Jews Joh. 8. thought we may put away our wives we may swear we may hate our enemies we may kill the Prophets subject the Word of God to our traditions and follow our own lusts and yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their Father vers 41. Though by their leave Christ calls them bastards and finds out another Father for them ver 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do As indeed they did not long after 〈◊〉 they murthered the same Christ who was the onely Son of God which proved it sufficiently Even so will the worst of men in these days boast themselves Christians Such as do nothing but sin and make others to sin such as glory in and maintain their sins CHAP. VI. ONe minds nothing but his cups another nothing but his coine a third nothing but his Courtizan yet all these promise to meet in Heaven Yea there is scarce a man on earth but he thinks to go to Heaven Which yet is no wonder if you consider all For what the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3. is appliable to all that are in their natural condition Their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same Vail upon their hearts untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament which Vail when they shall turn to the Lord shall be taken away in Christ v. 14 15 16. Neither do they speak other than they think in this case as being of and holding that reprobate and yet common error of Unomius That faith without works will serve Onely believe and thou shalt be saved no matter how men live Whence it is they do not in the least doubt but to have benefit by the Gospel when yet they will not be tied to the least tittle of the Law Whence it is that most men walk in the broad way and yet every man thinks to enter in at the strait gate They will boldly do what God forbids and yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens But let all such read these two Scriptures and tremble The first is Deut. 29.19 20. where the Lord tells us exprefly that he will not be merciful to such as flatter themselves in an evil way but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoak against them and every curse that is written in his Book shall light upon them c. And the second is Prov. I. That if we will not regard nor hearken unto God when he calls upon us for repentance he will not hear nor râ—â—â—rd us when in our distress and anguish we shall call upon him for mercy but even laugh at our destruction and mock when our fear cometh v. 24 to 33. See other places to this purpose Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Matth. 25.30 41 to 64. and 3.10 These are Scriptures that would startle them were they not stark dead but all is one God they may hear but the Devil will they believe as it fared with our First Parents when they eat the forbidden fruit at the price of death eternal Sin like Opium brings them into a dead sleep and in sleeping they dream and suppose themselves good Christians Even as a Beggar may dream he is a King or a Traytor that he shall be crowned when he is to be beheaded and for the time be as much pleased therewith And so in this case whereof we have three most remarkable instances in the New Testament the one Rev. 3.17 another Luke 18.11.12 the third Mark 10.19 20. Which examples sufficiently declare that these mens saith is but a dream their hope but a dream their obedience but a dream their whole religion but a dream and so their assurance of salvation is but a dream They have Regeneration in conceit Repentance and righteousness in conceit they serve God well in conceit and they shall go to Heaven onely in conceit or in a dream and never wake until they feel themselves in the flames of Hell And the truth is were it not for Pride and Ignorance a world of men would be ashamed to have their faces seen abroad As but take away from mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations and the like you will leave the minds of most men and women but poor shrunken things full of melancholly indisposition and unpleasing to themselves O my brethren take heed of sinning away your reason lest by loss of conscience you become Atheists and by loss of reason beasts As what are these better than beasts for matter of reason For suppose they are as wicked as Devils in their lives yet this shall serve to blind conscience They have good hearts and mean well whatever their lives be When every wise man knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation Nor is there any evil in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream is first in the Fountain Out of the heart saith our Saviour proceed evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies Matth. 15.19 Yet we have good hearts and mean well Alas poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an Ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 and when a man thinks there is no deceit in it even in that he is most of all deceived Insomuch that every man hath need to pray O God defend me from my self for a mans own heart is as arch a traytor as any he shall meet withal we trust it too much and know it too little as it fared with Hazael 2 King 8.12 13. and Peter Matth. 26.33 and those Jews Act. 2.36 But though they know not their own hearts yet God knows them and others may know them For words and actions express our hearts to men as thoughts to God Why else does our Saviour say by their fruits ye shall know them Matth. 7.16 20. And again more expresly Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12. verse 34. Yea yet more fully A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things ver 35. But besides out warrant from Gods Word the tongue is the bewrayer of the heart says Pythagoras A man is by nothing better known then by his communication says Seneca The habit of the mind is best perceived by a mans talking saith Diogenes He who cannot rule his Tongue can much less rule his lusts says Socrates And another Evil speaking discovers an evil heart as the striking of the clapper does a broken Bell. Yea it were senseless to think the Fountain pure when the streams that flow from it are corrupt that Garlick should grow out of a Vine-stock That Wine should be in the Vessel when onely Vinegar comes forth Away than with
