requires not or do it in a manner he regards not They are like the Son that said to his Father I go Sir but went not Mat. 21.30 But shall we take it for granted that thou wilt worship him but wilt thou do it in truth and sincerity otherwise God will not regard it I fear we may say of many as Joshua of Israel Josh 24.19 You cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God but is it your Resolution as theirs was in the verses following Nay but we will serve the Lord and that you will choose the Lord to serve him consider what you do you must take him to be your God and be willing to have your Souls cleansed from all your sins and must be willing to take the Lord Jesus Christ as he is offered in the Gospel to be your Lord and Husband and be as willing to be ruled by him as saved by him and must resolve to obey his Laws and do his will and live in the performance of those spiritual duties he requires at at thy hand Yea thou must have a setled Resolution to cleave to Christ and obey him even in the most despised disgraceful dangerous difficult and costly part of duty Though it be to the loss of thy worldly enjoyments yea and life it self I know many would pick of choose their duties this they would do but that they would not they scum of the Fat and sweet of duty but leave that which is difficult or dangerous but God will have no such Servants obey him thou must though thy Father Mother and all thy Friends become thine Enemies upon the account yea in some cases thou must not only leave but hate Father and Mother c. yea thy own life for his sake yea though thou loose thy credit and esteem in the World and be made a scorn and a reproach for his sake though thou loose thy pleasure and never see merry day whilst thou livest though it endanger thy Estate and bring thee to Poverty though thou loose thy Liberty and be cast into a Prison yea though thou loose thy life and be brought to a Stake to suffer yea though thou seest few or none walk that same way with thee Noah must obey God though the whole World disobey him yea thou must obey him though his commands be never so contrary to thy carnal interest or never so opposite to flesh and blood and though they are never so hard or difficult or dangerous or costly before ever thou take upon thee the profession of Religion sit down first and reckon the charges lest like many thou begin to build and be unable to finish it and not like many put their hands to the Plow and then look back or like the stony ground when persecution ariseth presently are offended resolve to give him thy heart with thy hand or he will have none of thee he knows the heart and trie the reins and thou canst not deceive him with a dissembling shew when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire he slew them When Ananias and Saphira played the Hypocrite he struck them dead Cleanse thy heart therefore if thou wilt serve him and serve him thou must or do worse Thou canst never err on that hand in serving him too well he deserves more and better than thou canst give him his wages will be beyond thy work now that I may prevail with thee to serve God take these following Motives 1. Motive We should worship and serve the Lord our God because he hath commanded us so to do and his command makes it our duty we are his Creatures and we owe our selves and all that we have to him for our Creation He made us and therefore hath most right to us He made us for his service and therefore 't is all the reason in the World that we should serve him for who is the Pot but the Potters and this is the service he requires of us to worship him according to his will and praise him for his benefits this is all he requires at our hands even this Tribute of praise and shall we be so ingrateful to our great Benefactour to deny him this Nay we are his also by right of Redemption for we had sold our selves unto slavery even to Sathan and were become Bond-slaves to this hellish Pharaoh who exercised more cruelty to our Souls than ever Pharaoh did to the Bodies of the Israelites and in the slavery had remained for ever had not God sent his own Son to ransome us with the loss of his life and the shedding of his pretious blood Satan was the strong man armed that kept his house in peace till Christ a stronger than he disarmed him and took away his weapons wherein he boasted And now being bought with a price we should glorifie God with our Bodies and with our Souls which are Gods The end he aimed at in our Redemption was his own glory as well as our liberty and this he expects from our hands is we being delivered from the fear of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our Lives Luk. 2.74,75 Nay we are also his by Covenant under our Hand and Seal in our Baptisme we were dedicated to his service which Covenant since we have often ratified at the Sacrament of the Supper and how can we deny our own act and deed He is our Lord and we should worship him Psal 45 1â— Now that worship and service is required of us is evident Scripture and Reason speaks as much 2 Kings 17.36 You shall not fear other Gods nor bow your selves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them but the Lord who brought you out of the Land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm him shall ye fear ond him shall ye worship and to him you shall do sacrifice and his statutes and his ordinances ye shall observe Exod. 34.4 You shall worship no other God but him the like we have Exod. 20.50 1 Chron. 16.29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name bring an Offering and an Oblation before him worship him in the beauty of holiness Yea Christ himself preacheth this doctrine when the Divil tempted him to fall down and worship him he answered It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4.8 Yea he directs us with what worship to worship him John 4.23,24 The true worshippers worship him in Spirit and in Truth God is a Spirit and those that worship him must worship him in Spirit and of this spiritual worship we may also read Phil. 3.3 Or will you hear the counsel of an Angel from Heaven you have it Rev. 19.10 Worship God yea this is the practice of the Angels the work they do and the work that the Angels and gloryfied Saints shall do through all Eternity Heb. 1.6 But what are Testimonies in so plain a case few deny it though few
his Death and Resurrection are promised as also Remission of Sins Mark 1.4 Yea Salvation also Tit. 3.4 By this Ordinance we give up our selves unto Christ Rom. 6.34 Now what are the Ends thou aimest at in this Ordinance when thou presentest thy Child to be Baptized Is it the Duty as well as the Priviledge thou regardest Dost thou Enter him into the Covenant with an intent to Dedicate him to the Lord and Train him up in his fear to bring him into God's Family and make him a Member of his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 1â— 13 For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body to make him a Member of the Church Gal. 3.27 That he may be Holy to Marry him unto Christ c 't is well If only Custom not Conscience move thee thy Ends are bad and thy Actions Sinful 4. Direct Rest not in the Common Priviledges of this Sacrament take not up with Common favours but lay hold by Faith upon the main Benefit What priviledge will it be to be Listed into Christ's Army when we neither fight his Battles nor receive his Pay Or to be entred into his School if we be not Taught nor Instructed by him to be of the Number of those that Worship God when it is not in Truth and Sincerity To make a visible Profession without the practice to have a Name to Live and be dead or to have a Name to be a Child of God without the priviledges of Children To be a Member of the visible Church and no Member of Christ's Mystical Body To adhere to the Vine and not be Planted in it To be distinguished from those without the pale of the Church as Jews and Heathens and not from rotten Members as Hypocrites and Dissemblers To have a form of Godliness without the power and practice of Holiness Alas these things are common to good and bad as Circumcision did difference the Jews from all other People yet most of them were strangers yea Enemies to God for all are not Israel that are of Israel But 't is the Circumcision of the Heart that differenceth them from the World So 't is here Baptism differenceth Christians from others but 't is the Baptism of the Spirit that differenceth the good from the bad Yet these External Priviledges ought not to be sleighted as the Apostle Argues at large Rom. 3.1,2 c. yet ought they not to be trusted to or rested in The main thing intended in this Ordinance is that Christ and all his benefits be Sealed up unto the Soul therefore lay hold by Faith upon these things or thy Labour will be lost This Sacrament is the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 The sign of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 Lay hold therefore upon Christ in the Ordinance yea upon whole Christ as he is offered in the Sacrament for Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and with him Grace and Glory is to be had But if thou take up any thing under Christ the Ordinance will be of little worth to thee When thou bringest thy Child therefore to the Ordinance take not up with Common Benefits lay out for Christ and satisfie not thy self without him The Ordinance of it self is but a dry and empty Husk Christ is the Kirnel 't is as a Well Christ is the Water and what good will a dry Well do thee 'T is but a broken Cistern if trusted to it can hold no Water What is a little cold Water applyed to the Body if the Water of Life be not applyed to the Soul Be thou Real in thy Dedication of thy Child to God and really Act Faith upon the Promise that God may bestow his Son upon him Thou mayst find in Scripture footing for thy Faith many Divine and precious Promises made by God Consider such Scriptures as these Rom. 6.38 As many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his Death c. And if we be dead with Christ we believe we shall also Live with him 1 Pet. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us c. Mark 3.11 Heb. 1.9 John 3.5 Heb. 10.22.24 Gal. 3.16 Luke 3.3 Acts 12.16 22.16 Eph. 5.26 Titus 3.5 1 John 1.7 The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sins which Blood is here signified by this Baptismal Water Here thy Faith may find a Foundation sure and stedfast take up with nothing short of Christ bring the word of Promise along with thee to the Ordinance press God with his Word he cannot deny it but without the Promise the Ordinance is of little Efficacy But thus doing thou wilt find it a refreshing Ordinance Christ and all his Benefits may be found in this Baptismal Water yea whatsoever is necessary for the Soul Perswade thy self therefore that seeing such Scripture expressions hold forth the Sacrament to be the Laver of Regeneration and the New Birth to wash from sin and is Instrumental to our Salvation and Sealeth up the Covenant yea Christ and all his Benefits to the Soul No doubt it will be so to thee and to thy Children if the failing be not on your part When thou seest the Minister apply the Baptismal water to the Body of thy Infant do thou by Faith behold God the Father applying Christ his Merits his Blood and Benefits to the Soul and as verily as thou seest the one done Sacramentally so verily do thou believe the other to be done really and truly 'T is the coming to the Sacrament without Faith and without the word of Promise that makes it seem so empty and vain but doubtless there is a rich supply to be had If we suck we shall be satisfied the Well indeed is deep and Faith is the Bucket If we have no Bucket we are like to have no Water 5. Direct That this Sacrament of Baptism be rightly Administred it is necessary that it be done agreeably to the mind and will of God expressed in his Word for God will have his own work done in his own way he hath not left it to Man to use his own will in his Worship But we must follow the Pattern and Example he hath left us and Obey the Precept and Command he hath given us and be directed by Scripture Light and perform the Duty in a right manner and form as well as to a right End 'T is necessary therefore in the first place that it be Administred by a Lawful Minister 't is the work of those that are in Commission and we find not any Commission Sealed unto any other than the Apostles and their Successors the Ministers of Christ set apart by God and the Church for this and other Holy Duties for the work of the Ministry that this is part of their Commission we may read Mat. 28.19,20 Go Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I Commanded you and loe I am with you always even
to the End of the World Those therefore that run before they are sent and incroach upon this holy Ordinance without a Call let them remember the sin of Corah Dathan and Abiram and also their Punishment for incroaching upon the Priests Office And as he must be rightly Called so he should be rightly Qualified for the work that he may not only know but also Teach the People the Nature End Use and Benefit of this Sacrament that he bring not forth a dumb Idol which neither he nor the People know nor Understand The Subject Recipient ought also to be rightly Qualified if he be of Years of Discretion he should know the Principles of Religion the Nature End and Use of the Sacrament He should profess Faith in and submission to Christ And if they are Infants the Parents should be thus Qualified The Church they have their Duties too 'T is their Duty not only to be Spectators but to joyn Hand and Heart in the Work that they beg of God for the Party Baptized that not only the Sign and Seal but the Grace of the Covenant may be conferred and that a Seed may be sown in this Ordinance that in time may spring forth 'T is necessary also that a right Element be used viz. water true Natural water without any Sophistication mixture or Composition for this is agreeable to the will of Christ and the Papists Addition of Salt Spittle and Cream is a Humane Invention and no wise pleasing to God We find Christ was Baptized with water and the Apostles used no other The River Jordan Salem and other places were frequented to this End Thus the Eunuch thus Cornelius were Baptized and this is most suitable to the End for which it was Ordained and best Answers the Type and Shadow of it in the time of the Law and serves best to signifie and Represent the blood of Christ for as water is of a mundifying Nature so is the Blood of Christ unto the Soul and this also is agreeable unto Antiquity water being always used in the Primitive Time Niciphorus Reports when a Minister for want of Water used Sand in Baptizing a Man that Baptism was by the Church accounted a Nullity and the Man was after Baptized with water And it must also be done in a Lawful and due manner Form the External Form consists in the Ministers words and Actions For words 't is not Lawful for him to use what words he pleaseth but the words of Institution he must Baptize in the Name of the Father the Son and of the Holy Ghost And his Actions should be agreeable to his Words and so he must either dip or dive the Baptized Party into the water or pour or sprinkle water upon him 'T is conceived in the Primitive Time in those Hot Countreys dipping in the water was most used which in some places especially in those cold Countreys the Church hath altered for God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Scripture seems to hold forth many favourable Instances for washing or sprinkling Heb. 9.10.19.20,21 Acts 2.42 16.33 Mark 7.4 It is not like that all these were dipped the word in the Original signifies washing whether by Diving into the water or by pouring water upon Eph. 5.26 Titus 3.5 For as Circumcision applyed to one part of the Body did suffice so Baptism though the water be not applyed to the whole may yet signifie the blood of Christ applyed to the Soul and the Conscience is said to be sprinkled with this Blood for as a little Bread and a little Wine signifies whole Christ so a little water signifies his Blood and serve to seal the Covenant as well as more 6. Direct When thou hast solemnly entered thus into Covenant with the Lord and his Vows are upon thee and accepted the Offered Sacrament and set to thy Seal and obliged thy self to the performance know then 't is thy Duty to perform thy Vows unto the Almighty remember with whom thou Covenantest 'T is with one that cannot be deceived and that will not be mocked and one that is well able to avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant and that will avenge it if thou perform it not It was wise Solomon's Counsel Eccl. 5.4,5 When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed Better it is that thou shouldest not Vow than to Vow and not perform Thou hast in thy Baptism Dedicated thy self up to God and bound over thy self to his Obedience thou hast taken Press-mony from him and engaged thy self to fight his Battles and to be an Enemy to his Enemies And canst thou without horrid Treachery fight the Devils Battles against him Thou hast vowed thy self against Sin the World and the Devil and wilt thou take part with them against God It is Death for a Souldier to leave his Colours and side with the Enemy and is it nothing to leave God when we have taken Press-money and Pay from him and joyn with the Devil against him What benefit canst thou then expect by thy Baptism or what good is it like to do thee Simon Magus was Baptized but had little benefit by his Baptism he was still in the gaul of Bitterness and in the bonds of Iniquity and had no part or lot in the benefits of the Covenant If Herod made Conscience of a rash and unlawful Oath how much more should Christians of so serious so solemn so Beneficial a Covenant The keeping whereof would make them everlastingly Happy and the breach thereof will make them eternally Miserable What horrid Treachery is it for thee to vow Service unto God and to perform it to the Devil and the World To carry God's Mark in thy Fore-head and the Devils Brand in thy Heart To call thy self a Christian and Live the Life of an Heathen or Infidel What is this but to put a Sheeps skin upon a Wolves back Or the Kings stamp upon counterfeit Coin Consider if thou do thus Baptism will be so far from saving thee that it will condemn thee and the Baptismal water that was cast upon thee will prove like the water of Jealousie unto the defiled Woman Num. 5.27 it will be attended with a visible judgment and prove a Curse and not a Blessing What benefit dost thou intend to receive by it Dost expect the Benefit of the Covenant Dost imagine that God is engaged to thee and not thee to him Thou art much deceived if thou break with him thou dis-ingagest him God indeed Offers Christ if thou wilt receive him and promises upon that Condition to be a reconciled Father to thee to give thee Remission of sin Regeneration Adoption and Glory for ever and hereunto he puts this Seal to the Covenant And thou promisest upon thy part to accept of Christ upon the offered terms vowedst Obedience to him and Dedicatest thy self to his Service and thereupon acceptest the offered Sacrament and settest thy Seal to the
Covenant Now if thou perform thy part God will doubtless perform his Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one tittle of his Word shall pass especially that given and ratified under his Hand and Seal but if thou break with him and accept not of those Mercies upon the required Conditions God is not engaged to make good what is thus Conditionally promised in the Covenant unless thou canst prove it to be an absolute grant that all that are thus Baptized Live how they list shall be saved and then the Ministers Scriptures yea Spirit and all are of little use No no God will cashire and disband such Souldiers and cast out such Non-proficients out of his School and such unfaithful Servants out of his Family But alas how many of these may we find in the World That Vow Obedience to Christ and perform Service to the Devil If he bid them swear they will swear if he bid them be drunk they will Obey Yea many that though they would be loath to break their word with Man much more their Vow or their Oath yet make nothing of these Sacramental Vows But consider God will not lose by thee neither thy sin or Obedience can hurt or benefit him but the benefit or damage will accrue to thy own Soul 7. Direct Make a right Use of thy Baptism and improve it through the whole course of thy Life for the Efficacy of it is not limitted or bound up to any moment of Time but is a Flower that never loseth savour a Jewel that never loseth it's virtue 'T is a Fountain that never is drawn dry And breasts of Consolation where thou mayst suck and be satisfied Those that use it onely as an Idle Ceremony that never improve it or look after it when 't is once past and make no Advantage or Use of it are more foolish than those that take great care to have the Evidences of their Land Sealed and never make use of the Inheritance thereby conveyed Use it therefore for the best Advantage for thy Soul This is a needful though much neglected Duty The serious Consideration of the End and Use of Baptism and the benefits and priviledges Sealed up by it to us and ours and our own ingagements therein to God may be of great Use to us in the whole course of our Lives in many cases and conditions Baptism may be compared to the Marriage knot by virtue whereof the Wife lays claim not only to her Husband but whatsoever is her Husbands and 't is as a Seal to an Evidence which ratifies it and makes it Authentick and adds force and Efficacy to it Baptism though not to be iterated or renewed yet the Covenant thereby once Sealed remains Authentick for ever till we pluck off the Seal or renounce the Covenant This is a notable means to put us on to mourn for our Sins and therefore 't is called the Baptism of Repentance as it doth oblige us to Repent for the consideration of our Miscarriages towards God since we gave up our selves to him and the falling short of what we have promised and might have been and done may well keep us humble and penitent When we are tempted to sin and to break the Commands of God by sin we may look back to our Covenants to the contrary and the Vows which we have made and it may terrrifie us to think that we should break such a Covenant with God when we make some conscience of Promise to Man Think with thy self have I dedicated my self to God What Sacriledge is it What perfidious Treachery is it now to Serve the Devil his sworn Enemy Hast thou Vowed Obedience to thy Maker and promised to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh how then canst thou think to look God in the Face at the last day if now thou sidest with his greatest Enemies Was thy Body washed with water signifying the blood of Christ and shall thy Soul be still defiled Wilt thou return with the Dog to the Vomit and the washed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire How may the consideration of this fill thee with shame and sorrow Hence also thou mayst set Faith on work to fetch virtue from the Death and Resurrection of Christ to kill sin in thee and raise thee up to newness of Life for if thou be Buried with him in Baptism 't is thy Duty thus to do Rom. 6.3,4,5 When Corruption is strong fetch strength hence to weaken it when Grace is weak hence thou mayst strengthen it This is an excellent means to assure thee of thy Salvation of the Pardon of thy sins and the rest of the Mercies promised in the Covenant for the Covenant being ratified and Sealed what should hinder the performance God doubtless is real in his Promise and true in his Covenant he did not intend to deceive thee by an empty Ceremony or set his Seal to a blank No no nor if thou revoke not he will not revoke Is not this the Sacrament of Regeneration Is it not called the Laver of Regeneration Signifying the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins Yea of Salvation 't is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 Hath not God given thee a pledge in thine Hand of his Gracious meaning towards thee And what need hath he to dissemble with thee Doth he gain any thing by thee Yea though thou art relapsed yet look back to thy Covenant and return See God's Advice in such a case Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. God will not depart till thou art willing to let him go And from hence also you may fetch Arguments for Brotherly Love among Saints we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body and therefore should sympathize each with other as the Members do Those are some of the daily Fruits you may gather of this Tree many more grow upon it CHAP. X. Directions in Receiving the Sacrament THE next Duty to be spoken to is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which is an Ordinance of God wherein by the External signs of Bread and Wine set apart and Sanctified to that End and Use and duly Administred by God's appointment the Lord signifieth and Sealeth up the Truth of his Covenant to his Elect and they Seal up their Covenant with him This Sacrament is a Sign to Represent a Seal to Confirm and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul The principal Efficient Cause or Author of this Sacrament is the whole Trinity but especially Christ who is the Angel of the Covenant he it is that made the Covenant and ratified it with his Blood and therefore it must be he that adds the Seals he makes the Promises and must make them good The Essential parts or Matter of the Sacrament are either External or Internal the one perceived by our Bodily Eyes the other by the Eye of Faith The External is
the outward Signs or Symbols viz. Bread and Wine which though they are not changed into the Body and Blood of Christ as the Papists Teach yet are they not naked bare or empty things but such as really exhibit yea Seal Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul No other Bread nor Wine in the World though a drop a bit were worth a Kingdom are to be compared hereunto The Internal Matter is Christ and all his Graces these are signified resembled exhibited and applyed by the outward Elements The Form is that which gives a Being and perfection to the Matter without the which this Bread and Wine would be but Common Bread and Wine This also is External or Internal the External Form consists in the Lawful Administration and participation of it according to God's Word the Internal Form is the Union between the Sign and the thing signified Now this Sacramental Union is an Act of God's Spirit by whose virtue Christ his Merits and Benefits are not only resembled and presented to the mind but are really made one with the Elements yet this Union is not Natural according to place for there is no mutation of the Sign into the thing signified neither is the thing signified included or fastened to the thing signifying it cannot be a local Union that Christ's Body should be locally present with the Sign for Christ's Body though Glorified cannot be in all places at once Neither is it a Physical Union as if of two United losing their proper Forms should by a mixture make a third but 't is a Spiritual Union whereby the Lord Jesus is really conveyed to the Soul for besides his Divine presence and the presence of his Spirit he is present with his Body and Blood not locally but Sacramentally he is Symbolically present to the mind he is present Spiritually by the Eye of Faith Efficaciously present though absent in Place yet we find the fruit of his presence in our Spirits the Ends of the Sacrament are the confirmation of our Faith the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace and to be a Badge or Note of our Profession to be a pledge of our Obedience to and Communion with Christ and a Testimony of our Society with the Church and may seem as a Prospective Glass to view Christ afar off In the Covenant God promises to be our God and the God of our Seed and sets to his Seal and we Seal the Counterpane and ingage that we and ours will Serve the Lord and by virtue of this Covenant so mutually entred into all the Promises and Benefits of the Covenant are ours so that you see a right receiving of this Sacrament is of very great Concernment and the unworthy Receiving is very dangerous Here is Manna for a believing Soul but Poyson to an unworthy Receiver This nourished Peter but Poysoned Judas it feeds the good but kills the bad it makes some better and some worse some more Holy and some more Prophane it increaseth Grace where Grace is but increaseth Guilt where Grace is wanting 'T is like the Sun when it shines upon a Garden of Herbs it makes them smell more odoriferously when upon a Dung-Hill it makes it smell more fulsomly 'T is like the passing through the Red Sea safe to Israel dangerous to the Egyptians he that brings strange Fire he shall be burnt by it Lev. 10.3 God will be Honoured by those that draw near to him he that comes without a Wedding Garment shall go away not with Grace in his Heart but with Bolts upon his Heels Mat. 22.12 According to a mans preparation such is like to be his Entertainment He that Sows nothing shall Reap nothing and he that Soweth Vanity shall Reap Folly and he that Sows sparingly shall Reap little 2 Cor. 9.6 He that taketh most care and pains is like to have the best Crop Me-thinks there needs no more Motives to perswade you than the benefit of worthy Receiving and the danger of the contrary the one hath his Grace increased the other his sin the one hath his Salvation Sealed up the other without Repentance his Damnation He hath God's Curse under Seal and they Eat and Drink their own Damnation and are guilty of Christ's Death 1. Direct If thou wouldst partake of the Sacrament worthily thou must Examine thy self whether thou hast those Habitual Qualifications which are requisite for so Holy a Duty There are several Graces that must be Exercised at this time but how can a Man Act Grace that hath it not He that comes to the Wedding Feast without a Wedding Garment is not like to be a welcom Guest Mat. 22.12 Without Grace in Exercise this Ordinance will do thee little good Thou mayst indeed eat the Bread and drink the Wine these are bodily Actions but without Faith thou canst not feed upon Christ in the Ordinance and what good will a bit of Bread or a sup of Wine do thee Faith is the Hand that receives him the Mouth that feeds upon him and the Stomach that digests him and sucks sweetness from him Try whether thou hast Spiritual Life a Man by Nature is dead in sins and Trespasses and without Regeneration he remains thus and what good will a Feast do to a Dead Man If you put Meat into a Dead Man's mouth what is he benefited by it Will it nourish him Can he eat it swallow or Digest it when he cannot Exercise any Act of Life without which Food will be in vain No more can this Sacrament nourish till a Man be Regenerated and new born and have a Principle of Spiritual Life put into him A wicked Man is a Stranger to the Covenant of Grace he hath not the required Qualifications neither doth he intend to keep the Condition and what then hath he to do with the Seal Or what hope can he have of the Priviledges If a Man hath Evidences for Lands mutually Signed and Sealed if he fail in the Covenants on his part how can he expect another should make good his A wicked Man is Uncircumcised in Heart and those that were not circumcised were not permitted to eat the Passeover to which the Lord's Supper Answers Exod. 12.43 Now these Habitual Qualifications are such as the Scripture requires and such as make up the Wedding Garment And a Man should have Evidences to shew before he lay claim to such an Ordinance he should be in Covenant before he receive the Seal of the Covenant This Ordinance is not for the begetting but for the strengthening of Grace The Apostle to this End bids a Man Examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup 1 Cor. 11.28,29 For he that eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body The word Examine signifies to take a strict Account of himself and make a diligent search into himself as whether he be Gold or dross whether he be chaff or Wheat
it would be but a further aggravation of them and provoke the Lord to Anger and not to Compassion If thy Fast be private confess all the evil thou knowest by thy self till thou canst say with a good Conscience I have kept nothing back Now this pressing Sin upon thy Soul is called a renting of the Heart Joel 2.13 Rent your Hearts and not your Garments An Afflicting of the Soul Lev. 16.29 In it you shall Afflict your souls and do no work at all Lev. 23.29 Whatsoever Soul shall not be Afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his People Consider the Corruptions of thy Heart thy Natural Corruptions consider the Number of thy by-past sins and the weight of thy present remaining Corruptions the wrath of God is kindled against thee for them and the danger thy Soul is in of Hell by reason of them Consider sin in it's own Nature is the worst of Evils and the cause of all other Evils 't is the foulest thing in the World yea fouler than the Devil himself for that made him foul and could he be stript of his sin he would return to his Angelical Glory Consider it in the Causes it had it's Original from the Devil himself he was the first Sinner and the cause of sin in Men and the Child very much resembles the Father Consider the Law of God of which sin is a transgression 't is Holy Just and Good and no reason can be given why it should not be Obeyed Consider the Person against whom thou sinnest and it is against God himself who is the chiefest Good yea the Fountain of all thy Mercies One to whom thou owest thy self and all thou hast he that is thy Creator and made thee 't is he that maintaineth thee at his own Cost and Charges One that is able to save thee or destroy thee Consider it in the woful Effects of it 't is the Cause of all thy Judgments felt or feared yea of Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Judgments For the Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Consider it in the price that was paid to free thy Soul from the Guilt and filth of it and that was the precious Blood of the Son of God who lost his Life to Ransom Souls from the slavery of Satan and his Blood to wash away their scarlet sins The serious Consideration of these things will much further thy Humiliation and Soul-Affliction And when thou hast thus made thy Heart to bleed for thy sins go to God for a Plaister but what good will a Plaister do before there is a Wound Beg of him the Pardon of thy sin and not only so but power against it Renew thy Covenant with him of better Obedience not only purpose but promise amendment of Life resolve against sin for the time to come Every sin thou confessest let it be with a strong resolution to meddle no more with it This is that Spiritual Fast from sin which is every Christians Duty to Fast from Food and not from filthiness from pleasure and not from profaness from sleep and not from sin is the Devils Fast such Fasts he keeps and such will be kept in Hell But the contrary was David's humbling of his Soul with Fasting Psal 69.10 In which there must be a confession of sin an Accusation for it a detestation of it and also self-condemnation And though Prayer at all times should be fervent yet especially now in such a Duty this is called a Crying mightily unto God Joel 1.14 Jonah 3.8 And thou shouldst bring Faith along with thee believing thou shalt prevail which may be grounded upon the many promises made to this Duty and the Experiences we have in Scripture of the success Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Esther Niniveh and many other may witness nay where was it ever in Scripture faithfully performed without success Alms-deeds also should be added Isa 58.6,7 Yea we should testifie our Humiliation by our ready forgiving of others and assisting those that stand in need Beg also those many things that are wanting for thy self the Church or State and as in the Law Sacrifices and Offerings were given to God Sacrifice thy sin to him and Offer to him the Calves of thy Lips Prayer and praise Dedicate thy self a Living Sacrifice and devote thy self to his Service 5. Direct The next thing considerable is the time when this Duty is to be performed and in this as in other things the Papists differ from us They prescribe set times for Fasting as necessary to be kept and sinful if not observed We hold that there are no such fixed times to be observed But the Duty is incumbent on us as Occasions are offered 'T is true there is mention made of a day Lev. 16.29 but this was Ceremonial and ended with the rest of the Typs and Shadows and there is mention also made of the Fast in the fifth and seventh Moneth Zach. 7.5 And of the fourth fifth seventh and tenth Moneth Zach. 8.19 but this was during the Captivity and so just occasion was offered for Publique Humiliation but what is this to our business We had the like every Moneth in times of War and publick Calamity And it is fit we should have upon such Occasions But what is this to our stated times whether Occasion be or no When there is some great Judgment lying upon us or some Eminent Danger hanging over our Heads then 't is a suitable time for this Exercise We find in Scripture that there were Fasts kept by Believers in all Ages upon emergent Occasions thus Samuel and the People Fasted and besought the Lord in their danger 1 Sam. 7.6,7 And thus David besought the Lord by Prayer and Fasting for the Life of his Child when it was Sick 2 Sam. 12.16 And thus he besought the Lord for Jerusalem when a sore Judgment from God was upon it 1 Chron. 21.16 The Inhabitants of Jabish Gilead Fasted and humbled themselves when Saul and Jonathan were Slain and Israel put to flight 1 Sam. 31.15 And Jehosophat in his Fear Proclaims a Fast when he knew not what to do yet had he his Eyes up to God 2 Chron. 20.3 And Nehemiah when he heard of the Destruction of Jerusalem humbled himself by Fasting Nehem. 1.4 And Esther and the Jews when the Writings were Signed and the time was set when they should all have been destroyed Esther 4.1,2 c. And Ezra when he apprehended danger at hand Ezra 8.21 Yea this is the Course which the Lord himself Adviseth to in times of danger or Publick Calamity Joel 2.12,13 having threatned a sore Judgment he adds Therefore now saith the Lord turn ye unto me with all your Hearts and with Fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and Merciful c. And this Course the Ninivites did take and it succeeded Jonah 3.5.8 Yea Ahab humbled himself when
thou may'st be take these Directions for Private Duties 1. Direct The first Duty I shall mention but not of least concernment is self-examination This indeed is private for it is between thee and thine own heart Be often enquiring at home what state thy Soul stands in to God and what interest thou hast in the Blood of Christ and what Title to Heaven this is a necessary though much neglected Duty Many that cast up their Shops to see whether they grow or decrease in the World and try their Evidences for their Lands to see that they are good take not so much pains for the Soul to see whether all be well there Union and Communion with God is a Christians chiefest happiness and without this there can be no felicity though we have the influence of all Earthly enjoyments yea though we had the Honours Riches and Pleasures of a thousand Worlds for all these end in a Snuff and will prove vanishing fading transitory things The Soul of Man is a precious Piece and therefore should be most regarded 'T is next to the Angels the chiefest Piece that ever droped out of the hands of God and was made in his own Image and the nearer any thing comes to the Image of God the nearer it comes to perfection for God is Perfection it self 'T is the greatest Purchase of the Blood of Christ that which was of Infinite Value more worth than the World was given to redeem it and Christ knew well enough the worth of Souls and would not give such a Rate for a thing of little worth In a word 't is Eternal and shall last for ever and run parallel with the longest Line of Eternity and therefore pretious the vanity of Earthly enjoyments is seen in this as well as other things it 's uncertain and momentary duration Now this pretious and Immortal Piece is in great danger and without our care diligence and pains is like to be lost a thousand Enemies besiege it and set it round Enemies without and within and on every side without the Devil and the World who spread a thousand Snares to intrap it within Corruptions yea an inbred Traytor a false perfideous treacherous and deceitful heart these are Politick Subtile Crafty and malicious Enemies The Devil will make no peace with us but upon worse conditions than Nahash the Amonite offered to the Men of Jabish Gillead 1. Sam. 11.2 Vpon this condition will I make a Covenant with you that I may thrust out all your right Eyes and lay it for a Reproach upon all Israel but his conditions are the everlasting destruction of Soul and Body and if the Soul be once lost thou art undone for ever a thousand Worlds cannot redeem it though they were turned into a heap of Diamonds or a Globe of Gold Now art thou a rational Creature and canst thou see thy self thy better part in so much danger and art not sensible of it wilt thou so regard a Limb or Sence an Eye or a Tooth and shall the Soul be unregarded wilt thou Consult the Lawyer about thy Estate the Physitian about thy Health yea the Farrier about thy Horses and shall thy Soul be neglected God forbid Wilt take care for Trifles and neglect things of greatest concernment what greater note of a Fool can be expressed God is yet calling thee and the Door of Mercy is not yet shut against thee opportunities are yet offered thee and there is yet hopes but how long it may continue thou knowest not up and be doing make sure of Heaven while it may be had one of these days it will be too late examine thy self by the Word of God cleanse the Fountain that the Streams may be clear stub up the Root of Sin when others are Lopping at the Branches begin Reformation at the right end I should here have given you some Motives Rules Directions Marks and Characters to this purpose to guide you in this difficult work but this I have done already in another Treatise of that Subject called the Souls Looking-Glass to which I referr you if you have no better at hand Yea when by Examination thou knowest the truth of thy Grace yet is not Examination useless but consider the Growth of it also true Grace is of a growing Nature like a Grain of Mustard Seed that in time becomes a great Tree thy Growth should be in some measure answerable to the Food thou eatest the means of Grace thou enjoyest that which stands at a stay or declines may be suspected 't is not true 't is a Monster in Nature that is no bigger at twenty Years old than at two 't is sad when Men that should grow decline and lose their first love if this be thy case consider from whence thou art fallen and do thy first work consider who thou leavest and whither thou goest and what will be the Issue of it at least consider what thou dost which no Hypocrite in the World can do and never give thy self any rest till thou knowest that thou outstrip'st them all yea till thou canst Read thy Name Written in the Book of Life and canst call God Father and say with the Spouse my Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 6.3 2. Direct The next Private Duty is when thou knowest that thou hast an Interest in God and a Title to Glory and canst without check of Conscience call God thy Father and Christ thy Head and Husband be sure then to keep close to him hold him fast and do not let him go like the Spouse Cant. 3.4 'T is said of Enoch and Noah that they Walked with God and thus in some measure doth every faithful Soul and this is the surest safest course thou canst take for there is none can hurt thee when thou art under his Wing no Enemy can molest thee while thou art under his Tuition trouble never grinds a Man till it finds him from God take heed of growing strange with God if thou suffer him to be gone thou may'st seek him sorrowing and not find him Many that are constant in Publick Duties are defective in Private but 't is Secret Duties that chiefly maintains Communion with God in those it is we most ingage our hearts to God and God to us now if thou wouldest keep this Communion with God some things are to be avoided some things done The things to be avoided are especially Sins but above all our Bosome Sins those that thou art most inclined to and most easiiest yeilds to and canst most hardly say nay these God is most Jealous of and these will make the greatest breach between God and the Soul and most havock among thy Graces these are they that most deeply wound the Conscience break thy Peace with thy God and if not forsaken will procure a Bill of Divorce 't is thy Sins which is the cause of all Judgement Temporal Spiritual and Eternal and withhold Mercies from thee The love of Sin and close walking with God cannot stand
his servants upon is reasonable and easie and pleasant and delightful 't is the works of Piety and Charity that he requires to love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves These are the two great commands and upon these hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.37 c. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom 13.10 And is not this a pleasant and delightful duty and is it not reasonable that we should love God our great Benefactor in whom we live and move and have our being and our Brethren that are of the same flesh and blood To believe in him also is our duty and is it not reasonable when we can never prove that ever he deceived any To praise him also is our work this is an Angelical work fit for Heaven and Heaven-born Souls and will be the work of Eternity where Saints and Angels shall make up one quire to Trumpet out the prayses of God To hold communion with him this is a Christians happiness here and to converse with him in Glory is Heaven it self 'T is no wonder then that the Service of God is called perfect Freedom and his Servants are called his Free-men 1 Cor. 7.21 'T is no wonder that Christ tells us his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Mat. 11.30 for all those that feel it find it so through Divine Assistance I know to a Carnal Heart and unsanctified Soul it appears otherwise but 't is the Galls Sores and Putrified Corruption of Nature that makes it so the easiest Yoak upon a galled Neck seems uneasie Learn but this one Lesson get but this one Qualification to love God above all and all the rest will prove easie Love makes Labour light the Love of Christ constrained the Apostle Paul and made him willing not only to be bound but to dye for Christ then Prayer would be no difficult Duty for who would not willingly go to him he Loves and pour out his requests into his Bosom when he knows he shall have a supply and hath such promises as those ask and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Psal 50.15 Praise also then will be a delightful Duty how apt are we to Commend those we Love and speak well of them Hence it is that the Saints and Angels in Heaven are not weary of this work even to Eternity Communion with God is no toylful but delightful Duty for Union and Communion with God is the Souls Happiness nay 't is here a Heaven upon Earth and will be their Heaven for ever which is sweet here though much interrupted what will it be then when we enjoy him Face to Face and see him as he is here it fills the Heart full of such Joy as no Stranger shall ever meddle with Prov. 14.10 I know the world brags of their pleasures in the Devils Service and are afraid to be Christians for fear of losing them but this is but one of the Devils Lime-twigs in which he fetters them and one of the deceits of the Father of Lyes a true Christian finds by Experience more true Joy more ravishing delight in one days Communion with Christ than ever he did in the Service of sin for in the midst of laughter the sinners heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is Heaviness But a Believer may eat his Meat with Joy and drink his Wine with a merry Heart for God accepteth his Work Eccl. 9.7 And with joy they can draw waters out of these Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 Yea shout for joy if he be of an upright Heart Psal 32.11 There is none in the world that has more true Cause of Joy than they have here they are under the Divine Protection of God and are sure to want nothing that is good and when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved they have a Kingdom prepared for them But what is the Devils work which he imploys his Servants about 'T is the basest drudgery the most servile Slavery the most sordid unreasonable Dangerous work in the world he sets them to hate God who is the chiefest good to hold up weapons of defiance against him from whom they have their Life and Breath and Being to Blaspheme his Name abuse his Creatures break his Commandments Persecute his Children both by Hand and Tongue pluck the Stars out of his Right Hand the Signet of his Finger the Apple of his Eye his Jewels those whom his Soul Loveth yea to de-throne him and set up the Devil in his place yea he makes them so mad upon it that they will venture Life and Limb in the Prosecution yea Liberty and Estate and Ruine their own Souls and as many more as they are able and will not be perswaded by Ministers Parents or their Godly Friends from such Courses when the Devil enters into these Swine they run headlong till they Ruine themselves 4. Motive Thou shouldst serve the Lord because he best deserves thy Service he hath done more for thee than all the World besides and that which all the World cannot do It was he that Created thee and gave thee a Being when thou wast nothing It was not long since there was nothing heard of thee and God had no need of thee he was Infinite in his Perfection and Glory before thou wast and thou hast added nothing to his Happiness and wilt not own him for thy Creator Yea he hath made thee a Rational Creature when he might have made thee a bruit Beast he made thee capable of Communion with himself yea in his own Image when he might have made thee a Dog or Toad or Serpent or the most despicable Worm that crawls under thy Feet what Excellent Faculties hath he bestowed upon thee As Undestranding Will Affections Memory Conscience and such like Yea he hath made thee Little lower than the Angels Psal 8.4,5 Thou wast the Clay and he was the Potter he might have made thee a Vessel of dishonour and shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Not only so but he hath given thee thy Limbs and thy Senses when thou mightest have been Blind or Lame or Deaf or Dumb and is not this a Mercy thou hast the use of Reason when others run raging in the street Mad Frantick or Lunatick Yea 't is he that maintains thee at his own Cost and Charges 't is his Corn and his Wine that feeds thee his Wool and his Flax that Cloaths thee 't is his Silver and his Gold that inriches thee all is his and all is his free-gift thou deservest not the Crumbs that fall under thy Table and is all this nothing Hos 2.5 c. Yea hadst thou these things of thy own they could do thee no good without his Blessing Food could not nourish nor Cloaths keep thee warm he gives thee Peace when thou mightest have been in bloody War Health when thou mighest have been on thy sick Bed and
Plenty when thou mighest have been in pinching want and is all this nothing Why now doth he do this for thee but that thou mightest Serve him Hast thou now a better Friend or greater Benefactor to bestow thy Service upon Can the Devil or the World or thy Friends or thy Wealth do thus for thee I know they cannot why then are they preferred before him Nay this is not all when thou hadst Revolted from God and sold thy self a Slave to Satan when thou wast in thy Bloud and no Eye pityed thee when thou couldst not help thy self and wast unworthy to be helpt he sent his own Son to Redeem thee out of thy Slavery to suffer what was due for thy sins even the pains of Hell and the cursed Death upon the Cross and that when thou wast his Enemy and all to free thee from the guilt and filth of sin and from the punishment due for sin from the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the Slavery of Satan and from everlasting damnation and is all this nothing Yea all this was done that thou mightest Serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of thy Life Luke 1.75 Nay further he bestows upon thee many helps and furtherances he gives thee his Word his Ordinance his Sacraments his Ministers the motions of his Spirit the checks of thine own Conscience and the Example of his People Promises Threatnings Mercies Judgments and all to this End and yet doth he not deserve thee Hath the Devil or the World done more for thee than he hath Why then wilt thou serve them Did they Create thee or art thou theirs by right of Redemption Do they preserve or maintain thee Do they Feed or Cloath thee Or pay thee Wages No no all thy Friends in the World nor all the Angels in Heaven could not satisfie for our sin did they Love thee better than he that laid down his Life for thee Or will they make better Provision for thee than God will Or pay thee better Wages Then Serve them and spare not but deceive not thy self they cannot do it what canst want if thou be God's Servant He is every way furnished to help thee art thou ten thousand Talents indebted and canst not pay a farthing Christ will be thy Surety and discharge thy debt hast thou Scarlet sins lying upon thy Conscience Here is Blood to wash them away 't is he and he alone that can forgive sins Here is the Bread of Life to feed thee and the Water of Life to refresh thee the Spiritual Manna fit Food for thy Soul the true Nectar and Ambrosia he that eats of this shall never Hunger and he that drinks of this shall never Thirst Here is Rich Robes to Cloath thee and Eye salve to make thee see and Gold tryed in the Fire to make thee Rich Rev. 3.17,18 Here are Graces as Jewels to adorn thee the Wedding-Garment to make thee a welcom Guest he is Mecor Majim Chajim A Fountain of Living Water Jer. 2.13 Tzur gnolanim a Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 All the water of Consolation is in this Sea all the Light is in this Sun and all Comfort in this God Canst find such another Master that hath done and will do for thee as he hath and will do the Devil and the World will deceive thee if they promise to do it 5. Motive Thou shouldst serve God for as he hath the best work so he gives the best Wages and Servants usually seek for such Masters something he gives in hand as earnest of the Bargain and incouragement in the work and reserves most to the Years end when he will plenteously recompence all thy pains and remove all cause of repining in hand he gives his Servants his Spirit this is the mark he knows them by those that have not the Spirit of God are none of his Rom. 8.9 This is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 't is called the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts this is called the Comforter John 15.27 and 't is given to instruct us and to lead us into all Truth John 18.13 And doubtless those cannot want Comfort that have such a Comforter they cannot lose their way that have such a Guide he it is that dictates their Prayers for them for they know not what to ask yea God for the Comfort and Consolation of his Servants here in the World gives them an Interest in the Promises Recorded in the Word of God which are more worth than the World the greatest King on Earth cannot make and perform such Promises to his greatest Favourite they are well called great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 For great things are promised in them that believe that apprehends an interest in them may live upon his faith and his hope in the absence of all Creature enjoyments these are his Fathers Legacy 't is true Believers have but little in hand yet much in a Promise but little in Possession yet much in Reversion they have Heaven and Earth in a Promise here they have a Promise they shall not lack but at Death they shall receive their Inheritance yea Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither is entred into the heart of Man to conceive what God hath provided for those that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Here they have a Promise and God hath put his hand to it they shall not want protection nor provision God hath promised he will never leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 And if God be for us who can be against us yea that they shall want nothing that is good Psal 34.9 The young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield he giveth Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them that live uprightly If we have sincere hearts if wealth be good for us we shall have it and if poverty be good why should we not be content somtimes Physick is as necessary as food They have a Promise of Deliverance out of Trouble Many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Psal 34.19 and 50.15 Take one place for all Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to those that love God What matter then is it what our sufferings are when we are sure we shall get by them God that brought Light out of Darkness and Order out of Confusion can work Good to us out of Evil there is no Condition a servant of God can be in but in the Scripture he may find Comfort or Company or both yea God bestows his graces upon his servants which are better than the most Orient Pearls or costly Jewels these they are adorned with and no other did ever wear them they have the rich Robes of Christs Righteousness the Garments of Holyness this is Gods Livery and all his
it at first If it be why dost leave it If thou now leave off all thy Labour and all the pains that ever thou hast taken will be utterly lost in reference to Salvation If the Righteous forsake his ways all his Righteousness shall not be remembred to him in his sin he shall dye Ezek. 18.24 It may be thou hast gone many a Mile to hear Sermons spent many an Hour in Prayer and Humiliation many a Day in Fasting and Humbling thy Soul and wilt thou lose all thy Labour at the last Nay wilt thou now dishonour that God which time was thou seemedst to Honour And wilt thou strengthen the hand of Wicked Men in their wickedness And weaken the hands of poor doubting Dhristians And sadden the Hearts of the godly Wilt thou bring the Blood of Souls upon thy own head If not hold on in a course of Holy Duty Whatever opposition thou meet with in the way Heaven will make amends for all the sweat and blood thou losest and Hell will be sower sauce to thy sweet Meat What madness is it to leave thy work a little before thou shouldest receive thy Wages 4. Direct Let all the Duties thou performest either to God or Man proceed from a right Principle from a Heart sanctified by Grace and purified by Faith and seasoned with Love Make the Tree good and his Fruit will be good but a Corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit. An evil Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit nor a good Tree evil Fruit. 'T is impossible that a Corrupt Fountain should send forth sweet Water or a filthy Vessel sweet Liquor Let the Love of God be the strongest Motive to thy Obedience and let this engage thy heart to every Duty Though thou shouldest do the duty required if thou do it not in obedience to that Command God will not own it Whatever thou dost do all to his Glory and in Obedience to his Command or thou wilt lose thy Reward let thy heart say in sincerity Propter te propter te Domine it is for thy sake and in Obedience to thy Command that I do it and for no sinister respect whatsoever Hypocrites may do the thing which God Commands but from another ground and for another end they savour of the Cask and smell of self-Interest they reach no higher than themselves as water ascends no higher than the Fountain Head Jehu did what God Commanded in destroying Idolatry and rooting out Ahab's Posterity but all this while he hath a Kingdom in his Eye But the Love of God Oyls the Chariot-Wheels of a Christians endeavours it carryeth him above beyond and out of himself God tells him what he would have done a Christian never examines the Command by any Carnal Interest whether he may reap gain or loss Honour or Disgrace by it come what come will he resolves to do it if God command it whatever stands in his way though he meet Death it self in the Face he will go on God calls him and with Samuel he cryeth out Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth he knows he that sets him on work can bear him out Now all Service that ariseth not from this ground is slavish and mercinary and merits nothing at Gods hands but blows he that doth the thing Commanded and knoweth not of the Command doth not Obey God in the work and if he know that it is Commanded and doth it yet not because it was Commanded but upon other account God will not Reward this as Obedience The Pharisees knew that Prayer Fasting and Alms-deeds were Commanded duties yea they performed those duties but not because God Commanded them but that they might be applauded by Men therefore Christ sends them to men for a Reward Mat. 6.1,2,3 c. The performance of a duty will do us little good if we cannot say with the Apostle The Love of Christ constraineth us Many are constant attenders upon the Ordinances not out of Love to God or Obedience to his Will or any delight they have in the duty but for fear of punishment or hope of reward either from God or Man or for popular Applause or one thing or other of that Nature and these Men perhaps in the mean time have their handS upon the works and their Hearts busied in the Devils Service and they look upon Gods Service as a Slavery and glad when they are Released But a sincere Christian is like the Servant mentioned Exod. 21.15 that saith I Love my Master I will not go Free though there were neither Reward in Heaven for my Obedience nor punishment in Hell for my disobedience I will do it because 't is my Masters will and I delight in the work it self this Love of God in the Soul is as weights to the Clock or as Oyl to the Jack it sets it on work for God love makes labour light they do it for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 when others do it for gains sake Saul obeys for a Kingdom and Jehu for a Crown and when this was obtained their Obedience was over they are like to Dogs they follow their Master till they meet with Carrion examine now thy heart what is the ground of thy obedience if it be lower than thy love to God and desire to obey him 't is not right 5. Direction Let all thy duties whether to God or Man be performed in the manner which God requires now Christ himself tells thee God is a Spirit and he that worships him must worship him in Spirit John 4.24 and the Apostle tells us that bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 'T is not the Motions of the Body nor the moveing of the Lips 't is not Bowings Couchings Cringings that he is affected with if the Heart and Affections go not along this is one main difference between a sincere Christian and an Hypocrite both may do the same Duty both may joyn in the same Prayer and both may hear the same Sermon yet one may be accepted and the other not nay for the Bulk and Materiallity of the Duty the Hypocrite may exceed the other the Pharisees they fasted they gave almes they made long Prayer they tythed Mint and Anice and yet all this while lay under the Curse and were Enemies to God and persecutors of Christ their heart was absent from their duty and it was not right to God they lost all their labour in Heavens way because they had little trading with and little knowledg of God or their own hearts Hypocrites feed upon the husks of duty nnd never meet with Christ in the duty when a sincere heart hath trading with God and sweet communion with Christ himself if ever therefore thou wouldst perform pleasing Sacrifice to God be sure to wind up thy heart and affections unto God and never content thy self with any duty till thou meet with Christ in the duty duties are appointed to be done not for their own sakes but to help the Soul to mount
Seeds-man and the Word to the Seed Now you know the Ground must be prepared before the Seed be cast in otherwise thou canst not rationally expect a Crop The Body must be prepared and the humours gathered to an head before Physick work kindly what business of moment can be done without preparation And can we think in this business of so great concernment it is sufficient to rush hand over head without consideration Some preparation should be made before the Sabbath came in setting thy Heart as well as thy House in Order the Command is to remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy And when the day is come there are some Duties required before thou rush into the Congregation perform those Duties in thy Family and in thy Closet that are required beg of God a blessing upon the Ordinance and upon the Minister that he may speak a word in season to thy Soul that it may meet with thy Corruption and may strengthen thy Grace and benefit thy Soul how canst expect a Blessing that dost not beg for it This is one cause that many go away barren because they came unprepared Lay thy Heart open before God say as Samuel speak Lord for thy Servant heareth In thy Prayer open thy Soul to God unlap thy Ears and desire a Plaister offer up thy Sin-sick Soul to this Physitian that he may pour Oyl and Wine into thy Wounds who knows but this may be the Time of Love wherein God may say unto thy Soul Live Come with a resolution to deny thy self thy Carnal wisdom and whatsoever shall be found contrary to the will and Command of God Come not with a Resolution to oppose God in any thing though it be never so cross to flesh and blood or to thy Carnal will or Interest or be never so opposite to thine own Natural Inclination or Appetite Why should we come to know our Duty if we will not do it Or our sin if we will not leave it The word of God seldom works upon a fore-stalled affection If thou knowest and know thou mayst if thou carefully observe it what hath usually hindred thee in times past from profiting by the Word take heed of that for the time to come Sometimes thou wilt find that it was Pride thou sets up thy own will against God Sometimes passion this put thy Heart out of Frame for the Duty Sometimes Worldlyness this filled thy Heart with vain thoughts Beware of these for the time to come Especially beware of these sins which are most predominant in thy Soul for this will spoil the Duty Come with a strong Resolution to Obey God in every thing When he forbids any sin resolve to leave it when he Commands any Duty set about it for to what end else dost thou hear if it be only to know thy duty and not to practice it it will but procure thee the more stripes but many are like those silly Women mentioned by the Apostle ever Learing and never come to the knowledge of the Truth And they are like Balaam let God deny them never so oft they will come again faln they would have a dispensation to sin and go to Heaven in a sinful way But we must with good Old Ely say 'T is the Lord let him do with me as he listeth Or like Paul Lord what wouldest thou have me to do Come also with a good stomach then the Word would be savoury to thee such a man will not strain courtesie and carve all from himself but greedily feed upon something Now he meets with such a man saith one now he hit such a one home but what is this to thee Is nothing there that thou canst eat Get also some Acquaintance with the state of thine own Soul how the matter stands between God and thee or otherwise thou canst hardly divide the Word aright and apply it there are threatnings for obstinate sinners and there are promises for the penitent there is Milk for Babes and strong meat for Men. How wilt know thy own portion if thou know not the state of thine own Soul If a sick man come to an Apothecary's shop and may make choice of what Medicine he pleaseth and yet neither know his Disease nor what will Cure it he may as well take nay 't is more like that he will take that which is hurtful than that which is helpful So a poor humbled sinner oft-times lays hold of the threatning which belongs not to him and the presumptuous man of the promise And lastly when Death comes say to the World stand by as Abraham to his Servants I will come again 5. Direct If thou wouldest profit by the Word Preached come to the Ordinances with an hungring thirsting desire after it this is the Food of Life and 't is only the hungring Soul that is rightly qualified for it The full Soul loatheth the Honey-Comb Prov. 27.7 What should a full stomack do at a Feast Or a full Soul at a Sermon How sweet how good how precious was the Word to David Psal 19.10 And to Job better than his appointed Food Job 23.12 And how pitifully doth David complain when he found the want Psal 120.5 And how earnestly did he desire it And thirst after it Psal 42.1,2 As ever Chased Hart did for the Water-brooks and hadst thou ever tasted the sweetness of the word or rather of God in the word I needed not words to have perswaded thee to love it But that I may set some edge upon thine Appetite I shall desire thee to consider with me these few things first consider whose word it is is it not the word of that great God that made Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained One that is able to make it good both in the promises and threatnings and is also Faithful and will make it good Heaven and Earth shall fail rather than one tittle of his word be un-fulfilled and shall we slight a Message sent from such a one Had a Potent Prince sent a Message whether a promise or threatning how diligently should we have read it And how greatly should we have been affected with it with Joy or Sorrow Now God sends his Messengers with a Message of peace if we will accept it if not they are to denounce war yea and threaten everlasting ruine and destruction and yet who regards it Read the contents of his Letter Deut. 28. throughout Nay the matter of this word of God is of greatest concernment were it but for trifles it were no matter but it is concerning Life and Death nay the everlasting Salvation or Damnation of Soul and Body and therefore not to be slighted they are Fools that Jest with such edged Tools Here are Instructions drawn up how you may avoid Hell and attain Heaven how you may get rid of sin and get out of the Slavery of Satan how you may have a Remedy for your sin-sick Souls and a Plaister for your Wounds how you may get an Interest in Christ
Angels Psal 8.1,2 c. Such occasional Objects were the grounds of many of Christs speeches and Sermons And a Christian by this means may learn something from every thing he either sees or hears That Meditation that is set and solemn is when a man separates himself from other Imployments and sequesters himself and thoughts from worldly affairs to consider of some portion of Scripture or some point of Divinity or some work of Nature for his own satisfaction and his Souls good That this is a Christians Duty few Christians will deny that it is a beneficial duty all that have tryed it in good earnest will easily confess experto crede Roberto That 't is too much neglected we may acknowledge with shame and sorrow Joshua was Commanded to Meditate in the Law of God day and night Josh 1.8 This was David's practice Psal 119.59 And this he makes the Character of a Godly and Blessed man Psal 1.2,3 It was Isaac's Custom as also Paul's and Peter's and many others This is the way to digest the meat we eat and can meat nourish if not digested This is the chewing of the Cud when we ruminate upon what we hear or see Meat undigested in the stomack feeds Diseases when 't is digested it feeds the Body What is the Reason so many good Sermons are lost amongst us And so many gracious Providences pass un-observed but for want of this Doubtless one Sermon well digested by Meditation would bring more nourishment to the Soul and breed more good Blood than now twenty do By Meditation a man searches and ransacks the Soul and finds out every dust-heap every Corruption and sees whether those Divine qualifications necessary to Salvation be there or no when others are strangers at home by this he gets light into the Understanding heat into the Affection and it puts Life into all his Duties By this he comes to see the Vanity of the World the emptiness of the Creature the vileness of Sin the beauty of Holiness and the fulness of Christ By this the Heart is taken off the World and set upon Heaven and sees by the Eye of Faith those things which are invisible By this he tramples upon sublunary things and fixes his Eyes upon things within the vail By this Stephen saw God and Moses talked with God and Paul was carried up into the third Heaven By this Afflictions are made light and the Cross easie and Christ's Yoak delightful this makes a man chuse Sufferings rather than sin and pain rather than sinful pleasure this helps the Soul to fly to Heaven and hold Communion with Christ himself and like the busie Bee to gather Honey from Flowers and Weeds which to effect take these following Directions 1. Direct Concerning Occasional Meditation though it be not what I chiefly intend yet being of daily Use I shall speak something of it at present A Christian that Trades for Heaven may have much Goods brought home in this Ship He may get Advantage by all he hears or sees or observes for there is nothing in God's Book or in the Book of Nature but will Instruct us in some necessary Lesson concerning God or our selves and mind us of something that may conduce to our Advantage And he that can make a good use of every thing he sees or hears and pick some Spiritual Food and refreshing from it must doubtless be a flourishing Cedar in the House of God and enjoy Heaven upon Earth and Spiritualize all the Creatures How often in Scripture may we read that Christ by occasional occurrances minds his Hearers of Spiritual things from a Well of water he Instructs the Woman of Samaria concerning the water of Life And by occasion of Bread he minds them of the Bread of Life and from a Sower and his Seed shews that a bad Heart is the cause that the Word proves unfruitful and many more such like David as before was hinted beholding the Heavens is raised up in his Meditation to God himself and his Love to Man Psal 8.1,2,3 c. Solomon sends the Sluggard to School to the Ant or Pismire that gathers in Summer for Winter And Christ sends those that are distrustful of their Fathers Providence to observe the Fowls of the Air how he feeds them And the Grass of the Field how he Cloaths it and no doubt but a wise man may make a Sanctified use of all these If a good wit can make a good use of every thing much more a good Heart Had we but this Art of Meditation every thing would yield a suitable object we have the whole world before us the greatest want is of a good Heart to improve these Objects that offer themselves to our view the least Creature would be useful if we were not wanting every day that passeth over our Heads may put us in mind of our latter end Thy Bed may mind thee of thy latter end and the time when thou must lye in the dust and thy rising up may mind thee of thy Resurrection The rising Sun may mind thee what a glorious day that will be when Christ with his Saints and Angels shall appear at Judgment each one shining as the Sun in his Lustre When Night approaches it may minde thee that thy daies are numbred and that thou hast now one fewer to spend than thou hadst in the Morning and mind thee what account thou canst give of it and make thee consider that the World cannot recal it Every Pain and Grief Ach and Trouble yea every gray Hair may mind thee of thy Mortality and how little beholding thou art to sin which brought all this into the World When thou seest the Heavens adorned with those beauty spots the Sun the Moon the Stars thou maist think if the Porch be so glorious what is the Pallace if the Pavement be so beautiful what is the Court the Throne it self When thou considerest their Beauty Altitude Magnitude Selerity and Influence thou maist well admire the Creator and with David cry out Lord what is man c. Who can but admire when he looks upon the Earth the Huge and Massy Globe the unweiley Creatures hanging in the midst of the Air of nothing distinguished into Hills and Dales and Woods and Rivers furnished with such variety of Trees and Grass and Herbs and Flowers and the numberless number of living Creatures Birds and Beasts and Fishes and creeping things and all provided for by the great Householder Who can behold the Rageing Sea kept within his Banks in the Ebbings and Flowings and view the Streams and Fountains the Springs and Rivers and not cry out the finger of God now among all these there is not one Fly or Flea not one Graspile or Leaf of a Tree but yields matter of Meditation and Admiration Ah! what a rich Soul will that be that gathers fruit from all these 2. Direct If thou wouldest perform thy duty well 'T is necessary thou set upon it with due preparation I speak not now of occasional
Church and Listed into his Company his School and Family and have all the Blessings and Benefits of the New Covenant Christ and all his Righteousness Merits and Graces Pardon of Sin Regeneration Adoption Sanctification and Glorification Sealed up to them for the Water as it is of a cleansing Nature signifies the Blood of Christ which cleanseth us from all Sin In this Sacrament there is a mutual Covenant made and ratified between Christ and the Soul the Soul gives up it self to Christ promising Obedience to his known Will and that he will Worship no other god but Father Son and Holy Ghost And God for his part promises Christ and his Benefits upon Condition that Man prove Faithful in his Covenant and no doubt God will not fail in his part if Man perform which that thou mayst do take these Directions 1. Direct Because some Scruples do arise about Baptism it seems necessary to speak something to them for those that Question the Ordinance it self are not like to use the Directions The very Essence of Water-Baptism is denyed by some and questioned by others whether it be a standing Ordinance in the Church but that which some question and others deny I think need not be questioned and cannot be denyed and for their Confutation I need say no more but search the Scriptures for he that reads the Scripture and believes what he reads cannot be Ignorant Baptism was given in Commission by Christ to his Disciples Mat. 28.19,20 and that it was to be done with Water see it in their Practice you find Philip Baptizing the Eunuch with Water Acts 8.38 And Peter Baptized Cornelius thus and his Family in both places Water is mentioned and they were both immediately Directed to do it by the Holy Ghost But the greatest Controversie lies elsewhere between us and the Anabaptists who it be that are Subjects capable of this Ordinance this therefore shall fall next under consideration I need not step so far out of my way as to tell you they ought to be rational Creatures such as are capable of being in Covenant and to have the Graces and Benefits of the Covenant bestowed upon them and so stand to reprove the foolish ridiculous Custom of the Papists in Baptizing Bells c. Neither need I tell you it must be a Living Creature and not one that is dead and so reprove the Custom of those which seemed to be Baptized for the dead or in their stead or in their Name a Custom which seemed to be crept into the Church in the Apostles days 1 Cor. 15.29 which Custom Ambrose and Tertullian speak of But to come nearer the Question in Controversie you may assure your selves that those and those only that are Members of the visible Church are to partake of this Ordinance Those that are in Covenant should partake of the Sign and Seal of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 Now these are the Godly and their Seed Acts. 2.39 The Promise is unto you and to your Children The seed of Faithful Abraham are either those that are of Riper Years or of Infants Those that are of Riper Years are such as being Converted to the Faith hold fast the Foundation and manifest Repentance for sins past and profess Obedience for the time to come and of those I think is no scruple made by any that own the Ordinance if there be see Mark 16.15,16 Acts 37.38 Now Infants that are within the Covenant are such as have one or both Believing Parents that is such as profess Faith in Christ and Obedience to him and Live accordingly that the Children of those are in the Covenant and have right to the Seal by a Birth-priviledge many able Divines have largely proved both by Scriptures and Arguments the Scriptures they make use of are such as these Gen. 17.7.9 1 Cor. 7.14 Gal. 3.9.14 Col. 2.11,12 Acts 2.38,39 Rom. 4.11,12 Mat. 28.19 Mark 10.13 c. Luke 18.15,16 Rom. 11.16 and many others Now you must know that Godly Parents are under a two-fold Consideration as they are Men and the sinful Off-spring of Adam so their Children are the Children of wrath by Nature but as they are Believers and the Sons of Faithful Abraham and ingraffed into Christ the second Adam so they and their Children also are in Covenant This might be Evidenced by Arguments but my Discourse being practical and not polemical I shall refer you to those that have purposely Treated of it Yet lest any should be at a loss consider Children of Believers in the Time of the Law were Members of the Visible Church and in Covenant with their Fathers and received the Seal and Sign of the Covenant for such was Circumcision Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 and that by God's own Command Deut. 29.10,11,12,13 c. And I conceive it will not be proved where they were ever taken out of Covenant or lost this their Birth-priviledge or what they have in lieu of it or that our Priviledges are straitned by Christ's coming and therefore we conceive they are still in Covenant and therefore being every way as capable of the seal of the Covenant Baptism as the Jews Children were of Circumcision it ought to be Administred besides it was for unbelief the Jews were broken off Rom. 11.20 and that both Root and Branch How then came the Believing Jews to lose this priviledge for their Children Yea the Promise is made to them that Believe and to their seed Acts 2.39 And Believers Children have been long in Possession let their Enemies disprove their Right 2. Direct I 'le take it for granted at present that Infants of one or both Believing Parents are within the Covenant and Members of the Visible Church upon their Parents Account It is their Birth-priviledge and therefore 't is requisite that they receive the sign and seal of the Covenant which is Baptism that being the initiating sign whereby Members are Orderly entred into the Church Souldiers are Listed into Christ's Company and Scholars into his School and therefore 't is the Parents Duty to present them and to Enter them into the Covenant and bring them timely unto this Ordinance and Dedicate them unto the Lord even in their Infancy as Hannah did Samuel even when he was a Child But because the Child claims this not as he is an Infant but as he is the Child of such Parents 'T is necessary that the Parents one or both be rightly qualified they should be such as own God in sincerity For though a serious Profession not contradicted by a vicious life may and must satisfie the Church who cannot search the Heart yet it will not satifie God who tryeth the Reins and the Heart 'T is necessary also that they have a competent measure of Knowledge as well as Faith and the other Graces of the Spirit that so they may perform the Duties required 'T is requisite they should know in what condition their Children are in by Nature that they are born the Children of Wrath as well as
thou fittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest down and when thou risest up c. First get them in thy Heart and all the rest will be easie and there is great Reason for it Thy Children have Received a Poysonful Nature from thee and thou hast Dedicated them to God's Service in their Baptism and all the Reason in the World thou shouldst do thine Endeavour to bring them out of this miserable Condition and do what thou canst to make them the Faithful Servants of God Their Souls are precious pieces too good to be the Devils Drudges and thou that canst not endure to see a silly Lamb in the Mouth of a devouring Lyon rending and tearing it in pieces at his pleasure how canst thou endure to see thy own Children in the Devils Hand likely to Torment them for ever and not be troubled Set thy Hands therefore to the Work and by Catechising Instructions Exhortation and Admonition to work knowledge in them and bring them to Consider their ways for Consideration is the first step to Reformation Assure thy self God requires this Private Duty at thy Hands 4. Direct Another Private Duty in reference to thy Family is to Pray with them and for them and to joyn together in the mutual Praises of God I have already Treated of the Duty of Prayer in general and have given Directions in the managing well the Duty look back upon them and take the Directions I shall now press upon thee as thou art an Housholder and 't is no doubt but Secret Prayer is thy Duty because thou hast Secret Sins to Confess that none knows of but God and thine own Soul and Secret wants to beg supplyes for and Personal Mercies to be thankful for But though this be necessary 't is not sufficient but if thou have a Family these also must share in thy Prayers There is a Divine Imprecation against all those Families that call not upon the Name of God Now this Duty should be daily done yea Evening and Morning I think may Evidently be proved that 't is a daily Duty cannot be denyed The Scripture requires us to pray without ceasing to pray continually and in every thing to give thanks and such like expressions intimating to us that our Souls should be in a continual Praying Temper and upon all Occasions Offered ready to perform this Duty and we ought to Serve God all the days of our Lives in Righteousness and Holiness Luke 1.75 Now Prayer and Praise is part of that daily Service we owe to him which is also Typified out by the daily Sacrifices and Oblations which were Offered to him in the Time of the Law Christians Prayer and Praise being in allusion to this called the Offering up the Calves of our Lips Hos 4.2 And when Christ Teacheth his Disciples to Pray he bids them say Give us this day our daily Bread which shews us thus much that it was to be their daily Petition Acts 3.1 We Read that the Apostles went into the Temple at the hour of Prayer which shews they had their Stata precibus tempora their appointed hours And the Godly in all Ages have made Prayer their daily Practice David he Prays seven times a day Psal 119.164 Morning and Evening Psal 92.2 Morning Evening and at Noon Psal 55.17 Yea elsewhere at Midnight Daniel Prayed three times a day constantly yea when Death was threatned for so doing Dan. 6.10 And there is great reason for it for we Receive daily Mercies for which we have cause to be thankful and Commit daily sins for which we have cause to be humbled and we have need of daily Supplyes for which we have cause to be earnest And God hath given us leave to come as oft as we will and promiseth to hear us and supply us What a needless scruple then is it to ask whether it be our Duty when 't is our Priviledge as well as our Duty we do not ask how prove you it to be our Duty to eat Meat every day this would Argue but a bad Stomack The oftner we come to God the better welcom we shall be and have more Communion and Converse with him and the more we Converse with him the better Entertainment we are like to have Others Scruple whether a Man ought to pray in his Family these Men would fain find a knot in a Rush and would Quarrel the Duty they like not but doth not God tell us Where two or three are gathered together he will be in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 And are not some Families called Churches of God where Religious Exercises are performed Rom. 16.5 Col. 4.15 Philem. 2. Here the Houses of Priscilla and Aquila and Nymphas and Philemon are called Churches And Joshua resolves that he and his House would serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And we read of Christ praying with his Disciples and others What ground of doubt can then remain but this is a Duty Those that shake off this would willingly shake off all the Ordinances and the rest of the Commands In a Family are many particular Family-sins Committed which ought to be Confessed many Family Mercies bestowed which call for a thankful acknowledgment many wants and Infirmities to be supplyed which should be begged and all these cannot be known nor perhaps are fit to be expressed by him that is the Mouth of the People in publick and for Morning and Evening these times seem fittest for this Duty though some Quarrel this also God himself in the time of the Law appointed these for Sacrifices and Oblations and Reason speaks it fit that in the Morning we should praise God for the Mercies of the Night and pray for a blessing upon the business of the day and at Even confess the sins of the day and be thankful for the Mercies and Commend our selves into the Protection of God the Night following For as all we have is from him so we should bless God for all but Spiritual Mercy should not be forgotten especially for Christ and the work of our Redemption the means of Grace and the motions of the Spirit We should praise the Lord also with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs this is a private Family Duty Also the want of these Duties expose us to the threatning Jer. 10.25 5. Direct Another private Duty which lyes upon thee in reference to thy Family and those under thy Charge is reproving them when they sin and Correcting them when they will not amend and restraining them what in thee lyes from breaking God's Laws and Divine Commands Thou art God's Vice-gerent in thy Family and bearest his Image and the stamp of Authority is put upon thee and must Imitate God in thy Government so far as thy Commission reaches though thou hast not the power of Life and Death as the Supreme Magistrate yet hast thou a restraining power yea and if need be the power to Correct so that it reach not to Life nor Limb and
doubtless Joshua intended to put this power in Exercise when he resolvedly promised that he and his House should Serve the Lord Josh 20.15 Yet alas how many Governours of Families neglect this Duty Some are debarr'd from it by their own guilt being guilty of the same sins they should reprove in others this stops their Mouths and makes them neglect their Duty These Men do more hurt by their Example than ever they are like to do by their reproofs their way is therefore first to cast out the beam out of their own Eye and then to seek to pluck out the Mote out of anothers But I speak chiefly to those that seem to make some Conscience of their Duty for with those I am likeliest to prevail and these also many of them are extremely negligent and have need of a sharp Reproof themselves Friends do you verily believe that ungodly Livers shall go to Hell and being once there are in an irrecoverable lost Condition And can you suffer such among you that are like to suffer the Torments of Eternal Fire and hold your Tongues and never give them warning of their Danger What an uncharitable thing is this that you will suffer those that are in near Relation to you perhaps the Wife of your Bosom or the Children of your own Bowels to lye in such a desperate danger and never warn them of it If thou sawest a Blind Man upon the brow of an Hill ready to break his Neck or a Mad Man ready to kill himself thou wouldest call to the one and warn him of the danger and restrain the other if thou wert able and wilt thou have Compassion on the Body and no pity on the Soul Shouldest thou see thy near Relations coming to the Gallows and mightest save their Lives for a few words speaking wouldest be so uncharitable as to hold thy peace were one of thy Intimate Friends in Hell and were there a possibility of their Delivery wouldest thou not go and ride and speak and pray supposing this were the way in their behalf and for their sake And wilt thou let them quietly go on in that way that certainly tends thither and never shew them the danger they are in A vicious Life without Repentance will as certainly lead to Hell as God is God and the Scriptures are the word of God for no unclean thing shall ever enter Heaven no dirty Dog shall tread upon that Pavement Didst thou certainly know that thy Wife or Friend or near Relation were in Hell and yet there were hopes of their Recovery if thou wouldst be at some pains or at some Cost what an uncharitable part would it be in thee to let them lye for ever and for ever in those Infernal Flames and not seek their ease and wilt neglect it now when it may possibly be prevented Were but thy Wife or Child in Turkish Slavery thou wouldest pray and intreat and more than this for their Liberty What tender heart could indure to see another in raging Torments yet this will be the Condition of thy bosome Friends if un-regenerate Dost thou see the Devil leading them Captive at his pleasure hast thou nothing at all to say against it It may be thou Prayest for their Conversion and wilt not speak a word to this purpose What dissembling is this and what mocking of God If there be a desire it will be joyned with endeavours Shouldest thou see thy Friend in a Pit ready to be drowned wouldst thou fall upon thy knees and Pray for help and not put forth thy hand to help him This would seem little Love God will have means used to serve his Providence It may be thou fearest troubling them but 't is a Foolish Physitian that suffers his Patient to dye under his hand rather than trouble him in a Swoon we shaKe and rub and pinch and use other means which perhaps may hurt them The Papists are more Charitable in their blind Devotion how dear do they pay for Masses Dirges c. for the Delivery of their Deceased Friends Souls out of their feigned Purgatory But if your Charity to others be so cold yet at least be Charitable to thy self and bring not the blood of others Souls upon thy Account the Sins which thou maist hinder and dost not will be laid at thy Door and the Blood of those Souls that perish through thy neglect will be Charged upon thee carefully therefore set upon this Duty 6. Direct Thou must not only reprove them when they do amiss and chastise them when they will not reform but thou must also Instruct Teach and Admonish them to do good and encourage them in well doing and Teach them the Duties they should do 't is not enough to leave the Evil but they must do the good good Duties are required to be done as well as Sins to be avoided Now the best way to Teach them is by Example be a Pattern to them of an Holy Life and well-doing most Men Learn better by Example than Precept A Man may lead an Hundred that cannot drive two Let not thy Practice cross thy Exhortation or Reproof let them see by thy Example that thou speakest from thy Heart If thou press them to an Holy Life and Livest loosely and prophanely thy self in the mean time they will think thou art in Jest with them and thinkest not what thou speakest Oh how many good words may you hear from some Men in an humour when there is not one good Action to be seen these come not from the Heart but from the Brain That Exhortation is a Duty is seen by Abrahams Practice and God's Command Deut. 6.6,7,8 Prov. 22.6 Eph. 6.4 And there is good Reason for it Thy Children have their defilement from thee and derived a Poysonful Nature from thy Loyns and were the Children of Wrath as soon as they were thy Children and thou that hast thus defiled them is it not reason thou shouldst help to make them clean They are near and dear to thee part of thy self of thy Flesh and of thy Bones did they not come out of thine own Bowels And they have none in the World so near to look after them as thy self and wilt thou neglect them also Shall they perish for want of Instruction and Direction in Heavens way Thou wouldst Instruct them how to Live in the World and if thou couldest how to grow Rich and Honourable and wilt neglect them in the main thing how to be happy Thou canst moil and toyl and cark and care and rise early and lye down late and eat the Bread of carefulness for their sakes to get an Estate for them and thinkest thou hast never enough and is thy care only extended to the Body is the Soul of no Value dost not matter so they be Famous in the World though they are Infamous in God's Account and their Souls be eternally lost were their Bodies Diseased thou wouldest consult the Physitian if their Estates were in hazard the Lawyer and shall
the Soul bleed to Eternal death without remedy or regard they may curse the time that they were Born of such unnatural Parents They are Naturally Ignorant and they must be taught they are Corrupt and must be amended or they will be undone Oh consider what will become of thy Children an Hundred Thousand Years hence they will be either in Heaven or Hell in endless Torments or Eternal Joys and 't is much to be feared they will miscarry Were they but in Slavery thou wouldest seek their Liberty and wilt thou do nothing to help them out of Spiritual Thraldome what comfort maist thou have of them if thou prevail and be Instrumental of their Conversion how wilt thou Ingage them for ever to love thee and obey thee but what discomfort are they like to be if they serve the Devil and Sin what ground of hope is there they should be true to thee that prove false to God and if they perish through thy neglect the Blood of their Souls will be charged upon thee and without Repentance perish they will Oh! how necessary then is knowledge in parents for where the Blind leads the Blind both falls into the Ditch and what thoughts will you have at your meeting in Hell Set therefore upon this Duty betimes before it be too late Train them up when they are young in the way they should walk that when they are old they may not decline it Delays are dangerous Life is short the time of Death is uncertain the Heart grows harder and Sin grows stronger the Devil gets better hold and surer possession every Day makes them more unfit than other for Repentance A Twig when young is easily bent but when old it will break before it bend follow them again and again with Exhortations to an Holy Life deal seriously with them take the fittest Seasons for the Work let them see the danger of Sin and the Beauty of Holiness and Treat them with so much Compassion that they may see thy love to their Souls use also so much Zeal and Fervency that they may see it is not Trifles thou pressest them to take the fittest Time and Place never in Passion seldome in Publick shew them God's Word for it turn them to the Chapter and Verse this if any thing will silence them If thou find an Inclination in them follow it home encourage the good and discourage the bad let them find thou makest a difference between the one and the other this Course will bring Glory to God Peace to thy self and Benefit to thy Relations 7. Direct For a Conclusion of the whole be sure in the performance of all those forementioned Duties both Publick and Private to keep a clear Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man and let the Ground of all thy performances be the Command of God and thy strongest Motive be thy love to God and thy dear Redeemer and let no sinister End or by Respect whatsoever prevail with thee let God's Glory be thy End and Aim and the main Design thou drivest on let thy endeavour be to set the Crown upon God's Head and not upon thine own Consult not thy self till thou canst truly say in all thy Duties Propter te Propter te Dimine this I have done for God and not for my self But if vain Glory or a desire of Popular Applause or Merit or any such-like sinister Respects Fly-blow thy Duties they will stink in God's Nostrils and all thy Duties will be lost and thy labour will be in vain he that propounds a wrong End to himself will lose all the pains he takes as he that Shoots at a wrong Mark will hardly hit the right But if thy Duty proceed from a right Principle a heart Purified by Faith and if 〈…〉 Fountain a Purified and Sincere Heart and from a Principle of Love to God and are directed to a right End his Glory continues with thy own happiness then are they like to be a pleasing Sacrifice unto God for where the Fountain is clear the Streams will be good but till the Heart be right their proceedings will be defiled Though Man Judge the Heart by the Actions God Judgeth the Actions by the Heart he is Hoker lebh Scrutator cordes the searcher of the Heart and the tryer of the Reins and gives every Man according to his ways Jer. 17.9,10 The Heart is the Fountan of all the Thoughts Words and Actions now if the Fountain be filthy so are the Streams Sweet Water and bitter cannot proceed out of the same hole if an Apple be rotten at the Coare it will not be long before the outside rot also If the Heart be rotten it sooner or later breaks forth and rots the Life and Conversation also as it did in Saul Simon Magus and many others An inbred Distemper will appear outwardly and a Soar not sound at the bottom will Fester and break out at length Sincerity is like a skilful Alchymist it turns all into Gold weak performances defective Duties shall be accepted a Sigh a Groan a Desire shall be understood and answered But Hypocrisie on the contrary turns Gold into Dross and Duties into Sin and the most Glorious performance into abomination take heed therefore of this and labour for the other Faith also is requisite in all thy Duties leave not that behind thee in any Duty if thou meanest to speed if Faith be absent God will not be present without Faith ' is impossible to please him No Prayer can pierce Heaven thar is not pointed by Faith Heb. 6.11 he that comes to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of those that dilligently seek him The Word Preached will not prove it if it be not mixed with Faith in those that hear it nay without Faith there can be no Salvation Mark 16.16 he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Joh. 3. last Self-denyal also is requisite when thou hast done all say thou art an unprofitable Servant God gives Grace to the Humble but looks upon the Proud afar off yea the Apostle saith he resisteth the Proud or sets himself in Battel aray against him bring not a proud heart along with thee if thou wouldest speak with God in a Duty submit to his Will though thou see not a reason for his Command there is yet reason enough why thou shouldest obey as Abraham did content thy self to be at Gods dispose do thy Duty and he will do his Work but Limit him not to Time Place Manner Measure or other Circumstances depend upon him as Hannah did when she had prayed she looked no more sad Take heed when thou hast done thy Work of Heart-rising Thoughts or proud vain Glory lest it make thee lose thy Reward this will spoil thy Duty and make thee lose thy Reward deny thy Self and he will not deny thy Reward the lower thou thinkest of thy Duties the better God thinks of them and will