HELPS TO HUMILIATION. JAMES 4. 10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Printed at London, by T. Cotes, for Peter Whaly, dwelling in North-Hampton. 1630. To the Reader. I Here commend unto thee Christian Reader a table of Repentance, now put into a little Tract, collected from that grave, learned, and godly Divine, Mr. Robert Bolton. I could have been content to have stayed the publishing thereof, until such time, in which the Author might have been prevailed with to print it; for there cannot but want much beauty and lustre which it might have had, if it had been set forth or perused to be fitted for the Press by him that first gave life unto it; but being enforced to it by the importunity of many well affected, both far and near; and I unwilling to have such a precious fountain sealed up, considering the good that might redound to many in the mean time by it. I resolved by the Authors leave no longer to engross the same to a private use, but to impart it to a public good, especially considering, first, how few are acquainted with the right nature of Humiliation, no more than Nicodemus was with regeneration: that though many boast of it, few have it, when alas it's plain, without true Repentance Luke 13. 3. 5. there is no salvation. Now this table having so perspicuously unfolded the nature of this grace: those that have a beginning of it, may from hence add an increase to their store; and they that want it, may here see the way and means of obtaining it. Secondly, the extraordinary exercise of fasting and prayer, a duty of precious account amongst God's Children, which hath always been wonderfully blessed with a happy success, in so much as albeit their ordinary prayers return not empty without a blessing, yet respectively to those prayers which are joined with fasting, they seem barren and blasted, which otherwise are fruitful and full eared. How then could I withhold this which by experience and the judgement of judicious Christians, cannot but be of special use and help unto such a blessed and successful ordinance? Thirdly, these times call for it, to fast and pray and cry mightily unto God by our prayers, that we may stand in the gap, and make up the breach: and from this table we may receive much help in this particular. Wherefore I hope I shall need no further persuasion for thy gracious acceptance, than that hereby if the fault be not thine own, thou mayest receive much good and comfort to thy soul: which if thou findest, give God the glory, the Author thy thanks, and me thy prayers. I. S. HELPS TO HUMILIATION. Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, etc. IN these words here is: First, a compunction and a thorough wounding their hearts. Secondly, a consultation what to do. Thirdly, Peter's holy counsel; Amend your lives, and be baptised. From the first, in that these men when they had heard of the greatness of their sin, were thus wounded at the heart, observe: That contrition in a new creature ordinarily is answerable Point. to his former vanity. Manasse, 2 Chron. 33. 6. Instan. Marry Magdalen, Luke 7. Augustine a great sinner, wrote 12. books of Repentance. To whom much is forgiven, Reas. 1. they love much: and this is a fountain of evangelical Repentance. As a traitor condemned to dye would wonderfully break his heart to think he should be so villainous to so gracious a Prince: so is it with a Christian that beholds God's mercy to him. Christians after their conversion desire to see their sins to the utmost, Reas. 2. with all the circumstances that make them hateful, as the object, nature, person, time, and age, etc. In which or how they were done, that so they may be more humbled for them. If it be not so (as it may be otherwise, for God is a free agent and is not tied to any proportion of sorrow) than such troubles as these usually seize on them. First, they are often afflicted with this, that their conversion is not through and sound, and so do not with such heartiness and cheerfulness perform the duty of Godliness. Secondly, they are many times haunted with listlessness and coldness in their progress of Christianity. Thirdly, they are visited with some cross or other that sticks by them: to make them lay a greater Load upon sin. Fourthly, they are more subject to be overtaken with their sweet sin, because because they have no more sorrowed for it. For the less it is sorrowed for, the more it ensnares men. Fiftly, some of them have been assaulted upon their bed of death with sorrowful and strong temptations: Not that men should conceive this is always the reason of it; for God hath ends in all his works, known only to himself; but this I have known, some have been troubled, and this may be in great mercy to make a weak conversion more strong. Lest any Christian should be troubled at it, take notice in Contrition: There must be sorrow of heart because of sin. There must be a dislike of it in the will. There must be a transmutation or strong reasoning in the mind out of the word of God against sin. This is the Sinew of Repentance as Austin had against Plays, that all men could not draw him to it. There must be a resolution and striving and watching against it, as job with his eye. job. 31. 1. There must be a grieving that he is not excellent in all these, and herein make up what thou wantest in the former. These be in some measure in all Christians; some are more eminent in one part, some in another, as joseph had little sorrow, but a strong Resolution, because he had so strong a temptation, and withstood it; he had strong reasons beyond nature to resist sin, and resolve against it, so that it is not so much the measure, as the truth of every part that is required. But if they be not in an excellency in great sinners, they are to mourn for the want of them. To help herein, observe these ten degrees or Acts of repentance or rather helps to humiliation. Get sight, and survey, 1 Act. and full apprehension of all thy vileness, iniquities, transgressions, and sins, the number and nature of them. Get a right apprehension of God's wrath and fiery indignation, and the pure eye of God against sin. Get a sense of the unspeakable misery thou art liable to by reason of sin. Get a base esteem of thyself. Get an inward sorrow of heart and bleeding of soul. Get an outward bewailing with hart-piercing confession. Get an hatred and aversion in thy will from sin. Get a strong reasoning in thy mind against sin. Get a sincere opposition in thy life, of sin. Get a sincere grieving that thou canst do these things no better. Now for the first act (viz.) Get a sight & survey, and full apprehension of all thy vileness, iniquities, transgressions and sins, the number and nature of them; for which purpose take these three helps. First, keep the eye of thy natural conscience clear. Secondly, be acquainted with all the ways thou canst possible to anatomize thy sin. Thirdly, take notice of the guilt of original sin, because a Christian may have his heart locked up more at one time then at an other. For the first of which (viz) the keeping of the eye of the natural conscience clear, observe: First the Rules of the heathen that never did know Christ. Secondly the endowments of the Heathen. Thirdly the common notions of nature which were in the Heathen. For the first (viz) The rules of the Heathen that never did know Christ, as instance in: Lying besides the word of God which banisheth it Reuel. 22. 21. from Heaven, by the light of natural reason Aristotle saith, A lie is evil in itself, and cannot be dispensed withal; and the reason of it is this: we have a tongue given us to express the truth; now if our tongue tell more or less than our mind conceives, it is against nature. Ribald talking, of which many make a sport, and rather than they will lose a jest, they will venture to damn their souls. Epictetus saith, It's dangerous to digress into obscenity of speech. Cowardice in good causes, thinking it good sleeping in a whole skin, Aristotle Ethic. 3. cap 1. that in some cases a man had better lose his life then be cowardly. Drunkenness; the days be so drowned in impiety, that if a man be drunk every day, yet he will take it in a great disgrace if he be not counted an honest man; whereas Seneca saith it is but a raging madness, and if he should behave himself so but two or three days as he doth then, men would count him mad. Mourning immoderately for loss of wife or children, Passions of anger, moral Philosophers have many excellent rules, the which if a natural man would take notice of, he would never be so passionate: for they say it ariseth first, From a great weakness of spirit. For were he manly, he would pass by those things with scorn: whereas he shows himself to be of an effeminate spirit and impotent affections. From self-love. From an over delicacy and too much niceness in suffering wrong. From a passing proud nature, being afraid to be contemned. From too much credulity, so that if one or two do whisper he thinks they speak something hurtful of him, and is ready to break out into rage: for which passions they give these rules. That thou contain thy body and tongue in quiet. That thou say over the greek Alphabet before thou say any thing in rage. That thou look thyself in a glass, and thou shalt see what an ugly creature thou art in that rage; for saith Homer, his eyes sparkle like fire, his hart swells, his pulse beats. etc. so that if in this mood he should see himself in a glass, he would never again be angry. Secondly, observing the endowments of the Heathen. For instance, Regulus the Roman, being taken prisoner of his enemies the Carthaginians, & upon promise of return if he sped not, obtaining to go home to Rome to treat with the Senate for a commutation of Captives, Carthaginians for Romans, of whom himself was one: Coming to the Senate, he gave weighty reasons to dissuade them from communication; so as choosing rather to abide the certain cruelty of his Enemies, then to break his faith and promise; he returned, where he was most cruelly used of them; by whose example Christians might be ashamed that make no matter of breaking their promises. Fabricius attained to that height of excellency, that it was said, A man may as soon pull the Sun from its Sphere, as that man from his honest and just dealing. Cato was so excellent, that it is said, he did not good for fear, shame, profit, etc. but because goodness was so incorporated into him, that he would not do otherwise. Cambyses stood so strictly against bribery, that a judge being taken in that crime, he flayed him, and set his skin in the seat of justice, and let his son lean thereon that he might hate that vice. Zaleucus King of the Locrians, made a law for adultery, that whosoever was taken in that fact should have his eyes pulled out; now his own son being taken in that fault first, because he would not violate his own decree, pulled out one of his son's eyes, and one of his own. Thirdly, observing the common notions of nature which were in the Heathen. All good is to be done. All evil is to be avoided. Kind is to be propagated. Do as we would be done by. God is to be honoured, from whence ariseth this objection, namely: Quest. Is not this notion extinguished in them that deny God? Not utterly, Ans. but it generally dwells in them; so far only they have use of it, as to leave them without excuse Rom. 1. 19 20. A man's life is to be preserved: Now self preservation is so engrafted into the blood and veins; that therefore the self-murderer sins: Against God the Father. Against God the Son. Against God the holy Ghost. Against the light of nature. For the first, (viz.) thou sinnest against God the Father, who commandeth, Thou shalt not kill, and so thou sinnest: Against the image of God, in that thou destroyest it. Against his Sovereignty; for, He hath appointed thee to work in his vineyard, and thou wilt rather dye, etc. as if he were a hard Master, that thou darest stay no longer in his service. Thou dishonourest him, and gratifiest his enemy. He hath planted thee as a tenant at will in this earthly tabernacle, and thou beatest it about thy ears. Thou sinnest against God the Son; for, Thou art none of thine own, thou art bought with a price: this will help thee against the devil's temptations, for when he comes to tempt thee to that sin, say, thou art an others and not thine own. Thou maimest Christ's body in taking away a member of it. Thou sinnest against God the holy Ghost; for, Thou pollutest thy soul with blood; and, It is the office of the Spirit to dwell with us: and It is the office of the Spirit to invite us to taste of the good blessings of God, as Esay 51. Oh! but my soul is black with sin, etc. This is the action of the Spirit to reveal this unto thee. Thou sinnest against the light of nature most cowardly, and against fortitude; thou sinnest against the Kingdom; against thy neighbour, thy family, and thyself; and puttest thyself among the sorrows of the devils, which is a Bedlam madness. Be acquainted with all the ways thou canst possibly, 2 Help. how to anatomize thy sins; for which purpose take these methods and helps. Be perfect in the Law of God, & look thyself in the pure Crystal glass thereof: Be throughly catechised in the Commandments,, as in the fourth Commandment; wherein consider, Preparation. Celebration. Preparation, which consists, In praying: Publicly with thy Family; Privately with thyself. In examination. In renewing thy repentance. In covenanting with thy thoughts to spend that whole day in holy things. Celebration. It may be for scandalous sins in thy life thou hast been sorrowful, but thou hast passed it with many wanderings; for which thou hast not been humbled: All these are to be brought to thy mind with much bleeding. An utter Cessation or abstinence, from thoughts, words, and deeds; of calling, recreation; more than for necessity, mercy, comeliness. Take survey of all the wrong which we have offered to all things in Heaven and Earth; all things are the worse for a wicked man, so far as his sin can add hurt unto them. Take a perusal of thyself from top to toe. The sins of thy eyes: each thing thou lookest on, not making a holy use of them, is a sin of omission: consider then how many there are every day, and, if in one part so many, what are there in the whole body? Consider all the commissions, and omissions as thou standest in several relations. As a Creature, how thou hast carried thyself to thy Creator. As an husband, to thy wife. As a Father, to thy Children. As a Master, to thy Family. As a Neighbour, to them without, or to God's children. As a Subject, etc. Take notice of all thy failings in all these, and thou shalt find sufficient matter for a day of humiliation. Labour to get (as I am persuaded every Christian hath) two Catalogues of thy sins, before conversion, and since. Of God's mercies, spiritual and temporal. Take notice of the guilt of original sin. Now because a Christian may have his heart locked up more at one time than at another, let them in case of barrenness, consider these six quickening points. Look to the seed and sink, 1 Quic: point. and natural inclination of thy heart to all manner of wickedness: for suppose by the mercy of God thou wert able to say, and that truly, that thou couldst not possibly find any actual sin within thee: yet look back to the corrupt fountain, & there thou shalt find that thou and the most holy christian on earth, whilst thou livest in this house of flesh and tabernacle of clay, thou hast it in thy nature to sin against the holy Ghost, to kill jesus Christ to commit sodomy; & what hindereth but God's free mercy? This then throughly considered▪ is sufficient matter to humble thee, to consider with thyself, what a wretch am I yet, that have this seed still in my bowels. Consider & throughly weigh the circumstances 2 Quic▪ point. of all thy sins, of thy unregeneration, at what time, in what place, with what scandal, etc. As Austin saith of himself, he did wonderfully weep in reading the fourth book of Virgil when Dido was killed what a damned soul had I (quoth he) that could weep for her misery, and not for my own? so when he listened to music and to the tune in singing of a Psalm in the Church, rather than kept his heart to go along with the matter: and for being much addicted to stage plays, & many more, but especially for robbing an orchard, which he aggravates by many circumstances; that great renowned Father left this example to all posterity; where as if a young man now adays should but cry out of robbing an orchard, he would be thought simple and too precise. Look the second book of his Confessions, where see his sin aggravated, Chap. 4. by these ten circumstances. Saith he, this theft which I committed was not only in the book of God forbidden, but I had it in my heart daily. Volui, feci I resolved with free will to do it, and I did it. Fastidio aequitatis, I did not do it for want, but in disdain of goodness, and out of an eager desire to do wrong. I had abundance of the same kind and better at home. I did steal them, not so much to enjoy the thing, as mine own theft, that it might be said of my old companions, that I robbed an Orchard. There was a numb of desperate swaggerers and incarnate Devils with me. Nocte intempestiva, at midnight: which he aggravateth with another Circumstance when we had been sporting and dancing we did it. We carried all away. We carried so many away, that they were a burden to us. When we came home we gave them to the swine: and then at the conclusion, he cries, Oh my God, behold my heart, Ecce cor meum Deus. If we would look back on such a Sabbath breaking, how in such a place, at such a time, so inflamed with lust; If drunkards, whoremongers, usurers, etc. would take this course, they might find such aggravations, that by the mercy of God, might terrify them from their evil courses. In case of barrenness consider, 3 Quic: point. we had our hands in the sin of Adam, & so brought all the sorrow, sin, and damnation upon all that shall be damned, and we are guilty of all the horrors of conscience; If we had not hearts of adamant, or hewed out of a rock, or had sucked the breast of Wolves or Tigers, we would be moved at this, which is able to break a thousand adamants. I speak advisedly, it is able to open a wide gap of penitent tears in the most flinty soul of the most bloody sinner. Cut off all sin both original and actual that thou hast taken notice of, 4 Quic: point. and do but consider the imperfections that follow the best actions, the innumerable distractions of thy most holy prayer that ever thou madest; the sins of the last Sabbath, thy deadness, fruitlessness, etc. Remove all personal sins, 5 Quic. point. yet consider how many ways we have our hands in others sins, which (it may be) they have carried to hell with them. We have a world of matter from hence to break our hearts: for we may be guilty of others sins 13 ways; There is none but are guilty of some of these ways. For the first, by encouraging them, as those Prophets which cried Peace, peace, when there is no peace, when they are but formal or civil professors, those that sow pillows under men's elbows, that heal the wounds of the people with fair words, when there is nothing towards, Esa 9 5. but tumbling of garments in blood, Eze. 13. 10. and vengeance, jer. 14. 14. and devouring with fire. Ask all those Ministers that reveal not the whole counsel of God, who sent them to encourage; it shall all fall to nothing; but you of this place are inexcusable, for wherein have I hid any thing from you? no, I dare not be guilty of any man's blood that way, for the damnation of his soul. By provoking; job 2. 9 as Iob's wife said to him, Curse God and dye: so, Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath, Ephe. 6. 4 for they then are guilty of their sins. By familiarity with sinners, with company keeping. If thou vouchsafest thy company to Alehouse haunters, to profane persons, to Idolaters, to God's enemies; look for that sharp check which the Prophet gave to jehosaphat for associating himself with wicked Ahab, 2 Chron. 20. 37. saying, Shouldest thou countenance the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Or as Psal. 50. 18. When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partakers with adulteres. Therefore as Moses said to the people, Separate yourselves from the Tents of Corah, lest ye perish with them. And, Come out of Babylon, my people, have no communion with that Whore, lest ye perish in her sins, and be destroyed with her plagues, Reu. 18. David saith, I have not dwelled with vain persons, nor will I have fellowship with the ungodly Odi Ecclesiam malignantium. And who would vouchsafe to let their love run on such in this life, that must be separated in the world to come? But for works of thy particular calling, as buying, selling, salutations, etc. we must have these, or we must out of this world, as 1 Cor. 5. 10. 11. By participation, Esay 1. 23 Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: so Magistrates which execute not their office, are guilty of all the sins which the people commit within the compass of the time of their government, and they are all set on their score, without repentance. By silence, when thou hearest a good man traduced, and sayest nothing; especially dumb dogs; every Sabbath is a bloody day to them, for their silence is cause of all the iniquity done that day, & all these things which they do amiss, whether by swearing, Alehouse haunting, etc. all are set on his score: so all those that are faint and cowardly for God's glory and truth. By defending, Esay 5. 20. Woe to them that call darkness light, and light darkness; Therefore if any by quickness of wit will labour to maintain usury, bribery, etc. they are guilty of those sins. By counselling, as jesabel counselled her husband to kill Naboth. Or as those say, Come, Wis. 2, 9 let us crown ourselves with rose buds before they be withered, let us all be partakers of our wantonness, etc. By commanding, 2, Sam. 11. 15. as David commanded Vriah to be set in the fore front of the battle, and therefore guilty of his death. By commending, Act. 12, 22. as those that commended Herod for his oration, saying, It is the voice of a God; they were guilty of his sin in taking honour from God. By connivency, as Ely winked at his sons; for which you may see what a fearful judgement fell upon that house for forbearing them. If we had no other sins in a day of humiliation, it were able to break the hardest heart; but especially for masters of Families, who wink at their parents and servants swearing, sabbath breaking, etc. If these be not guilty of the former sins, yet they are guilty in not praying with them and bringing them to extraordinary exercises. By consenting; Acts 22. 20. as Paul bewailed that he carried the clothes of them that slew Stephen when he was stoned. By not sorrowing for them: Psal. 119. 136. David Psal. 25. 13. shows what Christians ought to do. Mar. 3. 5 By not praying against them, for the suppressing of them. Consider the sins of the times: 6 Quic. point. David's eyes gushed out with tears to see men transgress the Law. So Lot's heart was vexed daily with the sins of the people amongst whom he lived, 2. Pet. 2, 8. And blessed are they that mourn, so Math. 5. 4. observe these several branches well, and thou shalt find sins enough to mourn for. Now for the 2. Act. 2 Act. viz. A right apprehension of God's wrath and fiery indignation, and the pure eye of God against sin. Now the Christian oftentimes complains, that he cannot apprehend God's wrath sufficiently. Let him take these helps. The severity of God's judgement against sin; 1 Help. for which He threw down the Angels from Heaven to be Devils for ever (which might have done him abundance of glory) and that, as some think but for a thought. For but eating an apple, which some count a small fault, he cast Adam out of Paradise, and sent a world of misery upon him & his posterity. He drowned the world; which shows the infinite purity in God not to abide sin. Gen. 7. He burned Sodom for those very sins now reigning amongst us. Eze. 16, 49. He rejected the jews which were his most dear people: for they so provoked God, that they are now no nation, and his wrath hath so fiercely seized on them, that they are most cursed vagabonds, and so have been a thousand six hundred years. Consider, he hath created horror of conscience which is a hell upon earth for the punishment of sin; but above all, the torments of hell, that woeful place and state prepared for the wicked, where the greater part of the world shall be howling for ever. Consider how hard a thing it is to get pardon for sin, 2 Help. in that the justice of God, was hard to be satisfied. Imagine all the world were turned into a mass or lump of gold, the stones of the streets into precious pearls, and the Sea and Rivers all flowed with liquid streams of most pure gold: Mic. 6, 7. they would not satisfy the wrath of God for the least sin: if all the Angels and creatures in heaven and earth had joiney together & made one fervent prayer for man's sin, nay if that they had offered themselves to be annihilated, it could never have been effected; nay if the Son of God himself should have supplicated his Father with most earnest entreaties, could he have been heard, unless he had taken our flesh upon him and suffered what devils and men could imagine to inflict upon him? Which well considered, there is infinite cause to bring us to a sense of God's wrath, that he should lay, and suffer such infinite torments to be on him, that he cries out unto God, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Though he loved him infinitely as himself, yet he would have his justice satisfied. The unresistable coming of God against sinners, 3 Help. though he is wonderful ready and easy to be entreated whilst he vouchsafeth a day of visitation; But if men will withstand the day, than he comes in devouring rage; and his wrath being once kindled shall burn to the bottom of hell; then his Arrows shall drink blood and eat flesh, Hosea 13. 8. then will he meet them as a Bear robbed of her whelps, and tear in pieces when there is none to help, Psal. 7. 2. And Esay 66. 15. is set down the manner of his coming, with fire and Chariots like a whirlwind. God's holiness, which opposeth sin, 4 Help. and is contrary to it, that he looks not on the least sin with the least allowance. Get a sense of the unspeakable misery thou art liable unto by reason of sin; 3 Act. for which purpose consider all thy sins with their circumstances, as of times, past, present, and to come. Look back upon all thy sins past that ever thou committedst, all thou hast been guilty of ever since thou wast borne, original, or actual, known, or unknown, of thought, word and deed; They are written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, not to be razed out: they are all upon Record, and now lie as so many sleeping Lions, gathering strength and vigour against such time as the Lord shall awake the conscience; and then they will appear and rend thy soul in pieces. I say, let natural men consider of this point, and they shall see themselves miserable; for there are some for small sin put to such frights, as they could not be comforted in a long space; as some who having an adulterous project, without any actual pollution; and others who having found a trifle, and made no conscience to restore it by light of natural conscience, knowing they did not as they would be done by, was put into unspeakable horror; and some who having an unworthy thought of God, these were put into such amazement, that they wished they had never been. If these for such small things (in men's account) have come to such a pass, that they took no delight in any earthly thing, but are put to their wit's end, ready to make away themselves, wishing themselves annihilated; then what tearing of hair, what horror of conscience will seize upon thee on thy bed of death; with what a ghastly countenance wilt thou look upon that black and hellish Catalogue of all thy sins? as lies, oaths, railings, scoffings at God's people, rotten speeches, bedlam passions, goods ill gotten, time ill spent, profanation of Sabbaths, and killing Christ at every. Sacrament, as all natural men do: These shall be summoned before thee; and charged upon thy conscience by the just God; then consider in proportion what horror will be in thine heart; no heart can conceive it, nor tongue of men and Angels utter it. Now then attend, and let none bless themselves and say, I never felt this misery, therefore it shall never hurt me; I tell thee; it is the perfection of thy misery, that thou art insensible of it: to be soul-sick and feel it not, is the compliment of misery; and the reasons why thou canst not see it, are these seven. The devil, 1. Reas. while thou art his, will not trouble thee; he is a Politician of almost six thousand years' experience, & knows if once thou see thy sins, he shall lose thee; therefore he blinds thee. Thy conscience is lulled asleep with carnal pleasure, 2. Reas. and worldly contentments. A bucket of water is heavy on earth, 3. Reas. but in its own place it is not so. When men are merely natural, sin is in its own place, and the weight is not felt. The conscience of a natural man is like a 4. Reas. wolf in a man's body, while it's fed with carnal friends, good fellowship, some great business of the world, etc. it's quiet; but take this away, and then it's felt. A natural man is spiritually dead, 5. Reas. Eph. 2. 1. and a dead man feels no weight you know. He looks on sin through false glasses, 6. Reas. as upon covetousness and usury, through the glasses of good husbandry; so prodigality through the glass of liberality. For want of consideration; 7. Reas. If we would by ourselves consider when the Minister presseth Sabbath breaking, or any other sin, and say, this is my case, but now by the mercy of God I will be humbled; this would much help us to see our misery. Thou hast had thy hand in murdering many a soul; all thy drunken companions, thy brethren in iniquity, many peradventure with whom thou hast conversed are dead, and in hell long ago; thou art guilty of the damnation of their souls. Cain was a cursed man, and had a brand upon him for killing but a man; then how will the murdering of so many souls affright thee, if thou hast been a means to set them to hell? as 1. For thy wife; thou shouldst have lived with her as a man of knowledge. For thy Children; thou shouldst have catechised them, and brought them up in religion. For thy servants; it may be thy example hath made them swear, lie, etc. How will this soul curse thee in the pit of hell, and curse that time, that ever they first saw thee? but no carnal man will believe this till they feel it. Thou hast been the slave of Satan, worse than a Turkish Galleyslave all thy life; for when thou mightest have been God's Freeman, & wouldst not, the devil hath bid thee lie, swear, break God's sabbaths, etc. and thou hast obeyed him, and been the devil's drudge. The Turkish fetters are but cold iron at the worst, but thine be invisible chains of eternal damnation: He scourgeth thy naked soul with invisible scorpions, feeds thee every day with fire & brimstone; When thou art out of the Turkish slavery, thou mayest be a man again: but here Satan scourgeth thee and thou seest it not; he feedeth thee with poison, and thou tastest it not: And shortly he will lock thee up in perpetual torments, where thou shalt never be freed from devils. First, For present time. now thou art in health, thou thinkest all is well; but know to the contrary, whilst thou art but natural, and unconuerted: Thou dishonourest God in a high degree, thou provokest the glory of his pure eye every day by every sin thou committest. Thou tramplest under foot the blood of Christ in every Sacrament, if thou be'st not a convert. The Spirit puts good motions into thy heart; as at this time it may be, thou resolvest by the mercy of God to leave all thy former ways, and be God's servant: but presently thou triflest it away by worldly talk, and thy old companions. The Angels offer to guard thee, but thou refusest their attendance, and deniest to be under their protection, while thou wanderest out of thy ways. To God's children thou art as a goad in their sides. Thou drawest wife and children, neighbours and all thou canst to hell, by thy ill example, &c: The creatures thou art merciless unto, for thy sin adds to their misery which they groan under; and thou yet addest to their burden by thy sin. Thou art liable to all the ill that a man unconuerted may endure, or to any sin that a man destitute of divine grace may commit: as, To spiritual hardness of heart, blindness of mind, slavery under thy lusts, searedness of conscience, or committing the sin against the Holy Ghost. To temporal; any thing that may befall any man, as to be possessed of the devil, etc. I wish every natural man seriously to consider this; for thou dying in thy natural estate, art certainly damned, and for any thing thou knowest thou mayest dye the next moment, and then all things are thine enemies; death, which is certain: but how, when, or where, thou knowest not. Calvin saith, A man may dye a thousand ways in one hour. Some Physicians say, there are three hundred diseases in the body, all mortal: Besides, new sins have begotten new diseases, and thou mayest dye suddenly by an imposthume: thy house may be fired & thou consumed by it; thy horse may stumble, and so destroy thee; a tile may fall as thou art walking, and so kill thee; an Adder under the grass or herbs may sting thee. Canst thou promise thyself to see the Sun again when it's once set, though now thou be in perfect strength? But however, nature will end at length, Satan then is ready to come with his utmost malice, when thou art faint and loath to depart; then he will lay open all thy sins, and then the very next step is, The judgement seat of God's tribunal, where God will declare what mercy he offered thee, and the Devil will plead to have thee. Then comes the eternal separation from God and possession of those torments which are easeless, endless and remediless. Oh the tearing of the heart, and the gnashing of the teeth, that this will produce, especially when you consider God every Sabbath stretched out his arms to embrace you, and you would not; Christ offered to make a plaster of his heart's blood to cure you, but you trampled it under your feet: The holy Ghost put good motions into your heart, but you rejected them; the Minister he pressed hard to have you yield, but you withstood him. Oh the hellish cries that these will fetch from such an heart. Wherefore let this betimes beget in thee a base esteem of thyself; 4 Act. consider, Thou art worse than a Toad; nay a Toad is a fair amiable creature in comparison of thee. For a Toad following the instinct of nature, serves the Creator in its kind, it sucks up the venom of the earth, which otherwise would poison us: but thou art a degenerate creature and Traitor, who drinkest poison out of God's mercy, to sin more against him. Thou art a sworn friend to his most deadly enemy, and breakest all his commandments. Secondly, the venom of a Toad kills but the body: the poison of thy sin kills both body and soul. When a Toad dies its misery is ended, but then thy woe begins; then thou wilt wish thou hadst been any thing, but a man. If thou hadst looked upon that man in Mat. 8. possessed with a Devil, who dwelled among the Tombs, went naked, chains would not hold him, the devil was so powerful in him: thou wouldst have thought him a dreadful spectacle of most extreme misery; to have a legion of devils by computation 6666. but I tell thee thou hadst better have a thousand Legions, than one unrepented sin; for The devil he can have power but over the body, and foe he may over a Saint, and had over Christ to carry him to the top of a Pinnacle: but never sin, like thine of obstinate & final impenitency, was found in a sanctified man. Sin made the devil so ugly as he is, being else of an Angelical nature; only sin makes him odious; therefore it is worse than a thousand devils, yea worse, than either the tongue of men and Angels can express. All the devils in hell in thy body, cannot do thee one pinnesworth of hurt for the salvation of thy soul: but one sin wilfully unrepented, and so unpardoned, will damn it; so that it were better to be possessed with a thousand devils, than one sin unrepented of, and unpardoned. Get an inward wounding of thine heart and bleeding of soul; 5 Act. Where take these helps. First, thy heart that hath been the fountain, or rather sink from whence have issued many foul streams, where all ill hath been forged, all evil words, raging passions, and wicked thoughts; Now then by the rule of proportion, let thy heart be a fountain of sorrow for sin; If Christ open a fountain of mercy for mourners, let not us be excluded for want of sorrow. Consider the heart of Christ, he had no heart of flesh, but for sin, which for thy sake was killed with that singular depth of sorrow and grief, that if all the godly sorrow of all the Christian souls from the beginning of the world to the end thereof, in heaven or in earth, dead or alive, were collected into one heart, they could not countervail the depth of his anguish. Shall then his blessed soul fall▪ asunder in his blessed breast, assaulted with all the wrath of God, and the second death? Shall his soul be like a scorched heath, and so pressed with the flames of God's revenging wrath, which wrung from him those bloody droops and rueful cries, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The wrath of God so fierce on him, that (I say) drops of blood fell from him: and shall thy heart be as stone within thy breast, and never be moved? Oh prodigious hardness, and worse than the heathenish ingratitude. If thy heart be not wounded in some measure truly, it shall hereafter be filled with such endless horror, that would grieve and break 10000 hearts to think on it. Is it not better then to mourn a little here for sin than to have our hearts enlarged to endure unto all eternity the horror of hell? Is any man so senseless to think he shall go to heaven as in a bed of down; and never be touched for his sin, which is as impossible as for thee, to reach heaven with thy hand. When Hezekiah a man perfect in all his ways, Esa. 38. 14. complained & chattered like a Crane: David roared all the day long: Psal 32. 3. job complained, The arrows of the Almighty are within me, job 6. 4. the venom whereof doth drink up my spirit. Nay Christ himself cried out in the Agony of the Spirit. If thou get this broken heart into thy breast, thou shalt bring down the glorious majesty of heaven, God Almighty with his chair of State to sit in thy soul; for he hath two habitations: Esay 57 15. 1. In heaven. 2. In an humble heart. Get this, and get all. Thou gettest true title and interest unto the passion of Christ, and all the comforts in the book of God, the promises both of this life, and of that to come. Get an outward bewailing with heart-piercing confession: 6 Act. where Consider, first the practice of the Saints of God. They poured out tears as men water out of Buckets. 1 1. Sam. 7. Marry washed Christ's feet with her tears. The Publican struck on his breast with a sorrowful acknowledgement of his sins. Consider secondly, thy hands and eyes and tongue and heart have been instruments of God's dishonour, therefore by rule of proportion, thou shouldst have the works of thy hands instrumental demonstrations of repentance; thy eyes fountains of tears; thy tongue should utter, and the heart suffer grief. Consider, that for outward things men will weep tears, as for dejection from high places, losses, crosses, in wife, or children, as David for Absalon: so it is with many; what wring their hands, tearing their hair, bitter crying, etc. Then the loss of Christ, who is infinitely better than husband, wife, child, or any thing in the world; this, this, how should it break thy heart! If all jobs troubles were on thee, and could wring one tear from thee; then one sin should wring blood from thy heart. Get a hatred and aversion in thy will from sin, 7 Act. considering What sin is in it self. How God is provoked with it. Sin in itself is fouler than any fiend in hell, because it made that so, as fire is hotter than water that is heat▪ It's extremely ill, nothing comes near it. I consider of sin here in the abstract, so it's a greater ill, than the damnation of a man's soul; for when two ills fight together, that which conquers must needs be the greater; now when a man hath lain in hell ten thousand years, he is as far from coming out as ever; for the eternal duration in hell cannot expiate sin. It's most infectious, It's compared to a Leprosy; for The first sin that peeped into the world stained the beauty of it; no sooner sin was committed by Adam, but the Stars seemed impure in God's sight, the beasts were at variance, the earth full of brambles, and all things cursed. Secondly, it soured all natural, religions, and civil actions. Thirdly, if a man in authority be sinful, all under him will be infected. Sin is most filthy, compared to the most vile things that can be named; to menstruous rags, the vomit of dogs, etc. Nay not any dirt, or filthy thing can stain a Sunbeam But sin stains a more glorious creature, which is the soul of man. Sin is of that hellish nature, that it takes in to itself the wrath of God. Sin is full of cursed consequences. Privative: Positive. Privative, loss of God's favour; the blood of Christ; the guard of Angels; peace of conscience, etc. Positive, it brings all misery spiritual; hardness of heart, blindness of mind, horror of conscience, despair, etc. with all temporal losses and crosses here, and hereafter eternal torments of soul and body. God is provoked with it. Each sin is the only object of God's infinite hatred. His love is diversified to himself, his Son, the Angels, the creatures: but his hatred is confined only to sin. What infinite of infinites of hatred hast thou on thy soul, with all thy sins, when each sin hath the infinite hatred of God upon it? Each sin is against the Majesty of that dreadful Lord of Heaven and earth, who can turn all things into hell, nay heaven and hell into nothing by his word. Now against this God thou sinnest, and what art thou, but dust and ashes, a bag of filth and phlegm, and all that's naught. And what is thy life, but a span, a bubble, a dream, a shadow of a dream? And shall such a thing offend such a God? Every sin strikes at the glory of God's pure eye? Sin is that which killed his Son; the least sin could not be pardoned but by Christ's carrying his heart's blood to his Father, and offering it for sin. Each sin is an offence to all his mercies. This aggravated the sin upon Eli, 1 Sam: 2. 29: David 2 Sam 12. 8. 9 etc. Mercy is the most eminent attribute of God, and therefore the sin against it is the greater. What therefore are our sins in the time of the Gospel? Consider how thou art hurt by it: for Each sin kills thy soul which is better than the world. 1 Mat. 16. 29. Each sin, bring it never so much pleasure in the committing, leaves a threefold sting: Natural. Temporal. Immortal. Natural, after worldly pleasure comes melancholy: properly either because it lasted no longer, or they had no more delight in it, etc. That as all water's end in the salt sea: so all worldly joys are swallowed up in sorrows bottomless gulf. Temporal: there's labour in getting, care in keeping, & sorrow in parting with worldly goods. Immortal: God will call thee to judgement for it. Each sin robs thee of abundance of comfort. What a vast difference do we see in conquering sin, and being conquered by sin? as for instance in joseph and David: the one raised after his conquest to much honour; the other, scarce enjoyed one good day after he was conquered; but as Ezekias, walked heavily in the bitterness of his soul all his days. As some Divines have said of Guliacius & Spira, the one is honoured in Calvin's Epistles for ever▪ the other after his backsliding lived a while in exquisite horror, and after died in despair. Thy own conscience will accuse thee one day for every sin, though now it seems hid to thee; and thy conscience is more than a thousand witnesses; therefore thou wilt certainly be overthrown. For the sins which peradventure thou livest now in, & accountest but petty and venial, many poor souls are at this instant burning in hell for; What misery and hurt than attends on thee for the same? Get a strong reasoning in thy mind against sin: 8 Act. as first, these three grand reasons. The horror of hell; 1 Reas. Therefore Christians wrong themselves, that will not use this as a motive; the unquenchable wrath of God shall feed upon thy soul if thou committest this sin. The joys of heaven; 2 Reas I shall dwell with God for ever, if believing, I make conscience of every sin, as an evidence and fruit of saving faith. And above all, the glory of God: if God's glory and the damnation of our souls were in a balance, his glory should preponderate and prevail, while we prefer God's glory above our own salvation; although we cannot seek it, but in and by our salvation, as the means is subordinate to the end. From every line in God's book: His attributes, as 1 His justice, 2 His mercy. His justice to terrify sinners. H●s Mercy to allure us to him. His judgements. His Promises. Thirdly from logical places: See Rogers on meditations, As 1 The definition. 2 The division. 2 The causes. 3 The effects. 5 The subject. 6 The adjunct. 7 The comparison 8 The contrary. Fourthly, from places of Scripture. From examples in Scripture: How shall I do this, and so sin against God? saith joseph. From your former estate, Ye were darkness, but now ye are light, etc. From the end of all things, Seeing all things must be dissolved, what manner of men ought we to be? Fiftly, from thyself. Thy soul is immortal, all the devils in hell cannot kill it. Thy body is frail, all helps cannot long uphold it. Sixtly, from Christ. Look upon him weeping, nay bleeding on the cross, and saying this, Sin brought me from the bosom of my Father to dye for it. Seventhly, from the incomprehensible excellency of God, against whom thou sinnest. Get a sincere opposition 9 Act. in thy life of sin. Helps thereto. When any bait of Satan, 1 Help. or old companions would allure thee to sin, take this dilemma: Either I must repent, and then it will bring more sorrow than the pleasure did good; or not repent, and then it's the damnation of my soul. Consider thy madness, 2 Help. which layest most desperately in one scale of the balance heaven, the favour of God, the blood of Christ, and thine own soul: in the other, a little dung, pelf, base lust etc. And lettest this oversway, which bringeth rottenness to thy bones, perhaps loss of thy good name etc. And that thou mayst yet be further armed to with stand the assaults 3 Help. of thy three grand enemies, the world, the flesh, and the Devil, which daily seek the destruction of thy soul: consider these twelve Antidotes: Consider the shortness of the pleasure of sin, length of the punishment, the one for a moment, the other everlasting. Consider the companions of sin: for one sin never goes alone, but being once entertained, it sets all the faculties of the soul also in a combustion; and so procures a spiritual judgement, if not temporal, upon estate and person. Consider, thy life is but a span, a breath, a blast soon gone: now if we had all the pleasure in the world, yet being so soon to lose it, it's not worth esteeming. Consider, sin causeth us to lose a greater good than that can be, as the favour of God, interest in Christ, a guard of Angels, right to the creatures etc. Consider the uncertainty of repentance; thou mayst never have motion to repent after thou hast sinned, and so art damned. Consider the nearness of death to thee; some have lived out above half their time, others almost all of it; young and old die suddenly many times. Consider, one moment in hell will be worse than all the pleasure in the world did good, though it should have lasted a thousand years twice told. So on the contrary, one moment in heaven doth more good than all the hardness and pains in good duties, or persecution for them did hurt. Consider the dignity of thy soul; it's more worth than a world. Lose it not then for any sin. Consider the preciousness of a good conscience which is a continual feast. This thou losest by sin. Consider thou sinnest against a world of mercies, which God hath sent to thee, as to soul, body, good name, Estate, and others, that belong to thee. Consider nothing can wash away any sin but the blood of Christ. And wilt thou now pollute thyself again, as it were to have him killed afresh to wash away thy sin? Consider, the ancient Martyrs and Worthies chose rather to burn at a stake, than they would sin; and thou so easily be drawn to it or rather run to it? Anselm said, if the flames of hell were on the one side, and sin on the other side, I would rather lie in those flames than sin. And others would rather be torn in pieces with wild horses. We have as precious means as they, and if our hearts were as good we should have the like affections. Get a sincere grieving that thou canst do these things no better; 10 Act. as considering, Though thou hadst a thousand eyes, and could weep them all out, and shed rivers of tears; and a thousand hearts to burst; yet all were not sufficient for the least sin or vanity, either of the eyes or heart: How much more when our hearts are barren & dry, had we need to labour for this sorrow? Considering when thou hast made the best prayer, or watched most diligently over thyself, for the right and due sanctification of the Sabbath, or spent thyself in a day of humiliation; thou hadst need to cry and burst thy heart again for the imperfections and failings thereof. In this sorrow, that thou canst perform good duties no better. And thus to weave up the web, what's lacking in any of the rest, here make it up; and to encourage thee, thou hast this happiness joined with it, that though thy grief be small, if it be true, to cause thee to sell all: how much more in the first place, to part from every sin for Christ, and to take him as a husband, and a Lord, both for protection, & government? Then by the consent of all Divines it is godly sorrow, and certainly accepted in Christ. FINIS.