your self of the Faith of Assurance yet indeavour to maintain and exercise the Faith of Adherence (a) Vid. Dr. Owen on Pf. 130.2 Say unto God that because there is forgiveness with him therefore he is to be feared My sin is not too great to be forgiven 'T is not the Vnpardonable Sin For I desire to repent and am resolv'd to return I will still cleave to the Lord and wait upon him and follow hard after him and take no other course for Deliverance and Comfort Mine is not a single Case I am not the only Soul that hath been so distressed and yet found relief by seeking unto God 'T is therefore good for me to hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of God (b) Lam. 3.26 I will draw near to God I will lie at his foot and continue in all ways of Worship and Duty wherein I may hope to meet with the quickening and comfort of his Spirit I will seek relief from no other I will keep as near him as I can whither else shall I go he alone hath the words of Eternal Life he alone can create what is the fruit of his own lips Peace Peace * Vid. Mr. Baxter 's Method for Peace of Conscience I will encourage my self in the consideration of his General Grace and the probabilities of his special Love I will recollect my former Experiences when I had some good hope through Grace concerning my Adoption I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High If God will give me so much Grace as to continue waiting I will hope still And though I walk in darkness and see little or no Light I will stay my self on the Lord. And if by the want of sensible Consolation he will make me more humble and keep me in a greater Submission to his Will I will bless his holy Name and derive more comfortable hope from thence than from the most sweet and sensible Consolations I ever had and look upon Humility Self-denial Dependance on God Resignation to him and Hatred of sin as a better sign of his Love than the highest fervors of Affection in his service can be Oh that I had formerly done as much for Holiness as I have for Comfort By the enjoyment of the one I should have had more of the other The Exercise of Grace would have discover'd the Truth of it Let me therefore accuse and condemn my self but still trust and love God and wait upon him Let me resolve never to chuse a new Lord or Master Or take up with any Portion beneath God himself or any way of Hope or Salvation but by Jesus Christ my only Saviour neither let me forsake the way of Faith and Holiness for all the Hopes and Happiness of this World if put to my choice But be always able to say blessed be God I now can that I will return to my former Husband for then it was better with me than now I had peace and refreshment in my former ways I will return to them Lord forsake me not utterly Keep not thine Anger for ever Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation that my Heart may be inlarged to praise thy Name and to run the way of thy Commandments XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentance must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance of some particular Back-sliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly THat we may turn unto the Lord is the end of searching and trying our Ways Lord I have been searching my Heart and considering my Ways but can find little or no good neither can I discover all that is evil in both But I find enough to make my own Heart condemn me and Thou who art greater than my Heart and knowest all things maist much more condemn me I am altogether unclean polluted and abominable If I go about to enumerate the Sins of my Thoughts Words and Actions in all the periods of my Life hitherto if I consider my Omissions of Duty and dayly Crimes by actual Commission If I reflect upon my Sins according to their respective Objects as either against Thee O God and against my Neighbour and against my own Soul or Body and compare my Heart and Life with thy strict and holy Law and think in how many Instances I have transgrest every of thy Righteous Commandments I find they are more than the hairs on my Head they cannot be number'd Who can tell how oft he hath offended Many of my sins make little Impression on my Memory I observe them not I remember them not But this hinders not but they may make deep Impression on my Conscience which will one day be awake and set them in order before me and they are all written in thy Book of Remembrance in order to my final Judgment All my sins are before thee But thou requirest my humble Confession of them in order to Repentance and as a part thereof that I freely acknowledge their hainous Aggravations to shame and humble my self the more before thee whom I have offended and provok'd How long did I serve divers Lusts and Pleasures with the neglect and forgetfulness of God How sad a Prospect may I take of the far greatest part of my Life past Especially of my younger years which have been trifl'd away in vanity and folly And since I have known the way of Truth how shamefully have I prevaricated with God I am confounded to consider how often I have despised the Commandment and rebelled against the Light against the Principles of Education and the checks of Conscience frequent Warnings from God and Reproofs from Others contrary to my Profession and Experience contrary to the Obligation of peculiar Mercies solemn Promises Resolutions and Engagements and a nearer Relation to God than many others Which sins have more dishonour'd the