the merciful Dispensations of God to them 1 Sam. 15.17 18 19. And Samuel said When thou wast little in thine own sight wast not thou made the Head of the Tribes of Israel and the Lord annointed thee King over Israel and the Lord seat thee on a journey and said Goe and utterly destroy the Sinners c. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord And Nathan said to David c. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. I annointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hand of Saul And I gave thee thy Masters House and thy Masters Wives into thy bosome and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would morcover have given unto thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord to do evil in his sight And hath there not been as much disingenuity and unkindness in our Sins The Lord hath given his Statutes to us and his Laws He hath not so dealt with all the Nations under Heaven He hath nourished and brought us up as Children Isa 1.2 3 4. but we have rebelled against him The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my People my People doth not cousider Ah sinful Nation a People laden with iniquity c. God fetcheth a deep sigh Ah! under the burden of this Ingratitude His Spirit is laden and troubled with it They have provoked the Holy One of Israel Mis-improvements of Mercies are very provoking When God comes for Bread to be sent away with Stones must need vex the good Spirit of the Lord. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken it Oh for Professours to be worse than Publicans for they will be kind to such as are kind to them Have not we sinn'd against God even with his favours and requited him evil for good May not the Lord say unto us Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus require the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee All the mercies we have received greaten our sins The more richly that God hath heaped his Blessngs upon us the more wantonly we have followed the swinge of our own Lusts and the more contemptuously spurned at his holy Commandements We have great cause to be ashamed for that all our sins have been 〈◊〉 gainst mercy and therefore against the Principle and Law of Nature It is a perpetual Spot not to be worn out by time that of King Jeash that he slew Zechariah the Son of Jehojada the High Priest who had been loyal unto him in the getting of the Kingdom and faithful in the administration of it ◠Chron. 24.22 23. Thus Joash the King remembred not the kindness which Jehojada his Father had done to him but slew his Son and when he dyed he said the Lord look upon it and requite it And it came to pass at the end of the year that the Host of Syria came up against him and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the people from among the people But alas What Engagements could Zechariah possibly lay on Joash that may weigh with the Mercies of our God to us And yet how have we made his choicest Favours as Arrows to shoot at the God that sent them What wretched Prodigals have we been to wast all in the service of Hell which were conferr'd with so open an hand to draw forth our time strength and spirits in the praises and services of God For this our Ingratitude Ezra 9.13 14. the Lord may justly be angry with us till he hath consumed us so that there shall be no remnant nor escaping O that you would remember the Lord from Shittim to Gilgal Mica 6.5 i. e. from the beginning of Mercy to the end of it And you will hardly find that you any of you have been the better for it but many Jeshurun-like have waxed fat and kicked God is this day calling out of Heaven to England and to each particular person in it Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise I could even wish for the thousands of our Israel that they had received fewer Privileges or had had the grace to serve the Lord in the abundance of all things better than they have to this very day If ever you purpose sound Repentance then take a view of all the Mercies of God towards you Goe back to the time when the first stone was laid yea goe back to the eternal projects of God to make thee out of nothing and to redeem thee when worse than nothing Review the upper and lower Springs with which Soul and Body have been refreshed Remember how many eminent Deliverances and Salvations God hath wrought for thee And if at any time thou hast been straitned in outward comforts yet remember how thou hast been enlarged with spiritual graces if God hath denyed thee in one kind of mercy he hath supplyed it by a gracious wonderfull commutation in another in a better if thou hast been denyed the fleshpots of Egypt and the land flowing with honey yet it hath been all made up in the bread the Mannah that fell from Heaven if thou hast had sometimes bodily infirmities yet thou hast been strengthned with all might in the inward man if thou hast been denyed thee the gold of the earth yet God hath supplyed thee in making thee rich in faith If sometimes Friends have been unfriendly inconstant or treacherous yet God hath stood by thee when all left thee God hath dealt with you as with Sons your gleanings are better than the Vintage of the world Having laid these and innumerable such mercies in one Scale now lay in the other Scale thy soul ingratitude not only that particular sin of unthankfulness that thou hast been guilty of of which before but the ingratitude that hath been in all thy sins in thy pride hypocrisie formality self-love self-seeking impatience neglect of duty to Superiours Equals and Inferiours profaneness intemperance unrighteousness c. that Remembring the Lord and his goodness towards thee together with thy cursed returns thou may'st yet abhor thy self in dust and ashes Take words and say My Salvations are more than I can number Blessed be God the Father of all mercy But my sins also are innumerable I cannot recount them shame upon me O! how vile have I made my self whilst by abuse of rich mercy Mat. 5.47 Isa 1.3 I have lived below the ingenuity that is found in Publicans and Beasts O that God would give me the success that the Angel had on such a sinfull people as you are Judg. 2.1 2 3 4. And the Angel of the Lord come up from Gilgal to Bochim and said I made you to go up out of Egypt and have brought you into the land which I swear unto your
of hard hearts We are too much like Gideons dry fleece and like the Mountains of Gilboa or rather like Jonah fast asleep though the Winds blow the Seas roar and make a noyse and we are ready to be dash'd every hour against the Rocks I confess Israel was an hard hearted people but yet they mourned Psa 137.1 they cryed with a voyce they wept when they remembred Zion So have not we The Rod of old was the only engine by which Moses was to work all his miracles on the Rock on the Aegyptians on the more obdurate Israel But the Rock Pharaoh and Israel were sooner sensible of the Rod than we have been How do we evacuate and reproach frustrate and defame all Gods Methods and pronounce to all the world that God hath miscarried in his design upon us God hath not yet heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 It is true God hath chastised us but we have not been as sensible as the Bullock nor so soon tamed we have not been mended under the Rod nor edified by the dolefull Lectures that God hath read us Therefore thus saith the Lord God Woe to the bloody City Ezek 24.9.10 11 12 13. I will even make the pile for fire great Heap on wood kindle the fire consume the flesh and spice it well and let the bones be burnt Then set it empty upon the coals thereof that the brass of it may be hot and may burn and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it that the scum of it may be consumed She hath wearied her self with lyes and her great scum wene not forth out of her her scum shall be in the fire In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Jerusalem shall be burnt and why In thy filthiness is lewdness thou art obstinate hardned in wickedness Obstinacy in Sin is worse than the Sin it self Jerusalem had Prophets Ordinances Sabbaths Sacrifices Mercies Judgements by which God would have purged her but she was not purgged She did not humble herself for her sins the scum went not off Therefore thus saith the Lord God Woe to the bloody City Ezek. 24.6 to the pot whose scum is therein and whose scum is not gone out of it bring it out piece by piece let no lot fall on it Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Jer 5.3 thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a rock they have refused to return This is a Nation Jer. 7.28 that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God nor receiveth correction How many years hath the word of the Lord come to yâ—â— Jer. 4.4 that you should circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skin of your hearts ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem lest my fury come forth like Fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings And hath not the Lord cut off in his fierce anger the horn of Israel and burned against us like a flaming fire Lam. 2.3 4. which devoureth round about He hath poured out his fury like Fire And yet how few behold the desolations that he hath made How many look on this Judgement as chance But consider not the hand of the Lord that is gone out against us Do not some say in the pride and stoutness of their hearts Isa 9.10 Isa 26.9 the Bricks are fall'n down but we will build with hewn stones the Sycamores arâ— cut down but we will change them into Cedarâ— When judgement is executed and Gods hand is lifted up men should fear and learn righteousness But if you will still go on in wickedness God will reckon with you for despising him and his judgements I doubt not but thousands and ten thousands are sensensible of poverty coming in upon them and theirs as an armed man irrisistably But I fear we are too insensible that it is the Lords controversie with us How soon was the Pestilential Judgement forgot Were not men as vile Drunkards Sensualists Sabbath-breakers Oppressors and Unclean since the dreadfull Plague as before and others as proud and formal since the Plague as before That Arrow shot so remarkably from Heaven was soon forgot And now that the fury of the Lord hath been upon the City and therein upon the whole Land in the late shower of Fire I am afraid that even this Dispensation will be forgotten at least not improved as it ought to be Many and many a time have I feared Isa 29.10 that the Lord hath powred upon us the spirit of a deep sleep and that the Judgement on Ariel is descended on us Like men in a deep sleep we are not able to with-stand the Judgement and like such we have been insensible who hath wounded us or why we are wounded We have not considered the deserving Cause Pride Carelessness Intemperance Idleness c. and what way to heal our selves and extricate our selves out of our miseries Like a wild Bull in a net Isa 51.20 that can hamper and entangle it self more and more but takes no course to wind its self out of its misery Who searcheth for the Achan that hath troubled our Israel Who sits down and justifieth God Who condemneth himself for Pride for contempt of the Gospel for Luxury for Idleness for Covetousness and prophaning Gods Sabbaths The Lord humble us Jer. 6.29 for the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed and yet the Founder melteth in vain The Lord took it ill from the men of Judah when they were not turned by the signes he gave them by Ezekiel When he was to take a Tile Ezek. 4.1 2 5 11 12. and pourtray Jerusalem upon it and lay siege against it c. When he was to lye upon his left side 390. dayes When he was to drink Water by measure and to bake his Cakes with the dung of man When he was to take a Rasor and shave his head and beard and to burn a third part with sire Ezek. 5.1 2 3. and to smite a third part with a knife and a third part to scatter in the wind and to bind up a few hairs in his skirts and to take of them again and to cast them into the midst of the fire When by these and such like signes they were not awakened out of their security when they reformed not when they feared not the wrath and judgement of God but said It is not near Ezek. 11.3 23. Let us build houses Then the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood upon the Mountain which is on the East side of the City And when the glory departed then Thus saith the Lord of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the Land of Israel They
is the man that heareth me and who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Behold I stand as the doer and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come to him and will sup with him and he with me Jo. 6.35 I am the Bread of Life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me Ephes 2.19 Jo. 1.12 shall never thirst He tells you Of Strangers and enemies you shall become Children and yet this seems a light matter to be so near related to the King of Kings Is not this Englaeds great Provocation to refuse so great an honour and dignity Rom. 8.1 He assures you There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ And shall he not condemn Wretches that slight the Pardons that are offered to them Hebr. 10.29 These must expect a double wrath Of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy c. 2. From believing Satan before God Others in imitation of the old Adam believe the Devil before God credit his Suggestions beyond all Gods Discoveries O! O! What a black grain'd Sin is this Saith the Devil You have sinned against Light and therefore Christ will not favour you Saith God Let the wicked forsake his way Isa 55.7 and his thoughts and I will abundantly pardon Saith the Devil You have sinned more than others you have provoked God exceedingly and therefore never hope for saving benefit by Christs death Saith God Cease to do evil Isa 1.16 17 18. learn to do well come now and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Saith the Devil You have sinned not only against the Law but against the Gospel you have neglected Christ Saith God Luke 12.10 Every sin against the Son of man shall be forgiven Saith the Devil You have no right to Christ it is in vain to come Jo. 3.16 Saith God Whosoever believeth shall not perish Saith the Devil Your day of grace is past Saith God To day whilst it is called to day Hebr. 3.7 13. hear his voice Saith the Devil God never intended you good you are a Vessel of Dishonour Saith God As I live Ezek. 33.11 I desire not the death of a sinner but that he turn and live Now I pray consider whether God takes it kindly at your hands John 8.44 Titus 1.2 that you should lay more weight on the Father of Lyes than on the faithful God who hath promised and cannot lye who must cease to be God in that very moment wherein he ceaseth to be true You perhaps deceive your selves with the Pharisees Comforts Luke 18 11. You are not as these Harlots as these Publicans no Drunkards c. but little think that you put the Lye upon God You believe the Enemy more than the Friend O! what a Provocation is this 3. Through Pride Rom. 10.3 Others through the pride of their hearts will not come as yet unto Christ They have no mind to submit to the Righteousness of faith He is judged a proud man without a Jury sitting on him who when Condemned will not submit will not stoop so low as to accept of a Pardon I must indeed correct my self men are willing to be justified but they would have their duties to purchase their peace and the favour of God they scorn to be beholding to Christ Thousands will dye and be damned rather than they will have a pardon upon the sole account of Christs Merits and Obedience O the cursed Pride of the heart When will men cease to be wiser than God To limit God When will men be contented with Gods way and method of saving them by the bloud of the Everlasting Covenant How dare men thus to prescribe to the infinitely wise God Is it not enough for thee that thy destruction is of thy self But must thy Salvation be of thy self too Is it not enough that thou hast wounded thy self But wilt dye for ever rather than be beholding to a plaister of free grace Wilt be damned unless thou mayst be thine own Saviour Jo. 3.16 God is willing So God loved the World that he gave his Son Art thou so proud as that thou wilt not be beholding to God Thou wilt deserve or have nothing What shall I say Rev. 3.17 Poor thou art and yet proud thou hast nothing but wretchedness and misery and yet thou art talking of a Purchase This is a provocation God resisteth the proud especially the spiritually proud He that is proud of his Clothes and Parentage is not so contemptible in Gods eyes as he that is proud of his Abilities and so scorns to submit to Gods methods for his salvation by Christ and his righteousness alone 4. Others Through hopes to prepare themselves and make themselves fit for Christ through their ignorance and weakness stay off from Christ in hopes of working that which cannot be wrought without a Christ Were their hearts so humbled and melted as such and such are could they see all their sins subdued were their hearts more fitted and prepared for to lodge so great a Friend they would then close with the Promises with Christ whereas they should come to Christ as soon as they apprehend they are poor blind and naked Rev. 3.17 18. for them lie calls and invites But alas a sight of their wants is a barr to their coming They would have the Fruit first and then the Tree have their hearts purified and then come to Christ Who is appointed by God to be Sanctification to them God comes by his Spirit to convince them of their sinful nature and weakness on purpose that they seeing their necessity of Christ might flye to him as their City of refuge and they are driven farther off by the sight of their sins and unworthiness Whereas they should come to Christ as to a Magazine and Store-house and wait on him in the use of means for the broken heart the pure heart and all other spiritual mercies which their Souls are yet destitute of but they will not O faithless Generation How long shall I be with you Mar. 9.19 how long shall I suffer you Christ is put to the utmost of his patience to bear with Unbelief 5. Through seeming modesty Others through some kind of seeming modesty and tenderness delay in their coming to Christ They are afraid of abusing the holiness and justice of God if they should hope for any privilege in the blood of Christ and mercies of God What mercy for me me a proud wretch an unclean wretch an enemy to God a slighter of his Spirit I deserve nothing but Hell what Heaven for me I have affronted the Majesty of the great God and what This God bestow a Christ on me Who can believe that the Just God who turned down the glorious Angells to Hell for one transgression will save me
who have committed more sins in number than the hairs on my head than the sands on the Sea shore And what Mercy for me Shall I have a Christ Will Christ accept of me who have wronged his Father and him for so many years together O! how long doth many an awakened Soul hang in doubts and fears ere it will venture upon Christs graciousness alone and then when the Soul hath long stood out the fears increase I have refused Christ so long to all my former transgressions I have added this my puting off Christ and Salvation when freely tendered and therefore sure I may not now come And now if Christ offers them mercy still they are fearful they cannot believe that Christ is serious and real O! by these jealousies of Christ you provoke him not a little You are ready to say This is too good news to be true What is this but to say The Gospel is false it is no true and faithful Word 't is not to be received with all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save the greatest of sinners blasphemers and persecutours of Christ This is the great Sin that made Christ weep You seldome find Christ weeping over the Idolaters of the World I find him not weeping over Sodom and Gomorrah but if Hierusalem refuse Christ this makes him weep indeed Hierusalem Luke 19.42 Hierusalem O if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that concern thy peace Christ became a man of sorrows Isa 53.3 was acquainted with griefs c. on hopes he should see of the travail of his Soul and be satisfied It troubles Christ to see thee to goe about to make God a Lyar to his Son and to be denied thy loves and affections for whose sake he submitted to his Fathers frowns O! this sin of Unbelief hath great unkindness in it Mar. 16.14 and therefore no wonder if Christ upbraids for it A man is properly upbraided when as the kindness that hath been done to him is revealed to him together with his ungratefulness But what shall I say So farr are Souls from coming to Christ that they do seldome bewail