you have a greater evidence of the graciousness of his nature than that very mercy which you are going to remember even his giving his only Son to die for us whilst we were yet ungodly and enemies And did he of his own free grace without our asking and against our deserving provide a Saviour for us and is he yet unwilling to save us did he find out a means for our reconciliation to himself and is he now backward to be reconciled Does he importune us to take that which he is unwilling to give us Be not I beseech you of such an easie belief of the Devil 's grosse fallacies and so hardly drawn to believe what God hath not onely said but done so much to make it past all doubting See the Apostle arguing much after the same manner Rom. 5.6 7 8 9 10. Oh let your hearts then be fill'd with admiration of that love which God hath herein exprest to men the wondrous greatnesse whereof is such that it almost surpasseth our Faith and doth farre surpasse our full comprehension That there should be a way for the recovery of self-destroying sinners contrived by him whom they had offended and brought about by the death of his own Son that they might be raised to the highest happinesse even an eternity of the most ravishing joys in nearest communion with the Divine Majesty and all this to be had for a cordiall thankfull acceptance This is the Lords doing and well may it be marvellous in our eyes Great things hath the Lord done for us whereof let our souls be glad If an host of Angels came from heaven to proclaim these good tidings of great joy to all people shall not the Congregations of Christians eccho back their Glory be to God in the highest who hath sent on earth peace and shewn such good will to men Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good and his mercy endureth for ever Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy Oh do you praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men who hath shewn mercy to such as sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and hath broken the gates of brasse and cut the barres of iron in sunder and hath sent his word and healed you and delivered you from destruction Oh do you sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoycing Psal. 107. Call upon your souls with the Psalmist in another place Blesse the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits who fogiveth thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeems thy life from destruction and who crowns thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Psal. 103. at the beginning Oh think what a deplorable condition we had been in if God had left us in the hands of Satan to whom we had enslaved our selves and had never lookt after us more Oh what a dungeon had this world then been where we should have lived in darknesse and fetters in horrours and torments and all as but an inlet and passage to miseries infinitely worse and altogether unavoidable But oh blessed and for ever praised be his Name who hath visited the earth with his goodnesse and caused the rejoycing light to shine in dark and disconsolate places and hath proclaimed liberty to the captive and shewn a strong hold to which he hath called the Prisoners â—f hope to turn themselves having laid help on one that is mighty sending forth the prisoners out of the pit by the blood of the Covenant Zach. 9.11 This is that blood which by the Wine in the Sacrament is represented to you yea which is thereby put into your hands and given you to drink in remembrance of that which was once shed for you And shall not the hearts-blood of your dearest Lord warm and revive your souls enflame and advance your love Will you not now begin that new song of the heavenly Chore ascribing blessing honour glory and power to him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever who by his blood redeemed us and makes us kings and priests unto God Rev. 5. This is that blood to which you owe all that you have or hope for This quencht those flames which else had fed upon you for ever This satisfied that justice which else had laid hold on you for your disobedience This purchast an inheritance which silver and gold could not buy This purgeth the conscience from dead works and makes the soul fruitfull unto God This pacifies the Conscience and appeaseth the disturbances that sense of guilt is apt to raise By this blood of the Lamb it is that the Saints in all their conflicts do overcome And can you withhold the most affectionate hearty thankfulnesse for this precious all-healing blood Methinks we should even be pained in our selves as not knowing how to give vent enough to our affections especially when our bleeding Lord is set before us Oh let him wholly possesse your thoughts and do you view that transcendent love which he manifested in his whole course but chiefly in the close of it that all may beget in you some answerable returns of love Read as you have leisure those heavenly discourses which were his Farewell Sermons to his Disciples and his last prayer for them which you may find in the 14 15 16 17. Chapters of John and see there how love breathes in every line Follow him to the Garden and there hearken to his groans and behold his bloody sweat which proclaims him to be sick of love of a love that would not be quencht by those crimson streams No still he goes on and go thou after him with the Women that followed him to his Crosse and weep not if thou canst forbear whilst there thou seest him die for love even for love of thee poor soul who do'st sincerely love him Art thou not astonisht at the thoughts of it What could the Lord Jesus see in such miserable worms as we that should incline him to undergo all this on our behalf Nay there 's the wonder he saw nothing and therefore he underwent it Nothing did I say yes he saw our guilt and defilement for which he might have justly loathed us But he seeing all this our misery was rather moved to a compassion for us Such a compassion as never dwelt in a mortall 's breast that he should pity those who pittied not themselves and die to recover those who had even murdred themselves yea that he should die to make them happy whose sins were the cause of his Death and even merit mercy for such as had no mercy on him and give life to them who took his away All this was voluntarily done by the Son of God who became Man on purpose that he might die and do all this for the
Pag. 76 Chap. 5. Perswasions to accept of the Redeemer and give up the Soul in Covenant to him Pag. 96 Chap. 6. IV. A right Remembring the benefits procured by his death 1. Of Justification Pag. 130 Chap. 7. The second benefit is sanctification Pag. 139 Chap. 8. The third benefit is eternal Happinesse with God Pag. 151 Chap. 9. V. It must be a thankful Remembrance Pag. 155 Chap. 10. VI. It must produce an holy Love to Saints Pag. 158 Chap. 11. Use An invitation to come to Christ and his Sacrament with Motives thereto Pag. 168 Chap. 12. Sacraments are not to be accounted vain because externals Pag. 196 Chap. 13. Against too seldome communicating in the Sacrament Pag. 205 Chap. 14. The Objection of unfitness answered As proposed by the doubting and careless Pag. 209 Chap. 15. Obj. We are not in perfect charity but at variance with our neighbours Answered Pag. 234 Chap. 16. Directions for a due preparation and right receiving Pag. 242 Chap. 17. Directions for duty after the Sacrament Pag. 286 CHAP. I. The Introduction lamenting the Ignorant Vulgars contempt of their Salvation and shewing the design of this Treatise THe blessed God who in these last daies hath spoken to us by his Son and more fully and clearly reveal'd the way to life and immortality which Christ hath brought to light hath abundantly manifested his infinite wisdome and goodness in suiting and accomodating his commands and institutions to the meaness of our capacities and as a God who knows our frame hath so fitted himself and the revelations of his will with a respect to our weakness that nothing but affected ignorance and meer wilfulness can keep out the understanding of what he hath taught us or hinder the performing of what he commands us The Doctrines of the Gospel which are of necessity to be believ'd in order to Salvation and upon which an holy life is built are few and plain which we may finde sum'd up in our common Creeds As for the precepts which are given to bee the rule of our life how easie are they to be known and remembred how exceeding reasonable in themselves and most agreeable to our rectified natures and apparently tending to the unspeakable advantage of particular Persons Families Towns and Common-wealths the Gospel being design'd not only to bring men to glory and pleasure hereafter but to better the world at present and to make this earth a kinde of type and shadow of heaven and so it would bee if men were but more generally broughâ— under the power and influence of the Christian Religion which doth not only forbid those sins which are destructive to the happiness of societies and single persons as the Laws and Religion of the Heathens might also do but strikes at the very heart of wickedness