young (q) Isa 40.11 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World (r) Matt. 25.34 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (s) John 3.16 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off (t) John 6.37 Say unto my Brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God (u) Joh. 20.17 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be (w) Joh. 12.26 By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses (x) Acts 13.39 I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more (y) Heb. 8.12 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right-hand of God who also maketh intercession for us c. (z) Rom. 8.1.33 c. Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their works do follow them (a) Rev. 14.13 And you that are about the Sick urge them betimes to make their Will if they have not Use your utmost Endeavours for their Ease and Recovery Be not weary of them but tender patient compassionate bearing with their Impatience Grudge not any trouble they put you to not knowing how soon 't will be your own Case Deal faithfully and prudently with them according to their state flatter them not with groundless Hopes of this or a better life Keep such from them as may hinder or annoy them with Impertinencies get such about them as will assist them in their passage to endless Best Let the Spectacle of Weakness Frailty and Mortality have a due Influence upon your selves See what they want which you would desire in their State and speedily supply them with it Pray with and for them and for your selves against that Hour Support for the Sick MOre particularly to direct and assist your Patience in Sickness Beware of a troublesome querrelous peevish Temper as to those about you The Lord heareth your murmuring which you murmur against him They may say unto you and what are we Are we the Cause of your Distemper and Pains Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord (b) Ex. 16.18 Shall the thing say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Liable to these Distempers and Diseases Impatient Complaining multiplies our Pains by adding Sin unto it and fruitless vexing our Souls for the Sufferings of our Body Encreases our own and other's Sorrows about us who are apt to sympathize with us in our Sufferings when by our calm Submission we should teach them Patience the only Remedy or Allay of those Evils which we cannot avoid or remove What Folly is it to vex or disturb our selves at that which we cannot help which Providence and the Frailty of our Nature hath made necessary for us to endure and which others do who are not assisted with the Result of a long Experience nor know how to turn Sickness into a Virtue and Pain into a Reward That raise not up their minds to the ever quiet Region of undisturbed Health and Ease That have the Wrath of an angry God to conflict with attoned and reconciled to us thorough the Merits of our Saviour's Sufferings How many without the Advantages of the Gospel have thought it mean and effeminate to lament or be dejecteed in pain Through Fortitude and Bravery of Spirit undergone wracking Tortures with Constancy and Sedateness for Praise Dignity Decency of Demeanour Stoutness of Resolution By presenting to their minds Noble precedents Taking heed of doing any thing to be repented of dishonourable low spirited unmanly unbecoming their Patience their Gallantry of Mind whereby they not only put a Check upon themselves and restrained their Spirits but even alleviated the very Pain it self Accounting nothing evil but what was base and vitious and him a wise couragious valliant Man who was constantly composed undervaluing all the Contingencies and Inconveniences of Humane Life But our Redeemer hath restored us to a more lively Hope That after we have undergone the Labours of a painfull Life our Troubles shall all end in greater Joy and Gladness as the escaped Marriner after a Ship-wrack A lively Apprehension of which will encourage us to endure Hardship as good Soldiers of Jesus Christ And not suffer us to think that he who designed us good by all our former Afflictions intends us otherwise by this or that he hath a greater Kindness for his most flagitious Enemies because he affords them the Ease he denies us Was God's Providence to Christ the more to be questioned because he was oppressed afflicted a Man of Sorrow Or his love less to him because he was acquainted with Grief An ill Habit of Body is a proper Season for the Acquisition and Exercise of many Graces A happy Impotency as to the most wasting Vices An excellent Monitor of our own Frailty and Mortality Every little Ach toles the Bell and every extreme pain is turning Dust to dust and Ashes to ashes A firm Constitution of Mind is often wrought from the Diseases of the Body And the Soul grows more active and refined by still working out its own Separation Whilst the Mortal part by a continual Succession of little Dissolutions is better prepared to drop with Ease and just Maturity into that final one of Death which rends strong robust Tempers with great Concussion and Violence It 's not much material how weak and ruinous our Prison is seeing we are to tarry in it but a very little while seeing we shall the sooner and easier obtain our Liberty and Freedom And though here a little Pain molests in the Grave whole Limbs fall off and crumble into Dust without disturbing that quiet Repose which buries all the Sorrows of this Life in a profound Oblivion and Insensibility Rouse up therefore from that Sluggishness of Temper and forgetfulness of your Profession to which you are inclin'd Remember in whose Hands you are who puts forth his Hand now and touches your Bone and your Flesh (c) Job 2.5 who cuts you off with pining Sickness (d) Isa 38.12 and is ordering all for your good Make the truth of your profession more apparent and illustrious Rejoyce that by this Trial is manifested the Victory of Faith the Omnipotency of Grace the Miracle of Patience Humility Resignation and Complacency under sufferings Bear up
a Curious piece out of such indisposed mean materials The Woman was made of Man so of the same dust mould and model of a reasonable immortal Soul stampt with the same Image of God In the same Spiritual Condition Subject to the same Lord bound to the same Law Capable of the same Felicity and by Sin liable to the same Punishment The Happiness of his Estate consisted in his Being 1. Made after the Image and likeness of God in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness Enjoying uninterrupted Peace and Communion with him 2. In Paradise a Place of God's own planting So delightfull as is set out by it not only the pleasantest goodliest places on Earth tho' the whole Earth was Garden-like in Comparison of what it is now (z) Gen. 13.10 Isa 51.3 but Heaven it self (a) Luc. 23.43 Rev. 2.7 3. Made Ruler over all the Creatures (b) Gen. 1.26 Psal 8.6 who submitted to him to be Governed and Ruled by him at his pleasure (c) Ge. 2.19 20. In this Estate God Entered with him into a Covenant of Works i. e. God's gracious Agreement with Adam as the Head of and all his Posterity to give them Eternal Life and Happiness upon Condition of Personal Perfect Perpetual Obedience by that strength wherewith God had endowed Him in his Creation to which he left him This Covenant was 1 an Act of Condescension Grace and Favour not of Debt for God as Creator might have dealt with him only in a way of Soveraignty and required obedience without promising a Reward which Adam could not have expected by perfect obedience having but done his Duty 2. an Agreement with him that he should obey the Moral Law written in his Heart which was the general Rule of his obedience and the positive Law of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not Eat which was the special Trial of it 3. with all his posterity which appears from the miserable Event of Adam's breaking this Covenant both as to the guilt filth and punishment (d) Psal 51.5 John 3.5 c. Rom. 5.12 c. 1 Cor. 15.21 c. Eph. 2.3 And by God's usual way or course in all other Covenants i. e. To take in Head and Members Root and Branch The second Adam and his Posterity (e) Gen. 3.15 Noâ— ah (f) Gen. 9.9 Abraham (g) Gen. 17.7 8. David (h) 2 Sam. 7.16 Israel (i) Isa 59.21 Acts 2.39 Their Seed and their Seeds seed 4. To give them Eternal Life or the continuance of them in that good Estate under the Threatning of Death for Disobedience was promised Life for Obedience assured and confirmed by the Treâ— of Life The Tree of Knowledge was so called noâ— from the Nature of the Tree but fault of Eating In respect of 1 God's Command Things are therefore Good or Evil because he allows or forbids them 2. The Event oâ— Eating Thereby he should experimentally know to his sorrow Good by the loss of it and Evil by the feeling of it Eating of it self was not Morally or Intrinsecally Evil only in respect of God's prohibition which was for 1. Clearer Discovery of his Absolute Soveraignty over Man and Trial of his Obedience and Subjection Whether he would obey meerly because God commanded 2. Greater Aggravation of Man's Sin if he should offend in so small a matter so easie to be obey'd Especially having Liberty to Eat of all the Trees else So directly against God's Authority by doing that which was to be forborn meerly because He had forbidden it Of the Fall of Man OUR First Parents being left to the freedom of their own Will through the Temptation of Satan Sinned in Eating the Forbidden Fruit. And thereby lost their Innocency Paradise Communion with and the Favour of God brought a Curse upon the Earth became Slaves of Satan lay under the Curse of the Law Died the same day they sinned In their 1. Souls Dead spiritually to all good 2. Bodies In Respect of the Desert guilt sentence and inevitable Necessity of Dying Contracted Dead in Law as a Condemned man is before Execution They then became Mortal Dissolving by degrees Liable to the Symptoms and Harbingers of Death 3. Bodies and Souls being then under the Arrest of God's Justice Wrath and Curse liable to Eternal Death the Wages of Sin (k) Rom. 6.23 The Hainousness of the Sin appears by confidering 1. The Person that sinned Adam an Innocent Happy Publick Person 2. Against whom the great Creator and Soveraign of all the World 3. The Time when the same Day as supposed He was created and commanded 4. The Place where in Paradise where God familiarly conversed and entered into Covenant with him where no Sin Sorrow or Want was 5. The Penalty threatned upon the Breach and the Promise implied 6. The great Ease and Facility of keeping it In it was Incredulity Diffidence Pride Ambition vain Curiosity Ingratitude Idolatry Contempt of God's Word and Soveraignty Rebellion Murther Intemperance Theft Discontent with their present Condition assenting to false Witness unworthy Accusations against God the Transgression of the whole Law of Nature Adam being the Root Representative and Head of all Mankind being in his loins the Guilt Corruption and Defilement of this Sin is imputed and convey'd to all his Posterity descending from him by ordinary generation and is called Original Sin because 1. We have it from our first Parents the Original of all Mankind 2. 'T is in us from our Original as soon as we have a Being 3. 'T is the Original of all other Sins Of Man's Recovery ALL Mankind being fallen into an Estate of Sin and Misery by the Breach of the First Covenant and unable to help themselves God out of his meer Love Mercy and Compassion for recovering and restoring us to his Favour makes another Covenant with us through a Mediator wherein he promises us Grace Glory and all good things and obliges us to Repentance and Faith 1. Repentance i. e. A sincere Sorrow for and forsaking of all our Sins Or a thorough Change of our Mind and Purpose of Heart and Life from Evil to Good 2. Faith i. e. Such an unfeigned Belief of all that God hath revealed as engages us to a sincere Endeavour to do all that he hath commanded Firmly to rely on all his Promises and faithfully to obey all his Commands Or an Acceptance of our Mediator as he is offered unto us in the Gospel as our Priest Prophet and King not only to Satisfie and Intercede with God but to Teach and Guide Rule and Govern us This Mediator is the Second Person in the Trinity who being true God became true Man by taking upon him our Nature God and Man united in One Person That so having Interest in both he might be a a fit Mediator or middle Person to reconcile and bring together God to Man and Man to God whom Sin had separated The God-head did not assume a Humane Person for then
