The Wells of Salvation Opened, Section 18

The Wells of Salvation Opened · Section 18

p. 123SECT. XVIII.

III. I Am to tell you Words to guide you in the way to attain Salvation. And here I shall

1. Direct what things you must do, that you may be saved.

2. Shew what Means you must make use of to help you in those things.

1. What Things you must do that you may be saved. Take this in these Ten Directions.

1. You must see your selves lost.

2. You must mourn for sin.

3. You must turn from sin.

4. You must believe in Iesus Christ.

5. You must get a new Nature.

6. You must lead a New Life.

7. You must resolve upon sufferings for Christ, if called.

8. You must study and apply the Promises of the Covenant of Grace.

9. You must give up your selves in Covenant unto God.

10. You must be stedfast and persevere in the Wayes of God unto your lives end.

Direction 1. You must see your selves lost, if you would be saved; Luk. 19.10. our Saviour telleth us, that he came to seek and save that which was lost. You must be lost if you would be found: We read Luk. 15. of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the p. 124lost Son, all which were found again, and that with joy. When sinners perceive themselves to be lost and undone, and know not what to do, then they are neer to be found and saved by Jesus Christ: O then as ever you expect Salvation by Christ, you must see and be sensible of your lost estate, whilest you are in a state of Nature: And for this end you must get a Conviction,

1. Of your sin.

2. Of the Punishment you have deserved for your sin.

3. Of your Insufficiency to satisfie Gods Iustice.

4. Of your inability to make resistance, and defend your selves.

5. Of the Impossibility of your fleeing and escaping Gods wrath.

6. That as yet you have no Interest in Christ, who alone is able to deliver you from the wrath to come.

1. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must get a Conviction of your sin, your eyes must be opened to see your selves guilty of sin before God, and your mouths must be stopped, so as to have nothing to say if the Lord should condemn you. You must not only understand the nature of sin in the general, that it is a transgression of the holy, and righteous, and good Law of the holy and glorious God of Heaven and Earth; but also you must be particularly and thorowly convinced, that you have transgressed this Law of God; you must be convinced of your particular sins: As to the kinds of your sins, you must 1. See your selves guilty of Original sin, of Adams first transgression by a just imputation, you being in his loyns, and parties in the first Covenant: and then you must see what inherent sin there is in p. 125your nature, that you were conceived and born in sin, that you are a viperous brood, a Se…p…ntine generation, a seed of evil doers; that the Toad is not fuller of poyson, than your natures are full of sin; that your natures are contrary unto the nature of God, and have an enmity in them against the Law of God, Rom. 6.7. You must be convinced, how your natures are depraved, being wholly destitute of Original Righteousness, empty of all good, and inclinable wholly unto evil; that they are a polluted fountain, from whence can proceed nothing but what is unclean; that they are a bitter root, from whence doth spring forth such cursed fruits of sin in your lives; and you should look upon your sin of nature to be the worst, because the Original of all actuall transgressions. 2. You must be convinced of your actual sins, how you have broken Gods Law in thought, word and deed, you must see your sins of Omission, and your sins of Commission, against the first and second Table of the Law, and take notice of the number of them, so far as you can remember, together with their aggravations; if they have been committed through ignorance when you have had means of knowledge, if against light of Nature and the Word, if against the reluctance of natural Conscience, if against many Warnings and Reproofs, if they have been committed with security, hardness of heart, delight, greediness, pride, presumption, obstinacy, and the like; and that you might be convinced of the gu…lt of sin, you must look into the Law, in which as in a glass you may see your natural face, and all the spots thereof; the Law will discover the sin of your natures, as it requireth perfect conformity thereunto in habit, disposition, p. 126and inclination, and forbiddeth all evil byasses of the will and heart to sin, as well as external transgressions; Moreover the Law will discover to you your actual sins; but then you must look beyond the head Precepts of the Law, which are but ten, for you must take notice of the several branches belonging to every head, which are many; as for instance, If you would finde out whether you are guilty of Adultery, you must not only look upon the Precept as forbidding only the gross outward act, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, but as reaching to the inward desires and inclinations, and so our Saviour, Math. 5.28. interprets this Precept, that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart; and so in the Precept, Thou shalt not kill, it is murder not only to take away the life of another by violence, but also to be angry with our brother without a cause; and so in the other Precepts. And as you must look into the Law for Conviction of sin, so you must also look into your own Consciences, and read what is there registred, and compare your hearts and lives with the Law; and you should call to minde the places you have lived in, the busin…sses you have been employed about, and the circumstances of your lives may bring to remembrance many sins committed long ago, with their aggravations. You must get thus a conviction of the guilt of your sins, especially if you have fallen into any grosser sin in your life, as adultery, drunkenness, theft, if you have been guilty of swearing, Sabbath-breaking, profaneness, or the like; you must see the heinousness of them, and withall you must see that every sin which you have committed is heinous, as p. 127it is a dishonour to the highest Majesty, who is infinitely more exalted above the greatest Earthly Kings and Potentates, than they are exalted above the meanest Worm, or Flie; and for such as you to dishonour and affront him by sin, is very heinous. This is the first thing, a Conviction of your sins, which you must endeavour after.

2. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must get a convic…ion of the punishment which God hath threatned, and you have deserved for your sins; will the Lord put up the affronts which are offered to him by his Creatures? will he bear the dishonours of his great and glorious Name by sin, without punishing the sinn…rs? No surely, his holiness will not permit it, his Justice hath been offended, and must have satisfaction, and therefore he threatneth to punish the offenders most severely; God threatneth temporal calamities and death, as the wages of sin; and because through patience he forbeareth to punish many transgressions so remarkably in this life; and the most dreadfull temporal Judgements which he inflicteth upon any, are no wayes proportionable to the desert of their sins, and the demands of his infinite Justice; therefore he threatneth eternal punishment in Hell; look into some places of Scripture, where the Lord doth denounce severe threatnings against sinners, Gal. 3.10. Cursed in every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Eph. 5.6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 2 Thess. 1. 8, 9. Christ will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance p. 128on them which know not God, and obey not the Gospel, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. Rom. 2.6, 8, 9. God will render unto every man according to his deeds, to them who are contentious and do not obey the truth, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man that doth evil. That you may see and be sensible of your lost estate, you must be convinced not only in the general of the justice and equity that such Judgements should be inflicted on sinners, because God himself hath denounced them in his Word, who cannot be unjust toward his Creatures; and because sin hath deserved them, being the breach of his Law, which is holy and just and good; and an offence of an infinite Majesty, whose Justice is infinite, and must be satisfied with a proportionable punishment unto the offence: but also you must be convinced that you are such sinners; that you have committed such and such sins, that you have broken the Law in such a point, and such a point, and in every point; that you are guilty of fornication, or drunkenness, or theft, or covetousness, or lying, or profaneness; and it may be of all these, and more than these: The first is the conviction of the Law, the second the conviction of the Fact, then follows the third conviction which is of the State, that therefore you are under the Curse, that you are condemned, that the wrath of God hangeth over your head, and that you must be tormented for sin most horribly and eternally in Hell: It is the conviction of the dreadfull punishment of Hell which God hath threatned, and unto which you are exposed for sin, that will awaken you to a sense of your lost state, when the p. 129conviction is imprinted deep upon you by the Spirit; when you believe that Hell is no Fiction, but a reality, as certainly prepared for the wicked, as God is above preparing places in Heaven for his people; and you have a peep-hole (as it were) into Hell, and imagine something of the torments which the damned there do, and shall endure for such sins as you have committed; how they roll and tumble in flames of brimstone, how they are lashed by an accusing Conscience, tormented with and by the Devil, and even consumed by the wrath of a sin-revenging God, how they cry, roar and howl, how they weep and wail, and gnash their teeth, and that this must be their condition for ever; and when withall you think that you are walking upon the brink of this pit, and hastening towards the place of these flames, that Hell doth belong to you, that you are in the number of the cursed crew, some of whom have already taken up their lodging in Hell, and that you are like to come thither shortly, that you are lyable every moment to drop into the burning Lake, then you will perceive that you are lost and undone.

3. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must be convinced of your insufficiency to satisfie Gods Iustice for your sins; if you could do this, you might do well enough; but this you cannot do, Gods Justice is infinite, and requireth infinite satisfaction, which you being finite are insufficient to give; what can you offer to God? thousands of Rams, rivers of Oyl, Mines of Silver, Mountains of Gold, Rocks of Pearl, yea the whole Creation, if it should offer it self to be annihilated, could not make compensation to Gods Justice for one sin, nothing less than infinite must be the satisfaction; and p. 130therefore this should make you further sensible of your lost estate in your selves.

4. You must get a conviction of your inability to resist and defend your selves against God, who hath threatned so severely to punish you for sin; as Gods Justice is infinite, and therefore you cannot satisfie it; so his Power is infinite, and you cannot resist it; who can stand in his sight when once he is angry? who can defend himself against an Omnipotent arm? If God whet his glittering Sword, and his hand take hold on vengeance, what Powers of Earth are strong enough to make resistance? Read how God expresseth himself concerning such as set themselves against him, Isa. 27.4. Who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battel? I would go thorow them, I would burn them together. Look upon your selves as briars and thorns, yea as dryed stubble before a consuming fire, which hath no power to resist the flame; and therefore that you are lost and undone in your selves because of your sins.

5. You must get a conviction of the impossibility of your fleeing from and escaping Gods wrath, which hath you in pursuit; whither can you go from his presence? or whither can you flee from his anger and indignation? See Amos 9.2, 3. Though they dig into Hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up into Heaven, thence will I bring them down; and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea, thence will I command the Serpent, and he shall bite them. You cannot flee into any place but God will follow you; you cannot hide your selves in any place but God will finde you; there is as little hopes p. 131of escaping Gods Wrath, as of resisting his Power. See Psal. 21.8, 9. Thine hand shall finde out all thine enemies, not only some, but all sinners, thy right hand shall finde out them that hate thee: Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine anger, the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. By this time sinners, methinks you should perceive your selves to be lost and undone; all refuge now fails you, there is no escaping for you.

6. But lastly, that you may fully know that you are in a lost estate, you must get conviction, that as yet you have no interest in Christ, who alone can deliver you from the wrath of God, which is to come upon the ungodly. Indeed Christ can and doth deliver his people from wrath, and the punishment their sins have deserved; but when you know that you are out of Christ, then you may know you are in a lost estate; if you suppose that you have an interest in him without good grounds, you are like to be lost irrecoverably, and not know it till it be too late; therefore you must know that as yet you have no interest in him, that all your pretensions to him have been presumptuous conceits; that so you may be lost in your own apprehensions. Can you think you have an interest in Christ, that never truly mourned for sin, that never hungred after Christ, that have no true Faith to apply him? have you interest in Christ that have no true Love to Christ, and never yielded subjection to Christ? Have you interest in Christ that have no Influence from Christ? have you Union to Christ that have no Communion with him? No, no, all you that are Unbelievers, and have persisted hitherto in a sinfull course, p. 132are strangers unto Christ, and therefore be convinced that you are in a lost estate: And O how should fear and trembling possess you through the apprehensions of the dreadfull wrath of God? how should you go up and down like condemned malefactors, that are condemned to Hell, and know not how soon they may be dragged to execution? O what reason have you to lye down in terrour, and rise up in terrour, and feed upon terrour all the day long! Such thoughts as these are suitable to the condition of such as you. It may be the next step I take, I may step into Hell: Alas! Alas! I am in a state of damnation, and did not know it; I have been dancing about the brinks of Hell, and did not perceive it; I have been affronting God all my daies by my sins; now I see that God is highly offended with me for those sins I made light of: I am the covet…us person whom the Lord abhorreth, Psal. 10.3. I am the deceiver whom he curseth, Mal. 1.14. I am the Adulterer whom he will judge, Heb 11.4. I have greatly sinned, and now I see God is greatly angry, and his anger burns like fire; he frowns, and his frowns are most dreadfull, and I fear he will cast me to Hell, and make me feel the power of his anger in my everlasting ruine; I fear I must dwell with devouring fire, and take up mine eternal abode with the Devil and my fellow-damned sinners: O I fear I am damned! I am damned! O happy is the Dog and the H…rse, yea the Worm and the Toad, who ere long shall be anihilated; but I am cursed, and I fear that I shall eternally be tormented: O I am lost, I have lost my God, and I fear I am lost, and shall be lost for ever! O I am undone! undone I vile and miserable sinner! O wo be to me that ever I was born! that ever I sinned, and provoked God to such displeasure! But is there no spark of hope p. 133yet? is there no escaping, no reconciliation attainable? O what shall I do to be saved! I cannot save my self, and no creature can help me; but is there no other way? Thus you must see and be sensible that you are lost in your selves if you would be saved.

