refresh my bowels in the Lord. If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the Spirit any bowels and mercies fulfil you my joy Now give your selves unto the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. Now set your selves to seek him Now set up the Lord Jesus in your heares and set him up in your houses Now come in and kiss the Son Psal. 2. 12. and embrace the tenders of mercy Touch his Scepter and live why will you die I beg not for my self but fain I would have you happy This is the prize I run for and the white I aim at My soul's desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved Rom. 10. 1. The famous Lycurgus having instituted most strict and wholesom Laws for his people told them he was necessitated to go a Journey from themâ— and got them to bind themselves in an Oath that his Laws should be observed till his return This done he went into a voluntary banishment and never returned more that they might by vertue of their Oath be engaged to the perpetual observing of his Laws Methinks I should be glad of the hard conditions which he endured though I love you tenderly so I might but hereby engage you throughly to the Lord Jesus Christ. Dearly beloved would you rejoyce the heart of your Minister Why then embrace the Counsels of the Lord by me forgo your sins set to prayer up with the Worship of God in your families keep at a distance from the corruptions of the times What greater joy to a Minister than to hear of souls born unto Christ by him and that his Children walk in the truth 2 Iohn 4. Brethren I beseech you suffer friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deepest concernments I am not playing the Orator to make a learned speech to you nor dressing my dish with eloquence wherewith to please you These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed viz. to convince and convert and to save you I am not baiting my hook with Rhetorick nor fishing for your applause but for your souls My work is not to please you but to save you nor is my business with your fancies but your hearts If I have not your hearts I have nothing If I were to please your ears I could sing another song If I were to preach my self I would steer another course I could then tell you a smoother tale I would make you pillows and speak you peace for how can Ahab love this Micaiah that always prophesies evil concerning him 1 Kings 22. 8. But how much better are the wounds of a Friend than the fair speeches of the Harlot who flattereth with her lips till the Dart strike through the liver and hunteth for the precious life Prov. 7. 21 22 23. and Prov. 6. 26. If I were to quiet a crying infant I might sing him to a pleasant mood and rock him asleep But when the Child is fallen into the Fire the parent takes another course he will not go to still him with a song or trifle I know if we speed not with you you are lost If we cannot get your consent to arise and come away you perish for ever No Conversion and no Salvation I must get your good will or leave you miserable But here the difficulty of my work again recurs upon me Lord choose my stones out of the Rocks 1 Sam. 17. 40 45. I come in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel I come forth like the stripling Goliah to wrestle not with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. This day let the Lord smite the Philistine and spoil the strong man of his Armour and give me to fetch off the captives out of his hand Lord choose my words choose my weapons for me and when I put my hand into the bag and take thence a stone and sling it do thou carry it to the mark and make it sink not into the forehead 1 Sam. 17. 49. but the heart of the unconverted sinner and smite him to the ground with Saul in his so happy fall Acts 9. 4. Thou hast sent me as Abraham did Eliezer to take a wife unto my master thy Son Gen. 24. 4. But my discouraged soul is ready to fear the woman will not be willing to follow me O Lord God of my Master I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindness to my Master and send thine Angel before me and prosper my way that I may take a wife unto thy son Gen. 24. 12. That as the servant rested not till he had brought Isaac and Rebekah together so I may be successful to bring Christ and the souls of my people together before we part But I turn me unto you Some of you do not know what I mean by conversion and in vain shall I persuade you to that which you do not understand and therefore for your sakes I shall shew what this Conversion is Others do cherish secret hopes of mercy though they continue as they be and for them I must shew the necessity of Conversion Others are like to harden themselves with a vain conceit that they are converted already unto them I must shew the marks of the unconverted Others because they feel no harm fear none and so sleep upon the top of the mast to them I shall shew the misery of the unconverted Others sit still because they see not their way out to them I shall shew the means of conversion And finally for the quickening of all I shall close with the motives of Conversion Chap I. Shewing the Negative what Conversion is not and correcting some mistakes about it LET the blind Samaritans worship they know not what Ioh. 4. 22. Let the Heathen Athenians superscribe their Altar unto the unknown God Acts 17. 23. Let the guileful Papists commend the mother of destruction Hos. 4. 6. for the mother of devotion they that know mans constitution and the nature of the reasonable soulsâ— operation cannot but know that the understanding having the Empire in the soul he that will go rationally to work must labour to let in the light here Ignorantiâ— non est consensus And therefore that you may not mistake me I shall shew you what I mean by the conversion I persâ—â—de you to endeavour after It is storied that when Iupiter let down the golden Chaplets from Heaven all of them but one were stolen Whereupon lest they should lose a relique of so great esteem they made five others so like it that if any were so wickedly minded as to steal that also they should not be able to discern which was it And truly my belâ—ved the Devil hath made many counterfeits of this Conversion and cheats one with this and another with that and such a craft and artifice he hath in this mystery of deceits that if it were possible he would deceive the
