that if you will walk by this rule your very thoughts and inward motions must be under government Again that they are very strict and self-denying quite contrary to the grain of your natural inclinations Mat. 16. 24. You must take the strait gate the narrow way and be content to have the flesh curbed from the liberty that it desires Mat. 7. 14. In a word that they are very large for the commandment is exceeding broad Psal. 119. 66. Secondly rest not in generals for there 's much deceit in that but bring down thy heart to the particular commands of Christ. Those Jews in the Prophet seemed as well resolved as any in the world and call God to witness that they meant as they said But they stuck in generals When Gods command crosses their inclination they will not obey Ier. 42. 1 2 3 4 5 6. compared with ch 43 v. 2. Take the Assemblies larger Catechism and see their excellent and most compendious exposition of the Commandments and put thy heart to it Art thou resolved in the strength of Christ to set upon the conscientious practice of every duty that thou findest to be there required of thee and to set against every sin that thou findest there forbidden This is the way to be sound in Gods statutes that thou maist never be ashamed Psal. 119 80. Thirdly Observe the special duties that thy heart is most against and the special sins that 't is most inclin'd unto and see whether it be truly resolved to perform the one and forgo the other What sayst thou to thy bosom sin thy gainful sin What sayst thou to costly and hazardous and flesh-displeasing duties If thou haltest here and dost not resolve by the grace of God to cross thy flesh and put to it thou art unsound Psal. 18. 23. Psal. 119. 6. Dir. X. Let all this be compleated in a solemn Covenant between God and thy soul. Psal. 119. 106. Neb. 10. 29. For thy better help therein take these few Directions First set apart some time more than once to be spent in secret before the Lord. 1. In seeking earnestly his special assistance and gracious acceptance of thee 2. In considering distinctly all the terms or conditions of the Covenant expressed in the form hereafter proposed 3. In searching thine heart whether thou art sincerely willing to forsake all thy sins and to resign up thy self body and soul unto God and his service to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of thy life Secondly Compose thy spirit into the most serious frame possible suitable to a transaction of so high importance Thirdly Lay hold on the Covenant of God and rely upon his promise of giving grace and strength whereby thou maist be enabled to perform thy promise Trust not to thine own strength to the strength of thine own resolutions but take hold on his strength Fourthly Resolve to be faithful having engaged thine heart opened thy mouth and subscribed with thine hand unto the Lord resolve in his strength never to go back Lastly Being thus prepared on some convenient time set apart for the purpose set upon the work and in the most solemn manner possible as if the Lord were visibly present before thine eyes fall down on thy knees and spreading forth thine hands towards Heaven open thine heart to the Lord in these or the like words O Most dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy Door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by nature a son of Death and a thousand-fold more the child of Hell by my wicked Practice But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of Thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my weapons submit my self to thy Mercy And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with Thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but Conscientiously to use all the means that I know thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from Thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practise this my resolution through thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world rather than to turn from thee to the ways of sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous rags I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone done creature without righteousness or strength And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most Graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God with all possible veneration bowing the neck of my soul under the feet of thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take thee the Lord Iehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my portion and chief good and do give up my self body and soul for thy servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my soul accept of him as the only new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly join my self in a marriage-Covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsome polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory but sith such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love and honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine Offices I
renounce mine own worthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own wisdom and do here take thee for mine only Guide I renounce mine own will and take thy will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here Covenant with thee to take my lot as it falls with thee and by thy Crace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy Laws as the rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoak and set my shoulder to thy burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my Duty Only because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation beseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein thou wouldst discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now Glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father that ever thou shouldest find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty power hast turned about my heart from sin to God O dreadful Iehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant-friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on earth let it be ratified in Heaven The Author's advice THis Covenant I advise you to make not only in Heart but in Word not only in Word but in Writing and that you would with all possible reverence spread the Writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed. And when you have done this set your hand to it Keep it as a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you that you may have recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations Dir. XI Take heed of delaying thy Conversion and set upon a speedy and present turning I made hast and delayed not Psal. 119. 