Lord discredited his Holy Gospel gratifi'd the Devil scandaliz'd the World and strengthen'd the hands of the ungodly than the sins of others And alas How much of my precious Time is thus gone which if duly improv'd would now afford me comfort to review How much Guilt have I contracted every Year particularly in this last I now begin another which will soon be gone as that which was concluded Yesterday And shall I only advance in Age to increase the number of my sins and heighten my Account against the Day of Reckoning In Temporal and Civil Affairs Day unto Day uttereth knowledge and Night unto Night teacheth Wisdom We are taught by Experience many useful Lessons which we should not else have learnt to reform many Errors and mistakes to correct many rash and foolish Actions and Speeches c. And shall I not learn Wisdom by the Experience of another Year in what concerns my greatest my Eternal Interest Shall not the reflection on my past sins prevent my Commission of
bed of sickness breathing out his last faint breath and passing into the other world to answer for the Crimes and Follies of a wicked Life Lord revive these thoughts upon my Soul and let me feel the power and influence of them in the hour of Temptation and in every time of need and let the consideration of the death of Believers the Blessedness they are thereby entred into and the Happiness they are possessed of quicken my desires and diligence to prepare to follow When I think were they are and what they are doing what is their work and what their state what their continual imployment and what their enjoyments and how different from ours I cannot but wish to be with them to be as they are and do as they do to know and love and praise God as they They are not hindred by such a clog as this Body is to us or tempted by their senses appetite and fancy to sin against Him They complain not of a seducing Flesh unruly Passions low and disordered thoughts of temporal Afflictions spiritual Desertions the snares of the World and the malice and subtilty of the Devil We who are Pilgrims and Travellers are exposed to these difficulties and storms which they are freed from They are now rejoycing in the light of God's Countenance and shall never question his love more while we are in Tears and Sorrows groaning to be delivered But think O my Soul that They were lately such as We are now They were members of the militant Church before they entred into Joy and Triumph They had their conflicts and difficulties their hour of Temptation and time of Trial as we have ours They were slandered and persecuted and sadned and disappointed as their Followers are They went to Heaven the same way and got the victory after the same manner by Repentance and Faith and humble persevering Obedience They were once Imperfect as we are now and complained of the Body of Sin and Death and struglings of unmortified lust as we do And were sometimes in the dark about their interest in the promise and walked heavily by the hiding of God's face and indured Temptation even as we And as we have nothing to do or suffer but what they met with we have the same Encouragement that administred to their support the same God and Saviour the same way and rule the same Assistance by the aids of his Holy Spirit offered to us the same promises and the same rewards proposed which they enjoyed first in faith and hope and afterwards in fruition Yea they passed through the dark valley and so must we Their Earthly tabernacle was dissolved and so must ours be We must expect to go the same way to Rest and Glory and wait God's time for our admission We must finish first the work which God hath for us to do and suffer and then all Tears shall be wiped from our eyes we shall grieve no more we shall sin no more but be as the Angels in Heaven or as the Spirits of the Just made Perfect SECT XIII What Influence the Consideration of Eternity would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believed and considered especially if the supposition of Dying this year be annexed to it WIth what Humility Mortification and Self-denial what Seriousness Watchfulness and resolved Constancy would every Christian Live on Earth did he act always under the influence and power of a confirmed Faith concerning the Life to come We should not then grudge at a little labour or boggle at a few difficulties in our Way What tho' I meet with injuries and affronts hardships and inconveniences being now in a Forreign Country and every day I live one Days journey nearer my Eternal Home Shall I not patiently bear momentany Sorrows while I believe I am hastening to Eternal Joy Did I look more to the Everlasting World should not I make the pleasing of God in order to my Eternal welfare the great business of my Life Should I not serve the Lord with more fervency of Spirit and be better fortified against the fears of Man who can but hurt and kill the Body nor that neither without the permission of God Shuld I not order all my affairs answer all Temptations mortifie inward Lusts live in the Exercise of Grace and in circumspect persevering Obedience in order to it Should I not watch more over my Heart and Lips and Ways be more diligent to trim my Lamps more crucified to this world more careful to call my self frequently to an account and renew my Repentance Would not my Converse be more useful and edifying my Discourses more savory and full of Religion my Prayers to God more humble and earnest my Charity to Men more unfeigned and extensive and my Preparations every way more suitable to such a Faith and to such Apprehensions of an Everlasting State Could we carry the thoughts of Eternity about with us every day and often admit them in our civil and secular affairs did we repeat it frequently to our selves at least every Morning as soon as we are awake that we are near Eternity this grain of Incense would perfume the whole Temple and be an Antidote against inward Lust and impure thoughts against the infection and defilement of bad Company and the snares of worldly Business and do much to prevent vain and sensual actions and to cure vain affections Did we believe it and believe it near should we not take as much pains to secure Eternal Life as we see Men do to get riches Should we not use the same diligence care and circumspection the same prudent foresight watchfulness and perseverance to prevent Everlasting Destruction as others do to provide against Poverty and to live in Plenty a little while on Earth Should we not rejoyce as much in the promise and hopes of it as others do in the prospect and expectation of some Earthly Advantage Lord I confess and bewail the weakness of my Faith How often have I concluded and said that Heaven alone is the place of Happiness and yet my carnal Heart is too much affected with Earthly Things How often have I re-resolved upon the conviction of the certainty of the Eternal World to mind this less and to affect and seek it no more as I have done and yet my foolish Heart is hankering after it still O crucifie my Affections to things below and let the believing Thoughts of the next Life render me victorious over all the Temptations of this Pardon and cure the staggering trembling Thoughts of an unbelieving Heart by greater measures of a lively Faith That my desires may be strong and urgent and my diligence and stedfastness in the way of Truth be some way correspondent to this important Article Let me live only for Eternity hope for nothing but Eternity design and intend nothing as my chief end but Eternity and seek and mind nothing in comparison with Eternity Did we believe it how would every thing in this World
to Mercy His Spirit is yet striving with you if you are willing to Repent and return to God He sought you and call'd you to return when you were wandring as a lost sheep in the broad way And can you think he will not be found of you if you seek him with your whole Heart Therefore renew your Repentance and beg more earnestly a Spirit of Humility Holy Fear and Watchfulness And every Morning implore Divine succours against that Sin and all Temptations to it which as much as possible you must avoid Constant and fervent Prayer after Repentance must be your Refuge and your Remedy If you let fall your Hands this Amaleck will prevail again As soon and as far as you fail in the Constancy and Fervency of that Duty your Sin will get strength and successfully attempt you another time But by this Practice God may turn Evil to work for Good make you gain by your Loss stand the faster by your Falls and become stronger by the discovery of your Weakness and so be better establish'd for the future But take heed that you pervert not the Grace of God and encourage your self to sin again by the Supposition that if you should Fall 't is but to Repent and renew your Resolutions and all will be well This is a subtile Artifice of Satan but such methinks as should take with none who have ever known by Experience what it is to Repent Who have felt the burden of Sin to be heavier than a Milstone than the weight of a Mountain Who have tasted how evil and bitter a thing it is to depart from God Who have loathed and abhorr'd themselves with deep Remorse and Sorrow and Anguish of Spirit wishing with all their Hearts that they had not sinn'd and if it were in their power would give all the World to retrieve it and would rather die than commit that Folly Luk. 23.30 17.2 again they then repented of Let those who have not their own Experience to confirm this read over and consider the Case of David when he wrote the Penitential Psalms How many like him have roar'd and cry'd out under the sense of Sin of stings and furies in their Conscience of the poison'd Arrows in their Souls and his Terrors surrounding them where-ever they went from the sense of his Sins Malignity the apprehensions of God's Anger and the consequent Fears of his Wrath. Serious Repentance after great Transgressions is another Thing than most imagine it When their aggravated Sins shall beset them behind and before be placed in order before their eyes and set in array against them 'T is always a work of Difficulty as well as Importance to crucifie corrupt affections to tear a beloved Lust from the Heart with self-indignation to abhorr and cast away what before you lov'd and delighted in How did David's Sin stare him in the Face It is continually with me it is ever before me said He. It haunted him like a Spectre or like Belshazzar's Hand-writing on the Wall it still appear'd before him in some horrid shape However Sin may smile in its first address and bespeak us in flattering language and promise Pleasure and Profit and great Advantages and Satisfaction these are but fair Appearances This is but the outside of the Cup and the Colour of the Liquor It will prove Gail and Wormwood and a mixture of deadly Poison if ever God set it home upon the Conscience and awaken us to a true sense of it And the Continuance of daily Repentance for Sin which all Christians are called to is no such easie matter neither Constant Self-abasement and Humiliation before God from a sense of his Majesty and Holiness and of our many Sins and Pollution thereby The imperfection of our best Duties continually to be bewailed inordinate Affections to be still mortified always resisting and opposing Sin in its Root and Branches conflicting against the whole Interest of the Flesh the World and the Devil seeking after more Holiness to be deriv'd unto us by the Grace of Christ to be wrought in us by his Spirit and maintain'd by his Power and making daily Applications to the Fountain of all Grace for spiritual strength to continue our warfare against Sin in all Instances of outward Duty and inward Actings of Grace even as long as we live all this is included in it Due Apprehensions concerning Repentance as so comprehensive and difficult a Duty would teach us to beware of Sin XXVII The Necessity of Christian Resolution to Vpright Persevering Obedience how full and extensive it ought to be and yet humble by what means we may be assisted to perform that which we resolve HAving acknowledg'd my Transgressions unto God and begg'd Forgiveness and experimentally learn'd the Evil of Sin by the bitterness of Repentance I resolve for the future to watch against it more narrowly and against every thing that leads to it endeavouring to please and honour my God and Saviour by an upright obedient Heart and Life And for the Remission of my former contracted Guilt I trust to Jesus Christ according to the Revelation made in the Gospel of what he is hath done and suffer'd and continues to do in Heaven for the Salvation of Repenting Sinners who desire to come unto God by Him But how often O my Soul have I mock'd God and deceiv'd my self with formal and faint Purposes of Amendment My good Resolutions have been all of them as the morning Cloud and the early Dew which quickly passed away One fresh assault of Temptation hath swept away all my good Purposes as a Spider's Web. I have falsified so many and broke my word so often that I dare not trust to any thing I now resolve or rely on any Promise I should farther make Succour me therefore O Lord by thy powerful Grace that what was defective in my former fruitless Resolutions may be now rectified Let me be more humble in the sense of my Weakness more dependant on thy Grace and more heartily seek it from time to time Strengthen me with Strength in my Soul with Might and Power in my inward man that I may so resolve and purpose as to perform that I may not be one day hot and the next cold zealous in the Beginning but faint and lukewarm in the Brogress fervent and serious only in Resolving but weak and impotent in the Execution Having chang'd my Master my End and my Hopes by returning unto God from whom I had gone astray I firmly resolve through the assistance of his Grace to change my Course of Life that Old things being done away all things may become New that * Rom. 6.22 being made free from sin by pardoning Mercy and become the servant of Christ I may have my fruit unto Holiness that my End may be Eternal Life In the interim whether I live or die let it be unto the Lord resolving both in Life and Death to be absolutely his And to that purpose O my Soul Let
Actions to the Touchstone and know how to manage the sword of the Spirit on all occasions against the fiery Darts of the Devil That knowing the Rule I may not be doubtful or at a loss whenever I am tempted I may not make a stand to parley but immediately summon all my forces to resist and reject the Snare being assur'd from God that the Continuance of this Warfare shall end in a most Glorious Victory He will shortly tread down Satan under my feet Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord. XXVIII The Import and Obligation of our Baptismal Covenant The renewal of it by a solemn Dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit exemplify'd and recommended ALL this O my Soul which I have now resolv'd on is no more than what I am obliged to by my Vow in Baptism to renounce the Devil and his Works the Flesh and the Lusts thereof the World and Conformity to it that I may Love and Serve the Lord Agreeable to the undoubted Right which God hath in me by Creation Redemption and his innumerable other Benefits But the outward washing of Baptism and a visible profession of obedience will not save me without the Answer of a good Conscience towards God 1 Pet. chap. 3. v. 21. May I not by the consideration of my Baptismal Covenant suppose God speaking to my Conscience to this effect Will you take me for your whole Portion and Felicity And my Law for the constant Rule of your obedience And fight against the World the Flesh and the Devil to your lives end Will you believe in Jesus Christ and receive him as a Prince and Saviour And adhere to the faith and obedience of the Gospel how hazardous and difficult soever the profession and practice of it may be Will you receive the Blessed Spirit as your Teacher Sanctifier and Comforter and cherish all his Motions to enlighten purify confirm comfort and assist you 'T is my hearty consent to these Terms and resolved compliance with them which Baptism obligeth to and this is the Answer of a good Conscience towards God I have often renewed this Covenant on several Occasions but did I ever duly consider the tenor and obligation of it How have I lyed unto the God of Truth Dealt deceitfully with him and been False and Fickle Treacherous and Unfaithful to what I promised O let me now again repeat it and give up my self once more to be the Lord's more unfeignedly more firmly than ever I have hitherto done That the Bonds of God upon me may be strengthened and my Soul more throughly ingag'd to be the Lord's O help me to do it with the greatest seriousness as the most important Affair of my whole Life By thine Aid and Grace alone shall I be sincere and cordial in this surrender and Dedication of my self O breathe upon my Soul most Holy Spirit the Power of the highest that there may be no Hypocrifie or Reservation in this so weighty and solemn Transaction between God and me O most Blessed and Glorious TRINITY Father Son and Holy Spirit thy favour is my Life and thy Loving kindness is better than Life Thy Will should have been my Rule thy Word my Law thy Glory my End to please thee my principal Business and to enjoy thy Love and Presence my ultimate Felicity But I am one of thy revolted Creatures who have lost thine Image and rebell'd against thy Law slighted thy Authority and rejected thy Grace and deserve to be cast out of thy sight and banisht from thy Presence for ever Nevertheless O most merciful God and Father upon thy gracious Invitation and Call I now return to thee my rightful Lord acknowledging thee as my Almighty Wise and bountiful Creator my absolute Owner my Righteous Governour my End my Happiness and Chief Good I now accept thine offer'd Mercy I now submit to the Scepter of thy Grace and give up my self to Thee as my King and my God to rule and sanctifie me now and be my Everlasting Portion I desire to be no longer my own but Thine to whom of right I belong and ought to be devoted I yield my self to Thee O my Lord Accept and possess that which is thine own I lay my self at thy Foot at all Times and in all Conditions to be at thy dispose and in every thing to acquiesce in thy good Pleasure Deliberately resolving with unfeigned and free consent of my Will to walk before Thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my Life Hereby I consecrate and devote my self to be thy perpetual Avowed Servant Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the Son of thine Handmaid Though other Lords have had dominion over me I will now make mention of thy Name and of thy Righteousness only by Jesus Christ O blessed Jesus my All-sufficient Saviour Thy dying Love infinite Condescention and matchless Grace hath at last overcome me and constrain'd me to resolve to be wholly Thine who hast redeem'd and bought me with thy most precious Blood I now acknowledge and own Thee as my Lord and my Jesus my Prophet Priest and King my Sacrifice Surety and Ransom to satisfy for my Sins and reconcile me unto God to instruct me in his Will and teach me the Mysteries of his Kingdom and the way to the Father How often hast thou open'd thine arms and called me yea beseech'd me to come unto thee and accept of Life but I refused to come I adore thy merciful Condescention that yet thou wilt receive me on such easie Terms O thou Lord of Life and Glory now accept of an unworthy helpless Sinner who flies to Thee as his only Refuge and Hope who is convinc'd that None but Christ None but Christ can make his Peace with God and save from wrath to come I acknowledge thy Title to me and my Obedience and to all I have by dying for me I desire to take thy Yoke upon me for it is Easie and thy Burthen which is Light I desire to be intirely and for ever thine in an Everlasting Covenant never to be broken To take up the Cross and follow thee whithersoever thou shalt lead me through the straight Gate and the narrow way I will reserve no Lust refuse no Labour grudge at no Suffering stick at no Difficulty so I may please and honour thee and continue in thy Love O shed abroad more of thy Love in my Heart to make all Things easie for his sake who hath loved me and washed me from my Sins in his own Blood O God the Holy Ghost I acknowledge Thee as my Great Teacher and Sanctifier and give up my self to Thee as the Author of all saving Knowledge and Holiness By Thee I have been convinc'd of my Sin against the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ and of my necessity of his Merit Satisfaction and Righteousness to justify my guilty Soul by procuring the Forgiveness of Sin and my Acceptance with God and of the
charitable Assistance of him that when his Heart is most serious his Spirit most composed and devout and his Affections most vigorous and lively he would not forget to put up one Prayer to Heaven for me for Greater Holiness and Abilities to Honour God and persevering Faithfulness to his Truth and Interest whatever Temptations to desert it may be employed by the World the Flesh and the Devil the three Great Enemies of thine and my Salvation J. S. FINIS THE CONTENTS Sect. I. OF the changeable State and short Duration of Earthly things especially of Man how little it is considered and believed how necessary it should be p. 1. Sect. II. Of the change in Mens Inclinations Opinions and Actions which one year shews how observable it is in Others how much more discernable in our selves Honour and Reputation c. how uncertainly preserved and how easily blasted p. 7 Sect. III. Of the Uncertainty of living to the Period of another Year The Vanity of this Life The Swiftness of Time and how to be Improved p. 13. Sect. IV. Of the seeming Difference between so many Years past and the same number of Years to come p. 20 Sect. V. The little Portion of our Time on Earth considered by a Computation of the Life of Man from the number of Years and Hours p. 22. Sect. VI. Of the Redemption of Time how precious and valuable a Treasure it is and will be thought to be when 't is too late p. 26. Sect. VII Of the Ordinances of Heaven Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed Time and Harvest their Order and Succession establisht by God is the effect of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness What they may teach us p. 30. Sect. VIII Of Evils to be expected in this Year the Wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the Knowledge of future Events p. 36. Sect. IX The Supposition of dying this Year should be improved the consequence of redeeming Time and providing for Eternity farther prest The folly of Elder Persons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is advisable to familiarize the Thoughts of our own Death and to imagine before-hand What Apprehensions of things we shall then have p. 39. Sect. X. The Brevity of Life considered as the fruit of Sin There are but three ways of leaving this World as Abel Adam or Enoch A diligent Improvement of Time farther prest and the neglect of it bewailed p. 44. Sect. XI Of the Expectation of another Life The Vanity and Misery of Man in his Best Estate if there be none The satisfactory removal of that Supposition by the Thoughts of God and of Eternal Felicity in his Blessed Presence p. 48. Sect. XII The consideration of the Death of others especially of Relations Friends and Acquaintance how to be improved What instructions we may learn by the sight of a dead Carkass or a Deaths-Head and the usual Motto on it and what by the death of Holy Persons to quicken our desires to be as they p. 55. Sect. XIII What Influence the Consideration of Eternity would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believed and considered especially if the Supposition of dying this Year be annexed to it p. 62. Sect. XIV How a good Man may improve and encourage himself under the Supposition of dying this Year even in the most uneasy and undesirable Circumstances p. 67. Sect. XV. Of dying in a Foreign Country and of dying Young Considerations proper to Reconcile the Mind to both p. 74. Sect. XVI The Contemplation of our approaching Chance may assist us to mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and Pride of Life to cure Ambition and promote Contentment p. 81. Sect. XVII The same Argument considered farther as disswasive from Worldliness and Earthly mindedness and as proper to confute the Vanity of long Projects and great Designs for this World p. 85 Sect. XVIII The consideration of the certain near approach of an Everlasting State amplified and prest to inforce an Holy Life p. 89. Sect. XIX The Punishments of the Damned considered as Intolerable and Everlasting and as unquestionably certain What the Reflection upon Hell-Torments may and ought to teach us p. 97. Sect. XX. The Eternal Blessedness of HEAVEN considered as the Perfection of Holiness to quicken our desires and endeavours after greater Meetness to possess it p. 112. Sect. XXI A devout Meditation upon Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee p. 127 Sect. XXII The glorious Appearance of J. Christ to Judgment considered as certain the Terror Astonishment Confusion and Despair of Wicked Jews and Christians to behold their Judge and bear his condemning Sentence to EVERLASTING Destruction p. 141. Sect. XXIII Meditations of the Glory of Christ in his Glorified Saints and of the Thankful Admiration of Believers when He shall come again from Heaven which shall be continued to all Eternity p. 151. Sect. XXIV Concerning the Examination of a Man's Heart and Life the Reasonableness Advantages and Necessity of it Some Direction and Advice concerning the Time and Manner That we may know in what Preparedness we are for ETERNITY p. 163. Sect. XXV How Christians ought to Examine their Decays of Grace and Piety The greatness of their Sin and of their Loss under such Declensions Gods Displeasure and Departure from them considered to awaken Endeavours of Recovery In what manner the Faith of Adherence may be acted by one who hath no Assurance p. 174. Sect. XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentance must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance for some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly p. 187. Sect. XXVII The necessity of Christian Resolution unto Vpright Persevering Obedience how full and extensive it ought to be and yet humble by what means we may be assisted to perform that which we Resolve p. 199. Sect. XXVIII The Import and Obligation of our Baptismal Covenant The renewal of it by a solemn Dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Exemplified and recommonded p. 207. Sect. XXIX Practical and consolatory Reflections on the preceeding Self-dedication or Covenant with God p. 214. Sect. XXX Thanksgiving to God for his many Benefits and Mercies particularly in the Year past with some Direction and Advice concerning it p. 224. The Appendix from what time the Jews reckoned the Beginning of their Year of the difference between their Sacred and Civil Account The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the Year its Institution Nature and Design The Traditions and Customs of the Jews respecting that Day