more to live out of my self for my Justification and to be kept a poor empty nothing for ever before the Lord if this I say be thy experience then thou shalt have peace and joy in the Holy Ghost thou may'st rejoyce in a justified estate Christ his Righteousness Grace Spirit Heaven are thine Having now laid open the Sinner as under the Law excuseless guilty and under Condemnation under an impossibility of obtaining righteousness and acceptance with God by the best endeavours to keep the Law I would now set upon the opening the Gospel-Righteousness by Jesus Christ through which only a poor condemned Sinner can find acceptance but that I conceive it first needful to speak a word to those words in the close of the 22th verse viz. For there is no difference which may further help on the conviction we have been upon The Jew might object to the Apostle thus you by your Doctrine seem to conclude all under the Law equally and under guilt you make no difference between us Jews who have the Law and endeavour to keep it and the open prophane Gentiles and Sinners in this you do us wrong No saith the Apostle There 's no difference you who in part keep the Law are under the same condemnation as others that which I shall lay down will be this Observ There is no difference between the most prophane person and the righteous and sober as to justification or condemnation by the Law I mean this the just sober man as to his keeping of the Law outwardly or in part is in as damnable estate as the profanest wretch in the world This will hardly go down but 't is most clear from the Apostles words read unto you and hath been in part proved by shewing all the Sons and Daughters of Adam Jews and Gentiles sober and ungodly all under the Law But a little further to prosecute this Doctrine for where a man or woman who hath lived honestly or soberly in the eye of the world but yet out of Christ convinced that he or she were in as bad and damnable a condition as any great sinner in the world it might be a startling to them and a means through the Spirit 's working to bring them off their vain confidence and to lead them to Christ Now that I may clear this let us first consider what it was that might difference the sober Jew from the prophane idolatrous Gentile it being the same which such as conceive themselves sober harmless people in this day do put confidence in 1. The Jew was Circumcised which was the first Ordinance of the Old Testament-Church as Baptism is of the New and it doth appear this was much insisted on by the Jew by what the Apostle speaks Rom. 2. vers 18 19. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2. They had the Scriptures of God Rom. 3.2 Vnto them were committed the Oracles of God which indeed the Apostle calls an Advantage in the same place as it might be a means to lead them to the knowledge of God and to the Promise of Jesus Christ but no advantage at all as to the meer having them read and opened and in a general Faith believing them as the more to justifie them in the sight of God 3. The Jews were under the publick Service of God such as was ordained by God himself Rom. 9.4 5. 4. They were for the most part righteous to Men and sober and blameless in the outward man Ye indeed are they which are righteous before men as the Lord often speaks of them Now 't is most clear that these things did not difference the Jew as to acceptation with God and Jesus Christ from the most profane sinner for the Lord Jesus Christ rejected these and call'd to himself Publicans and Harlots and tells the Jews that such should enter into the Kingdom of God before them Matth. 21.31 As might be further instanc'd in the case of the Pharisee and Publican Luke 18.9 Now the Reasons of this point have been before hinted namely that a meer sober Man under Christian Priviledges is no more accepted with Christ nor in any nearer capacity to come to Christ than the greatest sinner because one sin puts a man under the condemnation of the Law as well as a million of sins against it one fellony condemns a man as well as a thousand and the Malefactor must dye by the Law for it All the good a man doth will not be imputed to him if he be found a transgressor in one part of the Law Ezek. 18.24 All men come short of the glory of God in the fulfilling of the Law and he that falls short but in one mile is in as bad a case as he that falls short twenty miles Jesus Christ accepts of no man for his righteousness but as a Sinner nothing else but a Sinner so that still the case of a just man in reference to the Law is as dangerous as the greatest sinners in the world Vse A little further to press this you who are baptized have a general belief of the Scriptures are under part of the publick service of God are just and harmless as to men but yet are under the power of Vnbelief and see it not are not born again of the Spirit are not in Christ Jesus You who rest satisfied in such a condition and think your hope for Heaven well-grounded and will not be beaten off it I must tell you and 't is proved unto your Consciences from the Word of the Lord that there 's no difference between you and the vilest sinners in the Country as to your acceptance with God Though it be thus with you yet as you have been shewed you may be under the Law condemned for one transgression and what can you be more than be condemned Neither doth all this as in it self any more prepare you for Jesus Christ and therefore let all the Convictions Arguments Demonstrations we have produced from the clear light of the Word of the Lord at last prevail with you that you who thus satisfie your selves because you are baptized believe the Scriptures frequent the service of God are just and sober therefore it is well with you and you will trouble your selves no further in the matter of your Salvation that the estate of your Souls is as unsafe and desperate how secure soever as the vilest Drunkard in the Country Therefore let this Conviction have force upon your Conscience that you must come anew to Jesus Christ as a meer sinner having nothing to commend you to him Say from the Light of the Word though I have thus satisfied my self pleas'd my self in these Duties and outward Priviledges yet there 's no difference between me and the
on this side the grave yet at the great Judgment it will not be so No nothing but upbraiding of Devils for neglecting Gospel-Grace and refusing the terms of pardon and for gross security this will be the portion of every unpardoned sinner that neglects the day of his salvation therefore the pardon of sins requires the deepest thoughts of heart and can never be made too sure to a poor sinful Creature Vse 1. Is the pardon of sin be of so great and infinite weight how doth this meet with the wretched deplorable carelesnefs of a world of souls in this day that think of nothing less than whether their sins are pardoned that will hear of nothing that may call this great matter into question or may awaken them to it Oh how many poor souls I fear too many of you though so often and earnestly prest to it that were never before the Lord mourning after the pardon of your sins What a light matter would it be to be pardoned if there should be no more in it nor care about it than most sinners that call themselves Christians make about it Ah sinners why do you make no more adoe no more matter of it why so sensless of that which is alone worthy all the thoughts of thy heart if thou shouldst live a million of years to dispatch this one thing to get thy sins all pardoned You that are Elderly people have a large reckoning especially upon your account of sinning against Gospel-light and grace make haste what you do do quickly lay hold on eternal life the sun is ready to set upon you and wo with you as ever you were men and women if you fail of a good and sure dispatch of this one concernable thing that your sins are pardoned And you that are younger take heed least the day of grace set upon you and you be given up to your own hearts lusts and no word that is spoken from God or Man shall ever reach you Oh tremble at trifling with convictions and light but begin to honour the Lord Jesus and bow unto him and wait for the promised effusion of his spirit and the joy of the Lord shall be the joy of your youth and the Love of the Lord will be very sweet and precious to you 2d Exhort Oh then let every soul of us be deeply affected with this weighty matter let your souls say within you Oh the dreadfulness of an unpardoned condition what tongue can express it to have all my store little or much house corn cattle trade all under a curse and enjoy it as a curse and only to further my eternal damnation to be hated of the great God and not loved to be under all the condemnation of the Law wherever I read of wrath and wo it belongs to me to have not one of my prayers nor any thing else accepted of the Lord to be in a condition of expecting nothing from Jesus Christ at his coming but go go ye cursed when I shall see so many blessed souls that took pains for Heaven enter into the Kingdom and my self shut out Wo is me if I speak peace to my soul in such an estate one moment more Awake my soul Awake Away in to the blessed God for mercy pardon grace Christ his blood spirit holiness eternal life I will go the Lord helping me and cry in the bitterness of my soul for them all and if 't were possibe to weary the Lord with the cryes of my poor soul I will do it till he have mercy upon me and bid me go in peace the Gracious God shall as hardly deny me as ever he did any poor sinner that lay bleeding at his feet for mercy and grace from Heaven to heal a poor condemned soul Oh what have I been doing in the world all this while get a little something and my sins unpardoned in daily danger of dying in them and so be lost without all remedy for ever Oh! such will be the great thoughts of heart about the pardon of sins when the Lord shall speak to a poor sinner and the Conscience shall be throughly awake about it Oh! let me yet in the name of the Lord argue out this matter with thee Be serious for once and ponder it in thy heart what is health or wealth what is it to have something about thee in the world and lay up yearly and thou go deeper in debt with the just God every day What if all the world be at Peace with thee and God thy enemy and hate thee as thou hast been shewed What if all the world say of thee Blessed if God and his holy Word of truth pronounce thee Cursed because thy sins lye upon thy soul and the Spirit of grace is not upon thee Ah! poor Creature do not do not let thy sins lye upon thy precious soul any longer do not be contented to be a child of Gods wrath any longer Oh! do not thou poor careless soul if there be a spark of pity in thee Do not as the Devil flatters rest in this and say I hope better and I hope 't is better with me and I hope I am or shall be pardoned and so fall asleep till thou drop into Hell You that think it an easie common matter to be pardoned know not what it is you have yet no part in this blessedness Saith a poor convicted soul 1. 'T is a great matter that any sinner in the world is pardoned much more such a one as I if ever I attain to it 2. Souls that get pardon do make it their greatest care to be assured of it they do not leave the matter at sixes and sevens and put it off with bidding the heart hope well but they labour after a Gospel assurance of it 3. Such Souls will labour to see that nothing be wanting that must accompany pardon of sin and a state of salvation Heb. 6.9 4. They try all their pretenees to pardon and grace over and over and will take nothing upon trust from their hearts or the Devils flatteries or the flatteries of carnal Ministers but search and prove and lay their hearts under the Word and Spirit till it be sealed by the Holy Ghost and that they are wrought of God for this self same thing and that he hath given them the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 Well therefore say in thy heart in good earnest Oh! it hath not been so with me I have been careless I thought well of my self I ne're questioned this weighty matter to purpose Oh! the Lord give me grace to take pains in the use of means to be violent for Heaven Oh! I will not rest Oh! let me not till I am assured indeed that my my sins are done away and Christ is mine Go and say and do it and the God of all grace and might be with thee in it But yet further to press the weight of this matter upon thy Conscience that thou mayest go off thoroughly convinced and
evil of it the exceeding Sinfulness and Pollution of it by the conviction of the Spirit so as to see it most in the fountain in thy nature and there loath and bewail it because it makes thee unclean and unholy and unlike God and unfit for God or holy communion with him Which is the way and most certain evidence of the Spirits saving conviction of Sin as distinguishing from that which a hypocrite may have and carries a soul to the fountain opened Zach. 13.1 that its iniquity may be throughly cleansed Vse 6. If Sinners that come to God for mercy and pardon see their Sin as great then it will follow that great Sinners may be pardoned and saved You that are great Sinners old Sinners Oh hearken to this you that are yet within the reach of Grace and Mercy and Pardon if you will come to Jesus Christ for it the greatness of your Sin is no bar to you but if you fail of pardon 't is because you will not come to Christ for it and accept it upon Gospel-terms you will not have pardon with a new heart and new life or you make a slight matter of pardon or you think 't will come of course or you are afraid to enter into a serious review and debate with your selves because your Sins are so great they will terrifie you or take you off your pleasure and peace of your minds and joy in the world Away away with any of these pleas though thou hast sinned much greatly long with all thy might come to Jesus Christ and those great Sins are no more before his blood to wash them away than the least Sin if any be little that ever was committed and pardoned Isa 1.18 Do not hence say securely Oh 't is well that great Sinners may be pardoned I ever thought so what need so much ado Do not thus harden thy self and make such a cursed use of so Blessed a Truth but therefore come in lay down thy weapons with which thou hast been fighting against God wilt thou hold up rebellion and yet cry pardon Is it equitable thou shouldst expect it No fall down at the feet of that God against whom thou hast so greatly sinned in the posture hath been shewed thee and then though sin hath abounded yet grace doth much more abound Rom. 5. last Great Sinners have become great Saints 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you Who were they Idolaters Adulterers Revilers Sodomites c. and such like You that have been such like God may have as much Glory in your pardon as he hath had dishonour by your Sin Only be not such a Devil to thy self as to turn thy back upon it and when thou hast thus long rebelled to tell God he must stay thy leisure for thy acceptance of his pardon thy Sins are too sweet to leave as yet I tell thee Soul and I have shew'd it that Gods pardons cost him dear and are precious and if thou deal thus they may be lockt up in Heaven from thy wretched Soul to all Eternity Who but a desperate wretch but would take mercy and grace from Heaven that may make him blessed for ever when God offers it by his dear Son let thy Sins be never so great why wretched Man or Woman Hast thou not done God wrong enough already but must thou stay yet longer in thy cursed Sin and wrong him yet more Hast not done enough already to damn a thousand Souls but wouldst do more and make as sure of Hell as thou canst I beseech thee Sinner great Sinner young or old do not put me off nay do not put the Lord off with a pardon in his hand a promise of Grace ready to be sealed by the Holy Ghost if thou wilt now from thy Soul readily say why then be it so Lord Jesus I come to thee if the terms be leaving all this deceitful Sin and to be made like unto thee be it so I accept of it tear my lusts from my heart I have served them long enough too long Oh now if there be any mercy in Heaven let me have it save me not in but from my Sins Oh Lord for they are great great indeed I will saith the Lord and he speaks it in Ezek. 36.29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses 't is as much as if the Lord should have now spoken it from Heaven Mark every tittle in such a promise Now thou cryest Oh will will the Lord save I will saith the Lord Oh but will he save me from such uncleannesses yea from uncleannesses what from All yea from All thy uncleannesses fall down and Adore and cry out Oh grace free rich infinite glorious grace admire Angels Saints Sinners Behold one of Gods wonders A great sinner saved Vse 7. And so seventhly it may serve to exhort blessed souls brought into a state of peace and pardon still to keep an eye upon the greatness of mercy If mercy were not great how could any Sin be forgiven Thus this blessed man David is breathing forth Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven Oh bless the Lord Oh my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquities Oh how great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell So should pardoned called redeemed souls see themselves call'd and taken out of Hell it self Out of a Hell of abominations pollutions wrath under which they were fast held by the power of darkness Say did ever such a soul get to Heaven shall I not be the wonder of Heaven and Hell how I got to Heaven and escaped that wrath into which thousands that were better than I are now plunged there 's no other reason but because mercy is great greater than the greatnesses of Sin with which I shall conclude the second Point namely When Sinners come on to find pardon they see their Sins great Obs 3. The great reason of Gods pardoning a sinner and the plea that a poor convinced sinner hath with God is that he will pardon for his own Names sake For thy Names sake Oh Lord pardon c. That is not for any worth that is in a poor creature not for my sake but for thy own glories sake thy mercy sake grace and mercy will be hereby glorified God gets himself a Name by the pardoning of a poor Sinner that Name which he proclaims to Moses Exod. 34.6 The Lord merciful and gracious c. Now God hath given forth the ground of this plea in the New Covenant where his Name is thus made most glorious And when he had given forth a brief and blessed draught of the tenor of the New Covenant Ezek. 36.21 The Lord gives out this as the great reason often mentioned why he would take such a way of making another Covenant wherein he wills all undertakes all does all works all as resolved it should be a Covenant and a way of grace that surely should hold He gives out this I say as the ground of all I had
guilt bondage reign service of thy sin go and cry to God offer him up the blood of his own eternal Son tell him thou seest he may let out justice upon thee to destroy thee and damn thee for ever of thy self thou hast no plea against it But ask the blessed God if it may not be more glory to him and his grace and mercy glorified by it if he will accept of satisfaction by his own Son Jesus Christ plead to him that thou hearest he died in the room of guilty condemned sinnners such as thou art ungodly Rom. 5.6 yea tell him with an humble adoration of his mercy and love in it that thou hearest in his blessed Gospel that 't is offered to any sinner that will come and accept it and that 't is proclamed from Heaven and there 's satisfaction made by the blood of a Jesus for the greatest Sinner such as thou art Oh! cry unto him that therefore thou comest and begg'st to be heard in thy plea and that it may be entred in Heaven that thou comest for all the ends of his death thou art weary of the service of thy lusts and the pollution of thy nature and therefore thou wouldst have thy nature cleansed thy conscience purged all which thou findest the blood of Jesus Christ is able to do yea tell him and plead it with some humble boldness that thou art acquainted that Jesus Christ prays in Heaven for such sinners that come and plead his blood to thee and that he is heard in what he prays and that therefore forgiveness must be had yea say thou wilt hold on thy plea thou hast no other and art resolved against any other If thou shalt to Hell pleading the blood of a Saviour be it so but I am resolved to plead it to the utmost yea tell him and cry to him that it cannot repent him that he hath ordained the sacrifice of the blood of his own Son and therefore why should'st thou be rejected Yea Come to this Issue through the Spirit of Faith upon thee that if it can be that a Sinner crying out for pardon upon the account of the death and blood of Jesus Christ and for sanctification may go to Hell then thou wilt willingly lay thy hand upon thy mouth and open it no more but sink under Divine Vengeance to Eternity Oh! That every poor sinner might go home with this plea in his heart written there by the Holy Ghost and peirce Heaven with his or her crys and groans and put the blood of Jesus Christ before him and plead for mercy and holiness to be pardoned and sanctified till God say Go in peace thou art pardoned redeemed and blessed for ever Yet a little to excite a poor drowsie sinner to this eternal Concernment 1. Consider thou art under the guilt of thousands of Sins one whereof is enough to sink thee to Hell Guilt if continued is Hell begun and wants nothing but the execution of Vengeance upon thee Oh what should a guilty sinner do but close with a Saviour and get an interest in Redemption from it 2. Especially considering that all the Duties and Obedience thou hast performed towards God or ever shall have not made nor ever will the least payment to God for thy sins thou art as much in debt to God as ever thou wast as much behind with him All the Items for the sin of thy Nature thy thoughts words and actual Wickedness and thy sinful neglects stand uncancelled all ready to be charged upon thee and nought will be accepted for payment but the Death of Jesus Christ the only price that God will hearken to Nothing will cancel the Book where all thy sins are recorded Nothing will blot out the Hand-writing that is against thee but the Blood of Jesus Christ Col. 2.13 14. 3. God is resolved never to forgive you the Debt till you have put in this Plea and it be recorded in Heaven and you have it in a Gospel-way No forgiveness of Sins but by Redemption pleaded claimed possessed and sealed by the Holy Spirit Ephes 1.7 14. 4. Thou art yet under the Bondage and Reign of thy sin and therefore under condemnation the Law is gone out against thee thy Sentence pronounced Cursed is every one that transgresseth c. saith the Law and thou art in bondage yet and hast not procured actual deliverance from it If a Prisoner be condemned and lye in Fetters in a Dungeon and hears of a Ransom paid for him what 's this to him till he have Liberty So for a Sinner to be in the Fetters of his Lusts held fast by them a Bond-man to the Devil and hear of a Christ laying down a Ransom what is this to him unless he sue it out and get actual deliverance and liberty the liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God and have a Spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.4 5. That being made free from sin the Reign and Power of it by the Power of the Lord Jesus revealed in him you may become servants to God and have your fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life Rom. 6. 5. Consider as thou standest in thy filth and uncleanness of thy Sins thou art unfit for God either to please him in any thing thou doest or to be with him in Heaven hereafter thy person and services are loathsom to the Soul of God therefore get washed and purified in the blood of Jesus Christ Go on to cry and wait and beg a heart to do it and that in Faith till thou shalt feel Peace coming in by thy constant Plea of the blood of Christ till thou shalt feel cleansing vertue of it upon thy Soul till thou shalt experience the power of his death destroying Sin in thee and so shalt find thou hast fellowship with him and so a part in this blessed Redemption we have been treating of 6. Now to encourage a poor Sinner to this coming to God with the Plea of Christ's blood in his heart and mouth and to draw forth the Faith of a poor humbled doubting Soul Consider the All-sufficiency and worth of the price of the Death of Jesus Christ to satisfie the justice of God and procure Pardon and Sanctification for a poor Sinner which may appear from such like Scriptures The Apostle in the 7th of the Hebrews having been opening the excellency of Christ's Priesthood which is chiefly conversant in this Work of Redemption in the offering up of himself a Sacrifice concludes ver 25. of that Chapter Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come to God by him To the utmost that is with a perfect Salvation that nothing more can be desired to it So in the 9th Chap. ver 11 c. The Apostle reasoning from the Levitical Sacrifices to this of the blood of Christ argueth the full perfection of it By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place namely into Heaven having obtained eternal Redemption for us
upon every sinner in the world while under the law Rom. 5.18 2. The guilt of the corruption of our natures sin in the fountain as I have shewed which is likewise upon every Son or Daughter of Adam they are all corrupt Psal 14.1 wherein lies the exceeding sinfulness of sin 3. The guilt of actual rebellion against God sin brought forth and acted in the outward man against God Now under this threefold guilt is every sinner in the world while under the Law the effect of which if not reconciled is punishment suitable to the guilt which is Thou shalt surely dye And The wages of sin is death Eternal Death Rom. 6. last Vse 1. This may therefore inform and convince that every sin brings guilt upon the soul and so deserves death and everlasting wrath from God you that make light of sin to lye to prophane the Name of the Lord be in worldly discourses on the Lords day in any way of sin whatsoever weigh this in thy conscience there 's not the least sin but makes thee guilty before the Tribunal of God God the Law Angels Conscience are all witnesses against thee where 's the soul that will think to avoid this charge shall I prove every soul of you guilty and that before God If this were proved by the power of the word in the conscience I know what and I shall shew it you will be the effect of it lay your Consciences to the Word and if thou art found guilty before the Lord this day go home with the sense of it upon thy soul and do as a guilty sinner should do 1. Consider first as to what concerns God immediately the Law requires thou shouldst have no other Gods but him Exod. 20. which Jesus Christ interprets is to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul Now hath God had thy whole Heart and Soul darest thou say so Hath not the world had more of thy Heart than God Dost not thou love the World and the things of it Do not thy Affections Thoughts Desires of thy Heart even day and night go after it Yea you cannot but grant that 't is so Then God and Angels are witness that thou art guilty of the damnable sin of Idolatry And such a one shall not as such enter into the Kingdom of God Eph. 5.5 Know by that Scripture A covetous heart may send thee to Hell as well as any sin in the World No Covetous man who is an Idolater shall enter into the kingdom of God Read over the place every day and tremble at it Here 's guilt already enough to damn thee 2. Thou hast worshipped God superstitiously and idolatrously after the Traditions and Commandments of Men You that are elderly people are all guilty here in a grevious manner in the time of your ignorance and superstition coming to Sacraments with sins upon your Souls from which sins your are not converted and changed to this day which the Apostle calls eating and drinking damnation or judgment under which guilt you still lye and would heap up more of this guilt were not some more tender of your Souls than your selves Art thou not now ready to cry out Oh hold hold you need go no further my Conscience is smitten Oh! guilt great guilt lyes upon me Oh that 't were the cry of many Souls before the Lord how might it end in mercy that shall be for ever 3. But yet further to pursue thy Conscience for that 's the nature of guilt doth not the Lord require in his law that thou shouldst not take his Name in vain Exod. 20.7 Now sinner stave off this guilt if thou canst How oft hast thou abused and profaned this great and dreadful Name the Lord thy God by swearing or in thy by words crying Oh Lord Oh God for God's sake for Christ's sake upon every foolish vain occasion with no more reverence of His Name than the most common name in the World And some of you have as many days as you have lived since your Child-hood been frequently guilty of this great evil which thou hast made a small matter of which if ever God pardon it it will appear to be odious guilt from the height of thy Heart-Atheism How oft hast thou heard the Word and thy Heart been after the World and thine eyes gazing up and down that 't is easie to discern thou regardest not what is spoken from God to thee and the same in Prayer How oft hast thou babled over the Lords Prayer like a Charm with no reverence of Gods Majesty upon thy Soul In thy bed it may be in a drowsie manner or if otherwise not understanding the Words thou speakest much less thy Heart affected with them or it may be saying over the Creed and the Commandments or some Book of Prayers as abundance do grievously prophaning God's Name and offering Lip-labour which his soul abhorreth yea know what hath been often proved that thy prayers and all thy worship and good deeds as thou callest them are an abomination to the Lord while thou art in thy sin an unconverted and unholy person yea the way of thy worship in which thou placest thy greatest confidence hath been the highest aggravations of thy sin in offering up to God that which his soul hateth Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. When you make many prayers saith the Lord I will not hear you c. And as to the sanctifying the Sabbath which thou shouldst make a holy rest unto God thou hast made it a meer fleshly rest consuming the day upon thy lusts in vanity idleness carnal and worldly discourses in families in the streets to the high dishonour of the Name of God and hardening of thy heart against the truths of God rendering thereby the preaching of the Gospel wholly unprofitable to thy soul A carriage far unlike a man that hath the grace of God upon him and a most invincible argument to thy Conscience that thou makest not God his word ordinances sabbaths a holy delight and knowest not the excellency and sweetness of Communion with him say sinner and lay thy Conscience to this conviction is hearing and that with love praying praising meditating conferring of holy things the very Heaven of thy soul and so longest for such Exercises as the joy and strength of thy heart Nothing less Thy own Conscience being Judge but hear drowsily and negligently it may be despisingly revile the Preacher speak evil of the word out of thy gross ignorance and hatred to be reformed speak vainly carnally worldly with such as are like thy self Here 's guilt enough to send thee to a thousand Hells if God smite not thy heart for it and thou turn not unto him for pardon and a better heart to be given to thee Add to all this an unthankful and unholy use of Gods good Creatures it may be thou hast been betray'd by the devil and thy own ready heart to some secret sins which thou thinkest enough if thou canst
for it see how you cast back mercy upon the face of God who would freely be reconciled with you pass by all the grievous injuries you have done him enter into a Covenant with you bestow his Christ upon you fit you for communion with himself here and for ever And all this you have sleighted and yet must unavoidably be for ever damned without it Sinner who can plead for thee when thou shalt go on to despise neglect slight such grace To Hell without pity of God Angels or Men when freest mercy and grace shall be slighted I do therefore stand this day in the Name of Jesus Christ to acquaint you that he will save you freely if you will come unto him be your sins what they will so you come not as righteous but as sinners to him so you take his Righteousness to cover you and his Spirit of grace to unite you to him and make you holy and will give up your selves unto him All which he will help if you will come and cry to him yea if you cannot come he will draw you if you are unwilling he will make you willing if you have no heart he will give you heart What more Wretched man or woman that shall stand off one moment longer Is not Hell too good for thee if thou shalâ— now turn thy back upon such grace Let me have your Answers this day Let me know that sinner that will go home resolved to be as careless as he formerly hath been as well-opinioned of himself as much resolved against Holiness as thoughtless of being damned if he withstand the Lord in his Free-grace one day more Oh! Will not your hearts stir dead stupid Souls Shall God's Free-grace his Christ go a begging this day and will not a sinner come up to his terms Old sinners that are going into the grave and Hell too will not you accept of Free-grace of Christ the Spirit this day that are upon the brink of the grave and everlasting burnings and have many a thousand sins yet unpardoned Is all this nothing to you but rest in a blind hope of mercy without coming to Jesus Christ without care of being made holy and fit for Heaven Oh you have been fast asleep in sin deceived by your own hearts abused by the Devil forty fifty sixty years Is' t not time for you to bethink your selves to go and cry to the Blessed God Oh Grace Pardon Christ Heaven upon any Terms My righteousness I have trusted in are poor Cobwebs my Confidences vain Oh for a drop of Free-mercy and grace from that Ocean that is in God and 't were better than all I have done for Heaven yet Oh Lord Now now I come to thee Is there free-mercy and grace for one that hath slighted it Yea though thou hast gone on frowardly in thy own heart yet he can heal thee Isa 57.17 18. And you that are younger 't is a desperate thing now in times of Gospel-Light when it glares upon your faces to shut your eyes to go on in the way of your own hearts to slight Gospel-Grace to harden your selves and cry hereafter hereafter Alas thou knowest not what shall be on the morrow the Thread of thy life is quickly cut with a stroak from God Beside to go on long from year to year against the loud and frequent Call of Jesus Christ against Convictions that thou shouldst do otherwise is the way to be given up to utter hardness and the Lord to move upon thy heart no more There 's a day of grace to every Soul which if he suffer to set and go down upon him he is irrecoverably lost for ever Look to it you younger men and maidens that have yet no work upon you that are the same you were under the means you have lived that have not the Spirit of grace and mourning upon you when others are praying and wrestling with the Lord and taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence Oh up and be stirring the day of grace hath shined long upon you Hold out no longer Come Come Come you careless Sons and Daughters and the way is open to you The door of Free-grace is open Christs Arms are open you may be saved and blessed for ever if you come in now you are invited I can take no excuse Come or say I am resolved for Hell and to venture the utmost in the condition I am in Oh bold and fearless Atheism What shall I say to thee if that be thy Resolution But I cannot be so answered Say you Sinners as if I should name you are you for Heaven or Hell for Free-grace or your own patch'd-up righteousness for carnal ease or any Pains for Heaven for your Lusts or for Holiness for Jesus Christ or the Devil let thy heart answer in good earnest this day Now shall I at least have this Answer Hold I am resolved for the Free-grace of God for the Lord Jesus Christ If all the sinners in the Congregation yea in the World should turn their backs upon him The Word of the Lord hath overcome Oh Lord Jesus may I come such a Wretch as I come Yea saith the Lord Jesus Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him come Grace is as free as ever it was Say then Oh Lord I come draw me and I will come Into the Arms of Free-grace I throw my self my Righteousness is an abominable thing Ah! a Christ upon any terms Oh let let me creep unto thy Blessed Feet let me have the lowest Room in thy Heart Take what way thou wilt to purge me so I may but get well unto thee Now Lord as much Holiness as thou wilt let thy precious blood wash me all over Well go thus and acquaint the Lord Jesus with it from day to day wait he will speak to thee love to hear more from him and of him in his Gospel and thou biddest fair for Heaven yea there will presently be joy in Heaven for thee In a word I protest against you in the Name and Authority of God and the Lord Jesus Christ who hath sent me if you shall withstand the grace of God in Jesus Christ freely most freely offered you I shall be a Witness against you And if any sinners in the World shall be certainly damned you are they who neglect this great Salvation 'T is come to this I would saith Jesus Christ and ye will not What ado to have a sinner that 's sinking to Hell to come to the Lord Jesus Christ to be freely saved What should a guilty sinner do but come to a free Saviour to be saved and accept of his terms which are so blessed with a thousand hearts if he had them Now say how am I straightned till I get to him I would go and weep my heart out to him had I a heart to do it Now I leave what hath been spoken to the good pleasure of God and the work of his Power who is able to send away every Soul trembling and resigning
Jesus Christ Jesus Christ being the Undertaker in it for all the Father gave him it is certainly founded upon a sure Bottom This was the Fathers Promise Isa 42.6 I will give him for a Covenant to the People Jesus Christ as a common person did represent all the Elect in the Covenant as the first Adam in the first Covenant did represent all his and Jesus Christ did undertake to bring them to God to bring them into the Covenant and so to estate them in all the grace and Mercy and Blessing of it Therefore the Mercies of the Covenant are stiled The sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 As a Type of Jesus Christ coming of the Seed of David wherein is set forth the excellency of the New Covenant the whole Transaction of it entrusted in the hands of Jesus Christ and therefore not one drop of the Mercy of it can ever fail those that are taken into it 6. By the giving forth of Jesus Christ the whole of Gospel-Salvation is rendered more glorious The Wisdom Justice Holiness of God as well as Mercy and Love do shine forth in Jesus Christ And therefore the Gospel-Mystery is styled The manifold Wisdom of God Ephes 3.10 Every Attribute of God is glorified in the giving out of Jesus Christ 7. Yea had not God taken this way of making out himself by Jesus Christ the world had dwelt in gross darkness of him therefore Jesus Christ is styled The Image of the Invisible God Col. 1.15 The express Image of the Father The brightness of his glory Heb. 1. And in 2 Cor. 2.6 The light of the knowledge of the Glory of God is said to shine in the face of Jesus Christ The Creation is but a dark shadow of the glory of God as to what is revealed of God in the manifestation of Jesus Christ There are the Footsteps of God in the Creatures but his Character and Image in his Blessed Son Jesus Christ 8. There could not have been access to God but by Jesus Christ for through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 1.18 How could polluted Dust draw nigh to the absolute Majesty and Glory of God had not he let forth himself in Jesus Christ as in our own Nature and so makes way for a poor sinner to come before him 9. Had God let forth Mercy to Sinners and not given out his Son Jesus Christ his justice must have been violated which is the main of all The word of the Lord was absolute In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye Gen. 2.17 which was meant of the Eternal Death of the Soul in its separation from the life of God as is clear in Rom. 5. last where grace unto eternal life by Jesus Christ is put in opposition to that death which was by sin which must therefore needs be meant of Eternal Death So Rom. 6. ver last Now this Death must be executed upon all the Posterity of Adam or else God must take some other way to satisfie his Justice he will save the Sinner which was upon his own Son Jesus Christ as will further be evidenced in the following Discourse 10. The blessed God took this way of letting out himself his Grace by Jesus Christ that thereby Saints might have Vnion with him which was a holy Design of the Father in saving them That they may be one in us John 17.21 The deepest and most unconceivable Mystery in our Salvation Now Jesus Christ as the Eternal Son of God taking upon him our natures we became capable of being united to him through the Spirit and made one with the humane nature of Christ whereby we are also united to the God-head and so become one with the Father and the Son which is the top of the Saints perfection Vse 1. Now what hath been said as to the grounds and reasons of God in giving out his eternal Son and letting forth all grace by him may serve to acquaint us with this rich and glorious Mystery as it is styled Col. 1.27 Namely God reconciling the world by Jesus Christ letting forth the knowledge of himself glorifying all his Attributes making such discoveries of his Glory providing such a way of Mediation such a glorious Mediator laying the blessed project of a sinners glorious Salvation so sure rendring his love so acceptable and glorious making way for free access unto himself and how we might become one with him Oh! the depths of the Wisdom and Love of God which of them may we admire most Well may Angels pry into this Holy Mystery well may it be the astonishment of Heaven and Earth of the whole Creation How much more of a sinner for whose sake it was thus ordered Oh that we might fall upon our faces and adore the Wisdom and Grace of God in such a contrivance as this Oh unmeasurable Goodness unfathomed Wisdom Eternity is but enough to admire it To behold God in Christ will be the vision which the souls of blessed Saints will be wrapt up into to all Eternity 2. Oh! therefore what infinite Mercy is it to be brought forth in the New-Testament-times when the Mystery hid in God hid from ages kept secret since the world began 1 Cor. 16.25 is brought to light and sparkling upon the darkness of the world when the glory of God is risen upon the World Now if this Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 Wo unto them that close their eyes when the light shines round about them Oh you that yet sit in darkness and the shadow of death Arise Awake look up that Gospel-light may shine into you Oh cry and wait that your eyes may be opened to behold God coming forth in the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the glorious Gospel wait for the Spirit and that the Gospel in the preaching of it may become the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Oh guilty world that so slight the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and contemn the Ministration of it wo unto them 3. If God doth let forth no Grace and Mercy but by Jesus Christ it may serve to unbottom poor souls from a general carnal hope of Mercy not being acquainted with the way of Grace by Jesus Christ nor coming as lost sinners in themselves to be found in Christ and justified by Jesus Christ this they utterly neglect having an empty notion of Christ's dying but know not for what and upon what grounds and how a sinner gets to God by him Oh! let this reprove you for this gross and damnable neglect and convince you that all your pretended hopes of Mercy will vanish unless you learn the Knowledge of Jesus Christ 4. And therefore If no way to the Father no Interest in Mercy no access to God but by Jesus Christ let it serve to teach poor ignorant sinners yea all of us how to get to God to Mercy into his Covenant Oh! No way but by Jesus Christ Oh! I can never come to
opened I Might here shew you how every faculty of the Soul is renewed as the understanding by the infusion of new and divine light into it which is stiled the Enlightning the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1.18 and to be renewed in the Spirit of the Mind Eph. 4.23 How the will is altered and changed the affections made new the conscience purged and sanctified with all the powers of the Soul but I shall not take this Method but rather pursue a more familiar way more particularly shewing the make of the New-Creature in reference still to its being so in Christ which is our principal scope First then 1. To the making and framing the New-Creature there must be a New-Nature if there be a New-Creature formed there must be a New-Nature to make it so hence believers that are in Christ are said to be partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Which is wrought by the incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1.22 Whereby we are said to be born again And Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth c. Which seed is the seed of God in believers the seed of every grace in the soul which is something of the likeness of God wrought in the soul and so acts the soul towards God which is stiled the infused habits of every grace in the soul this New-Nature works contrary to the old corrupt nature and it is stiled the regenerate part the new inward man Ephes 4.24 and as soon as it is wrought and formed in the soul it works against the sinful dispositions of the old Adam in us and there is a new war or conflict begun within us which is something more than the resistance of a natural conscience as we have shewed I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Rom. 7.23 c. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these two are contrary to each other Gal. 5.17 And under this daily conflict and war within is every New-Creature while we abide in the fleshly Tabernacle This is the first peculiar distinguishing Workmanship of the New-Creatures there 's a new seed a new divine nature infused into the soul 2. As there is a New-Nature so it follows that this New-Creature hath a new life it is a Living New-Creature so regenerate persons are said to be quickned in Christ who were before dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 5. And The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live John 5. And they are said to be alive unto God Rom. 6.11 Christ liveth in me Gal. 20. Which new life must necessarily be because 1. Every natural man as hath been already hinted is dead in sin and is said to be without this life of God Eph. 4.18 The life of God departed from the soul whereby it had Communion with God upon our fall in the first Adam therefore if we are recovered we must have a new Life from God infused into us 2. If there be not a new life breathed in us we can put forth no spiritual vigour in any duty towards God and so all our duties services worship would he dead fleshly duties this I have also hinted in shewing the necessity of being in Christ if a New-Creature 3. As there is a new nature and a new life to begin the New-Creature so thence there 's a new breathing The Soul falls a breathing after God and after Jesus Christ As the Life which God breathed into Man at his first Creation is call'd the breath of life Gen. 2.7 And as soon as ever there is life this new life breath'd by the Holy Ghost in the New-Creature there 's presently a breathing of this life as indeed one of the first discoveries of it as breath is the most immediate acting of Life the Soul breaths and pants and crys after God himself Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee Oh God I opened my mouth and panted Psal 119.131 So that Prayer that is spiritual it is the breath of a living soul Paul that breath'd out cruelties against the Saints when converted and made alive he falls a breathing after God Acts 9. Behold he prayeth And this doth indeed arise from the very nature of saving grace which is to carry a soul to God through Jesus Christ to set it a longing not only after mercy and pardon and peace but after God himself Psal 63.1 My soul is athirst for God the living God c. As also from the dissatisfaction and emptiness the soul begins to find in all Creature-enjoyments which now it cannot having had a view of Christ be satisfied and contented with but the soul must have God must have Jesus Christ must have the likeness of Jesus Christ and so it breaths crys pants after God and the possession of him and communion with him as the Souls highest perfection 1. Now therefore before I go any further let this be well weighed Have you this breathing in you which when you were dead in sin you had not This is the least degree of Grace if the Soul be not thus breathing panting thirsting longing after Jesus Christ so that you cannot must not be satisfied but in the enjoyment of him verily you are dead and the grace of God is not in you so that it may be for a true discovery of your states Consider what your hearts do most breath after what they most earnestly Pant for Oh! Is it for Jesus Christ himself The hearts of Carnal Worldlings are said to pant after the dust of the Earth Amos 2.7 That is it the carnal mans heart thirsts after but a soul in Christ breaths upward the Treasures of Heaven it pants after and will never be at rest till satisfied with them 2. This may serve to distinguish formal praying from that which is of the Spirit in the Children of God There 's no such thing as the breathing panting crying longing of the Soul after God and Holiness and Communion with him in formal saying of prayers the thing done quiets the Conscience but for God himself the Soul thirsts not for Therefore you that pray in forms in secret and content your selves in saying and repeating such a form of words sure you have little or no breathing for Jesus Christ in such Duties the Heart is not exercised in longings and pantings for God ye Souls that pray out of forms upon terrours and no more upon the Conscience but you thirst not breath not after God himself you may be short of the life of God in you 3. This may also encourage weak Souls that have but broken words to express themselves to God yet your very Souls do breath and pant after the Lord verily the life of Christ is in you if it be indeed so with you and God will hear those breathings in you Lam. 3.56 Hide not thine ear at my breathings The blessed God
them 5. The Soul is raised and engaged in a new Love The Heart is taken with Jesus Christ above all things and loves him most and loves God because he is Holy loves his Word and loves those that love him most Every New-Creature can say as David I love the Lord Psalm 18.1 and 116.1 Yea the soul is brought to love Jesus Christ for himself He is the beloved of the Soul and not only the grace and peace and blessing and Heaven that he gives And to Love Jesus Christ and to express it to the utmost is the frame of soul that a Convert presseth most after and he would get the heart more purged mortified spirituallized that it might go forth in Love to Christ more strongly and sweetly and enjoy the precious perfumes of his Love more constantly 6. The Soul is raised to a New hope a new hope of Heaven and Glory which before was feigned and deceitful Now the Soul is after a well-bottom'd real lively hope of Heaven Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope c. Oh! the new and blessed hopes that a soul doth more and more reach to when distempers and darkness is not upon it of seeing Jesus Christ as he is living with him for ever of being perfectly sinless and holy of Joys that shall be endless of being swallowed up with divine Glory when the Spirit of the Father doth breath most sweetly and mostly raises the heart to glimpses of Heaven Vse As we go along we would put things to tryal therefore say in good earnest Soul Hast thou had new fears upon thy Soul as to an eternal condition and is the fear of sin and of the living God upon thy heart and doth this fear keep thy Heart awful and watchful say hast thou had new sorrows for sin and 't is thy Trouble they are no more abundant Can'st thou joy in going to God and in the Word of his grace and are spiritual things thy delight Doest thou find a heart-closing Love to Jesus Christ above all and canst thou love God because he is Holy and thou wouldst be like unto him and hast thou new experienc'd hopes of Heaven Say soul Do all thy affections run in a new Channel and the stream of them in the main turned from world and vanity to the Ocean of God in Christ his fulness goodness love grace and glory and that when thy affections or any one of them are diverted and turned aside thou canst and doest go to God to have them fetcht in again and thou wouldst have all the affections of thy Soul run freely clearly spiritually fully strongly upon Jesus Christ and thou art humbled that they are carnal and worldly in any measure If this be not thy case but the affections of thy heart are wholly fleshly and worldly thy fears thy sorrows are about worldly things thy joys thy delights about carnal pleasures and worldly increase thy love goeth after the world in an uninterrupted unmortified course thy hopes going forth about great things for thy self and thy hopes for Heaven lye at all uncertainty and thou dost suffer it to be so verily thou art unchanged and hast no part as yet in New-Creature-blessedness Only let me add this Caution that in this matter of the New creature you take the whole frame together and therefore do not rest only in this that you have had your affections something stirred in hearing the Gospel some fears and sometimes the heart a little melted and some joy for a time in the Word which affections may sometime stir in a soul whose heart is not subdued and changed and so it wears off again but carry your selves back to what I have said that you mainly look to the Rebellion Pollution Hypocrisie Unbelief of the heart that these be in good earnest still a subduing you 3. And so also for real Converts though you should labour to preserve your affections lively savoury yet look mostly to the sincerity and spirituality of them or else when they wax faint again as that may be you be at a great loss of your Consolation neither do you always measure your selves by the stirring and overflowing of affections but rather by the abasement of your spirits hearts purity and sincerity and the holiness of your affections and your acting faith in all your duties which will procure a more lasting way of peace and comfort though when thus rectified the going out of strong and tender affections is exceeding sweet and precious and most desirable by all Saints 7. The next discovery of the New-Creature is this which I may consider with some distinction from the former The Gospel New-Creature hath new thoughts By the Thoughts I understand the pondering musing part of the Mind that I may speak plainly to all the imaginations fancies purposes meditatings musings of the Mind of man which are very much altered where there is a new and divine work and power in the Soul To this the Prophet speaks as to saving conversion Isa 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord c. So that a Soul returning to the Lord forsakes his vile thoughts and doth not give way to them and feed them as before So Jer. 4.14 How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee And Psalm 119.113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love To shew a little why the thoughts of the heart shall be changed and then more particularly how In a natural heart All the imaginations of it are evil continually Gen. 5.6 They became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Rom. 1.21 Where the thoughts as issues of the lusts do rove to and fro at full liberty without any effectual controul 1. As first Atheistical thoughts secretly denying God his Justice Holiness Word or that God will not judge sinners according to the rigour of his Word Thou thoughtest saith God I was altogether such a one as thy self and Psalm 50.21 The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psalm 14.1 For when he sins against him presumptuously he doth strike at his very Being Justice and Holiness and either saith in his heart There is no God to judge him or secretly wisheth there were none 2. Prophane thoughts according to the most predominant lustings of the heart do act a natural heart as vain unclean proud worldly thoughts which are in contrivance to make provision for the lusts of it the heart even continually exercis'd with unclean proud wrathful revengful or covetous practices therefore saith the Wisdom of God Prov. 15.26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Adulteries Murders Thefts c. Matth. 15.19 The evil thoughts get up and act over wickedness and then they purpose and contrive for the acting of it and
set the whole man on work to make provision and to effect it which though s being drawn forth by sinful objects or the working of the fancy and the Devil working by both do break forth into abominable practices unless restrained by the Lord for indeed the Fancy the imaginative Faculty is the very Forge of the Devil where he frames all the wickedness that is brought forth Now these being the natural actings of the thoughts of the heart as unchanged there must necessarily ensue a new working of thoughts upon the change 〈◊〉 Oâ—â—y observe by the way by this any sinner may know how it stands with his Soul If Atheistical prophane unclean worldly thoughts carry the heart an end and rove up and down at liberty and the heart even delightfully feeds on them without going to God and mourning over them for their purging and mortifying or no or but an unwilling resistance of them how dwelleth then the grace of God in thee verily not at all and therefore reflect upon thy self for by this thou mayst know the state of thy heart and thy lusts are yet in their strength and rule in thee and will post thee to Hell if the Lord meet not with thee A gracious heart hath bubling up of such thoughts and the Devil casts in suggestions to set them a work but they lodge not there long but they are resisted and purged Take therefore these Notes of a carnal unchanged heart 1. Such a soul makes little or no conscience of thoughts Thoughts are free say wretched souls but that 's a Proverb suggested by the Devil 2. Such a soul is not humbled doth not mourn for wicked thoughts but only looks to the outward man a little 3. Such a soul doth not bring them to the blood of Jesus Christ to be purged 4. He doth not conflict with them resist check hate them 5. He doth not watch the thoughts of the heart nor labour to set them upon holy Objects If it be thus with thee sinner thy heart works wickedness and thou art loathsom in the sight of the holy God who knoweth and observeth all thy thoughts afar off Psal 139. and will one day reckon with thee for them What dost thou but even deny God to be the great searcher of hearts the All-seeing God who carest not how vain vile wicked unclean prophane loathsom devilish the thoughts of thy heart are But wherein doth this newness of thoughts shew it self 1. The New-Creatures Thoughts are changed as to himself who thought well of himself as to Heaven and Happiness before but now seeth himself vile and hath worse thoughts of himself than any one in the world can have of him 2. He hath new thoughts of God New thoughts of his Holiness and Justice and Greatness and Glory Oh! how great is God how holy how just and so is greatly abased before him He hath new thoughts of his goodness grace and love to poor sinners upon which the thoughts do much work thoughts of admiration and praise and the soul delights in holy and gracious musings of it He hath New Thoughts of Jesus Christ of his Person Grace Blood Righteousness Spirit Word People Before he had poor low empty carnal unsavoury thoughts of Christ but the heart being changed and the Mind enlightned by the Holy Ghost the Thoughts work towards Jesus Christ the Soul hath deep and serious thoughts of his grace and love precious thoughts of him 4. He hath new thoughts of Eternity of an Eternal condition which much possess the Heart what may become of his Soul What will it profit to gain the World and lose his soul How he may treasure up for Heaven make sure work for Heaven whatever be his condition in this world and the serious and frequent thoughts of this do much poize the Spirit of a Believer 5. He hath new thoughts of the ways of God and Holiness before he thought basely or notionally of them now he hath real thoughts of Holiness and of the ways of Jesus Christ he doth believe and finds a reallity in them and hath good thoughts of them as to engage his soul to them 6. He hath New Thoughts of Holy People whom before he esteemed Hypocrites and Pharisees Factious and the like that their strictness was their Pride and Hypocrisie but now he honoureth them most is humbled greatly for such thoughts of them and prizeth them as the Excellent of the Earth and their company will be most desirable and most delightful to him Psal 16. Vse 1. To sinners that you do go to God and get your hearts possessed with such thoughts of God as these are how great how just how holy he is and this will make you tremble at going on in your pollutions any more Bethink your selves of the state of your souls and of an eternal condition Saith David I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119.59 Bethink your selves how short a time it is e're an eternal condition shall pass upon you and how long the blessed God hath waited to be gracious to you and get new thoughts of Jesus Christ and get to his feet and make a resignment of your selves to him and then your thoughts will go after more excellent and soul-quieting and soul-delighting Objects than hitherto you have been exercised with 2. To such as are New-Creatures in Christ and have New Thoughts of themselves of God his Justice Holiness Greatness Graciousness of Christ of Eternity of the ways and people of the Lord let this be a word of Exhortarion to you to look to your Thoughts saith the Wisdom of God Prov. 23.7 As he thinketh in his heart so is he A Soul is before the Lord according to the thoughts of his heart Oh take heed of giving way to and feeding vain unclean unholy thoughts of any kind and let me press it upon you with these Motives 1. Consider that such thoughts are your sins lay that to heart God may justly damn a soul for unholy Thoughts Know thou may'st commit Adultery or Murder in thy Heart though it break not forth actually If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self or if thou hast thought evil lay thy hand upon thy mouth Prov. 30.32 This will help to keep thy heart in awe 2. That God's Eye is strictly and continually upon the Thoughts of thine Heart Psal 139.2 and therefore David cries out to God to search his heart for them Oh did a gracious Soul still consider this that the jealous Eye of God is upon every thought and motion of his heart to sin it would make him look closely to the Thoughts of his Heart 3. Consider that evil thoughts and musings of sin are the beginning of all open wickedness Jam. 1. 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and such thoughts are usually set on fire by the Devil 4. They do defile the soul Mat. 15.20 Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. These are the things
ways of God and People of God Oh such say they have the Spirit that they be Holy and they are so strict that they will not do such and such things as others do This is a degree of Blasphemy and borders upon the brink of the unpardonable Sin These are stiled by the Apostle Revilers 1 Cor. 5.11 6.11 and they as such shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The giving out of the Spirit upon plain meaning people in the measure it now is is a new thing but not therefore to be despised and reviled Every Town and Family almost doth abound with this wickedness and dreadful provocation and 't is the saddest sign upon the generality of people whatsoever only 't is to be hoped they do it through Ignorance as Paul did 1 Tim. 1.13 and God as he hath done may humble and convert many of them to the praise of his Grace only let sinners that have been frequently shewed the desperate wickedness of such speeches of scoffing at the Spirit and Holiness and call it Hypocrisie tremble lest God give them up when they sin against Conviction and the clear light of the word in this matter Had I time to reason a little in the power of the Lord with such souls why Consider seriously and in good earnest Can you be so sottish and so wilfully blinded that have heard or read the Scriptures to imagine that you are God's and Christ's and have not the Spirit and are not made Holy nor crying to God that you may be holy He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his And without Holiness you shall not see the Lord How dare you then in the Atheism and devilish wickedness of your hearts scoff at the very Name of the Spirit and Holiness The lowest place in Hell will be yours that have been so often admonished of this unless God smite you to the Earth for it True Converts have the saddest Humiliation for this sin as they have been more or less guilty of it 2. Or you that are not so desperately carried forth in this open ungodliness of speaking evil of what you know not but yet make little Conscience of lying for your profit or in excusing a matter so you may do it covertly and count it a venial small sin or you that when provoked swear prophanely and desperately tearing the Name of the great and dreadful God wreaking your anger and wrath upon the Name of God and the blood of Christ your Tongues are set on fire on Hell and the Spirit of Disobedience the Devil worketh in you not a drop of the Grace of God in you 3. Or you who have your petty Oaths by your Faith by your Lady and by Creatures or make mention of the Name of God and Lord in your ordinary Discourse vainly and as a by-word crying Oh Lord upon every slight occasion and for God's sake and Christ's sake do this and this in poor trivial matters verily there is nothing of the New-Creature in you And yet these great Prophanesses you call your infirmities and 't is your infirmity to swear when angry and provoked and you say you forget your selves when you mention the Name of the Lord God sleightly or through Ignorance plead for it that you may do so I tell you Souls they are your reigning damning sins who are frequent in them And in carnal prayerless families as most are how oft in a day may these ungodly speeches be heard by men women and children If the fear of God were upon you or any work of Grace you durst not do it nor indeed could do Therefore do but observe your selves a day and see how often you are here guilty and tremble before God and go and humble your selves at his feet that you may find mercy and have another heart and mouth given unto you Pray and cry and wait for the good treasure of the Word of Grace in your hearts and 't will be otherwise with you 4. Yea you who are engaged in worldly Discourses on the Sabbath-day in your families at your doors in the streets in idle and vain jesting you are not of God born again by his Spirit you take no delight in the Word of God the meditation of your heart is not in it you speak little of it because you savour it not Tremble you Worldlings who shew it this way at that Word 1 John 5.5 They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them If ye are of the world you are not as yet of Jesus Christ the power love of this present World ruleth in you and that may damn you for ever Know sinners you that make little Conscience of vain prophane words though you pretend to make some conscience of your word of promise to Men for your credits sake and so think you have grace all which a Turk will do that by your words you shall be judged and of idle words you shalt give an account at the day of Judgment and by thy words thou shall be condemned Mat. 12.36 37. Such words as we have opened to be damning sins And therefore do not put off this guilt from you in saying 't is your infirmity and so make light of it but know 't is guilt which will send you to Hell if the Lord humble you not and change you 'T is a certain Rule a prophane heart and a prophane mouth a carnal heart a carnal tongue a worldly heart a worldly yea Sabbath-days tongue Therefore you are not New-Creatures in the least and therefore begin with the heart that the heart may be smitten of God for this sin and changed and seasoned with the word and grace of Christ upon you and it will be better with you and you will have a tongue to speak well of the Spirit and the things of God and his People and to speak for God and reverently of his Name and delight your selves in it 2. Let this be a word to such as through grace are become New-Creatures in Christ that you would shew it in this discovery in a new Tongue that you give not your selves that liberty of vain carnal much less prophane Discourses as formerly as indeed you will not if you be new Creatures Men's Converse do either lye among such as are wholly carnal and worldly or such as savour that which is good As to the former as in all our carriage so especially in our Words there is great caution to be had 1. Not to mix our selves with them unnecessarily unless we find we have strength enough through a dependency on the Lord to avoid their snares and do it with a purpose of heart to do them good by reproving or counselling them Many a good soul hath been sadly worsted by mixing unnecessarily with vain prophane or frothy company 2. If Providence cast thee amongst them sometimes it may be the Wisdom of a Child of God to keep silence as David Psal 39.1 I said I
That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and be renewed c. Knowing this that our Old Man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 This is the main Work of the New-Creature where it is really formed in Christ to destroy and purge out the Defilements and Dregs of the Old Man of Sin Self Corruption that it may be as a new Lump as a Vessel made meet for the Lord's use as formed up set apart anointed sanctified for God and his use here and for ever AMEN To the Blessed God Alone be all the Glory FINIS Childrens Bread OR The First Principles of the Knowledge of GOD. To Season the Heads and Hearts of Young Ones betimes By way of QUESTION and ANSWER Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 By A. P. late Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed in the Year 1695. Childrens Bread or the first Principles of the Knowledge of GOD c. Quest WHo made you a living Soul Answ God who made all things made me a living Soul Gen. 2.7 Psal 139.14 Q. Who is God A. God is a Spirit the great and holy and good God Joh. 4.24 Jer. 32.18 Q. Is there but one God A. There is but one true and living God in three Persons the Father Son and Spirit 1 Thes 1.9 1 Ep. Joh. 5.7 Q. How is God known A. God is known by his works and by his holy Word Psal 102.24 Prov. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Q. Why did God give you such a Soul A. God gave me a Soul to know him and glorifie him Col. 3.10 Rev. 15.4 Q. What will become of your Soul when you dye A. My Soul must go to God in Heaven or else be damned in Hell Fire for ever Mat. 25. last Joh. 5.29 Q. How came your Soul to be in danger of Hell-fire A. Because I have sinned against God I deserved eternal Damnation Psa 9.17 Rom. 2.9 Q. How came you to sin against God A. The first Man Adam sinned and brake the Covenant of God and I in him Rom. 5.18 19. Gen. 2.17 Q. What is the sin of your Nature A. My Nature is corrupted with sin and hath the seed of all sin Psal 14.1 Psal 51.5 Q. What is sin A. Sin is the breaking of God's Commandments Deut. 11.27 28. 1 Ep. Joh. 3.4 Q. How many are the Commandments of the Law A. The Law of God contains ten Commandments written in Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Q. What is the first Commandment A. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me Exod. 20.3 Q. What doth the first Commandment require A. To have one God for my God and to love him above all things Deut. 6.4 5. Mat. 22.37 Q. What is the second Commandment A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Exod. 20.4 5. Q. What is required in this Commandment A. To Worship God according to his own Word and not after mens Inventions Mat. 15.10 Isa 29.13 Q. What is the third Commandment A. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Exod. 20.7 Q. What doth the third Commandment require A. To think and speak of God with reverence and fear and not to take his Name in vain Deut. 28.58 Prov. 1.7 Q. What is the fourth Commandment A. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day c. Exod. 20.8 Q. What doth this Commandment teach you A. To keep the Lords day holy and not to spend it in vain sports and idle words Isa 58.13 Rev. 1.10 Q. What is the fifth Commandment A. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20.12 Q. What doth this Commandment of God teach you A. To give Honour to all to whom it is due and to obey my Parents in the Lord Tit. 3.1 Eph. 6.1 2. Q. What is the sixth Commandment A. Thou shalt do no Murther Exod. 20.13 Q. What is required in the sixth Commandment A. To do good to every one and not to have angry thoughts or angry words Mat. 5.21 22. Prov. 19.11 Q. What is the seventh Commandment A. Thou shalt not commit Adultery Exod. 20.14 Q. What is the meaning of this Commandment A. To keep my self from all Uncleanness and to be Chast in my thoughts and words Mat. 5.27 28. Eph. 4.19 Q. What is the eighth Commandment A. Thou shalt not Steal Exod. 20.15 Q. What doth this Commandment forbid A. It forbids me to take any thing that is anothers or to spend what is mine own vainly Eph. 4.28 1 Cor. 6.10 Q. What is the ninth Commandment A. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbours Exod. 20.16 Q. What is the duty of the ninth Commandment A. It requires the speaking truth to others and forbids lying Zach. 8.16 Ephes 4.25 Q. What is the tenth Commandment A. Thou shalt not Covet c. Exod. 20.17 Q. What is required in the tenth Commandment A. To be content with those things that I have and not to have a covetous heart Luk. 12.32 Heb. 13.5 Q. Have you kept these Commandments of God A. No I have sinned by evil thoughts and words and deeds and come short of fulfilling the Law of God Mat. 15.19 Rom. 3.23 Q. What is due to you for sin A. Sin hath brought the curse of God upon my Soul and made me a Child of Wrath by Nature Gal. 3.10 Ephes 2.3 Q. How may you escape the wrath and anger of God A. God in his rich mercy hath revealed Salvation from sin by Jesus Christ Joh. 2.4 1 Tim. 1.15 Q. Who is Jesus Christ A. Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father and he took our Nature upon him and became God and Man in one Person Heb. 2.16 1 Tim. 3.16 Q. Why was Jesus Christ made Man A. Jesus Christ was made Man that he might dye for our sins and was raised from the dead Rom. 5.8 1 Cor. 15.3 Q. Why did Jesus Chrst dye for us A. Jesus Christ dyed to redeem us from the Curse of the Law and to work out Righteousness for us Gal. 3.13 1 Cor. 1.30 Q. Where is Jesus Christ A. Jesus Christ is sate down at the right hand of God in Heaven Heb. 1.3 Heb. 8.3 Q. What does Jesus Christ do for us in Heaven A. 1. Jesus Christ is our High Priest in Heaven to plead the shedding of his blood for us and to pray for us 1 Ep. Joh. 2.1 2. Heb. 7.25 2. Jesus Christ is our Prophet to teach us by his Word and Spirit Mat. 17.5 Acts 3.22 3. Jesus Christ is a King to Reign over us Acts 3.35 Rev. 15.3 Q. How may you come to be partakers of this Salvation A. I may become partaker of Salvation by coming to Jesus Christ as a poor