this canst thou without tears and groans look back upon all the disorders of thy life whereby thou hast done all that in thee lay to make those wounds of thy tender compassionate Saviour bleed afresh which he first receiv'd upon thy account I believe thou thought'st not of this no if thou hadst one would think thou could'st never have done it Thy design was onely to please thy flesh by all thy sensuall courses thou wast onely full of projects to maintain and raise thy self and thy posterity by all thy worldly designs and businesses wherewith through thy whole life though hast been so swallowed up But thou seest how the case stands that this while thou hast been most viley rejecting and even trampling upon the Lord Jesus who would have have brought thee off from thy vain conversation from all thy ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and hath followed thee with his Word and Spirit to that end and hath prest thee with arguments drawn from his matchlesse love discovered by his Death and hath besought thee to regard him yea to take pity on thy self but thou hast made light of all and hast gone on as securely and quietly in the ways of sin as if thou hadst never heard what sin did upon Christ. And what art thou resolv'd to doe so still shall nothing stop thee in thy career wilt thou not stay to hearken what a way it is thou walkest in nor think what unvaluable mercies thou all this while treadest under feet Hast thou not yet sufficiently abused thy Redeemers love and patience hast thou not made him wait long enough in vain wilt thou still make shew of deafnesse to all those messages he sends thee If so yet be thou sure of this thou shalt not be able to say at thy appearance before him that thou never knewest that sin was such an evil thing and so provoking to him for beside all other warnings that thou hast had I now declare to thee who readest or hearest these words that if thou still continuest in thy loose ungodly life living in swearing cursing drunkennesse whoredome covetousnesse cozening malice or any other known sin and wilfully neglectest thy duty to God going whole days without prayer or reading Gods Word profaning the Lords Day neglecting Sacraments if thou hold on this course thou dost no better than again crucifie and deny the Lord that bought thee and so hast no reason to complain if thou fall under the same condemnation which thou thy self wilt acknowledge Judas and Pilate and the rest of Christs enemies deserve and therefore that thou maist not be found amongst them loaded with the same guilt at Judgement I doe once again in the name of Christ beseech thee with all speed to change thy heart and life and use all means appointed to that end and after all thy wandrings now at length return to him the good Shepherd of souls who laid down his life for his sheep 4. Lastly the Death of Christ may powerfully move thee to repent of and forsake all sin as it holds forth this weighty but sad truth That all those who are despisers of this Death and by living and dying in their sins reap no saving benefit by it shall in their own persons undergo insupportable torments for this their unbelief and wilfull impenitence If thou believest the Gospel thou canst not but acknowledge that all men had been in a most miserable condition if Christ had not died and thou wilt grant that sin is a most perilous mischievous thing and an unspeakable provocation to the most holy God since nothing could appease his wrath but the Death of Christ without whose bloodshed we had obtain'd no remission And what then dost thou think is like to be thy case if through thy own fault thou art never the better for all Christ hath done but must thy self answer for thy sins and bear the punishment they have deserved Let the Death of Christ I say instruct thee what thou art like to expect if this be thy condition If as he himself speaks such things were done to the green tree what shall be done to the dry If he who was without the least stain of originall or actuall sin drank such a bitter cup when he stood in our stead what will be the portion of their cup who being poor frail creatures must make satisfaction for their own sins How will they ever up under all the load of Gods hottest wrath when he shall meet them in judgement and cause his fury to rest upon them And above all thy impenitent obstinate continuance in sin and contempt of Christ will lie heaviest upon thee in the day of vengeance These sins aganst the Gospel against mercy the greatest and freest mercy are most provoking to God most inexcusable in themselves and will therefore prove most pernicious to sinners Methinks then if thou hadst but any regard to thy self to thy own ease and comfort this should make thee out of love with sin to consider how dear its like to cost thee how pleasant soever it may now seem It was not for nothing that Christ felt so much sorrow and pain as thou shalt know to thy everlasting woe if thou pluck the heavy judgements of God on thy own head by sleighting him who would have kept them from off thee Assure thy self poor sinner as bold and confident as now thou art thou wilt never be able to contest with that wrath which exercised even the strength of Christ to bear it thou art never like to go away lightly with that which he felt so heavy For shame at length leave thy foolish plea that God will be more mercifull than to torment his creatures for hast thou not seen how he bruised his own Son who never offended him how he bruised him I say for our iniquities and will he then spare thee who in thy own person hast been a most stubborn hard-hearted rebel and hast cast away with loathing the mercies that were again and again even prest upon thee Thou hast no reason for such fond expectations What wilt thou tell Christ at Judgement that thou didst not believe that ever God would be so severe as to punish thee so dreadfully and everlastingly as his Word threatned and that therefore thou took'st somewhat more liberty in thy life than he allowed thee Darest thou come with such a plea as this But if thou should'st what wilt thou answer to Christ when he shall lay open what he underwent for thy sake and how thou madest light of his love will not this soon silence thee If he ask thee whether thou hadst not evidence and proof enough of the evil and danger that was in sin by his suffering so much for others transgressions wilt thou have any pretence left to justifie thy self I may perhaps urge this consideration but I mention it now as offered to us by the sufferings of Christ which doe most plainly declare that dolefull are the miseries prepared for those who
they converst with and after some time this King taking pity on his banish'd Subjects should agree with his onely Son that if he would venture upon the hazards and troubles of so long a journey he should take a chief Officer along with him and go to these rebels with proclamation of pardon to all such who should acknowledge their crime and were willing to return into their own land there to live in the obedience and favour of their Soveraign and in order hereto would come to this Officer to be taught by him the language of their Countrey and how to behave themselves so as they might please their King and be fit to be in his presence when now the King's Son should come to these men and shew them his Commission and perswade them to be ruled by him who is come so tedious and dangerous a journey to free them from the miseries of banishment proposing the terms on which he will deliver them all those that believe he speaks true and hath power to help them and being willing to be delivered upon his conditions doe put their trust in him by his means to be restored to the favour of their Prince and their former habitations they doe by this very action manifest their love to their native Countrey and their willingnesse to live in obedience to their King whom they had displeased and doe hereby also engage to accept of this Officer that accompanies the Prince to teach them the language and manners of the Countrey they are about to return to The application of this to the matter in hand is very easie for in the same manner doth Faith in Christ and our acceptance of him implie our love to God and desire to live for ever in his favour which is that Christ offers us and by his death hath purchased for true Believers and it implies also our willingnesse to be sanctified by his Spirit that we may be made meet to live for ever in the love of God Oh hearken then and give ear all you lost sinners somewhat to pursue the former comparison all you that are the posterity of sinfull Adam who by his transgression banish'd himself out of Paradise you that are wandring up and down in this wildernesse and have even forgot the heavenly Countrey as if you were made onely to be inhabitants of this lower world here to live with the Beasts a miserable life for a while and hereafter to die like Beasts that perish and accordingly make it your onely work to run and ride to labour and toil for such things as are needfull for this present life without regarding