a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour for God hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God whose mercy love favour grace Christ Salvation and Gospel is despised and slighted S. 126 Why this making light of Christ and Salvation offered in the Gospel to thee for the eternal welfare of thy precious soul is as much as to say to God and Christ You may keep your grace and salvation to your self I have no such need of it I esteem not of grace and salvation so highly I can be without it I will have none of your favours on such terms I will not part with my present pleasure ease profit and enjoyments for your rich grace and glory hereafter let me alone with my own matters and concernments I have other business to look after which to me are of greater weight then the things you would press upon me c. Now can you think that God can take this kind of dealing from any one well or doe you imagine that God will be pleased with one that values or sets more by an Oxe or piece of metal a field barn tottering house or a moment of fleshly pleasure then by Christ and salvation S. 127 That men should make all things else of great concernment to them and make light of Christ and glory which are ten thousand times ten thousand times more worth to thee then all things else put them all together and yet to hear of these things but as a tale which may or may not be true and to account of these rich mercies proposed but as a strange thing or of no value or of very little advantage to one is it imaginable that God should not be highly displeased with that soul that despiseth Hosea 8. and slights and neglects that God sets so much by and so highly esteemes and by which he sets up and declareth the honour and excellency of his free grace to poor sinners Yes sure enough God is so much displeased at such that they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed by him and those that make light of his invitations to mercy he is always wroth with till destruction come full home upon your souls and those that by excuses put off Christ and grace as of a lesser concernment to them 1 Sam 2.30 and pretend secular business and interests as an answer to those sent from God to invite them to mercy and salvation Mar. 22. v. 5 7. upon the terms of the Gospel to close with Christ and doe actually refuse to come but either turn away their ear from hearing the message or shut up their heart from receiving of Christ or take no great heed to live according to the Gospel of Christ of such God hath determined that they shall never reap the benefit of grace Gospel and glory Read Christs own words For I say unto you Luke 14. v. 16.10 25. that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper no though it were provided for them and intended for them yet because they made light of the invitation and used excuses and undervalued the great things of their souls to base worldly bodily beggerly things and imployments therefore is the Lord angry to this conclusion SUCH SHALL NEVER TAST OF MY SUPPER S. 128 And you may further guess at the sinfulness of this slighting salvation by that which is said of those who despise the word of grace and ministry of this mercy who so despiseth the word shall be destroyed Pro. 13.13 Heb. 2.3 and how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation S. 129 The Prophet Esay makes mention of an intolerable wicked people by this that they will not hear the Law of the Lord but say unto the Seers See not and to the prophets Prophesie not unto us right things but get you out of the way turn aside cause the holy one to cease before us Wherefore thus saith the Lord because ye despise the word therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall whose breaking cometh suddenly as an instant as the breaking of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces c. Rom. 2.4 v. 5. So also see the aggravation of such mens sinfulness in that of St. Paul's correction to the Romans Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance not considering that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath c. S. 130 And this very slighting of the great things of God which he hath provided for the good of souls is one of the commonest sins under the Gospel and one of the most dangerous that can be named and yet men make light of it and scarcely will men be brought to be sensible of the neglects and slightings they shew toward Christ and salvation and therefore are seldome brought to repentance for it and yet may they not read that place of the Proverbs Because I have called and ye refused I stretched out my hand Prov. 1. v. 24. to the end and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsell and would none of my reproof and for this because they refused and would not take counsell but despised God shall make as light at your calamity when it comes as they did of his counsell and will no more hear them in their misery to help them then they would hear God when he would offer them means for prevention of their misery S. 131 Now seeing this making light of Gods gracious offers of Christ and salvation is a sin so great so common so dangerous so unanswerable and the dreadfull judgment of God so unavoidable for this neglect of salvation so freely purchased by Christ and so fully offered in the Gospel to thee be perswaded 1. to consider seriously whether thou art one of those who is guilty of this sin whom God may charge with this sin of making light of Christ and Gospel and grace and salvation 2. And if thou art guilty that forthwith thou wouldst repent and henceforth to thy dying day take heed thou never make light of the matters of thy salvation again any more S. 132 Examine thy self look into thy soul consider whether art thou not he that hast had a mean low cheap estimation of Christ and salvation I mean whether the things and business of religion and about sawing thy soul have not been more neglected by thee and slighted and less care cost and time spent about these then about earthly worldy things that concern but the body and fleshly part and so it is and thou are guilty of this great sin S. 133 1. If thou hast an ear to hear and yet refusest to give a listening ear to the publication of the message by the messengers of the Lord which revealeth
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
