before the Lord as 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 S. 14 Thou hast 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 S. 15 Thou hast slighted Gods invitation 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 S. 16 And to make up thy measure full of wickedness all this while thou hast abused the wonderfull patience mercy and long-suffering of the Lord thy God S. 17 But we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against you that commit such things for that 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 S. 18 O read and consider well this dreadfull place 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 S. 19 It may be thou hast been guilty in all these wayes of sinning 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 S. 20 But if this make thee not yet know thy self then know farther and let this be to thee as it is in it self an 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 S. 21 Before Conversion comes 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 S. 22 Well then 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 S. 23 And I hope thou so bad as thou hast been hitherto art not past all cure remediless 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 S. 24 Poor soul 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 S. 25 Thou hast Faith 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 S. 26 Thou hast Consideration 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 snall reap richly by conversion if thou defer not to come in and give not out until it be completed S. 27 Thou hast now an opportunity put into thy hâ—nd 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 sinished thou must lie down in sorrow and possess an eternity of horrid darkness and woful misery S. 28 Come Man 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 S. 29 Know excellent Creature know believe thy Creator and
threatned eternall punishment to every impenitent unconverted sinner S. 2 O Lord how wonderfull art thou in mercy and goodnesse I am one of those vile and miserable sinners whom thou hast often called to amendment to whom thou hast sent thy servants importunately beseeching that I would cease to do evill and learn to do well that I would but turn and live but hitherto I have not fully yeelded I have dear Lord too too often and too too long put thee off with excuses and when I could say nothing for my continuance in sinne nor against holy living and speedy reformation yet then have I delayed my necessary duty with a promise of reformation delaying from day to day that which I have promised and continually going on in that which I should renounce even to this day O Lord thou knowest it S. 3 Many opportunities have been given unto me much grace offered many Sabbaths many Sermons many Counsels many a check of Conscience many rebukes from the Lord in sad dispensations and all to reclaim me and long hast thou waited for my return that thou mightest pardon and be gracious But alas alas I have abused thy long-sufferance made light of thy invitations and all thy sweet and kind perswasions and fatherly corrections I have heard thy Messengers speaking to me time after time from the Lord saying often with tears in their eyes to me Regardlesse hard-hearted Wretch Oh do not do not the abominable things which I hate O why wilt thou die But all in vain my obstinate hard heart hath said There is no hope I will not change nor amend S. 4 Yea Lord although thy severe and dreadfull threats have come to my ears against such sins as I alas as I my self am guilty of and there is nothing that keepeth me on this side hell all this while but thy wonderfull mercy forbearing execution on such an evill doer as I have been and yet for all this my fool-hardy heart is set upon evill still S. 5 I have heard from thy Word Mat. 18.3 John 3.3 as it were from Heaven to me by name that Except I be converted I shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and yet I have not seriously minded it but to this day I have continued to follow lustfull desires and unchristian practises alas to this day too long But dear Lord wilt thou be intreated by me a vile sinner as I am now to move my heart effectually that I may set upon reformation to purpose Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean holy just sober and a sound convert thou hast bid me although a miserable sinner to ask according to thy will and thou hast promised to hear and grant S. 7 It is thy will most holy God that I should turn and live and it is the desire and earnest request of my soul that I may leave off all my ungodliness worldly lusts vanities and all my sins And that I may become a new man a sincere and holy Christian Lord help me and never leave me begin and finish my Reformation in heart and life make this little book an happy Instrument of mine Amendment Let the truths from thy word convince me let the Arguments perswade me let the reasons move me to a speedy practicall resolution let my many sins yet unreformed shame me and weary me let thy Threats deter me from sin let thy promises allure me to Holiness S. 8 Let thy Grace accompany my Endeavours this way let the few dayes I have to live and the great work I have yet to do for my soul drive me to hasten my Resolution let not sloth nor delusions nor any temptation or secular Interest whatsoever entice my poor soul from this work of self-Reformation I am Resolved to read consider and practice dear Lord help my Resolutions and further this happy work of reformation in my heart and life Say Lord for Christs sake to my soul Goe on and prosper Amen Amen S. 10 Now if thou canst truly from thy heart bewail thy former neglect and miscarriage and beg heartily of God to assist thee in this thy so great concernment then art thou hopefully prepared and in a fair way both to receive further Instruction and Resolution for thy saving Reformation And accordingly I shall in the name of God proceed with thee after this method In the first part of Reformation which consists in forsaking of all thy sins and evil practises To shew what is meant in this design by SAVING REFORMATION that you may understand your businesse To prove the absolute necessity of such a reformation in order to salvation that you may believe it To discover those sins which are in every instance inconsistent with saving reformation which if not forsaken in heart and life will infallibly bring destruction to thy soul at last that when you know them and the dreadfull consequence of them you may be induced to repent them to renounce them all without any further delay