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 S. 2 Reader 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 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 S. 3 For when a sinner is brought to the knowledg of his faults 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 S. 4 But on the contrary if thou reform not but goest on still in thy sins 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 Christ 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 S. 5 This being so doth it not concern thee 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 S. 6 Come then along considerate soul 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 S. 7 Consider 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 S. 8 First of all consider is Wilfull Ignorance and unbelief thy case 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 many 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 S. 9 If thou art yet ignorant of this 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 1. 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 S. 10 Is Infidelity and unbelief thy condition art thou still an unbeliever And thou art an unbeliever if thou acknowledgest not nor believest in the onely True God the Father of Christ and Creator of the World as revealed to thee in the Scriptures if thou believest not in Jesus Christ the onely Eternall Son of God If thou confess him not
and be brought from the dominion of sin and Satan to be under the rule and guidance of Christ and grace and so be sanctified pardoned justified and at last glorified this I say I perswade thee to by such discoveries as the glorious good God hath made concerning his acceptation of true penitents and converts Because thou mightest been couraged to this reformation without delay and to keep thee from sinking into a despair of Gods mercy in Christ pardoning thy sins past upon thy sound repentance and sincere reformation and this consideration also may raise thy hopes and expectation that thou shalt yet find grace and mercy from the Lord to relieve thee and help thee in thy misery and give thee a full conquest over thy spirituall enemies through Christ and deliver thee from all thy sins into the hand and protection of JESUS CHRIST who will keep thee safe and bring thee to heaven if thou apply thy heart in good earnest to this work of self-reformation and perseverest in the same unto the end For if there were no hope but he that hath been vicious must of necessity be always so why then should there be given any meanes for thy recovery why should God send to thee invite thee intreat thee rebuke thee expostulate with thee as he doth by his Ministry word and Spirit if God did not mean to reclaim thee that he might pardon thee and save thee why hath he appointed repentance for thy work and space for thy repentance but that thou mightest finish thy reformation And why so many promises for thy support of mercy for guidance victory acceptation and pardon if God meant not to deal graciously with thee this way upon thy endeavours at reformation S. 6 4ly And I have hitherto been perswading thee concerning every sin to repent speedily and leave off that thy sin be it whatever great or small without delay Rea. 1 Because impenitency is a cursed estate in it self though thy sin of which thou art guilty be pardonable upon thy repentance yet thy impenitency for the least sin thou knowest in thy self is unpardonable and that which all the sins specified could not effect if they had been repented of in time and forsaken this one sin of wilfull impenitency will undoubtedly effect viz. thy damnation for damnation though it be not to sins absolutely the smallest of them yet absolutely to all impenitent sinners S. 7 Christ hath secured the salvation of that sinner who exerciseth faith in him and repentance from dead works by his life death resurrection and intercession But he did not die nor doth he intercede nor is he a propitiation for to save impenitents and unbelievers as such they living and dying impenitent and unconverted And therefore the earnestness of thy Monitor with thee to be speedy in this work is such for that thy continuance in any sin argues thy unwillingness to forsake it and thy delaying and deferring repentance is nothing lesse then a flat denial to reform and amend untill thou canst sin no longer nor live any longer to sin and then thou wilt either miss of the will to repent thee or of sufficient time or because forced from the apprehensions of terror it will not be accepted and then alas where art thou S. 8 And this consideration if it be serious would conclude in this resolution I will put off no longer I l'e not deferre till to morrow for if I die ere my conversion be wrought and if sickness and death seise on me in an impenitent state what will become of me I am resolved to begin now and to renew again what once I began and will not sleep eat drink or take any comfort in any thing untill I am in a mending case untill my soul and sin be at odds I le stay no longer here with this and that sin nor will I consent that any sin shall lodge with me henceforth for ever lest mischeif and a snare death and destruction overtake me and I lie down in sorrow S. 9 For I have been and am a great sinner perverse and obstinate in my courses and too long already have I been so and I despair