J)irefJions. A111111Willing religioufilefs infitfficient. · Self-denyalnecejfary. be bif Difcip/e. \Ve mull [ufftr with him ifwe will ~eign with him, Rom. 8. 17, 18. Mat. I_3· ~o, 21,~2: He that rcClived the feed m jlony placeI, the fame u he tbat bearetb tbt wqrd, and anon wzth JOY rccew~ ctiJ it )'et bath he not root in himfilf, but dureth for a while; f gr when tribr~lation t~r perfecution ari[eth bccau]e of tbc word, by and by he Uoffmded. He alfo that receiver/.foed am011g thetborw, i1be that bear~ etb tbeword, and the care of this rvorld, and tht deceitfHlnefl of ricbu cboJtc the wurd, and he becdmeth unfrttitfid. If thou have not taken Heavm fort by part, and art not refolved to ltt go all that would keep thee from it, I mull fay to thy Confcience., as Cbrill to one of thy Pred-eccffors, Luke 18. 22· Yet. J.zck,pft thou one thing, and fuch a One, as thou wilt find of flat ntceffity to thy falvation. And it's lik.elyfome trying timetven in this life,will deteCt: thine Hypocrifie, ana make thee, Goaway {orrow[ul, for rhy richu fake_: as ~ever. 23· I.f g~dlinrfs witk contentme.nt feem not fufficient gain to thee, thou wilt make rhy Gam go mfiead of Godltuefi, that IS, thy Gatn 01all be next thy heart, and have the precedency which Godlinifi fhould have, and thy gain !hall choo[c thee rhy Religion, and over-rule ·thyConfcience, and [way thy life. · 0 Sirs, take warning by the Apofiatcs, and. temporizing hypocrites, that have lookt behind them, and with Demar,forthe world forfaken their duw, and are !er up by Jufiice as Pillars ofS,It, for your warning and remembrance. And as ever you wOuld make Iiuc work in turning to God, and dCape the too late repentance of the hypocrite, fee that yoU go to the root, and refign. theworld to the will of God, and reckon what it may cofi you to be-followers ofChriH, and look not afrer any portion, but the favour of God~nd life eternal, andfee th:1t there be no fecret referve in your heans for your worldly interefi or profperity, and think not of halfing it between God and the world, nor making your Religion complyant with the defires and interefi of the flefh. Take God as enough for you, yea, a~ AU, or elfe you take him not as your God. Direction 18. IF yott would pi-ovc true Convertt, come over to God ai your Fatber and felicity, wi.tb Direft. 1 8-~ . dcjire and delight, and clo[e with C/;rljl, as )lOUr only Savi11Hr with thankfulnrfs and jo)', and Jet upon the way ofGodlinefs with pleafure and alacrity, as )'OUr exceeding priviledge, and the on– ly way of profit, fJonour and conteJtt: and do it not aJ agaiu(C yo"r will!, at thofe that bad ratber do other– wife if they durjl, and account the firvice ofGod an un[uitable and unpleafant tbing. §. 1. You are never truly changed, till your Hearts be changed: And the Heart is not changed till P.dlihili~ ti-. the WiU or Lovebe changed. Fear is not the man: but ufually is mixt with unwillingnc[s and dif- morbe~ lt~t1j lik_.e, and. fo is contrary to that which is indeed the Man. Though f ear may do much fOr you, it will i;~~tt~~;bili~ not do enough : It is oft morcfenfible than ·Lo-ue even in the bell, as being morep_aflionateand violent; conftitutm, but yet there is no more A cceptablencfl in a1l, than ther.e is 1f7iU or Love. God fent not Souldiers, or f:d_cum .prx-~ Inquifitors or Perfecutors to convert the world by workmg upon their Fear, and driving them upon c1_p•~ qut cum that which they take to be a miftbj-cf to_ them_: But he fcnt poor_ Preachers tl~at had no matter of ;;~?1;~~o! worldly {tars or hopes to roove thc1r audttors wrth ) but had authonty from Chnfl to offer them eter- conllllit , nallife; and who were to convert the world by propofing to them the beit: and mofr defirablecondi- cujus p10pri– tion, and £hewing them where is the true felicity, and proving the certainty and excellency of it to urn _eft rcvc-. them, and working upon their Love, Vejire and Hope : God will not be your God againO: your wills rc~ua. Q!u while you dl:eern him as the Devil, that is only terrible and hurtful to you, and take his fervice fo; Ch~n~;;pr~ a flavery 1 and had rather be from him, and ferve the world and the fldh,if it were not for fear ofbeing dofrrinamcj,1s damned. He will be feared as Great, and Ifoly, and Juft: but he will alfo beLoved as Good, and Ht1- Deum timet, 1)1~ and Merciful, and every way fuited robe the felicity and Reft of fouls. If you take not God ro be ~~~i f~bj;ft~~ better t~an the Creature, (and better to. )Ou) and Heaven to ?e better for y ou than earth, and Hdinrji cfl:; cum ille than Sz~, yo~ are not converted: But tt you do, then £hew 1t by your wiUingncji, alacrity and delight. qui p_er vcrbe~ Serve lum wtth f!.ladnrfs and chearfulmji of heart, as one that hath found the way of life, and never n alu.q;_ tor– had eau[~ of gladnefs. until no~. I~ you fee your fe!van~ do all his wor~ with groans, and tears, and ~~:~~' tl~fi~)amentatlons, you wtll not thmk he xs well pleafed wtth hts Mafi:er and hlS work. Come to God n·i.l- bilem timo– liugly with your hearts, or you come not to him indeed at all. You mull either make him and rem h:~be~c his fervice your delight, or at leafi your Dejire; as apprehending him moll: fit to be )'Our de/igbt fo '·idctur. Di: far as you enjoy him. , dymu Akx. iiC P;t.l· DireCl:ion 19· REmember ftill that Convcrfion, it the tuming from your c;rnt~l ftlvu to God; and v· li 9 . . therefore tb~t _it engageth )'OU in a perpwtal oppofitioJt to your own co:rrupt Concciti Jrc , J ~ and Jfl"tUs, to mQrtijie and anmhtlate them, and captivate tbrm wboVy to the holy 1Vord and 1Yifl of God. 9· ': Think not th~t ~our Converfion difpatcheth all that is to be done in order to your falvation. No , It IS b~t the beg•nnml? of your work (that is, of your delight and happinefs): You are but e~gaged by 1t, to that whtch rnufl: be performc? throughout all your ' lives : It entcretb you into the r!gh_t way ~ not to fit down there, hut to go on t~ll you come to _the dc6red end. It emcreth you into Chnfis Army, .that afterwards you may there_ wm the Crown ollife :, And the great Enemy that you engage agamfi, JS y9ur [elves.. There WJ.Il fhl~ be.a Law m your members, rebelling againft the Law that the H~ly Gho~t hath put m~o your mmds: ~?ur Own Conctitr and your Omt JYills are-the great Rebels agaml\ Chnfi, and enemi<s of your fancblication. Therefore it lllUfi be your re!Oived doily E work
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=