be disswaded from that which is evil except he see evil in that thing he is disswaded from S. 20 And now truly in every sin thou art guilty of there is so much evil that a serious considerate soul would chuse to lie under the greatest affliction without sin rather then to commit the least sin to escape that temporary affliction or to gain by sinning all the advantages this world can procure to the flesh The want of the consideration of the heinousness of sin S. 21. Plas 51. was the occasion that let that good man David loose to a sin which afterward cost him many a salt teat and it was well for him he found place for repentance a melting heart and a weeping eye or else his sin had cost him dear had it not been pardoned upon his repentance Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight which if he had considered before as afterward he did he had not fallen into that which was so hard for him to get out of And on the other side the consideration of sin as sin notwithstanding the advantage might have accrued thereby was the occasion that Joseph withstood the solicitation of his Mistress to an experiment of folly namely with this Gen. 39.9 How can I doe this great wickedness and sin against God and this consideration kept him from that act of folly which otherwise he might have committed to his wounding and endangering Now that you may no longer retain any the least love and liking of your sin whatever it be S. 22. Job 11.14 but forthwith tenounce and cast it far from thee And if iniquity be in thine hand to put it away and never more let wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle then enter on these following considerations First S. 23.1 I consider and so likewise doe you that sin in its self when it was first known by the creatures angels and men and by any of either of those two kinds of creatures committed and acted became the greatest downfall of each of those Actors as ever since and never before they became sinners was heard of Sin at the first made the first and great breach between God and sinning Angells God and sinning men Man had not known misery but for sin and the miseries and calamities and natural death of mankind are not half so dreadfull as sin is nor half so much evil as sin is and the devils had not felt torment and now their unspeakable misery but for their sin nay hell had not been hell a place of torment had it not been for sinners which was prepared and prepared onely for sinning angells and sinning men and all the Miseries that have befallen any since the creation or that ever shall be inflicted upon any are but the wofull consequences of sin the first and single transgression of a law of God and that by the most choise of the creation and by their single act and being but once committed there fell on them the immediate curse and misery which to this day and to the end of the world and will for ever continue as long as sin is sin and that will be for ever For Christ himself never undertook to abrogate the law of God nor to make it a law that transgression of those laws should be no sin nor that transgressors should be accounted innocent when they sin by disobedience and transgression nor that they should be approved of by God and saved eternally in a way of disobedience that is in a way of habituall and actuall rebellion against God S. 24 Now when I consider the venome and perniciousness of sin in its first infection and in one single act that it defiled and destroyed by rendering them for ever most miserable so great a number of once most glorious and happy angels that sinned but once before their fall and the first sin that ever was committed yet for that once sinning were cast down in disgrace presently from heaven and of glorious angels made wretched devills and reserved in chaines of darkness 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude v. 6. never to be restored upon any termes to the least hope of recovery and reconciliation with God S. 25 Yet again when I consider that for one sin in our first parents Adam and Eve which came upon them by the instigation and cheat of Satan in the time of their pure innocency and integrity what an hereditary misery it brought with it yea such an infection and pollution that not onely they which transgressed became miserable slaves wretched persons deprived of their excellency and paradise but even all the whole race of mankind are fallen under the misery of pollution in our very nature and thereby in a state of wrath and liable to eternal misery can I when I consider this the wofull consequences of one sin in such as those once glorious angels and these once most happy men chuse but I must entertain most dreadfull apprehensions of the nature of sin and flee from it and lotheit as a poisonous serpent and fiery dragon issuing out of the bottomless pit of hell pursuing thy soul to the death and destruction S. 26 2ly I consider the exceeding sinfulness of sin and I think with Abhorrency of soul on that venome in it and detestableness that when the immaculate most innocent sinlesse lamb the holy and ever-blessed JESUS took mans nature and undertook to expiate the guilt and to satisfie the justice of God and to intercept the wrath of the offended God pouring out upon the whole race of mankind for the first and after-transgressions see although he did but beare our sins for he had not one sin of his own to answer for not the least sinless he ever was and sinless he will for ever be yet consider what expence he was at and what chastisements he bare what agonies of soul he laboured under what woundings he suffered what blood he shed what death he died and all ignominie and ten thousand times more then I can express did he passe through and all because he in infinite love to mankind would interpose and was content to be reputed as a sinner that he might satisfie for sin committed and repair the ruines sin had made and restore the losse sin had procured yet when I consider what wofull worke sin made on the humanity of the ETERNALL JESUS while on earth though being but laid on him not found in him how can I keep my blood from rising up against sin my sin that fetcht the heart-blood of Christ my Lord and crucified the Lord of Life the Lord of my Life too and caused his death for a season But had he been tainted in himself with the least sin of his own or been guiâ—ty of the least transgression or had he made the least failer in any of those many transactions enjoyned him by his Eternal Father for the redemption of mankind fallen or had he admitted of the least irregularity in all
prayest to the eternal Spirit framing to thy self any likeness of God in thy imagination or fancie Whether thou servest the world or any thing in the world with thy dearest affections and desires delighting in them and seeking more them then God If so then art thou deeply tainted with this foul sin of Idolatry Therefore now dear soul be advised if thou findest thy self guilty though but in the least to repent and reform rid thy self of this damning sin which God doth hate and will not tolerate in any one but such as those are determined for hell for all Idolaters are abominable to God 1 Pet. 4.3 and God would have his children keep themselves from IDOLS from the sight and from the service of Idols * n = John 5.21 My little children keep your selves from Idols And now if you will not come off from all Idolatry then see what will befall you you shall be shut out of heaven and shall be shut up in hell †1 Cor. 6.9 Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdome of God Without are Sorcerers and Idolaters Rev. 22.15 which shall never be admitted into the kingdome of heaven Sorcerers and Idolaters shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Phil. 3.19 which is the second death Now judg thee friend whether it doth not neerly concern thee to try thy self whether guilty and then speedily to reform and let fall all thine Idols and serve the living God in spirit sincerity and truth and believe in him and love him with all thy heart mind and strength of soul §. V. Adultery Fornication Effeminateness Buggery Beastiality S. 21 I should not name some of these as the two latter being abominations so much against nature but that the wickedness of some men hath been so great as to abuse themselves with their own sex and abominably defiled themselves with beasts so luxurious have been their lusts like that of Sodom and t is to be feared some to this very day are given to such abominations and have been found out and put to death for such cursed crimes by men and condemned to the fire of Hell for their burning lust this way Now if thou art guilty of such cursed wickedness oh how quickly will the Lord find thee out and how soon will damnation overtake both soul and body Rev. 21.8 The abominable shall burn in Hell shall have their portion in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone S. 22 But not onely such exclude from heaven but also those other acts of unchastity 1. If thou in a married state hast at any time committed folly with any other in lying with any other carnally t is adultery and thou art an adulterer or adulteress yea if it be in thy heart to lust after another and desirest it and delightest in the thoughts of carnall fruition of the party forbidden then our Saviour Christ saith this is adultery whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 hath committed adultery with her in his heart 2. If thou in a single state hast before marriage known any one carnally This is FORNICATION S. 23 3. Under the notion of EFFEMINACIE you are to judge your selves guilty of that when you give your self to venerious lascivious thoughts loose words embracements gestures attires that are alluring and inticing to wantonness and bodily uncleanness when you are contriving with delectation to satisfie those inordinate fleshly lusts and attempt wayes to accomplish that fleshly design such an one that doth so is to be accounted an unchast person and EFFEMINATE S. 24 Now examine thy self whether any of these sins be thy sin art thou guilty of any of these and wilt thou not be humbled at the heart for it that thou hast been so naught so wicked and by and by cast off far from thee all such thy thoughts desires and practices henceforth for ever all these workes of the fleshly appetite abandon speedily and keep thee chaste * Eph. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named among you much lesse practised by any of you S. 25 But if thou hast been so unhappy as to have fallen into any of these sins alas it is too much if thou hast been faulty but once take heed continue not in it under pain of the losse of HEAVEN and punishment of HELL for if but once yet thou art an adulterer or fornicator and without repentance that to a reformation how canst thou hope to escape this sentence for the truth of God speakes it For this you know Eph. 5.5 that no whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God Nor fornicator nor adulterer 1 Cor. 6.9 nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the kingdome of God But their portion lies deep in hell †Rev. 21.8 Whoremongers and the Abominable shall have their part in the lake that burnes with fire brimstone which is the secoud death Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these ADULTERY FORNICATION UNCLEANNESS LASCIVIOUSNESS c. of which I tell you that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of Heaven S. 26 I perswade thee then that thou wouldest strictly examine thy life and heart and try if thou hast been guilty any of these wayes as that the termes of adulterer or fornitator or effeminate belong to thee either in heart or deliberate consent or practice S. 27 Then doe I earnestly intreat thee as thou hopest for pardon from God and to see him with comfort hereafter speedily to betake thy self to an hearty repentance reformation and a sincere amendment and henceforth keep thy vessell pure be chast in thoughs words and refrain consenting to lustfull motions this way and abhorre acting any more so wickedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor Col. 3.5.6 and either seeing lust not or lusting look not but doe as Paul exhorteth Christians to Mortifie therefore the members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affections evil concupiscence For which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Marriage is honorable in all Heb 13.4 and the bed undefiled but WHOREMONGERS and ADULTERERS God will judge §. VI. Drunkenness S. 28 Is drunkenness thy sin and if it be it is a great one and thou art guilty of this sin more ways then one men think themselves for the most part then onely to be guilty when they have drunk to that excesse as to wallow in their vomit and have lost both reason and sences This indeed is to forsake the manhood and to be transformed into a beast and worse for a beast is not capable of sinning by excesse but a man sins wofully in so doing for he breaks a Law of God and sobriety abuseth the creature dishonoreth and debaseth his own soul exposeth himself to shame and scorn and gives a foul
his life in thought word or action the nature of sin is such where ever it cleaveth and sticketh that the leasâ— sâ—ruple and mote would have infected a world of men and an heaven of angels and if Christ himself had been tainted with the lest sin imaginable he must have ceased from being a Saviour and Redeemer of others and from being God who is glorious in hâ—liness and have sought for himself a Saviour and Redeemer or have lain under that guilt and pollution that his own sin had brought upon him and this the devill knew well enough when he attempted our blessed Lord Jesus with temptations of divers sorts that he might bring him to commit a sin which would have frustrated the merit of his redemption and undone both him and us if such a thing had been possible that Christ could have committed a sin So gâ—eâ—t an evil and so poisonous a plague is â—â—n that it will doe that by it 's own maglignity which all the devils in hell cannot doe to me except I commit sin and yield to the solicitations and motions of mine own lust S. 27 Can I now if I have but the least love to Christ after such a consideration as this think sin to be no evil and that there is no great hurt in it much less think it lovely should I not rather think sin to be the greatest evil in the world more terrible then all the most astonishing and lothsome diseases that are incident to humanity is it not far better for one to undergoe all the afflictions and bodily punishments in this life then to have his soul infected with sin or to lie under the guilt or burden of one sin alone is it not much better to be a poor Saint then a rich sinner an humble penitent then an honourable reprobate would I not a thousand times rather have my whole life accompanied with variety of troubles without sin then to be quite freed from all afflictions with the being and adhesion of one sin though but one and that the least Oh my soul God may love thee though never so sorely afflicted as sometime Job was and his love is life and riches and far better then all but if thou be never so rich and great and healthy and be hated of God Oh how miserable art thou S. 28 Shall I continue in sin then God forbid Never let my soul close with that which God so perfectly hates and will as certainly punish first or last where ever he finds it and him with whom he finds it and who can hide himself or his sin from the all-seeing God or withstand his power punishing alas not one in the world S. 29 And shall I attempt to sin which I may doe and then to hide it which I shall never be able to do from the eye of God nor shall I ever be able to withstand the stroke or stand under the wrath of him that will not spare when he means to take vengeance of sin and then poor wretch what will become of thee when thy unpardoned sins thine own wickedness shall be laid on thee and together with them the insupportable wrath of the Almighty Ah sin thou hast undone millions already and wilt ruine me also if I keep thee I am sorry I have been so well acquainted with thee so long that I have been deceived by thee so often 't is too much I have served thee and the devil by sinning O Lord that I may henceforth renounce all my wickedness and lothee very one of my sins and the womb that bears them even my lusts it will never be well with thee Jam. 1.14 15. O my soul untill I am delivered from the power guilt and filthiness of my sins S. 30 3. I consider that if sin in its nature be so pestilent and of such dreadfull consequence and malevolent aspect working the destruction of the subject where ere it fastens and remains then must I expect the same dealing from my own lusts and sinfull acts if I continue in my sin nourish and feed my lusts as others have by sad experience found from their sins and 't is past dispute that every sin in particular every transgression of mine every evil motion within me every act of sin is of the very same nature and tendencie and hath the same poisonous quality and the same contrariety enmity and malignity against God and goodness as the whole kind of sin in the masse 't is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and of the same father the devill and bears his very image and doth the same thing it fights against heaven and my own souls happiness it will destroy infallibly if I keep it and cherish it with me S. 31 If I practice theft or covetousness or whoredome or drunkenness or lying or swearing or any other sin frequently or but once am I not a sinner have I not transgressed the whole law St. James tells me Jam. 2.10 that if I offend in one point I am guilty of all that is I have broken the Law of God and am guilty of the breach of the whole law by so doing not that I have committed every individuall sin forbidden but I have contracted transgressing in one point the guilt of high treason against my Soveraign Lord the supreme law-giver S. 32 And why should I imagine that the littleness of my sin should lessen the transgression My Lord Christ saith That whosoever shall break one but one of these least commandements Mat. 5.19 the least of them he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven that is he shall be despised and rejected by God in the day of judgment and cast out as an offender and rebell be it but rash anger of malicious design or looking on a woman lustfully though it proceed not to actual murder or adultery though it seem but small while in the first motions of lust yet 't is a breach of the spiritual law of God and I am a sinner and a rebell if I so continue in these seeming little faults I am exempted from pardon for in every single sin there is a complicated viciousness and an accumulated treason and that is enough to bring me to condign punishment and if one of my sins will be strong enough to wound me and slay me and hath malice enough to attempt it how then can I be safe how can I think to escape and deliver my soul while I keep my sin and act my folly S. 33 For I may consider that every single sin hath these in it common with the whole kind of every sin I either love or act and the more I practice and the more frequently I commit it the more hainous is my sin and I by every single act of every of them adde more to the measure and heap of wrath and in each act of the same sin or addition of a new sin the more rods and scourges are treasuring up for my
finall chastisement and eternal punishment S. 34 4ly For this I consider that the least sin that can be named be it but the sin of a vain word an irregular thought an impertinent and unprofitable action is able to undoe and overthrow millions of angels and a world of men if laid and charged on them and the reason is because of that poyson that is in it and 't is enough that it is sin and whatever hath the nature thereof is insupportable by any or all the concurrent strength of angels and men S. 35 Now if I have but the least exercise of my reason or religion how can I contentedly keep my sin how can I but I must forthwith renounce suppresse and cast quite away my sins be they great or small many or few For first when I shall seriously consider these following things 1. I consider that every sin is against God and every time I sin I fight against God and use it as my weapon with which I oppose resist offend contradict the GLORIOUS MAjESTIE of my gracious God that 't is a contrariety against him S. 36 1. To the holy nature of God sin is set forth in Scripture and that doth shew the maliciousness and exceeding desperateness of it where sin is termed a Rom. 8.7 enmity against God b Act. 7.51 resisting the holy Ghost c Act. 5.39 fighting against God and sinners are said while in their sins to walk d Levit. 26.21 28. contrary to God and e Isai 45.9 striving against God yea rising up in f Micah 2.8 rebellion against God And all these are expressions which demonstrate the nature of sin in the root and every branch and spring of the tree is of the same venomous quality in its measure and proportion and can any man think well of that which sets him against the glorious God and renders me an enemy to God and provoketh Gods displeasure against me Wo unto that soul that striveth with his maker Isai 45.9 how can the pot-sheard prevail against his maker how can chaffe stand before the wind how can a bramble withstand the fire S. 37 2. Sin is against the holy and righteous laws of God and by my sin I go about to evacuate and null the just and holy laws of God made to rule us by and when I sin I do in effect say I will not be ruled by those laws of God nor obey the will of God but I will resist his will and break his commands and will not have God for my God to reign over me but follow my own will the will of the flesh and obey the devill and his commands will I follow whatever the issue may be and what a damnable resolution is this yea what a desperate conclusion what wofull and dreadfull consequences will my sinning bring upon my soul if thus I set my self act against the commands of God which one day will be justified against me vile sinner S. 38 3. My continuance in sin in any sin is contrary to that most gracious design and purpose of God by which he willeth my freedome from the dominion filth and guilt of my sin and to put me in a state of holiness and happiness 1. God sent Christ his dear Son into the world on this design and on this errand he came and for this he spent his precious blood and laid down his life to redeeme me from my sins to be a sacrifice for me to destroy the work of the devil in me to wit my sin to slay that enmity in my cursed nature to abolish sin to rid me of my sin to make me a new creature to purge out the old leaven to separate me and my sin he gave himself for me to redeem me from all iniquity Tit. 2.12 14. and to purifie me and make me holy to teach me this lesson by his holy life and holy doctrine to avoid sin to resist temptations to live spotless in the world to renounce all ungodliness to call me to repentance for all my sins past and to lead a sober righteous and godly life in this present world and by his meritorious life and death hath procured this grace for me that through him I might be able to crucifie all my corruptions overcome all my sins and free me from every damning practise and so reconciling me to God and to turn my enmity against God to a harred of every false unholy disobedient way and practise and to be at peace with God And doe I not by my continuing in my sin frustrate this mercifull design and render my blessed Saviour undertaking and his great expence of no such great effect to me do not I while I keep my sin and act my shame and misery put a scorn upon Christs undertakings and trample his precious blood one drop of it being more worth then mountains of gold and precious stones 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 10.27 under foot as an unholy thing as a thing not effectual to redeem me from my vain conversation do I not by my continuance after all this in my sin render my self in such a state in which there is nothing can be expected less then a certain fearfull looking for of judgment see it plain Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary c. S. 39 2. My continuance in my sin is contrary to the gracious design of the Gospel and ministry of it which is appointed of mercy to my soul and to this end published to thee Act. 26.20 that it might be the happy instrument of thy conversion and to work thee off from thy sin and to perswade thee to let thy sins go Act. 20.21 and to build thee up in a most holy faith and life to turn me from sin to God from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God S. 40 And what are all those calls intreaties invitations wooings complainings menaces promises in the Gospel-administrations and all the labours watchings prayings and preachings and studies and teares and admonitions and warnings and to what end are sermons and sabbaths and sacraments for me why doth God rebuke and correct and inflict punishments upon sinners what are all these from the gracious God to me but so many varieties of arguments and so many importunities and instruments for this very end that I might leave off and cease to doe evil and learn to doe well to what purpose is all this cost but to bring my soul my life and sin asunder what is it for but this to cause me to leave and forsake that which God hates perfectly and that will undoe me certainly if â—â—ept 't is to perswade me to yeild to do no more any such act as God hates O doe not the thing that I hate saith God by all these his
dispensations and that is the upshot of all S. 41 Now while I continue in any sin what do I any less then cross the design of God by these means and so render my self inexcusable and oppose God in Christ and resist the Spirit of God in his word working and endeavouring by all means my conversion what am I less injurious to Gods grace and Christs love by my obstinacie and wilfullness then they of this sort which our Saviour speaks to in tears How often would I have gathered thee Luke 13.34 Luke 19.42 as a hen doth her chickens under her wings but ye would not O that thou hadst known even thou in this thy day and by these thy means the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes thou knewest not the time of mercies visitation but crossest the gracious design of thy invitation thou wilt not leave thy sins and now mercy is hid from thee and so my continuance in sin is a meer contradiction to my pardon and forgiveness you see S. 42 O how should this consideration cut me to the bone and pierce me to the heart when my continuing in sin is no less then the opposing the grace of God Its design is to bring me to repentance and forsaking sin that I might find mercy and favour from him who but a mad man or a fool would continue in his sin against such grace and so cross that design of God to bring thee poor wretch to happiness S. 43 I consider that as my sin is against God for 't is a pollution and so against his most holy nature which hath no defilement and 't is against his holy laws his good will purpose and gracious designs and makes the sinner and God at great dispute and controversie which is a state bad enough for a poor wicked wretch to be in yet I may further consider that my sin is against God and so bad enough though God notwithstanding my enmity and contrariety can well enough secure his own honour holiness and eternal happiness without impeachment or the least interruption or diminution yet 't is bad enough to me that I by my sin am become an enemy to God and God an enemy to me which is death and misery sure enough to the sinner I may further consider that as often as I sin I offer violence to my own soul my sin is against my own self it is the greatest wrong and injury I can do to my self and if I had any true love to my self that is to the eternal welfare of my best self my soul Pro. 8.36 I should forbear sinning He that sinneth against me that is against Christ wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death If I live in sin and will not repent of it and forbear it I work the greatest mischief I can against my self sinning is self-murthering I lay violent hands on my self if I would study to ruine my self for ever there is no way imaginable like this now mentioned of sinning and repeating the acts and continuing in any sinfull course to effect my utter destruction every sin is a deaths-wound although it kill me not out-right yet it leaves me for dead I am a condemned man I am dead in law and dead as to the acting any life of grace it may be I may have for a little while a name to live but indeed I am dead dead while I live in the world Such an one a sinner is as the Angel of the Church of Sardis reproveth Rev. 3 1. I know thy workes that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead S. 44 When I commit a sin I consider I doe that which for ought I know I may neither have the grace nor the space to repent of I may forget it I may make light of it or I may excuse it or defend it or maintain it I may be hardened in it and adde more to it and draw others to countenance and practise my sin and so still infect another with my plague and become an exemplar and promoter of wickedness and teach others to sin too and propagate iniquity and bring subjects to the devill and enlarge his kingdome O what an innumerable many of mischiefs do I bring upon my self and others when I sin And after all this if I do seem to be sorry for my so doing at the end of a vicious life I can have none assurance that I shall be pardoned but on the contrary most certain it is if I continue in my sin untill death I must be damned for all my repentance for Judas sinned and repented and despaired and was damned for all his repentance his sin for which he was accused and for which he hanged himself was but a sin and my transgression is a sin too and if Judas or Cain or a Simon Magus or a Julian be damned for their sins what advantage will it be for me if my sin be not so deep a dye so grim a complexion so horrid a sound as treasons and murder a betraying my Master and killing my Brother if I be cast into hell for my omissions of Gods commands and doing such things though but in the least instance which God hath absolutely forbidden When I consider this methinks I should dread sin as an ugly fiend as a devill of hell and shun it as a pest and a killing plague and repent me heartily that ever I committed any and resolve to commit it no more and the more I consider the more I should detest lothe shun renounce all and every wickedness and the more should I raise my resolution to sin no more as I have done lest as bad a thing befall me as hath befallen any of those whose destruction was most dreadfull God grant I may I hope I shall S. 55 3. I consider again that when I sin I injure my own soul 1. I wrong my knowledg I know I should not commit the sin I commit and yet I do it against my knowledge 2. I wrong my reason and judgment my reason and my judgment if it act clear tell me that there is no reason why I should serve sin but all the reason in the world why I should not sin thus and if I would yeild to reason I should not yeild to sin and yet I sin against my reason and judgment and wrong both 3. I wrong and offer violence to my conscience when I sin my conscience minds me that I must not commit this and that sin and it smites me when I do and it accuseth for my sinning when I have done it and yet I sin I do act against my conscience when I sin at all and how will my conscience endure this will not my conscience one day complain to God of me that I wronged it and did things contrary to it in despite of it and do I not wound and gash and tear my bosome friend when I sin do I not
have taken for thy poor souls good and safety to turn from thy sinfull courses and evil practices but as they found thee so they must leave thee a wretched soul and hardened rebell and instead of giving up their account of thy conversion must give in witness against thee that thou wouldst not obey the word of the Lord nor believe their report nor leave thy sins Let it never be told of thee that thou hadst thy day of grace but hast lost it once as fair an opportunity as any but now 't is gone Oh let it not be objected henceforth against thee that either thou refusest to reform at all or that thou dost put off and delay from day to day that so necessary and so happy a duty why should God wait on thee any longer why should God spare thee any longer is it not long enough I have sinned already have not I abused Gods patience too much already Oh that thou wast once brought to this point of resolution I have done foolishly and wickedly I will do so no more now even now will I return to my God and my obedience shall a little fleshly pleasure worldly profit or any thing hinder me of my eternal happiness God forbid No I am resolved by the grace of God to stop here and go no further in sins road but will now turn into the strait gate and narrow way of holy living which leads to that eternall glory which none can come at but such as do lead a godly life and follow the Lord Jesus fully and deny themselves wholly S. 11 And because heart and life-reformation is the way to all happiness and in the first place a man must leave off his sinfull practices and renounce all wickedness and cease to do evil and repent of the evil he hath done already I shall conclude this first part of reformation with a few directions shewing what you shall constantly do to accomplish this so happy reformation CHAP. XIII Of some directions to facilitate this work of reall reformation S. 1 HAving pressed by all arguments I could for present think on to prevail with thee to a speedy reforming thy heart and life and without any more delay to set upon the work I adde some directions which if you will conscientiously observe will facilitate the work and make it successful I. Direction S. 2 1. If you mean to be a really reformed Christian indeed enter forthwith upon serious consideration of thy past life what it hath been and likewise thy present state and habitual frame what it is examine wisely and strictly thy self wherein thou art apt to offend and what temptations haunt thee most what thy heart hankers after what is thy beloved sin where thou lyest most open to be betrayed and overcome examine and search thy self that thou know where thy disease is and the nature of it the cure is half done if thou understand thy grief 't is but applying the remedy carefully and thou wilt quickly be cured try if thy sins be inward and keep residence in thy mind thoughts will or affections be watchfull what guests haunt these rooms if vanity be in thy mind sin in thy thoughts worldliness in thy affections if thou hast a proud or envious Atheisticall mind if thou hast a stubborn rebellious will if thou hast covetous or fleshly unchast desires and speculations if thou hast inordinate affections if thou art one of a vain vitious worldly filthy tongue if thy actions be any way sinfull the issue and product of a naughty evil heart try whether thy thoughts words actions or any thing of them think speak or do contrary to the laws of sobriety charity chastity justice or piety and which of all thy sins are more frequent and habituall and that which thou hast lived longest in and art ready to break out into act on the least touch of a temptation from within or from without thee that so by diligent inquiry and strict scrutiny you may come to the knowledge of your state and condition and do not give over this work untill you have found out your sins and which way they act II. Direction S. 3 2. Then your next business will be to aggravate your sins by all circumstances by bringing them to the test of Gods word and see what account God makes of them how he dislikes thy sin and every mans sins that are like thine and see what commands of God thou breakest by thy sinning thus and thus and what little cause thou hast to provoke God and break his most holy and righteous laws remember that by continuing in sin thou dost no less then oppose Gods mercies and Christs merits and slight his redeeming blood which he shed to deliver thee from thy sins and to cleanse thee from thy filthinesse which is all cast away upon thee if thou continue in thy sins and will prove an aggravation of thy guilt and damnation S. 4 By no means do not go about to lessen extenuate or excuse thy faults but say of every sin as David of his Against thee Lord have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight have mercy upon me and cleanse me from and pardon me this my great transgression III. Direction S. 5 3. Then lay before the Lord by Confession and spread them with all their aggravations and set them in order before thine â—wn eyes and take up a lamentation weep and mourn beat thy breast and wring thy hands and spend thy tears and groans and bemoan thy hard case thy sad condition and never think thou hast sorrowed complained confessed and despaired enough untill thy heart be broken for and broken from thy sins and know this that no man hath sorrowed to repentance sufficiently untill he doth lothe and leave heartily and willingly all and every one of his abominations no man hath repented savingly of his sins untill he hath attained a perfect hatred of his sins and remembers them with lothing and detestation When conversion comes that is when a man is on sound reformation and God hath touched his heart and is giving a new heart and nature Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that have not been good and shall lothe your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations S. 6 And this direction may serve to cut off all queries which deceived unsound hearts are asking How long and how much must a man grieve and sorrow and mourn and be sad Answer why so long and so much untill thy sins become odious and grievous to thee and thou leave off to do them any more and when this is done then hast thou performed that part of repentance throughly which consists of sorrow and mourning and not till then Be therefore humbled throughly bring your soul low and have a deep sense of misery because of sin and do not in this matter as most do onely believe your duty as an article of your faith
before the Lord as others with an unwilling mind and hast offered to him in Sacrifice the blind and maimed and hypocriticall heart cold and discomposed distracted prayers when thou hast prayed by thy self or with others S. 14 Thou hast it may be hated from the very Heart the strict wayes of holinesse in soul and life and turned from saving admonition as a detestable thing S. 15 Thou hast slighted Gods invitation resisted grace teaching refused Christ reigning reproched and scoffed at the Ministers of Christ earnestly perswading these things thou hast done and in all or some of these cursed courses thou hast continued so long that it is grown to a custom and as naturall to thee to sin in one kind or other every day as to breathe the aire to move eat or drink or sleep is it not S. 16 And to make up thy measure full of wickedness all this while thou hast abused the wonderfull patience mercy and long-suffering of the Lord thy God S. 17 But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against you that commit such things for that they which have committed such things should repent and forsake them all yet do not but adding this to all Rom. 2 v. 4 5 6. that by despising the riches of Gods goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee not to sin or continuance in sin but to repentance but by this thy hardness and impenitent heart treasu est up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every one according to his deeds S. 18 O read and consider well this dreadfull place and see doth it belong to thee art thou such an one as is herein condemned bethink thy self what thou hast been and what thou art what thou hast done consider thy ways and the frame and tendency of thy spirit S. 19 It may be thou hast been guilty in all these wayes of sinning and if thou wert t is pity thy life t is pity such a wretch such a monster should be nourished But alas if thou art in a state of sinning habitually though but in any one kind that were enough to destroy thee for ever and cut thee short of happiness yea although it were which I am past doubt it is not that thou hadst not been notoriously guilty of any of these sins which are the Issues of depraved nature and naturall product of the evill disposition in thee and which are necessarily brought forth in the outward man if not restrained yet if these be frequently in thy thoughts if they be nourished and allowed there t is all one to him who sees the inwards of the Soul and with what company it keeps the Lawes of God reach unto the heart Ps 50.21 Hos 7.2 they are spirituall and Christ rules the inward man as well as the outward dost thou not know that all thy sins where and when committed are upon Record before the Lord S. 20 But if this make thee not yet know thy self then know farther and let this be to thee as it is in it self an eternal Truth a decreed Law That except thou whoever thou art either notoriously bad or seemingly tolerable to thy self be converted reformed so as to leave off in heart and life all thy known sins and lay apart all thy ungodliness and lead an holy sober and righteous life and that to the end thou canst not be saved S. 21 Before Conversion comes before that gracious method of Regenerating souls pass upon thee and thou be reformed and brought out of the state of sinful nature into a state of holy reformation there is no hope for thee of thy salvation Nature and sin note thee a child of Adam Grace and conversion declare thee a child of God and an heir of a glorious Eternity S. 22 Well then thou art either unreformed in whole or reformed but in part to the one all is wanting to the other something is yet lacking to make thee a sound Christian each of you is the person to whom I address my present swasion S. 23 And I hope thou so bad as thou hast been hitherto art not past all cure remediless and I am sure thou art not unless thou still refuse and hardness hath taken up thy heart as a judgment from God I doubt not but through the grace of God in the use of these spiritual means thou mayst of a vile Barbarian become a sound Christian of a child of wrath an heir of glory of a foul sinner a fair Saint if thou be not resolved against thine own happy reformation S. 24 Poor soul thou hast so much to begin withall towards thy saving change thou hast Reason wilt thou let it but work and wilt thou yeeld to reason S. 25 Thou hast Faith some kind of faith wilt thou believe what God by his Word hath revealed of his mind concerning thee and every man in thy case and consent to Truth S. 26 Thou hast Consideration wilt thou be serious and consider wisely for thy self thy own soul how thou mayst become reformed that thou mayst become happy Consider wisely it is thy own concernment it is thy own soul must pay dearly for it if thou art not reformed soundly and speedily it is thy own soul snall reap richly by conversion if thou defer not to come in and give not out until it be completed S. 27 Thou hast now an opportunity put into thy hâ—nd thou art once again called to and perswaded to be reformed wilt thou follow this Call and yeeld ere it be too late Now again it is offered thee Christ is ready and grace is ready grace to assist thee Christ to receive thee the Word of God to guide thee and holy Spirit to convert thee and I thy hearty well-wisher to thy excellent soul do in the Name of Christ earnestly entreat thee Now 't is put to thy choice whether thou embrace it or no now is the acceptable time the day of grace To day therefore O thou that carest for thy soul after so long a time while it is to day for if night come if death come before thy work of conversion be sinished thou must lie down in sorrow and possess an eternity of horrid darkness and woful misery S. 28 Come Man I think thou hast so much Reason so much Faith so much Consideration so much Experience as to understand and believe that thy eternal happiness lieth not here below in this terrestrial world but in Heaven with God above in glory and that thou wert made for some higher end than to live among visible creatures to eat drink work play and sleep sure thou art perswaded there are other things to be looked after by one of an immortal principle than to gather terrene riches and to taste bodily and sensual delights and honors in this present life S. 29 Know excellent Creature know believe thy Creator and
writing to and you understand thus much by it that when a man hath been vicious vain worldly naught and hath left off those wretched courses and is become sober just serious humble charitable and good now say they he is a reformed man or a changed man another manner of man then he was before he is now reclaimed a man of an other nature and life I mean by it much the same thing as you understand it but in this latitude I mean no less by Reformation then a through Change of disposition and life from that which is bad displeasing to God and disadvantageous to thy own precious soul to that which is good and commanded by God and of necessity to be done by thee in order to thy salvation S. 2 And if you understand better the meaning of your duty by these expressions Conversion Repentance Regeneration Renovation Sanctification Returning then whatever is comprehended under any or all these terms I mean by Reformation and so much I aim at by this perswasion to a speedy Reformation S. 3 For the word in its own proper signification is a state unto which either persons or things disordered and out of course are reduced as unto their first form or state wherein they should be either by creation or appointment and Institution now every sin and Inclination to it is a great disorder and holiness is the Rectitude and right frame of soul Therefore untill I am reformed I am out of order and out of the way to eternall happiness and in a course leading to eternall misery so that Reformation is a Reducement of the heart and life of man every man that means to be saved to that state and frame of soul and life as is meet for heaven such as unto which God hath promised eternal life S. 4 And when I perswade you to think on your sins and be sad at the heart grieve and lament that you have been so bad by inclination and evil practices and hereupon to leave off all your transgressions and turn to God and holy living then I mean true repentance by reformation when I intreat you to change your evil disposition of heart of your mind and disordered affections and evil actings of your life to live unto God to adhere unto him to serve him in all things to lead a pure and holy life then I mean sound conversion joyned with sanctification by reformation S. 5 And you must grant That sincere repentance and sound conversion is absolutely necessary to Salvation and every one that is come to years must repent and be converted or else he cannot for he shall not be saved CHAP. IV. Of mans state before Reformation implying the necessity of amendment S. 1 HAving declared what I intend by Reformation I shall shew you that such a reformation God requires of thee and every one that means to be saved as absolutely necessary to thy salvation 'T is not a thing indifferent as though it may or may not go well with thy soul whether thou perform it or no but in plain terms be reformed and thou shalt surely be saved be not reformed and thou shalt assuredly be damned and until reformation come on thee thou art no better than a child of wrath a servant of sin and so in a state of enmity against God and consequently under the power of Satan and a subject of his horrid Regiment and a vessel fitted to destruction S. 2 The first state of mankind you believe was a state of perfection God made man upright holy and good without sin or any actuall disorder or deformity and if man had stood to this and continued in his Primitive Integrity there had not needed but adhesion to God to have secured the eternall happiness on man there wanted not Reformation for there yet was no deformation S. 3 But the unhappy defection that our first Parents made brought themselves and mankind unto this day into a dreadfull state of sin and misery and being defiled with sin dishonored disordered and spoiled we are no more to be accounted of but as enemies to God a company of lost and miserable wretches carrying in our very nature the markes of shame and misery and untill restoring grace comes we are but O sad to say the children of wrath being first enemies to God God is become a God lothing but justly lothing us in this state as 't is said * Zach. 11.8 Their soul abhorred me and my soul lothed them †Rom. 3.9.10 for there is none righteous before restoring grace come no not one for all are under sin the power guilt and filth of sin * Ephes 2.2 3. And by nature the children of wrath S. 4 Now as long as any man is in his naturall estate acting according to the disorder of his soul following the sinfull motions and lustings of his own depraved heart he is still under the power of sin and curse of the Law and hath nothing to do with God as a Father nor with heaven as an inheritance sin cuts him off from those relations and continuance in sin debares him quite from any benefit of Christs coming in the flesh onely there is afforded possibillty to be saved through the Commiseration of God toward miserable man and to repair in man what was defaced and to restore by Christ what was lost by Adam S. 5 And if thou return in time while grace is offered thee and Christ is calling thee if thou leave off thy sins and become a new man if thou submit to reformation and dost repent thee of and forsake all thy sins and leadest a new life walking in the commandements of God constantly and sincerely if thou art throughly converted in heart and life thou mayst be saved but otherwise if thou continuest unregenerate and abidest impenitent and art not converted and wilt not be reformed never hope to be saved but in terror and trembling of soul expect to enter into that horrid and black eternity of misery unavoidable unrecoverable when thou art taken by death in thy sins out of this World S. 6 If you are not yet perswaded of this consult these following Texts impartially which render what I say and therefore I affirm it constantly undeniable being the decreed Law of God about this very thing and undoubtedly shall be made good S. 7 This Truth is that we must acquaint you withall and this is that I mind you now of from the Lord * Esai 3.10.11 Say unto the righteous it shall goe well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Woe unto the wicked it shall go ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be given him * Ezek. 3.19 If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way he shall die in his Iniquities Now this is said to thee who ere thou art in thy sinfull course or in any one way which is sinfull and if thou doe not turn from
thou lovest or likest any of them though not brought forth into act in the outward man yet must be mortified resisted subdued or else there will be no hope for thee of salvation being inconsistent with a gracious frame of soul and saving Christianity S. 2 Reader I would not peremptorily charge thee as guilty of any one damning actuall sin much less of all those any of which is more then enough to render thy state miserable and deplorable but none of them shall actually procure thy damnation if thou heartily repent for leave off and in time ere it be too late in this thy day of continued grace to thee dost reform by renouncing them all in heart and life withall dost affectionately embrace and actually perform instead of them the contrary virtues which are opposed to the sins thou art guilty of S. 3 For when a sinner is brought to the knowledg of his faults and immediately repents imploring the grace of God for his sincere amendment and withall sets himself against them all and enters without delay upon a course of holy living and continueth in a watchfull observance of his sinfull inclination and checks the motions and prevents the acts of sin in every kind and withall turns to God to think and act that which is pleasing to God and observes to doe his will in every Instance both for avoiding evil and doing good this man is in a happy estate for the present and through Gods grace assisting him in such a course to the end of his life he shall undoubtedly be pardoned and in Christ accepted of justified that is acquitted of the guilt of his former sins and saved eternally S. 4 But on the contrary if thou reform not but goest on still in thy sins repeating the acts when temptation comes and settling the habit of an irregular inordinate disposition and course of ungodliness though mixed with some acts of seeming religion there remaineth no sacrifice effectuall for such an one to expiate his sins or to make an atonement for him nor men nor angels nor Christ himself can doe him any more good no more then for him who hath renounced Christ and Christianity and hath proceeded to commit the unpardonable sin but he such an one who ere he be must remain hopeless for ever either to escape the horrors of hell much more is he left without hope of being saved except he repent and change his course in time S. 5 This being so doth it not concern thee and every soul that hath any regard to his own eternall well-being to look into his heart and life that he may know his danger and so if he find himself charged with any sin which to live in is death by the decreed Law of God thou mayest forthwith renounce it and all and turn from it and all that are a kin to it that so thy precious soul may escape the severe stroke which is falling on such a sinner S. 6 Come then along considerate soul and take a veiw of those sins and dispositions of heart that carry with them the black characters of death condemned to the pit of Hell by an unalterable decree and every one that is guilty of them all or any of them and doth not repent and forsake them utterly is the person that must expect to be condemned for living in those sins because he doth not reforme by a speedy hearty and voluntary change of life pray God thou be not he that resolves to continue in them If thou be guilty S. 7 Consider I beseech thee thy case and state and examine well thy self whether these following sins may be charged upon thee or which of them belongs to thee marke them as you goe and read their doom with trembling and never give rest to thy soul untill thou art rid of them by Reformation §. I. Wilfull Ignorance S. 8 First of all consider is Wilfull Ignorance and unbelief thy case if it be thou art a perishing man in this state till saving knowledg and faith come thou art a child of darkness under the power of Sathan if when means of knowledg afforded are neglected when meanes offered are rejected by thee And such is thy state if so it be that after so long living with the meanes of knowledg so much hearing of the word of faith and so many helpes for instruction in the knowledg of God and ways of Godliness if it be so I say that after all this thou art ignorant of the true God and knowest not thy Saviour Christ and upon what account he is thy Saviour and what he is and did to redeem thee and if thou knowest not yet what thou art by nature how hatefull sin is to the Holy God how sin defiles and will ruine the soul if permitted if thou knowest not what it cost Jesus Christ to purchase thy pardon and acceptance with God If thou understandest not the conditions on thy part to make thee capable of the benefits of Christs purchase S. 9 If thou art yet ignorant of this thy State is wofull for t is in thee wilfull thou hast neglected or refused or resisted this knowledg and thy ignorance seeing thou hast the use of thy reason and thy senses is thy sin And because it is about the necessary and weighty things of thy salvation and yet supinely neglected or wilfully refused it is now a contracted superadded guilt and except thou come out of this thy ignorance and labour to know and understand so much of God in Christ and the Holy Ghost at least as is necessary to thy salvation thou canst not be saved For if to know the onely true God John 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent be life eternal as Christ hath said then not to know him as he is to be known must needs be death eternall and consider well that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2. Thes 1. 7 8 9. taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and mark the dreadfull allotment for such ignorant persons in the 9. verse Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord Prov. 5.12 13 23. Eph. 3.18 Hos 4.6 Esay 27.11 Psal 95.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. and the glory of his power Read also these Scriptures in the margent if you would have more proofs of the danger of wilfull ignorance If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost they are lost who are ignorant of the contents of the Gospell §. II. Infidelity S. 10 Is Infidelity and unbelief thy condition art thou still an unbeliever And thou art an unbeliever if thou acknowledgest not nor believest in the onely True God the Father of Christ and Creator of the World as revealed to thee in the Scriptures if thou believest not in Jesus Christ the onely Eternall Son of God If thou confess him not
the revenger of innocent blood upon the heads of those that have shed it themselves or caused it to be spilt by others S. 40 5. Moreover if I have been the voluntary occasion of the unnaturall and untimely death of another either by mixing poison with meats or drinks or otherwise though given by the hand of another and if it take that cursed effect I am guilty actually if it doth not kill out-right I am intentionally guilty of murder 6. If I have provoked or inticed any one to that excess of drinking or surfeting so as the mans body is endangered by it and he thereby hath contracted a killing disease I am not free of this sin though the law of man take no hold on me for it 7. Or if I provoke a person to kill or make away himself I am accessary to his self-murder 8. Furthermore if I doe not when it is in my power rescue the innocent from violence or if I suffer any one to famish or starve when I might or have an opportunity to preserve life I am no better then a man-slayer yet again Mat. 5.21 22. our Saviour Christ the best interpreter of the mind of God in this point and all other commands tells thee that within the compasse of this sin of murder come the beginnings of this sin in the heart though it goe no further then the intention as malice hatred causless and inordinate anger revengefull desires and also if it proceed to violent railing and reprochfull language S. 41 9. If thou yet suffer thy passion to break out to an assault of another with blood or wounds beating and hurting the body of a man or puts him in fear of his life any of these and every of them is a branch of this sin and renders thee guilty 10. And if thou enter into the lists with thy equall either challenging thy self or answering anothers challenge to fight upon what account soever thou dost thereby hazard thy own or the others and sometimes both your lives and so you become guilty of self-murder or killing another and if thou kill him in the quarrell though thou mayst escape the law of man yet thou art a murderer and many years of deep repentance will not suffice for it and if thou die in the duell thou goest to hell without remedy S. 42 And if you think this too severe an exposition of the command as to include anger and malicious words read Mat. 5.21 22. Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment But I say unto you whosoever is angry with his Brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of Hell-fire Where you may see the same judgment is allotted for malicious angry revengfull men as to actuall killing that is they are to be accounted guilty of this sin and judged as murderers S. 43 Now in the Name of God I intreat thee whoever thou art that meanest to be saved to examine thy heart disposition and practice whether thou art not guilty of some of these things and if thou art condemn thy self for it and repent heartily and reform presently for if thou livest in this sin thou canst never approve thy self innocent neither will God acquit thee except thou repent and leave it S. 44 And that ye may know that anger malice revenge hatred railing evil speaking are no small matters you shall find that all of them are both forbidden and condemned and the persons here guilty in this present life snall without reformation be excluded heaven Rom. 1.29 see Rom. 1.29 wicked men of this kind are under Gods wrath in ver 18. and worthy of death ver 32. are such as verse 29. are described malicious full of envy murder debate malignity back-biters and Galatians 5. are found among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20 21. the which if men doe and continue in them they shall not inherit the kingdome are these hated variance wrath strife envyings murders and in Rom. 12.19 Christians are intreated not to seek revenge but leave it to God Avenge not your selves therefore but allay your wrath And in Ephes 4. Eph. 4.29 30 31. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you James 3.14 15 16. with all malice For all these kinds are earthly sensuall and divelish S. 45 And hence you may perceive what you are to look after and if you are guilty to repent speedily of every one for know that murderers shall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 which is the second death A bloody-minded a bloody-handed and a killing-tongued man shall never to heaven Take heed therefore if thou be guilty in any of these lesser matters which thou thinkest not so severely to be censured yet consider if they be light and common they are the more easily forsaken and if thou forsake them not so slight as you make of them yet God will account thee disobedient and lay a punishment as heavy as that of hell upon thee one day if thou repent not of them and forsake them in time that very speedily remember thou art now warned that not onely he that killeth but also he that hateth his brother that is any man is a murderer 1 John 3.15 and no murderer hath eternal life mark that well § X. False and vain swearing S. 46 Art thou defiled with OATHES by which thou hast at any time born witness against the truth and sworn to confirm a lie then thou art a perjured person hast thou broken a lawfull vow and not performed thy promise having bound thy self by oath hast thou rashly sworn to doe a thing which is not in thy power or presumptuously engaged thy self by oath in a thing unlawfull dost solemnly swear by the name of the glorious God in a trifle or for any lower end then to put an end to all strife or for the determining of some weighty matter which without thy oath could not be ended examine what oath thou hast taken before whom in what causes to what end and with what solemnity and accordingly shalt thou know whether thou hast sinned by solemn swearing for an oath is a sacred thing and he that swears must swear by the name of God in truth in judgment and in righteousness but he that swears deceitfully or falsly Jer. 4.2 or to maintain an unjust cause or to doe evil or to be constant to conceal or uphold the designs of wicked men in their wicked purposes or that sweareth inconsiderately Hos 10.4 not knowing what an oath is nor to what end such an one is guilty of false swearing that is every one that doth so hath sinned either in the manner or matter or end of an oath and is to repent for it heartily
uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily S. 119 If this be the case of Apostates Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another S. 120 T is true indeed Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation S. 121 The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man S. 122 And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus S. 123 Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch T it 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation S. 124 When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy waies and that we will not have Christ to reign over us but reject him and all his benefits Job 21.14 Luk. 19.14 and refuse to give him any entertainment or hearty acception and is not this a great sin S. 125 What is it less then the trampling under foot the Son of God and accounting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified Heb. 10.27 28 v. 29 30 31. as an unholy thing and doing despite to the spirit of Grace Is there any one sin marked with a more terrible character and severity then this If he that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy of that despiseth and slighteth this grace why no less then
sanctified or unholy by these fruits mayst thou know the tree by these streams the fountain by these sparks the fire by the sent of this smoke the fuel Mat. 15.19 Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts which expression of Christ shews that some thoughts are evil and the great wickedness of man is thus resolved Gen. 6.5 that the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were evil and that continually and Solomon knew the malignity of thoughts when he entitles vain thoughts to sin he that deviseth to doe evil shall be called a mischeivous person Pro. 24.8 the Psalmist speaks of vain thoughts as matter of his detestation Psalm 119.113 saying I hate vain thoughts but thy law doe I love God calls upon us to banish all vain evil thoughts and to give them no lodging within us but calls every one to repentance even for the sins of their thoughts saying Jer. 4.14 Wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee And for our reformation if we intend it to be according to the design of it it reacheth to the very thoughts and the evil of them must be banished and our thoughts yea every thought 2 Cor. 10.5 brought over to the obedience of Christ S. 15 This account is given in Scripture of wicked and vain foolish thoughts if no worse can be said of thy imaginations then that they are but frivolous vain and foolish yet of such the Scripture saith that the thought of foolishness is sin much more then are they wicked when mischievous Pro. 24.9 envious ambitious wordly luxurious and lascivious and thy thought-sins are liable to the same condemnation and therefore call for like reformation with the sins of those thoughts which are brought to light and practised for sure if Adultery or fornication or murder or theft or covetousness or any other abomination be sin the thoughts and desires of the nature of either of them is a sin also and if there be any indulgence for either which I think there is none without repentance it rather looks toward those that slip suddenly into a fault without fore-thoughts of pleasure or advantage in the sin and so foiled at unawares without full consent then toward those evil thoughts which are delighting and abiding though they keep within the limits of thoughts and imaginations for the abatement of the guilt if I say there be any such allowance will be to him that sins and would not rather then to him that would act sin though actually he doth it not for he that wills and doth not is worse then him that doth a sin and wills not that is 't is against the bent resolution and intentions of his mind S. 16 Yet men are apt to think that their evil and vain thoughts are neither offensive to God nor hurtfull to themselves but are innocent harmless and once I thought so too but it was before I knew either God or my self as I should but now I repent me that ever I gave way to naughty imaginations and have learnt through grace to be more watchfull over and to reject and resist evil and vain thoughts and not to suffer them to abide with me long though sometimes so unhappy I am as to be surprised with them and now doe I hate vain thoughts and desire to be humbled for and throughly reformed in my thoughts neither shall I think to have attained any considerable victory over my corruptions nor come to the true worth and state of saving conversion untill my mind be sanctified 2 Cor. 10.5 and every imagination and thought be brought under the obedience of Christ which now is the main work I have to doe within my own soul to wit to get my spirit cleansed from the filthiness of vanity and evil 2 Cor. 7.1 that so perfecting holiness every day as long as I live I may at length get my reformation compleated and my soul saved S. 17 And this I earnestly perswade thee to being well assured that he that gives liberty to himself to think evilly and delights in vain thoughts hath no inward holiness that therefore you would be watchfull over your thoughts and account it the greatest part of your duty to reform them and to be very carefull to entertain good things in them and banish quickly out of thy thoughts all manner of evil for as a mans thoughts are good or bad so is he that thinketh such things and if thou hast been one of a vain wanton worldly proud malicious or revengeful mind then repent thee of all thy thoughts of any of these kinds and labour to reform thy thoughts Jer. 4.14 if thou mean to be holy indeed and saved at the last §. III. Idle words S. 18 The tongue is but a little member Jam. 3.6 yet very apt to transgress and very full of evil a little world of iniquity which hardly can be kept in or tamed yet it must be redured to limits and rules or else thou sinnest Men think that to talk much to talk vainly to speak foolishly is no great hurt except there be poison and venome in every word yea men are apt to think there is no sin in words and therefore doe most men make light of words as wind not considering that all good men and prudent ponder well and consider what is fit to be spoken ere they speak lest they offend God themselves or others by their speech Psal 39.1 Pro. 17.27 Pro. 10.19 Eccle. 5.3 I will take heed saith David lest I sin with my tongue And Solomon saith he that hath knowledg is sparing of his words for in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise So that I conceive many words that men speak may well be spared for I am sure many words that men speak are sinfull for they are unseemly foolish empty vain to no good purpose but very often of very evil consequence there are many unruly and vain talkers saith Paul to Titus whose mouths must be stopped Titus 10.11 Eph. 5.4 which subvert whole houses c. And foolish talking is numbred for sin with fornication and uncleanness S. 19 Now if thou art one given to loosness of tongue and vanity of talk that speakest much and any thing comes first into thy mind either to vent a folly or a passion to speak unseemly or unwisely gibing or scaffing tatling or talking frothy complements without reality and lying jests to provoke mirth tedious stories to no purpose of good to edification if thy tongue walk in this road and thy speech be but after this rate of vanity though free from blasphemy oathes reproches rottenness rayling c. yet is it not free from sin for thy words are vain and idle and when reformation comes it will reduce thy tongue to and bring it into the obedience of the laws of wisdome of sobriety and
commit a sin but since I have been so unhappy to fall though but once there is now a necessity I rise again by repentance and recover my losse by reformation and if I have lived a year a week or day in that sin and have repeated the act or have rested without repentance I am guilty S. 4 And yet it is too evident that though a sin be but one for title 't is multiplied in the act and he that commits one sin commits more then one fault Jam. 2.10 he breaks all the whole Law of God and he that transgresseth the whole Law of God is not without much guilt nor many sins and shall I deferre my repentance upon the account of little or few sins if it were true that my sins were smal and of them but a few nay should not this be an argument to hasten my repentance and to cease from my sins because but few and small for that they are more easily forsaken and more readily pardoned upon my true repentance and by leaving them speedily I shall prevent the growth both for number and bigness and accomplish with far less difficulty that desired and necessary repentance S. 5 But yet I must not leave this temptation so there is more in it then may safely be over-looked for the conceit of little and few when applyed to sins is dangerous how can a man be humbled for his sins or be heartily sorry for them when he thinks they are neither heinous nor hurtfull that they will not at all hinder his salvation nor very much offend God seeing his sins are not many or great but the common frailties and infirmities of humanity Oh how many hath this fond favorable opinion lullabied in fast security and made them proof against all reproof and counsell to the ruin of their souls S. 6 And is it not an argument I would sell God's favour and procure his displeasure at a cheap rate when I will not refrain to do evil and forsake my evil doings which as you say are but few or small 't is little a man would do either for God's sake or his own soul if he will not forsake a few and small sins a trifle and a folly S. 7 But now to put off all delays that might be entertained upon this account of small and few sins let me consider that in truth every sin be it never so little in mans esteem is against an INFINITE GOD 't is a violation of his Law by a direct opposition to his Soveraignty 't is a wound a poyson a spot and defilement to any mans soul that doth the least of sin that keeps and loves it that would excuse it and make easie of his sin as though it were innocent and harmless and though the instance be but small by which I offend yet my offence is great because for so small a matter I offend so great a God S. 8 Our blessed Lord hath resolved this point saying Luk. 16.10 He that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in that which is least is unjust also in much and surely the least sin I commit is a great injustice and a very unfaithfulness O let me not then be betrayed into a putting off my repenance and deferring my reformation with this temptation that my sins are not great or but few or if many not great ones seeing the least are too great the fewest too many and the time too long already I have been familiar with my sins though but from yesterday I have continued in them why should I listen to any arguments to make me linger it off that might in the least hinder my speedy reformation I pray God I may never think my sins so little as to need no sorrow or repentance or this present hour too soon to forsake and leave them all §. II. Temptation answered S. 9 There is another temptation neer of kin to the former 't is this The best Men sin they have their failings and infirmities and why should I think to be better then good men or judge my self worse then them while I am but as they were S. 10 Indeed this unhappy comparison vain Answer man makes between himself and which is the worst in good men hath betrayed many an unwise soul to like well of himself while in a sad condition and sinfull but should I not withall consider that the best mens infirmities were those best mens faults their blemishes and their shame did not those good men bewaile them and repent them and could never be at quiet nor at peace within themselves untill their sins were pardoned and they reformed were the sins of those saints and servants of God the best of them or the worst and shall I imitate them in that which they abhorred in themselves but if I have followed them in their sins and acted folly as any of them did should I not follow them also in their repentance their faults were not recorded for my imitation and if I would be pardoned as they were upon their repentance I must repent as they did or I shall never be pardoned S. 11 It is a pittifull shift sinners are put upon when the refuge they have is that others have had their faults and faylings as though the very worst of godly men even those things which if they had lived and died in without repentance had made their religion of none effect for salvation to them should be a sufficient warrant for my evil practise would it not better become a Christian to cease from evil speedily and amend his faults not onely because it is my duty so to do but also because I should not follow the best man in the world where he failes in his duty and I am sure God did never allow any man how dear soever to him to commit a sin much less to live in any sin without repentance S. 12 Alas why should I plead that for my excuse which all good men complain of as their misery and their spoil let me rather imitate the worst men in their best actions then the best men in their worst miscarriages let me be sorry I have done any thing unseemly and unholily though it hath been no other then some Saints have been overtaken with heretofore and let me ever think that if I continue in my sins I shall be damned for them though some dear Saints have been pardoned for the like after they had repented and been converted A Christian must follow the best examples of others and in the best things and not the example of the best men sinning I would follow no man where he followeth not Christ nor plead any mans faults for my security for if I do I am sure I have no warrant for so doing nor shall I deliver my soul from the guilt untill I deliver my self of the sin and become a true penitent for how can I think to be guiltless when I