59. Remember and tremble at the sad instance of the â—oolish Virgins that came not till the door of mercy was shut Mat. 25. and of a convinced Felix that put off Paul to another season and we never find that he had such a season more Act. 24. 25. O come in while it 's called to day lest thou shouldest be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin lest thy day of Grace should be over and the things that belong to thy peace should be hid from thine eyes Now mercy is wooing of thee Now Christ is waiting to be gracious to thee and the Spirit of God is striving with thee Now Ministers are calling now Conscience is stirring now the Market is open and Oyl may be had thou hast opportunity for the buying Now Christ is to be had for the taking Oh! strike in with the offers of Grace Oh! now or never If thou make light of this offer God may swear in his wrath thou shalt never tast of his Supper Luke 14. 24. Dir. XII Attend conscientiously upon the word as the means appointed for thy Conversion Iames 1. 18. 19. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Attend I say not customarily but Conscientiously with this desire design hope and expectation that thou maist be converted by it Every sermon thou hearest come with this thought Oh I hope God will now come in I hope this may be the time this may be the man by whom God will bring me home When thou art coming to the Ordinances lift up thine heart thus to God Lord let this be the Sabbath let this be the season wherein I may receive renewing Grace Oh let it be said that to day such a one was born unto thee Object Thou wilt say I have been long a hearer of the word and yet it hath not been effectual to my Conversion Answer Yea but thou hast not attended upon it in this manner as a means of thy Conversion nor with this design nor praying for and expecting of this happy effect of it Dir. XIII Strike in with the Spirit when he begins to work upon thy heart When he works convictions Oh do not stifle them but joyn in with him and beg the Lord to carry on convictions to conversion Quench not the Spirit do not out-strive him do not resist him Beware of putting out convictions by evil company or worldly business When thou findest any troubles for sin and fears about thine eternal State beg of God that they may never leave thee till they have wrought off thy heart throughly from sin and wrought it over to Jesus Christ. Say to him Strike home Lord leave not the work in the midst If thou seest that I am not yet wounded enough that I am not troubled enough wound me yet deeper Lord. Oh go to the bottom of my corruptions let out the life blood of my sins Thus yield up thy self to the workings of the Spirit and hoise thy sails to his gusts Dir. XIV Set upon the constant and diligent use of serious and fervent prayer He that neglects prayer is a prophane and unsanctified sinner Iob 15. 4. He that is not constant in prayer is but an Hypocrite Iob 27. 10. unless the omission be contrary to his ordinary course under the force of some instant temptation This is one of the first things that Conversion appears in that it sets men on praying Act 9. 11. Therefore set to this dutyâ— Let never a day pass over thee wherein thou hast not morning and evening set apart some time for set and solemn prayer in secret Call thy family also together daily and duly to worship God with thee Wo unto thee if thine be found amongst the families that call not on Gods name Ier. 10. 25. But cold and lifeless devotions will not reach half way to Heaven Be fervent and importunate Importunity will carry it But without violence the Kingdom of Heaven will
and to follow thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Who am I Lord that I should make any claim to thee or have any part or portion in thee who am not worthy to lick up the dust of thy feet Yet since thou holdest forth the golden Scepter I am bold to come and touch To despair would be to disparage thy mercy and to stand off when thou biddest me come would be at once to undo my self and rebel against thee under pretence of humility Therefore I bow my soul unto thee and with all possible thankfulness accept thee as mine and give up my self to thee as thine Thou shalt be Soveraign over me my King and my God Thou shalt be in the Throne and all my powers shall bow to thee they shall come and worship before thy feet Thou shalt be my portion O Lord and I will rest in thee Thou callest for my heart Oh that it were any way fit for thine acceptance I am unworthy O Lord everlastingly unworthy to be thine But since thou wilt have it so I freely give up my heart to thee Take it it is thine Oh that it were better But Lord I put it into thy hands who alone canst mend it Mould it after thine own heart make it as thou wouldst have it holy humble heavenly soft tender flexible and write thy law upon it Come Lord Jesus come quickly enter in triumphantly take me up for thy self for ever I give up to thee I come to thee as the only way to the Father as the only Mediator the means ordained to bring me to God I have destroyed my self but in thee is my help Save Lord or else I perish I come to thee with the rope about my neck I am worthy to dye and to be damned Never was the hire more due to the servantâ— never was penny more due to the labourer than death and Hell my just wages is due to me for my sins But I fly to thy merits I trust alone to the value and virtue of thy Sacrifice and prevalency of thine intercession I submit to thy teaching I make choice of thy Government Stand open ye everlasting doors that the King of Glory may enter in O thou spirit of the most high the comforter and sanctifier of thy chosen come in with all thy glorious train all thy Courtly attendants thy fruits and Graces Let me be thine habitation I can give thee but what is thine own already but here with the poor Widdow I cast my two mites my soul and my body into thy treasury fully resigning them up to thee to be sanctified by thee to be servants to thee They shall be thy patients cure thou their maladies they shall be thy agents govern thou their motions Too long have I served the world too long have I hearkened to Satan but now I renounce them all and will be ruled by thy dictates and directions and guided by thy counsel O blessed Trinity O glorious Unity I deliver up my self to thee receive me write thy name O Lord upon me and upon all that I have as thy proper goods Set thy mark upon me upon every member of my body and every faculty of my soul. I have chosen thy precepts Thy law will