and be brought from the dominion of sin and Satan to be under the rule and guidance of Christ and grace and so be sanctified pardoned justified and at last glorified this I say I perswade thee to by such discoveries as the glorious good God hath made concerning his acceptation of true penitents and converts Because thou mightest been couraged to this reformation without delay and to keep thee from sinking into a despair of Gods mercy in Christ pardoning thy sins past upon thy sound repentance and sincere reformation and this consideration also may raise thy hopes and expectation that thou shalt yet find grace and mercy from the Lord to relieve thee and help thee in thy misery and give thee a full conquest over thy spirituall enemies through Christ and deliver thee from all thy sins into the hand and protection of JESUS CHRIST who will keep thee safe and bring thee to heaven if thou apply thy heart in good earnest to this work of self-reformation and perseverest in the same unto the end For if there were no hope but he that hath been vicious must of necessity be always so why then should there be given any meanes for thy recovery why should God send to thee invite thee intreat thee rebuke thee expostulate with thee as he doth by his Ministry word and Spirit if God did not mean to reclaim thee that he might pardon thee and save thee why hath he appointed repentance for thy work and space for thy repentance but that thou mightest finish thy reformation And why so many promises for thy support of mercy for guidance victory acceptation and pardon if God meant not to deal graciously with thee this way upon thy endeavours at reformation S. 6 4ly And I have hitherto been perswading thee concerning every sin to repent speedily and leave off that thy sin be it whatever great or small without delay Rea. 1 Because impenitency is a cursed estate in it self though thy sin of which thou art guilty be pardonable upon thy repentance yet thy impenitency for the least sin thou knowest in thy self is unpardonable and that which all the sins specified could not effect if they had been repented of in time and forsaken this one sin of wilfull impenitency will undoubtedly effect viz. thy damnation for damnation though it be not to sins absolutely the smallest of them yet absolutely to all impenitent sinners S. 7 Christ hath secured the salvation of that sinner who exerciseth faith in him and repentance from dead works by his life death resurrection and intercession But he did not die nor doth he intercede nor is he a propitiation for to save impenitents and unbelievers as such they living and dying impenitent and unconverted And therefore the earnestness of thy Monitor with thee to be speedy in this work is such for that thy continuance in any sin argues thy unwillingness to forsake it and thy delaying and deferring repentance is nothing lesse then a flat denial to reform and amend untill thou canst sin no longer nor live any longer to sin and then thou wilt either miss of the will to repent thee or of sufficient time or because forced from the apprehensions of terror it will not be accepted and then alas where art thou S. 8 And this consideration if it be serious would conclude in this resolution I will put off no longer I l'e not deferre till to morrow for if I die ere my conversion be wrought and if sickness and death seise on me in an impenitent state what will become of me I am resolved to begin now and to renew again what once I began and will not sleep eat drink or take any comfort in any thing untill I am in a mending case untill my soul and sin be at odds I le stay no longer here with this and that sin nor will I consent that any sin shall lodge with me henceforth for ever lest mischeif and a snare death and destruction overtake me and I lie down in sorrow S. 9 For I have been and am a great sinner perverse and obstinate in my courses and too long already have I been so and I despair of mercy pardon and heaven while I continue in a state of voluntary sinning unconverted and unreformed in heart and life But I see there is hope how bad so ever I have been yet I may be reclaimed and if in time I do repent heartily and renounce all my wicked ways and lay hold on Christ and live the rest of my days soberly righteously and holily I may find mercy and partake of an happy eternity of glory I am resolved therefore now even this moment to put in practise that which I have been long a purposing even to bid farewell to all my sinfull pleasures and profits to all my vanity and folly and do now forsake the sinfull world the flesh and the devil and will no longer be befooled by my lusts the world nor Satan to the loss of my soul for all the present seeming content and advantage may come to me by living in sin or complying with sinners Mat. 16.26 For what will it profit me though I gain the world by sinning and lose my soul for sinning What shall a man do for another soul to save when he hath damand or lost this one by sinning What shall I do to be saved then at last if now I refuse to doe that which God is pleased to demand of me as a condition and in my power through grace which is to repent and to turn from all my iniquities so sin shall not be my ruine Alas then I shall have no grace to repent nor space nor acceptance nor pardon nor heaven I can then do nothing that can be acceptable neither will God accept any thing I do if I will not hear him to day he may refuse me to morrow although I call upon him but to be sure if I put off the Lords requests and admonitions refusing them now in my health strength life and do not yield obey repent and reform as I know it is my duty then at last God will refuse and reject me yea laugh at my calamity and empty the vials of his just wrath and indignation upon me Pro. 11.12 to the end and leave me in misery to all eternity S. 10 Such a consideration as this would make one dread the thought of continuance in sin or to deferre repentance one day longer and would bless God he was not cut off in the last act of sin or in a state impenitent yesterday or the last week and resolves to venter no more so presumptuously on the morrow while to day is put into his hand for an opportunity Let this be thy resolution O sinner that readest and be happy in it CHAP. VIII Containing the main swasion and motion for a finall resolution and speedy practicall repentance and reall reformation S. 1 NOw having made known unto thee and laid in thy view before thee as
uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily S. 119 If this be the case of Apostates Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another S. 120 T is true indeed Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of gospel-Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation S. 121 The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man S. 122 And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus S. 123 Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch T it 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation S. 124 When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy waies and that we will not have Christ to reign over us but reject him and all his benefits Job 21.14 Luk. 19.14 and refuse to give him any entertainment or hearty acception and is not this a great sin S. 125 What is it less then the trampling under foot the Son of God and accounting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified Heb. 10.27 28 v. 29 30 31. as an unholy thing and doing despite to the spirit of Grace Is there any one sin marked with a more terrible character and severity then this If he that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy of that despiseth and slighteth this grace why no less then
years and art of a longer standing it may be twenty thirty fourty fifty sixty years thou hast all this while enjoyed the plentifull meanes of grace and so long hath God been bearing with thee still expecting from thee somewhat of all that beneficence of his toward thee and now at last coming to thee and findes no fruit on thee onely a few leaves of profession may he not say in high displeasure never fruit grow on thee more henceforth by this time thou mightest have been strong and well rooted in faith abundant in charity and well knowing in the things of God and of thy own soul able by thine own experience and example to instruct the younger by this time thou mightest have been able to resist the strongest temptations and have understood the wiles of Satan and decei fulness of sin have been sufficiently guarded from their prevalencies by this time thou mightest have overcome the world and have been crucified to all the worldly pleasures honors riches and have had thy love delight and happiness placed on God and Heaven long ere this hour of the day of thy life hadst thou not been unfaithfull to thy Lord and Master Christ and unfruitfull under the meanes of grace mightest thou have been one prompt and ready to and zealous of good works and thy life might have been an ornament to the Gospel and the doctrine of our Saviour in all things of piety and charity Titus 2.10 and thou thy self a shining light Phil. 2.16 Mat. 5.16 holding forth the word of life and faith in all manner of good works as becometh Christianity to the glory and praise of Gods free grace towards thee but is it so with thee or not hast thou continued all this while as at first unfruitfull S. 157 Try thy heart and wayes and if thou hast profited and laboured in the things of religion piety charity humility righteousness sobriety bless God for it goe on to perfection and give not out to the last moment being never weary of well-doing abounding alwayes in the work of the Lord Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15.58 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 13.1 2. perfecting holiness in the fear of God lay aside every weight and run the rest of your race before you with patience looking to Jesus the author and finisher of your raith believing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But if hitherto thou hast been unfruitfull then let the consideration of it prick thee to the heart repent repent thee speedily for all thy unfruitfulness and barrenness and redeem thy time for all is lost and thy soul will be lost for ever if thou repent not of this sin even this of unfruitfulness and henceforth learn to doe well and apply thy heart withall to bring fruit unto the Lord even the fruit of his care and gospel-Gospel-mercies in Christ unto thy soul Doe not slight this admonition and warning 't is from the Lord for thy good therefore see to it in time CHAP. VI. An Enumeration of more sins and wayes by which man offends God and contracts guilt to his soul of which he must be reformed S. 1 I Have in the foregoing Sections given you a particular of some of the most gross and notorious sins their names nature and condemnation all or any one of them if thou art guilty and meanest to live in will bring damnation to thy body and soul most certainly S. 2 And there are many more sins then those mentioned which lay claim to Hell for their reward which the holy book of God and the spirituall guides of thy soul if thou consult them would sufficiently instruct thee about how thou mayst either avoid and prevent them or repent and forsake them all though lying within thy heart thoughts words or actions for Gods Spirit would conduct thee also S. 3 And further things sometimes tolerably lawfull to be done may through circumstances time and place become unlawfull and a sin to thee if thou dost them and there are some things some persons may doe at some times in some cases which another may not doe without a sin nor the same person at another time or under another relation but it will be a fault It were easie to instance in examples of this kind but they would be a subject fit for determination of cases of Conscience which now I am not about yet this I would advise thee if thou meanest to walk circumspectly and exercise a good conscience always that in things doubtfull and disputable take the surest part that part of the question which is surely no sin for instance is dicing or carding lawfull or to wear black spots as the manner of some is or to put money to usury With some this may be a question but for my part I would thus resolve it that it may be unlawfull and a sin to play at cards or dice or to put on those strange fashions or to practise usury c. but not to play at either or with either at any time at all nor to lend upon usury nor to conform to the fantastical fashions of dressing is doubtless no sin and a wise soul would take the safest course and walk in the surest way and avoid all appearance of sin as well as all sins and he that doth not doe that that is shun as much as possible all appearance of evil transgresseth a Gospel-rule 1 Thess 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil S. 4 There are also other sins which lie somewhat closer that make not so great a noise nor so suddenly wast the conscience yet the amount of them may prove an eternal guilt and men may often flatter themselves into hell with them under pretence that they are but little ones and sins of infirmity onely which as men are apt to think have a certain divine indulgence waiting on them of course S. 5 And indeed many foul and il-favoured sins to which men give full consent and delight are choked with the name and maintained in heart and practice with an opinion that they will be accounted of as lesser irregularities deviations humane frailties and infirmities for men are pleased to think they may live in sins of infirmities safely and laudably and therefore are willing to believe that all their omissions of good duties and commissions of evil works are but as so many infirmities and easily pardoned without either forsaking them or striving against them or repenting of them S. 6 But say the best thou canst of thy infirmities either natural or moral either thy inclination and propension of nature to evil or slipping into a fault through a sudden surprisal and violent temptation or ignorance and inconsiderateness or suppose they be onely the defects in our duty as wandring thoughts sometimes dulness drowsiness and weariness in our service of God or thy backwardness to every good work thy want of proportionable zeal for Gods glory and the Church S. 7 Or grant it to be but
have taken for thy poor souls good and safety to turn from thy sinfull courses and evil practices but as they found thee so they must leave thee a wretched soul and hardened rebell and instead of giving up their account of thy conversion must give in witness against thee that thou wouldst not obey the word of the Lord nor believe their report nor leave thy sins Let it never be told of thee that thou hadst thy day of grace but hast lost it once as fair an opportunity as any but now 't is gone Oh let it not be objected henceforth against thee that either thou refusest to reform at all or that thou dost put off and delay from day to day that so necessary and so happy a duty why should God wait on thee any longer why should God spare thee any longer is it not long enough I have sinned already have not I abused Gods patience too much already Oh that thou wast once brought to this point of resolution I have done foolishly and wickedly I will do so no more now even now will I return to my God and my obedience shall a little fleshly pleasure worldly profit or any thing hinder me of my eternal happiness God forbid No I am resolved by the grace of God to stop here and go no further in sins road but will now turn into the strait gate and narrow way of holy living which leads to that eternall glory which none can come at but such as do lead a godly life and follow the Lord Jesus fully and deny themselves wholly S. 11 And because heart and life-reformation is the way to all happiness and in the first place a man must leave off his sinfull practices and renounce all wickedness and cease to do evil and repent of the evil he hath done already I shall conclude this first part of reformation with a few directions shewing what you shall constantly do to accomplish this so happy reformation CHAP. XIII Of some directions to facilitate this work of reall reformation S. 1 HAving pressed by all arguments I could for present think on to prevail with thee to a speedy reforming thy heart and life and without any more delay to set upon the work I adde some directions which if you will conscientiously observe will facilitate the work and make it successful I. Direction S. 2 1. If you mean to be a really reformed Christian indeed enter forthwith upon serious consideration of thy past life what it hath been and likewise thy present state and habitual frame what it is examine wisely and strictly thy self wherein thou art apt to offend and what temptations haunt thee most what thy heart hankers after what is thy beloved sin where thou lyest most open to be betrayed and overcome examine and search thy self that thou know where thy disease is and the nature of it the cure is half done if thou understand thy grief 't is but applying the remedy carefully and thou wilt quickly be cured try if thy sins be inward and keep residence in thy mind thoughts will or affections be watchfull what guests haunt these rooms if vanity be in thy mind sin in thy thoughts worldliness in thy affections if thou hast a proud or envious Atheisticall mind if thou hast a stubborn rebellious will if thou hast covetous or fleshly unchast desires and speculations if thou hast inordinate affections if thou art one of a vain vitious worldly filthy tongue if thy actions be any way sinfull the issue and product of a naughty evil heart try whether thy thoughts words actions or any thing of them think speak or do contrary to the laws of sobriety charity chastity justice or piety and which of all thy sins are more frequent and habituall and that which thou hast lived longest in and art ready to break out into act on the least touch of a temptation from within or from without thee that so by diligent inquiry and strict scrutiny you may come to the knowledge of your state and condition and do not give over this work untill you have found out your sins and which way they act II. Direction S. 3 2. Then your next business will be to aggravate your sins by all circumstances by bringing them to the test of Gods word and see what account God makes of them how he dislikes thy sin and every mans sins that are like thine and see what commands of God thou breakest by thy sinning thus and thus and what little cause thou hast to provoke God and break his most holy and righteous laws remember that by continuing in sin thou dost no less then oppose Gods mercies and Christs merits and slight his redeeming blood which he shed to deliver thee from thy sins and to cleanse thee from thy filthinesse which is all cast away upon thee if thou continue in thy sins and will prove an aggravation of thy guilt and damnation S. 4 By no means do not go about to lessen extenuate or excuse thy faults but say of every sin as David of his Against thee Lord have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight have mercy upon me and cleanse me from and pardon me this my great transgression III. Direction S. 5 3. Then lay before the Lord by Confession and spread them with all their aggravations and set them in order before thine â—wn eyes and take up a lamentation weep and mourn beat thy breast and wring thy hands and spend thy tears and groans and bemoan thy hard case thy sad condition and never think thou hast sorrowed complained confessed and despaired enough untill thy heart be broken for and broken from thy sins and know this that no man hath sorrowed to repentance sufficiently untill he doth lothe and leave heartily and willingly all and every one of his abominations no man hath repented savingly of his sins untill he hath attained a perfect hatred of his sins and remembers them with lothing and detestation When conversion comes that is when a man is on sound reformation and God hath touched his heart and is giving a new heart and nature Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that have not been good and shall lothe your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations S. 6 And this direction may serve to cut off all queries which deceived unsound hearts are asking How long and how much must a man grieve and sorrow and mourn and be sad Answer why so long and so much untill thy sins become odious and grievous to thee and thou leave off to do them any more and when this is done then hast thou performed that part of repentance throughly which consists of sorrow and mourning and not till then Be therefore humbled throughly bring your soul low and have a deep sense of misery because of sin and do not in this matter as most do onely believe your duty as an article of your faith
THE SINNERS REMEMBRANCER OR A serious Warning to the Wicked To prevent his Destruction and hasten his Reformation By RICH. PARR D. D. Rector of Bermondsey in Southwark Whereunto is added Christ's gracious Intentions of Peace and Mercy towards Sinners Quest What must I do to be saved Acts 16.30 Answ Repent and be converted that thy sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3.19 LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill 1663. To my Honoured Friend and Patron Sir EDMOND BOWYAR of Camerwell Knight And the Lady HESTER BOWYAR his vertuous Consort SIR MY obligations to you as my Patron from whom I received that Portion of subsistence here at Camerwell which Providence cast upon you to bestow and on me to receive for the support of the Ministry in this place together with that Relation I have to you and kidnesse for you as a friend and care of your soul as a Pastor have put me upon the dedication of these few serious thoughts about saving Reformation I cannot better express my Love and Respects to you then by wishing and labouring for you that you may be Eternally saved and no way can I find out otherwise to be effected then that you be a reall sincere convert I have observed for some years past that you make it much of your businesse to keep up communion with God both in publique and private which puts me in a great deal of hope you are in a fair way both to receive further counsell and to use all good means to bring about that in your soul and life which may fit you for that glory which is above in heaven I offer therefore these though but weak endeavours of mine in comparison of those many worthier labors of those Authors you have to converse withall to your serious consideration and if these adde any thing to you my mite will prove a mighty blessing The subject is weighty and if the arguments be so too then they claim your subjection for you must yield to Reason and you must follow the Directions or else you sin against the Reason of a man and the Rules of Religion and the happinesse of your own soul If you read what I have written without prejudice and prevarication and ponder without lightnesse and wavering if you put in practise every duty commanded and renounce every sin and forsake with invincible resolution in good earnest and without procrastination those sins be they many or few profitable or pleasurable open or secret which you your own self are tainted with and follow Christ fully and deny your self wholly and believe in the Lord Jesus and live Holily and continue so believing and so living to your dying day Then nothing in this present world can hinder your everlasting happinesse when you go hence But if you or any man follow their own in-bred naughtinesse and walk after the flesh and put off Reformation and live impenitent and die unconverted all the Angels in heaven nor men on earth nor treasures of riches nor all honours of this world nor greatnesse policie learning nor any thing nor all things can procure your justification pardon or salvation at last Nay if you live and die impenitent and in a state of unregeneracy and unconverted Christ himself will never own you nor will his precious blood be a propitiation for you This I suppose you know already and believe yet this I am bound to acquaint you withall as my full perswasion and after this rate you can testifie I have always preached for all the space I have been your monitor in this place and oh that both you and I and all that desire to be saved eternally may reduce all the doctrinalls about this point of Reformation into our constant practise and espouse the thoughts of these things into our most retired and serious consideration which will prove the rarest pleasure in the world and give the fullest satisfaction to that soul which is preparing for heaven Sir I need not say much more to you but to intreat you to peruse at your leisure these short monitions being An earnest Swasion to a speedy Reformation and if they give any advantage or help toward your great work that one thing necessary give God the praise and thanks And Madam For an advantage to those many good wishes I have for you your nearnesse of blood to one that is dearest to me of any person in this world makes me attempt this little tender of my Counsell to you also hoping that by your serious perusall you may either resolve to attain to what is wanting to make your conversion compleat or take occasion hereby to blesse God that it is already begun in you and in some good degree wrought and so labour to goe on in a course toward greater perfection in order to the accomplishment of that ever to be sought after and mightily to be longed for happinesse in heaven at your departure hence which is the enjoyment of Christ and the compleatly full and filling joyes at Gods right hand in the kingdome of glory And this is all the harm I wish you and that this may be both your Lot that you may be heirs together of the same grace which may put you through Christ into the full possession of the same Glory is the earnest desire to you and for you both of him who is one that loves you upon the best account And Your friend and servant for the work of Christ RI PARR Camerwell Jun. 25. 1660. The Contents of the Chapters in this Treatise CHAP. I. The Introduction Perswading every Soul to heed his own Salvation and endeavour it as his chiefest concernment and to consider it speedily seriously and wisely pag. 1. CHAP. II. The hopefull sinners prayer p. 14. CHAP. III. Of Reformation in the notion of it as it is intended for practise p. 20. CHAP. IV. Of mans state before Reformation implying the necessity of amendment p. 23. CHAP. V. Containing a catalogue of sins which are altogether inconsistent with the state of saving grace and doe most necessarily inferre damnation to them that are guilty and will not be reformed p. 31. Sect. I. Wilfull gnorance p. 34. Sect. II. Infidelity p. 36. Sect. III. Unrighteousness pag. 38. Sect. IV Idolatry p. 40. Sect. V. Adultery with Fornication Effeminatenesse Buggery Beastiality p. 43. Sect. VI. Drunkeness p. 46. Sect. VII Gluttony p. 49. Sect. VIII Covetousnesse p. 52. Sect. IX Murder p. 56. Sect. X. False and vain swearing p. 61. Sect. XI Lying p. 66. Sect. XII Theft and Sacriledg p. 69. Sect. XIII Disobedience and Rebellion p. 72. Sect. XIV Pride and Vain-glory. p. 81. Sect. XV. Schism and Heresie p. 85. Sect. XVI Witchcraft p. 92. Sect. XVII Hypocrisie p. 95. Sect. XVIII Apostasie p. 103. Sect. XIX Making light of gospel-Gospel-mercies and neglecting them p. 111. Sect. XX. Unfruitfulnesse under gracious means p. 123. CHAP. VI. An
threatned eternall punishment to every impenitent unconverted sinner S. 2 O Lord how wonderfull art thou in mercy and goodnesse I am one of those vile and miserable sinners whom thou hast often called to amendment to whom thou hast sent thy servants importunately beseeching that I would cease to do evill and learn to do well that I would but turn and live but hitherto I have not fully yeelded I have dear Lord too too often and too too long put thee off with excuses and when I could say nothing for my continuance in sinne nor against holy living and speedy reformation yet then have I delayed my necessary duty with a promise of reformation delaying from day to day that which I have promised and continually going on in that which I should renounce even to this day O Lord thou knowest it S. 3 Many opportunities have been given unto me much grace offered many Sabbaths many Sermons many Counsels many a check of Conscience many rebukes from the Lord in sad dispensations and all to reclaim me and long hast thou waited for my return that thou mightest pardon and be gracious But alas alas I have abused thy long-sufferance made light of thy invitations and all thy sweet and kind perswasions and fatherly corrections I have heard thy Messengers speaking to me time after time from the Lord saying often with tears in their eyes to me Regardlesse hard-hearted Wretch Oh do not do not the abominable things which I hate O why wilt thou die But all in vain my obstinate hard heart hath said There is no hope I will not change nor amend S. 4 Yea Lord although thy severe and dreadfull threats have come to my ears against such sins as I alas as I my self am guilty of and there is nothing that keepeth me on this side hell all this while but thy wonderfull mercy forbearing execution on such an evill doer as I have been and yet for all this my fool-hardy heart is set upon evill still S. 5 I have heard from thy Word Mat. 18.3 John 3.3 as it were from Heaven to me by name that Except I be converted I shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and yet I have not seriously minded it but to this day I have continued to follow lustfull desires and unchristian practises alas to this day too long But dear Lord wilt thou be intreated by me a vile sinner as I am now to move my heart effectually that I may set upon reformation to purpose Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean holy just sober and a sound convert thou hast bid me although a miserable sinner to ask according to thy will and thou hast promised to hear and grant S. 7 It is thy will most holy God that I should turn and live and it is the desire and earnest request of my soul that I may leave off all my ungodliness worldly lusts vanities and all my sins And that I may become a new man a sincere and holy Christian Lord help me and never leave me begin and finish my Reformation in heart and life make this little book an happy Instrument of mine Amendment Let the truths from thy word convince me let the Arguments perswade me let the reasons move me to a speedy practicall resolution let my many sins yet unreformed shame me and weary me let thy Threats deter me from sin let thy promises allure me to Holiness S. 8 Let thy Grace accompany my Endeavours this way let the few dayes I have to live and the great work I have yet to do for my soul drive me to hasten my Resolution let not sloth nor delusions nor any temptation or secular Interest whatsoever entice my poor soul from this work of self-Reformation I am Resolved to read consider and practice dear Lord help my Resolutions and further this happy work of reformation in my heart and life Say Lord for Christs sake to my soul Goe on and prosper Amen Amen S. 10 Now if thou canst truly from thy heart bewail thy former neglect and miscarriage and beg heartily of God to assist thee in this thy so great concernment then art thou hopefully prepared and in a fair way both to receive further Instruction and Resolution for thy saving Reformation And accordingly I shall in the name of God proceed with thee after this method In the first part of Reformation which consists in forsaking of all thy sins and evil practises To shew what is meant in this design by SAVING REFORMATION that you may understand your businesse To prove the absolute necessity of such a reformation in order to salvation that you may believe it To discover those sins which are in every instance inconsistent with saving reformation which if not forsaken in heart and life will infallibly bring destruction to thy soul at last that when you know them and the dreadfull consequence of them you may be induced to repent them to renounce them all without any further delay or hesitancie To give you some speciall Directions about this thing that it may prove Effectuall that your labour may not be lost but through the grace of God successefull To urge the duty upon you with undeniable arguments to move you to be speedy and practicall in Reformation And this is done in this first part about Reformation as it comprehends a turning from all Evill in heart and life a ceasing from sin in all its instances and appearances I doe in the Second part of Reformation which consists of an holy Life 1. Propose the practicals of saving conversion in all Christian performances and right orderly heavenly Conversation And shew likewise the absolute necessity of such a course of holy living to make our reformation complete and our salvation sure Lay down some Directions for the holy ordering of you life both fot Time and Duties Lastly I doe conclude with earnest motions to perform all the requisits to thy salvation constantly to the end And no man can set himself against or refuse to yield to all that is here moved for nor delay his reformation but he that hath forfeited his reason and all his interest in Christ and hath sold himself to wickedness and resolves to be miserable in despite of God and good Counsell and is grown desperate and means to cast away his precious soul for ever But I hope thou that hast read so far as this art not such an one and therefore I intreat you would seriously consider what is said to thee in each particular about thy speedy Reformation CHAP. III. Of Reformation in the notion of it as it is intended for practise S. 1 REformation which is the subject I am about to treat of is a word not very frequently used in Scripture but the thing I mean by it is in many places described And I chuse this term of Reformation because it comprehends what I mean to exhort you to and as it is a Vulgar word best known to such as I am
that thy wickedness thou art a dead man a lost man this will not be repealed thou must turn or die slight it not it is thy particular caveat as much as any is in the world S. 8 There is another such like place Ezek. 18. v. 20. to the end of the Chapter The summe is this Ezek. 18.20 that though God takes no pleasure at all that the wicked should die but that he should turn and live yet the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself and he that commits Iniquity and dyeth in them for the iniquity that he hath done shall he die but if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live Then the counsell is this v. 30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so Iniquity shall not be your ruine wherefore turn and live Can there be any more just and plain dealing then this Which is fitternow that thou shouldst turn from thy wicked ways or that God should abrogate this Law of his after all this warning given thee Consider this sinner and turn or expect to burn for ever S. 9 The next proof I bring out of the New Testament which shall not leave the least refuge of hope to any unreformed man that he may be saved and not converted I desire you be serious and consider them well and doe not turn them slightly over with an I hope I may be saved for all this for certainly as thou art alive thou must be reformed or thou canst not be saved Wilt thou believe what Christ hath said Mat. 18.3 Verily I say unto you Mat. 18.3 that except ye be converted ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heaven Jo. 3.3 and John 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God What think you of this doe you believe this in good earnest can you evade it If you think that God of his grace may save you wirhout such a reformation then see what Gods saving grace teaches all that may hope to be saved Titus 2.11 Tit. 2.11 The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared teaching that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And when this is done in sincerity then the 13. verse bids us Look for that blessed hope of heaven But untill this Reformation be wrought a turning from evil all ungodliness and living holy there is no hope of salvation And if you hope Christ will pardon and he will save thee without all this adoe consider what he himself hath said that an unreformed man shall not be saved And Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he and onely he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven And 't is the will of God thou shouldst reform and become holy just and good S. 10 And know further that Christ gave not himself for us that we might be saved without passing the strait gate of Reformation and conversion to heaven or to bring men per saltum immediately from their sinfull and ungodly practises to heaven without any more adoe No see Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works S. 11 See once more that Reformation which is a sorrow for and forsaking of all sinfull ways and a turning to God and holy living is absolutely necessary before God will pardon much less save any man * Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out No blotting out of sins no pardon without Repentance Esai 55.7 So Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord i. e. by an hearty and practical Reformation and then see what follows and not till then he will have mercy he will abundantly pardon You may likewise find that * 2 Pet. 3.9 God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance which doth infallibly imply that he that cometh not to repentance and a reforming repentance too must perish S. 12 And we find men that are not in a conformity to the will of God in heart and life and will not be reformed nor by any means brought to their Creators will and doe that which is good carrying upon them the black mark of desperate wickedness and a son of perdition a reprobate †Psal 50.17 To the wicked God saith what hast thou to doe with my covenant to mention it as though it belongeth to thee for it doth not seeing thou hatest to be reformed thou hatest instruction untill Reformation be wrought no promise of salvation to thee * Pro. 24.30 31. Because I have called and ye refused and have set at nought all my counsells and would none of my reproof nor leave off your folly your wickedness therefore shall destruction and anguish come upon you and you will cry and call upon me but I will not then hear you you shall not find me but shall be Recompensed according to your wayes Pro. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy S. 13 Many more Texts might be brought to confirm the point for the mind of God touching this very thing is so fully clearly and frequently revealed in Scripture of purpose to deterre and drive sinners from their evil courses and secure presumption and lest any excuse might be left to any wicked man why he doth not reform leave off to doe evil and learn to doe well seeing there is such a necessity for such a Reformation if a man meaneth to be saved S. 14 But I think I have sufficiently proved the duty and necessity of a sound Reformation by which you may perceive 't is not a trivall or indifferent thing I am perswading you to but weighty and of as much concerment to thee as thou valuest thy salvation for as it had been better never to have been then to be for ever miserable so assuredly as thou art a man or woman thou shalt never attain heaven nor escape eternall misery when thou diest except thou reform both in heart and life what is to be reformed while thou livest in this present world CHAP. V. Containing a catalogue of sins which are altogether inconsistent with the state of saving grace and doe most necessarily inferre and procure damnation to them that are guilty and will not be reformed S. 1 HAving shewn in the foregoing Chapters both the nature and necessity of reformation I come next and now to acquaint thee with some particular sins which to practice and continue in is death and every one if an actuall sinner in any of these doth not speedily repent of and reform and also if
and confess his fault and to sin no more in swearing And indeed every true Christian though he be not absolutely against taking a lawfull oath to a right end for the determining of a weighty controversie which nothing but his oath can put an end to yet one that truly fears God doth fear to take an oath Eccle. 9.2 and shrinkes to lay his hand on the Bible and trembles to take the name of the glorious God into his mouth knowing well the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain Exo. 20.7 how much more dreadfull is the severity of God against false swearers and perjured persons read Zachariah 5.3 4. Zech 5.3 4. This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that sweareth shall be cut off and this curse shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name Ezek. 21.23 c. and Malachi 3.5 I will come neer to you in judgment and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against FALSE SWEARERS He that calls God to witness in his vanity falshood and deceit God will witness against him and judge him for it and cast such out of his sight and none shall pray for false swearers Jer. 23.10 with verse 15 16. Jer. 23.10 15 16. But besides this of solemn swearing by which men become guilty of dishonouring Gods name and foul perjury and breach of faith there are too many and it may be thou art one of them that are given to vain swearing and oaths are become customary and a bravery and ungodly wretches they are also that use to swear in their common talk and to doe so is as great an evidence of base irreligiousness and a profane heart as possibly can be discovered t is to speak like a fool without reason without pleasure without honor such a custome of vain swearing renders a man detestable to God and all good men and all good men are offended at thee and ashamed of thee and all godly persons pitty thee and grieve for thee considering that quickly such an Atheisticall stupid irreligious fool must be in the flames of insupportable yet everlasting torments for his swearing S. 47 And if thou think this will be too great a severity for sudden eruptions of passions and inconsiderateness and petty oaths and swearing by things that are not God and without any malicious design then know that though thou make as light of the guilt as of thy swearing yet by it God is dishonoured Christs Law against swearing at all is violated as often as thou swearest and if you think t is no great matter to swear yet consider t is not a small offence to rebell against the Lord Jesus and so easily and customarily to cross his will and violate his Law And surely if for idle words we must be accountable at the day of judgment as it is evident Mat. 12.36 37. how much more shall the idle swearer be censured in that day S. 48 It may be thou in thy customary swearing dost not always swear by the greatest thou dost not use the name of GOD LORD CHRIST JESUS nor HOLY GHOST it may be thy oaths are not by his wounds blood cross passion or the like invented oaths of wretched and ungodly persons yet t is guilt enough to render thee for ever miserable without the mercy of God upon thy sincere repentance to pardon it If thou usest to swear at all by any thing any creature or any name of a thing reall or fained as such inventions men have sometimes or by heaven earth sun moon stars trees herbs stones beasts men the names of men body or the members of the body as by the head hand foot or the like or by my soul or life or faculties of the soul judgment will affections or by any of the graces of God which he vouchsafeth to man as by my faith or my charity or by my hope by my conscience all which when used in the form of an oath and in common discourse are utterly forbidden by our Saviour in his Sermon * 35 36 37. Mat. 5.33 34. Ye have heard that thou shalt not forswear thy self but I say unto you also swear not at all neither by the heaven nor the earth neither by Jerusalem neither shal◠thou swear by thy head James 5.12 And S. James gives the same prohibition from our Lord Christ Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor earth neither by any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay That is either affirmative or negative I or no without any oath for whatsoever is more then this cometh from evil 12. ult in the later end of the 12. verse and let your Yea be Yea let it be truth which you affirm lest you fall into condemnation S. 49 Now upon this account I beseech thee as thou art chary of thine own soul if thou art any way addicted to swearing either by great or little by God or his creatures or any other oath that speedily thou repent for thy sin committed this way already and reforme immediately or else thou wilt abide in a deadly state and under the guilt and curse of swearing falsly and vainly Remember thou art minded of this do not slight the admonition lest you fall under the condemnation of hell §. XI Lying S. 50 If thou hast been a liar an inventer of a falshood and uttered with thy tongue words contrary to the truth with an intention to deceive others or to please others by thy lying if of fear or for favor or gain thou hast spoken that which thy Conscience tels thee is not the truth or hast divulged that for truth which thou hast received and yet knowest it to be false and not so in it self what you endeavour to perswade another to believe then art thou guilty of lying S. 51 If thou seemest to others what thou art not either in word or deed then art thou a dissembling liar and if thou wouldst seem religious outwardly and yet in heart thou lovest and likest any sin or dislikest the holy righteous wayes of God then art thou an hypocritical liar if thou hast born false witness in any cause though never so trivial or for whatsoever advantage to thy self or any secular or religious interest yet 't is an heinous sin and thy lye brings more dishonor to God and Religion Rom. 3.8 and damage to thy own soul than any advantage can amount to by thy lye S. 52 If we mean to be the children of God we must not do evil nor make a lye though we think good may come of it yea all liars are said to be the children of the Devil Who is a liar from the beginning and the father of lies Joh. 8.44 And that you may understand the odiousness of this sin as no wise consistent with saving grace in the soul nor with
a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour for God hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God whose mercy love favour grace Christ Salvation and Gospel is despised and slighted S. 126 Why this making light of Christ and Salvation offered in the Gospel to thee for the eternal welfare of thy precious soul is as much as to say to God and Christ You may keep your grace and salvation to your self I have no such need of it I esteem not of grace and salvation so highly I can be without it I will have none of your favours on such terms I will not part with my present pleasure ease profit and enjoyments for your rich grace and glory hereafter let me alone with my own matters and concernments I have other business to look after which to me are of greater weight then the things you would press upon me c. Now can you think that God can take this kind of dealing from any one well or doe you imagine that God will be pleased with one that values or sets more by an Oxe or piece of metal a field barn tottering house or a moment of fleshly pleasure then by Christ and salvation S. 127 That men should make all things else of great concernment to them and make light of Christ and glory which are ten thousand times ten thousand times more worth to thee then all things else put them all together and yet to hear of these things but as a tale which may or may not be true and to account of these rich mercies proposed but as a strange thing or of no value or of very little advantage to one is it imaginable that God should not be highly displeased with that soul that despiseth Hosea 8. and slights and neglects that God sets so much by and so highly esteemes and by which he sets up and declareth the honour and excellency of his free grace to poor sinners Yes sure enough God is so much displeased at such that they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed by him and those that make light of his invitations to mercy he is always wroth with till destruction come full home upon your souls and those that by excuses put off Christ and grace as of a lesser concernment to them 1 Sam 2.30 and pretend secular business and interests as an answer to those sent from God to invite them to mercy and salvation Mar. 22. v. 5 7. upon the terms of the Gospel to close with Christ and doe actually refuse to come but either turn away their ear from hearing the message or shut up their heart from receiving of Christ or take no great heed to live according to the Gospel of Christ of such God hath determined that they shall never reap the benefit of grace Gospel and glory Read Christs own words For I say unto you Luke 14. v. 16.10 25. that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper no though it were provided for them and intended for them yet because they made light of the invitation and used excuses and undervalued the great things of their souls to base worldly bodily beggerly things and imployments therefore is the Lord angry to this conclusion SUCH SHALL NEVER TAST OF MY SUPPER S. 128 And you may further guess at the sinfulness of this slighting salvation by that which is said of those who despise the word of grace and ministry of this mercy who so despiseth the word shall be destroyed Pro. 13.13 Heb. 2.3 and how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation S. 129 The Prophet Esay makes mention of an intolerable wicked people by this that they will not hear the Law of the Lord but say unto the Seers See not and to the prophets Prophesie not unto us right things but get you out of the way turn aside cause the holy one to cease before us Wherefore thus saith the Lord because ye despise the word therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall whose breaking cometh suddenly as an instant as the breaking of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces c. Rom. 2.4 v. 5. So also see the aggravation of such mens sinfulness in that of St. Paul's correction to the Romans Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance not considering that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath c. S. 130 And this very slighting of the great things of God which he hath provided for the good of souls is one of the commonest sins under the Gospel and one of the most dangerous that can be named and yet men make light of it and scarcely will men be brought to be sensible of the neglects and slightings they shew toward Christ and salvation and therefore are seldome brought to repentance for it and yet may they not read that place of the Proverbs Because I have called and ye refused I stretched out my hand Prov. 1. v. 24. to the end and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsell and would none of my reproof and for this because they refused and would not take counsell but despised God shall make as light at your calamity when it comes as they did of his counsell and will no more hear them in their misery to help them then they would hear God when he would offer them means for prevention of their misery S. 131 Now seeing this making light of Gods gracious offers of Christ and salvation is a sin so great so common so dangerous so unanswerable and the dreadfull judgment of God so unavoidable for this neglect of salvation so freely purchased by Christ and so fully offered in the Gospel to thee be perswaded 1. to consider seriously whether thou art one of those who is guilty of this sin whom God may charge with this sin of making light of Christ and Gospel and grace and salvation 2. And if thou art guilty that forthwith thou wouldst repent and henceforth to thy dying day take heed thou never make light of the matters of thy salvation again any more S. 132 Examine thy self look into thy soul consider whether art thou not he that hast had a mean low cheap estimation of Christ and salvation I mean whether the things and business of religion and about sawing thy soul have not been more neglected by thee and slighted and less care cost and time spent about these then about earthly worldy things that concern but the body and fleshly part and so it is and thou are guilty of this great sin S. 133 1. If thou hast an ear to hear and yet refusest to give a listening ear to the publication of the message by the messengers of the Lord which revealeth
thou not one of those whom the Lord hath gathered from the heathen world and now through the mercy of God art within the pale of his Church under the daily influence of most gracious dispensations watered with the dews of Heaven breathed from the Spirit in all Gospel-ordinances S. 148 Hast thou not been taught the mind and will of God concerning thy conversation in this present world hast thou not the best example even the Lord Jesus Christ whom thou art commanded to imitate 1 John 2.6 and to walk as he walked are there not most full commands and most clear directions to be fruitfull and how to be fruitfull in good works and holy duties S. 149 Are there not promises freely made great reward richly prepared for all that are fruitfull in well-doing and as severe threats and menaces of severe punishments for all that are unfruitfull Esay 5.12.3 4 5 6. negligent and barren of good works so that it may be truly said of thee as of the vine in the Lords vineyard Now judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes Therefore now will I lay it wast it shall be troden down it shall be PRUNED no more nor digged more but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon it S. 150 Now surely God doth look thou shouldest bring forth fruit suitable to all the Lord hath done to thee in reference to thy fruitfulness and if thou hast not or meanest not to doe it in it's season then must you expect that God will be angry with thee to a severity cut thee up by the root and commit thee to the fire You have this determination in severall Scriptures from Christs own mouth recorded Mat. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire and in the Parable he saith unto the dresser of the vineyard Luke 13.7 behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground and Joh. 15.2 8. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away John 15.2 8. and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Herein is my Father glorified saith Christ that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples S. 151 And sure enough if it be our indispensable duty to bear fruit to God it must be our sin to be barren and fruitless Omission of what we should doe is as much against Gods will as the commission of what we should forbear we are to be judged at last and sentenced to eternal pain or pleasure according to our works good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing eternal life but unto those that obey not the truth indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 v. 7 8. Heb. 6.7 8. There is a severity pronounced to the unfruitfull as there is a blessing to the doers of his will For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for him that dresseth it receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned So it is with every man accordingly as he doth or doth not answer the provision care love guidance and mercy of God in an holy fruitfulness S. 152 'T is remarkable very much that determination of our Lord Christ at the last day concerning all men as to their everlasting condition he will then judge them and those that are sentenced to that horrid eternity of wo and misery are thus condemned for not doing but neglecting the works of charity pitty and compassion which was required of them they omitted to shew charity to the distressed and therefore are excluded Heaven and sent down to hell Mat. 25.41 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Why what have these poor wretches done that they must undergoe this dreadfull punishment why in the next words you shall see that there is no mention made of what evil they had done but what good they had omitted which they might and should have done For I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink naked and ye clothed me not a stranger and ye took me not in c. that is you had many objects of charity before you which if you had relieved I would have taken it as done to me my self and seeing you have not exercised that good work of charity you have merited the condemnation and have lost your reward and seeing you have omitted to doe good I le omit to give the possession of heaven and where will you obtain heaven if not from me And by this mayst thou see 't is evil enough to damn thee that thou hast omitted to doe the will of God suitable to the meanes and opportunities afforded thee to be fruitfull and abundant in the service of God For he that knoweth or may kow Gods will and to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin and he shall be severely punished with many stripes S. 153 Now doe I in the name of Christ most earnestly exhort thee seeing it is a matter of such dreadfull consequence to remain barren and unfruitfull as to faith James 4.17 Luke 12.47 48. piety righteousness charity and sobriety under the Gospel-teachings in the Church of God that thou wouldst no longer continue loitering lazie idle and unfruitfull but henceforth walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Col. 1.10 which you can never doe untill you be fruitfull in every good work S. 154 It may be thou art but a young man or woman yet thou hast heard often the word of faith and love and charity and patience and meekness humility and God doth expect some fruits of that word Hast thou exercised these graces and brought them forth in action doest thou believe and act according to that word of grace do the fruits of the Spirit appear in thy conversation yet if not hitherto hast thou been unprofitable 't is all cast away upon thee what God hath done to thee then hast thou received the grace of God in vain S. 155 I advise thee as young as thou art to repent thee heartily and bewail thy former barrenness and lay thy heart and set thy self to the practice of all good duties be much in prayer self-denial and frequent acts of piety and devotion and shew thy charity and goodness to those that are in distress what thou art able and hast opportunity S. 156 It may be thou art a man or woman of full
finall chastisement and eternal punishment S. 34 4ly For this I consider that the least sin that can be named be it but the sin of a vain word an irregular thought an impertinent and unprofitable action is able to undoe and overthrow millions of angels and a world of men if laid and charged on them and the reason is because of that poyson that is in it and 't is enough that it is sin and whatever hath the nature thereof is insupportable by any or all the concurrent strength of angels and men S. 35 Now if I have but the least exercise of my reason or religion how can I contentedly keep my sin how can I but I must forthwith renounce suppresse and cast quite away my sins be they great or small many or few For first when I shall seriously consider these following things 1. I consider that every sin is against God and every time I sin I fight against God and use it as my weapon with which I oppose resist offend contradict the GLORIOUS MAjESTIE of my gracious God that 't is a contrariety against him S. 36 1. To the holy nature of God sin is set forth in Scripture and that doth shew the maliciousness and exceeding desperateness of it where sin is termed a Rom. 8.7 enmity against God b Act. 7.51 resisting the holy Ghost c Act. 5.39 fighting against God and sinners are said while in their sins to walk d Levit. 26.21 28. contrary to God and e Isai 45.9 striving against God yea rising up in f Micah 2.8 rebellion against God And all these are expressions which demonstrate the nature of sin in the root and every branch and spring of the tree is of the same venomous quality in its measure and proportion and can any man think well of that which sets him against the glorious God and renders me an enemy to God and provoketh Gods displeasure against me Wo unto that soul that striveth with his maker Isai 45.9 how can the pot-sheard prevail against his maker how can chaffe stand before the wind how can a bramble withstand the fire S. 37 2. Sin is against the holy and righteous laws of God and by my sin I go about to evacuate and null the just and holy laws of God made to rule us by and when I sin I do in effect say I will not be ruled by those laws of God nor obey the will of God but I will resist his will and break his commands and will not have God for my God to reign over me but follow my own will the will of the flesh and obey the devill and his commands will I follow whatever the issue may be and what a damnable resolution is this yea what a desperate conclusion what wofull and dreadfull consequences will my sinning bring upon my soul if thus I set my self act against the commands of God which one day will be justified against me vile sinner S. 38 3. My continuance in sin in any sin is contrary to that most gracious design and purpose of God by which he willeth my freedome from the dominion filth and guilt of my sin and to put me in a state of holiness and happiness 1. God sent Christ his dear Son into the world on this design and on this errand he came and for this he spent his precious blood and laid down his life to redeeme me from my sins to be a sacrifice for me to destroy the work of the devil in me to wit my sin to slay that enmity in my cursed nature to abolish sin to rid me of my sin to make me a new creature to purge out the old leaven to separate me and my sin he gave himself for me to redeem me from all iniquity Tit. 2.12 14. and to purifie me and make me holy to teach me this lesson by his holy life and holy doctrine to avoid sin to resist temptations to live spotless in the world to renounce all ungodliness to call me to repentance for all my sins past and to lead a sober righteous and godly life in this present world and by his meritorious life and death hath procured this grace for me that through him I might be able to crucifie all my corruptions overcome all my sins and free me from every damning practise and so reconciling me to God and to turn my enmity against God to a harred of every false unholy disobedient way and practise and to be at peace with God And doe I not by my continuing in my sin frustrate this mercifull design and render my blessed Saviour undertaking and his great expence of no such great effect to me do not I while I keep my sin and act my shame and misery put a scorn upon Christs undertakings and trample his precious blood one drop of it being more worth then mountains of gold and precious stones 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 10.27 under foot as an unholy thing as a thing not effectual to redeem me from my vain conversation do I not by my continuance after all this in my sin render my self in such a state in which there is nothing can be expected less then a certain fearfull looking for of judgment see it plain Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary c. S. 39 2. My continuance in my sin is contrary to the gracious design of the Gospel and ministry of it which is appointed of mercy to my soul and to this end published to thee Act. 26.20 that it might be the happy instrument of thy conversion and to work thee off from thy sin and to perswade thee to let thy sins go Act. 20.21 and to build thee up in a most holy faith and life to turn me from sin to God from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God S. 40 And what are all those calls intreaties invitations wooings complainings menaces promises in the Gospel-administrations and all the labours watchings prayings and preachings and studies and teares and admonitions and warnings and to what end are sermons and sabbaths and sacraments for me why doth God rebuke and correct and inflict punishments upon sinners what are all these from the gracious God to me but so many varieties of arguments and so many importunities and instruments for this very end that I might leave off and cease to doe evil and learn to doe well to what purpose is all this cost but to bring my soul my life and sin asunder what is it for but this to cause me to leave and forsake that which God hates perfectly and that will undoe me certainly if â—â—ept 't is to perswade me to yeild to do no more any such act as God hates O doe not the thing that I hate saith God by all these his
dispensations and that is the upshot of all S. 41 Now while I continue in any sin what do I any less then cross the design of God by these means and so render my self inexcusable and oppose God in Christ and resist the Spirit of God in his word working and endeavouring by all means my conversion what am I less injurious to Gods grace and Christs love by my obstinacie and wilfullness then they of this sort which our Saviour speaks to in tears How often would I have gathered thee Luke 13.34 Luke 19.42 as a hen doth her chickens under her wings but ye would not O that thou hadst known even thou in this thy day and by these thy means the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes thou knewest not the time of mercies visitation but crossest the gracious design of thy invitation thou wilt not leave thy sins and now mercy is hid from thee and so my continuance in sin is a meer contradiction to my pardon and forgiveness you see S. 42 O how should this consideration cut me to the bone and pierce me to the heart when my continuing in sin is no less then the opposing the grace of God Its design is to bring me to repentance and forsaking sin that I might find mercy and favour from him who but a mad man or a fool would continue in his sin against such grace and so cross that design of God to bring thee poor wretch to happiness S. 43 I consider that as my sin is against God for 't is a pollution and so against his most holy nature which hath no defilement and 't is against his holy laws his good will purpose and gracious designs and makes the sinner and God at great dispute and controversie which is a state bad enough for a poor wicked wretch to be in yet I may further consider that my sin is against God and so bad enough though God notwithstanding my enmity and contrariety can well enough secure his own honour holiness and eternal happiness without impeachment or the least interruption or diminution yet 't is bad enough to me that I by my sin am become an enemy to God and God an enemy to me which is death and misery sure enough to the sinner I may further consider that as often as I sin I offer violence to my own soul my sin is against my own self it is the greatest wrong and injury I can do to my self and if I had any true love to my self that is to the eternal welfare of my best self my soul Pro. 8.36 I should forbear sinning He that sinneth against me that is against Christ wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death If I live in sin and will not repent of it and forbear it I work the greatest mischief I can against my self sinning is self-murthering I lay violent hands on my self if I would study to ruine my self for ever there is no way imaginable like this now mentioned of sinning and repeating the acts and continuing in any sinfull course to effect my utter destruction every sin is a deaths-wound although it kill me not out-right yet it leaves me for dead I am a condemned man I am dead in law and dead as to the acting any life of grace it may be I may have for a little while a name to live but indeed I am dead dead while I live in the world Such an one a sinner is as the Angel of the Church of Sardis reproveth Rev. 3 1. I know thy workes that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead S. 44 When I commit a sin I consider I doe that which for ought I know I may neither have the grace nor the space to repent of I may forget it I may make light of it or I may excuse it or defend it or maintain it I may be hardened in it and adde more to it and draw others to countenance and practise my sin and so still infect another with my plague and become an exemplar and promoter of wickedness and teach others to sin too and propagate iniquity and bring subjects to the devill and enlarge his kingdome O what an innumerable many of mischiefs do I bring upon my self and others when I sin And after all this if I do seem to be sorry for my so doing at the end of a vicious life I can have none assurance that I shall be pardoned but on the contrary most certain it is if I continue in my sin untill death I must be damned for all my repentance for Judas sinned and repented and despaired and was damned for all his repentance his sin for which he was accused and for which he hanged himself was but a sin and my transgression is a sin too and if Judas or Cain or a Simon Magus or a Julian be damned for their sins what advantage will it be for me if my sin be not so deep a dye so grim a complexion so horrid a sound as treasons and murder a betraying my Master and killing my Brother if I be cast into hell for my omissions of Gods commands and doing such things though but in the least instance which God hath absolutely forbidden When I consider this methinks I should dread sin as an ugly fiend as a devill of hell and shun it as a pest and a killing plague and repent me heartily that ever I committed any and resolve to commit it no more and the more I consider the more I should detest lothe shun renounce all and every wickedness and the more should I raise my resolution to sin no more as I have done lest as bad a thing befall me as hath befallen any of those whose destruction was most dreadfull God grant I may I hope I shall S. 55 3. I consider again that when I sin I injure my own soul 1. I wrong my knowledg I know I should not commit the sin I commit and yet I do it against my knowledge 2. I wrong my reason and judgment my reason and my judgment if it act clear tell me that there is no reason why I should serve sin but all the reason in the world why I should not sin thus and if I would yeild to reason I should not yeild to sin and yet I sin against my reason and judgment and wrong both 3. I wrong and offer violence to my conscience when I sin my conscience minds me that I must not commit this and that sin and it smites me when I do and it accuseth for my sinning when I have done it and yet I sin I do act against my conscience when I sin at all and how will my conscience endure this will not my conscience one day complain to God of me that I wronged it and did things contrary to it in despite of it and do I not wound and gash and tear my bosome friend when I sin do I not
make conscience my enemy too as well as God my enemy every time I commit a sin S. 56 4. Besides all this when I sin again wilfully with consent deliberately I break my baptismal vow and my rational Christian conscientious resolution I â—m engaged by vow and promise to forsake the devil to resist his temptations to renounce worldly lusts and fleshly lusts and every way that is contrary to Christ and holiness and I have or should peremptorily resolve against all manner of sin and yet when I sin voluntarily I violate my vow and break my promise and contradict my resolutions and render my self a covenant-breaker a perjured person an unfaithfull and unconstant a fickle and vain fool and bring guilt and disgrace sin and ignominie together upon my own soul and do I not wrong my self extremely in so doing can I do a greater mischief to my self then I do when I sin after all this can any thing disgrace me more debase me lower revile me more deservedly then this when I commit a sin and live in it is there any thing can deface the image of God in me which is my glory and honour my beauty and perfection then sin If I be poor and holy yet am I rich in grace and so am I honourable too though I want both worldly riches and honours but if I am a sinfull wretch though never so rich and great in the worlds account yet am I but a vile and deformed person a scorn and contemptible before God and Angells O there is nothing makes me ugly and deformed vile and contemptible but my sin do I not then wrong my self by sinning or is there any way imaginable whereby a man can do a greater or so great a mischief to himself then by acting and repeating his sins sure there is not any S. 57 5. When I consider the damage and irreparable loss I procure to my precious soul by my own sin I must conclude within my self that when I sin I wrong my own soul and fight against my own and contend for my own undoing 1. When I commit sin I make a breach between God and my own soul my sin is the make-bate not poverty nor affliction not sickness nor meanness of birth nor deformity of body nor any thing but sin doth make God at a distance from my soul but by sin I lose my innocency and sin away that which nothing can procure me which is much more worth then gold that which gold cannot purchase again the peace of conscience Isa 57.21 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked I provoke Gods anger and displeasure and tempt him to withdraw his favour from me and to bring forth treasures of wrath against me all the while I live in a sinning state I lose the benefit of repentance the benefit of Christs sufferings and intercession I bereave my soul of the indwelling of the spirit of comfort and banish by my sining Christ from my soul and grieve the holy Spirit of God so that he withdraws himself and leaves me desolate and alas what a sad loss hath the soul that hath lost Christ and the Spirit what a miserable condition is it to be without Christ and the Holy Ghost to be one that hath banished Christ and the Holy Spirit from his soul O how deplorable is that mans estate and yet such is the state of a wilfull sinner every man and woman that lives in the love liking and practice of sin and doth not repent and reform he doth not onely lose his best friends and best friendship but provokes them to be his very enemies Christ who loved thee and pittied thee and laid down his life for thee and weeps over thee and bled for thee and spared not his life to redeem thee from thy sins that he might have thee and yet for all this his unparallelled and unspeakable love and tender compassion wilt thou offer him all affronts and pierce and wound him with thy sins and trample upon all his worth and banish him quite away with thy unkind dealing what way couldst thou ever have thought on more ready and certain to deprive thy self of all the benefits of Christs transactions for sinners then by sinning still as thou doest Nay what way could a wicked heart have chosen that would study his own eternal losse and misery like this of sinning still and going on in his wickedness canst thou contrive any thing that will make Christ the best friend that ever poor sinner had thy mortal enemy then by continuing still to do wickedly Those mine enemies saith Christ of impenitent implacable and unruly rebells and sinners Luke 19.27 that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and stay them before me Where I see 't is possible that Christ may become a revenger Psal 2.12 and oh when his wrath is kindled yea but a little how dreadfull will be the appearance of this Lamb of God! how will all such sinners be forced to cry O mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne Rev. 6.16 17. and from the wrath of the lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand S. 58 2. I do not onely sin away my dear Jesus Christ and his spirit of comfort my best friends and make them my enemies which yet is bad enough God knows for me but I also sin away and lose by sinning my felicity my comforts my peace my happiness all my heaven on earth Alas what a poor miserable uncomfortable creature is a resolved sinner what is a man worth that hath lost the rich enjoyment of Gods favour and his own good conscience what an hell of darkness and horror is that soul in who hath lost the light of Gods countenance and peace of his own conscience Many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about so that the righteous and upright of heart the holy penitent may be glad in the Lord and take joy and delight themselves in the Lord he and he onely that is reformed hath those comforts and delights which wicked men know not nor can ever attain unto as long as they continue wicked S. 59 David though a great and potent Monarch found not that happiness in his crown which the world may think to be a felicity He doth not say I am a King and have many subjects at my command and a large dominion and much revenue Psal 4.6 7 8. and therefore am happy no but when he would comfort his soul and recount his worth and treasures saith Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us give David but Gods favour and love and he will single out him from all to make his joy full and his happiness complete Lord thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in he time when their corn and wine was
increased I will lay me down in peace c. how comfortably doth he take to his rest when he lyes down in Gods favour And had he kept his sin he had lost his peace and happinesse for you may see a glimpse of the sadnesse of his soul and unquietness in that 51. Psalm when he cryes out O his sin his sin Why David what hast thou done by sining what damage hath fallen on thee by thy sin why you shall see he lost his peace he lost the presence of Gods favour and by this his onely comfort and felicity he had lost The best Jewel in his Crown was dropt out when he lost Gods favour he cryes heartily for mercy the mercy of pardon the mercy of purification and cleaning from the filth of his sin the mercy of his restauration to those joys comforts and happiness he had in Gods favour which then were hid from him which was his misery Purge me and I shall be clean cleanse me from my sin and I shall have joy and gladness again Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation once more See how he mourns and prays and for what is it why t is that his sins may be abolished his guilt pardoned and his comforts restored which he had lost by his folly and which could never be restored but by repentance and leaving off his sin and untill this was gotten he knew he could never see happy day nor enjoy a minute of true comfort in all the world though it had been one paradise of pleasure And thus it will be with every one that goeth on in his sin Ah! at what a loss doth a sinner act and keep his sin And this is my case already and shortly it will be worse with me I know God and my Conscience will not long hold peace and be silent I am sure I must leave my sin or lose my comforts lose my quiet lose my felicity and espouse a quarrel that will admit of no reconciliation if I keep my sins I must never look God in the face more or expect to have the least good look of favour from his grace nor any friendly dealing from my own conscience but must be under perpetuall rebukes and accusations of a wronged conscience and when this comes to pass then farewell happy day no more comfort when God and my own conscience are against me As my sins increase true felicity ceaseth and my comforts wither and decay and alas how sadly doth that poor wretch think on death when it will prove but the execution of a rebell and a changing of this miserable life for an eternity of horror and reproch Ah! let me now consider whether my gain by sin any way will countervail this loss is it not more eligible and should it not be a matter of my choice infinitely rather to enjoy the favour of God and peace and tranquillity of my own conscience then whatever pleasure gain or other emolument might come to my flesh by sinning with the loss of my innocency integrity my happiness in Gods favour and that inward peace which is a continuall feast passing all outward delights whatsoever S. 60 3. Sin doth not onely banish God and happiness from my soul here for a season but the loss goeth higher still by my sin and continuance in it it loseth me the hopes of heaven it disappointeth my expectation of heaven how can I once hope to be saved while I practise those things which would throw me out of Heaven if it were possible for one to think on with delight in heaven how can I with reason conclude I shall be saved and yet live in a course contrary to the promises of salvation Heaven is a place of holiness as well as of happiness and no unclean thing shall enter into it there is not one there nor ever shall be that lived in actuall sin and died out of this world impenitent and unreformed how then can I with any face expect to be saved with my sin when God saith I shall not is heaven at my dispose or at Gods is it not his to give to whom he please can I force in against his will hath he not passed his word that no wicked man nor unrighteous nor adulterers nor whoremonger nor theif nor drunkard nor liar nor any impenitent sinner of any kind shall inherit the kingdome of heaven And shall I think God will revoke his decree and comply with the expectation of any vile sinner against his own truth honour and holiness may I hope to get to heaven whether God will or no no certainly I must leave my sin or leave off to hope any more that I shall be saved I must despair of salvation or I must depart from mine iniquity and get my sins pardoned and soul sanctified by a timely repentance and sound reformation or quit my claim to salvation and let fall my suit and expectation though I seek it beg for it desire it cry for it in my setled course of sinning I shall not find it nor attain it nay though I had to give and would freely give all I have Micah 6.7 8. and ten thousand times more then the whole world is worth to purchase heaven at the end of a vitious life it would not be accounted of it would not open heaven-gate to me it could not procure for me one glimpse of that glory which the Saints enjoy much less that full enjoyment which is laid up for those that repent and believe and live holily here and so persevere to the end of their dayes And now let me consider had I best leave my sin or my claim and hopes of heaven I may not keep both I must forgoe one either my sin here or my happiness hereafter will my sin be a sufficient compensation for the losse of heaven or heaven for the parting with my lusts will a base lust be of greater advantage to thy soul then heaven that thou makest so much of it and so little of salvation canst not brook the thoughts of parting with thy sin and yet canst well enough endure the thoughts of the loss of heaven is sin so pleasing a thing and holiness and heaven so uncomfortable that thou shouldest take such pleasure in unrighteousness and account grace and salvation such a burthen and loss canst thou not sustain with patience the loss of a child a friend the disappointment of a little carnall contentment or to be crossed in thy gratifying a vile lust and canst bear with contentedness the loss of thy God and Saviour thy joy and felicity for ever O sordid stupidity O stupid folly O desperate madness is it imaginable that such a thing as this should ever enter into the heart of any man that hath not forfeited his reason and sold himself to work wickedness or resolved to throw away his soul and undoe himself for ever and resolves to continue in his sin though it be with the loss of his salvation S. 61
and if it be thy case then my earnest request is that you would speed your reformation that it may be effected before you die I am sure it will doe you no harm to leave off your sensuall devilâ—ish courses and that speedily too unless it hurt you to be pardoned cleansed and eternally saved and certainly this can be no wrong unto thee to perswade thee to desist from doing such things which to do and continue in is not only thy shame and loss but thy undoing for ever be serious then in what further is offered in the following chapter for thy consideration to hasten thy reformation and to silence all objections to the contrary CHAP. X. Of some more moving thoughts which may help and draw a poor sinner to speedy resolution without further delay S. 71 HAving in the foregoing Chapter shewn both the ediousness and miserable consequences of sin and dreadfull expectation of a man going on in his wickedness I would now in this Chapter mind the sinner of what behoves him to do in the case in answer to the mercifull forbearing long-suffering and goodness of God which leads to repentance that so Gods lengthened-out patience toward thee a sinner to this time of thy life may no longer be abused by thy continuing any whit longer in thy sins which mercy will be wronged and affronted by thee if after all this forbearance accompanied with so many testimonies against sin and so many gracious calls and invitations to return from thy evil doings to serve the living God in new obedience if thou shouldst persevere and go on still in thy evil ways any further after such convictions how would it aggravate thy sins and heighten thy misery Therefore I would perswade thee to do that speedily which all wise men have done even now thou knowest thy faults to amend thy faults without putting off or objecting against thy speedy reformation Say I have the corruptions of my nature to be mortified my diseases to be healed the power of my lusts to be conquered the image of God to be repaired my sinfull practises to be amended many Acts of grace to be performed many temptations to be resisted and disappointed this present world with all its blandishments to be crucified this heart of mine must be brought to love Christ above all and all this cannot be done in a moment and then shall I put it off any longer have I any time to spend idlely or vainly any more that I can well spare from such imployments as these are to squander away about other foolish matters having so much to do of my own work yea say further I though on my ways and I am resolved to turn from all my evil courses and I will make hast and not delay to keep thy Commandements Thus did that true penitent David recorded for thy imitation in this point Psal 119.58 60. who saith I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy commandements I made hast and delayed not to keep thy commandements Now let me consider First and why should not I do so also is not my soul as dear to me as his to him S. 72.1 am not I as much engaged to Christ as he will not my sins undoe me as much as his would him do I not as much need reformation as any body if I am not already reformed or can I turn too soon may I fear of being too good a Christian too much a convert too much holy S. 73 May I not rather have cause to fear that if I do not reform now forthwith it may be too late hereafter I may not have space Deus poenitentibus veniam promisit sed omnibus paenitendi tempus non concessit Greg. or if I have I may not have the grace to repent and may I not be jealous having so much to do in the business of my soul that I shall not have time enough to do all my work There is no too much of that of which there can never be enough and I have heard that repentance may be too late but never can it be too soon one would think it reason a man should repent the very next minute after the committing of sin and yet men commit many sins and live long in them and think it yet too soon to leave them and repent of them or that they may do all the work of Reformation at once in a very trice as though there were a kind of sleight and dexterity to dispatch the great work of through-saving reformation in a moment when alas the whole life of the longest sinner is but enough scarce that unless we husband and improve our opportunities better then most in the world do this way and is it not yet time to look after thy souls reformation since there is so much past of thy life already and so little behind to come it may be not one week and thou hast much to do I am drawing neer to my end my sins increase and my time decreases if I have time enough yet 't is but enough for the great work I have to do and I cannot command time as much as I please for if it be not in my power to prolong my days and set me more limits to my life if I cannot say I will live till such an age and continue in perfect strength judgment and affections till that time if I cannot command repentance at pleasure and be my own judge and carver as to proportion how much and so much will serve my turn if I may not limit God to my proportion and allow him to accept as much of it as I am willing to perform and at what time and in what degree and then that God shall seal me a pardon and give me heaven upon my own conditions whether he will or no and fure this were high presumption and an arrogancie not to be born by a mortall much less by the glorious supreme Majesty of heaven who is Lord of all men their lives their strength their souls and all they have who hath the sole power and disposal of all things temporal spiritual and eternal all graces and glories and shall I dare think much lesse how can I hope that God will alter his decree and deny his prerogative and cancell the conditions of salvation and devest himself of that eternal Soveraignty and give it to me a base wretch onely that I may be wicked and continue as long in my sins as I will and then to make God serve my ends and countenance my rebellion and reward me for all the contempts of his offers and abusing his patience and long-sufferance with heavenly joys and a crown of glory at the end of a life that hath been spent in a direct contradiction to his most holy will Oh my soul let never such profanenesse enter into thy secrets let no such thoughts abide with thee set me never prescribe but let me stand to and yield to Gods prescription and
let me repent and reform speedily even nâ—w let me turn from my evil ways and thoughts and make no dispute of it this may be the accâ—pâ—able day this is the day of grace if God doth now move thee and thou art now under conviction that thou needest repentance and that 't is high time for thee to amend and to cast off all thy transgressions you must confesse at least that it is very fit you should though it may be you will not see it so absolutely necessary because of that blindness that is in thee S. 74 Yet know that if thou hast any conviction it is an hint from the Lord that this is the time you are to resolve and to stop as to your former course of sinning in any kind any more and to set heartily about the work of reformation in your own soul and life and you may expect Gods grace will not be wanting to thee to assist thee in and carry thee through the work and so will it prove the blessedst day thy eyes ever yet beheld S. 75 But secondly if this consideration move thee not to be speedy in thy reformation then think with thy self thus would I take it well and as sober counse from any man especially from one I think that loves me and that knows my danger and sees me going on in a course absolutely destructive to me and that will inevitably procure my utter undoing if he should not onely let me alone in it but perswade me to continue in that way which will certainly bring me to ruine saying well friend I perceive you are almost past recovery and the date of mercy is neer expiration and you are come to this point that except you turn speedily even now and alter your course you must perish eternally without remedy yet seeing you have no mind to leave off your sins go on and although God hath said except you repent and be converted you cannot be saved do no believe it let not that trouble thee thy sins and wickedness the devill and hell may prove better friends to thee and be more for thy advantage and bring more content to thee and happiness then timely reformation or pardon or the favour of God Christ or Heaven do not hearken to any counsell that may reclaim thee let no argument prevail to disswade thee from following thy own lewd and lustfull practises let no intreaties deterre thee why shouldst thou consider anything or thoâ—e â—reachers the holy messengers of the glorious God speaking unto thee though they woe thee with tears in their eyes saying Oh do not these abominable things which God hates do not yield so timely nor give back in the least oppose thy self thy sins to all they say or can do for thy eternal good if you die you die you can be but damned at last and is that so great a matter that thou shouldest cross thy self in the least or deny thy self any of those sweet damning sinfull actings no do not is it not much better to perish eternally then to undergoe now for a moment such a loss as to part with thy beloved sins or to contract the reproch and scoff of a few of thy ungodly companions whose favour and friendship in a way of sinning is far rather to be priced then the love and favour of God why will you hazard your interest in the pleasures and profits of the world and sweet company of your lusts now here in the flesh for heaven hereafter is heaven so much to be valued is the loss of that happiness or losing heaven so great a loss S. 76 Now how would you brook such doctrine as this is this good counsell would this be acceptable to you would you account such an one your friend indeed that should thus perswade thee or wouldest thou not take such language as the greatest Sarcasme most bitter taunt scorn and jeer that any man in the world could put upon or insult over thee withall wouldst thou not account him either a starke fool or one quite out of his wits distracted and mad that would counsell thee after this rate could you ever think such an one thy friend or that he means thee well or that he speaks what he thinks that would argue thee out of thy happiness into thy misery thus S. 77 Yet alas even so it is that my own heart deals thus with me all the while I go on in my sin and delay my reformation every suggestion from my self to which I yeild to put off my repentance and amendment is just such a counsell and the counsell of a naughty mans heart that hinders speedy resolution to become a new creature are the very same when articulated as you have here read S. 78 O then why should I ever yeild to that in my self and do that by my own counsell which I should dislike from another why should I delay my reformation upon that account which I should be ashamed to offer to another and abhorre any other should propose to me and yet for all this I do the same thing all the while I continue in my sin or wave or delay my turning from all and every one of my transgressions to serve the Lord Christ have I all this while cheated and befooled my self and shall I continue to do so injuriously still God forbid S. 79 Thirdly let me consider further that all the while I deferre and delay my repentance I do nothing lesse then give God the deniall who calls upon me now to break off my sins by repentance and every such deniall is a provocation and I sin as much by refusing to do that presently which I should immediately perform Therefore turn ye even unto me NOW saith the Lord with all your heart 〈…〉 And to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart This NOW is to DAY after so long a time while it is called to day and sure this is the present time that God looks for my return and if I put off by excuses or delaies do I not declare that I will not obey God and that I love my sins in that I will not part with them yet although I lose Gods favour by keeping them Is it not a proof that I intend to gratifie the devill and my lusts and do comply with him and my sin who would that I should this day say to God go and come again to morrow for I will keep my sins this day also and so the next day and every day as well as this for all that God saith or can do what is this but a tempting of God to cut me off in the midst of my sin can I do any thing that savours more of contempt and gainsaying then this Is it any other then giving sin and Satan the preeminence in my will and affections and a setting light by God and grace will my God endure this at my hand can I imagine he will take this well that I should deal so
unworthily with his grace and that I should give that to the devil and lust which I should pay unto God that is my ready and willing obedience how wicked a thing is it say I 'le serve the devil to day and God to morrow and yet doth not he resolve so that saith I will not heat thee O Lord to day as to this matter of repentance and reformation although I know it is thy will I should but to morrow or next week I may think on t ' and then and what then why then thou wilt be as bad yea worse then now and more ready to stand off then now for then the work will be more difficult thy sins increased thy heart more hardened thy God more highly displeased those cords of thy sins will be twisted to a stronger bond and that which this day a sinner might have broken off through grace assisting hereafter for thy wilfull delay thou will not be able to break for how can he repent when grace hath forsaken him and his sins have taken such fast hold on him S. 80 O then let me never serve my God with such put offs let me never more gratifie Satan and my lusts and give God the deniall by any more or further delays and deferring reformation why should I make any more rods for my back why should I adde more weight to my burthen why shall I by this days delay make much the more work for repentence while I have enough and too too much already as many sins as I can bear or am able to repent of as long as I live and surely if ever I become a true penitent I must be grieved at the heart that I deferred so long and of putting it off this day also if I be so foolish and presumptuous to adventure my soul upon continuance in this days sins with me all night which for ought I know may be the night my soul may be taken out of my body and then what will my loytering come to or what shall I be able to answer for my delays from day to day to the last day of my life we had sad examples of this in the parable of the rich man promising himself much time to sin in and pleasure in his sin Luke 12.16 17 18. yet is cut off in a night for all his hopes So we read of the vicious servant But if that evil servant say in his heart Mat. 24.48 my Lord delayeth his comming and shall smite his fellow-servants and eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O then let this be a warning to thee and do not delay thy reformation God will not delay his coming though fools abuse his patience nor will he spare thee if he find thee in thy sins in a state unconverted S. 81 Fourthly if I mean not yet to repent and turn from my evil thoughts and doings let me consider with what face can I ask leave of God to sin any longer against him may I intreat him for Christs sake to let me alone and be well pleased with me that following year though I defie him to his face and trample the blood of Christ under foot as I have done shall I say good Lord spare me that I may follow the flesh world and devil and fulfill the lusts of the flesh let me be thine enemy a little longer let me spit in thy face and abuse thy patience mercy and long-sufferance yet a while that I may fill up the measure of my wickedness and after I have done what I am able to despise thy grace and grieve thy holy Spirit then receive me into thy glory and give me the largest portion of the inheritance with thy Saints and faithfull seâ—vants in heaven S. 82 But I pray thee tell me sinner will this be fit to be said darest thou ask this of â—od if not why how dost thou dare to continue in that stare which thou art ashamed and afraid to ask a blessing on wilt thou beg of God leave to offend thy God to dishonour religion to contradict and violate his most holy laws and to murther thine own soul by sin for whom Christ died to save it from sin that it might live for ever with God S. 83 O dear soul think and think it seriously that he that means to continue in his sins doth mean also that God must either countenance his sinning and approve of his sinfull dealing or that God will smite him and cut him off in his high displeasure and which of these two is it likely the most holy and just God will do must you not then conclude either to leave off your sins speedily and by so doing to procure a pardon and mercy for Christs sake for what is past and do so wickedly no more for after-time or to dare God to his face and bid him doe his worst for you mean not to turn nor amend yet nor to go back from your purpose of staying a little longer in the old track of sinfull walking But methinks a man that hath but the lest right sound reason left him or counsell would not long be deliberating what to do in this case seeing 't is so evident that he dare not pray or ask leave of God to continue life that he may live to sin or that God would accept of his sinfull disobedience for an holy service but at last should he resolve to go no further in sins way but now with speed immediately turn from his sins ere he close his eyes to sleep lest it may prove his laâ—t nights repose on this side hell S. 84 Fifthly let me consider for a speeding motive to a speedy practical resolution whether or no is it of indispensable necessity and special concernment for me that some time or other ere I die I must be soundly converted and cease to do evil and to take off my heart from the love and consent to lusts motions and lead an holy harmlesse and heavenly life if it be necessary as no question it is then why is it not as necessary to me now as at another time as much my duty to day as to morrow Before I committed any sin actually it was my duty to abstain and forbear but after the first act of folly and evil immediately it is my duty to repent leave it off and cease from doing any more of it and if it had been good for me that I had never sinned sure it must be my next advantage to leave it as soon as possibly For next to that of committing no evil the best course I can take is to repent betimes and if it seem to any one that hereafter will be a fitter time then this present then it will fall out when hereafter
comes to be thy present it will be as much against thy will then as now it is and therefore unless I intend to put off my repentance and amendment my conversion and reformation for altogether and never to think on t ' more otherwise let me do that which I think to do this year or seven years hence NOW FORTHWITH and that is to forsake all that God dislikes in me and all that his holy word hath witnessed against and my conscience reproves me of without any more ado For I must not befool my self any longer with this opinion that sin will cease of it self and if it doth then sin leaves me I leave not sin Si autem vis agere poenitentiam quando jam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa Aug. or that pardon will be more easily obtained when I have sinned as much and as long as I can or that repentance will be more acceptable to God when I am forced to it and then too when my age and strength my understanding memory and affections fail me or that God will be pleased well enough with the refuse of my service after I have served the world the flesh and the devil with my prime and full strength and best affections as though God which deserves infinitely more then I can perform Irrisor est non poenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniteat non minuit peccata sua sed multiplicat Aug. would be put off with any thing or pleased and contented to be mocked by me a most vile wretch while I seem to offer that fag-end of my life which is fit neither for time nor ability to perform that service which God will account of for true repenoance and thorough-reformation S. 85 O let me never put the fair hopes I now have of obtaining mercy from God if I now set my heart to this my duty of reforming my life speedily to the hazard but while a price is put into my hand let me not be such a fool to cast it and so my self away and that for ever S. 86 Sixtly methink I should not delay any longer my reformation but speedily set my heart upon it and endeavour it to purpose considering that I would not for any worldly good miss the day of grace or that death should meet with me in my unregenerate state and for any thing I know to the contrary this may be the last day of my life or the last day of grace beyond which God will not wait any longer or give me any motion or help towards my conversion but he may in judgment seal up my heart harden it and sear my conscience that I may never so much as think on my condition any more or desire him heartily to heal me and convert me many men have come to this pass even to out-live the date of that mercy intended for them which if they had in time accepted would have brought a saving pardon and reformation to their souls and why should I adventure my salvation on an uncertainty while I may be sure of it if I take the offer while I may have it Besides why should I provoke God to withdraw his grace and cut me off in his displeasure for all the while every moment I live in sinfull impenitency and unconverted state I have nothing to do with any promise of mercy pardon or heaven I am under the curse of the law and power of Satan and go in danger of death and damnation and if death overtake me in my sins I am a lost soul and who can tell how neer he is to his last hour are you not hastening on to your end will time stay for you or can you call back yesterday whether I eat drink sleep play or work yet my time consumes and I am drawing toward my long home of eternity Oh that I may think still on this and make this concluding resolution of it even to speed my work the great business of my sound reformation and put it off for nobodies pleasure no not for any objection to the contrary nor any worldly advantage might be had upon the account of continuance in my sin if I rest in an unconverted state I am in a lamentable condition S. 87 Seventhly let me consider why should I delay this duty any longer but rather make hast to it and be diligent and constant in it seeing all the objections that have ever been made against speedy reformation and all the excuses and pretences for delaying this necessary work are both frivolous and of no weight and treacherous and pernicious how fully have they all been answered and how easy is it for a man of the meanest capacity to satisfy himself of the unreasonableness of all arguments may be produced by the most cunning Sophister against reformation and for procrastination and continuing in sinfull practices from day to day or but for one day longer And why then should I hearken to any thing that may he further insinuated to me from Satan or any of those his instruments which would cause my delay to the wrong of my poor soul CHAP. XI Of Temptations with their Answers §. I. Temptations answered S. 1 MY sins are not so great or not so many nor have I lived in them so long that I need make such hast out of them that I ought to be so much troubled for them or that I should despair of salvation though I never leave them S. 2 This favourable conceit of sin I believe hath betrayed many an unwise soul to their undoing Answ and men that have no mind to change their course have a mind to lessen their faults and to reduce them to a narrow compasse and minute instance how easy it is with men to do wonders in this kind when they have a mind to it but how difficult are far more easy matters when they are actions to be done with what facility doth a wicked man make his great sins little his many sins few and his little sins and few none at all or nothing but God will not be so indulgent to thy sins although thou art S. 3 Now can you not easily repel this temptation and refute this smooth opinion that it prevail not with thee so as to cause thee lay aside thy repentance for the present Thus my sins they are not great but are they not great nor many nor great But are they any at all though they are not many nor great yet they are more then I can reckon and greater then I can bear if I am guilty but of one kind of sin yet that is too much by one if I have acted that sin but once yet that is by once too often if I have lived but one day without repentance 't is a day too long I should not have sinned at all there was no necessity for it I had no command from God to sin neither did any decree of his enforce me to
continue to do that which made Adam the first good man and every man since guilty why should I imagine that God will like me well enough though I continue in my sins seeing he never liked them in any since the world began nor will he ever approve of the least as long as the world lasts nor for ever § III. Temptation answered S. 13 There is a third temptation which too much prevails with poor sinners to their hurt 3. Tempt keeping men in a carnall security and dangerous delay a sinner is convinced that he must repent and leave off his sins some time or other ere he die yet still puts it off and thinks within himself being deluded by a deceitfull heart That the time is not yet come I may as well reform hereafter many have lived I hope longer in their sins then I have done and yet have proved true penitents and I have heard of one theif that at the hour of his death upon the crosse repented and was accepted and therefore I need not be so holy yet I hope I have time enough and God hath as much mercy in store for me as for 〈…〉 and why may not I be as well accepted 〈◊〉 the thief on the crosse at last S. 14 A man may quickly answer to this and repell the temptation thus Answ that besides the unmannerliness of giving GOD the deniall when he calls thee to repentance and that impudency and madness which is in every plea and suggestion for countenance of and continuance in sinful practises against all reason conscience and religion there is I say besides that a great deal of folly and presumption in this temptation S. 15 As 1. you think the time for repentance and amendment not yet come why can any sinner repent too soon have you not more reason to fear the time of acceptance may be past then that the time of reformation should not yet be hath not God long enough born with thee already hast thou not put his intreaties off long enough am I sure of an other day after this or of acceptance when I please are the days and times of grace in thy power would a man that hath drunk poyson say to his Physitian I am poysoned and begin to swell and I fear my death and you have onely that which may help and recover me yet I desire you to forbear a day or two and let me alone I le try whether I may not do well enough without your physick and that onely remedy which is proper for one in my case do you think such a one did much regard his life that would deal so imprudently certainly every sinner that doth put off repentance and reformation dealeth worse and more foolishly with his soul though he means to be saved for sin is a poison which hath seased on the vitals and nothing but true repentance can help a sinner and yet wilt thou put this off Oh how hath sin bewitched thee is not the time come yet for remedy and yet now this present time even this moment thou art infected and even drawing on and expiring thy last S. 16 2. You think you may reform as well hereafter as now and you hope many that have lived longer then you and have resisted as many calls as you and given as many denialls as you and have sinned against as much knowledg as you have proved true penitents for all at last S. 17 How easily may sober wisdome repell and quickly stifle this foolish imagination Answ As WELL HEREAFTER and why not as well now as then now thou mayst do it hereafter thou mayst not do it the present opportunity is safer if not better and would not a wise man chuse the safest and the best nay this present is the time thou once resolvest on when formerly thou didst resolve upon hereafter O how many hereafters are come and past already with thee sinner and yet hast thou still an hereafter to count upon shortly thou wilt not have a hereafter to reckon upon unless you mean to reform and repent in hell which is indeed the hereafter for a now delaying and lingering sinner but be perswaded to cast out that foolish thought and let not God and the necessities of thy soul have any more of that go and come again to morrow there hath been too much of that already S. 18 And if you hope that sinners that have delayed longer then you have found true repentance at last S. 19 Pray consider 't is but a supposition how can you tell that they have O 't is a question and a thousand to one whether any such presumptuous sinner that gave Gods grace and reformation the deniall so often ever found true repentance or acceptance If repentance and reformation were finishable in a day or hour or in a few sad words and sorrowing expressions then there were some more probability but untill that can be made clear which I am sure never yet could be to me that a late and death-bed repentance and wish of conversion was ever sound and saving after a vitious life I shall never hope it will availe for my self if I put off purposely my amendment untill then God forbid I should S. 20 And to that of the thief upon the crosse I am sure that is not my case nor any mans case that lives in sin impenitent after all the Gospel-calls discoveries rebukes and admonitions 1. For who can tell whether he was not converted and brought to repentance while in priâ—on as soon as he heard of Christ and was moved to it by the spirit of God and on the crosse onely made a confession and declaration of his faith in Christ and sorrow for sin or 2. can I tell whether that were not the first call and opportunity ever was offered unto him and he took it this is not the first to thee and me by many and shall I think to fare as he did at the last that every day despise that which he accepted when first offered or 3. How can I tell whether ever I shall ever have so long a time and Christ so neer me as he had while on the tree I may be taken away suddenly and I am sure Christ will not again die on the crosse or come in the flesh to do such a miracle at his death as to convert and save a sinner in the same day or if it were possible to be imagined yet would it not be a hopeless expectation to think that Christ should come again to save any more sinners with a miracle seeing he hath appointed with no lesse then a miracle of mercy salvation now upon the account of true faith in him and sound repentance from sin and an holy reformation and by no other devise nor by any other means to be expected S. 21 And why should any thing prevail with me to delay my duty seeing this example you bring is no example for thee nor me or if it be '
it s but one of a thousand millions and I think the first and the last of that kind and shall I hazard my salvation upon that which I am not sure was ever parallel'd nor ever can in all circumstances And if you say God hath as much mercy in reserve for you as for another to this I answer 't is true if you do not abuse his mercy no more then any hath which did partake of that mercy suppose it possible that the mercy of God may come on a suddain and that repentance may be suggested in a moment 't is but a peradventure there is no promise that it shall many threats against that man that presumes on it there is very little likelyhood of it and is it not madnesse for any man to break his neck wilfully upon a presumption that there is skill enough and to make experiment of the art of a bone-setter but God hath no saving mercy for thee nor me nor any other except we answer the ends of his mercy that is to convert and reform to repent and obey in time But if I by continuing wicked abuse his mercy God in justice will punish me for my so abusing as well as for any other sinning otherwise there is mercy and forgiveness with God that he may be feared not that he may be abused and resisted He that feareth not to continue in his sin abuseth the grace and mercy of God and resisteth him ‑ IV. Temptation answered S. 22 There is a fourth suggestion from the flesh which much hinders reformation procures a poor sinner to delay it if not quite to put it off for altogether and 't is this for as a sinner is perswaded sometimes 't is so easie a thing to become a true penitent and a sound convert that it may be done in a trice and at any time with great facility and in any condition in old age sickness languishing dying with a few half words and two or three good wishes faint and feeble â—o on the other hand men are apt to believe to their damage and therefore set not about soul-reformation that 't is a business of exceeding difficulty trouble and vexation and a man may go a great way in it and yet come short of what is required 't is but in vain to set upon it as good never a whit as never the better 't is an imposition and task next to an impossibility I cannot endure the severity of repentance nor strict and holy living alas what a burthen farewell all my comforts when once I begin to reform and to be religious S. 23 This temptation would be quickly repelled and easily overcome Answ if a man would consider the absolute necessity of conversion and the possibility of it and also the helpes God hath afforded for the perfecting of this which is so necessary 'T is true the work is hard and difficult but not impossible and it must be performed and completed in its time parts and degrees or else it will not avail for justification except it be complete and to flesh and blood it will prove a taske very unwelcome crosse and burdensome But then let me consider I have a soul to save and directions of Gods word and absolute commands and if I set upon the duty I have the promises to encourage me and the grace of God to help me and the examples of the Saints gone before me in this work I have no sins nor corruptions but may be mortified nor any grace or vertue enjoyned me as my duty but I may through grace perform acceptably the fear being more then the taske the apprehension of the difficulty greater then the difficulty it self S. 24 But let be that it be hard at first so is every art and trade at the entrance into it and canst thou not endure the severity of repentance the injunctions of self deniall the duties of sobriety righteousness and piety why how then can you endure damnation How wilt endure the wrath of God the paines of hell the loss of heaven had I rather burn in hell for ever then forgoe the pleasures of sin for a season will it be a sadder condition to live an holy life here then to live for ever in misery when this life is ended if it were true what unregenerate men imagine of holy living that 't is a life of sadness melancholy and void of comfort which is most false and as great a reproch as the divel can cast upon religion yet seeing it is the way to blisse eternal joy and endless happiness what if I went mourning to my grave what though I lose all my carnal pleasures and worldly contentments for it should I be any loser by so doing would not heaven at last answer all my paines travail all my watching and praying and all duties of Christianity will not the enjoying of Christ and favour of God be a sufficient recompence for all my labour would not this one sentence fill my heart with joy at the last Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Master But if you hold off with this that you cannot do this as you should 't is indeed because you will not do it as you may you say you cannot but indeed you will not If you would but set about mortification and self-denial and resisting temptations and devote thy self to holy living thou wouldst be able to do one hundred times more in it towards reformation then now you do if you would not yeild to flesh and blood nor make provision for your lusts if you would not make use of excuses to keep you from your duty if you would not by delays and procrostinations put off the demands of God and thy poor soul repentance and reformation would not be so difficult not terrible to thee S. 25 But to be short thy through reformation be it hard or be it easie be it a matter of joy or grief be it a burden or be it a pleasure and what ever can be said against it it must be performed both by me and every one while the time of grace lasteth while I am in this present world or else I must never look to be saved this is the short and the long of it and after all disputes excuses lingerings delays it must come to this conclusion I must return repent and be converted or else I must never hope to see the face of God with comfort when all is said that the wit of man or the craft of the devill can invent against SPEEDY REFORMATION and sound conversion yet this word must stand that except I be converted as Christ hath said I shall never enter into the kingdome of Heaven Mat. 18.3 Joh. 3.3 and why should any body think that this plain and positive decree of Christ concerning us should either be baffled or abrogated O why should I listen any longer to any plea or excuse can be brought that might cause me either to put
off quite or delay my REFORMATION O that I may never more decline my necessary duty by excuses nor gratifie satan and wrong mine own soul by delays CHAP. XII Of some Queries S. 1 NOw for thy further conviction and speedier resolution about this great and necessary work of saving reformation I would intreat thee sinner in the Name of God to weigh seriously what is here offered unto thee and resolve to give an effectuall answer as you shall see cause and no more do I desire thee to do in this point then what in conscience you shall judge fit to be done in this case of speedy practicall Reformation and if you cannot rationally except against what I propose that you would forthwith yield and be perswaded to the thing and without more adoe set about this thy own work S. 2 Qu. 1 First of all I demand whether the things which I have been perswading thee to all along be thy duty and of absolute indispensible necessity in order to thy eternal salvation Or whether you think it an indifferent thing whether you be a true penitent and sound convert or no if you you do if it be of absolute necessity how can you in reason and conscience neglect it if you mean to be saved if it be thought but a matter of lesser moment and a thing indifferent then why Is CHRIST and why are all his ministers and the Scriptures so earnest with thee to reform and why is Satan the world and all the enemies to thy souls happiness so industrious to keep thee in thy sins and in an unreformed and unconverted estate you cannot conclude it a thing indifferent except you make it a thing indifferent whether you be eternally saved or damned eternally O then art thou perswaded of the necessity of reformation set about it speedily neglect it not S. 3 Qu. 2 Whether in good earnest do you not believe that JESUS CHRIST is very much offended and his grace and favour exceedingly abused and the worth of his blood extremely vilified by thee all the while thou continuest in thy wilfull sinning and in despite to his holiness and all he hath done and suffered to redeeme thee from all iniquity to serve him in new obedience all the days of thy life S. 4 Qu. 3 Whether if you refuse to amend and to cast away all your iniquities and become a sincere convert can you have any ground or reason to hope you shall be saved by Christ seeing he himself hath said Except you be converted Mat. 18.3 you cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven S. 5 Qu. 4 Whether do you think that those sins thy self art guilty of either in thought word or actions those thy omissions and commissions if not repented of and pardoned will be any hinderance to thy salvation or dost think that GOD doth esteem of thee never the worse for all thy evil practices but gives thee leave to be as bad as you will and will never call you to an account for all your misbehaviours have you any reason to be perswaded of this or of the contrary you cannot sure be so desperately wicked as to think so wickedly of God and Christ that he should be either pattern or patron of wickedness in any one living S. 6 Qu. 5 Whether do you in your judgment account happier he that continueth still in his sins and vitious course of living and dieth in that estate or he that doth repent betime and lead a godly sober and righteous life and dieth in that state which of these wouldst thou be and in which of these conditions wouldst thou be found when God shall call thee hence to appear at the judgment of the great day surely you cannot but wish you might dye the death of the righteous and fare as a godly man fareth at last Oh then why will you not conclude to live as the godly man liveth now S. 7 Qu. 6 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Whether dost thou not think that the time past of thy life is not enough and too much that thou hast served thy lusts and followed the devices and desires of thy naughty heart is it not now high time forthwith to forsake all sin and to betake thee to an holy life have not Satan sin the world and vanity had too much of thy hearts delight and affections but wilt thou give them yet more and serve them yet longer Alas how long canst thou doe better then to rid thy self of those sins and get clear of them that will slay thee and are ready every moment to make an end of thy daies and happiness together if thou nourish them or spare them or give but way to them S. 8 Qu. 7 Whether you suppose it a blemish or disgrace to thy birth breeding place relations and parts to become a true hearty penitent and holy person a disciple of Christ a child of God and an inheritor of immortall glory and of a vile person made an honorable Saint or is it not much more a blemish disgrace and dishonour to be a servant of sin a slave to Satan an enemy to Christ and a fire-brand of hell as every wicked unregenerate unholy man is is there any honour or credit like that of a Saint or any shame or ignomy like that of a wilfull beastly sinner sure there is not S. 9 Qu. 8 Would you not judge that man hard hearted and obstinate foolish and mad were it not thy own case who doth wilfully continue in sin and impenitency after all those gracious invitations and beseechings from the Lord to return after all those menaces and rebukes for sin after all those cheeks of thine own conscience and convictions of the necessity of reformation would you not deeme that man worthy of damnation that in despite of grace and all saving means will make away his soul and murther himself wilfully doth not he deserve to die eternally that will not receive a pardon upon such conditions as God doth promise a pardon which is that thou shouldest repent and lay down all rebellious thoughts and actions and return to thy obedience to God and his most holy just laws and government S. 10 Surely you would not esteem such an one meet for mercy that doth sin against mercy and that perseveres in wickedness Oh then dear soul let it never be said of thee that thou art the man that dost do so that it never be reported of thee that all the favours mercies and motions of Gods holy Spirit have been cast away upon thee Let it never be said of thee that God would have reformed thee and saved thee but thou wouldst not be reformed nor saved this way by ceasing to do evil Let it not be upon record against thee that all the means as preaching to thee praying for thee reproofs exhortations admonitions counsells calls directions from all the holy messengers of Christ beseeching thee and weeping to thee could never prevail with thee vile sinner with all the pains they
off the kind intreaties of Christ and those many invications to holiness it will trouble thee if ever thou come to be converted that thou wert not converted sooner that God and religion had not thy heart and service long agoe that thou didst not yield and resign up thy self when first thou wast moved to it that sin had so much and Christ so little of thy will and affections O then dear soul deferre not any longer but do that with all speed which you have now a fair opportunity to perform that is forthwith to leave off your known sins and betake your selves to a sober serious holy life so will you prevent your own molestation and your own misery III. Motive S. 4 3. Let the danger and dreadfulness of an unconverted state move thee speedily to get out of it by all possible means alas all the while I live unreformed I am under the curse of the Law and power of Satan a slave to lust and a son of perdition and if I chance to die in this estate my case and the already damned in hell will be the same they who died in their sins are miserable wretches and so shall I be as they are there is but a step between me and their sad condition and while I am on this side the grave in a sinning course following the motions of my lusts I am in a worse condition then the worst of creatures a toad in my ditch is better by much then a man in his sins unconverted unreformed And all the while I live in my sins I am unpardoned and am hastening to an eternity of misery I am in that broad way which leadeth straight on to destruction Oh then let my soul get quickly out of that way and from that state in which I walk in so much danger and which will most certainly carry me to the chambers of death and bring me under the eternall wrath of God IV. Motive S. 5 4. Let the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of thy life move thee to hasten thy reformation this night thy soul may be taken from thy body if not then within a very short time it must and it will be called to an account and oh what a sad day will it prove then when death opens the passage from a sinfull life to an endless misery when death puts an end to the pleasures of sin and gives a beginning to the pains of hell never to end S. 6 Therefore if you mean to prevent the miseries of a dying sinner you must destroy the sin ere you die and this requires your care and diligence your speed and quick dispatch Oh that you would be wise concerning your later end and leave not that to do at the last which can neither be well done nor accepted if it be put off till the last V. Motive S. 7 5. Another Motive to a speedy reformation let be that none of thy most pleasurable sinfull practices are half so pleasing to thee a sinner as the ways of godliness and exercise of vertues are to the true convert reformation if it be sound and universall will prove the rarest delight and content in the world and be of excellent satisfaction to thee Pro 3.15 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Tim. 6.6 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and godliness with contentment is great gaine profitable to all things having the promise of this life and that which is to come No life can be compared to a godly life for pleasure profit and contentment how quiet is the conscience of a devout holy Christian how sweet his sleep how calm and serene is his spirit that is at peace with God! how doth he rejoyce in the Lord what a merry life doth he lead and goeth on his way cheerfully to his home to his inheritance to his joys in heaven which he hath in prospect and is at the end of his race how doth that soul triumph in his victories that is daily resisting temptations and slaying his corruption how sweetly doth he passe his time that spends it in communion with God and delights of heaven But 't is farre otherwise with a wicked man that serves the interest of sin and studies to gratifie and serve his lusts in sinful actings Oh what a many plots doth he lay and paines doth he take to bring about his sin and then what shifts must be make to hide to excuse to maintain his sin what a many perplexing gripes of conscience and often terrours hath a wicked man within himself and besides the bitterness in the end of sinfull actions what a toile and weariness it is in the exercise of it so that truly a man may say of sin WHAT A WEARINESS IT IS to what purpose is all this cost and losse of time and exhausting the spirits and after all what pleasure hath a man or what content can accrue to any man upon the remembrance of his evil actings is not a holy harmless life spent in the exercise of purity and charity infinitely more to be desired for content and satisfaction were there nothing else to be found in the practise of godliness and vertues then what we find in themselves then in all the formes and modes in all or any the ways of vitiousness that can be named were there nothing else to be expected by way of punishment for my sinning then the enjoyment of the pleasures supposed to be in sin O then dear Christian let nothing keep thee back from leaving off every sinfull course nor from taking up the practise of holy living seeing nothing can bring true pleasure not content unto thy soul untill thou be habitually imployed in the duties of religion and practise of godliness VI. Motive S. 8 Finally Let this be a Motive to cast off all thy wickedness immediately and forthwith to follow Jesus Christ in an entire imitation of his holiness in a godly affection and conversation forasmuch as God hath born long enough with thee already and thou hast lived long enough in thy sins already Oh do not live any longer or spend any more of thy time to the will of the stesh but to the will of God for the time past of our life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousnesse excesse of wine and other sins 't is enough dear soul 't is enough and too much that we have done foolishly 't is high time to cease to do evil and to learn to do well and likewise consider what an honest how honorable how pleasant how profitable and how comely a thing it is to live a godly holy and heavenly life Oh let it never be said of thee that thou chusest thine own undoing by refusing to do what God requires of thee seeing all that God doth ask of thee and what ever is here exhorted to is for thine own eternall good glory and endlesse happinesse S. 9 And therefore to conclude I do in the name of Christ exhort thee Reader to be mindfull of thine own concernments and if there be any thing herein which if you follow to do would prejudice thy salvation then do it not but if the things here exhorted to that is a speedy through reformation in heart and life be of absolute necessity if thou meanest to be saved eternally then upon pain of damnation and as thou hopest to see Christ in glory and to be glorified with him do not forget to put it into speedy execution lest when you would if now you refuse you may not it may be too late or not accepted S. 10 I beseech thee therefore precious soul if there be in thee any hope of consolation from God if any love to Christ and thine own soul Rom. 12.3 if any mercy or tenderness of compassion toward thine own soul ready to be undone by reason of sin then think on these things and accordingly I beseech thee therefore by the mercies of God Eph. 4.22 23 24. that you be no more conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you put off concerning your former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness so shall you prevent eternal damnation and through the mercies of God in Christ obtain everlasting salvation which damnation cannot be avoided nor this salvation ever attained without a sound entire timely holy reformation which is the summe and finall conclusion of this my earnest perswasion by all those foregoing arguments in this first part the rest shall be set in order for thee in due time when this shall be so well proved as that by renouncing all thy sins thou wilt be in that blessed frame and serious Resolution to devote thy self to a godly course of holy living and therein to abide with God to THE END
Enumeration of more sins and wayes by which man offends God and contracts guilt to his soul of which he must be reformed ere he dies p. 132. Sect. I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption of nature p. 137. Sect. II. Vain thoughts p. 139. Sect. III. Idle words pag. 143. Sect. IV. Idle life p. 146. Sect. V. Omissions p. 149. Sect. VI. Dreames p. 152. Sect. VII Worldly Joy and Sorrow p. 155. Sect. VIII Unthankfulness and murmuring p. 160. Sect. IX Inconsiderateness and rash attempts p. 161. Sect. X. Worldly Confidence and trust p. 161. Sect. XI Vain and Erroneous opinions p. 164. Sect. XII Recreations p. 164. CHAP. VII Containing some reasons of specifying sins in the foregoing catalogues p. 168. I. Reason That thou mayst examine thy heart and life by them p. 169. II. Reason Of the quotations in the margent that one may be fully convinced of the infallibility of the execution of Gods decree p. 170. III. Reason Of the perswasion that you may see there is no impossibility of the thing perswaded unto viz. Reformation p. 171. IV. Reason Of perswasion because impenitency is a cursed state that which all thy sins could doe if repented of and forsaken that impenitency will doe it will damne thee pag. 172. V. A considerate sinners reasoning resolution to amend p. 173 174. CHAP. VIII Containing the main swasion and motion for a finall resolution and speedy practicall repentance and reformation p. 176. CHAP. IX Of some considerations about sin which may move a considerate person to lothe and leave his own sins resolutely without dispute p. 190. Sect. I. Consideration p. 192. Sect. II. Consideration p. 195. Sect. III. Consideration p. 199. Sect. IV. Consideration p. 201. Sect. V. Consideration p. 208. Sect. VI. Consideration p. 210. Sect. VII Consideration p. 212. Sect. VIII Consideration p. 221. Sect. IX Consideration p. 226. Sect. X. Consideration p. 229. CHAP. X. Of some more moving thoughts which may help and draw a poor sinner to speedy resolution without further delay p. 236. I. Thought p. 238. II. Thought p. 243. III. Thought p. 246. IV. Thought p. 250. V. Thought p. 252. VI. Thought p. 254. VII Thought p. 255. CHAP. XI Of Temptations with their Answers I. Temptation p. 256. II. Temptation p. 260. III. Temptation p. 263. IV. Temptation p. 269. CHAP. XII Of Queries I. Querie p. 273. II. Querie p. 274. III. Querie ibid. IV. Querie p. 275. V. Querie ibid. VI. Querie p. 276. VII Querie ibid. VIII Querie p. 277. CHAP. XIII Of Directions I. Direction pag. 280. II. Direction p. 281. III. Direction p. 282. IV. Direction p. 284. V. Direction p. 286. VI. Direction p. 288. VII Direction p. 289. VIII Direction p. 291. IX Direction p. 293. X. Direction p. 294. CHAP. XIV Of Motives I. Motive p. 297. II. Motive p. 299. III. Motive p. 300. IV. Motive p. 301. V. Motive p. 302. VI. Motive p. 304. AN EARNEST SWASION TO A Speedy and Practicall Reformation Carefully to be heeded and effectually performed by every particular person as indispensably necessary to his Salvation CHAP. I. Perswading every Soul to heed his own Salvation and endeavour it as his chiefest concernment and to consider it speedily seriously and wisely THE INTRODUCTION S. 1 CArest thou O man who art of a choice extraction endowed with supernaturall gifts made Lord of and more excellent then any of this visible Creation to whom the eternall God hath committed Talents of Reason Consideration Will Affection and an Immortal Soul whom God hath designed to sublime employment and immediate enjoyment of thy Creator to make thy full and everlasting happinesse which is yet to come should I doubt thou carest not whether thou be saved or damned be for ever miserable or for ever happy when thou goest out of this world S. 2 Thou art hastening apace to thy long home to an unchangeable State consider shortly thou must die thy Soul and body parted asunder and from this world and present enjoyments within a few days it may be hours thou must appear in another world to abide either with God Angels and Saints in Heaven or with Devils and Reprobates and damned wretches for ever in Hell and shall I doubt thou believest not this or that thou carest not which of these two so contrary events befall thee or that t is a thing indifferent to thee to be saved or damned in the other world S. 3 Far be it from thee precious Soul to be carelesse of this thy so great concernment S. 4 I have met with some indeed that have made a mock of sin and heard of others that have made a jest of Hell and a scoffe of Heaven but such are either fools or madmen besotted deluded beguiled inconsiderate desperate wretches bellowing beasts not believing men S. 5 But thou I hope although a sinner art not so far gone as desperately to throw away thy precious Soul at once nor yet so proud so obstinate or hardened as to refuse reject and despise these saving Counsels now put into thy hand that may deliver thee from sin and misery and dispose thee for Holinesse and happinesse if thou take them up into thy mind and considerest them seriously S. 6 A sinner thou art as surely as thy mothers child thy judgement corruptly blind thy will perverted thy affections disordered thy whole nature polluted and spoiled thou hast been and art thou not so still to this day one that hath brought forth an innumerable spawn of Actuall sins of vile and ugly shapes in several kinds S. 7 Thou hast repeated those acts of sin to the Aggravation of thy guilt and shame thou canst not tell how often Thou hast it may be uttered many a vain unnecessary and false oath thou hast spoken thou knowest not how many idle unsavory reprochfull revengefull passionate bitter wanton unholy unchristian words with that tongue of thine thou hast forged and told in jest and earnest many a lye and falshood hast thou not S. 8 Thou hast t is likely conceived and declared much prejudice against the wayes worship and servants of God and carried thy self contemptuously toward all the meanes and persons that would reclaim thee S. 9 Hast thou not been intemperate in meats and drinks clothing recreations so as thou canst not reckon all thy excesses this way S. 10 Didst thou never wrong any one in name body soul goods nor require to other evil for evil and very frequently evil for good to the great dishonor of God and Religion and prejudice of thy neighbour and thy own poor soul S. 11 Hast thou not been an enticer or tempter of others to sin who it may be are either hardened in those evill waies or damned already for those sins thou wast the occasion of by thy example encouragement counsel or toleration S. 12 Thou hast neglected to pay thy vows and engaged homage to God thy Creator Redeemer and Preserver and that very often S. 13 Thou hast t is probable come