this Rest of Faith for justification St. Paul shews in the next words that they rather confirm and ratifie the pardon than question or lessen it through that experience of Gods wise and faithful love in making all things work together for good to those that love him above all Who shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ shall Tribulation or Distress Persecution or Nakedness Famin or Sword in all these we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us If weak Christians coming to Christ with faithful desires and resolutions to weare his Yoke and bear his Burthen meekly and humbly find not this Rest of justification with such a degree of Peace and Joy as St. Paul expresseth 't is not because Christ giveth them not what he promiseth but because he giveth it them gradually according as they are able and fit by their Faith to receive it for he saith to every Soul now as to them in St. Matt. 9.24 Be it unto you according to your Faith if your Faith be strong and lively both in believing my promise and merit and in undertaking that Yoke of his Yoke though they find not as yet that Rest and Peace which their Souls desire pray and stay for Blessed is he that stayeth and waiteth with humble Prayer Gods leisure since he hath promised who cannot fail that he will not break the bruised Reed but give in time the Garment of joy for the Spirit of heaviness and Isai 57.15 16. I will dwell with the contrite humble Spirit to revive it for I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wrath lest the Spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Thus you have seen the first Rest which true believers enter into even here in this life the Rest of Pardon and Justification upon their Repentance and Faith in Christ The second is a Rest from the Tyrannous reign of sin by those Motives of Hope and Fear Love and Gratitude which faith propoundeth from Christs Gospel and the Spirit of grace holiness and comfort which faith procureth by earnest Prayer Now this is so necessarily joyned with the other the Rest of Pardon that 't is its ordinary standing evidence and the means to obtain it more and more For we may not come to Christ for Pardon to give us the Rest of justification from sins guilt and condemning power by his Blood unless we so value that pardon and its price as sincerely to hate and be heartily willing to forsake that sin which the wisdom and holy justice of God could not or would not remit or forgive but at such a price as his own eternal infinite Sons humiliation to and in that humane nature which had offended We must feel as well the burthen of sins loathsom filth and hateful disorder as well as that of its guilt and punishment before we are those weary and laden those poor and humble ones in Spirit who have a Title to rely on Christ for Rest from both but to those who so come unto him our gracous Lord never denies what he invites to Rest from the slavish service of sin as well as from its intolerable guilt and condemnation His blood and spirit are never sever'd where-ever the one is actually imputed to justification the other is always imparted also to sanctification and therefore St. Paul joyns them together 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washt but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And Rom. 8.2.9 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the Law of sin and death But if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is as yet none of his though he may be his by repentance and faith And indeed this Rest from sins dominion you will easily see to be a necessary and great part of the Souls happiness in this life if you will but consider the burthensome drudgery that wicked Men lie under until they obtain it and enter into it by such a faith in Christ Jesus as works by obedience For every person living in any course of impiety unrighteousness intemperance is a self-accusing self-condemning divided creature a terror and shame unto himself He cannot choose but wish and desire eternal Rest yet is customarily drawn by his lusts and passions to do that which certainly leads to eternal anxiety and tribulation His reason invites him to that good which is Spiritual immortal infinite and therefore a satisfactory Rest to his Soul to the only God who made him at first and who alone can make him happy But his lust and passions draw him away to that which is earthly sensual devilish Not only finite and fading and so disappointing him but filthy and base and so distracting and vexing his Soul with foul disorder and guilty shame His Spirits and conscience often tells him that he ought to maintain an humble holy communion with God by Faith and Hope and Love Prayers and Praises that so he may be prepared to see him in that immediate clear revelation of his glory but his lusts and passions so burthen and oppress him that he cannot lift up his heart to God nor draw near his holy presence with any delight but studies to shun him and live without the remembrance of his goodness and mercies that he may forget his power and justice To behold the Creator in the Creature and love the giver in his gifts to contemplate his power wisdom and goodness shining in his word and works to be thankfull for his past benefits rejoycing in his present favour and panting after his blessed presence to all eternity to fit himself for that presence by purifying himself as he is pure by being righteous holy and merciful as he is to govern himself and those that are under him in such order as God prescribes this is the Rest as well as the Labour of rational Souls in this life a pleasure and honour as well as a taske But sin is such a burthenous Tyrant and oppressor that it makes the sinner imploy his reason made to serve know love and enjoy God It makes him imploy this reason in the drudgery of covetousness in the brutishness of lusts and sensuality in the devillishness of malice envy revenge pride and ambition His reason was given to study God and his Will to please and delight in him here that he may for ever see and enjoy him with mutual complacency to help others to do so by word and deed and who is there that hath not quite unchristian'd and unman'd himself but in sober retirement thinks this a work that hath pleasure in it and Rest as well as Labour But sin is such a wearisom Tyrant and oppressor that it makes the reasonable immortal Soul that heavenly breath that Image of God a sneaking Pandor to his lusts a drudging purveyor to his belly and appetite a fawning
Gods children and must love God above all as our Father love our Redeemer so much more than all Relations than life it self and its dearest contentments as to forsake and renounce them for ever rather than him Yet we are still exhorted and enjoyned to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear not to fear what Man but God can do unto us To love him as a Father and fear to lose his love by offending him to love the Son and kiss him with reverence lest he be angry to love the Holy Spirit of God and fear to grieve resist and quench him lest we turn his grace into wantonness and make him withdraw his gracious presence that would enable us in holiness and righteousness to serve him without fear of any evil that can befall us so doing or of any enemy that can hurt us and yet to fear him whom we serve as our Lord and King A good Son may fear to incur his Father's wrath by ceasing to be so and yet cry Abba Father Tertullian interprets that of Saint John Perfect love casts out fear of lazy fear that will not go on in the way of grace for fear of a Lion in the way some hazard and difficulties likely to meet him not the fear of Gods wrath possible to be incurred by sin and backsliding but of temporal dangers and persecutions If our love be perfect though with the perfection of sincerity that is habitually prevailing over all other loves 't will cast out such fear and make us lay down our lives for the Brethren to glorifie God and encourage others by the evidence of our faith content to adventure any thing for Christs sake even death it self but sure not the displeasing of God and the torments of Hell that were too prodigal an alms too wild a valour directly contrary to the love as well as fear of God in Christ Charity again casteth out all fear but by degrees as that increaseth so fear abateth If our Sanctification were as perfect for degrees as universal for its parts were our obedience like that of Angels which cannot fail we should need neither hope to encourage our love nor fear to guard it but while it is only in part the best Christians in this state of imperfection may have use of a Deaths Head and make Gods threats as well as promises subordinate means to concur with the principal Buttresses to keep the Building from swerving while the foundation of Faith and Love keeps it from sinking Fides spes tuta si cauta secura si sollicita Tert. Fear makes our love reverent our hope wary our faith discreet If the Sails be too full they may endanger us as much as a Rock for Fear as a Rudder guides and steers our Faith and Hope between the gulph or sands of Despair and the rock of Presumption or proud Security Serve we the Lord then in love but in fear too and rejoyce unto him with trembling as David speaks fear him as Lord love and rejoyce in him as Jesus yea and fear him as Jesus too fear to offend so gracious a Saviour to vilifie and hazard such precious Salvation sit timor innocentiae Custos saith St. Cyp. ut Deus qui in mentes nostras clementer influxit in animi hospitio justâ operatione teneatur If God hath entered into our hearts through his Son by his Spirit let us be glad and rejoyce in his presence for thankful joy is his entertainment but let fear keep the door that nothing enter that may displease so holy a presence Aiunt quidam saith Tert. se salvo metu vel fide peccare some say they can venture on sin without any prejudice to faith or fear sic ergo ipsi salvâ veniâ detrudentur in Gehennam dum salvo metu peccant so shall such who say and do so be thrust into Hell without any prejudice to God's mercy or Christ's merit and intercession Whether we consider the infinite eternal worth and weight of this Rest the intolerable endless troubles of missing it or the absolute necessity of hating and shunning all evil of loving and following all duties and graces in order to attaining the one and escaping the other Whether we look upon the weakness inconstancy treachery of the flesh within us or upon the variety of temptations alluring and terrifying us from the world without set on by the Devil with all the vigilance of subtil malice or on the shortness or uncertainty of the time wherein this Rest must be secured or lost for ever Whether we look on the love and infinite mercy of God in offering purchasing inviting drawing us to this Rest at such a price by such powerful obliging variety of means or motives or on the deceitfulness of mans heart willing to think the conditions of it fewer and easier than they are and to satisfie it self in the hopes of it on an outward profession a speculative faith or a partial obedience Or lastly whether we consider the possibility of falling away through sloth or impatience from the sincere repentance and faith love and obedience which was begun All and every one of these call for an humble watchful fear and godly jealousie over our selves solicitous cautions and diligence lest we fall short of it Take heed then of thinking this fear of missing it either unnecessary or unbeseeming Christian Professors or true Believers since many Professors are no true Believers and they that are may cease to be so unless they watch and pray assiduously and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling Look not upon it as too slavish for Persons regenerate and Children of light since sure it is that the Spirit of God and the holy Apostles made choice of no Arguments but such as were fit to be made use of by Christians and the motives of fear are more than once the Arguments they chose even to those who had been made partakers of Christ and were of the House and Family of God such as had received the Kingdom that could not be moved Heb. 12.28 Who yet are there exhorted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have Grace or to hold it fast by making an humble diligent use of that pretious Talent Or if you will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be thankful to God the munificent donor of such a benefit and this duty raised to the height to the serving of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether that refer to the Persons and signifie serving with cheerful alacrity for fear and chearfulness are very consistent the former the Guardian the Conservator of the latter Or whether it refer to God as we render it serving him acceptably with reverence and godly fear you have still in this Apostle the motives of fear annexed to this duty for our God is a consuming fire 'T was wisdom then and sober piety in him that said He would not leave his part in Hell meaning the benefit he found in meditating on God's threats as well
dissembling false hearted flatterer to his pride and ambition a slanderous sycophant detractor and whisperer to his envy a brawling railing reviler to his wrath or anger a bloody assassinate to his revenge a griping extortioner or theevish cheater to his covetousness a seducer and tempter that is an assistant to Satan in ruining his own and other Mens Souls And when all this is done see what wearisom restless toyle remains for the sinner He would live for ever in this World but sees he must die and be call'd to account and seeing that he would die for ever and turn to nothing but that he sees he cannot neither He would have Gods favour but dares not come near him He would live in peace and approbation with himself but a civil War and contrary desires lusts and passions contrary each to one another and all to reason tear and divide him from himself He would live at Rest and Peace with other Men but his covetousness and pride makes him injurious his wrath and revenge his malice and envy makes him impatient and quite bereave him of this Peace He would be rich but either his sloth will not gather or his lusts and vain glory scatters as fast as his industry gets He would live in safety and ease but his haughty ambition makes him endure labour and danger day and night He would be in honour and high repute but his sordid lusts and cowardly fears griping covetousness or wrathfull revenge makes him hateful and contemptible His pride and ambition would command all Men but it makes him first fawn and flatter bow and cringe to those whom he secretly hates and scorns He would be true to his own principles and religion not give himself the lie by professing what he doth not believe but his love of the World and fear of poverty or of death doth so disturb the Rest of his Soul that he coucheth under every load complies and conforms to any profession of faith or worship which those who prevail would have him subscribe to till he lay down his faith hope and conscience at the feet of a Man whose breath is in his nostrils who threatens and strikes and is no more Thus he that serves is restless indeed opprest and tired with contrary Tyrants crossing and thwarting one another till they wrack and tear the Man in pieces and drag him to everlasting trouble anguish and sorrow How sweet then and highly pretious is that Rest which faith in God through Jesus Christ enters into when under the light and worth of that truth which it hath received it guides and subdues all its appetites affections and passions from a right principle by a right rule to a right end which is nothing but God and his word God as its author governour and happiness or perfect Rest For though the Rest be yet imperfect because the World the Flesh and the Devil do yet oppose it yet Christ hath promised that no opposition shall overthrow it unless we willfully and obstinately grieve that Spirit of truth holiness and comfort which was given us as the Seal of our faith and peace with God the preserver and finisher of this Rest the assurance of our present adoption and future inheritance if we will but wisely and thankfully value that Rest into which we are enter'd humbly and watchfully pray unto Christ to confirm and increase it all oppositions shall prove advantages all dangers travails and labours so many evidences of Gods faithfulness to us and ours to him of his being our all sufficient shield and supporter here our exceeding reward and satisfactory Rest for evermore Now see what a blessed Rest there is in faith and holiness and all those graces which wait on them Faith in God gives the mind a Sabboth of Rest from all those anxious perplexing enquiries and self contradicting resolutions which humane reason left to it self is vexed with and settles the heart on that divine Wisdom and truth which can neither deceive nor be deceived humbling at once the understanding and advancing it because it is its greatest advancement to be humbled under God who never fails to honour those who honour him and makes the conscience arise and rejoyce to see that it hath submitted it self to such a guide Take faith in its meanest Offices of trusting God in our temporal affairs resigning our selves to his wisdom power and goodness as one that can and will chuse better for us than we our selves what peace and rest is this to our Souls from all those servile fears and cares those base submissions and baser oppressions which the covetous worldling or cowardly trembling unbeliever undergoes Though the Waters rage and the Earth shake yet he whose heart trusts in the Lord that all things shall work together for good he is the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a squar'd Man whom no change can make a changeling because his heart stands fast and believes in the faithful God he is gotten above this region of meteors clouds and winds because the Lord is his sun and shield which no cloud can intercept no wind shake But then in the higher Offices of faith whereby it considers and embraces the glorious truth of God our Redeemer and Saviour and sees that they are as certainly true as gloriously great That former sins confessed and forsaken are blotted out for the merits of Christ the Law satisfied by such a surety Satans accusations silenced by such an Advocat That afflictions and death have lost their sting and are turned into benefits That he who hath begun a good work will also finish it and never leave us in life and death untill he hath brought us to perfect Rest and full happiness both of soul and body what fruit can this produce but peace and joy in the holy Ghost cheerful constancy and perseverance in doing and suffering the will of God It rescues us from all those trembling fears and sorrowful agonies which else must seize upon our hearts from the weakness of the flesh and the strength of our enemies from the curse of the Law and the horrors of conscience from the malice and subtilty of the World and the Devil How well then might St. Paul say we that believe enter Gods Rest do already in good degree shall compleatly and unchangeably if we persevere Hope the second Christian grace is so near of kin to Faith that 't is lineally derived from it and born of it nor can that heart but find a comfortable blessed Rest which hopes in the fountain of all blessedness hopes to see and enjoy him for ever and in that hope purifies himself All other hopes are dead or dying sure to leave him void of Rest full of anxiety that builds on them This is the only lively hope as Saint Peter calls it because placed in the fountain of life and joy it self This is that grace which applies to our selves the general promises the Souls Anchor which makes it ride safe and triumphant in
ought appears for though he thought himself better than the Publican yet he acknowledged both his abstinence from sinful works and his perseverance in good ones to be from God God I thank thee for this and for that he saith not as they God I thank thee thou hast given me the first grace only to restrain me from such sins as the Publican walks in whereas my proficiency in doing of good is from my own meritorious choice but I thank thee for one and the other Yet because he so glories in Gods graces as if they had not been received from free mercy because he is not truly humbled by that grace which in words he confesseth to have received from God alone therefore is he less justified than the Publican for the use of all the graces which God bestows in this life is to teach us true humility not to glory in our selves but in him to whom all grace and glory belongs And if we make not this use of it if we say not with Jacob Lord I am less than the least of thy mercies towards me If when we have done justice and loved mercy we walk not humbly with our God and say not as our Lord hath taught us forgive us our trespasses we have been but unprofitable servants in respect of what we might and should have been we turn his grace into pride and vain glory and are worthy to lose the acceptance and reward which was promised for Christs merits not ours though not without sincere performance of those conditions to which his mercy and grace enableth us Our good works are acceptable to God a sweet Sacrifice but still it is through Jesus Christ Better is it for us to hear one Saint from Heaven one of those Spirits made perfect than thousands of daring sinful Disputants here below For what are all the Chairs and Schools of Men on Earth to the suffrage of Heaven where not only one but all the Saints and perfected Spirits cast down their Crowns before him that sits on the Throne at the feet of the Lamb. Rev. 7.5 Saying aloud To him that hath loved us and washt us from our sins in his blood and made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father be glory and power for evermore Thus have we seen that 't is not merit that will bring us to this promised eternal Rest and yet they that will attain to it must imploy their Talent well they must come unto Christ as Christ came unto us by charity and by humility To obtain this Rest will cost some care and pains and therefore we must expect it but this care and pains will be highly rewarded and therefore 't will be our wisdom to undergo it The Men of this world are apt to think Christianity and coming to Christ a joyless thing because it speaks so much of holy living of presenting our bodies a living Sacrifice of mortifying and Sacrificing its lusts and affections as if they were no longer to enjoy themselves who voluntarily deny themselves in all these but they are but false hearted Spies that would bring this bad report upon a good land for the mortifying the lusts of the flesh the presenting our bodies a living Sacrifice is not the destruction of our joys but the increase of them and gives assurances of this eternal Rest For let the body be never so backward to be presented unto God and offer'd up in Sacrifice to him though it shrinke at the sight of the Altar and tremble to see the Sacrificing Knife yet are we not to hearken to its foolish tenderness no cruelty like such indulgence the life and safety and Rest of the Soul depends upon this disciplining this mortifying the body For he that mortifies and kills and slayes his lusts doth but Sacrifice that which would hurt destroy and ruine himself 't is but a carnal worldly Man that is killed at most nay 't is but a beast 't is but the unreasonable appetite that is slain reasonable Man is saved alive and made more reasonable by so doing and exalted thereby to a Spiritual life He that leaves this beast alive and is led by his unruly passions is hurried even in this life to more sorrows cares and vexations than any Saint or Martyr endures in his passage to Heaven when he offers himself up unto God by an holy life and patient death Therefore who so desires in good earnest not to fail of this promised eternal Rest must crucify the whole body of sin must subdue and bring into subjecton every vnruly member thereof The lustful covetous disdainful evil Eye which hath made thee blind or ill sighted to all that is good must be closed up and put out and the charitable peaceable contented good Eye set open and then God will one day ravish that Eye with Objects of eternal joy and Rest and delight in Heaven Our Ears must be closed up and deaf to all ungodly prophane discourses and unsavoury communication but open to all that is harmless and good sober and wise rational or Christian If the ungodly wanton cruel Ear that itches after falseshood and wrong be cut off and the religious believing chast merciful Ear remain then thou hast made thine Ears the gates of Heaven and Life and Rest for the Spirit of truth to enter in being thus opened thou shalt hear the joys of Heaven sounding in thy Ears such joys as God hath prepared for them that love him The Lips also must be closed and the Tongue tied up from Oaths and Curses prophane allusions to holy Scripture bitter revilings strife and clamour open slanders and secret detractions but they must be opened and the Tongue loosed to all holy duties of Prayers and Prayses towards God wholsom counsel admonition and instruction towards Men. If the prophane seducing contentious provoking bitter Tongue be tied up and silenced and the wise pure and peaceable and faithful Tongue be loosened and set on work thou art no loser by this change because thou hast exchanged folly for wisdom shame for honour strife for peace the discord of infernal Spirits for the musick of Angels thou hast exchanged the Tongue of an Atheist for the Tongue of a Prophet or a Saint Next the hand must be withheld from violence and oppression from theft and sacriledge fraud and deceit but open to all the works of Piety and Charity If the injurious griping bloody hand be cut off and the innocent holy pure hand be lifted up to God in Prayer and stretcht out to Man in Charity what hast thou lost but the hand of a Murtherer a Thief an Usurer or Adulterer and hast for it the holy hand of a Priest the Royal hand of a Benefactor Holy and acceptable unto God pleasing and beneficial unto Men The feet also must be restrained from wandering into the ways of wickedness where we meet with temptations and vanity snares and dangers they are to carry us from the seducing assemblies of Schismaticks the bloody Conspiraces
their disordered appetites Ask if they find not themselves uneasy when they consider how short and low their pleasure is compared with the irksom diseased shamefulness of their sin See how heavily the Ambitious proud person walks between his eager desires and doubtful expectations under his false hopes and true fears and then judge whether his wearisom days and restless nights can bring him any true content Should I instance in the idle Gallant whose time like a burthen lies upon his hands or in the contentious wrangler or unpeaceable brawler the secret whisperer or the open detractor I should tire your patience sooner than want a proof that sin is a wearisom uneasy heavy restless burthen and that it is necessary by the way of virtue to come unto Christ for ease and Rest The Angel in Tobit bids Tobias take out the gall of the fish to cure his blindness if we rip the bowels of worldly sinful lusts and pleasures and take out the gall of them that is to say seriously look upon the bitterness they bring with them and the gall and wormwood they leave behind them it may prove a remedy of our Spiritual blindness yet such is our short-sightedness that we think we are at ease under our load and at Rest in our sore Travel Sin turns all things up side down it sets Earth above and Heaven below Reason at the footstool and brutish appetite on the Throne and having thus lookt downward for our Rest and happiness we are ashamed to look Heaven in the face and having lost Heaven for Earth by sin we look downward still as fearing that Hell which we have so well deserved and this is it which makes Men suffer all sorts of diseases the Gout the Stone Tooth-aches and all kind of Tortures rather than die because ill led lives leave Men under anxious fears and sad doubtings what shall be their future state When Tamberlin commanded all Leprous persons to be put to death lest they should lead a miserable life the poor Lepers thought his mercy cruel and would have endured more willingly two Leprosies than one death not because of any great comfort they took in their lives but because they knew not what might follow after death To lose this life without assurance or hopeful probability of a better is doleful and bitter but to lose it with assurance from Gods own Mouth of a far worse of incurring an eternal death anguish and pain without mitigation this makes death deadly indeed when the sinner must die again for the sin he dies in when the first death leads to a second and when all the terrors and sorrows and pains of the first death are but the evidences of more or worse to follow when the fire that 's now begun to be kindled will burn down to the lowest hell Deut. 32.22 If we believe this in good earnest why do we not hate sin worse than death Because sin is the cause of all this the cause of death and all that is deadly It makes us liable to a dreadful account at the day of Judgment and makes our whole life restless and uneasy This being so how dare we trifle away one day or hour more of that term or time of Trial upon which though so short and so uncertain depends such a life and such a death such joys and such sorrows such rest and such disquiet to all eternity Methinks if Heaven cannot allure us with all the joys and blessed eternal Rest there to be had Hell might affright us with its dreadful sufferings into our duty and compel us to make God at least our last refuge if not our first choice No loss so great as the loss of God and the Kingdom of Heaven and that Rest we are there invited to No Prison so loathsom as the bottomless pit of horror and darkness No sight so ghastly as that of frightful fiends No shriekings so terrible as those of damned Ghosts No stench so noisom as that of the lake of fire and brimston No fire so hot as of the wrath of God which puts the sinner into chains never to be loosed into darkness never to be enlightened and gives him gnashing of teeth never to be remedied gnawing vipers never to be pulled off and this makes up such a mass of woes such a deadly death as exceeds all humane eloquence to express much more all patience to endure Now to avoid all this St. Paul tells us Heb. 12.1 what we must do we must lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and run with patience the race that is set before us running the way of Gods Commandements which St. Paul calls here a race is the way to this everlasting Rest therefore let us so run that we may obtain it and then our recompence is a Crown of life if we slothfully neglect it our punishment is Tribulation and anguish endless and intolerable the worm of conscience that never dies the fire of hell that never goes out Were we left to the glimmering suspicious light of natural reason as most Nations were of old and many are still to guess at the way that leads to this everlasting Rest or to find it out by a painful enquiry through many difficulties and impediments of a contrary erroneous Education we were by far the more excusable but when by the mercy of God we have the Gospel sounding in our Ears and the way to this Rest chalkt out before our Eyes in holy Scripture and lively Oracles with all the powerful perswasive motives of hope and love inviting us to it on the one hand and all the cogent constraining motives of threats and fear to drive us to it hearten'd on with promises assistances and instructions on the other hand what pretence of excuse can we have that we should fall short of this Rest But some are often enquiring what is the lowest degree of holiness faith and obedience that is consistent with the escaping of hell or hope of Heaven They would know what is the lowest rate that Heaven and eternal Rest will come at The greatest part of those that would be resolved in this enquiry are of a most disingenuous unworthy disposition for when God hath obliged us by so many mercies assistances encouragements and rewards thus to beat down as low as they can the price of all his kindness and bounty 't is a dangerous sign that he that seeks heaven and happiness so faintly will not seek it long for we Sail against Tide in our Voyage to Heaven and earnest diligence is required in the passage thither but if we begin to lay aside our Sails and Oares we shall by the very stream of our nature the world and the flesh be carried backward to perdition The way to Heaven is upward but the ground is falling that we tread on and the heaviness of our nature doth perpetually expose us to relapses 'T is very probable that he that is so jealous and wary
it shew this eternal Rest to be very desirable but the contrariety shews that this Rest hath so much of difficulty in it that all that lay claim to it cannot justifie their claim And though they cry with the Mathematician 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found and I have found it yet they are so much to seek that their confidence without evidence hath brought many to put it to the question Whether there be any such Rest to be found We must not be so foolish or so slothful as those Scepticks who question or deride the possibility of searching and finding out this eternal Rest but with humility and diligence humbly apply our selves to those Rules which are given us for its discovery Some there are that lay claim to no other nor higher felicity than that which either natural Philosophy or civil Policy can help them to And these though they have gone far discovered and publisht many truths pleasant and profitable for the World yet their aims are too low to give the soul of Man satisfaction or acquiescense here The light and rules they walk by too weak and too uncertain to reach those very aims which themselves own much more must they needs fall short of Mans great eternal end this endless Rest The pursuit whereof is our wisdom here the attaining whereof is our happiness hereafter There are in the World Men and those not a few who seek after wealth and honour and great power and weary themselves day and night to attain their ambitious desires and think themselves still in the way towards this eternal Rest But our Saviour's appearing in the World as he did in much humility demonstrates unto us the contrary The innocency righteousness charity and holiness of his life were so conspicuous that the Scribes and Pharisees nay the Devil himself could not find any true accusation against him and he that betrayed him went and hanged himself because he had betrayed so innocent so good and holy a Person Because he came not to gratifie the wordly and carnal expectations of the Jews with any outward pomp or splendor suitable to their desires they vilify his Person revile his doctrine persecute his followers contrive his ruine Yet what was a temporal advancement or deliverance to an eternal redemption from sin death and hell to an eternal advancement above all enemies to those honours and joys at Gods right hand And how contrary had it been to the design of his incarnation which was to satisfie for Mankind's former Pride and Ambition intemperate voluptuousness insatiable covetousness To exemplify as well as teach them the grace of piety and contentedness with the meanest condition here below by setting their hearts on things above How contrary had it been to such a purpose for our Lord to have appeared in the plenty of wealth or the splendor or pomp of worldly honour in the power of Armies to conquer Nations by Sword or Force all which would have but enraged the sinful distempers of Mans Soul which he came to cure He had given the Jews abundant evidence both at his birth and throughout his life yea at his very death that 't was not weakness or any necessity that made him appear in such mean condition but his voluntary choice and love to Mankind to draw them off from the love of this World to that of God and a better life For surely he that could command a Star to attend him at his birth and an Heavenly Host to sing an Anthem of Glory to God at his Nativity might more easily had it pleased him been born in another place than a Stable with other manner of attendants than a poor Virgin and a Carpenter He that could feed five Thousand with a few Loaves and Fishes might have maintained as numerous an Army as he pleased He that could cure the Blind and Lame and Deaf at a word heal all manner of Diseases command the Waters and the Wind raise the Dead cast out Devils might quickly have had an invincible force of Men and Angels to quell the Romans and other Nations He that could strike his apprehender to the ground at the beck of his will make the Sun withdraw his light at Noon day and full Moon the Earth tremble the Rocks rend the Graves open at his death could easily have saved himself from death but then he should have by his Example renowned that love of worldly riches pleasures and honours which by his Doctrine of humility self denial and contempt of the World he sought to mortify and disgrace High and lofty thoughts do much hinder our progress towards our eternal Rest and hide from us the true knowledge of our selves whose first Element is but dust Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Dust is our native soyl and last home to which we must by a firm decree repair ere long By soring aloft after worldly honours we do but make our wearisom way the longer and more crooked our fall more grievous especially if suddain and our final account after death more heavy Aspiring ambition overthrew the Tempter Lucifer himself What Spirit is it then think we which moves such young and tender Plants as scarce thrive under the walls of Gods house such Vines as hardly bear fruits in the warm and well fenced vale I mean the retirements and vacations of a low and private condition to affect the cold and open Mountains exposed to blasts of noysom winds Is it their glory to be above others of their own rank and education This might be purchased with less danger to themselves and more good to Church and State if they sought to overtop them more by their own proper height or true growth in all graces and good works than by meer advantage of ground For when every Valley shall be exalted and every Mountain made low that is when all worldly differences of States shall be laid aside as at the last day they will be the fruit which hath grown in the vale of humility and contentedness will appear both higher and better far than the ordinary off-spring of the Mountains or highest places of preferment Were Men so wise in heart as to consider that the lower their place or condition is so it be not exposed to flouds of violence the apter it is to suck in the dew of Heaven and bring forth fruit in its season There are in the way to this eternal Rest great variety of Travellers furnisht with various and different abilities whose faces differ not more than their minds and manners and these though they run contrary ways yet all pretend they are in pursuit of the same end and are upon their march to this eternal Rest even then when their backs are turned upon it The bloudy restless Traytor would be thought to be in search after this eternal Rest and Life though he seek for it in the paths of death and works like the Mole under ground and thinks that no Man shall see him
Rest in the Kingdom prepared for the blessed of his Father Despise not then the goodness of God who made you at first after his own Image Despise not the mercies of Christ the Son of God who came to take your nature and die for you Despise not the Spirit of God who waits and longs for your Sanctification Despise not those precious promises which yet are offer'd to all that cleanse and purify themselves nor those endless intolerable woes and miseries which are threatned to all despisers He that seeks not this Rest but walks in the ways of his own heart 'till he can walk no longer and thinks to delay from time to time his faithful conversion and reformation 'till he must take Sanctuary at last in the sighs and groans sorrows and purposes of sickness and his death-bed he that 'till then retained his sins and now when he knows or fears at least that he must die is sorrowful for haveing walked contrary to God and a good conscience he is in all probability sorrowful only for his danger which may possibly consist with as great an affection to sinful ways as in perfect health for even then in some circumstances he would have withstood the greatest temptation the boldest lust would refuse to be satisfied in the Market such restraint is no abatement of the affection He that grieved not 'till death and hell pressed him hard and doom was ready to seize upon him grieved for the sad consequences of sin not for its baseness and disorder For a remedy herein all such Persons had need to cure themselves of these tormenting fears of death and hell by a timely and early repentance because a late repentance is seldom sound and never save And this repentance which necessarily foregoes remission of sins can no ways better be obtained than by constant and fervent prayer Ask and ye shall have said our Saviour The prayer of Faith availeth much said St. James God is nigh unto all them that call upon him faithfully Seek and ask and beg and sue for what you will by fervent and faithful prayer by prayer that goes not out of feigned lips and it shall be given you Prayer is the very breath of Gods Spirit whereby our Soul draws in and sends forth Gods grace and it s own gracious desires Prayer it is our very scaling Ladder and Engin of battery whereby heaven is beseiged and suffers violence 'T is our arrow by which we pierce the Clouds and having gotten audience above 't is our weapon by which we wound our enemies below 'T is the Rudder and Anchor which keeps our Souls steddy in many waters when many winds and billows beat upon us 'T is the Compass by which we Sail when all is clouded 'T is our Key by which we open Heaven and wrestle with God resolving with Jacob not to part without a blessing But 't is not every lazy Prayer born in the lips or at most in the phansy uttered only for fashion sake or to quiet for a while a galled conscience No it is the Prayer of a righteous Man though a Man of infirmities with others when fervent that availeth much so much that it hath shut and opened Heaven made the Sun stand still and go back Though the Person be righteous if the Prayer be not fervent God hath no regard to it no reason to hear and consider that Prayer which he himself that makes it scarce hears and considers Great reason then have all to watch and to pray to make our calling and election sure and wisely in time to provide whilst the day of Salvation lasts that our labours here may terminate and end in eternal Rest because we know not how short our time is All flesh is grass said the Prophet Isaiah 40.6 And all the goodliness thereof is as the flowers of the field The grass withereth the flowers fadeth away because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the people is as grass for as the grass how green and flourishing soever it seems yet it sprang from the Earth and shortly after beasts devour it or winds blast it and if it come to last out its full time even then the Sythe comes to cut it down So is Mans life with all its fresh seeming contentments at the mercy even of every Creature Fire and Water Air and Sickness Famin and the Sword and what not almost And though he escape all sad accidents and casualties to the utmost length of Mans Age yet there is a natural Syth of Gods decree and Mans inward corruption that will not fail to cut him down No Age no condition can be exempted by any art by any means from the stroak of death Every Age hath proper to it self some posterns some out-lets of death besides those numberless open gates through which thousands yearly pass The bud is blasted as soon as the blown Rose the Lamb comes to the shambles as well as the grown Sheep Death looks not at Mens Estates or Degree or Age it comes not to the Church book to summon them by that the Womb the Cradle protects not many Infants die in both we know And the Jews Proverb is daily fulfilled in Golgotha are skulls of all sizes Childhood is so tender and yet so unwary of running into harms-way that Parents Eyes and Nurses Arms are scarce sufficient to keep one Child from strange and early calamities and death it self unless a guardian Angel be granted it to watch its very playings and sleepings eatings and drinkings The more uncertainty and instability we find here in things below the less ought we to rely and trust in any Creature and so much the more ought we to put our trust in God The very unfaithfulness of all things else should renue and confirm our faithfulness and to God who makes sickness and death become life and health by removing the vail of flesh which intercepts the light and sight of the fountain of life and gives an immediate access to him in whom alone this eternal Rest is to be found It is the honour and triumph of true Religion that having chosen God for its Rest it cannot be bereaved or defeated of its choise by any calamities whatsoever of this life It lifts up the Soul above all the winds and storms of this uncertain transitory world and fixes the heart upon that eternal fountain of joy and rest and happiness where there is no variableness nor shadow of turning Wish and desire and love whatsoever you please besides God Put your trust in any thing less or lower than him and you are not only sure that your love will be turned into hatred your liking into loathing your trust into despair when death comes but even while life and health lasts you are at uncertainties tossed perpetually betwixt the ebbs and flows of chance 'twixt hopes and fears like an unstable wave of the Sea or hanging like a doubtful Meteor in the Air whilst the humble patient Christian that trusts
in God and takes him for his Rest and exceeding great reward waiting on him as his all-sufficient shield with resignation for life or death Contented to live but willing to die and to be with Christ he is the only fixt Star in this lower firmament His feet stand fast be the pavement never so slippery In the term of Mans life there is a vicissitude of good and evil a mixture of labour and rest joy and sorrow there is a seed-time and an harvest a sowing in tears and reaping in joy He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubless come again with joy and bring his sheaves with him But we may not expect Summer in the Winter season an harbour in the main Ocean our portion before we are of Age a reaping in joy 'till we have sown in tears The Traveller cannot think to find home in his Inn nor Heaven upon Earth The Children of Israel had the Wilderness and the Red-Sea to pass through before they could arrive at the Land of Canaan the place of their Rest They were all labourers that were sent into the Vineyard and could not expect their Peny 'till the day and their work was done let us therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest that our Labour and Travel may happily be turned at last into ease and Rest that when the six days of our life are at an end we may cease from our works as God did from his and enjoy with him an everlasting Sabboth of eternal Rest And the rather is this Rest hereafter to be laboured for now because whilst we are here upon Earth we have nothing pure and unmixt our very joys are mingled with sorrow and Solomon tells us even in laughter the heart is sad Expences here wait upon honour care of Education goes along with the blessing of Children and our most comfortable hopes are mixt with perplexing fears But when we come to Rest in the holy City that City which is above we shall have a perpetual day without night light without the Sun Our hunger shall be satisfied without food No need of Clothing there to cover our shame for shame and sin shall cease together then all sad doubtings what shall be our condition and state hereafter shall vanish away and we shall agree together with one heart and mind to sing Halelujahs and perpetual Prayers to God in the highest There will be no dissenters there no seperatists to break or interrupt that harmonious everlasting concord What wise Man then will set his heart upon the World when all things in it are but for so short an abode so unstable and so unsatisfactory and not rather on that abiding City above where the joys and pleasures are durable and eternal Christians of all others ought to remember what St. Paul saith Heb. 13.14 Here we have no abiding City but we seek one to come Our very profession exposeth us to all affliction and obliges us to live as strangers and pilgrims upon Earth What is Canaan or Jerusalem below to that above whereof the other was but a Type Things that are seen and perceptible by any bodily Eye are temporal transitory subject to changes every day and sure to be abolisht at length they will be taken from us or we from them when death comes which may come every day and therefore not worthy to be looked upon by such an immortal Soul or Spirit as constitutes Man which being made for eternity cannot be satisfied with ought that is temporal how long soever it may abide much less when 't is sure to continue no longer as to us than this uncertain short life and therefore in respect of our own and the Worlds end we may be truly said to have no abiding City here and are therefore the more carefully to seek and expect our eternal Rest and habitation from above While the World continues and we in it we have no continuing City here because neither habitation nor goods health nor wealth honours nor pleasures or any contentment is or can he assured us for our lives How many Villages Towns and Cities have Fires and Earthquakes and Wars destroyed How many Kingdoms and Common-wealths have civil disorders and foreign invasions overthrown Or rather what one in any Nation have they not The Histories or Records of all Ages all places besides the infallible Oracles of God which we have in our hands will give us a full induction and proof of this truth This Island wherein we live hath given us not only many Historical but experimental sensible proofs that from the King to the meanest Subject we have no continuing City here nor setled Rest and true happiness But besides these publick revolutions vicissitudes and changes every Family every private Person lies continually exposed to casualities to variety of sickness invading their health variety of molestations from those above them from those below them from those about them and also from their own follies lusts and passions from within them in so much that whatsoever Men fix their hearts upon in this World to take their greatest contentment in they cannot be sure on reasonable grounds that it shall continue with them one year longer The felicity and satisfactory happiness of this City above in which this eternal Rest is to be found ought to be valued so much the more because St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 2.9 That Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath entered into the heart of Man to conceive the fulness of those good things which God hath prepared for those that love him A grateful and pleasant taste of these good things God affords the Souls of the faithful here in this life how transcendently then unutterable and unconceivable will be the full fruition of all that which the Gospel reveals to us but as in a glass when enjoy'd to the height in the highest Heavens through all eternity when we shall see God as he is with everlasting overflowing satisfaction to all the faculties of the Soul The Eye of Mart hath seen here admirable things in Art and Nature the Ear hath heard and the Tongue hath tasted delicious things and Mans heart can conceive much more than Art or Nature could ever present our senses with The very pleasure of natural knowledge in the judgment of Persons exercised therein exceeds whatsoever sensuality vain glory or covetousness pursues or enjoys and yet the knowledge and love of God in Christ incomparably surpass St. Paul tells us whatsoever the heart of the natural Man advanced to the height can conceive as pleasant or delightful to it How much more doth this City to come and its endless unconceivable pleasures where this everlasting Rest is to be had exceed even our expressions and conceptions when they are at the highest If God hath provided such good things for Mankind here below in this World which was not made for the place of our happiness but only to give us a transitory glimpse of his
infinit wisdom power and goodness and to draw our hearts after the Author of what we see if he hath built this inferior World or City which hath no foundations in comparison of those to come with so much wisdom power and bounty and made such glorious Heavens as shine it forth to our admiration and enamel'd it with such variety of pleasures as even the best find it a matter of difficulty to part therewith and yet God never intended when he built it that it should continue long If there hath been so much cost of accurate contrivance and mighty bounty laid out on that which was to last but for a time what think we must be the riches beauty and glory of that City which he intended should endure to all eternity Surely this World where we now live is but as some out-houses to that Heavenly Palace an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Paul saith a work-house a place for Labour and Travel before we come to our resting place that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or place of rewards as he calls Heaven This is but a place to fit our selves in for the City above a place it is wherein the greatest part of its inhabitants have dishonour'd their maker and him that made the World by preferring its transitory pleasures before him disorder'd themselves injured their brethren and thereby fitted themselves for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Hell or place of everlasting punishment And if the most wise and holy God who made this World and knew when he made it that it might and would be so abused yet so bespangled its roof with Stars Sun and Planets and laid its flowery foundation so pleasantly fragrantly fruitfully and usefully certainly that City which he hath erected for none but his beloved Servants to live in to all eternity must vastly surpass this in glory And because we can hardly conceive of invisible future good things but by some resemblance to present and visible and Men are of several tempers apprehensions and desires the Scriptures condescend thereto and strive to express the next lifes happiness in all the variety of several notions which either sense phansy or reason can desire The voluptuous seek for pleasure and mirth if they will have it let them set their hearts and affections on him that made them and redeemed them that he might sanctify them and bring them to these delights they seek in him they shall find when enter'd the City above a feast of new refined Wines a feast of Marrow and all delicacies the joy of Harvest and of those that divide the spoil of their enemies They shall find a celestial Paradice or Eden of God whereof that which was made for Adam and his posterity continuing innocent was but a transitory imperfect Map There is the hidden Manna hidden here but revealed there a new Song always Sung a Garden of Lillies and Roses which never die and whose fragrant scent never decays The ambitious Mans heart is set on honour and glory but if he will set his heart on God and that honour which comes from him in him he shall not fail to find a Kingdom of glory and immortality a Crown of righteousness whose weight is exceeding and eternal for his having preferred the God that made him before the empty false hearted honours which come to tempt him from his duty of humility goodness and holiness The covetous Mans heart is set on riches but if he will set his heart on God in him he shall find everlasting Treasure Mansions that fail not able to satisfie the utmost desires of him that possesses them either for duration or abundance A City whose Walls and Gates are full of all manner of precious stones an Inheritance as St. Peter describes it incorruptible and undefiled that fades not away 1 Pet. 1.4 What ever we can inherit here is Subject to some nay all of these Corruption defilement and fading away both we and it The substance is embased and soiled by some bad thing coming to it from without All things in their best Estate lose their luster and fade away One Mans inheritance corrupts by another Mans unthriftiness and is purchased by another another's escheated or confiscated We are weary here and then we Rest and are quickly as weary of our Rest as of our weariness The Creatures fail and tire and disappoint us that we should not set up our Rest in them or in any inheritance here below but be chased and forced to seek our Rest in God with whom there is an inheritance laid up for us in danger of none of all these uncorrupt that shall hold its being and none can disseize us of it undefiled never embased by any mixture and we our selves become undefiled uncorrupt and unfading too and what can the covetous in his largest thoughts desire more We have or may have a natural certainty by light of reason that there is another future State a life of Rest and joy after labour and sorrow here The Soul of Man which is a Spirit whose operations are not only far above what any body or matter is capable of but can overrule and contradict what ever the body most vehemently inclines to embrace poverty reproach and death with peace and joy Since for certain by light of reason there is a God that made the World and governs the World and hath obliged Mankind by notions imprinted in his Soul to piety and righteousness charity and temperance and yet hath left him a liberty to chuse or refuse that he maybe rewarded for chusing good and punished for the contrary And since many chuse the ways of sin who are not punished in this World and many chuse the ways of virtue who are not rewarded in this life it follows by necessary consequence of reason from the justness and holiness and goodness of God that there must be another future life wherein the prosperous wickedness of sinners shall be punished the labours and sufferings of godly righteous temperate charitable persons abundantly rewarded All this the very Heathens many of them have expresly owned and fairly proved by their general acknowledgemt that 't were better to suffer the loss of life and all its comforts than to live in the practice of hainous vice which could not be true if there were no other life after this And surely the notions of good and evil being so deeply interwoven with Mens Souls that the consciences of those who chuse and act that which is evil though never so secretly and so succesfully reproach them with the guilt of it and terrify them with the apprehensions of future punishment And the consciences of those who chuse and act that which is good though never so much reproached and afflicted for so doing cheers and comforts them with joyful hopes and expectations of some future reward The Souls and Consciences of Men being so deeply stamped with this by him that made them that no evasions or arts of hypocrisy or subtile
wickedness can blot it out it necessarily follows as necessarily and as surely as that the reason and conscience of Man was not made in vain nor given him to make him the most abused deluded miserable Creature in the World even in that which is the very dignity and excellency of his nature that there must be a life wherein these notions and apprehensions so natural and so general must be verified Thus far Reason by natural light may enable and hath in effect empowred many to believe that there is a resting place for the virtuous not to be found here but hereafter Commorandi locum natura nobis non habitandi domicillium dedit No abiding City here but one to come Heaven is the proper Country for Mans Soul which came from thence inspir'd by God Divina quaedam particula aurae and thither tends But because this light is obscure and imperfect compared with that of Revelation therefore the main irrefragable evidence both that there is another state to come and of its transcendent happiness blessed Rest and tranquility as to Soul and body is to be fetcht from the holy Oracles and there we have it indeed as fully and as cleerly revealed as this our Mortality is capable of proved by all the demonstrations of the Spirit which attentive reason can desire For there we have the Son of God descending from Heaven to take our Nature and in that nature to teach and exemplify the only way that leads thither and purchase our admission to it to this Crown of life to this resting place to this City to come by his death thereby procuring for us an inheritance incomparably more worthy than all our labours and sufferings here can come to This Rest is not allotted for sluggards drowsy slothful Persons who squander away their precious hours in earthly trifles and think not this glorious eternal City and Rest there which Christ hath bought with his own blood worth their seeking untill they have nothing else to seek Yea when this eternal Rest is offered them by Gods preventing grace have no heart to give him his price when the price is only to part with that which is vain and temporal for that which is satisfactory and eternal The way to this Rest saith our Lord is streight and narrow through temptations without and corruptions within and therefore cannot be found but by those that seek it with attentive heed God indeed seeks us first shews us this City where this happiness and Rest is to be found and the way to it invites and enables us to obtain it by walking in holiness and righteousness which qualify us for it Even the things of this transitory life here below its riches and honours such as they are are seldom attained but by diligent seeking and can we think this heavenly inheritance with all its joys and riches and honours should be attained without a constant studious diligence And the more we labour and suffer here the more sweet and pleasant will be our Rest when it comes Grata quies fessis Rest we know is welcome to the weary Traveller And now Courteous Reader I have by this time possibly wearied and tired thee out in a long and tedious walk but it was only the better to fit and prepare thee for an happy seasonable and lasting Rest that I have thus carried thee through a rough unbeaten path the path of Faith Hope and Charity Meekness Patience Temperance Humility Chastity and Obedience all which come but as so many faithful guides safely to conduct thee to the gates of Heaven and give thee even in this life by anticipation a tast of the joys of that other even of that place where Saints and Angels shall be thy Companions and where thou shalt see God Face to Face who is Wisdom Purity Holiness and all perfections I cannot leave thee better than where thou hast so near an approach to this glorious prospect of eternal Rest Only one thing I have at parting to remind thee of viz. Go ye cursed into everlasting fire or Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom one of these two must be thy doom and the final sentence of all flesh Let it therefore be thy Wisdom as well as Duty to chuse that better part which can never be taken from thee to chuse God and eternal life before riches and honours and pleasures and all that this World can give And to prefer an eternal boundless good before uncertain transitory vanities sure to end in eternal sorrow that so thy toilsom weary Travel here may have its accomplishment in eternal Rest hereafter Amen Amen Amen FINIS Dr. Templer 1676.