beginning it is said Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy And in the close it is added The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it that is sanctified it and set it apart to be wholly consecrated to him and to his worship and service That Parents and Masters of Families may the better discharge their duty herein observe these directions 1. Look that your Children and Servant go with you to the Ministry of the Word and let none be left behind without necessary and urgent occasion It being the ordinary means God hath sanctified for the reforming of their lives and the saving of their souls When Iacob went to Bethel to Worship he took his whole houshold with him When Elkaâ—ah went up to offer unto the Lord his Sacrifice all his house went with him In like manner do thou carry thy houshold with thee to the house of God 2. After the publick Ordinances be carefull to call together all under thy charge and let there be a repetition of the Sermons Preached either by thy self or some one of thy Family who can write best And then examine them one after another What they remember of the Sermons they have heard labouring to make them plain unto them and to apply them also Thus did our blessed Saviour with his beloved Disciples for after his Preaching when he was come home he said unto them Have ye understood all these things which ye have heard And Mark saith When they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples Whereupon one observeth That Christ by his example doth instruct every Master of a Family how to carry himself in reference to those under his charge on the Lords dayes after their departure from the publick Congregation And truly much good will hereby redound as unto your selves so likewise unto all under your charge For 1. It will make them give better attention unto the Ministry of the Word when they know they shall be called to an account and examined what they have heard 2. It would much help and confirm as your selves so your Children and Servants in the understanding and believing of what hath been delivered publickly by the Minister if you would repeat and search the proofs of Scripture which were brought for the confirmation of the doctrine III. Another duâ—y to be performed in and with your Families for the better sanctification of the Lords day is singing of Psalms which as it was much practised by the Saints and people of God of old under the Law so is it both a lawfull and a meet thing to be used by Christians now under the Gospel and that as publickly in the Church so privately in the Family 1. We find it was an ancient custome of the people of God to sing Psalms in their Families according to that of the Psalmist the voice of rejoycing is in the Tabernacle of the righteous that is in the dwelling places and houses of good men 2. We have our Saviour herein for a pattern of whom it is recorded that after the eating of the Passeover which was in a private house he sung a Psalm with his Family IV. Another duty to be performed in and with your Family for the better â—anctification of the Lords day is Reading some part of the holy Scriptures whereof before Chap. VII As also some good Sermon or Treatise of practical truths V. Another duty is Family-prayer Whereof before Chap. VI. VI. Another is Catechising those under your charge whereof see Chap. VIII A conscionable performance of these will exceedingly help forward the sanctification of the Lords day and that without tediousness VII Another duty incumbent on Parents and Masters is godly conference Conferring before your Children and Servants about some good and profitable matter especially of the Sermons you have heard The counsel which the Apostle giveth concerning our words and discourses as it ought to be carefully observed and followed by us at all times so especially on the Lords day Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the use of ediâ—â—ing that is to the winning of them who are not converted or to the further building up of those who are already converted And the Prophet Isaiah forbiddeth the speaking our own words on the Sabbath day that is all discourses which are meerly Worldly and about earthly things more than charity and necessity requireth Under which prohibition of not speaking our own words is implyed a direction to speak the word of God or those things which tend to the honour of God and the spiritual good of others VIII That you may the better discharge your duty in looking to the sanctification of the Lords day Be sure you suffer none under your roof to spend any part thereof either in idleness or in sports and pastimes 1. Not iâ— idleness it being not a day of idleness but of spiritual action 2. Not in sports and pastimes especially such as tend to carnal and sensual delight For the Lord hath forbidden every man the following his own pleasure on his holy day And the truth is sports and pastimes are greater impediments to the worship and service of God than the ordinary works of our calling in that they do more subtilly steal away the heart from holy duties than those do Whereupon St. Austin thought it better to plow on the Lords day than to dance and sport Obj. Some Object and plead the hard labour their servants have undergone the week before and thence think they may be allowed a little recreation on the Lords day A. 1. The rest of the Lords day is the best and fittest recreation for the refreshing of their bodies who have been tired with labour the six dayes before And if they be spiritually minded the best and fittest recreation for the refreshing of their souls is singing of Psalms the perusing their spiritual evidences for Heaven the solacing themselves in the meditation of Christ of what he hath done and suffered for them holy conference and the like 2. If you think bodily recreations necessary for your servants health why do you not rather allow them some part of your own time on the week-dayes than to rob God of any part of his day which he hath wholly appropriated to the duties of his Worship and service Whereas the Lord might have reserved six dayes for himself and allowed but one unto us he hath dealt so bountifully and graciously with us as to reserve but one to himself and leave six for our business And shall we be so ungratefull as to encroach upon it and Sacrilegiously steal away some part of that small time which he hath reserved to himself for our Servants recreation CHAP. X. Of Exemplary lives in Parents and Masters of Families V. ANother duty incumbent on Parents and Masters of Families is To shew themselves patterns of piety and Godliness unto their Children and Servants by an holy
or such evil purpose And now at length resolve to be thrifty to be more watchfull over your selves and more provident for hereafter You have but a little time to live yet much may be done in that little Throw not away that inch which remains after the many years that are gone and can no more be recalled 4. Consider the shortness of thy life it is but a moment to eternity And is it not pitty to lose any thing of that which is precious and short 5. Consider as the shortness So the uncertainty of thy life You know what was said to him who promised life to himself for many years Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken from thee And it may be thou maist this next night receive the like doom And if thy time be ended and thy work to be begun oh how sad is thy case like to be 6. Consider as the shortness and uncertainty of thy time So the greatness of the work to be performed therein thy Lusts must be mortified thy graces strengthned thine evidences for Heaven cleared up c. Here is a great deal of work to be done in a little time Doth it not then concern thee speedily to bestir thy self and not to lose a minute 7. Consider the present time is only thine to improve Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation Oh then why wilt thou trifle away the time which is properly thine and promise to thy self great things in a time which is none of thine For even the next hour yea the next minute thou maist be cut off by the stroak of death and then all opportunities of doing and receiving good are taken away II. Another singular thing which the Regenerate ought to do above others is To embrace every opportunity of doing and receiving good By doing good I mean not only beneficence to the poor but also a conscionable performance of all Christian duties whether they concern the glory of God the edification of our brethren or the Salvation of our own souls Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might saith the Wise man that is whatsoever opportunity of doing good is afforded unto thee do it vigorously and speedily not deferring it till it be too late Mark his reason in the next words For there is no work in the grave whither thou art going As if he had said In this life thou hast many opportunities of doing good but in the grave thou shalt have neither power nor opportunities When thy night cometh there is an end of working therefore while it is day and while thou hast an opportunity up and be doing Doth the Lord afford unto thee any opportunity either of laying up for thine own soul or of laying out for the good of thy brothers soul be carefull to embrace the same yea and to improve it to the best advantage Having a price put into thy hands oh let it not carelesly slip away left thou full dearly repent thereof saying Oh what an opportunity have I lost of benefiting both my self and others how might I have furthered both mine own and others Salvation by building up one another in the most holy faith But fool that I was I have carelesly neglected these precious opportunities which will never never be regained Oh how will the thought thereof one day or other gall thy Conscience That thou maist be the more stirred up to embrace and improve every oportunity God by his providence affordeth unto thee 1. Consider how worldly men hugg their opportunities for the World and wilt not thou embrace thy opportunities for Heaven The tradesman neglects not his opportunity of buying and selling but carefully attends the same The Merchant will not lose his Exchange-time nor the Marriner his Wind and Tyde The Lawyer will not lose his Terms Nor the Husband-man his Seed-time or Harvest If thou lose thy Seed-time of grace thou thereby losest the Harvest of glory 2. Consider how few thy remaining opportunities may be For ought thou knowest the time is near at hand when thy praying opportunities and hearing opportunities and receiving opportunities and relieving opportunities with the like will be past and gone How then doth it concern thee to improve them whilest thou hast them and to use thy present as if it were the last season and opportunity would be afforded unto thee If thou art in the company of a godly experienced Christian thou hast then an opportunity of gaining much spiritual good and advantage to thine own soul as by observing his graces so by propounding thy doubts and scruples unto him Oh let not such an opportunity pass away without some spiritual improvement If thou art called to visit a dying friend or neighbour oh what an opportunity hast thou put into thy hand to do his soul good by advising him to think of death and to prepare for it to make his peace with God to cast himself and the burthen of his sins upon Christ to build the hope of his salvation only upon that rock the Lord Jesus Christ. If in walking abroad or travelling on the road thou fall into company what good maist thou do by some savoury and spiritual discourse of God or of mans miserable condition by nature or of the state of redemption by Jesus Christ or the like oh how much might thy care this way abound to thy account Remember the words of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day If the Lord hath given thee a Family and furnished thee with abilities for their instruction and edification let not the souls that are with thee be lost through thy neglect Thou hast daily opportunities to be sowing thy seed in their souls which may spring up to their eternal life And for thy neighbours that live about thee let them find thee a good neighbour to them and that they will best do if thou endeavour to help them to be good Christians CHAP. XX. Of performing good duties after a right manner III. ANother singular duty incumbent upon the Regenerate is To be carefull of the manner of performing good duties Not only to be conscionable in the use of Ordinances but likewise to work up their hearts to a conscionableness in the manner of doing them 1. For therein especially is our respect to God manifested As for the duties themselves many respects may induce us to the outward performance of them as obedience to authority desire of a good name hope of meriting thereby or the like But it is respect to God who searcheth the heart that moveth men to do the good duties they take in hand after a right manner so as they may be pleasing and acceptable unto him 2. The most holy duties we take in hand are clean perverted and depraved through our failing in the manner of performing them Yea holy duties are thereby turned into sin as the Prophet Isay implyeth He that killeth an Ox for Sacrifice is as if
without a gracious answer and then see if this be not his answer Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven be thou cleansed of all thy corruptions thy faith hath made thee whole Having shewed the Means whereby the work of Mortification may be effected I come now to shew the Manner how it ought to be performed 1. Our Mortification must be speedy Begin to day let the ax be presently laid to the root of these trees and whenever you feel the Devil at work blowing up the Coals of Lust be instantly in arms give not time to sin to get head upon thee resist it in its first motions and risings Delayes herein are very dangerous That Lust which at first may easily be overcome afterwards will hardly be kept under Why should we not be as wife for our souls as we are for our bodies who having fire cast into his bosome or house will not presently cast it out and quench it Woe to those fools who let alone these hellish fires and trifle so long till it hath gotten the mastery You whose Lusts are through your own neglects gotten up into a flame fear leâ—t it be too late to quench them fear lest these fires having been neglected so long should now burn to the bottom of Hell Vain wicked wanton thoughts are evil seeds sown in our hearts by our adversary the Devil which if they be let alone will insensibly grow up first into a blade then to an eare and so bring forth a dismal harvest of wickedness and wrath And therefore our wisest course must needs be so soon as they are sown speedily to weed and pull them up by the roots To which agreeth that of an ancient We must not suffer those fleshly vices to grow and increase but rather destroy them in their first beginnings 2. Our Mortification must be willing and voluntary not forced and constrained The Marriner in a storm casteth away his goods because he dares keep them no longer yet still his heart goeth after them And this is all the mortification of the most they will cast off their transgressions because they dare do no other Then only are we sincere in this work when our hearts are the first in all that opposition we make against our sins when we pray against them heartily when we watch and wrestle and strive and resist them with all our hearts when our very souls long to see the blood of our Lusts and if it were possible we might with safety yet our hatred against them would not suffer them to live They are like to do something to purpose against sin whose hearts do give the first charge upon them 3. Our Mortification must be universal extending it self to all our sinfull Lusts with a sincere purpose not to bear with our selves in any known sin For most certain it is that true mortification and an advised remaining in the practice of any known sin cannot possibly stand together Therefore the Prophet David to testifie the truth of his Mortification saith I have refrained my feet not from one or two but from every evil way he did not willingly bear with himself in the practice of any one sin well knowing every sin to be a transgression of the Law These two words Sin and transgressioâ— are convertible Whosoever committeth sin saith the beloved Disciple Iohn transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law yea every sin and so makes us lyable to the wrath of God to all judgements and plagues here and to eternal damnation hereafter God will not spare that soul that will have any one of his sins spared to him He that would have one sin spared would have another and another if it served his turn He that would not have all of Christ would in truth have none of him And he that would not be rid of all sin has no sincere mind to be rid of any Christ will have all or nothing every duty must be done or as good you did none â—very sin must be left or as good you kept them all Canst thou let all sin go but this one even this must go too or thy life must go for it O friend set thy self against every sin great and small open and secret carnal and spiritual Set thy self against them heartily be willing to prosper and overcome and set upon them speedily let no iniquity live a day longer nor sleep a night more in quiet with thee only remembring to go forth against them in the strength of the Lord and then we shall quickly find thee to be one of Christs mortified ones who as thou art dead with Christ shalt certainly live with Christ and raign with Christ to all Eternity FINIS Josh. 24.15 As for Me and my House we will serve the Lord. CHAP. I. The Parts of the Text and Observation thence arising THe summ of these words is The good mans godly râ—solution to serve the Lord with his houshold In which we may observe these particulars 1. The person resolving viz Ioshua he it is who makes this resolution 2. The order of his resolution first himself will serve the Lord and then his house 3. The extent of his resolution viz. his whole house as for me and my house 4. The matter resolved on and this is to serve God Each of these might afford unto us a distinct point of Doctrine But I shall wave them all and insist upon one which as it comprehendeth the main scope of the words so it best suiteth with the scope of my intention in this discourse which is to press all Parents Masters and Governours of Families to a constant and conscionable performance of holy and religious duties in and with their Families The point of Doctrine is this Observ. It is a duty incumbent upon Parents and Masters of Families to be carefull that not only themselves but also all under their charge even their whole houshold do faithfully serve the Lord. It is not sufficient for Governours of Families to be good Christians themselves but they ought to be Christian Governours Not enough to be themselves Religious but they must train up all under their charge in the knowledge and practice of Religion And the truth is good Christians they cannot be who are not Christian Governours He hath little Religion himself that doth not faithfully endeavour to propagate it in his Family Thus Ioshua as a Master of a Family undertaketh not only for himself but also for his whole houshold that he with them and they with him should serve the Lord. Yea and in all ages such as have been most eminent in grace have been most exact in their Family-duties instance Abraham the Father of the faâ—thfull of whom God himself giveth thiâ— testimony I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord c. And Iacob his Grand-child walking in the steps of his Father Abraham was
