this upon us in the thirteenth verse of this Chapter These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have Eternal Life Here is your duty according to what the Text it self doth charge upon you if you be such as by grace are brought over to a Gospel-believing the Apostle Iohn that did write this Epistle and I from it preach unto you into the Name of the Lord and by authority from him thaâ—… this is your duty to know that you are Persons that have Eternal Life that you are such as Christ by his blood hath made a purchase of Eternal Life for that he hath by his blood once for all entred into the Holy place that is not made with hands that he might prepare for you and that youmight have the possession of those blessed mansions that he hath made preparation of Eternal Life it is yours and you may be bold to claim it and you are bound to hope and rejoyce in the expectation of the full enjoyment of it and not to be alwayes upon the question and disputing point but to go on with a holy confidence towards God according to what the Apostle expresses 1 Câ—…r 2. We know that when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved we shall have an house not made with hands c. But then a second thing that I have to charge upon you is this That you would acknowledge with all thankfulness and enlargedness of heart to God the riches of his mercy and grace to you that hath been pleased to cull you out of an unbelieving world and bring you over to the Gospel and to the participations that are by Christ according to the Gospel Oh! This you should set your hearts upon by admiring the riches of God's grace and say Lord Why shouldst thou manifest thy self to me and not to the world That many thousands should live and die in the total ignorance of Christ and the Gospel-mysteries or else live and die in an empty profession and yet that God should be pleased to pitch upon me This is that that the Text doth hint unto us in the nineteenth verse of this Chapter Oh! saith he in a triumphing manner We know that we are of God and that the whole world lies in wickedness Oh! our mercies and the riches of grace that hath appeared to us while the whole world that lies in wickedness is put into the Malignant evil One lies in the Devil for he is the malignant evil one while the whole world lies in the Devil in malignity Oh! It is a sad condition infinitely more sad than for a man to lie in the most noisomest stinking ditch or in the loathsomest kennel why this is that that heightens the mercy to poor souls that are called by grace according to the purpose of God that while the whole world lies in wickedness and so are like to lie yea and to lie in hell to all Eternity that God should please to lay you in the bosom of his Son and to take you into the arms of his mercy this is that that should heighten our thankfulness I may make use of that expression which we find in Acts 14. when Paul and Barnabas came unto a company of Heathens and they saw what great things were done by them and took notice of the gracious spirit that they discovered sure say they The Gods are come among us in the likeness of men Considering the state of times and what an height of wickedness many at this day are grown up unto the dreadful swearing blaspheming of God and his ways Truly judge of it your selves Whether we may not say The devils are come among us in the likeness of men Why now oh How should we heighten our love and thankfulness to God that should please in free grace to bring us over to close with Jesus Christ But then fourthly As many as are brought over to Gospel-believing this is your duty To study and endeavour what you can your advantages in Faith and so the Apostle gives it in charge here in the Chapter in verse 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Son of God This is that you should set about If God hath brought you over to a closing with Christ and an embracing of the testimonies concerning him believe more and more labour for your advancement and let it be your Prayer Good Lord increase our Faith Labour that you may be clear in your apprehensions of Gospel-mysteries and that you may be more strong in your adherence to Christ of whom those Gospel-testimonies are given and that you may not only come to have an adhering-faith but to an assuring-faith that you may not be like waves tossed and tumbled up and down but that you may come to be rooted and established and grounded in your faith that you may not come to be unsetled by Heresie corrupt Doctrines or the Apostacy of others but that you may be stedfast and unmoveable Yet further fifthly This is to be given in charge to such as do believe according to the Gospel that they carry it sutably to a believing state as in those particulars that I have insisted upon so in a deportment congruous and sutable to the priviledges which belong to believing You are born of God carry it as men and women that are so indeed What! Born of God the Sons and Daughters of God What! and not live according to God and not study conformity to God I remember what he speaks there concerning Amnon How is it that thou being the Kings Son art lean from day to day How is it that we that profess to be the Sons and Daughters of God are lean and lank not more improved that we do not shew forth God and express Christ This lies in the beginning of the Chapter If you be born of God remember that you be born of him that is the God of Love And therefore you are to manifest this birth and your believing and your being born of God by loving God and by loving them that are born of God He that believeth is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him The God of Love doth beget a People of Love a loving God a loving People And this is that that you should express your Believing by and your Adoption by by the Love you bear to God and the children of God A hatefull spitefull spirit where it doth discover it self speaks those persons not to be born of God but of the Devill carry it as Believers as persons of God by studying a conformity to God and by keeping his Commandments subjecting your selves to his Authority not living according to your own Lusts but according to the Lawes and Rules which God hath given you saith the Apostle
them at last Though things seem to be well with the wicked they have more then heart can wish yet it shall be ill with them at last Vae improbo Wo to the wicked it shall be ill with them In Eccles. 8. 11. It shall not be well with the wicked nor shall he prolong his days that are as a shadow because he feareth not God The God of Truth hath pronounced it this is as true as God is true It shall not be well with the wicked Now that I may a little clear this to you I shall demonstrate it to you in these following Particulars 1. It is ill with the wicked in this life 2. It is ill with him at his death 3. It is ill with him at the day of Judgement 4. It is ill with him after the day of Judgement First It is ill with the Wicked in this life There 's hardly a wicked man that hears me that thinks so when he hath the affluence and confluence of outward comforts when he eats of the fat and drinks of the sweet he will hardly believe that Minister that tells him it shall be ill with him yea but it is ill with the wicked even in this life foris it not ill with that man that hath a curse yea the curse of God entailed upon him My Text pronounceth a curse against the sinner Vae improbo Wo to the wicked And can that man thrive that lives under a curse Clouds of blood wrath hang over the head of a wicked man he is heir to all the plagues that are written in the Book of God all God's curses are the Sinners portion and if he dies in his sins he is sure to have the portion paid him Woe to the Wicked every bit of Bread he eateth he hath it with a curse like poysoned Bread given to a Dog every drop of Wine he drinks he swallows down a curse with it Wo to the wicked there is a Curse in his cup there is a curse on his table God hath said Wo to him We read of Belshazzar Dan. 5. 4 5. that when he tasted the wine he commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels taken out of the Temple then they brought the gold and silver vessels and drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver He was very jovial but in the midst of his cups and joyallity wo to the Wicked for in the same hour there came forth the fingers of a Mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick on the wall a curse and wo. Wo to the wicked let a sinner live till he be a hundred years old yet still he is accursed Esay 23. 20. Though a sinner live a hundred years old yet shall he die accursed his gray hairs have a curse upon them Secondly It shall be ill with the wicked at the hour of death that in two respects Death puts an end to all his comforts and death is a beginning of all his miseries First Death puts an end to a Sinner's comforts There shall be no more indulging of the Flesh and pampering of it no more cups of Wine and no more Musick to be seen or heard then In Rev. 18. 14. 22. The things that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee the voyce of the Harpers Musicians and Trumpeters shall be no more at all in thee it is spoken of the destruction of Rome Thus may it be said of a wicked man at death All joy and pleasure is now departed from thee no more shalt thou hear the voyce of the Harp Organ or Trumpet no more shall the Sinner be cloathed in Scarlet robes or adorned with sparkling Diamonds Now all oyl and balsome all joy and gladness at death shall cease and depart from the Sinner Secondly As death puts a period to a Sinners mirth so it layes a foundation for all his sorrows Usually before death doth close the eye of the Sinners body the eye of his Conscience is first opened Every sin at the hour of death stands with a drawn sword in his hand Those sins that delighted the sinner formerly now terrifie and affright him All his joy and mirth is turned into sadness As sometimes you have seen Sugar lying in a damp place dissolve and turn to Water Thus all the sugarly Joyes of wicked men at the hour of death turn to water even the water of tears and sorrow Thirdly It shall be ill with a wicked man at the day of Judgement when he is cited before Gods Tribunal when he shall leave courting his wickedness and stand at Gods Barr to answer for it You read of Foelix that when he heard Paul speak of Judgement Foelix trembled Iosephus observes that Foelix was a wicked man and she that then lived with him her name was Drusilla whom he had enticed away from her Husband and lived in sin with her Now when Foelix heard Paul speak of Judgement he trembled his conscience that check'd him for his sin Now if Foelix trembled at the hearing of Judgment what will sinners do when the day of Judgment shall come when all mens secret sins shall be made manifest when all their midnight wickedness shall be written upon their Foreheads as with the point of a Diamond At the day of Judgment my Beloved there will be two things 1. The Legal Tryal 2. The Sentence 1. The Legal Tryal God will call forth sinners by Name and say Stand forth Hear thy charge Let me see what thou canst answer to it What canst thou say for all thy Sabbath-breaking for all thy Drunkenness and Perjury for all thy Revenge and Malice for all thy persecuting of my Members what canst thou say for all these Guilty or not guilty Thou Wretch darest not say Not Guilty for have not I been an eye-witness of all thy wickedness Do not the Books agree the Book of thy Conscience and the Book of my Omniscience and canst thou plead Not Guilty Here the Sinner will be amazed with horror and run into desperation 2. After this Legal Tryal follows the Sentence Ite Maledicti Go ye cursed What â—…o from the presence of Christ in whose presence there is fulness of joy and go from Christ with a curse That word Depart said St. Chrysostome is worse than the torments themselves And Beloved remember this ye that go on in a sin when once the Sentence is past it can never be reversed This is the most Supreme Court of Judicature from whence there is no Appeal Here on earth men can remove their Cause from one Court to another from the Common-law to the Chancery but if once the Sentence be past at this Judgment-barr there is no removing your Cause This is the highest Court there is no appealing any where else And thus you see it is ill with the Wicked at the day of Judgement Fourthly It shall be ill with the wicked after the day of Judgement Oh! then there is but one way and they would be glad if they
this Oh but Brethren the very truth is it is a very common thing by interpretation to give the lye to God and all that do not believe according to that Gospel-believing that you have heard do tell God to his face that he is a Lyar. How doth that appear Why take a little help such as I am able to give you To profess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God that he came to be the Saviour of the world is ordered out to be our Righteousness is sent of God to preach Liberty to Captives to heal diseased Souls and to deliver poor Creatures from the bondage of the Devil these things People generally profess to believe but mark you now they never come to Christ nor never set in with him upon this account and to this purpose Oh Lord thou art the Jesus the Annointed of God I come to thee for life I am a poor dead Creature I am in a state of unrighteonsness and thon art given to be for Righteousness Lord I fly to thee for it I am a poor diseased creature the Plague is upon my soul and thou art appointed to heal the Soul of the Plague I come to thee for healing There is not one of thousands that come thus to Christ. Will you now see how the lye is given to God I profess for my part saith one I know no such matter Jesus is the Christ and I profess to believe so and he is appointed of God for such and such things he is sent to preach liberty to the Captives I know not that there is any such bondage Christ came to save sinners alas I know no need of any such salvation by him he came to heal diseased souls I am well enough what need have I of Christ What is this but to give the lye to God He that receiyes not Christ makes God a lyar for he doth in effect say Lord thou sayest so and so concerning the World I know nothing of all this and so the lye is given to God And is it nothing to give the lye to the great God the God of truth And I tell you while you profess this Jesus to be the Christ the Son of God and in the mean time flye not to him you believe him to be the Son of God and that all Authority is given unto him and you will not subject to his Authority why you give the lye to God and is this nothing 2. Consider the sad condition of such as believe not according to a right Gospel-believing they are such as are lyable to the dreadfullest touches from the Devil that possibly can be He that believeth is born of God overcomes the World and is enabled to keep himself that the wicked one doth not touch him with a mortiferous touch but I tell thee whatever thou art that art under the powerof unbelief thou art in danger of a dreadfull touch from the Prince of darkness and if thou livest and diest in a state of unbelief thou wilt fall under the power of condemnation Remember what our Saviour speaks and consider well of it You stand out in opposition to my Doctrine but I tell you Except you believe that I am He you shall dye in your sins A dreadful word you shall die in your sins and what then be damned eternally This is the condition of all such as are in a state of unbelief but then on the other hand in case we be able to give a good account of our believing that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and of our believing on him concerning whom these Testimonies are given Oh what cause have all such to rejoyce in their condition The condition of such persons is happy beyond all expression and comprehension who have owned these Truths owned that Jesus of whom the faithful Testimonies are given Now all the Chapter according to the account I have given you comes in to the purpose of comforting and rejoycing the heart of such Persons Here is your comfort now really believing according to a right interpretation of Gospel-believing this is your priviledge you are the Persons that are born from above you are the Persons that shall be enabled to over come the World to bear up against all opposition that Men and Devils can make against you you are the Persons that have the Witness within you and you shall be able to bear up against all the contradictions of Sinners you are the Persons that have Christ and have eternal life by him you shall have it nay you have it already He that believeth on the Son of God hath eternal life he hath it in the beginnings of it and shall have it in the compleat state of it being brought over to Gospel-believing you may come with boldness to God in a way of prayer with holy confidence that whatever else you ask believing you shall have a good account of it God doth not neglect any believing prayer of a believing soul And all the Priviledges of the Gospel are entailed upon you and you are entitled unto them and you shall have the Benefit of them while you live and when you die unto all Eternity Well may it be said of such a Person Blessed is he and she that hath believed with a Gospel-believing Gospel-Truths and Testimonies concerning Christ and on Christ on whom those Testimonies are given for there shall be a full and perfect accomplishment of whatever God hath spoken with his mouth concerning such And then lastly If the Grace of God hath brought us over to a closing with Christ of whom these truths and testimonies are given why the last Branch of the Application is but this That you would but justifie your Believing and labour to manifest the reality of your Believing according to the Gospel by a suitable walking This is that that shall be the cloling up of this Application Oh Brethren Let us consider well our Saviour tells us in Mat. 11. Wisdom is justified of her Children Why if ever we mean to approve our selves to be Wisdom's children our care must be for to give in our Justification of Wisdom's sayings and for to carry it in a congruousness and suitableness unto that Gospel-believing which we profess to be by grace brought over to Why but what is that you will say Why consider the Text and see what remains of the Chapter I shall make it out give it up to you in this way Why First of all this is one special Duty that lies upon you That you would study your Mercy and know what God hath been to you and done for you and how highly you are dignified and not to be alwayes in a fluctuating state and upon the questioning and disputing point but to come to some well grounded confidence that you may be able to say We know that this and that is our condition and this and that is our dignified priviledge that we are planted under Do but mark how the Point in hand doth charge
here This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandements It is not love in Word and in Tongue but in reality a love discovering it self by a consciencious care to hold conformity to all the Will of God And if any should object This is a hard saying Who can bear it saith the Apostle No such matter there is never a Believing Soul will say The Commandements of Christ are grievous or burdensome no they are leight to them that are brought over to the faith of the Gospel And the last thing I have to charge upon you upon the account of your Gospel-believing and being brought over to a closing with Christ it is this and so upon the matter I have given you an account of the substance of this precious Chapter having reduced it to that general Doctrine I propounded before I say the last thing is this That you would walk suitable to a Believing state by being very carefull concerning your Worships that you do perform that they be according to God and according to the Gospel and this is that which the Apostle closes the Chapter withall in the 21 Verse Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen As I take it in the former Translation it was Babes Babes keep your selves from Idols Here it is Little Children I observe in this Epistle the Apostle makes a distinction of Believers into three Ranks as you shall find in the second Chapter I write unto you Little Children I write unto you Young men and I write unto you Fathers in the close of the Epistle he concludes with this Charge to Little Children Now whether he includes all the rest under this Title of Little Children I forbear to dispute But sure I am it is a duty lies upon one and other whether they be Babes or Young men or Aged Fathers in Christ Whatever our rank and condition be I am sure of this This is a great Duty that lies upon all that will approve themselves in Godliness and to be brought over to the faith of the Gospel that they look to their Worships and that they take heed of Idols as if he should say He that is born of God he keeps himself that the wicked One doth not touch him Oh Little Children shew forth that spiritual Ability that by grace you are furnished withal by being able to keep your selves from Idols It might be said What is this to us Are we in danger of Idols True well might the Apostle give in such a Charge to them in those times when the greatest part of the World were in a state of Heathenism and in estrangement from Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel But this I say It doth really concern Christians in Gospel-times that have had the breakings out of the Gospel-light and the knowledge of Gospel-mysteries to be careful of this Charge that they keep themselves from Idols There were the Idols of the Heathens grant it and so still there are a generation of People that our Souls should mourn over to consider their state that are wrapt up in ignorance of God know nothing of the true God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and it is the state and condition of the Jews at this day and what a sad condition are they in Grant it that they do not worship Idols after the manner of the Heathens yet they worship not the true God because they worship not God in Christ for saith the Apostle Whoever sins and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God He that abides in the Doctrine of the Christ he hath the Father and the Son And so the Jews at this day they not abiding not owning the Doctrine of Christ they have not God because they have not the Father and the Son this is their condition And thus I say there were not only the Idols of the Heathens Oh! but sadly be it spoken there are Idols among Persons pretending to Christ and Gospel-faith and the Doctrine concerning Grace by Jesus Christ. How many Idols and Idolaters are there I might tell you the Covetous person 〈◊〉 an Idolater the Voluptuous person and the Self justitâ—…ary sets up his own Righteousness and Idolizeth that But I say this there are Idols among Christians Papâ—…sts hold forth the Name of Christ but yet what woful Idolatry there is among them There was the Dragon-worship in the time of the Heathens and in the room of that there is come up the Beast-worship and of that Worship the generality of the world runs upon and it concerns us to keep from Popish Idolatry it being the grossest Idolatry that ever was because there is the fairest pretence of worshipping JESUS and yet they turn him into an Idol What else means their worshipping and bowing to Images their breaden gods and the like Oh! therefore it concerns us to keep our selves from Idols And there is a Scripture if it were but well studied would cause trembling of Heart and make all that have any care of their Souls to look about them that Scripture I refer you to it is in Revel 13. compared with the 20th In Revel 13. 11. whereas before there was Dragon-worship it is said here I beheld another Beast comming out of the Earth and he had two Horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon and he exerciseth all the Power of the first Beast before him and causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed now look at the 8. verse saith he And all the dwellers upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Oh! it is a terrible word and that that should make us to fear and tremble lest in any kind we should be drawn into the Worship of the Beast for as many as were not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb they were drawn into the Worship of the Beast This is that that should make us keep our selves from Idols from whatsoever hath but so much as a Tincture of Superstition and Idolatry and the rather considering that other Scripture in the 20th of the Revelation and the last verse And whosoever was not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire All that are not written in the Lambs Book of life are prevailed to perform the worship with the Beast and not being writ there must be tumbled into the Lake for ever This therefore concerns us to keep from Idolatry from whatsoever hath a tendency that way and that hath any tincture of Superstition upon it and consider with your selves that our Duty is in matters of Worship and in things concerning the Worship of God to see to it that we keep a humble dependance upon God that we walk not according to the will of men but according to God You were bought with a price be not Servants of Men. We are to walk by
Gospel see there what Christ is and thy necessity of him Believing will open the door to entertaining of him assent will procure thy consent Thirdly Keep up no Idol in thy heart against him Turn out that that keeps out Christ. How dear soever it seems now at last thou wilt see it more necessary to detest than keep it I come now to exhort all poor weak Christians that they would make after confirmation and grow to a greater measure in Grace as they have received Christ. It is not enough to be conceited that you have been converted and it will not be enough to the assurance of your conversion or safety of your souls that you think you are converted and sit down there he that is content with the opinion that he hath Grace and therefore desires to have no more because the promise of salvation is made to the Truth of Grace it 's a sign he never had Grace strength in Grace is your own felicity 't is part of your happiness Your eternal happiness will partly consist in your personal perfection and without personal perfection all heavenly glory will not be a perfect felicity If you have fixed your Anchor in Gods Promises this engages you to look up make after and proceed c. Take these Motives First Consider there is the same reason to move thee to grow and proceed as there was to move thee to thy first believing Why did you become Christians but because of the necessity of the riches and excellencies of Christ and that there was better things in Christ than in the World And are they not so still Is the case changed If Christianity was reasonable then it is reasonable now if it was necessary to begin it is necessary to hold on and proceed in your Race till you have obtained the Crown Secondly Your receiving Christ essentially contains in it an obligation to proceed and go further actually to trust and obey him whom you have taken for your Lord and Saviour from the very offices and relations of Christ received If I be a Father where is my fear If I be a Master where is my Honour If I be a Saviour where is your Confidence in me Submission to my saving-work Obedience to my healing Precepts If I be your Lord and Master why do not you learn of me as your Master c Your first Covenant engages you to proceed in fulfilling the things promised in your Covenant c. Better not to have promised to be his people than to promise and break this promise The very Mercies also you received from him pardoning your former sin entertainment in his Church and all the blessings there found are as so many obligations to proceed 3. Ever since we came home to Christ we have had an addition of Reasons besides the first Reason we had to believe Every day brings in new c. Certainly if a little were desirable more were more desirable If the people that stood afar off and never tried what Christ and Grace is were bid to come in those that have tried and tasted are bound to proceed much more You have the Spirit of God experiences of his love tasted the bitterness of sin have had some trial of the truth of such things of which we speak when others have eyes and see not c. And will you turn back that have tasted c. 4. Consider how much hath been lost upon many a soul for want of care to take rooting and to proceed How much labour of the Ministry mercies of God pains and care of their own I speak of those that have seemed sincere not been indeed so that have many times comforted the hearts of their Ministers and Friends and have had some kind of comfort to themselves in that taste they have had of the good Word of God How many times hath the Preacher been gladded to see such a one come to him seemingly with a broken heart seeming to set himself in the way of life yet the flesh prevailed for want of Confirmation How many years have some spent in duty in hearing prayer gracious society profession of Religion yet afterwards the World hath drown'd all What cause have you to see you lose not the things you have wrought 5. Consider how much of the Work of your own salvation since you are converted is yet undone Though you are sure your conversion is true how many temptations to resist enemies to conquer duties to perform and Heaven to be taken upon all those terms as is the tenour of your Christianity therefore you had need to stand fast and having done all to stand you had need not only to believe but to wait and be patient in believing and to proceed in the way you have chosen 6. The want of strength and building up makes the lives of many full of lamentable languishingweaknesses scandals unto others pain calamity and trouble to themselves How long in healing And how much smart and pain while the fruit of their own folly is cured How easily and how frequently do temptations prevail And hence as in a Wilderness they are going one step forward another backward no evident keeping in God and all through the fruit of their own languishing weakness The fruits of the sins of Professors have been such that it should make you do all you can possibly to escape the troubles at home and reproaches abroad 7. A life of spiritual weakness is usually a burden unto him that hath it it doth not only occasion his falling into sin and so renews the wounds of his soul but is a constant burden to him not that any measure of Grace is troublesome but that which consists with so great a measure of remaining corruption this is the burden Sickness is burdensome though there be life Methinks you should not then be reconciled to your fears you should methinks see so great a difference between the sick and well that for your own peace-sake you should seek after confirmation Every duty they do is their pain which is anothers pleasure prayer c. their burden sometimes tired wearied dull c. presently overwhelmed with temptation every duty is a grievance to them through the weakness of their grace and by their corruption 8. Christians that are weak and not confirmed lose abundance of the fruit of Gods Ordinances that are improved by others How many a truth that tasts exceeding sweet to others hath no great relish to them nor growth by it A healthfull man hath more relish in ordinary fare then a sick person in varieties The full stomack loaths the Honey-comb 9. The weak and unconfirmed Christian is unprofitable comparatively unto others not that the Church would wish the weakest Member out but comparatively unconfirmed Christians are very unprofitable unto others like little children in the family that must be looked to make work for a great many more about them What doth a sick person but the work of others is to feed support and be
others die in horrour Mr. Jenkins's Prayer at Christ-Church Iuly 13. 1662. MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely â—…ppy before the world was made and wantest none oâ—… thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their services 〈◊〉 make thee more excellent tâ—…en thou art in thy self we dâ—…ily wâ—…nt thee thou never wantest us thou a 〈◊〉 to make use of Ordinanceâ—… Ministers Sâ—…baths as thy Institutions to accomplish 〈◊〉 bring about the great work of thy glory and maâ—…s Sâ—…lvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made â—…fficacious by these things but it is that that makes these things 〈◊〉 though thou art pleased to tye us to them when we may 〈◊〉 them and duly enâ—…y them yet thou dost not tye thy self to them we desire in these our addâ—…esses tâ—… eye the happiness of Saints that depends â—…on him that depends upon none We are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace Oâ—… whether should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee oâ—… strengthen our saith kill ouâ—… corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oâ—… that God would teach us â—…ow to pray that we may tastâ—… and seâ—… how â—…ood the Lord is t iâ—… day that ouâ—… souls may be filled 〈◊〉 with marrow the we may by ouâ—… own experience be able to say it is good foâ—… us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o God and that a day in thy house is better thâ—…n a thousand elsewhere that there may be a commâ—…ion between us and God let there be a diâ—…union between us and siâ—… we confess we brouâ—…ht sin enough into the world with â—…s to cause theâ—… to withdraw thy bleâ—…ed self from us and to cast such unprofitable servants as we are into uttâ—…r darkâ—…ss we have bin 〈◊〉 long time in thy school and yeâ—… how dull are 〈◊〉 we migâ—… have bin teachers of others but we need our selves be tauâ—…ht wâ—…ich aâ—…e the fiâ—…st Principles of the Oracles of God we lâ—…ve less â—…en we know and we do less then we love we have neither done 〈◊〉 good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received we have been trees that have cumbered the 〈◊〉 iâ—… thy Orchard but we have brought foâ—…th no fruit â—…o unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the woâ—…ld we are wise in every thing but in our own salvation we live as if â—…ell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledge of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of faith we confess we nâ—…ither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor â—…ant our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully we live as if hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were a either sâ—…ess in heaven nor bitterness in hell When we come into thy prâ—… 〈◊〉 are our hearts what earthly dispositions do wâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—… with 〈◊〉 the sins of our prayers cry louder then the suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us â—…f thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty wâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…ecome of us O Lord be pleased to smell a swâ—…t â—…avour of â—…est and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is onely his precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our consciences and no other thing we do renounce all our own works and we cry in our selves unâ—…one undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part and by our lively trust through the Covenant of thy grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the power of bell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts stiâ—…l our consciences 〈◊〉 I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befâ—…iend yâ—…u I will be just and faithful to â—…or â—…ive your sins my lawis â—…elly fulfilled by another though broken by you my justice is fully satisfied â—…y another though provoked by yâ—…u my wrath is ceased by the means of another though inceâ—…sed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be â—… caâ—…st not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in â—…ine owâ—… way speak peace to every such soul. Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O Lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which diâ—…t regard us when we were running from theâ—… do not reject us now we are drawing near thâ—…e and thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy â—…ord help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better then life Some do say Who will shew us any good but Lord lifâ—… thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that will glad our hearts more then in the time when increaseth Corn or wine or Oyl Let it be sâ—…ir above head when it is dirty below lâ—…t us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of â—…aith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would â—…ain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life repentance from dead works a mourning far greater for the remembrance of sin then we had pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear â—…f condemnation doth decrease so let the fear of transgression in crease and because O Lord that thou hast not made us to bleâ—… with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truly desire that heaven would enter into us in the way of holiness here as we desire to enter into heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let not that live quietly one minute with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which thâ—… great God is 〈◊〉 and an immortal soul is damned we are to be in the wâ—…rld but â—…r a while to take a 〈◊〉 or two and bâ—… goâ—… oh that we miâ—…ht make it the business of our life
Keeping and propagating one of the most glorious truths that Iesus Christ was risen from the dead yet a thing that is farthest off from sense and reason wherein I suffer trouble mark Paul does not say wherin I make trouble no but wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer unto bonds but the word of God is not bound If this blessed and glorious Apostle would have had the faith of God bound and have contented himself with sinful silence and not propagated the Gospel Paul might have been free but Paul would not have the word of God bound therefore Paul would suffer for it Shall we go higher a great deal then this You have the glorious commendation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this account that he gave a free and full account of the Doctrine of his Father and of his glorious person before Pontius Pilate a bloody Persecutor It was not by saying to his Disciples Fight nor by saying my Kingdom is not of this world but that he gave a glorious confession before the face of Pilate of the righteousnesse of his truth Doctrine Gospel and of his person Fear to ensnare the freedom of the truth with your own liberty do not ensnare it to your own lusts nor to the will of any man O that we could study and improve these Scriptures more it would make us fear God more man lesse this is that that would make us say as holy David Ps. 119. 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy words for he that hath the most fear fear on you and upon you you will be more afraid to fall into his hands It is a childish thing for a Christian to tread down the belief of any Doctrine or practice any worship for fear of man who hath no more power to hurt us then we give him our selves by our fear Fear not him that can but kill the body c. It was the way of Gods people formerly that they came to divide between duty commanded by God and commanded by man you may read in all the dayes of Antichrists persecution from the beginning they came to divide in matter of obedience to God and his truth and worship and obedience to man Christians nothing but a suffering spirit will help you to this for there is no other way of Obedience in this case to authority but to suffer under it meekly Patiently as lambs This made the three children to divide between the command of God What sayes Nebuchadnezzer Every knee that bows not shall be cast into the Furnace very well as for that matter say they O King we are not carefull to answer thee for we will not bow down c. What will they not Obey him yet they will obey him by suffering as becomes Christians as is the example of Christ as if they should say Truly we are terrified with hell too We are terrified by the threats of the great King and we are likewise terrified by the threats of the great God he is able to deliver us out of your torments you are not able to deliver us from his torments so in the case of Daniel Arm your selves with this Resolution of suffering and lying down patiently and meekly under those things that you cannot do so that God may be honoured by your holy resolution upon this Account for truly you never do contend successfully for the faith of the Gospel till you contend by suffering for it is said They overcame by the blood of the lamb you never make Religion your businesse till the world see you can let such great things go as life estate liberty to keep it Then wisedome is justified of her children You never glorify the truths of God so much by practice or writing as by suffering for them Those glorious truths against Popish justification mixing of works with faith Transubstantiation Purgatory Idol-worship against all those things that were superadded contrarie to Gods justification there is such a glory upon the truths that it is hard for the Popish power ever to darken them again because we see them written in the honourable and blessed scars of the witnesses and burnings of those glorious Martyrs If you would take one another by the hand when God takes away our faithfull guides and say Brethren Sisters Friends come let us hold together there 's no way in the world to hold on together like suffering for the Gospel really would get more advantage by the holy humble sufferings of one gracious Saint meerly for the word of righteousnesse then by ten thousand Arguments used against Hereticks and false worship Compare Phil. 1. 12 13 14. with the 27 28 and 29. verses How is Paul's bonds a furtherance of the Gospel Paul no doubt was called an evil doer one that sowed Heresie and was hated every where saith he Many of the Brethren of the Lord waxed confident by my bands and were much more bold to speak the word without fear Here 's the great encouragement and then he comes to give you a precept and that 's in the 27. verse and he speaks it as one that was leaving of them Onely let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that you may stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your Adversaries for unto you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer c. It is given to you as a duty given to you as a priviledge O that you would confirm one another and in slippery times hold up one another by the hand do it in going after Gods call and in this way suffering for those truths you cannot otherwise hold and maintain Truly Christians you had need be armed with Resolution for the world is alwaies counting the things Gods people have suffered for very little and they count it prudence not to meddle therein Those men that have easie soft terms to comply that they have a latitude to do any thing I believe some Christians are of that opinion that they would even think the Saints of God were ill advised to venture their all upon those truths they see others died and suffered for It 's a sad thing many Christians study to draw out the lines of obedience as far as the honesty of the times will give them leave but no farther that they would go on with the Lord Jesus to the High Priests hâ—…ll and there deny him or that would be willing to do anything for Christ but are willing to suffer nothing for Christ you very little honour Jesus Christ in this and you will very little honour your selves at the last It is upon this account that Christians if they see even against plain conviction of Conscience and the word that there are super-instituted things broke in as in Conscience they cannot submit to yet they can comply why they may be used lawfully though not superstitiously But saith
those that wait upon thee shall renew their strengths we have no might the Devill bâ—…ffles us our own hearts are treacherous to us the world intâ—…ces us to sin against God Oh! deliver us from all these Enemies and especially from the plagues of our hearts that we may perfect holyness in the fear of God give us Spiritual blessings whatsoever thou givest us or whatsoever thou denyest us thou knowest thou artrather willing to give us Spirituall blessings then any other mercies and we want spiritual mercies most oh give us spiritual mercies that we may say This is the way of God in his Sanctuary Where Grace is not wrought work it where it is begun encrease it Dear Father convince those that are yet not convinced make thy Word a quickning word an ingrafâ—…ed word to the saving of our souls help us to hear as for our lives and as those that long after God Hear Prayers for the King blesse him in his Royal Relations and grant under him we may live a quiet life in all Godlinesse and honesty Bless the Magistrates and help them to remember that causes one day must be heard over again help thy Ministers to keep close to thee in wayes that are well pleasing Be with us at this time Lord assist the meanest of thy Servants let our souls now find that thou dost magnifie thy Word above all thy Name do us good recâ—…ive us quicken us that we may live in Heaven upon Earth that we may know what it is to be filled with the fulnesse of God and know the heighth breadth depth and length of thy love that passeth knowledge Communicate thy selfe to us as thou usest to do to thy people let us feel thy presence let us not think of any thing but the business we are about let us with singlenesse of heâ—…t set our selves to mind the concernments of our immortal souls And all we beg for Christ his sake who has taught us thus to pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Mr. Cradockt's Prayer at Saint Sepulchres August 10. 1662. MOst glorious and most gracious Lord God who art God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hast put thine own name and stamp upon this day wilt thou be pleased to appear now and prepare and dispose â—…r unprepared and indisposed souls for holy observation of this thine own holy day will the Lord vouchsafe us the incomes of his spirit and influences of his grace whereby we may be unabled to offer up spiritual sacrifices which may be acceptable to Iesus Christ. Lord thou requâ—…rest praying hearts but thou hast not commanded us to use Prayer-books and if thou wilt give us the spirit of Prayer we shall not need them Lord give us praying hearts at this time let us find by experience that thy Subâ—…ath is a day of souls opportunity that thine Ordinances are full of marrow that thou hast not said unto thy children the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain We acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes to Heaven we have cause enough to cry out God be mercifull to us sinners undeserving ill-deserving men and women we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickednesses we are by nature enemies to thy Majesty heirs of dâ—…ath children of darknesse slaves to sin captives to lust dead to sins and trespasses how are our understandings darkned and our hearts hardned what are our hearts but a store-house of â—…licious thoughts a brothel-house of adultery a Pallace of pride we are by nature wholly flesh totally opposite to the holy Lawes of thy Majesty and were it not for thy renewing or restraâ—…ning grace we should break forth into as vile abominations as the vilest of men Our lives have been a continual piece of rebellion against God who didst make us and dost feed and cloath us all thy paths have been paths of mercy to us but we have requited thee evil for thy good and hatred for thy love O foolish men and women that we have bin we acknowledge our Gospel sins are of a deep eye thou hast not bin a wildernesse or a Land of darknesse to us we have been exalted to Heaven in the meanes of salvation but oh how short do we come of knowledge to the time and meanes we have enjoyed and our obedience comes short of our knowledge we have not walked up to that light which thou hast given us We desire to lay our selves low before thee oh do thou open our eyes and presentus to our selves shew us the vilenesâ—…e of our lives Blessed be thy name that thou hast laid help upâ—… 〈◊〉 that is mighty to save all that come to thy Majesty by him and thou hast promised all that beleive on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Oh help us to receive him in all his offices in our hearts help us to give him the keyes of our hearts and help us to live and die to him that dyed for us and let our soules be united to thee by him that his death may be ours and his life ours and his intercession ours Oh let our unity to Christ be demonstrated to us by our communion with him and conformity to him in grace and holiness And we pray thee dearest Lord pardon our sins in the Court of Heaven and in the Court of our own consciences besprinkle our consciences in the blood of Christ and say to all before thee at this time that desire to fear thee more and serve thee better Sons and Daughters be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you And do not only justifie us but sanctifie us purge our consciences from dead workes informe our understandings conforme our wills to thine holy will let our hearts and lives be conformed to the Image of thy Sonne that beholding thereof we may be changed from glory to glory and let us have more knowledge of thy will that we may do thy will and suffer thy will with more patience and be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are to the glory of God Let us not be empty Vines that bring forth fruit to themselves but let us bring forth fruit to God whereby thou mayest be glorified Oh plant that great grace of selfe-denyal in our souls and let us take the Crosse of Iesus Christ and follow him wheresoever he goes Remember all thine extend thy favour to those thou hast cast on Beds of sicknesse and let there be a saving change wrought in them before that change by death shall come And that are drawing nigh their time of Travel let the arms of the All-sufficient God be under them and be better to them thâ—…s their Faith or our Prayer And look graciously upon poor Children intitle them to an inheritance that fadeth not away make them a blessing in themselves and a blessing to their Parents And those that desire the conversion of Relations that walk in wayes of perâ—…ition do not let them find peace in any way against thy Majesty and let them know that sin will be bitter in the latter end Look upon us that are before thee at this time before we go hence and shall be here no more make thy face to shine upon us let our coming together be for the better and not for the worse to any of us Let thy poor Servant be able to deliver thy message plainly and powerfully and give thy people hearing ears obedient hearts and let us rejoyce that we did wait upon thee in thy worship this day and all for Christ his sake in whose Name and words we call upon thee Our Father c. FINIS
a Line by a Plummet and what is not warranted by the Word of God or maintainable by Arguments drawn from it we should not close with And for the closing up of all do but consider how this Chapter and the things that I have spoken to you and preached from it how they do all influence this Exhortation Little children keep your selves from Idols see to it that you approve your selves in holy worship to God and the Lord Jesus Do but argue thus You profess to be Believers and is it not your duty to answer to this profession Your Faith is a pure Faith and an obediential Grace it is a Grace that will tutour you to hang upon Christ and his Appointments and Institutions And therefore being Believers study to keep your selves from Idols and whatever is not consonant to the will of God concerning Worship You believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God keep your selves from Idols in this respect for he is come into the World and hath shewed the pattern of his House And then You are born of God carry it like a people that are born of God that are high-born and credit your holy Profession by keeping a dependance upon that God of whom you are born And then being Believers you are born of God and have overcome the world and therefore shew forth your Heroick spirit by standing out in opposition to Idols and whatever is contrary to sound Doctrin and the power of godliness You have an Unction from the Holy One and this engages you to look to it that you keep your selves from Idols And then we know saith he that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ. And thereupon he brings in this Little children keep your selves from Idols as if he should say This is the true God God in Christ Jesus Christ the Son of the Father this is the true God and he hath eternal life with him other Gods are false gods and what benefit will you have by following them and performing worship to them Nothing but eternal death false gods can bestow no eternal life upon you but this is the true God and he can give you eternal life And therefore Little children keep your selves from Idols And now yet one word more I would not occasion any discomposure of spirit that is not becoming you But this I must say for ought I know You have the words of a Dying man and we use to say that the words of Dying men they are 〈◊〉 to take somewhat a deep impression I mean a Dying man not in properness of speech according to nature and yet if it should be so I hope there would be cause of rejoycing on my part But I speak the words of a Dying man in respect of Ministerial Office I suppose you all know there is an Act come forth by Supream Authority and it is not for us to quarrel at all but to submit to it and hold correspondency with it so far as we can with a good Conscience and there being many Injunctions that many besides my self cannot comply withall therefore we are willing to submit to the penalty inflicted This I say You have for many years had the benefit of my poor Labours I have fulfilled near up towards 40 years and have performed my service to God Christ and his People and I bless his Name not without acceptance and success My Work so far as I know in this course and in the Weekly course is now at an end my Desire is that you whose Hearts have been inclineable to wait upon God in the way of my Ministry may be kept faithful to God and that you may have the blessing of the everlasting Covenant coming upon your Souls and that you may have the power of this Doctrine held forth in this Sermon put forth upon your hearts that as you do believe that Jesus is the Christ that Jesus is the Son of God that as you profess these things you may carry it suitably to your profession that you may walk in Love to God Love to Christ and Love to one another that you may labour to manifest a noble generous Spirit in overcoming the world in Errors Corruptions false Doctrines and unwarrantable Worship that you may in all things labour to approve your selves And Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen Mr. Baxter's Farewell Sermon COLOSS. 2. 