1. BE sensible Of thy originall corruption daily, how it inclines thee to evill, and indisposeth thee to good; groane vnder it, and be­waile it, as Paul did, Rom. 7.24.

Also take speciall notice of your ac­tuall sinnes, or daily infirmities, in thought, word, deed. Indeavour to make your peace with God for them before you goe to bed.

By

• Repenting, and confessing them to God, working your heart to gre [...]fe for them, by some melting consideratiōs, as of Gods good­nesse to you, the vnreasonablenesse, and vnprofitablenesse of sinne, the preju­dice, and dammage thereof to the soul, Iohn. 1.1.9.
• Beleeving, or casting your selfe wholy on Christs righteousnesse, for remission thereof, and reconciliation with God, Rom. 3.22 24.25. Cleaving to Gods promises of pardon, & peace, Isaiah 43.25. Rom 5.1. waitinge till the Lord shall speake to you, Psal. 85.8.

2. Get your vnion with Christ, and interest in Christ, cleered, & cōfirmed to you daily more [Page 4]and more, that you are a branch in his vine, a member in his body, Cor. 2.13.5 This may bee done 3 wayes.

1. By daily renewal of your faith in Christ, especially of that act of faith, whereby the soule knits, or tyes it selfe vnto Christ, casts, or roules it selfe on Christ for salvation. Cause your heart in a solemne manner every day to act this part, or put forth this primitive act of faith in the veiw of the whole soule. The daily exercise hereof will increase, & strengthen the divine habit of faith in the soule, & make the soule sensible of the very act of it. By frequent belee­ving you shall feele at your very heart, that you doe beleeve; so shall you have a witnesse in your selfe, that you are in Christ, 1. Iohn. 5.10.

2. By examininge your heart upon what grounds you take Christ to bee youres.

Are They

• 1. A sight, and sense of your sinnes, of the guilt, power, punshiment of them, & of your misery by them? Math. 9.13.
• 2. Your want of Christ seene, and felt at your very heart, to justifie, sanctifie, redeeme, save you, else you are utterly lost, and undone everlastinglie? Luke 19.10.
• 3. Gods free, and generall offer of Christ to any that wil take him by faith Iohn 3.16. manifold promises to this purpose. The ground of all Gods offers, [Page 5]& donations of Christ beeing free grace, rich mercy, vndeserved love, Eph. 2.4.5.7. Titus 3.4.5.6.
• 4. Christs sweet, and gracious invitatiō of such to come to him as are weary of sinne. Math. 11.28. to buy as haue no money. Isaiah 55.1. no worth, or desert in themselves.
• 5. As sinfull vile wretches as you are have beene sought of Christ, and found in Christ, as 1. Cor. 6.9.10.11. 1. Tim. 1.13. Phil. 3.7.8.9. why may not you?

The more cleerely you discerne vpon what grounds you take Christ, the more cleere is your title to Christ.

3. By survaying, & observing in what manner you take Christ daily.

Whether

• 1. You doe wholy renounce all opiniō, and conceite of your owne righteous­nesse, & desert, Mark. 8.34. Phil. 3.7.8.9 soe that you come to Christ empty of your selfe, very vile, yea nothing in your owne eyes, unworthy to receive him.
• 2. You lay hold on Christ alone with an empty hand of faith, joyninge no­thing at all with Christ in the matter of salvation.
• 3. You find the Father drawing your heart after Christ Ioh. 6.44. in hungring, panting desires, that will never bee sa­tisfied without him; so that the streame, both of your judgment, Phil. 3.7.8. and affections 1. Cor. 2.2. Gal. 6.14. runne towards him.
• 4. You take Christ as a Lord to rule [Page 6]you as well as a Iesus to save you, Col. 2.6. As one that is all. To you your all, your wisdome, your righteousnesse, your sanctification, & redemptiō 1. Cor. 1.30 your spirituall food. Iohn. 6. Rayment Rom. 13.14. Strength, Phil. 4.13. Life Gal. 2.20. Col. 3.3.
• 5. You seeke, and wayte for Christ (out of the sense of your spirituall penuty) in every ordinance, publicke, & private, word, Sacraments, Prayer, Meditation, Conference; not as they are your owne workes of sanctification, but as they are Gods Ordinances appointed of purpose for the manifestation, & communicati­on of Christ to the soule.

Frequent perusall hereof will cleere to you your manner of taking Christ, which will evidence to you your right in Christ.

3. Labour to draw, and derive from Christ (by the pul­ling attractive force of faith) ability suf­ficient for the day. Phil. 4.13. 2. Cor. 3.5. Iohn. 1.16.

• 1. To performe all the duties.
• 2. To exercise all the graces.
• 3. To resist & overcome all the ten­tations, and corruptions.
• 4. To vndergoe all the trialls, and af­flictions thereof.

Make your provision of grace, and strength from Christ every morning, fetch soe much as you shall have oc­casion to use all day long, yea and vpon all occasions, that fall out in the day goe [Page 7]to Christ stil for the wisdome, that must direct you, for the holinesse that must character you; for the shoulder, which must beare them, if they bee crosses; for that strength, that must resist them, if they bee tentations; performe them, if they bee duties.

To this end act your faith daily in the promises of grace, and strength, as Iohn. 1.16. Ezek. 36.26.27. Isaiah 44.3. Zech. 10.12. which are both security given you by God, that you shal receive grace, and conduit-pipes, or instrumēts of conveying the same from Christ vnto you.

This is the meanes to doe all in the strength of Christ, and to take forth a great deale of Christ into your soule, that not you, but Christ may live in you Gal. 2.20.

4. Performe daily duties both in family, and closet (es­pecially these 3. of Prayer, Meditation, reading) with serious intention, heate of affection, diligence, and delight, Ier. 48.10. Mal. 1.14. 1. Chron. 21.24. To this end.

1. Watch to these duties, 1:e. keepe the heart in a good frame for them, Ephe. 6.18. vndefiled with sinne, vntainted by the world.

2. Take fittest time for performance of them all; when you are least dull, and sluggish. Beginne the day constantly with the thoughtes of God.

3. Bee very reall, serious, and substan­tiall with God in them, Indeavour to feele all duties at your heart, inliving, in­larging, inflaming your affections.

These bee duties of most importance, and consequence, commodity, & com­fort to the soule, because they properly ayme at, and reach to soule-good, and celestiall happinesse, to traine vp a soule for heaven.

5. Fortifie your selves every morninge against your spe­ciall lusts to which you are by nature most prone, or shall bee most tempted, bee it pride, passion, covetousnesse &c.

1. By arguments, and holy reasoninges within your selves, drawne from the sad effects thereof, as disprofit, discom­fort, disgrace, or the like, to discover the vnreasonablenesse of your sinne, and make your soule ashamed of it. For ex­ample shall I bee proud? then I am sure to fall, for pride goes before a fall, and God will count mee for his enemy, for God resisteth the proud. Shall I bee an­gry? If I let passion in, I cannot keepe Sathan out, Ephe. 4, 26.27. I shall greive the holy spirit of God Ephe. 4.30.31. Shall I bee covetous? I cannot but bee very sinful, sith the love of money is the roote of all evill 1. Tim. 6.10.

2. By pondering in your minde pre­ceptes in Gods booke against your sinne judgments threatned, or inflicted for it, on proud Herod, voluptuous Dives, churlish Nabal.

3. By applying promises of mortifica­tion close to your heartes, as a plaister to the sore, for subduinge your iniquitie Micah. 7.19. Rom. 6.14.

4. By drawing vertue from Christs death into the soule, which hath in it a killinge force of sinne, Rom. 6.4.5.6. Phil. 3.10.

6. Get your heartes strongly fixed on God, by trusting on him Psal. 112.7. and submitting to him 2. Sam. 15.26. 1. Sam. 3.18. against all the feares, cares, doubts, trialls, afflic­tions of every day, for sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Math. 6.34. To this end.

1. Bee prudent to fore-see your perso­nall trialls, & troubles, whatsoever they are like to bee Prov. 22.3.

2. Goe hide, and lay vp your selfe in God, runne vnto his name, for God is a rocke of habitation to which a poore soule may continually resort, God will give commandment to save him Psal. 71.3. 1. Peter. 4 19.

