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 deferring 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 and if it be thy case then my earnest request is that you would speed your reformation that it may be effected before you die I am sure it will doe you no harm to leave off your sensuall devilish courses and that speedily too unless it hurt you to be pardoned cleansed and eternally saved and certainly this can be no wrong unto thee to perswade thee to desist from doing such things which to do and continue in is not only thy shame and loss but thy undoing for ever be serious then in what further is offered in the following chapter for thy consideration to hasten thy reformation and to silence all objections to the contrary CHAP. X. Of some more moving thoughts which may help and draw a poor sinner to speedy resolution without further delay HAving in the foregoing Chapter shewn both the odiousness and miserable consequences of sin S. 71. and dreadfull expectation of a man going on in his wickedness I would now in this Chapter mind the sinner of what behoves him to do in the case in answer to the mercifull forbearing long-suffering and goodness of God which leads to repentance that so Gods lengthened-out patience toward thee a sinner to this time of thy life may no longer be abused by thy continuing any whit longer in thy sins which mercy will be wronged and affronted by thee if after all this forbearance accompanied with so many testimonies against sin and so many gracious calls and invitations to return from thy evil doings to serve the living God in new obedience if thou shouldst persevere and go on still in thy evil ways any further after such convictions how would it aggravate thy sins and heighten thy misery Therefore I would perswade thee to do that speedily which all wise men have done even now thou knowest thy faults to amend thy faults without putting off or objecting against thy speedy reformation Say I have the corruptions of my nature to be mortified my diseases to be healed the power of my lusts to be conquered the image of God to be repaired my sinfull practises to be amended many Acts of grace to be performed many temptations to be resisted and disappointed this present world with all its blandishments to be crucified this heart of mine must be brought to love Christ above all and all this cannot be done in a moment and then shall I put it off any longer have I any time to spend idlely or vainly any more that I can well spare from such imployments as these are to squander away about other foolish matters having so much to do of my own work yea say further I thought on my ways and I am resolved to turn from all my evil courses and I will make hast and not delay to keep thy Commandements Thus did that true penitent David recorded for thy imitation in this point Psal 119.58 60. who saith I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy commandements I made hast and delayed not to keep thy commandements Now let me consider First S. 72.1 and why should not I do so also is not my soul as dear to me as his to him am not I as much engaged to Christ as he will not my sins undoe me as much as his would him do I not as much need reformation as any body if I am not already reformed or can I turn too soon may I fear of being too good a Christian too much a convert too much holy May I not rather have cause to fear that if I do not reform now forthwith it may be too late hereafter S. 73. I may not have space Deus poenitentibus veniam promisit sed omnibus paenitendi tempus non concessit Greg. or if I have I may not have the grace to repent and may I not be jealous having so much to do in the business of my soul that I shall not have time enough to do all my work There is no too much of that of which there can never be enough and I have heard that repentance may be too late but never can it be too soon one would think it reason a man should repent the very next minute after the committing of sin and yet men commit many sins and live long in them and think it yet too soon to leave them and repent of them or that they may do all the work of Reformation at once in a very trice as though there were a kind of sleight and dexterity to dispatch the great work of through-saving reformation in a moment when alas the whole life of the longest sinner is but enough scarce that unless we husband and improve our opportunities better then most in the world do this way and is it not yet time to look after thy souls reformation since there is so much past of thy life already and so little behind to come it may be not one week and thou hast much to do I am drawing neer to my end my sins increase and my time decreases if I have time enough yet 't is but enough for the great work I have to do and I cannot command time as much as I please for if it be not in my power to prolong my days and set me more limits to my life if I cannot say I will live till such an age and continue in perfect strength judgment
but the lest right sound reason left him or counsell would not long be deliberating what to do in this case seeing 't is so evident that he dare not pray or ask leave of God to continue life that he may live to sin or that God would accept of his sinfull disobedience for an holy service but at last should he resolve to go no further in sins way but now with speed immediately turn from his sins ere he closes his eyes to sleep lest it may prove his last nights repose on this side hell Fifthly S. 84. let me consider for a speeding motive to a speedy practical resolution whether or no is it of indispensable necessity and special concernment for me that some time or other ere I die I must be soundly converted and cease to do evil and to take off my heart from the love and consent to lusts motions and lead an holy harmlesse and heavenly life if it be necessary as no question it is then why is it not as necessary to me now as at another time as much my duty to day as to morrow Before I committed any sin actually it was my duty to abstain and forbear but after the first act of folly and evil immediately it is my duty to repent leave it off and cease from doing any more of it and if it had been good for me that I had never sinned sure it must be my next advantage to leave it as soon as possibly For next to that of committing no evil the best course I can take is to repent betimes and if it seem to any one that hereafter will be a fitter time then this present then it will fall out when hereafter comes to be thy present it will be as much against thy will then as now it is and therefore unless I intend to put off my repentance and amendment my conversion and reformation for altogether and never to think on t ' more otherwise let me do that which I think to do this year or seven years hence Now FORTHWITH and that is to forsake all that God dislikes in me and all that his holy word hath witnessed against and my conscience reproves me of without any more ado for I must not befool my self any longer with this opinion that sin will cease of it self and if it doth then sin leaves me I leave not sin Si autem vis agere poenitentiam quando jam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa Aug. or that pardon will be more easily obtained when I have sinned as much and as long as I can or that repentance will be more acceptable to God when I am forced to it and then too when my age and strength my understanding memory and affections fail me or that God will be pleased well enough with the refuse of my service after I have served the world the flesh and the devil with my prime and full strength and best affections Irrisor est non poenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniteat non minuit peccata sua sed multiplicat Aug. as though God which deserves infinitely more then I can perform would be put off with any thing or pleased and contented to be mocked by me a most vile wretch while I seem to offer that fag-end of my life which is fit neither for time nor ability to perform that service which God will account of for true repenoance and thorough-reformation O let me never put the fair hopes I now have of obtaining mercy from God S. 85. if I now set my heart to this my duty of reforming my life speedily to the hazard but while a price is put into my hand let me not be such a fool to cast it and so my self away and that for ever Sixtly S. 86. methinks I should not delay any longer my reformation but speedily set my heart upon it and endeavour it to purpose considering that I would nor for any worldly good miss the day of grace or that death should meet with me in my unregenerate state and for any thing I know to the contrary this may be the last day of my life or the last day of grace beyond which God will not wait any longer or give me any motion or help towards my conversion but he may in judgment seal up my heart harden it and sear my conscience that I may never so much as think on my condition any more or desire him heartily to heal me and convert me many men have come to this pass even to out-live the date of that mercy intended for them which if they had in time accepted would have brought a saving pardon and reformation to their souls and why should I adventure my salvation on an uncertainty while I may be sure of it if I take the offer while I may have it Besides why should I provoke God to withdraw his grace and cut me off in his displeasure for all the while every moment I live in sinfull impenitency and unconverted state I have nothing to do with any promise of mercy pardon or heaven I am under the curse of the law and power of Satan and go in danger of death and damnation and if death overtake me in my sins I am a lost soul and who can tell how neer he is to his last hour are you not hastening on to your end will time stay for you or can you call back yesterday whether I eat drink sleep play or work yet my time consumes and I am drawing toward my long home of eternity Oh that I may think still on this and make this concluding resolution of it even to speed my work the great business of my sound reformation and put it off for nobodies pleasure no not for any objection to the contrary nor any worldly advantage might be had upon the account of continuance in my sin if I rest in an unconverted state I am in a lamentable condition Seventhly let me consider S. 87. why should I delay this duty any longer but rather make hast to it and be diligent and constant in it seeing all the objections that have ever been made against speedy reformation and all the excuses and pretences for delaying this necessary work are both frivolous and of no weight and treacherous and pernicious how fully have they all been answered and how easy is it for a man of the meanest capacity to satisfy himself of the unreasonableness of all arguments may be produced by the most cunning Sophister against reformation and for procrastination and continuing in sinfull practices from day to day or but for one day longer And why then should I hearken to any thing that may he further insinuated to me from Satan or any of those his instruments which would cause my delay to the wrong of my poor soul CHAP. XI Of Temptations with their Answers §. I. Temptations answered MY sins are not so great S. 1. or not
believe which hopeth and believeth other things of professors of religion yet that there are and have been such mountebanks juglers and dissemblers in the Church is beyond doubt the more the pitty and the greater their damnation of all sinners to be sure they shall not escape the damnation of Hell for Hypocrites are odious to God and he best knows them Mat. 23.33 and will pay them fully And although Hypocrites may for a long time carry it so secretly S. 99. having the advantage of the serpents subtilty and plausible discourse and retiredness from vulgar observance open abominations and withall having to befriend them the wronged charity of the guileless Christians who dare not judge rashly lest they should by accident condemn an innocent person instead of or with the guilty and the godly mans charity hath this property to think no evil 1 Cor. 13.6 7. and to hope and believe well where nothing appears to the contrary yet oftentimes it comes to pass that some time or other in some thing or other there is a discovery made of the Hypocrites Hypocrisie and his vizor and mask is pluckt off and his proper complexion apparent that it may be said of him Loe this is that man that made a shew of religion this is the Hypocrite that had onely the form of Godliness this is he by reason of whom Religion hath been evil spoken of this wretch made the holy institutes to serve his fleshly worldly devillish designs and interests this Hypocrite must prove a wofull subject of Gods wrath against Hypocrites in hell-fire prepared for Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 if he repent not of this his sin and turn from it to godly sincerity reall religiousness without partiality Jam. 3.17 and without Hypocrisie Now my advise to thee is the same of Christs take heed and beware of Hypocrisie S. 100. it is as much damning as Atheism for an Hypocrite is a religious Atheist one that in heart and works denies God whom he professeth he knows and serves Examine therefore thy self and observe well thy own heart and life whether thou be Hypocritical I say not to thee thou shouldest judg and censure another for an Hypocrite but look unto thy self and see whether thy self be a religious dissembler or no. If thou hadst rather seem religious then take paines to be religious indeed S. 101. if thy religion lyes most in formes and bodily performances and art zealous for them but neglectest the inward worship of the soul and devotion of the heart then art thou guilty of Hypocrisie If thou be never so punctuall and frequent in the outward duties of religion S. 102. on set times dayes and opportunties of publique humiliations fastings and hearing the word and yet for all this thou neglectest thy private and secret addresses to God in prayer and other thy duties then thou art not clean of Hypocrisie But if thou perform all acts of devotion S. 103. both private and publique and yet if thou neglect or oppose acts of Charity or livest in worldliness oppression swearing drunkenness Psal 50.16 to ult Esay 1.11 12. v. 13 14 15 16. Jer. 7.4 9 10. Ezek. 33.31 unrighteous dealing or any other sin wittingly and wilfully then art thou for all thy outward shew or acts of service a grosse and damnable Hypocrite God hates all thy acts of service which otherwise he would accept because thy heart and course of life is not suitable to thy Profession because thou seemest to be devout but really art vicious Again if thou resolvest to keep thy sin Psal 66.16 and wouldst not be reformed although thou mighrest but lovest and likest thy sinfull practises though thou dost make many prayers and confessions and speakest never so much against sin in others yet art thou for all this no better then an Hypocrite Moreover S. 104. if thou take up a religion or some form which seems to be religious for to gain thereby the favour of men of such a way and form or some other secular advantages which are usually gotten by men of such a shape and religious mode as the times and persons in worldly power doe smile on and are benevolent to then if that religion be false and erroneous thou art a most profane Hypocrite and if it be the true religion yet if thou becomest seemingly religious in that way for base low ends as worldly advantages or favour of men and seemest for a while zealous in religious duties to the end thou mayst win the good opinion of the godly and gain something by it and so makest gain thy godlinesse then art thou a dissembler indeed a foul Hypocrite Furthermore if thou seem nice S. 105. tender and scrupulous for or against some indifferent circumstances about the service of God or humane institutions and upon that neglectest the main and substantiall duties of religion and thereupon fallest into grosser sins as Schism violating and breaking the rule of charity and bond of peace Mat. 23.23 to a separation from the divine institutions of God in his Church hearing praying receiving under a pretence of scruple about some circumstances then art thou an Hypocrite thou seemest tender about lesser and lower matters but makest no scruple of sins that are sins indeed nor of neglect of spiritual and holy performances which God requires at thy hands Finally S. 106. If thou art severer and more bitter against others for some lesser failings and irregularities Mat. 7. v. 3 4 5. while thou thy self justifiest or sufferest in thy self thy familiars and favorites groster faults or although but as bad as those you accuse and condemn in others and wilt not reform thy self as well as seek seemingly zealous to reclaim others then art thou an Hypocrite not because thou findest fault and art severe against the least sins but because thou art not so against all sins and evil practices in thy self too for if thy soul be upright it must be set against all sin it will not allow of any the least irregularity in thee though it could be hid from the eyes of others Now having given you some instances by which you may be helped to try and search your own heart S. 107. as to this sin of Hypocrisie I earnestly beseech thee that readest this to consider seriously thy state and be very diligent in the search for Hypocrisie though it be damnable yet it lyes very close sheltered under religion men doe very seldome suspect themselves to be guilty of this foul sin while indeed they are foully guilty and many seemingly religious goe to Hell not for their religion but their Hy ocrisie not for their seeming religious but for not being religious And that you may reform speedily S. 108. if guilty in the least and become plain-hearted in religion consider the many cautions Christ gives to his to beware of Hypocrisie and those many woes pronounced against Hypocrites and if there be
miserable to an innumerable company of cursed damned wretches like thy self and to insupportable yet endless misery And is it no thing to lie under effectual wrath and that for ever is it a thing to be made light of by thee sinner is to inherit the curse and hell for thy portion canst thou endure the everlasting burnings and laugh at thine own calamities shall not the thought of I SHALL NEVER BE RELEASED NOR EASED be pleasing to thee then Will not this be thy hopeless wish Oh that I might die and be no more for ever fain the poor wretch would die but die he shall not and yet live he cannot be said to do ever dying and never dead ever breaking and never be broken ever burning and never be consumed oh what wofull pass is the sinner brought to oh dungeon of darkness horror pain and sorrow oh wretch that I was oh miserable that I am oh that I had never been born to this or that I had been a dog a toad in the ditch any thing nothing rather then a sinner to come to this to suffer thus as I now do are all my sweet morsels of sin and sinfull pleasures come to this at last is this that which I sinned so vilely against God for is this the recompence of my rebellion my scorning hardening my heart shutting my ears against counsels admonitions warnings menaces and rebukes while I lived in the world oh how dear do I pay for all my folly wilfulness and madness I would not be reformed time was and now I may not though I would and now I cannot deliver my own soul and Christ will 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 to 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 Dei spreverunt invitantem voluntatem Dei sentient vindicantem 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 sire be quenched 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 Esau 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 heaven and undergoes for his short mirth and ETERNALL MISERY O stubborn S. 68. O wilfull O careless sinner wilt thou not yet consider this in time while deliverance may be had while thy damnation may be prevented Psal 50.22 Now consider this ye that forget God 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 And now that thou mayst be brought by these considerations to a speedy effectuall S. 69. 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 Psal 39.13 O spare a little good Lord 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 But lest thou shouldest deferre to put this resolution into practise S. 70. 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 be ginning 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
if I seek an occasion to be foolish or embrace the several offers and occasions of sinning I shall easily and quickly fall but not so soon or with that facility rise again and how much safer and better is it to decline all engagements wherein I may sin then get loose and come off without a scar and a wound a reproch and a shame when once engaged therefore shun the occasions and companying with sin so shalt thou keep thy soul from many inconveniences which otherwise will render thy hopes of heaven more uncertain and thy sincerity of grace more suspected and pardon of former failings more doubtfull VI. Direction 6. When any lusts sinfull desires stir within thee S. 10. and move toward any sinfull act or any temptation from the devill the world or naughty men consent not to it flee from it to Christ the sanctuary of thy safety and withstand the temptation as a Christian should remember always thy baptismall vow and that thou art not free to do the will of the flesh thou art under covenant and the government of Christ to serve him and to exercise thy Christian warfare against all manner of sin to destroy as thou art able the kingdome of sin and Satan thou knowest not nor ownest any ruler nor forreigne power or jurisdiction but Christs I may not I must not suffer sin to reign over me while I live Eph. 5.11 I must have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but must shun and reprove them all I am not my own I am bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.18 Christ hath bought me and redeemed me from a vain conversation that I might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Luke 1.74 75. I dare not nor cannot with any colour of reason or conscience break my vow my covenant my trust and fidelity to comply with any temptation to sin though I might get any 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 7. Call thy self every day to an account for what every day you do S. 11. 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 this 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 Besides S. 12. 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 likewise for thy consciencious tenderness that would not let thee commit a sin nor omit a duty VIII Direction 8. The next counsell I would have thee consent to follow is this S. 13. That you take heed in all the work of reformation of a shifting and deceitfull heart Jer. 4.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things 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 fair 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 fâ—r 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 Now if ever you will be serious and do any thing to purpose in the necessary business of thy eternal concernment S. 14. never give way to delay
falling back turn not from the right way to any by-paths of errour or loose living as long as thou livest Let no body nor any thing prevail with thee to Apostatize or make the least defection from the love of the Truth of the Gospel or to remit of thy care diligence and zeal after Truth and Holiness to thy dying day And if thou hast been so unhappy S. 118. through thy sloth easiness and folly to have been tempted and overcome as to yield to any dislike of the Truth and waies of God or remisness in the duties of piety love and zeal in thy heart or if there be in thee a wavering indifferency and thou hangest loose to the Doctrine of Gospel-Truths and Practicals of Godliness and art weary of well-doing as one uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily If this be the case of Apostates S. 119. Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another T is true indeed S. 120. Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin S. 121. for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world S. 122. Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2. Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch S. 123. Tit. 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God S. 124. this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation
thee S. 146. that none of these forementioned crimes those cursed fruits of the flesh could be charged upon thee as actually guilty of them yet for all this if thou remainest fruitless as to those holy performances which are the necessary effects of the holy Spirit of God in the truly regenerate thou art so much too farre from the kingdome of God that thou wilt never come up to it nor the enjoyment of it thy unfruitfulness will render thee for ever miserable It may be this will seem a hard saying and unpleasing S. 147. because thou hast not considered well how equall and just it is with God to exclude those from the benefit of the promises that perform not the conditions of promise 't is equal and right with God to reap where he hath sown and to require fruit of those trees which he hath planted dressed manured nourished and preserved art thou not one of those whom the Lord hath gathered from the heathen world and now through the mercy of God art within the pale of his Church under the daily influence of most gracious dispensations watered with the dews of Heaven breathed from the Spirit in all Gospel-ordinances Hast thou not been taught the mind and will of God concerning thy conversation in this present world S. 148. hast thou not the best example even the Lord Jesus Christ whom thou art commanded to imitate 1 John 2.6 and to walk as he walked are there not most full commands and most clear directions to be fruitfull and how to be fruitfull in good works and holy duties Are there not promises freely made S. 149. great reward richly prepared for all that are fruitfull in well-doing and as severe threats and menaces of severe punishments for all that are unfruitfull Esay 5.12.3 4 5 6. negligent and barren of good works so that it may be truly said of thee as of the vine in the Lords vineyard Now judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes Therefore now will I lay it wast it shall be troden down it shall be PRUNED no more nor digged more but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon it Now S. 150. surely God doth look thou shouldest bring forth fruit suitable to all the Lord hath done to thee in reference to thy fruitfulness and if thou hast not or meanest not to doe it in it's season then must you expect that God will be angry with thee to a severity cut thee up by the root and commit thee to the fire You have this determination in severall Scriptures from Christs own mouth recorded Mat. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire and in the Parable he saith unto the dresser of the vineyard behold Luke 13.7 these three years I come seeking fruit on this tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground and Job 15.2 8. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away John 15.2 8. and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Here in is my Father glorified saith Christ that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples And sure enough S. 151. if it be our indispensable duty to bear fruit to God it must be our sin to be barren and fruitless Omission of what we should doe is as much against Gods will as the commission of what we should forbear we are to be judged at last and sentenced to eternal pain or pleasure according to our works good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing eternal life but unto those that obey not the truth indignation and wrath There is a severity pronounced to the unfruitfull Rom. 2.6 v. 7 8. Heb. 6.7 8. as there is a blessing to the doers of his will For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for him that dresseth it receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned So it is with every man accordingly as he doth or doth not answer the provision care love guidance and mercy of God in an holy fruitfulness 'T is remarkable very much that determination of our Lord Christ at the last day concerning all men S. 152. as to their everlasting condition he will then judge them and those that are sentenced to that horrid eternity of wo and misery are thus condemned for not doing but neglecting the works of charity pitty and compassion which was required of them they omitted to shew charity to the distressed and therefore are excluded Heaven and sent down to hell Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 42. prepared for the Devil and his Angels Why what have these poor wretches done that they must undergoe this dreadfull punishment why in the next words you shall see that there is no mention made of what evil they had done but what good they had omitted which they might and should have done For I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink naked and ye clothed me not a stranger and ye took me not in c. that is you had many objects of charity before you which if you had relieved I would have taken it as done to me my self and seeing you have not exercised that good work of charity you have merited the condemnation and have lost your reward and seeing you have omitted to doe good I le omit to give the possession of heaven and where will you obtain heaven if not from me And by this mayst thou see 't is evil enough to damn thee that thou hast omitted to doe the will of God suitable to the meanes and opportunities afforded thee to be fruitfull and abundant in the service of God For he that knoweth or may kow Gods will and to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin and he shall be severely punished with many stripes Now doe I in the name of Christ most earnestly exhort thee S. 153. seeing it is a matter of such dreadfull consequence to remain barren and unfruitfull as to faith James 4.17 Luke 12.47 48. piety righteousness charity and sobriety under the Gospel-teachings in the Church of God that thou wouldst no longer continue loitering lazie idle and unfruitfull but henceforth walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing which you can never doe untill you be fruitfull in every good work Col. 1.10 It may be thou art but a young man S. 154.
the name and maintained in heart and practice with an opinion that they will be accounted of as lesser irregularities deviations humane frailties and infirmities for men are pleased to think they may live in sins of infirmities safely and laudably and therefore are willing to believe that all their omissions of good duties and commissions of evil works are but as so many infirmities and easily pardoned without either forsaking them or striving against them or repenting of them But say the best thou canst of thy infirmities S. 6. either natural or moral either thy inclination and propension of nature to evil or slipping into a fault through a sudden surprisal and violent temptation or ignorance and inconsiderateness or suppose they be onely the defects in our duty as wandring thoughts sometimes dulness drowsiness and weariness in our service of God or thy backwardness to every good work thy want of proportionable zeal for Gods glory and the Church Or grant it to be but weakness of judgment S. 7. erroneous opinions though but in lesser truths or thy knowing not nor searching after thy secret sins be it but a sudden eruption of passion into anger and shrewd words or desires after forbidden and unlawfull objects or immoderate desires after things lawfull in themselves yet all these and all other infirmities to speak the most favourably of them are the disease sickness and disorders of the soul and ought to be the matter of our sorrow and humiliation and must be confessed to God in the enumeration of our sins and pardon must be begged in Christs name for his sake for them and except thy soul be humbled for all thy secret sins and all thy infirmities if not in every instance yet in the whole summe and thy labour and watchfulness be for the suppressing of their rise and preventing their reign as much as possible yea even they so little as they seem to thee they will prove mortal at the last and thy plea of Infirmity will not serve thy turn except thy sins of infirmities be pardoned and they will not be pardoned any more then greater sins but upon thy repentance and that which far greater offences could not doe if repented of in time and forsaken in heart and practice that these sins of infirmities will doe if not repented of in time and amended to what degree is possible for thee even these will procure thy damnation at the last Now concerning all those sins which the vulgar sort of men who pretend to Christianity account either no sins at all S. 8. or very lightly of them as small and inconsidérable yet by a long custome and frequent repetition are become habituall and so very sinfull and so very destructive and besides men that think them so small and innocent seldome if ever charge them upon their souls as sins to be grieved at repented of and amended when they examine their lives and actions as to other sins which are noted with a blacker character by reason of which neglect those smaller sins are let alone unmortified and men goe to their graves with impenitency as to those sins which will sink a man as deep into the gulf of misery and drown the soul in destruction and perdition and if they be but foolish lusts yet they are thus hurtfull to the soul 1 Tim. 6.9 To instance in some things of this kind for thy fuller conviction § I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption in nature There are in every mans nature the seeds of all evil S. 9. Gen. 