this sin and seldome seek to God for power against it and though men pretend they cannot come to Christ yet the truth is they will not so Mr. Fenner in his willful impenitency hath abundantly proved The immediate cause of your not coming is not a natural deficiency but a moral opposition of Spirit against Christ CHAP. VII Their taking Christ partially without conjugal affections and without considering the cost they may be at 5ly Many take Christ partially IF at length men are perswaded to come to Christ yet they take him partially both as King Prophet and Priest As their King They are contented he shall rule in many things but not in all Their drudgery to one or two lusts must be preferr'd before Christs Scepter and Government Some part of Christs Yoak of Commandements they will submit to but are not pleased that Christ shall impose what they will they pick and choose here they will obey in another thing I pray have me excused few are brought to say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Any thing Lord I am called to thy foot as the man of the East was ready to trudge after thee to the ends of the Earth As their Prophet Here they divide too many things they will learn of Christ but they must partly lean to their own understandings and be taught for Doctrines the Traditions of men They are also partial in their close with Christ as their Priest They hope to be saved partly by his mediation and partly by their own As the Papists so many Protestant Professours are for a divided Christ few are for exalting Christ alone so as to renounce all other Lords who have had Dominion over them and to count all other Teachers besides Christ as vain absurd unsound and weak Few renounce all their own righteousness as dung to put the Crown on Christs head alone to make Christ their alone Mediatour their alone Intercessour No they must have Cisterns of their own to keep their water in and Sands of their own to build upon and so Christ the Elect precious Stone is refused by the Builders How many hope to be pardoned partly by Christ and partly by their Civility and new Obedience They lay their title to God Heaven and Glory partly from Christs merits and partly from their own deserts few whose hopes are founded on Christ's satisfaction alone but their hopes rise or fall according to what they do for him rather than according to what he hath done and suffered for them their hopes of acceptance with God are more from their reformations than from Christs entring within the Vaile If they have peace of Conscience they ascribe it to their Prayers rather than to Christs Intercession and if they Pray in secret in their Closet and in their Family too when both before were neglected they hope to pass by this Bridge to Heaven but if it be too short they will set Christ to patch up what is wanting that they may land on the other shore Hence it is that many Professors are much more consciencious in their obedience to the moral law than they are to the Law of Faith for that they hope their obedience will steed them asmuch if not more than Jesus Christ but if they understand that without Faith there is no pleasing God then they will labour for a faith that may justifie them rather as an act of theirs than in respect of the object Christ. Christ is still used only upon necessity and to make up the want of somewhat else but very few dare rest on the merits of Christ alone so as to see all their righteousness to be as filthy rags To few â—s Christ made of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Let me ring a peal in your Ears Totum Christum et totum Christi You must receive Christ entirely all Christ and all of Christ or you are not Christians though you have a name to live Christ is coming to distinguish names from things and then you will curse the day you had the Name or heard of the Name you will have your portion with Hypocrites These are indispensible terms on which Christ will insist All or none Christ as a Refiner as well as a Saviour Christ as a Lord as well as a Sacrifice Sixthly Many close with Christ without coniugal affections If men are perswaded in the horrours of their Spirits to take Christ as Priest Prophet and King as a meer shift to shift off their troubles and sorrows and their sins the occasions of them yet their hearts stand off from Christ as an Husband they have not conjugal affections to him their hearts are not brought over to him they receive him not into their bosomes into their choicest affections all this while There is still
which was appointed to strengthen their Remembrance of past Mercies Hath not God told us that he hath formed us for his praise And what yet backward thereunto We can never love God to an height whilst we forget his loving Kindnesses I wonder not that many complain of their decayes of Love to God whilst they forget his wonders of Grace and Love to their Souls Even Publicans will love those of whom they are beloved And did we oftner recount the Mercies of God they would work endearments betwixt God and our Souls Did we consider what a wonder it is that God should draw us out of nothing that he who stoops to behold the things of Heaven should put his singer to our workmanship that he should curiously work us as Needle-work in the dark Vaults of Nature and that when we were fuller of sin than the Toad of poyson that yet he should feed a Toad and cloath a Cockatrice the Fire of Love to God would burn within our breasts How is God provoked by this sin God took it ill at the hands of the Israelites that they remembred not his hand Psal 78.42 nor the day in which he delivered them How much more do we grieve the Lord who remember not the goodness and salvations of the Lord in Canaan yea in Zion Our Saviour was grieved that his Disciples remembred not the five Loaves Mat. 16.8 9 10. and the seven Loaves and how many Baskets they took up Innumerable greater favours hath God shewed to us and yet we forget them How have we forgot the God that bridled Natures proud waves and said Hitherto ye shall goe and no farther When we were ripe for Judgement then Mercy stept in and yet how slow to give thanks Hardly one of tea blesseth God for cleansing Mercy as they ought Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine This makes me fear People have not had a deep sense of the misery and stains of Nature for that their Saviour is no more thanked Did not the Lord force thee by an over-powering work of Grace upon thy Soul at first Conversion to be willing to be made happy Did not he compel thee to come into the Feast Was it not God that brought thee to such a Parish to such a Minister and to such a Text And did not he by his Almighty power enable thee to believe and apply Was it not he that broke thine heart when as hard as a nethermost Mill-stone and made it soft malleable and pliant to his will and pleasure And what forget the wonders of the Lord in the deep This vexeth the Lord to the heart Did not he cause the Walls of Jerâ—co to fall as by the voice of Rams-hornes by weak inconsiderable means Did not he alienate thine heart from Lusts that were dearer to thee than thine eyes Did not he present the face of Christ as lovely to thy Soul who before was despised aend rejected And hath not Christ fed thee with fresh supplyes of free Grace that have watered thy Soul every moment so that you have been kept through his mighty power How many doubts hath Christ answered and how many scruples hath he by his Holy Spirit satisfied thee in And yet O wretched heart how unthankfull hast thou been Thou hast forgot all his benefits A man would think it were impossible that every unpleasing Providence should make us so forgetful of all the mighty Works that have been done within doors upon our Souls How just is it with God to plague us for this our unkindness unto him Isa 17.10 11. Because thou hast forgotten c. therefore the harvest shall be an heâ—â— In the beginning all succeeded well saith Vatablus upon the place according to our desire In the day the Plant grew and in the morning the Seed flourished but because of unthankfulness extreme misery followed Wonder not that the Showres are with-held that the Lord causeth the Sun to set on the Prophets at Noon day that the Manna falls not before your doors that the hidden Mannah Ingrato quod donatur deperditur Sen. and white Stone are denied you you have been unthankfull you have not taken care for the fragments that nothing be lost Gods Mercies have been lost upon you Or Waters were become Wines our Gleanings were better than the Worlds Vintage God dealt with us as Sons But now if he draws in his hand and make his Garden as a desolate Wilderness for this sin who can say unto God What dost thou Must not all of us put our mouths in the dust Did not we sit under our own Vines Had we not our solemn Assemblies Did not we goe in troops to the house of the Lord Was not Holiness in credit Did not the mix'd multitude joyn with us and desired to be numbred amongst us because God was with us Did not fear come upon all the People And had not the Churches rest Did we fear the shaking of the Spear Might we not have been as holy as we pleased Had not we as much liberty as we desired But O then how unthankfull were we How troubled were we that every Mordecai did not bow that every one would not be of our mind and dance after our Pipe God knows what a Controversie there is with the Land for the Unthankfulness of them that dwelt therein O how glad would ye be of one of the dayes of the Son of man of your old Privileges and Spiritual Liberties Because ye have not served God with joy and praise in dayes of plenty therefore it is but a righteous thing that you serve in scarcity and famine of Bread of the Word of the Lord. CHAP. XIII Their neglect of Prayer especially of secret Prayer 6ly NEglect of Prayer is another part of Ungodliness Professors neglect of Prayer too common even among Professours Request and Thanksgiving are saith one like the double motion of the Lungs by which they suck in and breath out the air again In the Petitionary part of Prayer we desire either the bestowing of some good thing or the preventing or removing of some evil from our selves or the inflicting of some evil on Gods implacable Enemies And in the Gratulatory part of Prayer we return the praise of glory of what we have received from God unto God Though the Thanksgiving part of Prayer be most yet the Petitionary part of Prayer is too much neglected It is Ungodliness to goe about any Business or Journey to fix our Abode to use any Creature Food or Physick without asking Gods leave and blessing in Prayer Yea it is a branch of Atheism this Brat of irreligion is laid at the door of Atheism by the Psalmist Is it not a Lamentation Psa 14.1 3 4. and should it not be for a Lamentation that so many Professours should be guilty of such Ungodlineâ—â— Are there not many that never prayed in all their lives Never Praying Professours are looked upon by the world as Praying people
