meer outward and feigned submission If all things were done only according to direction in Scripture if there was sound Preaching which maketh not ashamed we should see other effects of it even in this degeneracy and corruption of Times Notwithstanding the conceit of Humane * Isa 29. 14. Wisdom in opposition to the Divine yet those ways which are only of Gods ordaining are much better for carrying on his Work and Glory then the pretended helps Man fancies of his own invention Those who are concerned herewith may know what they have to do and remember that Judgment Seat of Christ they must appear before they are going out of the World as their predecessors already are O that Religion which hath been so long declining might flourish once again Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth Isa 62. 6 7. That the Church Militant on Earth might be more Pure Universal Bright and excellent towards the consummation thereof for now it comes near to be Triumphant in Heaven We have the Grace and Word of God which are sufficient to accomplish it and it is left to us whether we will do thereafter as we might if we would Every one may sincerely strive for his part and to the utmost and then the whole will be done As it may by reducing the Ordinances of God to their right use purging out the Old leaven and taking away that corruption which hath been so long in them In our good undertakings God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall sear him Psal 67. 7. By the help given and that is further offered us by the way shewed we might do great things if we would shake off unwillingness and Sloth Then labour and be diligent and the Blessed Work would begin Things may be brought to such a pass that all shall know the Lord from the least of them unto the greatest of them Jer. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 11. They may come to discern what is pleasing unto him and do thereafter that it may be well with them and their Children for ever Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their Transgression and the House of Jacob their Sins Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my Ways as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God Isa 58. 1 2. Even at this time they go by Multitudes unto the House of God and are constant to hear his Will they are inquisitive after it and make a shew to observe it and as if they had not departed from that established order of things he hath set up There is as much Profession and Devotion in the World as ever But if it is out of a right Principle of glorifying God then they will hearken to any thing which tends to that Nay if it be out of meer selfish saving the Soul and are endued with real Wisdom and they would not be willingly amongst those many who will seek to enter in at the straight Gate and shall not be able Luke 13. 24. Then I say themselves would be gladly informed if there may be any mistake or deceit in this matter in those times of general backâ—sliding and revolt from God he speaks of by his Servants the Prophets there was as much of his visible and outward Worship as in these days They did cry out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. and did frequent it as now people are zealous to go to Church or such a Congregation But that stubbornness and disobedience in the heart their sinning which they would excuse and make atonement for by this way did justly make God angry and to abominate their Hypocrisie When the outward duties as it is with some do make up the whole of their Religion Who know not or do not practice any thing more then going to Church hearing Sermons using Prayer receiving the Sacrament all this is but vain and will signifie nothing for these are means of Grace and in order to something more Now it would be strange though common with many to be hearers of the VVord and not doers of it deceiving their own selves Jam. 1. 22. So is Praying to comply with Gods Will and yet not endeavouring to do so or to Remember the Covenant in Baptism and yet not observe it or only with slight purposes and resolution at that present time when the words thereof are to Obediently keep Gods Holy VVill and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of our Life It is mocking and dissimulation with God if they do not sincerely labour after what they seem unto him with their lips and outward gesture to desire Indeed the Ordinances are part of the Commandments of God we use them out of Obedience and Homage unto him He commands to hear his Will to call on Him and to receive his Sacraments but then there is a further reason of all to make ready a People prepared for the Lord. It can hardly be expressed how averse our Nature is God and the things of his Kingdom how hard it is to cleave unto him as he requires and how easie it is to fall away and start aside Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen Take heed unto your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Deut. 4. 9. 23. The outward duties put in mind of this and are to be retained all the days of our life for whilst we are here in the body Temptations from without and Corruption from within would betray us into sin and forgetfulness unless prevented by that Grace which is conveyed through these means Our goodness would be as the morning Dew or as an early Cloud so soon passeth it away we should soon become Barren and Unfruitful unless God was pleased to instil more daily through his Word and Ordinances My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain My Speech shall distill as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Showers upon the Grass Deut. 32. 2. Otherwise the manifold Sollicitations and Objects of this World would be apt to scorch and make us fade even in our good Ways but that received in renders the Vineyard meet for our God. If his Word falls upon the dust of the VVilderness or Stony and dry places it may seem lost and ineffectual not for want of Worth and Excellency in it self for it is the same Rain there but the incapacity is in the subject which doth not profit because it is not mixed with Faith in them that hear it or they suffer it to run off again as useless Water But if it takes Root there succeed those accomplishments of the inward Man
there could not be respect enough paid unto him How will he fume and rage and yet there is no Remedy to see his Principalities come down and the Crown of his former Glory to be taken away Jer. 13. 18. and himself thrust into an everlasting Dungeon For softness and ease to have Pain and Fire for sweet Smells the stench of Sulphur for a Bed of Damask to be rolled up and down in a stream of Brimstone for all manner of Musick to hear worse noise then Screech Owls or the yawling of Cats All this must be a sad Change. To Consider that he hath lived heretofore in all Splendour will increase his Anguish of mind The greatest Person is as much obliged to be obedient unto God as he that sitteth upon the Dunghil Who will render to every Man according to his Deeds To them who by Patient continuance in Well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life Rom. 2. 6. 7. The Gods of the Earth have the two first already but not the last annexed to it All their Goodliness is as the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth the Flower fadeth so likewise the Crown of their Glory sadeth away The Head which bears it waxes old or is laid in the Dust before Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help the Reason is added His breath goeth forth he returneth to his Earth in that very day his Thoughts Perish there is an utter end of all his Pomp and Greatness Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose Hope is in the Lord his God Psal 146. 3 4 5. That when all other things fail he may be received up unto Glory If he hath a right unto the Promises that when he comes to leave his fine Cities that of his own especial Residence all his Courtiers Now he is come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12. 22 23 24. What joy will he find among the Heavenly Host To have David Hezekiah Constantine Theodosius and other righteous Kings gratulate his coming With what joy will he give up his Account of ten Talents to the great King and receive his Commendation with a proportionable Reward His Authority is not taken away but increased He is not troubled at the Loss of his worldly Grandeur and Pomp Rev. 21. for that was but as the shining of rotten Wood in a dark place in Comparison of what he now enjoys which is ten thousand times more by seeing the Lord of Glory He did not put his Confidence in terrestial Splendour but using it as Convenient for the imperfection of that State. The good Kings of Israel and Judah had Jer. 22. 4. their Courts and Palaces He took a great Care not to forget God noâ— to be litted up but had an Eye all along upon the Glory which excelleth He shall be abundantly satiâ—fied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make him drink of the River of thy Pleasures for with thee is the Fountain of Life Psal 36 8. 9. And then â—e must look with Indignation and Contempt upon those sinful Delights for which these are too often lost The Crown of Gold here hath a Cross upon the top in token of Subjection to our crucified Lord but that is better manifested by doing the things he saith and also it was a fit Emblem of the Concomitant trouble for though beset with precious Stones it hath a Pungency like a Crown of Thorns However he must be more exceedingly pleased when that which was Troublesome and Corruptible is taken away and there is set a Crown of pure Gold on his Head a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away and all this done unto him by God himself whom before having Honoured now he is pleased to Honour 2 Sam. 2. 30. The King had here all Conveniences of Life but did not place his chief Happiness in them He then received them with Prayer and Thanksgiving not abusing them to sin and wickedness they are all past and over now he is much more as an Angel of God for he neither eats nor drinks nor stands in need of those things which were given by reason of imperfection The want of that Company below is abundantly made up in the Communion of Saints Here he conversed with those of his own Generation and Countrey but there is the gathering together of every Age since the World began of every part who came from the East and West and are sate down with Abraham in the Kingdom of God. Also they are made Perfect and all those things done away which render Conversation unpleasant in the World There it is refined all having those excellent Qualities which endear each other and make Society pleasant He had formerly sufficient to defray the great Charges of his Kingdom to preserve it from Invasion and Sedition but Covetousness is Idolatry and expresly forbidden to Kings Deut. 17. 17. for the Reasons there given Neither by the Law of Justice is he to impoverish his People and therefore to be avoided by him who would come to the City of pure Gold which belongeth to every Citizen but is peculiar to none as now is the Light of the Sun. Saith the Royal Psalmist As for me I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17. 15. All Earthly and Sensual Happiness hath been found vain and unsatisfactory but the spiritual and heavenly is sufficient to raise our utmost Affections and Duty to the Author thereof Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him All the Endeavours and Wisdom of the World could not find it out But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Which spake by those Holy Men of old out of whose Writings this Description hath been brought These things are great and wonderful but then it is surmised they are distant and uncertain and why should Men foregoe present and sensible Pleasures for future and imaginary Here is the great objection of Mankind against the things of God and their own Happiness and therefore to press the word of Exhortation home it is necessary to say somewhat towards the removal thereof As for being afar off that should be no prejudice for that which is future will be as much present as the time now is Time was when to day which is called to day was future and yet this is present as were those which have been past The next year is to come and that will be here as the last was
Gentile World were not able to suppress though they did try with their utmost skill and might Which had no aid from the World yet obtained the victory over it Which still increased though who entertained it got nothing at present but cruel Mockings and Scourgings Moreover Bonds and Imprisonments nay further the most horrid and Tormenting Deaths that was possible for Flesh and Blood to suffer yet through Faith hereof endured them all with more Constancy and Resolution then was ever seen in the Mightiest Men of Valour If these and several other Arguments were duly considered and weighed it would be the greatest wonder that for all these any yet should not believe So more then abundantly hath God provided for Mankind to bring Mark. 6. 6. them to Heaven and Happiness But as if all this were nothing worth Men will not know or not believe what he hath told unto them otherwise they would be never so regardless thereof When they reverence their Land-lord but do not mind the great Lord of Heaven and Earth When they earnestly court the favour of a Mortal Man and think themselves never sufficiently diligent in getting Money but are not careful after those things above Do they verily believe God is and that he is a Rewarder of them who diligently seek him When they like Beasts are only for the present things before them but negligent of what shall be hereafter and never cast an eye towards the things that are not seen certainly these do not live by Faith Whose understanding is waxed gross that can conceive of nothing but what may be felt or seen Who can relish nothing but what goes between the Teeth these do not live the common lives of Men being led by sence and not reason It is an amazing thing to consider of the stupidity and dulness of those of lower degree as concerning their Spiritual State and Condition 'T is not so much down right Atheism and Unbelief but a dead Faith which is in them It is not equal to that of Devils for they believe and tremble but this hath no such effect upon them They fancy there may be such a thing as Heaven they are not suâ—e to the contrary They look upon it as a place of reserve where they would be when they can no longer abide in the World it is appointed for the poor and needy so it will receive them whether they take any care or no. Such thoughts as these may enter into their minds for notwithstanding they may still go on in their course But were they really perswaded there are two places for all to go into after this life Heaven and Hell And how it is set down in Scripture what is to be done to obtain entrance into the one and avoid the other Did they really think what an happiness the one is much greater then Riches and all Pleasures in this World and the other to be a worse Torment then any Pain or Sickness now is they would as willingly go to Church and be as devout to set them forward in the way to Heaven as now they go to Fairs and Markets and are intent upon their Business to get some small gain On the other hand they would take as much care to flee from the Wrath to come as now they do to keep themselves in health and prevent the beginnings of a bodily Distemper They would labour as earnestly for the exceeding great reward God hath prepared for them that keep his Commandments as now they do for a little Money from another Man. They would act in the very same manner to obtain the things pertaining to his Kingdom as now they do for the things of the Earth It is the property of Faith to make things which are not seen to be as if they were seen and though were they both of the same value it could not be expected we should so willingly run after what we have never seen as after that which is most certain and our Eyes see Yet there being such an exceeding odds and worth in the things that are to be believed over the things that are now seen this turns the Scales and make them hang even yea and weigh down the things of Sense If we have the full assurance of Faith that upon doing such things we shall receive an everlasting 1 John 5. 4. Kingdom we should no more grudge to do them then we do now a days work upon anothers Promise of so much for our Pains We may as reasonably trust for what he hath promised as we do the Word of a sinful Man when we Labour for him And there being such a vast difference between what the Almighty will vouchsafe to bestow upon us worthy of God to give and as much as a Creature can receive over what we can impart to another then surely there is as much reason I say infinitely more why we should serve God as do the like for another Would we be as diligent to be made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. as now we are to be Servants unto great Men endeavour as much to get an eternal Crown of Glory as now for those Corruptible things of Gold and Silver Labour as earnestly after the great things of Eternity as is now done for the little things of Time we should certainly come to possess them Neither can the World condemn us of Folly for we Act according to the same measure as themselves who are accounted Wise in their Generation If we do indeed settle it in our Hearts that these things are we should be as careful and industrious to have them as others are of the things here and if so our Labour would not be in vain But what a faithless and stubborn Generation are we fallen into A Generation that will not believe or will not set their Heart to obtain them A Company of Infidels and Fools for so are all those who do not walk in the way to the New Jerusalem If you will not consider you must perish in your Folly. Look and bethink your selves you are Men Stand upon your Feet and shake off that drowsie and benum'd Disposition Be throughly rouzed out of Negligence and Sottishness Come to thy self and hear what shall be said unto thee The Lord made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Prov. 16. 4. He will be glorified in all his Works and thou also being the work of his hands art not to think thy self unconcerned or nothing related to that God with whom we have all to do If thou wilt have nothing to do with him he will have to do with thee Thou art his Creature and he will deal so with thee as the rest of mankind according to their deservings Thou must be either a Partaker of his Mercy or Wrath There is mercy O Lord with thee that thou mayest be feared And his Wrath is likewise revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men Rom. 1.