Book II Chap 3.SeCl: 5": do n<1t al waycs attend or acc_omp1ny this hope, yet the Spirit of God cloth ufe it," it clothall other preparatory worKs, to d1fpofe r~e Soul for grace: Nay (faith my Author) I know not, bm that If the foul follow this moral h<>p•, with a con!lant ufe of all ~ea~s and ordinanc:s,1nd in them refolve.to call himfdfupo~ Chritl,to be faved by him m Ius own way : llay, I knnw not but thiS hope may be the •rnmediate ground ·f or the Vehicle or chariot of the very firil aCl: of jufiifying faith , wherefore let th': h~p produce waiting, and let this hope and wa.iting in the ufe of means prod~ce en~ d~avou~~· and .refulmwns to b~heve on Chnfl, ~nd then to look on Jnttice as thy fnend m Chnil, and to look. on Chnfl as havmg p~id the price for the pardon of thy fin, and to relyeon the obedience of Chnfl as all·fiiiliCient for thy falvation. Thus tor the deteature of thefirll aiT1ult. 2. To tlut alfault of ftlf murder, I almofl tremble to n>me it, yet if Satan injeCl: fuch thoughts , kt the poor foul confider, th1i fin above other fins is againll God and <;:hrift, and the Spirit, and thy nci5hbour,and t-hy own [elf. · ' x. A.gai>lfl God, in br:aking his pur.e and perfect Law, Thoufh.,ltlllt k.jU. If it b~. an horr1i>le crymg fin. to kill anothlf, 1f 1t lbm the face of a whole Kingdom with filCh a bloody brand, that 1t cannot be razed out, bu; by tlu bl•od of him that (hed it; furely it is much more execrable and villainuus to· kill a mans f,!f; for not only Gods Law but his Majefty, Crown, and Dignity is ftruck at by thisfin. ' 2· Againfl Jdus Chrill; for bath h<not bought thee with his dcarefl Heart-blood) why then thouldfl them murder another mons krvant) hath he not invited thee to ome in, and clofc with him, and told thee, that the unicn thould be neer, a; neer might be, be. twixt thySoul and hm1 : ";!'Y then fho~ldll thou otTer viOlence, maiming, defflrmity, to ' his Myflical Budy I If any .m be a cruofymg of Chnll, this mull needs be oHe: Hear– ken then to the voice of Chril\ fro"! heaven, Soul, Soul, n·lry perfCcmcjl tho" me? I a'm JcfHJ of Nazareth, whofe im.:zge tbou def.act}t, and n'hom thou ~illcjl 3 , AgainH the HGiy Spirt, whofe office it is to fanClitie us,to dwell in m, to reveal un– to us the r11crcicsof God, the Mmtsot Chnfl, the power of the Word, the fwectnefs of the Promifc; to beget in us afliuancc, •nd hope and , ffi,lllce, and pltienceand Chriftian fortitude: BJt thou that laycft violent hands on thy ll:lf contrary to all chcfe holy opera• tions, thou,ddileft thy ftlf with thy own blood, thou mmeft the houfe and habitation of the Spirit, and thrulls him out of his lodging ; thou trample(! upon the truth of all thofe glorious dilcoveries of the Spirit of Grace, and tilf his promifes of affilrance, hope, patience, fortitude, thou negleCldl, and rejeCl:eft them all. Oh what a fin iS this! 4 , Againft thy Neighbour; .~or hcrtby th~ Church is offended, the Land is defiled, thy fritnds, kmdred, Wife, d111dren, parents, are w•eved ~nd fha,med ; yea, thy very name, houfc, pofterny, are !tamed and branded ; or If all thrs be lmk •.n thy e)'e5, con– fider how the mouths of Gud.s enemies are herebyopened, and the profellion of Religion hereby vilified:Is it not ufual for worl<llirgs in this cafe to cenfure thy over-mucb ftndy– ing 'of the Scriptures,heariLJg of the Word,proyin~ ami m~di5ating,and other duties, as if they were the caufcs that fhould bnng thee unhapp1ly to thiS tearful end I and is it afmall matter to give occafion to wicked men to blafphcme Gods truth, or to expofe that Reli• !!;ion wpich 1hou profdfell t. their llanders and columniationsi Oh· far be it from thee ! Now the good Lord prevent this! Let it llOtbeto/dilt Gath, "or pub!ijhedin tbeftreeu of Afhkelon, left the Daugbtm of tbe Philijliuu rejqyce, aud Dj the 1t<circumcifed tri· umph. 5 .Againll thy own fdf,by making thee guilty of amofl horrible fin,and alfo obnoxiflus to moll grievous pumlhments for fin, felf-anurder IS a miihapen monlltr, compoanded of many fins: As 1. of hcllifh pride, which futfm thee not to !loop undtrs Gods affiiCl:i~g hand. 2 • 01 impatiency, whereby thou murmureft and rcpmell agamllGods provi– dence. 3· or de!pair' whoeby thou cdrtl[ away all hope at mercy, and milhably be– com(/l thy own butcher and hang·man: But uh the fearful plagues th•t follow after thiS tin/not only a temporary death,but immed1arly atter death thou (endellthy Soul blced!ng to the dreadful Tribun~l of the cver-livinl!i God, the moll certaiu and fiire revenger ot all bloodlhed; and what follows this but damnation? A f>d butinds, to be fo impatie>Jt of tne heat of the Sun, as for eafe to kap into thefire of hell; I will not, l dare notthus judge of them, who througb the abundance of melancholy arediftraCl:ed of their wits, or who being terrified with SataRS temptations, do run headlong Into tl11S fin, ROt knowing what to do , bur if t]ou art in 1by right min.!, and upon letled purpofe, and · wiilzng
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