victory as Absalom strove with David whether the Father should be more kind to the Son or the Son more unkind to the Father As what think you That the road to Hell a place so wofull and dolorous should be so exceedingly thronged and the way to Heaven a place so blessed and glorious should be almost wholly neglected Matth. 7.13 14. John 5.19 Rev. 20.8 That Christ should lay down his life to ransom and redeem men from infinite intollerable and interminable torments and to purchase for them such pleasures as never entred into the heart of man to conceive and yet Satan that bloody devouring Dragon and vowed enemy of all mankind should have more Servants and Voluntiers than Christ and they do far more for him than Christs servants do for their Lord Rev. 3.4 and 13.16 Rom. 10.16 That men supposod rational should resolve to destroy themselves that they should love damnation that they should hate their own souls as well as holiness and the holy God and all for sin and vanity such a wretched emptiness this is the greatest folly and frenzy imaginable This above all deserves bitter lamentation yea what Sea of blood is enough to bemoan this foolish wicked and desperate madness CHAP. III. Quest BUt will you know how it comes to be so for the Word of God in this as in all other cases will acquaint us therewith Answ Many Reasons hereof might be collected from the Word but these few may serve Every man is born stark dead in sin and whereas the Word preached is spirit and life to quicken those that are dead in sin and to raise up those that are therewith cast down they will either not hear the Word as I think I may say that one half of the men and women in the Kingdom come not once a year within the Church doors It were good they were compelled to hear this Word of life which is the onely ordinary means of salvation Or if they do hear it they will not apply it to themselves or be reformed by it but contrarily resolve to continue their sins until at length the custom and reiteration of sin and rejecting the means brauns their hearts and blinds their minds Jer. 13.23 They will not receive the truth in love that they may be saved Therefore are given up to strong delusions to believe lies that they may be damned 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. They will not regard nor retain God in their thoughts therefore God gives them over to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 They will not take the Spirits counsel therefore the Spirit gives them up to walk in their own counsels Jer. 9.13 14 15. They think they have as good hearts as the best and therefore they will follow that deceitful guide Ezek. 14.3 4 5. They will not by any means that Christ can use understand nor be converted nor saved Therefore they shall not understand nor be converted nor saved Isa 6.9 10. Matth. 13.15 They will believe Satan that promises prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised to the Powder Traytors rather than believe God who threatens Hell and damnation if men do not repent of and forsake their sins Therefore God delivers them up to Satan so to be deluded that the light of the glorious of Gospel of Christ shall not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Eph. 2.2 2 Thes 2.9 10. Neither will they believe what is written until they feel what is written And therefore shall fire and brimstone confute them because nothing else will do it And let such take notice that when men reject all good means and refuse to serve the just and true God provoking him by their rebellious and damnable wickedness He in justice gives them over to the false namely the god of this world to be taught and governed by him Even as a just Judg having past sentence upon some hainous Malefactor gives him up to the Jaylor or Executioner as you may see by sundry places as 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. 1 Tim. 4.2 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 2.2 John 8.44 12.31 13.2 14.30 Acts 5.3 1 Chron. 21.1 Gen. 3.1 to 6. 15. Revel 2.10 2 Cor. 4.3 4. 1 Kings 22.20 21 22. Which being so no wonder there should be so many Athiests and so few Christians in this our Goshen where hath been such preaching that no people in the world enjoy the like True they will not believe that Satan hath any power over them no they defie the Devil and all his works But if the Word of God be true they are the devils captives at his command and ready to do his will For he rules over and works in them his pleasure as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 2.2 3. Yea he enters into them and puts it into their hearts what he will have them to do John 13.2 Acts 5.3 1 Chron. 