off the kind intreaties of Christ and those many invications to holiness it will trouble thee if ever thou come to be converted that thou wert not converted sooner that God and religion had not thy heart and service long agoe that thou didst not yield and resign up thy self when first thou wast moved to it that sin had so much and Christ so little of thy will and affections O then dear soul deferre not any longer but do that with all speed which you have now a fair opportunity to perform that is forthwith to leave off your known sins and betake your selves to a sober serious holy life so will you prevent your own molestation and your own misery III. Motive S. 4 3. Let the danger and dreadfulness of an unconverted state move thee speedily to get out of it by all possible means alas all the while I live unreformed I am under the curse of the Law and power of Satan a slave to lust and a son of perdition and if I chance to die in this estate my case and the already damned in hell will be the same they who died in their sins are miserable wretches and so shall I be as they are there is but a step between me and their sad condition and while I am on this side the grave in a sinning course following the motions of my lusts I am in a worse condition then the worst of creatures a toad in my ditch is better by much then a man in his sins unconverted unreformed And all the while I live in my sins I am unpardoned and am hastening to an eternity of misery I am in that broad way which leadeth straight on to destruction Oh then let my soul get quickly out of that way and from that state in which I walk in so much danger and which will most certainly carry me to the chambers of death and bring me under the eternall wrath of God IV. Motive S. 5 4. Let the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of thy life move thee to hasten thy reformation this night thy soul may be taken from thy body if not then within a very short time it must and it will be called to an account and oh what a sad day will it prove then when death opens the passage from a sinfull life to an endless misery when death puts an end to the pleasures of sin and gives a beginning to the pains of hell never to end S. 6 Therefore if you mean to prevent the miseries of a dying sinner you must destroy the sin ere you die and this requires your care and diligence your speed and quick dispatch Oh that you would be wise concerning your later end and leave not that to do at the last which can neither be well done nor accepted if it be put off till the last V. Motive S. 7 5. Another Motive to a speedy reformation let be that none of thy most pleasurable sinfull practices are half so pleasing to thee a sinner as the ways of godliness and exercise of vertues are to the true convert reformation if it be sound and universall will prove the rarest delight and content in the world and be of excellent satisfaction to thee Pro 3.15 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Tim. 6.6 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and godliness with contentment is great gaine profitable to all things having the promise of this life and that which is to come No life can be compared to a godly life for pleasure profit and contentment how quiet is the conscience of a devout holy Christian how sweet his sleep how calm and serene is his spirit that is at peace with God! how doth he rejoyce in the Lord what a merry life doth he lead and goeth on his way cheerfully to his home to his inheritance to his joys in heaven which he hath in prospect and is at the end of his race how doth that soul triumph in his victories that is daily resisting temptations and slaying his corruption how sweetly doth he passe his time that spends it in communion with God and delights of heaven But 't is farre otherwise with a wicked man that serves the interest of sin and studies to gratifie and serve his lusts in sinful actings Oh what a many plots doth he lay and paines doth he take to bring about his sin and then what shifts must be make to hide to excuse to maintain his sin what a many perplexing gripes of conscience and often terrours hath a wicked man within himself and besides the bitterness in the end of sinfull actions what a toile and weariness it is in the exercise of it so that truly a man may say of sin WHAT A WEARINESS IT IS to what purpose is all this cost and losse of time and exhausting the spirits and after all what pleasure hath a man or what content can accrue to any man upon the remembrance of his evil actings is not a holy harmless life spent in the exercise of purity and charity infinitely more to be desired for content and satisfaction were there nothing else to be found in the practise of godliness and vertues then what we find in themselves then in all the formes and modes in all or any the ways of vitiousness that can be named were there nothing else to be expected by way of punishment for my sinning then the enjoyment of the pleasures supposed to be in sin O then dear Christian let nothing keep thee back from leaving off every sinfull course nor from taking up the practise of holy living seeing nothing can bring true pleasure not content unto thy soul untill thou be habitually imployed in the duties of religion and practise of godliness VI. Motive S. 8 Finally Let this be a Motive to cast off all thy wickedness immediately and forthwith to follow Jesus Christ in an entire imitation of his holiness in a godly affection and conversation forasmuch as God hath born long enough with thee already and thou hast lived long enough in thy sins already Oh do not live any longer or spend any more of thy time to the will of the stesh but to the will of God for the time past of our life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousnesse excesse of wine and other sins 't is enough dear soul 't is enough and too much that we have done foolishly 't is high time to cease to do evil and to learn to do well and likewise consider what an honest how honorable how pleasant how profitable and how comely a thing it is to live a godly holy and heavenly life Oh let it never be said of thee that thou chusest thine own undoing by refusing to do what God requires of thee seeing all that God doth ask of thee and what ever is here exhorted to is for thine own eternall good glory and endlesse happinesse S. 9 And therefore to conclude I do in the name of Christ exhort thee Reader to be mindfull of thine own concernments and if there be any thing herein which if you follow to do would prejudice thy salvation then do it not but if the things here exhorted to that is a speedy through reformation in heart and life be of absolute necessity if thou meanest to be saved eternally then upon pain of damnation and as thou hopest to see Christ in glory and to be glorified with him do not forget to put it into speedy execution lest when you would if now you refuse you may not it may be too late or not accepted S. 10 I beseech thee therefore precious soul if there be in thee any hope of consolation from God if any love to Christ and thine own soul Rom. 12.3 if any mercy or tenderness of compassion toward thine own soul ready to be undone by reason of sin then think on these things and accordingly I beseech thee therefore by the mercies of God Eph. 4.22 23 24. that you be no more conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you put off concerning your former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness so shall you prevent eternal damnation and through the mercies of God in Christ obtain everlasting salvation which damnation cannot be avoided nor this salvation ever attained without a sound entire timely holy reformation which is the summe and finall conclusion of this my earnest perswasion by all those foregoing arguments in this first part the rest shall be set in order for thee in due time when this shall be so well proved as that by renouncing all thy sins thou wilt be in that blessed frame and serious Resolution to devote thy self to a godly course of holy living and therein to abide with God to THE END