Direction 2. You must mourn for sin, if you would be saved; except ye repent, saith our Saviour, ye shall all likewise perish, Luk. 13.3. Those that laugh and rejoyce now in a way of sin, shall mourn and weep for it for ever to no purpose, Luk 6.25. But blessed are they that mourn for sin now, for they shall be comforted and saved, Matth. 5.4. The seed time of repentance accompanied with the showers of tears, will return with the harvest of salvation, and sheaves of joy and comfort, Psal. 126.5, 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him, Therefore see what the Apostle exhorteth unto, which is necessary to your salvation, Iam. 4.9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Sinners, you have delighted your selves in sin, you must now be afflicted for it; sin hath been sweet in your mouth, it must now be bitter to your heart: God calls you to salvation by his Son, but withall he calls you to weeping, and mourning, and deep humiliation in order hereunto; not that your tears can wash off the guilt of your sins, nothing can do this but the blood of Christ; not that God delights in your griefs and sorrows as such, but p. 134because mourning is needful for you to prepare you for Christ, and Salvation by him; whilst sin is sweet unto your taste, you will roll it under your tongue, and hug it in your bosom; you will spare it, and nothing will perswade you to part with it; but when you taste the bitterness of sin in compunction and sorrow for it, then you will spit it out; when you perceive the gall and the wormwood, then your mouth will be put out of rellish, then you will desire no longer to suck at the breast of sin; whilst you are insensible of sin, you will be insensible of your need of a Saviour: None but sick persons do prize and send for the Physitian, and none but such as are sick of sin, and groan and mourn under the burden of this sickness, do prize a Christ who is the soul-Physician, Matth. 9.12. Were you made sensible of sin indeed, you would eagerly enquire after Christ, and greedily hearken unto the glad tydings of salvation which he hath purchased; what shall I do to get an interest in Christ? where is he to be found? how is he to be received? what are his terms? what are his commands? do any thing, part with any thing, you would not then think much to lay down your selves, and all that you have at his feet, so you might have him; none but Christ, none but Christ would you then desire; and if you might have all the world without him, you would not be contented. Sinners, would you be saved by Christ, get your hearts affected with godly sorrow for sin, and that you may mourn deeply and kindly, you must get not only a conviction of the guilt of sin, and the punishment which is due for it, which you cannot escape; but you must look further into the nature of sin, and get a sight and sense of the evil of sin; you must look p. 135not only to the consequential evil of sin, but also to the intrinsecal evil of sin; not only to the Hell which is like to follow upon it, but also to that Hell which there is in it; look to the evil of sin not only as it is like to burn you, but as it hath black… and smutted you; as it hath depraved and deformed your souls, which are of heavenly original, as it hath degraded and debased yo…, polluted and defiled you. But chiefly look upon the evil of sin as it reflecteth dishonour upon God, upon God that is so holy and glorious, and that is so good and gracious, as it displeaseth that God that made you, that hath exercised so much patience towards you, when he could so easily have cut you off in the act of sin, and appointed you your place and portion amongst the damned in Hell long ago; and that hath moreover been so bountiful to you, though sinners and his enemies, that he hath maintained you at his cost and charges all your daies; but especially see the evil of sin, as it offendeth that God who is ready to be reconciled, and hath made such provision for reconciliation, which you could never have thought of, namely, through the death and mediation of his Son, whom he hath given for you, and proffers to give to you; and in him doth treat with you, and by us Ministers doth send intreaties to you, that you would accept of this reconciliation, lay down your weapons, and be reconciled unto him, 2 Cor. 5.20. Break, break ye rocky hearts at this, what is God willing indeed to put up such high affronts? and to forgive such great sins? and doth he stoop to entreat and beseech such mean creatures, and wretched sinners as you to be reconciled? O be filled with astonishment and admiration, and go cast your p. 136selves down at his feet with self-loathing and abhorrency at the hideous nature, and monstrous ingratitude, and baseness of your sins! let your hearts melt within you like Wax, or Snow, when the Sun shineth upon it with heat and brightness; let your eyes drop down tears, as the morning doth drop dew upon the flowers: What! have I affronted such greatness? dared such power? trampled upon such patience? and abused such goodness too? and after all doth God beseech me to be reconciled? was it such a God whom I offended? vile wretch! O that I had never committed such sins! O that I had never been drunk, or unclean, or profane! O that I had never sworn, nor lyed, nor stoln, nor offended God in any of my actions! It repents me, it grieves me at the very heart that I have sinned, and that I can grieve no more for it.

Direction 3. You must turn from sin, if you would be saved; see Psal. 7.11, 12, 13. God is angry with the wicked every day; if he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath prepared for him the instruments of death. And God threatneth, Psal. 88.21. that he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses: Therefore men must turn from all their transgressions, otherwise iniquity will be their ruine, Ezek. 18.30. They must cast away their sins as a menstruous cloth, saying unto them, get ye hence, if they would be received into favour, Isa. 30.22. They must not only confess their sins, but also forsake them, if they would find mercy, Prov. 28.13. The wicked must forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn to p. 137the Lord, and then he shall have pardoning mercy abundantly, Isa. 55.7. When men cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then, though their sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wo…ll, Isa. 1.16, 17, 18. Sinners, turn from your evil waies, you have done iniquity, do so no more; you have gone on hitherto in a way of sin, proceed no further, it is the way to Hell, turn out of it: Let him that hath stoln, steal no more; and him that hath been filthy, be filthy no more; and him that hath been unjust, be unjust no more: Drunkards, forbear your drinking; swearers, refrain swearing; lyars, teach your tongues to speak truth: Break off your course of sin; turn from all gross sins as to the practice, and turn from all sins as to the affection.

Direction 4. You must believe in the Lord Iesus Christ, if you would be saved: This is the direction which Paul gave to the Jaylor, when under conviction of sin he came in to him and cryed, What shall I do to be saved? he saith to him, Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, Act. 16.30, 31. So in Peter's Sermon, Act. 10.43. To him gave all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins. There is no Saviour but by Christ; and there is no salvation by Christ b…t by faith, and therefore we are said to be saved through faith, Ephes. 2.8. As faith is the instrument to apply the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Let me then exhort you to get faith, which is absolutely necessary unto salvation: Get faith of the right kind; there is a general, common, historical, temporary, hypocritical, dead p. 138and ineffectual faith; but do you labour after a special, lively, unfeigned, eff…ctual, justifying and saving faith; and that you may not be mistaken in this great point on which your salvation doth depend, I shall describe that faith which is of the right kind, and will certainly save you if you obtain it.

