To these I would say If as ye profess ye truly love God whence is that ye think no more of him And that ye speak no more of him And delight no more in converse with him Are no more concerned when he is dishonoured Nor grieved for your own Sins and the Sins of others against him How comes it to pass that so many Religious Duties are wholly neglected by you And others so miserably trifled in and slubber'd over Whence is it that your Lusts are so much indulged and that ye keep in league with his Enemies c. Is this the Love ye speak of It might well become you to know your selves better Thus much for the Use of Examination CHAP. XI The Exhortation in several Branches 1. To those who are not yet wrought for Heaven directing them what Methods to take in order to their Conversion IT may justly be expected that the Issue of the fore-going Examination will be various according to the different State or Circumstances of the Persons who shall think it worth their while to concern them selves seriously therein 1. 'T is not uncharitable to suppose that some may find great reason to conclude that this renewing Change has not yet passed upon them a sad Conclusion God knows but necessary to be made where 't is true O happy Congregation indeed if this were an unreasonable Supposition happy I say if all among you were thus wrought for Heaven 2. 'T is likely there may be others not altogether without hopes that this great Change is wrought upon them nor yet without Fears of the contrary but full of Doubt and Hesitations about it 3. And surely there are some among you who through Grace are able comfortably to conclude that they are indeed passed from Death to Life whose Hopes do quiâ—e overrop their Fears in his Matter Now that which I would endeavour through God's Assistance is to speak a word in season to all these in order To the first sort with deep concern for them trembling over them travelling in biâ—th with them till Christ be formed in them Help Lord To the second with a due Mixture of Tenderness and Judgment Compassion and Discretion To the third with humble Thankfulness and an Heart enlarged in Love to God and our Redeemer that our Joy may be full All this I say I would do but of my self can do nothing O for more Faith in the blessed Spirit of our glorified Head And now I proceed to the Exhortation 1. To those who are yet in an unregenerate State Come come bestir your selves what have ye been doing all this while what are ye dreaming of It is high time to awake out of sleep and to hasten your escape from the Wrath to come while there is yet Hope Little know ye but your Glass may be almost run and yet alas your great Work is undone Let me say to you as Gen. 19.17 Escape for your Lives look not behind you lest ye be consumed If therefore ye would be converted and saved let me also press upon you the following Directions O Lord my God I beseech thee send me good speed this day and grant that the strong holds of Satan may be broken and the Interest of thy Son my Lord be advanced and that the Kingdom of Glory may be hastened Lord remember the Requests tho too few and cold that have been put up to Heaven both in publick and in secret on this behalf and give a gracious Answer Even so Amen Direct 1. Set your selves in good earnest to the serious Consideration of your Spiritual Concerns Exercise your most sober deliberate Thoughts about them Ye wiâ—l find one Day that it would have been better for you not to have had Reason than not to use it about the Interests of your Souls Better I say that ye had filled up the room of the meanest Guâ—t Worm or Mole in the Creation than of Men if ye do not improve â—nd use your noblest Faculties â—o their proper Ends. Ye can think naturally and easily early and late with much earnestness and constancy about other Matâ—ers how to buy and sell and get Gain and other such important Trifles â—pardon the Contradiction for 't is of your own making But lâ—t me ask you have ye no thoughts to spare about your Eternal Concerns where ye must dwell for ever what shall become of your immortal Souls when they must abide in Flesh no longer Do not these things deserve to be thought of What do ye think your Reason was given you for Can ye expect to be sanâ—tified and saved without any Endeavours of your own in order thereto Or is it likely your Endeavours should be to any purpose unless your Minds be first awakened to proceed rationally in the Matter To ask your selves what ye are Whence ye came Where ye are placed Whither ye are going What ye have to â—o Try to answer these things to your selves I must not stay to enlarge upon them Do not expect to become Religious by chance it must be by choice through Grace or not at all And is it likely that the Will should act blindly in the Case or chuse the Ways of God before the Understanding be convinced of the Worth and Excellency of them And what Conviction without Consideration I thought I had told you before that God works upon Men as rational Creatures upon the Will by the Mediation of the Understanding But 't is the design of Satan to keep you asleep in carnal Security to find your Thoughts other employment that he may divert you from considering these things for which your Reason was principally given you And are ye willing thus to be led blindfold to Hell Lord open their Eves that they may see O think how ye will ever be able to answer it to God or your own Consciences that ye have been so stupidly inconsiderate as to the things of your everlasting Peace All Wickedness may be resolved into Inconsiderateness Isa 1.3 4. My People doth not consider Ah sinful Nation a People laden with Iniquity Well then Sirs if ye think your Souls worth so much Labour I would offer to you some Particulars to be considered in the following order 1. Consider well how sinful and miserable an unregenerate State is As for the sinfulness of it It is a State of Hostility against Heaven In Scripture account all unregenerate Men are Enemies to God yea Enmity it self Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 They are said to contemn him despise him and to cast him behind their back They kick against him they hate and abhor him Zeâ—h 11.8 My Soul loathed them and their Soul also abhorred me Is not this think you a sinful State indeed And is it not in some respect so much the worse in that they profess or pretend to the contrary With their Mouth they shew much Love but in reality they do alienate themselves from him who has the most full and absolute propriety in them They rebel against their most
glorious Body As to which I shall only say that suiable Object will not be wanting to the Organs or Power wherewith they shall be endued Finally tho it will remain true to all Eternity thâ—â— we were once Sinners yet 't will be as true that wâ— are pardoned and reconciled through Christ and therefore that the Guilt of our Sins shall never separate between us and our God or make us unfit for Commâ—nion with him any more 2. The actual Enjoyment of God This it is which must compleat the Happiness of the Soul for this enâ— it was prepared by Grace and advanced to that high Perfection in Glory whereof we have been speaking viz. that it might perfectly enjoy the most glorioâ—â— perfect God Under this Head there are two things which must bâ— distinctly considered tho they cannot be really divided 1. The lively actings of the Soul towards God 2. It s constant reception of Communications from him 1. All the Faculties and Powers of the perfected Soul shall be taken up with God acting towards him terminating upon him resting in him The Vnderstanding shall be employ'd in contemplating the gloriouâ— Excellencies of the Divine Nature His Power Wisdom Goodness his Truth and Faithfulness his glorious Holiness that Attribute of Attributes as one calls it which runs as it were through all the rest and casts a Glory upon every one Exod. 15.11 Glorious in Holiness his awful Majestick Soveraignty c. all these will then appear to open view 'T were easy to enlarge upon each of these and 't is sit you should do so let me help you a little His Power by which he made the World stretched out the Heavens laid the Foundations of the Earth or hanged it upon nothing poised by its own weight set bounds to the proud waves of the Sea and restrained the madder Rage of the tumultuous People Yea that Power whereby he first drew them unto Christ and made them willing in the Day of their Espousals with him Even that exceeding greatness of his Power according to the working of the might of his Power Ephes 1.19 and by which they have been kept through Faith unto Salvation His Wisdom that appears so eminently in the Order and Harmony of all his Works And particularly which framed and contrived the wonderful Design of our Redemption by Jesus Chriâ—â— This manifold Wisdom of God which the Angels desire to look into will then shine forth conspicuously to the ravishing of all the Beholders especially those who have shared most deeply in the blessed Effects of it His Goodness an Attribute which he delights to honour Thus when Moses prays Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy Glory vers 19. He said I will make all my Goodness pass before thee c. Thus we read of the Riches of his Goodness Rom. 2.4 And that none is good save one that is God Luk. 18.19 O how lovely and attractive will the Divine Goodness appear to us in all the various Aspects and Manifestations of it when we come to Heaven Verily if there could be any room for Grief in those Regions of Blessedness it must certainly arise from the remembrance of the many Affronts and Indignities which we had formerly put upon this blessed Attribute by slighting undervaluing or entertaining mean low narrow thoughts of it c. But here as Goodness will triumph in overlooking the Contempts which have been put upon it so it will not suffer us to disquiet our selves about them The Glory of his Truth and Faithfulness will appear in the fulfilling of those exceeding great and precious Promises which he made The True and Faithful God And particularly in this that he never suffered us to be tempted above what we were able 1 Cor. 10.13 How will this be admired when we are got safe out of the reach of all Temptations The Excellency of Holiness will then be known iâ— that Holy Place and the Divine Majesty for ever adored by his holy Ones But I must not stay to enlarge upon these I have shewed you the way exercise your own Thoughts and you cannot want Matter Only see that your Hearts be sutably affected as yâ—â— go on Thus the Eyes of our Understandings being opened strengthned enlarged shall for ever feed upon the Divine Glory Faith will be turned into Vision we shall waâ—k by sight Stop here a little and consider what you have been reading How pleasant a thing is knowledg to the Soul tho it be but that of inferior Objects But how much more delâ—â—â—â—ful will it be to know him who iâ— the Fountain of Bâ—mâ— the Cause of Causes the Spriâ—â— of Action the Source and Original of all Perfection the everlâ—sting I AM What is all other Knowledge compared to this Then shall the Eye be satisfied with seeing and our Joy not Sorrow encreased by oâ—â— Knowledg What we know of God in our present-state is nexâ— to nothing in comparison of what we shall then know We now see but darkly as in a Glass our Thoughts oâ— God are weak confused and childish as the Apostlâ— speaks 1 Cor. 13.11 12. But when that which iâ— perfect is come these childish things must be put away and a more noble manly Knowledg succeed in theiâ— room A sight of his Back-parts is now no small Privilege but his Face shall then be seen Exod. 33.23 Moreover our Knowledg shall be transforming ouâ— Eye shall affect our Hearts or as a Learned Man expresseth it we shall look our selves into his Likeness Psal 17.15 I will behold thy Face I shall be satisful with thy Likeness 1 Joh. 3.2 We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is If after all this you desire to know whether we shall immediately behold the pure Essence of God I answer stay till you come thither 't is certain that we shall see him in his wonderful Works we shall see him in our glorified Head Who is the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 But as for the very Essence of God whether we shall behold that I cannot tell but for many Reasons strongly incline to the Negative Our Wills shall for ever cleave unto God as the most amiable perfect Good in himself and the most sutable Good for us And as such we shall love him and rest in him with the highest Delight and Complacency Our Hearts will be entirely and unchangably fixed and determined for God There will be no idolatrous dividing of them between Him and the Creature We shall love him with a full and perfect Freedom of Spirit and yet be sweetly constrained thereto by an happy Necessity It will then be as easy and infinitely more pleasant to love him as now it is to love our selves our own Felicity or our dearest Friends To live with him and in him will be our very Element To breath is not more natural here on Earth than to love God will be in Heaven Indeed nothing else will there be valued no
to labour after more tho' still it is God that worketh in them Heb. 13.20 21. Fifthly and Lastly The Souls of Believers are at their death made perfect in Holiness Somewhat hath been spoken of this already which is now to be further illustrated and proved The Scripture assures us that the Souls of the Godly being separated from their Bodies do pass into Glory or into the Presence of Christ Abraham's Bosom Thus our Lord tells the Penitent Thief Luk. 23.43 To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise So the Apostle in this Context We are willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. vers 8. We are also told that the Angels shall be our Convoys to bring us thither Luke 16.22 Now 't is certain that no unclean thing nothing that defileth can enter into the heavenly state From whence it follows that the Souls of the Faithful shall then be perfectly freed from all sinful Weaknesses and therefore must need be perfectly holy For 't is Non-sense to suppose a middle state in this case viz. in a rational Creature obliged by the Law of its Nature to a perfect conformity to the Will of its Creaton But what needs further reasoning when we are plainly told of the Spirits of just Men-made perfect Thus 't is evident that when Death hath opened the Womb of Time or drawn aside the Vail and let us into Eternity all our sinful Imperfections will be lest behind us and never trouble us more How weak soever our present Insant-staâ—e on Earth is there is nothing above but perfect Holiness and Love Thus the Day of Death is the Birth-day of the gracious Soul's Perfection This is our third Birth as one speaks and therefore no wonder if there be some Pangs and Difficulties in it As there was in the Birth of Nature and in that of Grace so in this of Glory Should not the thoughts of this make Death welcome It may be you will say Death is an Enemy to Nature But is it not a conquered Enemy Has not our Lord Jesus Christ even in our Nature overcome it Has he not taken away the sting of it And in so doing gained us the victory 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Yea by the Power and Wisdom of our mighty Redeemer this Enemy Death is turned to our advantage To die is gain Is in terrible to Nature What is Faith for but to conquer such Fears Must we not die in Faith as well as live by is But to return to the Point 'T is no wonder if such sinful imperfect Creatures as we be much at a loss in our apprehensions concerning a State of Sin less Perfection both as to the nature of it and the manner how 't is brought about But for all this it is not hard to conceive that there are several things which may greatly contribute thereto I will just name three Particulars 1. These Bodies will then be laid aside and who knows not what heavy Weights what Prisons what Snares they have been to our Souls Bodies of Sin and Death God knows Rom. 7.23 24. 2. And therefore those holy Habits which had the commanding Influence upon the Hearts and Lives of true Believers but were miserably obscured and kept at an under by the Mists and Darkness of the aniâ—nal State shall then display themselves and appear in their own likeness Which is not unintelligible especially if the nature of an habit consist in a secret deep â—mperceptible constant act of the Soul and who can say it doth not so 3 The admission of the Soul into the sight of the glorious God this is much to be considered in this matter 'T is easy to enlarge upon all these but to what purpose Tu ratiocinare ego credam The Physician of â—our Souls knows how to perfect their Cure in ways to â—us incomprehensible Thus we have considered the several Steps whereby the work of Grace is begun and carried on till it come to Perfection I would only add that in this whole Business no violence is done to our natural Faculties Grace presupposeth Nature which it heals and rectifies but doth not destroy tho' the workings of the Spirit in this matter be powerful and efficacious yet they are also sweet and agreeable They will act most freely when made free by Grace 't is so determin'd that it also determines it self that is it moves spontaneously towards God or having received the influx of his Grace actively concurs therewith viz. Being first animated and quickened thereby And thus much for the explication of the Doctrine CHAP. V. Plain Proof from Scripture and thâ— nature of the thing that none caâ—â— come to Heaven till they be wrought or prepared for it by Divine Grace THO' what has been already said in order 〈◊〉 the opening of the Doctrine hath at the saiâ—â— time carried the Proof thereof along with it thâ—â— great Truth having so much Self-evidence in it thâ—â— one would think being once understood it could noâ— but be assented to yet because 't is exceeding common for Men to bear up themselves with the hopes of Heaven tho' they be utter Strangers to this great work of Grace and withal because it is very dangerous sâ—â— to do Therefore let me give you the Proof of whâ—â— has been thus far explained and set before you Men are slower of belief as to this great Article 〈◊〉 the Christian Doctrine than to most I might say aâ—â—y other as a Learned Man observes Mr. How 's Blessedness of the Righteous pag. 242. But Let God be true but every Man a Liar Rom. 3.4 Therefore 1. None are chosen to Salvation but through Sanctification of the Spirit God's eternal decree of Election connecteth the End and the Means Holiness and Happiness Grace and Glory together The Scripture is most full and plain in this case Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow them he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son And what follows Them he also called justified glorified Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in LOVE 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began See more 2 Thess 2.13 1 Pet. 1 2. Is it not plain from these Scriptures that there is such a thing as Election of particular Persons to eternal Life And that as God doth decree to give eternal Life upon certain conditions so he doth also decree to give those conditions to certain Persons And the execution of the Decree is ever answerable to the Decree it self Ephes 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own Will Deny this and you may deny any thing Will you reverse the Decrees of Heaven or deny them
neglect no Means nor Helps in order thereto Such Resolutions as these are most proper in your condition But if your Hearts still hang back let me ask ye what will ye resolve upon Vita humana sine proposito vaga est languida Will ye put the Matter to the venture and trouble your Heads no further about it but still go on at the old dull stupid rate If so this is wilfully to destroy your own Souls and whom can ye blame but your selves Will ye sit down in Despair This is to despise or undervalue the Riches of Gospel-Grace that are set before you Those that come to Christ he will in no wise cast out Again will ye delay for a while and put off the thoughts of these things till hereafter Answ This indeed is the common Case but almost as unreasonable as either of the other two Your times are not in your own Hands ye know not how soon your Souls may be required of you the longer ye delay the more difficult it is like to be and the Spirit that should help you will be grieved by your backwardness Satan will have the faster hold of you and if Death overtake you before the work be done ye are damned Therefore I say turn your Thoughts which way you will all other Resolutions will be found mad and dangerous except that of the Prodigal I will arise and go to my Father So do ye And here let me tell you 't is needful that your Resolutions be firm and steady lest those Difficulties which may afterwards arise in your way should discourage you and that they be speedy lest Death overtake you unprepared And also that in this whole business ye be sensible of your own Weakness and Insufficiency lest ye miscarry through foolish Self-Confidence But of that more by and by Direct 4. See that your Resolutions be forthwith put into practice By this it must appear that they are true and hearty if the VVill be determined in the case sutable Endeavours will ensue And here your work lies in the following Order 1. Humble your selves deeply in the Presence of God for all that Sin and Folly which hitherto ye have been guilty of Consider the Evil of Sin as it is contrary to the holy and pure Nature and Law of God Call to remembrance your own Sins and lay them to Heart that they may not be laid to your Charge In a particular manner bewail the Corruption of your Natures and more especially the estrangedness of your Hearts from God and Enmity against him with that inordinate propension to the Creature in which the Heart of the Old Man doth mainly consist Proceed then to consider those actual Transgressions which have all along issued from this Corruption viz. Your loss of precious Time misimprovement of Gospel Ordinances and Means of Grace your Pride Passion Earthliness Sensuality c. Confess these things humbly and feelingly in the Presence of God Labour to melt into an ingenuous Child-like Sorrow for having carried it so unworthily to so good and gracious a Father That Sorrow for Sin which proceeds only from fear of Punishment is the Sorrow of a Slave and may consist with as much Love to Sin as ever But Godly Sorrow is animated by holy Love to God which raiseth in the Soul a rational hearty Grief for its Transgressions against him an hatred of Sin and Resolution against it for the future This is Repentance from dead Works and toward God He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find Mercy Prov. 28.13 Yea as Matters now stand such is the wonderful condescension of the Law of Grace 't is an Act of Justice and Faithfulness as well as Mercy to forgive Sin wheresoever with true Repentance it is confessed 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins c. Therefore I say give Glory to God by an humble acknowledgment of your Sins Lay your selves low that his Glory may â—â—e advanced Put your Mouths in the Dust if so be there may be hope Justify his holy Law tho in so doing ye condemn your selves Say with the returning Prodigal Luk. 15.21 Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son c. 2. Thankfully acknowledg the Riches of Free-Grace in that God is yet pleased to offer you Terms of Reconciliation and Peace The Golden Scepter is held forth to you that ye may touch it and live Methinks this should encourage you and put Life and Vigour into your Proceedings and draw out your very Souls in sweet Returns of Love to God Lord is there yet Hope is there any Mercy for such an one as I Behold I come in Obedience to thy Call Blessed be God for Jesus Christ 3. Humbly implore pardoning Mercy for your past Sins and the help of Divine Grace for your present and future Duty As the necessity of your Case should make you very earnest and importunate in these Requests So ye have great encouragement given you to strengthen your Faith and Confidence in the Divine Goodness God delights in Mercy and hath proclaimed his gracious Name Exod. 34.6 9. Use this as an Argument in Prayer as the Psalmist did Psal 25.11 For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great Plead the Merits and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ the Promises of the Gospel and assure your selves God is as ready to forgive as ye are to repent and forsake your Sins He will not despise a broken and a contrite Heart Psal 51.17 And since the work that lies before you is holy and spiritual therefore trust not to your own Resolutions or Strength Pray hard for the help of the Spirit â—ay your Souls open to the Influences of his Grace yield your selves to his Conduct Carefully strike in with all his Motions Lord here am I what wouldst thou have me to do Teach me the way wherein I should go incline mine Heart to thy Testimonies strengthen me with Might in my inward Man Magnify thy Power in my Weakness Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth draw me and I will run after thee 4. And now give up your selves unfeignedly to God in and through Christ If ye expect he should be your God that is your Portion Happiness Soul-satisfying Good ye must be his People devoted to his Love and Service The Covenant must be mutual else how should it be a Covenant Let this be done with great Freedom Chearfulness and Resolution of Spirit ye will never have reason to repent of your choice He will be your Shield and your exceeding great Reward 5. Live henceforth as becomes the Covenant-People of God Renounce your Lusts and Corruptions Let the time past of your Lives suffice you to have fulfilled the Inclinations of the Flesh Remember ye must now live at another rate than heretofore ye have done The Glory of God must be