that which is to come whilst you are thus estranged from God forgetfull of and daily running farther and farther from him behold a message of glad tidings and great joy is dispatch'd to you from heaven The great God that made you takes pity on you and is even grieved to see what a misery you have plunged your selves into when he made you so happy He is by no means pleased that such noble Creatures lately raised out of nothing for such glorious ends should through their own folly and the subtlety of the tempter be debased into such a wretched sordid slavery Wherefore in pursuance of his gracious designs for your recovery and to shew how his bowelâ— yearn over you he hath sent his own Son out of his bosome who is one with himself to take our nature upon him and to become one with us that he might be every way fit to be a Mediatour betwixt God and us that he might teach us by his doctrine encourage us by his example and make attonement for us by his death Accordingly all this is done the Son of God is come into the world and hath abundantly evidenced his Commission from the Father to treat with lost mankind about their reconciliation to him for the procuring of which reconciliation he laid down his life and being risen again he furnished his Ambassadors with authority to assure all that life was given to the world and this life was in the Son so that he who hath the Son hath life And this is that message which the Ministers of the Gospel at this day and to the end of the world are to proclaim to the sons of men This Sirs is the joyfull sound that is now in your ears If you will but trust your souls with Christ and consent that his Spirit should teach you the language of Canaan and work in you an heavenly nature and disposition suitable to the state and place he would bring you to then shall you be happy with God for ever What say you then shall Chriâ—â— be your Redeemer to bring you to glory upon these terms or not What have you to object against him Doe you think he does not mean as he speaks or that he cannot doe what he promiseth Dare you question his power his willingnesse or his truth If you will not believe his Word yet give credit to his Death Does not that tell you he is in good earnest with you and fully bent upon the Redemption of mankind And beside the miracles wrought by and upon him which fully witnesse for him let his Resurrection put you out of doubt that him hath God the Father sealed to this Office of Mediatour by this is assurance is given to all men that he is the Judge of to be world and therefore that all are delivered into his hands to save or condemn as he shall think fit and he hath plainly declared that to those who receive him he will give power to become the Sons of God but as for those who reject him upon them the wrath of God abides for ever But these things I shall branch out into two or three particular considerations to perswade you if it may be to accept of Christ the Prince of peace who comes with the tender of peace to your souls to accept of him I say to wash you in his Blood and sanctifie you by his Spirit that at length he may present you without spot or blemish into the presence of his Father CHAP. V. Perswasions to accept of the Redeemer and give up the Soul in Covenant to him 1. AND first consider I am onely perswading you to be Christians which you professe your selves to be And will you not indeed be what you professe Why doe you embrace the name if you dislike the thing I know you have false measures whereby you judge of Christianity and think perhaps that all who are Baptized and keep their Church and call themselves Christians are so indeed but you should rather say such doe professe themselves so to be but they are not so in Gods account except they are true to this profession He that wears a Noble-mans Livery seems to be his Servant but if he will not acknowledge him to be his Master by doing what he commands him you will scarce say such a one's his Servant however not a Servant to be
it not enough to be able to say the bare words to repeat your Creed without book or the like but labour well to understand them and fix them deeply upon your minds as those things which are of greatest necessity to be known and remembred of any in the world But yet barely to know and remember them will not profit you except you so digest and improve them that they move your affections and guide you in your conversation It s a most lamentable mistake to think that the meer saying of what you believe and what you are to doe will save your souls as if there was some strange force in the very words which would make them usefull to all that should patter them over for by this means a Parrot might passe for a good Christian. If you had a Receipt given you directing you how to cure the Toothache doe you think it would take away the pain to get it without book and say it over by rote would you not rather see to read it and make use of the medicine which it should appoint Even thus must you read Gods Word and good Books to know what is your duty that you may set with all your might to the doing of it And indeed your knowledge is defective till it come thus to affect your heart wherefore let that be the mark by which you may judge of its truth and sincerity if it raise your affections and leads you forth to action 1 Joh. 2.3 4. For if you know that God hath in himself all fulnesse of goodnesse and know that you are needy and indigent and can onely receive supply and satisfaction from him you cannot but desire after him and seek how to get a part in his love If you know that you are in your selves lost undone creatures and that Jesus Christ and he alone is able and willing also to recover and save you you will then betake your selves to him for healing and saving mercy If you know that sin is your disease bondage and dishonour and holinesse your glory liberty and health you will readily comply with the Spirit of God to be freed from sin and to be made as holy as your nature is capable This then is true and saving knowledge which must be in all that can affectionately remember Christ at the Communion Of this knowledge Christ speaks Joh. 17 3. This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And of this the Prophet speaks Isa. 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many that is he shall justifie those who have such a sound and working knowledge of him as leads them to the performance of what he requires of them For if men once come indeed to know that Christ is the Son of God who earnestly desires their good and enjoyns them nothing but what makes thereto surely they will readily then hearken to and obey him All this I adde to knowledge because it is very imperfect till it become thus fruitfull and will not vindicate those in whom it is from the imputation of ignorance Now to get your knowledge to be thus powerfull upon your hearts and lives I cannot advise you to any more necessary course than these two 1. Humbly to beg of God to work the truth with power upon your souls that you may receive it in the love thereof When you go to hear or sit down to read beseech God to accompany the Word by his mighty Spirit that it may sink into your minds and not become unprofitable but that it may enlighten and awaken you and reach to the very inwards of your souls and give you such insight into your selves and such a discovery of your duty that you may vigorously be carried on to the performance of it And then 2. You must often consider of those truths that you know you must dwell upon them in your minds till you are moulded changed and wrought upon by them For want of this Consideration chiefly it is that so many remain in ignorance and that many others who have some sleight knowledge are no more bettered by it for you must meditate upon what you read or hear that you may more clearly and distinctly understand it which you cannot doe if words slip out of your thoughts as soon as they are out of your ears And then after the doctrines of the Gospel are well understood you must farther consider wherein they concern your particular case and what use you are to make of them for otherwise how is it possible they should profit you Though you have never so much book-learning and brain-knowledge what are you the better for all if you improve it not your own good by this serious consideration Can you think ever to have a profitable saving knowledge of Christ if you use not seriously to think of him what need you stand in of him and what benefit he will be to you and what must be done to make him yours Can you get your sins mortified and pardoned if you will not so much as bethink your self what an evil thing sin is and what your particular sins are Can you be move with the hopes of glory if you have it not in your thoughts Can you escape your danger if you forget it and so are out of fear If then you would ever have any profit by your knowledge follow the Apostles advice to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what is said to thee at at any time and that 's the next way to obtain from the Lord understanding in all things so likewise 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all If you have not time to spare purposely for meditation yet take time as you are upon the way or about any businesse which will permit you And let this be the chief subject of your thoughts which I am sure deserves them most even how you should doe to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ and never leave following on this enquiry till you be fully resolved to set about what 's required of you to that purpose As there must be this sound knowledge of Christ and of the chief points of Christian Religion in all that can duely remember Christ at a Sacrament so it will be readily granted that this Jesus Christ must be believed to be indeed the Saviour of the world as is declared in the Scriptures and all that is there laid down of his Incarnation Life Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and coming again to Judgement must be believed to be true I will not make a distinct Head of this because it s necessarily supposed in the former as I have explained it for our knowledge of these truths is never like to be effectuall with us if we are not first of all perswaded that they are truths And the Reader might be offended if I should make any question whether he believes the Christian Religion and
