MAN's Great Duty: OR, A DISCOURSE OF The Care every Man should take, to make sure the Salvation of his own Soul.

By Samuel Bold, Rector of Styple in Dorsetshire.

Matt. XVI. xxvi.

What shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul?

LONDON. Printed by R. Smith, and are to be Sold by R. Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane. 1693.

THE Epistle Dedicatory.
TO Mrs. Mary Cooke, Widow of that very Learned and Pious Man Mr. William Cooke, sometime since Minister of the Gospel in the City of Chester, and to the rest of the Author 's Friends in that City.

I Present this Discourse to you, as a publick Testimony that I am not unmindful how much I am obli­ged to you all, for your great Love and Respects to me, from my Infancy to this time: And in an especial man­ner to you Mrs. Cooke, for the Mo­therly Affection, Care and Tender­ness you have constanstly Manifested towards me, through my Childhood and Youth, and are pleased still to continue. I forbear receoning up par­ticular [Page]Obligations, because too nume­rous for so slow a Pen. I know you delight more in shewing Kindness and doing Good, than others would in ha­ving the World told that they do so. The Subject treated of in this little Book, I am sure is very grateful to you all, and I am confident you will not be offended with my Discourse, because so familiar. It is a very sad and afflicting Reflection to a serious Christian, that there are such multi­tudes who plainly appear to take no tolerable care of their own Souls, tho they profess the best Religion, and are furnished with eminent Advantages: For, The Earth which is so Watered, and beareth Thorns and Briars, is Rejected, and is nigh unto Cursing, whose end is to be Burned. But Beloved, I am per­swaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6.8, 9. It very much concerns you all to take care I be not mistaken in you, and to use your utmost Diligence to bring forth Fruit in some proportion to the [Page]Labour and Pains which have been bestowed on you. You have enjoyed the Labours of that eminently holy Person and faithful Minister, Mr. Cooke, whose love to, and care of Souls, and zeal for their Salvation was such, I am not acquainted with any words that are significative enough to express them. And therefore if you do not much exceed others in Divine Love, and all the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness, you do not fully answer the Means with which you have been favoured. I am willing to remember you of your Old Pastor, that you may thereby be induced to reflect upon your selves, and be quickned to give such diligence to make your Salvation sure, as he was always pressing you unto. Were the excellent Treatises he left behind him, Published, they would contribute much to keep those things always in your Remembrance, which he mainly insisted on whilst he was Living, and to establish you in the Truths and Duties you know and [Page]have been practising. He was the greatest instance of an indefatigable faithful Minister, and practical Belie­ver, I was ever acquainted with. He was diligent and industrious, even to a Prodigy. His Humility and Modesty did exceedingly veil his intellectual Me­rits. Few could comprehend the time he spent and the pains he took in his Study, much less the proficiency he made there. He had strong Natural Parts, a great Memory, a quick Appre­hension, was very Thoughtful, and dived very far into whatsoever he ap­plied his Mind unto. He was the most void of all kind of Affectation (so far as my Knowledge doth extend) of any meer Man. His Learning, Mini­sterial Labours and exemplary Piety, were such, could the World be fur­nish'd with an exact faithful Account of his Life, I am perswaded it would yield as grateful and pleasing Enter­tainment to the learned part of the World, and be as profitable to all Peo­ple, who have a serious sense of true [Page]Piety, as any thing that can be Pub­lished. But I doubt those who knew him best, Died before him; and as for those who were acquainted with him and do Survive, I suspect some were not observant enough, and others did not know him long enough to understand very many of the most material Passages which would be necessary for such a Composure. In­deed he did so conceal himself, I very much question whether any Man was ever in a capacity to do him Right. Yet, a sull Collection of the many great things his Friends remem­ber, and which he could not hinder People from observing, would be of extraordinary use unto the Publick: Tho the whole Relation thereof would not comprehend the half of what he deserved should be said, to perpetuate his Memory, and encourage a laudable Imitation. If this hint may prompt those who knew him, to recollect them­selves, and jointly apply themselves to such a Work; I shall have this Satis­faction, [Page]that I have been instrumental to put them on Acts of Friendship and true Piety, and have contributed a little to oblige the Publick. You are commanded not to be Slothful, but fol­lowers of them who through Faith and Patience, are Inheritors of the Promises, Heb. 6.12. And I propound unto you Mr. Cooke, as a great Pattern you should imitate in variety of Instances, which are within your reach, and pertain to the Stations you are in, as well as in the whole general tenor of his Conver­sation. I shall therefore pass over in Silence many very considerable things I know concerning him, which must not by any means be omitted, by one who would attempt to write his Life. I must not therefore insist on his Learn­ing: And indeed he who would do him Justice as to that, must be fur­nished with a much greater measure of it, than I can hope to attain unto. Yet, let me take liberty to mention one thing, viz. That his skill in the Ori­ental Languages was such, it procu­red [Page]him a respect above many Persons of great worth, from the Famous Bi­shop Walton, whose eminent Talent lay in that sort of Study. A very worthy Author (whom I am obliged to Love and Honour greatly for his substantial solid Learn­ing, Conformists 4th. Plea for Noncon­formists. p. 109. but especially on the account of his ex­emplary Piety, and more than common Zeal for the good of Souls) hath told the World, That Bishop Walton would speak Civilly to Mr. Cooke, tho he told him unless he would Conform, he could not help him. I have particular reason to say, that when he spake those words, he did it with in­timations of great Regret; and that amongst other reasons of his Respect to Mr. Cooke, common to others for whom that Great Man had a Kind­ness, notwithstanding they had dif­ferent Sentiments from him, about some Matters, it was Mr. Cooke's great knowledge in these Languages, which did peculiarly commend him to that [Page]Bishop. Here I am to take notice, that Mr. Cooke was a Nonconformist, and so had different Sentiments about some inferior, and less substantial, ra­ther meerly accidental Matters (a­bout which all deserving and good Men have not the same Apprehensi­sions) from what I have, and many more have, whom I greatly Reve­rence. His differing Judgment about these Matters, served him for his own Conduct. But he manag'd his Dissent from Conformists, with that Candor and Christian Temper, he highly de­served Love and Respect from all Con­formists who were endowed with true Piety, or indeed had any share of common Ingenuity. He did not abuse his Dissent to Uncharitableness and Censure; nay, he could not en­dure to hear a deserving Conformist Reflected on. I remember once, a Person of no small Abilities, and Mr. Cooke's particular Friend, happen'd ac­cidentally to reflect on a Conformist, on the account of his being a Confor­mist, [Page]Mr. Cooke immediately reproved him with some keenness; the other Per­son replying, I believe what I said, is true: Mr. Cooke presently Silenc'd him, desiring him the with some earnestness of Speech to observe the Apostle's Rule, Hast thou Faith? Have it tothy self, Rom. 14.22. I must also pass over in Silence, Mr. Cook's unwearied and indefatigible Labours in the work of the Ministry, in Praying, Preaching, Expounding the Holy Scriptures, Catechising, and Per­sonal Converse from House to House; tho in these things he very well de­serves to be imitated by all Clergy­men of what sort soever. An exact Relation of Mr. Cooke's Loyalty would make a Volume, and represent him so considerable on that account, I do not question, but most would be apt to suspect the possibility of finding a com­pleat Parallel in the Records of Hu­man History. His Loyalty was not like that so much talked and boasted of some Years ago, an empty Name, used to cover—. His Loyalty was [Page]truly Christian. He knew how to suffer with Patience and Meekness, and with a temper of Soul very agreeable to that of the Holy Jesus, whose Ambassador he was, and whose Example he followed. And he did actually suffer in that manner, both for and under the same Government. True Loyalty is a necessary property of a good Christian and faithful Subject. And I know not any one who hath lived within your Memory, who so well deserved your imitation in this excellent Qualification, as your ancient Pastor. This is indeed a Topick which de­serves to be enlarg'd on, because the thing has been so horribly Counterfeited, and the Name so shamefully, yea, more than villain­ously Abused. But I forbear, because should I expatiate, I may find my self obliged to drop some Expressions which would prove uneasie to certain Persons, who have hap­pened to bring themselves under such Cir­cumstances, they perceive it possible for Men of haughty Spirits, who have ridi­cul'd the plea of Conscience, who have been very daring, contemptuous and tru­culent in their Behaviour and Carriage, to have some tender Places. And I am not willing to exasperate any Man, if I may avoid it, with Innocency. He Governed his Family with great Prudence, and with [Page]much Strictness. I think no Man ever at­tended more diligently to the interest of Religion in a Private Family, than he did. Every Morning and Evening after he had with his Family briefly implored the Divine assistance in Prayer and Praise, and a Blessing with that part of the Holy Scrip­tures which was then to be read, a Psalm, or part of one was Sung, then a Chapter (in the Old Testament in the Morning, and in the New Testament in the Evening) was read, which he Expounded, reporting the principal parts of which it did consist; then he gave an account of the substance of it, in as few words as the matter and parts of it would permit, afterwards explained the greatest Difficulties which did occur; and in the last place shewed, what useful Instructions were especially to be taken notice of. And then he spent at last a quar­ter of an Hour in Prayer and Praise, usu­ally improving much of the Chapter that was read, into matter for the one or the other. He was an extraordinary Person for all the parts of Prayer, tho commonly he did very much abound in confusion of Sin, in admiring the Divine Excellencies, and in praising of God for his Benefits of all sorts. On all occasions he was very impor­tunate for the Church of God, and that [Page]the Kingdom of Christ might be Enlarged. He had no Child of his own, but did freely take into his Family three or four Children, for whom at his own Charge, he provided Food, Lodging and Raiment, and whom he instructed in Religion and Human Learning, in order to their attaining to serve their Generation according to the will of God. These and the Servants he Catechised twice every Week, explaining every thing with a peculiar easiness, for the helping them to understand every particu­lar. When he could not any longer attend on his publick Ministry, he did not grow Idle, but performed most parts of it in his own Family, with the same care and dili­gence he was accustomed to use in Publick, tho there were not one Person more, than those of whom his Family did constantly consist. He was a very strict Consciencious observer of the Lord's Day. His Family was constantly to have their Worldly Bu­siness dispatched by four or five of the Clock in the Afternoon of Saturday. Then he bestowed an Hour and an half or more with his Family, in explaining and apply­ing one or more Verses of some Chapter in the Bible, (going over the Chapter, and usually the Book in order) and in Prayer. After that, every one in the Family [Page]was to go to his own Apartment for some time, either to learn the Catechism, or for private Reading and Devotion. About Eight of the Clock they Supped, and after that, he dismissed his Family, according to his every days Custom. He was always up early on the Lord's Day. Every one read a Chapter in the Morning; he then spent at least an Hour and an half in ex­pounding one or more Verses of a Chapter, and in Prayer. Then he and his whole Family went to Church, (I speak now of the time after his publick Ministry ceased.) About a quarter of an Hour after they were returned home, he Prayed with his Family, repeated the Sermon they had hear'd in Publick, and Preached and Prayed as he was wont to do in Publick before he was Silenced. A little time being allowed for Dinner, he and his Family went again to Church, and allowing after their return home, more time for every one in Retire­ment, he performed the same Religious Exercises he had performed betwixt com­ing from Church in the Forenoon, and going thither in the Afternoon. Every one in the Family having after Sup­per given an account of what they remem­bred, he concluded the day always with singing a Psalm, and with solemn enlarged [Page]Praise and Thanksgiving. He went through all this Labour and Work with un­accountable vigor, cheerfulness, and fervour of Spirit. The Visits he made were usually very short, and most of the time was spent in pious Discourse, or Prayer. He would be exceedingly uneasie if he heard any Per­son spoken of Reproachfully. He would not by any Means permit any of his Friends and Acquaintance to use any harsh words concerning any Person who had unexcu­sably injured him. If he heard of their doing so, he would be sure to reprove them sharply. He was very free in reproving his Friends and Relations, and all those with whom he was Acquainted, as occasion required, and in cautioning them against the appearances of Evil. His Humility was almost Astonishing; and he fortified him­self to a strange degree against every thing he could suspect might so much as have a tendency to tempt him to have even a moderate Conceit of himself. I wrote to him once and used the word Reverend to him; he sent me by the next Post a very Pious Letter, wherein he gave me a Repri­mand for that word, and desired me if I thought fit, to use that word to others, yet not to use it any more to him. He was wont to be mightily concerned when ever [Page]he heard of the outward Prosperity of his Friends, that they might be provided a­gainst, and secured from the temptations which attended such a Condition. And when ever he heard of their Adversity, or being any way Afflicted, how earnest were his Prayers that their Afflictions might be Sanctified to them! His Abstinence, Mor­tification, Self-denial, and the strict Watch he kept over himself, together with the heedful regard he had to Divine Providence in all Instances, would appear truly won­derful, could I give a full Relation of them. He did every Week set apart one whole day for private Fasting and Humiliation. He kept a constant Diary for his own pri­vate use, which he wrote in Latin, but in such a Character, I am perswaded no Man beside himself, could read an intire Passage. His Charity (considering what he had to live on, and what has been already said of it by the Bye) was as stupendious as any thing else. He would strain to the utmost to relieve the Indigent. What multitudes of Catechisms, &c. did he Buy to give to the Poor! And how much Mony he be­stowed on poor Families, which he fre­quently Visited, that he might Instruct, Counsel, Exhort, and Comfort them, none can tell. For he distributed his Charity [Page]with all the Secrecy he could devise Great numbers of poor People were continually relieved at his Door. I believe no Man was ever more forward than he, to contri­bute to the utmost of his Ability to promote any Charitable design. I never heard that any seemingly poor Person ever met him, and ask'd an Alms of him, who went away from him without good Advice, and a larger testimony of his being affected with his appearing Poverty, than could reaso­nably be expected from him. But often did he enquire after, and seek out Objects and Opportunities for doing good in this kind. His regard to Righteousness and Justice, was so exact and tender, peradven­ture the like hath scarce been heard of. I could name a Gentlewoman of good Quality in Chester, who offered Mr. Cooke some Monies, at a time when his Circum­stances were indeed very mean, but he re­fused to accept of it, which occasioned her to urge him more earnestly to accept of it, as a testimony of her Respect to him; but he would not be prevailed with to receive it; telling her at last, that he understood her Husband had some Creditors when he Died, and that they were not all as yet fully satisfied, and he could not in Con­science receive Mony from her for his own [Page]use, whatever his Straits might be, as long as he knew her Husband's Debts were un­paid. He was a great follower of Peace. He was extraordinary plain in his Habit, and void of every thing that could look like Flattery; but truly Civil, Courteous and Obliging, tho a perfect stranger to that Ceremoniousness, which it may be the want of his habitual Honesty and Integrity, hath brought so far into Fashion, as even to be esteemed an Accomplishment. He was a great Enemy to the Pomps and Vanities of this evil World, and perhaps the exactest observer of the Baptismal Vow, that any (at least) of these latter Ages of the World have produced. Thus far have I spoken from my own Knowledge of that excellent Person, and do but put you in remem­brance of what you more fully know. That Mr. Cooke continued this course of Life, these Religious Exercises, and his Weekly Fast, to the very Week in which he Died, I have been certified by one of you, a little after his Decease. And that he was very patient and submissive under his last Visi­tation, being never heard to utter one com­plaint; that he spent the remainder of his strength and time in Pious Discourse on certain portionns of Holy Scripture, and in pithy fervent Prayers, till he actually re­sign'd [Page]up his Spirit into the hands of his beloved Jesus; which was about two or three of the Clock in the Morning of the Third of July, 1684. and 73d. year of his Age.

The more you resemble that holy Man in all those Instances which pertain to your selves, and wherein he was a faithful fol­lower of the Lord Jesus Christ, the more succesfully will you work out your own Salvation. You will be disposed to yield up your Souls to God in due time, in such a calm and comfortable manner, he resigned up his Soul. You will be prepared to enter into that Rest and Joy, you have such a­bundant cause to conclude he entred into the possession of almost Nine Years ago. Those things which ye have both learned and received, and heard and seen in him, (agreeable to the Gospel of Christ) do, and the God of Peace shall be with you. This comprehends the best Advice I can give you, and the substance of the sincerest Prayer tendred unto God on your behalfs,

By your Obliged Faithful Friend and Servant, Sam. Bold.
Styple, June 8th. 1693.

The Preface to the READER.

