the delay: the longer thou continueft in fin, the more remote thou art from grace : What extreme folly is this in thee, to deprive thyfelf of that friend of whom thou hadst moft need? if thou findeft thyfelf fo backward to this holy duty now, how averfe wilt thou be hereafter, when fin is more deeply rooted in thee, the devil in more firm poffeflion of thee, and God himself removed farther off from thee.

From whence now are thefe falfe hopes, these vain promises of future happiness? how darest thou refuse these gracious offers of eternity? how full of doubtfulness and extreme hazard is this falfe affurance of that holy fpirit, which thou hast so often grieved? be not deceived, God is not mocked; look what a man foweth, even that fhall he reap; he that foweth in the flesh, shall reap corruption he that soweth in the fpirit, life everlasting: if thou wilt not hear God's call in this life, he will not hear thine in that to come; if thou wilt not mourn for thy fins here, thou shalt howl for them for ever. And who fhall then have pity upon thee? or who fhall be forry for thee? or who fhall pray for thy peace? thou haft abandoned

gone

from me,

and

now

me (faith God) thou haft will I ftretch out my hand against thee, to destroy

thee, Jer. 15. 5, 6.

Lord, let this teach me to deal truly with myfelf, to fearch narrowly for fin, timely for forrow, and speedily for pardon: feek the Lord, O my foul, while he may be found, for in the great waterfloods (of his eternal wrath) thou shalt not come nigh him.

LORD,

I HAVE finned, and I defire to repent; I have lain long feftering in the grave of fin, and cannot be now raised without a miracle.

I have finned in delight, in confent, in action, in custom, in long continuance of cuftom, without remorfe of conscience, without thought of repentance: I am grown old and impudent in fin, and am no more worthy to be called thy child.

Lord, I am become loathfome to myself, how much more odious unto thee, who art a God of pure eyes, and canst behold none iniquity.

I have finned against thee, I cannot repent but by thee, my tranfgreffion is active, my obedience paffive, I can no more arife from fin than death, even this defire of forrow is from thee; the repair of my corruption in the work of thy creation, when thou haft raised me by thy grace, thou fupportest me by thy goodness, thou leadest me by thy providence, thou draweft me by thy patience, thou compelleft me by thy power.

Such is my weakness, fuch is my feebleness by nature, that I cannot rife without thee; that I cannot ftand without thee, when I am raised by thee; fuch is my ftrength, fuch is my ability by grace, that I am able to go with thee, that I am joyful to run after thee.

Lord, quicken and revive me from the death of fin, and grave of mifery; fuftain my wounded conscience, with the sweetness of thy faving promises; let thy patience and long-fuffering lead me into repentance; thy holy spirit unto perfect holiness, and endless happiness.

Lord Jefus draw me, and I fhall joyfully run after thee; my body in obedience to my foul, my foul and body in obedience to thy blessed will, more zealously, more willingly, more conftantly to my lives end.

AMEN.

CHAP. XXI.

UPON SERVILE FEAR, AND THE DANGER
THEREOF.

No child can fear his Father as he ought,

that is not jealous of his Father's honor, that is not feeling affected with his injuries, and zealously devoted to perpetuate his praife; and it is as equally impoffible that this Father can affect that Son, whose obedience is rather enforced by power, than invited by affection.

Fa

If this be so in nature, it is much more fo in grace; for thou, O Lord art now a double Father to me, thou art my Father by creation, and my ther by redemption: Lord, as thou haft doubled thy goodness towards me, I fhould have doubled my return of thankfulness towards thee; thy love to me is abfolute, no breach can diffolve it, no time determine it; thy love to me was from the beginning, and whom thou loveft to the end: My love to thee is fickle, false, and full of imperfections; and if my filial fear, even in my best performances, be full of fpots and blemishes in thy fight, how most deformed fhall I appear, when I ferve thee with an irreligious, and ungodly

fear? when I do thy will repiningly, and coldly, not for love of thy mercy, but for fear of thy justice; when I knowingly, and willingly, confenting to thy great difhonor; when I fo zealous in the world's caufe, yea, too often, in the devil's caufe, and fo benummed in thine; when forrows difmay me, and fins delight me.

Ah Lord! how far am I from what I ought to be? If I go on in this path, I perish everlastingly; while I continue in this courfe of disobedience, I hang over hell fire by the flender twig of an uncertain life, and if that once break, my lofs is irrecoverable: Thou Lord haft faid it, (and thy word is truth) he which denieth me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven. Lord, let this teach me to delight in thy service, to be jealous of thine honor, to thirft for thy favour, to tremble at thy frown, to fubmit to thy rod, to think nothing too dear to part withal, to purchase thy grace to promote thy glory. Thou, O Lord, loveft not a cowardly chriftian; if I prefer any thing to thy love, I am moft unworthy of it; that friendship is too dearly bought, which cannot be enjoyed without the lofs of thy favour.

If

my brother offend me, I will labour to reftore him with the spirit of meekness, left whilft I study to rebuke another, I become guilty of myfelf: No fin fhall pass me without fome fhew of diftaste,