First Set apart some time more than once to be spent in secret before the Lord. 1. In seeking earnestly his special assistance and gracious acceptance of you 2. In considering distinctly all the Termes or Conditions of the Covenant as they have been laid before you in the Directions already given you and are also expressed in the form hereafâ—er proposed 3. In searching your bearts whether you either have already or can now freely make such a closure with God in Christ as you have been exhorted to In special Consider what your sins aâ—e and examine whither you can resolve to forgo them all Consider what the Lawes of Christ are how holy strict and spiritual and whether you can upon deliberation make choice of them all even those that do most crosse your worldly interests beloved sins and corrupt inclinations as the rule of your whole life Be sure you be clear in these matters see that you do not lye unto God Consider whether however corruption will play its part and be pulling you back yet the prevailing part of you will be for God and Christ and all his holywayes Secondly Compose your spirits into the most serious frame possible sutable to a transaction of so high importance Thirdly Lay hold on the Covenant of God and rely upon his promise of giving grace and strength whereby you may be enabled to performe your promise Trust not to your own strength to the strength of your own resolutions but take hold on â—â—nstehigâ—s Fourthly resolve to be faithful Having engaged your hearts opened your mouths and subscribed with your hands to the Lord resolve in his strength never to go back Lastly Being thus prepared on some convenient time set apart for the purpose set upon the work and in the most solemn manner possible as if the Lord were visible present before your Eyes fall down on your knees and spreading forth your hands towards Heaven open your hearts to the Lord in these or the like words O Most dreadful God for the passion of thy Son I beseech thee accept of thy poor prodigal now prostrating himself at thy door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Childe 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 defi-ance 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 firmelie covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known sin but conscientiously to use all the meanes 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 resigne my heart to thee that madest it humblie protesting before thy glorious Majestie that it is the firm Resolution of my heart and that I doe unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practice this my resolution through thy assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world rather then to turn from thee to the wayes of sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of prosperity or adversiâ—y least 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 the 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 Mercie offered most Graciouslie to me wretched sinner to be again my God throug Christ if I woul 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 Majestie I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holie Ghost for my portion and chief good and do give up my self bodie and soul for thy servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the daies of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the onely means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the onely new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in a marriage covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blinde and naked a most loathsome polluâ—ed 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 Glorie But 〈◊〉 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 and 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 reâ—ounce mine own wisdome and do here take thee for mine onely Guide I renounce â—ine own will and take thy will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must â—uffer if I will reign I do here covenant with thee to take my lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace asisting to runne all hazzards 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 Kingdome I do here willingly put my neck under thy yoak and let my shoulder to thy burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flâ—sh contradict and rebell 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 Onely because through the frailty of my flesh 〈◊〉 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
whose blood speaks whose bowels speak whose spirit speaks Doth he speak for sinners and yet not for me 4. Their own necessity Sinners are necessitous Creatures they have nothing of value left them In the fulnesse of their sufficiency they are in straits As a sinner of an hundred years is but a child so a sinner of thousands by the year is but a beggar poor miserable blind and naked He can want nothing and yet doth want every thing that is good Sinne hath stript him to the skin stabâ—d him to the heart the iron hath entred into his Soul it hath left him nothing but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Is this thy case sinner and hast thou nothing to say Spread thy wants and necessities before the Lord and let these speak for thee Learn of Beggars that come to thy door who if they have ever a sore or malady about them a blinde eye a lame leg a burnt hand a broken arm that they will be sure to open to move pity and procure an Alms. Their pinching hunger their parching thirst their naked backs their cold lodging thy door shall be sure to ring of Never a peâ—ny in my purse never a morsel of bread have I had for this long time their necessity will both make them to speak and help them to speak Sinner spread thy necessities before the Lord spread thy wants open thy wounds and thy sores tell him how desperately sad thy case is tell him of the guilt that is upon thy head the curse that is on thy back the plague that is in thy heart God of Bowels look hither behold what a poor blind dead hardned unclean guilty creature what a naked empty helplesse creature I am Look upon my sin and my misery and let thine eye affect thine heart One deep calls to another a deep of Misery cries out to a deep of Mercy Oh my very sins which cry so loud against me speak also for me My misery speaks my curses the woe and the wrath that lies upon me my bones speak my perishing Soul speaks and all cry in thine ears Help Lord God of pity help help and heal me help and save me Come unto me for I am a sinful man O Lord I dare not say as once it was said Depart from me for I am a sinful man Come Lord for I am a sinful man Thou couldst never come where is more need Who have need of the Physitian but the sick Come Lord I have too often said Depart from me but if thou wilt not say Depart to me I hope I shall never again say Depart to thee My misery saith come my wants say come my guilt and my sins say come and my soul saith come Come and pardon come and convert come and teach come and sanctifie come and save me Even so come Lord Jesus Thus you have the sinners plea. Poor Sinner Art thou willing to return from thy sins fear not to go to thy God Take thee some such words as these and go and tell the Lord that one of his poor Ambassadors told thee from him that he expects thee before the Throne of Grace and is ready if it be not thine own fault to grant thee mercy Go and the Lord help thee give thee thy hearts desire and fulfil all thy mind and for thy encouragement take along with thee this Scripture Isa 55. 6. 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 and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for be will abandantly pardon 4. Pray in Faith James 1. 6. But let him ask in Faith You will here enquire What Faith is it that is necessary to our prevailing in prayer I answer Not onely the Faith mentioned by the Apostle Heb. 11. 6. He that cemeth to God must believe that God is Nor onely a perswasion that he is able to performe our petitions or that he is ready to answer those that seek him aright nor onely a perswasion concerning prayer that this is Gods Ordinance appointed by him as a means whereby we may obtain mercy from him Though all this be included in it yet this is not all The same faith is necessary to the acceptance of our prayers which is required to the acceptance of our persons That faith which gives a person interest in Christ will alone procure the acceptance of his prayers Now this faith puts forth in prayer a three-fold Act. 1. It presents and offers up the prayer in the Name of Christ Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered his Sacrifice Faith carries our Prayers to our Mediator the great Master of Requests for his hand to be put to them without which they will not be regarded yea it puts them into his hand it saies unto Christ Lord Jesus take thou this prayer what infirmities there are in it do thou cover what sinnes thou findest in them do thou hide Mingle thy blood with my Sacrifice let thine incense ascend with my offering and thus let it be carried before the Throne of Grace where that it may speak for me let thy blood speak for it 2. It depends and relies upon God through Christ for acceptance and performance It eyes and leans upon the Promise of God which in Christ is Yea and Amen and setting to its seal that God is true upon this it stayes it self 3. It works the heart to a confidence or a confident perswasion that God for Christs sake will hear and answer 1 John 5. 14. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us But here consider that this confident perswasion that God doth hear and accept us however it ar gues an higher degree of Faith and brings in much Peace and Comfort to the heart and if it be well grounded is a good Argument that the Lord intends to fulfil our desires yet is it not so necessary to the acceptance of our Prayers but that they may be heard where this is wanting If the former Acts have been put forth if there hath been a presenting them in the hands of our Mediatour joyned with some little staying of our hearts upon the Promise though there be a great fear upon the spirit that God doth not regard them yet for all this they may not be rejected I fear saith a doubting Saint I fear the Lord will not hear me nor regard my prayers there is so much sin in them so many weaknesses wandrings distrâ—sts distractions that I much doubt whether the Holy God will ever have respect to them but such as they are there I leave them in the hands of my Advocate I leave mine Offering on the Altar as poor as it is it is the best I have and though I much question whether it will be accepted yet there I leave it waiting what answer the
Carnal men are ignorant of the way though they understand in general that Religion is the way to salvation yet poor miserable creatures they mistake their Religion any little smatterings of the knowledge of God with some profession of Faith and Repentance especially if it be joyned with some little outward devotion now and then calling upon God for mercy this they count Religion enough to bring them to Heaven and any thing that 's more than this they think it more than needs these are the fools indeed if we may believe the Scripture Jer. 5. 