and be brought from the dominion of sin and Satan to be under the rule and guidance of Christ and grace and so be sanctified pardoned justified and at last glorified this I say I perswade thee to by such discoveries as the glorious good God hath made concerning his acceptation of true penitents and converts Because thou mightest been couraged to this reformation without delay and to keep thee from sinking into a despair of Gods mercy in Christ pardoning thy sins past upon thy sound repentance and sincere reformation and this consideration also may raise thy hopes and expectation that thou shalt yet find grace and mercy from the Lord to relieve thee and help thee in thy misery and give thee a full conquest over thy spirituall enemies through Christ and deliver thee from all thy sins into the hand and protection of JESUS CHRIST who will keep thee safe and bring thee to heaven if thou apply thy heart in good earnest to this work of self-reformation and perseverest in the same unto the end For if there were no hope but he that hath been vicious must of necessity be always so why then should there be given any meanes for thy recovery why should God send to thee invite thee intreat thee rebuke thee expostulate with thee as he doth by his Ministry word and Spirit if God did not mean to reclaim thee that he might pardon thee and save thee why hath he appointed repentance for thy work and space for thy repentance but that thou mightest finish thy reformation And why so many promises for thy support of mercy for guidance victory acceptation and pardon if God meant not to deal graciously with thee this way upon thy endeavours at reformation S. 6 4ly And I have hitherto been perswading thee concerning every sin to repent speedily and leave off that thy sin be it whatever great or small without delay Rea. 1 Because impenitency is a cursed estate in it self though thy sin of which thou art guilty be pardonable upon thy repentance yet thy impenitency for the least sin thou knowest in thy self is unpardonable and that which all the sins specified could not effect if they had been repented of in time and forsaken this one sin of wilfull impenitency will undoubtedly effect viz. thy damnation for damnation though it be not to sins absolutely the smallest of them yet absolutely to all impenitent sinners S. 7 Christ hath secured the salvation of that sinner who exerciseth faith in him and repentance from dead works by his life death resurrection and intercession But he did not die nor doth he intercede nor is he a propitiation for to save impenitents and unbelievers as such they living and dying impenitent and unconverted And therefore the earnestness of thy Monitor with thee to be speedy in this work is such for that thy continuance in any sin argues thy unwillingness to forsake it and thy delaying and deferring repentance is nothing lesse then a flat denial to reform and amend untill thou canst sin no longer nor live any longer to sin and then thou wilt either miss of the will to repent thee or of sufficient time or because forced from the apprehensions of terror it will not be accepted and then alas where art thou S. 8 And this consideration if it be serious would conclude in this resolution I will put off no longer I l'e not deferre till to morrow for if I die ere my conversion be wrought and if sickness and death seise on me in an impenitent state what will become of me I am resolved to begin now and to renew again what once I began and will not sleep eat drink or take any comfort in any thing untill I am in a mending case untill my soul and sin be at odds I le stay no longer here with this and that sin nor will I consent that any sin shall lodge with me henceforth for ever lest mischeif and a snare death and destruction overtake me and I lie down in sorrow S. 9 For I have been and am a great sinner perverse and obstinate in my courses and too long already have I been so and I despair of mercy pardon and heaven while I continue in a state of voluntary sinning unconverted and unreformed in heart and life But I see there is hope how bad so ever I have been yet I may be reclaimed and if in time I do repent heartily and renounce all my wicked ways and lay hold on Christ and live the rest of my days soberly righteously and holily I may find mercy and partake of an happy eternity of glory I am resolved therefore now even this moment to put in practise that which I have been long a purposing even to bid farewell to all my sinfull pleasures and profits to all my vanity and folly and do now forsake the sinfull world the flesh and the devil and will no longer be befooled by my lusts the world nor Satan to the loss of my soul for all the present seeming content and advantage may come to me by living in sin or complying with sinners Mat. 16.26 For what will it profit me though I gain the world by sinning and lose my soul for sinning What shall a man do for another soul to save when he hath damand or lost this one by sinning What shall I do to be saved then at last if now I refuse to doe that which God is pleased to demand of me as a condition and in my power through grace which is to repent and to turn from all my iniquities so sin shall not be my ruine Alas then I shall have no grace to repent nor space nor acceptance nor pardon nor heaven I can then do nothing that can be acceptable neither will God accept any thing I do if I will not hear him to day he may refuse me to morrow although I call upon him but to be sure if I put off the Lords requests and admonitions refusing them