how soon it may overcast nay it may be followed with flakes of fire before night Sure I am that God hath given thee no lease of thy life and that others have died of the same age and likeliness tolive and why thou shouldst promise thy self a priviledge beyond others that thou shalt live longer I know no reason unless this That the Devil and thine own heart have conspired together to murther thy soul by getting thee to future and put off thy conversion till thou comest to Hell-fire and then thy ruine will be past remedy Suppose the same voice should come to thee which did to Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live meaning speedily What woulst thou do thy house is not in order thy soul Man is all out of order and therefore death would come to thee as Abijah to Jeroboams wife with heavy tidings with such news as Samuel brought to Eli which will make thy ears to tingle and thine heart to tremble Ah how will he do to die that never knew how to live The black Usher of death will go before and the flaming fire of Hell will follow after Didst thou but believe the word of God as much as the Devils do thou couldst never depart this life in thy wits who hast not led thy life according to Gods will One would think the noise of this murthering piece of this great Cannon Death though it should not be very near thee might awaken and affrighten thee when that deluge of wrath cometh that the fountain of fury from below is broken up and the flakes of fire from above are rained down thou hast no Ark no Promise no Christ to shelter thy self in For Regeneration is the plank cast out by God himself to save the sinking sinner by bringing him to the Lord Jesus and thou wantest it Dost thou not see that thy Sentence of death if thou continuest so is already passed in the High-Court of Heaven entred and engrost in the Book of Scripture and God knoweth how soon the word of command may be given to some disease for thy execution What comfort therefore canst thou take in all the creatures while thou wantest this new creation It is reported of Xerxes Plutarch in vit Themist the the greatest of the Persian Monarchs that when the Grecians had taken from him Sardis a famous City in Asia the less he commanded one every day at dinner to cry before him with a loud voice Sardis is lost Sardis is lost It seems to me that thou hast far more cause to have a Friend without or Conscience within to be thy Monitor every day and every meal to sound in thine ears Friend Thy Soul is lost Thy Soul is lost Certainly such a voice might mar thy greatest mirth sauce every dish with sorrow make thy most delicate meat a medicine and thy sweetest drink distastful to thee O didst thou but know what it is to lose thy soul thy God thy Christ thine Heaven and all for ever thou wouldst in the night be scared with dreams and visions and in the day be frighted with fears and terrors When Vriah was bid by David to go down to his house and refresh himself he answered The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lie with my wife As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 2 Sam. 11.11 Mark The good man could take no pleasure in relations or possessions because the natural lives of others were in danger nay he forswears the use of those comforts for that very cause How then canst thou solace thy self with lying vanities when thine Eternal life is not in jeopardy but lost really and thou canst not assure thy self one day for its recovery Shouldst thou see a condemned prisoner which knoweth not whether he shall be hanged on the morrow or the day after hawking or hunting sprucing himself or sporting with his jovial companions what thoughts wouldst thou have of such a man wouldst thou not think surely this man is mad or desperate were he not beside himself he would minde somewhat else since he is so near his end But Friend turn thine eyes inward and see whether there is not infinitely more reason why thou shouldst wonder at thine own folly and madness who art by the word of the dreadful God condemned not to be hanged but to be damned not to the gallows but to the unquenchable fire and canst not tell whether this night or to morrow morning justice shall be done upon thee and yet thou art buying and selling eating and drinking pampering the perishing body never minding or thinking what shall become of thy poor precious soul to eternity The wise mans advice is that if thou art indebted to men and liable to their arrest and imprisonment thou shouldst not give sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids before thou hast made thy peace Prov. 6.1 2 3 4. What speed shouldst thou then use when thou art infinitely indebted to the Almighty God at his mercy every moment liable continually to be arrested by that surly Serjeant Death and by him to be hurried into the dark prison of Hell to agree with thine Adversary while thou art in the way and to get the black lines of thy sins crost with the red lines of Christs blood and so for ever blotted out of the Book of Gods remembrance As the Chamberlain of one of the Persian Princes used to say to him every morning Arise my Lord and have regard to the weighty affairs for which the great God would have you to provide So say I to thee Awake O man out of thy carnal security and have regard to the great end for which thou wast born and the great errand for which the great God hath sent thee into the world Reader that thou mightest avoid the endless wo of the damned and attain the matchless weale of the saved I shall do two things in the prosecution of this exhortation I shall both give thee some helps towards regeneration and remove some hindrances First I shall offer thee three helps unto holiness and thereby unto Heaven Secondly I shall answer three objections which probably may arise in thine heart If thou hast any real desire after thine eternal welfare ponder them seriously and practice them faithfully And the good Lord make them successful O how happy might it be for thee if the getting of a regenerated nature were the main taske of thy whole time Believe it thou wilt have no cause to repent of it For the helps towards Regeneration and thereby towards Salvation The first help to Regeneration Serious Consideration 1. THe first help which I shall offer thee is serious consideration He that goeth in a wrong path and never thinketh of it will not return back or turn about though
glorious body of his Son and our souls like unto his blessed Majesty in holiness beauty and delight O what are we and what our fathers houses that God should do any thing for us As Perillus when Alexander promised his daughter fifty talents for her portion cryeth 't was too much ten were sufficient And when David sent to take Abigal to wife she wondred at it she counted it an honour to wash the feet of his servants 'T was too much to be his wife So we cannot but count it a favour to wait upon his servants to be his door keepers and stand without 't is too much we think to be marryed to Christ the eternal Son of God and to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever We can hardly be perswaded that God will thus dignifie such worthless worms but then seeing and enjoying will be believing then we shall say It was a true report which I heard in the lower world what God would do for poor creatures in heaven howbeit I believed not till I came and mine eyes have seen it and behold the half was not told me my glory and joy exceedeth the fame which I heard Sixthly Thou shouldst enjoy all the forementioned good things and more then I can speak or thou think without intermission interruption and for ever The good things of this life are intermitted partly by contrary and evil things as our health lost by sickness our wealth by want partly by necessary diversions the body must have sleep and then we lose the comfort of the creatures but there thy day of comfort should never be overcast for all tears will be wiped from thine eyes and thy fruition of God should be without intermission thou shouldst ever stand in his presence and behold his face thou shouldst ever be with the Lord 1 Thes 4.16 Hadst thou here a confluence of all comforts yet because thy life is short thy joy could not be long but there thy life will be an everlasting life and thy joy therefore everlasting joy I wil see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you saith Christ Joh. 16. Eternity will perfect thy felicity indeed It is a boundless duration without intermission and end Suppose that all the vast space between heaven and earth were filled with sand and once every ten thousand years a bird came and carried away a crum in her bill what a long while would it be before this vast heap would be carried quite away but suppose after the bird had done that it was to come every ten thousand years and take one drop of water out of the sea what a while would it be before it could empty the Ocean but after all this thou shouldst have as long to continue in thy joy and delights as at thy first entring into heaven If thou shouldst have but one glimpse of God as he was passing by thee as Moses had it were an happiness beyond all that this world can give thee but thou shalt there not have a transient view but a permanent vision of God thy God would not passe by but stand still that thou shouldst never lose the sight of him When the object would be so lovely and the act so lasting would not thy spirit be chearful and lively As the damned shall be without all hope ever to be released of their pains so thou shouldst be without all fear ever to be deprived of thy pleasures O who would not serve such a Master that giveth after poor imperfect works done for him such infinite eternal rewards 'T is bottomless love indeed which giveth such a boundles life Thus Reader I have given thee a taste of that of which thou if regenerated shouldst have a full draught Whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul blessed in thy body in thy soul in thy calling estate relations children and name All the providences of God should be profitable to thee in all thy performances thou shouldst be acceptable to God all the ordinances of God should further thy good The precious promises one of which excels the whole world should all be thy portion When thou enterest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorious Saint Thou shouldst be perfectly holy and infinitely happy in the knowledg of the blessed God in finding the incomparable fruits of Christs blood and in experiencing the extent and certainty of Gods promises and thou shouldst enjoy all this not for a year or an age or for a million of ages but for ever ever ever Now what saist thou to this subject of consideration hast thou not unspeakable cause by an hearty marriage to close with the Son of God and accept him for thy Lord and husband when he offereth such matchless priviledges here and such an heavenly joynture hereafter Good Lord is it possible for man to be such an enemy to his soul as to neglect such great Salvation What an hard stone is the heart of man that neither misery nor mercy can move it Ah Friend thou art bewitched indeed if neither the wonderful woe of the unregenerate nor the unheard of weal of the regenerate can prevail with thee But before thou readest farther make a pause and consider what is included in these two subjects of consideration The Heathen tell us that such as cannot be perswaded by profit or disprofit are unperswadable Think of it here is the greatest advantage imaginable if thou wilt turn to Christ Here is the greatest damage conceivable if thou continuest in thine ungodly course surely thou art resolved upon thine eternal ruine or such reasons as these are will reforme thee Ponder this seriously if thou refusest the Lord Jesus as thy Saviour and Sovereign thou art a cursed damned sinner if thou acceptest him thou art a blessed saved creature in the one scale there is hell in the other scale there is heaven upon the turning of either is the turning of thy precious soul its making or marring for ever if thou wilt not embrace Christ upon his own conditions thy soul is lost O the loss of a soul thy God thy Heaven is lost O the loss of a God! no eye ever saw greater losses all other losses are nothing to these If thou dost thy soul is saved how sweet is that word Saved Thy God thy Heaven is gained O the gain of a God! how savoury is that sentence read it again If thou takeâ— Christ thy God is gained Dost thou know what is included in the gain of a God no nor all the men on earth nor all the Saints and Angels in heaven there never was such a gain before it nor ever shall be after it Ah who would not wade through thick and thin for such a gain What sayst thou shall not things of such concernment as these are stir thee It is reported of Adrianus an Officer under Maximinianus the Tyrant Laurent Sur. in vit that beholding the constancy of the
smoak and as those that are resolved to have heaven or nothing Away with the sins the baits and company that formerly were your desire and delight And seeing even the first hour of your conversion there is joy in heaven before the Angels for your sakes for shame walk not in too much dejectedness and despondency but keep a harmony and concent with heaven seeing you are so highly concernd in the matter of their joy And pray still to the Lord of the harvest that he will mind the forsaken nations of the earth and continue his kindness to this unworthy Island in sending forth more such Labourers into his harvest as this reverend Author is here manifested by his works to be and that he will double his spirit on the messengers of grace that with faith they may speak the words of faith and with life may speak the words of life and that the immortal seed which is sowen by their hand may bring forth many sons to God and spring up plenteously unto eternal life And among others remember him then whom scarce any is more obliged to be thankful for the prayers of the Saints even The most unworthy Servant of the Lord among them that have found mercy to be faithful RICHARD BAXTER January 31. 1659. ERRATA PAge 2. line 21. for unto read into p. 21. l. 29. dele a p. 46. l. 9. for is r. in p. 64. l. 19. for power r. porter p. 93. l. 7. for there is much r. though much p. 102. l. 21. for at r. of p. 147. l. 22. for list r. lift THE Door of Salvation OPENED BY THE Key of Conversion JOHN 3.3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God AS Isaiah is called the Evangelical Prophet because he doth so lively describe and foretel the death of Christ so John may not unfitly be called the Prophetical Evangelist for though in his Epistles he shews himself an Apostle in his Gospel an Evangelist yet in his Revelation he is a Prophet The Antients do aptly ascribe the Eagle to him for his Ensign because when the other Evangelists begin with the Mediators Incarnation and Humanity proving him to be the Son of Man he doth at first flye out of sight and beginneth with the Saviors Deity proving him to be the Son of God And his whole Gospel indeed is a demonstration of Christs Divinity which was occasioned as Ecclesiastical Historians record by the heresie of Ebion and Cerinthus who denied it In this third Chapter we have first Christ teaching Nicodemus to vers 21. Secondly John â—s testimony concerning Christ to the end The Text is Christs speech to Nicodemus Nicodemus had seen Christs miracles and thereby was convinced to come unto him Christ lets him hear his oracles that thereby he might be converted and come unto him Nicodemus in the second verse had called Christ Rabbi and confessed him to be a Teacher sent from God Christ in purfuance of that Office sets him his lesson assuring him that he must learn it in the School of earth or he can never be removed to the University of Heaven In the words we observe two general parts First An Affirmation or the necessity of Regeneration Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Secondly Its confirmation or the certainty of that assertion Verily verily I say unto thee In the Affirmation we may take notice of two particulars 1. The universality of the persons A Man that is every man the proposition is indefinite and so equivalent to one that is universal 2. The quality of the thing affirmed Be born again mending will not serve the whole man must be new made Non unius partis correctionem sed totius naturae renovationem designat saith Calvin It speakes not the reparation of one part but the renovation of the whole man In the Confirmation of it there are likewise two things considerable 1. The manner of the expression Verily verily 2. The Author of it I say unto thee The meaning of the words Verily verily that is Amen faithfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compara Mar 13.43 tum Luk. 21.3 Luk. 9.27 cum Mat. 16.18 Mar. 9.1 truly the word cometh from the Hebrew Aman which signifieth True Faithful It is used by the people as a ratification of their prayers and testimony of their desires to be heard Jer. 11.5 1 Cor. 14 16. And when it is doubled as here by the great Prophet it is a vehement asseveration or strong confirmation of the thing asserted As if Christ had said Nicodemus Thou mayst believe me for truly assuredly it is so except thou art a new creature thou canst never enter into the new Jerusalem All Gods sayings are of equal truth but to some there is affixed a special note of certainty because of their extraordinary weight and mans infidelity Private Soldiers may go with a common pass but Generals and Commanders in chief have Trumpets sounding before them Verily verily All Orders and Warrants of Kings have not their seals annexed but those that be of greatest weight I say unto thee I who am the Prophet of my Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Teacher sent from God the true and faithful witness fer whom it is impossible to lie I deliver thee this doctrine as a certain unquestionable truth that unless thou hast a new being it had been better for thee to have had no being for thou canst never see the Kingdom of God Except a man Let him pretend never so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let his performances be never so many let his priviledges be never so great and his profession never so glorious yet if he be not born again all these will do him little good for he can never see the Kingdom of God The assertion as I hinted before is general as every man is born of the flesh so every man must be born of the spirit or it had been happy for them if they had never been born Be born again that is be renewed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turned by the Holy Ghost from Nature to Grace from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 Except a man be inwardly and really altered from what he was except he become a new creature Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes 4.22 24. Except he be turned up-side-down and walk Antipodes to his former way except the stream of his heart and life run in another channel carry him towards another haven he can never arrive at Heaven Except the image of the Devil be razed out and defaced and the image of God be imprinted on him he can never be saved Except he be throughly and universally changed his Understanding by illumination his Will by renovation his
but are filled only with wind but Saints only can praise him properly after his manner in such a way as he accepteth praise is the highest the most excellent part of Divine Worship Now excellent speech becometh not a fool Pro. 17.7 as every sinner is But praise is comely for the upright Ps 33.1 The water of Saints praises is drawn out of a deep spring the heart and so it is sweet and pleasant This is God's great end in sowing the precious seed of grace that he might reap a crop of glory Acts 15.14 God did at first visit the Gentiles and take out of thim mark a people for his name He makes them partakers of his Nature that they might be a people for his name So Isa 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise God formed all the people in the world for himself for his own praise Even a Pharoah is created and advanced that God might be exalted Rom. 9.17 But this regenerated people is the people which God principally designeth for his own praise This people I have formed for my self other people I have passed by like old pieces of mettal leaving them in their dust and rust but this people I have thrown into the fire of my Word have cast them anew and made them vessels of gold meet for my own service and glory They shall shew forth my praise They Alas others may praise him ignorantly as the arrow hiteth the mark but knoweth not its own motion or forcedly as he squeezeth confessions from them of his Justice and strength when they are under the rod or upon the wrack Exod. 9.27 And this is no thank to the Will of man but to the power of God who like the Huntsman useth the rage of the dogs to his own end and maketh the wrath of man to praise him Psal 7â— 10 or at best they praise him but notionally and by hear-say as one born blind may commend the Sun or a stranger the Countrey he never saw How far short must these come when no creature can do God right or limb out his vast perfections in their several dimensions surely these must do him wrong and blot his name with the most curious pensil of their most studied praises but this people shall shew forth my praise Alexander would have none draw his picture but Apelles or cut his statue but â— ysippus because none else had art enough to do it well Certain it is none have skil and wisdom to shew forth God's praise but that people which he formed for that purpose This people which have felt the weight of their sins and smarted with wounds in their souls this people which have sometime been terrified under the apprehension of my unspeakable fury and the expectation of the unquenchable fire this people that have seen their corruptions in their colours suffered divine terrors given themselves over for dead damned creatures and then were by bottomless mercy drawn out of the depth of misery translated out of death and darkness into the Kingdom of light and life this people which I have purchased with the blood of my Son beautified with the graces of my Spirit interessed in rich promises entitled to the heavenly possession this people which have been carried like the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon into the temple 2 King 20.12 and seen all the richness and glory thereof the pleasures and comforts therein tasting me to be gracious sitting under my shadow with great delight solacing their souls with the means of grace and rejoycing in hope of eternal glory this people shall praise the greatness of my power the manifoldness of my Wisdom the sweetness of my Love the sureness of my Word the riches of my Mercy the freeness of my Grace the beauty of my Image the preciousness of my Christ and all this upon their own knowledge and experience O the Hosannah's and Halelujahs the praise and glory and honor and thanks which this people shall give to the Lord and to the Lamb for ever The harps of Saints are tuned to these songs on earth but who can conceive what ravishing musick they will make in running division on these several notes in heaven Surely surely the greatest revenues of praises which come into Gods Exchequer are from the hearty acclamations of his sanctified and saved ones as they receive the choycest mercies the love of God the blood of Christ pardon peace grace glory so they return the highest praises The building of mans body is so stately a structure the rooms in it so curious the hangings and furniture so rich and costly embroidered as with needlework that the owner of the house hath a considerable rent of honor paid for it I will praise thee saith David for I am fearfully and wonderfully made my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest part of the earth Psa 139.14 15. The setting up of the new creation as it is more glorious the image of God's own perfections though it be imperfect in this life the heart of a Saint being bespangled like the heavens with those glistering stars of graces and his life being a legible comment on the divine Law so it brings the author a larger income of honor This is the Lords doings and it is marvellous in the godly mans eye 1 Tim. 1.13 14 17. 1 Pet. 1.3 but when the good work now begun shall be finished then Gods praises shall be perfected when the foundation of this spiritual Temple is laid in this world they cry grace graces but when the top-stone shall be laid in the other world then they shall cry Glory Glory Blessed are they that dwell in that house they ever praise him in that Temple doth every one speak of his glory Therefore the Psalmist observeth that when the Lord shall build up Sion then he shall appear in his glory Psal 10â— 6 While his Church is building he is glorious but as the Sun under a cloud not appearing so to the beholders we can see but little of his infinite beauty because of our weak eyes and receive but little of his infinite bounty because of our narrow hearts but when Sion shall be built up in heaven our eyes shall be strengthned to see the King in his glory to see him as he is and the water-pots of our souls enlarged and filled up to the brim with those streams which make glad the City of God then the Lord shall appear in his glory then he shall have the honor of all his Attributes the praise of all his Providences and the glory of all his Perfections for then he shall appear in all his royalty embroidery magnificence and glory When the Saints shall have sailed in the vessel of their Saviour through the boisterous waters of Mens wrath Devils rage and the Laws curse and be safely landed in Heaven then God shall have his full price of honor and glory for
