in his word hath directed you to walk Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts even all Sins against the first and second Table living soberly towards yourselves righteously towards man and godly towards the Lord in this present world Observe and keep all his Commandements Yield and present your selves both Souls and Bodies living Sacrifices unto him Whether you live live unto the Lord or whether you dye dye unto the Lord that whether you live or dye you may be the Lords So live and walk also as Christ hath given you an Example Walk as Christ walked Walk in love as Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us a Sacrifice an offering unto God for a sweet smelling Savour Walk in Love towards Iesus Christ as to love him beyond Father Mother Sister Brother or your own dearest lives For he hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own blood Walk in all well doing as Christ went about doing good every where and imitate him also in innocent and patient suffering for well doing commitâ—ing your selves and your Cause to him that judgeth righteously for herein he hath left us an Example that we should follow his steps 7. Remember the Lords-day-Sabbath the first day of the week unto which the seventh-day-Sabbath was translated by the Authority of Christ as appears by the after observation of that day by the Apostles and Apostolical Churches to keep it holy This is the Princess and Queen of all dayes This is the Glory of all the week For As on this day our blessed Saviour Rose from the dead triumphing victoriously over Death Grave Sin and all our Spiritual Enemies and thereby assured us of our Spiritual and Corporeal Resurrection by him As on this day our Saviour vouchsafed many of his apparitions to his Disciples instructing them and giving them commandements concerning the Kingdom of God On this day the Holy Ghost was most miraculously poured forth upon the Apostles On this day the Apostles and primitive Churches held their solemn Assemblies for the publick worship of God This is the solemn Mart and Market day for furnishing our Souls with all manner of Spiritual and Heavenly Provisions This is that Solemn Season and sweet opportunity which Christ hath afforded and ordained for acquainting us with Himself and the Mysteries of his Kingdom for maintaining our Communion with him in his Ordinances for edifying and perfecting of us in all Spirituals And as in the time of the Old Testament The Sacrifices of the Sabbath-day were to be double to those on the week day So our Spiritual Sacrifices on the Lords-days are to be twice so much as on any other day of the week Especially in Prayer and thanksgiving in Reading the Scriptures in Hearing the word preached in Partaking the Lords Supper in Catechizing in Shewing Mercy to the poor c. that so the sacred tincture and impressions of this day may remain fresh and lively upon your hearts all the week following 8. Let every day of the week be managed by you in a Christian sort To that End Be sure to present unto the Lord your Morning and Evening-Sacrifice of prayer and praise to God continually as God of Old appointed a Morning and Evening Sacrifice for every day in the week Holy David and Daniel Prayed thrice in a day Every day open with God in the morning and shut with God in the Evening by some religious ejaculation or savourly meditation Read daily some portion of Holy Scripture to keep up your acquaintance with God with Iesus Christ and his Spirit and the mysteries of true Religion And then follow the lawful affairs of your honest particular Calling diligently and righteously 9. Do ye Remember your Creator in the days of your youth while the evil dayes of old age come not nor the years draw nigh when ye shall say we have no pleasure in them Gods Eminent Saints have sought the Lord betimes and addicted themselves unto Godliness while they were young As David that man after Gods own heart while he was but a Youth Josiah that Phaenix King of Iudah while he was yet young but sixteen years old began to seek after the God of David And Timothy so highly commended by the Apostle Paul knew the Holy Scriptures from a Child Gr. from his insancy God in the time of the Law called for the first ripe fruits of the field and the firstlings of the flock to be offered unto him to teach his people how acceptable the first-fruits of our youth and life are to God O how happy are they that bear the yoke of Christ in their youth Hereby the flower of their age is best improved Hereby thousands and ten-thousands of sins are prevented Hereby they gain the longer time for walking with God for growing in grace for doing of good for increasing of Spiritual Experiences for treasuring up of Evidences and assurances of their Salvation and of preparing themselves for Heaven and eternal Glory 10. Herein alwaies exercise your selves to have a Conscience void of offence both towards God and Man That so living in all good conscience before God This may be matter of singular comfort and rejoycing to you in your greatest afflictions and distresses the Testimony of your Consciences that in simplicity and godly sincerity you have had your Conversation in the world 11. Imploy and improve to the utmost all the Times and Talents wherewith the Lord hath intrusted you to his Glory your own or others Benefit That when the time of reckoning shall come he may both command you and richly reward you and not condemn and punish you with that wicked sloathful and improfitable Servant 12. Hold fast the Platt-form of Sound words in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus That so you may not be carryed aside with every wind of false doctrine but may be the Children of the Truth And to this End constantly retain in your Memories the Catechisme wherein you have been trayned up now a long time together For this is an excellent Brevial or Sum of the true Christian Religion very useful to direct you both in the Faith and Practice in the right wayes of God against error and iniquity 13. Stand not at a stay much less go backward in the affairs of Religion But still grown in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Take heed of backsliding Having put your hand to Christs plow Look not back For then you will be unfit for the Kingdome of God Be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord Be faithful to the death and christ will give you a Crown of Life 14. Love God Father son and Holy Ghost over
