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but alas! he faw no fuch thing: To him they look'd as the ways of Sion, rugged, uneven, and unfrequented; and the Fruits of the Spirit appeared unpleasant, and ill-tafted, fitter for the Rabble, and fcum of Mankind, than Men of a brisk airy temper: But he no fooner opens the Window, and lets in thefe Beams of Confideration, but all thofe Fancies, as Witches at the Name of Jefus, vanish, and he is wrapt into that high efteem of the ways of God, that he prefers being but a Door-keeper in the Houfe of God, before the Office of Grand Vifier at the Court of Abafuerus.

But this will further appear, if we enquire into the effential Parts, or neceffary Ingredients of thefe Spiritual Opticks. Confideration,as it is the Sun that enlightens this Microcofm, Man,and irradiates the benighted Faculties of the Soul, fo that it may have this virtue,there is required (and it cannot be Confideration without it) Self-Examination,Expoftulation,and ftrong Refolutions.

I. Self-Examination. That Man who examines not his Spiritual State or Condition, Whether he is that Sinner that shall be everlastingly miferable? Whether the Threatnings of the Gospel concern him? Whether he finds thofe qualifications in himself, which the Son of God requires of all that fhall be Heirs of Glory? Whether he feels those things in his Soul, which Men that have a Title to the great Inheritance are fenfible of? And whether he walks in that ftreight way, and ftrives to enter in at that narrow Gate the Holy Ghoft doth speak of?

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He that, with Gallio, cares for none of thefe things, is fo far from confidering, that he doth not believe the Immortality of his Soul, or another World. For were his Heart feafoned with a found belief of that future State, he could not but enter into his Clofet and reflect: In this Bible, in this Book, which I do believe contains the Oracles of God, and his Peremptory Will concerning the Salvation of Men, I find ftubborn, careless, unconverted Sinners,adjudged to eternal Torments; I find God proteft, he will know none in the laft Day, fo as to fhew them favour, but fuch as dare deny themselves for Heaven, and heartily endeavour to do the Will of their Father which is in Heaven; I find God fwear, that Men who prefer their Farms, and Oxen, and fecular Concerns, before his Injunctions and Commands, fhall never taste of the great Supper of the Lamb.

Am I one of these stubborn, unconverted careless Men, or no? Why fhould I be afraid to ask fuch a Question, when there is no less than Eternity in the Cafe? I am not afraid to look into my

Account-Book, to know what my Debts are, and what is owing to me; whether I am behind, or before-hand in the World; whether I thrive or decay; whether I get or lofe? And shall I be afraid to know, whether I am a wife Man, or a Fool; a Friend, or an Enemy of God; a Favourite, or a Reprobate? Whether the portion of Lazarus, or the lot of Dives, will fall to my fhare? Lord, when I hear, and read, that Men who are strangers to Righteousness and Holiness, fhall be tormented with Fire which

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is not quenched, is it not worth, is it not juft, is it not reasonable, I should ask, whether i am not that Man? If I am none of this number, What means the bleating of Sheep, and the lowing of Oxen in mine Ears? What means my Earthly-mindednefs? What means my living in wilful contempt of fo many Commands of the Son of God? I take no pains to be faved; fome little Formatities and Compliments of Religion serve my turn, and satisfie my Confcience. I can put off the great God of Heaven with the World's Leavings, and throw him a dull, heartless Prayer at Night, when I have been wallowing in Sin all Day. I am for no Devotion that's either expenfive or troublesome to Flesh and Blood, and fuch Ejaculations as do not moleft me in my Pleasures, and as my Flefh can eafily fpare, without any detriment in its fatisfaction, I am willing to lay upon God's Altar. I feel little or no Sorrow for Sin, no remorfe, no compunctions, when I offend a Gracious God. A Temporal Advantage affects and revives me more than all the Joys of Heaven. I live more by Senfe than by Faith: My fenfitive Appetite is the ruling Faculty in my inward Man, and my Will is left unguided and unregarded to the Rapes of fenfual Pleasure; I let the Hedge lie open, and the wild Boar out of the Wood may come in, and the wild Beafts of the Field; I mean, my Lufts may do with me what they pleafe. I take no care to rule or mafter them. My Lufts, like ill-bred Children, must have all the Toys they cry for; and if at any time I do not fatis

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fie them, it is because I cannot, or dare not and it is not Love to Self-denial, but Force, or Shame, or Carnal Interest, makes me cross their Eagerness and Importunity. If I do fometimes refolve to leave either my groffer Vices, or my more fecret Iniquities, the next Company or Divertisement takes me off again; and I make no more of breaking my folemn Promises of better obedience, than if God were a mere Stock or Stone, that takes no notice of Affronts and Injuries. Self-denial I am fo great a stranger to, that I know not what it means. The Graces and Fruits of God's Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Goodnefs, Faith, Temperance, Meekness, Patience, Long-fuffering, have fo little of my Defires and Affections, that I think it but Time and Labour loft to bethink my felf how to be master of any of them. Why fhould I flatter and deceive my felf? Why should I footh my self into kind Thoughts of my Condition, that is fo apparently dangerous? Thus it is with me, why should I de nyit? Why fhould I call Light Darkness, and Darkness Light; put bitter for fweet, and fweet for bitter? Whom do I cheat all this while? Is it not my own Soul! And what fhall I gain by it in the end? Shall I think my felf fufficiently Holy, when I am fo little acquainted with the first rudiments of Holinefs? Shall I think my self a Child of God, when that which I do is fitter for a Child of the Devil than a Favourite of Heaven? Repentance, or turning to God, which the Holy Ghost doth fo often, and with that vehemence and earnestnefs inculcate, implies an univerfal change of my difpofition and inclinations. And

where

where is that Alteration, that renovation of the Mind, Will, and Affections? My Affections are carried out after Froth and Smoke, as much as ever. My Love is fet on trifles, and is regardless of the highest and chiefest Good as much as ever. I hate Seriousness, and delight in childish impertinent Gayeties as much as ever. The Promifes of the Gospel are as inconfiderable in my Eyes, and the Riches of this World as glorious and ravishing as ever; and I can difpence with the want of Spiritual Confolations, while I have but my fhare in thefe outward Comforts; I think it fufficient that I am Baptized and washed in the Laver of Regeneration, but do not mind, whether I am a new Creature: The Holy Water indeed was fprinkled upon me, but I am still in the Gall of Bitterness, and Bond of Iniquity. It's evident by my Actions, that I have driven away, and quenched that Holy Spirit which was given me in Baptifm, and yet I ftudy not how to recover it; and what will be the end of these things? That Spirit is a Spirit of Holiness, and till Holiness returns to my Soul, that Spirit will not return. Wo unto me! My Feet run in the ways of deftruction, and my Eyes are dazled with external Pomp and Grandeur as much as

ever.

An amorous Song is more pleafing to me, than the moft harmonious Pfalm. The Word of God is but a dead Letter to me, while a Romance, or a Book that treats of Folly and Vanity, transports me into more than ordinary content and fatisfaction: "And what I must Eat, and what I must Drink, and wherewithal I fhall be cloathed; are Questions I have far greater

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