with the Terrours of Mount Sinai before he refresheth (b) Isaiah 61.3 them with Mount Sion's Comforts first he brings them to mourn bitterly for Sin before he pours out upon them Oyl of Gladness first in a word he puts into them the Spirit of Heaviness before ever he will Cloath them with the Garments of eternal Salvation So that here we must mourn and humble our Souls for Sin would we ever come safe to Heaven rejoycing with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory And truly whatever some say to the contrary we may as well expect a Crop without Seed as to reap the Reward of eternal Glory without Sowing in Tears There must first a Shower of penitential Tears fall from our Eyes before ever the Sun-shine of true Happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven will break forth upon us Repentance is so necessary a Duty (c) Luke 13.3 5. that no Man could ever yet get to Heaven nor escape Hell without it Sin must and will have Sorrow either on Earth or in Hell either in this World to your Comfort or in the next to your Shame and eternal Confusion If therefore you love your Souls labour by Sorrow to prevent Sorrow by godly Sorrow for Sin here to prevent despairing Sorrow for Sin in Hell What is it not better that we should break off our Sins by Repentance than that wanting Repentance we should be broken in pieces like a Potter's Vessel with the Lion-rod of God's heavy Displeasure Is it not much better that we should fill God's Bottle with our Tears than that for want of such Tears he should empty all the Vials of his Wrath (d) Ezek. 18.32 upon us (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Martyr Apol. 2. pag. 48. 25. The Lord tells you plainly he hath no pleasure in your Death But yet he is resolved that you shall liâ—e upon no other condition than that of breaking off your Sins by Godly Sorrow And who would not rather live Repenting (f) An melius est damnatum latere quam palam absolvi Tertull. de Poenitent cap. 10. pag. 169. than be damned and die despairing Did Esau seek his Father's Blessing with Tears and will not you much more seek the Blessing of eternal Life at the Hands of God with Sorrow in your Hearts and Tears in your Eyes that you ever offended him Oh little do you know the unspeakable â—enefit accrewing to a poor Soul by Godly Sorrow wâ—at Comfort it fills him with here and what Glory at will Crown him with hereafter There are none that live so comfortable on Earth nor any that go more surely to Heaven when they come to die than those whose Life hath been spent in bewailing their Sins (g) Magnum est poenitentiae auxilium magnum solatium Illa est vulnerum peccatorumque sanatio illa spes illa porta salutis Lactant. Epitom cap. 8. pag. mihi 750. Great as Lactantius sweetly saith is the help and great the Comfort of true Repentance This like Balm is for the healing of our Sin-wounded Souls this is the Foundation of our Hope and this is the Gate of Salvation through which we may enter into the Kingdom of God When Hannah had wept before the Lord she went away and her Countenance was no more sad Go you likewise and weep bitterly before the Lord for all your Sins would you ever have your Hearts to be filled with Comfort and your Faces to shine with the Oyl of eternal Gladness They that would build high must lay the Foundation very low Thus godly Sorrow for Sin is that sure Foundation Stone upon which God lays the Superstructure of eternal Happiness Holy Mourning is the Seed out of which the (h) Mat. 5.4 Flower of eternal Glory Springs As the Harvest naturally follows the Seed Sown So if now you shall carefully Sow in Tears do not doubt but the (i) Psal 126.5 Harvest of everlasting Joy will follow after Let not then your Souls be by any means prejudiced against godly Sorrow which though bitter in the Root yet will be sweet in the Fruit working for your Repentance to Salvation (k) 2 Cor. 7.10 never to be Repented of The Pleasures Mirth and carnal Jollity of wicked Men will have a sorrowful end there is never a drop of Honey in Sin but will shortly be turned into a Sea of Gall and as the Pleasures of ungodly Men have abounded in this Life so their Torments in Hell shall much more abound But as for the Tears that drop from the Eye of godly Sorrow they will never grieve you nor give you any just occasion to Repent of them as being sure to end in Joy and be Crowned with an Eternity of heavenly Glory Repentance I confess is a Bochim a place of Weepers and therefore displeasing to a carnal Heart that would always dwell in the House of Mirth But (l) Haec te peccatorum flactibus mersum prolevabit in portum divinae clementiae protelabit Tertul. de Paenitent cap. 4. pag. mihi 166. through this Valley of Tears you will come at length to the Paradise of God where instead of the bitter Waters of Marah your Souls shall be satisfied with the new Wine of eternal Consolation when the Cloud that hid the Sun from us is once dissolved into a Shower then it shines out gloriously Thus when the Cloud of your Sins that now hides from you the Light of God's Countenance dissolves kindly into a Shower of Tears then will you find the Sun of Righteousness shining out upon you with the brightest beams of Love and Glory Shall I then prevail with you to become God's spiritual Seeds-men (m) Gal. 6.8 now sowing in Tears to the Spirit that of the Spirit you may reap Life everlasting Oh neglect not I beseech you this great Salvation deprive not your selves through the hardness and impenitency of your own Hearts of that fulness of Joy and eternal Happiness which the Lord hath provided for all that are Mourners in Sion What though godly Sorrow be displeasing to Flesh and Blood and Repentance bitter (n) Psal 16.11 Yet who for that fulness of Joy and those Pleasures that are at God's right Hand for evermore would not gladly undergo it Possibly you think its a tedious thing to afflict your Souls for Sin turning your Laughter into Mourning and your Joy into Heaviness Oh but remember that Crown that Kingdom that eternal weight of Glory to which your Repentance leads will abundantly make amends for all your Sorrow By a few-hearty Sighs and Groans and Tears you may get to Heaven And oh how sad would it be if for want of these you should fall into Hell irrecoverably and be tormented for ever A (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Martyr Dial. câ—m Tryphon pag 207. Man breaking off his Sins by true Repentance is looked upon and Crowned with eternal Glory as if he had never sinned But the least Sin Unrepented of will be sure to