with God by deferring and deferring And hereby many mischiefs attend The World that Pest of Souls and Graces is admitted before we have got our Antidotes against the Infection of it Hence deadness of heart ensues multitudes of worldly distractions so that after a few hours the Soul hath no mind at all to speak with God but though it must to the Closet yet there is it pestered with wandring thoughts discontented thoughts worldly thoughts so that the time which should be spent in pure Communion with God is taken up in driving these Fowls from the Sacrifice Besides God is an holy God and jealous for his Name and he esteemeth it a reflection on him to be so neglected that he must be served last of all and therefore withholds his influences from the Soul to condemn such salocy abuses of his great Name and then no wonder if thou be soon overcome with a world of vain impertinent cogitations By neglect of early going into your Closets you credit the World too much as if it were more worthy of your time and strength than the Lord is Whereas you should profess that all your hours are Gods and therefore you dare not Prov. 3.9 but honour him with the first Fruits of all your increase you will thereby sanctifie all the Harvest all the Vintage by presenting God with the green Eares By neglect of your Mornings you hint to other Observers as if you were not First to seek God and his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof You neglect the sittest season for then the mercies of the night are freshest smell sweetest which after a while like Flowers will lose their scent with us Whilst the Iron is hot it is our wisdome to strike His Mercies are renewed every Morning so should our Praises By entring on business without calling on God you declare you need not the Lords assistances and that you depend not on him for every thing but can make a snift to live without him Whereas God feeds us from hand to mouth and hath not left any stores with us that we may make our addressments to him night and day who must water us every moment Poor Souls did you but see your dangers by reason of the three great Brigades of Enemies the World the Flesh the Devil you would not be so fool-hardy to venture abroad untill you have beseeched God to help poor needy indigent Creatures Remember You want as soon as you wake and those things you want as none but a God can supply you You need Divine Power to follow your Callings By neglecting this season the Devil and the World have often made you forget or omit the Duty for the day You have no leisure in the Morning and what then the Devil fills thy hand with unexpected business that the excuse grows stronger and more plausible But must we serve the Slave and neglect the Lord of glory By omitting this hour you are the unfitter for Family-worship were the Instrument tuned before it would be the fitter to play in consort But oh what hazards dost thou run not only by preferring other things and business before God but by neglecting the first hour of the day when thou art not sure of a second Thou purposest such an hour to pray but what is thy Life save a Vapour which may expire before that hour CHAP. XIV The miscarriages of Praying Professours about Prayer 7l Praying Professors miscarriages THere is not only Ungodliness in not Praying Prayerless Souls worshipping God no more than Beasts an Oxe or an Asse c. but in Praying amiss And O! how many wayes do Professours fail in and about this Duty both before and in and after First before the Dury How do Professours fail before their entrance upon this Duty of Prayer 1. Neglecting Meditation Psa 5.1 of God By neglect of Meditation Few can say Consider my Meditation Have not we rush'd upon this Duty before we have meditated of the God we were approaching to What an holy God he is and how unworthy we are to take his Name into our mouths What a consuming fire he is and what dry stubble we are Have not we rush'd into Gods Presence his Holiness Omnisciency Heb. 4.13 as the Horse rusheth into the battel Have we considered that his eyes are piercing as flames of fire That all things are naked and open as it were dissected before him with whom we have to do We have not set God before our eyes neither have we believed that he is as certainly an Observer of us as we are with our selves Our thoughts would not be so low so earthly so distracted did we believingly consider into whose Presence we are coming Have we considered Gods Almightiness Omnipotency That He can do more for us than we can ask or think He that cometh to God in Prayer should believe that God is 1 Sam. 15.29 that He is the Strength of Israel that what we are to beg of God Pardon of Sin Victories over our Lusts c. are Mercies beyond the Creatures power to reach forth to us but the Lords arm is not shortened that he cannot help Have we meditated on Gods bounty Gods goodness and grace pity and tender compassions As one more ready to give than we to ask as one who giveth liberally and upbraids not with our oft comming We want vast thoughts of the great goodness and mercy of God we have base beggerly thoughts of God as if we should trespass too much upon him and weary him by coming to oft to his door Have we mused upon the Faithfulness of God his Faithfulness Who is under engagements to relieve us to ease us to be found of us when we seek him with our whole hearts 1 John 5.14 And this is the considence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Have we meditated of the Way of the Way unto God Odi Deum absolutum Luth. by whom we must come to God How daring are Souls to venture on an absolute God How is the new and consecrated Way neglected How is Christ laid by as if there were no need of a Mediatour of an Advocate with the Father How seldome do we pass through Gâ—lgotha to the heavenly Jerusalem and see that none can come to the Father but by the Son We see not our need of Incense and Odours to be mingled with our Sacrifices Revel 8.3 4. little do we consider that the Opportunity of speaking with God is the price of blood of the precious blood of the Son of God Have we meditated of our Sins of their Sins of those to which we are by nature and custome mostly addicted and of those with which we have since the last Duty polluted our Souls From the want of Meditation hereof ariseth formality in Duties the heart is not humbled in Confession neither is the Soul importunate with the Lord for pardon
of your hearts I abhorr my self saith Job This implies a dislike an hatred an indignation against an utter alienation from and an opposition against sin God knows how little of this is mixed with the Confessions of most Professours 3. Petition as to the Matter In their Petitions Both Matter and Manner and End Have not we been faulty in the Matter Have they been alwayes for the best things Life Liberty Estate c. are desired but Grace Victory over Pride Passions Worldliness c. lye unsought for We fail also when we pray simply that we may not suffer for there is no foundation in the Promise for such a Prayer and we may not pray save for what God hath promised Have not we fail'd in the Manner Manner Have we alwayes pray'd with Earnestness Humility Faith Sincerity c. Hath the whole man been employed Few can say as David Psa 109.4 But I Prayer He was all Prayer or all of David or in David was herein employed Few can say With my whole heart have I intreated thy favour 119.58 Alas few pray effectually The heart and soul is not at work in the Duty James 5.16 It is the effectual fervent Prayer that avails We pray as if we had a mind God should deny us Qui frigide rogat docet negare Colos 4.2 We are too much like Children scribling over a piece of Paper which when they have done lay it aside or break it or think no more of it We have not continued in Prayer we have not back'd our Prayers with Prayers reinforced them we have soon fainted we have not been the right seed of Jacob I will not let thee goe untill thou bless me we soon faint and our desires expire Have not we fail'd in the End End James 4.3 May I not say as the Apostle James Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that you may consume it upon your Lusts Hath not our level been too low We should have made Gods Glory our End and we have made Self to quiet Conscience to obtain pardon of sin rather than purity of heart and life Hos 7.14 They assemble for Corn and Wine You have been perhaps earnest for the pardon of your own and Englands sins and yet selfish in all You fear and well you may temporal Plagues you are afraid that Sodoms sins may bring down fire and brimstone and therefore for your own sakes rather than Gods you pray and with some vehemency but your End is still too low Never do you pray aright till you pray more for Christs sake than for your own for his glory rather than for your own present future temporal or eternal advantages It is one thing to seek our selves and another thing to seek God in a duty They that pretended so highly begin to expostulate with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not and takest no knowledge Mens Lusts Pray rather than their Graces Pride and self-love endite the Petitions You have been suckling your lusts whilst seemingly devout You make Provision for the flesh whilst about spiritual work and whilst your inward man seems to be exercised 4. Thanksgiving In our Thanksgivings who is free from guilt in the gratulatory part of Prayer Some bless God for Justification Sanctification Adoption c. and are strangers to these Privileges yea if catechised know not what these mercies are no more than Parrots know what they prattle Others if like the Leapers they are cleansed yet return not to bless the Lord They are large in Petitions but very sparing in their Praises Unthankful Beggars are an abomination to God and man We should be thankful for the least mercy but though we have had the honour to be admitted into the Presence Chambers as Favourites an honour not vouchsafed to the most of mankind yet we are sullen and slow to return Praises for so great a vouchsafement You have not come to dry breasts you are every day full of mercy 2 Chron. 32. but alas You render not according to what you have received therefore wrath is against you Hast thou had no meetings in Prayer no enlargements no desires to fear the Lord no importunities no wrestlings why yet it is mercy that thou livest upon the patience and bounty of God 'T is much that thou shouldst have a beeing and be preserved to this day 'T is a wonder he should feed thee cloth thee protect thee strive with thee suffer thee who art but dust and ashes to speak with him The last night thou might'st have lain on a bed of fire or by the hedge or have been in the great deeps but alas few so ready to praise as to pray We are too much like the Vagabonds when we have what we come for away we goe and come no more till pinching necessity drives us Yea we too oft aggravate our miseries and over-look the benefits we enjoy that are mix'd with our crosses 3ly How have we After the Duty when our Prayers have been ended fail'd of our duties toward God by running post hast from the Throne of Grace to the World if not to our Lusts Not considering how our hearts were in time of duty whether straitned or enlarged Nor examining how the Duty hath been done whether composed or distracted whether we had the face of God toward us or his face vailed whether we were lively or lifeless dead-hearted or quickned serious or slight what Faith was stirring what Repentance exercised The Church and People of God observed their hardness in duty Isa 63.17 Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear We should look back upon our Prayers that we may be humbled for all our vain thoughts untowardness distractions and unbelief in the duty and we should do it then whilst we are in the highest capacity to know the miscarriages of the Soul what the aggravating circumstances thereof are c. And not only in order to Humiliation but Reformation that for the future we may not dare to touch the Mount of Gods Presence with such beastly frames In case we were in a good frame in the Duty quickly losing what was got in the Duty Did we labour to retain the influences of the Ordinance upon our hearts Did not we let the fire goe out again Have not we like some in a great sweat gone into the open air too soon and took a cold That 's dangerous David was more careful to maintain his fresh and lively frames and therefore he intreateth the Lord to keep the same in his Servants heart for ever How have we been faulty not looking for an answer Psa 5.3.85.8 in not believing that our Prayers shall be answered We direct our Prayer unto God but we do not look up till God look down as David We do not hearken what God the Lord will speak Paul observed how long the Lord was silent to his Prayer 2 Cor.
farr lest they should see what they are unwilling to see and so be put upon judgeing and condemning themselves for that which they love beyond an Eye or an Hand 5. The sad consequences of the neglect of this duty O the sad consequences of the neglect of this duty By this neglect your hearts will become careless for that they are not call'd to an account as Servants and Factors are wont when their Masters neglect to examine them Hereby Sins will grow bolder with you and the more easily beset you for that you examine not wherein their strength lies and which way they oftnest prevail over you Hereby the work of Repentance will be obstructed for that innumerable Sins which you are daily guilty of will pass away unobserved with those circumstances attending them which make them of the greater magnitude Hereby your uncertainties about your spiritual estate will remain it may be converted it may be not it may be a Son of God it may be not but a Child of Hell it may be a Believer it may be an Enemy to God and â—â—e of Gods curse Hence will follow great dejectedness under every Providence of God no condition will please you whilst doubting and staggering you will be apt to fear whether your food be in mercy your dayes in mercy your liberty yea the Gospel in mercy to you you will sink under adversity for you cannot say the Lord is my portion you know not whether God will be your strong Tower Fortress c. you cannot manage any duty well whilst this lies neglected Mica 6.8 How can you walk before God with an humble heart when you know not what your hearts are How can you serve him with an upright heart whilst a stranger to this duty The very Heathens knew how necessary this was to all their duties and therefore discreetly caused to be writ over the Temple at Delphos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy self Miserable are the disappointments that will attend English Professours unless they fall into a compliance with this duty you will dye deluded like the foolish Virgins you will not know your undone condition till it be too late you lie deceived in matters of the greatest and highest concernment you are cheated hitherto in things of eternity you are vexed when deceived by a Friend when supplanted by a Neighbour O! how will it pierce your Souls to be cheated by your selves When we would exclaim against a Knave we say he will cozen his Father the nearer the Relation the more sordid the Cheat O! but here is one that lies in thy bosome and thou and it go to cheat each other continually Let no man deceive himself 1 Cor. 3.18 it seems we are apt to do so But O! how great will your confusion be when this deceit shall be manifested when you shall see your selves frustrated of all your hopes and the glory your hearts promised you How will you be confounded when you shall say we looked for Heaven but behold Hell we looked for Salvation but behold Destruction we looked to be made perfectly Happy but O how our hearts have cheated us we must be damned we thought we had as good hearts as any as true Faith as sound Repentance as cordial love to God as any of our Neighbours as any Precisians of the Countrey we fools counted their life madness c. O! what daggers and swords will these frustrations be to you 6. We and our hearts shall not alwayes be strangers If you be loth to see how it is with you now how will you be able to behold what shall be seen at the day of Judgement Though you now will not know your hearts though you are so stately as not to speak with them or loth to examine the dirty Corners yet God is coming with his Fan the books must be opened and every page of thy heart will be unfolded for God will bring to light every hidden work of dishonesty God will pluck off the rough garment which thou wearest to deceive thy inward parts which are very wickedness shall be made manifest and then thou shalt be speech-less as if thou hadst a muzle put upon thy mouth as the word signifieth Well seeing murder will out as we say the secrets of the Soul must be brought forth is it not better by judging our selves by a severe tryall and sentence on our selves to prevent the wofullness of the last day Judged we must and shall be is it not then thy wisdome to judge thy self here in thy Closet that thou mayst be judged by God with a judgement of Absolution and not of Condemnation Is it nothing to have all thy unrepented and unforgiven sins published on the house-top made known to all the World Ezek. 22.14 at the great day How will thine heart endure then when the Lord shall come to deal with thee You will not see but you shall see Isa 26.11 You will not retire the World lyes in your hearts Business comes in and takes up all your time and spirits God is about to strip you to ease you of your Callings you shall come naked to the Barr of God you shall have no Family business to distract you a fair tryal there shall be but a sad one for thee Your sins shall find you out Numb 32.23 You have had many Calls once more I call upon you in the Name of Christ to examine your hearts by the words of this Book which you have or shall read And be sure of it If you will not nor try your selves by the Word God will try you by his Works Thus saith the Lord Jer. 9.7 I will melt them and try them But how will God melt them and try them Shall I not visit them for these things saith the Lord v. 9. Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing v. 10. and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation because they are burnt up so that none can pass through them neither can men hear the voice of the Cattel both the Fowl of the Heavens and the Beasts are fled they are gone And I will make Jerusalem heaps v. 11. and a Den of Dragons and I will make the Cities of Judah desolate without an Inhabitant CHAP. XXI Their Pride BEhold Professors Pride Ezek. 16.49 Evidenced in Irreverence in addresses to God Gen. 18.27 This was the iniquity of thy Sister Sodom Pride c. And is not this Devillish Sin become our National Sin 1. With what a bold and impudent face have we come and appeared before God Who hath sensibly exprest himself in Abraham's words Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Instead of a reverential fear of God our behaviour hath been stout against God and we have not trembled in his presence no not whilst we have been terribly
to pity them Drones are to be beaten out of the Hive and starved in Winter It is the Workman that is worthy of meat in Christs account Mat. 10.10 Idleness hath brought much evil upon you and bred many in you it begets many diseases in the body but many more in the Soul Psal 91.11 it exempts a man from the protection of Angels and it exposeth to Gods wrath it brought ruine upon Sodom and the Cities round about Jude v. 7. and they are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 2. In their general callings How are we guilty of abundance of Idleness in our general callings And above all Idleness Spiritual sloth is most dangerous I find some with unwearied diligence labouring to enlarge their Possessions and to raise their Posterity they rise early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness but all is for the Body they do little or nothing for their precious Souls and for Eternity Christ and Heaven stand by and few regard them Few work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Some will not be at so much pains for their Souls as to perform the common outward Duties of Religion They will goe to the Market or to be merry with Friends many a mile but if a Lecture he but a few paces from their thresholds they count it intollerable to wet their â—â—et to expose themselves to the air Well Well God hath eased you of this labour But if men are for some easie parts of Religion yet how few are for the difficult parts thereof They cannot endure to watch their hearts to sanctifie the Lords day so strictly as not to think their own thoughts nor speak their own words nor do their own deeds How many Professours have so long given way to their lazy distempers have lain so long upon the Bed of sloth that when we press them to any painful and laborious Duties they think it excuse enough to say We have put off our Coat and loth we are to put it on We have given way to sloth so long that we hate to take pains for Christ and for Eternity Hence Self-examination Meditation Watchfulness against the first risings of sin Mortification of inward heart-sins c. these works are totally laid by and the longer we neglect them the more ado there is to perswade us to take them up We are like truant-Boyes who hate their Book after a long vacation All we have to uphold our selves with is this that the Spirit is willing when God knows the contrary We are willing to be rich and therefore take pains So we would in Spiritual things too if we were so desirous of them If we were willing to enjoy Christ in our Closets would we be even asleep there upon our knees If we were willing to know the way to Glory would we not take so much pains as to goe to the Shepheards tents and ask for the good old way O! O! It will cut you to the heart when you come to Hell-gate that you mist of Heaven for not enquiring the way thither and that you took more pains to be rich and to damn your Souls than to save them Had that time been spent in Prayer holy Conference and in Self-arraignments which was wasted in the Bed Shop Fields unnecessarily you might have had an eternal rest whereas Hell will be as intollerable to all so especially to them who have stood idle all the day long CHAP. XXIV Their Unmercifulness THE Fourth Sin of Sodom was this Professors unmercifulness Ezek. 16.49 Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy That is they were unmerciful and inhumane And are not some Professours even in England very hard-hearted and cruel I have oft thought and said That Our late Civil Wars have had too great influence upon us to make us cruel If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren within any of thy Gates Deut. 15.7 8. in thy Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor Brother but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need Luke 14.13 in that which he wanteth O! The poor we have alwayes with us But When we make a Feast do we call the poor Who invites the Guests that Christ hath bid for our Tables When I consider how rare Bowells of mercy and kindness are Col. 3.11 it makes me fear and I have Scripture-grounds for my fear that few are the Elect of God O hard-hearted Professours Hear ye the Word of the Lord Jam. 2.13 He shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy He shall have all judgement pure judgement without any mixtures of mercy unmixed wrath shall be his portion Christ is so resolved to punish the Unmerciful that he will over-look any sinner rather than him yea for the greater honour of the Justice of God Mat. 25.41 42 c. Mat. 9.36 The Lord seems to begin and end the great Assizes with the Arraignment and Sentencing of the Unmerciful man How few compassionate Professours are there The proper vital act of Mercy is Compassion How few resent the miseries of others as if they were their own Luke 10.33 How few set themselves to do good to those who are miserable Such what-ever they pretend are indeed unmerciful for Mercy is an active and a communicative thing How few are merciful to others Souls How few pity and set themselves to help sinning Souls but more of this under another Head How few are merciful to the Bodies of others How many are there that will not spare of their superfluities to cloth Christs naked shoulders or to fill his hungry belly Men lay out more to adorn a Cup-board or the walls of their houses than ever they gave to Jesus Christ and his Servants all their dayes Men can feed their Birds their Catts their Doggs their Swine but the Sucklings and Lambs of Jesus Christ perish for want Christ tells you what kindness you shew to his Spouse Matth. 25.40 his Friends his Children he counts as done unto himself and believe it all the scornes and neglects you have cast on either his Ambassadors or poor Saints he will remember another day Go to thy Closet and carry this with thee who so stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself Prov. 21.13 but shall not be heard If you give to whom is it Is it not only to the poor of your own party But hath not the Lord charged you to give to every man that asketh Luke 6.30 Gal. 6.10 Hath he excepted any but idlers Are not you to doe good to all though especially to the Houshold of faith And among them should not your greatest charity have been set forth on them who are become poor not by vile courses but by Gods
et vis coram pluribus arguere non es Corrector sed Proditor Augustin but not privately though Christ be so expresâ— for it If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone though the Law of Charity binds us to cover our Brothers nakedness as much as we can Love covereth all sins yet some Doeg-like backbite their Neighbour and tell it to every one save him who should hear of it How few modestly affectionately and humbly in the most private manner communicate their fears of sins decayes and infirmities to the supposed delinquents Are not most too forward sinfully and wickedly to divulge their undue suspicions to others whereby the names of some suffer Souls lye neglected prejudices and heart-burnings are promoted Schisme is made in the body of Christ Though the Law of Wisdome bind us not to use more means than needs must if gentle private reproofs will serve to reclaim not to blazon infirmities yet Professours through pride envyâ— want of Charity at least want of wit publish on the house top what is done in a corner Herein we do as we hate to be dealt with were it our own concernment Hereby we make the Offendor to hate us and beget in him due prejudices against us viz. 〈◊〉 we thâ—â—â— to draw the blood of his Nameâ— yet how many Church-Members are peâ—canâ— herein It will be hard to make him believe thou comeâ— to heal 〈◊〉 Soul if thou haâ—â— already wounded his Name Have not some Church-Member 〈◊〉 â—or bringing it immediately to the 〈◊〉 Hereby innumerable evils ensue many are grieved many offended the party that is impeached stands on his guard pleads for his sin extenuates it or is strengthned in his sin by the uncharitable proceeding and irregular acting of the Brother who first took cognizance of the miscarriage and so Judah justifies Samaria Others reprove that those injuries that have been offered to the 〈◊〉 may be recompenced Reproveing selfishly rather than thaâ— their Brothers Soul may be healed and it appears â—erein if the wrong done them may be remidied little do they heed whether there be any other Repentance They reprove not to gain their Brother but to make gain of him and therefore Jehu-like they drive furiously in their own cases but in Gods they are dumb and dull enough Other busie-bodies would be thought very tender of Christs honour Reproveing only for disputable things they tithe Mint and Annise c. they reprove such things as are disputable and neglect to teprove where there are too many just accusations to lay in They will be very severe in censuring their Brethren for their Hair Cloathes or some controverted recreations and yet let them alone to live in worldliness sensuality lukewarmness pride sloth c. Others are so Magisterial in their reproofs Reproveing Magisterially as if they had forgotten that they are in the body as if they had no native corruption remaining in them they want the Spirit of meekness they have forgotten the Apostles Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault Gal. 6.1 ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the Spirit of meekness c. O! how haughtily do some carry it towards offending Brethren I wish you would sling the first stone at your selves If you are not guilty of the same offence yet you are of others at least you have the seed of the same Sin within you O that offending Brethren might know that it is only Conscience of duty that brings you to them and that it is love to their Souls puts you upon such displeasing work to your flesh But wo and alas How few will condescend The work is not managed with that humility as it ought and therefore no Brother is gained Others are so light frothy Reproveing lightly and unserious in this business that they spoyl all They do not invocate God to accompany them in the work they do not cry out who is sufficient They forget it is Soul-work they are imployed in they forget how abortive such labours have been they do not set upon it with that fear and trembling which they should Few rebuke with authority as having Gods Glory and mens Everlasting Salvation in their eye and hence when they come off from this work their Conscience smites them that they have been no more serious and fervent in a matter that concerns life and death Few continue their admonitions Putting an end to Reproof too soon and follow them till the Delinquent be brought to conjession repentance and amendment We soon tire and put the ill names of Doggs and Swine upon our offending Brethren to excase our sloth and to take off that diligence about their Sou's which their dulness and hardness of heart calls for We should in meekness instruct them though they oppose themselves We should bear with their present stubbornness and abuses and wait if God peradventure will give them repentance We forget how many years God waited on us though we were stout stubborn and refractory how patient and long-suffering he was unto us Though the more we love the less we are beloved though men even flye in our faces yet we should do as our Lord and his Ministers not presently shake off the dust of our feet against them 4. Not bearing Reproof Christianly How few behave themselves Christianly under Reproof When men come to you from the great God to discharge the duties they owe to your Souls your behaviour is such that none will meddle with such Patients to dress their wounds if the Lord had not charged them with this Commission How few receive a Reproof kindly and affectionately Not lovingly This makes me fear that there are more Hâ—pocrites in Churches than we are aware of It is a great mercy to be reproved As many as I love 〈◊〉 rebuke Rev. 3.19 To sin against Reproof is aggravated wickedness The revolters are profound 〈◊〉 make slaughter Hos 5.2 though I have been a râ—buker of them all It is an argument of â—atred not to reprove Levit. 19.15 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour c. Yet how are they counted turbulent pragmatical void or affection rigâ—d and censorious who will not let them goe on in their sin He that hates reproof Prov. 15.10 shall surely dye There is not a sadder Omen that God hath an endless controversie with thee I know saith the Prophet to Amaziah the Lord hath determined to destroy thee 2 Chron. 25.16 because thou hast not hearkened to my reproof Others seem to earken to the Reprover and give him verbal thanks for his plain dealing but from that day their hearts boyl inwardly and they are fill'd with prejudice which will express it self when ever it meets with a fair opportunity How few do engage some Friend to be a faithful Monitor to them to be open-hearted to them
of your provocations humbled in the very dust be sure to keep Conscience tender Let not your convictions dye strike again and again smite on the thigh again and again whilst the Iron is hot This fire may be kept alive by bringing new fuel to it Labour exquisitely to afflict your Souls that you should be so foolish so vile as under Christs Livery to commit so great and so hideous abominations Take words and say O the Light that I have abused O the means of Grace that I have slighted O the little service that I have done to Christ O the many dis-services Let these things cut and grave and afflict and humble thy Soul exceedingly from morning to evening and from evening to morning till God be pacified towards thee beware lest the motions of a lazy heart cause thee to desist sooner A patient that hath had a long disease must continue in the use of the prescriptions till the ill humour be purged away 4. Indignation Let your sorrow be accompanied with detestation See all your sins and loath them and your selves too This is promised they shall loath their ways and doings which are not good O! how much sin have we confessed which yet we have secretly hug'd in our hearts Labour to have your hearts rise against your pride hypocrifie c. Hate sin not only for Hell but as Hell yea hate your selves for your sins yea hate your selves that you can hate your sins no more O that my hatred of my Lusts might be greater than ever my love was unto them I wish from my Soul Professors were more apprehensive of Gods Judgements that are upon them and the Nation for their sins I wish many of us were come up to the frames of the hard-hearted Jews and expressed so much tenderness as they did when Gods hand was heavy upon them their sins also were an heavy burden Hos 7.14 In their affliction they sought God early they mourned and humbled themselves very much though with the removal of their trouble their sorrows wore away However be not satisfied with this sorrow but labour for such sorrow as David had when he was wounded in his heart for sin though Nathan told him his sin was forgiven yet he continued his sorrows for his great transgressions Labour I beseech you for tears of hatred and indignation be greatly displeased with your selves because you have so foolishly and wretchedly dishonoured God and ventured your eternal undoing and if yet thine eyes be not like the Fish-ponds of Heshbon for thy sins take words and sament before God thine hardness of heart that thou shouldst so grievously offend and provoke God so good so gracious a God and that notwithstanding thine heart should remain unbroken 5. Supplication Let there be added hearty cries to God for pardon of all these and all other abominations Who forgives him that scorns to sue for Remission Here is your work in this day the Devil and a false heart will put you upon other work but this is your present work Cant. 1.6 They made me the keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard I have not kept But O! do not leave the work that God sets you about I know it is your duty to provide for the bodies of your Children but consider the danger of thy Soul what guilt thou art under and give the Lord no rest till he hath blotted out all thy sin and art assured that he will remember it no more Relieve not thy self with the general bounty of God or with the free grace and rich mercy of God whilst thou neglectest to cry to God for grace and mercy He will be sought unto by the house of Israel Prize thy condition that thou art alive to pray thou mightst have been in Hell there to howl for ever and ever Seek the Lord whilst he may be found Seek in time before it be too late And if thou doubtest whether thou hast an interest in Christ and the promises because of thy hideous transgressions yet remember the gracious words that tell once from the mouth of Christ to the Samaritan John 4.10 If thou didst know the gift of God thou wouldst have asked and he would have given thee living water Though thou art unworthy of Childrens bread and hast deserved to be cast forth among the dogs yet thou hast to do with a bountifull and mercifull Lord and therefore be not cast down so as to be discouraged from waiting on the Lord. It was ill said of him why should I wait on the Lord any longer There is no hope I would have thee take better words into thy mouth and say Lord I am unworthy to be the object of thy mercy unworthy to live worthy to be denyed because thou didst call and I did not hear therefore if I call thou mayst justly turn me off in thy fury thou mightest answer me by terrible things in righteousness But deal not with me according to my deservings O! make me the great instance of the power of thy grace let thy mercy in pardoning be great exceeding great O God! Do not delay the suing out thy pardon Without delay away quickly to the Throne of Grace Remember Faelix put off his work till some other time There is danger in delays lest your sense of sin and sorrow for it vanish and decay blow up the first sparks of grace lest they go out and dye again take the first advantages of the grace of God Hast thou an inclination to humble thy self to pray to seek Gods face improve it quickly lest the wrath of God who is nighly provoked already against thee break form upon thee and there be no remedy Do not you know that you have lost the sense of the love of God But have you also lost all sense of Gods wrath Do not you wonder you escape that you are yet alive that you are not free among the dead incorporated with the Hypocrites and damned crew Will you dare you go on in your hardness of heart Will you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath O! God forbid Lay by the world thy false friend thy treacherous Joab that hath smitten to the earth with its kisses and its smiles Here is a business on which thy life the life of thy precious Soul depends Prepare to meet thy God wrath is gone out from the Lord howl weep cry it may be you shall be hid is the day of the Lords wrath it may be your sins shall be forgiven Though the law be a looking-glass to shew you your spots the Baver under the law was made of looking-glosses yet it cannot cleanse you it is the Gospel alone that pardons Away ye wandring Sheep to the great Shepheard of your Souls Hebr. 13.20 great he is in affection and love to his flock he hath laid down his life for you he hath purchased you with his own bloud Nathans parable of the Ewe-Lamb is most true of Christ and
loath your services but he cannot take any delight in your persons yea you cannot be restored into his love and favour without Repentance there is no Remission Repent ye therefore and be converted Act. 3.19 that your sins may be blotted out And what have you no mind to be forgiven your own and your other mens sins Deus noâ— infund it oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum Bernard have you no will to be at peace with God and to be restored into his love and favour Are you content that all these and innumerable sins more should be charged upon your Account O then beg of God to break your hearts for and from your sins A broken vessel a broken heart will hold best the oyl of mercy The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God! thou wilt not despise 6. But their Repentance would exceedingly please God and refresh his Ministers Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins seeing your Repentance will be so pleasing and so reviving to your even broken-hearted Ministers Your Repentance will more please God than all your sins have displeased him Though your sins have very much displeased him yet he was loth to depart from you he hath departed only gradually But if you will repent he will readily return in his departure he hath gone as it were a Snayles pace but if you will return he will return with speed he will turn towards you and fall upon your Necks and kiss you and not upbraid you with any of your former miscarriages And O! what a refreshing will it be to your fainting Ministers to see you returning Prodigals Believe it our Chains would be worn as Bracelets and Jewells and our Exiles would be a Paradise to us did we see you putting your mouths in the dust and crying out because of all your Provocations It is your security your seeking great things for your selves your pride your foolish expectations of our returns whilst you and we are so unfit for such a mercy that is our greatest burden and lies heavier on us than the wrath of any save of God Almighty God knoweth who knoweth the secrets of our Souls that we could be contented to be banished from the face of men so that you were delivered from the power of your lusts If you live and stand fast in the faith we live and though we have nothing yet we possess all things joying and rejoycing to see your Zeal your Repentance your Indignations and Revenges against your sins But we is unto us we fear we have spent our Lungs our Time our Studies our Life in vain upon you whilst we behold your benummedness your insensibleness of all the tokens of Gods displeasure by reason of your transgressions And will you add affliction to the afflicted Is it not enough that we are turned out of the Vineyard where we loved our work better than our lives Is it not enough that we are cast forth from among our People and Friends to seek bread for our selves and little ones from door to door But will you have a greater hand in our misery than any others Will you lay the greatest load of trouble upon us whilst others oppress our outward man will you go on to vex our Spirits Have pitty upon us O Children whom we have begotten in the Gospel you call us your Spiritual Fathers you did receive us as Angels yea as Jesus Christ you would have plucked out your eyes to do us good O! now what do we beg not to have your eyes out but fill'd fill'd with tears Gal. 4.15 and your hearts fill'd with sorrow for hatred and indignation against your sins Weep not for us but weep for your selves And is there not a cause Your tears will be our meat and drink a great part of our joy will arise from seeing your godly sorrow Hagar was not more refeshed with her fountain than we shall be to find your heads as waters and your eyes as fountains of tears and you weeping day and night for your own and others provocations Let it suffice you that you have so long grieved us and Christ by your Security Self-love Worldliness Pride and Passions O that now the Egyptians that we have seen among you may be seen alive no more Let us not be hastned to our graves by your impenitencies and stubborn departures from God We are troubled to find still among you and upon you those very sins which have laid Kingdoms and Churches wast and yet you secure as if the Lord had powred out a Spirit of slumber upon you those very sins which overthrow the Churches of Judea and Asia are found among you and will you not repent and do your first works It grieves us to the heart to see sins run through you as water through a Mill and you regard it not We beseech you out of love to God to your own Souls and to us and our comforts that you would cease to do evil and learn to do well Be moved with fear and prepare an Ark. The old world would not believe Noah But the Lord made them to know he was a Prophet of Righteousness We pitty your Souls we are troubled to see what confidence you put in uncertain Signs and Prognostications which beget carelessness and security in you and how little you fear the threatnings of most dreadfull Judgements against those very sins you have lived in many a sad thought we have about you whilst we see your fickleness inconstancy stupidity and ungrounded because unscriptural hopes O! return return repent repent that we may be able to say ye are our joy our Crown our rejoycing in the day of Christ 7. 〈◊〉 or â—â—ver for ought they know And Lastly Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins even by what may be seen in this Glass seeing now God gives you not only time to Repent but an opportunity of Repentance and such an one as if you neglect it you may never have the like again When time and the means are married and lodged together saith one they beget opportunity Now time and means meet together to effect your Repentance If this opportunity be lost you may never have another and if you should never have any other your case is desperate Opportunities cannot be pray'd or wept back again Heb. 12.17 Esau's instance puts it out of all doubt In Gods opportunity it is an easie thing to repent but if this opportunity should be lost by you which God forbid it may be impossible for you to repent See Mr. Fenners danger of deferring repentance folio 35 36. God may justly give you up to Judicial impenitency It may be God doth now by this Treatise speak home unto thy Soul now it may be God warms thy heart now it may be God works in thee good thoughts and desires Now is thy day of grace But to use the words of one
1 Tim. 1.13 I was a Persecutour a Blasphemer and injurious What saith God Remember this day What day The day wherein you were delivered from the house of bondage under Sin the World and Satan O! how have we forgotten that the Lord by a strong and irresistable work of his blessed Spirit translated us out of the Kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of his dear Son It was he that made Jordan to give back and delivered us from Egypt and the Wilderness that we might inherit the good Land O! what Enemies were we studying to be damned galloping to Hell till God met us How seldome do we look back to the Spring from whence all our Mercy flowes For Election How unthankful have we been for that Original-fountain-Mercy eternal Election Why should God single us out a People for himself Why did Grace blossom from Eternity Why did God plot and study my happiness before I had a beeing What was there that Jacob is smiled upon and Esau not so God might have had his Revenues of Glory out of my ruine O that he should glorifie the riches of his mercy in my Salvation And yet how little is God magnified for this How little do we bless God for Christ For Christ Though he be the Stream that alone refresheth the City of God yet how seldome is his Love his stoops and condescentions for us his bleeding and dying for us remembred by us with hearty Praises and Thanksgivings For the Covenant of Grace and the Spirit How little do we bless God for the Covenant of Grace which Mr. Allen excellently calls The Bow in the Cloud after a Deluge of Sin and Misery the forfeited Lease of Eternity renewed the Magna Charta of the City of God the Hopes of Sinners and the Riches of Saints And in particular for the Promise of the Spirit in all his Offices and Operations for the application of the purchased Possession Ezek. 36.27 For outward Salvations I will put my Spirit within you How little do we remember to bless the Lord for outward Salvations You begin perhaps with a little as Jacob and now behold you have two bands a troop of Children Friends c. and an Estate to maintain them When others have had one Mess you have had Benjamin's Portion the silver cup put into the sacks mouth Riches and God too Estate and Christ too Peace and the God of Peace too the World and a good Title to it and yet do not you seldome cry out Bless the Lord O my Soul and let all that is within thee praise his holy Name How seldome do you consider who hath maintained you all this while Who hath delivered you and pull'd you as brands out of the sire You have had the Sentence of Death in your selves you have been with David and Paul in the mouth of the Lyon and yet saved near to perish by the Bullet Sword Pestilence Feaver and other dangers and yet your Lives given you for a prey But how soon have you forgotten the wonders shewen unto the dead O the many preventing Mercies that you have been made partakers of Hath not God secured you in many travails How many have died much younger than you whilst the Lord lengtheneth out your dayes in order to Repentance How many have died in an instant and been snatch'd away without any warning given of Death's approach whilst you have had many an Harbinger to give you to understand its nearness to you How many have been crush'd by falls from houses and câ—â—oured by beasts and by other accidents have been hastened to their long home whilst God is long-suffering to you How many have you seen drawn on Sleds led to shameful and violent Deaths whilst you have been kept from such dismal ends And are there no thanks due to the Name of God And yet how seldome do you admire at distinguishing Providence and preventing loving kindnesses You have a guard of Angels to attend you day and night to secure you from danger but how little do you bless the Lord for the Heavenly Host And yet if you do thank God for some signal outward Mercies perhaps for ease from the Stone Gout Cholick perhaps for security from the rage of the devouring Pestilence if you thank not God more for deliverance from Hell from the guilt and power of Sin than for outward Salvations you discredit God and his choicest Mercies by under-rating Spirituals to Temporals We should have blessed God for his Rod For sufferings for Christ as well as for his Staffe for both are Mercies but how unthankful are we even for sufferings for righteousness sake God expects that in every thing we give thanks as we should not be partial in our Obedience so neither in our Thanksgiving How little have we imitated the ancient Christians whose mouths were alwayes full of Thanks be unto God They saluted one another with Deo gratias and when they heard tydings of Persecution or Protection of Crosses or Comforts still they cried out God be thanked How unlike are we to famous Bradford If said he the Queen will release me I will thank her if she will keep me in Prison I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her Thou shouldst say from thy very heart Though sick though scorned though threatned though all the day long counted as a sheep for the slaughter yet blessed be God that I am counted worthy to suffer for his Name Blessed be God that he counts me for a Son and chasteneth me for my profit that I may be made partaker of his holiness Blessed be God that I am chastened that I may not be condemned But how few give thanks alwayes in all things unto God Eph. 5.20 Isa 24.15 1 Pet. 4.16.13 We have been too backward to glorifie God in Zion much more in the Fires The Apostle Peter would not have any man suffering as a Christian to be ashamed but to glorifie God on this behalf and to rejoyce in as much as he is partaker of Christs sufferings But God knows how farr from Praises we have been when the Storms have been high and threatned our Tabernacles How hath God charged us to remember Mercy Confiderations against Vnthankfulness and to praise him for it Ye that fear the Lord praise him Praise him O ye Servants of the Lord Praise thy God O Zion Psal 22.23.135.1.147.12.148.1.150.1 2. Praise him in the heights Praise God in his Sanctuary Praise him for his mighty acts Praise him according to his excellent greatness Doth not the innumerableness of Gods requiries of Praise and Thanksgiving aggravate our neglect of this Duty What Provision hath Christ made against this Sin Hath not he appointed the Sacrament of his Supper on purpose to help us to Remember him and his saving benefits Do this in Remembrance of me But have not many Professours been so resolved to be unthankful that they have neglected this great Ordinance