likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. All those are unregenerate that depend not upon God as their chiefest Benefactor and do not most carefully apply themselves to him as knowing that in his favour is life Psal 30.5 and that his loving kindness is better then life Psal 63.3 and that to his judgement we must finally stand or fall but do ambitiously seek the favour of men and call them their Benefactors Luke 22.25 Matth. 23.9 whatever become of the favour of God He is no child of God that preferreth not the Love of God before the Love of all the world He is no heir of heaven that preferreth not the fruition of God in Heaven before all worldly glory and felicity Col. 4.1 2 3. If ye be risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things above not on things on the earth The Love of God is the summ of Holiness the Heart of the new creature the perfecting of it is the perfection and felicity of man 4. They are certainly unregenerate that Believe not the Gospel and take not Christ for their only Saviour and his promises of Grace and Glory as purchased by his Sacrifice and Merits for the Foundation of their hopes on which they resolve to trust their souls for pardon and for peace with God and endless Happiness Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 John 5.11 12. This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life When our Happiness was in Adams hands he lost it It is now put into safer hands and Jesus Christ the second Adam is become our Treasury He is the Head of the Body from whom each member hath quickning influence Eph. 1.22 The life of Saints is in him as the life of the tree is in the root unseen Col. 4.3 4. Holiness is a Living unto God in Christ Though we are dead with Christ to the Law and to the world and to the flesh we are alive to God So Paul describeth our case in his own Gal. 2.19 20. I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ is the Vine and we are the branches without him we can do nothing If you abide not in him and his words in you you are cast forth as a branch and withered which men gather and cast into the fire and they are burnt John 15.1 5 6 7. In Baptism you are married unto Christ as to the external solemnization and in spiritual Regeneration your Hearts do inwardly close with him entertain him and resign themselves unto him by Faith and Love and by a resolved Covenant become his own And therefore Baptism and the Lords Supper are called Sacraments because as Souldiers were wont by an Oath and listing their names and other engaging Ceremonies to oblige themselveâ— to their Commanders and their Vow waâ— called A Sacrament so do we engage ouâ— selves to Christ in the holy Vow or Covenanâ— entered in Baptism and renewed in the Lords Supper 5. That person is certainly unregenerate that never was convinced of a Necessity of Sanctification or never perceived an excellency and amiableness in Holiness of heart and life and loved it in others and desired it himself and never gave up himself to the Holy Ghost to be further sanctified in the use of his appointed means desiring to be perfect and willing to press forward towards the mark and to abound in grace Much less is that person renewed by the Holy Ghost that hateth Holiness and had rather be without it and would not walk in the fear and obedience of the Lord. The Spirit of Holiness is that Life by which Christ quickneth all that are his members He is no member of Christ that is without it Rom. 8.9 According to his Mercy he saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 6. That person is unregenerate that is under the Dominion of his fleshly desires and mindeth the things of the flesh above the things of the Spirit and hath not mortified it so far as not to live according to it A carnal mind and a carnal life are opposite to Holiness as Sickness is tâ— Health and Darkness unto Light Rom. 8.1 to 14. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if by the spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness revellings and such like of which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God But the fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Galat. 5.18 to 25. 7. Lastly that person is certainly unregenerate that so far valueth and loveth this world or any of the carnal accommodations therein as practically to prefer them before the Love of God and the Hopes of Everlasting Glory seeking it first with highest estimation and holding it fastest so as that he will rather venture his soul upon the threatned wrath of God then his body upon the wrath of man and will be religious no further then may consist with his prosperity or safety in the world and hath something that he cannot part with for Christ and heaven because it is dearer to him then they Let this man go never so far in Religion as long
charge them and intreat them as they love your souls and as they will answer it before God that they suffer you not to sin for fear of displeasing you by plain reproofs and resolve to submit and take it well A stander by hath the great advantage of impartiality and therefore may see that in you which you observe not in your selves an object too neer the eye or too far off is not well discerned self-love doth not hinder us so much in judging of other mens cases as our own Friendly and faithful dealing in the matters of eternal consequence is the principal use and benefit of friend-ship This differenceth the communion of Saints from Beelzebubs swarme of flies and caterpillars Thus two are better then one For if they fall theâ— one will lift up his fellow But woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up Eccles 4.9 10. Much more woe to him that hath a multitude to cast him and to keep him down Hind 3. THE third extrinsecal Impediment to self-knowledge is Conversing only with such as are as bad as our selves and not with such whose lives display the spiritual endowment and excellencies which we want Among the Ethiopians it seemeth no deformity to be Black Seneca saith that no man is to be upbraided with that which is vitium humani generis the common fault of all the world or of the country where he lives for this were but to upbraid him that he is a man