him This was the Converts voice The Lord is my portion saith my soul Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal. 73. 25 26. Lam. 3. 24. Secondly it turns the byass of the Will both as to means and end 1. The intention of the Will is altered Ezek. 36. 26. Ier. 31. 33. Esay 26. 8 9. Now the man hath new ends and designs Now he intends God above all and desires and designs nothing in all the world so much as that Christ may be magnified in him Phil. 1. 20. He accounts himself more happy in this than in all that the earth could yield that he may be serviceable to Christ and bring him glory in his generation This is the mark he aims aâ— that the name of Jesus may be great in the world and that all the Sheaves of his Brethren may bow to this Sheaf Reader dost thou view this and never ask thy self whether it be thus with thee Pause a while and breath on this great concernment 2. The Election also is changed so that he chooses another way Psal. 119. 30. He pitches upon God as his blessedness and upon Christ as the principal and holiness as the subordinate means to bring him to God Iohn 14. 6. Rom. 2. 7. He chooses Jesus for his Lord Col. 2. 6. He is not meerly forced into Christ by the storm nor doth he take Christ for bare necessity as the man begged from the gallows when he takes the wife rather than the halter but he comes off freely in the choice This match is not made in a fright as with the terrified conscience or dying sinner that will seemingly do any thing for Christ but doth only take Christ rather than Hell but he deliberately resolves that Christ is his best choice Phil. 1. 23. and would rather have him to choose than all the good of this world might he enjoy it while he would Again he takes holiness for his path He doth not out of meer necessity submit to it but he likes and loves it I have chosen the way of thy Precepts Ps. 119. 173. He takes God's testimonies not as his bondage but as his heritage yea his heritage for ever v. 111. He counts them not his burden but his Bliss not his cords but his cordials 1 Iohn 5. 3. Psal. 119. 14 16 17. He doth not only bear but take up Christ's yoke He takes not holiness as the stomach doth the loathed potion which it will down with rather than dye but as the hungry doth his beloved food Now time passes so sweetly with him when he is himself as that he spends in the exercises of holiness these are both his aâ—â—â—ent and element the desire of his eyes and the joy of his heart Iob 23. 12. Psal. 119. 82 131 162 174. Psal. 63. 5. Put thy conscience to it as thou goest whether thou art the man O happy man if this be thy case But see thou be thorow and impartial in the search Thirdly It turns the bent of the affection 2 Cor. 7. 11. These run all in a new channel The Iordan is now driven back and the water runs upward against its natural course Christ is his Hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. this is his prize Phil. 3. 8. here his eye is here his heart is He is contented to cast all over board as the merchant in the Storm ready to perish so he may but keep this Jewel The first of his Desires is not after gold but grace Phil. 3. 13. He hungers after it he seeks it as silver he digs for it as for hid treasure He had rather be gracious than be great he had rather be the holiest man on earth than the most learned the most famous most prosperous While carnal he said Oh if I were but in great esteem and rolled in wealth and swim'd in pleasure if my debts were paid and I and mine provided for then I were a happy man but now the tune is changed Oh saith the convert if I had but my corruptions subdued if I had such measures of grace such fellowship with God tho' I were poor and despised I should not care I should account my self a blessed man. Reader is this the language of thy soul His Ioys are changed He rejoyceth in the ways of God's Testimonies as much as in all Riches Psal. 119. 14. He delights in the Law of the Lord wherein once he had little favour He hath no such Joy as in the thoughts of Christ the fruition of his company the prosperity of his people His Cares are quite altered He was once set for the World and any scraps of by time nothing too often was enough for his soul. Now he gives over caring for the Asses and sets his heart on the Kingdom Now all the cry is What shall I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. His great solicitude is how to secure his soul. Oh! how he would bless you if you could but put him out of doubt of this His Fears are not so much of suffering but of sinning Heb. 11. 25 27. Once he was afraid of nothing so much as the loss of his estate or esteem the pleasure of friends the frowns of the great Nothing sounded so terrible to him as pain or poverty or disgrace Now these are little to him in comparison of God's dishonour or displeasure How warily doth he walk lest he should tread on a snâ—â—e He feareth alway he looks before and behind he hath his eye upon his heart and is often casting over his shoulder lest he should be overtaken with sin Psal. 39. 1. Prov. 28. 14. Eccles. 2. 14. It kills his heart to think of losing Gods favour this he dreads as his only undoing Psal. 51. 11 12. Psal. 119. 8. No thought in the world doth pinch him and pain him so much as to think of parting with Christ. His Love runs a new course My love was crucified said holy Ignatius that is my Christ. This is my Beloved saith the Spouse Cant. 5. 18. How doth Augustine often pour his loves upon Christ. O Eternal Blessedness c. He can find no words sweet enough Let me see thee O light of mine eyes Come O thou joy of my spirit Let me behold thee O the gladness of my heart Let me love thee O life of my soul. Appear unto me O my great delight my sweet comfort O my God my life and the whole glory of my soul. Let me find thee O desire of my heart Let me hold thee O love of my soul. Let me embrace thee O heavenly Bridegroom Let me possess thee His Sorrows have now a new vent 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. The view of his sins the sight of a Christ crucified that would scarce stir him before now how much do they affect his heart His Hatred boils his Anger burns against sin Psal. 119. 104. He hath no patience with himself
but appretiates not the person of Christ. He divides the offices and benefits of Christ. This is an error in the foundation Whoso loveth life let him beware here 'T is an undoing mistake of which you have been often warned and yet none more common Jesus is a sweet name but men love not the Lord Jesus in sincerity Eph. 6. 24. They will not have him as God offers To be a Prince and a Saviour Acts 5. 31. They divide what God hath joyned the King and the Priest. Yea they will not accept the Salvation of Christ as he intends it they divide it here Every man's vote is for Salvation from suffering but they desire not to be saved from sinning They would have their lives saved but withall they would have their lusts Yea many divide here again they would be content to haâ—e some of their sins destroyed but they cannot leave the lap of Dalilah or divorce the beloved Herodias They cannot be cruel to the right eye or right hand the Lord must pardon them in this thing 2 Kings 5. 18. Oh be infinitely tender here your souls lie upon it The sound Convert takes a whole Christ and takes him for all intents and purposes without exceptions without limitations without reserves He is willing to have Christ upon his terms upon any terms He is willing of the dominion of Christ as well as deliverance by Christ he saith with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Any thing Lord. He sends the blank to Christ to set down his own Conditions Acts 2. 37. Acts 16. 30. The less Principal is the Laws Ordinances and ways of Christ. The heart that was once set against these and could not endure the strictness of these bonds the severity of these ways now falls in love with them and chuses them as its rule and guide for ever Psalm 119. 111 12. Four things I observe God doth work in every sound Convert with reference to the Laws and Ways of Christ by which you may come to know your estates if you will be faithful to you own souls and therefore keep your eyes upon your hearts as you go along 1. The Iudgment is brought to approve of them and subscribe to them as most righteous and most reasonable Psal 119. 112 128 137 138. The mind is brought to like the ways of God and the corrupt prejudices that were once against them as unreasonable and intolerable are now removed The understanding assents to them all as holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. How is David taken up with these excellencies of Gods Laws How doth he expatiate in their praises both from their inherent qualities and admirable effects Psalm 19. 8 9 10 c. There is a twofold judgment of the understanding Iudicium absolutum comparatum The absolute judgment is when a man thinks such a course best in the general but not for him or not under the present Circumstances he is in pro hic nunc Now a godly mans judgment is for the ways of God and that not only the absolute but comparative judgment he thinks them not only best in general but best for him He looks upon the rules of Religion not only as tolerable but desireable yea more desireable than gold fine gold yea much fine gold Psalm 19. 10. His judgments are setledly determined that 't is best to be holy that 't is best to be strict that it is in it self the most eligible course and that 't is for him the wisest and most rational and desireable choice Hear the godly mans judgment I know O Lord that thy judgments are right I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Psalm 119. 127 128. Mark he did approve of all that God required and disallowed of all that he forbad Righteous O Lord and upright are thy judgments Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful Thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever Psalm 119. 86 160. 162 163. See how readily and fully he subscribes he declares his assent and consent to it and all and every thing therein contained 2. The desire of the heart is to know the whole mind of Christ Psalm 119. 124 125 169. Psalm 25. 4 5. He would not have one sin undiscovered nor be ignorant of one duty required 'T is the natural and earnest breathing of a sanctified heart Lord if there be any way of wickedness in me do thou discover it What I know not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do it no more The unsound is willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. loves not to come to the light Iohn 3. 20. He is willing to keep such or such a sin and therefore is loth to know it to be a sin and will not let in the light at that Window Now the gracious heart is willing to know the whole latitude and compass of his makers Law Psalm 119. 18 19 27 33 64 66 68 78 108 124. He receives with all acceptation the word that convinceth him of any duty that he knew not or minded not before or discovered any sin that lay hid before Psalm 119. 11. 3. The free and resolved choice of the will is determined for the ways of Christ before all the pleasures of sin and prosperitys of the World Psalm 119. 103 127 162. His consent is not extorted by some extremity of anguish nor is it only a sudden and hasty resolve but he is deliberately purposed and comes off freely in the choice Psalm 17. 3. Psal. 119. 30. True the Flesh will rebel yet the prevailing part of his Will is for Christ's Laws and Government so that he takes them not up as his toil or burden but his bliss 1 Iohn 5. 3. Psalm 119. 60 72. When the unsanctified goes in Christs ways as in Chains and Fetters he doth them naturally Psalm 40. 8. Ier. 31. 33. and counts Christs Law his Liberty Psalm 119. 32 45. Iames 1. 25. He is willing in the beauties of holiness Psalm 110. 3. and hath this inseparable Mark. That he had rather if he might have his choice live a strict and holy life than the most prosperous and flourishing life in the world 1 Sam. 10. 26. There went with Saul a band of men whose hearts God had touched When God touches the heart of his chosen they presently follow Christ Mat. 4. 22. and tho drawn do freely run after himâ— Cant. 1. 4. and willingly offer themselves to the service of the Lord 2 Chron. 7. 16. seeking him with their whole desire 2 Chron. 15. 15. Fear hath its use but this is not the main Spring of Motion with a sanctified heart Christ keeps not his Subjects in by force but is King of a willing people They are through his grace freely resolved for his service and do it out
Mat. 7. 22 23. Oh dreadful case when a man's Religion shall serve only to harden him and effectually to delude and deceive his own Soulâ— 4. The prevalency of false ends in holy duties Mat. 23. 25. This was the bane of the Pharisees Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this and drops into Hell before he discerns his mistake He performs good duties and so thinks all is well and perceives not that he is actuated by carnal Motives all the while It is too true that even with the truly sanctified many carnal ends will oft-times creep in but they are the matter of his hatred and humiliation and never come to be habitually prevalent with him and to bear the greatest sway Rom. 14. 7. But now when the main thing that doth ordinarily carry a man out to religious duties shall be some carnal end as to satisfie his conscience to get the repute of being religious to be seen of men to shew his own gifts and parts to avoid the reproach of a prophane and irreligious person or the like this discovers an unsound heart Hos. 10. 1. Zech. 7. 5 6. O Christians if you would avoid self-deceit see that you mind not only your acts but withal yea above all your ends 5. Trusting in their own righteousness Luk. 18. 9. This is a soul undoing mischief Rom. 10. 3. When men do trust in their own righteousness they do indeed reject Christ's Beloved you had need be watchful on every hand for not only your sins but your duties may undo you It may be you never thought of this but so it is that a man may as certainly miscarry by his seeming righteousness and supposed graces as by gross sins and that is when a man doth trust to these as his righteousness before God for the satisfying his justice appeasing his wrath procuring his favour and obtaining of his own pardon for this is to put Christ out of office and make a Saviour of our own duties and graces Beware of this O professors you are much in duties but this one fly will spoil all the Ointment When you have done most and best be sure to go out of your selves to Christ reckon your own righteousness but rags Psalm 143. 2. Phil. 3. 8. Isa. 64. 6. Neh. 13. 22. 6. A secret enmity against the strictness of Religion Many moral persons punctual in their formal devotion have yet a bitter enmity against preciseness and hate the life and power of Religion Phil. 3. 6. compared with Acts 9. 1. They like not this frowardness nor that men should keep such a stir in Religion They condemn the strictness of Religion as singularity indiscretion and intemperate zeal and with them a lively Preacher or lively Christian is but a heady fellow These men love not holiness as holiness for then they would love the height of holiness and therefore are undoubtedly rotten at heart whatever good opinion they have of themselves 7. The resting in a certain pitch of Religion When they have so much as will save them as they suppose they look no further and so shew themselves short of true Grace which will ever put men upon aspiring to further perfection Phil. 3. 13. Pro. 4. 18. 8. The predominant love of the World. This is the sure evidence of an unsanctified heart Mar. 10. 37. 1 Iohn 2. 15. But how close doth this sin lurk oft-times under a fair covert of forward profession Luke 8. 14. Yea such a power of deceit is there in this sin that many times when every body else can see the man's worldliness and covetousness he cannot see it himself but hath so many colours and excuses and pretences for his eagerness on the world that he doth blind his own eyes and perish in his self-deceit How many professors be here with whom the world hath more of their hearts and affections than Christ Who mind earthly things and thereby are evidently after the flesh and like to end in destruction Rom. 8. 5. Phil. 3. 19. Yet ask these men and they will tell you confidently they prize Christ above all God forbid else and see not their own earthly mindedness for want of a narrow observation of the workings of their own hearts Did they but carefully search they would quickly find that their greatest content is in the world Luke 12. 19. and their greatest care and main endeavour to get and secure the world which are the certain discovery of an unconverted sinner May the professing part of the world take earnest heed that they perish not by the hand of this sin unobserved Men may be and often are kept off from Christ as effectually by the inordinate love of lawful comforts as by the most unlawful courses Mat. 22. 5. Luke 14. 18 19 20 24. 9. Reigning Malice and Envy against those that disrespect them or are injurious to them 1 Ioh. 2. 9 11. O how do many that seem to be religious remember injuries and carry grudges and will return men as good as they bring rendring evil for evil loving to take revenge wishing evil to them that wrong them directly against the rule of the Gospel the pattern of Christ and the nature of God Rom. 12. 14 17. 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. Neh. 9. 17. Doubtless where this evil is kept boiling in the heart and is not hated resisted mortified but doth habitually prevail that person is in the very gall of bitterness and in a state of death Mat. 18. 34 35. 1 Iohn 3. 14 15. Reader doth nothing of this touch thee Art thou in none of the forementioned Ranks O search and search again take thy heart solemnly to task Woe unto thee if after all thy profession thou shouldst be found under the power of ignorance lost in formality drowned in earthly mindedness envenomed with malice exalted in an opinion of thine own righteousness levened with hypocrisie and carnal ends in Gods service imbittered against strictness this would be a sad discovery that all thy Religion were in vain But I must proceed 10. Unmortified Pride When men love the praise of men more than the praise of God and set their hearts upon mens esteemâ— applause and approbation it is most certain they are yet in their sins and strangers to true conversion Iohn 12. 43. Gal. 1. 10. When men see not nor complain of nor groan under the pride of their own hearts it 's a sign they are stark dead in sin O how secretly doth this sin live and reign in many hearts and they know it not but are very strangers to themselves Iohn 9. 40. 11. The prevailing love of pleasure 2 Tim. 3. 4. This is a black mark When men give the flesh the liberty that it craves and pamper and please it and do not deny and restrain it when their great delight is in gratifying their bellies and pleasing their senses whatever appearance they may have of Religion all is unsound Rom. 16. 18. Tit. 3. 3. A flesh-pleasing life cannot be pleasing to God
I will be content to lose it Hear then Oh sinner and as ever thou wouldst be converted and saved embrace this following counsel Direct I. Set it down with thy self as an undoubted truth that it is impossible for thee ever to get to Heaven in this thy unconverted state Can any other but Christ save thee And he tells thee he will never do it except thou be regenerated and converted Mat. 18. 3. Iohn 3. 3. Doth he not keep the keys of Heaven And canst thou get in without his leave as thou must if ever thou comest thither in thy natural condition without a sound and thorough renovation Direct II. Labour to get a thorough sight and lively sense and feeling of thy sins Till men are weary and heavy laden and pricked at the heart and stark sick of sin they will not come to Christ in his way for ease and cure nor to purpose enquire What shall we do Mat. 11. 28. Acts 2. 37. Mat. 9. 12. They must set themselves down for dead men before they will come unto Christ that they may have life Iohn 5. 40. Labour therefore to set all thy sins in order before thee Never be afraid to look upon them but let thy spirit make diligent search Psal. 77. 6. Enquire into thine heart and into thy life enter into a thorow examination of thy self and of all thy ways Psal. 119. 59. that thou mayst make a full discovery and call in the help of God's Spirit in the sense of thine own inability hereunto for it is his proper work to convince of sin Iohn 16. 8. Spread all before the face of thy Conscience till thine heart and eyes be set abroach Leave not striving with God and thine own soul till it cry out under the sense of thy sins as the enlightned Jaâ—lor What must I do to â—e saved Acts 16. 30. To this purpose Meditate of the numerousness of thy sins David's heart failed when he thought of this and considered that he had more sins than hairs Psal. 40. 12. This made him to cry out upon the multitudes of Gods tender mercies Psal. 51. 1. The loathsome carcass doth not more hatefully swarm with crawling worms than an unsanctified soul with filthy Iusts They fill the head the heart the eyes and mouth of him Look backward where was ever the place what was ever the time in which thou didst not sin Look inward what part or power canst thou find in soul or body but it is poisoned with sin What duty dost thou ever perform into which poison is not shed Oh how great is the sum of thy debts who hast been all thy life long running upon the hooks and never didst nor canst pay off one penny Look over the sin of thy Nature and all its cursed broad the sins of thy life Call to mind thy Omissions Commissions the sins of thy thoughts of thy words of thine actions the sins of thy youth the siâ—s of thy years c. Be not like a desperate Bankrupt that is afraid to look over his Books Read the Records of Conscience carefully These Books must be opened sooner or later Rev. 20. 12. Meditate upon the aggravations of thy sin as they are the grand enemies against the God of thy life against the life of thy soul in a word they 〈…〉 publiâ—k enemies of all mankind How do David Ezra Daniel and the good Levites aggravate their sins from the consideration of their injuriousness to God their opposition to his good and righteous Laws the mercies the warnings that they were committed against Nâ—â— 9. Daâ— 9. Ezra 9. O the work that sin hath made in the world This is the enemy that hath brought in death that hath robbed and enslaved man that hath blacked the Devil that hath digged Hell Rom. 5. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iohn 8. 34. This is the enemy that hath turned the Creation upside down and sown dissention between man and the creatures between man and man yea between man and himself setting the sensitive part against the rational the will against the judgment lust against conscience yea worst of all between God and man making the lapsed sinner both hateful to God and a hater of him Zech. 11. 8. O man how canst thou make so light of sin This is the Traytor that sucked the blood of the Son of God that sold him that mocked him that scourged him that spit in his face that digged his hands that pierced his side that pressed his soul that mangled his body that never left till it had bound him condemned him nailed him crucified him and put him to open shame Isa. 53. 4 5 6. This is that deadly poyson so powerful of operation as that one drop of it shed upon the root of mankind hath corrupted spoiled and poisoned and undone his whole race at once Rom. 5. 18 19. This is the common Butcher the bloody Executioner that hath killed the Prophets burnt the Martyrs murdered all the Apostles all the Patriarchs all the Kings and Potentates that hath destroyed Cities swallowed Empires butchered and devoured whole Nations Whatever was the weapon that 't was done by sin was it that did Execution Rom. 6. 23. dost thou yet think it but a small thing If Adam and all his Children could be digged out of their Graves and their Bodies piled up to Heaven and an inquest were made what matchless murderer were guilty of all this blood it would be all found in the skirts of sin Study the nature of sin till thy heart be brought to fear and loath it And meditate on the aggravations of thy particular sins how thou hast sinned against all God's warnings against thine own prayers against mercies against corrections against clearest light against freest love against thine own resolutions against promises vows covenants of better obedience c. charge thy heart home with these things till it blush for shame and be brought out of all good opinion of it self Ezra 9. 6. Meditate upon the desert of sin It cryeth up to Heaven It calls for vengeance Gen. 18. 21. It s due wages is death and damnation It pulls the curse of God upon the Soul and Body Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 28. The least sinful word or thought lays thee under the infinite wrath of God Almighty Rom. 2. 8 9. Mat. 12. 36. Oh what a load of wrath what a weight of curses what treasure of vengeance have all the millions of thy sins then deserved Rom. 2. 5. Iohn 3. 36. Oh Judge thy self that the Lord may not â—udge thee 1 Cor. 11. 31. Meditate upon the deformity and desilement of sin 'T is as black as Hell the very image and likeness of the Devil drawn upon the Soul 1 John 3. 8 10. It would more affright thee to see thy self in the hateful deformity of thy nature than to see the Devil There is no mire so unclean no vomit so loathsome no carcass or carrion so offensive no plague or leprosie so noisom as sin in which thou
unto Sanctification not for it Eph. 1. 4. God finds nothing in a man to turn his heart but to turn his stomach enough to provoke his loathing nothing to provoke his love Look back upon thy self O Christian Take up thy verminous rags Look upon thy self in thy blood Ez. 16. 6. O reflect upon thy swinish Nature thy filthy swill thy once beloved mire 2 Pet. 2. Canst thou think without loathing of thy trough and draugh Open thy Sepulchre Mat. 23. 27. Art thou struck almost dead with the hellish damp behold thy putrid soul thy loathsome members O stench unsufferable if thou dost but sense thy own putrifaction Psal. 14. 3. Behold thy ghastly visage they crawling Iusts thy slime and corruption Do not thine own Cloaths abhor thee Iob 9. 31. How then should holiness and purity love thee Be astonished O Heavens at this be moved O Earth Ier. 2. 12. Who but must needs cry Grace Grace Zech. 4. 7. Hear and blush you Children of the most high O you unthankful generation that free grace is no more in your mouths in your thoughts no more adored admired commended by such as you One would think you should be nothing but praising and admiring God whatever you are How can you make a shift to forget such grace or to pass it over with a slight and seldom mention What but free grace should move God to love you unless enmity could do it or deformity could do it unless vomit or rottenness could do it How affectionately doth Peter lift up his hands Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again 1 Pet. 1. 3. How feelingly doth Paul magnifie the free mercy of God in it God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saâ—ed Eph. 2. 4 5. The External mover is the merit and intercession of the blessed Iesus He hath obtained gifts for the rebellious Psal. 68. 18. and through him it is that God worketh in us what is well pleasing in his sight Heb. 13. 21. Through him are all spiritual blessings bestowed upon us in Heavenly things Eph. 1. 3. He interceedeth for the Elect that believe not Iohn 17. 20. Every Convert is the fruit of his travel Isa. 53. 11. O never was Infant born into the world with that difficulty that Christ endured for us How emphatically he groaneth in his travel All the pains that he suffered on his Cross they were our birth pains Acts 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pulls and throws that Christ endured for us He is made sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1 30. He sanctified himself that is set apart himself as a sacrifice that we may be sanctified Iohn 17. 19. We are sanctified through the offering of his Body once for all Heb. 10. 10. 'T is nothing then without his own bowels but the merit and intercession of Christ that prevails with God to bestow on us converting grace If thou art a new creature thou knowest to whom thou owest it to Christ's pangs and prayers Hence the natural affection of a believer to Christ. The Foal doth not more naturally run after the Dam nor the Suckling to the Dugs than a Believer to Jesus Christ. And whither else shouldst thou go If any in the World can shew that for thy heart that Christ can let them carry it Doth Satan put in doth the World court thee Doth sin sue for thy heart Why were these crucified for thee 1 Cor. 1. 13. O Christian love and serve the Lord whilst thou hast a Being Do not even the Publicans love those that love them And shew kindness to them that are kind to them Mat. 5. 46 47. 3. The Instrument is either Personal or Real The personal is the Ministry I have begotten you to Christ through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. Christ's Ministers are they that are sent to open mens eyes and to turn them to God Acts 26. 18. O unthankful World little do you know what you are doing while you are persecuting the Messengers of the Lord. These are they whose business is under Christ to save you Whom have you reproached and blasphemed Against whom you have exalted your voice and lifted your eyes on high Isa. 37. 23. These are the servants of the most high God that shew unto you the way of salvationâ— Acts 16. 17. and do you thus requite them O foolish and unwise Deut. 32. 6. O Sons of ingratitude against whom do you sport your selves against whom make you a wide mouth and draw out the tongue Isa. 57. 34. These are the Instruments that God useth to convert and save you and do you spit in the face of your Physicians and throw your Pilots over-board Father forgive them for they know not what they do The Instrument Real is the word We were begotten by the word of truth This is it that enlightens the eyes that converteth the soul Psal. 19. 7 8. that maketh wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. This is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again 1 Pet. 1. 23. If we are washed 't is by the word Eph. 5. 26. if we are sanctified 't is through the truth Iohn 17. 17. This generates faith and regenerates us Rom. 10. 17. Iam. 1. 18. O ye Saints how should you love the word for by this you have been converted O ye sinners how should you ply the Word For by this you must be converted No other ordinary means but this You that have felt its renewing power make much of it while you live be for ever thankful for it Tie it about your Necks write it upon your hands lay it in your bosoms Prov. 6. 21 22. When you go let it lead you when you sleep let it keep you when you wake let it talk with you Say with holy David I will never forget thy precepts for by them hast thou quickened me Psal. 119. 93. You that are unconverted read the word with diligence flock to it where powerfully preached fill the porches as the multitude of the impotent blind halt withered waiting for the moving of the water Iohn 5. 3. Pray for the coming of the spirit in the word Come off thy knees to the sermon and come to thy knees from the Sermon The seed doth not prosper because not watered by prayers and tears nor covered by meditation 4. The final cause is mans salvation and Gods glory We are chosen through sanctification to salvationâ— 2 Thes. 2. 13. Called that we might be glorified Rom. 8. 30. but especially that God might be glorified Isa. 60. 21. that we should shew forth his praises 1â— Pet. 2. 9 and be fruitful in good works Col. 1. 10. O Christian do not forget the end of thy Calling let thy light shine Mat. 5. 16. Let thy Lamp burn let thy Fruits be good and many and in season Psal. 1. 3. Let all thy designs fall in
he calls himself fool and beast and thinks any Name too good for himself when his indignation is stirred up against sin Psal. 73. 22. Prov. 30. 2. He could once swill in it with too much pleasure now he loaths the thought of returning to it as much as of licking up the filthiest vomit Commune then with thine own heart and attend the common and general current of thine affections whether it be towards God in Christ above all other concernments Indeed sudden and strong commotions of the affections and sensitive part are oft-times found in Hypocrites especially where the natural constitution leads thereunto and contrariwise the sanctified themselves are many times without sensible stirrings of the affections where the temper is more â—low dry and dull The great inquiry is whether the judgment and will be standingly determined for God above all other good real or apparent and if the affections do sincerely follow their choice and conduct though it be not so strongly and sensibly as is to be desired there is no doubt but the change is saving 2. Thorowout the Members Those that were before the instruments of sin are now become the holy utensils of Christ's living Temple Rom. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16. He that before made as it were a baud or a barrel of his body now possesseth his vessel in sanctification and honour in temperance chastity and sobriety and dedicated to the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 4. Gal. 5. 22 23. 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. The Eye that was once a wandring Eye a wanton Eye a haughty a covetous Eye is now employed as Mary in weeping over her sins Luke 7. 38. in beholding God in his works Psal. 8. â— in reading his word Acts 8. 30. in looking up and down for objects of Mercy and opportunities for his service The Ear that was once open to Satans call and that like a vitiated Palate did relish nothing so much as filthy as at least frothy talk and the Fools laughter is now bored to the Door of Christs House and open to his discipline It saith Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth It cries with him Veniat verbum Domini and waits for his word â—s the Rain and relishes them more than the appointed food Iob 23. 12. than the Honey and the Honey-Comb Psal. 19. 10. The Head that was the Shop of worldly designs is now filled with other matters and set on the study of God's will Psalm 1. 2. Psal. 119. 97. and tho Man beats his head not so much about his gain but about his duty The Thoughts and Cares that now fill his head are principally how he may please God and flie Sin. His Heart that was a Sty of filthy lusts is now become an Altar of incense where the fire of divine Love is ever kept in and whence the daily Sacrifice of Prayer and Praises and sweet Incense of holy desires Ejaculations and Anhelations are continually ascending Psal. 108. 1. Psal. 119. 20. Psal. 139. 17 18. The mouth is become a Well of Life his Tongue as choice Silver and his Lips feed many Now the Salt of Grace hath seasoned his Speech and eat out the Corruption Col. 4. 6. and cleansed the mouth from his filthy Communication Flattery Boasting Railing Lying Swearing Backbiting that once came like the flashes proceeding from the Hell that was in the Heart Iames 3. 6 7. The Throat that was once an open Sepulchre Rom. 3. 13. now sends forth the sweet Breath of Prayer and holy Discourse and the man speaks in another Tongue in the Language of Canaan and is never so well as when talking of God and Christ and the matters of another World. His Mouth bringeth forth Wisdom his Tongue is become the silver Trumpet of his Makers Praise his glory and the best member that he hath Now here you shall have the Hypocrite halting He speaks it may be like an Angel but he hath a covetous eye or the gain of unrighteousness in his hand Or the hand is white but his heart is full of rottenness Mat. 23. 27. full of unmortified cares a very Oven of Lust a Shop of Pride the Seat of Malice It may be with Nebuchadnezzar's Image he hath a Golden Head a great deal of Knowledge but he hath Feet of Clay his Affections are Worldly he minds earthly things and his way and walk are sensual and carnal you may trace him in his secret haunts and his footsteps will be found in some by-paths of sin The work is not thorowout with him 3. Thorowout the Motions or the Life and Practice The new Man takes a new course Eph. 2. 2 3. His Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. No sooner doth Christ call by effectual grace but he straightway becomes a follower of him Mat. 4. 20. When God hath given the new heart and writ his Law in his mind he forthwith walks in his Statutes and keeps his Judgments Ezek. 36. 26 27. Though sin may dwell God knows a wearisome and unwelcome guest in him yet it hath no more Dominion over him Rom. 6. 7 14. He hath his fruit unto holiness Rom. 6. 22. and though he makes many a blot yet the Law and Life of Jesus is that he eyes as his copy Psal. 119. 30. Heb. 12. 2. and hathâ—â—n unfeigned respect to all God's Commandments Psal. 119. 6. He makes Conscience even of little sins and little duties Psal. 119. 113. His very infirmities which he cannot help though he would are his souls burden and are like the dust in a man's eye which though but little yet are not a little troublesome O man dost thou read this and never turn in upon thy soul by self-examination The sincere Convert is not one man at Church and another at home he is not a Saint on his Knees and a Cheat in his Shop he will not Tithe Mint and Cummin and neglect Mercy and Judgment and the weighty matters of the Law he doth not pretend Piety and neglect Morality Mat 23. 14. but he turns from all his sins and keeps all Gods Statutes Ezek. 18. 21. though not perfectly except in desire and endeavour yet sincerely not allowing himself in the breach of any Rom. 7. 15. Now he delights in the word and sets himself to Prayer and opens his Hand if able and draws out his Soul to the hungry Rom. 7. 22. Psal. 109. 4. Isa. 58. 10. He breaketh off his Sins by Righteousness and his Iniquities by shewing Mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. and hath a good Conscience willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13. 18. and to keep without offence towards God and Men. Here again you shall find the unsoundness of many Professors that take themselves for good Christians They are partial in the Law Mal. 2. 9. and take up with the cheap and easy duties of Religion but they go not thorow with the work They are as a Cake not turned half toasted and half raw It may be you shall have them exact in their words
Art thou a man and hast thou reason Why then bethink thy self why and whence thy Being is Behold God's workmanship in thy body and ask thy self to what end did God rear this fabrick Consider the noble faculties or my Heaven-born soul to what end did God bestow these excellencies To no other than that 〈◊〉 shouldst please thy self and gratifie thy senses Did God send men like the Swallows into the World only to gather a few sticks and dirt and build their Nests and breed up their young and then away The very Heathens could see farther than this Art thou so fearfully and wonderfully made Psal. 139. 14. and dost thou not yet think with thy self surely it was for some noble and raised end O man set thy reason a little in the Chair Is it not pity such a goodly fabrick should be raised in vain Verily thou art in vain except thou art for God. Better thou hadst no Being than not to be for him Wouldst thou serve thy end Thou must repent and be converted Without this thou art to no purpose yea to bad purpose First To No purpose Man unconverted is like a choice instrument that hath every string broke or out of tune The Spirit of the living God must repair and tune it by the grace of regeneration and sweetly move it by the power of actuating grace or else thy prayers will be but howlings and all thy services will make no Musick in the Ears of the most Holy Eph. 2. 10. Phil. 2. 13. Hos. 7. 14. Isa. 1. 15. All thy powers and faculties are so corrupt in thy natural State that except thou be purged from dead works thou canst not serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. Tit. 1. 15. An unsanctified man cannot work the work of God. 1. He hath no skill in it He is altogether as unskilful in the work as in the word of righteousness Heb. 5. 13. There are great mysteries as well in the practices as principles of godliness now the unregenerate knoweth not the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13. 11. 1 Tim. 3. 16. You may as well expect him that never learn'd the Alphabet to read or look for goodly Musick on the Lute from one that never set his hand to an instrument as that a natural man should do the Lord any pleasing service He must first be taught of God Iohn 6. 45. taught to pray Luke 11. 1. taught to profit Esay 48. 17. taught to go Hos. 11. 3. or else he will be utterly at a loss 2. He hath no strength for it How weak is his heart Ezek. 16. 30. He is presently tired The Sabbath what a weariness is it Maâ— 1. 13. He is without strength Rom. 5. 6. yea stark dead in sin Eph. 2. 5. 3. He hath no mind to it he desires not the knowledge of God's ways Iob 21. 14. He doth not know them and he doth not care to know them Psalm 82. 5. He knows not neither will he understand 4. He hath neither due instruments nor materials for it A man may as well hew the Marble without Tools or Limn without Colours or Instruments or build without Materials as perform any acceptable service without the graces of the Spirit which are both the Materials and Instruments in the work Alms giving is not a service of God but of vain glory unless dealt forth by the hand of divine love What is the prayer of the lips without grace in the heart but the carcass without the life What are all our confessions unless they be the exercises of godly sorrow and unfeigned repentance What our petitions unless animated all along with holy desires and faith in divine attributes and promises What our praises and thanksgivings unless from the Love of God and a holy grattiude and sense of God's mercies in the heart So that a man may as well expect the trees should speak or look for Logick from the brutes or motion from the dead as for any service holy and acceptable to God from the unconverted When the tree is evil how can the fruit be good Mat. 7. 18. Secondly To Bad purpose The unconverted soul is a very cage of unclean birds Rev. 18. 2. a Sepulchre full of Corruption and Rottenness Mat. 23. 27. a loathsome carkass full of crawling Worms and sending forth a hellish and most noisome favour in the nostrils of God. Psalm 14. 3. O dreadful case Dost thou not yet see a change to be needful would it not have grieved one to have seen the golden consecrated Vessels of God's Temple turned into quaffing bowls for drunkenness and polluted with the Idols service Dan. 5. 2 3. Was it such an abomination to the Jews when Antiechus set up the picture of a Swine at the entrance of the temple How much more abominable then would it have been to have had the very Temple it self turned into a Stable or a Stye and to have the holy of holies served like the house of Baul to have the Image of God taken down and be turned into a draught-house 2 Kings 10. 27. This is the very case of the unregenerate all thy Members aâ—e turned into instruments of unrighteousness Rom. 6. 19. Servants of Satan and thy in most powers into receptacles of uncleanness Eph. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 15. You may see the goodly guests within by what comes out For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Theits False witness Blasphemies c. This black guard discovers what a Hell there is within Oh abuse unsufferable to see a Heaven-born soul abased to the filthiest drudgery to see the glory of Gods creation the chief of the ways of God the Lord of the Universe a lapping with the prodigal at the trough or licking up with greediness the most loathsom vomit Was it such a lamentation to see those that did feed delicately to sit desolate in the streets and the precious Sons of Sion comparable to fine gold to be esteemed as earthen Pitchers and those that were cloathed in Scarlet to embrace dunghils Lam. 4. 2 5. And is it not much more fearful to see the only thing that hath immortality in this lower world and carries the stamp of God to become as a vessel wherein there is no pleasure Ier. 22. 28. which is but the modest expression of the vessel men put to the most sordid use Oh indignity intolerable Better thou wert dashed in a thousand pieces than continue to be abused to so filthy a service II. Not only man but the whole visible creation is in vain without this Beloved God hath made all the visible creatures in heaven and earth for the service of man and man only is the spokesman for all the rest Man is in the universe like the tongue in the body which speaks for all the Members The other creatures cannot praise their Maker but by dumb signs and hints to man that he should speak for them Man is as it were the high Priest of Gods creation
in this condition is to make thy Saviour to become a Sinner and to do more wrong to the infinite Majesty than all the wicked on Earth or Devils in Hell ever did or could And yet wilt thou not give up such a blasphemous hope II. Against his word We need not say Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring down Christ from above Or who shall descend into the deep to bring up Christ from beneath The word is nigh us Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Are you agreed that Christ shall end the controversie Hear then his own words Except you be converted you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18. 3. You must be born again John 3. 7. If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me John 13. 8. Repent or perish Luke 13. 3. One word one would think were enough from Christ but how often and earnestly doth he reiterate it verily verily verily verily except a man be born again he shall not see the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3 5. Yea he doth not only assert but prove the necessity of the new birth viz. from the fleshliness and filthiness of man's first birth Iohn 3. 6. by reason of which man is no more fit for Heaven than the Beast is for the Chamber of the Kings presence And wilâ— thou yet believe thine own presumptuous confidence directly against Christs words He must go quite against the Law of his Kingdom and Rule of his Judgment to save thee in this estate III. Against his Oath He hath lifted up his hand to heaven he hath sworn that those that remain in unbelief and know not his ways that is are ignorant of them or disobedient to them shall not enter into his rest Psalm 95. 11. Heb. 3. 18. and wilt thou not yet believe O sinner that he is in earnest Canst thou hope he will be forsworn for thee The Covenant of Grace is confirmed by an Oath and sealed by blood Heb. 6. 17. Heb. 9. 16 18 19. Mat. 26. 28. But all must be made void and another way to heaven found out if thou be saved living and dying unsanctified God is come to his lowest and last terms with man and hath condescended as far as with honour he could hath set up his Pillars with a Ne plus ultra Men cannot be saved while unconverted except they could get another Covenant made and the whole frame of the Gospel which was established for ever with such dreadful solemnities quite altered and would not this be a distracted hope IV. Against his honour God will so shew his love to the sinner as withal to shew his hatred to sin Therefore he that names the name of Jesus must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. and deny all ungodliness and he that hath hope of life by Christ must purifie himself as he is pure 1 Iohn 3. 3. Tit. 2. 12. otherwise Christ would be thought a favourer of sin The Lord Jesus would have all the world to know though he pardon sin he will not protect it If holy David shall say Depart from me all you workers of iniquity Psal. 6. 8. and shall shut the doors against them Psal. 101. 7. shall not such much more expect it from Christs holiness Would it be for his honour to have the dogs to the table or to lodge the swine with his children or to have Abraham's bosom to be a nest of Vipers V. Against his Offices God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour Acts 5. 31. he should act against both should he save men in their sins It is the Office of a King. Parcere subjectis debellare superbos To be a terrer to evil doers and a praise to them that do well Rom. 13. 3 4. He is a Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil Now should Christ favour the ungodly so continuing and take those to reign with him that would not that he should reign over them Luke 19. 27. this were quite against his Office He therefore reigns that he may put his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. now should he lay them in his bosom he should cross the end of his regal power It belongs to Christ as a King to subdue the hearts and slay the lusts of his chosen Psalm 45. 5. Psalm 110. 3. What King would take the rebels in open hostility into his Court What were this but to betraâ— Life Kingdom Government and all together If Christ be a King he must have homage honour subâ—ection c. Maâ— 1. 6. Now to save men while in their natural enmity were to obscure his Dignity lose his Authority bring contempt on his Government and sell his dear-bought rights for nought Again as Christ should not be a Prince so neither a Saviour if he should do this For his Salvation is spiritual he is called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins Mat. 1. 21. So that should he save them in their sins he should be neither Lord nor Jesus To save men from the punishment and not from the power of sin were to do his work by halves and be an imperfect Saviour His Office as the Deliverer is to turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. He is sent to bless men in turning them from their iniquities Acts 3. 26. to make an end of sin Dan. 9. 24. so that he should destroy his own designs and nullifie his offices to save men abiding in their unconverted estate Application Arise then what meanest thou O sleeper Awake O secure sinner left thou be consumed in thine iniquities Say as the Lepers If we sit here we shall die 2 Kings 7. 3 4. Verily it is not more certain that thou art now out of hell than that thou shalt speedily be in it except thou repent and be converted there is but this one door for thee to escape by Arise then O sluggard and shake off thine excuses How long wilt thou slumber and fold thine hands to sleep Prov. 6. 10 11. Wilt thou lie down in the midst of the Sea or sleep on the top of the mast Prov. 23. 34. There is no remedy but thou must either turn or burn There is an unchangeable necessity of the change of thy condition except thou art resolved to abide the worst of it and try it out with the Almighty If thou lovest thy life O man arise and come away Methinks I see the Lord Jesus laying the merciful hands of an holy violence upon thee methinks he carries it like the Angels to Let Gen. 19. 15 c. Then the Angels â—â—â—stâ—ned Lot saying Arise lest thou be consumed And while â—he lingâ—ed the men laid hold upon his hand the Lord being mercifull unto him and they brought him without the City and said Escape for thy life stay not in all the plain escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed Oh how willful will thy destruction be if thou shouldest yet harden thy self in thy
