be executed on thee and for ever must thou lie under it whether it be unto life or death salvation or damnation nor will there be any revocation or alteâ—â—ation of that unalterable decree Oh then how much doth it concern thee and every one that thou be sincerely wholly reformed in this world seeing thy everlasting making or marring depends upon it forasmuch as thy eternal weal or woe is determined and fixed according as thy heart and life is reformed or not reformed Do not therefore O Christian neglect the doing of that speedily which may put all out of doubt S. 2. and give thee a comfortable assurance that heaven shall be thy portion which thou mayst depend upon if thy heart be converted and thy ways amended and as sadly mayst thou sink in thy hopes of heaven if this be not fully wrought in thee O then let not any thing in the world make thee put off thy reformation or baffle thee out of thy duty or betray thee into vain hopes to be happy without it II. Motive 2. The next Motive to provoke thee to hasten thy reformation is this S. 3. that all the while you deferre it you lose your time and are doing that you must undoe again for the best of all that you do else are but trifles and toies and nothing at all to the purpose of true happiness and all this while you are making more work for tears lamentation and repentance and if ever you come to the happy state of conversion hereafter you will be much afflicted and troubled that you continued so long a fool and a wretch as you are all the while you put off and delay your amendment how bitter will it be to a devour soul to remember how long he continued at a distance from Christ how long he did live after the flesh and the world how many days and how much strength he spent in the service of sin how many excuses and delays he used Oh! he will beshrew himself to think how often he put off the kind intreaties of Christ and those many invications to holiness it will trouble thee if ever thou come to be converted that thou wert not converted sooner that God and religion had not thy heart and service long agoe that thou didst not yield and resign up thy self when first thou wast moved to it that sin had so much and Christ so little of thy will and affections O then dear soul deferre not any longer but do that with all speed which you have now a fair opportunity to perform that is forthwith to leave off your known sins and betake your selves to a sober serious holy life so will you prevent your own molestation and your own misery III. Motive 3. Let the danger and dreadfulness of an unconverted state move thee speedily to get out of it by all possible means S. 4. alas all the while I live unreformed I am under the curse of the Law and power of Satan a stave to lust and a son of perdition and if I chance to die in this estate my case and the already damned in hell will be the same they who died in their sins are miserable wretches and so shall I be as they are there is but a step between me and their sad condition and while I am on this side the grave in a sinning course following the motions of my lusts I am in a worse condition then the worst of creatures a toad in my ditch is better by much then a man in his sins unconverted unreformed And all the while I live in my sins I am unpardoned and am hastening to an eternity of misery I am in that broad way which leadeth straight on to destruction Oh then let my soul get quickly out of that way and from that state in which I walk in so much danger and which will most certainly carry me to the chambers of death and bring me under the eternall wrath of God IV. Motive 4. Let the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of thy life move thee to hasten thy reformation S. 5. this night thy soul may be taken from thy body if not then within a very short time it must and it will be called to an account and oh what a sad day will it prove then when death opens the passage from a sinfull life to an endless misery when death puts an end to the pleasures of sin and gives a beginning to the pains of hell never to end Therefore if you mean to prevent the miseries of a dying sinner S. 6. you must destroy the sin ere you die and this requires your care and diligence your speed and quick dispatch Oh that you would be wise concerning your later end and leave not that to do at the last which can neither be well done nor accepted if it be put off till the last V. Motive 5. Another Motive to a speedy reformation let be S. 7. that none of thy most pleasurable sinfull practices are half so pleasing to thee a sinner as the ways of godliness and exercise of vertues are to the true convert reformation if it be sound and universall will prove the rarest delight and content in the world and be of excellent satisfaction to thee Pro 3.15 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Tim. 6.6 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and godliness with contentment is great gaine profitable to all things having the promise of this life and that which is to come No life can be compared to a godly life for pleasure profit and contentment how quiet is the conscience of a devout holy Christian how sweet his sleep how calm and serene is his spirit that is at peace with God! how doth he rejoyce in the Lord what a merry life doth he lead and goeth on his way cheerfully to his home to his inheritance to his joys in heaven which he hath in prospect and is at the end of his race how doth that soul triumph in his victories that is daily resisting temptations and slaying his corruption how sweetly doth he passe his time that spends it in communion with God and delights of heaven But 't is farre otherwise with a wicked man that serves the interest of sin and studies to gratifie and serve his lusts in sinful actings Oh what a many plots doth he lay and paines doth he take to bring about his sin and then what shifts must be make to hide to excuse to maintain his sin what a many perplexing gripes of conscience and often terrours hath a wicked man within himself and besides the bitterness in the end of sinfull actions what a toile and weariness it is in the exercise of it so that truly a man may say of sin WHAT A WEARINESS IT IS to what purpose is all this cost and losse of time and exhausting the spirits and after all what pleasure hath a man or what content can accrue to any man upon the
necessity of reformation I come next and now to acquaint thee with some particular sins S. 1. which to practice and continue in is death and every one if an actuall sinner in any of these doth not speedily repent of and reform and also if thou lovest or likest any of them though not brought forth into act in the outward man yet must be mortified resisted subdued or else there will be no hope for thee of salvation being inconsistent with a gracious frame of soul and saving Christianity Reader S. 2. I would not peremptorily charge thee as guilty of any one damning actuall sin much less of all those any of which is more then enough to render thy state miserable and deplorable but none of them shall actually procure thy damnation if thou heartily repent for leave off and in time ere it be too late in this thy day of continued grace to thee dost reform form by renouncing them all in heart and life withall dost affectionately embrace and actually perform instead of them the contrary virtues which are opposed to the sins thou art guilty of For when a sinner is brought to the knowledg of his faults S. 3. and immediately repents imploring the grace of God for his sincere amendment and withall sets himself against them all and enters without delay upon a course of holy living and continueth in a watchfull observance of his sinfull inclination and checks the motions and prevents the acts of sin in every kind and withall turns to God to think and act that which is pleasing to God and observes to doe his will in every Instance both for avoiding evil and doing good this man is in a happy estate for the present and through Gods grace assisting him in such a course to the end of his life he shall undoubtedly be pardoned and in Christ accepted of justified that is acquitted of the guilt of his former sins and saved eternally But on the contrary if thou reform not but goest on still in thy sins S. 4. repeating the acts when temptation comes and settling the habit of an irregular inordinate disposition and course of ungodliness though mixed with some acts of seeming religion there remaineth no sacrifice effectuall for such an one to expiate his sins or to make an atonement for him nor men nor angels nor Christ himself can doe him any more good no more then for him who hath renounced Ch i st and Christianity and hath proceeded to commit the unpardonable sin but he such an one who ere he be must remain hopeless for ever either to escape the horrors of hell much more is he left without hope of being saved except he repent and change his course in time This being so doth it not concern thee S. 5. and every soul that hath any regard to his own eternall well-being to look into his heart and life that he may know his danger and so if he find himself charged with any sin which to live in is death by the decreed Law of God thou mayest forthwith renounce it and all and turn from it and all that are a kin to it that so thy precious soul may escape the severe stroke which is falling on such a sinner Come then along considerate soul S. 6. and take a veiw of those sins and dispositions of heart that carry with them the black characters of death condemned to the pit of Hell by an unalterable decree and every one that is guilty of them all or any of them and doth not repent and forsake them utterly is the person that must expect to be condemned for living in those sins because he doth not reforme by a speedy hearty and voluntary change of life pray God thou be not he that resolves to continue in them If thou be guilty Consider S. 7. I beseech thee thy case and state and examine well thy self whether these following sins may be charged upon thee or which of them belongs to thee marke them as you goe and read their doom with trembling and never give rest to thy soul untill thou art rid of them by Reformation §. I. Wilfull Ignorance First of all consider is Wilfull Ignorance and unbelief thy case S. 8. if it be thou art a perishing man in this state till saving knowledg and faith come thou art a child of darkness under the power of Sathan if when means of knowledg afforded are neglected when meanes offered are rejected by thee And such is thy state if so it be that after so long living with the meanes of knowledg so much hearing of the word of faith and so much helpes for instruction in the knowledg of God and ways of Godliness if it be so I say that after all this thou art ignorant of the true God and knowest not thy Saviour Christ and upon what account he is thy Saviour and what he is and did to redeem thee and if thou knowest not yet what thou art by nature how hatefull sin is to the Holy God how sin defiles and will ruine the soul if permitted if thou knowest not what it cost Jesus Christ to purchase thy pardon and acceptance with God If thou understandest not the conditions on thy part to make thee capable of the benefits of Christs purchase If thou art yet ignorant of this S. 9. thy State is wofull for t is in thee wilfull thou hast neglected or refused or resisted this knowledg and thy ignorance seeing thou hast the use of thy reason and thy senses is thy sin And because it is about the necessary and weighty things of thy salvation and yet supinely neglected or wilfully refused it is now a contracted superadded guilt and except thou come out of this thy ignorance and labour to know and understand so much of God in Christ and the Holy Ghost at least as is necessary to thy salvation thou canst not be saved For if to know the onely true God John 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent be life eternal as Christ hath said then not to know him as he is to be known must needs be death eternall and consider well that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2. Thes x. 7 8 9. taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and mark the dreadfull allotment for such ignorant persons in the 9. verse Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord Prov. 5.12 13 23. Eph. 3.18 Hos 4.6 Esay 27.11 Psal 95.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. and the glory of his power Read also these Scriptures in the margent if you would have more proofs of the danger of wilfull ignorance If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost they are lost who are ignorant of the contents of the Gospell §. II. Infidelity Is Infidelity and unbelief thy condition S.
thee S. 146. that none of these forementioned crimes those cursed fruits of the flesh could be charged upon thee as actually guilty of them yet for all this if thou remainest fruitless as to those holy performances which are the necessary effects of the holy Spirit of God in the truly regenerate thou art so much too farre from the kingdome of God that thou wilt never come up to it nor the enjoyment of it thy unfruitfulness will render thee for ever miserable It may be this will seem a hard saying and unpleasing S. 147. because thou hast not considered well how equall and just it is with God to exclude those from the benefit of the promises that perform not the conditions of promise 't is equal and right with God to reap where he hath sown and to require fruit of those trees which he hath planted dressed manured nourished and preserved art thou not one of those whom the Lord hath gathered from the heathen world and now through the mercy of God art within the pale of his Church under the daily influence of most gracious dispensations watered with the dews of Heaven breathed from the Spirit in all Gospel-ordinances Hast thou not been taught the mind and will of God concerning thy conversation in this present world S. 148. hast thou not the best example even the Lord Jesus Christ whom thou art commanded to imitate 1 John 2.6 and to walk as he walked are there not most full commands and most clear directions to be fruitfull and how to be fruitfull in good works and holy duties Are there not promises freely made S. 149. great reward richly prepared for all that are fruitfull in well-doing and as severe threats and menaces of severe punishments for all that are unfruitfull Esay 5.12.3 4 5 6. negligent and barren of good works so that it may be truly said of thee as of the vine in the Lords vineyard Now judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes Therefore now will I lay it wast it shall be troden down it shall be PRUNED no more nor digged more but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon it Now S. 150. surely God doth look thou shouldest bring forth fruit suitable to all the Lord hath done to thee in reference to thy fruitfulness and if thou hast not or meanest not to doe it in it's season then must you expect that God will be angry with thee to a severity cut thee up by the root and commit thee to the fire You have this determination in severall Scriptures from Christs own mouth recorded Mat. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire and in the Parable he saith unto the dresser of the vineyard behold Luke 13.7 these three years I come seeking fruit on this tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground and Job 15.2 8. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away John 15.2 8. and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Here in is my Father glorified saith Christ that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples And sure enough S. 151. if it be our indispensable duty to bear fruit to God it must be our sin to be barren and fruitless Omission of what we should doe is as much against Gods will as the commission of what we should forbear we are to be judged at last and sentenced to eternal pain or pleasure according to our works good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing eternal life but unto those that obey not the truth indignation and wrath There is a severity pronounced to the unfruitfull Rom. 2.6 v. 7 8. Heb. 6.7 8. as there is a blessing to the doers of his will For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for him that dresseth it receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned So it is with every man accordingly as he doth or doth not answer the provision care love guidance and mercy of God in an holy fruitfulness 'T is remarkable very much that determination of our Lord Christ at the last day concerning all men S. 152. as to their everlasting condition he will then judge them and those that are sentenced to that horrid eternity of wo and misery are thus condemned for not doing but neglecting the works of charity pitty and compassion which was required of them they omitted to shew charity to the distressed and therefore are excluded Heaven and sent down to hell Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 42. prepared for the Devil and his Angels Why what have these poor wretches done that they must undergoe this dreadfull punishment why in the next words you shall see that there is no mention made of what evil they had done but what good they had omitted which they might and should have done For I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink naked and ye clothed me not a stranger and ye took me not in c. that is you had many objects of charity before you which if you had relieved I would have taken it as done to me my self and seeing you have not exercised that good work of charity you have merited the condemnation and have lost your reward and seeing you have omitted to doe good I le omit to give the possession of heaven and where will you obtain heaven if not from me And by this mayst thou see 't is evil enough to damn thee that thou hast omitted to doe the will of God suitable to the meanes and opportunities afforded thee to be fruitfull and abundant in the service of God For he that knoweth or may kow Gods will and to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin and he shall be severely punished with many stripes Now doe I in the name of Christ most earnestly exhort thee S. 153. seeing it is a matter of such dreadfull consequence to remain barren and unfruitfull as to faith James 4.17 Luke 12.47 48. piety righteousness charity and sobriety under the Gospel-teachings in the Church of God that thou wouldst no longer continue loitering lazie idle and unfruitfull but henceforth walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing which you can never doe untill you be fruitfull in every good work Col. 1.10 It may be thou art but a young man S. 154.
redeemed ones Heb. 12.22 23 24. and never come to that heavenly Mount Sion the City of the living God to that innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly of the first-born which are written in heaven shall I hinder my self of the happy condition of the spirits of just men made perfect Oh shall I disappoint my soul of the sight fruition and eternall enjoyment of my Jesus my Lord my redeemer who loved me and died forme and is in heaven preparing a place for his followers all true believers shall I miss him whom my soul loveth can I endure to be any where but where he is will any place content me for my rest and hapess but his armes and eternall embracements Oh Jesus how can I now without breaking my heart once think of being separated from thee one moment it would be an hell upon earth to think that it should be a separation for ever from that lovely loving melting heart and bosome of my Lord and Saviour Yea cursed be that tempter and temptation that would make me do that again that might deprive my poor soul of the enjoyment of my Lord Christ which is all the heaven and happiness I desire so I may be with him for ever with thee dear Jesus for ever And this is enough I crave no more and with less then this enough I cannot be satisfied I must have Christ for my heaven and my heaven where Christ is or I am undone give me saith my soul Christ or I die let me have him let my portion be Christ and then I shall be richly satisfied dear Lord bring me home to thy kingdome where thou dwellest where thou reignest that I may be where thou art for ever I desire I say no more and thus much I cannot be without Now sin will not only deprive me of this happiness S. 64.4 and put me under this irreparable loss but it will if I continue in a state of sinning bring me into and leave me for ever under INSUPPORTABLE TORMENTS my sin will infallibly bring me to HELL I must be damned for it 't is a quick word a severe word and a terrible word DAMNATION is and yet the expression is not so significantly dreadfull as the thing the term pincheth not the sinner but the thing will hell is a place of torment as well as darkness not one drop of water to cool the inflamed tongue or to quench those everlasting flames not one accent of comfort shall ever be heard spoken to a damned sinner nor one moment of ease shall ever be had After Christ hath once said Mat. 25.41 Depart from me thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels then immediatly is the miserable sinner clapt into prison and put into the same state with devils how doth every word of that sentence pierce the heart of a condemned sinner DEPART alas whither shall I go muâ—â— I depart whether I will or no is there no remedy for me alas from thee Lord why to whom should I go then if I must depart from thee I am lost and undone what from my Lord in whose presence is joy in whose favour is life only no happiness but with thee and must I depart from THEE may I not be admitted to stay so much as in thy sight where I may have a glimpse of THEE and be blessed sometimes with a crumb of thy favour among thy meanest servants No! depart from me ye CURSED oh killing accent what must I depart and from thee and not have thy blessing not so much as I blesse thee in the name of the Lord and go in peace what not a kind word from thee to comfort me in my distresses must I have thy curse with me too oh this is wounding my Lord can say no more to the very devills then to call them ACCURSED and must I fare no better Oh cursed the day that I was born why did I ever see a day to come to this dark and dismall day to be CURSED and banished with a CURSE why if it must be so that I must depart from thee and with a curse at my back let me be banished into some corner of the earth let me be buried under some mountain let me lie as one forgotten let me hear no more of my faults nor feel my misery No no depart from me ye cursed into EVERLASTING FIRE Oh terrible what into fire must I burn and be tormented why who can endure to be burnt must I lie down in flames oh that I might be quickly consumed then and cease to be that I might feel no pain then 't is a thousand times better not to be then to be thus miserable may I not have the favour to be turned into nothing rather then into burnings or let me be tormented but for ten thousand years and then gain at length thy favour Voluisset reprobus si potuisset sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare Greg. No 't is too easie a punishment for such a sinner who wouldest sin eternally if thou hadst been to live eternally on the earth thou didst continue in sin all thy life-time which was all the eternity thou hadst and wouldest do so alway if thou hadst been to live always therefore now thy lot is an eternal curse an everlasting fire without mitigation without limitation no ease there no redemption thence no end of that torment 't is everlasting fire But will not the Lord abate somewhat of the heat and fierceness of that fire S. 65. No 't is PREPARED and prepared for Gods greatest enemies 't is such and alltogether such as is prepared for the torments of devills Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire PREPARED for the DEVIL and his ANGELS what must a vile sinner have no better company in his misery then the cursed devils and his cursed crew to all eternity No! no other they that were thy companions in evil will be thy tormentors thou wilt curse them and they will curse thee and all will curse themselves and Jesus Christ will curse them all and to all eternity shall those wretches that live in their sin and will not be in time reformed be cursed and shut up into that condition with finall despair for the reprobate wretch shall be tormented to all eternity and they shall know so much and despair shall seife upon them as a part of their torment O sinner whoever thou art that readest this reflect on thy self now S. 66. and seriously consider what 't is to live in sin here and to refuse amendment and to despise admonition and not to reform thy life and get thy sins pardoned and soul sanctified and thy self throughly converted ere it be too late Consider I say what thy sin will bring thee to it will bring thee to hell-torments S. 67. to the region of horror to flames unquenchable to Legions of devils to the spirits of wicked men made most
from his wicked way he shall die in his Iniquities Now this is said to thee who ere thou art in thy sinfull course or in any one way which is sinfull and if thou doe not turn from that thy wickedness thou art a dead man a lost man this will not be repealed thou must turn or die slight it not it is thy particular caveat as much as any is in the world There is another such like place S. 8. Ezek. 18. v. 20. to the end of the Chapter The summe is this Ezek. 18.20 that though God takes no pleasure at all that the wicked should die but that he should turn and live yet the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself and he that commits Iniquity and dyeth in them for the iniquity that he hath done shall he die but if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live Then the counsell is this v. 30. Repent and turn your selve from all your transgressions so Iniquity shall not be your ruine wherefore turn and live Can there be any more just and plain dealing then this Which is fitternow that thou shouldst turn from thy wicked ways or that God should abrogate this Law of his after all this warning given thee Consider this sinner and turn or expect to burn for ever The next proof I bring out of the New Testament S. 9. which shall not leave the least refuge of hope to any unreformed man that he may be saved and not converted I desire you be serious and consider them well and doe not turn them slightly over with an I hope I may be saved for all this for certainly as thou art alive thou must be reformed or thou canst not be saved Wilt thou believe what Christ hath said Mat. 18.3 Verily I say unto you Mat. 18.3 that except ye be converted ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heaven Jo. 3.3 and John 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God What think you of this doe you believe this in good earnest can you evade it If you think that God of his grace may save you without such a reformation then see what Gods saving grace teaches all that may hope to be saved Tit. 2.11 Titus 2.11 The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared teaching that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And when this is done in sincerity then the 13. verse bids us Look for that blessed hope of heaven But untill this Reformation be wrought a turning from evil all ungodliness and living holy there is no hope of salvation And if you hope Christ will pardon and he will save thee without all this adoe consider what he himself hath said that an unreformed man shall not be saved And Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he and onely he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven And 't is the will of God thou shouldst reform and become holy just and good And know further S. 10. that Christ gave not himself for us that we might be saved without passing the strait gate of Reformation and conversion to heaven or to bring men per saltum immediately from their sinfull and ungodly practises to heaven without any more adoe No see Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works See once more S. 11. that Reformation which is a sorrow for and forsaking of all sinfull ways and a turning to God and holy living is absolutely necessary before God will pardon much less save any man * Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out No blotting out of sins no pardon without Repentance Esai 55.7 So Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord i. e. by an hearty and practical Reformation and then see what follows and not till then he will have mercy he will abundantly pardon You may likewise find that * 2 Pet. 3.9 God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance which doth infallibly imply that he that cometh not to repentance and a reforming repentance too must perish And we find men that are not in a conformity to the will of God in heart and life and will not be reformed S. 12. nor by any means brought to their Creators will and doe that which is good carrying upon them the black mark of desperate wickedness and a son of perdition a reprobate †Psal 50.17 To the wicked God saith what hast thou to doe with my covenant to mention it as though it belongeth to thee for it doth not seeing thou hatest to be reformed thou hatest instruction untill Reformation be wrought no promise of salvation to thee * Pro. 24.30 31. Because I have called and ye refused and have set at nought all my counsells and would none of my reproof nor leave off your folly your wickedness therefore shall destruction and anguish come upon you and you will cry and call upon me but I will not then hear you you shall not find me but shall be Recompensed according to your wayes Pro. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Many more Texts might be brought to confirm the point S. 13. for the mind of God touching this very thing is so fully clearly and frequently revealed in Scripture of purpose to deterre and drive sinners from their evil courses and secure presumption and lest any excuse might be left to any wicked man why he doth not reform leave off to doe evil and learn to doe well seeing there is such a necessity for such a Reformation if a man meaneth to be saved But I think I have sufficiently proved the duty and necessity of a sound Reformation S. 14. by which you may perceive 't is not a trivall or indifferent thing I am perswading you to but weighty and of as much concerment to thee as thou valuest thy salvation for as it had been better never to have been then to be for ever miserable so assuredly as thou art a man or woman thou shalt never attain heaven nor escape eternall misery when thou diest except thou reform both in heart and life what is to be reformed while thou livest in this present world CHAP. V. Containing a catalogue of sins which are altogether inconsistent with the state of saving grace and doe most necessarily inferre and procure damnation to them that are guilty and will not be reformed HAving shewn in the foregoing Chapters both the nature and
falling back turn not from the right way to any by-paths of errour or loose living as long as thou livest Let no body nor any thing prevail with thee to Apostatize or make the least defection from the love of the Truth of the Gospel or to remit of thy care diligence and zeal after Truth and Holiness to thy dying day And if thou hast been so unhappy S. 118. through thy sloth easiness and folly to have been tempted and overcome as to yield to any dislike of the Truth and waies of God or remisness in the duties of piety love and zeal in thy heart or if there be in thee a wavering indifferency and thou hangest loose to the Doctrine of Gospel-Truths and Practicals of Godliness and art weary of well-doing as one uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily If this be the case of Apostates S. 119. Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another T is true indeed S. 120. Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin S. 121. for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world S. 122. Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2. Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch S. 123. Tit. 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God S. 124. this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation
mindfull of them and be watchfull over thy inward outward self every hour in every place and action as thou ever hopest to avoid sin to keep thy self pure and to please God for Jude the 8th verse speaks of Filthy dreamers who defile the flesh c. §. VII Worldly Joy and Sorrow I intreat likewise you would be warned about your joys and griefs S. 34. for as they are more or less about worldly concernments so are they more or less sinfull 'T is true we the best of us are but men at the best and easily are we surprised we have these passions in our nature and of themselves are not sinfull but our failings are about their measures and their objects and the more our delights are in the fruition of the object according to the value and esteem we have of the thing so the more is our sorrow arising from the want of or parting with our beloved whatever it be And this may be sometimes good and gracious according to the sense apprehension we have of good things S. 35. to wit to rejoyce exceedingly and delight much in the presence and fruition of God and grace his word and religious duties and hopes of heaven after an holy life here it is good and a duty as also to grieve much and sorrow heartily for the absence of grace or breach of covenant and faith with God to be grieved at the heart for sin committed or interruption of communion with God by failings in our duties of Religion c. this I say is godly joy and godly sorrow and needs not to be repented of but commonly this is not the kind of that joy delight sorrow and perplexity which men and women are so much in alas it is otherwise indeed 't is sinfull too much for it is worldly too much yet how few take notice of their joys and griefs whether they be sinfull or holy hurtfull or profitable to their souls To be a worldling is to be a sinner S. 36. he can never joy or grieve much about worldly concernments but he must be one that loves and prizes earthly things beyond their proportion irregularly and sinfully Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 but the sorrow of the world worketh death So to delight rejoyce and glory in the Lord is good and pleasing to God but to set ones heart upon riches honors and pleasures and to rejoyce in any of these is a sin and such a joy should be turned into heaviness and such laughter into mourning Jam. 4.9 If thy joy and grief lie about worldly things and trifles S. 37. if thou hast more comfort in a good bargain or a friends legacy or some worldly emoluments then in the favour of God then in the pardon of thy sins then in the means of salvation then art thou yet in fault And if thou canst grieve and lament with tears the loss or disappointment of some benefit or the unkindness of a friend or the crossness of an enemy or chaines of a tyrant c. and yet canst not sorrow for thy sins the loss of Gods favour nor of missing an opportunity of grace and communion with God then thy joys and sorrows are worldly and sinfull and you must not permit such worldly joys and sorrows to prevail but you must repent for them and leave off to spend your comforts and your griefs this way and look to that you should rejoyce in and lament for as afore hath been shewed And as for all other outward things S. 38. our rejoycing or grieving should not be much or lasting labour therefore to reform these passions and set them right and this you will doe if you desire to be sincere upright and complete in the reformation And the like doe I advise you to doe about your impatiencie and discontent S. 39. frettings and perplexities about these worldly temporary vain perishing things as also with your carking carefulness your thoughtfullnesse and distrustfulness about earthly things to reform in each of these for all such dispositions are evil and hurtfull both to soul and body wounding your own souls and tranquillity of spirit and reputation of Christianity and doth much hinder the progress and increase of grace and heavenly conversation and all our affections about earthly things regulated so that it may be with us as to our taking pleasure in worldly vanities or confidence and relying as our happiness or chief support that once we may be able to say truly with St. Paul I account of all things as dung and dross in comparison of the things of Christ and heaven And to this must we come ere we be complete in Christ and throughly changed in all our affections to a state wherein we may truly and freely say without dissimulation or constraint say Truly the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world these worldly concernments move me not much any way I see nothing here below as things below that deserve either my joy in their possession or grief for their absence nothing that I need be troubled much about or that I should relie upon or put any trust at all in for all are flying and lying vanities therefore doe I labour for and seek the things above and my treasures are with Christ in heaven there also is my heart and thither will I goe for my comforts and my grief is that I am not more in love with them and less in love with the world and troubles of spirit about them That each of us may say S. 40. in obedience to that command 1 John 2.15 I love not the world neither the things that are in the world because I would not lose the love of my heavenly Father For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life i.e. worldly pleasures or pelfe or pomp which are not of God nor for his children and servants to look after for they and this world pass away 1 Jo. 2 15 16 17. but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever And as I doe urge and press thee to be carefull and watchfull over your spirits in those forementioned qualities and actings of your souls about those things which although they may seem frivolous niceties to men that judge not of things spiritually but according to sence and common apprehensions yet I earnestly intreat thee as thou hopest for pardon grace and heaven at last that thou wouldst reform them all in every instance for untill you doe you are not a true sincere reformed convert for though they be esteemed but small things and inevitable infirmities yet their account will be numerous at last and their burthen intolerable they will if not pardoned sink thy soul as low as hell pardoned they will not be except thou repent of them and labour against them to a reformation of them all for
then they could not perceive being blinded and beguiled with them Now concerning such if thou who readest art a man given to satisfie thy lusts with worldly pleasures under the pretence of recreation know that though some recreations diversions from our more serious and laborious employments either of body or mind may be tolerable and allowable for refreshment yet when thou exceedest in pleasure to unrighteousness by letting out too great a proportion of thy soul on them then the most innocent recreation becomes a snare unto thee and thou sinnest in it when thou usest it as a calling and dost nothing else but spend thy daies times strength talents study and passions as though thou wast born into this world only to spend thy time in worldly fleshly and carnal delights surely such a state of living and such is onely the employment of some men cannot be pleasing to God but calls for reformation And therefore I would intreat thee to be sparing in recreations and carefull in them lest that which is allowed thee for the relief of thine infirmities may prove thy hurt more dangerous to thy soul then that bodily infirmities which want something for its refreshment could have brought to thy body without such recreation And now S. 48. I would counsel thee also if thou wouldst be innocent to leave off those games and sports which are neither good for bettering thy health of body nor yet of refreshing thy mind and all such pastimes and thy engagements in them which eat up thy time and raise thy passions are incentives to quarrels and such as indispose thee for holy duties are fuel for lust and keep thee from religious performances are to be shunned and if you will follow my counsell leave off dieing and carding revelling and dancing and I am sure you will when you mean to be sober and wise religious and a sincere down-right Christian and when you intend to make religion your chief imployment heaven your aim and holy performances your delight then you will see that all business and avocations from the businesse of religion are nothing at all profitable for thee you will then admit of nothing that shall hinder the work of salvation nor do any thing deliberately which shall frustrate your hopes of heaven But what ere is good in its self or may advance this great work of saving reformation that thou wilt do and no body shall be able to tempt thee to folly nor fright thee from thy duty but thou wilt then make a conscience of thy time and employment how thou spendest it and how much of it and about what businesses that so thou mayst be able at last to make a fair and clear account of thy actions to God when thou shalt be called to it and that will be very shortly and for every thing done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 And surely no man will be approved for well-doing that hath done little else then recreated and pleased himself with sports and pastimes in gaming and fooling S. 49. in sleeping eating and drinking in hunting and hawking and such like employments and many men have no other calling and God knows that for a man to study and contrive how he may spend his days in pleasure and to take his pleasure in severall instances as he hath purposed is but to study and contrive how he may live to die like a fool and prepare his back for many stripes at the last which such a man must be beaten withall and thou cast forth as a vessell of dishonour wherein is no pleasure for that it had never been employed to any good use or purpose Be perswaded therefore to leave off taking pleasure and sporting thy self in sin S. 50. and also to sin in thy sports and recreations and this I would intreat thee never more choose that for thy recreation which is unlawfull or doubtfull or that wherein you have offended already or in which you may be in danger to transgress again when you may as easily forbear and in forbearing be most assuredly certain you shall not sin and resolve on this rather to renounce all sports and recreations then to commit the least sin or expose thy self to the danger of a transgression How much deplorable will the loss be to thee when for the pleasure of sin for a season thou must lose thy soul for ever CHAP. VII Containing some reasons of specifying sins in the foregoing catalgu THus have I laid before you in this register such sins as the nature of man since the Fall is not onely prone to S. 1. but also miserably fruitfull in And all of them both great and small are contrary to the nature of the most holy God and each of them a violation of the righteous and holy commands of God and destructive to the happiness of thy own soul meriting everlasting damnation and which no man that doth them and lives and dies in any of them can escape For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1.18 and it will be executed one day upon them that do evil and continue so doing for God will render to every one according to his deeds Rom. 2.5 6. Yet none of these shall hurt thy soul if thou commit them not and art not some way guilty of them and although thou hast been faulty any of those ways or in many of them yet shall they not be thy destruction if thou repent thee heartily and leave them speedily and absolutely And therefore have I been particular in the enumeration of sins with their aggravations and dismall dreadful consequence to this end and for these REASONS 1. Because thou mayst examine thy heart life and actions S. 2. 1 Reas whether thou hast been guilty of any of them how many of them how often and how long and which of them all are thy sins with what consent of will and delight and by what temptations thou hast acted them and lived in them and against what light of knowledge checks of conscience reproofes admonitions exhortations convictions and resolutions thou hast commited them Which considerations will make thy sin appear to thee more odious and exceeding sinfull And so it will serve as an excellent instrument of thy recovery for the consideration of the guilt filth defilement and miserable consequence of sin every sin the least sin every sin being against God and the eternal good of thy own precious soul this I hope may bring thee to sound repentance for and a lothing of all sin in the whole kind of it speedily resolutely and heartily without either farther delay or dispute And this is the design of the specification of sins S. 3. for now after this now I say that you are told of them you may not think to keep them and act them with impunity for though in the time of your
Thirdly S. 79. let me consider further that all the while I deferre and delay my repentance I do nothing lesse then give God the deniall who calls upon me now to break off my sins by repentance and every such deniall is a provocation and I sin as much by refusing to do that presently which I should immediately perform Therefore turn ye even unto me Now Joel 2.12 Heb. 3. saith the Lord with all your heart And to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart This NOW is to DAY after so long a time while it is called to day and sure this is the present time that God looks for my return and if I put off by excuses or delaies do I not declare that I will not obey God and that I love my sins in that I will not part with them yet although I lose Gods favour by keeping them Is it not a proof that I intend to gratifie the devill and my lusts and do comply with him and my sin who would that I should this day say to God go and come again to menow for I will keep my sins this day also and so the next day and every day as well as this for all that God saith or can do what is this but a tempting of God to cut me off in the midst of my sin can I do any thing that savours more of contempt and gainsaying then this Is it any other then giving sin and Satan the preeminence in my will and affections and a setting light by God and grace will my God endure this at my hand can I imagine he will take this well that I should deal so unworthily with his grace and that I should give that to the devil and lust which I should pay unto God that is my ready and willing obedience how wicked a thing is it say I 'le serve the devil to day and God to morrow and yet doth not he resolve so that saith I will not hear thee O Lord to day as to this matter of repentance and reformation although I know it is thy will I should but to morrow or next week I may think on t ' and then and what then why then thou wilt be as bad yea worse then now and more ready to stand off then now for then the work will be more difficult thy â—â—ns increased thy heart more hardened thy God more highly displeased those cords of thy sins will be twisted to a â—â—ronger bond and that which this day a â—â—nner might have broken off through grace assisting hereafter for thy wilfull delay thou will not be able to break for how can he repent when grace hath forsaken him and his sins have taken such fast hold on him O then let me never serve my God with such put offs S. 80. let me never more gratifie Satan and my lusts and give God the deniall by any more or further delays and deferring reformation why should I make any more rods for my back why should I adde more weight to my burthen why shall I by this days delay make much the more work for repentence while I have enough and too too much already as many sins as I can bear or am able to repent of as long as I live and surely if ever I become a true penitent I must be grieved at the heart that I deferred so long and of putting it off this day also if I be so foolish and presumptuous to adventure my soul upon continuance in this days sins with me all night which for ought I know may be the night my soul may be taken out of my body and then what will my loytering come to or what shall I be able to answer for my delays from day to day to the last day of my life we had sad examples of this in the parable of the rich man promising himself much time to sin in and pleasure in his sin Luke 12.16 17 18. yet is cut off in a night for all his hopes So we read of the vicious servant But if that evil servant say in his heart Mat. 24.48 my Lord delayeth his comming and shall smite his fellow-servants and eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O then let this be a warning to thee and do not delay thy reformation God will not delay his coming though fools abuâ—e his patience nor will he spare thee if he find thee in thy sins in a state unconverted Fourthly S. 81.4 if I mean not yet to repent and turn from my evil thoughts and doings let me consider with what face can I ask leave of God to sin any longer against him may I intreat him for Christs sake to let me alone and be well pleased with me that following year though I defie him to his face and trample the blood of Christ under foot as I have done shall I say good Lord spare me that I may follow the flesh world and devil and fulfill the lusts of the flesh let me be thine enemy a little longer let me spit in thy face and abuse thy patience mercy and long-sufferance yet a while that I may fill up the measure of my wickedness and after I have done what I am able to despise thy grace and grieve thy holy Spirit then receive me into thy glory and give me the largest portion of the inheritance with thy Saints and faithfull servants in heaven But I pray thee tell me sinner will this be fit to be said S. 82. darest thou ask this of God if not why how dost thou dare to continue in that state which thou art ashamed and afraid to ask a blessing on wilt thou beg of God leave to offend thy God to dishonour religion to contradict and violate his most holy laws and to murther thine own soul by sin for whom Christ died to save it from sin that it might live for ever with God O dear soul think and think it seriously S. 83. that he that means to continue in his sins doth mean also that God must either countenance his sinning and approve of his sinfull dealing or that God will smite him and cut him off in his high displeasure and which of these two is it likely the most holy and just God will do must you not then conclude either to leave off your sins speedily and by so doing to procure a pardon and mercy for Christs sake for what is past and do so wickedly no more for after-time or to dare God to his face and bid him doe his worst for you mean not to turn nor amend yet nor to go back from your purpose of staying a little longer in the old track of sinfull walking But methinks a man that hath