that have passed the Pikes shot the Gulf gone through the pangs of the new birth and travelled a considerable part of their way heavenward how hard wil it be for them who are not yet set out that have not taken one step in the way to life The sleepy world indeed dream that men may go to heaven without so much adoe they look upon civility to be sanctity wordly sighs to be godly sorrow not doubting their estates to be faith in Christ and if they can but spare a little time and now then from the world the flesh to mumble over a few night Petitions they hope with the help of these bladders to swim through the Ocean of Divine fury to heaven Or if they come short of these fig-leaves wherewith many of Adams children endeavour though in vain to cover their nakedness yet if they have the warning-piece of sickness before the murdering piece of death be shot off that they can but cry Lord have mercy upon us or tell their neighbours that they are sorry for their sins or get a Minister to pray with them then all must be well and they must as sure go when they die to God and Christ as they lived to the flesh and the Devil But stay friends a little there are more words then one to this spiritual bargain between God and your souls there is a work of Regeneration to be done or else ye are undone eternally ye must be throughly and universally new made or else ye are mar'd for ever Christ would never have commanded men to strive as to an agony to enter in at the straight gate Matth. 7.13 to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 To labour for the food which endureth to everlasting life John 6.27 If it had been such an easie thing to have reached heaven Things of such excellency are not obtained with such facility Pebbles lie common but pearls are hardly come by They must trravel far dig deep work hard that will get the golden mines The way to hell lyeth down hill a weak body may run down hill but 't is hard to go up hill to Mount Sion Friend I write not these things to discourage alas I need not there is not a straw in the way to heaven but thou if unconverted stumblest at it when thou canst leap over blocks in the way to hell but to awaken thee out of thy carnal security and to quicken thee to seriousness and industry about that which is of such unspeakable concernment to thy soul Our first births are many times accompanied with hard labours usher'd in by sharp throws and bitter pangs Our second births are alwayes harder O the terrors and horrors the convictions and convulsions the tremblings of soul and lancings of Conscience the thundrings from the Law the lightnings from hell-fire with which often this new creature is born It is hard labour indeed which bringeth this babe of grace into the world I have read of Melancthon that when he was first converted he thought it almost impossible for any man to withstand the evidence and authority of the word of God whereupon he told one of his friends that when he came to preach he would make work among souls but after some years spent in that calling being demanded what successe of his labours he answered that Old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon Alas friend possibly thou mayst think that thou wilt turn to God hereafter and thereby prevent thy burning in hell for ever Believe it 't is not so easie to turn from sin to God as thou imaginest Conversion is another manner of thing and more hard then most men think thou couldst sooner create a world then make thy self a new creature The resurrection of thy body if it were dead in the grave were an easier work then the resurrection of thy soul to newness of life As the birth of the natural so the birth of the spiritual man requireth infinite strength It is God not the midwife that taketh the child out of the mothers womb Psal 22.9 The hand of God alone can open that door and let the lettle infant into the world Gen. 29.31 otherwise the womb would be its tomb So the birth of the new man is wholly from God and the power wherewith he effects it is both miraculous and Almighty Reader if thou dost take a brief view what things are wrought when any one is new made and how little he doth contribute to them nay how opposite he is against them thou mayst perceive that neither Regeneration nor salvation are easie Thy mind must be enlightened to see both sin and the Saviour now is it easie to open the eye of the blind who can do it but he whom Augustine calleth totus oculus all eye When Jesus gave sight to one that was born blind the Jews themselves could not but acknowledge him a worker of miracles John 9.6.16 What then will the scattering the mists of ignorance and dispersing the clouds of darkness which gather and thicken about our understandings by nature speak the sun of righteousness to be Eph. 5.8 Thy heart also must be throughly humbled stone must be turned into flesh And O 't is not easie to melt such hard mettal when thy heart naturally is like clay hardened both by the Sun-shine of mercies and fire of judgement that no change of weather can make that stone to weep Ezek 36.26 Besides the strong holds of sin must be cast down thy old friends must be deserted and prosecuted with implacable hatred as irreconcileable enemies those beloved lusts which are at thy right hand and have such a large room in thy heart must be cut off and parted from thee Thy dilectum delictum the Isaac of thy corruption which is the child of thy warmest affection in which thou hast taken such great delight and from which thou hast promised thy self such large returns of profit pleasure or preferment must be laid on the altar and have the sacrificing knife of mortification thrust into the heart of it and its blood poured out before the Lord. Man is not this an hard saying as they spake in another case who can hear it an hard Lesson who can learn it thy lust will not like a lamb go silently to the slaughter but it will roar and rage fight stoutly for its life with many many carnal arguments and even rend thy heart with its hideous outcryes Who can tell the struggling of this beast before 't will be brought to the block Dives and his dishes Balaam and his wages Achan and his wedges Herod and his Herodias the young man and his great means are not easily separated O how difficult is it to wean the child of disobedience from those breasts which he hath sucked so often and with so much complacency and to divorce them which like man and wife have been ravished with each others love in works of Art its hard to build easie to destroy in
that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Gen. 28.20 21. Truly do thou say as he did Since the Lord is the God that keepeth me in all my wayes that gives me bread to eat and raiment to put on he shall be my God O do not give him ever cause to complain Hear O heaven and give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up a child and he hath rebelled against me Deut. 32.15 Thirdly Is there not all the reason in the world that wares or houses or any other thing should be for the use and service of him that paid a dear price for them If thou shouldst buy a beast at an high rate thou wouldst think thou couldst never have service enough of him Friend Thou didst cost the blood of the Son God Jesus Christ bought thy service at a dear rate Thou art not thine own thou art bought with a price therefore glorifie God in thy body and spirit for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20 Thou needst not grudge the Lord Jesus thy time and talents thy thoughts and words and estate and the utmost which thou art able to do Alas he paid dearly for it He died that he might be Lord of dead and living that whether we live we should live unto the Lord or die we should die unto him Rom. 14â— 8. O how little is thy service worth that Christ should purchase it with such an infinite sum We say of some children they had need to be dutiful children they cost their mothers dear many sharp throws and great danger of death O how dutiful hadst thou need to be who didst cost Christ such hard labour such throws from God and men death and divels thou art never able to conceive what a price thy Redeemer paid what pain he suffered to procure thy service and wilt thou deny the Lord that bought thee Plinie saith that blood will quench fire should not the blood of Jesus Christ quench the fire of thy lusts In all countries the ransomer of a bondman is to be his Lord no slavery so great as thine was no price ever paid so great for liberty therefore no service so great as that which thou owest If thou hadst done all that he commandeth thee thou hadst done but thy duty and mightst say thou wert an unprofitable servant what art thou then that never didst any thing O think of it seriously Redemption by the blood of the Saviour is a bloody obligation to service and if thou continuest a rebel t will be a bloody aggravation of thy sin What evil hath Christ done to thee that thou walkest contrary to him Ah friend to render good for evil is divine but to render evil for good is divelish Fourthly Is there not all the reason in the world that he who hath bound himself Apprentice to a Master promised solemnly to be his faithful servant sealed Indentures before witness engaged himself by vows covenants protestations and oaths should perform his promises and walk in every thing answerable to his bonds and obligations Wast not thou in Baptism solemnly dedicated to the service of God Did not thy parents seal the Indenture on thy part before the Lord Angels and Men that thou shouldst live according to the Laws and for the glory of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Hast not thou listed thy self under the colours of Christ the Captain of thy Salvation and sacredly tied thy self to obey his commands and to fight under his banner against the devil world and flesh and wilt thou run from thy colours and turn to thine enemies and conspire and fight against Jesus Christ It was a custom in the Primitive times that such as were baptized did wear a white Stole a ceremony signifying the purity of life which the baptized were to lead Now there was one Elpidophorus Fulgentes animas vestâ—s quoque candida signat who after his baptism turned a persecutor Muritta the Minister who baptized him brought forth in publick the white Stole which Elpidophorus had worn at his baptism and cried unto him O Elpidophorus This Stole do I keep against thy comming to Judgement to testifie thy apostacy from Christ So be thou assured the water with which the Minister by whom the people before whom thou wast baptized will rise up against thee in Judgement if thou dost not walk in newness of life Luther speak of one that when tempted by the devil to sin answered that she was baptized and could not yield to him Remember that thou hast received thy Saviours press-money and therefore mayst not fight Satans battels Wast thou never partaker of the Lords Supper Didst thou not then with John stand by the cross of Jesus Christ and behold his blessed body bleeding under the knife of his Fathers wrath how 't was wounded for thy transgressions bruised for thine iniquities when thou didst take a sacred oath to be the death of those sins which were the death of thy Saviour and to live to him that died for thee when thou didst espouse Christ and his quarrel to thy self and engage to live and die with him and canst thou like a dishonest wife run a whoring after thy heart-idols and forget the Covenant of thy God Was there not a time when thou didst lie upon a sick bed and in thine own apprehension wast nigh the gate of death when thy sinful fleshly life began to flie in thy face and O the thoughts which thou hadst concerning thine appearance before God in the other world and thine endless estate there when thou didst pray hard O spare me a little Lord spare me a little that I may get some grace some spiritual strength before I go hence and be no more seen when thou didst promise O if God would then hear thee and try thee a little longer in this world thou wouldst turn over a new leafe lead a new life forbear thy former corruptions evil companions mind the service and glory of the infinite God and thine own eternal good And is all this nothing now God hath heard thee and delivered thee shouldst not thou now hear him and obey him Did thy sik-bed promises die when thou didst recover Psal 66 13 14. 116. 3 4 9. O follow Davids practice I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in distress Theodoricus Archbishop of Colen Aenâ—â—d Sylv lib 2. com de reb Alphon. when the Emperor Sigismund demanded of him the most compendious way to happiness made answer in brief thus Perform when thou art well what thou didst promise when thou wast sick Friend look back upon the time when the guilt of thy sins perplexed thee the fear of death surprised thee and the horror of Hell began to lay hold on thee and remember the promises
their right to glory and salvation 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that when the houses of our earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved we shall enjoy a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens So 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Job 19.25 2 Tim. 1.12 And all this assurance of adoption justification perseverance in grace fruition of glory which Saints have doth proceed from their assurance of their regeneration 1 John 3.14 We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Regeneration or holiness is the first fruits which do ensure the harvest and the earnest which doth confirme the bargain and ensure the full sum Now Reader having given thee some motives to quicken thee to try thy soul I shall lay down the markes and bring thee to the test And they shall be taken from the nature and effects of regeneration First examine thine heart by the nature of this true holiness Now there are two things in the nature of this new creature In every birth there is Generatio unius corruptio alterius saith the Philosopher something generated and something destroyed so in this new birth there is the production of grace and the destruction of vice the life of righteousness and the death of sin the setting up of the Arke and the throwing down of Dagon The sinfullness of our souls by our first births consisteth in their aversion from God and good and in their conversion to the evil one and evil in having the image of Satan imprinted on them and the image of God blotted out of them The sanctity of our souls by their second births consisteth in their conversion to God and their aversion from sin in having the image of the Devil razed out of them and the image of the Saviour stamped on them As we have born the image of the earthly so we must bear the image of the heavenly And these two parts of the good part are like two Buckets in a Well as the one namely the interest of God cometh up the other namely the interest of sin and Satan goeth down the higher the Sun getteth the more still it scattereth the darkness First there is in this new nature a dying to sin The Apostle calleth it a putting off the old man Eph. 4.22 and a dying to sin Rom. 6.11 Conversion like the ship-mans fatal star is never seen but before the wrack and death of sin The spring of grace is a living fountain and cleanseth it self of mire and dirt Grace like Christ increaseth and sin like the Baptist decreaseth The expression of the holy Ghost about this is worthy our serious consideration Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Lo here sin is served by Christ the same sauce which it formerly served Christ Sin crucified him when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh and he slayeth it when he cometh into the soul by his Spirit but in the words of the Apostle observe Sins appellation and its execution For its appellation it is called first the Old man partly because it is derived and propagated from Adam the eldest of men partly in comparison of renovation and renewing the whole man It is called secondly the body of sin partly because mans corrupt nature like a body or stock brancheth forth into divers actual sins as members Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.19 partly because of the strength of it as also because men are as much naturally in love with their sins as with themselves But take notice of the execution of this old man of this body of sin in the regenerate The old man is crucified Sin like an old man in them which are new made doth decay and decline every day it is every hour growing weaker and weaker and nearer to its grave and utter abolition Regeneration giveth sin its deaths wound though as those that are crucified it dyeth lingringly yet it dieth certainly Sin like a man in a consumption in a converted person is always wasting and dying till at last it 's quite dead One that is mortally wounded sprawleth and moveth for a time but afterwards giveth up the Ghost so sin while Saints live though it be mortally wounded doth rage and stir but it abateth in strength and dyeth with them St. De civit dei l. 8. c. 6. Augustine relateth of the Serpent that when she groweth old she draweth herself through a narrow hole and by this means stripping off her old skin she reneweth her age Ambulare in peccatis est sic versari in pec catis ut iâ— vocaâ—ione sua ordina ria Daveâ— in Col. 3. Truly thus the Christian is made new by putting off the old coat of the old man The Scripture speaketh expresly He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.9 that is constantly sin is not his design or imployment and chearfully sin is not his delight or element for sin is against his new nature now a man can do nothing against his nature cordially or constantly Sin may rebel within him but it cannot reign over him he looks on sin as his greatest enemy and therefore 't is impossible that he should converse with it in a way of amity Nay as fire and water heat and cold never meet but they fight so this new life is in continual war with every lust the new creature is like unto God Of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 the evil of sin cannot ordinarily get a good look from him he cannot meet this ugly guest in any corner of his house but his heart riseth against him he considereth what a Lord sin displeaseth what a Law sin transgresseth what a beautiful image sin defaceth what a glorious name fin dishonoreth what a lovely loving Savior sin buffetted shamefully and tortured cruelly what a precious soul and peerless salvation sin was like to have lost him eternally And Oh 't is a killing look which this soul giveth his dearest lust Ah thinks he that ever my nature should hatch and harbour such hideous monsters that ever my heart should be a polluted bed to breed and bring forth such a poisonous brood 'T was my iniquity that bid defiance to the highest Majesty 't was my corruption which scourged the back wounded the head nailed the feet and hands yea pierced the very heart of Jesus Christ my wickedness was the weight which caused his bloody sweat my lust was the murderer which put to death that Lord of life 't was my covetousness which betrayed him my cowardliness which condemned him and my cruelty which executed him and shal I be a friend to that Traytor which was such a foe to my Redeemer Well whatever it cost me through the strength of Christ I le have justice upon these murderers through the help of heaven these brats of hell shall have their
brains dasht out his great care is every day to conquer his corruptions The body of sin and death to which he is tied is as noisom to his soul as a dead body to his senses Lust is as burthensom to him as a withered arm which hangs on a man like a lump of lead Never did prisoner more ardently desire to be rid of his fetters then this Saint to be freed from subjection to his sins The distressed Jews did not groan so much under their Egyptian slavery as this true Israelite for spiritual liberty O wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Rom. 7.29 His great end and endeavor in every providence and every Ordinance is not the repression but the ruine of this evil of sin If the Sun of mercy shine warm upon him he makes use of it to put out the kitchin fire of wickedness When God folaceth his spirit with extraordinary kindness the sacrifice of thanksgiving that he offereth up is the beast of some sin which he layeth on the Altar and poureth forth its blood before the Lord When the storm of affliction ariseth he enquireth for the Jonah which raised the tempest and endeavoureth that he may be cast over-board and drowned And as he makes use of divine Providences so likewise of divine Ordinances for the weakening his corruptions In prayer like the sick childe he pointeth at the place of his pain he indicteth accuseth and condemneth sin and intreateth that it may be executed his prayers and tears are his daily weapons wherewith he fighteth against his most inward and secret wickedness When he perceiveth lust like Adonijah usurping the throne of his heart he goeth in to God as Bathsheba to David sighing and saying Did not my Lord promise his servant that the true Solomon should reign in my soul that Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace should sway the scepter in my spirit And now behold his foes which thou hast sworn to make his footstool have trayterously aspired to the Crown and forcibly made me subject to their commands As Esther he is very desirous of these Hamans destruction and watcheth continually for a fit opportunity to present his Petition to the King of Kings for that end and when in any duty he seeth the God of glory to hold out the golden Scepter of mercy towards him O then he beggeth for justice If I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it please the King let the life of my soul be given me at my Petition and the death of my sins at my request Did thy dear Son die for sin and shall thy poor servant live in sin shall not these thine enemies which would not have thee to reign over me be slain before thy face Order my steps by thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 Thus by prayer as by one main piece of his spiritual armour he becomes prevalent The Romans overcame their enemies sitting that is the Senate by their prudent counsels but the Christian kneeling by his holy valour he wrestleth with God and through the power of Christ gets the victory 2 Cor. 12.6 And because the devil of some lusts will not be cast out without fasting and prayer therefore he joyneth fasting to supplication and trieth to starve his corruptions Before-hand he fitteth himself for that day of purging out his ill humors by the preparatory potion of meditation The consideration of his sins how bloody and hainous in their nature how crying and crimson in their circumstances makes his physick work the better He thinketh before The day of mourning for offending my father is coming and then I will slay my brother Jacob my dearest and nearest sin This man bringeth under his natural body which he may lawfully cherish that he may abate the strength of the body of death as men sometimes in a feaver open a vain and let out their blood though it be not bad that they may weaken their enemy In reading and hearing the Law of God he setteth his lusts naked before that sword of the Spirit that they may be hewn by the Prophets and slain by the words of Gods mouth He desires that it may pierce deep to the dividing of soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow and to the discovering of the thoughts and intents of his heart His voice to the Minister is like the Prophets to his neighbour Smite me I pray thee and likes him best that in smiting wounds his sin most he approves of that Chirurgion that searcheth his wounds throughly though he put him to pain he rejoyceth that the Preacher revealeth to him his errors that he may follow them with Hue and cry till they are taken and punished and so Gods pursuit of him may be prevented If the Minister give him a bitter pill of reproof he doth not like a queasie stomach favour his malady and loath his medicine but takes it down willingly knowing that though such things be not toothsom yet they are wholesom and that they must be bitter things that breaks the bag of worms in his stomach sweet things will nourish and cherish them He is glad that the word is fire that thereby his dross may be consumed that it is water because his heart thereby may be washed and purified He hideth the word in his heart that he may not sin against God Psal 119.11 He goeth to the Lords Supper that the blood of his sins may be shed by the blood of the Saviour The Cross of Christ is the souls armour and sins terror there is life in it for the death of sin Pliny saith that the fasting spittle of a man will kill Serpents Sure I am the blood of Christ applied by faith will mortifie sin and therefore the Saint frequenteth the Sacrament He goeth to it as Naaman to Jordan to be cured of his spiritual leprosie when he approacheth the table of the Lord and seeth in the bread broken and the wine poured out by faith Jesus Christ crucified before his eyes O how his heart burneth within him in hatred and indignation against his sins and in desires after and delight in his Redeemer He beholdeth there the knives of his pride unbelief hypocrisie malice and the like all redded in the blood of the Mediator and now his eyes sparkle with fire and fury and his soul swelleth with wrath and revenge against them were but his hand answerable to his heart I mean his power to his will he would put sin to as much pain make it suffer as much shame cause it to undergo as cursed a death as ever Jesus Christ did Now this frame of spirit exceedingly pleasing to the King of Saints he bespeaks the soul at the Sacrament as Herod did the damsel Ask of me what thou wilt and I will give it thee to the half nay to the whole of my Kingdom The soul having before consulted with his regenerate part for this
thy folly in making and continuing a League with them to thine extream and unconceiveable disadvantage I shall endeavour to set before thee though briefly the far greater felicity which thou shouldst obtain in the other World As whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul so when thou enterest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorious Saint And this Reader is the best wine which Christ keeps for his Ghests till the last though how good it is none can tell but they that have tasted it Truly what Nazianzen said of Basil I may say of this glorious Saint There wants nothing but his own tongue to commend him The Subject is large and weighty and sure I am that it would require the words not onely of a Saint but an Angel to do it according to its worth I shall onely give thee a say briefly of that which glorified Saints enjoy fully First thou shouldst know what perfection of holiness is if thou wert but new born this one thought would fill thy soul with marrow and fatness and cause thy mouth to praise God with joyfull lips One dram of holiness infinitely surpasseth in the esteem of a Saint all the Kingdoms and Empires of this world how much then is perfect holiness worth In heaven thou shouldst have it There thou shouldst be before the throne without fault and serve him day and night in his temple Rev. 14.5 What price doth a Saint set upon and what pains doth he take for a little holiness If thou wouldst know why he hideth the word in his heart t is that he might not sin against God the purging out of sinful humours is the end for which he takes that phisick Why he readeth and heareth so diligently t is that he might be sanctified through Gods truth cleansing is the reason why he useth that water Why he prayeth so frequently and so fervently t is that he might have a clean heart created and a right spirit renewed within him Grace is the chief alms for which he knocks and begs so hard at the beautifull gate of Gods Temple why he goeth to the sacrament t is that he might grow in sanctity he goeth to the death of his Saviour for the death of his sins and his great design in that spiritual feast is so to feed that he might get some more spiritual strength Nay how contented can he be under very sad crosses if they may but make him more like to Christ he can patiently bear the pain of lancing and cutting so it may but let out corruption He can take bitter pills for the removing of inward diseases and the furthering of his souls health and more willingly spend all be hath for the cure of his issue of sin then ever the widow did for the cure of her issue of blood Now Reader thou shouldst have the vessel of thy soul filled with this water of life One drop of which is so precious as thou hast heard to the regenerate Thou shouldst have a perfection of degrees as well as of parts and enjoy so much of these true riches that thou shouldst not desire one grain more Thou shouldst be a book wherein the image of God should be written in a fair large print and there should be no errata's in thee Sin now is like the Ivy in the wall cut it never so much yet it will sprout out again but as grace mortifieth it here glory shall nullify it in heaven Wert thou in Christ t would be no small comfort to think the time is comming when thou shalt never offend God more never deal unkindly with Christ more Thou shouldst by blessed experience know the truth of those Scriptures Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 John 3.9 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.25 26 27. The body of death should die with the death of thy body Thou shouldst not be taken away in thy sins but from thy sins It would be impossible for thee to sin there because of thine happy sight of God there Sin is an aversion from God and conversion to the creature Now thou shouldst enjoy such soul ravishing sweetness in the blessed God and that so fully that thou couldst not leave so excellent a good for any creature thy graces here in their minority and nonage would be then in their maturity If that holiness which is but in part on earth would be so beautiful in thine eyes that it would ravish thine heart more then all the glory of this lower world what would perfect holiness in heaven be If the picture or image of God be so comely in its rough draught here below Ah how lovely a peice will it be in all its perfections when Gods Novissima manus his last hand shall come upon it above 1 John 3.2 Secondly thou shouldst know what compleat happiness is Thine holiness and happiness like twins would grow up and come to their full age together thy perfect purity there would cause perfect peace Thy day of light and gladness in heaven could never be overcast with the smallest cloud because sins that are the vapours out of which they breed could not ascend so high Thy freedom from evil would be full thy fruition of good would be full and therefore thy felicity must needs be full Thy body there would be free from the diseases and deformity to which it is liable and with which it is affected here The errors of the first would be corrected in its second edition A body of vileness shall be a body of glory All those miseries which fright and molest thee now would then forsake thee No evil durst arrest thee when thou shalt walk in the presence of Sions King In this thou shouldst be like irrational creatures that thy misery should end with thy life And in this resemble the blessed Angels that thou shouldst alwayes behold the face of thy father In his presence is fulness of joy When the Sun beholdeth the Moon with his full aspect then the Moon is at the Full. In heaven the Sun of righteousness would ever look on thee with his favourable face in so full a degree that thou shouldst be at the Full of thy light and happiness God is an universal good the soul of man hath a kind of an infinite appetite It desireth this pleasure and that treasure and when it hath them it is like a dropsicall body as thirsty as ever for those creatures having but a particular limited goodness can never satisfy but God will supply all the souls wants because he is infinite and universal good and answereth all things Thou shouldst ever be at the
all that would partake of Gospel-priviledges It is necessary in regard of the purpose of God Elect according to the fore knowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Though God did not choose men because they were holy yet he chose men to be holy though he appointed not men to be saved because they were Saints yet he appointed men to be Saints and then to be saved It is necessary in regard of the passion of Christ he died for sin that men might die to sin he laid down his life that men might lay down their lusts his passion is a City of Refuge to the Penitent not a sactuary to the presumptuous God intended it to help men out of not to hold them in the mire of sin He is the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him Hebr. 5.9 He died because men were sinners but he died that men might be Saints He suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now man and God can never be brought together till the emnity which is in the heart of man against God be removed If ever thou have Christ for thy Priest to satisfie Gods Justice for thy sins it is absolutely necessary that thou accept him for thy Prince to subdue thee to his service Had Christ come to procure man a pardon Gur. Arm. â—par â—17 and not to restore his lost holiness he had been a minister of sin and instead of bringing glory to God he had set sin in the throne and onely obtained a liberty for the creature to dishonour God without controle Again saith the same accurate writer In vain do men think to shroud themselves under Christs wings from the hue and cry of their accusing consciences while wickedness finds a sanctuary in them Christ was sent from God not to secure men in but to save men from their sins It is necessary in regard of the promises of God Thus saith the Lord of hosts turn to me saith the Lord of hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 1.3 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4.8 If ever God draw nigh to thee in mercy thou must draw nigh to him in duty He that shall have the reward must do the work The precepts of God must be written on the heart otherwise the promises of God shall never fall down on thine head Isa 1.16 17 and 55.7 1 King 8.35 Prov. 28.13 Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 'T is the pure heart alone that hath the assurance of the pure heaven Thou seest now I hope clearly the absolute necessity of Regeneration what therefore canst thou think to do without it O ponder this again and again that there is no escape no evasion God will not vary from his Law Thy dying to sin is necessary sin must die or thy soul cannot live If ye live after the the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 6. Gal. 6.6 7. Surely thou canst not think that Heaven will be a stye for swine or a kennel for dogs that feed on filth and carrion Believe it if any iniquity be let go thy life must go for its life The Jaylors paid dear for letting Peter escape Act. 12. Herod commanded them to be put to death Truly so dear must thou pay for the escape of sin 't wil bring the second death even eternal death upon thee be thy sin as near and as dear as Isaac it must be sacrificed be it never so small it must not be spared Cesar was stab'd with bodkins I have somewhere read that a man and a Crocodile never meet but one dieth 'T is certain sin and the soul never meet but one dieth if sin live the soul dieth if sin die the soul liveth there is no parting stakes or retreating upon equal terms Maurice of Newport told his Souldiers when he had sent away his boates that there was no flying the Spaniards being before them and the Sea behinde them Either ye must eat up and destroy those Spaniards or drink up this ocean Friend such is thy case either thou must destroy thy sins or drink up the bottomless ocean of the Lords wrath Answer me seriously thou wilt say thou dost not love such a man so well as to be hangd for him Dost thou love sin so well as to be damned for it Dost thou love thy Drunkenness and Swearing and Uncleanness and scoffing at Godliness so well as to burn eternally in hell for them Dost thou love thy pride and worldliness and lustful thoughts and Atheisme and carnall mindedness so well as to be tormented day and night for ever and ever for them A very Coward will fight when he must either kill or be killed Willt not thou fight manfully when sin will kill thee if it be not killed by thee Ahab out of foolish pitie gave Benhadad his life when he ought to have slain him but the requital which Benhadad made was to kill Ahab 1 King cap. ult v. 31 34. such a requital sin will make thee if thou favour it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the masculine article sheweâ—h that it s to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Manton on â—ude p. 38. Follow after peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Observe how peremptory God is in that place that without holiness no man shall see God It is not said that without peace no man shall see God but without holiness no man shall see God Peace may be broken in the quarrel of truth and holiness and yet for all that a man may see God Jeremiah was a man of contention and yet a man for the beatifical vision but they that are not holy cannot see God A pure eye onely can see a pure God As the eye which hath dust in it without or thick vapours stopping the nerves within cannot see except it be cleansed from the one and purged from the other So a man the eye of whose mind is clouded with the mist of sin cannot behold God till he be cleansed The Christians happiness in heaven consisteth in such a vision of God as shall make him like God 1 John 3.2 but a dusky glass cannot represent an image When the Sun of righteousness shall shine upon a pure Christal glass a clean unspotted soul t will cause a glorious reflection indeed To wind up this fourth subject of consideration Reader Affaires of absolute indispensable necessity should like weighty things make a deep impression upon thy spirit Urge thy soul often with this that of all things in the world regeneration is the one thing necessary Let conscience press it on thee I must be converted or condemned here is the word of the living God for it and such a word
was to make me an oratour not to make me a Christian I am confident many a child bemoans that now he is damned in hell which the Father did when he was converted on earth I cannot condemn the education of children according to the quality of their parents nor their bringing up to particular callings this latter I am sure is a duty but that which is first should be last and that which is last should be first Your greatest care and that in the first place should be to seek the Kingdom of God for your selves and children and then other things shall be added to you Caleb gave his daughter the upper and the neather springs O labour that yours may with Jacob have the dews of heaven as well as the fatness of the earth Elisha wept when he saw Hazael 2 Kings 3.12 13. and foresaw that he would slay young men and dash the children against the wall do nor some of you give far far greater occasion of weeping if possible teares of blood in slaying and murdering the souls of your dear children teaching them by your patterns to live like Heathens and Atheists Believe it God committeth the charge of and will account with you for all the souls in your families Gen. 4.3 10 11. When Cain had flain his brother Abel God called to him Where is thy Brother Abel And Cain said I know not am I my Brothers keeper And the Lord said What hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground And now thou art cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother blood at thine hand So suppose God should whisper one of you in the eare Cruel Father Careless Master Where is thy child or servant that dyed so many months or years ago You may possibly think what Cain spake Lord I know not whether in heaven or hell Holy Greenham saith that many mens children shall follow them up and down in hell cursing them and crying out of them for neglecting to instruct them Was I their keeper O think of it with speed and reform May not God reply very truly Cursed sinner vile wretch What hast thou done The voice of thy child of thy servants soul-blood cryeth to me from hell And now thou art cursed from hell which hath opened her mouth to receive thy sons thy servants soul at thine hand Friends Friends what will you do when God shall thus deal with you for your neglect of relative duties Possibly ye may think I deal too sharply but truly the reason is because I know that sin will not deal mildly either with you or yours And should I not give you warning the blood of your own and childrens souls would be required at my hands Good Lord that ye did but believe what it is to be guilty of others blood Heathens and Infidels provide for the body and temporall well-being of their children and what do many of you more Bears that bring forth mishapen whelps will by licking them bring them to a better form Your Children are brought forth enemies to God and are by nature children of wrath and heirs of eternal death doth it not behove you to strive that by religious nurture they may become children of the promise and heirs of eternal life Thirdly Make sure of Regeneration be never satisfyed till ye can upon Scripture grounds affirme that your natures are regenerated This this is the one thing necessary Your All hangs upon this hinge If this be not done ye are undone undone eternally All your profession civility priviledges guifts duties are cyphers and signify nothing unless Regeneration be the figure put before them It is Regeneration that will make you the sons of God the members of Christ the temples of the Spirit that will give you an holy improvement of all providences a right to all the promises and at last the purchased possession It is Regeneration that will teach you to live like men like Christians like Angels in the love and fruition of the infinitely blessed God O the price of this pearl is not known in this beggerly world A grave and wise Counsellour of France being desirous in his old age to retire himself was intreated by the King to write down some directions and leave with him for the more prosperous government of his Realm The Counsellour took some paper and wrote on the top Moderation in the middle Moderation at the bottom Moderation Demosthenes being asked what was the chief thing in an Oratour answered Elocution and being demanded the same question three times what made an Oratour he still gave the same answer Aug. â—pist 56. ad Di osc Augustine being demanded what was the greatest requisite of a Christian What was the first second and third still answered Humility Humility Humility Truly what the Counsellour said of Moderation the Grecian of Elocution and the Father of Humility I shall say of Regeneration If you ask me what is the chiefest thing in the world for a man to mind What is that which is worthy of all his time and strength and thoughts and words and actions I answer Regeneration If you demand What is that which is of greatest necessity and excellency that bringeth in the greatest profit delight and happiness I answer Regeneration He that hath this hath all that is worth having the having of this is heaven He that wanteth this hath nothing the whole world cannot make up the want of this the want of this is hell O Sirs your everlasting making or marring dependeth upon your sincerity or hypocrisie in this Of what infinite consequence is it therefore to you in whatsoever ye come short to make sure here Alas when ye come to throw your last cast for eternity how will the stoutest of you do to look death in the face without Regeneration in your hearts God hath in an hundred texts of Scripture devoted all unregenerate ones to the unquenchable fire and can any of you think to make him a lyer Believe it as soon as death landeth you at the other world you will have other thoughts of God and his Truths then now ye have For your help in this work which is of such absolute indispensable necessity unto your never dying souls I commend to you this Treatise beseeching the blessed God to make it serviceable unto your salvations Ignatius when he heard a clock strike would say I have one hour more to answer for I must tell you that ye have eighteen hours eighteen Sermons more to answer for When they were preached they had from some of you a favourable attention now they are printed it is not unknown what providence brought them to the press I wish they may have within you all an effectual operation that both the Author and his labors may appear to your joy at that great and terrible day These things being signified Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of
neither of colour nor weight so the civil man in his life starts back from sin as if he durst not touch that venemous creature but he carrieth an heart along with him that receiveth in all having no power to examine who goeth in or out and without complaining either of colour or weight Reader it may be thou art no Drunkard no Swearer no Scoffer at godliness no Adulterer no Lyar I wish we had more that came so far towards heaven but take heed of resting here thou mayst be able to say all this and much more and yet in thee as in the young man there may be one thing lacking namely this new life He that went to make his picture stand alone saw at last his mistake and cried out Deest aliquid intus there is something wanting within he meant life so it may be in thee Believe it there is a vast difference betwixt restraining and renewing grace the former may skin over and cover the loathsom sore of sin when the latter doth search and cure it Civility like a black patch doth hide the wound but sanctity like a plaister doth both hide and heal it It is possible that thou dost not outwardly abound with the same corruptions which others do because thou hast not the same temptations Thy heart may be a vessel full of poisonous liquor which may remain undiscovered till thou hast a temptation to broach it Thy lusts may be as great Rebels against God though they lie lurking in the secret trenches of thy heart and dare not for fear or shame appear in the open field of thy life Thy Civility is a mercy and thou art bound to bless God for it But Oh take heed of trusting to it as a sure evidence of thy good estate for certainly it proveth not seldom a more neat and cleanly way to endless and easeless wo. Secondly A glorious Profession is no infallible evidence of thy right to life It is good to profess Christianity Religion is so noble so bountiful a Master that none need be afraid to be counted her servant We must confess Christ before men if we would have Christ to confess us before his Father and the holy Angels Matth. 10.31 he that disowns his colours deserves to be cashiered the camp But confession of the mouth must be accompanied with conversion of the heart or it will not save that is but the shadow this is the substance of Religion A Christian in name and a Christian in nature do exceedingly differ The profession and the power of godliness differ as leaves on a tree and good fruit a tree that hath fruit will have leaves a man that hath the power will have a form of godliness but as some trees as the Ivie are never without leaves yet never bear good fruit while they live so many profess Christ all their days who never bring forth fruit worthy of repentance and amendment of life Some defie the Devil with their lips who Deifie him in their lives There may be gaudy signs at the door where there is not a drop of good wine in the Cellar Apothecaries boxes have glorious titles even when they are altogether empty Many Christians in our days are like a curious bubble smooth and shining without but nothing save wind within professing that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobrate Tit. 1. ult A man may wear Christ's livery and do the Devils drudgery Judas called Jesus Master yet betrayed him Thou mayst like the Jews put a Crown on Christs head a Scepter in his hand and bow the knee to him as if he were thy King and yet all be but in mockery thou mayst crucifie and put him to death for all this by thy sinful ungodly life Silver looketh white and yet draweth black lines thy profession may be fair when thy practices are foul Sin is so ugly that it 's ashamed of the light and therefore walks not openly as Christ for fear of the people though for a different reason from his lest it should fright them from continuing its friends but as a theif it goeth abroad in the night and then with vizards and false beards unwilling to be known who they are even with a form of godliness 1 Tim. 3.1 5. An Hypocrite like a Bankrupt the less substance he hath the more shew he maketh The Ostrich hath great feathers but cannot flie Christ compareth him to a tomb which is without comely within unsavory Good doth not always appear with the same beauty being clouded with corruption so evil doth seldom appear in its native deformity but like Jezabel fills up the wrinckles of its face with artificial dawbery When Absolom intended his unnatural rebellion he pretended Religion he had a vow which he must pay 2 Sam. 15.7 When Simeon and Levi designed murder and death to the Sechemites they hang out devotion for their colours They may not marry their Sister to one that was uncircumcised Gen. 34.14 Thus many lead Religion about as wandring cheaters do a monstrous woman whom they no way affect meerly to get money by it for their own praise or profit but do not entertain her as their Mistris giving her the power and keys of their hearts When Religion is in fashion many will dress themselves by her Looking-glass Joab himself though a man of blood will learn her language see how exactly he speaks in her dialect 1 Chron. 19.13 If the Jews prospered the Samaritans and they were kindred The rising Sun is adored by the Persians Summer brings in not only herbs and fruits but Butterflies and Caterpillers which feed on them and attire themselves with the livery of the season So in the prosperous estate of Religion many Summer birds will wait on her and court her out of love to her portion not to her person but these like Pirates put their vessels into the colours of nations which they abhor not to serve them faithfully but to rob them the more easily As Samballat and Tobiah made shew to help when their aim was to hinder the Jews And truly such a lamp or blazing profession will quickly go out for want of oyl in the vessel this inward Regeneration Thy rotten house will fall when these earthly props of treasure or honors which shroud it up are taken away Like the Moon thou mayst shine brightly the former part of the night but set before morning The Hare when she is hotly pursued betakes her self to some beaten path not for any love she hath to it but that there by the scent of passengers she may lose her scent and take off the dogs So many prophane persons that have rob'd the State being pursued betake themselves to the Church path not for devotion but that they might lose the scent of their vileness and take off their prosecutors Thy profession Reader is one of the weakest foundations imaginable to build upon for thy practices may every hour give thy
gifts from God who never have the gift of God John 4.10 The Raven was an unclean creature yet she was serviceable to zealous Elijah Gifts may be in their eminency where sin is in its predominancy the Toad hath a pearl say some in its head when the whole body is poisonous The Devil can speak excellently We know thee O thou art the holy one of God and these are the servants of the most high God for natural parts and gifts questionless he surpasseth all the men on earth and yet he is a devil still The Panthar hath a sweet-sented breath but a rotten heart It is possible to pray like a Saint to preach like an Angel and yet to practice like a Devil The course of thy life will speak much more for thee then the discourse of thy lips Though thy gifts be never so great and thy parts never so glorious though thou speakest with the tongue of men and Angels and hast not grace this new birth thou art like sounding brass and a tinckling cymbal Thy parts may flow from Nature not from Saving-grace men indeed as blades are all made of the same mettal yet differ much by means of temper some are more soft and smooth more keen and sharp others more dull and blunt more stiff and stuborn for though it be confest the soul of Solomon as created and infused differeth nothing from the soul of Nabal yet being to work by bodily organs her actions resemble her instruments a man cannot make such good letters with a blotting scragged as with a good pen the better the tool is the better the work is done with it Some children take more after their parents then others Though Nature hath little to give yet she deals more bountifully with some then with others Now what a gross mistake is this for thee to take the crabs which grow in the common hedge-rows of Nature to be fruits of the Spirit as if they grew in Gods own nursery Knowest thou not that the false Prophets were admired by men for their parts and abhorred by God for their impiety Friend thou mayst like the ten Spies go over the promised land in thy contemplations view the Country taste the fruit and commend it highly to others tell them that the land is good it floweth with milk and honey and for all this never enjoy one foot of it Parts and piety differ specifically gifts like the moon have some glimmering borrowed light but no enlivening heat when Grace like the Sun hath a clearer native light and a quickening refreshing heat Men indeed like the true mother may have the dead child of gifts put into their arms whilst they are asleep in the night of this life and think that they have the living child of grace but when they awake in the morning of death they will find the contrary For though thy gifts glister like gloworms in the dark night of this world yet if separated from grace in the day of the other world they will all vanish and disappear oh then 't will be known that one dram of grace is more worth then a world of gifts Fifthly Thy sacred performances are not a sufficient evidence for heaven Observe Reader I shall not condemne nay I do highly commend thy external obedience to the divine precepts though thou shouldest be unregenerate because few come so far Athanasius wished That all were hypocrites and that there were none but such as at least resembled Saints It is good to wait at the Pool Christ may come as he did to the Cripple and heal thy diseased soul It may be as much worth as thine eternal weal to ly as the blind man did in Christs way he may speak and begin such aspiritual sight in thee as may end in seeing God as he is But I am now telling thee that 't is ill trusting to bare duties as signes of thy salvation for thou mayst mind personall relative secret family publike duties and yet be unregenerate and perish He that doth not these things is certainly not good but he that doth them cannot thence conclude his estate to be gracious Thou must do all as to the outside which a Saint can do or thou canst not be an hypocrite for an hypocrite is the perfect picture of a godly person now because an hypocrite which is unregenerate may go so far therefore these things are not sure signs of saving grace The Pharisees gave alms made long prayers fasted and some of them twice in a week and yet you know what Christ saith That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we should not inherit the Kingdome of God Matth 5.20 They were some especially so frequent at their duties towards God so righteous in their dealings with men to the eyes of others that the Jews had a common saying That if but two in the world were saved the one should be a Scribe the other a Pharisee and yet if thou wilt believe the Lord Jesus he that goes not beyond them both shall come short of heaven And the reason is plain because they were not regenerated Their practices were seemingly good but their principles really bad The tree was corrupt and therefore could not bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.17 The Israelites did seek God daily saith the Prophet they delighted to know his wayes they asked of him the Ordinances of Justice and they delighted in approaching to him Isa 58.2 they there heard and prayed and both with seeming delight nay they joyned fasting to prayer verse 3. farther they adde mourning to fasting Zac. 7.4 5. and yet all this was but the face the shell the appearance of Religion and thereby of no acceptance with God If any beast were sacrificed by heathens without an heart 't was accounted ominous to the person for whom it was offered as in the case of Julian now all the sacrifices of hypocrites are without an heart Isa 29.30 It is recorded that in a certain Island to the Southward of Celebes night by night among the trees do shew themselves swarms of fiery worms which make a shew and give such light as if all the twigs of the trees were lighted candles and the place the starry sphere and yet all this is but an appearance truly thus formal persons may seem by their duties both lightsome and fiery and yet be but a semblance and flourish Low moorish grounds bring forth some course grass but 't is from springs from below when the high meadows bring forth fine grass being fed with the clouds from above The hypocrite may bring forth some course fruit as Egypt from the overflowing of Nilus from the earthly springs and the overflowing of a natural conscience which will be by no means pacified when duties are omitted but the Regenerate man bringeth forth better fruits like Canaan he floweth with milk and honey being fed with the showrs of heaven and watered with the dews of Divine grace Thou mayest imitate the actions of
form of godliness that those who are gracious cannot but judge it to be accompanied with the power when indeed it is but the picture When there was a famine in Samaria a scarcity of good food the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung which might be the quantity of a pinte was sold for five pieces of silver twelve shillings six pence of our money observe at what an high rate that which was nothing worth was valued at in a famine truly so there is such a scarcity of true godliness that godly men who exceedingly long for the advancement of Christ and Christianity in mens hearts and houses prize and encourage any thing that cometh near it that looketh like it or hath any tendency towards it But that which is highly esteemed of men may be abominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Reader do not thou as some Tradesmen live altogether on thy credit with others The most cunning takers of money that are though they take notice of every piece are sometimes deceived and take bad money such as will never endure the touchstone for good coin What a poor comfort will it be to thee when thou art hungry and naked that others think and speak that thou art fed and cloathed he that trades highly and lives wholly upon trust seldom holds out long look therefore not so much at others commendation but at thy own Regeneration for that is it alone which accompanieth Salvation It is a favour that thou dost so walk as to have godly mens good word but for all that thou mayst be a stranger to this regenerating work and then it is not the wind of their breaths that can blow thy soul co the haven of bliss Seventhly Thy confidence of thy own good estate is no infallible evidence The world as they are mistaken in Repentance taking it to be only a little sorrow for sin though no aversion from it or detestation of it be joyned with it so they are also in the nature of Faith esteeming it to consist in the strength of perswasion and that who ever can be confident that Christ died for him and that he shall go to heaven doth believe unto salvation whereas the difference between a deceiving and a saving Faith doth not consist in the strength of perswafion but in the ground of it Matth. 7.3 ult the two buildings might be of equal height and beauty the difference lay in the bottom and foundation An Hypocrite may sail towards heaven with a full gale of confidence nay the strength of that wind doth over-turn the vessel for were he more dubious he would be more anxious about his recovery and so more likely to be saved There is saith the wise man that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing Prov. 13.7 That is there are some that are full of confidence rich in assurance that the love of God the blood of Christ the undefiled inherithnce are theirs when indeed they have not one grain of grace nor any true ground of their joy and peace but are very beggars The Apostle Paul speaketh of himself That he was alive without the Law Rom. 7.9 even then when he was liable to its curse and lash he had high thoughts of his present holiness and great hopes of his future happiness He was a jolly fellow cock-a-hoop taking himself to be somebody his motto was Omnia bene All is well when indeed every thing was ill and there was but a step between him and hell he had much false peace though he had no true purity His way was right in his own eyes but the end was the way of death Prov. 14.12 He was alive without the Law his ignorance was both the mother and nurse of his confidence just like a blind man encompassed about with bloody enemies or in a place full of Serpents and poisonous creatures yet thinks himself safe because he doth not see them Or as a man in a Lethargy he feels no pain though he be very near the pangs of death Christ told the Jews Ye say God is your Father but ye have not known him So these say God is their Father Christ is their Husband Heaven their home when they know neither As every wicked mans conscience is morally evil and stained with sin so many times it is naturally evil that it doth neither check him nor judge him for his sin One main work of conscience is to give evidence either for or against a man now conscience may bear false witness against its neighbor the godly man either through ignorance or mis-information not judging by a right rule or not using that rule rightly And conscience may give in false testimony on the behalf of ungodly men either through its blindness sleepiness security or searedness Conscience by nature doth flatter the sinner Deut. 29.29 Conscience may be seared when t is not setled and asleep when the sinner hath no true rest Some men serve their consciences as David did Vriah make it drunk that they may be rid of it when it hath begun to storm they speak to it by some carnal diversions as Christ to the rough sea Peace be still and if then a calm ensue they are safe While the Devil the strong man armed keep the house all is quiet Luk. 11.21 Conscience having often warned them of their sins and misery and being still resisted at last grows weary and resolveth to give them over to their own ways and wo. These men strongly perswade themselves that all is well and yet stoutly persist in all that is ill but they fall from the high turret of presumption into the bottomless gulf of perdition The worst men have not seldome the best thoughts of themselves both as to their present and future estates How confident was the Pharisee that his condition was safe for the present Luke 18.11 when he was in an estate of wrath and what assurance had those Prophets that they should be admitted into Paradise Matth. 7.21.22 23. How boldly did they bounce at the doore but entrance was denied as the Jews of old spake peremptorily We shall neither see sword nor famine though God himself had foretold both Jer. 5.12 so many now speak presumptuously they shall neither see Laws curse nor Gods wrath death nor damnation when God himself hath ensured them to all in their conditions They cry peace peace when sudden desolation is ready to seise on them as travail on a woman with child which they cannot escape 1 Thes 5.3 The mirth of these men was never usher'd in by godly mourning Their expectation is raised high but its foundation is not laid low Nero shut up the Temple of Janus tanquam nullo residuobello as if no Reliques of war remained saith Sueton when at the same time the Empire was at Civil war within it self How ordinary is it for men whose Consciences are past feeling to brag that God and they are good friends not knowing when they ever fell out when at the same
works of nature a tree which hath been many years growing may be cut down in an hour but in works of sin it s otherwise mans weakness can easily build them up but Gods power can onely throw them down Pompey when the Romans said That if Caesar came to Rome they saw not how they could resist his power told them That if he did but stamp with his foot on any ground in Italy he would bring men enough both footmen and horsemen to do it but when Caesar was coming with his Army Phaonius bid Pompey stamp with his feet and fetch the Souldiers which he had promised but all was in vain Pompey found it more difficult then he thought for Caesar made him first flee and then in a fight totally routed him The devil perswades men that they may defer their regeneration till their dissolution and then 't will be an easie matter to foil their spiritual foes but alas they finde it not so easie to mortifie earthly members and destroy the body of death when their souls adversaries with united strength encounter them fiercely and conquer them eternally Further all thy earthly comforts whether friends relations name estate limbs life must be laid at the feet of Christ hated for his sake and parted with at his call and command and that for the hope of such things as thou never sawest nor art ever like to see while thou livest Is not this Reader an hard chapter to forgo an estate in hand for something onely in hope to throw away present possessions and follow Christ thou knowest not whither to receive an inheritance thou knowest not when And as thy sins and thy soul must be parted asunder so thy Saviour and thy soul must be joyned together faith must follow repentance thy own righteousness must be esteemed as dross and dung the weight of thy soul and burthen of thy sins must be laid on the naked cross of Jesus Christ Now for thee who art by nature so extreamly in love with thy self to loath thy self and for thee notwithstanding thy discouragements from the number and nature of thy sins the threatnings and curses of the Law the wrath and righteousness of God to cling about and hang upon the Lord Jesus and resolve though he kill thee yet thou wilt trust in him surely this is not easie the work of God in infusing justifying faith is as great as in faith miraculous This is the work of God saith Christ that ye believe in the name of him whom he hath sent John 6.29 The work of God not onely in regard of its excellency because no work in man is more pleasing to God then believing on his Son but also in regard of its difficulty because none but a God can enable a man to believe the bird can as soon fly in the egg as thy soul mount up by faith towards heaven till the Almighty God assist thee Further all the commands of God must be heartily embraced some whereof are as contrary to flesh and blood as fire to water Self which is thy great idol must be denied the world with all its pomp and pride in comparison of Christ refused principalities and powers rencountred and foiled thine enemies loved and if killed it must be with kindness godliness owned though much disgraced by others truth followed close though it threaten to dash out thy teeth with its heels a buffeted Christ with his naked Cross preferred before weighty Crowns things which reason cannot comprehend believed and which none ever obtained labored for Friend are these easie things what thinkest thou add to all this the consideration not onely of thy weakness and inability to do these things but also thy wickedness and contrariety to them thou art not onely deprived of good but all over depraved with evil The imaginations and thoughts of thy heart are evil onely evil and that continually Gen. 6.5 Thou dost resolvedly and obstinately refuse good and choose evil Eccles 8.11 Jer. 44.16 The hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 observe how full that text is man is resolved to have his minion his lust though he have wrath and death and hell into the bargain as the mother of Nero being told that her son would be her death if ever he were Emperor answered Let him kill me so he may reign so they say Let sin reign though it kill us though it damn us The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil If thou wert onely empty of God and grace the work were more easie but thou art an enemy to grace and godliness thy carnal minde which is Lady Reason her self thy highest natural excellency is not an enemy for such an one may be reconciled but in the abstract emnity against God Thou hatest God Rom. 1.30 His people 1 John 3.12 His precepts Prov. 1.25 29. His Son John 15.25 and all for his sake thou fightest against him daily sinnest in defiance of him continually entailest thy quarrel upon thy posterity carriest it with thee into the other world if thou diest unregenerate and there art throwing thine invenom'd darts of blasphemy and spitting thy poison against the Most High to eternity Now be thy own judge is it easie to cure that Patient who thus desperately hates both Physician and Physick John 3.5 Water indeed saith one may somwhat easily be dammed up but no art nor labour can make it run back in its own channel It was by a miracle that the river of Jordan was driven back and it is no less then a miracle that the tide of sin which ran so strong should be turned that the sinner who before was sailing towards Hell and wanted neither winde nor tide to carry him forward should now alter his course and tack about for Heaven This is hard it is not more strange to see the earth flye upward and fire move downward then to see a sinner walk contrary to his nature in the wayes of grace and holiness Now Reader is not that man worse then mad that either delayeth or dallieth about his conversion upon supposition that he can do it easily enough hereafter when all this which I have written must be wrought in regeneration and when he is not onely empty of an enemy to but even emnity against it all Though the work of conversion and therefore the way to salvation be thus difficult to all yet to some 't is more difficult then to others In respect of God indeed quoad Deum one is as easily converted as another for infinite power and mercy know no difference but quoad nos in respect of us it is more hard to bring some towards holiness and heaven then others where the matter is most rugged and untoward it s harder to bring it to a good and comely form Some pieces of timber are more knotty then others and therefore not so easily squared and fitted for the spiritual Temple and heavenly Jerusalem as
to trye how thy affections will flow out upon it Believe it rich wines will try thy brains It is sad of Pius Quintus so called because that when he was a mean man he was looked upon as a good man Magistratus indicat virum and had great hopes of his own salvation but when he came to be a Cardinal he doubted much about it and when he was a Pope he altogether despaired of it thus the place doth often discover the person Hot waters will manifest whether there be life in a man or no and a full great wind will try whether the vessell of thy soul be ballasted with grace or no. It s said of Caius Caligula there was never better servant nor worse Master Poisonous and profitable roots are both discovered in summer though they were hid all the winter That corruption which lay in the body undiscerned when the season was cold breaks out either in the face by pimples or in the other parts by some disease when the weather is warm But t is more likely that God will try thee by adversity God telleth Jerusalem that he would search her with candles Zeph. 1.12 That is as exactly as men search with candles prying into every corner of the house so God of the heart bringing forth their secret ways revealing their hidden wickedness the words imply both the manner how exactly God would do it and the means how terribly he would do it by some dreadfull judgment he would kindle a fire and search them by the light of that fire Reader if thou wilt not search thy soul by the Sun-light of his word expect that he should search thee by the candle light the fire light of his dreadful works The flail of tribulation will discover the chaffe from the wheat and the fire of affliction the dross from the gold Sharp weather will try whether thy body be sound or sickly A storm will discover the Mariner and a battel the Soldier God led Israel about in the wilderness to try and to prove them Deut. 8.16 Affliction is like Solomons sword that discovereth which is the true which the false mother or like Simeons sword which pierceth through mens souls that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Now friend if God will try thee by some sharp affliction is it not better to prevent this by self-examination It may be God may try thee by disgrace or loss of thy whole estate or by loss of liberty limbs or life now how wilt thou do to bid adieu to all earthly comforts for Jesus Christ to welcom a prison kiss a stake smile at torments look a violent death in the face with colour in thy cheeks and courage in thy heart to endure this fiery trial by God that didst never try thy self before hand If thou hast run with footmen and they wearied thee how will thou do to run with horsemen Jer. 14.5 If self-trial in thy chamber or closet where are none but God and thy conscience to be witnesses and Scripture to be judge of the controversie be so irksom and grievous to thee how tedious will thy trial be by flames and torments Believe it when thou comest to the fire 't will be known whether thou art a full or an empty pitcher Blessed Bilny tried his finger by himself in the candle before his whole bodie in the flames at the stake O gather your selves together saith the Prophet Zeph. 2.1 Gather your selves together before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you Tremelius reads it Excutite vos verumque Excutite Examine unskin your selves rip your selves up dissect anatomize your intrails it s doubled to shew the fervency and earnestness of God for it the necessity and weight of it and mans antipathy and averseness to it before the decree bring forth c. before the judgement which is now in the womb of the threatning come to the birth of execution O Friend search thy self faithfully or be confident that God will search thee dreadfully Now as Job told his friends Is it good that God should search thee out Job 13.9 Is it good that he should as a Surgeon eat out thy dead senseless flesh by some stinging corrosive and cure thee of thy lethargy by putting thee into a violent feavor The Schollar that will not scan his own verses and try them by the rule findes that his master can make him do it under the rod. If God have thoughts of everlasting favor towards thee he will force thee to know and try thy self by some seasonable fire he will so shake the tree that it shall be known whether the fruit be rotten or found If God should not try and discover thee to thy self in this world yet he will certainly in the other world at the night of death and in the day of judgment Death will try thee that will be strong physick which will fully discover thy constitution Two or more children play together all day but when night comes one childe goeth to his father the other to his father every one to his own father it may be they were very like one another that strangers knew not yea nor neighbours to whom they belonged whose child was this or whose child is that but when night comes one father owns his childe takes him home the other father calls his childe to him takes him into his house Thus while men live they are not so well discovered whether they are of God or of their father the Devil but when the night of death comes they are tried to whom they belong He that is born of God goeth to his Fathers house He that is of his father the Devil goeth with Judas to his own place Rottenest stuffs are oftenest watered the deformedst faces are usually painted but the showre of death will wipe and wash all off Now if thou wouldst be gathered to thy father in peace examine and prove thy self make sure that there be some good thing in thee towards the Lord thy God O how sad will it be for thee who art now asleep to awake like the Jaylor at the midnight of death and to finde thy evidences for the new birth as he his prisoners in his own apprehension missing what an earthquake and heart-quake will then possess thee how pale and trembling wilt thou spring into the presence of God in the other world for thy particular judgement Ah how sad will it be to err to mistake then when an error can never never be mended when a mistake will prove soul murther an everlasting miscarriage O 't is bad for the vessel of thy soul to leak to mistake in the shallow waters of life and time but O how sad will it be to be mistaken at an hour of death and thereby to leak in the Ocean of Eternity Speed in his Chronicles observeth that in the dayes of Henry the eighth Campius the Popes Legate came
was a pious plot laid before onely put off till a convenient day asketh the head of some lust in a charger the King sendeth presently commandeth execution to be done accordingly The new creature doth now with a joyful heart look up to Heaven and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath this day avenged me of mine enemy would to God that all the enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up within me against thy Laws were as that one Lust He also withdraweth those things which have fed his spiritual diseases he takes away the fuel that he may put out the fire he hates the very cup out of which he formerly drank his loathsom physick he cuts off those pipes which have supplied his Adversaries he avoideth the occasions of evil he knoweth that his corrupt heart is gunpowder and therefore wheresoever he goeth he is fearful of the least spark He hateth the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 19. He endeavoreth that his raiment may not onely be preserved from burning but as the three childrens from sienging He is a true Dove that doth not only flye from the Hawk from sin but will not so much as smell of a feather which falleth from the Hawke he abstaineth from appearances of evil he dares not come near the brow of the hill so far is he from falling to the bottom Thus the sanctified man useth all means for the murdering of his sins Now Reader consider how is it with thee hast thou applied these several particulars to thy self What sayst thou Is it thy endeavor by every providence and thy end in every ordinance to mortifiethy corruptions to bring those Traytors to execution Is it thy design to cover sin or to kill sin do'st thou pray against sin as Austin confest he did before his conversion as one afraid that God should hear thee and grant the request not of thy heart but of thy lips or is the death of thy sins the very desire of thy soul an unconverted man may put up many prayers but no desires against sin An unregenerate person fighteth against sin Livy as the Athenians against Philip of Macedon with words rather then with swords Or as some that openly prosecute the Law against a Malefactor and yet favor him underhand so this man makes a shew of pursuing sin unto the death accusing arraigning it witnessing against it in prayer and desiring judgement but inwardly he so minceth the matter taketh off the edge of the evidence against it as one resolved that it shall live His expressions cry out of sin as the Jews of Christ Away with it away with it 't is not worthy to live Let it be crucified but his affections call with much more ardency as Pilate Why should it die what evil hath it done we finde no fault in it or at lest as Austins heart Not yet Lord not yet A little longer he would willingly laze upon the bed of lust A little more slumber a little more steep saith this spiritual sluggard Truly all this shew of warring against sin is but false fire which you know can do no execution Fencers at a prize sometimes ply one another so home and strike so hard that they seem to be in earnest when they are all the while but in jest their intentions are to please the people and thereby to advance their profit by getting a little money but not at all to wound one another at lest not dangerously a slight wound possibly may happen Thus unsanctified men combat with sin they seem by their praying reading hearing to aim at its death to be in earnest when indeed their intentions are to carry on their own interest and their resolutions that however they may raze sin slightly for their own ends not to wound it deeply Friend I know not but God knoweth whether it be thus with thee or no Dost thou by civility by the performance of duties by attendance on ordinances tell the world that thou wouldst crucifie thy corruptions when such a thing is not in thy retired thoughts as Caligula with banners displayed battel ranged trumpets sounding set his souldiers to gather cockles Or doest thou enter the list against thy lust as David against Goliah reckoning to kill or be killed resolving through the help of heaven the ruine of the uncircumcised Philistine Is the fight between thy judgment thy wil between thine inlightned conscience and thy affections or btween the spirit and flesth the law in thy mind and the law in thy members the regenerate and the unregenerate part Dost thou hate and fight against sin as sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. and so against every sin for all true hatred is against the whole kind Dost thou loath it as much when it riseth in thy heart as when it rageth in thy life in thy dearest friends as in thy bitterest enemies It was said of Anthony that he hated a Tyrant not tyranny dost thou abhor the disease or the patient canst thou say as David I hate every false way Psal 119.104 Universality in this is a sure sign of sincerity Herod spits out some sins when he rolls others as sweet morsels in his mouth An hypocrite ever leaves the Devil some nest-egg to sit upon though he take many away Some men will not buy some commodities because they cannot have them at their own price but they lay out the same money on others so hypocrites forbear some sins yea are displeased at them because they cannot have them without disgrace or diseases or some other disadvantage but they lay out the same love upon other sins which will suit better with their designs Some affirm what the Sea loseth in one place it gaineth in another so what ground the corruption of the unconverted loseth on way it gaineth another There is in him some one lust especially which is his favorite some King-sin like Agag which must be spared when others are destroyed In this the Lord be merciful to thy servant saith Naomi But now the regenerate laboreth to cleanse himself from all pollutions both of flesh spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Grace is like Caesar who would admit of no superior nay like oyl t will allow of no mixture Sin may be in the Saint as rawness and illness in water but the fire of Grace worketh it out by degrees sending it forth in the scum The least drop of water is contrary to and opposed by fire as well as the full vessel so the least sin is contraty to and opposed by Grace is well as the greatest The shepherds dog forceth the whole flock to flie but hath a special eye to one sheep to which he is directed by the staff or a stone from the shepherd Or as the hounds saith a Divine drive the whole herd of Deer before them yet have a special eye to one Deer which is singled out by the dart of the Huntsman that however others may scape yet that shall
be killed so regeneration though it work in the soul a detestation of and a resolution against every sin yet the severest exercise of this hatred and opposition is against the mans beloved and delightful sin resolving however others should escape yet this shall be put to death As the Syrian commanded his Souldiers to fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel so truly the bent of the sanctified heart is most against this royal king-King-sin as that sin whereby God hath been most dishonored and his soul most deeply wounded Ambrose relates a story of a dog In Hexam lib. 6. c. 4. whose Master being slain by one of his enemies he lay by him all night with great lamentation howling and barking In the morning many came to see the dead corps amongst whom was the murderer the dog no sooner saw the Homicide but presently fell upon him Friend is thy greatest hatred and anger against thy Saviour-and-soul-murderer that Master-sin in which thou didst formerly take the greatest pleasure Canst thou say as David observe that character of uprightness I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquitie Psa 18.23 Mark from mine iniquity The godless man though he do much will be sure to faile here and the godly man will strike home here where-ever he be favourable An horse that is not sound but founderd will favour one foot if not more the Lapwing some observe will cry and make a great noise but 't is when she is farthest from her nest the Hypocrite may keep a great stir about many sins but there is one sin which he medleth not with Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. serm 3 There is saith a learned Divine no greater argument of unsound repentance then indulgent thoughts and reserved delight and complacency in a master sin As some grounds are most proper soiles to breed and nourish some particular weeds So are some mens hearts for some particular sins As Cains for envy Corahs for arrogancy Pilates for Cowardliness the young man for covetousness and this sin is ordinarily the greatest block in the way of conversion rather then men would leave this sin they have lost Salvation Mark 10.22 John 12.42 43. The Devil holds them as fast by this one link as by ten thousand As it is with a Rabbits skin it comes of very well till it come to the head and then there is haling and pulling and much ado before it stirs So the creature may do much at the command of God but there is old stir and pulling before this sin be separated from him if this be once done throughly the man is converted truly for nothing but a saving work can cause a man to loath that sin which he loved as himself And therefore an uncoverted person will ever be false in this Jehu may throw down the idolatry of Baal but not the Calves at Dan and Bethel The young man in his worldliness Herod in his uncleanness Balaam in his stubbornness must be excused The converted soul is in this most careful as Craumer he will put that unworthy right hand first in the fire with which by his subscription he had so much dishonoured Christ and Religion Mahomet the Great Turk Hist. first Emperour of the Turkes cut off his fair Irenes head with his own hands in whom he had so exceedingly delighted to assure his Bashaws that he had rather promote the publick peace and good then please and satisfy his own passions The true Christian is a far greater conquerour and out of love to God and his own Salvation obtains a more lawful and noble victory over the Mistris of his affections He knoweth no sin be it never so near or dear to him worth hazarding the loss of Gods favour and his eternall welfare for And therefore though his sin be an Absolom concerning which corrupt nature like David gives a special charge Spare the young man Absolom Deal gently with him for my sake He seeth like Joah that the way to scatter the army of lusts is to slay the General this commander in cheife And therefore he resolveth to make sure work of him and for that end takes three darts and strikes him through with them all when one would have done the deed Reader I confess I have been much larger in this head then I intended but if thou examine thine heart faithfully and prudently by it thou wilt have no cause to be sorry for it I have read that it was wont to be the way of tryal whether land belonged to England or Ireland by putting toads or serpents or other venemous creatures into it If they lived there the land belonged to England if they died to Ireland sure I am thou mayst try whether thou at present belongest to heaven or to hell to a Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace whether thou art converted or unconverted if venemous lusts do live in thee thou art English land in a state of nature and wrath if they die daily in thee thou art in Christ and belongest to the Land of promise Yet I would not be understood as if I meant that Godly men are never overtaken with sin or that corruption never gets the better of them For I know that the purest on earth are holy but in part they are like watermen rowing hard against the stream of corruption but through a sudden and violent blast of temptation they may be driven backward But observe this is violent against their fixed and deliberate resolutions their obedience to the law of sin is forced as to an Usurper not free as to a liege Lord. Ahab indeed sold himself to sin 1 King 21.20 bat Paul was sold under sin Rom. 7.14 The former was a volunteer and agent the latter a prestman a meer patient Augustine setteth out the difference between sin in the regenerate and unregenerate by a comparison of Tarquine Lueretia Peccatum factum est de illa non ab illa Aug. de civit dei where speaking of her ravishment there were saith he two bodies but one guilty of adultery and concludeth the sin was committed upon her not by her Consonant to which is that of the Apostle For that which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that I do Now if I do what I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.15 to 21. The converted person like the betrothed Virgin is forced he crieth out and therefore in Gods account is innocent Our committing sin will not speak us unsanctified but our submitting to it will Secondly There is in this new creature as a dying to sin so also a living to God in all wayes of obedience Rom. 6.11 As the old man is put off so the new man is put on besides the expulsion of sin there is the infusion of holiness An habit or principle of grace is bestowed on the soul
how soon it may overcast nay it may be followed with flakes of fire before night Sure I am that God hath given thee no lease of thy life and that others have died of the same age and likeliness tolive and why thou shouldst promise thy self a priviledge beyond others that thou shalt live longer I know no reason unless this That the Devil and thine own heart have conspired together to murther thy soul by getting thee to future and put off thy conversion till thou comest to Hell-fire and then thy ruine will be past remedy Suppose the same voice should come to thee which did to Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live meaning speedily What woulst thou do thy house is not in order thy soul Man is all out of order and therefore death would come to thee as Abijah to Jeroboams wife with heavy tidings with such news as Samuel brought to Eli which will make thy ears to tingle and thine heart to tremble Ah how will he do to die that never knew how to live The black Usher of death will go before and the flaming fire of Hell will follow after Didst thou but believe the word of God as much as the Devils do thou couldst never depart this life in thy wits who hast not led thy life according to Gods will One would think the noise of this murthering piece of this great Cannon Death though it should not be very near thee might awaken and affrighten thee when that deluge of wrath cometh that the fountain of fury from below is broken up and the flakes of fire from above are rained down thou hast no Ark no Promise no Christ to shelter thy self in For Regeneration is the plank cast out by God himself to save the sinking sinner by bringing him to the Lord Jesus and thou wantest it Dost thou not see that thy Sentence of death if thou continuest so is already passed in the High-Court of Heaven entred and engrost in the Book of Scripture and God knoweth how soon the word of command may be given to some disease for thy execution What comfort therefore canst thou take in all the creatures while thou wantest this new creation It is reported of Xerxes Plutarch in vit Themist the the greatest of the Persian Monarchs that when the Grecians had taken from him Sardis a famous City in Asia the less he commanded one every day at dinner to cry before him with a loud voice Sardis is lost Sardis is lost It seems to me that thou hast far more cause to have a Friend without or Conscience within to be thy Monitor every day and every meal to sound in thine ears Friend Thy Soul is lost Thy Soul is lost Certainly such a voice might mar thy greatest mirth sauce every dish with sorrow make thy most delicate meat a medicine and thy sweetest drink distastful to thee O didst thou but know what it is to lose thy soul thy God thy Christ thine Heaven and all for ever thou wouldst in the night be scared with dreams and visions and in the day be frighted with fears and terrors When Vriah was bid by David to go down to his house and refresh himself he answered The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lie with my wife As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 2 Sam. 11.11 Mark The good man could take no pleasure in relations or possessions because the natural lives of others were in danger nay he forswears the use of those comforts for that very cause How then canst thou solace thy self with lying vanities when thine Eternal life is not in jeopardy but lost really and thou canst not assure thy self one day for its recovery Shouldst thou see a condemned prisoner which knoweth not whether he shall be hanged on the morrow or the day after hawking or hunting sprucing himself or sporting with his jovial companions what thoughts wouldst thou have of such a man wouldst thou not think surely this man is mad or desperate were he not beside himself he would minde somewhat else since he is so near his end But Friend turn thine eyes inward and see whether there is not infinitely more reason why thou shouldst wonder at thine own folly and madness who art by the word of the dreadful God condemned not to be hanged but to be damned not to the gallows but to the unquenchable fire and canst not tell whether this night or to morrow morning justice shall be done upon thee and yet thou art buying and selling eating and drinking pampering the perishing body never minding or thinking what shall become of thy poor precious soul to eternity The wise mans advice is that if thou art indebted to men and liable to their arrest and imprisonment thou shouldst not give sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids before thou hast made thy peace Prov. 6.1 2 3 4. What speed shouldst thou then use when thou art infinitely indebted to the Almighty God at his mercy every moment liable continually to be arrested by that surly Serjeant Death and by him to be hurried into the dark prison of Hell to agree with thine Adversary while thou art in the way and to get the black lines of thy sins crost with the red lines of Christs blood and so for ever blotted out of the Book of Gods remembrance As the Chamberlain of one of the Persian Princes used to say to him every morning Arise my Lord and have regard to the weighty affairs for which the great God would have you to provide So say I to thee Awake O man out of thy carnal security and have regard to the great end for which thou wast born and the great errand for which the great God hath sent thee into the world Reader that thou mightest avoid the endless wo of the damned and attain the matchless weale of the saved I shall do two things in the prosecution of this exhortation I shall both give thee some helps towards regeneration and remove some hindrances First I shall offer thee three helps unto holiness and thereby unto Heaven Secondly I shall answer three objections which probably may arise in thine heart If thou hast any real desire after thine eternal welfare ponder them seriously and practice them faithfully And the good Lord make them successful O how happy might it be for thee if the getting of a regenerated nature were the main taske of thy whole time Believe it thou wilt have no cause to repent of it For the helps towards Regeneration and thereby towards Salvation The first help to Regeneration Serious Consideration 1. THe first help which I shall offer thee is serious consideration He that goeth in a wrong path and never thinketh of it will not return back or turn about though
it possible for them to speak to thee when thou art in the other world it must be the same answer which the King of Israel gave a poor widow in her distress Help my Lord the King saith she If the Lord help not I cannot help saith the King such would their answer be to thee If the Lord help not we cannot help But friend what will thy case be when they cannot help and God will not help what a poor helpless creture wilt thou be for ever Secondly It will teach thee the severity of the Lord. Now possibly thou knowest what the pain of the teeth is or what the fury of a fevor or what the violence of the gout or what the wrack of the stone is but not what the wrath of the Lord is though these things speak it somewhat yet thou dost not believe it at all but then feeling will be believing Suppose every part of thy body were as much tortured as ever thou hast felt any one part and that for ten thousand years how heavy would it be to bear This were but a fleabiting to what thy body must undergo in hell And yet the torments of thy soul will be the soul of thy torments in the other world thou shalt know what the worm that never dieth what the fire that never goeth out what blackness of darkness what to be tormented day and night what weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth what destruction from the presence of the Lord what the wrath of the lamb meane Mark 9.43 44. 2 Thess 1.7 8. O t is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 12.31 His wrath is as the roaring of a lyon Amos 3.4 as a terrible earthquake which makes the hils to quake Psal 18.7 8. as the rage of a bear robbed of her whelps Hos 13.8 It is a devouring fire the most terrible of all Gods creatures Tophet is prepared of old for unregenerate ones it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Isa 3. ult Fire which is so irresistible that thou art but straw and stubble before it so intolerable that thou wilt moan and mourn sigh and sob under it so unquenchable that when it is kindled in Gods anger it shall burn to the lowest hell Deut. 32.6 This fire I say will speak a little what that great fury is which thou shalt feel I have read that a frown of Queen Elizabeth kild Sir Christopher Hatton Cambden Elizab. the Lord Chancellour of England What then will the frowns of the King of Nations do If the rocks rent the mountains melt and the foundations of the earth tremble under his wrath what wilt thou do When God shall with one hand strike thee according to his infinite anger and with his other hand support thee by his infinite power to feel the stroak of that fury who can expresse or conceive what thou shalt endure When thou considerest that the wrath of God hath thrown millions of Angels our of heaven drownd a whole world destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone opened a flood-gate of matchless miseries and let them in upon Adams posterity thou mayest conceive a little what it is But when thou considerest that this cup of the Lords wrath made Jesus Christ who in his person was true God when he did but sip of it to be all over in a bloody sweat in a cold winters night and that in such abundance that the clods of blood trickled down from his face to the ground and when he drank it off to cry out in bitterness of soul and anguish of spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me what apprehension wilt thou have of the indignation of the Lord Well all this must fall on thee if thou diest in this estate how darest thou any longer to provoke the Lord to anger art thou stronger then he 1 Cor. 10.22 The Roman would not contest with his Soveraign that could command Legions Wilt thou by sin contend with that God Matth. 18. â— 18. and 21.13 Iude 6 7 12. ver Mark 9.44 who can command fire to burn thee chains to binde thee brimstone to choak thee Lions to tear thee Serpents to sting thee scropions to scourge thee darkness to fright thee Devils to wrack thee Worms to gnaw thee millions of woes to seise on thee and Hell to hold thee to feel all this for ever Ah! who knoweth the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Psal 90.11 3. It will teach thee the woful nature and fruits of sin Now thou canst mock at mischief and sport with sin as if it were nothing but Good Lord what thoughts wilt thou have of thy most pleasureable wickedness in the other world when the sensual delightful streams thereof shall be dried up with the scorching heat of Gods wrath and nothing left but the mud of horror and vexation Sin dogs thee up and down all the while thou livest as the Fowler doth the flying bird conscience will ever now and then give thee a gripe have a fling at thee whether thou wilt or no but when the bird settles then the gun goeth off so when thou art settled in thine own place then expect the murthering piece After thy death the vermin of thy lusts will crawl in thee and feed upon thee Thou shalt see all thy millions of sins like an Army set in order and marshald in rank and file before thine eyes and every one with their envenomed arrows poysonous bullets and wounding weapons set in array against thee First Original sin the Commander in chief marcheth up in the front after that thine innumerable actual transgressions thy carnal-mindedness unbelief pride adultery hypocrisie drunkenness swearing lying malice hatred envy unrighteousness atheism blasphemy profanation of the Lords-day undutifulness to parents unthankfulness for mercies unprofitableness under the means of Grace incorrigibleness under afflictions thy secret private publick sins thy omissions commissions thy personal relative sins all these and many which thou now never thinkest of shall let flie whole vollies of shot upon thee Then thou wilt know that 't is sin which hath made thee so like to Satan that 't is sin which hath separated God and thy soul that 't is sin which hath shut heaven against thee that 't is sin which hath brought thee into Hell that though sin be delightful in the act yet t is dreadful 't is damnable in the end O 't will be sin indeed there Now thou walkest lightly under the weight of those grievous sins which make the whole Creation to groan but then thou wilt feel sin to be a burthen too heavy for thee to bear A massy piece of timber floating upon the waters and swimming may be drawn this way or that way by one man but when it is once grounded he cannot stir it 't
will be so heavy So now thou art born up with the streams of worldly comforts thy sins are easie and light but when thou comest once to touch at land at thy long home they will be so poysonous for their nature and so ponderous for their weight that thou wilt cry out sadly and despairingly what Paul did sorrowfully yet believingly O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 The god of this world now blindeth thine eyes that thou neither seest their number nor colour but in that long long night of blackness of darkness all those Ghosts will walk and then they will be gastly indeed Those arrows of sin which now thou shootest out of sight will then fall down upon the head of the Archer 4. It will teach thee the worth of a Saviour when thou feelest the want of a Saviour thou shalt know by woful experience the worth of a Saviour Sickness now probably teacheth thee the worth of health and pain the comfort of ease truly those torturing pains and wracking diseases with which thou shalt be eternally affected will teach thee though 't will be a miserable learning the great price and worth of the Physitian of souls Jesus Christ is more worth to a Saint in this world then the whole world If all the rocks were rubies and all the dust gold or the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet he would count all but dross and dung in comparison of Christ nay of one hours or moments communion with him But thou seest here no such vertue in his blood no such value in his passion no such beauty in his person no such excellency in his precepts But when thou shalt feel the wrath of God the curse of the Law the torments of Hell the poyson and sting of sin then a Redeemer will be a Redeemer indeed Now the Son of the ever blessed God tendereth himself to thee with many entreaties goeth after thee up and down night and day knocking at the door of thine heart with all his graces comforts and fruits of his death by the ministry of his word the motions of his spirit multitudes of temporal and spiritual mercies but thou unworthy wretch slightest both him and his precious Attendants and esteemest thy shop and stock thy corn and carnal comforts far before him but when thou shalt see what a weight of glory what Rivers of pleasures others enjoy through the Saviour and thy self feel more torment and pain then thou canst now possibly think or fear for want of a Saviour surely thou wilt have other manner of thoughts of him then now thou hast 'T would be as much worth to thee as Heaven now to know Jesus Christ and him crucified but 't will be the Hell of thine Hell to know him there O how deeply it will cut thine heart with horror to think that that Christ whom thou shalt see at his Fathers right hand waited on thee till his head was wet with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night called frequently and fervently after thee Turn turn O sinner why wilt thou die and run thus upon thy ruin and yet thou wert as deaf as an Adder and wouldst not hear the voice of that sweet Charmer 5. It will teach thee the preciousness of time Eternity will learn thee the value of time when in that long evening and night which shall never have a morning thou shalt remember and consider that thou hadst a day of Grace O Thou wilt think Time was when I had the tenders and offers of all that love and life mercy and merits heaven and happiness of which yonder blessed souls are possessors when mercy came kneeling to me for acceptance Grace came a begging at the door of my heart for admittance it followed me to bed and board abroad and at home beseeching me for the love of God for the sake of my poor soul to turn from lying vanities to the living God how often did the Minister with many entreaties invite exhort beseech me to pitty my dying soul to leave my damning sins 2 Cor. 6.2 and heartily to embrace my loving Saviour with all speed assuring me from the word of the Eternal God that then was the onely accepted time then was the onely day of Salvation but I despised and deferred all I thought I had time enough before me and wo and alas it is now too late the sun of my life is set the gate of mercy is shut I did not work in my day and now the things of my peace are for ever hid from mine eyes Alas alaâ— poor creature what wilt thou do in such an hour Now thou wantest wayes to spend thy time were it not for the Ale-house or good fellowship or some sinful or vain sports thou couldst not tell what to do with thy time Now thou esteemest it as a meer drug that hangs upon thy hand How many a precious hour dost thou throw away though the revenues of the whole world cannot purchase or call back a moment but then thou wilt cry as that foolish Lady on her death-bed who wantoned it away in her life time Plutarch in Pelopid Call time again Call time again but all in vain When thou art once entred upon thine Eternity there can be no recalling of Time I have read of Archias the Lacedemonian that whilst he was carousing in his cups amongst his jovial companions one delivers him a letter purposely to acquaint him that some lay in wait to take away his life and withal desired him to read it presently because it was matter of concernment O saith he Cras seria serious things to morrow but he was slain that night so whilst thou art wallowing in the mire of sensual pleasures a messenger from God is sent purposely to tell thee that Satan and Sin lie in ambushment to murther thy soul and withal intreateth thee to minde it speedily that thou mightest prevent it but thou cryest at least in thy heart and practice Serious things to morrow Repentance Faith and Holiness hereafter but before that hereafter come thou art in Hell and then present time will be precious when its past Thou wilt then remember how exceeding careful thou wast to plough and sow thy ground in its season and how mad and foolish to put off the ploughing up the fallow ground of thy heart and sowing to the Spirit till the season of Grace was past 6. It will teach thee the knowledge of Eternity though indeed this Lesson will be ever learning by thee and never learned Thou shalt suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude v. 7. and be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 14.10 Thou wouldst not burn an whole year no not one day in one of thy Kitchin fires for a Kingdom But O then thou shalt be in a ten thousand times hotter fire and for ever Ah! Who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can endure unquenchable flame Isa
33.14 It is written of the Lord Chancellor Egerton that going through Westminster Hall in Terme time he saw written upon the wall by one that was fearful he should be oppressed by a potent Adversary Tanquam non reversurus as though he should never return more Truly when thou art once cast into that prison thou shalt never come out As the cloud is consumed and washed away so he that goeth down into Hell returneth no more Job 7.9 The worm there dieth not and the fire there never goeth out there is blackness of darkness for ever The smoke of thy torments will ascend for ever and ever Matth. 18.10 Jude 7. Rev. 14.10 11. O Friend didst thou but know what this eternity of torment is thou wouldst howl and roar and never rest day nor night whilst thou art unconverted It is an age of ever living in death and pangs and yet never expiring a circle of sorrows which knoweth no end an extremity of pain which shall have no period when thou hast layn under those unconceiveable torments as many millions of ages as there are creatures great and small in Heaven Earth and the vast Ocean thou shalt not be nearer coming out then the first â—oment thou didst go in Now thou thinkest Prayers are long Sermons are long and Sabbaths are long and duties are long But how long wilt thou think Eternity to be Now thou sayst The Preacher is long-winded but ah how long-winded will Hell be when it shall hold thee ever ever ever to feel the stroke of infinite power and anger Thus Reader while thou livest thou art a cursed creature and when thou diest a damned sinner In life thou art cursed in all thou hast in all thou dost after death thou shalt know the vanity of the world the anger of the Lord the woful nature and effects of sin the worth of a Saviour the preciousness of time and what a boundless bottomless Ocean Eternity is Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver you Psal 50.22 But possibly thou Reader though unregenerate dost not feel this curse nor fear this wrath therefore thou thinkest all is false But answer me this question Doth not the word of God speak more of thy misery both in this and the other world then I have or can speak And canst thou imagine that thine unbelief shall make God a lyar I tell thee the same Scripture of truth which speaketh of thy misery speaketh of thy stupidity 1 Thes 5.3 4. That thou wilt even mock and scoff when thou art told of it 2 Pet. 3.2 truly thy sottish senslesness is the chain by which Hells Jaylor holds thee so fast The sick Patient that feeleth his pain is in an hopeful way of recovery when he that is dangerously sick and senseless is usually given over for dead It is observed of those that are taken with the frenzy the disease being got into the cockloft of reason that the more the disease doth affect them Arist so much the more secure they are careless of any thing presumptuous in all things fearful of nothing as having lost the use of comon sense So is it with thee the more sinful the less sensible the more the dust of sin flies up into thine eyes the more blinde thou art now but when death comes 't will clear up thy sight Pliny saith of the mole Oculos incipit operire moriendo quos clausos habuit vivendo that though she be blinde all the time of her life yet when she cometh to die she openeth her eyes Truly though now thou shuttest thine eyes and art blinde in these things yet within a few dayes thou shalt come to die and then thine eyes will be opened and thou wilt see all these things and very much more as clearly as the Sun at noon-day Therefore Friend what dost thou say now to this first subject of consideration The misery which thou liest under and art liable to whilest thou art unregenerate Would any man that were not mad continue quiet in such an estate one moment Ah who would live one hour under such a torrid Zone for a world Dost thou believe that as they whom God blesseth are blessed indeed so they whom he curseth are cursed indeed When Christ cursed the fig-tree how speedy and effectual was it the Disciples say How soon is the fig-tree withered away Matth. 21.19 20. So will it be to thee as certain though not so sudden like a moth 't will devour thee surely yet it may be secretly that thou shalt take no notice of it Let conscience speak Art thou contented to be night and day where ever thou goest and whatever thou doest under Gods curse in this world if not then acquaint thy self NOW with God and be at peace and good a blessing instead of a curse shall come to thee Job 22.21 But if thou canst bear Gods curse so patiently here not sinking under it being kept above water with the skin-deep bladers of common blessings yet what wilt thou do hereafter when all these shall be parted from thee Canst thou so quietly in the other world hear that voice and feel the execution of that verse Go thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for ever Matth. 25.41 If thou canst not Agree with thy Adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way with him lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the nttermost farthing Matth. 5.25 26. The second subject of Consideration The felicity of the Regenerate SEcondly Consider the unspeakable felicity which thou mighst enjoy if thou wert one regenerated Thy happiness would be far greater then my tongue can declare or thine heart desire Blessedness is so full a word that it comprehends all the good which the rational creature can wish and truly thou shouldst have it in its full weight As before thou wast above all expressions Cursed so now thou shouldst be beyond all comparison Blessed Thy gleanings should be better then the most prosperous worldlings Vintage the worst estate that thou shouldst ever be in would be far more leligible then the best estate of the greatest Emperour on earth that were unregenerate Every blessing written in the book of God would be thy birthright if thou wert born of God thou shouldst be blessed with the blessings of the throne and of the footstool with all things that belong to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 No evil should come to thee there shall no evil happen to the just Prov. 12.21 No good should be kept from thee The Lord shall give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 If earth can make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Blessed are the meek for they
blood and confirmed by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9.16 17 18 19. The Lords Supper is precious because it sheweth forth the Lords blood and death 1 Cor. 11.26 pardon of sin peace of conscience the affection of the Father the sanctification of the Spirit are all precious because they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1 Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 2.13 All our comforts run in this channel the blood of Christ is the stream which bears them up and brings them to us yea Heaven it self and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious sparkling stone Heaven is the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 'T is the blood of Jesus which giveth boldness to enter into that holy place Hebr. 10.19 The precious price paid for it will speak it and make it a glorious place If thou wert once regenerated Christ would be so precious to thee at this day that all things would be dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 O the price which true Christians set upon Christ The wise Merchant sold all for this Pearl I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel which was afterwards sold for twenty thousand duckets But Christ to a Saint is better then silver and more desirable then choice gold more precious then rubies yea then many millions of worlds When the Athenian Ladies were boasting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels she told them My jewels are my husband Phocion When Alexander was asked where his treasure was he shewed them his friends Such a Jewel such a Treasure is Jesus Christ in the esteem of his Spouse his Friends Christ is all in all The pious soul is of the same minde with John of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor and made even with his Revenues he looks up to Heaven and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Master Jesus Christ to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of nothing so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ But the Christian hath a choice room in his soul for the blood of his Saviour He prizeth the shameful cross of Christ above the most glorious crown of the greatest earthly Potentate Gal. 6.14 Thus Friend it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted thou wouldst determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified O the honey which thou wouldst suck out of the Carkass the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah When thou shouldest consider that this blood of Jesus Christ is that alone which hath satissied Gods justice Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.20 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. pacified his anger justified thy person sanctified thy nature removed the curse of the Law from thee and thee from the eternal wrath of God and unquenchable torments of Hell would it not be precious blood in thine esteem think of it what a price thou wouldst set upon it but when thou shouldst in Heaven for ever behold the blessed body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and consider that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory when thou shouldst see thousands and millions in matchless and endless burnings from which thou wert delivered and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire and thy soul filled brim-full with unspeakable joy nay every part of thy body and soul enlarged to the utmost and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight and thou shouldst be confident and assured to enjoy this for ever and know clearly all this to be the travel of Christs soul and the fruit of his blood Friend friend what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Christ Surely 't will be precious blood indeed thou wouldst have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood then thou ever hadst here below The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion and the great subject of their eternal admiration Their delivery from sin Satan wrath and hell into a state of liberty love grace and salvation by the blood of Jesus will fill their eyes and hearts with wonder love and joy for ever All the voices there shall sing this song and all the vials there shall be set to this tune Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and glory and blessing Rev. 5.9.10 11 12 to end If the Queen of Sheba when she beheld the wisdom and magnificence of Solomon was so transported that there remained no more spirit in her how will thine heart be transported to see the love and glory of the true Solomon who wept and bled and lived and died to bring thee to heaven Fourthly Thou shouldst know what God is and truly this would be no smal part of thy felicity Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit divine knowledge is the excellency of a Christian and differenceth him from a Heathen The knowledge of humane things hath been so highly esteemed by some of the Heathen that they have profest they would give their whole estates to enjoy their books without interruption what then is the knowledge of divine things worth Aristotle saith That a little knowledge of heavenly things though but conjectural is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act In this world thou canst see but little of him thy sight is so weak but there thou shouldst see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 Now the Christian rather seeth and knoweth God as he is not then as he is we describe him for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions by way of negation to be a Spirit Infinite Unchangeable and the like which particulars tell us what God is not He is a Spirit that is a being without a body for God is not a Spirit as the souls of men and as Angels are I mean not of such a substance The Spirit of God in that expression God is a Spirit Joh. 4. condescendeth to our capacities because we are not able to conceive
Had he studied a thousand years for a name he could not have called it by a worse name then its own sinful sin Luther saith that could a man but see perfectly the evil of his sins on earth it would be an hell to him such a frightful ugly monster is sin Look on sin which way thou wilt and it is exceeding sinful the evil of evils Take it in its nature it is a deviation from Gods Law a wandring from his word a casting his Law behinde the back the Law is strait sin is crookedness Psal 125.5 The Law is holy sin is defilement Rom. 7.12 2 Cor. 7.1 The Law is just sin is unrighteousness 1 John 1.7 The Law is liberty sin is bondage Jam. 2.8 12. 2 Tim. 2.26 Sin is a defacing of Gods image it blots and blurs that fair and beautiful writing not onely meritoriously as it provokes God to withdraw his Grace but physically Numb 15.30 Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.12 as one contrary expels another Hereby it dishonours Gods name and reproacheth his Majesty for what greater disgrace can be done to a Prince then to tread his orders under foot and tear and scratch and deface his picture Nay Lev. 22.26 Zec. 11.8 Rom. 8.7 Rom. 1.30 1 Sa. 15.23 Isa 1.2 Rom. 6 16. Psal 14.1 it s a defying and fighting against God a walking contrary to him a daring of him it is enmity against him loathing him hatred of him contrariety to him it is against his Soveraignity and so is rebellion against his mercy and so is unkindness against his justice and so is unrighteousness against his wisdom and so is folly against his will Omne seccatu est deicidium and so is stubbornness Were it strong enough it would ungod him were the sinners power according to his corrupt heart he would pluck God out of Heaven I would I were above God saith Spira When the body of sin is nailed as a thief on the Cross yet even then it will rage as he and spit out poison against Heaven Reader Canst thou finde in thine heart to hug and embrace such a Traytor against the gracious and blessed God! To stretch out thine hand against God as every sinner doth and strengthen thy self against the Almighty Vid. Car. in loc 10 this purpose Job 15.25 Stretch out thine hand against God! No man should lift up a word against God our mouthes should shew forth his praise Stretch out thine hand against God! no man should lift up a thought against God our meditations of him should be for him Stretch out thine hand against God every man should bow down and worship before God and be satisfied in what ever he saith and doth Stretch out thine hand against God! thou art bound to stretch out thine heart and hand and tongue to think and speak and act and all for God and all little enough Take sin in its effect and what evil is like it Eccl. 1.3 it is the cause of all other evils Dost thou consider the emptiness vanity and vexation in the creatures the heavens fighting against man the earth bearing thorns and briars the diseases in mens bodies the burning Feavor watery Dropsie aking teeth running Gout wracking Stone renting Collick the quivering lips trembling loins gastly looks of dying men The horrors of conscience flashes of the infernal fire curses of the Law wrath of God torments of Hell all these are the fruits of sin All misery calleth sin mother this is the root of bitterness upon which they grow the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 ult and 5.12 that big-bellied word Death hath all these woful brats in its belly and Sin is the father that begat them Sin turned Adam out of Paradise Angels into Devils Sodom and Gomorah into ashes flourishing Families Cities Kingdoms into ruinous heaps Sin shuts heaven against man laid the foundation of that dark vault of hell Sin kindled the fire of hell Sin feeds it with fuel and will keep it burning for ever Oh what an evil is sin who would not hate it more then hell Is it good to play with such fire as sin is didst thou believe sin to be the cause of all this thou wouldst never open thy heart or mouth more for it Dost thou know that as where the effect is good the cause is better so where the effect is bad the cause is worse Can there be worse effects then eternal separation from God and suffering the vengeance of eternal fire how bad is sin then which is the cause of them Take sin as a punishment and 't is the evil the only evil there is no suffering like to this to be given up to a course of sining Reader take heed of continuing an hour longer in thine ungodly practices it may be thou hast been ready to think it a great happiness to sin without controle to run in the road of the flesh and to meet with no rubs to prosper though thou art wicked I tell thee and think of it the longest day thou livest for it highly concerneth thee that the infinite God never claps a more dreadful curse on any man or woman on this side hell then to give them up to sin If God should give thee up to the sword famine most painful diseases to thy most cruel potent and malicious enemies to be wrackt by them at pleasure these were nothing to this to be given up to one sin When God hath used his rods scourging men and they will not reform then he takes this ax and presently execution followeth to be delivered up to the power of men may be the lot of Gods sons but to be delivered up to the power of sin is the portion of Rebels of Reprobates This is the stinging whip with which God punisheth Ephrahim 2 Tim. 3.13 2 â—hess 2.10 11. Ephraim is joyned to Idols there is his impiety but what grievous punishment shall he have for his God-provoking Idolatry Let him alone Hos 4.17 It is not I will send the raging pestilence or cruel famine or bloody sword but he is joyned to idols let him alone I will not have him disturbed or molested but he shall have his will though it prove his everlasting woe Rom. 1.21 22. Psal 81.11 12. Hos 8.11 It is a woe with a witness 1 Cor 5. comp with 2 Cor. 7. for God to let thy lusts like so many ravenous Lions loose upon thee and to lay the reins of thy sins upon thy own neck We read of one delivered up to Satan yet he was saved but never of any delivered up to their sins but they were damned It was a sad sight which Abraham saw when he beheld flakes of fire rained from heaven upon the Sodomites but it was a sadder which Lot beheld when he saw the fire of hell burning in their hearts and breaking out in their lives and his righteous soul was vexed therewith Reader have a care that thou never in thy heart plead more for
sin who would open his mouth for such a monster when there is no evil like it Doth God offer thee any thing to thy hurt when he would make a separation between thy soul and thy sins doth he desire any thing to thy disadvantage when he desireth thee to give a bill of divorce to sin which is the sourse of all sorrows the onely enemy of thy best friend the ever-blessed God and to be given up to which is the greatest plague and punishment on this side hell Tell me is not regeneration excellent which killeth such venemous serpents which executeth such traytours which mortifyeth these earthly members and dasheth these brats of Babylon against the wall Thirdly the price paid for this pearle doth loudly speak its excellency Reader little dost thou think what regeneration cost I tell thee and thou mayst well wonder at it The son of God came from heaven suffered the boundless rage of Divels and infinite wrath of God in mans nature upon this very errand to purchase regeneration and sanctification for poor sinners Read and admire Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 19. See the worth of this ware by that which it cost The precious blood of Christ surely it was a jewel of inestimable value which the Son of God thought worth his precious blood As lightly as thou thinkest of the death of sin and the life of righteousness the Lord Jesus underwent more then any one in hell feels to buy them of his father for the sons of men Ah none knoweth but God and Christ what it cost to buy off mans debts and guilt and to procure a new stock of holiness for his poor bankrupt creature to set up with again Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 Had man kept his original purity the Lord Jesus might have spared all his pains T it 2.14 Ioh 10.10 The second Adam came to restore that jewel to man of which the first Adam robd him This rare jewel this choice mercy was regeneration and holiness and this Christ looks upon as the full reward of his sufferings He shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied Isa 53.11 The truth is Christ had exceeding hard labour the Greek Fathers call it unknown sufferings he had many a bitter pang many a sharp throw but for joy that children are born of God that those throws bring forth a numerous issue of new creatures he forgets his sorrows He shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied Consider friend did Christ esteem regeneration worthâ— his blood to merit it and is it not worth thy prayers and teares and utmost indeavours to obtain it Did Christ come to destroy the works of the Divel which is sin 1 John 3.8 and wilt thou build them up did the Lord Jesus come to build up the temple of holiness and wilt thou pull it down did Christ think it worth the while to be reproached condemned crucified and all to make thee holy and wilt thou be such an enemy to the cross of Christ as by continuing in sin to deprive him of that which he earnd so dearly Why wilt thou bind thy self to be a slave to Satan when he redeemed thee with such a vast sum Did the mercifull God send his son into the world to bless thee in turning thee from thine iniquity and canst thou look upon that great blessing as thy bondage Acts 3. ult Believe it God had servants enough even Angels that are ever ready to do his will to send ordinary gifts by surely then t was some extrordinary present that he thought none worthy to carry and would trust none with but his onely Son God sent him to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities I hope reader thou wilt have higher thoughts of holiness and worse thoughts of sin all thy dayes surely the son of God was not so prodigal of his most precious blood as to poure it out for any thing that was not superlatively excellent Fourthly Regeneration and the renewing of man will appear to be excellent in that it is the great end of God in his works The more noble any being is the more excellent ends it propounds to it self in its working thence it is that a man hath higher ends then a beast the ends of a beast are onely to please sence but the ends of a man are to satisfie his understanding Hence also the ends of a Christian are more excellent then the ends of other men his being is more noble and so are his ends To please glorifie and enjoy God How excellent then is that which the infinitely perfect God makes his end Surely the Most High cannot propound any low ends in his operations he that is the onely wise God must have eminent designs and ends Now unclasp the secret book of Gods decree and look into it as far as the word will warrant thee and thou shalt finde that in that internal work of Election God had the renewing of man after his image in his eye and to be his end According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 As an Artificer or Statuary that hath many pieces of stone all alike hewn out of the same Quarry in his yard sets some apart from the rest in his own thoughts intending to make some choice Statue some special piece of them So when all mankinde was before God he did in his eternal thoughts set some apart to be choice pieces to be holy and without blame Go from Gods decree to its execution from his inward to his outward actions and thou shalt finde thy renewing after his image to be still in his eye In thy creation he thought of thy regenerationâ— Prov. 16.4 Psal 100.4 5. Rev. 4. ult he made thee that he might new make thâ—â— Thou art a man that thou mightst become a Christian God made thee a rational creature that thou mightst be made a new creature He gave thee the matter in giving thee a body and a rational soul that thereby thou mightst be capable of the form which is the impression of his image on both There must be a tree before it can be hewed and squared for some curious building God did not make thee to eat and drink and sleep and toil in thy calling but to honor him and to live to him which are the actions of the new creature Trace God further from creation to providence and therein also thou mayst observe this to be his end Why doth he send the warm Summer of prosperity and refresh thee with his clearing beams and influences but to
Cor. 3.8 Rom. 1.12 Gal. 3.2 As that word of God to Abraham Sarah thy wife shall have a Son Gen. 18.10 That word I say gave birth and being to Isaac when there was no likelyhood or possibility of his being from his parents so the word of God give a spiritual birth and being to men and women when there is no likelyhood or possibility in nature yea when their natures are in flat opposition and contrariety to it The word discovereth our diseases Rom. 7.7 Jam. 2.9 makes us feel our sickness Rom. 7.9 applyeth the medicine for our cure Mat. 11.28 Isa 55.1 Rom. 10.14 The word killeth sin casteth down Satan enliveneth the soul Eph. 6.15 Jer. 23.29 Rev. 12.11 Joh. 5.24 Joh. 17.17 Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 Jam. 1.18 Thus thou seest that the Physitian of souls hath several meanes for the cure of thy malady do not thou neglect any neither reading nor hearing neither fasting nor praying neither meditation nor godly conference neither secret nor private nor publike duties for thou knowest not which may do the deed Christ may wait at that very door which thou keepest shut at that ordinance which thou omittest to enter into thy soul If thou desirest that he should meet thee in any duty do thou meet him in every duty How foolish art thou to take any one horse out of the team when the load is so weighty even thine endless welfare and all little little enough to draw thine untoward heart towards heaven The Husbandman that hath a piece of ground which lyeth at the end of his fallow still balked before will be sure to plough that up and expecteth a better crop out of that then out of any such quantity of ground in the field Reader if thou hast balked any of the forementioned duties for thy souls sake set upon it speedily for undoubtedly thou mayst reap a greater harvest by it then thou imaginest Friend have a care of secret private publike duties for all must be minded by them that would be new-moulded How many thousands among us do wilfully murder their souls some poison them by crying enormities others starve them by the omission of duties It was a pitiful equivocatiof the Duke D' Alva before Harlem that promised the Souldiers their lives and afterwards kild them with hunger saying That though he promised them their lives yet he did not promise that they should have food Art not thou a cheater and murderer of thy foul in promising it spiritual life when thou denyest it the means of life As ever thou wouldst have an harvest of grace do thou plough up and sow the ground of thine heart with all the means which God hath ordained for that end Thirdly be thou serious in thine attendance on the ordinances of God Be in earnest when thou art about soul affairs consider when thou art praying or hearing or reading or conferring with Christians it is for thy life it is for thy soul it is for eternity and do whatsoever the Lord calleth thee to do for the quickening thy dying soul with all thine heart with all thy might for there is no doing it in the grave whither thou art hastening When Samson would destroy the enemies of God He bowed himself with all his might Judg. 16.30 When David was waiting upon the Ark of God He danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6.14 So when thou hearest for the death of thy sins thou shouldst hear with all thy might Ezek 40.4 When thou prayest for the life of thy soul thou shouldst pray with all thy might 1 Thes 5.17 Ah how should they hear and read and pray for regeneration that have but a few days nay hours possibly to do it in between whom and eternal burnings there is but a little airy breath and if they be not Regenerated before they die they are ruined they are damned for ever A childe may handle the mothers brest and play with it and kisse it but all this while he gets no good till at last he layeth his mouth to the breast gets the Nipple fast sucks with his might and strength and then he draweth nourishment Reader it may be thou hast minded duties and frequented ordinances yet possibly hast got no good by them 't is likely then that thou dost but play with them dally about them doing them as if thou didst them not if ever therefore thou wouldst get good by them thou must be serious and in earnest about them do them with all thy soul with all thy strength knowing that they are of infinite weight and endless concernment to thee considering that if God do not now hear thee in thy day of grace he will never never hear thee and if thou do not now hear him thou shalt shortly never never more have such an offer I doubt not friend but thou art serious about toys and trifles thou canst rise early and go to bed late and work hard all day and have thy mind stedfastly occupied about these foolish things of the world from which within a short time thou shalt be parted for ever How busie are vain men like a company of Ants to increase their heap of earth O think of it is it not pity such a plant should grow in Egypt which would thrive so well in Canaan How fitly how finely would that seriousness and fervency which thou usest about earth become and sute with heaven Ah t would be worth the while to be most covetous and sedulous about the things of God and Christ thy soul and Eternity Fourthly Be constant in the use of the means of Grace pray and wait hear and wait read and wait watch and wait In the morning sow thy seed in the evening with-hold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good Eccles 11.6 in every morning sow thy seed pray read meditate in the evening with-hold not thine hand do the same for thou knowest not which shall prosper at which the Spirit of God will give thee a gracious effectual meeting for thy conversion or salvation or whether both shall conduce equally to thy spiritual and eternal advantage Do not expect like the Hyperboreans to sow and reap in a day allow some distance between seed time and harvest Physick doth not work immediately when it s taken into the body be confident thou shalt reap in time if thou dost not faint Suppose thou wert sick of some mortal painful disease a dead man in thy own and others thoughts and an able faithful Physitian should warrant thy cure in time upon condition that thou wouldst follow his advice and diet thy self all the while wouldst thou not use all that he prescribed and wait and long to be recovered Thou wast wounded in a moment but art not so soon recovered 't is good to wait Gods leisure what Christ said in regard of his coming in Judgement I say in regard of
the Serpent that stings thee to death is from thy warming and hatching that egg in thine own breast All the men on earth and all the devils in hell could not damn thee were it not for thy wilfulness in sin And canst thou expect that Jesus Christ should save thee against thine own will that he should carry thee to heaven whether thou wilt or no Believe it a state of sin and wrath is the matter of thine own choice The door which shuts thee out of the fathers house is bolted against thee by thine own hands Answer me this question or else never more make this objection Art thou willing to turn from sin unto God Art thou willing to take the son of God for thy Saviour and Lord If thou art willing I am sure God is willing he hath confirmd it with an oath Ezek. 33.11 Jesus Christ is willing that sinners should live or he would not so willingly have died such a death he hath paid the price of thy ransom and offereth thee an happier estate then that of which Adam deprived thee If thou art willing to accept of thy freedom thou mayst have it If any man will let him drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22. And if thou art not willing why dost thou complain Fourthly I answer the fault is clearly in thy self because thou neglectest to do what thou hast power to do Thou hast power without any special grace to perform duties to hear the word to pray in secret and with thy family to forbear thy wicked company thy swearing lying drinking scoffing at godliness and yet dost not mind those duties constantly nor forbear those sins shall a servant friend be thine own judge which is trusted with five pound to imploy for his Masters honour spend this in whoring and gaming and then blame his master for not trusting him with thousands When man broke by his fall there was some stock left in his hands not enough to set him up again but that which might do him some good now they spend this profusely they throw away those checks of conscience which escaped the ruines of the fall they corrupt themselves in what they know and wickedly refuse to do what they can and yet are so impudent as to flie in the face of the ever-blessed God that he doth not give them power to do more Fifthly thy weakness and impotency should drive thee to Christ for strength Lex data ut gratia quaereretur gra tia data ut lex impleretur Aug. de Spi. et l. 1. cap. 19. Thy misery by the first Adam should cause thee to mind thy recovery by the second Adam The word of God discovereth to thee the necessity of regeneration thine own inability to do it that thou mightst ply the throne of grace flie to Jesus Christ for help and succour A man that is lifting a peice of timber and finds it too heavy for him will call in help thus the Law is a School-master to drive thee to Christ When thou considerest with thy self that thou must be regenerated or damned in hell for ever and that thou art altogether unable to renew and sanctify thy self how diligent should it make thee in attendance on Jesus Christ for his Spirit and grace How shouldst thou wait on thy redeemer in reading hearing praying meditating using all those meanes which he hath appointed for the conversion of thy soul The second objection answered That unregenerate men sin in performing duties and attending on ordinances SEcondly it may be thou wilt say You presse me much to pray and hear and frequent the means of grace but I sin in doing so I sin in praying I sin in hearing and singing and would you have me sin I answer First thou sinnest in eating and drinking and following thy calling in not doing these things upon right principles and for right ends and wilt thou therefore forbear them thou wilt pamper and please thy body right or wrong not onely in the use but even in the abuse of the creatures but how ordinary an excuse will make thee neglect thy soul Secondly Regenerate men themselves sin in all their performances though not in such a manner as unregenerate ones do and should they therefore lay them down Thirdly no pretence whatsoever can excuse from obedience to clear precepts remember also that the commands of God do not interfere or contradict each other Now God expresly commandeth thee though thou art in a natural estate to perform duties Peter when he had told Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity yet he bids him pray to the Lord Acts 8.22 if peradventure the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him our sinning in duties cannot abrogate that Law of God which enjoyns duties as Gods precepts are not measures of our strength so they are not lessened by our weakness The Ninivites though unregenerate as some think yet when threatned with destruction did both pray and fast and found that it was not in vain Jonah 4.3 Fourthly thou sinnest less in performing duties then in neglecting them If thou art resolved to go on in a course of sinning and damning thy soul I know not what to say to thee the Lord pitty thee but if thou hast any desire of Salvation in a Gospel-way thou offendest far far less in waiting on God in his Ordinances then those do that refuse them in performing duties without suitable grace thou failest in the manner of Divine worship others that omit duties fail both in the matter and manner thou owest God outward as well as inward service the confession of thy mouth as well as the conversion of thine heart surely then if thou givest God the former though without the latter thou dost not sin so much as they that give him neither Fifthly shouldst thou neglect the means of grace thou wouldst make thy condition which is already dreadful to be desperate if ever God meet thee it must be in his own way Rom. 10.15 17. Prov. 8. I believe thou scarce ever heardst of any man converted while he cast by the means of grace which God afforded him Sixthly If thy condition be so sad that thou sinnest in all thou dost thou hast the more need to hasten out of it Ah who would be quiet one hour in such an estate wherein what ever he doth is abominable to God! Men that are weak and sickly do not therefore forbear food because they are not able to digest it well and it may possibly yeild some nourishment to their disease but do therefore eat that they may get strength and be enabled to overcome their distempers Seventhly God may meet with thee in the means of Grace The Ordinances of God are the golden pipes through which he conveyeth the oil of Grace from Christ the olive tree God doth not bid thee to wait upon him for nothing thousands have found by happy experience that they are blessed which watch at Wisdoms gate
which wait at the posts of her doors Prov. 8. latter end The Ninivites when Jonah had foretold their ruine fast and pray saying Who can tell if God will repent and turn from his fierce anger that we perish not Jonah 3.9 So now God hath foretold in his word the eternal destruction of all in thy condition do thou fast and pray read and meditate who can tell but God may turn and have mercy upon thee pour down his Spirit and holiness into thee that thou perish not Thou mayst hear and read of the success of others others have found him in his house of prayer and why not thou The Mariner cannot make either winde or tide yet he lieth ready upon the waters and waits for them The Husbandman cannot cause an harvest yet he ploughs and soweth hoping that the Heavens will help him Thou canst not heal thy self wait therefore at the means Christ may come when thou little thinkest of it and cure thee God delights to bless mans industry his usual course is to meet them that meet him he hath been found of them that sought him not and will he hide himself from thee when thou seekest his face for thine encouragement thou hast his word which is truth it self That if thou seek him early thou shalt finde him Prov. 8.17 Whilst there is life there is hope thou livest under the means O resolve to give God no rest till he give thee Regeneration The third and last Objection answered If I be elected I shall be saved let me live never so wickedly and neglect the means prescribed for my recovery THirdly It is possible thou mayst object That if thou art predestinated to life thou shalt be saved though thou neglectest all these means of salvation and if thou art not elected these will do thee no good I answer first that this looks like the language of one already in Hell though it be found too too often in the mouths of swaggerers upon earth in evil things the Devil would make thee separate the end from the means Think not of Hell but go on in sin saith he in good things the means from the end never trouble thy self with holiness yet doubt not of Heaven Secondly suppose that thou shouldst live and die in this desperate conclusion wouldst not thou certainly be damned without all controversie in the other world thou wouldst finde what a fine cheat the Devil had put upon thee by bringing thee into an opinion which will bring thee inevitably into destruction Believe it thou shalt know in the other world who shall have the worst of such cursed conclusions God or thy self Thirdly The Decree of God is a sealed book and the names in it are secret therefore thy part is to look to Gods revealed will namely to make thine Election sure by making thy Regeneration sure Dost thou not know that secret things belong to God but revealed things to us and our children O 't is dangerous to meddle with the secrets of Princes Fourthly This opinion is not believed by thee but is onely pretended as a cloak for thy wickedness and idleness for if thou dost believe that if God hath elected he will save thee however thou livest why are not thy practices answerable to such principles why dost thou not leave thy ground unsowed and thy calling unfollowed and say If God hath decreed me a crop of corn I shall have it whether I sow my ground or no and if God hath decreed me an estate I shall have it though I never minde my calling why dost thou not neglect and refuse eating and drinking and sleeping and say If God have decreed that I shall live longer I shall do it though I never eat or drink or sleep for God hath decreed these things concerning thy ground estate and natural life as well as concerning thine eternal condition in the other world When I see that thou throwest off all care and means of preserving thy life on earth expectest notwithstanding to continue alive then I may believe that thy forementioned thoughts are really such in regard of eternal life but till then I shall be confident that this conclusion is onely a feigned plea in the behalf of the Devil and thy carnal corruptions Fifthly The word of God which must shortly try thee for thine everlasting life or death doth declare to thee fully and clearly that God predestinateth to the means as well as the end where then wilt thou appear that neglectest the means that the means and end are joyned together in Gods decree is fully proved to thee in the 53 and 331 pages of this book therefore let not Satan so far delude thee as to make thee part them I shall conclude my answer to this objection for truly 't is so irrational that I do not think it worthy of six lines with a story which I have sometime read Ludovicus a learned man of Italy by sinful beginnings came at last to this conclusion It matters not what I do or how I live if I be predestinated to life I am sure to be saved if otherwise I cannot help it Thus with this desperate opinion he lived a long time till at last he fell dangerously sick and sent for a skilful Physitian earnestly desiring his advice the Physitian before-hand acquainted with his opinion told him Surely it will be needless to use any means for your recovery for if the time of your death be come it will be impossible to avoid it Ludovicus upon this began to consider of his own madness and folly in neglecting the means for his soul bemoaned his sin sincerely took physick and was through the blessing of God recovered both in soul and body O that what I have written might work such an effect upon thy spirit Consider Friend if notwithstanding Gods Decree means must be used for thy temporal estate should they not also for thine eternal estate Be not wise in thine own eyes but fear the Lord and depart from evil Labour to cleanse thy ways by taking heed thereto according to his word Prov. 3.7 Psal 119.9 REader I have now finished this weighty exhortation which doth so nearly concern thy precious soul and unchangeable condition in the other world Thou seest how large an epistle I have written to thee with mine own hand many an hours sleep have I lost to awaken thee out of thy carnal security but I am ignorant whether the work be done or no which is of such unspeakable waight or whether thou art resolved to set upon it through the strength of Christ in good earnest I preach to thee I pray for thee I desire and endeavour so to live as to set thee a pattern O that I knew what to do that might be more effectual for thy recovery Friend ponder seriously the truth and concernment of the particulars delivered Is there not infinite reason why thou shouldst speedily and heartily submit to the counsel of the Almighty God for the enlivening of
themselves godly men must be like candles which being lighted kindle others Grace is compared to oil which is of a diffusive spreading nature Matth. 25.4 and it doth like the oil in the widows barrel increase by pouring out the oil never ceased running till she ceased pouring The more thou improvest thy little stock of Grace the more thy master will trust thee with Peter Martyr speaketh of some mountains of salt in Cumana which whilst they lay common for the good of many never wasted though Merchants carried away in abundance but when they were once ingrossed to one mans use they consumed away He that hath greatest layings out for God shall have greatest comings in from God The loaves increased not whilst they were whole in the basket but whilst they were breaking and distributing to others Womens milk increaseth by drawing if the brest be not drawn it will dry up Prov. 11.14 15. He that soweth liberally shall reap liberally Believe it Friend the onely way to make thy one pound ten pounds is by trading with it I speak not of thy intruding into the Ministers calling but of dealing faithfully with the souls of thy friends and relations in thy place and station Truly one would think that every time thou considerest the dreadful danger of poor sinners thine heart should almost bleed within thee Jesus Christ groaned and wept for dead Lazarus How did David mourn for dead Absolom At a funeral though there be much cost yet there is no chear because one is dead What bowels of pity shouldst thou have towards them that are dead spiritually nay dying eternally Dost thou not remember there was a time when no eye pitied thee when God passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood yea when thou wast in thy blood he said unto thee Live behold that time was the time of love to thy soul canst thou now behold others wallowing in their pollutions weltring in their soul blood and thine eyes not affect thine heart with pity to them Especially we that are parents should use all means for the Regeneration of our children and relations We have a little sister that hath no breasts what shall we do for her said the Jews Cant. 8.8 Have not we little Children that have no Christ no hope no grace O what shall we do for them in the day that they shall be spoken for When Samson had found honey in the carcass of the lyon he did not onely eat himself but carryed some to his father and mother thou hast found hony and sweetness in the carcass of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah in a crucified Christ wilt thou not endeavour that thy relations and friends may share with thee Friend canst thou think without trembling on the unnaturalness of most fathers and mothers towards their children All their care is to get earth enough for them but never mind the instating them in heaven the Ostrich leaves her eggs in the earth Iob 39.14 15 and warmeth them in the dust where the foot crusheth them and the wild beast breaks them thus worldly men warm the fruit of their bodies in the earth are diligent to leave them dust enough but consider not that the foot of Gods fury will crush them and the roaring Lion devoure them if they be not Regenerated O the many soul murders which worldly parents commitâ— but if thou art born again I am perswaded nay I am confident of better things of thee thou darest not but teach thy sons Gods ways and labour that thy servants may be converted to him Christianity doth not diminish but rectify thy natural affection it causeth thee to love thy relations not less but better then thou didst before grace makes thy love to run out towards their souls and their spiritual and eternal good O what an honour and priviledge is it that thou mayst be instrumental for the saving of souls Jam. 5.2 ult which that thou mayst be take these three words for thine help First Be sure that thou set them a good pattern let thy life be so exact that others may write after thy copy with credit Look on thy self as new born for this end that thou mightest adorn the Doctrine of God thy Saviour Parents and Masters are often authentick patterns to all their inferiours their zeal will provoke many and if they fall as tall cedars they beat down many shrubs O therefore do nothing of which thou mayst not say to thy family and neighbours as Gideon to his souldiers Iudg 7.17 Look on me and do likewise It is reported of the Hares of Scythia that they teach their young ones to leap from bank to bank from rock to rock by leaping before them which otherwise they would never learn and by this means when they are hunted no beasts can overtake them Do thou set others a pattern in the performance of duties and in the exercise of graces that others learning by thine example may thereby be secured from Satan the great destroyer The morall is good of the fable The old crab bid the young one got forward Shew me the way saith the young crab the mother goeth backward and sideling the daughter followeth her saying Lo I go just as you do Truly thus thy little ones will quickly imitate thy doings Be careful therefore how thou livest walk circumspectly consider of every expression and action not onely whether it be lawful but also whether it be expedient and exemplary Thy religious pattern may do more good then the Ministers preaching they preach with their lips one day in a weak but thou by thy life preachest all the week long 1 Pet. 2.12 Have thy conservation honest among others that they may glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2.12 Secondly Let thy prayers be constant and instant for their Regeneration How can I see the death of my childe said Hagar Alas how canst thou see the eternal death of thy dear children When thou kneelest to prayer with thy wife children and servants and considerest that death will shortly break up thy house and then heaven and hell will claim their due The Regenerate shall go to heaven the unregenerate to hell Thou and they who live together are likely to be parted asunder for ever Good Lord How shouldst thou pray for them with what fervency with what importunity Thou art new born and knowest that hell and heaven are no jesting matters Iohn 4.23 doth not thine heart ake to think that any of thine should dwell in everlasting burnings O go to Christ as the Centurion for his sick child Sir come down ere my child die Lord come down ere my poor children die for ever And as the woman of Canaan Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil Lord help me If thou canst do any thing help them Lord pitie poor children and form thy dear Son in them thus carry thy little children
to Jesus Christ and intreat him to put his hands on them and bless them Hannah by prayer obtaind a Samuel O let us pray hard that all our sons may be as gracious as Samuel and all our daughters as full of good works as Dorcas Zenophon said he never prayd that his son might live long but that he might live well Austin was a child of many prayers and did not perish Thirdly Do thine endeavor to regenerate them by instructing them in the precepts of God David and Bathsheba were often droping instruction into their son Solomon 1 Kings 28.9 Prov. 4.3 to 10. Pious education hath made an happy renovation in several souls Teach a childe the trade in his youth and he shall not depart from it when he is old Prov. 22.6 Others teach their children to lie and steal and to curse and sweare I have read a story of a wicked mother that perswaded her daughter to yield to the lust of a rich man in hope that he would marry her the daughter did yield but quickly after fell sick and died the mother hereupon fell distracted and cried out often O my daughters soul O my daughters soul I have murthered my daughters soul If others intice their relations to uncleanness shall not we encourage ours to holiness Whilst this world lasteth the Devil will have servants many many fathers bring up their children to his hand O wilt not thou endeavour that when thou art dead thy little ones may be a generation arising to praise God! Truly thy love to God must needs oblige thee to do thine utmost that his vast perfections and infinite excellencies may be declared and admired throughout all generations Melanthon on a day of prayer went out a little from his company very sorrowful and returned in a short time to them very joyful of which Luther asking him the reason he gave this account That there were yong Captains training up for he had heard many children learning and repeating their sound Catechism which would defend the cause of Christ The good man was exteamly cheared that though the Pope and Emperor sought to undermine the true Religion yet young children were learning to defend it Sure I am thou wilt die with the more comfort if thou canst have hopes that after thy decease the blessed God shall be exalted and his Gospel propagated in the place where thou dost dwell And O what a glorious heaven upon earth will thy house be if the gracious God shall so prosper thy pattern prayers and preceps that as thou like the Sun so thy wife like the Moon and thy children and servants like the Stars may all shine and sparkle with the light and heat of real holiness To end all Look on thy children servants and neighbours as passengers in a boat and do thou with thy fellow-converts row hard make use of all windes improve every opportunity to land them all safely at the Haven of Heaven Soli Deo Gloria FINIS An Alphabetical Table of the most principal matters contained in this Treatise A OVr Affections by nature corrupt Page 32. The Affections are renewed in regeneration p. 31 32. Good Affections not always a sign of regeneration Page 97 98 99. Affiance on Christ what it is Page 376 377. Afflictions somtimes instrumental for regeneration 16. Afflictions will try men 138 139. Afflictions make wicked men worse 222. Afflictions are sanctified to the regenerate Page 246. Christians are bound to labour for Assurance Page 130 131. It is possible for the regenerate to be Assured of their Salvation proved by several arguments Page 144 145 146. B The Body is renewed in regeneration Page 35 36. The Body of man is a curious peice Page 318. God alone can enable a man to believe Page 12 114. C THere is a great Change wrought in regeneration Page 5. 20 21. Two Changes absolutely necessary in all that would be saved Page 48 49. Christ is willing to instruct and encourage poor sinners 6. Christ is the onely way to heaven 47. Christ dyed to purchase holiness for all those for whom he purchased heaven 33.54.312 The Damned see the worth of Christ by woful experience 234 235. Nothing to be kept from Christ or carried to Christ by those that would close with him 407 408 409. The saved know the worth of Christ by happy experience Page 282 283. Civility no sign of regeneration Page 61 62. A Civil man is converted with much difficulty Page 118 119. Confidence of a mans good estate is not a sure sign of regeneration Page 85 86. The Conscience is renewed in regeneration 27. To follow the dictates of a natural Conscience is not a sure sign of regeneration Page 90 91. Consideration is a special help to regeneration Page 194 195 196. Conviction wrought before conversion 351. What Conviction is Page 352. The Spirit when he converteth a sinner Convinceth him of four things Of his sins 353.354 Of his misery 357 358. Of the insufficiency of all things in the world to help him 362. Of the willingness sutableness and sufficiency of Jesus Christ Page 365. The sinner rightly Convinced panteth exceedingly after Jesus Christ Page 368 369. Our Creation is an obligation to obedience Page 338 339. D MEn Deceive themselves in thinking to get to he aven without regeneration Page 51 52. Death will trie men throughly 141 142. Death may well be terrible to the unregenerate 226. Death will be comfortable to the regenerate Page 270. A man may abound in duties and yet be unregenerate 76. Wicked men sin in performing Duties 222. Though unregenerate persons sin in Duties yet they must not neglect them 436. Vide Ordinances E GOd Electeth to sanctification whom he electeth to salvation Page 53. The objection If I am elected I shall be saved how ever I live answered Page 440. Our Election ensured by ensuring our vocation Page 131. The torments of hell are Eternal 238. The Saints happiness in heaven is Eternal Page 293. The Equity of living to God Page 337 to 348. F THe difference between Faith and presumption Page 56. Faith wrought in the soul when it is regenerated Page 375 376. Faith is weak at first 378. True Faith accepteth Christ as a Lord. Page 380. The unspeakable Folly of sinners in not turning to God Page 298 299. G THe free Grace of God the onely moving cause of regâ—neration 14. The Glory of God the final cause of regeneration 38. How t is accomplished 39 40 41. Communion with God on earth required in all that would get to heaven 56. The wrath of God known fully in hell Page 229. The good word of Godly men no sign of Regeneration Page 81 82. That God will be the God of his people is an unconceivable mercy 262 to 267. All Godly men grow in grace Page 183. Not always alike 186. Not all alike Page 185. Gifts no sign of Grace 183. Gifts and Grace differ much Page 74 75. H. HEaven not so easily obtained as the sleepy world
thinks for 108 to 118. Heavens happiness described largely Page 273 to 300. Hells horror described in six particulars Page 227 Hypocrites not converted without much difficulty 119 120 121. Hypocrites are partial in their obedience 177. Hypocrites have usually some beloved sin Page 166 167. I. ILlumination the first thing wrought in order to Regeneration Page 23 349. The Image of God is the pattern of regeneration 36. The excellency of Gods Image Page 303 K. THe Kingdom of God twofold Page 5 6 A man may be knowing and yet unregenerate Page 7. A person regenerated is taught the Knowledge both of God and of sin Page 23 24 25 26. M. THe Memory renewed in regeneration Page 37. Ministers ought to instruct their people in the nature of regeneration Page 8 O. OLd sinners are not regenerated without much difficulty Page 125 126. Saints mind Ordinances for the death of sin Page 157 158 159. Ordinances are delightful to the regenerate 171 172 178 Ordinances are cursed to them that continue in sin 219 220. Ordinances are profitable to Saints 254 255. Attendance on Ordinances a great help to regeneration 413. All Ordinances which are converting to be minded by such as would be regenerated 416. Ordinances must be minded with seriousness 420. With constancy 422. with expectance of a blessing from God Page 426. Vide Duties P. TO joyn with this or that party no sign of regeneration Page 95 Good patterns helpful to convert men Page 461. Perseverance in Grace the portion of all the regenerate Page 261. Our Preservation an obligation tâ— serve God Page 239. The bare enjoyment of spiritual Priviledges no sign of regeneration Page 69 70 71. A great Profession no sign of regeneration Page 65 The Promises of salvation belong only to the regenerate 55 332. The preciousness of the Promises 258. All the Promises are the regenerate mans portion 257. The great Promise 262. The full extent of the Promises shall be known to us in heaven 290 291. Our Promises to God must be minded Page 343. Prosperity trieth some men 137. Prosperity is cursed to men out of Christ Page 215 All Gods Providences are blessed to the regenerate Page 244. R. VVIthout Regneration there can be no salvation 9. VVhat Regeneration is 10 152 170. Regeneration called a renewing in two respects 19. In Regeneration the whole man is renewed 22. principally the inner man 23. How Regeneration and sanctification differ 38. Regeneration prepares a man for heaven 45. All that a Christian is worth for the other world dependeth on his Regeneration 133. Regeneration not in all alike visible 146. Because not in all alike violent Page 147. The Regenerate are dead to sin 152. alive to God 170. They that are regenerated themselves will labor to Regenerate others 189. The great happiness of the Regenerate in this world 243. and the other world 273. In all their performances they are welcome to God Page 250. The excellency of Regeneration 300. shewed in five particulars It is the Image of God 303. The destruction of sin 305. It cost the blood of Christ 312. It s Gods end in his works 314. It is the special work of God himself 317. The absolute indispensable necessity of Regeneration Page 52 to 60. 325. to 336. The several steps by which a soul is regenerated Page 348. Regenerate persons should blesse God 445. In heart by admiring his mercy 448. In life by walking sutably 452. The Regenerate should labour to convert others 456. By their prayers patterns and precepts Page 456 460 461. Redemption a strong obligation to obedience Page 341. Rich men not regenerated without much difficulty Page 122. S SIn may raign in a civil man 62 63. A man may leave many Sins and not loath any Sin 103. Beloved Sins hardly parted with 104 112 167. Man by nature exceedingly in love with Sin 116. Saints dye to Sin 153. To all Sin 164 to their beloved sin 165. Sin will be Sin in hell 232. Senslesness in Sin dreadful 240 241. Sin the greatest evil shewed in three particulars 306 to 312. All Sorrow for Sin will not speak regeneration Page 99 100. The Spirit of God the principal efficient of regeneration 10 11 12 13. The Spirit when he regenerates causeth the soul to mourn for Sin 372. The motions of the Spirit must be cherished by all that would be regenerated 385. to 390. Directions how to carry our selves towards the motions of the Spirit in three cases When the Spirit convinceth 390. When the Spirit humbleth the sinner 396. When the Spirit perswadeth to believe Page 404. T TEmptations profitable to Saints Page 248. The preciousness of Time known in hell Page 236. It is a Christians duty to Try himself 129. God will Try men either here or hereafter 136. The day of judge ment will Try men 143. Some marks to Try our estates by 152. Christians in the Tryal of themselves should proceed till they come to an issue Page 194 195. U THe Understanding is renewed in Regeneration Page 24. To see two things especially Page 25. Universality a sighn of fincerity Page 175. The Unregenerate should mind Regeneration 198. The misery of tht Unregenerate in this world 214 215. In the other World Vide hell All that Unregenerate ones enjoy is cursed to them 215. to 220. They sin in all they do Page 221. W THe objection Touching mans Weakness and inability to regenerate himself answered Page 429 430 431. The Will renewed in Regeneration Page 29. The Word of God is the ordinary instrumental cause of Regeneration Page 15 418 419. The emptiness of this World will appear in the other World Page 228. Books printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside Flio's A Commentary upon the Holy Writings of Job David and Solomon That is These five Job Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs Being part of those which by the Antient were called Hagiographa Wherein the diverse Translations and Expositions both Literal and Mystical of all the most famous Commentators both Antient and Modern are propounded examined and censured And the Texts from the Original much Illustrated For the singular benefit of all that be studious of the Holy Scriptures By John Mayer Doctor in Divinity A Practical Commentary or an Exposition with Observations Reasons and Uses upon the first Epistle General of John By that pious and worthy Divine Master John Cotton Pastor of Boston in New-England A Learned Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians being the substance of many Sermons formerly Preached at Grayes-Inn London by that Reverend and judicious Divine Richard Sibbs D. D. sometimes Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge and Preacher to that honourable Society Published for the publick good and benefit of the Church of Christ by Tho. Manton B. D. and Preacher of the Gospel at Stoke-Newington near London ΤΑ ΔΙΑΦΕΡΟÎΤΑ or