art all inrolled and covered with its odious filth whereby thou art rendred more displeasing to the pure and holy nature of the glorious God than the most filthy object composed of whatever is hateful to all thy senses can be to thee Iob 15. 15 16. Couldst thou take up a Toad into thy bosom Couldst thou cherish it and take delight in it Why thou art as contrary to the pure and perfect holiness of the divine nature and as loathsome as that is to thee Mat. 3. 33. tilâ— thou art purified by the blood of Jesus and the power of renewing grace Above all other sins fix the eye of Considerationâ— on these two 1. The sin of thy nature 'T is to little purpose to lop the branches while the root of original corruption remains untouched In vain do men lave out the streams when the fountain is running that fills up all again Let the Axe of thy repentance with David's go to the root of sin Psal. 51. 5. Study how deep how close how permanent is thy natural pollution how universal it is till thou dost cry out with Paul's â—eeâ—â—ng upon thy body of death Rom. 7. 2. Look into all thy parts and powers and see what unclean vessels what fiâ—es what dunghills what sinks they are become Heâ— miser quid sum vas ster quilimi 〈…〉 faetore horrorc August 〈◊〉 c. 2. The heart is never soundly broken till throughly convinced of the heinousness of original sin Here fix thy thoughts This is that that makes thee backward to all good prone to all evil Rom. 7. 15. that sheds blindness pride prejudice unbelief into thy mind enmitâ— unconstancy obstinacy into thy will inordinate heats and colds into thy affections insensibleness benummedness unfaithfulness into thy conscience slipperiness into thy memory and in a word hath put every wheel of thy soul out of order and made it of an habitation of holiness to become a very hell of iniquity Iames 3. 6. This is that that hath defiled corrupted perverted all thy members and turned them into weapons of unrighteousness and servants of sin Rom. 6. 19. that hath filled the head with carnal and corrupt designs Mic. 2. 1. the hand with sinful practices Isa. 1. 15. the eyes with wandring and wantonness 2 Pet. 2. 14. the tongue with deadly poison Iames 3. 8. that hath opened the ears to tales flattery and filthy communication and shut them against the instruction of life Zech. 7. 11â— 12. and hath rendred thy heart a very mint and forge for sin and the cursed womb of all deadly conceptions Mat. 15. 16. So that it poureth forth its wickedness without ceasing 2 Pet. 2. 14. even as naturally freely and unweariedly as a fountain doth pour forth its waters Ier. 6. 7. or the raging Sea doth cast forth mire and dirt Isa. 57. 20. And wilt thou yet be in love with thy self and tell us any longer of thy good heart O never leave meditating on this desperate contagion of original corruption till with Eâ—hraim thou bemoan thy self Ier. 31. 18. and with deepest shame and sorrow smite on thy breast as the Publican Luke 18. 13. and with Iob abhor thy self and repent in dust and ashes Iob 42. 6 22. The particular evil that thou art most addicted to Find out all its aggravations Set home upon thy heart all Gods threatnings against it Repentance drives before it the whole herd but especially sticks the arrow in the beloved sin and singles this out above the rest to run it down Psal. 18. 23. O labour to make this sin odious to thy soul and double thy guards and thy resolutions against it because this hath and doth most dishonour God and endanger thee Direct III. Strive to affect thy heart with a deep sense of thy present misery Read over the foregoing Chapter again and again and get it out of the Book into thine heart Remember when thou liest down that for ought thou knowest thou mayst awake in flames and when thou risest up that by the next night thou mayst make thy bed in Hell. Is it a just matter to live in such a fearful case to stand tottering upon the brink of the bottomless Pit and to live at the mercy of every disease that if it will but fall upon thee will send thee forthwith into the burnings Suppose thou sawest a condemned wretch hanging oveâ— Nebuchadnezzar's burning fiery furnace by nothing but a twine thread which were ready to break every moment would not thine heart tremble for such an one Why thou art the man This is thy very case O man woman that readest this if thou be yet unconverted What if the thred of thy life should break Why thou knowest not but it may be the next night yea the next moment where wouldst thou be then Whither wouldst thou drop Verily upon the crack but of this thred thou fallest into the lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone where thou must lie scalding and sweltering in a fiery Ocean while God hath a Being if thou die in thy present Case And doth not thy soul tremble as thou readest Do not thy tears bedew the paper and thy heart throb in thy bosom Dost thou not yet begin to smite on thy breast and bethink thy self what need thou hast of a change O what is thy heart made of Hast thou not only lost all regard to God but art without any love and pity to thy self O study thy misery till thy heart do cry out for Christ as earnestly as ever a drowning man did for a Boar or the wounded for a Chirurgeon Men must come to see the danger and feel the smart of their deadly sores and sickness or else Christ will be to them a Physician of no value Mat. 9. 12. Then the man-slayer hastens to the City of refuge when pursued by the avenger of blood Men must be even forced and fired out of themselves or else they will not come to Christ. â—Twas distress and extremity that made the Prodigal think of returning Luke 1â— 16 17. While Lâ—â—oâ—icea thinks her self rich increased in goods in need of nothing there is little hope She must be deeply convinced of her wretchedness blindness poverty nakedness before she will come to Christ for his gold raiment eye-salve Rev 3. 17 18. Therefore hold the eyes of conscience open amplifie thy misery as much as possible Do not flie the sight of it for fear it should fill thee with terror The sense of thy misery is but as it were the suppuration of the wounâ— which is necessary to the Cure. Better â—ear the torments that abide thee now than feel them hereafter Direct IV. Settle it upon thy heart that thou art under an everlasting inability ever to recover thy self Never think thy praying reading hearing conâ—â—â—sing amending will do the Cure. These must be attended but thou art undone if thou restest in them Rom. 10. 3. Thou art a lost man if thou hopest to escape drowning upon any other plankâ— but
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.