A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX. What uſe Profeſſours ſhould make of this Goſpel-Glaſs.
ANd now (Profeſſour) to all thy former Sins, Quarrel not with the Glaſs.do not add this great abomination, that, having had the Glaſs of the Word, ſo faithfully revealing many of thy ſins to thee, thou ſhouldſt go away and ſtrait forget what manner of man thou haſt been. Let not Satan tempt thee to quarrel with the enterpriſe; for that the Glaſs is not broad enough to ſhew to thee all thy ſtains and deformities: know here are enough, preſented to thy view, to lay thee low enough in Hell without Repentance. Perhaps alſo by thy corrupt reaſon thou canſt plead for one or two particulars, or bring it under debate, whether they are ſtains or not? But know to the confuſion of thy face, here are ſpots, unqueſtionable ſpots diſcovered, and ſuch as are not the ſpots of Gods Children. But wouldſt thou improve this (or any other ſuch) Glaſs for the good of thy Soul? Let Gods Honour, and thy precious Souls everlaſting welfare perſwade thee to receive in meekneſs and love the following Counſels.
1. Reflect on all the particulars, Improve it for promoting Conſideration and Meditation.that thou may'ſt ſee what are thine iniquities. Do not behold only, and ſo goe away: be not contented with ſlight apprehenſions; but muſe, that the Fire may burn: Conſider how oft in the Bill of Attainder, thy Conſcience tells thee thou art guilty. O! ponder theſe things in thine heart; chew the Cud, recoyl upon thy ſelf: Let the Lord hear one the more for thee crying out what have I done? How have I provoked the Lord? By meditation retain the memory of thy ſins, with all their aggravations, as much as thou canſt: ſet paſt ſins in preſent view, and poſſeſs the ſins of thy youth, as if they were juſt now committed: now track the abominations of your lives: charge this duty upon thy own Soul, as that which muſt be done, as thou wilt anſwer it at thy peril before God and Angels. Perhaps hitherto you have forgot your corrupt lives, and hearts, as you have your natural faces forthwith; but let it be ſo no more for Chriſts ſake. Conſider not only how many of theſe ſins you have been guilty of; but how frequently, and for how many dayes, or years, thou haſt lived in ſome of theſe abominations, having oft been guilty of the ſame ſin; though perhaps thou knew'ſt it to be a ſin, and haſt prayed and reſolved againſt it: And becauſe the particulars may ſeem little ſins (though in a ſenſe there is no little ſin; becauſe there is no little God, and ſins have their accents and aggravations from the perſon, who is affronted) yet becauſe it is with ſin, as it is with ſtones, you may carry this ſtone and that ſtone without trouble, with much caſe; but when many little ſtones are heared together, they become weighty and heavy to bear: therefore I adviſe that by ſerious meditation you ſum them up joyntly, till your backs, or rather your hearts be broken, and you take up the language of the Prophet, My ſins are paſſed over my head, Pſal. 38.4.they are become too heavy for me to bear: Reflect not only on thy Pride, and careleſsneſs, and other particular miſcarriages; but put all the Items into one main Sum, that it may ſtoop thy heart.
2. Confeſsion.Away now, and preſent thy ſelf before the great and holy God, whom thou haſt provoked by theſe, by all theſe great abominations, and upon thy knees give glory to him by confeſſing to him as many of thy ſins, as thou canſt remember, with all their aggravating circumſtances. Joſh. 7.19.It is the ſame advice, that Joſkuah gave to A…chan, tell God what thou haſt done, and what thou…aſt left undone, Hide it not from him: Confeſs to God all thy low unworthy thoughts of him, all thy enmity againſt him, his Laws, and People, &c. Go, and confeſs what envy, what malice, what ranckour hath lain in thine heart againſt thy Neighbour: Confeſs to the Lord how oft thou haſt spoke evil of dignities, of the blood-royal, of the favourites of Heaven, of the Sons and Daughters of the moſt High, who were more righteous than thy ſelf. Many times thou haſt brag'd with the Phariſee, what ſins thou haſt not been guilty of: now confeſs what thou haſt been guilty of. I know if thou art an Hypocrite thou art loth to bring it forth, thou thinkeſt it will be a ſhame to thee; But let me tell thee, it is a ſhame that thou art guilty of ſo much ſin; but it is no ſhame to acknowledge it. Only in your Confeſſions take this advice. Set your ſins in order: enumerate the ſeveral ſins you have been guilty of, and though every numerical thought and Act of ſin is not poſſible to be cited; yet give diligence to find out as many as thou canſt, and ſpread them before the Lord.
Bring forth eſpecially that ſin or ſins, All your ſpecial ſins.which are thy ſpecial ſins, whereby thou haſt moſt provoked God. David gave a touch at his Sins in the beginning of his Penitential Pſalm; but his Adultery and Blood-guiltineſs lay moſt upon him, and he is never at eaſe till he hath vomited them up in confeſſion.
Be ſure then that, Of all of them.upon a review of this, or any better Catalogue, thou cry unto thy heart, as Samuel to Jeſſe, Are here all thy Children? Are here all thy ſins? He that doth not confeſs a ſin, hath a mind to commit to that Sin again. An hypocrite will confeſs ſome, nay many, ſins, but there is one ſin he is loth to bring forth: it is a Jacobs Benjamin, Job. 20.1….they would keep it back: one ſweet bit is covered under the Tongue. But certainly it is extreme folly to impoſe upon God; for he knows every thought of thy heart, yea he knows thy thoughts before thou know'ſt them: he knew what thoughts Iſrael would have in the Wilderneſs. David lay ſomewhile under this piece of Hypocriſie: he kept ſilence a long time, which made his bones wax old, his moyſture was turned into the drought of Summer: Pſal. 32.3, 4, 5.But at length (though it was long firſt) his ſin came out, I acknowledge my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I ſaid I will confeſs my Tranſgreſſions unto the Lord. Be not like Judas: he confeſſeth his betraying of Chriſt, but there was a cloſe ſin which he would not uncover, viz. his covetouſneſs. I meet with many who will confeſs ſuch ſins as are moſt in faſhion, viz. their dulneſs under Ordinances, their formality, their vain thoughts in duty, &c. But when did you hear Profeſſors confeſſing their envy at the gifts, graces, and privileges of their Brethren. Paul's ſin was perſecuting Gods Church, and how ready is he to tell God and all the world of it? A good Copy to write after.
Bring forth the aggravating circumſtances, With all their aggravations.and lay them before the Lord. Some confeſs ſin, but their confeſſions are accompanied with ſtrange excuſes and extenuations, viz. it was done through the inſtigation of the Devil, it was done inconſiderately, &c. Such are not for ſhaming themſelves before the Lord; but like Lawyers, plead as well as they can for a bad cauſe. Avoyd all extenuating Confeſſions: Father not thy Brats upon the Devil, leſt thy account ſwell even for wronging Satan, when indeed thou waſt inticed and drawn aſide by thy own luſt. Beware of this folly; for know that extenuating ſin aggravates it, and aggravating extenuates ſin before the Lord.
Let thy Confeſſion be ingenuous and free. Freely.Sometimes Conſcience, like an over-charged Stomach, doth ſo over-preſs men, that they cannot hold, but muſt out with their uncleanneſs, &c. Thus it is eſpecially when the Horrours of Death have compaſſed them round. This confeſſion of ſin proceeds not from hatred of ſin, and diſplicence with it; but from fear of puniſhment: they hope if they confeſs ſin any how, any way, they ſhall obtain mercy, and this makes many throw up what otherwiſe they would hide for ever. But O! that you would be more ingenuous in your acknowledgements than Pharaoh and Judas were, who ſhould ſay ſomething upon the Wrack, when Gods Hand and Conſcience preſt them down. I know what you will do upon the peruſing this ſad Catalogue, if God do not ſanctifie the book unto you: you will confeſs ſin, but not your own: you will fall a cenſuring the perſon or party you do not love, crying out O! how guilty are ſuch and ſuch before the Lord? O! how is God diſhonoured by them? how doth Religion ſuffer by them? yea, but how much hath Gods Name ſuffered by thy lightneſs, frothineſs, pride, ſenſuality, back-ſliding? &c. O! run with tears, and confeſs all thine own ſins before God. God requires it, Only acknowledge thine iniquity, Jer. 3.13that thou haſt tranſgreſſed againſt the Lord thy God: And God tells you it is a means to obtain remiſſion, 1 John 1.9.If ye confeſs your ſins he is juſt and faithfull to for give. Some ſay, confeſs, and be hang'd; but I ſay confeſs, or you'l be damn'd. If you had rather be damned than be ſhamed, thou loveſt thy Name better than thy Soul: The Lord be mercifull to thee, or elſe thou wilt loſe both, when Chriſt ſhall come to Judge the Earth; for then whatſoever is hid, ſhall be publiſhed.
Let your Confeſſion be frequent, Frequently.yea conſtant, until at leaſt God hath done away thy ſin. It may be you may fear your heart is ſo hard, that you ſhall but ſin by a formal dull confeſſion, or enumeration of your ſins; But yet do it as well as thou canſt, and if thy heart be hard, go, and complain of it to God, and beg him to take away the heart of ſtone: let the ſight of this hardneſs drive thee the ſoonner and the oftner to the Throne of Grace, and there lye before the Lord, till he cleave the Rock, that the waters guſh out, till thy tears vye with thy ſins: Do as our Engliſh Martyr, who ceaſed not his Confeſſions till his heart was melted and broken for his ſins.
3. Contrition.Labour to get your hearts broken for all your Rebellions againſt God, for all the impurities of your hearts and lives. Son of Man, Ezek. 21.9, 10.Propheſie and ſay, thus ſaith the Lord, ſay, A Sword, a Sword is ſharpned, and alſo furbiſhed: it is ſharpned to make a great ſlaughter: it is furbiſhed that it may gliſter: ſhould we then make mirth? Heb. 12.25. Ezek. 22.19, 20, 21.Even our God hath been a conſuming fire: and ſhall not we mourn? The houſe of Iſrael is become droſs, even the droſs of ſilver, and therefore God hath gathered them into the midſt of Jeruſalem, as they gather ſilver and braſs, iron, and lead, and tin, into the midſt of the Furnace, to blow the fire upon it, and hath blown upon them in the Fire of his Wrath, and they have been melted in the midſt thereof; and ſhall not we lament? Yea God hath been exceedingly diſhonoured by Hypocriſie, falſhood, breaking of Vows, Murmurings, cruelties, neglects of his Worſhip, &c. Should we then make mirth? Have not we great cauſe, even more cauſe than ever any people had, to tremble, not only at the dreadfull Judgements of God, that are already upon us, and that hang over our heads, but at the helliſh impieties, that ſwarm in our hearts? View not only this imperfect Catalogue, but look from Geneſis to the Revelation, and what ever filthineſs wa… found in Men or Kingdoms, may be foun… upon our skirts: and ſhall not we hang up our harps? refuſe to be comforted? ſhall not we lye down proſtrate before God, and pour out water before the Lord, and weep till we can weep no more? Tremble O my heart! under all theſe provocations: And let your hearts be as the leaves of a treee that is ſhaken by the Whirlwind. What ſo many helliſh luſts to ſwarm in thy heart? What guilty of ſo many millions of iniquities againſt the God of Heaven, and yet thou ſecure, light, vain and frothy? I profeſs if I did not know what a ſtone I have within, I ſhould wonder all the day long, how it is poſſible we can ſtand under ſo much guilt without ſhreiks, cryes, and lamentations: I ſhould wonder how you eat, and drink, and ſleep, how you can laugh or ſing, whilſt God is ſo provoked. Can I think that man lives, who is not moved by the weight of a mountain on his back. Profeſſour, thou haſt that which is heavier than Mountains of lead upon thy Soul, and yet thou hardly feeleſt it: Thou doſt not groan under that, which drew not only tears of water, but of blood, yea clots of blood, from the eyes and veins of Jeſus Chriſt. I wonder how you continue your claims to Chriſt, how you can call God, Father, Chriſt, Redeemer, whilſt you have ſo little love to him, and whilſt you were never pricked at the heart, for all the injuries that you and others have done him: Whom you love, you are troubled for, if he be injured, by your ſelves, or others: But where is your Soul-trouble for your own and other mens ſins? Are not many as ſenſual as ever? as great ſervants to the fleſh as ever? Have you not your Feaſts and Entertainments as formerly? Though it be a day, Iſa. 22.12, 13, 14.wherein the Lord calls to weeping and mourning, to baldneſs and girding with ſackcloth: yet behold joy and gladneſs, ſlaying Oxen, and killing Sheep, eating fleſh, and drinking wine: And hath not the Lord ſent you a word, that may make your knees to tremble? Is not the hand-writing plain? It was revealed in mine ears, by the Lord of Hoſts, Surely this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you, till you dye, ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts. O! Fall down amazed, fill thy Spirit with horrour, away into thy Cloſet: though thou art in the gall of bitterneſs, and bond of iniquity; yet pray to the Lord, if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart, and the wickedneſs and prophaneſs of thy life, and particularly thy unſeaſonable mirth, and fleſhly indulgencies, may be forgiven. How can you trade with ſo much guilt upon you? You have had your pleas for your covetouſneſs, and inordinate affections to the World, that God bids you provide for your own: But what think'ſt thou of thy Soul? Is that no part of thine own? Is that no piece of thy charge? O! Provide for thy Soul: Thy Soul cannot be ſafe, whilſt ſtained with ſo many thouſand impurities, which were never mourned over to this day. O! Let ſorrow enter into the very inwards of thy heart, and let the inſupportable preſſures of ſin ſink thy very Soul: Zech. 12.10.Mourn as the tender Mother for her only Son: be in bitterneſs, ſo as thou canſt not reliſh thoſe things, which thou haſt hitherto followed with ſo much eagerneſs: Let the loathſomeneſs of thy ſins be continually before thine eyes, as thy ſtanding diſh: So it was with Repenting David, Pſa. 51.3. Lam. 5.16. Lam. 1.1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 21.My ſin is ever before me: So it was with the Church, Woe to us, we have ſinned. It is true, they were under fearful Plagues: How doth the City ſit ſolitary, that was full of people? How is ſhe become a Widow, She that was great among the Nations, and Princeſs among the Provinces, how is ſhe become tributary? — Among all her Lovers, ſhe hath none to comfort her, all her Friends have dealt treacherouſly with her, &c. She dwelleth among the Heathen, ſhe findeth no reſt: all her Perſecutours overtook her between the ſtraits. The wayes to Zion mourn, &c. She came down wonderfully, and ſhe had no Comforter, &c. The Enemy hath magnified himſelf, &c. From above hath he ſent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth againſt them, &c. All mine Enemies have heard of my trouble, they are glad that thou haſt done it. Lam. 2.3, 15, 16.The Lord hath burned againſt Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about, &c. All they that paſs by, clap their hands at thee: they hiſs, and wagg the head, at the Daughter of Jeruſalem, ſaying, Is this the City, that men call, the Perfection of Beauty, Lam. 4.6, 11, 16.the Joy of the whole Earth? All thine Enemies have opened their mouth againſt thee: they hiſs, and gnaſh the teeth, and ſay, We have ſwallowed her up: Certainly this is the day we looked for, We have found, We have ſeen it. The puniſhment of the iniquity of the Daughter of my people, is greater than the puniſhment of the ſin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hand stayed on her. The Lord hath accompliſhed his fury, he hath powred out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The anger of the Lord hath divided them, &c. Lam. 5.2, 8, 10, 11.Our Inheritance is turned to Strangers: our Houſes to Aliens. Our Necks are under Perſecution, We labour, and have no reſt. Servants have ruled over us: there is none to deliver us out of their hand. Our skin was black like an Oven: becauſe of the terrible Famine. They raviſhed the Women in Zion, and the Maids in the Cities of Judah. But yet they mind not their miſery, ſo much as their ſin, Woe unto us; for we have ſinned. In order to the promoting of this godly ſorrow, I do importune thee, with the higheſt fervency I can, that thou ſeperate ſome extraordinary time, to humble thy ſelf, by Faſting and Prayer, that God would give thee Repentance, for thine own, and thine other mens ſins: Perhaps to this day thou haſt never obſerved one in order to the getting of a broken heart. O that I could now prevail with thee; for this is the means, that God hath bleſt again and again: On ſuch dayes God hath ſoftned many an heart, and caſt out the Devil of ſecurity and hardneſs, which could not be caſt out in ordinary times of waiting upon God: Let thy main requeſt on that day be for a deep conſideration of all thy ſins, with all their ſeveral aggravations, and a deep humiliation for them. O! I beſeech you, if you have any love to Chriſt, to the credit of Religion, to your periſhing Souls, break through all buſineſſes and impediments, and retire your ſelves, and fall down at the footſtool of God, more ſolemnly, than ever you did: If you are, by the conſideration of your provocations, humbled in the very duſt, be ſure to keep Conſcience tender; Let not your convictions dye, ſtrike again and again, ſmite on the thigh again and again, whilſt the Iron is hot: This fire may be kept alive, by bringing new fuel to it. Labour exquiſitely to afflict your Souls, that you ſhould be ſo fooliſh, ſo vile, as under Chriſts Livery, to commit ſo great, and ſo hideous abominations. Take words, and ſay, O the Light that I have abuſed! O the means of Grace that I have ſlighted! O the little ſervice that I have done to Chriſt! O the many diſ-ſervices! Let theſe things cut, and grave, and afflict, and humble thy Soul exceedingly from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, till God be pacified towards thee: beware leſt the motions of a lazy heart cauſe thee to deſiſt ſooner. A patient that hath had a long diſeaſe, muſt continue in the uſe of the preſcriptions, till the ill humour be purged away.
4. Indignation.Let your ſorrow be accompanied with deteſtation. See all your ſins and loath them, and your ſelves too. This is promiſed, they ſhall loath their ways and doings which are not good? O! how much ſin have we confeſſed, which yet we have ſecretly hug'd in our hearts? Labour to have your hearts riſe againſt your pride, hypocrifie, &c. Hate ſin not only for Hell, but as Hell, yea hate your ſelves for your ſins, yea hate your ſelves that you can hate your ſins no more. O that my hatred of my Luſts might be greater than ever my love was unto them! I wiſh from my Soul Profeſſors were more apprehenſive of Gods Judgements, that are upon them and the Nation for their ſins: I wiſh many of us were come up to the frames of the hardhearted Jews, and expreſſed ſo much tenderneſs, as they did, when Gods hand was heavy upon them, their ſins alſo were an heavy burden: Hoſ. 7.14.In their affliction they ſought God early: they mourned and humbled themſelves very much; though with the removal of their trouble, their ſorrows wore away. However be not ſatisfied with this ſorrow; but labour for ſuch ſorrow as David had, when he was wounded in his heart for ſin, though Nathan told him his ſin was forgiven, yet he continued his ſorrows for his great tranſgreſſions: Labour I beſeech you for tears of hatred and indignation, be greatly diſpleaſed with your ſelves, becauſe you have ſo fooliſhly and wretchedly diſhonoured God, and ventured your eternal undoing; and if yet thine eyes be not like the Fiſhponds of Heſhbon for thy ſins, take words, and ſament before God thine hardneſs of heart, that thou ſhouldſt ſo grievouſly offend and provoke God, ſo good, ſo gracious a God, and that notwithſtanding thine heart ſhould remain unbroken.
5. Supplication.Let there be added hearty cries to God for pardon of all theſe and all other abominations. Who forgives him, that ſcorns to ſue for Remiſſion? Here is your work in this day: the Devil and a falſe heart will put you upon other work; but this is your preſent work: Cant. 1.6.They made me the keeper of the Vineyards; but mine own Vineyard I have not kept. But O! do not leave the work that God ſets you about. I know it is your duty to provide for the bodies of your Children; but conſider the danger of thy Soul, what guilt thou art under, and give the Lord no reſt till he hath blotted out all thy ſin, and art aſſured that he will remember it no more. Relieve not thy ſelf with the general bounty of God, or with the free grace and rich mercy of God, whilſt thou neglecteſt to cry to God for grace and mercy. He will be ſought unto by the houſe of Iſrael. Prize thy condition, that thou art alive to pray: (thou mightſt have been in Hell, there to howl for ever and ever) Seek the Lord, whilſt he may be found: Seek in time before it be too late: And if thou doubteſt whether thou haſt an intereſt in Chriſt and the promiſes, becauſe of thy hideous tranſgreſſions; yet remember the gracious words that tell once from the mouth of Chriſt to the Samaritan: John 4.10.If thou didst know the gift of God, thou wouldſt have asked, and he would have given thee living water. Though thou art unworthy of Childrens bread, and haſt deſerved to be caſt forth among the dogs; yet thou haſt to do with a bountifull and mercifull Lord: and therefore be not caſt down, ſo as to be diſcouraged from waiting on the Lord. It was ill ſaid of him, why ſhould I wait on the Lord any longer? There is no hope. I would have thee take better words into thy mouth, and ſay, Lord I am unworthy to be the object of thy mercy, unworthy to live, worthy to be denyed, becauſe thou didſt call and I did not hear, therefore if I call, thou mayſt juſtly turn me off in thy fury: thou mighteſt anſwer me by terrible things in righteouſneſs, But deal not with me according to my deſervings: O! make me the great inſtance of the power of thy grace, let thy mercy in pardoning be great, exceeding great O God!
Do not delay the ſuing out thy pardon, Without delay.away quickly to the Throne of Grace. Remember Faelix put off his work till ſome other time. There is danger in delays, leſt your ſenſe of ſin and ſorrow for it vaniſh and decay: blow up the firſt ſparks of grace, leſt they go out and dye again: take the firſt advantages of the grace of God. Haſt thou an inclination to humble thy ſelf, to pray, to ſeek Gods face, improve it quickly, leſt the wrath of God (who is nighly provoked already againſt thee) break form upon thee, and there be no remedy. Do not you know that you have loſt the ſenſe of the love of God? But have you alſo loſt all ſenſe of Gods wrath! Do not you wonder you eſcape? that you are yet alive? that you are not free among the dead: incorporated with the Hypocrites and damned crew? Will you, dare you, go on in your hardneſs of heart? Will you treaſure up wrath against the day of wrath? O! God forbid. Lay by the world (thy falſe friend, thy treacherous Joab, that hath ſmitten to the earth, with its kiſſes, and its ſmiles) Here is a buſineſs on which thy life, the life of thy precious Soul depends. Prepare to meet thy God: wrath is gone out from the Lord, howl, weep, cry, it may be you ſhall be hid is the day of the Lords wrath, it may be your ſins ſhall be forgiven. Though the law be a looking-glaſs to ſhew you your ſpots (the Baver under the law was made of looking-gloſſes) yet it cannot cleanſe you: it is the Goſpel alone, that pardons Away ye wandring Sheep to the great Shepheard of your Souls: Hebr. 13.20.great he is in affection and love to his flock, he hath laid down his life for you, he hath purchaſed you with his own bloud. Nathans parable of the Ewe-Lamb is moſt true of Chriſt, and his beloved Flock: he hath nouriſhed you up, and he is willing to lay you in his boſome. View your great Surety this day. He came under an Arreſt for you, he hath diſcharged the debt of all that come by faith to him. Rom. 4.25.He was delivered for our offences, and was raiſed again for our juſtification. He is willing the inceſtuous (when penitent) ſhould not have his wounds lye undreſſed, leſt Satan take any advantage thereby. Act. 20.21.I… there …e Repentance towards God, let there be Faith towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. If he hath given you the fore-runner, you have his pledge, his pawn, that he will forgive you. Do not ſay, God heareth not ſinners, whilſt there is a Fountain opened for ſin and for uncleanneſs. All thy ſins cannot ſhut it; becauſe it is opened to waſh away ſin.
6. Add to Supplication Reſolution. Reſolution.How can you pardon your very Child, that will not promiſe to do ſo no more? Let it be in the purpoſe of your hearts to neglect meditation no more, to keep up bitterneſs among Chriſtians no more, &c. Enter into an holy Vow againſt your ſins. Be a through Proteſtant, proteſt againſt the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil. It will be thus if your hearts be throughly humbled for your ſins, and truly inflamed againſt them. O ſay! what have I to do with Idols any more? O that you were very reſolute, come Life, come Death, come Heaven, come Hell; yet I will change my courſe: I will not (through Gods grace helping me) do as I have done, omit as I have omitted. If you are not very peremptory to reſiſt Satan and Sin, not to yeild unto Temptation, you encourage the Enemy to tempt you, whilſt you are not reſolved to deny his … citations. That woman is in danger of new ſollicitations to uncleanneſs, who doth not reſolutely bid defiance to the firſt Temptation of the Ruffian. Perhaps you wonder, that after many prayers, &c. your ſin ſtill prevails; But know (ſaith one) ſin will be your Conquerour, if you be not reſolved to be its enemy. Till reſolution againſt all ſin be wrought in you, God will hate all your prayers for the pardon of your ſins. He hath an impudent forehead, a forehead of Braſs, that dares go in before God, and ſay: O Lord! I beſeech thee to pardon my worldlineſs, and earthly-mindedneſs, for I am not yet reſolved to be Heavenly minded: O Lord, pardon my envy, and I truſt thou wilt do it, for yet I am unreſolved to part from it: Pardon my Rebellions; for I am not yet reſolved whether I ſhall ceaſe to be a Rebel. Believe it, whilſt you do not reſolve to hate ſin, it is a clear ſign you have nor a ſpiritual knowledge of its evil: Did you in the light of the Spirit ſee ſin in its nature, and in its bitter effects, did you ſee it as utterly inconſiſtent with all real happineſs, and as the infallible and unavoidable precipice of your intollerable and eternal damnation, this would make you hate ſin, and to be irreconcilable to it.
But here I muſt give you this caution, In the ſtrength of Chriſt.that you raiſe not your reſolutions on your own ſtrength, for then you will ſoon quit them by reaſon of your own weakneſs. When you bind your ſelf by a Vow againſt ſuch a ſin, take Chriſt into the Bond to be ſure…y for you, to give you help and ſtrength to perform in the hour of temptation. Auguſtine profeſſed that though the thoughts of leaving his ſins were once a great burthen to him, yet at length being peremptorily Reſolved, he found it a moſt eaſie and delightfull thing to live without them. Friends, your ſufferings may be nearer than you are aware of: Your ſands I am ſure run faſt, and no ſtop is put to them: you may not expect that the ſhadow will go backward ten degrees, it may rather go forward: you may hardly have one hours warning before you muſt remove hence: how ſuddenly hath God cut down the Cedars and the thiſtles amongſt us? O! in that day it will be as ſcalding lead to thee, that death and judgement ſurprized thee, when thou hadſt not ſo much as reſolved to leave thy curſed Rebellions againſt thy God.
7. See what becomes of your Reſolutions: Reformation. Pſal. 119.106.how they are made good: thou haſt purpoſed not to offend, yea covenanted with thy God for better obedience, yea thou haſt ſworn to keep his righteous Judgements. But haſt thou dealt uprightly with thy God? O! be not ſatisfied with purpoſes and reſolutions; but look to the performances of them. Bleſſed are ye of God, if all the ſinnes you have been convinced of, and have engaged againſt, be now put away: if there be no more pride, covetouſneſs, contention, ſelf-ſeeking, &c. returning with ſeven worſe Devils upon you. I pray God we may ſee (more than Reſolution) ſome real and permanent effect of all your Confeſſions, Sorrows, and Reſolves. O! O! O! how would it rejoyce my Soul to ſee an effectual alteration in the Faces, and Lives, and Converſations of Profeſſours? How ſhall I bleſs God for ever, if by ſeeing your Faces in this imperfect Glaſs, you be transformed, and your hearts and Eves be put into a new frame of obedience? Among all the ſig…ts in the World, none ſadder than to ſee multitudes, that had their Faces Zion-wards now facing about to the vanities of the Gentiles. O! how glorious, how deſirable a ſight will it be to ſee theſe returning with weeping and ſupplication.
Here remember your Reformation muſt be general and ſpecial, GeneralO! Labour to do as much for God and Grace, as you have done for the World and Self. As ye have yeelded your members ſervants to iniquity unto iniquity: Rom. 6.19.So now yeeld you members Servants of Righteouſneſs unto Holineſs. Redeem all former omiſſions by a double diligence: you having idled away much of your time, had need ſpur up your ſelves. See that you walk circumspectly, not as Fools, but as Wiſe, redeeming the time.
But it is not only a general Reformation that I adviſe you to: Special.Watch alſo and pray againſt thoſe ſins by which you have moſt diſhonoured God. If thou a… recovered of a dangerous diſeaſe, thou wilt general…y me a good diet; but eſpecially get Antidotes and Preſervatives againſt that diſea…e thou waſt ſo lately cured of. O, where the enemy hath made the greateſt breaches, there let there be double guards, and double …o… cations. Be Tertullians, true penitents: Nonvult iterum Divinae miſericordiae oneri, &c. Tert.He would not burthen the Spirit of God, again to deliver him from that ſin. Follow a worthy Pattern, When David had ſhed blood, and had prevailed with God to pardon that ſin, afterwards, though he longed for the waters of Bethlehem, yet he abſtains, and checks himſelf, becauſe it did but hazard the blood of his Captains.