WORDS WHEREBY We may be Saved.

By THOMAS VINCENT, sometime Minister of Maudlins Milk-street, LONDON.

Act. 11. 14.

Who shall tell thee Words whereby thou and all thy House shall be saved.

Heb. 2. 3.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great sal­vation, which began to be spoken of by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?

LONDON, Printed for the use of the Poor, and freely given to them by some worthy Benefactors, who desire their Salvation. 1668.

To the POOR.

THese few sheets were chiefly intended for you; and therefore I thought fit in a few lines to dedicate them un­to you. Some Benefactors give you Food, others give you Raiment, others give you Money; all which gifts are for the relief of your temporal ne­cessities, and of concernment only to your bodies. Here you have a gift in order to the relief of your Spiritual necessities, a Soul-gift, which doth concern your salva­tion. And as the Soul is more excellent than the Bo­dy, and the Salvation here treated of, is of ten thou­sand times more value than all earthly Riches: So in some measure of proportion you should prize such gifts chiefly as are for the good of your Souls, and may be (through Gods blessing) a help to you in the attaining of Salvation. Your souls are as precious as the souls of the most honourable; and your souls whilest in a state of nature, are in as great danger of ruine, as the souls of the most sinfull; and though you should be as yet out of a state of Salvation, you are as capable of obtaining sal­vation as the most holy before Conversion. And for your further encouragement I may tell you, that you may get to Heaven without so great difficulties as the Rich: See Matth. 19. 24. and Jam. 2. 5. you have not those snares and temptations in your way as the Rich have; which as it should quicken your endeavours after, so it will aggra­vate your sin if you should neglect your salvation.

Wicked rich men have their good things here, some kinde of Portion in this life, and their evil things are chiefly reserved untill hereafter; But you which are Poor have little portion of good things in this life, and if you do not obtain salvation, you will have no good things reserved for you in the other World, nothing but treasures of wrath according to your treasures of sin; and so besides the miseries you undergo here, you will be miserable hereafter, and miserable for ever. My hearts desire and prayer for you is, That you may be saved; therefore have I written these things. You have this little Book freely given unto you by some Worthy Persons, who hope for a fuller reward than the price of any Books can amount unto; especially if this Book be made use of by the Lord as a means for the con­version and salvation of any of your souls, their reward will be the greater that have been instrumental here­in; therefore accept of this Gift, read it in your Fa­milies, or get it read to you where you cannot read your selves. But chiefly accept of the Salvation this Book speaketh of, which, however dearly purchased by the blood of Christ, is freely tendered unto you. Salva­tion is a Gift, and the greatest, most excellent, and most necessary Gift; to move and guide you in the obtaining of which, is the design of these sheets; which that they may be successfull, is the Prayer of a dear Lover of, and Well-wisher to the Poor.

Thomas Vincent.

CHAP. I.

THE chief end which every one ought to intend in his Life, is the Glory of God, and the Salvation of his own Soul: The chief work of Ministers is to tell People words whereby they may be saved: Such words Peter speaketh to Cornelius, Act. 11. 14. and such words I shall endeavour in these sheets to tell sinners.

In order to your salvation, I shall speak,

  • 1. Some Words to try you whether you be in a state of Salvation.
  • 2. Some Words to move you to endeavour after your Salvation.
  • 3. Some Words to guide you in the way to attain Salvation.

I. The first words shall be to try you, whether you be in a state of Salvation; and here I must put you upon the tryall of your selves, wherein I may give you some help; take the Exhortation of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own selves. Examine your selves by the Rule of the Word: And because these Words are chiefly intended in order to the sal­vation of such as have not yet attained it; to pre­pare them for the following Motives and Directi­ons, which, if they mistook themselves to have al­ready attained to a state of salvation, would likely [Page 2] do them no good: Therefore I shall briefly out of the Word of God give

Some Characters of such as are not in a state of Salvation.

1. Ignorant persons are not in a state of salvation. See this Isa. 27. 11. It is a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no fa­vour: Those that are grosly ignorant of the Fun­damental Truths of Religion, concerning God and Christ, the lost estate of Man since the fall, the way of Salvation, Repentance, Faith, the Resurrection from the dead, the last Judgement, and the future Rewards and Punishments in Heaven and Hell, and the like Principles of Religion, which are necessary to be known in order to salvation, they cannot for the present be in a state of Salvation; the meanest understanding is capable of knowing these things by the teachings of the Word and Spirit, therefore such as do neglect the means of Instruction, and do not search the Word, and cry to God for it, but nuzzle up themselves in an affected ignorance in these things, are inexcusable in their fault, and will bring unavoidable destruction upon themselves, Hos. 4. 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

2. Negligent persons are not in a state of salvation, I mean such as neglect their salvation. Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Such as do not value and prize this great salvation purchased by Christ, and published in the Gospel; such as never were made sensible of their need here­of; such as never had any great desires after it; [Page 3] such as never took any pains in the use of means to obtain it; all which are evidences of their neglect, they cannot escape the dreadfull punishment of Hell, which is prepared for such persons. Such as are diligent to make provision for their Bodies, but neglect the salvation of their souls; if they persevere in this negligence they must needs miss of salvation.

3. Impenitent persons are not in a state of salvati­on. Luk. 13. 3. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise pe­rish. All are guilty of sin original, and actual, and have matter for repentance; such as have an obdurate and impenitent heart, which never was broken, and melted, and humbled; which never was af­fected with true evangelical sorrow for sin; but on the contrary, can commit sin with delight, rolling it as a sweet morsel under their tongue, which they will not part withall, they must needs perish everlastingly, if they should die in this estate; the word is express, that iniquity will be the ruine of the impenitent, Ezek. 18. 30.

4. Ʋnregenerate persons are not in a state of sal­vation. Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Such as never had a gracious change wrought in their hearts, that are asleep in sin, and never were awakened; as are dead in sin, and never were quickened; such as have old natures and old hearts, and never were renewed; that never put off as concerning their former con­versation the old man which is corrupt, according to deceitfull lusts, and put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 4. 22, 24. they are uncapable whilest such, of this salvation, there is no entrance for them into the Kingdom of Heaven.

5. Christless persons are not in a state of salva­tion, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates. Such as have not Christ, and are not themselves in Christ, they are for the present in a state of Re­probation; It is Christ only can save; those that are without Christ, that are not united to him by Faith and the Spirit, that are Unbelievers without Faith, and carnal without the Spirit, they cannot, whilest such, be saved.

6. Ʋnsanctified persons are not in a state of sal­vation. Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness none shall see God. Such as are unholy, such as live after the flesh shall die, none but those that through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body shall live, Rom. 8. 13.

7. And in a word, Disobedient persons are not in a state of salvation. Heb. 5. 9. He became the au­thor of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him, to none else; and Eph. 5. 6. The wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience. Such as walk in a course of disobedience, as live and al­low themselves in the practice of known sins, what­ever they be, they are children of wrath because children of disobedience. The Scriptures are so plain, that I need without many words of mine, only lay them before you, as a Glass wherein you may discern your spiritual state. Try your selves by these places, these Texts will reach all that are not in a state of salvation.

CHAP. II.

II. THE second words shall be to move you to en­deavour after your Salvation.

The Motives to stir up you to endeavour your salvation may be drawn,

  • 1. From the consideration of your selves, Whom you should endeavour the salvation of.
  • 2. From the consideration of the salvation which you should endeavour to obtain.
  • 3. From the consideration of the Damnation of all such as do not obtain salvation.

Motive 1. From the consideration of your selves, whom you should endeavour the salvation of: It is the salvation of your selves, which I would press you unto; It was the exhortation of the Apostle, Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and this is my exhortation of you this day, Labour after your own salvation: If I were to perswade you to do some great kindness for another, were it a difficult thing and like to cost you much labour and trouble, I should not likely prevail; but when I am perswading you to do a kindness for your selves, and the greatest kindness in the World, even to endeavour after the salvation of your selves; me­thinks the natural Love which you bear to your selves should induce you to hearken and do what­ever is requisite in order hereunto, though it can­not be done without difficulty and trouble. How far will carnal self-love carry carnal men? what [Page 6] difficulties will they go thorow? what expences of time and pains and strength will they be at? how will some rise up early and sit up late, deny themselves food and rest and many comforts of this life? how will others compass Sea and Land and hazzard life it self, and all to get an estate in the world for themselves? and should not spiritual self-love, which is the only reall self-love, carry you thorow difficulties? should you think much of exspending time and pains that you may get salvation for your selves? carnal self-love will bring destruction and misery upon such as are swayed by it, and in the issue will prove self-hatred; as you really love your selves, as you would escape the most dreadful mi­sery, and obtain the chiefest happiness for your selves, labour after salvation for your selves. Your self, your Persons do consist of two parts, namely, Soul and Body; it is the salvation of both, which I exhort you unto.

1. Consider, it is the salvation of your Souls which I would have you endeavour after, the sal­vation of your precious souls; your souls are more precious than your bodies, and they are more pre­cious than the whole world.

1. Your souls are more precious than your bo­dies, they are by far your more excellent part: the original of your soul is more immediately from God: he formeth the spirit of man within him, Zach. 12. 1. they are beams, they are streams that issue forth immediately from God; moreover they carry more of the impress and image of God upon them as they are invisible, spiritual, rational, free, im­mortal; they have also more high and excellent operations than the body is capable of, as of the [Page 7] understanding, conscience, memory, will, affecti­ons; and I may add that if there be any lustre upon the body, it doth receive it from the soul, when the soul is gone, the beauty is gone; whatever mo­tion or use there is in the body, it doth depend on the soul; when the soul is departed, the body can neither hear, nor speak, nor see, nor walk, nor do any business; the body is a rotten stinking carkass without the soul; and whilest the soul doth abide in it, the body is the inferiour part, the body is but the Cabinet, the soul is the Jewel; the body is but the house of clay, the soul is the living inha­bitant; the body is as it were the beast (as one saith Corpus homini jumentum) which the soul doth make use of to carry it from one place to another; the body is the servant, it is the soul that rules, O labour then after the salvation of your souls, which are your most excellent part; what care do some take to preserve their bodies? much more reason have you to endeavour the salvation of your souls: when London's Fire was burning the houses, those who could not save all their goods, took care to save those which were the most precious, especially their money and jewells; O whatever become of your bodies here, whatever sickness or hardship they be exposed unto, labour to save your jewels, your precious souls; the Cabinet will be spoilt, the clay and mudd-wall will be broken down, and the soul will survive the body; O take heed that when your souls come forth of their houses of clay, that they be not cast into the deep and dark prison of Hell.

2. Your souls are more precious than the whole world; our Saviour esteem'd them so, and he best knew the worth of souls, who knew the making [Page 8] of them, and made purchase of so many lost souls, see Matth. 16. 26. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Suppose that you had your hearts-desire in the world, that your baggs should throng in your Coffers, till there were no more room; your gold and silver should encrease without number; sup­pose you had great possessions abroad, large revenues, stately houses, fruitful gardens and orchards, plea­sant groves and walks, spacious fields and mea­dows, which as the Poet saith, would weary the wings of a Kite to fly over in a day; suppose that you had sweet and beautiful wives at home, like loving Hindes and pleasant Roes unto you, like fruitful Vines about your houses; that you had towardly and hopeful Children like Olive-plants round about your Tables; that you had most kind and faithfull friends of most pleasant conversation; that you had servants, horses, chariots, coaches, doggs, hawks, and all sorts of serviceable and delightful creatures, the best and in the greatest number at your commands to attend your pleasure: suppose you were cloathed with purple, wrapped in fine linnen, adorned with gold and silver, and preti­ous stones, and had the most rich and glorious Attire that the greatest cost and art could make for you: suppose that your food were most delicious, that Aire, Earth, and the Sea were ransack'd to pro­vide dainties for your Table; that your courses were served up with the most rich and generous Wine, the most sweet and harmonious musick: suppose that you were laden with titles of honour, and had all the Crowns and Scepters of the earth laid [Page 9] at your feet, and that the whole world had you in the highest esteem, and were in willing subjection unto you; yet what would it profit you to gain all these things, or any thing else that the heart of man could desire in the world, and lose your souls, which are a thousand fold more pretious: the gain of these things are but for the body, and but for a while; whereas the loss of the soul is for ever; and when the soul is lost, all is lost; when the soul leaveth the body, a period is put to all earthly enjoyments; and the more you have of these things, the more grievous will it be to part with them; Think with your selves that you must dye certainly, and may dye suddenly, and then, if not before, you will ac­knowledge the worlds vanity and the preciousness of your souls, which are of longer duration than the age of ten thousand worlds put together, and what is the gain of the world which is so transitory and temporal, in comparison with the loss of the soul which is immortal, and whose loss is irrepaira­ble: a loss in the estate may be recovered, Riches may fly away upon the wing, and sometimes return upon the wing again, as in the case of Job; but the loss of the soul can never be recovered; when once the soul hath taken wing and is fled into the lower regions, it will never find wings to return again to its former estate: O therefore whatever you lose, take heed you do not lose your souls, your souls are very precious, seek after their salvation.

