neglect no Means nor Helps in order thereto Such Resolutions as these are most proper in your condition But if your Hearts still hang back let me ask ye what will ye resolve upon Vita humana sine proposito vaga est languida Will ye put the Matter to the venture and trouble your Heads no further about it but still go on at the old dull stupid rate If so this is wilfully to destroy your own Souls and whom can ye blame but your selves Will ye sit down in Despair This is to despise or undervalue the Riches of Gospel-Grace that are set before you Those that come to Christ he will in no wise cast out Again will ye delay for a while and put off the thoughts of these things till hereafter Answ This indeed is the common Case but almost as unreasonable as either of the other two Your times are not in your own Hands ye know not how soon your Souls may be required of you the longer ye delay the more difficult it is like to be and the Spirit that should help you will be grieved by your backwardness Satan will have the faster hold of you and if Death overtake you before the work be done ye are damned Therefore I say turn your Thoughts which way you will all other Resolutions will be found mad and dangerous except that of the Prodigal I will arise and go to my Father So do ye And here let me tell you 't is needful that your Resolutions be firm and steady lest those Difficulties which may afterwards arise in your way should discourage you and that they be speedy lest Death overtake you unprepared And also that in this whole business ye be sensible of your own Weakness and Insufficiency lest ye miscarry through foolish Self-Confidence But of that more by and by Direct 4. See that your Resolutions be forthwith put into practice By this it must appear that they are true and hearty if the VVill be determined in the case sutable Endeavours will ensue And here your work lies in the following Order 1. Humble your selves deeply in the Presence of God for all that Sin and Folly which hitherto ye have been guilty of Consider the Evil of Sin as it is contrary to the holy and pure Nature and Law of God Call to remembrance your own Sins and lay them to Heart that they may not be laid to your Charge In a particular manner bewail the Corruption of your Natures and more especially the estrangedness of your Hearts from God and Enmity against him with that inordinate propension to the Creature in which the Heart of the Old Man doth mainly consist Proceed then to consider those actual Transgressions which have all along issued from this Corruption viz. Your loss of precious Time misimprovement of Gospel Ordinances and Means of Grace your Pride Passion Earthliness Sensuality c. Confess these things humbly and feelingly in the Presence of God Labour to melt into an ingenuous Child-like Sorrow for having carried it so unworthily to so good and gracious a Father That Sorrow for Sin which proceeds only from fear of Punishment is the Sorrow of a Slave and may consist with as much Love to Sin as ever But Godly Sorrow is animated by holy Love to God which raiseth in the Soul a rational hearty Grief for its Transgressions against him an hatred of Sin and Resolution against it for the future This is Repentance from dead Works and toward God He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find Mercy Prov. 28.13 Yea as Matters now stand such is the wonderful condescension of the Law of Grace 't is an Act of Justice and Faithfulness as well as Mercy to forgive Sin wheresoever with true Repentance it is confessed 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins c. Therefore I say give Glory to God by an humble acknowledgment of your Sins Lay your selves low that his Glory may â—â—e advanced Put your Mouths in the Dust if so be there may be hope Justify his holy Law tho in so doing ye condemn your selves Say with the returning Prodigal Luk. 15.21 Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son c. 2. Thankfully acknowledg the Riches of Free-Grace in that God is yet pleased to offer you Terms of Reconciliation and Peace The Golden Scepter is held forth to you that ye may touch it and live Methinks this should encourage you and put Life and Vigour into your Proceedings and draw out your very Souls in sweet Returns of Love to God Lord is there yet Hope is there any Mercy for such an one as I Behold I come in Obedience to thy Call Blessed be God for Jesus Christ 3. Humbly implore pardoning Mercy for your past Sins and the help of Divine Grace for your present and future Duty As the necessity of your Case should make you very earnest and importunate in these Requests So ye have great encouragement given you to strengthen your Faith and Confidence in the Divine Goodness God delights in Mercy and hath proclaimed his gracious Name Exod. 34.6 9. Use this as an Argument in Prayer as the Psalmist did Psal 25.11 For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great Plead the Merits and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ the Promises of the Gospel and assure your selves God is as ready to forgive as ye are to repent and forsake your Sins He will not despise a broken and a contrite Heart Psal 51.17 And since the work that lies before you is holy and spiritual therefore trust not to your own Resolutions or Strength Pray hard for the help of the Spirit â—ay your Souls open to the Influences of his Grace yield your selves to his Conduct Carefully strike in with all his Motions Lord here am I what wouldst thou have me to do Teach me the way wherein I should go incline mine Heart to thy Testimonies strengthen me with Might in my inward Man Magnify thy Power in my Weakness Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth draw me and I will run after thee 4. And now give up your selves unfeignedly to God in and through Christ If ye expect he should be your God that is your Portion Happiness Soul-satisfying Good ye must be his People devoted to his Love and Service The Covenant must be mutual else how should it be a Covenant Let this be done with great Freedom Chearfulness and Resolution of Spirit ye will never have reason to repent of your choice He will be your Shield and your exceeding great Reward 5. Live henceforth as becomes the Covenant-People of God Renounce your Lusts and Corruptions Let the time past of your Lives suffice you to have fulfilled the Inclinations of the Flesh Remember ye must now live at another rate than heretofore ye have done The Glory of God must be
â—â—steneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receive Heb. 12.5 6. Direct 2. Take special care that no secret Lust 〈◊〉 indulged no wilful Sin maintained nor allowed 〈◊〉 Sin will breed Doubts and Fears and Sorrowâ— as naturally as a putrified Carcase doth Vermiâ—â— unless ye be given up to a reprobate Sense If 〈◊〉 will make your VVounds bleed afresh no woâ—â—â—â— if you feel the smart and anguish of them If you weaken the Habits of Grace by contrary Acts you may thank your selves that ye cannot discerâ— the sincerity of those Habits If ye grieve the Spirit who should comfort you what can ye expect but to be in the Dark and so disconsolate If you play at fast and loose with Conscience and run counter to its Dictates you may be sure 〈◊〉 will wound you for your Folly and pay you home for the Affronts you put upon it If you will harboâ—â— the Enemies of your Lord how can ye look for the Light of his Countenance That Darkness you labour under is self-contracted these Clouds where of you complain are of your own raising If you set up your Idols in your Hearts God will answer you according to your Idols Ezek. 14.4 In short if you will be making bold with Sin that Sin will cause Sorrow and Trouble if there be any Life of Grace to feel it Indeed if the Case be thus with you ye have great reason to bless God that ye are disquieted and not given up to searedness of Conscience and therefore I say away with your Lust 〈◊〉 ye expect the Comforts of the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 the Assurances of his Love Direct 3. Tho you want these special Comforts of Assurance do not overlook those general Grounds of Encouragement that are still before you These are firm clear and certain how wavering doubtful and dark soever your Thoughts of your own particular Case may be These are still at hand how far soever the Evidences of your Sincerity are to seek These are the great Foundations upon which your Comforts must be built and therefore you â—â—â—d need to understand and digest them thorowly and lay the Apprehensions of them deep in your â—ouls Viz. 1. It is certain that God is infinitely Good and that his Love Mercy and Compassion to poor Sinners cannot be measured He hath proclaimed his Name that is his Nature Exod. 34.6 7. So Psal 103.8 The Lord is merciful and gracious slow is Anger and plentious in Mercy Isa 55.7 He will abundantly pardon or multiply to pardon vers 8. For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways my Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so c. q. d. quanto sum subâ—imior tanto clementior Grot. By how much I am higher than you by so much I am more merciful Remember all the Goodness of the Creatures is derived from him and therefore he must needs be infinitely better than they all How is it that you call his Power Omnipotence his Wisdom or Knowledg Omniscience and yet entertain such poor narrow Thoughts of his Goodness Is he not All-good as well as Almighty and All-wise Are not his Attributes all alike Infinite Is it not the Device of Satan to hide the Goodness of God from you and to fill you with black unworthy Thoughts of him that he may either quite keep you from him or make your walking with him uncomfortable Therefore I say lay this dowâ— as a fundamental Truth and accordingly stay youâ—selves upon it viz. That however it be yet 〈◊〉 is Good 2. It is also certain that the Satisfaction of Christ is of infinite value And that he is full of To derness and Pity to poor Sinners Whatever he 〈◊〉 or suffered had a transcendant Excellency and Men in it from the Dignity of his Person he was God as well as Man And his Compassions to poor Sinners are every where set forth in the Gospel 〈◊〉 earnestly did he treat with them in order to their Reconcillation and Peace with God! How feelingly did he weep over them How affectionatly did he pray even for those that persecuted and hated him to the Death He disdained not to convâ—â—se with the meanest Persons the poor and infirm had free access to him How readily did he sheâ— Mercy to their Bodies to prepare them for the Belief and Entertainment of that greater Mercy be bad in store for their Souls 3. Pardon and Life are freely offered to you all without exception if ye will accept thereof upon the reasonable terms of the New Covenant The way is open Whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself None are excluded by the tenor of the Gospel but such as exclude themselves by their own wilful and final Impenitency Whatsoever Doubts or Difficulties arise before you still keep close to these three grand Foundations of Comfort and Encouragement Be your Case as bad as it will it cannot be desperate unless ye make it so by persisting obstinarely in it Remember the Love of God was the Cause of our Redemption by Jesus Christ and our Redemption was the Foundation of the New Covenant You have these three altogether Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Direct 4. Waste not your Time in fruitless Musings or heartless Complaints about your doubtful uncertain state but fall forthwith to your certain Duty What though you cannot tell whether as yet you have sincerely given up your selves to Jesus Christ and accepted of him I hope you are past doubt that ye ought so to do Though ye be in the dark as to what 's past your present Duty is plain and certain The Door is open enter and live Christ is willing if you be willing he offers his Benefits to you he presseth them upon you and urgeth you to accept them Come then be of good chear arise he calleth you Gird up the Loins of your Minds sighing and complaining rid no Business Set your selves to the work with all your might Admit that you have not yet sincerely closed with Jesus Christ 't is not too late to do it now and it is a thing that must be done or you are undone forever But if you suppose or hope you have done it already it will be so much the easier to do it again nor will it be lost labour to renew your Covenant with him The advantage is great every way If your Souls be habitually for Christ draw out those Habits into exercise and that is the way to feel that you have them Thus Grace will be more discernable and Conscience more quiet while you are intent upon your Duty You may be saved though you should live and die under great Doubts and Fears as to your sincerity but you cannot be saved except you be sincere Therefore observe it much more concerns you to
Righteous Governour and ungratefully abuse the Riches of his Mercy and Goodness They tread under-foot the Son of God and will not that he should reign over them and therefore are justly accounted Enemies and must expect to be treated accordingly Luk. 19.27 But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me They do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 And in all this they prefidiously break their baptismal Covenant wherein they were solemnly devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And withal they wilfully destroy themselves and wrong their own Souls But that brings me to the other Consideration An unregenerate State is a miserable State How should it he otherwise Can a Man harden himself against God and prosper No no Such Persons are under the Wrath and Indignation of the Almighty an Abomination to him he is of purer Eyes than to behold them His holy Law is armed with most dreadful Curses and Threatnings against them God shall wound the Head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses Psal 68.21 They are Slaves of Satan led Captive by him at his Will who employs them in treasuring up unto themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath Even the Offers of Gospel-Grace which are daily made to them as they aggravate their Sin will also make their Condemnation heavier Thus that which was designed for their Good becomes the savour of Death unto Death unto them What shall I say They are Heirs of Hell condemned already in Point of Law tho Judgment has not yet passed the final Sentence They are not sure of being spared an hour longer One would think this should make them ill at ease till the Affairs of their Souls be in a better posture 'T is wonderful to think what shift they make to avoid the Anticipations of Hell in their own Breasts Put all this together and then tell me whether it be not a miserable State Psal 50.22 Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tare you in pieces and there be none to deliver 2. Think next what great things God himself has done in order to your deliverance from this sinful miserable State Tho your Transâ—ressions be many and heinous he has provided a Ransom for you the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all Sin Tho your Natures be exceedingly corrupted his Holy Spirit is able and ready to help and heal you if ye do not willfully resist and grieve him Prov. 1.23 Turn ye â—t my Reproof behold I will pouâ— out my Spirit unto you Tho your spiritual Enemies â—e strong â—ubâ—â—â— and maâ—â—gnant they cannot destroy you unless ye oâ—stinately side with them The Standing Office of the Minisâ—â—y is appointed to treat with you in order to your Reconciliation and Peace with Gâ—d 2 Cor. 5.20 Notwithstanding all the Affronts ye have done to the â—iviâ—e Patiencâ— God still waits to be gracious to you Tho ye little deserve â—o be thus treated 't is yet put to your choice that ye may be happy if â—e will be holy A Throne of Grace is ereâ—â—ed for your encouâ—â—â—â—ment God hath swoâ—n by himself that he delâ—gâ—â—s noâ—â—n your Ruin and Destruction buâ—â—â—â—her that ye should repeâ—t and live He condescends in a way of â—â—â—creâ— and Forgiveness to reason the Case with you Turn 〈◊〉 turn ye why will ye die Cease to dâ— evil â—â—â—â—n to 〈◊〉 well Come now and let 〈◊〉 reason together saith the Lord tho your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Sâ—â—w tho they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool Isa 1.16 17 18. In a word Matters are brought so far in order to your Recovery that nothing but your own Wilfulness and final Impenitency can be your ruin 3. And now consider what it is that God expects from you in compliance with the Methods of his Grace viz. That from a deep sense of your past Folly and a belleving Apprehension of his Mercy and Goodness in Christ ye do sincerely turn unto him through this great Mediator and then all 's your own Are not these Terms highly reasonable Are they not full of rich Grace and Benignity Can ye imagin that Divine Mercy should stoop lower Would ye be saved from Wrath while ye resolve to persist in your Enmity against God What then would become of his Holiness and Purity of his Truth his Government his inflexiâ—le Justice and Righteousness Would ye have an Interest in Christ while ye wilfully reject him Would ye be saved by his Blood without being sanctified by his Spirit and governed by his Law Or would ye have the Graces and Comforts of the Holy-Ghost while ye are still quenching and resisting his Influences In short can ye tell what ye would have Think well of it and ye will find either that you Desires are utterly immodest and unreasonable or eâ—se that he is ready to grant them 4. Consider also how many Millions are got safe to Heaven who were once at as great a distance from it as you The Saints now in Glory were by nature Children of Wrath as well as others besides the Guilt of many actual Transgressions How long did many of them stand it out against the Calls of Divine Grace as ye have done but at last they yeilded and so escaped Methinks this Consideration should animate and encourage you yea and even enflame you with a generous Ambition oâ— attaining the same Happiness Have so many poor Sinner found Mercy why then stand ye looking one upon another as if ye could not find your hands Are ye content to pine away in your Iniquities Oâ— up and be doing and the Lord in great Mercy be with you 5. Consider how little the World or Flesh signify to counter ballance the ruin of your immortal Souls What would it profit a Man if he should gain the whole World c. Ye are grosly ignorant of the nature and capacities of your own Souls if ye think that terrene or sensual Delights and Enjoyments will satisfy them Isa 55.2 c. What tho the Flesh should be abundantly provided for and fair deliciously every day ye will still find something within you that is not filled And so in the fulness of your sufficiency ye will be in straits Job 20.22 And besides Creature-enjoyments are uncertain as well as insufficient They may be taken from you ye must be taken from them Will it be any Relief to your miserable Souls in another World to remember the fleshly Prosperity and Ease ye had in this Will your Possessions Spâ—rt and Jollity follow you into Eternity Or will not the remembrance of them rather cut you to the very Heart When being doom'd to everlasting disconsolate Darkness ye shall not be able to forget how foolishly ye destroy'd your selves for meer Trifles O consider this and do not hazzard your Souls for a thing of nought How fast are ye posting continually
the performance of religious Duties yea and sometimes fall into great Sins besides those of daily Infirmity and therefore are often called to Repentance Humiliation and Amendment and to renew their Covenant with God in Christ and to act Faith upon his Merits and Satisfaction for Pardon and Peace and to double their Watch and Diligence for the future when in the mean time they are not perhaps obliged at all to call in question their Foundation nor to perplex themselves with Doubts and Fears as to their State in the main Indeed as for those who oft fall into groffer Sins and lie long in them even such Sins as they might easily forbear if they were truly willing such have great reason to question their own Sincerity But as for the common Infirmities of the Godly yea or their greater falls through Inadvertency Surprize or the violence of some sudden Temptation the Case here is quite different If a Workman when he has laid his Foundation and is proceeding forward in the Building should upon evevy lesser or some few greater mistakes in the Superstructure pull down all again and question the Foundation it self he would make very little progress and so have but little comfort in his Work So here true Believers who are in a justified State have still need to beg daily Pardon for their daily Sins yet ought