or hesitancie To give you some speciall Directions about this thing that it may prove Effectuall that your labour may not be lost but through the grace of God successefull To urge the duty upon you with undeniable arguments to move you to be speedy and practicall in Reformation And this is done in this first part about Reformation as it comprehends a turning from all Evill in heart and life a ceasing from sin in all its instances and appearances I doe in the Second part of Reformation which consists of an holy Life 1. Propose the practicals of saving conversion in all Christian performances and right orderly heavenly Conversation And shew likewise the absolute necessity of such a course of holy living to make our reformation complete and our salvation sure Lay down some Directions for the holy ordering of you life both fot Time and Duties Lastly I doe conclude with earnest motions to perform all the requisits to thy salvation constantly to the end And no man can set himself against or refuse to yield to all that is here moved for nor delay his reformation but he that hath forfeited his reason and all his interest in Christ and hath sold himself to wickedness and resolves to be miserable in despite of God and good Counsell and is grown desperate and means to cast away his precious soul for ever But I hope thou that hast read so far as this art not such an one and therefore I intreat you would seriously consider what is said to thee in each particular about thy speedy Reformation CHAP. III. Of Reformation in the notion of it as it is intended for practise S. 1 REformation which is the subject I am about to treat of is a word not very frequently used in Scripture but the thing I mean by it is in many places described And I chuse this term of Reformation because it comprehends what I mean to exhort you to and as it is a Vulgar word best known to such as I am
and confess his fault and to sin no more in swearing And indeed every true Christian though he be not absolutely against taking a lawfull oath to a right end for the determining of a weighty controversie which nothing but his oath can put an end to yet one that truly fears God doth fear to take an oath Eccle. 9.2 and shrinkes to lay his hand on the Bible and trembles to take the name of the glorious God into his mouth knowing well the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain Exo. 20.7 how much more dreadfull is the severity of God against false swearers and perjured persons read Zachariah 5.3 4. Zech 5.3 4. This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that sweareth shall be cut off and this curse shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name Ezek. 21.23 c. and Malachi 3.5 I will come neer to you in judgment and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against FALSE SWEARERS He that calls God to witness in his vanity falshood and deceit God will witness against him and judge him for it and cast such out of his sight and none shall pray for false swearers Jer. 23.10 with verse 15 16. Jer. 23.10 15 16. But besides this of solemn swearing by which men become guilty of dishonouring Gods name and foul perjury and breach of faith there are too many and it may be thou art one of them that are given to vain swearing and oaths are become customary and a bravery and ungodly wretches they are also that use to swear in their common talk and to doe so is as great an evidence of base irreligiousness and a profane heart as possibly can be discovered t is to speak like a fool without reason without pleasure without honor such a custome of vain swearing renders a man detestable to God and all good men and all good men are offended at thee and ashamed of thee and all godly persons pitty thee and grieve for thee considering that quickly such an Atheisticall stupid irreligious fool must be in the flames of insupportable yet everlasting torments for his swearing S. 47 And if thou think this will be too great a severity for sudden eruptions of passions and inconsiderateness and petty oaths and swearing by things that are not God and without any malicious design then know that though thou make as light of the guilt as of thy swearing yet by it God is dishonoured Christs Law against swearing at all is violated as often as thou swearest and if you think t is no great matter to swear yet consider t is not a small offence to rebell against the Lord Jesus and so easily and customarily to cross his will and violate his Law And surely if for idle words we must be accountable at the day of judgment as it is evident Mat. 12.36 37. how much more shall the idle swearer be censured in that day S. 48 It may be thou in thy customary swearing dost not always swear by the greatest thou dost not use the name of GOD LORD CHRIST JESUS nor HOLY GHOST it may be thy oaths are not by his wounds blood cross passion or the like invented oaths of wretched and ungodly persons yet t is guilt enough to render thee for ever miserable without the mercy of God upon thy sincere repentance to pardon it If thou usest to swear at all by any thing any creature or any name of a thing reall or fained as such inventions men have sometimes or by heaven earth sun moon stars trees herbs stones beasts men the names of men body or the members of the body as by the head hand foot or the like or by my soul or life or faculties of the soul judgment will affections or by any of the graces of God which he vouchsafeth to man as by my faith or my charity or by my hope by my conscience all which when used in the form of an oath and in common discourse are utterly forbidden by our Saviour in his Sermon * 35 36 37. Mat. 5.33 34. Ye have heard that thou shalt not forswear thy self but I say unto you also swear not at all neither by the heaven nor the earth neither by Jerusalem neither shal◠thou swear by thy head James 5.12 And S. James gives the same prohibition from our Lord Christ Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor earth neither by any other oath but let your communication be yea yea nay nay That is either affirmative or negative I or no without any oath for whatsoever is more then this cometh from evil 12. ult in the later end of the 12. verse and let your Yea be Yea let it be truth which you affirm lest you fall into condemnation S. 49 Now upon this account I beseech thee as thou art chary of thine own soul if thou art any way addicted to swearing either by great or little by God or his creatures or any other oath that speedily thou repent for thy sin committed this way already and reforme immediately or else thou wilt abide in a deadly state and under the guilt and curse of swearing falsly and vainly Remember thou art minded of this do not slight the admonition lest you fall under the condemnation of hell §. XI Lying S. 50 If thou hast been a liar an inventer of a falshood and uttered with thy tongue words contrary to the truth with an intention to deceive others or to please others by thy lying if of fear or for favor or gain thou hast spoken that which thy Conscience tels thee is not the truth or hast divulged that for truth which thou hast received and yet knowest it to be false and not so in it self what you endeavour to perswade another to believe then art thou guilty of lying S. 51 If thou seemest to others what thou art not either in word or deed then art thou a dissembling liar and if thou wouldst seem religious outwardly and yet in heart thou lovest and likest any sin or dislikest the holy righteous wayes of God then art thou an hypocritical liar if thou hast born false witness in any cause though never so trivial or for whatsoever advantage to thy self or any secular or religious interest yet 't is an heinous sin and thy lye brings more dishonor to God and Religion Rom. 3.8 and damage to thy own soul than any advantage can amount to by thy lye S. 52 If we mean to be the children of God we must not do evil nor make a lye though we think good may come of it yea all liars are said to be the children of the Devil Who is a liar from the beginning and the father of lies Joh. 8.44 And that you may understand the odiousness of this sin as no wise consistent with saving grace in the soul nor with
Spirituall pride spoiles all Spirituall performances when men think there is a worth and merit in what they do though but their duty If a man be proud of his humility and charity and that he can pray much and as he thinks well and when he looks contemptuously upon those beneath him in gifts of the Spirit knowledge religious discourses and ability of disputing for or against the Truth and thinks himself every way above instruction and stands in need of no farther direction from Gods word but living in his pride as above ordinances and conceits himself perfect in all excellencies free from infirmities and any the least spot of sin in thought word or deed this is the height of pride vain glory and arrogancy and all that have lifed up themselves thus Pro. 3.17 are fallen at once from grace low into the sin of Pride as the proud Angels from heavenly excellencies to hellish shame and horrour and so wilt thou that art guilty in this kind except thou repent S. 81 Again if thou art envious at those above thee and discontent with thy portion and talent because not so much as anothers and refusest to do any thing in thy duties because thou can not do better then others and get thee praise to thy self from others this is the Pride of thine heart too S. 82 If thou takest pride in thy shame if thou gloryest in thy wickednesse and declarest thy sin with an impudent forehead and a profane tongue and wretched actions then hast thou lost modesty and all that is morally good and art become a damned catiffe a devil incarnate S. 83 And farther if thou scornest admonition and spirituall counsell for thy soul if thou slightest the most hearty and serious invitations directions exhortations and reproofs from Gods word and his Ministers and thinkest thy self more fit to teach then to be taught more able to give then receive good cousell then art thou also a proud person S. 84 I exhort thee therefore in the examination of thy self to search deep after this sin for t is a sin so hid from a mans own eyes that he himself hardly finds it out but oftentimes more discernable to another then thy self for the expressions of it are many as boasting words though oftentimes gilded with seeming self-deniall and a lofty gate and countenance high looks vain apparel costly ornaments undervaluing expressions of others censorious scofs and gybing rayling at others uncivil carriage uncourteous behaviour reducing all degrees and qualifications of men to an equality allowing no more to those above thee in civil respect then to thy equals all these are the expressions of Pride and some of them under a shew of humility S. 85 When thou art seeking after the Pride of thy heart do it by the help of humility and prayer and whatever is Pride in thy heart or life or like unto it bring it down repent of it hate it forsake it for the proud man had he no other sin yet his own sin of pride would keep him out of Heaven and throw him into Hell and take heed when thou dost reprove pride in another do not do it proudly considering that so thou maist be guilty again of that thou hast condemned in another Leave off pride and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and he gives grace to the humble Remember thou art warned to repent for and speedily to forsake pride and vain-glory §. XV. Schism and Heresie S. 86 Schism and Heresie are near akin both works of the flesh the wicked product of depraved nature forged in an ill head and a naughty heart where pride and parts meet in any one there Heresie and Schism will not long be strangers Heresie is the greater an over-grown Schism nullum schisma non sibi aliquam confingit Haeri sin Hier. Com. in Tit. and Schism is a less Heresie growing and tending to it He that is guilty of Schism wil not long be free of Heresie a schismatick is but an heretick concealed and an heretick is a schismatick revealed S. 87 Heresie is a perverse opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ and Schism is a peevish separation from the Communion of the Church of Christ The first is against the Truth of the Church Schisma vin culum pacis dirumpit charitatem scilicet Muse lib. cap. de schismate Gal. 5.19 the other against the Peace and Charity of the Church of God Both injurious to Christ and both destructive to thy own soul if thou art either Heretick or Schismatick and continuest therein both excluding Heaven see Galat. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest sedition i. e. The raising or furthering divisions and disorders in the Church and Heresies i. e. venting strange opinions cunningly devised fables or teaching such for truths as were thus invented or yielding to them 2 Pet. 1.16 or maintaining of them contrary to the Scriptures and received professions of the holy true Catholick Church They which do such things saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.2 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and heresies are called damnable and bring swift destruction upon the inventors of such evil things and the teachers of them and the followers of them too the Apostle bids all good Christians to avoid as a pest all such as make rents and divisions in the Church Now I beseech you brethren Rom. 16.17 mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have heard and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple v. 18. S. 88 Now it may be thou that readest this art one of parts and desightest thy self in novel and curious speculations and hast taken liberty to let thy thoughts and inventions run from the simplicity and incorrupt truth that is in Christ framing to thy self and others some other articles of faith then what the Sciptures assert and the true Church in all ages hath received or it may be thou art one that doth contradict gainsay and oppose the revealed and received Truths concerning God Jesus Christ and holy Ghost or any other foundation Truth if so I intreat thee if pride obstinacy or implacable malice against the truth have not possessed thee that you would recant your damnable opinions and become sober humble penitent and a lover of that truth which formerly you have opposed and if thou hast been a leader or seducer of others and hast infected them then thy sin is the greater and thy labour must be to undeceive them if thou canst and if thou hast been a professor of Religion and hast used the form of godlinesse the better to accomplish thy ends and propagate thy damnable Doctrines and to corrupt the judgements of others then yet the greater is thy sin and thou hast made seeming holinesse a cloak for thy mischievous wickednesse which
the Hypocrites very form is quickly blown away with a breath of temptation worldly interest or false doctrine when the shew of religion will stand an Hypocrite in no stead for worldly advantage and a contrary opinion be of more easi attainment then the truth as it is in Jesus according to strict holiness inward and outward too then Hypocrisie will ease and empty it self into Apostasie for Apostasie is but Hypocrisie detected and brought forth 1 Tim. 4.12 The Apostle Paul to Timothy speaks of some that will fall away from the faith and give heed to seaucing spirits and doctrine of devills and they are such as speak lies in Hypocrisie having their consciences seered first an Hypocrite and then a back-sliding Apostate S. 110 When religion is not rooted in the heart and bears not fruit in the life of a professor all his flourish is but like the leaves of a tree in summer and his religion will fall as they doe in Autumn and come to dirt or nothing Mat. 13.21 it may dure for a time but because religion is not rooted and well grounded it dureth but for a while Luk. 8.13 for they fall away when temptation comes for a while they may believe and make profession but no longer will they then safely they may without prejudice to their outward safety worldly advantage and interest S. 111 Now Apostasie is a cursed alienation of mind and affection from the truth and practice of godliness as it is in Christ it is a departure from the truth in judgment or affection or conversation a leaving off to believe in Christ as thy Saviour and obeying and following Christ as thy Lord and example Apostasie is signified by the termes of turning away from the faith of the Gospel by falling away from the profession and practise of godliness by back-sliding and drawing back from a Christians former love and zeal for it and diligence in Religious performances after the rule and manner of the Gospel Isa 1.4 Jude v. 19. 1 Tim. 1.19 2 Tim. 2.18 Heb. 3.12 by forsaking and going away backward by separating from the Gospel Truth Rule and Order and making shipwreck of Faith and a good conscience erring from the Truth and departing from the Living God S. 112 Apostasie taken any of these waies is a very great sin in whomsoever it be in the least degree and if it be not speedily repented of and thy decaies and luke-warmeness amended and thou quickly make haste out of that indifferencie as to all or no Religion halting between God and Baal quickly will such an one fall into that state of Apostasie as is irrecoverable and dreadfull is that state God knows Heb. 6.4 5 6. It is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift the good word of God if they fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God and put him to an open shame i. e. put the greatest indignity upon Christ and his Gospel as though he himself were an Impostor and his Gospel a lie S. 113 And it is a sad Truth that there are very many in these last daies who are come even to this pass even to this state and degree of Apostasie and of whom there is very little hope of recovery but a great deal of fear they will be Eternally damned for their Apostasie if God by his Almighty power and miracle of mercy doth not bring them to their right judgement mind will and affections again and so restore them S. 114 Dreadfull is that sentence 2 Thes 2. v. 10.11 12. God shall send such as are declining from his Truth strong delusions that they should believe a lie because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved they shall be damned who believe not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness S. 115 See how God nauseates and abhors the luke-warm professor in that Laodicean temper which was a decaying of zeal and fervour in Religion and so but a lesser degree of Apostasie yet saith Christ I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest but art dead and that thou art neither cold nor hot because thou art neither cold nor hot Rev. 3. v. 1. cum v. 15 16 19. I will spew thee out of my mouth be zealous therefore and repent S. 116 And there is another remakable passage in the second Epistle of Peter 2 Pet. 2.20 21. which sets forth the nature and danger of Apostasie thus If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that is when a man hath embraced once the Truth of the Gospel and is in a way of reformation and amendment of Life according to the Rule of Faith and Life if such a man shall be entangled again and overcome that is look back and withdraw from Christs profession and practise of Religion and yield to the temptation to that cursed return to former infidelity and worldliness or any kind of vicious living again the latter end of them is worse then the beginning that is their sin is greater and their return by Repentance harder for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness though this had been bad and damnable enough then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandement delivered unto them Pro. 14.14 Pro. 1.30 31. For the backslider in heart he that is a fugitive from Wisdoms rules and godly conversation shall be filled with his own waies i. e. shall be required accordingly they shall be answered in their own kind God will turn away his favour and love from them for God takes no pleasure in those that draw back from following after Truth Righteousness and Holiness S. 117 Well then be perswaded to look unto thy self in time art thou one that hast made some profession of Christianity and some progresse in Religion after Christ and art ingaged in Religious courses and hast tasted some sweetness in the waies of Godliness and resolved to frame thy faith and life according to the Scriptures Then take heed of 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 S. 118 And if thou hast been so unhappy 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
weakness of judgment erroneous opinions though but in lesser truths or thy knowing not nor searching after thy secret sins be it but a sudden eruption of passion into anger and shrewd words or desires after forbidden and unlawfull objects or immoderate desires after things lawfull in themselves yet all these and all other infirmities to speak the most favourably of them are the disease sickness and disorders of the soul and ought to be the matter of our sorrow and humiliation and must be confessed to God in the enumeration of our sins and pardon must be begged in Christs name for his sake for them and except thy soul be humbled for all thy secret sins and all thy infirmities if not in every instance yet in the whole summe and thy labour and watchfulness be for the suppressing of their rise and preventing their reign as much as possible yea even they so little as they seem to thee they will prove mortal at the last and thy plea of Infirmity will not serve thy turn except thy sins of infirmities be pardoned and they will not be pardoned any more then greater sins but upon thy repentance and that which far greater offences could not doe if repented of in time and forsaken in heart and practice that these sins of infirmities will doe if not repented of in time and amended to what degree is possible for thee even these will procure thy damnation at the last S. 8 Now concerning all those sins which the vulgar sort of men who pretend to Christianity account either no sins at all or very lightly of them as small and inconsiderable yet by a long custome and frequent repetition are become habituall and so very sinfull and so very destructive and besides men that think them so small and innocent seldome if ever charge them upon their souls as sins to be grieved at repented of and amended when they examine their lives and actions as to other sins which are noted with a blacker character by reason of which neglect those smaller sins are let alone unmortified and men goe to their graves with impenitency as to those sins which will sink a man as deep into the gulf of misery and drown the soul in destruction and perdition and if they be but foolish lusts yet they are thus hurtfull to the soul 1 Tim. 6.9 To instance in some things of this kind for thy fuller conviction § I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption in nature S. 9 There are in every mans nature the seeds of all evil Gen. 6.5 Mat. 15.19 20. Jam. 1.14 15. Col. 3.5 which are the beginnings of all actuall sins mans nature is tainted and corrupted naughty Concupiscences and lusts are born with us which are defiling and corrupting the whole man the heart of man is full of them and in their first motions they are sins even that proneness inclination to evil and aversness and indisposedness to good which is in thee which thou mayst and must take notice of as a matter of sorrow and complaint against thy self as it is thy unhappiness and misery so it is thy sin and thy death and such a disease it is Gal. 3.22 Rom. 5 12. Psam 51 5. Rom. 7.5 that if not healed and pardoned in thee by regeneration will leave thee under wrath and the curse This that I mean is that which is understood by the name of Originall sin that is the corruption of humane nature by the sin of our first parents propagated to the whole kind of Adams race and posterity which is every man and woman as they receive life and birth these motions of sins doe work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death S. 10 Now though this be every mans case scarce any man makes it his own particular grief men make light of it and are so far from watching over and resisting the first motions and lustings after evil things and mortifying these corruptions that they are most apt to plead it by way of excuse for their faults and actuall transgressions which are the issues and effects of this corruption and lust from within S. 11 But if ever thou hopest to be savingly reformed this old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts must be put off that is must not be served nor yeilded unto but resisted and prayed against and indeed for my part had I no other sin that might be laid to my charge yet I find this inbred wickedness this naturall proneness to evil so exceeding sinfull that I should account it a choice mercy to be quite rid of it and 't is for this I have cause to hang the head and mourn and 't is that the moving corruptions may be quite destroyed and mortified in me is the prayer and care of my poor soul for my joy cannot be full untill my enemies that is my sins both root and branch seed and fruit be plucked up and withered and untill Christ alone his grace and vertues be formed in my soul and triumph in my conversation S. 12 O doe not make light of that which put thee under the wrath of God and power of Satan that may not be slighted by thee which is in thee the cause and originall of all sins that set the whole man upon evil the cause of all disorder and confusion every where in thee and every where in the world in a word 't is exceeding sinfull all evils lie folded up in thy original concupiscence S. 13 Take heed therefore and take a special view and measure of this thy sin and because thy flesh will never be weary in it's sinfull motions then be thou never weary nor give over resisting these lusts in thy self weakening this body of sin and hinder the progress of it and if thou canst not get it quite discharged suffer it not what ere it cost thee to reign in thee or prevail over thee listen not to lusts solicitations entertain no treaty with lust believe not its promises fear not its threats when God hath said and commanded one thing let no arguments make thee believe the contrary §. II. Vain thoughts S. 14 Thy thoughts though they lie hid from man and free from the laws and censures of men yet to God are they known who discerns the inward counsels of the heart and are judged by him according to the agreement they have with or dissonancie from or repugnancie to the laws of sobriety righteousness and holiness And what ever is uncomely or undecent to speak or act is as much to think and as much a sin as the word or act would be though not so apparent and if it be an evil to speak or practise evil so is it to think evil and a man that would search and trie himself for discovery may know what he is for grace or sin by his thoughts one may know another by words or actions thy own thoughts to thee are the Signatures of thy own heart whether
piety And lest you should think this a vain monition concerning words consider what Christ our Lord saith of idle words I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speake Mar. 12.36 they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned For there is not a word in my tongue O Lord Psal 139 4. but thou knowest it altogether Therefore though thou art but apt to transgresse with thy tongue either by speaking wickedly or vainly idlely and foolishly repent thee of thy former folly and for time to come out a watch and a guard on that little member of unruliness and a restraint lest thou offend again and so be put to a sad repentance for thy little folly for if the instance be but little in which we offend yet the sin is great because we continue in that folly which is more easily reformed the temptation to it less the profit and pleasure small but sound words or prudent silence are far more advantagious to the esteeme of wisdome and godliness then vain frothy idle talkativeness S. 20 If thou meanest to be religious to any purpose bridle thy tongue let thy words be few Jam. 1.26 sober and good For if any among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vain If you say your words are out before you are aware and 't is your infirmity then be perswaded to repent it and amend it as it is an infirmity for this can be no excuse for thy sin because it is but as you suppose a little one when ye see how much and strictly we are warned to take heed of our tongues that we sin not with them in any case not so much as by idle talking § IV. Idle life S. 21 An Idle life is as much to be accounted for as idle words and as deeply to be lamented throughly and reformed for a man a rational creature to live in the world to no purpose or onely to take his pastime here and to be good for nothing but to eat drink sleep play c. or as some are to be very busie in doing nothing that is nothing to the purpose that for which he hath received his life time and talent S. 22 And it may be thou art such an one of whom if one should ask what good hast thou done since first thou receivedst breath that though thou hast received much good yet hast thou brought forth little alas men doe not consider the sin of idleness nor the danger of it 't is a dangerous thing to be without a lawfull calling and as bad to be idle in it to have nothing to doe or to doe nothing in a lawfull imployment doubtless is that which is neither pleasing to God nor innocent in it self God made nothing in vain 't is a sin confessed to doe evil and so it is not to doe some good or other The servant that had a talent and hid it is condemned by our Lord Christ Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness Mat. 25.30 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And the fig-tree which beareth no fruit is cursed S. 23 Yet this is not thought on any whit by those that are idle and vain persons who spend their life and precious time either in doing nothing at all or that which is beside the business of a Christian man as doing that which is evil the devil commonly sets such on work whom he finds idle what an empty vain thing it is for men and women to have nothing to employ themselves in but to receive and pay unnecessary visits Acts 17.11 complements to tell or hear some new thing to spend their time and invention in the vanities and trifles of sports and deckings and dressings Their tailors and sempsters their glass and their combes their beds and boards their Playes and Romances their visits and vain discourses consuming all their study time wealth strength so as nothing of all is left them for the greater concernments of their precious souls and countries good S. 24 Such kind of lives do many live and this is but to be dead while they live and it may be you that read this maybe such an one and then my serious counsel to thee is to repent for thy idleness and mis-spent time and betake thy self speedily to some honest Christian employment and course of life wherein you may expect a blessing from God and whereby you may bring some good to somebody that it may not be said when you are gone that you can well be spared for that you lived to no purpose and wast good for nothing but this will not be the worst of it that men may say so of thee but God thy Lord will call thee to account another day how thou hast spent thy time and self in this present world and how you have employed and improved your talent for Gods glory and the good of mankind S. 25 Beware therefore and be doing daily of that which thou wouldst be found doing when thy Lord Christ cometh that you so may expect that blessing from Christ your Lord and Master which he hath promised to his faithfull doing servants Mat. 24.46 Mat. 25.21 Blessed is that servant that when his Lord shall come shall find so doing Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. §. V. Omissions S. 26 There is another conceit men have and their practise is according to it which must be reformed or else thou canst not attain to a state of saving grace and that is Omissions men think it may be it is a sin to commit evil to doe hurt but none to omit the doing of good to doe no evil should be our care but though a man doe no evil and yet doth no good he is an evil man Luke 12.47 Jam. 4.17 He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin S. 27 He that wilfully carelesly or slothfully omits any of those acts of piety devotion and Charity which are injoyned Christians as Christians and leave undone such things as they should perform in Religion either in private secret and publick to him it is sin if thou omit the hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments prayers in and with the congregation reading praying in thy family and in secret If thou neglect the instruction correction and admonition of thy Children and Servants in matters of religion and practice of godliness if thou omit acts of charity to the souls and bodies of the necessitous in sickness or in health thou art far from the kingdome of heaven and the state of true Christianity If thou neglect to uphold and maintain the truth and cause of Gods Church as much as lyeth in thee both by word prayer and deeds it
left I pray thee leave off murmuring and learn submission and resignation to divine providence in all his dispensations and if thou hast thought or spoke foolishly lay thy hand upon thy mouth doe so no more God cannot endure murmuring nor murmurers leave it quickly if thou mean not to provoke God as the Israelites did 1 Cor. 6.10 and were punished severely for it S. 43 Thy rash attempts and inconsideratenesse be no more heady but heedfull consider seriously both the nature of thy actions and the end of them all for God accounts all men sinfull that are not considerate and serious because inconsiderate and rash Isai 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider For as consideration is the beginning of reformation Jer. 8.6.7 so is inconsideratness an inlet to all vice and villany S. 44 Thy worldly confidence and trust on vain things must be altered to a trust and dependence on God onely if thou aim at saving reformation for he that relieth on any thing under heaven men or money arm of strength or armies of men wit policie friends health greatness or his own goodness doth much derogate from God and become sinfull because he sets his heart upon that which is not to be confided in nor set up as any way able to support satisfie deliver or to make one happy Mans trust is always to be in God onely and all his hopes and expectation from him Isai 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength But when I lay out my first thoughts and chief hopes upon worldly things I put them up in stead of God and commit idolatry and go quite contrary to the will of God Trust not in man nor riches nor Princes saith David If riches increase set not your heart upon them for you will find a disappointment in all without God Jer. 17.5 7. and a curse too Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the living God But blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Job being once very rich and alwayes very good which was his best riches and abided with him when all outward things were flown away and gone saith in his most serious examination and pleading with God If I have made gold my hope Job 31.24 25 28. or have said to fine gold Thou art my confidence If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten it This were iniquity to be punished by the judge for I should have denied the God that is above You see what apprehension godly men have had of the trusting worldly things concluding it to be sin and iniquity folly and idolatry and what is the hope of an Hypocrite what will his worldly confidence come to though he hath gained much Job 27.8 9. when God taketh away his soul Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him So that 't is not enjoyned as a prudentiall thing onely not to put confidence in these worldly things not depend upon them because of their vanity inconstancy insufficiency but 't is a sin if we do and a great iniquity too which every gracious man should avoid and every convert should repent of and be ashamed that he hath put confidence in pittifull worldly things and made them his rock shelter and comfort and resolves he will do so no more while he hath a God the rock of ages and time to fly unto who will never fail nor forsake them that put their trust in him because they trust in him S. 45 I counsel thee dear soul to look carefully what is that you put your considence in and if you find the world or any things in the world first coming in your thoughts as to trust in them then conclude 't is from a carnall principle within thee contrary to God's mind and holding no conformity to the Saints who have said within themselves and declared to the world too that nothing in heaven or earth within them or without them should be the object of their trust saving God only a guess of this their frame we may take from Psal 73.25 Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My strength and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever O then beware what thou makest thy rock thy tower thy defence and portion be sure it be God onely and repent if thou hast done other S. 46 Thy vain and erroneous opinions in matters about religion must be regulated by the Word of Truth and reduced to the obedience of Christ and his doctrine 1 Tim. 6.5 and that without prevatication or strife of words or perverse disputings vain bablings to no profit or edification toward charity and holiness 2 Tim. 2.14 16. Pro. 19.27 Cease my Son saith Wisdom to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledg for 't is a dangerous thing to be of a corrupt judgment S. 47 About thy recreations and those little indulgencies to thy flesh which men are pleased to call refreshments and pastimes not considering what sin and hurt may be in them and how too too often they become fewel to lust and a temptation to sin consumption of time and exhausting of spirit and effeminating men rendring them soft and unfit for exercise of religious duties and many other inconveniences which experience hath instructed those that have been much and often in the service of pleasures which now they see but then they could not perceive being blinded and beguiled with them Now concerning such if thou who readest art a man given to satisfie thy lusts with worldly pleasures under the pretence of recreation know that though some recreations diversions from our more serious and laborious employments either of body or mind may be tolerable and allowable for refreshment yet when thou exceedest in pleasure to unrighteousness by letting out too great a proportion of thy soul on them then the most innocent recreation becomes a snare unto thee and thou sinnest in it when thou usest it as a calling and dost nothing else but spend thy daies times strength talents study and passions as though thou wast born into this world only to spend thy time in worldly fleshly and carnal delights surely such a state of living and such is onely the employment of some men cannot be pleasing to God but calls for reformation And therefore I would intreat thee to be sparing in recreations and carefull in them lest that which is allowed thee for the relief of thine infirmities may prove thy hurt more dangerous to thy soul then that bodily infirmities which want something for its refreshment could have brought to thy body without such recreation S.
pleasure or emolument by sinning no not for the whole worlds riches or honours I must not deny my Master Christ to whom I am a sworn servant he is one that will maintain me and keep me and stick by me and give me heaven at last if I forsake him not and cast not off his yoke nor go back from my engagement he will never leave me nor cast me out if I never leave him nor turn Apostate as I shall do if I yeild to sins motions and consent to sins temptations and return to that filthy vomit of former sinfull practises remember always thy vow forget not thy obligations thy duty and thy Master Christ thy Saviour Lord Redeemer thy own soul and the last judgment and then this will both take thee off from thy sinfull course and preserve thee from falling again into the hand of temptation and practise of sin any more VII Direction S. 11 7. Call thy self every day to an account for what every day you do whether you have omitted your duty or committed a sin and repent every day this is a work will prove advantagious if well performed for by his practise you will learn to know your self still better and better and amend more and more and you will be happy if Christ find you so doing when he calls you to account S. 12 Besides if you do this constantly and sincerely every day you shall have but a days sins to repent of and the same day you are a dying and then the last act of your repentance will be the completing of all the former acts of penitence and then onely will death-bed repentance be accounted of when it is the conclusion of a watchfull serious holy penitent life and the last act of that habituall grace but if all be left to the last day or minute and that which should have been done every day hath been put off to the last O what a burden of foul sins will lie then upon thee poor weak wretch if all be let alone till then Oh how canst thou think that God will pardon all thy sins upon the last minuts repentance when that last is thy first and last a sorry repentance it is indeed if it be but a little sorrow an expiring sigh and groan after an ages sinning and a vitious life Therefore now begin and continue till thy dying day to reckon with thy self every evening for what thou hast done the day and every morning for what thou hast acted in darknesse of night and what thou hast done foolishly repent and for what thou hast done well in the duties of sobriety chastity charity and piety rejoyce and give God thanks when thou hast fallen into or by a temptation be sorry and more watchfull for afterward and when upon examination you have found you have resisted and overcome a temptation and avoided a sin give God the praise of his assisting and preventing grace and likewife for thy consciencious tenderness that would not let thee commit a sin nor omit a duty VIII Direction S. 13 8. The next counsell I would have thee consent to follow is this That you take heed in all the work of reformation of a shifting and deceitfull heart The heart is deceitfull above all things Jer. 4.9 and desperately wicked it will pretend one thing and do another there is much double-dealing it will seek evasions and find excuses to put off a duty but especially this of reall reformation thy heart will hold up faiâ— shews with foul practises it will make many proffers and promises of repentance and amendment and if you trust your own heart you shall have nothing of it but promises and good purposes for afterward still I will repent hereafter and amend hereafter next week or next month or next year and yet delayeth still and will do so untill death and then it is too late Oh how often hath thy heart deceived and betrayed thee already to deferre untill a more convenient time how long hast thou been about to repent and reform and yet nothing done towards it but a company of promises and pretences and all this while instead of doing your necessary work you have added sin to sin and day unto day uttereth excuses and this day the heart saith to reformation go and come again to morrow and what is this but heaping up wrath and filling up the measure and adding more weight to the burden of sin and binding my self faster with the cords of my own twisting and rendring my bands more irrefragable and my guilt more damnable and yet thus it hath been with every man that trusteth a deceitfull heart and will be so with thee if thou admit of its excuses and lettest it alone to shift cog and deceive and to play such pranks as the heart of foolish inconsiderate man doth delight in S. 14 Now if ever you will be serious and do any thing to purpose in the necessary business of thy eternal concernment never give way to delay 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 S. 15 9. If you would be throughly reformed 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 all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 29. take my yoke upon you and learn of me and ye shall find rest for your souls Let the word of Gods grace teach 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 S. 16 If thou be converted it must be by those means that God hath appointed to convert souls 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 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness Jam. 1.18.21 22. 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 1