Reader,

WE of this Land have been of late entertained with a constant Series of Providences, little less than Miracu­lous. But our Murmuring untractable Temper, our unreformed disobedient Lives, our aversion to, and our stiff, vehement, and unreasonable Opposition against eve­ry thing which hath a tendency to pro­mote the interest of Peace, Concord and Holiness, do not portend any Good. The Ferment seems daily to grow higher and higher, and who can tell what tremendous Eruptions may follow? As long as our Wickednesses are multiplied, our Dan­gers do most certainly encrease, appear we ever so Careless and Indifferent. What astonishing Calamities and Con­fusions [Page]are at hand, I cannot undertake to Relate, I dare scarce adventure to Su­spect. But if God do whet his glit­tering Sword, and his Hand take hold of Judgment, he will undoubtedly render Vengeance to his Enemies, he will reward them that hate him, Deut. 32.41. I muy with good assurance affirm, that the best Service we can every one do for our selves, is to make sure the Salvation of our own Souls. Our do­ing this, will not in the least incom­mode the Publick; it may advantage and benefit it greatly. If we do thus, we shall be prepared for whatso ever it will please our God in his infinite Wis­dom to permit. If we shall not be able to entertain the most frightful Occur­rences, with less discomposure than others, we shall most assuredly lose less by them than they, because our best and chiefest Interests will be safe. For no sooner will a period be put to our present Pilgrimage and Warfare, but an abundant Entrance will be Ministred to us into the everla­sting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour [Page]Jesus Christ. If some of these Sheets had not been Printed before I knew they were in the Press, this Discourse might have come forth in another form, and a little better Polished. But if it shall please God to make it (as it is) ser­viceable to quicken any of you to, or assist you in a just concern for your own Salva­tion, my design is answered, whose desire and Prayer to God for you all is, that you may be Saved.

S. B.

MAN's Great Duty: OR, Every Man should be principally Con­cerned for the Salvation of his own Soul.

Psalm XXXV. v. 3. Part Last.

Say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation.

IT is very evident by this Psalm, that David (when he Compos'd it) was in very great Danger, in a very afflicted and distressed Estate, by reason of the ex­cessive Power, inexorable Rage, and im­placable Malice of his Enemies. Being in this condition, he did not depend on any outward Succours, nor would he betake himself to any unlawful Arts, but applied [Page 2]himself to God, committing himself to his Conduct, Care and Protection, earnestly importuning him to undertake for him, plead his Cause, maintain his Right, defeat his Adversaries, and to defend, help and deliver him.

Which was undoubtedly the wisest course he could take, considering the circumstan­stances with which he was at that time clothed: For tho the best People, those for whom God hath a singular respect, may be under such oppression and persecution, their case may to outward appearance seem altogether Remidiless, yet their God can soon alter the Scene, effectually rescue and command Deliverance for them.

These words, Say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation, may be considered either,

First, As an affectionate and earnest de­sire, that God would inwardly assure him, that he would effectually Save and Deli­ver him from those external difficulties and dangers with which he was surrounded, and by reason of which his case appeared quite Desperate. He was very well satisfied, God could make his Enemies examples of his Vengeance, in proportion to the Malice and Wickedness they had discovered in their unjust Persecuting of him, how numerous, [Page 3]powerful and crafty soever they were. But this was not enough to quiet and pacifie his Mind, and to dispel those fears and su­spicions which did frequently disorder him, and make those Burthens others did lay up­on him, much more weighty and insup­portable than otherwise they would have been. His Spirit would be in a fluctuating and unsettled Frame, till God would assure him he would undertake his Defence, and cause him to see a happy period put to that ungrateful and disingenious, that rude, yea, barbarous Treatment and Persecution, with which he had been Exercised a long time, which had now almost tired him, and was ready to overwhelm and sink him.

Or, Secondly, As noting his diverting from what he had just before been so intent up­on, and vehemently concerned about, and improving his present Troubles and Cala­mities, and his fervent Supplications for help against, and deliverance from them and their Authors, to excite and quicken him to a more affectionate and ardent Praying, that whatever his portion might be in this World, yet God would be pleased to cer­tifie him, that his Soul should be Saved. Which is certainly one of the best uses we can make of bodily and outward Afflicti­ons.

We may perceive the Psalmist putting a sudden stop to that mighty Current of De­sire, as exprest in the former part of this Verse, and the other two which come be­fore it, and turning that Stream into ano­ther Channel, speaking to this effect. Lord! tho I am very sensible of the distressed E­state I am now in, and therefore have been so importunate with thee, to plead my Cause, and stand up for my Help, yet the deliverance I have been begging being but a Temporal Mercy, I dare not be peremptory, or ask it absolutely at thy Hands; nor indeed would such a Deliverance fully satisfie me; I there­fore entirely refer that to thy infinite Wis­dom: But yet there is one thing I cannot, I will not be denied; one thing I desire a­bove all other, and if thou wilt grant me that, I shall have as much as I can wish; it will fully satisfie me. The thing I thus importunately beg, is, that thou wilt assure me, My Soul shall be Saved.

How well would it become us? How much would it be to our advantage to im­prove outward Calamities; to make us emi­nently concerned for the wellfare and hap­piness of our Souls? To make us more ar­dent in our Prayers, and vigorous in our Endeavours to obtain a good assurance, that God will certainly conduct us into that [Page 5]blessed Estate he hath prepared for them; He doth set apart for himself?

But if there were no room for this last In­terpretation, and we were certain the words did only relate to the Psalmists deliverance out of that calamitous Condition, in which he was at that time; yet we have ground enough from his being so earnest in Prayer for such a Deliverance, to mind our selves in what manner we ought to concern our selves, that we may secure the Eternal Happiness and Salvation of our Souls. Sure we may, we ought to use these words, Say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation, according to the most Spiritual importance they will admit.

And thus the Words might prompt us to make some Enquiry. First, Concerning the Salvation of the Soul. Secondly, Of what consequence it is for a Person to have a solid assurance that he shall be Saved. Thirdly, From whom and how such satis­faction may be obtained.

But I will confine my Discourse at this time to this one Point, viz.

That every Person should be very much con­cerned for the Salvation of his own Soul. We should all of us be principally busied to secure the Salvation of our own Souls, tho that is the thing which of all other, [Page 6]is generally most neglected. People ordina­rily find a great many matters to employ themselves about, which are of little mo­ment in themselves, and will turn them to small, or no account at last. They are so taken up in providing for their Bodies, in­dulging their Appetites, pleasing and gra­tifying their Senses, and managing their earthly temporary Affairs; they think very seldom and very little of the eternal safety and wellfare of their Souls. How prone are we to suffer almost any thing to divert and take us off from minding the Salvation of our Souls, with any tole­rable degree of Attention and Seriousness; not to say with such care and solicitude as the importance and weightiness thereof doth call for and deserve? Other things are more thought of and minded than this; and the means we think proper to obtain them, are more diligently and delightfully used than those God hath directed us to, to make the Salvation of our Souls sure. But tho we provide our selves other work, this remains our Duty; our heedlessness and o­mission is not to be Justified; cannot dis­charge us from our Obligation; For, What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Matt. 16.26.

In discoursing of this Doctrin, I will ob­serve this plain and easie Method. First, I will explain the words in which it is Pro­pounded. Secondly, Mind you of some Rea­sons why every Man should be so concern­ed for the Salvation of his Soul. Thirdly, Take notice of some Inferences, which the Point will evidently afford, and which may and ought to be improved by us to our great Advantage.

First, I am to explain the terms of the Proposition, which may be done by answer­ing these two Questions. First, What are we to understand by the Salvation of the Soul? Secondly, What is meant by a Per­son's being very much concerned for it?

First, What are we to understand by the Salvation of the Soul?

The Soul is the most excellent part of Man; that part on which the Image of God was at first principally Stamp'd and Im­printed, which doth distinguish him from, and dignifie him above all the lower parts of the Creation, and which renders him capable of Knowing, Loving, Serving and Enjoying God, the Sovereign Good. It is an immaterial, spiritual Substance, which is not like the Body, lyable to Corruption and Death, but when separated from it, doth enter into a State either of such Hap­piness [Page 8]and Pleasure we cannot at present form an adequate Idea of, or of Misery and Torment, altogether unconceiveable. In which Estate it must continue unalterably to all Eternity.

The Salvation of the Soul then, is its ex­emption and Freedom, as from all the Sins Temptations and Evils, unto which Man is obnoxious in this Life, so from all the Mise­ries, Curses and Plagues Sin doth expose and make Man lyable to in the next World, and its fruition of God and Christ, and all that Glory and Blessedness in Heaven, God hath prepared for, and promised thorough Christ to them, who faithfully accept of, and comply with the terms he hath pro­pounded in his Word, Rom. 6.22, 23. Rom. 21.6, 7, &c. Matt. 25.34.

If any one should now enquire why the Salvation of the Soul is so much insisted on, when it is most true in it self, and certain unto Christians, that the Body as well as the Soul, will in the next World be in a State of Happiness, or Misery for ever? Or why People should not rather be minded, that it behoves them to take care to pro­vide for the Salvation of their whole Man, than thus to be put in mind of, and excited to concern themselves for the Salvation of one part of themselves.

It may be pertinently enough replied, That the Soul being the noblest part, is or­dinarily put for the whole Man. So that for a Person to mind the Salvation of his Soul, is the same thing with his minding the Salvation of himself. Our blessed Savi­our speaking of this same matter, the Evan­gelist St. Matthew, relates his discourse in these words, I or 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? Matt. 16.26. St. Luke delivers it thus, For what is a Man advantaged, if he gain the whole World, and lose himself, or be cast away, Luke 9.25.

Besides, the Body, when the Soul is depart­ed from it, doth not presently pass unto a State of Torment, or Joy, but is laid in the Grave, where it remains without any sense of either, till the Resurrection, whence it must be raised up, and fitted for, and united to its own Soul, to share with in that State to which it was assigned immediately after it was separated from the Body. The Soul after its departure from the Body, appears before God, and is sentenced to a State either of Horror and Torment, or of Satisfaction, Joy, and Pleasure, Luke 16.22, 23. Luke 23.43. So that the Salvation of the Soul doth note a freedom from Sin, Misery, and [Page 10]Torment, and enjoying a State of eminent Delight and Happiness, immediately upon its departure out of this World. When the Body shall be again united to the Soul, it must partake of the same Happiness with the Soul. The Salvation of the Soul im­plies and comprehends in it the Salvation of the whole Man. The happiness or misery of the Body at the Resurrection, depends on the happy or wretched Estate the Soul was consigned to at its departure from the Body. All that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the Resurrection of Life; and they that have done evil, unto the Resurrection of Damnation, Joh. 5.28, 29. Dan. 12.2.

Secondly, What is it for a Person to be very much concerned for the Salvation of his Soul?

Answ. To be firmly perswaded, that it is of extraordinary importance to him, to have his Salvation well secured; to desire ardently that it may be so, and to apply his utmost endeavours to make it sure, by a due, and regularuse of those Means God hath appointed for this purpose. He hath a sound knowledge of what the Salvation of his Soul doth mean. He often thinks with himself of what consequence and moment it is to him, that he should be Saved. He [Page 11]frequently considers in what State his Soul is, and what he may reasonably concludes would become of it, if it were presently to be called away from its earthly Taberna­cle. He seriously considers what course he ought to take, that his Soul may assuredly be saved at last. Such kind of thoughts do often occur to him, and he is careful to en­tertain them, and prosecute them with se­riousness, till they produce some good ef­fect. What can we think of those who ob­stinately neglect to meditate on their future State, and refuse to consider what a plain and certain tendency the sins and wicked­nesses in which they allow and indulge themselves, have, to make them eternally Miserable? Who are so very regardless, they leave their Souls to all adventures? Never seriously thinking of, reasoning, and expo­stulating with themselves about these mat­ters? I say, what can we think of them, but that they are dangerously befotted by Satan and their Lusts, if not dreadfully forsaken and given over of God in just Judgment, to go on Inconsiderately to the Vengeance of the Great Day? We must at least con­clude they are not much concerned for the salvation of their Souls. We should certain­ly without any difficulty, make such a de­termination in another Case so circum­stanced. [Page 12] He feedeth on Ashes, a deceived Heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his Soul, nor say, is there not a Lye in my right Hand? But if we are really perswaded that it is not a matter of indifferency, whether our Souls be saved or not, and that there cannot be any thing of such extraordinary consequence and moment to us, as having our Salvation secured, our thoughts will be very much employed about it: And these will excite and stir up affections in some proportion to the sense we have of its worth, and how much our imterest is wrap­ped up therein. So that we shall not be satisfied with any thing, so long as we per­ceive this is in hazard. We shall pant and breath after this, as what is indispensably necessary to our being Happy; That in which our whole welfare consists, and with­out which all other things are insipid, are as nothing, yea burthensom, and vex­atious. I have longed for thy Salvation O Lord, and thy Law is my delight, Psal. 119.174.

And he who is thus affected towards the salvation of his Soul, will diligently observe the directions God hath given, and use the means he hath appointed, in order to a Per­son's making his Salvation sure. He will be careful to take God's way to secure his Sal­vation, [Page 13]for he knows none but God can save his Soul, and that God will not save him but in his own way. He penitently, and with great humility and reverence, be­takes himself to Christ; faithfully depends on him, and with much fidelity follows his Counsel, being sensible that no Man cometh to the Father, but by him, Joh. 14.6. And that there is not any Name given un­der Heaven but his, whereby we must be Sa­ved: Neither is there salvation in any other, Acts 4.12. With how much greater fer­vour doth he pray for this, than for all other things? As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, so panteth my Soul after thee O God; my Soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God, Psal. 42.1, 2. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my Soul thirsteth for thee, my Flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is. Thy loving kindness is better than Life, Psal. 63.1. And he makes great Con­science of keeping God's Commandments. Lord, I have hoped for thy Salvation, and done thy Commandments, Psal. 119.166.

The Salvation of his Soul hath a more settled prevailing constant power over him, than all other things have. He gives this the preference above all, and brings all o­ther things to a subordination to it. This [Page 14]hath such a fixed prevailing influence on him through the whole course of his Life, that all other things are measured, esteem­ed, judged of, approved, or disapproved, according to the relation and tendency they have to further or obstruct this. He that is very much and duly concerned for the salva­tion of his Soul, is ordinarily thus affected, thus disposed, thus resolved.

He will not deliberately give way to, or adventure on any thing, he is sensible will endanger, obstruct, or hinder the Salvation of his Soul, tho he hath never so many in­ducements to it, on other accounts; he dares not adventure his Soul for the pleasures of Sin, the profits of the World, the applause, approbation, esteem and favour of Men. Shall I pay so dear for these fading, perish­ing airy things at present, as to occasion my sad and mournful repenting of my pur­chase and bargain to all Eternity? God forbid I should ever be so infamously Sottish, so execrably Wicked, to pawn my Soul, and stake my Salvation at such a disingenuous, impious and unworthy rate; to offer such indignity and contempt to the precious Blood of the Covenant, as to sell it at such a common and unhallowed Price.

Yea, he will apply himself with vigor to any thing he understands from the word [Page 15]of God; will promote and further his Sal­vation, tho he perceives he shall certainly encounter very formidable discouragements; he will pass quietly through reproaches, patiently sustain Losses, and cheerfully en­dure Tribulation, and inhuman Barbarities, rather than omit, or neglect any thing which pertains to, and must accompany, and will help forward his Salvation. Tho Bonds and Afflictions abide with me, and wait for me every where, yet none of these things ought to move me. Lord, let me never count my Life dear to my self, so that I may but finish my Course with Joy.

When I say that every Person ought to be very much concerned for the Salvation of his own Soul; you are not to understand this as if I did exclude our being obliged to concern our selves for other Peoples Sal­vation: Those who are unconcerned for their own Salvation, will not be heartily concerned for the Salvation of other Peo­ples Souls. They may do several things (being induced thereunto by some mean and selfish considerations) by which others may be much advantaged and assisted in working out their own Salvation. But they who are altogether regardless of their own Souls, will be every jot as little concerned for others. But he who is truly sensible of [Page 16]the great worth of a Soul, and the weigh­tiness of Salvation, and therefore is hear­tily concerned that his own Soul may be saved, will in his measure and proportion be concerned that others may be saved too.

Having said thus much in order to a di­rect explaining of the Doctrin, I am in the next place,

Secondly, To propound some Reasons, why we should every one be very much concerned for the Salvation of our own Souls? And they are these,

First, God hath by his plain and express Command, made it our Duty. We can­not but acknowledge, both, that God hath an unquestionable right to appoint us our Work; and that he best understands what it is we ought to make our principal Busi­ness. So that if he hath enjoyned us to be more concerned for our Salvation than any thing else; we are obliged unto it by all the respect we owe unto him, and that defer­ence which is due from us, to his Authori­ty. We cannot be regardless of Salvation, but we must be justly reputed guilty of of­fering the most horrid and unexcusable Contempt to the Divine Majesty; of re­nouncing his Authority, and refusing to obey him in an Instance wherein his Grace [Page 17]and Love, his regard to, and tenderness for our chiefest good, are eminently manifest­ed. God's Command should sway with us in any case, more than any thing else, but especially in a case of this nature, where we have so evident a Demonstration, that the Command it self chiefly respects our highest Advantage. How can a refusal to comply with and obey such a Command, escape being Interpreted, to proceed from a spightfulness against God, and an unac­countable hatred and malice to our own Souls? And can any thing be enjoined in plainer terms, in more express words, than our Lord hath used in commanding us, to concern our selves very much, and to use our utmost care and best diligence, to pro­vide for, and make sure of Salvation, and eternal Felicity in the next World? Could any thing be spoken with greater Empha­sis, or represented with more Earnestness, and better testifie the utmost force and strength of Affection, than what you read, Deut. 30.19, 20. I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you, that I have set be­fore you Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing: Therefore chuse Life, that both thou and thy Seed may Live; that thou may'st love the Lord thy God, and that thou may'st obey his voice, and that thou may'st cleave unto him; for he is [Page 18]thy Life and the strength of thy days. Are you not in express terms commanded, To work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling? Phil. 2.12. And to give diligence to make your calling and election sure, that an entrance may be ministred to you abundantly in­to the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. And to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righ­teousness, Matt. 6.33. And to strive to enter in at the strait Gate, Luke 13.24.

Now, can any thing be so execrable, as to choose to destroy and make your selves eternally Miserable, rather than practically own God's Authority, and obey him in that, wherein he hath given the fullest dis­covery of his having a singular regard to your greatest and unconceivable Happiness? The Command of God should sway and prevail with us to apply our selves to any thing tho ever so difficult, tho we were perfectly ignorant of the Reason, why he doth enjoyn and make it our Duty. But how much more then should his Command influence us, when we evidently perceive the reason of his Command is most expres­sive of his Love, and doth apparently carry with it a wonderful force drawn from Prin­ciples so deeply rooted in our Natures, as are our own Preservation and Happiness? His [Page 19]interesting his Authority thus in this mat­ter, should not only prompt us to take no­tice of the tender regard he hath to our perfect Felicity, but also how prone we are to be careless of, and neglect it, and with what heedfulness, care and diligence it behoves us to attend to and follow it, lest we should fail and miscarry in so impor­tant a Business.

Secondly, It is a business of such weight and consequence, that it is to render us ca­pable of attending to it, and to assist and quicken us to carry it on with Success; that we are endowed with those faculties which are peculiar to us, as we are rational Creatures; and that we are entrusted with Life and Time, after that we arrive to years of Discretion; and that those advantages are afforded us which are singularly adapt­ed to further us in it. All these are Talents committed to our trust; and those who will acknowledge them to be such, must needs own, they ought to be employed to the ends for which they are especially de­signed. Now, seeing they are peculiarly fitted both in their own Nature, and by divine Appointment, to promote our Sal­vation, it must greatly concern us to use them for that purpose, for which they were intended. As the Members and parts of [Page 20]our Bodies are naturally fitted and particu­larly designed for the preservation, nourish­ment, and perfection of our outward State, so our rational Powers and Faculties are di­rectly and immediately prepared and appoit­ed to be used to secure and advance the good and welfare of our Souls. Our Understand­ings, Wills, and Affections, are never em­ployed so pertinently, as when they are duly exercised about those matters, which will contribute most effectually to our Sal­vation. This is the noblest and most excel­lent use we can make of them. And if they colud not be improved to this purpose, it would not be a valuable advantage to be endowed with them. This is also the great business for which God doth allot us time in this World. We have in­deed other things to employ our selves a­bout, whilst we are here in the Body, but all other Businesses are subordinate, should be subservient to this. For this is the one thing necessary. Life and Time are not allotted us, meerly to Eat and Drink and take our Pleasure and Pass-time here; or meerly to drudge and toil for the necessaries or varie­ties of a temporary State, but chiefly to pro­vide for a future and eternal Happiness, by such ways as God hath prescribed. For what is to be done by us in order to our [Page 21]Salvation, must be done whilst we have our abode in this World. It will be too late to think of busying our selves for our Salvation, when we are removed hence. The night cometh, (saith our Saviour) when no Man can work, Joh. 9.4. Whatsoever there­fore thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the Grave, whether thou goest, Eccle. 9.10. So teach us (O Lord) to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom, Psal. 90.12.

Can we imagin it is for any thing else, but to oblige us to, and assist us in the minding of our Salvation, and to excite and quicken us to a great, regular, and due concerned­ness for it, that God doth afford us his Word, Ordinances, and the means of Grace? Are they not all evidently designed, to mind us that this is that for which we should be most concerned, and to direct, help, and lead us in the true, infallible, and most suit­able way unto Salvation? Tit. 2.11, 12, 13. And is it not certain, that our neglecting to improve Gospel advantages to this pur­pose, will exceedingly encrease our Dan­ger, and render our State hereafter, more than ordinarily Dolorous, and Dreadful? Wo unto thee Corazin: Woe unto thee Beth­sada, &c. Matt. 11.20, &c. How shall we [Page 22]escape, if we neglect so great Salvation? Heb. 2.3. Lay aside the consideration of the Salvation of the Soul, and People may at­tend to, and follow all their other Busines­ses and Affairs every jot as well, without the Gospel; as with it.

Thirdly, The salvation of a Man's Soul, is a matter of the greatest consequence he can possibly concern himself about. It is agreeable to the dictates of Reason, and the Maxims of Prudence, that we should be most concerned for that which doth most concern us. And doubtless, that which is of the greatest worth and excellency in it self, in which all our Interests are wrapt up; and without which, there is no possi­bility of our being safe and happy, is of the greatest Moment imaginable to us; and is that which it behoves and concerns us to use our utmost care about; and such is the Salvation of our Souls.

For if our Souls be safe and happy, it is not possible we should be Miserable. If we are really in the way to Salvation, and have an Interest in God through Christ, so that his power becomes engaged to keep us safely unto Salvation, let what will happen unto us here, it cannot make us unhappy. It will not be long before we shall be per­fectly out of the reach of every thing that [Page 23]can be called Evil: And a well grounded hope of Salvation will make any thing Portable which can befall us in this World. And as soon as we have pass'd through this Wilderness, and are got from amongst the Briers and Thorns which grow here be­low, we shall inherit a Pleasure, a Joy, a Portion; in comparison with which, all that this World can afford, is in every re­spect less, and more inconsiderable than the emptiest Dream, or most fleeting Sha­dow we can think of. Why then should we be afraid of any thing that cannot hin­der us from being for ever Blessed? We should not be afraid of any thing but Sin, 'tis that alone which is displeasing to God; that alone which exposes to eternal Mi­sery: 'Tis only that which can hinder our attaining to the Salvation of our Souls, Matt. 10.28.

But if our Souls Miscarry, all other things cannot make us amends. There is no remedy for a lost Soul. We may be disappointed to a notable degree in our worldly Designs, and Affairs, and Interests, and not be Undone. But if the Soul be Damned, there is no reversing that Sen­tance. If the Soul perish and be sent to Hell, it cannot be redeemed thence. All the Pleasures, Riches Honors, Bravery, [Page 24]Applause, &c. in the World, tho enjoyed without any Interruption, the whole space of a Man's abode on Earth, will not avail, or profit, help, or comfort him one jot, will not abate or qualifie his Sorrow and Torment one Moment, when his Soul doth sink under the weight of its own Guilt, and God's just Indignation, into unquenchable Flames. For­mer enjoyments are past, and ended, what was left behind, will not purchase one Mi­nutes Ease: And the remembrance of an­tiquated Delights and Pleasures, will but encrease and make present Tortures more wracking and vexatious; heighten and in­crease those Torments and Horrors, which do every Minute unconceivably over-weigh all the Jollities of an ill-spent Vitious Life. What can you conceive more terrifying than to hear it said, Remember thou in thy Life­time receivedst thy Good Things, Luke 16.25.

Besides a due concernedness for the Sal­vation of our Souls, is the surest course we can take, to be provided with what is most convenient for us, till we arrive at the end of our Faith and Hope, the Salvation of our Souls. We have reason enough to be well satisfied, if we have Journy-provision, where we are Strangers and Pilgrims, if as soon as ever our Journy is over, we shall [Page 25]enter into the Heavenly Canaan, and be for ever with the Lord. And if we be duly con­cerned for our Salvation, we have as good assurance as can be desired, to be supplied with what infinite Wisdom shall judge most fit and convenient for us, during our Tra­vel. Our allowance of outward things shall be more, or less, according as our Heaven­ly Father shall see most for our good. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righ­teousness, and all these things shall be added un­to you, Matt. 6.33. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield; The Lord will give Grace and Glory; no good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84.11.

Fourthly, A great concernedness for the Salvation of the Soul, is the only way to secure it. Negligence, Sloth and Heedless­ness, are not look'd on as the way to great, honourable and comfortable Fruitions, in this World; why then should they be thought consistent with a rational expecta­tion of the glorious things which are reser­ved in Heaven? If you are sensible of the worth of your Souls, and do desire they may be Saved, you must needs own you ought to be much concerned for their Sal­vation; or you must renounce and depart from the common Rules of Reason, and from those Principles by which all Mankind [Page 26]do govern themselves, in seeking after wha is of great value in it self, or what they do magnifie by their own Phancies and Ima­ginations, unless you do know some other way, by which their Salvation may be made sure. Now, the Salvation of the Soul de­pending wholly on the free Grace and good Pleasure of God, there cannot be any way to secure it, but what God hath been pleased to fix upon and appoint. Can you therefore produce a proof that God hath revealed, and declared, that it is his purpose to save any one who is of years of Discretion, whe­ther he do or do not concern himself in good earnest for his Salvation? If you can­not produce a Revelation that is very plain and express to this effect, you run the great­est risk imaginable, and act with the great­est inconsistency that can be, with the Prin­ciples of Reason and Prudence: If you be not mightily concerned for your Salvation, How unavoidably will all the methods you use, with respect to other Matters, upbraid, reproach, and condemn your inadvertency, and regardlessness as to this, which is of in­finitely greater consideration an importance to you than all other things can be? More­over, you may remember it hath been pro­ved to you by express Scripture, that God hath appointed this as the course you must take, if you will make your Salvation sure.

Indeed our concernedness for the Salva­tion of our Souls, be it ever so great, does not, nor cannot procure their Salvation, by virtue of its own intrinsick worth and ex­cellency. We cannot be our own Saviours. We are wholly beholding to the Lord Je­sus Christ, and to free Grace for salvati­on. But we must in obedience to God, ac­quit our selves strenuously for our Salva­tion, in using those means, and following those directions he hath appointed and as­signed for this purpose, depending upon him to Sanctifie and make this obediential com­pliance with his blessed Will Effectual, for the preparing us for, and bringing us unto that Salvation, whereunto he hath appoint­ed the same. Our coming to Christ when we are truly sensible of our Wants and Mi­sery hath no intrinsick Vertue and Excel­lency of its own, to purchase and procure us Acceptance with him, yet it is the neces­sary and only successfus way, a convinced, sensible, humbled Sinner can take to obtain acceptance with him. This being what he Commands, and that to which he hath an­nexed his compassionate and merciful Pro­mise, Joh. 6.37. Matt. 11.28. The neces­sity there is of our taking the course I have been discoursing of, doth principally arise from God's appointment: The successful­ness [Page 28]of it, ariseth wholly from the vouch­safements of Divine Grace.

Fifthly, Every Person's concernedness is necessary to the Salvation of his own Soul. I speak to Persons who are of years of Di­scretion; and my Discourse is about the Salvation of those who are Adult. Other People may and ought to be concerned for your Salvation, in their way, to the utmost of their Power, according to the Capacities thy have, and the Offices they are in, and the Relations they bear to you. But what others can do, will not profit unto Salva­tion, if you are altogether unconcerned about it your selves. Most of your World­ly Businesses, may be done for you by others. Other People may Build your Houses, make your Cloaths, till your Grounds, feed your Cattle, gather in your Harvests, &c. But other People, (excluding your particular per­sonal concerning your selves for your Salva­tion) cannot do all that is necessary to be done, in order to your being Saved. Those who have ever so many at work for them, must (notwithstanding that) Eat and Drink for themselves, or else they will soon be Fa­mished and Die. Other Peoples Eating and Drinking will not sustain you in Life; their wearing of Cloaths, will not preserve [Page 29]you from Cold, or warm and heat you; their Sleeping will not refresh Nature in you. These are things all People must do for themselves; and we are all sensible e­nough of the same. O that we were every one as fully convinc'd that it is every jot as necessary, for every particular Person to be very much concerned for his own Salvation. Other Peoples Knowledge, Faith, Holiness, &c. will not save our Souls. Every one that will be Saved, must Repent of his own Sins, must himself believe in Christ, and be made Holy, and must Personally observe and keep God's Commandments.

Sixthly, The Enemies of our Souls do concern themselves very much to hinder our Salvation. Every Man hath va­riety of Enemies, who in their several ways do busie themselves to hinder the Salva­tion of his Soul, and to make his Dam­nation sure. Does it not therefore behove him to do what he can, that his endeavours to frustrate and defeat their Projects and Designs, may be equal to theirs? Be sober, be vigilant, because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon, walketh about seeking whom he may Devour, whom resist stedfast in the Faith. 1 Pet. 5.8, 9. Why should the Devil hate your Souls more than you love them? should not you be as much concerned for [Page 30]their Salvation, as he is for their Damnati­on? Are not you more interested in your own Souls, than he is? Doth it not more concern you what will become of your Souls, than it doth him? The Damnation of your Souls, will be no real advantage to him, notwithstanding he seeks and labours for it so industriously; but how unconceiv­able will your Benefit be, if they be Saved? We have Enemies in the World, and Cor­ruption within us, unweariedly labouring to obstruct our Salvation. And seeing we have so many and such industrious and indefa­tigable Enemies, waiting to do us a Mis­chief, even the greatest Mischief imagi­nable, to hinder our Salvation, to destroy and ruin our Souls for ever; in what man­ner will it become us to acquit our selves? How concerned should we be for the Sal­vation of our Souls, which are thus beset?

If we have any regard to the Authority of Almighty God, or think our selves obliged to employ the best Talents and Advantages which are committed to our trust, to the ends for which they naturally serve, and to which they are particularly Ordained; if we believe everlasting Salvation is of any great moment to our selves, and that it is not the effect of Chance, but will be re­gularly dispensed; if we are satisfied that [Page 31]we cannot be saved by Proxy, and that it doth behove us to improve the diligence and industry of our worst Enemies, to our own greatest Advantage; what hath been discoursed, may in some measure serve to beget, or awaken in us a perswasion, that we ought to be very much concerned for the Salvation of our own Souls. And therefore I will now proceed,

Thirdly, To take notice of some Inferen­ces which this Doctrin doth evidently af­ford, and even prompt us to take into our consideration, and of which we may make a profitable Use and Improvement.

First, The Soul of Man is exceeding pre­cious: 'Tis this on which we should set the greatest value, and of which we should take the greatest care. It is of the greatest worth in it self, and may be improved to our un­expressible advantage. But if it be finally slighted and neglected, the damage which will follow, will be altogether irreparable. Man consists of two Parts, a Body, and a Soul; The former is of a frail and corrup­tible Nature, of very little Excellency, and of no use at all when the Soul is separated from it. As long as the Soul continues in it, it is sensible of Pleasure, or Pain, ac­cording as things are proportioned, or dis­proportioned to its Organs, Appetites, Frame [Page 32]or State, but no sooner doth the Soul part from it, but it becomes perfectly stupid and senseless, and presently molders into Dust. Foolish miserable Wretches that we are! How unexcusable are we, in being so im­moderately sollicitous about our fading Earthly Part and its little diminutive Inter­ests, to the extraordinary prejudice and hazard of our Souls, which are Immortal, and evidently our best and noblest Part! When the Body returns to the Dust, the Soul doth not cease to be, but then becomes more sprightly and active, more apprehen­hensive of what is Pleasing, or Dolorous, than it was before.

We do all put a difference betwixt things, esteeming some more Precious than others, and accordingly we proportion our love to, and care of, and concernment for them. But our great fault is this, we are hasty and inconsiderate, we are rash and precipitate; we ordinarily judge amiss, and value things above their worth; setting a mighty Price upon those things which have no intrinsick Excellency, but are intirely beholding to our own Fancies, or vulgar Opinion, for all their reputed worth, and slighting and making no account of that, which is so transcendently Excellent; we cannot pos­sibly advance our esteem for it, to those [Page 33]degrees it deserves. Lord! How shall we duly deplore and bewail our selves, up­braid and reproach our Folly! seeing we have so long extravagantly admired and inordinately doated on empty Impertinen­cies, whilst our Souls, which are of uncon­ceivably greater worth than all the World, have been left unregarded and unminded by us! What vile and ungrateful Wretches are we, thus to dishonour our selves, and dis­parage and prostitute the Souls God hath entrusted-us with! How loathsom may we justly appear in the sight of God, and of all his Creatures? 'Tis owing to our Souls, that we are capable of setting a value upon any thing; and having Souls committed to our trust, could we behave our selves more unworthily, than to cast off all care of them, and degrade them to the sordidest Drudgery we could devise? All Worldly and Earthly Enjoyments and Objects, will be as nothing to us; the pleasure and de­light we took in them, will be gone, and tho the things themselves may stay behind, we cannot make any more use of them, when once our Souls have taken their flight into the other and unseen World. And what can we expect will be their lot and por­tion, who have taken no better care of their precious Souls, have so neglected and abu­sed them here?

Did we rightly understand, and were we duly affected with the worth and precious­ness of our Souls, we could not make so light of them as we do. We should then certainly concern our selves much to secure their Salvation. Do I believe my Soul came immediately from God, and that it is of a Divine Extraction; and that the greatest Excellency of my Body, consists in its be­ing fitted for the use and service of my Soul, during its abode in it? And can I by any means be reconciled to cast off all concern for it, and to make such a Heaven-born Off­spring, a Slave to my drossy and earthly Part? Does not all corporal Beauty and Lustre, presently disappear and vanish, af­ter the Soul is separated from it? How great a Value should we set upon our Souls, were we seriously and strongly perswaded, that as soon as they leave our Bodies, they must return to God, who gave them, Eccles. 12, 7.

It is true, we cannot at present distinctly and fully understand what the Soul is; but we easily perceive we have such a noble and sublime Part, by those Actions which are peculiar to it: It Thinks, it Under­stands, it Wills and Chuses; it Loves, it Reflects upon it Self and all its Actings; it converses with Objects, which are not Ob­jects [Page 35]of Sense; it compares sensible Objects one with another, and raiseth notions from them: And we are sure the Body can do none of these things, when the Soul is gone from it. And tho it is naturally void now of its Primitive Holiness and Purity, yet it still re­tains some Marks and Characters of the Di­vine Image upon it, and it is still capable of having its first Excellency and Beauty Repair­ed, Restored, Improved. Oh! how large and vast are its Capacities? What work can it do! What Exercises may it perform: What Ob­jects can it converse with! What great and glorious things may it be employed about! And what blessed Privileges may it be ad­vanced unto! It is capable of having the Divine Image again Imprinted on it, with a Lustre and Glory far exceeding the utmost our most extended thoughts can possibly comprehend, or reach unto. It is capable of Divine Illumination, and effect­ual Sanctification of a partial, but blessed and joyful Communion with God at present, and a perfect Fruition of him hereafter.

God forbid, that I should any longer prostitute, neglect, or make little account of that part of my self, which is so Spiritu­al in its Nature, which the Great, Holy, and Munificent God hath endued with such Powers, and already advanc'd to such Dig­nity! [Page 36]which may be improved, and ascend in this World to such Honour and Emi­nency, and is capable of inheriting such Glorious and incomprehensible Recompen­ces in the next World! If I be regardless of such a Soul, and yet vehemently pursue, and inordinately prize a few empty Trifles, some lying Vanities, what shall I al­ledge to excuse my self? Must I not be Self-condemned? Will not all the Ranks and Orders of Beings Condemn me? With what Confusion must my Face be covered? May not the whole System of Nature Tremble, be Ashamed, and Blush at such a Prospect, to have a view of a Rational Creature, one that hath so capacious a Soul, and yet more stupid and blockish than its most sullen and dreggy Part? Lord, let not such Shame be my Portion! Let me never fall into, nor sink under such Guilt! What! shall I be voluntarily cruel to, shall I hate and so dishonour the noblest part of my Self? Shall I willfully cast away my Soul, which if I take a due care of, will in a little time mount above the Stars, and be settled in a State incomprehensibly Joyous, and full of Glory? No, I will now awake and rouse up all my Powers and Strength, and tho I cannot exactly understand the worth of my Soul, no more than I can what [Page 37]it is; yet I will endeavour to be as just to it as possibly I can; I will prefer it above all the Objects of Sense, above every thing that Time diminishes! above every thing that hath either Vexation, or Vanity inscri­bed upon it! And I will do all I can in a firm dependance on Divine Grace, that this Soul of mine may assuredly arrive at the full Fruition of all those great and bles­sed things which are laid up in store for truly pious and devout, vertuous and up­right, sanctified and religious Souls.

What raised thoughts should I have of a Soul, that is not liable to the Shocks and Violences to which my Body is every Hour subject! A Soul that cannot be at all impa­red by any of those rude Assaults, which may Surprize, and which may unexpect­edly and irresistibly hurry my Earthly part to Dust! Our Souls will endure for ever, let all Created Powers do what they can against them. They do not yield, they are not subject to the Alterations which are in­cident to what is is Mortal. They are Im­mortal, they cannot Die, but when their Houses of Clay are Dissolved, they pass and enter into a State more suitable to their Spiritual Nature. They will retain their Beings, Powers and Properties, after that the Worms have glutted themselves with [Page 38]our Flesh and Humors, after that our Bo­dies have past through all the Changes, to which such Matter is liable.

If I believe my Soul is Immortal, what a value must I set upon it? We prize any thing of worth much the more, if it will be of long continuance. How should I then esteem a Soul, which will abide for ever! What Reasons can I produce for my having beeen so intent upon the acquiring, and so industrious and unwearied to obtain things which cannot Satisfie, which may soon Fade, and which must certainly Perish? Misguided, foolish and infatuated Wretch! O how do I now bewail my Folly and my Wickedness! who have so vainly, yea, so impiously abus'd my self, misimployed my Strength, and squandred away my precious time! Away, you gilded, false, you mask'd disguis'd Temptations! Be gone you empty lying treacherous Pleasures of Sense! You have already cheated and deceived me too long! You have robb'd, abus'd and wrong'd me hitherto! You can never repair the damage you have done me! I now with all Solemnity renounce and cast you off! I am resolv'd through Grace to despise, contemn and vilifie you all I can, and to have no more to do with you whilst I Live! What relation can you pretend to a Soul, which [Page 39]will continue, live and act, through all the long and undeterminable duration of Eter­nity! I will not any more allow you the Service of a Thought! I loath and detest you! I earnestly desire and pray, that as long as I am on Earth, my Heart may be fill'd with an insuperable Indignation a­gainst you all, and against every thing that cannot be improved to the benefit and ad­vantage of my Immortal Soul! Should I be careless of my Soul any longer, now that Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel, which Gospel I am fa­voured with for the guiding and directing of my Heart and Life, I should not only be altogether inexcusable, but the very Hea­thens will rise up in Judgment against me, to my greater and more terrible Condemn­ation! 'Tis said of Pythagoras, that when he heard of the Immortality of the Soul, He presently gave off that diligent attendance to his Body, to which he had addicted himself, and made it his business to improve in Knowledge and Vertue. How much more should I value and endeavour by all means to improve my Soul, who behold and di­scern this Truth in a much clearer Light, than he could? How do I Blush! and with what Grief and Revenge is my Heart rent, because of the folly and vanity, the wick­edness [Page 40]of the past part of my Life; because of my unthankfulness for the Gospel; and carelesness of my Soul, to this time, when I read what a Mahometan King is reported to have caused to be writ on the Gates of his Pleasure-House, viz. This World will not continue long; its Pride and Lustre will soon be gone. Remember Brother, and apply thy Heart to Him, who only intended this World for our Inn. Let not thy Life be united to this Bitter Sweet, for it hath Cheated many; first Jested with them, and afterwards Slaughtered them. If thy Soul can but come away from her Prison Pure and Undefiled, and reach the Mark, it's no great matter whether thou Diest on a Throne, or on a Dung-hill. O how Sottish have I been in setting the Riches, Pleasures, Honors and Accommodations of this present World, at so high a Rate, preferring them before my Precious Soul! And shall I still continue to do so? Let so tremendous Folly, such de­sperate Madness, be far from me: My own experience doth now convince me, that the more I have admired, the more I have toil­ed for these things, the emptier I am; the more I am disappointed, the further I am from being satisfied! I am sure these things are vain, yea, and vexatious too! They will fade and Perish, and are at best, but of a short duration! What are these, and such brittle decaying, short-liv'd Enjoyments, to [Page 41]a Soul, which will abide and Live for ever! Were it not for the levity and sickliness of my mind, what thousands of considerations would croud in, to convince and certifie me, that it is my Soul, which of all other things, is of greatest Worth? And can there be a more prodigious Folly, a grosser contradiction, than for a Man to be­lieve, his Soul is Immortal, and of greater value, than his Imagination can extend un­to, and yet be regardless of it!

As to other things which are of value, but which we do not exactly understand, we usually them esteem according as they are better skill'd in them, than we are. Will any discreet and prudent Person throw a­way a Medal, a Jewel, or Precious-stone, or part with it for a Counter, a piece of Lead, or any such thing, because he doth not know its just worth? Or will he not rather enquire of some one who under­stands such things, and then esteem and prize it, at therate he assures him it is really worth? Now we have no reason at all to question, but God who Created our Souls, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who Redeemed and Purcha­sed them, do very well understond their worth. And by whose determination should we govern our our selves in this Affair, but by theirs whose Judgment is most assu­redly [Page 42]Infallible? And if we will acquiesce in their Judgment in the Case, we must cer­tainly esteem our Souls exceeding precious. For if our Souls were not exceeding precious, the Eternal Father would not have given his Son to purchase them; nor would the only Begotten of the Father have laid down his Life for their Ransom. Had they judged our Souls such frivolous worthless things, as we generally appear to esteem them, they would not have been redeemed at all; or if they must have been Purchased, it would have been with a Price of infinitely less Va­lue, than the Blood of him who was the Son of God. The most that could have been de­manded for them, would have been but a very moderate sum of that, with which we buy the necessaries for our Temporal Life. For what poor and trifling things in this World, do People ordinarily pawn and venture their Souls? But God and Christ, had other thoughts of our Souls than we have. Tho we expose our Souls for nought, yet if any one Man could purchase the whole World, with the loss of his Soul, he would be no Gainer, yea, his loss would be Irreparable. What shall a Man give in Ex­change for his Soul? Matt. 16.26. O! the inestimable price that was paid for these Souls, which we do so neglect, slight, and [Page 43]disregard! Ye were not redeemed with corrupt­ible things, as Silver and Gold, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without Blemish, and without Spot, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. When my thoughts concerning Reasonable Souls, have mounted as high as ever they can, and when my esteem of them has fol­lowed my Thoughts as close as possible, how far am I from comprehending, and being throughly affected with their full worth? Alas! what are my most elevated apprehensions to the incomprehensible ex­cellency and merit of that Blood with which they were bought? Wo is me! who have too long neglected and been careless of my unaccountably precious Soul, as if it had been the only frivolous, useless thing in the whole World! If I do any longer make but little account of this Soul of mine, I shall be unavoidably chargeable with an affected undervaluing what is in it self of un­conceivable worth, and trampling under foot most ungratefully the precious Blood of the everlasting Covenant, and offering the most insufferable contumely to the Lord of Glory, who gave himself a Ransom for my Soul! Can I sustain so great a load? Dare I will­fully cast away my Soul, to give the great­ed demonstration of Ingratitude, and of sullen Contempt unto Almighty God? Shall [Page 44]I be so peevish, so malicious, so revengeful, as to destroy my Soul, and sink my self un­der the most horrid Guilt, because my Sa­viour's Love was so stupendous and amaz­ing! Wretch that I am! in that I have till now been so unmindful of my Soul, which cost my Jesus so dear! My dearest Jesus, thy Love doth now constrain me! Me­thinks I hear thy Sobs, thy Groans, the Prayers and Supplications, which thou didst offer with strong Crying and Tears! Thy earnest Expostulation on the Cross, when Dying, to Redeem this Soul! My Heart is pierced now! I must! I Grieve! I Mourn! My Indignation now is kindled! I despise! I hate! I loath whatever would defraud thee of thy Purchase! The Beauty, Grandeur, Pomp and Glory of this World, is now as nothing unto me! I neither love, nor prize, nor value any thing but my Soul, and as it's ransomed by thy Blood! O! what shall I do, that I may attain to prize my Soul as it deserves! This, this Soul which cost the Son of God so dear! May I be duly affect­ed with the Travail of my Saviour's Soul, and with the horrors of his Agonies and Death! Let me ever with becoming Ado­ration, meditate on, rightly understand, and constantly retain a lively, affectionate, pow­erful, constraining sense on my Heart and [Page 45]Spirit, of Christ's profoundest Condescen­tion and superlative Grace and Kindness! Would Christ dwell in my Heart by Faith, and might I be enabled to comprehend with all Saints, the breadth and length, and depth and height of his Love, how should I abound in Admiring, Praising, Glorifying, and giving Thanks unto him! and to what a height would this sort of exercise raise my estimation of my Soul, towards which, this great, this glorious, this beneficent and most gracious Saviour, hath manifested a Love, which passeth Knowledge.

As the best and greatest Friend to Man­kind hath in so stupendous a manner, Te­stified his love to, and thereby the real and extraordinary worth of Souls, so the most envious inveterate and malicious Enemy to Human Race, hath mightily fortified this Truth, That the Soul of Man is exceeding precious, by his indefatigable and unwearied attempts, to destroy our Souls, both in the ways of Subtilty, and Violence. We com­monly acknowledge and bouldly affirm, the Devil is our great Adversary, and then we must likewise allow and grant, that he designs to do us the greatest Mischief; and what can that be, but to prejudice and ru­ine that part of us which is undoubtedly of greatest value? And can any thing be more [Page 46]apparent and manifest, than that all his me­thods and assaults, are levelled against our Souls? What a Monster shall I appear, if I make little or no account of this Soul, for the ransoming of which, the eternal Son of God laid down his most precious Life! And for the ruining of which, the Devil doth not spare any either of his Craft and Arti­fice, or of his Strength and Industry? Would the Prince of the Powers of the Air, so se­dulously contrive and plot, be so very ob­servant, and constant upon his Watch, make such diligent Search after, and take so much pains as he doth to destroy our Souls, if they were such inconsiderable worthless Trifles, as we seem to reckon them?

We are careful of, and do look accurate­ly after those those things we really prize, and of which we make a very great account. And were we truly sensible of, and duly affected with the worth, the excellency, the preciousness of our own Souls, O! with what seriousness should we busie our selves to se­cure their Salvation?

Secondly, Salvation is an inestimable Mer­cy and Privilege. Salvation! What a sweet delicious good word is this? Take all the Letters in the World, and join them toge­ther how you please, you cannot frame a [Page 47]word, that makes so comfortable and charm­ing a Sound as this does! Of all the expres­sions that can be named, this is the most proper, and the best accommodated to our State and Circumstances, to our Case and Necessities! We are in Misery, our wants and dangers are greater than our Lips can utter! Who so wretched and forlorn as Sinners and guilty Persons? None certain­ly excepting them whose Condemnation is already Seal'd and ratified! May such as we be Saved! is it possible for us to obtain Sal­vation? May our aggravated Transgressions, the horrible Rebellion we have so long and so obstinately persisted in against the Holy God, be Pardoned! May we yet escape the terrible wrath that is coming apace upon the Wicked and Disobedient! Is the door of Mercy still open? May we yet be re­ceived into favour! Most joyful tidings! most comfortable and ravishing News! ‘Bles­be my Rock, Exalted be the God of my Salvation! Praise the Lord, O my Soul! and let all that is within me, magnifie his Holy Name! Thy loving kindness is bet­ter than Life! O Lord! I will praise thee as long as I Live! Let all the Angels of God, which excel in strength, bless him! Yea, let all his works in all Places of his Dominion, bless him! Bless the Lord, O [Page 48]my Soul! Oh that Men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and for his wonder­ful Works to the Children of Men! Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from Everla­sting, to Everlasting, and let all the Peo­ple say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord! This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac­ceptation, That Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners, of whom we may justly repute our selves the greatest!’ Let that Message brought from Heaven by an Angel, (A Message every way worthy of such a Messenger) be the chief subject of my Meditations! And Oh that I might never think of it, but with a Heart rightly affected towards it! powerfully influenced by it, and mightily enlarged in thankful­ness and praise for it! Fear not, for behold, I bring you good Tydings of great Joy, which shall be to all People; for unto you is Born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, Luke 2.10, 11.

This Salvation, is indeed a great and bles­sed word, but how little do we know of that which it imports? No created Being can comprehend, and fully understand the Mer­cy, Good, and Privilege it signifies. A Blessing is the less by its being such, that any finite Being can reach and know its full Dimensions. This is a Mercy and Benefit, [Page 49]which deserves our loudest Praises, our most solemn Acknowledgments, and our silent Admiration. We cannot possibly raise our estimation to its real Value: It is so great, the loftiest Expressions fall infinitely short of conveying to our Minds an adequate and exact conception of it. How shall we then escape, if we neglect so great Salvation? Heb. 2.3. Our deliverances are incompleat whilst we are on Earth; we are encom­passed and surrounded here, with such va­riety of dangers, calamities and troubles, we are no sooner rescued out of one, but we feel our selves Arrested by another Dis­aster, and are in all respects as uneasie and dissatisfied till freed from this, as we were when mourning under the former. Yea, many times our very Deliverance proves but a step to a Relapse, which sinks us deeper into the very same kind of Trouble and Disquietment we thought we had esca­ped. We are Born to Trouble, as the Sparks fly upward. When one afflicting occur­rence having gorg'd it self, as we conceive, leaves us, we presently become a Booty to another, or else the former returns with greater eagerness, and preys on us with more unsatiable greediness and violence. No sooner have we one Deliverance, but we find we do as much need another. We [Page 50]are not sure but whole Troops of Sorrows will seize on us, and these so thick and close one after another, they will not afford us one pleasant Interval. Our Lives are at best chequered; and our Deliverances in this World, yield not a satisfaction of any long continuance. But blessed be God, the Lord Jesus being made perfect, is become the Author of eternal Salvation, unto all them that obey him, Heb. 5.9. O! the blessedness of them who partake of this Salvation! who are perfectly freed from every thing that ean offend and molest! from the worst of Evils, Sin, and the next Temptations to it, and from all the Sufferings, Pains, Diseases, Doubts and Fears, which here extort our Tears, Complaints, and Moans! God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, and there shall be no more Death, neither Sorrow, nor Crying, neither shall there be any more Pain, for the former things are passed away, Rev. 21.4. How happy are they who are safe from, and out of the reach of all those Torment, and Curses, to which Sin doth expose Peo­ple, and under which others must eternally roar! who, whilst others fry in unquench­able Flames, and must be always tost on the Waves and Surges of the ever burning Lake, endure none of their Anguish, but are filled with a Joy which no Tongue can [Page 51]relate! O the Honor to which they are ad­vanced! the Glory with which they are Crowned! the Treasures they enjoy! the Kingdoms they have received, the Delights with which they are, and will be everla­stingly entertained! Our Understandings and Minds are not capacious and wide e­nough to comprehend, or conceive the great and excellent things that are confer­red on them! Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entred into the Heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. In thy presence is ful­ness of Joy, at thy right Hand are Pleasures for ever more, Psal. 16.11. As for me, I will be­hold thy Face in Righteousness; I shall be satis­fied when I awake, with thy Likeness, Psal. 17.15. Because thy loving Kindness is better than Life, my Lips shall praise thee. Thus will I praise thee while I Live; I will lift up my Hands in thy Name. My Soul shall be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness, and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips, Psal. 63.3, 4, 5.

Can any thing be so desirable to me, as when I die, to have my precious Soul [Page 52]guarded and conveyed by holy and blessed Angels, through the airy Regions unto Abraham's Bosom, into the kindest Embra­ces of the holy amiable, and loving Jesus! And at the general Resurrection, to have my Body raised Incorruptible and Glorious, and every way disposed for, and united to its happy Soul, that they may be joint and eternal sharers in all those blessed Fruitions infinite Grace and Love will vouchsafe! How happy shall I be if through Grace I arrive to be for ever with Christ! What a glorious Change will then be wrought on me! How wonderfully will all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul, be advanced, im­proved, and enlarged! How much more beautiful and capacious will they be made than now they are? O the alteration that shall be made on me, to my unconceivable Advantage! when I shall shine as the Bright­ness of the Firmament, as the Stars for Ever and Ever, Dan. 12.3. Yea, as the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father, Mat. 13.43. When this vile Body shall be Changed, and fashioned like unto the Glorious Body of My Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself, Phil. 3.21. What account should I make of such a Privilege, Honor and Felicity! How should I prepare, wait [Page 53]and long for this Great, Holy, and Glorious Change!

The word of that God, who is faithful and true, and cannot Lie, affords us evi­dent and full assurance, that such a glorious and everlastingly happy State is prepared, and may be obtained, and it likewise cer­tifies what manner of People they must be who shall be admitted to it. The Lord Jesus the supream Judge of, and great King over all, will at the last Day, say unto them on his right Hand, Come ye blessed of my Fa­ther, Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World, Matt. 25.34. He will render to every Man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in Well­doing, seek for Glory and Honor, and Immor­tality, Eternal Life, Rom. 2.6, 7. Henceforth (saith St. Paul) there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also who love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which ac­cording to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, to an Inheritance Incorruptible and Undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through Faith unto [Page 54]Salvation, ready to be Revealed in the last Time, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4, 5.

This Salvation comprehends all that is Great, all that is Honorable, all that is tru­ly Delighting, Good and Desirable. O that we may all duly strive, labour, desire and long to be prepared for, and brought to the actual possession of it! What should we wish for on our own behalves, if we have any love for our selves, but that God himself, the only satisfying good, would be our Portion! That we may have free, Inti­mate, full and everlasting Communion in the highest Heavens, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with glorious Angels and all the Saints above! That we may come to the City of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusa­lem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Assembly and Church of the first Born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect, and to Jesus the Medi­ator of the new Covenant, and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel, Heb. 12.22, &c. Can we desire and pant after any thing comparable to our beholding our Saviour's Glory, and be­ing for ever with him in his Kingdom, where he Reigns in Glory?

Were we throughly perswaded of, and did we in any measure esteem this Salva­tion as we ought, (for indeed we cannot prize it as it deserves) what an happy Change should we presently perceive in our selves! What a mighty power and efficacy should we feel it have on our Souls! What a sweet and constraining influence should we find it shed abroad in our Hearts and Lives! How strangely would it abate and take off our love and affection to this World! Its Pomps! its Pleasures! its Vanities! How much would it raise us above the Flatteries which have hitherto Deluded us! How would it make us despise and contemn the painted Glories, and empty Enjoyments, which we have so unweariedly pursued, and so passionately courted! How indiffer­ent should we be to Earthly things, and how little impression would any Worldly Allurements make on us, if we did steadily look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.18. And did we affectionately consider, that the things which are seen are Temporal, but the things which are not seen, are Eternal! How would this engage us to, animate us in, and with what success and vigor would it carry us through all our Duties! Would not our Conversation be in Heaven, did we [Page 56]seriously look for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ from thence, to call and take us along with him thither! I press toward the the Mark for the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus, if by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead. What support would this yield us? With what patience would this possess our Souls? Yea, with what joy would this fill us in the greatest Tribulations, Distresses and Perse­cutions, we can possibly have occasion to encounter in our passage toward it? We glory in the Tribulations also, Rom. 5.3. For which cause we faint not; but tho our outward Man perish, the inward Man is renewed day by day; for our light affliction, which is but for a Mo­ment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.16, 17. I reckon that the Sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8.18. We read of those (Heb. 10.24.) who took joy­fully the spoiling of their Goods, knowing in them­selves, that they had in Heaven a better, and an enduring Substance. Yea, how would this reconcile us to leave the World quite! make us earnestly desire to Die, and that the time may hasten apace, when we may actually give up the Ghost, and resign up our Spirits to Christ! Having a desire to de­part, [Page 57]and to be with Christ, which is far bet­ter, Phil. 1.23.

Who can conceive the thousandth, yea, the least part of the Happiness of the Spi­rits of Just Men made Perfect! With what knowledge, admiration and love, shall we be filled, when we are setled yonder, in those bright and shining Thrones! when we are joined to the Heavenly Choir, and bear our part in the eternal Halelujahs! and shall be ascribing Honor, Glory and Praise to him that sitteth on Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever! With what raptures of Love, Praise and Joy, shall we be everlastingly entertained, when we become Denizens of that glorious City, of which the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple! where we shall see his Face, and have his Name in our Fore-heads! where there shall be no Night! where we shall need no Can­dle, neither light of the Sun, for the Lord God will give us Light, and we shall reign for ever and ever.

How incomprehensibly great and good are the things which God hath in store for them who heartily love and sincerely serve him! seeing God will be pleased to admit such frail imperfect Mortals as we are, to the full fruition of himself and his Christ; surely there is nothing can deserve to be [Page 58]esteemed and called Blessedness, but only this. How can I prize and value, how can I affect, strive and long for any thing but this Sal­vation alone! How am I transported with admiration and wonder! yet these do fail me! they flag, they cannot mount high enough by thousands of Degrees! Salvation is so transcendent! O let my Love increase, grow ripe, ascend still higher and higher! How would the Damned value this Salva­tion, might they have but the least hopes of ever being admitted to it? What esteem have the Saints above for it? Yea, how do sincere Believers here prize it, especially when they have a lively vigorous sense of it? St. Paul was positive, that to Die would be his Gain, Phil 1.21. Others were tortured, not accepting; deliverance, that they might ob­tain a better Resurrection, Heb. 11.35.

O my stupid senseless Soul! what ails thee, that thou still liest grovelling here! that thy motion is so slow! O! for the strongest and most seraphick flights of Love! for the Extasies of Passion now! What, art thou bereaved of all thy Powers! Hast thou lost thy Nature? Art thou Metamorphos'd and chang'd into a lifeless lump of Matter? Rouze and awake! exert and put forth all thy Strength! Tho hitherto thou hast been deceived by Objects much too little and [Page 59]unsatisfying, here's that which calls for all thy Love, thy Zeal, thy Life! Here is Sal­vation, which much exceeds thy most ex­tended thoughts, and reach! Here's that which none could ever esteem according to the fulness of its worth; the most glittering splendid, worldly Triumphs, are at best but poor, deceitful, treacherous and insipid Vanities! all the Grandeur, Pomp and Glories here, do soon decay and wither; do quickly dwindle into nothing! but this Salvation is truly great and Glorious; it is substantial, durable and satisfying.

Most holy, true and blessed Jesus! thou hast expresly told us, that in thy Father's House there are many Mansions, Joh. 14.2.3. That thou art gone to prepare a place for thy faithful People! And that thou wilt come again and receive them unto thy Self! that where thou art, there they may be also! Thou Prayedst for them with most tender and earnest Affection, when thou wast here! And it is thy will and pleasure, that thy Saints and Servants, those whom the Father hath given thee, shall be with thee where thou art, that they may behold thy Glory, Matt. 17.24. Thou dost not enjoin them any thing in order to their being Sa­ved, but what thou wilt enable them by thy Spirit to perform! Nor any thing but [Page 60]what thou can'st make pleasing and delight­ful to them, by the abundance of thy Grace! O Lord, I here absolutely resign my self to be guided by thy Counsel; after­terwards receive me to Glory! Whom have I in Heaven but thee? There is none upon Earth I can desire besides thee! Be thou the strength and the joy of my Heart, and my portion for ever! There is not any thing comparable to thy Salvation! Lord, take from me what thou wilt! make me Poor and needy! let me be Scorned and Despised! let my Body be Sick, and every part and Joynt of it, Sore and in Pain! let me be af­flicted and Persecuted! yea, do with me what thou wilt, so that thou wilt grant that Grace and Peace may be multiplied to me at present, through the knowledge of thy self; so that thou wilt be pleased, that I may at last obtain the end of my Faith and Hope, the Salvation of my Soul!

Thirdly, No Person can with reason ex­pect, or hope his Soul shall be Saved, who is not resolvedly diligent in that course God hath ordained and prescribed him for this purpose. That customary, slight, and for­mal course, with which too many content themselves, will not suffice to secure their Salvation. The best have too much rea­son to complain of themselves, because they [Page 61]are so supine, remiss and careless, about a business of so great importance in it self, and unto which, the Holy and most Righ­teous God requires all should give a diligent Attendance. This is the one Thing necessary, which must be minded with the greatest seriousness, whatever is Neglected. All o­ther Affairs and Businesses, must give place to this, if at any time they happen to inter­fere with it. A few accidental thoughts of, some flitting unconstant desires after Sal­vation; a customary observation of some of the outward parts of Devotion; an over-vehement heat for particular Modes of Worship, speculative Opinions, and doubtful Practices, will not avail any Man unto Salvation, but will render his Case much more dangerous, if the main bent of his Heart and Affections, is after his Co­vetousness, his worldly and fleshly Lusts, if his Life is blemished and polluted with practices diametrically opposite to the pow­er, essence and design of all true Religion.

If we will secure the Salvation of our Souls, we must have, and cherish a com­posedness, and seriousness of Spirit, in some measure suitable to the Nature, Excellency, and Weightiness of that we propound to our selves. We must attend to, and industri­ously prosecute that course of Life and [Page 62]Practice, which hath some affinity with, and bears some proportion to what we aim at. We must be resolvedly diligent in the use of those Means God hath instituted for the furthering of us in it. And if we re­fuse to walk in his way, and follow the method he hath directed us to, our Hope will certainly fail us, and we shall be utterly without Excuse.

Salvation is not to be attained so easily as multitudes dream it is, and as too many are enclined to flatter People it is. All would be Saved, and the greatest part would fain be saved in a way very little inconvenient, and contradictory to their senual Lusts and Interests, and then do too readily perswade themselves they may be Saved in such a way as is agreeable enough to their own extravagant Humours; in such a way as they would like best, and would pitch upon, if they were to appoint the way themselves. It is a great unhappiness, that the Christian World hath been so long troubled with a sort of Persons, who pretending they have a right to instruct others in the way to Hea­ven and Salvation, have contributed very much both by their Discourses and Practi­ces, to reconcile the profession of Christi­anity to Men's Ungodly Lusts, rather than to reconcile them they have pretended to [Page 63]take care of, unto the truth and practice of that Religion they professed, whose way to Salvation seems every jot as broad as that our Blessed Saviour cautioned People a­gainst, assuring them, it would lead unto Destruction: Such Persons may justly be reputed Factors for the Prince of Darkness, rather than Ambassadors and Ministers of that Sacred and Divine Person, who came to destroy the works of the Devil, and to save his People from their Sins. Great Resolution and vigorous constant Diligence must be used by us, in order to Salvation, let Flat­tering Soul-destroyers say what they please to the contrary.

If we will be Saved and enter into Life, we must keep God's Commandments; we must mortifie our Lusts, be crucified to the World, and have the World crucified to us; we must deny our selves, and walk in a way contrary to those of this World, who do lye in Wickedness, and are go­verned by that Spirit, which ruleth in the Children of Disobedience. We must ex­pect to meet with Difficulties and Opposi­tions, and must resolvedly through Divine assistance, encounter and vanquish them all. We must have Grace; and act it strenuously and with great seriousness and constancy, use appointed Means for the strengthning, encreasing and confirming of our Graces; [Page 64]and perseveringly strive to improve and grow more and more in Knowledge, Faith, Hope, Love, and in all the parts of a truly Godly and Religious Life.

He who is the Author of eternal Salva­tion, the only Saviour of Sinners, did not acquaint them he loved most, with any other way to Salvation, but Repenting throughly of Sin, believing in Him, obeying his Laws, and following his Example. He did not give any Indulgence to Peoples Lusts, nor did he countenance their Sloth. He peremptorily required them to strive to enter in at the strait Gate, Luke, 13.24. He is positive, that except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pha­risees, you shall in no wise enter into the King­dom of God, Matt. 5.20. He saith, The King­dom of Heaven suffereth Violence, and the Vio­lent take it by force, Matt. 11.12. Yea, he warns us against cheating our selves with false and groundless easy hopes; and as­sures us with great earnestness and much solemnity, that we will find our selves mi­staken and deceived, if we think to insist upon any specious pretences at the last day, and will therefore content our selves with what falls short of doing the Will of his Father which is is in Heaven. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall I enter in­to [Page 65]the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name? And in thy Name have cast out Devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful Works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work Iniquity, Matt. 7.21, 22, 23. His Apostles afterwards certified the Peo­ple, they must give diligence, to make their Calling and Election sure, if they would be sure not to miscarry and fail, 2 Pet. 1.10. And that he is the Author of eternal Salvation, on­ly unto those who do obey him, Heb. 5.9. With what shadow of Reason can you pre­tend to hope for Salvation, if you will not credit him and his Apostles, but continue regardless of what they have so vehemently affirmed indispensibly necessary to your be­ing made meet to be partakers of the Inheri­tances of the Saints in Light? Is it not most evident and plain, that the precious Pro­mises pertain only unto them who ap­prove themselves resolvedly diligent in e­schewing what is Evil, and in perfecting of Holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. Is not this undoubtedly the great purport, the main design, and the principal business of the whole Gospel, viz. To instruct, direct, oblige and assist us to deny all Ungodliness [Page 66]and worldly Lusts, and to live Godly, Righteously, and Soberly in this present World, that we may be disposed for everlasting Salvation in the next World, Tit. 2.11, 12. Was not this the course the Saints of Old took to make their Salvation sure? Was it not from their having conscienciously followed this Me­thod, that they fetched their Evidences, to prove they had a right to hope and look for Savation? Was it not from this that they derived Comfort in their greatest Distresses, and looked with satisfaction and joy to hereafter, beyond time and days? This is our rejoicing, the Testimony of our Consci­ences, that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity, we have had our Conversation in the World, &c. 2 Cor. 1.12. I have fought, (said St. Paul) a good Fight, I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge will give unto me at that day, &c. 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. Ought we not now to be followers of them, who through Faith and Patience, are Inheritors of the faithful Promises? Can any Man now pre­tend with any shew of Reason, to expect Salvation, so long as he continues Vicious and Immoral, Supercilious and Careless, Negligent and Slothful? Do you quit your selves like good Christians, whilst you pre­sume [Page 67]on Salvation, in a way which is not consistent with God's Commands? Whilst you depend on what the Lord Jesus hath assured you, will certainly fail you: Whilst you have not one promise in all your Bible to countenance and support your Hope: Whilst the whole Doctrin of Salvation, the entire Gospel of Christ is against you: Whilst you keep and continue in a way directly contrary to that, in which all those did walk who are already got to Hea­ven?

Fourthly, How justly may they be Expo­stulated with, and what keen Reproof do they deserve who have been all their time regardless of the Salvation of their Souls? Indeed we are all faulty; we have been very defective and wanting; we have not done what wemight, to further and make our own Salvation sure. What reason have we all to be deeply Humbled, to smite upon our Breasts, and cry out against our selves? Ah! miserable and ill-deserving Wretches! we are horribly guilty! God be Merciful unto us, who have been so careless of our own Salvation! How have we cumbered our selves, been careful and troubled about many needless and unprofitable Matters, and left the one thing necessary unheeded? How thoughtful and sollicitous have we [Page 68]been about our Food and Apparel! What we should Eat and Drink, and wherewith we should be Cloathed! With what eager, vehement desires and affections have we pursued the little Interests of this present World? With what unwearied pains have we laboured for very Vanities! And how have we all this while shamefully forgotten the holy God! slighted the most com­passionate and loving Jesus! not looked af­ter, nor sought for the Kingdom of Hea­ven, and that Righteousness which prepares for, and leads us to it, with any tolerable Diligence and Concernedness! How have we neglected our eternal Salvation! We have not had a due regard to the safety and well fare of our precious and Im­mortal Souls! the duties of Piety and offices of Religion, have either been wholly omitted by us, or else we have performed them in a very superficial, cold and heart­less manner! Who amongst us all can vin­dicate and clear himself from this Charge, before that God who observes all our ways, knows our Hearts and tries our Reins? Or, what can we alledge and plead in our own Excuse, if we have been by our own Con­fession thus Guilty? Is it not highly reason­able, and very fit we should all strive to acquire a true sense of our own Guilt, and [Page 69]accuse and condemn our selves? Cry im­portunately for Pardon and Mercy, imme­diately resolve, and in a dependance on Divine assistance, presently set upon a faith­ful and most vigorous Amendment? Sure it will become us to apply our selves speedi­ly, To work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, and to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure.

And if those who have made the greatest proficiency in Religion, have so much oc­casion to upbraid themselves, and to ac­knowledge that they deserve to have their Faces covered with Shame and Confusion; If such be scarcely saved, then what may be said of others? Where shall the Wicked and Ungodly, the openly Vicious and Pro­phane, the Unrighteous and Unmerciful, the Luxurious and the Covetous, the Form­alist and the Hypocrite appear?

All People are busie and much concern­ed for something or other. We are con­cerned much for our Bodies, for our Tem­poral Life, Health, and Happiness, for our Ease, our Pleasure, our Profits; for our Houses, Lands, Cattle, Wares, Merchan­dize, &c. But how few are concerned half so much for their Souls and their Sal­vation, as they are for those momentary, transient, and uncertain things? Yet [Page 70]every Man ought to be more concerned for the Salvation of his Soul, than for all other things. Sirs, reflect upon your selves, and with good deliberation consider your State, and in what manner you have hi­therto behaved your selves, and what is your Disposition and Carriage? Do you not indulge your selves in your Lusts and vicious Courses, tho you have been often admonished and warned, and advised to the contrary? Are you not industrious and diligent in providing for, and fulfilling the Lusts of the Flesh? Do you not conform your selves to the sinful fashions and customs of this evil World? Do you not live and persist in those practices you are convinced in your Consciences, are disallowed and condemned by him who will be your Judge, and which you have at least pretended so­lemnly to Renounce? Are you not Ene­mies in your minds to the power of God­liness? Do you not make it appear by your practices, that you are not willing to be re­conciled to a serious, gracious and heavenly course of Life? How can you pretend you are concerned for your Salvation, whilst you obstinately refuse to walk in the only Way which leads unto it? Do you not make light of Christ? Are you not contentedly ignorant of the great Truths relating to his [Page 71]Person, his Natures and his Offices, or at least of the practical Improvement you should make of them? Do you not sturdi­ly reject his gracious Invitations, contemn his Authority, and refuse to follow his Ex­ample? Does not the World and your Plea­sures carry away your Affections and Hearts from him? Do you not undervalue the Or­dinances instituted in the Gospel, and make little or no account of the means of Grace? Are you not altogether Heartless and Form­al in, and careless in being made better by the use of them? Do you not ordinarily allow any thing to excuse you from at­tending on God in them, tho God hath writ to you the great things of his Law, Hos. 8.12. Do you not account them as a strange thing? Are you not altogether un­concerned for the due and serious per­formance of the private duties of Religion? Do you not pass over Days and Weeks, without examining your Hearts, and en­quiring into your Practices and the State and condition of your Souls, without read­ing the word of God, so as to inform your selves thereby in his Mind, and quicken you to your Duties, without praying with such a composedness of Spirit and affecti­onateness of Soul, as the nature of that Du­ty and your own Cases call for? Do you [Page 72]at all delight in serious religious spiritual Discourse? Or, do you make any enquiries for your sound Instruction and safe gui­dance in the way to Blessedness, and for your assistance towards Salvation? May you not easily convince your selves from these and the like Instances that you do not heartily concern your selves for, but are in­deed regardless of the Salvation of your Souls? And, will you obstinately continue so?

O! how extreamly dangerous is your E­state! How justly are you to be reproved, seeing you have pass'd over so much of your time in a neglect of that which should have been most deeply Imprinted on your Hearts, and should have had the most powerful in­fluence on your whole Practice! Your guilt is exceeding great, and you are ab­solutely without Excuse. You act against all the principles of Reason, and dictates of common Prudence. You run counter to your own Profession. You tear in pie­ces your most solemn and sacred Vows. You cast contempt upon God himself, and affront, scorn, and testifie your spitefulness against the very Commiseration and Love, the Bowels and Blood of his only Begotten Son. Instead of reaping advantage from the Death of Christ, you do your utmost [Page 73]to Crucifie him afresh. You do what you are able to put him to open Shame. You manifestly judge and declare your selves unworthy of Eternal Life. You destroy your own Hopes, and render the Patience and Mercy of God (other Peoples princi­pal Support and Comfort on all occasions) unconceivably Terrible and Frightful to your selves. You forfeit what you pursue, and you turn your present Possessions, into real Curses: And when you Perish ever­lastingly, you will have and inherit your own Choice. You must expect your Con­demnation will be much more aggravated than other Peoples. How little a while can you enjoy the Riches, Pleasures and Vanities, you prefer above your Souls, and their Salvation? And whether do you think you can fly for help and comfort, when God and Christ shall abandon you to the insuperable lashes and accusations of your own guilty Consciences? And to the never fading, but incomprehensible Torments of a Damned State.

You profess you believe there is such a blessed and glorious Estate to be obtained, as that is which the word of God doth give an account of: But you do not heartily be­lieve what you would have the World be­lieve you do. For were you really and [Page 74]fully perswaded of the truth, certainty and excellency of what God hath promised to the Faithful and Obedient, you would con­cern your selves in good earnest, to get an interest in, and right unto the same. If you had a strong and firm perswasion of those things you would be throughly per­swaded, that the way God hath prescribed, is not only suitable, but absolutely necessary. You would be reconciled to follow that course of Life, he hath ordained for them to walk in, who shall inherit them. People do constantly act according to the predo­minancy of their Perswasion and Belief. Lord! What Multitudes who profess the Christian Faith, are ruined by a secret, but predominant Unbelief! It is an evil Heart of Unbelief, that makes to depart from the living God, Heb. 3.12.

You hehave your selves in this Matter as if you were quite void of Reason. You are thoughtful enough in all other cases, pre­tend to be prudent, will think and consi­der, ponder and project how to manage your little Half-penny Affairs to your ut­most Advantage, and would not by any means give People occasion to suspect you inconsiderate and weak, silly and indiscreet in ordering your Worldly Business. But as to what concerns your Souls and Eternity; [Page 75]you live at random, as if these things were of no moment to you. Whereas, if you did but deliberately weigh your Actions in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, consider what you have done, and what you are about to do, and whether your Practices are con­sistent with, or have any relation to Salva­tion, it would be next to impossible that you should continue so unmindful of, and persist in a course of Practice so plainly con­tradictory and fatal to your highest Inter­ests. Did you seriously consider on your ways, you would soon perceive invincible Reasons why you should presently alter your course, and betake your selves to a faithful and diligent observing of the Divine Testi­monies, Psal. 119.59. An irreparable mis­carriage, admits of no Excuse; yea, is hor­ribly aggravated, when it appears to be the pure effect of voluntary Inconsideration. How exceedingly will it encrease a and heighten the torments of Damnation, when a Man shall be necessitated to accuse him­self, that he never considered what he did, nor would not think what he was to do, that he might be Saved?

What a groundless Confidence and de­sperate Presumption do you please your selves with, if you provide your selves other claims to Salvation, than God will approve [Page 76]of? How come you to have reason to think you have enough to plead for your ad­mission into the Kingdom of God, because you enjoy outward Privileges, and partake of Gospel Ordinances, whilst you cast off all care, that these may have their proper effects on your Hearts and Lives, see­ing our Saviour, Lord and Judge hath ex­presly said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name? And in thy Name have cast out Devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful Works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work Iniquity, Mat. 7.22, 23. Can a grosser Dotage be imagined, than for People to live presump­tuously in evil Courses, and yet buoy up themselves with confident hopes of making amends for their transgressing of God's Laws, and of providing themselves a safe passage to Heaven, when they can tarry no longer upon Earth, by ways of their own, or other Peoples devising? This was an Imposture which prevailed amongst the Pharisees of Old; it does obtain amongst the Superstitious in these days; it is the principal Fancy, which supports the rude, im­moderate and unreasonable Heat, People manifest for those matters, of which we read not one Syllable in any of the Divine [Page 77]Oracles. O! the senseless delusions with which Multitudes willingly suffer them­selves to be cheated! and this in a Business of the greatest Consequence imaginable! With what ease and readiness do men of ill Lives reconcile themselves to confident hopes of Salvation, perswading themselves, that by a few new-devised ways of Corpo­ral Mortifications, and empty Abstinencies, some ritual Observances, or at most a pe­cuniary Indulgence, they shall make a very good Comutation for all their Immoralities, and purchase an easie Passport unto Glory?

Sirs! What reason can you alledge for your entertaining and hardning your selves in your vicious Courses with Diaboli­cal suggestions? Why do you suffer your selves to be so tamely imposed on, by your grand Adversary the Devil? He does all he can to lead his Captives on smoothly, and with­out any suspicion, to that remediless Perdi­tion, where he designs they should be ever­lastingly Lodged. When you please your selves that such seriousness of Spirit, such holiness of Life, such circumspect Walking as the faithful Ministers of the Gospel insist on, and commend to People, is not neces­sary to your being Saved: Is it not the De­vil who doth furnish you with these Insinu­ations? When you plead the Goodness and [Page 78]Mercy of God in express contradiction to the whole tenor of his Word. Whence doth this illusion arise but from your Minds be­ing darkned with the Vapours and Steams which ascend from the Bottomless Pit? Why will you so affront God, and abuse his most Divine Excellencies, to disguise the infernal Treachery of the Father of Lies, and great destroyer of Souls? Who but your most mischievous Enemy can prompt you thus to pervert the Declarations of God's Goodness, to defeat the main intend­ment of the riches of his Grace? Can you exercise your Reason, can you Meditate and think in any degree, and yet believe you shall be able to vindicate your tenaci­ous adhering to a Notion which Cancels all the Authority of God's Commands, de­vests him of his Truth and Faithfulness, and transforms his whole Revelation into a plain piece of Falshod and Imposture?

How wretchedly does Satan infatuate and befool you, when he perswades you to put off your concerning your selves for the Salvation of your Souls, to a more con­venient Season? And prevails with you to stifle, efface and vanquish your present Con­victions, by pretending you may do it with a better Grace hereafter; and that a riper and more mature Age, will be much more pro­per [Page 79]for, and agreeable to so Austere and Grave a Business? Whom do you gratifie in neglecting to mind your Salvation, but your worst and most mischievous Enemy? And will you humor him, when you can­not do it any other way, than by running the most Dismal Risk, and rendring your Salvation at least next to Impossible? Can any time be so convenient for this Work, as the present, seeing the present is the only Season you can call your own? Seeing you are not sure of more time to mind it in? Seeing the present Season is the only time, wherein you can truly hope to attend it with good Success? Are you so destitute of Reason and good Sense, as not to perceive that if you allow Satan to have such an a­scendent over you, as to wheedle you at this rate, he will drill you on so long, you will have no time at last to concern your selves for the Salvation of your Souls, to any purpose?

Sirs, what do you mean? What is your Purpose? What are you resolved on? Sure you will not say, you fully determin to de­stroy those precious Souls you are entrusted with, and make an Experiment, how much your abusing Divine Patience, con­temning infinite Mercy, and despising the Riches of God's Grace, will add to the [Page 80]Horror and Anguish of the Damned. Oh! that you would seriously consider of Mat­ters, and shew your selves Men, yea, shew your selves what according to your Profession you should be, Christians, before the door of Hope be quite shut; whilst there remains a possibility of escaping that Ven­geance, and fiery Indignation, which shall de­vour the Adversaries! Do you think you are able to contend with the Almighty? Are you equal Matches for that God, who is a Consuming Fire? Can you with calm and se­rene Minds, dwell with Everlasting Burnings? Alas! how soon may God begin to write against you Bitter things? How soon can he throw your Consciences into Convnlsions, and wound your Souls, by causing the In­venomed Darts of his Fury to stick fast in them? In what a case will you be, When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, taking vengeance on them who know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting Destructi­ou, from the presence of the Lord, and from the power of his Glory, 2 Thess. 1.7, 8, 9, What will you do, when the Great and terrible day of the Lord shall come? Whether will you then fly? How will you then be able to ap­pear before, and look your incensed Judge [Page 81]in the Face? What will you then plead for your selves? Where do you think to hide your selves? Rocks and Mountains cannot then conceal you! What can screen you from irresistible Power? How do you think you shall escape the effects of Impartial Ju­stice? Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deli­ver, Psal. 50.22.

But alas! how difficultly are such Peo­ple brought to consider the things which be­long to their Peace? What multitudes are there every where who have so habituated themselves to neglect their Salvation, and to those courses which have the plainest tendency to ruin their Souls Everlastingly; they have hardned themselves against all Reproof; whose Consciences are so can­teriz'd, or seared, they can hear the most dreadful threatnings Recorded in the Word of God, and their Hearts not be moved or affected at all with them? yea, in express defiance of those Menaces, can Bless them­selves in their Iniquities. What so strange and so amazing! as that People should be in so forlorn a State, and yet will not be pre­vailed with by any means to take notice of it! They are sensible of Hunger, Cold, Sickness, any Corporal wants and pains, of troublesome Times, worldly Losses, un­reasonable [Page 82]Weather, &c. But have no sense of their spiritual Wants, and the great dan­ger their Souls are in. Tho they are under the wrath of God, stand on the very brink of Hell, and are not certain of being one Hour out of unquenchable Flames, yet they are altogether unconcerned, can Eat and Drink and Sleep, and follow their Sports, and worldly Businesses with Eager­ness, as if they were in no danger, nor had any reason at all to be afraid. There is a way that seemeth right unto a Man, but the end thereof are the ways of Death, Prov. 14.12. O that the carnally secure and pre­sumptuous would ponder, believe, and faithfully apply this Scripture to them­selves! I do not only pity multitudes of ignorant poor People, who mind nothing but a present Livelyhood, but a great many who live in pomp, have huge worldly Pos­sessions, do fair Deliciously every day, be­stow the most of their thoughts, and the greatest portions of their time, and their Wealth, upon their Bodies, which must in a little time be laid in the Grave, and at last, (unless they come to be of another Mind, and to alter their course in due time before they Die) together with their miserable, guilty, neglected Souls, be Tor­mented in Hell Fire for ever.

Fifthly, It is very fit and meet, that eve­ry one should make a serious, strict and impartial Enquiry into himself, whether he has been duly concerned for the Salvation of his own Soul, or have hitherto been re­gardless of, and neglected this most neces­sary and important Business? Let us speedi­ly set apart some portion of our time for this Work, and employ our calmest and most penetrating Thoughts in searching out the State and Condition of our Souls. In considering what we have been doing? Whether we are going? What will be­come of us, if we should presently be Sum­moned to appear before God's Tribunal? Whither we must be Sentenced to that un­quenchable Fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels, or to dwell with Christ in Glory? Whether we shall see the Face of God with Comfort and Joy, or have our Souls filled with Astonishment and Con­fusion? Whether we shall hear those joyful Words, Well done thou good and faithful Ser­vant, or that terrible Thunder, Depart thou Cursed, I know thee not thou wicked doer? It doth behove us to enquire seriously, and to get speedily a sound knowledge of the E­state of our Souls, lest Death and Hell should surprize us; Death and Judgment are hastning a pace, and it will be too late [Page 84]to think of amending what is amiss, and flying from Wrath, if we leave this World in an unreconciled Estate. Yet you have time and means, and encouragements and helps to discover the Truth of your Con­dition; yet you may prevent your eternal Misery, if you have been unconcerned for your Souls; yet you may escape the Pu­nishments you have deserved, if you be truly sensible of your Sin, Guilt and danger, do humbly betake you unto Christ, reform your Lives, close with the offers of Mercy, and lay hold of the Grace which is ten­dred.

You will say (it may be) you hope well, and you trust that all will end well. But I pray you, what ground have you for that Hope and Trust? Groundless Hope will not Save you. Such Hope is but Presump­tion, it hath ruin'd Thousands and Millions. Examin your selves therefore impartially, search out what your Estate is, bring this matter to a full determinate Issue. Awake careless drowsie Soul! please not thy self with foolish Dreams any longer! Lord of all Grace and Might! pour down thy gra­cious Influences! awake our drowsie, sleepy, senseless Consciences, make us to attend to, and obey the word of Exhortation!

Hearken every one, listen to Advice, and improve the present Opportunity: Know that you are called on, exhorted and warn­ed, and if you continue finally sturdy and disobedient, you will be without Excuse. If you Perish, your Blood will be required at your own Hands. Your Damnation will lye wholly upon your selves. Consider there­fore,

1. If you have been unconcerned all your time for your Souls and their Salvation, and are under the power of Sin and your Lusts, and in an unreconciled Estate, you are in a very evil and dangerous Estate. You have been pulling down insupportable loads of Wrath upon your selves. If you persist and die in this Estate, it will be im­possible for any thing to interpose and screen you from the terrible strokes of divine Ven­geance, or to support and bear you up, un­der that mighty weight of Horror and Torment you have been hailing upon your Selves. What trembling of Heart, failing of Eyes, and sorrow of Soul will then seize on you? Is this an estate to be desired? Is this an Estate to sleep and slumber and re­pose your selves quietly in?

2. This was your Estate once. We are all naturally concluded under Sin and Guilt. Children of Wrath, dead in Trespasses and Sins; [Page 86]without Holiness, unconcerned for our Souls, Enemies to God, and obnoxious unto his Displeasure. And every Man continues in this evil Estate, till he is effectually Rege­nerated, and doth heartily entertain the word of Reconciliation, by and through Jesus Christ. Till a real, spiritual, gracious Change is wrought in him, he is an Enemy to God, is actually provoking of God, and treasuring up Wrath for himself against that Great Day, when the Disobedient and Unbelieving, and those who are uncon­cerned for their precious Souls, must be Destroyed, with an utter and an everlast­ing Destruction. Those who are now in the holiest and happiest Estate, were once in this Guilty and wretched Estate. Such were some of you, &c. 1 Cor. 6.11. We our selves were sometime foolish disobedient, serving divers Lusts, &c. Tit. 3.3.

3. You have too just ground to suspect and fear you are in this dreadful Estate, till you make a faithful enquiry into your Estate. You cannot ordinarily have a sound knowledge, that your Souls are in a good condition, without reflecting upon your selves, and descending to a strict and faith­ful Examination. If you entertain an opi­nion that all is well and safe, as to your Souls, you have no occasion to take any [Page 87]comfort in that Opinion, because you have no ground or reason for it, which you know of. It may be meer Diabolical Delu­sion for any thing you know to the contra­ry, having never duly enquired into the Matter. Yea,

4. The more secure and confident you are, having never made a thorough enquiry into the State of your Souls, the more sad and dangerous your Estate is. For this ar­gues you have sinned your selves out of a sense of all your spiritual and eternal Con­cernments; and that you have so entirely committed your selves to Satan's Conduct, as to rely on his Word for your Safety and Happiness. 'Tis his Interest to do what he can to support and heighten your Presump­tion, and to prevent your being prevailed with to search seriously into your Estate. He would deceive but few, did he not flat­ter them with hopes of Heaven at last. Could you see from one end and side of Hell, to the other, what a dreadful Spect­acle would you behold? And amongst those enumerable multitudes of Damned Wretches which have gone thither in every Age of the World; how few would you see in comparison of those who were se­cure, confident, self-deluding Sinners when they were on Earth? Who went thither [Page 88]Blindfold, refusing to search into their E­state, and consider whether they were go­ing? Who were resolved to Believe well, and Hope well, (as they phras'd it) of themselves, without ever examining their Spiritual Estate, in defiance of all Warn­ings and Exhortations that could be ad­ministred unto them? What a deplorable thing is it, to consider how People do at Satan's instigation, harden themselves a­gainst Fear, and all Consideration, so that they will not suspect they may be in the way to Hell, till they do irrecoverably drop into it? And,

5. In what a fearful Estate wilt thou be, who obstinately refusest to consider what thy condition really is, if at last thou be found an unreconciled Sinner, utterly un­concerned for the Salvation of thy Soul? If this be thy case when Death hath seized thee, thou must presently sink into un­quenchable Flames. And then what a mi­serable helpless Wretch wilt thou be for ever? What a dreadful thing will it be to be scared and rafted out of thy Spiritual Slumber and Sleep, by the actual Pains and Agonies of Damnation? Should a Man Sleeping at his own home, be a little mo­ved with the cry of Fire, Fire! but without enquiring whether his Dwelling-place were [Page 89]in Danger, should compose himself again for Sleep, and not awake, till rasted out of his Sleep by the scorching heat and vehe­ment noise of the Fire burning down his own House, and should he as soon as his Eyes are open, behold his Bed and all his Room in Flames, how gastly would he look, being thus affrighted out of his Sleep, and seeing no way to escape those devou­ring Flames, which have seized on every part of his Room? What loud Outcries, and dreadful Schrieks would he utter? How deplorable should we conceive his condi­tion, should we see his gastly Looks, and hear his Roarings, and his mournful Groans, whilst Burning and Roasting in the Flames of his own House, not able to fly from that scorching Fire, nor any able to come near to help him, because compassed in by those furious and merciless Flames? If this would be so full of Terror to that miserable unfor­tunate dying Person, and would fill the Beholders with most affectionate Trouble and Grief, what must the Dread and Hor­ror of that Sinner be, who sleeping securely in his Sins, will take no warning, but at last is rafted out of his Sleep by the Flames of Hell, and finds himself as soon as ever he awakes, in unquenchable Burnings, and his Estate becomes one dreadful Schriek, conti­nued [Page 90](if I may so phrase it) to the utmost length of Eternity?

6. Remember, we must every one be concerned for our own Salvation, and we must every one try our selves, and examin our own Estate; for none can do these things effectually for us without our con­currence, and we must every one answer before God for our selves, and be Saved or Damned in our own Persons. Others may advise and counsel us, give rules and directions to assist us in the Work, but they cannot peremptorily determin the Case, for our Hearts may be false and rotten, and corrupt, prophane, hypocritical and proud, when we are performing the outward parts of Duties; yea, when we perform them to the great liking and admiration of others. If it appear at last that we have been un­concerned for our Souls, and died impe­nitently in our Sins, who shall answer for us? Will any one take off the blame from us? Alas! we must answer for our selves, and bear our own Sins. Witnesses and Ac­cusers there will be enough against us, but not one Advocate. Not one of all those Multitudes who follow some wicked Mens Corpses to the Grave, either can or dares go along with the Soul to God's Tribunal, to plead for and answer God on its behalf. [Page 91]If thou art wicked and unconcerned for thy own Salvation, and diest Impenitent, no other Person will go to Hell in thy stead, but thou must bear thy own guilt, perish, and be Damned and Tormented everlast­ingly in thy own Person. Search therefore speedily into your Estate, and leave not Matters of such weight, to all Adventures, and at Uncertainties. Let us be prevailed with to set about this work in all sincerity, and without delay, that we may every one be acquainted with our own Estate, and learn how we are to manage and behave our selves for the future, and what course we are to apply our selves unto further, in order to our everlasting Wellfare,

Some of you have past over a great many Years, and have no reason to expect that you should live many more. Now, if you have been regardless of your Souls, and have hitherto neglected to examin your Estate, how ought you to be troubled for so great faults? What Sins might you have avoided? What Good might you have done? What Comfort might you have treasur'd up for your selves, had you begun and faith­fully gone through this Enquiry some Years ago? Take heed of continuing your Neg­lect; refuse not to comply with this present Entreaty, lest God should give you over in [Page 92]Judgment, and you should be hardned and sealed to a most just and dreaful Condem­nation. Why will you refuse and sin against your own Mercies? Why will you bring your own Gray Hairs to the Grave with Sor­row? Why will you pierce your own Hearts thorough with Sorrow? Why will you ru­in and destroy your own selves? Is it not yet high time for you to know and under­stand what you have been doing? Whom you have been serving? And what is like to become of you for ever?

And you who are not so much stricken in years, even the youngest of you, who are come to years of Discretion, it behoves you to be very inquisitive about the State of your Souls. What Consternation and Amazement will seize you, if you should be cut off in the midst of your Years, and then eternally upbraid your selves with ha­ving spent the best of your Years, and the choicest of your Strength, yea, your whole time in a way of Hostility and War against God? You have no more assurance of time than the oldest Man has; and if you die in the flower of your Age, in an un-recon­ciled Estate, wholly unconcerned for the salvation of your Souls, you must as infal­libly be Sentenced unto Hell, as the oldest and most overgrown Sinner in the World. [Page 93]The infernal Flames will prey as violently on you who are thrown into them in your greener Age, as they will on those who are cast into them in their decayed and wither­ed Age. A strong Fire burns the greenest Log, as well as the driest, tho the green may make a little more noise for a while. Whatever your outward State and Circum­stances may be in this World, be you Rich or Poor, High or Low, Learned or Un­learned, Master or Servant, you are equal­ly concerned in this Business. He that lives and dies in an un-regenerate Estate, wholly regardless of, and unconcerned for his Sal­vation, will lose his Soul, his whole self, and what hath any Man More? Or, if he have, What is all the World to one who is Damned, and in Eternal Torments?

Good Lord, open the Hearts of Sinners now, that they may entertain Advice! And so improve what hath been said, that it may produce some good Effect! Let not every one continue in a groundless Soul-destroying Presumption! Let not Satan triumph, that he carries all away headlong and unconcernedly unto Hell, in defiance of all perswasion to Consideration and En­quiry! Lord, let not the Exhortation be wholly lost! but cause some one Self-delu­ding [Page 94]Wretch to be awakened, and brought to a right Mind!

Friend! what dost thou intend to do? Wilt thou stubbornly shut thy Eyes and slumber, till Vengeance doth actually seize on thee? Till infinite Wrath come upon thee and surround thee, so that there shall be no escaping? Canst thou be contented to be reproached by multitudes of forlorn undone Souls, that thou art the Monster that would'st not hearken and consider, but would'st voluntarily Damn thy Self, in op­position to all Perswasion? Search and try thy self now at last, and take heed lest there be in thee a Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood, and do not whilst thou hear­est these words, Bless thy self in thy Heart, saying, I shall have Peace, tho I walk in the I­magination of my Heart, to add Drunkenness to Thirst, Deut. 29.18, &c. Know thou who ever thou art, the Lord will not spare thee, but the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against thee, and all the Curs­es that are written in his Book, shall lye upon thee; the Lord shall separate thee un­to Evil, according to all the Curses of the Covenant, that are written in his Book.

Sirs, have some pity upon your selves! What hurt have your precious Souls ever done you, that you should thus neglect and [Page 95]cast them out of your thoughts, that you should revenge your selves on them in this manner? How can you think to escape, if you still neglect this Enquiry? What will you say for your selves at the Great Day of the Lord? Sure you will not pretend you were never warned, or perswaded. And would not those Powers and Faculties you employ in examining other matters, serve you to much better purpose on this account? And hath not God given you a Rule, and set you down Marks and Characters, by comparing your selves with which, you may acquire a distinct and true knowledge of your Estate? Do not your Bibles tell you very plainly, what sorts of People will be shut out of the Kingdom? And how should you know, whether you be or be not of those numbers, if you refuse to examin and make a true judgment of your selves? Presume what you please of your selves, God cannot be deceived, nor will he be mocked. Death and Judgment will in due time fully discover the truth of your State, both to your selves, and to all the World. Can you imagin that this Enquiry should do you any prejudice? If you have been, and are duly concerned for your Salvation, nothing can fill you with a greater and such rational Joy and Comfort, than to [Page 96]perceive this attested upon a just Search, by the word of God; and that an eternal and glorious Inheritance is made sure to you, by the promise of that God who can­not lye. Whereas a neglect of this Enquiry must needs deprive you of the best and greatest comfort of your Lives. If you have been and still are unconcerned for your Salvation, nothing can more mischievously hinder your recovery out of that dangerous Estate you are in, than your refusing to try and examin your selves. Make no de­lay therefore, but presently betake your selves to what you are perswaded unto. O! that you would be so kind to me, to grant me this one request! I beg it of you for your own Sakes! I have no Interest to serve by it but your own, that you may presently e­scape out of the snares of the Devil, and be safe from eternal Agonies, that you may not walk any longer in the Broad Road, which ends in Hell, and irre­pairable Destruction, but may live in Peace and Comfort here, and Reign with Christ in Glory for ever.

Reason then and argue with your selves about this Matter. Cannot you discourse thus with your selves? How terrible and dreadful a thing will it be, to be found at last a neglecter of Salvation, one who hath [Page 97]been all his Life unconcerned for his Soul! To have God and Christ Enemies, when I must appear before their Tribunal! He that commanded me into Being and Life, can with a word speak me into Eternal Misery! The Holy God, I must needs ac­knowledge, loves Holiness, and cannot but hate Iniquity. He will in his Righteous Judgment, infallibly make a difference be­twixt People. He will assuredly separate the Holy from the Vile. Then shall the Righteous be discerned from the Wicked, and he that serveth God, from him that serveth him not, Mal. 3.17, 18. I am at present undoubt­edly of one of these Ranks. And doth it not much concern me to understand what my Estate is? Careless negligent Wretch! in omitting an enquiry of such Importance so long! The time past shall suffice, to have lived in so supine and unthoughtful a manner! My Eyes shall not Sleep, nor will I give slumber to my Eye-lids, till I have made a diligent Enquiry, and do know what the Word of the Lord doth say of, and to me! I dare not lye down to Sleep, till I have examined my Estate! till, if it appear I have been unconcerned hitherto for my Soul and its Salvation; I have sued hearti­ly for Pardon and Peace through the Blood [Page 98]of Christ! lest I should sleep the Sleep of Death! lest Destruction should surprize me! And I should awake in those Flames which will never be quenched! Be gone all Ex­cuses, for I have no Business so necessary to be attended to, as this! I am not at leisure to follow any Sports, or to mind Wealth, or Honors, yea, or the Necessa­saries of this present Life, whilst I am Ig­norant of the State of my Soul, and know not whether I have been duly concerned, that my Salvation may be made sure! I will not any longer venture Eternity upon Uncertainties! Now I have been called on, and exhorted to apply my self to this Exa­mination! Should I refuse to comply, God may justly suffer me to be hardned in my Sins. I may never have the like opportu­nity again! Tho I should find I have hi­therto been unconcerned for the happiness of my Soul, yet eternal Misery may be prevented! There yet remains place for Repentance! and some ground to hope that I may find favour with the Lord! There­fore I am resolved, nothing shall divert me from going through with this Work. Lord! powerfully fix my Resolution! Keep my my Mind and Heart intent on this Business, and give me the gracious assistance of thy [Page 99]holy and powerful Spirit, to guide and car­ry me with success thorough it!

Sixthly, You who have been careless of your Souls, and their Salvation, till this time, should now be prevailed with to concern your selves with all seriousness and earnest­ness, that they may be secured. Could I set forth a miserable Estate before you, in the most doleful Strains, and with the fullest account of aggravating Circumstances ima­ginable, I should not declare the thou­sandth part of your Wretchedness. The Groans and Sobs of the Damned, manifest they cannot speak what they feel; their Shrieks and Clamours are but broken Rela­tions of the Horrors and Pains they sink under. And you are obnoxious to all that Wrath which doth so terrifie and over­whelm them. If you still continue secure, and cannot bemoan your selves, nor cry heartily for Pity and Mercy, your Danger encreases. Did you understand what you are doing, what Vengeance you are trea­suring up for your selves; whom you are Offending; what Souls you are Murther­ing; what a glorious, holy, powerful, just God you are Provoking, what a Change would soon appear in you? You would look upon all your Enjoyments as nothing [Page 100]worth; you would look upon the Pleasures, Riches and Honors of this World, as in­sipid useless things. The whole World would be no more to you than a Prison, or Dungeon, in which you are reserved till the Sentence of Wrath is to be Executed on you. The wicked is reserved to the day of Destruction; they shall be brought forth to the day of Wrath, Job 21.30. Were you sensible what Love you despise; what Salvation you neglect; what Mercy you trample under your Feet; what Grace you reject; what Patience and Goodness you abuse, and what great things you might lay hold on, what Inheritances you might obtain, what Glory you may be assured of, if you would but consider things aright, and approve your selves truly Wise; what an alteration would soon appear in your Carriage and Con­duct? You will in a little time be convinced fully of the truth of all this. When Death hath executed its Commission against you, and your Souls are dragg'd into another World, continue Infidels if you can. When you have drank a few draughts more, spent a little time more in your Sports and Games, slept a few Nights, drudg'd and toil'd a few days more, you will see and know, and be convinced of these things in another man­ner. [Page 101]Then you will have no need of such Ministers to tell you of them, whose warn­ings you can now slight, whose Exhorta­tions and Counsel you can now reject with Scorn and Contempt. For then you will hear the Sentence of Condemnation from One, the Glory of whose appearing, you will not be able to endure, whose Presence will grieve and terrifie you.

But your case is not yet quite Desperate. If you will now concern your selves heartily for your Souls, and apply your selves in good earnest, to make their Sal­vation sure, there is some ground for Hope, Mercy may yet be had. The Scepter of Grace is still held forth. Your endless Mi­sery may yet be prevented. You may yet be made Holy and Gracious, behold God's reconciled Face, and inherit incomprehen­sible Glory and Blessedness. Nothing will hinder but your wilfulness, your resolved continuing unconcerned for these things. What Mercy is it that God will yet be fa­vourable, notwithstanding thou hast at this time been unconcerned and stubborn in thy Enmity? Will yet, if thou turn sin­cerely, pardon and blot out all is past? Will receive and honor, love and eternally glo­rifie thee? Who would not seek reconcili­ation [Page 102]with all his might, with such a gra­cious condescending, patient and merciful God? Who would go on to provoke such a God, and Damn himself in opposition to such Love, and Grace, and Mercy! What acceptance wouldst thou find with God? What good wouldst thou do thy self? What Happiness wouldst thou treasure up for thy self to all future Generations? What Joy wouldst thou occasion in Heaven, wouldst thou now be prevailed with to come out of thy miserable sinful State, and to con­cern thy self as thou oughtest for thy Soul, and its endless wellfare? Peruse carefully these following Scriptures, Luke 15.7. and 10, and 20, &c. Isa. 55.7. 2 Cor. 6.2.

Take heed you do not prevent all this to encourage your selves to continue in your unconcernedness for your Salvation. For if instead of complying with Calls and En­treaties to accept of, and close with the offers of Mercy God is pleased to make you, you stubbornly refuse to hearken, to yea, abuse them, to harden and embolden your selves in your Sins, your condition will become exceeding Dreadful, yea, quite hopeless, according to that account the holy Scriptures give of People under such Circumstances; as you may evidently see, [Page 103]if you please to turn to, and read the following places in your Bibles, Prov. 1.24. &c. Prov. 29.1. Heb. 12.17. Luke 19.42. Yea, remember this will render your State in Hell terrible and tormenting to the high­est degree. In what boisterous Waves of inflamed Wrath shall those Persons be roll'd and tost, who affectedly persist in their Enmity against God, and contempt of the riches of his Grace! Why should you be curious to secure to your selves the utmost efforts of Divine Displeasure? How sad must your estate be if after you have en­joyed the Gospel, and been earnestly per­swaded to concern your selves in good earnest for your Salvation, you should per­ish and reap no advantage from all that Christ hath done, suffered and purchased for repenting, reforming Sinners? What a terrible day will the day of Christ's ap­pearing be to you, if after all your coming to Church, hearing Prayers and Sermons, and partaking of Sacraments, you remain stubborn and untractable, sensual and worldly in your Minds, loose, carnal and vicious in your Lives?

Be entreated, dearly Beloved, to lay these seriously to Heart, and forthwith to make a good improvement of them. Please not [Page 104]your selves with purposes of taking them into consideration hereafter, lest Satan prove too subtle for you, and carry you away securely to his own Appartments, full fraught with seemingly pious resolves. What multitudes have cried out for Mercy, when it hath been too late! Mat 25.11.12.

If you are now willing to do what it be­hoves you to do, that you may secure the Salvation of your Souls, observe and fol­low these few Directions.

First, Set your selves to a serious tho­rough consideration of your present Estate. Weigh and insist on this till you are fully convinced, your present State is such, you cannot with any safety continue in it; and do firmly resolve to alter your Course; press your danger and guilt upon your selves, till your Souls and Consciences are mighti­ly affected with your present Circumstances, and you become in some measure sensible how much more desirable their Condition is than yours, who have heartily concerned themselves to secure the Salvation of their Souls. In other cases, we think it a mighty blemish, to give occasion for others to re­pute us inconsiderate and rash. And sure nothing better deserves our best, our most mature and vivid thoughts than this Mat­ter, [Page 105]because it doth so nearly concern us. Can we expect prudently to avoid our Dan­ger, and amend our Mistakes, whilst either ignorant of, or unaffected with them? Se­rious consideration is a proper, if not the only preparatory expedient to bring us to a right Mind, to furnish us with a just No­tion and becoming Sense of those things, which are of eminent Importance, and to dispose us to rectifie past Errors and De­faults. When the Prodigal came to himself, and considered the evil and dangerous case he was in, and how much better the very Servants in his Fathers Family were provi­ded for than he was, he presently resolves to go thither, Luke 15.17, 18. Psal. 119.59, 60. Set thy self as in God's Presence, call thy self to account, and revive the re­membrance of thy past Carriages. Call to mind how God hath expresly declared such or such Affections of Soul, Speeche Actions, to be detestable abominable Sins, and hath declared from Heaven his Wrath against them, in such or such places of his holy Word. And then apply the same particu­larly and with all vehemency of affection and faithfulness to thy self, till thou feelest the power and efficacy of them in thy own Spirit and Conscience. Is this my Estate? [Page 106]Doth the word of God speak nothing but Terror and Indignation against me, whilst I continue in this condition? Is the infinite­ly, holy, powerful just God my Enemy? O wretched Creature that I am! What shall I do! Is this an Estate to be rested in! What is all the World, and all it can af­ford to me, if God should pour forth the Vials of his Anger upon me! If I must pass from the applause and favour of Men, from Houses, Lands and Friends, to dwell with everlasting Burnings! and be a Companion with Devils for ever! O how happy are they who have been wise for their Souls! who can look with comfort into the Holy Scriptures! and read over all those Passages with Satisfaction, which Terrifie me, and are as so many Arrows sticking fast in my Soul! What a Fool have I been all my time! What Mercy and rich Grace must be discovered, if ever I escape Damnation! I cannot escape it, if I continue in this Estate! A great Change must be wrought in me. I must be made a new Creature, I must lead a new Life! And by God's Grace so I will! Blessed be the Lord, that he hath given me any sight of my Danger! That he hath brought me to consider, before my condition is absolutely past remedy!

O what Trouble and Sorrow, have I been heaping on my self! How bitter and gnawing now are all the things I counted pleasant! How vile and contemptible are all the things for which I ventured my pre­cious Soul! There is nothing now can re­lieve and do me good, nothing I can ac­count precious, but an Interest in Jesus Christ, and pardoning Love through him! O the Confusion I am in! But I wish not that it were with me as in times past! That my vain Presumption, stupidity and insensibleness might again return! No, but O that I had sooner seen my Danger! and sooner began my Retreat! Here I lye on the very brink of Hell! Had I made one step further, I might have been among the Damned! and yet I scarce know which way to turn! O the proficiency others have made in the way to Heaven, who had no more time, nor outward Calls and Means than I had! O the peace and comfort they have! the Sweets with which their Souls are feasted! O that I might love the Lord Christ in sincerity! have an interest in his Merits! a right to his precious Promises! and that I may dutifully acknowledge his Authority! walk in his Laws! and know by experience what joy is to be found in [Page 108]Believing! Well, by Divine Assistance, I will up and be doing! I will not loyter any longer! I now cast away with abhorrence, and lay aside every weight, and the Sin that hath so easily beset me! Lord, do thou enlarge my Heart, and I will run the way of thy Commandments! May I ever have my eye fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of a Believer's Faith! To thee holy Jesus I flee for Refuge! Help me to lay hold on the Hope thou hast set before me!

Secondly, Humble your selves deeply be­fore the Lord, and offer unto him fervent earnest Supplications and Prayers, to com­miserate and deliver you. No help can come but from Heaven, and it must be fetched thence by hearty affectionate Cries and Entreaties. Lay your selves therefore low before the Lord; acknowledge your Sins with Godly Sorrow and Grief: Re­hearse before him your sad Estate; the aggravating Circumstances of your Guilt, your Fears, your Guilt, the dreadful Curses which hang over you; how sensible you are of his Displeasure against Sin, that you are not able to bear his Wrath, and that nothing but Free-Grace can save and pre­serve you. Justifie God in all his Laws, and in all his Threats, and in his executing of them. Confess heartily thou art a Monu­ment [Page 109]Monument of his Patience. Break forth into affectionate Admiration, that he hath born with thee so long, whereas, he might have caused his Vengeance to have over­taken thee long ago. And then with strong Cries, and Tears too, if thou canst beseech him for his Mercy sake, his name sake, the Son of his love sake, to pity, Pardon, help and sanctifie thee. Consider what encourage­ment thou hast from these and the like Scriptures, Psal. 145.18, 19. Psal. 32.5, 6. Psal. 50.15. Matt. 7.7, &c.

Lord, thou art Great, Holy, Just and Powerful, none can set himself against thee and Prosper! Thy purity and holiness is such, thou canst not behold the least Iniquity with Approbation! Thou hast de­clared thy Wrath against every Sin! And in particular hast revealed thy Indignation against this, and that, and the other Wick­edness; and that thou wilt terribly avenge thy self of such Adversaries as live impeni­tently in them! Lord, I am the vile Wretch who have been guilty of these Transgressi­ons! I have lived a great while in them, and have often repeated these acts of Ho­stility against thee! O my Misery, my Guilt, my Wretchedness! Whither shall I go? What shall I do? I cannot flee from [Page 110]thy Presence! Where ever I am, thy Arm can reach me! I cannot bear thy Frowns! thy Terrors make me afraid! Damnation and Hell are the least I have deserved! O the Light, the Love, the Means I have sinned against! I have nothing to say for my self! who shall plead for me! Methinks I am now sinking! Hell appears ready to swallow me up! Just and Righteous art thou O God! No punishments are too great for so wicked, so ungrateful, so vile and obsti­nate a Wretch as I am! In the very midst of my Fears and Anguish, I cannot but wonder that the Sentence of Condemna­tion is not already pronounced against, and executed on me! O what long-suffering goodness hast thou manifested towards me, the worst and greatest of Sinners! Blessed be thy Name for thy Long-suffering Pati­ence towards me! Whither shall I now turn! Will the holy God have Mercy on such a desperate Sinner! To whom shall I go in these Straits! Creatures cannot help me! My Lusts and Sins have brought all this Misery upon me! All will fail me, unless the Lord will be pleased to look down in Mercy upon me! And it is the Lord I have offended! How shall I go to a provoked God! Yet all my hope must be [Page 111]from him! To the Lord I will go, I will lie at his Feet! I will throw my self wholly upon his Mercy! Lord, I have heard that thou art Gracious, Long-suffer­ing, slow to Wrath, and of great Good­ness. Thou hast said so of thy self. Thou hast the words of eternal Life. There is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. Thou hast contrived a way for the glorifying of thy Mercy, in saving the greatest Sinners who truly repent, and turn from the evil of their doings unto thee, with all their Hearts. Lord, here behold a miserable mouring Sinner, than whom none ever stood more in need of Mercy! Extend thy wonderful Grace to me! I come to thee in thy Son's Name, I depend intirely on his Merits; I plead with thee the only gracious Promises! Sustain now a sinking Soul! I loath and abhor my self! O let thy Bowels ern over me! Tho I stand on the brink of Hell, let thy Grace pre­vent my falling into that Bottomless Pit! Say unto this Soul, Live! May I, who de­serve to houl for ever under the dreadful testimonies of thy Displeasure, be effectual­ly delivered from Sin, Guilt and Condemn­ation! May I be Pardoned, made Holy, and sing forth the Praises of thy rich and abounding Grace to all Eternity! Consider Isa. 63.15, 16.

Thirdly, If you take pains with your selves, and faithfully perform what you have been advised to already, you will easily perceive what is further necessary to be done by you, to make secure the Salva­tion of your Souls; and you will be dis­posed to urge upon your selves, and im­prove such Counsel as shall be offered you, and is manifestly pertinent to this purpose. I will therefore propound the other Directi­ons you are to observe altogether, and on­ly give you brief hints for your future Conduct, leaving you to imprint them on your own Hearts, by meditating on, and expostulating with your selves about them, till you feel they have their proper and due influence on your Souls and Lives. You must then endeavour to acquire a sound knowledge of the gracious method God hath been pleased to pitch on, for the bringing of Sinners into a State of Recon­ciliation and Peace with himself. You must heartily entertain the great Truths he hath revealed concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Those which concern his Person, his Natures, and the Commission the Fa­ther hath given him. And you must sin­cerely close with Christ in all his Offices, depending wholly on his Merits, Inter­cession, [Page 113]and Influences; submitting to his Authority, diligently following his Exam­ple, and faithfully keeping his Laws, For there is not Salvation in any other, Acts 4.12. You must labour to understand di­stinctly the Baptismal Vow, with Under­standing and Judgment, solemnly devote, consign and dedicate your selves to God, through Christ, and daily addict your selves to the conscientious performing of that Vow, as long as you Live. Therefore you must diligently read and study the Holy Scriptures, and make them the sole Rule of your Faith, your Worship, your moral Conduct, or Practice; for they are able to make you wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 3.15. Read the word of God daily with a fixed Attention, and holy fervent Desires, that you may find it powerful to subdue Cor­ruption, and bring you to a saving Ac­quaintance with Christ, and to nourish your Souls in all Godliness of Living. At­tend diligently on the Ministry of the Word, and wait conscientiously on God in those Ordinances he hath instituted for the Conversion and Edification of Souls. Take heed of Customariness and Forma­lity in these. Use them as means God [Page 114]hath appointed for higher Ends, and be not satisfied till you really perceive they are Sanctified to you, and have such an effect on you that you do thereby grow in Knowledge, Grace, and practical Holiness. You must renounce the Society of loose and vicious People, and shun the company of those who deride and mock at Religion and Holiness, appearing in their Truth and Pow­er, Prov. 13.20. And wonderful Advantage will accrue to you, if you do ordinarily accustom your selves to cross the design of Temptations, and make an Advantage of them, to put you with greater seriousness and fervency on acting those Graces, and performing those Duties which are most opposite and contrary to the Sins, the Ene­mies of your Souls would draw you unto.

You who have been and are in good earnest concerned for the Salvation of your Souls, must diligently attend to what doth peculiarly belong to you, considering the State you are in. Give God the glory of that Grace he hath vouchsafed you. You were Ignorant, Blind, Foolish and Disobe­dient formerly, as well as others. Praise and Magnifie God with all your might, that he hath made you know and follow after the things which belong to your Peace. How should you bless the Lord who hath [Page 115]made you the Triumph of your Saviour's Love, whereas you might have been Monu­ments of his Anger? Pity, Prayfor, advise do what you can to convince, awaken, and recover them, who appear altogether care­less of, and unconcerned for their Salvation. Hold fast what you have received, proceed forward in the work you have begun. Grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Watch over, and assist one another all you are able. Heb. 3.12, 13. So run that ye may obtain. Pesevere to the end, and let none take away your Crown, Rev. 3.11.

In a word, every Man should be very much concerned for the Salvation of his own Soul. Then let us all forthwith shake off Sloth, remembring we are hastning a­pace towards Eternity. Do the wicked do evil with both hands earnestly, Mic. 7.3. And shall we fold our Arms, and refuse to take a little pains for the obtaining of that Inheritance, which is reserved in the Hea­vens? We have done too much already to prejudice our Souls; now let us use all possible care and industry to recover and save them.

Sirs, I beseech you in the Bowels of Christ, and by all that should be dear and [Page 116]valuable to you, to concern your selves so for your Salvation, as in a little time you will certainly wish you had. What a change will Death quickly make in every one of you? O lose not Heaven and eternal Glo­ry, for Shadows! Lose not your Souls for Trifles! Quit you now like Men. Be watch­ful, serious and diligent. Gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end. My Brethren, dearly beloved and longed for; my Joy and Crown, so stand fast in the Lord. Fi­nally Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoe­ver things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good Report; if there be any Vertue, if there be any Praise, think on and practice these things with all your might and affection, and with all perseverance. Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, al­ways abounding in the work of the Lord, for as­much as you know, that your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

FINIS.

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