2. It is the salvation also of your Bodies which I would have you endeavour after: I do not mean the salvation of your bodies from sufferings, which Reli­gion doth sometimes call you unto; nor a salvation of your bodies from sickness and temporal death, [Page 10] which Religion doth not exempt any from; but the salvation of your bodies from perpetual death and pain of Hell; you may pamper your flesh for a while on Earth, which may make it a more fit bait for the Worms in the grave, and your bodies after death may be at rest, and take a sweet sleep for many years in the dust; but there is a morning approach­ing after the long night of death and many hours of darkness, in which the graves will be opened and the dead will be awakened, and then your bo­dies will come forth of the dust; and they will be adjudged by Christ unto most horrid and endless tor­ments in Hell, to burn for ever in unquencheable Fire, if you be found under the guilt of sin: O there­fore labour after the salvation of your Bodies; when your bodies now are sick, you endeavour to get them cured, when they are full of pain, you use means to get the pain removed; and you will fly as fast and as far as you can from natural Death, and you will do much to lengthen out and strengthen the thred of your life, though do what you can, it will in time be cut asunder, and death which hath you up­on the chase will overtake and overcome you what­ever resistance be made; O labour to get deliverance from the pains of body which are prepared in Hell for the damned: Fly, O Fly from eternal Death and the strokes of Gods wrath which will come upon the bodies of the wicked hereafter; if you would not have those faces scorched, those eyes and tongues and hands rosted, and that flesh broiled and fearfully tormented in the flames of Hell fire, labour after salvation. As you love then your selves, your souls and bodies, seek after your salvation.

CHAP. III.

Motive 2. FRom the consideration of the Salvation which you should endeavour to obtain; and here I shall set before you some properties of this salvation to move you the more effectually to seek after it.

  • 1. It is a great Salvation.
  • 2. It is a rare Salvation.
  • 3. It is a necessary Salvation.
  • 4. It is a possible Salvation.
  • 5. It is a neer Salvation.
  • 6. It is an evident Salvation.
  • 7. It is a free Salvation.
  • 8. It is a sure Salvation.

I. It is a great Salvation, and that both in regard of the thing it self, and in regard of the causes of it.

(1.) It is great in regard of the thing it self. As in Motion, so in Salvation there is the terminus à quo, and the terminus ad quem, the term from which, and the term to which; that which people are in Sal­vation delivered from, and that which in Salvation they attain unto, both which are exceeding great.

1. That which people in Salvation are delivered from.

There are six great evils which those that are saved are delivered from.

1. From sin, the greatest evil of all, from the guilt of sin, Eph. 1. 7. and the power, the reigning power of sin, Rom. 6 14. 2. From Sathan the greatest enemy of [Page 12] all, from his power and tyranny, Col. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 3. From the Law, the evil which it occasi­oneth, namely, the provoking to concupiscence and disobedience, Rom. 7. 5, 6. and the evil which it de­nounceth, namely Gods curse, Gal. 3. 10, 13. 4. From the world, not in regard of their place, but in regard of their course, Gal. 1. 4. Joh. 15. 19. Joh. 17. 16. 5. From Death, the sting of death, and the fear of death, at least the grounds of fear, Heb. 2. 14, 15. 6. From wrath, the wrath of God which is to come, 1 Thes. 1. 10.

2. This Salvation is great in regard of that which in Salvation people do attain unto. All the priviledges of the Gospel are wrapt up and included in the word Salvation. Election is the foundation of it; Effectual calling is the begining of it; Justi­fication, Adoption and Sanctification are contained in it, and Glorification is the consummation of it. This Salvation then is great in regard of the thing it self.

(2.) This Salvation is great in regard of the causes of it.

  • 1. Efficient.
  • 2. Meritorious.
  • 3. Instrumental.
  • 4. Finall.

1. This Salvation is a great Salvation in regard of the efficient cause, and that is God the Father: Sal­vation is ascribed to him as the author, Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us. God is the cause of our Salvation, 1. as he hath chosen us unto Salvation, Eph. 1. 4. As he hath chosen us in him be­fore the foundation of the world: which Election be­ing of Free grace, we are said to be saved by Grace, Eph. 2 5. 2. As he hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, to purchase Salvation for us, [Page 13] Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Gal. 4. 4, 5. When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them which were under the Law, that we might receive the Ado­ption of Sons. 3. As he revealeth this Salvation unto us by the Preaching of the Gospel, for which end he qualifyeth and sends his Ministers upon this Embas­sage to make known the glad tydings of Salvation. 4. As he conferrs Salvation actually upon us in our effectual calling, Justification, Adoption, Sanctifica­tion and Glorification, all these are from God. Now that must needs be a great Salvation which is effe­cted by the great God, especially if we consider that it is the greatest and most glorious of all his works in the world, and unto which all his other works have some kind of tendency.

2. This Salvation is a great Salvation in regard of the meritorious cause, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the excellency and greatness of whose na­ture, office and sufferings do demonstrate the great­ness of this Salvation which was purchased by him. The sufferings of Christ were most properly the me­ritorious cause of mans salvation, and they were the greatest sufferings that ever were endured, inso­much as 1. They were the sufferings of the greatest person; as man he was the head of the creation in regard of dignity, he was a greater King than So­lomon, Matth. 12. 42. a greater Prophet than Moses, Heb. 3. 3. a greater Priest than Aaron, even a Priest after the order of Melchisedec, Heb. 7. Moreover he was God as well as man, God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3. 16. and though the God head could [Page 14] not properly suffer, yet through its union in the same person to the Manhood, it put an efficacy in his suffering, and strengthened the humane nature to undergo greater sufferings as to the value of them in that short space of time, than all the Angels and Men in the world (had their strength been united toge­ther in one person) could have endured, if the greatest extremity of misery had been layd upon such a one unto all eternity: For 2. The sufferings of Christ were equivalent unto eternal death, and the torments of the damned in Hell, yea they were far exceeding, as is evident, because Gods infinite Justice is hereby fully satisfied, and there is sufficiency of merit in them for the redemption of the whole world not only of Believers, but also of Unbelievers, not only of Men but of Devils too: Christs sufferings were of infinite value, not in regard of the sufferings but in regard of the Divine nature so closely united unto the Hu­mane nature: Therefore the salvation purchased by these sufferings must needs be a great salva­tion.

3. This salvation is a great salvation in regard of the Instrumental Cause, and that is Faith; faith is a grace of great worth and excellency, insomuch as it doth not spring from any root or power of na­ture, but is wrought by the power of God, and requireth such exceeding great power in the effect­ing of it; we read of the exceeding greatness of Gods power towards them that believe according to the working of his mighty power, Eph. 1. 19. which shews that the salvation is great which is ef­fected by this grace of Faith.

4. This salvation is a great salvation in regard of the Final Cause, and that is the manifestation of [Page 15] Gods glory: 1. The glory of his Wisdom in con­triving such a way for Mans salvation, which no created understanding could have thought of: 2. The glory of his Justice which is as fully satisfied through Christs sufferings, as if all Believers had been eter­nally punished: 3. And chiefly the glory of his free grace and mercy, which is set forth and magnified so eminently in all the degrees of mans salvation, that nothing may be ascribed unto Man, but all un­to God alone.

Thus you see, that this salvation is a great salva­tion in regard of the Thing it self, and in regard of the Causes of it. It is so great salvation as it hath no comparison, and is beyond expression, therefore labour to attain this salvation; some endeavour to get a great Estate, others to get great Friends, others to get great honour and repute in the world, do you labour to obtain this great salvation which doth exceed all in greatness, it is a high and noble design, and is worthy your uttermost care and diligence in seeking after it; other things are but small things, meer toyes and trifles in comparison; nothing in the world hath the least degree of worth, compared with this so great salvation. I shall be more brief in speaking of the other properties of this salva­tion.

II. This salvation is a Rare Salvation: I mean, that few do obtain it; Many are called, few are chosen, Matth. 20. 16. Many are damned, few are saved: There are many troops of sinners that are prosting in the broad way of destruction, it is but a thin scattered company that are pressing forward in [Page 16] the narrow way of life and salvation; this is evi­dent from the Answer of our Saviour upon the Question propounded unto him, Luk. 13. 23, 24. Then said one unto him, Lord are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. In which words he doth in effect say, that Few, very Few should be saved, for he tells them plainly, that the gate of sal­vation is a strait gate, and many cannot pass tho­row a strait gate; and although many should seek to enter in at this gate, yet they should not be able; and if many that seek to enter in shall not be able, then it follows, that none of those which do not seek to enter in shall be able: Hence then we may gather a strong argument to prove, that very few shall be saved; If the most of men and women in the world do not seek salvation at all, and they can­not possibly attain it, and many that seek salvation shall never finde it, then there are but few that shall be saved; but the most in the world do not seek salvation at all, to say nothing of the Heathen world which is by many degrees the far greater part of the world, who sit in darkness, and from whom the Gospel of salvation is hid, and therefore are expresly said to be lost, 2 Cor. 4. 3. Even in the Christian world where the light of the Gospel doth shine, the most of men and women, that bear the name of Christians, are ignorant, or profane, or only civil and morall, and live in the total neglect of the salva­tion of the Gospel, and such cannot possibly attain salvation that do not at all seek after it: And of them that make some profession of Religion, and do some­thing in order to salvation, many shall not be able [Page 17] to attain it; our Saviour saith, that many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able, because they do not seek in a right manner, because they do not seek salvation chiefly; they seek the satisfaction of their lusts, before the salvation of their souls; because they do not seek it diligently, they are careless and for­mal in the use of the means of salvation; they seek, but they do not strive to enter in at the strait gate; they do not press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling, and therefore they fall short and miss of it; there are but few that strive to enter in at the strait gate, that strive as wrestlers in wrestling, or racers in running, or warriours in fighting, as the word [...] doth signifie; few that seek their salvation above all other things, and with all their heart and might, few that are resolved for salvation whatever it cost them, whatever they do, or suffer for it, unto which resolution and endeavour all must come, or else they cannot be saved, and these being so few, certainly there are but few that shall be sa­ved. More plainly our Saviour speaks to the same purpose, Math. 7. 13, 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that finde it. The gate and way of sin which leads to death and Hell, are wide and broad, and the most in the world are passing thorow this gate, and walking in this way; the course of the world is a course of sin, the end of which course is destruction, and the reason why so many go in at the gate of sin; which is the outer gate of Hell, is, because strait is the [...], and narrow the way which leadeth unto life; [Page 18] because of the difficulties in the way of life and sal­vation, which require much pains and diligence if we would go thorow them; we must give all dili­gence, if we would make our calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1. 10. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, if we would attain salva­tion, Phil. 1. 12. we must labour if we would enter into Rest, Heb. 4. 12. we must strive if we would enter in at the strait gate, Luk. 13. 24. we must run if we would obtain the prize, 1 Cor. 9. 24. we must fight the good fight of Faith if we would lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim. 6. 12. the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, saith our Saviour, and the violent take it by force, Math. 11. 12. we must lay siege to Heaven, if we would take it, and with force and vio­lence overcome those potent enemies, the Devil, the Flesh, and the World, who would draw or drive us away from the walls and gates of the New Jeru­salem. It is not an easie thing to be saved, the way to Heaven is narrow, and it lyeth up hill, our en­deavours for Heaven especially at the first, are like climbing up a steep hill, like hewing a way thorow hard rocks, like swimming against a strong stream, like cutting hard wood against the grain; and be­cause of the opposition and difficulty in the way of salvation, therefore there be but few that finde the path thereof; most choose a broader and easier way. It is evident then from what hath been said, that this salvation is Rare and scarce, the consideration whereof should not discourage you, but quicken you unto the greater diligence in your endeavours after it; the rarity of it sheweth the worth and excellen­cy of it; Jewels and precious stones are rare and hard to be got; what difficulties will some [Page 19] thorow? what dangerous voyages unto the utter­most parts of the Earth will some undertake, to bring home some rare things? but especially the conside­ration withall of the necessity of salvation (of which in the next particular) should quicken you to seek after it. Think with your selves (my beloved) think seriously, and think frequently, that there are but few that shall be saved; and then examine, what reason you have to think that you are in the num­ber of those few: When our Saviour told his Disci­ples that but one of them should betray him, they looked one upon another, and every one asked him, Lord is it I? there was none of them without their fears which made them so inquisitive, and they seem to be in pain untill they are resolved; what then would they have thought and said? how fearfull would they have been, if our Saviour had told them that the most of them should have betrayed him, yea that all of them should betray him, but one? May not I without uncharitableness say, that not one in twelve, no nor one in twenty, no nor one in a hundred in this City and Nation shall be saved? If I should tell you that hear me this day, that some of you will be damned, yea that many of you will be damned, yea that m [...] of you will be damned, and that but few of this great company will be sa­ved, should I be a false Prophet? I will not say it will be thus, neither can I do it, because this is Gods secret; much less do I desire it should be thus, for the end of my preaching is, that you all might be saved; but let me tell you, that I fear that many of you here present will be found in the number of those many our Saviour speaketh of, that shall seek to enter in at the strait gate, and shall not be able; [Page 20] our Saviour told his Auditors, that flocked to hear him, thus, and are you better than they? you all seek to enter in at the strait gate, by coming into this place where the Gospel is preached, and where the gate is set open before you; but are there not many amongst you that seek in a careless and negligent manner? May not I say of all the seekers here, that there are but few that strive to enter in at the strait gate? Do you all, or the most look as if you had your eye upon the mark and glorious prize before you, and were pressing with all your might towards it? do you hear as if it were for your lives, as if you might hear words this day whereby you may be saved? do you pray and seek as if you were in earnest, as if you were resolved to take Heaven by violence, and whatever you were denyed in, would not be denyed your salvation? Such as do not strive shall never get thorow the strait gate. Think with your selves, It may be that many in this place shall be damned, and then say, Shall not I? shall not I? and O what a miserable wretch shall I be if I should be damned! if I should get only to the gate of Heaven, and not get thorow! if I should come only to the borders of the Heavenly Canaan, and dye in the Wilderness! if I should be found in the number of the negligent seekers which will miss of salvation? What grounds have I to think that I shall be saved? there are but few, can I think that I am inthe number of the few? Methinks this con­sideration of the Rarity of salvation should awaken you to give earnest heed that with the most that seek it, you may not miss of it.

