your actual sins your transgressions of Gods Law in the first and the second Table thereof your disobedience to the Gospel the aggravations of your sins Means 2. Reading the Word of God and other good books The rule whereby you are to examine your selves is the Word this is like a Candle which will give light in dark corners this is like a Glass which will discover spots in the face you must search the Word and try your selves hereby if you would have knowledge of sin and your spiritual state and you must search the Word if you would have knowledge and acquaintance with God and his will You may arrive to some knowledge of God by reading the Book of Nature the whole world is full of God and every Creature doth represent him but the world is full of sin too and the more immediate representations of the Creatures are sensitive things which our sense layeth hold on first and is apt there to stick without further piercing and searching to finde out God and where we have one provocation from the Creatures to love and serve him through the bewitching temptations of the world meeting with the worldly lusts of our hearts we have a thousand incitements and allurements from them to sin against God but the Word is full of God and no incitement there to sin full of perswasives to holiness and obedience God is to be seen more easily and he setteth forth himself there most conspicuously In the Book of the Scriptures you have the most glorious discoveries of God in his greatness majesty power holiness love mercy and the like and the way made known of acquaintance and communion with him if you would be acquainted with God in Christ you must acquaint your selves with the Scriptures Read the Scriptures daily and search them Joh. 5. 39. read not only the history of the Word but labour to understand the mystery of Godliness therein revealed 1 Tim. 3. 16. endeavour after a spiritual discerning of the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 14. when you meet with Doctrines in your reading the Word labour to understand and believe them when you meet with Precepts labour to obey them when with Prohibitions and Threatnings be cautioned against sin by them when you meet with promises labour to apply them to draw vertue from them Read this Book as the Word of God and hide it in your heart lay it up there as a choice treasure get your hearts cast into the mould of it get it written upon your hearts and let it have an influence upon your whole conversation and that you may the better understand and apply the truths of the Word read as you have time other good books which open the Scriptures and treat of needfull points of Religion especially such as direct in the great work of Conversion and give Rules out of the Word for the ordering of your whole conversation but above all Books read and study the Scriptures Means 3. Hearing the Word Preached It is by the foolishness of Preaching that God saveth such as do believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. however the preaching of the Word is to them that perish foolishness yet unto Believers it is the power of God unto salvation therein God doth put forth his power and maketh bare his arm in bringing salvation to lost souls Hear and thy Soul shall live Isa 55. 3. Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. Lydia's heart was opened whilest she attended upon the Word preached by Paul Act. 16. 14. Attend therefore diligently upon the Word preached by Christs Ministers as an Ordinance of his own institution for the working and increase of Grace Look upon Ministers as Christs Ambassadours he that heareth them heareth Christ and he that turneth away his ear from hearing them turneth away his ear from Christ who by his Spirit in them speaketh from Heaven unto men and how impossible it is for such to escape the wrath of God see Heb. 12. 25. Much more shall not they escape that turn away their ear from him that speaketh from Heaven Hear the Word with reverence as the Word of God as if the Lord should speak to you from Heaven with an audible voice hear the Word with diligence and attention as for your lives as for the salvation of your Souls hear the Word with faith and love without which it will not profit and work effectually in your hearts and in hearing look not so much for those things which may please as for that which may edifie I mean do not regard so much mens fancies as the wholsom Truths of the Word which tend most to conviction edification to the killing of sin quickning and increase of Grace and nourishment of the spiritual life Means 4. Meditation The Word like Food must be digested by Meditation that it may turn to spiritual nourishment you must ponder and consider in your mindes the Truths of the Word that you may both understand them and get your Hearts affected with them and your Lives ordered by them Meditation is a great help in Heavens way such as are remiss herein cannot walk so steddily nor chearfully accustome your selves unto this duty set apart time for it I know that some complain of barrenness in their thoughts when they endeavour to meditate such I would advise if they have not that fruitfulness of thoughts themselves to supply them with matter that they would make use of others help let them meditate on the Scriptures they read on the Sermons they hear moreover I would offer some general heads for Meditation which you may make use of 1. Sometimes meditate on God his Attributes his infinite Majesty power holiness omnipresence omniscience eternity unchangeableness his infinite