now in my health strength life and do not yield obey repent and reform as I know it is my duty then at last God will refuse and reject me yea laugh at my calamity and empty the vials of his just wrath and indignation upon me Pro. 11.12 to the end and leave me in misery to all eternity S. 10 Such a consideration as this would make one dread the thought of continuance in sin or to deferre repentance one day longer and would bless God he was not cut off in the last act of sin or in a state impenitent yesterday or the last week and resolves to venter no more so presumptuously on the morrow while to day is put into his hand for an opportunity Let this be thy resolution O sinner that readest and be happy in it CHAP. VIII Containing the main swasion and motion for a finall resolution and speedy practicall repentance and reall reformation S. 1 NOw having made known unto thee and laid in thy view before thee as
pleasure or emolument by sinning no not for the whole worlds riches or honours I must not deny my Master Christ to whom I am a sworn servant he is one that will maintain me and keep me and stick by me and give me heaven at last if I forsake him not and cast not off his yoke nor go back from my engagement he will never leave me nor cast me out if I never leave him nor turn Apostate as I shall do if I yeild to sins motions and consent to sins temptations and return to that filthy vomit of former sinfull practises remember always thy vow forget not thy obligations thy duty and thy Master Christ thy Saviour Lord Redeemer thy own soul and the last judgment and then this will both take thee off from thy sinfull course and preserve thee from falling again into the hand of temptation and practise of sin any more VII Direction S. 11 7. Call thy self every day to an account for what every day you do whether you have omitted your duty or committed a sin and repent every day this is a work will prove advantagious if well performed for by his practise you will learn to know your self still better and better and amend more and more and you will be happy if Christ find you so doing when he calls you to account S. 12 Besides if you do this constantly and sincerely every day you shall have but a days sins to repent of and the same day you are a dying and then the last act of your repentance will be the completing of all the former acts of penitence and then onely will death-bed repentance be accounted of when it is the conclusion of a watchfull serious holy penitent life and the last act of that habituall grace but if all be left to the last day or minute and that which should have been done every day hath been put off to the last O what a burden of foul sins will lie then upon thee poor weak wretch if all be let alone till then Oh how canst thou think that God will pardon all thy sins upon the last minuts repentance when that last is thy first and last a sorry repentance it is indeed if it be but a little sorrow an expiring sigh and groan after an ages sinning and a vitious life Therefore now begin and continue till thy dying day to reckon with thy self every evening for what thou hast done the day and every morning for what thou hast acted in darknesse of night and what thou hast done foolishly repent and for what thou hast done well in the duties of sobriety chastity charity and piety rejoyce and give God thanks when thou hast fallen into or by a temptation be sorry and more watchfull for afterward and when upon examination you have found you have resisted and overcome a temptation and avoided a sin give God the praise of his assisting and preventing grace and likewife for thy consciencious tenderness that would not let thee commit a sin nor omit a duty VIII Direction S. 13 8. The next counsell I would have thee consent to follow is this That you take heed in all the work of reformation of a shifting and deceitfull heart The heart is deceitfull above all things Jer. 4.9 and desperately wicked it will pretend one thing and do another there is much double-dealing it will seek evasions and find excuses to put off a duty but especially this of reall reformation thy heart will hold up faiâ— shews with foul practises it will make many proffers and promises of repentance and amendment and if you trust your own heart you shall have nothing of it but promises and good purposes for afterward still I will repent hereafter and amend hereafter next week or next month or next year and yet delayeth still and will do so untill death and then it is too late Oh how often hath thy heart deceived and betrayed thee already to deferre untill a more convenient time how long hast thou been about to repent and reform and yet nothing done towards it but a company of promises and pretences and all this while instead of doing your necessary work you have added sin to sin and day unto day uttereth excuses and this day the heart saith to reformation go and come again to morrow and what is this but heaping up wrath and filling up the measure and adding more weight to the burden of sin and binding my self faster with the cords of my own twisting and rendring my bands more irrefragable and my guilt more damnable and yet thus it hath been with every man that trusteth a deceitfull heart and will be so with thee if thou admit of its excuses and lettest it alone to shift cog and deceive and to play such pranks as the heart of foolish inconsiderate man doth delight in S. 14 Now if ever you will be serious and do any thing to purpose in the necessary business of thy eternal concernment never give way