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
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
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
The True way TO THE Tree of Life OR The Natural MAN DIRECTED UNTO CHRIST By Fran. Roberts D. D. Pastor of the Church of Christ at Wrington in the County of Somerset JOHN 14. 6. IESVS saith unto him I am the Way The Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me ACT. 16. 30 31. Sirs What must I do to be saved And they said Believe on the LORD IESVS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved and thine House BERNARD in Iubilo c. p. 1659. Antverp 1616. JESU Decus Angelicum In auro dâ—sce Canticum In ore meâ— mirificum In Corde Nâ—ctar Coelicum Desidero te millies Mi JESU quando venies Me loetum quando facies Me de te quando suties LONDON Printed by T. R. for Geo. Calâ—ert at the Golden Ball in â—uck Lane 1673. THE Author 's Epistolary Exhortation AND Paternal Charge UNTO HIS CHILDREN My Dear and beloved Children WHat the Apostle Paul sometimes said with great affection touching Israel his Brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh that with like affection say I now touching You My Hearts desire and Prayer to God for you all is That you may be saved O that you might be so happy as to hear that sweetest Sentence of Iesus Christ at the last day directed unto you among the rest of his Elect Sheep at his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world And that you may be where Christ is which is far the best of all to behold his glory and to be made conform to him in Celestial glory for evermore But you had need deeply to consider That there are very many great and dangerous impediments unto Sinners eternal Salvation without removal whereof the Salvation of poor Souls will be rendered not only difficult but utterly impossible A few of these principal Hindrances I shall briefly mention unto you for your information and instruction That you may praise God for your deliverance from some of them and pray to him for his effectual removal of all the rest in his due time Some grand Hindrances of poor Sinners Salvation are these viz. 1. The State of Sin and misery in which all Mankind is involved by Nature through the Fall of Adam the Common root of all Mankind whence All are by Nature dead in Sins and trespasses and Children of wrath so that they who are in the flesh cannot possibly please God 2. Man's general Senslessness and â—in apprehensiveness by Nature of the Sinfulness and wretchedness of his Natural condition All Natural men being Children of the night and of darkness Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And from this senslesness of their Natural malady it comes to pass that they are till God open their eyes and awaken their Consciences altogether regardless of the Supernatural Remedy 3. A Sinful course of life and wicked Conversation resulting from Mens Sinful state and condition So that they walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind and running to all excess of riot Now these and like ungodly waies will without true and timely Repentance undoubtedly shut all that walk therein out of the kingdom of God for evermore 4. Habitual Hardness of heart and Impenitency which are most dangerous fore-runners of Eternal Death and Destruction whereby all hardned and impenitent Sinners do treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and Reveâ—â—tion of the righteous Judgment of God 5. That grand Soul-damning Sin of Vnbelief in Iesus Christ. Of this the Holy Ghost peculiarly and principally convincingly reproves the world of Sin because they believe not in me saith our Saviour This Sin he puts before others saith Augustine as if it were the alone Sin because this Sin remaining the rest are detained and this departing the rest are remitted Vnbelief rejects Iesus Christ the onely Saviour How then is it possible the Vnbelievers should be saved Our Blessed Saviour himself hath declared most plainly That he that believes not shall be damned Math. 16. 6. yea That he is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the onely begotten Son of God That he who believeth not the Son should not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Iohn 3. 18. 36. 8. And he placeth the Unbelieving in that black Catalogue which shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second Death Rev. 21. 8. 6. The Embracing of any False counterfeit and irreligious Religions whether through Corrupt Education and evil Example of Parents or through Seducement of heretical Impostors and false Teachers or through the just judgment of God upon them that receive not the Love of the Truth that they may be saved sending them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all may be damned who believe not the Truth And chiefly such false Counterfeit Religions which are most predominant and bear greatest sway in the world are these Four viz. Heathenism Mahumeâ—ism Judaism and Antichristianism By the poyson of which it is much to be feared far the greatest number of people in the whole world are deprived of Salvation and perish As divers of our Learned Orthodox and Religious Authors have demonstrated 7. The False Hypocritical and Conterfeit