in a tempting and a wicked world where things or persons will be daily hindering this But I know that this is no more to a man that by Faith seeth Heaven and Hell before him than a grain of sand is to a Kingdom or a blast of Wind to one that is fighting or flying for his life Luke 12. 4. O man that thou didst but know the difference between that which the Devil and sin will give thee if thou wilt sell thy soul and Heaven and that which God hath promised and sworn to give thee if thou wilt heartily give up thy self to him I know that thou maist possibly fall into company at least among some sots and drunkards that will tell thee all this is but troublesome preciseness and making more ado than needs But I know withal what that man deserveth who will believe a fool before his Maker For he can be no better than a miserable fool that will contradict and revile the word of God even the word of Grace that would save mens souls And alas it is possible thou maist hear some of the Tribe of Levi or rather of Cain deriding this serious Godliness as meer Hypocrisy and Phanaticism and self-conceitedness As if you must be no better than the Devils slaves lest you be Proud in thinking that you are better than they That is you must go with them to Hell lest in Heaven you be proud Hypocrites for thinking your selves Happier than they It may be they will tell you that this talk of Conversion is fitter for Pagans and Infidels to hear than Christians and Protestants Because such mens big looks or Coats may make the poyson the easilier taken down I will intreat thee but as before God to answer these following questions or to get them answered and then judge whether it be They or We that would deceive thee and whether as men use to talk against Learning that have none themselves so such men prate not against Conversion and the Spirit of God because they have no such thing themselves Qu. 1. I pray ask these men whether it be a Puritane or Phanatick opinion that men must dye and what all the pomp and wealth and pleasure of the World will signifie to a departing soul Ask them whether they will live on Earth for ever and their merry hours and Lordly looks will have no end And whether it be but the conceit of Hypocrites and Schismaticks that their Carcases must lie rotting in a darksome grave Qu. 2. Ask them whether man have not an Immortal soul and a longer life to live when this is ended Luke 12. 41. Qu. 3. Ask them whether reason require not every man to think more seriously of the place or state where he must be for ever than of that where he must be but for a little while and from whence he is posting day and night And whether it be not wiser to lay up our treasure where we must stay than where we must not stay but daily look to be called away and never more be seen on earth Math. 6. 19 20. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. and 5. 1 2 3 6 7 8. Qu. 4. Ask them whether God should not be loved with all our heart and soul and might Math. 22. 37. And whether it be not the mark of an ungodly miscreant to be a lover of pleasure more than God 2. Tim. 3. 4. and a Lover of this world above him 1 Ioh. 2. 15 16. And whether we must not seek first Gods Kingdome and his Righteousness Matth. 6. 33. and labour most for the meat that never perisheth Joh. 6. 27. and strive to enter in at the strait Gate Luke 13. 24. and give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. Qu. 5. Ask them whether without Holiness any shall see God Heb. 12. 14. Mat. 5. 8. Tit. 2. 14. And whether the carnal mind is not enmity to God and to be carnally minded is not death and to be spiritually minded life and peace And whether if you live after the flesh you shall not die and be condemned and they shall live and be saved that walk after the Spirit And whether any man be Christs that hath not his spirit Rom. 8. 1 5 6 7 8 9 13. Qu. 6. Ask them whether any man have a treasure in Heaven whose heart is not there Math. 6. 21. And whether this be not the difference between the Wicked and the Godly that the first do make their bellies their Gods and mind Earthly things and are Enemies to the Cross of Christ though perhaps not to his name and the latter have their conversation in Heaven and being risen with Christ do seek and set their affections on things above and not on the things that are on earth to which they are as dead and their life is hid or out of sight with Christ in God till Christ appear and then they shall appear even openly to all the world with him in Glory Phil. 3. 18 19 20. Col. 4. 1 2 3 4 5. Qu. 7. Ask them whether is be credible and suitable to Gods word or workings that he that will not give them the fruits of the earth without their labour nor feed and cloath them without themselves will yet bring them to Heaven without any care desire or labour of their own when he hath bid them Care not for the one and called for their greatest diligence for the other Math. 6. 25 33. Ioh. 6. 27. Yea ask them whether these be not the two first articles of all Faith and Religion 1. That God is 2. That he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Qu. 8. Ask them yea ask your eyes your ears your daily experience in the world whether all or most that call themselves Christians do in good sadness thus live to God in the Spirit and mortifie the flesh with its affections and lusts and seek first God's Kingdom and righteousness and love him above all and lay up treasure and heart in Heaven or rather whether most be not lovers of the world and lovers of pleasure more than God and live not after the flesh and mind not most the things of the flesh I mention not now the drunkards the flesh-pleasing Gentlemen that live in Pride Fulness and Idleness and Sport and Play away their precious time nor the filthy Fornicators nor the merciless oppressors nor the malignant haters of a godly life nor the perjured and perfidious betrayers of mens souls and of the Gospel or their Countries good nor such other men of â—eared Consciences whose misery none questioneth but such as are as blind and miserable It 's not these only I am speaking of but the common worldly fleshly and ungodly ones Qu. 9. Ask them whether the name of a Christian will save any one of these ungodly persons And whether God will like men the better for lying and calling themselves Christians when they are none indeed And whether they dare
treat with thee about this matter Let him bid thee believe thou art a beâ—â—ever already let him bid thee repent and turn to the Lord that work thou sayâ—â— is not now â—o do What can there be said to this man that 's like to bring him to good Friend know thy self better or thou perishest without remedy Thou maist pray but what hope is there in thy praying Thou maist read but what hope is there in thy reading Yet read on this little hope there is In this book there 's Eye-Salve that may heal thee of thy blindness In this book there is a Glass that will shew thee thy face Dost thou know thine own face when thou seest it Behold thy very Image in those Marks that are given of an unconverted person Read and consider them and then say if thou be not the man Be willing to know thy self and to know the worst of thy case wink not at the light hide not thy self from thine own soul. Wilt thou never know thy disease till thou be past remedy Much of our hardest work would be over if we could see the sinners to whom we are sent to be convinced sinners If we could but open the blind eyes there were hope we should shortly raise the dead Sinner of a truth thou art in evil case whether thou know it or not thou art among the dead and there is but a step betwixt thee and Hell Thou wilt not believe it though it be told thee yet once again let me beseech thee come to the Glass that is here presented to thee and narrowly observe whether the very marks of the dead be not found upon thee If there be a miscarriage in this first work if thou wilt not understand thy misery and thy danger there 's an end of all hopes concerning thee Whilest this self-ignorance abides upon thee all the Counsels that are necessary to a man in thy case will do thee no good they are never like to prosper with thee because thou wilt not count them proper for thee Who will be perswaded to do that which he believes is already done Who will take the Counsel of the Physician that does not think himself sick The man of God may spare his pains of perswading thee to Conversion whilest thou art confident thou art converted already Who will be at the pains of repentance that concludes he hath repented Who will bear the labour and the pangs of the new birth that is confident he is already passed from death to life But Friend let me a little reason with thee Thou art confident it is well with thee yet why wilt thou not yield to thus much at least to put it to the question am I not mistaken Thou art worse than mad if thou thinkest such a question may not be put Dost thou know that thine heart is false and deceitful and yet because it speaks good concerning thee must it not be question'd whether it speak truth or no Be so wise as to conclude I may be mistaken and thus come to the trial whether thou art mistaken or not And if upon trial by the marks that are before thee thou come to be undeceived and see thy self wrapped up in that misery which hitherto thou wouldst not suspect the next news I expect to hear from thee is What must I do to be saved O were it come to that once Then thou hast an answer at hand in those Means thou wilt find prescribed thee And because they are such as thou wilt hardly be perswaded to use take in the Motives that follow and these will help down the means Consider both the one and the other and if thou dost not find the means proper and the motives weighty I think I shall do thee no wrong if I tell thee thou art still of a blind mind and an harder heart Friend the matter which this little book comes to treat with thee about is of highest importance 't is a matter of life and death If thou sayest The terms upon which Life is offered are hard consider is it not harder to dye He is worthy to dye who will lose his soul to save his labour If thou couldst step down into the deep and take a turn or two with those damned souls who are drench'd with fire and brimstone and bound in everlasting chains of vengeance shouldest ask them Now what do you think of the terms upon which life was offered Now what think you of that repentance of that obedience of that holy circumspection self denyal and the greatest severity which by the Gospel were imposed upon you If you might once again have the same terms granted you for your redemption from this place of torment would you yet say Hard terms Let me rather dye this death for ever than live such a life let me broil in this furnace rather than escape with such difficulty Shouldst thou ask them thus that have felt what 't is to be damned what answer dost thou think they would make O friend never again groan under the difficulties of conversion till thou believe them to be worse than Hell But I will not farther anticipate my worthy Author Nor is there much need I should commend either himself or his works for the Author himself thou maist at a small charge get acquaintance with him in that History of his life and death which is extant concerning which I shall only say Sic mihi contingat vivere sicque mori And for this work of his what commendation I should give of it would be needed no longer than till thou hast read it over Thou wilt find such Wine in it as needs no Bush. This only I shall say as far as my credit will go it is exceedingly well worth thy most serious perusal O maist thou hear that voice such a voice from Heaven there is whether thou hear it or no Tolle lege take up and read Read friend and read over again Read and understand understand and pray pray and consider consider and consent unto him who by the pen of his servant calls to thee from Heaven why wilt thou dye turn and live O suffer this word of instruction and exhortation to open thy blind eyes to turn thee from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God that thou maist receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified Et cum talis fueris memento mei When it is thus with thee then pray for The Friend and Servant of thy Soul Richard Alleine Mr. JOSEPH ALLEINE'S CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED DEarly Beloved and longed for I gladly acknowledge my self a debtour to you all and am concerned as I would be found a good steward of the houshold of God to give to every one his portion But the Physician is most sollicitous for those Patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous and the Fathers bowels are especially turned towards his dying child The numbers of the unconverted souls among you
thou shouldst spread forth thine hands God will hide his eyes though thou make many prayers he will not hear Esay 1. 15. If a man without skill set about our work and marr it in the doing though he take much pains we give him but small thanks God will be worshipped after the due order 1 Chron. 15. 13. If a servant do our work but quite contrary to our order he shall have rather stripes than praise Gods work must be done according to Gods mind or he will not be pleased and this cannot be except it be done with a holy heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. IV. Without this thy hopes are in vain Iob 8. 12 13. The Lord hath rejected thy confidence Ier. 2. 37. First thy hopes of comfort here are in vain 'T is not only necessary to the safety but comfort of your condition that you be converted Without this you shall not know peace Esay 59. 8. Without the fear of God you cannot have the comforts of the Holy Ghost Act 9. 31. God speaks peace only to his people and to his saints Psal. 85. 8. If you have a false peace continuing in your sins 't is not of Gods speaking and then you may guess the Author Sin is a real sickness Esay 1. 5. yea the worst of sickness 't is a leprosie in the head Levit. 13. 44. the plague in the heart 1 Kings 8. 38. 't is brokenness in the bones Psal. 51. 8. it pierceth it woundeth it racketh and tormenteth 1 Tim. 6. 10. A man may as well expect ease when his diseases are in their strength or his bones out of joint as true comfort while in his sins O wretched man that canst have no ease in this case but what comes from the deadliness of thy disease You shall have the poor sick man saying in his lightness he is well when you see death in his face He will needs up and about his business when the very next step is like to be into the grave The unsanctified often feel nothing amiss they think themselves whole and cry not out for the Physician but this shews the danger of their case Sin doth naturally breed distempers and disturbance in the soul. What a continual tempest and commotion is there in a discontented mind What an eating evil is inordinate care What is passion but a very feaver in the mind What is Lust but a fire in the bones What is Pride but a deadly tympany or covetousness but an unsatiable and unsufferable thirst or malice and envy but venom in the very heart Spiritual sloth is but a scurvy in the mind and carnal security a mortal lethargy And how can that soul have true comfort that is under so many diseases But converting grace cures and so eases the mind and prepares the soul for a setled standing immortal peace Great peace have they that love thy commandments and nothing shall offend them Psal. 119. 165. They are the wayes of wisdom that afford pleasure and peace Prov. 3. 17. David had infinitely more pleasure in the word than in all the delights of his Court Psal. 119. 103 127. The conscience cannot be truly pacified till soundly purified Heb. 10. 22. Cursed is that peace that is maintained in a way of sin Deut. 29. 19 20. Two sorts of peace are more to be dreaded than all the troubles in the world Peace with sin and Peace in sin Secondly Thy hopes of Salvation hereafter are in vain yea worse than in vain they are most injurious to God most pernicious to thy self there is death desperation blasphemy in the bowels of this hope 1. There is death in it Thy confidence shall be rooted out of thy tabernacles God will up with it root and branch it shall bring thee to the King of terrors Iob 18. 14. Though thou maist lean upon this house it will not stand Iob. 8. 15. but will prove like a ruinous building which when a man trusts to it falls down about his ears 2. There is desperation in it Where is the hope of the hypocrite when God taketh away his soul Iob 27. 8. Then there is an end for ever of his hope Indeed the hope of the righteous hath an end but then 't is not a destructive but a perfective end his hope ends in fruition others in frustration Prov. 10. 28. The godly must say at death It is finished but the wicked It is perished and in too sad earnest bemoan himself as he in a mistake Where now is my hope He hath destroyed me I am gone and my hope is removed like a tree Iob. 19. 10. The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14. 32. When nature is dying his hopes are living when his body is languishing his hopes are flourishing his hope is a living hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but others a dying yea a damning soul undoing hope When a wicked man dyeth his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth Prov 11. 7. It shall be cut off and prove like the spiders web Iob 8. 14. which he spins out of his won bowels but then comes death with the broom and takes down all and so there is an eternal end of his confidence wherein he trusted For the eyes of the wicked shall fail and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost Iob 11. 2. Wicked men are setled in their carnal hope and will not be beaten out of it They hold it fast they will not let it go Yea but death will knock off their fingers Though we cannot undeceive them death and judgment will When death strikes its dark through thy liver it will let out thy soul and thy hopes together The unsanctified have hope only in this life 1 Cor. 15. 19. and therefore are of all men most miserable When death comes it lets them out into the amazing gulf of endless desperation 3. There is blasphemy in it To hope we shall be saved though continuing unconverted is to hope we shall prove God a liar He hath told you that so merciful and pitiful as he is he will never save you not withstanding if you go on in ignorance or a course of unrighteousness Esay 27. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 9. in a word he hath told you that whatever you be or do nothing shall avail you to salvation without you be new creatures Gal. 6. 15. Now to say God is mercifu◠and we hope he will save us nevertheless is to say in effect we hope God will not do as he saith We may not set Gods attributes at variance God is resolved to glorifie mercy but not with the prejudice of truth as the presumptuous sinner will find to his everlasting sorrow Obj. Why but we hope in Jesus Christ we put out whole trust in God and therefore doubt not but we shall be saved Ans. 1. This is not to hope in Christ but against Christ. To hope to see the Kingdom of God without being born again to hope to
to deal with as you have Who is a God 〈◊〉 unto thee that pardoneth iniquity c. Mic. 7. 18. Oh sinners see what a God you have to deal with if you will but turn He will turn again and have compassion upon you he will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sins into the depths of the Sea v. 19. Return unto me saith the Lord of hosts and I will return unto you Mal. 3. 7. Zech. 1. 3. Sinners do not fail in that they have too high thoughts of Gods mercies but in that 1. They overlook his Iustice. 2. They promise themselves mercy out of Gods way His mercies are beyond all imagination Esay 55. 9. great mercies 1 Chron. 21. 13. manifold mercies Neh. 9. 19. tender mercies Psal. 25. 6. sure mercies Esay 55. 3. everlasting mercies Psal. 103. 17. Esay 54. 8. and all thine own if thou wilt but turn Art thou willing to come in Why the Lord hath laid aside his terror erected a Throne of grace holds forth the golden Scepter touch and live Would a merciful man slay his enemy when prostrate at his feet acknowledging his wrong begging pardon and offering to enter with him into a Covenant of peace Much less will the merciful God Study his name Exod. 34. 7. Read their experience Neh. 9. 17. Secondly His soul-encouraging calls and promises do invite thee Ah what an earnest suiter is mercy to thee how lovingly how instantly it calleth after thee how passionately it wooeth thee Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquity Turn O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you return and I will heal your backslidings Thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. Ier. 3. 1 12 13 14 22. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Cast away from you all your transgressionsâ— and make you a clean heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ezek. 18. 21 22 30 31 32. Oh melting gracious words The voice of a God and not of a man This is not the manner of men for the offended Soveraign to sue to the offending traiterous varlet Oh how doth mercy follow thee and plead with thee Is not thy heart broken yet Oh that to day ye would hear his voice 2. The doors of Heaven are thrown open to thee The everlasting gates are set wide for thee and an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven administred to thee Christ now bespeaks thee as she her husband Arise and take possession 1 Kings 21. 15. View the glory of the other world as set forth in the map of the Gospel Get thee up into the Pisgah of the promises and lift up thine eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward and see the good land that is beyond Iordan and that goodly mountain Behold the Paradise of God watered with the streams of glory Arise and walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for all the land which thou seest the Lord will give it to thee for ever if thou wilt but return Gen. 13 14 15 17. Let me say to thee as Paul to Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets If thou believest indeed do but view what glorious things are spoken of the City of God Psal. 87. 3. and know that all this is here tendered in the name of God to thee As verily as God is true it shall be for ever thine if thou wilt but throughly turn Behold the City of pure transparent gold whose foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones whose gates are pearls whose light is glory whose Temple is God Believest thou this If thou dost art not thou worse than distracted that wilt not take possession when the gates are flung open to theeâ— and thou art bid to enterâ— O ye sons of folly will ye embrace the dunghils and refuse the Kingdom Behold the Lord God taketh you up into the mountain shews you the Kingdom of Heaven and all the glory thereof and tells you All this will I give you if you will fall down and wâ—rship meâ— â—f you will submit to mercy accept my Sâ—â—â— and serve me in righteousness and holiness O fools and slow of heart to believe will ye court the harlot will you seek and serve the world and neglect the eternal glory What not enter into Paradise when the flaming sword that was once set to keep you out is now used to drive you in But you will say I am uncharitable to think you infidels and unbelievers Why what shall I think you Either you are desperate unbelievers that do not credit it or stark distracted that you know and believe the excellency and eternity of this glory and yet do so fearfully neglect it Sure you have no faith or no reason and I had almost said conscience should tell you so before I leave you Do but attend what is offered you Oh blessed Kingdom A Kingdom of glory 1 Thess. 2. 12. a Kingdom of righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. a Kingdom of peace Rom. 14. 17. an everlasting Kingdom 2 Pet. 1. 11. Here thou shalt dwell here thou shalt reign for ever and the Lord shall set thee in a Throne of glory Mat. 19. 28. and with his own hand shall set the Royal Diadem upon thine head and give thee a Crown not of thorns for there shall be no sinnning nor suffering there Rev. 21. 27 22 3 4 5. not of Gold for this shall be viler than the dirt in that day but a Crown of life Iames 1. 12. a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. Yea thou shalt put on glory as a robe 1 Cor. 15. 53. and shalt shine like the Sun in the firmament in the glory of thy Father Mat. 13. 43. Look now upon thy dirty flesh thy clay thy worms-meat this very flesh this lump this carcase shall be brighter than the Stars Dan. 12. 3. In short thou shalt be made like unto the Angels of God Luke 20. 36. and behold his
awakening consideration That Multitudes miscarry by the hand of some secret sin that is not only hidden from others but for want of observing their own hearts even from themselves A man may be free from open pollutions and yet die at last by the fatal hand of some unobserved iniquity And there be these eleven hidden sins by which souls go down by numbers to the chambers of death These you must search carefully for and take them as black marks where-ever they be found discovering a graceless and unconverted estate As you love your lives read them carefully with a holy jealousie of your selves lest you should be the persons concerned 1. Gross Ignorance Ah how many poor souls doth this sin kill in the dark Hos. 4. 6. while they think verily they have good hearts and are in the ready way to Heaven This is the murderer that diâ—patches thousands in a silent manner when poor hearts they suspect nothing and see not the hand that mischiefs them You shall find whatever excuses you have for ignorance that 't is a soul-undoing evil Esay 27. 11. 2 Thess. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 4. 3. Ah would it not have pitied a man's heart to have seen that woful spectacle when the poor Protestants were shut up a multitude together in a barn and a butcher comes with his inhumane hands warm in humane blood and leads them one by one blindfold to a block where he slew them poor Innocents one after another by the scores in cold blood But how much more should our hearts bleed to think of the hundreds in great congregations that ignorance doth butcher in secret and lead them blindfold to the block Beware this be none of your case Make no pleas for ignorance If you spare that sin know that that will not spare you Will a man keep a murderer in his bosome 2. Secret reserves in closing with Christ. To forsake all for Christ to hate father and mother yea and a mans own life for him this is a hard saying Luke 14. 26. Some will do much but they will not be of the religion that will undo them they never come to be entirely devoted to Christ nor fully to resign to him They must have the sweet sin They mean to do themselves no harm They have secret exceptions for life liberty or estate Many take Christ thus hand over head and never consider his self-denying terms nor cast upon the cost and this error in the foundation marrs all and secretly ruines them for ever Luke 14. 28. Mat. 13. 21. 3. Formality in Religion Many stick in the bark and rest in the outside of religion and in the external performance of holy duties Mat. 23. 25. and this oft times doth most effectually deceive men doth more certainly undo them than open looseness as it was in the Pharisees case Mat. 21. 31. They hear they fast they pray they give alms and therefore will not believe but their case is good Luke 18. 11. whereas resting in the work done and coming short of the heart-work and the inward power and vitals of religion they fall at last into the burnings from the flattering hopes and confident perswasions of their being in the ready way to Heaven Mat. 7. 22 23. Oh dreadful case when a man's religion shall serve only to harden him and effectually to delude and deceive his own soul 4. The prevalency of false ends in holy duties Mat. 23. 5. This was the bane of the Pharisees Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this and drops into hell before he discerns his mistake He performs good duties and so thinks all is well and perceives not that he is acted by carnal motives all the while It is too true that even with the truly sanctified many carnal ends will oft times creep in but they are the matter of his hatred and humiliation and never come to be habitually prevalent with him and to bear the greatest sway Rom. 14. 7. But now when the main thing that doth ordinarily carry a man out to religious duties shall be some carnal end as to satisfy his conscience to get the repute of being religious to be seen of men to shew his own gifts and parts to avoid the reproach of a prophane and irreligious person or the like this discovers an unsound heart Hos. 10. 1. Zech. 7. 5 6. Oh Christians if you would avoid self-deceit see that you mind not only your acts but withal yea above all your ends 5. Trusting in their own righteousness Luke 18. 9. This is a soul-undoing mischief Rom. 10. 3. When men do trust in their own righteousness they do indeed reject Christ's Beloved you had need be watchful on every hand for not only your sins but your duties may undo you It may be you never thought of this but so it is that a man may as certainly miscarry by his seeming righteousness and supposed graces as by gross sins and that is when a man doth trust to these as his righteousness before God for the satisfying his justice appeasing his wrath procuring his favour and obtaining of his own pardon for this is to put Christ out of office and make a Saviour of our own duties and graces Beware of this O professours you are much in duties but this one fly will spoil all the ointment â—â—en you have done most and best be sure to go out of your selves to Christ and reckon your own righteousness but rags Psal. 143. 2. Phil. 3. 8. Esay 64. 6. Neh. 13. 22. 6. A secreâ— enmity against the strictness of religion Many moral persons punctual in their formal devotion have yet a bitter enmity against preciseness and hate the life and power of religion Phil. 3. 6. compared with Act. 9. 1. They like not this forwardness nor that men should keep such a stir in religion They condemn the strictness of Religion as singularity indiscretion and intemperate zeal and with them a lively preacher or zealous Christian is but a heady fellow These men love not holiness as holiness for then they would love the height of holiness and therefore are undoubtedly rotten at heart whatever good opinion they have of themselves 7. The resting in a certain pitch of Religion When they have so much as will save them as they suppose they look no further and so shew themselves short of true Grace which will ever put men upon aspiring to further perfection Phil. 3. 12 13. Prov. 4. 18. 8. The predominant love of the World This is a sure evidence of an unsanctified heartâ— Mar. 10. 37. 1 Iohn 2. 15. But how close doth this sin lurk oft-times under a fair covert of forward profession Luke 8. 14. Yea such a power of deceit is there in this sin that maâ—â— times when every body else can 〈◊〉 mans worldliness and covetousness he câ—â—not see it himself but hath so many colours and excuses and pretences for his eagerness on the world that he doth blind his own eyes and perish in his
and is ready to envy the very stones that lie in the street because these are senseless and feel not his misery and wishes he had been a dog or a toad or serpent rather than a man because then death had put an end to his misery whereas now it will be but the beginning of that which will know no ending How light soever you may make of it now you will one day find the guilt of unpardoned sin to be a heavy burden This is a milstone that whosoever falleth upon it shall be broken but upon whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder Mat. 21. 44. What work did it make with our Saviour it pressed the very blood to a wonder out of his veins and broke all his bones and if it did this in the green tree what will it do in the dry Oh think of thy case in time Canst thou think of that threat without trembling Ye shall die in your sins Iohn 8. 24. Oh better were it for thee to dye in a gaol dye in a ditch in a dungeon than dye in thy sins If death as it will take away all thy other comforts would take away thy sins too it were some mitigation But thy sins will follow thee when thy friends leave thee and all worldly enjoyments shake hands with thee Thy sins will not dye with thee 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. as a prisoners other debts will but they will to judgment with thee there to be thine accusers and they will to Hell with thee there to be thy tormentors Better to have so many fiends and furies about thee than thy sins to fall upon thee and fasten in thee Oh the work that these will make with thee Oh look over thy debts in time How much art thou in the books of every one of Gods laws How is every one of Gods commandments ready to arrest thee and take thee by the throat for innumerable bonds that it hath upon thee What wilt thou then do when they shall altogether lay in against thee Hold open the eyes of conscience to consider this that thou maist despair of thy self and be driven to Christ and fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6. 18. V. Thy raging lusts do miserably enslave thee While unconverted thou art a very servant of sin it reigns over thee and holds thee under its dominion till thou art brought within the bond of Gods covenant Iohn 8. 34 36. Tit. 3. 3. Rom. 6. 12 14. Rom. 6. 16 17. Now there 's no such Tyrant as sin Oh the filthy and fearful work that it doth engage its servants in Would it not pierce a mans heart to see a company of poor Creatures drudging and toiling and all to carry together faggots and fuel for their own burning Why this is the imployment of sins drudges Even while they bless themselves in their unrighteous gains while they sing and swill in pleasures they are but treasuring up wrath and vengeance for their erernal burning they are but lâ—ying in Powder and bullets and adding to the pile of Tophet and flinging in oyl to make the flames rage the fiercer Who would serve such a master whose work is drudgery and whose wages is death Rom. 6. 23. What a woful spectacle was that poor wretch possessed with the legion would it not have pityed thine heart to have seen him among the tombs cutting and wounding of himself Mark 5. 5. This is thy case such is thy work Every stroke is a thrust at thine heart 1 Tim. 6. 10. Conscience indeed is now asleep but when death and judgment shall bring thee to thy senses then thou wilt feel the raging smart and anguish of every wound The convinced sinner is a sensible instance of the miserable bondage of sin Conscience flies upon him and tells him what the end of these courses will be and yet such a slave is he to his lusts that on he must though he see it will be his endless perdition and when the temptation comes lust gets the bit in its mouth breaks all the cords of his vows and promises and carries him headlong to his own destruction VI. The furnace of eternal vengeance is heated ready for thee Esay 30. 33. Hell and destruction open their mouths upon thee they gape for thee they groan for thee Esay 5. 14. waiting as it were with a greedy eye as thou standest upon the brink when thou wilt drop in If the wrath of a man may be as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19 12. more heavy than the sand Prov. 27. 3. What is the wrath of the infinite God If the burning furnace heated in Nebuchadnezars fiery rage when he commanded it to be made yet seven times hotter were so fierce as to burn up even those that drew near it to throw the three children in Dan. 3. 19 22. How hot is that burning oven of the Almighty's fury Mal. 4. 1. Surely this is seventy times seven more fiâ—rce What thinkest thou O man of being a faggot in Hell to all eternity Can thine heart indure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord of hosts Ezek. 22. 14. Canst thou dwell with everlasting burnings Canst thou abide the consuming fire Esay 33. 14. When thou shalt be as a glowing Iron in Hell and thy whole body and soul shall be as perfectly possessed by Gods burning vengeance as the fiery sparkling iron when heated in the fiercest forge Thou canst not bear Gods whip how then wilt thou endure his scorpions Thou art even crushed and ready to wish thy self dead under the weight of his finger how then wilt thou bear the weight of his loins The most patient man that ever was did curse the day that ever he was born Iob 3. 1. and even wooe death to come and end his misery Iob 7. 15 16. when God did but let out one little drop of his wrath How then wilt thou endure when God shall pour out all his vials and set himself against thee to torment thee When he shall make thy conscience the tunnel by which he will he pouring his burning wrath into thy soul for ever and when he shall fill all thy powers as full of torment as they be now full of sin When immortality shall be thy misery and to die the death of a bruit and be swallowed into the gulf of annihilation shall be such a felicity as a whole eternity of wishes and an Ocean of tears shall never purchase Now thou canst put off the evil day and canst laugh and be merry and forget the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. but how wilt thou hold out or hold up when God shall cast thee into a bed of torments Rev. 2. 22. and make thee to lie down in sorrows Esay 50. 11. When roarings and blasphemy shall be thine only musick and the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without
BEfore thou readest these Directions I advise thee yea I charge thee before God and his holy Angels to resolve to follow them as far as conscience shall be convinced of their agreeableness to Gods word and thy estate and call in his assistance and blessing that they may succeed And as I have sought the Lord and consulted his oracles what advice to give thee so must thou entertain it with that aw reverence and purpose of obedience that the word of the living God doth require Now then attend Set thine heart unto all that I shall testify unto thee this day for it is not a vain thing it is your life Deut. 32. 46. This is the end of all that hath been spoken hitherto to bring you to set upon turning and making use of Gods means for your Conversion I would not trouble you nor torment you before the time with the forethoughts of your eternal misery but in order to your making your escape Were you shut up under your present misery without remedy it were but mercy as one speaks to let you alone that you might take in that little poor comfort that you are capable of here in this world But you may yet be happy if you do not willfully refuse the means of your recovery Behold I hold open the door unto you arise and take your flight I set the way of life before you walk in it and you shall live and not die Deut. 30. 19. Ier. 9. 16. It pities me to think you should be your own murderers and throw your selves headlong when God and men cry out to you as Peter in another case to his Master Spare thy self A noble Virgin that attended the Court of Spain was wickedly ravished by the King and hereupon exciting the Duke her Father to revenge he called in the Moors to his help who when they had executed his design miserably wasted and spoiled the Countrey which this Virgin laying exceedingly to heart shut her self up in a Tower belonging to her Fathers house and desired her Father and Mother might be called forth and bewailing to them her own wretchedness that she should have occasioned so much misery and desolation to her Countrey for the satisfying of her revenge she told them she was resolved to be avenged upon her self Her Father and mother besought her to pity her self and them but nothing would prevail but she took her leave of them and threw her self off the battlements and so perished before their faces Just such is the willful destruction of ungodly men The God that made them beseecheth them and cryeth out to them as Paul to the distracted Jaylor when about to murder himself Do thy self no harm The Ministers of Christ forewarn them and follow them and fain would hold them back But alas No expostulations nor obtestations will prevail but men will hurl themselves into perdition while pity it self looketh on What shall I say would it not grieve a person of any humanity if in the time of a reigning plague he should have a receipt as one well that would infallibly cure all the Countrey and recover the most hopeless patients and yet his friends and neighbours should dye by the hundreds about him because they would not use it Men and brethren though you carry the certain symptoms of death in your faces yet I have a receipt that will cure you all that will cure infallibly Follow but these few directions and if you do not then win Heaven I will be content to lose it Hear then O sinner and as ever thou wouldst be converted and saved embrace this following counsel Direct I. Set it down with thy self as an undoubted truth that it is impossible for thee ever to get to Heaven in this thine unconverted estate Can any other but Christ save thee And he tells thee he will never do it except thou be regenerated and converted Mat. 18. 3. Iohn 3. 3. Doth not he keep the keys of Heaven And canst thou get in without his leave as thou must if ever thou comest thither in thy natural condition without a sound and through renovation Dir. II. Labour to get a thorow sight and lively sense and feeling of thy sins Till men are weary and heavy laden and pricked at the heart and stark sick of sin they will not come to Christ in his way for ease and cure nor to purpose enquire What shall we do Mat. 11. 28. Act. 2. 37. Mat. 9. 12. They must set themselves down for dead men before they will come unto Christ that they may have life Iohn 5. 40. Labour therefore to set all thy sins in order before thee Never be afraid to look upon them but let thy spirit make diligent search Psal. 77. 6. Enquire into thine heart and into thy life Enter into a thorow examination of thy self and of all thy wayes Psal. 119. 59. that thou maist make a full discovery and call in the help of Gods spirit in the sense of thine own inability hereunto for it is his proper work to convince of sin Iohn 16. 8. Spread all before the face of thy conscience till thine heart and eyes be set abroach Leave not striving with God and thine own soul till it cry out under the sense of thy sins as the inlightened Jaylour What must I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. To this purpose Meditate of the Numerousness of thy sins David's heart failed when he thought of this and considered that he had more sins than hairs Psal. 40. 12. This made him to cry out upon the multitudes of Gods tender mercies Psal. 51. 1. The loathsome carcase doth not more hatefully swarm with crawling worms than an unsanctified soul with filthy lusts They fill the head the heart the eyes and mouth of him Look backward where was ever the place what was ever the time in which thou didst not sin Look inward what part or power canst thou find in soul or body but it is poisoned with sin What duty dost thou ever perform into which this poison is not shed Oh how great is the sum of thy debts who hast been all thy life long running upon the books and never didst nor canst pay off one penny Look over the sin of thy nature and all its cursed brood the sins of thy life Call to mind thine Omissions Commissions the sins of thy thoughts of thy words of thine actions the sins of thy youth the sins of thy years c. Be not like a desperate bankrupt that is afraid to look over his books Read the records of conscience carefully these books must be opened sooner or later Rev. 20. 12. Meditate upon the aggravations of thy sins as they are the grand enemies against the God of thy life against the life of thy soul in a word they are the publick enemies of all mankind How do David Ezra Daniel and the good Levites aggravate their sins from the consideration of their injuriousness to God their opposition to his good and righteous
and to follow thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Who am I Lord that I should make any claim to thee or have any part or portion in thee who am not worthy to lick up the dust of thy feet Yet since thou holdest forth the golden Scepter I am bold to come and touch To despair would be to disparage thy mercy and to stand off when thou biddest me come would be at once to undo my self and rebel against thee under pretence of humility Therefore I bow my soul unto thee and with all possible thankfulness accept thee as mine and give up my self to thee as thine Thou shalt be Soveraign over me my King and my God Thou shalt be in the Throne and all my powers shall bow to thee they shall come and worship before thy feet Thou shalt be my portion O Lord and I will rest in thee Thou callest for my heart Oh that it were any way fit for thine acceptance I am unworthy O Lord everlastingly unworthy to be thine But since thou wilt have it so I freely give up my heart to thee Take it it is thine Oh that it were better But Lord I put it into thy hands who alone canst mend it Mould it after thine own heart make it as thou wouldst have it holy humble heavenly soft tender flexible and write thy law upon it Come Lord Jesus come quickly enter in triumphantly take me up for thy self for ever I give up to thee I come to thee as the only way to the Father as the only Mediator the means ordained to bring me to God I have destroyed my self but in thee is my help Save Lord or else I perish I come to thee with the rope about my neck I am worthy to dye and to be damned Never was the hire more due to the servantâ— never was penny more due to the labourer than death and Hell my just wages is due to me for my sins But I fly to thy merits I trust alone to the value and virtue of thy Sacrifice and prevalency of thine intercession I submit to thy teaching I make choice of thy Government Stand open ye everlasting doors that the King of Glory may enter in O thou spirit of the most high the comforter and sanctifier of thy chosen come in with all thy glorious train all thy Courtly attendants thy fruits and Graces Let me be thine habitation I can give thee but what is thine own already but here with the poor Widdow I cast my two mites my soul and my body into thy treasury fully resigning them up to thee to be sanctified by thee to be servants to thee They shall be thy patients cure thou their maladies they shall be thy agents govern thou their motions Too long have I served the world too long have I hearkened to Satan but now I renounce them all and will be ruled by thy dictates and directions and guided by thy counsel O blessed Trinity O glorious Unity I deliver up my self to thee receive me write thy name O Lord upon me and upon all that I have as thy proper goods Set thy mark upon me upon every member of my body and every faculty of my soul. I have chosen thy precepts Thy law will I lay before me this shall be the copy which I will keep in my eye and study to write after According to this rule do I resolve by thy Grace to walk after this law shall my whole man be governed And though I cannot perfectly keep one of thy Commandments yet I will allow my self in the breach of none I know my flesh will hang back but I resolve in the power of thy Grace to cleave to thee and thy holy ways whatever it cost me I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee and therefore I will be content with reproach and difficulties and hardships here and will deny my self and take up my Cross and follow thee Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie thy Cross is welcome as it is the way to thee I lay aside all hopes of a worldly happiness I will be content to tarry till I come to thee Let me be poor and low little and despised here so I may be but admitted to live and reign with thee hereafter Lord thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians never to be reversed To this I will stand in this resolution by Grace I will live and dye I have â—worn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have given my free consent I have made my everlasting choice Lord Jesus confirm the contract Amen CHAP. VII Containing the Motives to Conversion THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversionâ— and of the Miseries of the Unconverted might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present turning or Conversion unto God yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is I have thought it necessary to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ some Motives to perswade you hereunto O Lord fail me not now at my last attempts If any soul hath read hitherto and be yet untouched now Lord fasten in him and do thy work Now take him by the heart overcome him perswade him till he say Thou hast prevailed for thou wast stronger than I. Lord didst not thou make me a fisher of men And have I toyled all this while and caught nothing Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought And now I am casting my last Lord Iesus stand thou upon the shore and direct how and where I shall spread my net and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for that they may not be able to get out Now Lord for a multitude of souls now for a full draught O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me this once O God But I turn me unto you Men and Brethren Heaven and earth do call upon you yea hell it self doth preach the doctrine of repentance unto you The Angels of the Churches travel with you Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you for your repenting and turning unto God O sinner why should the devils make merry with thee Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan Why should harpies and hell-hounds tear thee and make a feast upon thee and when they have got thee into the snare and have fastened their talons in thee laugh at thy destruction and deride thy misery and sport themselves with thy damnable folly This must be thy case except thou turn And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels than a laughing-stock and sport for devils Verily if thou wouldst but come in the Heavenly Host would take up their anthems and sing Glory be to God in the highest the morning Stars would sing together
Christian and restest in the form of godliness give over thy halving and thy halting be a throughout Christian and be zealous and repent and then though thou hast been an offence ot Christ's stomach thou shall be the joy of his heart Rev. 3. 16 19 20. And now bear witness that mercy hath been offered you I call heaven and earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that you may live Deut. 30. 19. I can but wooe you and warn you I cannot compel you to be happy if I could I would What answer will you send me with to my master Let me speak unto you as Abraham's servant to them And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master tell me Gen. 24. 49. Oh for such a happy answer as Rebekah gave to them Gen. 24. 57 58. And they said we will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth And they called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go Oh that I had but thus much from you Why should I be your accuser Mat. 10. 14 15. who thirst for your salvation Why should the passionate pleadings and wooings of mercy be turned into the horrid aggravations of your obstinacy and additions to your misery Judge in your own selves Do you not think their condemnation will be doubly dreadful that shall still go on in their sins after all endeavours to recall them Doubtless it shall be more toleable for Tyre and Sidâ—n yea for Sâ—dom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment than for such Mat. 11. 22. 24. Beloved if you have any pity for your perishing souls close with the present offers of mercy If you would not continue and increase the pains of your travelling Ministers do not stick in the birth If the God that made you have any authority with you obey his command and come in If you are not the despisers of grace and would not shut up the doors of mercy against your selves repent and be converted Let not Heaven stand open for you in vain Let not the Lord Jesus open his wares and bid you buy without money and without price in vain Let not his Ministers and his Spirit strive with you in vain and leave you now at last unperswaded lest the sentence go forth against you The bellows are burnt the lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vain Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ier. 6. 29 30. Father of Spirits take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness Do not thou have ended though I have done Half a word from thine effectual power will do the work O thou that hast the key of David that openest when no man shutteth open thou this heart as thou didst Lydia's and let the King of glory enter in and make this soul thy happy captive Let not the tempter harden him in delays Let him not stir from this place nor take his eyesfrom these lines till he be resolved to forgâ— his sins and to accept of life upon thy self-denying terms In thy name O Lord God did I go forth to these labours in thy name do I shut them up Let not all the time they have cost be but lost hours let not all the thoughts of heart and all the pains that have been about them be but lost labour Lord put in thine hand into the heart of this Reader and send thy Spirit as once thou didst Philip to joyn himself to the Chariot of the Eunuch while he was reading thy word And though I should never know it while I live yet I beseech thee Lord God let it be found at that day that some souls were converted by these labours and let some be able to stand forth and say that by these perswasions they were won unto thee Amen Amen Let him that readeth say Amen FINIS The Terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The Terms from which we must turn are Sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted The mediate Terms are either principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediatour who must thus be embraced The less Principal are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed