in secret You have the command of Christ also for this secret duty as well as his practise and example Mat. 6.6 2. Be freqent in self-examination in secret When you are alone be much in conversing with your self and often in looking down into your own heart enquiring after the truth of grace and your growth therein after the Mortification of sin and your growth therein Psal 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still Commune with your self whether you set a due valuation upon the meanes of Grace whether you thrive in holiness according to the time and meanes that you have had Commune with your self whether your Conversation be suitable to your Profession and as becomes the Gospel whether you are fit to die and prepared for another World in your secret Chamber commune with your own hearts about such things as these 3. Be much in secret Reading of the Word of God A Worldling when he is alone will spend much time in Reading over his Writings his Bonds and Bills his Leases and Acquittances and will not you take as much pains in secret reading of the Word of God which are the Writings upon which you must both build your Evidences for Heaven and try them by 4. Be much in secret meditation When you are alone let your thoughts be dwelling upon the Life to come in thinking of your future happiness Oh what Inward warmth may you have when you are alone if you would but fill your minde with some believing fore-thoughts of the Life to come SECTION V. II. MInde secret things in Publick Duties As your preservation is visible but as I have noted before the most effectual meanes of your preservation were secret and invisible you have not seen the way that God hath taken in keeping you he hath secretly kept you by his Power he hath given a secret Charge to his Angels over you So let your Duties that God requires should be Publick and Visible be so But then let your principal care be about the secret and invisible things of publick and visible duties The secret and invisible things in publick duties which we are to mind are Good Bad. I will instance in six of each of them Six things in a grâ—cious heart in publick Duties are secret and invisible 1. The communion that a gracious heart hath with God in publick duties is secret and invisible You may hear a Mans Expressions and you may see his Teaâ—es and heâ—r his Groanes but whether he have true communion with God is such a secret that none can know but himself 2. The joyes that a Christian hath in publick duties are secret and invisible joyes expressions of joy and praise may be heard and outward discoveries of joy there may be but this joy it self is a secret thing Whether you have indeed true spiritual joy in publick duties none can know but your self 3. The principle that puts a Man upon publick duties is a secret and invisible thing Whether you Pray or Preâ—ch or do any publick duty out of a Principle of love and fear of God is such a secret that none can tell but your self 4. The manner in which publick duties are performed is a secret and invisible thing Whether there be the exercise of Faith and Repentance for Sin and love to God and desire after Spiritual things is such a secret that by-standers cannot know 5. The end a Man propounds unto himself in publick duties is secret and invisible Whether a Duty be done for the glory of God for the good of others for the enjoying more communion with God for more strength against sin or whether it be for self-interest and carnal ends is onely known to a Man 's own Conscience Your duties Men may see but your end they cannot see 6. The peculiar aim and design of a gracious soul in publick duties against some peculiar sin and secret corruption is a secret and invisible thing a Man may be heard to pray against a bosome darling lust but whether his design is to get down the power of this sin is onely known unto himself These be the six things in publick duties that are secret which you must especially labour after in all such duties SECTION VI. SIx things in publick duties that are evil but yet secret and invisible as there hath been some secret danger which you have been in when you have not discerned it and some secret infection God hath kept you from so in publick duties the same may be in secret duties also there are some secret evils you are to watch against 1. There may be secret unbeliefe lurking in the heart when a Man in Prayer is pleading particular Promises with his mouth you may hear a man urge the Promises of God for removal of evil for obtaining of good but whether he act faith upon these Promises or whether there be not in the mean while secret unbelief doubting of the truth of this Promise or especially of the application of it to himself is known onely to himself it is a secret to those that joyn with him 2. Hypocrisie in publick duties is a secret thing Whether your heart be upright and sincere with God or false and hypocritical is a secret unto others yea sometimes it is such a secret that might not be known by a Man himself 3. Inward-heart-Pride in publick duties is a secret thing A Man may be full of self-loathing-expressions and of humble gestures and yet his heart might be lifted up with spiritual pride and self admirations and towring thoughts of his own worth and excellency and suitableness and freedom of expression and a by-stander cannot perceive it 4. Dulness and deadness of heart in duty is a secret thing A Man might hâ—ve lively expressions in publick Prayers and seeming warmth of affection and such things that might affect and warm the hearts of others and yet his own heart be dull and lukewarm yea quiâ—e cold in that duty 5. Wandring thoughts in publick duties are secret things A man may use the Name of God and the Attributes of God and yet his thoughts may be upon something else others may see you engaged in the duty and see your outward gestures but are strangers to the secret wandrings of your mind 6. The inclination of the heart to sin in publick duties is a secret thing A Man may confess sin and bewaile it with Tears and beg for power against it and yet he may have a secret inclination of heart to this very sin and secret purposes of heart to keep it and a secret fear least God should hear his Prayers which he makes against this sin Whether you hate that sin in your heart which you bewaile with your Tongue is known onely to your self and if indeed you know it your self it is a good degree of self-knowledge Thus as God hath kept you in an invisible manner and most by invisible and secret means and
existimant se aliquod bonis suis adjicere tandem pro the sauro inventuros dei indignationem Bez in loc Question Sixth Question Seventh Corollaries from the first part of this Direction The second part of the first Direction Ten Lessons to be learned in this City that hath been a great house of mourning Verity of divine threatnings Desert of sin Mans mortâ—lâ—ty The worlds vanity The uncertainty of all relatiâ—ns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When they set forth to Sea Vâ—la daâ—t when they have done their voyage vela contra hunt Humility Parity in â—â—t â—â—d afflictions Difference â—n the â—anner Folly of delays Mortification Ten Aggravations of Gods Peoples sin if they be worse Seventeen Arguments to Gods People to be better Perform your purpose pay your vows Seven Arguments for care to keep oâ—r resolutions made in time of fear and sickness The heart is deceitful Sin is encroaching Satan will assault The world will interrupt You will meet with opposition Concurrence of many duties re-qui-red Twenty Helps for keeping our Resolutions Watch against your Darling sin Signs of a beloved sin And against Temptation Sin is as odious to God when you are well as when you were sick Holiness in acâ— pleasing to God more than in purpose Sin is prejudicial â—hâ—n you are well as when you were sick Holiness in act will be sweeter to you than onely in purpose When you are well you are stil mortal Believe judgment to come Gods eye is upon you Keep conscience tender Choose a choise friend Gods purpose always the same to you Holy courage Zeal Frequent Self-reflexions Renew your Purpose It will bring great benefits Pray for strength Mortifie self-love and use self-denial Examples Fourteen Aggravations of neglect to live up to our holy Resolutions It is great hypocrisie Double Iniquity Creaâ—â—olly It is to lye to God * Oratio quando non est conformis menti dicentis dicitur falsa ethice quando non est conformis rebus est salsa logice To sin against conscience It will make death terrible It is great unthankfulness for your life It will make you loose the benefit of affliction It is to approve of sin after dislike If thou hadst dyed in thy sickness thou hadst been damned It encourageth the devil to tempt It provoketh God Hinders Prayer Begets doubtings Since you live look after the cure of soul-sickness Sin is the souls sickness Sickness of the Soul more dreadfull than of the Body Signs of the cure of soul-sickness How to be cured of soul-sickness Christ the soul-â—hysician Directions to give to God the glory of our souls cure The Reader is desired to make the following Direction the Fourth Be Eminent in your place and Relation Subjects Duties to Magistrates Ministers should be more in Studying Praying Preaching 10 Appellations shewing the work of Ministers Living exemplarily The Peoples Duty in hearing the word Governoâ—s of families must set up Gods Worship in their houses Why Wherein In praying Four Reasons for daily prayer in families Râ—adiâ—g the Word of God 4 Reasons for reading Scripture in Families Repeating things delivered in publick In Catechizing 4 Reasons for Catechizing in Families In singing Psalms How 〈◊〉 Really For five Reasons Livelily Chearfully Constantly Duties of husbands wives whom God hath spared in this Plague The properties of their love Superlative Constant Holy Tender Forgiving love The Reasons of their love Wherein they should manifest this love ☜ Duties of Parents whom God hath continued to children viz. Instruction Correction Prayer Choosing them a Calling Disposing them in Marriage Duties of Children whom God hath continued to their Parents Reasons for these Duties Duties of Masters whom God hath continued to Servants Duties of Servants whom God hath continued to Masters Watch against secret sins Abstain from secret sins Considerations to watch against secret sins God setteth secret sins in the light of his countenance Masked sins detected 4 Properties of Gods view of secret sins Secresie is no security It is a sign of sincerity God judgeth not by outward appearances To allow secret sin is great â—mpâ—iety Secret sins provoke God And grieve the Spirit And destroy your peace Hâ—nder grace And fervent prayer and prevent audience Do harden Stop communications of Gods secrets If you make conscience of secret sin you shall have an open reward In these you have least help from others Que. 2. Helps against secret sins God his eye Eâ—e judgment to come Deep hatred True fear Uprightness of heart Design Gods approbation Be watchful Suppress first motions of sin Sense of Gods love Secret duties Secret duties Secret things in Publick duties Secret evils in publick duties to be avoided Since you live after the Plague be dead to the World To the Profits of the world Are corruptâ—ble Hurtful Unprofitable Hurtful Uncertain Easily valued Unsatisfying To the Honours of the World To the pleasures of the World To the wisdom of the World ☜ Signes of a Man that is dead to the world Since you live after this Plague be dead to sin and be buried with Christ Believers are buried in 3. respects 2 Differences between the burial of our friends and our sins 5 Resemblances Comfort to those that are buried with Christ Since you live after this Plague walk in newness of life What newness of life doth not consist in In what consisteth newness of life The excellenâ—ies of a new life Hindrances of walking in newness of life Since you live after this Plague keep upon your heart a sense of this Mercy Helpes to be sensible of the Mercy of life If you have fewer objects of love left you love God so much the more Since you live remember what were the actings of conscience in time of danger and live accordingly Since you live after you have been in such danger trust God for the future Description of trust 8 Arguments to trust in God Six special times to trust in God Since you live after this Plague give thanks to God 3 Wayes you must Praâ—se God with your Tongue Heart Life 12 Arguments to thankfulness for life Psal 6.4 5. Psal 30.9 Isa 3â— 18 19. Mat. 20.22 23. Jer. 16.7 Psal 16.5 6 Helpes to thankfulness for life
273 What this trust is 274 Eight Arguments to trust in God 275 276 277 Six special times for trusting in God 278 DIRECTION XIII Since you live after this Plague give thanks to God for your preservation 279 Three wayes how we must praise God for continued Life 280 Twelve Motives to praise God for continued Life 282 c. Six Helps to praise God for Continued Life 288 c. DIRECTIONS how to live after a wasting PLAGUE QUESTION How should those that have been preserved by God from the Grave in this time of Plague live in some measure Answerably to so great a Mercy THis is a Case of general concernment to those many thousands whom God hath kept alive in a time of Plague which hath swept so many thousands into their Graves whose bodies are now rotting in the dust and whose souls are entred into an unchangeable condition of happiness or misery whose life is ended whose time is past and gone who are now receiving their wages or reward according to what their state was found to be when the Plague removed them from time into eternity from this World into that which now they must be in for ever without alteration or redemption What Family is there in this great City or what person is there in all those families that are not concerned to enquire what signal and more than ordinary return they should make to God for such signal and more than ordinary preservation from the gates of death who have walked upon the very borders of the Grave and are yet alive who have been nearer the brink of Eternity and in more danger of being cut down than at other times and yet are spared and are numbred amongst the living and not reckoned nor made free amongst the dead It is the unquestionable and standing duty of all living to live to God but there is a super-added Obligation upon all those whom God hath marked out for Life when the slaughtering Angel was going from Parish to Parish from house to house to cut down those whom God had commissioned him to remove from hence Oh! should you not consider with your self what it is that God expecteth at mine hands How would he have me for to live and what would God have me to doe What is the special work he hath reserved me for Hath God layd the Corpses of thousands in the Church-yards and yet given me a little respit to act for my precious soul and for his glory hath he reprieved me for a while and am I not a living walking Monument of his distinguishing Mercy and unwearied Patience towards me When others are dead I live when others must pray no more hear no more God giveth me time as yet to do both and all other duties in order to my eternal peace Thus should you reason your self into your duty and to a diligent Inquiry What you should doe to live in some measure answerably to so great a Mercy But Reader wilt thou first resolve in the fear and presence of that God that hath redeemed thy life from death to make a conscientious use of any helps and directions so to doe wilt thou indeed engage thy heart before thou readest any further to use thy utmost diligence in practising and obeying what shall be from the Word of God discovered to thee to be thy duty yea in the Name of God I charge thee that thou doe it as ever thou wouldest appear before the Barr of God with comfort and give a good account of this his patience and Providence towards thee and of these Lines which now thou readest that neither the one nor the other rise up in Judgement against thee as an aggravation of thy sin nor for the greater condemnation of thy soul What dost thou say wilt thou promise and accordingly obey or wilt thou not If not better thou hadst dyed in time of Plague and fallen with others into the same common grave than to out-live the Plague and not out-live thy sin to live longer to adde unto thy sin and in the day of Gods patience towards thee to be heaping up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous Judgement of God but if thou wilt I shall by Gods assistance proceed to resolve this Important Case in laying down these following Directions which will also be of use to answer another Query viz. How you may know whether God hath lengthened out your life in Mercy or in Judgement If you live according to these following Rules God hath spared you in mercy if you live contrary to them and dye so at last I fear your escaping this Judgement will at last prove a Judgement to you The first of these Directions will be more general the rest shall be more particular DIRECTION I. HAth God spared you in time of Plague Then be better and not worse than you were before Those that before were bad have now greater engagement to be good and those that were good before are engaged by Gods merciful Providence to them to be better not only better than those that are bad but better than themselves that before were good In time of Plague you did enquire for the best Antidote and for the best Cordial and Preservative and should you not now the Plague is thus ceased enquire what is your best Return you are to make to God especially when in time of Plague Gods Protection was your best Preservative and the Spirits Comforts your chiefest Cordials This Direction consisteth of two branches and I will speak of them apart Before the Plague begun 1 Be not worse than you were 2 Be better than you were And indeed if you be not better you will be worse as afterwards will be made appear Now because it is to be feared that some men will be worse after this dreadfull and devouring man-eating Judgement than they were before I shall more largely treat of this particular if peradventure God may by these Lines prevent in some so great an evil after so great a Plague Where I shall speak to these particular Questions Q. 1. Whether ungodly men doe oftentimes wax worse and worse and why Q 2. What are the several steps that men do take in sinfull wayes in their waxing worse and worse Q. 3. Vnder what Dispensations wicked men wax worse and worse Q. 4. Why God is pleased to remove Judgements though many men are worse than they were before Q. 5. What are the Aggravations of this great Impiety to be worse after Gods sorest Judgement than they were before Q. 6. What are the signs of a man that waxeth worse and worse under all the Means that God doth use to make him better Q. 7. What considerations may be usefull to stop the stream of such mens wickedness that yet are waxing worse and worse SECTION I. Whether ungodly men do often times wax worse and worse SOme wax richer and some wax better and all men wax older and many wax worser 2
Habit. 8. Hardness contracted 9. Hardness Judicial 10. Consummation or final Impenitence Of these briefly in their order I. Natural Concupiscence or the Vitiousness of our Nature which is in Infants this is as the Tinder or the Gun-powder whereby our Natures are apt to take fire at the least spark This is a sin because it is the absence or privation of that rectitude which ought to be in our Nature it is a fruit and punishment of Adams first sin and an immediate consequent of the loss of our Original Righteousness This is fomes peccati like to that wherewith the fire is kindled or kept burning called the Old Man sinful Sin the body of Sin sin dwelling Law of Members II. Then there is some Temptation solicitation suited to this corrupt Principle either by the Devil or wicked men or some Object presented to a man that might stirre up and excite this internal principle of Corruption in our hearts and though all men have the seeds of all sin yet Satan observing mens different constitutions hath different baits as men have several baits for several fish some he soliciteth to drunkenness others to uncleanness and others to covetousness Where note that Satan hath a wonderful advantage of us which he had not in our first Parents before the first sin for there was nothing in their hearts that was corrupt and yet how did the Devils temptation together with the Object set before their eyes prevail over them What the warm Sun is to the stiff and frozen Serpent it doth enliven it and then it sendeth forth its venom and useth its sting that a Temptation or an Object proposed is to our corrupt Natures Some call this Abstraction a drawing the minde off from good to evil III. Then there ariseth some Inclination in the soul or an hankering of the heart after that sinful Object an entring into a patley with the Devil minding of the motion made by the Tempter thinking further of the committing of the sin This is called Inescation as the Fish delighteth to play with the bait or Vitiosus motus joyned with some titillation or delight of the heart therein The first motions of the heart that are primo primi though they be involuntary and before consent of will and the judgement against them yet are sins 1 Because they are motus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly motions of the heart 2 Because they be forbidden by the Law of God and 3 Hinder our love to God IV. Next is the Compliance and consent of the will yielding to the temptation and closing with the motion made concerning such an act upon such an Object The Will as queen and commander in the soul makes a decree to close with the temptation and to close with and consent unto the solicitation to sin upon the understandings mistake in its comparative judgement apprehending and dictating to the will that to be good which indeed is evil or the sensitive appetite moving the will by the mediation of the understanding allureth it unto consent and this is the conception of sin Jam. 1.14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin c. V. When the Will hath consented it layes a despotical or flat Injunction on the Members of the body to execute and proceed to action and this is the actual commission of sin in the execution in Imperate acts Thus when Judas had consented to betray Christ he goes forth and covenants with Christs crucifyers and betrayes him Thus the eye moveth to behold and the hand to act that which the will consenteth to and commands Thus far it is the unhappiness of the people of God in their state of imperfection to yield David had a principle of corruption then an Object proposed then wicked suggestions arose or were injected into his minde then his will consented and then proceeded to the actual commission of his after-bitterly-lamented sin VI. Then wicked men proceed to the frequent Iteration of the same sin till it becomes customary A wicked man is drunk till it is his custom to be so and to swear till it becomes his custom to do so This is a great progress made in sin it is great growth and such will be hardly reclaimed Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may you who are accustomed to do evil learn to do well Aethiopem lavare is to labour in vain Ministers endeavour to reclaim men accustomed to swearing and lying and drunkenness and they preach in vain and study and pray in vain as to any success usually upon such mens hearts It is the commendation of a man to be accustomed to a thing if it be good for a Christian to say it is his custom to pray and a Minister it is his custom to preach though it is not good that the one pray out of custom nor the other preach customarily To have it customary to perform holy dutyes is good but to do them customarily is evil Thus it was Christs custom or he was wont to preach and teach the people But it is an aggravation to be accustomed to a thing if it be evil and if it be gross it is a sign of a graceless person Though some carnal men when reproved for their often swearing say I thought no harm it is only a custom I have got and I cannot leave it A custom why that is the aggravation and growth of thy wickedness and thou dost as foolishly alledge that to extenuate thy sin which indeed doth aggravate thy sin as a Thief accused before the Judge for stealing should plead it was his custom so to doe Now sin is become the profession of the sinner and he goes to his sin as customarily as an Artificer to his Shop or Work-house but it is not the custom of Gods people to make a custom of committing gross sins David did to the wounding of his soul once commit Adultery but it was not his Custome so to doe Peter at one time did deny his Lord but it was not his custom so to do It is not the custom of a gracious person often to commit the same grosse sin but it is his custom often to lament a gross sin but once committed Therefore if it be thy custom to commit grosse sins and thou art wont to do so thou art gone beyond the people of God in thy sinnings Thy state is deplorable VII Customary commission of sin begets an Habit in sinning whereby the love of sin is more deeply radicated in the heart Habits are got by frequent repeated acts and doth adde a greater facility to act and such as are customary sinners will soon be habitual Sinners by frequent swearing they will have an habit of swearing by frequent drunkenness they will acquire an habit of that sin and what is habitual especially in evil
at home Did it not then trouble thee that thou being a Professor hadst been at nights drinking in the Tavern when thou shouldst have been praying in thy family that thy Wife and Children though they have not gone Supperless to bed yet have almost every night gone prayerless to bed except they went apart to pray in secret But did not then thy conscience tell thee that their performance of their duty would be no excuse to thee when thou shouldst stand at the Bar of God for thy neglecting of what thou oughtest to have done Didst thou not then resolve if thou shouldst live it should be so no more That thou wouldst read thy Bible more as well as look over thy Shop-books daily That thou wouldst spend some time in secret before God whereas before thou wast use to waste it in thy pleasures and taking of thy worldly delights Deal plainly man with thy self and do not flatter thy soul and daube with thy conscience Was there not some such thoughts and purposes and resolutions as these in thy heart at such a time And didst thou promise and resolve in jest and not in earnest God did afflict thee by the plague in good earnest and thou waste then affraid of death and the grave and judgement in good earnest And didst thou onely purpose in jest and resolve in jest and play with holy things when thou wast near another world and dally with God when thou didst not know but within an hour thou mightest have appeared at his Bar and been set before the terrible tribunal of the great heart-searching God But if thou wast in earnest with God when God was in earnest with thee if thou wast in earnest in promising be earnest in earnest to perform if thou didst indeed resolve to reform when thou shouldst be well then reform indeed according to thy resolution since God hath made thee well and saved thee from the Grave to which thou wast so near so very near Or if God hath been so good to thee to preserve thee from the infection of the Plague amongst the many thousands that have been visited that thou hast not been heart-sick yet thou hast often felt shootings and pains and prickings up and down in several parts of thy body and sometimes hast had such things as thou hast thought to be symptomes of the distemper and hast apprehended it to be approaching to thee that hath made thee hasten to thy bed and make use of thy preservatives and thy cordials that thou thoughtest thy self in real danger and wast possest with real fears What were thy purposes at such a time as this And what didst thou resolve to do And how to live if God would prevent the thing thou fearedst Or hadst thou no such purpose in thy heart No such resolution in thy breast that if thou livedst thou wouldst be better Was thy heart indeed so backward unto good that at such a time of fears and dangers thou hadst not so much as a purpose to be better but if thou hadst and let thy conscience be thy witness and the God of heaven that did fully know the purpose of thy heart then now perform what then thy heart did purpose to perform I am perswaded if the people in London and in Country too would live up according to the purpose of their heart in time of danger of the Plague would reform and mend as they did resolve to do we should be much better than we were before Oh what a difference would there be in the frame of our hearts and in the course of our lives What a change would there be in all our practises Those that were forward Professors of Religion and were not much more then Professors would be zealous practisers of Religious duties and in order hereunto I shall to follow this direction do three things 1. Lay down some considerations why you should be careful to keep your purposes resolutions and vows 2. Prescribe some helpes how you may perform your purposes resolutions and vows 3. Set down the aggravations of your sin if you break your purposes resolutions and vows SECT I. 1. GReat and constant diligent care should be taken in time of health to keep our purposes to perform our resolutions and to pay our vows to God which we made in time of sickness and danger and distress if you consider these particulars 1. That one great deceit of the heart of man doth appear in this in being forward to purpose in our selves and promise unto God but are backward to perform In time of sickness what resolutions do men make what purposes have they in themselves to mend and turn to God and seem to promise this with tears in their eyes and sorrow in their hearts for the evil that is past and done and seem to others and think verily themselves that they promise in good earnest and mean to do as they do speak and when they think the danger is past and their fears removed do nothing less than what they promised I have known some upon sick beds so to promise that they would be drunk no more c. and yet when health hath been restored have returned to their wickedness So did Pharaoh promise fair when the Plagues of God were upon the Land that he would let the children of Israel goe but when the Plagues have been removed he hath hardened his heart against them more than before and this he often did Exod. 8.8 15. 9.27 28 34 10.16 17 20. Now this deceitfulness of the heart is yet in part remaining in the best of men and therefore you must be carefull else though you have promised you will never perform 2. That sin is of a bewitching encroaching and alluring nature if it can prevail it will keep you from resolving against it if you do resolve it will entreat you that you would not send it farre from you that your Resolution might not be peremptory and universal that if you resolve to banish it from your heart it might be only some of its members that are not so dear unto you and reserve the rest or if it be peremptory and universal that you will part with all sin it will contend that your Resolution may not be perpetual that you send it not away for ever but only till your danger of death is over and your fears thereof are ceased that then it may be received into your heart be your Favourite again or if you do resolve to part with sin peremptorily universally and perpetually yet after a while it will solicit you to change your resolution or if you will not change it it will solicit you to abate the strength and vehemency thereof and will come and offer you so much delight and so much pleasure and so much profit if you will not be so severe against it If you are not carefull it will encroach upon your heart and insinuate and winde it self into your love and delight and
and fall against the inclination of your will and purpose of your heart 18. Pray much to God for strength and power to perform your Purpose You resolved to pray more importunately unto God for mercy but then you must pray to God to enable you to pray as you have resolved Resolution is our duty but strength to perform them is not in our selves but must be fetched from God and that must be by fervent frequent Prayer Pray that God would not leave thee to thy self that he would not forsake thee Psal 119.8 I will keep thy statutes there is Davids Purpose Oh forsake me not utterly there is Davids Prayer As you must not purpose in your own strength but in the strength of Christ so you cannot perform in your own strength but in the strength of Christ If your resolution be strong against sin and you rest in the strength of your Resolution and think you shall not sin because you have strong Resolutions against it you will fail 19. Mortifie Carnal self-love and be very much in the exercise of self denyal If you cannot deny your self of what is pleasing to the flesh you will deny a holy life You must often deny your own wills and your own desires and delights your own judgements and reasonings your sensitive appetite and your profits in the world and hate all these in comparison of better things and when they stand in competition with God and Christ If you love your pleasures inordinately and love your Liberty and your Life inordinately your resolutions for strictness of holy walking with God will not abide nor be accomplished The love of self as well as of sin is a great enemy to holy resolutions 20. Often urge your heart with the Examples of the holy men of God recorded in the Scriptures They purposed and were carefull to perform Jacob vowed unto God and payd it David vowed unto God and payd it Job made a Covenant with his eyes that he would not look upon Objects that should irritate his sinful nature and said why then should I do it Job 31.1 So do you say When I thought my self to be near the grave I purposed to honour God more than I did before if he should spare me why then should I not do it I purposed to watch against my sin why then should I be careless Thus I have given you the Considerations to press you to be careful of your Purposes and Helps to the performance of them next I come to the Aggravations of neglecting to live according to your engagements in the time of sickness and danger SECT III. III. THe Aggravations of the breach of your Vows and Resolutions made against sin and for holiness when fears of death were upon you do exceedingly heighten and increase your sin and because sick-bed Promises are so seldom made good and sick-bed Resolutions usually prove so ineffectual I shall desire you who have the Vows of God upon you and who have resolved if God would continue to you lâ—fe as God and Conscience and it may be others are witnesses of that you would weigh seriously as in the presence of God the evil of breaking your Vows and being careless of your Resolutions 1. This is great hypocrisie to purpose and not perform You seemed in your affliction to be affected with your condition and to be afflicted for your transgression and to approve of an holy conversation then you could weep for sin and now you work it you could then lament it and now commit it then you seemed to be changed from what you really were before when you lived in some known sin but now it appears that you have really lost that good which you did seem to have and made profession of in time of your sickness It is usual with Hypocrites to be best when they are ill and to be worst when they are well Hypocrites have their good moods are good by fits sometimes pray but not alwayes Job 27.8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite V. 10. Will he delight himself in the Lord will he alwayes call upon God i. e. He will not at all times and in all conditions pray to God when he is sick he may but when his sickness is removed his Prayers are abated It is a sign thy goodness was as a morning cloud and as the early dew it 's gone away Hos 6.4 2. This is double Iniquity it is twisted wickedness It is one sin woven with another it is not onely double dealing but it brings double guilt if thou hadst not made thy vow and resolution to pray frequently it had been but a single sin if thou hadst been seldom in it but now it is a double sin and hath double guilt that thou dost omit to pray this is one sin that thou dost omit it after thou hast promised and resolved and vowed to do it this is the other sin and indeed is this thy mending in thy sickness and dangers to be doubling thine iniquity 3. This is great folly Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay tâ—â—oâ— he hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed It is folly to do that which is better be undone than done Vers 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow then vow and not pay In thy affliction thou shouldest have learned wisdom and not committed folly 4. This is to lye to God to men A vow is a promise made to God Deut. 23. â—3 That whâ—ch is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform even a free will offering according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou hast promised with thy mouth What is first called a vow is after called a promise if thou madest this promise with thy mouth and didst not really intend the fulfilling of it but didst it either to deceive thy self or others or had it been possible God himself what is this but a lye If the words of thy mouth were not conformable to the thoughts of thy minde that thou spakest one thing in thy sickness and didst intend another thou spakest not as thou thoughtest thou art guilty of a lye ethical But forasmuch as thy words do not agree to the things thou spakest of thou art guilty of a falshood logical both are bad though the first is worst And is not this an aggravation of thy wickedness to lye to God when thou art under his rod Do not parents deal more severely with their children if they finde them lying when they are under the rod Are we not like to children when they are scourged will promise any thing to be spared but presently be found in the violation of their promise But take heed how thou liest unto God Remember the fearful instance of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5.3 Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part
Gods sparing their Parents to them if they thus obey them SECTION XVIII THirdly The next Relation I consider in a Family is the Relation of Masters and Servants whom God hath spared in this great Mortality and if you would live in some measure answerably to this Mercy as it is a Mercy to some to have Servants and it is a Mercy to others to have Masters then you must fill up the duties of your Relation First Masters Duties are set down Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven where you have 1. The Charge that is given to do that which is just and equal 2. The Persons to whom this Charge is given Masters 3. The Persons unto whom this justice and equity must be shown Servants 4. The Reason to enforce it knowing that ye have a Master in heaven There is no Man that is a Master but he hath a Master and that is God 1. Masters must not impose upon their Servants any thing simply unlawful that is not just to Work or carry Burdens upon the Lords day without necessity c. 2. Masters must not impose upon their Servants things above their strength though they be lawful this is not just 3. Masters must not deny their Servants convenient Food nor their due Wages this is not just 4. Masters must not turn away their Servants when they are sick who served them when they were in health and strength without their consent this is not just 5. Masters must not deny them necessary time for the performance of their necessary duties unto God this is neither just nor equal It is but equity if Servants spend their time in your service that you should allow them some time for the Service of God and the saving of their souls for to wear out their Bodies in serving you now and for want of time to Read and Pray to have their Soules damned hereafter would be a very unequal unjust and unreasonable thing SECT XIX Secondly Servants if you would live answerably for the Mercy of God in sparing you then performe the Duties God requireth at your hands towards your Masters The Duty of Servants is set down Eph. 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ Vers 6. Not with eye-service as Men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Vers 7. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to Men. Vers 8. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any Man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free To this the Apostle addeth Servants obey in all things your Masters knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3.22 23 24 25. in both which places the Apostle meets with the usual defects of Servants in their Relation which are 1. Half Service 2. Eye Service 3. Hypocritical Service 4. Prophaneness in Service 5. Irreverence in Service 6. Grudging in Service 7. Baseness of mind in Service To these are opposed Service 1. In all things 2. Not eye-service 3. In singleness of heart 4. In the fear of God 5. Trembling 6. From the heart and with good will 7. A glorious reward 1. Servants must do all the service they owe unto their Masters not to do one thing and leave another undone but you must obey in all things i. e. lawful 2. Servants must not give eye service That is onely in their Masters sight and presence but must be as careful of their Masters business in his absence as if he were looking on them they must not do their work as those that are serving Men who cannot alwaies see them but as the servants of Christ serve him who believe that he alwaies sees them and let Servants remember that though Masters do not alwaies see them yet God doth 3. Servants must performe the Works of their Masters service in singleness of heart with uprightness and without dissimulation they must not be hypocrites in Mens service as they must not in the Service of God Servants must do all from obedience to Gods Commands and yield therefore obedience to wicked Masters in lawful things 1 Pet. 2.18 Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward So to poor Masters though they can give them but mean wages 4. They must do it in the fear of God As the servants of God must pray in the fear of God and hear in the fear of God so they that are servants to Men must do their work in the fear of God then they must not Curse and Swear at their work nor talk sinfully nor speak or sing obscenely 5. Wiâ—h reverence to their Masters 1 Tim. 6.1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own Masters worthy of all Honour that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not blasphemed If thou serve a poor Master yet being thy Master thou art bound to honour him else thou will be a reproach to the Name of God and his Doctrine 6. They must not grudge the Service they do but do it from the heart and with good will Servants hearts must not be set upon their Masters business they cannot give away their heart from God but they must do their Work from the heart i. e. willingly cheerfully 7. They must not onely aime at the wages they have from their Masters that is poor and low and sordid to work and labour for such a reward but as those that know if they do their service be it never so mean and servile in obedience to Gods command and for his glory they shall have a reward in Heaven God will reward the mean service of a poor servant with an eternal Crown 8. They must be faithful in their Masters business they must not purloin steal and secretly convey away any thing of their Masters Estate Money or Goods or sell it at under-rate to his Masters real prejudice and dammage by private contract between himself and the buyer to consider him for his cheap Bargain Tit. 2.9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own Masters and to please them well in all things not answering again Vers 10. Not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things When thy hand is in thy Masters Box and thou art pilfring away his Money to Game to keep Company or spend any way without his knowledge this is Theft and God seeth thee though he do not and if thou hast purloined or stole any thing thou art bound to restore it if thou canst and to confess thy fault and be humbled and do so no more 9. They must be frugal for their Masters that though they steal nothing
company out of choice Christ aftâ—r his Resurrection waited for his Ascension into glory So if we will walk in newness of life we must have our conversation in heaven and be continually expecting our dissolution and our translation into glory To walk in newness of life it is to do all the actions of out life in a new manner to do alâ— religious duties to pray and to hear in a new manner Before he prayed lukewarmly and with a dull and hard and unbelieving heart but now more fervently more livelily Though the matter of his duties might be the same yet the manner is new To walk in newness of life is to be making progress in all these walking is a progressive motion it is to continue and to persevere in the waies of holiness Not to decline nor to go backwards not to return or walk back again to old wickedness SECT II. THe excellency and dignity of a new life is very great and for your greater encouragement to walk therein I shall instance in some of them 1. A new life is a life according to the New Covenant which God hath made with fallen man Men that walk in old sinful courses continue the Covenant they have made with sin and Satan But a man that walketh in newness of life is a man that hath entred into a New Covenant with God Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put into you I will take away the stony heart 〈◊〉 of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Veâ— 27 And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statuâ—es and ye shall keep my judgments and do them And to walk thus in Gods Statutes is to walk in newness of life 2. A new life it is the most rational life When the Prodigal left his old waies and took up a new course he is said to come to himself Luk. 15.17 Men act most unreasonably when they act wickedly 3. A new life is the sweetest and most comfortable life There are sensual carnal brutish delights in the waies of sin but there is much terrour and bitterness in a wicked course alwaies at the end of it Such as lead a new life they have experience of the comforts of the Spirit of the joyes of the Holy Ghost All these new waies so called as opposed to his former waies else the best way is the oldest way are waies of pleasanâ—ness and all these paths are pâ—â—ce 4. A new life it is the noblest life we then live according to the highest elevation that we are capable of in this life Nay it is a life nearest to the life of glory 5. A new life is an evidencing life it is an evidence of the great and glorious things that are brought to light by the Gospel all full of delighting comfort A new lâ—fe tâ—king in all the particulars before set down shewing the things included in it is an evidence First Of our Election his new life is a fruit of Gods ancient love Eph. 1.4 Secondly Of a new robe of righteousness put upon us for our justificâ—tion Thirdly Of Pâ—râ—on of old sins Fourthly Of our Union with Christ we could not leâ—d a new life were we not engrafted into a new stock Fifthly Of the sincerity of our hearts and the truth of grace Sixthly Of our sure title to heaven to the new Jerusalem that is above 6. A new life is â—n encouraging life it will be an encouragement to a man to go â—o God in his greatest straits it will encourage a man with boldness to look death in the face when it comes 7. It is the most profitable life to our selves and to others we shall be giving to others a good example if we lead new lives whereby they may be drawn to an holy Imitation A new heâ—rt you may have and that may profit your self but a new life will be profitable to others as well as to your self 8. A new life is the only life that honours God and that doth credit the Gospel and the Profession that we make To live in an old course of swearing and lying and Sabbath-breaking is to dishonour God but if you walk in newness of life you will promote the great end for which you live i. e. the glory of God and the excellency of any thing is according to its sutableness and tendency to the attaining of a mans ultimate end it is a new life that only glorifieth God therefore a new life is the only exâ—ellent life 9. He that leads a new life hath a new guide to direct him in his holy walk the Spirit of God will be your guide to shew you the way that you ought to go Though to you it may be a new way yet you shall not lose your way because the Spirit is your guide 10. He that leads a new life is taken into new relations God is now his Father and the Son of God is now his Lord Head Redeemer Brother and all the people of God are now related to him in the bonds of grace These things and many more may be said in commendation of the excellency of a new life which appears to be so in the eyes of carnal men who have walked after their old hearts when they come to dye that they then resolve if God would spare them they would lead a new life SECT III. THe hinderances of walking in newness of life are many and very great that it is not an easie thing for any man to lead this life 1. The Old Serpent is a great enemy to this New liâ—e he hath old stratagems and old devices and snares to divert them out of this way 2. The Old Principle of corruption remaining in our hearts is a great Impediment to this new life It is working still in us to walk in the old waies of pleasures and delights the Old man within will still strive hard to hinder this New life without 3. Old sinful Company will hinder you in your new manner of life they will be tempting and enticing and perswading you to come to your old games and your old delights It will be hard to live a new life amongst old sinful Companions 4. Slavish fear of men is a great impediment of walking in newness of life it may be thou mightest displease thy Father thy Master the Friend upon whom thou dost much depend if thou shouldest forsake thy old wicked life and become a new Creature and lead a new life thou wouldest meet with new troubles but fear God and his Vengeance more if thou walk in thy old course of sin and keep thy old heart then be filled with slavish fear of men if they should deny their old favour and friendship to thee because thou walkest in newness of life 5. Flesh-pleasing and being too much over-powred by the sensitive appetite 6. Spiritual sloth For a New Life hath many new difficult duties Thus if you