4. Surely they are pâ—or they are foolish they know not the way of the Lord. Sinners are wise enough in their own wayes the way of sin they know the way of lying and oppression and unrighteousness the way to health and honour and temporal preferments they sufficiently know they have studied and travelled these ways and are well acquainted with them but all this while they are foolish Children surely they are foolish they know not the way of the Lord. Christians are wise and herein their wisdom stands they know the way of the Lord they have a light without them shewing to them this good way they have a voice behind them telling them this is the way walk in it they have made it their business to enquire and study and travel this way surely these are wise they know the way of the Lord they know their way to heaven if they know not the way to be rich in this world yet they know the way to be rich towards God if they know not how to live honourably in the World yet they know how to live honestly if they know not how to please men yet they know how to please God if they cannot keep a fair correspondence with the World yet they know how to keep a good conscience in the World if they know not how to escape Trouble and Affliction they know how to suffer it if they know not how to escape the wrath of men yet they know how to escape the wrath to come if this be wisdom to be skilled in the matters of Religion and Righteousness in the matters of faith and a good conscience to have found out the way of life by which to escape from hell beneath then these godly men are wise men surely they are wise they know the way of the Lord. Object But you will say Why may not we be in the right way as well as they Why may not our way of Religion be as good a way and as wise a way and as safe a way as theirs Sol. Will you make use of your Reasons if you will you shall answer this Objection your selves their Religion and yours are not two wayes of Religion but as to the principles of it are but one and the same the difference betwixt you and them is this you take up a little part of that Religion which you both profess and you will have but a little to do with that little of Religion which you do take up you little mind or study or are exercised in that which you count your Religion these precise ones take up the whole of Religion and they give themselves wholly to the study and practice of it they make it their business to search the Scripture that they may understand the will and way of the Lord and to govern their hearts and order their lives in all things according to it So that now if you will answer two easie questions you shall thereby be able your selves to answer the Objection the first question is Who are most like to be in the right either these who endeavour to practise all that they profess or those who though they profess the truth do practise scarce any thing of it but a small part of it and that the lower and less considerable part of it the bare outside of it This is no hard question I hope you 'l acknowledge to be resolved and the second question shall be as easie Who is like to be in the right the diligent Christian that makes it his business to study his Religion or the careless Christian that seldom spends a serious thought about it Answer but these two questions and then your selves will be able to give a reason why it 's more like they should be in the right than you Brethren shew your selves men here are a company of poor creatures of you who have spent your time in ignorance and idleness as to the matters of God and your souls who little meddle with that of Religion which your selves say you must do if you will be saved you say you must believe you must repent of your sins you must pray to God for forgiveness and yet what great strangers are many of you from these things it may be if you consider it you have often gon whole daies and weeks together and have scarcely ever prayed no not so much as after your own fashion nor scarce had any thoughts of Repentance or asking God forgivenesse you eat and drink and go forth and come in and lie down and â—ise up and never so much as look up to God for his mercy and blessings these others in the mean while make praying and reading and hearing and minding God and their Souls and eternal state their daily study and businesse now what an unreasonable thing is it to imagin that those who so little meddle with any Religion or any thing of Religion should be as like to understand it as those that make it their daily work Oh beloved how can you be confident you are in the right when you never seriously enquire whether you be or no and how can you think you have any wisdom in you when you trust a matter of such weight and importance upon a meer presumption you are strongly conceited that you are as wise as others and in as good a case and in as good a way anâ— upon this conceit you venture your souls Friends you are a sad wonder to me and I do so much wonder that men should think that carelesness is as good as diligence licentiousness as good aâ— strictness that that loose and blind and easiâ— way which men take up is as good and as sureâ— nay a better and more certain way of life thaâ— the strict and industrious way of the dispiseâ— Saints that I very much wonder how men thaâ— believe and know any thing of the Scriptures can make themseves to think that that sottish dull lifelesse way which they satisfie themselves in can give any of them the least hopes of salvation 2. They build sure so that whosoever or whatsoever falls they stand sure for ever They are those wise bullders of whom Christ speaks Mat. 7. 24. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house upon a Rock and the rain descended and the floods come and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it
testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
lodge within them 2. As there are outward duties to be performed as praying hearing works of mercy c. so there are spiritual duties purely spiritual as the internal acting of faith and love and hope and the fear of God the souls choosing of God cleaving to God rejoycing delighting in God meditating of him c. Exact Christians have a special respect to those spiritual duties in the exercise whereof stands chiefly their living in a holy fellowship communion and acquaintance with God and for outward duties their care is to perform them spiritually they pray with the mouth and pray with the spirit they praise the Lord with their lips and offer up their hearts as a spiritual sacrifice they hear with their ears and with their understanding also they labour to bring their souls under the Word to pour forth their souls in prayer to draw forth their souls in their very alms Isa 58. If thou draw forth thy soul to the hungry Psal 69. 10. I chastened my soul with fasting Oh Brethren if this be to walk exactly then how much loosenesse doth this â—iscover in us loosenesse in our very Duties men do not only 〈…〉 like Libertines and swear like Libertines aud neglect duties like Libertines but perform duties like Libertines thou that usest to pray in thy Closet or in thy Family or in the Congregation in an outward formal way and dost not pour out thy Soul in prayer thou prayest like a Libertine thou that fastest and doth not chasten thy Soul with fasting thou fastest like a Libertine thou that hearest and dost not bring thy soul under the word thou hearest like a Libertine this is loose praying and loose hearing loose from the Rule which requires the exercising of the inner man as well as the outward 3. In observing the command to the utmost and here I shall give a fourfold further description of them 1. They endeavour to get up their hearts to the highest pitch of affection care and activity They would be the best Christians the most humble the most mortified the most patient the most exemplary and active Christians not slothful in businesse but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 7. Yea what care yea without clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what vehement desire yea what zeal c. A sincere Christian would be a zealous Christian in his sincerity stands the height of it Zeal is not a distinct grace but the height of every grace Love in the height of it Desire in the height of it Care and Resolution to follow God in the height of it A zealous Christian exercises every grace performs every Duty and doth it with all his might he is not willing to spare or to favour himself but will spend and be spent in the work of the Lord the flesh will be pleading for a little ease for moderation it will be solliciting the Sobl as Peter did Christ Pitty thy self favour thy self thou wilt never hold out at this rate thou wilt pull all the Country about thine ears if thou beest thus hot and forward but the Soul returns the same answer as Christ did to him Get thee behind me Satan hold thy peace slothful heart let me alone for I will speak for God while I have a tongue to speak while I have an heart while I have an hand while I have an eye while I have a soul while I have a being I will follow on after the Lord I will serve him I will praise him I will sacrifice all I am and have to him and then come on me what will 2. They are studying and seeking out opportunities for service Such Christians are of strict lives but of large hearts of strict consciences but of large desires and aims Grace sets limits to their consciences but none to their holy affections they never do so much for God but they are studying how they may do more Isa 32. 8. A liberal Man deviseth liberal things a merciful man deviseth merciful things a righteous man deviseth righteous things he doth not only exercise Liberality and Mercy and work Righteousness when he hath an opportunity put into his hands but he sits down and considers what great things the Lord hath done for him what marvellous loving kindnesse the Lord hath shewed to him and thereupon studies and casts about what greater things then yet he hath done he may do for the Name of God as it is said of the wicked Proverbs 6. 14. He deviseth mischief continually And Psalm 64. 6. They search out iniquity they accomplish a diligent search search out for every opportunity to work wickednesse to satisfie their lust So Righteous men search out and make a diligent seach after opportunities to work Righteousnesse 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not yet a man left of the house of Saul saith David to whom I might shew the kindness of God Is there not yet a poer Sool in distresse to whom I might shew kindness for the Name of God Is there not yet a poor Family in misery to whom I might shew mercy Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I might give counsel Is there not yet a poor Saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my God As it is said of the Devil He goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour So may it be said of such they go up and down seeking whom they might save and recover out of the snares of the Devil other men what good soever they do it is as little as may be their consciences will not let them be quiet but something must be done when they have done so much as will but keep conscience quiet thy have done A sincere Christian hath his love to satisfie his desires to satisfie as well as his conscience he loves much and it is not a little duty that will satisfie strong love 3. They shun occasions and temptations to sin they would keep at as great a distance from sin as possible they are careful to keep far enough within their line they dare not venture to their utmost border lest they go beyond it ere they are aware A wary Christian having observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him and have drawn him aside to iniquity formerly will take heed how he comes nigh them again If carnal society hath cool'd and damp'd his heart and left a fleshly savour upon his Spirit he will take heed how he comes into such company again If going to his utmost liberty in the use of the Creatures either Meat Drink or Apparel hath inticed him beyond his bounds he will be wary how he allows himself the like liberty and will deny himself the freedom he might use rather than again run himself upon danger he is sensible of his weaknesse to stand against a temptation and thereupon is the more watchful that he run not into temptation men that are bold to venture into temptation to venture into
evil men If they be hypocrites any of them and you know them to be such call them hypocrites but do not take the name of Saint or Precisian or holy Brother and put them as marks of disgrace and scorn upon them he that calls a Saint hypocrite reproaches the Christian he that in scorn calls an hypocrite Saint or holy Brother reproaches Christianity it self Vse 2. But I have yet a greater request unto you then to have a good opinion of these men and no longer to reproach them my request to you farther is That you would come in and be of this number Some of you it may be will be ready to reply he shall have hard work that will perswade me to be a Precisian and truly I am afraid so too if all that the Devil can do will hinder it if all that your carnal reason and fleshly lusts can do if all that your sinful companions can do will hinder it I shall be sure enough not to prevail with you yet know that the motion which I make to you is from the Lord and if you deny me you therein deny him and if you deny him you must come upon it there 's another day coming when he will deny you You say you will not be perswaded but what is it you will not be perswaded to Why this is it you will not take the Yoke of Christ upon you you will not be advis'd nor be rul'd by him so as to live as he would have you live but you will have your liberty still to walk according to your own mind and hâ—â—rt that is you will not be Christians Will you not Are you in good earnest Are you content that the Lord should take you at your word and for ever give you up to your hearts lust and let you alone to walk in your own counsels Are you content from henceforth to give up your hope in Christ are you content to be damn'd Brethren this is the choice you are put to either an holy Life or everlasting Death either you must submit to the Yoke of Christ or you can have no benefit by the Cross of Christ either you must kiss his golden scepter or be broken in pieces with his Rod of Iron refuse to follow him in his Kingdom of Grace and you thereby shut your selves out of the Kingdom of Glory Whereof that I may the more effectually convince you I shall yet farther prove to you both by Scripture and reason that this strict and precise way of life is so undoubtedly and absolutely necessary to salvation that whosoever doth not thus walk cannot escape the damnation of hell I know carnal men are confident that they shall be saved without so much ado and this is that which hardens them in their sins their strong conceit that the way is not so strait and narrow as many would make them believe they doubt not but they have found out a shorter and easier way than this and what is this easier way Why 't is but call upon God for mercy keep thy Church do no body any wrong be no drunkard no swearer no adulterer or if thou be sometimes overtaken ask God forgiveness cry God mercy and then hope well never despair of Gods mercy fear not thou shalt be safe enough Now I shall make it plain to you that this loose and easie way of Religion will certainly leave every soul that goes no further to perish everlastingly and that this strict holy life which hath been described is indispensably necessary to salvation Beloved the matter I am upon is weighty a mistake in your Religion is mortal if that which you have taken up for the way of life be not so you are undone for ever and that this your easie way is not it I shall now make evident 1. From Scripture Let us but seriously examine and weigh those many high expressions which we find in Scripture in the Commands Exhortations Instructions Instances Promises and Prayers recorded in it in all which the one way of life is described and then let any reasonable man judge if all this amount to no more than that poor and pitiful and empty thing which carnal men count their Religion 1. For Scripture-commands consider these Strive to enter in at the strait gate looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God Work out your salvation with fear and trembling not sloathful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Put off concerning the conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Wash thine heart from thine iniquities that thâ—â— mayst be saved How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee â—et no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but speak ye that which is good to the use of edifying that may minister grace to the bearers Walk in love love one another love your Enemies bless them that curse you pray for them which persecute you render to no man evil for evil but overcome evil with goodness mortifie your members which are upon the Earth walk in the spirit abstain from all appearance of evil be watchful stand with your loyns girded and your lights burning 2. For Scripture-instructions consider these The Grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live righteously godly and soberly in â—his present World pure Religion and underfâ—led before God and the Father is this To visit c. and to keep himself unspotted of the World They that be Christs have crucified the flesh with affections and lusts He that is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart Of every idle word men shall give account at the day of Judgment If any Man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue that Mans Religion is vain 3 For Scripture-instances David is said to be a man after Gods own heart did that which was right in the sight of the Lord turned not Aside from any thing that the Lord had commanded him all the dayes of his life save only c. Of Josiah it is recorded That his heart was tender and perfect with the Lord his God and that he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left Paul professes that he served the Lord instantly night and day that forgetting those things which are behind he reached forth to the things that are before pressing to the mark c. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God To me to live is Christ to dye is gain I so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest
my trust in Christ that I shall be saved What trust in Christ and not turn to Christ Hope to be saved by Christ and refuse to be sanctified Will Christ redeem those from the Curse who will not be redeemed from iniquity Jer. 7. 9. Will ye steal and murther and commit Adultery and swear falsly c. And come and stand before me in my House and say we are delivered to do all these abominations Will you do wickedly walk in all manner of wantonnesse lasciviousnesse lust excesses c. and then come and take hold of a Redeemer as if you were delivered to do all this wickednesse Is my House become a Den of Robbers Are the Redeemed of the Lord a generation of Rebels Enemies of all Righteousnesse Lyars Proud Covetous Blasphemers Are these the followers of the Lamb 'T is true the Apostle sayes Such were some of you 1 Cor. 6. 11. Yet he adds But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Christianity without Godliness this is a fancy indeed Let every one that nameth the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity either turn from iniquity or talk no more of Christ a Christian and an Infidel are not more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than a Christian and a Libertine Take heed sinners and let not the Gospel undo you let not Mercy damn you put not your Faith to do the sad office of infidelity Beloved let it never be said while the Just live you must die by your Faith this is like to be your case you would never have dared so to have slighted Holiness and persisted in sin had it not been for your trust in Christ You must count Christ to be no Christ no Redeemer or but an half or deceitful Redeemer if you count your selves good Christians while you are yet in your sins You must have another Christ another Gospel ere ever you can be saved in your sinful state Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Jesus Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit This is Gospel wherein you have the Redeemeds Charter and the Redeemeds Character His Charter He shall not come into condemnation His Character He walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is He is a man of a godly life Whom doth the Gospel secure from condemnation Why those that are in Christ But who are they Why only those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit those that walk otherwise can have no benefit by the Gospel You all stand as convicted malefactors guilty of death you have sinned and what have you to say why you should not dye and have your sentence of condemnation past upon you May be you will call for a Psalm of mercy my Book Lord my Book the Gospel will I hope secure me No sinner thou canst not have it thou art one that livest after the flesh and canst not have the benefit of the Gospel This is the Law and the Gospel says not one word to reverse it If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Christ never intended the benefit of his Redemption to any of you whether you would repent or no be holy or no you may as well write for Gospel this He that believeth shall be damned as this He that obeyeth not the Gospel shall be saved And you may as well say that sinning is serving of Christ as that those that live after the flesh obey the Gospel 4. The Doctrine of Regeneration is a real truth There are three things most evident concerning this 1. That there is such a change and that necessary to salvation 2. That this is a great and mighty change 3. That this is an inward and Soul-change 1. That there is such a grace as Regeneration and that necessary to salvation 1 Joh. 3. 3. Verily verily or truly truly or certainly except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God 2. That the change that is wrought by Regeneration is a great and a mighty change it is as great as the making something of nothing Regeneration is a new Creation it is as great as the raising up of persons from death to life Regeneration is a Resurrection You hath he quicked who were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. There is as great a power as much of Divinity manifested in quickning a dead soul as in raising a dead body When God would confirm the faith of the Jews concerning their Conversion and Restauration after their cutting off which the Apostle tells us shall be as life from the dead he evidences that he was able to accomplish it by his making dry bones to live Ezek 37. 3. Can these bones live Son of man prophesie unto â—ese bones say unto them Oh ye dry bones hear the Word of the Lord 'T was a strange service the Prophet was put upon but yet â—e prophesies and behold there was a great shaking and bone came to his bone and they were covered with sinews and with flesh and the breath of life was breathed into them and they stood upon their feet a great Army These bones saith the Lord are the house of Israel and Judah That is as they lay in their state of rejection from God and if the Lord could not have made the bones to live he had failed of his confirmation of their faith touching the Redemption of this dead people When the Ministers of the Gospel are sent forth to preach to sinners it is even as likely a service as if they had been sent among the Tombs and the Graves to prophesie to the Skulls and the Bones and the dust of the dead And if there were not a Divine and Almighty power accompanying their Ministry their successe would be the same as if they had been preaching the beasts of â—he field into Men or of Stones attempting to raise up Children unto Abraham 3. It is an Inward Soul change Regeneration is â—he uniting of dead Souls to Christ Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in birth untill Christ be formed in you Here note three things 1. That the result of this union with Christ is a new Life 1 John 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath Life Generatio unius est corruptio alterius In this Generation there is a Death and a Life 1. A Death Colos 3. 3. Ye are dead that is Your sins are dead your old man is dead Our old man is crucified with him Rom. 6. 2. A Life There is new sense and motion there is a living power communicated to souls united to Christ whereby they are enabled to move and act in such an holy spiritual and heavenly way as was impossible before Grace is a living thing that spirits and animates all the Faculties a new that puts life into all the duties and performances of the Saints which though for the matter of them they might
of the soul Reading of the word is not the exercise of the eye onely but of the understanding Prayer is not an exercise of the tongue onely but of the heart it sets all the faculties of the soul on work it sets the several graces on work iâ— sets faith on work it sets hope and holy desires on work and grace kept in action will be by so much the more active and powerful in the whole course 2 In Duties we have an intimate converse with God Therefore they are sometimes called Our drawing â—igh to God Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in them them that come nigh me Sometimes Our meeting with God Amos 4. 12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel to meet with a Present as Jacob met his angry Brother to meet him with a Prayer and supplication Exod. 25. 32. There will I meet thee when the Saints go up to meet the Lord the Lord comes down to give them a meeting Sometimes Our visiting of God Isay 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee When God visiteth his people with a Rod they visit him with a Prayer when we come to Duty as we ought we put our selves under Gods eye we set the Lord before our face it 's necessary to the right performance of Duties that we have right and clear apprehensions of God deep impressions of the Majesty of God of his Omnipotence Omnipresence Holiness Goodness and Faithfulness upon our hearts This is required in that forementioned expression I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Now what an influence will this have upon the upholding and carrying on the life of God in us to have daily such a sight of God before our eyes and such a sense of God upon our hearts 3 In Duties we obtain new supplies and fresh influences from God The flourishing state of a Christian is set forth Isay 58. 11. by a well-watered Garden and Jer. 31. 12. it is promised They shall come and flow together to the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Corn and for Wine and for Oyl And their soul shall be as a well-watered Garden Where observe these three things 1 That the watering of the soul is from the goodness of the Lord all the dews and showers of Grace are from above our Springs do not rise in our own Gardrns All my Springs are in thee 2 All the influences of the grace and goodness of the Lord are gotten down by your applying your selves to him in duty That is the meaning of that expression They shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord they shall assemble and come together to seek the Lord. 3 The People of God in their addresses to him in Duty though it be but for a supply of things temporal do get something for their souls They shall come for Wheat and for Wine c. And their souls shall be as a well-watered Garden We never come to pray for any temporal mercy and pray as we should but our souls are gainers thereby A Christian cannot come near the Throne of Grace for any thing bot his heart hath a share in the Blessing And there are three Reasons for it 1 A Christian never prays for temporal mercies but he hath some words or other to speak for his soul 2 Prayer whatever it be for is the souls drawing nigh to God and exercising it self on God And the soul never goes to God but it brings back something of God upon it even then when it may be denied the temporal mercy it seeks As when a Saint is praying for a Sinner and God will not hear him for that Sinner yet he loses not that Prayer but hath it returned into his own bosome So when the soul is praying for the concernments of the outward man though it be denied in its particular request yet its prayer shall not be lost to it self 3 Temporal merâ—ies obtained as a return of prayer are soul-blessings But now when the matter of our requests is particularly for our souls When Grace is that we come for when love and life and zeal and spiritual strength is that we come for when the watering of a dry and barren and the refreshing of a weary heart is that we seek for shall our souls then be sent bâ—rren and weary and empty away Our hearts are as Cisterns which however sometimes they may be full of water yet if there be not a supply from the Well the waters and the Cistern will waste and mud and at length dry away Duties are our labouring at the Pump which will keep the Cisterns full Isa 12. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the Wâ—lls of Salvation Christian thou complainest thy heart is barrâ—n and dead and dry and fit for nothing Why is there not a Well by thee where there is water enough to refresh and fill thee Why doâ—st thou no oftner let down thy Pitcher or labour at the Pump why art thou no oftner with thy God Thy heart wants watering get thee oftner to the Well more praying more fasting more conversing with Christ studying the Gospel searching and sucking the Promises would quickly get thee into a better plight He that is much with God is rich in grace Thou art not so much straâ—â—ned thou canst not be brought so poor and Iean and out of case but thou knowest where there is enough to fetch thee up again thou knowest where there is a Well that hath not onely water enough healing water but Wine and Milk and Honey enough but thou must go oftner for it if thou wilt have the benefit of it Go therefore and let down thy Pitcher and thou needest not fear its coming up empty Onely in exercising thy self in duty take heed thou mistake not the Pitcher for the Well take heed thou fix not thine eye on duty as if this were thy Christ thy Fountain out of which thou mayest be supplyed Duties are but the pipes it is the Lord that is the Fountain from whence all the water comes 4 Duties are our conflicting with corruption or striving against sin When ever we are striving with God we are thereby striving against sin Duty and sin contend for the Victory whilest Duty holds up sin goes down when Duty flags sin gets up Holy Prayer will make us weary of iâ—â—quity or our iniquity will quickly make such praying a weariness unto us it is not for the interest of the flesh to suffer the heart to be much in prayer or other duâ—ies and therefore we find for the whole Generation of carnal men a little of it must serve their turn There is no such way for Christians to be revenged on sin and to see their desires on this Enemy as to bring it before the Lord. They never fight against it with greater zeal or with more success then upon their knees When the sinner kneels in earnest before his God his lusts must quickly kneel to him our confession of sin
this duty upon you as your task but excite and encourage your selves to it by looking for a return think what it is that you would have and look to receive it The reason why we obtain no more in prayer is because we expect no more God usually answers us according to our own hearts Narrow hearts and low expectations have usually as little as they look for or desire large expectations are ordinarily answered with large returns Expectation will put life into action you will then pray with most enlarged hearts when you are most full of hopes the reward that is looked for in the Evening will much encourage and quicken the labour of the day fear not to expect too much from Heaven Be not straitned in in your own Bowels and you shall not be straitned in the God of bowels open thy Mouth wide and he will fill it God will never upbraid his Beggars for looking for too great an Almes he hath enough to supply them and he hath a heart to bestow it God will never say to you you are too bold you ask too much too much Grace too much holiness why cannot less content you God hath given you commission to ask what you will not to the one half but the whole of his Kingdome the Kingdome you shall have if no less will serve your turn Christians be thankfull for every little you receive but look for much be thankful for every little every little received from God is much A drop from that Fountain is worth the World yet content not your selves with some drops when if you will the Fountain may be yours The King of Glory loves to give like a King and will never say This is too much either for a King to give or a Beggar to receive Since he hath given you leave spare not to speak in large your desires and let your Eye be as big as your Belly God hath promised you and therefore you may promise your selves whatever you ask that is good for you you shall not ask in vain Oh if we had so much in our Eye when we come before the Throne of Grace we should be oftner there and yet still return with our load Well Christians remember this when ever you come to begg look to receive come not to prayer as to dry breast that is like to yield no milk or to an empty Cistern that will yield no water 3. Learn the skill to plead with God in Prayer Though the Breasts be full yet they must be drawn hard ere the milk will come Though the Lord be willing to give those that task yet he will have them first to prove they are in earnest Store of Arguments he hath furnished us with to press him withal but he will have us use them We must strive with God if we will prevail and the best striving is with his own weapons The counsel I give you in this is Plead hard with God but plead with him upon his own Arguments there are amongst many others these four grounds on which to bottom your plea 1. On God himself 2. On Christ 3. On the Promises 4. On Experiences 1. On God himself And there are two special things from which you may plead here 1. His gracious Nature Fetch your Arguments by which you plead with God for Mercy thence whence he originally fetched his Arguments to perswade himself to shew mercy from his own bowels from his gracious nature from his natural goodness and gracious inclination to mercy John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he grve his onely Son c. Eph. 1. 5. to vers 10. Having predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will to the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence having made known unto us the mystery of his Will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed of himself Here we have heaped up in a few words the Riches of Mercy which God hath bestowed on his People Christ his beloved Redemption through Christ and the forgiveness of our sins the adoption of Children acceptance in his fight the Revelation of the Mystery of his Will or the discovering or making known these glorious mercies to us But whence is all this who is it or what was it that perswaded the Lord to this aboundant kindness Why all this arose from himself He purposed it in himself He consulted no other Argument but what he found in his own heart it was from his love the-good pleasure of his Will his Grace the Riches of his Grace wherein he hath abounded towards us Hosea 11. 8 9. How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee up Israel I cannot do it I will not do it I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger I will not destroy Ephraim But why wilt thou be angry Lord why wilt thou not destroy Ephraim Oh sayes the Lord Mine heart is turned within me my heart sayes Spare him my Bowels say Destroy him not I am God and not Man I love him and my love is the love of a God I have compassion on him and my compassion is the pity of a God I will bear with him I am a God of Patience Love is my nature Pity and Mercy and Compassion are my nature I cannot destroy Ephraim but I must deny mine own Nature Love and Pity and Mercy and Goodness are essential to God He can as soon cease to be God as to be Gracious and this is the Fountain of all our Mercy Hence Christ sprung hence the Gospel came and all the Unsearchable Riches of Mercy prepared for poor lost and undone creatures When you come to pray fetch your Arguments hence Plead with the Lord upon his own nature his Natural Love Grace and Goodness Thus we finde the Apostle Peter praying for the Christians to whom he wrote 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all Grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Plead with the Lord in your Prayers as the Psalmist pleades with himself in his Affliction Psalm 77. 7 c. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his Mercy clean gone for ever hath God forgotten to be Gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies Is his Mercy clean gone Hath God forgotton to be gracious That men should be merciless that men should forget themselves and their Friends in their low estate is no such wonder But hath God who is all Grace all Mercy all Pity hath God forgotten Doth Mercy cease to be merciful Grace cease to be gracious do Compassions cease to be pitiful Hath God not onely forgotten his servant but forgotten himself Remember thy self Lord thine own
Heart thine own Soul and according to it remember me 2. His glorious Name The Lords Nature is to be gracious and according to his Nature such is his Name Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth This is an Argument which the Lord puts into the mouths of his People telling them Ezek. 36. 21 22. I had pity for my Holy Name this I do not for your sakes but for â—y Holy Names sake And upon this we find them frequently pleading with him Psal 31. 3. For thy Names sake lead me and guide me Jer. 14. 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory remember break not thy Covenant with us Go you and do likewise 2 On Christ And there are four things from which you may plead with God upon this account 1 The Lords giving of Christ to you as your Lord and your Saviour Upon which gift you may call him your own 2 The Purchase of Christ who hath bought from the hands of the Father all that you stand in need of He hath bought your Lives 1 Cor. 6â— Ye are bought with a price He hath bought you a livelihood hath purchased an Inheritance and Possession for you 1 Pet. 1. 3 The Interest that Christ hath in the Father being the Son of God the Son of his Love the Servant of God in whom his soul delights Isa 4â— 1 Behold my Servant whom I have chosen mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth whose Name is so precious and powerful with the Father that it will carry any suit obtain any request Job 16. 23. Whatever you ask the Father in my Name he will give it you 4 The Interest that you have in Christ As he is precious to his Father so you are precious to him as the Father can deny him nothing so he can deny his nothing John 14. 13 Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name I will do it He gives you Commission to put his Name upon all your requests and whatsoever prayer comes up with his Name upon it he will procure it an answer Now when you are praying for any mercy especially for any Soul-mercie make use of all these arguments Lord Hast thou given Christ unto me and wilt thou not with him give me all things I stand in need of Hast thou given me the Fountain and wilt thou deny me the Stream When I beg pardon of sin when I beg power against sin when I beg Holiness c. Is not all this granted me in thy gift of Christ to me Is Christ mine and is not his bloud mine to procure my pardon his Spirit mine to subdue mine iniquities Are these mine and wilt thou with-hold them from me Oh shall this guilt lie upon me these sins live in me these losts rule over me when by giving me in hand that whereof thou hast already given me a grant all this would be removed from me Look upon Christ Lord Thou hast said to me Look unto Jesue and give thy servant leave to say the same to thee Look thou upon Jesus and give out to me what thou hast given me in giving of him to me Look upon the purchase of Christ Do I want any thing or desire any thing but what my Lord hath bought and paid for and thou hast accepted of the price Look upon the Name of Christ which thou mayest behold written upon every prayer I make Though thou mayest sâ—y for thy own sake thou shalt have nothing not a drop not a crumb yet wilt thou say nor for his Name sake neither Is not that Name still a mighty Name a precious Name before the Lord c. By these hints you may learn how to plead with God from any other arguments drawn from his promises your experience c. Quest But of what use is this our pleading with God and in what stead doth it stand us in order to our prevailing with him Ans 1 It is not of use to change the purpose of God to prevail with him to do that for us which before he resolved not to do but to bring forth his purposes into performance We may say concerning the purposes of God what himself says concerning the accomplishing of his Promise Ezek. 36. 37. Yet will I be euquired of by the House of Israel to do this for them Such praying fetches out those mercies which were in the heart of God and puts them into our hand 2. By pleading with God for audience we plead our selves into credence or the more firm belief the Lord acceps and will answer And if by all these Arguments we can plead our selves intoâ—a stronger faith our faith will certainly bring us down a fuller answer Quest 2. These Arguments the Saints may use In Prayer but is there no plea for poor natural men that are yet in their sins to make use of What may they say themselves when they come before the Lord Have you never a word to put in their mouths They have more need of Arguments then any What shall they say Answ 1. I shall premise That its the duty of meer natural men to pray For 1. Prayer is a part of Gods Natural Worship If there were no positive Law requiring it yet the Law of Nature enjoynes it and no man is exempted from the Obligation of the Law of Nature 2. Otherwise it were none of their sin to neglect and restrain Prayer where no Law is there is no Transgression Now we finde in Scripture that neglect of Prayer is reckoned up amongst wicked mens sins Psal 14. 3. 4. They are altogether become filthy c. they call not upon God Sin though it doth disable yet it doth not disoblige to Duty Object That which is usually objected against this is God heareth not sinners The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Now no man is bound to offer up to God an abominable thing better offer up nothing than an abomination Sol. In answer to this consider There are two sorts of sinners Resolved Sinners and Returning Sinners and accordingly there are two sorts of Prayers made by Sinners 1. Dissembling prayers mocking and lying Prayers Hos 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes lying Sacrifices lying Devotions makes as if he had a minde to know me and serve me when it is not in his heart and such prayers are made use of either as râ—vail to hide and cover their wickedness and to make them appear to men to be righteous or else as an Engine or Device to quiet and pacifie their consciences in a course of sin They make confessing of sin to serve instead of forsaking of sin praying to serve instead of repenting their prayers help them to sin the more freely They think they may go out with any thiâ—g if when they have done iniquity they do but pray for forgiveness Such prayers are an abomination to God and a desolation
to sinners Bring me no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me Sinners not onely your wickedness but your very prayers will undo you If you make them a shelter for sin your very prayers will be turned into sin 2. Returning Prayers When a Sinner being struck with a sense of his sin and of his necessity of changing his way and of his utter inability to turne of himself under the fears and troubles of his heart goes to God and cryes out Lord what shall I do I see I am in an evil case my soul is running on in sin and they curse and wrath I behold running on upon me Lord save me Lord help me Lord pardon Lord convert me break me off from my sins break me off from my sinful companions I cannot get loose my heart is too hard my lusts are too strong my Temptations are too many for me to overcome of my self Lord help me turn me and I shall be turned pluck my foot out of the snare that I be not utterly destroyed forgive mine iniquity make me a clean heart make me thy childe make me thy servant that I may never again yield up my self a servant to sin Such a prayer as this if it be hearty and and in earnest if there be no promise of audience yet at least there is an half promise Who can tell Or it may be the Lord may hear Though it cannot be properly said the Lord doth accept neither can any man say he will reject it as an abominable thing This being premised 2. I answer to the question That sinners if they have but anâ— heart to it have also a price in their hand God hath put arguments into their mouths also to plead with him for mercy As 1. The grace of God or his gracious Nature his readiness to shew mercy this even strangers may lay hold upon Benhadad's encouragement to beg his life of the King of Israel may be the sinners plea in the begging of his We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings Go Sinner to the Lord and speak thus in his ears Lord I have heard that the King of Glory is a merciful King Thy name is the Lord merciful and gracious and thy Nature is according to thy Name It is thy Nature to pity and in thy heart there is plenteous compassion Oh I am a miserable creature a poor undone helpless wretch do for me according to thy Nature do for me according to thy Name will the God of mercy send away such a wretch that comes for mercy will the God of Grace send me away without Grace The God of Mercy hear me the God of Grace grant me to find grace in his eyes 2 Gods Call or gracious Invitation Isa 55. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat buy Wine and Milk without Money and without â—rice Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Rise sinner he calleth thee Go to the Lord and when thou goest tell him Lord thou hast bid me come and behold here I am I come Lord at thy Word I come for a little Water I come for thy Wine and thy Milk I have brought no price in my hand but thou hast bid me come and buy without Money and without Price Though I have no grace yet behold at thy word I come for Grace though I have no Christ yet I come for Christ though I cannot call thee Father yet being called I come to thee as Fatherless With thee the Fatherless shall finde mercy And is it only those that want the Fathers of their Flesh is it not also those that want the Father of Spirits Shall earthly Orphans find pity and onely Spiritual Orphans be left Orphans If I am not thy child may I not be made thy Child Hast thou not a childs Blessing left yet to bestow upon me Thou hast bid me come come for a Blessing bless me even me also O Lord. Wherefore hast thou sent for me Shall I be sent away as I came I come at thy word do not say again be gone be gone out of my fight I cannot go at thy Word I will not go for Whither shall I go from thee Thou hast the Words of Eternal life Since thou wilt have me speak Lord answer Though I dare not say Be just to me a Saint yet I do say I will say I must say Lord be merciful to me a sinner 3. Christ And there are two things in Christ upon which sinners may plead with God 1. His Sufficiency There is enough in Christ in his obedience and death to save the worst of sinners to save the whole World of Sinners There is a fulnesse in Christ Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell There is a fulnesse of Merit to obtain pardon to make reconciliation for whoever comes a fulnesse of the Spirit to Sanctifie and cleanse them from their sins He 's able to save unto the uttermost all those that come unto God by him From this Sinners may reason thus with the Lord. O Lord I do not come to beg that of thee that cannot be had Thou hast enough by thee Look upon Jesus that sits at thy right hand 〈◊〉 there not Righteousnesse enough in him to answer for all my uâ—righteousnesse Are there not riches enough in him to supply my povertie Oh shall I die for want of a pardon when there is such blood continually before thee pleading for pardon Oh shall I lie down in my own vomit and wallow in the mire of my filthie lusts when there is such a Fountain by thee that 's still open for sin and for uncleannesse Oh sprinkle me with this blood O wash me in this Fountain Hear Lord send me not away without an Almes when hast it by thee 2. His Office which is to bring sinners to God to make reconciliation for sinners to make intercession for Transgressors Isa 53. Psal 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men yea even for the rebellious also What a strange and mighty Plea is here for poor sinners Oh it is true Lord I am a Transgressor and have been from the Womb I have played the Traytor and been a Rebel against thee all my dayes But is there none in Heaven that will iâ—tercede for a Transgressor Hath the Lord Jesus received no gift for this poor Rebel that falls down before thee Though I am a Rebel Lord yet I am a returning Rebel Though I am a Rebel yet let me recieve a Rebels gift not a Rebels reward Lord that would be dreadful but some of those gifts which Christ received for the Rebellious Doth Christ make intercession for Transgressors and shall not he be heard If thou wilt not hear me who am a sinner yet wilt thou not hear him that speaks for sinners
The Lord calls thee this day calls thee to return and repent that thine iniquities may be blotted out bethink thy self what answer thou wilt return Wilt thou hearken or not III. Head concerning Christ Direct 1. FIrst Consider what the Scriptures speak 1. Concerning the Excellencie of his Person John 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Heb. 1. 3. Who being the brightnesse of his Glory and the expresse Image of his Person 2. Concerning the Glorie of the Mystery of Christ Crucified Isa 53. throughout He is despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrowes and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrowes yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God But he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like Sheep have gone astray and have turned every on to this way and God hath laid on him the iniquities of all He was oppressed and afflicted yet he opened not his mouth Col. 1. 27. To whom God will make known what is the riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory Phil. 2. 6 7 8. Who being in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a Servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross The Gospel is a Mystery full of wonders 1. There is a wonder of Righteousnesse and Severitie That God should not spare but punish Sin though upon his own Son 2. A Wonder of wisdome That God should being Light out of Darknesse Life out of Death that God should bring about the Rising of the World by the Fall of the Lord the Riches of the Word by the Povertie of their Lord the Fulnesse of the Saints by the emptinesse of the King of Saints 3. A Wonder of Mercy That God should harden his Heart against the Crie of his Son and open his Bowels to the cry of Sinners 4. A Wonder of Love Love in the Father in giving his Son Love in the Son in giving himself his blood his life his Soul a Ransom for sin and all this for Worms Traytors Enemies Direct 2. Ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. Oh what monster is sin What an Hell what a bottomless pit is it of malignity and wickednesse that none but God can expiate or purge it away that God cannot do it but by taking flesh that God manifested in the flesh could not purge away sin but by suffering that no suffering would serve but Death that no death could serve but such a cruel and cursed death Oh what a Monster is Sin that must have such blood the blood of God to take it away Quest 2. What strange Love is the Love of Christ 1. Strange in regard of the fruit and benefit of it All that Holinesse and Beauty that my Spirit is cloathed with all that peace and joy that possesses my heart all my glorious hopes and expectations for hereafter all that difference that is betwixt my state and the state of Cain Judas and the whole reprobate World this is the Love of Christ Where had I now been had it not been for the Love of Christ 2. Strange Love in regard of the fervency and ardency of it and that not onely to the whole generation of the Elect but to my Soul in particular To expresse this ask this one Question farther What if Christ had done and suffered all this for me alone What if there had been but one Sinner in the World and I had been that Sinner and Christ should have come down from Heaven cloathed himself with flesh giving himself to death given such a glorious Gospel sent forth such a multitude of Ambassadours to preach to to convert and save this one Soul this my Soul this had been strange love Such is the love of Christ to every Elect person that if there had been but one Sinner Christ would have done and suffered all this for one sinner rather then he should have perished Quest 3. Is Christ mine Have I a share in the Gospel is my name written in the Lambs Book All are not Israel though Christ died for all yet all are not made alive by him There are many from whom the Gospel is hid there are many that have rejected the Gospel that have put from them the Word of Life Whilest there are such multitudes that are lost and perish for ever is my Soul found found in Christ Hath he that hath died for me drawn me to himself Hath he that hath given me a liberty to lay hold on him given me a heart to lay hold on him Hath he given me his Spirit in my heart to sanctifie and cleanse me from my sins If I have not the Spirit of Christ in me I am none of his Vnless I wash thee thou hast no part with me If he be not mine then Quest 4. What may I doe to get Christ to be mine May I have him without seeking him Can I live by Christ without coming to Christ believing repenting and following of Christ is this ignorance this idleness is this earthly this Carnal course I take is this loose and vain life I live is this the way to get an interest in Christ if Christ be mine then Quest 5. How may I walk worthy of Christ Is it not by being made conformable to him Conformed to his image by being holy humble and meek Conformed to him in his obedience chearfully and readily doing the Will of God Conformed to him in his sufferings by being content to be brought down and laid low and made vile for his Name Conformed to his Resurrection and Ascension that this poor Soul which hath descended with Christ may also ascend with him Ascend in holy desires and affections ascend in holy praises and acknowledgements confessing to him Worthy is the Lamb that waâ— slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing for thou hast redeemed my Life from Death and Crowned me with loving Kindness and tender Mercies IV. Head concerning the vanitie and miserie of a worldlie life BY a Worldly life understand any course or way of life which is short of a godly life That which the Apostle calls Ephes 2. 2. The course of this World Such a life the main business care and delight whereof lies in the managing our Worldly affairs and interests in buying selling working trading to get together this worlds good The main comfort whereof stands in
the enjoying these Earthly things when as for Souls and the things of another World little or no care is taken about them and as little pleasure taken in them Direct 1. Consider what the Scripture speakâ— concerning the vanity and misery of such a life Psal 30. 6. Surely man walketh in a vain shew he is disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Matth. 16. 26. For what is man profited if he should gain the whole World and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Jam. 5. 1. 2 3. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Your Riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat you as it were fire ye have heaped up treasures together for the last dayes Luke 12. 16 17 18 19 20. And he spake a parable unto them concerning a certain rich man whose ground brought forth very plenteously and he thought within himself saying What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits And he said this I will do I will pull down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said to him Thou fool this night shall thy soul â—e required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Direct 2. Ask thy heart Quest 1. Is not my life a worldly life What have I done for hereafter What have I laid up for the World to come Have I been trading for Heaven have I been trading in faith repentance prayer have I been sowing in righteteousness and mercy following of holiness and purity What labour and pains have I taken in seeeking Knowledge Grace an interest in Christ reconciliation with God c. that it might be well with my soule hereafter My body is cared for I have enough laid up for that my Wife and Children are all cared for I have made sufficient provision for them but is not my poor soul uncared for Quest 2. How long will this life and the comforts of it last My soul is immortal and must never die I must have a being some where or other to all Eternity Is the happiness which I have chosen and pursued an everlasting happiness Are my Money and my Corn and my Land everlasting Quest 3. What shall become of me when this life and the comforts of it fail Will this golden or silveâ—â—â—ey open the gate of Heaven to me Will my money buy me an inheritance in the Land of Promise will my thriftiness and good husbandry for this world plead for me before my Judge or excuse my neglect of my soul Will the memory of my plenty or my pleasure or my ease in which I have lived here be a comfort and refreshing to my soul hereafter Can all my carnal friends and companions with whom I have lived so merrily and spent so many a jolly hour can their good word stand me in stead then Will God own me or Christ plead for me then Is not this he whom I have despised and refused to hearken to and will he not then say to me Go to the Gods whom thou hast chosen Go to thy Money and thy pleasures and thy companions let these save thee if they can Oh what shall I do and where shall I dwell for ever if I continue in this vain course Quest 4. Shall I now set upon a better course Shall I in earnest wilt thou oh my Soul wilt thou now in earnest become an adventurer for another World A Traveller to the holy City which is above Wilt thou cast in thy lot with Christ and the everlasting Gospel Wilt thou at last fall to labour for the true Riches and enduring substance Wilt thou provide the bags that wax not old a treasure in Heaven that faileth not Shall I take this course or shall I continue as I am V. Head concerning the excellency blessednesse and necessity of a Godly Life Direct 1. COnsider what the Scriptures speak concerning The Entrance Nature Blessedness Necessity of a godly Life 1. Concerning the Entrance of a godly Life or the way by which we come to be godly that is exprest by being born of God John 3. by being converted to God Acts 3. 19. Repent therefore and be converted by having Christ formed upon our hearts Gal. 4. 19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you A new birth must go before a new life conversion before an holy conversation 2. Concerning the Nature of a Godly Life which the Scripture sets forth in these and such like expressions Walking with God walking in the fear of God and the Comforts of the Holy Ghost living by Faith having our Conversation in Heaven and as it becometh the Gospel being holy harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked Generation shining forth as lights in the world denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts living righteously soberly and godly keeping our selves unspotted from the world walking circumspectly keeping a good Conscience c. By all which expressions and many such like it appears that there is more required to a true godly life than is ordinarily imagined 3. Of the Blessedness of a Godly life Psal 1. 1 2. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the way of sinners but his delight is in the Law of the Lord Psal 4. 4. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself hath taken him out from the rest of the world to be his own peculiar possession his Favourite his Servant his Child on whom he intends to bestow himself for an Inheritance Direct 2. Ask thy heart Quest 1. Am I converted to God Is there any supernatural change wrought upon me Is this change a thorough change Conversion is not a slight but a great and marvellous change Am I become a new Creature Is there a new light set up in me a new life begotten in my heart Am I become a man of quite another constitution temper disposition then formerly I was Am I born from above and is my heart now set upon things above Quest 2. Is my life a godly life Do I think in my Conscience that the course of life which I live is that which the Scriptures mean by walking with God living by Faith having the conversation in Heaven keeping a good Conscience walking circumspectly c. Can this fleshly idle easie trifling life which I live be possibly accounted a truly godly life Quest 3. Is a godly life necessary Can I be saved without it Do not the Scriptures entail everlasting blessedness in
lye a lye to bring down the price It s naught it s naught saith the buyer A lye to bring down the seller I will not give your price and yet give it Oh how common an evil is this and how little considered How few are there that have great dealings in the world that can altogether acquit themselves of it How many are there that live upon lies that feed themselves with lieâ— â—hat cloath themselves with lies their unlawful gains that their trade of lying hath brought them in Christians especially you that are most ordinarily under such temptations be sensible of this evil and avoid it be resolved and watchful Resolve to be true be true though it be to your loss be losers rather than lyars Sell not Conscience with your commodities for a penny or two pence profit extraordinary Resolve to be true and be watchful Consider what you say before you speak that you be guilty of falshood neither purposely nor unwarily 2. Be Just Observe that Rule of Righteousuesse Do to others as you would they should do to you And let this Rule be observed in all your words yea and your thoughts also as well as actions If you would not be wronged do not wrong if you would not be oppressed do not oppress if yâ—u would not be defrauded do not defraud and so if you would not be defamed or reviled do not defame or revile if you would not upon everie report or groundlesse surmise be evil thought of do not think evil of others You that professe Christianity are you altogether faultless upon this account Would you that all should come upon you which by you hath fallen upon others Would you that all the world should be to you what you have been to any in the world If you have been knowingly unjust in your dealings yet have you neither been injurious in your words Would you that your faults and iâ—firmities should be the ordinary discourse and table-talk and merriment of others and have not yet others infirmities or faults been yours Would you not be causlâ—sly suspected condemned or despised in the thoughts of others and have you never dealt thus by others Is this not too common and yet little considered When you are together everie evil report that 's going either for want of other discourse or from a worse cause must be brought in to fill up the time and evil reports quickly beget evil thoughts surmises Do as you would be done by if you would not be thus dealt with by others deal not so with others 3. Be Merciful Luke 6. 36. Be ye merciful as your Father is merciful You have a Merciful Father you have a Merciful High-Priest be ye also merciful As you have received mercy as you look for mercy be careful to shew mercy Give to him that asketh lend to him that would borrow visit relieve refresh the bowels of him that is in misery Be cheerful in shewing mercy let your hearts give as well as your hands Be liberal be bountiful He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly He that is merciless to the bodies of men is therein cruel to their souls Hardness and niggardliness in Professors of Religion will disgrace their Profession and harden the hearts of sinners from entertaining the Gospel Can you perswade me that this is the way of God that this is true Religion What a merciless Religion a merciless Profession God keep me from such a Religion Your feeding of hungry bellies your cloathing of naked backs may be a means to save many a soul from death The penny besides that it may gain thee many pounds a plentiful reward it may gain many a soul to thy Lord. 4. Be peaceable Mark 4. 50. Have peace one with another Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men The Lord is a God of peace Christians are sons of peace The wisdom which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated Peaceableness stands 1. In an unwillingness to provoke or offend A peaceable man will not break the Peace is not quarrelsome or contentious will not stir up strife forbears all provoking carriage hath no provoking tongue he hath peace in his heart and that brings forth peaceable language and carriage 2. In an unaptness to be proved A peaceable spirit is a patient spirit 3. In a readiness to be reconciled James 3. 17. Easie to be intreated A peaceable spirit is hardly provoked easily pacified 1. In a forwardness to reconcile those that are at variance A peaceable spirit is a peace making spirit such an one is both a blessed man Mat. 5. Blessed are the peace-makers and a blessing to those he lives amongst Our angry quarrelsome spirit may be a plague and one peaceable and healing spirit may be a blessing to a whole society 5. Be Courteous Sweet and affable in your carriage towards all 1 Pet. 3. 8. This will much win upon the hearts of those you converse with and beget their good liking of whatever good they behold in you This will both mollifie their spirits towards you and make them more willing to hearken to you Morosity and sourness will fright them out of your company and harden them against your Counsel Your candor will be the sugar that will help to convey-down any pill of admonition or reproof you give them which otherwise their stomacks would rise against and spit out in your faces Carry your selves so to all that you may convince them that you are their friends the friends of their souls whilst you appear the enemies of their sins that your counsels are the counsels of a friend that your reproofs are the wounds of a friends which are better than the kisses of an Enemy But still take heed that your courtesie to sinners do not lead you in a compliance with them in their sins that what you intend as a Net to take their Souls become not a Trap to take yours Whilst you are a friend to their persons beware you be not drawn aside to have fellowship with them in their wickedness It is better to be uncivil than ungodly Be as courteous as possible yet so far only that your courtesie be neither a snare to you nor an encouragement to them in their sins Be wise as well as kind Christians do not pass over these second-Table duties which I have for brevities sake packed up into a narrow room as the lower things of Religion wherein you may be excused or dispenced with which a little praying or confessing will make up and so you may go on Truth and Temperance and Justice and Mercy c. are to be reckoned among the weightier matters of the Law there is so much Religion in them that there can be no Religion without them Though there may be morality where there is no true Religion yet there can be no Religion where there is not Morality Micha 6. 11 12. Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and the bag of deceitful
to have no Assurance that he hath any at all If thou wouldest have power over Corruption if thou wouldest stand in the Day of temptation if thou wouldest not starve in the day of Famine if thou wouldest have the comfort of the Grace thou hast let it grow up to its fuller stature Grace when it is come to Age will speak for it self and shift for it self the better which whilest it is in its Infancie neither knows nor can help it self Christians let your Grace grow and let the Fruits of it increase Let your Fields ripen to the Harvest I may say concerning Sinners not as our Lord said Behold the Fields are already white to the Harvest but behold the Fields are already black to the Harvest The Word is ready to be given Come put in thy Sickle the Harvest is ripe the wickedness is great The Fields of Tares are already black to the Harvest But oh when shall it be said of you Behold the fields are white to the Harvest shall evil weeds grow so fast and shall only the good Corn be at a stand Brethren Let your Fruits grow more plentiful and more perfect daily Let that Scripture be verified in you Pro. 4. 18. The path of the Just is a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Let your hearts be so filled with the fulness of God that your pathes may drop fatness Let it be said of you as of the Spouse Cant. 4. 18. and Chap. 5. 5. Her lips dropped as the Honey Comb and her hands dropped sweet smelling Myrrh Let your lips drop as the Honey Comb as you have drunk in the Milk and Honey that comes down from above so be ever droping it down to others Let something of the fatness something of the fatness that you have received from above be alwayes dropping down Be dropping according to what you have drank as you see sinners of whom 't is said They drink iniquity to be alwayes dropping iniquity dropping Oathes dropping Lies dropping Scoffs and reproaches So let it be said of you They drink the Dew of Heaven and this they are dropping down Let no Child no Servant no Friend come into your Company and go away without some sweet drops from your lips A word of heavenly instruction a gracious admonition a word of encouragement or a quickening word let them have or lift up a prayer and drop down a blessing upon them Something or other of the Dew of Heaven let them feel flowing from your Lips Let your lips drop as the Honey Comb and your Hands drop sweet smelling Myrrh Let your Holy Practises your holy Examples second and set on your wholsom counsels and instructions Let your words be savoury and your works be gracious Let lip and life speak the same things and lead on the same way Christians By your nursing up the Souls and Fruits of others you will ripen and encrease your own If you should look on all the Fruit as little which your selves have brought forth to God you will have this to comfort you That you have born more upon your Brethrens knees the Fruits of those Fields which you have planted or watered will abound to your account Bring forth much Fruit unto God and be much in immediate converse with God Phil. 3. 20. Our Convetsation is in Heaven Be more elevated and raised in your Spirits daily above things sensual and carnal Above Carnal Delights Above Carnal Discouragements 1. Above Carnal Delights live more purely in the Spirit let your Hearts be wrought up to such a spiritual frame that all the joyes pleasures and comforts of your lives may be spiritual Let the Lord be all your delight Psal 37. 5. Let it be with you as much as may be as it is with the Saints already in glory to whom God is all who being changed into his Image and dwelling in his presence are satisfied in him Let God alone be as much to you as God and all the world Let the Fashions and Pleasures and delights of this world be so much beneath your Spirits that it may neither be an abatement of your joy to want nor an addition to your content to possess them Let the light of all these lower sparks be swallowed up in God when the Sun shines all the Stars dis-appear and are not needed Lift up thine eyes Christian and see what pleasures there are within the Veil Come drink thy fill of this new wine let thy Faith draw the Curtains of Eternity and take a view of those heights and depths and lengths and breadths of that Glory and Joy which there it may discover Look on him that fits on the Throne and those everlasting Treasures of Light Holiness Goodness and Mercy which are streaming from his Face on those over-flowing Bowels of kindness and compassion on those Rivers of pure and eternal Pleasures Rest Peace that rise from that glorious Throne and run through the City of God Behold the Tree of life and feed thy Soul on its precious fruit whose very leaves are for the healing of Nations Hearken to and fill thine Ears and Heart with those Tryumphs and Exultations those Raptures and Extasies of unspeakable and glorious joyes those blessings and praisings those Hallelujahs that are tuned upon the hearts and tongues of the Heavenly Chore the glorious Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect by the vision and fruition of thy God the God of Glory Look on and possess this Joy and Glory say to thy Soul as God to Abraham Gen. 13. 14. Lift up thine eyes and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward through all the Coasts and all the Dimensions of the blessed Land of Promise and holy City and then say Come Soul take up thy rest here all this is thine Look and love love and long long and hope hope and rejoyce in hope of this glory of God Look on thy God and never leave looking till thou art changed into his Image and satisfied with his Image And here let thy delight and thy dwelling be 2. Above all carnal discouragements from any adversaries or dangers wherewith you are baited and affrighted as you walk in the Lord let the joy of the Lord be your strength let your Sun be your shield let your hope be your confidence and fear not your dutie nor danger Look to your hope and you will laugh at fear Dwell in your reward and you will not be afraid to dwell in your dutie But of this a word more by and by Thus much for general Directions 2. I shall next give you some special Directions for you daily work General necessarilie depend on and subsist in particulars As there can be no Religion in a Kingdom unlesse it be first in particular Families nor none in Families unlesse it be in particular persons so a general course of Christianity there cannot be unless it be supported in our particular daily walk The advice I
compassionately that I might the better win upon them 3. Concerning Providences Q. 1. Have I diligently observed all the remarkable Providences of God towards me especially such as have come in as the returns of Prayer 2. Have I been thankful for my daily mercies 3. Have I born this dayes crosses 14. Concerning the use of your Liberty Q. Have I kept my self far enough within my bounds In Sum Q. 1. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 2. Have I led this day A Diligent Watchful Self-denying Life Directions for the Morning 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing these Questions in the Evening be sure to do it now 2. Ask thy self What Sins have I committed What duties have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended the day fore-going And renew thy repentance and double thy watch 3. Examine whether God were first and last in thy Thoughts Morning and Evening 4. Be careful to set thine ends right for all the day An Advertisement If you want time to make daily enquiry upon every one of the fore-mentioned particulars they being so many set a mark upon or write out such of them as most especially concern your case and let not them be forgotten Think not thy self excused from this course because 't is too long when if need be thou mayst thus make it shorter Better cut short than wholly give out For the help of the weaker I shall gather out these few of the chief Interrogatories which when they are straitned for time they may only use and to which they may add more as they have occasion and opportunity Q. 1. Was I serious and had I any sensible Communion with God this day in my secret and Family Duties 2. Hath it been my care to keep mine heart in an holy Frame from Duty to Duty 3. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations 4. Have I not given liberty to the working of Pride sinful Anger Discontent or Impatience nor so much as to vain thoughts 5. Have I not inordinately minded earthly things 6. Have I kept me from Mine iniquity and not lived in any known sin 7. Have I wronged no man in word nor deed 8. Have I been temperate and self-denying in the use of the Creatures 9. Hath the Law of the Lord been much in my mouth 10. Have I not sent Christ away without an Alms when I had it by me 11. Have I not lost an opportunity of doing or receiving good 12. Have I not neglected nor done any thing against my duty to my Relation 13. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 14. Have I been diligent and watchful Christian here is a course prescribed which by the ordinary assistance which the Lord doth not deny you may take up if you will and which if you conscientiously observe will be without doubt through the blessing of God attended with great success And those that do not take up this course or some other equivalent to it let them never think to ease their hearts by idle complaints I can't attain to such a holy even fruitful heavenly life as I desire I would but I cannot God will abhor such lazy complaints and look upon them as they are a meer device to keep you quiet under a slothful heart Set your whole Duty daily before your eyes charge it upon your hearts take an account of your selves how you discharge it set upon it as that which is no other than you have vowed to the Lord commit your selves and your wayes to him for success and if this doth not mightily conduce to advance you in point of holiness and establish you in point of peace then say that both the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel have deceived you And thus I have set before you that holy conversation which becometh the Gospel Take up this holy course let this be your Life you mean to lead and let it be carried on In an holy Union In an United Contention In an Holy Boldness 1. In an holy Union So the Apostle there adds stand fast in one spirit with one mind Never look to thrive in Grace if you do not live in peace The decays of Christianityly much upon the score of the divisions of Christians The Devil hath also taken up that Maxim Divide Impera Rent them and ruine them The reason why our Love is so cold is because our Differences are so hot The reason of so little zeal against sin hath been the great strife among Brethren The combinations of Sinners have not so much prejudiced the power of holiness as the contentions of Saints There are not a few who go under the name of Saints that have maintained disputes about Religion so long till they have disputed themselves out of all Religion their searching for truth hath been the loss of both love and life Christians if ever you would be any thing be one be of one heart of one mind holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace It were greatly to be desired that the people of God were both of one heart and of one way But if this may not be if there cannot be Vniformity yet let there be Vnity betwixt all that fear the Lord in truth A few words I shall leave with you for your direâ—â—on herein 1. Divide not from the Head to unite with any pretended Members hold not with them that hold not with the Head Sell not Truth clear fundamental Truth to buy Peace 2. Divide not from real Members lest you hereby prove your division from the Head Christ hath but one body if you be not in union with the body you are divided from the Head 3. See the Head in every Member see Christ in every Saint 4. Prize Christ where-ever you see him Love Christ and love his Image if you will not slight Christ slight not any Saint See'st thou an humble mâ—â—â— patient broken-hearted self-denying mortified Christian in whatsoever unpleasing form as to matters circumstantial he appears despise him not reject him not 5. Prize Peace and Union aâ— the strength and honour of the body 6. Pursue Peace and Union with the utmost strength of thy soul And that you may obtain it 1. Let all parties that are named of Christ be humbled under former Divisions What peace so long as God is angry Oh how have we provoked the Lord by provoking one another Let him only who hath been without sin in this matter be without sorrow and shame Sure they are hard hearts who are not broken under such breaches Let us not mistake our selves nor mis-call that zeal for God which God will call pride and peevishness I speak not against our being offended either with errour or iniquity we may not call evil good or darkness light for peace sake but at our unreasonable passions against whom we suppose erring Brethren If
within me says Amen Brethren will you yet again say your Lord nay shall Christ have his wish shall your Servant for Jesus sake shall I have my wish will you now at last conâ—ent to be â—anctified and to be saved let me have this wish and I dare promise from the Lord you shall have yours even whatever your Soul can desire Brethren this once hear this once be prevailed upon be content that your lusts be rooted out and your Lord planted into your Souls Be content to be pardoned content to be converted content to be saved This once hear lest if ye now refuse ye no more be perswaded with oh that they would but be for ever confounded with oh that they had Lest all our wishes and wooings of you be turned into weepings and mournings over you this once hear Oh that you would I heartily thank you for your good wishes and good will towards me for your willing and chearful entertainment of my person and attendance on my Ministry and particularly for your passionate desire of my longer stay among you Which desire if God had not my Soul could not have denied you Though the Almighty to whose pleasure it 's meet that we all submit hath said nay to that wish of yours yet let your Souls say Amen to this last of mine that the Lord God would dwell among you and in you both now and for ever And having thus finished my Labours among you I shall now close up with this double account 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry in this place 2. Of my deprival And shall so commit you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to huild you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry What my Doctrine and manner of life hath been is known to you and what my aim and intent hath been is known to God The searcher of hearts knows that 't is the salvation of Souls that hath been the mark at which I have levelled My way hath been to use all plainness that I might be made manifest in your Consciences Weaknesses and infirmities both natural and sinful the Lord pardon it I have had many I am sensible that much more might have been done both in publick and in private had it not been for a weakly body and a sloathful heart I repent that I have had no more zeal for God no more compassion to Souls I repent that I have been no more constant and importunate with you about the matters of Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity that thou wert no more in the heart and Lips of the Preacher in the hearts and ears of the hearers But while I thus judge my self for my failings Blessed be God for any sincerity to his name and good will to your Souls that he hath seen in me Blessed be God I have a witness in my Conscience and I hope in yours also that I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day that I have set before you life and death good and evil and have not ceased from day to day to warn you to choose life and that good way that leads to it and to escape for your lives from the way of sin and death Oh remember the many instructions I have given you the many Arguments whereby I have striven with you the many Prayers that have been offered up for the guiding and gaining your Souls into the path of life and the turning your feet out of the way of destruction Oh might I be able to give this Testimony concerning you all at my departure they have trodden in the right path they have chosen the good part that shall not be taken from them Beloved Brethren with whom I have travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in you I must shortly give up my account in a more solemn Assembly will you help me to give it up with joy by shewing your Souls before the Lord as the Seal of my Ministry Every sincere Convert among you will be a Crown of rejoycing to me in that day So let me rejoyce and let my joy be the joy of you all What shall I say more If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love any bowels and mercies if the Glory of the Eternal God the Honour of the everlasting Gospel the safety of your immortal Souls the incorruptible Crown the exceeding eternal weight of glory weigh any thing with you then once more let me beseech you by all this to hearken to that word of the Gospel which God hath spoken to you by me 2. Of my deprival The most glorious morning hath its evening the hour is come wherein the Sun is setting upon not a few of the Prophets the shadows of the evening are stretched forth upon us our day draws our work seems to be at an end Our Pulpits and our places must know us no more This is the Lords doing let all the earth keep silence before him It is not a light thing for me Brethren to be laid aside from the work and cast out of the Vineyard of the Lord and it must be something of weight that must support under such a severe doom I know there are not a few that will add to the affliction of the afflicted by telling the world t is their own fault they might prevent it if they would whether this be so or no God knoweth and let the Lord be Judge Blessed be God whatever be this is not laid to our charge as the reason of our seclusion either insufficiency or scandal You are not ignorant what things there are imposed on us as the condition of our continuing our Ministration which how lawful and expedient soever they seem in the Judgment of many yet have the most specious Arguments that plead for them left me utterly dissatisfied in my Conscience about them I must profess before God Angels and Men that my non-submission is not from any disloyaltie to Authoritie nor from pride humour or any factious disposition or design but because I dare not contradict my light nor do any thing concerning which my heart tels me the Lord says do it not After all my most impartial Enquiries after all my seeking counsel from the Lord after all my considering and consulting with men of all perswasions about these Matters I find my self so far short of satisfaction that I am plainly put to this choice to part with my Ministry or my Conscience I dare not lie before God and the World nor come and tell you I approve I allow I heartily consent to what I neither do nor can but must choose rather that my Ministry be sealed up by my Sufferings than lengthned out by a Lie Through the Grace of God though men do yet my heart shall not reproach me while I live If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things But however though I must now no longer act as a Minister I shall through the Grace of God endeavour peaceably and patiently to suffer as a Christian I should to testifie my Obedience to Authority have become all Things to all Men to the uttermost that I could with any clearness of heart But since Matters stand so that I must lose my place or my peace I chearfully suffer my self to be thrust off the Stage And now welcome the Cross of Christ welcome Reproach welcome Poverty Scorn and contempt or whatever else may befall me on this account This Morning I had a Flock and you had a Pastor but now behold a Pastor without a Flock a Flock without a Shepherd This Morning I had an House but now I have none This Morning I had a living but now I have none The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Beloved I am sensible of my Weaknesses and Disadvantages I am under which may render a suffering state the harder to be born help me by your Prayers and not me only but all my Brethren also with whom my Lot must fall Pray for us for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Pray 1. That God would make our Silence speak and preach the same holy Doctrine that we have preached with our Lips 2. That he would give Supports answerable to our Sufferings that he who comforteth those that are cast down will also comfort his Servants that are cast out 3. That according to our earnest expectation and our hope as always so now also Christ may be magnified in us whether it be by Life or Death And thus Brethren I bid you farewel in the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Peace and Love shall be with you And that God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever AMEN FINIS The Terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The Terms from which we must turn are 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 ei-Principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced The less principles are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed