their right to glory and salvation 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that when the houses of our earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved we shall enjoy a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens So 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Job 19.25 2 Tim. 1.12 And all this assurance of adoption justification perseverance in grace fruition of glory which Saints have doth proceed from their assurance of their regeneration 1 John 3.14 We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Regeneration or holiness is the first fruits which do ensure the harvest and the earnest which doth confirme the bargain and ensure the full sum Now Reader having given thee some motives to quicken thee to try thy soul I shall lay down the markes and bring thee to the test And they shall be taken from the nature and effects of regeneration First examine thine heart by the nature of this true holiness Now there are two things in the nature of this new creature In every birth there is Generatio unius corruptio alterius saith the Philosopher something generated and something destroyed so in this new birth there is the production of grace and the destruction of vice the life of righteousness and the death of sin the setting up of the Arke and the throwing down of Dagon The sinfullness of our souls by our first births consisteth in their aversion from God and good and in their conversion to the evil one and evil in having the image of Satan imprinted on them and the image of God blotted out of them The sanctity of our souls by their second births consisteth in their conversion to God and their aversion from sin in having the image of the Devil razed out of them and the image of the Saviour stamped on them As we have born the image of the earthly so we must bear the image of the heavenly And these two parts of the good part are like two Buckets in a Well as the one namely the interest of God cometh up the other namely the interest of sin and Satan goeth down the higher the Sun getteth the more still it scattereth the darkness First there is in this new nature a dying to sin The Apostle calleth it a putting off the old man Eph. 4.22 and a dying to sin Rom. 6.11 Conversion like the ship-mans fatal star is never seen but before the wrack and death of sin The spring of grace is a living fountain and cleanseth it self of mire and dirt Grace like Christ increaseth and sin like the Baptist decreaseth The expression of the holy Ghost about this is worthy our serious consideration Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Lo here sin is served by Christ the same sauce which it formerly served Christ Sin crucified him when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh and he slayeth it when he cometh into the soul by his Spirit but in the words of the Apostle observe Sins appellation and its execution For its appellation it is called first the Old man partly because it is derived and propagated from Adam the eldest of men partly in comparison of renovation and renewing the whole man It is called secondly the body of sin partly because mans corrupt nature like a body or stock brancheth forth into divers actual sins as members Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.19 partly because of the strength of it as also because men are as much naturally in love with their sins as with themselves But take notice of the execution of this old man of this body of sin in the regenerate The old man is crucified Sin like an old man in them which are new made doth decay and decline every day it is every hour growing weaker and weaker and nearer to its grave and utter abolition Regeneration giveth sin its deaths wound though as those that are crucified it dyeth lingringly yet it dieth certainly Sin like a man in a consumption in a converted person is always wasting and dying till at last it 's quite dead One that is mortally wounded sprawleth and moveth for a time but afterwards giveth up the Ghost so sin while Saints live though it be mortally wounded doth rage and stir but it abateth in strength and dyeth with them St. De civit dei l. 8. c. 6. Augustine relateth of the Serpent that when she groweth old she draweth herself through a narrow hole and by this means stripping off her old skin she reneweth her age Ambulare in peccatis est sic versari in pec catis ut iâ— vocaâ—ione sua ordina ria Daveâ— in Col. 3. Truly thus the Christian is made new by putting off the old coat of the old man The Scripture speaketh expresly He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.9 that is constantly sin is not his design or imployment and chearfully sin is not his delight or element for sin is against his new nature now a man can do nothing against his nature cordially or constantly Sin may rebel within him but it cannot reign over him he looks on sin as his greatest enemy and therefore 't is impossible that he should converse with it in a way of amity Nay as fire and water heat and cold never meet but they fight so this new life is in continual war with every lust the new creature is like unto God Of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 the evil of sin cannot ordinarily get a good look from him he cannot meet this ugly guest in any corner of his house but his heart riseth against him he considereth what a Lord sin displeaseth what a Law sin transgresseth what a beautiful image sin defaceth what a glorious name fin dishonoreth what a lovely loving Savior sin buffetted shamefully and tortured cruelly what a precious soul and peerless salvation sin was like to have lost him eternally And Oh 't is a killing look which this soul giveth his dearest lust Ah thinks he that ever my nature should hatch and harbour such hideous monsters that ever my heart should be a polluted bed to breed and bring forth such a poisonous brood 'T was my iniquity that bid defiance to the highest Majesty 't was my corruption which scourged the back wounded the head nailed the feet and hands yea pierced the very heart of Jesus Christ my wickedness was the weight which caused his bloody sweat my lust was the murderer which put to death that Lord of life 't was my covetousness which betrayed him my cowardliness which condemned him and my cruelty which executed him and shal I be a friend to that Traytor which was such a foe to my Redeemer Well whatever it cost me through the strength of Christ I le have justice upon these murderers through the help of heaven these brats of hell shall have their
never fountain sent forth water more freely then this sinner doth godly sorrow when he considereth what he hath done how he hath sinned what a God he hath greived sorrow and grief overwhelm his spirit The fifth step is implantation into Christ the Spirit now leadeth the childe by the band unto Christ nay grafteth him into Christ The soul being convinced of the necessity it stands in of Christ of the endless misery which it must undergo without Christ of the al-sufficiency that is in Christ how willing how able he is to binde up the broken heart and to save the sinful soul doth by the help of the Holy Ghost venture its self and its everlasting estate up-Jesus Christ resolving to stand or fall live or die at his feet The sinner is now between hope and fear not knowing how he shall fare As the four Lepers that were shut out of the City in the famine of Samaria considered with themselves If we enter into the City the famine is in the City and we die there Kings 7.3 and if we sit still here we die also Now therefore come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die and accordingly they went to the Syrians camp found food there and lived So the sinner pondereth in his heart If I go to the world and the lying vanities thereof I perish vanity of vanities is written upon all its enjoyments the famine is there there is nothing that is bread its whole shop cannot afford a plaister which can heal my wounded conscience if I sit still in this condition under the weight of mine iniquities I perish they will unquestionable sink me into Hell now therefore I will fall into the hands of the Lord Jesus If he save my soul I shall live if he deny to receive such an unworthy wretch as I am I shall but die I can but perish I will therefore venture and accordingly the soul goeth to him and findeth life in him I have sometime thought that when the sinner is come thus far he carrieth himself much like Esther When the King had made an irrevocable decree for the destruction of her self and people what doth she do she fasteth and prayeth and sendeth word to Mordecai I will go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish Esth 4. ult Thus the poor broken-hearted sinner perceiving that the King of Kings hath made a Decree That the soul that sinneth shall die eternally and he is a grievous sinner he fasteth he mourneth he prayeth and at last resolveth Well I will go in unto the King though it be not according to the Law which shutteth me up under guilt and wrath If I perish I perish possibly he may hold out the golden Scepter of Grace and I may live in his sight thus the poor creature goeth maketh supplication believingly and prevaileth The Devil now layeth all the blocks he can possibly in the souls way to hinder its journey to Christ As when the woman talked to her husband of going to the Prophet for the enlivening of her dead childe he presently endeavoureth to disswade her that 't would be to no purpose Why wilt thou go 't is neither new moon nor Sabbath but yet she went and had her childe restored to life Thus To what purpose shouldst thou go to Christ saith the Devil to the penitent sinner Canst thou think that so holy and righteous a God will have the least respect for such a wicked notorious hell-hound as thou art I tell thee he hath sent thousands that never sinned as thou hast done into Hell and canst thou have any thoughts of Heaven Thou hast done my work all thy dayes and now lookest for a reward from God No no I le pay thee thy wages in blackness of darkness for ever if thou hadst intended for life thou shouldst have minded it sooner thou hast dayes without number broken the Law and many a time rejected the Gospel and now 't is too late God called and thou wouldst not hear now thou mayst call long enough for he will not hear thee he tells thee as much with his own mouth Prov. 1.25 to 32. Therefore thou mayst spare thy pains and prayers for all will be to no purpose Surely thou hast a impudent face and a brazen forehead to expect such choice blessings as pardon and life from that Christ whom thou hast persecuted in his people rejected in his Laws preferring the world and thy flesh before him and daring him to his very face Thus he that was the sinners tempter to those sins turns his tormentor for them and he that when the soul was posting to Hell bid it not doubt of Heaven doth now the creature is creeping towards eternal life perswade him that 't is impossible to escape eternal death But notwithstanding these discouragements the sinner will go to the great Prophet of the Church for the life of his dead soul He thinks 'T is true I am a grievous sinner but I know that he is a gracious Saviour I see nothing but misery and hell in me but I see mercy and heaven in him for my warrant Mat. 11.28 I have â—his precept Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden for my encouragement I have his promise I will give you rest Ioh 6.33 him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out I will therefore go what ever come of it and lay my self at his feet if he condemn me and spurn me into Hell I le justifie him peradventure he may lend me his hand and raise me up with hope of Heaven others have gone to him and he hath bid them welcom O the rings and robes the kisses and embraces which many returning Prodigals have had of him who knoweth but he may be gracious to me if he had not been willing that poor sinners should live he would not have dyed if he had been unwilling that I should come why doth he call me Well what ever come of it I will go it may be I may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Thus Faith at first standeth but on one weak foot I suppose that when the sinner is in this condition the very command of God enjoyning him to believe in the name of his Son is a special instrument in the hand of the Spirit to draw him unto Christ like Abraham he being called of God obeyed not knowing whither he went he being called of God to cast himself on Jesus Christ obeyeth not knowing how he shall speed The Disciples when they hear Christ speaking to them in the morning Cast on the other side of the ship and ye shall finde answer him We have fished all night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy command we will let down the net So the penitent man having tried this and that means and found no water no meat
works of nature a tree which hath been many years growing may be cut down in an hour but in works of sin it s otherwise mans weakness can easily build them up but Gods power can onely throw them down Pompey when the Romans said That if Caesar came to Rome they saw not how they could resist his power told them That if he did but stamp with his foot on any ground in Italy he would bring men enough both footmen and horsemen to do it but when Caesar was coming with his Army Phaonius bid Pompey stamp with his feet and fetch the Souldiers which he had promised but all was in vain Pompey found it more difficult then he thought for Caesar made him first flee and then in a fight totally routed him The devil perswades men that they may defer their regeneration till their dissolution and then 't will be an easie matter to foil their spiritual foes but alas they finde it not so easie to mortifie earthly members and destroy the body of death when their souls adversaries with united strength encounter them fiercely and conquer them eternally Further all thy earthly comforts whether friends relations name estate limbs life must be laid at the feet of Christ hated for his sake and parted with at his call and command and that for the hope of such things as thou never sawest nor art ever like to see while thou livest Is not this Reader an hard chapter to forgo an estate in hand for something onely in hope to throw away present possessions and follow Christ thou knowest not whither to receive an inheritance thou knowest not when And as thy sins and thy soul must be parted asunder so thy Saviour and thy soul must be joyned together faith must follow repentance thy own righteousness must be esteemed as dross and dung the weight of thy soul and burthen of thy sins must be laid on the naked cross of Jesus Christ Now for thee who art by nature so extreamly in love with thy self to loath thy self and for thee notwithstanding thy discouragements from the number and nature of thy sins the threatnings and curses of the Law the wrath and righteousness of God to cling about and hang upon the Lord Jesus and resolve though he kill thee yet thou wilt trust in him surely this is not easie the work of God in infusing justifying faith is as great as in faith miraculous This is the work of God saith Christ that ye believe in the name of him whom he hath sent John 6.29 The work of God not onely in regard of its excellency because no work in man is more pleasing to God then believing on his Son but also in regard of its difficulty because none but a God can enable a man to believe the bird can as soon fly in the egg as thy soul mount up by faith towards heaven till the Almighty God assist thee Further all the commands of God must be heartily embraced some whereof are as contrary to flesh and blood as fire to water Self which is thy great idol must be denied the world with all its pomp and pride in comparison of Christ refused principalities and powers rencountred and foiled thine enemies loved and if killed it must be with kindness godliness owned though much disgraced by others truth followed close though it threaten to dash out thy teeth with its heels a buffeted Christ with his naked Cross preferred before weighty Crowns things which reason cannot comprehend believed and which none ever obtained labored for Friend are these easie things what thinkest thou add to all this the consideration not onely of thy weakness and inability to do these things but also thy wickedness and contrariety to them thou art not onely deprived of good but all over depraved with evil The imaginations and thoughts of thy heart are evil onely evil and that continually Gen. 6.5 Thou dost resolvedly and obstinately refuse good and choose evil Eccles 8.11 Jer. 44.16 The hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 observe how full that text is man is resolved to have his minion his lust though he have wrath and death and hell into the bargain as the mother of Nero being told that her son would be her death if ever he were Emperor answered Let him kill me so he may reign so they say Let sin reign though it kill us though it damn us The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil If thou wert onely empty of God and grace the work were more easie but thou art an enemy to grace and godliness thy carnal minde which is Lady Reason her self thy highest natural excellency is not an enemy for such an one may be reconciled but in the abstract emnity against God Thou hatest God Rom. 1.30 His people 1 John 3.12 His precepts Prov. 1.25 29. His Son John 15.25 and all for his sake thou fightest against him daily sinnest in defiance of him continually entailest thy quarrel upon thy posterity carriest it with thee into the other world if thou diest unregenerate and there art throwing thine invenom'd darts of blasphemy and spitting thy poison against the Most High to eternity Now be thy own judge is it easie to cure that Patient who thus desperately hates both Physician and Physick John 3.5 Water indeed saith one may somwhat easily be dammed up but no art nor labour can make it run back in its own channel It was by a miracle that the river of Jordan was driven back and it is no less then a miracle that the tide of sin which ran so strong should be turned that the sinner who before was sailing towards Hell and wanted neither winde nor tide to carry him forward should now alter his course and tack about for Heaven This is hard it is not more strange to see the earth flye upward and fire move downward then to see a sinner walk contrary to his nature in the wayes of grace and holiness Now Reader is not that man worse then mad that either delayeth or dallieth about his conversion upon supposition that he can do it easily enough hereafter when all this which I have written must be wrought in regeneration and when he is not onely empty of an enemy to but even emnity against it all Though the work of conversion and therefore the way to salvation be thus difficult to all yet to some 't is more difficult then to others In respect of God indeed quoad Deum one is as easily converted as another for infinite power and mercy know no difference but quoad nos in respect of us it is more hard to bring some towards holiness and heaven then others where the matter is most rugged and untoward it s harder to bring it to a good and comely form Some pieces of timber are more knotty then others and therefore not so easily squared and fitted for the spiritual Temple and heavenly Jerusalem as