Faith is a grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God, whereby a poor sinner being made sensible of the guilt and power of his sins, and the utter insufficiency of himself, or any creature in the world, to give him any help or succour; and having in the G…spel a discovery and proffer made unto him of the Lord Iesus Christ, as an all s…fficient, most merciful and faithful Advocate and Saviour, doth go quite out of himself, and acc…pt, lay hold, rely, and rest vponupon him, and him alone, for pardon, and grace, and e…erlasting happiness. Or more br…efly thus, Faith is a grace of God wher…by the humil…d sinner doth accept and rely upon Christ alone for salvation, as he is held forth in the Promises of the Gospel.

If you would attain this grace of Faith, take these Directions.

1. You must be fully perswaded that the Scriptures which reveal Christ, are indeed the word of God; this is the foundation of all faith, therefore I shall briefly suggest some Arguments to prove the divine Authority of the Scriptures: As 1. Because of that majesty, purity, holin…ss, heavenliness which doth app…ar in the S…r…ptures beyond all other writings. 2. Because of the design and drift of the Scriptures to debase man, and exalt God and his glory above all. 3. Because of the admirable contexture, and contrivance, and sweet harmony of the Scriptures in all the parts thereof, though written by so many several men in several ages and places, p. 139which sheweth that they were all acted by the same Spirit of God. 4. Because of the wonderfull work of mans Redemption there set forth at fi…st more darkly, afterwards more clearly, which no mortal b…ain could have invented, much less could any created power have effected. 5. Because of the great power which this word hath to convince, convert, and comfort. 6. Because of the confirmation of the Scriptures by miracles. 7. Because of the acknowledgement of the Scriptures to be Gods Word in all ages. 8. Because of the many millions of Martyrs, who have sealed the Truths of the word with their blood. 9. Because of the witness of the Spirit in and with the word, which doth bear testimony to the hearts of Gods people, that the Scriptures are his Word, and were indi…ed by his Spirit. Whence it followeth, that the Scriptures are true, because God, the Author of them, is true, and cannot lye; and whatever is there revealed, is as certain as those things which are most demonstrable to sense or reason: This is the first step to your believing in Christ who is made known in the Scriptures, to believe that the Scriptures are Gods Word.

2. If you would attain a saving faith in Christ, you must be convinced and fully p…rswaded of your lost estate without Christ, and your absolute need of him, of which before.

3. You must be perswaded, that it is not in your own power to believe, that it is not of your selves, but is the gift of God, Ephes. 2.8. and therefore must apply your selves to God, that he would not only give you his Son, but also give you the hand of faith to lay hold on him, that he would work in you this grace of faith by his Spirit.

p. 1404. You must consider those Arguments of Scripture which encourage faith: As for instance, I shall mention four heads of Arguments for faith, from the consideration 1. Of God. 2. Of the Promises. 3. Of Christ. 4. Of the Saints.

1. From the consideration of God, who hath given his Son to save sinners; it is an encouragement to …aith, to consider, 1. That God is mercifull, and therefore willing to pardon and save, otherwise he would not have sent his Son; he doth not delight in the death of sinners, Ezek. 18.23. but delighteth to shew mercy; see Micah 7.18, 19. Exod. 34.6, 7. Psal. 103.8, 9, &c. 2. That God is faithfull in his Promises of salvation, which he hath made through his Son in his Covenant of Grace: God needed not have made the Covenant, nor promised mercy to any sinners▪ but having made the Covenant, he is eng…g…d to make it good. 3. That it is for his glory to save sinners through his Son, the glory of his free grace, yea and justice too, which hath been fully satisfied by Christs death.

2. You have encouraging Arguments for faith, from the consideration of the Promises, which are, 1. Large, made to all sorts of persons, and all sorts of sinners, none are excluded. 2. Full, they extend to all sorts of sins, though never so many and great, Isa. 55.7. 3. Free, nothing is required on your part but accepting. 4. Sure, being the Promises of God in Christ.

3. You have encouragement to believe in Christ for salvation, from the consideration of Christ, the proper object of faith: 1. The quality of his person who is God and man in one person, that he might reconcile man unto God. 2. The merit of his p. 141sufferings, which (as hath been shown) was of infinite value, and sufficient for the redemption of men. 3. His alsufficient power to save those that come to him, Heb. 7.25. 4. His mercy and faithfulness to make reconciliation, Heb. 2.17.5. His interest with the Father. 6. His continual intercession at the right hand of God, Heb. 7.25.

4. You have encouragement to believe in Christ for salvation, from the consideration of the Saints, the experience which they have had of salvation by Christ, some of whom have been as vile sinners as you: You have as good grounds to come unto Christ, and believe in him for salvation, as the most holy men alive before conversion.

5. If you would attain this grace of faith in Jesus Christ, you must labour to act it, looking up to God for help herein; endeavour to cast and roll your selves upon Christ, to apply Christ and his merits, and to rely upon him and his righteousness: It is in your endeavour that God doth work; and h…re you must endeavour again and again against all opposition which you find from the D…vil and your own evil heart of unbelief, which will be ready to carry you away from Christ. So much for the 4th. Direction.

Direction 5. You must get a new Nature, if you would be saved: You must be made partakers of the Divine Nature, if you would be made partakers of this salvation: You have brought unholy and impure natures into the world with you, which must be changed and renewed after the Image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, before you can be in a state of salvation, and see the Kingdom p. 142of God: This new nature, which is absolutely necessary un…o salvation, is begun in the work of regene…ation, and carried on in the work of sanctification: In regeneration the work of grace is begun, the habits of grace are infused; a new principle of sp…ritual life is put into the soul; and sin (which before l…ved, and had dominion over the man, imploying all his members as instruments of unrighteousn…ss, to make provision for the satisfaction of its affections and l…sts) doth receive its deaths wound, and loseth its …ce and r…igning power: In sanctifi…ation, the work of grace is c…r…i…d on, the habits of grace are strengthned and en…eased; the n…w man doth grow, and the old man doth decline and de…ay; there is a vivification or quickning more and more of grace, by the influence of the Word and Spirit, and a mortification or subd…ing more and mor… of …em…ning iniquity. What our Saviour tells N…demus, …h. 3.3. Ex…ept a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: I may tell you, that unless ye be born again, unless ye be regenerated, ye cannot be saved, no possibility of entring into the Kingdom of H…aven, without yo… get this new nature: A man must be born the first time, before he can poss…ss a temporal inheritan…; and a m…n m…st be born again, before he can possess the eternal inh…ritance: You m…st be children b…ore you can be heirs, Rom. 8.17. children not only by a…option, but also by regeneration: Ye must b… Sun…, before meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the S…ints in light, Col. 1.12. You must have the new nature, before you can enter into the New Ierusalem: You must be made like to God in holiness, before you can be admitted to live with God in the place of everlasting p. 143happiness; God doth suffer the wicked that are unclean and unholy, to live before him in the Out-house of the Earth; but he will not permit any except such as are sanctified to live with him in the Palace of H…ven. O then labour after a work of Grace upon your heart; be perswaded of the worth of Grace, that … and precious J…w…l, that the l…st measure of Grace is of mere worth than ten thousand World…; be sensible of your want of it, that naturally you are without it, that it doth not grow in Natures Garden, that you have no good Nature in you before God, till your Nature i… renewed; be ready to receive the …eed of Grace, which drops down from above whilest People are attending upon Gods Ordinances▪ be ready to hearken and yield to the Spirits motions, whereby this work of Grace is effected: And having the work begun, O cherish the Grace you have got, and as new-born B…bes d…sire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow th…reby; and labour to cleanse your selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, that ye may perfect holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.

