the satisfying of his justice and also freeing us from the guilt and punishment of either And that with as much brevity as may stand with perspicuity First in general we must undoubtedly know that the sole perfection of a Christian is â—he imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not imputation of his own unrighteousnesse as appears by the whole current of Scripture of which a few Even the Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many Mark 10.45 As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous c. Rom. 5.18 19. As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the justifying of one the benefit abounded towards all men to the justification of life Rom. 5.18 Unto Iesus Christ that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 The blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 he is the reconciliation for our sins c. 1 Joh. 2 1 2. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 He was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification Rom. 4.25 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree by whose stripes we were healed 1 Pet. 2.24 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we were healed Isa. 53.5 Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given none other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeveth in me although he were dead yet shall he live John 11.25 You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins Ephes. 2.1 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 4.16 to 20. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5 6. to 11 read to the end of the Chapter See more Iohn 1.29 Acts 13.39 Rom. 6.4 to 23. and 8.2 3. and 10. 3,4 1 Cor. 15.56 Col. 1.14 Gal 3.22 Heb. 9.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. 1 Joh. 3.8 Sect. XVIII As Christ was a sinner onely by the imputation of our sins so we are just onely by the imputation of his righteousness Our good works were they never so many and rare cannot justify us or deserve any thing at Gods hands it is onely in Christ that they are accepted and only for Christ that they are rewarded Yea the opinion of thine own righteousnesse makes thy condition far worse then the wickedest mans alive For Christ that came to save all weary and heavy laden sinners be they never so wicked neither came to save or once to call thee that hast no sin but art righteous enough without him As hear his own words to the proud Pharisees who had the same thoughts of themselves as thou hast They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The lost sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 9.13 and 10.6 and 15.24 and 18.11 Nor can any soul be so dangerously sick as thou who art least sensible of thy being sick Briefly until with Saint Paul thou renounceth thine own righteousness seest thy self the greatest of sinners art able to discern sin in every thing thou canst think speak or do and that thy very righteousness is no better then a menstruous cloth Isai. 64.6 thou canst have no part in Christ. And untill Christ shall become thine by Regeneration and a lively faith Thou art bound to keep the whole Law actually and spiritually with thy whole man thy whole life or else suffer eternal death and destruction of body and soul in Hell for thy not keeping it So that thou hast yet to answer and I pray mind it seriously for all the sins that ever thou hast committed who art not able to answer for one of the least of them For the wages of sin any sin be it never so small is eternal death Rom. 6.23 Gal. 2.16 19 20 21. Neither let Satan nor thy own deceitfull heart delude thee in thinking that thou hast faith when thine own words declare the contrary Nor would I ask any more evidence against thee in this then thine own mouth in saying that thou never doubtedst in all thy life for this makes it plain that thou never hadst faith nor ever knewest what saith means For he who never doubted never believed and Satan hath none so sure as those whom he never yet assaulted Sect. XIX But this being a main fundamental point which every man is bound to know I will more particularly and fully explain it as thus Man being in a most miserable and undone condition by reason of Original and actual sin and of the curse due to both being liable to all miseries in this life and adjudged to suffer eternal torments in hell-fire after death having no possibility to escape the fierce wrath of Almighty God who had already pronounced sentence upon him VVhen neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yeilded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God of his infinite wisdome and goodness did not onely find out a way to satisfie his justice and the Law but even gave us his own Son out of his bosome and his Son gave himself to die even the most shameful painful and cursed death of the Cross to redeem us that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven VVherefore wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the eternal God would die to redeem our worse then lost souls that we might not die eternally O the deepnesse of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God who can sufficiently admire thy love or commend thy pity or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man
sensible how evil and wicked it is that so thou maist have a more humble conceit of thy self lay to heart these three particulars 1 The corruption of our nature by reason of Original Sin 2. Our manifold breach of Gods righteous Law by actual sin 3. The guilt and punishment due to us for them both This being done thou wilt see and find thy necessity of a Redeemer And it is thirst only that makes us relish our drink hunger our meat The full stomach of a Pharisee surcharged with the superfluities of his own merits will loath the honey-comb of Christs righteousnesse This was it which made the young Prodigal to relish even servants fare though before wanton when full fed at home No more relish feels the Pharisaical heart in Christs blood than in a chip But O how acceptable is the fountain of living waters to the chased hart panting and braying The blood of Christ to the weary and tyred soul to the thirsty conscience scorched with the sense of Gods wrath he that presents him with it how welcome is he even as a special choice man one of a thousand And the deeper the sense of misery is the sweeter the sense of mercy is Sect. XXXVIII Then if you would be satisfied for time to come whether your Repentance and conversion be true and sound these particulars will infallibly inform you If you shall persevere when this trouble for sin is over in doing that which now you purpose it is an infallible sign your repentance is sound otherwise not If thou dost call to mind the Vow which thou madst in Baptism and dost thy endeavour to perform that which then thou didst promise If thou dost square thy life according to the rule of Gods Word and not after the rudiments of the world If thou art willing to forsake all sin without reserving one for otherwise that one sin may prove the bane of all thy graces even as Gideon had seventy Sons and but one Bastard and yet that Bastard destroyed all the rest that were Legitimate Judg 9.5 Sin is like the Ivy in the wall cut off bough branch body stump yet some strings or other will sprout out again Till the root be pluck't up or the wall be pulled down and ruined it will never utterly die Regeneration or new birth is a creation of new qualities in the soul as being by nature only evil disposed Gods children are known by this mark they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 If Christ have called you to his service your life will appear more spiritual and excellent than others As for your fails 't is a sign that sin hath not gained your consent but committed a rape upon your soul when you cry out to God If the ravished Virgin under the Law cried out she was pronounced guiltlesse A sheep may fall into the mire but a swine delights to wallow in the mire Great difference between a woman that is forced though she cries out and strives and an alluring Adulteresse Again The thoughts of the godly are godly of the wicked worldly and by these good and evil men are best and truliest differenced one from another Would we know our own hearts and whether they be changed by a new birth Examine we our thoughts words actions passions especially our thoughts will inform us for these cannot be subject to hypoâ—â—risie as words and deeds are Sect. XXXIX Then by way of caution know that a child may as soon create it self a man in the state of Nature regenerate himself We cannot act in the leasâ— unlesse God bestows upon us daily privative grace to defend us from evil and daily positive grace inabling us to do good And those that are of Christ teaching know both from the word and by experience that of themselve they are not only weak but even dead to what is good moving no morâ— than they are moved that their best works are faulty all their sins deadâ—ly all their natures corrupted originally You hath he quickned that werâ— dead in trespasses and sins Ephes. 2.1 Yea we are altogether so dead in sinâ— that we cannot stir the least joynt no not so much as feel our own deadness nor desire life except God be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custom to the life of grace Apt we arâ— to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodness yeaâ— to all the meanes thereof My powers are all corrupt corrupt my will Marble to good but wax to what is ill Insomuch that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse 〈◊〉 speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3.5 Joh. 15.4 5. I we have power to choose or refuse the object to do these well we have no power We have ability we have will enough to undo our selves scopâ— enough hell-ward but neither motion nor will to do good that must bâ— put into us by him that gives both power and will and power to will Finally Each sanctified heart feels this but no words are able sufficiently to expresse what impotent wretches we are when we are not sustainâ—ed So that we have no merit but the mercy of God to save us nothinâ— but the blood of Christ and his mediation to cleanse and redeem us nothinâ— but his obedience to inrich us As for our good works we are altogether beâ— holding to God for them not God to us nor we to our selves becausâ— they are only his works in us Whatsoever thou art thou owest to him that made thee whatever thoâ— hast thou owest to him that Redeemed thee Therefore if we do any thinâ— amisse let us accuse our selves if any thing well let us give all the praise 〈◊〉 God And indeed this is the test of a true or false Religion that which teacheth us to exalt God most and most to depresse our selves is the true that which doth most prank up our selves and detract from God is thâ— false As Bonaventure well notes Sect. XL. Now to wind up with a word of exhortation if thou beest convinced are resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution be peremptory anâ— constant and take heed you harden not again as Pharaoh the Philistinâ— the young man in the Gospel Pilate and Iudas did resemble not the iroâ— which is no longer soft than it is in the fire for that good saith Gregâ—â—ry will do us no good which is not made good by perseverance If wiâ—â— these premonitions the Spirit hath vouchsafed to stir up in thine heart anâ— good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting thy sins go quench not grieve not the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 Return not with the Dog to thy vomit lest thy latter end prove seven-fold worse than thy beginning Matth. 12.43 45. O it is a fearfull thing to receive the grace of God in vain and a desperate thing being warned of a rock willfully to cast our selves
