faith from the consideration 1. Of God 2. Of the Promises 3. Of Christ 4. Of the Saints 1. From the consideration of God who hath given his Son to save sinners it is an encouragement to faith to consider 1. That God is mercifull and therefore willing to pardon and save otherwise he would not have sent his Son he doth not delight in the death of sinners Ezek. 18. 23. but delighteth to shew mercy see Micah 7. 18 19. Exod. 34. 6 7. Psal 103. 8 9 c. 2. That God is faithfull in his Promises of salvation which he hath made through his Son in his Covenant of Grace God needed not have made the Covenant nor promised mercy to any sinners but having made the Covenant he is engaged to make it good 3. That it is for his glory to save sinners through his Son the glory of his free grace yea and justice too which hath been fully satisfied by Christs death 2. You have encouraging Arguments for faith from the consideration of the Promises which are 1. Large made to all sorts of persons and all sorts of sinners none are excluded 2. Full they extend to all sorts of sins though never so many and great Isa 55. 7. 3. Free nothing is required on your part but accepting 4. Sure being the Promises of God in Christ 3. You have encouragement to believe in Christ for salvation from the consideration of Christ the proper object of faith 1. The quality of his person who is God and man in one person that he might reconcile man unto God 2. The merit of his sufferings which as hath been shown was of infinite value and sufficient for the redemption of men 3. His alsufficient power to save those that come to him Heb. 7. 25. 4. His mercy and faithfulness to make reconciliation Heb. 2. 17. 5. His interest with the Father 6. His continual intercession at the right hand of God Heb. 7. 25. 4. You have encouragement to believe in Christ for salvation from the consideration of the Saints the experience which they have had of salvation by Christ some of whom have been as vile sinners as you You have as good grounds to come unto Christ and believe in him for salvation as the most holy men alive before conversion 5. If you would attain this grace of faith in Jesus Christ you must labour to act it looking up to God for help herein endeavour to cast and roll your selves upon Christ to apply Christ and his merits and to rely upon him and his righteousness It is in your endeavour that God doth work and here you must endeavour again and again against all opposition which you find from the Devil and your own evil heart of unbelief which will be ready to carry you away from Christ So much for the 4th Direction Direction 5. You must get a new Nature if you would be saved You must be made partakers of the Divine Nature if you would be made partakers of this salvation You have brought unholy and impure natures into the world with you which must be changed and renewed after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and true holiness before you can be in a state of salvation and see the Kingdom of God This new nature which is absolutely necessary unto salvation is begun in the work of regeneration and carried on in the work of sanctification In regeneration the work of grace is begun the habits of grace are infused a new principle of spiritual life is put into the soul and sin which before lived and had dominion over the man imploying all his members as instruments of unrighteousness to make provision for the satisfaction of its affections and lusts doth receive its deaths wound and loseth its force and reigning power In sanctification the work of grace is carried on the habits of grace are strengthned and encreased the new man doth grow and the old man doth decline and decay there is a vivification or quickning more and more of grace by the influence of the Word and Spirit and a mortification or subduing more and more of remaining iniquity What our Saviour tells Nicodemus Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God I may tell you that unless ye be born again unless ye be regenerated ye cannot be saved no possibility of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven without you get this new nature A man must be born the first time before he can possess a temporal inheritance and a man must be born again before he can possess the eternal inheritance You must be children before you can be heirs Rom. 8. 17. children not only by adoption but also by regeneration Ye must be Saints before meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. You must have the new nature before you can enter into the New Jerusalem You must be made like to God in holiness before you can be admitted to live with God in the place of everlasting happiness God doth suffer the wicked that are unclean and unholy to live before him in the Out-house of the Earth but he will not permit any except such as are sanctified to live with him in the Palace of Heaven O then labour after a work of Grace upon your hearts be perswaded of the worth of Grace that it is a rare and precious Jewel that the least measure of Grace is of more worth than ten thousand Worlds be sensible of your want of it that naturally you are without it that it doth not grow in Natures Garden that you have no good Nature in you before God till your Nature is renewed be ready to receive the seed of Grace which drops down from above whilest People are attending upon Gods Ordinances be ready to hearken and yield to the Spirits motions whereby this work of Grace is effected And having the work begun O cherish the Grace you have got and as new-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby and labour to cleanse your selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit that ye may perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Direction 6. You must lead a new Life if you would be saved see what kind of Life the grace of God which bringeth salvation doth require and teach namely to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. You must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts you must put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts Eph. 4. 22. and not fashion your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance and unregeneracy 1 Pet. 1. 14. not running with others unto the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4. 4. not walking according to the course of a profane and ungodly world Eph. 2. 2. but saving your selves from an untoward generation Act. 2. 40. as he
