Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A35823
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Devout reflections on time, and eternity with various considerations and counsells, to assist our victory over this present world, and help us to prepare for an everlasting state. An introduction is prefixt concerning the first day of the year: how it was observ'd by the Jews; and in what manner à [sic] serious Christian may employ it to the best advantage. Most of the following meditations are suited to that purpose.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing D1245A; ESTC R216345
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99,201
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364
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forgiven T is not the Vnpardonable Sin fer I desire to repent and am resolv'd to return I will still cleave to the Lord and wait upon him and follow hard after him and take no other course for Deliverance and comfort Mine is not a single Case I am not the only Soul that hath been so distress'd and yet found relief by seeking unto God. This therfore good for me to hope Lam. 3 c. 26. and quietly wait for the Salvation of God. I will draw near to God I will lay at his foot and continue in all ways of Worship and Duty wherin I may hope to meet with the quickning and comfort of his Spirit I will seek relief from no other I will keep as near him as I can wither els shall I goe he alone hath the words of Eternal Life he alone can create what is the fruit of his own lips Peace Peace I will encourage my self in the consideration of his General Grace Vid. Mr. Baxter's method for Peace of Conscience and the probabilities of his special Love I will recollect my former Experiences when I had some good hope thro Grace concerning my Adoption I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. If God will give me so much Grace as to continue waiting I will hope still and tho I walk in darkness and see little or no Light I will stay my self upon the Lord. And if by the want of sensible Consolation he will make me more humble and keep me in a greater Submission to his will I will bless his holy name and derive more comfortable hope from thence then from the most sweet and sensible Consolations I ever had and look upon Humility self denial Dependance on God Resignation to him and Hatred of sin as a better sign of his Love then the highest fervors of Affection in his service can be Oh that I had formerly done as much for Holiness as I have for Comfort by the joyment of the one I should have had more of the other the exercise of Grace would have discover'd the Truth of it Let me therfore accuse and condemn my self but still trust and love God and wait upon him Let me resolve never to choose a new Lord or Master Or take up with any Portion beneath God him self or any of Hope or Salvation but by J. Christ my only Saviour neither let me forsake the way of Faith and Holiness for all the hopes and Happiness of this world if put to my choice But be allways able to say Blessed be God I now can that I will return to my former Husband for then it was better with me then now I had peace and refreshment in my former ways I will return to them Lord forsake me not utterly keep not thine Anger for ever cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy H. Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation that my Heart may be in larged to prayse thy name and to run the way of thy Commandments XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentante must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance of some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly. THat we may turn unto the Lord is the end of searching and trying our Ways Lord I have been searching my Heart and considering my ways but can find little or no good neither can I discover all that is evill in both But I find enough to make my own Heart condemn me and Thou who art greater then my Heart and knowest all things mayst much more condemn me I am altogether unclean polluted and abominable If I goe about to enumerate the Sins of my Thoughts words and actions in all the periods of my Life hitherto if I consider my omissions of Duty and dayly Crimes by actual commission if I reflect upon my Sins according to their respective objects as either against Thee o God and against my Neighbour and against my own Soul or compare my Heart and Life with thy strict and holy Law and think in how many Instances I have tansgrest every of thy Righteous Commandments I find they are more then the hairs on my head they can not be number'd who can tell how oft he hath offended many of my sins make little Impression on my Memory doe I observe them not I remember them not but this hinders not but they may make deep Impression on my Conscience which will one day be awake and set them in order before me and they are all written in thy book of Remembrance in order to my final Judgment All my sins are before thee but thou requirest my humble Confession of them in order to Repentance and as a part therof that I freely acknowledg their hainous aggravations to shame and humble my self the more before thee whom I have offended and provok't How long did I serve diverse Lusts and Pleasures with the neglect and forgetfullness of God How sad a prospect may I take of the far greatest part of my Life past especially of my younger years which have been trifl'd away in vanity and folly And since I have known the way of Truth how shamefully have I prevaricated with God I am confounded to consider how often I have despised the Commandment and rebelled against the Light against the Principles of education and the checks of Conscience frequent warnings from God and reproofs from Others contrary to my Profession and Experience contrary to the obligation of peculiar mercies solemn Promises Resolutions and Engagements and a nearer Relation to God then of many others which sins have more dishonor'd my Lord discredited his H. Gospel gratifi'd the Devil scandaliz'd the world and strengten'd the hands of the ungodly then the sins of others And alas How much of my precious Time is thus gone which if duely improv'd would now afford me comfort to review How much Guilt have I contracted every year particularly in this last I now begin another which will soon be gone as that which was concluded yesterday And shall I only advance in Age to increase the number of my sins and heigthen my Account against the Day of Reckoning In Temporal and Civil Affaires Day unto Day uttereth knowledg and Night unto Night teacheth Wisdom We are Taught by Experience many usefull lessons which we should not els have learnt to reform many Errors and mistakes to correct many rash and foolish Actions and Speeches c. And shall I not learn wisdom by the Experience of another year in what concerns my greatest my Eternal Interest shall not the reflexion on my past sins prevent my Commission of the like How many Years hath God vouchsaf't me to work out my salvation but how little have I done towards it had I dyed this last year how unprepar'd must I have made my Appearance before his Tribunal what opportunities of doing and receiving good have I let