not to take the glorious name of God in vaine nor place any other creature in his roome though the Divell should say unto you as once he did to Christ all this will I give thee For it is not enough that we abstaine from evill unlesse we hate it also and doe the contrary good Sanctifie the Lord God in your heart 1 Pet. 3.15 Make a Covenant with your mâ—uth as Ioh did with his eyes and set a watch before the doore of your lips that you thus offend not with your tongue Psal 141.3 Which if you do rightly the like care to avoyde all other sins will necessarily follow because he that feares to commit one sin out of conscience and because God forbids it will upon the samâ— ground feare all that his law forbids and as heartily and unfainedly desire that he may never commit it as that God should never impuce it 2 Tim 2.19 Neither can a regâ—nerate mâ—nd consist with a determination to continue in any one sinne as when Christ cast out one Devill wee read that he cast out all even the whole Legion Marke 5 2 And he that makes not some conscience of all sinne makes no true conscience of any sinne And the same is to be understood also of duties commanded for the same law which injoynes us to hate and forsake all sinne commands us also to strive after universall obedience to every precept And it is a true rule he that hath not in him all christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all He that is not sanctified in every part is truly sanctified in no part 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Pet. 3.11 Mat. 5 48. 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Cor. 7.1 And the least sin alowed of be it but a vaine thought or one duty omitted is enough to cast thee into hell for the wages of sinne any sinne be it never so little is death Rom. 6 23. James 1.15 Yea admit thou hadst never acted any the least evill in all thy life it were not enough to save thee from hell much lesse to bring thee to heaven for we need no more to condemne us then what we brought into the world with us Gen. 2.17 Psâ—l 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Whence the new borne child in the law was commanded to offer a sinne offering Levit 12.6 Which grace if you would obtaine First lay to heart the things formerly delivered Beleeve thine estate dangerous and that there is but one way to help thee viz. to repent what thou hast done and never more to do wilfully or premedetately what thou hast repented not fostering one knowne sinne in thy soule For the only way to become good is first to beleeve that thou art evil and by accusing our selves we prevent satan by judging our selves we prevent God Scondly If thou beest convinced and resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution be pâ—remtory and constant and take heed thou hearden not againe as Pharoah the Philistems the Yong man in the Gospel Pilate and Judas did Resemble not the Iron which is no longer â—oft then it is in the fier be not like those which are sea sicke who are much troubled while they are on shipbord but presently well againe when they come to shore for that good saith St. Gregory will doe us no good which is not made good by perseverance If with these premonitions the spirit shall vouchsafe to stir up in thy heart any good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting thy sins goe quench not grieve not the spirit 1 Thes 5.19 returne not with the dog to thy vomit least thy latter end prove seven fold worse then thy beginning Mat. 12.43.45 As it fared with Iulian the Apostate and Iudas the Traitor Oh it is a fearfull thing to receive the grace of God in vaine and a desperate thing being warned of a rock will fully to cast our selves upon it Thirdly Let not Satan perswade you to defer your repentance no not an houre least your resolution proves as a false conception that never comes to bearing for as ill debtors put off their creaditors first one weeke and then another tell at last they are able to pay nothing So deale delayers with God Besids Death may be suddain even the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sicke 2. Or if death be not suddain repentance is no such easie worke as to be put off to sicknesse And though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true And indeed there is small hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life and millions are now in hell who thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sin in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground which the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluckt up or a nayle in a post which is made faster by every stroake of the hammer Can the Blackamore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill saith the Lord Ier. 13.23 3. Or suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer to God thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe Will he accept of them No he hath expresly told us the contrary Pro. 1.24 to 32. Yea is 〈◊〉 likely that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suâ—kt out all the marrow that he will give his heavenly and spirtuall graces at the houre of deah to those who have câ—ntâ—mned them all their life Yea is it not most just and equall â—f God will not be found of those that were content to loosse him If he shut his eare against their prayers calling to hâ—m for pardon that stopt their eares against his voice calling upon them for repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance not of late repentance If thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion If in any reasonable time we pray he will heare us if we repent he will pardon us if we amâ—nd our lives he will save us but for want of this consideration Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied And so thousands have cried unto God at the houre of death and found no acceptance but they died as they lived and went from â—ispayer unto distruction Wherefore as you tender the good of your owne soule set upon the worke presently provide with Ioseph for the Dearth to come With Noah in the dayes of thine heâ—lth build the arke of a good conscience aganst the floods of sicknesse Imitate the Ant who provides her meat in sommer for the winter following Yea doe it whilst the yearning bowells the bleeding wounds compassionate armes
stubbornenesse of mine owne heart so adding drunkenesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull unto him but the wrath of the Lord and his jelousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in his booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven c. Doth not our Savour himselfe say that the gate of heaven is so straight that few finde it Mat. 7.13.14 and will he not at his comming to judgement aswell say to the disobedient depart from me ye cursed as to the obedient come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome c. yes they are his owne words Mat. 25 34.41 In fine he that beleeveth in the sonne hath everlasting life but he that obeyeth not the sunne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Iohn 3.36 And in all reason if he punished Davids Adultery and Murther so sharpely a man after his owne heart yea and that after his sinne was remitted what will he doe to his enemies but send them to that devowring fire that everlasting burning Isay 33.14 If Gods owne children who are as neere and deare to him as the aple of his eye or the signet on his right hand Zach. 2.8 Duet 32.10 Suffer so many and greivious afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in hell If Sampson be thus punished shall the Philistems escape Yea if judgement begin at the house God what shall their end be that obeay not the Gospel 1 Pet. 4.17 If many shall seeke to enter in at the straight gate and shall not be able how shall they be able who seeke not at all Luke 13.24 If the righteous shall scarcely be saved when shall the ungodly and sinner appeaâ—e as the Scripture speakes 1 Pet. 4.18 So that mercy iâ— for vessells of mercy Mat. 5. and not for vessells of wrath And what though Christ in the Gospell hath made many large and precious promises therâ— are none so generall which are not limitted with the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained repentance And each of them are so tyed entailed that none can lay claim to them but true beleevers who repent and turne from all their sinnes to serve him in holynesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Isay 59 20. So that he must forsake hiâ— sinnes that will have God to forgive them 1 Sam. 2.30 Marke 16.16 Heb. 5.9 Neither was it ever heard that any one ascended into heaven without going up the staires oâ— obedience and good workes that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification for even the theife upon the crosse which you ignorantly aleadge beleeved in Christ and shewed the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his owne sinne reproving his fellow in confessing our Saviour Christ even then when his Apostles denied anâ— forsooke him in calling upon his name desiring and confidently trusting by his meanes and merrits to have everlasting life Neither doth his example make any whit for the comfort oâ— procrastinators for he is a foole that makes an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example and such is this of the theifes convertion for it was a miracle Not unlike the Suns standing still in Ioshuas time or its going backe in the dayes of Hezekiah Or rather those other miracleâ— of the graves opening the dead arising the vaile of the temple renting the light of the Sunne failing c. which Christ wrought at the same time with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of his Crosse Besides hee was then to take his leave of the world and to enter into his glory and we know it is usuall with Princes to save some hainous malefactors at their coronation when they enter upon their Kingdomes in tryumph which they are never knowne to doe afterward Besides the Scripture speakes of another even his fellow in that very place and at that very instant which was damned There was one saith St. Austine converted at the last hower that none might dispair there was buâ— one that none should presume Yet every drunken beast swearing Athiest can wrest this scripture to their owne distruction and decoct the mercy of God in pardoning him into ranckâ— poyson taking the same for an encouragement and thinkeing it a sufficient warrant for them to continue in their evill and vicious courses Not once taking notice of other Scriptures which shew that millions who had lesse iniquity have found lesse mercy And that whosoever Christ saveth with his blood he sanctifieth with his spirit and in whom his death taken takes away the guilt and punishment of sinne it is also effectuall for the mortifying of sinne as is plaine by Rom. 6.5 6. Titus 2.14 Ephes 1.4 and many the like Yea the Lord bindeth it with an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spirituall enemies they shall worship him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Luk. 1.70 to 76. Other Scriptures to this purpose are many see only Titus 2.12 1 Pet. 2 24. But to make it yet more cleare what else did thy vow in baptisme which is a seale of the Covenant importe but that there are Articles conditions viz. Certain duties on thy part to be performed as well as promises on Gods part to be fullfiled A Sacrament is a sealing of a league with Covenants between party and party saith Parreus Now as God hath covenanted and bound himselfe by his word and seale to remit thee thy sinnes adopt and regenerate thee his childe give thee the Kingdome of heaven and everlasting life by and for his sons sake so thou diddest for thy part bind thy selfe by Covenant promise and vow that thou wouldest forsake the Divell and all his workes constantly beleeve Gods holy word and obediently keepe his commandements the better thereby to expresse thy thankefulnesse towards him for so great a benefit 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. Psal 116.12 13.14 And we know that in-Covenants and Indentures if the conditions be not kept the Obligation is not in force Whereby many even Magus like after the water of Baptisme goe to the fire of hell Yea except we repent and beleeve the Gospell we are perjured and that holy Sacrament together with the offer of grace and in stead of sealing to us our salvation will be an obligation under our hand and seale against us and so prove a seale of our greater condemnation Alasse ignorant Worldlings who will beleeve nothing which comes not within the compasse of their five sences thinke that because God strikes not he mindes not Psal 50.21 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill as Solomon speakes Eccles 8.11 Because God doth not forthwith strike one dead with a Thunder Bolte and raine downe fier and brimestone upon another and cause the earth to swallow downe a
