§. I. Wilfull Ignorance.

I First of all consider, is Wilfull Igno­rance and unbelief thy case?S. 8. if it be, thou art a perishing man in this state, till saving knowledg and faith come; thou art a child of darkness under the power of Sa­than, if when means of knowledg afforded are neglected, when meanes offered are rejected by thee: And such is thy state, if so it be, that after so long living with the meanes of knowledg, so much hearing of the word of faith, and so much helpes for instruction in the knowledg of God, and ways of Godliness; if it be so I say; that after all this thou art ignorant of the true God, and knowest not thy Saviour Christ, and upon what account he is thy [Page 35]Saviour, and what he is, and did to re­deem thee; and if thou knowest not yet what thou art by nature, how hatefull sin is to the Holy God, how sin defiles, and will ruine the soul if permitted; if thou know­est not what it cost Jesus Christ to pur­chase thy pardon and acceptance with God; If thou understandest not the con­ditions, on thy part, to make thee capable of the benefits of Christs purchase:

If thou art yet ignorant of this,S. 9. thy State is wofull, for tis in thee wilfull; thou hast neglected, or refused, or resisted this knowledg, and thy ignorance (seeing thou hast the use of thy reason, and thy senses,) is thy sin; And because it is about the necessary and weighty things of thy salvation, and yet supinely neglected, or wilfully refused, it is now a contracted, superadded guilt; and except thou come out of this thy ignorance, and labour to know and understand so much of God in Christ, and the Holy Ghost, (at least as is necessary to thy salvation,) thou canst not be saved. For, if to know the onely true God, John 17.3. and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, be life eternal, as Christ hath said, then not to know him as he is to be known, must needs be death eternall: and consider well, that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from hea­ven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, 2. Thes. x. 7, 8, 9. taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT [Page 36] God, and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ: and mark the dread­full allotment for such ignorant persons in the 9. verse, Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, Prov. 5.12, 13, 23. Eph. 3.18. Hos. 4.6. Esay 27.11. Psal. 95.10, 11. 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. and the glory of his power. Read also these Scriptures in the margent, if you would have more proofs of the danger of wilfull ignorance: If our Go­spell be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, they are lost who are ignorant of the con­tents of the Gospell.

§. II. Infidelity.

2 Is Infidelity and unbelief thy conditi­on?S. 10. art thou still an unbeliever? And thou art an unbeliever, if thou acknow­ledgest not, nor believest in the onely True God, the Father of Christ, and Creator of the World, as revealed to thee in the Scrip­tures; if thou believest not in Jesus Christ, the onely Eternall Son of God; If thou confess him not to be the true Messias, not acknowledgest him to be HE that was promised, and in time was sent into the world, born of a virgin, and took humane nature into his Godhead, and suffered here on earth, death, for the Redemption of mankind, who were lost by sin, and under the curse and power of Satan; if thou takest him not for thy Saviour and Lord; [Page 37]if thou yeildest not up thy self, thy mind, Will, affections, and actions to be sancti­fied, and ruled by him, thou art yet an Infidel.

If thou believest not the Holy Ghost to be God,S. 11. and proceeding from the Father and the Son; and yet equall with the Fa­ther and the Son, and that the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, are one onely God in essence, nature, power, dignity, in­finiteness, according to the Scriptures, thou art an Infidel: Nay, if thou believest not the holy Scriptures of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT to be of God, given unto us for a full Revelation of the mind of God concerning our faith, and life; If thou believest not the promises and threats of the Gospell; If thou believest not reward for the Godly, and punishment for the wicked; a day of Judgment, where and when all mankind shall be Judged according to their workes done in this present World, in the Resurrection of all the dead at the last day, when men shall receive the finall sentence, from the mouth of Christ, either for the enjoy­ment of Heaven, or the torments of Hell, from that time for ever.

If thou believest not all this, thy state is Infidell, thou art yet an unbeliever;S. 12. and if thou continuest so, this must be thy doom, read it and tremble,Mar. 16.16. He that [Page 38]believeth not shall be damned. John 3.36. He that believeth not the Son, (which is Jesus Christ) shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Rev. 21.8. The unbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Consider this, and see if thy case be un­belief, whether it doth not concern thee speedily to reform in this particular, and become a true believer.

§. III. Unrighteousness.

3 Art thou an unrighteous person?S. 13. I mean one that is unjust in thy dealings with men; doest wrong either friend or foe, in goods, name, or life? Is it thy cu­stome in trafficking with others to cheat, deceive, defraud, any one? dost thou keep back for thy own use that which is not thine own by consent, or purchase, or gift, from the right owners? hast broken thy promise and covenant made with man, wilfully? hast thou stollen from, or robbed any man of what was his, or ano­thers in his keeping? hast received stollen goods, knowingly, and consenting to theeves and robbers? dost usually doe to others in any case what in no case thou wouldest have them doe to thee? Then art thou an unrighteous person, in jurious [Page 39]to man, a wronger of thine own soul, and highly offensive to the Just and Righteous God, who loveth righteousness, and hateth iniquity; and hast sinfully transgressed that excellent Rule of thy blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath said, that whatsoever you would that men should doe unto you, Luke 6.21. Mat. 7.20. S. 14. doe ye even so unto them.

Now if thou art guilty of unjust and unrighteous dealing you must repent of it speedily, and quit it absolutely, away with this evil frame and wicked practice.

Leave off to walk unrighteously,S. 15. if thou meanest to be reformed and saved; but if thou wilt not, then take notice that this remaines against thee,Deut. 25.16. Rom. 1.18. 1 Cor. 6.9. S. 16. All that doe un­righteously are anabomination unto the Lord­thy God; And then know that the unrighte­ous shall not inherit the kingdome of God.

Now will you dare to doe unrighteous­ly any more? or wilt thou not much ra­ther reform in time, then undergoe thy exclusion of heaven, and loss of thy hap­piness to the ruine of thy soul for ever, for thy unrighteous dealing?

Then be perswaded to rid thy hands of unjust gain,S. 17. and thy heart and mind from all unjust and unrighteous thoughts and contrivances; that it may be said of thee, such was I indeed, but now I am reform­ed, I have left off all my unjust unrighte­ous dealing, through the grace of God, [Page 40]convincing me of my sin, warning me and helping me to forsake it. Adde this con­sideration, to further thee in thy REFOR­MATION, what will it profit thee, yea what is any man profited, if he shall gain the whole world by unrighteousness, Mat. 16.26. and lose his own soul? alas, what will all thy getting doe thee good, when thou shalt pay so dear for it, even the unvaluable losse of thy precious soul at last?

§. IV. Idolatry.

4 Is Idolatry thy sin?S. 18. Art thou guilty of that? If thou hast worshipped a false God, any of the Heathen Idols instead of the true God; Hast thou worshipped, or prayed to, or before an image, direct­ing thy service to it, or to God by an i­mage of mans making? Hast thou adored, or worshipped a piece of bread, as though it were really and materially the very body of Christ? or hast thou adored a cru­cifix, and prayed unto it? Or attributed any divine power to a piece of gold, silver, brass, wood, made after the fashion of a cross? Dost thou give the honour, and worship due unto God, to any crea­ture or likeness of any thing? thou then art guilty, thou art found a gross Idolater.

Nay further,S. 19. Rom. 1.21. if thou in thy fancie dost conceive of the eternall invisible GOD, [Page 41]who is a pure spirituall being, as though he were like unto any thing thou ever sawest, and dost worship him under that imaginaty shape, thou wrongest God, and hast set up an Idol in thy imagination, and so art thou an imaginary Idolater, though thou hast no picture before thine eyes: yea further, if thy heart, mind, will, affections, be laid out upon earthly things, and thou payest more true love to, and devotest thy self to the pleasures, profits, and honours of this world; If thou servest the creature more constantly, affe­ctionately and willingly then the great God, then art thou an Idolater; for what is Idolatry else but the setting up the creature in the place of God, and to give the creature the preeminence in our hearts and minds? and what is it to com­mit Idolatry, but a serving the creature, and adoreing it Rom. 1.25. more then the Creator, who is blessed for ever? And therefore the covetous worldling is branded with this abominable title of Idolatry, Eph. 5.5. For this ye know, that no covetous man, who is an IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God.

Now it mightily concerns thee to ex­amine thy self speedily and narrowly,S. 20. whether thou art guilty of Idolatry any of the forementioned wayes; whether thou worshippest an Idol for thy God, or [Page 42]the true God by an Idol; whether thou servest and prayest to the eternal Spirit, framing to thy self any likeness of God in thy imagination or fancie.

Whether thou servest the world, or any thing in the world, with thy dearest affections and desires, delighting in them, and seeking more them then God: If so, then art thou deeply tainted with this foul sin of Idolatry. Therefore now (dear soul) be advised, if thou findest thy self guilty, though but in the least, to re­pent and reform, rid thy self of this damning sin, which God doth hate, and will not tolerate in any one but such as those are determined for hell; for all Ido­laters are abominable to God,1 Pet. 4.3. and God would have his children keep themselves from IDOLS, from the sight, and from the service of Idols;John 5.21. My little children keep your selves from Idols. And now if you will not come off from all Idolatry, then see what will befall you, you shall be shut out of heaven, and shall be shut up in hell,1 Cor. 6.9. Rev. 22.15. Idolaters shall not inherit the king­dome of God.

Without are Sorcerers and Idolaters, which shall never be admitted into the kingdome of heaven.

Sorcerers and Idolaters shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone, Rev. 21.8. Phil. 3.19. which is the second death.

Now judg thee, friend, whether it doth not neerly concern thee to try thy self whether guilty, and then speedily to re­form, and let fall all thine Idols, and serve the living God in spirit, sincerity and truth, and believe in him, and love him with all thy heart, mind, and strength of soul.

§. V. Adultery, Fornication, Effemi­nateness, Buggery, Beastiality.

5 I should not name some of these,S. 21. as the two latter, being abominations so much against nature, but that the wicked­ness of some men hath been so great, as to abuse themselves with their own sex, and abominably defiled themselves with beasts; so luxurious have been their lusts, like that of Sodom, and tis to be feared some to this very day are given to such abominations, and have been found out, and put to death for such cursed crimes, by men, and condemned to the fire of Hell, for their burning lust this way. Now if thou art guilty of such cursed wickedness, oh how quickly will the Lord find thee out, and how soon will damnation over­take both soul and body!Rev. 21.8. The abominable shall burn in Hell, shall have their portion in the Lake which burns with fire and brim­stone.

But not onely such exclude from hea­ven, but also those other acts of unchasti­ty,S. 22. (1.) If thou in a married state hast at any time committed folly with any other, in lying with any other carnally, tis adultery, and thou art an adulterer or adulteress; yea if it be in thy heart to lust after another, and desirest it, and de­lightest in the thoughts of carnall frui­tion of the party forbidden, them our Sa­viour Christ saith this is adultery; whoso­ever looketh on a woman to lust after her, Mat. 5.28. hath committed adultery with her in his heart. (2.) If thou in a single state hast be­fore marriage known any one carnally, This is FORNICATION.

(3.) Under the notion of EFFEMI­NACIE,S. 23. you are to judge your selves guilty of that when you give your self to venerious, lascivious thoughts, loose words, embracements, gestures, attires that are alluring, and inticing to wanton­ness and bodily uncleanness, when you are contriving with delectation to satisfie those inordinate fleshly lusts, and attempt wayes to accomplish that fleshly design, such an one that doth so is to be accounted an unchast person, and EFFEMINATE.

Now examine thy self whether any of these sins be thy sin;S. 24. art thou guilty of any of these, and wilt thou not be humbled at the heart for it, that thou hast been so naught, [Page 45]so wicked, and by and by cast off far from thee all such thy thoughts, desires and practices henceforth for ever? all these workes of the fleshly appetite abandon speedily, and keep thee chaste.Eph. 5.3. Fornica­tion and all uncleanness let it not be once named among you, much lesse practised by any of you.

But if thou hast been so unhappy as to have fallen into any of these sins,S. 25. alas, it is too much if thou hast been faulty but once, take heed, continue not in it, under pain of the losse of HEAVEN, and punish­ment of HELL; for if but once, yet thou art an adulterer or fornicator, and without re­pentance, & that to a reformation, howcanst thou hope to escape this sentence? for the truth of God speakes it; For this you know, Eph. 5.5. that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God: Nor fornicator, nor adulterer, 1 Cor. 6.9. nor Effemi­nate nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdome of God. But their portion lies deep in hell;Rev. 21.8. Whoremongers, and the Abominable, shall have their part in the lake that burnes with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. Gal. 5.19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, A­DULTERY, FORNICATION, UN­CLEANNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS, &c. of which I tell you, that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of Heaven.

I perswade thee then that thou would­est strictly examine thy life and heart, S. 26. and try if thou hast been guilty any of these wayes, as that the termes of adulterer, or fornitator, or effeminate, belong to thee, either in heart, or deliberate consent, or practice.

Then doe I earnestly intreat thee, as thou hopest for pardon from God,S. 27. and to see him with comfort hereafter, speedily to betake thy self to an hearty repentance, reformation, and a sincere amendment; and henceforth keep thy vessell pure, be chast in thoughs, words, and refrain consen­ting to lustfull motions this way, and ab­horre acting any more so wickedly, [...]. Isidor. Col. 3.5.6. and either seeing lust not, or lusting look not; but doe as Paul exhorteth Christians to: Mortifie therefore the members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil concupiscence: For which things sake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. Marriage is honorable in all, Heb: 13.4, and the bed undefiled; but WHOREMONGERS and ADULTERERS God will judge.

§. VI. Drunkenness.

6 Is drunkenness thy sin? and if it be it is a great one,S. 28. and thou art guilty of this sin more ways then one; men think them­selves [Page 47]for the most part then onely to be guilty, when they have drunk to that ex­cesse as to wallow in their vomit, and have lost both reason and sences; This in­deed is to forsake the manhood, and to be transformed into a beast and worse, for a beast is not capable of sinning by excesse; but a man sins wofully in so doing, for he breaks a Law of God, and sobriety, abu­seth the creature, dishonoreth and de­baseth his own soul, exposeth himself to shame and scorn, and gives a foul invitation to the devil to drive him to many other sins, as swearing, cursing, whoredome, mur­ther, and the next wickedness is at hand; a fit instrument for the devils service, but in no wise fit for the service of God,Deu. 31.20, 21. Pro. 23.21. Esay 28.1, 3. 1 Cor. 6.10. nor works of his calling; a greif to his relations, the reproch of Religion, the shame of mankind. And his doom is dreadfull, they shall come to poverty, woe to the drunkards, they shall be troden under foot, and drunkards shall not inherit the king­dome of God.

But wilt thou say,Obj. for a man to drink himself into such a condition, is worthy to be deemed drunken indeed; but there be that keep company, and maintain good fellowship, and sit by it too, and yet are not so overcome as so to abuse themselves or others, and is that any fault? I answer, That excess of drinking,Answ. [Page 48]whether thou art quickly overcome by it,Vinum plus justo sump­tum vene­num. Aug. Mal. 24.49. or whether thou be strong to overcome much drink, or if thou sittest long at it, tippling, and keepest company with rio­tous persons, or forcest or perswadest o­thers to drink excessively, and delightest to see others through drink stammering, reeling, fooling, or erring, thou canst not defend thy self from being faulty, thou must leave it off, and reform in these things also, and have nothing to do with such practices, but avoid them. And that thou mayst see I would not goe about to abridg thy liberty, nor cross thy appetite as to these circumstances,Luke 21.34. Rom. 13.13. or beg thy reforma­tion in this, but upon unquestionable grounds from Scripture, read feriously Esay 5.11. Wo unto them that rise up early that they may follow strong drink, that con­tinue untill night, till wine inflame them: And Esay 5.22. Wo to them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: And Habb. 2.15, 16. Wo unto him that giveth his neigh­bour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayst look on their nakedness. Thou art filled with shame for glory; drink thou also, the cup of the Lords right hand shall be given unto thee, and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory,

Now by this thou seest what thou art toS. 29. [Page 49]reform about drinking; look therefore what hast thou been, and how thou hast been guilty, and repent, and amend speedily, if thou wouldest come to any thing in Religion that may do thee any good for heaven, and say now you are warned, and doe no more so madly, so foolishly, so wickedly. I charge thee not as guilty, but if thou hast been guilty any of these ways, I charge thee in the name of God, beware for the future, and repent for thy former exceedings about drink.

§. VII. Gluttony.

7 And because Gluttony is an excess about meats, as that is about drinks,S. 30. and a sin that carries guilt with it too, yet a sin little taken notice of, though often com­mitted: Tis not eating or drinking that is sinfull,No [...] cibus sed appeti­tus est in vitio. meats and drinks in themselves make us neither offensive nor acceptable to God, but yet abstinence is a partner with Vertue, and excess in eating is a vice in morality and Christianity too,1 Cor. 8.8. and there­fore not permitted to them whom God will own; we find glottony condemned and the gluttonous in the number of those wretched ones which are excluded hea­ven; eating too much and over-much char­ging nature is surfeiting, and our Saviour gives speciall caution, Luke 21.34. [Page 50] Take heed lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunken­ness: Luke 21.34. Now gluttony is immeasurable eat­ing, beyond the bounds of Christian mode­ration and temperance in feasts or ban­quets; and those that frequent (with de­light) feastings and full tables, with stu­died varieties, are in danger, and often­times feeding without fear are betrayed by their appetite to exceed the boundaries of temperance.Jud. v. 12. 2 Pet. 2.13. Luk. 16.19. It was one of the rich mans sinfull practices, whom we hear to be tormented in Hell, that he fared sumptuously every day; when one lusts after and purveyeth for the panch, and studi­eth and contrives meats for the belly, adding the advantages of curiosity to tice the tast, to please the bestiall appetite, such make their belly their God, whose end is destruction,Phil. 3.19. so saith S. Paul, Phil. 3.19. And certain it is that those that study to pamper the flesh, and spend much cost and time this way, sacrificing to the draught, may have fat bodies, but to be sure lean souls; they that are so much for their guts, are but little for their souls; they look little after grace that care so in­dustriously for their palates and paunch; what an ugly, nasty Idol doth the glutton serve!

And of such as offend this way saith the Apostle,S. 31. 1 Cor. 6.13. Meats for the belly, and the [Page 51]belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Epicures sure are none of those that serve God (as all must) both in soul and body, and therefore can have no expectation, untill they reform, of being made happy with the delicates of Hea­ven; they that take delight in, and are so studious for bodily eatable dainties, or to exceed in ordinary and common meats, are not innocent of gluttony, but must learn to renounce this sin of gluttony also. And therefore my request is that you would bethink your self, and examine your disposition and appetite, and usuall pra­ctise as to eating, feasting, banquetings, and the like; and if you have transgressed repent; if you are liable to be enticed, or inclinable of thy self to exceed in eatings, put a restraint upon thy appetite, and be­ware of falling into the sin of gluttony. Solomon gives this advice,Pro. 23.1, 2, 3. When thou sittest to eat, consider diligently what is before thee, and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite, that is, if thou be wise put a restraint upon thy appetite, bridle it, and satisfie it not in its lustings. And the reason is in the 3. verse, be not desirous of his dainties, for they are deceit­full meat; there is a snare in dainties and varieties, and many are overtaken when they consider it not. Well then, is glut­tony (as is here described) thy sin? leave [Page 52]it, be reformed in this, and learn tempe­rance, abstinence and sobriety in thy feed­ings, or else thou wilt never be accounted of for a true convert, but be dealt withall as drunkards shall be, and they (you know) shall not inherit the kingdome of God.

§. VIII. Covetousness.

