or woman yet thou hast heard often the word of faith and love and charity and patience and meekness humility and God doth expect some fruits of that word Hast thou exercised these graces and brought them forth in action doest thou believe and act according to that word of grace do the fruits of the Spirit appear in thy conversation yet if not hitherto hast thou been unprofitable 't is all cast away upon thee what God hath done to thee then hast thou received the grace of God in vain I advise thee as young as thou art to repent thee heartily S. 155. and bewail thy former barrenness and lay thy heart and set thy self to the practice of all good duties be much in prayer self-denial and frequent acts of piety and devotion and shew thy charity and goodness to those that are in distress what thou art able and hast opportunity It may be thou art a man or woman of full years S. 156. and art of a longer standing it may be twenty thirty fourty fifty sixty years thou hast all this while enjoyed the plentifull meanes of grace and so long hath God been bearing with thee still expecting from thee somewhat of all that beneficence of his toward thee and now at last coming to thee and findes no fruit on thee onely a few leaves of profession may he not say in high displeasure never fruit grow on thee more henceforth by this time thou mightest have been strong and well rooted in faith abundant in charity and well knowing in the things of God and of thy own soul able by thine own experience and example to instruct the younger by this time thou mightest have been able to resist the strongest temptations and have understood the wiles of Satan and deceitfulness of sin have been sufficiently guarded from their prevalencies by this time thou mightest have overcome the world and have been crucified to all the worldly pleasures honors riches and have had thy love delight and happiness placed on God and Heaven long ere this hour of the day of thy life hadst thou not been unfaithfull to thy Lord and Master Christ and unfruitfull under the meanes of grace mightest thou have been one prompt and ready to and zealous of good works and thy life might have been an ornament to the Gospel and the doctrine of our Saviour in all things of piety and charity Titus 2.10 and thou thy self a shining light holding forth the word of life and faith in all manner of good works Phil. 2.16 Mat. 5.16 as becometh Christianity to the glory and praise of Gods free grace towards thee but is it so with thee or not hast thou continued all this while as at first unfruitfull Try thy heart and wayes S. 157. and if thou hast profited and laboured in the things of religion piety charity humility righteousness sobriety bless God for it goe on to perfection and give not out to the last moment being never weary of well-doing abounding alwayes in the work of the Lord Gal. 6.9 1. Cor. 15.58 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 12.1 2. perfecting holiness in the fear of God lay aside every weight and run the rest of your race before you with patience looking to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith believing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But if hitherto thou hast been unfruitfull then let the consideration of it prick thee to the heart repent repent thee speedily for all thy unfruitfulness and barrenness and redeem thy time for all is lost and thy soul will be lost for ever if thou repent not of this sin even this of unfruitfulness and henceforth learn to doe well and apply thy heart withall to bring fruit unto the Lord even the fruit of his care and Gospel-mercies in Christ unto thy soul Doe not slight this admonition and warning 't is from the Lord for thy good therefore see to it in time CHAP. VI. An Enumeration of more sins and wayes by which man offends God and contracts guilt to his soul of which he must be reformed I Have in the foregoing Sections given you a particular of some of the most gross and notorious fins S. 1. their names nature and condemnation all or any one of them if thou art guilty and meanest to live in will bring damnation to thy body and soul most certainly And there are many more sins then those mentioned which lay claim to Hell for their reward S. 2. which the holy book of God and the spirituall guides of thy soul if thou consult them would sufficiently instruct thee about how thou mayst either avoid and prevent them or repent and forsake them all though lying within thy heart thoughts words or actions for Gods Spirit would conduct thee also And further S. 3. things sometimes tolerably lawfull to be done may through circumstances time and place become unlawfull and a sin to thee if thou dost them and there are some things some persons may doe at some times in some cases which another may not doe without a sin nor the same person at another time or under another relation but it will be a fault It were easie to instance in examples of this kind but they would be a subject fit for determination of cases of Conscience which now I am not about yet this I would advise thee if thou meanest to walk circumspectly and exercise a good conscience always that in things doubtfull and disputable take the surest part that part of the question which is surely no sin for instance is dicing or carding lawfull or to wear black spots as the manner of some is or to put money to usury With some this may be a question but for my part I would thus resolve it that it may be unlawfull and a sin to play at cards or dice or to put on those strange fashions or to practise usury c. but not to play at either or with either at any time at all nor to lend upon usury nor to conform to the fantastical fashions of dressing is doubtless no sin and a wise soul would take the safest course and walk in the surest way and avoid all appearance of sin as well as all sins and he that doth not doe that that is shun as much as possible all appearance of evil transgresseth a Gospel-rule 1 Thess 5. â—2 Abstain from all appearance of evil There are also other sins which lie somewhat closer S. 4. that make not so great a noise nor so suddenly wast the conscience yet the amount of them may prove an eternal guilt and men may often flatter themselves into hell with them under pretence that they are but little ones and sins of infirmity onely which as men are apt to think have a certain divine indulgence waiting on them of course And indeed many foul and il-favoured sins S. 5. to which men give full consent and delight are choked with
others with an unwilling mind and hast offered to him in Sacrifice the blind and maimed and hypocriticall heart cold and discomposed distracted prayers when thou hast prayed by thy self or with others Thou hast S. 14. it may be hated from the very Heart the strict wayes of holinesse in soul and life and turned from saving admonition as a detestable thing Thou hast slighted Gods invitation S. 15. resisted grace teaching refused Christ reigning reproched and scoffed at the Ministers of Christ earnestly perswading these things thou hast done and in all or some of these cursed courses thou hast continued so long that it is grown to a custom and as naturall to thee to sin in one kind or other every day as to breathe the aire to move eat or drink or sleep is it not And to make up thy measure full of wickedness S. 16. all this while thou hast abused the wonderfull patience mercy and long-suffering of the Lord thy God But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against you that commit such things for that S. 17. they which have committed such things should repent and forsake them all yet do not but adding this to all Rom. 2. v. 4 5 6. that by despising the riches of Gods goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee not to sin or continuance in sin but to repentance but by this thy hardness and impenitent heart treasu est up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every one according to his deeds O read and consider well this dreadfull place S. 18. and see doth it belong to thee art thou such an one as is herein condemned bethink thy self what thou hast been and what thou art what thou hast done consider thy ways and the frame and tendency of thy spirit It may be thou hast been guilty in all these wayes of sinning S. 19. and if thou wert t is pity thy life t is pity such a wretch such a monster should be nourished But alas if thou art in a state of sinning habitually though but in any one kind that were enough to destroy thee for ever and cut thee short of happiness yea although it were which I am past doubt it is not that thou hadst not been notoriously guilty of any of these sins which are the Issues of depraved nature and naturall product of the evill disposition in thee and which are necessarily brought forth in the outward man if not restrained yet if these be frequently in thy thoughts if they be nourished and allowed there t is all one to him who sees the inwards of the Soul and with what company it keeps the Lawes of God reach unto the heart Ps 50.21 Hos 7.2 they are spirituall and Christ rules the inward man as well as the outward dost thou not know that all thy sins where and when committed are upon Record before the Lord But if this make thee not yet know thy self then know farther S. 20. and let this be to thee as it is in it self and eternal Truth a decreed Law That except thou whoever thou art either notoriously bad or seemingly tolerable to thy self be converted reformed so as to leave off in heart and life all thy known sins and lay apart all thy ungodliness and lead an holy sober and righteous life and that to the end thou canst not be saved Before Conversion comes S. 21. before that gracious method of Regenerating souls pass upon thee and thou be reformed and brought out of the state of sinful nature into a state of holy reformation there is no hope for thee of thy salvation Nature and sin note thee a child of Adam Grace and conversion declare thee a child of God and an heir of a glorious Eternity Well then S. 22. thou art either unreformed in whole or reformed but in part to the one all is wanting to the other something is yet lacking to make thee a sound Christian each of you is the person to whom I address my present swasion And I hope thou so bad as thou hast been hitherto art not past all cure remediless S. 23. and I am sure thou art not unless thou still refuse and hardness hath taken up thy heart as a judgment from God I doubt not but through the grace of God in the use of these spiritual means thou mayst of a vile Barbarian become a sound Christian of a child of wrath an heir of glory of a foul sinner a fair Saint if thou be not resolved against thine own happy reformation Poor soul S. 24. thou hast so much to begin withall towards thy saving change thou hast Reason wilt thou let it but work and wilt thou yeeld to reason Thou hast Faith S. 25. some kind of faith wilt thou believe what God by his Word hath revealed of his mind concerning thee and every man in thy case and consent to Truth Thou hast Consideration S. 26. wilt thou be serious and consider wisely for thy self thy own soul how thou mayst become reformed that thou mayst become happy Consider wisely it is thy own concernment it is thy own soul must pay dearly for it if thou art not reformed soundly and speedily it is thy own soul shall reap richly by conversion if thou defer not to come in and give not out until it be completed Thou hast now an opportunity put into thy hand S. 27. thou art once again called to and perswaded to be reformed wilt thou follow this Call and yeeld ere it be too late Now again it is offered thee Christ is ready and grace is ready grace to assist thee Christ to receive thee the Word of God to guide thee and holy Spirit to convert thee and I thy hearty well-wisher to thy excellent soul do in the Name of Christ earnestly entreat thee Now 't is put to thy choice whether thou embrace it or no now is the acceptable time the day of grace To day therefore O thou that carest for thy soul after so long a time while it is to day for if night come if death come before thy work of conversion be finished thou must lie down in sorrow and possess an eternity of horrid darkness and woful misery Come Man S. 28. I think thou hast so much Reason so much Faith so much Consideration so much Experience as to understand and believe that thy eternal happiness lieth not here below in this terrestrial world but in Heaven with God above in glory and that thou wert made for some higher end than to live among visible creatures to eat drink work play and sleep sure thou art perswaded there are other things to be looked after by one of an immortal principle than to gather terrene riches and to taste bodily and sensual delights and honors in this present life Know
falling back turn not from the right way to any by-paths of errour or loose living as long as thou livest Let no body nor any thing prevail with thee to Apostatize or make the least defection from the love of the Truth of the Gospel or to remit of thy care diligence and zeal after Truth and Holiness to thy dying day And if thou hast been so unhappy S. 118. through thy sloth easiness and folly to have been tempted and overcome as to yield to any dislike of the Truth and waies of God or remisness in the duties of piety love and zeal in thy heart or if there be in thee a wavering indifferency and thou hangest loose to the Doctrine of Gospel-Truths and Practicals of Godliness and art weary of well-doing as one uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to embrace and take up some other new and strange opinions or course of Religion either besides or contrary to that in the SCRIPTURES or if thou art already turned back or fallen from thy first love and Baptismall vow and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion not warranted in its principles and practicals by the word of God or opposite to the Scriptures then in every of these cases I exhort thee as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods favour to repent thee speedily and endeavour a REFORMATION get out quickly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition recover thy decaies in Religion come out from among them that have erred from the Truth lest thou partake of their plagues and fallest into a finall Apostasie and findest no place for repentance which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in and thou with them must be left to thy self untill thou comest to Julians state to die blaspheming and fall into eternall flames of endlesse torments which will be the portion of Apostatizing hypocrites and hypocriticall Apostates Take this warning and repent in time that is speedily If this be the case of Apostates S. 119. Object and a man may be in danger if he engage in the true Religion either by Formality Hypocrisie or Apostasie is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions and to make no more ado about any way but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self and not account of it or give it any entertainment or consent to it nor look after salvation by it nor regard it or affect it much less to be tied to the conditions of it c. Seeing the case is so is it not better to be of no Religion at all or of that which is easier and cheaper and not dangerous though a man be but formall in it or forsake it at pleasure and take another T is true indeed S. 120. Answ many seem to be at this pass already and stand off from the life of Christianity and close not with proposals offers and rules of the Gospel and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise that value abundantly more their earthly concernments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel yet such must know that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel and closeth with the offers of Christ and Salvation upon Gods conditions I affirm that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its contents he that neglects slights refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God and wrong his own soul T is not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation tendred in the Gospel and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedience of the Gospel and damnable to continue in that sin yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian If thou make light of Salvation and all those conditions promises invitations and doctrines and performances leading to it it will become a damning sin to thee if thou make light of the means of Salvation or be unfruitfull under them as you may perceive in the following Sections §. XIX Making light of Gospel-mercies and neglecting them a great sin never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation The first and greatest evil that crept into this humane world was sin S. 121. for by it man became miserable under bondage wrath rule of Satan and liable to calamities here everlasting torments hereafter which undoubtedly must seise all without exception if a remedy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man as it is seriously proffered of God to man And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world S. 122. Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Tim. 1.15 Jo. 3.16 was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners and the Gospel or Message Revealing him and offering him to a soul with most earnest intreaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him and with him pardon of sin and reconciliation with God and Salvation for their precious souls And the better to effect this mercy and to perswade men to accept of it heartily chearfully and chiefly Rom. 10.15 he hath appointed the Publication of this as the gladdest tydings to poor souls by his Ministers Esa 52.7 whom he hath commanded to wait on this business and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace 2. Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. reconciliation and salvation committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels that the power and mercy might appear to come from God for t is the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls to help under Christ to the Reformation and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe to love and follow the Lord Jesus Now when any one shall refuse neglect despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch S. 123. Tit. 2.11 which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse and art utterly undone without Christ and Salvation When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God S. 124. this GREAT SALVATION and those means which bring Christ and his salvation and thy soul together thou committest a sin of the highest nature a sin against the greatest mercy 't is an undervaluings of CHRIST HEAVEN 't is all one as if thou shouldest say of God Christ and holy Spirit grace and salvation
depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy waies and that we will not have Christ to reign over us but reject him and all his benefits Job 21.14 Luk. 19.14 and refuse to give him any entertainment or hearty acceptation and is not this a great sin What is it less then the trampling under foot the Son of God and accounting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified S. 125. Heb. 10.27 28 v. 29 30 31. as an unholy thing and doing despite to the spirit of Grace Is there any one sin marked with a more terrible character and severity then this If he that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy of that despiseth and slighteth this grace why no less then a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour for God hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God whose mercy love favour grace Christ Salvation and Gospel is despised and slighted Why this making light of Christ and Salvation offered in the Gospel to thee S. 126. for the eternal welfare of thy precious soul is as much as to say to God and Christ You may keep your grace and salvation to your self I have no such need of it I esteem not of grace and salvation so highly I can be without it I will have none of your favours on such terms I will not part with my present pleasure ease profit and enjoyments for your rich grace and glory hereafter let me alone with my own matters and concernments I have other business to look after which to me are of greater weight then the things you would press upon me c. Now can you think that God can take this kind of dealing from any one well or doe you imagine that God will be pleased with one that values or sets more by an Oxe or piece of metal a field barn rottering house or a moment of fleshly pleasure then by Christ and salvation That men should make all things else of great concernment to them S. 127. and make light of Christ and glory which are ten thousand times ten thousand times more worth to thee then all things else put them all together and yet to hear of these things but as a tale which may or may not be true and to account of these rich mercies proposed but as a strange thing or of no value or of very little advantage to one is it imaginable that God should not be highly displeased with that soul that despiseth and slights and neglects that God sets so much by and so highly esteemes Hosea 8. and by which he sets up and declareth the honour and excellency of his free grace to poor sinners Yes sure enough God is so much displeased at such that they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed by him and those that make light of his invitations to mercy he is always wroth with till destruction come full home upon your souls and those that by excuses put off Christ and grace as of a lesser concernment to them 1 Sam. 2.30 and pretend secular business and interests as an answer to those sent from God to invite them to mercy and salvation Mat. 22. v. 5 7. upon the terms of the Gospel to close with Christ and doe actually refuse to come but either turn away their ear from hearing the message or shut up their heart from receiving of Christ or take no great heed to liâ—e according to the Gospel of Christ of such God hath determined that they shall never reap the benefit of grace Gospel and glory Read Christs own words Luke 14. v. 16.10 25. For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper no though it were provided for them and intended for them yet because they made light of the invitation and used excuses and undervalued the great things of their souls to base worldly bodily beggerly things and imployments therefore is the Lord angry to this conclusion SUCH SHALL NEVER TAST OF MY SUPPER And you may further guess at the sinfulness of this slighting salvation S. 128. by that which is said of those who despise the word of grace and ministry of this mercy who so despiseth the word shall be destroyed and Pro. 13.13 Heb. 2.3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation The Prophet Esay makes mention of an intolerable wicked people by this S. 129. that they will not hear the Law of the Lord but say unto the Seers See not and to the prophets Prophesie not unto us right things but get you out of the way turn aside cause the holy one to cease before us Wherefore thus saith the Lord because ye despise the word therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant as the breaking of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces c. Rom. 2.4 v. 5. So also see the aggravation of such mens sinfulness in that of St. Paul's correction to the Romans Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance not considering that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath c. And this very slighting of the great things of God which he hath provided for the good of souls S. 130. is one of the commonest sins under the Gospel and one of the most dangerous that can be named and yet men make light of it and scarcely will men be brought to be sensible of the neglects and slightings they shew toward Christ and salvation and therefore are seldome brought to repentance for it and yet may they not read that place of the Proverbs Because I have called and ye refused I stretched out my hand Prov. 1. v. 24. to the end and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsell and would none of my reproof and for this because they refused and would not take counsell but despised God shall make as light at your calamity when it comes as they did of his counsell and will no more hear them in their misery to help them then they would hear God when he would offer them means for prevention of their misery Now seeing this making light of Gods gracious offers of Christ and salvation is a sin so great S. 131. so common so dangerous so unanswerable and the dreadfull judgment of God so unavoidable for this neglect of salvation so freely purchased by Christ and so fully offered in the Gospel to thee be perswaded 1. to consider seriously whether thou art one of those who is guilty of this sin whom God may charge with this sin of making light of Christ and Gospel and grace and salvation 2.
mindfull of them and be watchfull over thy inward outward self every hour in every place and action as thou ever hopest to avoid sin to keep thy self pure and to please God for Jude the 8th verse speaks of Filthy dreamers who defile the flesh c. §. VII Worldly Joy and Sorrow I intreat likewise you would be warned about your joys and griefs S. 34. for as they are more or less about worldly concernments so are they more or less sinfull 'T is true we the best of us are but men at the best and easily are we surprised we have these passions in our nature and of themselves are not sinfull but our failings are about their measures and their objects and the more our delights are in the fruition of the object according to the value and esteem we have of the thing so the more is our sorrow arising from the want of or parting with our beloved whatever it be And this may be sometimes good and gracious according to the sense apprehension we have of good things S. 35. to wit to rejoyce exceedingly and delight much in the presence and fruition of God and grace his word and religious duties and hopes of heaven after an holy life here it is good and a duty as also to grieve much and sorrow heartily for the absence of grace or breach of covenant and faith with God to be grieved at the heart for sin committed or interruption of communion with God by failings in our duties of Religion c. this I say is godly joy and godly sorrow and needs not to be repented of but commonly this is not the kind of that joy delight sorrow and perplexity which men and women are so much in alas it is otherwise indeed 't is sinfull too much for it is worldly too much yet how few take notice of their joys and griefs whether they be sinfull or holy hurtfull or profitable to their souls To be a worldling is to be a sinner S. 36. he can never joy or grieve much about worldly concernments but he must be one that loves and prizes earthly things beyond their proportion irregularly and sinfully Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 but the sorrow of the world worketh death So to delight rejoyce and glory in the Lord is good and pleasing to God but to set ones heart upon riches honors and pleasures and to rejoyce in any of these is a sin and such a joy should be turned into heaviness and such laughter into mourning Jam. 4.9 If thy joy and grief lie about worldly things and trifles S. 37. if thou hast more comfort in a good bargain or a friends legacy or some worldly emoluments then in the favour of God then in the pardon of thy sins then in the means of salvation then art thou yet in fault And if thou canst grieve and lament with tears the loss or disappointment of some benefit or the unkindness of a friend or the crossness of an enemy or chaines of a tyrant c. and yet canst not sorrow for thy sins the loss of Gods favour nor of missing an opportunity of grace and communion with God then thy joys and sorrows are worldly and sinfull and you must not permit such worldly joys and sorrows to prevail but you must repent for them and leave off to spend your comforts and your griefs this way and look to that you should rejoyce in and lament for as afore hath been shewed And as for all other outward things S. 38. our rejoycing or grieving should not be much or lasting labour therefore to reform these passions and set them right and this you will doe if you desire to be sincere upright and complete in the reformation And the like doe I advise you to doe about your impatiencie and discontent S. 39. frettings and perplexities about these worldly temporary vain perishing things as also with your carking carefulness your thoughtfullnesse and distrustfulness about earthly things to reform in each of these for all such dispositions are evil and hurtfull both to soul and body wounding your own souls and tranquillity of spirit and reputation of Christianity and doth much hinder the progress and increase of grace and heavenly conversation and all our affections about earthly things regulated so that it may be with us as to our taking pleasure in worldly vanities or confidence and relying as our happiness or chief support that once we may be able to say truly with St. Paul I account of all things as dung and dross in comparison of the things of Christ and heaven And to this must we come ere we be complete in Christ and throughly changed in all our affections to a state wherein we may truly and freely say without dissimulation or constraint say Truly the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world these worldly concernments move me not much any way I see nothing here below as things below that deserve either my joy in their possession or grief for their absence nothing that I need be troubled much about or that I should relie upon or put any trust at all in for all are flying and lying vanities therefore doe I labour for and seek the things above and my treasures are with Christ in heaven there also is my heart and thither will I goe for my comforts and my grief is that I am not more in love with them and less in love with the world and troubles of spirit about them That each of us may say S. 40. in obedience to that command 1 John 2.15 I love not the world neither the things that are in the world because I would not lose the love of my heavenly Father For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life i.e. worldly pleasures or pelfe or pomp which are not of God nor for his children and servants to look after for they and this world pass away 1 Jo. 2 15 16 17. but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever And as I doe urge and press thee to be carefull and watchfull over your spirits in those forementioned qualities and actings of your souls about those things which although they may seem frivolous niceties to men that judge not of things spiritually but according to sence and common apprehensions yet I earnestly intreat thee as thou hopest for pardon grace and heaven at last that thou wouldst reform them all in every instance for untill you doe you are not a true sincere reformed convert for though they be esteemed but small things and inevitable infirmities yet their account will be numerous at last and their burthen intolerable they will if not pardoned sink thy soul as low as hell pardoned they will not be except thou repent of them and labour against them to a reformation of them all for
fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary c. 2. My continuance in my sin is contrary to the gracious design of the Gospel and ministry of it which is appointed of mercy to my soul and to this end published to thee Act. 26.20 that it might be the happy instrument of thy conversion and to work thee off from thy sin and to perswade thee to let thy sins go and to build thee up in a most holy faith and life Act. 20.21 to turn me from sin to God from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God And what are all those calls intreaties S. 40. invitations wooings complainings menaces promises in the Gospel-administrations and all the labours watchings prayings and preachings and studies and teares and admonitions and warnings and to what end are sermons and sabbaths and sacraments for me why doth God rebuke and correct and inflict punishments upon sinners what are all these from the gracious God to me but so many varieties of arguments and so many importunities and instruments for this very end that I might leave off and cease to doe evil and learn to doe well to what purpose is all this cost but to bring my soul my life and sin asunder what is it for but this to cause me to leave and forsake that which God hates perfectly and that will undoe me certainly if kept 't is to perswade me to yeild to do no more any such act as God hates O doe not the thing that I hate saith God by all these his dispensations and that is the upshot of all Now while I continue in any sin what do I any less then cross the design of God by these means S. 41. and so render my self inexcusable and oppose God in Christ and resist the Spirit of God in his word working and endeavouring by all means my conversion what am I less injurious to Gods grace and Christs love by my obstinacie and wilfullness then they of this sort which our Saviour speaks to in tears Luke 13.34 Luke 19.42 How often would I have gathered thee as a hen doth her chickens under her wings but ye would not O that thou hadst known even thou in this thy day and by these thy means the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes thou knewest not the time of mercies visitation but crossest the gracious design of thy invitation thou wilt not leave thy sin and now mercy is hid from thee and so my continuance in sin is a meer contradiction to my pardon and forgiveness you see O how should this consideration cut me to the bone S. 42. and pierce me to the heart when my continuing in sin is no less then the opposing the grace of God Its design is to bring me to repentance and forsaking sin that I might find mercy and favour from him who but a mad man or a fool would continue in his sin against such grace and so cross that design of God to bring thee poor wretch to happiness I consider that as my sin is against God S. 43. for 't is a pollution and so against his most holy nature which hath no defilement and 't is against his holy laws his good will purpose and gracious designs and makes the sinner and God at great dispute and controversie which is a state bad enough for a poor wicked wretch to be in yet I may further consider that my sin is against God and so bad enough though God notwithstanding my enmity and contrariety can well enough secure his own honour holiness and eternal happiness without impeachment or the least interruption or diminution yet 't is bad enough to me that I by my sin am become an enemy to God and God an enemy to me which is death and misery sure enough to the sinner I may further consider that as often as I sin I offer violence to my own soul my sin is against my own self it is the greatest wrong and injury I can do to my self and if I had any true love to my self that is to the eternal welfare of my best self my soul Pro. 8.36 I should forbear sinning He that sinneth against me that is against Christ wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death If I live in sin and will not repent of it and forbear it I work the greatest mischief I can against my self sinning is self-murthering I lay violent hands on my self if I would study to ruine my self for ever there is no way imaginable like this now mentioned of sinning and repeating the acts and continuing in any sinfull course to effect my utter destruction every sin is a deaths-wound although it kill me not our-right yet it leaves me for dead I am a condemned man I am dead in law and dead as to the acting any life of grace it may be I may have for a little while a name to live but indeed I am dead dead while I live in the world Such an one a sinner is as the Angel of the Church of Sardis reproveth Rev. 3.1 I know thy workes that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead When I commit a sin S. 44. I consider I doe that which for ought I know I may neither have the grace nor the space to repent of I may forget it I may make light of it or I may excuse it or defend it or maintain it I may be hardened in it and adde more to it and draw others to countenance and practise my sin and so still infect another with my plague and become an exemplar and promoter of wickedness and teach others to sin too and propagate iniquity and bring subjects to the devill and enlarge his kingdome O what an innumerable many of mischiefs do I bring upon my self and others when I sin And after all this if I do seem to be sorry for my so doing at the end of a vicious life I can have none assurance that I shall be pardoned but on the contrary most certain it is if I continue in my sin untill death I must be damned for all my repentance for Judas sinned and repented and despaired and was damned for all his repentance his sin for which he was accused and for which he hanged himself was but a sin and my transgression is a sin too and if Judas or Cain or a Simon Magus or a Julian be damned for their sins what advantage will it be for me if my sin be not so deep a dye so grim a complexion so horrid a sound as treasons and murder a betraying my Master and killing my Brother if I be cast into hell for my omissions of Gods commands and doing such things though but in the least instance which God hath absolutely forbidden When I consider this methinks I should dread sin as an ugly fiend as a devill of hell and shun it as a pest and a
thy reformation let the pleasures be never so fair or ever so many be not deceived by thy self but be thou a doer of the work and not a pretender to it only 't is a deceiving and a deceived heart that makes thee hitherto either deferre the duty or do it slightly IX Direction 9. If you would be throughly reformed S. 15. converted and saved in time then forthwith give up thy self to Jesus Christ and to the word of his grace let Christ be thy Physitian go to him which is the fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse Zac. 13.1 1 Jo. 1.7 't is the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin flee unto him and yield up thy self unto him shew thy wounds and beg his healing carry thy burthen and let him ease thee Come unto me saith Christ Mat. 11.28 29. all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me and ye shall find rest for your souls Let the word of Gods grace reach thee and rule thee be often at those ordinances where Christ is applyed to thy soul and the Spirit of Christ is working conversion give up and resign thy self to the teachings of the spirit by the word hear that word and obey it which discovereth and debaseth sin and searcheth the heart frequent that preaching that advanceth Christ and holiness that wooes thee off thy sins unto Christ and holy walking If thou be converted it must be by those means that God hath appointed to convert souls S. 16. and bring them to saving faith and repentance all true converts can say that God of his own will begat them with the word of truth Jam. 1.18.21 22. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls But he ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves and every one that is made a new creature must say being born again not of corruptible but of incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 25. by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Therefore yield thy self freely and wholly to Christ S. 17. and the word of his grace and thou mayst then be seasonably and savingly wrought on and converted X. Direction 10. Dost thou intend to reform thy heart and life S. 18. wouldst thou be a true convert and have thy faults pardoned and thy life amended then be fervent and frequent in prayer to the God of heaven for this very thing pray I say mightily fervently and frequently if ever thy reformation be wrought it must come from God and he will be sought unto by prayer and the desire of thy soul must be with earnestness that God would pardon thee and heale thee and separate sin and thy soul sin from thy conversation and instead thereof implant grace and nourish holiness and make thee a new man by renewing thy judgment will and affection and introducing the image of the holy Jesus in thy soul and conversation 'T is true S. 19. God hath made free and gracious promises that he will give grace to convert and change the heart from evil to good that he will cleanse and purisie by his Spirit saying I will give grace I will pardon I will heal Ezek. 36.25 26 37. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes God will do all this for and to a poor sinner and except God give it and work it no man living can get it yet saith the Lord I will yet for all this be inquired of the house of Israel to do this thing for them God gave David a aew heart and pardoned his sins yet see that 51. Psal 51.10 Psalme David prays heartily Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Our Saviour Christ bids us ask Mat 7.6 7. and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Therefore if ever thou wilt be savingly converted seek it earnestly of God cry incessantly and mightily to the Lord and give him no rest untill he give thee conversion and pardon pray that thou mayst get it and pray that thou mayst keep it pray for this spirit and pray with it and never leave off praying as long as thou livest And I am perswaded that no man shall attain unto saving reformation but he that begs it of God and seeks earnestly after it and I am also perswaded that he that begs it earnestly and constantly shall not be denied it if he neglect not to endeavour to practise what God commands Thus have I given you those directions S. 20. which if you will speedily and carefully follow and put in practice will prove very succesfull toward your reformation those means God hath appointed to bring about this so great and necessary a work of reformation if conscientiously and diligently used Now I would perswade you to use all means possible S. 21. and with all speed possible that might be any way conducing to thy reformation by these motives following CHAP. XIV Some Motives to provoke men to be speedy and in good earnest about the one thing necessary which is sound Reformation I. Motive 1. REmember that all thy weal and happiness depends upon this very thing S. 1. even that thou art worth in an other world If thou art converted in time thou art made for ever but if thou put off thy reformation and wilt not yield to become a penitent and throughly reformed it will be thy marring for ever this must be done and done perfectly or else thy poor soul will be quite undone and a lost man for ever thou wilt be it is as impossible for a man that lives and dies in an unregenerate estate to be happy in another world as it is for one damned in hell already to come thence or to be there happy where he is Now or never is the time to provide for heaven by timely reformation here or no where must every one that means to be saved look to it for when death shall part soul and body there is no more working nor reforming here and now is the time and place in this present world to do all we have to do in reformation in the other world every one must be rewarded according to what he hath done in this world and receive a finall unalterable sentence and the decree of the Almighty will