Market A Thousand Blossoms fall to the Ground for one Ripe fruit gathered into the Basket The Glass runs whilst we are idle The swiftest things in the World have been staid but the life of man that went a Days Journey forward while the Sun stood still (m) Jos 10.12 13. we ought therefore to be always ready else when we are most unready or least think of it our Lord may come (n) Matt 24.44 Righteous Abel is slain by his bloody Brother whilst friendly talking with him in the Field (o) Gen 4.8 Zimri and Cozbi died in the Act of Lust (p) Num. 25.8 suddain Death seases upon Eglon sitting in a Summer-Parler which he had for himself alone (q) Judges 3.15 c. Sampson dies upon a Theatre making sport and Thousands with him seeing it (r) Judges 16. Rebellious Absolon meets with his Gallows a Tree in the Forrest which heard not his Father's Caveat for his Life (s) 2 Sa. 18.8 9. Elah slain drinking himself drunk in his Steward's House by his Servant Zimri who finishes his own Royalty by Fire burning the House over his own head and dies (t) 1 K. 16.8 9.18 Job's Children give up the Ghost eating and drinking in their Elder Brother's House His Table became their snare (v) Job 18.19 In the Time of our Saviour's greatest Joy and Glory when the Fashion of his Countenance was altered and his Rayment white and glistering Moses and Elias appear and talk with him about his Decease (w) Lu. 9.29 Elijah walking with Elisha is taken up into Heaven (x) 2 Kin. 2.11 and St. Stephen while he 's preaching Jesus and calling upon God (y) Acts 7. Moses is called away whilst busie about what God had set him bringing the Children into Canaan (z) Deut. 32.49 John Baptist's Head is given away at a grand Festival (a) Matt. 14.6 The Ten Virgins are summon'd at Midnight when all was silent and at rest (b) Matt. 25.6 The Rich Fool 's Soul that Night was required of him when he dream'd of many Years and that nothing could prevent them but starving (c) L. 12.16 c. Herod while glutting his aspiring Humour with popular Applause gives up the Ghost in the Midst of his vain-glorious Harrange (d) Acts 12.21 Thou shalt be King over Israel and I shall be next unto thee said true hearted Jonathan to David not knowing he was to die in the next Battle (e) 1 Sam. 23.17 c. The great Arbitrer of all things needs not Death's usual Messenger Sickness to prepare his way who can thunder the proud Emperour under his Bed And write the great King at 3 or 4 Words into trembling (f) Dan. 5.5 c. send a Fly to fetch the Tripple-Crown before his Tribunal Make a small Scratch or Bone a Crum a Hair or the Kernel of a Grape or Raisin as mortal as Goliah's Spear Unspeak the whole World into nothing Blow down a great Bubble the stateliest Building with an easie Breath undress our Souls by unpinning one Pin. By withdrawing his Hand take away the Aiery difference between Sleep and Death And oh what a sad Appearance will the Face of Death have to those that have loitered unthriftily trifled away their Time that never knew the worth of it until their last hour and then have their Work to do Eternity at Hand gives value to all Holinesâ— and Sense of God in spite of the World and lessens all things else into less than nothing and Vanity imprints a ghastliness and horror upon wickedness and sensuality The Thirty pieces are nothing worth and the Innocent Blood above all value when Men suffer in the Agonies of Conscience and fears of the approaching Judge An House-full of Silver and Gold will not buy a Man to resist God when the Terrible Majesty appears to him nothing is so precious then that a man will not fling to the Bats and Moles When the Breath is going out of the Nostrils how precious is sincere Holiness to those that have slighted it as a thing of nought As if the great Truths of God's Word were never true till a day or two before we die But these things are always so rich and valuable True Wisdom is always so precious that it disdains to borrow Esteem from a Minute of Extremity And therefore it mostly falls out that those who would have none of its Counsel and despised all its Reproofs when they come to seek it now cannot find it but it laughs at their Calamity and their Misery confutes their Confidence A good Death is the natural consequence of a Holy Life else there 's no such thing in Nature nor Grace neither except by a Miracle of Grace The most profligate and obdurate cannot but think that they must repent and acknowledge the Prudence and Safety of the Religious whom they contemned They own their own folly and mistake when it 's too late to remedy They desire to die the Death of the Righteous and promise to live their life too if they recover from sickness And if a Holy life be then looked upon necessary to be lived it cannot be sufficient meerly to resolve it Religion never gave any a Dispensation to Sin that 's one thing We have entered into a Covenant with God to forsake the Devil and all his Works The Conditions of our Salvation are our giving up our selves Bodies and Souls not a dying but a living Sacrifice unto God (g) Rom. 12.1 To deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World (h) Tit. 2.11 12. The wicked must not only forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts return from all his wickedness that he hath committed unto the Lord but keep all his Statutes and do that which is right (i) Isa 55.7 Ez. 18.21 And 33.14 acquire and exercise the Habits of everlasting Grace as well as mortifie and overcome all corrupt Affections and vitious Inclinations Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works (k) Tit. 2.14 He bare our Sins in his own Body upon the Tree that we being dead to Sin should live unto Righteousness (l) 1 Pet. 2.24 And is it reasonable that this should be wholly frustrate by those supposed to be redeemed by him we dishonour and endeavour to make void the purpose and design of his Sufferings and Redemption if we think them to be a shelter for our ungodly Living The Gospel the highest display of Mercy is not a Salvation of men in but from Sin and by Repentance means a Reformed course of life and only by very silent Intimations the Tract of which is hardly discerned leaves it possible that he should pluck some as brands out of the Fire by giving them Repentance at last whereas this is now become the only Repentance in use the
light Burden which cost the Son of God his life to obtain Heaven upon an intolerable Load and to be had on easier Terms That God should have only the faint and feeble Services of our last Hour for his Mercies vouchsafed to us all our Days That he should accept of such a Commutation for the Obedience due to him as a Death-Bed-Repentance a few Sighs and Groans Tears Promises Scatterings of Devotion in exchange for all our Duties sufficient to expiate a whole life of Impiety with a Breath to retract all the dishonour we have done him in it As if he had made us to take the delights he most abhors and after all to give us such a stupendious Reward From the Word of God Men have no Promise to warrant such a Confidence if they have let them shew it if they have not they must thank or rather condemn themselves for bringing themselves into a Condition without the Covenant without a promise hopeless and miserable And oh how miserablâ— must he needs be that lies upon the brink of Eternity incountering the throws and horrors oâ— an imminent Dissolution the doubts of what wiâ—â— become of him in another World the fears oâ— Hell the uproars of a guilty Conscience whom God hath left to the Boiling Sea of his own Terrors and thrown him out no Anchor of Hope THE Whole Duty OF A CHRISTIAN c. Of the Scriptures THE Scriptures contain a Continued History of the Church from the beginning to the end of the World and all things necessary to be known believed and â—ractised for Moses and the Prophets deliâ—ered whatsoever God requiâ—ed them (a) Deu. 4.2 Mal. 4.4 and Christ made â—nown the last and full Will â—f his Father (b) Mat. 28.20 John 14.26 15.15 to his Apostles who faithfully delivered what â—hey received of Him (c) Act. 20.27 1 Joh. 1.3 As to â—he substance of it 't was ever â—he same The Apostles saying none other things than thosâ— which the Prophets and Mosâ— did say should come (d) Act. 26.22 Anâ— a woe is denounced against thosâ— that shall add to or take awaâ— from it (e) Gal. 1.8.9 Rev. 22.18.19 Their Divine Authority appears from theiâ— wonderful preservation the Testimony anâ— constancy of Believers in all Ages thâ— Heavenliness and Efficacy of the Matter 〈◊〉 the simplicity sincerity and agreement 〈◊〉 the Pen men Miracles wrought to coâ—firm them their Antiquity being mucâ— Antienter than any other writing thâ— malice of the Devil and wicked men against them together with the testimonâ— of the Spirit in the Hearts of the Faithful At first Moral duties to God and Maâ— were Engraven on Mens Hearâ— (f) Rom. 2.14.15 and other things carried dowâ— by faithful tradition But wheâ— Men were much multiplied the lives shortened and greatly degenerated that the Divine Will might be an Infallibâ—â— standard of true Doctrine and preserv'd uâ— corrupt to the end of the World it was coâ—mited to writing by God hiâ—self (g) Ex. 31.18 by Moses at Gods coâ—mand (h) Ex. 34.27 by Holy men whoâ— he stirred up and inspired (i) 2 Pet. 1.21 oâ— after another according to the necessity 〈◊〉 â—he times by degrees so much in all Ages â—s was sufficient until the whole Canon was â—nished The Old Testament is divided into Moses or the Law and the Prophets (k) Mat. 7.12 Luke 16.29 and 24.27 because penned by them â—nd delivered to the Church of â—e Jews The New Testament â—as writ by the Evangelists and Apostles â—e Originals kept in the Churches they â—lanted and compos'd into one Volume as 〈◊〉 suppos'd by St. John the last of the Apoâ—les as the Old Testament by Ezra Neheâ—iah Malachi the last of the Prophets They were writ in Hebrew the mother â—nguage of the Jews and Greek the most â—ommon language of the Gentiles And as â—e first Edition so after-Translations ought 〈◊〉 be in the vulgar Tongue to be underâ—ood and read of all who are to Live and â—e Judged by them They were written for our Learning and Comfort (l) Ro. 15.4 to be a Lamp â—nto our Feet and a light unto â—ur Paths (m) Ps 119.105 to give wisdom â—nd understanding to the simâ—le (n) Ps 19.7 are profitable for Doâ—trine for reproof for correâ—tion for instruction in Righteousâ—ess (o) 2 Tim. 3.16 Ignorance of them is â—he mother of error not of devotion (p) Mat. 22.29 hid only to those thâ— are lost (q) 2 Cor. 4.3 We are theâ— fore to give attention to reaâ—ing (r) 1 Tim. 4.13 to search the Scripture (s) Joh. 5.39 to have them dwell richâ— in us in all knowledge (t) Col. 3.16 delight and meditate in the day and night (u) Psal 1.2 such as 〈◊〉 are commended (w) Act. 17 11. 2 Tim. 3.15 2 Pet. 1.19 and blâ—sed is he that readeth and 〈◊〉 that heareth the words of tâ—â— Prophesie (x) Reve. 1.3 Of God THat he is appears from the wondâ—â— of Creation and Providence the Hâ—mony and regular order of the World â—â—cay and corruption of things in it the â—â—veral vicissitudes of Night and Day Summâ— and Winter the production natural Aâ—ons agreement and Instinct of Irration Creatures the unanimous consent of Natioâ— the practice of Satan the admirable contâ—vance and offices of the Body the hopes aâ— fears troubles and peace of the Soul in tâ—â— we are not satisfied with the knowledge aâ— possession of any thing below but are 〈◊〉 thirsting after something the knowledge aâ— enjoyment of which gives satisfaction God is a Spirit Omniscient Omnipreâ—nt alone in of and to himself Self-sufâ—cient All-sufficient Invisible Omnipoâ—ent Incomprehensible Unchangeable Eterâ—al Infinite in Glory Blessedness Wiseâ—ome Power Holiness Mercy Justice â—oodness and Truth having most Soveâ—ign Dominion over us and to whom is â—ue the obedience of all his Creatures Many things are spoken of him and ascriâ—ed to him in Condescention to our weak apacities after the manner of men but â—ust be understood according to the nature â—f God As by his Eye is meant his knowldge watchful providence Favour By the Apple of is Eye that which is dear unto him By his â—â—rm Power and Strength By stretching out his â—and putting forth his Power to help or deâ—roy By his being weary that he cannot enâ—ure Sin By sleep his silence forbearing to â—elp or punish By his being a Rock c. his â—rotection c. His Attributes are several representatiâ—ns of that one perfection which is himself â—nd are either Incommunicable such as canâ—ot be given to any Creature as Omniâ—esent Omniscient c. or Communicable â—cause some parts or resemblances of them â—e found in his Creatures as Wisedom â—oodness Mercy c. Of the Trinity THe Trinity is one God in three distin persons or three persons in the Goâ— head yet but one God none before nâ— greater than another They are not three sâ—veral substances but three distinct subâ— stences or three
Isa 53.9 Matt. 12.40 â—o sanctifie our Burial to â—weeten and perfume the Grave to us that in the strong Holds and Fortress of Death He might overcome and loose the Sorrows and Bonds of Death (r) Acts 2.24 1 Cor. 15.55 c. V. He Descended into Hell the third Day hâ— Arose again from the Dead Christ so humbled Himself that he was deprived of his Natural Life in the Estate of the Dead and under the Power of Death for Three Days that it might appear he was truly Dead but no longer that his Body might not seâ— Corruption (s) Matt. 12.40 17.23 John 2.19 Acts 2.31 He arose the third Day being the First Day of the Week for our Justification and quickening iâ— Grace as our Head as a Pledge and Means of our Resurrection as an Evidence Divine Justice was fully satisfied the Deâ— paid in that the Judge released him out oâ— Prison VI. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty Having continued upon Earth forty Day after his Resurrection to assure his Disciple of it and instruct them in all things pertaining to their Preaching the Gospel Having finished his Work on Earth over come and Triumphed over His and our Enemies Before many Witnesses he was â—isibly taken up into Heaven where in â—ur Nature and as our Head he is Advanâ—ed by the Father to the Height of all Majesty Power Dominion Honour Digâ—ity and Glory next unto Himself Haâ—ing Authority to Rule as King over all â—â—ings in Heaven and Earth making Conâ—nual Intercession for us that for his Pleâ—ary Satisfaction all his Members Persons â—nd Services may be accepted of God who â—eing the Father Almighty is both Willing â—nd Able to grant the same VII From Thence He shall Come to Judge the â—ick and the Dead At the last Day He â—all Descend from Heaven in great Power â—â—d Glory when He shall sit upon his â—hrone and all then alive and that Dyed â—efore shall be summon'd and stand before â—im and be Judged by the Law of Nature â—d Covenant of Grace When Sentence â—all be pronounced of Absolution to the â—â—ghteous first then of Conâ—mnation upon the Wickâ— (t) Mat. 25.41 c. VIII I Believe in the Holy Ghost Or Holy â—irit who proceedeth or is as it were â—â—eathed forth from the Father and the Son Who Inspired the Prophets and Apâ— stles works in us and assists us in thâ— which is good IX The Holy Catholick Church the Communiâ— of Saints I Believe that Christ hath a Sâ—ctified People Dispersed through and â—â—parated from the Rest of the World stylâ— the Catholick General or Universal Churâ—â— Called out of an Estate of Sin and Miseâ—â— into an Estate of Grace and Salvation aâ—â— Engaged to Holiness in Heart and Lifâ— Being that Body whereof Christ is tâ— Head Militant on Earth Triumphant Heaven X. The Forgiveness of Sins I believe theâ— is Pardon to be obtained Reconciliatiâ— to an offended God and Satisfaction maâ— to a Just God a Discharge from the Gâ— of all Sin Acquittance from the Challeâ— of the Law and Constituting us Righted before God through the Undertaking aâ— Merits of our Redeemer for all who Râ—pent forsake their Sins Believe in him aâ— thankfully subject themselves to all the Pâ—cepts of the Gospel XI The Resurrection of the Body I Belieâ— that at the Day of Judgment there shâ—â— be a general Resurrection both of the Jâ— â—â—d Unjust Their Bodies raised up and united to their Souls 1. The Just the Spirit of Christ and by virtue of Resurrection their Union with him as â—â—eir Head and as their Merciful Saviour â—â—d Redeemer Their Bodies shall be raiâ—â— Spiritual Incorruptible and like unto 〈◊〉 Glorious Body out of their Beds of â—â—st with great Joy and Triumph to be â—own'd with Everlasting Glory and shall â—â—ne as the Sun in the Firmament 2. The â—dies of the Wicked shall be raised in dishoâ—ur by him as an offended Judge and all come forth as out of their Prisons â—th great Fear and Trembling Horrour â—â—d Astonishment as so many Malefactors 〈◊〉 Execution as so many ugly loathsom â—rcasses to look upon Their Faces gaâ—ering Blackness and Darkness They shall â—ise to Everlasting Shame and Confusion of â—â—ce as well as to Everlasting Condemnation â—â—d Torment XII And the Life Everlasting I Believe there a future State after this Life of Endless appiness or Misery according to mens â—â—oce here of Good or Evil Life or Death â—hich God hath set before them either to â—â—turn and live or go on and perish everâ—stingly Amen I thereby acknowledge and â—â—fess stedfastly to believe the undoubâ— Truth and Certainty of this Creed in â—â—neral and of every Article thereof in â—â—ticular and to live answerable to this â—â—lief The Ten Commandments THey are a perfect Platform Summaâ— or Abridgement of the Law of Natâ— or Moral Law at first writ on Man's Heaâ— expounded by the Prophets and Apostâ— and are divided into Two Tables The 1 â—â—spects our Duty immediately to God whâ—â— to be worshipped for the true God in wâ—â— manner how we are to use and honâ—â— his Name the set Time of his publick Wâ—â—ship The Summ of this Table is Thou shâ—â— love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart 〈◊〉 with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind I 2 respects our neighbour his Honour a Dignity Life Chastity Wealth good Naâ—â— Propriety The Summ of this is Thou shâ—â— love thy Neighbour as thy self or whatsoeâ—â—â— you would that Men should do you do you e ven so to them this is the Law and the â—â—phets (v) Matt. 7.12 and 22 37 39. For understanding Them we must â—â—serve 1 The Law is Spiritual read the Powers of the Soul as well as Action of the Body 2 Where any Duty is â—â—manded the contrary Sin is forbidden 〈◊〉 where any Sin is forbidden the contraâ—â— Duty is commanded 93. In all Duties â—â—manded and Sins forbdden all of the â—e kind together with all the Causes â—â—ans Occasions Appearances Provocatiâ—â— thereunto are also commanded and forâ—â—en 4 What 's forbidden and comâ—â—ded our selves we ought to endeavour â—ay be avoided and eprformed by others Thou is used in every PRecept shewâ—â— God speaks to All and to all alike to â—â—y one in particular as if he named him Name â—he Preface contains the Reasons of our â—â—ing them â—s 1. His Surpeam Soveraignty over I am the Lord so we owe him all â—â—dience as we are his Creatures and Subâ—â— His Interest and Propreity inus Thy 〈◊〉 particular Engagern ent and Enâ—â—ment In such a manner as to none â—â—rs by taking us into Covenant a â—â—al Relationto himvelf His redeeming and delivering us out â—â—hraldom Which brought thee out of â—â—nd of Egypt A Place h of Servitude 〈◊〉 by how much Sin is worse than Suffering the Devil and his Angels power aâ—â—malice surpasses Pharaoh's and his Taâ—â— masters everlasting Troments in Hell â—â—ceed Temproal pains in the Brick-kill Fâ—nace
Burdensom Prepare for the worst If it come the labour 's well bestow'd if not well lost Think not every day will be a wedding-day In Matrimony God marries Comforts and Crosses together as well as Man and Wife such shall have trouble in the flesh (o) 1 Cor. 7.28 Study to please not to be pleased then all the fault you find will be with your selves Let all your strife be which shall love and please God and one another most and upon any difference who shall first seek for Reconciliation Construe words and Actions in the best sence Stifle little things Abstain from whatsoever is found contrary to each other A Prudent observation of each others Tempers and forbearance of what may provoke will prevent many fallings out Think not much less do any thing that may tend to lessen but whatsoever may knit what God hath Tied with his own Hand If Passion arise in one let the other be silent If Satan hath sown Discord sleep not until the Tares be plucked up Two Cholerick Persons living together many years were never heard to fall out because said one of them being asked when one was angry t'other had the wisdom to forbear Cross not each other in the spring Tide of Passion but stay till ebbing Water then mildly argue it and that not so much to condemn one another as to acquit your self we are more Tractable in Cold than Hot Blood it portends Ill luck when two Fire-Balls meet Be helpfull to each other's Health Comfort and Advantage as to your Bodies Estate good Names Souls Bear one anothers Burdens Personal and Domestical Discover not but bear with one anothers Infirmities yet so as to quicken one anothers Graces and not to suffer Sin upon you Share in each others Joys and Sorrows Jointly endeavour to make the Weight of the Family the more tolerable the Load is lightned by carrying it evenly equally Speak one to not one of another It ought to be so amongst Christians much more York-fellows Debate it between your selves not before your Families or Strangers 'T is a lessening of your selves when standers-by take notice of your Grievances Dissents between Man and Wife are uncomely Differences intolerable I would suffer much before I would make my Complaint to another They are ill Birds that defile their own Nests In case of Correction or Rebuking any of the Family though there be an Errour in the Application let not one Yoke fellow contradict the other before the offending Party but debate the Mistake when you are alone least you abate due Fear and Reverence and teach others to despise your Discipline and your selves 'T is not safe for one Yoke-fellow to receive an Appeal from any of the Family nor to take the Rod out of the other's hand Improve your Conjugal Converse for Spiritual Ends. Let not the Body Rob the Soul nor the Elder serve the Younger Redeem the Time that you may bless God you ever met and not as too many do Curse one another for silently advancing each others Ruine So when the Land-flood of youthfull violent Affections is dried up the Fountain of Spiritual Love will still run with a more sober and moderate but more constant and lasting stream Season your Natural Society with Spiritual Communion in secret serving God and you 'll avoid the Surfeit of Society which choaketh Love Reckon your selves one anothers more than your own and the Lord 's more than one anothers Let your Fellowship together be such as you both in it may have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ whose Image and Superscription this Relation bears Be holy in all manner of Conversation Possess your Vessels in Sanctification and Honour Defile not the Marriage-Bed Be not drunk with your own Wine All things are sanctified by the Word and Prayer Be much in Prayer for and with one another you will then blame your selves not one another and be ashamed to jar considering you must shame your selves before God for it As to Children pray not only for due Parts Proportion and safe Delivery but Children sanctified that your Families may be the Enlargement of Christ's Kingdom and of the Houshold of Faith As God encreases your Relations enlarge your Requests for every one in particular Those Petitions will not suffice when you are many that did when you were one Make God's House as yours and yours as God's Join with Elkanah and Hannah in giving up your Children to God's Service and in going together to sacrifice (p) 1 Sa. 1.21.28 Account that the greatest Riches not which you lay up for your selves or yours but out for God He is mercifull and lendeth and his Seed is Blessed (q) Ps 37.26 Their Prayer O Thou that art the great Creator and wise Disposer of us and all things in Heaven and Earth who hast ordained Marriage for our good and made us two one Flesh We give thee all humble and hearty Thanks for preserving us in our single State so innocent and chast so free from Shame and Reproach For conducting us through the Temptations of this Life so mercifully so wisely for keeping us from the effects of thy Wrath and our own Infirmities O forgive whatsoever might cause thee to Imbitter this state unto us and accept us in the Beloved Indue us with a Spirit of Love of Kindness of Condescension and prevent whatsoever might Disturb our Happy Union Let our chief love and delight be grounded upon the Hopes we have of being Heirs together of the grace of Life Let us walk Hand in Hand to our Father's House in a chearful and faithful discharge of our respective Duties to each other and those Committed to us and be still provoking one another to Love and to good Works That after Death which shall e're long separate us for a little while we may with Comfort meet together where they neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels perpetually praising thee for all the Instances of thy Kindness and Endless Love Through Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and evermore Amen Another WE come unto thee most gracious God and merciful Father who in Infinite Wisdom and Goodness hast brought and united us together and do prostrate our Souls before thee in all Humility under a deep sense of our unworthiness and unbecoming Demeanure in thy sight O Pardon it unto us that we have liv'd no more to the great Ends of our coming into the World and into this state which thou Institutedst in Innocency Let it not be a state of Temptation or Sorrow by occasion of our Sins and Infirmities but of Holiness and Comfort as thou intendedst it to all that love and fear Thee Allay in us all sensual Bruitish love Purifie and sanctifie our Affections that we may not Dishonour or Pollute the Bed thou hast called Undefiled But use it so as Carnal Lust may be slacked and subdued not provoked
an Eternal state which will be happy or miserable according to your Carriage Here. Make it therefore without delay the design of your whole lives with a resolved Chearfulness to be happy for ever and to escape those endless pains which are the Portion of the slothful careless and secure Rest not until you are Born again your Corrupt Natures changed into a love of God and Goodness your wills and desires subdued into the Will of God and your Superiors and not eagerly set on any thing they deny you Be serious sober-minded humble modest chast avoid the occasions Provocations and Temptations to Sin especially evil Company that great Snare of the Devil which hath ruin'd Thousands And acquaint your selves with serious sober-minded experienced Christians Wast not your precious time in reading vain Romances or other Obscene Prophane or Blasphemous Books or Plays Neither Spend it as too many do in Alehouses Tayerns and Debauchery with Lewd Women Which courses will destroy Body Soul Estate and good Name Remember the difference which you will shortly find between Serving the Lord from your youth and daily making Work for Sorrow in old Age at Death for Repentance or Despair Beware of and avoid their Mischief Sin and Folly that Delay a Holy Life that think it time enough to prepare for Death when they are Arrested by Sickness or withered by old Age. That think tho' they neglect God in their Youth they shall be Happy after Death if before it they Repent and Call for Mercy They consider not the terrible Doom denounced against the negligent and disobedient and that the Absolutely necessary Condition and qualification for a Happy Eternity is a Holy Life without allowing any liberty to Sin If there be any single Instance of God's Receiving late Penitents they are back'd with no Promise we may not live to old Age or may not have space or grace to Repent or not be accepted God saith to day if you will hear my Voice we limit no certain day God saith now is the accepted Time we say we shall be accepted at any Time The longer we delay the more unfit unable indispos'd discouraged the more sin hardens the heart the World and the Devil gets stronger possession the more we provoke God to give us up to our selves to leave us to become our Enemy to take from us that which we have abused instead of giving us any extraordinary assistance at last Is it Prudence to expose our precious Immortal Souls to so many hazards as there are Accidents and Diseases to surprize our Bodies to lay the greatest Burden upon the weakest Back to put off our main Business to that Instant when we have least Time and Strength to do it in to begin our work when it should be finished and we entering upon our Reward To have our Oil to Buy when the Bridegroom comes To trifle away our precious hours and neglect our main Errand for which we came into the world whenas we may be hurried away without any space between our Health and Death or when we shall have enough to do to Conflict with a Disease and to bear up under it To trust to a Death-bed Repentance which will not be in our Power except God follow us with his grace when we have given him so much Cause to forsake us and he hath no where promised that if we neglect him in our health he will Remember us then but protested the contrary Because I have Called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man Regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsels and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your fear Cometh when your fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction cometh as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not Answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me c. (i) Pro. 1.24 to the end The Foolish Virgins when they should have entered their Oyl was to get and when they would have entered â—he door was shut How can we think it enough for God to ask him forgiveness with the Remainder and last drawing of our Breath To serve him when we have no Inclination or Temptation to Sin can follow it no longer To present him only with the Ruins and Spoils of Vice the leavings of the Devil the World and the Flesh with that only which we know not where else to bestow Consider further Is not he a Fool that withstands his Market neglects his Seed-time sows Tares and expects to reap Wheat learns not to Trade goes not to School till Old and Blind of Age That hath received a Mortal wound or drunk deadly Poison and saith he 'll endeavour Recovery next Winter That hath a long Journey to go and sets not out till the Sun is setting his strength spent his vigour exhausted That intends to do the work of a whole life in one Day That begins the Christian Race when that of Nature is almost finished to fight the good fight of Faith in old and decrepit years under Aches and Infirmities which attend the Ruins of Nature That thinks not of drawing Water out of the Wells of Salvation till the Silver Cord is loosed and the Pitcher broken at the Cistern That lays not up in Harvest because of Heat so starves in Winter when others live upon their hoarded Store That expects Heaven should meet him and save him the labour of a long Pilgrimage That God should be so fond of him as to be always working Miracles for his sake and that when he will not be saved God should save him whether he will or no They dislike the Punishment not the Sin grieve not so much because they are wicked as that God is just and when they see they are Condemned Repent Think Is it Reasonable to give unto Sin Satan the World the Flower the Fruit the Strength of our Age A quick Understanding lively Affections a tenacious Memory subtilty of Wit solidity of Judgment an Eloquent Tongue active Hands clear Eyes nimble Feet and reserve for God only the old withered dry sapless decayed leaves a baffled benummed Understanding broken Intellects flat and low Affections a slippery Memory a dull Wit a tired Judgment a stammering Tongue paralitick Hands lame Feet feeble Knees trembling Joints putrified Lungs dazled Eyes a fainting Heart that Age which is the sink of Life a Center of all Misery i. e. what the World hath cast off May he not justly say offer it now unto thy Prince see if he will accept it perswade him to turn his Court into an Hospital to make up his guard of Cripples to be attended by nothing but Infirm Diseased Age and Impotency As if the Service of the great God was nothing else but the Refuse of Sin and Satan's leavings only then to be done when we can do nothing and Repentance so easie a work that he who
is disabled from all other things is fit to Compleat that There 's little support and less satisfaction in declining years besides a sober Reflection on our former Innocency our leaving Sin when so much Temptation and vigour to Commit it Nothing can sweeten that Sower and Crabbed Age like the savour of a past good Life That Religion hath been the Imployment that God hath had the Strength and Affections of our first and best Age. As Virtue and Goodness is the Excellency of Youth so is it the Comfort and Crown of grey Hairs which are only Honourable and Comfortable when found in the way of Righteousness Be not deceived God is not mocked as a man Sows that shall he also Reap for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting (k) Gal. 6.7 8. Their Prayer ALmighty and most merciful Father the great Creator of all things and Judge of all Men and of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with Approbation I am altogether unworthy to speak unto thee or to receive any good from thee yet thou maintainest and preservest me and affordest me means of being Eternally Happy with thee O Pardon all my Sins for thy Mercy sake for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake A new Heart and a new Spirit do thou give me that I may love and delight in that which is Good and hate that which is Evil and cleanse my ways by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Let me make that my Rule and Counsellor Settle in me a constant Desire and Endeavour to fear serve and remember thee my Creator in the days of my youth to give thee the chief and strength of my Time and Affections Root out of my Soul all Pride and Haughtiness stubbornness wantonness and uncleanness Plant in me Reverence and Obedience to those that in Age or Authority are before or above me Give me a good understanding to keep thy Commandments at all times even unto the end Prepare me for every Condition for whatsoever thou hast designed for me and give me Grace to behave my self well-pleasing in thy sight in every Station and Relation Let me run with Patience and Chearfulness the Race that is set before me without being dismay'd or drawn aside from thee by whatsoever Temptations or Discouragements I shall meet with in thy Service looking unto Jesus who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despised the Shame and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on High in whose Holy Name and Words I further Pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Another O Thou that art the Author of my Being and the Foundation of my Happiness by whom I am Maintained and Preserved and without whom I am unable to Continue a moment alive in the Land of the living I desire to humble and loath my self in thy Presence for the degeneracy of my Nature the vileness of my Heart and sinfulness of my Life that I have so much forgotten and neglected thee and my Duty to thee and provoked thee to forsake me and to make me Eternally miserable It 's of thy Infinite mercy I am not consumed that as yet I have time and space to make my Peace with thee O Pardon me and be reconciled unto me in and thorough my Lord and Saviour and give me Grace to spend the Remainder of my days in thy Fear to thy Glory Make me more and more sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of this Life and of the Eternity of the next that e're long thou wilt bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be Good or whether it be Evil. Let the Consideration thereof stir me up not to delay but to make hast to keep thy Testimonies to be Religious to purpose to serve thee in good Earnest not to live as most do but as thou requirest and obligest me to do and as e're long I shall wish I had done Let me not in a short life make way for Eternal misery but make it my Business to prepare my self to be happy for ever with thee that when so many Millions of careless Souls shall stand Trembling before the Judge of all the World I may be found in the number of those to whom he shall say Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World in whose Holy Name and Words I further Pray unto thee saying Our Father which art c. Duties of the Rich. DErive your Pedegrees and Dignities higher than Adam from Heaven The Body of Nobility consists in Blood the Soul in the Eminency of Virtue your Titles are vain if in that Inferiour to others Value not Rate not your selves by what God gives to his foes and denies his chiefest favourites the root and occasion of all our Miseries Esteem a great Estate less than a good Heart to use it and to be God's Servants a greater Honour than to have Potentates serve you Look on Prosperity as a Motive Engagement and Encouragement to Piety not a Privilege of loosness to satisfie Lust or display Vanity but of being better because more observ'd and your offences Exemplary You cannot be good or bad alone Hate Sin though grown into Credit and Fashion Cobwebs are never the more esteemed that grow over a Chair of State Beware of Pride Sloath Idleness fulness of Bread Time-wasting Sports and Recreations Curiosity Wantonness Tyranny and Oppression Let Lust fare never the better for all your Riches you are called to Self-denial Mortification Fasting and humbling your selves as well as the meanest Labour to see God's special love in Common Mercies often look up to and think of him with Praise and Thankfulness as the Author and Donor of all the goods you enjoy wean your Hearts from them be sensible of their short Continuance and secure to your selves true spiritual durable Riches Live as Dying Men with your Graves and Windingsheet always in your Eye Frequent the Indigent Sick and Dying and consider how insignificant the world is to them and will be to you Thoroughly understand the Dangers Temptations and snares of Riches and how much you have to answer for That you are but Stewards not Owners accountable for all your Comings in and Layings out Let your fruitfulness to God and the Publick be proportionable to your Possessions Do as much more good than others as you are better furnished Let your Servants be more religiously Instructed and Governed and have more time for serving God and your selves more Imploy'd therein than those that work for their daily Bread Be Sober and Temperate in using your Estates Invade not the right of the Poor suffer not Riot and Covetousness to feed upon their Portion Cut off all superfluous and exorbitant Expences that the stream of Charity may run the fuller into that one Channel the Providence of God hath cut out for it
the Poor who are your Care and Charge your Coffer is their Treasury Succor most where least means to support or possibility to Requite Let more Grace and Need challenge your favour before private Obligations Stay not till provoked or necessitated by others to Works of Charity but consult and contrive the most proper and effectual ways for it And upon the first suggestion of a fitting Occasion freely comply with it preventing being asked exceedingly inlarges a kindness An ingenious man may pay dear for it when put to buy it with Solicitation To be liberal on all good Occasions is your Duty and may of Right and Justice be required of you For your Encouragement God is pleased to stile them Gifts and Loans which he engages to requite But they are Rent Tributes Debts upon the due Payment of which you hold your Possessions and upon the neglect or non-payment you forfeit your Right to them When there 's any good Occasion offered for your Bounty that 's the Time of paying your Rent your Tribute and God requires it of you Indeed the Help we afford any man is given to our own Flesh And 't is the common Interest of all Mankind to unite all their Endeavours in chasing away the Troubles and Discomforts of Humane Life To remove the Thorns and Briers that are upon the Face of the Earth and to turn it into a Paradise And think not a few Scraps will serve the Poor while you heap up for your Children and fare deliciously every day It 's part of a good Steward to see all in the Family liberally provided for He 's a Niggard to himself that scants his Beneficence to those whose very cold Water shall not go unrewarded He that sows sparingly shall reap sparingly 'T is basely sordid not to remember his Servants by more than a mean Distribution who loads us daily with his Benefits With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Inconsiderate men that let fall only a few drops of Charity upon famished Poverty God gives them Hundreds by the year and they carry single Pence in their Pockets or Farthings to buy off the Clamours of Conscience or to be seen of Men. Hypocritical Alms is gilded Coin and shall be nailed to the Post of Derision and pronounced base in the Day of Judgment by him who values our Affections more than Gifts The Common Friend as well as Father of all Men is not so partial to provide Pomps and Luxuries for some while he leaves others destitute of the necessary supports of life Though he hath not dispensed so immediately to the Poor he gives them Bills of Assignment upon the Plenty of the Rich a Right to be supply'd by them And it 's much better to want than with hold from the Owner This Honour and Happiness is not every one's to have God his Debtor who saith to every Charitable Person If that Poor Man or Woman owe thee any thing set it on my Account I have writ it with mine own Hand He that hath pity upon the Poor lendeth unto the Lord (l) Pr. 19 17. I will repay it When we are dead and gone our Posterity gather wealth buried in the ground of Piety or cast upon the Water of Adversity Alms never wasted any man's Estate to himself or his but encreased and secured it I never met with any that could say he was the Poorer nay not the Richer for it but that such Distributions like our Saviour's Loaves among the four Thousand leaves behind them more Baskets of Fragments for their Heirs to give away than their Principal was in quantity which the Father so expended Do good to your selves saith the Italian Proverb 't will be better for you to have the Poor follow your dead Corps with their Acknowledgments of your Charity than to have the Town talk that you left Thousands behind you in your Chest A Gift to the Poor is a Loan to a sure Pay-Master a Child's Portion put into God's Hand to keep for it He will enquire for your Children that he may shew Kindness to them for your sake O their cruel Hard-heartedness that will rather suffer the Temple of God to be ruined than supported by necessary Portions It shall be e'er-long upbraided to them by their Judge that himself was hungry and they gave him no meat who gave his Body and Blood to feed them and quench their Thirst Denied a Rag to cover his Nakedness who would have cloathed their Souls with the Robe of his Righteousness that they might not be naked in that Day This is it he takes so tenderly that his Brethren for whom he died whom he lodges in his Bosome the Partners of his Spirit and Coheirs of his Inheritance should be denied Relief and suffered to go away ashamed unpitied It 's a sufficient Reward to relieve any of his Members yea Christ himself who observes every hand stretched out to his Relief and will at last make no difference between the good Usage he receives in his Natural and Mystical Body and punish with as much Severity those that persecute him in the Poor as that nailed him to the Cross Their Payer ALmighty Lord God the great Proprietor and Soveraign of the World unto whom all the Inhabitants of the Earth are as nothing less than nothing and Vanity Thy Service is perfect Freedom and in keeping thy Commands is great Reward In all Humility I bow down my Soul before thee in the Sence of that Infinite Distance that is between thy Blessed Majesty and thy worthless unworthy Creature Thou art the great God and I a despicable Creature and so thou mayest justly despise me thou art a Holy God and I a sinfull Creature and so thou may'st justly condemn me But O glorifie the Freeness of thy Grace in pardoning all my Sins and the Power of thy Grace in turning me wholly to thy self and inabling me to serve thee faithfully all my Days with a Holy Indifferency as to the things of this Life and a hearty Endeavour to secure Heaven let nothing divert me from making that not only my Refuge but my Choice and to improve to thy Glory what I have received from thy Bounty Let me contemn whatsoever is vile and honour those that fear thee Let my delight be with the Saints and those that excell in Virtue Keep me from the Snares Temptations and Dangers of Riches from having my good things my Portion in this life Amidst the Affairs of it let me reserve the Zeal and Fervour of my Affections for thy self And labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to Eternal life so use the World that I may enjoy thee my God and so pass thorough things Temporal that I lose not the Joys that are Eternal Make me a faithfull Dispenser of what thou hast committed to me and ever mindfull of my great Account that whilst others shall be surpriz'd with Horror and Astonishment for their mis-improving Earthly things I
I have forfeited and yet enjoy and for the Time to Come suppress in me all inordinate Desires and Cares as to the things of this World all Repinings at or distrust of thy good Providence not doubting of thy Fatherly Affection to those that study in all sincerity to approve themselves unto thee Let me count all things as Loss and Dung in Comparison of the Excellency of the Knowledge and Service of thy blessed self Work my Evil unbelieving Heart to a stedfast Faith in thy faithful Promises that I shall want nothing that is good and that thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me Let me consider more how little I deserve than how little I have that nothing is due unto me but perpetual shame and misery that thou knowest and art able to supply my wants that thy love will not suffer thee to leave me destitute of what thy wisdom knows convenient for me Increase my dependancâ— on thee frame my Mind and Desires 〈◊〉 my Portion Keep me from envying â—thers abundance Inrich me with Coâ—tent with Spiritual Blessings and thâ— Enjoyment of thy self Let me so livâ— that I may have the continual Comforâ— and Satisfaction of a good Consciencâ— and of having thee always for my Frieâ—â— and Gracious Father in Jesus Christ whâ— hath taught me when I Pray to say Oâ— Father which art in Heaven c. Another WHat shall I Render unto thee most merciful Father for thâ— unspeakable Goodness unto me all mâ— days that though I have deserved Iâ—finitely worse than a life of Affliction and Misery to have lived in perpetuaâ— want pain and Torment spending all my days in Sighs and Lamentations thou do'st thus sweeten my passage thorough the world giving me Food and Rayment and Contentment with the same with the means and Comfortable â—opes of being for ever free from Labour Sorrow Care and every thing that is a Burden or uneasie O Pardon all my Sins and Sanctifie all thy Dispensations to me in order to a better life Amidst all â—he Hardships and Inconveniences I meet with here let me not be dejected or discouraged but have Respect to the Recompence of Reward laid up for those that Endure Make me Patient in all Afflictions unfeignedly thankful for all thy Mercies fully satisfied with my State and Condition Let thy word and ways be my Delight thy Power and Wisdom Care and Faithfulness Providence and Promises my stay Support and Comfort to submit unto thee and serve thee the Rejoycing of my Soul and Heaven my Resting place While others are joyning House to House and Cumbering themselves about many things let me be adding one Degree of Grace to another and making sure of that good part that shall never be taken away Conduct me safely through all the Troubles Changes and Temptations of this Life in a Holy Composure Tranquility and Contentedness of Mind in a chearful doing and suffering thy Will and after Receive me unto Glory through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour in whose Holy Name and Words I further Pray unto thee saying Our Father c. Duties of the Sick THat worldly Matters may not Distract or Discompose you or break love amongst those you leave behind prudently settle your Estate betimes as may be most serviceable to him that lent it If you have fallen out with or wronged any in word oâ— deed be thoroughly reconciled to them and do all you can to make them satisfaction Labour to get the Benefit of Sicknessâ— speedily seriously and Impartially Examinâ— your state heart and life Recollect youâ— Particular Errors be deeply humbled foâ— them and firmly resolved in the strength oâ— God to live a Holy Life if you Recoverâ— Renew your Repentance for Sin and your believing thoughts of the love of God and of your Eternal Happiness Apply your Saviour's All-sufficient satisfaction and purchace for Returning Sinners to your own Souls Confidently cast it upon your merciful Father your Redeemer his Merits and Mediation without further Fear or Distrust He will not Condemn his Friends his Followers his own Flesh (p) Joh. 15.14.15 Nothing can reasonably make us doubt of Pardon but the Insincerity of our Repentance and Faith in Christ Tell Standers-by of the worthlessness vanity and deceitfulness of all worldly things and how miserable all men are that are not good Bear pains with a becoming Christian Patience Remember Passive obedience is that God now in special Calls you to in which you must Serve and Honour him in the Conclusion of your Labours 'T is a great Error of the Sick and Impotent to wish for Death as if they were utterly unserviceable to God it 's no small Service they may do him not only by their Prayers and Praises and secret love unto him but by being Examples of Faith and Patience Heavenly-mindedness and Joy in God to all about them To that End Consider what a vile Body is going to be dissolved that hath been so great an Enemy pressure and hinderance to your Soul which shall be so no more for ever and what a world a life you are leaving and entering upon How near you are off a perilsome dangerous troublesome Pilgrimage and at endless Ease and Rest Look upon it as a singular mercy that Death hath so suitable a Harbinger and Fore runner whose Messenger it is that comes for you even the wise Disposer of all things that loves you that never meant you harm in any thing he hath done unto you that hath provided for you a Saviour and Eternal Happiness and done so much to bring you thither Pray more earnestly and fervently than ever Stir up in your hearts the love of God and all Goodness with raised Expectations and longing Desires after the Felicity to which you are going even to your Dying Buried Raised Ascended Glorified Lord who is concerned interceding for you ready to receive you and what ground of Joy it must needs be to your departing Soul to think that your Head and Saviour is in Possession of the Kingdom you are passing unto Get right Apprehensions take away the disguise of Death Look not upon its formidable Appearance and pompous Solemnity attended with Groans Convulsions gastly Visage doleful Elogies black Obsequies only as a Debt due to Nature or a Punishment due to Sinners but as a Privilege granted to Believers as part of our Christian Charter an Enemy Conquered and made our Friend in what mild Phrases the Scripture mentions it an un-Cloathing a Departure a going to Rest an entering into our Master's Joy a sleeping in Jesus c. Did we really believe this methinks it should be as hard to perswade a Saint to live as a Sinner to die a Believer to keep on his Earthly Tabernacle as a wicked Man to put it off Ruminate upon those precious Promises and melting Expressions to the sincere He shall feed his Flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with
with undaunted undismayed Courage and Constancy under all the Uneasinesses of a rugged way Lift up the Hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble Knees Let the weak say I am strong and the lame Man leap as an Hart (e) Heb. 12.10 Isa 35.3 c. These are the Days of Conflict and Conquest that admit not of Repose untill the Evening when he that hath been eminently good chearfully patient constant and couragious under great Disadvantages and Discouragements shall be proportionably rewarded When all Distempers and the Causes of them shall be wholly removed No more Hospitals nor Diseases No more seeking for or need of Cure or Remedy when the Mountebank's Stage shall be pulled down and all Physicians of no value The Doctor and Apothecary consulted no more They shall give over acting Experiments upon afflicted Mortals And the great Physician of Soul and Body who himself took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses (f) Mat. 8.17 perfected his undertaken Cure And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things that disturbed them are passed away (g) Rev. 21.4 The thoughts the belief of this is the chief Refuge and Delight of all true Christian Sufferers Whilst this Cordial is next their Hearts they are healthfull secure and satisfied The Comfort of that day heals and redresses all their Wounds their Wrongs their Injuries Asswages and allays all their Pains and Perplexities expells all melancholy Thoughts banishes all Sadness from their Hearts stills all their Murmurings and Complaints stifles innumerable Sighs stops Rivers of unprofitable Tears from flowing from the Afflicted raises the Minds of the Miserable and Unfortunate supports and refreshes the Spirit of Heaviness makes the Cross of Christ a light Burden As being both consistent with his love and the Effects of it influential upon their Happiness Prayers for the Sick O Thou great Creator and Wise Disposer of all things in whose Hands are our lives and breath and all our ways in all Humility we prostrate our Souls before thee acknowledging it of thy Infinite Mercy and Goodness that we have access unto thee and may find acceptance with thee in and through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for his sake pardon all our Sins and receive us into thy Favour In much Mercy and tender Compassion O thou that delightest not in the Miseries of thy Creatures regard this thine afflicted Servant Thou woundest and thy Hands make whole thou bringest down to the Grave and raisest up again Direct to proper means we humbly beseech thee and accompany those used for his health with thy Blessing Speak the Word and thy Servant shall be healed If it may stand with thy good Pleasure let him not die but live and declare the Works of the Lord However fit him for whatsoever thou hast designed for him Give him a true Sence of and Repentance for all his Sins and a well-grounded Faith in our great Redeemer of Souls Sanctifie this thy fatherly Visitation to him let the sickness of his Body tend to the health and good of his Soul Mitigate his Pains increase his Patience Give him a quiet contented resigned Spirit unto thy blessed Will Lay no more upon him than thou wilt inable him to bear let thy Grace be sufficient for him In the multitude of his thoughts within him let thy Comforts delight his Soul When his Body returns to the Earth as it was let his Spirit return unto God that gave it and be glorified together with thy self thorough Jesus Christ our Lord in whose Blessed Name and Words we further pray Our Father c. Another ALmighty and most Mercifull Father the God of the Spirits of all Flesh thou sendest forth thy Breath and we live thou recallest it and we die and return to our dust O pardon unto us we humbly intreat thee our unthankfulness for our former health and all thy Mercies that we have made so little use of the same for thy Glory Give us grace for the future to be more sensible of more fruitfull under them In particular look with an eye of favour on this thy suffering Servant Let thy Power appear in his weakness strengthen him on his Bed of languishing make all his Bed in his sickness Rebuke remove his Distempers in love to his Soul deliver him from the Pit of Corruption and cast all his sins behind thy Back Let not his sickness be unto Death but thy Glory if it may stand with thy good pleasure but if thou hast otherwise determin'd fit and prepare him for thy self As his outward Man decays let his in ward Man be renewed day by day Take him not hence untill thou hast made him meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in life Give him an easie and comfortable Passage out of this Vale of Misery and receive him to the Eternal enjoyment of thy self in Heaven And give all of us grace in Health to provide and prepare for sickness in our most prosperous and best Estate to consider how frail we are in a full perswasion of thy unerring Providence over us and Infinite love towards us let us resign our selves intirely unto thee resolving by thy gracious Assistance to rest satisfied with thy Appointment That we may rejoyce in hope of that Immortal Life and Happiness when thou shalt wipe away all Tears from our Eyes and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor Crying nor any more Pain but that after Death hath parted us we may meet together and acknowledge with Eternal Praises thy wise and mercifull Providence which by ways contrary to our desires hath brought us to endless and undisturbed Rest through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thy blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and for ever Amen Another EVer blessed Lord the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who art not willing any should perish but that all should come to Repentance We praise and adore thee for thy Patience forbearance and goodness to us all our days that we have enjoyed so much Health and Ease Peace and Plenty so many Mercies to sweeten our Passage through this Vale of Tears O forgive our Ingratitude for our Abuse of thy Bounty and Kindness to us and be at Peace with us in and through our Lord and Saviour and for the time to come give us grace to carry our selves well-pleasing in thy sight In particular we now recommend unto thee this thy Servant beseeching it may please thee to restore him unto Health unto thee no Cure is difficult no Case desperate but all things possible O command create Deliverance direct to sutable means and super-add thy Blessing to them O spare him that he may recover strength before he goes hence and be no more But however thou dealest with him let it be in love and mercy unto him pardon all his Sins
Conscience Repeat and Do the worâ— of the Minister again Make Conscience oâ— Teaching and Provoking others Piâ—â— Careless Ignorant Souls God usually Blessâ— the Grace that 's Improved in doing hiâ— Service The Lord's Supper THis Sacrament is so Called with Reference to the Time of its first Institution and Administration at our blessed Lord and â—aviour's last Supper Immediately before his Passion shewing whereunto it Related for 〈◊〉 Remembrance of him the Chief Subject and Inward part of it It is 1 A standing Memorial of his great Love in offering up his Life a Sacrifice for our Sins and a Seal of the Covenant of Grace 2 A Commemoration of his Passion and Sacrifice the Benefits of which are were assured to every worthy Receiver 3 A Renewing and Confirmation of the Vow â—â—ve made in Baptism to be his faithful Servants unto our Lives end 4 To testifie our Inion with him and Communion with one â—nother 5 A Seal and means of our Spiritual nourishment and growth in the mystical Body of Christ the Church and of our being strengthned with Divine Grace and Refreshed highly satisfied and pleased with the sence of God's Love and Mercy through the Sufferings of our Blessed Redeemer as the Pallat is with wholsom agreeable food The Body and Blood of Christ is signified by the Bread and Wine All the Spiritual Change is wrought by the Faith of the Receiver not the intention or words of the Giver to him that believes they are the very Body and Blood of Christ who as in his Sufferings as undertaking and accomplishing our Reconciliation with God accepted in full Discharge for all our Sins iâ— Received by the Believing Soul for its life and support Comfort and well-being to all Eternity The Ministers Consecrating them so setting them a part from a Common to a Spiritual Use signifies God's setting hiâ— Son apart to the work of our Redemption Breaking of the Bread and pouring out the Wine signifies the Sufferings Christ endured for us His giving them to the Communicants signifies God's giving his Crucified Son to and for every Believing Receiver a their Redeemer and Saviour His saying Take Eat c. fignifies God's Will for applying Christ unto our selves Before we Receive we must Prepare our selves by examining and awakening our Knowledge of the Principles of Religion particularly of the Sacrament Our Faith Repentance of all our Sins Our sincere Obedience which we must fully Resolve upon else we are false and play the Hypocrites with God in the Covenant we are going to renew and Seal Our love to God and the Brethren Our Forgiveness of all Men and Charity to them Our Sins and wants sueing for Pardon and Supply Our earnest desire after the Graces of the Spirit Renewing the Exercise of them by serious Meditation and Earnest Prayer Taking a strict account of the Miscarriages of our Hearts and lives as to God and Man and our selves in publick and secret and being deeply humbled for them especially since the last renewal of our Covenant with God cleansing our selves from every new Pollution seriously considering all the Work we are going to do and all the Mercies we are going to Receive and what Graces and Exercises of them are necessary to all this In Receiving our Behaviour must be humble and reverent as to the outward Gesture of our Bodies and inward frame of our Souls We must seriously mind the Elements and Actions and the things signified represented exhibited thereby We must Meditate on Christ's Death so Disgraceful so painful for us grieving for hating loathing our Sins the Cause of it Hungering and Thirsting after him and the Benefits purchased by him Applying the Promises of the New Testament which is of full force through the Death of the Testator wholly Trusting our miserable Souls upon him as our All-sufficient Help and Saviour Drawing nourishment and all needful supplies from Him in whom all fulness Dwells Rejoycing in and giving thanks for his Love Renewing our Covenant mingling all with Faith and most indeared love to him and his Servants with a firm Resolution of future Obedience and unfeigned Consent to our Covenant with him After Receiving we must Examine our selves as to our Carriage and Behaviour Mourn for our Defects in Preparation and Performance be Earnest for Pardon by after Pains endeavour to obtain the Benefits of the Ordinance Be very Thankful for any Assistance and Enlargement labouring to retain the sweet relish still upon our Spirits Encourage our selves in Attendance upon God in this and all other Duties Endeavour to draw more and more Virtue from Christ for Crucifying our Inordinate Desires Irregular Passions and Affections and every thing displeasing to him Be very watchful against Sin and Carnal Security that we let not In his and our Enemy but preserve our Souls his Temple clean and undefiled Carefully perform our Vows and keep the Covenant we have Renewed and Sworn to A Prayer before or at the Sacrament LOok down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and Glory most gracious Father upon a vile sinfull worthless Creature that desires in all Abasement and Humility to prostrate himself before thee To serve thee is my highest Honour and to enjoy thee my greatest Happiness yet how apt am I to look upon thy Service as my Burden And how oft do I draw near unto thee with my Lips and seem to honour thee with my Mouth when my Heart is far from thee Which of thy Mercies have I not abused Which of thy Corrections have I not despised or been impatient under Which of thy Sabbaths have I not prophaned Which of thine Ordinances have I not polluted Which of thy Promises or Threatnings have I not slighted undervalued disbelieved Which of thy Commandments have I not broken in Thought Word or Deed Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in Dust and Ashes God be mercifull to me a Sinner Thou mayest justly inflict upon me all the Curses that are writ in thy Law and give me my Portion with Hypocrites and Unbelievers But there is Mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared that my Sins may be pardoned and my Soul saved Thou hast exalted thy Son to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance unto Israel and Remission of Sins He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance O for his sake pardon all mine Iniquities accept of me graciously and love me freely look favourably upon me be mercifull unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love and fear thy Name Receive me into thy favour Give me an unfeigned Consent and the necessary Conditions of my Right to that Covenant which I am going to have sealed unto me by thee Let Christ be formed in me and altogether desirable unto me Indue me and all that celebrate thy love at this Institution with sutable dispositions and qualifications for so solemn an Ordinance a through Sence of our own vileness and deserts and of thy Infinite love and goodness A stedfast belief