be sure to have free place Where the light of knowledge is not set up by Catechising there the deeds of darkness will be sure to break forth Where there is no spâ—aking to God by Prayer nor speaking of God by Catechising you may be sure there will be speaking against God and all the wayes of holiness 4. It is the ground of that barrenness and unfruitfulness under the Means of grace that is to be found amongst many in these dayes For were Children and Servants better Catechised they would better understand the mysteries of the Gospel and much more profit by the Ministry of the Word than they do It is found by experience that the most intelligent and best practised hearers are such as have been well Catechised and instructed The seed which thou thus timely sowest will spring up to a plentifull harvest 4. Such Parents and Masters as neglect this duty do what in them lyeth to damn their Children and Servants as well as themselves For how can it be expected but that those Children and Servants who through want of the light of knowledge walk in darkness should unavoidably stumble into hell Oh that so many Parents and Masters should be so cruel and unnatural to their Children and Servants as to neglect this duty the blood of souls is upon you Obj. Against this so necessary a duty some are apt to object and say To what purpose should we Catechise our Children considering that through the tenderness of their years they are not capable of the Mysteries of Salvation A. 1. Though Children are not so capable of apprehending cleerly the mysteries of salvation as they will be afterwards yet none can deny them to understand so much as to be capable of the seeds of grace which daily experience confirmeth 2. It is found by sad experience that Children uncatechised as they grow in years so they grow in sin and wickedness whereby they become more backward and untoward to the learning of any thing that is good yea and opposite thereunto If you do not the Devil will Catechise them betimes and of him they will quickly learn O prevent as much as may be that enemies sowing his tares be before hand with him take the first season to cast in your good seed The first season is the fittest season Obj. Should we constantly observe these Religious exercises in our Families which you thus press upon us we should hinder our servants work and thereby hazard our estates and so shew our selves worse than Infidels A. 1. This is a meer delusion of Satan to keep you from the discharge of your duty For know assuredly that the time spent in religious exercises with your Family is so far from hindering your servants work that it will rather further it and bring such a blessing upon it that shall return upon your selves For profit and increase is the gift of God who will give it to such as fear him and observe his commandments Oh then say not of Family-duties as Iudas did of that oyntment which Mary poured on our Saviours feet why is this waste Think not that time waste and lost which is spent in the service of God and in the performance of the duties of your places and relations 2. A wilfull neglect of Family-duties is like to bring the curse of God upon your estates yea upon your selves and all that belong unto you Read what Moses saith in Deut. 28.15 16 17 18 19 20. 3. Who can produce the man that did really suffer in his estate by the loss of that time which he spent with and for God Surely as the whetting of the Sythe is no hinderance but rather a furtherance of the Workman So the exercises of Religion can be no hinderance to your Family-affairs but rather a great furtherance unless you think this an hinderance to stay to take Gods blessing along with you without which what are all your own and servants pains but vain and fruitless 4. Suppose you should suffer somewhat in your estate by the loss of that time which you spend upon Religion you will have no cause to repent thereof For whilest others with Martha are carefull and troubled about Worldly things thou with Mary hast chosen the better part Thou hast lost a little of thy Temporals to gain Spirituals and Eternals for thy self and thine How wise are those men who prefer Temporals before their Eternals and will advance their estates upon the ruines of their souls CHAP. IX Of Sabbath sanctification in Families IV. ANother duty incumbent upon Parents Masters and governours of Families is To look to the sanctification of the Lords-Day to see that the Christian Sabbath be sanctified as by themselves so by their whole Family even by all under their charge This is expressly enjoyned in the fourth Commandment which is directed not so much to Children and Servants as to Parents and Masters of Families who are there commanded not only in their own persons to keep holy the Sabbath day but to see that their Children and Servants do it also For thus the Commandment runs The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant Which Phrase as Zanchy well noteth implyeth that it is the duty of Parents and Masters of Families to see that their Children and Servants do not any way prophane the Sabbath-day but that they keep it as an holy rest The sanctification of the Sabbath consists 1. In a resting upon the day 2. In a consecrating that rest to the Worship and service of God Therefore it is the duty of all Parents and Masters of Families to take care that both themselves and all under their charge do keep it 1. As a day of rest 2. As an holy rest I. As a day of rest resting in special from all the works of their ordinary calling The very name Sabbath which in Hebrew signifieth rest and the express prohibition in the fourth Commandment of doing any work on that day do shew that it is a day of rest How blame-worthy then are some Masters who contrary to the express command of God do set their Servants about the ordinary work of their calling on the Lords day Let such know that what is got by their Servants work on that day is but the gain of wickedness which will prove their loss at last II. It is the duty of Masters to take care that their Families keep the Lords day as an holy rest by consecratng that time which they set apart from their Worldly business to the worship and service of God in the duties belonging to such an holy-day For the Sabbath was not simply ordained that we and our servants should rest from our bodily labour but that we should in a special manner worship God on that day So much is implyed both in the first and last words of the fourth Commandement In the
from â—dleness as knowing that our idle time is the Devils working timâ— who is most busie with us when we are most at leisure And bless all our undertakings So spâ—ritualize our hearts and affections that we may have heavenly hearts in earthly imployments and so may serve thee our God whilest we are serving our own necessities Together with us bless we beseech thee thy whole Church Call thine ancient people the Jews and bring in the fulness of the Gentiles And particularly we pray thee for our own Nation the Land of our Nativity pardon the crying sins thereof Showre down thy blessings upon it both temporal and spiritual In special we pray thee so to bless our royal Soveraign that under him we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Bless likewise all our Magistrates and Ministers of thy holy Word Thou the Lord of the harvest send plenty of Labourers into thy harvest And O Father of mercy look down with the eye of pitty and compassion upon all thine afflicted ones let thy mercies be suitable to their several needs and necessities Bless all Christian families this in particular enrich every soul with all needfull saving graces Blessed Lord God according to our bounden duty we offer up our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving unto thy blessed Majesty in the name and mediation of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. Blessing and praising thee for our health wealth food and rayment for our preservation from our first being to this present time We bless thy name above all for that gift of gifts the Lord Jesus And for the Gospel wherein thou hast freely offered Christ with all his benefits to us We bless thee for whatever grace hath been wrought in any of us by the Gospel and for that good hope thou hast given us through grace We bless thy name for the last nights quiet rest this dayes protection hitherto Add we Pray thee this mercy give us grace to live as in thy sight who seeth all our wayes and art privy to every secret thing which we do And now O Lord accept our persons though sinfull and our service though full of weaknesses in thy beloved Son with whom thou art well pleased In whose name and words we further call upon thee saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. An Evening Prayer for a Family O Most great and glorious Lord God and in Jesus Christ a loving and a gracious Father We thy poor and unworthy Servants being by thy good providence brought to the end of this day desire to conclude the same with an Evening spiritual Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving Lord we do here profess we come not in our own names nor in our own strength we are unable of our selves to perform any spiritual duty after an acceptable manner But we come in the alone name and strength of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ beseeching thee for his sake to pass by our unworthiness to quicken our dead hearts and to carry us forth with life and vigour in the duty we are now going about Blessed Lord God we do acknowledge our selves to be vile wretched sinners Sinners by nature sinners by birth sinners in the whole course of our lives having sinned as if we had come into the World for no other end but to sin against thee Though thou hast been pleased to restrain us from many hainous scandalous sins yet Lord thou knowest what evil thoughts do lodge in our hearts and what Lusts bear rule and sway there Blessed Lord God though we are in some measure convinced of the need and necessity that we have of Jesus Christ that we are undone for ever without an interest in him yet how have we slighted and rejected the tenders and offers of him in the Ministry of the Gospel and preferred our lusts and the pleasures of this World before him We have indeed outwardly made profession of the Gospel yet have we disgraced the profâ—ssion thereof by our carnal and sinfull conversation Lord we cannot but acknowledge our desires cares and endeavours have run out more after the things of this life than after the things of a better life We have slighted thy judgements abused thy mercies prophaned thy Sabbaths and polluted all thy holy Ordinances When we have drawn near unto thee with our bodies and honoured thee with our lips then have our hearts been far removed from thee when we have had communion with thine Ordinances we have oftentimes had little communion with thee our God therein Blessed Lord our sins are many and hainous yea there seemeth a kind of infiniteness in our sins but we know and believe there is indeed an infiniteness in the mercies of thee our God and in the merits of Jesus Christ and therefore with an utter disclaiming of all righteousness of our own as filthy rags we place our whole confidence for life and salvation upon thy mercies in Christ. As thou hast laid our help upon him so on him will we lay our hope for the pardon of our sins here and for eternal salvation hereafter Lord be pleased to accept of his all sufficient Sacrifice and perfect satisfaction thereby made to thy justice for all our sins Pardon us we pray thee and free us as from the guilt and punishment so from the power and dominion of all our sins that we be no longer the servants of sin but may be henceforth the servants of God Lay hold on all our souls and bring us in effectually to Jesus Christ. Subduâ— our rebâ—llion take away our unwâ—llingness answer all our objections and excuses and work our hearts to a resolved adventuring upon him an hearty acceptance of him and a total resignation of our selves for ever to him to his goverâ—â—ent and dominion Lord we beseech thee not only to jâ—stifie us by thy grace but likewise to sanctifie us by thy Spirit that we may be an holy people serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our lives Mortifie our flesh with the affections and lusts let us be proud no longer nor covetous nor envious nor froward nor mâ—litious Let thy grace be sufficient for us both for the killing of our dearest lusts and strongest corruptions and for the quickning of us on in a conscionable discharge of the Duties of our places callings and relations by which grace let us be carryed on throughout our whole course in an holy humble and sincere conversation Lord let it suffice us that we have spent so much of our precious time in seeking after earthly things help us now in earnest to seek after spiritual and heavenly things after spiritual grace and heavenly glory We pray thee convince us thorowly that upon the little inch of time in this life depends the length and breadth of all Eternity and that as we live here we shall fare everlastingly hereafter And O let the consideration thereof stir us up to a fruitfull improvement of our short time to the best advantage
A WORD to SINNERS And a WORD to SAINTS The Former tending to the awakening the Consciences of secure Sinners unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in so long as they live in their Natural and Unregenerate Estate The Latter tending to the directing and perswading of the Godly and Regenerate unto several singular Duties As also a Word to Housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their Families from Ioshuah's resolution Josh. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the Use and Benefit of the Inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish London By Tho. Gouge Late Pastor thereof LONDON Printed for George Sawbridge living on Clerkenwell-Green 1668. To my dearly beloved Friends the Inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish London Beloved Friends TO further the salvation of mens souls as it is a most excellent work so it ought to be the study and endeavour both of every Christian in his place and calling and especially of the Ministers of the Gospel whose office and function calls upon them more importunately to labour therein Now since Regeneration is absolutely necessary to Salvation and that there can be no entrance into the new Ierusalem without a new birth I have according to that ability which the Lord hath given me set forth in this small Treatise the nature and necessity of Regeneration together with the Means on your part to be performed for the better attaining thereunto Most of these truths have been Preached in your hearing and now they are presented to your sight that thereby you may be put in remembrance of them and more thorowly affected with them Though I cease to be your Minister yet I shall not cease to do what in me lyeth to further your eternal happiness It was my hearty desire of your everlasting welfare that first put me upon Preaching on this Subject and the like desire hath ingaged me to present the same to your view Herein have I set before you Heaven and Hell Happiness and Misery Oh that you would be so wise as to choose Heaven rather than Hell Happiness rather than Misery That I should adventure these Notes into the World is not out of any conceit that there is any thing extraordinary in them being Conscious to my self of much Weakness but meerly out of that strong affection I bear to your souls welfare For my hearts desire for you is that you may be saved And will the Lord but bless this small Treatise to the Regeneration or Edification of any of your Souls I have the end of all my pains and cost Avoiding all affectation of Words I have used plainness of speech it being alwayes my chief design in the whole course of my Ministry to affect the Hearts and Consciences of my Hearers rather than to tickle their Ears and please their Phansie That I may not detain you longer I shall close this Epistle with three requests unto you 1. That you kindly accept of this small Book which treats on a subject so necessary to your everlasting happiness 2. That you would be pleased as to peruse it your selves so to take some time to read it to your Families If you cannot find leisure on the week dayes than to read some part thereof on each Lords day till you have read it through 3. That you would not lock it up in your closets but suffer it to lye in your houses where your Children and Servants may peruse it as they find opportunity Who knoweth how successfull and fruitful this plain Treatise may prove if the Lord shall be pleased to accompany it with his blessing That the Lord therefore would so bless these my poor and weak endeavours that such as are yet in their natural state may be converted that Converts may be improved and built up in that grace wherein they stand is the unfeigned desire and hearty Prayer of Your Servant in the Work of the Gospel who hath been and still is desirous of your Spiritual welfare Tho. Gouge THE CONTENTS THE Exposition of the first verse Page 1. The Observation thence raised The greatest of sinners are oftentimes received to mercy 3. The Exposition of the second verse 4. The Observation thence raised True faith may be exceeding weak ibid. The Exposition of the third verse wherein Christ declareth to Nicodemus the Necessity of Regeneration 7. The Observations thence raised 1. Christ is ready to entertain those that in truth and uprightness seek unto him though their weakness and infirmities be many 8. 2. Regeneration is necessary to Salvation 15. For the Explication of which point is shewed 1. The Nature of Regeneration what it is 16. 2. The Parts of Regeneration 19. 1. Mortification ib. 2. Vivification 20. 3. The causes which concurr to the work of Regeneration which are four 21. 1. The Efficient 2. The Material 3. The Formal 4. The Final 22. The Reasons proving Regeneration necessary to Salvation 23. Vse of Exhortation 1. To the Vnregenerate 2. To the Regenerate 28. 1. To the Vnregenerate that they earnestly desire and industriously labour after a saving change in the use of all means God hath sanctified thereunto ib. Quickning Motives thereunto drawn 1. From the Excellency of Regeneration 29. 2. From the Vtility of Regeneration 30. 3. From the Necessity of Regeneration 31. The Means to be performed for the better attaining thereunto brought to two 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 estate and dreadfull condition 33. 2. That there is hope of mercy for the greatest sinners ib. The miseries of the Unregenerate in this life 34. 1. They are Servants to their Lusts. ib. 2. They are slaves to the Devil 35. 3. They are under the curse of God which continually hangeth over their heads 36. 4. They are under the guilt of all their sins 37. 5. They are lyable to all sorts of Iudgements viz. Temporal Spiritual and Eternal 38. The miserable condition of the Vnregenerate at their deaths in several particulars 39. The dreadful estate of the Vnregenerate after their deaths in several particulars 47. Of the particular Iudgement that immediately followeth after death 48. Of the General Iudgement at the end of the World 49. The Person who shall be the Iudge 51. The Manner of Christs coming to Iudgement which will be As in great Glory and Majesty 53. So in great terrour to the wicked and impenitent 54. The Order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement 56. The dolefull condition of the Vngenerate after the Day of Iudgement which in general is most cursed 72. That Cursed estate is manifest 1. By privation of all felicity ib. 2. By subjection to all misery 73. Which misery is set out I. By sundry resemblances as 1. Darkness yea outer Darkness 76. 2. Torment which is the extremity of pain 77. 3. Fire
beloved Disciple He that committeth sin is of the Devil that is he who gives up himself to the committing of sin is a servant and slave to the Devil for he doth his drudgery Oh that the eyes of poor sinners were opened to see who it is that puts them upon all manner of sin and wickedness Certainly they would not then be so ready and forward thereunto Oh that they did but know in what a miserable bondage and slavery they are Certainly then they would not be so merry and jovial neither would they sleep one night quietly in such a state and condition but they would be casting about how they might be freed and delivered from the same III. All men in their state of unregeneracy are under the curse of God which continually so hangeth over their heads that they are cursed in every thing 1. In their estate Wealth and Riches are in themselves good things even the good blessings of God but yet all the wealth of carnal and unregenerate men are accursed unto them their very blessings are turned into curses as the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Malachy saying I will curse their blessings Cursed they are and shall be in the City and in the Field in their Basket and in their Store in the increase of their Kine and in the flocks of their Sheep as you have it expressed Deut. 28.17 18. Though thou enjoyest abundance of this Worlds goods yet so long as thou livest in thy wicked and ungodly courses be it of lying swearing couzening whoring drinking and the like the curse of God is in thy store and abundance which makes way for thine eternal misery 2. In their names Their very name is cursed for as the Wise man speaketh The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot that is the just and righteous shall leave a sweet scent behind them so that they shall not be mentioned without some commendation But the wicked shall leave a stinking savour behind them so that their very names shall be loathsome and abominable like a rotten carcass they shall for â—a while stink above ground and at last be utterly forgotten 3. In their houses For as the Wise man speaketh The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Though their houses be never so well furnished yet what comfort and content can there be found therein when the curse of God is in them which is enough to blast the beauty and glory and to eat up the timber and the stones thereof 4. In their religious exercises The word which they hear is cursed unto them That which to others is the savour of life unto life to them is the savour of death unto death being a means to ripen their sins and hasten their ruine The prayers which they make are accursed unto them oft-times bringing down a curse rather than a blessing Yea the Table of the Lord is likewise accursed unto them so that instead of feeding on the body and blood of Christ they eat and drink their own damnation Oh how sad and lamentable must thy condition needs be when those things which are not only blessings in themselves but likewise blessed unto others should be cursed unto thee and heighten both thy sin and sorrow And if thy blessings become curses O what will thy curses be IV. As the ground and foundation of the curse All men in their state of uâ—regeneracy are under the guilt of all their sins which must needs make their condition sad and dreadfull For as the man is blessed whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered So is he most wretched and miserable who lyeth under the guilt of sin without pardon His Conscience bâ—ing oft-times tormented with such restless horrours and perplexities that though life be most sweet and hell most dreadfull yet it makes a man wilfully to cast away the one and willingly to embrace the other that he may be freed from the horrour of his guilty conscience Thus Iudas sought ease by an halter and preferred hanging yea the torments of Hell before the anguish of his guilty conscience Now thou maist make light of unpardoned sin thinking it no great matter But the day is coming when thou wouldst give all the world if thou hadst it for a pardon wh ich then cannot be had Therefore as ever thou wouldst stand before Christs judgement seat with comfort and not be cast into everlasting burnings now turn from thy sins and be earnest with God in Prayer for the pardon of them in and through the merits of Christs bloody death and passion Art thou a sinner and not a pardoned sinner O tremble What conscience hast thou that can let thee sleep and sing and laugh in such a dismal state V. Every man in his state of unregeneracy is liable to all sorts of judgements 1. To temporal judgements as pains sicknesses and diseases losses crosses and the like Haply for the present thou maist be without them but thou canst not promise thy self freedom and exemption from the same no not for one day for they are continually hanging over thine head ready every moment to seize upon thee and they oftentimes come suddenly when they are least expected It is expresly noted that when the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah at that time the Sun was risen from the Earth Little did the Sodomites expect so strange a showr after so fair a Morning Believe it this dayes ease and rest and mirth may be turned into pangs and anguish and groanings and roarings before tomorrow 2. They are lyable to spiritual judgements as blindness of mind hardness of heart vileness of affections horrour of conscience and the like The Prophet Isaiah doth elegantly decipher the miserable condition of an unregenerate man in this respect The wicked saith he are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt The Sea is not only oft-times outwardly tossed up and down with winds and tempests but also inwardly disquieted even with her own motions casting up continually mire and dirt Even so the heart of a carnal man is not only many times outwardly troubled with crosses and afflictions but also inwardly disquieted with the impetuous violence of filthy lusts and the restless terrours and torments of a guilty Conscience which are far soarer than any outward afflictions as seizing upon the tenderest part namely the Soul and Spirit of a man 3. They are lyable to eternal judgements What can they expect if they dye in their state of unregeneracy but after this momentary life is ended to be cast into that everlasting fire which God hath prepared for them as well as for the Devil and his Angels which is the most dreadful condition of all that judgement cannot be accounted small which is eternal An eternal Feaver or but an eternal tooth-ache were a misery unspeakable But what are these to the lying in that
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
in this World it is not so evidently discerned Because God in Wisdom oft suffereth the wicked to prosper yea and to domineer over the Righteous Here the best men are ofttimes the worst used and most wronged Here the true Prophets of God are fed with bread and water in their Caves whilest the false Prophets of Baal fared plentifully at Iezabels Table Here Dives sits in his Palace cloathed richly faring sumptuously every day whilest Lazarus lyeth at his gate naked and hungry But then God will reader to every one according to his deeds When as Heaven and everlasting happiness shall be the lott of the righteous So hell and eternal horrour shall be the portion of the unrighteous Thus you see there will be a day of Judgement Oh how terrible will this day of Judgement be unto the unregenerate and wicked To them it will be a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of darkness and gloominess Then shall the drunkard drink deepest of the cup of Gods wrath the fornicator and adulterer who burned with the fire of lust burn in the fire of Hell Then shall the glutton who gave himself up to the satisfying of his greedy appetite be pinched with hunger and parched with thirst not having a drop of water to cool his flaming tongue Then shall the worldling and covetous wretch feel his loads of ill-gotten goods sinking and drowning him in perdition and destruction pressing him down to the bottom of the infernal lake Ah sinner How doth it concern thee to retire into some secret place and there seriously to ponder on this day of judgement Ask thine heart this question Is it certain there will be a day of judgement or no If it be certain Oh then why do I not prepare for it by breaking off my sins and making my peace with God before that day come upon me why do I not labour for an interest in Christ by whom alone I can be freed from eternal death and condemnation why do I not now give all diligence to make my Calling and Election sure Oh sinner reason thus with thy self thou knowest not of what advantage a few such serious thoughts may be to thy soul. When Paul Preached to the Athenians he urged them to repent and turn from their sins from this very ground and reason Because the Lord had appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness Oh repent therefore and turn ye from your wicked wayes for why will ye dye and perish eternally in your sins Seek unto the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is nigh Christ now stands knocking at the door of thine heart by the Ministers of his Word the motions of his Spirit and checks of thine own Conscience Oh give him speedy and willing entertainment The time will come when thou wilt knock with the foolish Virgins and shalt not be heard and repent with Iudas and not be accepted For the Lord will have his day when thine is past and a day of Iudgement for thy punishment that didst slight and reject the day of mercy for thine amendment II. For the Person who shall be the Iudge It is Christ that shall be Iudge who shall in a visible shape both judge and pronounce sentence upon all men as the sentence of absolution on the elect so the sentence of condemnation on the wicked Indeed judging the World being a work ad extra which is terminated upon or respects the creature it is common to the whole Trinity So that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost are excluded but yet it is in Scripture more especially appropriated to the Son And that partly as a recompence of his humiliation and partly because the proceedings of the judgement being visible it seemed convenient that the Iudge himself should be conspicuous And therefore Christ in his humane nature shall judge the World and denounce the doom of condemnation against the wicked ones yet shall he do all as Immanuel God and man Oh how terrible will the sight of Jesus Christ as Iudge be unto all carnal and impenitent wretches who when they shall see him sitting upon the Throne whose gracious invitations they have slighted whose Ministers and Ambassadours they have wronged and contemned whose ordinances they have neglected and whom they have often crucified by their sins how then will their hearts be appalled with dread and terrour entreating the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. A poor believer on that day seeing Christ sitting upon the Throne may with comfort say Loe yonder is he who dyed to save me who shed his blood for my redemption and rose again for my justification and is now come to judge both the quick and the dead But thou who dyest in thy sins canst not but with much anguish of Spirit in that day cry out and say Loe yonder is he who came from Heaven to save poor lost sinners and who did Sabbath after Sabbath even all my life long by his Ministers wooe and bâ—seech me to abandon my lusts and to receive him as my Lord and Saviour to yield subjection unto him and his laws and to rest upon him alone for life and salvation who now would have received me into eternal bliss and happiness But I miserable wretch that I was did slight his woings and beseechings turning a deaf ear to the calls of his grace and preferred my lusts and corruptions bâ—fore the Lord and his salvation yea and all my life long opposed his Kingdom and government as quite contrary to my carnal heart and sensual pleasures wherein I took much content and delight This is the Iudge who now sits on life and death and from whom I must now receive my seâ—tence And oh what a fearfull sentence must I expect from such a wronged contâ—mâ—ed câ—raged righteous Iudge What will he award me whether will he seâ—d me Oh my sins my sins have cloathed his soul with fury against me O my soul what Talents of wrath and vengeance will this righteous provoked Iudge lay upon thee how will he bind thee in chains of darkness and setters of eternal fire Oh therefore that we were so wise as now in this our day and time of grace so to renounce boâ—h our own wickedness and righteousness as to joyn our selves to our Lord resigning up our souls to the government of his holy laws adventuring and relying upon the merit of his blood resolving to follow him in holiness that hereby we may make him sure to us against that terrible day III. For the Manner of Christs coming to Iudgement it will be as in great glory so in great terrour to the wicked and impenitent 1. Christ will come in great glory aâ—d Majesty even in the glory of the Father This is the most glorious work that Christ
day do most perfectly Some have found by woful experience what an intollerable burden one sin is to the conscience when the Lord hath been pleased to set it home When Iudas had betrayed his Master and his conscience began to accuse him for the same it was such an intollerable burden to him that he was not able to stand under it but went and hanged himself Now if one sin proves so intollerable who then can stand under the weight of the many millions of sins which he hath committed in the whole course of his life especially when God shall set them all home together upon his conscience Ah sinner If the reading one leaf of this book was so dreadful to Iudas how dreadfull and terrible will it be to thee when thou shalt read not only one leaf but the whole book from the beginning to the end and therein see the millions of sins committed by thee whereof as thy whole life so thy whole book will be filled within and without and interlined with lamentation mourning and woe Ah in what a woful case will thy heart then be what horrour and astonishment will then possess thy soul when all thy lies and oaths all thy raylings and rotten speeches all thy filthy and unclean thoughts thy mispent time in Taverns and Ale-houses thy worldliness and covetousness the vanities and rebellions of thy whole life shall be brought to thy remembrance and at once charged upon thy graceless soul. 2. At the day of Iudgement there will be a discovery of thy sins to all the World For as the Apostle speaketh Hidden things shall on that day be brought to light They shall not only be called to remembrance by the sinner himself but likewise exposed to the view and censure of others There is no sin so secretly and closely committed but then shall be discovered to the view of all There is scarce a wicked man in the World though never so formal but he hath at some time or other committed some such sin in secret which he would not have others to know for all the World But know for certain that at the day of judgement all the World shall hear thereof For then all thy secret sins and close villanies shall be discovered and layd open before Angels Men and Devils thy secret Whoredomes and close Adulteries thy Pilfrings and stealings thy false Weights and Measures thy Hypocrisies and Dissemblings shall be discovered to the view of all and that to thine eternal shame and confusion And therefore the day of Judgement is called the day of revelation when many Murthers Thefts Adulteries and other abominations which come not to light here shall at that day be made known and discovered to the view of all The Husband shall then behold the Whoredomes of his Wife and the Wife the Adulteries of her Husband the Master the Pilferings of his Servant and the Servant the deceitfulness of his Master Yea then not only thy words and actions but also thy secret thoughts and imaginations how vain and wanton how filthy and abominable soever they have been shall appear to the view of all Never therefore adventure upon the committing of any sin in hope of secrecy because thou seemest safe from the eyes of men For suppose thy sin lyeth undiscovered unto the last and great day yet then shall it out with a witness and be made manifest to the view of all Q. If any shall ask how their sins shall be discovered to all the World at the last and great day A. 1. By their own confessions and complaints extorted from them by the power of God For then will they cry out in the bitterness of their souls with these or such like expressions Woe and alas that ever I slighted the manifold gracious invitations of Iesus Christ and preferred my base lusts and corruptions before him that I have opened the door of my heart to every sinful temptation but never would open it to let in Iesus Christ that I so often rejected the motions of Gods spirit stirring me up to turn from my sins unto God and hearkened more unto the solicitations of the Devil than to the motions of Gods spirit that I neglected the many opportunities and means of grace afforded unto me and trifled away my pretious time in vanity and pleasure yea sin and wickedness spending that time in the Ale-house and in following my sinful lusts and pleasures wherein I should have been praying in my closet or attending upon the Ministry of the Word or reading the Scriptures with other good books that I should preferâ— my Wordly business before the service of God that the World should have more of my heart and time than my maker and Redeemer 2. By the cryes and complaints of those whom they have wronged and oppressed Then Abels blood will cry out afresh against Cain and the hungry bellies of the poor will cry out against those hard-hearted rich worldlings who would not afford them the least comfort or relief And starved souls will then cry out against their ignorant scandalous Ministers for not giving them the bread of life The Wives and the Children of Gamesters Drunkards and Whore-masters being impoverished by their sins will then cry out against them for spending their small means in the satisfying their sinfull lusts The poor Tenants will then cry out against their covetous unmerciful Land-lords for raising and racking their rents to such an height as they could not earn their bread by all their care and labour 3. By the testimony of Gods spirit who will then come in as a witness against thee saying at such a time I shewed thee the evil of thy sins and how sad the issue of them would be and thereupon perswaded thee to turn from thy sins unto God but thou wouldst not at such a time I shewed thee thy misery without Christ and thy need of him how thou wouldst be undone for ever without an interest in Christ and how willing Christ was to receive the worst of sinners unto mercy upon their coming in to him but thou hearknedst to the Devil more than to me to his suggestions rather than to my motions 4. By the testimony of the Devil who is now a tempter but will then be an accuser whose chief design in tempting us to sin is that he may have wherewithall to accuse us in that great day that so he might drive us into the same condemnation with himself Thus you see there are several wayes of discovering the sins of the wicked and ungodly at the day of judgement even to the view of all Now I know no better way to prevent the discovery of your sins at that great day than here in this time and day of grace to call your selves to an account to search and examine your own hearts and lives and thâ—n to judge and condemn your selves for your manifold sins and transgressions for as the Apostle speaketh If we judge our selves we shall not be condemned
his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his Loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another How much more shall the wicked tremble and quake and their knees smite one against another for fear at the great day when they shall hear the sentence of condemnation pronounced by Jesus Christ How will they then run like men distracted to the Mountains and Hills for covert and shelter How will they then beg and yell again for mercy to a judge that is justly inexorable I say justly inexorable to them having scornfully rejected his many loving invitations and earnest beseechings by his Ministers to accept of that peace and reconciliation which he hath purchased by his blood Oh that men would consider that one tear or sigh of a penitent heart will now more prevail for attainment of mercy than all their bitter and importunate yellings in that day of Gods wrath VII After the promulgation of the sentence followeth the execution and sending of the persons judged to their everlasting estate as it is written And these shall go away into everlasting punishment So that now comes the eternal separation from Christ and possession of those torments which are easeless and endless For then shall they be hurried by the Devils as their Iaylors out of Christs presence and dragged into the bottomless lake of outer-darkness that perpetually burneth with fire and brimstone Oh the hellish cryes and horrible shrieks that then will be heard no heart can conceive or imagine what an hideous cry it will be When the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah felt the fire and brimstone falling from Heaven upon their heads And when the earth opened her mouth to swallow up Corah and his company and they saw themselves going down quick into the pit Oh the cryes which were then heard Oh the shrieks which then filled the air But alas what were these to the outcryes which will be made and to the scrieches which will be heard when the Devils and reprobate men and women shall be violently driven into Hell never never to return again For though they houl and cry to the judge for mercy and redemption pitty and compassion yet will they find no answer but too late too late Mercy and pardon and peace have been preached to thee but thou wouldst not hearken thou wouldst not accept Thy day is over the things of thy peace are hid from thine eyes henceforth no more for ever Ah sinner hadst thou now an heart to turn from thy sins unto God by true and unfaigned repentance and to pray unto him for mercy in and through the merits of Jesus Christ there were hope of mercy But at the day of judgement thy repentance and thy prayers will nothing avail The judge will not then be intreated by thee and no marvel seeing thou wouldst not hearken to him in the day of his merciful visitation But though he sent unto thee messenger after Messenger Ambassadour after Ambassadour to woe and beseech thee to abandon thy sins and to accept of him for thy Lord and Saviour yet wouldst thou not leave one beloved sin nor deny one fleshly lust for all his intreaties And therefore on that day will he not be intreated by thee notwithstanding thy manifold cryes and prayers If thou wilt not believe me hear Christs own words to this purpose Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But y e have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Ah sinner time was when he called to thee turn from thy sins cast away thy transgressions accept of grace submit to mercy be wise be happy thou maist if thou wilt but thou wouldst not but hast sold thy mercy and thy peace and thy Saviour and thy soul for thy lusts and the pleasures of sin And therefore though in thy greatest extremity thou cry unto him for mercy he will tell thee that thy day of mercy is past and gone and the day of vengeance is come wherein he will no longer entreat nor no more be entreated Ah sinner how will it then wound thy very soul to remember thy folly in neglecting thy season and refusing so great salvation How will it make thee with anguish of heart to cry out Ah silly wretch where was thine understanding to sleight such gracious invitations to preferr every base lust before the Lord of life to turn aside from him that spake unto thee from Heaven and to turn after thy companions and the pleasures of this earth to put off the turning from thy sins and making thy peace with God till it was too late Oh now would I give a World if I had it for one offer of Christ more for one Sabbath more to make my peace with God and to make sure of Christ but alas it is now too late Oh the fears and distractions the tearing of the hair and wringing of the hands the gnashing of teeth and dashing of knees the weeping and wailing the crying and roaring that this will produce especially when thou shalt consider how God every Sabbath called upon thee by his Ministers to turn from thy sins unto him but thine ear and thine heart were shut against him And how Jesus Christ was offered and tendred to thee only upon these terms that thou wouldst cast away thy sins and cast thy self into his arms and yet thou wouldst not go unto him but refusedst and rejectedst him and his grace This sad reflection of thy soul upon its own wilful folly in neglecting and outstanding thy day will be the everlasting worm that will gnaw on thy heart World without end Oh the folly and madness of all wicked men who go on securely and impenitently in their sins till they drop into hell-fire Is this thy Wisdom to sin awhile and burn for ever to laugh a while and howle for ever for a little momentary pleasure here to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Ah sinner that thou wouldst now forethink of this dreadful time and woful misery which hangs over thine head that when thou art alone thou wouldst seriously consider with thy self as the certainty and dreadfulness of this day so what thy condition is like to be that thou mightest thereby be stirred up to make out after Christ by whom thou maist escape the wrath to come Now whilest Christ is Preached to thee in the Ministry of the Gospel mercy and salvation is offered and now if ever is the time to accept it Oh therefore that now even now in this thy time and day of grace thou wouldst know the things that belong to thy peace that thou wouldst now
Lord turn me Lord sanctifie me Lord help me that I come not into this place of torment But when will the folly of fools depart from them Oh the stupendious brutishness of this mad and sensual World though they know these things and have been forewarned of them yet they have not the heart to fly from the wrath to come Thus much for the clearing and setting forth of the first truth to be embraced towards the working of regeneration in mens souls namely That every man in his state of unregeneracy is in a miserable and dreadful condition Wherein I have the longer insisted that thereby I might startle and awaken unregenerate men out of their carnal security unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful danger they are in so long as they live and lye in their unregenerate estate and so countermine the great design of the Devil against their souls which is to keep them blindfold and ignorant of their wretched miserable state by perswading them that their condition is as good and safe as the best For certainly were they but sensible of their present condition how they were lost and undone for ever if they should dye in their natural and unregenerate estate the Devil with all his skill and cuning would be hard put to it to perswade them to live another day therein left they should suddenly be snatcht away to hell would they then turn such a deaf ear to the Voice of the Gospel would they then make such excuses and make such delayes when Christ calls them to repentance I cannot be at the pains I cannot bear the labour and the sorrow of a penitent life I cannot part with mine ease my pleasures my friends and companions at least not yet awhile Oh the sense of an hell would silence all such excuses and shake off all such delayes To day to day O my soul hearken to thy Lord left it be too late by to morrow Now stand sinner stand and pause awhile on what hath been hitherto spoken Look back and consider Is this thy state Is this thy portion which hath hitherto been described Art thou a sinner a willfull and impenitent sinner and doth not all this belong to thee search the Scriptures believe the Scriptures and then say if this be not the place of them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of Christ. But what saift thou is it good for thee to be here Is this a state to acquiesce in to be at ease and secure to be so merry and jolly in Is this the state thou art so loth to be delivered from Dost thou hang over the burning furnace by the small thread of thy life which as soon as it is snapt off thou tumblest headlong into this bottomless gulf and dost thou scoff and scorn at the poor Ministers and Ambassadours of Christ that come to thee only to snatch thy soul out of this amazing danger But hearken sinner wilt thou escape wilt thou the redeemed wilt thou be delivered from all this would he be a messenger of good tydings wouldst thou bid him welcome that should bring thee news of redemption from all this why is there any hope of that hope of deliverance hope of salvation what for such a sinner what from so great destruction what is there any hope for such a great sinner such an hardened sinner such an old sinner that hath even one foot already in hell why wilt thou hearken consider consider what shall further be spoken and thou shalt see that there is yet hope for thee even for thee concerning this thing As great as thy sins are as great as thy danger is if thou wilt yet hearken there is hope that thou maist be saved CHAP. XII Sheweth that there is hope of Mercy for the worst of Sinners II. ANother truth to be embraced in order to thy Regeneration is this That there is hope of mercy for the greatest sinners Though the condition of men in their state of unregeneracy be very deplorable yet it is not desperate there is hope of mercy for the worst of them which will appear from a due consideration 1. Of Gods powers and willingness to save the worst of sinners 2. Of the all-sufficiency of Christs Sacrifice 3. Of Christs readiness to embrace all poor sinners who will but come unto him and receive him upon the terms of the Gospel I. For the Power of God to save the worst of sinners it doth appear 1. From the infiniteness of his mercy which is compared to the depth of the Sea Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea saith the Prophet Micah The Sea is of such a vast capacity that it can swallow up the highest mountain as well as cover the lowest mole-hill In like manner the mercy of God is of such a boundless extent that it can pardon the greatest and grossest sins as well as the least In which respect he is said to be plenteous in mercy and rich in mercy admire it we may but no man is able to express how great the mercy of the Lord is being as himself infinite without any limits or bounds Ah sinner far be it from thee either to straighten the mercy of God or so to aggravate thy sins as to conclude that thy sins are greater than can be forgiven do not so aggravate thy mighty sins as thereby to derogate from infinite mercy Is not the mercy of God infinite Is it not the mercy of a God thy greatest sins are but finite as being the sins of a creature but his mercy is infinite being the mercy of a God As there is no proportion between that which is finite and that which is infinite So neither is there any proportion between the greatest of thy sins and the mercy of God 2. The power of God to save the worst of sinners appeareth from the unlimited extent of his promises What ever God promiseth sure he hath power to perform Now the promises of God exclude no sinner nor any sin except the sin against the Holy Ghost nor any time of coming unto him for in all these respects are the promises of God wondrous large and of great extent 1. They exclude no sinner For they run for the most part in the generality promising mercy and forgiveness to all who turn unto him in truth and sincerity as Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God and he will abundatly pardon Here the Prophet speaks to the wicked and unrighteous indefinitely even to all and every one of them and assures them that upon their repentance they shall be received to mercy 2. They exclude no sins no not scarlet and crimson sins as Isa. 1.18 Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool that is
though your sins be never so great and hainous yet upon your repentance through the mercy of God in Christ they shall be so abolished as if they had never been committed 3. They exclude no time for the sinners coming unto God but whensoever sooner or later first or last so that he come in truth he shall find mercy and forgiveness Ezck. 33.12 The promise lyeth in the day that the sinner turneth Seeing therefore oh sinner God hath not excepted thy person nor thy sins no thy time of coming do not thou except thy self saying thy sins are greater than can be pardoned and thy day of grace is past Oh do not so great an injury to God as to set any bounds or limits either to his mercy or to his promises 3. The power of God to save the worst of sinners appeareth from his actual receiving the most heinous sinners to mercy The greatest sinners that we read of in Scripture have obtained mercy Who greater than Mannasseh who was a Sorcerer an Idolater a Murtherer and what not and yet was received to mercy And who greater in the New Testament than Paul who was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor of the Saints and People of God and yet was received to mercy Now what God hath done formerly he is still able to do he is still the same God his power is no whit lessened nor diminished Oh sinner what ground hast thou then to question the mercy of God to thy soul if thou dost in truth turn from thy sins unto him and earnestly beg the pardon and forgiveness of them I know indeed that before God giveth a sight and a sense of our sins we are too too apt to presume but our understandings are no sooner inlightned to see our sins and our consciences awakened to feel the burden of them but we are very apt to despair it being the great design of our adversary the Devil either to make us dye in a senseless calm or else to perish in a desperate storm Oh saith the awakened sinner my sins are many for number and heinous in their quality having aggravated them by many amplifying circumstances Certainly there is no hope of mercy for such a wretched sinfull creature as I am whose sins are greater than can be forgiven But take notice I beseech thee of these two things 1. Though in thy self there is nothing but ground and matter of despair yet in the mercy of God through the merits of Jesus Christ there is ground enough of comfort and encouragement 2. How many and heinous soever thy sins have been yet if thou canst find an heart to turn from them unto God and in good earnest set upon the practice of an holy life and so become a new creature God will receive thee to mercy But still beware thou abuse not mercy by making it thy encouragement to sin turn not this cup of Salvation into a cup of deadly poyson let not the doctrine of infinite mercy be thy damnation abuse not mercy as thy encouragement to sin but improve mercy as thy encouragement to repentance 2. For the Willingness of God to save poor sinners even the worst of them it doth appear 1. From Gods description of himself Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Why should the Lord proclaim himself merciful and gracious to forgive all manner of sins but for the encouragement of poor penitent sinners to come unto him with hope of acceptance There is not a letter in this name of God not a word in this description of him but fully and adequately answers all the objections which may be made by poor sinners against their own souls Obj. 1. Wilt thou say that thy condition is as bad as the worst having been as great and hainous a sinner as ever lived upon the face of the earth A. To answer this God here declareth himself to be the Lord merciful The Lord therefore able to save thee to the utmost Though thy sins be never so many and hainous yet he is able to save thee from them all And he is merciful therefore willing to save thee for in him there are bowels of mercy pitty and compassion and he delights in mercy Obj. 2. Wilt thou say thou art in thy self most unworthy to partake of any mercy from God having nothing in thee to commend thee to him or to move him to extend his mercy unto thee A. To this the Lord answers in the next place that he is gracious and therefore what he doth he will do freely without any respect of works or worthiness in us for grace is to shew mercy freely The mercy God ever shewed to any of his people was originally founded in himself alone in his own goodness and loving-kindness The Apostle therefore calleth it the good pleasure of his goodness Whereupon saith the Lord himself I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Obj. 3. Wilt thou further object and say thou hast mispent the flower of thy youth and the strength of thy age in vanity and pleasure thy whole life hath been a continued course of sinning against God so that thou hast cause to fear that God hath given over looking after thee and that his patience towards thee is expired and thy day of grace past A. To this the Lord answers in the following words that he is long-suffering Not only merciful and gracious but likewise long-suffering to thee-ward not willing that thou shouldst perish but that thou even thou shouldst come to repentance He still waiteth for thy repentance and reformation that he may be gracious unto thee Obj. 4. Wilt thou say that though the Lord hath shewed himself merciful gracious and long-suffering unto others yet thou art so destitute of all grace and goodness that thou hast little hope of partaking thereof A. To this the Lord answers in the next words that he is abundant in goodness as he hath extended his grace mercy and patience unto others so he hath enough and enough for thee his store is no whit diminished by what he hath given out but as he is an ever-flowing so an over-flowing Fountain of all grace mercy and goodness for the supply of his people he is abundant in goodness Obj. 5. Wilt thou say that though the Lord be abundant in goodness yet thou art fearfull whether he will extend his goodness unto thee A. To this the Lord answers that he is abundant as in goodness so in truth God having in his word promised to receive all poor penitent sinners unto mercy who will in truth turn from their sins unto him his truth and faithfulness ingageth him to shew mercy unto thee and to receive thee into the arms of his free grace upon thy true and unfeigned repentance Obj. 6. Wilt thou say God is indeed
the Sons of God Certainly that Christ should come out of Heaven to keep us out of hell that he should uncrown himself to Crown us must needs argue a wonderful willingness in him to have poor sinners saved 5. Christs Willingness appeareth by his rejecting of none who sincerely go unto him though never so weak and worthless in themselves Never did any sinner go to him but he accepted of him as himself expresseth All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that â—ometh unto me I will in no wise cast out but receive him to mercy Hath Christ promised this and will he not be as good as his Word Did he ever break his word with any poor soul though never so unworthy Did he ever cast away any who came unto him And is he not the same yesterday to day and for ever Go sinner fear not go upon the credit of this word which he hath spoken I will in no wise cast them out Though the Devil say go not though thy misgiving heart say go not he will not regard thee he will never look on such a vile wretch he will cast thee out yet since he hath said He will not go and thou shalt find mercy Thus have I by several demonstrations proved as God the Fathers willingness to save the worst of sinners So Christs readiness to embrace all poor sinners who will but come unto him for life and salvation Wherein I have the longer insisted because I know no better argument to prevail with sinners to turn from their sins unto God by true and unfeigned repentance and to close with Jesus Christ by a true and lively faith than a serious consideration as of Gods readiness to save the worst of sinners upon their turning unto him so of Christs Willingness to embrace all poor sinners who will come unto him and receive him as their Lord and Saviour I have read a story of a Gentle-woman who was condemned to dye for killing her own child whereupon divers Ministers came to visit her and perceiving her little affected with her sin and sad condition they laboured to set before her the hainousness of her sin and the dreadfulness of her condition without hearty and deep repentance All which little moved her seeming rather the more hardened in her sin But at last another Reverend Divine hearing of her obdurate hardness notwithstanding all that was said unto her went and preached to her the abundant riches of Gods mercy in Christ how ready he was to embrace with the arms of his free-grace every penitent sinner and how willing Christ was to receive all poor sinners who would go unto him and cast themselves into his arms how many and hainous soever their sins were and thereupon told her there was hope of mercy for her if she were heartily sorry for her sins and would adventure her soul upon Christ notwithstanding the greatness and hainousness of her sin What! mercy for me said she that is impossible c. Whereupon the Minister proceeded further to set forth the freeness of Gods grace and riches of his mercy to all penitent and believing sinners declaring unto her how God delighted in mercy and that where sin had abounded there his grace and mercy would much more abound or to that purpose And thereupon she presently fell a weeping wringing her hands and cryiâ—g for mercy and dyed very comfortably as it is related having had the mercy of God abundantly revealed to her before her death And truly sinner as it was my design so my hearts desire in sâ—tting forth Gods willingness to save the very worst of sinners upon their repentance and Christs readiness to embrace them with the arms of his mercy that it might have the same effect in thee as it had in the forementioned Gentle-woman And oh that the consideration thereof would melt thine heart into tears of unfeigned sorrow for thy sins past and stir thee up to turn from them unto God by hearty repentance and to close with Jesus Christ upon the terms of the Gospel Oh that I could prevail with thee as to give a bill of divorce to thy lusts and corruptions so to give up thy self unto Christ and to adventure thy soul upon him resting upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon of thy sins here and for eternal life and salvation hereafter If Christ be so willing to receive thee why shouldst not thou be willing to go unto him and that with confidence of acceptance Salvation is this day offered unto thee the golden Scepter is held out unto thee Oh stretch forth the hand of faith to lay hold and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ so shalt thou be happy to all Eternity For whosoever believeth in Iesus Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Thus much of the truths to be embraced in order to your Regeneration CHAP. XIV Sheweth the Duties to be Practised in order to your Regeneration HAving shewed you the truths to be embraced in order to your Regeneration I come now to the Duties on your part to be practised and performed I. From the consideration of the dreadfulness of thy condition so long as thou continuest in thine unregenerate estate and of the hope thou hast of a blessed change stir up in thy self an earnest longing restless desire after the new birth that thou maist in truth say O that I were Regenerate and born anew Oh that the Image of the Devil might be razed out and the Image of God imprinted in me O that a blessed change were wrought in my soul a change from nature to grace from darkness to light from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Oh that I might become a new creature renewed throughout in all the faculties of my soul and all the parts of my body As Rachel cryed Give me Children or else I dye So do thou cry out and say Give me this new birth let me be born again by the spirit or else I shall dye not only the first but likewise the second death and be undone for ever And know for thy comfort if thou canst find any such longing desire in thy soul thou art not far from this new birth from the work of Regeneration in thy soul. For this longing desire after this new birth will put thee upon the use of all ordinances and means God hath sanctified for the attaining thereof II. Labour to get thine heart deeply and throughly affected with a sense of thy miserable condition by nature It is not sufficient to know thy condition to be sad and deplorable so long as thou continuest in thine unregenerate estate but thy care and endeavour must be to get thine heart throughly affected therewith If you look into the Scriptures you shall find this qualification required in the persons whom Christ came to save and whom he invites to come unto him Our blessed Saviour speaking to Zacheus saith The Son
Thy Furnace hath not yet been hot enough if thy sin be not too hot for thee Resolve for Christ resolve against the Devil and all his works And that thy resolution may hold observe these following directions 1. Be sure thou do not ground thy resolutions upon any confidence in thine own strength but in the strength of Iesus Christ without whose assistance thou canst do nothing as our Saviour himself expresseth Iob. 15.1 But through Christ strengthening thee thou wilt be enabled to do any thing As David therefore when he was to encounter with Goliah went not out in his own name but in the name and strength of the Lord of Hosts So must thou resolve to fight against thy lusts and corruptions not in thine own name or strength but in the name and strength of Jesus Christ. Otherwise thy lusts may reply to thee as the Devil did to the Sons of Sheva Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And know that the more sensible thou art of thine own weakness and insufficiency the more ready Christ is to help thee and the more strength shalt thou receive from Christ. Which the Apostle Paul found true in his own experience for saith he when I am weak then am I strong that is when I am weak and insufficient in my self in mine own apprehension then do I most of all feel a gracious supply from Christ. 2. Back thy resolutions with Prayer As thou dost resolve in the grace and strength of God to abandon thy lusts to forsake thy former wicked and ungodly course of life so be earnest with God in prayer for power and strength against the power and strength of sin For as it is Gods power by which alone thou canst keep down the power of thy lusts so prayer is the means sanctified for the obtaining thereof Oh therefore pray and pray earnestly yea add fasting to thy prayers For old sins to which thou hast been long accustomed are like those Devils which possessed the man from his youth which could not be cast out without fasting and prayer 3. Second thy Prayers with thy diligence and faithful endeavours striving against thy lusts and corruptions though never so sweet and dear unto thee For these are vain and insignificant resolutions which promise great matters but do nothing Whereas true resolutions are active and stirring putting men upon the work Hast thou resolved through the grace of God to abandon thy lusts up then and be doing set on it presently without any farther delay For shouldst thou consecrate the prime and strength of thy dayes to the service of Satan and gratifying thine own carnal lusts and reserve thy decayed strength and decrepit old age the dregs of thy dayes for God and his service Canst thou think God will accept thereof Surely no. For mark what the Prophet Malachy speaketh Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his floâ—k a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing What then can they expect who dedicate the prime and strength of their dayes to sin and reserve only the lees their old age full of sores and corruptions unto God 4. Frequently call to mind the resolutions thou hast made of a speedy and through reformateon which will be an especial means to keep them fresh in memory and a fresh remembrance of them will stir thee up to a conscionable performance of them 5. Often renew thy resolutions It is not sufficient frequently to review thy resolutions but thou must likewise frequently renew them For a resolution renewed is as new made and thereby becometh fresh and vigorous And truly there is great power in a resolution when it is fresh upon the heart new cords are strong V. Having resolved to give a bill of divorce to thy sinful lusts and pleasures make choice of Christ for thy Lord and Husband as well as for thy Priest and Saviour Take him as the Bride doth her Bridegroom for better for worse for richer and poorer with his cross as well as with his Crown resign and give up thy self unto Christ to be ruled and governed ordered and disposed in all things by him and resolve as to cast thy self at the feet of Christ in subjection to him so to cast thy self into the arms of Christ and upon his shoulders for Salvation from him adventure thy soul upon him rest upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon of thy sins here and for eternal life and Salvation hereafter Let the consideration of those many melting invitations of Jesus Christ unto poor sinners to come unto him stir thee up to go unto him to cast thy self into the merciful and meritorious arms and embracements of thy Crucified Saviour to throw thy self upon his grace and mercy As God hath laid thy help upon him so do thou lay thy hope upon him both for the pardon of thy sins past and for power against sin for the time to come for grace here and glory hereafter saying If I perish I will perish in the arms of Iesus Christ. And if thou canst bring up thine heart to this then is the match made between Christ and thy soul so that thou maist with confidence say Christ is mine and I am his And oh what a joyful day will this be unto thee In this consisteth thy new birth and work of Regeneration whereby thou art become a new creature This day is salvation come into thy heart All other things are but preparatives unto this Oh therefore let me prevail with thee above all things to make this choice of Christ for thy Lord and Saviour to resign up thy self unto him and his Laws as well as to expect salvation from him For no man can take Jesus Christ savingly who takes him not wholly as his Lord and husband to serve and obey him as well as his Priest and Saviour to free him from the guilt and punishment of all his sinsâ— He is the author of eternal Salvation only to those who obey him Many I know are willing to accept of Christ upon their own terms Some are willing to accept of Christ provided that together with him they may enjoy their sinfull lusts and pleasures Others are willing to accept of him provided that together with him they may enjoy their worldly riches and treasures But he who will take Christ savingly must take him upon his own terms He will be all to thee or nothing he will rule thee or else he will not ransome thee Away then with thy sins be divorced from thine old Husband let sin no longer rule in thee if thou wilt be marryed to the Lord and have any part in his righteousness Ah sinner whosoever thou art how many soever thy sins are this day in the name of the great God I do tender Jesus Christ unto thee And as thou tendrest the life and happiness of thine own soul refuse him not but stir up thy self to accept of him both his person
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
in reading of play-books and unprofitable pamphlets which thou mightest spend in reading the Word which is able to make thee wise unto Salvation to this end carry it about thee as Alexander did Homers Iliads for his fellow and companion in the Wars Oh that every one of us were ambitious of that commendation which Eusebius gives of St. Origen That he could repeat all the Scriptures at his fingers ends 3. Pray unto God for the change of thine heart beg of him that he would be pleased by his spirit to regenerate thee to plant his image in thy soul that thou maist become a new-creature What the Apostle Iames saith of wisdom is true of all grace If any one lack it let him ask it of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Oh therefore beseech him to open thine eyes and shew thee how sad and deplorable thy condition is so long as thou continuest in the state of unregeneracy that thou maist be truly sensible thereof that he would shew thee the excellency and necessity of a new birth that thine heart may be raised up in some earnest longing desires after the same that he would vouchsafe unto thee his Holy Spirit which may quicken thy dead soul and renew it after the Image of God in righteousness and true holiness And in thy prayers plead the promise of God to give his Spirit to those who ask him That thy Prayers for a new birth may the better speed 1. Be earnest therein Pray withall thine heart and with all thy might with the highest intention of affection If thou wouldst be a prevailing Israel thou must be a wrastling Iacob wrastle with God in prayer for it is the fervent prayer only that is effectual 2. Be unâ—â—ssant in thy Prayers as one that will take no nay nor give over till thou find the work wrought in thy soul. Be as importunate with God as the Widdow was with the unjust judge For God loveth importunity If the unjust Judge was overcome with importunity how much rather will the righteous God who is compassionately affected towards those who seek unto him Resolve with Iacob I will not let thee go except thou bless me Lord help me Lord break me humble me change and turn me I cannot turn my self Ministers cannot Ordinances cannot afflictions cannot turn me If thou wilt thou canst turn thou me and I shall be turned draw thou me and I will run after thee O suffer thy self this once to be overcome by a poor Worm I cannot be denyed I dye I am undone if thou deny me I cannot be denyed I will not be denyed I will not let thee go untill thou bless me Lord hear Lord turn me Obj. But some are apt to object and say how can I pray without the Spirit A. Put thy self upon the duty of prayer and who knoweth but thou maist soon feel and find the assistance of Gods spirit in the performance though thou findest it not in the entrance of the duty Go therefore unto God in prayer spread before him thy wretched miserable state and condition plead thy miserable necessity the dreadfulness of thy present state how much better it had been that thou hadst never been born than not to be born again And then waiting for the assistance of the Spirit be earnest and importunate with God that he would not let thee live a day longer in thine Unregenerate state least death should find thee therein and then thou perish everlastingly Obj. Some I know do question whether carnal and unregenerate men may be put upon that duty of prayer because the Scripture saith that the Sacrifice of the wicked is abomiâ—ation to the Lord and that God heareth not sinners A. 1. The Scriptures give us warrant to press carnal and unregenerate men upon the duty of Prayer For at the time when Peter told Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iâ—iquity then he pressed him to pray unto God saying Repent of thy wickedâ—ess and pray unto God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee 2. We do not exhort men to pray and still hold themselves resolved to continue in their wicked and ungodly courses such prayer indeed would be an abomination but to resolve upon turning and so to go unto the Lord for his grace to assist and accept them And therefore saith Peter to Simon Magus Repent of this thy wickedness and so pray for pardon 3. The young Ravens cry for want of food and God is said to hear them Why may he not then hear the cryes and Prayers of carnal and unregenerate men especially when they pray unto him for changed and renewed hearts which prayers cannot but be agreeable to the will of God How graciously did God reward that petition of Solomon when he asked not for riches or long life but for a wise and understanding heart So may God say unto them because ye have not asked temporal blessings as health wealth or the like but a renewed heart a new birth be it according to your desires your natural carnal heart shall be changed and renewed And to thine own Prayers call in the help of other mens prayers beg of them that in their Prayers they would be mindfull of thee and of thy condition that they would be earnest with God on thy behalf that he would make thee a new creature by endowing thee with true saving sanctifying graces Thus Simon Magus begged the Prayers of the Apostles apprehending their prayers to be more prevalent than his own For it is possible that God may hear the Prayers of Iob for his friends when he will not hear them for themselves And the Iaylors Conversion is set down as the Consequent of the Apostles Prayers Not only their deliverance out of his prison but his deliverance out of the Devils prison is set down as a fruit of their prayers To thine own prayers therefore call in the help of other mens Prayers VII When either in hearing reading praying or at any other time thou feelest any motions of Gods spirit in thy soul and conscience make much of them surrender up thy self thereunto presently turn those motions into resolutions and those resolutions into endeavours Let not the motions of Gods Spirit be nipped in the bud but nourish and cherish them that they may bring forth good fruit Ah sinner as thou tendrest the good and happiness of thy precious and immortal soul slight not the motions of Gods Spirit in thee but labour to improve them to the ends for which they are sent Are they motions tending to the working in thee a loathing and abhorring of thy former sinful lusts second those motions with strong resolutions to leave and forsake them for the time to come at least so to strive against them as they may not rule and raign in thee as formerly they have done Are they motions tending to the
yet was he received to mercy Hast thou been a Blasphemer or a Persecutor of the Saints and servants of God So was Paul and yet he obtained mercy Hast thou been a Filthy unclean person wallowing and delighting like a Sow in the filth of sin and mire of sinfull filthiness So did Mary Magdalea and many of the Corinthians yet were they washed with the blood of Iesus Christ justified and sanctified Hast thou been an Oppressor and Extortioner who hast got thine estate by over-reaching thy neighbours and grinding the faces of the poor So did Matthew and Zacheus who yet found mercy Why then is there not hope of mercy for thee when grace hath embraced such great and heinous sinners Q. Wilt thou say thou art a greater sinner than any of these forementioned A. 1. This is scarce credible But suppose thy sins do exceed the proportion of any one thou canst find pardoned in Scripture yet this were no just ground of despair because the depth of Gods mercy was never yet fathomed God never acted his mercy so far but he is able to act it farther Greater sinners than ever yet were pardoned may be pardoned And therefore though thy sins were more and greater than the sins of others yet there is hope of mercy for thee unless by thine infidelity thou dost exclude thy self from the same 2. Consider that there was no more in Manasseh Mary Magdalen Paul nor any of the Saints now in Heaven to move God to have compassion on them than there is in thee The Apostle saith that there is no difference for all have sinned The true cause of any mans Regeneration is the free grace and love of God For saith the Apostle we were all by nature the Children of wrath even as others But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us And immediatly addeth By grace ye are saved Now seeing the free grace and love of God is the true cause of mans Regeneration and Salvation why shouldst thou imagine there is less love in God for thee than there was for them Obj. 5. Others object they fear their time and day of grace is past and gone having long stood out and rejected many offers of grace and that it is now too late to seek after the grace of God A. To this I answer that the slighting and rejecting the many offers of grace is very sad yea an heinous sin which calls for thy deepest sorrow and humiliation This made our Saviour to weep over Ierusalem because they neglected the day of their visitation But yet know 1. Though thou hast often refused and rejected the offers of grace yet is not thy condition hopeless in that it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost which alone cannot be pardoned but it is a sin though heinous yet pardonable Many have obtained mercy even for this and so mayest thou upon thy true humiliation and repentance For such is the mercy of God as he both can and will pardon even sins against mercy 2. It 's a question whether there be any Saint on Earth or in Heaven who before their closing with Christ by faith did not stand out against and reject many of his gracious invitations excepting such as were sanctified from the Womb. 'T is the Devil that puts it into thy mouth to say I have slighted many offers of grace therefore my day of grace is past and gone Do we not see by daily experience how Christ brings home some to himself in their old age who questionless in their youth and riper years turned many a deaf ear to his gracious invitations And that Christ is still willing and ready so to do appeareth by this that he continues his offers of grace though formerly neglected How oft would I have gathered thee saith Christ of Ierusalem 3. Christ hath several seasons of Conversion and Regeneration all come not in at the first hour of the day nor at the sixth hour Christ brings home some to himself in the latter end of their lives who have all the former part slighted and rejected his gracious invitations And therefore he will have them often renewed and tendred to poor sinners because though the time of some be to come in at the first offer yet the time of others is to come in upon renewed and multiplyed offers so that often renewing thy refusals is not an eternal prejudice 4. If thou art heartily sorry for thy former refusals and dost now unfeinedly desire to close with Christ I may with confidence say thy day of grace is not past For those affections wrought in thee by the Spirit of God are gracious hints that he intends thee good if yet thou wilt accept Such who have outstood their day are usually given up to a feared Conscience and reprobate mind and are hurried by the Devil to the committing of all manner of sin and wickedness and that with greediness and delight 5. Thou who fearest thy day of grace is past know this that if thou now findest in thy self a willingness to abandon thy former lusts and corruptions and to become a new creature to cast off the Devils service and to become the servant of the Lord Jesus thy day of grace is not past 6. It is evident thy day of grace is not past because the Lord hath not yet given over to strive with thee Is he not yet woing and beseeching thee by the Ministry of his Word by the motions of his Spirit to accept of the reconciliation purchased by the blood of his Son And doth not Christ himself stand knocking at the door of thine heart telling thee that if thou wilt open to him he will come in and sup with thee and thou with him It is yet the acceptable time and day of Salvation if thou wilt accept thou maist be accepted Say not foolishly my day is past but prove it is not so by coming in this day Harden not thine heart this day and thou shalt find God will not harden his ear against thy cry 7. Though thou hast long stood out yet know that God will not presently take the forfeiture of thee neither will Christ suddenly take his advantage against thee If the Lord were as hasty to punish sinners as they are forward to commit sin there would suddenly be an end of all And if Christ should be as forward to reject sinners as they are to reject him what hope of mercy were there But Christ is not so severe he is of great goodness and of great patience he makes tenders of grace and peace over and over again and waits our acceptance In which respect he is said to stand at their door and knock As knocking is usually a repetition of strokes so standing at the door and knocking implyeth his waiting for our opening Ah sinner doth Christ continue to renew his offers of grace and mercy unto thee and wilt
the Wise man The house of the wicked shall be overturned but the Tabernacle of the upright shall flourish And therefore the Psalmist pronounceth them blessed who thus fear the Lord saying Blessed is he that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes for thou shalt eat the labour of thine hand happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee How then can such expect a blessing from God either upon themselves or upon their relations or upon their pains and endeavours who do not set up God and his Worship in their houses seeing it is that whereby Gods blessing is entailed 2. Those Children and Servants who are religiously educated and principled are likeliest to prove comforts to their Parents and Masters What a comfort must it needs be to thee who art a Master of a Family to see thy houshold through the blessing of God on thy care and pains to be walking Heaven-ward Yea when thou comest to lye upon thy death-bed Oh what a comfort will it then be unto thee that thou hast good ground to believe that thy Children are Gods Children and the Servants of Jesus Christ thou maist then with stronger confidence commend them unto Gods Fatherly care and protection and with greater assurance expect Gods blessing upon them after thy death 3. There is no such means to make your Children loving and dutiful unto you and your servants faithfull in the discharge of their duty as to instruct them in the principles of Religion and to plant the fear of God in their hearts In which respect Solomon saith A godly Son maketh a glad Father viz. by his dutiful and respectfull carriage towards him And that servant who shall find true grace either first wrought or further increased in him by his Masters means will endeavour with the utmost of his power to do him what faithfull service he can in way of thankfulness So that if Parents and Masters of Families respect either that charge God hath laid upon them whereof they are to give an account to him at the great day or that good and benefit which themselves may reap thereby they will see good and just ground to be diligent and constant in the discharge of holy duties with their Family R. V. Another reason may be taken from the manifold mischiefs which usually follow and accompany the neglect of family duties 1. From hence come all Domestick brawls and contentions hence it is that the house is divided against it self Husband against Wife and Wife against Husband Master against Servant and Servant against Master Parent against Child and Child against Parent which would be prevented were the Lord better known and more duly worshipped amongst them For where God is served with perfect purity there is perfect peace But where God is not served there is no peace but jarrs and contentions strife and debate which giveth great advantage unto Satan the arch-enemy of mankind who like a roaring Lyon walketh about continually seeking whom he may devour 2. From hence it is that Magistrates are enforced to execute the penalties of the Laws upon so many namely because they are not Religiously educated but suffered to have their wills in their youth Which appeareth from the sad complaints of many malefactors at the place of Execution against their Parents and Masters for their careless omission of their duty towards them saying if they had had any care or conscience of our education if they had corrected and restrained us betimes from our wicked courses we had never come to this dogs-death and shamefull end 3. From hence it is that so many Families are so dissolute and prophane abounding with all manner of sin and wickedness as lying swearing Sabbath-breaking drinking whoring and the like as if there were a seminary of little Devils an houshold of fiends And truly when Families leave God in not doing the good they should God leaves Families to do the evil they should not So that sin hath there free place where Gods service hath no place And sins of commission do usually follow sins of omission it being ordinary with God to punish one sin with another to punish the neglect of duty with the committing of sin by leaving men so to themselves that they break forth into the committing of great and hainous sins A general complaint there is in these dayes of the undutifulness and disobedience of Children of the negligence and unfaithfulness of Servants yea and of the loose lewd lives of both in many Families whereof if we would search the true ground and cause we shall find it rather in the superiours than in the inferiours For howsoever inferiours cannot be excused yet questionless the fault is chiefly in superiours and Governours because they are careless and negligent in the discharge of their duty towards them not praying with them nor Catechising and instructing them as they should For where religious duties are shut out of any Family there usually the door is set wide open to looseness and profaneness 4. The neglect of Religious dutiâ—s in thy Family will make thee guilty of Murther even of Soul-murther which is the greatest of all For whereas the Souls as well as the bodies of thy Children and Servants are committed to thy care and charge if any of them should perish through thy default thou art deeply guilty of their eternal death and damnation and their blood will be required at thy hands As Iacob was accountable to Laban for the â—oss of every Lamb or Sheep at his hand was it required So is every Master of a Family accountable to God for every soul under his roof If any of them perish through his default God will require it at his hands God will require the blood of thy Child the blood of thy Servants at thy hands one day If therefore you will be free from the blood of your Children train them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord pray for them and with them Catechize them c. The Point being confirmed by Scripture and Reason come we now to the Uses thereof CHAP. III. The Vse of Reproof of those Masters who make no Conscience of Family-duties Use 1. SEeing it is a Duty incumbent upon Parents and Masters of Families to be carefull that not only themselves but also all under their charge even their whole Family do faithfully serve the Lord then they are greatly to be reproved who are neither carefull to serve God themselves neither take they any care of their Family but as there is no fear of God in their hearts so neither is there any fear of God in their Families Yea instead of Gods service there is all manner of wickedness and prophaneness so that their houses are as so many filthy cages of unclean birds so many styes of all manner of abominations Of whose houses we may say what Solomon said of the Harlots house 'T is the way to Hell that is the high and ready way unto eternal
offering up a Morning Sacrifice of Prayer and thanksgiving Lord we acknowledge our great unworthiness to come into thy presence to present our Prayers and supplications unto thee But though we are unworthy yet Christ is worthy We beseech thee therefore for his sake to look graciously upon us to pass by our unworthiness and to strengthen our weakness To this end as we draw near unto thee so be thou pleased to draw near unto us enabling us to pray as with humility and sincerity so with zeal and fervency of spirit and with faith in Jesus Christ looking for audience and acceptance in and thorow him Blessed Lord God we cannot but acknowledge thou didst at first create us in a blessed and happy estate even after thine own image endowing us with true knowledge holiness and righteousness But we soon fell from that state of innocency and blessedness in the loynes of our first Father Adam and implunged our selves with him into a dreadfull gulf of sin and misery For O Lord besides the guilt of Adams sin we have contracted from him a Mass of corruption which hath poysoned our very natures polluted and defiled all the faculties of our souls with all the parts and members of our bodies So that we may more truly in regard of our spiritual uncleanness cry out Vnclean Vnclean than the Leper under the Law in regard of his bodily uncleanness And O Lord to this corruption of our natures we have added many many actual sins of our own which as they have been hainous in their quality so in their number and multitude have far exceeded the hairs of our heads and the sands on the Sea-shore which cannot be numbred The which we have committed through the whole course of our lives from our infancy to this present time So that we are now grown old in sin and overgrown with corruption Though the time thou hast allotted us here to live is very little even as a moment to Eternity yet alas how little of this little have we lived to thee our God or to the good of our own souls having mis-spent the greatest part of our dayes in vanity and pleasure We have continued ignorant of thee how much means of knowledge have we had and yet how little knowledge have we gotten oh how little have we done for our souls or the other World We have not considered what is like to become of us hereafter How little care and pains have we taken to make sure for Eternity we have taken the course to undo our selves for ever We have broken every one of thy most holy and righteous Laws ten thousand thousand times Yea we have sinned against thy Gospel in slighting the offers of grace Though thou hast sent unto us Ambassadour after Ambassadour to wooe and beseech us to abandon our sins and to receive Jesus Christ yet alas how have we slighted thy messengers and turned a deaf ear to all thy gracious invitations Though we are willing to take Christ for our Saviour to preserve us from hell and damnation yet alas how unwilling are we to take him for our Lord and King to yield obedience and subjection unto him Lord we cannot but acknowledge our great unthankfulness under those manifold favours and mercies thou hast in a plentiful measure conferred on us as also our unprofitableness under thy Fatherly chastisâ—ments laid upon us in love and for our good our discontentedness at our present state and condition And oh how careless and negligent have we been in the discharge of the duties of our places callings and relations Oh the multitude of worldly and covetous thoughts of proud and ambitious thoughts of wicked and prophane thoughts of wanton and unclean thoughts yea and of blasphemous and atheistical thoughts that lodge in the hearts of most of us and there revel it day and night And O Lord we cannot but acknowledge the deadness of our hearts the distractions of our minds in the performing holy duties We are active and lively about our worldly businesses but oh how dull and flat are we in our religious exercises praying as if we prayed not and hearing as if we heard not Lord make us truly apprehensive of our sins and misery that we may humble our selves under a sense of them and turn unto thee by true and unfained repentance Turn us O God and we shall be turned draw us and we will run after thee And O Lord whilest we are returning unto thee meet us we pray thee in the way and like a tender Father embrace us with the arms of thy mercy Our sins we confess are many and hainous yet we know and believe thy mercies are far more and the merits of Jesus Christ are far greater and therefore we are resolved to adventure our souls as upon the mercies of theâ— our God so upon the merits of Jesus Christ into whose arms we here cast our selves Oh be pleased to make us partakers both of the merit of Christs death in freeing us from the guilt of sin and of the virtue of Christs death in freeing us from the power and dominion of sin that it may not rule and raign in us as formerly Lord work in us a loathing and a true hatred of every sin especially of such we have been most addicted to and have most delighted in To this end convince us what a folly yea madness it is for the short fruition of a momentany pleasure here to implunge our selves into everlasting burnings Oh convert every unconverted soul among us bring us to Christ make us adventurers for the other World let us be resolved henceforth for an holy and righteous life instruct us in thy wayes and teach us thy Sâ—atutes Break the power of our sins subdue our rebellion and make us willing to be the Lord's Change our evil natures and give us another Spirit Help us sincerâ—ly to choose thee as our portion to love and fear and trust in thee and to walk humbly with thee all the dayes of our life Help us to set our affections on things abovâ— and no longer on this earth let us dye daily to sin and this World let us exercise our selvâ—s in keeping a good Consâ—iâ—nce towards God and men let us work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and let not our labour herein be in vain Keep us O Lord from our iniquities keep us from the way of lying from all unrighteous and unjust dealing from wrath and evil speaking let us be true temperate peaceable and mercifull as the children of our heavenly Father Help us to be serious and savoury and tender and watchfull and hold us on constantly in our holy course to the end of our dayes Lord take us into thy keeping and protection this day keep us from all danger especially from sinning against thee To this end make us watchfull both against the occasions of sins and temptations thereunto Keep us we pray thee
for the spiritual and eternal good of our poor souls Help us to keep alwayes upon our hearts a deep sense as of the certainty of our death so of the uncertainty of the time thereof that we may live as those who believe we must shortly dye Lord take us into thy keeping and protection this night Grant we may lodge in the arms of Jesus that we may rest in his bosome Give unto us such sweet and comfortable rest and sleep that our bodies may be refreshed and we the better enabled to serve thee the next day in our several places and callings In mercy remember thine all the World over And in special we pray thee for this sinfull Land and Nation Pardon our sins be reconciled to us in Jesus Christ. Let thy Gospel have a free passage therein Pour the choicest of thy blessings upon the head of our King that he may be a blessing unto us Bless all our Magistrates with the Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments Pâ—tty the afflicted members of Jesus Christ. Bless all Christian Families this in particular giving unto every member thereof all needfull saving sanctifying graces And now accept our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving which we offer unto thee for thy manifold favours and mercies conferred on our souls and bodies especially and above all for that great gift of thine the Lord Jesus Christ and for all those great things he hath done and suffered for our redemption We bless thy name as for the enjoyment of the Gospel so for any spiritual good we have received thereby that any of us have fiducially and cordially closed with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. We bless thy name that thou hast withheld us from the company and wayes of those who live without God in the World giving themselves up to work all wickedness with greediness and hast set our hearts to seek the Lord and wait for thy Salvation For every other good thing whether temporal or spiritual concerning this life or a better blessed and praised be thy great and glorious name And now O Lord we beseech thee in mercy to overlook all the weaknesses and infirmities which have accompanied this holy duty Sprinkle both our Persons and our Services with the blood of that immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus To whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be rendred as is most due all honour and praise and glory both now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for a single Person O Eternal and ever-living Lord God the fountain of all blessing the Father of Mercy and God of all Consolation I thy poor creature altogether unworthy to appear in thy sight to present my Prayer and supplication unto thee do yet in the name and mediation of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ prostrate my self at the footstool of thy grace looking for acceptance and assistance in and through him For his sake look graciously upon me pardon my sins which are many and hainous Lord I cannot but acknowledge that besides the guilt of Adam's sin there is in me a fountain of corruption which I brought with me into the World from whence hath plentifully flowed many poisonous streams of actual transgressions and that in evil thoughts evil words and evil actions which I have committed through the whole course of my life from my tender infancy to this present time I have been alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in me I have walked after the course of this World fulfilling the desires of my flesh and of my mind minding earthly things I have broken thy Law neglected thy Gospel refused the offers of Christ and am in great doubt that to this day there hath been no good work wrought upon me but that I continue in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity Lord I cannot but acknowledge I have shamefully abused the ricâ—es of thy goodness forbearance and long-suffering which should have led me to repentance as also thy Fatherly corrections and chastiâ—ements laid upon me in love and for my good oh how little have I been bettered thereby How do I spend my time and strength for the getting of earthly riches and satisfying my self with sensual pleasures and in the mean time am careless of my precious and immortal soul Lord I have often for my profit and pleasure sake omitted and put off the holy exercises of Religion which ought to have been performed by me and have been exceeding dead and dull lifeless and heartless in performing those good duties I have taken in hand I have been unfruitfull under a plentiful dispensation of the means of grace unthankfull under those favours and mercies thou hast conferred on me unfaithfull to those manifold vows and promises I have made unto thee my God Truth Lord my sins are many and hainous but this is my comfort that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners and why not me why not me I acknowledge my self to be a great sinner but yet again thy Word testifieth That Jesus Christ came to save the chief of sinners Therefore will I not despair of mercy but am resolved to cast my self and the burden of my sins into the arms and upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ. Be pleased to accept of what Christ hath done and suffered for me and to accept of me in him Turn me O Lord unto thee and through him let me be reconciled unto thee Slay the enmity and subdue the rebellion of mine heart against thee Wash my polluted soul with his most precious blood cloath my nakedness with the long white robe of his righteousness fill my emptiness out of that fulness which is in Jesus Christ. Enrich my soul with all needfull saving sanctifying graces Let the faith of Gods Elect let the love and fear of thy name be shed abroad in my heart Oh that every grace may more and more flourish in me and my lusts more and more wither and decay in me Let my covetousness dye let my pride and envy and passion and sensuality dye let the whole body of death be destroyed that I may no longer serve sin Oh give me grace in this my day to know the things that belong to my peace to make a right use of this time of my visitation As Christ is now frequently tendred in the Ministry of the Gospel as a Saviour to poor sinners So Lord give me grace fiducially to close with the offers and tenders of him that Christ may be mine and I his And as thou hast been pleased to afford unto me the means of grace so I pray thee help me to carry my self in some measure suitable and answerable thereunto that I may not be a shame but rather a credit to Religion and my profession thereof To this end teach me to deny all ungodliness and Worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Blessed Lord seeing without thy blessing it will be in vain to put forth my own
pains and endeavours I beseech thee to help me to labour in the work of the Lord and to crown my pains and endeavours with a blessing from Heaven Make me more spiritual in Worldly businesses and less wordly in spiritual businesses Be pleased to put good meditations into my mind and holy desires into my heart Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but such as may administer grace to the hearers Help me to redeem time let me not lose one day more set me presently to work out my salvation with fear and trembling let me choose the good part and make sure for eternity let me never venture my soul on false and deceitfull hopes but let me make sure Good Lord let me not be deceived and found an hypocrite at last but let me be sound in the faith that I may have rejoycing before thee in the great day Neither pray I for my self alone but for thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed or howsoever distressed upon the face of the whole earth In special I pray thee to bless this Land and Nation with all blessings both temporal and spiritual And herein our Soveraign Lord and King make him an instrument of bringing much glory to thy namâ— and much good to thy Church and people Bless him in his Relations Counsels and Forces Bless the Magistrates and Ministers with the whole people of this Land the afflicted members of Jesus Christ let thy mercies be suitable to their several needs and necessities Vouchsafe to every one of us grace to live in thy fear to dye in thy favour and to raign with thee Eternally in Heaven And now O Lord in the name of Jesus Christ I bless and praise thy glorious Majesty for all those manifold favours thou hast in a plentiful manner conferred on my soul and body for my preservation as from manifold dangers whereunto I was subject so from many sins wherinto the corruption of my flesh and the perswasion of the Devâ—l would have thrown me headlong Blessed be thy name for thy good providence over me through the whole course of my life thou hast been my God from my Mothers womb supplyed me with all needfull good things But above all blessed be thy name for that foundation of all other mercies thy dearly beloved Son for those great things he hath done and suffered for me and those many good things whereof in and through him I have hope or am made partaker Lord pardon the manifold weaknesses and imperfections which have accompanied this holy service in and through thy beloved Jesus Christ. To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit I do from my heart render all praise and glory both now and evermore Amen FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion Explained to the Capacity of the Meanest By T.G. Minister of the Gospel John 17.3 This is life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright at the Globe in Little-Brittain 1668. THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion EXPLAINED Quest. WHo is the Maker of all things Answ. God Gen. 1. 1. Col. 1.16 By him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit of infinite perfection God is said to be a Spirit 1. Negatively to intimate that he is not a body or material substance 2. Analogically Spirits being the most perfect and excellent of all created beings are the fittest to represent the incomprehensible God to our narrow conceptions God is said to be a Spirit of perfection or perfect spirit thereby to exclude all manner of imperfections and including all manner of perfections and excellencies In that he is a Spirit of infinite perfection thereby is implyed that there is no measure or bounds set to his perfection Whereby he is distinguished from the glorious Angels and the souls of the Saints in Heaven which though they are perfect spirits yet their perfection is limited Whereas Gods perfection is beyond all measure being infinite Q. How many Gods are there A. There is one only God 1 Cor. 8.4 There is none other God but one Q. How many Persons are there in the God-head A. Three the Father the Son and the holy-Ghost Though there be but one God in substance and essence yet there be three distinct Persons subsisting in that one God-head This appeareth from Christs own testimony in Matth. 28.19 Where he gives commission to his Apostles to teach all Nations and Baptize them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost See likewise 1 Ioh. 5.7 That God should be one in essence and three in persons is a Mysterie not to be comprehended yet ought to be believed being so plainly revealed in the Word Q. How is God farther set forth unto us in his Word A. 1. By his Properties 2. By his Works The Properties of God are certain excellencies attributed to him as when he is said to be Eternal Almighty Merciful just c. Q. What are the kinds of Gods Properties A. 1. Incommunicable 2. Communicable Incommunicable properties are such excellencies which are so proper to God alone as in no respect they can be attributed or communicated to any other As Eternity without beginning Immutability not subject to any change All-sufficient not only for himself but for all others Omnipotency able to do all things Ubiquity to be everywhere present These and such like are excellencies proper only to God and cannot be communicated to the Creature Communicable Properties are certain excellencies in God communicated also to creatures as Power Wisdom Holiness Iustice c. Thus Sampson was a strong man Solomon a wise man Noah a just man c. But yet there is a great difference between these communicable properties as they are in God and as they are in the creature 1. They are in God Originally he is the primary fountain of them all who hath what he hath in and from himself Thus all these Properties in God are his very Essence 2. They are all in God infinitely without any limits or bounds He is infinite in power wisdom holiness justice c. But in the Creature they are 1. By participation they receive all their excellencies from God What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4.7 2. By Measure The Creature that hath the most and best excellencies hath but a stinted measure Eph. 4.7 Q. To what heads may the works of God be brought A. Creation and Providence Q. What is meant by Gods creating things A. A making them out of nothing To create is to give a being to things that never were and that out of nothing In this respect it is said Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth that is when there was nothing at all no not any matter out of which things might be made then God Created all things Which kind of making things out of nothing is proper to God
governed by him and we must as willingly cast our selves at the feet of Christ in subjection to him as into the arms of Christ for salvation from him we must be as willing to serve Jesus Christ as to be saved by him The purpose of God in freeing us from the spiritual bondage in which we were by nature being this that we should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our lives Vainly therefore do they deceive themselves who are willing to receive Christ as a Redeemer but not as a Ruler as a Saviour but not as a Lord and King Let such know that Christ will be a Saviour to none to whom he is not a Lord and King His subjects alone and none other will he save for he will not part his Offices In the last place is added And rest upon him alone for the pardon of our sins here and for eternal life and Salvation hereafter This resting on Christ we find is set forth in Scripture by sundry Phrases as a trusting in Christ Eph. 1.12 And a leaning on Christ Cant. 8.5 A staying our sâ—lves upon him Isa. 50.10 Q What are those espâ—cial benefits which believers receive from Christ A. 1. Justification 2. Adoption 3. Sanctification That justification is by faith the Apostle concludeth Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Q. What is Iustification A. Justification is an act of Gods free grace whereby he forgives us all our sins and accepts of us as righteous in and for the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us That justification is an act of Gods free grace The Apostle expresseth Rom. 3.24 Being justified freâ—ly by his grace And that God accepts us as righteous in and for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is clear from Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sin-ers So by the Obedieâ—ce or righteousness of oâ—e namely Christ shall many be made righteous that is perfectly righteous so as God shall accept them for righteous We are justified not by any inherent righteousness of our own which is imperfect but by the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us and by God himself accounted ours 2 Cor. 5.21 He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousâ—â—ss of God in him that is in Christ. In which words is expresly noted that we are so made righteous before God in Christ as he was made a sinner for us Now how was Christ made a sinner for us Namely by imputation according to that of the Prophet Isa. 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iâ—iquity of us all God accounted our sins his and accordingly he was punished as a sinner And so he accounts his righteousness ours and in that respect we are righteous before God The Lord accounting us as righteous through Christs righteousness as if we had kept the whole Law Admirabâ—e is the comfort which a believers soul receiveth from this point of his juâ—tification before God For so soon as he beâ—ieveth even while he liveth in this World he is thus justified in Gods sight Hereby therefore is he upheld against the afflicting sense of the imperfection of his own righteousness For though his own righteousness be but as filthy rags yet this is his comfort that he is righteous in the sight and account of God by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to him Q Which are the parts of Iustification A. 1. Remission of all our sins 2. Acceptation of us as righteous through the imputation of Christs Righteousness Rom. 4.6 7 8. 1. Our sins make us odious and abominable in the sight of God yea they make us cursed and lyable to eternal damnation they therefore are first taken away not that they are not or that God seeth them not but in that God imputeth them not to us 2 Cor. 5.19 2. God to make us glorious in his sight imputes his Sons righteousness unto us and therein accepts us In which respect we are said to be made righteous by Christs righteousness Rom. 5.19 and to be made accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 By laying these two parts of our justification together the transcendent love of Christ to believers is clearly set out For 1. That which is our own namely our sins because they make us miserable he taketh from us and layeth on himself He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 2. That which is none of our own because without it we cannot be happy he imputes to us and accounts ours and accepts of us as if it were our own namely his own perfect righteousness For â—aith the Apostle We are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Q. What is Adoption A. Adoption is an act of Gods free-grace whereby of Children of Wrath and of the Devil we are made the Children of God Ioh. 1.12 We are not only accounted Children and taken into the number of the seed of God but are invested with all the priviledges of the Children of God Rom. 8.17 Q. What is Sanctification A. Sanctification is a work of Gods Spirit whereby a justified person is by degrees renewed throughout according to the Image of God in holiness and righteousness First Sanctification is said to be a work of Gods Spirit because he is the principal author and efficient cause thereof Whereby a justified person is renewed I add a justified person because Justification and Sanctification alwayes go together Though Justification be before in Nature yet are they both wrought at the same time The Lord accounteth no man righteous by imputing Christs righteousness unto him but he makes him also righteous by a righteousness inherent in himself Is renewed by the work of Sanctification a man is morally made a new man and as it were another man All things are become new 2 Cor. â— 17 He hath new thoughts new desires new dispositions This renewing is by degrees that is by little and little and not all at once Indeed we are justified at once but we are Sanctified by degrees In which respect Sanctification is compared to the light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4.18 And Eph. 4.26 To the body of a man which groweth and encreaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the perfection of it Even so our Sanctification encreaseth by degrees we go on from grace to grace from vertue to vertue till we be perfect men of full growth in Christ Jesus This renewiâ—g as it is by degrees so it is throughout that is within and without in all the faculties of the soul and parts of the body And that according to the Image of God in holiness and righteousness So that a Christian by the life of Sanctification lives like unto God at least he hath an holy disposition and inclination and heartily endeavours so to do to be holy as God is holy and as the Apostle speaketh Rom.
of the Lord. Oh therefore let us here often keep a day of judgement in our own souls and consciences by a serious examining of our selves concerning our sins and judging and condemning our selves for the same and then let us in all humility prostrate our selves at the Throne of grace pleading the mercy of God and merits of Christ for the pardon and forgiveness of them all giving no rest to our souls till we have some comfortable evidence and assurance thereof which will cause us to lift up our heads with joy at the great day of account VI. After conviction and manifestation of all their sinfull actions follows the sentence of condemnation and what it is our Saviour himself hath shewed Matth 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels O dreadful sentence every word whereof carryeth much terrour in it and breatheth nothing but woe and misery yea fire and brimstone So terrible is this sentence that the first hearing thereof will make all ears to glow and tingle Depart from me that is from Iesus Christ the fountain of bliss and happiness This the wicked make light of at present for taking more delight in their sinful lusts and pleasures than in Christs presence they are willing to depart from him Whereas in truth it is a most grievous misery for as the Psalmist speaketh in his presence there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore So to be cast out of his presence is to be cast away from the fountain of all joy and pleasure yea from glory and Salvation for if from Christ then from all that is his even his glory and salvation Ah sinner What a terrour what a torment will this be unto thee at that great day This will be a great part of thy torment that thou shalt be excluded and that from Christ and his glory when others shall be admitted as our Saviour speaketh There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out Oh the fears and distractions the horrour and confusion the tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth the wringing of hands and dashing of knees that these words will produce Depart from me Oh that sinners would lay this to heart You that now bid God depart from you you will have none of his knowledge none of his commands God will requite you in your own kind he will then command you to depart from him Ye cursed To depart from Christ were hell enough but thou must also go with a curse even a curse that comprehends all woes and miseries under it This curse will be a thousand times more grievous than the cursed and bitter water was to the defiled woman which caused her belly to swell her thigh to rot and made her accursed among her people For upon the pronouncing of this curse not only the belly and thigh but likewise head and heart yea body and soul of the wicked shall be filled with rottenness and bitterness and become accursed before God men and Angels Now thou cursest every one that stands in the way of thy lusts and that crosseth thee in thy designs But at the great and last day all the curses of Heaven and Hell shall meet in thee so that thou shalt be cursed with a witness And truly to be under Gods curse is the quintessence of misery Into everlasting fire What! into fire and into everlasting fire Ah wretches cursed indeed For as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh who can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings which shall not be quenched night nor day but fed continually with Rivers of brimstone and kept still in flame and fierceness by the unquencheable wrath of the just God to all Eternity The torment of the wicked in hell will be as without any intermission so without any end After they have there been tormented hundreds thousands millions of dayes years and ages their torments will be as far from ending as if they were then beginning And is not this misery enough to lye in fire in everlasting burnings this is even beyond the expression of men or Angels If a man knew he must lye in a flaming fire but one day or hour Oh what fear and horror would possess his soul But what is a day or an hour or an age to eternity Oh then what stupidity and senselesness hath possessed the hearts of sinful men who by all this are not frighted from their sins The fear of Nebuchadnezzar's fiery Furnace made men do any thing to avoid it And shall not the fear of everlasting fire in hell make men do any thing to escape it this methinks should awaken them and cause them not only to humble themselves for their sins and to beg the pardon of them but also to cast away their transgressions to strive against them watch against them pray against them begging power and strength from Christ to keep down the power of their lusts that hurry them on in their sinfull wayes It is one of the wonders of the world how men who do believe the word of Christ to be true that the wicked shall go into everlasting fire can wittingly and wilfully adventure upon sinfull wayes the end whereof they know will be so dreadful and astonishing Prepared for the Devil and his Angels That is you shall not only be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone but you shall there dwell with those hellish Fiends the Devil and his Angels who are the best company you are like to have Sad company for distressed souls and yet in that dismal dungeon you shall have no better company or comforters who will be continually insulting over you with hellish exprobrations for neglecting so great salvation offered unto you time after time and being so foolish as to loose the joys and pleasures of Heaven which last to all Eternity for the enjoyment of some base lust which lasted but for a season It was a dreadful punishment which was executed upon Nebuchadnezzar when he was cast out of the society of men and turned a grasing with the beasts of the field But what was that in comparison of this to be cast out of the presence of Christ and society of Saints and to have only the company of the Devils and damned in hell We read in the Gospel of a Woman who came unto Christ and said unto him Have mercy on me O Lord for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Now if it were such a grievous misery to be vexed with one Devil what is it to be vexed and tormented with all the Legions of Devils in Hell Oh what terrour and trembling what horrour and amazement will seize on their souls that have received this dreadful sentence When King Belshazzar saw his sentence written upon the wall though he could not read it it is said
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