and gives the surest directions and best helps for the utter removal of the cause and root of all disorders in the world which it would be beside my purpose at present to speak of None have cause now to complain that they know not what to do to obtain eternal life since he that runs may read his duty To love God above all and our neighbour as selves to do as we would bee done unto to repent of all our sins and betake our selves to the mercies of God through his Son Christ Jesus for a pardon to be humble holy chaste and temperate is any of this difficult to be understood Have we not a plain word directing us how to lead the whole course of our life And have we not a monitour within us the Spirit of God by our Consciences in most cases telling us how wee should behave our selves The sum of all is comprehended in our Baptismal Covenant to Renounce the Devil and all his works the world with its pomp and vanities the flesh and the lusts thereof and to be devoted to the Father Son and Holy Ghost And as our duty is easie to be known so is it not difficult to be done where there is first a willing minde for indeed in this is comprehended all to bee unfeignedly willing to be such as God would have us and to do all that he bids us So that none can excuse himself for his disobedience which is nothing else but obstinacy or gross negligence And though of our selves wee are poor weak creatures yet through the almighty grace that is offered to our assistance we may be inabled to do all things needful for our happiness and those weaknesses that cleave to us which we allow not our selves in but strive against and bewail wee are assured through the merits of our precious Saviour shall never be laid to our charge And as the great truths and duties of our Religion are thus plain and easie so the positive institutions whereby I mean the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper are few and clear being neither burdensome to be practised nor the meaning of them hard to be understood Doth not that form of words which Christ hath enjoyned to be used in Baptism whereby we are solemlny received into the number of professed Christians sufficiently shew the meaning of it namely that we are hereby consecrated and given up to the Father Son and Holy Ghost And doth not our being Baptized with Water very plainly hold forth our washing and cleansing from the stains and pollutions of defiled nature and from the guilt of sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ. And who knows not that the Lords Supper is for remembrance of Jesus Christ that Died for us The breaking of the Bread and pouring forth of the Wine how fitly and evidently do they represent to us that his body was broken and his blood shed for us And the Elements of Bread and Wine which we commonly use to nourish and refresh us do naturally signifie that strength and comfort which we receive from Christ as I shall hereafter shew at large Since then the truths of our Religion are so evident the Duties so reasonable and excellent the Ritual part the Sacraments so easie so few and so exceeding profitable may it not well be expected that all who profess themselves owners of that Religion which Jesus Christ hath taught and established should be well acquainted with these weighty truths diligent in the practise of Duty to their Maker and Saviour and to one another and most devout and serious in the observation and use of these holy Sacraments constant in their attendance upon all Ordinances as publick Prayer and Preaching whereby they may be instructed enabled to know and do the will of him that sent them into the world But alas alas to the dishonour of God and our profession and to the grief of all that long after the advancement of true goodness in the world by sad experience wee finde the quite contrarary even in this our Nation that we look no further God forbid that I should go about to disparage the glorious fruits of our Reformation from Popish
to be faithfull and obedient Even thus hath it pleased the Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of rebeâ—lâ—ous degenerate mankind to proclaim free and full pardon to all that will heartily repent of and turn from their wicked ways and take him for their Lord and Saviour and submit to his directions for their attainment of happinesse and withall he hath commanded all that will thus become his disciples first to be listed under him by Baptisme whereby they are visibly entred amongst the number of professing Christians and afterwards they who were baptized in infancy are to come to this Sacramental Feast and there to joyn with their fellow-believers in a personall profession of their willingness and resolution to stand to that Covenant whereinto they were engaged by Baptisme in testimony whereof they eat the Bread and drink the Wine whereby the Body and Blood of Christ is represented as I shall further shew anon Now would it not in like manner be a strange piece of folly and monstrous hypocrisie for any man to rest satisfied with his having been baptized or his receiving the Lords Supper and think himself therefore a Christian good enough without taking care to perform those promises which he then made but rather encourage himself in sin by the consideration of what he had done as if he might the more safely rebell against God because he had expresly vowed against all such rebellion Could there be a more desperate dangerous wickedness than to make such a wilfull mistake And yet I wish there be not thousands guilty of it Alas alas how few that have taken the earnest-peny and wear Christs Colours that ever think to any purpose what they are hereby bound to How many in effect renounce their Baptisme by their ungodly lives and either neglect the Lords Supper or come to it to pacifie their Consciences that they may sin the more freely rather than to strengthen and engage themselves against every sin As for Bapâ—isme I shall not insist on it though I grant that this is the leading Sacrament appointed for the testimony of our being first devoted to God which engagement we ought to call to remembrance and renew at the Lords Supper whereof according to my promise I now come to speak CHAP. II. What it is to doe this to celebrate the Communion in reremembrance of Christ. And I. That it includes the true knowledge of him AND being desirous to contribute some assistance to those that need it to bring them through Gods blessing to a conscientious performance of this great duty I observe there are two sorts of persons faulty herein either such as neglect it or that miscarry and fail in the manner of doing it Those that neglect it are either such that doe it out of meer wilfulness as the grossely vicious that will not come to this Sacrament because they think this would lay an obligation upon them to forsake those sins which they never intend to part with whatever come on 't and the stupid sensless ones that know not the worth nor see the need of this Ordinance or any other duties of Religion who live as heathenishly as if they had never heard of God and Christ and another world nor doe they care to be instructed in these points as if they were not at all concerned in them or else they are such that abstain from it out of doubting and fear not thinking themselves worthy or not knowing whether they are worthy or not Of this sort there are many excellent Christians who too much indulge to their own melancholy and despondent apprehensions and also many weaker but I hope honest well-meaning people who seem to have a great esteem for this Sacrament but having always heard what a dangerous thing it is to receive it unworthily dare not venture upon it not being well acquainted wâ—th the nature and reason of it and being doubtful whether they are fit to come or not being also I fear too languid and heartless in desiring after it or in making preparation for it and for such as these principally doe I intend my Directions By those that are guilty of miscarriage in the doing of this duty I mean such as rush upon it ignorantly and rashly not well weighing what they doe and who notwithstanding their customary attendance at the Lords Table continue their old sinfull course of life These also I hope may receive some benefit from the following Discourse together with the most profane and ignorant whilst I shall endeavour plainly to shew the intention of this Sacrament and perswade them to attend thereupon in a regular manner For since in behalf of those for whom especially I write this my great business is to shew who it is that is worthy to partake of this Ordinance and wherein this worthiness doth consist the method I will â—ake shall be this namely to shew for what purpose it was appointed by Jesus Christ and thence to discover those qualifications and graces which are required in the Communicants that they may receive it aright to those purposes for which it was appointed and after I have done this I shall lay down some arguments or motives to quicken all to come to and celebrate it in this due manner and then briefly direct those that intend to come As to the first