with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as
endeavour it and leave as little a scar as possibly he can Pliny tells us of one Martia who had the Child in the womb kill'd by lightning and yet she her self was unhurt It s excellent when a Boanerges can so cast forth lightning as to kill sin in his conscience and not hurt the sinner in his repute To avoid this it was ordained among the Lacedemonians that every transgressour should be his own corrector for his punishment was to compass the Altar finging an invective made against himself It s a singular credit to the Christian if he can open and so heal mens sores as not to leave any brand upon their persons We read that God appointed Snuff-dishes as well as Snuffers for the Lamps of the Tabernacle and both to be of pure gold Exod. 37. 23. The Snuffers noted that those who check any fault in others should be free themselves The Snuff-dishes noted that those crimes which we reprove we should forgive and remit The Râ—bbies say that those Snuff dishes were filled with Sand to bury the Snuffs in He who snuffs a Candle and throws the snuff about the Room gives offence to more by the ill savour he makes then content by his care and diligence There is hardly any work of Christianity which requires more wisdom then this of Admonition The temper and quality of the persons the nature and difference of the crimes the manner and way of delivering the reproof the fittest season for it ought all to be seriously and diligently considered The rebuke of sin is aptly resembled to the fishing for Whales the mark is big enough one can hardly miss hitting but if there be not Sea-room enough and line enough and a dexterity in letting out that line he that fixeth his harping-iron in the Whale endangers both Himself and his Boat Reproof strikes an Iron as it were into the conscience of the Offendour which makes him struggle and strive to draw the Reprover into the Sea to bring him into disgrace and contempt but if the line be prudently handled and not pull'd too strait nor too qâ—ick the sinner may be drâ—wn to the Reprover and saved I confess this duty of reproving is an hard and unpleasing task because truth ordinarily begets hatred but it s far better that men should hate thee for the discharge of thy duty then that God should hate thee for the neglect of it It s much easier to endure their rage for a short time then the Lords wrath for ever If the perfons reproved have any true love to themselves they will love thee and truly that mans love is little worth who hath none for his own soul. Therefore Reader obey Gods precept and leave the event to his providence Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes. 5. 11. If thou canst advantage and gain their souls they will give thee thanks if not thy God will and surely his thanks are not to be esteemed at a low rate It hath many times been experienced that faithful reprehensions have procured though present ill-will yet respect afterwards Dean Colet for delivering his conscience by way of reproof before Henry the eighth at the siege of Tourney was questioned by the Privy Counsellors but within a short time he got a large interest in the Kings heart by the discharge of his duty He that rebuketh a man shall afterwards find more favour then he that flattereth with his tongue Prov. 28. 23. The sick patient who at present wrangleth with his Physitian for his bitter potions doth afterwards when he findeth the happy effect of it in his healâ—h and recovery both thank and reward him Though thou meetest with an ungrateful return in his passion yet thou mayst when that cloud is dispersed expect a more serene and pleasing requital However the best way to lose a friend if thou canst not keep him and a good conscience too is by seeking by thy love and faithfulness to save him Sixthly Mourn for those sins which thou canst not amend Those sins which thou canst not beat down with a stream of truth do thou overcome with a flood of tears When others kindled a fire of lust David drew water and poured it out before the Lord Rivers of tears run down mine eys because the wicked forsake thy law Psa. 119. 135. Mark the intension of Davids passion upon the disobedience of wicked persons Sighs are an ordinary sign of grief but tears a far greater What sorrow was then in Davids heart when not onely tears but rivers of tears ran down his eyes Sâ—rely the Fountain of sorrow was very full and deep when the streams did run so fast and freely Others guilt calleth aloud to thee for grief Do they wound their souls by sin do thou wound thy own soul with sorrow Alas how is it possible thou canst be amongst them that dishonour the blessed God grieve his holy Spirit and break his righteous Commands and not have thine heart broken Lot vexed his righteous soul with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2. 8. Unless thou hast lost thy spiritual sent thou canst not endure the stench of their filthy unsavoury breath without much perplexity and trouble I remembred the transgressors and was greived because they kept not thy Law Psa. 119. 158. He that hath any part of the new man in himself must needs be offended at the old man in others It s presumed he is of a dishonest mind who is not offended at the cheats and thefts of others Every creature is disturbed at that which is contrary to its own nature If grace be the object of my joy and delight sin must needs be the object of my grief and sorrow My soul shall weep in secret for your pride saith Ieremiah Jer. 13. 