third quick while they are blaspheming him though I might give you many examples of Gods vengance upon swearers even here men harden themselves in their sinnes and thinke that God allowes of their doings But O fooles though he comes softly to judgement yet he will come surely and in the end what he wanted in swiftnesse shall be supplied in severenesst Yea such mens very deliverance from judgement is a worse judgement then the judgement from which they are delivered for it argues either Gds utter forsaking them as disperate patients are given over by the Physitian as in Isay 1.5 or else it argues a reservation of them for some more fearfull plagues as it is Levit. 26.18 to 40 and Esay 6.10.11 and the examples of Cham Lots wife Absolom and Pharoah sufficiently prove As what did it availe Pharoah that himselfe was not smitten with many of those judgements wherein others perished it was far from being a mercy yea it was a reservation to the greatest temporall judgement of all here and to that eternall judgement also in the burning lake from which there is no redemption God owes that man a greivious payment whom he suffers to run on so long unquestioned and his punishment shall be the greater when he comes to reckon with him for all his faults together When God will give over men to his iudgements he first gives them over to the iudgement of an hard and impenitent heart Thou hast smitten them saith the Prophet but they have not sorrowed Thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne Ier. 5 3. Which is now Englands case for though its back be all blew and sore with stripes yet still it persists and presumes no repentance no reformation understand it of the generality nor will wee be warned without our full vengance As filching leaves not the pilâ—â—erer with raw sides but brings him to a broaken necke They will not beleeve that are ordayned to perish As tell me of so many millions of notorious sinners as were in this land how many or where are any who from the beginning of these bloody and unnaturall warrs these sad and calamitus distempâ—â—s have left off their drinking swearing whoreing prophaning of the Lords day cheating and the like can you name tenn yea or two of a thousand which you partly knew no certainly for he that was a drunkard before is a drunkard still he that was a swearer before is a swearer still he that was filthy before is filthy still c. Though such a judgement in a different age wherein religion it selfe and the power of godlynesse was not countemptible as now it is would have caused an universall repentance and reformation as the like only threatned not executed did in the Nine vites Jona 3 But what doe I speake of their repentance and reformation or of their being the better when they are much the worse for this greivious judgement When the greatest number sweare curse even in a presumptious bravery as neither regarding Gods wrath nor waying his heavy displeasure Being like so many mad doggs that fly in their masters face who keepes them Yea when they will scoff at jeere and persecute any that shall refuse to run with them unto the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 even living as if they were neither beholding to God nor afraid of him both out of his debt and danger Oh the small hopes that we have of Gods sheathing his sword and the many and woeful symetomes of an universall distruction of our whole Nation whom God hath more honoured with the meanes of grace then any nation under heaven for this we may build upon that God will never leave smiting till we smite that which smiteth at his honour Was it the Lords complant against Ierusalem when he threatned her destruction by Nebuchadnezar I called to weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth but behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinkeing wine Isay 22.12.13 For which he was so highly offended that he tells them this their iniquity should not be purged till death verse 14 what then may wee justly looke for when we drinke and sweare cheate and whore as if there were no God to judge nor hell to punish nor heaven to reward which sinnes at any time were abominable but now and that upon dayes of humiliation they are most execrable Yea what other is this then to imitate the Thraâ—ians who when it lightens and thunders shoot arrowes against heaven thinking by that meanes to daw God to some reason And yet these men professe and call themselves Christians and looke that others should esteeme them so yea they dare call God father and expect that he should give them the Kingdome of heaven and not only shew their faces in the Temple but with their mouthes receive as they thinke the sacred body and blood of the Lord of life But will God owne such wicked and prophane wretches for his children no such matter He will one day if they repent not turne them over to the god of this world Ephes 2.2 2 Tim. 2 26 Iohn 12.31 and 14 30. And say to them as once Christ to the Jewes Iohn 8.44 Yee are of your father the Devill Neither can he be a good God who hath such evill sonnes As the Indians told the Spaniards when they first came amongst them after they had observed their conditions But I need say no more you have heard what God himselfe hath both said and sworne in his word And in case you beleeve not Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles you would never be perswaded although one should be sent unto you from the dead to testifie what a place of torment you are without repentance going unto Luke 16.31 Wherefore doe you beleeve there is a God and that he speakes as he meanes in his word are you a Christian if you be there is an hell in your creed If there be an hell how dare you tare heaven with your blasphemies and bandy the dreadfull name of God in your impure and miry mouth by your bloody oathes and execrations Doe not stifle your conscience nor stop your eares against the mennases and threats of God in his word Flatter not your heart with an opinion that he is all mercy but beleeve peremptorily and fully what the word speakes as well the commands and threats as the promises And not what Satan and his adherents the world and the flesh suggests of meeting with heaven at the last houre when all your life long you have gallowped in the beaten road towards hell Or to use our Saviours owne words Doe not stop your eares and winke with your eyes least you should see with your eyes and heare with your eares and understand with your heart and so should be converted Mat. 13.15 Acts 28.27 Yea if you beare any good