are none that walk so chearfully in Heaven's Way as those who have thus seen and tasted that the Lord is Gracious (e) Psal 110.3 In the Day of God's Power the Soul must needs be willing devoting herself to him as a Free-will offering And doubtless greater power did God never shew than when opening the Eyes of a poor lost Sinner and giving him a clear prospect of heavenly Glory Oh now the Soul can mount up with Wings as an Eagle now she can run and not be weary now she can walk on with delight in Heaven's Way and never grow faint when thus beholding as with open Face the Glory that is set before her Holy Duties to a Man eying by Faith the Reward of them are accompanied with such Manna and spiritual Nectar with such fulness of delight and heavenly contentment that now he can willingly spend and be spent in them With a carnal heart who neither sees nor hopes for this glorious Reward all holy exercises are but as Songs to a sorrowful Heart or as good food to a dead Man or as the Red-sea to Pharoah's Chariots wherein he drives on heavily finds no Pleasure can take no delight But it 's far otherwise with those who like Moses have respect to this Eternal Recompence their Meat and Drink is to do God's Will this is that heavenly Manna whereupon they would always be feeding this is that Mount of Transfiguration upon which they could always delight to dwell Oh! there is never such chearful obedience such diligence and vigour of Spirit in holy Duties as when the Soul from the highest Pisgah of Faith can behold the Glory prepared for it that heavenly Canaan towards which every Duty every Sigh every Groan every penitential Tear is an happy Step. The Fire doth not more easily dissolve Ice nor the Sun in its Noon-day brightness expel Darkness than a glimpse of heavenly Glory doth expel Sloth and make a Man delight in the Beauties of Holiness Who would not be quickned by such a Glory shining upon him What Heart would not be warmed and freed from its natural coldness in the Ways of God before such a Flame What Vigour and Liveliness what holy Activity for God in every Duty may the sight of this Eternal Reward put into us You complain Christians of your Dead-heartedness your Formality your indisposition and great aversness to Duty but would you steep your Hearts in the serious Thoughts of this Eternal Reward that would cure you of all your Distempers that would warm your cold Hearts that would quicken your dull Spirits that would make you to serve the Lord with a willing Mind counting every Duty as an heavenly Gale sent on purpose to wast you over to the wished shore of blessed Immortality Oh then if whilst others count Duty their Burden you would count it your Delight your Priviledge if whilst others stand idle in God's Vineyard counting it a weariness to serve the Lord you would willingly have Hearts lively and chearful Hearts prepared for every good word and work be sure that you look within the Veil endeavouring to perswade your Hearts of the Glory that is set before you This Eternal Weight of Glory if well considered will be sure to make the Yoke of obedience seem light and easy You shall not long need to cry out of your own drowsiness negligence and unwillingness in Duty will you but carefully fix your Eye before you go about the work of Duty upon that eternally glorious Reward that follows after Oh what will be able to revive you to fill you with Spirits of delight activity and chearfulness in the work of the Lord if not a clear prospect of that heavenly Canaan towards which you are going Whenever Christian thy Spirit begins to grow flat and thy Heart to fall in Duty Oh then look up by Faith to this glorious Reward not doubting but like Aqua vitae it will revive thee enabling thee to serve the Lord with a willing Mind 6 A due respect had to this glorious Reward will much ease you of all worldly Thoughts and Heart-dividing Cares He cannot be much distracted about earthly goods whose Heart is holy united to meditate Heaven which is best of all When the Eye is once fixed upon things above it begets in the Soul an holy carelesness about all things here below let them go how they will her Treasure is laid up in Heaven and with this she can sit down satisfied Oh little would you think what a Writ of ease what a Sabbath of Rest from all carking cares and distracting Thoughts it would give you had you but a due respect with Mosâ—s to this recompence of Reward The grand reason why most Men look so much after Earth and spend their Thoughts so much about the Meat that perisheth is indeed because they look so little after Heaven and spend their Thoughts so seldom about the Meat which will endure to Eternal Life (f) Mat. 6.33 Hence our blessed Lord observing the Hearts and Minds the Cares and Thoughts of most Men to be carried out with much anxiousness after the things of this World he endeavours to cure them of this dangerous Distemper by diverting the stream of them another way advising them to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof as the most sure expedient to supersede their Heart-rending Cares and to ease them of all their worldly distractions And doubtless would God's People when almost distracted with Cares about what they shall eat and drink and wherewith in necessitous Times they shall be cloathed turn their Thoughts Heaven-ward taking care to make sure of that to prepare for a Crown of Glory to be made meet for the inheritance of Saints in Light this would prove a very Sovereign Remedy against all their distractions What need he much take Thought for the Meat that perisheth who sees the Table spread in his Father's House where sitting down he shall feed upon the Meat that will endure to life everlasting What need he much trouble himself for Drink who sees a River of purest Pleasures running by the right Hand of God for evermore whereof he shall drink deep to all Eternity What need he distract himself for Cloaths who sees the Ward-robe of Heaven all hung with the Garments of Salvation to make him at last more beautiful than Solomon in all his Glory What need he in a word be much careful about earthly Possessions who knows himself provided before-hand of an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for him Oh Sirs the Dagon of worldly Thoughts and distracting Cares could never stand had you but such an Ark as a prospect of Heavens Glory to set up against it If then Christians you would get from off the Rack of carking Cares and be able to trust God with your Bodies give diligence to get your Hearts to meditate on Heaven endeavoring to provide for your Souls everlasting Mansions of Glory If
our might though we should give our Bodies to be burnt die ten thousand deaths and lye frying as Firebrands in Hell upon the Grid-iron of God's displeasure so many Millions of Imaginary Ages as there be Stars in the Firmament of Heaven Yet by all this we could not possibly oblige the God of Heaven to render us the Reward of Eternal Life nor bring forth any thing that by way of condign Merit could purchase that Crown of Righteousness that Kingdom of Eternal Glory that fulness of Joy and everlasting Happiness which abides us in the World to come So then though we may look at Heaven in our Obedience yet it 's utterly in vain to think of Meriting Heaven by our Obedience Though the Reward of Eternal Life may encourage us to Well-doing yet in vain shall we look to Purchase that glorious Reward by our well-doing Though we may assure ourselves of the Blessing of Eternal Life and Glory from God in keeping his Commandments Psal 19.11 yet if for keeping his Commandments we expect that God should bless us with so glorious a Reward we are sure everlastingly to fall short of it For if you think to Merit with God expecting upon Terms of Justice the Reward of Eternal Glory from him do but cast up your Reckonings aright and you will find that there is nothing but an Eternal (n) Quanto labore digna est requies quae non hâ—bet finem Si verum vis computare et verum judicare aeterna requies aeterno labore emituor Aug. in Ps 93. Travail which can Merit an Eternal Rest nothing but an everlasting Conflict that can deserve to be Crowned with an everlasting Triumph nothing but Infinite Labour that can Purchase that Infinitely Glorious and Soul-satisfying Reward which the Lord for our encouragement hath set before us Why then should we put ourselves upon such a Prince as we shall never be able to discharge seeking Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life by the Merit of our own scanty and imperfect Obedience when we know that the Glory Honour and comfort of Eternal Life can only be obtained through the Riches of God's free Grace and divine Indulgence LOOK you may Christians having fought the good fight having finished your course and kept the Faith to receive from Christ the Righteous Judge and Immarcessible Crown of Glory 2 Tim. 8. But take heed that you never think by your Fighting for God Running the Race he hath set before you and Believing him in all his Promises to Purchase that glorious Crown which is not the Wages of an hiâ—â—ling but an Inheritance prepared of God for all his Children If you think Christians to spin Salvation out of the Bowels of your own good Works and to raise up the Seed of Eternal Life to yourselves out of the dead and barren Womb of your own Righteousness why let me tell you then all your Hope 't is but as a Spider's Web which will quite be swept down by the Besome of Death You never think to live and Purchase Eternal Glory by your own Righteousness but you forfeit that Crown of Righteousness which Christ hath laid up with himself for all that love his appearance Col. 3.3.4 Whilst therefore you look at the Recompence of Eternal Life remember 't is the free gift of God and not the Purchase of your own Obedience (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcus Heremita For to be sure their life was never hid with Christ in God who think to find Life and Happiness amongst the rubbish of their own ruinous Performances Nor shall they ever appear with Christ in Glory who make a Christ of their own good Works thereby thinking to Merit at God's hands the Reward of Eternal Happiness For to put confidence in our Holiness will as certainly shut us out of God's Heavenly Kingdom as if we were altogether unholy 4. WE are to have respect in our Obedience to the Recompence of Reward not carnally looking for a Sensual Happiness but Spiritually as longing for an Happiness that shall consist in the adequate Perfection of all our Graces together with the full enjoyment of God in Glory We are not to look for a Turkish Paradise to gratify the Flesh but for a Sinless state of Holiness where Grace shall be perfected into Glory We may not think of bathing our Souls in Worldly Delights and Carnal Pleasures but of coming to the full injoyment of God himself whom to see without end love without loathing and praise without ever being weary is the only complement of all our Happiness There are multitudes of Men and Women in the world who having imbibed some gross Conceits and carnal Notions of Heaven would be glad when they can live no longer here to take up there as conceiting it to be a place accomodate to the desires of their own carnal Hearts But we never have any due respect to the recompence of the Reward till we look upon Heaven as a place where Sin shall be wholly abolished Grace perfectly glorified the World trampled upon and God over all blessed for ever enjoy'd as the Center of perfect Rest and everlasting Satisfaction As Balaam desired to dye the death of the righteous which he knew would be Crowned with Peace but had no care at all to conform himself to the life of the righteous so many there be who desire Heaven as a place of Happiness but not as a place of perfect Holiness Such is the Malignity of a carnal Heart that it will assimulate whatever it meets with and turn it into the likeness of it's own brutish Lusts So that whenever a carnal heart desires Heaven it 's not an Heaven of God's preparing but an Heaven of it's own fancying not an Heaven to make it perfectly Holy but an Heaven that will make it sensually Happy As a little Leaven turns the whole Lump into it's own Sourness or as the Salt Sea turns the Fresh Rivers and the Sweet Showers of Heaven into Salt Waters So the Heart which is Unsanctified it turns Bethel into Bethaven the holy City of Sion into a filthy Sodom and the heavenly Jerusalem it self into Babylon looking only for the Wages of Unrighteousness and for Heaven as a place of Sensual Pleasure but not as a place of Spiritual Injoyments As some Jews Acts 1.6 had carnal Notions of Christ and his Kingdom looking for a carnal Messiah who should come in Worldly Pomp and Splendour to restore the Kingdom to Israel So many that profess themselves to be Christians they have carnal Notions about the Recompence of the Reward looking after a Turkish Paradice after an Heaven that is wholly Carnal like their own hearts abounding with nothing but Fleshly Delights and Sensual Contentments They conceive indeed of Heaven as a place where there is Freedom from all Misery and as a place wherein all Fulness of Joy of Delights and everlasting Pleasures dwells But yet both these the Misery removed and the Pleasures indulged both Freedom
them tenders of a Crown of Life But they chose to deck themselves with Rose-buds preferring Earth before Heaven and troubling themselves about many things (c) Luke 10.42 whilst that better part is neglected which if chosen should never be taken from them Like Esau they sell their Birth-right for a mess of Pottage Like Judas they betray the Lord of Life who would save their Souls for thirty pieces of Silver Or like our first Parents to get the forbidden Fruit they let go their Happiness in Paradise preferring one deadly Apple from the Tree of Knowledge before all the delicious Apples on the Tree of Life What pains do we see Men take What hazards do they daily run to satisfie their unsatiate desires after Creature-enjoyments whilst Heaven with all the Glory and Royalties of it are neglected as the pleasing fictions of some devout Fancies rather than matters of reality With what wracking of Brain with what strength of endeavour with what Conflicts of Passions with what vehemency of desire and remorse of Consciences do Men resolving to be rich pursue their Earth-born vanities making that pitiful Religion they have serve turn and Christianity it self become Handmaid to wait upon their gain and secular advantage (d) Boni quippe ad hoc utuntur mundo ut fruantur Deo mali autem contra ut fruantur mundo uti volunt Deo Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 7. Whereas the truly gracious do improve their Earthly Treasures for high and Heavenly ends using them in a subserviency to their Christian devotion that they more freely enjoy God Why on the contrary carnal Hearts they subordinate every thing to their own sordid ends using God his Name his Worship his Ordinances that they may more plausibly prosecute and enjoy the World Doth not daily sad experience let us see how Men will hazard their own lives in desperate undertakings make themselves perpetual Drudges to the Times comply with every prevailing Faction throw away their own Mercies make shipwrack of Faith dissemble conscience and exchange their salvation together with all Hopes of Heaven and Glory for Earth and Earthly enjoyments Oh that I could but speak to the Heart of such amongst you who thus inordinately pursue the World grasping continually with adulterous embraces Was this the end of your being in the World to Idolize the Creature loving prizing and serving that above God your Creator Have you not things of greater consequence and that more nearly concern you to look after than the profits emoluments and perishable comforts of this present Life Is it not an immortal Soul more worthy your care than a sinful Body the Riches of Heaven and Glory than your Earthly Treasure and the recompence of Eternal Life is not that more worthy your care than the confluence of all Creature-enjoyments Your approaching Death your Eternal Judgment before Gods Tribunal your everlasting condition in the world to come should not these things be seriously minded and much rather regarded of you than the husky enjoyments of a dying Life What alass Poor brutish Muck-worm will thy full Garners thy Bags of Gold thy sumptuous Buildings thy long Leases thy gorgeous Apparel or thy dainty Dishes and sweet Morsels avail thee when the great God calls to Judgment when Death as God's inexorable Serjeant shall arrest thee and thou must now breath out thy Life and thy Hope together Will your Deeds and Leases be evidences for Heaven Will your Riches Honours and Pleasurable enjoyments be able to comfort your Hearts when now breaking through the bitter pangs and dying groans that will shortly take hold of you Will your Coffers or your Bags of Gold be accepted as a ransom for your lost Souls or can they purchase your pardon when now tryed for your Lives for your everlasting unchangable State before the righteous Judge of all the World To bring you off from the over eager pursuit of these perishable enjoyments and to beget in your cheeks an holy blush that ever you should neglect Heaven to seek them dwell a little on these things 1 (a) Vacuum quodcunque est si nullam nobis affert utilitatem CONSIDER all Creature-enjoyments they are vain and unprofitable The very choycest of your Worldly comforts they have nothing in them but that which is unprofitable and good for nothing There is always most vanity where there is the least profit And where there is no profit at all there is nothing at all but vanity And yet this is the Character which Solomon hath given us of all our Creature-enjoyments Every Creature in his Diary hath vanity written upon it and (b) Eccles 1.2 therefore since the whole cannot exceed the particulars when added together he gives us in this as the total Sum of all sublunary comforts Vanity of vanities all is vanity Add a thousand Cyphers together and yet without a figure they signify just nothing So though a Man had the whole confluence and universal aggregation of all Creature-comforts yet such is the vanity bound up in them that without the figure of Divine favour they are altogether insignificant and stand for just nothing in the Register of true profit And therefore (c) Prov. 23.5 Solomon endeavouring to call off Men from the too eager pursuit of Riches will not vouchsafe them any station amongst things really existing but thrusting them down into the bottomless Abyss of a non-entity he thus queries with the insatiate Mammonist Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not and make them to flie as 't is in the original upon a meer nothing The generality of Men they idolize Riches and look upon them as some great matters But the comfort the benefit the profit accrewing to us by them is so small that if you count them any thing at all you do quite over-prize them and do count them a great deal more than what they are ever like to amount unto We can hardly form up a conception of our Creature-enjoyments so diminutive and small as indeed they are Nor can we be able to reach so low in our thoughts as the bottom of that vanity and unprofitableness which is written upon them Most Men look upon their Riches Honours and Worldly accommodations through a Multiplying-glass which doth swell them up far above the proportion of their own magnitude and quite stretcheth them beyond the line of their proper dimensions But would they look upon these things as they are in themselves how would their tall gigantine stature shrink up into a Pygmey-dwarfishness and what a line of unprofitableness and vanity would they find stretched out upon them all * Psal 4.2 How long then ye Sons of Men will ye love vanity and go on to set your Hearts upon that which is not Oh turn not aside from seeking after Glory and Honour after Immortality and Eternal Life (d) 1 Sam. 12.20 21. For why as Samuel said in another case should you go after vain things after
mortis non est illic Aug. Confes lib. 4. cap. 12. What is this but as the Father saith to seek for Life in the Region of Death to seek for Heaven in the Hell of worldly distractions and for happiness in that that may prove our greatest misery Oh that you would once consult though not your Duty yet at least the real satisfaction of your own Souls no longer seeking after broken Cisterns but now coming to the Fountain of living Waters that you may be filled We cannot conceive so great a confluence of earthly enjoyments but still as more may be added so more will be desired But who ever obtains the enjoyment of God in Heaven Oh what fulness of joy what a Garden of soul-satisfying pleasures what a Paradise of all delights and spiritual contentments doth he find in him Now the Man hath as much joy as much comfort as much satisfaction as Heart can hold now like a stone in the Center he can go no further nor desire * Isai 55.2 any more Happiness than what he hath already now with holy David he can sing his Requiem Return to thy rest oh my (b) Psal 116.7 Soul for lo the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee What enemies are you then that love the World to your own Souls preferring Trouble before Rest the boysterous Ocean before the serene Harbour emptiness before satisfaction and a famine of true contentment before that fulness of delight and Heavenly repast which you might find in God How vain is the shadow if compared with the substance a drop if compared with the vast ocean a broken Cistern if compared with the Fountain of living Water or the confluence of all Creature-enjoyments if compared with the full enjoyment of God himself If then you love your Souls come away from these unsatisfying Vanities and seek now after Heaven and Heavenly objects making God your ultimate end and the full enjoyment of him your only happiness What alas will your Riches avail you without this Pearl of great price Will the Shell without the Kernel will the Cistern without the Fountain will the Stars without the Sun give content and can they make a day of happiness and satisfaction in your immortal Souls When a Man my Brethren can sow Grace in the furrows of his field when he can fill his Barns with Glory when he can get Baggs full of Salvation when he can Plow up Heaven out of the Earth and extract God out of the Creatures then but not till then he may be able to find that in them which will satisfy the unbounded desires of his own Soul Be not then any longer so foolish as to look for satisfaction from your Creature-enjoyments preferring the taste of an Apple with our first Parents before all the happiness of the Celestial Paradise Your creature comforts they are all of them impertinent and must needs upon that account be altogether unsatisfying as having no due commensuration nor sutableness to the wants and exigencies of an immortal Soul What one sin is all the World able to expiate What one misery is it able to deliver you from What one corruption can it mortify for you What one Grace can it enrich your Hearts with What one glimpse from God's favourable countenance can it help you to What one word of comfort can it speak to your troubled Consciences when distressed with the sense of God's wrath and the dreadful pre-occupations of Eternal burnings in Hell Indeed the favour of God and the hope of Heaven An interest in Jesus Christ and assurance through him of Eternal Glory these can give satisfaction as being every way sutable to and commensurate with our spiritual wants But now the impertinency of earthly enjoyments is such that you can never make up a sutable Estate for your Souls out of them nor satisfy their unmeasurable desires at the dry and empty Breasts of any Creature-comfort Oh how foolish then and irrational is every covetous Muck-worm Thou hast possibly Riches and Honours and Lands for thy portion But what will all these avail thee what content and satisfaction can they give thee not having an interest in the Lord Jehovah * Gen. 22.7 Behold the Fire and the Wood but where is the Lamb for sacrifice said Isaac to Abraham Thus may I say to you here you have Houses and Lands here you have Friends and worldly dignities But where is your interest in the Lord Jesus where is the Grace of God to sanctify you where is the mercy of God to Pardon you where is the love of God to comfort you where is the favour of God to make glad your Souls as the strength of your Hearts and your portion for ever You have possibly the good things of this life but where are the good things of a better life And be it so that you should abound and be crowned with all variety of Creature-comforts Yet remember your Souls they will still be restless and for ever unsatisfied till you come to rest your selves in the downy Bosom of God's Eternal love and to have fulness of sweet communion with him in Glory 6 And lastly consider all creature enjoyments they are but moment any and only for a season Like a Jonahs Gourd such are the choicest of all our Earthly Comforts growing up in one Night and withering away into nothing the next night following Had we the longest lease of Worldly enjoyments it would soon be worn out our lives are but short of themselves and therefore such comforts as we only hold for term of Life at the utmost cannot possibly last long What the Apostle saith of miraculous Gifts may truly be said of all our worldly accomodations whether you have Riches they shall fail or Relations after the Flesh they shall cease or whether you have Honors in the World they shall vanish away neither shall any Man's Glory descend after him Men usually call their Riches and Worldly accommodations by the name of Substance when indeed they are but a shadow that will never be seen any more when once the Sun of our lives is gon down Death will seal a Lease of ejectment and turn us out of all our possessions so that though now our Creature comforts attend upon us whilst we live and enjoy prosperity yet when once we come to breath out our Souls into Eternity they will all forsake us (a) Ieus est subitò qui modo Craesus erat You know how the Apostle Paul was accompanied by the Disciples to the Shore but there they took their leave of him Thus your Honours Riches and Earthly enjoyments they may accompany you to the Shore of Eternity but there they will bid you farewel for ever WHY then will you set your Hearts upon such fading Vanities labouring more for the Meat that perisheth than for that which will endure to Eternal Life (b) 2 Cor. 4.17 What we see is Temporal But what we see not is truly Eternal *
that Glorious Inheritance Were there but few damned and many saved yet in that case it would much concern us to look to our selves lest we should be some of those few that must go to Hell How much more should we look to our selves laying hold upon Eternal Life when so few shall be saved and go to Heaven when so many walk on in the Way of Destruction and must go to Hell Oh deceive not your own Souls expecting to go to Heaven in a croud but give diligence to be found of that little Flock upon whom it is the Fathers good Pleasure to bestow a Kingdom Whilst multitudes of Men and Women go crouding into Hell strive you to walk in that narrow Way which will bring you to Glory Be not discouraged by the paucity of those that shall be saved but because they are so few resolve to be found in that blessed Number that they may be the more Remembring this still for your encouragement that though there be but few yet some there are who shall receive the reward of Eternal Life and you as soon as any if by patient continuance in well-doing you will but seek it Be they never so few that shall find the Way which leads to Glory yet no Man can ever lose the Way thither but through his own negligence 5 CONSIDER you have yet an opportunity wherein to seek the recompence of Eternal Life and let that make you to give all possible diligence in labouring for it When God affords us an opportunity of Grace he then expects that by patient continuance in Well-doing we should seek for Glory When he holds open the Gate of Mercy then if ever he calls us to enter in When in a word he makes reports of Life and Salvation to us in an acceptable time then oh then above all things in the World it concerneth us to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling Well yet the fair-day of God's Grace is not over and therefore deal wisely in your Heavenly Merchandise now buying of him Gold tried in the Fire that you may be rich and purchasing for your selves that one Pearl of great price Yet your seed-time is not past be sure therefore to sow in tears that hereafter ye may reap in Joy now sow to the Spirit that of the Spirit ye may reap Life Everlasting Yet Christians the six Days of the Week are not all of them gone see therefore that you gather Manna now labouring to make provision for an everlasting Sabbath of Rest in God's Heavenly Kingdom Though the damned in Hell be shut up in an Everlasting Night under Darkness yet still it is Day with you Work therefore while you have the Day because the Night cometh wherein you cannot work If ever you would be able to go through with the work of your Salvation you must be sure to set about it in the Day of Salvation And if you ever would find the Reward of Eternal Life you must be sure to seek it before the glass of your Life be run out and your strength exhausted Pray therefore to Day repent to Day seek Heaven to Day thou art not sure of to morrow And he that is not fit to Day will be less fit to seek after Heaven when to morrow comes How vainly then do Men talk of working for Heaven when they are just going to the place of Reward and of doing the greatest Work to repent believe and seek the Kingdom of God when their strength is at the lowest ebb (f) Poenitentia quae ab infirmo petitur infirma est poenitentia quae à moriente tantum petitur timeo ne ipsa moriatur August Serm. 57. de temp But believe it Sinners you will find it too much for one to look after a sick Soul and a sick Body together too much to get a lively faith when he lieth a dying too much to mount up as on Eagles wings to Heaven when his feet are going down to the Grave and his steps take hold of Hell If ever you would have your works in the full and Eternal Reward of them to follow you when dead you must be sure to follow your work close while you live now seeking by patient continuance in well-doing for Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life Now therefore delay not the doing of that which must be once done or your Souls are undone for ever What do you not yet know the certainty of an approaching Death together with the Vanity and shortness of your own Life which according to the just estimate of Truth is no more than a span which is soon measured a Vapour that quickly vanisheth a Flower that presently fadeth or a little spot of time betwixt too vast Eternities Do you not know that upon this short moment of time dependeth your Eternal condition of Happiness if improved well but of Misery if ill-improved (g) Quippe ex voluntate perversa facta est libido dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. Confes lib. 8. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arest Eth. lib. 2. cap. 6. Natura consuetudo robustissimam faciunt invictissimam cupiditatem Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. 1. Non pudet te reliquias vitae tibi reservare id solum tempus bonae menti destinare quod in nullam rem conferri possit Sen. de brevit vit cap. 4. Juventutem tuam in peccatis traducis ubi verò labore fracta fuerint instrumenta tunc ipsa ad Deum adducis eum jam illorum nullus sit usus Basil Orat. 4. Do you not know that the longer you delay to seek after this Eternal Reward the more unfit you will be for it and the less able to go through with so difficult a province it being impossible that your Hearts thro' procrastination should not grow harder your corruptions stronger whilst custom converted into a second Nature produceth without a miracle of Mercy an irrecoverableness in a course of Sin Do you not know it 's a point of the greatest disingenuity that can be to exhaust the Spirits of your strength in the service of Sin consecrating the first fruits of your Time to such a cruel Aegyptian Taskmaster and to reserve no better for the service of the great God than the very ruins of your strength nor any other than the dregs of your time wherein to seek the Kingdom of Heaven (h) Sicut dormiens in navi vehitur ad portum ita tu dormis sed tempus tuum ambulat Ambr. in Psal 1. Do you not know how fast your lives unravel being not of a permanent but transient nature continually wasting like the Oyl in the lamp whether you work or stand idle in God's Vineyard whether you will seek for a Crown of Life or not seek it Do you not know that be the time of your lives never so short yet the term allotted for us of God
their delight is present but momentany their pain is future but Eternal some do here by the Spirit mortify their beloved corruptions their present Work is difficult but short their Reward is future but Eternal and Glorious Oh therefore above all things see to it that every Lust every Sin every vile Affection in your Souls be subdued mortified and abstained from with the most religious Solicitude If with Jehu you will still have your Calves at Dan and Bethel notwithstanding your pretended Zeal for the Lord if with Herod you must still keep your Herodias notwithstanding your readiness to hear John Baptist to be sure you will lose your Souls and fall short of Glory But if making it your great care to mortify through the Spirit the deeds of the Body you shall keep your selves from your own iniquity hewing in pieces your delicate Agag and giving an Eternal Divorce to every Delilah that pleaseth you then doubt not but Heaven shall bâ—â—our home and the God of Heaven himself your â—â—fe your Portion your exceeding great Reward For a Life of Mortification on Earth is the sure way to a state of Glorification in Heaven 8 BE careful that you have an impartial respect to the whole Law of God endeavouring with Zachary and Elizabeth (a) Luke 1.6 to walk in all the Commandments and ordinances of God blameless A partial respect to Gods Commandments will be sure to expose you to a fatal Destruction from God's blissful Presence But an universal Love and Obedience to Gods holy Will this will set you above the reach of Hell and Misery crowning your Souls with an universal Confluence of all Joy and Happiness and purest Pleasures in the Kingdom of God (b) Psal 119.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Piel ubi geminata litera intendit significationem respondet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecorum quod actum quasi fixis oculis exacto intuitu aliquid contemplantis denotat Then saith Holy David that spiritual Orpheus shall I never be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments When our Obedience is not universal but partial it will end in shame and â—ause us to lie down in Eternal Confusion But when with all Religious Exactness and Godly curiosity as the original Word implies we have a respect to the whole Will of God endeavouring that all our Obedience may be adequate thereto now Glory Honour and Life Everlasting will be your Portion See therefore that you go not about to indent and capitulate with God in matters of Obedience as if the universal Respect of all his Commands were not a Duty incumbent upon you (c) Acts 14.16 But give Diligence now to have a Conscience universally void of offence both towards God and towards Men (d) Heb. 13.18 in all things willing to live honestly Like Moses would you ever enter into the heavenly Canaan you must have both your Handâ—â—â—d with the two Tables of the Law respecting both 〈◊〉 and Man God in each Duty of Piety walking purely before him and Man in each Duty of Equity deporting your selves Righteously towards him To make conscience of one Duty and not of another is indeed to make Conscience neither of one nor other Every Command of the Decalogue hath the same Image the same Superscription the same Divine Authority stamped upon it (e) Jam. 2.10 So that a Man allowing himself in the disobservation of any one quoad vinculum formale doth violate all reflecting contempt upon the Authority of the whole Law though he do not actually violate it in every part And yet how many are there who answer the Lord with an half-obedience just like the Eccho which makes not a Perfect respondence of the Voice but of some part thereof (f) Mark 10.21.22 We read of a certain young Gentleman who came in a sad and serious manner to learn of Christ the Way to Heaven But yet one thing was lacking his desires of Heaven and Glory they were bounded with secret Reservations Proviso's and Conditions of his own upon the discovery whereof by Christ he went away discouraged as not able to accept of Glory upon Terms of universal obedience Thus frequently a deceitful Heart turns Men aside entring Caveats against an universal devotedness to Christ and causing them to stand upon abatements with him in the bargain of Salvation not considering that a due respect to all the Commandments of God is necessary in those that shall be saved albeit that the Covenant of Grace never intended to make the perfect Observation of God's Commandments any Condition of our obtaining Salvation So then if you would not fall short of Glory be sure that the Obedience of your Heart and Life be of equal extent and latitude with the whole Law of God (g) Quando enim servus ex domini jussis ea facit tantummodo quae vult facere jam non dominicam voluntatem implet sed suam Sal. He that stands upon abatements with God keeping only such Commandments as will stand with his carnal Interest his Worldly credit his Safety and his secular Projects doth not serve the Will of God but his own choice The Will of God revealed that 's the grand motive to obedience So that because the whole Law is but a Transcript of Gods holy Will there is the same reason why you should perform obedience to all as to any one of his Commandments (h) Jam. 2.11 Neque enim justa causatio est cur praeferantur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia Salvian de Gub. Dei lib. 3. pag. 80. Shame therefore your selves into the universal Obedience of God's Commandments when ever you find your Hearts to make shy of any Duty with this pressing Consideration that he who commanded one hath commanded all Every Christian he must be a through-paced Conformist to the Will of God not speaking both Hebrew and Ashdod not swearing by God and Malchom not taking one step straight and another crooked not keeping a covetous Heart for the World nor a proud Heart for Hell nor a sensual Heart for the Flesh But endeavouring to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded us giving Diligence to walk before the Lord in all holy Conversation and Godliness (i) Numb 32.12 That for which we find Caleb and Joshua so highly renowned was because they fulfilled it after the Lord Thus would you ever have the highest Renown of heavenly Glory you must follow the Lord fully resolving that though you cannot fulfil all Righteousness yet you will neglect none Thy failing in every Duty shall never keep thee out of Heaven if there be no Duty in the careless neglect whereof thou allowest thyâ—elf Where the Eye of a Christian is upon the whole Law of God and his Heart open to do it (k) 2 Cor. 8.12 there the Goodness of God will accept the Desire for the Deed of the Purpose for the Performance and of the Will for the Work
Tongue of a poor Mortal than to compass the whole Heaven with a Span or to contain the vast Ocean in Cockle-shell (d) Vicit officium linguae sceleris magnitudo Lactant. lib. 6. de ver Cultu pag. mihi 626. Sed quis dicere vel cogiture sufficiat qualis sit in conspectu Domini Dei illa beatorum spirituum calestium que â—irtutum innumerabilis multitudo Quae sit in eis sine fine festivitas visionis Dei Quae laetitia sine defectu Quis amoris ardor non crucians sed delectans Quod sit in ei desiderium visionis Dei cum satietate satietas cum desiderio Aug. Medit. cap. 27. pap 61. What Lactanctus saith of a certain Vice the same may I say of this glorious Reward It 's greatness doth far exceed the largest significancy of the Tongues expression For who tho exhausting the whole Exchequer of good Language and Rhetoricating it the utmost emphasis of all daring Hyperboles can tell how incorruptible the Crown how sweet the Rest how glorious the Kingdom how full and satisfactory the Joy of Eternal Reward will be What Tongue of Man or Angel can fully express how soft the Bosom of God's eternal Love is wherein his People shall rest themselves for ever What Tongue can say how entrancing the light of God's Countenance how pleasant the embraces of a blessed Redeemer how delightful those Soul extasying Rivers of Pleasure are which run out at the Right Hand of God for evermore Truth is we can no more tell the excellency of a Christians Reward and the Powers of the World to come by those descriptions thereof that we meet with in Holy Writ than one who had never seen the Sun could give you a full account of all it's Splendour Brightness and Glory by the twinkling of a little Star in a Dark Night (e) 2 Cor. 12.4 St. Paul though he saw not all yet he saw more than what the Tongue of any Mortal Wight is able to utter And truly as Austin hath it we can better say what there is not than what there is in a Christian's Reward so unspeakably great is the Glory of it Let not therefore my dark amd muddy expressions occasion in you any low contemptible Thoughts of this Glorious Recompence But know that whatever through Grace I shall be enabled to speak of it will be but a little glimpse of light breaking in at some small crany in comparison of the Sun in it's Noon-day brightness So that what the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's Glory the like will you when you come to Heaven say of this It was a true report that I had in the Land of the living concerning the Greatness and Glory of a Christian's Reward howbeit I believed not the words till now that my Eyes have seen it and behold the one half was not told me of what by sweet experience I do now find THIS to prevent all low and unworthy Thoughts of that Reward whereunto God allows his People a respect in all their obedience I now come to tell you as I can what manner of Reward it is which I shall do in these ensuing particulars CHAP. XIV Makes Further Improvement of the Doctrin by way of Consolation shewing what manner of Reward it is whereunto God allows his People to have a Respect in all their Obedience 1 THE Reward whereunto God allows his People a Respect in all their Obedience it 's a pure sincere and unmixed Reward Here every Rose hath its Thorn and our choicest Comforts they have something of Vexation in them But this Reward is a sweet Ambrosian Handkerchief to wipe away all Tears from your Eyes so that when once you come to enjoy it then you shall sorrow no more nor suffer any more nor have any more sad Thoughts any more heavy Hearts (a) Revel 21.4 any more afflicted Spirits to all Eternity Now God brings you to Sion with Songs and everlasting Joy upon your Heads wiping away all Tears from your Eyes Now there (b) Nulla erit ibi tristitia nulla angustia nullus dolor nullus timor nullus ibi labor nulla mors sed perpetua sanitas semper ibi perseverat Bern. Medit. cap. 14. pag. mihi 332. is no more pain for ever Heaven is situated in so wholsom an Air that whoever have the happiness to be made free Denizens of that new Jerusalem they obtain forthwith such an admirable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Temperament both of Soul and Body that they are never troubled again with any peccant Humour to beget either Grief of Soul or Aches Pains and Distempers of Body Here every one of God's Children hath his Mouth filled with one Complaint or other this Man cries out of his Losses and that Man of his Sufferings I was full saith one but now I am empty I did lately abound saith another but am now in wants e'rewhile saith a third I was blessed with a loving Husband with a dear Wife with indulgent Parents with many sweet Babes and choicest Comforts but now Providence hath separated betwixt me and them and left me alone to out-live all my Enjoyments call not me Naomi call me no longer Pleasant but call me Marah (c) Ruth 1.20 for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me These daily are the sad Complaints and thus we may frequently hear the best of God's People crying out in this Life Stay but a while though and the Reward of eternal Life will silence them all so that there shall be no crying out in the Streets of the new Jerusalem no Voice shall be heard there but that of Joy unspeakable of sweetest Melody of eternal Triumph Oh the infinite blessed difference betwixt our condition now and what is like to be when we come to Heaven Now weeping then rejoycing now groaning then triumphing Now filled with Gall and Wormwood then overflowing with Rivers of Pleasure Now labouring as in the Brick-kilns of Egypt under a sad Heart a diseased Body a wounded Spirit under Reproach Persecution and sorest Afflictions But then resting (d) Revel 14.13 from our Labours from all our Toyl or Tears our sad Thoughts our dying Groans our grievous fiery Tryals and so crowned with Life Immortality and unmixed purest Pleasures at God's right Hand for evermore Thou may'st possibly think it strange Christian to find so much Dross in the purest Gold so much Gall in thy Hony-comb such a mortal Sting in every Comfort so dark a Cloud upon thee when enjoying the fairest Sun-shine so much occasion of Sorrow and heart-breaking Sadness so much Vanity disappointment and vexation of Spirit in all worldly Enjoyments But remember the Rose that hath no Thorn the Honey that hath no Gall the Day that hath no Cloud the Crown that is lined with no perplexing Cares the Wine that is dash'd with no bitter Waters of Marah the Joy that hath no Grief no Sadness no Affliction to allay it is reserved for Heaven as the only
Water to refresh the Thirsty and an eternal Sabbath of Rest for all that are now weary This Reward is Manna cujuslibet suporis like the Manna prepared for God's People in the Wilderness which they say had that very tast and relish in every Man's Mouth that pleased him best Here if one thing suite well with your Desires yet another goes cross or if one thing answer your Expectations yet in some other Mercy or Comfort you are often disappointed Oh but the Reward of heavenly Glory this will answer your Desires this will answer all your Wants your Grievances your sorrowful Sighs and careful Groans accommodating it self most exactly to your longing Expectations in all things Every poor Soul in this Life is a very Compound of manifold Miseries Wants and heart-breaking Distresses But as it is said of Mony that answers all things so this Reward it answers them all and removes them all What is it poor Child of God that thou standest in most need of What are thy Wounds that most pain thee thy Troubles that most oppress thee and what are thy daily Burdens that lie most heavy upon thy Spirit to grieve and afflict thee What is it after which thy Heart doth so pant and breath so impatiently long for Oh it may be thou art now upon the Rack sorely distressed But this Reward it will give thee a Writ of Ease from all thy Pain not suffering thee to groan under them any longer It may be with Zion thou sittest with Tears upon thy Cheeks weeping bitterly in the Night Oh but this Reward it will bring in fulness (b) Isaiah 35.10 of Comfort wiping away all Tears from thy Eyes Thou may'st possibly go mourning and be bowed down by reason of great Affliction Oh but this Reward it will give thee the Oyl of Gladness and make thee lift up thy Head with everlasting rejoycing Possibly thy Sins thy Unbelief thy Unfruitfulness thy hardness of Heart thy want of love to God and our dear Lord Jesus these trouble and afflict thy Spirit Oh but this Reward it destroys all our Sins turns faith into open Vision Hope into full Fruition crowning all our Graces how weak soever here with fullness and everlasting Perfection If thou groan because thy Pilgrimage is prolonged and thou dwellest as it were in the Tents of Kedar Oh remember this Reward it will bring thee home to thy Father's House it will gather thee to the Spirits of just Men made perfect it will change thy Sodom into a Zion it will turn the Brick-kilns of Egypt into Canaan's Golden Mines and the barren Wilderness of this World wherein thou now wandrest up and down like a poor distressed Pilgrim this Reward will change it into the Garden of God into the heavenly Paradise into a spiritual Eden full of purest Delights and divine Contentments Now peradventure thou hast Sorrow to remember thy Sins thy former Miscarriages thy daily Troubles thy absence from the Lord who alone is thy Hope thy Life thy Comfort thy Hearts desire oh but dear Christian this Reward it will make thee to forget (c) John 16.20 22. the days of thy Mourning it will put thee into the Bosom of thy dearest Lord it will turn thy Sorrow into Joy that shall never be taken from thee On Christians there is that suitableness in his Reward that it 's the very Plaister for your Sore the very Balm for your Wound the very Voice of Joy to your Spirits in heaviness the very Harbour of Rest and Happiness after all your Storms that have so grievously tossed you That variety of Expression made use of by the holy Ghost to shadow out the transcendent Excellency of this Reward doth most clearly evince the suitableness of it to all the Wants Indigences and desires of an immortal Soul If the Soul be dislodged from its earthly Tabernacle this Reward (d) 2 Cor. 5.1 provides Mansions of Glory for the comfortable Entertainment thereof in another World If a Man be hungry it 's a pot of hidden Manna to feast him If sorrowful (e) Rev. 2.17 it s the Joy of the Lord to comfort him If any Man be thirsty (f) Mat. 25.21 it's Rivers of Pleasure at God's right Hand for evermore to cool and refresh him If any Man walk in darkness (g) Psal 16. and have no light in him (h) Col. 1.12 it is the Inheritance of the Saints in Light If any Man walk in the valley of the shadow of Death it 's a Crown of Life (i) James like a Death-bed-cordial to revive him If any Man suffer Nakedness for Righteousness sake it 's the Garments of Salvation to cloath him it 's the white Robes of Glory to hide the Shame of his Nakedness If any Man lose Houses or Lands for Christ it 's an Inheritance incorruptible Undefiled (k) 1 Pet. 1. and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for him To the weary Soul that hath long been troubled through the Malice of an ungrateful World (l) Rev. 14.13 it 's a resting from his Labours To be short if any Man endure Afflictions it 's a far more exceeding and eternal weight of (m) 2 Cor. 4.17 Glory Oh then how suitable is this Reward that a poor Soul cannot be in any Distress nor labour under any Wants but this Reward will afford supply of Comfort giving ease to all that are now in pain the Garment of Praise to all that are now in heaviness and to all that are now labouring and weary and heavy laden the sweet enchearing Bosom of God himself for their eternal easeful Repose 4 THE Reward whereunto God allows his People a Respect in all their Obedience it 's a sure Reward So you may find it called by Sâ—lomon a Man in whose Breast all the Lines of Wisdom met as in their proper Center (n) Prov. 11.18 The Wicked worketh a deceitful Work but to him that soweth Righteousness shall be a sure Reward Both the Righteous and the Wicked are Men of active Spirits only the Works of the Wicked they prove abortive promising all good but exposing to Misery and so deceive Expectation But the Righteous he never meets with any such sad Disappointment but as the Harvest naturally follows the Seed-time so after a short Seed-time of Grace there will spring up as the never failing sure Reward of such a Person a full crop of eternal Glory So (o) Gal. 6.8 that you see the Text though but short doth yet carry in it both Blessing and Cursing both Life and Death both Heaven and Hell Blessing Life and Heaven to Crown the Righteous Cursing Death and Hell as that which must inevitably be the Portion of all the Ungodly The Wicked he worketh the work of a Lie that is a sinful Work every Sin being a Lie and such a Work that albeit it tells us a fair tale yet it will miserably deceive us at last betraying us into the Hands of Wrath Hell and