8 Is thy sin Covetousness? S. 32. hast thou a craving eager desire of earthly riches and abundance? dost use arts and devices? whether thou gettest what thou so de­sirest, or gettest it not, yet the coveting is thy sin, and rendereth thee a worldling, thou art a guilty person. This disposition is more easily discerned in another then a mans self, men will not be perswaded they are so, though they be so; it is a damning sin, yet he that is most guilty, will not believe it his sin, or not a sin, there are so many reserves and excuses for cove­tous desires, that now, Loving the world, and heaping up riches, or desirous to doe so, are adopted into the fellowship of good-husbandry, and honest providing for future necessities and contingencies, which indeed is no better then one of the artifices of Satan to make men call evil good. And I think I may appeal to the consciences of men, when they examine themselves, and goe about to repent [Page 53]them of their sins, whether they ever be­wail this cursed disposition, but rather ac­count it one of their perfections, when alas God abhors the covetous,Psal. 10.3. Col. 3.5. 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. Eph. 5.5. Hab. 2.9. and covetous­ness is no better then Idolatry in Gods ac­count. And the covetous shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven: not covetous, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdome of God. Woe to him that coveteth an evil co­vetousness to his house, that he may build his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil.

This sin lies close in the heart,S. 33. and the symptomes of it are a desire of abundance of these worldly things, a love to riches, and esteem of them, and a studying, con­triving for to gain them, as things con­ducing to make up thy happiness, a caring disposition about the things of this life; see it in that speech of our Saviour, illu­strated by the example of a certain rich man, Take heed and beware of covetous­ness, Luk. 12.16. &c. for a mans life consisteth not in the a­bundance of the things which he possesseth: and then you shall find it in the parable following, which expresseth the thoughts of the rich man, v. 17. And he thought within himself, what shall I doe? And he said, this I will do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I lay up my goods: and then mark his repose, I will say to my soul, thou hast goods laid [Page 54]up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; here was his ac­count; but then see what Gods account is of such an one, v. 20. Thou fool, this night shall by soul be required of thee; then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided? Even so is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God; Therefore said Christ to his disciples, take no thought for these things of this pre­sent life,Luke 21.34. let not worldly cares possesse your souls.

And some think themselves far from this guilt,S. 34. and as far off from it as the ex­treme prodigality, and can in their extra­vagances boast of this, that they are not covetous, when alas they are deeply guilty of this sin also. The prodigall men­tioned in Luke 15th. he coveted and de­sired his fathers substance,Luk. 15.12, 13. and got it up together to spend it on his lusts; he co­veted it to spend it, not to feed the hun­gry, and relieve the poor, but to feed his lusts.Jam. 4.2. So we find S. James saith, they lust and desire to have, there is their covetous­ness; that ye may consume it upon your lusts, this their prodigality: and indeed tis easie to find many that spend lavishly upon their pleasures, in gaming and rio­ting, revelling, clothing and feasting, doe exercise covetous practices, as the Apostle Peter expresseth it, calling such cursed [Page 55]children to feed their lusts,2 Pet. 2.14. but the poor or charitable uses, alas, but little doe they care for, or give to such; they are free to themselves, but penurious to others; all too little they can get to themselves, and the least too much they lay out to the needy.

Now covetous practices are easily seen whereby we may know a covetous heart;S. 35. art thou one that dost eagerly pursue these earthly abundances? dost use wrong means to get riches? art an usurer, extortioner, unjust in thy dealing? art one that lovest the world, and desirest a great portion here? and when thou hast gotten what thou desirest, dost keep it when the ne­cessity of the poor, and the Church doe call for thy bounty and liberality? hast thou reaped plentifully, and yet dost thou sowe sparingly?Mat. 9.21, 22, 23. This is that which our Saviour saith, how hardly shall a rich man be saved? So that if thou study, contrive, thirst after, with greedy desires, abundance of the things of this life, and accountest of them as the things to make thee hap­py, and lovest the having and keeping of these earthly riches,Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. then art thou a co­vetous person.

And besides the guilt of the sin on thee,S. 36. there is a filth in covetousness which defiles the man, and makes thee odious to the bountifull God, and obnoxious to his wrath, and infallibly excludes every co­vetous [Page 56]man from the kingdome of God.

Therefore examine thy self,S. 37. and if thou find thy heart after covetousness, and thy practices be after that cursed disposition, repent and mortifie that worldy lust, and never more enter on covetous practices, as thou tenderest the favour of God here, and eternall weal of thy soul hereafter. Covetousness the root of all evil; they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction and perditi­on; for the love of money is the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, 1 John 2.15, 16. for he that loveth the world, the love of the father is not in him.

§. IX. Murder.

9 Hast thou actually been the death of any one?S. 38. hast killed or bereaved any man of his naturall life? (1.) Art thou a private man, and hast at any time, to satisfie thy malice and revenge, either upon delibera­tion or sudden passion killed man, woman or child? then art thou guilty of this sin, then hast thou done that which thou canst never repair; thy repentance must be lasting and deep, or thou must burn in hell for it for ever. Yea (2.) art thou a [Page 57]souldier, and takest up killing weapons with resolution to slay, and hast not com­mission from thy lawfull Soveraign, and a just cause? All those thou killest are upon thy account as the murderer of them so kil­led, and all thou commandest to be so slain.2 Sam. 12 9. compa­red with 2 Sam. 11.14, 15. (3.) Yet further, hast thou command­ed, contrived, consented to the death of any? thou art guilty, thou art a murderer.

(4.) Art thou a magistrate, and givest sentence of death,S. 39. and commandest exe­cution upon any man, without or against the Law; and causest the life of a man to be taken away that hath not merited con­demnation? then art thou not guiltless of murder, but must be accountable to God, who is the revenger of innocent blood, upon the heads of those that have shed it themselves, or caused it to be spilt by others.

(5.) Moreover,S. 40. if I have been the vo­luntary occasion of the unnaturall and untimely death of another, either by mixing poison with meats, or drinks or o­therwise, though given by the hand of another, and if it take that cursed effect, I am guilty actually; if it doth not kill out-right, I am intentionally guilty of murder. (6.) If I have provoked or in­ticed and one to that excess of drinking or surfeting, so as the mans body is endange­red by it, and he thereby hath contracted [Page 58]a killing disease, I am not free of this sin, though the law of man take no hold on me for it. (7.) Or if I provoke a person to kill or make away himself, I am acces­sary to his self-murder. (8.) Furthermore, if I doe not when it is in my power re­scue the innocent from violence, or if I suffer any one to famish or starve, when I might, or have an opportunity to preserve life, I am no better then a man-slayer: yet again,Mat. 5.21, 22. [...] our Saviour Christ, the best inter­preter of the mind of God in this point and all other commands, tells thee that within the compasse of this sin of murder come the beginnings of this sin in the heart, though it goe no further then the in­tention, as malice, hatred, causless and inordinate anger, revengefull desires; and also if it proceed to violent railing, and re­prochfull language.

(9.) If thou yet suffer thy passion to break out to an assault of another with blood or wounds,S. 41. beating and hurting the body of a man, or puts him in fear of his life; any of these and every of them is a branch of this sin, and renders thee guil­ty. (10.) And if thou enter into the lists with thy equall, either challenging thy self, or answering anothers challenge, to fight upon what account soever, thou dost thereby hazard thy own, or the others, and sometimes both your lives, and so [Page 59]you become guilty of self-murder, or kil­ling another; and if thou kill him in the quarrell (though thou mayst escape the law of man) yet thou art a murdere, and many years of deep repentance will not suffice for it; and if thou die in the duell, thou goest to hell without remedy.

And if you think this too severe an ex­position of the command,S. 42. as to include anger and malicious words, read Mat. 5. 21, 22. Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his Brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment, and whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of Hell-fire. Where you may see the same judgment is allotted for malicious, angry, revengfull men, as to actuall killing, (that is,) they are to be accounted guilty of this sin, and judged as murderers.

Now in the Name of God I intreat thee whoever thou art that meanest to the saved, to examine thy heart,S. 43. disposition and practice, whether thou art not guilty of some of these things; and if thou art, condemn thy self for it, and repent hearti­ly, and reform presently, for if thou livest in this sin, thou canst never approve thy self innocent, neither will God acquit thee, except thou repent and leave it.

And that ye may know that anger, S. 44. ma­lice, [Page 60]revenge, hatred, railing, evil speaking are no small matters, you shall find that all of them are both forbidden and con­demned, and the persons here guilty in this present life shall (without reforma­tion) be excluded heaven;Rom. 1.29. see Rom. 1.29. wicked men of this kind are under Gods wrath in ver. 18. and worthy of death, ver. 32. are such as verse 29. are described malicious, full of envy, murder, debate, malignity, back-biters: and Gala­tians 5. are found among the works of the flesh,Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. the which if men doe and continue in them, they shall not inherit the king­dome, are these, hated, variance, wrath, strife, envyings, murders: and in Rom. 12.19. Christians are intreated not to seek re­venge, but leave it to God; Avenge not your selves therefore, but allay your wrath. And in Ephes. 4.Eph. 4.29, 30, 31. Let no corrupt communi­cation proceed out of your mouths; let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and cla­mor, and evil speaking be put away from you, James 3.14, 15, 16. with all malice. For all these kinds are earthly, sensuall and divelish.

And hence you may perceive what you are to look after,S. 45. and if you are guilty to repent speedily of every one; for know that murderers shall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brim­stone, Rev. 21.8. which is the second death. A bloody­minded, a bloody-handed, and a killing-tongued [Page 61]man, shall never to heaven. Take heed therefore if thou be guilty in any of these lesser matters (which thou thinkest not so severely to be censured,) yet consi­der, if they be light and common, they are the more easily forsaken, and if thou for­sake them not, so slight as you make of them, yet God will account thee disobe­dient, and lay a punishment as heavy as that of hell upon thee one day, if thou repent not of them and forsake them in time, & that very speedily; remember thou art now warned that not onely he that killeth, but also he that hateth his brother, (that is, any man) is a murderer, and no murderer hath eternal life: 1 John 3.25. mark that well.

§ X. False and vain swearing.

10 Art thou defiled with OATHES, by which thou hast at any time born witness against the truth,S. 46. and sworn to confirm a lie? then thou art a perjured person: hast thou broken a lawfull vow, and nor per­formed thy promise, having bound thy self by oath? hast thou rashly sworn to doe a thing which is not in thy power, or presumptuously engaged thy self by oath in a thing unlawfull? dost solemnly swear by the name of the glorious God in a trifle, or for any lower end then to [Page 62]put an end to all strife, or for the deter­mining of some weighty matter, which without thy oath could not be ended? ex­amine what oath thou hast taken, before whom, in what causes, to what end, and with what solemnity, and accordingly shalt thou know whether thou hast sinned by solemn swearing; for an oath is a sa­cred thing, and he that swears must swear by the name of God, in truth, in judg­ment, and in righteousness; but he that swears deceitfully or falsly,Jer. 4 [...].2. or to maintain an unjust cause, or to doe evil, or to be constant to conceal or uphold the designs of wicked men in their wicked pur­poses; or that sweareth inconsiderately,Hos. 10.4. not knowing what an oath is, nor to what end, such an one is guilty of false swear­ing, that is, every one that doth so hath sinned either in the manner, or matter, or end of an oath, and is to repent for it heartily, and confess his fault, and to sin no more in swearing. And indeed every true Christian (though he be not absolute­ly against taking a lawfull oath to a right end, for the determining of a weighty controversie, which nothing but his oath can put an end to,) yet one that truly fears God doth fear to take an oath,Eccle. 9.2. and shrinkes to lay his hand on the Bible, and trembles to take the name of the glori­ous God into his mouth, knowing well the [Page 63] Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain; Exo. 20.7. how much more dread­full is the severity of God against false swearers and perjured persons? read Za­chariah 5.3, 4.Zech: 5.3, 4. This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, for every one that sweareth shall be cut off: and this curse shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name, Ezek. 21.23. &c. and Malachi 3.5. I will come neer to you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against FALSE SWEARERS. He that calls God to witness in his vanity, falshood and deceit, God will witness against him, and judge him for it, and cast such out of his sight; and none shall pray for false swearers, Jer. 23.10. with verse 15, 16.Jer. 23.10, 15, 16. But besides this of solemn swearing, by which men be­come guilty of dishonouring Gods name, and foul perjury, and breach of faith, there are too many (and it may be thou art one of them,) that are given to vain swear­ing, and oaths are become customary and a bravery; and ungodly wretches they are also that use to swear in their common talk; and to doe so, is as great an evi­dence of base irreligiousness and a pro­fane heart as possibly can be discovered; tis to speak like a fool without reason, without pleasure, without honor: such a custome of vain swearing renders a man [Page 64]detestable to God and all good men, and all good men are offended at thee, and ashamed of thee, and all godly persons pitty thee and grieve for thee; conside­ring that quickly such an Atheisticall, stu­pid, irreligious fool must be in the flames of insupportable, yet everlasting torments for his swearing.

And if thou think this will be too great a severity for sudden eruptions of pas­sions,S. 47. and inconsiderateness, and petty oaths, and swearing by things that are not God, and without any malicious design, then know, that though thou make as light of the guilt as of thy swearing, yet by it God is dishonoured, Christs Law against swearing at all is violated as often as thou swearest; and if you think tis no great matter to swear, yet consider tis not a small offence to rebell against the Lord Jesus, and so easily and customarily to cross his will and violate his Law. And surely if for idle words we must be ac­countable at the day of judgment, as it is evident,Mat. 12.36, 37. how much more shall the idle swearer be censured in that day?

It may be thou in thy customary swear­ing dost not always swear by the greatest,S. 48. thou dost not use the name of GOD, LORD, CHRIST JESUS, nor HOLY GHOST; it may be thy oaths are not, by his wounds, blood, cross, passion, or the like [Page 65]invented oaths of wretched and ungodly persons; yet tis guilt enough to render thee for ever miserable, without the mer­cy of God upon thy sincere repentance to pardon it. If thou usest to swear at all by any thing, any creature, or any name of a thing reall or fained, as such inventions men have sometimes, or by heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars, trees, herbs, stones, beasts, men, the names of men, body, or the mem­bers of the body, as by the head, hand, foot or the like, or by my soul or life, or facul­ties of the soul, judgment, will, affections, or by any of the graces of God which he vouchsafeth to man, as by my faith, or my charity, or by my hope, by my consci­ence; all which when used in the form of an oath, and in common discourse are ut­terly forbidden by our Saviour, in his Ser­mon35, 36, 37. Mat. 5.33, 34. Ye have heard, that thou shalt not forswear thy self; but I say unto you (also,) swear not at all, neither by the heaven, nor the earth, neither by Te­rusalem, neither shal thou swear by thy head: James 5.12. And S. James gives the same pro­hibition from our Lord Christ; Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven nor earth, neither by any other oath, but let your communication be yea, yea: nay, nay. That is, either affirmative or ne gative, I or no, without any oath, for whatsoever is more then this cometh from [Page 66]evil, 12. ult. in the later end of the 12. verse, and let your Yea be Yea; let it be truth which you affirm, lest you fall into condemna­tion.

Now upon this account I beseech thee,S. 49. (as thou art chary of thine own soul) if thou art any way addicted to swearing, either by great or little, by God or his creatures, or any other oath, that speedi­ly thou repent for thy sin committed this way already, and reforme immediately, or else thou wilt abide in a deadly state, and under the guilt and curse of swearing falsly and vainly: Remember thou art minded of this, do not slight the admoni­tion, lest you fall under the condemnati­on of hell.

§. XI. Lying.

If thou hast been a liar, an inventer of a falshood,S. 50. and uttered with thy tongue words contrary to the truth, with an in­tention to deceive others, or to please o­thers by thy lying; if of fear, or for favor, or gain, thou hast spoken that which thy Conscience tels thee is not the truth, or hast divulged that for truth which thou hast received, and yet knowest it to be false, and not so in it self what you endea­vour to perswade another to believe, then art thou guilty of lying. S. 51. If thou seemest [Page 67]to others what thou art not, either in word or deed, then art thou a dissembling liar; and if thou wouldst seem religious out­wardly, and yet in heart thou lovest and likest any sin, or dislikest the holy righte­ous wayes of God, then art thou an hypo­critical liar; if thou hast born false wit­ness in any cause, though never so trivial, or for whatsoever advantage to thy self or any secular or religious interest, yet 'tis an heinous sin, and thy lye brings more dishonor to God and Religion,Rom. 3.8. and damage to thy own soul, than any advan­tage can amount to, by thy lye.

If we mean to be the children of God,S. 52. we must not do evil, nor make a lye though we think good may come of it; yea, all liars are said to be the children of the Devil, Who is a liar from the begin­ning, and the father of lies. Joh. 8.44. And that you may understand the odiousness of this sin, as no wise consistent with saving grace in the soul, nor with true holines. The Apostle Paul, in his exhortation to Holiness, wish­eth the Ephesians (if they mean to be truly holy) to put away lying, Eph. 4.25. Col. 3.9. and com­mandeth every one to speak truth, and nothing but the truth, one to the other, and one of the other.

And to shew the perniciousness of ly­ing, David, S. 53. when he thinks of reforming or constituting a religious family, He that [Page 68]worketh deceit (saith he) shall not dwell within my house, Ps. 101.7. Psal. 119.163. he that telleth lies shall not stand in my sight. I hate and abhor lying, but thy Law do I love.

Lying is most odious,S. 54. Pro. 6.16, 17, 19. abominable, and contrary to the God of Truth: These things doth the Lord hate, a proud look, a lying tongue, and a false witness that speak­eth lies; Pro. 12.32 for-lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight. And the son of Syrach tels it, that though a theef be a vile person, yet, saith he, a theef is better than a man that is accustomed to lye,Ecclus. 20.25. and they both shall have destruction to heritage.

Therefore if thou that readest this,S. 55. hast been guilty of lying, repent heartily for thy sin; and if thou art apt to it, and usest it, amend speedily, put away lying far from thee, or thou wilt be put away as far from God as hell from heaven. Be advi­sed in time, and amend this great fault; never make nor love a lye, unless thou resolvest to be shut out of heaven, and shut up in hell. See what Truth saith in this point,Rev. 21.27. There shall in no wise enter into it, (i. e. Heaven) any thing that defileth, nei­ther whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lye. Rev. 22.15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murthe­rers, and Whosoever LOVETH and MA­KETH A LYE.

And to make short work concerning all lyars, that they shall be shut up in hell,S. 56. and all lyars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, Rev. 20 8. which is the second death.

Is it not much better to leave thy lying here, while thou art warned now, than to lie down in hell for evermore?

§. XII. Theft.

There are many more guilty of theft than will acknowledge it,S. 57. yet there is no thief, great or small, rich or poor, but must pay dearly for it one day, if he re­pent not to a forsaking this sin, and ex­cept he henceforth observe that of St. Paul, Let him that stole, Lev. 19.13 Eph. 4.28. steal no more.

It may be thou hast been medling with that belongs not to thee, more or less, he that hath stoln (though but to a small value) is a thief, the sin is committed though not discovered: secret stealth is thievery, and violent taking away that which is anothers goods, is sinful Robbe­ry; which some thieves call Plunder, and think the name of Enemy makes their robbery tolerable. If thou art, or hast been a souldier in thine own Nation, and hast been in such robberies, repent for it, and if thou art able, make restitution of things so gotten. If thou art, or hast [Page 70]been a son or a servant,Pro. 28.24 and hast filcht from or cheated thy Parents or Master of any thing, either in thy custody commit­ted to thy charge, or taken it to thy self, or conveyed it to others; then repent and do so no more; make some satisfa­ction to the parties wronged, either with confession of thy fault with a desire of pardon, or restitution some way or other; aske God forgiveness and promise a­mendment, and do no more so wickedly.