gifts from God who never have the gift of God John 4.10 The Raven was an unclean creature yet she was serviceable to zealous Elijah Gifts may be in their eminency where sin is in its predominancy the Toad hath a pearl say some in its head when the whole body is poisonous The Devil can speak excellently We know thee O thou art the holy one of God and these are the servants of the most high God for natural parts and gifts questionless he surpasseth all the men on earth and yet he is a devil still The Panthar hath a sweet-sented breath but a rotten heart It is possible to pray like a Saint to preach like an Angel and yet to practice like a Devil The course of thy life will speak much more for thee then the discourse of thy lips Though thy gifts be never so great and thy parts never so glorious though thou speakest with the tongue of men and Angels and hast not grace this new birth thou art like sounding brass and a tinckling cymbal Thy parts may flow from Nature not from Saving-grace men indeed as blades are all made of the same mettal yet differ much by means of temper some are more soft and smooth more keen and sharp others more dull and blunt more stiff and stuborn for though it be confest the soul of Solomon as created and infused differeth nothing from the soul of Nabal yet being to work by bodily organs her actions resemble her instruments a man cannot make such good letters with a blotting scragged as with a good pen the better the tool is the better the work is done with it Some children take more after their parents then others Though Nature hath little to give yet she deals more bountifully with some then with others Now what a gross mistake is this for thee to take the crabs which grow in the common hedge-rows of Nature to be fruits of the Spirit as if they grew in Gods own nursery Knowest thou not that the false Prophets were admired by men for their parts and abhorred by God for their impiety Friend thou mayst like the ten Spies go over the promised land in thy contemplations view the Country taste the fruit and commend it highly to others tell them that the land is good it floweth with milk and honey and for all this never enjoy one foot of it Parts and piety differ specifically gifts like the moon have some glimmering borrowed light but no enlivening heat when Grace like the Sun hath a clearer native light and a quickening refreshing heat Men indeed like the true mother may have the dead child of gifts put into their arms whilst they are asleep in the night of this life and think that they have the living child of grace but when they awake in the morning of death they will find the contrary For though thy gifts glister like gloworms in the dark night of this world yet if separated from grace in the day of the other world they will all vanish and disappear oh then 't will be known that one dram of grace is more worth then a world of gifts Fifthly Thy sacred performances are not a sufficient evidence for heaven Observe Reader I shall not condemne nay I do highly commend thy external obedience to the divine precepts though thou shouldest be unregenerate because few come so far Athanasius wished That all were hypocrites and that there were none but such as at least resembled Saints It is good to wait at the Pool Christ may come as he did to the Cripple and heal thy diseased soul It may be as much worth as thine eternal weal to ly as the blind man did in Christs way he may speak and begin such aspiritual sight in thee as may end in seeing God as he is But I am now telling thee that 't is ill trusting to bare duties as signes of thy salvation for thou mayst mind personall relative secret family publike duties and yet be unregenerate and perish He that doth not these things is certainly not good but he that doth them cannot thence conclude his estate to be gracious Thou must do all as to the outside which a Saint can do or thou canst not be an hypocrite for an hypocrite is the perfect picture of a godly person now because an hypocrite which is unregenerate may go so far therefore these things are not sure signs of saving grace The Pharisees gave alms made long prayers fasted and some of them twice in a week and yet you know what Christ saith That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we should not inherit the Kingdome of God Matth 5.20 They were some especially so frequent at their duties towards God so righteous in their dealings with men to the eyes of others that the Jews had a common saying That if but two in the world were saved the one should be a Scribe the other a Pharisee and yet if thou wilt believe the Lord Jesus he that goes not beyond them both shall come short of heaven And the reason is plain because they were not regenerated Their practices were seemingly good but their principles really bad The tree was corrupt and therefore could not bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.17 The Israelites did seek God daily saith the Prophet they delighted to know his wayes they asked of him the Ordinances of Justice and they delighted in approaching to him Isa 58.2 they there heard and prayed and both with seeming delight nay they joyned fasting to prayer verse 3. farther they adde mourning to fasting Zac. 7.4 5. and yet all this was but the face the shell the appearance of Religion and thereby of no acceptance with God If any beast were sacrificed by heathens without an heart 't was accounted ominous to the person for whom it was offered as in the case of Julian now all the sacrifices of hypocrites are without an heart Isa 29.30 It is recorded that in a certain Island to the Southward of Celebes night by night among the trees do shew themselves swarms of fiery worms which make a shew and give such light as if all the twigs of the trees were lighted candles and the place the starry sphere and yet all this is but an appearance truly thus formal persons may seem by their duties both lightsome and fiery and yet be but a semblance and flourish Low moorish grounds bring forth some course grass but 't is from springs from below when the high meadows bring forth fine grass being fed with the clouds from above The hypocrite may bring forth some course fruit as Egypt from the overflowing of Nilus from the earthly springs and the overflowing of a natural conscience which will be by no means pacified when duties are omitted but the Regenerate man bringeth forth better fruits like Canaan he floweth with milk and honey being fed with the showrs of heaven and watered with the dews of Divine grace Thou mayest imitate the actions of
wanting but it may be made up by this blessing If thou dost hearken unto the voyce of the Lord thy God blessed shalt thou be in the city and in the field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out and blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in Deut. 28.1 to 14. verse Thou wouldst be a blessing to thy neighbours as a conduite yield clear water for others comfort If they were prophane they might be brought to mind piety by thy precepts and pattern If they were good they would rejoyce at thy conversion to God and like Abraham make a feast at the weaning of thee a child of the promise from the breasts of the creatures Thou shouldst be blessed in thy name The memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10.7 Thy name would be heir to thy life as soon as ever thy nature were religious thy name would be reverend and when thou diest thou wouldst go out of this world like some sweet perfume leaving a fragrant savour behind thee O Reader how many sheets might I write in relating thy felicity How honourable shouldst thou be having blood royal running in thy veins and being heir apparent to a Kingdom of glory How rich having a key to Gods treasury and being interested in the covenant of grace which hath more wealth in it then heaven and earth How comfortable having the promises for thy cordials and being garrisond within with that peace of God which passeth all understanding How beautiful having the robes of the righteousness of God to adorn thee which is infinitely more comly then the unspotted innocency either of Adam or Angels The infinite God would be thy God blessed Angels thy guardians beautiful Saints thy companions durable riches thy portion the flesh of Christ thy food his own robes thy raiment and his own mansion house thine everlasting home Thou couldst not cast an eye but it would see matter of mirth nor send forth a thought but it would return with a report of mercy Whether thou lookest up to thy father in heaven and his glorious attendants there or lookest down to his creatures on earth and the signs of his manifold wisdom and mighty power here or whether thou lookest into conscience or Scriptures every thing all things would yeild thee cause of comfort and give thee occasion of inward exaltation In all conditions be they never so sad thy soul would be safe and thine everlasting estate secure The vails are incertain but the standing wages are certain What ballast is to a ship that regeneration would be to thy spirit If the vessel be sound and well ballasted though it may be tossed and rocked with windes and waves yet it shall not be ruined So if thine heart were stablished with grace thou shouldst be steady in the greatest storm nay though thou wert naked in deep waters in the mighty Sea yet Christ thine head being ever above water thou couldst not possibly sink When thou shouldst come to die and to throw thy last cast for Eternity thou mightest walk in the valley of the shadow of death and fear none ill for God would be with thee Psal 23. When pale-faced death knocks at the door of thine house of clay by the hand of some mortal sickness thou needst not be daunted at his grim looks but mightest boldly open to him and bid that Messenger heartily welcom as knowing that he comes from a God in Covenant to give thee a passage into fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures It s reported of Godfry Duke of Bulloign in his expedition to the Holy-Land that when his Army came within view of Jerusalem beholding the high Turrets and fair Fronts which were the skelitons of far more glorious bodies they were so transported with joy that they gave such a shout that the very earth was said to ring again How might thine heart leap with joy when thou upon thy death-bed shouldst with the eye of faith behold the stately Turrets and pearly gates of the New and Eternal Jerusalem Thou mightest contentedly leave thine earthly habitation for the Fathers house and joyfully bid adieu to thy corruptible silver and airy honors for an enduring substance and an eternal weight of glory How cheerfully mightest thou forsake thy meat and drink and all thy carnal comforts to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven and to bathe thy soul in angelical delights With what courage mightest thou bid farewel to thy stately dwelling dearest wife most lovely children all thy kindred and acquaintance to go to mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant Hebr. 12.22 23 24. Thou shouldst comfortably think of thy bodies being laid in the grave to sleep there till the morning of the Resurrection for that bed would be sweet to thee being perfumed with the precious body of thy Saviour for thee And with what joy mightest thou think of the day of Judgement when thy body should be awaken out of its sleep united to thy soul fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and both soul and body made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity O the felicity of the regenerate How blessed are they whom God chooseth and causeth by Regeneration to approach unto him Friend Friend Can the world do half this for thee Why then dost thou spend thy strength for what is not bread and thy labour for what will not satisfie Will not God do all this and much much more for thee Why then dost thou forsake the fountain of living waters and hew unto thy self broken cisterns that can hold no waters Ah didst thou but know the gift of God and who it is that offereth these things to thee thou wouldest ask of him and he would give thee living waters John 4.10 Reader what sayest thou to these things Is there not infinite reason why thou shouldst speedily give a Bill of divorce to thy most beloved lusts and strike an hearty Covenant with the Lord Jesus Art not thou fully convinced of the matchless gain of godliness Let conscience speak one would think such powerful arguments could not be denied that so many and such costly Loadstones should draw thee towards Heaven though thine heart were as hard as iron or steel If thou art for profit man here is profit indeed and to purpose Thus whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul The Felicity of the Regenerate in the other World THough in what I have already offered in the Name of the blessed God I have unspeakably out-bid Devil World and Flesh yet to manifest
well-head and therefore needest not fear the least want Thine appetite there would be ever fresh after God and thy satisfaction ever ful in God God would be to thee any thing every thing all things which thy heart could possibly desire God is so sweet and satisfying a good to his people on earth that they have found the loss of other things abundantly made up in his favour and love Hab. 3.16 17. 1 Sam. 30.6 though he communicated himself but in small drops by slow degrees unto them O then what would God be to thee in heaven when he would give of himself abundantly and continually unto thy soul If all the delightful objects and pleasures which the whole creation here below affordeth were united into one and bestowed upon thee and thou wert to live a thousand years in the enjoyment of it this were not worth one day in Gods courts in this world much less one hour or one moments enjoying him in the other world In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Psalm 16. ult Though all words are too weak to utter the Saints happiness there yet David speaks much in this verse For quality there is joy there is pleasure What canst thou wish which is not contained in those two words hope of future joy made the man of sorrows contented under his shameful and bloody cross how comfortable wilt thou be when thou shalt have it in hand For quantity fulness of joy or a torrent of which thou shouldst drink full draughts without interruption or intermission Thy joy would be pure without mixture and perfect without measure The Masters joy or the joy of thy Lord In his presence the fruition of God is the fairest flower in the Garland of Honor and that alone which gives compleat satisfaction to the soul He is the Heaven of Heaven and other things are but accessary to this Principal yet other things there would afford comfort through the God of consolation The sights there would please thine eyes for thou shouldst behold not onely perfect Saints but the pearless Saviour thine eyes should see the King in his glory there is a great difference between seeing a King in his ordinary attire and on his throne with his robes and all his signs of Majesty The sight of the Saints would much delight thee to see those heirs in the possession of their inheritances When Cyneas the Ambassador of Pyrrhus had beheld the state and magnificence of the Roman Senators and People he was so exceedingly taken with it that at his return from that City of Rome being asked how he liked it and what he thought of that state he answered That he saw as many Emperors as Senators and that it was a Commonwealth of Kings Such would Heaven be to thine eyes a Common-wealth of Emperors and Kings wherein every Saint would have a robe of honour a scepter of power a throne of majesty and crown of glory Surely such sights would fill thee with wonder and joy to behold all the children in their Fathers house so richly clad so daintily feasted and so highly advanced as they shall be there But O the joy which will possess thee at the sight of the Lord Jesus who as the Sun will shine gloriously indeed in the midst of those Stars and as a Judge be known by his robes from all the Justices on the Bench. If it were so good to behold him here in his estate of humiliation and in his mourning weeds what will it be to behold him in his estate of exaltation and in his bright sparkling and glorious robes Truly that light will be sweet and it will be pleasant to behold that Sun As the sights there would please thine eyes so the sounds there will please thine ears I have read of a Divine that when he heard rare musick on Earth he was much taken with it presently cried out O the ravishing musick which is in Heaven How will thy spirit be taken when thou shalt hear the new song the song of the Lamb sung by the pleasant voices and play'd upon the harps of the thousand thousands that are before the throne of God who rest not day or night but say and sing Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4 8. and ult O how much might I expatiate here and shew thee that whatever is requisite to happiness would be enjoyed by thee there If honor could make thee happy thou shouldst there have an eternal weight of glory such a weight that if thou wert not upheld by the power of God would press thee down If pleasures can make thee happy thou shouldst drink of the rivers of pleasures which flow from the blessed God for ever such pleasures as thine eyes never saw thine ears never heard and thine heart can never conceive If a gallant glorious seat could make thee happy thou shouldst be happy Thou shouldst dwell in a City Rev. 21.19 20. whose Builder and Maker is God its gates are of pearl and its pavement of pure gold The house which thou shouldst live in is the Fathers house that house which the mighty Possessor of Heaven and Earth hath erected with his own hands to be the place wherein he will shew all his riches magnificence grace goodness and glory If rest could make thee happy thou shouldst rest from all thy labours enjoy an eternal Sabbath There the spiritual oppressors cease from troubling there the weary are at rest If good company could make thee happy thou shouldst have the society of all the Saints sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Prophets Apostles and all the children of God in the Kingdom of Heaven thou shouldst enjoy the many millions of holy Angels the dearest Jesus and the ever blessed God If food can make thee happy thou shouldst eat of the hidden manna of the bread which came down from Heaven of the tree of life which groweth in Paradice and drink of the water of life Rev. 22.1 2. which is clear as Crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. If life can make thee happy thou shouldst have that eternal life which is from God in God and with God In a word whatever were needful for thee or could be joyful to thee or desired by thee in order to thy happiness thou shouldst have it Thirdly Thou shouldst know the vertue and preciousness of the blood of Christ the Apostle doth not without cause when he compares the blood of Christ with silver and gold infinitely prefers it before them and call it precious blood 1 Pet. 1.19 Indeed 't is that which as the diamond to the ring addeth worth and value to what ever 't is joyned The two Testaments are precious because they are both sprinkled with the
thousands of rivers of oil nay though the first-born of thy body all these could no be a propitiation for one of the least sins of thy soul no no the redemption of a soul is more precious for all these it must cease for ever Thus God ferrits the sinner out of all his Borows and causeth the poor Prodigal while he is wandring from his Father to finde a famine in all the creatures As a General that besiegeth a City doth not onely play in upon it with his Cannons and Granadoes but also secure the several passages stop all provision that no relief can come to it then they will yeild upon his terms So when the Spirit besiegeth the soul it often plyeth it hard with the batteries of the Law and alwayes stoppeth relief from coming in either from the world or a mans own righteousness and then and not till then will the creature yeild upon the terms of the Gospel Fourthly The Spirit convinceth him of the willingness sutableness and al-sufficiency of Jesus Christ to help and heal him The sinner now in his burning fit is very thirsty like Hagar he sits weeping for his bottels are empty and his creature comforts are found by experience to be broken cisterns which can hold no water he knoweth not what to do how can I see the death of my soul thinks he When the sinner is brought to this strait the spirit of God openeth his eyes to see a well of salvation even Jesus who delivereth from the wrath to come The spirit discovereth to the sinner that though his wound be dangerous because the God whom he hath provoked is resolved either to have his law satisfied or his eternal wrath endured yet that it is not desperate for there is Balm in Gilead and a Physitian in Israel that can heal his soul It convinceth him that Christ is a sutable help bread to the hungry water to the thirsty rest to the weary and heavy-laden that he hath a precious salve made of his own blood which is a proper and pecular remedy for his sores It convinceth him that Christ is an alsufficient help that he can supply all the souls wants be they never so many and bear all the souls iniquities be they never so weighty that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 It presenteth to the soul his fitness and fulness in regard of his natures and offices and the impossibility of his being unfaithful to this great work of saving poor sinners for which he came into the world It sheweth the sinner the infiniteness of Christs merits and his omnipotency to help because he is God the examples of other wounded diseased persons who surrendred themselves to the care of this Physitian and were cured He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father and ye see me no more John 16.9 10. That is the world shall be convinced that there is righteousness enough in me to satisfy both the law and law-giver in that I shall appeare in my fathers presence and that with acceptance he would not send an Angel as his officer to roll away the stone and release the surety out of prison the grave and bring him before the Judge with so much credit and countenance if the law were not satisfied and the debt fully discharged Heaven could never have held me ye would have seen me upon earth again if I had not done that work perfectly which the Father gave me to do He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father It convinceth him that Jesus Christ is exceeding willing to save poor sinners that he is joyful that any will accept him for their Saviour that he came from heaven to earth was born meanly lived miserably and died shamefully meerly upon this errand that he might seek and save them that are lost that he inviteth him to come to him and promiseth that he shall be welcom that he calleth them that go from him but casteth away none that come to him Thus when the prodigal is in a far country and cannot fill his belly so much as with husks that he is ready to perish for hunger he is shewd and convinced that there is bread enough in his Fathers house When the sinner is like the Israelite in the wilderness beholding the curse of the law like the Egyptian behind him and pursuing him hard the red sea of divine wrath before him into which he is hastening his crimson and bloody sins like mountains on each side of him incompassing him round that he knoweth not what to do then the spirit biddeth him look up to Jesus and he shall see the salvation of God The third step which the spirit takes is anhelation to cause the soul of the convinced sinner to breath and pant after Jesus Christ breath is the first effect of life Conviction hath emptied his stomach of creature confidence and self righteousness made him poor in spirit and O how hungry he is after the righteousness of Jesus Christ the bread which came down from heaven As the thirsty ground cleaves and opens for drops as the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth his soul after Jesus Christ God blessed for ever thinks he O when shall I come and appear before him His voice is like Rachel Give me children or I die Give me the holy child Jesus or I die or like Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me if I go childless Ioh. 12.21 O what wilt thou give me if I go Christiess or like the Jews to Philip Sir we would fain see Jesus Mat. 28.5 If the Angel should meet him he might bespeake the soul as he did the woman I know what thou seekest thou seekest Jesus which was crucified O the ardent desires the vehement longings the unutterable groans which this poor creature hath after his Saviour as David he cryeth out Who will give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Where is that blessed guide that can leade me and help me to drink of the water of life Methinks I see how Jesus Christ presents himself to the eye of the dejected souls understanding in all his glory and gallantry in his sutableness unto the sinners indigencies and sufficiency for all his necessities with the freeness of his mercy the fullness of his merits and the sweetness of his love how he appeares before the soul with all his retinue and train of graces comforts his blood his spirit the favour of God freedom from sin wrath hell on the one hand of him there stand his gracious promises of pardon peace adoption sanctification heart-chearing love and everlasting life On the other hand of him there stands his precious precepts of self denyal crucifying the flesh walking after the Spirit despising the sensual pleasures honours and profits of this world and delighting in God walking with him having the conversation in heaven and rejoycing
was to make me an oratour not to make me a Christian I am confident many a child bemoans that now he is damned in hell which the Father did when he was converted on earth I cannot condemn the education of children according to the quality of their parents nor their bringing up to particular callings this latter I am sure is a duty but that which is first should be last and that which is last should be first Your greatest care and that in the first place should be to seek the Kingdom of God for your selves and children and then other things shall be added to you Caleb gave his daughter the upper and the neather springs O labour that yours may with Jacob have the dews of heaven as well as the fatness of the earth Elisha wept when he saw Hazael 2 Kings 3.12 13. and foresaw that he would slay young men and dash the children against the wall do nor some of you give far far greater occasion of weeping if possible teares of blood in slaying and murdering the souls of your dear children teaching them by your patterns to live like Heathens and Atheists Believe it God committeth the charge of and will account with you for all the souls in your families Gen. 4.3 10 11. When Cain had flain his brother Abel God called to him Where is thy Brother Abel And Cain said I know not am I my Brothers keeper And the Lord said What hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground And now thou art cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother blood at thine hand So suppose God should whisper one of you in the eare Cruel Father Careless Master Where is thy child or servant that dyed so many months or years ago You may possibly think what Cain spake Lord I know not whether in heaven or hell Holy Greenham saith that many mens children shall follow them up and down in hell cursing them and crying out of them for neglecting to instruct them Was I their keeper O think of it with speed and reform May not God reply very truly Cursed sinner vile wretch What hast thou done The voice of thy child of thy servants soul-blood cryeth to me from hell And now thou art cursed from hell which hath opened her mouth to receive thy sons thy servants soul at thine hand Friends Friends what will you do when God shall thus deal with you for your neglect of relative duties Possibly ye may think I deal too sharply but truly the reason is because I know that sin will not deal mildly either with you or yours And should I not give you warning the blood of your own and childrens souls would be required at my hands Good Lord that ye did but believe what it is to be guilty of others blood Heathens and Infidels provide for the body and temporall well-being of their children and what do many of you more Bears that bring forth mishapen whelps will by licking them bring them to a better form Your Children are brought forth enemies to God and are by nature children of wrath and heirs of eternal death doth it not behove you to strive that by religious nurture they may become children of the promise and heirs of eternal life Thirdly Make sure of Regeneration be never satisfyed till ye can upon Scripture grounds affirme that your natures are regenerated This this is the one thing necessary Your All hangs upon this hinge If this be not done ye are undone undone eternally All your profession civility priviledges guifts duties are cyphers and signify nothing unless Regeneration be the figure put before them It is Regeneration that will make you the sons of God the members of Christ the temples of the Spirit that will give you an holy improvement of all providences a right to all the promises and at last the purchased possession It is Regeneration that will teach you to live like men like Christians like Angels in the love and fruition of the infinitely blessed God O the price of this pearl is not known in this beggerly world A grave and wise Counsellour of France being desirous in his old age to retire himself was intreated by the King to write down some directions and leave with him for the more prosperous government of his Realm The Counsellour took some paper and wrote on the top Moderation in the middle Moderation at the bottom Moderation Demosthenes being asked what was the chief thing in an Oratour answered Elocution and being demanded the same question three times what made an Oratour he still gave the same answer Aug. â—pist 56. ad Di osc Augustine being demanded what was the greatest requisite of a Christian What was the first second and third still answered Humility Humility Humility Truly what the Counsellour said of Moderation the Grecian of Elocution and the Father of Humility I shall say of Regeneration If you ask me what is the chiefest thing in the world for a man to mind What is that which is worthy of all his time and strength and thoughts and words and actions I answer Regeneration If you demand What is that which is of greatest necessity and excellency that bringeth in the greatest profit delight and happiness I answer Regeneration He that hath this hath all that is worth having the having of this is heaven He that wanteth this hath nothing the whole world cannot make up the want of this the want of this is hell O Sirs your everlasting making or marring dependeth upon your sincerity or hypocrisie in this Of what infinite consequence is it therefore to you in whatsoever ye come short to make sure here Alas when ye come to throw your last cast for eternity how will the stoutest of you do to look death in the face without Regeneration in your hearts God hath in an hundred texts of Scripture devoted all unregenerate ones to the unquenchable fire and can any of you think to make him a lyer Believe it as soon as death landeth you at the other world you will have other thoughts of God and his Truths then now ye have For your help in this work which is of such absolute indispensable necessity unto your never dying souls I commend to you this Treatise beseeching the blessed God to make it serviceable unto your salvations Ignatius when he heard a clock strike would say I have one hour more to answer for I must tell you that ye have eighteen hours eighteen Sermons more to answer for When they were preached they had from some of you a favourable attention now they are printed it is not unknown what providence brought them to the press I wish they may have within you all an effectual operation that both the Author and his labors may appear to your joy at that great and terrible day These things being signified Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of
thee for these ends Thou wilt disrelish all spiritual prayers and conference especially when they discover and condemne thy unsanctifyed carnal state And thou wilt secretly or openly have a malignant distaste or opposition against the Regenerate that live by that renewing sanctifying Spirit to which thou art a stranger and wilt look on them as a people that condemne thee by their lives unless thou canst cheat thy self into a perswasion that they are but a company of singular proud selfconceited people and really no otherwise regenerate then thy self And all the Religion and wisdome and good â—arriage which thou hast without this spiritual change may easily be thy delusion but will never serve for thy Salvation yea heaven it self would be to thee no heaven if it were set open to thee and thou hadst not the heavenly nature to suit to the heavenly employment and felicity This is the business of a converting and confirming Ministery and of the spirit and grace that works by them and this is the business that above other business lyeth upon thee in this present world even to work now in thy soul that holy love to the most blessed God who is love it self which may cause thee here to thirst after his presence and to seek his favour and to do his will and may fit thee delightfully for ever to enjoy him and everlastingly to be solaced in the beholding of his glory in the feeling of his love and in his heavenly praises and the fulfilling of his will An unregenerate unholy soul is as unfit for this as thy mortal enemy to lye in thy bosome or as toads and serpents to be the familiar companions of men or as thy Ox or Ass is to feed with thee at thy table and lye with thee in thy bed Employments and Enjoyments must have a suitable nature if the Spirit fit thee not here for heaven in this life which is given thee purposely for that end its pernitious folly to hope for a heaven for which thy unsanctifyed nature is unfit and to promise thy self a felicity of which thou art uncapable and which indeed thy very heart doth hate Thou lovest not holiness here nor the very imperfect Saints that have it how much less couldst thou love the infinite holiness of God who hateth thy sins ten thousand times more then the most severe and sharp reprover hates them If thy eyes cannot look upon the smallest candle without offence how then would they endure to look upon the Sun and that in the nearest access unto its glory And if here thy enmity to the holy will of God be such that thou pleasest not him and he and his waies are displeasing unto thee how uncapable art thou of Heaven which is a state of mutual full delight where the Saints do perfectly please the Lord and are perfectly pleased in him and his pleasure Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. They that are after the flesh do mind or savour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And that which is born of the flesh is but flesh As that which is born of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3.6 It is therefore undenyable that till you are born of the spirit and so made spiritual all your Religion and civility leaveth you but enemies to God and in a state of Rebellion against his will and consequently in a state of death Baptism which is the Sacrament of Regeneration doth signifie this change and containe your profession and engagement to the Lord. But if you have not the Regeneration of the Spirit as well as of the water and the answer of a good conscience as well as the washing of the flesh you differ from Heathens and Infidels but as covenant-breakers differ from them that never entered into covenant with Christ at all But I must not stand too long instructing you at the door when my business is to call you in and to tell you that here is a Message to you from the Lord A Treatise of Regeneration the most necessary Subject in a stile so clean and close in words so pertinent plain powerful and pressing that undoubtedly by a serious impartial perusal joyned with sober consideration and prayer thy soul may receive unspeakable commodity Though I know not the Author I am so far acquainted with the spirit appearing in this Discourse that I dare assure thee he had very much help from heaven and dare encourage thee to study this savoury Treatise as that which containeth most certain sound and necessary doctrine directly tending to the saving of thy soul without any tendency to Heresie Schism or uncharitable cenforiousness A Doctrine necessary for the learned or unlearned the rich and the poor the honorable and the base and for men of all degrees and ranks which if it had been more heartily studied and inculcated in publick and in private by all Preachers of the Gospel instead of the humane inventions and Canons and Opinions and interests of their several Sects the Church and the consciences of the Pastors and their Flocks had been now much wholer and sounder then they are Believe it whatever thou art thou shalt never be saved for being a Lord or a Knight a Gentleman or a rich man a learned man or a well-spoken eloquent man nor yet for being a Calvinist or a Lutheran an Arminian an Anabaptist a Prelatist a Presbyterian an Independent or a Protestant formally and meerly as such much less for being a Papist or of any such grosly deluded Sect but as a Regenerate Christian it is that thou must be saved or thou canst have no hope If once this renewing Spirit have taken possession of thy soul and thou art made partaker of the Divine and Heavenly nature and art become a living Member of Christ thou shalt be saved though thou know not whether Diocesan Bishops Metropolitans Primates and Patriarks or onely Parochial Bishops be most agreeable to the minde of God and though thou know not whether any other Book than the Bible should contain the Liturgy of the Church and though thou know not in a hundred controversies of the times about Orders and Forms and Ceremonies and smaller points of doctrine which party it is that is in the right Holiness will save thee without the formalities of this party or of that but formalities will not save thee without holiness To you that are Regenerate I shall say but this keep very honourable and thankful thoughts of your spiritual birth Live now as the sons of the Eternal God and as the heirs of everlasting life Set your faces now towards Heaven as those that see the grave at hand and the vanities of this world all vanishing into
their fraught The other end of Regeneration namely The salvation of the Elect is purposely omitted here because it will be fully spoken to in the next Head the first Reason of the Doctine So much for the description of Regeneration In the next place I shall speak to the Reasons why there is a necessity of Regeneration in every man that would obtain Salvation FIrst Because every man must be prepared for before he can be admitted into that holy place We say in Philosophy Nature doth nothing per saltum the ground is prepared for an harvest by being dunged ploughed and sowed it is as true in this point of Divinity the god of Nature will not save a man per saltum not remove a swine out of a Stie immediately into a Dining-room not take a sinner reeking in his lusts and presenly invest him with a Crown of life no the man must be prepared by Regeneration or holiness in part for salvation or holiness which is perfect The heathen King would not admit Virgins to his bed till they had been purified Esther 2.12 and surely the King of Kings will not receive any into his nearest and dearest embraces till they are cleansed from all pollutions both of flesh and spirit Every man by his first birth is polluted meer darkness not receiving the things of God Eph. 5.8 meer hardness as unable as a stone to move in the wayes of God Ezek. 36.26 wholly captivated under the dominion of sin and Satan Eph. 2.1 2 3. and hereby is unprepared for that holy place The most godly father begetteth an ungodly child Adam begat a son after his own not Gods image Gen. 5.3 The white Halegens hatch black young ones Though the Wheat be threshed fanned and parted from the straw and chaff yet when sowed it bringeth forth Wheat both with stalk and husk That which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3.5 now flesh and blood especially in this depraved sense cannot inherit the Kingdom of heaven 1 Cor. 15. A raker in Privies is not fit for a Kings presence but Regeneration prepareth the soul by purifying it for heaven it maketh the creature meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 We scald and season vessels with hot water and thereby fit and prepare them to hold wine or some precious liquour so God seasoneth the soul with grace and thereby prepareth it for glory Grace and glory differ not specifically but gradually grace is aetas infantilis gloriae as learned Davenant calleth it the infancy of glory Glory is the maturity or full growth of grace the same state is an higher stature grace is glory inchoate glory is grace consummate therefore as cloaths by lighter colours are fitted to receive a deep scarlet die so Christians by grace or Regeneration are prepared for glory and salvation The Grammar teacheth the Scholar to construe and pierce and that fitteth him in time for the Vniversity Regeneration teacheth the Christian what mediate Communion with God meaneth and that fitteth for immediate Communion Regeneration makes us capable of the beatifical vision Matth. 5.8 not as a meer condition but as a necessary disposition in the agent towards its object as the sensitive faculties are required to the act of sensation as well as sensible objects And indeed heaven would not be heaven that is a place of happiness to them which are not fitted for it by holiness We say of men brought up in the Countrey that they would not delight in the honours and pleasures of a Court because such things would neither suit their education or dispositions so men who know no other heaven then to eat and drink and sleep and roar and revel and like swine to wallow in the mire of sensual lusts would never delight in that place of Spiritual and Angelical pleasures for it would suit neither their sinful breeding nor sensual natures If their sore eyes which are continually running with a thume of corruption cannot without pain behold the star-light of holiness in the Saints how can they with any delight see God face to face and behold that blessed Sun in his eternal noontide of purity and glory Therefore as they that are to live in another Countrey are fitted for it by learning the Language Customes and Carriage of people in that Countrey So God will have them who are to live in the heavenly Countrey learn before hand the work of the Citizens there namely how to please praise glorifie and enjoy his Majesty Secondly Every man must be regenerated or he cannot be saved because all that attain heaven must be interested in the purchaser of heaven Those that go to that place must be united to and have a part in him that laid down the price though man may be a possessour of heaven yet Christ alone was the purchaser of it We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10 19. Acts 4.12 1 John 2. ult He alone is the Jacobs ladder reaching from earth to heaven by the help of which the Christian may ascend thither all other deeds of conveyance will be found forged and all claims made to the undefiled inheritance which are not under him are false therefore heaven is called the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 because bought with the precious blood of Christ for till a mans person be justified it can never be glorified the guilt of sin must be removed or the sinner cannot be saved the soul must be reconciled to God and accepted as righteous in his Son or it can never dwell with God and be made glorious as his Son There are two changes indispensably requisite in all that would be saved The one is the change of a mans state or a moral change when of a bondman to sin and Satan he is made a freeman John 8.36 when of a slave to the Devil he is made the Son of God when he is brought from under the covenant of works to be under the covenant of grace when of an enemy to God he is reconciled to him by the death of his Son when though he were far off he is made nigh though he was not beloved yet now is beloved though he was a child of wrath is now a vessel of mercy John 1.12 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.3 Rom. 9.23 1 Pet. 2.9 10. The other is the change of a mans nature or a Physical change when the whole man is renewed after the image of God The former is relative this is real the former is the change of his condition this of his disposition the former change is wrought in Justification this in Regeneration now the change of a mans nature is absolutely necessary because till this be wrought there is no change of a mans state the person is unjustified while the nature's unsanctified For though Christ be the purchaser of the pardon of sin of peace with God of perseverance in grace of an inheritance in glory yet it is only for those that are
the commanding power of sin Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so Luk. 1.71 72 74 75. Ephes 5.25 26. He gave himself for his Church observe the end that he might sanctifie and cleanse it He died for sin that all his might dye to sin Joh. 17.19 he poured out his heart blood that God might power down his holy Spirit His name is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 not only from the punishment but also from the power of their sins Now canst thou think O Atheist to make Christ an half Saviour as the Papists do a Purchaser of pardon but not of purity then questionless thou canst be but half saved and have the greatest part of thy misery still upon thee to wit thy slavery to sin But surely thou canst not think that when Justification and Sanctification are joyn'd together in the purpose of the Father and the purchase of the Son it shall be in thy power to part them asunder A third gate through which all must go that get to heaven is the gate of Scripture The Promises are the gracious deeds and evidences which Saints have to shew for their right to that glorious inheritance And it is cursed presumption to expect heaven without a promise Now God hath in many places excluded thee but in no place promised heaven to thee Look from the beginning to the end of the Bible and thou shalt not finde one good word spoken to thee there are woes and curses threatnings and judgements which thou mayst challenge as thy part and portion but no promise or saving blessing All the promises of salvation are conditional Matth. 5.8 11.28 John 3.16 yea including and expressing this very condition of conversion He that believeth shall be saved saith God Mark 16.16 And repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 the body and soul do specifically constitute the whole new man and upon those two hinges of Faith and Repentance do all the saving promises in the Bible hang therefore thy expectance of the benefit of the promise without the performance of the condition is soul-damning delusion Thou mayest like a dog snatch at the children bread the Promises but assure thy self thou hast no part nor lot in these matters This Reader is the difference betwixt presuming and believing he that believeth finding in his own soul the conditions mentioned in the promises of eternal life as namely that he walks after the spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh hath his conversation in Heaven Rom. 8.1 Phil. 3.19 and the like relieth on Christ for pardon and life upon the warrant and security of his word and promise Psal 119.114.145 He that presumeth looketh that God should perform his part of the promise in giving salvation but never mindeth whether he perform his part of the promise in observing the condition Let thy conscience be judge whether thou art not such a presumtuous person and therefore doest in vain look for the fruit of the promise 4. All that get to heaven must go through the gate of mediate communion heaven must be nigh thee before thou canst be in heaven it is fellowship with God in this world which fitteth for fellowship with God in the other world without holiness none shall see God Heb. 12.14 because without holiness none can see God an unholy mind cannot behold him an unholy will cannot enjoy him unholy affections cannot delight in him an unholy man in heaven could not finde it a place of happiness for 't is not a Turkish Paradice but a place of holy pleasures 't is mediate communion which doth capacitate the soul for immediate communion and as the weaker eyes may behold the Sun in its beams then in its glorious body at the highest in a clear day so a smaller degree of holiness will enable the soul to see God in the glass of his ordinances then to see him face to face Now thou canst not enjoy him in this imperfect degree much less in a state of perfection If thou sayest that thou hast fellowship with him and walkest in darkness thou liest 1 Joh. 1.6 Mark If thou sayest that thou enjoyest fellowship with God and leadest a sinfull life thou tellest a broad lye all that enjoy the Ordinances of God do not enjoy the God of Ordinances all that go to Church do not meet with Christ What cummunion hath light with darkness or Christ with Belial truly no more hath God with thy soul Princes are not so prodigal of their intimate friendship and favour as to throw them away upon their foes Thy carnal minde is emnity against God God is a profest enemy to thee and therefore can they ever walk together till they be agreed now there is a necessity of walking with him before thou canst be translated to him Gen. 5.21 or else thou hast found out a nearer way to heaven then the children of God went in Besides the Scripture speaketh plainly that he who hath a true hope of heaven doth purifie himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 True hope begetteth and increaseth holiness now doth thy hope cause thee to purifie thy self when like an infant thou pollutest thy self liest contentedly in thy filth and never mindest cleansing Now tell me Reader whether thou doest not sadly cozen thy self in dreaming of salvation without regeneration when God predestinated all to be conformable to the image of his Son in purity whom he predestinated to be conformable to the image of his Son in glory Rom. 8.29 when Jesus Christ suffered not onely to procure pardon but for all his freedom from the power of sin when the promises of the Gospel do express regeneration as the indispensable qualification of all that shall be saved Acts 3.19 and when thou art so far from being capable of immediate communion hereafter that it is impossible that thou shouldest in thy carnal estate have mediate communion with him here canst thou continue in thy thoughts that heaven shall be open to thee when the hand of Almighty God hath shut it against thee and blocked up every way which leads to it to keep the out and how deceitfull and desperately wicked is thy heart to promise thee if thou wilt serve sin and the world the beautifull Rachel of heaven when after all thy slavery to thy lusts thou shalt be put off with the blear-eyed Leah of Hell Believe not O Reader The wicked one if thou lovest the life of thy soul he may by his lying spirit in thy heart as sometimes in the mouth of Ahabs false prophets perswade thee to go on in thy sinfull courses and promise thee as he did Ahab that thou shalt prosper but if thou doest not perish if thou followest such counsel the Lord hath not spoken in his Word I tell thee man God hath no birthrights for such prophane Esaus nor inheritances for such
scoffing Ishmaels Depart from me will be the doom of all that are workers of iniquity Matth. 7.23 into heaven can in no wise enter any thing that is unclean Rev. 21.27 The earth may bear such wicked ones a while though not without groans to be eased of such burdens Rom. 8.22 but heaven will never be pestred with them If thou didst travel towards the West thy reason would tell thee there was no possibility of arriving at the East without turning about yet thou goest in the broad way to destruction and thy religion bids thee to expect heaven without conversion Well! see what God saith to thee and be confident that what he speaketh he will do Deut. 29.19 20. And it come to pass when he heareth the word of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven O look to it Friend before it be too late otherwise this work of presumption will split thee eternally for Christ himself hath said that Except thou art born again thou shall never see the kingdom of God SEcondly If without Regeneration it be impossible to attain Salvation it informeth us of the insufficiency of several things to speak a mans right to felicity For this is a certain truth That whatsoever cometh short of this new birth or whatsoever may happen to or be in a man unregenerate that is a false evidence for our title to the undefiled inheritance because Regeneration is absolutely necessary Now there are nine or ten sandy foundations which many build their hopes upon all which come short of Regeneration though most of them are good things for I speak not against them but against resting in them as infallible signs of sincerity and therefore when the storm of death commeth they will fail and then the house of their hopes will fall to the ground First Civil practices are but a slender evidence of thy right to the holy place Civility is commendable but without Sanctity it is not sufficient A meer civil and sanctified man differ as much as a liveless picture and a living person Thou mayst make a fair shew in the flesh and be wholly a stranger to this life after the spirit Paul was one of the strictest of the Pharisees concerning the righteousness of the Law blameless even then when he was out of zeal persecuting the Church and in an unregenerate estate Phil. 3.6 Those foolish persons that were denied entrance into the purchased possession were Virgins they walked innocently and inoffensively and had not defiled their garments with gross pollutions but yet were unconverted having though some in their lamps no oyl in their vessels Mat. 25. init and therefore were excluded the inheritance of the Saints in light The young rich man who came to Christ and told him that he had kept all the commandments from his youth Mark 10.20 probably had done much as to the outward meaning of the Law and to the outward motions of his life for Jesus beholding him loved him vers 21. and yet the man notwithstanding his specious actions had unsanctified affections otherwise he would never have run from Christ as heavily as he came to him hastily and put his corruptible silver into the scales with and suffered it to weigh down the incomparable Saviour vers 22. The Pharisee that boasted so much of himself was likely guiltless of scandalous sins Luk 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican His Religion as usually the Civilians consisted in negatives he thought all was well because he could say he was no fornicator no cheater of men but he might have added that he was no believer no child of God for all his fair pretences and splen did practices he was both an unjustified and unsanctified person v. 14. How often doth sin reign in the inward when it doth not rage in the outward man A King is as truly a King in his Bed-chamber and Closet in secret as in his Parliament-robes or on his Throne in publick Now where ever sin hath dominion there the man or woman is in a carnal condition Rom. 6.17 How did vice domineer in the hearts of the Heathen when nothing but vertue appeared in their faces Pride in Diogenes saith one was but put up in a slovens case when he trampled on Plato's carpets And that renowned Curius that supped on roots had ambition for his sauce Civility may arise from education example shame or fear but as neither of these is physick strong enough to purge out corruption but as weak remedies use to do so these Lenitives give more mastery to the disease Among beasts there are harmless Lambs as well as hurtful Lions among birds there are innocent Doves as well as ravenous Vultures and yet they have all the same specifical nature of Brutes Among men some have better nurture and possibly from thence better natures then others some are churlish and cruel others courteous and civil some milde and morally righteous others mad and desperately outragious and yet all may flow from the same humane nature As the same earth is in some plants bitter in others sweet in both earthly so the same humane nature may be in some more pleasing in others more poisonous in both but humane neither being partaker of the Divine nature Some are like swine in a fair meadow more cleanly others wallowing in the mire more dirty and both swine Our Civil Law saith of mixt beasts Elephants and Camels that they do the work of tame beasts but have the nature of wilde ones Such are our meer civil men their nature is wilde though their actions are tame The Bear as is reported bringeth forth most ugly and mishapen Whelps but by licking them brings them to a better form yet they are Bears still Thus all men are ugly and notoriously vile by their births all full of wickedness as the ocean is of waters good breeding learning living among them that are godly may lick them fair and civil and put them into a better form and yet still they may remain unsanctified The Lions which spared Daniel were Lions still as appeared by their devouring others though God did restrain them a while for the safety of his servant A water-course may be dam'd up or stopt by a bank though at the same time it hath a violent inclination to run over I have sometime thought that a meer civil man is like a Capuchin Friar that starteth back at the sight of money as if it were a Snake or Serpent but carrieth a boy along with him that takes all which the demure Friar refuseth and complains
neither of colour nor weight so the civil man in his life starts back from sin as if he durst not touch that venemous creature but he carrieth an heart along with him that receiveth in all having no power to examine who goeth in or out and without complaining either of colour or weight Reader it may be thou art no Drunkard no Swearer no Scoffer at godliness no Adulterer no Lyar I wish we had more that came so far towards heaven but take heed of resting here thou mayst be able to say all this and much more and yet in thee as in the young man there may be one thing lacking namely this new life He that went to make his picture stand alone saw at last his mistake and cried out Deest aliquid intus there is something wanting within he meant life so it may be in thee Believe it there is a vast difference betwixt restraining and renewing grace the former may skin over and cover the loathsom sore of sin when the latter doth search and cure it Civility like a black patch doth hide the wound but sanctity like a plaister doth both hide and heal it It is possible that thou dost not outwardly abound with the same corruptions which others do because thou hast not the same temptations Thy heart may be a vessel full of poisonous liquor which may remain undiscovered till thou hast a temptation to broach it Thy lusts may be as great Rebels against God though they lie lurking in the secret trenches of thy heart and dare not for fear or shame appear in the open field of thy life Thy Civility is a mercy and thou art bound to bless God for it But Oh take heed of trusting to it as a sure evidence of thy good estate for certainly it proveth not seldom a more neat and cleanly way to endless and easeless wo. Secondly A glorious Profession is no infallible evidence of thy right to life It is good to profess Christianity Religion is so noble so bountiful a Master that none need be afraid to be counted her servant We must confess Christ before men if we would have Christ to confess us before his Father and the holy Angels Matth. 10.31 he that disowns his colours deserves to be cashiered the camp But confession of the mouth must be accompanied with conversion of the heart or it will not save that is but the shadow this is the substance of Religion A Christian in name and a Christian in nature do exceedingly differ The profession and the power of godliness differ as leaves on a tree and good fruit a tree that hath fruit will have leaves a man that hath the power will have a form of godliness but as some trees as the Ivie are never without leaves yet never bear good fruit while they live so many profess Christ all their days who never bring forth fruit worthy of repentance and amendment of life Some defie the Devil with their lips who Deifie him in their lives There may be gaudy signs at the door where there is not a drop of good wine in the Cellar Apothecaries boxes have glorious titles even when they are altogether empty Many Christians in our days are like a curious bubble smooth and shining without but nothing save wind within professing that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobrate Tit. 1. ult A man may wear Christ's livery and do the Devils drudgery Judas called Jesus Master yet betrayed him Thou mayst like the Jews put a Crown on Christs head a Scepter in his hand and bow the knee to him as if he were thy King and yet all be but in mockery thou mayst crucifie and put him to death for all this by thy sinful ungodly life Silver looketh white and yet draweth black lines thy profession may be fair when thy practices are foul Sin is so ugly that it 's ashamed of the light and therefore walks not openly as Christ for fear of the people though for a different reason from his lest it should fright them from continuing its friends but as a theif it goeth abroad in the night and then with vizards and false beards unwilling to be known who they are even with a form of godliness 1 Tim. 3.1 5. An Hypocrite like a Bankrupt the less substance he hath the more shew he maketh The Ostrich hath great feathers but cannot flie Christ compareth him to a tomb which is without comely within unsavory Good doth not always appear with the same beauty being clouded with corruption so evil doth seldom appear in its native deformity but like Jezabel fills up the wrinckles of its face with artificial dawbery When Absolom intended his unnatural rebellion he pretended Religion he had a vow which he must pay 2 Sam. 15.7 When Simeon and Levi designed murder and death to the Sechemites they hang out devotion for their colours They may not marry their Sister to one that was uncircumcised Gen. 34.14 Thus many lead Religion about as wandring cheaters do a monstrous woman whom they no way affect meerly to get money by it for their own praise or profit but do not entertain her as their Mistris giving her the power and keys of their hearts When Religion is in fashion many will dress themselves by her Looking-glass Joab himself though a man of blood will learn her language see how exactly he speaks in her dialect 1 Chron. 19.13 If the Jews prospered the Samaritans and they were kindred The rising Sun is adored by the Persians Summer brings in not only herbs and fruits but Butterflies and Caterpillers which feed on them and attire themselves with the livery of the season So in the prosperous estate of Religion many Summer birds will wait on her and court her out of love to her portion not to her person but these like Pirates put their vessels into the colours of nations which they abhor not to serve them faithfully but to rob them the more easily As Samballat and Tobiah made shew to help when their aim was to hinder the Jews And truly such a lamp or blazing profession will quickly go out for want of oyl in the vessel this inward Regeneration Thy rotten house will fall when these earthly props of treasure or honors which shroud it up are taken away Like the Moon thou mayst shine brightly the former part of the night but set before morning The Hare when she is hotly pursued betakes her self to some beaten path not for any love she hath to it but that there by the scent of passengers she may lose her scent and take off the dogs So many prophane persons that have rob'd the State being pursued betake themselves to the Church path not for devotion but that they might lose the scent of their vileness and take off their prosecutors Thy profession Reader is one of the weakest foundations imaginable to build upon for thy practices may every hour give thy
a gracious man yet be without grace as the Ape imitateth the actions of reasonable men yet is without reason or as a Tragedian acteth the part of a passionate man but is all the while without passion Some men have wrought hard at duties when a naturally inlightened Conscience not God hath been the Master to set them on work they would but cannot neglect duties at so cheap a rate as others as he said Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I could find in my heart to think there were no God but could not As they say of the Wolf in the body if you feed not it it will feed on you so if Conscience when its mouth is opened should not be fed with duty it would feed on them and therefore to keep it from gnawing them they stop its mouth with performances though they never do them from a renewed Principle Do not therefore Reader hang the weight of thy soul upon such weak wyers since men do so ordinarily take the way of duties no otherwise then Amaziah did the way of the garden-house 2 Kings 9.27 meerly for necessity to escape an enemy that followed him wherein he was at length pursued and slain Remigius a Judge of Lorraighn telleth us how the Devil gave some in those parts mony which at first appeared to be good coin but being laid up and when need was taken out to be spent it proved to be nothing but dry leaves Reader I wish it may not be so but it is possible for thee to drive a great Trade in duties while thou livest to hoord up a a great heap of those riches and they may seem to be currant coin good silver to have the image and stamp of the King of heaven upon it but when thou comest to die that thou art to spend it for then thy works will follow thee and God will give thee according to thy works it may then prove but dry leaves of no worth or profit to thee Though these unsound bottoms hold out well enough in a fair sea when they are put to no stresse yet stormy weather will quickly discover their rottennesse Not a few take up duties onely because they were educated in such a Religious manner not from any rellish or savour which they find in them and truly 't will be an easie matter to part him and his work who never took any pleasure in it The stone for a time may against its nature be mounted upward but when the force of that imprest vertue which moved it is spent 't will fall downward according to its nature Partridges that are hatched under an hen may walk with her and answer her call for a time but anon they flie away and shew what they are Reader I write not these things to dishearten thee from duties which are the body of Religion but to quicken thee to mind Regeneration which is the soul of it Sixthly The commendation of others though they be real Saints will not prove thee to be in a state of salvation The holiest mans confidence of thee is a pittiful evidence that thou shalt be happy How many have there been in the City who made a great noise were cried up by their knowing judicious neighbors to be very rich and to be worth thousands when on a sudden we have heard of their breaking and being worse as we say then naught so many even by them which are godly and discerning may be counted rich in grace rich towards God and on a sudden either by some temptation or at their dissolutions they break and God takes away from them what they seemed to have How was good David mistaken in Achitophel Surely he thought him Gods Favourite otherwise he would never have made him his familiar and bosom friend It was thou O man mine equal my friend and my acquaintance we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company Psal 55.12 13 14. How was Simon Peter deceived in Simon Magus who believed wondered at the miracles which were wrought and was baptised but notwithstanding that was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8.13 20. How was holy Paul mistaken in Demas Luke the beloved Physitian and Demas greet you Coloss 4.14 there he ranks him with one that was eminently religious but Philemon vers 24. he puts him before Luke and calls him his fellow-laborer yet 2 Tim. 4.10 which Epistle was the last of all Pauls Epistles Demas hath forsaken me having embraced this present world he turned as some write Idol-priest he followed the chase till he met with the honey and Jonathan-like then left the pursuit How much were all the holy Apostles deceived in Judas If Peter as their mouth speaks of their faith Judas is included Joh. 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God When he speaks of their good works Judas is not excepted Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee Matth. 19.27 Further when a Traytor is mentioned Judas is not suspected his carriage was so fair that they were more jealous of their own hearts then of him Mat. 26.22 and yet he was a Traytor a Devil Infallibility was never annexed to the godly mans choice Dedalus made an image that moved it self by art which made the spectators believe that it had a living principle the Hypocrite may walk so exactly perform duties so devoutly that Saints may judge such motions to flow from a principle of spiritual life Because men have the exact resemblance of Christians therefore godly men who are charitable abroad and censorious at home judge them to be true Christians Now in regard there may be a resemblance of a Christian in external actions where there is not the essence of Christianity in internal sanctified affections therefore they though they sin not yet sometimes they err in their judgements 1 Sam. 16.6 7. When Samuel came to Jesse being sent to annoint a King and seeth Eliab a proper handsom person he presently crieth out Surely the Lords annointed is before him but mark what God saith Look not on his countenance nor the height of his stature for I have rejected him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart So when godly men see their neighbors lovely in their lives civil in their practices high in their profession strict in performances they according to their duty say inwardly at least Surely the Lords annointed is before him these are the blessed of the Lord annointed to the Kingdom of heaven but God may often answer them Look not on their profession or their performances for I see their hearts that they serve not me but themselves of me We read of Zeuxes the Painter that he drew grapes so to the life that he deceived the birds who came flying to them and pecking at them as if they had been real grapes Certainly a graceless man may have such a compleat