I lay before me this shall be the copy which I will keep in my eye and study to write after According to this rule do I resolve by thy Grace to walk after this law shall my whole man be governed And though I cannot perfectly keep one of thy Commandments yet I will allow my self in the breach of none I know my flesh will hang back but I resolve in the power of thy Grace to cleave to thee and thy holy ways whatever it cost me I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee and therefore I will be content with reproach and difficulties and hardships here and will deny my self and take up my Cross and follow thee Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie thy Cross is welcome as it is the way to thee I lay aside all hopes of a worldly happiness I will be content to tarry till I come to thee Let me be poor and low little and despised here so I may be but admitted to live and reign with thee hereafter Lord thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians never to be reversed To this I will stand in this resolution by Grace I will live and dye I have â—worn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have given my free consent I have made my everlasting choice Lord Jesus confirm the contract Amen CHAP. VII Containing the Motives to Conversion THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversionâ— and of the Miseries of the Unconverted might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present turning or Conversion unto God yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is I have thought it necessary to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ some Motives to perswade you hereunto O Lord fail me not now at my last attempts If any soul hath read hitherto and be yet untouched now Lord fasten in him and do thy work Now take him by the heart overcome him perswade him till he say Thou hast prevailed for thou wast stronger than I. Lord didst not thou make me a fisher of men And have I toyled all this while and caught nothing Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought And now I am casting my last Lord Iesus stand thou upon the shore and direct how and where I shall spread my net and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for that they may not be able to get out Now Lord for a multitude of souls now for a full draught O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me this once O God But I turn me unto you Men and Brethren Heaven and earth do call upon you yea hell it self doth preach the doctrine of repentance unto you The Angels of the Churches travel with you Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you for your repenting and turning unto God O sinner why should the devils make merry with thee Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan Why should harpies and hell-hounds tear thee and make a feast upon thee and when they have got thee into the snare and have fastened their talons in thee laugh at thy destruction and deride thy misery and sport themselves with thy damnable folly This must be thy case except thou turn And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels than a laughing-stock and sport for devils Verily if thou wouldst but come in the Heavenly Host would take up their anthems and sing Glory be to God in the highest the morning Stars would sing together
with whom God is scarce in all your thoughts that are so ignorant that you cannot or so careless that you will not pray O repent and be converted break off your sins by righteousness away to Christ for pardoning and renewing grace give up your selves to him to walk with him in holiness or else you shall never see God Oh that you would take the warnings of God ◠In his name I once more admonish you Turn you at my reproof Prov. 1. 23. Forsake the foolish and live Prov. 9. 6. Be sober righteous godly Tit. 2. 12. Wash your hands you sinners purify your hearts ye double minded Iames 4. 8. Cease to do evil learn to do well Esay 1. 16 17. But if you will on you must die Ezek. 33. 11. CHAP. II. Shewing positively what Conversion is I May not leave you with your eyes half opened as he that saw men as trees walking Mar. 8. 24. The word is profitable for doctrine as well as reproof 2 Tim. 3. 16. And therefore having thus far conducted you by the shelves and rocks of so many dangerous mistakes I would guide you at length into the harbour of truth Conversion then in short lies in the thorow change both of the heart and life I shall briefly describe it in its nature and causes 1. The Author of it is the spirit of God and therefore it is called the sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes. 2. 13. and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Yet not excluding the other persons in the Trinity For the Apostle teacheth us to bless the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for that he hath begotten us again 1 Pet. 1. 3. and Christ is said to give repentance to Israel Acts 5. 31. and is called the everlasting Father Esay 9. 6. and we his seed and the children which God hath given him Heb. 2. 13. Esay 53. 10. Oh blessed birth Seven Cities contended for the birth of Homer but the whole Trinity fathers the new creature Yet is this work principally ascribed to the Holy Ghost and so we are said to be born of the Spirit Iohn 3. 8. So then it is a work above mans power We are born not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 13. Never think thou canst convert thy self If ever thou wouldst be savingly converted thou must despair of doing it in thine own strength Ier. 31. 18. It is a resurrection from the dead Rev. 20. 5. Eph. 2. 1. a new creation Gal. 6. 15. Eph. 2. 10. a work of absolute omnipotency Eph. 1. 19. Are not these out of the reach of humane power If thou hast no more than thou hadst by thy first birth a good nature a meek and chast temper c. thou art a very stranger to true Conversion This is a supernatural work 2. The moving cause is Internal or External The Internal mover is only free grace Not by works of righteousness which we have done but of his own mercy he saved us by the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Of his own will begat he us Iames 1. We are chosen and called unto Sanctification not for it Eph. 1. 4. God finds nothing in man to turn his heart but to turn his stomach enough to provoke his loathing nothing to provoke his love Look back upon thy self O Christian. Take up thy verminous rags Look upon thy self in thy blood Ez. 16. 6. O reflect upon thy swinish nature thy filthy swill thy once beloved mire 2 Pet. 2. Canst thou think without loathing of thy trow and draugh Open thy Sepulchre Mat. 23. 27. Art not thou almost struck dead with the hellish damp Behold thy putrid soul thy loathsome members O stench unsufferable if thou dost but sense thine own putrefaction Psal. 14. 3. Behold thy ghastly visage thy crawling lusts thy slime and corruption Do not thine own cloths abhor thee Ioh 9. 31. How then should holiness and purity love thee Be astonied O Heavens at this be moved O earth Ier. 2. 12. Who but must needs cry Grace Grace Zech. 4. 7. Hear and blush you children of the most High O how unthankful generation That free grace is no more in your mouths in your thoughts no more adored admired commended by such as you One would think you should be nothing but praising and admiring God where ever you are How can you make a shift to forget such grace or to pass it over with a slight and seldom mention What but free grace should move God to love you unless enmity could do it or deformity could do it unless vomit or rottenness could do it How affectionately doth Peter lift up his hands Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who of his Abundant mercy hath begotten us again 1 Pet. 1. 3. How feelingly doth Paul magnifie the free mercy of God in it God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith be loved us bath quickened us together with Christ by Grace are ye saved Eph. 2. 4 5. The External mover is the merit and intercession of the blessed Iesus He hath obtained gifts for the rebellious Psal. 68. 18. and through him it is that God worketh in us what is well pleasing in his sight Heb. 13. 21. Through him are all spiritual blessings bestowed upon us in Heavenly things Eph. 1. 3. He intercedeth for the Elect that believe not Iohn 17. 20. Every Convert is the fruit of his travel Esay 53. 11. Oh never was infant born into the world with that difficulty that Christ endured for us How emphatically he groaneth in his travel All the pains that he suffered on his Cross they were our birth-pains Act. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pulls and throws that Christ endured for us He is made Sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. He sanctified himself that is set apart himself as a Sacrifice that we might be sanctified Ioh. 17. 19. We are sanctified through the offering of his body once for all Heb. 10. 10. 'T is nothing then without his own bowels but the merit and intercession of Christ that prevails with God to bestow upon us converting grace If thou art a new creature thou knowest to whom thou owest it to Christ's pangs and prayers Hence the natural affection of a believer to Christ. The foal doth not more naturally run after the dam nor the suckling to the dugs than a believer to Jesus Christ. And whither else shouldst thou go If any in the World can shew that for thy heart that Christ can let them carry it Doth Satan put in doth the world court thee doth sin sue for thy heart Why were these crucified for thee 1 Cor. 1. 13. O Christian love and serve thy Lord while thou hast a being Do not even the Publicans love those that love them And shew kindness to those that are kind to them Matth. 5. 46 47. 3. The Instrument is either Personal or Real The Personal
Luke 14. 26. Well then pause a little and look within Doth not this nearly concern thee Thou pretendest for Christ but doth not the world sway thee Dost thou not take more real delight and content in the world than in him Dost not thou find thy self better at ease when the world goes to thy mind and thou art encompassed with carnal delights than when retired to prayer and meditation in thy closet or attending upon Gods word and worship No surer evidence of an unconverted state than to have the things of the world uppermost in our aims love and estimations 1 Iohn 2. 15. Iames 4. 4. With the sound Convert Christ hath the supremacy How dear is this name to him How precious is its favour Cant. 1. 3. Psal. 45. 8. The name of Jesus is engraven upon his heart Gal. 4. 19. and lies as a bundle of myrrh between his breasts◠Cant. 1. 13 14. Honour is but air and laughter is but madness and Mammon is fallen like Dagon before the ark with hands and head broken off on the threshold when once Christ is savingly revealed Here is the pearl of great price to the true Convert here is his treasure here is his hope Matth. 13. 44 45. This is his glory My beloved is mine and I am his Gal. 6. 14. Cant. 2. 16. Oh 't is sweeter to him to be able to say Christ is mine than if he could say the Kingdom is mine the Indies are mine Fourthly our own righteousness Before Conversion man seeks to cover himself with his own fig-leaves Phil. 3. 6 7. and to lick himself whole with his own duties Mic. 6. 6 7. He is apt to trust in himself Luke 16. 15. and 18. 9. and set up his own righteousness and to reckon his counters for Gold and not submit to the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 3. But Conversion changes his mind now he casts away his filthy rags and counts his own righteousness but a menstruous cloth he casts it off as a man would the verminous tatters of a nasty beggar Esay 64. 6. Now he is brought to poverty of spirit Matth. 5. 3. complains of and condemns himself Rom. 7. and all his inventory is poor and miserable and wretched and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. He sees a world of iniquity in his holy things calls his once idolized righteousness but flesh and loss and dogs meat and would not for a thousand worlds be found in himself Phil. 3. 4 7 8◠9. His finger is ever upon his sores Psal. 51. 3. his sins his wants Now he begins to set a high price upon Christs righteousness he sees the need of a Christ in every duty to justifie his person and justifie his performances he cannot live without him he cannot pray without him Christ must go with him or else he cannot come into the presence of God he leans upon the hand of Christ and so he bows himself in the house of his God He sets himself down for a lost undone man without him His life is hid in Christ as the life of man in the heart He is fixed in Christ as the roots of the tree spread in the earth for stability and nutriment Before the news of a Christ was a stale and sapless thing but now how sweet is a Christ Augustine could not relish his before so much admired Cicero because he could not find the name of Christ. How pathetically cries he Dulcissime amantis benignis claris c. quando te videbo quando satiabor de pulchritudine tuâ Medit. c. 37. O most sweet most loving most kind most dear most precious most desired most lovely most fair c. all in a breath when he speaks of and to his Christ. In a word the voice of the Convert is with the Martyr None but Christ. 2. The terms to which are either Vltimate or Subordinate and mediate The Vltimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost whom the true Convert takes as his All-sufficient and eternal blessedness A man is never truly sanctified till his very heart be in truth set upon God above all things as his portion and chief good These are the natural breathings of a believers heart Thou art my portion O Lord Psal. 119. 57. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord Psal. 34. 2. My expectation is from him he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defence in God is my salvation and my glory the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God Psal. 62. 1 2 5 6 ◠Psal. 18. 1 2. Would you put it to an issue whether you be converted or not now then let thy soul and all that is within thee attend Hast thou taken God for thy happiness Where doth the content of thy heart lie Whence doth thy choicest comfort come in Come then and with Abraham lift up thine eyes Eastward and Westward and Northward and Southward and cast about thee what it is that thou wouldst have in Heaven or earth to make thee happy If God should give thee thy choice as he did to Solomon or should say to◠thee as Ahasuerus to Esther What is thy petition and what is thy request and it shall we granted thee Esther 5. 3. what wouldst thou ask Go into the gardens of pleasure and gather all the fragrant flowers from thence would these content thee Go to the treasures of Mammon suppose thou mightest lade thy self while thou wouldst from hence go to the towers to the trophies of honour what thinkest thou of being a man of renown of having a name like the name of the great men of the earth Would any of this all this suffice thee and make thee count thy self a happy man If so then certainly thou art carnal and unconverted If not go further wade into the divine excellencies the store of his mercies the hiding of his power the deeps unfathomable of his All-sufficiency Doth this suit thee best and please thee most Dost thou say 'T is good to be here Matth. 17. 4. Here I will pitch here I will live and die Wilt thou let all the world go rather than this Then 't is well between God and thee Happy art thou O man happy art thou that ever thou wast born If a God can make thee happy thou must needs be happy for thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God Deut. 26. 17. Dost thou say to Christ as he to us Thy father shall be my father and thy God my God Iohn 20. 17. Here is the turning point An unsound professour never takes up his rest in God but converting grace does the work and so cures the fatal misery of the fall by turning the heart from its idols to the living God 1 Thes. 1. 9. Now saies the soul Lord whither should I go Thou hast the words of eternal life Iohn 6. 68. Here he centers here he settles Oh 't is as the entrance of Heaven to him to see his interest in God When he discovers
find eternal life in the broad way is to hope Christ will prove a false prophet 'T is David's plea I hope in thy word Psal. 119. 81. but this hope is against the word Shew me a word of Christ for thy hope that he will save thee in thine ignorance or prophane neglects of his service and I will never to to shake thy confidence 2. God doth with abhorrency reject this hope Those condemned in the Prophet went on in their sins yet saith the Text they will lean upon the Lord. Mic. 3. 11. God will not endure to be made a prop to men in their sins The Lord rejects those presumptuons sinners that went on still in their trespasses and yet would stay themselves upon the God of Israel Esay 48. 1 2. as a man would shake of the briars as one well that cleaves to his garment 3. If thy hope were any thing worth it would purify thee from thy sins 1 Iohn 3. 3. but cursed is that hope which doth cherish men in their sins Obj. Would you have us to despair An. You must despair of ever coming to Heaven as you are Act. 2. 37. that is while you remain unconverted You must despair ever to see the face of God without holiness but you must by no means despair of finding mercy upon your through repentance and conversion neither may you despair of attaining to repentance and conversion in the use of Gods means V. Without this all that Christ hath done and suffered will be as to you in vain Iohn 13. 8. Tit. 2. 14. that is it will no way avail to your salvation Many urge this as sufficient ground for their hopes that Christ died for sinners but I must tell you Christ never died to save impenitent and unconverted sinners so continuing 2 Tâ—m 2. 19. A great Divine was wont in his private dealings with souls to ask two questions 1. What hath Christ done for you 2. What hath Christ wrought in you Without the application of the spirit in Regeneration we can have no saving interest in the benefits of Redemption I tell you from the Lord Christ himself cannot save you if you go on in this estate I. It were against his trust The mediatour is the servant of the father Esay 42. 1. shews his commission from him acts in his name and pleads his command for his justification Iohn 10. 18 36. Iohn 6. 38 40. And God hath committed all things to him entrusted his own glory and the salvation of his elect with him Mat. 11. 27. Iohn 17. 2. Accordingly Christ gives his father an account of both parts of his trust before he leaves the world Iohn 17. 4 6 12. Now Christ should quite cross his fathers glory his greatest trust if he should save men in their sins for this were to overturn all his counsels and offer violence to all his attributes First To overturn all his counsels of which this is the order that men should be brought through sanctification to salvation 2. Thes. 2. 13. he hath chosen them that they should be holy Eph. 1. 4. They are elected to pardon and life through sanctification 1 Pet. 1. 2. If thou canst repeal the Law of Gods immutable counsel or corrupt him whom the Father hath sealed to go directly against his Commission then and not otherwise maist thou get to Heaven in this condition To hope that Christ will save thee while unconverted is to hope that Christ will falsify his trust He never did nor will save one soul but whom the Father had given him in election and drawn to him in effectual calling Iohn 6. 37 44. Be assured Christ will save none in a way contrary to his Fathers will who came on purpose to do his will Iohn 6. 38. Secondly To offer violence to all his attributes 1. To his Iustice. For the righteousness of Gods judgment lies in rendring to all according to their works Rom. 2. 5 6. Now should men sow to the flesh and yet of the spirit reap everlasting life Gal. 6. 7 8. where were the glory of divine Justice since it should be given to the wicked according to the work of the righteous 2. To his holiness If God should not only save sinners but save them in their sins his most pure and strict holiness would be exceedingly defaced The unsanctified is in the eyes of Gods holiness worse than a swine or viper Mat. 23. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Now what cleanly nature could endure to have the filthy swine bed and board with him in his parlour or bed chamber It would offer extremest violence to the infinite purity of the divine nature to have such to dwell with him They cannot stand in his judgment they cannot abide in his presence Psal. 1. 5. Psal. 5. 4 5. If holy David would not endure such in his house no nor in his sight Psal. 101. 3 7. shall we think God will Should he take men as they be from the trow to the table from the harlots lips from the sty and draugh to the glory of Heaven the world would think God were at no such distance from sin nor had such dislike of it as we are told he hath they would conclude God were altogether such a one as themselves as they wickedly did but from the very forbearance of God Psal. 50. 21. 3. To his veracity For God hath declared from Heaven That if any shall say they shall have peace though he should go on in the imagination of his heart his wrath shall smoak against that man Deut. 29. 19 20. That they only that confess and forsake their sins shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. That they that shall enter into his â—ill must be of clean hands and a pure heart Psal. 24. 3 4. Where were Gods truth if notwithstanding all this he â—hould bring men to salvation without Conversion O desperate sinner that darest to hope that Christ will put the lie upon his Father and nullify his word to save thee 4. To his wisdom For this were to throw away the choicest mercies on them that would not value them nor were any way suited to them First they would not value them The unsanctified sinner puts but little price upon Gods great salvation Mat. 22. 5. He sets no more by Christ than the whole by the physician Mat. 9. 12. he prizes not his balm values not his cure tramples upon his blood Heb. 10. 29. Now would it stand with wisdom to force pardon and life upon them that would give him no thanks for them Will the all-wise God when he hath forbidden us to do it throw his holy things to dogs and his pearl to swine that would as it were but turn again and rent him Mat. 7. 6. This would make mercy to be despised indeed Wisdom requires that life be given in a way suitable to Gods honour and that God provide for the securing his own glory as well as mans felicity It would be dishonourable to God to set his
duty have I neglected towards God what sin have I lived in against my brother and now strike the darts through the heart of thy sin as Ioab did through Absalom's 2 Sam. 18. 14. Never stand looking upon thy sin nor rolling the morsel under thy tongue Iob 20. 12. but spit it out as poison with fear and detestation Alas what will thy sins do for thee that thou shouldst stick at parting with them They will flatter thee but they will undo thee and cut thy throat while they smile upon thee and poison thee while they please thee and arm the justice and wrath of the infinite God against thee They will open hell for thee and pile up fuel to burn thee Behold the gibbet that they have prepared for thee Oh serve them like Haman and do upon them the execution they would else have done upon thee Away with them crucify them and let Christ only be Lord over thee Dir. VI. Make a solemn choice of God for thy portion and blessedness Deut. 26. 17. With all possible devotion and veneration avouch the Lord for thy God Set the world with all its glory and paint and gallantry with all its pleasures and promotions on the one hand and set God with all his infinite excellencies and perfections on the other and see that thou do deliberately make thy choice Iosh. 24. 15. Take up thy rest in God Iohn 6. 68. Set thee down under his shadow Cant. 2. 3. Let his promises and perfections turn the scale against all the world Settle it upon thy heart that the Lord is an all-sufficient portion that thou canst not be miserable while thou hast a God to live upon Take him for thy shield and exceeding great reward God alone is more than all the world Content thy self with him Let others carry the preferments and glory of the world place thou thy happiness in his favour and the light of his countenance Psal. 4. 6 7. Poor sinner thou art fallen off from God and hast engaged his power and wrath against thee Yet know that of his abundant grace he doth offer to be thy God again in Christ. 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. What sayest thou man Wilt thou have the Lord for thy God Why take this counsel and thou shalt have him Come to him by his Christ. Iohn 14. 6. Renounce the idols of thine own pleasure gain reputation 1 Thess. 1. 9. let these be pulled out of the Throne and set Gods interest upmost in thine heart Take him as God to be chief in thine affections estimations intentions for he will not endure to have any set above him Rom. 1. 25. Psal. 73. 25. In a word thou must take him in all his personal relations and in all his essential perfections First In all his personal relations God the Father must be taken for thy Father Ier. 3. 4 19 22. O come to him with the Prodigal Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am not worthy to be called thy Son but since of thy wonderful mercy thou art pleased to take me that am of my self a dog a swine a devil to be thy child I solemnly take thee for my father I commend my self to thy care and trust to thy providence and cast my burden on thy shoulders I depend on thy provision and submit to thy correction and trust under the shadow of thy wings hide in thy chambers fly to thy name I renounce all confidence in my selfâ— I repose my confidence in thee I depose my concernments with thee I will be for thee and for no other Again God the Son must be taken for thy Saviour for thy Redeemer and righteousness Iohn 1. 2. He must be accepted as the only way to the Father and the only means of life Heb. 7. 25. Oh then put off the raiment of thy captivity on with the wedding garment and go and marry thy self to Jesus Christ. Lord I am thine and all that I have my body my soul my name my estate I send a bill of divorce to my other lovers I give my heart to thee I will be thine undividedly thine everlastingly I will set thy name on all I have and use it only as thy goods as thy loan during thy leave resigning all to thee I will have no King but thee reign thou over me Other Lords have had dominion over me but now I will make mention of thy name only and do here take an oath of fealty to thee promising and vowing to serve and love and fear thee above all competitours I disavow mine own righteousness and despair of ever being pardoned and saved for mine own duties or graces and lean only on thine all-sufficient sacrifice and intercession for pardon and life and acceptance before God I take thee for mine only guide and instructour resolving to be led and directed by thee and to wait for thy counsel and that thine shall be the casting voice with me Lastly God the Spiriâ— must be taken for thy Sanctifier Rom. 8. 9 14. Gal. 5. 16 18. for thine Advocate thy Counseller thy Comforter the teacher of thine ignorance the pledge and earnest of thine inheritance Rom. 8. 26. Psal. 73. 24. Iohn 14. 16. Eph. 1. 14. Iohn 14. 26. Eph. 4. 30. Awake thou Northwind and come thou South and blow upon my garden Cant. 4. 16. Come thou Spirit of the most high here is a house for thee here is a temple for thee Here do thou rest for ever dwell here and rule here Loe I give up the possession to thee full possession I send thee the keys of my heart that all may be for thy use that thou maist put thy goods thy graces into every room I give up the use of all to thee that every faculty and every member may be thine instrument to work righteousness and do the will of my Father which is in Heaven Secondly In all his essential perfections Consider how the Lord hath revealed himself to you in his word will you take him as such a God O sinner here 's the blessedst news that ever came to the sons of men The Lord will be thy God Gen. 17. 7. Rev 21. 3. if thou will but close with him in his excellencies Wilt thou have the merciful the gracious the sin-pardoning God to be thy God O yes saith the sinner I am undone else But he further tells thee I am the holy and sin-hating God If thou wilt be owned as one of my people thou must be holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. holy in heart holy in life Thou must put away all thine iniquities be they never so near never so natural never so necessary to the maintaining thy fleshly interest Unless thou will be at defiance with sin I cannot be thy God Cast out the leaven put away the evil of thy doings cease to do evil learn to do well or else I can have nothing to do with thee Esay 1. 16 17 18. Bring forth mine enemies or there is no
and all the sons of God shout for joy and celebrate this new creation as they did the first Thy repentance would as it were make holy-day in heaven and the glorious spirits would rejoyce in that there is a new brother added to their society Re. 22. 9. another heir born to their Lord and the lost son received safe and sound The true penitents tears are indeed the wine that cheereth both God and man If it be little that men and Angels would rejoyce at thy Conversion know that God himself would rejoyce over thee even with singing and rest in his love Luke 15. 9. Esay 62. 5. Never did old Iacob with such joy weep over the neck of his Ioseph as thy heavenly Father would rejoyce over thee upon thy coming in to him Look over the story of the Prodigal Methinks I see how the aged Father laies aside his state and forgets his years behold how he runneth Luke 15. 20. Oh the hast that mercy makes The sinner makes not half that speed Methinks I see how his bowels turn how his compassions yern How quick-sighted is love Mercy spies him a great way off forgets his riotous courses unnatural rebellion horrid unthankfulness debauched practices not a word of these but receives him with open arms clasps about his neck forgets the nastiness of his rags kisses the lips that deserve to be loathed the lips that had been joined to harlots that had been commoners with the swine calls for the fatted calf the best robe the ring the shooes the best cheer in Heavens store the best attire in Heavens wardrobe c. yea the joy cannot be held in one breast Luke 15. 6 9 23. others must be called to participate the friends must meet and make merry Angels must wait but the Prodigal must be set at the table under his Fathers wing He is the joy of the feast he is the sweet subject of the Fathers delight The friends sympathize but none knows the felicity the father takes in his new born son whom he hath received from the dead Methinks I hear the musick and the dancing at a distance Oh the melody of the Heavenly Choristers I cannot learn the song Rev. 14. 3. but methinks I over-hear the burden at which all the harmonious quire with one consent strikes sweetly in for thus goes the round at Heavens table For this my son was dead and is alive again was lost and is found Luke 15. 23 24 32. I need not farther explain the parable God is the Father Christ the cheer his righteousness the robe his graces the ornaments Ministers Saints Angels the friends and servants and thou that readest if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn the welcome Prodigal the happy instance of all this grace and the blessed subject of this joy love Oh Rock Oh Adamant What not moved yet not yet resolved to return forthwith and to close with mercy I will try thee yet once again If one were sent to thee from the dead wouldst thou be perswaded Why hear the voice from the dead from the damned crying to thee that thou shouldst repent I pray thee that thou wouldst send him to my fathers house for I have five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment If one went unto them from the dead they will repent Luke 16. 27 28 c. Hear O man thy Predecessors in impenitence preach to thee from the infernal gibbets from the flames from the rack that thou shouldst repent O look down into the bottomless pit Seest thou how the smoak of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever Rev. 14. 11. How black are those fiends How furious are their tormenters 'T is their only musick to hear how their miserable patients roar to hear their bones crack 'T is their meat and drink to see how their flesh friâ—â—h and their fat droppeth to drench them with burning metal and to rip open their bodies and pour in the fierce and fiery brass into their bowels and the recesses and ventricles of their hearts What thinkest thou of those chains of darkness of those instruments of cruelty Canst thou be content to burn Seest thou how the worm gnaweth how the oven gloweth how the fire â—ageth What sayst thou to that river of brimstone that dark and horrible vault that gulf of perdition Wilt thou take up thine habitation here Oh lay thine ear to the door of hell Hearâ—st thou the curses and the blasphemies the weepings and the wailings how they lament their folly and curse their day Mat. 22. 13. Rev. 16. 9. How do they roar and yâ—ll and gnash their teeth How deep are their groans how feeling are their moans how unconceivable their miseries If the shrieks of Korab Dathan and Abiram were so terrible when the earth clave asunder and opened her mouth and swallowed them up and all that appertain'd to them that all Israel flâ—sd at the cry of them Numb 16. 33. 34. oh how fearful would the cry be if God should take off the covering from the mouth of hell and let the cry of the damned ascend in all its terror among the children of men And of all their moans and miseries this is the piercing killing â—mphasis and burden for ever for ever Why as God liveth that made this soul thou art but a â—â—w hours distant from all this except thou râ—pâ—nt and be converteed Oh! I am even lost and swallowed up in the abundance of those arguments that I might suggest If there be any point of wisdom in all the world it is to repent and come in if there be any thing righteous any thing reasonable this is it If there be any thing in the world that may be called madness and folly any thing that may be counted sottish absurd bruitish unreasonable it is this to go on in thine unconverted estate Let me beg thee as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy thy self to sit down and weigh besides what hath been said these following Motives and let conscience speak if it be not reason that thou shouldst repent turn 1. The God that made thee doth most graciously invite thee First his most sweet and merciful nature doth invite thee Oh the kindnesses of God his working bowels his tender mercies They are infinitely above our thoughts higher than Heaven what can we do deeper than hell what can we know Iob 11. 7 8 9. He is full of compassions and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy Psal. 86. 15. This is a great argument to perswade sinners to come in Turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful sâ—â—w to anger of great kindness and repenâ—eth him of the evil If God would not repent of the evil it were some discouragement to us why we should not repent If there were no hope of mercy it were no such wonder if the rebel did stand out but never had subjects such a gracious Prince such piety patience clemency pity
Christian and restest in the form of godliness give over thy halving and thy halting be a throughout Christian and be zealous and repent and then though thou hast been an offence ot Christ's stomach thou shall be the joy of his heart Rev. 3. 16 19 20. And now bear witness that mercy hath been offered you I call heaven and earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that you may live Deut. 30. 19. I can but wooe you and warn you I cannot compel you to be happy if I could I would What answer will you send me with to my master Let me speak unto you as Abraham's servant to them And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master tell me Gen. 24. 49. Oh for such a happy answer as Rebekah gave to them Gen. 24. 57 58. And they said we will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth And they called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go Oh that I had but thus much from you Why should I be your accuser Mat. 10. 14 15. who thirst for your salvation Why should the passionate pleadings and wooings of mercy be turned into the horrid aggravations of your obstinacy and additions to your misery Judge in your own selves Do you not think their condemnation will be doubly dreadful that shall still go on in their sins after all endeavours to recall them Doubtless it shall be more toleable for Tyre and Sidâ—n yea for Sâ—dom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment than for such Mat. 11. 22. 24. Beloved if you have any pity for your perishing souls close with the present offers of mercy If you would not continue and increase the pains of your travelling Ministers do not stick in the birth If the God that made you have any authority with you obey his command and come in If you are not the despisers of grace and would not shut up the doors of mercy against your selves repent and be converted Let not Heaven stand open for you in vain Let not the Lord Jesus open his wares and bid you buy without money and without price in vain Let not his Ministers and his Spirit strive with you in vain and leave you now at last unperswaded lest the sentence go forth against you The bellows are burnt the lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vain Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ier. 6. 29 30. Father of Spirits take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness Do not thou have ended though I have done Half a word from thine effectual power will do the work O thou that hast the key of David that openest when no man shutteth open thou this heart as thou didst Lydia's and let the King of glory enter in and make this soul thy happy captive Let not the tempter harden him in delays Let him not stir from this place nor take his eyesfrom these lines till he be resolved to forgâ— his sins and to accept of life upon thy self-denying terms In thy name O Lord God did I go forth to these labours in thy name do I shut them up Let not all the time they have cost be but lost hours let not all the thoughts of heart and all the pains that have been about them be but lost labour Lord put in thine hand into the heart of this Reader and send thy Spirit as once thou didst Philip to joyn himself to the Chariot of the Eunuch while he was reading thy word And though I should never know it while I live yet I beseech thee Lord God let it be found at that day that some souls were converted by these labours and let some be able to stand forth and say that by these perswasions they were won unto thee Amen Amen Let him that readeth say Amen FINIS The Terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The Terms from which we must turn are Sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted The mediate Terms are either principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediatour who must thus be embraced The less Principal are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed