that swears deceitfully or falsly Jer. 4◠2 or to maintain an unjust cause or to doe evil or to be constant to conceal or uphold the designs of wicked men in their wicked purposes or that sweareth inconsiderately Hos 10.4 not knowing what an oath is nor to what end such an one is guilty of false swearing that is every one that doth so hath sinned either in the manner or matter or end of an oath and is to repent for it heartily and confess his fault and to sin no more in swearing And indeed every true Christian though he be not absolutely against taking a lawfull oath to a right end for the determining of a weighty controversie which nothing but his oath can put an end to yet one that truly fears God doth fear to take an oath Eccle. 9.2 and shrinkes to lay his hand on the Bible and trembles to take the name of the glorious God into his mouth knowing well the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain Exo. 20.7 how much more dreadfull is the severity of God against false swearers and perjured persons read Zachariah 5.3 4. Zech 5.3 4. This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that sweareth shall be cut off and this curse shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name Ezek. 21.23 c. and Malachi 3.5 I will come neer to you in judgment and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against FALSE SWEARERS He that calls God to witness in his vanity falshood and deceit God will witness against him and judge him for it and cast such out of his sight and none shall pray for false swearers Jer. 23.10 with verse 15 16. Jer. 23.10 15 16. But besides this of solemn swearing by which men become guilty of dishonouring Gods name and foul perjury and breach of faith there are too many and it may be thou art one of them that are given to vain swearing and oaths are become customary and a bravery and ungodly wretches they are also that use to swear in their common talk and to doe so is as great an evidence of base irreligiousness and a profane heart as possibly can be discovered t is to speak like a fool without reason without pleasure without honor such a custome of vain swearing renders a man detestable to God and all good men and all good men are offended at thee and ashamed of thee and all godly persons pitty thee and grieve for thee considering that quickly such an Atheisticall stupid irreligious fool must be in the flames of insupportable yet everlasting torments for his swearing And if thou think this will be too great a severity for sudden eruptions of passions S. 47. and inconsiderateness and petty oaths and swearing by things that are not God and without any malicious design then know that though thou make as light of the guilt as of thy swearing yet by it God is dishonoured Christs Law against swearing at all is violated as often as thou swearest and if you think t is no great matter to swear yet consider t is not a small offence to rebell against the Lord Jesus and so easily and customarily to cross his will and violate his Law And surely if for idle words we must be accountable at the day of judgment as it is evident Mat. 12.36 37. how much more shall the idle swearer be censured in that day It may be thou in thy customary swearing dost not always swear by the greatest S. 48. thou dost not use the name of GOD LORD CHRIST JESUS nor HOLY GHOST it may be thy oaths are not by his wounds blood cross passion or the like invented oaths of wretched and ungodly persons yet t is guilt enough to render thee for ever miserable without the mercy of God upon thy sincere repentance to pardon it If thou usest to swear at all by any thing any creature or any name of a thing reall or fained as such inventions men have sometimes or by heaven earth sun moon stars trees herbs stones beasts men the names of men body or the members of the body as by the head hand foot or the like or by my soul or life or faculties of the soul judgment will affections or by any of the graces of God which he vouchsafeth to man as by my faith or my charity or by my hope by my conscience all which when used in the form of an oath and in common discourse are utterly forbidden by our Saviour in his Sermon * 35 36 37. Mat. 5.33 34. Ye have heard that thou shalt not forswear thy self but I say unto you also swear not at all neither by the heaven nor the earth neither by Terusalem neither shal thou swear by thy head James 5.12 And S. James gives the same prohibition from our Lord Christ Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor earth neither by any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay That is either affirmative or ne gative I or no without any oath for whatsoever is more then this cometh from evil 12. ult in the later end of the 12. verse and let your Yea be Yea let it be truth which you affirm lest you fall into condemnation Now upon this account I beseech thee S. 49. as thou art chary of thine own soul if thou art any way addicted to swearing either by great or little by God or his creatures or any other oath that speedily thou repent for thy sin committed this way already and reforme immediately or else thou wilt abide in a deadly state and under the guilt and curse of swearing falsly and vainly Remember thou art minded of this do not slight the admonition lest you fall under the condemnation of hell §. XI Lying If thou hast been a liar an inventer of a falshood S. 50. and uttered with thy tongue words contrary to the truth with an intention to deceive others or to please others by thy lying if of fear or for favor or gain thou hast spoken that which thy Conscience tels thee is not the truth or hast divulged that for truth which thou hast received and yet knowest it to be false and not so in it self what you endeavour to perswade another to believe then art thou guilty of lying S. 51. If thou seemest to others what thou art not either in word or deed then art thou a dissembling liar and if thou wouldst seem religious outwardly and yet in heart thou lovest and likest any sin or dislikest the holy righteous wayes of God then art thou an hypocritical liar if thou hast born false witness in any cause though never so trivial or for whatsoever advantage to thy self or any secular or religious interest yet 't is an heinous sin and thy lye brings more dishonor to God and
10. art thou still an unbeliever And thou art an unbeliever if thou acknowledgest not nor believest in the onely True God the Father of Christ and Creator of the World as revealed to thee in the Scriptures if thou believest not in Jesus Christ the onely Eternall Son of God If thou confess him not to be the true Messias not acknowledgest him to be HE that was promised and in time was sent into the world born of a virgin and took humane nature into his Godhead and suffered here on earth death for the Redemption of mankind who were lost by sin and under the curse and power of Satan if thou takest him not for thy Saviour and Lord if thou yeildest not up thy self thy mind Will affections and actions to be sanctified and ruled by him thou art yet an Infidel If thou believest not the Holy Ghost to be God S. 11. and proceeding from the Father and the Son and yet equall with the Father and the Son and that the FATHER SON and HOLY GHOST are one onely God in essence nature power dignity infiniteness according to the Scriptures thou art an Infidel Nay if thou believest not the holy Scriptures of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT to be of God given unto us for a full Revelation of the mind of God concerning our faith and life If thou believest not the promises and threats of the Gospell If thou believest not reward for the Godly and punishment for the wicked a day of Judgment where and when all mankind shall be Judged according to their workes done in this present World in the Resurrection of all the dead at the last day when men shall receive the finall sentence from the mouth of Christ either for the enjoyment of Heaven or the torments of Hell from that time for ever If thou believest not all this thy state is Infidell thou art yet an unbeliever S. 12. and if thou continuest so this must be thy doom read it and tremble * Mar. 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned * John 3.36 He that believeth not the Son which is Jesus Christ shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him †Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Consider this and see if thy case be unbelief whether it doth not concern thee speedily to reform in this particular and become a true believer §. III. Unrighteousness Art thou an unrighteous person S. 13. I mean one that is unjust in thy dealings with men doest wrong either friend or foe in goods name or life Is it thy custome in trafficking with others to cheat deceive defraud any one dost thou keep back for thy own use that which is not thine own by consent or purchase or gift from the right owners hast broken thy promise and covenant made with man wilfully hast thou stollen from or robbed any man of what was his or anothers in his keeping hast received stollen goods knowingly and consenting to theeves and robbers dost usually doe to others in any case what in no case thou wouldest have them doe to thee Then art thou an unrighteous person in jurious to man a wronger of thine own soul and highly offensive to the Just and Righteous God who loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity and hast sinfully transgressed that excellent Rule of thy blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath said that whatsoever you would that men should doe unto you Luke 6.21 Mat. 7.20 S. 14. doe ye even so unto them Now if thou art guilty of unjust and unrighteous dealing you must repent of it speedily and quit it absolutely away with this evil frame and wicked practice Leave off to walk unrighteously S. 15. if thou meanest to be reformed and saved but if thou wilt not then take notice that this remaines against thee Deut. 25.16 Rom. 1.18 1 Cor. 6.9 S. 16. All that doe unrighteously are anabomination unto the Lordthy God And then know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Now will you dare to doe unrighteously any more or wilt thou not much rather reform in time then undergoe thy exclusion of heaven and loss of thy happiness to the ruine of thy soul for ever for thy unrighteous dealing Then be perswaded to rid thy hands of unjust gain S. 17. and thy heart and mind from all unjust and unrighteous thoughts and contrivances that it may be said of thee such was I indeed but now I am reformed I have left off all my unjust unrighteous dealing through the grace of God convincing me of my sin warning me and helping me to forsake it Adde this consideration to further thee in thy REFORMATION what will it profit thee yea what is any man profited if he shall gain the whole world by unrighteousness Mat. 16.26 and lose his own soul alas what will all thy getting doe thee good when thou shalt pay so dear for it even the unvaluable losse of thy precious soul at last §. IV. Idolatry Is Idolatry thy sin S. 18. Art thou guilty of that If thou hast worshipped a false God any of the Heathen Idols instead of the true God Hast thou worshipped or prayed to or before an image directing thy service to it or to God by an image of mans making Hast thou adored or worshipped a piece of bread as though it were really and materially the very body of Christ or hast thou adored a crucifix and prayed unto it Or attributed any divine power to a piece of gold silver brass wood made after the fashion of a cross Dost thou give the honour and worship due unto God to any creature or likeness of any thing thou then art guilty thou art found a gross Idolater Nay further S. 19. Rom. 1.21 if thou in thy fancie dost conceive of the eternall invisible GOD who is a pure spirituall being as though he were like unto any thing thou ever sawest and dost worship him under that imaginaty shape thou wrongest God and hast set up an Idol in thy imagination and so art thou an imaginary Idolater though thou hast no picture before thine eyes yea further if thy heart mind will affections be laid out upon earthly things and thou payest more true love to and devotest thy self to the pleasures profits and honours of this world If thou servest the creature more constantly affectionately and willingly then the great God then art thou an Idolater for what is Idolatry else but the setting up the creature in the place of God and to give the creature the preeminence in our hearts and minds and what is it to commit Idolatry but a serving the creature and adoreing it * Rom. 1.25 more then the Creator who is blessed for ever And therefore the covetous worldling is branded with this abominable title of Idolatry †Eph. 5.5 For this ye know that no
intercept the wrath of the offended God pouring out upon the whole race of mankind for the first and after-transgressions see although he did but beare our sins for he had not one sin of his own to answer for not the least sinless he ever was and sinless he will for ever be yet consider what expence he was at and what chastisements he bare what agonies of soul he laboured under what woundings he suffered what blood he shed what death he died and all ignominie and ten thousand times more then I can express did he passe through and all because he in infinite love to mankind would interpose and was content to be reputed as a sinner that he might satisfie for sin committed and repair the ruines sin had made and restore the losse sin had procured yet when I consider what wofull worke sin made on the humanity of the ETERNALL JESUS while on earth though being but laid on him not found in him how can I keep my blood from rising up against sin my sin that fetcht the heart-blood of Christ my Lord and crucified the Lord of Life the Lord of my Life too and caused his death for a season But had he been tainted in himself with the least sin of his own or been guiâ—ty of the least transgression or had he made the least failer in any of those many transactions enjoyned him by his Eternal Father for the redemption of mankind fallen or had he admitted of the least irregularity in all his life in thought word or action the nature of sin is such where ever it cleaveth and sticketh that the least scruple and mote would have infected a world of men and an heaven of angels and if Christ himself had been tainted with the lest sin imaginable he must have ceased from being a Saviour and Redeemer of others and from being God who is glorious in holiness and have sought for himself a Saviour and Redeemer or have lain under that guilt and pollution that his own sin had brought upon him and this the devill knew well enough when he attempted our blessed Lord Jesus with temptations of divers sorts that he might bring him to commit a sin which would have frustrated the merit of his redemption and undone both him and us if such a thing had been possible that Christ could have committed a sin So great an evil and so poisonous a plague is sin that it will doe that by it 's own maglignity which all the devils in hell cannot doe to me except I commit sin and yield to the solicitations and motions of mine own lust Can I now S. 27. if I have but the least love to Christ after such a consideration as this think sin to be no evil and that there is no great hurt in it much less think it lovely should I not rather think sin to be the greatest evil in the world more terrible then all the most astonishing and lothsome diseases that are incident to humanity is it not far better for one to undergoe all the afflictions and bodily punishments in this life then to have his soul infected with sin or to lie under the guilt or burden of one sin alone is it not much better to be a poor Saint then a rich sinner an humble penitent then an honourable reprobate would I not a thousand times rather have my whole life accompanied with variety of troubles without sin then to be quite freed from all afflictions with the being and adhesion of one sin though but one and that the least Oh my soul God may love thee though never so sorely afflicted as sometime Job was and his love is life and riches and far better then all but if thou be never so rich and great and healthy and be hated of God Oh how miserable art thou Shall I continue in sin then S. 28. God forbid Never let my soul close with that which God so perfectly hates and will as certainly punish first or last where ever he finds it and him with whom he finds it and who can hide himself or his sin from the all-seeing God or withstand his power punishing alas not one in the world And shall I attempt to sin S. 29. which I may doe and then to hide it which I shall never be able to do from the eye of God nor shall I ever be able to withstand the stroke or stand under the wrath of him that will not spare when he means to take vengeance of sin and then poor wretch what will become of thee when thy unpardoned sins thine own wickedness shall be laid on thee and together with them the insupportable wrath of the Almighty Ah sin thou hast undone millions already and wilt ruine me also if I keep thee I am sorry I have been so well acquainted with thee so long that I have been deceived by thee so often 't is too much I have served thee and the devil by sinning O Lord that I may henceforth renounce all my wickedness and lothe every one of my sins and the womb that bears them Jam. 1.14 15. even my lusts it will never be well with thee O my soul untill I am delivered from the power guilt and filthiness of my sins 3. I consider S. 30. that if sin in its nature be so pestilent and of such dreadfull consequence and malevolent aspect working the destruction of the subject where ere it fastens and remains then must I expect the same dealing from my own lusts and sinfull acts if I continue in my sin nourish and feed my lusts as others have by sad experience found from their sins and 't is past dispute that every sin in particular every transgression of mine every evil motion within me every act of sin is of the very same nature and tendencie and hath the same poisonous quality and the same contrariety enmity and malignity against God and goodness as the whole kind of sin in the masse 't is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and of the same father the devill and bears his very image and doth the same thing it sights against heaven and my own souls happiness it will destroy infallibly if I keep it and cherish it with me If I practice theft or covetousness S. 31. or whoredome or drunkenness or lying or swearing or any other sin frequently or but once am I not a sinner have I not transgressed the whole law St. James tells me that if I offend in one point I am guilty of all Jam. 2.10 that is I have broken the Law of God and am guilty of the breach of the whole law by so doing not that I have committed every individuall sin forbidden but I have contracted transgressing in one point the guilt of high treason against my Soveraign Lord the supreme law-giver And why should I imagine that the littleness of my sin should lessen the transgression S. 32. My Lord Christ saith That whosoever shall
redeemed ones Heb. 12.22 23 24. and never come to that heavenly Mount Sion the City of the living God to that innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly of the first-born which are written in heaven shall I hinder my self of the happy condition of the spirits of just men made perfect Oh shall I disappoint my soul of the sight fruition and eternall enjoyment of my Jesus my Lord my redeemer who loved me and died forme and is in heaven preparing a place for his followers all true believers shall I miss him whom my soul loveth can I endure to be any where but where he is will any place content me for my rest and hapess but his armes and eternall embracements Oh Jesus how can I now without breaking my heart once think of being separated from thee one moment it would be an hell upon earth to think that it should be a separation for ever from that lovely loving melting heart and bosome of my Lord and Saviour Yea cursed be that tempter and temptation that would make me do that again that might deprive my poor soul of the enjoyment of my Lord Christ which is all the heaven and happiness I desire so I may be with him for ever with thee dear Jesus for ever And this is enough I crave no more and with less then this enough I cannot be satisfied I must have Christ for my heaven and my heaven where Christ is or I am undone give me saith my soul Christ or I die let me have him let my portion be Christ and then I shall be richly satisfied dear Lord bring me home to thy kingdome where thou dwellest where thou reignest that I may be where thou art for ever I desire I say no more and thus much I cannot be without Now sin will not only deprive me of this happiness S. 64.4 and put me under this irreparable loss but it will if I continue in a state of sinning bring me into and leave me for ever under INSUPPORTABLE TORMENTS my sin will infallibly bring me to HELL I must be damned for it 't is a quick word a severe word and a terrible word DAMNATION is and yet the expression is not so significantly dreadfull as the thing the term pincheth not the sinner but the thing will hell is a place of torment as well as darkness not one drop of water to cool the inflamed tongue or to quench those everlasting flames not one accent of comfort shall ever be heard spoken to a damned sinner nor one moment of ease shall ever be had After Christ hath once said Mat. 25.41 Depart from me thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels then immediatly is the miserable sinner clapt into prison and put into the same state with devils how doth every word of that sentence pierce the heart of a condemned sinner DEPART alas whither shall I go muâ—â— I depart whether I will or no is there no remedy for me alas from thee Lord why to whom should I go then if I must depart from thee I am lost and undone what from my Lord in whose presence is joy in whose favour is life only no happiness but with thee and must I depart from THEE may I not be admitted to stay so much as in thy sight where I may have a glimpse of THEE and be blessed sometimes with a crumb of thy favour among thy meanest servants No! depart from me ye CURSED oh killing accent what must I depart and from thee and not have thy blessing not so much as I blesse thee in the name of the Lord and go in peace what not a kind word from thee to comfort me in my distresses must I have thy curse with me too oh this is wounding my Lord can say no more to the very devills then to call them ACCURSED and must I fare no better Oh cursed the day that I was born why did I ever see a day to come to this dark and dismall day to be CURSED and banished with a CURSE why if it must be so that I must depart from thee and with a curse at my back let me be banished into some corner of the earth let me be buried under some mountain let me lie as one forgotten let me hear no more of my faults nor feel my misery No no depart from me ye cursed into EVERLASTING FIRE Oh terrible what into fire must I burn and be tormented why who can endure to be burnt must I lie down in flames oh that I might be quickly consumed then and cease to be that I might feel no pain then 't is a thousand times better not to be then to be thus miserable may I not have the favour to be turned into nothing rather then into burnings or let me be tormented but for ten thousand years and then gain at length thy favour Voluisset reprobus si potuisset sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare Greg. No 't is too easie a punishment for such a sinner who wouldest sin eternally if thou hadst been to live eternally on the earth thou didst continue in sin all thy life-time which was all the eternity thou hadst and wouldest do so alway if thou hadst been to live always therefore now thy lot is an eternal curse an everlasting fire without mitigation without limitation no ease there no redemption thence no end of that torment 't is everlasting fire But will not the Lord abate somewhat of the heat and fierceness of that fire S. 65. No 't is PREPARED and prepared for Gods greatest enemies 't is such and alltogether such as is prepared for the torments of devills Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire PREPARED for the DEVIL and his ANGELS what must a vile sinner have no better company in his misery then the cursed devils and his cursed crew to all eternity No! no other they that were thy companions in evil will be thy tormentors thou wilt curse them and they will curse thee and all will curse themselves and Jesus Christ will curse them all and to all eternity shall those wretches that live in their sin and will not be in time reformed be cursed and shut up into that condition with finall despair for the reprobate wretch shall be tormented to all eternity and they shall know so much and despair shall seife upon them as a part of their torment O sinner whoever thou art that readest this reflect on thy self now S. 66. and seriously consider what 't is to live in sin here and to refuse amendment and to despise admonition and not to reform thy life and get thy sins pardoned and soul sanctified and thy self throughly converted ere it be too late Consider I say what thy sin will bring thee to it will bring thee to hell-torments S. 67. to the region of horror to flames unquenchable to Legions of devils to the spirits of wicked men made most