4. 3 While thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a son or Child of Disobedience Gr. of Vnpersuadeableness Eph. 2. 2. who are most disobedient to God Christ and his Spirit Unperswadeable by his word Promises c. to repent believe c. 4 While thou art acted and energetically wrought upon by the Spirit that is the Prince of the Power of the a yr Ephes. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit now energetically-working or effectually working He effectually works in such when he prevails with his Temptations over them when he attains his will upon them c. 5 While thou art resolvedly set and determined willfully to do the lusts of the Devil Ioh. 8. 44. 6 While thou art held in the Snare of the Devil and held Captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taken alive It seems to be a Metaphor from Captains and Conquerors who in war take their Enemies alive carry them away in triumph and use them as they please Or from Huntsmen who take their Prey wild beasts alive and do with them as they list So Satan deals with the Natural man while under his power he wholly enters him orders him acts him by his Suggestions as he will 12. If thou art dead in Sins and Trespasses and not as yet quickned by Christ Eph. 2. 1. 5. Col. 2. 13. thou art hitherto in thy Sinful and wretced State of Nature To be dead in Sin and Trespasses is to be Spiritually dead while thou art Naturally alive And art not thou Spiritually dead Are not the Tokens of Spiritual Death clearly upon thee 1 Art not thou quite destitute of the Fountain and Root of all Spiritual life to the Soul Christ is the Fountain of all Spiritual Life being united to the Soul by Faith Gal. 2. 20. Ioh. 11. 25 26. As the Soul is the Fountain of Natural Life being uâ—â—ted to the body the body is dead when without the Soul Iam. 2. 26. So the Soul is dead in every Natural man while he is without Christ. Eph. 2. 1. 5. 12. 2 Art thou not wholly destitute of any spiritual sense rightly to discern and receive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10 11 12 14. And where there 's no Soul there 's no life 3 Art thou not utterly destitute of Spiritual Breath viz. The sacred breathings of strong cryes and groans â—ervent desires and prayers crying Abba Father This is their breath that are spiritually alive Rom. 8 15. 26 27. No sooner was Saul converted and quickned by Christ but the Lord told Ananias behold he prayeth Act 9. 11. Breath and Life come and go together Gen. 2. 7. Psal. 104. 29. If thou art without this spiritual breathing this Spirit of Prayer thou art without the Spirit of Life from Christ and remainest dead in Sin 4 Art thou not without all vital Heat and Spirit warmth of heart desire love and all good affections towards God Christ his people and his wayes and even stone-cold as to all matters of Religion Devotion divine Worship as carnal men use to be Rev. 3. 15 16 Then thou art not only mortally â—ick but quite dead in Sin stretched-out and ready to be buried in the infernal pit As where there 's Natural warmth in the body there 's life where nothing but Coldness there 's Death 13 If thou art still an habitual worker of iniquity A Tradesman in sin Thou art still in thy Natural state and Condition Such Christ will not at all own but eternally reject at the last day Mat. 7. 23. â—Tis one thing to sin or slip into sin accidently another to trade in sin constantly habitually and to yield up his members as tools of unrighteousness unto Sin Rom. 6. 12 13. c. 14 Finally Thou art still in thy meer Natural sinful state if in the whole course of thy life thou walkest according to the Course of this World The Lusts and wills of the Flesh The suggestions Temptations and operations of the Devil All such are dead in sin and by Nature Children of wrath See all this most fully in Eph. 2. 1 2 3. III. Direction COnsider often with all Serâ—â—usness D Natural Man That living and dying in this thy Sinful and wretched Condition of Nature thou 〈◊〉 utterly lost both Body and Soul for evermore And caust not expect any other portion after this present momentary Life than everlasting Torments in unquenchable Fire with the Devil and his Angels Compare diligently Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. Luk. 13. 3. 5. and Ioh. 3. 36. with Mat. 25. 41. to the end Luk. 16. 24. Iude 7. Math. 9. 43 44. As was formerly intimated Here therefore O Sinful and wretched Natural Man I beseech thee let these 2 things sink deep into thine heart viz. 1. That Thou living and dying in this thy Natural State shalt certainly perish both Body and Soul in Everlasting torments in Fire Prepared for the Devil and his Angels Math. 25. 41. For 1. If thou livest and diest in thy Natural State of Sin Thou livest and diest Without Christ and without Hope Eph. 2. 1. 2. with vers 12. Christless and Hopeless And therefore Hopeless because Christless For Jesus Christ is our Hope i. e. The sure foundation of all our Hope of Salvation 1. Tim. 1. 1. What Christless How then canst thou be saved Who ever was or can be saved without Christ Act. 4 11. 12. And Hopeless too yes For who can once expect or look for Salvation by Christ without Hope 2. If thou livest and diest in thy Sinful and wretched state of Nature Then thou livest and diest a most Cursed Creature Gal. 3. 10. and A Child of wrath even as others Eph. 2. 1. 2. 3. what Cursed For what For that thou continuest not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. because thou doest not perform as is thy duty perfect perpetual personal obedience to all things in Gods Law which nor thou nor any meer man since Adam's Fall could ever perform 2 To what art thou cursed 1. To pains of Loss and Sense Mat. 25. 41. Depart ye cursed There 's pains of Loss Depart from Christ from the only Redeemer Gal. 3. 13. From the only All-sufficient Saviour Heb. 7. 25. From the one only Mediator betwixt God and man 1 Tim. 2. 5. From the only way unto the Father Ioh. 14. 6. From the hope and consolation of Israel c. 1 Tim. 1. 1. Luk. 2. 25. Oh! who can so depart from Christ and that for ever and not be cursed 2. To pains of Sense Depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels What into fire What is more sharp and tormenting to the Sense then fire Into everlasting fire Then no hopes of relaxation or deliverance thence after millions and ten thousand millions of years c. Everlasting kills the soul. Oh! who can dwell with everlasting burnings Into everlasting fire prepared
the Houshold of Faith Restrain not Prayer but pray continually with groans that cannot be uttered by the assistance of the Spirit Have no fellowship at all with Sin and Satan nor any needless fellowship with any workers of iniquity Eph. 5. 11. Psal. 1. 1. and 26. 4 5. Psal. 119. 115. Walk not disconsolately and dejectedly but in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. Be abundantly contented in all conditions allotted thee by God Fully expect good by the worst of afflictions that may befall thee and be ever carefull to keep thy Hopes and Evidences for Heaven firm and clear that when thou comest to die thou maist lift up thine head and triumph that thy Redemption and celestial Coronation with Christ draweth nigh XXI Direction WRastle also most vlgorously O thou that wast Natural but art spiritualized wast dead but art alive again against all thy sins spiritual enemies and their temptations Heb. 12. 4. Col. 3. 5. to 12. Eph. 6. 11. to 19. for all time to come that they may none of them in the least measure eclipse any of these thy spiritual Priviledges or embitter any other thy sweet enjoyments Holy David by his lapses brought many deep wounds and scarrs upon his Conscience Psal. 51. 3 8. some of which he probably carried to his Grave Loving and confident Peter by his triple denial of his Lord and Master Christ purchased to himself a torrent of bitter tears Mat. 26. 75. The Ephesian Angel by leaving his first love and first works was so offensive thereby to Christ that he threatned the removal of his Candlestick Revel 2. 4 5. The Church her self by her carnal sluggishness and security lost her sweet Communion with Christ for a season and was involved in deep spiritual distress Cant. 5. 2. to 9. Be thou warned by their examples which are written for thine admonition lest through thy spiritual oscitancy and sluggishness thou bring upon thy self like spiritual calamities and so far wound thy Conscience as to go bleeding to thy Grave XXII Direction EXpress upon all good occasions all possible tenderness of heart and bowels of compassion towards those that yet remain in the first Adam in their sinful state of Nature unregeâ—erate especially towards thy kindred according to the flesh using all good endeavours to convince convert and gain them to Christ that they as well as thy self may be eternally saved Luke 22. 32. Rom. 10. 1. and 9. 1 2 3. Acts 9. 20 with 1 Cor. 9. 19. to 23. For 1. Even thou thy self wast sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating others Tit. 3. 3. An enemy to God by wicked works Col. 1. 21. Yea dead in sins and trespasses c. and a child of wrath as well as they or any of them Eph. 2. 1 2 3. But God who is rich in mercy hath saved thee by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 4 5 6 7. Hast thou then experimentally felt the Wormwood and the Gall of thy Natural state of sin and misery And dost thou not commiserate such poor souls as are still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8. 23. Hast thou had the sweet experience of the riches of Gods free-Grace and Love in restoring thee from death to life from thy Natural state of sin and misery into a supernatural state of sanctity and felicity And do not thy bowels yearn within thee after other lost souls especially those of thy kindred that they also may be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. 2. Are not their souls as well as thine own very precious O Consider 1. Their immortal Constitution which no Creature can kill or destroy Matth. 10. 28. 2. The invaluable price paid for their Restitution even the most precious blood and death of Jesus Christ the only Son of God 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. 3. The incomparable and transcendent value which the wisdome of God himself puts upon the soul as being of far more worth then the whole world Matth. 16. 26. And then think with thy self Shall not I endeavour to hinder the eternal loss and to promote the eternal salvation of such precious souls 3. What advantage will redound in sundry respects if God bless thine endeavours to the convincing and converting of their souls to Christ For Hereby 1. Thou shalt save a soul from death Jam. 5. 19 20. And what a great what a glorious work is it to have an hand in saving a soul from deathâ— 2. Thou shalt hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5. 19 20. Even an heap a sink a dunghil of hundreds and thousands of sins thou shalt hide from the revenging eye of God by Christs righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 20 21. 3. Thou shalt occasion great joy in Heaven among the blessed Angels of God who exceedingly rejoyce at the Conversion of sinners Luke 15. 7 10 22 23. 4. Finally Thou shalt hereby not a little further thine own eternal felicity Deut. 12. 3. Thou therefore commiserate thy Brethren in their sinful and wretched state of Nature as thy God hath in thy like condition had compassion on thee Canst thou lend an hand to pluck a Beast out of the mire or a Sheep out of a pit and wilt thou not lend an hand to help poor lost souls out of the mire of sin snares of Satan and pit of eternal destruction O warn them convince them counsel them exhort them rebuke them lament them pray for them weep over them do any good for them that thou maist by any means gain and save their souls XXIII Direction YIeld with all enlarged thankfulness all possible Praise Love and Obedience unto God and unto the Lamb who hath loved thee of the riches of his free-Grace before the world began who in fulness of time hath ransomed thee by the invaluable price of his death and in due time hath washed thâ—e from thy sins in his own blood aâ—d in the Laver of Regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost Eph. 1. 3 4 5 6. 1 Iohn 4. 19. Gal. 4. 4 5. 1 Tim. 1. 15. and 2. 5 6. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20 Rev. 1. 5. Tit. 3. 4 5 6 7. For 1. Thou oughtest to be thankful for all Gods blessings of all sorts the least of them being beyond yea contrary to thy deserts Eph. 5. 20. Col. 3. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 18. with Gen. 32. 10. but especially for those choicest spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Eph. 1. 3. Psal. 103 1 2 3. 2. The reality and sincerity of thy thankfulness will inwardly best approve it self in thy cordial affection and unâ—eigned love towards thy gracious God and Jesus Christ for all his love and all the fruits of his love in Christ. Kindness begets thankfulness and love breeds love as fire begets fire 1 Iob. 4. 19. Thus when
combing thine head entring the flesh may make thy death's wound as it befel Ruffinus the Consul A Needle thrust into thy brest by a child born in thiue arms may hasten thy death as it befel Lucia the Daughter of Aurelius And when Death hath severed soul and body what shall become of thy soul Shall it ascend or descend Shall it live or shall it die c. O never think that thou who livedst and diedst without God in this world shall after death ascend to God or live with God in the world to come 7. Thou in thy Natural state canst not escape the damnation of Hell but shalt have part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death there to be excruciated with torments numberless easeless remediless and endless Mat. 23. 33. Rev. 21. 8. Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 2. 17. Mat. 25. 41 46. Iude verse 7. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25. 30. There their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Mar. 9. 43 44. There not one drop of water from the top of a finger shall be vouchsafed to cool a tormented tongue Luk. 10. 24 25 26. There thou shalt have pain of loss and pain of sense There thou shalt have plenty and penury plenty of torment penury of comfort There will be Amissio Coeli The miss of Heaven which was often tendered thee but thou didst refuse Privatio Terrae The loss of Earth which thou hadst but couldst not keep Positio Inferni The Position of Hell which thou shalt have and canst not be delivered from it There will be universality extremity eternity of unpityed misery upon thy soul and body without the least alteration mitigation and cessation Oh wretched Natural man Might thy torments in Hell be brought to an end after so many millions of years as there are Stars in Heaven Atomes in the Air Dust in the Earth Drops in the Sea Grass-piles on the ground or as there have been moments of time since time begun it would be some comfort to thee in enduring them some hope of being delivered from them But this eternity of Death and Torments will quite break thy heart would make the very stinging of Ants and Fleas intolerable Eternity is the very Hell of Hell One said O deadly life O immortal death What shall I term thee Life And wherefore then dost thou kill Death And wherefore then dost thou endure There 's neither life nor death but hath something good in it for in life there is some ease and in death an end but thou hast neither ease nor end What then shall I stile thee Even the bitterness of both for of death thou hast the torment without any end and of life the continuance without any ease God hath substracted both from life and from death all that is good the residue he hath mixed together and therewith tempered the torments of Hell O bitter Cup which all sinners impenitent shall drink at Gods hand This this O Natural man is a brief shadow of thy sinful and wretched condition by Nature But the one half the tenth part is not told thee O How can thine heart hold from breaking thine eyes from dropping thy bowels from turning within thee How canst thou eat or drink with any comfort How canst thou slumber or sleep one night in quiet How canst thou possess or go about any worldly thing with delight whilst thou art ingulfed in this sinful and woful Natural condition II. Direction BE clearly and fully convinced in thy Conscioâ—ce O Natural man That thou still remainest in this thy sinful and wretched condition un-converted un-regenerate un-renewed until this present day That thou art still in the first Adam and not as yet transplanted into Christ the last Adam That thou art still in thy sinful and miserable state of Nature and not hitherto translated into an holy and happy state of Grace That thou art in thy sins still 1 Cor. 15. 