Justice notwithstanding his will to sin for ever and his choice of eternal death and all the other reasons that are usually brought for the eternity of their pains he should not stay long in that prison of Hell but quickly be released But because a poor finite Creature hath not a back strong enough to bear an infinite blow therefore he must be always suffering The notoriety and malignity of sin proceeds from the dignity of the Person against whom it s committed as I have largely shewn else-where Because the Authority of an infinite God is dispised the Law of an infinite God disobeyed the Love of an infinite God undervalued and the Image of an infinite God defaced by sin therefore there is an infinite demerit in sin In a Treatise called The Incomparableness of God And because man cannot give satisfaction infinite in value therefore he must give that satisfaction which is infinite in time or rather in its eternity Psal 49.7 8. Psal 51.4 Job 7.20 And considering that God was resolved to have full satisfaction for sin I conceive Christ himself could not have satisfied for the sins of any if he could not have offered a Sacrifice of infinite merit to answer the infinite demerit of sin But herein the Wisdom and Goodness of God did superabound in providing an Antidote stronger than the Poyson for whereas sin is infinite only Objective as committed against an infinite God The Sacrifie of Christ is infinite both Objective and Subjective as offer'd up to an infinite Majesty and offer'd by one that was an infinite Majesty whose Person being infinite rendred his Sacrifice of such boundless value and merit CHAP. XIV How little cause to envy Sinners and how careful we should be to avoid their eternal misery Vse 1. WE may learn hence what little cause any have to envy Sinners their fat and sweet in this World Alas for their poor short pleasures of sin they must have extream and eternal torments Who would grudge them their portion or eat of their Dainties or buy their Bargains that is not mad and quite bereaft of his wits Prov. 23.17 18. My Son envy not Sinners for surely there is an end I and a sad end for poor Sinners An end of Woe and Wrath and Death and Misery without any end or ease Ah what sad Objects are they of Pity who laugh a minute and must weep for ever who for a little gigling mirth and poor drossy pleasures must fry eternally in Hell flames among Devils and damned Spirits Ex. Reader Believe and consider this misery of the Wicked and be restless till thou art secured against it Ponder it well to be among Devils those stinging Serpents roaring Lions frightful Monsters would make thy hair stand an end and thy heart to ake but to be amongst them in extremity of Torments in fire in fire kindled by the infinite wrath of God and in universality of Torments to have all kind of Judgments and Plagues inflicted on thee I and on every part of thy Body and all the powers of thy Soul and to suffer all this for ever ever ever Canst thou bear the company of Lions and Bears and Wolves and Adders and Serpents the deformed Monsters here for ever How then wilt thou bear the Company of Devils hideous monstrous frightful Hell-hounds for ever Thou canst not bear the pain of our fire for one day no not for one quarter of an hour how then wilt thou bear the pain of Hell fire for ever Ah who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can endure abiding flames The Patient in a violent fit of the Stone or Colick or Gout supports himself with this Cordial This will not last long The Woman in labour in the extremity of her pains hath this to revive her All this through the kindness of God will soon be over The Primitive Christians comforted themselves under their dreadful Sufferings from their Persecutors with this Our light Afflictions are but for a moment They are black Clouds but will soon pass over and vanish away But Reader if once thou art turn'd into Hell into those unconceivable intollerable flames amongst those frightful Devils thou canst have nothing to bear up thy Spirit not the least hope of any cessation or intermission or remission of thy pains Ah how will dispair like a dagger stab thee to the heart what a cutting corosive will it be to think I am here amongst horrid hideous hellish Devils who have been my Tempters and are now my Tormentors banished the blissful presence of God and Jesus Christ suffering those torments and pains and misery to which all the fires and racks on Earth are but as the rasing of skin to Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace Ah what Tongue can tell what this poor Body suffereth in every part of it Ah what Understanding can apprehend the anguish and remorse of this Soul its cutting Reflections on what it hath been and done and its killing praevision of what it must undergo and I must endure all this for ever Though my pains are so extream in their intention yet if they were short in their duration I had some ground of comfort nay if they were to last no more millions of years than there are Stars in Heaven and drops of water in the Ocean I should have some crevis of light some hope to bear up my heart But alas alas I am here in the midst of this cursed Crew under these extream ineffable pains and must be here for ever The wrath upon me is abiding wrath Joh. 3. ult It is wrath to come and ever will be wrath to come After Ages and Generations and millions of them I and millions of millions of them my pain would not be a moment the nearer a period My night of darkness and horrour will be along night indeed the Clock will never strike the time will never pass the morn will never dawn and the Sun will never rise O what shall I do thousands and thousands of thousands millions and millions of millions of millions signifie not a moment to my wretched and cursed eternity Ah such company such misery and that for ever ever ever Reader doth not thy Soul tremble to think of this which will be the portion probably of most in the Christian World and wilt thou give thy self a moments rest in a state liable and obnoxious to it For the sake of thy precious Soul if thou hast any true self-love Break off thy sins by Repentance and thine Iniquities by accepting of thy Redeemer Hell hath not yet shut its mouth upon thee nor is the gate of Mercy yet shut against thee O bless the Divine Patience and know the things that concern thine own peace Thy life is short and uncertain when once death seiseth thee thou art immediately fixed there can be no change no alteration of thy state Tears Prayers Groans Sighs Sobs will work nothing prevail nothing with the Judge to alter his Sentence or thy Condition Now is the accepted
neglecting to pâ—â—â—â—…d to attend on Prophesying and such Sins of Omission we withdraw fewel from it and thereby put it out When the Israelites would not hear the Voice of God they are said to grieve his holy Spirit Psal 95. And when they believed not his Word the Wonders that he wrought they are said to vex his holy Spirit Isa 63.10 with Numb 14.11 Numb 20.12 Then they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Not to obey God is to disobey him Not to be loyal to him is to be rebellious now hereby they vexed his holy Spirit Now how great a Sin and how dangerous is it to grieve the Spirit of God the size or measure of Sin is to be taken from the Majesty slighted disobeyed and offended by it The Spirit is God an infinite boundless Being whom these Sins of Omission grieve and vex Again how dangerous is it to grieve and drive the Spirit from us It 's the Spirit that must enable us to our Duties Rom. 8.26 Direct us in our walkings Psal 143.10 Comfort us in our Sorrows Joh. 14.16 Isa 65.1 2 3. It is the Spirit that is the Spirit of Grace and Holiness Zach. 12.10 〈◊〉 1.4 and must work them in our hearts if ever we be gracious and holy 1 Pet. 1.2 It is the Spirit must strengthen us with might in our inward man to keep the Commandments of God Ephes 3.16 Ezez 36.27 It is the Spirit that is the earnest of our Inheritance the First-fruits of our eternal blessed Harvest and that must seal us up unto the day of Redemption Ephes 1.13 14. Rom. 8. Ephes 4.30 How great a Sin and how dangerous therefore is it to grieve this Spirit and by Sins of Omission to incense him to with-draw from us without whom we are unable unto any good and indeed exposed to all evil 2. The danger of these Sins will appear by their offensiveness to God Since our Felicity depends on the Favour of God and our Misery on his Anger Hell it self being but his wrath ever to come 1 Thess 1. ult those Sins which are highly provoking to God must be very dangerous If in his Favour be Life Psal 30.5 and his Wrath be worse than Death Psal 90.11 I had need to beware how I provoke him to jealousie Now the not believing God which is a sin of Omission is called the Provocation Psal 95.8 9. Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation as in the day of temptation in the Wilderness When your Fathers tempted me proved me and saw my Works This Provocation was their not believing his Word for all the Wonders he had wrought for them They said Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Behold he smote the Rock that waters gushed out Can he give Bread also Can he provide Flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth So a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel because they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation Psal 78.19 to 23. It will appear how provoking sins of Omission are to God by these three particulars 1. By his frequent Reprehensions and complaints of men for them He blames men for not sacrificing Mal. 3.18 for not mourning 1 Cor. 5. And sharply reproves for not receiving Correction Jer. 2.30 In vain have I smitten your Children they received no Correction For not grieving when smitten Jer. 5.3 For not seeking God Isa 9.13 Nay observe what special notice he takes of and how sadly he aggravates their Omissions Jer. 3.7 I said after she had done all these things i. e. gone up upon every high Mountain and upon every green Tree Turn thou unto me but she turned not Here he complains of Israels Omission in not turning to him but mark how he accents Judahs Omission who knew what Israel had done and how God had put her away vers 8. Yet her treacherous Sister Judah feared not the dreadful doom of Israel struck no aw into the heart of Judah And vers 10. And yet for all this that Israel hath committed and been severely punished for her treacherous Sister Judah hath not turned unto me with the whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. Here was an Omission internal or in the manner of her Conversation it was not sincere but with dissimulation 2. By his severe Comminations and Threatnings denounced against those that are guilty of Omissions He curseth those that deny him their help in a day of Battel and that come not forth to help the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 He curseth those that are not diligent about his Work Jer. 48.10 And believe it his Curse is effectual not like the discharge of a piece with powder only which doth no execution Those whom he curseth are cursed indeed His curse like Lightning blasteth and withereth where-ever it cometh I cursed his habitation saith Eliphaz not as a private Malediction of his own Spirit but as a pious Praediction of Gods Spirit Now mark what followeth upon God's cursing the wicked mans Habitation Job 5.2 3 4. His house is by this breath of God tumbling to the ground presently His Children that should be the honour and support of it are far from safety vers 3. they are crushed in the Gate and there is none to deliver them vers 4. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up and taketh out of the thorns and the Robber swalloweth up his substance His Estate which is a second thing requisite to the outward glory of a Family that is seised on and snatched from him So God threatneth multitudes with his wrath which is so terrible so intollerable that none can stand before it Psal 147.8 that Mountains are moved Rocks are rent in pieces the Foundations of the Earth tremble at it yea that God's own people are ready to be distracted at it Psal 88.3 4 5. for a Sin of Omission For not calling on his Name Jer. 10. ult God threatneth to cut a man off from his people which includes either a cutting off from the society of Gods people here and hereafter as Gen. 17.14 or of being cut off out of the Land of the living by the Sword of the Magistrate Exod. 30.33 or both as some think for a meer omission But a man that is clean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passover even the same Soul shall be cut off from his people Numb 9.13 3. It appears that Sins of Omission are highly provoking to God by the execution of his Judgments on them that are guilty of them His Works as well as his Word speak his great indignation against these sins Saul lost his Kindgom for not killing Agag and the best of the Flock Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord the Lord hath also rejected thee from being King saith Samuel to him 1 Sam. 15.23 26 28. Ahab omitted to kill Benhadad and lost his life for it 1 King 20.42 Because thou hast let go a man out of thy
Servants Ephes 5. Ephes 6. Col. 3. Col. 4. It directs us in all Conditions how to demean our selves in Prosperity to be joyful in Adversity to consider how God hath set the one against the other In Afflictions to be patient and prayerful and more studious of a right improvement of them than of deliverance out of them Under Mercies it directs us to be thankful to God the more chearful in his Service and faithful in the use of our Talents for the honour of our Master It directs us in all our Thoughts Jer. 4.14 Words Psal 39.2 Works Prov. 4.23 24 26. It directs us in all our natural Actions as Eating Drinking Sleeping 1 Cor. 10.31 Tit. 2.12 In our civil Converses Micah 6.8 In our religious Duties how to pray James 5. James 1. How to hear how to receive 1 Cor. 11. 3. It s purity above and beyond all other Religions appears in this That it forbids Evil all Evil nothing but Evil it commands Good whatsoever is Good and nothing but Good Isa 1. Psal 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians and Numa among the Romans had somewhat of good in them but not all prohibited somewhat that was evil but not all that was evil But the Christian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions I have seen an end of all Perfections but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections of many fair Estates great Beauties large Parts hopeful Families but a man with the eye of his Soul for by Faith may see an end of all earthly Perfections He may see the World in a flame and all its Pomp and Pride and Glory and Gallantry and Crowns and Scepters and Riches and Treasures turn'd into ashes he may see the Heavens passing away like a scroll and the Elements melting with fervent heat and the Earth with the things thereon consumed and all its Persections which men doted so much on vanished into smoke and nothing It 's easie to see to the end of all terrene Perfections but its difficult yea impossible to see to the end of Divine Precepts But thy Commandments are exceeding broad Of a vast Latitude beyond our apprehension They are so deep that none can fadom them Psal 36.6 So high that they are established in Heaven Psal 119.48 So long that they endure for ever 2 Pet. 1. And so broad that none can measure them They are not only broad but exceeding broad Higher than Heaven longer than the Earth broader than the Sea The Commands of God reach the inward parts the most secret motions and retired recesses of the Soul They reach all the privy thoughts They pierce even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 They reach to all our Actions to those that seem smallest and of less concernment as well as to those that are greater and of more concernment They reach to the manner nay circumstance of Actions The Divine Law takes notice of all the circumstances of sins as aggravations of sin As 1. From the time of Gods patience towards the Sinner These three years I came seeking fruit Luke 13. 2. The place where the sin was committed The Sons of Eli lay with the Women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 1 Sam. 2.22 3. From the season of committing the Sin Isa 58.3 4. Behold in the day of your Fast ye find pleasure and exact all your labour c. 4. From the Condition of the person that sins He that eats bread with me lifts up his heels against mee Joh. 13.18 A familiar Friend proves a treacherous Enemy So Joh. 3.10 Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things 5. From the means the person enjoys You only have I known therefore you will I punish for your Iniquities Amos 4. Rom. 2.7 6. From the manner of committing the Sin So they spread Absalom a Tent on the top of the house and Absalom went in to his Fathers Concubins in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16.22 Impudency in sin doth highly increase it Were they ashamed when they committed all these Abominations No they were not ashamed But how far are other Religions from observing much more from condemning men for such sinful circumstances CHAP. XXXI The holiest have cause of humiliation 8. IF Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. Then it may inform us That the best have abundant cause of humiliation for the best have in them abundant matter of Condemnation O how many are our Omissions every day every hour and by reason of them we are obnoxious to Hell flames Good Bishop Vsher who for Piety and Learning was honoured through the Christian World though he was early converted and feared the Lord in his Youth though he was eminently industrious in private in his Family in chatechising and instructing and praying often every day with and for them that were committed to his Charge Though he was a constant Preacher and that with Judgment and Affection Though he was singularly famous for his many worthy pieces which he wrote in Latin and English yet after all this diligence and labour when he came to die Usher's Life the last words almost which he was heard to speak were Lord in special forgive my Sins of Omission Sins of Omission will at death lie heavier on our hearts than we think for in life If such a laborious person found cause of bewailing his Omissions surely much more cause have Loyterers as we are Omissions are fruits of Original Corruption as well as Commissions It 's from that dead stock that we are so defective in bringing forth good fruit Paul layeth his Omissions at this door Rom. 7.17 to 23. In my flesh is no good When I would do good evil is present with me c. Now whatsoever is the Child of such a monstrous Parent is loathsome and calls on us for sorrow and self-abhorrency Holy Job did but suspect his Children to be guilty of Omissions of not sanctifying the Name of God in their Hearts according to their Duties at their Feasts and Meetings And he riseth early and offereth Sacrifice according to the number of them all Job 1.4 5. He goeth to God and begs Pardon for them and the blessing of God upon every one of them It may be saith he my Sons have sinned and cursed and not blessed God so Calvin reads it God in their hearts Thus did Job continually Now if Job upon a supposition that his Sons might be guilty of Omissions was so constant in his addresses to God on their behalf by way of humiliation acknowledging their Iniquity and beseeching his Mercy What cause have we on the behalf of our own Souls who know that we often offend God
World Of a Child of the Devil thou art made a Child of God of a Slave to sin a Citizen of Sion nay he doth not only free thee from damnation and the curse of the Law but also give thee the blessing of eternal life in and with himself among his innumerable Company of Angels and the Congregation of the First-born Now Reader judge whether it be not very disingenious to receive from God all sorts of Mercies and to give to God not half the Duties we owe to him How canst thou mete to God one measure and expect from him another Friend God doth not put thee off with half-Happiness and why shouldst thou put him off with half-Holiness CHAP. XXXV Arguments against Omissions Christ purchased positive as well as negative Holiness and our Priviledges oblige to both 3. COnsider Christ died to purchase positive as well as negative godliness for men and wilt thou disappoint him of the Fruits of his Death Indeed if it had been possible for him to have bought mans deliverance from sin without the re-impression of Gods Image on the Soul he had been but half a Saviour and made us at the most but half happy But according to the Apostles phrase he saves perfectly or to the utmost upon all accounts and in all respects Heb. 7.25 and in order thereunto bought man off from sin and unto the Service of God He redeems us from sin We are redeemed saith the Apostle from our vain Conversation received by tradition from our Fathers Not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot and blemish 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. He redeems also unto his own Service Chap. 3. vers 18. of the same Epistle He suffered the Just for the Vnjust to bring us to God He died that we might die to sin and he died that we might live to God He suffered to bring us off from our cursed loathsome Lusts and he suffered to bring us to the Fear and Love and Service of the blessed and glorious Lord. We have both these ends of our Saviours Sufferings mention'd in Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself his Death is called a giving himself because it was voluntary and a freewill Offering for us here is his Passion but what ends had he in his eye truly both these that he might redeem us from all Iniquity make us negatively religious in freeing us from the bondage of sin and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works i. e. make them positively holy None are purified without positive qualifications and gracious habits in the Soul To be purified unto himself is to be thus qualified for the honour and service of Christ And to make it more plain the Apostle tells us To purifie unto himself a peculiar people a people that shall disown all other Lords and all other Work and shall be his Servants and do his Work only zealous of good works He did not die only to make men good and to enable men to do good but also to cause them to do good with heat and heart and fervency of Spirit Nay it is evident that to make men positively pious was the main and principal end of his Passion and that his delivering us from sin was only in order to this to his adorning us with Sanctity As a man cannot put on new Robes till he hath first put off his old Rags so a man cannot put on the new man the beautiful Image of the heavenly till he hath put off the old man the abominable Image of the earthly Adam Luke 1.74 75. We are delivered out of the hands of our Enemies that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives He plougheth up the fallow ground of the Heart and kills the weeds of sin in order to the casting in the seed of Grace into the Soul Now Reader consider if Christ died to purchase positive Holiness for thee what hope canst thou have of an interest in his Death without it Canst thou think he bought one for thee without the other or that thou mayst be a partial sharer in his Death And what wilt thou do without an interest in his Sufferings Except he wash thee in his blood thou hast no part in him and if thou hast no part in him thy part must be among Devils and damned Spirits Again wilt thou by thy Omissions deny and deprive Christ of that Service which he hath bought so dearly Alas how little is it that thou art able to do for him when thou dost all thou canst And how much did that cost him what pangs and throws did he bear what rage from men what wrath from God how did he wrastle with the Frowns and Fury with the Power and Policy of the World and Hell And after all this dost thou grudge him that poor Service for which he was hungry and thirsty and weary and tempted and betrayed and crucified Whether we live saith the Apostle we live to the Lord whether we die we die to the Lord whether we live or die we are the Lords To this end Jesus died and rose again that he might be Lord both of the Dead and Living Rom. 14.7 8. Thou wouldst take it ill thy self to be denied the Service of that for which thou hast so dearly paid O think of it when thou art guilty of Omissions in the matter or manner of Duties I now rob Jesus Christ of that which he bought with his most precious blood and let him see the travail of his Soul upon thee and be satisfied 4. Consider the Priviledges thou enjoyest call aloud upon thee to mind positive Holiness and to do good as well as to forbear evil I am sure thy Priviledges are positive and so should thy Piety be What is the Gospel but a Cabinet of precious Jewels a River of living water a Case of the richest and costliest Cordials a Counterpart of Heavens eternal Court-Rolls concerning the Philanthropy or kindness of God to Mankind wherein are all sorts of blessings for Body and Soul in every condition treasur'd up The enjoyment of it is a special singular Priviledge the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 9. The Ministration of Righteousness far above the Legal Ministration The Psalmist tells us The Laws God gave to the Israelites were a special distinguishing Mercy He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with every Nation as for his Judgments they have not known them Psal 147.19 20. But his Gospel-Dispensation is an higher and greater Favour But what doth this Gospel-Priviledge call for surely positive as well as negative godliness The Grace of God the Gospel is so called because it declares it to us 2 Tim. 1.10 and interests us in it as an Instrument thereof Rom. 1.16 which bringeth Salvation which proclaimeth Life upon holy Conditions teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts Commissions
Knife of the Laws Curse was even at the Creatures throat as Abraham's at the throat of Isaac Thy Redeemer call'd to his Father O Father Father hold thine hand slay not those poor Creatures I have provided a Sacrifice such as thou wilt accept I know that Beeves and Goats and Lambs are not the Sacrifices for Sin which thou wouldst have what proportion hath the blood of Beasts to the infinite demerit of Sin but I know what Sacrifice thou wouldst have thou wouldst have me to offer my self upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to thy Justice that the whole World might know the Holiness of thy Nature the Righteousness of thy Law and thine infinite kindness to thine Elect Well I come to do thy Will O God Though the Task be so great and the Work so grievous that no other dares so much as touch it and though I am wholly free and none can oblige or compel me to it yet I will undertake it Now Reader was Christ so forward so willing to obey such a Command of dying a cursed painful shameful death that he tells his Father I delight to do thy Will O God and art thou so backward to obey his Commands and to walk in his ways When his ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Psal 40.6 Heb. 10.5 Prov. 3.17 Was Christ so careful and tender of thee that he would not omit any thing needful for thy good and art thou so careless and forgetful of him as to omit that which is of such concernment to his Glory Friend bethink thy self doth not thy Redeemer deserve fairer dealings at thy hands Heathens and Publicans would not be so base and unworthy to their Friends and Benefactors CHAP. XXXIX Arguments against sins of Omssion The new Nature in Believers inclines them to positive as well as negative Holiness and the profit will answer the pains 11. COnsider if thou art a Believer thy predominant new Nature inclines thee to positive as well as negative Holiness And shall this be given thee in vain shall God be at such cost and charge as to infuse a principle of life into thee to no purpose Pray observe what end God hath in this regenerating Work Of his own Will begat he us again by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of First-Fruits of his Creatures Jam. 1.18 Where we have the causes of Regeneration 1. The efficient Principal He. 2. The moving His alone Will. 3. The formal Begat us again 4. The instrumental The Word of Truth 5. The final That we should be a kind of First-Fruits God begets us again that we should be devoted to him as the First-Fruits of all the sheaves were consecrated to God and that out of thankfulness to him for his innumerable blessings Prov. 3.9 Rom. 12.1 The First-Fruits were holy to the Lord and so should all Christians be Again he tells us his design in giving a new Spirit and putting his Spirit into them That they may walk in his Statutes and do them Ezek. 36.26 27. So that 't is Sacriledge and God-robbery for a Christian to imploy himself to the use of any but God because he is devoted to God and it 's also below a Christian as for a man to live as doth 〈◊〉 Beast for him that hath a noble Diâ—ine Principle to live as other men As all the Children of the first Adam derive from him a depraved Nature which inclines them not only to omit what is good but also to do what is evil therefore his Seed 〈◊〉 known by both those signs Psal 36.3 4. Hos 4.1 2 3. So all the Children of the second Adam derive from him a renewed Nature For they are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which doth not only take them off from what is evil but also put them forward to that which is good Rom. 6.11 As the Branches derive from the Root that sap and moisture which enableth them to fruitfulness so the Christian draweth that Virtue from Christ even in his first Conversion that inclines him whilst he lives to bring forth fruit to God Ephes 2.10 We are his Workmanship created in Jesus Christ unto good Works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them Mark this new piece that is indeed Gods Master-piece for the New Creation doth far excel the old Heavens and Earth is formed in Christ as the efficient Cause unto good Works unto such Works as flow from the Spirit of God as the Principle as are according to the Will of God as the Rule and for the Glory of God as the end Gal. 5.20 Gal. 6.16 Phil. 1.11 Each Convert hath â—â—â—munion with Christ in his Death and also in his Life He knoweth Christ and hath fellowship with him in his Death whereby he dieth to Sin Hence he is said to be dead and buried with Christ Rom. 6.6 knowing this that our old man so Sin is called because it 's nigh as old as man is full of subtilty and craft and should be always decaying and dying is crucified with him i. e. Christ whom Sin crucified and whose Death crucifieth Sin that the body of sin sin is said to have a body because it consisteth of many members Col. 3.5 might be destroyed for as the life of Sin gave Christ his deaths-wound so the death of Christ gave Sin its deaths wound that henceforth we should not willingly chearfully customarily serve sin as our Lord and Master And as the Convert hath fellowship with Christ in his Death so also in his Resurrection That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 i. e. Have experience for 't is such a knowledge he speaks of of the power and energy of the Life of Christ to quicken me unto new Obedience Besides the true Convert hath the Law of God written in his Heart which cannot but move him to the observation of the Law in his Life Psal 37. Heb. 8. According to the predominant principles that are in every mans nature such are his inclinations whether to God or evil and such are ordinarily his practices As a bowl moves this way or that way according as the Byass inclines Now Reader Consider either thou art a Believer or not If thou art not it concerns thee speedily to look about thee lest thou die in this estate and be damned for ever Joh. 3. ult If thou art a Believer it would be very strange for thee to continue in any Omission for all this while thou actest against thy nature It 's very much easier to sin with thy nature than against it A wicked man that hath knowledge cannot sin with such pleasure and easiness as another because he doth in sinning oppose and fight with Conscience within him but it seems harder for thee for thou dost not only offer violence to thine enlightned Conscience but also to the new Nature that is implanted in thee By thy Omissions thou dost not only sin against thy natural Light
knowledge make way for the sin against the Holy Ghost Matth. 12.32 Heb. 6.4 5 6. Sins against the Gospel are greater than sins against the Law Those sins are against the natural Law the moral and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and are committed in the face of the Sun as they are against the clearest Light so they are against the sweetest Love and therefore the more sinful A Taper in the hand of a Ghost makes it look the more gastly This is the condemnation Joh. 3.19 Sins repeated and reiterated are much greater than sins once committed Hereby the habit of Sin is strengthened frequent acts root the habits Hereby the long-suffering of God is abused for the more patient he is the more he is provoked Rom. 2.4 As in Numbers one in the first place stands but for a single one in the second place ten in the third place for an hundred the fourth place for a thousand so here each Repetition is a great aggravation Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his heart shall be see the grievousness of his punishment not afflicted but destroyed the quickness of it speedily and the irrecoverableness of it and that without remedy It 's one thing to fall into the water another thing to lie there 't is the latter that drowns men The Sins of the people of God are greater respectively than the Sins of others therefore they are said only to do evil as if all the World beside were innocent Jer. 32. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah have only done evil before me Deut. 32.6 1. As these Sins are committed against the greatest Obligations on Gods part against the electing calling pardoning adopting saving-love each of these is an aggravation of Sin God accents Israels Sin from his special kindness Hos 11.1 Although I was an Husband to them 2. As they are committed against the most solemn ingagements on our part Every of Gods people doth expresly before God Angels and Men promise and covenant to be the Lords wholly universally and eternally the Lords The Israelites avouched God to be theirs And David swore that he would be Gods obedient Servant Psal 119. I have sworn and I will perform that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And it 's no mean Sin to be guilty of Perjury God aggravates the Sin of his people by this They all like men have transgressed the Covenant 3. As these Sins are committed against the greatest helps to Obedience An enlightned Mind a renewed Will sanctified Affections an awakned Conscience and a principle of Life or new Nature are all opposed and resisted by their Disobedience This cut the heart of David that God made him to know Wisdom secretly Psal 51.6 4. As the Sins of these men cause God to be more blasphemed and dishonoured than the Sins of others Levit. 22.31 Nathan tells David By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 Indeed these by falling into sin after their Repentance seem to repent of their Repentance and to lick up their Vomit Sins of Omission may be greater in respect of the person committing them a Believer in regard of the means the Offender enjoyeth The Word of the Divine Grace in regard of the matter he omits the Duties of the Gospel and in many other respects than Sins of Commissions in others who have not such circumstances It is very evident and cannot be denied that Sins are unequal for though Original Sin as the Logicians say of Substantia be not capable of magis minus of intension or remission of aggravation or diminution yet actual sins are like qualities and quantities which receive more or less addition or substraction and have their Latitude and Degrees For this cause under the Law there were diversity of Sacrifices for diversity of Sin Levit. 4. 2. I answer that no sins are little simply Though there is a difference of sins consider'd comparatively and so sins may be said to be little if compared with those that are more hainous yet no sins absolutely consider'd are little The least Sin resembleth the Earth which though but a point to the Heavens yet is a vast immeasurable Body in it self 1. Because all sins are against a great and infinite Majesty Reader it 's the excellency of the Person whose Authority is contemned and Commands violated and whose Name is dishonoured by sin that gives sin its name speaks its hainous Nature and is the highest aggravation of it Numb 32.23 and this is done in all Sins Friend till thou canst hear of a little God contemned abused disgraced and resisted by Sin speak no more of little sins in excuse for thy allowance of them Zach. 1.5 2. Because the price paid to make satisfaction for all sins of what size or sort soever was a great price It is the blood the precious blood of the Son of God Liv. 5.17 18. and that only that can wash away the least Sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Aaron must offer Sacrifice for pollution in a mans dream that he never thought of possibly but in sleep And for the Sins which the Jews committed ignorantly not understanding them to be any offence to God and in answer to those Types our Redeemer is said to die for the ignorance the errors of the people Reader till that thou canst tell of a Sin so little that somewhat less than the death of him who was God will satisfie for it call no Sin little 3. Because no little punishment is the due and desert of every Sin The wages of Sin is Death and Hell and infinite Wrath of an Almighty God and therefore it s the wages of every Sin Rom. 6. ult A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia Because fire as fire burns therefore every fire burns because Sin as Sin damneth therefore every Sin damneth So that all Sins bring greater intollerable eternal Sufferings Endless banishment from the blissful presence of God and Christ everlasting burnings amongst Devils and damned Ones is the desert of every Sin Reader when thou canst tell of a little Fire and little Torments in Hell and little horrors and terrors of Soul there to be the fruit of Sin Call not any of thy sins little Another thing Reader I would advertise thee of No Sin is little to him who thinks it so Sins may be said to be mortal or venial 1. In respect of their own Nature and so no Sins are venial but the least is mortal 2. In respect of the Divine Favour 3. In regard of the Issue In the two last respects all the sins of such as believe and repent are venial not in the Popish sense so as to be in their own nature no transgressions but praeter-transgressions of the Divine Law and not properly sins but analogically but they are venial as God for Christ's sake doth forgive them Either those Sins which they term venial are forbidden by the Law of God or not if not they
to a poor Creature there is no Condition so bad but might have been worse both for its intention and duration But now in the other World the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy and Misery without any Ease either in regard of degree or intermission All good banished from them and all evil inflicted on them Ex. If the wicked shall be thus punished with the loss of Christ and the pains of Hell fire it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom How dreadful is the hearing of fire fire in the night How doth the very sound of it fright men and women Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkness in that black long night of eternity Sinner when thou art tempted to sin consider whether the satisfaction of thy Lust will make thee amends for and ballance the loss of God and thy suffering the flames of Hell Alas how little is the pleasure of Sin but how terrible how intollerable is the pain of it What wise man would be rack'd a day for a moments delight much less suffer the wrath of an infinite God for the dreggy pleasures of a Beast Dost thou think thou canst bear it art thou able to endure it Canst thou suffer the pain of our fire if not how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth and keepeth burning which tortures the Soul as well as the Body and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and punishing his Creatures O Friend flie to Christ if thou wouldst flee from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1. ult He is the only skreen between thee and the fire of Hell Flie from sin if thou wouldst flie from Hell fire Flie the Cause and thou fliest the Effect Take away Sin and you take away Hell Whatsoever thou sowest now thou shalt reap hereafter Gal. 6.7 Sow Lust and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever Sow Holiness and reap Happiness They who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but they who sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 CHAP. XIII The eternity of the Sinners misery in the other World with the grand Reason of it I Come now to the eternity of the Sinners punishment in that word Everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is refer'd to God and then is used for that which is eternal à parte ante or that never had a beginning Sometimes it 's refer'd to the rational Creature and then signifieth an eternity a parte post or that which never hath an end The word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Age because what is everlasting endureth through all Ages and Generations and infinitely beyond them The Doctrine which I shall draw from this property of ungodly mens punishment shall be this Doct. 3. That the punishment of the wicked in the other World will be everlasting It will not only be extream in regard of its intention but also eternal in regard of its duration Their privative punishment will be eternal They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess 1.7 8. And so will their positive punishment be Jude vers 7. Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them are set forth suffering the vengeance of the eternal fire And Christ tells us There the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out Matth. 18. And again it 's called the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever It were no small ease to the damned if they had hopes of any end of their misery though after as many millions of millions of years as have been moments since the Creation and as are Creatures small and great in both worlds but it may not be it cannot be after all these years they are not to remain one moment the less in Hell I shall only give the Reasons of it and proceed to the Use There are several Reasons given why the Sinners temporal fault should have an eternal punishment 1. Some tell us He refused eternal Life and therefore it 's but reason he should be punished with eternal death They had eternal pains and eternal pleasures set before them and they chose eternal pains In choosing the way they chose the end they chose the way of the Flesh the way of their own Hearts and so consequentially they chose Hell to which that way led Now if a man hath but his own choice whom can he blame but himself If a man have what he desireth and loveth if it be ill with him he must thank himself He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all that hate me love death Prov. 8. ult Jer. 4.17 18. 2. Others tell us That if they should live here for ever they would sin for ever therefore God taking the will for the deed punisheth them for ever They die eternally for sin who would have lived eternally in sin Vellet sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare Greg. Man would live here for ever if he had his will that he might sin for ever Scotus and Aquinas tell us Peccant in aeterno suo puniuntur in aeterno Dei They sin in their eternity and God punisheth them in his eternity If God would give them an eternal abode on Earth they would imploy it in disobeying and dishonouring him eternally And because they would sin for ever therefore they shall suffer for ever Jer. 8.5 The Children of Israel are slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit and refuse to return How loath are they to forsake their Lusts 1. They hold them fast As a Fountain sendeth forth water so doth the Sinner send forth wickedness Jer. 6.7 Now a Fountain sendeth forth water freely without constraint and constantly without cessation What any thing doth naturally it doth easily and unweariedly The Sun shines naturally and he shines without any pains or tiresomeness The Fountain sends forth water naturally and doth it with ease and constancy So the Sinner sins naturally and doth it delightfully and unweariedly When the Body and its members the instruments of sin are tired and worn out and unable to execute the lusts of the flesh the body of sin is still fresh and vigorous in plotting and conspiring evil and in embracing and cherishing evil motions whence it appears that man sinning naturally would if he lived sin eternally and thence say they He is tormented for ever But 3. The principal Reason of the eternity of the Sinners misery and indeed the only reason in my Judgment with due respect to others is the infinite demerit of sin as committed against an infinite Majesty Because the Sinner is not capable of bearing a punishment infinite in intension therefore he must have it infinite in duration I doubt not but if the Sinner were able to bear the infinite stroak of Divine
judgment of many that a Princes Negative Voice is a greater part and mark of his Royalty than any Affirmative Command of his for a King may have Power to Command that which he hath no Power to forbid As he may and should enjoyn his Subjects to Worship the true God according to his revealed Will but he hath no Power to forbid them Thus in Sins of Omission for a man to live without Prayer without the love and fear of God without delight in him and communion with him without care of and watchfulness over his own heart and life may be a greater sign of the reign of Sin and thereby of an unregenerate state than the commission of some gross actual Transgressions It is apparent that this man is under the power of Lust as a Servant to it Tit. 3.3 And under the dominion of the Devil carried captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And an unregenerate unsanctified person because he lives in Disobedience to these positive Laws of God Whereas he that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.9 with his whole will there is not a free voluntary chearful submission of his Will to the quiet undisturbed dominion of Sin And he that is born of God hath a tender regard to the whole Law I have esteemed thy Precepts concerning all things to be right therefore I hate every false way Psal 119.128 He hath respect to Affirmative as well as Negative Precepts He hath an equal uniform regard to all the Law to that part which commands the doing good as well as that part which forbids the doing evil Therefore the man that lives in Sins of Omission is not born of God and therefore uncapable by the Gospel of Heaven and so justly for this cause sentenced to Hell CHAP. XXV Farther Reasons why Christ at the Great Day will condemn men for sins of Omission 3. CHrist will condemn men at the Reason 3 Great Day for sins of Omission because those that live in such Sins have no interest in himself There is no way to escape Hell but by the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 1. ult Jesus that delivereth from the wrath to come There is no way to attain Heaven but by Christ I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 As Salvation is God's Gift Rom. 6. ult so it 's Christs Purchase There is no Name under Heaven whereby men may be saved but by the Name of Christ Act. 4.12 So that all who are without Christ not interested in him must of necessity perish He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 Those that are without Christ are unpardoned All their sins are imputed to them Ephes 4. ult Rom. 3.25 And where-ever sin is imputed it condemneth Ezek. 18.3 Those that are not interested in Christ are Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 and Children of wrath Ephes 2.2 3. And such Children must be with their Father the Devil and under wrath for ever Now those that live in Sins of Omission have no interest in Christ Our interest in Christ and so in Life is by Faith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 Gal. 2.20 I live by Faith in the Son of God It is Faith that causeth the Union between Christ and the Soul and joyns them together by virtue of which Union the Christian hath communion with Christ in his Merits and Righteousness that his Life and Death and Burial are the Christians are by God imputed to him as if performed in his own person Hence it 's said That the Christian lives with Christ is crucified with Christ and buried with Christ Rom. 6.4 And the Christian is said to be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult By this Union with Christ which is the fruit of Faith the Christian is made a Son of God Gal. 3.26 and so an Heir of God and Joynt-Heir with Christ Rom. 8.17 As a Woman by marriage being united and made one with a Man hath communion with him in his Relations Honours and Estate So the Christian by Faith made one with Christ hath communion with him in his Relations Go tell my Brethren I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Joh. 20.17 In his Estate Christ is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 and the Believer is a Joynt-Heir with him as is before proved Christ was the First-born among many Brethren and so the Inheritance did belong to him Col. 1.18 Believers are a Congregation of first-born and so the right of the Inheritance is theirs Heb. 12.23 But such as live in sins of Omission are without Faith and therefore without Christ and therefore must be without Heaven for ever Faith is a sanctifying as well as a justifying Grace Act. 26.18 And to give them an Inheritance among them that are sanctified through Faith in Christ and therefore will not suffer the Soul to live in any sin Faith will not suffer a man to live in the want of love to God in so great an Omission for when Faith certifieth the Soul of Gods love to it this kindleth in the Soul flames of love to God 1 Joh. 4.19 When Faith brings much fewel the fire of love will be great Faith will not suffer a man to live without Repentance The eye of Faith which beholds a Christ crucified for sin affects the heart with sorrow for and indignation against those sins that crucified him Zach. 12.10 They shall see him whom they have pierced and mourn Faith will not suffer a man to live without delight in Christ and rejoycing in the God of all Consolation Faith seeth so much good certainly laid up in the Covenant and Promises for the Soul that it fills the Soul with joy in the hope and expectation of the enjoyment of them Whom having not seen we love and in whom believing though now we see him not we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.7 8. Faith will not suffer a man to live without waiting quietly on God Faith will not limit the Holy One of Israel but patiently stay Gods time for the mercies the Soul wanteth Faith knoweth his Bonds are good his Debts are in sure Hands The God that cannot lye hath promised Tit. 1.2 and therefore is not hasty to call them in He that believeth will not make haste Isa 28.16 Faith will not suffer a man to live without prayer He that knows his own wants and necessities how great and urgent they are and also where he may quickly have liberal Supplies and bountiful Relief will not long be kept from that Door You may sooner and easier put off a Beggar ready to starve who must needs perish if Charity do not help him and perswade him never to ask Alms more as keep a Believer from his daily waiting at Heavens Temple to ask spiritual Alms. An Unbeliever hath little hope to speed and therefore little heart to
Omission for not visiting the Sick and Imprisoned and not relieving the Hungry and Naked Then it may inform us That nothing short of practical godliness will speak a mans estate safe at this Day or fore-speak his estate to be comfortable at that day The want of this is the cause of these mens condemnation They might forbear injuring the Saints they might speak them fair bid them Be ye fed Be ye cloathed They might wish them well they might honour and respect them as Herod did the Baptist for their sanctity and righteousness yet because they were void of this practical godliness they gave them not wherewith to be fed and cloathed they are banished the presence of Christ and adjudged to the Curses and Company of Devils 1. A great Profession will not do without this practical godliness Some soar high in their Professions of and pretences to greater strictness and degrees of Grace and Holiness than others who alas fall foully often on Earth and always into Hell for lack of this practical godliness As some great Tradesmen who living wholly upon their Credit with others without any stock of their own quickly break and miscarry A Profession is but as the leaves of a Tree a sign of fruit not the fruit it self There is a vast difference between leaves and fruit Some think that Christ had not cursed the Fig-Tree if it had been without leaves as well as without fruit But when by its leaves it professed to have fruit Vide Robinson 1. part 132 and invited him to it in expectation thereof and disappointed him he presently claps a Curse on it that withers it at the very roots The Pharisees were great Professors made broad their Philacteries where-ever they went would be known for persons extraordinarily pious and religious yet how wicked was their state Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall never enter into the Kingdom of God and how woful is their Condition Woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites ye live in Omissions ye neglect the great things of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith Matth. 23.23 2. Great Gifts and Parts will not do without this A man may have choice natural Abilities rare acquired Accomplishments yea common Gifts of the Spirit of God and yet for want of this practical godliness be damned What amiable words come out of Balaams mouth he speaks like a Saint yea like an Angel how often have I heard his Prophesies with great admiration and affection his Tongue hath melted my heart and yet he had no good works for all his many good words and his lack of practical godliness ruin'd him What special endowments had they who preached in the Name of Christ and in his Name cast out Devils and in his Name did many marvailous works and yet were cast to Devils for being Workers of Iniquity as all are who are void of this practical godliness Matth. 7.21 23. What excellent Gifts doth the Apostle suppose a man to have the gift of Prophesing of understanding all Mysteries and all Knowledge and of all Faith so as to remove Mountains and yet if he have not Charity he is nothing c. 1 Cor. 13.2 3. If he love not his Brother and express it not to his power by spiritual and bodily Charity which is part of practical godliness he is nothing in Gods Eye what ever he may be in the eyes of men 3. Great Priviledges with seeming performances without this practical godliness will not do They who had Tabernacle Temple Ark Covenant Promises for want of this were destoy'd The Ark could not preserve them Afterwards when they nelected practical godliness the Temple could not protect them He bids the Jews go and see what he did to his place at Shiloh for their Iniquities He made them monuments of his Fury who had been patterns of his Pity when they neglected this practical godliness How meanly doth God discourse of seeming Obedience to his own Institutions when this is neglected Though they had his own Divine stamp on them and were signs of the sweetest Sacrifice and the most acceptable Service imaginable and he had often taken delight in them yet when they left off to do well observe his Language about them To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifice to me saith the Lord bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth I cannot bear them What strange expressions are here of his own Institutions But what 's the reason Truly the lack of this vers 17. Learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed Judge the Fatherless Plead for the Widow Isa 1.11 to 18. And how peremptorily doth he beat men off from trusting in their Priviledges as of no advantage without this practical godliness Think not saith the Baptist to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father this was a great Priviledge for with him and his Seed was the Covenant made and to them were Circumcision and the Pass-over the Seals of it given but what counsel doth he give them truly to mind practical godliness Bring forth fruit meet for Repentance i. e. for all the great priviledge in which you take so much pride and upon which you lay so much stress yet you can never flee from the wrath to come unless you bring forth good fruit fruit meet for repentance such fruit as will speak your hearts to be changed such fruit as is suitable to a renewed nature This and this alone is practical godliness The Coherence in that Matth. 3.8 9 10. deserves our Observation And John saith unto the Pharisees O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance And think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham Do not think that God is bound to and must save you because ye are Abrahams Seed for God can of stones make Sons of Abraham And now also the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire CHAP. XXIX The Condition of men only Civil is unsafe and sad 5. IF Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission for not relieving the Poor and Afflicted It may inform us That the condition of men meerly civil and negatively religious will be woful at that day Why Because Christ will command them to depart from him into everlasting fire Ah how dreadful will it be to take an eternal Farewel of the Lord of Life the God of all Grace the Well of Salvation and to enter into a state of Death and Wrath and that for ever If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Sinner and Vngodly appear 1 Pet. 3. By Sinner I
ever and this farthest utmost endless departure of the Creature from God who is the only Life and Heaven of him will be a Death and Hell with a witness God will be God at that Day in the account of the worst of men though he be their laughing-stock and sinning-stock at this day Though these ungodly ones sit aloft here in the Courts of men and who but they Yet the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment Psal 1.5 At the Great Day when they shall be judged 1. They shall be ashamed they shall not stand i. e. not hold up their heads with joy but hang down their heads with shame Dan. 12. Some shall arise to shame and confusion of face 2. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment i. e. they shall not be justified When they shall be tried for their Lives and Deaths for their endless unchangeable states they shall be cast and condemned When all Adams Posterity shall make their personal appearance before the God of the Spirits of all Flesh to receive their eternal doom and when the Judge of Quick and Dead cloathed with his Majestick Robes of Glory accompanied with an illustrious train of Angels shall sit down on the Judgment Seat he shall pronounce a Sentence of Condemnation on all ungodly Ones If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who should stand Psal 130.3 i. e. If thou Lord should observe exactly the best mans heart and life and accordingly deal with him not one man could be justified Who shall stand i. e. righteous at thy Bar. 3. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment i. e. they shall not conquer when they shall be impleaded and accused by the Devil and the Law at that day An Army foil'd is said not to stand before their Enemies And again An Army beaten is said to fall before their Adversaries Dan. 11.25 And the Conquerors are said to stand Ephes 6.13 The Devil will bring his large Bills of Indictments into the Court against the Ungodly for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 A Court-Adversary and the Law will second the Devil and joyn with him in his Accusations the Sinners Conscience will joyn with both and assent to the truth of their Indictments The Ungodly will have no Advocate to plead for him Christ that sometimes offer'd him that kindness will now plead against him and so he must needs fall and be conquer'd by his Enemies CHAP. XXX Sinners Conviction at the Day of Judgment The purity of Christs Religion above all others Sixth Use of Information 6. IF Christ will say to them on the left hand Depart from me For I was Hungry and ye gave me no meat Or if Christ will condemn men for sins of Omission at the Great Dy It informs us That Christ will be rational in his most severe proceedings even to the Conviction of the Sinners own Conscience I draw this from the Coherence of the verses Christ first pronounceth the Sentence vers 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire And then vers 42. he gives the reason For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. which though at first they seem to question yet at last they are muzled and put to silence Jude tells us of solemn Condemnation and solemn Conviction of these ungodly Ones as the chief businesse of that Day Behold he cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment on all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 14 15. Execution by an Hysteron Proteron is put before Conviction yet one great work of that Great Day is to convince these ungodly Ones and the severity of the Process is against the Ungodly This Conviction implyeth 1. A reflection of Conscience upon all their past and former sins Conscience as a Glass shall represent to the Sinner all his lusts which he hath loved above his Soul and Saviour in all their ugly features and loathsome colours The Books at that day will be opened Rev. 20.12 i. e. The Book of Gods Remembrance Mal. 3. and the Book of Conscience Sins are not gone as soon as done God records them in his Book of Remembrance and Conscience will review them all in that Day of Vengeance Though it could not be heard by the Sinner in this World for the noise of his carnal delights and cry of his worldly delights yet when it sets his sins in order before his eyes in their monstrous frightful shapes it will thunder in his Ears as Reuben to his Brethren Did not I tell you of this and say Do not sin and thou wouldst not hear therefore all this Wrath and Fury and Flames and Darkness and Chains are come upon thee 2. This Conviction implyeth a silencing the Sinner that he will have nothing to say either against God or for himself A man that is convinced hath his mouth stop'd When the Spirit convinceth the World of sin the World hath not a word to say against the Sin and Guilt which the Law chargeth on it Every mouth is stoped and all the World is guilty before God How often is the poor Creature self-convinced and self-condemned here but soon after the sick qualms go off his stomach and he is revived with the Cordials of sinful shifts and excuses wherewith he deludes himself and presumes he may also deceive God but at the Great Day as his Convictions will be more killing so they will be more lasting The man will be dumb and speechless when Christ shall say Why didst thou deny to relieve my Servants in their wants Why didst thou slight my Blood neglect my Worship grieve my Spirit and omit to obey my positive Laws Matth. 22.3 4 5. The very Heathen who shall be imprison'd in the dark dungeon of Hell for imprisoning the Truth and holding it in unrighteousness will not have a motion in their Breasts of accusing God for false Imprisonment How certainly then and how fully will the Consciences of Christians who lived under the Gospel justifie God when he shall condemn them for not believing and not repenting upon the Messages he sent to them of pardon and life 7. If Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission It may inform us of the excellency of the Christian Religion above all other Religions The excellency of any Religion consisteth in the purity of its Precepts and strictness of its Commands now no Religion is so holy in its Commands and so exact in its Laws as the Christian Religion Moral Duties are advanced by it to their highest perfection and moral Vices are debased by it to their lowest degradation The Commandment of the Lord is pure Psal 19. Thy Word is very pure Christ will condemn men to Hell at the last Day for Omissions as well as Commissions for neglect of known Duties as well as
them for ever to make them more worth than both Worlds If upon a faithful trial they found things well it would rejoyce their hearts encourage them in ways of holiness and confirm them against Satans Temptations to dispair But men generally neglect their Examinations till God comes to examine them as the Rulers commanded Paul to be examined with scourgings and scorpions They presume all is well hope the best and would be sorry any should question their estates and thus persist in their self-deceits till they come to appear before God that the gate of Mercy be shut and the golden Scepter of Grace be wholly withdrawn and their estates become as desperate as the estates of the Devils To urge this Use a little Reader consider these two particulars 1. Consider of what weight it is and how much depends upon this question Am I of the number of them that shall be condemned for sins of Omission or not Or am I guilty of Omissions so as to be banished the presence of Christ for them or not I tell thee thy eternal Joy or Sorrow Happiness or Misery Pleasure or Pain depends on it Do but read and consider and then say whether it be not of infinite weight Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the World For I was hungry and ye gave me meat thirsty and ye gave me drink c. On the other side Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink c. Friend are not these weighty things that depend on the performance or neglect of these positive Precepts Come ye blessed of my Father Is not a coming close near intimate familiar into his very bosom and dearest embraces to Christ a weighty thing To come to Christ here is so weighty that he came to men into this World to call them to him Matth. 11.28 Matth. 9.13 But to come to Christ there in all his Robes and Riches and Royalty in all his Beauty and Glory and Magnificence will questionless be of more concern to the Soul On the contrary Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Is there not weight Reader in these words Dost thou know what it is to bid Christ farewel farewel for ever to take an eternal leave of all good Canst thou bear the extremity of our Culinary fires for a day Canst thou dwell in everlasting burnings or abide unquenchable flames Thou seest all this depends upon thy performing or neglect of the Divine positive Precepts Doth it not concern thee in a matter of such weight to be faithful in the trial of thy self Friend are Life and Death are eternal Life and eternal Death indifferent things or things of small moment Are an eternal enjoyment of God or an endless separation from God mean or trivial things Oh how infinitely do they exceed and over-ballance thy understanding How short must thou of necessity come of conceiving of these things according to their weight Alas Friend what pitiful toys and trifles are Houses and Lands and Friends and Relations and Honors and Preferments I and Liberty and this temporal Life to an eternal happy Life 2. Consider all are guilty of Omissions even the Good as well as the Bad and therefore the more faithfulness and prudence and caution is requisite lest we mistake If Saints and Sinners are both guilty of Omissions how shall I know whether my Omissions are such as will consist with Salvation unless I try and examine my self The good man being guilty of Omissions may fear the dreadful Sentence of Go ye cursed c. And the wicked man knowing that the best are guilty of many Omissions as well as he may presume upon the joyful Sentence Come thou blessed of my Father c. How shall each be rectified in his mistake and satisfied in the truth but by an impartial and through examination of himself God hath given us a Test which is the word of Truth Eph. 1.13 whereby we may try our selves and prevent all mistakes Where there is a possibility of a mistake in a business of such infinite weight there is sufficient ground for a serious trial but where there is so great a probability of mistaking as a thing that is so easie and ordinary because all men are guilty too much of Omissions there is a necessity of a faithful and impartial trial There is that maketh himself rich in Temporals he is worth thousands in Spirituals he is rich towards God and worth millions yet hath nothing Orig. yet nothing in him or to him he is nothing he hath nothing for all his brags there is that makes himself poor speaks himself poor would have others think him poor yet hath great riches Hebr. yet much substance the man hath a great Estate but is willing to conceal it Merchants who are worth thousands do not publish or boast of their Wares or Wealth about the City those poor Creatures do it who carry all their worth on their Heads or in their Arms. Junius reads the words well Est qui divitem se jactat quum desint omnia item qui pauperem se fingit cui substantia ampla There is that boasts himself rich to whom all things are wanting and that feigns himself poor yet hath large substance There is that boasts and brags himself rich in the fear and favour of God and will tell you of his communion and converses with the Divine Majesty of his love to and delight in the Ways and People and Ordinances of God when all these things are wanting to him he hath nothing at all in reality of any of them There is that fains himself poor that dissembles as it were his estate that is a Beggar as some read the word Poor here in his own account and would have all others judge him so too he is so covetous after more that he over-looks what he hath and so greedy of further attainments that he takes little notice of his present spiritual enjoyments If you will believe him he is a meer Beggar hath not one bit of bread to eat and if his Father in whose house there is bread enough and to spare do not pity and relieve his prodigal Child he shall perish for hunger yet this man hath much substance is a man of worth and wealth indeed He is like a branch mightily laden with fruit and an ear fully laden with corn which the heavier they are laden the more they bow down to the ground A meer titular Christian like an empty Vessel may make a great sound but the full Vessel that contains the precious Liquor is silent I come now to the marks whereby men may know their estates And for that end I shall lay down several Propositions 1. Proposition Those that live in Commissions as well as Omissions must certainly be condemned at the
walk and converse with the blessed and glorious God Is not his Law worth observing his Glory worth advancing and his Service worth minding and his Love worth accepting when he can make thee miserable or happy with a word in an instant when thou and all thou hast are in his hand every moment to be disposed of for Good or Evil altogether at his Pleasure when he can with the breath of his Nostrils with the blast of his Lips with a glance of his Eye send thee to Hell where the Worm never dieth and the Fire never goeth out Friend consider it Is it not good advice to wish thee to sue and seek to him to pray to and please him upon whom thine unchangeable Felicity or Misery dependeth and who shall judge thee to thine everlasting state of Life or Death Is it not good to have the King thy Friend how many Pleasures may he do thee and how many Favours may he bestow on thee But how much better is it to have the King of Kings thy Friend What Pleasure is there which he cannot do thee what Favour which he cannot bestow on thee He can give thee Earth Heaven Riches Honours Pleasures Life Health Food Raiment Friends Relations his Day his Word his Ordinances his Love his Image his Peace his Joy his Spirit his Son Himself every Good any Good all Good O how blessed is he that hath this God! But Reader wouldst thou have all these without so much as asking for them We say they are poor Favours that are not worth asking Sure I am these Mercies are of more value than thine Understanding can conceive and therefore must deserve more Prayers and Tears and Groans for them than thou art capable of giving Do not any day upon any pretence omit to offer up thy Morning and Evening Sacrifices Remember so often as thou neglectest Morning-Prayer so often thou art all the day naked destitute of thy spiritual Guard and exposed to all manner of Evils and Enemies and dost fore-speak thy self an evil Day and so often as thou omittest Evening-Prayer thou presumest upon sleep and rest and safety without God's leave and fore-speakest thy self an evil Night What did Thomas lose by one Omission Jesus appeared the first day of the week to his Disciples but Thomas saith the Text was not there Joh. 20.24 But what is the issue of this Omission truly by his neglecting this opportunity of confirming his Faith he falls into a desperate fit of Unbelief When the Apostles told him That they had seen the Lord He presently answers Except I shall see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my finger into the print of the Nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Joh. 20.24 25. Ah what had become of Thomas if infinite Majesty had not stooped to recover him 2. Take heed of internal Omissions In the next place I advise thee to look seriously to the manner of thy performances to be sure that thou worship God with thy Heart and Affections This is the chief and substance and heart of thy Performances according to which they shall be accepted or not In all thy Addresses draw nigh to God with an humble Faith and Confidence as to a Father ready able and willing to supply all thy wants and answer all thy Doubts and to grant all thy Prayers and Desires as also with a chearful reverence and awfulness as to a God infinite in his Being and in all his Perfections between whom and thee a poor worm there is an infinite distance In every Duty Let thy Faith in Christ thy Love to God and thy Repentance from dead Works be exercised Hereby thy Duties will be more comfortable to thy self Men that perform Duties in a round out of custom or for fashion-sake have no pleasure therein are backward to them untoward at them and careless after them They come to them with trouble as to that to which their hearts have a reluctancy and go from them with joy as from that which was burdensome and tedious to them But when men pray with a sense of their wants and beg mercy with hope in the blood of Christ and have their love and joy acted in their Duties how sweetly do they come off nay how pleasant are they in the very performance of them Communion with God in them brings peace and comfort indeed Now Reader do I advise thee to thy hurt when I advise thee to the life of a Saint to the life of an Angel to a life of love and joy and delight in the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations Is not this Life the Suburbs the Earnest the First-fruits of the life of the Blessed of the life of those heavenly Courtiers who bathe themselves without intermission in Springs of Joy and in Rivers of Pleasures And by this care of thine about the manner of performing thy Duties they will be the more acceptable to God He commands the Heart Prov. 23.26 delights in truth in the inward parts Psal 51. and is nigh to them that call upon him in truth Psal 34. How pleasing would it be to thee to know thy prayers and readings to be pleasing to God Jer. 30.21 And I will cause him to draw near and to approach unto me i. e. with welcome and acceptance for who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me If thou bring thy Heart to a Duty God will bring his Ear to hear thee In the prosecution of this Use I shall first lay down some Arguments or Motives to inforce it 2. Lay down the cause of these Omissions which are so frequent among us 3. Prescribe somewhat for the Cure and Remedy thereof CHAP. XXXIV Arguments against Omissions The positiveness of our Rule and of Gods Mercies I Begin with the first viz. The Arguments to move us to mind positive Duties 1. Consider the Law which God hath given us for the Rule of our Lives is both positive and negative and therefore our Obedience must be such What need positive Precepts but to require positive Practices Single Prohibitions would have sufficed for a negative Religion The Law is holy in its Commands that immediately concern God just in what it commands concerning our Neighbours and good in what it commands concerning our selves Rom. 7.12 Look to the Moral Law every negative command hath a positive Precept Take the Prophets all along that speak in the Name of the Lord and we shall find that they still enjoyn Duty as well as forbid Sin Deut. 12.29 to the end Take heed that thou be not snared by following the Nations that are destroyed before thee and that thou inquire not after their gods saying How did these Nations serve their gods even so will I do likewise Here is Sin forbidden But mark also Duty is commanded What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Nay a Copy of this Law both positive
find thy self deceived and that thou hast all thy life long been a labourious Loyterer and done nothing The greater rise thine expectation had and the higher thy hope was the more bruising will thy fall be and the heavier thy heart for ever CHAP. XXXVII Arguments against Omissions God deserves our positive Obedience before all others and true Sanctification cannot be without it 7. COnsider God deserves your positive Obedience as well as your Negative Friend if God hath thy negative Obedience some other hath thy positive for I cannot suppose thee idle all the time of thy life either the Devil or the World or the Flesh Man cannot live without a Master whose work and business he will do Now let thy Conscience judge which of these deserves thy Service best If as Alexander said when asked of his Kingdoms who should inherit them after his death Let them be given to the most worthy Thou wilt for the future give thy Affections and Conversation to the most worthy I doubt not but thou wilt quickly give them to God For the Devil surely thou wilt not for shame put him in composition with God Is not he an old Serpent solicitous night and day with his wiles and snares and devices to deceive thee And is not he a roaring Lion seeking continually how he may devour thee 2 Cor. 11.3 Eph. 6.11 Rev. 12.9 1 Pet. 5.8 Is not his emnity such against God that he hates thee for his sake and improves all his power and policy to bring thee to be a partaker of the same misery and wretchedness with himself and is he fit to be thy Master Art thou willing to be his Servant yet I must tell thee if thou wilfully neglectest the work of God thou art of thy Father the Devil if the Devil and his works thou dost Joh. 8.44 And remember the Redeemer had not died to subdue the Devil to us if it had not been cruel bondage for man to be enslaved to him Heb. 2. For the world what is in it that should deserve thy service I am sure God made the World for thee and not thee for the World and the end is more excellent than the means God made the World to serve thee and not thee to serve the World Is it Riches that thou payest thy Homage to Ah how infinitely inferior are they to thy spiritual Soul Is it not a rare lovely sight to see a noble Heaven-born immortal Spirit truckle and bow and submit and be a drudge and slave to white and yellow dust to the guts and garbage of the Earth Is not this a fine sight thinkst thou for thy Love and Desires and Joys and Delights like Moles to be grovelling in the Earth when high and noble Objects worthy of them are always before thee expecting them Or is it the Honour of the World which thou adorest Dost thou know what an Idol thou hast set up in thine heart A Vapor a Wind the stinking breath of a company of ignorant vile people who understand nothing of true worth or excellency Where is this or what is this God whom thou worshippest a fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7.31 a mathematical Figure somewhat in shew nothing in substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fancy Act. 25.23 that hath an existence in the brain but no where else It 's as an eccho to the Ear which is a voice a buz a hum and no more It 's as a Picture to the Eye which hath some shape but no life In brief honour of the World is so poor so pitiful so inconsiderable a thing that a wise man would not give a farthing for it Or is it Pleasure that bewitching Bait that sugred Poison which hath caught and kill'd many Thou knowest not what thou dost when as the Apostle saith Thou servest divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.2 3. reckoning it as the misery of man by nature What is this pleasure but the satisfaction of thy senses and the delight thou hast therein which the Beasts may enjoy above thee Let Conscience judge are brutish Pleasures worthy to domineer and bear sway over a mind that is large enough to grasp both Worlds and an heart capable of the Joys and Pleasures of glorious and blessed Angels Reader if the World were worthy to be thy Master or its Treasures or Honours or Pleasures did deserve thy Service the Redeemer might have spared his pains and passion when he gave himself to this present evil World Gal. 1.4 Or is it the Flesh thou art so fond of why that 's but a poor piece it 's deceitful and will cozen thee Jer. 17.9 It hath such a depth of deceit in it that neither thou nor any other Creature can fadom it And is it good to be a Servant to so treacherous a Master it's dying and will forsake thee Psal 73.25 It must shortly be laid in the dust become food for Worms nay be turn'd into dust And canst thou think this clod of Clay this lump of Earth this sink of Filthiness this receptacle of crawling Vermine a fit Master to rule over a Soul that is of Coelestial extraction of a spiritual angelical Nature and of an eternal duration Surely Reader thou art no debtor to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Rom. 8.12 Thou owest thy Flesh nothing but care and watchfulness to keep it under and to subdue it that it lord it not over thy Spirit If thou servest the Flesh once thou servest it too much by once for thou art no debtor to it and dost not ow it the least Service imaginable but in subordination to thy Soul and Saviour Surely then if neither the Devil nor the World nor the Flesh deserve thy positive Obedience God must Reader let me come up a little closer to thee I pray who hath laid most Obligations on thee God or they To whom art thou most indebted to God or to them Did they give thee thy Being when thou wast nothing Did they form thee and fashion thee in thy Mothers Womb Was it by them that thou wast born Did they look after thee in thine Infancy and cause Mercy all along to grow up with thee Have any of them protected thee in thy Dangers supported thee in thy Difficulties supplied thee in thy Wants or deliver'd thee out of thy Distresses Who spreads thy Table and blesseth thy Food to thee every day Who makes thy Bed and commandeth sleep for thee every night Whose mercy is it thou livest Gods or theirs and through whose compassion is it that thou art not consumed Whose visitation is it that preserveth thy Spirit Who defendeth thee night and day from Devils and damned Spirits who watch continually to drag thee to their own Den and Dungeon of Darkness and who hath relieved thee with all the Mercies which ever thou hast enjoyed and is all this nothing to ingage thee to his Service Doth all this care of thee deserve nothing from thee again to God But Friend to come up one
easie to forbear cursing and swearing and blaspheming the Name of God these may suit well with a torpid idle person but to call on the Name of God to pray fervently to pray without ceasing to lift up to the Soul in prayer to pour out the heart to stir up ones self to wrastle with God to seek him with all the heart with the whole heart this will require some pains and labour and this makes him forbear it Again it 's no great pains for a man to keep himself from hearing lascivious vain backbiting or flattering or evil Language a man may but forbear coming into such company or depart from them when he understandeth them about such wickedness but for a man to hear the Word of God with reverence as the Word of God with meekness as willing to be govern'd by it with Faith as believing all the Promises and Threatnings of it to be of unquestionable certainty and with a resolution to practise it as knowing we shall be judged by it at the day of Christ this will cost some head and heart work which the sleepy Drone is unwilling to come to Again the right performance of Duties in regard of the manner requires much more pains than in regard of the matter therefore they who take upon them a Form deny the power of Godliness and who are not guilty of external are yet of internal Omissions How many pray or mumble over a few words Morning and Evening to God and are pleased with it as if therefore all were well and think God pleased too who never trouble themselves with minding that reverence humility uprightness sense of want Faith in Christ importunity of desires which God expects in every prevalent Prayer and the reason is because the former is so easie and the latter so laborious Besides for a man to examine his own heart frequently and impartially and to call himself to a strict account what he hath been and done in the World and what is like to become of him and to befal him for ever for him to take the Looking-Glass of the Law of God and therein to behold his Heart and Life and having compared his practices with the Divine Precepts which are exceeding broad to accuse and judge and condemn and loath and abhor himself for him to lay himself low before the Lord and to acknowledge and confess with shame and anger and grief his filthiness and wickedness and to beg Pardon Grace as earnestly as one that believes if his requests be denied his poor Soul is damned for ever Friend Friend this is hard and painful work and the idle man will not meddle Once more he that will be positively holy must watch himself in all his ways must watch for opportunities of Service to God he must catch at them and improve them when he hath them put into his hand he must stand always upon his guard to defend himself against his enemies and be as a Sparrow upon the house-top to look about and consider where he may pick up any spiritual food for his Soul he must design and study and contrive how he may spend his time and parts and strength and estate to the best advantage of his Lord and Master and think nothing too much no pains no labour no not his blood for his Lord's Honour and will a sluggard that lieth with his hands in his bosom do this or any part of this Ah Friend the sleepy World dream of Happiness upon easie terms as if they could walk to Heaven in a pleasant Meadow or be carried to Heaven in a Down-bed but it must not be it cannot be Difficilia quae pulchra Canst thou obtain any thing that is excellent unless thou art diligent Doth the Tradesman get an Estate who is not industrious to look after his Customers his Books and whatsoever concerns his Calling Can he who sits still in his Chimney-corner and neither minds buying in nor selling out nor takes care how things are order'd in his Shop ever exspect to be rich Reader if ever thou wilt make any thing of it there is a necessity of shaking off this slothfulness I must tell thee an idle person is the Devils Cushion his own burden unlike and loathsome to God and a wem in the Body Politick where he lives To cure this Reader I must say to thee as the Apostle to the Ephesians Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead Ephes 5.14 Friend thy work is not to be done sleeping God-work Soul-work Eternity-work is not to be done sleeping Labouring wrastling fighting striving running are not to be done sleeping Joh. 6.27 Gen. 32.24 Matth. 6.13 1 Cor. 9. Dost thou think to attain everlasting Pleasures and not to take pains Doth God value his blissful Mansions at so low a rate as to throw them away upon those who slight them and judge them unworthy their utmost endeavours Is the price of Heaven fallen since the Redeemers being in the World then it was Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Matth. 6.33 And strive to enter in at the strait Gate Matth. 7.33 And labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life Matth. 6.27 And is it now laze and loyter and be blessed for ever Though God doth not exspect from thee a natural price for his Son that is impossible for Men or Angels to give yet he doth exspect that pactional price which he hath set down in his Word as the condition of those that shall have a part in him Reader dost thou know what pains the Merchant takes for corruptible Treasures how he ventures his life in a wooden-bottom and a tempestuous Ocean and is every moment in danger of death how he sails from Haven to Haven disposing and exchanging Commodities trading and trafficking with persons of divers Countries and Languages and all to get a little wealth and if worldly Pearls cannot be had without pains dost thou think the Pearl of great and inestimable price the Lord Jesus Christ and the fruits of his precious blood may be had for nothing I tell thee as God valued his Son at so high a rate as to accept of his temporary sufferings as fuller satisfaction to his Justice on the behalf of millions of Souls than if they had fryed millions of millions of millions of years in Hell so God will make thee value and prize him if ever thou partake any benefit by him And if thou once comest to know his worth and to esteem him accordingly thou wilt think no toil no sweat nay no blood too good or too much for him Friend ponder the work of positive Godliness and then judge whether diligence be not requisite Closet-Duties as praying reading self-examining and Family-Duties must daily be performed and that with life and vigor and all the Soul and all the strength Thy earthly Calling must be followed with heavenly affections and whilst thy Occupation is amongst men thy Conversation must be with God In all Companies and