what was the reason and end why this Sacrament was appointed I know not whence we should be better informed than by looking back to the time of its first appointment and to see what Christ tells us he did ordain it for and this we may find expresly set down Luke 22.19 when he had broke the Bread and distributed he addes This doe in remembrance of me And the same words he used also after the delivery of the Wine as appears by the Apostle S. Paul's relation who delivered unto them what he had received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.24 25. where after the giving of the Cup is added This doe ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me and so again ver 26. saith the Apostle As often as ye eat thâ—â— Bread and drink this Cup ye doe shew the Lords Death till he come that is you publish and represent it to the world you acknowledge and commemorate it So that by this it is plain that the great end of this Sacrament to which all others may be reduced is that by the celebrating thereof we may remember Jesus Chrâ—st and especially that we may keep up the memory of that inestimable mercy to mankind his dying for us a mercy which should never be forgotten by those on earth and shall never be forgotten by those in heaven Now hence it follows that they who are in a capacity and fitness rightly to remember Christ and his Death are worthy to partake of this Sacrament which was set apart for that purpose wherefore without going any farther I shall shew what is necessarily required to contained in or immediately flows from this remembrance of Christ that
so we may the more distinctly apprehend wâ—at is required of us to make us worthy Receivers And herein I suppose will be found comprized those several graces usually laid down for the due qualification of Communicants as Knowlâ—dge Repentance Faith New obedience Brotherly love and Thankfulness And as I go along I entreat thee Reader seriously to look into â—hy own heart and examine thy self whether thoâ— findest in thee these qualifications or not whether thou findest those graces wrought in thy heart which may enable thee so to remember thy Redeemer as may be acceptable to him that so if thou findest thy self such a one as is described thou maist give God the praise and take to thy self the comfort of so great a mercy and be encouraged to proceed in this and all other holy duties but if thou findest the contrary that thou maist with all speed and earnestness see to get thy heart changed and thy wants supplied And to this end since I intend no other Application I shall under every Head endeavour to help thee in thy enquiry into the state of thy soul and in thy seeking after those graces which thou maist be convinced thou art destitute of and hast hitherto been content without them and in this part I shall be the larger as taking it to be most necessary though having so large a field before me I shall labour to confine my self 1. First then in order to a right remembrance of Jesus Christ there is necessarily supposed a knowledge of him for our memory contains onely those persons or things which we before have known How could he keep the Fifth of November as a Thanksgiving for our deliverance from the Popish Powder plot who hath not some knowledge beforehand that such a Plot there was laid by the Papists and that by divine providence we were delivered from it No more can any man remember Christ as he ought at the Sacrament except he knows who this Christ is in his Person and Natures and what his Offices are what he came into the world for what he hath done and will doe for us And indeed this right knowledge of Christ necessarily requires and contains a knowledge of all the chief points of Religion of which I hope thou art not ignorant who ownest the name of a Christian. It 's a shame for thee if thou art having such means and opportunities to inform thy self as thou enjoyest having liberty to read thy Bible plain Catechismes and other good Books and to hear Gods Word publickly Preacht Notwithstanding all which advantages I doubt there are many to be found who are very dark even in the first principles of Christianity as not accounting it any part of their business to trouble their heads with such matters And that which a man makes no great reckoning of nor thinks himself much concerned in though he may hear it an hundred times over he 'l scarce have so clear an insight into it as he that hath heard it but once or twice with diligence and attention applying his mind to it as to a matter that is for his life He that hears a Physician directing him to a medicine that will recover him from some desperate disease is far likelier if he have the use of his reason to take notice of and fix inâ—o his mind what 's told him than another that fits by who holds himself nothing concerned in it So surely if people thought it any great matter to save their souls for ever they would soon see to get acquainted wiâ—h the way to salvation and not remain in such bruitish ignorance as multitudes doe And for the hâ—lp of such I shall run over those Heads of Religion which more especially are required to enable us a right to remember Christ at this Commemoration-Feast which he hath establisht in his Church Know then that God at first made man in an happy eâ—tate even Adam and Eve our first Parents who if they had continued happy so should all we their posterity have been too but the condition of their continuing in that estate being perfect obedience to all Gods commands they fell from it by breaking a particular Command eating of the fruit of a certain Tree in Paradise whereof God had enjoyned them not to eat even of the Tree of knowledge of good â—nd evil as you may read at large Gen. 3. Thus their hearts were turned off from God and fixt upon the Creature which was pleasing to their senses Hereupon they became liable to the wrath of God who had before threatned that in the day they eat â—hereof they should die the death which included in it all kind of misery whatever it should please God to inflict They being thus become sinners they begat Children like themselves conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean and beside that corruption of nature which did cleave to their Children the guilt of their sin might also most justly be imputed to them they being as common persons representing all mankind who had stood with them if they had stood and fell with them when they fell But their Children as they grew up became guilty of actuall sins in their own persons to which their wicked natures did incline them which did more expose them to the wrath of God This condition was the world brought into by sin become ignorant of God prone to all wickednesse and deserving the greatest misery even everlasting torment and in this estate God might justly have left us he might have given us up to our own hearts lusts and so one by one as we came into the world and rebell'd against him might have destroy'd us for ever without any remedy Yet he did not thus but was pleased out of his own infinite wisdome to provide for us a Saviour when we had thus unâ—one but could not help our selves And who was this Saviour but his own eternal onely begotten Son very God of very God who in fulnesse of time became Man and by the power of the Holy Ghost was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her without the least stain of sin and was God and Man in a wonderfull manner united in one person This was that Jesus Christ of whom we read in the Gospel who after he had some time preacht his Gospel to the Jews laid down his life as a Sacrifice to make satisfaction for the sins of the world and rose again on the third day and after fourty days continuance on earth he ascended into heaven and there is exalted to sit at the right hand of God in that humane nature which he assumed and there he lives for ever to make intercession for us that the benefits he hath purchast may be given out to the sons of men And these benefits are such that shew him to be a perfect Saviour every way fitted to our necessities For by his undertaking this work of our Redemption he
wounded souls and are you not willing it should be applied Methinks common ingenuity should tell you that such matchlesse love as this should not be so sleighted If you was taken captive by the Turks and a dear friend should venture his own life to free you thence sure you would be willing to return with him though you might have great offers to stay behind if it was for nothing else but to gratifie your friend who had ventured so hardly for you that you might not give him cause to repent of his labour And what shall the blood of Christ be as it were spilt on the ground and have no effect on thee How hard is that rock whom this will not soften I beseech thee Reader again and again to think what Christ hath gone through to deliver thy soul from the jaws of death and then think whether it be just and reasonable that he should reurn without his errand I know I have mentioned this before but I shall not stick to inculcate it â—gaiâ— and again that it may have some force some power upon thy heart And to that end before I leave this Head let me entreat thee to imagine that thou saw'st Jesus Christ now before thee all in blood and wounds calling thee to him as he did Thomas bidding thee to thrust thy hands into his side and put thy fingers into the print of the nails and suppose thou heardest him saying to thee Look here Sinner behold these tokenâ— of my love see what I have endured on thy behalf oh be not faithlesse but believing be not perverse and obstinate but willing to come to me who have felt so much pain to procure thy ease if thou dost not wilfully refuse it Cast away those sins which have used me thus trust thy self with me who have given such costly evidences of my desire to doe thee good accept me for thy Redeemer who have paid so dear a price for thee own me for thy Lord who have thus bought thee out of slavery follow me in the way I shall shew thee that I may bring thee safe into the presence of the Father whom I have reconciled to thee Suppose I say thou should'st see Christ even covered over with his own blood importuning thee thus to forsake thy sins and accept of his grace and mercy what would'st thou say what answer would'st thou give could'st thou find in thy heart to contemn him to stop thy ears to his requests and go away without regarding him or would'st thou tell him he had not done enough to engage thee to him and that thou saw'st no reason to hearken to his offers that thy sins were more sweet and precious than grace and glory and any thing he would give could possibly be Surely thou durst not And if not then let not thy heart and practice return the same answer to me who in the name and stead of Christ beseech thee that thou wilt through him be reconciled to God Even by all those wounds which Christ suffered upon the Crosse by all those pangs and dolours which he felt in his soul by his cries and groans by his tears and blood I doe as upon my knees beseech thee to give an hearty entertainment to this Lord Jesus who was thus bruised and wounded for thy sake Oh let him in thee see the travell of his soul and be satisfied No longer cherish those lusts which resist his entrance off with thosâ— barres and bolts that have lockt him out down with those strongs holds that have stood out against him let the gates of thy heart flie open and let this King of glory come in cheerfully thankfully receive him and absolutely render up thy self to him to be disposed of as he shall think fit onely begging that thou maist be taken into the number of his Redeemed ones and be enabled to perform the duties enjoyned them and be fitted to enjoy the priviledges assured to them This is that faith in Christ which I would so fain perswade and beg thee to and that by the consideration of what thy Saviour hath endured upon this account that through faith in him thou mightest be pardoned and saved 4 Consider as what bitter things Christ underwent to purchase salvation for thee if thou reject him not so what a mâ—st reasonable câ—ndition he hath appointed thee to perform that thou mightest obtain salvation by him even thy unfeigned willingnesse to accept him for thy Redeemer and thankfully to receive the benefits which he hath purchast for thee And will not this induce thee to enter into Covenant with him when the terms there of are so fair and gracious This thy hearty consent that Christ shall perform the whole work of a Saviour to thee and for thee is the chief thing required to make thee one of his members This is the great Command of the Gospel to Believe in Jesus Christ. So that thou hast nothing to say on thy own behalf if thou should'st be found at last to have neglected this duty for tell me could'st thou have desired any thing more favourable If thou hadst been enjoyned some gâ—eat thing would'st thou not have done it much more now thou art onely required to be willing to have Christ and life with him and all shall be thine wilt thou not be brought to this But still remember the offices of Christ must not be divided nor his benefits separated He must be taken for thy Lord to rule in thy heart and govern thy life as well as for thy Saviour to keep thee from misery and thou must be as willng to feel in thy soul the power of his Crosse crucifying thy lusts as to have the merit of his Crosse procure thy pardon now thou must be brought to the love of heaven above earth if thou would'st be received thither by Christ when thou leavest the earth But yet in all this it is but the consent of thy soul which is principally required in order to the attainment of the offered mercies And would'st thou have matters brought down lower yet Would'st thou be sav'd against thy will And hal'd to heaven when thy heart is against it Or would'st thou have such kind of exceptions as these put in with the conditions of thy salvation That thou maist have liberty to trample on Christs blood and yet be wash'd in it from the guilt of sin that thou maist have leave to serve the Devil and yet receive from Christ the wages he gives his faithfull servants that thou maist be allowed to love creatures more than God and yet that God should love thee with his dearest love that thou maist live without grace and yet when thou diest be received into glory Would'st thou indeed make such terms as these if it was left to thy own choice Thou could'st not sure be so foolish so basâ—ly disingenuous If not then come in and submit to those conditions that are now offered thee than which thou canst not if thou beest well in thy wits wish
after the contents of it will he excuse them afterwards to say they never heard any invitations to lay down their arms Nor farther canst thou truly say that Christ requiâ—ed harder things of thee than this willingnesse of heart to be saved by him for wast thou once brought to this whatever else he requires from thee would appear easie So farre as thy will is made conformable to his there will appear no more difficulty in obeying his commands than â—n â—ungry man finds in eating or than a dutifull child finds in pleasing a loving Father To doe his will would then be thy great delight thou wouldest find a new nature within thee carried forth with a mighty power and sweetnesse to all those acts of obedience that flow from a willing soul. But yet farther for thy conviction Suppose a Noble-man should offer to a Beggar that if she would put off her rags and wash her self and put on the apparel he had provided and leave her vagrant life to come and dwell with him and be his loving and faithfull Wife that then he would marry her and instate her in all his honour and riches would'st thou say there was any thing required of this woman besides her willingnesse to become his Wife I hope to throw away her rags and leave her wandring companions and live like a person of honour does not look like the paying of a Portion or doing difficult works And this is thy very case poor and naked the Lord Jesus finds thee onely covered over with rags and filth these he bids thee to strip off to wash thee and make thee clean and put away the evil of thy doings to renounce thy lusts to forsake thy sinfull courses and companions to put on the white Robes which he hath provided for thee to be cloathed with his perfect righteousnesse that the guilt of thy sins may not appear and to be adorned with the graces of his Spirit that thou maist be lovely in the sight of God having thus put on Christ and he offers to espouse thee to himself and become thy Husband and Head and make thee a Joynture of heaven it self if thou wilt continue in love and faithfulnesse to him all thy days Where then is the Dowry that must be given him No he asks for none 't is thy self he desires and bids thee come boldly without money or price What easier terms what fairer offers would'st thou desire Shall I then prevail with thee or not Even as Abraham sent his Servant to seek a Wife for his Son Isaac so doe I now addresse my self to thee from my Lord and Master Jesus Christ earnestly desiring to espouse thee to him as a chast Virgin With Commission from him I make these tenders to thee Behold this hour a message of infinite concernment and greatest favour is sent to thee Christ Jesus the King of glory offers himself with all he is and hath to thee and by me his Servant thy consent is now demanded What answer dost thou give me Wilt thou be married to him or not Wilt thou not give me that comfortable answer that Rebeckah did to Abraham's Servant Gen. 24.58 I will go with thâ— man Shall I make up the match this day betwixt Christ and thy Soul If thou saist no God that stands over thee will witnesse thy own Conscience will witnesse yea these very lines shall witnesse against thee that Christ did freely offer himself and salvation to thee and thou didst perversly reject him But God forbid thou should'st doe thus foolishly in the bowels of Christ let me beseech thee not to turn the deaf ear to this message Doe not read these things sleightly as if they concern'd thee not but rather stay a while and let thy thoughts dwell upon the matter If there be not all the reason in the world for what I urge thee to