time he is at war with them walks contrary to them and is preparing for them the instruments of eternal death Like Agag to the very hour of execution they are confident of a Pardon and go with their hearts full of hopes into the very place of despair They die willingly as they tell us and their neighbours commend them saying they died like lambs when rather like Solomons ox who goeth to the slaughter so died they going to the den of roaring Lions and the place of Dragons They had no Bands in their deaths who were in bondage to the devil Ps 73.4 As a man that is asleep upon the Mast of a Ship he is in a golden Dream and his thoughts upon large Revenues rich treasures Kingdomes and Diadems which he hath already in his own possession but in that very hour wherein he is solacing himself in his vain imaginations a storm ariseth the man is tumbled off the Mast and drowned Thus many have golden dreams strong presumptions of their salvation when alas they do but befool themselves are all the while upon the brink of hell and are tumbled into it before they are aware Reader look to this likewise that thou build not on such a weak bottome for this may happen both to prophane men and to hypocrites It is said of Pigmalion that he drew a picture so lively that he deceived himself and taking the picture for a person fell in love with his own picture I tell thee thou mayst spin so fine a thread and weave so curious a web of painted cloth feigned godliness that thou mayest deceive thy self and take it to be fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints and mayest thence gather that thy soul is safe when in all thou dost thou art unsound If confidence or not doubting our estates will prove them out of danger then the ignorant stupid seared sinners must certainly be saved which the Scriptures flatly deny Socrates who lived according to his natural conscience died with much calmness and confidence speaking of those who put him to death that they might kill him but could not hurt him yet was without the knowledge of Jesus Christ in whose name alone is salvation Eightly To follow the light within thee or to obey the Dictates of a natural conscience is no sound evidence for heaven A man may follow the light within him to the chambers of utter darkness The Jesuite in the Quaker would make this the infallible testimony of a mans uprightness and sincerity nay he plucks Christ from his Throne and sets the light within him in his room making it more then a mark even the meritorious cause of salvation but Reader I shall clearly prove that 't is so far from being worthy of our affiance that it is not so much as an evidence for heaven because conscience by nature is corrupted as much as the other faculties Their minds and consciences saith the Holy Ghost are defiled Tit. 1.15 The nature of conscience is good but the conscience of nature is evil It savours not the things of God it is not purged with the blood of Christ it is wholly blind in the matters of Christianity nay 't is a Rebel against God Now if I follow a blind guide am I ever like to enter in at the straight gate Is it rational arguing that I am in my Princes favour because I obey my Captain when he is a traytor I do not say that a natural conscience hath no good in it but I am sure 't is in the account of God an evil conscience opposing and resisting him Like an ignis fatuus as pure and perfect a light as the Quakers make it it leadeth men out of Gods high way into those bogs and quagmires wherein they sink and perish I question not but the heathens did follow their polluted consciences in their idolatrous practices And sure I am that Paul might thank his corrupt conscience for persecuting Jesus Christ I verily thought saith he that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Christ Acts 26,9 Mark the words they are full of weight Pauls conscience told him 't was his duty to suppress Christianity Was not his obedience to the commands of this conscience a sad sign that he was to be saved Further Christ telleth his Disciples John 16.2 That they who killed them should think they did God good service Observe here was pure light within men that made them think that they did God the greatest service in doing his Church the greatest disservice Tertul. tells us that Maximinian the Emperor esteemed Christianorum sanguinem diis gratissimam esse victimam the blood of Christians to be an acceptable sacrifice to the gods Is any man so mad as not to think that if such a Pilot steer the ship by answering to its motion must needs be cast away Saul would out of conscience have slain the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.2 and broken the Covenant which had been sworn to by the Israelites His conscience was evil and could not speak his condition to be good an evil conscience will call bitter sweet darkness light evil good It will leave plain precepts and walk by extraordinary Providences Isa 36.18 19 20. Jer. 50.7 It preferreth a strong impulsion of its own spirit before that word which is the will of Gods spirit Isa 36.9 10. it esteemeth a supposed Revelation above that Scripture which is indoubtedly of Divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1.19 It placeth often most of its Religion in Penance abstinence and outward acts of mortification in external signs of humility will-worship and neglecting the body Col. 2. ult of many of which God may say as to the Jews Who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1.12 It makes men keep a a great stir about cuffs ribbands hatbands as the Pharisees about pots and cups when their hearts are full of pride and malice robbing even Christ of the glory of our redemption and hating Christians for not daring to joyn in their cursed opinion Friend wil following such a conscience speak thee to be a true Christian Conscience is indeed a rule but regula regulata prius quam regulans such a rule as must be ruled by Gods word before it can be a right rule for our works To the Law and to the testimonies if conscience speak not according to this word it is because there is much pretended no true light in it Scripture is the compass by which conscience must bend its course or else 't will never land its passengers at the desired haven It is no farther liberty of conscience but licentiousness then it is regulated by the Scripture One office of conscience is Magistratical and Legislative to command and give Laws to man We read of the heathen that in regard of their consciences They were a Law to themselves Rom. 2.14 Conscientia mille Reges mille leges But though conscience be a King over the other faculties yet it is a subject subordinate to God
works of nature a tree which hath been many years growing may be cut down in an hour but in works of sin it s otherwise mans weakness can easily build them up but Gods power can onely throw them down Pompey when the Romans said That if Caesar came to Rome they saw not how they could resist his power told them That if he did but stamp with his foot on any ground in Italy he would bring men enough both footmen and horsemen to do it but when Caesar was coming with his Army Phaonius bid Pompey stamp with his feet and fetch the Souldiers which he had promised but all was in vain Pompey found it more difficult then he thought for Caesar made him first flee and then in a fight totally routed him The devil perswades men that they may defer their regeneration till their dissolution and then 't will be an easie matter to foil their spiritual foes but alas they finde it not so easie to mortifie earthly members and destroy the body of death when their souls adversaries with united strength encounter them fiercely and conquer them eternally Further all thy earthly comforts whether friends relations name estate limbs life must be laid at the feet of Christ hated for his sake and parted with at his call and command and that for the hope of such things as thou never sawest nor art ever like to see while thou livest Is not this Reader an hard chapter to forgo an estate in hand for something onely in hope to throw away present possessions and follow Christ thou knowest not whither to receive an inheritance thou knowest not when And as thy sins and thy soul must be parted asunder so thy Saviour and thy soul must be joyned together faith must follow repentance thy own righteousness must be esteemed as dross and dung the weight of thy soul and burthen of thy sins must be laid on the naked cross of Jesus Christ Now for thee who art by nature so extreamly in love with thy self to loath thy self and for thee notwithstanding thy discouragements from the number and nature of thy sins the threatnings and curses of the Law the wrath and righteousness of God to cling about and hang upon the Lord Jesus and resolve though he kill thee yet thou wilt trust in him surely this is not easie the work of God in infusing justifying faith is as great as in faith miraculous This is the work of God saith Christ that ye believe in the name of him whom he hath sent John 6.29 The work of God not onely in regard of its excellency because no work in man is more pleasing to God then believing on his Son but also in regard of its difficulty because none but a God can enable a man to believe the bird can as soon fly in the egg as thy soul mount up by faith towards heaven till the Almighty God assist thee Further all the commands of God must be heartily embraced some whereof are as contrary to flesh and blood as fire to water Self which is thy great idol must be denied the world with all its pomp and pride in comparison of Christ refused principalities and powers rencountred and foiled thine enemies loved and if killed it must be with kindness godliness owned though much disgraced by others truth followed close though it threaten to dash out thy teeth with its heels a buffeted Christ with his naked Cross preferred before weighty Crowns things which reason cannot comprehend believed and which none ever obtained labored for Friend are these easie things what thinkest thou add to all this the consideration not onely of thy weakness and inability to do these things but also thy wickedness and contrariety to them thou art not onely deprived of good but all over depraved with evil The imaginations and thoughts of thy heart are evil onely evil and that continually Gen. 6.5 Thou dost resolvedly and obstinately refuse good and choose evil Eccles 8.11 Jer. 44.16 The hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 observe how full that text is man is resolved to have his minion his lust though he have wrath and death and hell into the bargain as the mother of Nero being told that her son would be her death if ever he were Emperor answered Let him kill me so he may reign so they say Let sin reign though it kill us though it damn us The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil If thou wert onely empty of God and grace the work were more easie but thou art an enemy to grace and godliness thy carnal minde which is Lady Reason her self thy highest natural excellency is not an enemy for such an one may be reconciled but in the abstract emnity against God Thou hatest God Rom. 1.30 His people 1 John 3.12 His precepts Prov. 1.25 29. His Son John 15.25 and all for his sake thou fightest against him daily sinnest in defiance of him continually entailest thy quarrel upon thy posterity carriest it with thee into the other world if thou diest unregenerate and there art throwing thine invenom'd darts of blasphemy and spitting thy poison against the Most High to eternity Now be thy own judge is it easie to cure that Patient who thus desperately hates both Physician and Physick John 3.5 Water indeed saith one may somwhat easily be dammed up but no art nor labour can make it run back in its own channel It was by a miracle that the river of Jordan was driven back and it is no less then a miracle that the tide of sin which ran so strong should be turned that the sinner who before was sailing towards Hell and wanted neither winde nor tide to carry him forward should now alter his course and tack about for Heaven This is hard it is not more strange to see the earth flye upward and fire move downward then to see a sinner walk contrary to his nature in the wayes of grace and holiness Now Reader is not that man worse then mad that either delayeth or dallieth about his conversion upon supposition that he can do it easily enough hereafter when all this which I have written must be wrought in regeneration and when he is not onely empty of an enemy to but even emnity against it all Though the work of conversion and therefore the way to salvation be thus difficult to all yet to some 't is more difficult then to others In respect of God indeed quoad Deum one is as easily converted as another for infinite power and mercy know no difference but quoad nos in respect of us it is more hard to bring some towards holiness and heaven then others where the matter is most rugged and untoward it s harder to bring it to a good and comely form Some pieces of timber are more knotty then others and therefore not so easily squared and fitted for the spiritual Temple and heavenly Jerusalem as
much pleasure so when a man is a young sinner conscience is tender like a a queasie stomach troubled much with the least thing that offends it but continuance in sin makes conscience seared and brawny that afterwards the sinner like the Ostrich can digest iron and like the Turkish slaves feed on Opium and his stomach not at all recoil or complain It is reported of the Cretians that when they cursed their enemies they did not wish fire in their houses nor a dagger at their hearts but that which would bring greater wo ut mala consuetudine delectentur that they might delight in an evil custom for custom is not another nurture but another nature and that which is natural is not easily reduced Some say there is no transplanting trees after seven years rooting I am sure it is hard to transplant them out of a state of nature into a state of grace who have been seventy years rooting in the earth old servants will not easily leave their masters they will many times have their ears boared and be everlasting slaves rather then be made free T is with old sinners saith one as with them who have lived long under a Government Gurnals Armour they like to be as they are though but ill rather then to think of a change or like those who in a journey have gone out of their way all day such will rather take a new path over hedge and ditch then think of going so far back to be set right Old sinner for the sake of thy soul proceed no further knowest thou not that every step thou takest in thine unconverted state maketh thy condemnation more deep thy condition more dangerous and thy conversion more difficult Is it not high time for thee to begin to work out thy salvation when the sun of thy life is setting Ah 't is one of the saddest spectacles in the world to behold a man full of silver hoary hairs that is void of a golden sanctified heart surely of all men alive thou hast cause to abound in sorrow who doest to this day abide in thy sins THe second Use which I shall make of this doctrine shall be by way of Examination If without the second birth thou canst not escape the second death nor obtain eternal life Then Reader Try whether thou art new born or no commune with thy heart and see whether this work be done that thou mayst know how thou shalt fare in the other world Wherefore brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 The first fountain of our felicity is election and the manifestation of this is our calling by vocation God bringeth to pass in time what he appointed from eternity As a word is an outward thought and a thought an inward word so vocation is outward election or election put into act and made visible and election is inward vocation or Gods intention to convert and save Election is eternal calling Calling is a temporal election so that by ensuring thy calling thou ensurest thy election make thy calling sure be not satisfied to let thy salvation hang in suspence to follow Christ as the people followed Saul trembling not knowing how it shall fare with thee but strive for full assurance that an abundant entrance may be ministred unto you into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 I have read of an old wicked Usurer who had nothing in his mouth but It is good to be sure if his servant went to receive money he would follow after him and being asked the reason would answer It is good to be sure If he had told his money once he would do it a second yea a third time saying It is good to be sure If he locked his door himself he would arise out of his bed to feel it locked still pleading for his reason It is good to be sure It came to pass that this man fell desperately sick his servant calleth to him desirous to make him sensible of his sins Master have you been at prayers yea John saith he Sir said the servant go to prayers again you know 'T is good to be sure That 's more then needs saith the Usurer I am sure enough of that Truly this mans heart is the resemblance of most men they are all for security in bargains sales and purchases if they buy an inheritance on earth how sure will they make it the tenure shall be as strong as the brawn of the Law or the brains of Lawyers can devise what Bonds Deeds Fines Recoveries Leases Evidences and if any scruple collateral security are there to ensure it but alas who ensures the inheritance above how few are there that take any pains to secure their right to those everliving pleasures Like Jacob though in another sense men put their right hand of care caution and diligence upon the younger Son the body and their left hand on the elder the soul How few make their calling and election sure But Reader if thou wouldest make sure thy predestination and fore-appointment to glory it must be done by making sure thy Regeneration and translation into a state of grace Thou canst not ascend into heaven and see thy name written in the Lambs book of life but thou mayst descend into thine own heart and see it by the seeds and principles of a spiritual life as if any man would know whether the sun shineth or no he need but look on the ground and see the reflection of its beams and not on the body of the Sun which will but the more dazzle his eyes the pattern is known by the picture the cause by the effect the original by the copy Election by regeneration the soul that is conformed to Gods Law may know that he is inrolled in Gods list If I have chosen God I may safely conclude that God hath chosen me The Historian reporteth how a Senator relating to his son the great honors decreed to a number of Souldiers Tacitus whose names were written in a book the Son was importunate to see the book the Father shewed him the out-side it seemed so glorious that the son desired him to open it by no means saith the Father it is sealed by the Council then saith the son Tell me if my name be there the Father saith The names are secret to the Senate the Son studying how he might get some satisfaction desired his Father to declare the merits of those inscribed Soldiers which the Father doing and the Son consulting with his own heart found himself to be none of them Reader though the Book of life which includeth the names of those whose heads are destined to glorious Diadems be secret yet the deserts of those inscribed there are open they are as a chosen generation a peculiar people so also an holy nation a royal Priesthood a called company a sanctified society a regenerated remnant they are culled out of the world called by the word
separated for the service of the Lord they are born of the Spirit brought up in the Spirit and they walk after the Spirit The tast therefore which I now set thee is to try whether thou are one of these whether thou art born again without which thou canst not see the Kingdom of God Now though the commandment of God be argument and reason enough to a Christian why he should examine himself whether he be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 135. for a true subject dares not deny any coyn which hath the image and stamp of his Sovereign upon it yet I shall give thee two or three thoughts to stir thee up to the tryal of thy self First Consider that thy All hangs on this hinge of regeneration All that thou art worth for thine unchangeable estate in the other world dependeth on this This is the foundation of that hope that building which reacheth to heaven now t is dangerous to err in fundamentals the stability of the building depends on the strength of the foundation For a man to go out of his way at the first setting out is saddest of all Regeneration is the beginning of Christianity in thee nay thy interest in all the unsearchable riches in Christ standeth on this if regenerated then thy sins are pardoned thy person accepted God is thy Father Jesus Christ thy Husband and Saviour the Spirit thy Comforter the Promises are thy portion Heaven thy home but if thou art not adorned with the pious fruits of Christs Spirit thou art not interested in the precious fruits of his merits therefore make sure here God will deal with thee to eternity according to thy having or wanting this Now doth it not concern thee to beware of cozening thy self here when a mistake in this will make thee miserable for ever if ever any tresses had need be strong then surely they which draw such a weight as thine endless welfare Where men intend to dwell long thy build strong Soldiers use tents which have no foundation because they intend but a short stay in them thou lookest for a City which hath a foundation Friend hath thy expectation of it any foundation wouldst thou build sleightly for a dwelling of eternity Zeuxes being asked why he was so exact in painting answered Because he painted for eternity Lines which concern eternity had need be exactly drawn and deeds and marks and all things indeed which concern eternity had need to be exquisitely done If a Merchant venture all his estate in one vessel and where there is much hazard in the voyage how full of fear and care will he be lest the ship should miscarry himself and his family be ruined many a sad thought will he have in the day as sowr sawce to his food and possibly many an aking heart in the night to keep him waking He is even like to be beside himself so much is he perplexed and ask him the reason he will tell you I think I have cause All that I am worth is ventured in that bottom should it be lost and perish we are all lost my wife self and children must all perish Thus the man lives in little ease both day and night till at last he considereth with himself of what concernment the safety of that vessel is to him he resolveth and accordingly goeth to the Ensurers Office and ensureth his whole estate and then he is satisfied those fears which like weights hung on the clock of his heart and would not suffer it to rest are now taken off and he eats his bread with chearfulness and drinks his wine with a merry heart he can in all conditions be contented because his All is ensured Thus Reader Regeneration is the vessell in which all that thou art worth not for this present perishing but for the other everlasting world is ventured if that be sound thine endless welfare is safe if that be feigned and lame thou art lost for ever How caust thou take any comfort in the abundance of fading creatures whilst thy All thine Eternity is in danger O go to the Ensuring Office bring thy riches thy silver to the ballance of the Sanctuary and thereby try whether it hath its full weight Man what sayst thou to this reason for self examination is it not of unspeakable weight and I shall shew thee that t is of unquestionable truth Doth not the living God tell thee that except thou art born again thou shall not see his Kingdom Doth he not say expresly that without are dogs Rev. 22.15 The fathers house is onely for children Dogs must be without doors Pharaohs court admitted of vermine but I can assure that Gods will not Into it can in no wise enter any thing that is defiled or unclean Rev. 21. ult Impure persons can never get into the most holy place Heaven must be in thee before thou canst be in heaven It was a good inscription which a bad man wrot on the door of his house Per me nihil intret mali Let no evil passe through me whereupon said Diogenes Quomodo ingredietur dominus How then shall the Master get into his own house That inscription without question agreeth with the celestiall habitation There is nothing there but what is holy The Creatour is essentially infinitely and eternally holy the father is holy John 17.11 the holy child Jesus Acts 14.27 the holy Ghost Acts 21.11 the creatures there are holy the holy angels Mark 8.38 the saints or holy men and women Heb. 12.23 The work and eternall imployment there is holyness the servants wait on their Master without sinning as well as without ceasing the song there is Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4.8 canst thou therefore think without holiness to get thither Secondly Consider that God will try thee He knoweth now what thou art whether dross or gold and he will shortly bring thee to the fire and make thee known both to thy self and others Though the waters of thy corruptions may run for a time under ground and be hidden from the eyes of men yet they will at length appear Thou art at present all Chrystal to God he needeth not as Momus would have a window into thy breast for he seeth thee throughly he seeth thy inwards more perfectly then thou and others can see thy outward parts The fining pot is for silver the furnance for gold but the Lord tryeth the heart Prov. 17.3 He hath a thread which leadeth him unerringly through the labyrinth of thy heart He needeth no serious inquisition about thee for he knoweth thee by immediate intuition He walks through the road of thy heart every hour therefore it concerneth thee not to balke it He will try thee probably in life but certainly at death and judgment and shouldest not thou then try thy self God may trie thee in life by prosperity he may give thee strong meat and thereby examine thy stomach whether it be good or bad he may let the world flow in upon thee