greatest concernment will not do the Soul any good unless by thinking it apply them and extract their vertue nor will the Spirit heal its lamentable Diseases if his influences be not answer'd with suitable endeavours Work then as he works in and with thee take into most serious consideration whatever is apt to promote thy recovery lay those things closest to heart which are likeliest to cure the hardness thereof inculcate and urge them and withal cry mightily unto him who is able and no less willing to help thee till thou feelest his gentle force and comest to a conquering resolution that thou must and wilt do as thou art advis'd till thou dost not only assent to the course propos'd as fit to be taken but art steadily determin'd that it is best for thee that it is absolutely necessary and must effectually be prosecuted that by the grace of God thou wilt thoroughly change thy heart and life and so escape from the greatest evil and make sure of the chiefest good 3. When thou hast seriously consider'd and resolv'd proceed presently to practise with all thy might and without the least delay 'T is commonly a work of some time to alter the temper of the Soul and change the course of the life and according to God's usual methods the longer thou hast been accustom'd to do evil the more time and pains will be requisite to break the force of stubborn lusts to weaken and subdue vitious habits and to gain those of grace and goodness to travel back the way thou hast gone wrong and to get out of it into the path of life 'T is well then if there be days enough before thee to do the one thing needful to be sure thou art not certain of an hour to spare the loss of so small a part may prove the loss of all Besides if thou putt'st off thy reformation though but for a little while 't is a sign thou dost not really intend it at all for thou purposest against conviction to add sin to sin at present and how can that consist with an hearty design of growing good afterward Delude not therefore thy self with such a desperate cheat but imitate the Royal Psâ—lmist When thou hast thought on thy ways turn thy feet unto Gods testimonies Make haste and delay not to keep his Commandments 4. Remember that conversion unto God is but the beginning of thy duty that thou must afterward obey him all the days of thy life and that there is no other way to preserve an interest in his favour and a right to the great expressions thereof They are the largest and the last discoveries of Divine Grace that teach thee to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and so doing to look for the blessed Object of thy hope they plainly enough warn thee against drawing back unto perdition they threaten a final rejection if thou deniest thy Saviour in words or works and they oft direct and command thee to seek for glory and honour and immortality by patient continuance in well-doing to be faith ful unto death whatever it cost thee that thy Lord may give thee a crown of life These may seem hard sayings but they contain nothing like a reasonable discouragement There 's misery more than enough in Hell to necessitate a prevention by any temporary labours wants and suffâ—rings and an abundantly sufficient happiness in Heaven to encourage a stedfast perseverance in the work of the Lord though it were more harsh and grievous than sinners imagine And even at present Religion is not without a reward yea thou wilt find it if thou triest as thou shouldst a reward to it self when the main difficulties at first are over thy duty will grow daily easier it will have many pleasures mixed with it and become at length it self the greatest It will not abridge thy appetites of any desirable gratifications but give them a new delicious relish of the Fountain from which they flow Instead of the girds and twinges of a bad Conscience and dread of an after-reckoning 't will settle peace within and fill thee with comfortable reflections and joyful hopes and a loving thankful praising obedience will by degrees become thy sweetest employment Therein thou may'st draw still nearer to God delight thy self in and receive from him the desires of thine heart thou may'st walk always in the light of his countenance and feed on his loving kindness which is better than life In short before thou ascendest to Heaven thou may'st be in an Heaven on Earth and find by happy experience that the way to have all thou canst wish hereafter is to be and do what is best for thy self here Useful Questions whereby a Christian may every day examine himself Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your beds EVery Evening before you sleep unless you find some other time of the day more for your advantage in this work sequester your self from the World and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord charge it before God to answer to these Interrogatories For your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my Bed when he looked for me on my knees Job 1. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Q. 2. Have not I prayed to no purpose or suffered wandring thoughts to eat out my duties Mat. 15. 8 9. Jer. 12. 2. Q. 3. Have not I neglected or been very overly in the reading Gods holy word Deut. 17. 19. Josh. 1. 7 8. Q. 4. Have I digested the Sermon I heard last Have I repeated it over and prayed it over Luke 2. 19 51. Psal. 1. 2. and 119. 5 11 97. Q. 5. Was there not more of custom and fashion in my family-duties than of Conscience Psal. 101. 2. Jer 30. 21. Q. 6. Where in have I denied my self this day for God Luke 9. 23. Q. 7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits idle imaginations fruitless discourse unnecessary sleep more than needs of the World Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Q. 8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God in this time extraordinary 2 Cor. 11. 28. Isa. 62. 6. Q. 9. Have I look care of my company Prov. 13. 20. Psal. 119. 63. Q. 10. Have not Ineglected or done something against the duties of my Relations as a Master Servant Husband Wife Parent Child c. Eph. 5. 22. to chap. 6. V. 10. Col. 3. 18. to the 4. V. 2. For your Sins Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light Psal. 38. 4. Rom. 7. 24. Q. 2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the Land Ezek. 9. 4. Jer. 9. 1 2 3. Q. 3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin Psal. 119. 101 104. For your Heart Q. 1. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations Neh. 2. 4 5. Q. 2. Hath not God been out of mind Heaven out of sight Psal. 16. 8 Jer. 2. 32. Col. 3. 1 2. Q. 3. Have
I been often looking into mine own heart and made conscience even of vain thoughts Prov. 3. 23. Psal. 119. 113. Q. 4. Have not Iâ— given way to the workings of pride or passion 2 Chron. 32. 26. James 4. 5 6 7. For your Tongue Q. 1. Have I bridled my Tongue and forced it in Jam. 1. 26. Jam. 3. 2 3 4 Psal. 39. 1. Q. 2. Have I spoken evil of no man Tit. 3. 2. Jam. 4. 11. Q. 3. Hath the Law of the Lord been in my mouth as I sate in my house went by the way was lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 6 7. Q. 4. Is there no company I come into but I have dropped something of God and left some good savour behind Col. 4. 6. Eph. 4. 29. For your Table Q. 1. Did not I sit down with no higher end than a beast meerly to please my Appetite did I eat and drink to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Q. 2. Was not my Appetite too hard for me Jude 12. 2 Pet. 1. 6. Q. 3. Did not I arise from the Table without dropping any thing of God there Luke 7. 36 c. Luke 14. 1 c. John 6. Q. 4. Did not I mock God when I pretended to crave a blessing and return thanks Acts 27. 35 36. Mat. 15. 36. Col. 3. 17 23. For your Calling Q. 1. Have I been diligent in the duties of my Calling Eccles. 9. 1 Cor. 7. 17 20 24. Q. 2. Have I defrauded no man 1 Thes. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 8. Q. 3. Have I dropped never a lye in my shop or trade Prov. 28. 6. Eph. 4. 25. Q. 4. Did not I raâ—hly make nor falsly break some promise Psal. 106. 