Dir…i…n 6. You must lead a new life, if you wo…ld be saved, see wh…t k…nd of Life the grace of God wh…ch bri…th s…lvation doth r…q…re and … nam…ly▪ to … and w…rldly … and godly in this present world, … You must d…ny ungo illness and worldly last, you must put off concerning the … the old m…n which is corrupt … to d…c…i…full …. p. 144and not fashion your selves according to the former lusts, in your ignorance and unregeneracy, 1 Pet. 1.14. not running with others unto the same excess of riot, 1 Pet. 4.4. not walking according to the course of a profane and ungodly world, Eph. 2.2. but saving your selves from an untoward generation, Act. 2.40. as he that hath called you is holy, so you must be holy in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15. you must live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; soberly in regard of your selves; righteously in regard of others; and godly in regard of the Lord.

1. Soberly, in regard of your selves; which implyes, 1. Temperance in eating and drinking, you must take heed of Gluttony and Drunkenness: 2. Chastity, you must take heed of Adultery and Uncleanness, in thought, speech, look, and act. 3. Moderation, you must be sober in your desires after these earthly things, and take heed of inordinate affection to any thing.

2 You must live Righteously in regard of others: You must give to every one their due, and do to others as you reasonably can desire that they should do unto you, you must take heed of unrighteousness either in regard of Commutative Justice in your buying and selling, borrowing and lending; and in regard of Distributative Justice in dispensing of rewards and punishments; you must beware of oppr…ssing, afflicting, injuring any, of going beyond or defrauding any, of withholding dues, keeping back wages from those that have done you service, knowing that if they cannot, God will be the avenger of all such.

3. You must live godly in regard of the Lord; p. 145you must especially shew your New Life in the immediate Worship of the Lord, and that publickly in his House, privately in your Families, secretly in your Closets; you must worship God in the Ordinances of his own appointment; and this you must do with reverence, having an awe and dread of God upon your spirits, with whom you have more immediately to do; with sincerity, having a sincere respect to Gods glory therein, and that you might be accepted by him, and meet with him; with vigilancy watching the sittest time in regard of the thing, and the temper of your Bodies and Souls, and the breathings of Gods Spirit; with humility, sensible of your sinfulness, unworthiness, weakness, emptiness, neediness; with diligence, before to prepare your hearts, and in Ordinances to engage them, and resist the Devil and the contrary workings of the flesh; with frequency, laying hold on all the opportunities as you can, without neglecting other businesses, which for that time you may be more necessarily called unto; with fervency, getting your hearts if you can raised and enlarged, labouring that they may burn within you with love to God; with delight and complacency in God, and above all with Faith in Jesus Christ, through whom alone it is that you can have strength to perform duties, and that you can have any acceptance in them by the Father.

Direction 7. You must resolve upon sufferings for Christ, if called, if you would be saved; you must bear the Cross, if you would wear the Crown, rem…mbring that if the Cross be weighty it will work p. 146for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. you must re…kon upon sufferings for Christ before hand, and resolve that you will stick to him and his wayes, though you should lose esteem by it, and become the Drunkards Song, and be reproached amongst men; though you lose liberty by it, and be thrust into Prison; though you should lose Estate by it, and be brought to pinching want; though you should lose Friends by it, and have none to stand by you; though you should lose Life by it, and be cut off in the midst of your years; otherwise you cannot be Christs Disciples indeed, and obtain this salvation which he hath purchased. See the terms which our Saviour propounds, Luk. 14.26, 27. If any man come unto me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brethren and Sisters, yea and his own life, he cannot be my Disciple. This we are to understand, that a man must choose to displease Father, Mother, Wife, Children, the nearest and dearest Relations, and part with any thing in the world, yea with Life it s…lf, rather than to displease and part with Jesus Christ; and that we must resolve to bear the Cross, whatever it be that God hath allotted for us, otherwise we do not accept of Christ upon Gospel-terms; you must resolve to be partakers of the affliction of the Gospel, if you would obtain the salvation of the Gospel; you must resolve to suffer with Christ, and for his sake when called, if you would reign and be glorified together with him. Whatever profession you make of Christ and his wayes in time of peace and prosperity, when the Sun of persecution doth … upon you with burning heat, you will wither and fall away, and turn p. 147fearfull Apostates, and then your last estate will be worse than your first; and as your sin will be greater here, so your punishment will be more dreadfull hereafter in Hell, where you will confess that the light sufferings which you have declined for Christs sake here, are not worthy to be compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of wrath which you must endure for your Apostacy unto all eternity.

Direct. 8. You must study and apply the Promises of the Covenant of grace, if you would be saved; without the Covenant of grace there had been no possible salvation for any of the fallen Children of Men; the Covenant of Works which God made with Man at the first, being broken by sin, it doth condemn all that are under it, it is by vertue of the Covenant of Grace that any are brought into a state of salvation; therefore study and apply the Promises of this Covenant: Now you must know that all the Promises of the Gospel, which are scattered up and down the Scripture do belong unto this Covenant; but I shall spread before you those few more general Promises which the Apostle doth make mention of, where he treats of the New Covenant, Heb. 8 10, 11, 12. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their minde, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People; and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest; for p. 148I will be mercifull unto their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Here are Four great Promises which the Lord hath made to his People, which I shall explain (though not in the order of the Text) that you may the better understand and apply them.