cold doth keep in and double their inward heat And so of mans body the more extream the cold is without the more doth the natural heat fortifie it self within and guard the heart The Corn receives an inward heat and comfort from the Frost and Snow which lieth upon it Trees lopt and pruned flourish the more and bear the fuller for it The Grape when it is most pressed and trodden maketh the more and better Wine The drossie gold is by the fire refined Windes and Thunder clears the Air Working Seas purge the Wine Fire increaseth the sent of any Perfume Pounding makes all Spices smell the sweeter Linnen when it is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten becomes the whiter and fairer the Earth being torn up by the Plough becomes more rich and fruitful Is there a piece of ground naturally good Let it lie neglected it becomes wilde and barren yea and the more rich and fertile it is of it self the more waste and fruitless it proveth for want of Tillage and Husbandry The Razor though it be tempered with a due proportion of Steel yet if it pass not the Grindstone or Whetstone is never the less unapt to cut yea though it be made once never so sharp if it be not often whelted it waxeth dul All which are lively emblemes of that truth which the Apostle delivers 2 Cor. 4.16 We faint not for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing If by enmity and persecution as with a knife the Lord pareth and pruneth us it is that we may bring forth the more and better fruit and unless we degenerate we shall bear the better for bleeding as Anteus every time rose up the stronger when Hercules threw him to the ground because he got new strength by touching of his Mother O admirable use of affliction health from a wound cure from a disease out of grief joy gain out of loss out of infirmity strength out of sin holiness out of death life yea we shall redeem something of Gods dishonour by sin if we shall thence grow holy But this is a harder Riddle then Sampsons to these Philistims CHAP. 6. That it stirs them up to Prayer 3 THirdly because they quicken our devotion make us pray unto God with more fervency Lord saith Isaiah in trouble they will visit thee they poured out prayers when thy chastening was upon them Isay 26.16 In their affliction saith Hosea they will seek thee diligently Hosea 5.15 That we never pray so feelingly fervently forcibly as in time of affliction may be seen in the examples of the children of Israel Judges 3.9 15. Elisha 2 Kings 6.18 Hezekiah 2 Kings 19.15 16. Stephen Acts 7.59 60. And lastly in Iehosaphat who being told that there was a great multitude coming against him from beyond the Sâ—a out of Aram it follows That Jehosaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast throughout all Judeah Yea they came out of all parts and joyned with him to enquire of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.3 4 13. Neither doth it make us alone which suffer earnest in prayer but it makes others also labour in prayer to God for us 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Acts 12.5 12. As what true members participate not some way of the bodies smart It is only a Nero can sit and sing while Rome burns Whence we are taught to pray in the plural number Our Father and certainly he cannot pray or be heard for himself that is no mans friend but his own No prayer without faith no faith without Charity no Charity without mutual intercession But I proceed Crosses are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our Devotions without which they grow dull and ineffectual Ionah sleeps in the Ship but prays hard in the Whales belly Prayer is the wing of the soul wherewith it flies to Heaven as meditation is the Eye wherewith we see God But our hearts are like flint-stones which must be smitâ—en ere they will send out these sparks of devotion Christ never heard of the Canaanitish woman until her daughter was miserably vexed with a Devil but then she comes to him and doth not speak but cry need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate clamour The God of mercy is light of hearing yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation not to make himself inclinable to grant but to make us capable to receive blessings And indeed the very purpose of affliction is to make us importunate he that hears the secret murmurs of our grief yet wil not seem to hear us till our cries be loud and strong as Demosthenâ—s would not plead for his Client till he cried to him but then answered his sorrow Now I feel thy cause Prayer is as an arrow if it be drawn up but a little it goes not far but if it be pâ—ll'd up to the head flies strongly pierces deep if it be but dribled forth of careless lips it falls down at our feet the strength of our ejaculations sends them up into Heaven and fetches down a blessing The Childe hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying and the very unjust Iudge cannot endure the widows clamour So unto fervent prayer God will deny nothing Whereas heartless motions do but teach us to deny Fervent suites offer violence both to Earth and Heaven So that if we ask and miss it is because we ask amiss we beat back the flame not with a purpose to suppress it but to raise it higher and to diffuse it We stop the stream that it may swell the more and a denial doth but invite the importunate as we see in the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15. Our holy longings are increased with delayes it whets our appetite to be held fasting and whom will not Need make both humble and â—loquent If the case be woful it will be exprest accordingly the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the God of power but while money can buy Physick or friends procâ—re enlargement the great Physician and helper is not sought unto nor throughly trusted in It is written of the children of Israel that so soon as they cried unto the Lord he delivered them from their servitude under Eglon King of Moab yet it is plain they were eighteen years under this bondage undelivered Iudges 3.14 15. Doubtless they were not so unsensible of their own misery as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteen years the first hour they sighed for themselves but now they cried unto God They are words and not prayers which fall from careless lips if we would prevail with God we must wrestle and if we would wrestle happily with God we must wrestle first with our own dulness Yea if we felt our want or wanted not desire we could speak to God in no tune but cries and nothing but cries can pierce Heaven The best mens zeal is but
whereby wee are continually tempted drawn away and enticed through our own concupiscence Yea thou knowest that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and that the imaginations thereof are onely and continually evill O the infinitely intricate windings and turnings of the dark Labyrinâ—hs of mans heart who finds not in himself an indisposition of mind to all good and an inclination to all evill And according to this our inclination hath been our practice wee have yielded our hearts as cages to entertain all manner of unclean spirits when on the contrary wee have refused to yield them as Temples for thine holy Spirit to dwell in Yet miserable wretches as wee are wee like our own condition so well that wee are not willing to go out of our selves unto thee who wouldest new make us according to the Image of thy Son for by long custom wee have so turned delight into necessity that we can as willingly leave to live as leave our lusts yea wee love our sins so well and so much above our souls that except thou change our hearts wee shall chuse to go to Hell rather then part with them Thou hast used all manner of means to reclaim us but nothing will serve neither the menaces and terrours of thy Law nor the precepts and sweet promises of thy Gospell can do it Wee are neither softned with benefits nor broken with punishments thy severity will not terriâ—ie us nor thy kindness mollifie us No shouldest thou send an Angell from the dead to warn us all perswasions would be in vain since we hear Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles daily and are never the better True O Lord there is a main reason of it which we cannot now help for naturally we have eyes and see not ears and hear not hearts and understand not Yea wee are quite dead in sin untill thou doest boar our ears soâ—ten our hearts and break in upon our consciences by the irresistible power of thy Spirit and by going along with thy Word shall quicken our souls and regenerate the whole man anew In the mean time wee are ready to receive all and return nothing but sin and disobedience wherein wee more then abound for wee have done more against thee this week then wee have done â—or thee ever since we were born And whereas the least of thy mercies is greater then all the curtesies of men wee are not so thankfull to thee for them all as wee are to a friend for some one good turn Neither do wee alone lay the fault upon our inability or want of supply from thee but upon our own perversnesse and want of endeavour and putting forth that strength and ability which thou hast given us for how long hast thou O most gracious God stood at the doors of our hearts and how often hast thou knock'd when we have refused to open and let thee in And if at any time we have been over-ruled by the good motions of thy holy Spirit yet have wee still returned with the Dog to our vomit and with the Sow refused the clear streams of thy Commandements to wallow in the myre of our filthy sins whereby we have justly deserved that thou shouldest have called us to an account in the dead of our sleep and have judged us to eternall destruction and never have suffered us again to have seen the light of the Sun the remembrance of which together with our other rebellions when we rightly consider them makes us even speechless like him in the Gospell as neither expecting mercy nor daring to ask it Howbeit when wee call to mind thy manifold mercies shewed to Manasses Paul Mary Magdalen the Thief and the Prodigall Son with many others who were no less vile then wee and who notwithstanding found thee more ready to hear then they were to ask and to give above what they durst presume to beg wee stay our selves and receive some incouragement from the application of the meâ—ts of Christ Iesus which thou hast promised shall bee a sufficient satisfaction for all our sins and the rather for that thou caâ—est all that are weary and heavie laden with the burthen of their sins unto thee with promise that thou wilt ease them and hast promised that though our sins be as red as scarlet thou wilt make them white as snow and that thou will not the death of a sinner but that he turn from his wickedness and live and that if a sinnerâ— doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart thou â—ilâ— blot out all his wickedness out of thy remembrance Anâ—â—â—st wee should yet be discouraged thou who didst no less accept th◠〈◊〉 Dâ—â—iâ— then the act of Solomon hast further promised that if were be 〈…〉 mind thou wilâ— accept of us according to that which we have and not according to that which wee â—ave not But forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that is not in man to turn his own heart unless thou dost first give him grace to convert for thou O Lord must work in us both the will and the deed and being that it is as easie with thee to make uâ— righteous and holy as to bid us bee such O our God give us ability and willingness to do what thou commandest and then command what tâ—o wilt and thou shalt find us ready to do thy blessed will Wherefore give to us and increase in us all Christian graces that wee may know and believe and repent and amend and persevere in well doing Create in us O Lord a new â—eaâ—t and renew a right spirit within us take away from us our greedy desire of committing sin and enable us by the poweâ—full assistance of thy grace more willingly to obey thee in every of thy commandements their ever wee have the contrary Be favourable to thy people every where look down in much compassion upon thy Militant Church and every severall member thereof blesse it in all places 〈◊〉 peace and truth hedge it about with thy providence defend it from the miscâ—ievous designs and attempts of â—â—ine and her malitious enemie let thy Gospell go on and conâ—ueâ— maugre all opposition that Religion and uprightness of heart may bee highly set by with all and all prophaneness may be trod under foot More particularly be mercifull to this sinfull Land the civill â—agistrates the painful Ministers the two Universities those people that sit yet in darkness all the afflicted members of thy Son Lord comfort the comfortless strengthen the weak bind up the broken hearted make the bed of the sick be a father to the fatherless and an husband to the widdow cloath the naked feed the hungry visit the prisoners relieve the oppressed sanctifie unto them all their afflictions and turn all things to the best to them that fear thee Prosper the Armies that fight thy battells and shew a difference between thy servants and thine enemies as thou did'st between the Israelites and the Egyptians that the one may bee
stick in filthy mud But thou dreamest of a saith without doubting which some doting by boast they have but as no righteousness can bee perfect without sin so no assurance can bee perfect without doubting Take the evenest ballances and the most equall weights yet at the first putting in there will bee some in-equality though presently after they settle themselvs in a 〈…〉 is a cloud that often hinders the Sun from our eyes yet it is still a Sun the vision or feeling of this comfort may bee somtime suspended the Union with Christ is never dissolved An usuall thing with beleevers to have their ebbing and flowing waâ—ing and waning Summer and Winter to bee somtimes so comfortable and couragious that wee can say with David Though I were in the valley of death yet would I fear none ill Psal. â—3 4 otherwhiles again so deâ—ded and â—â—jected in our spirits that wee are like him when hee said One day I shall die by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 Somtimes so strong in faith that wee can overcome the greatest assaults and with Peter can walk upon the swâ—lling waves by and by so faint and brought to so low an ebbe that wee fall down even in far less dangers as Peter began to sink at the rising of the winde Matth. 14.29.30 And indeed if the wings of our faith bee clipp'd either by our own sins or Satans temptations how should not our spirits lye groveling on the ground Sect. 9. But thirdly and lastly for I hâ—â—â—â—n suppose thou art at the last-cast even at the very brink of despair and that thy conscience speaks nothing but bitter things of Gods wrath hell and damnation and that thou hast no feeling of faith or grace yet know that it is Gods use and I wish wee could all take notice of it to worke in and by contraries For instance in creating of the world hee brought light out of darkness and made all things not of somthing but of nothing clean contrary to the course of Nature In his preserving of it hee hath given us the Rain-bow which is a signe of rain as a certain pledge that the world shall never the second time bee drowned Hee caused waterâ— and feâ—cheth hard stones out of the mid'st of thin vaâ—ours When he meant to blesseâ— Iacob hee wrestled with him as an Adversaâ—yâ— even till he lamed him When he meant to preferr Ioseph to the Throne hee â—â—rew him down into the Dungeon and to a golden chaine about his neck he laâ—ed him with Iron ones about his legges Thus Christ opened the eyes of the blind by annointing them with clay and spittle more likely to put them out And would not cure Lazarus till after hee was dead buried and stunk again no question to teach us that wee must bee cast down by the Law before wee can bee raised up by the Gospell that wee must dye unto sin before wee can live unto righteousness and become fools before wee can â—ee truly wise In the work of Redemption hee gives life not by life but by death and that a most câ—â—sed death making that the best instrument of life which was the worst kind of death Optimum seciâ— instrumentum vitae quod eraâ— pessimum moriis genus In our effectuall voâ—ation hee calls us by the Gospell unto the Iews â— stumbling-block and unto the world meer foolishness And when it is his pleasure that any should depend upon his goodness and providence hee makes them feel his anger and to bee nothing in themselvs that they may rely altogether upon him Thus God works joy out of fear light out of darkness and brings us to the Kingdom of heaven by the Gates of hell according to that 1 Sam. 2. 〈◊〉 â— 7 And wherein does thy case differ Hee sends his Serfeant to 〈◊〉 thee for thy debt commands thee and all thou hast to bee sold. But why onely to shew thee thy misery without Christ that so thou 〈◊〉 seck so him for mercy for although hee hide â—â— is futherly affections as Ioseph once did his brotherly his meaning is in conclusion to forgive thee every â—arthing Matth. â—8 26 27. And dost thou make thy flight sufferings an argument of his displeasure for shame mutter not at the matter but bee silent It is not said God will not suffer us to bee tempted at all but that wee shall not bee tempted above that wee are able to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 And assure thy self what ever thy sufferings bee thy faith shall not fail to get the victory as oil over-swims the greatest quantity of water you can powr upon it True let none presume no not the most righteous for hee shall scarcely bee saved 1 Pet. 4.18 yet let him not despair for hee shall be saved Rom. 8.35 Onely accept with all thankfulness the mercy offered and apply the promises to thine own soul for the benefit of a good thing is in the use wisdom is good but not to us if it bee not exercised cloth is good but not to us except it be worn the light is comfortable but not to him that will live in darkness a preservative in our pocket never taken cannot yield us health nor baggs of money being ever sealed up do us any pleasure no more will the promises no nor Christ himself that onely summum bonum except they are applied Yea better there were no promises than not applied The Physician is more offended at the contempt of his Physick in the Patient than with the loathsomness of the disease And this I can assure thee if the blood of Christ bee applied to thy soul it will soon staâ—ch the blood of thy conscience and keep thee from bleeding to death 1 Ioh. 1.7 But secondly instead of mourning continually as the tempterâ—ids â—ids thee rather rejoice continually as the Apostle bids thee 1 Thes. 5.16 Neither think it an indifferent thing to rejoice or not to rejoice but know that we are commanded to rejoice to shew that wee break a commandement if wee rejoice not Yea wee cannot beleeve if wee rejoice not for â—aith in the commandements breeds obedience in the threatnings fear in the promises comfort True thou thinkest thou dost well to mourn continually yea it is the common disease of the innocentest souls but thou dost very ill in it for when you forget to rejoice in the Lord then you begin to muse and after to fear and after to distrust and at last to despair and then every thought seems to be a sin against the holy Ghost Yea how many sins doth the afflicted conscience record against it selfe repoâ—ting for breaking this commandement and that commandement and never repenteth for brâ—â—â—ing this commandement rejoice evermore But what 's the reason Ignoranceâ— thou thinkest thy self poor and miserable and onely therefore thinkest so because thou knowest not thy riches and happiness in Obâ—â—st for else thou wouldest say with the Prophet Habbakuck in the want of all other things I will rejoice in the
own sins that wee may not be so forward to censure others as wee have been heretofore Give us patience to beare thy Fatherly chastisements which through thy grace sanctifying them to us become both Medicines to cure us and Antidotes to preserve us from the sicknesse of sin considering that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy those joyes which shall be revealed unto us And as we are suiters unto thy Majesty for these thy blessings spirituall so likewise we humbly beg at thy mercifull hands all necessaries appertaining to our temporall welfare beseeching thee to blesse us in our persons with health strength and liberty in our estates with sufficiency and the right use of it considering that if wee spend what wee have upon our own lusts we may ask but wee shall not receive in our good names with an unreproveable report and so blesse and sanctifie unto us all the things of this life that they may be furtherances of us in the way to a better And seeing that it is in vain for us to labour except thy blessing go along with it neither can our endeavours succeed well except thou prosper them bless every one of us in our several places and callings and so direct us in all we shall take in hand that whatsoever wee do may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of our own soules when wee shall come to make our finall account unto thee for them These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Maâ—esty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us â—haâ— wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we cover still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence Thy blessings are without number yet our sins strive with them which shall be more if we could count the numberless number of thy Creatures they would not be answerable to the number of thy gifts yet the number of our offences which we return in lieu of them are not much inferiour thereunto Well may we confesse with Iudas we have sinned and there stop but we cannot reckon their number nor set forth their nature We are bound to praise thee above any Nation whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven enjoys so much light or so many blessings as we above any Creaâ—uâ—e for all the Creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all thy Creatures obey thy Word and serve thee as they did at first yea call upon us to serve thee onely men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against thee Thou might'st have said before we were formed let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggers Cripples or Bondslaves so long as they live and after that Cast-awaies for ever and ever but thou hast made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and onely Inheritance even to remain in blisse with thee for ever so that thousands would think themselvs happy if they had but a piece of our happinesse Why shouldest thou give us thy Son for a ransome thy holy Spirit for a pledge thy Word for a guide thy Angels for our guard and reserve a Kingdom for our perpetual inheritance Why shouldest thou bestow health wealth rest liberty limbs senses food raiment friends and the means of salvation upon us more then upon others whom thou hast denied these things unto We can give no reason for it but that thou art merciful and if thou shouldest draw all back again we had nothing to say but that thou wert just which being considered why should any serve thee more then we who want nothing but thankfulnesse Why should we not hate the Way to Hell as much as Hell it self and why should we not make every cogitation speech and action of ours as so many steps to Heaven yet if thou shouldst now ask us what lust is asswaged what affection qualified what passion expelled what sin reâ—pented of what good performed since we began to receive thy blessings to this day we must needs confesse against our selvs that all our thoughts words and works have been the service of the World the Flesh and the Divel yea it hath been the course of ouâ— whole life to leave that which thou commandest and to do that which thou forbiddest yet miserable wretches that we are if we could give thee our bodies and souls they should bee saved by it but thou wert never the richer for them Thus while we look upon our selvs we are ashamed to liâ—t up our eâ—es unto thee yea we are ready to despair with Cain yet when we think upon thy Son and the rich promises of the Gospel our fear is in some measure turned into joy while we consider that his righteousnesse for us is more then our wickednesse against our selvs onely give us faith we beseech thee and setâ—le it in thy beloved that we may draw virtue from his death and resurrection whereby we may be enabled â—o die unto sin and live unto righteousnesse and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmites It is true O Lord as wee were made after thine own Image so by sin we have turned that Image of thine into the Image of Satan but turn thou us again and we shall bee turned into the Image and likenesse of thy Son And what though our sins be great yet thy mercie is far greater then our sins either are or can be we cannot be so bad as thou art good nor so infinite in sinning as thou art in pardoning if we repent O that we could repent O that thou wouldest give us repentance for we are weak O Lord and can no more turn our selvs then we could at first make our selvs yea we are altogether dead in sin so that we cannot stir the least joint no not so much as feel our deadnesse
nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou fâ—ee our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by your wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe not misâ—live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretoâ—ore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of â—gnorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—pirit And now O Lord seeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers ☞ These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Maâ—esty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us â—haâ— wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we cover still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence We no sooner lived then we deâ—served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Crosse but we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come â—hy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meats intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecuted thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgment against us Besides which makes ouâ— case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who search stâ—â—he heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that ouâ— Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security our life rebellion our devotion deadnesse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Indeed thy Word and Spirit
for love of Christs Gospel True I went under the notion of an honest man and a good Christian I was baptized into the faith and made a member of Christs vivisible Church but I was so far from indeavouring to perform what I then promised that in effect I even renounced both Christ and my Baptism in persecuting him and all that sincerely professed his Name thinking I did God good service therein Ioh. 16.2 Gal. 1.13 14. Phil. 3.6 Nor was it for want of ignorance that you thought so of me for by nature be we never so milde and gentle we are all the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 and children of the Devil Ioh. 8.44 Yea the very best moral man is but a tame Devil as Athanasius well notes But it is a true proverb the blind eat many a flie and all colours are alike to him that is in the dark Loose Libertine So much the worse is my condition for my conscience tells me there is not a word you have spoken of your self but I can justly apply the same unto my own soul and a great deal more For whereas you have been a moral honest man so that none except your self could tax you for breaking either Gods Law or mans I have been so wicked and prophane that I could most presumptuosly and of set purpose take a pride in my wickednesse commit it with greedinesse speak for it defend it joy in it boast of it tempt and inforce to it yea mock them that disliked it As if I would send challenges into Heaven and make love to destruction and yet did applaud my self and prefer my own condition before other mens saying I was no dissembler yea I hated the hypocrisie of Professors I do not justifie my self and despise others like the Puritanes I am not factious schismatical singular censorious c. I am not rebellious nor contentious like the Brownists and Anabaptists I am a good fellow and love an honest man with my heart c. and as touching a good conscience I was never troubled in mind as many scrupulous fools are I have a good heart and mean as well as the precisest But now I see the Devil and my own deceitfull heart deluded me so that my whole life hitherto hath been but a dream and that like a blind man I was running headlong to Hell when yet I thought my self in the way to Heaven Just as if a beggar should dream that he were a King or a◠if a traitor should dream of his being crowned when indeed he was to be beheaded the case of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 the young man in the Gospel Luk. 18.20 21. and that Pharisee spoken of Luk. 18.11 12. Sect. XXXV Convert It was not your case alone but so it fares with the worst of sinners Only it much rejoyces me that it hath pleased God to open your eyes to see all this in your self For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you Yea we are naturally so blind and deaf and dead in sin and in soul that we can no more discern our spiritual filthinesse nor feel sin to be a burden than a blind Aethiopian can see his own blacknesse or than a dead-man can feel the weight of a burthen when it is laid upon him Act. 28.27 Isa. 6.9 10 And this common experience shews for if you observe it who more jocond confident and secure than the worst of sinners they can strut it under an unsupportable Mass of oaths blasphemies thefts murthers adulteries drunkenness and other the like sins yea can easily swallow these spiders with Mithridates and digest them too when one that is regenerate shrinkes under the burden of wandring thoughts and want of proficiency But why is it they are dead in sin Ephes. 2.1 Revel 3.1 Now lay a mountain upon a dead-man he feels not once the weight To a Christian that hath the life of grace the least sin lyes heavy upon the conscience but to him that is dead let his sins be as heavy as a mountain of lead he feels in them no weight at all Again They are 〈…〉 for what the eye seeth not the heart rueth not Security makes worldlings merry and therefore are they secure because they are ignorant A dunce we know seldome makes doubts yea a fool saies Solomon boasteth and is confident Prov. 14.16 neither do blind men ever blush And the truth is were it not for pride and ignorance a world of men would be ashamed to have their faces seen abroad For take away from mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations and the like you will leave the minds of most men and women but poor shrunken things full of melancholy indisposition and unpleasing to themselves Ignorance is a veil or curtain to hide away their sins whereupon they are never troubled in conscience nor macerated with cares about eternity but think that all will be well The Devil and the flesh prophesie prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the powder-traitors but death and damnation which Gods Spirit threatens will prove the crop they will reap For God is true the Devil and all flesh are lyers When we become regenerate and forsake sin then the Devil strongly and strangely assaults us as he did Christ when he was newly baptized and Pharaoh the children of Israel when they would forsake Aegypt and Herod the children when Christ was come to deliver his people Whence commonly it comes to passe that those think best of themselves that ave least cause yea the true Christian is as fearfull to entertain a good opinion of himself as the false is unwilling to be driven from it They that have store of grace mourn for the want of it and they that indeed want it chant their abundance None so apt to doubt their adoption as they that may be assured of it nor none more usually fear then they that have the greatest cause to hope We feel corruption not by corruption but by grace and therefore the more we feel our inward corruptions the more grace we have Contraries the nearer they are to one another the sharper is the conflict betwixt them now of all enemies the spirit and the flesh are nearest one to another being both in the soul of a regenerate man and in all faculties of the soul and in every action that springeth from those faculties The more grace the more spiritual life and the more spiritual life the more antipathy to the contrary whence none are so sensible of corruption as those that have the most living souls Sect. XXXVI Now for remedy of the contrary there cannot be a better lesson for carnal men to learn than this All the Promises of God are conditional to take place if we repent as all the threatenings of God are conditional to take place if we repent not But wicked men as they believe without repenting their faith being meer presumption so they repent without believing their repentance being indeed
desperation and this observe we are cast down in the disappointing of our hopes in the same measure as we were too much lifted up in expectation of good from them Whence these perremptory presumers if ever they repent it is commonly as Francis Spira 〈…〉 One star is much bigger than the Earth yet seems many degrees lesse It is the nature of fear to make dangers greater helps lesse then they are Christ hath promised peace and rest unto their souls that labour and are heavy laden and to those that walk according to rule Matth. 11.29 Gal. 6.16 even peace celestial in the state of grace and peace eternal in the state of glory Such therefore as never were distressed in conscience or live loosly never had true peace Peace is the Daughter of Righteousness Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God But he who makes a bridge of his own shadow will be sure to fall into the water Those Blocks that never in their life were moved with Gods threatnings never in any straight of conscience never groaned under the burden of Gods anger they have not so much as entered into the porch of this house or lift a foot over the threshold of this School of repentance Oh! that we could but so much fear the eternal paines as we do the temporary and be but so carefull to save our souls from torment as our bodies In the mean time the case of these men is so much the worse by how much there fear is the lesse It faring with the soul as with the body Those diseases which do take away all sense of pain are of all others most desperate As the dead Palsey the falling-sicknesse the sleepy lethargy c. And the Patient is most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling thereof In like manner whilst they suppose themselves to be free from judgment they are already smitten with the heaviest of Gods judgments a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.5 In a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should be cast into a burning Fever because the senses are benammed and this will waken them and dry up the besotting humours So in our dead security before our conversion God is fain to let the Law Sin Conscience and Satan loose upon us and to kindle the very fire of Hell in our souls that so we might be roused out of our security but thousands of these blocks both live and depart with as great hopes as men go to a lottery even dreaming of Heaven untill they awake in Hell For they too often die without any remorse of conscience like blocks or as an Ox dyes in a ditch Yea thousands that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted whilst others the dear Children of God dye in distresse of conscience For it is not every good mans hap to dye like Antoninus Pius whose death was after the fashion and semblance of a kindly and pleasant sleep However Austin's rule will be sure to hold He cannot dye ill that hath lived well and for the most part He that lives conscionably dyes comfortably and departeth rich And so you see how it fares with the wickedest and worst of men Wherefore if you are truly sensible of your wretchednesse it is a good sign that you are in some forwardnesse to be recovered and really to become so good as formerly you but dream'd or imagined your self to be And indeed the very first step to grace is to feel the want of grace and the next way to receive mercy is to see your self miserable Therefore our 〈◊〉 and most diligent search should be 〈…〉 Sect. XXXVII Loose Libertine But is there any hope for one so wicked as I who have turned the grace of God into wantonesse applying Christs passion as a warrant for my licenciousnesse not as a remedy and taking his death as a licence to sin his cross as a Letters pattent to do mischief As if a man should head his drum of rebellion with his pardon For I have most spitefully and maliciously taken up arms against my Maker and fought against my Redeemer all my daies Convert Do but unfeignedly repent you of your sins and forsake your former evil waies and lay hold upon Christ by a true and lively faith my soul for yours God is very ready to forgive them be they never so many and innumerable for multitude never so hainous for quality and magnitude Yea I can shew you your pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the which you may read at large Isa. 55.7 Ezek. 18.21 to 29. and 33.11 Ioel 2.12 13 14. Yea read 1 Cor. 6.10 11. together with the story of Manasses Mary Magdelen the Thief and the Prodigal Son and you shall see presidents thereof Yea the very murtherers of the Son of God upon their serious and unfeigned repentance and stedfast believing in him received pardon and salvation And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Iesus True every sin deserves damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it True Repentance is ever blest with forgiveness And know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin whatever it be you cannot be so infinite in sinning as he is infinite in pardoning if you repent yea sins upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I will put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sins as a mist Isa. 44.22 And what by corruption hath been done by repentance is undone As the former examples witnesse Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Isa. 1.18 Yea whiter than snow For the Prophet David laying open his blood-guiâ—â—inesse and his original impurity useth these words Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Psal. 51.7 And in reason did Christ come to call sinners to repentance and shall be not shew mercy to the penitent Or who would not cast his burthen upon him that desires to give ease As I live saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 Only apply not this salve before the ulcer be searched to the bottom Lay not hold upon mercy untill you be throughly humbled The only way to become good is first to believe that you are evil and by accusing our selves we prevent Satan By judging our selves we prevent God Are we as sick of sorrow as we are of sin then may we hopefully go to the Physician of our souls who came into the world only to cure the sick and to give light to them only who sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death God does not pour the oyl of grace but into a broken and contrite heart Wouldst thou get out of the miserabâ—◠〈◊〉 of nature into the blessed estate of grace and of Satans bondsla 〈◊〉 me the child of God and a very
will find that they are mockers of all that match not under the pay of the Devil Besides it is the very depth of sin roaring and drinking is the horse-way to Hell whoring and cheating the foot-way but Swearing and Cursing follows Korah Dathan and Abâ—ram And certainly if the infernal Tophet be not for these men it can challenge no guests Again Why dost thou curse thine enemy if he be so but because thou canst not be suffered to kill him For in heart and God account thou art a murtherer in wishing him the pox plague or that he were hanged or damned Nor will it be any rare thing at the day of judgment for Cursers to be indicted of murther For like Shimei and Goliah to David thou wouldst kill him if thou durst thou doest kill him so far as thou canst I would be loath to trust his hands that bans me with his tongue Had David been at the mercy of either Shimei or Goliah and not too strong for them he had then breathed his last Such as would know how witless graceless and shameless even the best are that use to curse for I pass over such as call for a Curse on themselves saying God damn me confound me The Devil take me and the like which would make a rational man tremble to name because I were as good knock at a dead mans grave as speak to them let them read my larger piece entituled A hopefull way to Cure that horrid sin of swearing page 8 c. In the mean time take notice what will be the issue The causeless curse shall not 〈◊〉 where the Curser meant it Prov. 26 2. yea though thou cursest 〈◊〉 God will bless Psal. 109.28 but thy Curses shall be sure to 〈◊〉 back into thine own brest Psal. 7.14 15 16. Prov. 14.30 Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces which while men discharge 〈◊〉 others recoâ—l iâ— splinters on their own faces Their words and 〈◊〉 be but whirlewinds which being breathed forth return again to the same place As hear how the Holy Ghost delivers it Psal. 109 〈◊〉 he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him As he cloathed himself 〈◊〉 cursing like a garment so shall it 〈◊〉 into his bowels like water and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into his 〈…〉 be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a â—â—rdle wherewith he shall alwayes be girded verse 17 18 19. Hear this all 〈◊〉 whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand you loved Cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persevere and go on for Christ himself at the last day even he which came to save the world shall say unto all such Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 where they shall do nothing but curse for evermore And indeed who shall go to Hell if Cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learn to bless that look to be heirs of the blessing Consider what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things II. To all that in the midst of such plentifull means of light and grace are ignorant of these three main points which every one must of necessity know or he cannot be saved viz. How man was at first Created How he is now Corrupted How he may be again Restored Without knowledg the soul cannot be good Prov. 19.2 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil John 3.19 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost whom the God of this world hath blinded c. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Pour out thy â—ury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Faâ—â—lies that call not on thy Name Jer. 10.25 Psal. 79.6 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them shall not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Isa. 27.11 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledg because thou hast rejected knowledg I will also reject thee Hos. 4.6 The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them which know not God 2 Thes. 1.7 8. Take special notice of these Predictions and Testimonies touching ignorant personâ— for they are a notable proof of the very small number of those that shall be saved set down Mat. 7.13 14. and 20.16 1 Iohn 5.19 Rev. 20.8 〈◊〉 13.15 16 17. Isa. 10.22 Rom. 9.27 For consident I am out of sufficient experience that nineteen of twenty all the Land over are ignorant of the very first principles of Christianity Of which more in a 〈◊〉 â—â—tituled A short and sure way to grace and salvation London Printed by D. M. to be sold by Henry Crips in Popes-head-alley by 〈…〉 The Blemish of Government the Shame of Religion the Disgrace of Mankinde or a Charge drawn up against Drunkards and presented to his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR in the name of all the Sober Partie in the three Nations Humbly craving that they may be kept alone by themselves from infecting others compelled to work and earn what they consume And that none may be suffered to sell Drink who shall either Swear or be Drunk themselves or suffer Others within their Walls By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex 1. BRANCH of the Charge THat as the Basiliske is chief of Serpents so of sinners the Drunkard is chief That Drunkennesse is of sins the Queen as the Gowt is of diseases even the root of all evill the rot of all good A sin which turns a man wholly into sin That all sins all beast-like all serpentine qualities meet in a Drunkard as rivers in the sea and that it were far better be a Toad or a Serpent then a Drunkard That the Drunkard is like Ahab who sold himself to work wickednesse That he wholly dedicates resignes surrenders and gives himself up to serve sin and Satan That his onely imploiment is to drink drab quarrel swear curse scoffe slander and seducet as if to sin were his trade and he could do nothing else like the Divel who was a sinner from the beginning a sinner to the end That these sons of Belial are all for the belly for to drink God out of their hearts health out of their bodies wit out of their heads strength out of their joints all the money out of their purses all the drink out of the Brewers barrels wife and children out of doors the house out at windowes the Land out of quiet plentie out of the Nation is all their businesse In which their swinish swilling they resemble so many frogs in a puddle or water-snakes in a pond for their whole exercise yea religion is to drink they even drown themselves on the dâ—â—eâ—â—nd That they drink more spirits in one night
Israel that rather then he would be saved without them he desired the Lord to blot him out of the Book of life Exod. 32.32 And Paul to this purpose saith I could wish my self to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh meaning the Iews Rom. 9.3 And indeed all heavenly hearts are charitable Neither are we of the Communion of Saints if we desire not the blessednesse of others it being an inseparable adjunct or relative to grace for none but a Cain will say Am I my brother's keeper Yea where the heart is thankful and inflamed with theâ— love of God and onr neighbour this will be the principal aim As by my sins and had example I have drawn others from God so now I will all I can draw others with my self to God Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he plucked down and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted And we are no whit thankful for our own salvation if we do not look with charitie and pitie upon the gross mis-opinious and misprisions of our Brethren And what though we cannot do what we would yet we mnst labour to do what we can to win others not to merit by it but to express our thanks Besides it were very dishonorable to Christ not to do so Did you ever know that wicked men Thievs Drunkards Adulterers Persecuters false Prophets or the like would be damned alone no they mis-lead all they can as desiring to have companions Yea. the Pharisees would take great pains compass sea and land to make others two-fold more the children of hell then themselvs as our Saviour expresly witnesseth Mat. 23.15 which may cast a blush upon our cheeks who are nothing so industrious to win souls to God And what a shame is it that our God should not have as faithful servants as he hath unfaithful enemies That wicked men should be at more cost and and pains to please an ill master then we can afford to please so good a God so gracious and so loving a Father Shall they labour so hard for 〈…〉 will but inhance their damnation and shall we think any pains too much for that which will add to the weight of our eternal glory and salvation And what though their case be not onely desperate but almost hopeless as in reason that sin is past cure which strives against the cure nor would these drowning men refuse help were they noâ— wilful murtherers of their own souls yet there is a mercie due even to them And it is our duty to use the means leaving the issue to him who is able to quieken the dead and to make even of stones children to Abraham Witness Manasses in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Yea I suppose that this their sad condition calls for our more then ordinarie compassion Since they have precious souls that must everlastingly live in bliss or wo. And hence it is that the Angels are said to rejoice more at the conversion of such a sinner then for the building up of ninety and nine that are already converted Luk. 15.7 because he to whom God hath given a new heart and spiritual life will be sure to seek out for and use the means of growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Whereas the former are not onely dead in sin but so buried in the grave of long custome that they cannot stir the least joint no not so much as feel their deadness nor desire life but resist all means tending thereunto Insomuch that the conversion of such an one is held by Divines a greater work or Miracle then the creating of the whole World For in every New Creature are a number of Miracles A blinde man is restored to sight A deaf man to hearing A man possest with many Divels dif-possest Yea A dead man raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh in all which God meets with nothing but opposition which in the Creation he met not with Wherefore you that by calling to mind your own former blindness and bondage are able to know how it fares with them and accordingly to pity them you that fear God or have any bowels of compassion towards their precious souls use your utmost indeavour to reduce them earnestly admonish them draw them to hear some Boâ—nerges that preaches with power and authority and not as the Scribes Perswade them also to read Books that are convincing c. So shall you discharge your Duty to God shew your love to them your thankfulness to your Redeemer and not a little pleasure your selves For if you do gain them you shall shine as the stars in Heaven for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Or in case you cannot reclaim them yet he who requires it at your hands Wil return the same into your own bosomes Isai 49.4 5. Prov. 11.18 and 25.22 But I were as good knock at a deaf mans door as press or perswade the most to this duty though thus necessary for those two Idols Discretion cursed Covetousness beare a greater sway with the common Prosessors of this Age then either their Maker or Redeemer Though confident I am others will do more then Isay Phile. 21. Melancthon having found the Word most easily to prevail with him doubted not but his Preaching should do wonders upon otheps but having tried he found and confest That old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon Many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeus the Prophet but none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Luke 4.22 to 29. Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 FINIS Printed by I. Bell and are to be sold by Iames Crumpe in Little Bartholomew Well-yard who will also shew the other Books and tell the place where 〈…〉 Of these Enchiridions a Repenting Prodigal upon occasion of his late return thinks himself bound to give ten thousand for others good and takes it for an incomparable favour that it came into his heart so to do Yielding a threefold reason thereof First because it is probable that that Medecine which hath cured one desperate Patient if it be communicated may work the same effect upon others and that those thoughts which our experience hath found comfortable and useful to our selves should with neglect of all censures be communicated to others Secondly because the retribution of his obedience may in some proportion answer his offence as was that of Pauls who as he had done more evil to the Saints then all the rest of the Apostles so he laboured more then they all in adding to the Church such as should be saved 1 Cor. 15.10 Act. 9.16 Thirdly for that as exemplary offendors leave their inventions and evil practises to posterity whereby they cease not to sin though they cease to live for when dead they are still tempting and still sin so long as they cause sin yea how should not every Turke
come into the world For evâ—â— the mercy of God which you have contemned and the means of grace aâ—â— the offer of salvation shall but inhance your damnation Yea Christ him 〈◊〉 that onely Summum bonum who is a Saviour to all Beleevers shall be a Revenger to you if you go on and bid you Depart ye cursed into everlastâ—â—â— fire c. Matth. 25.41 15 ¶ And so much for the discharge of my conscience and duty aâ—â— to make a supply of that which I should have some way performed loâ—â— since Yet least I should imitate those who kindle a fire under green wood aâ—â— leave it so soon as it begins to flame for I take it for granted that so of you will lay to heart what hath been said I have sent you three Boâ—â—â— writ by an impartial Author noâ— a Party which I hold exceeding pâ—â—â—fitable for you to peruse The one speaking more home and full to tâ—â— matter The second shewing how it comes to pass that so many are â—â—ceived who hope to be saved The third setting out to the life the 〈◊〉 thoughts words and actions of all natural men insomuch that no 〈◊〉 can more lively represent your faces then it does your hearts There 〈◊〉 that you may not be disappointed of your end by mistaking your way 〈◊〉 you may become as true friends to God and the Ministry as you have 〈◊〉 bitter enemies and so have your part and portion with them at Gods 〈◊〉 hand where are pleasures for evermore Be perswaded to read them 〈◊〉 as much observation and circumspection as you would do the Evidence your Inheritance Neither count it as a thing indifferent that may eiâ—â—â—â— be done or dispensed with except you are indifferent whether you be 〈◊〉 or damned Yea so minde what you read as if it were an Epistle writ 〈◊〉 Heaven and sent to each of you in particular Expect not that Christ 〈◊〉 himself from Heaven should call to you severally by name as he 〈◊〉 Saul and say Ho Ishmael such a one or Ho Elymas such a 〈◊〉 why doest thou persecute me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9. â—â— Which yet if he should it were no more in effect then he hath often do nor would you be any more warned or reclaimed by it As is evidenâ— the example of Hazael 2 Kings 8.12 13 c. And by what Abraham Dives Luk. 16.31 If you will not 〈◊〉 Moses and the Prophets Christ his Apostles in his Word neither 〈◊〉 he be perswaded though one 〈◊〉 be sent unto you from the damned in â—eâ—l or from the glorified spirits in 〈◊〉 Wherefore hearken unto Conscience and what concerns you apply it 〈…〉 not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they hear yea the câ—eckâ— of 〈◊〉 own Consciences and the motions of Gods Spirit utterly ineffectual 〈◊〉 want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselves Whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one Text or two unto their own souls as they can unto others being better able to discern others 〈◊〉 then their own beams they might be everlastingly happy 16 ¶ But it is now a just plague upon our so much Formality and 〈◊〉 faneness under our so much means of Grace that because we many of us have heard the Word and enjoyed the means for thirty forty fifty years together and are never the better bring forth no fruits thereof that Christ should say unto such as he did to the fruitless Fig-tree Mar. 11.13 14 Never fruit grow on thee hence forward And the truth is if yon observe it you shall very rarely hear of an old Formalist or Protestant at large that ever is converted but young ones as Ministers can sufficiently inform you Perhaps they may turn to be Antinomians Ranters Quakers or the like and imbrace Error but they turn not to the Truth Or if so it is a greater miracle then was the creating of the whole world For in making such a one a New creature must be a number of miracles A blinde man is restored to sight a deaf man to hearing a man possest with many devils dispossest yea one not only dead in sin but buried in the grave of long custom with a grave-stone laid upon him raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh In all which God meets with nothing bâ—t opposition which in the Creation he met not with Thus I have been large But as Iohn could only baptize with waterâ— so I can but teach you with words And when God withholds his condemned grace Paul himself cannot move a soul. If the Holy Ghost shall set it home to your hearts that you may so meditate on what hath been spoken and so practise what hath been prescribed that God in Christ may be pacified your sins by free-grace pardoned and your souls eternally saved That while you are here you may enjoy the peace of God which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 and when you depart hence you may arrive at the Haven of all happiness in Heaven where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Blessed and happy are ye Psal. 16.11 Which is my prayer and hope and should be my joy FINIS London Printed by Thomas Newcomb and are to be sold by 〈…〉 â— Hopefull way to Cure that horrid Sinne of SWEARING Or an help to save SWEARERS if willing to be saved Being an Offer or Message from HIM whom they so Daringly and Audaciously provoke Also a Gurb against Cursing MEMB. 1. 1. § Messenger NOt to admonish our brother is to hate him as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Levit. 19.17 But to scorn our brother should admonish us is more to hate our selves That little which Cresus learned of Solon saved his life And had Pilate taken that fair warning his wife gave him it might have saved his soul which once lost cannot be redeemed with ten thousand worlds no not with the enduring of ten thousand thousand years torments in Hell When a Dog flies in his masters face that keeps him we conclude he is mad are they then rationall men that being never so little crost will fly in their Makers face and teare their Saviours name in peeces with oaths and execrations which is worse then Frenzie Yea this is to send challenges into Heaven and make love to destruction And certainly it is Gods unspeakable mercy that every such oath blasphemy proves not a Benoni the death of the mother Gen. 35.18 § 2. Think me not too bold or over harsh for I speak to you both for and from my Maker and Redeemer Yea he perswaded to hearken a while unto me as you would have God another day hearken unto you Are you Christians as you call your selves if you be you have at least heard what God and Christ hath done for us How when we were in a sad condition when by sin we had forfeited our selves and all we had and wilfully plunged our souls and bodyes into eternall torments When neither
succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sin and still they sin in that temptation they sin so long as they cause sin This was Ierobâ—ams case in making Israel to sin for let him be dead yet so long as any worshiped his Calves Ieroboam sinned Neither was his sin soon forgotten Nadab his son and Baasha his successour Zimri and Omri and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sin and not they alone but millions of the people with them So that it is easie for a mans sin to live when himself is dead and to lead that exemplary way to Hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments As O what infinite torments doth Mahomeâ— indure when every Tuâ—k that perisheth by his jugling does dayly adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of souls which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example And look to it for the bloud of so many souls as thou hast seduced will be required at thy hands and thou must give an account for the sins perhaps of a thousand Thou doest not more increase other mens wickednesse on Earth then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell Luk. 16. 9. § It were easie to goe on in aggravating thy sinne and wretchednesse and making it out of measure great and the souls that miscarry through the contagion of thy evill example numerous For is not the Gospell and the name of God blasphemed among the very Turks Iews and Infidels and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through thy superlative wickednesse and other thy fellows Yea does not this keep them off from embracing the Christian Religion and cause them to protest against 〈…〉 and all such wicked and prophane wretches are not like dirt in the house of God thrown out into the street by excommunication Or as eâ—â—ovements and bad humours in mans body which is never at case till it be thereof disburthened as Austin well notes That they are not marked with a black coal of infamy and their company avoided as by the Apostles order they ought Rom. 16.17 2 Thess. 3.6 14. Eph. 5 5 7. 1 Cor. 5.5 11. 1 Tim. 1.20 That they are not to us as Lepâ—rs were among the Iews or as men full of plague sores are amongst us We well know the good husband man weeds his field of â—urtfull plants that they may not spoil the good corn And when fire hath taken an house we use to pull it down lest it should fire also the neighbours houses Yea the good Chirurgion cuts off a rotten member betimes that the sound may not be endangered Nor will the Church of England ever flourish or be happy in her Reformation until such a course is taken MEMB. 4. Swearer Sir I unfainedly blesse God for what I have heard from you for formerly I had not the least thought that swearing by faith â—roth or any other creature was so grievous a sin â—s you have made it appear from the Word And I hope it shall be a sufficient warning to me for time to come 1. § Messenger If so you have cause to blesse God indeed For all of you have heard the self-same Word but one goes away beâ—tered others exasperated and inraged wherein Will only makes the difference And who makes the difference of Wills but God that made them He that creates the new heart leaves a stone in one bosome puts flesh into another 2. § Of hearers there are usually four sorts Mat. 13.19 to 24. as first an honest and good heart will not return from hearing the word unbettered Yea he will so note what is spoken to his own sin that it shall increase his knowledge and lessen his vices As who by looking in a Glasse shall spy spotâ— in his face and will not forthwith wipe them out A wise man will not have one sin twice repeated unto him And these may be resembled to wax which yeeldeth sonner to the seal then steel to the stamp But 3. § Secondly others are like Tullies strange soil much rain leaveâ— them still as dry as dust Or the Wolfe in the emblem which though she suckt the Goat kept notwithstanding her wolvish nature still For speak what can be spoken to them it presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung Let testimonies and examples nâ—ver so much concern them they prove no other then as so many characters writ in the water which leave no impression 〈◊〉 hinde them Who may be resembled to an Hour-glasse or Conduâ—t that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Or the Smiths Iron put it into the fire it is much sofined again put it into the water 't is harder then before Yea let them never so much smart for their sins they will return to them again untill they perish Resembling some silly flye which being beat from the candle an hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again untill she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Arke 〈◊〉 came likewise ou◠〈◊〉 4. § Thirdly another sort will very orderly hear the Word and delight in it so long as the Minister shall rove in generalities preach little or nothing to the purpose But if once he touch them to the quick drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sin of theirs as John Baptist served Herod then they will turn their backs upon him and hear him no farther as those Jews served our Saviour Ioh. 6.66 The Athenians Paul Acts 17.16 to 34. and Ahab Micaiah 1 King 22.8 5. § Sore eyes you know are much grieved to look upon the Sun Bankrupts cannot abide the â—ight of their counting books nor doe deformed faces love to looke themselves in a true Glasse For which read John 3.19 20 2â— But let such men know that to flye from the light and reject the means puts them out of all hope That sin is past cure which turns from and refuseth the cure Deut. 17.12 Prov. 29.1 As what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their Ears from hearing it If those murtherers of the Lord of life Act. 2.23 had refused to hear Peters searching Sermon in all probability they had never been prickt in their hearts never been saved ver 37 38. And take this for a rule if ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilfull murtherer 6. § Fourthly and lastly for I passe by those blocks that goe to Church as dogs do only for company and can hear a powerfull Minister for twenty or thirty years together and minde no more what they hear then the seats they
as safe as if they were in Abrahams bosom Their Adamantine hearts will neither yield to the fire nor to the hammer admit of no impression yea let them hear of never so many judgments they tremble and relent no more then the seats they sit on or the stones they tread on Even the declaration of sins denunciation of judgements description of torments and the like no more stir them then a tale moves one in a dream their supine stupidity is no more capable of excitation then the Sea Rocks are of motion or the Billowes of compassion which would make one even tremble to think of it CHAP. II. § 1. BUt what is the reason why men make no more use of these Predictions of this warning but that as neer as can be computed one of two are lascivious or voluptuous two of three drunkards â—n Gods account nine of ten cruel unjust persons nineteen of twenty swearers twenty nine of thirty Athiests thirty nine of forty ignorant wretches forty nine of fifty covetous ninety nine of an hundred open or secret enemies to the power of Religion and contemners of holinesse For certainly what God in these three particulars hath revealed in his Word cannot be unknown to any among us that hate not the light for every house almost hath a Bible and Christ hath continued his Gospel amongst us now neer upon an hundred years with such supply of able Ministers that no Nation under Heaven may compare with us § 2. I might give you many reasons of this as that they were born stark dead in sin and they thank God they are no changelings that they are as good as their Fore-fathers or those among whom they live and they neither desire to be better nor wiser yea it were a ridiculous singularity so to be That the custome of sin hath brawned their hearts and blinded their minds That they do as Satan their God 2 Cor. 4.4 and Father Ioh. â— 44 and King or Prince Eph. 2.2 would have them to do That they will either not hear the Word for I think I may say that one half of the men and women in the Kingdome come not once a year within the Church-doors I mean the poorer sort that do not know they have soules It were good they were compelled to hear the Word preached for the wicked like sullen children would not forsake their play for their meat but for the Rod of Correction And many Saints in heaven might now confess that they had not known God but for the Laws First compulsory means brought them to the feast whereof once tasting they would never leave it Compel them to come in c. Luk 14.23 Or if they do hear the Word and understand it in some measure they will not apply it to themselves That they will not receive the truth in love that they might be saved are therefore given over to strong delusions to believe lies That they will not by any means that Christ can use understand be converted and saved therefore they shall not understand nor be converted nor saved Isai. 6.9 10. Matth. 13.15 That they harden their own hearts whereupon their hearts are more hardned That because they will not regard nor retein God in their thoughts God gives them over to a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 That because they will not take the Spirits counsel the Spirit gives them up to walk in their own counsels Ier. 9.14 That they wil believe Satan rather then God therefore God delivers them up to Satan so to be deluded that the light of the glorious Gospel shall not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Eph. 2.2 2 Thes. 2.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.7 That they are not as they ought and as it was in the Primitive times cast out of the Church and all Christian society by excommunication as dirt into the street 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Thes. 3.6 1 Tim. 6.5 2 Tim. 3.5 That they do as their flattering False Prophets teach them That they think they have as good hearts as the best and therefore follow that deceitful guide That they are not verâ—t in the Scriptures at least they understand not the spirituality of the Word nor have they the Spirit to convince them of sin But I have largely handled these â—pon other occasions wherefore I will passe them and onely give you this one and I pray minde it § 3. Wicked men and such are all natural and unregenerate persons whether loose Libertines or rich worldlings or civil Iusticiaries or formal hypocrites or profound humanists or cunning Politicians are so blockish and void of spiritual understanding that they will not believe what is written till they feel what is written nothing will fully confute them but fire brimstone Sin shuts their eyes and only punishment can open them Nor will they once think of Heaven till with that rich man they are tormented in the flames of hell but even that rich man that had so little care of his own soul during life when he was in hell-torments took care for his Brethrens not out of charity but because as he had by his perswasion ill example bin the occasion of their greater sin so they by continuing in those sins should be the occasion of his more grievous torment But had he bin so wise as to have believed Moses the Prophets report of hell he needed never to have come into it The common case of all that come there They will not believe what Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles tell them touching the truth justice and severity of God in punishing sin with eternal destruction of body and soul and the necessity of obeying his Precepts until they shall hear Christ say unto them Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 § 4. And indeed for want of this fore-wit the wisest worldlings as Balaam and Iudas and the rich man in the Gospel and the Scribes and Pharisees and all Atheists are in Scripture-language stiled fools and the wisdome of the world called foolishnesse twelve times in one Chapter Read 1 Cor. 1. and Chap. 2. Nor can there be so sure a signe to distinguish between a wise man and a fool A wise man saith Bernard fore-sees the torments of hell and avoideth them but a fool goeth on merrily until he feeleth them and then sayes I had not thought True many wicked men are taken to be wise and in some sense are so they have enlightened heads and fluent tongues as had Balaam Iudas and Paul before his conversion and the Scribes and Pharisees but their hearts remain dark and foolish as is plain by Rom. 1.21 22. Ioh. 3.10 Whence even the wisest of them are called by our Saviour fools and blinde Matth. 23.16 17 19 24 26. and 27.3 4 5. 2 Pet. 2.16 And indeed what is that wisdome worth which nothing profits the owner of it either touching vertue or
even as an ill stomack turns all it receives into ill humours or as a Spider converts every thing she eats into poison so they whatsoever they hear of or see in the godly So blinding themselves with prejudice that like Pyrrhon they will not believe what their eyes see and their ears hear Yea I would fain know what means can possibly be used that shall be able to reclaim them They will neither be softened with benefits nor broken with punishments Gods severity cannot terrifie them nor his kindness mollifie them Yea should these fools be brayed in a mortar among wheat with a Pestle yet they will not depart from their wickednesse as Solomon expresseth â—t Prov. 27.22 Yea the more these Anviles are beaten upon the harder they are § 3. The change of means whether the Word Iudgements Mercies or the like do but obdure their hearts instead of melting them as we see by many examples The nine plagues could not prevail with Pharaoh Yea they hardened his heart the more When Iesus cried with a loud voice and yielded up the ghost the vail of the Temple rent in twain from top to the bottom the earth did quake the Graves did open themselves and the dead Saints came forth and went into the holy City the Sun was forsaken of his light c. as if all were seâ—â—ible of their Makers suffering when as the generality of the people that had heard his preaching and seen his many miracles yea those great Clerks the Scribes and Pharistes were altogether insensible and worse then all the rest of the creatures The very stones of the Temple were soft in comparison of their stony hearts and they which were dead in their graves were alive to those which were dead in their sins Let Malchus be smitten to the ground with the words of our Saviour let him have his right ear cut off and miraculously healed again by him whom he came to apprehend yet he will be one that shall lead him bound to Pilate Let the Sodomites be all struck blinde for contesting with Lot and his two Angels they will not cease seeking his doore to break it open until they feel fire and brimstone about their â—ares Genes 10. And let men look to it for If they will not believe Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles they would not believe though God should send an Angel from the living in Heaven or a Messenger from the dead in Hell to warn them as Abraham tells Dives Luke 16.31 Yea let God himself forbid Balaam to go with Balaks messengers to curstâ—e 〈◊〉 of Israel yea let an Angel stand in his way with a drawn sword to stop him yea let him hear his beast speak under him yet he slights all I might instance other examples as what a warning had Hazâ—el given him by the Prophet of all the abominable wickednesse he should commit 2 Kings 8.12 13 c. And likewise Ahâ—b who was told from the Lord that if he went to war he should perish yet neither would take warning but woâ—t on and sped accordingly And also of the Old world so that one word as good speak to liveless stones or senselesse plants or witless beasts as to such men 〈◊〉 any thing they will be bettered by it Yea reasonâ—once debauch 〈◊〉 is worse then brutlshnesse I see the savagest of all creatures Lions Tygeâ—s Bears c. by an instinct from Goâ— came to seek the Ark as we see swine foreseeing a storm run home crying for shelter not one man do I see except Noah and his family So none but the well-affected whose hearts is pleaseth the Lord to change will be the better for what they have heard of Gods goodness and their Ingratitude see 1 Sam. 10.26 § 4. They have been too long sick of sin to be recovered and will rather be confounded then reformed they have brazen browes stiâ—â—e necks uncircumcized eares blinded eyes fat and heavy hearts obdurate souls as strong as a stone and as hard as a neather mil-stone Ezek. 11.19 by reason whereof it comes to passe that those who are filâ—hy will be filthy still in spite both of Law and Gospel Yea they are stark dead to all ordinary means which is an infallible signe of their eternal ruine as they may see both by testimonies Deut. 17.12 Prov. 19.1 and 1.24 25 26. Heb. 10.28 Hos. 4.14 17. Isai. 57.17 And likewise by pregnant examples 1 Sam. 2.22 to 26. 2 Chron. 25.16 20. What should I more say If thou beest an habituated sinner blinded or fâ—restalled with prejudice resolved to go on in thy wickedness and do as others do without either conscience of sin or guidance of reason Thou art dead in sin and not onely dead as Iaâ—rus daughter was Matth. 9.25 Nor onely dead laid out and coffin'd as the widowes son of Naim was Luke 7.14 But dead coffin'd and buried as Lazarus vvas Iohn the 11.39 even till thou stinkest in the nostrils of God and all good men So that I have no other message to deliver unto thee then that which the vigilant Captain delivered together with a deaths wound to his sleeping Sentinels Dead I found thee and dead I leave thee § 5. Onely thou ô Father to whom nothing is hard if it be thy good pleasure as why not seeing it will make much for the glory of thy great Name to save such a mighty sinner who Manasses-like hath multiplied offences above the number of the sand of the Sea and is bound down with many iron bands Say unto his soul Live yea quicken thou him â— merciful Redeemer who art the fountain of life It is true they angry threatning against sinners is importable but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable Thou therefore that are able to quicken the dead and make even of stones children to Abraham mollifie these stony hearts we beseech thee with the blood of the Lambe and make of these children of the Devil Iohn 8.44 Members of thy Son Iesus Christ. CHAP. VIII § 1. ANd that my utmost endeavour may answer the strength of my desires and for that God does not ordinarily work but by means I will notwithstanding the small hope I have of these Aethiopians changing their skin or these Leoâ—ards their spots Jer. 13.23 even against my own reason try yet annother way because my hearts desire is that they may be saved Rom. 10.1 Yea I assure you if God should bid me ask what I would as once he did Solomon if I know my own heart it should be no other thing then that my brethren and Countreymen might have their eyes opened be turned from darkness to light dâ—d from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 § 2. Nor am I altogether out of hope for as with God nothing is impossible so I call to minde that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. If an unbelieving Idiot shall
seven millions of gold which Tiberius his Predecessor had gathered together as Tacitus tells us and where as Iohn the 22. left behind him as Petrarch reports two hundred and fifty tun of gold insomuch that an odde fellow made this jest of him Erat Pontifex maximus si non virtute pecunia tamen maximus Pope Sixtus Quintus called of Englishmen a by word for selling our Kingdom to Philip of Spain Six Cinque through his intollerable covetousness left in his Exchequer five millions but his successor Gregory the fourteenth wasted four of them in ten months and less besides his ordinary revenues in riot and prodigality and many the like which I could tyre you with insomuch that the curse of Epimenides is daily fulfilled which was that all the treasure whorded up by the covetous should be wasted by the prodigall for for the most part the Misers meanes lights into the hands of some such ding-thrifty dearth-maker as out of a laborious Silk-worm rises a painted Butter-flye CHAP. XIX AND so much of the ninth judgement which God usually inflicts upon the merciless Miser I will adde but one more nor needs he any more to make him compleatly miserable for though the former were wofull enough yet this last is worse then all the rest as I shall clearly demonstrate in the ensuing pages For Tenthly doth covetousness reign in a man is he bewitcht with the love of money is his heart rivited to the earth and is he once inslaved to this sin if so there is no probability hardly any possibility that ever he should be converted or saved nor is it to any more end to admonish him then to knock at a deaf mans door or a dead mans grave Covetousnesse is not more the root of all evil as the Apostle fitly stiles it then it is the rot of all good as is easie to prove it is the root of all evil the mother and metropolis of all sins that can be named for thâ—â—â— is no sin whatsoever but it hath sprung from this cursed root whether it be lying or swearing or cursing or slandering or Sabbath-breaking or drunkenness or adultery or bawdery whether theft murther treason cozening in bargains breaking of promises perfideous underminings contempt of God and all goodness persecuting the truth opposing the Gospel hatred of Gods Messengers sleighting of his Ordinances unbelief idolatry witch-craft ante-Cristanism sacriledge soul-murther c. For whence spring all these and what else can be named but from covetousness There is no evil that a covetous man will not put in practise so goods may come of it you cannot name the sin but the Auaritions will swallow it in the sweet broth of commodity He that is greedy of gain will sell the truth sell his friend his father his maâ—â—er his Prince his Countrey his conscience yea with Ahab he will sell himself for money as I might instance in a world of examples yea daily experience hath taught us since our Civil Wars that many to advantage themselves five shillings will indamage another five hundred pounds and to gain five pounds will indanger the losing of three whole Kingdoms yea when once men are bewitcht with the love of money as Iudas was a small matter would hire them to sell Christ himself were he now on the earth to be sold. A resolution to be rich is the fountain of infinite evils yea Covetousness is the Index or Epitomy of or rather a Commentary upon all sin and wickedness Name but covetousness and that includes all the rest as being a sin made up of many such bitter ingredients All vices rule where gold reigns at least that heart which hath once inslaved it self to this sin may be wrought by Satan to any thing Iustice is the mistress of all vertues and the truest tryal of a good man but the covetous heart is a very mint of fraud and can readily coyne falsehoods for advantage upon all occasions And as it is the root or cause of all evil so it is the rot or main hinderer of all good Covetousness is the grave of all goodness it eats out the very heart of grace by eating grace out of the heart Rom. 1.29 When Avarice once gets admission into the heart it turns all grace quite out of doors as where salt grows it makes the ground so barren of all other things that nothing else will breed therein this is the cursed devil that mars all Covetousness No such impediment to conversion and salvation as it as for instance Ministers wonder that their Sermons take no better that among so many arrows none should hit the mark but God tells us the reason Ezek. 33. they sit before thee and hear thy words but their hearts go after their covetousness ver 3. Whence is is that you may see swearers drunkards adulterers c. weep at a sermon where as you never saw the covetous shed a tear be the Doctrine never so dreadful Oh this golden devil this Diana of the Ephesians doth a world of mischief it destroyes more souls then all other sins put together as the Apostle intimates 1 Tim. 6.10 Whence it is that we shall sooner hear of an hundred Malefactors contrition at the gallows then of one covetous Misers in his bed The Children of Israel would not beleeve Samuel that they had sinned in asking a King before they saw a miracle from Heaven even rounder and rain in wheat harvest which was contrary to the nature of that Climate and then they could confesse it and repent 1 Sam. 12.17 18 19. But the covetous are in Pharaohes case whom neither miracles nor judgements could prevail withall and of whom God speaks to Moses in this manner See that thou speak all the words and do all the wonders before Phaâ—aoh which I have put in thine hand but I will harden his heart and he shall not let the people gâ— Exod. 7.1 â— 3 4. And certaiuly they of all others are the men to whom these ensuing Scriptures are applyable Go and say unto these people ye shall hear indeed but you shall not understand 〈◊〉 shall plainly see and not perceive make the heart of this people fat make their ears heavy and shut their eyâ— lest they see with their eys and hear with their ears understand with their hearts and convert and he heal them Isa. 6.9 10. They would none of me nor hear my voice so I gave them up unto the hardness of their heart and they walked in their own counsels Psa. 81.11 12. Go up unto Gilead and take balm O Virgin daughter of Egypt in vain shalt thou use many medicines for thou shalt have none health Jerem. 46.11 The precious stone Diacletes though it have many excellent soverainties in it yet it loseth them all if put into a dead mans mouth so are all means ineffectuall that are used for the recovery of the covetous as is well imployed in those words of Abraham to the rich Glutton Luk. 1â— 29 30 31.