or that he was born in such a time or place Though Christians that know better the common disease do know that there must be common humiliation and remedie yet these indeed are the thoughts of most They know not that it is a matter of dishonour and lamentation to be no better then the most and to lie in the common corruptions of the world and to have no better hearts then they had by Nature To hear preachers talk of Holiness and a Divine Nature and a new birth and of being made new Creatures and of living in the Love of God and in the joyful Hopes of endless Glory doth seem to them but as the talk of a world in the sun or the description of an Angel which humbleth not them at all for not being such nor exciteth in them any great desires to be such As long as they see not the persons that are such they think these are but devout imaginations or the pious dreams of melancholy men and that indeed there are no such persons in the world or if there be that they are but as the Papists Saints here and there one to be admired and canonized and not upon pain of damnation to be imitated They judge of all the world or almost all by those about them And they think that God should be unmerciful if he should condemn so great a number as they see are like themselves and should save none but those few transcendent souls that they are described but hear unacquainted with It sometimes melteth my heart in pitty of many Great ones of the world to think how hard a mater it is for them to know indeed what Holiness is when they seldome hear so much as one Heavenly prayer or Discourse or any serious talke of the matters of Sanctification and communion with Christ When prophaness and inhumane wickedness dwell about them and make such as are but civil and temperate and good-natur'd persons to seem Saints When they see but few that fear the Lord and Love him unfeignedly and live by faith and those few are perhaps of the more cold and timerous and temporizing Strain that shew forth but little of the Heavenly nature and the vertues of their holy faith that dare scarce open their mouths to speak against the wickedness which they see or hear that dare not discourse like the Saints of the most High and the heirs of Heaven for fear of being made the scorn and by-word of the rest or of falling under the frowns and dislike of their superiors so that they live among others almost like common men save only that they run not with them to their excess of ryot and think it enough that by such forbearance of gross sin they are in some measure evil spoken of When they that should let their light so shine before men that they might see their good works and glorifie their heavenly Father Matth. 5.15.16 do hide their Religion and put their Light as under a bushel and not in a Candlestick that it might give light to all that are in the house and so when Religion never appeareth in its proper splendor and power and heavenly tendencie to those Great ones that have no better company what wonder if they never know themselves nor truly understand the nature necessity or excellency of Religion When they know it for the most part but by heresay yea and when they hear it more reproached then applauded it must be a miracle of mercy that must make such men to be sincerely and heartily Religious When they see so many about them worse then themselves and so sew better and those few that are better do hide it and live almost as if they were no better and when the godly whom they see not are described to them by the Serpents seed as if they were but a company of whining melancholy brainsick hypocrites who can expect that ever such men should savingly know themselves or Christ unless a wonder of mercy rescue them and bring them from this darkness and delusion into the light O how oft have I wished in compassion to many of the Great ones of the world that they had but the company which we that are their inferiors have that they did but hear the humble holy heavenly language that we have heard and hear the faithful fervent prayers that many poor Christians pour out before the Lord and saw but the humble harmless exemplary and heavenly lives of many poor Christians that are represented to them as the filth and the off-scouring of the world and perhaps no more regarded then Lazarus was at the Rich mans gate Luk. 16. Did they but see and hear and know such holy and heavenly Believers and were as well acquainted with them as we are how many of them would better know themselves and see what they want and what they must be and better discern between the righteous and the wicked between those that fear God and that fear him not Mal. 3.18 Dir. 3. IT will therefore be a great help to the Knowledge of your selves if you will converse with those that bear the Holy Image of their Creator Col. 3.10 and whose lives will tell you what it is to live by faith and what it is to walke in the spirit to mortifie the flesh and to live above all the alluring vanities of the world We can more sensibly perceive the nature of holiness when we see it in action before our eyes than when
is Holy And will you reproach God or his word or works or Ministers with that which is the matter of his Praise If it be terrible to hear of the wrath of God how terrible will it be to feel it Choose not a state of terror to your selves and preaching will be less terrible to you Yield to the sanctifying work of Christ and receive his spirit and then that which is terrible to others will be comfortable to you What terror is it to the Regenerate that knoweth himself to be such to hear that none but the Regenerate shall be saved What terror is it to them that mind the things of the spirit to hear of the misery of a fleshly mind and that they that live after the flesh shall die Rom. 8.8.13 The word of God is full of terror to the ungodly But return with all your hearts to God and then what word of God speaks terror to you Truly Sirs it is more in your power then ours to make our preaching easie and less terrible to you We cannot change our doctrine but you may change your state and lives We cannot preach another Gospel but you may obey the Gospel which we preach Obey it and it will be the most comfortable word to you in the world We cannot make void the word of God but you may avoid the stroke by penitent submission Do you think it is fitter for us to change our Masters word and falsifie the Laws of God Almighty or for you to change your crooked courses which are condemned by this word and to let go the sin which the Law forbiddeth It s you that must change and not the Law It s you that must be conformed to it and not the Rule that must be crookened to conform to you Say not as Ahab of Michaiah of the Minister I hate him for he prophesieth not Good of me but Evil 1 Kings 22.8 For a Balaam could profess that if the King would give him his housefull of silver and gold he could not go beyond the word of the Lord his God to do less or more Numb 22.19 or to do either good or bad of his own mind as he after speaks Chap. 24.13 What good would it do you for a Preacher to tell you a lye and say that you may be pardoned and saved in an impenitent unsanctified state Do you think our saying so would make it so Will God falsifie his word to make good ours Or would he not deal with us as perfidious messengers that had betrayed our trust and belyed him and deceived yout souls And would it save or ease an unregenerate man to have Christ condemn the Minister for deceiving him and telling him that he may be saved in such a state Do but let go the odious sin that the word of God doth speak so ill of and then it will speak no ill of you Alas Sirs what would you have a poor Minister do when Gods command doth cross your pleasure and when he is sure to offend either God or you Which should he venture to offend If he help not the ungodly to know their misery he offendeth God If he do it he offendeth them If he tell you that All they shall be damned that believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness Your hearts rise against him for talking of Damnation to you And yet it is but the words of the Holy Ghost 2 Thes 2.12 which we are bound to preach If he tell you that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die you will be angry especially if he closely apply it to your selves And if he do not tell you so God will be angry For it is his express determination Rom. 8.13 And whose anger think you should a wise man choose or whose should he most resolutely avoid The anger of the dreadfull God of Heaven or yours Your anger we can bear if there be no remedy but his anger is intolerable When you have fretted and fumed and railed and slandered us and ouâ— doctrine we can Live yet or if you kiâ—â— the Body you can do no more You do but send us before to be witnesses against you when you come to judgement But who can Live when God will pour out wrath upon him Numb 24.23 We may keep your slanders and indignation from our Hearts but it is the Heart that the Heart-searching God contendeth with And who can heal the Heart which he will break You may reach the flesh but he that is a Spirit can afflict and wound the Spirit And a wounded spirit and wounded by him who can bear Prov. 18.14 Would you not your selves say he were worse then mad that would rather abuse the Eternal God then cross the misguided desires of such worms as you that would displease God to please you and sell his Love to purchase yours Will you be instead of God to us when we have lost his favour Will you save us from him when he sendeth for our souls by death or sentenceth us to Hell by judgement Silly souls how happy were you could you save your selves Will you be our Gods if we forsake our God What you that are but skinfuls of corruption that will shortly be choaked with your own filth and flegme and by your friends be laid to rot in silent undiscerned darkness lest the loathsome sight or smell of you should annoy them Blame not God to use them as Enemies and Rebels that will change him for such earthen Gods as you We have One God and but One and he must be obeyed whether you like or dislike it There is one Law giver that is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4.12 and he must be pleased whether it please your carnal minds or not If your wisdom now will take the chair and judge the preaching of the Gospel to be foolishness or the searching application of it to be too much harshness and severity I am sure you shall come down ere long and hear his sentence that will convince you that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God and the foolishness of God as Blasphemy dare call it is wiser then men 1 Cor. 3.19 1.25 And God will be the final Judge and his word shall stand when you have done your worst The worst that the Serpent can do is but to hiss a while and put forth the sting and bruise our heel but Gods day will be the brusing of his head and Satan shall be bruised under feet Rom. 16.20 The Sun will shine and the light thereof discover your deformities whether you will or not And if adulterers or thieves that love the works of darkness will do theit worst by force or flattery they cannot make it cease its shining though they may shut their eyes or hide themselves in darkness from it light Faithfull â—eachers are the Lights of the world Mat. 5.14 They are not lighted by the Holy Ghost to be put under a bushell but on a candlestick that
â—â—sturbing enemy in adversity As fleshly â—inds misjudge of the law and service of â—od and cannot be subject because of the â—mity against him Rom. 8.7 so do they â—â—sjudge of his chastisements And so far 〈◊〉 they participate of this disease the best â—â—ll be repining and tempted to unworthy â—oughts of God Even innocent nature â—oth to suffer Christ himself saith If it be thy will let this cup pass from me Anâ— nature so far as it is corrupted is yet mucâ— more averse because the Flesh is more inâ—ordinately desirous of its ease and passioâ— more turbulent when it is denyed and thâ— soul hath less apprehension and relish 〈◊〉 that Love of God which is the cause anâ— End and should sweeten all to a Reconâ—ciled well-composed mind and it is alsâ— less satisfied in the will of God and it is leâ—â— subject to it and patience is defective bâ—â—cause of the weakness of the Graces thâ— should support us Besides which also tenderness of spirit and overmuch sensibâ—â—lity fears and trouble are ordinary effecâ— of the weak and tender nature of maâ— especially of the more weak and tendâ—â— sex And when all these concur tâ—â— averseness of the most innocent nature tâ—â— remnants of sin and the special tenderneâ—â— of your nature and sex your burdeâ— and tryal is much the greater and yoâ— grief must needs be much the moâ—â— But I beseech you remember that yoâ— have not to do with an Enemy but a Fâ—â—ther that knoweth what he doth aâ—â— meaneth you no hurt but that which is tâ—â— fittest means to your good and to yoâ— scaping greater hurt that loveth you 〈◊〉 less in the greatest of your pain and danger than in the greatest of your prosperity and peace that you have a Head in Heaven that was partaker with us of flesh and blood that he might deliver us from our bondage which we are in through the fear of death who was made perfect by suffering and is not ashamed to call us Breâ—hren being in all things made like unto us that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God â—o make reconciliation for our sins who â—n that he himself hath suffered being tempted is able to succour them that are â—empted Heb. 2.10 11 14 15 17 18. We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted or tryed â—s we are but without sin He that himself in the days of his flesh did offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryâ—ng and tears to him that was able to save him from death Heb. 5.7 will not be angry if his servants complain and cry â—o him in their suffering He that cryed â—ut My God My God why hast thou forâ—aken me will pitty his poor distressed â—embers and not forsake them when they â—hink themselves forsaken And if they go beyond their bounds in their complainings he will not therefore disregard their moans But he that honoured the patience of Job though he so passionately curseâ— the day of his birth will love the faith anâ— patience of his people notwithstanding the mixtures of unbelief and impatience He is ready with his gracious excuse Matth. 26.41 The spirit is willing buâ— the flesh is weak And he considereth that our strength and flesh is not of stone or brass Job 6.12 He will therefore revive the spirit of the contrite and wiâ—â— not contend for ever nor be alwaies wroth lest the spirit should faile before him and the souls which he hath made Isai 57.15 16. And though no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous yet the end is that he may make uâ— partakers of his Holiness and afterwarâ— it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.10 11. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which God hath promised to them that love him Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law that thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity unâ—ill the pit be digged for the wicked For the â—ord will not Cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance Psal 94.12 13 14. Madam if nothing in all the world be more certain that that there is a God who â—s true and just and delighteth in his people when they are lowest in the world If noâ—hing be more sure than that there is a Heaven for persevering penitent believers â—hen are our Arguments for the comfort of Gods afflicted ones no fancies but â—etcht as from the highest excellencies so â—rom the surest realities that ever were presented to the understanding of a man And though the best of Saints have been â—ut to wrestle with the temptations that â—rise from the adversity of Believers and â—he prosperity of the wicked yet this is still â—he result of all their perplexing thoughts Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Though sometime their feet are almost gone and their paths do well nigh slip and they are ready to say We have cleansed our hearts in vain and washed our hands in innocency for all the day are we plagued and chastened every morning yet they soon learn in the sanctuary of God that the wicked are set in slippery places and cast down into destruction and brought to desolation as in a moment and utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awaketh so the Lord when he awaketh will despise their image Psal 73. But marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the End of that man is peace Psal 37.37 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil But though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him Eccles 8.11 12. If not here yet certainly at last all shall say Verily there is a Reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 Rest therefore in the Lord and wait patiently for him Commit your way to him Trust in him and he shall bring it to pass For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Psal 9.18 How happy are you that God doth thus save you from the temptations of prosperity which you see befool and undo so many before your eyes and that you are not left in the number of â—hose that are men of the world which â—ave their portion in this life Psal 17.14 â—nd are given up to their own hearts lusts â—o walk in their own counsels Psal 81.12 â—nd must hear at last Remember that thou â—n thy life time receivedst thy good things â—ut that here you have your evils and â—hall be comforted when the now-prospeâ—ous wicked are tormented Luke 16.25
man should teach us to â—â—ale as equally with God and finally â—â—solve all guilt and blame into the Free â—nd Vitiated Will of man Humbling self-â—â—owledge maketh us say with Job ch 40.4 Behold I am vile what Shall I answer â—â—ee I will lay my hand upon my mouth â—nd when God is glorifying himself on â—ur relations or our selves by his judgeâ—ents it teacheth us with Araon to hold â—ur Peace Lev. 10.3 and to say with â—â—li It is the Lord let him do what â—â—emeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 And â—ith David 2. Sam. 15.25 If I shall â—â—nd favour in the eyes of the Lord he will â—ring me againe and show me it and his â—abitation But if he thus say I have no â—elight in thee behold here am I let him â—o to me as seemeth good to him And as â—he afflicted Church Mic. 7.9 I will â—eare the indignation of the Lord because I â—ave sinned against him Even a Pharaoh when affliction hath taught him a little to know himself will say The Lord is Righâ—eous and I and my people are wicked Exod. 9.27 when Rehoboam and his Princes are humbled they say The Lord is Righteous 2. Chron. 12.6 see Ezr. 9.15 20. Lastly it is for want of the Knoâ—â—ledge of ourselves that precious Time 〈◊〉 so much lost and hastening Death no 〈◊〉 prepared for Did we carry still about us thâ— sensible Knowledge of our Necessity our Mortality and the unconceivaâ—â—â— change that 's made by Death we should then live as men that are continually waiting for the coming of their Lord and as if we still beheld our graves For wee carry about us that sin and frailty such corruptible flesh as may tell us of Death as plainly as a Grave or Skeleton So great so unspeakably necessary a work as the serious diligent preparatioâ— for our end could not be so sottishly neglected by the ungodly did they throughly and feelingly know what it is to be a Mortall man and what to have an immortall soule what it is to be a sinner and what to pass into an endless life of Joy or Misery And thus I have shewed you some of the fruits both of the Knowledge and Ignorance of our selves even in our Natural and Morall and Politicall capacityes though it be the second that is directly intended in the Text which may help you in the Application Vse ANd now I may suppose that the best of you all the most Honourable the â—ost Learned the most Religious of them 〈◊〉 dare affirm it will acknowlidge that I want not sufficient Reason to urge you with the Question in my Text Know yee â—ot your owne selves Judge by the forementioned effects whether self-acquaintâ—nce even in the most weighty and neâ—estary respects be common among proâ—essed Christians Doth he duely know â—imself as he is a man that doubteth of a Deity whose Image is his very essence 〈◊〉 though not the Morall Image that must â—e produced by renewing Grace Or he â—hat doubteth of a particular Providence â—f which he hath daily and hourly expeâ—ience Or he that doubteth of the Immorâ—ality of his soul or of the Life to come which is the end of his Creation and enâ—owments and is legibly engraven on the Nature and faculties of his soul Do they Morally know themselves that make a â—est of sin and make it their delight that â—ear it as the lightest burden and are not so much humbled by all the distempers anâ— miseryes of their soules as they would 〈◊〉 by a leprosie an imprisonment or disgraâ—â— that have as cold unthankfull thoughts of Christ and of his grace and benefits as 〈◊〉 sicke stomack of a feast That complemenâ— with him at the doore but will not be perswaded to let him in unless he wilâ— come upon their termes and will dweâ—â— with their unmortifyed sin and be a servant to their flesh and leave them their worldly prosperity and delights and saâ— them for these complements and leaving of the flesh when sin and the world 〈◊〉 cast them off Do those men truly know themselves that think they need not the Spirit of Chrisâ— for Regeneration conversion and sanctification nor need not a diligent Holy life nor to be halfe so carefull and serious for their salvation as they are for a shadow of hapâ—piness in the world That would withouâ— entreaty bestir themselves if their houâ—â— were on fire or they were drowning 〈◊〉 the water or were assaulted by a thiâ—â— or enemy and yet think he is too troublesome and Precise that intreateth them 〈◊〉 bestir themselves for Heaven and 〈◊〉 quit themselves like men for their Salvaâ—â—â—on and to look about them and spare no pains for the escaping everlasting misery when this is the time the only time when all this must be done or they are utterly undone for ever Do they know themselves and what they want and what indeed would do them good that itch after sensuall beastiall delights and glut their flesh and please their appetites and lusts and wast their time in needless Sports and long for honour and greatness in the world and study for preferment more then for Salvation and think they can never stand too high nor have too much As if it were so desireable to fall from the highest pinacle or to dye forsaken by that for which they â—orsook the Lord. Do our feathred powdered gawdy galâ—ants or our frizled spotted wanton dames â—nderstand what it is that they are so proud â—f or do so carefully trim up and aâ—orn Do they know what flesh is as â—hey would do if they saw the comlyest â—f their companions when hee hath layn 〈◊〉 month or twelvemonth in the grave Do â—hey know what sin is as a sight of Hell â—ould make them know or the true Beâ—â—efe of such a state If they did they would think that another garb doth better beseem such miserable sinners and that persons in their case have something els to mind and do then toyishly to spruce up themselves like handsome pictures for men to look upon and something els to spend their hours in then dalliance and complements and unnecessary ornaments and that the amiable and honourable beauty and comliness and worth consisteth in the Holy Image of God the wisdom and Heavenly endowments of the soul and in a Heavenly charitable righteous conversation and good works and not in a curious dress or gawdy attire which a foole may wear as well as a wise man and a carkass as well as a living man and a Dives that must lie in Hell when a Lazarus may lie in sores and rags Do they know themselves that fear no snares but chuse the life of greatest temptations and danger to their souls because it is highest or hath most provision for the flesh and that think they can keep in their candle in the greateâ—â— storms and in any company maintain their innocency And yet cannot understand so much of the will of God nor of their own Interest and necessity and danger
thy terror that it is the Gospel that speaks this terror to thee and excludes thee from salvation unless thou be made new It is mercy it self that thus condemneth thee and judgeth thee to endless misery You are mistaken Sirs when you say we preach not Mercy and say we preach not the Gospel but the Law It is the Gospel that saith Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and that if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his John 3.3 5. Rom. 8.9 The same Gospel that saith He that believeth shall be saved saith also that He that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Will you tell Christ the Saviour of the world that he is not mercifull because he talks to you of Damnation Mercy it self when it tells you that There is no condemnation doth limit this pardon to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 It is sanctifying Mercy that must save you if ever you be saved as well as Justifying Mercy And will you refuse this Mercy and by no entreaty yield to have it and yet think to be saved by it What saved by that Mercy which you will not have And will you say We preach not Mercy because we tell you that Mercy will not save you if you continue to reject it To be saved by Mercy without Sanctification is to be saved and not saved to be saved by Mercy without Mercy Your words have no better sense then this And are those afraid lest Preachers should make them mad by shewing them their need of mercy that are no Wiser then to cast away their souls upon such senseless self-contradicting conceits as these I beseech you tell us whose words are they think you that say Without holiness none shall see God! Heb. 12.14 and that He that is in Christ is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 and such like passages which offend you Are they ours or are they Gods Did we indite the Holy Scriptures or did the Holy Ghost Is it long of us if there be any words there that cross your flesh and that you call bitter Can we help it if God will save none but sanctified believers If you have any thing to say against it you must say it to him We are sure that this is in his word and we are sure he cannot lye and therefore we are sure its true We are sure that he may do with his own as he list and that he oweth you nothing and that he may give his pardon and salvation to whom and upon what terms he please And therefore we are sure he doth you no wrong But if you think otherwise reproach not us that are but messengers but prepare your charge and make it good against your maker if you dare and can you shall shortly come before him and be put to it to justifie your selves If If you can do it by recrimination and can prevent your condemnation by condemning the Law and the Judge try your strength and do your worst Ah poor worms dare you lift up the head and move a tongue against the Lord Did Infinite Wisdom it self want Wisdom to make a Law to rule the world And did Infinite Goodness want Goodness to deal mercifully and as was best with man And shall Justice it self be judged to be unjust And that by you By such silly ignorant naughty and unrighteous ones as you As if you had the Wisdom and Goodness which you think God wanted when he made his Laws And whereas you tell us of preaching terribly to you we cannot help it if the true and righteous Threatnings of God be terrible to the guilty It is because we know the Terrors of the Lord that we preach them to warn you to prevent them And so did the Apostles before us 2 Cor. 5.11 Either its true that the unquenchable fire will be the portion of impenitent unbelieving fleshly worldly unsanctified men or it is not true If it were not true the word of God were not true and then what should you do with any preaching at all or any religion But if you confess it to be true do you think in reason it should be silenced or can we tell men of so terrible a thing as Hell and tell them that it will certainly be their lot unless they be new creatures and not speak terribly to them O Sirs it is the wonder of my soul that it seemeth no more terrible to all the ungodly that think they do believe it Yea and I would it did seem more terrible to the most that it might affright you from your sin to God and you might be saved If you were running ignorantly into a Cole-pit would you revile him that told you of it and bid you stop if you love your life Would you tell him that he speaks bitterly or terribly to you It is not the Preacher that is the cause of your danger he doth but tell you of it that you may scape If you are saved you may thank him but if you are lost you may thank your selves It s you that deal bitterly and terribly with your selves Telling you of Hell doth not make Hell Warning you of it is not causing it Nor is it God that is unmercifull but you are foolishly cruel and unmercifull to your selves Do not think to despise the patience and mercy of the Lord and then think to escape by accusing him of being unmercifull and by saying It s terrible doctrine that we preach to you impenitent sinners I confess to thee it is terrible and more terrible then thy sensless heart imagineth or is yet aware of One day if grace prevent it not thou shalt find it ten thousand times more terrible then thou canst apprehend it now When thou seest thy Judge with millions of his Angels coming to condemn thee thou wilt then say his Laws are terrible indeed Thou hast to do with a holy jealous God who is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and can such a God be despised and not be terrible to thee He is called The Great the Mighty and the Terrible God Neh. 9.32 Deut. 7.21 With God is terrible Majesty Job 37.22 He is terrible out of his holy place Psal 68.35 He is terrible to the greatest even to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 It s time for you therefore to tremble and submit and think how unable you are to contend with him and not revile his word or works because they are terrible but fear him for them and study them on purpose that you may fear and glorifie him And as David Psal 66.3.5 Say unto God How terrible art thou in thy works Through the greatness of thy power shall thy enemies submit themselves unto thee Come and see the works of the Lord He is terrible in his doings toward the children of men Psal 99.3 Let them praise thy Great and terrible name for it
And I hope you will confess that you cannot be pardoned and saved without a Saviour and therefore that as you need a Saviour so you must have a special interest in him It is as certain that Christ saveth not at all as that he saveth any For thâ— same word assureth us of the one and 〈◊〉 the other Quest 2. But if you confess that once you were children of wrath my next Question is Whether you know how and wheâ— you were delivered from so sad a state or at least Whether it be done or not Perhapâ— you 'le say It was done in your Baptism which washeth away Original sin But granting you that all that have a Promise of pardon before have that promise sealed and that pardon delivered them by Baptism I ask you Quest 3. Do you think that Baptism by water only will save unless you be also baptized by the spirit Christ telleth you the contrary with a vehement asseveration John 3.5 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And Peter tels you that it is not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 2.21 If therefore you have not the spirit of Christ for all your Baptism you are none of his Rom. 8.9 For that which is born of the flesh is but flesh and you must be born of the spirit if you will be spiritual John 3.6 I shall further grant you that many receive the spirit of Christ even in their infancy and may be savingly as well as Sacramentally then Regenerate And if this be your case you have very great cause to be thankfull for it But I next enquire of you Quest 4. Have you not lived an unholy carnal life since you came to the use of reason Have you not since then delcared that you did not live the life of faith nor walk after the spirit but the flesh If so then it is certain that you have need of a Conversion from that ungodly state what ever Baptism did for you And therefore you are still to enquire whether you have been converred since you came to age And I must needs remember you that your Infant Covenant made in Baptism being upon your parents faith and consent and noâ— your own will serve your turn no longer then your Infancy unless when you come to the use of Reason you renew and own that Covenant your selves and have a personal faith and Repentance of your own And whatever you received in Baptism this must be our next enquiry Quest 5. Did you ever since you came to age upon sound Repentance and renunciation of the flesh the world and the devil give up your selves unfeignedly by faith to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and shew by the performance of this holy Coâ—venant that you were sincere in the making of it I confess it is a matter so hard to most to assign the time and manner of their Conversion that I think it no safe way of trial And therefore I will issue all in this one Question Quest 6. Have you the Necessary parts of the New Creature now though perhaps you know not just when or how it was formed in you The Question is Whether you are now in a state of sanctification and not Whether you can tell just when you did receive it He that would know Whether he be a Man must not do it by remembring when he was born or how he was formed but by discerning the Rational nature in himself at present And though Grace be more observable to us in its enterance then Nature as finding and entering into â— discerning subject which Nature doth not Yet it beginneth so early with some and so obscurely with others and in others the preparations are so long or notable that its hard to say when special grace came in But you may well discern Whether it be there or not and that is the Question that must be resolved if you would know your selves And though I have been long in these exhortations to incline your Wils I shall be short in giving you those Evidences of the Holy Life which must be before your eyes while you are upon the trial In summ If your very hearts do now unfeignedly consent to the Covenant which you made in Baptism and your Lives express it to be a true Consent I dare say you are regenerate though you know not just when you first consented Come on then and let us enquire what you say to the several parts of your Baptismal Covenant 1. If you are sincere in the Covenant you have made with Christ You do resolvedly Consent that God shall be your only God as reconciled to you by Jesus Christ Which is 1. That you will take him for your Owner or your Absolute Lord and give up your selves to him as his Own 2. That You will take him for your Supream Governour and Consent to be subject to his Government and Laws taking his Wisdom for your Guide and his Will for the Rule of your Wills and Lives 3. That you will take him for your chiefest Benefactor from whom you receive and expect all your Happiness and to whom you owe your selves and all by way of Thankfulness And that you take his Love and favour for your Happiness it self and prefer the Everlasting Enjoyment of his Glorious sight and Love in Heaven before all the sensual pleasures of the world I would prove the necessity of all these by Scripture as we go but that it is evident in it self these three Relations being Essential to God as our God in Covenant He is not our God if not our Owner Ruler and Benefactor You profess all this when you profess but to Love God or take him for your God 2. In the Covenant of Baptism you do profess to believe in Christ and take him for your only Saviour If you do this in sincerity 1. You do unfeignedly Beleive the doctrine of his Gospel and the Articles of the Christian faith concerning his Person his Offices and his suffering and works 2. You do take him unfeignedly for the only Redeemer and Saviour of mankind and Give up your selves to be saved by his Merits Righteousness Intercession c. as he hath promised in his word 3. You trust upon him and his promises for the attainment of your Reconciliation and Peace with God your Justification Adoption Sanctification and the Glory of the life to come 4. You take him for your Lord and King your Owner and Ruler by the right of Redemption and your grand Benefactor that hath obliged you to Love and Gratitude by saving you from the wrath to come and purchasing eternal Glory for you by his most wonderfull condescension life and sufferings 3. In the Baptismal Covenant you are engaged to the Holy Ghost If you are sincere in this branch of your Covenant 1. You discern your sins as
What fears should disquiet him that is sure to escape the wrath of God What wants should trouble him that knoweth he is an heir of Heaven Why should the indignation or threatnings of man be any temptation to turn him out of the way of duty or dismay his mind who knoweth that they can but kill the body and dismiss the soul into his blessed presence whom it loveth and laboureth and longs to see what should inordinately grieve that man that is certain of eternal Joy What else should he thirst for that hath in him the well of living waters springing up to everlasting life Joh. 4.14 And what should deprive that man of comfort that knoweth he hath the Comforter within him and shall be for ever comforted with his masters joy And what should break the Peace and Patience of him that is assured of Everlasting Rest If the assurance of a happy death cannot make it welcome and cannot make affliction easie and fill our lives with the Joyes of Hope I know not what can do it But alas for those poor souls that know not whither death will send them or at least have not good grounds of hope what wonder if through the fear of death they be all their life time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.14 Methinks in the midst of their wealth and pleasure they should not be so stupid as to forget the millions that are gone before them that lately were as jovial and secure as they and how short their dreaming feast will be Methinks all the beauty of their fleshly Idols should be blasted with those nipping frosts and storms that in their serious forethoughts come in upon them from the black and dreadful regions of death Methinks at any time it should damp their mirth and allay the ebullition of their phrenetick blood to remember For all this I must die and it may be this night that the fool must deliver up his soul and then whose shall those things be which he hath provided Luk. 12.19 20. Then who shall be the Lord and who the Knight or Gentleman and who shall wear the gay attire and who shall domineer and say Our will shall be done anâ— thus we will have it Then where is thâ— pleasure of lust and merry company anâ— meat drink and sports Methinks Soloâ—mons memento Eccles 11.9 should brinâ— them to themselves Rejoyce O young maâ— in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee iâ— the days of thy youth and walk in the wayâ— of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes 〈◊〉 but know thou that for all these things Goâ— will bring thee into judgement And as thâ— sound of these words I must shortly die methinks should be always in your ears so in reason the Question Whether must I then go should be always aâ— it were before your eyes till your soulâ— have received a satisfactory answer to it O what an amazing dreadful thing it is when an unsanctified unprepared soul must say I must depart from earth but I know not whither I know not whether unto Heaven or Hell Here I am now but where must I be for ever When men believe that their next habitation must be everlasting methinks the Question Whether must I goe should be day and night upon their minds till they can say upon good grounds I shall go to the blessed presence of the Lord O had you but the hearts of men within you methinks the sense of this one Question Whither must I go when I leave â—he flesh should so possess you that it should give your souls no rest till you were â—ble to say We shall be with Christ because he dwelleth in us here and hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his spirit or at least till you have good hopes of this and have done your best to make it sure And thus I have told you of how great importance it is to believers to attain assurance of the love of God and to know that Christ abideth in them And now I think you will confess I have proved the necessity of Self-knowledge both to the unregenerate and the regenerate though in several degrees and having opened the disease and shewed you the need of a remedy I am next to direct you in the application for the cure I Doubt not but there are many of the Hearers that by this time are desirous to be instructed how this self knowledge may be attained For whose satsfaction and for the reducing of all that hath been spoken into practise I shall next acquaint you with the Hinderances of Self-knowledge the removing of them being not the least point in the cure and with the Positive Directions to be practised for the attainment of it And because the Hinderances and Helps are contrary I shall open both together as we go on The Hinderances of self knowledge are some of them without us and some within us and so must be the Helps I. The external Hinderances are these 1. The failing of Ministers in their part of the work through unskilfulness or unfaithfulness is a great cause that so many are ignorant of themselves They are the Lights of the world and if they are ecâ—lipsed or put under a bushell if they are darkened by the snuff of their own corruptions or if they feed not their light by the oile of diligent studies and other endeavours or if they will not go â—long with men into the dark and unknown corners of the heart what wonder if mens hearts remain in darkness when those â—hat by office are appointed to afford them Light do fail them It is not a general dull discourse or critical observations upon words or the subtile decision of some nice and curious questions of the schools though these may be useful to their proper ends nor is it a neat and well composed speech about some other distant matters that is like to acquaint a sinner with himself How many sermons may we hear that to others ends are not unprofitable that are levelled at some mark or other that is very far from the Hearers hearts and therefore are never like to convince them or prick them or open and convert them And if our congregations were in such a case as that they needed no closer quickening work such preaching might be born with and commended But when so many usually sit before us that must shortly dye and are unprepared and that are condemned by the Law of God and must be pardoned or finally condemned that must be saved from their sins that they may be saved from everlasting misery I think it is time for us to talk to them of such things as most concern them and that in such a matter as may most effectually convince awake and change them When we come to them on their sick-beds we talk not then to them of distant or impertinent things oâ— words or forms or parties or by-opinions but of the state of their souls anâ— their appearing before the Lord and hoâ—