sleight it and spare not but examine things well and see thou contradict not thy own reason nor undoe thy self by inconsideratenesse Once again then I ask thee art thou willing to betroth thy self to Christ forsaking other Lovers that have sued for thy heart Wilt thou promise to cleave to him at all times and in all conditions and through the assistance of grace to be faithfull and constant in thy love and obedience to thy lives end If thou say yes and art sincere in this resolution then doubt not but it will be accepted and ratified in heaven what thou hast done this hour will be recorded by God himself and remembred for ever And doe thou make hast to thy private chamber there more expresly and solemnly to professe this thy engagement to Christ and come to the Lords Table there to seal to and confirm this Marriage-Covenant and let it be thy care all thy days to continue stedfast therein and then doubt not but Christ will perform his part to a tittle 5 That I may be yet the more likely to bring thee to this saving faith in Christ which is nothing else but thy consent to be married to him to receive him for thy Lord and Saviour as I have before explained it let me entreat thee to consider the advantages thou shalt hereby receive from him If thou ask me what these are I may answer they are so great that I cannot tell thee they are such as thou must not thou canst not fully know till thou art possest of them He that was perfectly acquainted with them all might be to all eternity in revealing them for so long shall the true Christian be in enjoying them But yet least thou should'st think these were but words to draw thee on and deceive thee know that I am able out of the Book of God to tell the so much of thy gains by Christ in a line or two as will certainly bring thee to him if thou wilt be rul'd by the truest reason and perswaded to chuse what is best for thee In one word then be assured thou shalt have all that may make thee truly happy in this world the next for ever Psal. 84.11 1 Tim. 4.8 Rom. 8.28 And what can thy heart wish for more That very day wherein thy soul is thoroughly brought over to Christ thou hast right by virtue of his rich promise to all that is in heaven and earth that may be for thy good and accordingly shalt enjoy it as thou com'st to need it and art made meet to receive it So soon as by faith thou art united to Christ the guilt of all former sins is done away and for the future thy services shall be accepted and thine imperfections forgiven for God is become thy reconciled Father and will love own and blesse thee as his Child And canst thou want any thing who hast God to be thy Father who owneth all things yea who hast him to be thy portion who is better than all things All his attributes his wisdome power truth and goodnesse will be engag'd on thy behalf and employ'd for thee his works his
things super fluous or living in idlenesse and wantonnesse in pride and pomp with the applause of the world is any or all of this better than the love of God better than the fulnesse of joy to be had in his presence or better than the rivers of pleasure at his râ—ght hand for evermore But be they as good as they will dost thou think they will last always Or hath the Devil any future reward for his servants when their miserable slavery in this life is ended Amongst all his temptations did he ever so much as once bear thee in hand that he would make thee happy for ever It is possible for thee to be ignorant that the pleasures of sin besides their emptiness basenesse are but for a seasâ—n So that if thou remain without Christ thou hast no whiâ—her to go nothing to trust to that will not miserably fail thy expectations Look round about thee and see if thou canst find any other foundation to build upon to raise an happinesse to thy self And when thou hast but considered a while with that seriousnesse that beseemes one who hath a desire to doe himself good I doubt not but the language of thy soul will be like that of Peter to Christ Joh. 6.66 Lâ—rd whether shall I go thou onely hast the words of eternall life Thou oneâ—y hast revealed it thou alone directest to it thou onely hast purchast it thou onely hast promised it and thou alone canst bestow it upon thy people wherefore to thee Lord I betake my self renouncing all things that stand in competition with thee be thou my Lord let me be thy servant let me live to thee here and let me live with thee for ever hereafter pertaking of that glory which thou hast obtained of the Father for thy faithfull ones What saist thou Does thy very heart agree to these words or not Say yea or no before thou goest any farther I am sure thou hast nothing like reason to give why it should not Oh give not Christ cause to wonder at thy obstinacy and unbelief who when he came to bring thee salvation was rejected Once again I assure thee he comes not to undoe thee Think not thou shalt lose by him because he calls thee to mortification self-denyall and bearing the Crosse. If he would take thee from any thing which is dear to thee 't is onely because it is hurtfull and he 'll give thee better delights more noble employments than those he calls thee off from Thou shalt part with nothing by his service which thou could'st have kept long and instead of it thou shalt receive a treasure that shall never be taken from thee But if thou art so fast bound to thy profits thy pleasures and thy sweet sins to which thou hast been long accustomed that thou wilt not be perswaded to take thy love off them and set it on Christ but art so swallowed up with them that thou turnest the deaf ear to all these entreaties if this be thy resolution that Baal shall be thy god and him thou wilt worship that the world shall be thy portion and to it thou wilt cleave that sin shall be thy trade and in it thou wilt live Remember then thou hadst thy choice Christ tendered himself and all his saving mercies to thee but thou didst deliberately preferre other things before him and therefore thou hast no wrong done thee if thou goest without him If this be thy thanks to him for his matchlesse condescension in inviting thee to glory grudge not if hereafter he exclude thee from it And now get thee to thy idols which have so taken up thy heart that there was no room for Christ except he would have the leavings of the world and flesh which be it known to thee he never will he 'll have the highest place or none and since he must not have that go thy way I say and make the best of thy idols thy riches thy bravery thy carnall joys and empty honours thy dear friends and pleasant companions suck all the sweetnesse they will yield and keep them as long as thou canst and when thou seest where they leave thee and what thou hast brought thy self to then let thy Conscience reflect whether once thou hadst not an offer worth the acceptance 6. But this brings me to the sixth and last argument to prevail with thee to give up thy self to Christ and that is the sad and dolefull effects that are like to follow upon thy rejection of him If God be just and true thou art not like to go smoothly away with the guilt of this hainous sin Something to this purpose I mentioned before and therefore shall be the briefer now onely in faithfulnesse and love to thy immortall soul that thou maist never be able to say but that thou hadst fair warning given thee I now come to tell thee that if thou standest out against the mercy that 's so freely held forth to thee refusing to receive thy Saviour on those terms and to those purposes for which he demands acceptance thou art then like to be as miserable a forlorn undone creature both body and soul as ever trod upon the earth or saw the Sun Make as light of these threatnings now as thou wilt but if there be a God in heaven be assured they will be made good upon thee as shortly thou wilt feel to thy everlasting sorrow if thy speedy conversion doe not prevent it Think not I take any delight to dig in the bowels of hell and throw flashes of fire in thy face meerly to terrifie and daunt thee no but I would fain if possible prevent thy misery by discovering what it 's like to be if thou throw thy self headlong into it And oh that I could speak any thing that might make some impression upon thee not onely to bring thee to a fright and there leave thee but a little to awake thee to a sense what a mischievous thing that sin is which now thou art so deeply in love with that thou maist see to get thy hands rid of it before it be too late to wish thou hadst done so Even during this present life whilst thou art without Christ thy condition is most sad however thou maist applaud and blesse thy self in thy worldly enjoyments For thou art this while under the load of thy originall sin and all the transgressions which thou hast actually committed in thought word or deed since thou camest into the world the least of which without pardoning mercy would drown thee in perdition Thou hast no certainty for an hour of any of those things which thou possessest but art liablâ— to as short warning as the rich Fool in the Gospel who was call'd away in that night wherein he bid his soul take its ease eat drink and be merry For thou canst not shew any true title by virtue of a promise from God to the least of all thy comforts But thou standest always exposed to that
wrath which thou art treasuring up for thy self against the day of wrath Thou liest wholly at his mercy whom thou art daily provoking to fury In all thy ways which are so defiled the holy God beholds thee in anger and even loathes thee for thy filthinesse And he alone knows how short a while he is determined to wait on thee thy glasse is running his patience is expiring death and judgement are hasting hell is ready burning and thou canst not promise thy self a moments safety Whilst thou art sleeping or waking eating or working talking and laughing the heavy doom hangs over thy head and thou hast every day reason to expect the dreadfull vengeance of the Lord to seize upon thee nothing but meer mercy hath kept it off this while which will not always last At night when thou goest to bed it s a great hazard but thou maist awake in flames and never more see the comfortable light or when thou goest out of doors it 's a question whether thou maist not with Judas go to thy own place the infernall mansions before thou returnest home For ought I know or thou either this may be the last Book that ever thou maist read this may be the last warning that ever thou maist have Think a little whether this be a comfortable case for a man to continue in and what wise people they are that venture all upon a Repentance hereafter Moreover in all the troubles thou maist meet with in the world I know not what support what comfort can be administred to thee for there 's none to be given thee from God I am sure whilst thou art a resolved enemy to him What shift thou makest to get a little ease and relief at such a time I cannot but wonder onely the remnants of thy carnall comforts and the hopes thou hast of seeing things better its like may help thee to some false peace But alas poor man Death will shortly arrest thee Death that will strip thee of all that thy heart delighted and trusted in Death that will break the neck of all thy fond hopes and utterly frustrate thy expectations Death that will carry thee out of thiâ— beloved world into a place to which thou hast been a meer stranger not thinking of it at all or but coldly and seldome or with horrour and aversenesse this Death I say will shortly lay hold on thee and then whither wilt thou look for comfort who art a stranger to God and Jesus Christ Into whose hands wilt thou commend thy departing soul who would'st not whilst thou wast living resign thy self to the God who made thee bought thee with his Sons blood Canst thou expect Christ should now receive thee who would'st not be perswaded to receive him What receive a rebel into the kingdome of peace A filthy Swine into the communion of Saints No never expect it And if he will not receive thee who must If heaven may not hold thee what place will Thou canst easily answer these questions And when by a resurrection to condemnation thou art made with all the rest to stand in the presence of thy Judge how wilt thou then appear before him For the Lord's sake yea for thy own sake poor sinner thou that canst not be brought to like of Christ nor his holy Laws and ways not the sanctifying work of his holy Spirit put these questions as thou readest them close to thy heart What wilt thou then say to Jesus Christ for this thy contempt and dislike of his person and government Darest thou then justifie thy unbelief and impenitence when he calls thee to answer for it Or who wilt thou get to plead for thee when the onely Advocate shall condemn thee Who wilt thou make thy friend when he who alone could and would have been so is through thy own fault become thy greatest enemy Dare Angels or Saints speak a word for him against whom their Lord shall speak Or would they if they durst No they will approve his righteous sentence Will the Devil take thy part dost thou think Hath he any power there to secure his followers Why it 's he that is thy accuser and if need be would rather aggravate those faults which he drew thee to Wilt thou then hit him in the teeth with the large promises he made thee and call on him to make them good Alas he 'll but laugh at thee and scorn thee and make thee acknowledge that most justly are all they so served who would trust to the Devils delusions rather than to Gods promises Or dost thou expect relief from thy companions in torment Ah poor creatures they would rather help themselves if they could but cannot Oh then with what an heart with what a countenance wilt thou hear that last dolefull sentence Depart from me ye cursed when thou shalt look round about and see no help no hope but that down thou must lie in that burning lake which the breath of the Lord's fury like a stream of brimstone doth kindle what a posture will thy soul be in I can tremble to conceive it easier than I can expresse it And when thou hast lain some thousands of years in that place of torments what then will the workings of thy heart be when thou hast felt that tribulation and anguish which comes upon those that work evil what thoughts wilt thou have of the ways that brought thee thither what would'st thou not doe for the least dram of hope in that miserable despairing state for the least glimmering of light in that gloomy darknesse But there is none to be had no nor ever will be through a whole eternity the force of which word eternity and the meaning of Hell is now known and felt in another manner than when careless sinners could laugh at the mention of them or sleep whilst they were preacht on But what canst thou not perswade thy self that there are any such torments prepared for unbelievers If not it s to be feared thou art one of those unbelievers for whom they are prepared But if Scripture may convince thee read amongst other places 1 Thes. 1.8 9. Mat. 25.46 Joh. 3.36 and then tell me thy judgement Now indeed all this is but talk Hell 's out of sight and the most terrible words are but wind and therefore it is there is so little care in the world to make sure his favour who can save them from this misery which because it 's neither seen nor felt is sleighted and forgotten Should a King take a company of men out of prison who had committed some fault worthy of death and offer pardon to those that would be sorry for their crime and promise never to be guilty of the like but threaten Death to those that would not and withall should shew them pardons ready sealed and great hopes of money to be given to the penitent but racks and gibbets and fires ready kindled for the execution of the obstinate Doe you think this would not easily
prevail with them when they saw in good earnest what was like to betide them And if Christ would take this course and shew heaven and hell if that were possible plainly to their eye-sight it s like the most stubborn sinners would be awakened but he will not doe thus nor is there any reason he should Since we are made men to be ruled by reason why should he deal with us like bruits that must be led by their senses yet because he will not take this way with them bruitish sinners disregard him as if they needed him not But ah Sirs all you that could see no need of Christ when he was so urged and prest upon you when shortly you shall see all the world stand before him and shall behold the devouring flames into which all they must be cast who have not a part in his love then you will see what benefit comes by Christ then you will no longer count them fools that took it for their greatest businesse to get an interest in him Then if the most passionate wishes that you had been so wise would doe you any good if the loudest roarings and bitterest cries for mercy might preval you would think them all well spent but alas all will be to no purpose Cry Lord Lord with never so much noise and earnestnesse if thou wast here a worker of iniquity no other answer shalt thou obtain but Depart from me I know thee not And thou thy self shalt be forced to acknowledge that this Sentence is as just as terrible For didst not thou here hid Christ to depart from thee thou desired'st not the knowledge of his ways and is it not just he should then command thee to Depart from him as one he will not know nor own Heaven thou didst refuse since it was to be had on no other terms than submission to Christ and therefore thou must needs fall into Hell since there is no third place provided But perhaps thou wilt flatter thy self with a conceit that none of these things shall come upon thee in that as thou pretendest thou putst thy whole trust in God that he 'll save thee and reliest upon thy Saviour Jesus Christ alone to be kept by him from hell and the power of the Devil But beware I beseech thee how thou cheatest thy soul into that misery whence no trick or wile can ever fetch thee Dost thou put thy trust in God he 'll take thee to heaven when thou diest who now allowest thy self in those very sins for which he hath threatned to turn men into hell If indeed thou dost so then I hope it is some promise of his that thou bottom'st thy trust upon or else it is a vain confidence now shew me if thou canst one promise in the whole book of God that gives thee the least ground to hope for happinesse whilst thou continuest in an unregenerate naturall estate in love with thy sins take thy Bible and turn it over from one end to the other and see if thou canst find any such place but I could shew thee an hundred Texts where wrath is threatned to all unconverted sinners continuing such So that in plain English thy trust in God is no more than a wretched presumption that he will be so mercifull as to break his word to save thee and if indeed this word prove false than thy confidence will not deceive thee but if it prove true as for certain it will then woe be to thee for all this pretended trust And of the very same stamp is thy reliance on Christ whilst thou rebellest against him For tell me prethee does the Gospel say that every man who shall believe that Christ will save him shall be saved by him let his heart and life be what it will I am sure neither Christ nor his Apostles ever made known such a doctrine and if thy faith be grounded upon any other Gospel than Christ hath revealed thou art like to go seek another heaven than that he hath promised For he hath told thee plainly that without holinesse thou shalt never see the Lord that he is the author of salvation onely to those that obey him and that he takes off condemnation from none but such who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Now if thou dost truly believe in Christ thou wilt set thy self to seek for happinesse in the way that he hath appointed not in one of thy own devising for else it is a sign thou dost not depend upon him for salvation but on thy own fancy or Satans delusions or whoever it is whose directions thou followest rather than Christs If thou wast in a place where two ways meet and one man should bid thee follow him in this way and another should bid thee follow him in the contrary way if thou would'st come to thy journeys end is it not plain that thou believest him whom thou followest Or if thou hadst some dangerous disease and an able Physician should tell thee that if thou would'st depend upon him by the help of God he would recover thee and should leave with thee such and such Physick to take if in the mean time thou should'st take a conceit that thou mightest be well without following his advice and some one else should direct thee to an easier and cheaper way whereupon thou throwest away his medicines dost thou then depend upon this Physician for cure Thus the Lord Jesus the great Physician of souls assures thee if thou wilt depend on and trust thy self with him or believe in him he will keep thee from that everlasting death whereof thou art in danger and to this purpose he sends his Word and Spirit to cure thee of thy ignorance and wickednesse which is the disease of thy soul he would bring thee to Repentance and thoroughly purifie and sanctifie thy heart but thou think'st this a tedious course and wilt by no means submit to it come on it what will but fanciest thou maist be saved without so much adoe and that forsooth by reliance on Christ. Is not this a very wise businesse to rely on the Physician for health and throw away the Physick that should procure it I know well enough what thou would'st have Christ shall keep thee from hell but yet by all means he must give thee liberty to live in sin that is he must let thee carry fire in thy bosome but yet he must keep thee from being burnt he must let thee drink poison but yet he must keep it from griping thy bowels But believe it Christ came not into the World for any such ends This he hath purchast That no sins great or small shall damn the man that 's truly humbled for and forsakes them and depends upon him for a pardon and is made holy in heart and life but not that he who lives and delights in sin should escape misery which is indeed a kind of impossibility For man is in bondage and sin is his fetters now
travailing to Emaus crying out We trusted this had been He who should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24.21 Then would our faith be vain we should be yet in our sins But we may now comfort our selves and use the Apostles gradation Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It 's Christ that died yea rather that 's risen again and is even at the right hand of God And now with joy let this Resurrection and Glory be remembred as being the fore-runner of yours When in your thoughts you have descended as low as his Grave and there stand weeping to think how your sins have slain him imagine you heard some Angel bespeaking you in almost the same language that he did the Women at his Sepulchre Mark 16.6 7. Fear not yee for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified He is not here for he is risen as he said and is gone before you not into Galilee but into Heaven there shall you see him When therefore you shall in this Ordinance see Christ crucified before you think with your selves This is the Lamb that was dead but is alive and lives for ever By the celebrating of this Sacrament you are to shew forth the Lords death till he come Remember then he is to come for this second coming would Christ have you keep much in your thoughts as well as his first He left not this pledge of his love with his Church as a dying Man leaves some gift with his friends to put them in minde of him whom they shall never see more but as one who goes a long journey leaves his Pâ—cture with his Wife that she may be mindfull of him in his absence and be quickned to long after his return And good reaâ—on have you to be mindfull of the Glory of our Lord since you your selves will be sharers herein and so at once you remember both Here I told you you take an earnest of the everlasting treasures and the consideration thereof is exceeding necessary to raise your value of that which will otherwise appear but worthlesse and mean And conceive of your selves as in a journey to that Kingdome having here taken in by the way to refresh your selves as travellers are wont to tuâ—n in and bait And like the Prophet 1 King 19.8 In the strength of this meal you are to go on toward the Mount of God These are provisions sent by your Joseph to serve you by the way till you come home to himself Yet a few more Sacraments and you shall be past the need of all Here are some fragrancies and drops of sweetnesse for the refreshment of Pilgrims till the day breaks and the shadows flee away when we shall get up after our Lord to the Mountains of Myrrhe and the Hill of Franckincense Here a Table is spread for us in the Wildernesse and some clusters of Grapes prest into our Cup till we shall come to Canaan and enjoy the vintage Behold in this transaction at the Lords Table an emblem and shadow of the future glory and let your thoughts take advantage from what is here presented to ascend to the joyfull contemplation thereof yet within a while and you who are here his welcome guests shall sit down with your Master at his Table in his Kingdome and there shall taste of the fruit of the Vine new with him and shall eat of a Manna that is yet hidden to you and shall exchange your present company for the society of innumerable Angels and perfect Saints And let this something quiet your mindes though not take off the quicknesse of your desires all you holy souls who are acted by so noble and strong a passion that you are imâ—atient of that distance at which you yet finde your selves from him whom you love and are even weary of the World where you cannot fully enjoy him much more of your own hearts that are so estranged from him comfort your selves for within a very short while your eies shall behold him and you shall be fully satisfied in your most intimate accesse to and abode with him You may look back with joy on the Redemption Christ hath wrought for you and may look before you and lift up yâ—ur heads with joy as knowing the day of full and finall Redemption draws nigh Only see that you now thirst ardently after that spiritual communion with him which is here attainable in being possest by him and closely uniâ—ed to him that being joyn'd to the Lord you may become one spirit This is the blessed and only possible transubstantiation to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ which is of infinitely more advantage to the believing soul than if according to that monstrous Popish fiction he should chew the very gross flesh and swallow the raw blood of Christ For by this means his body would only be changed into ours but by the change I speak of our Spirits become like to his And if now you hold but this fellowship with Christ in the spirit shortly you shall have a real presence even to the satisfaction of sense it self Then shall you see him as he is for you shall be made like to him in that day of his appearance Then indeed shall Sacraments vanish as useless shadows you having got the substance Christ himself You need then no more behold him in a Glass but shall see him face to face and be perfectly changed into his Image Oh the difference that