Christianity in Short, Text 6 – Part 2
Some Texts of Scripture often and ſeriouſly to be Read, and thought on.
IT is appointed unto men once to dye, but after this the Judgment. Heb. 9.27.
Go to now, ye that ſay, to day or to morrow, we will go into ſuch a City, and continue there a year, and buy and ſell, and get gain; whereas you know not what ſhall be on the morrow; For what is your Life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vaniſheth away. Jam. 4.13, 14.
Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of Salvation. 2 Cor. 6.2.
To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Heb. 4.7.
Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth. Eccleſiaſtes 12.1.
We muſt all appear before the judgment ſeat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5.10.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perſwade men. 2 Cor. 5.11.
If you call on the Father, who without reſpect of perſons judgeth according to every man's work, paſs the time of your ſojourning here in fear. 1 Pet. 1.17.
God will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory, honour and immortality; Eternal Life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs, indignation and wrath. Romans 2.6, 7, 8.
Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2.12.
Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure. 2 Pet. 1.10.
The heart of this people is waxed groſs, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they cloſed, leaſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their heart, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heal them. Act. 28.27.
Save your ſelves from this untoward Generation. Act. 2.40.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out. Act. 3.19.
Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18.3.
Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Luk. 13.3, 5.
Except a man be born again, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God. Joh. 3.3.
Follow peace with all men, and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord. Heb. 12.14.
Neither is there Salvation in any other, [but Chriſt:] for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we muſt be ſaved. Act. 4.12.
He that believeth on him is not conlemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already. Joh. 3.18.
There is no condemnation to them …at are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not …fter the fleſh, but after the Spirit. …om. 8.1.
To be carnally minded is death, …t to be ſpiritually minded is Life and …eace. Ver. 6. If ye live after the …eſh ye ſhall dye: but if ye by the …pirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body, ye ſhall live. Ver. 13.
Now the works of the Fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe, Adulteries, Fornication, Uncleanneſs, Laſciviouſneſs, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Hereſies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenneſs; Revellings, and ſuch like; — They which do ſuch things ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5.19. &c.
If any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his. Romans 8.9.
If any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature. 2 Cor. 5.17.
They that are Chriſt's have Crucified the Fleſh, with the affections and luſts. Gal. 5.
Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: For if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Whatſoever is born of God, overcometh the world. 1 Joh. 5.4.
Let him that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity. 2 Tim. 11.19.
By this the children of God are manifeſt, and the children of the Devil; whoſoever doth not Righteouſneſs is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother; 1 Joh.
Let us walk honeſtly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenneſs, not in chambering and wantonneſs, not in ſtrife and envying: But put ye on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make no proviſion for the Fleſh, to fulfil the luſts thereof. Rom. 13.13, 14.
If any man come to me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brethren and Siſters, yea and his own life alſo, he cannot be my Diſciple. Luk. 14.26.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs, and follow me. Matthew 16.24.
For what is a man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own Soul? Or what ſhall a man give in Exchange for his Soul? Ver. 26.
The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, Righteouſly and Godly in this preſent world: Looking for that bleſſed hope, and the Glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Tit. 2.11, 12. &c.
Ye are all the children of the light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkneſs; Therefore let us not ſleep, as do others; but let us watch and be ſober. 1 Theſ. 5.5, 6.
How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great Salvation. Hebrews 2.3.
If the Righteous ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly, and the finner appear? 1 Pet. 4.18.
The Tryal of a Chriſtian's State.
IT highly concerns me to examine and try, whether I be in a State of Sin, or in a State of Grace: that if I be in the former, I may haſten out of it, to eſcape damnation; and if in the later, I may bleſs God for his goodneſs, and go on to Salvation.
Now thus I muſt try my ſelf.
If I underſtand ſo much of GOD, as that I do really eſteem and value Him, his grace and love above all the world, and am heartily willing to take Him alone for my portion, counting him enough, though for him I ſhould loſe all the world beſides: If my care and delight be to do his Will, and my chief rejoycing be in his love, and my heart's deſire and longing be to enjoy him more fully in Heaven.
If to this end I apply my ſelf to Jeſus Chriſt, truſting in him alone for Eternal Life in the preſence of God, and giving my ſelf intirely to be governed by him, willing to obey his Laws, whatſoever it ſhall coſt me, though it be with the loſs of all worldly advantages, and earthly pleaſures, and even Life it ſelf; If I can for his ſake love enemies, bear wrongs, forbear revenge, mortifie luſts and paſſions, bridle my appetite, diſregard my own will and pleaſure, endure ſhame and reproach, loſe wealth, friends and liberty, yea and life too.
If I watch as narrowly over my heart, affections and thoughts, as over my outward actions; and earneſtly deſire more than any worldly treaſure, to be throughly renewed and cleanſed by the Holy Spirit, from all inward corruptions. If I hate every ſin in my ſelf, and ſtrive all I can againſt it, and am reſtleſs till I conquer it, and troubled at my heart at my own imperfections, longing to be freed from them.
If I really delight, and find pleaſure in the worſhip and ſervice of God, and do not come forcedly and conſtrainedly to it, as rather willing to do otherwiſe if I durſt, if I find holineſs and obedience ſweet and pleaſant, and no burden or weariſomneſs to me; If I can, and do heartily reſign my ſelf to God, not minding what I naturally would have or do, nor what any thing elſe would perſwade me to, but meerly what is the will of God, and going on cheerfully to do his will, pray fervently for his aſſiſtance, and caſt my ſelf confidently on his mercy, through Jeſus Chriſt for Salvation.
If I find this in my ſelf, my ſtate is comfortable and good.
But on the contrary.
If I yet love this world, and mind Earthly things moſt, and prefer not God, his grace and Heaven, before all earthly joyes and pleaſures.
If I dare not truſt in Chriſt alone, nor forſake all for him, nor am willing to obey his Lawes, how hard ſoever they ſeem, or what coſt or loſs ſoever they put me to.
If my heart and life be not throughly changed, but I yet muſt have my own will, and pleaſe my own appetite and ſenſes, and cannot want my own deſires, or croſs my own inclinations.
If I keep any known ſin unmortified, and not caſt off, if I do not watch againſt all temptations, and pray heartily and frequently for grace to conquer all ſin.
If I delight not in God's Word, and in all Holy duties, and eſteem it not my greateſt priviledge to ſerve him.
If my greateſt care be not to pleaſe him, and if his command prevail not more with me than all the world beſides.
If I cannot content my ſelf with him alone, nor ſuffer any the greateſt evil for him.
If I have not reſolvedly given my ſelf up to be wholly at his diſpoſal, and to be made in all things conformable to his will.
If the caſe be thus with me, I am in a ſtate of ſin and death, and cannot be ſaved, till I be converted and made a new man.