takes Scripture to be the word of God and acknowledges that Christ is the Son of God and the promised Messiah of whom the Prophets all along in the old Testament foretold But though there are few who openly deny or seem to doubt of these things yet I fear there is a great defect and too common even in this part of Faith which consists in an assent to the truth of the Gospel For many there are who take little pains to settle their belief upon sure foundations which would bear a shaking if any assault should be made and can give little reason why they are of this Religion or opinion rather than any other except because this is that they learnâ— of their parents and is profest by their neighbours and set up and countenanced by the Laws of the Land and surely these are but weak arguments But here let me adde as before that granting you doe believe all that the Gospel reveals yet this is not enough except your belief prevail with you to doe what the Gospel requires in order to your salvation And this is indeed the surest way to get your Faith well strengthned and confirmed even by yielding obedience to the truth and trying by your own experience what benefit comes by conforming your selves to the will of God revealed in his Gospel whether you can find the promises made to such obedient ones in any measure fulfilled to you and when you have found this you will say with the Apostle You are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because you have begun to find it to be the power of God to salvation Our Lord himselfe tells us Joh. 7.17 That if any man will doe his will he shall know of his doctrine whether it be of God or not This is like a mans tasting of Honey which will give him more assurance of its sweetnesse than all arguments could doe and this will make him confidently to affirm it though the cunning'st Sophister should endeavour by subtle arguments to perswade him to the contrary his experience will confute them all This is the reason why great Wits and profound Schollars sometimes turn Atheists and Infidels whilst the honest weak Christian that hath relisht and well digested the truths of Religion holds them so firmly in his heart rather than brain that he can die for that which he cannot so well dispute for Thus far then I hope you see its manifest that to your right remembrance of Christ so to make you worthy Communicants its necessary that you know who this Christ is and what you have to doe with him and to believe that he is indeed the Redeemer of mankind and that all that Scripture speaks of him is true CHAP. III. II. A right remembring Sin the occasion of his death Of Repentance with Considerations to work and promote it IT may as easily be understood that if at the Sacrament you keep up a Remembrance of Christ and in an especiall manner shew forth his death till he come then you must needs Remember what was the occasion of his dying and that was the sins of the world Had there been no Sin we had needed no Saviour Had we continued in our first estate we had needed no Restorer Now hence it will naturally follow that no man can duely celebrate the Sacrament whose eyes have not been opened to see the exceeding great evil that is in sin and to be convinced of his own sins so as to lament and hate and resolve against them For is it possible for that man to to Remember Christs Death as he ought that sees no hurt in that which put him to death Nay that loves the very Nails and Spear that were thrust into his hands and feet and sides and intends to crucifie him afresh when he is gone away And all this doth he that never yet saw the odiousnesse of Sin and that is not heartily set against it but secretly retains and cherishes it Can he rightly Remember Christs death who sees no great need he stood in of it nor is sensible of any great advantage that comes to him by it but rather thinks Christ might have kept his bloud to himself and that it would be a disadvantage to him to attain the ends and benefits of his bloodshed And such wretched blasphemous thoughts in effect hath he that sees not his sad estate by reason of Sin and that thinks it would be to his losse to part with it Wherefore since it evidently appears that true Repentance is so absolutely necessary to qualifie and fit a man for this Ordinance where it is to be renewed and to which he must come with an humble broken heart let me desire thee to put the question to thy own heart whether thou know'st by experience what it is to repent of and be truly humbled for Sin And that thou maist the better know what I mean let me ask thee Didst thou ever yet seriously consider what thy condition is by nature and by reason of thy carelesse sinfull life And hast thou found thy self sensibly affected and stirred with this consideration so that thou hast been verily perswaded that thou art in thy self a lost creature and except there be a way for mercy art like to perish for ever And hast thou been convinc'd that Sin is the cause of all this misery and danger which thou art liable to And hast thou hereupon heartily griev'd for and bewail'd thy wretched miserable state Hast thou been humbled for the Sin thou broughtst into the world with thee and for all the sins which thou know'st by thy self and canst remember thou hast at any time committed Hast thou been carefull to search into thy heart and to look back upon thy life past that thou might'st find out what thy particular sins are that thou maist confesse them before God and forsake them And hast thou indeed been so sensible of the evil of Sin chiefly as it is rebellion against that God who made thee and hath sent his Son to Redeem and Spirit to Sanctifie thee and hath daily given thee so many mercies to engage thee to please him hast thou I say seen so much vilenesse and basenesse in thy dishonouring and provoking so good a God that this consideration hath melted and broke thy heart and wrought thee into a bitter hatred and loathing of every known sin so that thou hast earnestly desired to be delivered from it which is so odious in its self and so mischievous to thee And hast thou been therefore deliberately resolved by the help of God without any more delay to put away far from thee whatever is displeasing to God and to return to him from whom thou hast faln and to an obedience to those Laws which thou hast violated and contemned Examine thy self faithfully whether thou hast ever experienc'd such a change of thy mind as this I have described which may well be call'd Repentance unto life Or rather on the other hand dost thou not
us all and with him freely gives all good things to his people Canst thou then find in thy heart to go on in provoking so good a God and in sleighting such matchlesse love If thou canst certainly thou hast banisht all gratitude and hast scarce one spark of common ingenuity left in thee yea thou hast put off thy manhood and art become little better than a senslesse bruit for what should sooner work upon a reasonable creature to love another than extraordinary and undeserved-kindnesse which he hath received from him Nay I might go farther and tell thee and that justly too the very beasts themselves have more good nature than such a stupid unthankfull sinner as thou For they have some sense of a good turn and some love to those that doe it they know those that feed them and keep them and use not to doe them any mischief The Dog does not use to bite his Master nor the Horse to kick at him that looks to him And so indeed God himself complains of ungratefull men that when the Ox knows his owner and the Asse his masters crib yet they did not know their Maker and Preserver But to be short let me tell the plainly if thou find'st thy heart nothing mov'd with all this love that God hath revealed in sending Christ to save us from wrath to come by his own sharp sufferings I can no way see but that thy case is full as bad yea rather worse than his who believes not a word of all I have said Nay how indeed can it be imagined that thou believest these things if they make no impression upon thee except thou never use to think of them after thou hast read or heard them but there 's the wonder if thou dost believe them how thou canst chuse but think on them and think again till at length they work some good effect upon thee But if thou hast hitherto been so strangely carelesse let me once again desire thee now at length to set upon the sober thoughts of this unconceivable mercy manifested in the Gospel that when thou hadst even destroy'd thy self God should make haste to thy help that he should send his own Son to undertake for thee who was also willing to this work and should upon him punish thy sins and now after all onely calls thee to cast away thy sin and to return to his love which if thou wilt doe he is willing to be reconcil'd to thee And see if there be not good cause that thou should'st hearken to these invitations and whether there can be given any just or tolerable excuse for thy disobedience If the bitterest enemy thou hadst in the world should but save thy life when it was in his hands much more if he should endanger himself or undergo any losse for thy safety I am confident this would soon take off thy spleen against him and make thee very ready to be restored to his friendship And why the goodnesse of God should not be as prevalent with thee I cannot imagine if it be but soundly believed and well thought on 3. I may farther adde to engage thee to return to the Lord from whom thou aâ—t faln another argument drawn also from the goodnesse of God shewn in the death of Christ as hereby it is most clearly discoverd That there is some unspeakable happinesse which was purchast by the Lord Jesus for those that come to God by him and to which he invites empty miserable creatures Thou canst not imagine that God makes all this adoe with men for nothing It was not upon any triviall errand that he sent his Son into the world nor are they any sleight inconsiderable things which he offers to as many as will receive him It s true the mercy had been rich and glorious if Christ had onely died to save us from misery and to have procured of God that we might have been reduced to nothing rather than to frie in everlasting burnings and no tongue can tell what a priviledge the damned in hell would account this But over and above we read of a Kingdome of glory which Christ will give to his followers And how great this is judge by the price that was paid for it not silver or gold or any such corruptible trifles but the precious Blood of the Son of God without price whose utmost value cannot be exprest by Men or Angels and no more can the glory hereby obtained For if the Merchant be wise the worth of his Jewel may be guest at by the price that he paid for it Precious is the Soul of Man and full dear did the redemption thereof cost more than the the whole world or ten thousand such worlds as this And is not think you the souls portion answerable to its own excellency And the purchased Possession answerable to the greatnesse of that cost that was laid out for it When a common Slave may be freed for a few shillings half a Kingdome will be thought little enough to redeem a captive Prince and we afterward see there is as much difference betwixt them when they have got their liberty the one sits on a dunghill the other on a throne For certain then Christ Jesus came into the world and laid down his life to exalt those that hearken to him to the highest joy and blisse of which the nature of man is capable in delivering them from all sin rendring them exactly conformable to God and placing them in constant full communion with him He that so loved his Church that he gave himself for it to sanctifie and cleanse it by all this design'd to present it â—o himself a glorious Church Upon this account therefore methinks thou should'st easily be perswaded to cast away sin which is thy misery and return to God who is thy onely life and happinesse and that no mean happinesse as I have told thee is evident amongst many other reasons by the infinite value of the price that was given for it Oh little doe any even the best and wisest on earth conceive what are the full fruits of Christs blood what miracles of divine love those are which through endlesse millions of ages will keep alive the admiration joy and praise of Angels and Saints and fill the mouths of Christs Redeemed ones with continuall thankfulnesse for that wisdome and mercy which contriv'd and wrought their delivery and exaltation So that you see laying these things together the death of Christ as discovering the mercy of God lays the greatest engagement that can be upon the sons of men to break off their sins and return to the obedience and love of God in that there is so much mercy procured and tendred as may beget hope and encourage to repentance which is not like to be rejected and as there is so great love exprest as may well call for the return of love and even soften the most stony heart and as it discovers so great a blessednesse to be had in God through
maintained but cashier'd and punished and if you are but such kind of Christians you will acknowledge it was as good you were open Infidels Will you think it enough to prove a man your friend that he calls you so and gives you many good words and promiseth you great matters and in the mean time secretly does all he can to hurt and displease you Even thus hath Christ decided the case and told us who are his friends not they that onely speak honourably of him and pretend great esteem for him no but they who doe what he commands them John 15.14 And if you will not doe thus and yet will needs please your selves with a conceit that you are Christians notwithstanding you may easily be convinced that if your Christianity will not bring you to be listed with the friends of Christ but leaves you amongst his enemies its like to doe you very little service Wherefore he is onely the true Christian who takes Christ in all those relations in which he is represented in the Gospel and is willing to perform the duties that these relations bind him to And to such a receiving of Christ I am urging you Can you be Christians without taking Christ for your Lord And can you doe this without you are willing to be governed by him Is he a Disciple of Christ that will not learn of him and that will not believe what he speaks to be truth To give an instance or two Christ bids you learn of him to be meek and lowly and if you will not doe thus are you indeed any of his Disciples He tells you his yoke is easie and his burden light and therefore requires you to take them on you if now you think them hard and heavy and therefore reject them doe you not in effect give him the Lye He tells you he is the author of eternall salvation to those that obey him and if you refuse obedience to him and yet pretend you hope to be sav'd by him can you count this believing in him When he would redeem you from your iniquities and you will not part with them doe you take him for your Redeemer So that its evident you are not really and in Gods account Christians except you are willing to be guided by Christ to happinesse in the way which he hath revealed wherefore you must see to come up to this or be reckoned as Heathens and Infidels and accordingly dealt with and chuse you whether if indeed you find any difficulty in the choice 2. Consider seriously what a kind of design it is that Christ comes to you upon and see whether it be not most reasonable you should comply with him He offers himself to be your Saviour and what can you say why you should not close with this offer Examine what hurt there is in that work of Christ upon your souls against which you are most prejudiced He would take off your affections from earthly things that cannot satisfie them and set them on things above which will prove a durable portion He would cure the blindness bruitishnesse and deadnesse of your souls and raise you to the greatest liberty and freedome of mind and to the most reasonable excellent life whereof you are capable He would bring you out of darknesse into light from pain and grief to the most manly joys he would deliver you out of the noise and tumult of your lusts and passions and settle you in a sweet and steady peace Instead of being unserviceable to God and Man and destroyers of your selves he would make you fruitfull and usefull in your generation and your own truest friends I speak of the present effects of his operation upon your souls which would receive an unspeakable advancement by being freed from the dominion of Sin and Satan wherein Christ finds you For certainly to be thus enslaved is the greatest misery that can at present befall you as it debases and defiles you and puts you out of that order in the Creation which God placed you in Nothing in all the world can be so much disgrace to you as this for of reasonable creatures you are hereby become like bruits yea in some sense worse and instead of the image of God you bear the image of the Devil through your love of sin and enmity to holinesse And doe you think there is no hurt in all this No not in becoming ideots and fools living contrary to and below your reason nor in being like the Devil whom you cry out upon and pretend to abhorre Is it no dishonour to you to have him to be your Father whilst you doe his works Well then I hope you have nothing to say against Christ who comes to recover you to your selves to bring you into your right wits to shew you your former folly and make you ashamed of and humbled for it that you may forsake it whose design is to raise you to the priviledge and dignity of your natures by repairing Gods image upon you which you had lost bringing you to love that which is best for you to beware of what would hurt you and to be weaned from those things that will leave you and cannot make you happy And if you have nothing to object against all this much lesse can you speak against his intention to keep you from misery and make you blessed for ever if you will hearken to him of which I shall speak by it self Where then does the matter stick what can hinder you from coming to Christ who onely calls you to him to take off your load and lighten your burden and to give you ease and rest 3. Consider what Christ hath undergone in order to the making of your peace with God on condition of your acceptance of him He became poor to make you rich He became the Son of man that you might be the Sons of God he came down from heaven to raise you thither He entred into combats with the Devil that you might be enabled to conquer him He bore the worst the world could doe and overcame all its assaults that you by him might overcome the world He drank the bitter cup the dregs whereof you had otherwise been drinking eternally When the sword of justice was even ready to sheath it self in your bowels he came betwixt received it into his own He willingly gave up himself to the death that bitter cruell shameful death that your souls might live for ever He bore your sins that they might not lie on you as an heavy load to sink you into the lowest hell He was made a curse that you might escape it and obtain a blessing And after all this that he that he hath done and suffered shall he be rejected Hath he done thus much in order to your deliverance and shall all be lost as to you as if it had never been done What hath the Son of God manifest in the flesh shed his warmest hearts-blood to be as a Balsome for your
wrath which thou art treasuring up for thy self against the day of wrath Thou liest wholly at his mercy whom thou art daily provoking to fury In all thy ways which are so defiled the holy God beholds thee in anger and even loathes thee for thy filthinesse And he alone knows how short a while he is determined to wait on thee thy glasse is running his patience is expiring death and judgement are hasting hell is ready burning and thou canst not promise thy self a moments safety Whilst thou art sleeping or waking eating or working talking and laughing the heavy doom hangs over thy head and thou hast every day reason to expect the dreadfull vengeance of the Lord to seize upon thee nothing but meer mercy hath kept it off this while which will not always last At night when thou goest to bed it s a great hazard but thou maist awake in flames and never more see the comfortable light or when thou goest out of doors it 's a question whether thou maist not with Judas go to thy own place the infernall mansions before thou returnest home For ought I know or thou either this may be the last Book that ever thou maist read this may be the last warning that ever thou maist have Think a little whether this be a comfortable case for a man to continue in and what wise people they are that venture all upon a Repentance hereafter Moreover in all the troubles thou maist meet with in the world I know not what support what comfort can be administred to thee for there 's none to be given thee from God I am sure whilst thou art a resolved enemy to him What shift thou makest to get a little ease and relief at such a time I cannot but wonder onely the remnants of thy carnall comforts and the hopes thou hast of seeing things better its like may help thee to some false peace But alas poor man Death will shortly arrest thee Death that will strip thee of all that thy heart delighted and trusted in Death that will break the neck of all thy fond hopes and utterly frustrate thy expectations Death that will carry thee out of thiâ— beloved world into a place to which thou hast been a meer stranger not thinking of it at all or but coldly and seldome or with horrour and aversenesse this Death I say will shortly lay hold on thee and then whither wilt thou look for comfort who art a stranger to God and Jesus Christ Into whose hands wilt thou commend thy departing soul who would'st not whilst thou wast living resign thy self to the God who made thee bought thee with his Sons blood Canst thou expect Christ should now receive thee who would'st not be perswaded to receive him What receive a rebel into the kingdome of peace A filthy Swine into the communion of Saints No never expect it And if he will not receive thee who must If heaven may not hold thee what place will Thou canst easily answer these questions And when by a resurrection to condemnation thou art made with all the rest to stand in the presence of thy Judge how wilt thou then appear before him For the Lord's sake yea for thy own sake poor sinner thou that canst not be brought to like of Christ nor his holy Laws and ways not the sanctifying work of his holy Spirit put these questions as thou readest them close to thy heart What wilt thou then say to Jesus Christ for this thy contempt and dislike of his person and government Darest thou then justifie thy unbelief and impenitence when he calls thee to answer for it Or who wilt thou get to plead for thee when the onely Advocate shall condemn thee Who wilt thou make thy friend when he who alone could and would have been so is through thy own fault become thy greatest enemy Dare Angels or Saints speak a word for him against whom their Lord shall speak Or would they if they durst No they will approve his righteous sentence Will the Devil take thy part dost thou think Hath he any power there to secure his followers Why it 's he that is thy accuser and if need be would rather aggravate those faults which he drew thee to Wilt thou then hit him in the teeth with the large promises he made thee and call on him to make them good Alas he 'll but laugh at thee and scorn thee and make thee acknowledge that most justly are all they so served who would trust to the Devils delusions rather than to Gods promises Or dost thou expect relief from thy companions in torment Ah poor creatures they would rather help themselves if they could but cannot Oh then with what an heart with what a countenance wilt thou hear that last dolefull sentence Depart from me ye cursed when thou shalt look round about and see no help no hope but that down thou must lie in that burning lake which the breath of the Lord's fury like a stream of brimstone doth kindle what a posture will thy soul be in I can tremble to conceive it easier than I can expresse it And when thou hast lain some thousands of years in that place of torments what then will the workings of thy heart be when thou hast felt that tribulation and anguish which comes upon those that work evil what thoughts wilt thou have of the ways that brought thee thither what would'st thou not doe for the least dram of hope in that miserable despairing state for the least glimmering of light in that gloomy darknesse But there is none to be had no nor ever will be through a whole eternity the force of which word eternity and the meaning of Hell is now known and felt in another manner than when careless sinners could laugh at the mention of them or sleep whilst they were preacht on But what canst thou not perswade thy self that there are any such torments prepared for unbelievers If not it s to be feared thou art one of those unbelievers for whom they are prepared But if Scripture may convince thee read amongst other places 1 Thes. 1.8 9. Mat. 25.46 Joh. 3.36 and then tell me thy judgement Now indeed all this is but talk Hell 's out of sight and the most terrible words are but wind and therefore it is there is so little care in the world to make sure his favour who can save them from this misery which because it 's neither seen nor felt is sleighted and forgotten Should a King take a company of men out of prison who had committed some fault worthy of death and offer pardon to those that would be sorry for their crime and promise never to be guilty of the like but threaten Death to those that would not and withall should shew them pardons ready sealed and great hopes of money to be given to the penitent but racks and gibbets and fires ready kindled for the execution of the obstinate Doe you think this would not easily