17. Reader If thou lovest thy God with all thine heart thou cast not but mourn that others should hate him and walk contrary to him We grieve as truly for wrongs done to those whom we sincerely affect as for injuries done to our selves When one of Darius his Eunuches saw Alexander the Gâ—eat setting his foot and trampling upon a Table that had been highly esteemed by his Master he fell a weeping Of which when Alexander asked the reason he answered I weep to see that which my Master esteemed at so high a rate made thy foot-stool A gracious person cannot hear or see the Son of God the Word of God and the People of God which his God prizeth at an high rate vilified trampled under foot and slighted by wicked men but he falls a weeping My tears have been my meat day and night while they say unto me continually Where is thy God Psa. 42. 3. The dishonour of his God went nearer to his heart was very sad at that season Because others did eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit he did eat his bread with tears and mingle his drink with weeping As
herein I shall give thee an example though I would desire thee to remember that the advantage of meditation is rather to be felâ— then read He that can paint Spikenard or Musk or Roses in their proper colours cannot with all his Art draw their pleasant savoâ—r that is beyond the skill of his pencil Let us O my soul a little retire out of the worlds company to converse with the word of thy God I cannot but hope the malefactour hath an high esteem for that Psalm of mercy without which he had lost his life I have reason to believe that thou hast no mean value for that Gospel of grace and the graece of that Gospel without which thou hadst lost thy soul thy God thy joy thy delight thine all and that for ever yet sure I am the price thou sets on it is far inferiour to the worth of this Pearl and besides I have observed of late wheâ—her partly because of its constancy with thee things common though never so necessary and excellent being less valued then meaner things that are rare or cheifly because of thy old seeming friend or rather real enemy thy flesh within thee that never speaks well of it because of its contrariety to the word from which it hath received its deaths-wound and therefore would die as the Thies on the Cross spitting out its venome and malice at it or what ever be the cause I perceive too much thou beginnest to decline in thy respect to it what else doth thy backwardness to read it thy carelesness in minding what thou dost read and thy neglegence in practicing it signifie Therefore let us take a turn or two together and argue the case lest it be argued against thee in an higher Court to thy cost and I charge thee before the dreadful God at whose judgement seat thou art to stand or fall for ever that thou attend to me seriously and not dare to give me the slip till the whole be debated for it is not a vain thing but iâ— for thy life What is this Word which thou art so prone to despise Consider it O my soul First in its Causes and then tell me whether the child be not worthy of love and esteem in the superlative degree for his parents sake 1. It s Principal Efficient cause is the glorious and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the Spring and Fountain of all excellency and perfection All Scripture is given by inspiration of God It s the Word of the Lord the Breath of his Mouth the Law of his Lips whoever were the Pens or Scribes his Mind indicted and his Hand wrot every sentence in it What a word must that be which is the result of infiniteâ— wisdom How precious are those Tables which are the writing of God himself How glorious is that beam of light which was darted from this Sun to whom a whole Firmament of Suns were worse then perfect darkness If the breath of a man be so sweet that his doctrine drop as the rain and his speech distil as the dew If the heart of a man can indict a good matter and his tongue resemble the pen of a ready writer O what is the speech of the tongue of a God! Never man spake as he spake his enemies themselves being judges The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and blessed those Servants that waited at his Table and heard his wisdom But loe O my soul A greater then Solomon is here How blessed are they that wait at his Gates and that watch at the Posts of his doors 2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces Some of them were like Saul higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth David the sweet singer of Israel a man after Gods own heart Solomon who excelled in wisdom all that were before him or came after him Isaiah of the Blood-Royal an Evangelical Prophet or Prophetical Evangelist whose prophesie is clean and clear and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetorick Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosome of Iesus Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heavens and as famous for active and passive obedience as any in the world in his days All of them were men extraordinarily inspired and assisted by the Spirit of God Not onely the notions