Entertaining of the onely true Religion viz. The Christian Religion leaves men still in a state of Damnation though thereupon multitudes vainly presume and promise to themselves eternal Salvation As when men make a Profession of Christianity without a sincere suitable Practice having Lamps without Oyle When they have onely a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof Having a Name to live but are dead When they attain to a Temporary Faith believing for a time but in time of Persecution falling away Become partakers of many Common gifts and en dowments of the Holy Ghost but of no true saving Graces of the Spirit So that though they may have some flashes of joy in the use of Gods Ordinances and may do many things yet walk not as the sincere Saints in all the Commandements and Ordinances of God blameless Now such Persons being meer Formal not real Christians indeed remaining â—as most in the visible Church do without effectual Calling Conversion Regeneration and true Sanctification cannot inherit the kingdom of God as the Holy Scriptures do abundantly testifie Now therefore my beloved Children I earnestly exhort charge and beseech you by the mercies of God As you tender the eternal welfare of your precious and immortal Souls As you desire to be found
in Iesus Christ and favour with God when you die and As ever you hope to be set at Christs Right hand among his Sheep and to be Sentenced by Christ with them to his Everlasting Kingdom at that great and glorious day of his Appearing That you use all possible Care diligence and endeavours by the Grace and assistance of the Holy Spirit of God against all these fore-mentioned impediments unto Salvation and all such like that they may be removed out of your way to happiness and not be any hindrances at all to your Eternal Glory and Salvation And that this may be the more effectually enterprized and performed by you Let these Ensuing Instructions sink deep into your hearts and be most studiously seriously and sincerely pursued and practiced in your Lives viz. 1. Be deeply and thoroughly Convinced of the extream Sinfulness and wretchedness of your Natural State and Condition in the first Adam How you were shapen in iniquity and conceived in Sin Yea dead in Sins and trespasses and by Nature Children of Wrath even as others And How from this Original and Vniversal Corruption of your Natures your whole course of life is answerably corrupted also Every imagination of the thoughts of your hearts and consequently every word of your mouths and every Action throughout your lives being Evil onely evil continually evil so long as you continue in your Natural state and condition So then while you remain in the flesh you cannot please God nor can have anâ— actual Hope of Salvation upon any solid ground 2. Hence you may evidently See and must needs conclude That there is so great a necessity of a Supernatural Remedy against this your Natural State of Sin and Misery and against all the Sinfulness of your Natural Conversation by the Application of Jesus Christ unto your Souls and the Effectual operation of his Spirit to that End upon your hearts That without such applying of Christ by Faith unto you and the operation of his Spirit in and upon you by Effectual Calling Conversion Regeneration Renovation and Sanctification you can never Enter into the kingdom of God and be Eternally Saved 3. Therefore See that ye come unto Jesus Christ by Faith without delay and Receive him as your onely All-sufficient Saviour that is able to save you to the uttermost Accepting him upon his own terms of denying your selves taking up your Cross daily and following him So Iesus Christ will be unto you Wisdom to guide you in the way to Heaven Righteousness to wash away all your Sins by his bloud and justifie you freely by his spotless Righteousness imputed unto you Sanctification to furnish you sufficiently with all treasures of Grace out of his fullness of Grace and Redemption to deliver you from all your bondage under Sin Satan the curse of the Law the Wrath to come and all your Spiritual Enemies O thrice happy Everlastingly happy shall you be if once Iesus Christ become yours and you his Then you shall be espoused to the best Husband in the world The God and Father of Iesus Christ will be your God and Father The Spirit of Christ will be your Comâ—orter the Kingdom of Heaven shall be your Everlasting Joynture yea All things The World and Life and Death and things present and things to come All shall be yours Then All things shall work-together for good unto you Sickness as well as health Adversity as well as prosperity Death it self as well as life Then nothing in the world shall ever be able to separate you from the Love of Christ or from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Then no Condemnation shall ever befall you in this or in the world to come O happy Souls that ever you were born if you be born again and Christ be formed in you Christ is the Desire of all Nations Let him be the Desire of your Souls Christ is the chief among ten thousand Lâ—t him be the Chief of your choice Christs mouth is Sweetnesses yea all of him is Desires O let your hearts be even ravished with him at all times Say with that faithful Minister and Martyr of Iesus Christ Mr. John Lambert as he was now dying in the flames None but Christ none but Christ In a word I say to every one of you as sometimes Bernard said unto one sweetly Let IESVS be alwaies in thine heart Let Him be unto thee thy meat and drink thy sweetness and Consolation thy Hony and thy Desire thy Reading and thy Meditation thy Prayer and thy Contemplation thy Life and Death and thy Resurrection For Christ is All in All 4. Now Forasmuch as true saving Faith in Iesus Christ is not of our selves but the free gift of God and ordinarily God is pleased to work it in the hearts of his Elect Instrumentally by the Hearing of his Word faithfully preached Efficaciously by the Co-operation of his holy Spirit by which Means also it is nourished and increased Therefore be ye all of you Diligent and Constant Hearers of the Word of Christ faithfully preached Applying things spoken particularly to your selves treasuring them up in good and honest hearts and bringing forth the suitable fruit thereof by an Vpright practice in your lives and take singular heed that you never gâ—ieve quench or resist the operations stirrings or motions of the Spirit of God in the use of his Word and Ordinances or at any other times For Iesus Christ by his Word and Spirit especially stands at the door of your hearts and knocks and if any will open unto him he will come in unto him and Sup with him and he with Christ 5. For the increasing also of your Inward Peace Spiritual Ioy and Comfort Give all diâ—igence to make your Calling and Election sure Examining your selves frequently and seriously whether Jesus Christ be in you yea or no But how shalâ— this be done By comparing your Hearts Lives and Experiences with the written Word of God through the assistance and guidance of Gods Holy Spirit For to this End the Word of God was written to us and the Spirit of God is given to us that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God and that we may know that we have eternal life And for your more ready help in this weighty business you may make use of many Characters marks or Notes of Tryal which I have at large laid down in sundry of my Printed Books which you have by you Take heed you be not strangers to your own hearts and Spiritual States 6. As you have received Jesus Christ the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith Be not Christians only in Name and outward Shew but inwardly sincerely and in good earnest So live and walk as Christ
mistical body of his invisible Church But of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 1. 6. For they that are Aliens to Christ the Head must needs be Aliens to his invisible Church and Body 5 A stranger from the Covenants of Promise touching Christ Promised under the Old Testament and consequently from the Covenant of Performance touching Christ performed and exhibited in Human Nature viz. The New Covenant Ephes. 2. 12. laid down Heb. 8. 8. to the end Oh what a misery is this To have nothing to do with Gods Covenant not any the Promises Priviledges Benefits or Blessings thereof This is to be shut out of Gods Grand Act of favour and mercy His Act of Oblivion Heb. 8. 12. His Magna Charta his Great Charter for eternal happiness in Heaven 6 Having no Hope Eph. 2. 12. viz. No true Salviâ—ical well-grounded hope of life eternal in Heaven or of future felicity in the world to come for thine immortal Soul And such Hopeless men are most miserable men 1. Cor. 15. 19. When thou hopeless wretch comest to die what will become of thy Soul What wilt thou then say to thy Soul Even as that Atheistical Pope Animula vagula c. Omy poor wandring blandishing Soul The Guest and Companion of my body into what placet art thou now going c. To Heaven or to Hell to the glorified Saints or to the damned Reprobates to Joyes everlasting or to endless Torments To God or to the Devil 7 Finally while thou dost remain destitute of saving Communion with God thou art without God in the World an Atheist in the world Eph. 2. 12. What without God Then without all true Happiness without the only supream Good and Soul-satisfying Treasure such God is Math. 19. 17. Psal. 73. 25. 26. 2. Thou in thy Natural State art under the severe Curse of the Law Which under pain of the Curse requires of every one Perfect Perpetual and Personal obedience to all things written in the Law Gal. 3. 10. which no meer man since the Fall of Adam can possibly perform Rom. 3. 9. to 29. and 5. 6. and 8. 3. 4. 7. 8. And whom the law Curseth he is Cursed indeed not by man but by the living God himself 3. Thou in thy Natural state remainest still under the dreadful displeasure and wrath of God Almighty Art by nature a child of wrath Even as others Eph. 2. 3. Under the Wrath of God Oh! Who knoweth the Power of Gods anger or according to his Fear i. e. his word the Rule of his Fear Psal. 19. 9. his wrath Psal 90. 11. If the wrath of an earthly King be as the Roaring of a Lion Prov. 19. 12. What then is the wrath of God the King of Kings Our God is a Consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. Consider the prints of Gods wrath upon the lapsed Angels 2 Pet. 2. 4. Fallen Adam Gen. 3. The sinful old world 2 Pet. 2. 5. The Cities of Sodom c. 2 Pet. 2. 6. Gen. 19. The Beauteous Jerusalem and the Jews 2 Chron. 36. Yea upon Jesus Christ the spotless Son of God himself when he stood as the Sinners Surety Math. 26. and 27. Luk. 22. and 23. And then say with the Psalmist Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand before thee when once thou art angry Psal. 76. 7. When he is wrath The Heavens drop down The Mountains melt and leap The Rocks rend in pieces The Earth Quakes The Sea is dried up The Devils tremble Iam. 2. 19. And the whole Creation is amazed Oh! think of the Terrour of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. 4. Thou in thy natural state art in league with the Devil himself the Grand enemy of God and mankind Math. 13. 28. 39. 1 Pet. 5. 8. that old Serpent Revel 12. 9. and performest thine Homage and obeisance unto him 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Ioh. 8. 44. as to thy Conquerâ—r Prince Father and God Satan is 1. As thy Conqueror leading thee Captive at his will by his powerful Temptations yea by his meer suggestions and snares 2 Tim. 2. 26. and so thou art his meer vassal and slave 2. As thy Prince Ioh. 14. 30. effectually working in the Children of Disobedience and in thee as in one of his Subjects Eph. 2. 2. 3. As thy Father whose works thou as his Child wilt do Ioh. 8. 44. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 12. Mat. 13. 38. 4. As thy God and the God of this world whom thou as his Creature wilt serve 2 Cor. 4. 4. 5. Thou in thy natural State art liable to all sorts and degrees of miseries in this present world not as to Paternal Chastisements of a loving Father the lot of Gods dear children Heb. 12. 5. to 12. but as to vindictive Punishments and curses of an angry God Gen. 3. 16 17 18 19. and 4. 9 to 15. Levit. 26. to 40. Deut. 28. 15. to the end Psal. 11. 6. These Miseries are of many sorts But may be reduced to 1. Miseries incident to thee in thy Goods and Temporal estate As when thy ground is barren brings forth thorns and thistles c. Gen. 3. 18. thy cattel cast their young Deut 28. 18. Fire consumes thy dwelling Iob. 15. 34. thieves rob thee of thy wealth Iob. 1 13. to 18 Extortioners catch all thou hast Psal. 109. 11. c. 2. Miseries incident to thee in thy Relations As Treachery in thy friends Iudg. 9. 23. falsness and sloathfulness in thy Servants and hirelings 2 Chr. 24 25. and 33. 24. Alienation in thy Kinsfolks Iudg. 9. 5. 24. Disobedience and Undutifulness in thy Children Deut. 28. 18. Disaffection vexatiousness c. in thy wife 1 King 21. 25. Deut. 28. 30. 3. Miseries to which thou urt exposed in thy good Name As Lyes Reproaches Slaunders Back-bitings c. The Name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10. 7. 4. Miseries whereunto thou art liable in thy Body As Hunger and want of Food Deut. 28. 53. c. Thrist and want of Drink Lam. 4. 4. Breaking or dislocating of bones Numb 24. 8. Weaknesses grievous pains with sickness and many sorts of Diseases Feavers Agues Pestilences c. Deut. 28. 21 22. Cold and nakedness Ezek 16. 39. Bonds and Imprisonments Deut. 28. 63. to the end Perils and dangers by land and water c. In thy whole life thou art exposed to Armies of miseries 6. Thou in thy Natural state art subject to death the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and extremity of all these wordly miseries for thy sinfulness Rom. 5. 12. and 6. 23. Gen. 2. 16 17. with 3. 19. Die thou must that 's certain but when where how c. that 's most uncertain and how small a matter may bring thee to thine end The bone of a Fish going cross thy throat may choak thee as it did Tarquinius Priscus A Raisin-stone may kill thee as it did Sophocles and Anacreon An hair in a draught of milk may end thee as it did Fabius the Senator The tooth of thy Comb as thou art
1 Cor. 3. 16. 17. And this Holy Spirit is the peculiar and immediate Author of Sanctification and Holiness to all Gods Elect 1 Pet. 1. 2. A Spirit of Grace Zech. 12. 10. 3 Who are grossly ignorant of the Spiritual things of God So as not to receive them but to count them foolishness 1 Cor. 2. 14. Eph. 4. 18. For The Spirit of God and of Christ is A Spirit of Truth leading unto all Truth Ioh. 16. 13. A Spirit of wisdom and Revelation for the knowledge and acknowledging of the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephes 1. 17. c. 4 Who are not of Gods own family are not his Adopted children nor are furnished with Filial Confidence Fear Love Obedience and other Child-like Properties For The Spirit of God and of Christ is a Spirit of Adoption where he dwells Rom. 8. 15. Confirminâ—g their Sonship and assuring them of their Adopted State 1. As a Witness Rom. 8. 16. 2. As a Seal Ephes. 1. 13. 3. As an Earnest of their Inheritance Ephes. 1. 14. And 4. As a first-fruits Rom. 8. 23. 5. Who are prayer-less persons wholly unable with filial faith zeal and affection to cry Abba Father For the Spirit of God and of Christ is a Spirit of prayer a Spirit of grace and supplication Zech 12. 10. enabling Gods children to cry fervently Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. and the Spirit helps our prayer infirmities when we know not what to pray for as we ought For he maketh intercession for us viz. by enabling us to intercede for our selves with unutterable groans i. e. with unutterable desires and longings of soul Rom. 8. 26 27. 4. If thou art still without the immediate fundamental and saving effects of the Spirits of God and of Christ viz. Regeneration Ioh. 3. 3 5 6 8. Renovation Tit. 3. 5. New Creation in Christ Eph. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Conversion from sin and Satan to God Act. 26. 18. Effectual vocation 2 Thes. 2. 13 14. 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. Ioh. 6. 44. And Sanctification 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thes. 2. 13. By which Gods Spirit brings sinners out of the state of Nature Then art still in the sinful and wretched state of Nature 5. If thou art still unbelieving without faith unfeigned as by Nature all are Tit. 1. 15. 2 Thes. 3. 2. And having no hope no well-grounded hope of salvation and happiness by Christ in this or the world to come as is the condition of all in state of Nature Eph. 2. 12. Then thou remainest in the state of Nature to this hour 6. If thou continuest still impenitent and un-reformed to this day not turned from darkness to light nor from the power of Satan to God Act. 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. Thou art still in thy sinful and wretched state of Nature For by repentance God brings men unto himself into a spiritual supernatural state of life holiness and happiness Act. 2. 38. and 5. 31. and 26. 18. Repentance unto life Act. 11. 18. Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. 7. If thou dost habitually and primarily mind the things of the flesh If thy thoughts contrivances designs c. are chiefly about carnal and worldly things how to grow great rich c. but seldom or never mindest the things of the Spirit how to obtain Christ how to be saved how to make thy calling and election sure how to make Heaven sure how to walk with God c. Then thou art still after the flesh Rom. 8. 5 c. 8. If thy mind and wisdom be enmity against God and cannot endure to be subject to the Law of God then it is carnal Rom. 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. The Natural mans mind is so set upon sinful principles and wicked works that it cannot choose but hate God and his Law that utterly condemn them 9. If thou art not a lover but a hater of Gods people in whom Gods image appears and shines forth He that hateth his brother is in darkness viz. in the darkness of a sinful and miserable state by Nature and walketh in darkness 1 Joh. 2. 9 19 11. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Whosoever hateth his brother i. e. his Christian brother for God Christ Grace Godliness c. in him is a Murderer and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him 1 Ioh. 3. 14 15. 10. If thou art under the Power of darkness Col. 1. 13. The Natural man is not only Dark in the Concreet but Darkness itself in the Abstract Eph. 5. 18. He is so dark that he is all darkness and nothing but darkness therefore he is under the raign and power of it so that he cannot by any ability of his own Extricate or deliver himself out of it The Natural man is under the power of a threefold Darkness viz. 1 The darkness of Sin Sins are works of Darkness Eph. 5. 11. The State of Sin is a state of darkness Such are dead in Sins and trespasses and as dead they are overwhelmed with darkness dwelt in darkness Eph. 2. 1. 5. 2 The darkness of Ignorance This in part is that darkness that blinds the Eyes of Natural man 1 Ioh. 2. 11. So that he cannot receive the things of God they are Foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10 11. 14. The Gospel is hid to them that are lost the God of this world having blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them 2 Cor. 3 4. 3 The Darkness of misery by reason of his Sinfulness The Scripture frequently expresseth misery under the Notion of Darkness which is very uncomfortable and dreadful As the Miseries in this life Psal. 88. 6. and 107. 10. In death Iob. 10. 21 22. In Hell wher 's utter Darkness Mat. 22. 13. and 25. 30. Blackness of darkness for ever Iude vers 13. Everlasting chains under darkness Iude 6. The Natural man being a child of wrath Eph. 2 3. having the wrath of God abiding on him and being condemned already Ioh. 3. 18. 36 may well be said to be under the power of darkness 11. If thou art under the Power of Satan hitherto thou art still in thy Sinful and wretched State of Nature For every man Naturally is under Satan's Power and dominion till he be supernaturally converted unto God Act. 26. 18. Hence Satan is called The Father of such Ioh. 8. 44. The Prince of this world Ioh. 14. 30. The Prince of this power of the Air the spirit that effectually worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. The God of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. Now thou art under the power of Satan 1 While Satan blinds thine eyes so that the Gospel is hid to thee Is a mystry a Paradox to thee c. left the glorious Light of the Gospel should shine unto thee 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 While thou art an Unbeliever 2 Cor. 4.
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
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
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