the difference between party and party next they hear the evidence and proofs on both sides After that they are shut up together and have neither fire nor candle nor bread nor drink allowed them till they are agreed on their verdict which when they have done they bring it into the Court and there 't is entred and recorded Go thou and do likewise when thou art got into thy chamber first make thine heart to engage and promise before the Judge of the whole earth that it will through the strength of Christ be true and faithful in determining this weighty controversie between God and thy soul Whether the land of promise belong to thee or not next let conscience be called which is as ten thousand witnesses and speak what it knoweth of thy right and title to that estate according to the known Laws of the Lord and if thou lovest the life of thy soul do not wink upon that witness or fee him underhand to make him to mince the matter and be partial in his testimony Foolish pity here is soul-damning cruelty but tell him he is upon his oath and in the presence of the infinite God and charge him to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth O do but give conscience leave to be faithful at this time and t will be thy friend to eternity When the evidence is thus examined let nothing hinder a verdict call upon thy heart again and again whether it be resolved for thee or against thee till this be done give thy self no rest if one day will not serve take two never give over till it come to an issue one way or other Of what infinite concernment is this to thee when all that thou art worth for the other world dependeth on it When thou art agreed of a verdict let it be entred and ingrossed in the Court of Conscience namely that such a day thy title to the inheritance of the Saints in light was tried before the Judge of quick and dead and upon a full hearing of evidence on both sides such or such a verdict was brought in If thy heart find for thee how may this fill thee with joy that thy name is written in the book of life it may keep thee steddy in the greatest storm that thou art an undoubted heir to the eternal weight of glory When the waters of affliction overtake thee and the Devil throws his stones into them to trouble them and make them muddy that thou mayst doubt and distrust thine eternal felicity how quickly may the remembrance of such a verdict upon full evidence settle them again and how clearly mayst thousee thy sincerity like a true diamond sparkling gloriously at the bottom of those waters thou mightest gather Once in Christ and ever in Christ and I was once in him therefore I can never be out of him O Friend thy priviledges are high and unspeakable and therefore thy practices should be holy and answerable But I cannot stay to speak farther to thee here my work groweth in my hands already much beyond my thoughts yet I shall speak to thy dignity and happiness in the second subject of consideration under the first Use of Exhortation and to thy duty and holiness in the second Use of Exhortation if the book swell not too big But Reader if thine heart find against thee that thou art not born again what canst thou say for thy self why sentence of eternal death should not be awarded and executed upon thee according to Law yea according to the Gospel Hast thou read the reasons of the Doctrine and the first use of Information and dost thou not see the absolute indisponsable necessity of Regeneration in all that would be saved Hath not the God of truth as it were confirmed it with an oath Verily verily I say unto thee that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Canst thou think to make the author of this Text a liar by getting to heaven in an unregenerate condition Dost thou believe that the thoughts of his heart stand for ever and the counsels of his majesty be established to all generations Suppose thou shouldst dye this day Alas how many diseases attend thee the feet of those that carried others to their long homes are ready to carry thee also Good Lord what will become of thee for ever ever ever Art thou able to dwell in everlasting burnings canst thou endure unquenchable flames For the sake of thy precious soul hasten out of this Sodom this natural estate which will undoubtedly be punished with fire and brimstone For thine help herein I have written the next Vse which I earnestly beseech thee as thou wouldest leave this world with comfort and look into the other world with courage that thou give it the reading thou knowest not what an hour may bring forth and the Lord give it his blessing THirdly This doctrine may be useful by way of exhortation and that to two sorts of persons 1. To the unregenerate If without regeneration men and women can never obtain salvation then it exhorteth thee Reader if in a state of nature to minde and labor for this second birth as ever thou wouldst escape the second death Dost thou not perceive by the word the living God That except thou art converted thou canst in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God! Matth. 18.3 Alas what then is like to be thy case shouldst thou die in this condition Assure thy self that all thy Friends and Lands honors and pleasures yea all the help which this whole world can afford thee cannot keep thee one quarter of an hour out of Hell This Law this standing Law of Heaven That except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God is like the Law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered By their Law That which was written in the Kings Name and sealed with the Kings seal might no man reverse Esth 8.8 Friend is not this written not onely in the name but with the very hand of the King of Kings I say unto thee and sealed with his own seal Verily verily and doest thou think poor worm to reverse it to turn the truth of the Eternal God into a lie I tell thee and I would speak it with reverence to the highest Majesty that God himself cannot do it 'T is his perfection that it is impossible for him to lye Tit. 1.2 His hand cannot but make good what his mouth hath spoken His will and word have joyned regegeration and salvation together and his faithfulness and truth will not suffer them to be parted asunder Therefore think of it timely and turn to God truly otherwise there is a necessity of thy perishing everlastingly Thou doest not know as strong and lusty as thou art how soon death may come behinde thee and throw thee and O 't will be thine eternal overthrow though as on Sodom thy morning be Sunshiny yet thou canst not tell
sunshine of the Gospel the table of the Lord is to thee the table of devils the leaven of thy unregeneracy turneth that passover into pollution Christ himself is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Peter 2.8 This Sun of Righteousness which the sound eye of the regenerate beholds with much pleasure is not beheld by thy sore eyes without much pain The Red-sea of his blood through which the true Israelites pass safely into the celestial Canaan is destruction to thee being an uncircumcised Egyptian The very Grace of God is turned by thee into wantonness Jude vers 4. Thou makest sowre vinegar of that sweet wine and makest use of those gales to help thee to Hell which were sent to help thee to Heaven Vnto thee who art unbelieving and defiled is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 As the Earth hath the greatest cold in the bottom of it when the Sun shineth on it with the greatest heat to qualifie it So is thine heart dead and cold under all the warm influences of ordinances What a dreadful condition art thou in that those priviledges which are choice blessings to others should be cursed to thee and greaten both thy sin and suffering The fruit of those trees which stand in the Sun groweth greater then of those which grow in the shade so do thy sins under the Gospel of Christ wax greater then of those which want it Matth. 11.21 22 23. Hebr. 10.28 29. And as these sacred advantages increase thy corruption so also thy destruction When the physick which should remove the distemper cooperates with it it brings death with the more speed and pain No creature more terrible then fire and no fire so terrible as that which is taken from the Altar Take fire from the Altar and scatter it over the City Ezek. 10.2 they thought the fire of the Altar had been onely for the expiation of sin Calv. in loc but God makes them know that t was for the desolation of their City But thou art not onely cursed in what thou hast but also in what thou doest All thine actions whether inward or outward whether worldly or religious are all sinful and cursed Like the Leper under the Law thou taintest what ever thou touchest and makest it unclean Thy thoughts the first-born of thy soul and thy purest off-spring are all vain thine heart is a sink of sin an ocean of corruption and therefore is ever sending forth and bubbling up mire and dirt The imaginations and thoughts of thy heart are evil only evil and that continually Gen. 6.9 Thy words are wicked the inward wheels of thy spirit being disordered the clock of thy tongue cannot strike true The inward dunghil reaketh and sendeth forth its stench much this way Rom. 3.13 14. Thy mouth is full of cursing and bitterness The poison of Asps is under thy lips thy throat is an open Sepulcre like a grave when opened sending forth noisom and stinking exhalations Thy calling is not without its corruption The ploughing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 Thy very eating drinking sleeping buying selling what ever thou dost is evil though such actions are indifferent in themselves for all indifferency lieth in generals yet as done by thee from wicked principles and for wicked ends they are stark naught Nay thy very religious actions are sinful and unacceptable to God The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Thine incense stinks of the hand that offereth it therefore the heart of God cannot away with it Isa 1.13 14 15. 66.3 The vessel of thine heart is not clean and God will not taste of the liquor which cometh out of it because thy person is not accepted thy performances are all rejected Thou art in the flesh and therefore canst not please God Rom. 8.8 Thy duties are done without heart or heat and being dead carcases without spiritual life must needs be unsavory Thus man art thou miserable who art in a state of nature thine unregenerate heart being like some filthy fen or as some write of the Lake of Sodom which continually sendeth up poysonous vapors O into what dangerous Dilemmas doth thine unregeneracy bring thee If thou enjoyest the means of Grace by abusing them thou increasest thy misery Hebr. 10.28 If thou neglectest them thou leavest thy self without remedy and perishest unavoidably Prov. 29.18 Rom. 10.15 If thou art in prosperity the sunshine thereof doth but ripen thee for ruine as the Sun the grape for the wine-press of the Lords wrath Prov. 1.31 Psal 69.22 If thou art in adversity the fire thereof doth but harden thine heart of clay 2 Chron 28.22 Thy misery as Plutarch writes of drums to Tygers maketh thee mad Plutarch lib. de uper sat thou frettest like one in a frenzy 2 Kings 6.33 against the Lord If thou rejoycest thy laughter is from the teeth outward Is not thine heart many a time heavy when thy looks are lively Prov. 14.13 Doth not conscience when thou like Belshazar art carousing in thy cups spread forth an hand-writing before thee a black List of thy sins and Gods wrath which turneth all thy mirth into mourning at best thy laughter is but like the crackling of thorns under a pot which maketh a short blaze and busling noise and then vanisheth into smoak and ashes Dan. 5.5 6. Isa 57.21 If thou weepest thy tears are puddle-water and so thy worldly sorrow here but a pledge and earnest of thy sufferings hereafter If thou livest long thou heatest Hell the hotter every day treasuring up wrath upon thine head against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 If thou diest soon thou makest the more haste to Hell taking a short cut to thy long and doleful home If thou lookest upward thou maist see God frowning and his wrath revealed from Heaven against thee Rom. 1.18 thou mayst behold as it were the Heavens and their Host ready every moment to discharge Gods curse like a thunderbolt upon thee if thou lookest downward thou mayst see hell gaping as the earth did to Corah and opening its mouth wide to swallow thee up quick if thou lookest within thee thou mayst see conscience which thou hast abused as the Philistines did Samson by putting out its eyes causing it to grind at the divels mill and making sport with it resolving when it shall recover its strength to be avenged on thee and to make thee perish though it perish with thee If thou lookest without thee there is no sight but what may call thee to sighs and sobs If thou lookest upon the creatures are not they armed with stings and murdering Instruments on the behalf of their Creatour and alwayes ready to let fly at thee who art a Rebel against his Majesty If thou lookest into Scriptures there is a table richly spread which they that are born of God sit at with Adoption remission peace love the purchase of Christ the comforts of the Spirit which thou as the unbelieving Lord mayst see but
will be so heavy So now thou art born up with the streams of worldly comforts thy sins are easie and light but when thou comest once to touch at land at thy long home they will be so poysonous for their nature and so ponderous for their weight that thou wilt cry out sadly and despairingly what Paul did sorrowfully yet believingly O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 The god of this world now blindeth thine eyes that thou neither seest their number nor colour but in that long long night of blackness of darkness all those Ghosts will walk and then they will be gastly indeed Those arrows of sin which now thou shootest out of sight will then fall down upon the head of the Archer 4. It will teach thee the worth of a Saviour when thou feelest the want of a Saviour thou shalt know by woful experience the worth of a Saviour Sickness now probably teacheth thee the worth of health and pain the comfort of ease truly those torturing pains and wracking diseases with which thou shalt be eternally affected will teach thee though 't will be a miserable learning the great price and worth of the Physitian of souls Jesus Christ is more worth to a Saint in this world then the whole world If all the rocks were rubies and all the dust gold or the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet he would count all but dross and dung in comparison of Christ nay of one hours or moments communion with him But thou seest here no such vertue in his blood no such value in his passion no such beauty in his person no such excellency in his precepts But when thou shalt feel the wrath of God the curse of the Law the torments of Hell the poyson and sting of sin then a Redeemer will be a Redeemer indeed Now the Son of the ever blessed God tendereth himself to thee with many entreaties goeth after thee up and down night and day knocking at the door of thine heart with all his graces comforts and fruits of his death by the ministry of his word the motions of his spirit multitudes of temporal and spiritual mercies but thou unworthy wretch slightest both him and his precious Attendants and esteemest thy shop and stock thy corn and carnal comforts far before him but when thou shalt see what a weight of glory what Rivers of pleasures others enjoy through the Saviour and thy self feel more torment and pain then thou canst now possibly think or fear for want of a Saviour surely thou wilt have other manner of thoughts of him then now thou hast 'T would be as much worth to thee as Heaven now to know Jesus Christ and him crucified but 't will be the Hell of thine Hell to know him there O how deeply it will cut thine heart with horror to think that that Christ whom thou shalt see at his Fathers right hand waited on thee till his head was wet with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night called frequently and fervently after thee Turn turn O sinner why wilt thou die and run thus upon thy ruin and yet thou wert as deaf as an Adder and wouldst not hear the voice of that sweet Charmer 5. It will teach thee the preciousness of time Eternity will learn thee the value of time when in that long evening and night which shall never have a morning thou shalt remember and consider that thou hadst a day of Grace O Thou wilt think Time was when I had the tenders and offers of all that love and life mercy and merits heaven and happiness of which yonder blessed souls are possessors when mercy came kneeling to me for acceptance Grace came a begging at the door of my heart for admittance it followed me to bed and board abroad and at home beseeching me for the love of God for the sake of my poor soul to turn from lying vanities to the living God how often did the Minister with many entreaties invite exhort beseech me to pitty my dying soul to leave my damning sins 2 Cor. 6.2 and heartily to embrace my loving Saviour with all speed assuring me from the word of the Eternal God that then was the onely accepted time then was the onely day of Salvation but I despised and deferred all I thought I had time enough before me and wo and alas it is now too late the sun of my life is set the gate of mercy is shut I did not work in my day and now the things of my peace are for ever hid from mine eyes Alas alaâ— poor creature what wilt thou do in such an hour Now thou wantest wayes to spend thy time were it not for the Ale-house or good fellowship or some sinful or vain sports thou couldst not tell what to do with thy time Now thou esteemest it as a meer drug that hangs upon thy hand How many a precious hour dost thou throw away though the revenues of the whole world cannot purchase or call back a moment but then thou wilt cry as that foolish Lady on her death-bed who wantoned it away in her life time Plutarch in Pelopid Call time again Call time again but all in vain When thou art once entred upon thine Eternity there can be no recalling of Time I have read of Archias the Lacedemonian that whilst he was carousing in his cups amongst his jovial companions one delivers him a letter purposely to acquaint him that some lay in wait to take away his life and withal desired him to read it presently because it was matter of concernment O saith he Cras seria serious things to morrow but he was slain that night so whilst thou art wallowing in the mire of sensual pleasures a messenger from God is sent purposely to tell thee that Satan and Sin lie in ambushment to murther thy soul and withal intreateth thee to minde it speedily that thou mightest prevent it but thou cryest at least in thy heart and practice Serious things to morrow Repentance Faith and Holiness hereafter but before that hereafter come thou art in Hell and then present time will be precious when its past Thou wilt then remember how exceeding careful thou wast to plough and sow thy ground in its season and how mad and foolish to put off the ploughing up the fallow ground of thy heart and sowing to the Spirit till the season of Grace was past 6. It will teach thee the knowledge of Eternity though indeed this Lesson will be ever learning by thee and never learned Thou shalt suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude v. 7. and be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 14.10 Thou wouldst not burn an whole year no not one day in one of thy Kitchin fires for a Kingdom But O then thou shalt be in a ten thousand times hotter fire and for ever Ah! Who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can endure unquenchable flame Isa
blood and confirmed by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9.16 17 18 19. The Lords Supper is precious because it sheweth forth the Lords blood and death 1 Cor. 11.26 pardon of sin peace of conscience the affection of the Father the sanctification of the Spirit are all precious because they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1 Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 2.13 All our comforts run in this channel the blood of Christ is the stream which bears them up and brings them to us yea Heaven it self and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious sparkling stone Heaven is the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 'T is the blood of Jesus which giveth boldness to enter into that holy place Hebr. 10.19 The precious price paid for it will speak it and make it a glorious place If thou wert once regenerated Christ would be so precious to thee at this day that all things would be dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 O the price which true Christians set upon Christ The wise Merchant sold all for this Pearl I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel which was afterwards sold for twenty thousand duckets But Christ to a Saint is better then silver and more desirable then choice gold more precious then rubies yea then many millions of worlds When the Athenian Ladies were boasting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels she told them My jewels are my husband Phocion When Alexander was asked where his treasure was he shewed them his friends Such a Jewel such a Treasure is Jesus Christ in the esteem of his Spouse his Friends Christ is all in all The pious soul is of the same minde with John of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor and made even with his Revenues he looks up to Heaven and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Master Jesus Christ to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of nothing so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ But the Christian hath a choice room in his soul for the blood of his Saviour He prizeth the shameful cross of Christ above the most glorious crown of the greatest earthly Potentate Gal. 6.14 Thus Friend it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted thou wouldst determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified O the honey which thou wouldst suck out of the Carkass the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah When thou shouldest consider that this blood of Jesus Christ is that alone which hath satissied Gods justice Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.20 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. pacified his anger justified thy person sanctified thy nature removed the curse of the Law from thee and thee from the eternal wrath of God and unquenchable torments of Hell would it not be precious blood in thine esteem think of it what a price thou wouldst set upon it but when thou shouldst in Heaven for ever behold the blessed body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and consider that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory when thou shouldst see thousands and millions in matchless and endless burnings from which thou wert delivered and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire and thy soul filled brim-full with unspeakable joy nay every part of thy body and soul enlarged to the utmost and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight and thou shouldst be confident and assured to enjoy this for ever and know clearly all this to be the travel of Christs soul and the fruit of his blood Friend friend what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Christ Surely 't will be precious blood indeed thou wouldst have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood then thou ever hadst here below The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion and the great subject of their eternal admiration Their delivery from sin Satan wrath and hell into a state of liberty love grace and salvation by the blood of Jesus will fill their eyes and hearts with wonder love and joy for ever All the voices there shall sing this song and all the vials there shall be set to this tune Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and glory and blessing Rev. 5.9.10 11 12 to end If the Queen of Sheba when she beheld the wisdom and magnificence of Solomon was so transported that there remained no more spirit in her how will thine heart be transported to see the love and glory of the true Solomon who wept and bled and lived and died to bring thee to heaven Fourthly Thou shouldst know what God is and truly this would be no smal part of thy felicity Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit divine knowledge is the excellency of a Christian and differenceth him from a Heathen The knowledge of humane things hath been so highly esteemed by some of the Heathen that they have profest they would give their whole estates to enjoy their books without interruption what then is the knowledge of divine things worth Aristotle saith That a little knowledge of heavenly things though but conjectural is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act In this world thou canst see but little of him thy sight is so weak but there thou shouldst see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 Now the Christian rather seeth and knoweth God as he is not then as he is we describe him for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions by way of negation to be a Spirit Infinite Unchangeable and the like which particulars tell us what God is not He is a Spirit that is a being without a body for God is not a Spirit as the souls of men and as Angels are I mean not of such a substance The Spirit of God in that expression God is a Spirit Joh. 4. condescendeth to our capacities because we are not able to conceive
Had he studied a thousand years for a name he could not have called it by a worse name then its own sinful sin Luther saith that could a man but see perfectly the evil of his sins on earth it would be an hell to him such a frightful ugly monster is sin Look on sin which way thou wilt and it is exceeding sinful the evil of evils Take it in its nature it is a deviation from Gods Law a wandring from his word a casting his Law behinde the back the Law is strait sin is crookedness Psal 125.5 The Law is holy sin is defilement Rom. 7.12 2 Cor. 7.1 The Law is just sin is unrighteousness 1 John 1.7 The Law is liberty sin is bondage Jam. 2.8 12. 2 Tim. 2.26 Sin is a defacing of Gods image it blots and blurs that fair and beautiful writing not onely meritoriously as it provokes God to withdraw his Grace but physically Numb 15.30 Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.12 as one contrary expels another Hereby it dishonours Gods name and reproacheth his Majesty for what greater disgrace can be done to a Prince then to tread his orders under foot and tear and scratch and deface his picture Nay Lev. 22.26 Zec. 11.8 Rom. 8.7 Rom. 1.30 1 Sa. 15.23 Isa 1.2 Rom. 6 16. Psal 14.1 it s a defying and fighting against God a walking contrary to him a daring of him it is enmity against him loathing him hatred of him contrariety to him it is against his Soveraignity and so is rebellion against his mercy and so is unkindness against his justice and so is unrighteousness against his wisdom and so is folly against his will Omne seccatu est deicidium and so is stubbornness Were it strong enough it would ungod him were the sinners power according to his corrupt heart he would pluck God out of Heaven I would I were above God saith Spira When the body of sin is nailed as a thief on the Cross yet even then it will rage as he and spit out poison against Heaven Reader Canst thou finde in thine heart to hug and embrace such a Traytor against the gracious and blessed God! To stretch out thine hand against God as every sinner doth and strengthen thy self against the Almighty Vid. Car. in loc 10 this purpose Job 15.25 Stretch out thine hand against God! No man should lift up a word against God our mouthes should shew forth his praise Stretch out thine hand against God! no man should lift up a thought against God our meditations of him should be for him Stretch out thine hand against God every man should bow down and worship before God and be satisfied in what ever he saith and doth Stretch out thine hand against God! thou art bound to stretch out thine heart and hand and tongue to think and speak and act and all for God and all little enough Take sin in its effect and what evil is like it Eccl. 1.3 it is the cause of all other evils Dost thou consider the emptiness vanity and vexation in the creatures the heavens fighting against man the earth bearing thorns and briars the diseases in mens bodies the burning Feavor watery Dropsie aking teeth running Gout wracking Stone renting Collick the quivering lips trembling loins gastly looks of dying men The horrors of conscience flashes of the infernal fire curses of the Law wrath of God torments of Hell all these are the fruits of sin All misery calleth sin mother this is the root of bitterness upon which they grow the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 ult and 5.12 that big-bellied word Death hath all these woful brats in its belly and Sin is the father that begat them Sin turned Adam out of Paradise Angels into Devils Sodom and Gomorah into ashes flourishing Families Cities Kingdoms into ruinous heaps Sin shuts heaven against man laid the foundation of that dark vault of hell Sin kindled the fire of hell Sin feeds it with fuel and will keep it burning for ever Oh what an evil is sin who would not hate it more then hell Is it good to play with such fire as sin is didst thou believe sin to be the cause of all this thou wouldst never open thy heart or mouth more for it Dost thou know that as where the effect is good the cause is better so where the effect is bad the cause is worse Can there be worse effects then eternal separation from God and suffering the vengeance of eternal fire how bad is sin then which is the cause of them Take sin as a punishment and 't is the evil the only evil there is no suffering like to this to be given up to a course of sining Reader take heed of continuing an hour longer in thine ungodly practices it may be thou hast been ready to think it a great happiness to sin without controle to run in the road of the flesh and to meet with no rubs to prosper though thou art wicked I tell thee and think of it the longest day thou livest for it highly concerneth thee that the infinite God never claps a more dreadful curse on any man or woman on this side hell then to give them up to sin If God should give thee up to the sword famine most painful diseases to thy most cruel potent and malicious enemies to be wrackt by them at pleasure these were nothing to this to be given up to one sin When God hath used his rods scourging men and they will not reform then he takes this ax and presently execution followeth to be delivered up to the power of men may be the lot of Gods sons but to be delivered up to the power of sin is the portion of Rebels of Reprobates This is the stinging whip with which God punisheth Ephrahim 2 Tim. 3.13 2 â—hess 2.10 11. Ephraim is joyned to Idols there is his impiety but what grievous punishment shall he have for his God-provoking Idolatry Let him alone Hos 4.17 It is not I will send the raging pestilence or cruel famine or bloody sword but he is joyned to idols let him alone I will not have him disturbed or molested but he shall have his will though it prove his everlasting woe Rom. 1.21 22. Psal 81.11 12. Hos 8.11 It is a woe with a witness 1 Cor 5. comp with 2 Cor. 7. for God to let thy lusts like so many ravenous Lions loose upon thee and to lay the reins of thy sins upon thy own neck We read of one delivered up to Satan yet he was saved but never of any delivered up to their sins but they were damned It was a sad sight which Abraham saw when he beheld flakes of fire rained from heaven upon the Sodomites but it was a sadder which Lot beheld when he saw the fire of hell burning in their hearts and breaking out in their lives and his righteous soul was vexed therewith Reader have a care that thou never in thy heart plead more for
pleasant â—rov 3.17 Regeneration brings the soul to its centre in which it must needs rest The very work of serving God is a reward in it self in the keeping of them meaning Gods commandments there is great reward Observe Pâ—â— 9 1â— in keeping of them The service of God affords such satisfaction that Gods servants would not leave it for all this world though they were to receive no recompence in the other world The Precepts of God are sweeter then the honey how sweet then are his Promises Is life excellent This is the true life Eternal life saith Augustine is the true life This is the seed the beginning of eternal life Joh. 17.3 All unregenerate men are dead are but walking ghosts or moving carcasses their souls are but like salt to keep their bodies from putrifaction for a season The Heathen said of a vicious man that lived to be old Multum jactatus est noâ—multum nâ—vi gavit Sâ—n ad Panlin alluding to Mariners He was much tossed â—p and down but sailed not at all All the time of thy natural life till thou art converted is lost Paul dates his life from his regeneration We count not a tree living for standing in a garden if it bring not forth fruit Is honor excellent Holiness is honorable Holiness becometh thy house O Lord of Hosts Psal 93.5 It 's more honor to be a Member of Christ then to be Monarch of Christendom Godliness is the honorable livery which Christ purchased for and bestowed on the society of Christians He gave himself for his Church that he might present it to himself a GLORIOVS CHVRCH without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.25 27. In a word holiness is the honor and excellency of God himself Exod. 15.11 He is said to be glorious in holiness he is called rich in mercy Ephes 2.3 but glorious in holiness his Mercy is his treasure but his Holiness is his honor He sweareth by his holiness Psal 89.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David Great persons though sinfully will swear by their titles by their honors by that which they glory most inthese are their oathes that are most binding with them The great God in whom is no iniquity sweareth by his holiness as his crown glory his great excellency He is above thirty times called The Holy one of Israel This is the excellency which Angels and perfect spirits in heaven and Saints on earth do so much admire him for Is 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Nay as gold Exod 24. â—0 â—5 â—â—v 6. â—◠〈◊〉 16 23. Ps 105.42 Isz 5â— 10 Pr. 1â—5 17 because 't is the most excellent mettal is laid not only over pâ—uter and brass but also over silver it self so because holiness is the excellency the perfection of God it s laid not onely over his Servants his Sanctuary his Services his Word his Works his Sabbath his Temple and every thing that belongs to him but also over all his other choyce Attributes his Power is holy power his Mercy is holy mercy his Wisdom is holy wisdom Holiness is the perfection of all his excellent Attributes For were it possible which is high blasphemy for any to imagine for those Attributes to be separated from his holiness they would degenerate his Wisdom into craft Gurn. Ar. par 2. p. 2.9 his Justice into cruelty his Mercy into foolish pity and his Soveraignty into tyranny t is the Holiness of God which poiseth every one O the excellency the excellency of holiness who knoweth its worth Reader what dost thou think of this third subject of consideration The excellency of regeneration and holiness which God requireth of thee for the avoiding of hell and attaining of heaven Tell me doth God require any thing to thy wrong If God required of thee to live a thousand years on earth and to spend all that time in hunger cold nakedness disgrace paines and imprisonment or otherwise thou shouldst not escape unquenchable burnings and enjoy eternal life thou wert worse then mad if thou didst not accept of and obey such a command How hearty and thankful then should thy acceptance be of Jesus Christ to be thy Lord and Savionr of dying to sin and living to and delighting thy self in his blessed Majesty which is all he desireth of thee O do not refuse when thou art so well offered Is it possible that thou canst read so much of the excellency of regeneration how t is the image of the glorious God the destruction of the evil of evils the fruit of the death of Jesus Christ the end which infinite wisdome propounds in his workings the special workmanship of Gods own hands the high honour and perfection of the mighty possessour of heaven and earth and thy soul not be in love with it nor breath after it O that I were regenerated O that my soul had those true treasures those spiritual pleasures that wisdom that life that honour that beauty that excellency which no tongue can commend sufficiently O that the pure image of God were imprinted on me O that Christ might see the travail of his soul upon me and be satisfied I have read that when Zeuxis the famous painter had drawn his masterpeece the picture of Helena Nicostratus the Athemian painter beholding it stood amazed at its rareness and admired the exquisiteness of it There stands by a rich ignorant wretch who would needs know what Nicostratus discovered in it worthy of so much wonder O Friend saith he hadst thou my eyes thou wouldst not ask such a question but rather admire it as I do It may be Reader when thou seest the Saints admiring the beauty of holiness ravished with the excellency of Gods image so extreamly taken with it that they read hear watch fast pray mourn weep suffer any thing all things to enjoy more of it thou art ready to wonder what they see in holiness worthy of such admiration and such diligent endeavours but I tell thee Hadst thou their eyes instead of wondring at them thou wouldst wonder with them I and work with them too and that hard for holiness The fourth Subject of consideration The necessity of Regeneration FOurthly Consider the absolute necessity of Regeneration if it were not so excellent yet it is a thing of absolute necessity and therefore must not be neglected It is not a work of indifferency which may be done or may not be done but a worke of indispensable necessity which must be done or thou art undone for ever Reader here is an argument which neither the flesh nor world nor devil can answer and therefore it must not be denied It is indeed so fruitful a blessing that if thou hast this thou needst no more every thing that is worth ought is in the womb of it but it is so needful that if thou hast not this thou hast nothing the whole world cannot make up the want of this There are many things about which possibly thou spendest much
all that would partake of Gospel-priviledges It is necessary in regard of the purpose of God Elect according to the fore knowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Though God did not choose men because they were holy yet he chose men to be holy though he appointed not men to be saved because they were Saints yet he appointed men to be Saints and then to be saved It is necessary in regard of the passion of Christ he died for sin that men might die to sin he laid down his life that men might lay down their lusts his passion is a City of Refuge to the Penitent not a sactuary to the presumptuous God intended it to help men out of not to hold them in the mire of sin He is the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him Hebr. 5.9 He died because men were sinners but he died that men might be Saints He suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now man and God can never be brought together till the emnity which is in the heart of man against God be removed If ever thou have Christ for thy Priest to satisfie Gods Justice for thy sins it is absolutely necessary that thou accept him for thy Prince to subdue thee to his service Had Christ come to procure man a pardon Gur. Arm. â—par â—17 and not to restore his lost holiness he had been a minister of sin and instead of bringing glory to God he had set sin in the throne and onely obtained a liberty for the creature to dishonour God without controle Again saith the same accurate writer In vain do men think to shroud themselves under Christs wings from the hue and cry of their accusing consciences while wickedness finds a sanctuary in them Christ was sent from God not to secure men in but to save men from their sins It is necessary in regard of the promises of God Thus saith the Lord of hosts turn to me saith the Lord of hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 1.3 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4.8 If ever God draw nigh to thee in mercy thou must draw nigh to him in duty He that shall have the reward must do the work The precepts of God must be written on the heart otherwise the promises of God shall never fall down on thine head Isa 1.16 17 and 55.7 1 King 8.35 Prov. 28.13 Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 'T is the pure heart alone that hath the assurance of the pure heaven Thou seest now I hope clearly the absolute necessity of Regeneration what therefore canst thou think to do without it O ponder this again and again that there is no escape no evasion God will not vary from his Law Thy dying to sin is necessary sin must die or thy soul cannot live If ye live after the the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 6. Gal. 6.6 7. Surely thou canst not think that Heaven will be a stye for swine or a kennel for dogs that feed on filth and carrion Believe it if any iniquity be let go thy life must go for its life The Jaylors paid dear for letting Peter escape Act. 12. Herod commanded them to be put to death Truly so dear must thou pay for the escape of sin 't wil bring the second death even eternal death upon thee be thy sin as near and as dear as Isaac it must be sacrificed be it never so small it must not be spared Cesar was stab'd with bodkins I have somewhere read that a man and a Crocodile never meet but one dieth 'T is certain sin and the soul never meet but one dieth if sin live the soul dieth if sin die the soul liveth there is no parting stakes or retreating upon equal terms Maurice of Newport told his Souldiers when he had sent away his boates that there was no flying the Spaniards being before them and the Sea behinde them Either ye must eat up and destroy those Spaniards or drink up this ocean Friend such is thy case either thou must destroy thy sins or drink up the bottomless ocean of the Lords wrath Answer me seriously thou wilt say thou dost not love such a man so well as to be hangd for him Dost thou love sin so well as to be damned for it Dost thou love thy Drunkenness and Swearing and Uncleanness and scoffing at Godliness so well as to burn eternally in hell for them Dost thou love thy pride and worldliness and lustful thoughts and Atheisme and carnall mindedness so well as to be tormented day and night for ever and ever for them A very Coward will fight when he must either kill or be killed Willt not thou fight manfully when sin will kill thee if it be not killed by thee Ahab out of foolish pitie gave Benhadad his life when he ought to have slain him but the requital which Benhadad made was to kill Ahab 1 King cap. ult v. 31 34. such a requital sin will make thee if thou favour it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the masculine article sheweâ—h that it s to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Manton on â—ude p. 38. Follow after peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Observe how peremptory God is in that place that without holiness no man shall see God It is not said that without peace no man shall see God but without holiness no man shall see God Peace may be broken in the quarrel of truth and holiness and yet for all that a man may see God Jeremiah was a man of contention and yet a man for the beatifical vision but they that are not holy cannot see God A pure eye onely can see a pure God As the eye which hath dust in it without or thick vapours stopping the nerves within cannot see except it be cleansed from the one and purged from the other So a man the eye of whose mind is clouded with the mist of sin cannot behold God till he be cleansed The Christians happiness in heaven consisteth in such a vision of God as shall make him like God 1 John 3.2 but a dusky glass cannot represent an image When the Sun of righteousness shall shine upon a pure Christal glass a clean unspotted soul t will cause a glorious reflection indeed To wind up this fourth subject of consideration Reader Affaires of absolute indispensable necessity should like weighty things make a deep impression upon thy spirit Urge thy soul often with this that of all things in the world regeneration is the one thing necessary Let conscience press it on thee I must be converted or condemned here is the word of the living God for it and such a word
as cannot possibly go unfulfilled O my soul what sayst thou to it Except thou art born again thou canst not see the Kingdom of God There is a necessity of thy turning in time or burning eternally How wilt thou answer this text and many more in the other world Canst thou think to make the infinite God a liar and in despight of him and his word to escape hell O do not deceive thy self God will be true though every man be a liar therefore set about this work that is thus absolutely needful before thou art irrecoverably woful Friend I would advise thee to do as the Patriaches did Joseph had told them that Except your yonger brother come with you ye shall not see my face Jacob their father would have them notwithstanding this express assertion to venture into Josephs presence without their brother But what said Judah Gen. 43.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The man did solemnly protest unto us saying Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down but if thou wilt not send him we will not go down for the man said unto us Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you So do thou consider and lay it home to thy soul that the great God of heaven and earth hath said that except regeneration be with thee be in thee thou shalt not see his face with comfort and though thy deceitful heart and the divel may wish thee to venture into his presence in the other world without it yet do thou reply the almighty and faithful God hath solemnly protested unto me that except regeneration be with me I shall not see him face to face and enjoy the beatifical vision Therefore if I be regenerated I will go and look death judgment God and Christ in the face with courage and comfort but if I be not regenerated I may 〈◊〉 go lest I die lest I be damned eterâ—â—â—y For God hath said unto me Follow after holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. The fifth subject of Consideration The Equity of Regeneration or living to God FIfthly Consider the Equity and reasonableness of that which God requireth of thee I shall now appeal to thine own conscience whether there be not all the reason in the world that thy main work night and day should be to please and glorifie the Lord if all come from him should not the honor of all be given to him if he be infinite in wisdom should he not in all his providences be adored if he be infinitely faithful should he not in all his promises be beleived if he be the first cause should he not in all his precepts be obeyed if he be infinitely holy should he not in all our approaches to him be reverenced if he be infinitely just and powerful should he not in all his threatnings be feared if he be infinitely gracious and perfect should he not be heartily loved Religion is the highest reason therefore conversion is called conviction Joh. 16.10 When a mans mouth is stopped and his mind fully satisfied of the reason of living to God that he hath nothing to object against 〈◊〉 then he is convinced Rom 12.1 The offering upâ—â— thy soul and body unto God as a living sacrifice is called rational or reasonable service I shall offer thee three or four Questions and I do verily beleive that if thou seriously consider them thou canst not but be convinced that there is all the reason in the world that thou shouldst presently turn from sin unto God First Is there not all the reason in the world that the work should be for the service and honor of the workman that he who planted the vineyard should eat of the fruit of it that he who made thee should be served by thee he who oweth the ground and buildeth an house may rationally expect the benefit and use of it may not God thy Landlord who hath reared and set up thine earthly Tabernacle appoint what conditions he pleaseth in the Lease which he granteth thee how his own house should be imployed not to such and such sordid sinful uses but to the service and glory of his Majesty is it rational that Gods house should be imployed to the Devils use Thy creation is such a tie to subjection that thou canst never answer it Ps 100.22 Serve the Lord with gladness he hath made us and not we ourselves Davids prayer is to this purpose Thine hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may keep thy commandments Psa 119.77 and 95.6 Isa 43.7 Let thy conscience be judge wouldst not thou esteem it injustice for another to have the honor and use of thy works or of thine house the Law which is built upon reason gives thee the service of thine own goods houses and lands and why shall not God have thy service with what face canst thou deny him that sowed liberty to reap Secondly Is there not all the reason in the world that he who lives wholly at anothers cost and charge that is fed cloathed preserved night and day protected at home and abroad supplied with all necessaries relieved in all his exigencies delivered in all his extremities by another should live wholly to him and do him service Dost thou not know that thy being and all thy comforts depend on God every moment that every bit of bread every breath of air every hours sleep nay every minutes abode on this side hell is altogether from his bounty and mercy that thou canst not speak a word nor think a thought nor lift an hand nor stir a foot nor open thine eyes to see or thy mouth to eat or drink without him T is his visitation that preserveth thy spirit Job 10.12 In him thou livest movest and hast thy being He is thy shield to defend thee from evil many mischiefs would daily befal thee men would kill thee devils would drag thee to hell O how they long for thee and how ready they are to seise thee did not the Lord curb and restrain them Alexander told his Souldiers I wake that ye may sleep Sure I am he that preserveth thee never stumbereth nor sleepeth The Lord is the Captain of thy Life-guard to protect thee and thy Sun to refresh thee and therefore dost thou not owe him the glory of those mercies which his free grace bestoweth on thee Thou dost a little under God for the feeding and cloathing of thy children and servants and therefore thinkest that no duty no service is great enough for thee O how infinitely art thou bound to God for all thy time health strength food raiment house friend and every good thing that thou enjoyest and yet may not God look that thou shouldst make it thy business to serve please and glorifie him T was a good vow of holy Jacob If the Lord will be with me and keep me in the way
no solid food for his hungry and thirsty soul heareth at last Christ calling to him Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters buy wine and milk without money and without price cast thy sins thy soul on me and thou shalt finde rest Lord thinks he I have tried creatures and they cannot help me I have tried duties and they cannot ease me I have taken much pains and caught nothing and should I come to thee wouldst thou open thine eye upon such a wretch my unworthiness makes me mistrust the success nevertheless at thy command I will do it and now he cometh in his sinking estate to take hold on the arm of the Lord which the Gospel stretcheth out to him and thereby he is saved The last step is a resolution of the sinner to give up himself to all the Laws of Christ or an hearty acceptation of the Redeemer as Saviour and Soveraign The heart of the man is so melted by Evangelical sorrow for sin and the heat of Gods love to his soul that he is like soft wax for any impression God may command him what he pleaseth he cleaveth to the Lord with full purpose of heart Before he was like the Prodigal he must go as far as he could from his Fathers house the orders there were too pure the Laws there too strict the discipline there too severe he travelleth therefore into a far Country but now the man is hungry he will submit to do the duty of a Son so he may but have the childrens bread and diet nay now he is come to himself it is his meat and drink to do the will of God he seeth such equity in Gods will such beauty in his worship such excellency and comfort in his wayes that he would not part Jesus Christ and his holy precepts which he now savoureth for all earthly pleasures he is tied so firmly to his Master with the bond of unfeigned love that Satan himself will but work at the labour in vain when he goeth about to separate him and his service He writes Holiness to the Lord upon his body soul estate family relations and all that he hath thankfully acknowledgeing Gods propriety in all and his own felicity to consist in improving all for God He considereth how infinite his obligations to God are what an hell of endless horror he is redeemed from what an heaven of love and happiness he is called to and wisheth that he had or could do something worthy of such a God And because he hath nothing more or better he gives himself to God as Aeschines when he saw his fellow-schollers give their Master Socrates large presents being poor and having nothing to give went and gave himself to his Master acknowledging that he was his devoted servant The sinner before was unbroken and so as unfit for subjection as the unbroken colt for the saddle but now the heart being humbled the eare is heedy to whatever God speaketh Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 It is with an humbled M. Fenner of the kiling power of the Law and with an unhumbled sinner as with two men that are going to market whereof the one hath need he and his family are in extreme want ready to perish for bread now this man will go what ever weather come if it raine never so fast he will go when he comes there whatever the price be he will buy though he pawn his cloaths he will have bread why he is like to famish for want of it bread he comes for and bread he must have The other hath no great need therefore if he like the weather he will go if not he will stay at home if he goeth when he comes to the Market he will buy or forbear as the price of things pleaseth him he is indifferent whether he lay out his money or no if commodities are held at an high rate he will go as he came and buy nothing and all because he hath no need he can do well enough without them thus an humbled sinner seeth nay feeleth his extreme need of Christ that he must perish everlastingly without an interest in him and therefore what ever it cost him he will have Christ he is resolved to deny himself to crucifie the flesh to hate father mother house name land all for Christ let God hold the price of his Son never so dear he will sell all but he will buy this pearl and what is the reason truly because this man hath need he knoweth the absolute necessity which he standeth in of Christ that none but Christ can deliver him from the weight of his sins the Almighty Gods fury and the vengeance of eternal fire therefore a Saviour he comes for and a Saviour he will have what ever commands or prohibitions are joyned with him but an unhumbled finner feeth not his extream need of Christ and therefore though when he heareth of the infinite perfections in Christ and the unspeakable priâ—iledges which the regenerate have by Christ he will acknowledg that the wares are good he hath nothing to say against them but the price is too dear he will not come up to it and why truly because he seeth not his need of Christ he thinks he can do well enough without Christ If God would let him serve Christ and the world and flesh with him he would not care much if he did buy but if he cannot have Christ at his own price farwel Christ and pardon and mercy and God and eternall life Mat 9.12 farwel for ever for him and all because the man is an whole man unbroken unhumbled But you have read in the former steps that the sinner before he comes thus far is throughly melted and therefore he is for any mould which God thinks good Yet I believe that a man or woman whom the Spirit of God hath brought over to Jesus Christ doth by the new nature bestowed on them or the law of God written within them resolve upon all known duties and against all known iniquities more out of love to God and holiness then out of any slavish fear of wrath and hell The man seeth by the law the contrariety of sin to the image of God and consequently to his own real and spiritual good whereby there ariseth within him not onely an estrangedness from but an emnity against sin though it were the object of his affections before yet t is the object of his passions now So for duties the soul is brought through working of the Spirit to approve and delight in the good and perfect and acceptable will of God Communion with God and conformity to God are the utmost of his desires and indeavours O how willingly doth this Christian take upon him the yoak of Christ not complaining of its uneasiness but of his own unholiness The man formerly was as a Virgin before marriage she standeth upon her terms she will indent with her Sweet heart what shall be setled upon
the Serpent that stings thee to death is from thy warming and hatching that egg in thine own breast All the men on earth and all the devils in hell could not damn thee were it not for thy wilfulness in sin And canst thou expect that Jesus Christ should save thee against thine own will that he should carry thee to heaven whether thou wilt or no Believe it a state of sin and wrath is the matter of thine own choice The door which shuts thee out of the fathers house is bolted against thee by thine own hands Answer me this question or else never more make this objection Art thou willing to turn from sin unto God Art thou willing to take the son of God for thy Saviour and Lord If thou art willing I am sure God is willing he hath confirmd it with an oath Ezek. 33.11 Jesus Christ is willing that sinners should live or he would not so willingly have died such a death he hath paid the price of thy ransom and offereth thee an happier estate then that of which Adam deprived thee If thou art willing to accept of thy freedom thou mayst have it If any man will let him drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22. And if thou art not willing why dost thou complain Fourthly I answer the fault is clearly in thy self because thou neglectest to do what thou hast power to do Thou hast power without any special grace to perform duties to hear the word to pray in secret and with thy family to forbear thy wicked company thy swearing lying drinking scoffing at godliness and yet dost not mind those duties constantly nor forbear those sins shall a servant friend be thine own judge which is trusted with five pound to imploy for his Masters honour spend this in whoring and gaming and then blame his master for not trusting him with thousands When man broke by his fall there was some stock left in his hands not enough to set him up again but that which might do him some good now they spend this profusely they throw away those checks of conscience which escaped the ruines of the fall they corrupt themselves in what they know and wickedly refuse to do what they can and yet are so impudent as to flie in the face of the ever-blessed God that he doth not give them power to do more Fifthly thy weakness and impotency should drive thee to Christ for strength Lex data ut gratia quaereretur gra tia data ut lex impleretur Aug. de Spi. et l. 1. cap. 19. Thy misery by the first Adam should cause thee to mind thy recovery by the second Adam The word of God discovereth to thee the necessity of regeneration thine own inability to do it that thou mightst ply the throne of grace flie to Jesus Christ for help and succour A man that is lifting a peice of timber and finds it too heavy for him will call in help thus the Law is a School-master to drive thee to Christ When thou considerest with thy self that thou must be regenerated or damned in hell for ever and that thou art altogether unable to renew and sanctify thy self how diligent should it make thee in attendance on Jesus Christ for his Spirit and grace How shouldst thou wait on thy redeemer in reading hearing praying meditating using all those meanes which he hath appointed for the conversion of thy soul The second objection answered That unregenerate men sin in performing duties and attending on ordinances SEcondly it may be thou wilt say You presse me much to pray and hear and frequent the means of grace but I sin in doing so I sin in praying I sin in hearing and singing and would you have me sin I answer First thou sinnest in eating and drinking and following thy calling in not doing these things upon right principles and for right ends and wilt thou therefore forbear them thou wilt pamper and please thy body right or wrong not onely in the use but even in the abuse of the creatures but how ordinary an excuse will make thee neglect thy soul Secondly Regenerate men themselves sin in all their performances though not in such a manner as unregenerate ones do and should they therefore lay them down Thirdly no pretence whatsoever can excuse from obedience to clear precepts remember also that the commands of God do not interfere or contradict each other Now God expresly commandeth thee though thou art in a natural estate to perform duties Peter when he had told Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity yet he bids him pray to the Lord Acts 8.22 if peradventure the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him our sinning in duties cannot abrogate that Law of God which enjoyns duties as Gods precepts are not measures of our strength so they are not lessened by our weakness The Ninivites though unregenerate as some think yet when threatned with destruction did both pray and fast and found that it was not in vain Jonah 4.3 Fourthly thou sinnest less in performing duties then in neglecting them If thou art resolved to go on in a course of sinning and damning thy soul I know not what to say to thee the Lord pitty thee but if thou hast any desire of Salvation in a Gospel-way thou offendest far far less in waiting on God in his Ordinances then those do that refuse them in performing duties without suitable grace thou failest in the manner of Divine worship others that omit duties fail both in the matter and manner thou owest God outward as well as inward service the confession of thy mouth as well as the conversion of thine heart surely then if thou givest God the former though without the latter thou dost not sin so much as they that give him neither Fifthly shouldst thou neglect the means of grace thou wouldst make thy condition which is already dreadful to be desperate if ever God meet thee it must be in his own way Rom. 10.15 17. Prov. 8. I believe thou scarce ever heardst of any man converted while he cast by the means of grace which God afforded him Sixthly If thy condition be so sad that thou sinnest in all thou dost thou hast the more need to hasten out of it Ah who would be quiet one hour in such an estate wherein what ever he doth is abominable to God! Men that are weak and sickly do not therefore forbear food because they are not able to digest it well and it may possibly yeild some nourishment to their disease but do therefore eat that they may get strength and be enabled to overcome their distempers Seventhly God may meet with thee in the means of Grace The Ordinances of God are the golden pipes through which he conveyeth the oil of Grace from Christ the olive tree God doth not bid thee to wait upon him for nothing thousands have found by happy experience that they are blessed which watch at Wisdoms gate
the House of which thou descendest nor disgrace the Family of Faith to which thou belongest Should such a man as I flie said Nehemiah Think with thy self Should such a man as I that am inrollâ—d in the Book of life regenerated by the Spirit of God redeemed from my vain conversation with the precious blood of Christ should such a man as I dishonor my Father grieve my Comforter by frothy language unseemly carriage or being guilty of any thing in my practices that is unsutable to my great and honorable priviledge The Father hath chosen me to be a vessel of honor shall I defile my self with the filth of sin The Son hath bought me with a vast sum shall not I yield my self up wholy to his service The Spirit hath made my heart its habitation and shall I suffer in it the least unholiness I can never pay God for his boundless love but I will endeavor to praise him by a spotless life O Friend walk worthy of the calling wherewith thou art called Ephes 4.1 There is a comliness peculiar to thine effectual calling If a Scholler hath another manner of carriage then a Scullion and a Courtier then a Carter surely a Christian must lead a different life from them that are dead in sins and trespasses Thy calling is high Phil. 3.14 and therefore thou shouldst walk above the men of the world Men that are called to high Offices will carry themselves answerable to their places Princes do not live like Peasants Thou art called to be a Son of God a coheir with Christ a Citizen of Sion The Son of a King must like Absolom be without blemish from top to toe That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke Phil. 2.15 Adoption is a translation out of one Family into another and doth disoblige thee from the Laws of Satan and his Family and oblige thee to the rules and orders of Christ and his House into which thou art taken Thou art called to be a King Rev. 1.5 It is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink Pro. 31. that is immoderately such a sin is very bad in a Subject but much worse in a Soveraign as a spot in scarlet is worse then in sackcloth The transgressions of others have much rebellion and obstinacy in them but thy sins have more of unkindness and treachery as being against the Covenant Thou art called to reign with Christ in Heaven O walk worthy of him that hath called thee unto his Kingdom and glory 1 Thes 2.12 Thou that hast hopes to be like Christ in glory shouldst labour as for life to be like him in grace 1 John 3.3 Plutarch in vit Iul. Caes Caesar when he heard that Brutus conspired against him would not believe it but said He looks for this skin meaning he expecteth to be my heir to succeed me in the Empire and therefore he will not be so unworthy as to plot against me Reader hath not Christ more cause to expect that thy present deportment should be answerable to thy future preferment Thy calling is holy 2 Tim. 1.9 and therefore thy carriage should be holy other callings may put glory upon a man but cannot infuse grace into a man other callings may change thy condition but this hath changed thy disposition Thou art called to be a Saint shouldst thou not then live as a Saint 1 Cor. 1.2 Alexander would often bid a Captain of his name Recordare nominis Alexander Remember that thou art called Alexander that the Captain remembring his name might do nothing unworthy of it Truly so say I to thee Remember that thou art called to be a Saint to be a Christian and do not by the unexemplariness of thy life cause that worthy name by which thou art called to be blasphemed Thy calling is heavenly Hebr. 3.1 and therefore thy conversation should be in Heaven it is from God and therefore must lead thee to God O how stately is the deportment of wordlings when they are called to high employments how little should all the things on earth be in thine eyes who art fixed in heaven Themistocles walking with one by the Sea-side and seeing a precious treasure on the earth said to his fellow-traveller Do thou take it up fer thou art not Themistocles If the men of the world whose portions are in this life have their affections set on things below and their conversations on earth remember that thy treasure is in heaven and thine heart must be there also live as one that belongs to another Country In a word study strive labour endeavour watch pray hear read meditate that thou mayst in private in publick upon all occasions in all companies in all manner of conversation shew forth the praises of him who hath called thee out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Secondly As thou shouldst be thankful to God so also faithful to men Thou art converted thy self do thine utmost to convert others The Lepers coming into the Syrian Camp and finding food enough to relieve themselves and many others ready to perish with hunger they first feasted themselves and afterwards say one to another We do not well this day is a day of good tydings and we hold our peace if we tarry till the morning light some mischief will befall us now therefore come that we may go and tell the Kings houshold 2. Kings 7.9 The time was when thou like the Lepers wast famishing thy soul with the huskes of the world now God hath fed thee with the fat things of his house dost thou well to hold thy peace Consider them that are pinched with hunger and call them to Gods Courts tell them what large provision he maketh how the table is spread his oxen his fatlings are killed all things ready he wanteth onely comers and company thou dost well to take hold for thy self but thou dost ill if thou with-holdst from others Israel was commanded to pity strangers because they were once strangers in the Land of Egypt Shouldst not thou compassionate them that are strangers from the Covenant of Promise aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel carried captive by the Devil at his will considering that thou wast in that house of bondage in as great slavery to Satan and subjection to sin as others and it was nothing but Grace and Mercy that redeemed thee Put them in minde saith the Apostle to be gentle shewing all meekness unto all men Why upon what consideration For we ourselves also were sometimes foollish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost 3 Tit. 1. to 8. Wicked men are like those that are drowning they catch hold on others and if it be possible make them sink with
to Jesus Christ and intreat him to put his hands on them and bless them Hannah by prayer obtaind a Samuel O let us pray hard that all our sons may be as gracious as Samuel and all our daughters as full of good works as Dorcas Zenophon said he never prayd that his son might live long but that he might live well Austin was a child of many prayers and did not perish Thirdly Do thine endeavor to regenerate them by instructing them in the precepts of God David and Bathsheba were often droping instruction into their son Solomon 1 Kings 28.9 Prov. 4.3 to 10. Pious education hath made an happy renovation in several souls Teach a childe the trade in his youth and he shall not depart from it when he is old Prov. 22.6 Others teach their children to lie and steal and to curse and sweare I have read a story of a wicked mother that perswaded her daughter to yield to the lust of a rich man in hope that he would marry her the daughter did yield but quickly after fell sick and died the mother hereupon fell distracted and cried out often O my daughters soul O my daughters soul I have murthered my daughters soul If others intice their relations to uncleanness shall not we encourage ours to holiness Whilst this world lasteth the Devil will have servants many many fathers bring up their children to his hand O wilt not thou endeavour that when thou art dead thy little ones may be a generation arising to praise God! Truly thy love to God must needs oblige thee to do thine utmost that his vast perfections and infinite excellencies may be declared and admired throughout all generations Melanthon on a day of prayer went out a little from his company very sorrowful and returned in a short time to them very joyful of which Luther asking him the reason he gave this account That there were yong Captains training up for he had heard many children learning and repeating their sound Catechism which would defend the cause of Christ The good man was exteamly cheared that though the Pope and Emperor sought to undermine the true Religion yet young children were learning to defend it Sure I am thou wilt die with the more comfort if thou canst have hopes that after thy decease the blessed God shall be exalted and his Gospel propagated in the place where thou dost dwell And O what a glorious heaven upon earth will thy house be if the gracious God shall so prosper thy pattern prayers and preceps that as thou like the Sun so thy wife like the Moon and thy children and servants like the Stars may all shine and sparkle with the light and heat of real holiness To end all Look on thy children servants and neighbours as passengers in a boat and do thou with thy fellow-converts row hard make use of all windes improve every opportunity to land them all safely at the Haven of Heaven Soli Deo Gloria FINIS An Alphabetical Table of the most principal matters contained in this Treatise A OVr Affections by nature corrupt Page 32. The Affections are renewed in regeneration p. 31 32. Good Affections not always a sign of regeneration Page 97 98 99. Affiance on Christ what it is Page 376 377. Afflictions somtimes instrumental for regeneration 16. Afflictions will try men 138 139. Afflictions make wicked men worse 222. Afflictions are sanctified to the regenerate Page 246. Christians are bound to labour for Assurance Page 130 131. It is possible for the regenerate to be Assured of their Salvation proved by several arguments Page 144 145 146. B The Body is renewed in regeneration Page 35 36. The Body of man is a curious peice Page 318. God alone can enable a man to believe Page 12 114. C THere is a great Change wrought in regeneration Page 5. 20 21. Two Changes absolutely necessary in all that would be saved Page 48 49. Christ is willing to instruct and encourage poor sinners 6. Christ is the onely way to heaven 47. Christ dyed to purchase holiness for all those for whom he purchased heaven 33.54.312 The Damned see the worth of Christ by woful experience 234 235. Nothing to be kept from Christ or carried to Christ by those that would close with him 407 408 409. The saved know the worth of Christ by happy experience Page 282 283. Civility no sign of regeneration Page 61 62. A Civil man is converted with much difficulty Page 118 119. Confidence of a mans good estate is not a sure sign of regeneration Page 85 86. The Conscience is renewed in regeneration 27. To follow the dictates of a natural Conscience is not a sure sign of regeneration Page 90 91. Consideration is a special help to regeneration Page 194 195 196. Conviction wrought before conversion 351. What Conviction is Page 352. The Spirit when he converteth a sinner Convinceth him of four things Of his sins 353.354 Of his misery 357 358. Of the insufficiency of all things in the world to help him 362. Of the willingness sutableness and sufficiency of Jesus Christ Page 365. The sinner rightly Convinced panteth exceedingly after Jesus Christ Page 368 369. Our Creation is an obligation to obedience Page 338 339. D MEn Deceive themselves in thinking to get to he aven without regeneration Page 51 52. Death will trie men throughly 141 142. Death may well be terrible to the unregenerate 226. Death will be comfortable to the regenerate Page 270. A man may abound in duties and yet be unregenerate 76. Wicked men sin in performing Duties 222. Though unregenerate persons sin in Duties yet they must not neglect them 436. Vide Ordinances E GOd Electeth to sanctification whom he electeth to salvation Page 53. The objection If I am elected I shall be saved how ever I live answered Page 440. Our Election ensured by ensuring our vocation Page 131. The torments of hell are Eternal 238. The Saints happiness in heaven is Eternal Page 293. The Equity of living to God Page 337 to 348. F THe difference between Faith and presumption Page 56. Faith wrought in the soul when it is regenerated Page 375 376. Faith is weak at first 378. True Faith accepteth Christ as a Lord. Page 380. The unspeakable Folly of sinners in not turning to God Page 298 299. G THe free Grace of God the onely moving cause of regâ—neration 14. The Glory of God the final cause of regeneration 38. How t is accomplished 39 40 41. Communion with God on earth required in all that would get to heaven 56. The wrath of God known fully in hell Page 229. The good word of Godly men no sign of Regeneration Page 81 82. That God will be the God of his people is an unconceivable mercy 262 to 267. All Godly men grow in grace Page 183. Not always alike 186. Not all alike Page 185. Gifts no sign of Grace 183. Gifts and Grace differ much Page 74 75. H. HEaven not so easily obtained as the sleepy world