prevail with them when they saw in good earnest what was like to betide them And if Christ would take this course and shew heaven and hell if that were possible plainly to their eye-sight it s like the most stubborn sinners would be awakened but he will not doe thus nor is there any reason he should Since we are made men to be ruled by reason why should he deal with us like bruits that must be led by their senses yet because he will not take this way with them bruitish sinners disregard him as if they needed him not But ah Sirs all you that could see no need of Christ when he was so urged and prest upon you when shortly you shall see all the world stand before him and shall behold the devouring flames into which all they must be cast who have not a part in his love then you will see what benefit comes by Christ then you will no longer count them fools that took it for their greatest businesse to get an interest in him Then if the most passionate wishes that you had been so wise would doe you any good if the loudest roarings and bitterest cries for mercy might preval you would think them all well spent but alas all will be to no purpose Cry Lord Lord with never so much noise and earnestnesse if thou wast here a worker of iniquity no other answer shalt thou obtain but Depart from me I know thee not And thou thy self shalt be forced to acknowledge that this Sentence is as just as terrible For didst not thou here hid Christ to depart from thee thou desired'st not the knowledge of his ways and is it not just he should then command thee to Depart from him as one he will not know nor own Heaven thou didst refuse since it was to be had on no other terms than submission to Christ and therefore thou must needs fall into Hell since there is no third place provided But perhaps thou wilt flatter thy self with a conceit that none of these things shall come upon thee in that as thou pretendest thou putst thy whole trust in God that he 'll save thee and reliest upon thy Saviour Jesus Christ alone to be kept by him from hell and the power of the Devil But beware I beseech thee how thou cheatest thy soul into that misery whence no trick or wile can ever fetch thee Dost thou put thy trust in God he 'll take thee to heaven when thou diest who now allowest thy self in those very sins for which he hath threatned to turn men into hell If indeed thou dost so then I hope it is some promise of his that thou bottom'st thy trust upon or else it is a vain confidence now shew me if thou canst one promise in the whole book of God that gives thee the least ground to hope for happinesse whilst thou continuest in an unregenerate naturall estate in love with thy sins take thy Bible and turn it over from one end to the other and see if thou canst find any such place but I could shew thee an hundred Texts where wrath is threatned to all unconverted sinners continuing such So that in plain English thy trust in God is no more than a wretched presumption that he will be so mercifull as to break his word to save thee and if indeed this word prove false than thy confidence will not deceive thee but if it prove true as for certain it will then woe be to thee for all this pretended trust And of the very same stamp is thy reliance on Christ whilst thou rebellest against him For tell me prethee does the Gospel say that every man who shall believe that Christ will save him shall be saved by him let his heart and life be what it will I am sure neither Christ nor his Apostles ever made known such a doctrine and if thy faith be grounded upon any other Gospel than Christ hath revealed thou art like to go seek another heaven than that he hath promised For he hath told thee plainly that without holinesse thou shalt never see the Lord that he is the author of salvation onely to those that obey him and that he takes off condemnation from none but such who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Now if thou dost truly believe in Christ thou wilt set thy self to seek for happinesse in the way that he hath appointed not in one of thy own devising for else it is a sign thou dost not depend upon him for salvation but on thy own fancy or Satans delusions or whoever it is whose directions thou followest rather than Christs If thou wast in a place where two ways meet and one man should bid thee follow him in this way and another should bid thee follow him in the contrary way if thou would'st come to thy journeys end is it not plain that thou believest him whom thou followest Or if thou hadst some dangerous disease and an able Physician should tell thee that if thou would'st depend upon him by the help of God he would recover thee and should leave with thee such and such Physick to take if in the mean time thou should'st take a conceit that thou mightest be well without following his advice and some one else should direct thee to an easier and cheaper way whereupon thou throwest away his medicines dost thou then depend upon this Physician for cure Thus the Lord Jesus the great Physician of souls assures thee if thou wilt depend on and trust thy self with him or believe in him he will keep thee from that everlasting death whereof thou art in danger and to this purpose he sends his Word and Spirit to cure thee of thy ignorance and wickednesse which is the disease of thy soul he would bring thee to Repentance and thoroughly purifie and sanctifie thy heart but thou think'st this a tedious course and wilt by no means submit to it come on it what will but fanciest thou maist be saved without so much adoe and that forsooth by reliance on Christ. Is not this a very wise businesse to rely on the Physician for health and throw away the Physick that should procure it I know well enough what thou would'st have Christ shall keep thee from hell but yet by all means he must give thee liberty to live in sin that is he must let thee carry fire in thy bosome but yet he must keep thee from being burnt he must let thee drink poison but yet he must keep it from griping thy bowels But believe it Christ came not into the World for any such ends This he hath purchast That no sins great or small shall damn the man that 's truly humbled for and forsakes them and depends upon him for a pardon and is made holy in heart and life but not that he who lives and delights in sin should escape misery which is indeed a kind of impossibility For man is in bondage and sin is his fetters now
how will this aggravate the condemnation of the pâ—ofane in our days that whilst they could not be kept out of the Alehouse and Tavern but lay there day and night drinking away their wit their money and of entimes theâ—r life it self yet no entreaties could bring them duly to prepare themselves and come to eat and drink at the Lords own Table Hadst thou but such a favour offered thee as Haman to be entertained at a banquet with the King and Queen how forwardly would'st thou accept it and with what a pride would'st thou boast of it as he did But yet when the King of glory invites thee to be his guest thou think'st not his invitations worth hearkning to so mean are thy thoughts of his company and fare Yea dost thou not see how importunate Beggars are for an alms They come to thy door and stand begging for bread and will hardly be driven empty away and yet when thou art thus begg'd to accept of bread that comes from heaven thou wilt not receive it Here men must be compell'd that is importunately woo'd to come in and yet they will not be prevailed with or if they doe come it is oftentimes in such a carelesse manner that gives as much displeasure to him who sent for them and brings as much mischief upon themselves as if they had staid away But of this I spake in the beginning wherefore I shall onely adde that it is to me a matter of astonishment that those who know their bodies will shortly be in the grave and who say they verily believe their souls must live for ever that those very men should with so much care and unweariednesse feed and maintain their bodies whilst willingly and out of meer sloth they suffer these immortall souls to starve and perish eternally 6. Consider this is a juncture of time wherin especially thou art engaged to doe all that in thee lies toward the speedy securing of thy everlasting happinesse and therefore in the most solemn manner to consecrate thy self to God at the Sacrament there renouncing all the ways of wickednesse whereby thou hast provoked him that so thy peace may be made with him For consider how he hath lately appeared in judgement against us and shewn that he hath a sore controversie with us and shall not we the surviving inhabitants of the Land learn righteousnesse hereby Shall not we be so wise as to meet him in the way before his anger be kindled against us in particular It is to be feared the neglect of this very duty and the grosse miscarriages in the manner of performing it have done much toward the hastening of those judgements we have lain under And shall not this teach thee what to doe for the future Wilt thou go on to provoke the Lord to jealousie so that his anger should not be turned away but his hand stretched out still And if thou art one who hast lately been preserved from the very graves mouth whereinto thou wast ready to fall being in continuall expectation of death through the Visitation or any other Distemper I would with thee to look back and consider what were the thoughts of thy heart at that time thou I mean who hadst lived a loose and carelesse life Did not thy Conscience fly in thy face for all thy wickednesse And didst thou not resolve that if God should spare thee thou would'st become a new man and lead another kind of life than thou hadst done Did it not terrifie thee to remember how thou hadst neglected praying hearing and receiving Sacraments And didst thou not make promises within thy self that if God would try thee once again it should be no more thus But that thou would'st be as diligent and constant therein for the time to come as thou hadst been slack and negligent before Well now God hath tried thee according to thy desire thou who might'st have been sent to the place where Repentance will do no good art yet kept upon earth to see what will be the fruit of thy afflictions where yet thou art within the reach of mercy if thou throw not thy self out of it What then shall become of all thy good purposes and promises Are they gone as soon as thy sicknesse and pain are gone Are they all forgotten already Yet be thou sure God will remember them and fain would I perswade thee to remember them too and now in particular having prepared thy soul to addresse thy self to the Lords Table and there renew all those vows and resolutions which thou madest in the time of sicknesse and danger and humbly implore mercy and pardon for thy former carelesnesse and all thy transgressions and help from God to walk more closely with him for the future Let me now in season be thy Remembrancer from the Lord and bring to mind what engagements thou hast made to him and see thou be faithfull to them But if they be sleighted and all that I have said to thee sleighted because now thou art lusty and well and seest no death near thee and hast something else to do than to trouble thy self with being so religious as dying men use to be yet let it sink into thy thoughts that there is just such another time coming upon thee very shortly thou wilt be sick again and cast upon thy death-bed and dost thou not think the very same thoughts will then come into thy mind again When thou shalt consider thy self just lanching forth into eternity shalt look back upon all thy ungodly deeds and thy undervaluing the means of grace by an improvement of which thou mightest have been made ready for such an hour as this wilt thou not then begin again to fall to wishing that it had been otheâ—wise and to purposing thou wilt be better hereafter if once again thou maist be recovered But when thy Conscience with a redoubled fury shall rise up and 〈◊〉 thâ—e remember how thou didst long ago in the same condition seem as penitent as this comes to but yet all câ—me to nothing and that therefore thou hast no reason to expect a farther triall and shall moreover tell thee that it is most likely all this is out of meeâ— slavish fear and not out of any true love to God and Holinesse how wilt thou be able to hold up under such a dreadfull charge as this from thy own awakened Conscience It is my great desire to prevent thy being then overwhelmed with such sad thoughts as these and if thou art but as willing they may be effectually prevented even by speedily setting upon such a course as will be the rejoycing of thy soul at that day when nothing else will rejoyce thee but the testimony of Gods Spririt witnessing with thy Conscience that by the Grace of God thou hast had thy conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity For without this it would be but a poor refuge for thee to call for a Sacrament on thy death-bed who didst sleight it in thy health 7.
more welcome than to be freed from any outward afflictions you may lie under All you that are sincere and to such only I am now speaking cannot but acknowledge that the frame of your soul is such as I have been enquiring after how harshlie soever you may conclude of your selves notwithstanding And if such as you that love God and holinesse hate sin and are humbled for it have not right to the promises of mercy through Christ I wonder who have Why therefore will you not come to receive the seal to those promises which do so evidentlie belong to you or none But after all perhaps you 'l crie you cannot believe and therefore dare not come hither since this is a Sacrament provided for believers only This objection I suppose ariseth principallie from your mistake of the nature of saving faith Wherefore tell me I pray what do you mean when you say you cannot believe Do you not reallie believe that the witnesse which the Scripture gives of Christ is true Whatever temptations you may have to infidelitie yet is not this the prevalent perswasion of your mindes that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah by whom the fallen World is to be recovered out of its ruines Do you not believe him furnisht with full power and authority to accomplish this design Do you not believe that his death was sufficient for the ransome of the World and all other truths concerning him that you finde revealed in the Gospel And then are you not resolved that this Jesus shall be your Saviour and none but he Doe you not from your hearts acknowledge your selves miserable lost creatures altogether unable to restore your selves or to do any thing that may satisfie Gods justice or in it self deserve recompence or acceptance So that you are convinc'd if ever you are sav'd it must be through Christ And are you not earnestlie desirous of this above all things that God for his Son's sake would pardon and save you Yea more than that are you not sincerelie willing that Christ should rule in your hearts and guide you by his spirit and frame you according to his will Do you not accompt his commands holy just and good And do you not desire strength from him your head to obey them and to conquer all temptations from within and without that would draw you aside Do you not believe the promises which he hath made and the threatnings which he hath denounc'd to be certainly true And do you not desire more that you may have a share in these promises than enjoy any created good And do you not fear his threatned wrath more than any outward sufferings Is it thus with you as I am confident it is and yet will you cry out that you cannot believe What can you not believe Why alas you cannot believe you shall ever be sav'd by Jesus Christ. Is that it then which your belief onlie sticks at But suppose it does you are not therefore presently Unbelievers in Scripture-stile or in God's account For this is not that which is so much prest upon you observe well the language of the Gospel which â—uns thus Believe in Christ and thou shalt be saved not Believe that thâ—u shalt be saved by Christ. This absolute perswasion of thy own salvation is not so much enjoyned thee however not in the first place but rather thy acceptance of Christ that thou mayest be saved by him And yet methinks if thou weigh things well thou maist be rais'd to such well grounded hopes of thy own particular happinesse as may very much conquer these doubtings and fears which thou complainest of under the name of unbelief For let me ask thee seriouslie why is it thou canst not believe thou shalt be saved by Christ It is not I know because thou doubtest of the sufficiencie of his satisfaction or of the truth of his promises or the graciousnesse of his nature For art thou not fullie perswaded that he will save all those who trulie believe in him I make no doubt but thou art wherefore hence it is plain that thy fears of perishing arise from an opinion that thou art not a true Believer But this from thy own acknowledgments I have made evident that thou art whilst thou believest that Christ is the only Saviour of Mankind and art as willing he should take away thy sins from thee as prevent wrath from falling upon thee So that it is rather for want of a clear knowledge of thy self than for want of faith in the promises that thou canst so hardly believe thou shalt be saved Wherefore once again I ask thee art thou not willing that Christ should deliver thee both from the dominion and condemnation of sin If thou art and wilt shew it by using the means he hath afforded for this end then be assured thou art a true believer and as such shalt be own'd and crown'd by the Lord that bought thee And therefore with great alacritie come along with thy fellows to the thankful remembrance of that eternal redemption obtain'd for you by the blood which ratified the everlasting covenant betwixt God and his people 2. What ever your weaknesses corruptions temptations are let them not detain you from but rather send you with more speed to this Ordinance For you know not but this may be the means which God will bless for the removall of them And take this for â— certain truth whilst you have no sin but what is the burden of your soul and which you labour and long to be freed from you have no sin that makes you unfit for the Sacrament nay more this your sense of sin makes you rightly fitted for it And then there is lesse ground of doubt as to the fears and sadnesse you may labour under or any temptations with which you are troubled You cannot sure be so weak as to think your selves upon any of these accounts unmeet for your Lords Table For you must remember he never made this the qualification of his guests that they should come wanting nothing but he calls hither the necessitous to supplie their wants You come not hither only to be thankfull for what you have received but to receive farther what your souls stand in need of You would think he argued at a very silly rate that should tell you you must not go to a feast till your hunger was satisfied nor come to the Fire till you are warm and yet no better is the sophistry of Satan whereby he would perswade you that whilst you feel so many imperfections cleave to you and lie under such great doubtings you must stay away from the Sacrament when as this is one means appointed by God for your relief here 's both physick and food administered to the sick and fainting And God may take this season of revealing himself to you and satisfying those doubts which you could no other way get rid of Thus hath it been with many a soul why may it not be so with you
your time and do all actions as in his sight You may easier run from under thâ— heavens than out of his eye And consider he do's not onely look on you but narrowly regard yoâ— and concerns himself with you being highly displeased when you run into sin and takes delight in your holy conversation In whatever company you are be not drawn away by them in a kind of flashy humour as if the generall loosness and jollity did engage you to conform to them but remember God is in the midst of you who never gives you a dispensation to be wicked and whom it more behoves you to please than all the world beside though avoid all ensnaring company as much as possible Let this keep you from fear or shâ—me when you are call'd to speak against Sin or for God and Holinâ—sse He 's near that will justifie you you may therefore set your face as a flint When you are alone think not you may sin the more securely for God is with you and eyes all your moâ—ions as if he had none but you to mind In your addresses to God a sense of his neaâ—nessâ— will much awaken and affect you and is one of the best helps against wandâ—ing thoughts that you can have Beware of ever being so farre swallowed up with the noise and hurry of businesses or pleasures as not to attend to him that stands over you He that is present every where should be remembred at all times Read to this purpoâ—e Psal. 139. Such a powerfull habituall sense of a present God should you work into your minds that you may walk as before him even when you do not actually think of him as a Servant is all day doing that work which his Master would have him though he may not half that time be thinkâ—ng of him So though it be needfull that you should often actually think of God yet above all see that you never so forget him as to do that which is displeasing to him And to conclude this in any doubtfull action let this be one rule that you go by not to do that which whilst you are about you dare not boldly think of Gods presence 6. The last thing I shall say to you for the carrying on of an holy life to which you are bound by the Sacrament is That you be much in serious meditation of the last things Death Judgement and Eternity The frequent and lively thoughts of these will have a mighty influence upon your whole course To consider your latter end is both a discovery of and the way to wisdome Live every day as he that knows not whether he hath another day to live Think often What if I had but another monâ—h or year to sâ—end in the world how strictly and holily should I then live that time How carefull should I be of my thoughts words and actions How thrifty of my time How serious and affectionate in all my approaches to God How ready and willing to do or receive good Why let me now live after this exact manner since it may be I have not so much as a month or year to come however very much I am sure I have not and my preparations be they never so soon will not be lost Let others funâ—ralls put you in mind of yours and flatter not your selves with the hopes of long life because you are young and healthfull but see to get your souls in such a condition that a long life may not be so much the matter of your hopes nor death the cause of your fears And remember you are always going on to the Judgement seat of Christ where you must have a triall of ten thousand times greater concernment than those that use to come before Earthly Princes and Judges when the case must be decided where you must live for ever whether in the highest joys or the sorest torments Had you not need then now to be getting a good cause for according to the life you led here in the flesh will that sentence passe The wicked must go into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternall The God who sees you now will Judge you then by Christ the Redeemer Think what a life you shall wish you had led when you come to the end of it and must be Judged for it and lead such an one now When the sugred baits of sin are presented and you have much ado to hold off them then think what bitternesse it will be in the end compare the honey with the gall the present delight which is vanisht in a moment with the sting and pain which endures eternally and then judge and act like reasonable creatures But above all let your thoughts be even steept and swallowed up in the pleasant contemplations of that glory which shall be revealed in and bestowed upon all that love the Lord Jesus Whenever you are ready to faint and give out remember the joy that is set before you and let that remembrance cheer and revive you Consider what that goodnesse is which God hath laid up in himself for them that fear him till you find your love enflamed towards him and let that love put you upon more frequent thoughts and earnest longings after him Onely see to fill up all your time with suitable actions and then let it even please you to see your days post away so fast Alwaies keep it on your thoughts that you are in a journey to a glorious Kingdome and be often saying Now I am one day or month or year nearer than I was before Stretch out thy self with a longing look towards thy Fathers house Shortly I shall be in the arms of my dear Saviour and shall be joyning with Saints and Angels in the triumphant praises of Jehovah and the Lamb. And remember this happinesse consists chiefly in being made perfectly holy and therefore here must that grace be sown and grow up that shall then be ripened into glory And the more holy you are the nearer to heaven will you get whilst you stay on earth and the meeter for it will you be when you are taken off from the earth Ever keep up such a sense of the excellency of this future blessednesse as may blast all other things in your esteem and deaden the temptations that are taken from pleasures riches and honours Oh think how perfectly provided for must he needs be who shall have God for his portion How mad are they that would lose the least hope of this happinesse for the whole world And they that look for such great things what manner of persons ought they to be in all holy conversation and godliness Oh let nothing weary you or turn you out of the way Hold out awhile longer and you shall be plac'd out of the reach of all temptations for ever Fasten upon nothing on this side heaven with any great delight or long stay But still tell your selves it's time enough to be happy when God shall take you to himself so he will but here vouchsafe you that converse with him whereof we in this state are capable Let every thing you meet with be as a step toward Mount Sion and raise you nearer to heaven and make you more desirous of it And when you have been thus meditating and preparing waiting and desiring a while you shall assuredly find that your labour was not in vain Wherâ—fore let such considerations as these make you stedfast unmoveablâ— alwaies abounding in youâ— Lords work till at length you shall be translated into his Joy And thus I have dispatcht those Directions I promised for the promoting of holinesse whâ—ch was the last thing I had to do It now remains that we set our selves resolvedly and sincerely to the practise of what God hath revealed to be our duty which if we do we need not doubt of his assistance and blessing but upon our perseverance in well-doing to which we have obliged our selves may through our Mediatour confidenâ—ly expect his gracious acceptance and his glorious Câ—own Now â—he Gâ—d of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of his sheep by the bâ—ood of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good work to do his will wâ—rking in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesâ—â— Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. FINIS