1. God promiseth that he will be to them a God, and they shall be to him a People; this includes all the rest: It is a full and sweet promise that God will be our God, it hath a great deal more in it, than we can conceive; we may look and look again, and though our Faith have never so piercing an eye, never so large and deep reach, yet we cannot look to the bottom, and fathom the depth of this Promise; we may suck and suck again at this breast, and though we draw never so hard, we can never draw forth all the sweetness that is in this Promise. To have God to be our God, it is very great, it is very sweet: Indeed God is the God of all his Creatures, yea of his enemies, and the vilest sinners; but to be our God in this place sounds and signifieth more than that which is common to all; it speaketh a peculiar relation, a special interest and propriety in God; in this promise God doth make over himself and all that he hath to us, so far as we are capable of receiving; he giveth himself to be our portion, he engageth his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Mercy, Love, and all his Attributes to be employed for our good, he promiseth to be our God here, and to be our God for ever; it signifieth that he will be our Father to love and cherish us, to preserve, and provide for us whilest we live, and to take our Souls to himself when we dye, and to raise up our bodies at the last day, and make both p. 149perfectly glorious and happy in Heaven, when time shall be no more. He promiseth also that we shall be his People; we cannot make our selves so, but he promiseth that he will make us so; he will make us his Children, he will adopt us, he will regenerate us, give us the title, and give us the disposition of Children; all this and much more is contained in this Promise, That God will be our God, and we shall be his People, even the whole work of our salvation from our effectual Calling unto our eternal Glorification.

2. A second great Promise of the Covenant of Grace is, That God will be mercifull unto our unrighteousness, and that he will remember no more our sins and iniquities; it is a promise of mercy in the free pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, this is an exceeding great and precious promise, without which there were no access for us unto God, no attaining eternal happiness, no escaping eternal misery, guilt would shut us out of Heaven, and sink us into Hell without a pardon. This Promise is of vast extent, it reacheth to all sort of sins, Unrighteousness, Sins, Iniquities; no sin is too great for God to pardon, if the sinner doth believe.

3. A third Promise of the Covenant of Grace is, that God will give us the knowledge of himself; they shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest; they shall not teach one another the knowledge of God, that is, they cannot, or they shall not be able to do it; they may and ought to teach one another instrumentally; it is the duty of some to teach, and the duty of others, and they have need, to learn, p. 150but they shall not be able to teach effectually; they may give instructions to one another concerning God and his wayes, but they cannot give light; they may set the light before them, but they cannot set up the light in them; they may open Truths, but they cannot open the Understanding; this is the work of God only to do, and this he hath undertaken by Promise to do, they shall all know me, they shall be taught of God by his Spirit the knowledge of himself; he teacheth by men instrumentally, but he will teach us by his Spirit effectually.

4. A fourth Promise of the Covenant of Grace, is, that God will put his Laws into our hearts, and write them in our minds: the Law was written before on Tables of Stone, but here he promiseth to write them on fleshly Tables of the heart; which is done not with Pen and Ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3.3. this Promise is very comprehensive, it includes not only the giving of a spiritual discovery of the minde and will of God, but also the giving of spiritual dispositions, affections, and strength to perform it; and by consequence the removal of indispositions, the purging out of corruptions, the mortifying of lust, the taking away the heart of stone, and giving a heart of flesh, the giving a new heart, the putting the Spirit within us, and causing us to walk in his Statutes, and to keep his Judgements and do them, as this Promise is branched forth, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27.

These in brief are the chief Promises of the Covenant of Grace, labour to understand them, and apply them that you may be saved.

p. 151Direct. 9. You must give up your selves in Covenant to God, if you would be saved; God hath put his hand and seal to the Covenant which he hath made through his Son with you, and you should put your hand to the Covenant and engage your selves unto the Lord; you were dedicated to the Lord by your Parents when you were b…ptized, then you understood not what was done; now you are arrived to years of understanding, you should make it your own act, and dedicate your selves to the Lord: and the more solemnly you enter into Covenant with God, the more strong Obligation it may be upon you to walk closely with God all your dayes: Some have directed to do it under hand-writing, subscribing the name, and some have put words into your mouths, which you may do it, in if you are not so well able to express the terms your selves; you have this done in Mr. Guthry and Mr. Allen's books, if those Books be not at hand, I shall set before you this Platform, which you may make use of in entring solemnly into Covenant with God.

I A.B. do acknowledge my self to be the Creature and Subject of the great and glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth, in whom I live, move, and have my being, and from whom I receive every good thing which I receive; and therefore am obliged to conform my minde, will and affections, to order my words, wayes and whole conversation according to his most wise and good, most righteous and reasonable Laws: Besides which natural Obligation, however born in sin, and thereby disenabled, yet being born in the Church, and p. 152Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and by my Parents dedicated unto God when I was an Infant; I am further obliged by Covenant to be the servant of the Lord. But having proved a Rebel and Traytor against the Highest Maj…sty, breaking his Laws, and Covenant-ties which have been upon me, spending years of my life in a state of strangeness and enmity to God, in the service of the Devil and my own Lusts, I do now solemnly re…ew my Covenant with God, that the breach may be made up which sin hath made between God and my Soul.

Being in the First place convinced of the guilt of my sins, whereby I have affronted and offended the highest Majesty, whose Iustice must be satisfied; and withall convinced of my own utter inability to make the least satisfaction either by doing or suffering, and that my Righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and therefore altogether insufficient to procure for me the pardon of sin, the favour of God, and the peace of Conscience; as also fully perswaded that no meer Creature is able to give unto me any help and relief in this case. And being informed by the Word of God what the Lord Iesus is, hath d…ne, and suffered for poor sinners, That there is no Name und…r Heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved, but only the Name of Iesus Christ; that he is able to save all them unto the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing be ever liveth to make intercession for them; that he is a mercifull and faithfull High-priest in things pertaining to God, to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People; that whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out: and finding a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that God will be mercifull unto our unrighteousness, and that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more; which p. 143Covenant is of full force through the death of Christ the Testator thereof: and having Christ set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood, and his Righteousness declared for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God; and this Christ freely tendered unto me, and being invited earnestly, yea entreated that I would be reconciled unto God through him; and by the Spirit being perswaded of the truth of these things, and hereby encouraged to apply my self unto Christ, and the Promises through him unto my self: I do now (grieving that I have offended God, groaning under the burden of sin, renouncing all my own righteousness, hungring after the Lord Iesus Christ and his righteousness) upon the bended knees of my soul come unto him, and cast my self wholly upon him; I cho…se him for my only Advocate to plead my cause in the Court of Heaven, to procure for me Pardon and Reconciliation, that being justified by Faith, I may have peace with God through my dear Lord Iesus Christ.