Hast thou been entrusted with the porti­ons and maintenance of Widows and Orphans,S. 59. Esay 10.1, 2, 3. Pro. 22.22 or with the proportions of Cha­rity for to lay out upon the Poor, and hast turned that so received, or any part of it, unto thy own use and property, or spent it upon thy lusts? thou art an unfaithfull Trustee, a robber of the widow and fa­therless, and of the Poor; thy theft is highly criminous, a lifes repentance is very much too short for such a villain, and treble restitution too little recompence for so great an injury.

Oh if thou that readest this be guilty, consider of it and repent in time, or else thy doom will be severest, and no sin will be forgiven thee, except thou give again what thou hast robbed.Eze. 33.15

Again,S. 60. hast thou cheated any one of his Estate, or any part thereof, by craft and subtilty, by Diceing and gaming, or the [Page 71]like? then art thou not far from this trans­gression; thou art a cheat, and what is that less than a theef,S. 61. can you tell?

If thou art one that hast coveted and taken things set apart and devoted for the service and worship of God, for the pro­pogation of the Gospel and Religion, be it house, or lands, or monies, or increase of lands, by Art or industry, or what by devotion and piety of men hath been be­queathed to the Church for the mainte­nance of the Ministry of the Gospel;Mal. 3.8, 9 if thou hast bereaved the Church of this, the curse of Achan attends thee;Jos. 7.11, 12, 20, 21. and if thou dost deprive the Church of its dues, being consecrated to the service of the true God, the sin of Ananias and Saphira is upon thee; thou art a sacrilegious thief,Acts 5.1, 2, 3, 4. thou hast robbed God, and hast an accur­sed thing with thee; and if thy outward Estate prosper with it, 'tis a very rare thing, but be sure if it be not a cancker to thy Estate, it will be to thy soul, and one day shalt thou pay dear for thy sacrilege and theft. You are cursed with a curse, Mal. 3.8, 9 for you have robbed me, saith the Lord. Now if thou hast practised any of these things, and art guilty of any of these things either to God or man, secretly or openly, though man find it not out, yet God knows it, and that is enough for thy woe.

Therefore I exhort thee to examine thyS. 62. [Page 72]life, and actions, and also what is with thee which thou hast gotten any of these wayes, repent and make restitution, and sin no more this way, lest that come up­on thy body, estate and soul, the curse which thou wilt never be able to claw off;Psa. 50.18 and if this, I say, will not be heeded by thee, see what the Truth saith concer­ning thieves and robbers, and all confe­derates with them; of which if any one be good, there is none of them bad, but alto­gether they that are such shall not be re­ceived into Heaven,1 Cor. 6.10. Ex. 20.15. Nor thieves, nor extor­tioners shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven. If thou hast been so wicked as to steal and break the command of God, which saith THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, be now so wise as to repent for it, and if thou canst by any means make satisfaction to those thou hast wronged, and for the future be thou resolved never to steal, or rob, or cheat any more for ever; tis the holy coun­sel of St. Paul, Let him that stole steal no more, Eph. 4.28, and that no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as I have forewarned and testified, 1 Thes. 4.6. 1 Thes. 4.6.

§. XIII. Disobedience and Rebellion.

And now because in these later times iniquity doth abound,S. 63. and therefore souls [Page 73]are in great peril of being tainted with e­very wickedness, and that both natural and religious ties and obligations are bro­ken, to the wounding of mens conscien­ces and shipwrack of Faith, and it may be thou mayst be one of those that art guilty of the sins of these perilous times, and a­mongst others these are specified,2 Tim. 3.1 to verse 6. Disobe­dience to Parents, Truce-breakers, Treason or Rebellion.

Such kind of sinners there are too many,S. 64. who notwithstanding the command of God, which is that we should honour and obey our superiors: Eph. 6.2.3 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15, 17. Eph. 6.5. 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.9, 10 1. Such as are our na­tural parents from whom we descend. 2. Our superiors by Gods appointment, as (1.) the King as supreme, or (2.) Gover­nors appointed by him, for so is the will of God, (3.) and also Masters and Heads of families must be obeyed by their ser­vants in all lawful, possible and just com­mands, or else servants trangress the Gos­pel rule. (4.) And Ministers, such as have a power over the people to rule and guide them in the business of their souls,Eph. 4.11, 12. 2 Cor. 5.20. 1 Pet. 4.19. who are called Pastors, spiritual Guides, and Embassadors of Christ, and Ministers of the grace of God, for the good of souls, and to such we must give obedience in the Lord, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves, Heb. 13.17. for they watch for your souls.

Now it may be thou hast been under all these relations,S. 65. and yet art under them, and hast been a transgressor of the Laws of the Gospel concerning these several rela­tions, as a child, as a subject, as a servant, or as under the Gospel Ministry: Exa­mine thy heart and actings, and see wherein thou hast been faulty: And

1. If thou hast at any time,S. 66. or art now, in a state of disobedience to thy natural parents in their lawful commands; if thou hast reviled, reproched, strucken, cursed them, or thy heart rise up against them in hatred, or contempt, or scorn of them, or if thou bearest not due respect to them;Ex. 21.19. Lev. 20.9. Pro. 20.20 Deut. 27.17. Pro. 15.20 if thou hast crossed and vexed them by thy looseness, vanity and wic­kedness to the grief of their souls and un­doing of thy self by thy naughty courses; if thou hast already engaged in any com­pany, course and marriage, or intendest to do any of these contrary to the counsel and consent of thy natural Parents, who intend and seek thy good, then I advise thee to repent and leave off to be disobe­dient, and learn obedience, and exercise love, reverence, respect, and hearken to Parental admonitions, and follow their counsel, cease to displease them; for, as­suredly, as long as thou art in a state of disobedience to thy Parents, thou canst not be assured of the favour of God, nor [Page 75]his blessing; nay, thou art all this while un­der the displeasure of God, and a rebell to his commands, and untill reformation come, thy Case is sad, read the texts Deut. 21.18. Rom. 1.30. 2 Tim. 3.2. 1 Sam. 2.25.

2. If thou being a subject, a person born or living within the dominions of a law­full King,S. 67. whose right it is to Rule under Christ within his dominions over the out­ward man by Gods appointment, and art bound in conscience to submit unto him, and yeild obedience in all things lawfull according to the will of God, as tis Gods will thou shouldest; for Magistracy is the ordinance of God: Therefore, let every Soul be subject unto the higher powers (or­dained of God.) Whosoever therefore re­sisteth the power, Rom. 13.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. resisteth the Ordinance of God; and they that resist, shall receive to themselves DAMNATION: For he is the Minister of God to thee for good; Therefore must ye needs be SUBJECT, not onely for wrath, but also for CONSCIENCE sake. And another command is, submit your selves for the Lords sake to the KING AS SUPREME; or unto Governours, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15. as unto them that are sent by him for the pu­nishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that doe well; For so is the will of God, that you Love the brotherhood, v. 17. Fear God, Honour the King.

Now this being a clear duty, as thou art a Christian to submit to, and obey the cheif Christian Magistrate in all things lawfull and honest, and to honour him and love him: Therefore if thou hast at any time resisted his person or office, or hast a rebel­lious disposition against him, seeking by secret and treacherous conspiracie to sub­vert his rule, or mischeif the life or safety of thy Soveraign: If thou hast spoken re­prochfully of him, or cursed him with thy mouth, or despised government: If thou hast done these things, then art thou to be accounted of as such who are condemned for presumptious, leud sinners, and hast this mark on thee, who dost boldly speake evil of dignity, Jude v. 8. 2 Pet. 2.10. and despise dominions, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, ver. 13. And they that RESIST their lawfull owned Prince and Soveraign, SHALL RECEIVE DAMNATION, for so Resisting: If they repent not. Traytors and Rebells shall not escape the revenge­full hand of God,Rom. 13.2. his Justice will find them out;2 Sam. 20.22. Zimri that slew his Master had not immunity, nor Sheba that rebelled a­gainst his Soveraign, nor Absolon that rose up against king David, 2 Sam. 18.9, 10. Num. 16.1.32. nor Korah and his associates who appeared against Moses their Prince.

Therefore if thou hast been guilty of this disobedience and rebellion, Repent [Page 77]thee speedily; lest thou come to ruine both body and soul.

And if thy sin be aggravated by thy actuall fighting against his person and authority; S. 70. and in pursuance of thy Mali­cious design hast shed the blood of others, or hazard thy own life, to accomplish thy rebellious purpose; then hast thou added murther to rebellion: and if thou hast vio­lated a sacred oath, and perfidiously bro­ken a Covenant; then is thy sin yet the greater by perjury; And if thou hast im­brued thy hands in the blood of thy Sove­raign, or contrived his death, or consented to it; then hast thou heightned thy guilt to an ABOMINABLE CRIME, such as nature and nations, and all good men, and true Christians abhor, and such as the Scri­pture condemneth; and the righteous ho­ly God will one day punish with, hell, ex­cept thou repent speedily, severely, deep­ly; and unlesse this thy repentance be ac­companied with many prayers, and many teares, and great manifestation of thy sorrow for this sin; I cannot think of any way imaginable, how thou mayst escape the condemnation and damna­tion.

Oh then examine thy heart and actings,S. 71. and see how thou art guilty of this sin of resisting lawfull authority, and repent in time, lest the curse overtake thee, that is, [Page 78]the reward of disobedience to Magistrates, treason and rebellion.

3. Hast thou or art thou a servant under a Master,S. 72. and hast thou disobeyed thy Ma­ster in his lawfull and possible commands? hast thou been unfaithfull to his honest trust? hast thou wasted his goods or wrong­ed his person? hast thou betrayed him out of malice, or for reward into the hand of his enemies? hast thou hated thy master, and studied to mischief him, in life, liber­ty, goods, children, or reputation? then thou hast been a disobedient servant, a false and wicked person, I exhort thee if guilty to repent of this also; lest the curse of Judas who betrayed his Master fall upon thee.

Art thou one that hast owned Christia­nity,S. 73. for thy profession; and Christ for thy Saviour and Lord, and the word of God for the rule of thy faith and life? and yet dost in thy heart and practice, renounce, despise, and gainsay the ministry of this dispensation? If thou refuse this subjecti­on and obedience to the faithfull dispen­sers of the Gospel, the Pastors, and Mi­nisters of Christ, over thee in the Lord, for the good of thy soul?

If thou hate the Ministers of the word for their works sake,S. 74. 1 Kings 22.8. if thou continue and despise them, and their ministry; if thou mock or any wise abuse, vilifie, and resist [Page 79]them in their ministry:Luke 10.16. 2 Chron. 36.16. 2 Kings 2.23. Deut. 17.12. Hos. 4.4. Acts 5.39. if thou make light of their serious exhortations, admoniti­ons, and reproofs, from the Lord by them, and refusest to conforme thy heart and life, thy judgment and actions, (so far as it concerns thy soul) to the doctrine of Christ concerning faith in him, and imita­tion of Him faithfully and truly preached by the minister of Christ; Then art thou guilty of the sin of disobedience and re­bellion against the Minister of Christ, and in him against Christ, who hath said, he that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that de­spiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. And as Paul speaks their office and work,Luke 10.16. 2 Cor. 5.20. We are Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God.

Now examine how thou hast carried thy self always to the Gospell-Ministry,S. 75. that ordinance of God, and toward those pastors set over you in the Lord; and know if thou art in any of these forementioned Instances guilty, either by wronging their persons, or slighting or reproching their office in the ministry of Holy things: then must thou repent, and become a reformed person in this point also, unlesse you will venter to bear the wrath of God, and the punishment for such wickedness;2 Chr. 36, 15, 16. see in Chron. The Lord God sent to them by his [Page 80]messengers, because he had compassion on his people; but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord rose against the people, till there was no re­medy: And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body is consumed; and say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Pro. 5.11, 12, 13. nor enclined my ear to them that instructed?

Now I have warned thee of these things,S. 76. because thou livest in an Age very sinfull, in these kinds of disobedience; and I have told thee thus much, lest fall­ing among perilous men of these last and perilous times; thou it may be hast been seduced, and art fallen unawares into this sin of resisting thy Superiours in the Lord; and art one of those that despisest domini­on, 2 Pet. 2. Jud. v. 8. and speakest evil of dignities, and art fallen under the temptation of wicked, gainsaying, and reprochfull men, whose mouthes are full of cursing, and hearts and hands full of violence and malice against the Lords Ordinances, Magistracy and Ministry: And if thou art yet pure as to these sins; Bless God for it, and be carefull, and pray lest thou fall into this temptation of disobedience to Parents, lawfull Magistracy, Masters, and Ministry; and at last for thy sinfull disobedience fall [Page 81]under the condemnation of Hell,Rom. 13.2. for they that resist the Ordinance of God shall re­ceive to themselves damnation; therefore look to thy self in time.

§. XIV. Pride and Vain-glory.

Art thou tainted with Pride and Vain-glory?S. 77. a sin it is, hatefull to God, and de­structive to souls, a temper no wise consi­sting with true Grace in any one, but stands in opposition to Christ and Holi­nesse, for Pride of life is not of God,Jo. 2.16. but of the world. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord, and he shall not go unpunished:Prov. 16.18. Psal. 119.21. Esa. 2.11, 12. Jam. 4.6. Luk. 1.51. Mal. 4.1. Prov. 8.13. The proud are cursed, and the lofty, haughty, proud man (whoere he be) shall be brought down and made low; for God resisteth the proud, &c. and will scatter the proud in the imaginations of their heart, and they shall be as stubble to the fire of Gods wrath that are proud, for God hates pride in any. All this is against Pride, and all this is against thee, if thou be proud or haughty in heart or life; therefore exa­mine now thy self, see if this pride be in thee, if thou art guilty of pride. Art thou lifted up with a conceit of thy self, as more excellent then others? and despisest those whom thou undervaluest to thy self, by thy supposed advantages of birth, [Page 82]Breeding, Beauty, Power, Place, Parts, Gifts, Riches, Rayment, Gate, Arts, Tongues, Learning, Wisdom, Policy, &c.

A fond desire and seeking for Fame,S. 78. Reputation, Applause; if thou proceed to bragging, or boasting of what thou seemest to thy self to be, and wouldest be account­ed and esteemed of as such, and art an­gry if disappointed of thy expectation, or when contradicted and reproved, then art thou a proud person, pride hath seised on thee.

Dost speak great words of vanity,S. 79. glo­rying in thy self, and bringest thy self to the view, that thou mightest be admired for some singular excellency? then art thou a vain-glorious person, and seekest praise of men, and pride hath exalted it self in thee, and thou art grievously in­fected.

Yet further,S. 80. there is a kind of pride which lies at the bottom of grace and ho­ly duties, which duties would be accep­table to God, were it not for the pride that doth infect them: Spirituall pride spoiles all Spirituall performances, when men think there is a worth and merit in what they do, (though but their duty.) If a man be proud of his humility and charity, and that he can pray much, and (as he thinks) well, and when he looks [Page 83]contemptuously upon those beneath him in gifts of the Spirit, knowledge, religi­ous discourses, and ability of disputing for or against the Truth, and thinks him­self every way above instruction, and stands in need of no farther direction from Gods word, but living in his pride as above ordinances, and conceits him­self perfect in all excellencies, free from infirmities, and any the least spot of sin in thought, word or deed; this is the height of pride, vain glory and arrogancy; and all that have lifed up themselves thus,Pro. 3.17. are fallen at once from grace low into the sin of Pride, as the proud Angels from heavenly excellencies to hellish shame and horrour; and so wilt thou that art guilty in this kind, except thou repent.

Again,S. 81. if thou art envious at those a­bove thee, and discontent with thy por­tion and talent, because not so much as anothers, and refusest to do any thing in thy duties, because thou can not do bet­ter then others, and get thee praise to thy self from others, this is the Pride of thine heart too.

If thou takest pride in thy shame,S. 82. if thou gloryest in thy wickednesse, and de­clarest thy sin with an impudent fore­head, and a profane tongue, and wretched actions; then hast thou lost modesty, and all that is morally good, and art become [Page 84]a damned catiffe, a devil incarnate.

And farther,S. 83. if thou scornest admoniti­on and spirituall counsell for thy soul, if thou slightest the most hearty and serious invitations, directions, exhortations, and reproofs from Gods word and his Mini­sters, and thinkest thy self more fit to teach, then to be taught, more able to give then receive good cousell; then art thou also a proud person.

I exhort thee therefore in the examinati­on of thy self,S. 84. to search deep after this sin; for tis a sin so hid from a mans own eyes, that he himself hardly finds it out; but oftentimes more discernable to another then thy self; for the expressions of it are many, as boasting words, though often­times gilded with seeming self-deniall, and a lofty gate and countenance; high looks, vain apparel, costly ornaments, un­dervaluing expressions of others, censori­ous scofs and gybing & rayling at others, uncivil carriage, uncourteous behaviour, reducing all degrees and qualifications of men to an equality, allowing no more to those above thee in civil respect then to thy equals; all these are the expres­sions of Pride, and some of them under a shew of humility.

When thou art seeking after the Pride of thy heart,S. 85. do it by the help of humility and prayer, and whatever is Pride in thy [Page 85]heart, or life, or like unto it, bring it down, repent of it, hate it, forsake it; for the proud man (had he no other sin,) yet his own sin of pride would keep him out of Heaven, and throw him into Hell; and take heed when thou dost reprove pride in another, do not do it proudly, consi­dering that so thou maist be guilty again of that thou hast condemned in another: Leave off pride, and be clothed with humi­lity, for God resisteth the proud, and he gives grace to the humble: Remember thou art warned to repent for, and spee­dily to forsake pride and vain-glory.

§ XV. Schism and Heresie.

Schism and Heresie are near akin,S. 86. both works of the flesh, the wicked product of depraved nature, forged in an ill head and a naughty heart; where pride and parts meet in any one, there Heresie and Schism will not long be strangers; Here­sie is the greater,nullum schisma non sibi a­liquam con­fingit Hae­ri sin. Hier. Com. in Tit. an over-grown Schism, and Schism is a less Heresie, growing and tending to it. He that is guilty of Schism wil not long be free of Heresie; a schisma­tick is but an heretick concealed, and an heretick is a schismatick revealed.

Heresie is a perverse opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ,S. 87. and Schism is a peevish separation from [Page 86]the Communion of the Church of Christ. The first is against the Truth of the Church,Schisma vinculum pacis di­rumpit, charitatem scilicet. Musc. lib. cap. de schismate. Gal. 5.19. the other against the Peace and Charity of the Church of God: Both in­jurious to Christ, and both destructive to thy own soul, if thou art either Heretick or Schismatick, and continuest therein, both excluding Heaven, see Galat. 5.19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, se­dition, (i. e.) The raising or furthering divisions and disorders in the Church, and Heresies (i. e.) venting strange opini­ons, cunningly devised fables, or teach­ing such for truths as were thus invented, or yielding to them,2 Pet. 1.16. or maintaining of them contrary to the Scriptures, and received professions of the holy true Catholick Church: They which do such things (saith Paul, [...]. 2 Pet. 2.2.) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God; and heresies are called damnable, and bring swift destruction up­on the inventors of such evil things, and the teachers of them, and the followers of them too; the Apostle bids all good Christians to avoid (as a pest,) all such as make rents and divisions in the Church. Now I beseech you brethren, Rom. 16.17. mark them that cause divisions and offences, contrary to the Doctrine which ye have heard, and a­void them; for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, v. 18.

Now it may be thou that readest this art one of parts,S. 88. and delightest thy self in novel and curious speculations, and hast taken liberty to let thy thoughts and in­ventions run from the simplicity and in­corrupt truth that is in Christ; framing to thy self and others some other articles of faith then what the Sciptures assert, and the true Church in all ages hath received; or it may be thou art one that doth con­tradict, gainsay and oppose the revealed and received Truths concerning God, Jesus Christ and holy Ghost, or any other foundation Truth; if so, I intreat thee (if pride, obstinacy or implacable malice against the truth have not possessed thee,) that you would recant your damnable opinions, and become sober, humble, pe­nitent, and a lover of that truth which formerly you have opposed; and if thou hast been a leader or seducer of others, and hast infected them, then thy sin is the greater, and thy labour must be to unde­ceive them if thou canst; and if thou hast been a professor of Religion, and hast used the form of godlinesse, the better to ac­complish thy ends, and propagate thy damnable Doctrines, and to corrupt the judgements of others, then yet the grea­ter is thy sin, and thou hast made seem­ing holinesse a cloak for thy mischievous wickednesse; which Christ will not en­dure: [Page 88]So likewise for SCHISM, if thou hast divided and separated from the true Catholick Church, and refusest Commu­nion with the members of the true Church; and out of pride, faction, inte­rest, or conceited singularity, withdraw­est thy self, and drawest others after thee, setting up a Church against a Church, from which thou hast separated thy self: Art thou the head of such a fa­ction, or the member of such a distinct and opposite body? then art thou guilty of Schism; thou art a troubler of the Peace and Unity of the Church of Christ.

And if thou repent not for this wrong done to Christ and his Church, the guilt of causelesse separation, and dividing things which God hath put together; for God would have no schism in his Church, and wo unto them by whom such offences come, for by one spirit are we baptized into one body; and Christs Church which is this his mysticall body is but one, though it hath many members, and those members ought not to oppose one the o­ther, or be independent one on the other, or divide in a way of uncharitable sub­serviency and communion one from ano­ther; and all this Christ forbids, lest there should be a schism in the body. Reader, consider the 12. Chapter of the [Page 89]first Epistle to the Corinthians, from first to last.

Therefore be thou perswaded to consi­der thy principles,S. 89. as to thy judgement and thy practise, if it be hereticall or schis­maticall, and if thou be guilty of either, amend with speed, and be reformed un­feignedly, and remember, the Heires of Heaven must be servants of Truth, and not the Innovators and Revealers of Er­ours and false Doctrines; neither must they be breakers of the Peace, and Unity, and Harmony of the Church of Christ, which is one and the same in Faith and Charity, both for things to be believed, and duties to be performed; and if thou think­est it but a small matter to be of any opi­nion, though never so distant from, or op­posite to the foundation-Doctrines, and Catholick faith, and pure Primitive Church-practises; (so thou live other­wise soberly, and art of a morall good life,) yet know, that filthy, unsound, false opinions defile the soul, and make thee guilty of spirituall wickednesse, and renders thee one of a filthy spirit, and therefore detestable to the holy God, who would have thee keep thy self from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit also. 1 Cor. 7.1.

Yea,S. 90. for making of parties, and sidings with good Ministers in a way of faction [Page 90]in the same Church, is that with is utterly forbidden, as a note of a carnall and un­regenerate man of who ere doth so; you may see how the Christian Corinthians, (who had Paul, Apollo and Cephas, that is, Peter) for their teachers, were ac­cused as carnall because Schismaticall, and Schismatical, because they received the Gospel with respect of persons: Paul, Apollos and Peter, were all three true Mi­nisters of Christ, gracious and good spiri­tual Preachers, and preached the same truths, and had the same end, and all a­greed as disciples of Christ; yet when men would divide into parties, and set up a Paul, an Apollos, a Cephas, to head each faction, and in a way of distinction, as though the ordinances received their worth and excellency from man, and not from God; from the gifts of men, and not from the Spirit of God; or that the Ministers of Christ should monopolize to every ones self. Now the people are much in fault this way, when they cry up one in opposition to another, or in a way of party; and glory in this, I am of such a mans way and Church; but I, saith ano­ther, like such a man better, I can walk in such a Communion; and I, saith another, can edifie more under such a man. O, saith one, he with whom I walk, teaches very powerfull and plainly, and I am for [Page 91]him; I, but saith a second, I am for such an one, for he preaches elegantly and pow­erfully too, he pleases the ear, yet search­eth the heart too; I, but saith a third, I am for neither of those, but such a man he preaches movingly, he is all spirituall and inward, he is not so strict-laced, not so much for good works and duties; a very Gospel-preacher indeed, he useth no ter­rible threats, but doth deal by love and promises, with priviledges of believers; he is none of your legall preachers, he doth not take upon him to reprove and rebuke for sin as others doe; every body may please themselves, but for my part, I am neither for that, nor the orher you named, though they may be usefull in their way; but I am for this man I speak of: and if you would forsake your way, and follow this way, you should quickly see a diffe­rence; come, be of our way, and joyn with us. And thus men that seem to themselves wise, are carnall indeed, while they make parties and divisions, fractions and factions in the Church.

Now if thou be one of these siders and gatherers,S. 91. see 1 Cor. 3.3, 4. if thou art one that dost not labour to preserve the peace of the Church of Christ, and dost not obey the truth without respect of persons, because it is the doctrine of Christ,1 Cor. 3.9. then art thou guilty of this fault here condemned; and [Page 92]you must amend and reform this fault also, and that without delay; remember you are told of the sin and danger of Heresie and Schism, take heed of them both: Take with thee the exhortation of Paul touching this thing, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1.10. that you all speak the same things, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be per­fectly joyned together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

§. XVI. Witchcraft.

There is no abomination imaginable but the corrupt nature of man is apt to close withall,S. 92. even to a familiarity with, and seeking to, the very devills them­selves; hence it is that witchcraft and sorcery become so frequent sins among those that bear the name of Christians, but yet truly are of the devil, and conse­derate with evil spirits, and hold com­merce with them: there is much witch­craft and sorcery exercised now adays, and many pretenders to Conjuration, and Judiciall Astrologie, therefore many witches, and many that are bewitched by them; there are some that pretend by their strength of Fancie, and help of Art, or fa­miliar spirit, to discover secrets, to deter­mine of future contingencies, to tell of [Page 93]things lost, and many such tricks (by which the ignorant people are befool'd and cheated;) yet all this shews what men would be at, some would be accounted Wizards, and (as the vulgar sots call them) cunning-men; and others are so im­pious as to seek unto such as an oracle, and in this their practise are no better then those poor wretches of some parts of the world that worship the Devil.

Now if thou hast made any compact with the devil,S. 93. or hast at any time endea­voured or wished a combination or com­merce with familiar spirits, under what likeness soever discovering themselves to thy senses or fancie, suggest to thee, work in thee, or for thee, thou art a sorcerer, one that deals with and by the help of the evil spirit, and hast a familiar: And if thou hast used spells and Charmes, or any art or suggested device, either for to bewitch any person, place or thing, thou art, or pre­tendest to be a witch, thou art faulty; and if thou hast invoked the name of God to thy devillish art and practice, yet art thou not one jot to be esteemed of the better, or feared the more, or believed at all; but rather the more to be hated, abhorred and denied.

And if thou that readest this hast been one that hath gone out after such kind of men or women,S. 94. or art ready to doe it upon [Page 94]any occasion; and hast sought or art minded to seek unto any such who are esteemed either Conjurers, Judiciall A­strologers, Witches, Fortune-tellers, Cun­ning-men or women, either to know se­crets from them, or to be revenged upon others by help of their witchcraft, or to find things lost by help (as thou thinkest) of their casting a figure, and wouldest know things to come (which God hath reserved to himself,) and thou believest in them and their Art, and relyest upon them,1 Chron. 10.13. then hast thou forsaken the Oracles of Gods word, and against them seekest thou (as Saul did) unto witches, and as Pharoah and Manasses; Lev. 19.26. Deut. 18.10. Exo. 22.18. which practice is expresly condemned in them, and all o­thers are forbidden to use it; Thou shalt use no witchcraft, and thou shalt not suffer a witch to live upon the earth.

And never did one religious man or woman in Scripture seek to such,S. 95. nor any that truly know or fear God, or believe savingly in Christ, will ever seek unto, require, or procure the help of witches, or any likeunto them, as Conjurers, or those that pretend to South-saying or Sorcery; and therefore if thou hast been guilty of either the thing, or going to such, repent thee heartily, break off thy league, cast away all thy abominations, and humble thy self before the Lord, if peradventure [Page 95]he may pardon thy crime, and restore thy soul, and reform thy heart, judgment and practice.

For,S. 96. witchcraft and sorcery are the works of the flesh, and they that are such shall be excluded Heaven for ever, and sent down into the horrid flames of end­less misery, For the works of the flesh are manifest, as, Idolatry, Witchcraft, &c. Gal. 5.20. And they that doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God; And,Rev. 21.8. all Sorcerers shall have their portion in that lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. And elsewhere,Deut. 18.10, 11, 12. there shall not be found among you any one that useth divination, or an observer of times, (i. e.) (for fortunate or unlucky, good or bad, white or black, cross or prosperous,) or an inchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wi­zard, or a necromancer; for all that doe such things are an abomination to the Lord.

§. XVII. Hypocrisie.

Hypocrisie is a meer cheat in Religion, a seeming to be religious outwardly,S. 97. 2 Tim. 3.5. but inwardly irreligious; a shew of godliness without the life, heart and power of God­linesse; a profession without practise, a fair tongue but foul heart and actions; it is a dissimulation, or hiding of evil by [Page 96]similation or feigning ones self to be holy, just, good, devout and godly, when he is nothing so; a representation of what a man should be,Esa. 32.6. but (God knowes) he is not in reality such an one as he would seem to be; Hypocrisie is a religious lie, a counterfeit golinesse: our Saviour Christ sets forth an Hypocrite (for he knows them well enough) under the likenesse of a painted, whited sepulchre; ye are like (saith he) to whited sepulchres, Mat. 23.13, 14, 15. v. 23. v. 28. v. 33. which indeed appear beautifull outward, but within full of uncleannesse; who appear righteous to men, but within are full of iniquity; and he pronounceth a woe unto them, and a greater damnation, calling them serpents; but for all their craft they not escape the damnation of Hell.

Now to pray much,S. 98. to pray often, to professe Religion openly, to discourse of godlinesse, to talk of Heaven, to speak against sin, to hear the word of God, to receive the Sacrament, to professe self-denial, to set apart times for, & to joyn in, publick or private humiliation, to make scruple of omissions of good duties, and to be strict in smaller matters, or the like, are not acts of Hypocrisie; for these things should every religious man perform; but yet he that doth all these may be an Hypo­crite while he doth them, (i. e.) if he rest in the outward performance, if his heart [Page 97]doth not the same, if his intentions be not really such as his professions are, if he doth these things onely to appear to men Religious, or if he doth any of these in pretence, that so he may secretly bring about worldly ends, that he may deceive others, and betray them into a good opi­nion of him, making Religion a cloke to hide his wicked designs and practices from the cognizance and discovery of men; that so under the pretence and appearance of Religion he may cheat, de­fraud, beguile, oppresse, and draw men to his party and defence, in his secular and worldly interests, or erroneous principles, this man, I say, is an Hypocrite; a damnable impostor, abominable to God, who judg­eth of every man not by outward appea­rance onely, but by inward intentions and frame of the heart, in all religious perfor­mances; which onely then are well plea­sing to God,Psal. 51.6. Jo. 1.47. when there is truth and sin­cerity in the heart, without guile: Now one would think that no man living that professeth faith in Christ, or that believes truly that God is the discerner of the hearts, thoughts, intentions, designs, and all the actions, (with all their circum­stances,) should be so mysteriously wic­ked, prophane & Atheistical; this is a won­der indeed, and such as the charity of the sincere and upright Christian doth [Page 98]not easily believe, which hopeth and be­lieveth other things of professors of reli­gion: yet that there are, and have been such mountebanks, juglers and dissemblers in the Church, is beyond doubt, the more the pitty, and the greater their damnation; of all sinners to be sure they shall not escape the damnation of Hell; for Hypo­crites are odious to God, and he best knows them,Mat. 23.33. and will pay them fully.

And although Hypocrites may for a long time carry it so secretly,S. 99. having the advantage of the serpents subtilty, and plausible discourse, and retiredness from vulgar observance, & open abominations; and withall having to befriend them the wronged charity of the guileless Christi­ans, who dare not judge rashly, lest they should by accident condemn an inno­cent person instead of, or with, the guilty; and the godly mans charity hath this pro­perty, to think no evil,1 Cor. 13.6, 7. and to hope and believe well, where nothing appears to the contrary; yet oftentimes it comes to pass, that some time or other, in some thing or other, there is a discovery made of the Hypocrites Hypocrisie, and his vizor and mask is pluckt off, and his proper complexion apparent; that it may be said of him, Loe, this is that man that made a shew of religion; this is the Hypocrite, that had onely the form of Godliness; this is [Page 99]he by reason of whom Religion hath been evil spoken of; this wretch made the ho­ly institutes to serve his fleshly, worldly, devillish designs and interests; this Hy­pocrite must prove a wofull subject of Gods wrath against Hypocrites in hell-fire, prepared for Hypocrites,Mat. 24.51. if he repent not of this his sin, and turn from it to godly sincerity, reall religiousness, without par­tiality,Jam. 3.17. and without Hypocrisie.

Now my advise to thee is the same of Christs, take heed and beware of Hypo­crisie,S. 100. it is as much damning as Atheism; for an Hypocrite is a religious Atheist, one that in heart and works denies God, whom he professeth he knows and serves. Examine therefore thy self, and observe well thy own heart and life, whether thou be Hypocritical; I say not (to thee,) thou shouldest judg and censure another for an Hypocrite, but look unto thy self, and see whether thy self be a religious dissembler or no.

If thou hadst rather seem religious then take paines to be religious indeed,S. 101. if thy religion lyes most in formes and bodily performances, and art zealous for them, but neglectest the inward worship of the soul, and devotion of the heart, then art thou guilty of Hypocrisie.

If thou be never so punctuall and fre­quent in the outward duties of religion,S. 102. [Page 100]on set times, dayes and opportunties of publique humiliations, fastings, and hear­ing the word; and yet for all this thou neglectest thy private and secret addres­ses to God in prayer, and other thy duties, then thou art not clean of Hypocrisie.

But if thou perform all acts of devo­tion,S. 103. both private and publique, and yet if thou neglect or oppose acts of Charity, or livest in worldliness, oppression, swearing, drunkenness,Psal. 50.16. to ult. Esay 1.11, 12. v. 13, 14, 15, 16. Jer. 7.4, 9, 10. Ezek. 33.31. unrighteous dealing, or any other sin, wittingly and wilfully; then art thou (for all thy outward shew or acts of service) a grosse and damnable Hypo­crite: God hates all thy acts of service, (which otherwise he would accept,) be­cause thy heart and course of life is not suitable to thy Profession, because thou seemest to be devout, but really art vici­ous; — Again, if thou resolvest to keep thy sin,Psal. 66.16. and wouldst not be reformed, al­though thou mighrest, but lovest and likest thy sinfull practises, though thou dost make many prayers and confessions, and speakest never so much against sin in o­thers, yet art thou (for all this) no better then an Hypocrite.

Moreover,S. 104. if thou take up a religion, or some form which seems to be religious, for to gain thereby the favour of men of such a way and form, or some other secu­lar advantages which are usually gotten [Page 101]by men of such a shape and religious mode, as the times and persons in world­ly power doe smile on, and are benevolent to, then if that religion be false and er­roneous, thou art a most profane Hypo­crite; and if it be the true religion, yet if thou becomest seemingly religious in that way for base low ends, as worldly ad­vantages, or favour of men, and seemest for a while zealous in religious duties, to the end thou mayst win the good opinion of the godly, and gain something by it, and so makest gain thy godlinesse, then art thou a dissembler indeed, a foul Hypocrite.

Furthermore, if thou seem nice,S. 105. tender and scrupulous, for or against some indif­ferent circumstances about the service of God, or humane institutions, and upon that neglectest the main and substantiall duties of religion, and thereupon fallest into grosser sins, as Schism, violating and breaking the rule of charity, and bond of peace,Mat. 23.23. to a separation from the divine institutions of God in his Church, hear­ing, praying, receiving, under a pretence of scruple about some circumstances; then art thou an Hypocrite, thou seemest tender about lesser and lower matters, but makest no scruple of sins that are sins indeed, nor of neglect of spiritual and holy performances, which God requires at thy hands.

Finally,S. 106. If thou art severer and more bit­ter against others for some lesser failings and irregularities,Mat. 7. v. 3, 4, 5. while thou thy self ju­stifiest, or sufferest in thy self, thy familiars and favorites, groster faults, or although but as bad as those you accuse and con­demn in others; and wilt not reform thy self as well as seek (seemingly zealous) to reclaim others, then art thou an Hy­pocrite, not because thou findest fault, and art severe against the least sins, but be­cause thou art not so against all sins and evil practices in thy self too; for if thy soul be upright, it must be set against all sin, it will not allow of any the least irre­gularity in thee, though it could be hid from the eyes of others.

Now having given you some instances by which you may be helped to try and search your own heart,S. 107. as to this sin of Hypocrisie, I earnestly beseech thee that readest this to consider seriously thy state, and be very diligent in the search; for Hypocrisie (though it be damnable,) yet it lyes very close, sheltered under religion, & men doe very seldome suspect themselves to be guilty of this foul sin, while indeed they are foully guilty; and many seemingly religious goe to Hell, not for their religion, but their Hy ocrisie, not for their seem­ing religious, but for not being religious.

And that you may reform speedily,S. 108. if [Page 103]guilty in the least, and become plain-heart­ed in religion, consider, the many cauti­ons Christ gives to his, to beware of Hy­pocrisie, and those many woes pronounced against Hypocrites; and if there be any torments in Hell severe, it is for the Hy­pocrites, they shall have the greater dam­nation of Hell; and when the Scripture would express an high degree of tor­ments for the vilest sinners, it saith, they shall have their portion with Hypocrites. Take heed therefore of this, and remem­ber I have warned thee from the Lord.

§ XVIII. Apostasie.

If Hypocrisie be not repented of,S. 109. and thou speedily reformed and changed from thy dissembling, into a sincere, honest, devout heartiness, in the belief and pra­ctice of godiness, in the sight of God, as well as outward appearance, then it will not be long ere thou turn Apostate, and become a Bankrupt, as to all true religion and practise of Godliness, after the will of God; for the Hypocrites very form is quickly blown away with a breath of temptation, worldly interest, or false do­ctrine, when the shew of religion will stand an Hypocrite in no stead for worldly advantage, and a contrary opinion be of more easi attainment then the truth, as it [Page 104]is in Jesus, according to strict holiness, inward and outward too, then Hypocrisie will ease and empty it self into Apostasie, for Apostasie is but Hypocrisie detected and brought forth: The Apostle Paul to Timothy speaks of some that will fall a­way from the faith, 1 Tim. 4.12. and give heed to se­ducing spirits, and doctrine of devills, and they are such as speak lies in Hypocrisie, having their consciences seared; first an Hy­pocrite, and then a back-sliding Apostate.

When religion is not rooted in the heart,S. 110. and bearts not fruit in the life of a professor, all his flourish is but like the leaves of a tree in summer, and his reli­gion will fall as they doe in Autumn, and come to dirt or nothing;Mat. 13.21. it may dure for a time, but because religion is not rooted and well grounded, it dureth but for a while,Luk. 8.13. for they fall away when temptati­on comes; for a while they may believe and make profession, but no longer will they then safely they may without preju­dice to their outward safety, worldly ad­vantage and interest.

Now Apostasie is a cursed alienation of mind and affection from the truth and practice of godliness as it is in Christ;S. 111. it is a departure from the truth in judg­ment, or affection, or conversation, a lea­ving off to believe in Christ as thy Savi­our, and obeying and following Christ [Page 105]as thy Lord and example: Apostasie is signified by the termes of turning away from the faith of the Gospel, by falling a­way from the profession and practise of godliness, by back-sliding and drawing back from a Christians former love and zeal for it, and diligence in Religious per­formances after the rule and manner of the Gospel;Isa. 1.4. Jude v. 19. 1 Tim. 1.19. 2 Tim. 2.18. Heb. 3.12. by forsaking and going away backward, by separating from the Gospel, Truth, Rule and Order; and making shipwreck of Faith and a good consci­ence, erring from the Truth, and depart­ing from the Living God.

Apostasie taken any of these waies is a very great sin in whomsoever it be in the least degree;S. 112. and if it be not speedily repented of, and thy decaies and luke­warmeness amended, and thou quickly make haste out of that indifferencie as to all (or no) Religion, halting between God and Baal, quickly will such an one fall in­to that state of Apostasie as is irrecovera­ble, and dreadfull is that state (God knows.)Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. It is impossible for those who were once enlightned, and have tasted of the hea­venly gift, the good word of God, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God, and put him to an open shame, (i. e.) put the greatest indignity upon Christ and his Gospel, as though he himself were an [Page 106]Impostor, and his Gospel a lie.

And it is a sad Truth,S. 113. that there are very many in these last daies who are come even to this pass, even to this state and degree of Apostasie, and of whom there is very little hope of recovery, but a great deal of fear they will be Eter­nally damned for their Apostasie, if God by his Almighty power and miracle of mercy doth not bring them to their right judgement, mind, will and affe­ctions again, and so restore them.

Dreadfull is that sentence, God shall send such (as are declining from his Truth) strong delusions, S. 114. 2 Thes. 2. v. 10.11, 12. that they should be­lieve a lie, because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be sa­ved; they shall be damned, who believe not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrigh­teousness.

See how God nauseates and abhors the luke-warm professor in that Laodicean temper,S. 115. which was a decaying of zeal and fervour in Religion, and so but a lesser degree of Apostasie; yet saith Christ, I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, but art dead, and that thou art neither cold nor hot; because thou art nei­ther cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth; Rev. 3. v. 1. cum v. 15, 16, 19. S. 116. be zealous therefore and re­pent.

And there is another remakable passage [Page 107]in the second Epistle of Peter, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21. which sets forth the nature and danger of Apostasie, thus; If after they have escaped the pollu­tions of the world through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, (that is, when a man hath embraced once the Truth of the Gospel, and is in a way of reformation and amendment of Life, ac­cording to the Rule of Faith and Life,) if such a man shall be entangled again and overcome, (that is, look back and with­draw from Christs profession and practise of Religion, and yield to the temptation, to that cursed return to former infidelity and worldliness, or any kind of vicious living again,) the latter end of them is worse then the beginning; (that is, their sin is greater, and their return by Repentance harder,) for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, (though this had, been bad and damnable enough,) then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandement deli­vered unto them: Pro. 14.14. Pro. 1.30, 31. For the backslider in heart, he that is a fugitive from Wisdoms rules and godly conversation, shall be filled with his own waies, (i. e.) shall be requited accordingly; they shall be an­swered in their own kind, God will turn away his favour and love from them; for God takes no pleasure in those that draw back from following after Truth, Righte­ousness and Holiness.

Well then,S. 117. be perswaded to look unto thy self in time; art thou one that hast made some profession of Christianity, and some progresse in Religion after Christ, and art ingaged in Religious courses, and hast tasted some sweetness in the waies of Godliness, and resolved to frame thy faith and life according to the Scriptures? Then take heed of falling back, turn not from the right way to any by-paths of errour or loose living as long as thou li­vest: Let no body, nor any thing prevail with thee to Apostatize, or make the least defection from the love of the Truth of the Gospel, or to remit of thy care, di­ligence and zeal after Truth and Holiness to thy dying day.

And if thou hast been so unhappy,S. 118. through thy sloth, easiness and folly, to have been tempted and overcome, as to yield to any dislike of the Truth and waies of God, or remisness in the duties of piety, love and zeal in thy heart; or if there be in thee a wavering indifferency, and thou hangest loose to the Doctrine of Gospel-Truths, and Practicals of Godliness, and art weary of well-doing, as one uneasie and unwilling in the service of God and pursuit of grace and heaven; if thou hast a mind to forsake the way of the GO­SPEL OF CHRIST, to embrace and take up some other new and strange opini­ons [Page 109]or course of Religion, either besides or contrary to that in the SCRI­PTURES; or if thou art already turned back, or fallen from thy first love and Bap­tismall vow, and art in a state of offnesse and separation from the Gospel-Truths and practises, and fallen into another hidden Apocryphall mysterious course of Religion, not warranted in its princi­ples and practicals by the word of God, or opposite to the Scriptures, then in eve­ry of these cases I exhort thee (as thou tenderest thy souls safety and Gods fa­vour) to repent thee speedily, and endea­vour a REFORMATION; get out quick­ly of this cursed Apostatizing temper and back-sliding disposition, recover thy de­caies in Religion, come out from among them that have erred from the Truth, lest thou partake of their plagues, and fallest into a finall Apostasie, and findest no place for repentance; (which is the case of very many of the Apostates of these times we live in,) and thou with them must be left to thy self, untill thou comest to Julians state, to die blaspheming, and fall into eternall flames of endlesse tor­ments, which will be the portion of Apo­statizing hypocrites and hypocriticall A­postates. Take this warning, and repent in time (that is,) speedily.

If this be the case of Apostates,S. 119. Object. and a [Page 110]man may be in danger, if he engage in the true Religion, either by Formality, Hy­pocrisie or Apostasie, is it not safer to be unfixt as to all Religions, and to make no more ado about any way, but to account of all as vanity and a needless thing, being as safe as easie to slight and neglect the Gospel it self, and not account of it, or give it any entertainment, or consent to it: nor look after salvation by it, nor regard it, or affect it, much less to be tied to the conditions of it, &c. Seeing the case is so, is it not better to be of no Religion at all, or of that which is easier and cheaper, and not dangerous, though a man be but for­mall in it, or forsake it at pleasure, and take another?

Tis true indeed,S. 120. Answ. many seem to be at this pass already, and stand off from the life of Christianity, and close not with proposals, offers and rules of the Gospel, and give it but slender entertainment in their hearts and practise; that value a­bundantly more their earthly concern­ments then all the riches of grace in the Gospel; yet such must know, that besides the loss of the benefits which come to the soul which obeyes the Gospel, and clo­seth with the offers of Christ and Salvati­on upon Gods conditions, I affirm, that besides the loss of having the priviledge of having the Gospel with all its con­tents, [Page 111]he that neglects, slights, refuseth or despiseth those invitations to Salvation, (which God sends to every one unto whom he hath sent the Gospel) DOTH SIN GRIEVOUSLY against God, and wrong his own soul. Tis not a light sin to make light of Christ and Salvation ten­dred in the Gospel: and although it be a foul fault to fall from grace and obedi­ence of the Gospel, and damnable to con­tinue in that sin, yet thy sin is not one jot the less if thou refuse to be a religious Christian. If thou make light of Salvation, and all those conditions, promises, invi­tations, and doctrines, and performances leading to it, it will become a damning sin to thee, if thou make light of the means of Salvation, or be unfruitfull un­der them, as you may perceive in the following Sections.

§. XIX. Making light of Gospel-mer­cies, and neglecting them; a great sin, never to be pardoned without Repentance and Reformation.

The first and greatest evil that crept in­to this humane world was sin;S. 121. for by it man became miserable, under bondage, wrath, rule of Satan, and liable to cala­mities here, & everlasting torments here­after; [Page 112]which undoubtedly must seise all without exception, if a reme­dy be not granted by the same God that is offended with sinne, and that remedy as sincerely accepted by man, as it is seriously proffered of God to man.

And the greatest and most miraculous mercy and favour that was ever shewn to a sinfull world,S. 122. Rom. 5.6, 8. 1 Tim. 1.15. Jo. 3.16. was Gods sending Christ into the world to save sinners, and the Gospel or Message Revealing him, and of­fering him to a soul with most earnest in­treaties and calls of God to every one to accept of him, and with him pardon of sin, and reconciliation with God and Sal­vation for their precious souls: And the better to effect this mercy, and to per­swade men to accept of it heartily, chear­fully and chiefly, Rom. 10.15. he hath appointed the Publication of this (as the gladdest tydings to poor souls) by his Ministers, Esa. 52.7. whom he hath commanded to wait on this busi­ness, and as his Ambassadours to sinners with Articles of peace,2. Cor. 5.19, 20. 2 Cor. 4.6, 7. reconciliation and salvation; committing this so excellent and heavenly treasure to Earthen Vessels, that the power and mercy might appear to come from God; for tis the glory of Gods grace in Christ which we are to discover to a company of poor souls; to help, under Christ, to the Reformation [Page 113]and Salvation of such souls as are by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel brought to believe, to love and follow the Lord Jesus.

Now when any one shall refuse, neglect, despise or make light of this grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation to thee a poor wretch,S. 123. Tit. 2.11. which hast forfeited all thy interest in happinesse, and art utter­ly undone without Christ and Salvati­on:

When thou dost slight this high favour and grace of God,S. 124. this GREAT SALVA­TION, and those means which bring Christ, and his salvation, and thy soul to­gether, thou committest a sin of the highest nature, a sin against the greatest mercy, 'tis an undervaluings of CHRIST & HEAVEN, 'tis all one as if thou shouldest say of God, Christ, and holy Spirit, grace and salvation, depart from us, we desire not the knowledg of thy waies, and that we will not have Christ to reign over us, but reject him and all his benefits,Job 21.14. Luk. 19.14. and re­fuse to give him any entertainment or hearty acceptation; and is not this a great sin?

What is it less then the trampling under foot the Son of God, and accounting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sancti­fied, S. 125. Heb. 10.27, 28, v. 29, 30, 31. as an unholy thing, and doing despite to the spirit of Grace? Is there any one sin [Page 114]marked with a more terrible character and severity then this? If he that despised Moses law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy of that despiseth and slighteth this grace? why, no less then a certain fear­full looking for of judgement and fiery in­dignation, which shall devour; for God hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense; and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, whose mercy, love, favour, grace, Christ, Salvation and Gospel is despised and slighted.

Why this making light of Christ and Salvation offered in the Gospel to thee,S. 126. for the eternal welfare of thy precious soul, is as much as to say to God and Christ, You may keep your grace and sal­vation to your self, I have no such need of it, I esteem not of grace and salvation so highly, I can be without it, I will have none of your favours on such terms, I will not part with my present pleasure, ease, profit and enjoyments, for your rich grace, and glory hereafter; let me alone with my own matters and concernments; I have other business to look after, which to me are of greater weight, then the things you would press upon me, &c. Now can you think that God can take this kind of dealing from any one well? or [Page 115]doe you imagine that God will be pleased with one that values or sets more by an Oxe, or piece of metal, a field, barn, rottering house, or a moment of fleshly pleasure, then by Christ and sal­vation?

That men should make all things else of great concernment to them,S. 127. and make light of Christ and glory, which are ten thou­sand times ten thousand times more worth to thee then all things else, put them all together; and yet to hear of these things but as a tale, which may or may not be true, and to account of these rich mercies proposed but as a strange thing, or of no value; or of very little advantage to one; is it imaginable that God should not be highly displeased with that soul that de­spiseth, and slights and neglects that God sets so much by, and so highly esteemes, Hosea 8. and by which he sets up and declareth the ho­nour and excellency of his free grace to poor sinners? Yes, sure enough, God is so much displeased at such, that they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed by him; and those that make light of his in­vitations to mercy, he is always wroth with till destruction come full home upon your souls; and those that by excuses put off Christ and grace, as of a lesser con­cernment to them,1 Sam. 2.30. and pretend secular business and interests as an answer to those [Page 116] sent from God to invite them to mercy and salvation, Mat. 22. v. 5, 7. upon the terms of the Go­spel to close with Christ, and doe actually refuse to come; but either turn away their ear from hearing the message, or shut up their heart from receiving of Christ, or take no great heed to li [...]e according to the Gospel of Christ, of such God hath determined, that they shall never reap the benefit of grace, Gospel and glory. Read Christs own words,Luke 14. v. 16.10 25. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall tast of my supper, no though it were provided for them, and intended for them; yet because they made light of the invitation, and used excuses, and under­valued the great things of their souls to base, worldly, bodily, beggerly things and imployments, therefore is the Lord angry, to this conclusion, SUCH SHALL NE­VER TAST OF MY SUPPER.

And you may further guess at the sin­fulness of this slighting salvation,S. 128. by that which is said of those who despise the word of grace, and ministry of this mer­cy; who so despiseth the word shall be de­stroyed; and,Pro. 13.13. Heb. 2.3. how shall we escape, if we neg­lect so great salvation?

The Prophet Esay makes mention of an intolerable wicked people by this,S. 129. that they will not hear the Law of the Lord, but say unto the Seers, See not, and to the pro­phets, [Page 117]Prophesie not unto us right things, but get you out of the way, turn aside, cause the holy one to cease before us; Wherefore thus saith the Lord, because ye despise the word, therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant, as the break­ing of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces, &c. Rom. 2.4 v. 5. So also see the aggravation of such mens sinfulness in that of St. Paul's correction to the Romans, Despi­sest thou the riches of his goodness and for­bearance, not considering that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance? but after thy hardness, and impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath, &c.

And this very slighting of the great things of God which he hath provided for the good of souls,S. 130. is one of the commonest sins under the Gospel, and one of the most dangerous that can be named, and yet men make light of it, and scarcely will men be brought to be sensible of the neglects and slightings they shew toward Christ and salvation, and therefore are seldome brought to repentance for it; and yet may they not read that place of the Proverbs? Because I have called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, Prov. 1. v. 24. to the end. and no man regard­ed, but ye have set at nought all my Coun­sell, and would none of my reproof: — and for this, because they refused, and would not [Page 118]take counsell, but despised, God shall make as light at your calamity when it comes as they did of his counsell, and will no more hear them in their misery to help them, then they would hear God when he would offer them means for pre­vention of their misery.

Now seeing this making light of Gods gracious offers of Christ and salvation is a sin so great,S. 131. so common, so dangerous, so unanswerable, and the dreadfull judg­ment of God so unavoidable for this neg­lect of salvation, so freely purchased by Christ, and so fully offered in the Gospel to thee, be perswaded, (1.) to consider se­riously whether thou art one of those who is guilty of this sin, whom God may charge with this sin of making light of Christ, and Gospel, and grace, and salvation; (2.) And if thou art guilty, that forthwith thou wouldst repent, and henceforth to thy dy­ing day take heed thou never make light of the matters of thy salvation again any more.

Examine thy self, S. 132. look into thy soul, consider, whether art thou not he that hast had a mean, low, cheap estimation of Christ and salvation? I mean, whether the things and business of religion, and about saving thy soul, have not been more neglected by thee and slighted, and less care, cost and time spent about these then [Page 119]about earthly, worldy things, that concern but the body and fleshly part; and so it is, and thou are guilty of this great sin:

1. If thou hast an ear to hear,S. 133. and yet refusest to give a listening ear to the pub­lication of the message (by the messengers of the Lord,) which revealeth Christ and salvation to poor sinners; but turnest a­way thine ear from hearing this Gospel preached, as a thing that deserves no greater heed to be taken of, or of no great concernment to thee, then dost thou undervalue and slight the rich, excellent, and chief favour of God to thy soul, and sinnest against the mercy of God.

2. If thou hast hitherto been careless, S. 134. negligent or slothfull about the great things of salvation, then hast thou made light of it, thou art guilty, and a grievous sinner this way.—

3. If when thou goest to hear the pre­cious and sanctifying saving truths of the Gospell in the ministry of it,S. 135. and thou heedest not the things that are spoken to thee, nor receivest them with delight and much affection, but art careless and vainly-minded, drowsie and dead-hearted, weary and impatient while the Ministers of Christ are seriously treating of the do­ctrines of mans salvation, and applying them to thy soul, and dost either dislike or loath the heavenly Manna falling upon [Page 120]thee, then art thou one that liest under this great guilt.

4. If thou neglectest the improvement of Gospel-truths,S. 136. by meditation and seri­ous consideration by thy self, or with others, and refusest to order thy life according to those heavenly directions, then dost thou render thy self a man which indeed hath no great mind to, nor belief of them, but one that regardest little or nothing the things that are spoken unto thee from the Lord.

5. If thou art one of those who laiest out more of thy time, S. 137. strength, thoughts, industry, to gain worldly and fleshly plea­sures, wealth, and honours for thy body, then to gain the riches of Christ, grace and heaven, for thy precious and immortal soul, and seekest after earthly things more then heavenly, then 'tis evident thou art one that makest light of thy salvation; for thou valuest and esteemest more of the body then the soul, earth then heaven; thou studiest much more how thou mayst be rich then holy, to be great then good, and gloriest rather to be a wanderer in the broad way which leads to Hell, then to enter in at the strait gate of holiness, and that narrow way of sincere devotion which leads to immortall life and endless happiness.

And can you think the holy and merci­fullS. 138. [Page 121]Jesus can take this well at thy hand? can you imagine you shall be accounted wise at last in so doing, or that you shall ever have this rich pearl of the Gospel to make thee rich, that wilt not part with all thy other treasure to purchase this pearl of grace, so much more worth then all things in the world else,Mat. 13.14. as heaven is more worth then earth? Heb. 2.3. Oh how wilt thou escape the greatest damnation that neglectest so great salvation?

Be perswaded then, dear soul,S. 139. to look into thy self, consider what thy carriage hath been toward the Gospel-invitations, truths, promises, and the intreaties of Christ and grace brought unto thee for the eternal good of thy poor soul.

And if thou hast been faulty in slight­ing and making light of the mercies and means of grace, and motions of Gods Spi­rit,S. 140. then repent thee heartily and speedily, and for time to come give better heed to the things of the Gospel; be more indu­strious about the business of thy soul, doe not, O doe not as long as thou livest make light of the concernments of thy salva­tion; neither doe thou henceforth value any earthly, temporary, bodily advantage, like to this of grace and heaven; rather forsake Father, Mother, Children, Houses, Mat. 19.28, 29. and honours, and all that may be named, then forgoe Christ, God, and thy interest [Page 122]in heaven; for, alas! what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Mat. 16.26. S. 141.

And at what a cheap rate doe men sell their souls and salvation, while they must pay so dear for a little sloth, fleshly indulgence, an Ox, or a Farm, a little plea­sure, and a little profit, which the men of the world value to a scorning, deriding, slighting, neglecting the ways of God and true practical Religion.

O be not thou so foolish, seeing thou hast a precious soul to save,S. 142. and such rich mercies before thee, and such excellent means afforded thee, such offers made to thee, and such warnings given thee, to attain that everlasting glory provided for thee by thy blessed redeemer Jesus Christ; if thou make not light of it, be not so un­wise (I pray thee that art wooed, intreated, beseeched, and that earnestly and seriously) to slight or make light of that price put into thy hand to get the best wisdome and the best inheritance.

Remember I have warned thee of this in love,S. 143. doe not thou despise this admo­nition, lest thy sin prove incurable, and thou be thereby for ever miserable.

§. XX. Unfruitfulness under graci­ous meanes.

Our gracious good God,S. 144. as he hath pro­vided great things for us, and laid out rich mercies on us, so doth he require of every one a suitable return of love and obedience; he would not have any one to slight his favours, nor be idle and unfruitfull with the talent he gives thee, nor disobedient to his positive commands, by neglecting to answer his will and demands; seeing God commands not things impossible, nor be­yond thy strength, affording thee with his commands his gracious aid, help and di­rection; and likewise hath instituted such meanes as are (if improved) fit to bring forth those effects through the assistance of grace, such as he will be well pleased with in Christ.

And therefore if thou be idle with, or wanting to the grace of God,S. 145. and the tallents he affordeth thee. God is already displeased with thee, and if thou continue unfruitfull he will condemn thee to the portion of Hypocrites, Mat. 24.51. Mat. 25.30. and the workers of iniquity; Caest ye the unprofitable servant (that is, he that hid his talent, and im­proved it not) into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Now though it were so with thee,S. 146. that [Page 124]none of these forementioned crimes, those cursed fruits of the flesh, could be charged upon thee, as actually guilty of them, yet for all this, if thou remainest fruitless as to those holy performances which are the necessary effects of the holy Spirit of God in the truly regenerate, thou art so much too farre from the kingdome of God, that thou wilt never come up to it, nor the en­joyment of it; thy unfruitfulness will ren­der thee for ever miserable.

It may be this will seem a hard saying and unpleasing,S. 147. because thou hast not con­sidered well how equall and just it is with God to exclude those from the benefit of the promises that perform not the condi­tions of promise; 'tis equal and right with God to reap where he hath sown, and to require fruit of those trees which he hath planted, dressed, manured, nourished and pre­served: art thou not one of those whom the Lord hath gathered from the heathen world, and now (through the mercy of God) art within the pale of his Church, under the daily influence of most gracious dispensations, watered with the dews of Heaven, breathed from the Spirit in all Gospel-ordinances?

Hast thou not been taught the mind and will of God concerning thy conversation in this present world? S. 148. hast thou not the best example, even the Lord Jesus Christ, [Page 125]whom thou art commanded to imitate,1 John 2.6. and to walk as he walked? are there not most full commands and most clear di­rections to be fruitfull, and how to be fruitfull in good works and holy duties?

Are there not promises freely made,S. 149. great reward richly prepared for all that are fruitfull in well-doing, and as severe threats and menaces of severe punish­ments for all that are unfruitfull, Esay. 5.12.3, 4, 5, 6. negligent and barren of good works? so that it may be truly said of thee as of the vine in the Lords vineyard, Now judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard; what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done? wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes. Therefore now will I lay it wast, it shall be troden down, it shall be PRUNED no more, nor digged more, but there shall come up briars and thornes; I will also command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon it.

Now:S. 150. surely God doth look thou shouldest bring forth fruit suitable to all the Lord hath done to thee in refe­rence to thy fruitfulness, and if thou hast not, or meanest not, to doe it in it's season, then must you expect that God will be angry with thee to a severi­ty, cut thee up by the root, and commit thee to the fire. You have this determina­tion [Page 126]in severall Scriptures from Christs own mouth recorded;Mat. 7.19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire; and in the Parable he saith unto the dresser of the vineyard, be­hold, Luke 13.7. these three years I come seeking fruit on this tree, and find none; cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? and Job. 15.2, 8. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, John 15.2, 8. and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit: Here in is my Fa­ther glorified, (saith Christ) that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples.

And sure enough,S. 151. if it be our indispen­sable duty to bear fruit to God, it must be our sin to be barren and fruitless; Omis­sion of what we should doe is as much against Gods will as the commission of what we should forbear; we are to be judged at last, and sentenced to eternal pain or pleasure, according to our works, good or bad:2 Cor. 5.10. God will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by pa­tient continuance in well-doing, eternal life; but unto those that obey not the truth, in­dignation and wrath. There is a severity pronounced to the unfruitfull,Rom. 2.6. v. 7, 8. Heb. 6.7, 8. as there is a blessing to the doers of his will: For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for him that dresseth it, receiveth blessing [Page 127]from God; But that which beareth thorns and bryers is rejected, and nigh unto cur­sing, whose end is to be burned. So it is with every man accordingly as he doth or doth not answer the provision, care, love, guidance and mercy of God, in an holy fruitfulness.

'Tis remarkable very much that deter­mination of our Lord Christ at the last day concerning all men,S. 152. as to their everlasting condition, he will then judge them, and those that are sentenced to that horrid eternity of wo and misery, are thus con­demned for, not doing, but neglecting the works of charity, pitty and compassion, which was required of them; they omitted to shew charity to the distressed, and therefore are excluded Heaven, and sent down to hell, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, Mat. 25.41, 42. prepared for the De­vil and his Angels. Why? what have these poor wretches done, that they must undergoe this dreadfull punishment? why, in the next words you shall see that there is no mention made of what evil they had done, but what good they had omitted, which they might and should have done; For I was an hungry, and ye gave me no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not; a stranger, and ye took me not in, &c. that is, you had many objects of charity be­fore [Page 128]you, which if you had relieved, I would have taken it as done to me my self; and seeing you have not exercised that good work of charity, you have me­rited the condemnation, and have lost your reward; and seeing you have omitted to doe good, Ile omit to give the pos­session of heaven, and where will you ob­tain heaven if not from me? And by this mayst thou see 'tis evil enough to damn thee that thou hast omitted to doe the will of God, suitable to the meanes and op­portunities afforded thee to be fruitfull and abundant in the service of God; For he that knoweth, or may kow Gods will, and to doe good, and doth it not, to him it is sin, and he shall be severely punished with many stripes.

Now doe I in the name of Christ most earnestly exhort thee,S. 153. (seeing it is a matter of such dreadfull consequence to remain barren and unfruitfull as to faith, James 4.17. Luke 12.47, 48. piety, righteousness, charity and sobriety under the Gospel-teachings in the Church of God,) that thou wouldst no longer con­tinue loitering, lazie, idle and unfruitfull, but henceforth walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing, which you can never doe untill you be fruitfull in every good work.Col. 1.10.

It may be thou art but a young man,S. 154. or woman, yet thou hast heard often the word [Page 129]of faith, and love, and charity, and pati­ence, and meekness, humility, and God doth expect some fruits of that word; Hast thou exercised these graces, and brought them forth in action? doest thou believe and act according to that word of grace? do the fruits of the Spirit appear in thy conversation yet? if not, hitherto hast thou been unprofitable, 'tis all cast a­way upon thee what God hath done to thee, then hast thou received the grace of God in vain.

I advise thee (as young as thou art) to repent thee heartily,S. 155. and bewail thy for­mer barrenness, and lay thy heart, and set thy self to the practice of all good duties; be much in prayer, self-denial, and frequent acts of piety and devotion, and shew thy charity and goodness to those that are in distress, what thou art able, and hast op­portunity.

It may be thou art a man or woman of full years,S. 156. and art of a longer standing, it may be twenty, thirty, fourty, fifty, sixty years, thou hast all this while enjoyed the plentifull meanes of grace, and so long hath God been bearing with thee, still ex­pecting from thee somewhat of all that beneficence of his toward thee; and now at last coming to thee, and findes no fruit on thee, onely a few leaves of profession, may he not say in high displeasure, never [Page 130]fruit grow on thee more henceforth; by this time thou mightest have been strong and well rooted in faith, abundant in charity, and well knowing in the things of God and of thy own soul, able by thine own experience and example to instruct the younger; by this time thou mightest have been able to resist the strongest tem­ptations, and have understood the wiles of Satan, and deceitfulness of sin, & have been sufficiently guarded from their prevalen­cies; by this time thou mightest have over­come the world, and have been crucified to all the worldly pleasures, honors, riches, and have had thy love, delight and happiness placed on God and Heaven; long ere this hour of the day of thy life, (hadst thou not been unfaithfull to thy Lord and Master, Christ, and unfruitfull under the meanes of grace,) mightest thou have been one prompt and ready to, and zea­lous of good works, and thy life might have been an ornament to the Gospel, and the doctrine of our Saviour in all things of piety and charity, Titus 2.10. and thou thy self a shining light, holding forth the word of life and faith in all manner of good works,Phil. 2.16. Mat. 5.16. as becometh Christianity, to the glory and praise of Gods free grace towards thee; but is it so with thee or not? hast thou con­tinued all this while, as at first, unfruit­full?

Try thy heart and wayes,S. 157. and if thou hast profited and laboured in the things of religion, piety, charity, humility, righteous­ness, sobriety, bless God for it, & goe on to perfection, and give not out to the last mo­ment, being never weary of well-doing, abounding alwayes in the work of the Lord, Gal. 6.9. 1. Cor. 15.58. 2 Cor. 7.1. Heb. 12.1, 2. perfecting holiness in the fear of God, lay aside every weight, and run the rest of your race before you with patience, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, believing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But if hitherto thou hast been unfruitfull, then let the consideration of it prick thee to the heart, repent, repent thee speedily for all thy unfruitfulness and barrenness, and redeem thy time; for all is lost, and thy soul will be lost for ever if thou repent not of this sin, even this of unfruitfulness, and henceforth learn to doe well, and apply thy heart withall to bring fruit unto the Lord, even the fruit of his care and Go­spel-mercies in Christ unto thy soul. Doe not slight this admonition and warning, 'tis from the Lord for thy good, therefore see to it in time.

§ I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption in nature.

There are in every mans nature the seeds of all evil,S. 9. Gen. 6.5. Mat. 15.19, 20. Jam. 1.14, 15. Col. 3.5. which are the beginnings of all actuall sins; mans nature is tainted and corrupted, naughty Concupiscences and lusts are born with us, which are defiling and corrupting the whole man; the heart of man is full of them, and in their first motions they are sins, even that proneness & inclination to evil, and aversness and indi­sposedness to good which is in thee, which thou mayst and must take notice of as a matter of sorrow and complaint against thy self; as it is thy unhappiness and misery, so it is thy sin and thy death, and such a disease it is, that (if not healed and pardoned in thee by regeneration) will leave thee under wrath and the curse: Gal. 3.22. Rom. 5.12. Psam. 51.5. Rom. 7.5. This that I mean is that which is understood by the name of Originall sin, that is, the corruption of humane nature by the sin of our first pa­rents, propagated to the whole kind of Adams race and posterity, which is every man and woman as they receive life and birth; these motions of sins doe work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Now though this be every mans case,S. 10. scarce any man makes it his own particu­lar grief; men make light of it, and are so [Page 138]far from watching over and resisting the first motions and lustings after evil things, and mortifying these corruptions, that they are most apt to plead it by way of ex­cuse for their faults and actuall transgres­sions, which are the issues and effects of this corruption and lust from within.

But if ever thou hopest to be savingly reformed,S. 11. this old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts, must be put off, that is, must not be served nor yeilded unto, but resisted and prayed a­gainst; and indeed for my part had I no other sin that might be laid to my charge, yet I find this inbred wickedness, this na­turall proneness to evil so exceeding sinfull, that I should account it a choice mercy to be quite rid of it; and 'tis for this I have cause to hang the head and mourn; and 'tis that the moving corruptions may be quite de­stroyed and mortified in me, is the prayer and care of my poor soul, for my joy can­not be full untill my enemies, that is, my sins, both root and branch, seed and fruit, be plucked up and withered, and untill Christ alone, his grace and vertues, be formed in my soul, and triumph in my conversation.

O doe not make light of that which put thee under the wrath of God and power of Satan;S. 12. that may not be slighted by thee which is in thee, the cause and ori­ginall [Page 139]of all sins, that set the whole man upon evil, the cause of all disorder and confusion every where in thee, and every where in the world: in a word, 'tis exceed­ing sinfull, all evils lie folded up in thy original concupiscence.

Take heed therefore and take a special view and measure of this thy sin;S. 13. and be­cause thy flesh will never be weary in it's sinfull motions, then be thou never weary nor give over resisting these lusts in thy self, & weakening this body of sin, and hin­der the progress of it, and if thou canst not get it quite discharged, suffer it not, what ere it cost thee, to reign in thee, or pre­vail over thee; listen not to lusts solicita­tions, entertain no treaty with lust, believe not its promises, fear not its threats; when God hath said and commanded one thing, let no arguments make thee believe the contrary.

§ II. Vain thought.

Thy thoughts though they lie hid from man,S. 14. and free from the laws and censures of men, yet to God are they known, who discerns the inward counsels of the heart, and are judged by him according to the agreement they have with, or dissonancie from, or repugnancie to, the laws of so­briety, righteousness and holiness. And [Page 140]what ever is uncomely or undecent to speak or act, is as much to think, and as much a sin as the word or act would be, though not so apparent; and if it be an evil to speak or practise evil, so is it to think evil, and a man that would search and trie himself for discovery, may know what he is for grace or sin by his thoughts; one may know another by words or acti­ons, thy own thoughts to thee are the Signatures of thy own heart, whether san­ctified or unholy; by these fruits mayst thou know the tree, by these streams the foun­tain, by these sparks the fire, by the sent of this smoke the fuel.Mat. 15.19. Out of the heart pro­ceed evil thoughts; which expression of Christ shews that some thoughts are evil; and the great wickedness of man is thus resolved,Gen: 6.5. that the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were evil, and that con­tinually; and Solomon knew the maligni­ty of thoughts when he entitles vain thoughts to sin,Pro. 24.8. he that deviseth to doe evil shall be called a mischeivous person, Psalm. 119.113. the Psalmist speaks of vain thoughts as mat­ter of his detestation, saying, I hate vain thoughts, but thy law doe I love. God calls upon us to banish all vain & evil thoughts, and to give them no lodging within us, but calls every one to repentance even for the sins of their thoughts, saying,Jer. 4.14. Wash thine heart from wickedness [Page 141]that thou mayst be saved; how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? And for our reformation, if we intend it to be ac­cording to the design of it, it reacheth to the very thoughts, and the evil of them must be banished, and our thoughts, yea every thought,2 Cor. 10.5. brought over to the obedi­ence of Christ.

This account is given in Scripture of wicked and vain foolish thoughts, if no worse can be said of thy imaginations, then that they are but frivolous, vain and foolish, yet of such the Scripture saith, that the thought of foolishness is sin,Pro. 24.9. much more then are they wicked when mischie­vous, envious, ambitious, wordly, luxurious and lascivious; and thy thought-sins are liable to the same condemnation (and therefore call for like reformation,) with the sins of those thoughts which are brought to light and practised; for sure if Adultery, or fornication, or murder, or theft, or covetousness, or any other abo­mination be sin, the thoughts and desires of the nature of either of them is a sin also; and if there be any indulgence for either, (which I think there is none with­out repentance,) it rather looks toward those that slip suddenly into a fault, with­out fore-thoughts of pleasure or advantage in the sin, and so foiled at unawares with­out full consent, then toward those evil [Page 142]thoughts which are delighting and abiding, though they keep within the limits of thoughts and imaginations; for the abate­ment of the guilt (if, I say, there be any such allowance) will be to him that sins and would not, rather then to him that would act sin though actually he doth it not; for he that wills and doth not is worse then him that doth a sin and wills not, that is, 'tis against the bent, resolu­tion and intentions of his mind.

Yet men are apt to think that their evil and vain thoughts are neither offensive to God,S. 16. nor hurtfull to themselves, but are innocent & harmless; and once I thought so too, but it was before I knew either God or my self as I should; but now I repent me that ever I gave way to naughty imaginations, and have learnt (through grace) to be more watchfull over and to reject and resist evil and vain thoughts, and not to suffer them to abide with me long; though sometimes so unhappy I am as to be surprised with them, and now doe I hate vain thoughts, and desire to be humbled for, and throughly reformed in my thoughts, neither shall I think to have attained any considerable victory over my corruptions, nor come to the true worth and state of saving conversion, untill my mind be sanctified,2 Cor. 10.5. and every imagination and thought be brought under the obedi­ence [Page 143]of Christ, which now is the main work I have to doe within my own soul, to wit, to get my spirit cleansed from the filthiness of vanity and evil, that so per­fecting holiness every day as long as I live, I may at length get my reformation compleated, and my soul saved.

And this I earnestly perswade thee to,S. 17. (being well assured that he that gives li­berty to himself to think evilly, and de­lights in vain thoughts, hath no inward ho­liness,) that therefore you would be watchfull over your thoughts, and ac­count it the greatest part of your duty to reform them, and to be very carefull to entertain good things in them, and banish quickly out of thy thoughts all manner of evil, for as a mans thoughts are good or bad, so is he that thinketh such things; and if thou hast been one of a vain, wan­ton, worldly, proud, malicious or revengeful mind, then repent thee of all thy thoughts of any of these kinds, and labour to re­form thy thoughts,Jer. 4.14. if thou mean to be ho­ly indeed, and saved at the last.

§. III. Idle words

The tongue is but a little member,S. 18. Jam. 3.6. yet very apt to transgress, and very full of evil; a little world of iniquity which hardly can be kept in or tamed, yet it must be re­duced [Page 144]to limits and rules, or else thou sinnest. Men think that to talk much, to talk vainly, to speak foolishly, is no great hurt, except there be poison and venome in every word; yea men are apt to think there is no sin in words, and therefore doe most men make light of words as wind, not considering that all good men and prudent, ponder well and consider what is fit to be spoken ere they speak, lest they offend God, themselves, or others by their speech.Psal. 39.1. Pro. 17.27. Pro. 10.19. Eccle. 5.3. I will take heed (saith Da­vid,) lest I sin with my tongue: And So­lomon saith, he that hath knowledg is sparing of his words, for in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise. So that I conceive many words that men speak may well be spared, for I am sure many words that men speak are sinfull, for they are unseemly, foolish, empty, vain, to no good purpose, but very often of very evil consequence: there are many unruly and vain talkers (saith Paul to Titus) whose mouths must be stopped, Titus 10.11. Eph. 5.4. which subvert whole houses, &c. And foolish talking is numbred for sin with fornication and uncleanness.

Now if thou art one given to loosness of tongue and vanity of talk,S. 19. that speak­est much and any thing comes first into thy mind, either to vent a folly or a passion, to speak unseemly or unwisely, gibing or scof­fing, [Page 145]tatling or talking, frothy comple­ments without reality, and lying jests to provoke mirth, tedious stories to no pur­pose of good to edification; if thy tongue walk in this road, and thy speech be but after this rate of vanity, though free from blasphemy, oathes, reproches, rottenness, rayling, &c. yet is it not free from sin, for thy words are vain and idle; and when re­formation comes, it will reduce thy tongue to, and bring it into the obedience of the laws of wisdome, of sobriety and piety. And lest you should think this a vain monition concerning words, consider what Christ our Lord saith of idle words; I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speake, Mat. 12.36. they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned. For there is not a word in my tongue O Lord, Psal. 139.4. but thou knowest it altogether. Therefore though thou art but apt to transgresse with thy tongue, either by speaking wickedly or vainly, idlely and foolishly, repent thee of thy former folly, and for time to come put a watch and a guard on that little member of unruliness, and a restraint, lest thou offend again, and so be put to a sad repen­tance for thy little folly; for if the instance be but little in which we offend, yet the sin is great, because we continue in that folly which is more easily reformed, the [Page 146]temptation to it less, the profit and plea­sure small; but sound words or prudent silence, are far more advantagious to the esteeme of wisdome and godliness, then vain, frothy, idle talkativeness.

If thou meanest to be religious to any purpose,S. 20. bridle thy tongue, let thy words be few,Jam. 1.26. sober and good; For if any a­mong you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this mans religion is vain.

If you say your words are out before you are aware, and 'tis your infirmity, then be perswaded to repent it and amend it as it is an infirmity; for this can be no excuse for thy sin, because it is but (as you suppose) a little one, when ye see how much and strictly we are warned to take heed of our tongues, that we sin not with them in any case, not so much as by idle talking.

§. IV. Idle life.

An Idle life is as much to be accounted for as idle words,S. 21. and as deeply to be la­mented throughly and reformed; for a man, a rational creature, to live in the world to no purpose, or onely to take his pastime here, and to be good for nothing but to eat, drink, sleep, play, &c. or, as some are, to be very busie in doing no­thing, that is, nothing to the purpose, that [Page 147]for which he hath received his life, time and talent.

And it may be thou art such an one,S. 22. of whom if one should ask, what good hast thou done since first thou receivedst breath? that though thou hast received much good, yet hast thou brought forth little, —alas, men doe not consider the sin of idleness, nor the danger of it; 'tis a dangerous thing to be without a lawfull calling, and as bad to be idle in it; to have nothing to doe, or to doe nothing in a lawfull imployment, doubtless is that which is neither pleasing to God, nor innocent in it self: God made nothing in vain, 'tis a sin confessed to doe evil, and so it is not to doe some good or other. The servant that had a talent, and hid it, is condemned by our Lord Christ, Cast ye the unprofit able servant into outer darkness, Mat. 25.30. there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And the fig-tree which beareth no fruit is cursed.

Yet this is not thought on any whit by those that are idle and vain persons,S. 23. who spend their life and precious time either in doing nothing at all, or that which is beside the business of a Christian man, as doing that which is evil: the devil commonly sets such on work whom he finds idle; & what an empty vain thing it is for men and wo­men to have nothing to employ themselves in but to receive and pay unnecessary visitsActs 17.21. [Page 148]& complements, to tell or hear some new thing; to spend their time and invention in the vanities and trifles of sports, and deckings, and dressings? Their tailors and sempsters, their glass and their combes, their beds and boards, their Playes and Romances, their visits and vain discourses, consuming all their study, time, wealth, strength, so as nothing of all is left them for the greater concernments of their pre­cious souls and countries good.

Such kind of lives do many live,S. 24. and this is but to be dead while they live; and it may be you that read this may be such an one, and then my serious counsel to thee is to repent for thy idleness and mis-spens time, and betake thy self speedily to some honest Christian employment and course of life, wherein you may expect a blessing from God, and whereby you may bring some good to somebody, that it may not be said when you are gone that you can well be spared, for that you lived to no purpose, and wast good for nothing: but this will not be the worst of it, that men may say so of thee, but God thy Lord will call thee to account another day, how thou hast spent thy time and self in this present world, and how you have em­ployed and improved your talent for Gods glory and the good of mankind.

Beware therefore,S. 25. and be doing daily of [Page 149]that which thou wouldst be found doing when thy Lord Christ cometh, that you so may expect that blessing from Christ your Lord and Master which he hath promised to his faithfull doing servants,Mat. 24.46. Mat. 25.21. Blessed is that servant that when his Lord shall come shall find so doing: Well done, good and faithfull servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

§. V. Omissions.

There is another conceit men have,S. 26. and their practise is according to it, which must be reformed, or else thou canst not attain to a state of saving grace, and that is Omissions; men think (it may be) it is a sin to commit evil, to doe hurt, but none to omit the doing of good; to doe no evil should be our care, but though a man doe no evil and yet doth no good, he is an evil man;Luke 12.47. Jam. 4.17. He that knoweth his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes: And to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not, to him it is sin.

He that wilfully, S. 27. carelesly or slothfully omits any of those acts of piety, devotion and Charity which are injoyned Christi­ans as Christians, and leave undone such things as they should perform in Religion, either in private, secret and publick, to him it is sin; if thou omit the hearing the Word, receiving the Sacraments, prayers in [Page 150]and with the congregation, reading, pray­ing in thy family, and in secret; If thou neglect the instruction, correction and admonition of thy Children and Servants in matters of religion, and practice of godliness; if thou omit acts of charity to the souls and bodies of the necessitous in sickness or in health, thou art far from the kingdome of heaven, and the state of true Christianity: If thou neglect to up­hold and maintain the truth and cause of Gods Church, as much as lyeth in thee, both by word, prayer and deeds, it will become thy sin: And thou mayst conceive how much thy omissions are sinfull, offen­sive to God, and prejudiciall to thy salva­tion, by what sentence and judgment at last will pass upon men for their omission of acts of piety and charity, namely, Depart from me (Christ will say one day) ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they say, Lord, Mat. 25.41, 42. &c. when saw we thee an hungry, athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them saying, Verily, I say unto you, in as much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me. [Page 151]And for your neglect of good family-du­ties and service of God, there is a sad im­precation of the Prophet Jeremiah, Jer. 10.25. Poure out thy fury upon the heathen that fear thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name.

So that what a man doth not doe in matters of piety and charity,S. 28. is as severely sentenced as he that doth contrary to both; yet men will not be perswaded of this neither, repent for their Doe-nots, nor lay it to heart, when they are charging themselves with some evil accounts which they have done.

But I am perswading thee that readest to repent for thy omissions,S. 29. and amend this thy fault, or God will certainly shut thee out of heaven; for not he that saith Lord, Mat. 7.21. Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heaven; but he that doth (saith Christ) the will of my father which is in heaven: And surely he that omits to doe doth not doe the will of God.

I beseech thee then make not light of thy omissions of doing good,S. 30. but be very carefull to doe that good thou oughtest, and art able to doe, in all the acts of Piety, Charity and Righteousnesse, every thing in it's season, that is, of every opportuni­ty offered thee, or that thou canst attain unto.

§. VI. Dreames.

I would mind you something about dreames,S. 31. Eccle. 5.3. for, as Solomon writes, That a dreame cometh through a multitude of busi­nesse, commonly they are the remainers of many such thoughts and inclination of men, and temper of body; sometime they are less harmfull, but for the most part vain, and sometime very sinfull; they are not voluntary indeed, yet as a fools voice is known by multitude of words (as the wise man saith,) so a man may guess very much of what passeth his thoughts while wa­king, by his night-visions in dreames. I have heard of some that they never dreamed, or very rarely; how true it is I cannot affirm, but I wish I could have said so truly, or that any dreames had alwayes been (but as sometimes they have) good and edifying: I have been disciplined by dreames, some of them have been the occasion of comfort, some of sorrow and much affliction to my soul, since I knew from whence they sprang; bad, from an ill principle, vain, ambitious, worldly, filthy, fleshly mindings and thinkings in the day­time; the good from God: and look what a mans intentions, and discoursings, and companyings, and thinkings have mostly been when awake, commonly the man [Page 153]dreames about when a sleep, though in much confusion; and as the nature of those things acted or minded, and the de­sires and end are about them, either ho­nest and holy, or sinfull and wicked, so are thy dreames to be accounted of either good or bad; and as you would repent for an ill act waking, so must you repent and be humbled for your dreames of the acts thereof, if with delight and compla­cency in the same; & as you would be sor­ry to be found doing or minding with de­light those vanities or wickednesses you dreame about, so must you be humbled in your selves for dreaming such things.

And if ever thou come to be truly and soundly converted,S. 32. you will find your dreames either to be sanctified, or else both them and your vain thoughts to be your great burthen; and you will still be begging of God to heal the distempers of your great burthen; and you will still be begging of God to heal the distempers of your souls this way, and free you from sinfull dreames; and in the mean time to remember alway upon your examination, that the guilt of your vain thoughts on the day, and vain dreames in the night might be pardoned, and the filth of them washed off your soul with the blood of Jesus Christ. And this I advise thee and exhort thee to, that if after all thy care, prayer, & watchfulness over thy thoughts, discourses, actions and company, (lest [Page 154]thou offend,) yet (I say) if that after all thy circumspection thou be haunted and acted with vain, filthy, worldly, and any impure visions in thy dreames, that then in the morning, every morning in thy addresses to God in private devotions, after such defilements, thou humble thy self be­fore the Lord, and repent thee heartily, and bewail that infirmitie, and beg thy pardon for what is past, and intreat the Lord for Christ sake to heal thy naughty nature, and that God would by his grace prevent the evil spirit suggesting, and thy fancies acting, or awaken thee assoon as ere it seiseth upon thee.

For that man that truly fears God,S. 33. and hates sin, would not if he could have any fellowship or delight in vanity, either waking or slumbring, by day or by night, with others or alone; for God is about thy path, and about thy bed, and know­eth thy up-rising, and down-lying, every thought, and every word, & every action, yea and every dreame too; and thy God is holy, and hates all impiety, every where and in every person; therefore be mindfull of them, and be watchfull over thy inward & outward self, every hour, in every place and action, as thou ever hopest to avoid sin, to keep thy self pure, and to please God; for Jude the 8th. verse speaks of Filthy dreamers who defile the flesh, &c.

§. VII. Worldly Joy and Sorrow.

I intreat likewise you would be warned about your joys and griefs, S. 34. for as they are more or less about worldly concernments, so are they more or less sinfull: 'Tis true, we, the best of us, are but men at the best, and easily are we surprised; we have these passions in our nature, and of themselves are not sinfull, but our failings are about their measures and their objects; and the more our delights are in the fruition of the object, according to the value and esteem we have of the thing, so the more is our sorrow arising from the want of or parting with our beloved, whatever it be.

And this may be sometimes good and gracious according to the sense & appre­hension we have of good things,S. 35. (to wit) to rejoyce exceedingly, and delight much in the presence and fruition of God and grace, his word, and religious duties, and hopes of heaven after an holy life here, it is good, and a duty; as also to grieve much, and sorrow heartily, for the absence of grace, or breach of covenant and faith with God; to be grieved at the heart for sin committed, or interruption of commu­nion with God, by failings in our duties of Religion, &c. this I say is godly [Page 156]joy, and godly sorrow, and needs not to be repented of: but commonly this is not the kind of that joy, delight, sorrow, and perplexity which men and women are so much in; alas, it is otherwise, indeed 'tis sinfull too much, for it is worldly too much, & yet how few take notice of their joys and griefs, whether they be sinfull or holy, hurtfull or profitable to their souls!

To be a worldling is to be a sinner,S. 36. & he can never joy or grieve much about worldly concernments, but he must be one that loves and prizes earthly things beyond their proportion irregularly and sinfully; Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salva­tion not be repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. but the sorrow of the world worketh death: So to delight, re­joyce, and glory in the Lord, is good and pleasing to God; but to set ones heart upon riches, honors and pleasures, and to rejoyce in any of these is a sin, and such a joy should be turned into heaviness, and such laughter into mourning.Jam. 4.9.

If thy joy and grief lie about worldly things and trifles,S. 37. if thou hast more com­fort in a good bargain, or a friends legacy, or some worldly emoluments, then in the favour of God, then in the pardon of thy sins, then in the means of salvation, then art thou yet in fault: And if thou canst grieve and lament with tears the loss [Page 157]or disappointment of some benefit, or the unkindness of a friend, or the crossness of an enemy, or chaines of a tyrant, &c. and yet canst not sorrow for thy sins, the loss of Gods favour, nor of missing an opportunity of grace and communion with God, then thy joys and sorrows are worldly and sinfull, and you must not permit such worldly joys and sorrows to prevail, but you must repent for them, and leave off to spend your comforts and your griefs this way, and look to that you should rejoyce in, and lament for, as afore hath been shewed.

And as for all other outward things,S. 38. our rejoycing or grieving should not be much or lasting; labour therefore to re­form these passions, and set them right: and this you will doe if you desire to be sincere, upright and complete, in the re­formation.

And the like doe I advise you to doe about your impatiencie and discontent,S. 39. frettings and perplexities about these worldly, temporary, vain, perishing things; as also with your carking carefulness, your thoughtfullnesse and distrustfulness about earthly things, to reform in each of these; for all such dispositions are evil, and hurt­full both to soul and body, wounding your own souls, and tranquillity of spirit, and reputation of Christianity, and doth [Page 158]much hinder the progress and increase of grace and heavenly conversation; and all our affections about earthly things re­gulated so, that it may be with us (as to our taking pleasure in worldly vanities, or confidence and relying as our happiness or chief support,) that once we may be able to say truly with St. Paul, I account of all things as dung and dross in comparison of the things of Christ and heaven. And to this must we come ere we be complete in Christ, and throughly changed in all our affections, to a state wherein we may truly and freely say, without dissimula­tion or constraint say, Truly the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world, these worldly concernments move me not much any way, I see nothing here below (as things below) that deserve either my joy in their possession, or grief for their absence, nothing that I need be troubled much about, or that I should relie upon, or put any trust at all in, for all are flying and lying vanities; therefore doe I la­bour for and seek the things above, and my treasures are with Christ in heaven, there also is my heart, and thither will I goe for my comforts; and my grief is that I am not more in love with them, and less in love with the world, and troubles of spirit about them.

That each of us may say,S. 40. in obedience [Page 159]to that command, 1 John 2.15. I love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, because I would not lose the love of my heavenly Father; For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, (i.e.) world­ly pleasures, or pelfe, or pomp, which are not of God, nor for his children and servants to look after; for they and this world pass away,1 Jo. 2: 15, 16, 17. but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever. And as I doe urge and press thee to be carefull and watchfull over your spirits in those fore­mentioned qualities and actings of your souls about those things, which although they may seem frivolous niceties to men that judge not of things spiritually, but according to sence and common appre­hensions, yet I earnestly intreat thee, as thou hopest for pardon, grace and heaven at last, that thou wouldst reform them all, in every instance; for untill you doe you are not a true sincere reformed convert; for though they be esteemed but small things, and inevitable infirmities, yet their account will be numerous at last, and their burthen intolerable; they will, if not pardoned, sink thy soul as low as hell; & pardoned they will not be, except thou repent of them, and labour against them, to a reformation of them all: for,Eccles. 19.1. as the son of Syrach saith, he that despiseth little [Page 160]things shall fall by little and little; and ex­perience tells us, that many small leakes will in time sink the stoutest ship, even so will these smaller sins (if let alone) make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience,Titus 1.19. and cast away thy soul at last.

§. VIII. Unthankfulness, murmuring, inconsiderateness, worldly confidence, vain opinions, and recreations.

And with the same earnestness doe I perswade thee to reform thy unthank ful­nesse to God for those daily favours he shews to thee a worthless wretch;S. 41.1. how many blessings hast thou received already, and how many more laid up for thee, and yet how seldome hast thou returned thanks to God for all? how many thy mer­cies, and how few thy acknowledgments? O! ingratitude is a very high offence both to God and good men.

Thy murmuring against Gods providence, S. 42.2. and distrust of his fidelity and truth of performance of things promised to thee and for thee, whilst thou seekest him in his way of upright walking, and yet how art thou ever and anon complaining, and uttering thy discontents and hard thoughts of thy gracious good God? O this must be left, I pray thee leave off [Page 161] murmuring, and learn submission and re­signation to divine providence in all his dispensations, and if thou hast thought ot spoke foolishly, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, doe so no more: God cannot en­dure murmuring nor murmurers, leave it quickly, if thou mean not to provoke God, as the Israelites did,1 Cor. 6.10. and were punish­ed severely for it.

Thy rash attempts and inconsideratenesse; S. 43.3. be no more heady, but héedfull, consider seriously both the nature of thy actions, and the end of them all; for God accounts all men sinfull that are nor considerate and serious,Isai. 1.3. because inconsiderate and rash: The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his Masters crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider: Jer. 8.6.7. For as conside­ration is the beginning of reformation, so is inconsideratness an inlet to all vice and villany.

Thy worldly confidence and trust on vain things must be altered to a trust and de­pendence on God onely,S. 44.4. if thou aim at saving reformation; for he that relieth on any thing under heaven, men or money, arm of strength, or armies of men; wit, policie, friends, health, greatness, or his own goodness, doth much derogate from God, and become sinfull, because he sets his heart upon that which is not to be confided in, nor set up, as any way able to [Page 162]support, satisfie, deliver or to make one happy. Mans trust is always to be in God onely, and all his hopes and expectation from him;Isai. 26.4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. But when I lay out my first thoughts and chief hopes upon worldly things, I put them up in stead of God, and commit idolatry, and go quite contrary to the will of God; Trust not in man, nor riches, nor Princes, saith David; If riches increase, set not your heart upon them, for you will find a disappointment in all with­out God,Jer. 17.5, 7. and a curse too: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the living God: But blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. Job (being once very rich, and alwayes very good, which was his best riches, and abided with him when all outward things were flown away and gone,) saith in his most serious examina­tion and pleading with God, If I have made gold my hope, Job 31.24, 25, 28. or have said to fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoyced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten it: This were iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I should have denied the God that is above. You see what apprehension godly men have had of the trusting worldly things, con­cluding [Page 163]it to be sin and iniquity, folly and idolatry; and what is the hope of an Hypo­crite, (what will his worldly confidence come to?) though he hath gained much, Job 27.8, 9. when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? So that 'tis not enjoyned as a prudentiall thing onely not to put confidence in these worldly things, nor depend upon them, be­cause of their vanity, inconstancy, insuffi­ciency, but 'tis a sin if we do, and a great iniquity too, which every gracious man should avoid, and every convert should repent of, and be ashamed that he hath put confidence in pittifull worldly things, and made them his rock, shelter and comfort, and resolves he will do so no more, while he hath a God, the rock of ages and time, to fly unto, who will never fail nor forsake them that put their trust in him, because they trust in him.

I counsel thee, dear soul,S. 45. to look care­fully what is that you put your confi­dence in, and if you find the world or an [...] ­things in the world first coming in your thoughts as to trust in them, then con­clude 'tis from a carnall principle within thee, contrary to God's mind, and hold­ing no conformity to the Saints, who have said within themselves and declared to the world too, that nothing in heaven or earth, within them or without them, [Page 164]should be the object of their trust, saving God only; a guess of this their frame we may take from Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? Psal. 73.25, 26. and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My strength and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. O then, beware what thou makest thy rock, thy tower, thy defence and por­tion; be sure it be God onely, and repent if thou hast done other.

Thy vain and erroneous opinions in mat­ters abour religion must be regulated by the Word of Truth, S. 46.5. and reduced to the obedience of Christ and his doctrine, and that without prevarication or strife of words,1 Tim. 6.5. or perverse disputings & vain bab­lings to no profit or edification toward charity and holiness.2 Tim. 2.14, 16. Pro. 19.27. Cease, my Son (saith Wisdom) to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledg; for 'tis a dangerous thing to be of a corrupt judg­ment.

About thy recreations, S. 47.6. and those little indulgencies to thy flesh, which men are pleased to call refreshments and pa­stimes, not considering what sin and hurt may be in them, and how too too often they become fewel to lust, and a tempta­tion to sin, consumption of time, and ex­hausting of spirit, and effeminating men, rendring them soft and unfit for exercise [Page 165]of religious duties, and many other in­conveniences which experience hath in­structed those that have been much and often in the service of pleasures, which now they see, but then they could not perceive, being blinded and beguiled with them: Now concerning such, if thou (who readest) art a man given to satisfie thy lusts with worldly pleasures under the pretence of recreation, know, that though some recreations & diversions from our more serious and laborious employments, either of body or mind, may be tolerable and allowable for refreshment, yet when thou exceedest in pleasure to unrighteous­ness, by letting out too great a proportion of thy soul on them, then the most inno­cent recreation becomes a snare unto thee, and thou sinnest in it; when thou usest it as a calling, and dost nothing else but spend thy daies, times, strength, talents, study, and passions, as though thou wast born into this world only to spend thy time in worldly, fleshly and carnal de­lights; surely such a state of living (and such is onely the employment of some men) cannot be pleasing to God, but calls for reformation. And therefore I would in­treat thee to be sparing in recreations, and carefull in them, lest that which is allow­ed thee for the relief of thine infirmities may prove thy hurt, more dangerous to [Page 166]thy soul then that bodily infirmities (which want something for its refresh­ment,) could have brought to thy body without such recreation.

And now,S. 48. I would counsel thee also (if thou wouldst be innocent) to leave off those games and sports which are neither good for bettering thy health of body, nor yet of refreshing thy mind; and all such pastimes, and thy engagements in them, which eat up thy time, and raise thy passions, are incentives to quarrels, and such as indi­spose thee for holy duties, are fuel for lust, and keep thee from religious performances, are to be shunned; and if you will follow my counsell, leave off dieing and carding, revelling and dancing; and I am sure you will when you mean to be sober and wise, religious, and a sincere down-right Chri­stian, and when you intend to make reli­gion your chief imployment, heaven your aim, and holy performances your delight; then you will see that all business and avo­cations from the businesse of religion are nothing at all profitable for thee, you will then admit of nothing that shall hinder the work of salvation, nor do any thing deliberately which shall frustrate your hopes of heaven. But what ere is good in its self, or may advance this great work of saving reformation, that thou wilt do, and no body shall be able to tempt thee to [Page 167] folly, nor fright thee from thy duty; but thou wilt then make a conscience of thy time and employment how thou spendest it, and how much of it, and about what busi­nesses, that so thou mayst be able at last to make a fair and clear account of thy actions to God, when thou shalt be cal­led to it; and that will be very shortly, and for every thing done in the body, ac­cording to that he hath done whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5.10..

And surely no man will be approved for well-doing that hath done little else then recreated and pleased himself with sports and pastimes, in gaming and fooling, S. 49. in sleeping, eating and drinking, in hunting and hawking, and such like employments; and many men have no other calling: and God knows, that for a man to study and contrive how he may spend his days in pleasure, and to take his pleasure in seve­rall instances as he hath purposed, is but to study and contrive how he may live to die like a fool, and prepare his back for many stripes at the last, which such a man must be beaten withall, and thou cast forth as a vessell of dishonour wherein is no pleasure, for that it had never been em­ployed to any good use or purpose.

Be perswaded therefore to leave off taking pleasure and sporting thy self in sin, S. 50. and also to sin in thy sports and recrea­tions: [Page 168]and this I would intreat thee, never more choose that for thy recreation which is unlawfull or doubtfull, or that wherein you have offended already, or in which you may be in danger to transgress again, when you may as easily forbear, and in forbear­ing be most assuredly certain you shall not sin; and resolve on this, rather to renounce all sports and recreations then to commit the least sin, or expose thy self to the dan­ger of a transgression. How much deplo­rable will the loss be to thee, when for the pleasure of sin for a season thou must lose thy soul for ever?

§. I. Temptations answered.

MY sins are not so great, S. 1. or not so many, nor have I lived in them so long, that I need make such hast out of them, that I ought to be so much troubled for them, or that I should despair of salvation though I never leave them.

This favourable conceit of sin (I believe) hath betrayed many an unwise soul to their undoing, S. 2. Answ. and men that have no mind to change their course have a mind to [Page 257] lessen their faults, and to reduce them to a narrow compasse and minute instance; how easy it is with men to do wonders in this kind when they have a mind to it, but how difficult are far more easy matter when they are actions to be done? with what facility doth a wicked man make his great sins little, his many sins few, and his little sins and few none at all, or no­thing? but God will not be so indulgent to thy sins, although thou art.

Now can you not easily repel this temp­tation,S. 3. and refute this smooth opinion, that it prevail not with thee so as to cause thee lay aside thy repentance for the present? Thus; my sins they are not great, but are they not many, are they many, and are they not great? nor many, nor great? But are they any at all? though they are not many, nor great, yet they are more then I can reckon, and greater then I can bear; if I am guilty but of one kind of sin, yet that is too much by one; if I have acted that sin but once, yet that is by once too often; if I have lived but one day without repentance, 'tis a day too long; I should not have sinned at all, there was no neces­sity for it, I had no command from God to sin, neither did any decree of his en­force me to commit a sin; but since I have been so unhappy to fall, though but once, there is now a necessity I rise again by [Page 258] repentance, and recover my losse by refor­mation; and if I have lived a year, a week, or day in that sin, and have repeated the act, or have rested without repentance, I am guilty.

And yet it is too evident,S. 4. that though a sin be but one for title, 'tis multiplied in the act, and he that commits one sin commits more then one fault, Jam. 2.10. he breaks all the whole Law of God; and he that transgresseth the whole Law of God is not without much guilt, nor many sins; and shall I deferre my repentance upon the account of little or few sins, if it were true that my sins were smal, and of them but a few? nay should not this be an argu­ment to hasten my repentance, and to cease from my sins, because but few and small, for that they are more easily forsaken, and more readily pardoned upon my true re­pentance, and by leaving them speedily I shall prevent the growth, both for number and bigness, and accomplish with far less difficulty that desired and necessary re­pentance?

But yet I must not leave this tempta­tion so,S. 5. there is more in it then may safely be over-looked, for the conceit of little and few, when applyed to sins, is dange­rous; how can a man be humbled for his sins, or be heartily forry for them, when he thinks they are neither heinous nor [Page 259] hurtfull, that they will not at all hinder his salvation, nor very much offend God, seeing his sins are not many or great, but the common frailties and infirmities of humanity; Oh, how many hath this fond favorable opinion lullabied in fast security, and made them proof against all reproof and counsell, to the ruin of their souls!

And is it not an argument I would sell God's favour,S. 6. and procure his displeasure at a cheap rate, when I will not refrain to do evil, and forsake my evil doings, which as you say are but few, or small? 'tis little a man would do either for God's sake, or his own soul, if he will not forsake a few and small sins, a trifle and a folly.

But now to put off all delays that might be entertained upon this account of small and few sins,S. 7. let me consider, that in truth every sin, be it never so little in mans esteem, is against an INFINITE GOD; 'tis a violation of his Law by a direct op­position to his Soveraignty, 'tis a wound & a poyson, a spot and defilement to any mans soul that doth the least of sin, that keeps and loves it, that would excuse it and make easie of his sin, as though it were innocent and harmless; and though the instance be but small by which I of­fend, yet my offence is great, because for so small a matter I offend so great a God.

Our blessed Lord hath resolved this point (saying,)S. 8. Luk. 16.10. He that is faithfull in that which is least, is faithfull also in much; and he that is unjust in that which is least, is un­just also in much: and surely the least sin I commit is a great injustice, and a very un­faithfulness; O let me not then be be­trayed into a putting off my repenance and deferring my reformation with this temptation, that my sins are not great or but few, or if many not great ones, seeing the least are too great, the fewest too many, and the time too long already I have been familiar with my sins, though but from yesterday I have continued in them, why should I listen to any arguments to make me linger it off, that might in the least hinder my speedy reformation? I pray God I may never think my sins so little as to need no sorrow or repentance, or this present hour too soon to forsake and leave them all.

§ II. Temptation answered.

There is another temptation,S. 9. neer of kin to the former, 'tis this; The best Men sin, they have their failings and infirmities, and why should I think to be better then good men, or judge my self worse then them, while I am but as they were? S. 10. Answer.

Indeed this unhappy comparison vain [Page 261]man makes between himself, and which is the worst in good men, hath betrayed many an unwise soul, to like well of him­self, while in a sad condition and sinfull; but should I not with all consider that the best mens infirmities were those best mens faults, their blemishes and their shame? did not those good men bewaile them and repent them, and could never be at quiet not at peace within themselves, un­till their sins were pardoned and they re­formed? were the sins of those saints and servants of God the best of them, or the worst? and shall I imitate them in that which they abhorred in themselves? but if I have followed them in their sins, and acted folly as any of them did, should I not follow them also in their repentance? their faults were not recorded for my imitation; and if I would be pardoned as they were upon their repentance, I must repent as they did, or I shall never be par­doned.

It is a pittifull shift sinners are put up­on,S. 11. when the refuge they have is that others have had their faults and faylings, as though the very worst of godly men (even those things which if they had lived and died in, without repentance, had made their religion of none effect for sal­vation to them,) should be a sufficient warrant for my evil practise? would it [Page 262]not better become a Christian to cease from evil speedily and amend his faults, not onely because it is my duty so to do, but also because I should not follow the best man in the world, where he failes in his duty, and I am sure God did never allow any man (how dear soever to him) to commit a sin, much less to live in any sin without repentance.

Alas,S. 12. why should I plead that for my excuse which all good men complain of as their misery and their spoil? let me rather imitate the worst men in their best acti­ons, then the best men in their worst mis­carriages; let me be sorry I have done any thing unseemly and unholily, though it hath been no other then some Saints have been overtaken with heretofore, and let me ever think that if I continue in my sins I shall be damned for them, though some dear Saints have been pardoned for the like after they had repented and been converted. A Christian must follow the best examples of others, and in the best things, and not the example of the best men sinning; I would follow no man where he followeth not Christ, nor plead any mans faults for my security; for if I do I am sure I have no warrant for so do­ing; nor shall I deliver my soul from the guilt, untill I deliver my self of the sin, and become a true penitent, for how can I [Page 263]think to be guiltless when I continue to do that which made Adam the first good man (and every man since) guilty: why should I imagine that God will like me well enough, though I continue in my sins, seeing he never liked them in any since the world began, nor will he ever approve of the least as long as the world lasts, nor for ever?

§ III. Temptation answered.

There is a third temptation which too much prevails with poor sinners to their hurt,S. 13.3. Tempt. keeping men in a carnall security and dangerous delay; a sinner is convin­ced that he must repent and leave off his sins some time or other ere he die, yet still puts it off, and thinks within himself (being deluded by a deceitfull heart,) That the time is not yet come, I may as well re­form hereafter, many have lived I hope longer in their sins then I have done, and yet have proved true penitents, and I have heard of one thief that at the hour of his death upon the crosse repented, and was accepted, and therefore I need not be so holy yet, I hope I have time enough, and God hath as much mercy in store for me as for another, and why may not I be as well accepted as the thief on the crosse at last?

A man may quickly answer to this and repell the temptation thus, S. 14. Answ. that bendes the unmannerliness of giving GOD the de­niall when he calls thee to repentance, and that impudency and madness which is in every plea and suggestion for counte­nance of and continuance in unful practi­ses, against all reason, conscience and religion, there is (I [...]ay) besides that a great deal of folly and presum [...]tion in this temptation.

As (1.) you think the time for repen­tance and a [...]endment not yet come;S. 15. why can any sinner repent too soon? have you not more reason to fear the time of acceptance may be past, then that the time of reformation should not yet be? hath not God long enough born with thee al­ready? hast thou not put his intreaties off long enough? am I sure of an other day after this? or of acceptance when I please? are the days and times of grace in thy power? would a man that hath drunk poy­son, say to his Physitian, I am poysoned, and begin to swell, and I fear my death, [and you have onely that which may help and re­cover me, yet I desire you to forbear a day or two and let me alone, Ile try whether I may not do well enough without your phy­sick, and that onely remedy which is proper for one in my case; do you think such a one did much regard his life, that would deal so imprudently? certainly every sinner [Page 265]that doth put off repentance and reforma­tion dealeth worse and more foolishly with his soul though he means to be saved: for sin is a poison which hath seased on the vitals, and nothing but true repen­tance can help a sinner; and yet wilt thou put this off? Oh how hath [...]n bewitched thee! is not the time come yet for reme­dy? and yet now this present time, even this moment thou art infected, and even drawing on and expiring thy last.

(2.) You think you may reform as well hereafter as now, S. 16. and you hope many that have lived longer then you, and have re­sisted as many calls as you, and given as many denialls as you, and have sinned against as much knowledg as you, have proved true penitents for all at last.

How easily may sober wisdome repell and quickly stifle this foolish imagination:S. 17. Answ. AS WELL HEREAFTER? and why not as well now as then? now thou mayst do it, hereafer thou mayst not do it: the present opportunity is safer, if not better, and would not a wise man chuse the safest and the best? nay this present is the time thou once resolvest on, when formerly thou didst resolve upon hereafter. O how many hereafters are come and past already with thee sinner! and yet hast thou still an here­after to count upon? shortly, thou wilt not have a hereafter to reckon upon, unless you [Page 266]mean to reform and repent in hell, which is indeed the hereafter for a now delaying and lingering sinner; but be perswaded to cast out that foolish thought, and let not God and the necessities of thy soul have any more of that go and come again to morrow, there hath been too much of that already.

And if you hope that sinners that have delayed longer then you have found true re­pentance at last; S. 18.

Pray consider 'tis but a supposition, S. 19. how can you tell that they have? O 'tis a que­stion, and a thousand to one whether any such presumptuous sinner (that gave Gods grace and reformation the deniall so often) ever found true repentance or accep­tance: If repentance and reformation were finish able in a day or hour, or in a few sad words, and sorrowing expressions, then there were some more probability, but untill that can be made clear (which I am sure never yet could be to me,) that a late and death-bed repentance, and wish of conversion, was ever sound and saving after a vitious life, I shall never hope it will availe for my self, if I put off pur­posely my amendment untill then. God forbid I should.

And to that of the thief upon the crosse, S. 20. I am sure that is not my case nor any mans case that lives in sin, impenitent after all the Gospel-calls, discoveries, rebukes and [Page 267]admonitions. (1.) For who can tell whe­ther he was not converted and brought to repentance while in prison, as soon as he heard of Christ, and was moved to it by the spirit of God, and on the crosse onely made a confession and declaration of his faith in Christ and sorrow for sin? or (2.) can I tell whether that were not the first call and opportunity ever was offered un­to him, and he took it? this is not the first to thee and me by many: and shall I think to fare as he did at the last, that every day despise that which he accepted when first offered? or (3.) How can I tell whether ever I shall ever have so long a time, and Christ so neer me as he had while on the tree? I may be taken away suddenly, and I am sure Christ will not again die on the crosse, or come in the flesh to do such a miracle at his death as to convert and save a sinner in the same day; or if it were pos­sible to be imagined, yet would it not be a hopeless expectation, to think that Christ should come again to save any more sin­ners with a miracle, seeing he hath appoin­ted (with no lesse then a miracle of mer­cy) salvation now upon the account of true faith in him, and sound repentance from sin, and an holy reformation, and by no other devise nor by any other means to be expected?

S. 21.And why should any thing prevail with [Page 268]me to delay my duty, seeing this example you bring is no example for thee, nor me, or if it be, 'its but one of a thousand mil­lions, and I think the first and the last of that kind, and shall I hazard my salvation upon that which I am not sure was ever parallel'd, nor ever can in all circumstan­ces? And if you say God hath as much mercy in reserve for you, as for another; to this I answer, 'tis true if you do not abuse his mercy no more then any hath which did partake of that mercy: suppose it possible that the mercy of God may come on a suddain, and that repentance may be suggested in a moment, 'tis but a peradventure, there is no promise that it shall, many threats against that man that [...]resumes on it, there is very little likelyhood of it, and is it not madnesse for any man to break his neck wilfully upon a presumption that there is skill enough, and to make experiment of the art of a bone-setter? but God hath no saving mercy for thee, nor me, nor any other, except we answer the ends of his mercy; that is, to convert and reform, to repent and obey in time: But if I by con­tinuing wicked abuse his mercy, God in justice will punish me, for my so abusing, as well as for any other sinning, otherwise there is mercy and forgiveness with God that he may be feared, not that he may be [Page 269]abused and resisted. He that feareth not to continue in his sin, abuseth the grace and mercy of God, and resisteth him.

§. IV. Temptation answered.

There is a fourth suggestion from the flesh which much hinders reformation,S. 22. procures a poor sinner to delay it, if not quite to put it off for altogether, and 'tis this: for as a sinner is perswaded some­times, 'tis so easie a thing to become a true penitent and a sound convert, that it may be done in a trice, and at any time, with great facility and in any condition, in old age, sickness, languishing, dying, with a few half words and two or three good wishes faint and feeble. So on the other hand, men are apt to believe to their damage, (and therefore set not about soul-reforma­tion) that 'tis a business of exceeding diffi­culty, trouble and vexation, and a man may go a great way in it, and yet come short of what is required, 'tis but in vain to set upon it, as good never a whit as never the better, 'tis an imposition and task next to an impos­sibility, I cannot endure the severity of re­pentance nor strict and holy living, alas what a burthen? farewell all my comforts, when once I begin to reform, and to be religious.

This temptation would be quickly re­pelled and easily overcome, S. 23. Answ. if a man would [Page 270]consider the absolute necessity of conver­sion, and the possibility of it, and also the helpes God hath afforded for the perfect­ing of this which is so necessary: 'Tis true, the work is hard and difficult, but not impossible, and it must be performed and completed in its time, parts and degrees, or else it will not avail for justification except it be complete, and to flesh and blood it will prove a taske very unwel­come, crosse and burdensome: But then let me consider, I have a soul to save, and directions of Gods word, and absolute commands, and if I set upon the duty I have the promises to encourage me, and the grace of God to help me, and the exam­ples of the Saints gone before me in this work: I have no sins nor corruptions but may be mortified, nor any grace or ver­tue enjoyned me as my duty but I may through grace perform acceptably, the fear being more then the taske, the appre­hension of the difficulty greater then the difficulty it self.

But let be that it be hard at first,S. 24. so is every art and trade at the entrance into it, and canst thou not endure the severity of repentance, the injunctions of self deniall, the duties of sobriety, righteousness and piety? why how then can you endure dam­nation? How wilt endure the wrath of God, the paines of hell, the loss of hea­ven? [Page 271]had I rather burn in hell for ever then forgoe the pleasures of sin for a season? will it be a sadder condition to live an ho­ly life here, then to live for ever in misery when this life is ended? if it were true, (what unregenerate men imagine of holy living) that 'tis a life of sadness, melan­choly, and void of comfort, which is most false, and as great a reproch as the divel can cast upon religion, yet seeing it is the way to blisse, eternal joy and endless happiness, what if I went mourning to my grave, what though I lose all my carnal pleasures and worldly contentments for it? should I be any loser by so doing? would not hea­ven at last answer all my paines & travail, all my watching and praying, and all duties of Christianity? will not the enjoying of Christ and favour of God be a sufficient recompence for all my labour? would not this one sentence fill my heart with joy at the last, Well done thou good and faithfull servant, enter into the joy of thy Master? But if you hold off with this, that you cannot do this as you should, 'tis indeed because you will not do it as you may; you say you cannot, but indeed you will not. If you would but set about mortifi­cation, and self-denial, and resisting temp­tations, and devote thy self to holy living, thou wouldst be able to do one hundred times more in it towards reformation [Page 272]then now you do, if you would not yield to flesh and blood, nor make provision for your lusts, if you would not make use of excuses to keep you from your duty, if you would not by delays and procrosti­nations put off the demands of God and thy poor soul, repentance and reforma­tion would not be so difficult nor terrible to thee.

But to be short,S. 25. thy through reformati­on be it hard or be it easie, be it a matter of joy or grief, be it a burden or be it a pleasure, and what ever can be said against it, it must be performed both by me, and every one, while the time of grace lasteth, while I am in this present world, or else I mustnever look to be saved, this is the short and the long of it, and after all disputes, ex­cuses, lingerings, delays, it must come to this conclusion, I must return, repent, and be converted, or else I must never hope to see the face of God with comfort; when all is said that the wit of man, or the craft of the devill can invent against SPEEDY REFORMATION and sound conversion, yet this word must stand, that except I be converted (as Christ hath said) I shall ne­ver enter into the kingdome of Heaven: Mar. 18.3. Joh. 3.3. and why should any body think that this plain and positive decree of Christ con­cerning us, should either be baffled or abrogated? O why should I listen any [Page 273]longer to any plea or excuse can be brought, that might cause me either to put off quite or delay my REFORMATION? O that I may never more decline my ne­cessary duty by excuses, nor gratifie satan and wrong mine own soul by delays!