6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thansgiving O Mitting the division and in part the opening of the words the Observation is this That those that have received Christ Iesus the Lord must accordingly be rooted built up in him and stablished in the faith and walk in him as they have been taught and abound herein with thanksgiving This receiving of Christ signifies to believe in him It is not only to receive his Doctrine or Benefits but to receive his Person to receive him as related to us for the uses and end for which he came into the world and for which he offers himself to souls by the preaching of the Gospel Sinners have lost and undone themselves Christ comes to be the Physitian of souls he will not save the unwilling and despisers of his grace while they continue in their unwillingness He will save them by the way of covenant while he consents and tenders them his grace he will have them consent to the terms of his covenant The consent of the heart exprest by our covenanting with him is this receiving of Jesus Christ. He is willing to be our Physitian and when we take him to be so we receive him He is willing to save us from the guilt and power of sin willing to be our Lord Head Intercessor with God Justifier and All unto us and if we consent to this and take him as offered this is receiving Christ with whom his benefits are also received the remission of sins in-dwelling renewing comforting-Spirit title to everlasting life c. In the receiving Christ all this is received Receiving of Christ contains these two things or these two things are essentially contain'd to make up the nature of saving Faith i. e. to believe the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ to be true and to consent that the goodness that is therein revealed and proposed shall be ours To believe what Christ is and what he hath done so far to believe it as here we are resolv'd to venture our souls though there may be some weakness through our faith's imperfection and believing this Gospel to be the certain Word of God Then next to entertain the Christ that is offered in this Gospel to be ours with all the benefits that accompany and to all the blessed ends to which he is revealed
Thus the water of life is freely tendered to all that are athirst and there is no more required but Come and drink Then there is two things implyed that are the immediate products of this saving Faith and inseparable from it i. e. trusting on him as the Redeemer and obeying him as a Lord. To rest upon him as a Redeemer Rom. 15. 12. And here as far as the soul feels entertainment and encouragement by Christ overcoming his doubts that Christ will reject him c. so far he hath quietness of soul in Christ and will trust his soul upon Christ. And then the obeying of him in order to our full recovery as a Patient must obey his Physitian in using his remedies and means he prescribes for killing our sins restoreing our souls to Gods love and being with him to eternity The nature of Faith is to receive Christ the sincerity of it lies in the suitableness of the act to the object that we receive him as He is Now in Christ there is something essential to this act that he be a Saviour and our Saviour c. And there is something makes unto the well-being and fuller attaining of the end The first are the objects of Faith it self as 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation The second sort are the objects of Faith as it is strong and makes to the well-being of a Christian. All that is essential to Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer is to be believed by him that will approve himself a true Believer And thus to receive Christ as the eternal Son of God made Man the Redeemer of the World ruling us upon the right of Redemption justifying us before God bringing us to God and interceding for us And thus Christ must be received according to his Offices and as those uses for which he is given to the soul do import and and imply For the Application of this point First let us begin with those that our business at present doth not mainly lye on Must men walk in Christ as they have received him What shall we say to those that have not will not receive him that stop us at the door that we can't bring in the Doctrine of Christ that will not receive the principles of Christ How can we bring them and build them up that will not suffer the Foundation to be laid the seed to be received Hast thou not received Christ Then thou hast refused Christ been a despiser of the Gospel of Christ which will prove thy great condemnation What is it for thee to bear the Name and not to have the Spirit of Christ Do not go upon conjectures It 's one thing to number thy self with those that are Christians as to outward appearance and another thing to open thy heart and deliver up thy self to Christ's Government and as a lost sinner to receive him to those ends a Saviour must be received And remember this was no small Work God's sending Christ into the World no small thing to fetch thee from Hell and Satan to wash guilty Souls from all their sins and to bring them to everlasting glory If these great things be rightly understood and believed by thee if Christ be understood well as Christ it must be done with a wakened humbled self-resigning heart making the greatest matter in the World of these things Hath thy soul been seriously taken up about thy own recovery And hast thou received Christ as a man that was ready to be damned as one that had a load on his soul heavier than all the Mountains of Earth to ease and deliver him As one that was under the frowns of God in an estate of enmity receives reconciliation Hast thou received Christ as if thou hadst received Heaven in him Believe it these are great Transactions and will affect thy heart and it is not a sleepy or jesting matter thus to receive Christ. Consider what it is to receive Christ. First If you have received Christ you have received the great Reconciler that binds up the broken-hearted quiets those that tremble under the threatnings of God for fear he should forsake and cast them off for ever Secondly If thou hast received Christ thou hast received a perfect enmity to all sin that will never let thee rest in sin but be perswading thee from it and conflicting in thee against sin in thy soul If thou hast received Christ thou hast not received a friend for sin that will plead for or give thee leave to commit sin but one that though he bear with thee in thy weakness yet abominates thy sin If thou hast received him as a Lord and Master to rule thee to be consented and subjected to him and to be ruled by none but in subordination to him who will break those in pieces that refuse his Government Obedience and not verbal Profession is the thing he requires Hast thou entertained Christ to be the Master of thy words thoughts and deeds whose Government thou livest under more than under any in the world Thirdly If you have received Christ you have then received the beginning of felicity and full contentment to your souls having found none in your sins you have it discovered to you where it is therefore with gladness you go on and so far as you have hopes of attaining it so far you have great contentment c. Fourthly In a word If you have received Christ you have fallen out with sin subjected pleasures profits and honors to him and you have received his Spirit and this Spirit hath made you new and maintains a War within you against the flesh c. If this be not thy case Oh that thou knewest what a case thou art in For then First What the better art thou for all his blood shed as yet if thou wert this day to dye What would Christs blood do to the cleansing and saving of thy soul Secondly How canst thou look thy sins in the face and think on what thou hast done and art How canst thou look inward into thy defiled heart and not tremble when thou hast no more shelter from the wrath of God Thirdly How canst thou look God in the face who is a hater of sin How canst thou read his Attributes think on his Threatnings c. Fourthly How canst thou think to have any duty accepted any prayer heard or rewarded c. Fifthly How canst thou think on the day of Judgement on the time when thou must receive thy final sentence if thou hast not received Christ Oh what a thing is a Christless heart c. Quest. What shall I do that I may receive Christ Answ. First Till Christ be thine and hath brought peace from Heaven to thy soul let no peace be there to keep him out I do not say Overwhelm thy self with sorrow but let sorrow dwell there and let holy cares and solicitousness about thy spiritual state be there till Christ come and quiet and reconcile thee to God Secondly Read and believe the