comes to be thy present it will be as much against thy will then as now it is and therefore unless I intend to put off my repentance and amendment my conversion and reformation for altogether and never to think on t ' more otherwise let me do that which I think to do this year or seven years hence NOW FORTHWITH and that is to forsake all that God dislikes in me and all that his holy word hath witnessed against and my conscience reproves me of without any more ado For I must not befool my self any longer with this opinion that sin will cease of it self and if it doth then sin leaves me I leave not sin Si autem vis agere poenitentiam quando jam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa Aug. or that pardon will be more easily obtained when I have sinned as much and as long as I can or that repentance will be more acceptable to God when I am forced to it and then too when my age and strength my understanding memory and affections fail me or that God will be pleased well enough with the refuse of my service after I have served the world the flesh and the devil with my prime and full strength and best affections as though God which deserves infinitely more then I can perform Irrisor est non poenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniteat non minuit peccata sua sed multiplicat Aug. would be put off with any thing or pleased and contented to be mocked by me a most vile wretch while I seem to offer that fag-end of my life which is fit neither for time nor ability to perform that service which God will account of for true repenoance and thorough-reformation S. 85 O let me never put the fair hopes I now have of obtaining mercy from God if I now set my heart to this my duty of reforming my life speedily to the hazard but while a price is put into my hand let me not be such a fool to cast it and so my self away and that for ever S. 86 Sixtly methink I should not delay any longer my reformation but speedily set my heart upon it and endeavour it to purpose considering that I would not for any worldly good miss the day of grace or that death should meet with me in my unregenerate state and for any thing I know to the contrary this may be the last day of my life or the last day of grace beyond which God will not wait any longer or give me any motion or help towards my conversion but he may in judgment seal up my heart harden it and sear my conscience that I may never so much as think on my condition any more or desire him heartily to heal me and convert me many men have come to this pass even to out-live the date of that mercy intended for them which if they had in time accepted would have brought a saving pardon and reformation to their souls and why should I adventure my salvation on an uncertainty while I may be sure of it if I take the offer while I may have it Besides why should I provoke God to withdraw his grace and cut me off in his displeasure for all the while every moment I live in sinfull impenitency and unconverted state I have nothing to do with any promise of mercy pardon or heaven I am under the curse of the law and power of Satan and go in danger of death and damnation and if death overtake me in my sins I am a lost soul and who can tell how neer he is to his last hour are you not hastening on to your end will time stay for you or can you call back yesterday whether I eat drink sleep play or work yet my time consumes and I am drawing toward my long home of eternity Oh that I may think still on this and make this concluding resolution of it even to speed my work the great business of my sound reformation and put it off for nobodies pleasure no not for any objection to the contrary nor any worldly advantage might be had upon the account of continuance in my sin if I rest in an unconverted state I am in a lamentable condition S. 87 Seventhly let me consider why should I delay this duty any longer but rather make hast to it and be diligent and constant in it seeing all the objections that have ever been made against speedy reformation and all the excuses and pretences for delaying this necessary work are both frivolous and of no weight and treacherous and pernicious how fully have they all been answered and how easy is it for a man of the meanest capacity to satisfy himself of the unreasonableness of all arguments may be produced by the most cunning Sophister against reformation and for procrastination and continuing in sinfull practices from day to day or but for one day longer And why then should I hearken to any thing that may he further insinuated to me from Satan or any of those his instruments which would cause my delay to the wrong of my poor soul CHAP. XI Of Temptations with their Answers §. I. Temptations answered S. 1 MY sins are not so great or not so many nor have I lived in them so long that I need make such hast out of them that I ought to be so much troubled for them or that I should despair of salvation though I never leave them S. 2 This favourable conceit of sin I believe hath betrayed many an unwise soul to their undoing Answ and men that have no mind to change their course have a mind to lessen their faults and to reduce them to a narrow compasse and minute instance how easy it is with men to do wonders in this kind when they have a mind to it but how difficult are far more easy matters when they are actions to be done with what facility doth a wicked man make his great sins little his many sins few and his little sins and few none at all or nothing but God will not be so indulgent to thy sins although thou art S. 3 Now can you not easily repel this temptation and refute this smooth opinion that it prevail not with thee so as to cause thee lay aside thy repentance for the present Thus my sins they are not great but are they not great nor many nor great But are they any at all though they are not many nor great yet they are more then I can reckon and greater then I can bear if I am guilty but of one kind of sin yet that is too much by one if I have acted that sin but once yet that is by once too often if I have lived but one day without repentance 't is a day too long I should not have sinned at all there was no necessity for it I had no command from God to sin neither did any decree of his enforce me to
off quite or delay my REFORMATION O that I may never more decline my necessary duty by excuses nor gratifie satan and wrong mine own soul by delays CHAP. XII Of some Queries S. 1 NOw for thy further conviction and speedier resolution about this great and necessary work of saving reformation I would intreat thee sinner in the Name of God to weigh seriously what is here offered unto thee and resolve to give an effectuall answer as you shall see cause and no more do I desire thee to do in this point then what in conscience you shall judge fit to be done in this case of speedy practicall Reformation and if you cannot rationally except against what I propose that you would forthwith yield and be perswaded to the thing and without more adoe set about this thy own work S. 2 Qu. 1 First of all I demand whether the things which I have been perswading thee to all along be thy duty and of absolute indispensible necessity in order to thy eternal salvation Or whether you think it an indifferent thing whether you be a true penitent and sound convert or no if you you do if it be of absolute necessity how can you in reason and conscience neglect it if you mean to be saved if it be thought but a matter of lesser moment and a thing indifferent then why Is CHRIST and why are all his ministers and the Scriptures so earnest with thee to reform and why is Satan the world and all the enemies to thy souls happiness so industrious to keep thee in thy sins and in an unreformed and unconverted estate you cannot conclude it a thing indifferent except you make it a thing indifferent whether you be eternally saved or damned eternally O then art thou perswaded of the necessity of reformation set about it speedily neglect it not S. 3 Qu. 2 Whether in good earnest do you not believe that JESUS CHRIST is very much offended and his grace and favour exceedingly abused and the worth of his blood extremely vilified by thee all the while thou continuest in thy wilfull sinning and in despite to his holiness and all he hath done and suffered to redeeme thee from all iniquity to serve him in new obedience all the days of thy life S. 4 Qu. 3 Whether if you refuse to amend and to cast away all your iniquities and become a sincere convert can you have any ground or reason to hope you shall be saved by Christ seeing he himself hath said Except you be converted Mat. 18.3 you cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven S. 5 Qu. 4 Whether do you think that those sins thy self art guilty of either in thought word or actions those thy omissions and commissions if not repented of and pardoned will be any hinderance to thy salvation or dost think that GOD doth esteem of thee never the worse for all thy evil practices but gives thee leave to be as bad as you will and will never call you to an account for all your misbehaviours have you any reason to be perswaded of this or of the contrary you cannot sure be so desperately wicked as to think so wickedly of God and Christ that he should be either pattern or patron of wickedness in any one living S. 6 Qu. 5 Whether do you in your judgment account happier he that continueth still in his sins and vitious course of living and dieth in that estate or he that doth repent betime and lead a godly sober and righteous life and dieth in that state which of these wouldst thou be and in which of these conditions wouldst thou be found when God shall call thee hence to appear at the judgment of the great day surely you cannot but wish you might dye the death of the righteous and fare as a godly man fareth at last Oh then why will you not conclude to live as the godly man liveth now S. 7 Qu. 6 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Whether dost thou not think that the time past of thy life is not enough and too much that thou hast served thy lusts and followed the devices and desires of thy naughty heart is it not now high time forthwith to forsake all sin and to betake thee to an holy life have not Satan sin the world and vanity had too much of thy hearts delight and affections but wilt thou give them yet more and serve them yet longer Alas how long canst thou doe better then to rid thy self of those sins and get clear of them that will slay thee and are ready every moment to make an end of thy daies and happiness together if thou nourish them or spare them or give but way to them S. 8 Qu. 7 Whether you suppose it a blemish or disgrace to thy birth breeding place relations and parts to become a true hearty penitent and holy person a disciple of Christ a child of God and an inheritor of immortall glory and of a vile person made an honorable Saint or is it not much more a blemish disgrace and dishonour to be a servant of sin a slave to Satan an enemy to Christ and a fire-brand of hell as every wicked unregenerate unholy man is is there any honour or credit like that of a Saint or any shame or ignomy like that of a wilfull beastly sinner sure there is not S. 9 Qu. 8 Would you not judge that man hard hearted and obstinate foolish and mad were it not thy own case who doth wilfully continue in sin and impenitency after all those gracious invitations and beseechings from the Lord to return after all those menaces and rebukes for sin after all those cheeks of thine own conscience and convictions of the necessity of reformation would you not deeme that man worthy of damnation that in despite of grace and all saving means will make away his soul and murther himself wilfully doth not he deserve to die eternally that will not receive a pardon upon such conditions as God doth promise a pardon which is that thou shouldest repent and lay down all rebellious thoughts and actions and return to thy obedience to God and his most holy just laws and government S. 10 Surely you would not esteem such an one meet for mercy that doth sin against mercy and that perseveres in wickedness Oh then dear soul let it never be said of thee that thou art the man that dost do so that it never be reported of thee that all the favours mercies and motions of Gods holy Spirit have been cast away upon thee Let it never be said of thee that God would have reformed thee and saved thee but thou wouldst not be reformed nor saved this way by ceasing to do evil Let it not be upon record against thee that all the means as preaching to thee praying for thee reproofs exhortations admonitions counsells calls directions from all the holy messengers of Christ beseeching thee and weeping to thee could never prevail with thee vile sinner with all the pains they
before the Lord as others with an unwilling mind and hast offered to him in Sacrifice the blind and maimed and hypocriticall heart cold and discomposed distracted prayers when thou hast prayed by thy self or with others S. 14 Thou hast it may be hated from the very Heart the strict wayes of holinesse in soul and life and turned from saving admonition as a detestable thing S. 15 Thou hast slighted Gods invitation resisted grace teaching refused Christ reigning reproched and scoffed at the Ministers of Christ earnestly perswading these things thou hast done and in all or some of these cursed courses thou hast continued so long that it is grown to a custom and as naturall to thee to sin in one kind or other every day as to breathe the aire to move eat or drink or sleep is it not S. 16 And to make up thy measure full of wickedness all this while thou hast abused the wonderfull patience mercy and long-suffering of the Lord thy God S. 17 But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against you that commit such things for that they which have committed such things should repent and forsake them all yet do not but adding this to all Rom. 2 v. 4 5 6. that by despising the riches of Gods goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee not to sin or continuance in sin but to repentance but by this thy hardness and impenitent heart treasu est up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every one according to his deeds S. 18 O read and consider well this dreadfull place and see doth it belong to thee art thou such an one as is herein condemned bethink thy self what thou hast been and what thou art what thou hast done consider thy ways and the frame and tendency of thy spirit S. 19 It may be thou hast been guilty in all these wayes of sinning and if thou wert t is pity thy life t is pity such a wretch such a monster should be nourished But alas if thou art in a state of sinning habitually though but in any one kind that were enough to destroy thee for ever and cut thee short of happiness yea although it were which I am past doubt it is not that thou hadst not been notoriously guilty of any of these sins which are the Issues of depraved nature and naturall product of the evill disposition in thee and which are necessarily brought forth in the outward man if not restrained yet if these be frequently in thy thoughts if they be nourished and allowed there t is all one to him who sees the inwards of the Soul and with what company it keeps the Lawes of God reach unto the heart Ps 50.21 Hos 7.2 they are spirituall and Christ rules the inward man as well as the outward dost thou not know that all thy sins where and when committed are upon Record before the Lord S. 20 But if this make thee not yet know thy self then know farther and let this be to thee as it is in it self an eternal Truth a decreed Law That except thou whoever thou art either notoriously bad or seemingly tolerable to thy self be converted reformed so as to leave off in heart and life all thy known sins and lay apart all thy ungodliness and lead an holy sober and righteous life and that to the end thou canst not be saved S. 21 Before Conversion comes before that gracious method of Regenerating souls pass upon thee and thou be reformed and brought out of the state of sinful nature into a state of holy reformation there is no hope for thee of thy salvation Nature and sin note thee a child of Adam Grace and conversion declare thee a child of God and an heir of a glorious Eternity S. 22 Well then thou art either unreformed in whole or reformed but in part to the one all is wanting to the other something is yet lacking to make thee a sound Christian each of you is the person to whom I address my present swasion S. 23 And I hope thou so bad as thou hast been hitherto art not past all cure remediless and I am sure thou art not unless thou still refuse and hardness hath taken up thy heart as a judgment from God I doubt not but through the grace of God in the use of these spiritual means thou mayst of a vile Barbarian become a sound Christian of a child of wrath an heir of glory of a foul sinner a fair Saint if thou be not resolved against thine own happy reformation S. 24 Poor soul thou hast so much to begin withall towards thy saving change thou hast Reason wilt thou let it but work and wilt thou yeeld to reason S. 25 Thou hast Faith some kind of faith wilt thou believe what God by his Word hath revealed of his mind concerning thee and every man in thy case and consent to Truth S. 26 Thou hast Consideration wilt thou be serious and consider wisely for thy self thy own soul how thou mayst become reformed that thou mayst become happy Consider wisely it is thy own concernment it is thy own soul must pay dearly for it if thou art not reformed soundly and speedily it is thy own soul snall reap richly by conversion if thou defer not to come in and give not out until it be completed S. 27 Thou hast now an opportunity put into thy hâ—nd thou art once again called to and perswaded to be reformed wilt thou follow this Call and yeeld ere it be too late Now again it is offered thee Christ is ready and grace is ready grace to assist thee Christ to receive thee the Word of God to guide thee and holy Spirit to convert thee and I thy hearty well-wisher to thy excellent soul do in the Name of Christ earnestly entreat thee Now 't is put to thy choice whether thou embrace it or no now is the acceptable time the day of grace To day therefore O thou that carest for thy soul after so long a time while it is to day for if night come if death come before thy work of conversion be sinished thou must lie down in sorrow and possess an eternity of horrid darkness and woful misery S. 28 Come Man I think thou hast so much Reason so much Faith so much Consideration so much Experience as to understand and believe that thy eternal happiness lieth not here below in this terrestrial world but in Heaven with God above in glory and that thou wert made for some higher end than to live among visible creatures to eat drink work play and sleep sure thou art perswaded there are other things to be looked after by one of an immortal principle than to gather terrene riches and to taste bodily and sensual delights and honors in this present life S. 29 Know excellent Creature know believe thy Creator and
mine hath appointed us for more excellent work and most transcendent happiness S. 30 And this I am perswading thee to seek after and provide for I have no design with thee or upon thee in this business that is low or base but high and noble I come not thus to thee from any earthly Prince to beg or command thy worldly goods but from the King of glory to intreat and command and beseech thee to part with thy shame and misery thy sins and turn to Christ and holiness and to beseech thee that thou wouldest yeeld to be made gloriously happy all the harm I mean thee is that thou mayest be saved and this is the best the very best thing I can wish to thee and my self also and all that I would have thee part with is nothing but that which is worse then nothing and that is sin Which all Gods children are glad at the heart they are rid of and that they are gotten out of the dominions and regions of sin into the Kingdom of Christ and under his rule S. 31 Then that we may reason together to some good purpose be but plain-hearted and honest in this business lay aside all prejudice make no shifts no evasions fear nothing Man if thou meanest to be good and holy in good earnest there are no invincible Giants in the Kingdom of Christianity put on the resolution of a man and thou wilt be victorious mean but as well to thy soul as I do and then to be sure thou wilt be as earnest with God for to reform thee and as carefull to use the means and take the opportunity as I am to perswade thee to it S. 32 Be but as willing to submit to the teaching of grace and to accept of the proffered help from Christ and then shalt thou quickly be rid of thy damning sins and be brought into a holy and saving frame of spirit and course of life S. 33 I observe and so may you that when Christ had a mind to do good and shew a speciall favour to any in distresse And our dear Lord Christ hath still the same mind toward every poor sinner to this day to do him good his first question to such is John 5.6 Mar. 10.51 Wilt thou be made whole And what wilt thou that I should do unto thee And no sooner the poor sinner can find in his heart to be willing to be helped and healed and to seek unto Christ in good earnest but immediately Christ saith I will be thou whole Take up and walk Mat. 8 3. I will be thou clean and the Text saith And immediately his Leprosie was cleansed S. 34 And likwise take notice that the cause why a miserable sinner continues unreformed and under the power of his sins is because he will not hath no mind to be altered doth not earnestly desire it That this is so Jer. 13.27 you may see Jeremiah 13.27 I have seen thy abomination Woe unto thee wilt thou not be made clean when will it once be Ezek. 18.31 32. and Ezek. 18.31 32. I have no pleasure saith God in the death that is damnation of a sinner but rather he should turn and live and that the cause of mens ruine and destruction is from themselves rather then they will turn they will die Why will ye die turn you from all your transgressions why will ye die So likewise our Saviour Christ in John 5.40 tels us why men lose their Souls and happiness Joh. 5.40 it is They will not come unto me that they might have Life S. 35 And I observe also when a man is convinced of the necessity of Salvation and by the consideration of the greatness of his sins and necessity of leaving them all yet the difficulty of conversion and parting with old friends as a sinner thinks his lusts and sins are he cryes out what must I do to be saved Act. 16.30 as the Jaylor did Acts 16.30 Which is the first quere to be made and when a sinner comes to this once to be willing and seriously desirous from his very Soul to be made whole and clean and then earnestly to seek out how he may act that he may be saved then Christ takes him to cure and then directs him by his word and helps him by his Spirit first to Reformation here and then to Salvation hereafter S. 36 Now precious soul is it in thy heart to desire and dost seriously ask what thou shalt do to be saved If so I have it from God to tell thee that thou mayest be saved If thou believe in the Lord Jesus repent thee and turn thee from all thy ungodliness to serve the living God in Righteousness and true holiness from this day to the end of thy life and submit to Reformation in heart and life thou shalt be saved S. 37 Wilt thou submit to Reformation wouldest thou be made clean and be effectually turned from all thy sinfull thoughts and practises O poor sinner art willing S. 38 Then first try thy heart whether in good earnest thou desire it canst thou go in secret and pour out thy soul and utter thy desires before the Lord in this or the like prayer for this very thing that thou mayst be reformed If thou art willing then to be reformed from thy very soul thou canst speak thy Requests to God to help thee through the work and then thou wilt be willing to take up advice and consideration and yeeld to the intreaties and fall upon the practise without more ado speedily without delay if thou canst thus pray from thy heart there is great hope of thy Reformation CHAP. II. The hopefull sinners Prayer S. 1 O Most glorious holy just and gracious Lord God thou who art the knower of hearts and lover of souls thou hast said Ezek. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.4 1 Pet. 3.9 Mat. 9.13 Thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather he should turn and live and art not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and to this end thou hast sent thy dear Son Jesus Christ into the world to call sinners to repentance who gave himself for us that he might redeem poor sinners from all their iniquities and purifie his redeemed ones 2 Cor. 5.20 1 Tim. 4.20 2 Tim. 4.12 thou hast likewise given thy Spirit to sanctifie our hearts and with thy Word to convince and convert such as shall be saved and that poor sinners might be converted and turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God that they might receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified Thou hast appointed thy Ministers to call sinners to invite beseech exhort reprove admonish guide and direct poor sinners to reclaim them to bring them off from their evill wayes and to shew them the way to Heaven and hast promised eternall life to those that obey thee to their lives end and hast
prayest to the eternal Spirit framing to thy self any likeness of God in thy imagination or fancie Whether thou servest the world or any thing in the world with thy dearest affections and desires delighting in them and seeking more them then God If so then art thou deeply tainted with this foul sin of Idolatry Therefore now dear soul be advised if thou findest thy self guilty though but in the least to repent and reform rid thy self of this damning sin which God doth hate and will not tolerate in any one but such as those are determined for hell for all Idolaters are abominable to God 1 Pet. 4.3 and God would have his children keep themselves from IDOLS from the sight and from the service of Idols * n = John 5.21 My little children keep your selves from Idols And now if you will not come off from all Idolatry then see what will befall you you shall be shut out of heaven and shall be shut up in hell †1 Cor. 6.9 Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdome of God Without are Sorcerers and Idolaters Rev. 22.15 which shall never be admitted into the kingdome of heaven Sorcerers and Idolaters shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Phil. 3.19 which is the second death Now judg thee friend whether it doth not neerly concern thee to try thy self whether guilty and then speedily to reform and let fall all thine Idols and serve the living God in spirit sincerity and truth and believe in him and love him with all thy heart mind and strength of soul §. V. Adultery Fornication Effeminateness Buggery Beastiality S. 21 I should not name some of these as the two latter being abominations so much against nature but that the wickedness of some men hath been so great as to abuse themselves with their own sex and abominably defiled themselves with beasts so luxurious have been their lusts like that of Sodom and t is to be feared some to this very day are given to such abominations and have been found out and put to death for such cursed crimes by men and condemned to the fire of Hell for their burning lust this way Now if thou art guilty of such cursed wickedness oh how quickly will the Lord find thee out and how soon will damnation overtake both soul and body Rev. 21.8 The abominable shall burn in Hell shall have their portion in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone S. 22 But not onely such exclude from heaven but also those other acts of unchastity 1. If thou in a married state hast at any time committed folly with any other in lying with any other carnally t is adultery and thou art an adulterer or adulteress yea if it be in thy heart to lust after another and desirest it and delightest in the thoughts of carnall fruition of the party forbidden then our Saviour Christ saith this is adultery whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 hath committed adultery with her in his heart 2. If thou in a single state hast before marriage known any one carnally This is FORNICATION S. 23 3. Under the notion of EFFEMINACIE you are to judge your selves guilty of that when you give your self to venerious lascivious thoughts loose words embracements gestures attires that are alluring and inticing to wantonness and bodily uncleanness when you are contriving with delectation to satisfie those inordinate fleshly lusts and attempt wayes to accomplish that fleshly design such an one that doth so is to be accounted an unchast person and EFFEMINATE S. 24 Now examine thy self whether any of these sins be thy sin art thou guilty of any of these and wilt thou not be humbled at the heart for it that thou hast been so naught so wicked and by and by cast off far from thee all such thy thoughts desires and practices henceforth for ever all these workes of the fleshly appetite abandon speedily and keep thee chaste * Eph. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named among you much lesse practised by any of you S. 25 But if thou hast been so unhappy as to have fallen into any of these sins alas it is too much if thou hast been faulty but once take heed continue not in it under pain of the losse of HEAVEN and punishment of HELL for if but once yet thou art an adulterer or fornicator and without repentance that to a reformation how canst thou hope to escape this sentence for the truth of God speakes it For this you know Eph. 5.5 that no whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God Nor fornicator nor adulterer 1 Cor. 6.9 nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the kingdome of God But their portion lies deep in hell †Rev. 21.8 Whoremongers and the Abominable shall have their part in the lake that burnes with fire brimstone which is the secoud death Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these ADULTERY FORNICATION UNCLEANNESS LASCIVIOUSNESS c. of which I tell you that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of Heaven S. 26 I perswade thee then that thou wouldest strictly examine thy life and heart and try if thou hast been guilty any of these wayes as that the termes of adulterer or fornitator or effeminate belong to thee either in heart or deliberate consent or practice S. 27 Then doe I earnestly intreat thee as thou hopest for pardon from God and to see him with comfort hereafter speedily to betake thy self to an hearty repentance reformation and a sincere amendment and henceforth keep thy vessell pure be chast in thoughs words and refrain consenting to lustfull motions this way and abhorre acting any more so wickedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor Col. 3.5.6 and either seeing lust not or lusting look not but doe as Paul exhorteth Christians to Mortifie therefore the members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affections evil concupiscence For which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Marriage is honorable in all Heb 13.4 and the bed undefiled but WHOREMONGERS and ADULTERERS God will judge §. VI. Drunkenness S. 28 Is drunkenness thy sin and if it be it is a great one and thou art guilty of this sin more ways then one men think themselves for the most part then onely to be guilty when they have drunk to that excesse as to wallow in their vomit and have lost both reason and sences This indeed is to forsake the manhood and to be transformed into a beast and worse for a beast is not capable of sinning by excesse but a man sins wofully in so doing for he breaks a Law of God and sobriety abuseth the creature dishonoreth and debaseth his own soul exposeth himself to shame and scorn and gives a foul
increased I will lay me down in peace c. how comfortably doth he take to his rest when he lyes down in Gods favour And had he kept his sin he had lost his peace and happinesse for you may see a glimpse of the sadnesse of his soul and unquietness in that 51. Psalm when he cryes out O his sin his sin Why David what hast thou done by sining what damage hath fallen on thee by thy sin why you shall see he lost his peace he lost the presence of Gods favour and by this his onely comfort and felicity he had lost The best Jewel in his Crown was dropt out when he lost Gods favour he cryes heartily for mercy the mercy of pardon the mercy of purification and cleaning from the filth of his sin the mercy of his restauration to those joys comforts and happiness he had in Gods favour which then were hid from him which was his misery Purge me and I shall be clean cleanse me from my sin and I shall have joy and gladness again Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation once more See how he mourns and prays and for what is it why t is that his sins may be abolished his guilt pardoned and his comforts restored which he had lost by his folly and which could never be restored but by repentance and leaving off his sin and untill this was gotten he knew he could never see happy day nor enjoy a minute of true comfort in all the world though it had been one paradise of pleasure And thus it will be with every one that goeth on in his sin Ah! at what a loss doth a sinner act and keep his sin And this is my case already and shortly it will be worse with me I know God and my Conscience will not long hold peace and be silent I am sure I must leave my sin or lose my comforts lose my quiet lose my felicity and espouse a quarrel that will admit of no reconciliation if I keep my sins I must never look God in the face more or expect to have the least good look of favour from his grace nor any friendly dealing from my own conscience but must be under perpetuall rebukes and accusations of a wronged conscience and when this comes to pass then farewell happy day no more comfort when God and my own conscience are against me As my sins increase true felicity ceaseth and my comforts wither and decay and alas how sadly doth that poor wretch think on death when it will prove but the execution of a rebell and a changing of this miserable life for an eternity of horror and reproch Ah! let me now consider whether my gain by sin any way will countervail this loss is it not more eligible and should it not be a matter of my choice infinitely rather to enjoy the favour of God and peace and tranquillity of my own conscience then whatever pleasure gain or other emolument might come to my flesh by sinning with the loss of my innocency integrity my happiness in Gods favour and that inward peace which is a continuall feast passing all outward delights whatsoever S. 60 3. Sin doth not onely banish God and happiness from my soul here for a season but the loss goeth higher still by my sin and continuance in it it loseth me the hopes of heaven it disappointeth my expectation of heaven how can I once hope to be saved while I practise those things which would throw me out of Heaven if it were possible for one to think on with delight in heaven how can I with reason conclude I shall be saved and yet live in a course contrary to the promises of salvation Heaven is a place of holiness as well as of happiness and no unclean thing shall enter into it there is not one there nor ever shall be that lived in actuall sin and died out of this world impenitent and unreformed how then can I with any face expect to be saved with my sin when God saith I shall not is heaven at my dispose or at Gods is it not his to give to whom he please can I force in against his will hath he not passed his word that no wicked man nor unrighteous nor adulterers nor whoremonger nor theif nor drunkard nor liar nor any impenitent sinner of any kind shall inherit the kingdome of heaven And shall I think God will revoke his decree and comply with the expectation of any vile sinner against his own truth honour and holiness may I hope to get to heaven whether God will or no no certainly I must leave my sin or leave off to hope any more that I shall be saved I must despair of salvation or I must depart from mine iniquity and get my sins pardoned and soul sanctified by a timely repentance and sound reformation or quit my claim to salvation and let fall my suit and expectation though I seek it beg for it desire it cry for it in my setled course of sinning I shall not find it nor attain it nay though I had to give and would freely give all I have Micah 6.7 8. and ten thousand times more then the whole world is worth to purchase heaven at the end of a vitious life it would not be accounted of it would not open heaven-gate to me it could not procure for me one glimpse of that glory which the Saints enjoy much less that full enjoyment which is laid up for those that repent and believe and live holily here and so persevere to the end of their dayes And now let me consider had I best leave my sin or my claim and hopes of heaven I may not keep both I must forgoe one either my sin here or my happiness hereafter will my sin be a sufficient compensation for the losse of heaven or heaven for the parting with my lusts will a base lust be of greater advantage to thy soul then heaven that thou makest so much of it and so little of salvation canst not brook the thoughts of parting with thy sin and yet canst well enough endure the thoughts of the loss of heaven is sin so pleasing a thing and holiness and heaven so uncomfortable that thou shouldest take such pleasure in unrighteousness and account grace and salvation such a burthen and loss canst thou not sustain with patience the loss of a child a friend the disappointment of a little carnall contentment or to be crossed in thy gratifying a vile lust and canst bear with contentedness the loss of thy God and Saviour thy joy and felicity for ever O sordid stupidity O stupid folly O desperate madness is it imaginable that such a thing as this should ever enter into the heart of any man that hath not forfeited his reason and sold himself to work wickedness or resolved to throw away his soul and undoe himself for ever and resolves to continue in his sin though it be with the loss of his salvation S. 61
not deliver me I am tormented tormented tormented in this flame Oh what an hell is this what company is here what horror is here what anguish do I feel within me what a rack of torture am I upon what trembling of joynts what gnawing of conscience what hellish groanes and moaning accents what harsh affrighting afflicting gnashings within and round about the poor damned sinner what gastly looks what hideous out-crys alas alas who can express the misery of the damned oh to what a wofull pass is an impenitent now brought to where are now his carnall delights where is his worldly greatness and riches gotten by sin and enjoyed in sin what 's become of his joviall company where wretch now is thy presumption and vain hope and foolish confidence and dull security what wouldst give for one minutes ease now which thou wouldst not believe was not to be found in hell or that thou shouldst ever be brought to this case by thy continuance in sin you put then the thoughts of this evil day far from you while the seasonable thoughts thereof in time might have prevented it and now poor wretch thou canst not remove thy thoughts from thy misery now thou wouldst do any thing to release thee but then thou wouldst not hearken â—o do the least matter toward the preventing of this thy misery who can pitty thee who will pitty thee no the time of pitty and mercy from the Lord is gone Qui voluntatem Dâ—â— spâ—â—veâ—â—nt invitantem voluntatem Dâ—i sâ—ntient vindiâ—â—nâ—em Aug. Isai 66.4 24. and gone for ever and thou art lost and lost for ever I will bring their fears upon them saith the Lord Isai 66.4 because when I called none did answer when I spake they did not hear but they did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not And they shall go forth and look upon the carkesses of the men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be queâ—ched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Oh who would live in sin to pay so dear for sinning would any but a prophane Eâ—â—â— sell away his happiness the blessing of heaven to purchase the curse and hell and yet every sinner that goes on in his wickedness doth so he takes up the pleasures of sin for a season and exchangeth for it hâ—aven and undergoes for his short mirth an ETERNALL MISERY S. 68 O stubborn O wilfull O careless sinner wilt thou not yet consider this in time while deliverance may be had while thy damnation may be prevented Now consider this ye that forget God Psal 50 2â— lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Wilt thou rather die eternally then take some paines to turn from thy sinfull courses and live shall it be all in vain that thou art fore-warned will it not be one day all in vain that thou wishest thou hadst been reformed if thou refuse it now O poor soul if thou hast any regard to thy self if thou wilt ever escape the damnation of hell think on it now and sin no more do no more so foolishly 't is enough thou hast done already and too much let it suffice thee and repent thee that thou hast lived so long in that state which will bring thee to thy misery if not speedily reformed let hell the portion of impenitent sinners and its everlasting torments the punishment for such sinners be thought on by thee and quickly quickly without delay come out of that way which leads to this destruction which will infallibly be met withall at the end of a vitious sinfull course S. 69 And now that thou mayst be brought by these considerations to a speedy effectuall and practicall resolution forthwith to leave off every sinfull way that thou hast gone on in sinning which is so odious to God so much against him and so much against thy soul so much against thy happiness and so much to thy losse and damage how should the consideration of all these things work upon thine heart and hasten this resolution and without more adoe bring thee to this conclusion Therefore will I now return now will I no longer abide in my sins I have done too much already if God will accept of me yet I will provoke him no more I would not lose my God my soul my happiness but I will part with my sins all my sins and return no more to folly by the grace of God this will I do I see there is reason I should I see there is a necessity for it if I mean to be happy and I would not be damned but with all my heart I desire to be saved eternally O spara a little good Lord that I may have some space yet to repent Psal 39.13 that I may have some space yet to repent to amend and that I may recover some strength ere go I hence and be no more S. 70 But lest thou shouldest deferre to put this resolution into practise and so suffer thy time to passe away and to put off to another day and for the present rest in thy good resolution which is but the beginning of reformation and will not be accepted without actuall performance and perseverance in the duty I do now in the next place exhort thee to be speedy and resolute in forsaking and casting off all thy transgressions without any further delay To day Heb. 4.7 while it is said to day after so long a time if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts For be the work hard or be it easie done it must be there is a necessity for it sin must be left corruption must be mortified and your life must be reformed ere you die and the present opportunity is the fittest opportunity if not the onely acceptable day And if you are still about to amend and intending to reform and yet do it not but rest in thy almost being resolved and about being resolved you do but flatter your self and lose your time and give sin the head and suffer corruption to take deep root and every days defetting gives God the denial who calls to day and renders the duty more difficult and thy self more sinfull and religion more unpleasing and makes grace more feeble and ineffectual and so putting off from day to day shortly death will come which will not be put off and thy work undone thy sins not left thy lusts unsubdued thy God offended thy soul wronged thy sorrows drawing neer thy appearance in judgment at hand and thou all this while a guilty unholy impure soul summoned to answer for all thy delays and thou then sentenced to misery for thy neglecting thy day of grace and putting away far from thee thy reformation which a long time thou hadst been convinced to be necessary and it may be hast been about it and about it but hast not endeavoured it effectually This is the case of too many
continue to do that which made Adam the first good man and every man since guilty why should I imagine that God will like me well enough though I continue in my sins seeing he never liked them in any since the world began nor will he ever approve of the least as long as the world lasts nor for ever § III. Temptation answered S. 13 There is a third temptation which too much prevails with poor sinners to their hurt 3. Tempt keeping men in a carnall security and dangerous delay a sinner is convinced that he must repent and leave off his sins some time or other ere he die yet still puts it off and thinks within himself being deluded by a deceitfull heart That the time is not yet come I may as well reform hereafter many have lived I hope longer in their sins then I have done and yet have proved true penitents and I have heard of one theif that at the hour of his death upon the crosse repented and was accepted and therefore I need not be so holy yet I hope I have time enough and God hath as much mercy in store for me as for 〈…〉 and why may not I be as well accepted 〈◊〉 the thief on the crosse at last S. 14 A man may quickly answer to this and repell the temptation thus Answ that besides the unmannerliness of giving GOD the deniall when he calls thee to repentance and that impudency and madness which is in every plea and suggestion for countenance of and continuance in sinful practises against all reason conscience and religion there is I say besides that a great deal of folly and presumption in this temptation S. 15 As 1. you think the time for repentance and amendment not yet come why can any sinner repent too soon have you not more reason to fear the time of acceptance may be past then that the time of reformation should not yet be hath not God long enough born with thee already hast thou not put his intreaties off long enough am I sure of an other day after this or of acceptance when I please are the days and times of grace in thy power would a man that hath drunk poyson say to his Physitian I am poysoned and begin to swell and I fear my death and you have onely that which may help and recover me yet I desire you to forbear a day or two and let me alone I le try whether I may not do well enough without your physick and that onely remedy which is proper for one in my case do you think such a one did much regard his life that would deal so imprudently certainly every sinner that doth put off repentance and reformation dealeth worse and more foolishly with his soul though he means to be saved for sin is a poison which hath seased on the vitals and nothing but true repentance can help a sinner and yet wilt thou put this off Oh how hath sin bewitched thee is not the time come yet for remedy and yet now this present time even this moment thou art infected and even drawing on and expiring thy last S. 16 2. You think you may reform as well hereafter as now and you hope many that have lived longer then you and have resisted as many calls as you and given as many denialls as you and have sinned against as much knowledg as you have proved true penitents for all at last S. 17 How easily may sober wisdome repell and quickly stifle this foolish imagination Answ As WELL HEREAFTER and why not as well now as then now thou mayst do it hereafter thou mayst not do it the present opportunity is safer if not better and would not a wise man chuse the safest and the best nay this present is the time thou once resolvest on when formerly thou didst resolve upon hereafter O how many hereafters are come and past already with thee sinner and yet hast thou still an hereafter to count upon shortly thou wilt not have a hereafter to reckon upon unless you mean to reform and repent in hell which is indeed the hereafter for a now delaying and lingering sinner but be perswaded to cast out that foolish thought and let not God and the necessities of thy soul have any more of that go and come again to morrow there hath been too much of that already S. 18 And if you hope that sinners that have delayed longer then you have found true repentance at last S. 19 Pray consider 't is but a supposition how can you tell that they have O 't is a question and a thousand to one whether any such presumptuous sinner that gave Gods grace and reformation the deniall so often ever found true repentance or acceptance If repentance and reformation were finishable in a day or hour or in a few sad words and sorrowing expressions then there were some more probability but untill that can be made clear which I am sure never yet could be to me that a late and death-bed repentance and wish of conversion was ever sound and saving after a vitious life I shall never hope it will availe for my self if I put off purposely my amendment untill then God forbid I should S. 20 And to that of the thief upon the crosse I am sure that is not my case nor any mans case that lives in sin impenitent after all the Gospel-calls discoveries rebukes and admonitions 1. For who can tell whether he was not converted and brought to repentance while in priâ—on as soon as he heard of Christ and was moved to it by the spirit of God and on the crosse onely made a confession and declaration of his faith in Christ and sorrow for sin or 2. can I tell whether that were not the first call and opportunity ever was offered unto him and he took it this is not the first to thee and me by many and shall I think to fare as he did at the last that every day despise that which he accepted when first offered or 3. How can I tell whether ever I shall ever have so long a time and Christ so neer me as he had while on the tree I may be taken away suddenly and I am sure Christ will not again die on the crosse or come in the flesh to do such a miracle at his death as to convert and save a sinner in the same day or if it were possible to be imagined yet would it not be a hopeless expectation to think that Christ should come again to save any more sinners with a miracle seeing he hath appointed with no lesse then a miracle of mercy salvation now upon the account of true faith in him and sound repentance from sin and an holy reformation and by no other devise nor by any other means to be expected S. 21 And why should any thing prevail with me to delay my duty seeing this example you bring is no example for thee nor me or if it be '