33. Josh. 9. V. 14 c. Psal. 15. 4. An Addition of some brief Directions for the Morning D. 1. If through necessity or carelessness you have omitted the reading and weighing of these questions in the Evening be sure to do it now D. 2. Ask your self what sin have I committed what duty have I omitted against which of these Rules have I offended in the day foregoing and renew your repentance and double your watch D. 3. Examine whether God were last in your thoughts when you went to sleep and first when you awoke D. 4. Enquire whether your care of your heart and ways doth increase upon your constant using of this course for self-examination or whether it doth abate and you grow more remiss D. 5. Impose a task of some good meditation upon your selves while you are making ready either to go over these Rules in your thoughts or the heads of the Sermon you heard last or the holy meditations for the purpose in the practice of Piety or Scudder's daily walk D. 6. Set your ends right for all that day D. 7. Set your watch especially against those sins and temptations that you are like to be most incident to that day THE CONTENTS I. What Conversion is not and correcting some Mistakes about it II. What Conversion is and wherein it consists III. The Necessity of Conversion IV. The Marks of the Unconverted V. The Miseries of the Unconverted VI. Directions for Conversion VII Motives to Conversion VIII Conclusion IX Counsel for Personal and Family-Godliness This same Book is Printed in large Octavo of a bigger Print for ease of Antient Persons Whereunto are annexed diverse Practical Cases of Conscience Judiciously Resolved Printed for Tho. Parkhurst c. An Earnest Invitation to Sinners to Turn to God in order to their Eternal Salvation DEarly Beloved and longed for I gladly acknowledge my self a debter to you all and am concerned as I would be found a good Steward to the Houshold of God to give to every one his Portion But the Physician is most solicitous for those Patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous and the Father's bowels are especially turned towards his dying Child The numbers of the unconverted souls among you call for my most earnest compassions and hasty diligence to pluck them out of the burning Iude 23. and therefore to these first I shall apply my self in these lines But whence shall I fetch my arguments or how shall I choose my words Lord wherewith shall I woo them wherewith shall I win them Oh that I could but tell I would write unto them in tears would weep out every argument I would empty my veins for Ink I would petition them on my knees verily were I able I would O how thankful I would be if they would be prevailed with to repent and turn How long have I travelled in birth with you how frequently have I made suit to you how often would I have gathered you how instant have I been with you this is that I have prayed for and studied for for many years that I might bring you to God Oh that I might but do it Will you yet be intreated Oh what a happy man might you make me if you would but hearken to me and suffer me to carry you over to Jesus Christ But Lord how insufficient am I for this work I have been many a year wooing for thee but the Damsel would not go with me Lord what a task hast thou set me to do Alas wherewith shall I pierce the scales of Leviathan or make the heart to feel that is hard as a stone hard as a piece of the nether Milstone Shall I go and lay my mouth to the grave and look when the dead will obey me and come forth Shall I make an Oration to the Rocks or declaim to the Mountains and think to move them with arguments Shall I give the blind to see From the beginning of the world was it not heard that a man opened the eyes of the blind But thou O Lord canst pierce the scales and prick the heart of the Sinner I can but shoot at rovers and draw the bow at a venture and do thou direct the arrow between the joynts of the harness and kill the sin and save the Soul of a sinner that casts his eyes into these labours But I must apply my self to you to whom I am sent yet I am at a great loss Would to God I knew how to go to work with you would I stick at the pains God knoweth you your selves are my witnesses how I have followed you in private as well as in publick and have brought the Gospel to your doors testifying to you the necessity of the new birth and persuading you to look in time after a sound and thorough change Beloved I have not acted a part among you to serve my own advantage your Gospel is not yeaâ— and nay Have you not heard the same truths from the Pulpit by publick labours and by private letters by personal instructions Brethren I am of the same mind as ever that holiness is the best choice that there is no entring into Heaven but by the streight passages of the second birth that without holiness you shall never see God Heb. 12. 14. Ah my beloved
Before the news of a Christ was a stale and sapless thing but now how sweet is a Christ Augustine could not relish his before so much admired Cicero because he could not find the name of Christ how pathetically cries he Dulcissime amantis benignis caris c. quando te videbo quando satiabor de pulchritudine tua Medit. c. 37. O most sweet most loving most kind most dear most precious most desired most lovely most fair c. all in a breath when he speaks of and to his Christ in a word the voice of the Convert is with the Martyr None but Christ. 2. The terms which are either ultimate or Subordinate and Mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost whom the true Convert takes as his All-sufficient and eternal blessedness A Man is never truly sanctified till his very heart be in truth set upon God above all things as his portion and chief good These are the natural breathings of a believers heart Thou art my portion Psal. 119. 57. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord Psalm 34. 2. My expectation is from him he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defence in God is my salvation and my glory the Rock of my strength and my Refuge is in God Psalm 62. 1. 2 5 6 7. Psalm 18. 1 2. Would you put it to an issue whether you be converted or not Now then let thy soul and all that is within thee attend Hast thou taken God for thy happiness Where doth the content of thy heart lie Whence doth thy choicest comfort come in Come then and with Abraham lift up thine eyes Eastward and Westward and Northward and Southward and cast about thee what it is that thou wouldst have in Heaven or Earth to make thee happy If God should give thee thy choice as he did to Solomon or should say to thee as Ahashuerus to Esther What is thy petition and what is thy request and it shall be granted thee Esther 5. 3. What wouldst thou ask go into the gardens of pleasure and gather all the fragrant flowers from thence would these content thee Go to the treasures of Mammon suppose thou might'st lade thy self while thou wouldst from hence go to the towers to the trophies of honour what thinkest thou of being a man of renown and having a name like the name of the great men of the earth Would any of this all this suffice thee and make thee count thy self a happy man If so then certainly thou art carnal and unconverted If not go farther wâ—de into the divine excellencies the store of his mercies the hiding of his power the deeps unfathomable of his All-sufficiency Doth this sâ—it thee best and please thee most Dost thou say 'T is good to be here Mat. 17. 4. Here I will pitch here I will live and dye Wilt thou let all the world go rather than this Then 't is well between God and thee Happy art thou O man happy art thou that ever thou wast born If a God can make thee happy thou must needs be happy for thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God Deut. 26. 17. Dost thou say to Christ as he to us Thy Father shall be my Father and thy God my God John 20. 17. Here is the turning Point An unsound professor never takes up his rest in God but converting grace does the work and so cures the fatal misery of the fall by turning the heart from its idols to the living God 1 Thes. 1. 9. Now says the soul Lord whither should I go Thou hast the words of eternal life Iohn 6. 68. Here he centers here he settles O 't is as the entrance of Heaven to him to see his interest in God When he discovers this he saith Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psalm 116. 7. and it is even ready to breath out Simons Song Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2. 29. and saith with Iacob when his old heart revived at the welcome tidings It is enough Gen. 45. 28. When he sees he hath a God in Covenant to go to this is all his salvation and all his desire 2 Sam. 23. 5. Man is this thy case Hast thou experienced this Why then blessed art thou of the Lord. God hath been at work with thee he hath laid hold on thy heart by the power of converting grace or else thou couldst never have done this The Mediate term of Conversion is either Principal or less Principal The Principal is Christ the only Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. His work is to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is the way to the Father Iohn 14. 6. the only plank on which we may escape the only door by which we may enter Iohn 10. 9. Conversion brings over the soul to Christ to accept of him Col. 2. 6. as the only means to life as the only way the only name given under Heaven Acts 4. 12. He looks not for salvation in any other but him nor in any other with him but throws himself on Christ alone as one that should cast himself with spread arms upon the Sea. Here saith the convinced sinner here I will venture and if I perish I perish If I dâ—â— I will die here But Lord suffer me not to perish under the pitiful eyes of thy mercy Intreat me not to leave thee or to turn away from following after thee Ruth 1. 16. Here I will throw my self If thou kick me if thou kill me Job 13. 15. I will not go from thy door Thus the poor soul doth venture on Christ and resolvedly adhere to him Before Conversion the man made light of Christ minded the Farm Friends Merchandise more than Christ Mâ—t. 22. 5. Now Christ is to him as his necessary food his daily bread the life of his heart the staff of his life Phil. 3. 9. His great design is that Christ may be magnified in him Phil. 1. 20. His heart once said as they to the Spouse What is thy Beloved more than another Cant. 5. 9. He found more sweetness in his merry company wicked games earthly delights than in Christ. He took Religion of a fancy and the talk of great enjoyments for an idle dream But now to him to live is Christ. He sets light by all that he accounted precious for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3. 8. All of Christ is accepted by the sincere Convert He loves not only the Wages but work of Christ. Ro. 7. 12. not only the benefits but the burden of Christ He is willing not only to tread out the corn but to draw under the yoak he takes up the commands of Christ yea and Cross of Christ Mat. 11. Mat. 16. 24. The unsound closes by the halves with Christ He is all for the Salvation of Christ but he is not for sanctification he is for the priviledges
to offer the Sacrifice of praise for all his fellow creatures Psal. 147. and 148. and 150. The Lord God expecteth a tribute of praise from all his works Psalm 103. 2. now all the rest do bring in their tribute to man and pay it in by his hand So then if man be false and faithless and selfish God is wronged of all and shaâ—l have no active glory from his works O dreadful thought to think of That God should build such a world as this and lay out such infinite power and wisdom and goodness thereupon and all in vain and man should be guilty at last of robbing and Spoiling him of the glory of all O think of this while thou art unconverted all the Offices of the creatures to thee are in vain thy meat nourishes thee in vain the Sun holds forth his light to thee in vain the Stars that serve thee in their courses by their most powerful though hidden influence Iudges 5. 20. Hos. 2. 21 22. do it in vain thy Cloaths warm thee in vain thy Beast carries thee in vain in a word the unwearied labour and continual travel of the whole Creation as to thee is in vain The service of all the creatures that drudge for thee and yield forth their strength unto thee that therewith thou shouldst serve their Maker is all but lost labour Hence the whole Creation groaneth under the abuse of this unsanctified world Rom. 8. 22. that pervert them to the service of their lusts quite contrary to the very end of their Being III. Without this thy Religion is in vain Jam. 1. 26. All thy religious performances will be but lost for they can neither please God Rom. 8. 8. nor save thy soulâ— 1. Cor. 13. 2 3. Which are the very ends of Religion Be thy services never so specious yet 〈◊〉 hath no pleasure in them Isai. 1. 14. Mal. 1. 10. Is not that man's case dreadful whose sacrifices are as Murder and whose prayers are a breath of abomination Isa. 66. 3. Prov. 28. 9. Many under convictions think they will set upon mending and that a few prayers and alms will salve all again but alas sirs while your hearts remain unsanctified your duties will not pass How punctual was Iebu and yet all was rejected because his heart was not upright 2 Kings 10. with Hos. 1. 4. How blameless was Paul and yet being unconverted all was but loss Phil. 3. 6 7. Men think they do much in attending God's Service and are ready to twit him with it Isa. 58. 3. Mat. 7. 22. and set him down so much their debtor when as their persons being unsanctified their duties cannot be accepted O soul do not think when thy sins pursue thee a little praying and reforming thy course will pacify God thou must begin with thine heart If that be not renewed thou canst no more please God than one that having unspeakably offended thee should bring thee his vomit in a dish to pacify thee or having fallen into the mire should think with his loathed embraces to reconcile thee It is a great misery to labour in the fire The Poets could not invent a worser Hell for Sisyphus than to be getting the Barrel still up the Hill and then that it should presently fall down again and renew his labour God threatens it as the greatest of temporal judgments that they should build and not inhabit plant and not gather and their labours should be eat up by strangers Deut. 28. 30 38 39 41. Is it so great a misery to lose our common labours to sow in vain and build in vain how much more to lose our pains in Religion to pray and hear and fast in vain This is an undoing and eternal loss Be not deceived If thou goest on in thy sinful state though thou shoâ—ldst spread forth thine hands God will hide his eyes though thou make many prayers he will not hear 〈◊〉 1. 15. If a man without skill set about our work and marr it in the doing though he take much pains we give him but small thanks God will be worshipped after the due order 1 Chron. 15. 13. If a servant do our work but quite contrary to our order he shall have rather stripes than praise Gods work must be done according to Gods mind or he will not be pleased and this cannot be except it be done with a holy heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. IV. Without this thy hopes are in vain Job 8. 12 13. The Lord hath rejected thy Confidence Ier. 2. 37. First Thy hopes of Comfort here are in vain 'T is not only necessary to the safety but comfort of your condition that you be converted Without this you shall not know peace Isai. 59. 8. Without the fear of God you cannot have the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. God speaks peace only to his people and to his Saints Pal. 85. 8. If you have a false peace continuing in your sins 't is not of Gods speaking and then you may guess the Author Sin is a real Sickness Isai. 1. 5. Yea the worst of sickness 't is a Leprosie in the head Lev. 13. 44. the plague in the heart 1 Kings 8. 38. 't is brokenness in the bones Psal. 51. 8. it piercâ—â—h it 〈◊〉 iâ— racketh it tormenteth 1 〈◊〉 â— 10. A man may as well expect ease when his â—â—scases are in their strength or his bones out of joynt as true comfort while in his sins O wretched man that canst have no ease in this case but what comes from the deadliness of the diseaseâ— You shall have the poor-sick man saying in his lightness he is well when you see death in his face He will needs up and about his business when the very next step is like to be into the grave The unsanctified often see nothing amiss they think themselves whole and cry not out for the Physician but this shews the danger of theâ—r Case Sin doth naturally breed distempers and disturbances in the soulâ—â— What a continual tempest and commotion is there in a disconteâ—ted mind What an eating evil is inordinate care What is passion but a very feaver in the mind What is lust but a fire in theÌ„ bones What is pride but a deadly tympany or covetousness but an unâ—atiable and unsufferable thirst Or malice and envy but venom in the very heart Spiritual sloth is but a scurvy in the mind and carnal security a mortal lethargy and how can that soul have true comfort that is under so many diseases But converting grace cures and so eases the mind and prepares the soul for a setled standing immortal peace Great peace have they that love thy Commands and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. They are the ways of wisdom that afford pleasure and peace Prov. 3. 17. David had infinitely more pleasure in the word than in all the delights of his Court Psal. 119. 103 127. The Conscience cannot be truly pacified till soundly purified Heb. 10. 22. Cursed is that peace
awe and veneration Welcome Lord to thee will I pay my homage Thy word and thy rod shall command my motions Thee will I reverence and adore before thee will I fall down and worship Grief likewise puts in Lord thy displeasure and thy dishonour thy peoples calamities and mine own iniquities shall be that that shall set me abroach I will mourn when thou art offended I will weep when thy cause is wounded Anger likewise comes in for Christ Lord nothing so enrages me as my folly against thee that I should be so befooled and bewitched as to hearken to the flatteries of sin and temptations of Satan against thee Hatred too wâ—â—â— side with Christ. I protest mortal enmity with thine enemies that I will never be friends with thy foes I vow an immortal quarrel with every sin I will give no quarter I will make no peace Thus let all thy powers give up to Jesus Christ. Again thou must give up thy whole interest to him If there be any thing that thou keepest back from Christ it will be thine undoing Luke 14. 33. Unless thou wilt forsake all in preparation and resolution of thy heart thou canst not be his Disciple Thou must hate Father and Mother yea and thine own life also in comparison of him and as far as it stands in competition with him Mat. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26 27 c. In a word thou must give him thy self and all that thou hast without reservation or else thou canst have no part in him Direct IX Make châ—ice of the Laws of Christ as the rule of thy words thoughts and actions Psal. 119. 30. This is the true Converts choice But here remember these three rules 1. You must chuse them all There 's no coming to Heaven by a partial obedience Read Psal. 119. 6 128 160. Ezek. 18. 21. None may think it enough to take up with the cheap and easie part of Religion and let alone the duties that are costly and self-denying and grate upon the interest of the flesh You must take all or none A sincere Convert though he makes most conscience of the greatest sins and weightiest duties yet he makes true conscience of little sins and of all duties Psal. 119. 6 113. Mat. 23. 23. 2. For all times for prosperity and for adversity whether it rain or shine A true Convert is resolved in his way he will stand to his choice and will not set his back to the wind and be of the religion of the times I have stuck to thy testimonies I have enclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway even to the end Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever Psal. 119. 31 111 117 44 93. I will have respect unto thy statutes continually 3. This must not be done hand over head but deliberately and understandingly That disobedient Son said I go â—ir but he went not Mat. 24. 30. How fairly did they promise All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee we will do it and it 's like they spake as they meant but when it came to tryal it was found that there was not such a heart in them as to do what they had promised Deut. 5. 27 29. If you would be sincere in closing with the laws and ways of Christ First Study the meaning and latitude and compass of them Remember that they are very spiritual they reach the very thoughts and inclinations of the heart so that if you will walk by this rule your very thoughts and inward motions must be under government Again that they are very strict and self-denying quite contrary to the grain of your natural ineâ—inations Mat. 16. 24. You must take the strait gate the narrow way and be content to have the flesh curbed from the liberty it desires Mat. 7. 14. In a word that they are very large For thy Commandment is exceeding broad Psal. 119. 96. Secondly rest not in generals for there 's much deceit in that but bring down thy heart to the particular commands of Christ. Those Jews in the Prophet seemed as well resolved as any in the world and call'd God to witness that they meant as they said But they stuck in generals When Gods command crosses their inclination they will not obey Ier. 42. 1 2 3 4 5 6. compared with Chap. 43. v. 2. Take the Assemblies larger Catechism and see their excellent and most compendious exposition of the Commandments and put thy heart to it Art thou resolved in the strength of Christ to set upon the conscientious practice of every duty that thou findest to be there required of thee and to set against every sin that thou findest there forbidden This is the way to be found in Gods statutes that thou maist never be ashamed Psal. 119. 80. Thirdly Observe the special duties that thy heart is most against and the special sins that 't is most inclin'd unto and see whether it be truly resolved to perform the one and forgo the other What sayest thou to thy bosom sin thy gainful sin What sayest thou to costly and hazardous and flesh displeasing duties If thou halâ— est here and dost not resolve by the grace of God to cross thy flesh and put to it thou art unsound Psal. 18. 23. Psal. 119. 6. Direct X Let all this be compleated in a solemn Covenant between God and thy soul Psalm 119. 106. Neh 10. 29. For thy better help therein take these few Directions First Set apart some time more than once to be spent in secret before the Lord. 1. In seeking earnestly his special assistance and gracious acceptance of thee 2. In considering distinctly all the terms or conditions of the Covenant expressed in the form hereafter proposed 3. In searching thine heart whether thou art sincerely willing to for sake all thy sins and to resign up thy self body and soul unto God and his service to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of thy life Secondly Compose thy Spirit into the most serious frame possible suitable to a transaction of so high importance Thirdly Lay hold on the Covenant of God and rely upon his promise of giving grace and strength whereby thou may'st be enabled to perform thy promise Trust not to thine own strength to the strength of thine own resolutions but take hold on his strength Fourthly Resolve to be faithful having engaged thine heart opened thy mouth and subscribed with thy hand unto the Lord resolve in his strength never to go back Lastly Being thus prepared on some convenient time set apart for the purpose set upon the work and in the most solemn manner possible as if the Lord were visibly present before thine eyes fall down on thy knees and spreading forth thine hands toward Heaven open thine heart to the Lord in these or the like words O Most dreadful God for the Passion of thy Son I beseech thee accept of thy poor Prodidigal now prostrating himself at thy Door I have fallen from thee by
But when we tempt God by running into danger he will not engage to support us when we are tempted And of all temptations one of the most fatal and pernicious is evil company Oh what hopeful beginnings have these often stifled Oh the souls the estates the families the towns that these have ruined How many a poor sinner hath been enlightned and convinced and hath been just ready to give the Devil the slip and hath even escaped his snare and yet wicked company have pull'd him back at last and made him seven fold more the Child of Hell. In one word I have no hopes of thee except thou wilt shake off thy evil company Christ speaketh to thee as to them in another case If thou seek me then let these go their way Joh. 18. 8. Thy life lies upon it Forsake these or else thou canst not live Prov. 9. 6. Wilt thou be worse than the beast to run on when thou seest the Lord with a drawn sword in the way Numb 22. 33. Let this sentence be written in Capitals upon thy Conscience A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED Prov. 13. 20. The Lord hath spoken it and who shall reverse it And wilt thou run upon destruction when God himself doth forewaâ—â— thee If God do ever change thy heart it will appear in the change of thy company Oh fear and fly this Gulf by which so many thousand souls have been swallowed into perdition It will be hard for thee indeed to make thine escape Thy Companions will be mocking thee out of thy Religion and will study to fill thee with prejudices against strictness as ridiculous and comfortless They will be flattering thee and alluring thee but remember the warnings of the Holy Ghost My Son if sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say come with us eâ—st in thy lot among us walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away For the way of the wicked is as darkness they know not at what they stumble They lâ—y wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives Prov. 1. 10. to the 18. Prov. 4. 14. to the 19. My soul is moved within me to see how many of my hearers are like to perish both they and their houses by this wretched mischief even the haunting of such places and company whereby thâ—y are drawn into sin Once more I admonish you as Moses did Israel Num. 16. 26. And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men Oh! flee them as you would those that had the Plague-Sores running in their fore-heads these are the Devils Panders and Decoys and if thou dost not make thine escape they will toll thee into perdition and will prove thine eternal ruin Direct XVI Lastly Set apart a day to humble thy soul in secret by fasting and prayer to work the sense of thy sins and miseries upon thy heart Read over the Assemblies Exposition of the Commandments and write down the duties omitted and sins committed by thee against every Commandment and so make a Catalogue of thy sins and with shame and sorrow spread them before the Lord. And if thy heart be truly willing to the terms join thy self solemnly to the Lord in that Covenant set down in the IXth Direction and the Lord grant thee mercy in his sight Thus I have told thee what thou must do to be saved Wilt thou not now obey the voice of the Lord Wilt thou arise and set to thy work Oh man what answer wilt thou make what excuse wilt thou have if thou shouldst perish at last through very wilfulness when thou hast known the way of life I do not fear thy miscarrying if thine own idleness do not at 〈◊〉 undo thee in neglecting the use of the means that are so plainly here prescribed Rouze up Oh sluggard and ply thy work Be doing and the Lord will be with thee A Short Soliloquy for an Unregenerate Sinner AH wretched man that I am What a condition have I brought my self into by sin Oh! I see my heart hath but deceived me all this whâ—â—e in flattering me that my condition was good I see I see I am but a lost and undone man for ever undone unless the Lord help me out of this condition My sins My sins Lord what an unclean polluted wretch am I more loathsome and odious to thee than the most hateful Venom or noisome carcase can be to me Oh! what a Hell of sin is in this heart of mine which I have flattered my self to be a good heart Lord how universally am I corrupted in all my parts powers performances All the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are only evil continually I am under an inability to averseness from and enmity against any thing that is good and am prone to all that is evil My heart is a very sink of all sin And Oh the innumerable hosts and swarms of sinful thoughts words and actions that have flown from thence Oh the load of guilt that is on my soul My â—â—ad is â—ull my heartfull my mind and my members they are all full of sin Oh my sins How do they stare upon me How do they witness against me Wo iâ— me my Creditors are upon me every Commandmâ—â—â— taketh hold upon me for more than ten thousand 〈◊〉 Talents yea ten thousand times ten thousand How endless then is the sum of all my debts If this whole world were filled up from Earth to Heaven with paper and all this paper written over within and without by Arithmeticians yet when all were case up together it would come unconceivably short of what I owe to the least of Gods Commandments Wo unto me for my debts are infinite and my sins are increased They are wrongs to an infinite Majesty And if he that committeth Treason against a silken Mortal is worthy to be racked drawn and quartered What have I deserved that have so often lifted up my hand against Heaven and have struck at the Crown and Dignity of the Almighty Oh my sins my sins Behold a Troop cometh Multitudes Multitudes there is no number of their Armies Innumerable evils have compassed me about Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me they have set themselves in aray against me Oh! it were better to have all the Regiments of Hell come against me than to have my sins to fall upon me to the spoiling of my soul. Lord how am I surrounded How many are they that rise up against me They have beset me behind and before They swarm within me and without me They have possessed all my powers and have fortified mine unhappy soul as a Garison which this brooâ— of Hell doth man and maintain against the God that made me And they are as mighty as they be many The Sands are many but then they are not great The Mountains great but then they are not many
But wo is me my sins are as many as the Sands and as mighty as the Mountains Their weight is greater than their number It were better that the Rocks and the Mountains should fall upon me than the crushing and insupportable load of my own sins Lord I am heavy loaden let mercy help or I am gone Unload me of this heavy guilt this sinking load or I am crâ—â—hed without â—ope and must be pressed down to Hell. If my grief were thorowly weighed and my sins laid in the balances together they would be heavier than the Sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up They would weigh down all the rocks and the hills and turn the balance against all the Isles of the Farthâ— O Lord thou knowest my manifold transgressions and my mighty sins Ah my Soul Alas my Glory Whither art thou humbled Once the Glory of the Creation and the Image of God now a Lump of filthiness a Coffin of rottenness replenished with stench and loathsomness O what work hath sin made with thee thou shalt be termed Forsaken and all the rooms of thy faculties Desolate and the name that thou shalt be called by is Ichabod or Where is the Glory How art thou come down mightily My Beauty is turned into deformity and my Glory into shame Lord what a loathsome Leper am I The Ulcerous Bodies of Iob or Lazarus were not more offensive to the eyes and nostrils of men than I must needs be to the most holy God whose eyes cannot behold iniquity And what misery have my sins brought upon me Lord what a case am I in Sold under sin cast out of Gods favour accursed from the Lord cursed in my body cursed in my soul cursed in my name in my estate my relations and all that I have My sins are unpardoned and my â—oul within a step of death Alas What shall I do Whither shall I go Which way shall I look God is frowning on me from above Hell gaping for me beneath Conscience smiting me within temptations and dangers surrounding me without Oh whither shall I flee What place can hide me from Omnisciency What power can secure me from Omnipotency What meanest thou O my soul to go on thus Art thou in league with Hell Hast thou made a Covenant with Death Art thou in love with thy misery Is it good for thee to be here Alas what shall I do Shall I go on in my sinful ways Why then certain damnation will be mine end and shall I be â—o besotted and bemadded as to go and sell my soul to the flames for a little Ale and a little ease for a little pleasure or gain or content to my flesh Shall I linger any longer in this wretched estate No if I tarry here I shall die What then Is there no help no hope None except I turn Why but is there any remedy for such woful misery Any mercy after such provoking iniquity Yes as sure as God's Oath is true I shall have pardon and mercy yet if presently unfeignedly and unreservedly I turn by Christ to him Why then I thank thee upon the bended knees of my soul O most merciful Jehovah that thy Patience hath waited upon me hitherto For hadst thou took me away in this estate I had perished for ever And now I adore thy grace and accept the offers of thy mercy I renounce all my sins and resolve by thy grace to set my self against them and to follow thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life Who am I Lord that I should make any claim unto thee or have any part or portion in thee who am not worthy to lick up the dust of thy feet ' Yet since thou holdest forth the golden Scepter I am bold to come and touch To despair would be to disparage thy mercy and to stand off when thou biddest me come would be at once to undo my self and rebel against thee under the pretence of humility Therefore I bow my soul to thee and with all possible thankfulness accept thee as mine and give up my self to thee as thine Thou shalt be Soveraign over me my King and my God Thou shalt be in the Throne and all my powers shall bow to thee they shall come and worship before thy feet Thou shalt be my Portion O Lord and I will rest in thee Thou callest for my heart O that it were any way fit for thine acceptance I am unworthy O Lord everlastingly unworthy to be thine But since thou wilt have it so I freely give up my heart to thee Take it it is thine Oh that it were better But Lord I put it into thine hand who alone canst mend it Mould it after thine own heart make it as thou wouldst have it holy humble heavenly soft tender flexible and write thy Law upon it Come Lord Jesus come quickly Enter in triumphantly take me up to thee for ever I give up to thee I come to thee as the only way to the Father as the only Mediator the means ordained to bring me to God. I have desâ—royed my self but in thee is my help Save Lord or else I perish I come to thee with the rope about my Neck I am worthy to die and to be damned Never was the hire more due to the servant never was penny more due to the labourer then Death and Hell my just wages is due to 〈◊〉 for my sins But I fly to thy merits I trust alone to the value and virtue of thy Sacrifice and prevaâ—â—â—cy of thine intercession I submit to thy teaching â— make choice of thy Government Stand open 〈…〉 doors that the King of Glory may come in O thou spirit of the most high the comforter and sanctifier of thy chosen come in with all thy glorious train all thy courtly 〈◊〉 thy fruits and graces Let â—â—e be thine habitacion â— I can give 〈◊〉 But what is thine 〈◊〉 already but here with the poor Widdow I casâ— my two miâ—es my soul and my body into thy treasury fully resigning them up to tâ—â—â—e to be sanctified by thee to be servants to thee They it all â—e thy Patients Cure thou their Malady they shall be thy Agents Govern thou their Moâ—â—câ—s Too long have I served the world too long have I hearkned to Satan but now I renounce them all and will be ruled by thy Dictates and Directions and guided by thy Counsel O blessed Trinity O glorious Unity I deliver up my self to thee receive me write thy name O Lord upon me and upon all that I have as thy proper goods Set thy mark upon me upon every member of my body and every faculty of my soul. I have chosen thy precepts Thy law will I lay before me This shall be the Copy which I will keep in my eye and study to write after According to this rule do I resolve by thy Grace to walk After this law shall my whole man be governed And though I cannot perfectly keep one
of thy Commandments yet I will allow my self in the breach of none I know my flesh will hang back But I resolve in the power of thy Grace to cleave to thee and thy holy ways what ever it cost me I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee therefore I will be content with reproach and difficulties and hardships here and will deny my self and take up my Cross and follow thee Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie thy Cross is welcome as it is the way to thee I lay aside all hopes of worldly happiness I will be content to tarry till I come to thee Let me be poor and low little and despised here so I may but be admitted to live and reign with thee hereafter Lord thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians never to be reversed To this I will stand In this resolution by Grace I will live and die I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments I have given my free consent I have made my everlasting choice Lord Jesus confirm the Contract Amen Chap. VII Containing the Motives to Conversion THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversion and of the Miseries of the Unconverted might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present Turning or Conversion unto God Yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is I have thought it necessary to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ some Motives to perswade you hereunto O Lord fail me not now at my last attempts If any soul hath read hitherto and be yet untouched now Lord fasten in him and do thy work Now take him by the heart overcome him perswade him till he sayâ— thou hast prevailed for thou wast stronger than I. Lord didst thou not make me a Fisher of men And have I toiled all this while and caught nothing Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought And now I am casting my last Lord Jesus stand thou upon the Shore and direct how and where I shall spread my Net and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for that they may not be able to get out Now Lord for a multitude of souls I Now for a full draughtâ— O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me this once O God. But I turn me unto you Men and Brethren Heaven and Earth do call upon you yea Hell it self doth preach the Doctrine of Repentance unto you The Angels of the Churches travel with you Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you for your repenting and turning unto God. O sinner why should the Devils make merry with thee Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan Why should Harpies and Hell-Hounds tear thee and make a feast upon thee and when they have got thee into the Snare and have fastened their Talons in thee laugh at thy destruction and deride thy misery and sport themselves with thy damnable folly This must be thy case except thou turn And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels than a laughing stock and sport for Devils Verily if thou wouldst but come in the Heavenly Host would take up their Anthems and sing Glory be to God in the Highest the Morning Stars would sing together and all the Sons of God shout for joy and celebrate this new Creation as they did the first Thy Repentance would as it were make Holy-day in Heaven and the glorious Spirits would rejoice in that there is a new Brother added to their society Rev. 22. 9. another Heir born to their Lord and the lost Son received safe and sound The true penitents tears are indeed the Wine that cheareth both God and Man. If it be little that Men and Angels would rejoice at thy Conversion know that God himself would rejoice over thee even with singing and rest in his love Luke 15. 9. Isa. 62. 5. Never did Iacob with such joy weep over the Nâ—ck of his Ioseph as thy Heavenly Father would rejoice over thee upon thy coming in to him Look over the Story of the Prodigal Methinks I see how the Aged Father lays aside his estate and forgets his years Behold how he runneth Luke 15. 20. Oh the haste that mercy makes The Sinner makes not half that speed Methinks I see how his Bowels turn how his compassions yearn How quick-sighted is love Mercy spies him a great way off forgets his riotous courses unnatural rebellion horrid unthankfulness debauched practices not a word of these but receives him with open Arms clasps about his Neck forgets the nastiness of his Rags kisses the Lips that deserve to be loathed the Lips that had been joined to Harlots that had been commoners with the Swine calls for the fatted Calf the best Robe the Ring the Shooes the best cheer in Heavens Store the best attire in Heavens Wardrobe Luke 15. 6 9 23. yea the joy cannot be held in one breast c. others must be called to participate the friends must meet and make merry Angels must wait but the Prodigal must be set at the Table under his Fathers wing He is the joy of the feast He is the sweet subject of the Fathers delight The Friends sympathize but none knows the felicity the Father takes in his new born Son whom he hath received from the dead Methinks I hear the Musick and the Dancing at a distance Oh the Melody of the Heavenly Choristers I cannot learn the Sonâ— Rev. 14. 3. But methinks I over-hear the burden at which all the harmonious Quire with one consent strikes sweetly in for thus goes the round at Heavens Table For this my Son was dead and is alivâ— again was lost and is found Luke 5. 23 24 32. I need not farther explain the parable God is the Father Christ the Cheer his Righteousness the Robe his Graces the Ornaments Ministers Saints Angels the Friends and Servants and thou that readest if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn the welcome Prodigal the happy instance of all this grace and blessed subject of this joy and love O Rock Oh Adamant What! not moved yet not yet resolved to turn forthwith and to close with mercy I will try thee yet once again If one were sent to thee from the dead wouldst thou be perswaded Why hear the voice from the dead from the damned crying to thee that thou shouldst repent I pray thee that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers house for I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment If one went unto them from the dead they will repent Luke 16. 27 28 c. Hear O man thy Predecessors in impenitence Preach to thee from the infernal Gibbets from the Flames from the Rack that thou shouldst repent O look