as a Letter written by the hand of God from Heaven unto us If an Angel should bring us a letter from Heaven we should highly value it and regard it The Bible is a message sent from Heaven to acquaint us with the mind of God If we own the divine authority thereof let us read it with reverence and due regard 2. Beg the Spirit of God that endited the Scripture that inspired and infallibly guided and assisted the pen-men thereof to open thy eies to illuminate thy mind and to encline thy heart to a full belief and perswasion that it is the very Word of God and to bring over thy will to a sincere obedience and compliance with the will of God therein revealed 3. Remember that all things necessary to mans salvation are either expresly set down in the Scripture or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced there-from Unto which nothing is at any time to be added either by new revelations or traditions of men it being a perfect Canon a perfect rule of Faith and life St. John who outlived the rest of the Apostles sealed up the Canon Rev. 22.18 19. which was a great mercy to the world For God saw what a liberty man enclin'd to in divine things and therefore needed to be tyed up to a rule which here is given us There is enough delivered in the Scripture to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 What should a Christian desire more and the Apostle tels us we ought to give heed thereto till the day-star arise in our hearts that is till we have full communion with Christ Mr. Manton on Jude For our reward in Heaven is expressed by the morning-star Rev. 2.28 To him that over-cometh I will give the morning-star 4. Take notice that those things that are necessary to be known believed and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the learned but the unlearned also in a due use of the ordinary means God hath appointed may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them If there arise any question about the true and full sense and meaning of any Scripture it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly The certain rule of interpreting the Scripture is the Scripture it self The Scripture saies Camero is so penn'd that they that have a mind to know may know They that have a mind to wrangle may take occasion enough of offence and justly perish by the rebellion of their own reason for God never intended saith he to satisfie men of a stubborn and perverse wit And Tertullian long before him hath told us that God hath so disposed the Scripture that they that will not be satisfied might be hardened 5. And lastly Remember that the supream Judge by which all conâ—roveâ—sies of Religion are to be â—ried all decrees of Councils opinions of ancient writers doctrines of men and private spirits are to be examined in whose sentence we are to rest can be no other than the Holy Spirit of God speaking in and by the Scriptures for what the Scripture saies God speaks by it Isa 8 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me V. 4â— For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so V. 12. Therefore many of them believed also of the honourable women which were Greeks and of men not a few Luke 16.29 Abraham saith unto him they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them V. 31. And he said unto him if they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts V. 20. Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation V. 21. For the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus V. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse V. 17. That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Luke 10.26 What is written in the Law how readest thou Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Deut. 17.18 And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdome that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites V. 19. And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the daies of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these statutes to do them Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 119.9 Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word V. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths V. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his Judgments unto Israel V. 20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them Praise ye the Lord. Mat. 4.4 But he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God V. 7. Jesus said unto him it is written again thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God V. 10. Then he saith unto him get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Eph. 2.20 And are built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Luke 24.27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself V. 44. And he said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things
the Church though not so primarily belonging to the very vitals and essentials of Faith and Holinesse Now because multitudes of ordinary Christians either through the exigence of their particular callings or through the narrownesse of their capacities want both time and strength to procure such plentiful measures of knowledge as many others whose leisure is greater and intellectuals stronger have attained unto Therefore the Lord hath from time to time stirred up zealous and faithful men to commit unto writing those primary and most necessary Doctrines of Faith and Duty which are common to great and smal and of principal use for ordering their conversations aright in every relation wherein they stand towards God and men Of this sort were Basil's Moralia Regulae Ambrose his Book De officiis Augustin's Enchiridion Bernards Tractats De interiore domo De Conscientia De ordine vitae De Dilectione Dei De modo bene vivendi and other the like writings of the Ancients Amongst our selves in this age several Books of this nature have been written Mr. Rogers his seven Treatises Mr. Paul Baine his Directions for a godly life Mr. John Downham his Guide to Godlinesse and Christian warfare The Practise of Piety Mr. Scuddars Christians daily walk Mr. Boltons Directions for comfortable walking with God with divers others of the same kind Of which some possibly may be of too great a price for every poor man to procure and too large for him to read quickly over However the same materials managed by the different gifts of several â—nstruments and pressed by new Arguments and Motives do bring to the Conscience a fuller evidence and awaken the heart unto a more serious consideration of the importance of them Amongst Books of this Nature I commend unto the Christian Reader this Manual which I have read with great satisfaction and delight It hath many things to render it acceptable to such judicious Palats as are best pleased with savoury and serious things 1. The variety and necessity of the matters therein handled Such as are self-knowledge and examination Repentance and self-judging living by Faith watchfulnesse over our hearts words and waies communion with God in spiritual duties faithfulnesse in our particular callings and relations c. 2. The pertinency of the Scriptures produced for confirmation of the Truths which they refer unto 3. The graciousnesse savourinesse and wholsomnesse of the Language becoming the weight and holinesse of the matter 4. The strength of the Arguments whereby the duties are pressed 5. The Brevity of the whole which rendreth it the fitter for memory meditation and practise In all which the Reverend Author hath shewed himselfe a workman which needeth not to be ashamed Some Learned men have chosen some one or other Book which they have resolved to read over once every year I could wish that serious Christians would single out some one or other choice Book fraught with variety of most wholsom and necessary Doctrine to read frequently over for daily quickning and preserving their hearts in an healthy and spirituall frame Of which sort I should commend 1. Summaries and Compendiums of sound Doctrine such as Mr. Crooks guide to true blessednesse and others of that sort 2. Summaries of the most weighty and necessary duties A mixture of both which we have in this little Book By this means with Gods blessing the hearts of men might be established in the love and obedience of the Truth and be preserved from being tossed about with every wind of Doctrine the great sin and shame of these daies Your Servant in the furtherance of the common salvation ED. REYNOLDS THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART of this TREATISE CHap 1. Concerning God Of the Nature of God Pag. 1. Of the Trinity Pag. 4 Of the Attributes of God Pag. 9 Of the Works of God Pag. 16 Of Creation ibid. Of good Angels Pag. 16 19 Of bad Angels Pag. 16 22 Of Providence Pag. 26 Chap. 2. Concerning Man Of the happy condition in which he was made Pag. 30 Of his Fall Pag. 33 Of the blessed way of his recovery by Christ Pag. 41 Chap. 3. Concerning the Mediator between God and man Wherein are handled these seven things 1. What manner of Person he was Pag. 44 God ibid. Man Pag. 46 2. How he became man Pag. 48 3. How he lived Pag. 51 4. How he died Pag. 54 5. What became of him after his death Pag. 62 He was buried Pag. 63 Rose again Pag. 64 Ascended into Heaven Pag. 68 Sits at Gods right hand Pag. 70 Is Head of the Church Pag. 73 Shall judge the quick and dead Pag. 74 6. What was the end and intent of his coming into the world Pag. 80 To procure pardon and reconciliation for lost sinners Pag. 81 And to sanctifie their natures Pag. 84 To this end he commanded the Gospel should be preached Pag. 87 Instituted Baptism and the Lords Supper Pag. 92 7. What they are effectually called unto and through the assistance of the Spirit enabled to perform who shall receive remission of sins by Christ Pag. 95 Scriptures concerning Effectual Calling Pag. 96 Believing the Gospel Pag. 100 Repentance Pag. 102 Faith in Christ Pag. 106 Holinesse and sinceâ—e obedience Pag. 111 Perseverance Pag. 117 The Members of Christ Pag. 119 The new Covenant Pag. 121 The state of the soul after death the resurrection of the body the day of judgment and life everlasting either in joy or misery Pag. 124 The Contents of the Second Part. Chap. 1. Of Consideration Pag. 131. Chap. 2. Of Repentance Pag. 135 Chap. 3. Of Faith in Christ Pag. 145 Chap. 4. Of the new nature and reformed life Pag. 151 Chap. 5. Of daily communion with God 1. Of awaking with God in the morning Pag. 160 2. Of secret prayer and thanksgiving Pag. 164 3. Of reading the holy Scriptures Pag. 182 4. Of living continually as in the view of God Pag. 190 5. Of living by Faith in ten particulars Pag. 196 Directions concerning it 6. Of diligent observing the Providences of God Pag. 219 7. Of daily watchfulness Pag. 229 Of Watching 1. Over our Thoughts Pag. 231 Remedies against sinful thoughts ibid. 2. Over our Affections Pag. 237 Directions how to govern them aright Pag. 238 3. Over our Words Pag. 244 The manifold sins of the tongue Pag. 246 Directions for the governing of the tongue Pag. 247 4. Over our Actions Pag. 260 Rules for the right ordering of them Pag. 263 Of Watching 1. Against the sins we are most enclined to by temper and natural constitution Pag. 267 2. Against the sins our particular callings and conditions of life most expose us to Pag. 268 3. Against the sins of the times and places wherein we live ibid. 4. Against temptations tending to sin Pag. 269 5. Against dishonouring God in the use of lawful things Pag. 270 6. Against Errour Pag. 271 Preservatives against Errour Pag. 272 Of watching for opportunities of doing and receiving good Pag. 288 Motives
unto the woman what is this that thou hast done And the woman said the Serpent beguiled me and I did eate V. 16. Unto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children and thy desire shal be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee V. 17. And unto Adam he said because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life V. 18. Thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eate the hearb of the field V. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou return unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return 1 Tim. 2.13 For Adam was first formed then Eve V. 14. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression V. 15. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in Child-bearing if she continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety 2 Cor. 11.3 For I feare least by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Gen. 5.3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty yeares and begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image and called his name Seth. Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill continually Gen. 8.21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth neither will I again smite any more every thing living as I have done Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned V. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life V. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Job 15.14 What is man that he should be clean and he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous V. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water Job 14.4 Who can bring a Clean thing out of an unclean Not one Rom. 3.9 What then are we better then they no in no wise for we have before proved both Jewes and Gentiles that they are all under sin V. 10. As it is written there is none righteous no not one V. 23. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God 1 Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me 2 Tim. 2.26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devill who are taken Captive by him at his will Rom. 8.6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace V. 7. Because the carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 1 Cor. 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Rom. 7.14 For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin V. 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not V. 23. But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members V. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Jer. 17.9 The Heart is deceitful above all things and Desperately wicked who can know it Jam. 4.5 Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vaine The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy Eph. 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins V. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience V. 3. Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the Children of wrath even as others Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Eph. 4.18 Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart 1 John 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us V. 10. If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us Jam. 3.2 For in many things we offend all if any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body Eccles 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Hos 14.1 O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts V. 23. And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind V. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is Created in righteousnesse and true holinesse 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have born the Image of the earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly John 3.3 Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God V. 4. Nicodemus saith unto him
publick Ordinances Do ye think it will be a sufficient excuse when you come to stand upon your Trial at Gods Tribunal to plead you wanted clothes and therefore could not come to the publick Ordinances when 't is well known you can dresse your selves in a tollerably decent manner at any time to go to a dinner There is an absolute necessity you must be instructed and get knowledge in the things that concern your Salvation or you will die in your sins And believe it you had better die in a ditch than die in your sins Were you sufficiently sensible of the great and weighty concernments of your soules you would wrestle against all difficulties and seek after knowledge with all seriousness And if you would set your selves in good earnest to it you might quickly attain much more than you can imagine you might soon grow rich in knowledge and Grace Though you are poor here you might be heirs of Heaven and when you die with Lazarus be received into Abrahams bosom Oh therefore bestir your selves You labour hard to get a little money here Oh take some pains to get a Kingdom that is offered to you on very fair terms Labour to be sensible of your spiritual poverty of the vilenesse of your natural condition and the manifold sins of your life Seek for help from Christ where help onely is to he had Give up your soules to him and beg of him pardon and Grace Receive him for your Lord as well as your Saviour beg his Spirit to sanctifie you and be willing to live in obedience to his Laws and Precepts And if you be once thus united unto him being rich in Faith and the fruits thereof you are heirs of the Kingdom even the Kingdom of Heaven and shall shortly enter into your inheritance gloriously and triumphantly Oh therefore though you are poor in this world yet labour to be spiritually rich Mind not only the present but secure your future state And not only look to your selves but to your children also Oh let not them be bred up in ignorance and prophannesse One main reason of the great blindnesse and irreligion that is among poor people is the cannot read neither do many of them take any care their children should learn They had rather they should earn a penny than spend two or three hours in a day to get that skill If there were a book extant and ordinarily to be had as the Bible is which men did generally beleeve to contain a plain and easie way for all men to become rich and to live in health and pleasure and this worlds happiness Can it be imagined that the poorest people would not learn to read it or would neglect to study it Whatever paines it cost or difficulties it put them to be sure they would not fail herein How is it then that so many that have the name of Christians can be content that both themselves and their children should be unable to read the Scriptures and so commonly remain as ignorant of the things of God as if they had been born among the Indians VI. Those that are poor should be especially careful to avoid these four temptations which they are in great danger of 1. Let them take heed of distrusting God when they are in straits Let them often call to mind and meditate on our Saviours words in Mat. 6 from v. 25. to the end Let them consider God provides for Creatures that cannot provide for themselves Beasts sleep quietly not knowing nor thinking where they shall get meat the next day If you say 't is because they have no reason nor foresight consider whether ever God gave us reason to make no other use of it than for our vexation and dishonouring himself 'T is a high injury and dishonour to God to distrust his care and providence over us seeing he takes care of bruit Creatures 2. Let them take heed of stealing or putting their hands to any indirect courses Theft is the poor mans danger as the wise man intimates Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty not riches feed me with food convenient for me least I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord and lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain Let them not think to excuse themselves by saying they are poor and he from whom they steal is rich For who made them dividers of other mens goods Let them not think to pretend 't is a small thing they steal the more abject sinners they who will defile their Consciences for a trifle Though the world should be hard and men should afford them no help let them not make themselves uncapable of Gods help Let them remember 't is better to suffer than to sin 3. Seeing the poorer sort usually live together and generally are apt to be envious malicious and extreamly quarrelsom slandering and reviling one another and upon small provocations cursing and using dreadful imprecations against each other and somtimes also against those that do not relieve them or not so liberally as they desire let all these wickednesses be carefully avoided and abandoned by them if ever they intend to see Gods face with comfort 4. And lastly seeing poor people for the most part depend on rich men that employ them and thereupon are apt to flatter them and humour them and bring tales to them and comply with them even in sinful courses and to be moulded after their example and usually hate and oppose Godliness it self if they see it disrelished by them Therefore it should be the care of all poor people to decline these courses and by fidelity industry and integrity to commend themselves to all those that employ them and walking humbly and conscientiously before the Lord in their place and calling they need not doubt of his Gracious Providence over them of his favour good-will to them Isa 45.9 Wo unto him that striveth with his maker Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Prov. 28.6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightnesse than he that is perverse in his waies though he be rich Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed forsaken though begging bread Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Jam. 2.5 Hearken my beloved Brethren Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Prov. 17.5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished Psal 10.14 The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the Fatherlesse Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say unto you take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall
also refer this one thing more that at such a serious time no vain idle frothy books should be read to them or by them as is by many used to make them merry but such Treatises as may better them to God-ward and further them in the way to Heaven To meditate and seriously ponder on the four last things treated of in the next Chapter will not be unprofitable for them VII Let them consult with and take the advice of their spiritual guides while they have some strength of body and the right use of their understandings before their Spirits are so spent that there is no conversing with them VIII Let them consider Gods aim and design in sending sicknesse upon them Let them enquire into the meaning of it This Direction is usefull not only for such as are under sicknesse but under any other affliction and consider what God now cals them to let them hearken to the voice of the rod Let them consider what corruptions they are especially to mortifie what sins to leave what duties to perform what Graces to exercise And though they may and ought to use lawful means for the removing of their sicknesse seeking to the Lord for his blessing thereupon yet let them not forget to pray as earnestly to have their sicknesse sanctified as removed Blessed is the man whom thou correctest and teachest Psal 94.12 Afflictions alone are not enough to evidence a man to be blessed and in a happy condition except they prove teaching sanctifyed afflictions Evidences of Grace and the favour of God consist in inward impressions not outward dispensations 'T is not said Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and deliverest out of trouble but whom thou corectest and teachest When God takes away the disease and does not take away the guilt and dominion of sin does not pardon and sanctifie the sick person 't is not a compleat deliverance but only a reprieval from present execution Bare deliverance is not the blessing thou shouldst desire The blessing of affliction is Divine Instruction Therefore those who are put by God into the School of affliction should seriously apply themselves to learn those lessons which in that School they ought to learn And they are such as these 1. Obediential submission to the will of God We must not dispute our Crosse but take it up Aaron held his peace Lev. 10.3 We may indeed and ought to seek unto the Lord and to use lawful means as I said before for deliverance from a sickness or other affliction but yet with resignation of our selves to his holy will Patience is not a stupidity or insensiblenesse of Gods hand but a calmnesse of mind upon wise and holy grounds And therefore if the sicknesse he sends upon us prove either very long or tedious and painful yet we must take heed of murmuring or repining or charging God foolishly For God is so just he is not to be question'd so good he is not to be suspected and so strong he is not to be resisted Impatience therefore will but augment our pain and encrease our guilt 'T is indeed a hard matter when we are afflicted in patience to possesse our souls But we should consider not so much what we feel as what we deserve Any thing on this side Hell is mercy and will so appear to a truly humbled soul 2. To pray more earnestly and fervently They that were wont before to content themselves with cold short slight sleepy formal devotions will by sanctified afflictions learn to pray better more heartily and fervently and to cry mightily unto God for pardon and Grace for help and relief 3. To be better acquainted with our own hearts Afflâ—ctions sanctified discover the unknown and secret corruptions of the heart Deut. 8.2 The Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart 4. To understand these three things more clearly and experimentally 1 The evil and danger of sin 2 The emptinesse of the Creature 3. The preciousnesse of Christ and what a high value we ought to set upon his sufferings 5. To mind and esteem the promises of God more Through distractions without in time of health and corruptions within people many times neglect to study the promises of God But in time of sicknesse or other distress there are no cordials like unto them 6. To enquire into and examine our evidences for Heaven not to venture our soules on general ungrounded hopes and sinking foundations 7. To live by Faith Faith takes the soul off from creature-confidences and teaches it to stay it self on God alone The right course to obtain mercies from God is in the way of an humble trust When we see and apprehend our own insufficiency and Gods All-sufficiency and cast our selves on his wisdom power and goodness then he usually affords help and succour to us 8. To prize communion with God more and to be more Heavenly minded In the glaring of prosperity we are too apt to forget God and to content our selves with Creature-enjoyments But in the night of adversity and in sad dispensations Oh how delightful is a beam of his love and favour 9. To be more humble By afflictions God takes down the pride of the heart and makes it humble and soft and pliable to his will 10. To be more thankful for the mercies we enjoy We seldom are sufficiently sensible of the worth of our mercies till God begin to deprive us of them 11. To set a high value and price upon time Sicknesse cries aloud in our eares redeem time O redeem time for praying for meditating for clearing our evidences for Heaven c. How many are there who when their time is almost done have their great work then to begin O in what a sad condition are they These and such like lessons should be learned in the School of affliction But now they whom God shall please to bring forth out of their troubles to deliver from their sicknesse and renew the lease of their lives should be exhorted to these five things 1. Let them consider what they have learned in the School of affliction What the Spirit of God hath taught them If they find they have learned in some measure those lessons before-mentioned then let them study to be thankful Let them consider God hath done more for them thâ—n if he had never brought them into affliction He hath given them deliverance and instruction both He hath turned their water into wine 2. Let them take heed of forgetting the lessons they have learned Let them labour to keep alive the teachings of Gods Spirit upon their hearts Let them study to maintain that sweet gracious humble frame of spiâ—it into which God brought them by their afflictions If they be not exceeding watchful they will quickly find a great deal of difference between their hearts under afflictions and when the affliction is taken off There is much of a Pharaoh-like
to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Christ shall therefore appear in the proper form and condition of a Judge sitting upon a Throne of judicature 4. There will be a personal appearance of all men before that seat of judicature upon which Christ shall sit For we must all appear and we shall all stand before that judgment-seat Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God c. Mat. 25.32 And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats 5. When those who are to he judged are brought before the judgment-seat of Christ all their actions shall appear 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts Eccles 12.14 For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil To this end in the vision of Daniel when the judgment was set the books were opened Dan. 7.9 And in that of St. John The books were opened and the dead were judged out of the things that were written in the books according to their works Rev. 20.12 Divines speak of a threefold book that will then be opened 1. The book of Statutes or the book of Gods Word wherein the Law and Gospel are written with all the duties commanded and sins forbidden in them both 2. The book of Gods Omniscience and remembrance Mal. 3.16 And a book of remembrance was written before him c. 3. The book of Conscience which God maintains as a Register in every mans breast Jer. 17.1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon the Table of their heart Men will then be awakened to purpose and all their sins with the aggravations of them will be set in the view of their Consciences Hidden things shall be brought to light in that day 1 Cor. 4.5 c. 6. After the manifestation of all their actions the Judge will pronounce his definitive sentence upon all their persons according to their actions The sentence of absolution upon the Godly in these words Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 The Saints of God and the elect will first be acquitted before the ungodly are condemned that they may afterwards joyn with Christ in judging the world according to that in the 1 Cor. 6.2 Where 't is said the Saints shall judge the world i. e. by way of approbation approving and magnifying Christ's just sentence on devils and wicked men giving some such approbation in probability as that of the Angel Rev. 16.5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because then hast judged thus And thus all the Saints shall be Judges But some of them more eminently as Assessors with Christ as is intimated concerning the Apostles Mat. 19.28 Ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel We have shewed what the sentence of absolution will be which shall pass upon the Godly The sentence of condemnation followes that will passe upon the wicked which we find recorded Mat. 25.41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 7. After the promulgation of the sentence followeth the execution and sending of the persons judged to their everlasting state as it is written Mat. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal We have seen what will be the Judiciary proceedings of this great day 4. It now followes in the fourth and last place that we speak something of the consequents thereof 1. Christs resigning up his Kingdom not his essential but that which he administers as Mediator to the Father having subdued sin and death and put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when he shâ—ll have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power V. 25. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet V. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death V. 27. For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him V. 28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all 2. The burning of the world of which we read 2 Pet. c. 3. v. 12. Looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat By this fire 't is probable the world will not be consum'd but renewed clarified and purged For 't is compar'd to a melting fire V. 10. The Elements shall melt with fervent heat And the Apostle saith elsewhere The Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.21 In the everlasting state God will have all things new even the world it self The use of this renewed world may either be for an habitation for the just or that it may remain as a standing monument of Gods wisdom and power Thus we have seen â— That there will certainly be a day of Judgment 2. That Christ will be the Judge 3. What manner of proceedings there will be in that day 4. The Consequents thereof What now remaines but that we carefully provide for this great and notable day of the Lord as 't is call'd Acts 2.20 By breaking off our sins by true and serious repentance and making our peace with God in and by Christ O let us labour to secure our interest in Christ and our union with him He is the Judge If he be our Advocate we need fear nothing There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 The Head will not condemn his own Members 2. Let us do good and communicate and be merciful to the poor while we have ability and opportunity In the 25 Mat. 35 36. Compar'd with 42 43. Christ hath told us aforehand what questions he will ask when he cometh Have you fed have you visited have you cloathed 'T is good we should be prepared for an answer See the Scriptures concerning the last Judgment in the first part of this Treatise pag. 74 c. Of Hell We h ve seen there will be a day of Judgment and that the Judge will judge the world in righteousnesse We have seen there will be a twofold sentence pronounced by him Of absolution upon the Godly Mat.