Next, repenting from the bottom of my heart of my sins, grieving that I have such a sinfull Nature, such a deceitfull heart, that I have so adulterated my affections, and gone a whoring from God to the Creatures, that I have so indulged my flesh, and satisfied its irregular desires, that I have given ear to the Devil, and complyed as I have done with his temptations: I now renounce all allegiance and service to the World, to the Flesh, and to the Devil, these enemies of the Lord, and of my peace, which warr against my Master, and against my own soul; covenanting and promising never to give away my heart any more from the Lord unto any person or thing in the World; to refuse the World for my portion and p. 144chief happiness; to deny my flesh its sinfull desires and demands; to resist the Devil and his Temptations; not to live and allow my self in any known sin, and to make use of all the known means which the Lord hath prescribed for the crucifying of the World, for the mortifying and utter extirpation of sin, for the resisting and overcoming the Devil. And being perswaded of the power and interest, the subtilty and deceitfulness of these enemies, and withall sensible of my own imprudence, folly, weakness and inconstancy, I humbly and earnestly implore and beseech the highest Majesty, who is infinite in wisdom, power, and goodness, that he would give me counsel and discretion in the use and management of all means and helps that I may not neglect any, nor through sloth and imprudence s…ffer a lesser duty to justle out a greater, that he would give me courage, strength and constancy in the maintaining my spiritual warfare against these my spiritual enemies unto my lifes end. And if ever I should fall through unwatchfulness and weakness, (which the Lord grant I may never do) I do promise in the strength of the Lord to arise again by Faith and Repentance. And because of the Body of sin within me, and remaining corruptions, I shall be subject (during my abode here) unto daily failings and infirmities; I do promise to pray, watch and strive against them, beseeching the Lord to strengthen me herein, and grant that my sinfull infirmities may be lesse every day than other; in the mean time looking upon those disallowed miscarriages contrary to the settled bent and resolution of my heart, as insufficient to make my Covenant void.

p. 145Furthermore, being convinced of the vanity, emptiness, and utter insufficiency of any or all the Creatures in the World, to make me happy, had I the most desireable enjoyment of them; and having a discovery of the infinitely blessed God made unto me in his Works, chiefly in his Word, as being the chief good of man, and withall a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that he will be our God, yea our Father through Christ, and that we shall be his people, his Sons and Daughters: I do here with deep veneration of Soul, and chief estimation of minde, choose the thrice Blessed Iehovah for my Portion and chief good, beyond all persons and things in this World; and do avouch him this day to be my God. I humbly accept of the relation of a Servant and a Son, or Daughter, which he hath called me unto. I put my self under his wing, and commit my self to his care and Tuition; and henceforth shall be bold through my dearest Lord to call him, and look upon him to be my God and Father; and humbly shall expect from him Protection and Provision in his way and work, Correction, Audience of Prayer, and the fulfilling of all those Promises unto me, which he hath made unto his Children.

Moreover, being perswaded that none can come unto the Father, but by the Son; nor share in any spiritual priviledge, but through Christs death and intercession, and being perswaded of the infinite amiableness of Christs person, the greatness of his love and affection unto the children of men, as also of his infinite desireableness in regard of those offices, and relations which he hath vouchsafed to take upon him, and enter into for the good of his people: I do avouch the Lord Iesus Christ to be my only Saviour, and p. 146choose him in all his Offices and Relations. I choose Christ to be my High-Priest, to intercede, and procure for me daily pardon, access unto God, acceptance of my person and service, audience of my prayers, and supply of all my wants. I choose Christ to be my Prophet, to teach me by his Word and Spirit the will of the Father. I choose Christ to be my King to rule and govern me, to command my whole man into the obedience of himself. I choose Christ to be my Captain, to go before me, and to tread down my spiritual enemies under my feet. I choose Christ to be my Friend and Brother, to counsel and advise me, to stand by me in all the difficulties and straights of my life. I choose Christ to be my Husband and beloved, humbly accepting of this near and sweet Relation which he calleth me unto. I joyn and espouse my self unto the Lord Iesus; and do promise to be for him only, and with full purpose of heart to cleave unto him, to love, honour and serve him, never to deny nor leave him whatever reproaches and distresses I may meet withall for his sake; though Persecution should arise, and that even unto death, I do promise to own his Name, and Cause, and Truths, and Wayes, so long as I have breath in my Body: But knowing that I am utterly insufficient to do any of these things in my own strength, therefore upon the knees of my Soul, I earnestly beseech that I may have strength for all these from himself alone.

Further, because God my Father is invisible to the eye of sense, and incomprehensible by the grasp of Reason; and because my dearest Lord Iesus Christ, who alone hath declared him, in regard of his bodily presence is now in Heaven, absent from his people; p. 147and because whatever spiritual light or life, grace, comfort, or spiritual communion with the Father, and with his Son, is vouchsafed unto the people of God, it is by the Holy Spirit, who is appointed by Office hereunto, and graciously promised unto them in the Word: Therefore I avouch and choose the Holy Ghost to be my Teacher and Guide, to be my Sanctifier and Comforter, to help my infirmities in duties; to strengthen me with might in my inner man against sin and Satans Temptations; to cleanse me from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; to heal me of all my spiritual distempers; to revive me under all my faintings; to supply me with all Graces as to kinde and measure, as shall be needfull for me in my place and work; to testifie Gods love to my Soul; to give me earnests of Glory, and to seal me up unto the day of Redemption: And O that I might have the presence and abode of the Spirit of God with me, and never grieve, quench, resist, and drive away the Spirit any more!

