is thy case such is thy work Every stroke is a thrust at thine heart 1 Tim. 6. 10. Conscience indeed is now asleep but when death and judgment shall bring thee to thy senses then wilt thou feel the raging smart and anguish of every wound The convinced sinner is a sensible instance of the miserable bondage of sin Conscience flies upon him and tells him what the end of these things will be and yet such a slave is he to his lusts that on he must though he see it will be his endless perdition and when the temptation comes lust gets the bit in his mouth breaks all the cords of his vows and promises and carries him headlong to his own destruction VI. The furnace of eternal vengeance is heated ready for thee Isa. 30. 33. Hell and destruction open their mouths upon thee they gape for thee they groan for thee Isa. 5. 14. waiting as it were with a greedy eye as thou standest upon the brink when thou wilt drop in If the wrath of a man be as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 20. 2. more heavy than the sand Prov. 27. 3. what is the wrath of the infinite God If the burning furnace heated in Nebuchadâ—â—zzar's fiery rage when he commanded it to be made yet seven times hotter were so fierce as to burn up even those that drew near it to throw the three children in Dan. 3. 19 22. How hot is that burning Oven of the Almighty's fury Mal. 4. 1. Surely this is seventy times seven more fierce What thinkest thou O man of being a saggoâ—in Hell to all eternity Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord of Hosts Ezek. 22. 14. Canst thou dwell with everlasting burnings Canst thou abide the consuming fire Isa 33. 4. When thou shalt be as a glowing Iron in Hell and thy whole body and soul shall be as perfectly possessed by Gods burning vengeance as the fiery sparkling Iron when heated in the â—iercest forge Thou canst not bear God's whip how then wilt thou endure his scorpions Thou art even crushed and ready to with thy self dead under the weight of his finger how then wilt thou bear the weight of his loyns The most patient man that ever was did curse the day that ever he was born Iob 3. 1. and even wish death to come and end his misery Iob 7. 15 16. when God did but let out one little drop of his wrath How then wilt thou endure when God shall pour out all his Vials and set himself against thee to torment thee when he shall make thy conscience the tunnel by which he will be pouring his burning wrath into thy soul for ever and when he shall fill all thy powers as full of torment as they be now full of sin When immortality shall be thy misery and to die the death of a brute and be swallowed into the gulf of annihilation shall be such a felicity as the whole eternity of wishes an Ocean of tears shall never purchase Now thou canst put off the evil day and canst laugh and be merry and forget the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. but how wilt thou hold out or hold up when God will cast thee into a bed of torments Rev. 2. 21 and make thee to 〈◊〉 down in sorrows Isa. 50. 11. When roarings and blasphemy shall be thine only musick and the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation shall be thine only drink Rev. 14. 10. When thou shalt draw in flames for thy breath and the horrid stench of sulphur shall be thy only perfume In a word when the smoak of thy torment shall ascend for ever and ever and thou shalt have no rest night nor day no rest in thy conscience no ease in thy bones but thou shalt be an execration and an astonishment and a curse and a reproach for evermore Ier. 42. 〈◊〉 O sinner stop here and consider If thou art a man and not a senseless block consider Bethink thy self where thou standest why upon the very brink of his â—urnace As the Lord liveth and thy soul liveth there is but a step between thee and this 1 Sam. 20. 3. Thou knowest not when thou lyest down but thou mayest be in before the Morning thou knowest not when thou risest but thou may 〈◊〉 drop in before the Night Darest thou make light of this Wilt thou go on in such a dreadful conditionâ— as if nothing ailed thee If thou puttest it off and sayest this doth not belong to thee look again over the foregoing Chapter and tell me the truth are none of these black marks found upon thee Do not blind thine eyes do not deceive thy self see thy misery while thou mayst prevent it Think what 't is to be a vile cast-out a damned reprobate a vessel of wrath into which the Lord will be pouring out his tormenting fury while he hath a Being Rom. 9. 22. Divine wrath is a fierce Deut. 32. 22. devouring Isa. 33. 14. everlasting Mat. 25. 41. unquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. and thy soul and body must be the fuel upon which it will be feeding for ever unless thou consider thy ways and speedily turn to the Lord by a sound conversion They that have been only singed by this fire and had no more but the smell thereof passing upon them Oh what amazing spectacles have they been Whose heart would not have melted to have heard Spira's out-cries to have seen Chaloner that monument of Justice worn to Skin and Bones Blaspheming the God of Heaven cursing himself and continually crying out O Torture Torture Torture O Torture Torture as if the flames of wrath had already took hold on him To have heard Rogers crying out I have had a little pleasure but now I must to Hell for evermore wishing but for this mitigation that God would but let him lie burning for ever behind the back of that fire on the earth and bringing in this sad conclusion still at the end of whatever was spoken to him to afford him some hope I must to Hell I must to the furnace of Hell for millions of millions of Ages O if the fears and forethoughts of the wrath to come be so terrible so intolerable what is the feeling of it Sinner 't is but in vain to flatter you this would be but to toll you into the unquenchable fire know ye from the living God that here you must lie with these burnings must you dwell till immortality die and immutability change till Eternity run out and Omnipotency is not longer able to torment except you be in good earnest renewed throughout by sanctifying grace VII The Law dischargeth all its threats and curses at thee Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 7. Oh how dreadfully doth it thunder It spits fire and brimstone in thy face Its words are as drawn swords and as the sharp arrows of the mighty it demands
down into the bottomless Pit. Seest thou how the smoak of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever Revâ— 14. 11. How black are the Fiends How furious are their Tormentors 'T is their only musick to hear how their miserable Patients roar to hear their bones crack 'T is their meat and drink to see how their flesh frieth and their fat droppeth to drench them with burning metal and to rip open their bodies and to pour in the fierce burning brass into their bowels and the recesses and ventricles of their hearts What thinkesâ— thou of those chains of darkness of those instruments of cruelty Canst thou be content to burn Seest thou how the worm gnaweth how the oven gloweth how the fire rageth What say'st thou to that River of Brimstone that dark and horrible vault that gulf of perdition Wilt thou take up thy habitation here O lay thine ear to the door of Hell. Hearest thou the curses and blasphemies the weepings and the wailings how they lament their folly and curse their day Mat. 22. 13. Rev. 16. 9. How do they roar and â—ell and gnash their teeth How dâ—ep are their gronas How feeling are their moâ—ns How unconceivable are their miseries If the shâ—ieks of 〈…〉 and Abiram were so terrible when the Earth 〈◊〉 asunder and opened her mouth and swallowed them up and all that apperâ—ained to them that all Israel fled at the cry of them 〈◊〉 16. â—3 â—4 Oh how fearful worâ—id the cry be if God should take off the covaring from the mouâ—h of Hell and let the cry of the damned aseend in all its teâ—ror among the Children or men And of all their moans and miseries this the piercing killing emphasis and burden for ever for â—vâ—r Why as God liveth that made thy soul thou art but a few hours distant from all this except thou repent and be converted Oh! I am even lost and swallowed up in the abundance of those arguments that I might suggest If there be any point of wisdom in all the world it is to repent and come in if there be any thing righteous any thing reasonable this is it If there be any thing in the world that may be called madness and folly and any thing that may be counted sottish absurd brutish unreasonable it is this to go on in thine unconverted estate Let me beg thee as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy thy self to sit down and weigh besides what hath been said these following Motives and let conscience speak if it be not reason that thou shouldst repent and turn 1. The God that made thee doth most graciously invite thee First His most sweet and merciful nature doth invite thee Oh the kindness of God his working bowels his tender mercies they are infinitely above our thoughts higher than heaven what can we do Deeper than hell what can we know Iob 11. 7 8 9. He is full of compassion and gracious long suffering and plenteous in mercy Psal. 86. 15. This is a great argument to perswade sinners to come in Turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful â—low to anger of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil If God would not repent of the evil it were some discouragement to us why we should not repent If there were no hope of mercy it were no such wonder if rebels should stand out but never had Subjects such a gracious Prince such Piety Patience Clemency pity to deal with as you have Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity c. Mic. 7. 18. Oh sinners See what a God you have to deal with if you will but turn He will turn again and have compassion on you he will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sins into the depth of the Sea V. 19. Return unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will return unto you Mal. 3. 7. Zech. 1. 3. Sinners do not fail in that they have too high thoughts of Gods mercies but in that 1. They overlook his Iustice. 2. They promise themselves mercy out of Gods way His mercy is beyond all imagination Isa. 55. 9. great mercies 1 Chron. 21. 13. manifold mercies Neh. 9. 19. tender mercies Psal. 25. 6. sure mercies Isa. 55. 3. everlasting mercies Psal. 103. 17. Isa. 54. 8. and all thine own if thou wilt but turn Art thou willing to come in Why the Lord hath laid aside his terror erected a Throne of Grace holds forth the golden Scepter Touch and live Would a merciful man slay his enemy when prostrate at his feet acknowledging his wrong begging pardon and offering to enter with him into a Covenant of peace Much less will the merciful God. Study his Name Exod. 34. 7. Read their experience Neh. 9. 17. Secondly His Soul encouraging calls and promises do invite thee Ah what an earnest suiter is mercy to thee how lovingly how instantly it calleth after thee how passionately it wooeth thee Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquity Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you return and I will heal your back-slidings Thou hast plaid the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord Jer. 3. 11 12 13 14 22. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin Cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a clean heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ezek. 18. 21 23 30 31 32. Oh melting gracious words The voice of a God and not of a man This is not the manner of men for the offending Sovereign to sue to the offending traiterous varlet Oh how doth mercy follow thee and plead with thee Is not thy heart broken yet Oh that to day you would hear his voice 2. The Doors of Heaven are thrownâ— open to thee The Everlasting Gates are set wide for thee and an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven administred to thee Christ now bespeaks thee as she her Husband Arise and take possession 1 Kings 21. 15. View the glory of the other world as set forth in the map of the
refresh my bowels in the Lord. If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the Spirit any bowels and mercies fulfil you my joy Now give your selves unto the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. Now set your selves to seek him Now set up the Lord Jesus in your heares and set him up in your houses Now come in and kiss the Son Psal. 2. 12. and embrace the tenders of mercy Touch his Scepter and live why will you die I beg not for my self but fain I would have you happy This is the prize I run for and the white I aim at My soul's desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved Rom. 10. 1. The famous Lycurgus having instituted most strict and wholesom Laws for his people told them he was necessitated to go a Journey from themâ— and got them to bind themselves in an Oath that his Laws should be observed till his return This done he went into a voluntary banishment and never returned more that they might by vertue of their Oath be engaged to the perpetual observing of his Laws Methinks I should be glad of the hard conditions which he endured though I love you tenderly so I might but hereby engage you throughly to the Lord Jesus Christ. Dearly beloved would you rejoyce the heart of your Minister Why then embrace the Counsels of the Lord by me forgo your sins set to prayer up with the Worship of God in your families keep at a distance from the corruptions of the times What greater joy to a Minister than to hear of souls born unto Christ by him and that his Children walk in the truth 2 Iohn 4. Brethren I beseech you suffer friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deepest concernments I am not playing the Orator to make a learned speech to you nor dressing my dish with eloquence wherewith to please you These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed viz. to convince and convert and to save you I am not baiting my hook with Rhetorick nor fishing for your applause but for your souls My work is not to please you but to save you nor is my business with your fancies but your hearts If I have not your hearts I have nothing If I were to please your ears I could sing another song If I were to preach my self I would steer another course I could then tell you a smoother tale I would make you pillows and speak you peace for how can Ahab love this Micaiah that always prophesies evil concerning him 1 Kings 22. 8. But how much better are the wounds of a Friend than the fair speeches of the Harlot who flattereth with her lips till the Dart strike through the liver and hunteth for the precious life Prov. 7. 21 22 23. and Prov. 6. 26. If I were to quiet a crying infant I might sing him to a pleasant mood and rock him asleep But when the Child is fallen into the Fire the parent takes another course he will not go to still him with a song or trifle I know if we speed not with you you are lost If we cannot get your consent to arise and come away you perish for ever No Conversion and no Salvation I must get your good will or leave you miserable But here the difficulty of my work again recurs upon me Lord choose my stones out of the Rocks 1 Sam. 17. 40 45. I come in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel I come forth like the stripling Goliah to wrestle not with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. This day let the Lord smite the Philistine and spoil the strong man of his Armour and give me to fetch off the captives out of his hand Lord choose my words choose my weapons for me and when I put my hand into the bag and take thence a stone and sling it do thou carry it to the mark and make it sink not into the forehead 1 Sam. 17. 49. but the heart of the unconverted sinner and smite him to the ground with Saul in his so happy fall Acts 9. 4. Thou hast sent me as Abraham did Eliezer to take a wife unto my master thy Son Gen. 24. 4. But my discouraged soul is ready to fear the woman will not be willing to follow me O Lord God of my Master I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindness to my Master and send thine Angel before me and prosper my way that I may take a wife unto thy son Gen. 24. 12. That as the servant rested not till he had brought Isaac and Rebekah together so I may be successful to bring Christ and the souls of my people together before we part But I turn me unto you Some of you do not know what I mean by conversion and in vain shall I persuade you to that which you do not understand and therefore for your sakes I shall shew what this Conversion is Others do cherish secret hopes of mercy though they continue as they be and for them I must shew the necessity of Conversion Others are like to harden themselves with a vain conceit that they are converted already unto them I must shew the marks of the unconverted Others because they feel no harm fear none and so sleep upon the top of the mast to them I shall shew the misery of the unconverted Others sit still because they see not their way out to them I shall shew the means of conversion And finally for the quickening of all I shall close with the motives of Conversion Chap I. Shewing the Negative what Conversion is not and correcting some mistakes about it LET the blind Samaritans worship they know not what Ioh. 4. 22. Let the Heathen Athenians superscribe their Altar unto the unknown God Acts 17. 23. Let the guileful Papists commend the mother of destruction Hos. 4. 6. for the mother of devotion they that know mans constitution and the nature of the reasonable soulsâ— operation cannot but know that the understanding having the Empire in the soul he that will go rationally to work must labour to let in the light here Ignorantiâ— non est consensus And therefore that you may not mistake me I shall shew you what I mean by the conversion I persâ—â—de you to endeavour after It is storied that when Iupiter let down the golden Chaplets from Heaven all of them but one were stolen Whereupon lest they should lose a relique of so great esteem they made five others so like it that if any were so wickedly minded as to steal that also they should not be able to discern which was it And truly my belâ—ved the Devil hath made many counterfeits of this Conversion and cheats one with this and another with that and such a craft and artifice he hath in this mystery of deceits that if it were possible he would deceive the
God that all this miserâ— lies upon thee what a case art thou in Is it for one that hath his senses to live in such a condition and not to make all possible expedition for preventing his utter ruin O man who hath bewitched thee Gal. 3. 1. that in the matters of the present life thou shouldst be wise enough to forecast thy business foresee thy danger and prevent thy mischief but in matters of everlasting consequence shouldst be slight and careless as if they little concerned thee Why is it nothing to thee to have all the Attributes of God engaged against thee Canst thou do well without his favour Canst thou escape his hands or endure his vengeance Dost thou hear the creation groaning under thee and hell groaning for thee and yet think thy case good enough Art thou in the paw of the Lion under the power of corruption in the dark and noisome prison fetter'd with thy lusts working out thine own damnation and is not this worth the considering Wilt thou make light of all the terrours of the Law of all its curses and thunderbolts as if they were but the report of the Childrens potâ— guns or thou went to war with their paper pellets dost thou laugh at hell and destruction or canst thou drink the envenomed Cup of the Almighty's fury as if it were but a common portion Gird up now thy lovns like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me Iob 40. 7. Art thou such a Leviathan as that the scales of thy pride should keep thee from thy Makers coming at thee Wilt thou esteem his Arrows as straw and the instruments of death as rotten wood Art thou chief of all the Children of pride even that thou shouldst count his darts as stubble and laugh at the shaking of his spear Art thou made without fear and contemnest his barbed Irons Iob 41. Art thou like the horse that paweth in the valley and rejoâ—ceth in his strength who 〈◊〉 out to meet the armed men Dost thou mock at fear and art not affrighted neither turnest back from Gods sword when his quiver ratleth against thee the glittering spear and the shield Iob 39. 21 22 23. Well if the threats and calls of the word will not fear thee nor awaken thee I am sure death and judgment will. Oh what wilt thou do when the Lord cometh forth against thee and in his fury falleth upon thee and thou shalt feel what thou readest If when Daniel's enemies were cast into the Den of Lions both they and their wives and their children the Lions had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces ere ever they came at the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. 24. what shall be done with thee when thou fallest into the hands of the living God When he shall gripe thee in his Iron arms and grind and crush thee to a thousand pieces in his wrath Oh do not then contend with God. Repent and be converted so none of this shall come upon thee Isa. 55. 6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Chap. VI. Containing DIRECTIONS for Conversion Mark 10. 17. And there came one and kneeled to him and asked him Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life BEfore thou readest these Directions I advise thee yea I charge thee before God and his holy Angels to resolve to follow them as far as Conscience shall be convinâ—â—d of their agreeableness to Gods word and thy estate and call in his assistance and blessing that they may succeed And as I have sought the Lord and consulted his Oracles what advice to give thee so must thou entertain it with that awe reverence and purpose of obedience that the word of the living God doth require Now then attend Set thine heart unto all that I shall testifie unto thee in this day for it is not a vain thing it is your life Deut. 32. 46. This is the end of all that hath been spoken hitherto to bring you to set upon turning and making use of Gods means for your conversion I would not trouble you nor torment you before the time with the forethoughts of your eternal misery but in order to your making your escape Were you shut up under your present misery without remedy it were but mercy as one speaks to let you alone that you might take in that little poor comfort that you are capable of here in this world But you may yet be happy If you do not wilfully refuse the means of your recovery Behold I hold open the door unto you arise take your flight I set the way of life before you walk in it and you shall live and not die Deut 30. 19. Ier. 9. 16. It pities me to think you should be your own Murderers and throw your selves headlong when God and men cry out to you as Peter in another Case to his Master Spare thy self A noble Virgin that attended the Court of Spain was wickedly ravished by the King and hereupon exciting the Duke her Father to revenge he called in the Moors to his help who when they had executed his design miserably wasted and spoiled the Country which this Virgin laying so exceedingly to heart shut her self up in a Tower belonging to her Father's house and desired her Father and Mother might be called forth and bewailing to them her own wretchedness that she should have occasioned so much misery and desolation to her Country for the satisfying of her revenge she told them she was resolved to be avenged upon her self Her Father and Mother besought her to pity her self and them but nothing could prevail but she took her leave of them and threw her self off the battlements and so perished before their faces Just thus is the wilful destruction of ungodly men The God that made them beseecheth them and cryeth out to them as Paul to the distracted Jaylor when about to murder himself Do thy self no harm The Ministers of Christ forewarn them and follow them and â—ain would have them back But alas No expoâ—tulations nor obtestations will prevail but men will hurl themselves into perdition while pity it self looketh on What shall I say would it not grieve a person of any humanity if in the time of a reigning plague he should have a receipt as one said well that would infallibly cure all the Country and recover the most hopeless patients and yet his friends and neighbours should die by the hundreds about him because they would not use it Men and Brethren though you carry the certain Symptoms of death in your faces yet I have a receipt that will cure you all that will cure infallibly Follow but these few Directions and if you do not then win Heaven
of thy Commandments yet I will allow my self in the breach of none I know my flesh will hang back But I resolve in the power of thy Grace to cleave to thee and thy holy ways what ever it cost me I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee therefore I will be content with reproach and difficulties and hardships here and will deny my self and take up my Cross and follow thee Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie thy Cross is welcome as it is the way to thee I lay aside all hopes of worldly happiness I will be content to tarry till I come to thee Let me be poor and low little and despised here so I may but be admitted to live and reign with thee hereafter Lord thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians never to be reversed To this I will stand In this resolution by Grace I will live and die I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have given my free consent I have made my everlasting choice Lord Jesus confirm the Contract Amen Chap. VII Containing the Motives to Conversion THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversion and of the Miseries of the Unconverted might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present Turning or Conversion unto God Yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is I have thought it necessary to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ some Motives to perswade you hereunto O Lord fail me not now at my last attempts If any soul hath read hitherto and be yet untouched now Lord fasten in him and do thy work Now take him by the heart overcome him perswade him till he sayâ— thou hast prevailed for thou wast stronger than I. Lord didst thou not make me a Fisher of men And have I toiled all this while and caught nothing Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought And now I am casting my last Lord Jesus stand thou upon the Shore and direct how and where I shall spread my Net and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for that they may not be able to get out Now Lord for a multitude of souls I Now for a full draughtâ— O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me this once O God. But I turn me unto you Men and Brethren Heaven and Earth do call upon you yea Hell it self doth preach the Doctrine of Repentance unto you The Angels of the Churches travel with you Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you for your repenting and turning unto God. O sinner why should the Devils make merry with thee Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan Why should Harpies and Hell-Hounds tear thee and make a feast upon thee and when they have got thee into the Snare and have fastened their Talons in thee laugh at thy destruction and deride thy misery and sport themselves with thy damnable folly This must be thy case except thou turn And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels than a laughing stock and sport for Devils Verily if thou wouldst but come in the Heavenly Host would take up their Anthems and sing Glory be to God in the Highest the Morning Stars would sing together and all the Sons of God shout for joy and celebrate this new Creation as they did the first Thy Repentance would as it were make Holy-day in Heaven and the glorious Spirits would rejoice in that there is a new Brother added to their society Rev. 22. 9. another Heir born to their Lord and the lost Son received safe and sound The true penitents tears are indeed the Wine that cheareth both God and Man. If it be little that Men and Angels would rejoice at thy Conversion know that God himself would rejoice over thee even with singing and rest in his love Luke 15. 9. Isa. 62. 5. Never did Iacob with such joy weep over the Nâ—ck of his Ioseph as thy Heavenly Father would rejoice over thee upon thy coming in to him Look over the Story of the Prodigal Methinks I see how the Aged Father lays aside his estate and forgets his years Behold how he runneth Luke 15. 20. Oh the haste that mercy makes The Sinner makes not half that speed Methinks I see how his Bowels turn how his compassions yearn How quick-sighted is love Mercy spies him a great way off forgets his riotous courses unnatural rebellion horrid unthankfulness debauched practices not a word of these but receives him with open Arms clasps about his Neck forgets the nastiness of his Rags kisses the Lips that deserve to be loathed the Lips that had been joined to Harlots that had been commoners with the Swine calls for the fatted Calf the best Robe the Ring the Shooes the best cheer in Heavens Store the best attire in Heavens Wardrobe Luke 15. 6 9 23. yea the joy cannot be held in one breast c. others must be called to participate the friends must meet and make merry Angels must wait but the Prodigal must be set at the Table under his Fathers wing He is the joy of the feast He is the sweet subject of the Fathers delight The Friends sympathize but none knows the felicity the Father takes in his new born Son whom he hath received from the dead Methinks I hear the Musick and the Dancing at a distance Oh the Melody of the Heavenly Choristers I cannot learn the Sonâ— Rev. 14. 3. But methinks I over-hear the burden at which all the harmonious Quire with one consent strikes sweetly in for thus goes the round at Heavens Table For this my Son was dead and is alivâ— again was lost and is found Luke 5. 23 24 32. I need not farther explain the parable God is the Father Christ the Cheer his Righteousness the Robe his Graces the Ornaments Ministers Saints Angels the Friends and Servants and thou that readest if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn the welcome Prodigal the happy instance of all this grace and blessed subject of this joy and love O Rock Oh Adamant What! not moved yet not yet resolved to turn forthwith and to close with mercy I will try thee yet once again If one were sent to thee from the dead wouldst thou be perswaded Why hear the voice from the dead from the damned crying to thee that thou shouldst repent I pray thee that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers house for I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment If one went unto them from the dead they will repent Luke 16. 27 28 c. Hear O man thy Predecessors in impenitence Preach to thee from the infernal Gibbets from the Flames from the Rack that thou shouldst repent O look
greatest concernment will not do the Soul any good unless by thinking it apply them and extract their vertue nor will the Spirit heal its lamentable Diseases if his influences be not answer'd with suitable endeavours Work then as he works in and with thee take into most serious consideration whatever is apt to promote thy recovery lay those things closest to heart which are likeliest to cure the hardness thereof inculcate and urge them and withal cry mightily unto him who is able and no less willing to help thee till thou feelest his gentle force and comest to a conquering resolution that thou must and wilt do as thou art advis'd till thou dost not only assent to the course propos'd as fit to be taken but art steadily determin'd that it is best for thee that it is absolutely necessary and must effectually be prosecuted that by the grace of God thou wilt thoroughly change thy heart and life and so escape from the greatest evil and make sure of the chiefest good 3. When thou hast seriously consider'd and resolv'd proceed presently to practise with all thy might and without the least delay 'T is commonly a work of some time to alter the temper of the Soul and change the course of the life and according to God's usual methods the longer thou hast been accustom'd to do evil the more time and pains will be requisite to break the force of stubborn lusts to weaken and subdue vitious habits and to gain those of grace and goodness to travel back the way thou hast gone wrong and to get out of it into the path of life 'T is well then if there be days enough before thee to do the one thing needful to be sure thou art not certain of an hour to spare the loss of so small a part may prove the loss of all Besides if thou putt'st off thy reformation though but for a little while 't is a sign thou dost not really intend it at all for thou purposest against conviction to add sin to sin at present and how can that consist with an hearty design of growing good afterward Delude not therefore thy self with such a desperate cheat but imitate the Royal Psâ—lmist When thou hast thought on thy ways turn thy feet unto Gods testimonies Make haste and delay not to keep his Commandments 4. Remember that conversion unto God is but the beginning of thy duty that thou must afterward obey him all the days of thy life and that there is no other way to preserve an interest in his favour and a right to the great expressions thereof They are the largest and the last discoveries of Divine Grace that teach thee to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and so doing to look for the blessed Object of thy hope they plainly enough warn thee against drawing back unto perdition they threaten a final rejection if thou deniest thy Saviour in words or works and they oft direct and command thee to seek for glory and honour and immortality by patient continuance in well-doing to be faith ful unto death whatever it cost thee that thy Lord may give thee a crown of life These may seem hard sayings but they contain nothing like a reasonable discouragement There 's misery more than enough in Hell to necessitate a prevention by any temporary labours wants and suffâ—rings and an abundantly sufficient happiness in Heaven to encourage a stedfast perseverance in the work of the Lord though it were more harsh and grievous than sinners imagine And even at present Religion is not without a reward yea thou wilt find it if thou triest as thou shouldst a reward to it self when the main difficulties at first are over thy duty will grow daily easier it will have many pleasures mixed with it and become at length it self the greatest It will not abridge thy appetites of any desirable gratifications but give them a new delicious relish of the Fountain from which they flow Instead of the girds and twinges of a bad Conscience and dread of an after-reckoning 't will settle peace within and fill thee with comfortable reflections and joyful hopes and a loving thankful praising obedience will by degrees become thy sweetest employment Therein thou may'st draw still nearer to God delight thy self in and receive from him the desires of thine heart thou may'st walk always in the light of his countenance and feed on his loving kindness which is better than life In short before thou ascendest to Heaven thou may'st be in an Heaven on Earth and find by happy experience that the way to have all thou canst wish hereafter is to be and do what is best for thy self here Useful Questions whereby a Christian may every day examine himself Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your beds EVery Evening before you sleep unless you find some other time of the day more for your advantage in this work sequester your self from the World and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord charge it before God to answer to these Interrogatories For your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my Bed when he looked for me on my knees Job 1. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Q. 2. Have not I prayed to no purpose or suffered wandring thoughts to eat out my duties Mat. 15. 8 9. Jer. 12. 2. Q. 3. Have not I neglected or been very overly in the reading Gods holy word Deut. 17. 19. Josh. 1. 7 8. Q. 4. Have I digested the Sermon I heard last Have I repeated it over and prayed it over Luke 2. 19 51. Psal. 1. 2. and 119. 5 11 97. Q. 5. Was there not more of custom and fashion in my family-duties than of Conscience Psal. 101. 2. Jer 30. 21. Q. 6. Where in have I denied my self this day for God Luke 9. 23. Q. 7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits idle imaginations fruitless discourse unnecessary sleep more than needs of the World Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Q. 8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God in this time extraordinary 2 Cor. 11. 28. Isa. 62. 6. Q. 9. Have I look care of my company Prov. 13. 20. Psal. 119. 63. Q. 10. Have not Ineglected or done something against the duties of my Relations as a Master Servant Husband Wife Parent Child c. Eph. 5. 22. to chap. 6. V. 10. Col. 3. 18. to the 4. V. 2. For your Sins Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light Psal. 38. 4. Rom. 7. 24. Q. 2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the Land Ezek. 9. 4. Jer. 9. 1 2 3. Q. 3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin Psal. 119. 101 104. For your Heart Q. 1. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations Neh. 2. 4 5. Q. 2. Hath not God been out of mind Heaven out of sight Psal. 16. 8 Jer. 2. 32. Col. 3. 1 2. Q. 3. Have
very Elect. Now that I may cure the damnable mistakes of some who think they are converted when they are not as well as remove the troubles and fears of others that think they are not converted when they are I shall shew you the nature of conversion both negatively or what it is not and positively what it is We will begin with the Negative 1. It is not the taâ—ing on us the Profession of Christianity Doubtless Christianity is more than a name If we will hear Paul it lies not in word but in powerâ— 1 Cor. 4. 20. if to cease to be Jews and Pagans and to pâ—t on the Christian Profession had been true Conversionâ— as this is all that some would have to be understood by it who better Christians than they of Sardis and Laodicea These were all Christians by profession and had a name to live but because they had but a name are condemned by Christ and threatned to be spewed out Rev. 3. 1. 16. Are there not many that name the name of the Lord Jesus that yet depart not from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. and profess they know God but in works deny him Tit. 1. 16. And will God receive these for true converts because turned to the Christian Religion What converts from sin when yet they do live in sin 'T is a visible contradiction Surely if the lamp of profession would have served the turn the foolish Virgins had never been shut out Mat. 25. 3 12. We find not only professors but Preachers of Christ and Wonder-workers turned off because evil workers Mat. 7. 22 23. 2. It is not the being washed in the laver of Regeneration or putting on the badge of Christ in baptism Many take the press-money and wear the Livery of Christ that yet never stand to their colours nor follow their leader Ananias and Saphira and Magus were baptized as well as the rest How fondly do many mistake here deceiving and being deceived dreaming that effectual grace is necessarily tied to the external administration of Baptism which what is it but to revive the Popish Tenent of the Sacraments working grace ex opere operato and so every Infant should be regenerated not only Sacramento tenus sacramentally but really and properly Hence men do fancy that being regenerated already when baptized they need no further work But if this were so then all that were baptized in their infancy must necessarily be saved because the promise of pardon and salvation is made to conversion and regeneration Acts 3. 19. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Mat. 19. 28. Our Calling Sanctification as to the beginnings of it on Conversion which are but the same thing under different conceptions and expressions is but a middle link in the golden chain fastned to election at the one end and glorification at the other Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. The silver cord may not be broken nor the connexion between Sanctification and Salvation between grace and glory impiously violated Mat. 5. 8. if we were indeed begotten again it is to an inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven for us and the divine power is engaged to keep us for it 1 Pet. 1. 5. And if the very regenerate may perish at last in their sins we will no more say that he that is born of God his seed remaineth in him and that he cannot sin 1 Ioh. 3. 9. i. e. unto death nor that it is impossible to deceive the very elect Mat. 24. 24. And indeed were this true then we need look no farther to see our names written in Heaven than only to search the Register and see whether we were baptized then I would keep the certificate of my baptism as my fairest evidence for Heaven and should come by assurance of my gracious state with a wet finger then men should do well to carry but a certificate of their baptism under the Registers hand when they died as the Philosopher would be buried with the Bishops Bond in his hand which he had given him for receiving his alms in another world and upon sight of this there were no doubt of their admission into Heaven In short if there be no more necessary to conversion or regeneration than to be turned to the Christian Religion or to be baptized in infancy this will flie directly in the face of that Scripture Mat. 7. 14. as well as multitudes of others For first we will then no more say strait is the gate and narrow is the way for if all that are baptized and of true Religion are saved the door is become heavenly wide and we will henceforth say wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto life for if this be true whole Parishes yea whole Countries and whole Kingdoms may go in a breast and we will no more teach that the righteous is scarcely saved or that there is need of such a stir in taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence and striving to enter in Surely if the way be so easie as many make it that there is little more necessary than to be regenerated in our baptism and cry God mercy and be absolved by the Minister at our end 't is more ado than needs to put our selves to such running and seeking and knocking and fighting and wrestling as the word requires as necessary to Salvation Secondly if this be true we will no more say Few there be that find it yea we will rather say Few there be that miss it we will no more say that of the many that are called but few are chosen Mat. 22. 14. and that even of the professing Israel but a remnant shall be saved Rom. 11. 5. If this Doctrine be true we will not say any more with the Disciples Who then shall be saved but rather who then shall not be saved Then if a man be called a brother that is a Christian and be baptized though he be a fornicator or a â—ailer or covetous or a drunkard yet he shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. But the Arminian will reply such as these though they did receive regenerating grace in Baptism are since fallen away and must be renewed again or else they cannot be saved I answer 1. That there is an infallible connexion between regeneration and salvation as we have already shewed and I itch to be farther evidencing but that 't is against designed brevity 2. Then men must be born again which carrys a great deal of absurdity in its very face And why may not men be twice born in nature as well as in grace Why not as great an absurdity to be twice regenerated as to be twice generated But 3. and above all This grants however the thing I contend for that what ever men do or pretend to receive in baptism if they be sound afterwards to be grosly ignorant or profane or formal without the power of godliness they must be born again or else be shut out of the
of choice not as slaves but as the Sun or Spouse from a Spring of Love and a Loyal Mind In a Word the Laws of Christ are the Converts Love Psalm 119. 159 163 167. desire ver 5 20 40. delight ver 77 92 103 111 143. and continual study ver 99 79. Psalm 1. 2. 4. The bent of his course is directed to keep Gods Statutes Psalm 119. 4 8 167 168. 'T is the daily care of his life to walk with God. He seeks great things he hath noble designs though he fall too short He aims at nothing less than perfection he desires it he reaches after it he would not rest in any pitch of grace till he were quite rid of sin and had perfected holiness Phil. 3. 11 12 13 14. Here the Hypocrites rottenness may be discovered He desires holiness as one well only as a Bridge to Heaven and enquires earnestly what is the least that will serve his turn and if he can get but so much as may just bring him to Heaven this is all he cares for But the sound Convert desires holiness for holiness sake Psalm 119. 97. Mat. 5. 6. and not only for Heaven's sake He would not be satisfied with so much as might save him from Hell but desires the highest pitch Yet desires are not enough What is thy way and thy course Is the drift and scope of thy life altered Is holiness thy trade and religion thy business Rom. 8. 1. Mat. 25. 16. Phil. 1. 20. If not thou art short of sound Conversion Application And is this that we have described the Conversion that is of absolute necessity to salvation Then be informed 1. That strait is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life 2. That there be but few that find it 3. That there is need of a Divine power savingly to convert a sinner to Jesus Christ. Again then be exhorted O man that readest to turn in upon thine own self What saith Conscience Doth it not begin to bite Doth it not twitch thee as thou goest Is this thy Judgment and this thy Choice and this thy way that we have described If so then 't is well But doth not thy heart condemn thee and tell thee there is such a sin thou livest in against thy Conscience Doth it not tell thee there is such and such a secret way of wickedness that thou makest no bones of Such or such a Duty that thou makest no Conscience of Doth not Conscience carry thee to thy Closet and tell thee how seldom prayer and reading is performed there Doth it not carry thee to thy family and shew thee the charge of God and the souls of thy children and servants that be neglected there doth not Conscience lead thee to thy Shop thy Trade and tell thee of some mystery of iniquity there Doth it not carry thee to the Ale-Shop or to the Sack-Shop and round thee in thine ear for the loose Company thou keepest there the precious time thou mis-spendest there for the talents of God which thou throwest down this Sink for thy gaming and thy swilling c. Doth it not carry thee into thy secret Chamber and read thee a Curtain Lecture O Conscience do thy duty In the name of the living God I command thee discharge thine office Lay hold upon this sinner fall upon him arrest him apprehend him undeceive him What wilt thou flatter and sooth him while he lives in his sins Awake O Conscience What meanest thou O sleeper What hast thou never a reproof in thy mouth What shall this soul die in his careless neglect of God and Eternity and thou altogether hold thy peace What shall he go on still in his trespasses and yet have peace O rouse up thy self and do thy work Now let the Preacher in the bosom speak Cry aloud and spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet let not the blood of this Soul be required at thy hands Chap. III. Of the Necessity of Conversion IT may be you are ready to say what meaneth this stir And are apt to wonder why I follow you with such earnestness still ringing one lesson in your â—ars That you should repent and be converted Acts 3. 19. But I must say unto you as Ruth to Naomi Intreat me not to leave you nor to turn aside from following after you Ruth 1. 16. Were it a matter of indifferency I would never keep so much ado Might you be saved as you be I would gladly let you alone But would you not have me solicitous for you when I see you ready to perish As the Lord liveth before whom I am I have not the least hopes to see one of your faces in Heaven except you be converted I utterly despair of your salvation except you will be prevailed with to turn throughly and give up your selves to God in holiness and newness of life Hath God said Except you be born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3. and yet do you wonder why your Ministers do so plainly travel in birth with you Think it not strange that I am earnest with you to follow after holiness and long to see the Image of God upon you Never did any nor shall any enter into Heaven by any other way but this The Conversion described is not an high pitch of some taller Christians but every soul that is saved passes this universal change It was a passage of the Noble Roman when he was hasting with Corn to the City in the famine and the Mariners were loth to set sail in foul weather Necessarium est navigarâ— non est necessarium vivere Our voyage is of more necessity than our lives What is it that thou dost account necessary Is thy Bread necessary Is thy Breath necessary then thy Conversion is much more necessary Indeed this is the â—â—num necessarium the one thing necessary Thine Estate is not necessary thou maist sell all for the Pearl of great price and yet be a gainer by the purchase Mat. 13. 46. Thy life is not necessary thou maist part with it for Christ to infinite advantage Thine esteem is noâ— necessary thou maist be reproached for the name of Christ and yet happy yea much more happy in reproach than in repute 1 Pet. 4. 4. Mat. 5. 10 11. But thy Conversion is necessary thy damnation lies upon it and is it not needful in so important a case to look about thee Upon this one point depends thy making or marring to all eternity But I shall more particularly shew the necessity of Conversion in five things for without this 1. 〈◊〉 being is in vaiâ— Is it not pity thou shouldst be good for nothing an unprofitable burden of the earth a wart or wen in the Body of the universe Thus thou art whilst unconverted for thou canst not answer the end of thy Being Is it not for the divine pleasure thou art and wert created Rev. 4. 11. Did not he make thee for himself Prov. 16. 4.
sinful states But none of you can say but you have had fair warning Yet methinks I cannot tell how to leave you so It is not enough to me to have delivered my own soul. What shall I go away without my errand Will none of you arise and follow me Have I been all this while speaking to the wind Have I been charming the deaf Adder or allaying the tumbling Ocean with arguments Do I speak to the trees or rocks or to men to the tombs and monuments of the dead or to a living auditory If you be men and not senseless stocks stand still and consider whither you are going if you have the reason and understanding of men dare not to run into the flames and fall into hell with your eyes open but bethink your selves and set to the work of repentance What! men and yet â—un into the pit when the very beasts will not be forced in What endowed with reason and yet dally with death and hell and the vengeance of the Almighty Are men herein distinguished from the very brutes that they have no foresight of and care to provide for the things to come and will you not hasten your escape from eternal torments O shew your selves men and let reason prevail with you Is it a reasonable thing for you to contend against the Lord your Maker Isa. 45. 9. or to harden your selves against his word Iob 9. 4. as though the strength of Israel would lie 1. Sam. 15. 29. Is it reasonable that an understanding creature should lose yea live quite against the very end of his Being and be as a broken pitcher only fit for the dunghill Is it tolerable that the only thing in this world that God hath made capable of knowing his will and bringing him glorâ— should yet live in ignorance of his Maker and be unserviceable to his use yea should be engaged against him and spit his venom in the face of his Creator Hear O Heavens and give Ear O earth and let the Creatures without sense be judge if this be reason that man when God hath nourished and brought him up should rebel against him Isa. 1. 2. Judge in â—our own selves Is it a reasonable undertaking for bryars and thorns to set themselves in Battle against the devouring sire Isa. 27. 4. or for the Potsherd of the earth to strive with his Maker If you will say this is not reason surely the eye of reason is quite put out And if this be reason then there is no reason that you should continue as you be but 't is all the reason in the world you should forthwith repent and turn What shall I say I could spend my self in this argument Oh that you would but hearken to me that you would preâ—ently set upon a new course will you not be made clean When shall it once be What! will no body be perswaded Reader shall I prevail with thee for one Wilt thou sit down and conâ—ider the forementioned arguments and debate it whether it be not best to turn Come and let us reason together Is it good for thee to be here Wilt thou fit still till the tide come in upon thee Is it good for thee to try whether God will be so good as his word and to harden thy self in a conceit that all is well with thee while thou remainest unsanctified But I know you will not be persuaded but the greatest part will be as they have been and do as they have done I know the drunkard will to his vomit again and the deceiver will to his deceit again and the lustful wanton to his dalliance again Alas that I must leave you where you were in your ignorance or looseness or in your lifeless formality and customary devotions however I will sit down and bemoan my fruitless labours and spend some sighs over mâ— perishing hearers O distracted sinners What will their end be What will they do in the day of visitation Whither will they flee for help Where will they leave their glory Isa. 10. 3. how powerfully hath sin bewitched them How effectually hath the God of this world blinded them How strong is their delusion How uncircumcised their ears How obdurate their hearts Satan hath them at his beck But how long may I call and can get no answer I may dispute with them year after year and they will give me the hearing and that is all They must and will have their sins say what I will. Though I tell them there is death in the Cup yet they will take it up Though I tell them 't is the broad way and endeth in destruction yet they will go on in it I warn them yet cannot win them Sometimes I think the mercies of God will melt them and his winning invitations will overcome them but I find them as they wereâ— Sometimes that the terrour of the Lord will persuade them yet neither will this do it They will approve the word like the Sermon commend the Preacher but they will yet live as they did They will not deny me yet they will not obey me They will flock to the word of God and sit before me as his people and hear my words but they will not do them They value and will plead for Ministers and I am to them as the lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice yet I cannot get them to come under Christ's Yoke They love me and will be ready to say they will do any thing for me but for my life I cannot persuade them to leave their sins to forgo their Evil Company their intemperance their unjust gains c. I cannot prevail with them to set up prayer in their Families and Closets yet they will promise me like the forward Son that said I go Sir but went not Mat. 21. 30. I cannot persuade them to learn the principles of Religion though else they will die without knowledge Iob 36. 12. I tell them their misery but they will not believe but â—tis well enough If I tell them particularly I fear for such reasons their State is bad they will judge me censorious or if they be at present a little awakened are quickly lull'd asleep by Satan again and have lost the sense of all Alas for my poor hearers Must they perish at last by hundreds when Ministers would so fain save them What course shall I use with them that I have not tryed What shall I do for the daughter of my people Jer. 9. 7. O Lord God help Alas shall I leave them thus If they will not hear me yet do thou hear me Oh that they might yet live in thy sight Lord save them or else they perish My heart would melt to see their houses on fire about their ears when they were fast asleep in their Beds and shall not my soul be moved within me to see them falling into endless perdition Lord have compassion and save them out of the burning Put forth thy divine power and the work will
9. 6. 10. Scoffers at Religion that make a scorn of precise walking and mock at the messengers and diligent servants of the Lord and at their holy profession and make themselves merry with the weakness and failings of professors Hear ye despisers hear your dreadful doom Prov. 19. 29. 2 Chron. 36. 16. Prov. 3. 34. Sinner consider diligently whether thou art not to be found in one of these ranks for if this be thy case thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity for all these do carry their marks in their foreheads and are undoubtedly the sons of death And if so the Lord pitty our poor congregations Oh how little a number will be left when these ten sorts are set out Alas on how many doors on how many faces must we write Lord have mercy upon us Sirs what shift do you make to keep up your confidence of your good estate when God from Heaven declares against you and pronounces you in a state of damnation I would reason with you 〈◊〉 God with them How canst thou say I am not polluted Jer. 2. 23. See thy way in the valley know what thou hast done Man is not thy conscience privy to thy tricks of deceit to thy chamber pranks to thy way of lying Yea are not thy friends thy family thy neighbours witnesses to thy prophane neglects of Gods worship to thy covetous practices to thy envious and malicious carriage may not they point at thee as thou goest there goes a gaming Prodigal there goes a drunken Nabal a companion of evil-doors there goes a Railer or a Scoffer a loose-liver Beloved God hath written it as with a Sun-beam in the book out of which you must be judged that these are not the spots of his Children and that none such except renewed by converting grace shall ever escape the damnation of Hell. Oh that such of you would now be perswaded t◠repent and turn from all your transgressions or else iniquity will be your ruin Ezek. 18. 30. Alas for poor hard'ned sinners Must I leave you at last where you were Must I leave the tipler still at the Ale-bench Must I leave the wanton still at his dalliance Must I leave the malicious still in his venom And the drunkard still at his vomit However you must know that you have been warned and that I am clear of your blood And whether men will hear or whether they will forbear I will leave these Scriptures with them either as thunderbolts to awaken them or as searing Irons to harden them to a reprobate sence Psal. 68. 21. God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 1. 24 c. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded c. I will mock at your calamity when your destruction cometh as a whirlwind And now I imagine many will begin to bless themselves and think all is well because they cannot be spotted with the grosser evils above mentioned But I must further tell you that there are another sort of unsanctified persons that carry not their marks in their foreheads but more secretly and covertly in their hands These do frequently deceive themselves and others and pass for good Christians when they are all the while unsound at bottom Many pass undiscovered till death and judgment bring all to light Those self-deceivers seem to come even to Heaven's gate with confidence of their admission and yet are turned off at last Mat. 7. 22. Brethren Beloved I beseech you deeply to lay to heart and firmly to retain this awakening consideration That Multitudes miscarry by the hand of some secret sin that is not only hidden from others but for want of observing their own hearts even from themselves A man may be free from open pollutions and yet die at last by the fatal hand of some unobserved iniquity And there be these twelve hidden sins by which souls go down by numbers into the Chambers of death These you must search carefully for and take them as black marks wherever they be found discovering a graceless and unconverted estate And as you love your lives read carefully with a holy jealousie of your selves lest you should be the persons concerned 1. Gross Ignorance Ah how many poor souls doth this sin kill in the dark Hos. 4. 6. while they think verily they have good hearts and are in the ready way to Heaven This is the murderer that dispatches thousands in a silent manner when poor hearts they suspect nothing and see not the hand that mischiefs them You shall find whatever excuses you have for ignorance that 't is a soul-undoing evil Isa. 27. 11. 2 Thes. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 4. 3. Ah would it not have pitted a man's heart to have seen that woful spectacle when the poor Protestants were shut up a multitude together in a Barn and a Butcher comes with his inhumane hands warm in humane blood and leads them one by one blind-fold to a Block where he slew them poor Innocents one after another by the scores in cold blood But how much more should our hearts bleed to think of the hundreds in great Congregations that ignorance doth butcher in secret and lead them blind-fold to the Block Beware this be none of your case Make no pleas for ignorance If you spare that sin know that that will not spare you Will a man keep a Murderer in his Bosom 2. Secret reserves in closing with Christ. To forsake all for Christ to hate father and mother yea and a mans own life for him this is a hard saying Luke 14. 26. Some will do much but they will not be of the Religion that will undo them they never come to be entirely devoted to Christ nor fully to resign to him They must have the sweet sin They mean to do themselves no harm They have secret exceptions for Life Liberty or Estate Many take Christ thus hand over head and never consider his self denying terms nor cast up the cost and this error in the foundation marrs all and secretly ruins them for ever Luke 14. 28. Mat. 13. 21. 3. Formality in Religion Many stick in the bark and rest in the outside of Religion and in the external performances of holy duties Mat. 23. 25. and this oft-times doth most effectually deceive men and doth more certainly undo them than open looseness as it was in the Pharisees case Mat. 23. 31. They hear they fast they pray they give alms and therefore will not believe but their Case is good Luke 18. 11. whereas resting in the work done and coming short of the heart-work and the inward power and vitals of Religion they fall at last into the burning from the flattering hopes and confident persuasions of their being in the ready way to Heaven
found Oh thou all powerful Iehovah that workest and none can lett thee that hast the keys of Hell and of death pitty thou the dead souls that lie here intombed and roll away the grave stone and say as to Lazarus when already â—tinking Come forth Lighten thou this darkness O inaccessable light and let the day-spring from on high visit the darksome region of the dead to whom I speak for thou canst open the eyes that death it self hath closed Thou that formedst the ear canst restore the hearing Say thou to these ears Ephphatah and they shall be opened Give thou eyes to see thine excellencies a taste that may relish thy sweetness a scent that may savour thine Ointments a feeling that may sence the priviledge of thy favour the burden of thy wrath the intolerable weight of unpardoned sin and give thy servants command to prophesie to the dry bones and let the effect of this prophesie be as of thy Prophet when he prophesied the valley of dry bones into a living Army exceeding great Ezek. 37. 1 c. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones He said unto me prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones bear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with Skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone And when I beheld Lo the sinewâ— and the flesh came up upon them and covered them above but there was no breath in them Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the wind prophesie son of man and say unto the wind Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great army But I must proceed as I am able to unfold that misery which I confess no tongue can unfold no heart can sufficiently comprehend Know therefore that while thou art unconverted 1. The infinite God is engaged against thee It is no small part of thy misery that thou art without God Eph. 2. 12. How doth Micah run crying after the Danites You have taken away my Gods and what have I more Judges 18. 23 24. O what a mourning then must thou lift up that art without God that canst lay no claim to him without daring unsurpation Thou mayst say of God as Sheba of David We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Jesse 2. Sam. 20. 1. How pittiful and piercing a moan is that of Saul in his extremity The Philistines are upon me and God is departed from me 1. Sam. 28. 15. Sinners but what will you do in the day of your visitation whither will you flee for help where will you leave your glory Isa. 10. 3. What will you do when the Philistines are upon you When the World shall take its eternal leave of you when you must bid your friends houses lands farewel for evermore What will you do then I say that have never a God to go to Will you call on him will you cry to him for help alas he will not own you Prov. 1. 28 29. he will not take any knowledge of you but send you packing with an I never knew you Mat. 7. 23. They that know what 't is to have a God to go to a God to live upon they know a little what a fearful misery it is to be without God. This made that holy man cry out Let me have a God or nothing Let me know him and his will and what will please him and how I may come to enjoy him or would I had never had an understanding to know any thing c. But thou art not only without God but God is against thee Ezek. 5. 8 9. Nah. 2. 13. Oh if God would but stand a neuter though he did not own nor help the poor sinner his case were not so deeply miserable Though God should give up the poor creature to the will of all his enemies to do their worst with him though he should deliver him over to the tormentors Mat. 18. 〈◊〉 that devils should tear and torture him to their 〈◊〉 most power and skill yet this were not half â—o fearful But God will set himself against the sinner and believe it 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. Thereâ—s no friend like him no enemy like him As much as Heaven is above the Earth Omnipotency above Impotency Infinity above Nullity so much more horrible is it to fall into the hands of the living God than into the pawsâ— of Bears or Lions yea Furies or Devils God himself will be thy tormentor thy destruction shall come from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes. 1. 9. Tophet is deep and large and the wrath of the Lord like a river of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. If God be against thee who shall be for thee If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him 1 Sam. 2. 25. Thou even thou art to be feared and who shall stand in thy fight when once thou art angry Psal. 76. 7. Whoâ— is that God that shall deliver you out of his hands Dan. 3. 15. Can Mammon Riches profit not in the day of Wrath Prov. 11. 4. Can Kings or Warriors No they shall cry to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6. 15 16 17. Sinner methinks this should go like a dagger to thine heart to know that God is thine enemy Oh whither wilt thou go where wilt thou shelter thee There is no hope for thee unless thou lay down thy weapons and sue out thy pardon and get Christ to stand thy friend and make thy peace If it were not for this thou mightest go into some howling wilderness and there pine in sorrow and run mad for anguish of heart and horrible despair But in Christ there is a possibility of mercy for thee yea a proffer of mercy to thee that thou mayst have God to be more for thee than he is now against thee But if thou wilt not forsake thy sins nor turn thoroughly and to purpose unto God by a
counsels are against thee to contrive they destruction Ier. 18. 11. He laughs in himself to see how thou wilt be taken and ensnared in the evil day Psal. 37. 13. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that the day is coming He sees how thou wilt come down mightily in a moment how thou wilt wring thine hands and tear thine hair and eat thy flesh and gnash thy teeth for anguish and astonishment of heart when thou seest thou art fallen remedilesly into the pit of destruction Fifthly The truth of God is sworn against thee Psal. 95. 11. If he be true and faithful thou must perish if thou goest on Luke 13. 3. Unless he be false of his word thou must die except thou repent Ezek. 33. 11. If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. That is he is faithful to his threatnings as well as promises and will shew his faithfulness in our confusion if we believe not God hath told thee as plain as it can be spoken That if he wash thee not thou hast no part in him John 13. 8. that if thou livest after the flesh thou shalt die Rom. 8. 13. That except thou be converted thou shalt in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18. 3. and he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Beloved as the immutable faithfulness of God in his promise and oath afford Believers strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. so they are to Unbelievers for strong consternation and confusion O sinner tell me what shift dost thou make to think of all the threatnings of Gods word that stand upon record against thee Dost thou believe their truth or not If not thou art a wretched inâ—idel and not a Christian and therefore give over the name and hopes of a Christian. But if thou dost believe them O heart of steel that thou hast that canst walk up and down in quiet when the truth and faithfulness of God is engaged to destroy thee That if God Almighty can do it thou shalt surely perish and be damned Why man the whole book of God doth testifie against thee while thou remainest unsanctified It condemns thee in every leaf and is to thee like Ezekiel's roll written within and without with lamentation and mourning and woe Ezek. 2. 10. and all this shall surely come upon thee and overtake thee Deut. 28. 15. except thou repent Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of this word shall never pass away Mat. 5. 18. Now put all this together and tell me if the case of the unconverted be not deplorably miserable As we read of some persons that had bound themselves in an oath and in a curse to kill Paul So thou must know O sinner to thy terrer that all the Attributes of the Infinite God are bound in an oath to destroy thee Heb. 3. 28. O man what wilt thou do Whither wilt thou fly If Gods Omnisciency can find thee thou shalt not escape If the true and faithful God will save his Oath perish thou must except thou believe and repent If the Almighty hath power to torment thee thou shalt be perfectly miserable in Soul and Body to all eternity unless it be prevented by thy speedy Conversion II. The whole Creation of God is against thee The whole Creation saith Paul groaneth and travelleth in pain Rom. 8. 22. But what is it that the Creation groaneth under Why the fearful abuse that it is subject to in serving the lusts of unsanctified men And what is it that the Creation groaneth for Why for freedom and liberty from this abuse for the creature is very unwillingly subject to this bondage Rom. 8. 19 20 21. If the unreasonable and inanimate creatures had speech and reason they would cry out under it as bondage unsufferable to be abused by the ungodly contrary to their natures and the ends that the great Creator made them for It is a passage of an eminent Divine The liquor that the drunkard drinketh if it had reason as well as a man to know how shamefully 't is abused and spoiled it would groan in the Barrels against him it would groan in the Cup against him groan in his Throat in his Belly against him It would fly in his Face if it could speak And if God should open the mouths of the Creatures as he did the mouth of Balaam's Ass the proud mans garments on his back would groan against him There is never a creature but if it had reason to know how 't is abused till a man be converted it would groan against him The land would groan to bear him the air would groan to give him breathing their houses would groan to lodge them their beds would groan to ease them their food to nourish them their clothes to cover them and the creature would groan to give them any help and comfort so long as they live in sin against God. Thus far he Methinks this should be a terror to an unconverted soul to think that he is a burden to the Creation Luke 13. 7. Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground If the poor inanimate creatures could but speak they would say to the ungodly as Moses to Israel Must we fetch you water out of the Rock ye rebe's Numb 2. 10. Thy food would say Lord must I nourish such a wretch as this and yield forth my strength for him to dishonour thee withall No. I will choak him rather if thou wilt give me commission The very air would say Lord must I give this man breath to set his tongue against Heaven and scorn thy people and vent his pride and wrath and filthy communication and belch our oaths and blasphemy against thee No if thou but say the word he shall be breathless for me His poor Beast would say Lord must I carry him upon his wicked designs No I will break his bones I will end his days rather if I may have but leave from thee A wicked man the earth groans under him and Hell groans for him till death satisfies both and unburdens the earth and stops the mouth of Hell with him While the Lord of Hosts is against thee be sure the Hosts of the Lord are against thee and all the creatures as it were up in arms till upon a mans convertion the controversie being taken up between God and him he makes a convenant of peace with the creatures for him Iob 5. 22 23 24. Hos. 2. 18 19 20. III. The roaring Lyon hath his full power upon thee 1 Pet. 5. 8. Thou art fast in the paw of that Lion that is greedy to devour In the snare of the Devil led captive by him at 〈◊〉 will 2 Tim. 2. 26. This is the spirit that worketh in 〈◊〉 Children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. His Drudgeâ— they are and his lusts they do He is the Ruler of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. that is of ignorant sinners that live in darkness You
satisfaction to the utmost and cries Justice Justice It speaks Blood and War and Wounds and Death against thee Oh the Execrations and Plagues and Deaths that this murdering piece is loaded with read Deut. 28. 15 16 c. and thou art the mark at which this snoâ— is levelled O man away to the strong hold Zech. 9. 12. away from thy sins haste to the sanctuary the City of refuge Heb. 13. 13. even the Lord Jesus Christ hide thee in him or else thou art lost without any hope of recovery VIII The Gospel it self bin deth the sentence of eternal damnation upon thee Mark 16. 16. If thou continuest in thine impenitent and unconverted estate know that the Gospel denounceth a much forer condemnation than ever would have been for the transgression only of the first Covenant Is it not a dreadful case to have the Gospel it self fill its mouth with threats and thunder and damnation To have the Lord to roar from Mount Sion against thee Ioel 3. 16. Hear the terror of the Lord. He that believeth not shall be damned except ye repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Iohn 3. 19. He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3. 36. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 2 3. He that despised Moses's Law died without mercy Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath trampled under foot the Son of God Heb. 10. 28 29. Application And is this true indeed Is this thy misery Yea 't is as true as God is Better open thine eyes and see it now while thou mayst remedy it than blind and harden thy self till to thine eternal sorrow thou shalt feel what thou wouldst not believe and if it be true what dost thou mean to loyter and linger in such a case as this Alas for thee poor man how effectually hath sin undone thee and deprived and despoiled thee even of thy reason to look after thine own everlasting good O miserable Caitiff what stupidity and senselesness hath surprized thee Oh! let me knock up and awake this sleeper Who dwells within the walls of this flesh Is there ever a soul here a rational understanding soul Or art thou only a walking Ghost a senseless lump Art thou a reasonable soul and yet so far brutified as to forget thy self immortal and to think thy self to be as the beasts that perish Art thou turned into flesh that thou savourest nothing but gratifying the sense and making provision for the flesh Or else having reason to understand the eternity of thy future estate dost thou yet make light of being everlastingly miserable which is to be so much below a brute as it is worse to act against reason than to act without it O unhappy soul that wast the glory of man the mate of Angels and the image of God! that wast God's representative in the world and hadst the supremacy amongst the creatures and the dominion over thy Maker's works Art thou now become a slave to sense a servant to so base an Idol as thy Belly for no higher felicity than to fill thee with the wind of mans applause or heaping together a little refined earth no more suitable to thy spiritual immortal nature than the dirt and sticks Oh why dost thou not bethink thee where thou shalt be for ever Death is at hand The Iudge is even at the door Jam. 5. 9. Yet a little while and time shall be no longer Rev. 10. 5 6. And wilt thou run the hazard of continuing in such a state in which if thou be overtaken thou art irrecoverably miserable Come then arise and attend thy nearest concernments Tell me whither art thou going What wilt thou live in such a course wherein every act is a step to perdition And thou dost not know but the next night thou mayst make thy Bed in Hell Oh! if thou hast a spark of reason consider and turn and hearken to thy very friend who would therefore shew thee thy present misery that thou mightest in time make thine escape and be eternally happy Hear what the Lord saith Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence Jer. 5. 22. O sinners do ye make light of the wrath to come Mat 3. 7. I am sure there is a time coming when you will not make light of it Why the very Devils do believe and tremble James 2. 19. What! you more hardned than they Will you run upon the Edge of the Rock will you play at the hole of the Asp will you put your hand upon the Cockatâ—ice's den Will you dance about the fire till you are burnt or dally with devouring wrath as if you were at a point of indifferency whether you did escape it or endure it O madness of folly Solomon's mad-man that casteth fire-brands and arrows and death and saith Am I not in jest Prov. 26. 18. is nothing so distracted as the wilful sinner Luke 15. 17. that goeth on in his unconverted estate without sense as if nothing ailed him The man that runs on the Cannons mouth that sports with his blood or le ts out his life in a frollick is sensible sober and serious to him that goeth on still in his trespasses Psalm 68. 21. For he stretcheth out his hand against God and strengthneth himself against the Almighty He runneth upon him even upon his neck upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler Job 15. 25 26. Is it wisdom to dally with the second death or to venture into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. as if thou wert but going to wash thee or swim for thy recreation Wilt thou as it were fetch thy vieze and jump into eternal flames as the children through the bon-fire What shall I say I can find out no expression no comparison whereby to set forth the dreadful distraction of that soul that shall go on in sin Awake awake Eph. 5. 14. Oh sinner arise and take thy flight There is but one door that thou mayst fly by and that is the strait door of conversion and the new birth Unless thou turn unfeignedly from all thy sins and come in to Jesus Christ and take him for the Lord thy righteousness and walk in him in holiness and newness of life as the Lord liveth it is not more certain that thou art now out of Hell than that thou shalt without fail be in it but a few days and nights from hence O set thine heart to think of thy case Is not thine everlasting misery or welfare that which doth deserve a little consideration Loâ—â— again over the miseries of the unconverted If the Lord hath not spoken by me regard me not But if it be the very word of
Jesus Christ Acts 4. 12. Thou must unlearn tâ—y self and renounce thine own wisdom thine own righteousness thine own strength and throw thy self wholly upon Christ as a man that swimmeth casteth himself upon the water or else thou canst not escape While men trust in themselves and establish their own righteousness and have confidence in the flesh they will not come savingly to Christ Luke 18. 9. Phil. 3. 3. Thou must know thy gain to be but loss and dung thy strength but weakness thy righteousness rags and rottenness before there will be an effectual closure between Christ and thee Phil. 3. 7 8 9. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Isa. 64. 6. Can the lifeless carcass shake off its grave cloths and loose the bonds of death Then mayst thou recover thy self who art dead in trespasses and sins and under an impossibility of serving thy Maker acceptably in this condition Rom. 8. 8. Heb. â—1 6. Therefore when thou goest to pray or meditate or to do any of the duties to which thou art here directed go out of thy self call in the help of the Spirit as despairing to do any thing pleasing to God in thine own strength Yet neglect not thy duty but lie at the pool and wait in the way of the Spirit While the Eunuch was reading then the Holy Ghost sent Philip to him Acts 8. 28 29. when the Disciples were praying Acts 4. 31. when Cornelius and his friends were hearing Acts 10. 44. then the Holy Ghost fell upon them and filled them all Strive to give up thy self to Christ Strive to pray strive to meditate strive an hundred and an hundred times try to do it as well as thou canst and while thou art endeavouring in the way of thy duty the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and help thee to do what of thy self thou art utterly unable unto Prov. 1. 23. Direct V. Forthwith renounce all thy sins If thou yield thy self to the contrary practice of any sin thou art undone Rom. 6. 17. in vain dost thou hope for life by Christ except thou dâ—part from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. Forsake thy sins or else thou canst not find mercy Prov. 28. 13. Thou canst not be married to Christ except divorced from sin Give up the Traitor or you can have no peace with Heaven Cast the head of Sheba over the wall Keep not Dalilah in thy lap Thou must part with thy sins or with thy soul. Spare but one sin and God will not spare thee Never make excuses thy sins must die or thou must die for them Psal. 68. 21. If thou allow of one sin though but a little a secret one though thou may'st plead necessity and have a hundred shifts and excuses for it the life of thy soul must go for the life of that sin Ezek. 18. 21. and will it not be dearly bought O sinner hear and consider If thou wilt part with thy sins God will give thee his Christ Is not this a fair exchange I testifie unto thee this day that if thou perish it is not because there was never a Saviour provided nor life tendred but because thou preferredst with the Jews the Murderer before thy Saviouâ— sin before Christ and lovedst darkness rather than light Iohn 3. 19. Search thy heart therefore with Candles as the Jews did their Houses for Leaven before the Passover Labour to find out thy sins enter into thy Closet and consider What evil have I lived in What duty have I neglected towards God What sin have I lived in against my Brother And now strike the darts through the heart of thy sin as Iâ—ab did through Absalom's 2 Sam. 18. 14. Never stand looking upon thy sin nor rolling the morsel under thy tongue Iob 20. 11. but spit it out as poyson with fear and detestation Alas what will thy sins do for thee that thou shouldst stick at parting with them They will flatter thee but they will undo thee and cut thy throat while they smile upon thee and poyson thee while they please thee and arm the justice and wrath of the infinite God against thee They will open Hell for thee and pile up fuel to burn thee Behold the Gibbet that they have prepared for thee Oh serve them like Haman and do upon them the Execution they would else have done upon thee Away with them crucifie them and let Christ only be Lord over thee Direct VI. Make a solemn choice of God for thy portion and blessedness Deut. 26. With all possible devotion and veneration avouch the Lord for thy God. Set the world with all its glory and paint and gallantry with all its pleasures and promotions on the one hand and set God with all his infinite excellencies and perfections on the other and see that thou do deliberately make thy choice Iosh. 24. 15. Take up thy rest in God Iob. 6. 68. Set thee down under his shadow Cant. 2. 3. Let his promises and perfections turn the scale against all the world Settle it upon thy heart that the Lord is an all-sufficient portion that thou canst not be miserable while thou hast a God to live upon take him for thy shield and exceeding great reward God alone is more than all the world Content thy self with him Let others carry the preferments and glory of the world place thou thy happiness in his favour and the light of his countenance Psal. 4. 6 7. Poor sinner thou art fallen off from God and hast engaged his power and wrath against thee Yet know that of his abundant grace he doth offer to be thy God again in Christ 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. What sayest thou man Wilt thou have the Lord for thy God Why take this counsel and thou shalt have him Come to him by his Christ Ioh. 14. 6. Renounce the Idols of thine own pleasures gain reputation 1 Thes. 1. 9. Let these be pulled out of the Throne and set Gods interest uppermost in thine â—eare Take him as God to be chief in thine affections estimations intentions for he will not endure to have any set above him Rom. 1. 24 Psal. 73. 25. In a word thou must take him in all his Personal Relations and in all his Essential Perfections First In all his Personal Relations God the Father must be taken for thy Father Ier. 3. 4 19 22. O come to him with the Prodigal Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am not worthy to be called thy Son but since of thy wonderful mercy thou art pleased to take meâ— that am of my self a dog a swine a devil to be thy child I solemnly take thee for my Father commend my self to thy care and trust to thy providence and cast my burden on thy shoulders I depend on thy provision and submit to thy corrections and trust under the shadow of thy wings and hide in thy chambers and â—ly to thy name I renounce all confidence in my self I repose my confidence in thee I depose my concernments with
thee I will be for thee and for no other Again God the Son must be taken for thy Saviour for thy Redeemer and Righteousness Iohn 1. 2. He must be accepted as the only way to the Father and the only means of Life Heb. 7. 25. O then put off the rayment of thy captivity on with the wedding garment and go and marry thy self to Jesus Christ. Lord I am thine and all that I have my body my soul my name my estate I send a bill of divorce to my other lovers I give my heart to thee I will be thine undividedly thine ever lastingly I will set thy name on all I have and use it only as thy goods as thy loan during thy leave resigning ad to thee I will have no King but thee Reign thou over me Other Lords have had dominion over me But now I will make mention of thy name only and do here take an oâ—th of fealty to thee promising and vowing to serve and love and â—ear thee above all competitors I disavow mine own righteousness and despair of ever being pardoned and saved for mine own duties or graces and lean only on thine all-sufficient sacrifice and intercession for pardon and life and acceptance before God. I take thee for mine only guide and instructer resolving to be led and directed by thee and to wait forâ— thy counsel and that thine shall be the casting voice with me Lastly God the Spirit must be taken for thy sanctifier Rom. 8. 9 14. Gal. 5. 16 18. for thine Advocate thy Counsellor thy Comforter the teacher of thine ignorance the pledge and earnest of thine inheritance Rom. 8. 26. Psal. 73. 24. Iohn 14. 16. Eph. 1. 14. Iohn 14. 26. Eph. 4. 30. Awake thou Northwind and come thou Sâ—â—th and blow upon my Garden Cant. 4. 16. Come thou Spirit of the most highâ— here is a house for thee here is a Temple for thee Here do thou rest for â—ver dwell here and rest here Lo I give up the possession to thee full possession I send thee the keys of my heart that all may be for thy use that thou mayst put thy goods thy grace into every Room I give up the use of all to thee that every faculty and every member may be thine iâ—â—â—â—ument to work righteousness and do the will of my Father which is in Heaven Secondly In all his essential perâ—ections Consider how the Lord hath revealed himself to you in his word will you take him as such a God Oâ— sinner here 's the blessedest News that ever came to the sons of Men. The Lord will be thy God Gen. 17. 7. Rev. 21. 3. if thou wilt but close with him in his excellencies Wilt thou have the merciful the gracious the sin-pardoning God to be tâ—â— God O yes saith the sinner I am undone else But he farther tells thee I am the holy and sin-hating God. If thou wilt be owned as one of my people thou must be holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. holy in heart holy in life Thou must put away all thine iniquities be they never so near never so natural never so necessary to the maintaining thy fleshly interest Unless thou wilt be at defiance with sin I cannot be thy God. Cast out the leaven put away the evil of thy doings cease â—o do evil learn to do well or else I can have nothing to do with thee Isa. 1. 16 17 18. Bring forth mine enemies or there is no peace to be had with me What doth thine heart answer Lord I desire to have thee as such a God. I desire to be holy as thou art holy to be made partaker of thy holiness I love thee not only for thy goodness and mercy but for thy holiness and parity I take thy holiness for my happiness Oh! be to me a fountain of holiness set on me the stamp and impress of thy holiness I will thankfully part with all my sins at thy command My wiâ—ful sins I do forthwith forsake and for my infirmities that I cannot get rid of though I would I will strive against them in the use of the meaâ—s I detest them and will pray and war against them and never let them have quiet rest in my soul. Beloved whosoever of you will thus accept of the Lord for his God he shall have him Again he tells you I am the All-sufficient God Gen. 17. 1. Will you lay all at my feet and give it up to my dispose and take me for your only portion Will you own and honour mine All-sufficiency Will you take me as your happiness and treasure your hope and bliss I am a Sun and a Shield all in one will you have me for your all Gen. 15. 1. Psal 84. 11. Now what dost thou say to this Doth thy mouth water after the Onions and Flesh-pots of Egypt Art thou loath to exchange the earthly happiness for a part in God and though thou wouldest be glad to have God and the World too yet canst thou not think of having him and nothing but him but hadst rather take up with the earth below if God would but let thee keep it as long as thou wouldst This is a fearful sign But now if thou art willing to sell all for the Pearl of great price Mat. 13. 46. If thine heart answer Lord I desire no other portion but thee Take the Corn and the Wine and the Oyl whoso will so I may have the light of thy Countenance I pitch upon thee for my happiness I gladly venture my self on thee and trust my self with thee I set my hopes in thee I take up my rest with thee let me hear thee say I am thy God thy Salvation and I have enough all I wish for I will make no terms with thee but for thy self Let me but have thee sure let me â—e able to make my claim and see my Title to thy self and for other things I leave them to thee give me more or 〈◊〉 any thing or nothing I will be satisfied in my God. Take him thus and he is thine own Again he tells you I am the Soveraign Lord If you will have me for your God you must give me the supremacy Mat. 6. 24. I will not be an underling You must not make me a second to sin or 〈◊〉 worldly interest If you will be my people I must have the rule over you You must not live at your down list Will you come under my yoke Will you bow to my government Will you submit to my discipline to my word to my rod Sinner What sayest thou to this Lord I had rather be â—t thy command than live at mine own list I had rather have thy â—ill to be done than mine I approve of and consent to thy Laws and account it my priviledge to lie under them And though the flesh rebel and often break over bounds I am resolved to take no other Lord but thee I willingly take the Oath of thy supremacy and acknowledge thee for
mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked practice But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my weapons submit my self to thy Mercy And because thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known sin but conscientiously to use all the means that I know thou hast prescribed for the death and utter destruction of all my corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World I do here resign up my heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of my heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from Thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practise this my resolution through thy assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world rather than to turn from thee to the ways of sin and that I will watch against all its temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous rags◠I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone creature without righteousness or strength And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration bowing the neck of my Soul under the feet of thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take thee Lord Iehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and chief good and to give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant promising and vowing to serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in Marriage Covenant to him O Blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bested poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsom polluted wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory but sith such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine offices I renounce mine own worthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own wisdom and do here take thee for mine only guide I renounce mine own Will and take thy◠Will for my Law. And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign I do here Covenant with thee to take my Lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace assisting to run all hazards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy laws as the rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoak and set my shoulder to thy burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy iust and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Only because through the frailty of my flesh I am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast said Now Almighty God searcher of hearts thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day without any known guile or reservation beseeching thee that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein thou wouldst discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now glory be to thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this day forward to look upon as my God and Father that ever thou shouldst find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners Glory be to thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the finger of thine Almighty Power hast turned about my Heart from Sin to God. O dreadful Iehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost thou art now become my Covenant friend and I through thine infinite Grace am become thy Covenant Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven The AUTHORS Advice THis Covenant I advise you to make not only in Heart but in Word not only in Word but in Writing and that you would with all possible reverence spread the Writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed. And when you have done this set your hand to it Keep it 〈◊〉 a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you that you may have recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations Direct XI Take heed of delaying thy Conversion and set upon a speedy and present turning I made haste and delayed not Psal. 119. 60. Remember and tremble at the sad instance of the foolish Virgins that came not till the door of mercy was shut Mat. 25. and of a convinced Felix that put off Paul to another season and we never find that he had such a season more Acts 24. 25. O come in while it is called to day lest thou shouldst be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin lest thy day of grace should be over and the things that
of the worms if compared with God. As he doth infinitely exceed the glory and power of his glittering dust so he will beyond all proportion exceed in doing for his Favourites whatever Princes can do for theirs He will give you grace and glory and withhold no good thing from you Psal. 84. 11. He will take you for his Sons and Daughters and make you Heirs of his promises Heb. 6. 17. and establish his everlasting Covenant with you Ier. 32. 40. He will justifie you from all that Law Conscience Satan can charge upon you Rom. 8. 33 34. he will give you free access into his presence and accept your persons and receive your prayers Eph. 3. 12. Eph. 1. 6. 1 Iohn 5. 14. He will abide in you and make you the men of his secrets and hold a constant and friendly communion with you Iohn 14. 23. Iohn 15. 15. 1 Iohn 1. 3. His ear shall be open his door open his store open at all times to you His blessing shall rest upon you and he will make your enemies to serve you and work about all things for good unto you Psal. 115. 13. Rom. 8. 28. 4. The Terms of mercy are brought as low as possible to you God hath stooped as low to sinners as with honour he can He will not be thought a fautor of sin nor stain the glory of his holiness and whither could he come lower than he hath unless he should do this He hath abated the impossible terms of the first Covenant Ier. 3. 13. Mark 5. 36. Acts 16. 31. Acts 3. 19. Prov. 28. 13. He doth not impose any thing unreasonable or impossible as a condition of life upon you Two things were necessary to be done according to the Tenour of the first Covenant by you 1. That you should fully satisfie the demands of Iustice for past offences 2. That you should perform personally perfectly and perpetually the whole Law for the time to come Both these are to us impossible Rom. 8. 3. But behold Gods gracious abatement in both He doth not stand upon satisfaction he is content to take off the surety and he of his own providing too what he might have exacted from you 2 Cor. 5. 19. He declares himself to have received a ransom Iob 33. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 6. and that he expects nothing but that you should accept his Son and he shall be righteousness and redemption to you Iohn 1. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 30. And for the future obedience here he is content to yield to your weakness and remit the rigour He doth not stand upon perfection as a condition of life though he still insists upon it as due but is content to accept of sincerity Gen. 17. 1. Prov. 11. 20. Though you cannot pay the full debt he will accept you according to that which you have and take willing for doing and the purpose for the performance 2 Cor. 8. 12. 2 Chron. 6. 8. Heb. 11. 17. and if you come in his Christ and set your hearts to please him and make it the chief of your cares he will approve and reward you though the vessel be marred in your hands Oh consider your Makers condescention Let me say to you as Naaman's servant to him My Father if the Prophet had bâ—d thee do some great thing wouldst then not have done it how much rather when he saith unto thee wash and be clean 2 Kings 5. 13. If God had demanded some terrible some severe and rigorous thing of you to escape eternal damnation would you not have done it Suppose it had been to spend all your days in sorrow in some howling Wilderness or pine your selves with famine or to offer the fruit of your bodies for the sin of your souls would you not have thankfully accepted eternal redemption though these had been the conditions Yea farther if God should have told you you should have fryed in the fire for millions of ages or been so long tormented in Hell would you not have gladly accepted it Alas all these are not so much as one sand in the glass of eternity If your offended Creator should have held you but one year upon the rack and then bid you come and forsake your sins accept Christ and serve him a few years in self-denial or lie in this case for ever and ever Do you think you should have stuck at the offer and disputed the terms and have been unresolved whether you were best to accept of the motion O sinner return and live why shouldest thou die when life is to be had for the taking and mercy should be beholding to thee as it were to be saved Couldst thou say indeed Lord I know that thou wast an hard man Mat. 25. 24. thou hadst some little excuse but when the God of Heaven hath stooped so low and bated so far if now thou shouldst stand off who shall plead for thee Obj. Notwithstanding all these abatements I am no more able to perform those conditions in themselves so easie of faith and repentance and sincere obedience than to satisfy and fulfil the Law. Answ. These you may perform by Gods grace enabling whereas the other are naturally impossible in this state even to believers themselves But let the next consideration serve for a fuiler answer 5. Wherein you are impotent God doth offer grace to enable you I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. 24. What though you are plunged into the ditch of that misery from which you can never get out Christ offereth to help you out he stretcheth his hand to you and if you perish it is for refusing his help Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open to me I will come in Rev. 3. 20. What though you are poor and wretched and blind and naked Christ oftereth a cure for your blindness a cover for your nakedness a remedy for your poverty he tendreth you his righteousness his graces I counsel thee to buy of me gold that thou mayst be rich and white rayment that thou mayst be cloathed and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayst see Rev. 3. 17 18. Do you say the condition is impossible for I have not wherewith to buy You must know that this buying is without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. This buying is by begging and seeking with diligence and constancy in the use of God's means Prov. 2. 3 4. God commandeth thee to know him and to fear him Dost thou say Yea but my mind is blinded and my heart is hardened from his fear I answer God doth offer to enlighten thy mindâ— and to teach thee his fear that is presented to thy choice Prov. 1. 29. For 〈…〉 hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. So that now if men live in ignorance and estrangement from the Lord it is because they will not understand and desire notâ—â—e knowledge of his ways Job 21. 14. If thou cryest after knowledge if thou seaâ—eâ—t her as
and every one that is in distress and every one that is discontented gather your selves unto Christâ— and he will become a Captain over you He will be your protection from the arrests of the Law He will save you from the hand of Justice Behold he is an open sanctuary to you he is a known Refuge Heb. 6. 18. Psal. 48. 3. Away with your sins and come in unto him lest the avenger of blood seize you lest devouring wrath overtake you Ho every ignorant sinner come and buy eye-salve that thou may'st see Rev. 3. 18. Away with thine excuses thou art for ever lost if thou continuest in this estate 2 Cor. 4. 3. But accept of Christ for thy Prophet and he will be a light unto thee Isa. 42. 6. Ephes. 5. 14. Cry unto him for knowledge study his word take pains about the Principles of Religion humble thy self before him and he will teach thee his way and make thee wise unto salvation Mat. 13. 36. Luke 8. 9. Iohn 5. 39. Psal. 25. 9. But if thou wilt not follow him in the painful use of his means but sit down because thou hast but one talent he will condemn thee for a wicked and slothful servant Mat. 25. 24 26. Ho every prophane sinner come in and live Return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon thee Be inâ—â—eated Oh return come Thou that hast filled thy mouth with oaths and execrations all manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven thee Mark 3. 28. if thou wilt but throughly turn unto Christ and come in Though thou wast as unclean as Magdalen yet put away thy Whoredoms out of thy sight and thine adulteries from between thy breasts and give up thy self unto Christ as a vessel of holiness alone for his use and then though thy sins be as 〈◊〉 they shall be as wooll and though they be as crimson they shall be as white as snow Luke 7. 37. Hos. 2. 2. 1 Thes. 4. 4. Isa. 1. 18. Hear O ye drunkards How long will you be drunken put away your wine 1 Sam. 1. 14. Though you have rolled in the vomit of your sin take the vomit of repentance and heartily disgorge your beloved lusts and the Lord will receive you 2. Cor. 6. 17. Give up your selves unto Christ to live soberly righteously and godly embrace his righteousness accept his government and though you have been swine he will wash you Rev. 3. 6. Hear O ye loose companions whose delight is in vain and wicked society to sport away your time in carnal mirth and jollity with them come in at wisdoms call and choose her and her ways and you shall live Prov. 9. 5 6. Hear O ye scorners hear the word of the Lord Though you have made a sport at godliness and the professors thereof though you have made a scorn of Christ and of his ways yet even to you doth he call to gather you under the wings of his mercy Prov. 1â— 22 33. In a word though you should be found among the worst of that black roll 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. yet upon your through Conversion you shall be washed you shall be justified you shall be sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God ver 11. Ho every formal professor that art but a luke-warm and dough-baked Christian and restest in the form of godliness give over thy halving and thy halting be a throughout Christian and be zealous and repent and then though thou hast been an offence to Christ's stomach thou shalt be the joy of his heart Rev. 3. 16 19 20. And now bear witness that mercy hath been offered you I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you may live Deut. 30. 19. I can but woo you and warn you I cannot compel you to be happy if I could I would What answer will you send me with to my Master Let me speak unto you as Abrahams servant to them and now if you will deal kindly and truly with my Master tell me Gen. 24. 49. O for such a happy answer as Rebekah gave to them Gen. 24. 57 58. And they said we will call the damsel and inquire at her mouth And they called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go O that I had but thus much from you Why should I be your accuser Mat. 10. 14 15. who thirst for your salvation Why should the passionate pleadings and wooings of mercy be turned into the horrid aggravations of your obstinacy and additions to your misery Judge in your selves Do you not think their condemnation will be doubly dreadful that shall still go on in their sins after all endeavours to recall them Doubtless it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon yea for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment than for you Mat. 11. 22 24. Beloved if you have any pity for your perishing souls close with the present offers of mercy If you would not continue and increase the pains of your travelling Ministers do not stick in the birth If the God that made you have any Authority with you obey his command and come in If you are not the despisers of grace and would not shut up the doors of mercy against your selves repent and be converted Let not Heaven stand open for you in vain Let not the Lord Jesus open his wares and bid you buy without money and without price in vain Let not his Ministers and his Spirit strive with you in vain and leave you now at last unperswaded lest the sentence go forth against you The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6. 29 30. Father of Spirits take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness Do not thou have ended though I have done Half a word from thine effectual power will do the work O thou that hast the Key of David that openest when no man shutteth open thou this heart as thou didst Lydia's and let the King of glory enter in And make this soul thy captive Let not the tempter harden him in delays Let him not stir from this place nor take his eyes from these lines till he be resolved to forgo his sins and to accept of life upon thy self-denying terms In thy name O Lord God did I go forth to these Labours in thy name do I shut them up Let not all the time they have cost be but lost hours let not all the thoughts of heart and all the pains that have been about them be but lost labour Lord put in thine hand into the heart of this Reader and send thy Spirit as once thou didst Philip to join himself to the Chariot of the Eunuch while he was reading the word And though I
sound Conversion the wrath of God abideth on thee and he proclaims himself to be against thee as in the Prophet Ezek. 5. 8. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee I. His face is against thee Psal. 34. 16. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them Wo unto them whom God shall set his face against When he did but look upon the host of the Egyptians how terrible was the consequence Ezek. 14. 8. I will set my face against that man and will make him a sign and proverb and will cut him off from the midst of my people and you shall know that I am the Lord. 2. His heart is against thee He hateth all the workers of iniquity Man doth not thine heart tremble to think of thy being an object of God's hatred Ier. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight Zech. 7. 8. My soul loathed them and their souls also abhorred me 3. His hand is against thee 1 Sam. 12. 14 15. All his Attributes are against thee First His Justice is like a flaming Sword unsheathed against thee If I whet my glittering Sword and my Hand take hold on Judgment I will render vengeance to mine adversaries and will reward them that hate me I will make mine arrows drunk with blood c. Deut. 32. 40 41. So exact is Justice that 't will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. God will not discharge thee he will not hold thee guiltless Exod. 20. 7. but will require the whole debt in person of thee unless thou canst make a Scripture claim to Christ and his satisfaction When the enlightned Sinner looks on justice and sees the ballance in which he must be weighed and the sword by which he must be executed he feels an earth-quake in his Breast But Satan keeps this out of sight and perswades the Soul while he can that the Lord is all made up of mercy and so lulls it asleep in sin Divine justice is very strict it must have satisfaction to the utmost farthing it denounceth indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil Rom. 2. 8 9. It curseth every one that continueth not in every thing that is written in the Law to do it Gal. 3. 10. The justice of God to the unpardoned sinner that hath a sense of his misery is more terrible than the sight of the Bayliff or Creditor to the bankrupt debtor or than the sight of the Judge and Bench to the Robber or of the Irons and Gibbet to the guilty Murderer When Justice sits upon life and death Oh what dreâ—dful work doth it make with the wretched sinner Bind him hand and foot cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 13. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25. 41. This is the terrible sentence that Justice pronounceth Why sinner by this severe Justice must thou be tryed and as God liveth this killing sentence shalt thou hear unless thou repent and be converted Secondly The holiness of God is full of antipathy against thee Psal. 5. 4 5. He is not only angry with thee so he may be with his own Children but he hath a fixed rooted habitual displeasure against thee he loaths thee Zech. 11. 8. and what is done by thee though for substance commanded by him Isa. 1. 14. Mal. 1. 10. As if a man should give his servant never so good meat to dress yet if he should mingle filth or poyson with it he would not touch it Gods Nature is infinitely contrary to sin and so he cannot but hate a sinner out of Christ. O what a misery is this to be out of the favour yea under the hatred of God! Eccles. 5. 4. Hos. 9. 15. that God can as easily lay aside his Nature and cease to be God as not be contrary to thee and detest thee except thou be changed and renewed by grace O sinner how darest thou to think of the bright and radiant Sun of purity upon the beauties the glory of holiness that is in God! The Stars are not pure in his sight Job 25. 5. He humbleth himself to behold things that are done in Heaven Psal. 11. 3. 6. O those light and sparkling eyes of his what do they espy in thee and thou hast no interest in Christ neither that he should plead for thee Methinks I should hear thee crying out astonished with the Bethshemites Who shall stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6. 20. Thirdly The power of God is mounted like a mighty Cannon against thee The glory of Gods power is to be displayed in the wonderful confusion and destruction of them that obey not the Gospel 2 Thes. 1. 8 9. He will make his power known in them Rom. 9. 22. How mightily he can torment them For this end he raiseth them up that he might make his power known Rom. 9. 17. O man art thou able to make thy party good with thy Maker No more than a silly Reed against the Cedars of God or a little Cock-boat against the tumbling Ocean or the Childrens Bubbles against the blustring Winds Sinner the power of Gods anger is against thee Psal. 90. 11. and power and anger together make fearful work 'T were better thou hadst all the world in arms against thee than to have the power of God against thee There is no escaping his hands no breaking his prison The thunder of his power who can understand Iob 26. 14. Unhappy man that shall understand it by feeling it If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardned himself against him and prospered Which removeth the Mountains and they know it not which overturneth them in his anger Which shaketh the earth out of her place and the pillars thereof tremble Which commandeth the Sun and it riseth not and sealeth up the Stars Behold he taketh away who can hinder him who will say unto him What dost thou If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him Iob 9. 3 4 5 6 c. And art thou a fit match for such an antagonist O consider this you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50. 22. Submit to mercy Let not dust and stubble stand it out against the Almighty Set not Briars and Thorns against him in Battle lest he go through them and consume them together but tay hold on his strength that you may make peace with him Isa. 27. 4 5. Wo to him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. Fourthly The wisdom of God is set to ruin thee He hath ordained his arrows and prepared the instruments of death and made all things ready Psal. 7. 12 13. His
my Liege Soveraign and resolve all my days to pay the tribute of Worship Obedience and Love and Service is thee and to live to thee as the end of my Life This is a right accepting of God. To be short he tells you I am the true and faithful God. If you wiâ—l have me for your God you must be content to trust me 2 Tim. 1. 12. Prov. 3. 5. Will you venture your selves upon my word and depend on my faithfulness and take my bond for your security Will you be content to follow me in poverty and reproach and affliction here and to see much going out and little coming in and to tarry till the next world for your preferment Mat. 9. 21. I deal much upon trust will you be content to labour and suffer and to tarry for your returns till the Resurrection of the Just Luke 14. 14. The womb of my Promise will not presently bring forth will you have the patience to wait Heb. 10. 36. Now Beloved what say you to this Will you have this God for your God Will you be content to live by faith and trust him for an unseen happiness an unseen heaven an unseen glory Do your hearts answer Lord we will venture our selves upon thee we commit our selves to thee We roll upon thee we know whom we have trusted we are willing to take thy word we will prefer thy promises before our own possessions and the hopes of Heaven before all the enjoyments of the Earth We will wait thy leisure What thou wilt here so that we may have but thy faithful promise for Heaven hereafter If you can in truth and upon deliberation thus accept of God he will be yours Thus there must be in a right conversion to God a closing with him suitable to his excellencies But when men close with his mercy but yet love sin hating holiness and purity or will take him for their Benefactor but not for their Soveraign or for their Patron but not for their Portion this is no thorow and no sound Conversion Direct VII Accept of the Lord Iesus in all his Offices with all his inconveniences as thine Upon these terms Christ may be had Sinner thou hast undone thy self and art plunged into the Ditch of most deplorable misery out of which thou art never able to climb up But Jesus Christ is able and ready to help thee and he freely tenders himself to thee Heb. 7. 25. Iohn 3. 36. Be thy sins never so many never so great of never so long continuance yet thou shalt be most certainly pardoned and saved if thou dost not wretchedly neglect the offer that in the name of God is here made unto thee The Lord Jesus calleth unto thee to look unto him and be saved Isa. 45. 22. to come unto him and he will in no wise cast thee out Iohn 6. 37. Yea he is a suitor to thee and beseecheth thee to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. he cryeth in the streets he knocketh at thy door he wooeth thee to accept of him and live with him Prov. 1. 20. Rev. 2. 30. If thou diest 't is because thou wouldst not come to him for life Iohn 5. 40. Now accept of an offered Christ and thou art made for ever Now give up thy consent to him and the match is made all the world cannot hinder it Do not stand off because of thine unworthiness Man I tell thee nothing in all the world can undo thee but thine unwillingnessâ— Speak man art thou willing of the match Wilt thou have Christ in all his celations to be thine thy King thy Priest thy Prophet Wilt thou have him with all his inconveniences Take not Christ hand over head but sit down first and count the cost Wilt thou lay all at his feet Wilt thou be content to run all hazards with him Wilt thou take thy lot with him fall where it will Wilt thou deny thy self take up thy Cross and follow him Art thou deliberately understandingly freely fixedly determined to â—â—eave to him in all times and conditions If so my soul for thine thou shalt never perish Iohn 3. 16. but art passed from death to life Here lies the main point of thy salvation that thou be found in thy covenant-closure with Jesus Christ and therefore if thou love thy self see that thou be faithful to God and thy soulâ— ere Direct VIII Resign up all thy powers and faculties and thy whole interest to be his They gave their own selves unto the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. Present your bodies as a living Sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. The Lord seeks not yours but you Resing therefore thy body with all its members to him and thy soul with all its powers that he may be glorified in thy body and in thy spirit which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. In a right closure with Christ all the faculties give up to him The Judgment subscribes Lord thou â—t worthy of all acceptation chief of ten thousand Happy is the man that finâ—eth thee All the things that are to be desired are not to be compared with thee Prov. 3. 13 14 15. The understanding lays aside its corrupt reasonings and cavils and its prejudices against Christ and his ways It is now past questioning and disputing and casts it for Christ against all the World. It concludes it 's good to be here and sees such a treasure in this field such value in this pearl as is worth all Mat. 13. 44. Oh here 's the richest bargain that ever I made here 's the richest prize that ever man was offereâ— here 's the sovereignest remedy that ever mercy prepared he is worthy of my esteem worthy of my choice worthy of my love worthy to be embraved 〈…〉 admired for ever more Rev. 5. 12. I approve of his 〈◊〉 his terms are rightteous reasonable full of equity and mercy Again the will resigns It stands no longer wavering nor wishing and woulding but is peremptorily determin'd Lord thy love hath overcome me thâ—â— hâ—st won me and thou shalt have me Come in Lord to thee I freely open I consent to be saved in thine own way thou shalt have any thing thou shall have all let me have but thee The memory gives up to Christ Lord here is a store-house for thee Out with this trash lay in thy treaâ—ure Let me be a granary a repositorâ— of thy truths thy promises thy providences The Conscience comes in Lord I will ever side with thee I will be thy faithful Register I will warn when the sinner is tempted and smite when thou art offended I will witness for thee and judge for thee and guide into thy ways and will never let sin have quiet in this soul. The affections also come in to Christ. O saith love I am sick of thee O saith desire now I have my longing Here 's the satisfaction I sought for Here 's the desire of Nations Here 's bread for me and balm for me all that I want Fear bows the knee with
should never know it while I live yet I beseech thee Lord God let it be found at that day that some souls are converted by these labours and let some be able to stand â—â—râ—h and say that by these â—ersâ—asions they were won unto thee Amen Amen Let him that reade hsay Amen Mr. Alleine's Counsel for Personal and Family-godliness BEloved I despair of ever bringing you to salvation without sanctification Or possessing you of happiness without perswading you to holiness God knows I have not the least hope ever to see one of your faces in Heaven except you be converted and sanctified and exercise your selves unto godliness I beseech you study personal godliness and family-godliness 1. Personal godliness Let it be your first care to set up Christ in your hearts See that you make all your worldly interests to stoop to him that you be entirely and unreservedly devoted unto him If you wilfully and deliberately and ordinarily harbour any sin you are undone Psal 68. 21. Ezek. 18. 20. See that you unfeignedly take the Laws of Christ as the rule of your words thoughts and actions and subject your whole man members and mind faithfully to him Psal. 119. 34. Rom. 6. 13. If you have not a true respect to all Gods Commandments you are unsound at heart Psal. 119. 6. Oh study to get the Image and impress of Christ upon you within Begin with your hearts else you build without a foundation Labour to get a saving change within or else all external performances will be to no purpose And then study to shew forth the power of godliness in the life Let Piety be your first and great business 'T is the highest point of Justice to give God his due Beware that none of you be a Prayer-less person for that is a most certain discovery of a Christless and a graceless person of one that is a very Stranger to the fear of God. Psal. 14. 4. Iâ—b 15. 4. Suffer not your Bibles to gather dust See that you converse daily with the word Iohn 5. 39. That man can never lay claim to blessedness whose delight is not in the Law of the Lord Psal. 1. 1 2. Let meditation and self-examination be your daily exercise But Piety without Charity is but the half of Christianity or rather impious hypocrisie We may not divide the Tables See therefore that you do Justly and love mercy and let Equity and Charity run like an even thread throughout all your dealings Be you temperate in all things and let Chastity and Sobriety be your undivided companions Let Truth and Purity Seriousness and Modesty Heavenliness and Gravity be the constant ornaments of your speech Let patience and humility simplicity and sincerity shine out in all the parts of your conversations See that you forget and forgive wrongs and require them with kindness as you would be found children of the most High. Be merciful in your censures and put the most favourable construction upon your brethrens carriage that their Actions will reasonably bear Be slow in promising punctual in fulfilling Let meekness and innocency affableness yieldingness and courtesie commend your conversations to all men Let none of your relations want that love and loyalty that reverence and duty that tenderness care and vigilancâ— which their several places and capacities call for This is throughout godliness I charge you before the most high God that none of you be fourd a swearer or a lyar a lover of evil company or a scoffer or malicious or covetous or a drunkard or a glutton unrighteous in his dealingâ— unclean in his living or a quarreller or a thief or a backbiter or a railer For I denounce unto you from the living God that destruction and damnation is the end of all such Prov. 13. 20. Iam 5. 12. Rev. 21. 8. 1. Cor. 6. 9 10 Gal. 5. 19 20 21. 2. Family godliness He that hath set up Christ in his heart will be sure to study to sâ—t him up in his house Let every family with you be a Christian Church 1 Câ—r 16 19. every house a house of prayer let every housholder say with Iâ—shua I and my â—â—â—se wiâ—â— serve the Lord Josh. 24. 15. and resolve with David I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Psal. 101. 2. Let me press upon you a few duties In general First Let Religion be in â—â—â—r families not as a matter by the by to be minded at leisure when the world will give you leave but the standing business of the house Let them have your prayers as duly as their meals Is there any of your families but have time for their taking food wretched man canst thou find time to â—at in and not find time to pray in Secondly Settle in upon your hearts that your souls are bound up in the souls of your family They are committed unto you and if they be lost through your neglect will be required at your hands Sirs if you do not you shall know that the charge of souls is a heavy charge and that the blood of souls is a heavy guilt O man hast thou a charge of souls to answer for and dost thou not yet beâ—tir thy self for them that their blood be not found in thy skirts wilt thou do no more for immortal souls than thou wilt do for thy beasts that perish what dost thou do for thy children and servants thou providest meat and drink for them agreeable to their natures and dost thou not the same for thy beasts thou givest them mediclnes and cherishest them when they be sick and dost thou not as much for thy swine More particularly 1. Let the solemn reading of the word and singing of Psalms be your family exercises Isa. 34. 16. Ioh. 5. 39. Psal. 118. 15. See Christ singing with his family viz. his Disciples Mat. 26. 30 Lu 9. 18. 2. Let every person in your families be duly called to an account of their profiting by the word heard or read as they be about doing your own business This is a duty of consequence unspeakable and would be a means to bring those under your charge to remember and profit by what they receive See Christs example in calling his family to an account Mat. 16 11 13 15. 3. Often take an account of the souls under your care concerning their Spiritual estates Herein you must be followers of Christ. Mat. 13. 10 36 51. â—ark 4 10 11. make inquiry into their conditions insist much upon the sinfulness and misery of their natural estate and upon the necessity of regeneration and conversion in order to their salvation Admonish them gravely of their sins encourage beginnings Follow them earnestly and let them have no quiet for you till you see them in a saving change This is a duty of high consequence but I am afraid fearfully neglected Doth not Conscience say thou art the Man 4. Look to the strict sanctifying of the Sabbath by all your housholds Exod. 20. 19. Lev. 23. 3. Many poor