6.5 Mat. 15.19 20. Jam. 1.14 15. Col. 3.5 which are the beginnings of all actuall sins mans nature is tainted and corrupted naughty Concupiscences and lusts are born with us which are defiling and corrupting the whole man the heart of man is full of them and in their first motions they are sins even that proneness inclination to evil and aversness and indisposedness to good which is in thee which thou mayst and must take notice of as a matter of sorrow and complaint against thy self as it is thy unhappiness and misery so it is thy sin and thy death and such a disease it is that if not healed and pardoned in thee by regeneration will leave thee under wrath and the curse Gal. 3.22 Rom. 5.12 Psam 51.5 Rom. 7.5 This that I mean is that which is understood by the name of Originall sin that is the corruption of humane nature by the sin of our first parents propagated to the whole kind of Adams race and posterity which is every man and woman as they receive life and birth these motions of sins doe work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Now though this be every mans case S. 10. scarce any man makes it his own particular grief men make light of it and are so far from watching over and resisting the first motions and lustings after evil things and mortifying these corruptions that they are most apt to plead it by way of excuse for their faults and actuall transgressions which are the issues and effects of this corruption and lust from within But if ever thou hopest to be savingly reformed S. 11. this old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts must be put off that is must not be served nor yeilded unto but resisted and prayed against and indeed for my part had I no other sin that might be laid to my charge yet I find this inbred wickedness this naturall proneness to evil so exceeding sinfull that I should account it a choice mercy to be quite rid of it and 't is for this I have cause to hang the head and mourn and 't is that the moving corruptions may be quite destroyed and mortified in me is the prayer and care of my poor soul for my joy cannot be full untill my enemies that is my sins both root and branch seed and fruit be plucked up and withered and untill Christ alone his grace and vertues be formed in my soul and triumph in my conversation O doe not make light of that which put thee under the wrath of God and power of Satan S. 12. that may not be slighted by thee which is in thee the cause and originall of all sins that set the whole man upon evil the cause of all disorder and confusion every where in thee and every where in the world in a word 't is exceeding sinfull all evils lie folded up in thy original concupiscence Take heed therefore and take a special view and measure of this thy sin S. 13. and because thy flesh will never be weary in it's sinfull motions then be thou never weary nor give over resisting these lusts in thy self weakening this body of sin and hinder the progress of it and if thou canst not get it quite discharged suffer it not what ere it cost thee to reign in thee or prevail over thee listen not to lusts solicitations entertain
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 NOw having made known unto thee S. 1. and laid in thy view before thee as in a map that thou mayst be the better able to examine and try thy state and accordingly understand which of those sins and how many of them thou art guilty of either in thoughts words or actions or evil inclinations and you will find if you will not be partial in the inquiry and search most of them either in whole or in some circumstances and branches to be thine own as certainly as any bodies else and if you have charity to your own soul or any care or desire for pardon and heaven you will be free to acknowledg them confess them own shame for them and be as ready and willing to beg forgiveness of God for thy faults as you were to commit your sins and speedily to forsake them all and with full resolution of soul never to venter on any of them again or come neer the appearance of sin any more lest thou be caught in sins snare and be defiled with sins filth Now that thou mayst be brought to this happy result S. 2. and upon serious consideration to take up an invincible resolution to leave off the love and practice of every sin and never to have to doe with any sin for the future but to fight and strive against it to the death and expulsion of it from the borders of thy soul and withstand all temptations whatsoever from world flesh and Satan to thy dying day that would engage thee again in sinfull courses and when this is done thou wilt finish this first part of reformation in thy self which consists in forsaking all sin and resolving against it in the whole kind of it And though this be the harder and most difficult piece of thy duty S. 3. to rid thy self of the prevalencie of thy inbred corruptions and shift thy life of all thy ill companions and long acquaintance I mean thy endeared sins with whom thou hast taken such content and pleasure and 't is a hard matter to be perswaded out of an habit of such vices wherein men have been long exercised and in which fleshly-minded men have taken such delight and complacencie Yet the business is not impossible S. 4. nor dishonorable nor beyond the power and strength of a true resolved Christian but if thou call in with fervent prayers and cryes Christ and grace to thy help in time who is not wanting to such and thou diligently use all those spirituall instruments and weapons God hath appointed for this spiritual warfare carefully it will be so far from impossible that it will be most succesfull and you shall find a most happy conquest and a glorious deliverance from both the guilt and powerfull dominion of sin And to this work and resolution without any further delay or hesitancie S. 5. I am now perswading thee by the best arguments I can think of at present and if you can think on better and more and more convincing and prevalent then what I offer to thee so they do the work with thee that is to cause thee leave off with all possible dispatch and speed all thy evil practises and sinfull follies I am content for my design is to bring thee to a speedy reformation through grace if I can and if this be done upon thee thou thy self wilt be happy in it and I say I am fully satisfied if that be done so thou be reformed soundly whether by these or any other motives Now S. 6. that you may understand clearly what is that I am about to perswade you to know it is this and this onely with these ensuing arguments that you would be humbled for and speedily cast off all your transgressions great and small in heart and life in habit and act so as never more hereafter to return to any thy sins upon any account again resolve against them all never listen to any allurements to sin never comply with any temptation or motion to sin again never yield to any perswasion to continue in thy sin one day longer live not in any sin for any bodies pleasure nor for any worldly advantage nor for fear of any frown from man or temporary loss or for fear of any affliction or trouble may happen to thee if thou leave off to walk in the way of sinners but take up the invincible resolution and courage of a Christian that is called forth to an honorable employment and a rich reward and a certain conquest if thou stand to it and dost persevere to the end in the use and exercise of those means thy God hath appointed thee for thy help this way both to banish sin from thy heart and life and to keep thy self from being pollured again with sins impurity and from being imprisoned any more under its insolencies and cheating traps and crafty solicitations and devices And that this may be effectually performed in its measure and time S. 7. which are appointed thee for this work I do intreat thee and in the Name of God enjoyn as thou hopest to attain unto that happiness thou wishest thine own soul by reformation to follow these few directions First of all to search and try thy own heart and wayes that thou mayst come to the knowledg of thy self and consider which of those sins forementioned how many of them are with thee how long thou hast lived in them and if you can remember when first you began to be a sinner in this or that kind and how often you have acted any of them and what instance and with what complacencie and delight with whom and in what place and at what time with what
if I put off purposely my amendment untill then God forbid I should And to that of the thief upon the crosse S. 20. I am sure that is not my case nor any mans case that lives in sin impenitent after all the Gospel-calls discoveries rebukes and admonitions 1. For who can tell whether he was not converted and brought to repentance while in prison as soon as he heard of Christ and was moved to it by the spirit of God and on the crosse onely made a confession and declaration of his faith in Christ and sorrow for sin or 2. can I tell whether that were not the first call and opportunity ever was offered unto him and he took it this is not the first to thee and me by many and shall I think to fare as he did at the last that every day despise that which he accepted when first offered or 3. How can I tell whether ever I shall ever have so long a time and Christ so neer me as he had while on the tree I may be taken away suddenly and I am sure Christ will not again die on the crosse or come in the flesh to do such a miracle at his death as to convert and save a sinner in the same day or if it were possible to be imagined yet would it not be a hopeless expectation to think that Christ should come again to save any more sinners with a miracle seeing he hath appointed with no lesse then a miracle of mercy salvation now upon the account of true faith in him and sound repentance from sin and an holy reformation and by no other devise nor by any other means to be expected S. 21. And why should any thing prevail with me to delay my duty seeing this example you bring is no example for thee nor me or if it be ' it s but one of a thousand millions and I think the first and the last of that kind and shall I hazard my salvation upon that which I am not sure was ever parallel'd nor ever can in all circumstances And if you say God hath as much mercy in reserve for you as for another to this I answer 't is true if you do not abuse his mercy no more then any hath which did partake of that mercy suppose it possible that the mercy of God may come on a suddain and that repentance may be suggested in a moment 't is but a peradventure there is no promise that it shall many threats against that man that â—resumes on it there is very little likelyhood of it and is it not madnesse for any man to break his neck wilfully upon a presumption that there is skill enough and to make experiment of the art of a bone-setter but God hath no saving mercy for thee nor me nor any other except we answer the ends of his mercy that is to convert and reform to repent and obey in time But if I by continuing wicked abuse his mercy God in justice will punish me for my so abusing as well as for any other sinning otherwise there is mercy and forgiveness with God that he may be feared not that he may be abused and resisted He that feareth not to continue in his sin abuseth the grace and mercy of God and resisteth him §. IV. Temptation answered There is a fourth suggestion from the flesh which much hinders reformation S. 22. procures a poor sinner to delay it if not quite to put it off for altogether and 't is this for as a sinner is perswaded sometimes 't is so easie a thing to become a true penitent and a sound convert that it may be done in a trice and at any time with great facility and in any condition in old age sickness languishing dying with a few half words and two or three good wishes faint and feeble So on the other hand men are apt to believe to their damage and therefore set not about soul-reformation that 't is a business of exceeding difficulty trouble and vexation and a man may go a great way in it and yet come short of what is required 't is but in vain to set upon it as good never a whit as never the better 't is an imposition and task next to an impossibility I cannot endure the severity of repentance nor strict and holy living alas what a burthen farewell all my comforts when once I begin to reform and to be religious This temptation would be quickly repelled and easily overcome S. 23. Answ if a man would consider the absolute necessity of conversion and the possibility of it and also the helpes God hath afforded for the perfecting of this which is so necessary 'T is true the work is hard and difficult but not impossible and it must be performed and completed in its time parts and degrees or else it will not avail for justification except it be complete and to flesh and blood it will prove a taske very unwelcome crosse and burdensome But then let me consider I have a soul to save and directions of Gods word and absolute commands and if I set upon the duty I have the promises to encourage me and the grace of God to help me and the examples of the Saints gone before me in this work I have no sins nor corruptions but may be mortified nor any grace or vertue enjoyned me as my duty but I may through grace perform acceptably the fear being more then the taske the apprehension of the difficulty greater then the difficulty it self But let be that it be hard at first S. 24. so is every art and trade at the entrance into it and canst thou not endure the severity of repentance the injunctions of self deniall the duties of sobriety righteousness and piety why how then can you endure damnation How wilt endure the wrath of God the paines of hell the loss of heaven had I rather burn in hell for ever then forgoe the pleasures of sin for a season will it be a sadder condition to live an holy life here then to live for ever in misery when this life is ended if it were true what unregenerate men imagine of holy living that 't is a life of sadness melancholy and void of comfort which is most false and as great a reproch as the divel can cast upon religion yet seeing it is the way to blisse eternal joy and endless happiness what if I went mourning to my grave what though I lose all my carnal pleasures and worldly contentments for it should I be any loser by so doing would not heaven at last answer all my paines travail all my watching and praying and all duties of Christianity will not the enjoying of Christ and favour of God be a sufficient recompence for all my labour would not this one sentence fill my heart with joy at the last Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Master But if you hold off with this that
you cannot do this as you should 't is indeed because you will not do it as you may you say you cannot but indeed you will not If you would but set about mortification and self-denial and resisting temptations and devote thy self to holy living thou wouldst be able to do one hundred times more in it towards reformation then now you do if you would not yield to flesh and blood nor make provision for your lusts if you would not make use of excuses to keep you from your duty if you would not by delays and procrostinations put off the demands of God and thy poor soul repentance and reformation would not be so difficult nor terrible to thee But to be short S. 25. thy through reformation be it hard or be it easie be it a matter of joy or grief be it a burden or be it a pleasure and what ever can be said against it it must be performed both by me and every one while the time of grace lasteth while I am in this present world or else I mustnever look to be saved this is the short and the long of it and after all disputes excuses lingerings delays it must come to this conclusion I must return repent and be converted or else I must never hope to see the face of God with comfort when all is said that the wit of man or the craft of the devill can invent against SPEEDY REFORMATION and sound conversion yet this word must stand that except I be converted as Christ hath said I shall never enter into the kingdome of Heaven Mar. 18.3 Joh. 3.3 and why should any body think that this plain and positive decree of Christ concerning us should either be baffled or abrogated O why should I listen any longer to any plea or excuse can be brought that might cause me either to put off quite or delay my REFORMATION O that I may never more decline my necessary duty by excuses nor gratifie satan and wrong mine own soul by delays CHAP. XII Of some Queries NOW for thy further conviction and speedier resolution about this great and necessary work of saving reformation S. 1. I would intreat thee sinner in the Name of God to weigh seriously what is here offered unto thee and resolve to give an effectuall answer as you shall see cause and no more do I desire thee to do in this point then what in conscience you shall judge fit to be done in this case of speedy practicall Reformation and if you cannot rationally except against what I propose that you would forthwith yeild and be perswaded to the thing and without more adoe set about this thy own work First of all I demand whether the things which I have been perswading thee to all along be thy duty S. 2. Qu. 1. and of absolute indispen sible necessity in order to thy eternal salvation Or whether you think it an indifferent thing whether you be a true penitent and sound convert or no if you you do if it be of absolute necessity how can you in reason and conscience neglect it if you mean to be saved if it be thought but a matter of lesser moment and a thing indifferent then why IS CHRIST and why are all his ministers and the Scriptures so earnest with thee to reform and why is Satan the world and all the enemies to thy souls happiness so industrious to keep thee in thy sins and in an unreformed and unconverted estate you cannot conclude it a thing indifferent except you make it a thing indifferent whether you be eternally saved or damned eternally O then art thou perswaded of the necessity of reformation set about it speedily neglect it not Whether in good earnest do you not believe that JESUS CHRIST is very much offended S. 3. Qu. 2. and his grace and favour exceedingly abused and the worth of his blood extremely vilified by thee all the while thou continuest in thy wilfull sinning and in despite to his holiness and all he hath done and suffered to redeeme thee from all iniquity to serve him in new obedience all the days of thy life Whether if you refuse to amend and to cast away all your iniquities S. 4. Qu. 3. and become a sincere convert can you have any ground or reason to hope you shall be saved by Christ seeing he himself hath aid Except you be converted Mat. 18.3 you cannot enter into the king dome of he aven Whether do you think that those sins thy self art guilty of either in thought S. 5. Qu. 4. word or actions those thy omissions and commissions if not repented of and pardoned will be any hinderance to thy salvation or dost think that GOD doth esteem of thee never the worse for all thy evil practices but gives thee leave to be as bad as you will and will never call you to an account for all your misbehaviours have you any reason to be perswaded of this or of the contrary you cannot sure be so desperately wicked as to think so wickedly of God and Christ that he should be either pattern or patron of wickedness in any one living Whether do you in your judgment account happier S. 6. Qu. 5. he that continueth still in his sins and vitious course of living and dieth in that estate or he that doth repent betime and lead a godly sober and righteous life and dieth in that state which of these wouldst thou be and in which of these conditions wouldst thou be found when God shall call thee hence to appear at the judgment of the great day surely you cannot but wish you might dye the death of the righreous and fare as a godly man fareth at last Oh then why will you not conclude to live as the godly man liveth now Whether dost thou not think that the time past of thy life is not enough and too much that thou hast served thy lusts S. 7. Qu. 6. 1 Pet. 4.2 3. and followed the devices and desires of thy naughty heart is it not now high time forthwith to forsake all sin and to betake thee to an holy life have not Satan sin the world and vanity had too much of thy hearts delight and affections but wilt thou give them yet more and serve them yet longer Alas how long canst thou doe better then to rid thy self of those sins and get clear of them that will slay thee and are ready every moment to make an end of thy daies and happiness together if thou nourish them or spare them or give but way to them Whether you suppose it a blemish or disgrace to thy birth S. 8. Qu. 7. breeding place relations and parts to become a true hearty penitent an holy person a disciple of Christ a child of God and an inheritor of immortall glory and of a vile person made an honorable Saint or is it not much more a blemish disgrace and dishonour to be a servant of sin a slave to
Satan an enemy to Christ and a fire-brand of hell as every wicked unregenerate unholy man is is there any honour or credit like that of a Saint or any shame or ignomy like that of a wilfull beastly sinner sure there is not Would you not judge that man hard hearted and obstinate S. 9. Qu. 8. foolish and mad were it not thy own case who doth wilfully continue in sin and impenitency after all those gracious invitations and beseechings from the Lord to return after all those menaces and rebukes for sin after all those cheeks of thine own conscience and convictions of the necessity of reformation would you not deeme that man worthy of damnation that in despite of grace and all saving means will make away his soul and murther himself wilfully doth not he deserve to die eternally that will not receive a pardon upon such conditions as God doth promise a pardon which is that thou shouldest repent and lay down all rebellious thoughts and actions and return to thy obedience to God and his most holy just laws and government Surely you would not esteem such an one meet for mercy that doth sin against mercy S. 10. and that perseveres in wickedness Oh then dear soul let it never be said of thee that thou art the man that dost do so that it never be reported of thee that all the favours mercies and motions of Gods holy Spirit have been cast away upon thee Let it never be said of thee that God would have reformed thee and saved thee but thou wouldst not be reformed nor saved this way by ceasing to do evil Let it not be upon record against thee that all the means as preaching to thee praying for thee reproofs exhortations admonitions counsells calls directions from all the holy messengers of Christ beseeching thee and weeping to thee could never prevail with thee vile sinner with all the pains they have taken for thy poor souls good and safety to turn from thy sinfull courses and evil practices but as they found thee so they must leave thee a wretched soul and hardened rebell and instead of giving up their account of thy conversion must give in witness against thee that thou wouldst not obey the word of the Lord nor believe their report nor leave thy sins Let it never be told of thee that thou hadst thy day of grace but hast lost it once as fair an opportunity as any but now 't is gone Oh let it not be objected henceforth against thee that either thou refusest to reform at all or that thou dost put off and delay from day to day that so necessary and so happy a duty why should God wait on thee any longer why should God spare thee any longer is it not long enough I have sinned already have not I abused Gods patience too much already Oh that thou wast once brought to this point of resolution I have done foolishly and wickedly I will do so no more now even now will I return to my God and my obedience shall a little fleshly pleasure worldly profit or any thing hinder me of my eternal happiness God forbid No I am resolved by the grace of God to stop here and go no further in sins road but will now turn into the strait gate and narrow way of holy living which leads to that eternall glory which none can come at but such as do lead a godly life and follow the Lord Jesus fully and deny themselves wholly And because heart and life-reformation is the way to all happiness S. 11. and in the first place a man must leave off his sinfull practices and renounce all wickedness and cease to do evil and repent of the evil he hath done already I shall conclude this first part of reformation with a few directions shewing what you shall constantly do to accomplish this so happy reformation CHAP. XIII Of some directions to facilitate this work of reall reformation HAving pressed by all arguments I could for present think on S. 1. to prevail with thee to a speedy reforming thy heart and life and without any more delay to set upon the work I adde some directions which if you will conscientiously observe will facilitate the work and make it successful I. Direction 1. If you mean to be a really reformed Christian indeed S. 2. enter forthwith upon serious consideration of thy past life what it hath been and likewise thy present state and habitual frame what it is examine wisely and strictly thy self wherein thou art apt to offend and what temptations haunt thee most what thy heart hankers after what is thy beloved sin where thou lyest most open to be betrayed and overcome examine and search thy self that thou know where thy disease is and the nature of it the cure is half done if thou understand thy grief 't is but applying the remedy carefully and thou wilt quickly be cured try if thy sins be inward and keep residence in thy mind thoughts will or affections be watchfull what guests haunt these rooms if vanity be in thy mind sin in thy thoughts worldliness in thy affections if thou hast a proud or envious Atheisticall mind if thou hast a stubborn rebellious will if thou hast covetous or fleshly unchast desires and speculations if thou hast inordinate affections if thou art one of a vain viâ—â—ous worldly filthy tongue if thy actions be any way unfull the issue and product of a naughty evil heart try whether thy thoughts words actions or any thing of them think speak or do contrary to the laws of sobriety charity chastity justice or piety and which of all thy sins are more frequent and habituall and that which thou hast lived longest in and art ready to break out into act on the least touch of a temptation from within or from without thee that so by diligent inquiry and strict scrutiny you may come to the knowledge of your state and condition and do not give over this work untill you have found out your sins and which way they act II. Direction 2. Then your next business will be to aggravate your sins by all circumstances S. 3. by bringing them to the test of Gods word and see what account God makes of them how he dislikes thy sin and every mans sins that are like thine and see what commands of God thou breakest by thy sinning thus and thus and what little cause thou hast to provoke God and break his most holy and righteous laws remember that by continuing in sin thou dost no less then oppose Gods mercies and Christs merits and slight his redeeming blood which he shed to deliver thee from thy sins and to cleanse thee from thy filthinesse which is all cast away upon thee if thou continue in thy sins and will prove an aggravation of thy guilt and damnation By no means do not go about to lessen S. 4. extenuate or excuse thy faults but say of every sin as
David of his Against thee Lord have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight have mercy upon me and cleanse me from and pardon me this my great transgression III. Direction 3. Then lay before the Lord by Confession S. 5. and spread them with all their aggravations and set them in order before thine own eyes and take up a lamentation weep and mourn beat thy breast and wring thy hands and spend thy tears and groans and bemoan thy hard case thy sad condition and never think thou hast sorrowed complained confessed and despaired enough untill thy heart be broken for and broken from thy sins and know this that no man hath sorrowed to repentance sufficiently untill he doth lothe and leave heartily and willingly all and every one of his abominations no man hath repented savingly of his sins untill he hath attained a perfect hatred of his sins and remembers them with lothing and detestation When conversion comes that is when a man is on sound reformation and God hath touched his heart and is giving a new heart and nature Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that have not been good and shall lothe your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations And this direction may serve to cut off all queries which deceived unsound hearts are asking How long S. 6. and how much must a man grieve and sorrow and mourn and be sad Answer why so long and so much untill thy sins become odious and grievous to thee and thou leave off to do them any more and when this is done then hast thou performed that part of repentance throughly which consists of sorrow and mourning and not till then Be therefore humbled throughly bring your soul low and have a deep sense of misery because of sin and do not in this matter as most do onely believe your duty as an article of your faith but let who will do it for you onely believe it your duty and that 's all Oh this will undoe you therefore do it as truly as you believe it truly to be your duty IV. Direction 4. Now presently fall upon the work of mortification and self-deniall S. 7. you must now take up your cross that is cross and deny thy sinfull appetites and lustfull desires be sure you be careful to avoid every new sin and never sin actually again in any instance if it be possible and take up a firm resolution with earnest prayer that you will never willingly or wilfully consent to or act again your former follies or any other which you your self have committed or any body else hath or may do for notwithstanding former repentances yet if you live henceforth after the flesh you shall die Rom. 8.13 but if through the spirit you mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live therefore if you would be successfull in this great concernment of reformation you must crucifie and crush the first motions and risings of lust and all inclinations to this or that sin look to this first that the fountain of all must be stopped for all thy sins have a root and before they be acted have a kind of being in lusts as the fruit virtually is in the root and a cockatrice is in the egge and as the streams are from the fountain so thy actual sins are of the same smack and nature with their original from whence they are derived Therefore nip the bud Ibi maximè oportet observare peccatum ubi nasci solet Hier. in Ep. ad Demet. crush the egge dry up the fountain take away the cause and the effect will cease and so will your work be more short and easie suppresse the beginnings suffer not lust to rise or if it move check it presently entertain no parlying with Satan nor thine own naughty reasoning heart that will plead for consent or connivance for thou art in danger when you treat and undone if you yeild Mortifie therefore your members that are upon the earth fornication uncleanness c. that you may be able to do this the Apostle adds by way of counsell and direction in the same verse viz. inordinate affections evil concupiscence Col. 3.5 and covetousness which is idolatry And take heed you stop from going any further oâ— acting any more sin with consent delight or in compliance with thy former custome or as the manner of the world is for every new sin is a great disadvantage because it brings in question all thy hopes and undoes thy former labour in repentance and makes all as done to no purpose and after a new sin you must begin again as though you had done nothing toward repentance ever before good therefore is the advice of the Son of Sirach Ecclus. 7.8 Jo. 5.14 Hast thou sinned do so no more but ask pardon for thy former faults adde not sin to sin for in one a man shall not be unpunished and that of our Saviour to one whom he had pardoned Go and sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee V. Direction 5. Take heed of all the occasions to sin S. 8. avoid them wisely nemo diu tutus periculo proximus vigilandum est ergò maximè tentationis initio Greg. where there are many baites there is much danger and there lieth a snare in almost every thing in enjoyments in company in riches in gifts in recreations and 't is hard for an ordinary Christian that is not acquainted with the deceitfulnesse of sin and treachery of a marâ—â— own heart and the measures of things lawfull in themselves to escape the sin while they enjoy the liberty in the use of things allowable and tolerable Licitis perimus omnes and when it is hard to be discerned between sin in appearance and the appearance of sin 't is hard to keep a mans self without fault for he that doth all he may will soon lose his innocency and do that which he should not Therefore beware of every occasion which might but peradventure seduce thee to commit folly S. 9. and then as thou shalt have no excuse for thy sin by reason of the temptation so shalt thou prevent the sin by avoiding the occasion a man shall never be drunk in an ale house with lewd companions if he enter not in and sit not with such vain persons a man shall never commit murder except he enter the list and quarrel nor can a man commit actual adultery and fornication except he keep company with lewd women and frequent them by his or yeild to their whorish sollicitations neither can a woman betray her chastity except she admit of courtship dalliance gifts and privacie with men of unchast desires and soft and smooth perswasions If I attempt not a temptation and seek it or stay not with it when I am overtaken or surprised but resist or flee it I may be safe and keep my innoceney through grace but