of mercy pardon and heaven while I continue in a state of voluntary sinning unconverted and unreformed in heart and life But I see there is hope how bad so ever I have been yet I may be reclaimed and if in time I do repent heartily and renounce all my wicked ways and lay hold on Christ and live the rest of my days soberly righteously and holily I may find mercy and partake of an happy eternity of glory I am resolved therefore now even this moment to put in practise that which I have been long a purposing even to bid farewell to all my sinfull pleasures and profits to all my vanity and folly and do now forsake the sinfull world the flesh and the devil and will no longer be befooled by my lusts the world nor Satan to the loss of my soul for all the present seeming content and advantage may come to me by living in sin or complying with sinners Mat. 16.26 For what will it profit me though I gain the world by sinning and lose my soul for sinning What shall a man do for another soul to save when he hath damand or lost this one by sinning What shall I do to be saved then at last if now I refuse to doe that which God is pleased to demand of me as a condition and in my power through grace which is to repent and to turn from all my iniquities so sin shall not be my ruine Alas then I shall have no grace to repent nor space nor acceptance nor pardon nor heaven I can then do nothing that can be acceptable neither will God accept any thing I do if I will not hear him to day he may refuse me to morrow although I call upon him but to be sure if I put off the Lords requests and admonitions refusing them now in my health strength life and do not yield obey repent and reform as I know it is my duty then at last God will refuse and reject me yea laugh at my calamity and empty the vials of his just wrath and indignation upon me Pro. 11.12 to the end and leave me in misery to all eternity S. 10 Such a consideration as this would make one dread the thought of continuance in sin or to deferre repentance one day longer and would bless God he was not cut off in the last act of sin or in a state impenitent yesterday or the last week and resolves to venter no more so presumptuously on the morrow while to day is put into his hand for an opportunity Let this be thy resolution O sinner that readest and be happy in it CHAP. VIII Containing the main swasion and motion for a finall resolution and speedy practicall repentance and reall reformation S. 1 NOw having made known unto thee and laid in thy view before thee as
But consider is the loss of heaven nothing is it no great matter that thy sin deprives thee of when it shuts fast the gate of heaven against thee can I think those five foolish virgins mentioned in the parable sustained no loss when they lost that opportunity of going in with the Bridegroom did they think their condition as happy as that of the other five that passed into heaven seeing they knocked so earnestly but too late and in vain the door was shut was it no trouble think you to them that they had lost their opportunity that now they could not enter into those joys will it be no trouble to a sinner at last when he shall see the Saints in glory in the kingdome of heaven and the vile hard-hearted impenitent unconverted wretch shut out for ever Alas who can brook or bear the dreadfull apprehensions of the loss of heaven that hath but the least regard to his own precious soul and the worth of heavens happiness Can a man think of any loss so great as the loss of heaven is or is there any such a loss again that which comprehendeth so fully a misery for a man to think on as this May I not safely guess that the greater part of horror and misery of the damned is their reflecting thoughts of their not improving their opportunities in their day of grace in this world for the attainment of heaven and their poor afflicted souls lying under those deep endless agonies of their loss their loss their loss Once I had a fair offer of heaven but I would not now I would but may not that opportunity is lost heaven is lost and I am lost and lost for ever O happy souls that are in heaven O miserable we that are excluded thence Think and think again sinner on this and then know that if thou continue in thy sin as they did that thou must be as they are even as they were once deluded with sin and are now banished from all hopes of happiness for ever think seriously on this and then continue in thy sin if thou canst thou canst not think of living any longer in thy wickedness unless thou meanest to take thy lot with them that have passed to those regions of misery and there with them to abide with weeping and gnashing of teeth to all eternity Mat. 8.12 S. 62 Is it nothing to lose heaven that I put it every day to the hazard by my complying with sin and venter my interest there purchased with the blood of Christ for penitent believing holy men and to be conferred on such when they goe out of this stage of the world as the crown of all happiness to their immortall souls is it a trifle I lay at stake when by the next act of sin I put it to a doubt whether I shall be saved or no shall I commit this sin and take the pleasure and the profit of it and forgoe my hopes of heaven or shall I not Men do not well consider that every time they consent to and obey a lust and execute its command they put their salvation to the hazard and do I do well or wisely in so doing are the joys of heaven no more to be accounted of then to be so prodigall of them and all thy happiness with them doest thou know what thou losest when thou hast lost salvation or canst thou be any where else so well or well at all any where else but in heaven when thou goest hence S. 63 Is it nothing to miss of heaven or to come short of salvation where only my soul can be fully and completely happy where there is onely and nothing else but soul-satisfying joys and contentments where only I can neither sin nor die any more where I can neither fear nor feel pain sickness sorrow want reproch nor any thing that can in the least interrupt diminish or suspend my happiness much less put an end to my full and perfect bliss There is more fulness of joy then can be expressed Psal 16.11 and more pleasures then can be numbred and these joys at Gods right hand are for evermore more and for ever And is it a small matter to miss of all these Oh who would live in sin that must suffer such losse for it Surely he loves his lusts too well that will part with heaven and happiness to gratifie the devill and satisfie the lusts of his flesh as every wilfull finner doth But shall I continue in my sin and lose this happiness God forbid Shall I deprive my self and rob my soul of that unspeakable comfort rich enjoyment and reall filling contentment and endless happiness I may have above in heaven rather then crosse my lusts and part with my folly my shame my sin no no let all go let my sinfull pleasures go let the world go let my life go let all go rather then those joys which are in prospect in heaven passe by me and go beside me Lord what shall I do if I miss of heaven I am undone for ever if I do go without it shall I keep a sin which is worse then nothing and lose the bliss of Angells the vision of the All-glorious God whose presence favour and everlasting love fills the soul with most admirable delights and ravishing pleasures shall I lose the portion of Christs 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 for me 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 happiness 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
invitation to the devil to drive him to many other sins as swearing cursing whoredome murther and the next wickedness is at hand a fit instrument for the devils service Deu. 21.20 21. Pro. â—23 21 Esay 28.1 3. 1 Cor. 6.10 but in no wise fit for the service of God nor works of his calling a greif to his relations the reproch of Religion the shame of mankind And his doom is dreadfull they shall come to poverty woe to the drunkards they shall be troden under foot and drunkards shall not inherit the kingdome of God But wilt thou say Obj. for a man to drink himself into such a condition is worthy to be deemed drunken indeed but there be that keep company and maintain good fellowship and sit by it too and yet are not so overcome as so to abuse themselves or others and is that any fault I answer That excess of drinking Answ whether thou art quickly overcome by it Vinum plus justo sumptum venenum Aug. Mal. 24.49 or whether thou be strong to overcome much drink or if thou sittest long at it tipeling and keepest company with riotous persons or forcest or perswadest others to drink excessively and delightest to see others through drink stammering reeling fooling or erring thou canst not defend thy self from being faulty thou must leave it off and reform in these things also and have nothing to do with such practices but avoid them And that thou mayst see I would not goe about to abridg thy liberty nor cross thy appetite as to these circumstances Luke 21.34 Rom. 13.13 or beg thy reformation in this but upon unquestionable grounds from Scripture read seriously Esay 5.11 Wo unto them that rise up early that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till wine inflame them And Esay 5.22 Wo to them that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink And Habb 2.15 16. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also that thou mayst look on their nakedness Thou art filled with shame for glory drink thou also the cup of the Lords right hand shall be given unto thee and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory S. 29 Now by this thou seest what thou art to reform about drinking look therefore what hast thou been and how thou hast been guilty and repent and amend speedily if thou wouldest come to any thing in Religion that may do thee any good for heaven and say now you are warned and doe no more so madly so foolishly so wickedly I charge thee not as guilty but if thou hast been guilty any of these ways I charge thee in the name of God beware for the future and repent for thy former exceedings about drink § VII Gluttony S. 30 And because Gluttony is an excess about meats as that is about drinks and a sin that carries guilt with it too yet a sin little taken notice of though often committed non cibus sed appetitus est in vitio T is not eating or drinking that is sinfull meats and drinks in themselves make us neither offensive nor acceptable to God but yet abstinence is a partner with Vertue and excess in eating is a vice in morality and Christianity too and therefore not permitted to them whom God will own we find glottony condemned and the gluttonous in the number of those wretched ones which are excluded heaven eating too much and over-much charging nature is surfeiting and our Saviour gives speciall caution Luke 21.34 Take heed lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunkenness Luke 21.34 Now gluttony is immeasurable eating beyond the bounds of Christian moderation and temperance in feasts or banquers and those that frequent with delight feastings and full tables with studied varieties are in danger and oftentimes feeding without fear are betrayed by their appetite to exceed the boundaties of temperance Jud. v. 12. 2 Pet. 2.13 Luk. 16.19 It was one of the rich mans sinfull practices whom we hear to be tormented in Hell that he fared sumptuously every day when one lusts after and purveyeth for the panch and studieth and contrives meats for the belly adding the advantages of curiosity to tice the tast to please the bestiall appetite such make their belly their God whose end is destruction Phil. 3.19 so saith S. Paul Phil. 3.19 And certain it is that those that study to pamper the flesh and spend much cost and time this way sacrificing to the draught may have fat bodies but to be sure lean souls they that are so much for their guts are but little for their souls they look little after grace that care so industriously for their palates and paunch what an ugly nasty Idol doth the glutton serve S. 31 And of such as offend this way saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.13 Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Epicures sure are none of those that serve God as all must both in soul and body and therefore can have no expectation untill they reform of being made happy with the delicates of Heaven they that take delight in and are so studious for bodily eatable dainties or to exceed in ordinary and common meats are not innocent of gluttony but must learn to renounce this sin of gluttony also And therefore my request is that you would bethink your self and examine your disposition and appetite and usuall practise as to eating feasting banquetings and the like and if you have transgressed repent if you are liable to be enticed or inclinable of thy self to exceed in eatings put a restraint upon thy appetite and beware of falling into the sin of gluttony Solomon gives this advice When thou sittest to eat Pro. 23.1 2 3. consider diligently what is before thee and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite that is if thou be wise put a restraint upon thy appetite bridle it and satisfie it not in its lustings And the reason is in the 3. verse be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitfull meat there is a snare in dainties and varieties and many are overtaken when they consider it not Well then is gluttony as is here described thy sin leave it be reformed in this and learn temperance abstinence and sobriety in thy feedings or else thou wilt never be accounted of for a true convert but be dealt withall as drunkards shall be and they you know shall not inherit the kingdome of God § VIII Covetousness S. 32 Is thy sin Covetousness hast thou a craving eager desire of earthly riches and abundance dost use arts and devices whether thou gettest what thou so desirest or gettest it not yet the coveting is thy sin and rendereth thee a worldling thou art a guilty person This disposition is more easily discerned in another then a mans
his life in thought word or action the nature of sin is such where ever it cleaveth and sticketh that the leasâ— sâ—ruple and mote would have infected a world of men and an heaven of angels and if Christ himself had been tainted with the lest sin imaginable he must have ceased from being a Saviour and Redeemer of others and from being God who is glorious in hâ—liness and have sought for himself a Saviour and Redeemer or have lain under that guilt and pollution that his own sin had brought upon him and this the devill knew well enough when he attempted our blessed Lord Jesus with temptations of divers sorts that he might bring him to commit a sin which would have frustrated the merit of his redemption and undone both him and us if such a thing had been possible that Christ could have committed a sin So gâ—eâ—t an evil and so poisonous a plague is â—â—n that it will doe that by it 's own maglignity which all the devils in hell cannot doe to me except I commit sin and yield to the solicitations and motions of mine own lust S. 27 Can I now if I have but the least love to Christ after such a consideration as this think sin to be no evil and that there is no great hurt in it much less think it lovely should I not rather think sin to be the greatest evil in the world more terrible then all the most astonishing and lothsome diseases that are incident to humanity is it not far better for one to undergoe all the afflictions and bodily punishments in this life then to have his soul infected with sin or to lie under the guilt or burden of one sin alone is it not much better to be a poor Saint then a rich sinner an humble penitent then an honourable reprobate would I not a thousand times rather have my whole life accompanied with variety of troubles without sin then to be quite freed from all afflictions with the being and adhesion of one sin though but one and that the least Oh my soul God may love thee though never so sorely afflicted as sometime Job was and his love is life and riches and far better then all but if thou be never so rich and great and healthy and be hated of God Oh how miserable art thou S. 28 Shall I continue in sin then God forbid Never let my soul close with that which God so perfectly hates and will as certainly punish first or last where ever he finds it and him with whom he finds it and who can hide himself or his sin from the all-seeing God or withstand his power punishing alas not one in the world S. 29 And shall I attempt to sin which I may doe and then to hide it which I shall never be able to do from the eye of God nor shall I ever be able to withstand the stroke or stand under the wrath of him that will not spare when he means to take vengeance of sin and then poor wretch what will become of thee when thy unpardoned sins thine own wickedness shall be laid on thee and together with them the insupportable wrath of the Almighty Ah sin thou hast undone millions already and wilt ruine me also if I keep thee I am sorry I have been so well acquainted with thee so long that I have been deceived by thee so often 't is too much I have served thee and the devil by sinning O Lord that I may henceforth renounce all my wickedness and lothee very one of my sins and the womb that bears them even my lusts it will never be well with thee Jam. 1.14 15. O my soul untill I am delivered from the power guilt and filthiness of my sins S. 30 3. I consider that if sin in its nature be so pestilent and of such dreadfull consequence and malevolent aspect working the destruction of the subject where ere it fastens and remains then must I expect the same dealing from my own lusts and sinfull acts if I continue in my sin nourish and feed my lusts as others have by sad experience found from their sins and 't is past dispute that every sin in particular every transgression of mine every evil motion within me every act of sin is of the very same nature and tendencie and hath the same poisonous quality and the same contrariety enmity and malignity against God and goodness as the whole kind of sin in the masse 't is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and of the same father the devill and bears his very image and doth the same thing it fights against heaven and my own souls happiness it will destroy infallibly if I keep it and cherish it with me S. 31 If I practice theft or covetousness or whoredome or drunkenness or lying or swearing or any other sin frequently or but once am I not a sinner have I not transgressed the whole law St. James tells me Jam. 2.10 that if I offend in one point I am guilty of all that is I have broken the Law of God and am guilty of the breach of the whole law by so doing not that I have committed every individuall sin forbidden but I have contracted transgressing in one point the guilt of high treason against my Soveraign Lord the supreme law-giver S. 32 And why should I imagine that the littleness of my sin should lessen the transgression My Lord Christ saith That whosoever shall break one but one of these least commandements Mat. 5.19 the least of them he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven that is he shall be despised and rejected by God in the day of judgment and cast out as an offender and rebell be it but rash anger of malicious design or looking on a woman lustfully though it proceed not to actual murder or adultery though it seem but small while in the first motions of lust yet 't is a breach of the spiritual law of God and I am a sinner and a rebell if I so continue in these seeming little faults I am exempted from pardon for in every single sin there is a complicated viciousness and an accumulated treason and that is enough to bring me to condign punishment and if one of my sins will be strong enough to wound me and slay me and hath malice enough to attempt it how then can I be safe how can I think to escape and deliver my soul while I keep my sin and act my folly S. 33 For I may consider that every single sin hath these in it common with the whole kind of every sin I either love or act and the more I practice and the more frequently I commit it the more hainous is my sin and I by every single act of every of them adde more to the measure and heap of wrath and in each act of the same sin or addition of a new sin the more rods and scourges are treasuring up for my
make conscience my enemy too as well as God my enemy every time I commit a sin S. 56 4. Besides all this when I sin again wilfully with consent deliberately I break my baptismal vow and my rational Christian conscientious resolution I â—m engaged by vow and promise to forsake the devil to resist his temptations to renounce worldly lusts and fleshly lusts and every way that is contrary to Christ and holiness and I have or should peremptorily resolve against all manner of sin and yet when I sin voluntarily I violate my vow and break my promise and contradict my resolutions and render my self a covenant-breaker a perjured person an unfaithfull and unconstant a fickle and vain fool and bring guilt and disgrace sin and ignominie together upon my own soul and do I not wrong my self extremely in so doing can I do a greater mischief to my self then I do when I sin after all this can any thing disgrace me more debase me lower revile me more deservedly then this when I commit a sin and live in it is there any thing can deface the image of God in me which is my glory and honour my beauty and perfection then sin If I be poor and holy yet am I rich in grace and so am I honourable too though I want both worldly riches and honours but if I am a sinfull wretch though never so rich and great in the worlds account yet am I but a vile and deformed person a scorn and contemptible before God and Angells O there is nothing makes me ugly and deformed vile and contemptible but my sin do I not then wrong my self by sinning or is there any way imaginable whereby a man can do a greater or so great a mischief to himself then by acting and repeating his sins sure there is not any S. 57 5. When I consider the damage and irreparable loss I procure to my precious soul by my own sin I must conclude within my self that when I sin I wrong my own soul and fight against my own and contend for my own undoing 1. When I commit sin I make a breach between God and my own soul my sin is the make-bate not poverty nor affliction not sickness nor meanness of birth nor deformity of body nor any thing but sin doth make God at a distance from my soul but by sin I lose my innocency and sin away that which nothing can procure me which is much more worth then gold that which gold cannot purchase again the peace of conscience Isa 57.21 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked I provoke Gods anger and displeasure and tempt him to withdraw his favour from me and to bring forth treasures of wrath against me all the while I live in a sinning state I lose the benefit of repentance the benefit of Christs sufferings and intercession I bereave my soul of the indwelling of the spirit of comfort and banish by my sining Christ from my soul and grieve the holy Spirit of God so that he withdraws himself and leaves me desolate and alas what a sad loss hath the soul that hath lost Christ and the Spirit what a miserable condition is it to be without Christ and the Holy Ghost to be one that hath banished Christ and the Holy Spirit from his soul O how deplorable is that mans estate and yet such is the state of a wilfull sinner every man and woman that lives in the love liking and practice of sin and doth not repent and reform he doth not onely lose his best friends and best friendship but provokes them to be his very enemies Christ who loved thee and pittied thee and laid down his life for thee and weeps over thee and bled for thee and spared not his life to redeem thee from thy sins that he might have thee and yet for all this his unparallelled and unspeakable love and tender compassion wilt thou offer him all affronts and pierce and wound him with thy sins and trample upon all his worth and banish him quite away with thy unkind dealing what way couldst thou ever have thought on more ready and certain to deprive thy self of all the benefits of Christs transactions for sinners then by sinning still as thou doest Nay what way could a wicked heart have chosen that would study his own eternal losse and misery like this of sinning still and going on in his wickedness canst thou contrive any thing that will make Christ the best friend that ever poor sinner had thy mortal enemy then by continuing still to do wickedly Those mine enemies saith Christ of impenitent implacable and unruly rebells and sinners Luke 19.27 that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and stay them before me Where I see 't is possible that Christ may become a revenger Psal 2.12 and oh when his wrath is kindled yea but a little how dreadfull will be the appearance of this Lamb of God! how will all such sinners be forced to cry O mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne Rev. 6.16 17. and from the wrath of the lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand S. 58 2. I do not onely sin away my dear Jesus Christ and his spirit of comfort my best friends and make them my enemies which yet is bad enough God knows for me but I also sin away and lose by sinning my felicity my comforts my peace my happiness all my heaven on earth Alas what a poor miserable uncomfortable creature is a resolved sinner what is a man worth that hath lost the rich enjoyment of Gods favour and his own good conscience what an hell of darkness and horror is that soul in who hath lost the light of Gods countenance and peace of his own conscience Many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about so that the righteous and upright of heart the holy penitent may be glad in the Lord and take joy and delight themselves in the Lord he and he onely that is reformed hath those comforts and delights which wicked men know not nor can ever attain unto as long as they continue wicked S. 59 David though a great and potent Monarch found not that happiness in his crown which the world may think to be a felicity He doth not say I am a King and have many subjects at my command and a large dominion and much revenue Psal 4.6 7 8. and therefore am happy no but when he would comfort his soul and recount his worth and treasures saith Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us give David but Gods favour and love and he will single out him from all to make his joy full and his happiness complete Lord thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in he time when their corn and wine was