Also, because the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, endited by the Holy Ghost, the Epistle of Iesus Christ, wherein he hath given notice of his love and will; because they are the only sufficient, and in themselves a perfect Rule for Faith and a holy Life, and so fully do declare the way and means unto everlasting happiness: Therefore I choose the Word of God to be the Rule of my Faith and Life; and the Ordinances of God therein prescribed to be the means of my acquaintance and converse with my God so far as I am capable of, and he shall vouchsafe; and to be the means also of preparing of me for the full and perfect enjoyment of him beyond my present capacity.

p. 148And, because the Ordinances are but dark glasses to see the Lord in; because ignorance and unbelief do exceedingly vail God from mine eyes, flesh and corruption do damp my love to God, and my spiritual Ioy in him, and interrupt my communion with him; because of the sins, sorrows, temptations, and afflictions which I cannot be wholly free from, and therefore cannot be perfectly happy here in this World; and having life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel; a discovery and promise of eternal Life made unto me in the Word, and withall a command of my Lord, to lay up my Treasure in Heaven: Therefore I choose Heaven for my Treasure and Inheritance, for ever to live there in the company of all the holy Angels and Saints, in the blessed sight, love, and enjoyment of the infinitely blessed God, to see and share in the glory of my Dearest Lord Iesus Christ, whither I hope my Soul shall be transported by the Angels, so soon as it is separated from my Body; and that my vile Body, when awakened and raised in the Morning of Chris…s coming, shall be fashioned like unto Christs most beautifull and glorious Body, and both inherit the Kingdom prepared and promised by my Father.

Lastly, being perswaded of my Duty, and encouraged by Gods promise of assistance and acceptance; I now dedicate and deliver up my self fully, freely, and for ever unto the Lord; I yield and resign up my Soul with all its powers and faculties; my Body with all its senses and members to be the instruments of righteousness unto God: I resign up my Minde to think upon the Lord, and those things which concern his Interest and Glory, to receive, embrace and maintain his Truths; I resign up my Memory, to be a p. 149store-house and receptacle chiefly of the great things which do belong to his Kingdom, and other things of a more inferiour rank, as they may have a reference unto his Glory. I resign up my Conscience to receive light and purity from his Word and Spirit, and desire that it may act faithfully as the Lords Deputy. I resign up my Will unto the Will of God, to submit to his Precepts, to embrace his Promises, to oppose what he hath forbidden, to comply with all the dispensations of his Providence towards me, to be willing that I should be, and do, and bear, and choose and lose what God would have me. I resign up my Heart and Affections to fear and reverence the Lord, to believe and trust in the Lord, to desire and seek after the Lord, to love and delight in the Lord, and desire to put them all under his Government, and to have them exercised according to his will. I resign up my Fancy to be governed and employed by my Reason in the service of my Master. I resign up my Sensual Appetite after meat and drink, sleep, and any pleasures to be subs…rvient to my Rational Appetite, and no further to have satisfaction, than will tend to the glory of the Lord. I… sign up my Hands to work for God, my Feet to walk for God, my Ears to hear for God, my Eyes to see for God, my Tongue to speak for God. I resign up all my Graces, all my Gifts, all my Talents, to be used for the Glory of my Lord and Master; and my whole Man to be ruled and governed by his Laws: Promising, though my Flesh do contradict and rebell, that I will endeavour to order my whole conversation according to his Word; humbly looking up to him for strength so to doe, that I may be enabled by him to every duty. And now I look upon my self no longer my own, p. 150or that any thing I have is at my own dispose; but I wholly belong unto the Lord: And therefore, blessing, and praising, and giving thanks unto the Lord, for vouchsafing to enter into Covenant with me, and enclining my heart to enter into Covenant with him; Bending my neck under the feet of the most glorious Iehovah, I subscribe my self,

Witness my Hand and Seal.

The devoted Servant of the Lord, A. B.

Direct. 10. You must be stedfast, and persevere in the wayes of God unto your lives end, if you would be saved: And here you must be stedfast,

1. In the wayes of Truth.

2. In the Wayes of Gods Commandements.

1. You must be stedfast and persevere in the wayes of Truth; in the belief of the Truths of the Word, without turning aside into wayes of Errour; there are wayes of Errour which will lead you as certainly, and more securely to Hell, than the wayes of open profaneness. The Apostle tells us of damnable errours, as well as open, damnable sins, 2 Pet. 2.1. and we read of some that are damned for believing a lye, that their delusion hath been the cause of their damnation, 2 Thess. 2.11, 12. The Devil leads as many as he can in the cords of more gross and known sins towards the place of endless misery; but p. 151if any of them begin to perceive their thraldom and danger, if their eyes be a little opened, and Conscience awakened, and hearts affected, and they are perswaded to look after their salvation, then he endeavours to draw them into wayes of Errour, he hath his Agents and Ministers, who are very subtle and crafty, and lye in wait to deceive, who with good words and fair speeches insinuate poysonous doctrines; and pretending more glorious discoveries, higher and more excellent wayes, draw them out of the way of the Word and Ordinances, into paths of darkness, where they wander and lose themselves for ever; where they are tossed up and down, and beaten to and fro with every winde of doctrine unto the shipwrack of their Faith and their Souls. As you hope for salvation, you must take heed of Errour; diligently inquire after Truth; search for it as for silver, and digg for it as for hidden treasures; digg for it in the golden Mines of the Scriptures, let the Word of God be the only Rule of your Faith; and having found the Truth, keep it, hold it fast, labour to fix it in your mindes, let it be as a girdle about your loins; lay it up in your heart, let it be rooted there; apply your selves to Christ as a Prophet to lead you by his Word and Spirit into all Truth, and to keep you from being deceived and deluded; and keep close to the Ministery and Ordinances of Christs Institution, which the Lord hath appointed to continue unto the end of the World, for the edifying establishment, and perfecting of the Saints, Eph. 4.11, 12, 13, 14.

2. You must be stedfast, and persevere in the wayes of Gods Commandements; you must patiently p. 152continue in well-doing, if you would obtain immortal glory, Rom. 2.7. you must endure to the end if you would be saved, Matth. 10.22. you must be faithfull unto the death, if you would gain the Crown of life, Rev. 2.10. It is absolutely necessary unto salvation, that you hold out in the wayes of God; none but such which come to the end of the race will obtain the prize; the Gate of Heaven lyeth at the further not the hither end of the Holy Path; therefore you must stedfastly persevere in this way; if you should fall down, you must rise again, and go on; if you should fall back or through mistake turn aside, you must return again, and make the more haste; but if you should fall off, if you should fall away (as some have done who have seemed very zealous and forward Christians as to the outward Profession) you are lost, you are cast-awayes, and you will tumble and fall down into the bottomless Pit, from whence there is no returning. Be not then followers of them that draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul, Heb. 10.39. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises, Heb. 6.12. It is a glorious Inheritance that is before you, that is promised and prepared in Heaven, let this encourage you to diligence and perseverance unto the end; I shall conclude with the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.58. Therefore my beloved Brethren be stedfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Thus I have given you Directions, What things you must do that you may be saved.