ignorance God did wink at and did bear with your follies then yet now he commands thee and all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 31. because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse 2 ly I have quoted Scriptures in the margent S. 4. 2. Rea. and annexed them to every particular sin because you maybe fully convinced of the infallibility of the execution of Gods decree of reprobation and damnation on thee and every man and woman living in such a state without repentance and reformation that so neither thou nor any sinner may presume of salvation at the end of a sinfull impenitent and unreformed life but that thou mayst utterly despair of salvation without sound and timely reformation and this consideration also may serve to hasten thy resolution and to use all meanes appointed of God to rid thee of thy sins and become a new man which is absolutely necessary for thee if thou meanest to be saved eternally 3 ly I do also perswade you to a reformation in every instance S. 5. 3 Rea. and to repent of every sin and amend every fault upon sure grounds because you may see there is no impossibility but that you may of a sinner if you look to it in time become a true convert and be turned from darkness to light 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 4 ly And I have hitherto been perswading thee concerning every sin S. 6. to repent speedily and leave off that thy sin be it whatever great or small without delay Because impenitency is a cursed estate in it self Rea. 1. 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 Christ hath secured the salvation of that sinner who exerciseth faith in him S. 7. 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 And this consideration if it be serious S. 8. 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 over take me and I lie down in sorrow For I have been and am a great sinner S. 9. 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 full 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
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.
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
Sam. 11.14 15. 3. Yet further hast thou commanded contrived consented to the death of any thou art guilty thou art a murderer 4. Art thou a magistrate and givest sentence of death S. 39. and commandest execution upon any man without or against the Law and causest the life of a man to be taken away that hath not merited condemnation then art thou not guiltless of murder but must be accountable to God who is the revenger of innocent blood upon the heads of those that have shed it themselves or caused it to be spilt by others 5. Moreover S. 40. if I have been the voluntary occasion of the unnaturall and untimely death of another either by mixing poison with meats or drinks or otherwise though given by the hand of another and if it take that cursed effect I am guilty actually if it doth not kill out-right I am intentionally guilty of murder 6. If I have provoked or inticed and one to that excess of drinking or surfeting so as the mans body is endangered by it and he thereby hath contracted a killing disease I am not free of this sin though the law of man take no hold on me for it 7. Or if I provoke a person to kill or make away himself I am accessary to his self-murder 8. Furthermore if I doe not when it is in my power rescue the innocent from violence or if I suffer any one to famish or starve when I might or have an opportunity to preserve life I am no better then a man-slayer yet again Mat. 5.21 22. ◠our Saviour Christ the best interpreter of the mind of God in this point and all other commands tells thee that within the compasse of this sin of murder come the beginnings of this sin in the heart though it goe no further then the intention as malice hatred causless and inordinate anger revengefull desires and also if it proceed to violent railing and reprochfull language 9. If thou yet suffer thy passion to break out to an assault of another with blood or wounds S. 41. beating and hurting the body of a man or puts him in fear of his life any of these and every of them is a branch of this sin and renders thee guilty 10. And if thou enter into the lists with thy equall either challenging thy self or answering anothers challenge to fight upon what account soever thou dost thereby hazard thy own or the others and sometimes both your lives and so you become guilty of self-murder or killing another and if thou kill him in the quarrell though thou mayst escape the law of man yet thou art a murdere and many years of deep repentance will not suffice for it and if thou die in the duell thou goest to hell without remedy And if you think this too severe an exposition of the command S. 42. as to include anger and malicious words read Mat. 5. 21 22. Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment But I say unto you whosoever is angry with his Brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of Hell-fire Where you may see the same judgment is allotted for malicious angry revengfull men as to actuall killing that is they are to be accounted guilty of this sin and judged as murderers Now in the Name of God I intreat thee whoever thou art that meanest to the saved to examine thy heart S. 43. disposition and practice whether thou art not guilty of some of these things and if thou art condemn thy self for it and repent heartily and reform presently for if thou livest in this sin thou canst never approve thy self innocent neither will God acquit thee except thou repent and leave it And that ye may know that anger S. 44. malice revenge hatred railing evil speaking are no small matters you shall find that all of them are both forbidden and condemned and the persons here guilty in this present life shall without reformation be excluded heaven Rom. 1.29 see Rom. 1.29 wicked men of this kind are under Gods wrath in ver 18. and worthy of death ver 32. are such as verse 29. are described malicious full of envy murder debate malignity back-biters and Galatians 5. are found among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20 21. the which if men doe and continue in them they shall not inherit the kingdome are these hated variance wrath strife envyings murders and in Rom. 12.19 Christians are intreated not to seek revenge but leave it to God Avenge not your selves therefore but allay your wrath And in Ephes 4. Eph. 4.29 30 31. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you James 3.14 15 16. with all malice For all these kinds are earthly sensuall and divelish And hence you may perceive what you are to look after S. 45. and if you are guilty to repent speedily of every one for know that murderers shall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 which is the second death A bloody-minded a bloody-handed and a killing-tongued man shall never to heaven Take heed therefore if thou be guilty in any of these lesser matters which thou thinkest not so severely to be censured yet consider if they be light and common they are the more easily forsaken and if thou forsake them not so slight as you make of them yet God will account thee disobedient and lay a punishment as heavy as that of hell upon thee one day if thou repent not of them and forsake them in time that very speedily remember thou art now warned that not onely he that killeth but also he that hateth his brother that is any man is a murderer and no murderer hath eternal life 1 John 3.25 mark that well § X. False and vain swearing Art thou defiled with OATHES by which thou hast at any time born witness against the truth S. 46. and sworn to confirm a lie then thou art a perjured person hast thou broken a lawfull vow and nor performed thy promise having bound thy self by oath hast thou rashly sworn to doe a thing which is not in thy power or presumptuously engaged thy self by oath in a thing unlawfull dost solemnly swear by the name of the glorious God in a trifle or for any lower end then to put an end to all strife or for the determining of some weighty matter which without thy oath could not be ended examine what oath thou hast taken before whom in what causes to what end and with what solemnity and accordingly shalt thou know whether thou hast sinned by solemn swearing for an oath is a sacred thing and he that swears must swear by the name of God in truth in judgment and in righteousness but he
Religion Rom. 3.8 and damage to thy own soul than any advantage can amount to by thy lye If we mean to be the children of God S. 52. we must not do evil nor make a lye though we think good may come of it yea all liars are said to be the children of the Devil Who is a liar from the beginning and the father of lies Joh. 8.44 And that you may understand the odiousness of this sin as no wise consistent with saving grace in the soul nor with true holines The Apostle Paul in his exhortation to Holiness wisheth the Ephesians if they mean to be truly holy to put away lying Eph. 4.25 Col. 3.9 and commandeth every one to speak truth and nothing but the truth one to the other and one of the other And to shew the perniciousness of lying David S. 53. when he thinks of reforming or constituting a religious family He that worketh deceit saith he shall not dwell within my house Ps 101.7 Psal 119.163 he that telleth lies shall not stand in my sight I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love Lying is most odious S. 54. Pro. 6.16 17 19. abominable and contrary to the God of Truth These things doth the Lord hate a proud look a lying tongue and a false witness that speaketh lies Pro. 12.32 for-lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight And the son of Syrach tels it that though a theef be a vile person yet saith he a theef is better than a man that is accustomed to lye Ecclus. 