to delay thy reformation let the pleasures be never so fair or ever so many be not deceived by thy self but be thou a doer of the work and not a pretender to it only 't is a deceiving and a deceived heart that makes thee hitherto either deferre the duty or do it slightly IX Direction S. 15 9. If you would be throughly reformed converted and saved in time then forthwith give up thy self to Jesus Christ and to the word of his grace let Christ be thy Physitian go to him which is the fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse Zac. 13.1 1 Jo. 1.7 't is the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin flee unto him and yield up thy self unto him shew thy wounds and beg his healing carry thy burthen and let him ease thee Come unto me saith Christ all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 29. take my yoke upon you and learn of me and ye shall find rest for your souls Let the word of Gods grace teach thee and rule thee be often at those ordinances where Christ is applyed to thy soul and the Spirit of Christ is working conversion give up and resign thy self to the teachings of the spirit by the word hear that word and obey it which discovereth and debaseth sin and searcheth the heart frequent that preaching that advanceth Christ and holiness that wooes thee off thy sins unto Christ and holy walking S. 16 If thou be converted it must be by those means that God hath appointed to convert souls and bring them to saving faith and repentance all true converts can say that God of his own will begat them with the word of truth Wherefore lay apart all filthiness Jam. 1.18.21 22. and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls But he ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves and every one that is made a new creature must say 1
threatned eternall punishment to every impenitent unconverted sinner S. 2 O Lord how wonderfull art thou in mercy and goodnesse I am one of those vile and miserable sinners whom thou hast often called to amendment to whom thou hast sent thy servants importunately beseeching that I would cease to do evill and learn to do well that I would but turn and live but hitherto I have not fully yeelded I have dear Lord too too often and too too long put thee off with excuses and when I could say nothing for my continuance in sinne nor against holy living and speedy reformation yet then have I delayed my necessary duty with a promise of reformation delaying from day to day that which I have promised and continually going on in that which I should renounce even to this day O Lord thou knowest it S. 3 Many opportunities have been given unto me much grace offered many Sabbaths many Sermons many Counsels many a check of Conscience many rebukes from the Lord in sad dispensations and all to reclaim me and long hast thou waited for my return that thou mightest pardon and be gracious But alas alas I have abused thy long-sufferance made light of thy invitations and all thy sweet and kind perswasions and fatherly corrections I have heard thy Messengers speaking to me time after time from the Lord saying often with tears in their eyes to me Regardlesse hard-hearted Wretch Oh do not do not the abominable things which I hate O why wilt thou die But all in vain my obstinate hard heart hath said There is no hope I will not change nor amend S. 4 Yea Lord although thy severe and dreadfull threats have come to my ears against such sins as I alas as I my self am guilty of and there is nothing that keepeth me on this side hell all this while but thy wonderfull mercy forbearing execution on such an evill doer as I have been and yet for all this my fool-hardy heart is set upon evill still S. 5 I have heard from thy Word Mat. 18.3 John 3.3 as it were from Heaven to me by name that Except I be converted I shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and yet I have not seriously minded it but to this day I have continued to follow lustfull desires and unchristian practises alas to this day too long But dear Lord wilt thou be intreated by me a vile sinner as I am now to move my heart effectually that I may set upon reformation to purpose Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean holy just sober and a sound convert thou hast bid me although a miserable sinner to ask according to thy will and thou hast promised to hear and grant S. 7 It is thy will most holy God that I should turn and live and it is the desire and earnest request of my soul that I may leave off all my ungodliness worldly lusts vanities and all my sins And that I may become a new man a sincere and holy Christian Lord help me and never leave me begin and finish my Reformation in heart and life make this little book an happy Instrument of mine Amendment Let the truths from thy word convince me let the Arguments perswade me let the reasons move me to a speedy practicall resolution let my many sins yet unreformed shame me and weary me let thy Threats deter me from sin let thy promises allure me to Holiness S. 8 Let thy Grace accompany my Endeavours this way let the few dayes I have to live and the great work I have yet to do for my soul drive me to hasten my Resolution let not sloth nor delusions nor any temptation or secular Interest whatsoever entice my poor soul from this work of self-Reformation I am Resolved to read consider and practice dear Lord help my Resolutions and further this happy work of reformation in my heart and life Say Lord for Christs sake to my soul Goe on and prosper Amen Amen S. 10 Now if thou canst truly from thy heart bewail thy former neglect and miscarriage and beg heartily of God to assist thee in this thy so great concernment then art thou hopefully prepared and in a fair way both to receive further Instruction and Resolution for thy saving Reformation And accordingly I shall in the name of God proceed with thee after this method In the first part of Reformation which consists in forsaking of all thy sins and evil practises To shew what is meant in this design by SAVING REFORMATION that you may understand your businesse To prove the absolute necessity of such a reformation in order to salvation that you may believe it To discover those sins which are in every instance inconsistent with saving reformation which if not forsaken in heart and life will infallibly bring destruction to thy soul at last that when you know them and the dreadfull consequence of them you may be induced to repent them to renounce them all without any further delay or hesitancie To give you some speciall Directions about this thing that it may prove Effectuall that your labour may not be lost but through the grace of God successefull To urge the duty upon you with undeniable arguments to move you to be speedy and practicall in Reformation And this is done in this first part about Reformation as it comprehends a turning from all Evill in heart and life a ceasing from sin in all its instances and appearances I doe in the Second part of Reformation which consists of an holy Life 1. Propose the practicals of saving conversion in all Christian performances and right orderly heavenly Conversation And shew likewise the absolute necessity of such a course of holy living to make our reformation complete and our salvation sure Lay down some Directions for the holy ordering of you life both fot Time and Duties Lastly I doe conclude with earnest motions to perform all the requisits to thy salvation constantly to the end And no man can set himself against or refuse to yield to all that is here moved for nor delay his reformation but he that hath forfeited his reason and all his interest in Christ and hath sold himself to wickedness and resolves to be miserable in despite of God and good Counsell and is grown desperate and means to cast away his precious soul for ever But I hope thou that hast read so far as this art not such an one and therefore I intreat you would seriously consider what is said to thee in each particular about thy speedy Reformation CHAP. III. Of Reformation in the notion of it as it is intended for practise S. 1 REformation which is the subject I am about to treat of is a word not very frequently used in Scripture but the thing I mean by it is in many places described And I chuse this term of Reformation because it comprehends what I mean to exhort you to and as it is a Vulgar word best known to such as I am
not deliver me I am tormented tormented tormented in this flame Oh what an hell is this what company is here what horror is here what anguish do I feel within me what a rack of torture am I upon what trembling of joynts what gnawing of conscience what hellish groanes and moaning accents what harsh affrighting afflicting gnashings within and round about the poor damned sinner what gastly looks what hideous out-crys alas alas who can express the misery of the damned oh to what a wofull pass is an impenitent now brought to where are now his carnall delights where is his worldly greatness and riches gotten by sin and enjoyed in sin what 's become of his joviall company where wretch now is thy presumption and vain hope and foolish confidence and dull security what wouldst give for one minutes ease now which thou wouldst not believe was not to be found in hell or that thou shouldst ever be brought to this case by thy continuance in sin you put then the thoughts of this evil day far from you while the seasonable thoughts thereof in time might have prevented it and now poor wretch thou canst not remove thy thoughts from thy misery now thou wouldst do any thing to release thee but then thou wouldst not hearken â—o do the least matter toward the preventing of this thy misery who can pitty thee who will pitty thee no the time of pitty and mercy from the Lord is gone Qui voluntatem Dâ—â— spâ—â—veâ—â—nt invitantem voluntatem Dâ—i sâ—ntient vindiâ—â—nâ—em Aug. Isai 66.4 24. and gone for ever and thou art lost and lost for ever I will bring their fears upon them saith the Lord Isai 66.4 because when I called none did answer when I spake they did not hear but they did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not And they shall go forth and look upon the carkesses of the men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be queâ—ched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Oh who would live in sin to pay so dear for sinning would any but a prophane Eâ—â—â— sell away his happiness the blessing of heaven to purchase the curse and hell and yet every sinner that goes on in his wickedness doth so he takes up the pleasures of sin for a season and exchangeth for it hâ—aven and undergoes for his short mirth an ETERNALL MISERY S. 68 O stubborn O wilfull O careless sinner wilt thou not yet consider this in time while deliverance may be had while thy damnation may be prevented Now consider this ye that forget God Psal 50 2â— lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Wilt thou rather die eternally then take some paines to turn from thy sinfull courses and live shall it be all in vain that thou art fore-warned will it not be one day all in vain that thou wishest thou hadst been reformed if thou refuse it now O poor soul if thou hast any regard to thy self if thou wilt ever escape the damnation of hell think on it now and sin no more do no more so foolishly 't is enough thou hast done already and too much let it suffice thee and repent thee that thou hast lived so long in that state which will bring thee to thy misery if not speedily reformed let hell the portion of impenitent sinners and its everlasting torments the punishment for such sinners be thought on by thee and quickly quickly without delay come out of that way which leads to this destruction which will infallibly be met withall at the end of a vitious sinfull course S. 69 And now that thou mayst be brought by these considerations to a speedy effectuall and practicall resolution forthwith to leave off every sinfull way that thou hast gone on in sinning which is so odious to God so much against him and so much against thy soul so much against thy happiness and so much to thy losse and damage how should the consideration of all these things work upon thine heart and hasten this resolution and without more adoe bring thee to this conclusion Therefore will I now return now will I no longer abide in my sins I have done too much already if God will accept of me yet I will provoke him no more I would not lose my God my soul my happiness but I will part with my sins all my sins and return no more to folly by the grace of God this will I do I see there is reason I should I see there is a necessity for it if I mean to be happy and I would not be damned but with all my heart I desire to be saved eternally O spara a little good Lord that I may have some space yet to repent Psal 39.13 that I may have some space yet to repent to amend and that I may recover some strength ere go I hence and be no more S. 70 But lest thou shouldest deferre to put this resolution into practise and so suffer thy time to passe away and to put off to another day and for the present rest in thy good resolution which is but the beginning of reformation and will not be accepted without actuall performance and perseverance in the duty I do now in the next place exhort thee to be speedy and resolute in forsaking and casting off all thy transgressions without any further delay To day Heb. 4.7 while it is said to day after so long a time if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts For be the work hard or be it easie done it must be there is a necessity for it sin must be left corruption must be mortified and your life must be reformed ere you die and the present opportunity is the fittest opportunity if not the onely acceptable day And if you are still about to amend and intending to reform and yet do it not but rest in thy almost being resolved and about being resolved you do but flatter your self and lose your time and give sin the head and suffer corruption to take deep root and every days defetting gives God the denial who calls to day and renders the duty more difficult and thy self more sinfull and religion more unpleasing and makes grace more feeble and ineffectual and so putting off from day to day shortly death will come which will not be put off and thy work undone thy sins not left thy lusts unsubdued thy God offended thy soul wronged thy sorrows drawing neer thy appearance in judgment at hand and thou all this while a guilty unholy impure soul summoned to answer for all thy delays and thou then sentenced to misery for thy neglecting thy day of grace and putting away far from thee thy reformation which a long time thou hadst been convinced to be necessary and it may be hast been about it and about it but hast not endeavoured it effectually This is the case of too many
THE SINNERS REMEMBRANCER OR A serious Warning to the Wicked To prevent his Destruction and hasten his Reformation By RICH. PARR D. D. Rector of Bermondsey in Southwark Whereunto is added Christ's gracious Intentions of Peace and Mercy towards Sinners Quest What must I do to be saved Acts 16.30 Answ Repent and be converted that thy sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3.19 LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill 1663. To my Honoured Friend and Patron Sir EDMOND BOWYAR of Camerwell Knight And the Lady HESTER BOWYAR his vertuous Consort SIR MY obligations to you as my Patron from whom I received that Portion of subsistence here at Camerwell which Providence cast upon you to bestow and on me to receive for the support of the Ministry in this place together with that Relation I have to you and kidnesse for you as a friend and care of your soul as a Pastor have put me upon the dedication of these few serious thoughts about saving Reformation I cannot better express my Love and Respects to you then by wishing and labouring for you that you may be Eternally saved and no way can I find out otherwise to be effected then that you be a reall sincere convert I have observed for some years past that you make it much of your businesse to keep up communion with God both in publique and private which puts me in a great deal of hope you are in a fair way both to receive further counsell and to use all good means to bring about that in your soul and life which may fit you for that glory which is above in heaven I offer therefore these though but weak endeavours of mine in comparison of those many worthier labors of those Authors you have to converse withall to your serious consideration and if these adde any thing to you my mite will prove a mighty blessing The subject is weighty and if the arguments be so too then they claim your subjection for you must yield to Reason and you must follow the Directions or else you sin against the Reason of a man and the Rules of Religion and the happinesse of your own soul If you read what I have written without prejudice and prevarication and ponder without lightnesse and wavering if you put in practise every duty commanded and renounce every sin and forsake with invincible resolution in good earnest and without procrastination those sins be they many or few profitable or pleasurable open or secret which you your own self are tainted with and follow Christ fully and deny your self wholly and believe in the Lord Jesus and live Holily and continue so believing and so living to your dying day Then nothing in this present world can hinder your everlasting happinesse when you go hence But if you or any man follow their own in-bred naughtinesse and walk after the flesh and put off Reformation and live impenitent and die unconverted all the Angels in heaven nor men on earth nor treasures of riches nor all honours of this world nor greatnesse policie learning nor any thing nor all things can procure your justification pardon or salvation at last Nay if you live and die impenitent and in a state of unregeneracy and unconverted Christ himself will never own you nor will his precious blood be a propitiation for you This I suppose you know already and believe yet this I am bound to acquaint you withall as my full perswasion and after this rate you can testifie I have always preached for all the space I have been your monitor in this place and oh that both you and I and all that desire to be saved eternally may reduce all the doctrinalls about this point of Reformation into our constant practise and espouse the thoughts of these things into our most retired and serious consideration which will prove the rarest pleasure in the world and give the fullest satisfaction to that soul which is preparing for heaven Sir I need not say much more to you but to intreat you to peruse at your leisure these short monitions being An earnest Swasion to a speedy Reformation and if they give any advantage or help toward your great work that one thing necessary give God the praise and thanks And Madam For an advantage to those many good wishes I have for you your nearnesse of blood to one that is dearest to me of any person in this world makes me attempt this little tender of my Counsell to you also hoping that by your serious perusall you may either resolve to attain to what is wanting to make your conversion compleat or take occasion hereby to blesse God that it is already begun in you and in some good degree wrought and so labour to goe on in a course toward greater perfection in order to the accomplishment of that ever to be sought after and mightily to be longed for happinesse in heaven at your departure hence which is the enjoyment of Christ and the compleatly full and filling joyes at Gods right hand in the kingdome of glory And this is all the harm I wish you and that this may be both your Lot that you may be heirs together of the same grace which may put you through Christ into the full possession of the same Glory is the earnest desire to you and for you both of him who is one that loves you upon the best account And Your friend and servant for the work of Christ RI PARR Camerwell Jun. 25. 1660. The Contents of the Chapters in this Treatise CHAP. I. The Introduction Perswading every Soul to heed his own Salvation and endeavour it as his chiefest concernment and to consider it speedily seriously and wisely pag. 1. CHAP. II. The hopefull sinners prayer p. 14. CHAP. III. Of Reformation in the notion of it as it is intended for practise p. 20. CHAP. IV. Of mans state before Reformation implying the necessity of amendment p. 23. CHAP. V. Containing a catalogue of sins which are altogether inconsistent with the state of saving grace and doe most necessarily inferre damnation to them that are guilty and will not be reformed p. 31. Sect. I. Wilfull gnorance p. 34. Sect. II. Infidelity p. 36. Sect. III. Unrighteousness pag. 38. Sect. IV Idolatry p. 40. Sect. V. Adultery with Fornication Effeminatenesse Buggery Beastiality p. 43. Sect. VI. Drunkeness p. 46. Sect. VII Gluttony p. 49. Sect. VIII Covetousnesse p. 52. Sect. IX Murder p. 56. Sect. X. False and vain swearing p. 61. Sect. XI Lying p. 66. Sect. XII Theft and Sacriledg p. 69. Sect. XIII Disobedience and Rebellion p. 72. Sect. XIV Pride and Vain-glory. p. 81. Sect. XV. Schism and Heresie p. 85. Sect. XVI Witchcraft p. 92. Sect. XVII Hypocrisie p. 95. Sect. XVIII Apostasie p. 103. Sect. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them p. 111. Sect. XX. Unfruitfulnesse under gracious means p. 123. CHAP. VI. An
left I pray thee leave off murmuring and learn submission and resignation to divine providence in all his dispensations and if thou hast thought or spoke foolishly lay thy hand upon thy mouth doe so no more God cannot endure murmuring nor murmurers leave it quickly if thou mean not to provoke God as the Israelites did 1 Cor. 6.10 and were punished severely for it S. 43 Thy rash attempts and inconsideratenesse be no more heady but heedfull consider seriously both the nature of thy actions and the end of them all for God accounts all men sinfull that are not considerate and serious because inconsiderate and rash Isai 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider For as consideration is the beginning of reformation Jer. 8.6.7 so is inconsideratness an inlet to all vice and villany S. 44 Thy worldly confidence and trust on vain things must be altered to a trust and dependence on God onely if thou aim at saving reformation for he that relieth on any thing under heaven men or money arm of strength or armies of men wit policie friends health greatness or his own goodness doth much derogate from God and become sinfull because he sets his heart upon that which is not to be confided in nor set up as any way able to support satisfie deliver or to make one happy Mans trust is always to be in God onely and all his hopes and expectation from him Isai 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength But when I lay out my first thoughts and chief hopes upon worldly things I put them up in stead of God and commit idolatry and go quite contrary to the will of God Trust not in man nor riches nor Princes saith David If riches increase set not your heart upon them for you will find a disappointment in all without God Jer. 17.5 7. and a curse too Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the living God But blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Job being once very rich and alwayes very good which was his best riches and abided with him when all outward things were flown away and gone saith in his most serious examination and pleading with God If I have made gold my hope Job 31.24 25 28. or have said to fine gold Thou art my confidence If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten it This were iniquity to be punished by the judge for I should have denied the God that is above You see what apprehension godly men have had of the trusting worldly things concluding it to be sin and iniquity folly and idolatry and what is the hope of an Hypocrite what will his worldly confidence come to though he hath gained much Job 27.8 9. when God taketh away his soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him So that 't is not enjoyned as a prudentiall thing onely not to put confidence in these worldly things not depend upon them because of their vanity inconstancy insufficiency but 't is a sin if we do and a great iniquity too which every gracious man should avoid and every convert should repent of and be ashamed that he hath put confidence in pittifull worldly things and made them his rock shelter and comfort and resolves he will do so no more while he hath a God the rock of ages and time to fly unto who will never fail nor forsake them that put their trust in him because they trust in him S. 45 I counsel thee dear soul to look carefully what is that you put your considence in and if you find the world or any things in the world first coming in your thoughts as to trust in them then conclude 't is from a carnall principle within thee contrary to God's mind and holding no conformity to the Saints who have said within themselves and declared to the world too that nothing in heaven or earth within them or without them should be the object of their trust saving God only a guess of this their frame we may take from Psal 73.25 Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My strength and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever O then beware what thou makest thy rock thy tower thy defence and portion be sure it be God onely and repent if thou hast done other S. 46 Thy vain and erroneous opinions in matters about religion must be regulated by the Word of Truth and reduced to the obedience of Christ and his doctrine 1 Tim. 6.5 and that without prevatication or strife of words or perverse disputings vain bablings to no profit or edification toward charity and holiness 2 Tim. 2.14 16. Pro. 19.27 Cease my Son saith Wisdom to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledg for 't is a dangerous thing to be of a corrupt judgment S. 47 About thy recreations and those little indulgencies to thy flesh which men are pleased to call refreshments and pastimes not considering what sin and hurt may be in them and how too too often they become fewel to lust and a temptation to sin consumption of time and exhausting of spirit and effeminating men rendring them soft and unfit for exercise of religious duties and many other inconveniences which experience hath instructed those that have been much and often in the service of pleasures which now they see but then they could not perceive being blinded and beguiled with them Now concerning such if thou who readest art a man given to satisfie thy lusts with worldly pleasures under the pretence of recreation know that though some recreations diversions from our more serious and laborious employments either of body or mind may be tolerable and allowable for refreshment yet when thou exceedest in pleasure to unrighteousness by letting out too great a proportion of thy soul on them then the most innocent recreation becomes a snare unto thee and thou sinnest in it when thou usest it as a calling and dost nothing else but spend thy daies times strength talents study and passions as though thou wast born into this world only to spend thy time in worldly fleshly and carnal delights surely such a state of living and such is onely the employment of some men cannot be pleasing to God but calls for reformation And therefore I would intreat thee to be sparing in recreations and carefull in them lest that which is allowed thee for the relief of thine infirmities may prove thy hurt more dangerous to thy soul then that bodily infirmities which want something for its refreshment could have brought to thy body without such recreation S.