better Frame 'T is past doubt that true Grace tends in its own Nature to heal all the Diseases of the Soul to rectify all its Faculties and Powers and so the Passions and Affections amongst the rest That is to take them off from wrong Objects to moderate their Excesses to turn them into a right Channel nor are these tendencies fruitless the Effect is in part accomplisht So far as this great Change takes place and prevails in the Soul the Affections of Love Desire Joy Delight Hatred Sorrow Fear and the rest will be moving towards their proper Objects and Ends. We shall hate and abhor what is displeasing to God mourn that we have so often offended earnestly desire to be accepted with him and to enjoy more of him hunger and thirst after Righteousness And therefore we shall strive to love God more seelingly and so to rejoice and delight in him and tho many Impediments and Difficulties arise in our way yet still Grace will be tending to these things And we are greatly wanting to our selves if we do not daily endeavour to stir up the Grace of God that is in us that all the Powers of our Souls may be quickened more and more in their Motions by it If we stay till our Affections stir of themselves we may wait long enough 'T is our part actively to concur with and by that gracious Help which is afforded us in order to the quâ—ckening and spiritualizing of them and bringing them more under the command of the Will till at length they be accustom'd and inured to move more naturally freely and strongly Heaven-ward Nor must we faint or be discouraged tho we find our Hearts sluggish and averse to such work as this We must persist in duty notwithstanding this Indisposition And wait for God's Help in his own way Yea we must cast our selves into his Arms tho he may seem as it were to shut up himself from our Prayers and to withhold the sweet Influences of his Grace It may be he withdraws to see how we will take it shall we not lament and follow so much the harder after him what tho we have not sensible Comfort let us stay our selves on him and against Hope believe in Hope Rom. 4.18 Duties are sweet when recovered out of the Hand of Temptations and Difficulties we are bound but God is free What you want as to the seeling of Affection make out in deep and rational Resolutions for God and ye will get ground even while ye think ye lose it 5. Even the Body it self must be sanctified that is presented or devoted unto God and used for him This is the Will of God that every one of us possess his Vessel in Sanctification 1 Thess 4.3 4. That Sin reign not in our Mortal Body but that we yield our Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God Rom. 6.12 13. Our Bodies are for the Lord they are Members of Christ c. 1 Cor. 6.13 15. Temples of the Holy-Ghost vers 19. The Body must be used as a Servant to the Soul and both employed in the Service of God 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's 'T is true indeed that bodily Exercise profiteth little without or in comparison of that which is spiritual 1 Tim. 4.8 To bow the Knee while our Spirits remain stubborn and unbroken To lift up our Eyes Heaven-ward if our Souls be not also lifted up To draw nigh to God with our Lips when our Hearts are far from him is an Addition of Hypocrisy to all the rest of our Iniquity But on the other hand 't is as true that if our Souls be for God our Bodies will be subservient to them and their Members accordingly used by them The Eyes will be opened to behold the wonderful Discoveries which he hath made of himself in his Works and in his Word The Ears to hear the Instructions of Wisdom The Lips to praise and magnify Him and by spiritual Discourse to edify others feed many and minister Grace to the Hearers Therefore tho our Hearts must be first look'd at in the Service of God Yet care must also be taken that our Words and Deportment be also sutable and becoming because outward Worship is expressive of that which is inward and reflects back again upon the Heart it self As Habits are strengthened and increased by the Acts which flow from them so are internal Affections by correspondent Expressions and Behaviour in Duty Tho we must not so cry up and magnify the Externals of Worship as to overlook the inward Life and Soul of it as Hypocrites who love to be seen of Men are wont to do So on the other Hand we ought not to pretend our good Meanings or Spirituality in Divine Worship to excuse us from befitting Gestures or outward Demeanour therein Nor must we be forward to judg and censure others as if they were meer Ceremonious Hypocrires because they seem to put Religion into a more fine or formal dress than we our selves have been used to In short let us neither be rude nor antick in Matters of this Nature but let the Frame of our Spirits as also our Words and Gestures be reverent grave and serious lest we be found guilty of prophaning holy things God is to be worshipped by the whole Man Thus ye see that our intellectual and sensitive Faculties yea and our Bodies too must according to their several Capacities be all sanctified and devoted unto God Which is fully comprehended in those Words of the Apostle 1 Thess 5.23 And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly And I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOVL and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus much for the first Head viz. That this great Change consists in turning unto the Lord from whom we have so deeply revolted II. Since it is only in and through Jesus Christ that God is reconcilable to fallen Man 't is highly necessary that we have a due regard to him in this Matter Joh. 14.6 No Man cometh unto the Father but by me So vers 19. of this Chapter God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself Neither is there Salvation in any other Acts 4.12 As God himself is our ultimate End so Jesus Christ is the principal means and way to bring us to that End The Will of God is so fully declared in this Point viz. That we can have no access to the Father but by the Son that it would be insolent daring Presumâ—ption for us to attempt it any other way Never think of approaching the Presence of God transacting with him presenting your selves or services to him or of expecting any Favour from him but in and through Christ Joh. 5.23 He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him 'T is therefore requisite that we set an high value upon this great Mediatour that we dearly love him and sincerely commit our selves to
Christ as you can What Pleasure do ye take is discoursing concerning the things of God In speaking of the Glory of His Majesty and the Wonders of his Grace the Holiness and Perfection of his Law c. What say ye Do such things as these are agree with you Or are they not a weariness to you Are ye nor ready to think that Lords-Days return too oâ— And that strict and serious Religion is intolerable Prociseness Do not your Hearts rise against it Are â—e not glad when the Service of God is over Tho sour thing ye would do to secure Heaven for a reserve who ye can enjoy the World no longer Is not this the very Temper of your Spirits And is it not very deplorable Alas what should ye do in Heaven with sod Hearts as these Would ye not be eternally weary oâ— an Eternal Sabbath Would not your ungracious Spirits be ever recoiling and uneasy Do ye not yet see that there is no coming to the new Jerusalem without new Hearts If not 't is because ye shut your Eyes Certainly if unregenerate Men might have â—n Haven of their own choosing it would be vastly different even quite another thing from that which Goâ— hath prepared for them that LOVE him But he should Men be happy against their own Wills Or it State to which the Temper of their Spirits is not suâ—ed So true is that great Saying of a Worthy Divine When God hath so determined that without â—â—â—ness none shall see him he lays no other Law upon unholy Souls than what their own impure Nature lay upon themselves Blâ—ssedness of the Righteouâ—â— pag. 46 By this time ye see or may see if ye will thâ—â— except the Decrees of God can be reverst the design of Redemption perverted the Office of the hâ—â— Spirit nullified the Institution of the Ministry aâ—â— Ordinances run down the Threarnings of the Gospâ—â— made of none Effect the Inheritance be attained without the earnest a new way found to Heaven which none ever discovered before and all this while the Righteous themselves are scarcely saved in a word unless the nature of things be quite overturn'd and palpable Contradictions made to agree none can come to Heaven till they be prepared and wrought for it by Divine Grace Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good Heb. for thy self Job 5.27 CHAP. VI. Several Inferences of Truth drawn from the foregoing Discourse THus we have fully proved that except ye will be holy ye cannot be happy If this therefore be so clear and certain a Truth it must needs be also a very weighty and important one a thing much to be considered and closely applied because our Spiritual and Eternal Welfare and what is infinitely more than either the Glory of the Great God is so nearly concerned in it Now since there are many other Truths which have an intimate connexion with and dependance upon this great Doctrine let us begin with the Consideration of these for the informing of our Judgments Inser 1. We may learn from hence the great Worth and Excellency of real Holiness Real I say in opposition to that vain empty shew of Religion wherewith Multitudes make a shift to deceive themselves even because they know no better and that because they will not know Satan hath taken advantage by their own Corruption to blind their Minds and close their Eyes and thus they choose Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil. Hence it is that they see no Beauty in Holiness no more than they do the Form and Comliness of the great Pattern and Procurer of it Isa 53.2 They do not approve things that are excellent If they meddle with Matters of Religion they do but debase them First by forming low and unworthy Notions of them sutable to their own degenerate Tempers and Spirits then they act accordingly and after all highly value themselves upon what they have done Nevertheless the high Excellency of Holiness manifestly appears from the three following Particulars which may easily be drawn from what has been already delivered 1. It s Original 'T is from Heaven the blessed God is himself the Author of it as in the Text. He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God 'T is a Divine Work and that not a common Work neither but wrought in a way of special Grace and therefore it has a peculiar Excellency in it Insomuch that the Subjects of this great Change are denominated born of God Joh. 1.13 born from above chap. 33. as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Hereupon they are advanced to the Name and Relation of Children 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God So called and not miscalled for so they are as vers 2. Now are we the Sons of God 2. The Nature of true Holiness speaks the Excellency of it 'T is the Soul's Conformity to the blessed God his Image drawn upon it a Participiation of the Divine Nature which sweetly and effectually inclines all the Faculties and Powers of our Souls God-ward and so far as it prevails upon us it takes away our unkind Aversion and Estrangedness from him and teacheth us to center upon him as our Portion Happiness and chief Good In short it is our devotedness unto God which implies a Separation from whatsoever stands in opposition against him as such So that had the Apostle been silent as to the Author of this great Work the very Nature of it might have told us whence it is for it bears the Image and Superscription of God upon it Little do the proud Despisers of Holiness consider what they say or against whom it is that they sprit themselves make a wide Mouth and draw out the 〈◊〉 Isa 57.4 To vilify this work is a dishonour to its Author To cast Dirt upon the Image is an affront to its great Original who scorneth their Scorners sits in the Heavens and laughs at them for he seeth that their Day is coming Psal 37 13. 3. The blessed End and Issue of Holiness shews you the worth of it it comes from above and thither it leads and is at last compleated in the Heavenly Perfection Judg then of the Way and Means by the End here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints They are high-born and a sutable Inheritance is designed them To think or speak slightly of Holiness is to contemn Heaven it self which is a State of Perfection therein Wo unto them that draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and Sin as it were with a Cart-Rope That put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness Isa 5.18 20. It may be at last they 'll say as one of their Predecessors did let me die the Death of the Righteous Not from any love to Righteousness but from a slavish Fear of the just Punishment of their Impiety and therefore those forced
Holiness lead is unspeakably glorious Lastly if the best of us did more clearly apprehend and frequently consider the Blessedness of a future State and the necessary Connexion or near Alliance between Holiness and Happiness this would put Life into all our Motions and Tendencies Heaven-ward and would give a most refreshing relish and savour to all our Duties These and many more such advantages would accrue to us from a right understanding of our way and our end compared with each other But I must not make too large a Preface to so small a Book Nor will I stay to apologize as the manner of some is for the Weakness and Imperfections of the ensuing Treatise Only I tell thee I have studied that both as to the Matter Method and Stile it might be plain practical and profitable for the use of vulgar Readers not to gratify the capricious wanton humors of those who have itching Ears but to edify honest upright Hearts I hope I can truly say in some measure that as to the applause of Men desii curare I have done regarding it VVith me it is a very small Matter to be judged of Man's Judgment 1 Cor. 4.3 Therefore to conclude if thou wilt read deliberatly what I have written and consider it impartially and carry it home to thine own Heart and Conscience by that prudent Self-application which the nature of thy Case shall require I hope thou wilt get real advantage by it and when thou hast so done forget not to pray for him Who is a very unworthy Servant of the best and greatest Master Timothy Manlove Leeds Sept. 8. 1698. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Dependance of the Words upon what goes before Their Literal and Real Importance The Point of Doctrine to be insisted upon The Method wherein it is to be handled Page 1. CHAP. II. Some general Account of the Heavenly Felicity to which are subjoyned some short Hints how unfit we are by Nature for that blessed State and how we came to be so 9. CHAP. III. A further Enquiry into the Nature of that great Change whereby the Souls of Believers are wrought and prepared for Heaven 22. CHAP. IV. Of the several Steps whereby this blessed Work is begun carried on and perfected in the Soul 38. CHAP. V. Plain Proof from Scripture and the nature of the thing that none can come to Heaven till they be wrought or prepared for it by Divine Grace 48. CHAP. VI. Several Inferences of Truth drawn from the foregoing Discourse 61. CHAP. VII Reproof to those Persons who wrong their own Souls by presumptuous hopes of Heaven while they are utter Strangers to this great work of Grace whereby they should be prepared for it Shewing how vain sinful dangerous and unnatural it is for them thus to deceive themselves 72. CHAP. VIII How much it concerns us to examin our selves whether we be wrought for Heaven or no. Sundry Motives to excite us to this necessary Duty 82. CHAP. IX Directions for the more successful management of this great Duty of Self-Examination 90. CHAP. X. Sundry Questions proposed by which to examin the State of our Souls 98. CHAP. XI The Exhortation in several Branches 1. To those who are not yet wrought for Heaven directing them what Methods to take in order to their Conversion 117. CHAP. XII Directions to those who have attained to greater degrees of Assurance and Comfort 158. 2 COR. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is GOD. CHAP. I. The Dependance of the Words upon what goes before Their Literal and Real Importance The Point of Doctrine to be insisted upon The Method wherein it is to be handled IN the foregoing Chapter we have an account of the many sufferings and dangers to which the Apostle himself and his Fellow-labourers in the Work of the Gospel were exposed Vers 8 9. c. Troubled on every side perplexed persecuted cast down Always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus i. e. by suffering for his sake and in conformity to him As it follows vers 11. Alway delivered unto Death for Jesus sake Moreover he tells us what it was that bore up their Spirits and kept them from fainting under all these Pressures namely a believing prospect of future Glory whereof Christ's Resurrection was a certain Argument and Pledg vers 13 14. We also believe and therefore speak Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus vers 16. For which cause we faint not c. He then proceeds to make a Comparison between their present Troubles and the Joy that was set before them As for the former he speaks as tho he accounted them scarce worth naming but of the latter as if no words could be found great enough to express it vers 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal wâ—ight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Hyperbole upon another and yet all little enough to signify the deep sense which he had of the transcendent worth and excellency of that weighty Glory concerning which he speaks Thus Rom. 8.18 For â—â—eckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed is us This he did upon due deliâ—eration well weighing the Point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expendo as Grotius observes some of the Ancients render it Thus ye see whence it was that they fetch 't their Supports amidst all the conflicts and difficulties they met with in this World What they look't or aimed at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. The things not seen which are eternal vers 18. This was the Prize they ran for and which they expected at length to obtain And now that none might think that their hopes were wavering uncertain or ill-grounded he goes on in this Chapter wherein the Text is to declare how full and satisfying their Assurance was in this matter and why it was so Vers 1. For we know that if our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. Note â—ere that Faith is a certain infallible sort of Knowledg we know So Joh. 6.69 We believe and arâ— sure Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God 1 Cor. 15.58 Yâ—â— know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Nor were their Desires after this blessed State less earnest than their Belief and Hopes were firm and steady vers 2.3 4. We groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven that Mortality might be swallowed up of Life And thus we are brought to the Text in which the Apostle lays down some further grounds of this their Confidence viz. They were wrought for the Heavenly Glory and that by God himself Who also had given unto them the earnest of the Spirit as it immediately follows and therefore says
his Conduct that he may bring us to God As all the Divine Favours and Blessings are communicated to us through Christ Ephes 1.3 2 Pet. 1.3 So we our selves and all our Sacrifices must be offered unto God the same way That is we must ascend unto him by the same Medium through which he descends to us or else no acceptance is to be look'd for 1 Pet. 2.5 How should guilty Rebels adventure into the Presence of the Holy Righteous Sin hating God but by him who hath made Atonement for our Sins Take â—eed therefore that you leave not him out Remember it is upon Terms of Grace that we are received into Covenant with God and of that Covenant Christ â—s the Mediatour who therefore has taught us to distinguish between Faith in God as God and in himself â—s Mediator Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me 'T is well for us that we have him to stand betwixt us and all Danger lest the consuming Fire should break forth upon us and our Blood be mingled with our Sacrifices Hence we find Repentance toward God and Faith â—oward our Lord Jesus Christ joined together as the Sum and Substance of the Apostle's Preaching Actâ— 20.21 The former of these is the changing of the Mind or the turning of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Sin and Vanity to God as our End The latter is an â—pplying of our selves to Jesus Christ as the way to â—hat End That is we must return unto God as our God by alively Faith in his Son as our Prince and Saviour without whom neither Pardon nor Peace can be expected Not as if the Father was of himself averse to Mercy or Compassion but only prevail'd upon and as it were over-perswaded thereto by the Death-Merits and Intercession of his Son Have a care of such Blasphemous Conceits as these than which nothing is more directly contrary to the design of the Gospel But still remember it was not becoming the Majesty and Holiness of God nor agreeable to the ends of Government to receive such as we are into favour immediately but through a Mediator whom of his own free Love 〈◊〉 hath provided for us John 3.16 For God so loâ—â—â— the World c. So here verse 18. All things are of God 〈◊〉 who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus 'T is a greâ—â— Duty indeed to admire the love of the Son But Oâ—â—â— not forget to admire also the Father's love III. And because it is the Office of the Holy Spirit to apply and communicate the Grace of Christ therefore it concerns us to own eye and acknowledg hâ—â— accordingly in this whole business As Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 the Way to the Father So the Holy-Ghost is the Waâ—ness of the Son his Agent upon Earth his Advocaâ—â— with the Sons of Men to plead his Cause and to diâ—pense his Grace Who is therefore called by Tertulaâ—â— Christi Agens Vicarius and by a Learned Man 〈◊〉 our own the Supreme Minister of Christ's Kingdom Therefore tho' all the Persons or Subsistences in the blessed Trinity do concur to the production 〈◊〉 the new Creature yet this great work of Sanctification is by a certain peculiar eminency of Attribution ascribed to the Holy Spirit 'T is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 It is the Spirit that quickeneth enlighteneth and draweth or Souls to Christ and to the Father by him Therefore in all our Motions and Tendencies God ward we mâ—â—â— look unto this Spirit for help and act Faith upon him for the Assistances and Influences of his Grace If wâ—â— attempt any thing of this nature in our own strength we shall certainly be baffled in our endeavours and make nothing of it We ought to cry hard after the Spirit and carefully to observe all his Accesses to us and the impressions of his Grace upon us and always to strike in with his Motions to do most when he helps most and thus our work will be like to succeed and prosper in our Hand Great care is to be taken how we carry it towards him that we may not quench resist grieve or vex the Spirit either by stifling Convictions or running counâ—er to the dictates of Conscience or by foolish Delays â—nd Slothfulness The help of the Spirit is to be exâ—ected in a diligent humble conscientious attendance â—pon him in his own way viz. The use of his apâ—ointed Means O remember that your Duties Graâ—s and Comforts will all be dead things or nothing 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God be not the Life of them all His â—race must be thankfully acknowledged in all the â—rength we get in all the progress we make and we â—ust still depend upon him for more Yea we ought 〈◊〉 be more distinct and explicit in the workings of â—aith towards him than commonly we are We were â—ptized in the Name of the Holy-Ghost as well as of â—e Father and the Son The three Persons are one â—od equal in Power and Glory in this Trinity none is â—â—ore or after other none is greater or less than anoâ—â—er Whence then cometh it to pass that we are 〈◊〉 defective in that part of the Life of Faith which â—â—specteth the third Person This is a great dishonour 〈◊〉 him and an injury to our selves But I must not â—â—y to enlarge upon that here I only add 'T is the Office of the Spirit to help our â—â—firmities Rom. 8.26 Through him we must mortify the â—â—eds of the Body that we may live Ver. 13. By him 〈◊〉 Love of God is shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers 〈◊〉 5.5 He seals them to the day of Redemption â—â—itnesseth with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Is the earnest of our Inheritance But 〈◊〉 any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none 〈◊〉 his Thus I have shewed you the nature of this great work 〈◊〉 That it is the turning of a Person to God in Christ â—â—en to know love and live to him and all this by the â—â—ace and Help of the Holy Spirit Thus I say we must be qualified and prepared for â—â—e Heavenly Glory CHAP. IV. Of the several Steps whereby this blesseâ— Work is begun carried on and perfected in the Soul HAving thus far opened the Nature of that grâ—â—â— Work whereby we must be prepared for Hâ—ven if ever we come thither I come now to consâ—â—â— more distinctly the order wherein 't is carried on 〈◊〉 how 't is begun advanced and perfected And here I design not to trouble you with over â—â—â—rious Enquiries about the way and manner of 〈◊〉 Spirit 's working on the Souls of Men or how the â—â—ficacy of Grace is reconcilable with the natural liâ—â—ty of the rational Creature But shall content myâ—â—â— to wave Controversies and insist upon some few plâ—â—â— necessary acknowledged Truths as being most sâ—â—â— to the intent of this Discourse And they are 〈◊〉 that follow First There are certain previous workings of a 〈◊〉 common
Face in a Glass We need not say who shall ascend into Heaven The Word is high uâ— whereby we must search our selves And whether we will attend to it or no we must stand or fall by it at last Joh. 12.48 The Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him in the last Day ' This is one of those Books that shall be opened and the smal Sentence will pass according to what is written therein Rev. 20 12. They shall be judged according to their Works the Matter of Fact being recorded in their Book Conscience the Matter of Right in God's Law and the Conclusion in his Decree As Mr. Baxter upon the place Motive 4. We are expresly commanded thus to examin and try our selves yea it is mentioned as a great Absurdity that a Christian should be ignorant of himself 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves c. As if he had said Is there any thing nearer to you than your selves any thing that ye are more concerned to know than your spiritual Estate that is whether Christ be in you or no. Are the ways to Heaven and Hell so much alike that a Man cannot know whither he is going if he would If the Ends be so vastly different surely there must be a proportionable difference in the Ways that lead to them Motive 5. Ye have comfortable Encouragement to expect the help of the holy Spirit in this work of Self-Examination Suppose ye be yet in an unregenerate State 't is true ye have then no full proper Covenant-Right to the Influences of the Spirit yet ye have great reason to hope that since he hath been often striving with you to bring you to a sight and sense of your spiritual Concerns he will not deny the help of his Grace if ye set your selves in good earnest to the Work by the assistance already received Prov. 1.23 Tâ—ru you at my Reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you c. Now 't is the work of the Spirit to lead Men into their own Hearts to convince them of Sin and to quicken illuminate and draw dead dark disaffected Souls to the love of God and Holiness But if ye be already converted ye have then a Covenant-Right to the help of the Spirit ye have fâ—ll and propâ—â— Promises to plead in this Matter he is the Spirit of Christ your Head and therefore all the living Members by virtue of their Relation unto Christ are also nearly related to and interested in that Holy Spirit whole Office it is to refresh and comfort those Souls whom he hath first renewed by his Grace to discover to them the Grace which he has given them to witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God and so to enable them to rejoice therein Motive 6. Think well how sad and wretched a case it is to be utterly in the dark as to your spiritual State Ye cannot tell what a Day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 For ought ye know ye may be in Hell the next hour because ye are uncertain whether God be your Friend or your Enemy whether ye have any saving Interest in Christ whether ye be sanctified by the Spirit or not Is not this a woful Case when thou liest down when thou risest up when thou goest out or comest in thou knowest not but that the very next Moment the divine Fury may rest upon thee Can'st thou think of Death and not tremble and of Judgment and not be astonish'd When thou art invited to a Funeral how can'st thou forbear thinking that it will quickly be thine â—wn Case and yet thou art ignorant what will become of thy immortal Soul at that Day Methinks this should make thee a Terrour to thy self and to all that are about thee Motive 7. Consider how impatient thou art of being in suspence or at uncertainty in Matters of far less consequence If thou have but a Law-Suit in Hand how uneasy till thou know the Issue if a Purchase to make how careful to see that the Title be good and the Conveyances firm and sure If thou be taken with any threatning Distemper how earnest and sollicitous art thou to know what the Physician thinks of thy Distemper Pray Sir What think you Did you ever see any in such a Case before Did they recover Do you hope the Distemper may go off But O how few are there that express any such Care about their Souls how few that will come to a Minister and enquire of him O Sir What shall I do to be saved I fear I am not yet wrought for Heaven I find my Heart dead to spiritual Things but vigorous and sprightly in its Pursuits after worldly Vanities I find I am out of my Element when engaged in Religious Duties What think you Is there any Hope O help me speedily lest Death overtake me unprepared for it O how seldom do we meet with any that shew such a concern for their Souls as this It were easy to heap up many more such Considerations as these to excite you to this necessary work of Self-Reflection I shall only add as follows without the Formality of making distinct Heads Think with your selves how common a thing it is for men to be mistaken about their spiritual Estate and withal how dangerous it is remember God himself will quickly judg you and the way to escape the Severity of his Judgment is to enter into Judgment with your selves 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judg ourselves we should not be judged Moreover either ye are thus wrought for Heaven by renewing Grace or not If ye be the closest tâ—â—al will greatly refresh and comfort you by discovering that the work is already done Then may ye comfortably go on with the remaining part of Duty which is yet before you ye may come with boldness to the Throne of Grace as Children to a Father Ye may read or hear the VVord of God with Joy when the great Promises of the Gospel are all your own Ye may come with Confidence to the Lord's Table when ye know that Christ himself and all his saving Benefits are yours Ye may meditate delightfully upon the heavenly Inheritance when ye know that ye have a right to it This will support you under all the Sufferings of the present Life and will make them appear light Afflictions indeed And besides all this it will much conduce to the credit of your Profession by enabling you to go on chearfully in the ways of Religion as Men that do not repent of their Choice not despair of their Cause or of their God But on the other hand if ye be unregenerate Self-Reflection is one of the first Steps in order to your Recovery Psal 119.59 I thought on my Ways and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies So did the Prodigal when he came to himself Luk. 15.17 When once Men begin to be sollicitous about the Concerns
of their Souls and to enquire What have we done What are we doing Whither are we going How shall we escape the Wrath to come This looks hopefully indeed tho ye must not stop here neither nor take up with Convictions instead of Conversion However think not that your Wounds are like to be cured without being searched But if through a stupid unconcernedness as to the Affairs of your Souls ye think it not worth the while to give your selves all this trouble tho in the mean time ye are eagerly set upon this present World as the common Case is I can then tell you what your Case is without any further enquiry ye may spare the Labour of searching whether ye be regenerate or no for to deal plainly with you 't is certain ye are not Your brutish â—cupidity is evidence enough to prove that ye are asleep yea dead in Sin condemned already and that the Wrath of God abideth on you In a word as the Lord liveth there is but a step between you and Hell But yet a step there is your case is not quite desperate tho it be very dangerous I must say of you as of those Patients whose Condition seems very hazardous the Event is uncertain but while their 's Life their's Hope Some have recovered who seem'd to be in as ill Circumstances as you but let me tell you many to one have perish'd Even so is here some have been converted and saved who were once as dead and stupid about the Concerns of their Souls as ye are But many to one have been lost for ever Therefore to flatter you in such a condition might contribute much to your ruin which I am not willing to do Therefore I tell you there is just so much hope of your Salvation as there is of your awakening from this carnal Security and so repenting and turning to God and no more CHAP. IX Directions for the more successful management of this great Duty of Self-Examination HAving laid down the fore-going Motives to excite you to this necessary Duty of Self-Reflection and shew'd you of how ill signification it is for Men to be unconcern'd and indifferent about the State of their Souls I now come to give some Directions for the help of such as are sollicitous to know whether they be wrought for Heaven or no Direction 1. Take care that ye be impartial in your search that your Judgments be not perverted or biass'd either way by fear or favour but that ye may go according to evidence The greatest Danger indeed is on the one side viz. Lest Pride or Self-Love make you judg too favourably concerning your selves But here remember that such a mistake may prove your ruin 'T is necessary ye know the worst of your case while there is yet hope of redress Ye have already heard what Multitudes there are that perish by Presumption To think falsly that ye are in the way to Heaven will never bring you thither nor will it cure the Diseases of your Souls to suppose that ye are well enough already such Ravings are a sad Symptom that your noblest Faculties are impaired and distracted and therefore that your Distempers are so much the more dangerous But I need not enlarge upon this only remember that God will quickly try all over again and whatever your present Judgment be of your selves his final Judgment will be according to Righteousâ—ess On the other Hand some are so timerous and dejected in spirit that they know not how to believe any thing that is good and comfortable concerning themselves So far are they from presumptious Self-Conceit that they run into a quite contrary extream and standing in their own Light cannot discern the Evidences of their Sincerity Fain they would be assured that their Hearts are right with God but have not strength of Spirit enough to conclude that it is so through meer Fear lest it should prove otherwise They vehemently wish it but cannot perswade themselves to believe it still thinking 't is too good News to be true Like Old Jacob when they told him that Joseph was alive his Heart fainted for he believed them not Gen. 45.26 or as the poor Jews when the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion they were like them that dream Psal 126.1 They could scarce believe their own Senses and Understandings in the Matter Even so it is with many poor melancholly doubting Christians they desire to be sincere but fear that they are not so And those Evidences of true Grace which to another would be discernable to them are not so Now I say tho such Persons be safe in the Hands of Christ notwithstanding all their Doubts and Jealousies concerning themselves and so their mistake cannot prove destructive as in the former Case Yet it is of consequence ill enough both in point of Duty and Comfort Prudence will reach us to be wary and cautious in so great an Enquiry to suspect our own Deceitful Hearts and to watch them narrowly lest they should betray us to vain Hopes and Humility will teach us to entertain low Thoughts of our selves But still 't is unnatural to shut our Eyes against that Light which should refresh and comfort us and unthankful to overlook or deny the Richos of Grace which have been laid out upon us Rear as well as Favour is an Enemy to right and impartial Judgment Direct 2. This Enquiry must be managed with a great deal of Care and Seriousness 'T is a Matter of Life and Death that is before you and therefore ye had need have your Wits about you A mistake on the one Hand may destroy your Souls forever On the other it may greatly obstruct your spiritual Comfort and growth in Grace Therefore the most sober judicious Consideration is here necessary Call in your wandering Thoughts keep them close to the work let them not give you the slip lest they grow masterless and unruly Commuâ—e with your Hearts and let you Spirit make diligent search Psal 77.6 There 's no trifling in Matters of this Nature 't is not a few slighty transient thoughts that will serve the turn the Principles of Grace lie deep in the Soul ye must search for them as for hid Treasure if you would discover them And there are depths of Wickedness too which must in like manner be searched after with great Care and Strictness 〈◊〉 if ye would pass a right Judgment of your own Case ye must excite your sluggish Hearts to the work and if your Thoughts fly off from the Business let Reason interpose its Authority otherwise a thousand Impertinences will intrude upon you and so ye will be left in as great darkness and uncertainty in reference to your spiritual Estate as ye were in before In a word intensness of thought is needful in this work that so nothing may escape your observation which might any way conduce to clear up the Point in Hand Direct 3. See that ye proceed with due order and method in this
uneasy to our selves and to all about us till we be reduced and set right again So then this sensual corrupt Self-Love must be mortified but lawful and just Self-Love must be improved as was said before 6. In assigning the Notion of our chief or ultimate End God's Glory and our own Salvation must not be separated For our intention must take in both but then the latter must be considered as in full Subordination to the former We may and ought to desire our own Eternal Happiness that God may be glorified therein who is well pleased and delighted in the Welfare and Perfection of his holy ones Our supreme End must fall in with his who made all things for himself that he alone may have the Glory 7. Therefore to love God only or chiefly for our selves as a means to our own Happiness is greatly to affront and dishonour him by preferring our selves before him the Creature before the Creator the silly Interest of a crawling Worm before the glorious all-comprehending Interest of the supreme infinite Majesty 'T is to invert the order of things while we make our selves the end and consider him but as a means in order thereto As if we were better or more amiable than he or our Happiness more valuable than his Glory Such Profaneness is not to be endured but abhorred Know ye not that the whole Creation has no worth in it but what is derived from God and to be measured by its Relation to him 8. To love God with a pure raised transcendent superlative Love for himself as the most amiable and perfect Good from by and to whom we and all things else are And then to love our selves and all other Objects for him as the supreme ultimate End of all this is the true Method of holy Love towards greater Measures whereof the best of us should be ever aspiring Is it not highly reasonable that he who is best should be most loved That he who is the Author of our Beings should be our End That we should aim at and intend him in all in a word that the love of our selves should be subjected to the highest and purest Love of God Urge these things upon your selves take pains with your own Hearts to bring them to such a Frame plead the Cause of God with your Souls till the Fire kindle and ye be carried up above Self to Him and all by the help of the Holy Spirit 'T is true indeed he needs not you nor your Love neither can ye be profitable to him thereby Job 22.2 3. Your Goodness extendeth not to him Psal 16.2 The advantage is like to be your own and should not the Glory be his As carnal inordinate self-seeking is no better than self-destroying So to go our of our selves and to be as it were estrange I from and lost to our selves that we may seek God live in him and enjoy Communion with him this I say is the true way to advance our own Interest while we seem to overlook it because by this Means we shall find our selves and our All in God with infinâ—te advantage How much some of the People of God have been carried out in holy Zeal for his Honour â—bove their own particular Self-Interest ye may see Exod 32.32 Numb 14.12 Rom. 9.3 Which places I must not now stay to enlarge upon 9 But here it must be remembred that God being immaterial and invisible is not an Object of Sense nor directly of sensitive passiâ—nate Love Therefore the Heart may be inwardly deeply predominantly and therefore sincerely for God tho as to the passionate part we may find our selves more sensibly carried out towards other Objects Because the nearness and sensibleness of the Creature promoteth such sensible workings in the lower sensitive Faculties and corporeal Spirits As for example A sincere Christian may be more feelingly affected towards a dear Friend or Relation or some other Creature-enjoyment than towards God himself yet doth it not therefore follow that his Heart is more for these things than for God because were he put to trial he would forsake all these Enjoyments rather than forsake God or quit his Interest in him whereby it appears that his Mind and Wiâ—l are more for God tho the lower sensitive Appetite work most feelingly toward sensible Objects 10. Therefore tho it be essential to Holiness to love God for himself as our absolutely ultimate End and therefore better than our selves yet there may be some secret conception or beginning of this Love in a Soul long before the Person in whom it is perceives it Because we are apt to judg of our selves by what appears most sensibly in us and to overlook what lies more deep and inward Now as was said before love to self and to the Creatures operates in a more sensible passionate feeling manner than holy intellectual Love doth Because God being a Spirit is not so near to our Senses and Passions as the Creature is Therefore because I would not make sad the Hearts of any whom God would not have made sad Ezek. 13.22 nor give an advantage to Satan to disquiet the Soul of the weakest sincere Christian Let me say to such as follows Supposing that ye are satisfied that God as God is infinitely more amiable than your selves and that he is your absolutely supreme chief or ultimate End and therefore that ye ought to love him as such above your selves Again if ye do earnestly desire that Happiness which consists in so loving him above any other Happiness whatsoever Tho in the mean time ye dare not say that ye love God for himself above your selves but are it may be more sensibly and feelingly concerned for your own Welfare that ye may escape the Wrath to come than for his Glory Yet ye he wail this and desire an Heart to love God more for himself And to refer your own Interest and all to him Why if the Case be thus with you I would not have ye be discouraged or cast down For it seems to me that ye have the seeds and beginnings of this holy Love to God for himself whereof we have been speaking And our Lord will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax. Let me therefore earnestly beseech you to pray hard for further Influences of the Spirit of Love and take pains with your own Hearts to raise them more above self unto God that your Spark may become a Flame and that ye may be even swallowed up of holy Love So will ye find that Comfort Peace and Assurance which ye are so pensively seeking and enquiring after O learn at length to pore less upon your own poor dark drooping Souls and look more at him who is LIGHT and in whom there is no Darkness at all As for the common sort of the ignorant Pretenders to the Love of God and Holiness all this will seem to them more ado than needs Nor is it difficult to confound their Pretences without going thus high
give me more Is not the case quite contrary I have called and ye have refused I have siretched out my Hand and no Man regarded c. Prov. 1.24 What got he slothâ—ul Servant by saying I knew thee that thou art an hard Man Mat. 25 24. Did this excuse him for hiding his Lord's Money tho but one Talent in the Earth Let me make the Matter yet plainer by a familiar Comparison Suppose some great Prince or Nobleman famous for Bounty and Kindness to the distressed who beholding a forlorn helpless Creature miserable wretched poor and blind and naked and taking compassion on him should say to him Friend come to my Door I have fully supplied the Wants of many whose Circumstances were as bad as thine and I delight so to do Now tho in all this here be not a full direct Promise made to this poor Wretch yet would ye not take him for a mad Man who should make light of such an Intimation and Encouragement Poor Sinner thou art the Man so the Case stands between Christ and thee And because thou art blind he appoints his Servants to lead thee to him and this is the Errand upon which I am come this day do not say but that help was offered thee 8. Consider how little all that ever ye have done in Matters of Religion will avail you if ye go not through with the Work If ye be but almost perswaded to be Christians ye will be but almost sayed It may be ye expect great Matters from your frequent customary Attendance upon Gospel-Ordinances and your making a more strict Profession of Religion than many others do But O remember The Kingdom of God is not is Word but in Power 1 Cor. 4.20 Many will say in the great Day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thâ— Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils Mat. 7.22 which are greater things than ye can pretend to Yet will he profess unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work Iniquity Vers 23. The foolish Virgins had Lamps of Profession Mat. 25. but perished for want of Oil viz. true Grace In short aâ— that ever ye have done in the Service of God will prove but lost labour as to any saving Benefit except your Hearts be effectually wrought upon and turned to God as has been fully opened and proved already O consider this well have ye done and some of you suffered to many things in vain if it be yet in vain Gal 3 4. Yea hath so much labour been bestowed upon you in vain Chap. 4.11 So much Grace received in vain 2 Coâ— 6.1 O how bitter will the remembrance of these thing be one Day How will it pierce you to the very Heart to think alas is all my Profession Prayers Hearing c. come to this Namely the Hypocrites Reward It had been well for me that I had never known the way of Righteousness rather than to have rested thus in an outward shew of Religion Alas that I should be brought so nigh the Kingdom of God and yet fall short forever of it 9. Consider how long the Divine Patience hath born with you already Where had ye been before this Day but that ye have had to do with a God who is merciful and gracious and long-suffering How easily could he long since have taken your guilty Souls out of your Bodies and sent them into a place where the Evil of Sin and Danger of delaying Repentance are better known How have ye despised the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering Even that Goodness which leads you to Repentance Rom. 2.4 How many Instances have ye had of the Divine Benignity and Compassion towards you And yet how little Effect has all had upon you Line upon Line Precept upon Precept here a little and there a little and yet all has not prevailed with you to repent and turn to God Are ye not ashamed do ye not blush to think of your vile Ingratitude and Disingenuity towards him Do ye not tremble to consider what the Consequence of such Obstinacy is like to be Do ye imagin that the Spirit of God will always strive with the wilful Despisers of his Grace O remember lento gradu ad vindictam procedie ita divina c. Divine Wrath proceeds slowly to Vengeance but will compensate that slowness with the weight of it when it comes Laesa patientia fit furor As the Gospel-Dispensation is most spiritual so spiritual Judgments are more common to those who trifle under it than perhaps most Men consider But I proceed Direct 2. Follow on these Considerations till sutable Convictions arise from them and your Hearts be sensibly affected with them Think not that some general slighty superficial Thoughts about these things will serve the turn No no they are Matters of greater consequence than so they nearly concern you and therefore must be laid to Heart Urge them home upon your own Spirits apply them close they have a Work to do not only upon your Vnderstandings but upon your Wills Hearts and Affections It is not enough that ye acknowledg these things to be true but ye must press the Matter further if they be Truths they are weighty Truths indeed O labour to feel the weight of them that they may go to the quick apply them strictly and warmly to your own Souls It is says one a great part of a Christian's Skill and Duty to be a good Preacher to himself There is more in this than most Christians are aware of or use to practise this is a lawful and a gainful way of Preaching No Body here can make question of thy Call nor deny thee a Licence nor silence thee if thou silence not thy self Imitate the most powerful Preacher and plead with thy own Soul as he is wont to do with his Hearers Mr. Baxter Tho such Considerations may wound pierce or gall you for the present 't is so much the better ye must be wounded that ye may be healed ye must be broken that ye may be bound up The truth is ye have wounded your selves already and so much the worse by how much ye are less sensible of it your putrified Ulcers must be search'd to the bottom if ever ye expect a thorow Cure Your sluggish Hearts must be awakened to purpose ye have slept too long O labour to be deeply convinced of your past folly till ye groan under the weight of that Guilt which ye have contracted Remember ye are ruined to all Intents and Purposes if your Guilt be not removed and therefore your present Case is not to be rested in There is yet hope for you but no time to trifle in Therefore Direct 3. 'T is highly necessary that ye now come to some besitting Resolution in the case In general that ye resolve to do your utmost to put your spiritual Concerns into a better posture And that henceforth ye will strive earnestly to enter in at the strait Gate And