apparently dangerous Thus it is with me why should I deny it Why should I call light darkness and darkness light put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Whom do I cheat all this while is it not my own Soul And what shall I gain by it in the end Shall I think my self sufficiently holy when I am so little acquainted with the first rudiments of Holiness Shall I think my self a Child of God when that which I do is fitter for a Child of the Devil than for a Favourite of Heaven Conversion or turning to God which the Holy Ghost doth so often and with that vehemence and earnestness inculcate implies an universal change of my disposition and inclinations And where is that alteration that renovation of the Mind Will and Affections My Affections are carried out after Froth and smoke as much as ever My Love is set on Trifles and is regardless of the highest and chiefest good as much as ever I hate Seriousness and delight in childish impertinent Gayeties as much as ever The promises of the Gospel are as inconsiderable in my eyes and the riches of this World as glorious and ravishing as ever and I can dispense with the want of spiritual consolations while I have but my share in these outward comforts My feet run in the wayes of destruction and my eyes are dazled with external pomp and grandeur as much as ever An amorous Song is more pleasing to me than the most harmonious Psalm The Word of God is but a dead Letter to me while a Romance or a Book that Treats of Folly and Vanity Transports me into more than ordinary content and satisfaction And what I must eat And what I must drink And wherewithall I shall be cloathed Are questions I have a far greater desire to be resolved in than to know what I must do to please God and to be happy for ever If I have made light of the Thunders and Threatnings of Scripture I do so still If I have prefer'd my secular Interest before Gods Honour and Glory I do so still If I have feared Men more than God I do so still If I have been loth to do good with the Temporal blessings God hath confer'd upon me I am so still And what Sins I leave it 's more because I have no inclination to them or because I am afraid they 'll spoil and blemish my Reputation in the World than because I love that God who made me and hath obliged me by a thousand Favours to esteem and prize him above all And is this the Coat of the Sons of God Is this the Livery of a Christian indeed Is this done like a Man that lives upon Gods Bounty is fed by his Charity supported by his Alms and maintain'd from his Store-house and cannot subsist one moment without his Concourse and hath not a better Friend in all the World than him who is the Fountain of living Waters Consideration one great design of it being to know how the case stands between God and our own Souls such a Self-examination must of necessity be the Corner stone of this spiritual Building and comparing our Lives with the Rules of the Gospel and the proper characters of such as are in a likely way to enjoy God for ever may justly challenge the first Seat in this intellectual Paradise But then as building of a stately Gate without a House answerable to it doth but expose the Builder to derision and contempt so Self-Examination without a serious Expostulation with our own hearts is but to make the Accuser of our Brethren laugh at our vain attempts and God scorn the endeavour that could be crusht in the Bud and tired before half its Race is run II. Expostulation rouzes the Soul from her Slumber and drives it away from the soft Doune it would have rested and repos'd it self upon and gives the first blow for Self-Examination only threatens it to that Tree of Death I mean to the reigning power of Sin and I see not how Sin can shelter it self any longer or what excuses it can make for its stay and continuance where the Soul doth summon it to appear before the Bar of Conscience and enters into such reasonings and interrogations as these Are these things so and do I stand trifling with my salvation Do I run the hazard of everlasting flames and do I lie playing in the Suburbs of destruction Either I believe an eternity of Torments that shall attend a careless sinful life or I do not If not why dare not I profess my denial Why do I play the Hypocrite and make the World think I do believe it What 's the reason that I cannot shake off the fears of it if I would never so fain Why does something within me check me when I would be so profane as to deny it Can I ever be serious and not believe it But then if I believe it what a mad Man am I to loyter when the Candle I am allow'd to work by is almost burnt out and I know not how soon it may please my great Master to extinguish it Do I lead a life which is the readiest way to eternal Vengeance and shall I not step back and prevent it Can I imagine God will blow out that everlasting Fire to gratifie my vicious temper or destroy that Tophet out of tenderness to my Lusts and Corruptions Can I conceive it possible that God will go from his Word to please a stubborn Sinner or prove a Lyar that I may go with greater ease to Heaven Do I know that I shall be miserable if I continue in that course I have held on in hitherto and am I in love with eternal ruine Am I certain that Iniquity will be my confusion and am I resolv'd to dye I have all the reason in the World to believe that it was the Son of God that was the Author of those Threatnings and Comminations I find in the Gospel Do I believe him to be the Son of God and can I imagine that the least tittle of his words will perish I have run up and down in the World these many years and hunted-after those Vanities which sensual Men do dote upon But will these save me when I dye Will not the remembrance of my eager pursuit after these Butterflies and Gaudes fill me with anguish and sorrow Have I liv'd in the World all this while and am not I nearer Heaven than I was some years ago Must my body engross all my endeavours and must my Soul be starved I have a Soul that cannot dye and must not dye and must shortly appear before Gods Tribunal and shall not I study its safety and happiness as much as I am able Lord God! should Death arrest me before I have made my Calling and Election sure how fearful how wretched would my condition be should it fall to my share to howle in outward Darkness how should I curse the day that ever I was born should those Tortures the
and the wit of Man can use against it This sure makes it more than probable that it is a Plant which God himself hath planted in the Soul Would he consider with himself I believe there is a God and I cannot but allow that God impartial justice To deny him this is to deny him Perfection and consequently to deny his Being for the notion of a God implies absolute perfection If this God be just how shall I judge of his Justice I have no other rule to go by but that justice which all Mankind believes to be justice If God be our Governour as certainly none hath greater right to it because in him we live and breathe and have our being he cannot but be a righteous Governour and how can he be a Righteous Governour without distributive justice without making a just difference by rewards and punishments between the obedient and disobedient and When I see God makes no just difference in this life by rewards and punishments between those that serve him and those that despise and contemn his Will what can I conclude but that he intends to make it in the life to come or after this life is ended Which way he intends to do it is not material for me to know as long as I am assur'd that this Soul I carry within me will be the principal subject of these joyes or miseries He is most certainly able to preserve that Soul which he hath made capable of being govern'd by moral Laws and Precepts and to be wrought upon by moral perswasions into obedience to his Laws he is most certainly able I say to keep our Souls in being even when they leave the Earthly Tabernacle of their Bodies and to punish or reward them according to their Works these Souls being the principal Agents in good or evil and he that was able to create the Body is certainly able to raise it again and unite it to the Soul that so both may participate of the same fate Nay the necessity of these after-rewards and punishments enforce a necessity at least of Gods preserving the Soul for these rewards and punishments and what way soever God hath to preserve our intellectual part after death it s enough to me or to any rational man that according to the notion and apprehension we have of justice he cannot be just without he doth preserve it either for reward or punishment For that God doth not sufficiently reward and punish Men in this life daily experience gives me sufficient testimonies The wickedest of Men are very often the greatest in the World and those that oppress such as truly fear God swim in all manner of plenty and ease and riches and honour And though its true that such men have sicknesses and dye yet those are things common to good and bad and can be thought no just differencing retributions Those that make it their business to observe Gods Laws labour to approve themselves his most obedient Subjects and his most faithful Servants ordinarily suffer great injuries are unjustly arraign'd condemn'd executed undergo tortures of cruel mockings of scourgings of bonds of imprisonments And their Accusers or Judges may be have all that heart can wish their Eyes stand out with fatness neither are they plagued like other Men or if they be sometimes afflicted the affliction is not at all answerable to the horridness of the crimes they commit How gently do many of these Monsters dye upon their Beds no Lamp expires more leisurely than their breath while the other that meditates in Gods Law day and night dies with disgrace and shame or is most barbarously murther'd and butcher'd Can I look upon all these passages and occurrencies and not conclude another world I must eiher conclude there is no Governour of the World or if there be one that Governour will certainly find a time if not here yet hereafter to manifest his Justice to reward the Innocent and to punish those that bid defiance to Heaven Either Man is a nobler Creature than a Beast or he is not if he be not what means his Reason his Speech his Power to express his Mind and to examine the nature manner ends causes and designes of all things his dominion over all the Beasts of Earth c. If he be we must not affirm that of him which will certainly declare him more miserable than the Beasts whose spirit goes downwards If there be no other World no Judgement to come no after-retribution why is man possessed with the fear of it This fear is a thing of that consequence and hath so great an influence upon Mens Lives that from that fear according as Creatures are either possest with it or want it they may justly be call'd either happy or miserable Beasts I see are not capable of these fears and consequently cannot be disturb'd with the apprehension of such things and therefore must necessarily be more happy and nobler Creatures than Men who are not only capable of such apprehensions but by a natural instinct feed and cherish such thoughts as these And can there be any thing more absurd than to call an Ox or Lion or Elephant a nobler Creature than Man and yet this must necessarily follow if there be no other world Man would be the most miserable Creature in the world being so apt to be tormented with those fears if he did dye into annihilation and he might justly wish himself a Beast and lament that God had put such a clog to all his delights and merriments and accuse his Maker of Injustice or Cruelty for frighting or possessing him with fears of that which never was nor is nor will be Such considerations would most certainly satisfy any rational impartial Man and deliver him from halting between two opinions and convince him that he doth not cease to be when he dies that there is a just Judge and that he will in a short time find it by woful experience if a serious return to God prevent it not that when the jolly sinner banishes all thoughts and contemplations of this Nature from his Mind he turns Monster Changeling Devil nay worse than Devil for the Devils believe a world to come and tremble and it s meerly want of consideration makes him so 3. The same defect makes him wonder at the malapertness and impertinence of Divines that in every Sermon almost pronounce Eternal Flames to be a due and just punishment for Temporal sins Let the vain man but call his thoughts together and summon his understanding to take a view of such Topicks as these Why should I think it incongruous to Gods justice to punish sins committed here with an Eternity of pain and anguish Hath not he power to do with his own what he pleaseth May not he affright stubborn sinners with what punishment he hath a mind to Had I a Servant to whom I were as kind as to my own Child whom I had rais'd out of the Dust and heap'd innumerable Favours upon
Printed for Sam Lownds neare y e Sauoy 1677. THE GREAT LAW OF Consideration OR A DISCOURSE Wherein the Nature Vsefulness and Absolute Necessity OF Consideration In order to a truly Serious and Religious LIFE is laid open By ANTHONY HORNECK Preacher at the SAVOY Psal. 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Lactant. Lib. 1. Instit. Benè dicere ad paucos pertinet benè autem vivere ad omnes London Printed by T. N. for Sam. Lownds near the Savoy in the Strand M.DC.LXXVII IMPRIMATUR Octob. 25. 1676. Guli Sill R.P.D. Henr. Episc Lond. à Sacris Domesticis TO HIS GRACE Christopher Lord Duke of Albemarle c. Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of Devon and Essex Gentleman of His Majesties Bedchamber one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter c. My LORD May it please your Grace I Dare not call this Address Presumption the usual Compliment men give to Persons of Honour in Dedications of Books but Duly and the greatest Service I can pay you It 's the cause of God and the cause of Mens immortal Souls I am defending in this Treatise a Subject which claims attention from all degrees of men and wherein the most puissant Prince is as much concern'd as the meanest Vassal It is a future estate and what becomes of men when their bodies do drop from them and what they must do to inherit that eternal glory which a merciful God hath been pleas'd to promise them that I intend to speak to and if there be such a thing as a retribution after Death and our Souls When they leave their earthly Tabernacles must come to an after-reckoning and appear before the dreadful Tribunal of a just and infinite Majesty certainly that man is unjust to himself and an enemy to his own preservation that dares neglect his preparation for that great and tremendous Audit and prefers not meditation on that last account before all the sensual enjoyments of this World My LORD We are fall'n into an Age wherein some few daring men indeed their number is inconsiderable compared with the more sober part of Mankind have presumed to mock at a punishment after death and term'd that a Bugbear deriv'd from the tales of Priests and the melancholy of contemplative men which the wiser World heretofore was afraid to entertain but with most serious reflections When the ripest and most subact judgments for almost six thousand years together by the instinct of Nature and Conscience have believ'd a future Retribution it 's pretty to see a few raw Youths who have drown'd their Reason in Sensuality and scarcely ever perus'd any Books but Romances and the lascivious Rhapsodies of Poets assume to themselves a power to controul the universal sense and consent of Mankind think themselves wiser than all the grave Sages that have liv'd before them and break Jests in their Riots and Debauchery's upon that which not only Christians but Jews Mahometans and Heathens the subtilest and most knowing of them have ever since we have any Record or History of their Actions and Belief profess'd and embrac'd with all imaginable Reverence And are not things come to a fine pass My LORD when Christianity the clearest Revelation that was ever vouchsaf'd to men hath been receiv'd confirm'd and approv'd of in the World above sixteen hundred years and the greatest Philosophers in many of those Countries where it hath taken Root have not dared to doubt of the truth of it the convincing power that came along with it proclaiming its Divinity and Majesty that these bold Attentates should now begin to arraign its Authority and put us upon proving the first Principles of it as if the World were return'd to its former Barbarism and we had once more to do with Infidels as if men had divested themselves of Humanity put on the nature of Beasts and were sent into the World to understand no more but the matter and motion of the Malmsbury Philosophy I confess I have sometimes blamed my self for accusing these Libertines of Atheism when I have understood what mortal Enemies they were to Lying and Nonsence for how should not they believe a God that cannot speak a sentence but must swear by him or the truth of the Christian Religion that put so remarkable an Emphasis upon 's Wounds and Blood or another World that do so often imprecate Damnation to themselves or the being of a Devil who do not seldom wish he may confound them Would not any man conclude That Persons who do so exclaim against every mistaken and misplaced word and are such perfect Masters of Sence and value themselves so much upon their Veracity must needs believe the existence of those things they make use of in their ingenious Oaths and Curses the pompous Ornaments which in this Licentious Age set off the Glory Wit and Gallantry of such accomplish'd Pretenders But though we must not be so unmannerly as to accuse these Wits of contradictions in their discourses yet any man that doth not love darkness better than light may soon perceive how faulty this way these Scepticks are there being nothing more common with them than to smile at the Notion of that God by whom they swore but just before and to raille that day of Judgment which they seem'd to acknowledge in their absurd wishes and imprecations Some have I known who in a serious Fit have been pleas'd to tell me That if they could be sure there was another World and a Retribution for Good and Evil none should exceed them in strictness of Conversation and exact piety of Life and I am so charitable to believe that these spoke the sense of most of the rest and that the imaginary want of certainty in this dubious Point diverts them from venturing on that innocence and purity which was the glory of the primitive Christians But may it not be requisite to enquire whether these Doubters have ever taken the right way to be satisfied If one that had never heard of such a City as Exeter should be told that a Friend of his lately deceased there had left him a Thousand pound and he should reply that if he were certain there were such a City he would repair thither and yet would not enquire of those that are able to inform him might it not be presumed that such an one had no mind to be satisfied And I durst appeal to the Consciences of these men that doubt of an after-retribution whether they did ever sincerely and impartially desire or endeavor to be satisfied about it Did they ever do what every rational man ought to do that is willing to be ascertained of the truth of a common report Did they ever put themselves to half that trouble to be convinced of the certainty of a future judgment that they put themselves to when they would know whether the Title of the Estate they would buy be good or no. Do not
Body A Soul that can build it's Nest among the Stars of Heaven walk through yonder Mansions and taste of the Rivers which make glad the City of God A Soul which can wing it self into the Clouds and survey the Crowns and Scepters laid up for those that dare despise the World and have their Conversation in Heaven A Soul which can enjoy a Paradise while the Body is in trouble and rejoice in him who is All in All while the fierce Winds are whistling about her ears The vast reach of these Souls we have their fitness to receive Divine illumination their strong desires after Immortality their secret actings without the help of a Body their hopes of Heaven their fears of Hell all proclaim the certainty of an eternal state or condition they are intended for This eternal state imprinted on our Natures discover'd to the Gentiles proclaim'd by the Son of God preach'd by Angels confirm'd by Apostles reveal'd to Christians believ'd in the World as it relates either to Bliss or Misery to Joy or Torment to Honor or Dishonor so how to enjoy the one and avoid the other must in all probability be the great object which God design'd Mens Souls should be chiefly employ'd about For as there cannot be a thing of greater moment than Eternity so he must be a Sot a Beast that can imagine that God who ever intends the noblest Creatures for the noblest Ends will give Men leave to busie themselves altogether about picking of straws and pleasing a few sensual Lufts when he hath given them Souls capable not only of labouring and seeking after but obtaining a Kingdom which fades not away And when we sweat and toyle and labour to make provision for twenty thirty forty years what do we do but proclaim our obligation to be infinitely more concern'd how to provide for that state which must never have an end And as it was the goodness and wisdom of God to make us capable of an everlasting duration so we should be injurious to both if we did not suppose that God hath order'd and appointed means whereby it 's possible to save our selves from the wrath to come He that takes a view of Gods proceedings and dealings with Men ever since the Creation of the World cannot but stand amaz'd at the cost and labour and pains and means and motives and arguments God hath us'd to make Men sensible of their everlasting interest and to engage them to a serious preparation for that World they must live for ever in This serious preparation must necessarily be a holy blameless spotless life for the means must ever be sutable and agreeable to the nature of the end And Heaven being a holy place perlect holiness reigning there it 's not to be imagin'd how perfection of holiness can be enter'd upon without a considerable progress in holiness here no man reaching the highest step of a Ladder without the lowermost and one might as well flatter himself that his Trade by such a time will bring him in Ten thousand pounds when he is so far from minding his Trade that he contrives only how to run with others into excess of Riot And indeed to plant this holiness in Men the means have been so various so numerous so potent before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel that one may justly admire the whole World doth not stand candidate for Heaven and all the Inhabitants of the Earth do not take the Kingdom of God by violence Before the Law the continual pleadings of the long-liv'd Patriarchs with sinful Men to improve the light of Nature that Primar of Divinity the many Visions Revelations Dreams Signs Wonders Voices from Heaven the Ministry of Angels Gods Patience Forbearance Long-suffering and sometimes Exemplary Justice the Examples of holy Men Gods love to those that honour'd him the signal blessings he bestow'd on those that made him their highest and chiefest good what were all these but so many calls and entreaties that Men would by holiness prepare for a future happiness Under the Law God was so far from being weary of using means and taking pains with Men in order to this end that he seem'd to have reserv'd those Ages for larger and fuller Demonstrations of his Power and Munificence and if the people of Lystra had any ground for their exclamation the Jews had far greater reason to cry out That God was come down to them in the likeness of men For while other Countries were left in darkness and like Moles suffer'd to wander in the shadow and vally of death they as if they had been made of purer Clay seem'd to be the Darlings of Providence and the Favourites of Heaven Heaven bow'd to them and under its protection they went as under a Canopy of State and might with greater reason than the Sultan have challeng'd that lofty Title The shadow of God And with that Persian Emperor stiled themselves Kinsmen of the Stars Their eyes saw Miracles almost every day and with their daily Bread they receiv'd daily Prodigies and in the midst of their Rebellion God like the Sun when smiling through a Cloud shew'd them a merciful Face not that he approv'd of their Impiety but because by these Beams he would warm their hearts into obedience Their Blessings came down upon them not in drops but in showers and their Prosperity like the Cinnamon Tree was so fragrant that strangers might smell it a great way off before they saw it The Waters of Life were continually flowing into their Bosomes and though God now and then frown'd upon them what Father would not sometimes chide his Son yet his Indignation which like Flints sent out Fire upon their penitential Tears strait way return'd to its former coldness The Rocks poured them out Rivers of Oyl they wash'd their Feet in Butter and one might say of their Land as he of the Isle of Rhodes They were bless'd with a continual Sunshine Their Prophets what mighty what powerful Men were they Men that like Lamps consum'd their own Oyl to light their Auditors to Heaven or like Silkworms spun out their own Bowels to deck their Hearers with Garments of Righteousness Where words could not prevail Tears were the means to supple and affect them and it seems there is not stronger Rhetorick in the World than these Here one Prophet spoke like an Orator there another like a Logician Here one endeavour'd by Eloquence to charm them there another by clear Reason to convince them Here one threatned there another promis'd Here one wooed there another thundred Here one came with a Scepter of Love there another with a Trumpet of War Here one offer'd his hand to save them there another made bare his arm of revenge Here one offer'd an Ark to those that desired mercy there another rain'd down floods of Curses to drown the obstinate Here one represented God with his Sword drawn a smoke going up out of his nostrils and devouring fire out of
for indeed a flash of Thinking is no more Consideration than a few wandring sparks can be said to warm a spacious Room and as in cold Weather Men do not get themselves a heat by a step or two but by such exercises as put the Body into a violent motion so neither will a careless thought now and then heat the heart within but Consideration which puts the Soul into a strong and vigorous motion or agitation is that which must kindle the holy fire and shed life into all the faculties of the inward Man Not to mention here that the word was originally us'd to express the industry of Astronomers who by diligent contemplation and observation of the stars their Motion Position Conjunction Influences c. gave a judgment of the several Phaenomena or appearances they met withall from whence it was afterward applied to Men who seriously and attentively ponder things of moment whether Civil or Sacred The Scripture usually expresses it by laying our hearts close to our wayes as if it were with Consideration as it is with Mens listening to a confus'd noise and laying their ears close to a Wall with design to get a more distinct knowledge of it And indeed without Consideration Eternal Life and our Duties in order to it appear no very great attractives Consideration clears up those Notions dispells the Clouds and Mists that dwell upon our Reason wipes away the Dust discovers unknown Worlds and makes even such things as were vulgar obvious before look with a new face they being found upon Consideration things of greater consequence of greater comfort of greater necessity of greater virtue and efficacy than before they were believed to be It is much with Consideration as it is with Microscopes and Magnifying Glasses what contemptible Creatures do some little Animals and the smaller sorts of Plants appear while beheld with our naked eye but view'd through Dioptrical Glasses what curious Fabricks do we spy How inconsiderable an Insect is a Flie How despicable a Creature is a Mite Yet he that through such Glasses beholds in them all the perfections of the largest Animals the multiplicity of their parts the variety of their motions and how curiously every limb is wrought how mathematically all their little members are framed and set together cannot but wonder at the spectacle and break forth into admiration of the immense Wisdom of their Maker Consideration is that Glass which represents spiritual objects in other colours than before were observ'd and detected in them Sin that look'd but with a faint red before through this Glass appears all Scarlet and Crimson Gods Laws which before were hardly regarded so much as humane Injunctions through this Glass appear so beautiful so rational so wise so wonderful so suited to an intelligent Nature that a Man with David cannot hold but must cry out O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day The New Jerusalem which look'd but like an ordinary Building before when view'd through this Glass the Towers and Bulwarks of it are seen glittering afar off the Pearls and precious Stones it 's paved withall shine with more than ordinary lustre and that which look'd but dull and weak before now dazles the Spectators eyes with its oriental brightness But this will further appear if we enquire into the essential parts or necessary ingredients of these spiritual Opticks Consideration as it is the Sun that enlightens this Microcosme Man and irradiates the benighted faculties of the Soul so that it may have this virtue there is required and it cannot be Consideration without it Self-Examination Expostulation and strong Resolution I. Self-Examination That man who examines not his spiritual estate or condition whether he is that sinner that shall be everlastingly miserable whether the threatnings of the Gospel concern him whether he finds those qualifications in himself which the Son of God requires of all that shall be Heirs of glory whither he feels those things in his Soul which men that have a title to the great Inheritance are sensible of and whither he walks in that strait way and strives to enter in at that narrow gate the Holy Ghost doth speak of He that with Gallio cares for none of these things is so far from considering that he doth not believe the immortality of his Soul or another World For were his heart season'd with a sound belief of that future state he could not but enter into his Closet and reflect In this Bible in this Book which I do believe contains the Oracles of God and his peremptory Will concerning the salvation of men I find stubborn careless unconverted sinners adjudg'd to eternal torments I find God protest he will know none in the last day so as to shew them favor but such as dare deny themselves for Heaven and heartily endeavor to do the Will of their Father which is in Heaven I find God swear that men who prefer their Farms and Oxen and secular Concerns before his Injunctions and Commands shall never taste of the great Supper of the Lamb. Am I one of these stubborn unconverted careless men or no Why should I be afraid to ask such a question when there is no less than Eternity in the case If I am none of this number What means the bleating of Sheep and the lowing of Oxen in mine ears What means my earthly mindedness What means my living in wilful Contempt of so many commands of the Son of God I take no pains to be sav'd some little formalities and complements of Religion serve my turn and satisfie my Conscience I can put off the great God of Heaven with the Worlds leavings and throw him a dull heartless prayer at night when I have been wallowing in sin all day I am for no devotion that 's either expensive or troublesom to flesh and blood and such ejaculations as do not molest me in my pleasures and as my flesh can easily spare without any detriment in its satisfaction I am willing to lay upon Gods Altar I feel little or no sorrow for sin no remorse no compunctions when I offend a gracious God A temporal advantage affects and revives me more than all the joyes of Heaven If I do sometimes resolve to leave either my grosser vices or my more secret iniquities the next company or divertisement takes me off again and I make no more of breaking my solemn promises of better obedience than if God were a meer stock or stone that takes no notice of affronts and injuries Self-denial I am so great a stranger to that I know not what it means The graces and fruits of Gods Spirit Love Joy Peace Goodness Faith Temperance Meekness Patience Long-suffering have so little of my desires and affections that I think it but time and labour lost to bethink my self how to be Master of any of them Why should I flatter and deceive my self Why should I sooth my self into kind thoughts of my condition that is so
seek not the good but the loss and desolation of my Soul I 'll seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God I 'll set my affections on things above and not on things on earth I am dead to all these sublunary Vanities and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is my life shall appear then shall I also appear with him in glory Without such resolutions as these Consideration is lame and feeble it 's practical Consideration that must do the work and it is these resolutions make it so the necessity of which Consideration is the next thing I must endeavor to demonstrate CHAP. III. The absolute necessity of Consideration in order to a serious life Gods frequent commands to that purpose Our Reason and the power of Consideration we are furnish'd or endu'd with prov'd to be given us for this end Without it Men have cause to suspect that their Reformation is counterfeit WHat we have said hitherto is not a thing indifferent left to our liberty and discretion to mind or to neglect it as we shall see occasion If labouring after a better life if endeavouring to get a share in the incorruptible Crown of glory if attempts to compass the eternal felicity of our Souls if studying how we may be admitted into the Quire of Angels and enjoy the society of the First-born which are written in Heaven if contriving how we may arrive to that fulness of joy God hath both reveal'd and promis'd be indispensably necessary this Consideration must be so too If Self-preservation be not a thing indifferent Consideration cannot possibly be so For the great object of this Consideration is how we may preserve our selves from being undone for ever how we may guard our Souls from everlasting perdition how we may avoid the second death and how we may make our happiness lasting and durable proof against the gates of Hell and the assaults of that roaring Lyon who walks about seeking whom he may devour God that commands all the powers of Light and Darkness and hath the same power over us that the Potter hath over his Vessel and hath made us capable of being govern'd by Moral Laws and hath created us on purpose to be ready at his beck and may force us into obedience by plagues and thunders if we are loth to be courted by smiles and favours and afar off sees all the dangers we are subject to and knows what Armies of Enemies lie in ambush and watch our fall it 's he that peremptorily commands this Consideration A Sovereign Prince expects to be obey'd and he that dares refuse or slight his reasonable command is justly lookt upon as a stranger to Loyal principles and well may God who is All-wise and can do nothing that 's unreasonable expect submission to a precept so great so good so advantagious both to Soul and Body as will appear in the sequele Consider your wayes is a Law which God to shew he is in good earnest inculcates twice in the same Prophecy Hagg. 1.5 7. And for that the Dream is doubled it is because the thing is establish'd by God said Joseph to Pharaoh Gen. 41.32 The same we may say of repeated Exhortations And indeed when the famous Moses bids the people under his charge and care to keep the statutes and the commandments which God had graciously vouchsafed them that it might go well with them and with their children after them the great preparative he requires for this religious frame is Consideration Deut. 4.39 40. as if without this all attempts of obedience were vain and all endeavors to serve God in Spirit and in Truth were no more but water spilt upon the ground It was upon the same account that St. Paul as quick-sighted as the other peremptorily tells the Romans that they would never practically approve that good and acceptable and perfect will of God without they were transform'd by the renewing of their mind i. e. made a new improvement of their minds by Consideration For Consideration rebuilds the house that 's fallen to the ground makes the mind new removes old prejudices against a serious life and transforms the judgment into other thoughts and conceptions carries away the rubbish which oppressed the Soul and leaves it not till it becomes a new creature Rom. 12.2 What can St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.13 mean when he presses the Christians of those dayes to gird up the loins of their minds but this great Duty we discourse of Consideration as it is a convocation of our thoughts so it ties and unites those thoughts to the great object the one thing necessary and as it were girds the Soul that it may keep within the rules of the Word of God and may not run out into strange desires or inordinate affections but be more expedite and nimble in her Travels to the Land of Promise The truth is from the mind as from Aarons head the precious oyntment runs down to the skirts of our garments This is the great wheel which sets the lesser orbs a going and if that be impregnated with principles of goodness and seriousness and these enlarg'd and spread by Consideration the will and the affections will soon be persuaded to follow that star till it brings them to Bethlehem the house of mercy In our civil affairs it 's the mind must first be fully persuaded either of the necessity or conveniency or danger or advantage of things before any wise resolution can be taken and we may justly conclude that in spiritual concerns men begin at the wrong end if they do not season their minds with such reflections as may make a deep impression on the will and affections For that these may resolve to follow God and may be ravish'd with his love and apply themselves to his wayes and may hate every false path and detest their former exorbitances and deviations we must necessarily suppose there must be some spring to feed them which Spring can be nothing else but Consideration And because the more objects the more flowers this Consideration feeds upon the more effectual it is and the greater seriousness it produces and the most signal change it works the Holy Ghost therefore in order to this end particularizes several things and commands them to be taken in as promoters of this excellent work Hence it is that we are sometimes call'd upon to consider our latter end Deutr. 32.29 sometimes the works of God Eccles. 7.13 sometimes the last judgment or the great account men must give of their works whether they have been good or whether they have been evil Psal. 50.22 sometimes the testimonies of God the sweetness beauty perfection worth and excellency of them Psal. 119.95 sometimes the future reward that God hath promised to them that fear him 2 Tim. 2.7 sometimes the holy Life Example and Christian constancy and magnanimity of Christ Jesus Hebr. 12.3 sometimes Gods correction and chastisement together with
world takes up their hearts and engrosses their affections when we see how all their Plots Designs Contrivances Desires are for the world and when they mind onely fleshly things as the Apostles phrase is Phil. 3.19 What I mean by the world none can be ignorant of that hath either read what wise men have written concerning it or hath heard the Word of the Gospel sounding in his ears For indeed it 's not the least part of our Commission to dehort and dissuade men from fixing their Affections on these sublunary objects and but that continual inculcating of the same thing would make our Auditors nauseate the most wholsom Lessons we could not do them greater service than by making such Dehortations the perpetual Subject of our Sermons All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life saith the great Divine 1 Joh. 2.16 Whatever outward object serves to gratifie sense whatever here below is most commonly desired and lusted after whatever makes for satisfaction of the flesh or of our sensual appetite all is comprehended under this name And indeed it is with these worldly comforts as it was with the garden of Eden some are for food some for tryal some to keep our bodies serviceable to our souls some to prove our souls whether they 'll rest on these broken Reeds or seek their rest and acquiescence in him that is the Creator of all And accordingly the Almighty thought fit to limit the use of these terrestrial felicities and to signifie in his Word that his intent in giving them was that they should be our servants not our masters that he design'd them as advantages to us not hinderances in admiring and adoring the immense goodness and bounty of God and that he appointed them for our use no farther than they would serve to promote his glory and the eternal felicity of our immortal souls But here we find men generally live the reverse of Gods designs and intentions and instead of using these visible comforts in order to a greater end make that their home which was intended only for their Inn and are for erecting Tabernacles to dwell there which God design'd only as a thorow-fare And to this unhappiness preposterous education which most men are subject to doth very much contribute For whereas we should be educated into Reason and a right apprehension of things we are usually educated into sense and deceptions and those that have the care of us and should teach us self-denial in these outward things and by that means engage our souls to fix on nobler objects do commonly present us with nothing but sensual satisfactions All their Discourses to us are of the World and of the magnificence greatness splendor and ravishing aspects of these outward gayeties and the first principles they teach us are how to please sense and to pamper our appetite and though now and then they teach us some little Notions of Divinity yet it is in such a sensual way that it amounts to no more than a formality and divertisement and being a thing that 's taught by the by it makes little or no impression upon our affections But whatever disadvantages men lie under upon the account of their sensual education one would think when they come to the full use of their reason and are capable of understanding the vanity emptiness unconstancy of these lower objects and of apprehending that they were only intended as Ladders to raise us into contemplations of our great Benefactor in heaven when they arrive to this ripeness of understanding come out of their apprenticeship set up for themselves become as it were their own masters and enter upon the possession of that estate which before was managed by others one would think I say they should then begin as there is commonly an alteration of our temper upon the alteration of our fortunes to rectifie those sensual principles which their Nurses and Tutors have shed into them and wash away the stains those fond Masters as indeed men may be kill'd by kindnesses and like that Olympian Victor be stifled with Posies have unluckily imprinted on their souls But alas there are so very few that having gone thus far stop and attempt to captivate their appetites to the obedience of Reason and Religion or seek to elevate their souls above the dung and trouble of the World according to the intent of their Maker that most men sink deeper and deeper into the gulf of sensual desires open the gates wider make the door larger for sensual satisfaction to enter in nay if it be modest and loth to enter compel it to come in and to give their spirits an infusion of carnality to water and keep warm the seed of worldly inclinations and find out wayes to encrease their Thirst to add heat to their Fever to provoke their sensual appetite to enlarge it self as Hell and fearing they have not been sufficiently or faithfully enough instructed in the enjoyment of these worldly felicities they try experiments and conclusions to find out new satisfactions and thus plunge themselves into the main Sea being charmed by the Sunbeams playing and glittering upon the water and the curling of the waves And the impressions which were made on the wax when soft and tractable remain when it 's grown harder by a continual hurry of worldly cares and businesses which they are content to admit of they make their souls the least object of their solicitude and were they ask'd as that profane Duke What they think of Heaven it's like they would answer in his language or think so or at least act as if they thought so That they have so much business on earth that they cannot think of Heaven Thus their very spirits become flesh and their souls turn to earth as well as their bodies Whence it comes to pass that their minds being altogether sensual impregnated with worldly cares and satisfactions and all their faculties employ'd in contriving how to get a greater share of earth than they have already or at least to keep and preserve what they have there is no room for this Consideration of their spiritual estate or condition They hearken to nothing with any zeal or attention or life that doth not carry either some worldly profit or pleasure with it and that which charms or wins them must be the musick of temporal interest Consideration how they shall be saved hereafter there is no Lands to be bought with it no Mannors to be purchas'd no Houses to be built no Countries to be conquer'd no Honours to be got by it It brings in no Riches it fills not their Coffers with gold and silver it doth not give them respect and credit with Princes and Men of Quality it doth not cover their Tables with dainties and delicacies it doth not furnish them with portions for their children It doth not feed their bellies nor put them into a condition to lie on beds of
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God This would shew them Christ Jesus on the Cross this would bespeak them in the language of the Prophet Who is this that comes from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Wherefore is he red in his apparel and his garments like him that treads in the Wine-fat Isa. 63.1 2. This would shew them that the blood which trickled down from that sacred head trickled down upon the account of their follies and transgressions that their oaths and curses and blasphemies were the thorns that prickt his head that their lasciviousness and fornications and adulteries were the spears that open'd his side that their boldness in sinning their resolutions to be damn'd made the tears gush from his eyes that their hatred their malice their envy their revengeful desires were the hands that did buffet him that their covetousness and worldly-mindedness and neglect of their duty towards God and man were the Rods that smote him that their evil thoughts and idle words and extravagant actions were the furies that spit into his face that their perfidiousness their treacheries their hypocrisies were the nails that were struck through his hands and feet that their labouring after Hell their endeavors to be miserable their contempt of the goodness of God made him sweat drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane that their delight in abusing God and in trampling on his Laws was that which made him shreek out to the amazement of Heaven and Earth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that the heat of their lusts was the cause of his drought and proved the gall and vinegar that was given him to drink that their sinful lives kill'd him and their deadness in duty murther'd him that their impatience and unbelief haled him to the Cross and their impenitence was the cause of that purple flood which the Angels for the rarity and strangeness of it descended from Heaven to behold Consideration would lay before them all the curses of the Law the terror the consumption the sorrow of heart that anguish that attends sin in the end the troubles of Conscience it will raise ere long the frights the disquiet it will produce This would represent to them the flames that Dives felt and made the Wretch cry out for a drop of water to cool his burning tongue This would shew them what blackness sin doth cast on their understandings and that their being baptized into the Christian Faith doth signifie little except they leave their sins and that they do name the Name of Christ in vain without they depart form iniquity This would shew them their error in flattering themselves with the hopes of Gods mercy and demonstrate to them how ridiculous it is to believe that God will pardon them because they pardon themselves or that he will forgive them because they are loth to suffer This would shew them that God sees and hears them and will judge them and set their transgressions in order before them for all the seeming delay of his vengeance Consideration would discover to them the pardon and reconciliation they must go without if they do not speedily return the blessings they deprive themselves of the comforts they bid defiance to the light the favor of God and the mercy of Christ Jesus they must for ever want and be destitute of if they flie not into his arms with the greatest expedition and alacrity This would aggravate their sins make them appear in their proper colours and shew that they are no better than Cockatrices Eggs and Spiders Webs Have not you seen the crafty Spider weave a Net and then lie close in an ambush till the silly Fly dazled perhaps with the curiosity of the Net hastens to those unhappy Labyrinths but while she is sporting her self in those chambers of death out comes the Murtherer and leads the Captive wretch in triumph home Consideration would shew them that thus it is with sin that with much fair speech as that Harlot Prov. 7.21 22 23. it causes the sinner to yield with the flattering of her lips she forces him He goes after her straightway as an Oxe goes to the slaughter or a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver as a Bird hastes to the snare not knowing that it is for life This kindness Consideration would do them Thus and thus it would tell them and this is it men are afraid of and therefore care not for entertaining it Their sins afford them present satisfaction and the pleasure they promise is brisk and lusty on their fancies their body feels it their eyes see it their ears hear it their tongue tastes it it tickles all their senses it makes them merry and jovial and makes their blood frisk and dance in their veins It makes them forget their sorrows and puts the evil day far from them Frequent converse and long acquaintance hath made their friendship with sin inviolable And though it is really the greatest evil and the cause of all evils in the World though it murthers while it laughs and poysons while it smiles and cringes though it is so merciless that not contented to kill the body it attempts the soul too yet having like the Prophets Ewe Lamb 2 Sam. 12.3 been nourish'd and kept by its owners for many years and being grown up together with them and having eaten of their meat and drank of their Cup and lay'n in their bosoms and been to them as a Child the fondness is grown so great that nothing can make them willing to part with it Hence it is That Consideration is look'd upon as a sawcy ill-bred unmannerly Messenger that would part the dearest friends divide sin from their souls and cause a civil War in their bowels destroy the reigning power of Vice attempt its strong holds and storm its fortifications They lie encircled in its arms and though they hang all this while over Hell-fire by a twin'd Thread though God all this while shakes his Rod over them and while they hug the sin is preparing the instruments of death and whetting his Sword and bending his Bowe and making it ready yet it seems such is the present hearts-ease sin affords so sweet is the sleep it yields that men care not for being awak'd by Consideration We should wonder to see a man that 's ready to starve for want of food refuse the bread or meat which we offer him and wonder to see a person that 's ready to perish with cold reject the fire and cloathing we have prepared for him and wonder to see one who is blind scorn the help of him that would certainly restore him to his sight and wonder to see one who is fallen among Thieves and Robbers make light of the assistance of a Prince who offers to rescue him out of their hands And dost not thou wonder O my soul at the insufferable stupidity of sinful men that entic'd with the
of Consideration makes his discourse so loose and wanton It 's this makes him embrace every litle conjecture about the shortness of Hell torments before the solid arguments that evince an Eternity of God's displeasure against stubborn sinners It 's this makes him prefer a May-be before a Real-known-Truth and the man that makes sport with Eternal misery shall he be more acceptable company than the gravest and most judicious Divine whose Reasons he cannot answer Alas did the Drunkard When he comes to himself again Smite upon his Thigh and say what have I done how odious is this Vice I indulge my self in How like a Beast do I live How unworthy of that Reason which the wise Creator hath bestowed upon me How unworthy of those Mercies I daily enjoy How would many of the sober Heathens have scorned a temptation to such a sin What follies and extravagancies doth it involve me in How do I prostitute and expose my self to the contempt and scorn of Men that know me How can I hear the Apostle protest that no Drunkard shall enter into the Kingdom of God and go on Will not God take an account one day and examine how I have spent my time and can I spend my time worse than by exceeding irrational Creatures in sensuality What brute but a Swine would disorder it self as I do my Body What can I plead in excuse of so soul a crime ls this renouncing the Devil and all his works as I vow'd to do in Baptisme Is this adorning the Gospel of my Saviour as my Profession requires If I fear not Hell-fire why do not I fear impoverishing of my self and Family How do I dispose my self for all manner of sin by this enormity What crime is there that I am not fit for when my Reason is overwhelmed with Drink How do I embezel the Gifts of God when I abuse his Creatures thus How do I pervert the end of Gods bounty when I make that to ruine and destroy my nature which was intended to preserve it What difficulty is there in leaving so gross a vice which threatens so much mischief and misery Is it such a pleasure to make a Pond of my Body is it such a pleasure to deprive my self of Reason Is it such a pleasure to be laught at by all men that maintain Sobriety What hurt hath God ever done me that I should thus wilfully affront him How soon might I vanquish this sin if I would in good earnest resolve to be allur'd by my old companions no more And why should they be dearer to me than my God my Soul and a good Conscience Will these companions save me when I come to dye Will it not be far more comfortable to have none of this load to burthen and oppress my Soul What if God should strike me dead in a drunken fit Doth not Dives his calling for a drop of water to cool his burning Tongue affright me How do I prepare for Diseases by this Vice and if there were no Hell no Judgement to come how should the inconveniences which attend this sin discourage me Lord if neither the Plagues which wait upon the offence in this World nor the terror of that which is to come can disswade me how justly may God pour out all the Vials of his wrath upon me How justly may he plunge me into the Red Sea of his Indignation and leave me to the rage and malice of that Divel whose voice and suggestions I do now obey Did the sot but blow those sparks of Reason he hath left into such considerations as these how horrid how nauseous would the sin appear but want of consideration makes him transform the Image of God into the Image of a Beast and makes him drink away the Poors relief and his own Estate This is it makes him a Thief for he robs the poor and sometimes hiS own Family of that sustenance and support he owes them as he is a Man and pretends to be a Christian this is it makes him laugh when he should wish for rivers of Tears and for a Fountain of Water to deplore the sadness of his condition on here and the more dreadful state of his Soul hereafter Did the swearer but seriously consider what a foolish weak sordid and impertinent thing it is to mingle profanations of God's Name with his Speeches he would soon take pains to avoid it and set a mulct upon himself for running upon the same Rock again Would he but think good God! how irrationally do I act if I believe there is a God what can I fancy that God to be sure I must fancy him such a Deity as the Heathen worshipp'd one that hath Eyes and sees not Ears ' and hears not a Deity of Brass or Stone that I can securely play withal a Deity that 's not at all jealous of his Honour and Glory and can sit down under every affront that 's put upon him should the meanest of my Servants make use of my name in every trifling discourse in every foolish story and whenever he is pettish or peevish I should take it very ill at his hands and why should I think God will endure that from me which I would not allow in my Foot-Boy or Valet de chambre I must confess there is no bait no temptation to this sin He that robs upon the high-way is tempted by an apparent profit that the Covetous huggs his Gold and pays Adoration to his Money as to his Saint That he beholds the Sun when it shines and the Moon walking in brightness no marvel for he sees it hath a kind of Almighty power can make foes friends unlock Gates break the strongest Barrs give him admission into company of the highest quality c. The dissembler hopes he may save his credit and reputation and fortune by not speaking what he thinks but in swearing I can have no prospect of advantage and I must only act the Devil love sin for sins sake Fornication and Adultery do yet pretend some pleasure but this I cannot do in swearing the greatest Masters of pleasures never reckon'd this sin as an ingredient of carnal satisfaction and though there is no real necessity for any sin yet for this I can pretend no necessity at all were a knife set to my Throat were my Life in danger were I to dye presently upon the spot if I did not swear I might have some colour of argument for it but when there is nothing compels me to it but my own wilfulness I deserve no pitty no compassion if God lashes me with the severest Thunders ' There is no sin that 's more in my power to avoid than this the most barbarous Heathen can shun it and shall I pretend impossibility I see it engages me to very great uncivility I cannot but offend all sober company by it they must needs be uneasy in my society and to hear God abus'd and how ill I do with to my own Soul cannot but grate upon
Man or can I spend too much time in commemorating so glorious a Favour when God allows me six dayes in the week to follow the business of my lawful Calling cannot I allow one day entire for his service Are the concerns of my Soul so trivial that they do not deserve one day in the week or is Salvation so easy a thing that to spend much time in the contrivance of it is altogether needless I can allow a whole day sometimes two or three for the recreation of my Body and must my Soul have none to feast it self upon God and endless Glory Alas how little do those flashes of contemplating God in the week days which are so often interrupted by worldly businesses warm the Soul how little are mens affections wrought upon by those sits of Devotion except they take a whole day to warm their Souls at the beams of the Sun of Righteousness Alas How little seriousness doe I see in those Families where this day is not Religiously spent where every person is permitted to use their liberty and where the publick Exercises in the Church are not seconded by private Discourses and Prayers and Celebrations of the goodness of God where is my self-denial if I cannot deny my self in my worldly discourses or thoughts one day how can I hope my Spiritual wants and necessities should ever be discover'd to me except I do in my closet apply what I have heard in the House of God and water the incorruptible Seed that is sown in my Heart by self-examination that it may grow and sprout and bear Fruit O the joy the comfort the satisfaction I might reap from the sincere sanctification of this day how quietly might I lye down at night after so sweet a converse with God all day how soft would my rest be having worked in God's Vineyard so many hours how joyfully might I rise next morning and comfort my self with the happy remembrance of the blessings my Soul hath receiv'd the day before Thus to observe and to improve this day would be a Prologue to my everlasting rest a Preface to my Eternal repose in Abraham's bosom a Presage that I should e'r long rest from all Tears and sorrow and pain and anguish and from all the temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil and be admitted into the Quire of Angels to praise him day and night who lives for ever and ever In this manner all other Duties may be compass'd the Beauty Glory usefulness of them thus spread before the Understanding Will and Affections are apt to work upon these Faculties and they being prevail'd upon the Eyes the Ears the Hands the Feet will quickly do their part and shew their readiness to obey the commands of their superior Officers II. It helps men to improve external objects into very comfortable contemplations When I take a view of the Sun and Moon and Stars or reflect on the Air Fire Earth and Water Consideration may furnish me with very excellent Truths and the noblest Lessons of Religion Consideration can metamorphose objects and spiritualize them and find out the secret designs of the Almighty in those Creatures which the sensual man looks upon and like a Beast passes by without any admiration for after this manner it may argue Take wings O my Soul fly up to yonder Heaven where the Almighty hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber and rejoyces as a Giant to run his race Behold how this glorious Planet when he rises revives every living thing with his kindly beams and will not the increated Sun from whom this bright star borrows his shining rays when he shall rise unto the Spirits of Men made perfect in the last day fill them all with unspeakable joy and gladness and as a dismal uncomfortable darkness succeds when this created Sun doth leave our Hemisphere so think how dreadful how full of horror and disconsolateness that darkness must be which must unavoidably fall on wretched impenitent sinners that would take no warning when the increated Sun shall withdraw from them his beatifical Presence for ever behold this created Sun how many thousand kindnesses it bestowes upon Mankind and doth not this put thee in mind of the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect Gift descends how much bigger is this shining Body than the whole Earrh and dost not thou remember how before thy God all Mankind are as Grashoppers or rather as the dust of the Ballance nay lighter than nothing and vanity The Sun that he may enlighten the whole World is forced to go from one place to another but thy God at one and the same time without moving his station can fill Heaven and Earth with his Glory Behold O my Soul the next great Light the Moon which the nearer it approaches the Sun the brighter it grows in that part which looks toward Heaven though it becomes darker in that part which looks towards the Earth and when it is opposite to the Sun looses all that brightness it had in its conjunction with the Sun and is only clouded in that part which respects this lower World and dost not thou see a very lively emblem of a converted and an unconverted sinner in this luminary Behold the nearer thou approachest the Sun of Righteousness in purity and holiness the greater luster and the greater happiness thou receivest the Inhabitants of Heaven behold thy brightness and Innocence and applaud it though sensual Men may be think thee all darkness all obscurity because thou dost not wallow in Works of darkness with them they may be look upon thee as mad and distracted because thou art so busy so earnest so zealous to please thy God and spendest so much time in praising and magnifying and glorifying of him but those that dwell in yonder Region of Light and Bliss know that then and not till then thou art master of thy Reason and dost act like a person that 's capable of being made partaker of the Divine Nature On the other side when thou turnest thy back upon God walk'st opposite and contrary to him whatever respect and credit thou may'st have from the World God and his Holy Angels look upon thee as darkness thy understanding which is that part which properly looks towards Heaven looses all its brightness and no marvel for God alone can satisfy it and he being gone that part must needs be perfect night and no marvel if upon this darkness thy love runs altogether for the world and thy affections are altogether carried out after the dross and Dung of this transitory Earth if thy thoughts are all engaged about the World all thy Speeches employ'd about the World and thou becom'st Wise for the World and loosest all thy wisdom for God and for Salvation O my Soul canst thou look upon the Sun and Moon and not remember how differently God deals with Triumphing Saints in Heaven and his militant Church here on
Earth they enjoy a perpetual Sun-shine we are allow'd no more but Moon-light we see as it were through a Glass darkly they face to face their light like that of the Sun never lessens ours like that of the Moon is sometimes greater sometimes less and sometimes we have none at all How often doth the afflicted Beleever walk in darkness God hides the Light of his countenance from him and he is troubled sometime he is all joy by and by all darkness again sometimes he is like St. Paul wrapt up into the third Heaven sometimes like Men that see God's wonders in the deep he goes down again to the depths and his Soul melts because of trouble how cleer are the apprehensions sometimes he hath of the love and mercy of God! and he seems to be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the depth and breadth of the love of God how often on the other side is a vail drawn over all these bright Conceptions and he groveling in the dust What flouds of Consolation doth God sometimes pour out upon his Soul whereas at other times those comforts come down in drops which use to come in showers how great sometimes is his strength against temptations how weak his courage at another how chearfully sometime can he cry out I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me how mournfully is he forced to express himself at another I see a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin Behold O my Soul the vast number of the Stars and Lamps of Heaven how wise how powerful is that God that made them who can look upon those curious Lights without admiring their Creator Behold they rise and goe down at his command and do not fail one minute of their appointed time how should this teach thee obedience how chearfully shouldst thou run at the command of thy God these glorious Stars though their number be vastly great yet they never clash or disagree one with another how should this engage thee to unfeigned charity and peaceableness how should this put thee upon promoting peace and concord and agreement among thy neighbors and doe not these Stars put thee in mind how e're long thou shalt shine as the Stars in the firmament for ever Happy hour Blessed day when thou shalt be cloathed with splendor and immortatity when thou shalt see night no more and shalt need no candle neither light of the Sun but the Lord shall give thee light and thou shalt reign with him for ever Come down lower O my Soul I have not done yet with Gods wonderful Works reflect upon the Air in which all sensitive Creatures breathe without this Air the whole Creation would dye it 's this that keeps Men and Beasts and all Plants and Herbs alive and is not the Holy Spirit of God O my Soul the very same to thee that the Air is to all creatures without this spirit of God to enlighten to move and to direct thee thou hast the name that thou livest but thou art dead it 's this spirit must give thee life it 's he that must warm thee into a practical Love to God it 's he must teach thee how to pray it 's he must help thy infirmities and bear witness with thy Spirit that thou art a Child of God beg this rich gift at the hands of God and thou shalt have it seek it and thou shalt find it knock at Heaven Gate for it and God will open and grant thee thy hearts desire Behold O my Soul how vain and foolish these men are that will not believe the Being of Angels or of Spirits because they never saw any can they see the Air and why do not they question whether there be such a thing as Air or no this Air supports all Creatures so doth thy God much more The Eyes of all do wait upon him and he gives them their meat in due season he opens his hand and fills the desire of every living thing Psal. 145.15 16. When this Air yields to all gross Bodies and lets them pass without opposition how doth it read to thee Lectures of Patience and Humility in that flexibility thou mayst see the sinfulness of thy inexorable temper the odiousness of thy revengeful desires and reviling again when thou art reviled and giving the offender as good as he brings the Air reproves thee when thou art deaf to all entreaties to be reconciled to him that hath injured thee when thou wilt not yield to the humble supplication of distressed creatures and when thou opposest thy own humour to all the rational perswasions of wiser men than thy self Look upon the Fire 0 my Soul and behold how differently it acts upon Bodies it meets withal how it consumes the Hay and Stubble and cleanseth and purifies Gold and Silver doest thou not see here as in a Glass how thy God destroys the workers of iniquity and advances and encreases and purifies the desires and affections of a devout and religious Soul thou seest how hard and black Iron is when it is not near the Fire and how bright and tractable it becomes in the fire and is not this the true picture of a sinner while he is a stranger to the Law of God he hardens his heart as Flint and Adamant no threatenings pierce him no promises prevail with him no judgements fright him no providences move him no mercies melt him he feeds upon Gods Blessings as Swine do upon Acorns without minding the hand that throws them down he hears Sermons but they awake him not he is intreated and he slights the invitation he is reproved and laughs at the reprehension but when that Holy Fire the love of God enters into his heart how flexible how tractable doth he grow how doth the love of God constrain him to avoid sin and to bid defiance to all the works of Darkness he that before scorn'd to hear the glad tidings of the Gospel how doth he now submit to Christs easy yoak he that before thought such a duty unfit and improper for a person of his quality how cheerfully doth he now bow and yield to it he that before had a thousand excuses why he could not do what Christ enjoyns him how doth he now lay all those idle apologies by he that before was churlish becomes now affable and courteous he that before was apt to be very angry at the least affront now bears it more quietly he that before put off the Eternal God with the meanest of his endeavours now is willing to give him the fat and strength of his affections he that before could hear Ministers call to him and call again without effect now cries out Sirs what must I do to be saved he that before could not be perswaded to walk in the strait way now runs in the way of God's Commandments Blessed Fire which consumes not but illuminates never suffers the heart to be harden'd
but purifies it doth not straiten the Soul but elevates it doth not clog it but refines it doth not confound it but sublimes it destroys the dross but preserves the Gold and burns away all unclean and inordinate passions and all immoderate cares of this world but raises the Soul above the world and engages it to fly above those things which serve only to fill mens hearts with anguish and vexation Let this object rest a little O my Soul and look upon that Earth thou walkest on this is the place our Bodies must necessarily rest in but when thou seest that center of of all heavy Bodies forget not to think who it is that is thy proper Center and Resting-place This is a groaning bleeding dying Saviour think O my Soul on Solomon what pains that Monarch took to find Rest for his Soul He gave himself to Wine laid hold on folly made him great Works built him Houses planted him Vineyards made him Gardens and Orchards and planted trees in them of all kind of Fruits got him Servants and Maidens procured great possessions of great and small cattel gather'd Silver and Gold got him Men-singers and Women-singers and all the delight of the Sons of Men and whatsoever his eyes desired he kept it not from them Eccl. 2 3 4. c. He withheld not his heart from any joy yet behold when he looked on at the works his hand had wrought he found it was nothing but vanity and vexation of Spirit in all this his Soul found no rest till it came to learn this great lesson Fear God and keep his Commandements and then Peace and rest did flow in upon his Soul with a Spring-tide God is thy rest indeed O my Soul and when thou canst hide thy self in the wounds of thy Great Redeemer then then thou art safe and the Gates of Hell are not able to prevail against thee Canst thou see how plentifully the Earth provides for Mankind and forget what provision God makes for thee that thou may'st not miss of the Crown of Righteousness hereafter and when thou seest how all things the Earth produces praise their Creator in their way and shew forth his Glory canst thou be silent or forbear to be perpetually extolling the goodness of that God that hath given thee a tongue on purpose to speak those praises whereof other creatures make but a dumb shew thou seest how this Earth produces Gold and Silver and if this Earth be so Glorious what will Heaven be if the House which God vouchsafes to his enemies be so splendid what will his own Palace be where none but himself and his Servants shall dwell for ever if the outward Court be so magnificent what must the Presence-Chamber of the King of Kings be if Gold and and Silver by their glittering dazle the eyes of spectators here what will the beatifical Presence of Almighty God doe which is beyond all the shine and luster that Gold and precious Stones afford From the Earth 0 my Soul launch out into the Waters how useful are the Lessons suggested to issue by this Element canst thou look upon water and not reflect on the grace of God which hath appear'd to all men how this washes the Souls of Believers from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit how it quenches the fire of sinful Lusts in men how it takes away mens thirst and greediness after there sublunary comforts how it cools the Soul under the greatest heat of misery how it makes many of one mind as the innumerable Atomes of Flower goe together in water to make up one loaf of Bread and unites millions of Men under one Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold the Springs and Fountains which like Pearls adorn the curious Fabrick of the Earth canst thou call them Fountains and doth not that name put thee in mind of the Fountain of life the Fountain of Wisdom the Fountain of living Waters and the Fountain open'd for the House of Juda and Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness doe but think what riches flow from that everlasting Spring Thy God is the very Fountain of all Beings in him and to him and through him are all things he depends on no Causes he hath need of no assistance nothing can hurt him but all things depend upon him he is the beginning of all things without a beginning the end without end the great Cause without a cause infinite unlimited immense and incomprehensible Refresh thy self O my Soul in this never-fading and inexhaustible Fountain admire him serve him love him desire him despise all other things in comparison of him for he alone can supply all thy wants and necessities content thy affections here and fill thee with everlasting comforts hereafter III. It wonderfully supports men under afflictions for our impatience lies in our minds and when the disease begins then its fit the cure should begin but which way should the mind be cur'd but by Consideration it's this must answer all the objections that Flesh and Bloud suggest to the mind it 's this must silence all the arguments which seem to justify our murmures against the dismal providence we meet withal and the thoughts which cause our discontent must be expell'd by thoughts of our demerits and Gods justice and without all peradventure that man shall be able to bear his tribulation better that thus reasons the case with himself why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me hath thy God a hand in this affliction or hath he not if he hath not where is his Providence if he hath why dost thou grumble Doth not thy God know better what is expedient for thee than thy self Is he all wise and doth not he know what medicines are fittest for thee thou art his creature and may not he do with his own what he pleases thou hast sinn'd against him and must not he correct thee thou hast affronted him and must not he use his Rod thou hast forsaken him and must not he shew his displeasure against thy ingratitude dost not thou correct thy Child when he is stubborn and dost thou let thy Servant goe without chiding that doth neglect the business thou hast recommended to his care may be thou hast serv'd thy God and led a sober life but was it a life so blameless that it had no defects and must not those defects endure that fiery Tryal that they may be burnt away Hast thou receiv'd the good at the hand of the Lord and shalt not thou receive the evil also how long hath God spared thee who might long ago have poured out the vials of his wrath upon thee hast not thou reason to thank him for chastising thee but now who might have done it much sooner Alas why shouldst thou think he doth thee wrong by sending this cross upon thee who hast deserved no less than damnation are not Rods gentler than Scorpions and drops of Gods anger more tolerable than flouds of his
displeasure thou art in pain but what is this to Hell-fire thou art in torments but what is this to the Agonies the unhappy Spirits in the burning Lake endure how great a mercy is it that it is not worse with thee The Waters of Marah which are but to the Ancles now how soon might God increase them to the Knees and make them a River that could not be pass'd over and he that doth but frown now how easily might he thunder Consider O my Soul thou art not call'd to Persecution to Gibbets to Fire to the Sword to Grid-irons to wild Beasts as the Martyrs of old were if thou complainest now what wouldst thou do if thou wert call'd to Martyrdom Look upon Jesus the Author and Captain of thy Salvation who was made perfect through sufferings art thou better than the Son of God look upon the Apostles look upon the Primitive Saints that were torn assunder stoned slain with the Sword wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins were destitute tormented afflicted and art thou a greater Saint than they why shouldst thou expect better dealing at Gods hands than they thou art not alone in misery thou hast whole Armies of Holy Men to bear thee company canst thou look upon yonder Heaven and repine canst thou behold that Glory which God hath prepared for thee and think much of these fiery Trials the hopes of a Kingdom makes a Captive Prince merry though he is in prison and shall not the hopes of yonder joys keep thy heart from sinking when a Socrates can chearfully submit to the unjust Sentence of the Athenians upon no other account but this because it was God's will shalt thou who art a Christian lye fretting at thy trouble as if thou meanst to resist and controul God's will wilt not thou give God leave to use that priviledge in his great House the World which every Peasant uses in his Cottage and lay what burthens he pleases on his Servants Shall he say Suffer thou this affliction and wilt thou answer with that ill-natur'd Son in the Gospel I will not Look O my Soul look upon the benefit thou wilt receive by this providence thou wast proud before stay awhile and this calamity makes thee humble thou didst despise thy God before have a little patience and this trouble will drive thee hence to thy Fathers house thou didst play with the bread thy Father gave thee this cross will teach thee how to prize it thou didst trust too much to thine own strength this calamity will make thee relye altogether upon him who hath promis'd not to leave us nor forsake us God knows what thou wantest and how thy wants must be supplyed He prosperity would undo thee he therefore takes it away and like a tender Father cries Do thy self no harm He sees such a blessing would make thee surfeit he therefore wisely prevents thy disease by depriving thee of that mercy He sees such a comfort would be but a Knife or Sword in thy hand and kill thee he therefore snatches it away because he would preserve thee from Eternal ruine he sees thou art too much in love with this world he therefore embitters thy sweet morsels to make thee weary of this barren wilderness and in love with that Kingdom which fades not away Dost thou blame a Physitian because he gives his Patient a bitter potion and wilt thou blame thy God for not pleasuring thy pallate with dainties which would encrease thy distemper wouldst thou followthy Saviour in Sun-shine only and not go with him into the Garden of Gethsemane wouldst thou inherit his Crown of Glory without wearing his Crown of Thorns here wouldst thou be with him on Mount Tabor only and not accompany him to Golgotha wouldst thou be about him only when he rides in triumph into Jerusalem and forsake him in the Desart wouldst thou follow him only while the loaves doe last and abandon him when he wants bread for the multitude wouldst thou own him only when men cry Hosanna and run away from him when they cry out Crucify him wilt thou eat of the same Bread he doth and not drink of his Cup too God would save thee by that burthen which lies upon thee and dost thou prefer a little froth before an Eternal weight of blessedness hadst thou rather enjoy thy good things here than lye with Lazarus in Abrahams bosom God sees thou canst not be happy without this affliction and wilt thou prefer living deliciously for a few days before the rich Banquet God hath prepar'd for his favourites in Paradise O my Soul it s but a little while yet and thy Prison will be changed into a Palace thy Poverty into Eternal Riches thy Bondage into perfect Liberty thy Persecution into endless Joys thy mourning Songs into Halelujahs thy Sorrow into Rivers of Delight Alas what is a Prison God's Presence can make it a Heaven Walls cannot keep out the Smiles and Glory of the Highest What is poverty it may consist with being a Favourite of God and he that hath nothing in this world to boast of may have an incorruptible Crown to lay hold of and be really richer than the weakliest of Mankind What are slanders and reproaches they cannot hurt the Soul whatever injury they only do the Body they come sometimes from Men whose tongue is no slander and this may consist with honour from God and reputation in the Court of the Almighty What is persecution a Cloud which soon passes away and he that chearfully endures it great is his reward in Heaven Despair not O my Soul thou hast to deal with a God who will lay no more upon thee than thou art able to bear but with the temptation will make a way to escape that thou mayst be able to bear it one that doth not afflict the children of men willingly one that will certainly if thou obstruct not his operation by thy unbelief cause all these troubles to work together for thy Eternal good May be thy troubles are altogether Spiritual and thou dost not complain so much because thou art destitute of outward conveniences as because thy God is departed from thee a deep sense of thy sins afflicts thee thou seest the wrath of God hovering over thee and God hides his face from thee thou art afraid thou dost not belong to him thou seest not thy former tokens nor feel'st those Gracious influences which formerly water'd and enriched all thy faculties but hast thou such low conceits of the everlasting kindness of thy God O my Soul why shouldst thou believe he hath forsaken thee when he doth give thee daily testimonies of his Love what greater assurance canst thou have of Gods love to thee and of Christs kind thoughts towards thee than thy weariness of sin Hast not thou heard thy Saviour call Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden and I will give ye rest Art not thou weary of iniquity hadst not thou rather be rid of that burthen than keep
consider the evil of thy courses the beauty of Gods ways and the sad consequences of sensuality thou deniest thy own Being deniest Gods Favour to thy Soul deniest the Glory of thy Creation deniest the most visible and the most apparent thing in the world if thou deniest thy ability in this point and if thou art able to consider so much what injustice can it be in God to demand an account of this consideration wherein doth he do thee an injury if he doth ask what thou hast done with this power wert thou in Gods stead wouldst not thou require the same account of thy servant on whom thou hadst bestow'd such a Talent if thou art able and wilt not take thy faithfulness into serious consideration can there be any thing more just in the world than thy damnation how easy were it for thee to lay home the danger thou art in and seeing it is so easy how just is it with God to let thee perish in that danger thou art resolv'd in despight of all Gods endeavours to the contrary to fall and sink into O Christian how dreadful will it be for thee when Christ shall depart from thee with this doleful exclamation How often would I have gathered thee as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wings and thou wouldst not wouldst not This is it that makes thy everlasting torments just O Sinner that God should invite thee to Heaven and thou put him off with this answer I will not that God should carress thee to become his Darling and thou voluntarily and freely list thy self in the Catalogue of the Devils favourites and votaries that God should leave no means untried to melt thy stuborn heart and thou desperately fight against his Heaven and when he would thrust thee into it violently to break loose from him and lay force upon damnation How inexcusable will this make thee What Man what Angel can or dares plead for thee after such horrid wilfulness by it thou shutst up all mens compassion against thee were thy error an infirmity or had invincible ignorance caused thy folly some or other possibly might be moved to speak in favour of thy concerns but that thou knowing the will of God and having power to think what the end of thy courses will be and power to avoid the danger and power to pray for help a gracious God to encourage thee a glorious reward to entice thee Eternity to fright thee the everlasting gulph to startle thee shouldst in despight of all these motives wilfully and maliciously shun thine own cure this is a malady which no creature can justly shed a Tear or frame an apology for Be astonish'd O ye Heavens and tremble O thou Earth ye Angels that rejoyce at a sinners conversion here on Earth O all ye that pass by behold and see whether there be a sorrow as such a sinners sorrow is We have read of men that have eaten their enemies of Monsters that have devour'd their own Children but here is one devours himself inhumane to a prodigy one that contrives how to shut himself out of Heaven plots how to undermine his everlasting Salvation and studies how to sink into the dungeon of desperation Sirs what is it that we are exhorting you unto is it to dig down Mountains is it to exhaust the Sea is it to pull down the Sun from his Orb is it to reverse the course of Nature is it to work miracles is it to unhinge the Earth or to stop the flux and reflux of the Ocean one would think by the earnestness and vehemency of expressions we are forced to use that it must be something beyond the power of man but no all that we keep this stir for is only that you would consent to be happy contrive how to inherit an incorruptible Crown and think seriously how to escape your own torment and needs there any intreaty for this one would think you should run to us break down the doors of our Habitations pull us out of our studies interrupt us though we were never so busy and importune us as that Widdow did the Judge and follow us day and night to be satisfied the thing is of that importance And O did you but believe an Eternity you would do so Believe why what should hinder you from believing it what arguments can you desire that you have not can there be any thing surer than the word of God can there be a greater witness than the Son of God God cannot deceive you he cannot impose upon you he cannot delude you dare to believe him though you have not look'd into Hell yet certainly there 's one though you have not seen the joys above yet such joys there are and to consider to study to ponder how to arrive to them is the great thing we press upon you as being sensible of your danger sensible that death will arrest you before you are aware of it sensible that many thousands are for ever miserable for neglecting such exhortations O Sirs we do not envy your worldly happiness we dare assure you that it is not any grugde we have against your prosperity that makes us put you in mind of these unwelcome Lessons we have a God calling upon us to stop you in your earnestness for the world woe to us if we give you no warning woe to you if you take no warning If making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof would make you happy if rioting and drunkenness chambering and wantonness and rouling in all the pleasures that your flesh does promise and your fancy pay could contribute any thing to your felicity if solacing your selves in the wanton streams of sensual delights would lead you into Paradise we promise you we would not molest or disturb you in your ways nay if you had not Souls to be saved did your Spirits dye with your Bodies we would not stint you in your jollities But oh can we read how the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men and see you fall a prey to that indignation Can we read how tribulation and anguish shall certainly fall upon every Soul that doth evil and not speak to you to prevent it Can we read how the Lord Jesus will e'r long come from Heaven in flames of Fire to take vengeance of those who have continued to disobey his Gospel and to punish them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power and not call to you Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Can we read how the unprofitable Servant that made no use of his Talent but buried it under ground and would not watch or make himself ready to meet his Master shall be thrown into outward darkness where there is howling and gnashing of Teeth and not beg of you to trim your Lamps and arise from the dead that Christ may give you Light Can we remember how many
and send his Spirit so to move upon her affections so to actuate her endeavours so to encourage her with promises that it may not lye in the power of the Devil nor in the power of her Lusts to gain-say or contradict or dash the resolutions she hath taken where the Soul doth with strong desires pour out these her requests before God the good Father opens the Gates of Heaven le ts in the Messenger makes him welcome smiles upon him and sends him back laden with Mercy and puts words into his mouth and bids him tell the Soul boldly from that God who heareth Prayer I have heard thee in an acceptable time in the day of Salvation have I succour'd thee I 'll pour out my Spirit upon thee I will open a river in high places and fountains in the midst of valleys I will make thy wilderness a pool of water and thy dry land springs of water I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar and the Myrtle and the Oil-tree I will set in the Desart that thou mayst see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it 2 Cor. 6.2 Es. 41.18 19 20. Up then Christian who art resolved not to let the concerns of thy Soul lye at six and sevens who art afraid to hazard Eternity with the careless besotted world like another Lazarus beg Alms of the King of Heaven Cry aloud and spare not shew him thy wounds thy ulcers thy poverty thy want thy necessity let a greater fervency attend thy Prayer for Spiritual blessings than others use in begging for Temporal Mercies Prayer is the way to be enrich'd with all the Treasures of Heaven seek Gods assistance with tears in thine eyes remember thy Soul is infinitely more precious than thy Body and if a Beggar in the street is so earnest with those that pass by to give him something for the relief of his corporal wants oughtst not thou to be all fire to procure those blessings which will enrich thy Soul for ever Josephs Brethren were pinch'd with Famine because they knew not that their Brother reign'd in Aegypt why shouldst thou starve Christian when thy elder Brother reigns in Heaven who knows what thou wantest and is a faithful High Priest and is touch'd with the feeling of thy infirmities and was in all points tempted even as thou art Come boldly to the throne of Grace that thou mayst obtain mercy and find help in the time of need If God hath done good to others for his servants sake who have pleased him what will not God do for thee for his Sons sake in whom alone he is well pleased if God doth so highly esteem the Piety of Men that he professes for my servant Jacob's sake for my servant David's sake I will be kind to such a one will he derogate dost thou think from the merits and love of his own Son will he harden his heart or stop his ears or turn away his eyes when thou callest upon him for Christs sake to send down upon thee the day-spring from on high Christ is the very object of Gods delight nothing is sweet nothing is pleasing to him but through and in Christ what ever is amiable and acceptable in us it is for Christ his sake that God doth think it so Without light all colours are invisible there is no beauty in them the light shining upon them makes them look lovely and amiable without Christ nothing would appear pure or lovely or great or delightful He that looks on a green Glass fancies all things he looks upon to be green God looking upon our Holy endeavours in Christ Jesus they all appear to him lovely and good because all that Christ did was good and infinitely pleasing to him The world had perish'd ten thousand times if God had not look'd upon it through his Son and so supported it he that looks through a Glass upon a stinking carcass afar off doth not smell the ill scent of it so God through Christ looks upon our imperfections and he smells not the ill savour of our performances Take courage then and lay hold on the horns of this Altar and if thou knowest not what to say when thou hast taken a serious view of thy ways make use of this or some other Form Oh thou who art the Father of the Spirits of all flesh the Father of lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning here lies a poor miserable sinful wretch before thee not worthy to lift up his eyes and hands to Heaven I know not where to look for shame and confusion of face so long have I gone astray from thee so often have I provoked thee so often have I slighted thee so often have I turned thy grace into wantonness so long have I hunted after broken Cisterns which can hold no water forsaking the Fountain of living water that thou mayst justly absent thy self from me for ever so disingenuously have I dealt with thee so often have I endeavoured to blind thy all-seeing Eye and to cheat my self that thou mightst justly cause me to fall a prey to Satan look stern upon me and charge me never any more to see thy face O wretched creature that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Oh my Lord how often hast thou darted Rays of Light into my Soul and the impure fire of my Lusts hath prevailed against them how often hast thou suggested to my Soul the danger it hath been in and yet I have not trembled how often hast thou stung my heart prick'd it and goaded it into serious reflexions and how soon hath this vain world taken me off again and dull'd and dash'd those considerations how often hast thou sent sparks of Grace into my Soul while I have done what I could to smother that Holy fire how justly mightst thou say My Spirit shall no longer strive with thee O my God there is no plague no punishment that 's threatned in thy Law but I have deserved it I only stand amazed at thy patience that I have escaped so long without being consumed and ruined Wilt thou receive such a Prodigal into thy favour wilt thou be reconcil'd to so great a rebel wilt thou pass by unkindesses of so deep a Dye are the gates of Mercy open yet for so vile a wretch Doe not I come too late O my Lord to the throne of Grace will God be yet intreated for such a poor forlorn creature Is there yet compassion left for such a poor sinner O my God I question not thy Power but thy Will to pity such a Traitor as I have been I know thy Mercy is infinite it would be a disparagement to thy Glory and Perfection to deny the exceeding riches of thy Grace thou couldst not be God if my sins exceeded thy power to forgive but when I reflect on thy threatenings how justly thou denouncest wrath
and indignation against all those that obstinately prefer their foolish desires before all the Dictates and Oracles of thy Holy Spirit O have not I reason to fear that thou wilt say of me Cut down this barren Tree why doth it cumber the ground and yet how free how full are thy promises to the truly penitent how full of Sweetness and Love are all thy Gracious Engagements to those that will have no more to doe with Idols that will cleave to thee alone that will renounce themselves and follow thee O my Lord these thy promises are my refuge were it not for these desperation would be my portion I doe in some measure see my folly I see what a gracious tender patient long suffering God I have offended I see how my Soul hath leaned on broken reeds what a sandy foundation I have trusted to how the world hath beguiled me how I have shunn'd thy company been glad when God hath been farthest from my thoughts rejoyced when I have been least of all reflecting on thy goodness I have nothing to plead for my self I have no apology to make the greatest charity cannot excuse my misdemeanors I have had light and darkened it convictions and smother'd them knowledge and abused it reason and perverted it heard thy word and scorn'd it enjoy'd the means of Grace and continu'd blind and hard under them Thy Mercy is my Sanctuary I am weary of my burthen I loath my transgressions I am willing to be rid of them I desire to abhor them but though I am thus willing my flesh is weak my understanding dark my will dull my affections to goodness faint my resolutions in constant Come O my Lord come down into my Soul come quickly O thou great preserver of Men teach me to answer all the reasons of Flesh and Bloud against a serious conversion arm me with arguments to beat down my carnal interest furnish me with motives to a truly Heavenly life motives which may break through all the devils suggestions motives which may invalidate and weaken the prophane motions of my Lusts. Come down thou Sun of Righteousness thou mighty Star of Jacob dispel the Clouds and Mists which are upon my Reason cleer the eyes of my understanding and enable me to see the arts of Sin the wiles of the Devil the snares of the World the stratagems of the Flesh and all the mischief that 's plotted against my Soul by my Spiritual enemies Convince me throughly that to follow thee is my greatest interest that to resist these enemies is my greatest safety that to watch against their charms is my greatest felicity O let me apprehend sin as it is the greatest evil let it appear very terrible to my mind represent unto me Heaven and thy Love and all that thou hast done for me in such lively colours that neither death nor life neither good report nor evil report may separate me from thy love O let thy kindness and the benefits of thy Sons death and passion and resurrection appear to me in such characters that I may long to be fill'd with all the fulness of God Thy Spirit is perfect Light and there is no darkness with him O let that glorious Light dissipate that gloominess those foggs that confusedness that is in my intellectual part make me conceive clearly and distinctly what I must do to inherit Eternal life and how I must carry myself to God and Man Give me such a sight of thy Glory as may lift me up above the world and engage me to have my Conversation in Heaven Bow my Will to conform entirely to thy Will I would not be mine so much as thine Come Lord and take the government of my Soul into thy hand I have too long suffer'd my self to be guided by merciless Tyrants art thou not my Master my Prince my Father thou hast the greatest right to rule me Incline my Will unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness when my Will would wander from thy Precepts cross it and put a stop to it that it may not goe beyond the limits of thy Law O heal my affections they hanker too much after this Earth O make them in love with Heaven chide them for deserting their highest and their chiefest good let my hatred pitch upon no other object but sin let my Love be carried out after nothing so much as thee and if I love any thing besides let me love it only for thy sake let my hopes be fixed upon immortality engrosse thou my desires let me fear none but thee let my chief delight be in thy ways and ordinances strengthen my resolutions O deliver me from that fickleness I have so long been guilty of make my purposes firm let them be as the Mountains of God which can never be moved let nothing be able to weaken my good intentions give me courage to fight the good fight O Lord in thy strength I 'll resist by thy Power I will conquer my heart hath lock'd the out O knock again and if it will not yield break open the door and let all my corruptions vanish at thy Presence O Lord I beg no Riches no Honours no Preferments if I have but Food and Raiment I will learn therewith to be contented it s thy Grace I want establish me with thy free Spirit give me spiritual Wisdom even that wisdom which makes me wise unto Salvation thou art nigh unto them that call upon thee yea unto all such as call upon thee faithfully O cast me not away from thy Presence I am thine O save me order my steps according to thy word when I read it let me read it with that attention as to observe and take notice of what thou dost command when I hear it let me hear it as if it were the last time that ever I should hear it let thy Oracles make deeper impressions on me than ever dash all those evasions and excuses I used to alleage when I have had no mind to obey thee let the good motions of thy Spirit prevail O that there should be such difficulty in conquering a poor sinner O that God should be forced to carress me to my happiness O that Heaven should attract me no more O that God should need to send out messengers to entreat me to come to the Supper of the Lamb Lord take away this dulness make me mount up with wings as Eagles Let me not be able to goe out of thy Presence till I have fully and unfeignedly resolved to give my self up to thy service O Jesu the light of the world who enlightenst every man that comes into the world where thou dwellest there Mercy dwells O dwell in my Soul and Mercy and Truth will kiss each other there teach me to hate my self not only for the hurt I have done to my self but for the injuries and indignities I have offer'd thee I was a horrid monster thou by thy death madest me a pleasing spectacle in the sight of Heaven I lay