21.1 Opens their mouths speaks in and by them Gen. 3.1 6. Stretcheth out their hands and they act as he will have them Acts 12.1 2. Revel 2.10 He being their God 2 Cor. 4.4 their King John 12.31 â—4 30 and their Father Gen. 3.15 John 8.44 Which being so no wonder men should be so mistaken in judging themselves Christians while they are indeed worse enemies to Christ and his Gospel then are meer Heathens No wonder when onely those that are spiritual can judge of spiritual things For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Again It were impossible were it not for the fore-going reasons that in the midst of so much light and means of grace so few should be converted For otherwise the Word of God is so powerful and the Gospel so ravishing that the world could not stand before it without submitting to it Yea were it not for this how were it possible that we who are as traytors condemned to suffer eternal torments in Hell fire being onely reprieved for a time should hear the Gospel and glad tidings of salvation day after day and year after year Which is the strong arm of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword c. Eph. 6.17 Jer. 23.29 30. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Heb. 4.12 And wherein God offers us a pardon in tendering Christ unto us upon the condition of faith and repentance which is such a spectacle of unspeakable mercy as might ravish our souls with admiration and stand it out and being so far from accepting a pardon thankfully that we refuse and contemn it yea in a manner deride the offer For we oppose the Gospel and persecute Christ in his members either with hand or tongue or both and are so far from imitating Christ or observing his precepts in being holy our selves that we most of us hate and scoff at holiness in others Here is ingratitude here is foollish wicked and desperate madness with a
is said of the seemingly righteous he shall be almost saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Acts 26.28 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 As good not at all as never the nearer as good never run the race as miss of the goal and prize we run for Wherefore content not thy self with being almost a Christian but see thou beest one altogether and in good earnest For all who are but almost Christians shall be but almost saved and to be saved almost is to be damned We know almost a son is a bastard almost sweet is unsavoury A Christian almost is like a woman that dieth in travail almost she brought forth a son but that almost killed both the mother and the son too If thou believest almost thou shalt be saved almost As we may say of a Thief that hath a pardon brought him whilst he is upon the Gallows he was almost saved but he was hanged and his pardon did him no good To be almost a Christian is to be like the foolish Virgins that had Lamps but without oyl in them for which they were shut out of Heaven though they came to the very door Matth. 25.10 11 12. Wherefore it concerns all that would go to Heaven and be indeed saved to become Christians indeed and in good earnest CHAP. XIII ANd what I say unto these I say unto all as well prophane persons and civil men as to formal professors yea it were to be wished that each man that hath a soul to live eternally in bliss or wo would look himself in this glass and try himself by this touchstone All that have any care of their own souls or that prefer not everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in Hell before an eternal weight of super-abundant glory in Heaven Nor will a wise man need much pressing to this work for what saith St. Bernard A wise man foreseeth the torments of Hell and preventeth them onely a fool goes on merrily until he feels them and then says I had not thought Now that every man ought to examine himself we have the Apostles injunction 2 Cor. 13. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove ye your own selves know ye not your own selves How that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Vers 5. And the necessity thereof is very great For as Chrisostome speaks every particular man is either the childe of God and a member of Christ or a childe of the Devil John 8.44 Of the womans seed or of the Serpents Gen. 3.15 For there is not a mean between them Secondly We should the rather do it because there are but a few that are real and sincere Christians here and there one like timber trees in a wood or like gold and jewels among other stuff Those whom Christ hath chosen out of the World to believe in his name are but a small number a little Flock compared with the multitude Luke 12.32 As do we not read That the greatest number go the broad way to destruction and but a few the narrow way that leadeth unto life Matth. 7.13 14. That the whole world lieth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 That the number of those whom Satan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revel 20.8 That all both small and great rich and poor free and bond receive the mark of the Beast in their foreheads Revel 13.16 Whereas they that believe the Gospel are but few in number Rom. 10.16 Isa 53.1 That many are called and but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and 22.14 That though the number of the Children of Israel are as the sand of the Sea yet onely a remnant shall be saved Rom. 9.27 There were but eleven righteous persons in the old world All Sodom afforded but ten Elijah saith I onely remain a Prophet of the Lord but Baals Prophets are Four hundred and fifty 1 Kings 18.22 Micha complaineth of the multitude of the wicked in his time and small number of the faithful Mic. 7.2 Behold saith Isaiah I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel Isa 8.18 and in Chap. 53.1 Lord who hath believed our report Lord saith Saint John thou hast but a few names in Sardis Rev. 3.4 We read also that the whole City went to drive Christ out of their coasts not a Gadarean was found that either dehorted his fellows or opposed the motion Matth. 8.34 When Pilate asked what shall be done with Jesus all with one consent cried out Crucifie him crucifie him Matth. 27.22 There was a general shout for Diana for two hours together Great is Diana of the Ephesians not one man took Pauls part Act. 19.27 28. Yea the chief Jews told Paul that his sect was every where spoken against Act. 28.22 How then does it concern every man of us to bethink our selves whether we be of that small number and to mistrust the worst of himself as all the wise and sincere hearted do witness the Apostles Mat. 26.22 And for want of this many go to Hell while they think themselves in the way to Heaven As why else did those Jews so confidently boast themselves the children of Abraham when indeed they were the Devils children Joh 8.44 And those Revel 3.9 say they were Jews when indeed they were of the Synagogue of Satan as the Holy Ghost tells us And so at this present because men are called after Christs name and wear his cognisance they not once doubt but they are Christians beyond all exceptions CHAP. XIV WHence it were to be wisht that a seperation were made between such as serve Christ in sincerity and such as serve him not as Jehu made a separation between the servants of God and the worshippers of Baal 2 Kings 10.23 This were the way to make men look into themselves But Thirdly and lastly There can be nothing of greater consequence to the careless For are Formal Professors almost saved and yet perish Do you that are not so much as formal stand and tremble For if they that have gone beyond us fall short of Heaven what shall become of such as fall short of them If he shall perish who is almost a Christian what shall they do that are not at all Christians If he that owneth and professeth Christ and leaves many sins for Christ may notwithstanding be damned what then shall his doom be who dishonoureth Christ and refuseth to part with one sin one lust one oath for Christ and takes up arms against him and all that worship him in sincerity If he that is outwardly sanctified shall yet be eternally rejected and shut out of Heaven then surely the filthy Adulterer the Swinish Drunkard the hellish Swearer and Curser the prophane Sabbath-breaker the foul-mouthed scoffer and slanderer of the Saints much more If there be a woe to him that falls short of Heaven then how sad shall their woe be that fall short of them that fall short of Heaven O that God would make the consideration of this an awakening argument to sinners that are asleep in their lusts without the least fear of death or dread of damnation Now to wind up all with a word of exhortation If by what you have heard the Spirit of God hath stirred up in your hearts any good motions and resolutions to receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls If you be convinced that you are not as you should be real Christians and do resolve upon a new course let your resolutions be peremptory and constant and take heed you harden not again as Pharaoh the Philistins the Young man in the Gospel Pilate and Judas did Resemble not the Iron which is no longer soft then it is in the fire Be not like those that are Sea-sick who are much troubled while they are on shipboard but presently well again when they are come to shore For that good saith S. Gregory will do us no good which is not made good by perseverance If with these premonitions the Spirit shall vouchsafe to stir up in your hearts any good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting your sins go quench not grieve not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Return not with the dog to thy vomit lest thy latter and prove seven-fold worse than thy beginning Matth. 12.43 45. as it fared with Julian the Apostate and Judas the Traytor Yea as you tender the good of your own souls set upon the work presently Provide with Joseph for the dearth to come and with Noah in the days of thine health build the Ark of a good conscience against the floods of sickness Imitate the Ant that provides her meat in summer for the winter following Yea do it while the yerning bowels the bleeding wounds the compassionate arms of Jesus Christ lie open to receive you whilst ye have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God As you tender I say the everlasting happiness and welfare of your almost lost and drowned souls As you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for Heaven and salvation for endless bliss and glory at the last As you would escape the direful wrath of God the bitter sentence and doom of Christ The never dying sting and worm of conscience The tormenting and soul-scorching flames of Hell and everlasting separation from Gods blissful presence strive after those graces wherewith a true Christian is qualified Nor do I ask any more but that you will now hearken unto Christ as you would have Christ another day hearken unto you Onely by way of caution expect not that this should be done by any power of thine own For a child may as soon create it self as a man in the state of nature regenerate himself Eph. 2.1 2 Cor. 3.5 We are swift to all evil but to any good immoveable Wherefore as when David came to fight with Goliah he cast away Sauls armour so do thou in this case cast away all trust and confidence in thy self and onely set forward in the name of the Lord God of Israel and be sure to use the means that God hath appointed and that power which Christ shall give thee and then he will not be wanting on his part As in that case of the Prodigal Son Luke 15.17 to 25. Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS