they could not be his Disciples without forsaking houses and lands and parents and brethren yea and their own lives also Luk. 14.26 33. But even in these Cases and suffering times when Religion enjoyns such hard things yet are not they too hard for good men the increase of Difficulty is so answered by a proportionable increase of Strength as makes it no heavy but a tolerable Imposition For things are hard or easie in relation to our Strength according as we are more or less able to deal with them What is hard to a stripling is easie to a grown man and what would be an intolerable burden to an Infirm is a very supportable Load to an Healthy and Athletick person And in these suffering days when God adds to our Task he adds also to our Strength so that we are still well able to go thro' with it When I am weak says St. Paul in distresses and persecutions of the flesh for Christ then am I strong in Spirit to go thro' with them 2 Cor. 12.10 As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so proportionably our consolation aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 In extraordinary Tryals God is faithful saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.13 and will afford extraordinary Assistances and then however hard their Case may be looked upon by others who see only at a distance it will appear fairly tolerable and supportable nay full of Comfort to themselves as the numerous Army of Martyrs and Confessors have comfortably experienced who were enabled not only to bear but as the Apostle says To take pleasure in necessities and distresses for Christ yea who could sing and sometimes rejoyce and say they felt no Pain even in the hottest Flames So that take even Persecutions for God and a good Conscience for any first or second Table Duties which seems the hardest Case and the greatest Hardship in that is farthest off and men know least of it But when good men are call'd out to suffer for righteousness sake and adhere to their Duty inviolably and rely on God and intirely commit themselves to him in faithful discharge of the same they find such Assistances of Grace as renders them strong enough for what he calls them to they cannot only bear but thro' the rich supplies of spiritual Comforts the Applause of a good Conscience and the joyful prospect of a vast increase of future recompenses for their Surplusage of present Sufferings they can take pleasure and rejoyce therein counting such Losses for a good Conscience to be their greatest and truest Gain and that God instead of being hard upon them is therein most kind and beneficent to them 2. Other Hardships attributed to Religion concern only mens new Entrance upon it after they have done much to unfit themselves for it when indeed it requires more Pains And to this we may refer all those Scriptures which speak of cutting off right hands and plucking out right eyes i. e. Casting away all evil Habits and Inclinations which are very near and dear to us Matt. 5.29 30. Of mortifying our members which are upon the earth Col. 3.5 and the like These are Difficulties at our first Entrance on the Amendment of evil Courses for then we throw off all sinful Lusts and Inclinations It is very painful at the first but use makes it easier afterwards Custom rectifies our Inclinations and begets a new Nature and reconciles us to those things whereto we were very averse before so that the Hardship which these make in Religion is only when we begin the work of Repentance and Amendment And tho' it be harder then yet even at that time it is a tolerable thing It employs our Strength but it doth not excede it For when we do a little God still enables us to do more and so carries us on by degrees till at last we have Strength enough to Conquer And as we grow stronger our Duty grows easier till it advances at last beyond an ease into a pleasure So that this Difficulty is both tolerable while it continues and besides it is soon over 3. Other places of Scripture denoting the Hardships of Religion express only such diligent and just Care and Watchfulness thro' our whole Course as admits of Comfort and Delight enough to sweeten it to us And to this we may refer those Texts which require us to watch Mark 13.37 And to give all diligence 2 Pet. 1.5 10. To strive and labour and the like Religion is not the effect of doing nothing nor eternal Life a prize that can be gain'd by lazy careless men It requires Pains in all at first yea much and great Pains in those who have once corrupted themselves by contrary Lusts and wicked Customs And it also requires a constant Care and Watchfulness for ever afterwards But this Care and Labour is moderate It fairly comports not only with the necessary business but also with the prudent convenient and moderate Diversions and Entertainments of this Life so that our minding it will not force us to neglect our outward Comforts It is reasonable in degrees not holding us up at the utmost stretch of our Faculties But will do our work if it do but equal our Care and Pains for the Interests and Enjoyments of this world which Pains men are very well content to take without ever complaining of the Hardship of them For if we are any thing near so intent upon doing our Duty as ordinarily we are upon the getting an Estate and will watch the Opportunities of doing good as we do of growing rich or great it will abundantly suffice for it And besides as this Labour of Vertue is in it self very moderate so has it many Accessory Comforts and Considerations which greatly sweeten and recommend it to us It gives us at present the applause of a good Conscience and makes us pleas'd and satisfied with our selves and cherishes our heart with the joyful hope of eternal Life and Happiness And when all the Pains we take is so pleasing to our selves and with this prospect it will not only be found an ease but a delight too And thus I have endeavour'd from these words to assert this great and necessary Encouragement to all attempts in Religion viz. That by the Grace of Christ enabling them men shall be sure to succeed in them if they are not wanting to themselves And that when men continue wicked and say they cannot help it they urge a shameful and very false Pretence And the sum of what I have urged against this Plea is this They generally complain most of the impossibility of obeying God who least endeavour to obey him or who endeavour wrong without using those sit means whereby they should become obedient or when they use right means endeavour but by halves and do not go thro' with their Endeavours whereas would they endeavour diligently and discreetly and incessantly for this Obedience as they do for other things they might be sure to succeed because God commands
world very fit for us to imitate and learn from them is this That they fix to themselves some certain end and so act not loosely and by chance but have a certain mark to aim at Each one Proposes some particular thing or other to himself so that his Actions are not loose and without a steady aim but he has every day a fixt Point whereto to direct them One sets up for Pleasure another for Power a third for Profit but generally all of them for one thing or other and this makes some order and coherence in Life their Actions are not loose or unrelated to each other but a second backs and promotes the former and all concurr to carry on and compass the end which is fixt for them Now this Point of their Wisdom is very fit to be imitated by the Children of Light Not that they must propose to themselves wrong aims like them Either such as are ill or low and mean ones which will be offensive to God and unworthy of themselves and no ways fit to recompence the pains which they lay out upon them But as they do Christians must fix to themselves some end They must not live in their way as unthinking men who have no design and whose Actions are altogether uncertain carried about here or there as chance occasions or undirected and ungovern'd Fancy or the Humour calls them But they must always propose some spiritual aims to themselves and fix their mark whereto they are to steer their Course and to direct their labours and endeavours And this Mark in one word is their doing their Duty to their Blessed Lord in all Points and at all times which is the only way to please God and to preserve a good Conscience and to love their precious and immortal Souls This is the end which they are to fix themselves upon who profess to have here no abiding City but to seek one to come Heb. 13.14 who have renounced this world and laid up their Treasures in heaven Mat. 6.20 who look for the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ and would be accepted by him at his coming Tit. 2.13 2. Another Point of their Wisdom is that when once they have fix'd their end they openly own and profess it They espouse the same in the Face of all by making it their Trade their Occupation their Employment in the World And this way they do more publickly engage themselves to be careful and constant in the Prosecution thereof and bespeak the favour of all their Friends and well Wishers who may be in any Capacity to help and further them therein And this 't is very fit the Children of Light should learn from them They must not conceal and smother the Service which they bear to their ever Blessed Saviour but be ready to make it known and turn it into a free and avow'd Profession They must as occasion serves give all to understand that God is their great fear and that doing their Duty at all times towards him is and shall be their chief Profession and care And this way they will strongly and openly have engaged themselves ever after to make good their own religious Pretences and put a timely check upon ill men not to tempt them with any ill thing nor to speak nor do any thing offensive to God or to a good mind if they expect to keep them Company And this we are call'd to when we are call'd together in one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 Rom. 12.5 For that is to make open and united Profession of it as a visible Society And when we are bid to let our light shine before Men Mat. 5.16 To own our Saviour Christ and his laws in an evil and adulterous Generation Mar. 8.38 And with the mouth to make Confession to Salvation Rom. 10.10 3. Another is that they are particularly careful to be well skill'd in and thorowly to understand all the parts and Offices belonging to their Occupation or Profession A man may be ignorant of some things without blame and the ignorance of others may deserve Commendation For 't is both a part of Innocence and a Guard to it to be ignorant of the ways of doing ill And 't is a means of his quiet to be ignorant of other mens Affairs and not busily inquisitive into their Matters And 't is a sign of the well employ'd to be ignorant of trifles and empty things But 't is a shame for any Man to be ignorant of what he professes for that is to be at a loss in his own business And this all men are thorowly apprehensive of and therefore all Trades serve Apprenticeships and are train'd up for several years to be thorowly skill'd in all the parts of the Occupation which they profess yea even the ordinary Husband-man knows very well how to order and manage his ground when to Plow and when to Sow and when to Reap and what are the fittest and properest Seasons for the Market However ignorant they may be in other things they are careful to know their own business and Professions and to be well skill'd so as to need no Teachers in their own Employments And this is a most especial instance of Wisdom which it necessarily behoves the Children of Light to learn from them For one of the first things and of the most necessary in the way of a Christian man to Heaven is to be thorowly instructed in all those things which God has made Articles of his Salvation If he must at last be judged by them it is absolutely necessary that he set himself in the mean time carefully to observe them And if he must observe them he must first know them yea and have them made familiar to his Conscience so that it may readily remind him of them as oft as any Opportunities occurr in course of Life for him either to keep or break them This knowledge of every particular Duty which is to be a matter of our final Account as it is of prime necessity and singular advantage so will it cost pains and labour to attain it But I know not how any truly good and sincerely pious minds can employ themselves better They must read good Books where the Catalogues of such Duties are most particularly recited and explain'd and the particular necessity of our Observance of them that we may give up a good Account at the great day is shewn most particularly from the Holy Scriptures And these they must read attently and often till they have made themselves Masters of them and their Consciences are ready upon any occasion to remind them thereof as they are call'd at any time to observe them in the Course of Conversation and when their Conscience doth thus remind them of any of them in Conversation let them by no means take off their Eye from what their Conscience tells them is a matter of their final Account and instead thereof follow the Practice of other men it may be reputed good or men
of Note for knowledge and understanding For tho' 't is a sad Reflection yet 't is a very true one that numbers of Christians and those too of note and eminence for Piety and Understanding seem in their daily converse to make no Account at all of a great number of those Duties which God has declared he will call us all to a strict Account for And therefore having themselves happily attain'd this particular knowledge of all necessary Duties let them stick to their own knowledge on every occasion and follow it without disputing and not once think of leaving the same to follow the general neglect of many of these things which he may every where observe in other men And this we are call'd to in Scripture when we are bid To understand what the will of the Lord is Ep. 5.17 To be men in understanding 1 Cor 14.20 To give all diligence to add to our virtue or courage knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 To be fill'd with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 To be fill'd with the knowledge of his will Col. 1.9 4. Another Point of their Wisdom is that having thus fix'd themselves upon their end and made it their Profession it is the constant mark in their Eye and the daily Care and Employment of their Life and they are still vigorously intending and driving it on It fills their thoughts that they can afford little room to any thing else It is the full Employment of their time and they labour in it with Pleasure and are ready to deny themselves their necessary food their rest their ease to serve the end of their Occupation And herein it is most fit and needful for the Children of Light to imitate them The doing their Duty faithfully and in all Points to their Blessed Lord which is their End and Profession should be the constant mark in their Eye and matter of their Care as being the chief thing they have set themselves to mind and daily to labour and employ themselves It is the one thing necessary which they have fix'd and propos'd to themselves and must be their every days thought and business For in every day and in all Companies and Dealings they will have Opportunities enough to do their Duty in sundry Points or transgress it And therefore every day their Eye must be kept earnestly intent and their Care watchful and they seriously and vigorously at work to do the business of their Profession and discharge faithfully as they are call'd to them all those Duties which their Blessed Lord requires of them And this we are call'd to in the Holy Scriptures under the several Expressions of walking with God Gen. 5.24 of walking before God Gen. 17.1 Of setting the Lord always before us Psal. 16.8 of being always upon our watch Mar. 13.35 37. and walking circumspectly or still having our Eyes intent in every Affair or time how we may keep off from all sin and faithfully discharge all those particular Duties which do await us therein Eph. 5.15 5. Another Point of their Wisdom is that they carefully and timely foresee and provide for Futurities so as that nothing may be wanting to set on this end and profession or fall out unawares to prejudice the same They are intent and careful not only to use what comes and make it serve their turn but to look on carefully to what may come and consider how it may be made serviceable to their Purpose or how to prevent or remedy what might likely be an hindrance or any ways hurtful to it And this part of their Wisdom in forecasting and making provision for Futurities I shall consider in these three Particulars First They forethink what means and methods to take as most proper for their End and Profession and fittest to serve it Secondly Having studied and laboured diligently and constantly to compass their desired End they are careful to secure their Claim and Title to it and carefully fift and inquire into it and take all ways they can to make it good when a Tryal is like to be brought upon it Thirdly They timely provide and forecast Supplies against streights and accidents that when they come they may be as little hurt by them as may be or otherwise provide against them the best they can 1. They forethink what means and methods to take as most proper for their End and Profession and fittest to serve it the Merchant wisely and carefully considers what Ports 't is fittest to send to and when and what Goods give greatest appearance of making the best return And men in all Trades consider well with themselves where 't is best to buy and what things are likeliest to sell and forecast in their own minds what ways and methods are likeliest to make them thrive in their several Occupations A King going to War as our Lord observes will first very carefully consider his forces And a Builder going to build must consider his Purse and what it is like to cost him both in Work and Materials Luk. 14.31 32. and Verse 28 29. and the unjust Steward forecasting for his future support in his way wisely resolves on passing false Accounts that he may find reception among his Lords Tenants Luk. 16.3 45 8. And this is another piece of Wisdom most fit for the Children of Light to imitate and learn from them They must wisely consider and observe before hand what things do most help and further what do most tempt and ensnare what do most obstruct and hinder them in the way of their Profession or in faithfully discharging all the Duties of a Christian. They must have carefully and discreetly forethought with themselves against they enter upon every days Actions and Business what Duties they will be likely call'd to exercise therein and how they may discharge them to the best advantage what Temptations also they may likely meet withal and how likely they are to withstand them or how to prevent or get seasonably out of their way if they are like to endanger or prove too hard for them They must by no means be off-hand and unstudied Livers but have their Actions wisely fore-thought and be still in a readiness to take the best ways of going on in the work of their Profession and sincerely discharging their Duty to their Blessed Lord in all the Points thereof And this wise and careful forecast and fixing on the fittest ways to serve our Purpose we are called to in the forecited Parables of the Builder and the King going to War and in the Parable of those who built their houses one upon a rock and another upon the sand Mat. 7.24 26. If forecast and wise contrivance doth not direct Actions and Undertakings Folly and Shame are but too like to be the issue and event of them But on this Point of their Wisdom in forecasting and fixing on the properest ways and methods I shall observe three other imitable Points of their Wisdom concerning the execution of them For they put them in execution