they not to give way to needless Doubts or misgiving Thoughts as to their State in the main For if any Man sia we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 John 2.1 He that is washed needeth not save to wash his Feet but is clean every whit John 13.10 When David had sinned so grievously in the matter of Vriah and Nathan the Prophet was seâ—â— to him to expostulate with him about it and bring him to a greater Sense of the Evil he had done c. we find that he humbly acknowledgeth his Transgression earnestly implores the Divine Mercy prays hard that the Holy Spirit of God may not be taken away from him but we do not find that he was called to doubt of his State in the main nor can we prove that he did so but encouraged himself in the Mercy of God Psal 51.17 The Sacrisices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise There are says a great Divine some Sins which every one that repenteth of them doth so forsake as to cease committing them and there are some lesser Sins which they that repent of them do hate indeed but yet frequently renew as our defective degrees in the exercise of Repentance it self Faith Love Trust Fear Obedience our vain Thoughts and Words some sinful Passions c. many such Sins are fitly called Infirmities because they consist with Life and are forgiven It is of great use to the peace of our Consciences to discern the difference between these two for one fort require a Conversion to another State and the other require but a particular Repentance and when they are unknown are forgiven without a particular Repentance because our general Repentance is virtually though not actually particular as to them One sort are cause of judging our selves ungodly and the other sort are only cause of Filial Humiliation Baxter's Directory part 1. pag. 299. Direct 11. Though you cannot yet attain to the â—uller comforts of Assurance do not therefore underâ—â—lue any thing that looks hopefully or hath a likely endency thereto Great things are not usually atâ—â—ined but by degrees and through many difficulâ—ies 't is no small matter to be certain that we are 〈◊〉 a justified State nor is such a certainty so common among true Believers themselves as perhaps you imagine who yet have considerable Support â—nd Comfort from hopeful Probabilities in the case Now as 't is necessary to pull down the vain Hopes of presumptious Sinners so it also is to strengthen and help the Joys and Hopes of weak Christians Well then let me ask you Are you not grieved or the many Offences you have committed against God at least Is it not your trouble that you can nourn for Sin no more that your Hearts are no nore tender and relenting Is it not your desire and in some measure your endeavour to renounce your Sins and to mortify your Corruptions Could you bear the thoughts of parting with Christ or quitting your Interest in him for all your Doubts and letting go your hold of him for any thing that could possibly be offered you in exchange Would you not even loath and abhor the Proposal Is it not your endaavour to love him more and serve him better Put such Questions as these are to your own Souls and then judge whether in all this there be not something that appears to be more then like special Grace And though you are not yet certain that it is so yet let thus much support you till you can see further And as I said before be thankful for what you have and strive for more Grace and then you shall find that spiritual strength and comfort will increase together And all along be sure to remember that God and the Redeemer are as willing to accept you upon Gospel-terms as you can be to desire it yea and infinitely mâ—â—â— willing as loving Holiness better than you do 〈◊〉 the March break between Christ and you it shall 〈◊〉 through your own refusal Never was any poâ—â— Sinner before-hand with him he is the first in coâ—senting and is a Suitor to us for our full 〈◊〉 hearty consent nor will he despise the least tendecies thereto He will not break the bruised Reed oâ— On his part all is safe and clear prevail but withy own Heart to hold on and go thorow with the work and All 's thine own Direct 12. Be sure that you exercise the moâ—â— deep and entire Self-resignation to the soveraign Pleasure of the Divine Will in this matter Leave it unto God to measure out your Comforts for you and to determine the Time and Season thereof Lay your Souls at his Feet with the profoundest Reverence Humility and Submission say as David in another Case It may be the Lord will look upon my Affliction But if he say he have no delight in me behold here am I let him do as seems good unto him 2 Sam. 15.26 O learn to wait upon the Lord and look for him when he seems to hide his Faâ—â— Isa 8.17 It is not possible that you should be Losers by thus resigning your Souls and your All into his Hand 't is your certain Duty so to do and it will be a mighty evidence of that Sincerity which you are seeking after And there are many comfortable Promises made to such actings of Soul as these and encouraging Examples set before us Blessed are all they that wait for him Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine Heart Wait I say on the Lord. Psal 20.14 Methinks that such a