got of the grandeur and gallantry of the suburbs of hell, that they may represent the way to damnation delectable and honourable to others, as well as to themselves.
But the greatest danger is of corrupting their intellectuals, by converse with deceivers where they come; either infidels, or juggling
Jesuits and friars: for when those are purposely trained up to deceive, how easy is it for them to silence raw and unfurnished
novices, (yea, even where all their five senses must be captivated, in the doctrine of transubstantiation). And when they are silenced they must yield: or at least they have deluding stories enough of the antiquity, universality, infallibility, unity of their church, with a multitude of lies of Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius, and other reformers, to turn their hearts and make them yield. But yet that they may be capable of doing them the more service, they are instructed for a time to dissemble their perversion, and to serve the Roman pride and faction in a Protestant garb and name.
Especially when they come to Rome, and see its glory, and the monuments of antiquity, and are allured with their splendour and civilities, and made to believe that all the reports of their inquisitions and cruelties are false, this furthereth the fascination of inexperienced youths.
2. And usually all this while the most of them lay by all serious studies, and all constant employment, and make idleness and converse with the idle and with tempters, to be their daily work. And what a mind is like to come to, which is but one half year or twelve months accustomed to idleness, and to vain spectacles, and to a pleasing converse with idle and luxurious persons, it is easy for a man of any acquaintance with the world, or with human nature to conjecture.
3. And they go forth in notable peril of their health or lives. Some fall into fevers, and die by change of air and drinks: some fall into quarrels in taverns, or about their whores, and are murdered. Some few prove so stedfast against all the temptations of the Papists, that it is thought conducible to the holy cause that they should be killed in pretence of some quarrel, or be poisoned. Some by drinking wine, do contract such a sickness, as makes their lives uncomfortable to the last. And the brains of many are so heated by it, that they fall mad.
4. And all this danger is principally founded in the quality of the persons sent to travel; which are ordinarily empty lads, between
eighteen and twenty-four years of age, which is the time of the devil's chief advantage; when naturally they are prone to those vices which prove the ruin of the most, though you take the greatest care of them that you can. 1. Their lust is then in the highest and most untamed rage. 2. Their appetites to pleasing meats and drinks are then strongest. 3. Their frolicsome inclinations to sports and recreations are then greatest. 4. And ignorant and procacious pride beginneth then to stir. 5. All things that are most vile and vain, are then apt to seem excellent to them, by reason of the novelty of the matter as to them, who never saw such things before, and by reason of the false esteem of those carnal persons, to whose pomp, and consequently to whose judgment, they would be conformed. 6. And they are at that age exceedingly inclined to think all their own apprehensions to be right, and to be very confident of their own conceptions, and wise in their own eyes: because their juvenile intellect being then in the most affecting activity, it seemeth still clear and sure to them, because it so much affects themselves. 7. But above all, they are yet unfurnished of almost all that solid wisdom, and settled holiness, and large experience, which is most necessary to the improvement of their travels, and to their resistance of all these temptations. Alas! how few of them are able to deal with a Jesuit, or hold fast their religion against these deceivers! If the very vices, the ambition, the carnal policies and pomps, the filthiness and worldliness of the Roman clergy did not become a powerful preservative to men's minds against the temptations which would draw them to their way, and if the atheism, infidelity, whoredoms, and profaneness of Papists did not become antidotes, how few were like to return uninfected! And because the Jesuits know that they can never take this stumblingblock out of the way, therefore too many of them have thought best to debauch those first whom they would proselyte, and reconcile them first to plays, and drunkenness, and whoredoms, that so the dislike of these may not hinder their reconciliation with the kingdom of Rome; yea, that a seeming necessity of a priest's pardon, may make it seem necessary to become their subjects.
And as unfurnished are these young travellers usually to resist the temptations to this sensuality, lust and pomp, as those of popery: so that they are perfidiously sent into a pest-house, when they are in the greatest disposition to be infected. And if they come not home drunkards, gluttons, gamesters, idle, prodigal, proud, infidels, irreligious, or Papists, it is little thanks to those perfidious parents, who thus perform their promise for them in baptism, by sending them to satan's schools and university to be educated.
Whereas if they were kept to their due studies, and under a holy government at home, till they were furnished with sound religious knowledge, and till they were rooted in holiness, and in a love to a pious, sober life, and till they had got a settled hatred of intemperance and all sin, and till they had a map of the places, persons, and affairs of the world well imprinted on their minds by study and due information, then necessary travel would be more safe: and then they would be in a capacity to learn wisdom from other men's folly, and virtue from other men's vice, and piety from other men's impiety; which novices are rather apt to imitate.
5. And in the mean time the loss of all the helps which they should have at home, doth greatly tend to their destruction. For they oft travel into countries, where they shall have no public worship of God which is lawful, or which they understand: or if they have, it is usually cold preaching and dull praying, when they have need of the best, and all too little. And they have seldom such pious society to edify and quicken them by private converse, as they have, or might have, here at home; and seldom come into such well-ordered, religious families. And if human nature be prone to infection by temptations, and so averse to holiness, that all means is too little, and even in the best families folly and sensuality, and a distaste of godliness, often thrive; (as unsown weeds overspread the garden, where with great cost and labour only better things were sowed;) what then but sin and misery can be expected from those that by their own parents are banished from their native country, (not so
well as into a wilderness, but) into the pestilent, infected countries of the world?
I would ask those parents that plead for this crime and cruelty as a kindness; are you no wiser or better yourselves than the company into which your send you children? Can you teach them and educate them no better, nor give them better examples than they are like to have abroad? Can you set them on no better work, for the improvement of their time? If not, why do you not repent of this your shame and misery, and reform yourselves? If you can, why will you then betray your children? Or if you cannot, are there no schools, no learned and pious men, no religious families and company at home, in your own land, where you might place them to better advantage, than thus to expose them to the tempter? Undoubtedly there are; and such as may be had at cheaper rates.
6. And it is not the smallest part of the guilt and danger, that they are sent abroad without due oversight and conduct. They that do but get them some sober or honest servant to attend them, or some sober companion, think they have done well: when as they had need of some divine or tutor of great learning, piety, prudence, and experience, whom they will reverence and obey, that may take the oversight of them, and be ready to answer any sophist that would seduce them. But the charge of this is thought too great, for the safety of their own children, whom they themselves expose to a necessity of it.
I know that carnal minds will distaste all this, and have objections enough against it, and reasons of their own, to make it seem a duty to betray and undo their children's souls, and to break their promise made for them in baptism; "All this is but our preciseness: they must have experience and know the world, or else they will be contemptible 'tenebriones' or owls! Whenever they go it will be a temptation, and such they must have at home; there is no other part of their age so fit, or that can be spared, and we must trust God with them wherever they are, and they that will be bad, will be bad in one
place as well as another; and many are as bad that stay at home."
And thus 'quos perdere vult Jupiter hos dementat:' yea, the poor children and commonwealth must suffer for such parent's sottish folly. And well saith Solomon, "The rich man is wise in his own conceit." And because it is not reason indeed but pride, and the rich disease and carnality which is here to be confuted, I shall not honour them with a distinct, particular answer; but only tell them, If all companies be alike, send them to Bedlam or to a whore-house. If all means be alike, let them be Janizaries, and bred up where Christ is scorned: if you think they need but little helps, and little watching, it seems you never gave them more. And it is a pity you should have children, before you know what a man is, and how much nature is corrupted, and how much is needful to its recovery. And it is a pity that you dedicated them to God in baptism, before you believed
Christ, and knew what you did, and engaged them to renounce the world, the flesh and the devil, under a crucified Christ, while you purposed like hypocrites to train them in the school and service of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and in the contempt of the cross of Christ, or of a holy, mortified life. And if all ages be alike, and novices be equal to experienced persons, let the scholars rule their master, and let boys be parliament men and judges, and let them be your guides at home? And if acquaintance with courtship and the customs of the world, and the reputation of such acquaintance, be worth the hazarding of their souls, renounce God, and give up your names to mammon, and be not such paltry hypocrites, as to profess that you believe the Scriptures, and stand to your baptismal vows, and place your hopes in a crucified Christ, and your happiness in God's favour and the life to come. And if the preaching of the Gospel, and all such religious helps be unnecessary to your unsettled children, dissemble not by going to church, as if you took them to be necessary to yourselves. In a word, I say as Elias to the Israelites, "Why halt ye between two opinions? If God be God, follow him." If the world be
God, and pride and sensuality and the world's applause be your felicity, follow it, and let it be your children's portion. Do you not see more wise, and learned, and holy, and serviceable persons among us,
proportionably in church and state, that were never sent for an education among the Papists and profane, than of such as were?
But I will proceed to the Directions which are necessary to those that must or will needs go abroad, either as merchants, factors, or as travellers.
Direct. I. 'Be sure that you go not without a clear warrant from God; which must be (all things laid together) a great probability, in the judgment of impartial, experienced, wise men, that you may get or do more good than you were like to have done at home.' For if you go sinfully without a call or warrant, you put yourself out of God's protection, as much as in you is; that is, you forfeit it: and whatever plague befals you, it will arm your accusing consciences to make it double.
Direct. II. 'Send with your children that travel, some such pious, prudent tutor or overseer as is afore described: and get them or your apprentices into as good company as possibly you can.'
Direct. III. 'Send them as the last part of all their education, when they are settled in knowledge, sound doctrine, and godliness, and have first got such acquaintance with the state of the world, as reading, maps, and conversation and discourse can help them to: and not while they are young, and raw, and incapable of self-defence, or of due improving what they see.' And those that are thus prepared, will have no great lust or fancy to wander, and lose their time, without necessity; for they will know, that there is nothing better
(considerably) to be seen abroad, than is at home; that in all countries, houses are houses, and cities are cities, and trees are trees, and beasts are beasts, and men are men, and fools are fools, and wise men are wise, and learned men are learned, and sin is sin, and virtue is virtue. And these things are but the same abroad as at home: and that a grave is every where a grave, and you are travelling towards it, which way ever you go. And happy is he that spendeth his little time
so, as may do God best service, and best prepare him for the state of immortality.
Direct. IV. 'If experience of their youthful lust and pride, and vicious folly, or unsettled dangerous state, doth tell you plainly, that your child or apprentice is unfit for travel, venture them not upon it, either for the carnal ornaments of education, or for your worldly gain.' For souls that cost the blood of Christ, are more precious than to be sold at so low a rate: and especially by those parents and masters that are doubly obliged to love them, and to guide them in the way to heaven, and must be answerable for them.
Direct. V. Choose those countries for your children to travel in, which are soundest in doctrine and of best example, and where they may get more good than hurt; and venture them not needlessly into the places and company of greatest danger; especially among the Jesuits and friars, or subtle heretics, or enemies of Christ.
Direct. VI. 'Study before you go, what particular temptations you are like to meet with, and study well for particular preservatives against them all: as you will not go into a place infected with the plague, without an antidote.' It is no small task, to get a mind prepared for travel.
Direct. VII. 'Carry with you such books as are fittest for your use, both for preservation and edification:' As to preserve you from Popery, Drelincourt's and Mr. Pool's small Manual: for which use my
"Key for Catholics," and "Safe Religion," and "Sheet against Popery" may not be useless. And Dr. Challoner's "Credo Ecclesiam
Catholicam" is short and very strong. To preserve you against infidelity, "Vander Meulin," in Latin, and Grotius; and in English my
"Reasons of the Christian Religion," may not be unfit. For your practice, the Bible and the "Practice of Piety," and Mr. Scudder's
"Daily Walk," and Mr. Reyner's "Directions," and Dr. Ames's "Cases of Conscience."
Direct. VIII. 'Get acquaintance with the most able reformed divines, in the places where you travel and make use of their frequent converse, for your edification and defence.' For it is the wisest and best men in all countries where you come, that must be profitable to you, if any.
Direct. IX. 'Set yourselves in a way of regular study if you are travellers, as if you were at home, and on a course of regular employment if you are tradesmen, and make not mere wandering and gazing upon novelties, your trade and business; but redeem your time as laboriously as you would do in the most settled life.' For time is precious, wherever you be; and it must be diligence every where that must cause your proficiency; for place and company will not do it without your labour. It is not an university that will make a sluggish person wise, nor a foreign land that will furnish a sensual sot with wisdom: 'Cœlum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.' There is more ado necessary to make you wise, or bring you to heaven, than to go long journies, or see many people.
Direct. X. 'Avoid temptations: if you acquaint yourselves with the humours, and sinful opinions, and fashions of the time and places where you are, let it be but as the Lacedemonians called out their children to see a drunkard, to hate the sin; therefore see them, but taste them not, as you would do by poison or loathsome things.' Once or twice seeing a folly and sin is enough. If you do it frequently, custom will abate your detestation, and do much to reconcile you to it.
Direct. XI. 'Set yourselves to do all the good you can to the miserable people in the places where you come.' Furnish yourselves with the aforesaid books and arguments, not only to preserve yourselves, but also to convince poor infidels and Papists. And pity their souls, as those that believe, that there is indeed a life to come; where happiness and misery, will shew the difference between the godly and the wicked. Especially merchants and factors, who live constantly among the poor ignorant Christians, Armenians, Greeks,
Papists, who will hear them; and among heathens (in Indostan and elsewhere) and Mahometans (especially the Persians, who allow a liberty of discourse). But above all, the chaplains of the several embassies and factories. O what an opportunity have they to sow the seeds of Christianity, among the heathen nations! and to make known Christ to the infidel people where they come! And how heavy a guilt will lie on them that shall neglect it! And how will the great industry of the Jesuits rise up in judgment against them and condemn them!
Direct. XII. 'The more you are deprived of the benefit of God's public worship, the more industrious must you be, in reading Scripture and good books, and in secret prayer, and meditation, and in the improvement of any one godly friend that doth accompany you to make up your loss, and to be instead of public means.' It will be a great comfort among infidels, or Papists, or ignorant Greeks, or profane people, to read sound, and holy, and spiritual books, and to confer with some one godly friend, and to meditate on the sweet and glorious subjects, which from earth and heaven are set before us; and to solace ourselves in the praises of God, and to pour out our suits before him.
Direct. XIII. 'And that your work may be well done, be sure that you have right ends; and that it be not to please a ranging fancy, nor a proud, vain mind, nor a covetous desire of being rich or high, that you go abroad; but that you do it purposely and principally to serve
God abroad, and to be able to serve him the better when you come home, with your wit, and experience, and estates.' If sincerely you go for this end, and not for the love of money, you may expect the greater comfort.
Direct. XIV. 'Stay abroad no longer than your lawful ends and work do require: and when you come, let it be seen that you have seen sin, that you might hate it; and that by the observation of the errors and evils of the world, you love sound doctrine, spiritual worship, and holy, sober, and righteous living, better than you did before; and that