mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked practice But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my weapons submit my self to thy Mercy And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known sin but conscientiously to use all the means that I know thou hast prescribed for the death and utter destruction of all my corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World I do here resign up my heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of my heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from Thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practise this my resolution through thy assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world rather than to turn from thee to the ways of sin and that I will watch against all its temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous rags◠I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone creature without righteousness or strength And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration bowing the neck of my Soul under the feet of thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take thee Lord Iehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and chief good and to give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant promising and vowing to serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in Marriage Covenant to him O Blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bested poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsom polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory but sith such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine offices I renounce mine own worthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own wisdom and do here take thee for mine only guide I renounce mine own Will and take thy◠Will for my Law. And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here Covenant with thee to take my Lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy laws as the rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoak and set my shoulder to thy burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy iust and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Only because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation beseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein thou wouldst discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father that ever thou shouldst find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty Power hast turned about my Heart from Sin to God. O dreadful Iehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven The AUTHORS Advice THis Covenant I advise you to make not only in Heart but in Word not only in Word but in Writing and that you would with all possible reverence spread the Writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed. And when you have done this set your hand to it Keep it 〈◊〉 a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you that you may have recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations Direct XI Take heed of delaying thy Conversion and set upon a speedy and present turning I made haste and delayed not Psal. 119. 60. Remember and tremble at the sad instance of the foolish Virgins that came not till the door of mercy was shut Mat. 25. and of a convinced Felix that put off Paul to another season and we never find that he had such a season more Acts 24. 25. O come in while it is called to day lest thou shouldst be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin lest thy day of grace should be over and the things that
Before the news of a Christ was a stale and sapless thing but now how sweet is a Christ Augustine could not relish his before so much admired Cicero because he could not find the name of Christ how pathetically cries he Dulcissime amantis benignis caris c. quando te videbo quando satiabor de pulchritudine tua Medit. c. 37. O most sweet most loving most kind most dear most precious most desired most lovely most fair c. all in a breath when he speaks of and to his Christ in a word the voice of the Convert is with the Martyr None but Christ. 2. The terms which are either ultimate or Subordinate and Mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost whom the true Convert takes as his All-sufficient and eternal blessedness A Man is never truly sanctified till his very heart be in truth set upon God above all things as his portion and chief good These are the natural breathings of a believers heart Thou art my portion Psal. 119. 57. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord Psalm 34. 2. My expectation is from him he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defence in God is my salvation and my glory the Rock of my strength and my Refuge is in God Psalm 62. 1. 2 5 6 7. Psalm 18. 1 2. Would you put it to an issue whether you be converted or not Now then let thy soul and all that is within thee attend Hast thou taken God for thy happiness Where doth the content of thy heart lie Whence doth thy choicest comfort come in Come then and with Abraham lift up thine eyes Eastward and Westward and Northward and Southward and cast about thee what it is that thou wouldst have in Heaven or Earth to make thee happy If God should give thee thy choice as he did to Solomon or should say to thee as Ahashuerus to Esther What is thy petition and what is thy request and it shall be granted thee Esther 5. 3. What wouldst thou ask go into the gardens of pleasure and gather all the fragrant flowers from thence would these content thee Go to the treasures of Mammon suppose thou might'st lade thy self while thou wouldst from hence go to the towers to the trophies of honour what thinkest thou of being a man of renown and having a name like the name of the great men of the earth Would any of this all this suffice thee and make thee count thy self a happy man If so then certainly thou art carnal and unconverted If not go farther wâ—de into the divine excellencies the store of his mercies the hiding of his power the deeps unfathomable of his All-sufficiency Doth this sâ—it thee best and please thee most Dost thou say 'T is good to be here Mat. 17. 4. Here I will pitch here I will live and dye Wilt thou let all the world go rather than this Then 't is well between God and thee Happy art thou O man happy art thou that ever thou wast born If a God can make thee happy thou must needs be happy for thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God Deut. 26. 17. Dost thou say to Christ as he to us Thy Father shall be my Father and thy God my God John 20. 17. Here is the turning Point An unsound professor never takes up his rest in God but converting grace does the work and so cures the fatal misery of the fall by turning the heart from its idols to the living God 1 Thes. 1. 9. Now says the soul Lord whither should I go Thou hast the words of eternal life Iohn 6. 68. Here he centers here he settles O 't is as the entrance of Heaven to him to see his interest in God When he discovers this he saith Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psalm 116. 7. and it is even ready to breath out Simons Song Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2. 29. and saith with Iacob when his old heart revived at the welcome tidings It is enough Gen. 45. 28. When he sees he hath a God in Covenant to go to this is all his salvation and all his desire 2 Sam. 23. 5. Man is this thy case Hast thou experienced this Why then blessed art thou of the Lord. God hath been at work with thee he hath laid hold on thy heart by the power of converting grace or else thou couldst never have done this The Mediate term of Conversion is either Principal or less Principal The Principal is Christ the only Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. His work is to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is the way to the Father Iohn 14. 6. the only plank on which we may escape the only door by which we may enter Iohn 10. 9. Conversion brings over the soul to Christ to accept of him Col. 2. 6. as the only means to life as the only way the only name given under Heaven Acts 4. 12. He looks not for salvation in any other but him nor in any other with him but throws himself on Christ alone as one that should cast himself with spread arms upon the Sea. Here saith the convinced sinner here I will venture and if I perish I perish If I dâ—â— I will die here But Lord suffer me not to perish under the pitiful eyes of thy mercy Intreat me not to leave thee or to turn away from following after thee Ruth 1. 16. Here I will throw my self If thou kick me if thou kill me Job 13. 15. I will not go from thy door Thus the poor soul doth venture on Christ and resolvedly adhere to him Before Conversion the man made light of Christ minded the Farm Friends Merchandise more than Christ Mâ—t. 22. 5. Now Christ is to him as his necessary food his daily bread the life of his heart the staff of his life Phil. 3. 9. His great design is that Christ may be magnified in him Phil. 1. 20. His heart once said as they to the Spouse What is thy Beloved more than another Cant. 5. 9. He found more sweetness in his merry company wicked games earthly delights than in Christ. He took Religion of a fancy and the talk of great enjoyments for an idle dream But now to him to live is Christ. He sets light by all that he accounted precious for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3. 8. All of Christ is accepted by the sincere Convert He loves not only the Wages but work of Christ. Ro. 7. 12. not only the benefits but the burden of Christ He is willing not only to tread out the corn but to draw under the yoak he takes up the commands of Christ yea and Cross of Christ Mat. 11. Mat. 16. 24. The unsound closes by the halves with Christ He is all for the Salvation of Christ but he is not for sanctification he is for the priviledges
of Gods immutable counsel or corrupt him whom the Father hath sealed to go directly against his Commission then and not otherwise maist thou get to Heaven in this condition To hope that Christ will save thee while unconverted is to hope that Christ will falsify his trust He never did nor will save one soul but whom the Father hath given him in election and drawn to him in effectual calling Iohn 6. 34 37. Be assured Christ will save none in a way contrary to his Fathers will Iohn 6. 38. Secondly To offer violence to all his attributes 1. To his Iustice. For the righteousness of Gods judgment lies in rendring to all according to their works Rom. 2. 5 6. Now should men sow to the flesh and yet of the Spirit reap everlasting life Gal. 6. 7 8. where were the glory of divine Justice since it should be given to the wicked according to the work of the righteous 2. To his holiness If God should not only save sinners but save them in their sins his most pure and strict holiness would be exceedingly defaced The unsanctified is in the eyes of Gods holiness worse than a Swine or Viper Mat. 23. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 23. Now what cleanly nature could indure to have the filthy Swine Bed and Board with him in his Parlour or Bed-chamber It would offer the extreamest violence to the infinite purity of the divine nature to have such to dwell with him They cannot stand in his judgment they cannot abide in his presence Psalm 1. 5. Psalm 5. 4 5. If holy David would not endure such in his house no nor in his sight Psalm 101. 3 7. shall we think God will Should he take men as they be from the Trough to the Table from the Harlots lips from the Stye and Draff to the glory of Heaven the world would think God were at no such a distance from sin nor had such dislike of it as we are told he hathâ— they would conclude God were altogether such a one as themselves as they wickedly did but from the very forbearance of God Psal. 50. 21. 3. To his Veracity For God hath declared from Heaven That if any shall say he shall have peace tho' he should go on in the imagination of his heart his wrath shall smoak against that man Deut. 29. 19 20. That they only that confess and forsake their sins shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. That they that shall enter into his Hill must be of clean hands and a pure heart Psal. 24. 3 4. Where were Gods truth if notwithstanding all this he should bring men to Salvation without Conversion O desperate sinner that darest to hope that Christ will put the lye upon his Father and nullifie his word to save thee 4. To his Wisdom For this were to throw away the choicest mercies on them that would not value them nor were any way suited to them First they would not value them The unsanctified sinner puts but little price upon God's great Salvation Mat. 22. 5. He sets no more by Christ than the whole by the Physician Matthew 9. 12. he prizes not his balm values not his cure tramples upon his blood Heb. 10. 29. Now would it stand with wisdom to force pardon and life upon them that would give him no thanks for them Will the all-wise God when he hath forbidden us to do it throw his holy things to Dogs and his pearls to Swine that would as it were but turn again and rend him Mat. 7. 6. This would make mercy to be despised indeed Wisdom requires that life be given in a way suitable to God's honour and that God provide for the securing his own glory as well as Man's felicity It would be dishonourable to God to set his Jewels on the snouts of Swine continuing such and to bestow his choicest riches on them that have more pleasure in their swill than the heavenly delights that he doth offer God should lose the praise and glory of his grace if he should cast it away on them that were not only unworthy but unwilling Secondly They are no way suited to them The Divine Wisdom is seen in suiting things each to other the means to the end the object to the faculty the quality of the gift to the capacity of the receiver Now if Christ should bring the unregenerate sinner to Heaven he could take no more felicity there than a Beast if you should bring him into a beautiful room to the Society of learned men and a well-furnished Table when as the poor thing had much rather be grazing with his fellow-brutes Alas what should an unsanctified creature do in Heaven He could take no content there because nothing suits him The place doth not suit him he would be but piscis in arido quite out of his element as a Swine in the parlour or a Fish out of water The Company doth not suit him What communion hath darkness with light corruption with perfection Filth and rottenness with glory and immortality The imployment doth not suit him The Anthems of Heaven fit not his mouth suit not his ear Canst thou charm thy Beast with Musick Or wilt thou bring him to thy Organ and expect that he should make thee melody or keep time with the skilful Quire Or had he skill he would have no will and so could find no pleasure no more than the nauseous stomach in the meat on which it hath newly surfeited Spread thy Table with delicates before a languishing Patient and it will be but a very offence Alas if the poor man think a Sermon long and say of a Sabbath What a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. how miserable would he think it to be held to it to all eternity 5. To his immutability or else to his Omnisciency Omnipotency For this is enacted in the Conclave of Heaven and enrolled in the decrees of the Court above that none but the pure in heart shall ever see God Mat. 5. 8. This is laid up with him and sealed among his Treasures Now if Christ yet bring any to Heaven unconverted either he must get them in without his Fathers knowledge and then where is his Omnisciency Or against his will and then where were his Omnipotency Or he must change his will and then where were his Immutability Sinner wilt thou not yet give up thy vain hope of being saved in this condition Saith Bildad Shall the earth be forsaken for thee Or the rocks moved out of their place Job 18. 4. May not I much more reason so with thee Shall the Laws of Heaven be reversed for thee Shall the everlasting foundations be overturned for thee Shall Christ put out the eye of his Fathers Omnisciency or shorten the arm of his eternal power for thee Shall divine Justice be violated for thee or the brightness of the glory of his holiness be blemished for thee Oh the impossibility absurdity blasphemy that is in such a confidence To think Christ will ever save thee
of choice not as slaves but as the Sun or Spouse from a Spring of Love and a Loyal Mind In a Word the Laws of Christ are the Converts Love Psalm 119. 159 163 167. desire ver 5 20 40. delight ver 77 92 103 111 143. and continual study ver 99 79. Psalm 1. 2. 4. The bent of his course is directed to keep Gods Statutes Psalm 119. 4 8 167 168. 'T is the daily care of his life to walk with God. He seeks great things he hath noble designs though he fall too short He aims at nothing less than perfection he desires it he reaches after it he would not rest in any pitch of grace till he were quite rid of sin and had perfected holiness Phil. 3. 11 12 13 14. Here the Hypocrites rottenness may be discovered He desires holiness as one well only as a Bridge to Heaven and enquires earnestly what is the least that will serve his turn and if he can get but so much as may just bring him to Heaven this is all he cares for But the sound Convert desires holiness for holiness sake Psalm 119. 97. Mat. 5. 6. and not only for Heaven's sake He would not be satisfied with so much as might save him from Hell but desires the highest pitch Yet desires are not enough What is thy way and thy course Is the drift and scope of thy life altered Is holiness thy trade and religion thy business Rom. 8. 1. Mat. 25. 16. Phil. 1. 20. If not thou art short of sound Conversion Application And is this that we have described the Conversion that is of absolute necessity to salvation Then be informed 1. That strait is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life 2. That there be but few that find it 3. That there is need of a Divine power savingly to convert a sinner to Jesus Christ. Again then be exhorted O man that readest to turn in upon thine own self What saith Conscience Doth it not begin to bite Doth it not twitch thee as thou goest Is this thy Judgment and this thy Choice and this thy way that we have described If so then 't is well But doth not thy heart condemn thee and tell thee there is such a sin thou livest in against thy Conscience Doth it not tell thee there is such and such a secret way of wickedness that thou makest no bones of Such or such a Duty that thou makest no Conscience of Doth not Conscience carry thee to thy Closet and tell thee how seldom prayer and reading is performed there Doth it not carry thee to thy family and shew thee the charge of God and the souls of thy children and servants that be neglected there doth not Conscience lead thee to thy Shop thy Trade and tell thee of some mystery of iniquity there Doth it not carry thee to the Ale-Shop or to the Sack-Shop and round thee in thine ear for the loose Company thou keepest there the precious time thou mis-spendest there for the talents of God which thou throwest down this Sink for thy gaming and thy swilling c. Doth it not carry thee into thy secret Chamber and read thee a Curtain Lecture O Conscience do thy duty In the name of the living God I command thee discharge thine office Lay hold upon this sinner fall upon him arrest him apprehend him undeceive him What wilt thou flatter and sooth him while he lives in his sins Awake O Conscience What meanest thou O sleeper What hast thou never a reproof in thy mouth What shall this soul die in his careless neglect of God and Eternity and thou altogether hold thy peace What shall he go on still in his trespasses and yet have peace O rouse up thy self and do thy work Now let the Preacher in the bosom speak Cry aloud and spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet let not the blood of this Soul be required at thy hands Chap. III. Of the Necessity of Conversion IT may be you are ready to say what meaneth this stir And are apt to wonder why I follow you with such earnestness still ringing one lesson in your â—ars That you should repent and be converted Acts 3. 19. But I must say unto you as Ruth to Naomi Intreat me not to leave you nor to turn aside from following after you Ruth 1. 16. Were it a matter of indifferency I would never keep so much ado Might you be saved as you be I would gladly let you alone But would you not have me solicitous for you when I see you ready to perish As the Lord liveth before whom I am I have not the least hopes to see one of your faces in Heaven except you be converted I utterly despair of your salvation except you will be prevailed with to turn throughly and give up your selves to God in holiness and newness of life Hath God said Except you be born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3. and yet do you wonder why your Ministers do so plainly travel in birth with you Think it not strange that I am earnest with you to follow after holiness and long to see the Image of God upon you Never did any nor shall any enter into Heaven by any other way but this The Conversion described is not an high pitch of some taller Christians but every soul that is saved passes this universal change It was a passage of the Noble Roman when he was hasting with Corn to the City in the famine and the Mariners were loth to set sail in foul weather Necessarium est navigarâ— non est necessarium vivere Our voyage is of more necessity than our lives What is it that thou dost account necessary Is thy Bread necessary Is thy Breath necessary then thy Conversion is much more necessary Indeed this is the â—â—num necessarium the one thing necessary Thine Estate is not necessary thou maist sell all for the Pearl of great price and yet be a gainer by the purchase Mat. 13. 46. Thy life is not necessary thou maist part with it for Christ to infinite advantage Thine esteem is noâ— necessary thou maist be reproached for the name of Christ and yet happy yea much more happy in reproach than in repute 1 Pet. 4. 4. Mat. 5. 10 11. But thy Conversion is necessary thy damnation lies upon it and is it not needful in so important a case to look about thee Upon this one point depends thy making or marring to all eternity But I shall more particularly shew the necessity of Conversion in five things for without this 1. 〈◊〉 being is in vaiâ— Is it not pity thou shouldst be good for nothing an unprofitable burden of the earth a wart or wen in the Body of the universe Thus thou art whilst unconverted for thou canst not answer the end of thy Being Is it not for the divine pleasure thou art and wert created Rev. 4. 11. Did not he make thee for himself Prov. 16. 4.
in this condition is to make thy Saviour to become a Sinner and to do more wrong to the infinite Majesty than all the wicked on Earth or Devils in Hell ever did or could And yet wilt thou not give up such a blasphemous hope II. Against his word We need not say Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring down Christ from above Or who shall descend into the deep to bring up Christ from beneath The word is nigh us Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Are you agreed that Christ shall end the controversie Hear then his own words Except you be converted you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18. 3. You must be born again John 3. 7. If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me John 13. 8. Repent or perish Luke 13. 3. One word one would think were enough from Christ but how often and earnestly doth he reiterate it verily verily verily verily except a man be born again he shall not see the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3 5. Yea he doth not only assert but prove the necessity of the new birth viz. from the fleshliness and filthiness of man's first birth Iohn 3. 6. by reason of which man is no more fit for Heaven than the Beast is for the Chamber of the Kings presence And wilâ— thou yet believe thine own presumptuous confidence directly against Christs words He must go quite against the Law of his Kingdom and Rule of his Judgment to save thee in this estate III. Against his Oath He hath lifted up his hand to heaven he hath sworn that those that remain in unbelief and know not his ways that is are ignorant of them or disobedient to them shall not enter into his rest Psalm 95. 11. Heb. 3. 18. and wilt thou not yet believe O sinner that he is in earnest Canst thou hope he will be forsworn for thee The Covenant of Grace is confirmed by an Oath and sealed by blood Heb. 6. 17. Heb. 9. 16 18 19. Mat. 26. 28. But all must be made void and another way to heaven found out if thou be saved living and dying unsanctified God is come to his lowest and last terms with man and hath condescended as far as with honour he could hath set up his Pillars with a Ne plus ultra Men cannot be saved while unconverted except they could get another Covenant made and the whole frame of the Gospel which was established for ever with such dreadful solemnities quite altered and would not this be a distracted hope IV. Against his honour God will so shew his love to the sinner as withal to shew his hatred to sin Therefore he that names the name of Jesus must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. and deny all ungodliness and he that hath hope of life by Christ must purifie himself as he is pure 1 Iohn 3. 3. Tit. 2. 12. otherwise Christ would be thought a favourer of sin The Lord Jesus would have all the world to know though he pardon sin he will not protect it If holy David shall say Depart from me all you workers of iniquity Psal. 6. 8. and shall shut the doors against them Psal. 101. 7. shall not such much more expect it from Christs holiness Would it be for his honour to have the dogs to the table or to lodge the swine with his children or to have Abraham's bosom to be a nest of Vipers V. Against his Offices God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour Acts 5. 31. he should act against both should he save men in their sins It is the Office of a King. Parcere subjectis debellare superbos To be a terrer to evil doers and a praise to them that do well Rom. 13. 3 4. He is a Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil Now should Christ favour the ungodly so continuing and take those to reign with him that would not that he should reign over them Luke 19. 27. this were quite against his Office He therefore reigns that he may put his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. now should he lay them in his bosom he should cross the end of his regal power It belongs to Christ as a King to subdue the hearts and slay the lusts of his chosen Psalm 45. 5. Psalm 110. 3. What King would take the rebels in open hostility into his Court What were this but to betraâ— Life Kingdom Government and all together If Christ be a King he must have homage honour subâ—ection c. Maâ— 1. 6. Now to save men while in their natural enmity were to obscure his Dignity lose his Authority bring contempt on his Government and sell his dear-bought rights for nought Again as Christ should not be a Prince so neither a Saviour if he should do this For his Salvation is spiritual he is called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins Mat. 1. 21. So that should he save them in their sins he should be neither Lord nor Jesus To save men from the punishment and not from the power of sin were to do his work by halves and be an imperfect Saviour His Office as the Deliverer is to turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. He is sent to bless men in turning them from their iniquities Acts 3. 26. to make an end of sin Dan. 9. 24. so that he should destroy his own designs and nullifie his offices to save men abiding in their unconverted estate Application Arise then what meanest thou O sleeper Awake O secure sinner left thou be consumed in thine iniquities Say as the Lepers If we sit here we shall die 2 Kings 7. 3 4. Verily it is not more certain that thou art now out of hell than that thou shalt speedily be in it except thou repent and be converted there is but this one door for thee to escape by Arise then O sluggard and shake off thine excuses How long wilt thou slumber and fold thine hands to sleep Prov. 6. 10 11. Wilt thou lie down in the midst of the Sea or sleep on the top of the mast Prov. 23. 34. There is no remedy but thou must either turn or burn There is an unchangeable necessity of the change of thy condition except thou art resolved to abide the worst of it and try it out with the Almighty If thou lovest thy life O man arise and come away Methinks I see the Lord Jesus laying the merciful hands of an holy violence upon thee methinks he carries it like the Angels to Let Gen. 19. 15 c. Then the Angels â—â—â—stâ—ned Lot saying Arise lest thou be consumed And while â—he lingâ—ed the men laid hold upon his hand the Lord being mercifull unto him and they brought him without the City and said Escape for thy life stay not in all the plain escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed Oh how willful will thy destruction be if thou shouldest yet harden thy self in thy
I will be content to lose it Hear then Oh sinner and as ever thou wouldst be converted and saved embrace this following counsel Direct I. Set it down with thy self as an undoubted truth that it is impossible for thee ever to get to Heaven in this thy unconverted state Can any other but Christ save thee And he tells thee he will never do it except thou be regenerated and converted Mat. 18. 3. Iohn 3. 3. Doth he not keep the keys of Heaven And canst thou get in without his leave as thou must if ever thou comest thither in thy natural condition without a sound and thorough renovation Direct II. Labour to get a thorough sight and lively sense and feeling of thy sins Till men are weary and heavy laden and pricked at the heart and stark sick of sin they will not come to Christ in his way for ease and cure nor to purpose enquire What shall we do Mat. 11. 28. Acts 2. 37. Mat. 9. 12. They must set themselves down for dead men before they will come unto Christ that they may have life Iohn 5. 40. Labour therefore to set all thy sins in order before thee Never be afraid to look upon them but let thy spirit make diligent search Psal. 77. 6. Enquire into thine heart and into thy life enter into a thorow examination of thy self and of all thy ways Psal. 119. 59. that thou mayst make a full discovery and call in the help of God's Spirit in the sense of thine own inability hereunto for it is his proper work to convince of sin Iohn 16. 8. Spread all before the face of thy Conscience till thine heart and eyes be set abroach Leave not striving with God and thine own soul till it cry out under the sense of thy sins as the enlightned Jaâ—lor What must I do to â—e saved Acts 16. 30. To this purpose Meditate of the numerousness of thy sins David's heart failed when he thought of this and considered that he had more sins than hairs Psal. 40. 12. This made him to cry out upon the multitudes of Gods tender mercies Psal. 51. 1. The loathsome carcass doth not more hatefully swarm with crawling worms than an unsanctified soul with filthy Iusts They fill the head the heart the eyes and mouth of him Look backward where was ever the place what was ever the time in which thou didst not sin Look inward what part or power canst thou find in soul or body but it is poisoned with sin What duty dost thou ever perform into which poison is not shed Oh how great is the sum of thy debts who hast been all thy life long running upon the hooks and never didst nor canst pay off one penny Look over the sin of thy Nature and all its cursed broad the sins of thy life Call to mind thy Omissions Commissions the sins of thy thoughts of thy words of thine actions the sins of thy youth the siâ—s of thy years c. Be not like a desperate Bankrupt that is afraid to look over his Books Read the Records of Conscience carefully These Books must be opened sooner or later Rev. 20. 12. Meditate upon the aggravations of thy sin as they are the grand enemies against the God of thy life against the life of thy soul in a word they 〈…〉 publiâ—k enemies of all mankind How do David Ezra Daniel and the good Levites aggravate their sins from the consideration of their injuriousness to God their opposition to his good and righteous Laws the mercies the warnings that they were committed against Nâ—â— 9. Daâ— 9. Ezra 9. O the work that sin hath made in the world This is the enemy that hath brought in death that hath robbed and enslaved man that hath blacked the Devil that hath digged Hell Rom. 5. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iohn 8. 34. This is the enemy that hath turned the Creation upside down and sown dissention between man and the creatures between man and man yea between man and himself setting the sensitive part against the rational the will against the judgment lust against conscience yea worst of all between God and man making the lapsed sinner both hateful to God and a hater of him Zech. 11. 8. O man how canst thou make so light of sin This is the Traytor that sucked the blood of the Son of God that sold him that mocked him that scourged him that spit in his face that digged his hands that pierced his side that pressed his soul that mangled his body that never left till it had bound him condemned him nailed him crucified him and put him to open shame Isa. 53. 4 5 6. This is that deadly poyson so powerful of operation as that one drop of it shed upon the root of mankind hath corrupted spoiled and poisoned and undone his whole race at once Rom. 5. 18 19. This is the common Butcher the bloody Executioner that hath killed the Prophets burnt the Martyrs murdered all the Apostles all the Patriarchs all the Kings and Potentates that hath destroyed Cities swallowed Empires butchered and devoured whole Nations Whatever was the weapon that 't was done by sin was it that did Execution Rom. 6. 23. dost thou yet think it but a small thing If Adam and all his Children could be digged out of their Graves and their Bodies piled up to Heaven and an inquest were made what matchless murderer were guilty of all this blood it would be all found in the skirts of sin Study the nature of sin till thy heart be brought to fear and loath it And meditate on the aggravations of thy particular sins how thou hast sinned against all God's warnings against thine own prayers against mercies against corrections against clearest light against freest love against thine own resolutions against promises vows covenants of better obedience c. charge thy heart home with these things till it blush for shame and be brought out of all good opinion of it self Ezra 9. 6. Meditate upon the desert of sin It cryeth up to Heaven It calls for vengeance Gen. 18. 21. It s due wages is death and damnation It pulls the curse of God upon the Soul and Body Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 28. The least sinful word or thought lays thee under the infinite wrath of God Almighty Rom. 2. 8 9. Mat. 12. 36. Oh what a load of wrath what a weight of curses what treasure of vengeance have all the millions of thy sins then deserved Rom. 2. 5. Iohn 3. 36. Oh Judge thy self that the Lord may not â—udge thee 1 Cor. 11. 31. Meditate upon the deformity and desilement of sin 'T is as black as Hell the very image and likeness of the Devil drawn upon the Soul 1 John 3. 8 10. It would more affright thee to see thy self in the hateful deformity of thy nature than to see the Devil There is no mire so unclean no vomit so loathsome no carcass or carrion so offensive no plague or leprosie so noisom as sin in which thou
my Liege Soveraign and resolve all my days to pay the tribute of Worship Obedience and Love and Service is thee and to live to thee as the end of my Life This is a right accepting of God. To be short he tells you I am the true and faithful God. If you wiâ—l have me for your God you must be content to trust me 2 Tim. 1. 12. Prov. 3. 5. Will you venture your selves upon my word and depend on my faithfulness and take my bond for your security Will you be content to follow me in poverty and reproach and affliction here and to see much going out and little coming in and to tarry till the next world for your preferment Mat. 9. 21. I deal much upon trust will you be content to labour and suffer and to tarry for your returns till the Resurrection of the Just Luke 14. 14. The womb of my Promise will not presently bring forth will you have the patience to wait Heb. 10. 36. Now Beloved what say you to this Will you have this God for your God Will you be content to live by faith and trust him for an unseen happiness an unseen heaven an unseen glory Do your hearts answer Lord we will venture our selves upon thee we commit our selves to thee We roll upon thee we know whom we have trusted we are willing to take thy word we will prefer thy promises before our own possessions and the hopes of Heaven before all the enjoyments of the Earth We will wait thy leisure What thou wilt here so that we may have but thy faithful promise for Heaven hereafter If you can in truth and upon deliberation thus accept of God he will be yours Thus there must be in a right conversion to God a closing with him suitable to his excellencies But when men close with his mercy but yet love sin hating holiness and purity or will take him for their Benefactor but not for their Soveraign or for their Patron but not for their Portion this is no thorow and no sound Conversion Direct VII Accept of the Lord Iesus in all his Offices with all his inconveniences as thine Upon these terms Christ may be had Sinner thou hast undone thy self and art plunged into the Ditch of most deplorable misery out of which thou art never able to climb up But Jesus Christ is able and ready to help thee and he freely tenders himself to thee Heb. 7. 25. Iohn 3. 36. Be thy sins never so many never so great of never so long continuance yet thou shalt be most certainly pardoned and saved if thou dost not wretchedly neglect the offer that in the name of God is here made unto thee The Lord Jesus calleth unto thee to look unto him and be saved Isa. 45. 22. to come unto him and he will in no wise cast thee out Iohn 6. 37. Yea he is a suitor to thee and beseecheth thee to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. he cryeth in the streets he knocketh at thy door he wooeth thee to accept of him and live with him Prov. 1. 20. Rev. 2. 30. If thou diest 't is because thou wouldst not come to him for life Iohn 5. 40. Now accept of an offered Christ and thou art made for ever Now give up thy consent to him and the match is made all the world cannot hinder it Do not stand off because of thine unworthiness Man I tell thee nothing in all the world can undo thee but thine unwillingnessâ— Speak man art thou willing of the match Wilt thou have Christ in all his celations to be thine thy King thy Priest thy Prophet Wilt thou have him with all his inconveniences Take not Christ hand over head but sit down first and count the cost Wilt thou lay all at his feet Wilt thou be content to run all hazards with him Wilt thou take thy lot with him fall where it will Wilt thou deny thy self take up thy Cross and follow him Art thou deliberately understandingly freely fixedly determined to â—â—eave to him in all times and conditions If so my soul for thine thou shalt never perish Iohn 3. 16. but art passed from death to life Here lies the main point of thy salvation that thou be found in thy covenant-closure with Jesus Christ and therefore if thou love thy self see that thou be faithful to God and thy soulâ— ere Direct VIII Resign up all thy powers and faculties and thy whole interest to be his They gave their own selves unto the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. Present your bodies as a living Sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. The Lord seeks not yours but you Resing therefore thy body with all its members to him and thy soul with all its powers that he may be glorified in thy body and in thy spirit which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. In a right closure with Christ all the faculties give up to him The Judgment subscribes Lord thou â—t worthy of all acceptation chief of ten thousand Happy is the man that finâ—eth thee All the things that are to be desired are not to be compared with thee Prov. 3. 13 14 15. The understanding lays aside its corrupt reasonings and cavils and its prejudices against Christ and his ways It is now past questioning and disputing and casts it for Christ against all the World. It concludes it 's good to be here and sees such a treasure in this field such value in this pearl as is worth all Mat. 13. 44. Oh here 's the richest bargain that ever I made here 's the richest prize that ever man was offereâ— here 's the sovereignest remedy that ever mercy prepared he is worthy of my esteem worthy of my choice worthy of my love worthy to be embraved 〈…〉 admired for ever more Rev. 5. 12. I approve of his 〈◊〉 his terms are rightteous reasonable full of equity and mercy Again the will resigns It stands no longer wavering nor wishing and woulding but is peremptorily determin'd Lord thy love hath overcome me thâ—â— hâ—st won me and thou shalt have me Come in Lord to thee I freely open I consent to be saved in thine own way thou shalt have any thing thou shall have all let me have but thee The memory gives up to Christ Lord here is a store-house for thee Out with this trash lay in thy treaâ—ure Let me be a granary a repositorâ— of thy truths thy promises thy providences The Conscience comes in Lord I will ever side with thee I will be thy faithful Register I will warn when the sinner is tempted and smite when thou art offended I will witness for thee and judge for thee and guide into thy ways and will never let sin have quiet in this soul. The affections also come in to Christ. O saith love I am sick of thee O saith desire now I have my longing Here 's the satisfaction I sought for Here 's the desire of Nations Here 's bread for me and balm for me all that I want Fear bows the knee with
But when we tempt God by running into danger he will not engage to support us when we are tempted And of all temptations one of the most fatal and pernicious is evil company Oh what hopeful beginnings have these often stifled Oh the souls the estates the families the towns that these have ruined How many a poor sinner hath been enlightned and convinced and hath been just ready to give the Devil the slip and hath even escaped his snare and yet wicked company have pull'd him back at last and made him seven fold more the Child of Hell. In one word I have no hopes of thee except thou wilt shake off thy evil company Christ speaketh to thee as to them in another case If thou seek me then let these go their way Joh. 18. 8. Thy life lies upon it Forsake these or else thou canst not live Prov. 9. 6. Wilt thou be worse than the beast to run on when thou seest the Lord with a drawn sword in the way Numb 22. 33. Let this sentence be written in Capitals upon thy Conscience A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED Prov. 13. 20. The Lord hath spoken it and who shall reverse it And wilt thou run upon destruction when God himself doth forewaâ—â— thee If God do ever change thy heart it will appear in the change of thy company Oh fear and fly this Gulf by which so many thousand souls have been swallowed into perdition It will be hard for thee indeed to make thine escape Thy Companions will be mocking thee out of thy Religion and will study to fill thee with prejudices against strictness as ridiculous and comfortless They will be flattering thee and alluring thee but remember the warnings of the Holy Ghost My Son if sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say come with us eâ—st in thy lot among us walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away For the way of the wicked is as darkness they know not at what they stumble They lâ—y wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives Prov. 1. 10. to the 18. Prov. 4. 14. to the 19. My soul is moved within me to see how many of my hearers are like to perish both they and their houses by this wretched mischief even the haunting of such places and company whereby thâ—y are drawn into sin Once more I admonish you as Moses did Israel Num. 16. 26. And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men Oh! flee them as you would those that had the Plague-Sores running in their fore-heads these are the Devils Panders and Decoys and if thou dost not make thine escape they will toll thee into perdition and will prove thine eternal ruin Direct XVI Lastly Set apart a day to humble thy soul in secret by fasting and prayer to work the sense of thy sins and miseries upon thy heart Read over the Assemblies Exposition of the Commandments and write down the duties omitted and sins committed by thee against every Commandment and so make a Catalogue of thy sins and with shame and sorrow spread them before the Lord. And if thy heart be truly willing to the terms join thy self solemnly to the Lord in that Covenant set down in the IXth Direction and the Lord grant thee mercy in his sight Thus I have told thee what thou must do to be saved Wilt thou not now obey the voice of the Lord Wilt thou arise and set to thy work Oh man what answer wilt thou make what excuse wilt thou have if thou shouldst perish at last through very wilfulness when thou hast known the way of life I do not fear thy miscarrying if thine own idleness do not at 〈◊〉 undo thee in neglecting the use of the means that are so plainly here prescribed Rouze up Oh sluggard and ply thy work Be doing and the Lord will be with thee A Short Soliloquy for an Unregenerate Sinner AH wretched man that I am What a condition have I brought my self into by sin Oh! I see my heart hath but deceived me all this whâ—â—e in flattering me that my condition was good I see I see I am but a lost and undone man for ever undone unless the Lord help me out of this condition My sins My sins Lord what an unclean polluted wretch am I more loathsome and odious to thee than the most hateful Venom or noisome carcase can be to me Oh! what a Hell of sin is in this heart of mine which I have flattered my self to be a good heart Lord how universally am I corrupted in all my parts powers performances All the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are only evil continually I am under an inability to averseness from and enmity against any thing that is good and am prone to all that is evil My heart is a very sink of all sin And Oh the innumerable hosts and swarms of sinful thoughts words and actions that have flown from thence Oh the load of guilt that is on my soul My â—â—ad is â—ull my heartfull my mind and my members they are all full of sin Oh my sins How do they stare upon me How do they witness against me Wo iâ— me my Creditors are upon me every Commandmâ—â—â— taketh hold upon me for more than ten thousand 〈◊〉 Talents yea ten thousand times ten thousand How endless then is the sum of all my debts If this whole world were filled up from Earth to Heaven with paper and all this paper written over within and without by Arithmeticians yet when all were case up together it would come unconceivably short of what I owe to the least of Gods Commandments Wo unto me for my debts are infinite and my sins are increased They are wrongs to an infinite Majesty And if he that committeth Treason against a silken Mortal is worthy to be racked drawn and quartered What have I deserved that have so often lifted up my hand against Heaven and have struck at the Crown and Dignity of the Almighty Oh my sins my sins Behold a Troop cometh Multitudes Multitudes there is no number of their Armies Innumerable evils have compassed me about Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me they have set themselves in aray against me Oh! it were better to have all the Regiments of Hell come against me than to have my sins to fall upon me to the spoiling of my soul. Lord how am I surrounded How many are they that rise up against me They have beset me behind and before They swarm within me and without me They have possessed all my powers and have fortified mine unhappy soul as a Garison which this brooâ— of Hell doth man and maintain against the God that made me And they are as mighty as they be many The Sands are many but then they are not great The Mountains great but then they are not many
of thy Commandments yet I will allow my self in the breach of none I know my flesh will hang back But I resolve in the power of thy Grace to cleave to thee and thy holy ways what ever it cost me I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee therefore I will be content with reproach and difficulties and hardships here and will deny my self and take up my Cross and follow thee Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie thy Cross is welcome as it is the way to thee I lay aside all hopes of worldly happiness I will be content to tarry till I come to thee Let me be poor and low little and despised here so I may but be admitted to live and reign with thee hereafter Lord thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians never to be reversed To this I will stand In this resolution by Grace I will live and die I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have given my free consent I have made my everlasting choice Lord Jesus confirm the Contract Amen Chap. VII Containing the Motives to Conversion THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversion and of the Miseries of the Unconverted might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present Turning or Conversion unto God Yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is I have thought it necessary to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ some Motives to perswade you hereunto O Lord fail me not now at my last attempts If any soul hath read hitherto and be yet untouched now Lord fasten in him and do thy work Now take him by the heart overcome him perswade him till he sayâ— thou hast prevailed for thou wast stronger than I. Lord didst thou not make me a Fisher of men And have I toiled all this while and caught nothing Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought And now I am casting my last Lord Jesus stand thou upon the Shore and direct how and where I shall spread my Net and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for that they may not be able to get out Now Lord for a multitude of souls I Now for a full draughtâ— O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me this once O God. But I turn me unto you Men and Brethren Heaven and Earth do call upon you yea Hell it self doth preach the Doctrine of Repentance unto you The Angels of the Churches travel with you Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you for your repenting and turning unto God. O sinner why should the Devils make merry with thee Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan Why should Harpies and Hell-Hounds tear thee and make a feast upon thee and when they have got thee into the Snare and have fastened their Talons in thee laugh at thy destruction and deride thy misery and sport themselves with thy damnable folly This must be thy case except thou turn And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels than a laughing stock and sport for Devils Verily if thou wouldst but come in the Heavenly Host would take up their Anthems and sing Glory be to God in the Highest the Morning Stars would sing together and all the Sons of God shout for joy and celebrate this new Creation as they did the first Thy Repentance would as it were make Holy-day in Heaven and the glorious Spirits would rejoice in that there is a new Brother added to their society Rev. 22. 9. another Heir born to their Lord and the lost Son received safe and sound The true penitents tears are indeed the Wine that cheareth both God and Man. If it be little that Men and Angels would rejoice at thy Conversion know that God himself would rejoice over thee even with singing and rest in his love Luke 15. 9. Isa. 62. 5. Never did Iacob with such joy weep over the Nâ—ck of his Ioseph as thy Heavenly Father would rejoice over thee upon thy coming in to him Look over the Story of the Prodigal Methinks I see how the Aged Father lays aside his estate and forgets his years Behold how he runneth Luke 15. 20. Oh the haste that mercy makes The Sinner makes not half that speed Methinks I see how his Bowels turn how his compassions yearn How quick-sighted is love Mercy spies him a great way off forgets his riotous courses unnatural rebellion horrid unthankfulness debauched practices not a word of these but receives him with open Arms clasps about his Neck forgets the nastiness of his Rags kisses the Lips that deserve to be loathed the Lips that had been joined to Harlots that had been commoners with the Swine calls for the fatted Calf the best Robe the Ring the Shooes the best cheer in Heavens Store the best attire in Heavens Wardrobe Luke 15. 6 9 23. yea the joy cannot be held in one breast c. others must be called to participate the friends must meet and make merry Angels must wait but the Prodigal must be set at the Table under his Fathers wing He is the joy of the feast He is the sweet subject of the Fathers delight The Friends sympathize but none knows the felicity the Father takes in his new born Son whom he hath received from the dead Methinks I hear the Musick and the Dancing at a distance Oh the Melody of the Heavenly Choristers I cannot learn the Sonâ— Rev. 14. 3. But methinks I over-hear the burden at which all the harmonious Quire with one consent strikes sweetly in for thus goes the round at Heavens Table For this my Son was dead and is alivâ— again was lost and is found Luke 5. 23 24 32. I need not farther explain the parable God is the Father Christ the Cheer his Righteousness the Robe his Graces the Ornaments Ministers Saints Angels the Friends and Servants and thou that readest if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn the welcome Prodigal the happy instance of all this grace and blessed subject of this joy and love O Rock Oh Adamant What! not moved yet not yet resolved to turn forthwith and to close with mercy I will try thee yet once again If one were sent to thee from the dead wouldst thou be perswaded Why hear the voice from the dead from the damned crying to thee that thou shouldst repent I pray thee that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers house for I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment If one went unto them from the dead they will repent Luke 16. 27 28 c. Hear O man thy Predecessors in impenitence Preach to thee from the infernal Gibbets from the Flames from the Rack that thou shouldst repent O look