The Way to True Happiness, Introduction · Chapter 6
CHAP VI. Containing DIRECTIONS for Conversion.
Mark 10. 17. And there came one, and kneeled to him, and asked him; Good Master, what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?
BEfore thou readest these Directions, I advise thee, yea I charge thee before God, and his holy Angels, to resolve to follow them, (as far as conscience shall be convinced of their agreeableness to Gods word, and thy estate,) and call in his assistance, and blessing that they may succeed. And as I have sought the Lord, and consuited his oracles, what advice to give thee; so must thou entertain it, with that awe, reverence, and purpose of obedience, that the word of the living God doth require.
Now then attend. Set thine heart unto all that I shall testifie unto thee this day; for it is not a vain thing, it is your life, Deut. 32. 4. 6. This is the end of all that hath been spoken hitherto, to bring you to set upon turning, and making use of Gods means for your Conversion. I would not trouble you, nor torment you before the time with the forethoughts of your eternal misery, but in order to your making your escape. Were you shut up under your present misery, without remedy, it were but mercy (as one speaks) to let you alone, that you might take in that little poor comfort, that you are capable of, here in this world. But you may yet be happy: if you do not wilfully refuse the means of your recovery. Behold, I hold open the door unto you: arise and take your flight. I set the way of life before you, walk in it, and you shall live, and not die. Deut. 30. 19. Ier. 9. 16. It pities me to think, you should be your own murderers, and throw your selves headlong, when God and men cry out to you, as Peter in another case to his master, Spare thy self. A noble Virgin, that attended the Court of Spain, was wickedly ravished by the King; and hereupon exciting the Duke her Father to revenge, he called in the Moors to his help, who when they had executed his design, miserably wasted and spoiled the Country: which this Virgin laying so exceedingly to heart, shut her self up in a Tower belonging to her Fathers house, and desired her Father and Mother might be called forth: and bewailing to them her own wretchedness, that she should have occasioned so much misery and desolation to her Country, for the satisfying of her revenge, she told them she was resolved to be avenged upon her self. Her Father and Mother besought her to pity her self and them: but nothing would prevail, but she took her leave of them, and threw her self off the battlements, and so perished before their faces.
Just thus is the wilful destruction of ungodly men. The God that made them beseecheth them, and cryeth out to them, as Paul to the distracted Jaylor, when about to murder himself, Do thy self no harm. The Ministers of Christ forewarn them and follow them, and fain would hold them back. But alas! No expostulations, nor obtestations will prevail; but men will hurl themselves into perdition, while pity it self looketh on.
What shall I say? Would it not grieve a person of any humanity, if in the time of a reigning plague he should have a receipt (as one well) that would infallibly cure all the Countrey, and recover the most hopeless patients, and yet his friends and neighbours should die by the hundreds about him, because they would not use it? Men and Brethren, though you carry the certain symptoms of death in your faces, yet I have a receipt that will cure you all, that will cure infallibly. Follow but these few directions, and if you do not then win Heaven, I will be content to lose it.
Hear then, Oh sinner, and as ever thou wouldst be converted and saved, embrace this following counsel.
Dir. I. Set it down with thy self as an undoubted truth, that it is impossible for thee ever to get to Heaven, in this thine unconverted state. Can any other but Christ save thee? And he tells thee he will never do it, except thou be regenerated and converted. Mat. 18. 3. Iohn 3. 3. Doth he not keep the keys of Heaven? And canst thou get in without his leave, as thou must, if ever thou comest thither in thy natural condition, without a sound and through renovation?
Dir. II. Labour to get a thorow sight and lively sense and feeling of thy sins. Till men are weary and heavy laden, and pricked at the heart, and stark sick of sin, they will not come to Christ in his way, for ease and cure, nor to purpose enquire, What shall we do? Mat. 11. 28. Acts 2. 37. Mat. 9. 12. They must set themselves down for dead men, before they will come unto Christ, that they may have life, Iohn 5. 40. Labour therefore to set all thy sins in order before thee. Never be afraid to look upon them, but let thy spirit make diligent search, Psal. 77. 6. Enquire into thine heart, and into thy life, Enter into a thorow examination of thy self, and of all thy wayes, Psal. 119. 59. that thou maist make a full discovery; and call in the help of Gods spirit, in the sense of thine own inability hereunto: for it is his proper work to convince of sin. Iohn 16. 8. Spread all before the face of thy conscience, till thine heart and eyes be set abroach. Leave not striving with God, and thine own soul, till it cry out under the sense of thy sins, as the enlightned Jaylor, What must I do to be saved? Acts 16. 30. To this porpose
Meditate of the numerousness of thy sins. David's heart failed when he thought of this, and considered that he had more sins than hairs, Ps. 40. 12. This made him to cry out upon the multitudes of Gods tender-mercies. Psal. 51. 1. The loathsom carcase doth not more hatefully swarm with crawling worms, than an unsanctified soul with filthy lusts. They fill the head, the heart, the eyes and mouth of him. Look backward, where was ever the place, what was ever the time, in which thou didst not sin? Look inward, what part or power canst thou find in soul or body, but it is poisoned with sin? What duty dost thou ever perform into which this poyson is not shed? Oh how great is the sum of thy debts, who hast been all thy life long running upon the hooks, and never didst, nor canst pay off one penny? Look over the sin of thy nature, and all its cursed brood, the sins of thy life. Call to mind thy Omissions, Commissions, the sins of thy thoughts, of thy words, of thine actions; the sins of thy youth, the sins of thy years, &c. Be not like a desperate Bankrupt, that is afraid to look over his books. Read the records of conscience carefully. These books must be opened sooner, or later. Rev. 20. 12.
Meditate upon the aggravations of thy sin, as they are the grand enemies against the God of thy life, against the life of thy soul; in a word they are the publick enemies of all mankind. How do David, Ezra, Daniel and the good Levites aggravate their sins, from the consideration of their injuriousness to God, their opposition to his good and righteous Laws, the mercies, the warnings that they were committed against. Nehem. 9. Dan. 9. Ezra. 9. O the work that sin hath made in the world! This is the enemy that hath brought in death, that hath robbed and enslaved man, that hath blacked the devil, that hath digged hell; Rom. 5. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iohn 8. 34. This is the enemy that hath turned the creation upside down, and sown dissension between man and the creatures, between man and man, yea between man and himself, seting the sensitive part against the rational, will against judgment, lust against conscience? yea worst of all, between God and man, making the lapsed sinner, both hateful to God, and a hater of him. Zec. 11. 8. O man, how canst thou make so light of sin? This is the traytor that sucked the blood of the Son of God, that sold him, that mocked him, that scourged him, that spat in his face, that digged his hands, that pierced his side, that pressed his soul, that mangled his body, that never left, till it had bound him, condemned him, nailed him, crucified him, and put him to open shame. Esay. 53. 4, 5, 6. This is that deadly poyson, so powerful of operation, as that one drop of it, shed upon the root of mankind, hath corrupted, spoiled, and poisoned, and undone his whole race at once. Rom. 5. 18, 19. This is the common butcher, the bloody executioner, that hath killed the Prophets, that hath burnt the Martyrs, that hath murdered all the Apostles, all the Patriarchs, all the Kings and Potentates, that hath destroyed Cities, swallowed Empires, butchered and devoured whole Nations. What ever was the weapon that 'twas done by, sin was it that did the execution. Rom. 6. 23. dost thou yet think it but a small thing? If Adam and all his children could be digged out of their graves, and their bodies piled up to Heaven, and an inquest were made, what matchless murderer were guilty of all this blood: it would be all found in the skirts of sin. Study the nature of sin, till thy heart be brought to fear and loath it. And meditate on the aggravations of thy particular sins, how thou hast sinned against all Gods warnings, against thine own prayers, against mercies, against corrections, against clearest light, against freest love, against thine own resolutions, against promises, vows, covenants of better obedience, &c. charge thy heart home with these things, till it blush for shame, and be brought out of all good opinion of it self, Ezra. 9. 6.
Meditate upon the desert of sin. It cryeth up to Heaven: It calls for vengeance, Gen. 18. 24. Its due wages is death, damnation. It pulls the curse of God upon the soul and body. Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 28. The least sinful word or thought, …aies thee under the infinite wrath of God Almighty, Rom. 2. 8, 9. Mat. 12. 36. Oh what a load of wrath, what a weight of curses, what treasure of vengeance have all the millions of thy sins then deserved! Rom. 2. 5. Iohn. 3. 36. Oh judge thy self that the Lord may not judge thee. 1 Cor. 11. 31.
Meditate upon the deformity, and defilement of sin, 'Tis as black as hell, the very image and likeness of the Devil drawn upon thy soul, 1 Iohn 3. 8, 10. It would more affright thee, to see thy self the hateful deformity of thy nature, than to see the devil. There is no mire so unclean, no vomit so loathsom, no carcase or carrion so offensive, no plague or leprosie so noisom as sin, in which thou art all inrolled, and covered with its odious filth, whereby thou art rendred more displeasing to the pure and holy nature of the glorious God, than the most filthy object, composed of whatever is hateful to all thy senses, can be to thee. Iob 15. 15, 16. Couldst thou take up a toad into thy bosom? Couldst thou cherish it and take delight in it? Why, thou art as contrary to the pure and perfect holiness of the divine nature, and as loathsome as that is to thee, Mat. 23. 33. till thou art purified by the blood of Jesus, and the power of renewing grace.
Above all other sins, fix the eye of Consideration on these two. 1. The sin of thy nature. 'Tis to little purpose to lop the branches, while the root of original corruption remains untouched. In vain do men lave out the streams, when the fountain is running, that fills up all again. Let the axe of thy repentance (with David's) go to the root of sin, Psal. 51. 5. Study how deep, how close, how permanent it is, thy natural pollution; how universal it is, till thou dost cry out with Paul's feeling, upon thy body of death. Rom. 7. 24. Look into all thy parts and powers, and see what u…clean vessels, what styes, what dunghills, what sinks they are become. Heu miser, quid sum? vas sterquilinii, concha putredinis; plenus faetore & horrore. August. Solil. c. 2. The heart is never soundly broken, till throughly convinced of the heynousness of original sin. Here fix thy thoughts. This is that that makes thee backward to all good, prone to all evil; Rom. 7. 15. that sheds blindness, pride, prejudices, unbelief into thy mind; enmity, unconstancy, obstinacy, into thy will; inordinate heats and colds into thy affectious; insensibleness, benummedness, unfaithfulness into thy conscience, slipperiness into thy memory, and in a word, hath put every wheel of thy soul out of order, and made it of an habitation of holiness, to become a very hell of iniquity. Iames 3. 6. This is that that hath defiled, corrupted, perverted all thy members, and turned them into weapons of unrighteousness, and servants of sin; Rom. 6. 19. that hath filled the head with carnal and corrupt designs, Mic. 2. 1. the hands with sinful practices, Esay 1. 15. the eyes with wandring and wantonness, 2 Pet. 2. 14. the tongue with deadly poison; Iam. 3. 8. that hath opened the ears to tales, flattery, and filthy communication, and shut them against the instruction of life; Zech. 7. 11, 12. and hath rendred thy heart a very mint and forge of sin, and the cursed womb of all deadly conceptions; Mat. 15. 16. So that it poureth forth its wickedness without ceasing, 2 Pet. 2. 14. even as naturally freely, unweariedly, as a fountain doth pour forth its waters, Ier. 6. 7. or the raging Sea doth cast forth mire and dirt. Esay 57. 20. And wilt thou yet be in love with thy self, and tell us any longer of thy good heart? O never leave meditating on this desperate contagion of original corruption, till with Ephraim thou bemoan thy self, Ier. 31. 8. & with deepest shame and sorrow smite on thy breast as the Publican, Luke 18. 13. and with Iob abhor thy self and repent in dust and ashes, Iob 42. 6, 2. The particular evil that thou art most addicted to. Find out all its aggravations. Set home upon thy heart all Gods threatnings against it. Repentance drives before it the whole herd, but especially sticks the arrow in the beloved sin, and singles this out, above the rest, to run it down, Psal. 18. 23. O labour … make this sin odious to thy soul, and double thy guards, and thy resolutions against it, because this hath, and doth, most dishonour God, and endanger thee.
Dir. III. Strive to affect thy heart with deep sense of thy present misery. Read over the foregoing Chapter again and again, and get it out of the book into thine heart. Remember when thou liest down, that for ought thou knowest, thou maist awake in flames, and when thou risest up, that by the next night thou maist make thy bed in hell. Is it a just matter to live in such a fearful ease? to stand tottering upon the brink of the bottomless pit, and to live at the mercy of every disease, that if it will but fall upon thee; will send thee forthwith into the burnings? Suppose thou sawest a condemned wretch hanging over Nebuchadne…ar's burning fiery furnace, by nothing but a twine thread, which were ready to break every moment, would not thine heart tremble for such an one? Why thou art the man. This is thy very case, O man, woman, that readest this, if thou be yet unconverted. What if the thred of thy life should break? (Why, thou knowest not but it may be the next night, yea the next moment) where wouldst thou be then? whither wouldst thou drop? Verily, upon the crack but of this thread, thou fallest into the lake, that burneth with fire and Brimstone, where thou must lie scalding and sweltering in a fiery Ocean, while God hath a being, if thou die in thy present case. And doth not thy soul tremble as thou readest? Do not thy tears bedew the paper, and thy heart throb in thy bosom? Dost thou not yet begin to smite on thy breast, and bethink thy self what need thou hast of a change? O what is thy heart made of! Hast thou not only lost all regard to God, but art without any love and pity to thy self?
Oh study thy misery, till thy heart do cry out for Christ, as earnestly, as ever a drowning man did for a boat, or the wounded for a Chirurgeon. Men must come to see the danger, and feel the smart of their deadly sores and sickness, or else Christ will be to them a Physician of no value, Mat. 9. 12. Then the manslayer hastens to the City of r…fuge, when pursued by the avenger of blood. Men must be even forced, and fired out of themselves, or else they will not come to Christ. 'Twas distress and extremity, that made the Prodigal think of returning, Luke 15. 16, 17. While Laodicea thinks her self rich, increased in goods, in need of nothing, there is little hope. She must be deeply convinced of her wretchedness, blindness, poverty, nakedness, before she will come to Christ for his Gold, raiment, eyesalve, Rev. 3. 17, 18. Therefore hold the eyes of conscience open, amplifie thy misery, as much as possible. Do not flie the sight of it, for fear it should fill thee with terror. The sense of thy misery is but as it were the suppuration of the wound, which is necessary to the cure. Better fear the torments that abide thee now, than feel them hereafter.
Dir. IV. Settle it upon thine heart, that thou ar… under an everlasting inability ever to recover thy self. Never think thy praying, reading, hearing, confessing, amending will do the cure. These must be attended; bu… thou art undone if thou restest in them, Rom. 10. 3. Thou art a lost man, if thou hopest to escape drowning upon any other plank, but Jesus Christ, Act. 4. 1…. Thou must unlearn thyself, and renounce thine own wisdom, thine own righteousness; thine own strength, and throw thy self wholly upon Christ, as a man that swimmeth casteth himself upon the water, or else thou canst not …scape. While men trust in themselves, and establish their own righteousness, and have confidence in the flesh… they will not come savingly to Christ, Luke 18. 19. Phil. 3. 3. Thou must know thy gain to be but loss and dung, thy strength but weakness, thy right…ousness rag's and rotteness, before … will be on effectual closure between Christ and …hee, Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Esay. 64 6. Can the liveless carcase shake off his grave cloths, and loose the bonds of death? Then maist thou recover thy self, who … dead in trespasses and sins, and under an impossibility of serving thy maker (acceptably) in this condition, Rom. 8. 8. Heb. 11. 6. Therefore, when thou goest to pray, or meditate, or to do any of the duties, to which thou art here directed: go out of thy self, call in the help of the spirit, as despairing to do any thing pleasing to God, in thine own strength. Yet neglect not thy duty, but lie at the pool, and wait in the way of the spirit. While the Eunuch was reading, then the Holy Ghost sent Philip to him, Act. 8. 28, 29. when the Disciples were praying, Act. 4. 31. when Cornelius and his friends were hearing, Acts 10. 44. then the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and filled them all. Strive to give up thy self to Christ. Strive to pray, strive to meditate, strive an hundred and an hundred times, try to do it as well as thou canst, and while thou art endeavouring in the way of thy duty, the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and help thee to do, what of thy self thou art utterly unable unto, Prov. 1. 23.
Dir. V. Forthwith renounce all thy sins. If thou yield thy self to the contrary practice of any sin, thou art undone, Rom. 6. 16. In vain dost thou hope for life by Christ, except thou depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Forsake thy sins, or else thou canst not find mercy: Prov. 28. 13. Thou canst not be married to Christ, except divorsed from sin. Give up the traitor, or you can have no peace with Heaven. Cast the head of Sheba over the wall. Keep not Dalila… in thy lap. Thou must part with thy sins, or with thy soul. Spare but one sin, and God will not spare thee. Never make excuses: thy sins must die, or thou must die for them, Psal. 68. 21. If thou allow of one sin, though but a little, a secret one, though thou maist plead necessity, and have a hundred shifts and excuses, for it, the life of thy soul must go for the life of that sin; Ezek. 18. 21. and will it not be dearly bought?
Oh sinner, hear and consider. If thou wilt part with thy sins, God will give thee his Christ: Is not this a fair exchange? I testifie unto thee this day, that if thou perish, it is not because there was never a Saviour provided, nor life tendered: but because thou preferredst (with the Jews) the Murderer before thy Saviour, sin before Christ, and lovedst darkness rather than light, Iohn 3. 19. Search thy heart therefore with candles, as the Jews did their houses for Leven, before the Pass-over: Labour to find out thy sins. Enter into thy Closet, and consider, what evil have I lived in? what duty have I neglected towards God! what sin have I lived in against my brother? and now strike the darts through the heart of thy sin, as Ioab did through Absalom's, 2 Sam. 18. 14. Never stand looking upon thy sin, nor rolling the morsel under thy tongue, Iob 20. 12. but spit it out as poyson, with fear and detestation. Alas, what will thy sins do for thee, that thou shouldst stick at parting with them? They will flatter thee, but they will undo thee, and cut thy throat while they smile upon thee, and poyson thee while they please thee, and arm the justice and wrath of the infinite God against thee. They will open hell for thee, and pile up fuel to burn thee. Behold the gibbet that they have prepared for thee. Oh serve them like Haman, and do upon them the execution, they would else have done upon thee. Away with them, crucifie them, and let Christ only be Lord over thee.
Dir. VI. Make a solemn choice of God for thy portion and blessedness, Deut. 26. 17. With all possible devotion and veneration avouch the Lord for thy God. Set the world with all its glory, and paint, and gallantry, with all its pleasures and promotions on the one hand, and set God with all his infinite excellencies and perfections on the other, and see that thou do deliberately make thy choice, Iosh. 24. 15. Take up thy rest in God, Ioh. 6. 68. Set thee down under his shadow, Cant. 2. 3. Let his promises and perfections turn the scale against all the world. Settle it upon thy heart, that the Lord is an all-sufficient portion, that thou canst not be miserable, while thou hast a God to live upon. Take him for thy shield and exceeding great reward. God alone is more than all the world. Content thy self with him. Let others carry the preferments and glory of the world, place thou thy happiness in his favour, and the light of his countenance, Psal. 5. 6, 7.
Poor sinner, thou art fallen off from God, and hast engaged his power, and wrath against thee. Yet know that of his abundant grace, he doth offer to be thy God again in Christ. 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. What sayest thou man? Wilt thou have the Lord for thy God? Why take this counsel, and thou shalt have him. Come to him by his Christ, Ioh. 14. 6. Renounce the idols of thine own pleasure, gain, Reputation … 1 Thes. 1. 9. Let these be pulled out of the Throne, and set Gods interest upermost in thine heart. Take him as God, to be chief in thine affection, estimations, intentions; for he will not endure to have any set above him, Rom. 1. 25. Psal. 73. 25. In a word, thou must take him in all his Personal relations, and in all his essential perfections.
First, In all his personal relations. God the Father must be taken for thy Father, Ier. 3. 4. 19. 22. O come to him with the Prodigal, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am not worthy to be called thy Son: but since of thy wonderful mercy, thou art pleased to take me, that am of my self a dog, a swine, a devil, to be thy child, I solemnly take thee for my Father, I commend my self to thy care, and trust to thy providence, and cast my burden on thy shoulders. I depend on thy provision, and submit to thy corrections, and trust under the shadow of thy wings, and hide in thy chambers, and fly to thy name. I renounce all confidence in my self, I repose my confidence in thee, I depose my concernments with thee. I will be with thee, and for no other. Again, God the Son must be taken for thy Saviour, for thy redeemer, and righteousness, Iohn 1. 2. He must be accepted, as the only way to the Father, and the only means of life, Heb. 7. 25. O then put off the rayment of thy captivity, on with the wedding garment, and go and marry thy self to Jesus Christ. Lord I am thine, and all that I have, my body, my soul, my name, my estate. I send a bill of divorse to my other lovers, I give my heart to thee. I will be …hine undividedly, thine everlastingly. I will set thy name on all I have, and use it only as thy goods, as thy loan, during thy leave, resigning all to thee. I will have no King but thee: reign thou over me. Other Lords have had dominion over me: but now I will make mention of thy name only, and do here take an oath of fealty to thee, promising and vowing to serve, and love, and fear thee, above all competitors. I disavow mine own righteousness, and despair of ever being pardoned and saved for mine own duties, or graces, and lean only on thine all-sufficient sacrifice and intercession, for pardon, and life, and acceptance before God. I take thee for mine only guid and instruction, resolving to be led and directed by thee, and to wait for thy counsel, and that thine, shall be the casting voice with me. Lastly, God the Spirit must be taken for thy sanctifier, Rom. 8. 9, 14. Gal. 5. 16, 18. for thine Advocate, thy Counsellor, thy Comforter, the teacher of thine ignorance, the pledge and earnest of thine inheritance, Rom. 8. 26. Psal. 73. 24. Iohn 14. 16. Eph. 1. 14. Iohn 14. 26. Eph. 4. 30. Awake thou Northwind, and come thou South, and blow upon my Garden, Cant. 4. 16. Come thou Spirit of the most high; here is a house for thee, here is a Temple for thee. Here do thou rest for ever; dwell here, and rest here. Lo I give up the poss…ssion to thee, full possession. I send thee the keys of my heart, that all may be for thy use, that thou maist put thy goods thy graces into every room. I give up the use of all to thee, that every faculty, and every member may be thine instrument, to work righteousness, and do the will of my Father, which is in Heaven.
Secondly, In all his essential perfections. Consider how the Lord hath revealed himself to you in his word: will you take him as such a God? O sinner, here's the blessedst news that ever came to the sons of men. The Lord will be thy God, Gen. 7. 17. Rev. 21. 3. if thou wilt but close with him in his excellencies. Wilt thou have the merciful, the gracious, the sinpardoning God, to be thy God? O yes (saith the sinner) I am undone else. But he further tells thee, I am the holy, and sin-hating God. If thou wilt be owned as one of my people, thou must be holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. holy in heart, holy in life. Thou must put away all thine iniquities, be they never so near, never so natural, never so necessary to the maintaining thy fleshly interest. Unless thou wilt be at defiance with sin, I cannot be thy God. Cast out the leven: put away the evil of thy doings: cease to do evil, learn to do well, or else I can have nothing to do with thee, Esay. 1. 16, 17, 18. Bring forth mine enemies, or there is no peace to be had with me. What doth thine heart answer? Lord, I desire to have thee as such a God. I desire to be holy, as thou are holy, to be made partaker of thy holiness. I love thee, not only for thy goodness and mercy, but for thy holiness and thy purity. I take thy holiness for my happiness. Oh! be to me a fountain of holiness: set on me the stamp and impress of thy holiness. I will thankfully part with all my sins at thy command. My willful sins I do forthwith forsake; and for my infirmities, that I cannot get rid of, though I would, I will strive against them in the use of thy means. I detest them, and will pray and war against them, and never let them have quiet rest in my soul. Beloved, whosoever of you will thus accept the Lord for his God, he shall have him.
Again, he tells you; I am the All-sufficient God, Gen. 17. 1. Will you lay all at my feet, and give it up to my dispose, and take me for your only portion? Will you own and honour mine All-sufficiency? Will you take me as your happiness and Treasure, your hope and bliss? I am a Sun and Shield, all in one: will you have me for your all? Gen. 1. 15. Psal. 84. 11. Now what dost thou say to this? Doth thy mouth water after the onions and flesh-pots of Egypt? art thou loath to exchange thy earthly happiness, for a part in God: and though thou wouldest be glad to have God and the world too, yet thou canst not think of having him, and nothing but him, but hadst rather take up with the earth below, if God would but let thee keep it, as long as thou wouldst? This is a fearful sign. But now if thou art willing to sell all for the Pearl of great price; Mat. 12. 46. If thine heart answer, Lord I desire no other portion but thee. Take the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oyl whoso will, so I may have the light of thy countenance. I pitch upon thee for my happiness. I gladly venture my self on thee, and trust my self with thee. I set my hopes in thee, I take up my rest with thee. Let me hear thee say, I am thy God, thy salvation, and I have enough, all I wish for. I will make no terms with thee, but for thy self. Let me but have thee sure, let me be able to make my claim, and see my title to thy self, and for other things, I leave them to thee. Give me more, or less, any thing or nothing, I will be satisfied in my God. Take him thus and he is thine own.
Again, he tells you; I am the Soveraign Lord. If you will have me for your God, you must give me the supremacy, Mat. 6. 24. I will not be an underling. You must not make me a second to sin, or any worldly interest. If you will be my people, I must have the rule over you. You must not live at your own list. Will you come under my yoke? Will you bow to my Government? Will you submit to my discipline? to my word, to my rod? Sinner, what sayest thou to this? Lord I had rather be at thy command, than live at mine own list. I had rather have thy will to be done, than mine. I approve of and consent to thy laws, and account it my priviledge to lie under them. And though the flesh rebel, and often break over bounds, I am resolved to take no other Lord but thee. I willingly take the Oath of thy supremacy and acknowledge thee for my liege Soveraign, and resolve all my days to pay the tribute of worship, obedience, and love, and service to thee, and to live to thee as the end of my life. This is a right accepting of God.
To be short, he tells you; I am the true and faithful God. If you will have me for your God, you must be content to trust me, 2 Tim. 1. 12. Prov. 3. 5. Will you venture your selves upon my word, & depend on my faithfulness, and take my bond for your security? Will you be content to follow me, in poverty, & reproach, and affliction here, and to see much going out, and little coming in, and to tarry till the next world for your preferment? Mat. 9. 21. I deal much upon trust, will you be content to labour, and suffer, and to tarry for your returns till the Resurrection of the just? Luke 14. 14. The womb of my Promise will not presently bring forth; will you have the patience to wait? Heb. 10. 36. Now beloved, what say you to this? Will you have this God for your God? Will you be content to live by faith, and trust him for an unseen happiness, an unseen Heaven, an unseen Glory? Do your hearts answer, Lord, we will venture our souls upon thee, we commit our selves to thee: we roll upon thee, we know whom we have trusted: we are willing to take thy word: we will prefer thy promises, before our own possessions; and the hopes of Heaven, before all the enjoyments of the Earth. We will wait thy leisure. What thou wilt here, so that we may have but thy faithful promise for Heaven hereafter? If you can in truth, and upon deliberation, thus accept of God, he will be yours. Thus there must be, in a right Conversion to God, a closing with him suitable to his excellencies. But when men close with his mercy, but not with his sinhating holiness and purity; or will take him for their benefactor, but not for their Soveraign; or for their Patron, but not for their Portion, this is no thorow, and so no sound Conversion.
Dir. VII. Accept of the Lord Iesus, in all his Offices, with all his inconveniences, as thine. Upon these terms Christ may be had. Sinner, thou hast und one thy self, and art plunged into the ditch of most deplorable misery, out of which thou art never able to climb up. But Jesus Christ is able and ready to help thee, and he freely tenders himself to thee, Heb. 7. 25. Iohn. 7. 37. Be thy sins never so many, never so great, of never so long continuance, yet thou shalt be most certainly pardoned and saved, if thou dost not wretchedly neglect the offer, that in the name of God is here made unto thee. The Lord Jesus calleth to thee, to look unto him and be saved, Esay 45. 22. to come unto him, a…d he will in no wise cast thee out, Iohn 6. 37. Yea he is a sutor to thee, and beseecheth thee to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. he cryeth in the streets, he knocketh at thy door, he wooeth thee to except of him, and live with him: Prov. 1. 20. Rev. 3. 20. if thou diest, 'tis because thou wouldst not come to him for life, Iohn 5. 40. Now accept of an offered Christ, and thou art made for ever. Now give up thy consent to him, and the match is made, all the world cannot hinder. Do not stand off because of thine unworthiness. Man, I tell thee, nothing in all the world can undo thee, but thine unwillingness. Speak man, art thou willing of the match? Wilt thou have Christ in all his relations to be thine; thy King, thy Priest, thy Prophet? Wilt thou have him with all his inconveniences? Take not Christ hand over head, but sit down first, and count the cost. Wilt thou lay all at his feet? Wilt thou be content to run all hazards with him? Wilt thou take thy lot with him, fall where it will? Wilt thou deny thy self, take up thy Cross, and follow him? Art thou deliberately, understandingly, freely, fixedly, determined to cleave to him in all times, and conditions? If so, my soul for thine, thou shalt never perish, Iohn 3. 16. but art passed from death to life. Here lies the main point of thy salvation, that thou be found in thy covenant-closure with Jesus Christ, and therefore if thou love thy life, see that thou be faithful to God and thy soul here.
Dir. VIII. Resign up all thy powers and faculties, and thy whole interest to be his. They gave their own selves unto the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. 5. Present your bodies as a living Sacrifice, Rom. 12. 1. The Lord seeks not yours, But you. Resign therefore thy body with all its members to him, and thy soul with all its powers, that he may be glorified in thy body and in thy spirit, which are his, 1 Cor. 6. 20. In a right closure with Christ, all the faculties give up to him. The Judgment subscribes, Lord thou art worthy of all acceptation, chief of ten thousand. Happy is the man that find…th the…. All the things that are to be desired, are not to be compared with thee, Prov. 3. 13, 14, 15. The understanding lays aside …s corrupt reasonings and cavils, and its projudices against Christ and his ways. It is now past questioning and disputing, and casts it for Christ against all the World. It concludes, it's good to be here, and sees such a treasure in this field, such value in this pearl, as is worth all. Mat. 13. 44. Oh here's the richest bargain that ever I made: here's the richest prize that ever man was offered: here's the soveraignst remedy that ever mercy prepared: he is worthy of my esteem, worthy of my choice, worthy of my love, worthy to be embraced, adored, admired for evermore, Rev. 5. 12. I approve of his Articles: his terms are righteous and reasonable, full of equity and mercy. Again, the will resigns. It stands no longer wavering, nor wishing and woulding, but is pe…emptorily determin'd. Lord, thy love hath overcome me: thou hast won me, and thou shalt have me. Come in Lord, to thee I freely open, I consent to be saved in thine own way, thou shalt have any thing, thou shalt have all, let me have but thee. The memory gives up to Christ: Lord, here is a storehouse for thee. Out with this trash; lay in thy treasure. Let me be a granary, a repository of thy truths, thy promises, thy Providences, The Conscience comes in; Lord I will ever side with thee. I will be thy faithful register. I will warn when the sinner is tempted, and smite when thou art offended. I will witness for thee, and judge for thee, and guide into thy ways, and will never let sin have quiet in this soul. The affections also come in to Christ. O faith Love, I am sick of thee. O saith Desire, now I have my longing. Here's the satisfastion I sought for. Here's the desire of nations. Here's bread for me, and balm for me, all that I want. Fear bows the knee with awe and veneration. Welcome Lord, to thee will I pay my homage. Thy word and thy rod shall command my motions. Thee will I reverence and adore, before thee will I fall down and worship. Grief likewise puts in, Lord thy displeasure and thy dishonour, peoples calamities, and mine own iniquities shall be that, that shall set me abroach. I will mourn when thou art offended, I will weep when thy cause is wounded. Anger likewise comes in for Christ: Lord nothing so enrages me, as my folly against thee, that I should be so befooled and bewitched, as to hearken to the flatteries of sin, and temptations of Satan against thee. Hatred too will side with Christ. I protest mortal enmity with thine enemies, that I will never be friends with thy foes. I vow an immortal quarrel with every sin. I will give no quarter, I will make no peace. Thus let all thy powers give up to Jesus Christ.
Again, thou must give up thy whole interest to him. If there be any thing, that thou keepest back from Christ, it will be thine undoing. Luke 14. 33. Unless thou wilt forsake all (in preparation and resolution of thy heart) thou canst not be his Disciple. Thou must hate Father and Mother, yea and thine own life also in comparison of him, and as far as it stands in competition with him, Mat. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26, 27, &c. In a word, thou must give him thy self, and all that thou hast, without reservation, or else thou canst have no part in him.
Dir. IX. Make choice of the Laws of Christ as the rule of thy words, thoughts and actions, Psal. 119. 30. This is the true Converts choice. But here remember these three rules. 1. Thou must choose them all. There is no coming to Heaven by a partial obedience. Read Psal. 119. 6, 128, 160. Ezek, 18. 21. None may think it enough to take up with the cheap and easie part of Religion, and let alone the duties that are costly, and self-denying, and grate upon the interest of the flesh. You must take all, or none. A sincere Convert, though he makes most conscience of the greatest sins and weightiest duties; yet he makes true conscience of little sins, and of all duties, Psal. 119. 6. 113. Mat. 23. 23. 2. For all times, for prosperity, and for adversity; whether it rain, or shine. A true Convert is resolved in his way: he will stand to his choice, and will not set his back to wind, and be of the religion of the times. I have stuck to thy testimonies, I have enclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway, even to the end. Thy testimonies have I taken, as an heritage for ever, Psal. 119. 31, 111, 117, 44, 93. I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. 3. This must be done, not hand over head, but deliberately and understandingly. That disobedient son said, I go sir, but he went not Mat. 24. 30. How fairly did they promise: All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we will do it; and it's like they speak as they meant, but when it came to tryal, it was found that there was not such a heart in them, as to do what they had promised, Deut. 5. 27, 29. If you would be sincere in closing with the laws and wayes of Christ, First, Study the meaning, and the latitude and compass of them. Remember, that they are very spiritual: they reach the very thoughts and inclinations of the heart; so that if you will walk by this rule, your very thoughts, and inward motions must be under government. Again, that they are very strict and self-denying, quite contrary to the grain of your natural inclinations, Mat. 16. 24. You must take the strait gate, the narrow way, and be content to have the flesh curbed from the liberty that it desires, Mat. 7. 14. In a word, that they are very large: for the Commandment is exceeding broad, Psal. 119. 66. Secondly, rest not in generals, (for there's much deceit in that) but bring down thy heart to the particular commands of Christ. Those Jews in the Prophet seemed as well resolved as any in the world, and call God to witness, that they meant, as they said. But they stuck in generals. When Gods command crosses their inclination, they will not obey, Ier. 42. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. compared with ch. 43. v. 2. Take the Assemblies larger Ca…echism, and see their excellent and most compendious exposition of the commandments, and put thy heart to it. Art thou resolved, in the strength of Christ, to set upon the consciencious practice of every duty that thou findest to be there required of thee, and to set against every sin that thou findest there forbidden? This is the way to be sound in Gods statutes, that thou maist never be ashamed, Psal. 119. 80. Thirdly, Observe the special duties that thy heart is most against, and the special sins that 'tis most inclin'd unto and see whether it be truly resolved to perform the one. and forego the other. What sayest thou to thy bosome sin, thy gainfull sin? What sayest thou to costly and hazardous and flesh displeasing duties? If thou hal…est here, and dost not resolve by the grace of God to cross thy flesh, and put to it, thou art unsound, Psal. 18. 23. Psal. 119. 6.
Dir. X. Let all this be compleated in a solemn Covenant between God and thy soul. Psal. 119. 106. Neh. 10. 29. For thy better help therein, take these few directions.
First, set apart some time, more than once to be spent in secret before the Lord.
1. In seeking earnestly his special assistance, and gracious acceptance of thee.
2. In considering distinctly all the terms or conditions of the Covenant, expressed in the form hereafter proposed.
3. In searching thine heart, whether thou art sincerely willing to forsake all thy sins, and to resign up thy self, body and soul unto God, and his service, to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of thy life
Secondly, Compose thy Spirit into the most serious frame possible, suitable to transaction of so high importance.
Thirdly, Lay hold on the Covenant of God, and rely upon his promise of giving grace and strength, whereby thou maist be enabled to perform thy promise. Trust not to thine own strength to, the strength of thine own resolutions, but take hold on his strength.
Fourthly, Resolve to he faithful, having engaged thine heart, opened thy mouth, and subscribed with thy hand unto the Lord, resolve in his strength never to go back.
Lastly, Being thus prepared, on some convenient time set apart for the purpose, set upon the work, and in the most solemn manner possible, as if the Lord were visibly present before thine eyes, fall down on thy knees, and spreading forth thine hands toward Heaven, open thine heart to the Lord in these, or the like words.
O Most dreadful God, for the Passion of thy Son, I beseech thee accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at thy Door: I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity, and am by Nature a Son of Death, and a thousandfold more the Child of Hell by my wicked practice: But of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ,The terms of our Communion, are either from which, or to which. if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart: Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel, I am now come in, and throwing down my weapons, submit my self to thy Mercy.
And because thou requirest,The terms from which we must turn, are sin, Satan, the World and our own Righteousness, which must be …husrenounced. as the Condition of my Peace with Thee, that I should put away mine Idols and be at defiance with all thine Enemies, which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee, I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all, firmly Covenanting with thee, not to allow my self in any known sin, but conscientiously to use all the means that I know thou hast prescribed, for the death and utter destruction of all my corruptions. And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the World, I do here resign up my heart to Thee that madst it, humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty, that is the firm resolution of my heart, and that I do unfeinedly desire Grace from Thee, that when thou shalt call me hereunto, I may practise this my resolution through thy assistance, to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world, rather than to turn from thee to the ways of sin; and that I will watch against all its temptations, whether of Prosperity, or Adversity, lest they should withdraw my heart from thee: beseeching thee also to help me against the temptations of Satan, to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy grace never to yield my self a Servant. And because my own righteousness is but menstruous rags, I renounce all confidence therein, and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless, helpless, undone creature, without righteousness or strength.
And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched sinner,The Terms to which we must turn, are either ultimate or mediate. to be again my God through Christ, if I would accept of thee: I call Heaven and Earth to record this day, that I do here solemnly avouch the for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration,The ultimate is God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, who must be thus accepted. bowing the neck of thy Soul under the feet of thy most Sacred Majesty, I do here take thy the Lord Iehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for my portion, and chief good, and do give up my self, Body and Soul for thy Servant, promising and vowing to serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life.
And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ,The mediate terms are either principal, or less principal. the only means of coming unto thee,The principal is Christ the Mediator, who must thus be embraced. I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living way, by which sinners may have access to thee, and do here solemnly joyn my self in a Marriage Covenant to him.
O blessed Jesus, I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead, poor and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked; a most loathsom polluted wretch, a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord, much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory: but … such is thine unparallell'd love, I do here with all my power accept thee, and do take thee for my Head and Husband, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, for all times and conditions, to love, and honour, and obey thee before all others, and this to the death. I embrace thee in all thine Offices: I renounce mine own worthiness, and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness: I renounce mine own wisdom, and do here take thee for mine only Guide: I renounce mine own Will; and take thy Will for my Law.
And since thou hast told me that I must suffer if I will reign, I do here Covenant with thee to take my Lot, as it falls, with thee, and by thy Grace assisting to run all hazards with thee, verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me.
And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy Holy Laws,The less principal are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed. as the rule of my Life, and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdom, I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoak, and set my shoulder to thy burden; and subscribing to all thy Laws, as holy, just, and good, I solemnly take them as the rule of my words, thoughts and actions; promising that though my flesh contradict and rebel, yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction; and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty.
Only because through the frailty of my flesh, I am subject to many failings; I am bold humbly to protest, That unallowed miscarriages, contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart, shall not make void this Covenant, for so thou hast said.
Now Almighty God, searcher of hearts, thou knowest that I make this Covenant with thee this day, without any known guile, or reservation, beseeching thee, that if thou espiest any flaw or falshood therein, thou wouldst discover it to me, and help me to do it aright.
And now Glory be to thee, O God the Father, whom I shall be bold from this day forward, to look upon as my God and Father; that ever thou shouldst find out such a way for the recovery of undone sinners. Glory be to thee, O God the Son, who hast loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own Blood, and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer: Glory be to thee O God the Holy Ghost, who by the finger of thine Almighty Power hast turned about my Heart from Sin to God.
O dreadful Iehovah, the Lord God Omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, thou art now become my Covenant-friend, and I through thine infinite Grace, am become thy Covenant-servant, Amen, So be it. And the Covenant which I have made on Earth, let it be ratified in Heaven.
The Authors advice.
THis Covenant I advise you to make, not only in Heart, but in Word; not only in Word, but in Writing; and that you would with all possible reverence spread the Writing before the Lord, as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed. And when you have done this, set your hand to it. Keep it as a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you, that you may have recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations.
Dir. XI. Take heed of delaying thy Conversion, and set upon a speedy and present turning. I made haste, and delayed not, Psal. 119. 59. Remember, and tremble at the sad instance of the foolish Virgins, that came not till the door of mercy was shut; Mat. 25. and of a convinced Felix; that put of Paul, to another season, and we never find that he had such a season more, Acts 24. 25. O come in while it's called to day, le…t thou shouldst be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; lest thy day of Grace should be over, and the things that belong to thy peace should be hid from thine eyes. Now mercy is wooing of thee: Now Christ is waiting to be gracious to thee, and the Spirit of God is striving with th…e. Now Ministers are calling: now Conscience is stirring; now the Market is open, and Oyl may be had, thou hast opportunity for the buying. Now Christ is to be had for the taking. Oh! strike in with the offers of Grace. Oh! now, or never. If thou make light of this offer, God may swear in his wrath, thou shalt never tast of his Supper, Luk. 14. 24.
Dir. XII. Attend conscientiously upon the word as the means appointed for thy Conversion, James 1. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Attend, I say, not customarily, but conscientiously; with this desire design, hope and expectation, that thou maist be converted by it. Every Sermon thou hearest, come with this thought: Oh, I hope God will now come in. I hope this day may be the time, this may be the man by whom God will bring me home. When thou art coming to the Ordinances, lift up thine heart thus to God: Lord let this be the Sabbath, let this be the season wherein I may receive renewing Grace. Oh let it be said, that to day such a one was born unto thee.
Object. Thou wilt say, I have been long a hearer of the word, and yet it hath not been effectual to my conversion. Ans. Yea, but thou hast not attended upon it in this manner, as a means of thy Conversion, nor with this design, nor praying for, and expecting of this happy effect of it
Dir. XIII. Strike in with the Spirit, when he begins to work upon thy heart. When he works convictions, O do not stifle them, but joyn in with him, and beg the Lord to carry on convictions to Conversion. Quench not the Spirit: do not out-strive him: do not resist him. Beware of putting out convictions by evil company, or worldly business. When thou findest any troubles for sin, and fears about thine eternal State, b…g of God, that they may never leave thee till, they have wrought off thy heart throughly from sin, and wrought it over to Jesus Christ. Say to him, Strike home Lord: leave not the work in the midst. If thou seest, that I am not yet wounded enough, that I am not troubled enough, wound me yet deeper, Lord. O go to the bottom of my corruptions: let out the life blood of my sins, Thus yield up thy self to the workings of the Spirit, and hoise thy sails to his gusts.
Dir. XIV. Set upon the constant and diligent use of serious and fervent prayer. He that neglects prayer, is a prophane and unsanctified sinner, Iob. 15. 4. He that is not constant in prayer, is but an hypocrite, Iob 27. 10. (unless the omission be contrary to his ordinary course, under the force of some instant temptation.) This is one of the first things Conversion appears in, that it sets men on praying, Acts 9. 11. Therefore set to this duty. Let never a day pass over thee, wherein thou hast not morning and evening set apart some time for set and solemn prayer in secret. Call thy family also together daily and duly, to worship God with thee. Wo be unto thee if thine be found amongst the families that call not on Gods name, Ier. 10. 25. But cold and lifeless devotions will not reach half way to Heaven. Be servent, and importunate. Importunity will carry it. But without violence the Kingdom of Heaven will not be taken, Mat. 11. 12. Thou must strive to enter, Luke 13. 24. and wrestle with tears and supplications, as Iacob, if thou meanest to carry the blessing, Gen. 32. 24. comp. with Hos. 12. 4. Thou art undone for ever without grace: and therefore thou must put to it, and resolve to take no denyal. That man that is fixed in this resolution, Well I must have Grace, and I will never give over, till I have a grace, and I wi… never leave seeking, and waiting, and striving with God, and mine own heart, till he do renew me by the power of his Grace; this man is in the likeliest way to win Grace.
Obj. But God heareth not sinners: their prayer is an abomination.
Ans. Distinguish between sinners: 1. There are resolved sinners: their prayers God abhors. 2 returning sinners: these God will come forth to, and meet with mercy though yet afar off, Luke 15. 20. Though the prayers of the unsanctified cannot have full acceptance; yet God hath done much at the request of such, as at Ahabs humiliation, and Ninevehs fast, 1… Kings 21. 26. Ionah 3. …, 9, 10. Surely thou maist go as far as these… though thou hast no Grace: and how dost thou know but thou maist speed in thy suit, as they did in theirs? Yea, is he not far more likely to Grant thee, than them; since thou askest in the name of Christ, and that not for temporal blessings: as they; but for things much more pleasing to him, viz. for Christ, Grace, Pardon, that thou maist be justified, sanctified, renewed, and fitted to serve him? Turn to those soul incouraging Scriptures, Prov. 2. 1. to 6. Luke. 11. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Prov. 8. 34, 35.
Is it not good comfort, that he calleth thee? Mark 10. 49. Doth he set thee on the use of means, and dost thou think he will mock thee? Doubtless, he will not fail thee, if thou be not wanting to thy self. O pray and faint not, Luke 18. 1. A person of great Quality, having offended the Duke of Buckingham, the King's great Favourite, being admitted into her presence after long waiting, prostrates himself at his feet, saying, I am resolved never to …is… more, till I have obtained your Grace's favour, with which carriage he did overcome him. With such a resolution do thou throw thy self at thee feet of God. 'Tis for thy life and therefore follow him, and give not over. Resolve thou wilt not be put off with bones, with common mercies. What though God do not presently open to thee? Is not grace worth the waiting for? Knock, and wait, and no doubt but sooner or later, mercy will come.
And this know, that thou hast the very same encouragement to seek and wait, that the Saints now in glory once had: for they were once in thy very case. And have they sped so well, and wilt thou not go to the same door, and wait upon God in the same course?
Dir. XV. Forsake thy evil company, Prov. 9. 6. and forbear the occasions of sin, Prov. 23. 31. Thou wilt never be turned from sin, till thou wilt decline and forgoe the temptations to sin.
I never expect thy Conversion from sin, unless thou art brought to some self-denial, as to fly the occasions. If thou wilt be nibling at the bait, and playing on the brink, and tampering and medling with the share, thy soul will surely be taken. Where God doth expose men in his providence, unavovidably, to temptations, and the occasions are such as we cannot remove, we may expect special assistance in the use of his means. But when we tempt God by running into danger, he will not engage to support us, when we are tempted. And of all temptation, one of the most fatal and perniclous, is evil company. Oh what hopeful beginnings have these often stisled! Oh the souls, the estates, the families, the Towns, that these have ruined! How many a poor sinner hath been enlightned, and convinced, and hath been just ready to give the Devil the slip, and hath even escaped his snare, and yet wicked company have pull'd him back at last, and made him sevenfold more the child of Hell. In one word, I have no hopes of thee, except thou wilt snake off thy evil company. Christ speaketh to thee, as to them, in another case. If thou seek me, then let these go their way, Iob. 18. 8. Thy life lies upon it: Forsake these, or else thou canst not live, Prov. 9. 6. Wilt thou be worse than the beast, to run on, when thou seest the Lord with a drawn sword in thy way? Num. 22. 33. Let this sentence be written in Capitals upon thy conscience, A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED, Pro. 13. 20. The Lord hath spoken it, and who shall reverse it? And wilt thou run upon destruction, when God himself doth forwarn thee? If God do ever change thy heart, it will appear in the change of thy company. Oh fear, and fly this Gulf, by which so many thousand souls have been swallowed into perdition. It will be hard for thee indeed, to make thine escape. Thy Companions will be mocking thee out of thy Religion, and will study to fill thee with prejudices against strictness, as ridiculous and comfortless. They will be flattering thee, and alluring thee; but remember the warnings of the Holy Ghost, My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us: cast in thy lot among us: Walk not thou in the way with them, re…rain thy foot from their path. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For the way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble. They lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives, Prov. 1. 10. to the 18. Prov. 4. 14. to the 19. My soul is moved within me, to see how many of my hearers a…e like to perish, both they, and their houses, by this wretched mischeif, even the haunting of such places, and company, whereby they are drawn into sin. Once more I admonish you, as Moses did Israel, Num. 16. 26. And he spake unto the Congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the Tents of these wicked men. Oh! flie them as you would those that had the Plague sores running in their foreheads. These are the Devils Panders, and decoys; and if thou dost not make thine escape, they will toll thee into perdition, and will prove thine eternal ruine.
Dir. XVI. Lastly, Set apart a day to humble thy soul in secret, by fasting and prayer, and to work the sense of thy sins and miseries upon thy heart. Read over the Assemblies Exposition of the Commandments, and write down the duties omitted, and sins committed by thee against every Commandment, and so make a Catalogue of thy sins, and with shame and sorrow spread them before the Lord. And if thy heart be truly willing to the terms, joyn thy self solemnly to the Lord in that Covenant set down in the 9. Direction, and the Lord grant thee mercy in his sight.
Thus I have told thee, what thou must do to be saved. Wilt thou not now obey the voice of the Lord? Wilt thou arise and set to thy work? Oh man, what answer wilt thou m…ke, what excuse wilt thou have, if thou shoul… …st perish at last through very wilfulness, when thou hast known the way of life? I do not fear thy miscarrying, if thine own idleness do not at last undo thee, in neglecting the use of the means, that are so plainly here prescribed. Rouze up oh sluggard and ply thy work. Be doing and the Lord will be with thee.
A short Soliloqui for an unregenerate sinner.
Ah wretched man that I am! what a condition have I brought my self into by sin! Oh! I see my heart hath but deceived me all this while, in flattering me, that my condition was good. I see, I see, I am but a lost, and undone man; for ever undone, unless the Lord help me out of this condition. My sins! My sins! Lord, what an unclean, polluted wretch and I! more loathsome and odious to thee, than the most hateful Venome, or noisome carcass, can be to me. Oh! what a Hell of sin is in this heart of mine, which I have flattered my self to be a good heart? Lord, how universally am I corrupted, in all my parts, powers, performances? All the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart, are only evil, continually. I am under an inability to, averseness from, and enmity against any thing that is good; and am prone to all that is evil. My heart is a very sink of all sin: and oh the innumerable hosts, and swarms of sinful thoughts, words, and actions, that have flown from thence! Oh the load of guilt that is on my soul! my head is … and my heart full; my mind and my mem…ers, they are all full of sin. Oh my sins! How do they stare upon me! How do they witness against me! Wo is me, my Creditors are upon me: every commandment taketh hold upon me, for more than ten thousand Talents, yea ten thousand times ten thousand. How endless then is the sum of all my debts! If this whole world were filled up from earth to Heaven with paper, and all this paper written over within and without by Arithmeticians: yet when all were cast up together, it would come unconceivably short of what I owe to the least of Gods Commandments. Wo unto me for my debts are infinite, and my sins are increased. They are wrongs to an infinite Majesty: and if he that committeth Treason against a silken mortal, is worthy to be tacked, drawn and quartered: what have I deserved, that have so often lifted up my hand against Heaven, and have struck at the Crown and dignity of the Almighty?
Oh my sins! my sins! Behold a troop cometh! Multitudes! multitudes! there is no number of their Armies. Innumerable evils have compassed me about; mine iniquities have taken hold upon me; they have set themselves in array against me. Oh! it were better to have all the Regiments of Hell come against me, than to have my sins to fall upon me, to the spoiling of my Soul. Lord, how am I surrounded! How many are they that rise up against me! They have beset me behind and before: they swarm within me and without me: they have possessed all my powers, and have …ortified mine unhappy soul, as a Garrison, which this brood of Hell doth man, and maintain, against the God that made me.
And they are as mighty, as they be many. The sands are many, but then they are not great: the mountains great, but then they are not many. But wo is me, my sins are as many as the sands, sand as mighty as the Mountains. Their weight is greater than their number. It were better that the Rocks and the Mountains should fall upon them, than the crushing and unsupportable load of my own sins. Lord, I am heavy loaden: let mercy help, or I am gone. Unload me of this heavy guilt, this sinking load, or I am crushed without hope, and must be pressed down to Hell. If my grief were thorowly weighed, and my sins laid in the ballances together, they would be heavier than the sand of the Sea, therefore my words are swallowed up: they would weigh down all the rocks and the hills, and turn the ballance against all the Isles of the Earth. O Lord, thou knowest my manifold transgressions, and my mighty sins.
Ah my soul! Alas my Glory! Whither art thou humdled! Once the Glory of the Creation, and the Image of God: now, a lump of filthiness, a Coffin of rottenness, replenished with stench and loathsomness. Oh what wor… hath sin made with thee! Thou shalt be term… Forsaken, and all the rooms of thy faculties … solate, and the name that thou shalt be called … is Icabod, or where is the Glory? How … thou come down mightily! My beauty is turned into deformity, and my Glory into shame Lord, what a loathsom Leper am I! The ulcerous bodies of Iob or Lazarus were not more offensive to the eyes and nostrils of men, than I must needs be to the most holy …od, whose eyes cannot behold Iniquity.
And what misery hath my sins brought upon me! Lord, what a case am I in! Sold under sin, cast out of Gods favour, accursed from the Lord, cursed in my body, cursed in my soul, cursed in my name, in my estate, my relations, and all that I have. My sins are unpardoned, and my soul within a step of death. Alas! what shall I do? Whither shall I go? Which way shall I look? God is frowning on me from above? Hell gaping for me beneath; Conscience imiting me within, temptations and dangers surrounding me without. Oh, whither shall I fly? What place can hide me from Omnisciency? What power can secure me from Omnipotency?
What meanest thou O my soul to go on thus? Art thou in league with Hell? Hast thou made a Covenant with death? Art thou in love with thy misery? Is it good for thee to be here? Alas what shall I do! Sh…ll I go on in my sinful ways? Why then certain damnation will be mine end: and shall I be so besotted and bemadded, as to go and sell my soul to the flames, for a little Ale, and a littl… ease; for a little pleasure, or gain, or content to my flesh? shall I linger any longer in this wretched estate? No: If I tarry here, I shall die. What then, is there no help? no hope? None, except I turn. Why, but is there any remedy for such woful misery? any mercy, after such provoking iniquity? Yes, as sure as Gods Oath is true, I shall have pardon, and mercy, yet, if I presently, unfeignedly, and unreservedly turn by Christ to him.
Why then …hank thee upon the bended knees of my soul, O most merciful Iehovah, that thy patience hath waited for me hitherto: for hadst thou took me away in this estate, I had perished for ever. And now I adore thy Grace, and accept the offers of thy mercy. I renounce all my sins and resolve by thy grace to set my self against them, and to follow thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life,
Who am I, Lord, that I should make any claim unto thee, or have any part or portion in thee, who am not worthy to lick up the dust of thy feet? Yet since thou holdest forth the golden Scepter, I am bold to come, and touch. To despair, would be to disparage thy mercy; and to stand off when thou biddest me come, would be at once to undo my self, and rebel against thee, under pretence of humility. Therefore I bow my soul unto thee, and with all possible thankfulness accept thee, as mine, and give up my self to thee, as thine. Thou shalt be Soveraign over me, my King, and my God. Thou shalt be in the Throne, and all my powers shall bow to thee, they shall come, and worship before thy feet. Thou shalt be my portion, O Lord, and I will rest in thee.
Thou callest for my heart. Oh that it were any way fit for thine acceptance! I am unworthy, O Lord, everlastingly unworthy to be thine. But since thou wilt have it so, I freely give up my heart to thee. Take it, it is thine. Oh that it were better! But Lord, I put it into thine hand, who alone canst mend it. Mould it after thine own heart; make it as thou wouldst have it, holy, humble, heavenly, soft, tender, flexible, and write thy Law upon it.
Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly: enter in triumphantly: take me up for thy self for ever. I give up to thee, I come to thee, as the only way to the Father, as the only Mediator, the means ordained to bring me to God. I have dostroyed my self, but in thee is my help. Save, Lord, or else I perish. I come to thee, with the rope about my neck. I am worthy to die, and to be damned. Never was the hire more due to the servant, never was penny more due to the labourer, than Death and Hell, my j…st wages, is due to me for my sins. But I fly to the merits; I trust alone to the value and vertue of thy Sacrifice; and prevalency of thine intercession. I submit to thy teaching, I make choice of thy Government. Stand open ye everlasting doors, that the King of Glory may come in.
O thou spirit of the most high, the comforter and sanctifier of thy chosen; come in with all thy glorious train, all thy Courtly attendants, thy fruits, and graces. Let me be thine habitation. I can give thee, but what is thine own already: but here with the poor Widow, I cast my two mites, my soul, and my body, in to thy treasury; fully resigning them up to thee, to be sanctified by thee, to be servants to thee, They shall be thy patients; cure thou their maladies: they shall be thy agents; govern thou their motions. Too long have I served the world; too long have I hearkned to Satan: but now I renounce them all, and will be ruled by thy dictates, and directions, and guided by thy counsel.
O blessed Trinity, O glorious Unity, I deliver up my self to thee: receive me: write thy name, O Lord, upon me, and upon all that I have, as thy proper goods. Set thy mark upon me, upon every member of my body, and every faculty of my soul. I have chosen thy precepts. Thy Law will I lay before me: this shall be the copy, which I will keep in my eye, and study to write after. According to this rule do I resolve, by thy Grace, to walk: after this law shall my whole man be governed. And though I cannot per…ectly keep one of thy Commandments, yet I will allow my self in the breach of none. I know my flesh will hang back: but I resolve, in the power of thy Grace, to cleave to thee, and thy holy ways, what ever it cost me. I am sure I cannot come off a loser by thee: and therefore I will be content with reproach, and difficulties and hardships here, and will deny my self, and take up my Cross, and follow thee. Lord Jesus thy Yoke is easie, thy Cross is welcome, as it is the way to thee. I lay aside all hopes of a worldly happiness. I will be content to tarry till I come to thee. Let me be poor and low, little and despised here, so I may but be admitted to live, and raign with thee hereafter. Lord, thou hast my heart and hand to this agreement. Be it as the laws of the Medes and Persians, never to be reversed. To this I will stand: in this resolution, by Grace, I will live and die. I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I have given my free consent, I have made my everlasting choice. Lord, Jesus confirm the contract.
Amen.