but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them and infused into them by God himself The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes but the best of them though the Prophesie of the Sybills which the Heathen so highly esteemed be included is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost O how excellent must that Scripture be of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanâ—enses and to whom the infinite wisdom of God did dictate every word 3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine the epitome of all equity and righteousness the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be beleived or practiced The Scripture is a perfect rule both for faith and manners It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God and towards men how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions it forbiddeth evil all evil in the very thoughts it commandeth good whatsoever is good in the whole course of our lives It speaketh of such things as are far above reason and yet nothing that is contrary to reason The truths delivered in it are many of them such as no humane or created capacity could have possibly invented yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angelâ— to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy as is discovered in the Gospel about the redemption of fallen man It teacheth the nature and excellency of God the trinity of persons the unity of essence the immensity of all his attributes how he is infinite in his being wisdom knowledge holiness mercy and faithfulness how he is a pure act without the least passion a perfect being uncapable of any addition eternal without either beginning or ending immutable without the least alteration incomprehensible beyond all coâ—ceptions omnipresent without any circumscription It instructeth us in the person and offices and states of the blessed Redeemer how he being the Son of God was partaker of the humane nature that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature How God and Man were united in one person that Man and God might be united in one Covenant How the eternal God married our natures that he might exalt his boundless grace in marrying our persons How man
was the debtor God-man the surety who made satisfaction to God the Creditour How he was born of a mean woman that we might be born of the most high God he was tempted that he might conquer Satan for us and succour us when tempted by him what a life he led filled with miracles and miseries what a death he died embittered with shame and pain and all that we might be exalted to eternal honour and pleasure How he triumphed over Death the Grave the Curse of the Law Satan and Hell in his Resurrection and ascended into Heaven leading Captivity Captive appears in his Fathers presence pleading his death as the prise of his Chosens fafety and life sitteth at his right hand and ever liveth to make intercession for us Its precepts excel all the commands and Statutes and Laws that ever were in the World in purity and justice and goodness much more then the Firmament of Stars doth a Wisp of Straws Its promises are exceeding great and precious of special efficacy superlative excellency and unquestionable certainty In a word the Scripture hath all in it requisite either for counsel or comfort for necessity or delight for knowledge or action for direction in life or consolation in death 3. The form of the Scripture renders it worthy my highest esteem and hottest affection 1. It s inward form is That perfect correspondence and agreement between the commands and promises laid down in the word and that infallible and certain truth of Gods own understanding The books of men are sutable to their minds and their minds being but in part sanctified their works must be answerably imperfect but the Lords understanding being infinitely pure and true his word must bear some proportion to it God is truth without the least shadow of error holy without the least tittle of mixture hence his word is certain without the smallest colour for doubts Thy law is the truth pure not admitting of the least sin or darkness Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy servant love it Because of its exact conformity to the eternal will of God it s called his word As a man maketh known his mind by his words so doth God hence it s called the mind of God Pro. 1. 23. The Word of God 1 Pet. 1. 15. The counsel of God Act. 20. 27. The Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. The Law of God Psalm 1. 2. Not onely in regard of its Author which is the divine wisdom but also in regard of its matter which is the divine will 2. It s outward form is both plain and difficult according to Gregory so shallow that lambs may wade in it and so deep that Elephants may swim in it It s stile is so plain as to encourage the most unlearned and yet so difficult as to exercise the greatest Scholars and most profound Rabbies To those that are babes in understanding the Scripture is milk to them that are men in knowledge the word is strong meat It s therefore called light the nature of which is both to discover it self and other things also Thy word is a light to my feet and a lanthorn to my paths It s a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts Psa. 119. 105. 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is plain in regard of fundamentals and things necessary to be known and done What we are to believe concerning God the mediatour our own estate of innocency apostacy recovery what we are to practise in order to salvation are all perspicuous and clear to ordinary capacities Though there be some whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine upon them yet all wisdomes ways are plain to him that understandeth 2 Cor. 4.4 Pro. 8. 9. The Scripture sheweth the greatest simplicity both in words and phrases and figures that the weakest need not be afraid of searching into it There is such obscurity also in things not absolutely necessary to salvation that the deepest understandings need not be ashamed of reading and studying it Peter affirmes that in the Epistles of Paul there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood There are such abstruse texts in the word of God that no man can make a certain comment on them The Jews themselves confessed that in the latter end of Ezekiel there are many things mentioned which are beyond all their apprehensions against which and all other difficulties in the Old Testament they comfort themselves according to the expression of the woman of Samaria Messias venturus est qui nobis annunciabit omnia The Messias will come and tell us all things Now the wise God seeth fit to let some truths in Scripture be dark 1. To shame us for our ignorance which is the fruit of our fall from him The pride and height of man is laid low by the profound and hard places in the Word of God 2. To quicken us to diligence in reading and meditating and comparing Scripture with Scripture The deeper a mine of gold lyeth in the earth the harder we must labour to dig it out 3. To raise our price of the Word of God We are apt to slight things that are easie and ordinary and to value things at the highest that cost us dearest 4. To provoke us to pray to God that he would give us his key whereby we may unlock this cabinet of precious Jewels He onely that made the Scripture can best acquaint us with his mind in the Scripture therefore David intreated divine light that he might understand the divine Law Psa. 119. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderâ—ful things of thy Law 4. The final cause of the word will speak it full of value and worth Namely the glory of the great God and the salvation of lost man The honour of God shines more brightly then the Meridian Sun through the whole Heaven of the Scripture The Scripture exalteth God in regard of his infinite nature and being his transcendent excellencies and perfections his eternal decree his works of creation and providence It advanceth God in all his attributes declaring to us 1. His wisdom how he is the onely wise God the foolishness of God is wiser then the wisdom of men yea that Angels themselves are fools to him His understanding is infinite 2. His Power how he is mighty in strength the Almighty God to him nothing is impossible doth what ever he pleaseth can do more then he will do 3. His mercy how he is full of mercy rich in mercy the Father of mercys hath multitudes of tender mercies his mercy endureth for ever hath an heighth and depth and length and breadth in it which none can reach 4. His Iustice how he fails not the least in the performance of his promises and accomplishment of his threatnings how he will by no means clear the guilty not the greatest of his favourites not
through thy strength ponder all thy sayings in my heart and make them the rule of my life I will delight inâ—thy law and meditate therein day and night I will give diligence to reading be frequent in hearing and uniform and coustant in obedience to it I will teach it diligently my children and talk of it when I sit in mine house and when I walk by the way when I lye down and when I rise up I will bind it for a sign upon my hand it shall be as a frontlet between mine eyes I will make thy statutes my songs in the house of my pilgrimage I will rejoyce in thy testimonies more then they that find great spoils I will chuse thy statutes as my heritage for ever for they are the joy of my heart I will delight in the law of God after the inner man I will incline my heart to keep thy statutes always unto the end I have sworn and I will perform that I will keep thy righteous judgements But ah Lord what do I say I have even cast thy law behind my back I have broken thy bands asunder and cast thy cords from me My carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be I can of my self break thy law but onely through thy strength keep it I have gone astray like a lost sheep O seek thy servant and I will keep thy statutes Be surety for thy servant for good that I may observe thy precepts I am a stranger in this earth hide not thy commandments from me Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it unto the end Giâ—e me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall keep it with my whole heart Thou art good and dost good O teach me thy statutes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may keep thy commandments I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill unto thy heavenly habitation Then will I go into the presence of God even of God my exceeding joy Yea upon the harp will I praise thee O God my God for ever Fourthly If thou woulst exercise thy self to godliness in Solitude Accustom thy self to soliloquies I mean to conference with thy self He needs never be idle that hath so much business to do with his own soul. It was a famous answer which Antistenes gave when he was asked what fruit he reaped by all his studies By them saith he I have learned both to live and talk with my self Soliloquies are the best disputes every good man is best company for himself of all the creatures Holy David enjoyneth this to others Commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still Selah Psal. 4.4 Commune with your own hearts when ye have none to speak with talk to your selves Ask your selves for what end ye were made what lives ye have lead what times ye have lost what love ye have abused what wrath ye have deserved Call your selves to a reckoning how ye have improved your talents how true or false ye have been to your â—rust what provision ye have laid in for an hour of death what preparation ye have made for a great day of account Vpon your beds Secresie is the best opportunity for this duty The silent night is a good time for this speech When we have no outward objects to disturb us and to call our eyes as the fools eyes are always to the ends of the earth then our eyes as the eyes of the wise may be in our heads and then our minds like the windows in Solomons Temple may be broad inwards The most successful searches have been made in the night season the soul is then wholly shut up in the earthly house of the body and hath no visits from strangers to disquiet its thoughts Physicians have judged dreams a probable sign whereby they might find out the distempers of the body Surely then the bed is no bad place â—o examine and search into the state of the soul. And be still Self-communion will much help to curb your head-strong ungodly passions Serious consideration like the casting up of earth amongst Bees will allay inordinate affections when they are full of fury and make such an hideous noise Though sensual appetites and unruly desires are as the people of Ephesus in an uproar pleading for their former priviledge and expecting their wonted provision as in the days of their predominancy if conscience use its authority commanding them in Gods name whose officer it is to keep the Kings peace and argue it with them as the Town-Clark of Ephesus We are in danger to be called in question for this days uproar there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this days concourse all is frequently by this means husht and the tumult appeased without any further mischief Selah This signifieth elevation or lifting up either the mind or voyce or both For the matter of it it importeth 1. An Asseveration of a thing so to be Hence the Chaldee Paraphrast and some other Hebrews have turned it For ever The foregoing assertions are true and shall be so for ever 2. An Admiration at it Such truths call both for our assent and wonder Selah is affixed by way of Emphasis to note the excellency of the thing asserted and the impression it should make upon our spirits As David enjoyned this duty to others so he practised it himself Psa. 77. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search He communed with his own heart was not a stranger at home Indeed an Hypocrite as the Philosopher speaks of a vicious person is not friends with himself but endeavours more to avoid himself then any others and is never in so bad company as when he is alone for then he is forced to keep company with himself Where conscience is an abused and incensed Judge t is no wonder that a guilty malefactour would flie from its presence The servant that hath rioted all day is unwilling his Master should reckon with him at night The Heathen persecutors would not hear the Christians because their cause would have appeared so just that nature it self would have justified them The ungodly will not for a contrary reason hear the indictments which conscience prefers against them because their cause will appear so bad that they cannot avoid condemning themselves It may be said of whorish hearts as of the Harlot Her feet abide not within her house But the sincere Christian that allows himself in no sin delights to commune with his own soul and when he is debating things with his own conscience
doth imagine It s called a Resurrection from the dead a new Creation the Work of God because nothing less then a Divine Almighty power can effect it Revel 20. 6. Ephes. 2. 10. Ioh. 6. 29. Ephes. 2. 6. 4. Speak to the necessity of a change in him both of his disposition by Repentance and of his condition by faith in Iesus Christ That these are not works which may be done or left undone but such as must be done or he is undone for ever Tell him the necessity of a change 1. Of his Nature by Repentance how God himself hath said Except he repent he shall perish and that it is not possible for the whole creation to make void Gods Word That as he is a corrupted depraved creature he is no way capable of Heaven for God hath shut him out and bard the gate of bliss against him Into it i. e. Heaven can in no wise enter any thing that defileth or is unclean Rev. 21. ult And he hath shut himself out by his vicious nature for spiritual pleasures are not sutable neither can be enjoyed by depraved and ungodly creatures Let him know that swinish dispositions cannot rellish heavenly delights and therefore if it were possible for him to get to Heaven in a carnal estate Heaven would be no Heaven that is no place of joy or pleasure to him Acquaint him especially wherein the nature of repentance consisteth not in a few sighs or sobs for sin or in crying God mercy or saying I am sorry I ever sinned but in a real change of the heart and nature that his mind must be changed to see the ugliness and deformity of sin his will to refuse it as the greatest evil his affections to loath it and hate it above all things whatsoever that he must abhor himself and loath himself and bemoan himself for all his abominations if ever he would fiâ—d mercy that he must in his whole man be altered turned upside down be contrary to what he is by nature be converted and born again or he can nevrr see the Kingdom of God Mat. 18. 3. Ioh. 3. 3. Forget not also to discover the necessity of a change 2. Of his state by faith in Iesus Christ how the Son of God can alone deliver him from the wrath of God that there is no name under heaven by which he can be saved but the name of Christ that all his prayers and tears and duties cannot satisfie the divine justice for the least of his sins or deserve the least favour on the behalf of his soul that he must of necessity be united by faith to Christ and submit to his guidance and give up himself to his Government or perish eternally that though Christ died for him without his will yet he will not save him against or without his will but he must be heartily willing to accept Christ as his Saviour and Soveraign as ever he looks for salvation by him Here it may not be amiss to acquaint him with the fulness of Christs merits and the freeness of Gods mercy to them that do sincerely repent and believe How God commands intreats threatens promiseth and all to draw men to mind the things of their peace 5. Speak to the shortness of his time to do this weighty and necessary work in that now there is no dallying no delaying for within a few hours it may be too late that grace must be got now or never that Christ and pardon and life must be obtained now or never that no sin shall be forgiven no person shall be justified no soul renewed or cleansed in the other world that is not pardoned and sanctified in this that Heaven and Hell are before him and within a short time the matter will be determined which of the two he shall be in for ever that he must now get a title to bliss or miss it for ever now prevent the unquenchable fire or burn in it for ever that he is now upon the shore just stepping into the Ocean either of Honey or Wormwood Joy or Horror and therefore it concerns him nearly to consider what he doth and to be diligent to the utmost if he would escape the endless company and torments of Devils and damned Spirits Take heed of giving him hopes of recovery which many do to please the sick or their friends for hereby thou mayst exceedingly injure his soul frustrating all the means used for his spiritual health Think not much to be often with the sick person in case thou hast opportunity Let his misery move thee and the love of Christ draw thee When we fell an Oak thirty or forty of the first strokes seem to be lost because the Tree stirs not yet if we continue it comes at last down and sheweth the effects of the first as well as the last strokes If he be converted thou wilt be satisfied however thy reward is with God If this unconverted person be scandalous then it may be sometimes convenient to hint at the horrid nature of such sins being committed against common light and abhorred by many of the very Heathen and marked particularly for vengeance by the jealous God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Ephes. 5. 5 6. Thou mayst have the more hopes of success in visiting such a one because conscience in this sinner will probably prove thy friend and joyn with thee in terrifying him for those sins from which it could not though it frequently attempted disswade him If the unconverted person be one that liyed civilly and orderly in his outward conversation paying every man his own keeping his Church forbearing enormous crimes c. It will be then needful to commend his civility Iesus looked on such a man and loved him but also to discover its defects and insufficiency that there is one thing lacking how his nature is universally polluted and it must be throughly purified or he is a lost man that its one thing to have a wound hid and another thing to have it healed that many Inâ—idels have been unblameable in their outward carriages who yet perished being without Christ that the Scribes and Pharises went farther then most civil men for they had not onely a negative holiness in denying gross sins but a Positive holiness in shew at least they prayed fasted c. yet he to whom it is impossible to lye tells us Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It will be good also in dealing with such a person to insist much upon the latitude and purity of the Law of God how it forbiddeth and condemneth for the least sinful thought and how nothing less then perfect obedience can answer its demands or satisfie the Law-giver because such men are apt to judge themselves righteous comparing themselves with those that are notoriously vicious They think all is well their minds being darkned and unable to