wisdom truth faithfulness justice goodness mercy and loving-kindness his Councels especially his eternal decree of Election which is of most sweet consideration to Believers his works of Creation and Providence 2. Sometimes meditate on Christ his near relations of Friend Brother Husband his needfull Offices of Priest Prophet and King 3. Sometimes meditate on the Spirit his way and workings on the minde and heart how he enlighteneth enliveneth strengtheneth comforteth c. 4. Sometimes meditate on the Covenant of Grace and the rich free suitable sure Promises of pardon grace salvation therein 5. Sometimes meditate on the Gospel and its priviledges Justification Adoption Sanctification Assurance of Gods love peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost communications of grace c. 6. Sometimes meditate on the four last things namely Death Judgement Heaven and Hell 7. Sometimes meditate and that frequently daily of such Arguments as tend to the mortifying of your particular sins which are most strong and prevalent and to the strengthening of your graces which you finde most weak and deficient Means 5. Prayer Pray secretly retire your selves from company into your Closets or some private place and there confess your sins and make known your requests to God that seeth and heareth in secret and hath
WORDS WHEREBY We may be Saved By THOMAS VINCENT sometime Minister of Maudlins Milk-street LONDON Act. 11. 14. Who shall tell thee Words whereby thou and all thy House shall be saved Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which began to be spoken of by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him LONDON Printed for the use of the Poor and freely given to them by some worthy Benefactors who desire their Salvation 1668. To the POOR THese few sheets were chiefly intended for you and therefore I thought fit in a few lines to dedicate them unto you Some Benefactors give you Food others give you Raiment others give you Money all which gifts are for the relief of your temporal necessities and of concernment only to your bodies Here you have a gift in order to the relief of your Spiritual necessities a Soul-gift which doth concern your salvation And as the Soul is more excellent than the Body and the Salvation here treated of is of ten thousand times more value than all earthly Riches So in some measure of proportion you should prize such gifts chiefly as are for the good of your Souls and may be through Gods blessing a help to you in the attaining of Salvation Your souls are as precious as the souls of the most honourable and your souls whilest in a state of nature are in as great danger of ruine as the souls of the most sinfull and though you should be as yet out of a state of Salvation you are as capable of obtaining salvation as the most holy before Conversion And for your further encouragement I may tell you that you may get to Heaven without so great difficulties as the Rich See Matth. 19. 24. and Jam. 2. 5. you have not those snares and temptations in your way as the Rich have which as it should quicken your endeavours after so it will aggravate your sin if you should neglect your salvation Wicked rich men have their good things here some kinde of Portion in this life and their evil things are chiefly reserved untill hereafter But you which are Poor have little portion of good things in this life and if you do not obtain salvation you will have no good things reserved for you in the other World nothing but treasures of wrath according to your treasures of sin and so besides the miseries you undergo here you will be miserable hereafter and miserable for ever My hearts desire and prayer for you is That you may be saved therefore have I written these things You have this little Book freely given unto you by some Worthy Persons who hope for a fuller reward than the price of any Books can amount unto especially if this Book be made use of by the Lord as a means for the conversion and salvation of any of your souls their reward will be the greater that have been instrumental herein therefore accept of this Gift read it in your Families or get it read to you where you cannot read your selves But chiefly accept of the Salvation this Book speaketh of which however dearly purchased by the blood of Christ is freely tendered unto you Salvation is a Gift and the greatest most excellent and most necessary Gift to move and guide you in the obtaining of which is the design of these sheets which that they may be successfull is the Prayer of a dear Lover of and Well-wisher to the Poor Thomas Vincent CHAP. I. THE chief end which every one ought to intend in his Life is the Glory of God and the Salvation of his own Soul The chief work of Ministers is to tell People words whereby they may be saved Such words Peter speaketh to Cornelius Act. 11. 14. and such words I shall endeavour in these sheets to tell sinners In order to your salvation I shall speak 1. Some Words to try you whether you be in a state of Salvation 2. Some Words to move you to endeavour after your Salvation 3. Some Words to guide you in the way to attain Salvation I. The first words shall be to try you whether you be in a state of Salvation and here I must put you upon the tryall of your selves wherein I may give you some help take the Exhortation of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Examine your selves by the Rule of the Word And because these Words are chiefly intended in order to the salvation of such as have not yet attained it to prepare them for the following Motives and Directions which if they mistook themselves to have already attained to a state of salvation would likely do them no good Therefore I shall briefly out of the Word of God give Some Characters of such as are not in a state of Salvation 1. Ignorant persons are not in a state of salvation See this Isa 27. 11. It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Those that are grosly ignorant of the Fundamental Truths of Religion concerning God and Christ the lost estate of Man since the fall the way of Salvation Repentance Faith the Resurrection from the dead the last Judgement and the future Rewards and Punishments in Heaven and Hell and the like Principles of Religion which are necessary to be known in order to salvation they cannot for the present be in a state of Salvation the meanest understanding is capable of knowing these things by the teachings of the Word and Spirit therefore such as do neglect the means of Instruction and do not search the Word and cry to God for it but nuzzle up themselves in an affected ignorance in these things are inexcusable in their fault and will bring unavoidable destruction upon themselves Hos 4. 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge 2. Negligent persons are not in a state of salvation I mean such as neglect their salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Such as do not value and prize this great salvation purchased by Christ and published in the Gospel such as never were made sensible of their need hereof such as never had any great desires after it such as never took any pains in the use of means to obtain it all which are evidences of their neglect they cannot escape the dreadfull punishment of Hell which is prepared for such persons Such as are diligent to make provision for their Bodies but neglect the salvation of their souls if they persevere in this negligence they must needs miss of salvation 3. Impenitent persons are not in a state of salvation Luk. 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish All are guilty of sin original and actual and have matter for repentance such as have an obdurate and impenitent heart which never was broken and melted and humbled which never
known unto us than it hath been in former ages unto any or than it is in other places unto many In former ages this salvation was not made known so clearly unto any I mean in the ages before the coming of Christ the Prophets themselves who prophesied of it did not fully understand what the Spirit in them did signifie when it foretold of this grace which should come unto the Church in after ages 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. And therefore the first preaching of the Gospel of salvation is called a revelation of the mysterie which had been kept secret since the world began unto that time Rom. 16. 25. And a manifestation of that mysterie to the Saints which had been hid from ages and generations Col. 1. 25 26 27. The Gospel of salvation was indeed revealed in the dispensation of the Law upon Mount Sinai by Moses but it was more obscurely it was wrapt up in types and figures and as there was a vail before Moses his face so there was a vail before the truths of salvation so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look unto the end of those things which were after to be abolished 2 Cor. 3. 13. but this vail is done away in Christ v. 14. When Christ suffered upon the Cross the vail of the Temple which kept the people off the Holy of Holies was rent from the top to the bottom of it and then the way into the Holy of Holies was made manifest and Christ by his appearance abolished death and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Then darkness did pass away and the true and marvellous light did shine upon the Church 1 Joh. 2. 8. And now with open face believers do behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord 1 Cor. 3. 18. The scope of which places is to shew the obscurity of former revelations and the clearness and evidence of the revelation of the Gospel in these latter daies In other places this salvation is not made known so clearly unto many it is not made known at all unto the most in the world a thick darkness of ignorance doth overspread the greatest part of the face of the earth and even amongst those that call themselves by the name of the Church of Christ there are in many places such fogs and mists of errour and heresie that the truths of salvation are darkened and peoples minds are blinded but now unto you this salvation is made so clear and evident the thing and way of it is made so manifest that it is a great encouragement to seek after this salvation 7. This salvation is a Free Salvation it will cost you no money you may have it for nothing you may have it for accepting If you were taken captive by men if you were slaves to the Turks possibly you might not be delivered without some considerable summ for your ransom but you may be delivered from the slavery of the Devil and your own lusts you may be saved from sin and Hell without money Indeed a price hath been paid for your ransom not silver or gold but that which is ten thousand times more precious and that was the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed upon the Cross for you yet though your salvation cost Christ dear it is free unto you it will cost you nothing pardon is free and grace is free and eternal life unto you is a free gift you are invited to come unto the waters and to buy wine and milk but it is without money and without price Isa 55. 1. The Spirit faith come and the Bride faith come and whosoever is athirst let him come and take of the waters of life freely Rev. 22. 17. There is sufficiency of grace in God for the salvation of you all and you may come and partake of this grace in your salvation freely You may have it without money if you be poor the gifts of God cannot be bought and you may have it without merit if you conceit that you deserve any thing you shall be sure to have nothing if you are sensible of your unworthiness and apply Christs merits and righteousness through him you may have salvation freely 8. And lastly This salvation is a Sure Salvation you have the promise of God for it and there can be no greater certainty of a thing than the word of God especially if you consider that God is infinite in power and therefore can do whatever he will and that God is infinitely true and therefore will do whatever he hath promised God is most powerful and therefore able to save you there is strength sufficient in his Almighty Arm to bring salvation unto you and God is most faithfull in the promises of salvation which he hath made in the Covenant of Grace if you get faith to apply the promises you shall certainly have the thing There is an uncertainty in every thing else in the world but there is a certainty in this salvation that there is such a thing is certain from the revelation of the Word of God who cannot lye and that you may have it if you will accept of it is certain from the nature and firmness of the promises and when you have attained unto any degrees of this salvation the perfecting of it will be most sure for he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. Thus I have laid before you the properties of this salvation it is a great salvation it is a rare salvation it is a necessary salvation it is a possible salvation it is a near salvation it is an evident salvation it is a free salvation it is a sure salvation all which being laid together may be a strong motive and inducement to you to labour that you may attain a share in this salvation CHAP. IV. Motive 3. FRom the consideration of the Damnation of all such as do not obtain salvation The damnation of all such persons will be Dreadfull and Certain 1. The Damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadful 1. The Day of their damnation will be dreadful 2. The Sentence of their damnation will be dreadful 3. The Execution of their damnation will be dreadful 1. The Day of the damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadful and that is the last day the day of judgement O how dreadful will this day be to you that are wicked and ungodly when the Heavens shall be opened and the Lord Jesus Christ the Judge of the world shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the loud sound of a Trumpet when the Earth shall be opened and you shall be raised out of the dust and summoned to appear before Christs Tribunal and the Books shall be opened and all your sins shall be made manifest before the whole world when the Heavens shall be on fire and melt down upon you and pass away with
the Sun shineth upon it with heat and brightness let your eyes drop down tears as the morning doth drop dew upon the flowers What! have I affronted such greatness dared such power trampled upon such patience and abused such goodness too and after all doth God beseech me to be reconciled was it such a God whom I offended vile wreth O that I had never committed such sins O that I had never been drunk or unclean or profane O that I had never sworn nor lyed nor stoln nor offended God in any of my actions It repents me it grieves me at the very heart that I have sinned and that I can grieve no more for it Direction 3. You must turn from sin if you would be saved see Psal 7. 11 12 13. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath prepared for him the instruments of death And God threatneth Psal 88. 21. that he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses Therefore men must turn from all their transgressions otherwise iniquity will be their ruine Ezek. 18. 30. They must cast away their sins as a menstruous cloth saying unto them get ye hence if they would be received into favour Isa 30. 22. They must not only confess their sins but also forsake them if they would find mercy Prov. 28. 13. The wicked must forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord and then he shall have pardoning mercy abundantly Isa 55. 7. When men cease to do evil and learn to do well then though their sins have been as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be like wooll Isa 1. 16 17 18. Sinners turn from your evil waies you have done iniquity do so no more you have gone on hitherto in a way of sin proceed no further it is the way to Hell turn out of it Let him that hath stoln steal no more and him that hath been filthy be filthy no more and him that hath been unjust be unjust no more Drunkards forbear your drinking swearers refrain swearing lyars teach your tongues to speak truth Break off your course of sin turn from all gross sins as to the practice and turn from all sins as to the affection Direction 4. You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you would be saved This is the direction which Paul gave to the Jaylor when under conviction of sin he came in to him and cryed What shall I do to be saved he saith to him Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 30 31. So in Peter's Sermon Act. 10. 43. To him gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins There is no Saviour but by Christ and there is no salvation by Christ but by faith and therefore we are said to be saved through faith Ephes 2. 8. As faith is the instrument to apply the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ Let me then exhort you to get faith which is absolutely necessary unto salvation Get faith of the right kind there is a general common historical temporary hypocritical dead and ineffectual faith but do you labour after a special lively unfeigned effectual justifying and saving faith and that you may not be mistaken in this great point on which your salvation doth depend I shall describe that faith which is of the right kind and will certainly save you if you obtain it Faith is a grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God whereby a poor sinner being made sensible of the guilt and power of his sins and the utter insufficiency of himself or any creature in the world to give him any help or succour and having in the Gospel a discovery and proffer made unto him of the Lord Jesus Christ as an all sufficient most merciful and faithful Advocate and Saviour doth go quite out of himself and accept lay hold rely and rest upon him and him alone for pardon and grace and everlasting happiness Or more briefly thus Faith is a grace of God whereby the humbled sinner doth accept and rely upon Christ alone for salvation as he is held forth in the Promises of the Gospel If you would attain this grace of Faith take these Directions 1. You must be fully perswaded that the Scriptures which reveal Christ are indeed the word of God this is the foundation of all faith therefore I shall briefly suggest some Arguments to prove the divine Authority of the Scriptures As 1. Because of that majesty purity holiness heavenliness which doth appear in the Scriptures beyond all other writings 2. Because of the design and drift of the Scriptures to debase man and exalt God and his glory above all 3. Because of the admirable contexture and contrivance and sweet harmony of the Scriptures in all the parts thereof though written by so many several men in several ages and places which sheweth that they were all acted by the same Spirit of God 4. Because of the wonderfull work of mans Redemption there set forth at first more darkly afterwards more clearly which no mortal brain could have invented much less could any created power have effected 5. Because of the great power which this word hath to convince convert and comfort 6. Because of the confirmation of the Scriptures by miracles 7. Because of the acknowledgement of the Scriptures to be Gods Word in all ages 8. Because of the many millions of Martyrs who have sealed the Truths of the word with their blood 9. Because of the witness of the Spirit in and with the word which doth bear testimony to the hearts of Gods people that the Scriptures are his Word and were indited by his Spirit Whence it followeth that the Scriptures are true because God the Author of them is true and cannot lye and whatever is there revealed is as certain as those things which are most demonstrable to sense or reason This is the first step to your believing in Christ who is made known in the Scriptures to believe that the Scriptures are Gods Word 2. If you would attain a saving faith in Christ you must be convinced and fully perswaded of your lost estate without Christ and your absolute need of him of which before 3. You must be perswaded that it is not in your own power to believe that it is not of your selves but is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. and therefore must apply your selves to God that he would not only give you his Son but also give you the hand of faith to lay hold on him that he would work in you this grace of faith by his Spirit 4. You must consider those Arguments of Scripture which encourage faith As for instance I shall mention four heads of Arguments for
accepting of this near and sweet Relation which he calleth me unto I joyn and espouse my self unto the Lord Jesus and do promise to be for him only and with full purpose of heart to cleave unto him to love honour and serve him never to deny nor leave him whatever reproaches and distresses I may meet withall for his sake though Persecution should arise and that even unto death I do promise to own his Name and Cause and Truths and Wayes so long as I have breath in my Body But knowing that I am utterly insufficient to do any of these things in my own strength therefore upon the knees of my Soul I earnestly beseech that I may have strength for all these from himself alone Further because God my Father is invisible to the eye of sense and incomprehensible by the grasp of Reason and because my dearest Lord Jesus Christ who alone hath declared him in regard of his bodily presence is now in Heaven absent from his people and because whatever spiritual light or life grace comfort or spiritual communion with the Father and with his Son is vouchsafed unto the people of God it is by the Holy Spirit who is appointed by Office hereunto and graciously promised unto them in the Word Therefore I avouch and choose the Holy Ghost to be my Teacher and Guide to be my Sanctifier and Comforter to help my infirmities in duties to strengthen me with might in my inner man against sin and Satans Temptations to cleanse me from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to heal me of all my spiritual distempers to revive me under all my faintings to supply me with all Graces as to kinde and measure as shall be needfull for me in my place and work to testifie Gods love to my Soul to give me earnests of Glory and to seal me up unto the day of Redemption And O that I might have the presence and abode of the Spirit of God with me and never grieve quench resist and drive away the Spirit any more Also because the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God endited by the Holy Ghost the Epistle of Jesus Christ wherein he hath given notice of his love and will because they are the only sufficient and in themselves a perfect Rule for Faith and a holy Life and 〈◊〉 fully do declare the way and means unto everlasting happiness Therefore I choose the Word of God to be the Rule of my Faith and Life and the Ordinances of God therein prescribed to be the means of my acquaintance and converse with my God so far as I am capable of and he shall vouchsafe and to be the means also of preparing of me for the full and perfect enjoyment of him beyond my present capacity And because the Ordinances are but dark glasses to see the Lord in because ignorance and unbelief do exceedingly vail God from mine eyes flesh and corruption do damp my love to God and my spiritual Joy in him and interrupt my communion with him because of the sins sorrows temptations and afflictions which I cannot be wholly free from and therefore cannot be perfectly happy here in this World and having life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel a discovery and promise of eternal Life made unto me in the Word and withall a command of my Lord to lay up my Treasure in Heaven Therefore I choose Heaven for my Treasure and Inheritance for ever to live there in the company of all the holy Angels and Saints in the blessed sight love and enjoyment of the infinitely blessed God to see and share in the glory of my Dearest Lord Jesus Christ whither I hope my Soul shall be transported by the Angels so soon as it is separated from my Body and that my vile Body when awakened and raised in the Morning of Christs coming shall be fashioned like unto Christs most beautifull and glorious Body and both inherit the Kingdom prepared and promised by my Father Lastly being perswaded of my Duty and encouraged by Gods promise of assistance and acceptance I now dedicate and deliver up my self fully freely and for ever unto the Lord I yield and resign up my Soul with all its powers and faculties my Body with all its senses and members to be the instruments of righteousness unto God I resign up my Minde to think upon the Lord and those things which concern his Interest and Glory to receive embrace and maintain his Truths I resign up my Memory to be a store-house and receptacle chiefly of the great things which do belong to his Kingdom and other things of a more inferiour rank as they may have a reference unto his Glory I resign up my Conscience to receive light and purity from his Word and Spirit and desire that it may act faithfully as the Lords Deputy I resign up my Will unto the Will of God to submit to his Precepts to embrace his Promises to oppose what he hath forbidden to comply with all the dispensations of his Providence towards me to be willing that I should be and do and bear and choose and lose what God would have me I resign up my Heart and Affections to fear and reverence the Lord to believe and trust in the Lord to desire and seek after the Lord to love and delight in the Lord and desire to put them all under his Government and to have them exercised according to his will I resign up my Fancy to be governed and employed by my Reason in the service of my Master I resign up my Sensual Appetite after meat and drink sleep and any pleasures to be subservient to my Rational Appetite and no further to have satisfacton than will tend to the glory of the Lord. I resign up my Hands to work for God my Feet to walk for God my Ears to hear for God my Eyes to see for God my Tongue to speak for God I resign up all my Graces all my Gifts all my Talents to be used for the Glory of my Lord and Master and my whole Man to be ruled and governed by his Laws Promising though my Flesh do contradict and rebell that I will endeavour to order my whole conversation according to his Word humbly looking up to him for strength so to doe that I may be enabled by him to every duty And now I look upon my self no longer my own or that any thing I have is at my own dispose but I wholly belong unto the Lord And therefore blessing and praising and giving thanks unto the Lord for vouchsafing to enter into Covenant with me and enclining my heart to enter into Covenant with him Bending my neck under the feet of the most glorious Jehovah I subscribe my self Witness my Hand and Seal The devoted Servant of the Lord A. B. Direct 10. You must be stedfast and persevere in the wayes of God unto your lives end if you would be saved And here you must be stedfast 1. In the wayes of Truth 2. In
the Wayes of Gods Commandements 1. You must be stedfast and persevere in the wayes of Truth in the belief of the Truths of the Word without turning aside into wayes of Errour there are wayes of Errour which will lead you as certainly and more securely to Hell than the wayes of open profaneness The Apostle tells us of damnable errours as well as open damnable sins 2 Pet. 2. 1. and we read of some that are damned for believing a lye that their delusion hath been the cause of their damnation 2 Thess 2. 11 12. The Devil leads as many as he can in the cords of more gross and known sins towards the place of endless misery but if any of them begin to perceive their thraldom and danger if their eyes be a little opened and Conscience awakened and hearts affected and they are perswaded to look after their salvation then he endeavours to draw them into wayes of Errour he hath his Agents and Ministers who are very subtle and crafty and lye in wait to deceive who with good words and fair speeches insinuate poysonous doctrines and pretending more glorious discoveries higher and more excellent wayes draw them out of the way of the Word and Ordinances into paths of darkness where they wander and lose themselves for ever where they are tossed up and down and beaten to and fro with every winde of doctrine unto the shipwrack of their Faith and their Souls As you hope for salvation you must take heed of Errour diligently inquire after Truth search for it as for silver and digg for it as for hidden treasures digg for it in the golden Mines of the Scriptures let the Word of God be the only Rule of your Faith and having found the Truth keep it hold it fast labour to fix it in your mindes let it be as a girdle about your loins lay it up in your heart let it be rooted there apply your selves to Christ as a Prophet to lead you by his Word and Spirit into all Truth and to keep you from being deceived and deluded and keep close to the Ministery and Ordinances of Christs Institution which the Lord hath appointed to continue unto the end of the World for the edifying establishment and perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4. 11 12 13 14. 2. You must be stedfast and persevere in the wayes of Gods Commandements you must patiently continue in well-doing if you would obtain immortal glory Rom. 2. 7. you must endure to the end if you would be saved Matth. 10. 22. you must be faithfull unto the death if you would gain the Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. It is absolutely necessary unto salvation that you hold out in the wayes of God none but such which come to the end of the race will obtain the prize the Gate of Heaven lyeth at the further not the hither end of the Holy Path therefore you must stedfastly persevere in this way if you should fall down you must rise again and go on if you should fall back or through mistake turn aside you must return again and make the more haste but if you should fall off if you should fall away as some have done who have seemed very zealous and forward Christians as to the outward Profession you are lost you are cast-awayes and you will tumble and fall down into the bottomless Pit from whence there is no returning Be not then followers of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Heb. 10. 39. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6. 12. It is a glorious Inheritance that is before you that is promised and prepared in Heaven let this encourage you to diligence and perseverance unto the end I shall conclude with the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Thus I have given you Directions What things you must do that you may be saved CHAP. VI. II. THE Second and last thing for your guidance in the way of Salvation is To shew you what Means you must make use of to help you in these things There are Ten Means to be used in order to the attaining of Salvation 1. Self-examination 2. Reading the Word of God and other good books 3. Hearing the Word Preached 4. Meditation 5. Prayer 6. Christian-conference 7. Watchfulness 8. Sanctification of Fasting-dayes 9. Sanctification of Sabbath-dayes 10. Improvement of Sacrament-dayes Means 1. Self-examination You must examine your selves if you would see your selves lost you may read the mistake of the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched miserable and poor and blinde and naked You must examine and prove your spiritual state that you may have a right judgement thereof that you may perceive how poor and wretched and miserable you are whilest you are in a state of Nature You must examine your selves that you may get a sight and sense of sin Jer. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done every one turned to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battel You must examine what you have done if you would repent of your sins you must search and try your wayes if you would turn from your evil wayes you must commune with your hearts and come to your selves with the Prodigal if you would return unto God and turn your feet unto his Testimonies Be serious then in this great duty of Self-examination and that you may be so I would advise that you would set apart time for it when your thoughts are most free and affections most sedate and quiet get out of the hurry of the world and lay aside other business for a while and withall separate your selves from company and retire into secret where you may be free from external disturbances and interruptions whatever indispositions and withdrawments of heart you finde force your selves to the work resist Satan who will endeavour to divert and discourage you Set your selves in the presence of God desire him to search you beg his help in the duty labour to keep your minde close to it if vain thoughts arise and would hurry you away look up to Christ to rebuke them and to bring them into captivity and obedience unto himself And then sit down and seriously consider what you have done ever since you came into the World and withall think with your selves what you will do when your life and this world shall come to an end Take a review of your sins they are noted down upon the book of your Consciences peruse this book and if you extracted a Catalogue of your sins it might be a help to you Note down your original sin