in thee and thy gracious Promises fervent Affections unto thee and all that bears thy Image and Likeness Let us be filled with the joyfull Exercises of Faith and Love Praise and Thanksgiving to which we are invited Let us sensibly feel the Death of Christ to be sweet and pleasant refreshing and strengthening unto our Souls as we shall the Creatures of Bread and Wine unto our Bodies Let us Take and Eat the Elements in a thankfull Remembrance that his Body was broken and given and his Blood shed for us Let our Taking Eating and Drinking be significations of our receiving and applying Christ with all his Benefits unto our own Soul's Comfort and Advantage upon thine own Terms as made Man for us and a Sacrifice for our Sins Let every Grace of thy Holy Spirit be sutably acted and increased by thee That we may go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another be more inabled chearfully to do and suffer thy Will untill Grace be perfected in Glory through Jesus Christ our great High-priest Sacrifice and Alter to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Glory Honour and Praise now and evermore Amen At the Sacrament THis Sacrament is a visible Representation of the Sacrifice our Redeemer made upon the Cross to the Father for our Sins to keep up the Remembrance of it and affect us with it and to profess our Confidence in a crucified Christ for the Pardon of our Sins Acceptance of our Persons and all our Performances In him I see Divine Anger appeased his Justice satisfied our Debt paid O what hath our Lord done for our sake How hath he ascertained his good Will to our Nature by assuming it into his own Person when we might have expected rather that it should have been an Abomination to him Those amazing difficulties and discouragements that stood in the way of his Kindness could not hinder or diminish it He hath endured the Cross and despised the shame for the love wherewith he loved us Giving sensible demonstrations that it was easier to him to suffer such Torments than to see us perish and to abide all the Despites Indignities Contradictions of Sinners than to forbear to save them O astonishing undeserved Kindness We could plead nothing of our own except provocation and perversness could pass for desert then indeed we had been great Meriters How great therefore is the depth of that Wisdom and how is that Goodness to be adored that when Heaven and Earth was at so great a distance found out a way for Reconciliation 'T was righteous with the provoked Majesty of Heaven and Earth to execute speedily upon me the Sentence against Evil-doers But behold him offering by his Ambassador Terms of Peace and Amity to proclaim and seal a perpetual Agreement and Reconciliation This Sacrament seals Remission of Sins to all that perform the Conditions of the Covenant O unmerited unthought of Mercy Favour and Kindness towards a Stranger a Rebel an Enemy That can do nothing to oblige him that hath done so much to incense him that 's so unworthy of him so unmeet unprepared to receive him to entertain him to be so nigh unto him But O Infinite Condescention the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity dwells in the humble and contrite Heart that trembles at his Word O take possession of thine own which thou hast so dearly purchased by thy own Blood let that cleanse me from all Sin When you receive the Bread THis is the Bread that came down from Heaven and giveth life unto the World which I receive as a sacred Memorial of his exceeding Love his painfull Sufferings as a Seal of those gracious Terms of Mercy he hath thereby purchased who suffered the Punishment due unto me died for my Sins rose again for my Justification and ever lives to make intercession for me Who can sufficiently admire and praise thee O mercifull Lord for this thy condescending goodness in taking upon thee our Nature standing in our stead making thy Soul an offering for our Sins Glory be to God on high for Peace between Heaven and Earth for his Good-will towards Men. I do this in remembrance of thee most mercifull Saviour who remembredst us in our low our lost Estate becamest our Surety paidst our Debt pacifiedst reconciledst an offended God enduredst the Cross underwentst the Shame who after thou hadst by thy self purged our Sins sat down at the Right-hand of the Majesty on high where thou pleadest our Cause and preservest in thy Favour all those that sincerely wait upon thee and serve thee Let not O let not this unspeakable Mercy and Kindness be ever forgotten by me O keep such a lively Sence thereof upon my Soul as may inflame me with Love unto thee delight in thee a continual Care to please thee to do all I can for thee let nothing blot out the Remembrance of this thy Love unto me let every thing mind me of it untill I come to be for ever with thee When you receive the Cup. BEhold the Blood of the Covenant between God and Sinners shed for the Remission of my Sins as well as for any others by my Lord and my God who loved me and gave himself for me Unto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Adored be thy Infinite Wisdom Love and Mercy in our Redemption that left us not as the faln Angels to perish without a Remedy but took upon him our Nature that he might die for our Sins That thou invitest and bringest us into a Covenant of Amity and Kindness who canst not be injured by our Enmity who hast no need of our Friendship who art no more benefited by us than the Sun is by darting its Beams on a grain of Dust on a polluted Creature on a corrupted Carcass with whom it 's as easie to breath us into Hell as to breath out one kind invitation to us Worthless vile Wretch am I that deserves to be utterly abhorred forsaken rejected by him who is become my reconciled most mercifull Father my God in Covenant who will subdue and pardon mine Iniquities who knows what I have need of here and will give it who will assist accept of and bless my sincere Endeavours for which he hath given me his Word his Oath his Seal who cannot lye which shall never be broken O my God I praise and magnifie thee for this thy Infinite Eternal Goodness this inexpressible Love Let such a deep and lasting Sence thereof rest upon my Soul that it may be my great Satisfaction and Pleasure to meditate upon and commemorate it my dissatisfaction to be long diverted from it O hasten the day when I shall have nothing else to do but to sing thy Praise to celebrate it world without End In the mean time I offer up my Soul and Body all that I
Thoughts Inclinations Passions Words and Actions your behaviour in your several Duties Places Relations Take a strict Account of the miscarriages of the Day what Sins of Omission or Commission you have been guilty of and Confess them to God with an hearty sorrow and shame and a great Detestation of your self and firmly Resolve by his Grace and Assistance never to be guilty of the like again but to lead a new life A speedy present and particular Repentance is the way to keep your accounts even and to leave as little as may be upon the score to Trouble you when you are least able to bear it and have most need of Comfort and likelier to wipe out the guilt of your particular Sins than a general Repentance on a Death-Bed when you cannot but forget and omit many things which you can take no distinct notice of 'T is too much Presumption for any man to Conclude that his Sins will be forgiven him in a lump and that a general Confession and Acknowledgment of them will suffice when he comes to Dye Let no less Humiliation Repentance and Faith serve for the least Sin than you have good ground to conclude will carry you boldly from your Knees through Death to Judgment Thus get your Case rightly stated by leting Conscience have the full hearing of it in her private Sessions before you appear at the great Assize Make your Bed the Memorial of your Grave and your Evening Thoughts an Image of the Day of Judgment than which there 's no greater Instrument of Piety and Virtue in the world This will make us ashamed and afraid to neglect our Duty to commit any Sin when we know we must be accountable to our selves for it at Night and to God at the last Day By this means we shall be able to Correct the Errors of our past Lives to walk by a sure and steady Rule to make our Repentance particular to prevent Sin coming on us with an After-clap for if we would Judge our selves we should not be judged (u) 1 Cor. 11.31 Let Conscience speak as a Law a Witness a Judge now else it will be a Worm in Hell No wonder most are afraid of Death they are Strangers at Home and Justly Dread being called to account not knowing how things stand between God and Them Finally Often set before you the Condition of the wise and foolish Virgins when the Bridegroom cometh (w) Matt. 25.1 c. Behold the Judge standing before the Door (x) James 5.9 Fancy you see the Fire already kindled which e'er long will turn the whole Globe of Heaven and Earth into Flames The Heavens passing away with a hideous Noise and Clamour and the Works of Nature and Art which men so idolize and dote upon consuming and burning to a black Coal The Son of Man coming in Power and great Glory with his Holy Angels The Books opening the last Trump sounding the Dead starting out of their Graves the Wise with great Joy and Triumph to their expected Blessedness the Foolish in Horrour and Amazement looking for their fearfull Doom Think what a terrible thing this will be to the drowzy World what a Surprize to the Careless and Ungodly to be thus suddainly overtaken not knowing what to do or which way to turn The trembling multitude running up and down appaled astonished and confounded in so much despair of the abused mercy of God that instead of supplicating it they 'll call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb and find them as inexorable as God himself O the ghastly looks the shivering motions the distorted eyes and listning ears the distracted faces and trembling hands of the confident and daring sinners at that great and terrible Day when all the charming Companions and Associates shall like enraged Furies fly upon one another and the Fewel men feed their Lusts with shall be turned into Fewel for Hell-fire and stings of Conscience When every Vice shall have its proper Torment The secure Sinner be fill'd with Remorse and Anguish The Sensualist tormented with an insatiable Hunger and Thirst when a vexatious Fire shall burn Body and Soul The tenacious greedy worldling perish with want Confusion and Shame cover the Proud and Vain-glorious When the lascivious Wretch instead of gazing upon a fictitious Beauty and sporting in the Arms of his Dalilah shall have his sight blasted with the contagious Vision of deformed Spectors and be embraced by devouring Flames The amorous Smiles of all his sweetest mirth and jollity corrupted and surrendred up into dolefull Howlings and mortal Gripes How will the sensual Sinner then look when all his Terrene Pleasures shall be snatched away by those merciless Flames What will the Voluptuous Glutton do when he shall see all his curious delicious Dainties with which he so gratified his brutish Palate turn'd to Ashes Then they would fain vomit up their delicious morsels and abhor the remembrance of what they cannot forget They confess and bewaile their former Folly The things they eagerly pursued they sadly lament when all their Enjoyments are spent and nothing left but naked Sin and Conscience Where will the Costive Avaricious Earth-worm delve or scrape for Riches the Ambitious Climb for Honour when they see all Gold and Silver Crown and Scepter burnt up How soon then will Men's fond Presumptions and Self-flatteries vanish into smoak and vapour end in dreadfull despair when all shall appear in their own likeness nakedly as they are and there can be no varnishing or gilding over a rotten Heart When none shall deceive God as they did men with a disguise of Piety No Wolf in Sheep's Cloathing steal on his Right-hand With what Amazement and impotent Rage will they struggle What would they not give to change their place that they might change their doom How will men's borrowed Colours be then melted away What a number of painted Vizards and disguised Masks of false Hearts be thrown into the Fire What would the Man invited to the Marriage-Feast give for a Wedding Garment when he stands at the Door and receives a Repulse And the foolish Virgins for Oyl How will the Market of Grace rise with what Industry will they seek it when they hear the Rumour of the Bridegroom's approach When Rivers of Tears cannot wash away the Guilt of Conscience nor ten thousand Rivers of Oyl allay the Rage and Clamour of it But Christ's Followers shall be no losers He will consider them for their Time for their Expences for their Labour for their Sufferings None of them serve him for nought They shall certainly have their Hire that Work in his Vineyard The despised Ignorant Christian will then appear wiser than the craftiest Polititian The vilest Believer out-shine the Rich man's Scarlet and glittering Robe The Content of this World be of more value than all the Treasures of it The Penitent's Tears yield