how uncertain thou art of being out of Hell till the next morning Surely this consideration is enough to amaze any poor Christian who is indeed Regenerate but maketh some question thereof in himself How much more should it amaze and startle thee who art yet in thy carnal and sinfull estate and stir thee up without any farther delay to escape for thy life and make out in hast after thy Redemption from this dreadful condition I would ask thee this question Whether if thou shouldst put off thy seeking after the great work of Regeneration and conversion till another year week or day thou art sure to be then on this side the grave or on this side hell Certain it is thou hast no assurance of thy life for one day longer Nay I dare boldly say thou thy self knowest and believest as much Ah sinner what folly yea what madness is it then for thee wilfully to live one day longer in such an estate in which if thou shouldst dye thou art without hope of recovery undone for ever Obj. Haply thou wilt say though I am not sure to live another day yet I am likely being in good health and strength of body Answ. How many as strong and healthfull as thy self have suddenly by death been snatched away And why maist not thou be as soon taken away having no Lease of thy Life who then but a fool or a mad-man would adventure his eternal happiness upon such an hazard Oh therefore as thou tenderest the everlasting good of thy precious soul put not off this great and weighty work a day longer for who knoweth what a day may bring forth Hadst thou been taken away in the state thou art in how sad had thy case been where hadst thou been at this hour Certainly thou art not able to conceive the dreadfulness of that misery thou shouldst now have been in And hast thou lived all this while in so great danger and wilt thou live in it still God forbid Hath a miracle of mercy kept thee out of hell so long and wilt thou yet continue securely in such danger of it Oh ungratefull wretch Questionless if thou hadst any ingenuity in thee thou wouldst be ashamed thus to abuse the patience and long-suffering of God towards thee which should have led thee to repentance Thou shouldst rather take up a resolution and say though I have hitherto abused the patience and long-suffering of God I will abuse it no more Though I have often slighted and rejected the gracious invitations of Jesus Christ yet through the grace of God I will reject them no more but close with them and give up my self unto Christ from henceforth to be ruled and governed by him God hath allotted to every man who lives in the bosome of the Church a certain day of grace and time of repentance which whosoever neglects can never be saved Ah sinner as therefore thou wouldst not neglect thine own Salvation neglect not the day of grace neither let slip the season of mercy but as the Apostle exhorteth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation if that be once past there is no recovering it CHAP. VII Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate in their life-time HAving given you some Motives to quicken up your desires and endeavours after the work of Regeneration I come now to shew you the Means on your part to be performed for the better attaining thereunto which may be brought to these two general heads 1. The Embracing some truths 2. The Practising some duties The Truths to be embraced are these 1. That every man in his state of unregeneracy is in a miserable state and dreadfull condition 2. That there is hope of mercy for the greatest sinners That you may the better understand the miserable condition of men in their state of Unregeneracy I shall shew you their miseries 1. In this life 2. At death 3. After death Their miseries in this life are briefly these I. They are Servants to sin and slaves to their lusts making it their main work and design to serve their sinfull flesh with its affections The baseness of this slavery under sin will appear the more if we shall consider 1. What it is we do inthrall thereby even our precious souls which at first were created after the Image of God and fitted for his noble service and communion with himself Now for this immortal Being to be a drudge to base pleasures and profits to the vain and vile things of this World is a most sad degeneration 2. What are the fruits of this spiritual bondage and slavery 1. At the best a little seeming pleasure or profit that lasts but for a moment which the Apostle calls the pleasures of sin for a season they are but of little worth and but of short continuance And sure it must needs be a point of folly eagerly to pursue these sinfull lusts and pleasures which are but light and temporary which do but appear and vanish to the hazard of those durable riches and eternal pleasures which are at Gods right hand 2. Another fruit which usually follows upon our slavish subjection to our lusts is death eternal according to that of the Apostle the wages of sin is death and that eternal as appeareth by the opposition of eternal life for saith the Apostle The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life So that as eternal life followeth an holy life so eternal death followeth a sinfull life This is the reward sinner that thy God whom thou servest will pay thee at last thou must dye the death Oh the folly and madness of this sensual enslaved World Surely were there nothing in sin but the present slavery it were enough to disswade any ingenuous spirit Who would be a slave a slave to a lust at the command of every unclean motion at the beck of every brutish affection But if the vileness of the work will not deterr thee will not the dreadfulness of the wages neither which is eternal death and condemnation Oh consider this you who make so light a matter of sin and take such pleasure in obeying the lusts thereof II. All men in the state of unregeneracy are servants and slavos to the Devil Which necessarily followeth upon the former for such as are in subjection to their lusts must needs be under the bondage and slavery of Satan in that the chief power he hath over us is by lust to allure us unto sin I know all men are apt to say that they hate and defie the Devil and abhor to be his slave or servant but yet in the mean time they obey his sinfull commands and thereby declare themselves to be his servants for as the Apostle speaketh Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey And saith the
Gods justice for thy sins for otherwise when either thy conscience or the Devil begin to aggravate thy sins and to set before thee the number and the hainousness of them thou wilt be at a loss and even ready to sit down in despair whereas if thou didst cleerly apprehend what a full satisfaction the death of Christ was to Gods justice for all thy sins thou wouldst not fear what either thy conscience or the Devil could object against thee In Rom. 8.33 We read how the Apostle from the consideration of Christs all-sufficient Sacrifice and full satisfaction to Gods justice by his death did triumph over sin and Satan For having treated thereof in the former part of the Chapter In the latter part thereof ver 33 34. he speaks as one ravished with abundance of comfort yea challengeth the Devil and all the World to object what they could against the pardon of his sins Who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed As if he had said let Conscience and carnal Reason let Law and Sin let Hell and Devil object what they can let them object the number and hainousness of my sins what is that seeing Christ hath dyed even Christ the Son of God hath offered up his own life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice and thereby abundantly satisfied Gods justice for my sins Beloved the case between God and us and our Saviour Jesus Christ is not much unlike the case of a Creditor a Debtor and a Surety Though the debtor be altogether unable to satisfie his debt or to contribute any thing thereunto yet if his surety have fully discharged the debt and cancelled the bond the debtor is safe enough from imprisonment or danger of arrest In lâ—ke manner though we were much indebted unto God and were no way able to make the least satisfaction for our sins yet seeing our surety Jesus Christ hath taken upon him the debt of our sins and fully satisfied Gods justice for the same by offering up his own life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice upon the Cross we shall not need to fear the accusations of Conscience or of carnal reason or of all the Devils in Hell if we do apply the merits of Christs death unto our own souls comfort IV. That there is hope of mercy for the worst of sinners appeareth from Christs Willingness to receive and embrace all poor sinners who will but come unto him and receive him upon the terms of the Gospel 1. Christs Willingness appeareth from his frequent personal invitations of all sorts of sinners even the worst to come unto him for life and salvation as Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In which we find no exception either of persons or sins but whosoever thou art rich or poor male or female how many and hainous soever thy sins are if thou art but sensible of them thou art invited to go unto Jesus Christ and to cast thy self and the burden of thy sins upon him And Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come And whoever will let him take the Water of life freely That is in whomsoever there is but an earnest will and longing desire to partake of Christ and of the benefits of his death and passion they are invited to come unto him Now these gracious invitations of Jesus Christ unto poor thirsty sinners to come unto him that their souls might live must needs argue his incomparable willingness to have them saved 2. Christ knowing our backwardness to come unto him to the forementioned invitations adds his awakening excitation or proclamation crying out Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters c. And because many poor souls are apt to say Alas there is nothing in me to commend me unto Christ I have no goodness no righteousness of mine own therefore Christ adds He that hath no money that is he who hath no goodness no righteousness of his own which is there meant by money let him come And indeed they are the fittest to go unto Jesus Christ for it is the empty soul that is most capable of Christ the soul emptied of all self-righteousness and self-goodness Whereas that soul which with the Church of Laodicea is rich and full with a conceit of its own righteousness hath no room for Christ. 3. Christs Willingness appeareth by the many sweet and gracious promises which he hath made in his Word unto all those who by faith come unto him As that known promise Come unto me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest that is I will ease you and refresh you I will comfort you with the assurance of the pardon of your sins I will give you peace of Conscience here and eternal peace and rest with me for ever in my Kingdom And questionless one special reason why many find so little peace and comfort in their souls is because they go not unto Jesus Christ they cast not themselves and the burden of their sins upon him who is the fountain of peace and comfort and from whom alone it is to be had And Mark 16.15 16. saith our Saviour He that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned that is He who goeth out of himself unto Christ for life shall be saved from the wrath of God from the curse of the Law from the guilt and power of sin yea from eternal death and condemnation and shall inherit eternal life and salvation But he that believeth not shall be damned that is He who refuseth to go unto Jesus Christ preferring his lusts and corruptions before him shall be cast into that burning lake where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Oh how earnestly doth Christ press sinners to come unto him that they might have life promising Heaven and salvation upon their coming and threatning hell and damnation upon their refusing And what more prevailing argument could he use to perswade sinners to come unto him Which must needs evidence his exceeding great willingness to embrace them with the arms of his mercy upon their coming 4. Christs Willingness appeareth from his eâ—d of coming into the World which was to save poor lâ—st sinners He left his Crown and Throne his Royal Court and glorious Robes and cloathed himself with the rags of our humanity for no other end but to seek and to save that which was lost as the Apostle expresseth This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners So that the Salvation of poor lost sinners was his great design in coming into the World He came from Heaven to Earth for this very end that he might send us from Earth to Heaven The Son of God became the Son of man that we the sons of men might become
special reason why many go drooping and groaning so long under the bondage of corruption under the weight and burden of their spiritual maladies and diseases is because they do not go unto Christ by prayer for freedom from the same or through the weakness of their faith they do not believe Christ is as able so willing to help and deliver them For what Christ said to the poor man who came unto him in behalf of his possessed child the same he saith to thee If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Obj. Some are apt to say I have often gone unto Christ by Prayer earnestly begging of him to strengthen my weak graces to subdue my strong lusts and corruptions to mollifie my hard heart c. but I cannot pray in faith I cannot believe that he is as able so willing to grant my requests Answ. 1. Thou mayest pray in faith even then when thou thinkest thou dost not believe Weak Christians are often mistaken here supposing that if they be not confidently perswaded that God will hear them they do not pray in faith Whereas it is not a confidence that God will hear us but a dependance upon Christ in hope of audience that is our sâ—â—et evidence of faith in prayer Thou sayest thou prayest and prayest but canst not be perswaded that the holy God will hear the prayers of such a vile and unworthy wretch and thereupon concludest that thou dost not pray in faith But let me ask thee Dost thou offer up thy prayers in the name of Christ dost thou depend upon him in hope of an answer for his sake this is praying in faith 2. Mourn and weep for the weakness of thy faith 3. Be earnest with God in prayer that he would strengthen it 4. Know that thy corruption neither is nor will be utterly destroyed so long as thou livest here in this World neither will thy spiritual maladies and diseases be quite cured but they do and will continue in some measure and degree partly to bring down thy pride which of all sins is the most odious and abominable unto God and to advance thy humility which of all graces is most pleasing and acceptable unto God and partly that thou mayest have frequent occasion of going unto God by prayer for help and strength against the power of thy lusts and corruptions 5. Know that power against sin increase of grace an humble tender clean heart are mercies as worth the praying for so worth the waiting for Christs delays are no denials thou canst not say he will not because yet he hath not given thee thy desires Be not weary of seeking in due season thou shalt reap if thou faint not Before I leave this point I shall add one word by way of caution Beware thou mistake not thy self Take not thy self to be one of little faith whilest thou hast no faith Let not unbelievers catch at the comforts and encouragements that belong to the least of Saints that which is their meat will be thy poison Comforts falsely applyed though they be sweet in the mouth will prove curses in the belly Hast thou no faith Oh tremble this is the word that belongs to thee He that believeth not shall be damned Though to him that hath shall be given yet to him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have He that hath the least faith is a resolved enemy of all sin a resolved friend of holiness is resolved to hang upon Christ to cleave unto Christ to follow him to the death in righteousness and holiness of life though he still do question whether Christ be his or no. Is it not thus with thee Beware how thou catch at the forementioned comforts Yet this let me say to thee also if thou hast not faith wilt thou go to Christ for faith If thou canst not go to Christ as a Believer wilt thou go to him as a Sinner If thou art not yet in a state of salvation art thou willing to be saved Art thou willing to learn of Christ to ask his counsel what must I do to be saved wilt thou go thus to Christ Lord camest thou not into the world to save sinners to make intercession for transgressors to seek and to save them which are lost Oh wilt thou save this sinner my sinfull soul Lord I fear I am none of thine but wilt thou make me thine I come to thy door I lye at thy feet a poor lost soul an undone creature Oh wilt thou take me in and make me one of thy Disciples Wilt thou thus come to Christ Even thou also art one of those that he calls to He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Thus much of Christs entertaining Nicodemus Come we now to the first general point whereof Christ discourseth with Nicodemus and that was the Doctrine of Regeneration in these words Verily Verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God In which we may note 1. The manner of propounding it 2. The matter and substance of it For the manner it is propounded with a double asseveration Verily Verily I say unto thee In the Greek it is Amen Amen which in the Hebrew signifieth truth The asseveration is doubled to stir up attention in Nicodemus who being yet in great measure ignorant of the fundamental principles of Religion might happily have lightly esteemed this doctrine of Regeneration and therefore to stir up his attention Christ useth this double asseveration verily verily I say unto thee Which was a form of speech often used by our Saviour when he would solemnly avouch any weighty truth He never used it but in matters of great moment By it therefore our Saviour giveth us to understand that the truth here delivered is a weighty truth not lightly to be regarded and slightly passed over For he who gave this commandment Let your communication be yea yea nay nay would never have added this double asseveration if there had not been need thereof Christ therefore having prefixed this preface to the following truths doth thereby stir us up to give as the more credit so the more diligent heed thereto Yea and thereby shews the doctrine of Regeneration to be a most important point necessary to be known and learned of all The matter or substance of the Doctrine of Regeneration as Christ hath sayd it down followeth in these words Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God For the more profitable handling whereof I shall 1. Clear the words by giving you the sense and meaning of them 2. Raise and prosecute such points of Doctrine as they afford unto us For the clearing of the words Except a man In the Greek it is Except any This indefinite particle joyned with an exclusive hath the force of a general As if our Saviour had said No man can enter into heaven except
praise and the glory of his happy change saying Not unto us not unto us but unto thy name be the praise and the glory of this great work Quest. Doth Regeneration admit any degrees Answ. Yes verily For Regeneration may be considered in the beginning and progress of it or in the consummation and perfection of it It is begun and increaseth in this life it is consummate and perfect in the life to come In this life there is spirit mixed with flesh that is grace with some corruption of nature as is evident by the Apostles complaint in these words When I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my mâ—mbers So that sin and corruption doth remain in all the regenerate as long as their souls remain in their mortal bodies it remains though it doth not raign in them It is in this life cast down but not cast out And this God in great wisdom is pleased to permit to keep us humble and low in our selves and to drive us unto Jesus Christ that as long as this flux of blood runneth we should alwayes be desirous to touch at least the hem of his garment But at death that corruption will be utterly consumed and body and soul clean freed from it insomuch as at the resurrection when body and soul shall be again united the regeneration begun in this World will be manifested to be most perfect Whereas in this life the most regenerate are imperfect through the Reliques of sin and remainder of corruption which will abide in them so long as they abide and continue in this World Now seeing the work of Regeneration is imperfect in the very best here in this life and that there remains flesh and corruption in them so long as they remain in this World Do not thou look too high I mean after a greater measure and degree of grace than here is to be had Many there are who being regenerate by the spirit of God and so brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace presently look for a freedom from all sin and corruption which because they find working and stirring in them thereupon question the work of Regeneration and truth of grace in their souls But let such know that they look for more than here is to be found or than God expects from them For God doth not expect or require of us here freedom from sin and corruption but that we should endeavour to subdue and mortifie it more and more according to the measure of grace and strength which we have received from him He doth not require of us that we be without sin but that sin do not rule nor raign in our mortal bodies according to that of the Apostle Let not sin raign in your mortal bodies Neither doth the Lord require of us exact and perfect righteousness which is impossible to our corrupt nature but only that we strive and labour after it that we sincerely endeavour to serve him after the directions of his Word And that for our failings and imperfections we do in an humble confession bewail the same and then beg the pardon and forgiveness of them in and through the merits of Jesus Christ. And this God will accept of for he esteemeth more of our affections than of our actions and accepteth the will for the deed according to that of the Apostle If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not CHAP. IV. Of the Parts of Regeneration and Causes concurring thereunto HAving shewed you what regeneration is and how it doth admit degrees I shall shew you the Parts of Regeneration which are two 1. Mortification 2. Vivification Mortification is implyed under the phrases of casting off and crucifying the old man and destroying the body of sin This is a duty expresly enjoyned in these words mortifie your members which are upon the earth By members on the earth he meaneth all sorts of lusts and sins whereunto a natural man is given as is evident by the particular instances which he himself reckoneth up in the words following as fornication uncleanness c. These must be mortified that is put to death It is not enough to curb and hold in sin but the life of it must be let out And indeed it is not possible to put on the new man till the old man be cast off Therefore there is a necessity of mortification first before vivification For the bringing in of one form presupposeth the putting out or destroying of the other Wherefore after Mortification followeth Vivification 2. Vivification is the begetting of the life of grace in us whence we live in holiness and righteousness It is set forth in Scripture by Gods quickning us and by our walking in newness of life Vivification then implyeth a new spiritual life which God by his spirit worketh in us which is clean contrary to our former natural corrupt course of life For the effects of this life are holiness and righteousness and all manner of good works Now it is absolutely necessary that this part of regeneration namely Vivification be added to Mortification which is the other part even as necessary as that Christ being dead should be raised Where had been the benefit of Christs death if he had not risen from the dead And what can be imagined to be the profit of mortification without vivification It is therefore the accustomed course of Sacred Scripture to infer the following of holiness upon the flying of sin the doing of good upon eschewing of evil Now the things which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Let us therefore prove our regeneration not only by ceasing from sin but following holiness and working righteousness Content not thy self to say I am not what I was unless thou canst also add I am what I was not It will be but little boot to thee to say I am no drunkard nor swearer nor covetous nor a walker after the flesh unless thou canst also say By the grace of God I now walk after the spirit in faith and love and holy obedience watchfull unto and endeavouring after a fruitfulness in every good work Thou art not unjust thou sayest but doest thou shew mercy Thou art no longer earthly but art thou heavenly minded Thou art no longer contentious or quarrelsome but art thou a peace-maker Thou hast no longer fellowship with the ungodly but art thou a familiar of the Saints Thou wilt not now curse or swear or lye or scoff but dost thou pray and bless Dost thou hear and read and meditate on God Dost thou study thine heart and govern thy thoughts and affections Dost thou bridle thy tongue set a watch
a beginning to be perfectly holy hereafter and not initially holy here to live with God in glory hereafter and yet here live and lye in thy filthiness and uncleanness Canst thou expect hereafter to live in the everlasting love of God and yet here have no true love to him at all Canst thou expect hereafter fulness of delight in the presence of God and yet here have no delight in him at all But takest thy whole delight either in satisfying thy covetous humour by heaping up riches or in gratifying thy sinfull lusts and affections by yielding to the solicitations of the flesh Be not deceived as I said before so I must say it again Grace is a necessary beginning of glory As sin is death begun and hell begun so is grace the first fruits of life and glory And as certain as it is that he shall never find an hell hereafter who is purged from his sins here so undoubtedly certain is it that he shall never come into the divine presence hereafter who is not here made partaker of the divine nature he shall never enter into the Kingdom of glory who is not first born into the Kingdom of grace Be a convert in this World or thou wilt be a reprobate in the other World Thou mayest as well expect a birth where there hath been nothing formed in the Womb a Noon-tide where there hath been no dawning as ever look to see the day-light of glory who hast never known the morning of grace Reas. 4. From that corruption of mans Nature in which he is brought into the World For our first Parents having by their fall defaced that image of God in which they were at first created and being thereupon corrupted and polluted in every power of their soul and part of their body all that come from them are in like manner corrupted and polluted an unclean off-spring from unclean progenitors For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one as Iob speaketh And saith our Saviour That which is born of the flesh is flesh that is Every one that is born of man every mothers Child is carnal and corrupt every man by his first birth is polluted and unclean Now no unclean person can enter into Gods Kingdom Believe it Sinner God will never take thee from the dunghill reeking in thy Lusts and set thee down by him in the Throne The holy land was never intended for a Sepulchre to bury the dead in to be filled with filth and rottenness it 's no den for Dragons nor nest for Serpents and Vipers nor was ever designed to be peopled with Dogs and Swine Without shall be Dogs Corruption shall not inherit incorruption nor shall flesh and blood inherit the Kingdom of God Bastards may not inherit Thou must first be a child and have the spirit of a child in thee and then thou art an heir an heir of God and a joynt heir with Christ. Reas. 5. From the holiness of Gods nature which is such that no unclean person can stand in his presence The Prophet Habbakkuk sets him forth to be of purer eyes than to behold evil neither can be look on iniquity And saith the Psalmist Evill shall not dwell with thee neither shall the foolish stand in thy sight Where by the foolish may be meant the wicked and profane as it is often taken in Scripture wicked men are fools and such shall not stand in the sight and presence of God There is a contrariety between the holy nature of God and the unholy nature of carnal and unregenerate men And therefore what communion can there be between them Between an holy God and unholy creatures Between a pure God and impure creatures Surely none at all So much the Apostle expresseth where he saith what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness Or the righteous God with unrighteous men What communion hath light with darkness which interrogation implyeth a strong negation Believe it sinners if ever you look to enjoy communion with God in glory you must have union with him in grace you must here be regenerate and become new creatures yea holy as he is holy that you may be such as he may dwell withall and delight in For as the Apostle speaketh Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. He shall be so far from enjoying the presence of God that he shall not so much as see him Lev. 10.3 Saith Moses to Aaron God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him that is that draw near unto him in any of his Ordinances Now to the sanctifying God in his Ordinances there is required 1. That his Nature be renewed and sanctified An unsanctified heart cannot sanctifie God Gather my Saints together unto me 2. That he have holy and awfull apprehensions of God God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be bad in reverence of all them that are about him 3. That he bring holy affections Every ordinance of God as it requires our affections to be employed and exercised in it so holy affections such affections as do arise from an holy heart and are suitable to an holy God Now can carnal men thus sanctifie God they pollute and profane his holy name they cannot sanctifie it Can they not sanctifie God and can they be accepted of God or find any pleasure in his presence If God be not sanctified in them he will be sanctified upon them his wrath will break forth upon them so far shall they be from enjoying any comfortable communion with him Now if such sanctity and holiness be necessary in those who draw near unto him in his ordinances How much more to the enjoying immediate communion with him in Heaven will not God meet thee at a prayer and will he suffer thee to meet him in Paradise will he not let thee see his face at his Table and will he let thee sit down with him in his Kingdom Maist thou not come into his Courts and shalt thou enter into the holy of holies Was the man without a wedding garment thrust out from his presence here below and shall he be received into his mansion above How can these things be CHAP. VI. An Vse of Exhortation to endeavour after Regeneration with quickning Motives thereunto HAving thus done with the Explication and Confirmation of the point Come we now to the use and Application thereof I. The first may be an use of Exhortation both to the unregenerate and to the Regenerate First to the unregenerate Is Regeneration absolutely necessary to Salvation Oh then how doth it concern you who are yet in your sins and under the power of corrupt nature earnestly to desire and industriously to labour after this saving change in the use of all meaâ—s God hath sanctified thereunto Let yâ—â—r outward condition be what it will be ye never so rich never so honourable yet far be it from you to sit down satisfied
in any condition till you be renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God Aâ—as how many be there in the World who though in their natural and carnal estate yet live as securely and merrily as if their condition were as safe and good as the best Ask them one by one Whether the work of Regeneration be wrought in their souls and some will answer they hope it is others that they never doubted it though none of them know what Regeneration is nor ever minded any such thing And yet these men have not only read but do likewise believe the words of our Saviour who hath told them that except they be born again they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Ah sinner I beseech thee for the sake of thy precious and immortal soul to stir up in thy self an hearty desire and sincere endeavour after this blessed work As it is the one thing necessary to salvation so let it be the main thing of thy desire and endeavour There is nothing deserves precedency in thy thoughts aims and labours before this David resolved not to give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids till be found out an habitation for the Lord. The habitation which pleaseth God most is thine heart but it must be a renewed heart Oh how darest thou sleep a night in that house where God doth not dwell and he dwells not in thee unless thou beest Regenerated by his holy Spirit In the fear of God therefore see thou give no rest to thy soul no ease to thy mind till thou find a blessed change wrought in thee till thou findest thou art brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace Neither sit down satisfied in the enjoyment of any worldly comfort without the enjoyment of this mercy And indeed how canst thou live merrily or sleep quietly so long as thou livest in thine unregenerate estate in which if thou shouldest die thou wouldest perish for ever even to all Eternity Especially considering the uncertainty of thy life whether thou shalt live a day or an hour longer For the more profitable handling this Use I shall 1. Give you some Motives to quicken up your desires and endeavours after the work of Regeneration 2. Shew you the Means to be performed for the better artaining thereunto The Motives may be drawn to these three heads 1. The Excellency 2. The Utility 3. The Necessity of Regeneration I. For the first the Excellency thereof will appear from these four particulars 1. Regeneration doth enoble a man raise him up towards his Original perfection Man was made the noblest of all creatures in this visible World in the image and likeness of God Sin defaced the Image of God and stamped the Image of the Devil upon him A sinner is a man degenerated into a beast Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beasts that perish He lives like a beast and dies like a beast not knowing whither he goeth Every man is brutish in his knowledge He hath a brutish heart lives a brutish life By grace man comes to himself is raised up from a beast to a man again renewed after the Image of God The spirit of glory and of God shines forth in him There 's more of the glory of God seen in a Saint than in all the works of God under the Sun nay than in the glorious Sun in the Heavens The Sun Moon and Stars fall short of the glory of the new-creature 2. The Excellency of Regeneration appears in that it makes a man a true Christian. A man is not really a Christian because he hath been Baptized beareth the name and frequenteth the ordinances of Christ but because he is Regenerated by the Spirit of Christ and thereby translated out of a state of sin and death into a state of life and peace For as under the law he was not a Iew who was one outwardly being circumcised in the flesh But he was a Iew who was one inwardly being circumcised in his heart and spirit as the Apostle expresseth In like manner he is no true Christian who is only outwardly Baptized but he who is inwardly Baptized by the Spirit and whose heart is changed and renewed 3. The Excellency of this new birth appears in this that it is the beginning of eternal life and happiness even of the same life which we shall live hereafter in Heaven with the Saints and glorious Angels to all Eternity Grace here is not only an evidence of glory hereafter but it is the beginning of that glory which hereafter we shall more fully enjoy in Heaven Grace and glory differ only in degree for grace is glory begun here and glory is grace consummated and perfected hereafter Now considering that this is such an excellent state how doth it concern you as earnestly to desire so industriously to endeavour after it in the use of all means God hath sanctified II. Another Motive may be taken from the Utility of Regeneration If it be demanded What is the profit thereof we may answer 〈◊〉 the Apostle did of Circumcision Much every way For this is that Godliness which is profitable unto all things having promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come that is it hath Heaven and Earth entailed on it and therefore must needs be profitable The Regenerate therefore are called heirs of the Promises Such only have the true riches being rich in faith as the Apostle Iames calleth them As Laodicea was poor though abounding in outward fulness So these are truly rich though destitute of many outward things having an interest in God who is the fountain of all blessings How should the consideration hereof stir you up as earnestly to thirst so sincerely to endeavour after this blessed state III. Another Motive may be taken from the necessity of Regeneration It is absolutely necessary to Salvation It had been better for thee never to have been born than not to be born again It is as necessary as Heaven and happiness For saith our Saviour himself Except a man be born again he cannot see much less enter into the Kingdom of Heaven So that there is no hope of the Salvation of any unregenerate man or woman but if they live and die in that estate their portion will be death and damnation with the Devils and damned to all Eternity And in regard of the uncertainty of their lives they are not sure to be out of Hell one day longer Ah sinner What dost thou mean then to continue in thy carnal and unregenerate estate As sure as the word of God is true if thou dye therein thou art shut out of all hope of mercy for ever and shalt pass into easeless and endless misery In the fear of God therefore when thou risest up in the Morning consider with thy self that thou art uncertain of being out of Hell till the Evening And when thou lyest down consider
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone to all eternity Oh me-thinks the name of eternal judgement should if not fright him out of his wits yet awaken eyely unregenerate man out of his security and stir him up without further delay to abandon his wicked and ungodly course of life and to set upon the practice of all holy and religious duties and to labour therein to get the work of Regeneration wrought in his heart that he may become a new creature It may be thou hast a plentiful portion of this Worlds goods enjoying what thine heart can wish or desire But oh what will it profit thee to live plentifully and prosperously here and to be eternally miserable hereafter Thy former happiness will serve only to make thee more sensible of future miseries And therefore when thou art tempted to any unlawfull pleasure or profit reason thus with thy self Shall I for a short momentary pleasure that will soon have an end run the hazard of an eternal judgement that will never have an end shall I for a little profit here loose my soul to all Eternity What greater folly yea what greater madness can be imagined Thus much of the miseries of the Unregenerate in this life Come we now to shew their miseries at death CHAP. VIII Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate at their death IF the life of an unregenerate man be so miserable as hath been shewed How dolefull think you will be his death surely his misery then will be much increased As will appear from the consideration of these particulars I. When death shall appear unto thee and tell thee it hath a message from the Lord who hath sent an habeas corpus for thy body Then comes in Conscience if a little awakened with her books of accounts her black and bitter roul and shews thee thy old reckonings and arrears setting before thee the follies of thy youth the sins of thy riper years and the iniquities of thy whole life Ah sinners thou who goest on impenitently in thy wicked and ungodly course of life consider with what a ghastly countenance thou wilt look upon that black and hellish Catalogue of all thy sins thy lyes and oaths thy railing and rotten speeches thy scoffings at Gods people thy goods ill gotten thy time ill spent thy profanation of Sabbaths thy speculative wantonness yea thy many actual filthinesses and uncleannesses thy pride worldliness and covetousness thy sensual revellings and jovial meetings Ah sinner sinner what horrour will then possess thy soul no heart of man can conceive nor tongue of men and angells can express Indeed many there are who upon their death-beds have little right or sense of their sins neither do they think of judgement or eternity but drop into hell before they consider any thing But yet upon the approach of death commonly there is some terrour and trembling upon the consciences of carnal men and if ever any sin did formerly sting it will then especially Oh methinks a serious apprehension and sensible fore-thought of these things even at hand for ought any man knows should make the hardest heart to tremble and melt into tears of unfained sorrow II. The Devil will not be then wanting to aggravate thy sins and to set before thee the curses and the judgements due unto thee for the same thereby to drive thee to despair For when death layeth siege to the body then doth he most violently assault the soul. And the shorter he perceiveth his time to be the more eagerly doth he bestir himself And when through pain of body and perplexity of mind thou art least able to make resistance then will he most fiercely assault thee Whereas formerly his great design was to â—ull thee fast asleep in a presumptuous security by perswading thee that thy state and condition was as good as the best and thy salvation sure enough at thy death if he be not then also pursuing the same design if he can no longer hold thee under thy sleep it will be his great work to perswade thee that thy sins are greater than can be forgiven that there is no place for thee in Heaven and that it is impossible thou shouldst be saved He that hath made the way to Heaven so broad and the entrance so easie all thy life long will at thy death do his utmost to shut the door against thee III. Death puts an end to all thy Worldly comforts and contentmâ—nts which must all die with thee as to thy use and comfort It salutes thee with this sad word Thou hast received thy good things Now an end of thy Heaven and joy Particularly 1. Then thou must part with all thy carnal pleasures and delights which thou hast loved so dearly Yea then thou wilt find little comfort remaining of all thy former pleasures wherein thou tookest so much content and delight and for the enjoyment whereof thou dispensedst not only with the duties of thy calling but likewise with the duties of piety Yea it will be a very hell unto thee upon earth to consider what eternal torments thou art like to endure for those poor and perishing pleasures which thou enjoyedst here for a season Are these the things for which I dye Are these the price of my soul of my blood of my peace Ah sinner the remembrance of thy past pleasures will then possess thee with a double passion First with grief because thou art parting with them And then with dâ—tâ—station because they have brought upon thee such bitter sorrows and torments in hell with the Devils and damned to all eternity O the tayle of these Locusts whose fair faces have heretofore bewitched thee O the sting the sting that they carry in their tayles which is now all that remains to thee 2. Thou must part with thy nearest and dearest relations as thy dear Wife or dear Husband with thy beloved Children Death will separate thee from them all Ah sinners sad will it be to part with these here to live for ever with the Devils and damned in hell And how will it torment thee when you must part to remember to how little good purpose you lived together 3. Thou must part with thy wealth and riches carrying nothing away with thee of all thy enjoyments We brought nothing into the World and it is certain we can carry nothing out as the Apostle speaketh But as we came naked into the World so we shall go naked out of the World And therefore when rich men dye they are said to leave a good estate behind them And indeed they may well be said to leave it because they cannot carry it away with them Ah sinner I know it will be a death to thee to part with thy wealth which was thy life but to consider how thou hast damned thy soul for the getting thereof this will be an hell to thee 4. Thou must part with all the means and opportunities of grace Now thou enjoyest the ordinances of
Christ as the Word Prayer and Sacraments which whilest thou enjoyedst thou hadst hope But death puts an end to these and thy hopes must give up their Ghost Now Christ calls upon thee Sabbath after Sabbath by his Ministers and Ambassadours woing and beseeching thee to abandon thy lusts to cast away thy sins and to cast thy self into his arms to accept of the reconciliation purchased by his blood But ere long thou shalt hear no more of these things not a Sabbath more not a Sermon more not a promise not one word more of grace of mercy of hope for ever When thou wouldst give if thou hadst them ten thousand Worlds for one moment of that mercifull time of grace which thou hast so long abused for a drop of that precious blood which thou hast so long trampled under thy feet yea for one Sabbath more to have Christ once more tendred to thee in the Ministry of the Gospel but alas it will not be granted Ah sinner Then wilt thou cry out of thy sins and cry for mercy mercy mercy Lord to a dying soul that am just sinking perishing under the load of mine iniquities Then wilt thou begin to wish when it is too late that thou hadst spent thy precious time to better purpose that thou hadst minded more the things of Eternity that thou hadst closed with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ and that thou hadst better improved the means and opportunities of grace which thou didst once enjoy Thou wilt then say Oh if the Lord would be pleased to add a few years more to my life How would I contemn the World and the vanities thereof How exactly would I order my conversation How carefull would I be of duty how watchfull against sin How would I bestir my self to work out mine own salvation But ah sinner the time of thy departure is at hand and there is no hope of a reprieve for one day longer and therefore all these good wishes and purposes come too late There are two things especially which will aggravate a sinners misery at his death 1. To think what possibility of making his peace with God he hath had all his life time to remember how often he hath been invited to accept of Jesus Christ and yet would not 2. To think that now there is no hope of mercy having by his sins shut Heaven-gate and hardened Gods heart against him Ah sinner then wilt thou in the bitterness of thy soul cry out and say The God of mercy hath utterly forsaken me and the Devil who knows no mercy waites for to take me Ah! then which way soever thou lookest thou wilt find nothing but matter of bitter weeping and lamentation If thou look backward what canst thou behold but all the filthy and abominable lusts of thy youth unrepented of yea multitudes of horrid sins which thou hast committed in the whole course of thy life for which thou never hast been humbled nor shed one penitential tear the guilt of the least of them is enough to sink thee body and soul into everlasting burnings If thou look forward what canst thou behold but sudden destruction ready to seize upon thee Yea Gods strict Tribunal before which thou art just making thy appearance there immediately to be sentenced to endless torments and miseries of the other world the sting and terrours of which thou shalt never be able either to avoid or abide If thou look within thee what canst thou behold but thy conscience polluted and defiled yea accusing and condemning thee If without thee what canst thou behold but the wicked World which thou hast too much loved and thy relations which stand weeping about thee a company of miserable comforters that cannot delay the separating stroak of death one day or hour neither can they afford thee the least dram of true comfort If thou look downward what canst thou behold but hell deserved with her mouth open ready to swallow thee up quick and the Devils ready to receive thy soul and carry it to that dungeon of darkness If upward what canst thou behold but a provoked enraged God whom because thou refusedst to hear in the day of his merciful visitation he will now laugh at thy calamity and mock when thy fear cometh upon thee as himself threatneth Prov. 1.24 26. and in verse 28. saith the Lord Then shalt thou call upon me but I will not answer thou shalt seek me but thou shalt not find me for that thou hatedst knowledge and didst not choose the fear of the Lord. And verse 30. Thou wouldst none of my counsell but despisedst all my reproofs Therâ—fore shalt thou eat the fruit of thine own way and be filled with thine own desires that is the wickedness which thou hast sown shalt thou reap with all fullness Thus thou wilt look every where for help yet findest thy self every way helpless and hopeless Haply thou wilt then look unto Jesus Christ in hope that he will appear for thee and his blood make thy Attonement But sinner know that though his blood be a fountain opened to all poor penitent believers to wash away the filthy spots and stains of their sins Yet to thee who hast all thy life long suffered Christ to stand knocking at the door of thine heart by the Ministery of his Word by the motions of his Spirit and by the checks of thine own conscience and wouldst not open unto him to thee his blood will be then a fountain sealed so that thou shalt not partake of the least benefit thereof because in thy life time thou hast so often slighted it yea and crucified him afresh by thy bloody sins Ah sinner sinner whither wilt thou flee for comfort in the midst of thy distress It will then be too late to cry out Oh that the time I have spent in Taverns and Ale-houses in sports and pastimes in carnal pleasures and sensual delights I had spent in Prayer and fasting in humbling and repenting It will then be too late to cry with Balaam Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous when thou hast neglected to live the life of the righteous For look as the life is so commonly is the death and as death leaves a man so the last judgement shall find him And now sinner thy last sand being run out thy day past and the Devills long looked for day being come who waits for thy soul so soon as it goeth out of thy body Oh what a direfull screech will thy soul give when it passeth out of thy body into the Devils clutches to be carryed by him into the bottomless burning lake Oh how should the consideration of these unspeakable miseries which are the portion of natural and unregenerate men at their deaths startle and waken all such worldlings and sensualists who so they may encrease their wealth and satiate themselves with worldly pleasures and delights take no thought now nor make any provision against this dreadfull day of reckoning I mean the
day of their deaths Surely did they know and feelingly apprehend or would they be brought to believe what horrour and astonishment what terrour and anguish is like then to seize upon them they would count it the greatest point of wisdom in the World speedily to labour for an interest in Jesus Christ who alone can free them as from the sting of death so from these horrours and astonishments which accompany the same and would now ply all the blessed means of salvation as reading hearing praying fasting and the like which are now their burden and bondage yea the matter of their mocks and scorns would then be their daily delight and exercise CHAP. IX Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate after their deaths IF this were the conclusion of Unregenerate men that death did put an end to all their miseries happy were it for many But this is their grief and sorrow their woe and misery that all this is the beginning of their sorrows that after all this there is a reckoning to be made for what is past For as it is appointed to men once to dye so after this cometh the judgement Where by the Iudgement that immediately followeth after death the Apostle meaneth the particular judgement which is at the end of each mans life as is evident by this phrase after this which intendeth the time of a mans death For as there is a general judgement at the end of the world So there is a particular judgement that passeth upon each man at the end of this life Ah sinner so soon as thy breath departeth out of thy body it fareth with thy soul as with that man of whom the Prophet Amos speaketh who did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him In like manner thy soul is no sooner escaped out of a miserable World but in a moment it is plunged into another and greater misery Herein lyeth a main difference between the Children of God and the wicked The course which God taketh with his Children is this When the soul is set at liberty from the prison of the body it is instantly conveighed by the Angels into Abraham bosome as is expresly noted of Lazarus And being cloathed with the long white robe of Christs Righteousness is joyned to the spirits of just men made perfect But with the souls of wicked and impenitent sinners it is far otherwise for so soon as they depart out of their bodies they are seized upon by wicked Angels and presently brought before Gods Tribunal-seat where receiving their doom they are instantly sent down into the Kingdom of darkness and bottome of the burning lake there to be reserved in everlasting chains unto the judgement of the great day For the better awakening the Consciences of wicked and impenitent sinners I shall briefly shew you the manner and degrees of this particular judgement 1. As the Iaylor at the Assizes brings forth the Prisoner out of Prison and sets him before the Judge So Sinner the Devil as thy Iaylor brings forth thy soul out of the Prison of thy body and sets it before the glorious presence of God the sight of whom will strike thee with such hellish horrour and astonishment that thou wouldst be glad to have the greatest rock to fall on thee and mightiest mountain to cover thee and there to lye hid everlastingly from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne 2. As when the Prisoner is come before the face of the judge then his accusers bring in their evidence So sinner thou art no sooner set before the face of the Almighty Judge but thy Conscience joyning with the Devil brings in evidence against thee And then all thy filthy thoughts and impure imaginations all thy lyes and oaths with all thy rotten communications and all the secret impurities and villanies of thy whole life will be set before thee and charged upon thy soul. And how dismally will all thy mirth and thy pleasures the houses that thou hast built the lands thou hast purchased the money thou hast hoarded up by iniquity how dreadfully will these look on thee in that day Now thou boastest thy self in thy wealth and blessest thy self in thy pleasures and sportest thy self in thy sins but in what a grim countenance will all these appear when they meet thee before the throne of God Ah sinner What wilt thou then do whither wilt thou fly from the revenging hand of God what mountain canst thou get by entreaty to fall upon thee Truly in this case one would not have thine heart in his breast one hour for all the riches honours and pleasures of the World 3. Then will the Lord hereupon proceed to the sentence of condemnation though haply not vocally yet effectually upon thy soul and say Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire there to be reserved to the Iudgement of the great day Ah sinner what horrour and astonishment will overwhelm thy soul upon that dreadful sentence 4. As the Judge having pronounced the sentence of death delivers up the Prisoners to the Jaylors So then shall God deliver up thy Soul into the hands of the Devils who being thy Jaylours must keep thee to the great day of account Whereupon they will instantly hurry thee into that horrible dungeon and fiery lake where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Where thou shalt have no other comforter but the cursed Devils who will be continually insulting over thee with hellish spite for slighting and rejecting the offers and tenders of Jesus Christ for neglecting so great Salvation all thy life long and losing Heaven for thy base lusts II. Besides this particular judgement on the souls of the unregenerate at their deaths there will be a general judgement on their souls and bodies re-united at the great and last day For the fuller clearing and opening of this great and fundamental principle of Religion I will shew you 1. That there will be a day of Iudgement 2. The Person who shall be the Iudge 3. The manner of Christs coming to Iudgement 4. The order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement I. For the first that there will be a day of Iudgement is clear from that of the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 6.2 where he reckoneth it amongst the fundamental principles of Religion And Act. 17.31 The Apostle Paul speaking of God saith He hath appointed a day in which he will Iudge the World in righteousness Yea in 2 Cor. 5.10 he puts a MUST upon it We must saith he all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ which implyeth the necessity thereof And truly there is a necessity of a general Iudgement as for the declaration of the equity of Gods particular Iudgement on each man at his death in which respect it is called the day of the revelation of the Righteous Iudgement of God So for a clear manifestation of the justice of God Though God be most just in all his wayes yet
and in all his offices Say the Lord Jesus Christ shall be my Prophet I will in all things labour to be taught and instructed by him And he shall be my King I will give him the Supremacy I will resign up my self wholly to his Dominion in all things to be ordered and governed by him And he shall be my Priest he shall answer to God and make an atonement for me I will rest upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice offered upon the Cross for life and salvation Though thou hast hitherto been a great sinner yet if now thou wilt abandon thy sins and thus embrace Jesus Christ thou shalt have him given to thee and all thy sins freely forgiven thee Oh why wilt thou neglect so great salvation Oh do not deferr the doing it one day longer But to day even now that Christ is freely offered unto thee resolve to receive him And be not discouraged out of fear that because thou hast so long refused to choose and embrace Jesus Christ therefore now the time is past But know that so long as the Lord continueth calling and inviting thee by his Word and Spirit so long the day of grace lasteth The golden Scepter is this day held forth unto thee Christ and Salvation are now offered unto thee O therefore embrace him by faith which if thou refusest to do know assuredly that everlasting fire prepared for the Devils will be thy portion to all Eternity For as our Saviour speaketh This is the condemnation even the soarest and surest condemnation that light is come into the World that Jesus Chrst and salvation by him is offered in the Gospel and yet men love darkness more than light preferring their deeds of darkness their sinful sensual wayes before the Lord of life who is the light of the World Oh that any should be so foolish and unwise as to choose darkness rather than light and death rather than life CHAP. XV. Other Means on our part to be performed for attaining of Regeneration VI WIth patience wait upon Christ in the use of his Ordinances especially the Word and Prayer 1. Frequent the Ministry of the Word where the Spirit of God useth to breath The Spirit is the principal worker of this great work as our Saviour expresseth And the Ministry of the Word is the ordinary Means and instrument which the spirit of God useth for the effecting hereof The Spirit of God breaths not in an Ale-house or in a Tavern or Play-house but in the Ministry of the Word Whereupon the Apostle Paul calls it the Word of life by which our souls are quickned And the Apostle Peter the seed of Regeneration by which we are new born Being born again saith he not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God this seed being sown in the heart doth by little and little grow up to a new creature In this respect the Preachers of the Gospel are called spiritual Fathers because by their Ministry they beget men unto God as Paul told the Corinthians that he had begotten them through the Gospel So that it is clear that the Ministery of the Word is the ordinary means whereby the Holy Ghost doth usually work in us that great work of Regeneration But we must take heed that we do not attribute our new birth unto the Word Preached as having in its own nature any inherent power to give life and grace but as it is the Word of God and his holy ordinance which he hath instituted and sanctified for working grace in us Attend therefore unto the Ministry of the Word as the Ordinance of God unto which his blessing is promised use it in obedience to his command in hope of his blessing and with desire to profit thereby And for thine encouragement know that as dead a soul as thine hath been quickned by the spirit of God as it hath been attending upon the Ministry of the Word as hard an heart as thine hath been softned as prophane an heart hath been sanctified as carnal and corrupt an heart hath been changed and renewed And who knoweth but while thou art attending upon God in his way his spirit may breath upon thee and so quicken thy dead heart mollifie thine hard heart sanctifie thy prophane heart yea renew and change thy totally corrupted and carnal heart wherein consisteth the work of Regeneration This I press upon all knowing that a carnal unregenerate man may give outward attendance unto the Ministry of the Word Though thou art spiritually dead yet hast thou feet to carry thee to the house of God and ears to hear the outward Ministry of the Word and understanding to know in great measure what is said Thou maist come to the Pool and lye by it though thou canst not put thy self in And truly it is good lying in the way where Christ useth to come Oh therefore frequent the Ministry of the Word where the Spirit of Christ useth to move yea and to breath a spirit of life into dead souls Take all occasions of hearing the Word both in season and out of season Let nothing but necessity keep thee at home for thou knowest not what Sermon may be most sutable to thy condition And when thou hearest attend to it as to a message sent from God concerning thine everlasting salvation And be often calling it to remembrance whereby it will take the deeper impression upon thine heart And though for the present thou find not that benefit thou expectest yet wait still upon the Ordinance The lame man who lay long at the Pool of Bethesda at last was cured 2. Be much in reading the Word of God and such practical books as may help thee in understanding and applying it This must not thrust out Preaching yet is it an excellent means of grace in its own time and place as very many have found by their own experience For as the Psalmist speaketh The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. So that the word read is sometimes the power of God to Regeneration and Salvation as well as the Word Preached As the Eâ—nuch was a reading a portion of Scripture in his Chariot the Spirit of God commanded Philip to go near unto him to teach him the meaning thereof and to instruct him in the knowledge of Jesus Christ whereupon he believed and was baptized And Luther confesseth of himself that he was changed and renewed upon reading the Scriptures and therefore professed he would not part with one leaf of the Bible for all the World For in the Scriptures there is a clear revelation of the way and means of Salvation by Jesus Christ therein is contained the Covenant of grace and the Laws of Heaven according to which we must square all our actions Oh sinner as thou desirest to partake of the new birth and to be made partaker of the grace of God be careful and conscionable in reading the Scriptures Spend not that time
to praise and magnifie the name of God for thy deliverance from a greater than Aegyptian bondage It being a deliverance from Satan the worst of all Tyrants from hell of all prisons the most loathsome yea from sin death and the curse of the Law The more to stirr up thy self to this duty of thanksgiving for this mercy 1. Consider the specialty of Gods love and goodness unto thee therein in singling thee out from the multitudes that perish and setting thee apart for life Hath he dealt by all as he hath dealt by thee Oh how many millions of Men and Women hath he suffered to live and dy in their sins when thy soul liveth How many for birth more noble for policy more wise for riches more wealthy are let run in their sins till they fall into wrath when thou art escaped when thou considerest that he should pass by them and set his special love upon thee if this do not fill thee with love and with praises the very stones may cry out against thee The Psalmist speaketh of it as a great mercy to a godly man that in a time of Plague and Pestilence a thousand should fall on his right hand and on his left and yet it should not come nigh him But what is that to this mercy that many thousands should fall into hell on thy right hand and on thy left and yet thou preserved 2. Consider how sad thy condition was before thy Regeneration being a Child of wrath a bondslave of Satan and an heir to hell And then compare it with thy present state Behold of a child of wrath thou art made a Son of God of a slave of Satan thou art become Christs freeman of an heir of hell and damnation an heir to Heaven and salvation And doth not this call for thankfulness 3. Consider that this mercy is unspeakably greater than all other mercies in the World This new birth makes a man an hoâ—ourable person one of the royal seed a King and Priest to God This makes him a rich man the least degree of this grace is better than all the wealth in the World this is the true riches the durable riches a treasure that faileth not nor can it be valued This makes him a joyfull man there 's joy in Heaven at thy conversion and a foundation of everlasting joy laid in thine own soul thou maist rejoyce its meet that thou make merry for this thy soul was dead and is alive was lost and is found Theodosius gave God greater thanks that he had made him a member of the Church than head of the Empire So bless God more for this mercy that he hath made thee a member of Christ than if he had made thee an heir of all the Earth What though God hath not abounded to thee in outward honours and estate yet if he hath abounded to thee in grace this alone will be matter of eternal praises Luther hath a notable story which may be useful to this purpose In the time of the Council of Constance he tells us there were two Cardinals riding to the Council and in their journey they saw a Shepheard in the field weeping One of them pittying him could not but ask him why he wept At first he seemed loth to tell him but being urged he told him that upon the beholding that Toad which was before him he considered that he had never praised God as he ought for making him such an excellent Creature as a man that he had not made him such a deformed Creature as that Toad Upon hearing whereof the Cardinal was much affected considering how he had received greater mercies than this poor man and yet had not returned unto God that praise which was due unto him And will not this poor man rise up in judgement against many of us yea have not the best of us cause to be greatly humbled before the Lord who do not so affectionately remember the grace of God in making us Christians as that poor Shepherd did in making him a man O friend prove thy self to be born again and then go thy way rejoycing leaping and praising God III. Hath God by his Spirit Regenerated and made thee his Child then walk worthy of this special mercy and dignity This worthy walking is much pressed in Scripture as Col. 1.10 walk worthy of the Lord. And Eph. 4.1 walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith yâ— are called In these and other-like places the word worthy importeth no matter of mâ—rit or condignity but only a meer meetness and congruity or answerableness The Greek word translated worthy is in other places turned meet or as becometh as Rom. 16.2 Phil. 1.27 And where Iohn Baptist saith Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance our new Translations turn it meet for repentance So that the meaning of the foresaid duty is that ye carry your selves in some measure suitable and answerable to your new birth and high dignity To which agreeth that of the Apostle Peter Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvâ—ilous light As the Regenerate are more excellent in their state and relation than the carnal and unregenerate so â—ought they to be singular and exemplary in their lives and conversations This Christ requireth of every true Christian for saith he speaking to his Disciples What do ye more than others As if he had said you who will approve your selves to be sincere Christians and the true Disciples of Jesus Christ must be of a more holy and heavenly frame of an higher strain than the rest of men you must be singular and shine as lights in the midst of a sinfull and crooked generation by living exemplary and convincing lives that it may be said of you what God said of Iob There was none like him in all the earth as for wealth so for piety he being by many degrees the highest for grace in his age Hath God shined upon your souls by his grace let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven The more to quicken you up to a singular and exemplary life to a life above the rate of carnal and unregenerate men I. Consider thy high birth and noble parentage For being born of the Spirit thou art thereby made partaker of the divine nature and art become a Child of God a member of Christ and hast blood royal running in thy veins Thy life ought to be suitable to thy birth and breeding aspiring after higher things than worldly men do or can do and avoiding those base and filthy actions wherein carnal men take their chief delight For know that thy sins go nearer the heart of God and provoke him more than the sins of other men And thou my Son Brutus art thou one of them said Iulius Caesar to his Son when he
and righteous conversation That they may say unto them as Gideon did to his followers look on me and do likewise This we find practised by Abraham of whom God himself giveth this Testimony I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord. Whereby is implyed that Abraham would go before his houshold in keeping the way of the Lord and they would follow after him And Ioshua testifieth as much of himself As for me and my house we will serve the Lord He would be a pattern of piety and Godliness unto his houshold and they should follow his good example And David likewise resolveth as much for himself for saith he I will walk within my house with a perfect heart intending to become a pattern of piety and Godliness to his houshold by an holy and righteous conversation The better to quicken up Parents and Masters of Families hereunto I shall hint a few Arguments and Motives 1. Your lives are looked upon as Presidents your examples as rules by your Children and Servants and therefore you ought to be exemplarily holy and religious What the Wise man saith of one sin in a Ruler If a Ruler hearken to lyes all his servants are wicked is true in other sins If a ruler or master of a Family be a swearer a drunkard a Sabbath-breaker or the like his servants are so too or will quickly become such For patterns are very prevalent both to Vice and Vertue especially the patterns of Superiours Inferiours are very apt to follow the example of Superiours and to tread in their steps How ordinary is it for wicked Parents to have bad Children and prophane Masters to have wicked Servants And no marvel seeing Children and Servants are apt to follow the evil example of their Parents and Masters and to write after their copy How carefull then should Parents and Masters of Families be of their lives and conversation that they be holy and righteous and not loose and scandalous lest their Children and Servants should follow after them to Hell 2. Your holy and righteous lives will draw honour and reverence from your Children and Servants For the Image of God which consisteth in true holiness and righteousness carryeth such a Majesty in it that it commandeth honour and reverence from others If therefore you who are Parents and Masters will with David walk within your houses with perfect and upright hearts shewing your selves patterns of piety and Godliness your Children and Servants cannot but honour and respect you For them that honour me saith God I will honour that is I will make them to be held in honourable esteem by others I grant indeed some are therefore despised because they walk holily and unblameably Yet such as they are truly honourable in themselves so are they honourable in the eyes and esteem of many others For there is more true worth in the least grace than in all earthly glory Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable saith God of his despised people Such Parents therefore and Masters as by their Godly lives and conversations are precious in the sight of God they shall be honoured by their Children and Servants But on the other side such Parents and Masters of Families as by their wicked liâ—es and ungodly conversations are vile in the sight of God they shall be despised and lightly esteemed by their Children and Servants For if Children and Servants perceive their Parents and Masters to be Lyars Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakers and the like How can they honour and respect them That which is said of Ierusalem All that honoured her despised her because they have seen her nakedness may be applyed to wicked and prophane Parents and Masters of Families Their Children and their Servants who should most have honoured them cannot but despise them because they have seen their nakedness And this questionless is one special reason why most Parents and Masters have so little reverence and honour from their Children and Servants 3. Such is the infectious property of sin that if a Parent or Master of a Family be a Swearer Drunkard Scoffer at Religion c. he is like by a contagious insinuation and evil example to infâ—ct his whole Family even his own Children and Servants And therefore sin is not unfitly resembled to the Leprosie which quickly over-spreadeth the whole house And it is observable that the more publick the persons are the more dangerous are their sins Private mens sins are but like the errours of a Pocket-watch which usually misleads only the keeper of it But the sins of a Master of a Family are like the errours of an house-clock which is apt to mislead the whole Family Oh how carefull then ought Parents and Masters of Families to be of their lives and conversations lest by their evil example they corrupt and poison their own Children and Servants 4. What will it avail Parents and Masters of Families to teach their Children and Servants the fear of God to walk in his wayes when they themselves manifest little fear of God in their lives and conversations but contrariwise are loose and wanton wicked and prophane For certainly as good examples are the life of instruction to make it profitable and effectual so evil examples are the death and bane of good instruction to make it unprofitable and ineffectual That Parent therefore or Master who reproveth sin in his Child or Servant must be free from that sin himself otherwise it will be said Thou Hypocrite first cast the beam out of thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye Yea and he must be free from all other scandalous sins otherwise the Child may say My Father reproveth me for lying but he himself will Swear And the Servant may say my Master reproveth me for Drunkenness and he himself is Covetous That therefore thy Family-reproof and admonition may be profitable thou must be sure to be at least unblameable in thy life and conversation that thou maist not be guilty of that sin which thou condemnest in thy Child or Servant For thereby thou wilt pass a sentence of death and condemnation upon thine own soul. FINIS A Morning Prayer for a Family BLessed Lord God who art great and glorious in thy self good and gracious in and through thy beloved Jesus Christ. A God glorious in thy justice to execute vengeance upon the wilfull and impenitent but gracious in thy mercy to pass by the offences of poor penitent sinners Lord hadst not thou been exceeding good and gracious unto us we might this night have slept the sleep of death and from the darkness of the night been sent away into outer darkness But such hath been thy mercy and goodness unto us as to add another day unto our lives most meet therefore it is that we should consecrate the same unto thee by
both Satisfaction and Intercession applyed to Christ. Satisfaction by his death and Intercession now that he is risen again and sitteth at the right hand of God Christs Sacrifice on the Cross was of such efficacy that Gods Justice was thereby abundantly satisfied his wrath fully pacified yea his face and favour and all blessings following thereon was purchased The death of Christ is therefore said to be a Sacrifice to God a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 And the Church is said to be purchased thereby Act. 20.28 namely from all that bondage under which it was as sin the curse of the Law the Wrath of God Death Devil Damnation After Christ had offered up his Life a Sacrifice unto God and thereby made satisfaction for the sins of his Church he was buried and laid in the grave to sanctifie the grave to all his members And the third day he arose from the dead As he himself laid down his life so he himself took it up again And then he ascended into Heaven there to make intercession for us which is the second part of his Priestly Office The former was to make satisfaction this latter to make intercession Christ may be said to make intercession for us two wayes 1. By a continual presenting of himself to his Father for us Christ saith the Apostle Heb. 9.24 is entred into Heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us Christ presents himself our Sacrifice and propitiation for our sins whose very blood becomes our Advocate to plead with the Father for us Heb. 12.24 2. By manifesting his will to have all his made partakers of the vertue and benefit of his Sacrifice Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The word Intercession properly signifieth supplication for another It is attributed to Christ especially as he is now in Heaven by way of resemblance The resemblance may be taken from the Favourite of a King who is alwayes at Court in the Kings presence and there presents his friends petition and intercedes for the granting thereof Christ the great favourite of the Lord stands before him continually to present our supplications and procure our acceptance Q. How comes Christ and those things which he did and suffered in his own person to be ours A. By Faith Rom. 3.22 Faith is called the faith of Iesus because we thereby relying on Christ are united to him and so have a right to all that is his In this respect whatsoever we receive from Christ is attributed to faith By faith we are justified Rom. 3.28 We are saved by faith Eph. 2.8 By faith we have access to God Rom. 5.2 In a word As they who in the dayes whilest Christ lived upon the earth received cure of any malady from him received it by faith So every good thing that now we receive from Christ we receive by faith How needfull then is it that we be well instructed in the nature of faith Q. What is faith A. True saving faith is a grace wrought in us by the Spirit of God through the Ministry of the Word whereby we receive Christ as he is offered in the Gospel and rest upon him alone for life and salvation First I say True saving faith is a grace It is not the work of nature it being as impossible for a man by his own strength to believe as it is to keep the Law Faith therefore in Scripture is called the gift of God It is added wrought in us by the spirit of God by whose efficacy as the principal cause it is begotten in us Through the Ministry of the Word because that is the ordinary means whereby the Spirit of God doth work faith in our hearts It s true that the reading of the Scriptures and of good books may through Gods blessing be a means of working faith but it is most sure and certain that the most ordinary means is the Word preached as Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing viz. the Word of God For first the Law discovereth unto us our sins and miserable condition by reason of them That we are utterly lost in our selves having deserved and are lyable to all judgements and plagues here and eternal death and condemnation hereafter and that we are altogether unable to free our selves out of this miserable condition whereunto we have plunged our selves by sin And then the Gospel shews us that in the fulness of time Jesus Christ who was the Eternal Son of God came into the World took our nature upon him and therein became our Surety and as our Surety hath taken our debts upon him and by his obedience and alsufficient Sacrifice of his own body once offered upon the Cross hath made full satisfaction to Gods justice for the same Yea the Gospel farther sheweth that God in him offereth grace and reconciliation pardon of sins here and eternal salvation hereafter to all that believe in him The which truth being revealed to us by the Preaching of the Word the Spirit of God inwardly worketh in us effectual assent thereunto upon which followeth an high prizing of Jesus Christ above all things an hungring and thirsting after him and a resolution of heart to receive him as our all-sufficient Saviour and to rest upon him and his merits alone for life and salvation And therefore it is added in the forementioned description that faith is a grace whereby we receive Christ. And indeed thereby is Christ made ours For what is more our own than that which is freely offered us and we have received To receive Iesus Christ is the same as to lay hold on him or to embrace him and apply him to our selves But I have the rather made choice of this word receive because it is the very expression of the holy Ghost Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe This latter clause to them that believe is added as an explanation of the former clause As many as received him shewing what is meant by receiving Christ namely a believing on him Which two are very fitly joyned together Believing is added to receiving to shew what is meant by receiving Christ. And receiving is added to believing to shew what kind of faith it is whereby Christ becomes ours it is such a faith whereby we accept of and receive Christ with the benefits of his death and passion It follows in the description of faith How Christ must be received namely as he is offered in the Gospel Christ is offered in the Gospel In all his Offices as Priest Prophet and King And so he must be received not only as our Priest who hath made satisfaction for us by his death upon the Cross and now in Heaven maketh intercession for us But likewise as our Prophet to be taught and instructed by him and as our King to be ruled and