3. Especially cornmit that very thing to God, put it into his handes, whatsoever you desire to keepe, or feare to loose, 2. Tim. 1.12. bee it life, libertie, name, freindes, maintenance, &c. what you would have resolved, if it bee a doubt Psal. 37.5. or supplied, if it bee a want, remooved, if it bee a crosse, Psal. 50.15. & together with the thing, cast all your care, feare, sorrow, & trouble of minde [Page 10]about it wholy on the lord. Math. 6.31. 1. Peter. 5.7. Psal. 55.22.

4. Renew your faith in those promises every day which most concerne your present state; as in promises of supplies, if you bee in want. Psal. 34.8. and 37.3. and 84.11. Math. 6.30. of protection, if you bee in danger. Psal. 34.7. of direc­tion, if in doubt; of deliverance, if in trouble, of a good end, and sanctified use of all. Deut. 8.16. Iam. 5.11. Rom. 8.28. Heb. 12.10.

5. Labour to see Gods hand. Psal. 34.9. beleeve his love. Heb. 12.6. Rev. 3.19. and with all meekenesse, and patience to resigne up your selfe wholy to his will in every affliction. Math. 26.39.

7. Get, and keepe a savory rellish continually of your christian priviledges, wherewith you are invested as you are new creatures in Christ: to wit.

1. Of your dignity, that you are Gods sonnes, Christs bretheren, heavens heires, pertakers of a high, and heaven­ly calling.

2. Of your libertye, that you are the Lords freemen dilivered out of the handes of all enemies.

3. Of your victory, that you are thou­rough Christ more then Conquerors over all the world of Creatures. 1. Iohn. 5.4. of evils, of temptations, of per­secutions Rom 8.35.37.

4. Of your safetie, that you have all­mighty [Page 11]God for your place of refuge, Psal. 18.2. a hedge of providence. Iob. 1.10. a Guard of angels. Psal. 91.11. an inclosure of mercy. Psal. 32.10. and Gods promise as a writ of protection for your defence. Heb. 13.5.6.

5. Of your riches, as durable substance in heaven. Heb. 10.34. an incorruptible inheritance, 1. Pet. 1.4. a kingdome of glory, and crowne of life, for you are heires of God, & co-heires with Christ.

6. Of your Ioy, and pleasure, precious for kind, and plentiful for measure. Psal. 16.11. peace un-conceiveable phil. 4.7. joy un-speakeable 1. peter. 1.8. the masters joy.

Get your heartes affected with all these as being yours. Chew, and sucke them by serious Meditation, worke, and warme them on your heartes by close application, rubbing them into your affections. Oppose these your spirituall priviledges to all your tempo­rall pressures, settinge the one against the other; as your heavenley freindes to your earthly foes, your high dignity in Christ to your meaner in outward condition? your wealth above to your want below; your future joyes, and rest to your present troubles, and sor­rowes. This will make you not onely patient under the afflictions of this life Rom. 12.12. but joyfull in them. Rom. 5.3. and triumphant over them. 1. Cor. 15.55. Thus did the Apostles. Rom. 8.18. 2. Cor. 4.17.8. and 6.8.9.10.

These will provoke to duty 1. Peter. 9.11.12. and preserve from fainting 2 Cor. 4.16.17. and from trouble of heart Iohn 14.1.2.

8. Sanctifie God in your heart daily 1. Peter 3.15. make him your feare, Isaiah. 8.14. your love, and delight Psal. 37.4. To this end.

1. Have often high, and honorable thoughtes of God, serious meditation of his glorious Attributes, as his wisdome, power, truth, mercy, iustice, &c. and worke them vpō your heartes, that they may Eccho to them with pure, & mel­tinge affections. This wil increase, and nourish vp the divine nature fast in you.

2. Labour to bee affected with all the workes of God, as to behold, & admire the wisdome of God in the creatures. Psal. 136.5. to see, and tast Gods good­nesse in every mercy Psal. 34.8. to take notice of, and tremble at the anger, and displeasure of God in all Iudgmentes. Psal. 119.120. Habb. 3.16. that you may answere the dispensations of Gods pro­vidence with sutable dispositions; your heartes carrying a counterpane in affec­tion to all Gods actions.

3. Wrestle with God by praying, and beleevinge for an heart of flesh. Ezek. 36.26. which will receive impressions from the very thoughtes of God in the minde Also apply promises of particular affec­tions. as of love. Deut. 30.6. feare. Ier. 32.40. delight, Isaiah. 58.14. There is heate, [Page 13]and life in these promises sufficient to quicken, and warme thy dead, and fro­zen affections.

9. Get a publicke spirit to mind the thinges of Iesus Christ, as naturally as if they were your owne thinges. phil. 2.20.21. to looke on the things of others, and preferre Ieru­salems welfare before your cheifest joy psal. 137.5.6. and the Gospels liberty be­fore your owne, as Paul did; to mourne for the sinnes of the times, as the God­ly in Ierusalem did, Ezek. 9.4. Especi­ally lay to heart.

1. The Churches misery, when Gods Ordinances goe downe, & superstition goeth vp, when Gods cause, and fide are put to the worse, when any thing falls out, which gives a blow to Religion, or prooves an impediment to the Gospell. If the Arke bee taken call your com­forts Ichabods. Sam 4.21.

2. The afflictions of Ioseph, Amos 6.6. The sufferinges of Gods servants, whe­ther Ministers, or people. Oh sympa­thize with them. Heb 13.3. Nehem. 1.4. labour to feele theire troubles, and sor­rowes at your very heartes; and pray earnestly for them, as the Church did for Peter Act. 12.5.

3. The signes of the times. Math. 16.3. which hypocrites cānot discerne, though they bee well versed in the face of the sky, to wit, the sad symptomes, & presa­ges of approaching Iudgment, as

• 1. The commonesse of sinne; for all sortes transgresse in all kind of open sinfulnesse with a high hand against light of nature,and meanes of grace. Gen. 15.15. Ezek. 22.4.
• 2. Contempt of Gods ordinances, mis­using of his Ministers. 2. Chron. 36.16.
• 3. Departure of Gods glory from his house. Ezek. 9.3.
• 4. Incorrigiblenesse after former, and vnder present judgmentes. lev. 26.14.11
• 5. The death of many righteous men. Isaiah. 57.1. the carryinge away of others to hidinge places.
• 6. The vialls of Gods wrath powred on the Churches beyond the Seaes. Ier. 17.12.14.
• 7. An Inundation of spirituall judg­mentes, as a spirit of error, superstition, apostacy &c. which doe commonly end in temporall plagues Isaiah. 6.10.11

Now the Holyghost is a publicke spirit breathing, and acting in all the members of the body mysticall. Pray for it. Luke. 11.13. beleeve for it, Gal. 3.14. Ezek. 36 27.

10. Get your heartes weaned daily from the world, and from those creatures, and comforts in itt, which are dearest, and sweetest to you. Wife, children, freindes, Goods, li­berty, house, life. This Christ requires of those that follow him. Luke 14: 26.27 Mark. 10.29.30. this will prepare you ei­ther to suffer, or to dye, either of which may put you upon itt to loose all. To this end consider seriouslie.

1. That these thinges cannot satisfie your heart, when you have enjoyed them to the full. Eccles. 4.8. and 5.10. you soone grow weary of them, or glutted with them; soe that you desyre some new delightes, or more of the old, or some over againe.

2. Nor can they sanctifye you, but ex­pose you oft to many lusts. 1 Tim. 6.9.10. tentations, distractions, to a spirit of the world, and they hinder from follow­ing Christ. Math. 19.22.

3. Nor can they save you from Gods wrath, frō death, or judgment. pro 11.4.

4. The wicked whose portion is onely here have often the greatest share of them, Psal. 17.14. Iob 21.7. to 14.

5. They serve onely for this life, whilst wee are on this side, of the grave; they shall not bee the least Ingredients into our celestiall happinesse. When wee doe come to bee happy in heaven, wee shall stand in no need of food, rayment, Physick, marriage &c. Math. 22.30. for wee shall bee like the angels of God in heaven, wee shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. Rev. 7.16. wee shall live by the all-sufficient spirit of God, which never needes refreshing; wee shall bee clothed with long white robes of Immortalitye Rev. 7.9. In a word, when wee come to heaven the place of Gods Habitation wee shall enjoy the face, and beatificall [Page 16]presence of the most glorious Iehovah blessed for ever, as an object, wherein all the powers of our soules will be satisfied with ineffable delight, and everlasting­nesse. God will bee vnto vs all in all. 1. Cor. 15.28.