20.25 and they both shall have destruction to heritage Therefore if thou that readest this S. 55. hast been guilty of lying repent heartily for thy sin and if thou art apt to it and usest it amend speedily put away lying far from thee or thou wilt be put away as far from God as hell from heaven Be advised in time and amend this great fault never make nor love a lye unless thou resolvest to be shut out of heaven and shut up in hell See what Truth saith in this point Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it i. e. Heaven any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 22.15 For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and Whosoever LOVETH and MAKETH A LYE And to make short work concerning all lyars that they shall be shut up in hell S. 56. and all lyars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone Rev. 20 8. which is the second death Is it not much better to leave thy lying here while thou art warned now than to lie down in hell for evermore §. XII Theft There are many more guilty of theft than will acknowledge it S. 57. yet there is no thief great or small rich or poor but must pay dearly for it one day if he repent not to a forsaking this sin and except he henceforth observe that of St. Paul Let him that stole Lev. 19.13 Eph. 4.28 steal no more It may be thou hast been medling with that belongs not to thee more or less he that hath stoln though but to a small value is a thief the sin is committed though not discovered secret stealth is thievery and violent taking away that which is anothers goods is sinful Robbery which some thieves call Plunder and think the name of Enemy makes their robbery tolerable If thou art or hast been a souldier in thine own Nation and hast been in such robberies repent for it and if thou art able make restitution of things so gotten If thou art or hast been a son or a servant Pro. 28.24 and hast filcht from or cheated thy Parents or Master of any thing either in thy custody committed to thy charge or taken it to thy self or conveyed it to others then repent and do so no more make some satisfaction to the parties wronged either with confession of thy fault with a desire of pardon or restitution some way or other aske God forgiveness and promise amendment and do no more so wickedly Hast thou been entrusted with the portions and maintenance of Widows and Orphans S. 59. Esay 10.1 2 3. Pro. 22.22 or with the proportions of Charity for to lay out upon the Poor and hast turned that so received or any part of it unto thy own use and property or spent it upon thy lusts thou art an unfaithfull Trustee a robber of the widow and fatherless and of the Poor thy theft is highly criminous a lifes repentance is very much too short for such a villain and treble restitution too little recompence for so great an injury Oh if thou that readest this be guilty consider of it and repent in time or else thy doom will be severest and no sin will be forgiven thee except thou give again what thou hast robbed Eze. 33.15 Again S. 60. hast thou cheated any one of his Estate or any part thereof by craft and subtilty by Diceing and gaming or the like then art thou not far from this transgression thou art a cheat and what is that less than a theef S. 61. can you tell If thou art one that hast coveted and taken things set apart and devoted for the service and worship of God for the propogation of the Gospel and Religion be it house or lands or monies or increase of lands by Art or industry or what by devotion and piety of men hath been bequeathed to the Church for the maintenance of the Ministry of the Gospel Mal. 3.8 9 if thou hast bereaved the Church of this the curse of Achan attends thee Jos 7.11 12 20 21. and if thou dost deprive the Church of its dues being consecrated to the service of the true God the sin of Ananias and Saphira is upon thee thou art a sacrilegious thief Acts 5.1 2 3 4. thou hast robbed God and hast an accursed thing with thee and if thy outward Estate prosper with it 't is a very rare thing but be sure if it be not a cancker to thy Estate it will be to thy soul and one day shalt thou pay dear for thy sacrilege and theft You are cursed with a curse Mal. 3.8 9 for you have robbed me saith the Lord. Now if thou hast practised any of these things and art guilty of any of these things either to God or man secretly or openly though man find it not out yet God knows it and that is enough for thy woe Therefore I exhort thee to examine thy S. 62. life and actions and also what is with thee which thou hast gotten any of these wayes repent and make restitution and sin no more this way lest that come upon thy body estate and soul the curse which thou wilt never be able to claw off Psa 50.18 and if this I say will not
disappointed of thy expectation or when contradicted and reproved then art thou a proud person pride hath seised on thee Dost speak great words of vanity S. 79. glorying in thy self and bringest thy self to the view that thou mightest be admired for some singular excellency then art thou a vain-glorious person and seekest praise of men and pride hath exalted it self in thee and thou art grievously infected Yet further S. 80. there is a kind of pride which lies at the bottom of grace and holy duties which duties would be acceptable to God were it not for the pride that doth infect them Spirituall pride spoiles all Spirituall performances when men think there is a worth and merit in what they do though but their duty If a man be proud of his humility and charity and that he can pray much and as he thinks well and when he looks contemptuously upon those beneath him in gifts of the Spirit knowledge religious discourses and ability of disputing for or against the Truth and thinks himself every way above instruction and stands in need of no farther direction from Gods word but living in his pride as above ordinances and conceits himself perfect in all excellencies free from infirmities and any the least spot of sin in thought word or deed this is the height of pride vain glory and arrogancy and all that have lifed up themselves thus Pro. 3.17 are fallen at once from grace low into the sin of Pride as the proud Angels from heavenly excellencies to hellish shame and horrour and so wilt thou that art guilty in this kind except thou repent Again S. 81. if thou art envious at those above thee and discontent with thy portion and talent because not so much as anothers and refusest to do any thing in thy duties because thou can not do better then others and get thee praise to thy self from others this is the Pride of thine heart too If thou takest pride in thy shame S. 82. if thou gloryest in thy wickednesse and declarest thy sin with an impudent forehead and a profane tongue and wretched actions then hast thou lost modesty and all that is morally good and art become a damned catiffe a devil incarnate And farther S. 83. if thou scornest admonition and spirituall counsell for thy soul if thou slightest the most hearty and serious invitations directions exhortations and reproofs from Gods word and his Ministers and thinkest thy self more fit to teach then to be taught more able to give then receive good cousell then art thou also a proud person I exhort thee therefore in the examination of thy self S. 84. to search deep after this sin for t is a sin so hid from a mans own eyes that he himself hardly finds it out but oftentimes more discernable to another then thy self for the expressions of it are many as boasting words though oftentimes gilded with seeming self-deniall and a lofty gate and countenance high looks vain apparel costly ornaments undervaluing expressions of others censorious scofs and gybing rayling at others uncivil carriage uncourteous behaviour reducing all degrees and qualifications of men to an equality allowing no more to those above thee in civil respect then to thy equals all these are the expressions of Pride and some of them under a shew of humility When thou art seeking after the Pride of thy heart S. 85. do it by the help of humility and prayer and whatever is Pride in thy heart or life or like unto it bring it down repent of it hate it forsake it for the proud man had he no other sin yet his own sin of pride would keep him out of Heaven and throw him into Hell and take heed when thou dost reprove pride in another do not do it proudly considering that so thou maist be guilty again of that thou hast condemned in another Leave off pride and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and he gives grace to the humble Remember thou art warned to repent for and speedily to forsake pride and vain-glory § XV. Schism and Heresie Schism and Heresie are near akin S. 86. both works of the flesh the wicked product of depraved nature forged in an ill head and a naughty heart where pride and parts meet in any one there Heresie and Schism will not long be strangers Heresie is the greater nullum schisma non sibi aliquam confingit Haeri sin Hier. Com. in Tit. an over-grown Schism and Schism is a less Heresie growing and tending to it He that is guilty of Schism wil not long be free of Heresie a schismatick is but an heretick concealed and an heretick is a schismatick revealed Heresie is a perverse opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ S. 87. and Schism is a peevish separation from the Communion of the Church of Christ The first is against the Truth of the Church Schisma vinculum pacis dirumpit charitatem scilicet Musc lib. cap. de schismate Gal. 5.19 the other against the Peace and Charity of the Church of God Both injurious to Christ and both destructive to thy own soul if thou art either Heretick or Schismatick and continuest therein both excluding Heaven see Galat. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest sedition i. e. The raising or furthering divisions and disorders in the Church and Heresies i. e. venting strange opinions cunningly devised fables or teaching such for truths as were thus invented or yielding to them 2 Pet. 1.16 or maintaining of them contrary to the Scriptures and received professions of the holy true Catholick Church They which do such things saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.2 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and heresies are called damnable and bring swift destruction upon the inventors of such evil things and the teachers of them and the followers of them too the Apostle bids all good Christians to avoid as a pest all such as make rents and divisions in the Church Now I beseech you brethren Rom. 16.17 mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have heard and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple v. 18. Now it may be thou that readest this art one of parts S. 88. and delightest thy self in novel and curious speculations and hast taken liberty to let thy thoughts and inventions run from the simplicity and incorrupt truth that is in Christ framing to thy self and others some other articles of faith then what the Sciptures assert and the true Church in all ages hath received or it may be thou art one that doth contradict gainsay and oppose the revealed and received Truths concerning God Jesus Christ and holy Ghost or any other foundation Truth if so I intreat thee if pride obstinacy or implacable malice against the truth
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.
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
of that glory which the Saints enjoy much less that full enjoyment which is laid up for those that repent and believe and live holily here and so persevere to the end of their dayes And now let me consider had I best leave my sin or my claim and hopes of heaven I may not keep both I must forgoe one either my sin here or my happiness hereafter will my sin be a sufficient compensation for the losse of heaven or heaven for the parting with my lusts will a base lust be of greater advantage to thy soul then heaven that thou makest so much of it and so little of salvation canst not brook the thoughts of parting with thy sin and yet canst well enough endure the thoughts of the loss of heaven is sin so pleasing a thing and holiness and heaven so uncomfortable that thou shouldest take such pleasure in unrighteousness and account grace and salvation such a burthen and loss canst thou not sustain with patience the loss of a child a friend the disappointment of a little carnall contentment or to be crossed in thy gratifying a vile lust and canst bear with contentedness the loss of thy God and Saviour thy joy and felicity for ever O sordid stupidity O stupid folly O desperate madness is it imaginable that such a thing as this should ever enter into the heart of any man that hath not forfeited his reason and sold himself to work wickedness or resolved to throw away his soul and undoe himself for ever and resolves to continue in his sin though it be with the loss of his salvation But consider S. 61. 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 Is it nothing to lose heaven that I put it every day to the hazard by my complying with sin S. 62. 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 Is it nothing to miss of heaven or to come short of salvation S. 63. where only my soul can be fully and completely happy where there is onely and nothing else but soul-satisfying ioys 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 I 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
killing plague and repent me heartily that ever I committed any and resolve to commit it no more and the more I consider the more I should detest lothe shun renounce all and every wickedness and the more should I raise my resolution to sin no more as I have done lest as bad a thing befall me as hath befallen any of those whose destruction was most dreadfull God grant I may I hope I shall 3. I consider again S. 55. that when I sin I injure my own soul 1. I wrong my knowledg I know I should not commit the sin I commit and yet I do it against my knowledge 2. I wrong my reason and judgment my reason and my judgment if it act clear tell me that there is no reason why I should serve sin but all the reason in the world why I should not sin thus and if I would yeild to reason I should not yeild to sin and yet I sin against my reason and judgment and wrong both 3. I wrong and offer violence to my conscience when I sin my conscience minds me that I must not commit this and that sin and it smites me when I do and it accuseth for my sinning when I have done it and yet I sin I do act against my conscience when I sin at all and how will my conscience endure this will not my conscience one day complain to God of me that I wronged it and did things contrary to it in despite of it and do I not wound and gash and tear my bosome-friend when I sin do I not make conscience my enemy too as well as God my enemy every time I commit a sin 4. Besides all this S. 56. when I sin again wilfully with consent deliberately I break my baptismal vow and my rational Christian conscientious resolution I am 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 5. When I consider the damage and irreparable loss I procure to my precious soul by my own sin S. 57. I must conclude within my self that when I sin I wrong my own soul and fight against my own happiness and content 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 nor 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 slay them before me Where I see 't is possible that Christ may become a revenger and oh 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 2. I do not onely sin away my dear Jesus Christ and his spirit of comfort S. 58. 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 David though a great and potent Monarch found not that happiness in his crown which the world may think to be a felicity S. 59. 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 the time when their corn and wine was increased I will lay me down in peace c. how comfortably doth he take to his rest when he lyes down in Gods favour And had he kept his sin he had lost his peace and happinesse for you may see a glimpse of the sadnesse of his soul and unquietness in that 51. Psalm when he cryes out O his sin his sin Why David what hast thou done by sining what damage hath fallen on thee by thy sin why you shall see he lost his peace he lost the presence of Gods favour and by this his onely comfort and felicity he had lost The best Jewel in his Crown was dropt out when he lost Gods favour he cryes heartily for mercy the mercy of pardon the mercy of purification and cleaning from the filth of his sin the mercy of his restauration to those joys comforts and happiness he had in Gods favour which then were hid from him which was his misery Purge me and I shall be clean cleanse me from my sin and I shall have joy and gladness again Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation once more See how he mourns and prays and for what is it why t is that his sins may be abolished his guilt pardoned and his comforts restored which he had lost by his folly and which could never be restored but by repentance and leaving off his sin and untill this was gotten he knew he could never see happy day nor enjoy a minute of true comfort in all the world though it had been one paradise of pleasure And thus it will be with every one that goeth on in his sin Ah! at what a loss doth a sinner act and keep his sin And this is my case already and shortly it will be worse with me I know God and my Conscience will not long hold peace and be silent I am sure I must leave my sin or lose my comforts lose my quiet lose my felicity and espouse a quarrel that will admit of no reconciliation if I keep my sins I must never look God in the face more or expect to have the least good look of favour from his grace nor any friendly dealing from my own conscience but must be under perpetuall rebukes and accusations of a wronged conscience and when this comes to pass then farewell happy day no more comfort when God and my own conscience are against me As my sins increase true felicity ceaseth and my comforts wither and decay and alas how sadly doth that poor wretch think on death when it will prove but the execution of a rebell and a changing of this miserable life for an eternity of horror and reproch Ah! let me now consider whether my gain by sin any way will countervail this loss is it not more eligible and should it not be a matter of my choice infinitely rather to enjoy the favour of God and peace and tranquillity of my own conscience then whatever pleasure gain or other emolument might come to my flesh by sinning with the loss of my innocency integrity my happiness in Gods favour and that inward peace which is a continuall feast passing all outward delights whatsoever 3. Sin doth not onely banish God and happiness from my soul here for a season S. 60. but the loss goeth higher still by my sin and continuance in it it loseth me the hopes of heaven it disappointeth my expectation of heaven how can I once hope to be saved while I practise those things which would throw me out of Heaven if it were possible for one to think on with delight in heaven how can I with reason conclude I shall be saved and yet live in a course contrary to the promises of salvation Heaven is a place of holiness as well as of happiness and no unclean thing shall enter into it there is not one there nor ever shall be that lived in actuall sin and died out of this world impenitent and unreformed how then can I with any face expect to be saved with my sin when God saith I shall not is heaven at my dispose or at Gods is it not his to give to whom he please can I force in against his will hath he not passed his word that no wicked man nor unrighteous nor adulterers nor whoremonger nor theif nor drunkard nor liar nor any impenitent sinner of any kind shall inherit the kingdome of heaven And shall I think God will revoke his decree and comply with the expectation of any vile sinner against his own truth honour and holiness may I hope to get to heaven whether God will or no no certainly I must leave my sin or leave off to hope any more that I shall be saved I must despair of salvation or I must depart from mine iniquity and get my sins pardoned and soul sanctified by a timely repentance and sound reformation or quit my claim to salvation and let fall my suit and expectation though I seek it beg for it desire it cry for it in my setled course of sinning I shall not find it nor attain it nay though I had to give and would freely give all I have Micah 6.7 8. and ten thousand times more then the whole world is worth to purchase heaven at the end of a vitious life it would not be accounted of it would not open heaven-gate to me it could not procure for me one glimpse