17. Thou art in the flesh still Rom. 8. 8. Thou art dead in sins and trespasses still Eph. 2. 1 5. Col. 2. 13. Thou art in darkness and very darkness it self still 1 Ioh. 2. 9 11. Eph. 5. 8. Thou art an enemy to God still Rom. 8. 6 7. Col. 1. 21. Thou art wholly displeasing to God still Rom. 8. 8. Finally That thou art in thy cursed and damned state still Gal. 3. 10. Ioh. 3. 18 36. Here therefore I shall offer to thee chiefly two things for thy most serious consideration viz. I. That it is most necessary for thee O Natural man to be throughly convinced That thou still remainest in thy most sinful and wretched state of Nature even until now For 1. Vntil thou beest throughly convinced O Natural man that thou still remainest in thy sinful and wretched state of Nature thou wilt be apt to flatter thy self into a fond and groundless imagination that thou art in a good spiritual state towards God especially if thou hast been kept by Gods common restraining grace from grosser sins and hast been exercised in some outward acts of Religion and righteousness Thus the un-convinced Pharisee though in his un-justified Natural state had an high opinion of his good spiritual state beyond other men and beyond the Publican and bragg'd of it even in his prayer to God because he avoided some gross sins and practised some outward duties Luk. 18. 9. to 15. Thus Paul before his conviction and conversion thought himself alive once without the Law by reason of his outward unblameableness legal priviledges and external exercises of Religion but when the Commandement came and convinced him sin revived and he died Compare Rom. 7. 9. with Phil. 3. 4 5 6. Thus the Laodicean Angel had an high opinion of his own good estate till Christ convinced him of the contrary and taught him the right way of bettering his condition Rev. 3. 16 17 18 19. The Natural man's self-opinionateness of his good estate seals him up incurably in his bad estate Many might have attained to a great degree of Christianity if they had not presumed themselves to be Christians good enough already 2. Vntil thou art fully convinced O Natural man that thou still remainest in thy sinful and wretched state of Nature thou wilt never be kindly humbled for nor become weary of thy Natural state Without conviction there 's no true sence of sin and misery without true sence of sin and misery who will be humbled for it or weary of it Conviction How did it humble Manasses 2 Chron. 33. How did it abase Paul Act. 9. Who can clearly see his own Natural sinfulness and wretchedness and not abhor himself as in dust and ashes Zech. 12. 10 c. 3. Vntil thou beest kindly convinced of thy present sinfulness and wretchedness by Nature thou wilt never seriously and sincerely seek out for supernatural remedy When Peter's Hearers were convinced and pricked in heart then they presently repair to the Apostles saying Men and
Prepared by God Tophet is ordained of old 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. 33. And if God have prepared it whose wisdom power justice wrath c. are infinite how dreadful is that Preparation No men Angels or Creatures can make such Preparation Prepared for the Devil and his Angels Oh what a dreadful preparation must that needs be What To be everlastingly racked with the Devil and his Angels the worst of all society To be everlastingly tormented in fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels What an aggravation will this be of these infernal fiery torments No torments in the world like these torments 3. And by whom art thou and shalt thou be thus dreadfully cursed By the glorious and living God in his Word Gal. 3. 10. And by the Lord Jesus Christ at the great day Mat. 25. 41. O dismal soul-damning Curse What Natural man so dying can escape it or endure it Whom God and Christ curseth they are cursed whom God and Christ blesseth they are blessed indeed 3. If thou livest and diest in thy sinful and wretched state of Nature Thou wilt be eternally shut out from God Christ and all the Blessed Saints and Angels unto the Devil his Angels and Reprobates from Heaven to Hell from light to darkness from joy to grief from mercy to misery from happiness to unhappiness from life to death from all good into a conflux of all evil Compare Mat. 18. 3. Ioh. 3. 3 5. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. with Mat. 23. 33. Rev. 21. 8. Mat. 25. 41 46. II. That There 's weighty cause why these thoughts and Considerations should strike deep into thy heart and dwell there For 1. This Life is the only season and seed-time of grace for obtaining of salvation and preventing of damnation Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the time of repenting turning to God believing in Christ of laying up for our selves treasures in Heaven c. Act. 17. 30. Eccl. 12. 1. Mat. 6. 20. Therefore to day if thou wilt hear his voice harden not thy heart Heb. 3. 7 8 15. Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou gâ—est Eccl. 9. 