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
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
pardon peace life blessedness all are thine and is not this an offer worth the embracing Why shouldest thou hesitate or doubtfully dispute about the case Is it not past controversie whether God be better than sin and glory better than vanity Why shouldest thou forsake thine own mercy and sin against thine own life When wilt thou shake off thy sloth and lay by thine excuses Boast not thy self of to morrow thou knowest not where this night may lodge thee Prov. 27. 1. Beloved now the holy Spirit is striving with you He will not always strive Hast thou not selt thy heart warmed by the word and been almost perswaded to leave off thy sins and come in to God Hast thou not felt some good motions in thy mind wherein thou hast been warned of thy danger and told what thy careless course would end in It may be thou art like young Samuel who when the Lord called once and again he knew not the voice of the Lord 1 Sam. 3. 6 7. but these motions and items are the offers and essays and calls and strivings of the spirit O take the advantage of the tide and know the day of thy visitation Now the Lord Jesus stretcheth wide his arms to receive you He beseecheth you by us How movingly how meltingly how pitifully how passionately he calleth The Church is put into a sudden extasie upon the found of his voice The voice of my beloved Cant. 2. 8. O wilt thou turn a deaf ear to his voice It is not the voice that breaketh the Cedars and maketh the mountains to skip like a Calf that shaketh the Wilderness and divideth the flames of fire it is not Sinai's Thunder but the soft and still voice It is not the voice of Mount Ebal a voice of cursing and terror but the voice of Mount Gerizim the voice of blessing and of glad tidings of good things It is not the voice of the Trumpet nor the noise of War but a message of peace from the King of peace Eph. 6. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. Methinks it should be with thee as with the Spouse My soul failed when he spake Cant. 5. 6. I may say to thee O sinner as Martha to her Sister The Master is come and he calleth for thee Iohn 11. 28. Oh now with Mary arise quickly and come unto him How sweet are his invitations He cryeth in the open concourse If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Iohn 7. 37. Prov. 1. 21. He broacheth his own body for thee O come and lay thy mouth to his side How free is he he excludeth none Whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. Whose is simple let him turn in hither Come eat of my bread drink of the wine which I have mingled For sake the foolish and live Prov. 9. 4 5 6. Come unto me c. Take my yoak upon you and learn of me and ye shall find rest unto your souls Mat. 11. 28 29. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. How doth he bemoan the obstinate refuser O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered by Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. 37. Behold me behold me I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people Isa. 65. 1 2. O be perswaded now at last to throw your selves into the arms of love Behold O ye sons of men the Lord Jesus hath thrown open the prisons and now he cometh to you as the Magistrates once to them Acts 16. 39. and beseecheth you to come out If it were from a Palace or a Paradise that Christ did call you it were no wonder if you were unwilling and yet how easily was Adam tolled from thence but it is from your prison Sirs from your Chains from the Dungeon from the Darkness that he calleth you Isa. 42. 6 7. and yet will you not come He calleth you unto liberty Gal. 5. 13. and yet will you not hearken His Yoak is easie his Laws are Liberty his Service Freedom Matth. 11. 30. Iames 1. 25. 1 Cor. 7. 22. and whatever prejudices you have against his ways if a God may be believed you shall find them all pleasure and peace and shall tast sweetness and joy unutterable and take infinite delight and felicity in them Prov. 3. 17. Psal. 119. 165. â— Pet. 1. 8. Psal. 119. 103 111. Beloved I am loth to leave you I cannot tell how to give you over I am now ready to shut up but fain I would drive this bargain between Christ and you before I end What! shall I leave you as I found you at last Have you read hitherto and are not yet resolved upon a present abandoning all your sins and closing with Jesus Christ Alas what shall I say What shall I do Will you turn off all my importunity Have I run in vain Have I used so many arguments and spent so much time to perswade you and yet must sit down at last in disappointment But it is a small matter that you turn me off You put a slight upon the God that made you you reject the bowels and beseechings of a Saviour and will be found resisters of the Holy Ghost Acts 7. 51. if you will not now be prevailed with to repent and be converted Well though I have called you long and ye have refused I shall yet this once more lift up my voice like a Trumpet and cry from the highest places of the City before I conclude with a miserable Conclamatum est Once more I shall call after regardless sinners that if it be possible I may awaken them O earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord Jer. 22. 29. Unless you be resolved to die lend your ears to the last calls of mercy Behold in the name of God I make open proclamation to you Hearken unto me O ye children Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not Prov. 8. 32. 33. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eat â—e that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Incline your ear and come ye unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlastingâ— Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isai. 55. 1 2 3. Ho every one that is sick of any manner of disease or torment Matâ—h 4. 23 24. or is possessed with an evil spirit whether of pride or fury or lust or covetousness come ye to the Physician bring away your sick Lo here is he that healeth all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people Ho every one that is in debt
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
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
families have little time else O improve but your Sabbath days as diligently in labouring for knowledge and doing your Makers work as you do the other days in doing your own work and I doubt not but you may come to some proficiency 5. Let the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of solemn Prayer be daily offered up in all your families Psal. 92. 1 2. Exod. 30. 7 8. Luke 19 10. Beware they be not found among the families that call not upon Gods name for why should there be wrath from the Lord upon your families Ier. 10. 25. O miserable families without God in the world that are without family Prayer what have you so many family sins family wants family mercies what and yet no family Prayerâ— how do you pray with all prayer and supplication if you do not with family Prayer Eph. 6. 18. Say not I have no time What hast thou all thy time on purpose to serve God and save thy soul and yet is this it for which thou canst find no time find but a heart and I will find time Pinch out of your meals and sleep rather than want for Prayer Say not My business will not give leave This is the greatest business to save thy self and the souls committed to thee Besides a whet will be no let In a word the blessing of all is to be got by prayer Ier. 29. 11 12. 2 Sam. 7. 29. and what is thy business without Gods blessing say not I am not able Use the one talent and God will increase Mat. 25. 24. c. Helps are to be had till thou art better able But if there be no other remedy thou must join with thine abler neighbour God hath special regard to joint-prayer Iam 5. 4 10 19 Acâ—s 12. 5 10 12. 2 Cor. 1. 11. and therefore you must improve family advantages for the performing of it 6. Put every one in your famiâ—â—â—s upon private prayer Observe whether they do perform it Gâ—t â—hem the help of a form if they need it till they are able to go without it Direct them how to pray by mindiâ—g â—hem of their sins â—ants and mercies the materials of prayer This was the practice of Iohn and of jesus Luke 11. 1 2 c. 7. Set up Catechising in your families at the least once every week Have you no dread of the Almighties charge that you should teach these things diligently to your children and talk of them as you sit in your houses c. Deut 66 7 8 9. 4. 9 10. 11 18 19 20. and train them up in the way wherein they should go Prov 22. 6. the margin Hath God so commended Abraham that he would reach his children and houshold Gen. 18. 19. and that he had many instructed Servants Gen. 14. 14. see the margin and given such a promise to him thereupon and will not you pâ—t in for a share neither in the praise nor the promise Hath Christ honoured Catechiâ—ing with his presence Lis. 2. 46. and will you not own it with your practice Say not they are careless and will not learn What have you your authority for if not to use it for God and the good of their souls You will call them up and force them to do your work and should you not at least be as zealous in putting them upon Gods work say not they are dull and are not capable If they be dull God requires of you the more pains and patience but so dull as they are you will make them to learn how to work and can they not learn as well how to liveâ— Are they capable of the mysteries of your Trade and are they not capable of the plain Principles of Religion well as ever you would see the growth of Religion the cure of Ignorance the remedy of Prophaneness the downtal of Error fulfil you my joy in going through with this duty Will you answer the calls of divine providence would you remove the incumbent or prevent the impending calamities would you plant nurseries for the Church of God would you that God should build your houses and bless your substance would you that your children should bless you that your servants should bless you Oh then set up Piety in your families as ever you would be blessed or be a blessing let your hearts and your houses be the temples of the living God in which his worship according to all the forementioned directions may be with constancy reverently performed Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Oh be wise in time that you be not miserable to Eternity Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst c. 1. A Discourse concerning Old Age tending to the Instruction Caution and Comfort to the Aged By Rich. Steel Minister of the Gospel 2. BAprisâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Renewed being some Meditations on Psalm 〈◊〉 By O. Heywood M. A. FINIS The terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The terms from which we must turn sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted The mediate terms are either principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced The least principal are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed
that is maintained in a way of sin Deut. 29. 19 20. Two sorts of peace are more to be dreaded than all the troubles in the world peace with sin and peace in sin Secondly Thy hopes of Salvation hereafter are in vain yea worse than in vain they are most injurious to God most pernicions to thy self there is death desperation blasphemy in the bowels of this hope 1. There is death in it Thy Confidence shall be rooted out of thy Tabernacles God will up with it root and branch it shall bring thee to the King of Terrors Iob 18. 14. tho thou maist lean upon this house it will not stand Iob 8. 1â— but will prove like a ruinous building which when a man trusts to it falls down about his ears 2. There is desperation in it Where is the Hope of the Hypocrite when God takes away his soul Iob 27. 8. Then there is an end for ever of his hope Indeed the hope of the righteous hath an end but then 't is not a destructive but a perfective end his hope ends in fruition others in frustration Prov. 10. 28. The godly must say at death It is finished but the wicked It is perished and in too sad earnest bemoan himself as Iob in a mistake Where now is my hope He hath destroyed me I am gone and my hope is removed like a tree Job 19. 10. The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14. 32. When nature is dying his hopes are living when his body is languishing his hopes are flourishing his hope is a living hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but others a dying yea a damning soul-undoing hope When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth Prov. 11. 7. It shall be cut off and prove like the Spiders Web Job 8. 14. which he spins out of his own bowels but then comes death with the broom and takes down all and so there is an eternal end of his confidence wherein he trusted For the eyes of the wicked shall fail and their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost Job 11. 20. Wicked men are setled in their carnal hope and will not be beaten out of it They hold it fast they will not let it go Yea but death will knock off their fingers Though we cannot undeceive them death and judgment will. When death strikes his dart through thy liver it will let out thy soul and thy hopes together The unsanctified have hope only in this life 1 Cor. 15. 19. and therefore are of all men most miserable When death comes it lets them out into the amazing gulf of endless desperation 3. There is blasphemy in it To hope we shall be saved though continuing unconverted is to hope we shall prove God a liar He hath told you that so merciful and pitiful as he is he will never save you notwithstanding if you go on in ignorance or a course of unrighteousnes Isa. 27. 11. 1. Cor. 6. 9. In a word he he hath told you that whatever you be or do nothing shall avail you to Salvation without you be new creatures Gal. 6. 15. Now to say God is merciful and we hope he will save us nevertheless is to say in effect we hope God will not do as he saith We may not set God's Attributes at variance God is resolved to glorifie mercy but not with the prejudice of truth as the presumptuous sinner will find to his everlasting sorrow Object Why but we hope in Jesus Christ we put our whole trust in God and therefore doubt not but we shall be saved Ans. 1. This is not to hope in Christ but against Christ. To hope to see the Kingdom of God without being born again to hope to find eternal life in the broad way is to hope Christ will prove a false Prophet 'T is David's plea I hope in thy word Psalm 119. 81. but this hope is against the word Shew me a word of Christ for thy hope that he will save thee in thine ignorance or prophane neglects of his service and I will never go to shake thy confidence 2. God doth with abhorrence reject this hope Those condemned in the Prophet went on in their sins yet faith the Text they will lean upon the Lord Mic. 3. 11. God will not endure to be made a prop to men in their sins The Lord rejected those presumptuous sinners that went on still in their trespasses and yet would stay themselves upon the God of Israel Isaâ— 48. 1 2. as a man would shake off the briars as one said well that cleaves to his garment 3. If thy hope be any thing worth it will purifie thee from thy sins 1 Iohn 3. 3. but cursed is that hope which doth cherish men in their sins Object Would you have us to despair Answ. You must despair of ever coming to Heaven as you are Acts 2. 37. that is while you remain unconverted You must despair ever to see the face of God without holiness but you must by no means despair of finding mercy upon your thorough repentance and conversion neither may you despair of attaining to repentance and conversion in the use of Gods means V. Without this all that Christ hath done and suffered will be as to you in vain John 13. 8. Tit. 2. 14. that is it will no way avail to your salvation Many urge this as a sufficient ground for their hopes that Christ died for sinners but I must tell you Christ never died to save impenitent and unconverted sinners so continuing 2 Tim. 2. 19. A great Divine was wont in his private dealings with souls to ask two questions 1. What hath Christ done for you 2. What hath Christ wrought in you Without the application of the Spirit in Regeneration we can have no saving 〈◊〉 â—â—rest in the benefits of Redemptâ—on I telâ— you from the Lord Christ himself cannot save you if you go on in this estate I. It were against his trust The Mediator is the Servant of the Father Isa. 42. 1. shews his commission from him acts in his name and pleads his command for his justification Iohn 10. 18 36. Iohn 6. 38 40. And God hath committed all things to him entrusted his own glory and the salvation of his elect with him Mat. 11. 27. Iohn 17. 2. Accordingly Christ gives his Father an account of both parts of his trust before he leaves the world Iohn 17. 4 6 12. Now Christ should quite cross his Fathers glory his greatest trust if he should save men in their sins for this were to overturn all his counsels and to offer violence to all his attributes First To overturn all his Councels of which this is the order that men should be brought through sanctification to salvation 2 Thes. 2. 13. He hath chosen them that they should be holy Eph. 1. 4. They are elected to pardon and life through sanctification 1 Pet. 1. 2. If thou canst repeal the Law
of Gods immutable counsel or corrupt him whom the Father hath sealed to go directly against his Commission then and not otherwise maist thou get to Heaven in this condition To hope that Christ will save thee while unconverted is to hope that Christ will falsify his trust He never did nor will save one soul but whom the Father hath given him in election and drawn to him in effectual calling Iohn 6. 34 37. Be assured Christ will save none in a way contrary to his Fathers will Iohn 6. 38. Secondly To offer violence to all his attributes 1. To his Iustice. For the righteousness of Gods judgment lies in rendring to all according to their works Rom. 2. 5 6. Now should men sow to the flesh and yet of the Spirit reap everlasting life Gal. 6. 7 8. where were the glory of divine Justice since it should be given to the wicked according to the work of the righteous 2. To his holiness If God should not only save sinners but save them in their sins his most pure and strict holiness would be exceedingly defaced The unsanctified is in the eyes of Gods holiness worse than a Swine or Viper Mat. 23. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 23. Now what cleanly nature could indure to have the filthy Swine Bed and Board with him in his Parlour or Bed-chamber It would offer the extreamest violence to the infinite purity of the divine nature to have such to dwell with him They cannot stand in his judgment they cannot abide in his presence Psalm 1. 5. Psalm 5. 4 5. If holy David would not endure such in his house no nor in his sight Psalm 101. 3 7. shall we think God will Should he take men as they be from the Trough to the Table from the Harlots lips from the Stye and Draff to the glory of Heaven the world would think God were at no such a distance from sin nor had such dislike of it as we are told he hathâ— they would conclude God were altogether such a one as themselves as they wickedly did but from the very forbearance of God Psal. 50. 21. 3. To his Veracity For God hath declared from Heaven That if any shall say he shall have peace tho' he should go on in the imagination of his heart his wrath shall smoak against that man Deut. 29. 19 20. That they only that confess and forsake their sins shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. That they that shall enter into his Hill must be of clean hands and a pure heart Psal. 24. 3 4. Where were Gods truth if notwithstanding all this he should bring men to Salvation without Conversion O desperate sinner that darest to hope that Christ will put the lye upon his Father and nullifie his word to save thee 4. To his Wisdom For this were to throw away the choicest mercies on them that would not value them nor were any way suited to them First they would not value them The unsanctified sinner puts but little price upon God's great Salvation Mat. 22. 5. He sets no more by Christ than the whole by the Physician Matthew 9. 12. he prizes not his balm values not his cure tramples upon his blood Heb. 10. 29. Now would it stand with wisdom to force pardon and life upon them that would give him no thanks for them Will the all-wise God when he hath forbidden us to do it throw his holy things to Dogs and his pearls to Swine that would as it were but turn again and rend him Mat. 7. 6. This would make mercy to be despised indeed Wisdom requires that life be given in a way suitable to God's honour and that God provide for the securing his own glory as well as Man's felicity It would be dishonourable to God to set his Jewels on the snouts of Swine continuing such and to bestow his choicest riches on them that have more pleasure in their swill than the heavenly delights that he doth offer God should lose the praise and glory of his grace if he should cast it away on them that were not only unworthy but unwilling Secondly They are no way suited to them The Divine Wisdom is seen in suiting things each to other the means to the end the object to the faculty the quality of the gift to the capacity of the receiver Now if Christ should bring the unregenerate sinner to Heaven he could take no more felicity there than a Beast if you should bring him into a beautiful room to the Society of learned men and a well-furnished Table when as the poor thing had much rather be grazing with his fellow-brutes Alas what should an unsanctified creature do in Heaven He could take no content there because nothing suits him The place doth not suit him he would be but piscis in arido quite out of his element as a Swine in the parlour or a Fish out of water The Company doth not suit him What communion hath darkness with light corruption with perfection Filth and rottenness with glory and immortality The imployment doth not suit him The Anthems of Heaven fit not his mouth suit not his ear Canst thou charm thy Beast with Musick Or wilt thou bring him to thy Organ and expect that he should make thee melody or keep time with the skilful Quire Or had he skill he would have no will and so could find no pleasure no more than the nauseous stomach in the meat on which it hath newly surfeited Spread thy Table with delicates before a languishing Patient and it will be but a very offence Alas if the poor man think a Sermon long and say of a Sabbath What a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. how miserable would he think it to be held to it to all eternity 5. To his immutability or else to his Omnisciency Omnipotency For this is enacted in the Conclave of Heaven and enrolled in the decrees of the Court above that none but the pure in heart shall ever see God Mat. 5. 8. This is laid up with him and sealed among his Treasures Now if Christ yet bring any to Heaven unconverted either he must get them in without his Fathers knowledge and then where is his Omnisciency Or against his will and then where were his Omnipotency Or he must change his will and then where were his Immutability Sinner wilt thou not yet give up thy vain hope of being saved in this condition Saith Bildad Shall the earth be forsaken for thee Or the rocks moved out of their place Job 18. 4. May not I much more reason so with thee Shall the Laws of Heaven be reversed for thee Shall the everlasting foundations be overturned for thee Shall Christ put out the eye of his Fathers Omnisciency or shorten the arm of his eternal power for thee Shall divine Justice be violated for thee or the brightness of the glory of his holiness be blemished for thee Oh the impossibility absurdity blasphemy that is in such a confidence To think Christ will ever save thee
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
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
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
Silver c. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Prov. 2. 3 4 5. Is not here a fair offer Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you Prov. 1. 23. Though of your selves you can do nothing yet you may do all through his Spirit enabling you and he doth offer assistance to you God bids you wash and make you clean Isa. 1. 16. you say you are unable as much as the Lâ—â—pard to wash out his spots Ier. 13. 23. yea but the Lord doth offer to purge you so that if you be fiâ—thy still 't is through your own wilfulness Ezek. 24. 13. I have purged thee and thou wast not purged Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be God doth wait when you will be made clean when you will yield to his motions and accept of his offers and let him do for and in you what you cannot do for your selves You do not know how much God will do upon your importunity if you will but be restless and instant with him Luke 11. 8. and 18. 5. If God hath not bound himself by express promise to wicked men to give them grace in the diligent use of the means yet he hath given them abundant encouragement to expect it from him if they seek it earnestly in his way His most gracious nature is abundant encouragement If a rich and most bountiful man should see thee in misery and bid thee come to his door wouldst thou not with confidence expect at thy coming to find some relief Thou art not able to believe nor repent God appoints thee to use such and such means in order to thy obtaining faith and repentance doth not this argue that God will bestow these upon thee if thou doest ply him diligently in prayer meditation reading hearing self-examination and the rest of his means Otherwise God should but mock his poor creatures to put them upon there self-denying endeavours and then when they have put hard to it and continued waiting upon him for grace deny them at last Surely if a sweet natured man would not deal thus much less will the most merciful and gracious God. I intended to have added many other arguments but these have swoln under my hands and I hope the judicious reader will rather look upon the weight than the number The Conclusion of the whole AND now my brethren let me know your minds What do you intend to do Will you go on and die or will you set upon a thorow and speedy conversion and lay hold on eternal life how long will you linger in Sodom how long will you halt between two opinions 1 Kings 18. 21. Are you not yet resolved whether Christ or Barabbas whether Bliss or Torment whether the land of Cabul 1 Kings 9. 13. or the Paradise of God be the better choice Is it a disputable case whether the Abana and Pharâ—har of Daâ—â—â—us be better than all the streams of Eden or whether the vile puddle of sin be to be preferred before the water of life clear as Cristal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb Can the world in good earnest do that for you that Christ can Will it stand by you to eternity Will pleasures titles lands treasures descend with you Psal. 49. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 7. If not had you not need look after somewhat that will What mean you to stand wavering to be off and on Foolish Children how long will you stick between the womb and the world Shall I leave you at last no farther than Agrippa but almost perswaded Why you are for ever lost if left here As good not at all as not altogether Christians You are half of the mind to give over your former negligent life and to set to a strict and holy course you could wish you were as some others be and could do as they can do How long will you rest in idle wishes and fruitless purposes When will you come to a fixed full and firm resolve Do not you see how Satan gulls you by tâ—mpting you to delays How long hath he toll'd you on in the way of perdition How many years have you been purposing posing to amend What if God should have taken you off this while Well put me not off with a dilatory answer Tell me not of hereafter I must have your present consent If you be not now resolved while the Lord is treating with you and wooing of you much less are you like to be hereafter when these impressions are worn out and you are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Will you give me your hands Will you set open the doors and give the Lord Jesus the full and present possession Will you put your names into his Covenant Will you subscribe What do you resolve upon If you are still upon your delays my labour is lost and all is like to come to nothing Fain I would that you should now put in your adventures Come cast in your Lot make your choice Now is the accepted time now is the day of thy salvation to day if you will hear his voice Why should not this be the day from whence thou shouldest be able to date thine happiness Why shouldest thou venture a day longer in this dangerous and dreadful condition What if God should this night require thy soul O that thou mightest know in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Luke 19. 42. This is thy day and 't is but a day Iohn 9. 4. Others have had their day and have received their doom and now art thou brought upon the stage of this world here to act thy part for a whole eternity Remember thou art now upon thy good behaviour for everlasting If thou make not a wise choice now thou art undone for ever Look what thy present choice is such must thine eternal condition be Luke 10. 42. Luke 16. 25. Prov. 1. 27 28 29. And is it true indeed is life and death at thy choice yea 't is as true as truth is Deut. 30. 19. why then what hinders but that thou shouldest be happy Nothing doth or can hinder but thine own wilful neglect or refusal It was the passage of the Eunuch to Philip See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized So I may say to thee see here is Christ here is mercy pardon life what hinders but that thou shouldst be pardoned and saved One of the Martyrs as he was praying at the stake had his pardon set by in a box which indeed he refused deservedly because upon unworthy terms But here the terms are most honourable and easie O sinner wilt thou burn with thy pardon by thee Why do but forthwith give up thy consent to Christ to renounce thy sins deny thy self take up the Yoak and the Cross and thou carriest the day Christ is thine
belong to thy peace should be hid from thine eyes Now mercy is wooing of thee Now Christ is waiting to be gracious to thee and the Spirit of God is striving with thee Now Ministers are calling now Conscience is stirring now the Market is open and Oyl may be had thou hast opportunity for the buying Now Christ is to be had for the taking Oh! strike in with the offers of Grace Oh! now or never If thou make light of this offer God may swear in his wrath thou shalt never tast of his Supper Luke 14. 24. Direct XII Attend conscientiously upon the Word as the means appointed for thy Conversion James 1. 18 19. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Attend I say not customarily but conscientiously with this desire design hope and expectation that thou mayest be converted by it To every Sermon thou hearest come with this thought Oh I hope God will now come in I hope this day may be the time this may be the man by whom God will bring me home When thou art coming to the Ordinances lift up thine heart thus to God. Lord let this be the Subbath let this be the Season wherein I may receive renewing Grace Oh let it be said that to day such a one was born unto thee Object Thou wilt say I have been long a hearer of the word and yet it hath not been effectual to my Conversion Ans. Yea but thou hast not attended upon it in this manner as a means of thy Conversion nor with this design nor praying for and expecting of this happy effect of it Direct XIII Strike in with the Spirit when he begins to work upon thy heart When he works convictions O do not stifle them but joyn in with him and beg the Lord to carry on convictions to conversion Quench not the Spirit do not out-strive him do not resist him Beware of putting out convictions by evil company or worldly business When thou findest any troubles for sin and fears about thine eternal State beg of God that they may never leave thee till they have wrought off thy heart throughly from sin and wrought it over to Jesus Christ. Say to him Strike home Lord leave not the work in the midst If thou seest that I am not yet wounded enough that I am not troubled enough woundâ— me yet deeper Lord. O go to the bottom of my Corruption let out the life-blood of my sins Thus yield up thy self to the workings of the Spirit and hoise thy Sails to his gusts Direct XIV Set upon the constant and diligent use of serious and fervent Prayer He that neglects prayer is a prophane an unsanctified sinner Iob 15. 4. He that is not constant in prayer is but an Hypocrite Iob 27. 10. unless the Omission be contrary to his ordinary course under the force of some instant temptation This is one of the first things Conversion appears in that it sets men on praying Acts 9. 11. Therefore set to this duty Let never a day pass over thee wherein thou hast not Morning and Evening set apart some time for set and solemn prayer in secret Call thy family also together daily and duly to worship God with thee Wo be unto thee if thine be found amongst the families that call not on Gods name Ier. 10. 25. But cold and lifeless devotions will not reach half way to Heaven Be fervent and importunate Importunity will carry it But without violence the Kingdom of Heaven will not be taken Mat. 11. 12. Thou must strive to enter Luke 13. 24. and wrestle with tears and supplications as Iacob if thou meanest to carry the blessing Gen. 32. 24. comp with Hos. 12. 4. Thou art undone for ever without grace and therefore thou must put to it and resolve to take no denyal That man that is fixed in this resolution Well I must have grace and I will never give over till I have grace and I will never leave seeking and waiting and striving with God and mine own heart till he do renew me by the power of his grace this man is in the likeliest way to win Grace Obj. But God heareth not sinners their prayer is an abomination Ans. Distinguish between sinners 1. There are resolved sinners their prayers God abhors 2. Returning sinners these God will come forth to and meet with mercy though yet afar off Luke 15. 20. Though the prayers of the unsanctified cannot have full acceptance yet God hath done much at the request of such as at Ahab's humiliation and Ninevehs Fast 1 Kings 21. 26. Ionah 3. 8 9 10. Surely thou mayst go as far as these though thou hast no grace and how dost thou know but thou mayst speed in thy suit as they did in theirs Yea is he not far more likely to grant thee than them since thou askest in the Name of Christ and that not for temporal blessings as they but for things much more pleasing to him viz. for Christ Grace Pardon that thou mayst be justified sanctified renewed and fitted to serve him Turn to these soul incouraging Scriptures Prov. 2. 1 to 6. Luk. 11. 9 10 11 12 13. Prov. 8. 34. 35. Is it not good comfort that he calleth thee Mark 10 49. Doth he set thee on the use of means and dost thou think he will mock thee Doubtless he will not fail thee if thou be not wanting to thy self O pray and faint not Luke 18. 1. A person of great Quality having offended the Duke of Buckingham the Kings great Favourite being admitted into his presence after long waiting prostrates himself at his feet saying I am resolved never to rise more till I have obtained your Grace's favour with which carriage he did overcome him With such a resolution do thou throw thy self at the feet of God. 'T is for thy life and therefore follow him and give not over Resolve thou wilt not be put off with bones with common mercies What though God do not presently open to thee Is not grace worth the waiting for Knock and wait and no doubt but sooner or later mercy will come And this know that thou hast the very same encouragement to seek and wait that the Saints now in glory once had for they were once in thy very case And have they sped so well and wilt thou not go to the same door and wait upon God in the same course Direct XV. Forsake thy evil Company Prov. 9. 6. and forbear the occasions of sin Prov. 23. 31. Thou wilt never be turned from sin till thou wilt decline and forego the temptations of sin I never expect thy Conversion from sin unless thou art brought to some self-denial as to fly the occasions If thou wilt be â—ibling at the bait and playing on the brink and tampering and medling with the snare thy soul will surely be taken Where God doth expose men in his providence unavoidably to temptations and the occasions are such as we cannot remove we may expect special assistance in the use of his means