off the kind intreaties of Christ and those many invications to holiness it will trouble thee if ever thou come to be converted that thou wert not converted sooner that God and religion had not thy heart and service long agoe that thou didst not yield and resign up thy self when first thou wast moved to it that sin had so much and Christ so little of thy will and affections O then dear soul deferre not any longer but do that with all speed which you have now a fair opportunity to perform that is forthwith to leave off your known sins and betake your selves to a sober serious holy life so will you prevent your own molestation and your own misery III. Motive S. 4 3. Let the danger and dreadfulness of an unconverted state move thee speedily to get out of it by all possible means alas all the while I live unreformed I am under the curse of the Law and power of Satan a slave to lust and a son of perdition and if I chance to die in this estate my case and the already damned in hell will be the same they who died in their sins are miserable wretches and so shall I be as they are there is but a step between me and their sad condition and while I am on this side the grave in a sinning course following the motions of my lusts I am in a worse condition then the worst of creatures a toad in my ditch is better by much then a man in his sins unconverted unreformed And all the while I live in my sins I am unpardoned and am hastening to an eternity of misery I am in that broad way which leadeth straight on to destruction Oh then let my soul get quickly out of that way and from that state in which I walk in so much danger and which will most certainly carry me to the chambers of death and bring me under the eternall wrath of God IV. Motive S. 5 4. Let the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of thy life move thee to hasten thy reformation this night thy soul may be taken from thy body if not then within a very short time it must and it will be called to an account and oh what a sad day will it prove then when death opens the passage from a sinfull life to an endless misery when death puts an end to the pleasures of sin and gives a beginning to the pains of hell never to end S. 6 Therefore if you mean to prevent the miseries of a dying sinner you must destroy the sin ere you die and this requires your care and diligence your speed and quick dispatch Oh that you would be wise concerning your later end and leave not that to do at the last which can neither be well done nor accepted if it be put off till the last V. Motive S. 7 5. Another Motive to a speedy reformation let be that none of thy most pleasurable sinfull practices are half so pleasing to thee a sinner as the ways of godliness and exercise of vertues are to the true convert reformation if it be sound and universall will prove the rarest delight and content in the world and be of excellent satisfaction to thee Pro 3.15 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Tim. 6.6 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and godliness with contentment is great gaine profitable to all things having the promise of this life and that which is to come No life can be compared to a godly life for pleasure profit and contentment how quiet is the conscience of a devout holy Christian how sweet his sleep how calm and serene is his spirit that is at peace with God! how doth he rejoyce in the Lord what a merry life doth he lead and goeth on his way cheerfully to his home to his inheritance to his joys in heaven which he hath in prospect and is at the end of his race how doth that soul triumph in his victories that is daily resisting temptations and slaying his corruption how sweetly doth he passe his time that spends it in communion with God and delights of heaven But 't is farre otherwise with a wicked man that serves the interest of sin and studies to gratifie and serve his lusts in sinful actings Oh what a many plots doth he lay and paines doth he take to bring about his sin and then what shifts must be make to hide to excuse to maintain his sin what a many perplexing gripes of conscience and often terrours hath a wicked man within himself and besides the bitterness in the end of sinfull actions what a toile and weariness it is in the exercise of it so that truly a man may say of sin WHAT A WEARINESS IT IS to what purpose is all this cost and losse of time and exhausting the spirits and after all what pleasure hath a man or what content can accrue to any man upon the remembrance of his evil actings is not a holy harmless life spent in the exercise of purity and charity infinitely more to be desired for content and satisfaction were there nothing else to be found in the practise of godliness and vertues then what we find in themselves then in all the formes and modes in all or any the ways of vitiousness that can be named were there nothing else to be expected by way of punishment for my sinning then the enjoyment of the pleasures supposed to be in sin O then dear Christian let nothing keep thee back from leaving off every sinfull course nor from taking up the practise of holy living seeing nothing can bring true pleasure not content unto thy soul untill thou be habitually imployed in the duties of religion and practise of godliness VI. Motive S. 8 Finally Let this be a Motive to cast off all thy wickedness immediately and forthwith to follow Jesus Christ in an entire imitation of his holiness in a godly affection and conversation forasmuch as God hath born long enough with thee already and thou hast lived long enough in thy sins already Oh do not live any longer or spend any more of thy time to the will of the stesh but to the will of God for the time past of our life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousnesse excesse of wine and other sins 't is enough dear soul 't is enough and too much that we have done foolishly 't is high time to cease to do evil and to learn to do well and likewise consider what an honest how honorable how pleasant how profitable and how comely a thing it is to live a godly holy and heavenly life Oh let it never be said of thee that thou chusest thine own undoing by refusing to do what God requires of thee seeing all that God doth ask of thee and what ever is here exhorted to is for thine own eternall good glory and endlesse happinesse S. 9 And therefore to conclude I do in the name of Christ exhort thee Reader to be mindfull of thine own concernments and if there be any thing herein which if you follow to do would prejudice thy salvation then do it not but if the things here exhorted to that is a speedy through reformation in heart and life be of absolute necessity if thou meanest to be saved eternally then upon pain of damnation and as thou hopest to see Christ in glory and to be glorified with him do not forget to put it into speedy execution lest when you would if now you refuse you may not it may be too late or not accepted S. 10 I beseech thee therefore precious soul if there be in thee any hope of consolation from God if any love to Christ and thine own soul Rom. 12.3 if any mercy or tenderness of compassion toward thine own soul ready to be undone by reason of sin then think on these things and accordingly I beseech thee therefore by the mercies of God Eph. 4.22 23 24. that you be no more conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you put off concerning your former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness so shall you prevent eternal damnation and through the mercies of God in Christ obtain everlasting salvation which damnation cannot be avoided nor this salvation ever attained without a sound entire timely holy reformation which is the summe and finall conclusion of this my earnest perswasion by all those foregoing arguments in this first part the rest shall be set in order for thee in due time when this shall be so well proved as that by renouncing all thy sins thou wilt be in that blessed frame and serious Resolution to devote thy self to a godly course of holy living and therein to abide with God to THE END
before the Lord as others with an unwilling mind and hast offered to him in Sacrifice the blind and maimed and hypocriticall heart cold and discomposed distracted prayers when thou hast prayed by thy self or with others S. 14 Thou hast it may be hated from the very Heart the strict wayes of holinesse in soul and life and turned from saving admonition as a detestable thing S. 15 Thou hast slighted Gods invitation resisted grace teaching refused Christ reigning reproched and scoffed at the Ministers of Christ earnestly perswading these things thou hast done and in all or some of these cursed courses thou hast continued so long that it is grown to a custom and as naturall to thee to sin in one kind or other every day as to breathe the aire to move eat or drink or sleep is it not S. 16 And to make up thy measure full of wickedness all this while thou hast abused the wonderfull patience mercy and long-suffering of the Lord thy God S. 17 But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against you that commit such things for that they which have committed such things should repent and forsake them all yet do not but adding this to all Rom. 2 v. 4 5 6. that by despising the riches of Gods goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee not to sin or continuance in sin but to repentance but by this thy hardness and impenitent heart treasu est up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every one according to his deeds S. 18 O read and consider well this dreadfull place and see doth it belong to thee art thou such an one as is herein condemned bethink thy self what thou hast been and what thou art what thou hast done consider thy ways and the frame and tendency of thy spirit S. 19 It may be thou hast been guilty in all these wayes of sinning and if thou wert t is pity thy life t is pity such a wretch such a monster should be nourished But alas if thou art in a state of sinning habitually though but in any one kind that were enough to destroy thee for ever and cut thee short of happiness yea although it were which I am past doubt it is not that thou hadst not been notoriously guilty of any of these sins which are the Issues of depraved nature and naturall product of the evill disposition in thee and which are necessarily brought forth in the outward man if not restrained yet if these be frequently in thy thoughts if they be nourished and allowed there t is all one to him who sees the inwards of the Soul and with what company it keeps the Lawes of God reach unto the heart Ps 50.21 Hos 7.2 they are spirituall and Christ rules the inward man as well as the outward dost thou not know that all thy sins where and when committed are upon Record before the Lord S. 20 But if this make thee not yet know thy self then know farther and let this be to thee as it is in it self an eternal Truth a decreed Law That except thou whoever thou art either notoriously bad or seemingly tolerable to thy self be converted reformed so as to leave off in heart and life all thy known sins and lay apart all thy ungodliness and lead an holy sober and righteous life and that to the end thou canst not be saved S. 21 Before Conversion comes before that gracious method of Regenerating souls pass upon thee and thou be reformed and brought out of the state of sinful nature into a state of holy reformation there is no hope for thee of thy salvation Nature and sin note thee a child of Adam Grace and conversion declare thee a child of God and an heir of a glorious Eternity S. 22 Well then thou art either unreformed in whole or reformed but in part to the one all is wanting to the other something is yet lacking to make thee a sound Christian each of you is the person to whom I address my present swasion S. 23 And I hope thou so bad as thou hast been hitherto art not past all cure remediless and I am sure thou art not unless thou still refuse and hardness hath taken up thy heart as a judgment from God I doubt not but through the grace of God in the use of these spiritual means thou mayst of a vile Barbarian become a sound Christian of a child of wrath an heir of glory of a foul sinner a fair Saint if thou be not resolved against thine own happy reformation S. 24 Poor soul thou hast so much to begin withall towards thy saving change thou hast Reason wilt thou let it but work and wilt thou yeeld to reason S. 25 Thou hast Faith some kind of faith wilt thou believe what God by his Word hath revealed of his mind concerning thee and every man in thy case and consent to Truth S. 26 Thou hast Consideration wilt thou be serious and consider wisely for thy self thy own soul how thou mayst become reformed that thou mayst become happy Consider wisely it is thy own concernment it is thy own soul must pay dearly for it if thou art not reformed soundly and speedily it is thy own soul snall reap richly by conversion if thou defer not to come in and give not out until it be completed S. 27 Thou hast now an opportunity put into thy hâ—nd thou art once again called to and perswaded to be reformed wilt thou follow this Call and yeeld ere it be too late Now again it is offered thee Christ is ready and grace is ready grace to assist thee Christ to receive thee the Word of God to guide thee and holy Spirit to convert thee and I thy hearty well-wisher to thy excellent soul do in the Name of Christ earnestly entreat thee Now 't is put to thy choice whether thou embrace it or no now is the acceptable time the day of grace To day therefore O thou that carest for thy soul after so long a time while it is to day for if night come if death come before thy work of conversion be sinished thou must lie down in sorrow and possess an eternity of horrid darkness and woful misery S. 28 Come Man I think thou hast so much Reason so much Faith so much Consideration so much Experience as to understand and believe that thy eternal happiness lieth not here below in this terrestrial world but in Heaven with God above in glory and that thou wert made for some higher end than to live among visible creatures to eat drink work play and sleep sure thou art perswaded there are other things to be looked after by one of an immortal principle than to gather terrene riches and to taste bodily and sensual delights and honors in this present life S. 29 Know excellent Creature know believe thy Creator and
Spirituall pride spoiles all Spirituall performances when men think there is a worth and merit in what they do though but their duty If a man be proud of his humility and charity and that he can pray much and as he thinks well and when he looks contemptuously upon those beneath him in gifts of the Spirit knowledge religious discourses and ability of disputing for or against the Truth and thinks himself every way above instruction and stands in need of no farther direction from Gods word but living in his pride as above ordinances and conceits himself perfect in all excellencies free from infirmities and any the least spot of sin in thought word or deed this is the height of pride vain glory and arrogancy and all that have lifed up themselves thus Pro. 3.17 are fallen at once from grace low into the sin of Pride as the proud Angels from heavenly excellencies to hellish shame and horrour and so wilt thou that art guilty in this kind except thou repent S. 81 Again if thou art envious at those above thee and discontent with thy portion and talent because not so much as anothers and refusest to do any thing in thy duties because thou can not do better then others and get thee praise to thy self from others this is the Pride of thine heart too S. 82 If thou takest pride in thy shame if thou gloryest in thy wickednesse and declarest thy sin with an impudent forehead and a profane tongue and wretched actions then hast thou lost modesty and all that is morally good and art become a damned catiffe a devil incarnate S. 83 And farther if thou scornest admonition and spirituall counsell for thy soul if thou slightest the most hearty and serious invitations directions exhortations and reproofs from Gods word and his Ministers and thinkest thy self more fit to teach then to be taught more able to give then receive good cousell then art thou also a proud person S. 84 I exhort thee therefore in the examination of thy self to search deep after this sin for t is a sin so hid from a mans own eyes that he himself hardly finds it out but oftentimes more discernable to another then thy self for the expressions of it are many as boasting words though oftentimes gilded with seeming self-deniall and a lofty gate and countenance high looks vain apparel costly ornaments undervaluing expressions of others censorious scofs and gybing rayling at others uncivil carriage uncourteous behaviour reducing all degrees and qualifications of men to an equality allowing no more to those above thee in civil respect then to thy equals all these are the expressions of Pride and some of them under a shew of humility S. 85 When thou art seeking after the Pride of thy heart do it by the help of humility and prayer and whatever is Pride in thy heart or life or like unto it bring it down repent of it hate it forsake it for the proud man had he no other sin yet his own sin of pride would keep him out of Heaven and throw him into Hell and take heed when thou dost reprove pride in another do not do it proudly considering that so thou maist be guilty again of that thou hast condemned in another Leave off pride and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and he gives grace to the humble Remember thou art warned to repent for and speedily to forsake pride and vain-glory §. XV. Schism and Heresie S. 86 Schism and Heresie are near akin both works of the flesh the wicked product of depraved nature forged in an ill head and a naughty heart where pride and parts meet in any one there Heresie and Schism will not long be strangers Heresie is the greater an over-grown Schism nullum schisma non sibi aliquam confingit Haeri sin Hier. Com. in Tit. and Schism is a less Heresie growing and tending to it He that is guilty of Schism wil not long be free of Heresie a schismatick is but an heretick concealed and an heretick is a schismatick revealed S. 87 Heresie is a perverse opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ and Schism is a peevish separation from the Communion of the Church of Christ The first is against the Truth of the Church Schisma vin culum pacis dirumpit charitatem scilicet Muse lib. cap. de schismate Gal. 5.19 the other against the Peace and Charity of the Church of God Both injurious to Christ and both destructive to thy own soul if thou art either Heretick or Schismatick and continuest therein both excluding Heaven see Galat. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest sedition i. e. The raising or furthering divisions and disorders in the Church and Heresies i. e. venting strange opinions cunningly devised fables or teaching such for truths as were thus invented or yielding to them 2 Pet. 1.16 or maintaining of them contrary to the Scriptures and received professions of the holy true Catholick Church They which do such things saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.2 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and heresies are called damnable and bring swift destruction upon the inventors of such evil things and the teachers of them and the followers of them too the Apostle bids all good Christians to avoid as a pest all such as make rents and divisions in the Church Now I beseech you brethren Rom. 16.17 mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have heard and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple v. 18. S. 88 Now it may be thou that readest this art one of parts and desightest thy self in novel and curious speculations and hast taken liberty to let thy thoughts and inventions run from the simplicity and incorrupt truth that is in Christ framing to thy self and others some other articles of faith then what the Sciptures assert and the true Church in all ages hath received or it may be thou art one that doth contradict gainsay and oppose the revealed and received Truths concerning God Jesus Christ and holy Ghost or any other foundation Truth if so I intreat thee if pride obstinacy or implacable malice against the truth have not possessed thee that you would recant your damnable opinions and become sober humble penitent and a lover of that truth which formerly you have opposed and if thou hast been a leader or seducer of others and hast infected them then thy sin is the greater and thy labour must be to undeceive them if thou canst and if thou hast been a professor of Religion and hast used the form of godlinesse the better to accomplish thy ends and propagate thy damnable Doctrines and to corrupt the judgements of others then yet the greater is thy sin and thou hast made seeming holinesse a cloak for thy mischievous wickednesse which
Christ will not endure So likewise for SCHISM if thou hast divided and separated from the true Catholick Church and refusest Communion with the members of the true Church and out of pride faction interest or conceited singularity withdrawest thy self and drawest others after thee setting up a Church against a Church from which thou hast separated thy self Art thou the head of such a faction or the member of such a distinct and opposite body then art thou guilty of Schism thou art a troubler of the Peace and Unity of the Church of Christ And if thou repent not for this wrong done to Christ and his Church the guilt of causelesse separation and dividing things which God hath put together for God would have no schism in his Church and wo unto them by whom such offences come for by one spirit are we baptized into one body and Christs Church which is this his mysticall body is but one though it hath many members and those members ought not to oppose one the other or be independent one on the other or divide in a way of uncharitable subserviency and communion one from another and all this Christ forbids lest there should be a schism in the body Reader consider the 12. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians from first to last S. 89 Therefore be thou perswaded to consider thy principles as to thy judgement and thy practise if it be hereticall or schismaticall and if thou be guilty of either amend with speed and be reformed un-feignedly and remember the Heires of Heaven must be servants of Truth and not the Innovators and Revealers of Erours and false Doctrines neither must they be breakers of the Peace and Unity and Harmony of the Church of Christ which is one and the same in Faith and Charity both for things to be believed and duties to be performed and if thou thinkest it but a small matter to be of any opinion though never so distant from or opposite to the foundation-Doctrines and Catholick faith and pure Primitive Church-practises so thou live otherwise soberly and art of a morall good life yet know that filthy unsound false opinions defile the soul and make thee guilty of spirituall wickednesse and renders thee one of a filthy spirit and therefore detestable to the holy God who would have thee keep thy self from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit also 1 Cor. 7.1 S. 90 Yea for making of parties and sidings with good Ministers in a way of faction in the same Church is that with is utterly forbidden as a note of a carnall and unregenerate man of who ere doth so you may see how the Christian Corinthians who had Paul Apollo and Cephas that is Peter for their teachers were accused as carnall because Schismaticall and Schismatical because they received the Gospel with respect of persons Paul Apollos and Peter were all three true Ministers of Christ gracious and good spiritual Preachers and preached the same truths and had the same end and all agreed as disciples of Christ yet when men would divide into parties and set up a Paul an Apollos a Cephas to head each faction and in a way of distinction as though the ordinances received their worth and excellency from man and not from God from the gifts of men and not from the Spirit of God or that the Ministers of Christ should monopolize to every ones self Now the people are much in fault this way when they cry up one in opposition to another or in a way of party and glory in this I am of such a mans way and Church but I saith another like such a man better I can walk in such a Communion and I saith another can edifie more under such a man O saith one he with whom I walk teaches very powerfull and plainly and I am for him I but saith a second I am for such an one for he preaches elegantly and powerfully too he pleases the ear yet searcheth the heart too I but saith a third I am for neither of those but such a man he preaches movingly he is all spirituall and inward he is not so strict-laced nor so much for good works and duties a very Gospel-preacher indeed he useth no terrible threats but doth deal by love and promises with priviledges of believers he is none of your legall preachers he doth not take upon him to reprove and rebuke for sin as others doe every body may please themselves but for my part I am neither for that nor the other you named though they may be usefull in their way but I am for this man I speak of and if you would forsake your way and follow this way you should quickly see a difference come be of our way and joyn with us And thus men that seem to themselves wise are carnall indeed while they make parties and divisions fractions and factions in the Church S. 91 Now if thou be one of these siders and gatherets see 1 Cor. 3.3 4. if thou art one that dost not labour to preserve the peace of the Church of Christ and dost not obey the truth without respect of persons because it is the doctrine of Christ 1 Cor. 3.9 then art thou guilty of this fault here condemned and you must amend and reform this fault also and that without delay remember you are told of the sin and danger of Heresie and Schism take heed of them both Take with thee the exhortation of Paul touching this thing Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 that you all speak the same things that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment §. XVI Witchcraft S. 92 There is no abomination imaginable but the corrupt nature of man is apt to close withall even to a familiarity with and seeking to the very devills themselves hence it is that witchcraft and sorcery become so frequent sins among those that bear the name of Christians but yet truly are of the devil and confederate with evil spirits and hold commerce with them there is much witchcraft and sorcery exercised now adays and many pretenders to Conjuration and Judiciall Astrologie therefore many witches and many that are bewitched by them there are some that pretend by their strength of Fancie and help of Art or familiar spirit to discover secrets to determine of future contingencies to tell of things lost and many such tricks by which the ignorant people are befool'd and cheated yet all this shews what men would be at some would be accounted Wizards and as the vulgar sots call them cunning-men and others are so impious as to seek unto such as an oracle and in this their practise are no better then those poor wretches of some parts of the world that worship the Devil S. 93 Now if thou hast made any compact with the devil or hast at any
uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily S. 119 If this be the case of Apostates Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another S. 120 T is true indeed Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation S. 121 The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man S. 122 And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus S. 123 Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch T it 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation S. 124 When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy waies and that we will not have Christ to reign over us but reject him and all his benefits Job 21.14 Luk. 19.14 and refuse to give him any entertainment or hearty acception and is not this a great sin S. 125 What is it less then the trampling under foot the Son of God and accounting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified Heb. 10.27 28 v. 29 30 31. as an unholy thing and doing despite to the spirit of Grace Is there any one sin marked with a more terrible character and severity then this If he that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy of that despiseth and slighteth this grace why no less then
thou not one of those whom the Lord hath gathered from the heathen world and now through the mercy of God art within the pale of his Church under the daily influence of most gracious dispensations watered with the dews of Heaven breathed from the Spirit in all Gospel-ordinances S. 148 Hast thou not been taught the mind and will of God concerning thy conversation in this present world hast thou not the best example even the Lord Jesus Christ whom thou art commanded to imitate 1 John 2.6 and to walk as he walked are there not most full commands and most clear directions to be fruitfull and how to be fruitfull in good works and holy duties S. 149 Are there not promises freely made great reward richly prepared for all that are fruitfull in well-doing and as severe threats and menaces of severe punishments for all that are unfruitfull Esay 5.12.3 4 5 6. negligent and barren of good works so that it may be truly said of thee as of the vine in the Lords vineyard Now judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes Therefore now will I lay it wast it shall be troden down it shall be PRUNED no more nor digged more but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon it S. 150 Now surely God doth look thou shouldest bring forth fruit suitable to all the Lord hath done to thee in reference to thy fruitfulness and if thou hast not or meanest not to doe it in it's season then must you expect that God will be angry with thee to a severity cut thee up by the root and commit thee to the fire You have this determination in severall Scriptures from Christs own mouth recorded Mat. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire and in the Parable he saith unto the dresser of the vineyard Luke 13.7 behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground and Joh. 15.2 8. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away John 15.2 8. and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Herein is my Father glorified saith Christ that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples S. 151 And sure enough if it be our indispensable duty to bear fruit to God it must be our sin to be barren and fruitless Omission of what we should doe is as much against Gods will as the commission of what we should forbear we are to be judged at last and sentenced to eternal pain or pleasure according to our works good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing eternal life but unto those that obey not the truth indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 v. 7 8. Heb. 6.7 8. There is a severity pronounced to the unfruitfull as there is a blessing to the doers of his will For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for him that dresseth it receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned So it is with every man accordingly as he doth or doth not answer the provision care love guidance and mercy of God in an holy fruitfulness S. 152 'T is remarkable very much that determination of our Lord Christ at the last day concerning all men as to their everlasting condition he will then judge them and those that are sentenced to that horrid eternity of wo and misery are thus condemned for not doing but neglecting the works of charity pitty and compassion which was required of them they omitted to shew charity to the distressed and therefore are excluded Heaven and sent down to hell Mat. 25.41 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Why what have these poor wretches done that they must undergoe this dreadfull punishment why in the next words you shall see that there is no mention made of what evil they had done but what good they had omitted which they might and should have done For I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink naked and ye clothed me not a stranger and ye took me not in c. that is you had many objects of charity before you which if you had relieved I would have taken it as done to me my self and seeing you have not exercised that good work of charity you have merited the condemnation and have lost your reward and seeing you have omitted to doe good I le omit to give the possession of heaven and where will you obtain heaven if not from me And by this mayst thou see 't is evil enough to damn thee that thou hast omitted to doe the will of God suitable to the meanes and opportunities afforded thee to be fruitfull and abundant in the service of God For he that knoweth or may kow Gods will and to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin and he shall be severely punished with many stripes S. 153 Now doe I in the name of Christ most earnestly exhort thee seeing it is a matter of such dreadfull consequence to remain barren and unfruitfull as to faith James 4.17 Luke 12.47 48. piety righteousness charity and sobriety under the Gospel-teachings in the Church of God that thou wouldst no longer continue loitering lazie idle and unfruitfull but henceforth walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Col. 1.10 which you can never doe untill you be fruitfull in every good work S. 154 It may be thou art but a young man or woman yet thou hast heard often the word of faith and love and charity and patience and meekness humility and God doth expect some fruits of that word Hast thou exercised these graces and brought them forth in action doest thou believe and act according to that word of grace do the fruits of the Spirit appear in thy conversation yet if not hitherto hast thou been unprofitable 't is all cast away upon thee what God hath done to thee then hast thou received the grace of God in vain S. 155 I advise thee as young as thou art to repent thee heartily and bewail thy former barrenness and lay thy heart and set thy self to the practice of all good duties be much in prayer self-denial and frequent acts of piety and devotion and shew thy charity and goodness to those that are in distress what thou art able and hast opportunity S. 156 It may be thou art a man or woman of full
will become thy sin And thou mayst conceive how much thy omissions are sinfull offensive to God and prejudiciall to thy salvation by what sentence and judgment at last will pass upon men for their omission of acts of piety and charity namely Depart from me Christ will say one day ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Mat. 25.41 42. c. Then shall they say Lord when saw we thee an hungry athirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these ye did it not unto me And for your neglect of good family-duties and service of God there is a sad imprecation of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 10.25 Poure out thy fury upon the heathen that fear thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name S. 28 So that what a man doth not doe in matters of piety and charity is as severely sentenced as he that doth contrary to both yet men will not be perswaded of this neither repent for their Doe-nots nor lay it to heart when they are charging themselves with some evil accounts which they have done S. 29 But I am perswading thee that readest to repent for thy omissions and amend this thy fault or God will certainly shut thee out of heaven Mat. 7.21 for not he that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth saith Christ the will of my father which is in heaven And surely he that omits to doe doth not doe the will of God S. 30 I beseech thee then make not light of thy omissions of doing good but be very carefull to doe that good thou oughtest and art able to doe in all the acts of Piety Charity and Righteousnesse every thing in it's season that is of every opportunity offered thee or that thou canst attain unto §. VI. Dreames S. 31 I would mind you something about dreames Eccle. 5.3 for as Solomon writes That a dreame cometh through a multitude of businesse commonly they are the remainers of many such thoughts and inclination of men and temper of body sometime they are less harmfull but for the most part vain and sometime very sinfull they are not voluntary indeed yet as a fools voice is known by multitude of words as the wise man saith so a man may guess very much of what passeth his thoughts while waking by his night-visions in dreames I have heard of some that they never dreamed or very rarely how true it is I cannot affirm but I wish I could have said so truly or that any dreames had alwayes been but as sometimes they have good and edifying I have been disciplined by dreames some of them have been the occasion of comfort some of sorrow and much affliction to my soul since I knew from whence they sprang bad from an ill principle vain ambitious worldly filthy fleshly mindings and thinkings in the day-time the good from God and look what a mans intentions and discoursings and companyings and thinkings have mostly been when awake commonly the man dreames about when à sleep though in much confusion and as the nature of those things acted or minded and the desires and end are about them either honest and holy or sinfull and wicked so are thy dreames to be accounted of either good or bad and as you would repent for an ill act waking so must you repent and be humbled for your dreames of the acts thereof if with delight and complacency in the same as you would be sorry to be found doing or minding with delight those vanities or wickednesses you dreame about so must you be humbled in your selves for dreaming such things S. 32 And if ever thou come to be truly and soundly converted you will find your dreames either to be sanctified or else both them and your vain thoughts to be your great burthen and you will still be begging of God to heal the distempers of your souls this way and free you from sinfull dreames and in the mean time to remember alway upon your examination that the guilt of your vain thoughts on the day and vain dreames in the night might be pardoned and the filth of them washed off your soul with the blood of Jesus Christ And this I advise thee and exhort thee to that if after all thy care prayer watchfulness over thy thoughts discourses actions and company lest thou offend yet I say if that after all thy circumspection thou be haunted and acted with vain filthy worldly and any impure visions in thy dreames that then in the morning every morning in thy addresses to God in private devotions after such defilements thou humble thy self before the Lord and repent thee heartily and bewail that infirmitie and beg thy pardon for what is past and intreat the Lord for Christ sake to heal thy naughty nature and that God would by his grace prevent the evil spirit suggesting and thy fancies acting or awaken thee assoon as ere it seiseth upon thee S. 33 For that man that truly fears God and hates sin would not if he could have any fellowship or delight in vanity either waking or slumbring by day or by night with others or alone for God is about thy path and about thy bed and knoweth thy up-rising and down-lying every thought and every word every action yea and every dreame too and thy God is holy and hates all impiety every where and in every person therefore be mindfull of them and be watchfull over thy inward outward self every hour in every place and action as thou ever hopest to avoid sin to keep thy self pure and to please God for Jude the 8th verse speaks of Filthy dreamers who defile the flesh c. §. VII Worldly Joy and Sorrow S. 34 I intreat likewise you would be warned about your joys and griefs for as they are more or less about worldly concernments so are they more or less sinfull 'T is true we the best of us are but men at the best and easily are we surprised we have these passions in our nature and of themselves are not sinfull but our failings are about their measures and their objects and the more our delights are in the fruition of the object according to the value and esteem we have of the thing so the more is our sorrow arising from the want of or parting with our beloved whatever it be S. 35 And this may be sometimes good and gracious according to the sense apprehension we have of good things to wit to rejoyce exceedingly and delight much in the presence and fruition of God and grace his
off quite or delay my REFORMATION O that I may never more decline my necessary duty by excuses nor gratifie satan and wrong mine own soul by delays CHAP. XII Of some Queries S. 1 NOw for thy further conviction and speedier resolution about this great and necessary work of saving reformation I would intreat thee sinner in the Name of God to weigh seriously what is here offered unto thee and resolve to give an effectuall answer as you shall see cause and no more do I desire thee to do in this point then what in conscience you shall judge fit to be done in this case of speedy practicall Reformation and if you cannot rationally except against what I propose that you would forthwith yield and be perswaded to the thing and without more adoe set about this thy own work S. 2 Qu. 1 First of all I demand whether the things which I have been perswading thee to all along be thy duty and of absolute indispensible necessity in order to thy eternal salvation Or whether you think it an indifferent thing whether you be a true penitent and sound convert or no if you you do if it be of absolute necessity how can you in reason and conscience neglect it if you mean to be saved if it be thought but a matter of lesser moment and a thing indifferent then why Is CHRIST and why are all his ministers and the Scriptures so earnest with thee to reform and why is Satan the world and all the enemies to thy souls happiness so industrious to keep thee in thy sins and in an unreformed and unconverted estate you cannot conclude it a thing indifferent except you make it a thing indifferent whether you be eternally saved or damned eternally O then art thou perswaded of the necessity of reformation set about it speedily neglect it not S. 3 Qu. 2 Whether in good earnest do you not believe that JESUS CHRIST is very much offended and his grace and favour exceedingly abused and the worth of his blood extremely vilified by thee all the while thou continuest in thy wilfull sinning and in despite to his holiness and all he hath done and suffered to redeeme thee from all iniquity to serve him in new obedience all the days of thy life S. 4 Qu. 3 Whether if you refuse to amend and to cast away all your iniquities and become a sincere convert can you have any ground or reason to hope you shall be saved by Christ seeing he himself hath said Except you be converted Mat. 18.3 you cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven S. 5 Qu. 4 Whether do you think that those sins thy self art guilty of either in thought word or actions those thy omissions and commissions if not repented of and pardoned will be any hinderance to thy salvation or dost think that GOD doth esteem of thee never the worse for all thy evil practices but gives thee leave to be as bad as you will and will never call you to an account for all your misbehaviours have you any reason to be perswaded of this or of the contrary you cannot sure be so desperately wicked as to think so wickedly of God and Christ that he should be either pattern or patron of wickedness in any one living S. 6 Qu. 5 Whether do you in your judgment account happier he that continueth still in his sins and vitious course of living and dieth in that estate or he that doth repent betime and lead a godly sober and righteous life and dieth in that state which of these wouldst thou be and in which of these conditions wouldst thou be found when God shall call thee hence to appear at the judgment of the great day surely you cannot but wish you might dye the death of the righteous and fare as a godly man fareth at last Oh then why will you not conclude to live as the godly man liveth now S. 7 Qu. 6 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Whether dost thou not think that the time past of thy life is not enough and too much that thou hast served thy lusts and followed the devices and desires of thy naughty heart is it not now high time forthwith to forsake all sin and to betake thee to an holy life have not Satan sin the world and vanity had too much of thy hearts delight and affections but wilt thou give them yet more and serve them yet longer Alas how long canst thou doe better then to rid thy self of those sins and get clear of them that will slay thee and are ready every moment to make an end of thy daies and happiness together if thou nourish them or spare them or give but way to them S. 8 Qu. 7 Whether you suppose it a blemish or disgrace to thy birth breeding place relations and parts to become a true hearty penitent and holy person a disciple of Christ a child of God and an inheritor of immortall glory and of a vile person made an honorable Saint or is it not much more a blemish disgrace and dishonour to be a servant of sin a slave to Satan an enemy to Christ and a fire-brand of hell as every wicked unregenerate unholy man is is there any honour or credit like that of a Saint or any shame or ignomy like that of a wilfull beastly sinner sure there is not S. 9 Qu. 8 Would you not judge that man hard hearted and obstinate foolish and mad were it not thy own case who doth wilfully continue in sin and impenitency after all those gracious invitations and beseechings from the Lord to return after all those menaces and rebukes for sin after all those cheeks of thine own conscience and convictions of the necessity of reformation would you not deeme that man worthy of damnation that in despite of grace and all saving means will make away his soul and murther himself wilfully doth not he deserve to die eternally that will not receive a pardon upon such conditions as God doth promise a pardon which is that thou shouldest repent and lay down all rebellious thoughts and actions and return to thy obedience to God and his most holy just laws and government S. 10 Surely you would not esteem such an one meet for mercy that doth sin against mercy and that perseveres in wickedness Oh then dear soul let it never be said of thee that thou art the man that dost do so that it never be reported of thee that all the favours mercies and motions of Gods holy Spirit have been cast away upon thee Let it never be said of thee that God would have reformed thee and saved thee but thou wouldst not be reformed nor saved this way by ceasing to do evil Let it not be upon record against thee that all the means as preaching to thee praying for thee reproofs exhortations admonitions counsells calls directions from all the holy messengers of Christ beseeching thee and weeping to thee could never prevail with thee vile sinner with all the pains they
Pet. 1.23 25. being born again not of corruptible but of incorruptible seed by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you S. 17 Therefore yield thy self freely and wholly to Christ and the word of his grace and thou mayst then be seasonably and savingly wrought on and converted X. Direction S. 18 10. Dost thou intend to reform thy heart and life wouldst thou be a true convert and have thy faults pardoned and thy life amended then be fervent and frequent in prayer to the God of heaven for this very thing pray I say mightily fervently and frequently if ever thy reformation be wrought it must come from God and he will be sought unto by prayer and the desire of thy soul must be with earnestness that God would pardon thee and heale thee and separate sin and thy soul sin from thy conversation and instead thereof implant grace and nourish holiness and make thee a new man by renewing thy judgment will and affection and introducing the image of the holy Jesus in thy soul and conversation S. 19 'T is true God hath made free and gracious promises that he will give grace to convert and change the heart from evil to good that he will cleanse and purisie by his Spirit saying I will give grace I will pardon I will heal Ezek. 36.25 26 37. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes God will do all this for and to a poor sinner and except God give it and work it no man living can get it yet saith the Lord I will yet for all this be inquired of the house of Israel to do this thing for them God gave David a aew heart and pardoned his sins Psal 51.10 yet see that 51. Psalme David prays heartily Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Our Saviour Christ bids us ask Mat 7.6 7. and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Therefore if ever thou wilt be savingly converted seek it earnestly of God cry incessantly and mightily to the Lord and give him no rest untill he give thee conversion and pardon pray that thou mayst get it and pray that thou mayst keep it pray for this spirit and pray with it and never leave off praying as long as thou livest And I am perswaded that no man shall attain unto saving reformation but he that begs it of God and seeks earnestly after it and I am also perswaded that he that begs it earnestly and constantly shall not be denied it if he neglect not to endeavour to practise what God commands S. 20 Thus have I given you those directions which if you will speedily and carefully follow and put in practice will prove very succesfull toward your reformation those means God hath appointed to bring about this so great and necessary a work of reformation if conscientiously and diligently used S. 21 Now I would perswade you to use all means possible and with all speed possible that might be any way conducing to thy reformation by these motives following CHAP. XIV Some Motives to provoke men to be speedy and in good earnest about the one thing necessary which is sound Reformation I. Motive S. 1 1. REmember that all thy weal and happiness depends upon this very thing even that thou art worth in an other world If thou art converted in time thou art made for ever but if thou put off thy reformation and wilt not yield to become a penitent and throughly reformed it will be thy marring for ever this must be done and done perfectly or else thy poor soul will be quite undone and a lost man for ever thou wilt be it is as impossible for a man that lives and dies in an unregenerate estate to be happy in another world as it is for one damned in hell already to come thence or to be there happy where he is Now or never is the time to provide for heaven by timely reformation here or no where must every one that means to be saved look to it for when death shall part soul and body there is no more working nor reforming here and now is the time and place in this present world to do all we have to do in reformation in the other world every one must be rewarded according to what he hath done in this world and receive a finall unalterable sentence and the decree of the Almighty will be executed on thee and for ever must thou lie under it whether it be unto life or death salvation or damnation nor will there be any revocation or alteration of that unalterable decree Oh then how much doth it concern thee and every one that thou be sincerely wholly reformed in this world seeing thy everlasting making or marring depends upon it forasmuch as thy eternal weal or woe is determined and fixed according as thy heart and life is reformed or not reformed S. 2 Do not therefore O Christian neglect the doing of that speedily which may put all out of doubt and give thee a comfortable assurance that heaven shall be thy portion which thou mayst depend upon if thy heart be converted and thy ways amended and as sadly mayst thou sink in thy hopes of heaven if this be not fully wrought in thee O then let not any thing in the world make thee put off thy reformation or baffle thee out of thy duty or betray thee into vain hopes to be happy without it II. Motive S. 3 2. The next Motive to provoke thee to hasten thy reformation is this that all the while you deferre it you lose your time and are doing that you must undoe again for the best of all that you do else are but trifles and toies and nothing at all to the purpose of true happiness and all this while you are making more work for tears lamentation and repentance and if ever you come to the happy state of conversion hereafter you will be much afflicted and troubled that you continued so long a fool and a wretch as you are all the while you put off and delay your amendment how bitter will it be to a devout soul to remember how long he continued at a distance from Christ how long he did live after the flesh and the world how many days and how much strength he spent in the service of sin how many excuses and delays he used Oh! he will beshrew himself to think how often he put