will be betwixt that clear sight and this dark alas through our own fault too dark remembrance Oh that 's the comfort we shall then have laid by all that stupidity and dulnesse which here attends us whatever we are about That full view of our blessed Lord will for ever cure us of all coldnesse and unbelief and ravish us into one eternall affectionate admiration of divine love If that joy which arose from faith and love whilst he was not seen was unspeakable and full of glory how inconceivable how transcendently glorious must that be which shall arise from his immediate sight If it be such a precious priviledge to have a right to Heaven here solemnly given us what will it be to enter upon actual possession Oh then Christians whilst you are remembring Christ at his Table let it rejoyce your hearts to consider that he is remembring you at his fathers right hand and thither will shortly exalt you All you whom the King of Glory now espouseth to himself as it were by Proxie as Princes take Wives by their Embassadours remember that the day is hastening when your marriage shall be more publickly and triumphantly solemnized when all you blessed ones shall be call'd to the great Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And do you now get your souls mounted as high as you can climbe by all the means that are afforded you and stand ever wishly looking and diligently preparing for his appeearance and
your time and do all actions as in his sight You may easier run from under thâ— heavens than out of his eye And consider he do's not onely look on you but narrowly regard yoâ— and concerns himself with you being highly displeased when you run into sin and takes delight in your holy conversation In whatever company you are be not drawn away by them in a kind of flashy humour as if the generall loosness and jollity did engage you to conform to them but remember God is in the midst of you who never gives you a dispensation to be wicked and whom it more behoves you to please than all the world beside though avoid all ensnaring company as much as possible Let this keep you from fear or shâ—me when you are call'd to speak against Sin or for God and Holinâ—sse He 's near that will justifie you you may therefore set your face as a flint When you are alone think not you may sin the more securely for God is with you and eyes all your moâ—ions as if he had none but you to mind In your addresses to God a sense of his neaâ—nessâ— will much awaken and affect you and is one of the best helps against wandâ—ing thoughts that you can have Beware of ever being so farre swallowed up with the noise and hurry of businesses or pleasures as not to attend to him that stands over you He that is present every where should be remembred at all times Read to this purpoâ—e Psal. 139. Such a powerfull habituall sense of a present God should you work into your minds that you may walk as before him even when you do not actually think of him as a Servant is all day doing that work which his Master would have him though he may not half that time be thinkâ—ng of him So though it be needfull that you should often actually think of God yet above all see that you never so forget him as to do that which is displeasing to him And to conclude this in any doubtfull action let this be one rule that you go by not to do that which whilst you are about you dare not boldly think of Gods presence 6. The last thing I shall say to you for the carrying on of an holy life to which you are bound by the Sacrament is That you be much in serious meditation of the last things Death Judgement and Eternity The frequent and lively thoughts of these will have a mighty influence upon your whole course To consider your latter end is both a discovery of and the way to wisdome Live every day as he that knows not whether he hath another day to live Think often What if I had but another monâ—h or year to sâ—end in the world how strictly and holily should I then live that time How carefull should I be of my thoughts words and actions How thrifty of my time How serious and affectionate in all my approaches to God How ready and willing to do or receive good Why let me now live after this exact manner since it may be I have not so much as a month or year to come however very much I am sure I have not and my preparations be they never so soon will not be lost Let others funâ—ralls put you in mind of yours and flatter not your selves with the hopes of long life because you are young and healthfull but see to get your souls in such a condition that a long life may not be so much the matter of your hopes nor death the cause of your fears And remember you are always going on to the Judgement seat of Christ where you must have a triall of ten thousand times greater concernment than those that use to come before Earthly Princes and Judges when the case must be decided where you must live for ever whether in the highest joys or the sorest torments Had you not need then now to be getting a good cause for according to the life you led here in the flesh will that sentence passe The wicked must go into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternall The God who sees you now will Judge you then by Christ the Redeemer Think what a life you shall wish you had led when you come to the end of it and must be Judged for it and lead such an one now When the sugred baits of sin are presented and you have much ado to hold off them then think what bitternesse it will be in the end compare the honey with the gall the present delight which is vanisht in a moment with the sting and pain which endures eternally and then judge and act like reasonable creatures But above all let your thoughts be even steept and swallowed up in the pleasant contemplations of that glory which shall be revealed in and bestowed upon all that love the Lord Jesus Whenever you are ready to faint and give out remember the joy that is set before you and let that remembrance cheer and revive you Consider what that goodnesse is which God hath laid up in himself for them that fear him till you find your love enflamed towards him and let that love put you upon more frequent thoughts and earnest longings after him Onely see to fill up all your time with suitable actions and then let it even please you to see your days post away so fast Alwaies keep it on your thoughts that you are in a journey to a glorious Kingdome and be often saying Now I am one day or month or year nearer than I was before Stretch out thy self with a longing look towards thy Fathers house Shortly I shall be in the arms of my dear Saviour and shall be joyning with Saints and Angels in the triumphant praises of Jehovah and the Lamb. And remember this happinesse consists chiefly in being made perfectly holy and therefore here must that grace be sown and grow up that shall then be ripened into glory And the more holy you are the nearer to heaven will you get whilst you stay on earth and the meeter for it will you be when you are taken off from the earth Ever keep up such a sense of the excellency of this future blessednesse as may blast all other things in your esteem and deaden the temptations that are taken from pleasures riches and honours Oh think how perfectly provided for must he needs be who shall have God for his portion How mad are they that would lose the least hope of this happinesse for the whole world And they that look for such great things what manner of persons ought they to be in all holy conversation and godliness Oh let nothing weary you or turn you out of the way Hold out awhile longer and you shall be plac'd out of the reach of all temptations for ever Fasten upon nothing on this side heaven with any great delight or long stay But still tell your selves it's time enough to be happy when God shall take you to himself so he will but here vouchsafe you that converse with him whereof we in this state are capable Let every thing you meet with be as a step toward Mount Sion and raise you nearer to heaven and make you more desirous of it And when you have been thus meditating and preparing waiting and desiring a while you shall assuredly find that your labour was not in vain Wherâ—fore let such considerations as these make you stedfast unmoveablâ— alwaies abounding in youâ— Lords work till at length you shall be translated into his Joy And thus I have dispatcht those Directions I promised for the promoting of holinesse whâ—ch was the last thing I had to do It now remains that we set our selves resolvedly and sincerely to the practise of what God hath revealed to be our duty which if we do we need not doubt of his assistance and blessing but upon our perseverance in well-doing to which we have obliged our selves may through our Mediatour confidenâ—ly expect his gracious acceptance and his glorious Câ—own Now â—he Gâ—d of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of his sheep by the bâ—ood of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to do his will wâ—rking in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesâ—â— Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. FINIS