separated for the service of the Lord they are born of the Spirit brought up in the Spirit and they walk after the Spirit The tast therefore which I now set thee is to try whether thou are one of these whether thou art born again without which thou canst not see the Kingdom of God Now though the commandment of God be argument and reason enough to a Christian why he should examine himself whether he be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 135. for a true subject dares not deny any coyn which hath the image and stamp of his Sovereign upon it yet I shall give thee two or three thoughts to stir thee up to the tryal of thy self First Consider that thy All hangs on this hinge of regeneration All that thou art worth for thine unchangeable estate in the other world dependeth on this This is the foundation of that hope that building which reacheth to heaven now t is dangerous to err in fundamentals the stability of the building depends on the strength of the foundation For a man to go out of his way at the first setting out is saddest of all Regeneration is the beginning of Christianity in thee nay thy interest in all the unsearchable riches in Christ standeth on this if regenerated then thy sins are pardoned thy person accepted God is thy Father Jesus Christ thy Husband and Saviour the Spirit thy Comforter the Promises are thy portion Heaven thy home but if thou art not adorned with the pious fruits of Christs Spirit thou art not interested in the precious fruits of his merits therefore make sure here God will deal with thee to eternity according to thy having or wanting this Now doth it not concern thee to beware of cozening thy self here when a mistake in this will make thee miserable for ever if ever any tresses had need be strong then surely they which draw such a weight as thine endless welfare Where men intend to dwell long thy build strong Soldiers use tents which have no foundation because they intend but a short stay in them thou lookest for a City which hath a foundation Friend hath thy expectation of it any foundation wouldst thou build sleightly for a dwelling of eternity Zeuxes being asked why he was so exact in painting answered Because he painted for eternity Lines which concern eternity had need be exactly drawn and deeds and marks and all things indeed which concern eternity had need to be exquisitely done If a Merchant venture all his estate in one vessel and where there is much hazard in the voyage how full of fear and care will he be lest the ship should miscarry himself and his family be ruined many a sad thought will he have in the day as sowr sawce to his food and possibly many an aking heart in the night to keep him waking He is even like to be beside himself so much is he perplexed and ask him the reason he will tell you I think I have cause All that I am worth is ventured in that bottom should it be lost and perish we are all lost my wife self and children must all perish Thus the man lives in little ease both day and night till at last he considereth with himself of what concernment the safety of that vessel is to him he resolveth and accordingly goeth to the Ensurers Office and ensureth his whole estate and then he is satisfied those fears which like weights hung on the clock of his heart and would not suffer it to rest are now taken off and he eats his bread with chearfulness and drinks his wine with a merry heart he can in all conditions be contented because his All is ensured Thus Reader Regeneration is the vessell in which all that thou art worth not for this present perishing but for the other everlasting world is ventured if that be sound thine endless welfare is safe if that be feigned and lame thou art lost for ever How caust thou take any comfort in the abundance of fading creatures whilst thy All thine Eternity is in danger O go to the Ensuring Office bring thy riches thy silver to the ballance of the Sanctuary and thereby try whether it hath its full weight Man what sayst thou to this reason for self examination is it not of unspeakable weight and I shall shew thee that t is of unquestionable truth Doth not the living God tell thee that except thou art born again thou shall not see his Kingdom Doth he not say expresly that without are dogs Rev. 22.15 The fathers house is onely for children Dogs must be without doors Pharaohs court admitted of vermine but I can assure that Gods will not Into it can in no wise enter any thing that is defiled or unclean Rev. 21. ult Impure persons can never get into the most holy place Heaven must be in thee before thou canst be in heaven It was a good inscription which a bad man wrot on the door of his house Per me nihil intret mali Let no evil passe through me whereupon said Diogenes Quomodo ingredietur dominus How then shall the Master get into his own house That inscription without question agreeth with the celestiall habitation There is nothing there but what is holy The Creatour is essentially infinitely and eternally holy the father is holy John 17.11 the holy child Jesus Acts 14.27 the holy Ghost Acts 21.11 the creatures there are holy the holy angels Mark 8.38 the saints or holy men and women Heb. 12.23 The work and eternall imployment there is holyness the servants wait on their Master without sinning as well as without ceasing the song there is Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4.8 canst thou therefore think without holiness to get thither Secondly Consider that God will try thee He knoweth now what thou art whether dross or gold and he will shortly bring thee to the fire and make thee known both to thy self and others Though the waters of thy corruptions may run for a time under ground and be hidden from the eyes of men yet they will at length appear Thou art at present all Chrystal to God he needeth not as Momus would have a window into thy breast for he seeth thee throughly he seeth thy inwards more perfectly then thou and others can see thy outward parts The fining pot is for silver the furnance for gold but the Lord tryeth the heart Prov. 17.3 He hath a thread which leadeth him unerringly through the labyrinth of thy heart He needeth no serious inquisition about thee for he knoweth thee by immediate intuition He walks through the road of thy heart every hour therefore it concerneth thee not to balke it He will try thee probably in life but certainly at death and judgment and shouldest not thou then try thy self God may trie thee in life by prosperity he may give thee strong meat and thereby examine thy stomach whether it be good or bad he may let the world flow in upon thee
him he esteemeth the word of Gods mouth more then his appointed food Job 23.12 Mark not then varieties or superfluous fare but then daily necessary food the former might be spared but this for the preservation of life is necessarily required but Gods word was before this Spiritual dainties are most delightful to them that have special grace And truly 't is no wonder that the childe doth so exceedingly long for and love that which is as it were his father I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me Psal 119.93 Some men say they shall never forget such a friend the longest day that they have to live What 's the reason they will tell us they were nigh death either by fire or water or some disease and under God such men saved their lives so saith David I le never forget Gods Law the longest day I shall live why what 's the matter Alas I was nigh death next door to eternal damnation there was but a thin paper-wall of life between me and everlasting wo and under God the Word helped me it saved my soul I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me If Alexander could say That he was more bound to his Tutor Aristotle then to his Father Philip because he had only his being from the latter when he had his well-being from the former and therefore he prized him so much How much therefore doth the true Christian value that word which is instrumental to his being in Christ here and his everlasting wel-being with Christ hereafter So for prayer the regenerate person cannot live without it and fellowship with God in it He is like a full vessel his heart filled with complaints against sin with longings after Christ and his likeness if you will not give it vent 't will burst Prayer is his breathing Godward without breathing the body could not live it would be inflamed and burnt up with the heat of its own entrails no more could the soul unless the Saint should breath often towards heaven crying Abba Father Spiritual breath was the first sign of Pauls spiritual birth Behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 So I might speak of other Ordinances of God for there is a constant trade driven between the Convert and heaven which is carried on by several commodities and if this commerce were broken off he could not subsist He findeth the means of grace as needful to keep grace and soul together as meat to keep life and soul together his heart though fired with this spiritual life is like green wood which will burn no longer then it s blown with the bellows of Ordinances Reader How dost thou find thine appetite unto the bread and water of life dost thou hunger after the Word Prayer Sacraments Commonion of Saints and the Lords day canst thou feed on them with delight dost thou rise from Table with an appetite longing to sit down again Canst thou lay as the Psalmist I watch and am as the Sparrow upon the house top Psal 102.7 Observe the Sparrow upon the top of an house looketh on this side and that side of the house it looketh this way and that way and round about if he can spy any corn and food and when it can see any it flieth to that place and pecks it up so dost thou watch for and resort to the Ordinances of God which are the food of thy soul what sayst thou It may be thou art for high language oratorical expressions such Sermons only are pleasing to thee the dish must be set out with many flowers on which thou lookest more then at the meat Believe it as there is no greater sign of a foul stomack then to loath solid meat and to pick sallats or feed on ashes so there is hardlier a greater sign of an unsanctified heart then to loath the solid food of the word and to pick the flowers of mans wisdom in a Sermon or to feed on the world Or possibly thou art one of the new-fangled opinionists of our unhappy times that are above Ordinances I must tell thee That to live above Ordinances is to live below a Saint He that doth not reckon the means of Grace his greatest priviledge on this side the place of Glory may well question whether ever he enjoyed God in them methinks the begger should know that door again at which he had a large alms a full bait James 1.18 19. 1 Pet. 2.2 3 4. A childe indeed may forbear his meat either in a fit of sullenness or under some disease but if he be a childe his dogged fit will be over he will get the mastery of his distemper and fall to his food again Secondly The new-born creature groweth in Grace the picture of a childe groweth not but a living childe doth After generation followeth augmentation the same word which breeds the new man feeds him and enables him to grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 As the same blood of which the babe is bred in the womb strikes up into the mothers breasts and by a further concoction becometh milk and so nourisheth it The good seed of the word falling into the foil of an honest heart makes it abundant in the work of the Lord Common Grace sometimes like Joshua's Sun standeth still but usually like the dial of Ahaz it goeth ten degrees backward when special grace like the morning light shineth brighter and brighter to perfect day Prov. 4.18 First the blade next the ear then the full corn first they who are begotten of God become little children next young men then old men and fathers 1 Joh. 2.1 12 13 14. The unfound Christian is like the Manna for the Israelites daily use which did corrupt and putrifie or like a pond of water which quickly drieth up when true Christianity as the Manna in the Ark doth keep sweet and as the waters of the Sanctuary is up first to the ankles then to the knees then to the loyns and at last became a River so deep that none could pass over it Ezek. 47.3 4 5. If Grace be true there is a natural tendency in it to growth as there is in seed cast into the earth There is vertually in a little plant the bigness and height of a great tree towards which it is putting forth it self with more and more strength every day So there is in that seed of Grace planted in the soul at conversion vertually that perfection of grace which Christ hath appointed that man unto towards which its putting it self forth every day He that hath clean hands groweth stronger and stronger Job 17.9 They go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Sion Psal 84. This River of living waters runneth along notwithstanding many turnings and windings till it empty it self into the Ocean and grace commence glory The grain of mustard-seed groweth into a tree and the smoaking flax is blown into a flame The least spark of true holiness cannot be put out
shall inherit the earth Matth. 5.5 If heaven can make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.3 If all things could make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. two last verses Reader I shall do my utmost so to set forth the felicity of the regenerate which no pen can fully that thou mayst admire it How goodly are thy tents O. Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel Numb 24.5 and not only as Balaam desire their deaths Let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like his Numb 23 10. but also endeavour to live their lives and to have thy conversation like theirs While thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul and when thou entrest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorions Saint In this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul in every condition into which thou couldst come in every relation in which thou dost stand at all times and in all places whatsoever All the Providences of God should be profitable to thee If Gods hand were enlarged in mercy thy heart should be enlarged in duty If God should prosper thee in temporals the streams of his bounty should lead thee as the water course either upward to the spring or downward to the ocean to the source and fountain of all thy happiness Thy heart would still be in heaven where thy best things were even then when thy body were busied among earthly good things 1 Cor. 7 29 30 Phil. 3.19 Some observe of the seed called Henbane that it killeth all birds save sparrows and to them it is nourishing food and they give this reason because their veines are so narrow that the fumes of the seed cannot passe through them to their hearts truly thus t would be with thee though thou sands of others are poisond with their worldly portions because the fumes thereof penetrate into their vitals but if riches increase thou shouldst not set thine heart upon them nay thou shouldst get nourishment from them As Jehosaphat the more honour and wealth thou hadst the more thy heart would be lifted up in the ways of God 2 Chro. 17.5 6. If thine estate were but little yet t would be perfumed with love and that lump of sugar in thy cup would make the liquor sweet be it never so small As the waters which flow from the hils of some of the Islands of Molacca taste of the Cinamon and Cloves which grow there so should thy guift though it were but water taste of the good will and special grace of the giver Thy little with the fear of the Lord would be better then the riches of many wicked men Psal 37 15. As a little ring with a very costly Diamond in it is far more worth then many great ones without it so thy estate though it were but a penny should be joyned with the pretious jewel of that love which is better then life and enjoyed by special promise and thereby be infinitely more worth then the thousands and millions of others bestowed meerly from common bounty and enjoyed onely by a generall providence If the black frost of adversity overtake thee thou shouldst as Conies thrive the better thy soul being hail thou wouldst become thereby the more healthy By affliction thou shouldst be partaker of Gods holiness Heb. 12.10 The waters of affliction should wash out the diri of thy corruption and the more they increased they would raise thee as the flood the Arke higher above the earth and mount thee nearer to heaven Torches burn the better for beating Spices smell the sweeter for pounding Vines bear the more for bleeding and the more thy soul were kept down by those weights like the Palm-tree the more thou shouldst grow That scouring and rubbing which fretteth others should make thee shine the brighter Psal 94.12 Divine corrections should make thee learn thy sacred lessons It is said of the Lacedemonians that when all other people were undone by war they onely grew rich Truly thus when ungodly ones are the worse for outward miseryes and wants like Ahaz in their distress they sin more against the Lord thou shouldst thrive the better grow the richer in grace and good works The diminution of thy temporal should be an addition to thy spiritual estate Job 36.9 10. As spring-water smoaketh when other waters are dried up because that is living and these are dead nay t is observed waters arising from deep springs are hotter in winter then in summer the outward cold keeping in and doul â—â—g the inward heat So the waters of thy graces should not onely continue having a living principle when the Sun of calamity scorcheth and drieth up the dead ponds of unregenerate professors Mat. 13.21 but also increase in spiritual heat Job 17.8 9. Philip. 1.14 If the Devil assaulted thee with temptations they should never be for thy perdition but probation Rev. 2.10 The Captain of thy Salvation would so strengthen thy soul with the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit that thou shouldst not onely defend thy soul from all deadly wounds but offend thine Enemy and be more then a Conqueror over Principalities and Powers through him that loveth thee It would possibly be grievous and terrible to thee to be tempted but if God did not see it needful he would not suffer it nay if he could not make it useful he would not send it by those thorns of the flesh he would prick the vein and let out the ranck blood of thy spirit It is said of Telephus that he had his impostume opened by the dart of an Enemy which intended his hurt Truly so God would make to thee the fiery darts of the Devil though they were intentionally mortal to be eventually medicinal 1 John 5.18 The evil one should not touch thee that is with a mortal or deadly touch As a sound tree shaken with the winde thou shouldest not fall but root thy self the â—â—â—ter thou shouldest like Sampson fetch meat out of the Eater and out of the Strong sweetness thou shouldst get honey even out of this roaring Lion thy Regeneration like Pollium would be a special preservative against the poyson of that croocked Serpent Nay when thou shouldest fall into the evil of sin even that should turn to thy good God no thanks to thee like the skilful Apothecary would make wholsom treacle of such poisonus drugs If thy corruption should at any time get the mastery and break out in thy life thou shouldst be so well purged by the Physician of souls with the bitter Aloes of Repentance that as those who have had ill humors of their bodies getting head and breaking out in the small-pox and do well thou shouldst be the healthier in thy soul
thousands of rivers of oil nay though the first-born of thy body all these could no be a propitiation for one of the least sins of thy soul no no the redemption of a soul is more precious for all these it must cease for ever Thus God ferrits the sinner out of all his Borows and causeth the poor Prodigal while he is wandring from his Father to finde a famine in all the creatures As a General that besiegeth a City doth not onely play in upon it with his Cannons and Granadoes but also secure the several passages stop all provision that no relief can come to it then they will yeild upon his terms So when the Spirit besiegeth the soul it often plyeth it hard with the batteries of the Law and alwayes stoppeth relief from coming in either from the world or a mans own righteousness and then and not till then will the creature yeild upon the terms of the Gospel Fourthly The Spirit convinceth him of the willingness sutableness and al-sufficiency of Jesus Christ to help and heal him The sinner now in his burning fit is very thirsty like Hagar he sits weeping for his bottels are empty and his creature comforts are found by experience to be broken cisterns which can hold no water he knoweth not what to do how can I see the death of my soul thinks he When the sinner is brought to this strait the spirit of God openeth his eyes to see a well of salvation even Jesus who delivereth from the wrath to come The spirit discovereth to the sinner that though his wound be dangerous because the God whom he hath provoked is resolved either to have his law satisfied or his eternal wrath endured yet that it is not desperate for there is Balm in Gilead and a Physitian in Israel that can heal his soul It convinceth him that Christ is a sutable help bread to the hungry water to the thirsty rest to the weary and heavy-laden that he hath a precious salve made of his own blood which is a proper and pecular remedy for his sores It convinceth him that Christ is an alsufficient help that he can supply all the souls wants be they never so many and bear all the souls iniquities be they never so weighty that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 It presenteth to the soul his fitness and fulness in regard of his natures and offices and the impossibility of his being unfaithful to this great work of saving poor sinners for which he came into the world It sheweth the sinner the infiniteness of Christs merits and his omnipotency to help because he is God the examples of other wounded diseased persons who surrendred themselves to the care of this Physitian and were cured He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father and ye see me no more John 16.9 10. That is the world shall be convinced that there is righteousness enough in me to satisfy both the law and law-giver in that I shall appeare in my fathers presence and that with acceptance he would not send an Angel as his officer to roll away the stone and release the surety out of prison the grave and bring him before the Judge with so much credit and countenance if the law were not satisfied and the debt fully discharged Heaven could never have held me ye would have seen me upon earth again if I had not done that work perfectly which the Father gave me to do He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father It convinceth him that Jesus Christ is exceeding willing to save poor sinners that he is joyful that any will accept him for their Saviour that he came from heaven to earth was born meanly lived miserably and died shamefully meerly upon this errand that he might seek and save them that are lost that he inviteth him to come to him and promiseth that he shall be welcom that he calleth them that go from him but casteth away none that come to him Thus when the prodigal is in a far country and cannot fill his belly so much as with husks that he is ready to perish for hunger he is shewd and convinced that there is bread enough in his Fathers house When the sinner is like the Israelite in the wilderness beholding the curse of the law like the Egyptian behind him and pursuing him hard the red sea of divine wrath before him into which he is hastening his crimson and bloody sins like mountains on each side of him incompassing him round that he knoweth not what to do then the spirit biddeth him look up to Jesus and he shall see the salvation of God The third step which the spirit takes is anhelation to cause the soul of the convinced sinner to breath and pant after Jesus Christ breath is the first effect of life Conviction hath emptied his stomach of creature confidence and self righteousness made him poor in spirit and O how hungry he is after the righteousness of Jesus Christ the bread which came down from heaven As the thirsty ground cleaves and opens for drops as the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth his soul after Jesus Christ God blessed for ever thinks he O when shall I come and appear before him His voice is like Rachel Give me children or I die Give me the holy child Jesus or I die or like Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me if I go childless Ioh. 12.21 O what wilt thou give me if I go Christiess or like the Jews to Philip Sir we would fain see Jesus Mat. 28.5 If the Angel should meet him he might bespeake the soul as he did the woman I know what thou seekest thou seekest Jesus which was crucified O the ardent desires the vehement longings the unutterable groans which this poor creature hath after his Saviour as David he cryeth out Who will give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Where is that blessed guide that can leade me and help me to drink of the water of life Methinks I see how Jesus Christ presents himself to the eye of the dejected souls understanding in all his glory and gallantry in his sutableness unto the sinners indigencies and sufficiency for all his necessities with the freeness of his mercy the fullness of his merits and the sweetness of his love how he appeares before the soul with all his retinue and train of graces comforts his blood his spirit the favour of God freedom from sin wrath hell on the one hand of him there stand his gracious promises of pardon peace adoption sanctification heart-chearing love and everlasting life On the other hand of him there stands his precious precepts of self denyal crucifying the flesh walking after the Spirit despising the sensual pleasures honours and profits of this world and delighting in God walking with him having the conversation in heaven and rejoycing
Cor. 3.8 Rom. 1.12 Gal. 3.2 As that word of God to Abraham Sarah thy wife shall have a Son Gen. 18.10 That word I say gave birth and being to Isaac when there was no likelyhood or possibility of his being from his parents so the word of God give a spiritual birth and being to men and women when there is no likelyhood or possibility in nature yea when their natures are in flat opposition and contrariety to it The word discovereth our diseases Rom. 7.7 Jam. 2.9 makes us feel our sickness Rom. 7.9 applyeth the medicine for our cure Mat. 11.28 Isa 55.1 Rom. 10.14 The word killeth sin casteth down Satan enliveneth the soul Eph. 6.15 Jer. 23.29 Rev. 12.11 Joh. 5.24 Joh. 17.17 Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 Jam. 1.18 Thus thou seest that the Physitian of souls hath several meanes for the cure of thy malady do not thou neglect any neither reading nor hearing neither fasting nor praying neither meditation nor godly conference neither secret nor private nor publike duties for thou knowest not which may do the deed Christ may wait at that very door which thou keepest shut at that ordinance which thou omittest to enter into thy soul If thou desirest that he should meet thee in any duty do thou meet him in every duty How foolish art thou to take any one horse out of the team when the load is so weighty even thine endless welfare and all little little enough to draw thine untoward heart towards heaven The Husbandman that hath a piece of ground which lyeth at the end of his fallow still balked before will be sure to plough that up and expecteth a better crop out of that then out of any such quantity of ground in the field Reader if thou hast balked any of the forementioned duties for thy souls sake set upon it speedily for undoubtedly thou mayst reap a greater harvest by it then thou imaginest Friend have a care of secret private publike duties for all must be minded by them that would be new-moulded How many thousands among us do wilfully murder their souls some poison them by crying enormities others starve them by the omission of duties It was a pitiful equivocatiof the Duke D' Alva before Harlem that promised the Souldiers their lives and afterwards kild them with hunger saying That though he promised them their lives yet he did not promise that they should have food Art not thou a cheater and murderer of thy foul in promising it spiritual life when thou denyest it the means of life As ever thou wouldst have an harvest of grace do thou plough up and sow the ground of thine heart with all the means which God hath ordained for that end Thirdly be thou serious in thine attendance on the ordinances of God Be in earnest when thou art about soul affairs consider when thou art praying or hearing or reading or conferring with Christians it is for thy life it is for thy soul it is for eternity and do whatsoever the Lord calleth thee to do for the quickening thy dying soul with all thine heart with all thy might for there is no doing it in the grave whither thou art hastening When Samson would destroy the enemies of God He bowed himself with all his might Judg. 16.30 When David was waiting upon the Ark of God He danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6.14 So when thou hearest for the death of thy sins thou shouldst hear with all thy might Ezek 40.4 When thou prayest for the life of thy soul thou shouldst pray with all thy might 1 Thes 5.17 Ah how should they hear and read and pray for regeneration that have but a few days nay hours possibly to do it in between whom and eternal burnings there is but a little airy breath and if they be not Regenerated before they die they are ruined they are damned for ever A childe may handle the mothers brest and play with it and kisse it but all this while he gets no good till at last he layeth his mouth to the breast gets the Nipple fast sucks with his might and strength and then he draweth nourishment Reader it may be thou hast minded duties and frequented ordinances yet possibly hast got no good by them 't is likely then that thou dost but play with them dally about them doing them as if thou didst them not if ever therefore thou wouldst get good by them thou must be serious and in earnest about them do them with all thy soul with all thy strength knowing that they are of infinite weight and endless concernment to thee considering that if God do not now hear thee in thy day of grace he will never never hear thee and if thou do not now hear him thou shalt shortly never never more have such an offer I doubt not friend but thou art serious about toys and trifles thou canst rise early and go to bed late and work hard all day and have thy mind stedfastly occupied about these foolish things of the world from which within a short time thou shalt be parted for ever How busie are vain men like a company of Ants to increase their heap of earth O think of it is it not pity such a plant should grow in Egypt which would thrive so well in Canaan How fitly how finely would that seriousness and fervency which thou usest about earth become and sute with heaven Ah t would be worth the while to be most covetous and sedulous about the things of God and Christ thy soul and Eternity Fourthly Be constant in the use of the means of Grace pray and wait hear and wait read and wait watch and wait In the morning sow thy seed in the evening with-hold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good Eccles 11.6 in every morning sow thy seed pray read meditate in the evening with-hold not thine hand do the same for thou knowest not which shall prosper at which the Spirit of God will give thee a gracious effectual meeting for thy conversion or salvation or whether both shall conduce equally to thy spiritual and eternal advantage Do not expect like the Hyperboreans to sow and reap in a day allow some distance between seed time and harvest Physick doth not work immediately when it s taken into the body be confident thou shalt reap in time if thou dost not faint Suppose thou wert sick of some mortal painful disease a dead man in thy own and others thoughts and an able faithful Physitian should warrant thy cure in time upon condition that thou wouldst follow his advice and diet thy self all the while wouldst thou not use all that he prescribed and wait and long to be recovered Thou wast wounded in a moment but art not so soon recovered 't is good to wait Gods leisure what Christ said in regard of his coming in Judgement I say in regard of
was to make me an oratour not to make me a Christian I am confident many a child bemoans that now he is damned in hell which the Father did when he was converted on earth I cannot condemn the education of children according to the quality of their parents nor their bringing up to particular callings this latter I am sure is a duty but that which is first should be last and that which is last should be first Your greatest care and that in the first place should be to seek the Kingdom of God for your selves and children and then other things shall be added to you Caleb gave his daughter the upper and the neather springs O labour that yours may with Jacob have the dews of heaven as well as the fatness of the earth Elisha wept when he saw Hazael 2 Kings 3.12 13. and foresaw that he would slay young men and dash the children against the wall do nor some of you give far far greater occasion of weeping if possible teares of blood in slaying and murdering the souls of your dear children teaching them by your patterns to live like Heathens and Atheists Believe it God committeth the charge of and will account with you for all the souls in your families Gen. 4.3 10 11. When Cain had flain his brother Abel God called to him Where is thy Brother Abel And Cain said I know not am I my Brothers keeper And the Lord said What hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground And now thou art cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother blood at thine hand So suppose God should whisper one of you in the eare Cruel Father Careless Master Where is thy child or servant that dyed so many months or years ago You may possibly think what Cain spake Lord I know not whether in heaven or hell Holy Greenham saith that many mens children shall follow them up and down in hell cursing them and crying out of them for neglecting to instruct them Was I their keeper O think of it with speed and reform May not God reply very truly Cursed sinner vile wretch What hast thou done The voice of thy child of thy servants soul-blood cryeth to me from hell And now thou art cursed from hell which hath opened her mouth to receive thy sons thy servants soul at thine hand Friends Friends what will you do when God shall thus deal with you for your neglect of relative duties Possibly ye may think I deal too sharply but truly the reason is because I know that sin will not deal mildly either with you or yours And should I not give you warning the blood of your own and childrens souls would be required at my hands Good Lord that ye did but believe what it is to be guilty of others blood Heathens and Infidels provide for the body and temporall well-being of their children and what do many of you more Bears that bring forth mishapen whelps will by licking them bring them to a better form Your Children are brought forth enemies to God and are by nature children of wrath and heirs of eternal death doth it not behove you to strive that by religious nurture they may become children of the promise and heirs of eternal life Thirdly Make sure of Regeneration be never satisfyed till ye can upon Scripture grounds affirme that your natures are regenerated This this is the one thing necessary Your All hangs upon this hinge If this be not done ye are undone undone eternally All your profession civility priviledges guifts duties are cyphers and signify nothing unless Regeneration be the figure put before them It is Regeneration that will make you the sons of God the members of Christ the temples of the Spirit that will give you an holy improvement of all providences a right to all the promises and at last the purchased possession It is Regeneration that will teach you to live like men like Christians like Angels in the love and fruition of the infinitely blessed God O the price of this pearl is not known in this beggerly world A grave and wise Counsellour of France being desirous in his old age to retire himself was intreated by the King to write down some directions and leave with him for the more prosperous government of his Realm The Counsellour took some paper and wrote on the top Moderation in the middle Moderation at the bottom Moderation Demosthenes being asked what was the chief thing in an Oratour answered Elocution and being demanded the same question three times what made an Oratour he still gave the same answer Aug. â—pist 56. ad Di osc Augustine being demanded what was the greatest requisite of a Christian What was the first second and third still answered Humility Humility Humility Truly what the Counsellour said of Moderation the Grecian of Elocution and the Father of Humility I shall say of Regeneration If you ask me what is the chiefest thing in the world for a man to mind What is that which is worthy of all his time and strength and thoughts and words and actions I answer Regeneration If you demand What is that which is of greatest necessity and excellency that bringeth in the greatest profit delight and happiness I answer Regeneration He that hath this hath all that is worth having the having of this is heaven He that wanteth this hath nothing the whole world cannot make up the want of this the want of this is hell O Sirs your everlasting making or marring dependeth upon your sincerity or hypocrisie in this Of what infinite consequence is it therefore to you in whatsoever ye come short to make sure here Alas when ye come to throw your last cast for eternity how will the stoutest of you do to look death in the face without Regeneration in your hearts God hath in an hundred texts of Scripture devoted all unregenerate ones to the unquenchable fire and can any of you think to make him a lyer Believe it as soon as death landeth you at the other world you will have other thoughts of God and his Truths then now ye have For your help in this work which is of such absolute indispensable necessity unto your never dying souls I commend to you this Treatise beseeching the blessed God to make it serviceable unto your salvations Ignatius when he heard a clock strike would say I have one hour more to answer for I must tell you that ye have eighteen hours eighteen Sermons more to answer for When they were preached they had from some of you a favourable attention now they are printed it is not unknown what providence brought them to the press I wish they may have within you all an effectual operation that both the Author and his labors may appear to your joy at that great and terrible day These things being signified Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of
to trye how thy affections will flow out upon it Believe it rich wines will try thy brains It is sad of Pius Quintus so called because that when he was a mean man he was looked upon as a good man Magistratus indicat virum and had great hopes of his own salvation but when he came to be a Cardinal he doubted much about it and when he was a Pope he altogether despaired of it thus the place doth often discover the person Hot waters will manifest whether there be life in a man or no and a full great wind will try whether the vessell of thy soul be ballasted with grace or no. It s said of Caius Caligula there was never better servant nor worse Master Poisonous and profitable roots are both discovered in summer though they were hid all the winter That corruption which lay in the body undiscerned when the season was cold breaks out either in the face by pimples or in the other parts by some disease when the weather is warm But t is more likely that God will try thee by adversity God telleth Jerusalem that he would search her with candles Zeph. 1.12 That is as exactly as men search with candles prying into every corner of the house so God of the heart bringing forth their secret ways revealing their hidden wickedness the words imply both the manner how exactly God would do it and the means how terribly he would do it by some dreadfull judgment he would kindle a fire and search them by the light of that fire Reader if thou wilt not search thy soul by the Sun-light of his word expect that he should search thee by the candle light the fire light of his dreadful works The flail of tribulation will discover the chaffe from the wheat and the fire of affliction the dross from the gold Sharp weather will try whether thy body be sound or sickly A storm will discover the Mariner and a battel the Soldier God led Israel about in the wilderness to try and to prove them Deut. 8.16 Affliction is like Solomons sword that discovereth which is the true which the false mother or like Simeons sword which pierceth through mens souls that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Now friend if God will try thee by some sharp affliction is it not better to prevent this by self-examination It may be God may try thee by disgrace or loss of thy whole estate or by loss of liberty limbs or life now how wilt thou do to bid adieu to all earthly comforts for Jesus Christ to welcom a prison kiss a stake smile at torments look a violent death in the face with colour in thy cheeks and courage in thy heart to endure this fiery trial by God that didst never try thy self before hand If thou hast run with footmen and they wearied thee how will thou do to run with horsemen Jer. 14.5 If self-trial in thy chamber or closet where are none but God and thy conscience to be witnesses and Scripture to be judge of the controversie be so irksom and grievous to thee how tedious will thy trial be by flames and torments Believe it when thou comest to the fire 't will be known whether thou art a full or an empty pitcher Blessed Bilny tried his finger by himself in the candle before his whole bodie in the flames at the stake O gather your selves together saith the Prophet Zeph. 2.1 Gather your selves together before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you Tremelius reads it Excutite vos verumque Excutite Examine unskin your selves rip your selves up dissect anatomize your intrails it s doubled to shew the fervency and earnestness of God for it the necessity and weight of it and mans antipathy and averseness to it before the decree bring forth c. before the judgement which is now in the womb of the threatning come to the birth of execution O Friend search thy self faithfully or be confident that God will search thee dreadfully Now as Job told his friends Is it good that God should search thee out Job 13.9 Is it good that he should as a Surgeon eat out thy dead senseless flesh by some stinging corrosive and cure thee of thy lethargy by putting thee into a violent feavor The Schollar that will not scan his own verses and try them by the rule findes that his master can make him do it under the rod. If God have thoughts of everlasting favor towards thee he will force thee to know and try thy self by some seasonable fire he will so shake the tree that it shall be known whether the fruit be rotten or found If God should not try and discover thee to thy self in this world yet he will certainly in the other world at the night of death and in the day of judgment Death will try thee that will be strong physick which will fully discover thy constitution Two or more children play together all day but when night comes one childe goeth to his father the other to his father every one to his own father it may be they were very like one another that strangers knew not yea nor neighbours to whom they belonged whose child was this or whose child is that but when night comes one father owns his childe takes him home the other father calls his childe to him takes him into his house Thus while men live they are not so well discovered whether they are of God or of their father the Devil but when the night of death comes they are tried to whom they belong He that is born of God goeth to his Fathers house He that is of his father the Devil goeth with Judas to his own place Rottenest stuffs are oftenest watered the deformedst faces are usually painted but the showre of death will wipe and wash all off Now if thou wouldst be gathered to thy father in peace examine and prove thy self make sure that there be some good thing in thee towards the Lord thy God O how sad will it be for thee who art now asleep to awake like the Jaylor at the midnight of death and to finde thy evidences for the new birth as he his prisoners in his own apprehension missing what an earthquake and heart-quake will then possess thee how pale and trembling wilt thou spring into the presence of God in the other world for thy particular judgement Ah how sad will it be to err to mistake then when an error can never never be mended when a mistake will prove soul murther an everlasting miscarriage O 't is bad for the vessel of thy soul to leak to mistake in the shallow waters of life and time but O how sad will it be to be mistaken at an hour of death and thereby to leak in the Ocean of Eternity Speed in his Chronicles observeth that in the dayes of Henry the eighth Campius the Popes Legate came
through the streets of London with twenty mules laden to show his pomp but as the triumph passed through Cheapside the beasts stumbled brake their collars cast their coffers and then the lids flying open discovered his riches to be nothing but old shooes and boots torn stockings old iron and totter'd rags I tell thee Reader though now thou mayst be wonder'd at for thy spiritual wealth yet as soon as thou stumblest into the other world 't will be tried 't will be known whether they be real or imaginary riches Paul told his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.19 I will come to you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power What will ye shall I come to you with a rod or in love O Friend not Paul but Jesus Christ himself will come to thee by death shortly and will know not thy speech in being puffed up with a shadow of profession but the power and try whether thou hast the substance of Religion Now man what wilt thou shall he come to thee with a rod or in love shall he send good Angels to guard thee to Heaven or evil Angels to drag thee to Hell When David was going to encounter with Goliah he told Saul that he could not go with the armor which Saul had put on him because he had not proved it 1 Sam. 17.39 And darest thou enter the list against a far greater enemy even death with that armor which was never proved be confident if thou fightest without armor of proof death will foil thee The day of Judgement will try thee then naked breasts will be in fashion and God will rip thee open before the world nay if thou wilt not now examine thy self to thy conversion he will examine thee then to thy confusion When the Judge shall be a consuming fire and the whole world be in a flame and thou be tried by a fiery Law Hebr. 12.28 2 Peter 3.10 Deut. 33.2 'T was a sharp kind of examination by which Paul was examined Acts 22.14 The chief Captain commanded that he should be examined by scourging 'T is a sad kinde of examination by which many Countreys examine Malefactors upon the wrack putting them to exquisite pains Reader Remember that if thou dost not examine thy self at this day God will examine thee at the last day and 't will be an examination upon the wrack an examination with scourging it will be a word and a wound every blow will fetch blood every interrogation will be a stabbing stinging killing question When Christ shall say to thee Sinner how didst thou dare thus to cozen and undo thy soul what madness possessed thee thus to dally about matters of infinite and endless moment Hadst thou examined thy self according to my word and found thy self lost there had then been some hopes of life but I tell thee now 't is too late Well I le rip thee open before Angels and men and cause thy conscience with its gnawing worm and stinging gripes to examine thee eternally The fire of hell shall try what mettal thou art that will prove thee to purpose O friend think of this seriously and speedily for that day of Christ will declare thee and Alas alas who shall abide the day of his trial or who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and as fullers sope All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom thou shalt then have to do If thou art afraid to venture a trial in the low Court of Conscience where his Word shall be thy Judge with what fear and trembling wilt thou appear at his bar when he that searcheth thine heart trieth thy reins and will reward thee according to thy works shall sit upon the Bench Therefore cast up thy accounts before God and thy soul whilst there is hope of making all even lest thou do as some Tradesmen who neglect so long to cast up their books till at last their books cast them up Thirdly consider it is possible to know whether thou art new born or no. I do not set thee to beat the air or to work at the labour in vain A Christian may be assured of his regeneration and thereby of his salvation They which have the law of God written in their hearts may be able to read it David when his deeds and evidences were not blotted with his foul offences could discern them clearly Thy law is within my heart Psalm 40.8 When the Sun ariseth he bringeth his naturall light with him whereby he is discovered to the world A diamond set in a gold-ring bringeth such an orient sparkling with it that it causeth men to discern it truly so the Sun of righteousness when he ariseth in the soul bringeth a spiritual light along with him which helpeth the new creature to behold him and the Diamond of Grace casteth such a sparkling lustre in the heart of a Christian that it thereby becomes visible Regeneration makes a wonderful change and alteration now great alterations of State are not without observation Doth a Kingdom change its Governor a cruel arbitrary Tyrant that fleeced them and slew them at pleasure for a mild merciful peaceable Prince that ruleth them with a righteous scepter and not take notice of it Can a creature change his master sin and flesh for Christ and his Spirit his work of serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 for serving the Lord with singleness of heart and not observe it When the man is new made Christ cometh into his heart with his Spirit Graces Gospel great Guests when they come into an house have many eyes upon them the King of Glory doth not come with such a train and retinue in secret the gradual change from grace to grace is not so visible but a specifical change from nature to grace is undoubtedly sensible when the ground that before brought forth nothing but weeds and thistles comes to bring forth wheat an ordinary person may perceive the difference though how this wheat groweth is not so perceptible Every new creature doth not know the time nor manner nor means of his conversion but every one may know that he is converted The mother doth not know how she comes to be quick but she knoweth that she is quick for the feeleth the childe to stir in her womb how the shadow moveth on the dial we cannot see but that it moveth we see plainly in that its opposite at night to the place where it was at noon Though conversion be not ever sensible in the act yet it is sensible enough by its effects and the reason why it is not in all alike visible is because it is not in all alike violent God converteth some by Boanerges sons of thunder others by a Barnabas a son of consolation to some he comes as on Mount Sinai Exod. 19. with thundrings lightnings and a great noise to others as to
brains dasht out his great care is every day to conquer his corruptions The body of sin and death to which he is tied is as noisom to his soul as a dead body to his senses Lust is as burthensom to him as a withered arm which hangs on a man like a lump of lead Never did prisoner more ardently desire to be rid of his fetters then this Saint to be freed from subjection to his sins The distressed Jews did not groan so much under their Egyptian slavery as this true Israelite for spiritual liberty O wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Rom. 7.29 His great end and endeavor in every providence and every Ordinance is not the repression but the ruine of this evil of sin If the Sun of mercy shine warm upon him he makes use of it to put out the kitchin fire of wickedness When God folaceth his spirit with extraordinary kindness the sacrifice of thanksgiving that he offereth up is the beast of some sin which he layeth on the Altar and poureth forth its blood before the Lord When the storm of affliction ariseth he enquireth for the Jonah which raised the tempest and endeavoureth that he may be cast over-board and drowned And as he makes use of divine Providences so likewise of divine Ordinances for the weakening his corruptions In prayer like the sick childe he pointeth at the place of his pain he indicteth accuseth and condemneth sin and intreateth that it may be executed his prayers and tears are his daily weapons wherewith he fighteth against his most inward and secret wickedness When he perceiveth lust like Adonijah usurping the throne of his heart he goeth in to God as Bathsheba to David sighing and saying Did not my Lord promise his servant that the true Solomon should reign in my soul that Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace should sway the scepter in my spirit And now behold his foes which thou hast sworn to make his footstool have trayterously aspired to the Crown and forcibly made me subject to their commands As Esther he is very desirous of these Hamans destruction and watcheth continually for a fit opportunity to present his Petition to the King of Kings for that end and when in any duty he seeth the God of glory to hold out the golden Scepter of mercy towards him O then he beggeth for justice If I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it please the King let the life of my soul be given me at my Petition and the death of my sins at my request Did thy dear Son die for sin and shall thy poor servant live in sin shall not these thine enemies which would not have thee to reign over me be slain before thy face Order my steps by thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 Thus by prayer as by one main piece of his spiritual armour he becomes prevalent The Romans overcame their enemies sitting that is the Senate by their prudent counsels but the Christian kneeling by his holy valour he wrestleth with God and through the power of Christ gets the victory 2 Cor. 12.6 And because the devil of some lusts will not be cast out without fasting and prayer therefore he joyneth fasting to supplication and trieth to starve his corruptions Before-hand he fitteth himself for that day of purging out his ill humors by the preparatory potion of meditation The consideration of his sins how bloody and hainous in their nature how crying and crimson in their circumstances makes his physick work the better He thinketh before The day of mourning for offending my father is coming and then I will slay my brother Jacob my dearest and nearest sin This man bringeth under his natural body which he may lawfully cherish that he may abate the strength of the body of death as men sometimes in a feaver open a vain and let out their blood though it be not bad that they may weaken their enemy In reading and hearing the Law of God he setteth his lusts naked before that sword of the Spirit that they may be hewn by the Prophets and slain by the words of Gods mouth He desires that it may pierce deep to the dividing of soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow and to the discovering of the thoughts and intents of his heart His voice to the Minister is like the Prophets to his neighbour Smite me I pray thee and likes him best that in smiting wounds his sin most he approves of that Chirurgion that searcheth his wounds throughly though he put him to pain he rejoyceth that the Preacher revealeth to him his errors that he may follow them with Hue and cry till they are taken and punished and so Gods pursuit of him may be prevented If the Minister give him a bitter pill of reproof he doth not like a queasie stomach favour his malady and loath his medicine but takes it down willingly knowing that though such things be not toothsom yet they are wholesom and that they must be bitter things that breaks the bag of worms in his stomach sweet things will nourish and cherish them He is glad that the word is fire that thereby his dross may be consumed that it is water because his heart thereby may be washed and purified He hideth the word in his heart that he may not sin against God Psal 119.11 He goeth to the Lords Supper that the blood of his sins may be shed by the blood of the Saviour The Cross of Christ is the souls armour and sins terror there is life in it for the death of sin Pliny saith that the fasting spittle of a man will kill Serpents Sure I am the blood of Christ applied by faith will mortifie sin and therefore the Saint frequenteth the Sacrament He goeth to it as Naaman to Jordan to be cured of his spiritual leprosie when he approacheth the table of the Lord and seeth in the bread broken and the wine poured out by faith Jesus Christ crucified before his eyes O how his heart burneth within him in hatred and indignation against his sins and in desires after and delight in his Redeemer He beholdeth there the knives of his pride unbelief hypocrisie malice and the like all redded in the blood of the Mediator and now his eyes sparkle with fire and fury and his soul swelleth with wrath and revenge against them were but his hand answerable to his heart I mean his power to his will he would put sin to as much pain make it suffer as much shame cause it to undergo as cursed a death as ever Jesus Christ did Now this frame of spirit exceedingly pleasing to the King of Saints he bespeaks the soul at the Sacrament as Herod did the damsel Ask of me what thou wilt and I will give it thee to the half nay to the whole of my Kingdom The soul having before consulted with his regenerate part for this
was a pious plot laid before onely put off till a convenient day asketh the head of some lust in a charger the King sendeth presently commandeth execution to be done accordingly The new creature doth now with a joyful heart look up to Heaven and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath this day avenged me of mine enemy would to God that all the enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up within me against thy Laws were as that one Lust He also withdraweth those things which have fed his spiritual diseases he takes away the fuel that he may put out the fire he hates the very cup out of which he formerly drank his loathsom physick he cuts off those pipes which have supplied his Adversaries he avoideth the occasions of evil he knoweth that his corrupt heart is gunpowder and therefore wheresoever he goeth he is fearful of the least spark He hateth the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 19. He endeavoreth that his raiment may not onely be preserved from burning but as the three childrens from sienging He is a true Dove that doth not only flye from the Hawk from sin but will not so much as smell of a feather which falleth from the Hawke he abstaineth from appearances of evil he dares not come near the brow of the hill so far is he from falling to the bottom Thus the sanctified man useth all means for the murdering of his sins Now Reader consider how is it with thee hast thou applied these several particulars to thy self What sayst thou Is it thy endeavor by every providence and thy end in every ordinance to mortifiethy corruptions to bring those Traytors to execution Is it thy design to cover sin or to kill sin do'st thou pray against sin as Austin confest he did before his conversion as one afraid that God should hear thee and grant the request not of thy heart but of thy lips or is the death of thy sins the very desire of thy soul an unconverted man may put up many prayers but no desires against sin An unregenerate person fighteth against sin Livy as the Athenians against Philip of Macedon with words rather then with swords Or as some that openly prosecute the Law against a Malefactor and yet favor him underhand so this man makes a shew of pursuing sin unto the death accusing arraigning it witnessing against it in prayer and desiring judgement but inwardly he so minceth the matter taketh off the edge of the evidence against it as one resolved that it shall live His expressions cry out of sin as the Jews of Christ Away with it away with it 't is not worthy to live Let it be crucified but his affections call with much more ardency as Pilate Why should it die what evil hath it done we finde no fault in it or at lest as Austins heart Not yet Lord not yet A little longer he would willingly laze upon the bed of lust A little more slumber a little more steep saith this spiritual sluggard Truly all this shew of warring against sin is but false fire which you know can do no execution Fencers at a prize sometimes ply one another so home and strike so hard that they seem to be in earnest when they are all the while but in jest their intentions are to please the people and thereby to advance their profit by getting a little money but not at all to wound one another at lest not dangerously a slight wound possibly may happen Thus unsanctified men combat with sin they seem by their praying reading hearing to aim at its death to be in earnest when indeed their intentions are to carry on their own interest and their resolutions that however they may raze sin slightly for their own ends not to wound it deeply Friend I know not but God knoweth whether it be thus with thee or no Dost thou by civility by the performance of duties by attendance on ordinances tell the world that thou wouldst crucifie thy corruptions when such a thing is not in thy retired thoughts as Caligula with banners displayed battel ranged trumpets sounding set his souldiers to gather cockles Or doest thou enter the list against thy lust as David against Goliah reckoning to kill or be killed resolving through the help of heaven the ruine of the uncircumcised Philistine Is the fight between thy judgment thy wil between thine inlightned conscience and thy affections or btween the spirit and flesth the law in thy mind and the law in thy members the regenerate and the unregenerate part Dost thou hate and fight against sin as sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. and so against every sin for all true hatred is against the whole kind Dost thou loath it as much when it riseth in thy heart as when it rageth in thy life in thy dearest friends as in thy bitterest enemies It was said of Anthony that he hated a Tyrant not tyranny dost thou abhor the disease or the patient canst thou say as David I hate every false way Psal 119.104 Universality in this is a sure sign of sincerity Herod spits out some sins when he rolls others as sweet morsels in his mouth An hypocrite ever leaves the Devil some nest-egg to sit upon though he take many away Some men will not buy some commodities because they cannot have them at their own price but they lay out the same money on others so hypocrites forbear some sins yea are displeased at them because they cannot have them without disgrace or diseases or some other disadvantage but they lay out the same love upon other sins which will suit better with their designs Some affirm what the Sea loseth in one place it gaineth in another so what ground the corruption of the unconverted loseth on way it gaineth another There is in him some one lust especially which is his favorite some King-sin like Agag which must be spared when others are destroyed In this the Lord be merciful to thy servant saith Naomi But now the regenerate laboreth to cleanse himself from all pollutions both of flesh spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Grace is like Caesar who would admit of no superior nay like oyl t will allow of no mixture Sin may be in the Saint as rawness and illness in water but the fire of Grace worketh it out by degrees sending it forth in the scum The least drop of water is contrary to and opposed by fire as well as the full vessel so the least sin is contraty to and opposed by Grace is well as the greatest The shepherds dog forceth the whole flock to flie but hath a special eye to one sheep to which he is directed by the staff or a stone from the shepherd Or as the hounds saith a Divine drive the whole herd of Deer before them yet have a special eye to one Deer which is singled out by the dart of the Huntsman that however others may scape yet that shall
be killed so regeneration though it work in the soul a detestation of and a resolution against every sin yet the severest exercise of this hatred and opposition is against the mans beloved and delightful sin resolving however others should escape yet this shall be put to death As the Syrian commanded his Souldiers to fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel so truly the bent of the sanctified heart is most against this royal King-sin as that sin whereby God hath been most dishonored and his soul most deeply wounded Ambrose relates a story of a dog In Hexam lib. 6. c. 4. whose Master being slain by one of his enemies he lay by him all night with great lamentation howling and barking In the morning many came to see the dead corps amongst whom was the murderer the dog no sooner saw the Homicide but presently fell upon him Friend is thy greatest hatred and anger against thy Saviour-and-soul-murderer that Master-sin in which thou didst formerly take the greatest pleasure Canst thou say as David observe that character of uprightness I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquitie Psa 18.23 Mark from mine iniquity The godless man though he do much will be sure to faile here and the godly man will strike home here where-ever he be favourable An horse that is not sound but founderd will favour one foot if not more the Lapwing some observe will cry and make a great noise but 't is when she is farthest from her nest the Hypocrite may keep a great stir about many sins but there is one sin which he medleth not with Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. serm 3 There is saith a learned Divine no greater argument of unsound repentance then indulgent thoughts and reserved delight and complacency in a master sin As some grounds are most proper soiles to breed and nourish some particular weeds So are some mens hearts for some particular sins As Cains for envy Corahs for arrogancy Pilates for Cowardliness the young man for covetousness and this sin is ordinarily the greatest block in the way of conversion rather then men would leave this sin they have lost Salvation Mark 10.22 John 12.42 43. The Devil holds them as fast by this one link as by ten thousand As it is with a Rabbits skin it comes of very well till it come to the head and then there is haling and pulling and much ado before it stirs So the creature may do much at the command of God but there is old stir and pulling before this sin be separated from him if this be once done throughly the man is converted truly for nothing but a saving work can cause a man to loath that sin which he loved as himself And therefore an uncoverted person will ever be false in this Jehu may throw down the idolatry of Baal but not the Calves at Dan and Bethel The young man in his worldliness Herod in his uncleanness Balaam in his stubbornness must be excused The converted soul is in this most careful as Craumer he will put that unworthy right hand first in the fire with which by his subscription he had so much dishonoured Christ and Religion Mahomet the Great Turk Hist. first Emperour of the Turkes cut off his fair Irenes head with his own hands in whom he had so exceedingly delighted to assure his Bashaws that he had rather promote the publick peace and good then please and satisfy his own passions The true Christian is a far greater conquerour and out of love to God and his own Salvation obtains a more lawful and noble victory over the Mistris of his affections He knoweth no sin be it never so near or dear to him worth hazarding the loss of Gods favour and his eternall welfare for And therefore though his sin be an Absolom concerning which corrupt nature like David gives a special charge Spare the young man Absolom Deal gently with him for my sake He seeth like Joah that the way to scatter the army of lusts is to slay the General this commander in cheife And therefore he resolveth to make sure work of him and for that end takes three darts and strikes him through with them all when one would have done the deed Reader I confess I have been much larger in this head then I intended but if thou examine thine heart faithfully and prudently by it thou wilt have no cause to be sorry for it I have read that it was wont to be the way of tryal whether land belonged to England or Ireland by putting toads or serpents or other venemous creatures into it If they lived there the land belonged to England if they died to Ireland sure I am thou mayst try whether thou at present belongest to heaven or to hell to a Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace whether thou art converted or unconverted if venemous lusts do live in thee thou art English land in a state of nature and wrath if they die daily in thee thou art in Christ and belongest to the Land of promise Yet I would not be understood as if I meant that Godly men are never overtaken with sin or that corruption never gets the better of them For I know that the purest on earth are holy but in part they are like watermen rowing hard against the stream of corruption but through a sudden and violent blast of temptation they may be driven backward But observe this is violent against their fixed and deliberate resolutions their obedience to the law of sin is forced as to an Usurper not free as to a liege Lord. Ahab indeed sold himself to sin 1 King 21.20 bat Paul was sold under sin Rom. 7.14 The former was a volunteer and agent the latter a prestman a meer patient Augustine setteth out the difference between sin in the regenerate and unregenerate by a comparison of Tarquine Lueretia Peccatum factum est de illa non ab illa Aug. de civit dei where speaking of her ravishment there were saith he two bodies but one guilty of adultery and concludeth the sin was committed upon her not by her Consonant to which is that of the Apostle For that which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that I do Now if I do what I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.15 to 21. The converted person like the betrothed Virgin is forced he crieth out and therefore in Gods account is innocent Our committing sin will not speak us unsanctified but our submitting to it will Secondly There is in this new creature as a dying to sin so also a living to God in all wayes of obedience Rom. 6.11 As the old man is put off so the new man is put on besides the expulsion of sin there is the infusion of holiness An habit or principle of grace is bestowed on the soul
whereby it breatheth after exerciseth and delighteth it self in the wayes and worship of God there is an inward frame and disposition infused into the new Creature different from nay contrary to his former inclinations The stream of his heart and life before ran swiftly after the flesh and the world The creature sate upon the throne in his inward man commanding all things at pleasure earth was the mans heaven the world lay in his heart and all the mans affections and actions were ordered and disposed for the advancement of that interest But now the tide is turned the waters run in another channel the Lord is exalted in his affections as his chiefest good and in his conversation as his utmost end the Law of God is written in the heart and commented upon in the life the inward man is of a good constitution and the outward man of a good complexion Grace is a tendency of the soul Godward his understanding knoweth God to be the greatest good John 17. His will chooseth him his affections love him his desire is after him his delight is in him his fear is of him his trust is on him his care and endeavor is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Joh. 17.3 Psal 16.5 6. 73.25 26. Isa 7.8 Psal 37.4 Gen. 42.18 like the Sun-flower he followeth the motion of the Sun of righteousness Now Reader try thy self Art thou alive to God Doest thou take him in Christ for thy happiness and make him thine end Is it thy business and trade to do his will thy calling and employment to finish his work Is thy heart devoted to his fear and thy life to his honor how art thou affected to his word and worship Dost thou perform duties out of love to God with complacency in God It it thy ment and drink to obey his precepts How is thy soul ravished with the sweetnesses of his promises Art thou joyful in the house of prayer Is the Sabbath thy delight Is the Scripture sweeter to thee then the honey and the honey-comb At the Sacrament canst thou fit under Christs shadow with great delight and finde his fruit sweet unto thy taste Doest thou esteem the yoke of thy Saviour easie his service liberty his wayes wayes of pleasantness and all his paths peace Canst thou say One day in Gods Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere Hast thou found that 't is good for thee to draw nigh to God If thou wert put to thy choice hadst thou rather solace thy soul with sensual recreations or in communion with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Examine thine heart for if thou hast the divine nature divine and spiritual things will be natural and so pleasant to thee A man whose nature is covetous how exceedingly doth he delight in viewing and feeling money as the Roman Emperor would putt off his cloaths and tumble up and down in heaps of silver If a mans nature be proud how exceedingly pleased is he in the cap and the knee in being flattered and respected it is meat and drink to him as we say to be reverenced in mens carriage and honored in their language men love those things a life because they suit with their natures So when a man hath a new nature a spiritual holy nature things which are spiritual and holy will be acceptable to him because they are suitable to his nature the word will be welcom prayer will be pleasant ordinances will be as savory as food to the hungry the man will love the habitation of Gods house and the place where Gods honour dwelleth though his flesh be weak his spirit is alwayes willing He may be weary at a duty that the wheels of his soul should so be clog'd with the dirt of infidelity and make him to drive so heavily but he is never weary of duties though corruption and Satan now dog him at and disturb him in his performances yet 't is the comfort of his soul that he now drags them in chains after the triumphant chariot of Grace and he rejoyceth to think how he shall leave the body of death behinde him at the entrance of his soul into the Capitol of Glory His heart leaps now when his feet do but creep in the way of obedience when he goeth to the house of God it is with the voice of joy unto the altar of God yea his God and excceeding joy Whatsoever a man doth from an ingrafted propensity he doth it not onely in sincerity but also with alacrity He delights in it as the fish in the water as the mole in the earth it is his proper element God and the things of God are his element He would still be and live in this element He delights to know God to worship him to believe in him to meditate on him to sanctifie his day to glorifie his name to observe his Laws to view his children he is never so well as when he is walking with God if there were no heaven to prefer the obedient and no hell to punish the disobedient yet he would fear the Lord and delight greatly in his commandments But on the other side speak Friend Art thou listless and dead to spiritual things are they irksom and tedious to thee Probably the commandments of God are bonds and cords the Sabbath thy toilsom day not a day of rest and refreshment the Sanctuary is thy prison the service of God is snuft at by thee and wearisom to thee thou art glad that the duty is done the day is over thy conscience quieted like a Tenant who is glad his rent is paid to his Landlord but took no pleasure in parting with his money thou rejoycest at the end not at the beginning of thy duty thou countest Amen the best word in a prayer not because it 's the fruit of thy faith but because it puts a period to thy petitions the Blessing is the best part of Divine Worship thou esteemest no part to be before it because that is last and nothing comes after it Religion is but possibly thy by-business and a Lacquey to thy lusts a pass and a convoy which thou hast need of in thy travelling through the world It may be thou goest to duty as a Bear to the stake it goeth against the hair with thee to walk in the way of holiness though necessity compel thee sometimes or once or twice a day to take a turn in the path of piety Conscience will roar unless it may finde rest in some outward performance Or thou mayst now and then perceive good company walking in the narrow way which leadeth to life and so as travellers care not if they go a mile or two out of their way for company especially if the way be fair and the company pleasing so thou mayst go out of thy own way sometimes and walk a little with the Saints for company Reader be faithful to thy soul A real fire differeth from a painted one by its heat and so doth
the difference between party and party next they hear the evidence and proofs on both sides After that they are shut up together and have neither fire nor candle nor bread nor drink allowed them till they are agreed on their verdict which when they have done they bring it into the Court and there 't is entred and recorded Go thou and do likewise when thou art got into thy chamber first make thine heart to engage and promise before the Judge of the whole earth that it will through the strength of Christ be true and faithful in determining this weighty controversie between God and thy soul Whether the land of promise belong to thee or not next let conscience be called which is as ten thousand witnesses and speak what it knoweth of thy right and title to that estate according to the known Laws of the Lord and if thou lovest the life of thy soul do not wink upon that witness or fee him underhand to make him to mince the matter and be partial in his testimony Foolish pity here is soul-damning cruelty but tell him he is upon his oath and in the presence of the infinite God and charge him to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth O do but give conscience leave to be faithful at this time and t will be thy friend to eternity When the evidence is thus examined let nothing hinder a verdict call upon thy heart again and again whether it be resolved for thee or against thee till this be done give thy self no rest if one day will not serve take two never give over till it come to an issue one way or other Of what infinite concernment is this to thee when all that thou art worth for the other world dependeth on it When thou art agreed of a verdict let it be entred and ingrossed in the Court of Conscience namely that such a day thy title to the inheritance of the Saints in light was tried before the Judge of quick and dead and upon a full hearing of evidence on both sides such or such a verdict was brought in If thy heart find for thee how may this fill thee with joy that thy name is written in the book of life it may keep thee steddy in the greatest storm that thou art an undoubted heir to the eternal weight of glory When the waters of affliction overtake thee and the Devil throws his stones into them to trouble them and make them muddy that thou mayst doubt and distrust thine eternal felicity how quickly may the remembrance of such a verdict upon full evidence settle them again and how clearly mayst thousee thy sincerity like a true diamond sparkling gloriously at the bottom of those waters thou mightest gather Once in Christ and ever in Christ and I was once in him therefore I can never be out of him O Friend thy priviledges are high and unspeakable and therefore thy practices should be holy and answerable But I cannot stay to speak farther to thee here my work groweth in my hands already much beyond my thoughts yet I shall speak to thy dignity and happiness in the second subject of consideration under the first Use of Exhortation and to thy duty and holiness in the second Use of Exhortation if the book swell not too big But Reader if thine heart find against thee that thou art not born again what canst thou say for thy self why sentence of eternal death should not be awarded and executed upon thee according to Law yea according to the Gospel Hast thou read the reasons of the Doctrine and the first use of Information and dost thou not see the absolute indisponsable necessity of Regeneration in all that would be saved Hath not the God of truth as it were confirmed it with an oath Verily verily I say unto thee that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Canst thou think to make the author of this Text a liar by getting to heaven in an unregenerate condition Dost thou believe that the thoughts of his heart stand for ever and the counsels of his majesty be established to all generations Suppose thou shouldst dye this day Alas how many diseases attend thee the feet of those that carried others to their long homes are ready to carry thee also Good Lord what will become of thee for ever ever ever Art thou able to dwell in everlasting burnings canst thou endure unquenchable flames For the sake of thy precious soul hasten out of this Sodom this natural estate which will undoubtedly be punished with fire and brimstone For thine help herein I have written the next Vse which I earnestly beseech thee as thou wouldest leave this world with comfort and look into the other world with courage that thou give it the reading thou knowest not what an hour may bring forth and the Lord give it his blessing THirdly This doctrine may be useful by way of exhortation and that to two sorts of persons 1. To the unregenerate If without regeneration men and women can never obtain salvation then it exhorteth thee Reader if in a state of nature to minde and labor for this second birth as ever thou wouldst escape the second death Dost thou not perceive by the word the living God That except thou art converted thou canst in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God! Matth. 18.3 Alas what then is like to be thy case shouldst thou die in this condition Assure thy self that all thy Friends and Lands honors and pleasures yea all the help which this whole world can afford thee cannot keep thee one quarter of an hour out of Hell This Law this standing Law of Heaven That except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God is like the Law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered By their Law That which was written in the Kings Name and sealed with the Kings seal might no man reverse Esth 8.8 Friend is not this written not onely in the name but with the very hand of the King of Kings I say unto thee and sealed with his own seal Verily verily and doest thou think poor worm to reverse it to turn the truth of the Eternal God into a lie I tell thee and I would speak it with reverence to the highest Majesty that God himself cannot do it 'T is his perfection that it is impossible for him to lye Tit. 1.2 His hand cannot but make good what his mouth hath spoken His will and word have joyned regegeration and salvation together and his faithfulness and truth will not suffer them to be parted asunder Therefore think of it timely and turn to God truly otherwise there is a necessity of thy perishing everlastingly Thou doest not know as strong and lusty as thou art how soon death may come behinde thee and throw thee and O 't will be thine eternal overthrow though as on Sodom thy morning be Sunshiny yet thou canst not tell
how soon it may overcast nay it may be followed with flakes of fire before night Sure I am that God hath given thee no lease of thy life and that others have died of the same age and likeliness tolive and why thou shouldst promise thy self a priviledge beyond others that thou shalt live longer I know no reason unless this That the Devil and thine own heart have conspired together to murther thy soul by getting thee to future and put off thy conversion till thou comest to Hell-fire and then thy ruine will be past remedy Suppose the same voice should come to thee which did to Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live meaning speedily What woulst thou do thy house is not in order thy soul Man is all out of order and therefore death would come to thee as Abijah to Jeroboams wife with heavy tidings with such news as Samuel brought to Eli which will make thy ears to tingle and thine heart to tremble Ah how will he do to die that never knew how to live The black Usher of death will go before and the flaming fire of Hell will follow after Didst thou but believe the word of God as much as the Devils do thou couldst never depart this life in thy wits who hast not led thy life according to Gods will One would think the noise of this murthering piece of this great Cannon Death though it should not be very near thee might awaken and affrighten thee when that deluge of wrath cometh that the fountain of fury from below is broken up and the flakes of fire from above are rained down thou hast no Ark no Promise no Christ to shelter thy self in For Regeneration is the plank cast out by God himself to save the sinking sinner by bringing him to the Lord Jesus and thou wantest it Dost thou not see that thy Sentence of death if thou continuest so is already passed in the High-Court of Heaven entred and engrost in the Book of Scripture and God knoweth how soon the word of command may be given to some disease for thy execution What comfort therefore canst thou take in all the creatures while thou wantest this new creation It is reported of Xerxes Plutarch in vit Themist the the greatest of the Persian Monarchs that when the Grecians had taken from him Sardis a famous City in Asia the less he commanded one every day at dinner to cry before him with a loud voice Sardis is lost Sardis is lost It seems to me that thou hast far more cause to have a Friend without or Conscience within to be thy Monitor every day and every meal to sound in thine ears Friend Thy Soul is lost Thy Soul is lost Certainly such a voice might mar thy greatest mirth sauce every dish with sorrow make thy most delicate meat a medicine and thy sweetest drink distastful to thee O didst thou but know what it is to lose thy soul thy God thy Christ thine Heaven and all for ever thou wouldst in the night be scared with dreams and visions and in the day be frighted with fears and terrors When Vriah was bid by David to go down to his house and refresh himself he answered The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lie with my wife As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 2 Sam. 11.11 Mark The good man could take no pleasure in relations or possessions because the natural lives of others were in danger nay he forswears the use of those comforts for that very cause How then canst thou solace thy self with lying vanities when thine Eternal life is not in jeopardy but lost really and thou canst not assure thy self one day for its recovery Shouldst thou see a condemned prisoner which knoweth not whether he shall be hanged on the morrow or the day after hawking or hunting sprucing himself or sporting with his jovial companions what thoughts wouldst thou have of such a man wouldst thou not think surely this man is mad or desperate were he not beside himself he would minde somewhat else since he is so near his end But Friend turn thine eyes inward and see whether there is not infinitely more reason why thou shouldst wonder at thine own folly and madness who art by the word of the dreadful God condemned not to be hanged but to be damned not to the gallows but to the unquenchable fire and canst not tell whether this night or to morrow morning justice shall be done upon thee and yet thou art buying and selling eating and drinking pampering the perishing body never minding or thinking what shall become of thy poor precious soul to eternity The wise mans advice is that if thou art indebted to men and liable to their arrest and imprisonment thou shouldst not give sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids before thou hast made thy peace Prov. 6.1 2 3 4. What speed shouldst thou then use when thou art infinitely indebted to the Almighty God at his mercy every moment liable continually to be arrested by that surly Serjeant Death and by him to be hurried into the dark prison of Hell to agree with thine Adversary while thou art in the way and to get the black lines of thy sins crost with the red lines of Christs blood and so for ever blotted out of the Book of Gods remembrance As the Chamberlain of one of the Persian Princes used to say to him every morning Arise my Lord and have regard to the weighty affairs for which the great God would have you to provide So say I to thee Awake O man out of thy carnal security and have regard to the great end for which thou wast born and the great errand for which the great God hath sent thee into the world Reader that thou mightest avoid the endless wo of the damned and attain the matchless weale of the saved I shall do two things in the prosecution of this exhortation I shall both give thee some helps towards regeneration and remove some hindrances First I shall offer thee three helps unto holiness and thereby unto Heaven Secondly I shall answer three objections which probably may arise in thine heart If thou hast any real desire after thine eternal welfare ponder them seriously and practice them faithfully And the good Lord make them successful O how happy might it be for thee if the getting of a regenerated nature were the main taske of thy whole time Believe it thou wilt have no cause to repent of it For the helps towards Regeneration and thereby towards Salvation The first help to Regeneration Serious Consideration 1. THe first help which I shall offer thee is serious consideration He that goeth in a wrong path and never thinketh of it will not return back or turn about though
shall not so much as taste of Thou mayst see a Cherubim there with a flaming sword to guard that tree of life and keep thee out of that pleasant Paradise Nay thou mayest behold there the plagues and judgements the pain and punishments which the righteous God threatneth against and will execute upon thee and all in thy condition In a word thou mayst as it were find thy very self mentioned in the forlorn hope for Hell 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.6 7. While thou livest thou art fed like a beast by a common providence and art a meer stranger to all the saving promises If at any time thou fingerest the unsearchable riches in Christ like the riches which Solomon speaks of they make themselves wings and flye away from thee thou goest every day without thy guard being turned naked into the wide world amongst legions of Devils and soul-damning lusts to be rent and torn in pieces like a silly Hare amongst a pack of Hounds and none to shelter thee or call thee off Many dangers attend thee every day many miseries every moment when thou goest out or comest in liest down or risest up still are those frightful hel-hounds watching for thee and waiting only for leave from God O that his long-suffering might be unto thee salvation to drag thy soul into the lake of fire There is but an hairs breadth as it were between thee and hell And O when thou diest man what wilt thou then do as soon as that Captain death strikes the first stroak whole Armies of woes will fall upon thee Reader I have told thee somewhat of thy lamentable portion in this life though none can give thee a full Inventory of thy personal wretched estate One would think that every line under this head should be as a dagger stabbing thee at the heart and that if there were nothing else but these small guns I call them so comparatively of miseries in this world the fear of them should cause thee to flie as the distressed dove to the clifts of the rock the wounds of a crucified Christ But this is not all the murdering-piece the great Ordnance is yet behind I must hasten to write of thy misery in the other world which thou poor wretch though now without fear yet art hastning to feel As while thou livest thou art a cursed sinner so when thou diest thou art a damned creature Here I confess I shall fail much more then before for no pen can describe no pencil can delineate though both did it in blood to the utmost of humane wit and Art the thousand thousandth part of that pain which thou shalt there undergo I have read of a Court where it was made death to mention death Surely the word Death must needs sound dreadfully in thine ears because when it comes it will strike and that home 't will both kill thee and damn thee 't will part thy body and soul for a time and God and the soul to eternity 't will send thy body to the grave and thy soul to hell Thy condition now is lamentable and dangerous but then O then 't will be irrecoverable and desperate Thy deaths-day will be thy dooms-day wherein the guilty prisoner of the soul shall be fetched out of the noisom goal of the body and appear before the Judge of the whole earth and from him receive a sentence of eternal death and then be hurried by frightful Devils to execution It is storied of Charls King of Sweden a great enemy of the Jesuites that when he took any of their Colledges he would put the younger sort of them into his Mines saying That since they had wrought hard above ground he would now make trial how well they could work under ground Truly thus Satan will serve thee when thou hast wrought hard for him on earth he will pay thee thy wages in the dark vaults of hell and make trial how well thou canst work there Ah who would serve such a Master Look to it and remember that thou wast warned of it For if thou diest naturally before thou livest spiritually thou diest eternally Austins prayer was Hack me hew me burn me HERE but spare me HEREAFTER Spare me hereafter Alas what will thy condition be Thou art in hell upon earth for thou livest without God whose gracious presence is heaven and in hell after death thou shalt never be spared here nor hereafter now thou art a cursed sinner and then thou shalt be a damned creature thy best is past and thy worst to come though thy best portion is a poor pittance a few brutish pleasures I come now to thy misery in the other world ETernal death will teach thee six lessons though now neither mercy nor misery neither fair means nor foul means can prevail with thee to learn them First It will teach thee the vanity of this world Thou now seest it written with the finger of God in his word in capital letters Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity Eccles â— 3 yet thou wilt not believe it As 't is reported of a Gentlewoman that being told so answered 'T is true Solomon said so but he tried the world first and so will I Thou wilt try the world also before thou wilt trust the Word But be confident in the other world thou wilt find God true to thy cost when thine honor which now is but the breath of thy neighbor a thin cabinet of air which every one hath a key to but thy self shall be blown away when thy wealth which hath great eagles wings to flie from thee here shall not have so much as a small Sparrows wings to follow after thee there and when all thine earthly comforts for which thou sellest thy soul and thy Saviour shall as the Pharisees did Judas leave thee in the greatest extremity and bid thee look to thy self Then possibly thou wilt say as Cardinal Wolsey when he was out of favour with his Prince and left by him to the rage of his enemies If I had served my God as faithfully as I have served my King he would not have served me thus So thou wilt think If I had served my God as faithfully as I have served the world he would not have served me thus to leave me in my greatest need to the rage of scorching flames to the fury of roaring lions and tormenting devils if I had served my Saviour as faithfully as I have served my sins I should have received other manner of pay But for all thy faithful service to the world and thy flesh they will forsake thee Thou mayst then cry to the things of this world which have so much of thy time and heart and trust and which are indeed thy god as those Idolaters did to their Idolgod O Baal hear us O riches hear me O friends hear me O pleasures hear me O merry-meetings hear me O relations hear me yea if thou shouldst continue crying never so long thou couldst not have the least help Were
33.14 It is written of the Lord Chancellor Egerton that going through Westminster Hall in Terme time he saw written upon the wall by one that was fearful he should be oppressed by a potent Adversary Tanquam non reversurus as though he should never return more Truly when thou art once cast into that prison thou shalt never come out As the cloud is consumed and washed away so he that goeth down into Hell returneth no more Job 7.9 The worm there dieth not and the fire there never goeth out there is blackness of darkness for ever The smoke of thy torments will ascend for ever and ever Matth. 18.10 Jude 7. Rev. 14.10 11. O Friend didst thou but know what this eternity of torment is thou wouldst howl and roar and never rest day nor night whilst thou art unconverted It is an age of ever living in death and pangs and yet never expiring a circle of sorrows which knoweth no end an extremity of pain which shall have no period when thou hast layn under those unconceiveable torments as many millions of ages as there are creatures great and small in Heaven Earth and the vast Ocean thou shalt not be nearer coming out then the first â—oment thou didst go in Now thou thinkest Prayers are long Sermons are long and Sabbaths are long and duties are long But how long wilt thou think Eternity to be Now thou sayst The Preacher is long-winded but ah how long-winded will Hell be when it shall hold thee ever ever ever to feel the stroke of infinite power and anger Thus Reader while thou livest thou art a cursed creature and when thou diest a damned sinner In life thou art cursed in all thou hast in all thou dost after death thou shalt know the vanity of the world the anger of the Lord the woful nature and effects of sin the worth of a Saviour the preciousness of time and what a boundless bottomless Ocean Eternity is Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver you Psal 50.22 But possibly thou Reader though unregenerate dost not feel this curse nor fear this wrath therefore thou thinkest all is false But answer me this question Doth not the word of God speak more of thy misery both in this and the other world then I have or can speak And canst thou imagine that thine unbelief shall make God a lyar I tell thee the same Scripture of truth which speaketh of thy misery speaketh of thy stupidity 1 Thes 5.3 4. That thou wilt even mock and scoff when thou art told of it 2 Pet. 3.2 truly thy sottish senslesness is the chain by which Hells Jaylor holds thee so fast The sick Patient that feeleth his pain is in an hopeful way of recovery when he that is dangerously sick and senseless is usually given over for dead It is observed of those that are taken with the frenzy the disease being got into the cockloft of reason that the more the disease doth affect them Arist so much the more secure they are careless of any thing presumptuous in all things fearful of nothing as having lost the use of comon sense So is it with thee the more sinful the less sensible the more the dust of sin flies up into thine eyes the more blinde thou art now but when death comes 't will clear up thy sight Pliny saith of the mole Oculos incipit operire moriendo quos clausos habuit vivendo that though she be blinde all the time of her life yet when she cometh to die she openeth her eyes Truly though now thou shuttest thine eyes and art blinde in these things yet within a few dayes thou shalt come to die and then thine eyes will be opened and thou wilt see all these things and very much more as clearly as the Sun at noon-day Therefore Friend what dost thou say now to this first subject of consideration The misery which thou liest under and art liable to whilest thou art unregenerate Would any man that were not mad continue quiet in such an estate one moment Ah who would live one hour under such a torrid Zone for a world Dost thou believe that as they whom God blesseth are blessed indeed so they whom he curseth are cursed indeed When Christ cursed the fig-tree how speedy and effectual was it the Disciples say How soon is the fig-tree withered away Matth. 21.19 20. So will it be to thee as certain though not so sudden like a moth 't will devour thee surely yet it may be secretly that thou shalt take no notice of it Let conscience speak Art thou contented to be night and day where ever thou goest and whatever thou doest under Gods curse in this world if not then acquaint thy self NOW with God and be at peace and good a blessing instead of a curse shall come to thee Job 22.21 But if thou canst bear Gods curse so patiently here not sinking under it being kept above water with the skin-deep bladers of common blessings yet what wilt thou do hereafter when all these shall be parted from thee Canst thou so quietly in the other world hear that voice and feel the execution of that verse Go thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for ever Matth. 25.41 If thou canst not Agree with thy Adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the nttermost farthing Matth. 5.25 26. The second subject of Consideration The felicity of the Regenerate SEcondly Consider the unspeakable felicity which thou mighst enjoy if thou wert one regenerated Thy happiness would be far greater then my tongue can declare or thine heart desire Blessedness is so full a word that it comprehends all the good which the rational creature can wish and truly thou shouldst have it in its full weight As before thou wast above all expressions Cursed so now thou shouldst be beyond all comparison Blessed Thy gleanings should be better then the most prosperous worldlings Vintage the worst estate that thou shouldst ever be in would be far more leligible then the best estate of the greatest Emperour on earth that were unregenerate Every blessing written in the book of God would be thy birthright if thou wert born of God thou shouldst be blessed with the blessings of the throne and of the footstool with all things that belong to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 No evil should come to thee there shall no evil happen to the just Prov. 12.21 No good should be kept from thee The Lord shall give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 If earth can make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Blessed are the meek for they
imagine what a full good this one God is in himself and would be to thee He would be to thee health in sickness strength in weakness light in darkness joy in sadness riches in povery honor in ignominy freedom in slavery ease in pain safety in dangers and life in death This one God would supply all thy need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.19 God would subdue thy corruptions enable thee to overcome temptations to be a gainer by afflictions to hold out under desertions to improve providences to be the better for ordinances to be filled with holiness and fitted for happiness He would do more for thee then thou couldst ask or think Ephes 3.20 Well might the Psalmist wonder at the riches of his portion who had a propriety in God Psal 144. ult Happy is the people that is in such a case YEA HAPPY IS THE PEOPLE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD Ainsworth reads those words by way of admiration O happy is the people whose God is the Lord As if the Psalmist Beatus ergo populus cujus Iehova est Deus Tremel considering what he had said before that it was an happiness to enjoy children cattel and outward comforts did from those streams ascend to the fountain and gathered by rational arguing If they are happy that have their sons growing as plants and their daughters as polished stones their barns swelling and their flocks thriving O how happy are they whose God is the Lord If they are so blessed who have the Stars how happy are they that have the Sun For in the presence of this Sun all those Stars must vanish and disappear a Praedicâ— populum beatum oâ— haec bonaâ— Deo conti gâ—rint sed addâ—t mox correctiâ—nem ne qâ—iâ— in hâ—s rebus terrenis fubsistat summan beatitudi nâ—â— ponâ—â— Mollerus in loc Mollerus takes the words by way of correction Yea rather Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. As if David had recalled himself and with his pen given a dash to all that he had said Did I say that they were happy which abounded with relations possessions and outward comforts I recal my self Alas they are not happy in comparison of their happiness who have the Lord for their God yea rather hapyy is the people whose God is the Lord. By this latter he cuts off the neck of his former expression Some take the words conjunctively as if David had proclaimed them happy indeed for whom the Lord as their God doth so liberally provide The children must needs be happy that have a Father that takes such care of them and bestoweth so many outward good things on them Austin takes the words dis-junctively as if the former part of the verse Happy is the people that is in such a case were the voice of the world and the latter part of it Yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord were the choice of the Saints And that Father explains himself to this purpose O vain and foolish speakers O strange children They have called the people happy that are in such a case But what sayest thou David What sayest thou O Body of Christ What say ye O Members of Christ What say ye O Children of God Because those vain Speakers and strange Children have called them happy that are in such a case What say ye And then he answereth for them as the voice of all O vaniloquâ— O silii alieni Beatum dixerunt populum eui haec sunt Quid tu David Quid tu corâ—us Christi Quâ— vos membra Christi Quid vos non filii alieni sed Dei Quoniam vaniloqui fili alieni Beatum dixerunt populuâ—â— Cui haec sunt Vos â—â—id dicitis Beatus populus cujus Dominus deus ipsius Aug. in Psal 143. Tom. 8. Happy is the people whose God is the Lord. Thus happy Reader shouldst thou be if thou wert once regenerated That God in comparison of whom the whole Creation is as nothing would be thy God O how eminently how infinitely wouldst thou be blessed in having so rich so vast so boundless a good for thy God Thou shouldst be blessed in thy body that should be the temple of the Holy Ghost and part of the mystical body of the Son of God and so nearly and closely united to him that neither death grave nor dust should ever be able to separate it from him 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Thes 4.14 16. Thou shouldst be blessed in thy soul that should be ever fat and flourishing Psal 92.13 14. like a watered Garden abounding in fruit the smell of thy soul would be as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Thou shouldest be blessed in thy estate that blessing which can turn a Prison into a Palace a Cottage into a Court poverty into plenty would be thy portion thou shouldst be sure of necessaries of enough to bear thy charges till thou comest to thy Fathers house Psal 37.25 26. and 34.11 Having faith thou should not fear a famine but wouldst be assured that he who feeds the birds of the air fodders the beasts of the fields filleth the bellies of his Enemies with hidden treasures would never forget his friends or starve his children The Lord would be thy Shepherd and therefore thou couldst not want Psal 23.1 As they that are well lined within and have much good blood and spirits can endure to go in cold weather with less clothes then others So thou being inwardly strengthened with the grace and love of God shouldst be able to walk in the world comfortably with a less estate then others If thou shouldst be thine own carver thou wouldst cut thy fingers If thy means were small thy stomach should not be great As the sheep can live upon bare Commons and thrive there where the fat Ox would be starved so in the midst of thy straights thy contentedness would give thee a sufficiency when others who are strangers to grace in the midst of their sufficiency are in straights Job 20.22 True piety hath true plenty and is never without a well-contenting sufficiency for t will give him who hath nothing the possession of all things 1 Tim. 6.6 Hab. 3.16.17 2 Cor. 6.11 Thy dinner of herbs with the love and favour of God would be better then a stalled Ox with his anger and frowns Prov. 15.15.16 Thou shouldst be blessed in thy children The just man walketh in his integrity and his children are blessed after him Prov. 20.7 John's Children fared the better for their fathers godlyness thoug it were but counterfeit 2 Kings 10.30 Surely then The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 112.2 When thou didst leave them God would find them and require thy children for thy love to him much more faithfully then David did Mephibosheth for Jonathans good will Gen. 17.8 Act. 2.39 Thy whole house would be the happier for thee God blesseth the habitation of the righteous Prov 3.33 Nothing can possibly be
thy folly in making and continuing a League with them to thine extream and unconceiveable disadvantage I shall endeavour to set before thee though briefly the far greater felicity which thou shouldst obtain in the other World As whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul so when thou enterest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorious Saint And this Reader is the best wine which Christ keeps for his Ghests till the last though how good it is none can tell but they that have tasted it Truly what Nazianzen said of Basil I may say of this glorious Saint There wants nothing but his own tongue to commend him The Subject is large and weighty and sure I am that it would require the words not onely of a Saint but an Angel to do it according to its worth I shall onely give thee a say briefly of that which glorified Saints enjoy fully First thou shouldst know what perfection of holiness is if thou wert but new born this one thought would fill thy soul with marrow and fatness and cause thy mouth to praise God with joyfull lips One dram of holiness infinitely surpasseth in the esteem of a Saint all the Kingdoms and Empires of this world how much then is perfect holiness worth In heaven thou shouldst have it There thou shouldst be before the throne without fault and serve him day and night in his temple Rev. 14.5 What price doth a Saint set upon and what pains doth he take for a little holiness If thou wouldst know why he hideth the word in his heart t is that he might not sin against God the purging out of sinful humours is the end for which he takes that phisick Why he readeth and heareth so diligently t is that he might be sanctified through Gods truth cleansing is the reason why he useth that water Why he prayeth so frequently and so fervently t is that he might have a clean heart created and a right spirit renewed within him Grace is the chief alms for which he knocks and begs so hard at the beautifull gate of Gods Temple why he goeth to the sacrament t is that he might grow in sanctity he goeth to the death of his Saviour for the death of his sins and his great design in that spiritual feast is so to feed that he might get some more spiritual strength Nay how contented can he be under very sad crosses if they may but make him more like to Christ he can patiently bear the pain of lancing and cutting so it may but let out corruption He can take bitter pills for the removing of inward diseases and the furthering of his souls health and more willingly spend all be hath for the cure of his issue of sin then ever the widow did for the cure of her issue of blood Now Reader thou shouldst have the vessel of thy soul filled with this water of life One drop of which is so precious as thou hast heard to the regenerate Thou shouldst have a perfection of degrees as well as of parts and enjoy so much of these true riches that thou shouldst not desire one grain more Thou shouldst be a book wherein the image of God should be written in a fair large print and there should be no errata's in thee Sin now is like the Ivy in the wall cut it never so much yet it will sprout out again but as grace mortifieth it here glory shall nullify it in heaven Wert thou in Christ t would be no small comfort to think the time is comming when thou shalt never offend God more never deal unkindly with Christ more Thou shouldst by blessed experience know the truth of those Scriptures Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 John 3.9 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.25 26 27. The body of death should die with the death of thy body Thou shouldst not be taken away in thy sins but from thy sins It would be impossible for thee to sin there because of thine happy sight of God there Sin is an aversion from God and conversion to the creature Now thou shouldst enjoy such soul ravishing sweetness in the blessed God and that so fully that thou couldst not leave so excellent a good for any creature thy graces here in their minority and nonage would be then in their maturity If that holiness which is but in part on earth would be so beautiful in thine eyes that it would ravish thine heart more then all the glory of this lower world what would perfect holiness in heaven be If the picture or image of God be so comely in its rough draught here below Ah how lovely a peice will it be in all its perfections when Gods Novissima manus his last hand shall come upon it above 1 John 3.2 Secondly thou shouldst know what compleat happiness is Thine holiness and happiness like twins would grow up and come to their full age together thy perfect purity there would cause perfect peace Thy day of light and gladness in heaven could never be overcast with the smallest cloud because sins that are the vapours out of which they breed could not ascend so high Thy freedom from evil would be full thy fruition of good would be full and therefore thy felicity must needs be full Thy body there would be free from the diseases and deformity to which it is liable and with which it is affected here The errors of the first would be corrected in its second edition A body of vileness shall be a body of glory All those miseries which fright and molest thee now would then forsake thee No evil durst arrest thee when thou shalt walk in the presence of Sions King In this thou shouldst be like irrational creatures that thy misery should end with thy life And in this resemble the blessed Angels that thou shouldst alwayes behold the face of thy father In his presence is fulness of joy When the Sun beholdeth the Moon with his full aspect then the Moon is at the Full. In heaven the Sun of righteousness would ever look on thee with his favourable face in so full a degree that thou shouldst be at the Full of thy light and happiness God is an universal good the soul of man hath a kind of an infinite appetite It desireth this pleasure and that treasure and when it hath them it is like a dropsicall body as thirsty as ever for those creatures having but a particular limited goodness can never satisfy but God will supply all the souls wants because he is infinite and universal good and answereth all things Thou shouldst ever be at the
blood and confirmed by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9.16 17 18 19. The Lords Supper is precious because it sheweth forth the Lords blood and death 1 Cor. 11.26 pardon of sin peace of conscience the affection of the Father the sanctification of the Spirit are all precious because they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1 Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 2.13 All our comforts run in this channel the blood of Christ is the stream which bears them up and brings them to us yea Heaven it self and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious sparkling stone Heaven is the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 'T is the blood of Jesus which giveth boldness to enter into that holy place Hebr. 10.19 The precious price paid for it will speak it and make it a glorious place If thou wert once regenerated Christ would be so precious to thee at this day that all things would be dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 O the price which true Christians set upon Christ The wise Merchant sold all for this Pearl I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel which was afterwards sold for twenty thousand duckets But Christ to a Saint is better then silver and more desirable then choice gold more precious then rubies yea then many millions of worlds When the Athenian Ladies were boasting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels she told them My jewels are my husband Phocion When Alexander was asked where his treasure was he shewed them his friends Such a Jewel such a Treasure is Jesus Christ in the esteem of his Spouse his Friends Christ is all in all The pious soul is of the same minde with John of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor and made even with his Revenues he looks up to Heaven and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Master Jesus Christ to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of nothing so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ But the Christian hath a choice room in his soul for the blood of his Saviour He prizeth the shameful cross of Christ above the most glorious crown of the greatest earthly Potentate Gal. 6.14 Thus Friend it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted thou wouldst determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified O the honey which thou wouldst suck out of the Carkass the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah When thou shouldest consider that this blood of Jesus Christ is that alone which hath satissied Gods justice Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.20 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. pacified his anger justified thy person sanctified thy nature removed the curse of the Law from thee and thee from the eternal wrath of God and unquenchable torments of Hell would it not be precious blood in thine esteem think of it what a price thou wouldst set upon it but when thou shouldst in Heaven for ever behold the blessed body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and consider that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory when thou shouldst see thousands and millions in matchless and endless burnings from which thou wert delivered and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire and thy soul filled brim-full with unspeakable joy nay every part of thy body and soul enlarged to the utmost and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight and thou shouldst be confident and assured to enjoy this for ever and know clearly all this to be the travel of Christs soul and the fruit of his blood Friend friend what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Christ Surely 't will be precious blood indeed thou wouldst have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood then thou ever hadst here below The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion and the great subject of their eternal admiration Their delivery from sin Satan wrath and hell into a state of liberty love grace and salvation by the blood of Jesus will fill their eyes and hearts with wonder love and joy for ever All the voices there shall sing this song and all the vials there shall be set to this tune Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and glory and blessing Rev. 5.9.10 11 12 to end If the Queen of Sheba when she beheld the wisdom and magnificence of Solomon was so transported that there remained no more spirit in her how will thine heart be transported to see the love and glory of the true Solomon who wept and bled and lived and died to bring thee to heaven Fourthly Thou shouldst know what God is and truly this would be no smal part of thy felicity Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit divine knowledge is the excellency of a Christian and differenceth him from a Heathen The knowledge of humane things hath been so highly esteemed by some of the Heathen that they have profest they would give their whole estates to enjoy their books without interruption what then is the knowledge of divine things worth Aristotle saith That a little knowledge of heavenly things though but conjectural is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act In this world thou canst see but little of him thy sight is so weak but there thou shouldst see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 Now the Christian rather seeth and knoweth God as he is not then as he is we describe him for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions by way of negation to be a Spirit Infinite Unchangeable and the like which particulars tell us what God is not He is a Spirit that is a being without a body for God is not a Spirit as the souls of men and as Angels are I mean not of such a substance The Spirit of God in that expression God is a Spirit Joh. 4. condescendeth to our capacities because we are not able to conceive
pleasant â—rov 3.17 Regeneration brings the soul to its centre in which it must needs rest The very work of serving God is a reward in it self in the keeping of them meaning Gods commandments there is great reward Observe Pâ—â— 9 1â— in keeping of them The service of God affords such satisfaction that Gods servants would not leave it for all this world though they were to receive no recompence in the other world The Precepts of God are sweeter then the honey how sweet then are his Promises Is life excellent This is the true life Eternal life saith Augustine is the true life This is the seed the beginning of eternal life Joh. 17.3 All unregenerate men are dead are but walking ghosts or moving carcasses their souls are but like salt to keep their bodies from putrifaction for a season The Heathen said of a vicious man that lived to be old Multum jactatus est noâ—multum nâ—vi gavit Sâ—n ad Panlin alluding to Mariners He was much tossed â—p and down but sailed not at all All the time of thy natural life till thou art converted is lost Paul dates his life from his regeneration We count not a tree living for standing in a garden if it bring not forth fruit Is honor excellent Holiness is honorable Holiness becometh thy house O Lord of Hosts Psal 93.5 It 's more honor to be a Member of Christ then to be Monarch of Christendom Godliness is the honorable livery which Christ purchased for and bestowed on the society of Christians He gave himself for his Church that he might present it to himself a GLORIOVS CHVRCH without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.25 27. In a word holiness is the honor and excellency of God himself Exod. 15.11 He is said to be glorious in holiness he is called rich in mercy Ephes 2.3 but glorious in holiness his Mercy is his treasure but his Holiness is his honor He sweareth by his holiness Psal 89.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David Great persons though sinfully will swear by their titles by their honors by that which they glory most inthese are their oathes that are most binding with them The great God in whom is no iniquity sweareth by his holiness as his crown glory his great excellency He is above thirty times called The Holy one of Israel This is the excellency which Angels and perfect spirits in heaven and Saints on earth do so much admire him for Is 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Nay as gold Exod 24. â—0 â—5 â—â—v 6. â—◠〈◊〉 16 23. Ps 105.42 Isz 5â— 10 Pr. 1â—5 17 because 't is the most excellent mettal is laid not only over pâ—uter and brass but also over silver it self so because holiness is the excellency the perfection of God it s laid not onely over his Servants his Sanctuary his Services his Word his Works his Sabbath his Temple and every thing that belongs to him but also over all his other choyce Attributes his Power is holy power his Mercy is holy mercy his Wisdom is holy wisdom Holiness is the perfection of all his excellent Attributes For were it possible which is high blasphemy for any to imagine for those Attributes to be separated from his holiness they would degenerate his Wisdom into craft Gurn. Ar. par 2. p. 2.9 his Justice into cruelty his Mercy into foolish pity and his Soveraignty into tyranny t is the Holiness of God which poiseth every one O the excellency the excellency of holiness who knoweth its worth Reader what dost thou think of this third subject of consideration The excellency of regeneration and holiness which God requireth of thee for the avoiding of hell and attaining of heaven Tell me doth God require any thing to thy wrong If God required of thee to live a thousand years on earth and to spend all that time in hunger cold nakedness disgrace paines and imprisonment or otherwise thou shouldst not escape unquenchable burnings and enjoy eternal life thou wert worse then mad if thou didst not accept of and obey such a command How hearty and thankful then should thy acceptance be of Jesus Christ to be thy Lord and Savionr of dying to sin and living to and delighting thy self in his blessed Majesty which is all he desireth of thee O do not refuse when thou art so well offered Is it possible that thou canst read so much of the excellency of regeneration how t is the image of the glorious God the destruction of the evil of evils the fruit of the death of Jesus Christ the end which infinite wisdome propounds in his workings the special workmanship of Gods own hands the high honour and perfection of the mighty possessour of heaven and earth and thy soul not be in love with it nor breath after it O that I were regenerated O that my soul had those true treasures those spiritual pleasures that wisdom that life that honour that beauty that excellency which no tongue can commend sufficiently O that the pure image of God were imprinted on me O that Christ might see the travail of his soul upon me and be satisfied I have read that when Zeuxis the famous painter had drawn his masterpeece the picture of Helena Nicostratus the Athemian painter beholding it stood amazed at its rareness and admired the exquisiteness of it There stands by a rich ignorant wretch who would needs know what Nicostratus discovered in it worthy of so much wonder O Friend saith he hadst thou my eyes thou wouldst not ask such a question but rather admire it as I do It may be Reader when thou seest the Saints admiring the beauty of holiness ravished with the excellency of Gods image so extreamly taken with it that they read hear watch fast pray mourn weep suffer any thing all things to enjoy more of it thou art ready to wonder what they see in holiness worthy of such admiration and such diligent endeavours but I tell thee Hadst thou their eyes instead of wondring at them thou wouldst wonder with them I and work with them too and that hard for holiness The fourth Subject of consideration The necessity of Regeneration FOurthly Consider the absolute necessity of Regeneration if it were not so excellent yet it is a thing of absolute necessity and therefore must not be neglected It is not a work of indifferency which may be done or may not be done but a worke of indispensable necessity which must be done or thou art undone for ever Reader here is an argument which neither the flesh nor world nor devil can answer and therefore it must not be denied It is indeed so fruitful a blessing that if thou hast this thou needst no more every thing that is worth ought is in the womb of it but it is so needful that if thou hast not this thou hast nothing the whole world cannot make up the want of this There are many things about which possibly thou spendest much
which wait at the posts of her doors Prov. 8. latter end The Ninivites when Jonah had foretold their ruine fast and pray saying Who can tell if God will repent and turn from his fierce anger that we perish not Jonah 3.9 So now God hath foretold in his word the eternal destruction of all in thy condition do thou fast and pray read and meditate who can tell but God may turn and have mercy upon thee pour down his Spirit and holiness into thee that thou perish not Thou mayst hear and read of the success of others others have found him in his house of prayer and why not thou The Mariner cannot make either winde or tide yet he lieth ready upon the waters and waits for them The Husbandman cannot cause an harvest yet he ploughs and soweth hoping that the Heavens will help him Thou canst not heal thy self wait therefore at the means Christ may come when thou little thinkest of it and cure thee God delights to bless mans industry his usual course is to meet them that meet him he hath been found of them that sought him not and will he hide himself from thee when thou seekest his face for thine encouragement thou hast his word which is truth it self That if thou seek him early thou shalt finde him Prov. 8.17 Whilst there is life there is hope thou livest under the means O resolve to give God no rest till he give thee Regeneration The third and last Objection answered If I be elected I shall be saved let me live never so wickedly and neglect the means prescribed for my recovery THirdly It is possible thou mayst object That if thou art predestinated to life thou shalt be saved though thou neglectest all these means of salvation and if thou art not elected these will do thee no good I answer first that this looks like the language of one already in Hell though it be found too too often in the mouths of swaggerers upon earth in evil things the Devil would make thee separate the end from the means Think not of Hell but go on in sin saith he in good things the means from the end never trouble thy self with holiness yet doubt not of Heaven Secondly suppose that thou shouldst live and die in this desperate conclusion wouldst not thou certainly be damned without all controversie in the other world thou wouldst finde what a fine cheat the Devil had put upon thee by bringing thee into an opinion which will bring thee inevitably into destruction Believe it thou shalt know in the other world who shall have the worst of such cursed conclusions God or thy self Thirdly The Decree of God is a sealed book and the names in it are secret therefore thy part is to look to Gods revealed will namely to make thine Election sure by making thy Regeneration sure Dost thou not know that secret things belong to God but revealed things to us and our children O 't is dangerous to meddle with the secrets of Princes Fourthly This opinion is not believed by thee but is onely pretended as a cloak for thy wickedness and idleness for if thou dost believe that if God hath elected he will save thee however thou livest why are not thy practices answerable to such principles why dost thou not leave thy ground unsowed and thy calling unfollowed and say If God hath decreed me a crop of corn I shall have it whether I sow my ground or no and if God hath decreed me an estate I shall have it though I never minde my calling why dost thou not neglect and refuse eating and drinking and sleeping and say If God have decreed that I shall live longer I shall do it though I never eat or drink or sleep for God hath decreed these things concerning thy ground estate and natural life as well as concerning thine eternal condition in the other world When I see that thou throwest off all care and means of preserving thy life on earth expectest notwithstanding to continue alive then I may believe that thy forementioned thoughts are really such in regard of eternal life but till then I shall be confident that this conclusion is onely a feigned plea in the behalf of the Devil and thy carnal corruptions Fifthly The word of God which must shortly try thee for thine everlasting life or death doth declare to thee fully and clearly that God predestinateth to the means as well as the end where then wilt thou appear that neglectest the means that the means and end are joyned together in Gods decree is fully proved to thee in the 53 and 331 pages of this book therefore let not Satan so far delude thee as to make thee part them I shall conclude my answer to this objection for truly 't is so irrational that I do not think it worthy of six lines with a story which I have sometime read Ludovicus a learned man of Italy by sinful beginnings came at last to this conclusion It matters not what I do or how I live if I be predestinated to life I am sure to be saved if otherwise I cannot help it Thus with this desperate opinion he lived a long time till at last he fell dangerously sick and sent for a skilful Physitian earnestly desiring his advice the Physitian before-hand acquainted with his opinion told him Surely it will be needless to use any means for your recovery for if the time of your death be come it will be impossible to avoid it Ludovicus upon this began to consider of his own madness and folly in neglecting the means for his soul bemoaned his sin sincerely took physick and was through the blessing of God recovered both in soul and body O that what I have written might work such an effect upon thy spirit Consider Friend if notwithstanding Gods Decree means must be used for thy temporal estate should they not also for thine eternal estate Be not wise in thine own eyes but fear the Lord and depart from evil Labour to cleanse thy ways by taking heed thereto according to his word Prov. 3.7 Psal 119.9 REader I have now finished this weighty exhortation which doth so nearly concern thy precious soul and unchangeable condition in the other world Thou seest how large an epistle I have written to thee with mine own hand many an hours sleep have I lost to awaken thee out of thy carnal security but I am ignorant whether the work be done or no which is of such unspeakable waight or whether thou art resolved to set upon it through the strength of Christ in good earnest I preach to thee I pray for thee I desire and endeavour so to live as to set thee a pattern O that I knew what to do that might be more effectual for thy recovery Friend ponder seriously the truth and concernment of the particulars delivered Is there not infinite reason why thou shouldst speedily and heartily submit to the counsel of the Almighty God for the enlivening of
form of godliness that those who are gracious cannot but judge it to be accompanied with the power when indeed it is but the picture When there was a famine in Samaria a scarcity of good food the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung which might be the quantity of a pinte was sold for five pieces of silver twelve shillings six pence of our money observe at what an high rate that which was nothing worth was valued at in a famine truly so there is such a scarcity of true godliness that godly men who exceedingly long for the advancement of Christ and Christianity in mens hearts and houses prize and encourage any thing that cometh near it that looketh like it or hath any tendency towards it But that which is highly esteemed of men may be abominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Reader do not thou as some Tradesmen live altogether on thy credit with others The most cunning takers of money that are though they take notice of every piece are sometimes deceived and take bad money such as will never endure the touchstone for good coin What a poor comfort will it be to thee when thou art hungry and naked that others think and speak that thou art fed and cloathed he that trades highly and lives wholly upon trust seldom holds out long look therefore not so much at others commendation but at thy own Regeneration for that is it alone which accompanieth Salvation It is a favour that thou dost so walk as to have godly mens good word but for all that thou mayst be a stranger to this regenerating work and then it is not the wind of their breaths that can blow thy soul co the haven of bliss Seventhly Thy confidence of thy own good estate is no infallible evidence The world as they are mistaken in Repentance taking it to be only a little sorrow for sin though no aversion from it or detestation of it be joyned with it so they are also in the nature of Faith esteeming it to consist in the strength of perswasion and that who ever can be confident that Christ died for him and that he shall go to heaven doth believe unto salvation whereas the difference between a deceiving and a saving Faith doth not consist in the strength of perswafion but in the ground of it Matth. 7.3 ult the two buildings might be of equal height and beauty the difference lay in the bottom and foundation An Hypocrite may sail towards heaven with a full gale of confidence nay the strength of that wind doth over-turn the vessel for were he more dubious he would be more anxious about his recovery and so more likely to be saved There is saith the wise man that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing Prov. 13.7 That is there are some that are full of confidence rich in assurance that the love of God the blood of Christ the undefiled inherithnce are theirs when indeed they have not one grain of grace nor any true ground of their joy and peace but are very beggars The Apostle Paul speaketh of himself That he was alive without the Law Rom. 7.9 even then when he was liable to its curse and lash he had high thoughts of his present holiness and great hopes of his future happiness He was a jolly fellow cock-a-hoop taking himself to be somebody his motto was Omnia bene All is well when indeed every thing was ill and there was but a step between him and hell he had much false peace though he had no true purity His way was right in his own eyes but the end was the way of death Prov. 14.12 He was alive without the Law his ignorance was both the mother and nurse of his confidence just like a blind man encompassed about with bloody enemies or in a place full of Serpents and poisonous creatures yet thinks himself safe because he doth not see them Or as a man in a Lethargy he feels no pain though he be very near the pangs of death Christ told the Jews Ye say God is your Father but ye have not known him So these say God is their Father Christ is their Husband Heaven their home when they know neither As every wicked mans conscience is morally evil and stained with sin so many times it is naturally evil that it doth neither check him nor judge him for his sin One main work of conscience is to give evidence either for or against a man now conscience may bear false witness against its neighbor the godly man either through ignorance or mis-information not judging by a right rule or not using that rule rightly And conscience may give in false testimony on the behalf of ungodly men either through its blindness sleepiness security or searedness Conscience by nature doth flatter the sinner Deut. 29.29 Conscience may be seared when t is not setled and asleep when the sinner hath no true rest Some men serve their consciences as David did Vriah make it drunk that they may be rid of it when it hath begun to storm they speak to it by some carnal diversions as Christ to the rough sea Peace be still and if then a calm ensue they are safe While the Devil the strong man armed keep the house all is quiet Luk. 11.21 Conscience having often warned them of their sins and misery and being still resisted at last grows weary and resolveth to give them over to their own ways and wo. These men strongly perswade themselves that all is well and yet stoutly persist in all that is ill but they fall from the high turret of presumption into the bottomless gulf of perdition The worst men have not seldome the best thoughts of themselves both as to their present and future estates How confident was the Pharisee that his condition was safe for the present Luke 18.11 when he was in an estate of wrath and what assurance had those Prophets that they should be admitted into Paradise Matth. 7.21.22 23. How boldly did they bounce at the doore but entrance was denied as the Jews of old spake peremptorily We shall neither see sword nor famine though God himself had foretold both Jer. 5.12 so many now speak presumptuously they shall neither see Laws curse nor Gods wrath death nor damnation when God himself hath ensured them to all in their conditions They cry peace peace when sudden desolation is ready to seise on them as travail on a woman with child which they cannot escape 1 Thes 5.3 The mirth of these men was never usher'd in by godly mourning Their expectation is raised high but its foundation is not laid low Nero shut up the Temple of Janus tanquam nullo residuobello as if no Reliques of war remained saith Sueton when at the same time the Empire was at Civil war within it self How ordinary is it for men whose Consciences are past feeling to brag that God and they are good friends not knowing when they ever fell out when at the same
time he is at war with them walks contrary to them and is preparing for them the instruments of eternal death Like Agag to the very hour of execution they are confident of a Pardon and go with their hearts full of hopes into the very place of despair They die willingly as they tell us and their neighbours commend them saying they died like lambs when rather like Solomons ox who goeth to the slaughter so died they going to the den of roaring Lions and the place of Dragons They had no Bands in their deaths who were in bondage to the devil Ps 73.4 As a man that is asleep upon the Mast of a Ship he is in a golden Dream and his thoughts upon large Revenues rich treasures Kingdomes and Diadems which he hath already in his own possession but in that very hour wherein he is solacing himself in his vain imaginations a storm ariseth the man is tumbled off the Mast and drowned Thus many have golden dreams strong presumptions of their salvation when alas they do but befool themselves are all the while upon the brink of hell and are tumbled into it before they are aware Reader look to this likewise that thou build not on such a weak bottome for this may happen both to prophane men and to hypocrites It is said of Pigmalion that he drew a picture so lively that he deceived himself and taking the picture for a person fell in love with his own picture I tell thee thou mayst spin so fine a thread and weave so curious a web of painted cloth feigned godliness that thou mayest deceive thy self and take it to be fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints and mayest thence gather that thy soul is safe when in all thou dost thou art unsound If confidence or not doubting our estates will prove them out of danger then the ignorant stupid seared sinners must certainly be saved which the Scriptures flatly deny Socrates who lived according to his natural conscience died with much calmness and confidence speaking of those who put him to death that they might kill him but could not hurt him yet was without the knowledge of Jesus Christ in whose name alone is salvation Eightly To follow the light within thee or to obey the Dictates of a natural conscience is no sound evidence for heaven A man may follow the light within him to the chambers of utter darkness The Jesuite in the Quaker would make this the infallible testimony of a mans uprightness and sincerity nay he plucks Christ from his Throne and sets the light within him in his room making it more then a mark even the meritorious cause of salvation but Reader I shall clearly prove that 't is so far from being worthy of our affiance that it is not so much as an evidence for heaven because conscience by nature is corrupted as much as the other faculties Their minds and consciences saith the Holy Ghost are defiled Tit. 1.15 The nature of conscience is good but the conscience of nature is evil It savours not the things of God it is not purged with the blood of Christ it is wholly blind in the matters of Christianity nay 't is a Rebel against God Now if I follow a blind guide am I ever like to enter in at the straight gate Is it rational arguing that I am in my Princes favour because I obey my Captain when he is a traytor I do not say that a natural conscience hath no good in it but I am sure 't is in the account of God an evil conscience opposing and resisting him Like an ignis fatuus as pure and perfect a light as the Quakers make it it leadeth men out of Gods high way into those bogs and quagmires wherein they sink and perish I question not but the heathens did follow their polluted consciences in their idolatrous practices And sure I am that Paul might thank his corrupt conscience for persecuting Jesus Christ I verily thought saith he that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Christ Acts 26,9 Mark the words they are full of weight Pauls conscience told him 't was his duty to suppress Christianity Was not his obedience to the commands of this conscience a sad sign that he was to be saved Further Christ telleth his Disciples John 16.2 That they who killed them should think they did God good service Observe here was pure light within men that made them think that they did God the greatest service in doing his Church the greatest disservice Tertul. tells us that Maximinian the Emperor esteemed Christianorum sanguinem diis gratissimam esse victimam the blood of Christians to be an acceptable sacrifice to the gods Is any man so mad as not to think that if such a Pilot steer the ship by answering to its motion must needs be cast away Saul would out of conscience have slain the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.2 and broken the Covenant which had been sworn to by the Israelites His conscience was evil and could not speak his condition to be good an evil conscience will call bitter sweet darkness light evil good It will leave plain precepts and walk by extraordinary Providences Isa 36.18 19 20. Jer. 50.7 It preferreth a strong impulsion of its own spirit before that word which is the will of Gods spirit Isa 36.9 10. it esteemeth a supposed Revelation above that Scripture which is indoubtedly of Divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1.19 It placeth often most of its Religion in Penance abstinence and outward acts of mortification in external signs of humility will-worship and neglecting the body Col. 2. ult of many of which God may say as to the Jews Who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1.12 It makes men keep a a great stir about cuffs ribbands hatbands as the Pharisees about pots and cups when their hearts are full of pride and malice robbing even Christ of the glory of our redemption and hating Christians for not daring to joyn in their cursed opinion Friend wil following such a conscience speak thee to be a true Christian Conscience is indeed a rule but regula regulata prius quam regulans such a rule as must be ruled by Gods word before it can be a right rule for our works To the Law and to the testimonies if conscience speak not according to this word it is because there is much pretended no true light in it Scripture is the compass by which conscience must bend its course or else 't will never land its passengers at the desired haven It is no farther liberty of conscience but licentiousness then it is regulated by the Scripture One office of conscience is Magistratical and Legislative to command and give Laws to man We read of the heathen that in regard of their consciences They were a Law to themselves Rom. 2.14 Conscientia mille Reges mille leges But though conscience be a King over the other faculties yet it is a subject subordinate to God