weakness of judgment erroneous opinions though but in lesser truths or thy knowing not nor searching after thy secret sins be it but a sudden eruption of passion into anger and shrewd words or desires after forbidden and unlawfull objects or immoderate desires after things lawfull in themselves yet all these and all other infirmities to speak the most favourably of them are the disease sickness and disorders of the soul and ought to be the matter of our sorrow and humiliation and must be confessed to God in the enumeration of our sins and pardon must be begged in Christs name for his sake for them and except thy soul be humbled for all thy secret sins and all thy infirmities if not in every instance yet in the whole summe and thy labour and watchfulness be for the suppressing of their rise and preventing their reign as much as possible yea even they so little as they seem to thee they will prove mortal at the last and thy plea of Infirmity will not serve thy turn except thy sins of infirmities be pardoned and they will not be pardoned any more then greater sins but upon thy repentance and that which far greater offences could not doe if repented of in time and forsaken in heart and practice that these sins of infirmities will doe if not repented of in time and amended to what degree is possible for thee even these will procure thy damnation at the last S. 8 Now concerning all those sins which the vulgar sort of men who pretend to Christianity account either no sins at all or very lightly of them as small and inconsiderable yet by a long custome and frequent repetition are become habituall and so very sinfull and so very destructive and besides men that think them so small and innocent seldome if ever charge them upon their souls as sins to be grieved at repented of and amended when they examine their lives and actions as to other sins which are noted with a blacker character by reason of which neglect those smaller sins are let alone unmortified and men goe to their graves with impenitency as to those sins which will sink a man as deep into the gulf of misery and drown the soul in destruction and perdition and if they be but foolish lusts yet they are thus hurtfull to the soul 1 Tim. 6.9 To instance in some things of this kind for thy fuller conviction § I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption in nature S. 9 There are in every mans nature the seeds of all evil Gen. 6.5 Mat. 15.19 20. Jam. 1.14 15. Col. 3.5 which are the beginnings of all actuall sins mans nature is tainted and corrupted naughty Concupiscences and lusts are born with us which are defiling and corrupting the whole man the heart of man is full of them and in their first motions they are sins even that proneness inclination to evil and aversness and indisposedness to good which is in thee which thou mayst and must take notice of as a matter of sorrow and complaint against thy self as it is thy unhappiness and misery so it is thy sin and thy death and such a disease it is Gal. 3.22 Rom. 5 12. Psam 51 5. Rom. 7.5 that if not healed and pardoned in thee by regeneration will leave thee under wrath and the curse This that I mean is that which is understood by the name of Originall sin that is the corruption of humane nature by the sin of our first parents propagated to the whole kind of Adams race and posterity which is every man and woman as they receive life and birth these motions of sins doe work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death S. 10 Now though this be every mans case scarce any man makes it his own particular grief men make light of it and are so far from watching over and resisting the first motions and lustings after evil things and mortifying these corruptions that they are most apt to plead it by way of excuse for their faults and actuall transgressions which are the issues and effects of this corruption and lust from within S. 11 But if ever thou hopest to be savingly reformed this old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts must be put off that is must not be served nor yeilded unto but resisted and prayed against and indeed for my part had I no other sin that might be laid to my charge yet I find this inbred wickedness this naturall proneness to evil so exceeding sinfull that I should account it a choice mercy to be quite rid of it and 't is for this I have cause to hang the head and mourn and 't is that the moving corruptions may be quite destroyed and mortified in me is the prayer and care of my poor soul for my joy cannot be full untill my enemies that is my sins both root and branch seed and fruit be plucked up and withered and untill Christ alone his grace and vertues be formed in my soul and triumph in my conversation S. 12 O doe not make light of that which put thee under the wrath of God and power of Satan that may not be slighted by thee which is in thee the cause and originall of all sins that set the whole man upon evil the cause of all disorder and confusion every where in thee and every where in the world in a word 't is exceeding sinfull all evils lie folded up in thy original concupiscence S. 13 Take heed therefore and take a special view and measure of this thy sin and because thy flesh will never be weary in it's sinfull motions then be thou never weary nor give over resisting these lusts in thy self weakening this body of sin and hinder the progress of it and if thou canst not get it quite discharged suffer it not what ere it cost thee to reign in thee or prevail over thee listen not to lusts solicitations entertain no treaty with lust believe not its promises fear not its threats when God hath said and commanded one thing let no arguments make thee believe the contrary §. II. Vain thoughts S. 14 Thy thoughts though they lie hid from man and free from the laws and censures of men yet to God are they known who discerns the inward counsels of the heart and are judged by him according to the agreement they have with or dissonancie from or repugnancie to the laws of sobriety righteousness and holiness And what ever is uncomely or undecent to speak or act is as much to think and as much a sin as the word or act would be though not so apparent and if it be an evil to speak or practise evil so is it to think evil and a man that would search and trie himself for discovery may know what he is for grace or sin by his thoughts one may know another by words or actions thy own thoughts to thee are the Signatures of thy own heart whether
piety And lest you should think this a vain monition concerning words consider what Christ our Lord saith of idle words I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speake Mar. 12.36 they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned For there is not a word in my tongue O Lord Psal 139 4. but thou knowest it altogether Therefore though thou art but apt to transgresse with thy tongue either by speaking wickedly or vainly idlely and foolishly repent thee of thy former folly and for time to come out a watch and a guard on that little member of unruliness and a restraint lest thou offend again and so be put to a sad repentance for thy little folly for if the instance be but little in which we offend yet the sin is great because we continue in that folly which is more easily reformed the temptation to it less the profit and pleasure small but sound words or prudent silence are far more advantagious to the esteeme of wisdome and godliness then vain frothy idle talkativeness S. 20 If thou meanest to be religious to any purpose bridle thy tongue let thy words be few Jam. 1.26 sober and good For if any among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vain If you say your words are out before you are aware and 't is your infirmity then be perswaded to repent it and amend it as it is an infirmity for this can be no excuse for thy sin because it is but as you suppose a little one when ye see how much and strictly we are warned to take heed of our tongues that we sin not with them in any case not so much as by idle talking § IV. Idle life S. 21 An Idle life is as much to be accounted for as idle words and as deeply to be lamented throughly and reformed for a man a rational creature to live in the world to no purpose or onely to take his pastime here and to be good for nothing but to eat drink sleep play c. or as some are to be very busie in doing nothing that is nothing to the purpose that for which he hath received his life time and talent S. 22 And it may be thou art such an one of whom if one should ask what good hast thou done since first thou receivedst breath that though thou hast received much good yet hast thou brought forth little alas men doe not consider the sin of idleness nor the danger of it 't is a dangerous thing to be without a lawfull calling and as bad to be idle in it to have nothing to doe or to doe nothing in a lawfull imployment doubtless is that which is neither pleasing to God nor innocent in it self God made nothing in vain 't is a sin confessed to doe evil and so it is not to doe some good or other The servant that had a talent and hid it is condemned by our Lord Christ Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness Mat. 25.30 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And the fig-tree which beareth no fruit is cursed S. 23 Yet this is not thought on any whit by those that are idle and vain persons who spend their life and precious time either in doing nothing at all or that which is beside the business of a Christian man as doing that which is evil the devil commonly sets such on work whom he finds idle what an empty vain thing it is for men and women to have nothing to employ themselves in but to receive and pay unnecessary visits Acts 17.11 complements to tell or hear some new thing to spend their time and invention in the vanities and trifles of sports and deckings and dressings Their tailors and sempsters their glass and their combes their beds and boards their Playes and Romances their visits and vain discourses consuming all their study time wealth strength so as nothing of all is left them for the greater concernments of their precious souls and countries good S. 24 Such kind of lives do many live and this is but to be dead while they live and it may be you that read this maybe such an one and then my serious counsel to thee is to repent for thy idleness and mis-spent time and betake thy self speedily to some honest Christian employment and course of life wherein you may expect a blessing from God and whereby you may bring some good to somebody that it may not be said when you are gone that you can well be spared for that you lived to no purpose and wast good for nothing but this will not be the worst of it that men may say so of thee but God thy Lord will call thee to account another day how thou hast spent thy time and self in this present world and how you have employed and improved your talent for Gods glory and the good of mankind S. 25 Beware therefore and be doing daily of that which thou wouldst be found doing when thy Lord Christ cometh that you so may expect that blessing from Christ your Lord and Master which he hath promised to his faithfull doing servants Mat. 24.46 Mat. 25.21 Blessed is that servant that when his Lord shall come shall find so doing Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. §. V. Omissions S. 26 There is another conceit men have and their practise is according to it which must be reformed or else thou canst not attain to a state of saving grace and that is Omissions men think it may be it is a sin to commit evil to doe hurt but none to omit the doing of good to doe no evil should be our care but though a man doe no evil and yet doth no good he is an evil man Luke 12.47 Jam. 4.17 He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin S. 27 He that wilfully carelesly or slothfully omits any of those acts of piety devotion and Charity which are injoyned Christians as Christians and leave undone such things as they should perform in Religion either in private secret and publick to him it is sin if thou omit the hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments prayers in and with the congregation reading praying in thy family and in secret If thou neglect the instruction correction and admonition of thy Children and Servants in matters of religion and practice of godliness if thou omit acts of charity to the souls and bodies of the necessitous in sickness or in health thou art far from the kingdome of heaven and the state of true Christianity If thou neglect to uphold and maintain the truth and cause of Gods Church as much as lyeth in thee both by word prayer and deeds it