3. This salvation is a necessary salvation: the great difficulty of obtaining some precious things discou­rageth the endeavours of the most in seeking after them, especially when they may be well enough without them; but this salvation is necessary, you cannot be without it; it is of absolute and universal necessity; some things you may have, this you must have; without it you are undone, you will be irrecoverably and eternally miserable; there is no medium, no middle condition between salvation and damnation (of which more by and by): some things are necessary to the body, but salvation is necessary to your happiness, without it there is no possibi­lity (in this fallen state) of obtaining the chief end, the chief good which you are capable of; without this no coming neer to God in whom your chiefest happiness doth consist, no vision or fruition of him either in part here, or in full and eternally hereafter. Some men have need of one thing, and some of ano­ther, but all the men and women in the world have need of salvation, because all are sinners, all are children of wrath by nature. There is not one per­son amongst you all but have been guilty of sin, for the whole world is guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19, and every moment of your lives you are exposed unto the punishment of sin in Hell, unless you are brought into a state of salvation. It is necessary therefore that all of you should above all things seek after your salvation.

4. This salvation is a possible salvation; though there were never so much worth and excellency in, never so much necessity of this salvation, yet if there [Page 22] were an impossibility of obtaining it, all arguments would be used in vain to press any to endeavour after it; but this salvation is possible, it is possible that you should attain it, that the meanest of you, the vilest of you, yea that every one of you that hear these words may attain it.

1. The meanest of you may attain this salvation, and that 1. Such of you as are of the meanest parts, though you have neither humane learning, nor ca­pacity or ability for it; though your judgement be shallow, your fancy and invention dull, your me­mory weak, and so could never understand and re­tain the many Arts and Sciences in Philosophy, and the divers kinds of Languages, which learned men have written their books in; yet you are capable of being made the Schollars and Disciples of Jesus Christ, and he can teach the dullest and shallowest of you all the deep mysteries of salvation by his Spi­rit; yea and he can give you a greater understand­ing in them, than the wiselt and most learned men that are without the Spirit do attain unto; For he hideth those things from the wise and prudent which he revealeth unto babes, Matth. 11. 25. And the natural man, let him be never so learned a man, receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14. And therefore when not many wise men after the flesh are called, God chooseth the foolish things of the world to exalt the riches of his free grace in their salvation, 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27, 31. Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, quum nos cum omni doctrina in Gehenn [...] detrudimur, saith one. The un­learned arise, and take Heaven by violence, when we with all our learning are violently thrown down [Page 23] into Hell. So that you who are of no learning, and but mean natural abilities, have encouragement to seek after this salvation of the Gospel, seeing the Lord can teach you by his Spirit, and it doth bet­ter suit with his design of glorifying his free grace in bestowing it upon such as you, rather than on the wise and learned men of the world, who would be apt to ascribe the glory unto themselves. 2. Such of you as are not only of the meanest parts, but also of the meanest condition in the World, may attain this Salvation; the poor have the Gospel preached unto them, Matth. 11. 5. If with poverty in regard of Estate, you are also poor in spirit, the riches of grace and salvation are tendered free­ly unto you; read for your encouragement what the Apostle saith, Jam. 2. 5. Hearken my beloved Brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promised unto them that love him. If you were to seek some great favour from an Earthly Prince, your mean attire and condition might keep you at a distance; and you might have no regard given to your request, should it have a hearing; The Pe­titions of the great and rich are heard in Courts on Earth, when the poor and mean are despised: but the King of Heaven doth regard the rich no more than the poor, Job 34. 19. And if you seek diligently after this Salvation, you may have as free access to the Lord as any, and your Petitions shall be heard in the Court of Heaven, and you shall certainly obtain this Salvation which you seek after.

2. The vilest of you all may attain Salvation; Some of you it may be have been notorious sinners, [Page 24] your consciences do accuse you of such great sins, with such hainous aggravations, that you may be discouraged and out of hope that suchas you should be saved; you have offered such high affronts and indignities unto the highest Majesty that you think he can never put them up; you have run so deep and so long upon the score, that you think the scores can never be wiped off; if they had been smaller faults, or more ordinary slips, or you had sought after Salvation sooner, you might have hoped to speed, but now you fear the door of mercy is shut, and the day of Grace is spent, and there is no par­don and salvation for such vile sinners as you: But let me tell you that the vilest of you all may attain Salvation, the door of mercy is not so fast shut as yet, but by knocking hard it may be opened; and so long as the day of your life is continued, and the means of grace are continued, you cannot say that the day of grace is quite spent; there is salvation attainable by the worst of you all, if you will look after it; our Saviour tells us of Publicans and Harlots that entred into the Kingdom of Heaven sooner than the Pharisees who boasted in their own righteousness, Matth. 21. 31. He conversed with, and called the worst of sinners to repentance, Matth. 9. 11, 13. In­deed when the Apostle maketh mention of notori­ous sinners, he telleth us, that such whilest such, could not be saved, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idola­ters, nor Adulterers, nor [...]ffeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inkerit the Kingdom of God. Those that are such no­torious [Page 25] sinners, and continue in the practice of such sins without repentance, they cannot be saved; but withall he addeth in the 11. verse, that some of them had been such sinners, but were now in a state of Salvation through their interest in Jesus Christ, and the operation of the Spirit of God upon their hearts, And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God; they were justified, their sins pardoned and persons accepted, in the name of the Lord Jesus, through the imputation of his righteousness unto them, and they were washed and sanctified by the Spirit of God, through infusion of Grace by the Spirit into them: I might add further instances of notorious sinners who have been saved, as Manasses, Mary Magdalen, Paul, who before Conversion calleth himself the chiefest of sinners, yet obtained Mercy and Salvation; and let me tell you moreover, that if you repent now and apply your selves to Christ, the greater your sins have been, the more will Gods glory be illustrated in your Salvation, and the abounding of your sins will make way for the super­abounding of his grace.

3. All of you that hear these words may obtain Salvation, it is possible that every one of you in this place may be saved; it would be a rare thing, but it is a possible thing: indeed there are but few that shall be saved; but who knoweth but all of you may be found in the number of those few; and O how would it rejoyce my heart to see all those faces in Heaven whom I see here this day to hear the words of Salvation. Be encouraged to seek after your salvation by the possibility of obtaining. Now [Page 26] salvation is possible for all of you that have not as yet attained it; but let me add, that it will not be pos­sible long for you all; whilst you are in the land of the living it is possible, though you be condemned to Hell for sin whilst unbelievers, Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already; yet the sen­tence of condemnation is traversible, you may ap­peal from the Court of the Law, to the Court of Chancery; you may fly from the bar of Gods ju­stice, unto the throne of grace; and if you heartily repent of sin, and by faith lay hold on Christ, you may obtain pardon and salvation: Whilst the reprieve of your life lasteth, salvation is attainable; but when once your life is come to an end (which you know not how soon it may be) and you be found in a state of impenitency and unbelief, then the percullis will be shut down upon you for ever; then the black flag will be hung out; then the talent of lead will seal up the measure of your wickedness; and your condemnation will be irreversible; when the day of your life is spent, the day of grace will be spent too, and the door of mercy will be shut upon you for ever; and it will be impossible for any of you that have not attained, then to attain salvation.

5. This salvation is a neer Salvation. Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend up into Heaven to learn what it is there? or who shall descend into the deep to bring notice of it from thence? or who shall take the wings of the morning, and fly into the ut­termost parts of the earth thence to bring tydings of it to you? for the word of salvation is near unto you, it is brought home to your own doors, it is [Page 27] that word which is now sounding in your cars, even the words which we Ministers preach unto you: read what those words are which are brought so nigh, Rom. 10. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto righte­ousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto sal­vation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed: For there is no difference be­tween the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him: for whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. Here­tofore salvation was only amongst the Jews, and whoever of other Nations would be saved, they must travel to Jerusalem, and worship the Lord in his Temple, and enquire for salvation in that place: then salvation was afar off from the Gentiles, espe­cially from these Brittish Isles; but now since the revelation of Jesus Christ, as those which were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ; so the word of salvation is brought nigh unto us; you have many Messengers of Peace, which bring the glad tydings of salvation near unto you, and this may fur­ther encourage you to seek after it.

6. This salvation is an Evident Salvation: I mean, that it is more clearly and evidently made known un­to us, than it hath been in former ages unto any, or than it is in other places unto many.

In former ages this salvation was not made known [Page 28] so clearly unto any, I mean in the ages before the coming of Christ: the Prophets themselves who prophesied of it, did not fully understand what the Spirit in them did signifie, when it foretold of this grace which should come unto the Church in after ages, 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11. And therefore the first preach­ing of the Gospel of salvation, is called a revelation of the mysterie which had been kept secret since the world began unto that time, Rom. 16. 25. And a ma­nifestation of that mysterie to the Saints which had been hid from ages and generations, Col. 1. 25, 26, 27. The Gospel of salvation was indeed revealed in the dispensation of the Law upon Mount Sinai by Moses, but it was more obscurely; it was wrapt up in types and figures; and as there was a vail before Moses his face, so there was a vail before the truths of salvation, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look unto the end of those things which were after to be abolished, 2 Cor. 3. 13. but this vail is done away in Christ, v. 14. When Christ suffered upon the Cross, the vail of the Temple, which kept the people off the Holy of Holies, was rent from the top to the bottom of it, and then the way into the Holy of Holies was made manifest, and Christ by his appear­ance abolished death, and brought life and immor­tality to light by the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10. Then dark­ness did pass away, and the true and marvellous light did shine upon the Church, 1 Joh. 2. 8. And now with open face believers do behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 1 Cor. 3. 18. The scope of which places is to shew the obscurity of former reve­lations, and the clearness and evidence of the reve­lation of the Gospel in these latter daies.

In other places this salvation is not made known so [Page 29] clearly unto many; it is not made known at all un­to the most in the world; a thick darkness of igno­rance doth overspread the greatest part of the face of the earth, and even amongst those that call them­selves by the name of the Church of Christ: there are in many places such fogs and mists of errour and heresie, that the truths of salvation are darkened, and peoples minds are blinded; but now unto you this salvation is made so clear and evident; the thing and way of it is made so manifest, that it is a great encouragement to seek after this salvation.

7. This salvation is a Free Salvation; it will cost you no money, you may have it for nothing, you may have it for accepting: If you were taken captive by men, if you were slaves to the Turks, possibly you might not be delivered without some considerable summ for your ransom; but you may be delivered from the slavery of the Devil, and your own lusts, you may be saved from sin and Hell without money: Indeed a price hath been paid for your ransom, not silver or gold, but that which is ten thousand times more precious, and that was the blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed upon the Cross for you; yet though your salvation cost Christ dear, it is free unto you, it will cost you nothing; pardon is free, and grace is free, and eternal life unto you is a free gift; you are invited to come unto the waters, and to buy wine and milk, but it is without money and without price, Isa. 55. 1. The Spirit faith, come, and the Bride faith, come, and whosoever is athirst let him come, and take of the waters of life freely, Rev. 22. 17. There is sufficiency of grace in God for [Page 30] the salvation of you all, and you may come and par­take of this grace in your salvation freely: You may have it without money, if you be poor; the gifts of God cannot be bought; and you may have it with­out merit; if you conceit that you deserve any thing, you shall be sure to have nothing; if you are sensible of your unworthiness, and apply Christs merits and righteousness, through him you may have salva­tion freely.

8. And lastly, This salvation is a Sure Salvation; you have the promise of God for it, and there can be no greater certainty of a thing than the word of God, especially if you consider that God is in­finite in power, and therefore can do whatever he will, and that God is infinitely true, and therefore will do whatever he hath promised: God is most powerful, and therefore able to save you; there is strength sufficient in his Almighty Arm, to bring sal­vation unto you; and God is most faithfull in the promises of salvation, which he hath made in the Covenant of Grace; if you get faith to apply the promises, you shall certainly have the thing: There is an uncertainty in every thing else in the world, but there is a certainty in this salvation; that there is such a thing is certain from the revelation of the Word of God, who cannot lye; and that you may have it if you will accept of it, is certain from the nature and firmness of the promises; and when you have attain­ed unto any degrees of this salvation, the perfecting of it will be most sure; for he that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6. Thus I have laid before you the properties of this salvation; it is a great salvation; it is a rare salvation; it is a necessary salvation; it is [Page 31] a possible salvation; it is a near salvation; it is an evi­dent salvation; it is a free salvation; it is a sure sal­vation; all which being laid together, may be a strong motive and inducement to you to labour that you may attain a share in this salvation.

CHAP. IV.

Motive 3. FRom the consideration of the Damna­tion of all such as do not obtain salva­tion. The damnation of all such persons will be Dreadfull and Certain.

(1.) The Damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadful.

  • 1. The Day of their damnation will be dreadful.
  • 2. The Sentence of their damnation will be dreadful.
  • 3. The Execution of their damnation will be dread­ful.

1. The Day of the damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadful, and that is the last day, the day of judgement: O how dreadful will this day be to you that are wicked and ungodly, when the Heavens shall be opened, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of the world shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-Angel, and the loud sound of a Trumpet; when the Earth shall be opened, and you shall be raised out of the dust, and summoned to appear before Christs Tribunal; and the Books shall be opened, and all your sins shall be made ma­nifest before the whole world; when the Heavens shall be on fire, and melt down upon you, and pass away with a great noise; and the Earth shall be on fire, and burn under you; and every Mountain and [Page 32] Hill shall flee away before Christs face; and Christ shall be on fire, and come in flames of anger to take vengeance upon you for your sins. Think, O think how dreadful this day of damnation will be unto all such of you as shall not then be found in a state of salvation! O what dread will seize upon you so soon as your eyes are opened, and you find the pre­dictions of the word which you formerly slighted to be true, and perceive that now indeed the day of Gods wrath is come, when you shall be dragged like so many malefactors before the Judgement-seat, and there stand naked horribly lashing your selves in the reflections of conscience upon your fore-past wickedness; how will you be ready to tear your selves to pieces for your folly and madness, that you did not provide for this day, and flee from this wrath of God, which then you will not be able to escape? how willingly would you creep into some rock, or under some mountain, or abide still in your grave, or cast your selves into the Sea, if possibly any place could be found to hide you in this terrible day, but shall be able to finde no hiding-place for your selves? Think what hideous thoughts, what sinking fears, what horrible perplexity of mind you will on this day be filled withall, it will be a dreadful day.

2. The Sentence of the damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadful; when the Books are opened where your sins are recorded, and you are convicted by the Judge; then he will proceed to pass sentence upon you. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25. 41. O dreadful words! the voice will be loud with which they will be pro­nounced, such as shall reach the cars of all the wicked [Page 33] together of all generations, and how will they all quake and tremble at the sound thereof! You may cry it may be to the Lord for mercy, but it will be in vain; you may say, Lord open to us, and receive us into thy Kingdom, that we may participate in the joyes thereof; but he will say unto you, Depart from me, I know ye not all ye workers of iniquity: But if you must depart, you may wish for his blessing, as Esau, though it were but an inferiour blessing; no, depart ye cursed, depart with a curse: If then you must depart with a curse, you may wish for some convenient place of abode, and good company, as Cain, when he went forth from the presence of the Lord with a curse, he built a City to dwell in, and took some comfort, it may be in his habitation, and wife, and children; no, depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; you must dwell in devouring fire, and inhabit everlasting burn­ings, and your companions will be the Devil and his Angels, and fellow-damned sinners, in whom you will not find the least comfort, which leads to the third particular.

3. The Execution of the Damnation of such as are not saved, will be dreadful, and this will be in Hell; when the irreversible sentence of damnation is passed upon you, immediately the execution will follow, and you will be haled from the Judgement seat, and the everlasting doors of the prison of Hell will be lifted up, where a horrible fire is burning, which can never be quenched, into which you must enter, and be shut down, and shut in to take up your eternal abode in that place of torment; there every part will be tormented, every member of your bo­dies, every faculty of your souls, and that in the [Page 34] highest degree of extremity beyond your now ca­pacity, and your torments will have no intermissi­on, neither will you have any hopes of their con­clusion. I have already treated in my Book of Judgement of the universality, extremity, and eter­nity of the torments of the Damned, and therefore shall not here inlarge. From what hath been said, you may evidently perceive, that the Damnation of such as are not saved will be dreadfull, which should awaken you to endeavour after your salva­tion, especially if withall you consider,

(2.) That the Damnation of such as are not sa­ved will be Certain; where there is no Salvation there will be unavoidable Damnation, because be­tween these two hereafter there will be no middle condition; such as are not saved will most certainly be damned; Heaven or Hell, eternal happiness, or eternal misery will be the portion of all the Sons and Daughters of Adam. I might shew, that Gods Justice, and Holiness and Truth, doth require the Damnation of all such as do not obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ, so that either God must prove un­holy, and unjust and false in his Word, which is impossible, or you which are not saved must be damned; therefore this is most certain, there is no escaping of the damnation of Hell by such as neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel, Heb. 2. 3.

And methinks by this time I should hear some of you cry out as the Jews when Peter preached, or the Jaylor, O what shall we do to be saved?

CHAP. V.

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

  • 1. Direct what things you must do, that you may be saved.
  • 2. Shew what Means you must make use of to help you in those things.

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

  • 1. You must see your selves lost.
  • 2. You must mourn for sin.
  • 3. You must turn from sin.
  • 4. You must believe in Jesus Christ.
  • 5. You must get a new Nature.
  • 6. You must lead a New Life.
  • 7. You must resolve upon sufferings for Christ, if called.
  • 8. You must study and apply the Promises of the Co­venant of Grace.
  • 9. You must give up your selves in Covenant unto God.
  • 10. You must be stedfast and persevere in the Wayes of God unto your lives end.

Direction 1. You must see your selves lost, if you would be saved; Luk. 19. 10. our Saviour telleth us, that he came to seek and save that which was lost. You must be lost if you would be found: We read Luk. 15. of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the [Page 36] lost Son, all which were found again, and that with joy. When sinners perceive themselves to be lost and undone, and know not what to do, then they are neer to be found and saved by Jesus Christ: O then as ever you expect Salvation by Christ, you must see and be sensible of your lost estate, whilest you are in a state of Nature: And for this end you must get a Conviction,

  • 1. Of your sin.
  • 2. Of the Punishment you have deserved for your sin.
  • 3. Of your Insufficiency to satisfie Gods Justice.
  • 4. Of your inability to make resistance, and defend your selves.
  • 5. Of the Impossibility of your fleeing and esca­ping Gods wrath.
  • 6. That as yet you have no Interest in Christ, who alone is able to deliver you from the wrath to come.

1. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must get a Conviction of your sin, your eyes must be opened to see your selves guilty of sin before God, and your mouths must be stopped, so as to have nothing to say if the Lord should condemn you. You must not only understand the nature of sin in the general, that it is a transgression of the holy, and righteous, and good Law of the holy and glorious God of Heaven and Earth; but also you must be particular­ly and thorowly convinced, that you have transgres­sed this Law of God; you must be convinced of your particular sins: As to the kinds of your sins, you must 1. See your selves guilty of Original sin, of Adams first transgression by a just imputation, you being in his loyns, and parties in the first Covenant: and then you must see what inherent sin there is in [Page 37] your nature, that you were conceived and born in sin, that you are a viperous brood, a Serpentine ge­neration, a seed of evil doers; that the Toad is not fuller of poyson, than your natures are full of sin; that your natures are contrary unto the nature of God, and have an enmity in them against the Law of God, Rom. 6. 7. You must be convinced, how your natures are depraved, being wholly destitute of Original Righteousness, empty of all good, and inclinable wholly unto evil; that they are a pollu­ted fountain, from whence can proceed nothing but what is unclean; that they are a bitter root, from whence doth spring forth such cursed fruits of sin in your lives; and you should look upon your sin of nature to be the worst, because the Original of all actuall transgressions. 2. You must be convinced of your actual sins, how you have broken Gods Law in thought, word and deed, you must see your sins of Omission, and your sins of Commission, against the first and second Table of the Law, and take no­tice of the number of them, so far as you can re­member, together with their aggravations; if they have been committed through ignorance when you have had means of knowledge, if against light of Nature and the Word, if against the reluctance of natural Conscience, if against many Warnings and Reproofs, if they have been committed with securi­ty, hardness of heart, delight, greediness, pride, pre­sumption, obstinacy, and the like; and that you might be convinced of the guilt of sin, you must look into the Law, in which as in a glass you may see your natural face, and all the spots thereof; the Law will discover the sin of your natures, as it requireth perfect conformity thereunto in habit, disposition, [Page 38] and inclination, and forbiddeth all evil byasses of the will and heart to sin, as well as external trans­gressions; Moreover the Law will discover to you your actual sins; but then you must look beyond the head Precepts of the Law, which are but ten, for you must take notice of the several branches be­longing to every head, which are many; as for in­stance, If you would finde out whether you are guil­ty of Adultery, you must not only look upon the Precept as forbidding only the gross outward act; Thou shalt not commit Adultery, but as reaching to the inward desires and inclinations, and so our Sa­viour, Math. 5. 28. interprets this Precept, that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart; and so in the Precept, Thou shalt not kill, it is murder not only to take away the life of another by violence, but also to be angry with our brother without a cause; and so in the other Precepts. And as you must look into the Law for Conviction of sin, so you must also look into your own Consciences, and read what is there registred, and compare your hearts and lives with the Law; and you should call to minde the places you have lived in, the bu­sinesses you have been employed about, and the cir­cumstances of your lives may bring to remembrance many sins committed long ago, with their aggrava­tions. You must get thus a conviction of the guilt of your sins, especially if you have fallen into any grosser sin in your life, as adultery, drunkenness, theft, if you have been guilty of swearing, Sabbath­breaking, profaneness, or the like; you must see the heinousness of them, and withall you must see that every sin which you have committed is heinous, as [Page 39] it is a dishonour to the highest Majesty, who is infi­nitely more exalted above the greatest Earthly Kings and Potentates, than they are exalted above the meanest Worm, or Flie; and for such as you to dishonour and affront him by sin, is very heinous. This is the first thing, a Conviction of your sins, which you must endeavour after.

2. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must get a conviction of the punishment which God hath threatned, and you have deserved for your sins; will the Lord put up the affronts which are offered to him by his Creatures? will he bear the disho­nours of his great and glorious Name by sin, with­out punishing the sinners? No surely, his holiness will not permit it, his Justice hath been offended, and must have satisfaction, and therefore he threat­neth to punish the offenders most severely; God threatneth temporal calamities and death, as the wages of sin; and because through patience he for­beareth to punish many transgressions so remarkably in this life; and the most dreadfull temporal Judge­ments which he inflicteth upon any, are no wayes proportionable to the desert of their sins, and the demands of his infinite Justice; therefore he threat­neth eternal punishment in Hell; look into some places of Scripture, where the Lord doth denounce severe threatnings against sinners, Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Eph. 5. 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 2 Thess. 1. 8, 9. Christ will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance [Page 40] on them which know not God, and obey not the Gospel, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, Rom. 2. 6, 8, 9. God will render unto every man ac­cording to his deeds, to them who are contentious and do not obey the truth, indignation and wrath, tribula­tion and anguish on every soul of man that doth evil. That you may see and be sensible of your lost estate, you must be convinced not only in the general of the justice and equity that such Judgements should be inflicted on sinners, because God himself hath denounced them in his Word, who cannot be un­just toward his Creatures; and because sin hath de­served them, being the breach of his Law, which is holy and just and good; and an offence of an infinite Majesty, whose Justice is infinite, and must be satis­fied with a proportionable punishment unto the offence: but also you must be convinced that you are such sinners; that you have committed such and such sins, that you have broken the Law in such a point, and such a point, and in every point; that you are guilty of fornication, or drunkenness, or theft, or covetousness, or lying, or profaneness; and it may be of all these, and more than these: The first is the conviction of the Law, the second the con­viction of the Fact, then follows the third convicti­on which is of the State, that therefore you are un­der the Curse, that you are condemned, that the wrath of God hangeth over your head, and that you must be tormented for sin most horribly and eternally in Hell: It is the conviction of the dread­full punishment of Hell which God hath threatned, and unto which you are exposed for sin, that will awaken you to a sense of your lost state, when the [Page 41] conviction is imprinted deep upon you by the Spi­rit; when you believe that Hell is no Fiction, but a reality, as certainly prepared for the wicked, as God is above preparing places in Heaven for his people; and you have a peep-hole (as it were) into Hell, and imagine something of the torments which the dam­ned there do, and shall endure for such sins as you have committed; how they roll and tumble in flames of brimstone, how they are lashed by an accusing Conscience, tormented with and by the Devil, and even consumed by the wrath of a sin-revenging God; how they cry, roar and howl, how they weep and wail, and gnash their teeth, and that this must be their condition for ever; and when withall you think that you are walking upon the brink of this pit, and hastening towards the place of these flames, that Hell doth belong to you, that you are in the num­ber of the cursed crew, some of whom have alrea­dy taken up their lodging in Hell, and that you are like to come thither shortly, that you are lyable every moment to drop into the burning Lake, then you will perceive that you are lost and undone.

3. That you may be sensible of your lost estate, you must be convinced of your insufficiency to satisfie Gods Justice for your sins; if you could do this, you might do well enough; but this you cannot do, Gods Justice is infinite, and requireth infinite satis­faction, which you being finite are insufficient to give; what can you offer to God? thousands of Rams, rivers of Oyl, Mines of Silver, Mountains of Gold, Rocks of Pearl, yea the whole Creation, if it should offer it self to be annihilated, could not make compensation to Gods Justice for one sin, no­thing less than infinite must be the satisfaction; and [Page 42] therefore this should make you further sensible of your lost estate in your selves.

4. You must get a conviction of your inability to resist and defend your selves against God, who hath threatned so severely to punish you for sin; as Gods Justice is infinite, and therefore you cannot satisfie it; so his Power is infinite, and you cannot resist it; who can stand in his sight when once he is angry? who can defend himself against an Omnipotent arm? If God whet his glittering Sword, and his hand take hold on vengeance, what Powers of Earth are strong enough to make resistance? Read how God expresseth himself concerning such as set themselves against him, Isa. 27. 4. Who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battel? I would go thorow them, I would burn them together. Look upon your selves as briars and thorns, yea as dryed stubble before a consuming fire, which hath no power to resist the flame; and therefore that you are lost and undone in your selves because of your sins.

5. You must get a conviction of the impossibility of your fleeing from and escaping Gods wrath, which hath you in pursuit; whither can you go from his presence? or whither can you flee from his anger and indignation? See Amos 9. 2, 3. Though they dig into Hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up into Heaven, thence will I bring them down; and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea, thence will I command the Serpent, and he shall bite them. You cannot flee into any place but God will follow you; you cannot hide your selves in any place but God will finde you; there is as little hopes [Page 43] of escaping Gods Wrath, as of resisting his Power. See Psal. 21. 8, 9. Thine hand shall finde out all thine enemies, not only some, but all sinners, thy right hand shall finde out them that hate thee: Thou shalt make them as a fiery. Oven in the time of thine angers the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. By this time sinners, methinks you should perceive your selves to be lost and un-done; all refuge now fails you, there is no escaping for you.

6. But lastly, that you may fully know that you are in a lost estate, you must get conviction, that as yet you have no interest in Christ, who alone can de­liver you from the wrath of God, which is to come upon the ungodly. Indeed Christ can and doth deliver his people from wrath, and the punishment their sins have deserved; but when you know that you are out of Christ, then you may know you are in a lost estate; if you suppose that you have an interest in him without good grounds, you are like to be lost irrecoverably, and not know it till it be too late; therefore you must know that as yet you have no interest in him, that all your pretensions to him have been presumptuous conceits; that so you may be lost in your own apprehensions. Can you think you have an interest in Christ, that never truly mourned for sin, that never hungred after Christ, that have no true Faith to apply him? have you interest in Christ that have no true Love to Christ, and never yielded subjection to Christ? Have you interest in Christ that have no Influence from Christ? have you Union to Christ that have no Commu­nion with him? No, no, all you that are Unbe­lievers, and have persisted hitherto in a sinfull course, [Page 44] are strangers unto Christ, and therefore be convinced that you are in a lost estate: And O how should fear and trembling possess you through the apprehensions of the dreadfull wrath of God? how should you go up and down like condemned malefactors, that are condemned to Hell, and know not how soon they may be dragged to execution? O what reason have you to lye down in terrour, and rise up in ter­rour, and feed upon terrour all the day long! Such thoughts as these are suitable to the condition of such as you. It may be the next step I take, I may step into Hell: Alas! Alas! I am in a state of damnation, and did not know it; I have been dancing about the brinks of Hell, and did not perceive it; I have been af­fronting God all my daies by my sins; now I see that God is highly offended with me for those sins I made light of: I am the covetous person whom the Lord abhorreth, Psal. 10. 3. I am the deceiver whom he curseth, Mal. 1. 14. I am the Adulterer whom he will judge, Heb 11. 4. I have greatly sinned, and now I see God is greatly an­gry, and his anger burns like fire; he frowns, and his frowns are most dreadfull, and I fear he will cast me to Hell, and make me feel the power of his anger in my everlasting ruine; I fear I must dwell with devouring fire, and take up mine eternal abode with the Devil and my fellow-damned sinners: O I fear I am damned! I am damned! O happy is the Dog and the Horse, yea the Worm and the Toad, who ere long shall be anihilated; but I am cursed, and I fear that I shall eternally be tor­mented: O I am lost, I have lost my God, and I fear I am lost, and shall be lost for ever! O I am undone! un­done! vile and miserable sinner! O wo be to me that ever I was born! that ever I sinned, and provoked God to such displeasure! But is there no spark of hope [Page 45] yet? is there no escaping, no reconciliation attainable? O what shall I do to be saved! I cannot save my self, and no creature can help me; but is there no other way? Thus you must see and be sensible that you are lost in your selves if you would be saved.

Direction 2. You must mourn for sin, if you would be saved; except ye repent, saith our Saviour, ye shall all likewise perish, Luk. 13. 3. Those that laugh and rejoyce now in a way of sin, shall mourn and weep for it for ever to no purpose, Luk 6. 25. But blessed are they that mourn for sin now, for they shall be comforted and saved, Matth. 5. 4. The seed time of repentance accompanied with the showers of tears, will return with the harvest of salvation, and sheaves of joy and comfort, Psal. 126. 5, 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him, Therefore see what the Apostle exhorteth unto, which is necessary to your salvation, Jam. 4. 9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Sinners, you have delighted your selves in sin, you must now be afflicted for it; sin hath been sweet in your mouth, it must now be bitter to your heart: God calls you to salvation by his Son, but withall he calls you to weeping, and mourning, and deep humiliation in order hereunto; not that your tears can wash off the guilt of your sins, no­thing can do this but the blood of Christ; not that God delights in your griefs and sorrows as such, but [Page 46] because mourning is needful for you to prepare you for Christ, and Salvation by him; whilst sin is sweet unto your taste, you will roll it under your tongue, and hug it in your bosom; you will spare it, and no­thing will perswade you to part with it; but when you taste the bitterness of sin in compunction and sorrow for it, then you will spit it out; when you perceive the gall and the worm wood, then your mouth will be put out of rellish, then you will de­sire no longer to suck at the breast of sin; whilst you are insensible of sin, you will be insensible of your need of a Saviour: None but sick persons do prize and send for the Physitian, and none but such as are sick of sin, and groan and mourn under the burden of this sickness, do prize a Christ who is the soul-Physician, Matth. 9. 12. Were you made sensible of sin indeed, you would eagerly enquire after Christ, and greedily hearken unto the glad tydings of salva­tion which he hath purchased; what shall I do to get an interest in Christ? where is he to be found? how is he to be received? what are his terms? what are his commands? do any thing, part with any thing, you would not then think much to lay down your selves, and all that you have at his feet, so you might have him; none but Christ, none but Christ would you then desire; and if you might have all the world without him, you would not be contented. Sinners, would you be saved by Christ, get your hearts af­fected with godly sorrow for sin, and that you may mourn deeply and kindly, you must get not only a conviction of the guilt of sin, and the punishment which is due for it, which you cannot escape; but you must look further into the nature of sin, and get a sight and sense of the evil of sin; you must look [Page 47] not only to the consequential evil of sin, but also to the intrinsecal evil of sin; not only to the Hell which is like to follow upon it, but also to that Hell which there is in it; look to the evil of sin not only as it is like to burn you, but as it hath blackt and smutted you; as it hath depraved and deformed your souls, which are of heavenly original, as it hath degraded and debased you, polluted and de­filed you. But chiefly look upon the evil of sin as it reflecteth dishonour upon God, upon God that is so holy and glorious, and that is so good and gra­cious, as it displeaseth that God that made you, that hath exercised so much patience towards you, when he could so easily have cut you off in the act of sin, and appointed you your place and portion amongst the damned in Hell long ago; and that hath more­over been so bountiful to you, though sinners and his enemies, that he hath maintained you at his cost and charges all your daies; but especially see the evil of sin, as it offendeth that God who is ready to be reconciled, and hath made such provision for recon­ciliation, which you could never have thought of, namely, through the death and mediation of his Son, whom he hath given for you, and proffers to give to you; and in him doth treat with you, and by us Ministers doth send intreaties to you, that you would accept of this reconciliation, lay down your wea­pons, and be reconciled unto him, 2 Cor. 5. 20. Break, break ye rocky hearts at this, what is God willing indeed to put up such high affronts? and to forgive such great sins? and doth he stoop to en­treat and beseech such mean creatures, and wretched sinners as you to be reconciled? O be filled with astonishment and admiration, and go cast your [Page 48] selves down at his feet with self-loathing and abhor­rency at the hideous nature, and monstrous ingrati­tude, and baseness of your sins! let your hearts melt within you like Wax, or Snow, when the Sun shineth upon it with heat and brightness; let your eyes drop down tears, as the morning doth drop dew upon the flowers: What! have I affronted such greatness? dared such power? trampled upon such patience? and abused such goodness too? and after all doth God be­seech me to be reconciled? was it such a God whom I offended? vile wreth! O that I had never committed such sins! O that I had never been drunk, or unclean, or profane! O that I had never sworn, nor lyed, nor stoln, nor offended God in any of my actions! It repents me, it grieves me at the very heart that I have sinned, and that I can grieve no more for it.

Direction 3. You must turn from sin, if you would be saved; see Psal. 7. 11, 12, 13. God is angry with the wicked every day; if he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath prepared for him the instruments of death. And God threatneth, Psal. 88. 21. that he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses: Therefore men must turn from all their transgressions, otherwise iniquity will be their ruine, Ezek. 18. 30. They must cast away their sins as a menstruous cloth, saying unto them, get ye hence, if they would be received into favour, Isa. 30. 22. They must not only confess their sins, but also forsake them, if they would find mer­cy, Prov. 28. 13. The wicked must forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn to [Page 49] the Lord, and then he shall have pardoning mercy abundantly, Isa. 55. 7. When men cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then, though their sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wooll, Isa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Sinners, turn from your evil waies, you have done iniquity, do so no more; you have gone on hitherto in a way of sin, proceed no further, it is the way to Hell, turn out of it: Let him that hath stoln, steal no more; and him that hath been filthy, be filthy no more; and him that hath been unjust, be unjust no more: Drunkards, forbear your drinking; swearers, refrain swearing; lyars, teach your tongues to speak truth: Break off your course of sin; turn from all gross sins as to the practice, and turn from all sins as to the affection.

Direction 4. You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if you would be saved: This is the direction which Paul gave to the Jaylor, when under con­viction of sin he came in to him and cryed, What shall I do to be saved? he saith to him, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, Act. 16. 30, 31. So in Peter's Sermon, Act. 10. 43. To him gave all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whoso­ever believeth in him should receive remission of sins. There is no Saviour but by Christ; and there is no salvation by Christ but by faith, and therefore we are said to be saved through faith, Ephes. 2. 8. As faith is the instrument to apply the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Let me then exhort you to get faith, which is absolutely necessary unto salvation: Get faith of the right kind; there is a general, common, historical, temporary, hypocritical, dead [Page 50] and ineffectual faith; but do you labour after a spe­cial, lively, unfeigned, effectual, justifying and sa­ving faith; and that you may not be mistaken in this great point on which your salvation doth depend, I shall describe that faith which is of the right kind, and will certainly save you if you obtain it.

Faith is a grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God, whereby a poor sinner being made sensible of the guilt and power of his sins, and the utter insufficiency of himself, or any creature in the world, to give him any help or succour; and having in the Gospel a discovery and proffer made unto him of the Lord Jesus Christ, as an all sufficient, most merciful and faithful Advocate and Saviour, doth go quite out of himself, and accept, lay hold, rely, and rest upon him, and him alone, for pardon, and grace, and everlasting happiness. Or more briefly thus, Faith is a grace of God whereby the humbled sinner doth accept and rely upon Christ alone for salvation, as he is held forth in the Promises of the Gospel.

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

1. You must be fully perswaded that the Scri­ptures which reveal Christ, are indeed the word of God; this is the foundation of all faith, therefore I shall briefly suggest some Arguments to prove the divine Authority of the Scriptures: As 1. Because of that majesty, purity, holiness, heavenliness which doth appear in the Scriptures beyond all other writings. 2. Because of the design and drift of the Scriptures to debase man, and exalt God and his glory above all. 3. Because of the admirable con­texture, and contrivance, and sweet harmony of the Scriptures in all the parts thereof, though writ­ten by so many several men in several ages and places, [Page 51] which sheweth that they were all acted by the same Spirit of God. 4. Because of the wonderfull work of mans Redemption there set forth at first more dark­ly, afterwards more clearly, which no mortal brain could have invented, much less could any created power have effected. 5. Because of the great power which this word hath to convince, convert, and comfort. 6. Because of the confirmation of the Scri­ptures by miracles. 7. Because of the acknowledge­ment of the Scriptures to be Gods Word in all ages. 8. Because of the many millions of Martyrs, who have sealed the Truths of the word with their blood. 9. Because of the witness of the Spirit in and with the word, which doth bear testimony to the hearts of Gods people, that the Scriptures are his Word, and were indited by his Spirit. Whence it fol­loweth, that the Scriptures are true, because God, the Author of them, is true, and cannot lye; and whatever is there revealed, is as certain as those things which are most demonstrable to sense or rea­son: This is the first step to your believing in Christ who is made known in the Scriptures, to believe that the Scriptures are Gods Word.

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

3. You must be perswaded, that it is not in your own power to believe, that it is not of your selves, but is the gift of God, Ephes. 2. 8. and therefore must apply your selves to God, that he would not only give you his Son, but also give you the hand of faith to lay hold on him, that he would work in you this grace of faith by his Spirit.

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

1. From the consideration of God, who hath given his Son to save sinners; it is an encourage­ment to faith, to consider, 1. That God is mercifull, and therefore willing to pardon and save, otherwise he would not have sent his Son; he doth not de­light in the death of sinners, Ezek. 18. 23. but de­lighteth to shew mercy; see Micah 7. 18, 19. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Psal. 103. 8, 9, &c. 2. That God is faith­full in his Promises of salvation, which he hath made through his Son in his Covenant of Grace: God needed not have made the Covenant, nor promised mercy to any sinners; but having made the Cove­nant, he is engaged to make it good. 3. That it is for his glory to save sinners through his Son, the glory of his free grace, yea and justice too, which hath been fully satisfied by Christs death.

2. You have encouraging Arguments for faith, from the consideration of the Promises, which are, 1. Large, made to all sorts of persons, and all sorts of sinners, none are excluded. 2. Full, they extend to all sorts of sins, though never so many and great, Isa. 55. 7. 3. Free, nothing is required on your part but accepting. 4. Sure, being the Promises of God in Christ.

3. You have encouragement to believe in Christ for salvation, from the consideration of Christ, the proper object of faith: 1. The quality of his person who is God and man in one person, that he might reconcile man unto God. 2. The merit of his [Page 53] sufferings, which (as hath been shown) was of infi­nite value, and sufficient for the redemption of men. 3. His alsufficient power to save those that come to him, Heb. 7. 25. 4. His mercy and faithfulness to make reconciliation, Heb. 2. 17. 5. His interest with the Father. 6. His continual intercession at the right hand of God, Heb. 7. 25.

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

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

Direction 5. You must get a new Nature, if you would be saved: You must be made partakers of the Divine Nature, if you would be made partakers of this salvation: You have brought unholy and im­pure natures into the world with you, which must be changed and renewed after the Image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, before you can be in a state of salvation, and see the Kingdom [Page 54] of God: This new nature, which is absolutely ne­cessary unto salvation, is begun in the work of rege­neration, and carried on in the work of sanctifica­tion: In regeneration the work of grace is begun, the habits of grace are infused; a new principle of spiritual life is put into the soul; and sin (which be­fore lived, and had dominion over the man, imploy­ing all his members as instruments of unrighteous­ness, to make provision for the satisfaction of its af­fections and lusts) doth receive its deaths wound, and loseth its force and reigning power: In sancti­fication, the work of grace is carried on, the habits of grace are strengthned and encreased; the new man doth grow, and the old man doth decline and decay; there is a vivification or quickning more and more of grace, by the influence of the Word and Spirit, and a mortification or subduing more and more of remaining iniquity. What our Saviour tells Nicodemus, Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: I may tell you, that unless ye be born again, unless ye be regenerated, ye cannot be saved, no possibility of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven, without you get this new na­ture: A man must be born the first time, before he can possess a temporal inheritance; and a man must be born again, before he can possess the eternal inheri­tance: You must be children, before you can be heirs, Rom. 8. 17. children not only by adoption, but also by regeneration: Ye must be Saints, before meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1. 12. You must have the new nature, before you can enter into the New Jerusalem: You must be made like to God in holiness, before you can be ad­mitted to live with God in the place of everlasting [Page 55] happiness; God doth suffer the wicked that are un­clean and unholy, to live before him in the Out­house of the Earth; but he will not permit any except such as are sanctified to live with him in the Palace of Heaven. O then labour after a work of Grace upon your hearts; be perswaded of the worth of Grace, that it is a rare and precious Jewel, that the least measure of Grace is of more worth than ten thousand Worlds; be sensible of your want of it, that naturally you are without it, that it doth not grow in Natures Garden, that you have no good Nature in you before God, till your Nature is renewed; be ready to receive the seed of Grace, which drops down from above whilest People are attending upon Gods Ordinances; be ready to hearken and yield to the Spirits motions, whereby this work of Grace is effected: And having the work begun, O cherish the Grace you have got, and as new-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby; and labour to cleanse your selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, that ye may perfect holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1.

Direction 6. You must lead a new Life, if you would be saved; see what kind of Life the grace of God which bringeth salvation doth require and teach, namely, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this pre­sent world, Tit. 2. 11, 12. You must deny ungod­liness and worldly lusts, you must put off concern­ing the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts, Eph. 4. 22. [Page 56] and not fashion your selves according to the former lusts, in your ignorance and unregeneracy, 1 Pet. 1. 14. not running with others unto the same ex­cess of riot, 1 Pet. 4. 4. not walking according to the course of a profane and ungodly world, Eph. 2. 2. but saving your selves from an untoward ge­neration, Act. 2. 40. as he that hath called you is ho­ly, so you must be holy in all manner of conversa­tion, 1 Pet. 1. 15. you must live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; soberly in regard of your selves; righteously in regard of others; and godly in regard of the Lord.

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

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

3. You must live godly in regard of the Lord; [Page 57] you must especially shew your New Life in the immediate Worship of the Lord, and that publick­ly in his House, privately in your Families, secret­ly in your Closets; you must worship God in the Ordinances of his own appointment; and this you must do with reverence, having an awe and dread of God upon your spirits, with whom you have more immediately to do; with sincerity, having a sincere respect to Gods glory therein, and that you might be accepted by him, and meet with him; with vigilancy watching the fittest time in regard of the thing, and the temper of your Bodies and Souls, and the breathings of Gods Spirit; with hu­mility, sensible of your sinfulness, unworthiness, weakness, emptiness, neediness; with diligence, be­fore to prepare your hearts, and in Ordinances to engage them, and resist the Devil and the contrary workings of the flesh; with frequency, laying hold on all the opportunities as you can, without neg­lecting other businesses, which for that time you may be more necessarily called unto; with serven­cy, getting your hearts if you can raised and en­larged, labouring that they may burn within you with love to God; with delight and complacency in God, and above all with Faith in Jesus Christ, through whom alone it is that you can have strength to perform duties, and that you can have any ac­ceptance in them by the Father.

Direction 7. You must resolve upon sufferings for Christ, if called, if you would be saved; you must bear the Cross, if you would wear the Crown, re­membring that if the Cross be weighty it will work [Page 58] for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. you must reckon upon sufferings for Christ before hand, and resolve that you will stick to him and his wayes, though you should lose esteem by it, and become the Drunkards Song, and be reproached amongst men; though you lose liberty by it, and be thrust into Prison; though you should lose Estate by it, and be brought to pinch­ing want; though you should lose Friends by it, and have none to stand by you; though you should lose Life by it, and be cut off in the midst of your years; otherwise you cannot be Christs Disciples indeed, and obtain this salvation which he hath purchased. See the terms which our Saviour pro­pounds, Luk. 14. 26, 27. If any man come unto me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brethren and Sisters, yea and his own life, he cannot be my Disciple. This we are to un­derstand, that a man must choose to displease Fa­ther, Mother, Wife, Children, the nearest and dearest Relations, and part with any thing in the world, yea with Life it self, rather than to displease and part with Jesus Christ; and that we must resolve to bear the Cross, whatever it be that God hath al­lotted for us, otherwise we do not accept of Christ upon Gospel-terms; you must resolve to be parta­kers of the affliction of the Gospel, if you would obtain the salvation of the Gospel; you must resolve to suffer with Christ, and for his sake when called, if you would reign and be glorified together with him. Whatever profession you make of Christ and his wayes in time of peace and prosperity, when the Sun of persecution doth arise upon you with burn­ing heat, you will wither and fall away, and turn [Page 59] fearfull Apostates, and then your last estate will be worse than your first; and as your sin will be greater here, so your punishment will be more dreadfull hereafter in Hell, where you will confess that the light sufferings which you have declined for Christs sake here, are not worthy to be compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of wrath which you must endure for your Apostacy unto all eternity.

Direct. 8. You must study and apply the Promises of the Covenant of grace, if you would be saved; without the Covenant of grace there had been no possible salvation for any of the fallen Children of Men; the Covenant of Works which God made with Man at the first, being broken by sin, it doth condemn all that are under it; it is by vertue of the Covenant of Grace that any are brought into a state of salvation; therefore study and apply the Promises of this Covenant: Now you must know that all the Promises of the Gospel, which are scat­tered up and down the Scripture do belong unto this Covenant; but I shall spread before you those few more general Promises which the Apostle doth make mention of, where he treats of the New Co­venant, Heb. 8. 10, 11, 12. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their minde, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People; and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and eve­ry man his Brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest; for [Page 60] I will be mercifull unto their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Here are Four great Promises which the Lord hath made to his People, which I shall explain (though not in the order of the Text) that you may the better understand and apply them.

1. God promiseth that he will be to them a God, and they shall be to him a People; this includes all the rest: It is a full and sweet promise that God will be our God, it hath a great deal more in it, than we can conceive; we may look and look again, and though our Faith have never so piercing an eye, never so large and deep reach, yet we cannot look to the bottom, and fathom the depth of this Pro­mise; we may suck and suck again at this breast, and though we draw never so hard, we can never draw forth all the sweetness that is in this Promise. To have God to be our God, it is very great, it is very sweet: Indeed God is the God of all his Crea­tures, yea of his enemies, and the vilest sinners; but to be our God in this place sounds and signifieth more than that which is common to all; it speaketh a peculiar relation, a special interest and propriety in God; in this promise God doth make over him­self and all that he hath to us, so far as we are ca­pable of receiving; he giveth himself to be our portion, he engageth his Power, Wisdom, Good­ness, Mercy, Love, and all his Attributes to be em­ployed for our good, he promiseth to be our God here, and to be our God for ever; it signifieth that he will be our Father to love and cherish us, to preserve, and provide for us whilest we live, and to take our Souls to himself when we dye, and to raise up our bodies at the last day, and make both [Page 61] perfectly glorious and happy in Heaven, when time shall be no more. He promiseth also that we shall be his People; we cannot make our selves so, but he promiseth that he will make us so; he will make us his Children, he will adopt us, he will regene­rate us, give us the title, and give us the disposition of Children; all this and much more is contained in this Promise, That God will be our God, and we shall be his People, even the whole work of our salvation from our effectual Calling unto our eternal Glori­fication.

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

3. A third Promise of the Covenant of Grace is, that God will give us the knowledge of himself; they shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest; they shall not teach one another the knowledge of God, that is, they cannot, or they shall not be able to do it; they may and ought to teach one ano­ther instrumentally; it is the duty of some to teach, and the duty of others, and they have need, to learn, [Page 62] but they shall not be able to teach effectually; they may give instructions to one another concerning God and his wayes; but they cannot give light; they may set the light before them, but they cannot set up the light in them; they may open Truths, but they cannot open the Understanding; this is the work of God only to do, and this he hath undertaken by Promise to do, they shall all know me, they shall be taught of God by his Spirit the knowledge of himself; he teacheth by men instrumentally, but he will teach us by his Spirit effectually.

4. A fourth Promise of the Covenant of Grace, is, that God will put his laws into our hearts, and write them in our minds: the Law was written be­fore on Tables of Stone, but here he promiseth to write them on fleshly Tables of the heart; which is done not with Pen and Ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3. 3. this Promise is very com­prehensive, it includes not only the giving of a spiritual discovery of the minde and will of God, but also the giving of spiritual dispositions, affecti­ons, and strength to perform it; and by consequence the removal of indispositions, the purging out of corruptions, the mortifying of lust, the taking away the heart of stone, and giving a heart of flesh, the giving a new heart, the putting the Spirit within us, and causing us to walk in his Statutes, and to keep his Judgements and do them, as this Promise is branched forth, Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27.

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

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

I A. B. do acknowledge my self to be the Creature and Subject of the great and glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth, in whom I live, move, and have my being, and from whom I receive every good thing which I receive; and therefore am obliged to conform my minde, will and affections, to order my words, wayes and whole conversation according to his most wise and good, most righteous and reasonable Laws: Besides which natural Obligation, however born in sin, and thereby disenabled, yet being born in the Church, and [Page 64] Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and by my Parents dedicated unto God when I was an Infant; I am further obliged by Covenant to be the servant of the Lord. But having proved a Rebel and Traytor against the Highest Majesty, breaking his Laws, and Covenant-ties which have been upon me, spending years of my life in a state of strangeness and enmity to God, in the service of the Devil and my own Lusts, I do now solemnly renew my Covenant with God, that the breach may be made up which sin hath made between God and my Soul.

Being in the First place convinced of the guilt of my sins, whereby I have affronted and offended the highest Majesty, whose Justice must be satisfied; and withall convinced of my own utter inability to make the least satisfaction either by doing or suffering, and that my Righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and therefore alto­gether insufficient to procure for me the pardon of sin, the favour of God, and the peace of Conscience; as also fully perswaded that no meer Creature is able to give unto me any help and relief in this case. And being informed by the Word of God what the Lord Jesus is, hath done, and suffered for poor sinners, That there is no Name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved, but only the Name of Jesus Christ; that he is able to save all them unto the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing be ever liveth to make in­tercession for them; that he is a mercifull and faithfull High-priest in things pertaining to God, to make Re­conciliation for the sins of the People; that whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out: and finding a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that God will be mercifull unto our unrighteousness, and that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more; which [Page 65] Covenant is of full force through the death of Christ the Testator thereof: and having Christ set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood, and his Righteousness declared for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God; and this Christ freely tendered unto me, and being invited earnestly, yea entreated that I would be reconciled unto God through him; and by the Spirit being per­swaded of the truth of these things, and hereby encou­raged to apply my self unto Christ, and the Promises through him unto my self: I do now (grieving that I have offended God, groaning under the burden of sin, renouncing all my own righteousness, hungring after the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness) upon the bended knees of my soul come unto him, and cast my self wholly upon him; I choose him for my only Advo­cate to plead my cause in the Court of Heaven, to procure for me Pardon and Reconciliation, that being justified by Faith, I may have peace with God through my dear Lord Jesus Christ.

Next, repenting from the bottom of my heart [...] of my sins, grieving that I have such a sinfull Nature, such a deceitfull heart, that I have so adulterated my affections, and gone a whoring from God to the Crea­tures, that I have so indulged my flesh, and satisfied its irregular desires, that I have given ear to the Devil, and complyed as I have done with his tempta­tions: I now renounce all allegiance and service to the World, to the Flesh, and to the Devil, these enemies of the Lord, and of my peace, which warr against my Master, and against my own soul; cove­nanting and promising never to give away my heart any more from the Lord unto any person or thing in the World; to refuse the World for my portion and [Page 66] chief happiness; to deny my flesh i [...]s sinfull desires and demands; to resist the Devil and his Temptati­ons; not to live and allow my self in any known sin, and to make use of all the known means which the Lord hath prescribed for the crucifying of the World, for the mortifying and utter extirpation of sin, for the resisting and overcoming the Devil. And being perswaded of the power and interest, the subtilty and deceitfulness of these enemies, and withall sensible of my own imprudence, folly, weakness and inconstancy, I humbly and earnestly implore and beseech the highest Majesty, who is infinite in wisdom, power, and goodness, that he would give me counsel and discre­tion in the use and management of all means and helps that I may not neglect any, nor through sloth and imprudence suffer a lesser duty to justle out a greater, that he would give me courage, strength and constancy in the maintaining my spiritual warfare against these my spiritual enemies unto my lifes end. And if ever I should fall through unwatchfulness and weakness, (which the Lord grant I may never do) I do promise in the strength of the Lord to arise again by Faith and Repentance. And because of the Body of sin within me, and remaining corruptions, I shall be subject (during my abode here) unto daily failings and infirmities; I do promise to pray, watch and strive against them, beseeching the Lord to strengthen me herein, and grant that my sinful infirmities may be lesse every day than other; in the mean time looking upon those disallowed miscar­riages contrary to the settled bent and resoluti­on of my heart, as insufficient to make my Covenant void.

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

Moreover, being perswaded that none can come un­to the Father, but by the Son; nor share in any spiritual priviledge, but through Christs death and intercession, and being perswaded of the infinite ami­ableness of Christs person, the greatness of his love and affection unto the children of men, as also of his infinite desireableness in regard of those offices, and relations which he hath vouchsafed to take upon him, and enter into for the good of his people: I do avouch the Lord Jesus Christ to be my only Saviour, and [Page 68] choose him in all his Offices and Relations. I choose Christ to be my High-Priest, to intercede, and pro­cure for me daily pardon, access unto God, ac­ceptance of my person and service, audience of my prayers, and supply of all my wants. I choose Christ to be my Prophet, to teach me by his Word and Spirit the will of the Father. I choose Christ to be my King to rule and govern me, to command my whole man into the obedience of himself. I choose Christ to be my Captain, to go before me, and to tread down my spiritual enemies under my feet. I choose Christ to be my Friend and Brother, to coun­sel and advise me, to stand by me in all the diffi­culties and straights of my life. I choose Christ to be my Husband and beloved, humbly accepting of this near and sweet Relation which he calleth me unto. I joyn and espouse my self unto the Lord Jesus; and do promise to be for him only, and with full pur­pose of heart to cleave unto him, to love, honour and serve him, never to deny nor leave him whatever re­proaches and distresses I may meet withall for his sake; though Persecution should arise, and that even unto death, I do promise to own his Name, and Cause, and Truths, and Wayes, so long as I have breath in my Body: But knowing that I am utterly insuffi­cient to do any of these things in my own strength, therefore upon the knees of my Soul, I earnestly be­seech that I may have strength for all these from him­self alone.

Further, because God my Father is invisible to the eye of sense, and incomprehensible by the grasp of Reason; and because my dearest Lord Jesus Christ, who alone hath declared him, in regard of his bodily presence is now in Heaven, absent from his people; [Page 69] and because whatever spiritual light or life, grace comfort, or spiritual communion with the Father, and with his Son, is vouchsafed unto the people of God, it is by the Holy Spirit, who is appointed by Office hereunto, and graciously promised unto them in the Word: Therefore I avouch and choose the Holy Ghost to be my Teacher and Guide, to be my Sancti­fier and Comforter, to help my infirmities in duties; to strengthen me with might in my inner man against sin and Satans Temptations; to cleanse me from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; to heal me of all my spiritual distempers; to revive me under all my faint­ings; to supply me with all Graces as to kinde and measure, as shall be needfull for me in my place and work; to testifie Gods love to my Soul; to give me earnests of Glory, and to seal me up unto the day of Redemption: And O that I might have the presence and abode of the Spirit of God with me, and never grieve, quench, resist, and drive away the Spirit any more!

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

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

Lastly, being perswaded of my Duty, and encou­raged by Gods promise of assistance and acceptance; I now dedicate and deliver up my self fully, freely, and for ever unto the Lord; I yield and resign up my Soul with all its powers and faculties; my Body with all its senses and members to be the instruments of righteousness unto God: I resign up my Minde to think upon the Lord, and those things which concern his Interest and Glory, to receive, embrace and main­tain his Truths; I resign up my Memory, to be a [Page 71] store-house and receptacle chiefly of the great things which do belong to his Kingdom, and other things of a more inferiour rank, as they may have a refe­rence unto his Glory. I resign up my Conscience to receive light and purity from his Word and Spirit, and desire that it may act faithfully as the Lords De­puty. I resign up my Will unto the Will of God, to submit to his Precepts, to embrace his Promises, to oppose what he hath forbidden, to comply with all the dispensations of his Providence towards me, to be wil­ling that I should be, and do, and bear, and choose and lose what God would have me. I resign up my Heart and Affections to fear and reverence the Lord, to believe and trust in the Lord, to desire and seek after the Lord, to love and delight in the Lord, and desire to put them all under his Government, and to have them exercised according to his will. I resign up my Fancy to be governed and employed by my Reason in the service of my Master. I resign up my Sensual Appetite after meat and drink, sleep, and any pleasures to be subservient to my Rational Appe­tite, and no further to have satisfacton, than will tend to the glory of the Lord. I resign up my Hands to work for God, my Feet to walk for God, my Ears to hear for God, my Eyes to see for God, my Tongue to speak for God. I resign up all my Graces, all my Gifts, all my Talents, to be used for the Glory of my Lord and Master; and my whole Man to be ruled and governed by his Laws: Promising, though my Flesh do contradict and rebell, that I will endea­vour to order my whole conversation according to his Word; humbly looking up to him for strength so to doe, that I may be enabled by him to every duty. And now I look upon my self no longer my own, [Page 72] or that any thing I have is at my own dispose; but I wholly belong unto the Lord: And therefore, bles­sing, and praising, and giving thanks unto the Lord, for vouchsafing to enter into Covenant with me, and enclining my heart to enter into Covenant with him; Bending my neck under the feet of the most glorious Jehovah, I subscribe my self,

Witness my Hand and Seal.
The devoted Servant of the Lord, A. B.

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

  • 1. In the wayes of Truth.
  • 2. In the Wayes of Gods Commandements.

1. You must be stedfast and persevere in the wayes of Truth; in the belief of the Truths of the Word, without turning aside into wayes of Errour; there are wayes of Errour which will lead you as certain­ly, and more securely to Hell, than the wayes of open profaneness. The Apostle tells us of damnable errours, as well as open, damnable sins, 2 Pet. 2. 1. and we read of some that are damned for believing a lye, that their delusion hath been the cause of their damnation, 2 Thess. 2. 11, 12. The Devil leads as many as he can in the cords of more gross and known sins towards the place of endless misery; but [Page 73] if any of them begin to perceive their thraldom and danger, if their eyes be a little opened, and Con­science awakened, and hearts affected, and they are perswaded to look after their salvation, then he en­deavours to draw them into wayes of Errour, he hath his Agents and Ministers, who are very subtle and crafty, and lye in wait to deceive, who with good words and fair speeches insinuate poysonous doctrines; and pretending more glorious discove­ries, higher and more excellent wayes, draw them out of the way of the Word and Ordinances, into paths of darkness, where they wander and lose them­selves for ever; where they are tossed up and down, and beaten to and fro with every winde of doctrine unto the shipwrack of their Faith and their Souls. As you hope for salvation, you must take heed of Errour; diligently inquire after Truth; search for it as for silver, and digg for it as for hidden treasures; digg for it in the golden Mines of the Scriptures, let the Word of God be the only Rule of your Faith; and having found the Truth, keep it, hold it fast, labour to fix it in your mindes, let it be as a girdle about your loins; lay it up in your heart, let it be rooted there; apply your selves to Christ as a Pro­phet to lead you by his Word and Spirit into all Truth, and to keep you from being deceived and deluded; and keep close to the Ministery and Or­dinances of Christs Institution, which the Lord hath appointed to continue unto the end of the World, for the edifying establishment, and perfecting of the Saints, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14.

2. You must be stedfast, and persevere in the wayes of Gods Commandements; you must patiently [Page 74] continue in well-doing, if you would obtain im­mortal glory, Rom. 2. 7. you must endure to the end, if you would be saved, Matth. 10. 22. you must be faithfull unto the death, if you would gain the Crown of life, Rev. 2. 10. It is absolutely necessary unto salvation, that you hold out in the wayes of God; none but such which come to the end of the race will obtain the prize; the Gate of Heaven lyeth at the further not the hither end of the Holy Path; therefore you must stedfastly persevere in this way; if you should fall down, you must rise again, and go on; if you should fall back or through mistake turn aside, you must return again, and make the more haste; but if you should fall off, if you should fall away (as some have done who have seemed very zealous and forward Christians as to the outward Profession) you are lost, you are cast-awayes, and you will tumble and fall down into the bottomless Pit, from whence there is no returning. Be not then followers of them that draw back to perditi­on, but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul, Heb. 10. 39. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises, Heb. 6. 12. It is a glorious Inheritance that is be­fore you, that is promised and prepared in Heaven, let this encourage you to diligence and perseverance unto the end; I shall conclude with the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloved Bre­thren be stedfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your la­bour is not in vain in the Lord.

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

CHAP. VI.

II. THE Second and last thing for your guidance in the way of Salvation, is, To shew you what Means you must make use of to help you in these things.

There are Ten Means to be used in order to the attaining of Salvation:

  • 1. Self-examination.
  • 2. Reading the Word of God, and other good books.
  • 3. Hearing the Word Preached.
  • 4. Meditation.
  • 5. Prayer.
  • 6. Christian-conference.
  • 7. Watchfulness.
  • 8. Sanctification of Fasting-dayes.
  • 9. Sanctification of Sabbath-dayes.
  • 10. Improvement of Sacrament-dayes.

Means 1. Self-examination. You must examine your selves, if you would see your selves lost; you may read the mistake of the Laodiceans, Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest, I am rich, and encreased in goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, and poor, and blinde, and naked. You must examine and prove your spiritual state, that you may have a right judgement thereof, that you may perceive how poor, and wretched, and miserable you are whilest you are in a state of Na­ture. You must examine your selves, that you may get a sight and sense of sin: Jer. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard, but they spake not aright, no man repented [Page 76] him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the Horse rusheth in­to the battel. You must examine what you have done, if you would repent of your sins; you must search and try your wayes, if you would turn from your evil wayes; you must commune with your hearts, and come to your selves, with the Prodigal, if you would return unto God, and turn your feet unto his Testimonies. Be serious then in this great duty of Self-examination; and that you may be so, I would advise that you would set apart time for it, when your thoughts are most free, and affections most sedate and quiet; get out of the hurry of the world, and lay aside other business for a while; and withall separate your selves from company, and retire into secret, where you may be free from ex­ternal disturbances and interruptions; whatever in­dispositions and withdrawments of heart you finde, force your selves to the work; resist Satan, who will endeavour to divert and discourage you: Set your selves in the presence of God; desire him to search you; beg his help in the duty; labour to keep your minde close to it; if vain thoughts arise, and would hurry you away, look up to Christ to rebuke them, and to bring them into captivity and obedience unto himself. And then sit down, and seriously consider what you have done ever since you came into the World, and withall think with your selves what you will do when your life and this world shall come to an end. Take a review of your sins; they are noted down upon the book of your Consciences, peruse this book; and if you ex­tracted a Catalogue of your sins, it might be a help to you. Note down your original sin; your actual [Page 77] sins; your transgressions of Gods Law, in the first and the second Table thereof; your disobedience to the Gospel; the aggravations of your sins.

Means 2. Reading the Word of God, and other good books. The rule whereby you are to examine your selves is the Word; this is like a Candle, which will give light in dark corners; this is like a Glass, which will discover spots in the face; you must search the Word, and try your selves hereby, if you would have knowledge of sin, and your spiri­tual state; and you must search the Word, if you would have knowledge and acquaintance with God and his will. You may arrive to some knowledge of God by reading the Book of Nature; the whole world is full of God, and every Creature doth re­present him; but the world is full of sin too, and the more immediate representations of the Creatures are sensitive things, which our sense layeth hold on first, and is apt there to stick, without further piercing and searching to finde out God; and where we have one provocation from the Creatures to love and serve him (through the bewitching temptations of the world, meeting with the worldly lusts of our hearts) we have a thousand incitements and allure­ments from them to sin against God; but the Word is full of God, and no incitement there to sin, full of perswasives to holiness and obedience; God is to be seen more easily, and he setteth forth himself there most conspicuously; In the Book of the Scri­ptures you have the most glorious discoveries of God, in his greatness, majesty, power, holiness, love, mercy, and the like; and the way made known of acquaintance and communion with him; if you [Page 78] would be acquainted with God in Christ, you must acquaint your selves with the Scriptures: Read the Scriptures daily, and search them; Joh. 5. 39. read not only the history of the Word, but labour to un­derstand the mystery of Godliness therein revealed, 1 Tim. 3. 16. endeavour after a spiritual discerning of the things of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 14. when you meet with Doctrines in your reading the Word, labour to understand and believe them; when you meet with Precepts labour to obey them; when with Prohibitions and Threatnings, be cautioned against sin by them; when you meet with promises, labour to apply them, to draw vertue from them. Read this Book as the Word of God, and hide it in your heart; lay it up there, as a choice treasure, get your hearts cast into the mould of it; get it written upon your hearts, and let it have an in­fluence upon your whole conversation; and that you may the better understand and apply the truths of the Word, read as you have time other good books, which open the Scriptures, and treat of need­full points of Religion, especially such as direct in the great work of Conversion, and give Rules out of the Word for the ordering of your whole conver­sation; but above all Books read and study the Scriptures.

Means 3. Hearing the Word Preached. It is by the foolishness of Preaching that God saveth such as do believe, 1 Cor. 1. 21. however the preaching of the Word is to them that perish foolishness, yet unto Believers it is the power of God unto salva­tion; therein God doth put forth his power, and maketh bare his arm, in bringing salvation to lost [Page 79] souls. Hear and thy Soul shall live, Isa. 55. 3. Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10. 17. Lydia's heart was opened whilest she attended upon the Word preach­ed by Paul, Act. 16. 14. Attend therefore diligently upon the Word preached by Christs Ministers, as an Ordinance of his own institution for the working and increase of Grace: Look upon Ministers as Christs Ambassadours; he that heareth them hear­eth Christ, and he that turneth away his ear from hearing them, turneth away his ear from Christ, who by his Spirit in them speaketh from Heaven unto men, and how impossible it is for such to escape the wrath of God, see Heb. 12. 25. Much more shall not they escape that turn away their ear from him that speaketh from Heaven. Hear the Word with reve­rence, as the Word of God, as if the Lord should speak to you from Heaven with an audible voice; hear the Word with diligence and attention as for your lives, as for the salvation of your Souls; hear the Word with faith and love, without which it will not profit and work effectually in your hearts; and in hearing look not so much for those things which may please, as for that which may edifie; I mean, do not regard so much mens fancies, as the wholsom Truths of the Word, which tend most to conviction, edification, to the killing of sin, quickning and in­crease of Grace, and nourishment of the spiritual life.

Means 4. Meditation. The Word like Food must be digested by Meditation, that it may turn to spiri­tual nourishment; you must ponder and consider in your mindes the Truths of the Word, that you may both understand them, and get your Hearts affected [Page 80] with them, and your Lives ordered by them. Medi­tation is a great help in Heavens way, such as are re­miss herein cannot walk so steddily, nor chearfully; accustome your selves unto this duty, set apart time for it; I know that some complain of barrenness in their thoughts, when they endeavour to meditate; such I would advise, if they have not that fruitful­ness of thoughts themselves to supply them with matter, that they would make use of others help; let them meditate on the Scriptures they read, on the Sermons they hear; moreover I would offer some general heads for Meditation, which you may make use of. 1. Sometimes meditate on God, his Attributes, his infinite Majesty, power, holiness, om­nipresence, omniscience, eternity, unchangeableness, his infinite wisdom, truth, faithfulness, justice, good­ness, mercy and loving-kindness; his Councels, espe­cially his eternal decree of Election, which is of most sweet consideration to Believers; his works of Cre­ation and Providence. 2. Sometimes meditate on Christ; his near relations, of Friend, Brother, Hus­band; his needfull Offices of Priest, Prophet, and King. 3. Sometimes meditate on the Spirit, his way and workings on the minde and heart, how he enlighteneth, enliveneth, strengtheneth, com­forteth, &c. 4. Sometimes meditate on the Cove­nant of Grace, and the rich, free, suitable, sure Pro­mises of pardon, grace, salvation therein. 5. Some­times meditate on the Gospel, and its priviledges, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Assurance of Gods love, peace of Conscience, Joy in the Holy Ghost, communications of grace, &c. 6. Sometimes meditate on the four last things, namely, Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell. 7. Sometimes medi­tate, [Page 81] and that frequently, daily, of such Arguments as tend to the mortifying of your particular sins, which are most strong and prevalent, and to the strengthening of your graces which you finde most weak and deficient.

Means 5. Prayer. Pray secretly; retire your selves from company into your Closets, or some private place, and there confess your sins, and make known your requests to God, that seeth and heareth in se­cret, and hath promised an open reward to such as se­cretly and sincerely seek him. Pray frequently, be often upon your knees, give your selves unto Prayer; begin the day, conclude the day with Prayer, and recover some other time to visit and speak to God; at least mingle ejaculatory Prayer with every other work; and labour that your minds may be always in a praying frame; and do not withdraw, but be glad when an opportunity offereth it self to come to the throne of grace. Pray fervently, pour forth your hearts before God in the duty; wrestle with God in Prayer like Jacob, be earnest in your Peti­tions as for your lives, be instant and importunate, take no denyal, follow hard after God; stir up your selves to take hold on him, use arguments in Prayer, to plead with him. Pray believingly, mingle your prayers with Faith; make use of the name and medi­ation of Jesus Christ; and make application of the Promises which God hath made to his People, which he hath made to Faith, and which he hath made to Prayer.

Means 6. Christian Conference. Take heed of the company of the wicked; from such turn away; if [Page 82] you are under tyes to be in such company, converse with them as infected persons, with an Antidote, lest you receive hurt by them, and with endeavours of doing them good. But choose the company of them that fear God; they are the excellent persons; the wicked are the Dross of the Earth, they are the Gold; let your delight be in their society; associate chiefly, if you have opportunity, with such as have most of the power of godliness; and labour to im­prove by their company whenever you come into it; endeavour to get light, and life, and warmth and strength from them; take heed of unprofitable dis­course; but let it be with grace for edification.

Means 7. Watchfulness. Watch unto duty; there are some golden seasons for some duties, some choice opportunities of doing and receiving good, which if once slipt, you may never have the like again so long as you live; watch that you may know them, watch that you may improve them; understand the day of your visitation; sow your seed whilest the weather lasteth; hoist up the sail when the wind bloweth; watch the breathings of the Spirit, and comply with its motions. Watch against sin, and therefore keep your hearts with all diligence; guard your senses; take heed of Satan; get on the Spiritual Armour, especially the shield of Faith, and fight the good fight of Faith, that you may lay hold on eternal life.

Means 8. Sanctification of Fasting-dayes. Set apart times to humble your Souls before God in Fasting, and Prayer; and therein rend your hearts and not your garments; labour to afflict your Souls for sin; meet God with weeping and supplication; cloathe [Page 83] your selves with humility, lie in the dust, cover your selves with shame; loath and abhorr your selves in his sight for your iniquities, mourn for your own sins, and for the great dishonours of his Name by the sins of others: And seek to the Lord both for your selves, and for his Church.

Means 9. Sanctification of Sabbath-dayes. Remem­ber to keep holy the Sabbath-day; break off timely the day before from worldly employments, and be earnest with God to prepare your heart for the day; and when the day is come, begin and hold on with God from Morning to Night, in the publick, pri­vate and secret duties of his immediate Worship, except what time works of necessity and mercy do call for: Labour to be in the Spirit and in the fear of God all the day long; lay aside worldly business, take heed of vain and unprofitable discourse; let not the Duties of Religion seem tedious, but call the Sabbath your delight; begin Heaven-work on such dayes, that you may be fitted by these Sabbaths for the Eternal Rest: Praise God on these dayes for the works of Creation, especially for the work of Re­demption; and labour to grow in grace by the dews of the Word which fall upon you most plentifully on such dayes.

Means 10. Improvement of Sacrament-dayes. Come frequently to the Table of the Lord, if you have opportunity, to celebrate the Memorial of Christs Death, and come preparedly; examine your selves; pray for the Wedding-garment; read the history of Christs Passion; consider such arguments as may be a means to draw forth your graces into exercise; [Page 84] and when you are there, labour to mourn for sin, which hath pierced the Lord; to hunger after his righteousness; to receive him by Faith; to apply the Promises of the Covenant of Grace, whereof the Sacrament is a Seal; endeavour after a burning love to him whose love hath been so great as to dye for you; and let your hearts be filled with joy, and your mouths with Praises, and deliver up your selves in Covenant unto the Lord in this Ordinance; After you come from the Lords Table, reflect upon your carriage towards the Lord; if you have been straitened, endeavour to find out the cause, mourn, and by after-pains and application of Christ, endea­vour to get some benefit, and prepare better against the next time; if you have been enlarged, be hum­ble, be thankfull, be watchfull, live up to Obliga­tions; draw vertue from Christs death for the cru­cifying more and more of your flesh, with its affecti­ons and lusts; and fetch influences of grace and spi­ritual nourishment, that you may encrease with the encreases of God.

Finally, be diligent in the use of these, and all other means and helps, and so at length you shall attain the ultimate end, for which they are appointed, even your Salvation and Eternal Happiness.

FINIS.

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