10. As the Tree falls to Heaven or Hell so it will lye till the last day 2. This present life of thine which is the only seed-time of grace and salvation is most frail and short Thou hast here no continuing City happy wert thou didst thou by faith unfaigned seek one to come A City that bath foundations whose builder and maker is god Heb. 3. 13 14. with 11. 9 10. We are all strangers before God and sojourners as all our Fathers were 1 Chron. 29. 15. Man born of a woman is but short of dayes and full of trouble Job 14. 1. Mans Life is of no long computation at most in ordinary dispensation but 70 or 80 years Psal. 90. 10. And what 's that to eternity Thy Life is but a few years Job 16. 22. Moneths of number Job 14. 5. A fâ—w and evil dayes Gen. 47. 9. An Hirelings day which at most is but 12 hours Iob 14. 6. As nothing before God Surely every max at his best estate is altogether vanity Selah Psal. 39. 5. O with what pathetical similitudes doth the Holy Ghost represent the vanity and brevity of mans Life Mans Life here is but a vapour appearing and disappearing Iam. 4. 14. A wind that blows and goes Iob 7. 7. A flower that flourisheth and fades Psal. 103. 16 17. Iob. 14. 2. A fable or tale told almost as soon forgot as told Psal. 90. 9. A flood speedily flowing night and day never returning Psal 90. 5. A watchin the night but 3 hours long Psal. 90. 4. A sleep insensibly gone Psal. 90. 5. A shadow or show without substance and reality Iob. 14. 2. Psal. 39. 6. Such is thy Life O Natural man thy day spends apace thy night hastens wherein thou canst not work Up and be doing The journey to Heaven is a long and difficult way to fit thy self for Heaven is a great work Lose not an inch a moment of time lest it be too late This day is thy flourishing to morrow may be thy funeral So it was with that graceless fool Luk. 12. 20. This night thou sleepest in thy bed ere many nights come thou maist sleep in thy grave And then if thy heavenly work be not done thou art eternally undone 3. Thy Death is sure Heb. 9. 27. Iob 14. 5. 2 Sam. 14. 14. The dismal winter doth not more certainly pursue the summer and autumn the darksome night not more infallibly and speedily drive away the day then thine unexpected Death will thy momentany Life Thy Death is then most certain and most uncertain thing in the world most certain that it will come most uncertain when where how it will come upon thee Thy last day is concealed from thee that every day it may be expected by thee Be alwayes in readiness for God and Christ lest Death surprize thee and so thou be shut out with the 5 foolish virgins and the impenitent thief Mar. 25. 10 11 12. Luk. 23. 39 40 41. 4. Upon thy Death O Natural man Gods impartial judgement and infernal torments will immediately pass upon thy soul Heb. 9. 27. Luk. 16. 22 23 24. And upon both body and soul at the great day of the LORD Mat. 25. 41 46. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. And Oh how intolerable incurable and undeterminable will they be as hath been intimated 5. Finally It were a thousand pities that thy precious and immortal soul O' Natural man should ever come into that place of torments For 1. Was not thy sould a spark of immortality which no mortals nor meer creatures can possibly kill and destroy Mat. 10. 28. 2. Was not thy soul in its first Creation the principal receptacle and subject of the blessed Image of God Gen. 1. 26 27. 3. Is not thy soul still the seat of all thy reason understanding sense motion strength beauty c. and the very rise and guide of thy whole body without which it is no better than a dead senseless helpless useless worthless organized lump of earth 4. Is not thy soul thy most precious jewel of more true worth and invaluable consequence to thee then any thing in the world then the whole world besides Christ who best knew the souls true value said What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Mat. 16. 26. And wilt thou hazard this thy precious soul unto infernal torments for ever for a few rotten pleasures of sin for a season Now then O Natural man think seriously of all
Repenters do not so much forsake sin as sin forsakes them 5. While Repentance is delay'd the sinner treasureth up unto himself the greater pile of wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 5. 5. Thy life is short but Believing and Repenting are a great and long work He that hath much work to do a long journey to go had need to neglect no time but to be up early and doing For What is thy life A vanishing vapour Iam. 4. 14. A wind that passeth Iob. 7. 7. A blast or puff of breath Isa. 2. 22. A flower flourishing and fading Psal. 103. 15 16. A tale told Psal. 90. 9. Grass now growing now withering Psal. 103. 15. A flood still flowing away never returning Psal. 90. 5. As yesterday when it is past Psal. 90. 4. An hand-breadth Psal. 39. 5. A watch in the night but three hours long Psal. 90. 4. A shadow Iob 14. 2. A sleep Psal. 90. 5. An image or show Psal. 39. 6. Nothing and altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. Now Believing and Repenting are great and long works None can believe or repent but such as are regenerate by the Spirit of God Iohn 1. 12 13. By Believing we must know Christ savingly Isa. 53. 11. Iob. 17. 3. Must assent to Gods Record touching Christ fully Ioh. 3. 33. 1 Ioh. 5. 11 12. Must embrace the Promises and accept Christ in the Promises Heb. 11. 13. Iohn 1. 12. Must purifie the heart Acts 15. 9. Must conquer the world 1 Iohn 5. 4. Must quench the fiery darts of the Devil Eph. 6. 16. And must live by it upon Christ continually Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 2. 20. Are these easie things Repentance turns from darkness to light from the Power of Satan to God Acts 26. 18. Tends continually to mortifie and crucifie sin Rom. 8. 13. Col. 3. 5. And to perfect holiness in Gods fear 2 Cor. 7. 1. Tit. 2. 12 13. 6. Death is most certain that it will come Heb. 9. 27. Sam. 14. 14. Psal. 49. 6 7 8 9. and 89. 98. Most uncertain when where or how it will come whether in youth man-hood or old age in the evening midnight Cock-crowing or day-break watch Mark 13. 35. Therefore seeing thou knowest not the year day nor hour of thy death thou hast need to be prepared for it every day every hour So true is that Verse Mors certa est incerta dies hora agnita nulli Extremam quare quamlibet esse puta I may thus English it Frail Man most certain is thy death Uncertain is the day None knows the hour of his last breath Then look for it alway In this respect Angustine's Advice is very good Let every one wholesomely think of his last day It is Gods mercy that man knows not when he shall die Man's last day is concealed from him that every day may be observed by him What Housholder is there that being certainly informed that such a week or such a night thieves will assault his house but at what hour is wholly uncertain will not prepare and watch every night lest his house be broken thorow and robbed Or what condemned Malefactor being assured that in a short time he shall certainly die on what day he is wholly uncertain but will make it his serious work to prepare for his death that he may die penitently And wilt noâ— thou O sinful mortal Soul who knowest thy death is certain the time when uncertain endeavour by speedy and sincere Repentance and Faith to prepare for dying well Especially considering That after death this work of Repenting and Believing hath no place no such work is to be done in the grave Eccl. 9. 10. There thine heart can send forth no sighs thine eye no tears thy tongue no confession c. in reference to thy sins There there is no knowledge assent or application of Faith to be exerted in reference to the Promises or Christ. But as the Tree falls so it lyes unalterably towards Heaven or Hell As soon as a man dies there is a great gulf fixed so that there 's no altering of his present condition from better to worse or from worse to better Luke 16. 26. 7. Finally O Natural man Repent now believe in Christ now or never 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. Heb. 3. 7. to 16. Isa. 55. 7. Eccl. 9. 10. 1. Now embrace the acceptable time now close with the day of salvation or never 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. For when the acceptable time is out when the day of salvation is ended thou canst expect no acceptation from God any more no salvation for evermore Prov. 1. 24. to verse 33. 2. Now believe in Christ and repent according to the tenour of the Gospel and Ordinances of Christ continued unto thee Mark 1. 15. Luke 24. 47. or never For if the Gospel be taken from thee or thou from the Gospel how canst thou repent How canst thou believe 3. Now entertain Christs sweetest â—nvitations and offers of Grace with all affectionateness and readiness of mind or never Mat. 11. 28 29 30. Iohn 3. 15 16 17. and 6. 37 38 39 40 50 51 c. and 7. 37 38 39. For Christ will not be alwayes inviting the obstinate alwayes offering Grace to them that do reject it The Guests that were bidden to the Marriage of the Kings Son i. e. of Christ with the Elect and rejected the invitation were invited no more Mat. 22. 2 3. and 8. with Luke 14. 16. to 25. 4. Now open the door of thine heart unto Christ while he stands at the door patiently and knocks importunately by his Word by his Rod by his Spirit c. Rev. 3. 20. or never For if Christ be still sleighted and repulsed so that he being weary of standing and knocking finally depart he will wait no more he will knock no more much less come in unto thee and sup with thee c. 5. Now while thou art in the land of the living believe repent turn to God work out thy salvation c. or never For if Death surprize thee if the Grave shut her mouth upon thee all these works will cease for ever Eccl. 9. 10. 6. Now like a wise Virgin furnish thy Lamp of Christian Profession with the oyl of true Grace that when Jesus Christ the Bridegroom shall come to the solemn marriage with his Church thou maist go forth to meet the Bridegroom or never Mat. 25. 1. to 14. For if thou like a foolish Virgin hast thine oyl to provide when the Bridegroom shall come They that are ready shall enter in with him and the door will be for ever shut against thee though thou knockest and cryest Lord open with the greatest importunity Mat. 25. 10 11 12. Then if thou beest once shut out of Heaven thou art shut out for ever if once thou art cast out into Hell thou art shut up in it for ever 7 Finally Now give all possible diligence to enter in at
all with all your Heart Soul Mind and might and that especially for his own sake love such as are begotten of God and true Christians indeed chiefly for Gods sake for Christs sake And see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Especially endeavouring to help and further one another in the way to heaven 15. Finally Set your affection on things above not on things on the Earth For all the things on Earth are meer vanity and vexation of Spirit being vanity they are empty shadows and bubles that cannot continue that cannot satisfie but utterly disappoint you By their disappointment they become vexation of Spirit heaps of thorns and briars unto you But your true lasting and Soul-satisfying Treasures are above there 's your Crown your Kingdom your Glory your Eternal life your Eternal inheritance your Masters joy and pleasures at his right hand for Evermore there 's your sweetest and most glorious Saviour Jesus Christ at Gods right hand and there 's your God in Christ in whose immediate vision and compleat fruition the supream happiness of Heaven will consist for ever Have therefore your Conversation in Heaven though for a while your conversation be on Earth and look for your Saviour Jesus Christ from Heaven to change your vile bodies and make them like to his own glorious body Then there shall be no more Sin Sorrow Pain Curse or Death Then Christ will wipe all your Tears away Then your everlasting Jubilee will bâ—gin but shall never end O how should we love his appearing when all those things shall come to pass Make haste O beloved and be as the Hind or the Roe upon the Mountains of Spices Even so come Lord Jesus These things my beloved Children I have earnestly desired to recommend unto you in order to your Eternal Salvation hoping that some of you have a true Spiritual sense and relish of them already Now the God of all Grace imprint them indelibly upon the Tables of all your Hearts that you may still remember them and conform your selves unto them not onely while I am with you in this land of the living but also after I shall be taken from you by Natures dissolution and sleep in Jesus And let him bless you with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly-places in Christ for evermore Amen THE Natural MAN DIRECTED TO CHRIST A Premonition to the Natural Man reading the ensuing Directions WHoever thou art that unto this present hour remainest still in thy Natural State in the Old Adam unconverted unto God in CHRIST the last Adam or justly suspectest thy condition to be such and perusest these DIRECTIONS following Read and understand Vnderstand and Consider in thine Heart Consider and Believe the Scripture Truths therein propounded Believe and put in Practise the Scripture Rules therein recommended unto thee lest otherwise what thou readest and art convinc'd in Conscience to be thy Duty hereafter sting thine Heart Rise up in judgment against thee and condemn thee both when thy Death Approacheth and at the Great day when the Lord IESVS shall be revealed from Heaven with the Angels of his power in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord IESVS CHRIST 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. with Mat. 11. 20. to 25. and 12. 41 42. Directions tending to conduct the Natural Man to CHRIST I. Direction A Waken and rouz up thy Soul and Conscience O Sinful wretched natural Man seriously to consider and deeply to lay to heart How Sinful and miserable the State and Condition of all Mankind since the fall and of thine own Soul in particular is by Nature in the first Adam compare together Rom. 3. 9. to 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 5 6 7 8. Tit. 3. 3. and 1. 15 16. Eph. 2. 1 2 3. 1. The Sinfulness of Natural man's State what Words can enough express what thoughts of Man can sufficiently conceive who can understand his Errors Psal. 19. 12. The heart is â—â—eeitful above all things and desperately wâ—â—ked who can know it I the LORD search the heart I try the Reins Jer. 17. 9 10. God alone who cannot sin eâ—actly knows man's Sinfulness From his word take a brief discovery of it The Sinfulness of the Natural man's condition Consists chiefly in these particulars viz. 1. In the guilt of Adam's first Sin Of Eating the forbidden fruit contrary to Gods express Command Gen. 2. 16 17. with Gen. 3. 6 7. Rom. 3. 9. 19. In which Eating Adam's 1 Unbelief of Gods word 2 Contempt of Gods command 3 Impious Consent of his most free-will 4 Proud aspiring to be as Gods knowing good and evil Gen. 3. 5. 5 Apostacy from God 6 Disobedience of the whole man and 7 Ruine of himself and all his posterity are comprehended This sin of Adam being the Common Parent and Root of all mankind as St. Augustine well notes then virtually and seminally in his loyns is imputed to and charged upon all his ordinary posterity even upon all mankind ordinarily propagated form him Rom 5. 12. 15 16 17 18 19. Act 17 26. â— Cor. 15. 21. 22. 45. 49. As Levi who received Tithes is said to â—ay Tithes in Abraham to Melchizedeck for that yet he was in the loyns of his Father Abraham when Melchizedeck met him Heb. 7. 9 10. So then in Adams eating the forbidden fruit all mankind did eat the forbidden fruit In Adam's Sinning all his posterity Sinned In Adam's disobeying all mankind disobeyed In Adam's falling all his postâ—rity sell In Adams dying all his Posterity dyed And thou amongst the rest And Therefore in this Sense thou wast a Sinner algrievous Sinner before thou wast born even from the foundation of the world O thou Natural man Think of this Lay this to Heart deeply was it a small matter for Adam and for thee and all Mankind in Adam thus to Sin Consider well the many and great Aggrevations of this first Sin of Man As 1. The Person who sinned 2. Condition and State wherein 3. Place where 4. Time when 5. Law against which 6. Object against whom 7. And finally The manifold and great Evils both of Sin and punishment ensuing thereupon all which I have elsewhere at large illustrated and then see if ever Sin was perpetrated in this world all things duly considered so Sinful Haynous Horrid inexcusable and damnable as this first Sin 2. In being wholly overwhelmed with Original Sin so as is thought it 's called by Augustin contracted from lapsed Adam by Natural Propagation Gen. 5. 3. Psal. 51. 5. Ioh. 3. 6. Iob. 14. 4. and 15. 14. This Original Sin Consists especially â— In the privation or loss 1 of Man's Primitive Integrity or Original Righteousness concreated with him Gen. 1. 26 27. and 3. 6 7 8. Eccles. 7. 29. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. 2 and of that sweet communion which