was affected with true evangelical sorrow for sin but on the contrary can commit sin with delight rolling it as a sweet morsel under their tongue which they will not part withall they must needs perish everlastingly if they should die in this estate the word is express that iniquity will be the ruine of the impenitent Ezek. 18. 30. 4. Vnregenerate persons are not in a state of salvation Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Such as never had a gracious change wrought in their hearts that are asleep in sin and never were awakened as are dead in sin and never were quickened such as have old natures and old hearts and never were renewed that never put off as concerning their former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts and put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4. 22 24. they are uncapable whilest such of this salvation there is no entrance for them into the Kingdom of Heaven 5. Christless persons are not in a state of salvation 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Such as have not Christ and are not themselves in Christ they are for the present in a state of Reprobation It is Christ only can save those that are without Christ that are not united to him by Faith and the Spirit that are Unbelievers without Faith and carnal without the Spirit they cannot whilest such be saved 6. Vnsanctified persons are not in a state of salvation Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness none shall see God Such as are unholy such as live after the flesh shall die none but those that through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body shall live Rom. 8. 13. 7. And in a word Disobedient persons are not in a state of salvation Heb. 5. 9. He became the author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him to none else and Eph. 5. 6. The wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience Such as walk in a course of disobedience as live and allow themselves in the practice of known sins whatever they be they are children of wrath because children of disobedience The Scriptures are so plain that I need without many words of mine only lay them before you as a Glass wherein you may discern your spiritual state Try your selves by these places these Texts will reach all that are not in a state of salvation CHAP. II. II. THE second words shall be to move you to endeavour after your Salvation The Motives to stir up you to endeavour your salvation may be drawn 1. From the consideration of your selves Whom you should endeavour the salvation of 2. From the consideration of the salvation which you should endeavour to obtain 3. From the consideration of the Damnation of all such as do not obtain salvation Motive 1. From the consideration of your selves whom you should endeavour the salvation of It is the salvation of your selves which I would press you unto It was the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling and this is my exhortation of you this day Labour after your own salvation If I were to perswade you to do some great kindness for another were it a difficult thing and like to cost you much labour and trouble I should not likely prevail but when I am perswading you to do a kindness for your selves and the greatest kindness in the World even to endeavour after the salvation of your selves methinks the natural Love which you bear to your selves should induce you to hearken and do whatever is requisite in order hereunto though it cannot be done without difficulty and trouble How far will carnal self-love carry carnal men what difficulties will they go thorow what expences of time and pains and strength will they be at how will some rise up early and sit up late deny themselves food and rest and many comforts of this life how will others compass Sea and Land and hazzard life it self and all to get an estate in the world for themselves and should not spiritual self-love which is the only reall self-love carry you thorow difficulties should you think much of exspending time and pains that you may get salvation for your selves carnal self-love will bring destruction and misery upon such as are swayed by it and in the issue will prove self-hatred as you really love your selves as you would escape the most dreadful misery and obtain the chiefest happiness for your selves labour after salvation for your selves Your self your Persons do consist of two parts namely Soul and Body it is the salvation of both which I exhort you unto 1. Consider it is the salvation of your Souls which I would have you endeavour after the salvation of your precious souls your souls are more precious than your bodies and they are more precious than the whole world 1. Your souls are more precious than your bodies they are by far your more excellent part the original of your soul is more immediately from God he formeth the spirit of man within him Zach. 12. 1. they are beams they are streams that issue forth immediately from God moreover they carry more of the impress and image of God upon them as they are invisible spiritual rational free immortal they have also more high and excellent operations than the body is capable of as of the understanding conscience memory will affections and I may add that if there be any lustre upon the body it doth receive it from the soul when the soul is gone the beauty is gone whatever motion or use there is in the body it doth depend on the soul when the soul is departed the body can neither hear nor speak nor see nor walk nor do any business the body is a rotten stinking carkass without the soul and whilest the soul doth abide in it the body is the inferiour part the body is but the Cabinet the soul is the Jewel the body is but the house of clay the soul is the living inhabitant the body is as it were the beast as one saith Corpus homini jumentum which the soul doth make use of to carry it from one place to another the body is the servant it is the soul that rules O labour then after the salvation of your souls which are your most excellent part what care do some take to preserve their bodies much more reason have you to endeavour the salvation of your souls when London's Fire was burning the houses those who could not save all their goods took care to save those which were the most precious especially their money and jewells O whatever become of your bodies here whatever sickness or hardship they be exposed unto labour to save your jewels your precious souls the Cabinet will be spoilt the clay and mudd-wall will be broken down and
Righteousnesses are as filthy rags and therefore altogether insufficient to procure for me the pardon of sin the favour of God and the peace of Conscience as also fully perswaded that no meer Creature is able to give unto me any help and relief in this case And being informed by the Word of God what the Lord Jesus is hath done and suffered for poor sinners That there is no Name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved but only the Name of Jesus Christ that he is able to save all them unto the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing be ever liveth to make intercession for them that he is a mercifull and faithfull High-priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People that whosoever cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out and finding a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that God will be mercifull unto our unrighteousness and that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more which Covenant is of full force through the death of Christ the Testator thereof and having Christ set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood and his Righteousness declared for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God and this Christ freely tendered unto me and being invited earnestly yea entreated that I would be reconciled unto God through him and by the Spirit being perswaded of the truth of these things and hereby encouraged to apply my self unto Christ and the Promises through him unto my self I do now grieving that I have offended God groaning under the burden of sin renouncing all my own righteousness hungring after the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness upon the bended knees of my soul come unto him and cast my self wholly upon him I choose him for my only Advocate to plead my cause in the Court of Heaven to procure for me Pardon and Reconciliation that being justified by Faith I may have peace with God through my dear Lord Jesus Christ Next repenting from the bottom of my heartâ— of my sins grieving that I have such a sinfull Nature such a deceitfull heart that I have so adulterated my affections and gone a whoring from God to the Creatures that I have so indulged my flesh and satisfied its irregular desires that I have given ear to the Devil and complyed as I have done with his temptations I now renounce all allegiance and service to the World to the Flesh and to the Devil these enemies of the Lord and of my peace which warr against my Master and against my own soul covenanting and promising never to give away my heart any more from the Lord unto any person or thing in the World to refuse the World for my portion and chief happiness to deny my flesh iâ—s sinfull desires and demands to resist the Devil and his Temptations not to live and allow my self in any known sin and to make use of all the known means which the Lord hath prescribed for the crucifying of the World for the mortifying and utter extirpation of sin for the resisting and overcoming the Devil And being perswaded of the power and interest the subtilty and deceitfulness of these enemies and withall sensible of my own imprudence folly weakness and inconstancy I humbly and earnestly implore and beseech the highest Majesty who is infinite in wisdom power and goodness that he would give me counsel and discretion in the use and management of all means and helps that I may not neglect any nor through sloth and imprudence suffer a lesser duty to justle out a greater that he would give me courage strength and constancy in the maintaining my spiritual warfare against these my spiritual enemies unto my lifes end And if ever I should fall through unwatchfulness and weakness which the Lord grant I may never do I do promise in the strength of the Lord to arise again by Faith and Repentance And because of the Body of sin within me and remaining corruptions I shall be subject during my abode here unto daily failings and infirmities I do promise to pray watch and strive against them beseeching the Lord to strengthen me herein and grant that my sinful infirmities may be lesse every day than other in the mean time looking upon those disallowed miscarriages contrary to the settled bent and resolution of my heart as insufficient to make my Covenant void Furthermore being convinced of the vanity emptiness and utter insufficiency of any or all the Creatures in the World to make me happy had I the most desireable enjoyment of them and having a discovery of the infinitely blessed God made unto me in his Works chiefly in his Word as being the chief good of man and withall a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that he will be our God yea our Father through Christ and that we shall be his people his Sons and Daughters I do here with deep veneration of Soul and chief estimation of minde choose the thrice Blessed Jehovah for my Portion and chief good beyond all persons and things in this World and do avouch him this day to be my God I humbly accept of the relation of a Servant and a Son or Daughter which he hath called me unto I put my self under his wing and commit my self to his care and Tuition and henceforth shall be bold through my dearest Lord to call him and look upon him to be my God and Father and humbly shall expect from him Protection and Provision in his way and work Correction Audience of Prayer and the fulfilling of all those Promises unto me which he hath made unto his Children Moreover being perswaded that none can come unto the Father but by the Son nor share in any spiritual priviledge but through Christs death and intercession and being perswaded of the infinite amiableness of Christs person the greatness of his love and affection unto the children of men as also of his infinite desireableness in regard of those offices and relations which he hath vouchsafed to take upon him and enter into for the good of his people I do avouch the Lord Jesus Christ to be my only Saviour and choose him in all his Offices and Relations I choose Christ to be my High-Priest to intercede and procure for me daily pardon access unto God acceptance of my person and service audience of my prayers and supply of all my wants I choose Christ to be my Prophet to teach me by his Word and Spirit the will of the Father I choose Christ to be my King to rule and govern me to command my whole man into the obedience of himself I choose Christ to be my Captain to go before me and to tread down my spiritual enemies under my feet I choose Christ to be my Friend and Brother to counsel and advise me to stand by me in all the difficulties and straights of my life I choose Christ to be my Husband and beloved humbly