enquire What shall I do to be saved than How shall I know that I shall be saved And indeed this is the most likely way to get assurance or however such necessary support as may keep you from sinking It is one thing to have Grace another thing to know that ye have The former is absolutely necessary to Salvation the latter is not so Moreover Little things are not easily discerned a little Faith Love Repentance c. tho sincere are not so soon discovered Therefore I say again take pains with your own Hearts to bring them nearer to Christ labour to be carried out towards him with a more full bent and resolution of Soul even such as may clearly turn the Scale for him against all other Interests whatsoever and this is the most dutiful safe and ready way to know that you are sincere Strong Grace will speak for it self Children and weak Persons are apt to be peevish and full of Complaints but with those that are more healthy and vigorous it is not so Well then either you are now willing to comply with the Offers of the Gospel or not if not 't is a sign you are yet in your Sins and that this great Change has not yet passed upon you But if you be willing know that the Law of Grace is as much in force as ever and therefore 't is both your Duty and Interest to give up your selves to Christ as tho you never had done it before And this is the true way to revive and discover any Sparks of Grace in you which at present lie hid under many Doubts and Discouragements Cast your selves at the Feet of Christ open your Case to him Lord I have a treacherous deceitful Heart I know not how to trust it I dare not say that I have as yet heartily accepted of thee as thou art offered in the Gospel but since thou art still pleased to renew the Offer Lord I desire from the botrom of my Soul to do it now O do thou keep this in the imagination of the Thoughts of my Heart and prepare my Heart into thee 1 Chron. 29.18 Direct 5. Let not the Sense of your present Wants nor the Fears you are under make you forget or undervalue the Mercies which you have received What tho you have not the special Comforts of Assurance Have you therefore nothing to blest God for Has he not in some measure awakened you from the gross and brutish Stupidity of a carnal unregenerate State And made you sollicitous about your spiritual and eternal Concerns Has he not followed you with the Offers of his Grace and the Strivings of his Spirit from one Ordinance and Providence to another Has he not given you some tendencies of Soul towards him some Desires after him some Breathings and Longings for an Interest in him Doth he not still wait to be further gracious to you Are not the Arms of his Love and Grace stretched forth towards you and ready to embrace you Doth he not offer to take you by the Hand and reach you to go What say you to all this Is there no Tribuâ—e of Thankfulness due for so much Kindness Do you think he will take it well at your Hands that so great Favours should be extenuated and made nothing of by you As if he had been a Wilderness or a Land of Darkness to you Jer. 2.31 How can you entertain hard Thoughts of so good a God! How can you affect estrangedness from him any longer Is ingratitude for what you have received the way to get more or rather to forfeit what you have already Do ye not know that to be much in thankfulness would familiarize and sweeten the Thoughts of God to you and should not ingenuity it self teach you to acknowledg his Favours VVould not this mightily tend to drive away that Darkness Fear and bitterness of Spirit whereof you are still complaining Surely the nearer you get to God in the exercise of Love and Praise the more your Clouds and Doubts will vanish the remembrance of Mercy and Kindness received is in its own Nature pleasant and refreshing to the Soul And the more you own him the more Light and Comfort you may expect from him What tho you have not all that you could wish 'T is certain you have much more than you deserve yea contrary to your ill-deservings Therefore I say thank God heartily for what you have received and do not forget his Benefits Direct 6. Observe well whether your own Safety and Comfort be not too eagerly look'd at in your Desires after Assurance while in the mean time any Glory which may redound to God thereby is but coldly or not at all regarded It much concerns you that your ends and aims be rightly ordered and settled in this Matter Carnal self too oft intrudes into and so corrupts our Desires even after spiritual things VVatch your Hearts narrowly here 't is ten to one but you find them very faulty Our own VVelfare and Peace may indeed be aimed at but in full Subordination to the Divine Glory VVhat is the interest of a VVorm to the honour and interest of the great God How can you expect to prosper while Self is so much look'd at and God so little Know ye not that even your Souls themselves and all their Hopes and Comforts must be entirely submitted to his all-comprehending Interest VVell then let me ask you what is it that makes you so desirous after Assurance Is it only that you may be more safe or that you may be more serviceable That your Minds may be more quiet or that you may with more Heart and Vigour lay out your selves for God in-Praise Thankfulness and Obedience If it be the Honour of God that you design in it know that he is glorified by the Humility Self-resignedness Patience and Constancy of his Servants even when they are under great Doubts and Fears and this he expects from you as most sutable to your present Circumstances You must not expect all plain way God is wont to make Men feel the bitterness of their former Disobedience and to lay them low in Self-abhorrence before he build them high in Comfort and Assurance He delights in glorifying his Grace and Power by supporting his People under their Fears and Conflicts as well as in refreshing them with the Joys and Comforts of his holy Spirit And are ye not willing to submit to his Methods Here 's carnal Self with a witness VVhat may he not do what he will with his own Remember the Disciples in Christ's School are not all of one standing it is enough that all the Sincere are in safe Hands Labour therefore rather to be sincere than to know that you are so Direct 7. Lay not too great a Stress upon the stirrings of Affections and the passionate feeling thereof in religious Exercises These are no sure Marks to judg of your State by Because they ebb and flow variously according to the Temper and Disposition
fleshly Prosperity and Ease Search after those Sins which do most easily beset you those Corruptions which do most frequently foil you and single them out to run them down Spare them not but deal with them as Samuel with Agag hew them in pieces before the Lord. Fortify your selves with Arguments against them keep a strict watch go not to the utmost extent of your Christian Liberty resist the first stirrings of them the least tendencies towards them Prov. 30.32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self or if thou hast thought evil lay thine Hand upon thy Mouth Avoid as much as possible the occasions of Sin especially of your beloved Sins Habituate your selves to frequent serious Thoughts of the Presence of God Set the Lord always before you Psal 16.8 2. Make not a light Matter of the least decays in Grace or Tendencies toward backsliding What tho it should be granted that a regenerate Person cannot or rather shall not Jer. 32.40 fall away finally yet it is past all Doubt that such an one may fall very fouly so as to grieve the Holy Spirit to wound his own Conscience to blemish his Profession and to obscure his Evidences ' And is not all this sad enough Moreover 't is certain Men usually decline by degrees and therefore the least Degrees or Tendencies thereto are not to be slighted If therefore you find that Conscience begins to grow less tender than formerly it was if Sin sit lighter and the sense of remaining Corruption is less grievous to you than heretofore If you grow more customacy and careless in religious Duties and less regardful to keep up the Life of holy Communion with God in Christ If you can more easily let slip spiritual Opportunities and find less relish and sweetness in them than formerly if the Interest of the the World and Flesh begin to grow more prevalent with you and you are ready to phancy that 't is good to be here while in the mean time your Thoughts of Heaven grow cold and languid and your Desires or Longings to be with Christ do abate If you find it thus with you you had need bestir your selves in good earnest to recover your first Love and to strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die Otherwise you little know how far the Spirit of God may be provoked and what considerable Degrees both of Grace and Comfort may quickly be lost I need not tell you that Satan will do his worst to hinder you in your way to Heaven your own Corruptions and the Snares of the World will get Ground upon you You had need row hard against the Stream which of it self will carry you back if you press not forward Noâ— progredi erit regredi 3. Labour to grow in due proportion as to the several parts of Holiness and Duty The beauty of Holiness as of every thing else consisteth much in the due symmetry and proportion of the several parts of it Labour to exercise each Grace and Duty in its proper Order and Place so that one may not interfere with nor exclude another See that your Judgments be well settled as to the great Principles of Religion that your belief of them be firm deep and solid To this end labour to study and digest well the Articles of the Creed let your Thoughts dwell much upon them that you may understand the right meaning and due improvment of every Article Take care also that your Wills and Affections be full-fraught with becoming Resolutions and Inclinations that the Purposes and Desires of your Souls be rightly ordered and placed To this end study well the Lords Prayer both as to the matter and order of the seâ—eral Petitions and endeavour to form and settle the Inclinations and Tendencies of your Souls accordingly Especially that the Glory of God be first and last in all your desires highest in your esteem and all things else desired in full Subserviency thereto Here lies the Life of Religion and this we should be still contending and striving to raise our Hearts more towards that they may move more naturally easily and delightfully therein that God's Interest may be of all others the nearest and dearest to us And then for the direction of your Practice labour to understand the true sense and extent of the ten Commandments to see the Amiableness Righteousness and Perfection of the Divine Law that you may heartily approve thereof love it and live accordingly Delighting in the Law of God after the inner Man Rom. 7.22 The whole Frame of Christian Principles Graces and Duties is beyond measure lovely in the harmonious connexion of the several parts thereof Labour therefore that this Frame may be more and more deeply imprinted upon your Hearts and expressed in your Lives That ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1.4 If you be maimed in one part all the rest will fare the worse for that Remember Integrity is the Glory of a Christian viz. that no part be lacking 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting Holiness in the fear of God That is let us see that no part of Holiness be wanting in us and that we be not wanting to any part of Holiness but still pressing forward towards Perfection even in degrees Take care for example that your Zeal be guided by Knowledg lest it set all on Fire and prove mischievous to your selves and others or at best no better than an Ignis fatuus And again let your Knowledg be improved into holy Zeal and Fervency that you be not luke-warm or indifferent in Matters of Religion which most justly challenge our whole Hearts Rev. 3 1â— 16. Let godly Sorrow Repentance and Humiliation for Sin be so exercised as not to exclude humble Confidence in the Mercy of God spiritual Joy c. Again if God give you a large share of Assurance and Comfort do not therefore think your selves above the fore-mentioned humbling Exercises which will be a means to preserve your Purity and Peace Moreover let not the Duties of the first and second Table justle out each other but let both be duly and carefully observed in the several Branches of them Think it not enough to be just and upright or as they call it morally honest in your dealings with Men except you be also serious hearty and sincere in the Service of God and in the devotedness of your Souls to him And again think not that any Worship of Service you perform to God will be accepted while second-Table-duties are wilfully neglected It is the design of Religion to make us better and more useful in every Relation and Capacity wherein we stand 1 Pet. 2.16 17. 2 Pet. 1.5 c. Tit. 2.12 We are enjoined to live SOBERLY RIGHTEOVSLY and GODLY in this present World viz. We must be Sober in the Government of our Senses Appetites Affections c. Righteous in our dealings with Men doing to others as we would that they should do to us Godly in the Tendency and Inclination of
working our Hearts to that temper whereof the Psalmist's Words are very expressive Psal 73.25 WHOM HAVE I IN HEAVEN but Thee c. When this is done then is the Heart of the Old Man broken then the Soul stands no longer at such an unkind distance from God as it did before But being begotten of him hath an ingenious Child-like Affection towards him O my God I can resist no longer thou art stronger than I and hast prevailed thy Love hath overcome me victorious Grace has got the day Other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over me But by Thee only will I make mention of thy Name Isa 26.13 Thus they cry Abba Father and feel at length how good it is to draw near to God Psal 73.28 In this it is that true Grace Holiness or real Godliness doth principally consist Namely in such an inclination of the Will towards God it is the giving our Hearts to him which before were most unreasonably and wickedly alienated from him 'T is this which he doth especially call for insist upon and expect from us this he sets most by and without it will not accept of any thing else that we can offer Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thine Heart This is more than all whole Barnt-offerings and Sacrifices Mark 12.33 Thus the wandering Soul is brought back to its proper Center and Best 'T is an honest Friendly good-natured Disposition of Heart God-wards always tempered with dutiful Reverence to so adorable a Majesty who needeth not such poor silly Worms as we but will be gracious to whom be will be gracious and will shew Mercy on whom he will shew Mercy Exod. 33.19 Thus the design of the Gospel is to bring us into Fellowship with God 1 John 1.3 That henceforth we may converse with him as our best and dearest Friend And confidently expect from him all that Kindness and Faithfulness which belongs to such a Relation and what may we not hope for from such a Friend such a Father Nothing shall be wanting that 's fit for him to give or for us to receive Luk. 19.31 Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine The Love of God to his People as one observes cannot be overset it knows no difficulties The greater the Performance or Vouchsafement the more sutable to Divine Love Again this great Change is an opening of our Hearts towards God which before were shy reserved estranged shut up against him Tho they were always his by Title yet not till now by Consent before he had jus ad rem a right to them now he hath jus in re an actual Interest in them and Possession of them The Everlasting Doors are now opened and the King of Glory is entered in Psal 24. Thus we give unto God the things that are God's How shall I make it plainer 'T is a sincere deep inward hearty prevailing Love to him who is Love and Goodness it self This is the Life and Substance of all true Religion the fulfilling of the Law in one Word LOVE Without this thou hast only the shadow of Holiness but really art nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 The Truth is the Will is the first Subject of moral Good and Evil 'T is turned from God by Sin yea and set against him Grace reduceth and reconciles it to him again so that the tendencies of the renewed Soul are towards God that it may know him more love and serve him better be brought yet nearer to him and more fully conformed to his Will It detests all thoughts of Happiness in which the Enjoyment of God is not included or rather which is not wholly included in that Enjoyment He says unto the Lord Thou art my God I cannot take up with any thing else for my Portion and Supreme Good my Soul panteth after thee longeth for thee and is even weary of it self to find any Remnants of its old Aversion from thee These are my daily Groans O that I could ascend more Send forth O Lord thy powerful attractive Love let that holy Flame consume my Dross that the nobler part may know in home its rest it s all How precious are thy Thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them I knew in some measure long since that none but God could make me compleatly happy I have often heard of this by the hearing of the Ear but now I know it better mine Eye sees it I find and feel that my Soul is otherwise affected towards thee than iâ— was before Thus the Passage betwixt the Head and Heart is opened thus the Will is determined for God And those Truths which before only hovered in the Brain or Imagination sink down work into the very Soul and attemper it to themselves I have been somewhat large upon this Head but all 's little enough to make unregenerate Persons understand these things tho still they pretend to love God But I proceed 4. The sensitive Passions or Affections must also be sanctified so as to fall in with the superior Faculties especially the Will and be subservient to them in order to the great Ends of Holiness or Religion That is they must be devoted unto God exercised upon him and for him The rational and sensitive Appetite are so nearly connexed at least in this Life that the Acts of the former so far as we perceive them always take in somewhat of the latter and are commonly described accordingly Moreover the Passions of Affections are oft-times an occasion or means to awaken and excite our Reason and Will to do their duty and therefore of exceeding great use if rightly managed and improved And tho the great Work of Grace lies principally in the higher Faculties of the Soul as intellectual Namely in the vital active Power Vnderstanding and WILL And must there be mainly sought and enquired after viz. Whether we have an high Estimation of God and do resolvedly and rationally cleave to him endeavouring to act sutably in our Lives and Conversations c. Again tho it must be granted that our Passions are not so apt to be moved by spiritual and invisible Objects as by sensible things that are near us c. and withal that they are many times strongest where Judgment is weakest and very uncertain too as depending much upon the Constitution of the Body c. Yet I must needs say that those Persons whose Affections move sensibly and freely toward other things but scarce stir at all as to the best and highest Objects are certainly in a weak and languid State of Soul if not quite dead If we be indeed risen with Christ then as we ought so we shall in some measure set our Affections on things above Col. 3.1 2. If the Will be predominantly for God 't is not to be supposed but that the Affections will in some degree go along with it and if they move but slowly it will be matter of Grief and will put us upon earnest Strivings to raise them to a
Ordinances is a further Proof of this great Truth 〈◊〉 works by his appointed Means Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God The Gospel is called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 As also the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 And well may it be so called by way of eminency because greater measures of Grace are given under the Gospel-Dispensation than were usual before Now the sacred Office of the Ministry is institured in subserviency to the Influences and Operations of the holy Spirit 'T is he that qualifies Ministers for their work assists them in it and makes it successful to the attainment of its end Moreover the Sum and Substance of that Errand upon which we are sent ye have in the latter end of this Chapter Vers 18 19 20. Namely to tell you that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as tho' God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God Our business therefore is to treat with Sinners in the Name of God and the Redeemer That we may perswade them to comply with the offers of Free Grace And to edify strengthen and help the Joys of those who have heartily complied Ephes 4.11 12 13. And O how strict a charge is laid upon us That we be instant in Season and out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine For the time will come when c. we may now say 't is already come 2 Tim. 4.2 3 4. And that we watch for your Souls as they that must give an account Heb. 13.17 and warn you of your danger that your Blood may not he required at our Hand Ezek. 3.18 And who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 Well then if Men may be saved without being wrought for it c. of what use is the ministerial Office Or why are we so strictly charged Moreover the whole Course of Rellgious Duty that is appointed us with that Seriousness and Spirituality therein required doth fully prove the Point we have in hand The holy reverent Worship of God in his Ordinances doth powerfully tend to raise our Souls nearer to him and to make them more like him to heal our spiritual Distempers and to refine and purify all our Faculties and Powers and so to prepare and sit us for the State of Heavenly Perfection Therefore we must not look upon such appointments as if they were only meer arbitrary Injunctions to exact homage from us But tho' Soveraign Authority is to be acknowledged in them we must also consider how infinite Wisdom and Goodness has sured out Work to our End our present Duty to our future Happiness that by the one we might be prepared for the other From whence 't is evident that Holiness is necessary to the Work and Business of our present Life as also to our future Blessedness We can neither serve nor enjoy God here or hereafter without being wrought thereto by his Grace I mention nor the heartless Service of Hypocrites as not being worth taking notice of Hence also ye may learn what ends to propose to your selves in every part of Divine Worship But I proceed 5. None but those who are thus wrought upon have any right to the Heavenly Felicity according to the Tenour of the Gospel-Covenant Unregenerate Persons as such are peremptorily excluded even by the Law of Grace it self Ye cannot produce the least Syllable in Scripture whereupon to ground those hopes of Heaven wherewith such Men are wont to flatter themselves But I can shew you enough to confound and overthrow their wicked Presumptions for ever The Sentence of their Condemnation is legible in almost every Leaf of the Bible yet will they not consider it nor lay it to Heart He that believeth not is condemned already he shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Joh. 3.3 18 36. If ye live after the Flesh shall die without HOLINESS no Man shall see the Lord. These are the true and faithful Sayings of God All this was settled long before thou wert born if thou hast any exceptions against it thou comest too late with them as one says Assure your selves that these sacred Constitutions cannot be disanulled Your Unbelief shall not make the Truth of God of none effect ye will quickly faâ—d whose word shall stand his or yours 〈◊〉 true indeed Pardon and Life are freely offered by the Gospel-grant if thou wilt repent and turn to God throuâ—â— Christ Otherwise it brings upon thee an heavier Coâ—demnâ—tion than thou wert under before John 3.10 a sorer Punishment Heb 10.29 The câ—â—â— speaks it self Thou canst plead no Interest in the saving Benefits of the Covenant of Grace unless thou come up to the Terms thereof Abused Mercy turns to greater Indignation Therefore it much concerns you to inquire what those Terms are and not to venture your Souls upon Uncertainties Behold the Judg standeth before the Door Jam. 5.9 What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 Mat. 3.12 6. None but those who are thus wrought upon have the earnest and first Principles of the Heavenly Felicity How then should they have the thing it self Do ye expect the Fruit without the Seed the Perfection of Holiness and Happiness without the Beginnings thereof the Inheritance without the Earnest How can these things be How absurd are such Hopes as these Would ye be perfect Men in Christ without first going through the Infant-State of Christianity That is being converted and becoming as little Children As for the truly Godly they have Eternal Life abiding in them even that saving transforming practical Knowledg of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent which is the Inchoation thereof But the Ungodly are not so being dead in Trespasses and Sins To be carnally minded is Death They sow to the Flesh what then can they expect reasonably to reap but Corruption Would ye sow one sort of Grain and reap another Know therefore that the holy Spirit of God working in the Souls of Believers sutable Inclinations Heaven-ward and Desires after it that is rational judicious holy Desires doth thereby give them an earnest of it but still remember If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8 9. 7. The Guilt of Sin which all unregenerate Persons are under stands between them and Heaven I hope ye know that ye are Sinners and that ye must be justified before you can be glorified The weight of Guilt must needs press you down into everlasting Darkness if it be not taken off by pardoning Mercy and Grace And do ye not also know that there is no Pardon without true Repentance And withal that true Repentance is nothing less than the turning of the Soul from
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
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
is fit God should have the Glory of his own Gifts while you have the benefit and comfort of them This is the way to receive more To him that hath shall be given Sit down and consider seriously cast about in your Minds what shall I do to promote the Honour and Interest of that God who has done so much for me Can you form no Project for greater servicableness I will try if I can help you by and by in the mean time resolve to walk with God more humbly strictly and watchfully than ever yet you have done and joyfully to embrace every opportunity which it shall please God to put into your Hands to testify your Thankfulness by humble and self-denying Obedience 'T is true God needs not you you cannot be profitable unto him But it is as true that he expects all this from you as a due Expression of the Gratitude and Ingenuity of an honest Heart Tho you cannot profit him yet obedient you must be and besides Soveraign Authority you have many indearing Obligations thereto I will shew you presently that you need not want work but will endeavour first to fortify you against the difficulties of it Direct 4. Let Patience have its perfect work We have need of this Grace at every turn the Race set before us will never be finish'd nor scarce one step rightly taken without it Heb. 12.1 We must expect to meet with many Afflictions Psal 34.19 which cannot be born nor improved as they ought without patience Whether they be such as come more immediately from the Hand of God Shall we not be subject to the Father of Spirits and live Heb. 12.9 q. d. We must be subject our Lives lie on it To mutiny is mortal as one glosses upon the place It is the Lord let him do what seems good in his Eyes When God is glorifying himself in correcting us we must with Aaron hold our Peace Lev. 10.3 Be still and know that he is God Dumb and not open our Mouths because he does it If we be afflicted by the Pride or Malice of Men here again we have need of Patience that we fret not our selves because of Evil-doers nor entertain any peevish revengful Thoughts against them There 's more of Christianity in this than most Professors think of To be habitually disposed to bless those that curse us and to overcome Evil with Good And indeed we shall never be able to bear the Contradiction of Sinners without fainting in our Minds except we exercise Patience and eye the Example of Christ Heb. 12.2 3. Again are we assaulted by the Temptations of Satan we shall never conquer without Patience Moreover we have need of Patience to carry us through the religious Duties to which we are daily called Because our sluggish Hearts are still drawing back from Duty and are prone to grow weary of it and reluctate against it These Fruits of Righteousness will be blasted or miserably impaired if not brought forth with Patience Luke 8.15 So pronâ— are we to be weary of well-doing Lastly We have need of Patience that after we have done the Will of God we may receive the Promise Heb. 10.36 That we may wait God's time for our glorious Reward The wisest Man tells us Prov. 13.12 Hope deserred makes the Heart sick 'T is Patience therefore that must keep us from fainting O what need have we to pray That the Lord would direct our Hearts into the Love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ 2 Thess 3.5 Direct 5. Put on bowels of Compassion to the Souls of others Say not with Cain Am I my Brother's keeper nor yet think that Ministers only are obliged to promote the common Salvation Methinks you should be desirous to take as many along with you to Heaven as you can Are you not taught to pray That the Name of God may be â—allowed his Kingdom come and his Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven And must not these Prayers be seconded with sutable Endeayours in your places Striving to help on others will be a means to exercise and increase your own Graces and to advance your Comforts It will be a sign that you love Christ sincerely when you lay out your selves to promote his Interest And since God hath had Compassion upon you ought ye not to have some Compassion upon your Brethren I know the Devil will do his utmost to oppose you but you must be armed with Resolution and Patience There are more with you than against you When you meet with any that are buffeted with Temptations perplex'd with Doubts and Fears remember it might have been your own Case Labour therefore to administer Comfort to them by religious Conference Communication of Experiences and all other proper Means that fall in your way do not despise the meanest of them And then as for those that are in an unregenerate State how can you look upon them and not be deeply concerned for them The less they pity themselves the greater objects of your pity If the Children of Israel were obliged to be kind to Strangers and not to vex or oppress them because they themselves had been such in the Land of Egypt and therefore knew the Heart of a Stranger Exod. 23.9 Levit. 34. O then what reason have you to pity those that are in an unconverted Estate estranged from God! It was once your own Case you cannot but know what a dead dark disaffected thing the Heart of such a Person is how obdurate and senseless O think what they are doing and whither they are going if infinite Mercy do not prevent Happy you if you can help to save one Soul from Hell But let me urge this Point somewhat more distinctly 1. Begin with those that are under your special Care and Charge If these perish through your neglect look you to it their Blood will be required at your Hands Those of you that have Families think how much you have to do for God in them It may be some of you will say we keep up religious Exercises in our Houses viz. Praying Reading the Scriptures and Singing the Praises of God I answer thus far is well I wish more could say so too But this is not all that you have to do Children and Servants are to be dealt with plainly familiarly and tenderly by you with all the Skill and Application you can in order to the Salvation of their Souls I must not stay to give you particular Directions honest Hearts and a sincere desire to do their Souls good will soon put you in a way to do it 2. You have a great deal to do for the Souls of your Neighbours Are not many of them ignorant carnal and ungodly Can you contrive no way to be helpful to them Have you no particular Interest in some of them Have they no dependance upon you Are they under no special Obligations to you Why are not all these Advantages improved for God Can you see them