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
it will be somewhat longer and to more disadvantage then of whom it is written Psal 16. 9. All we have sinned but the holy one did not But now blessed be the Father and the Lamb for it Our flesh shall alsorest in Hope for it shall rise again and be as highly exalted as ever it was abased John 12. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 42. 44. Phil. 3. 21. What need he to fear whose body is committed unto the ground in sure and certain hopes of Resurrection unto Eternal life and his Spirit commended into the hands of thee O God For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Sweet arises unto them out of that which to others is nothing but bitterness it is the messenger of God to bring them to himself and that is true which the Son of his love hath said The righteous shall go into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. and therefore they willingly submit unto what comes upon this errand All the promises are theirs in all time of Tribulation in time of Wealth and further in the hour of Death they are happy Wherefore grid up the loins of your mind be sober and Hope unto the end 1 Pet. 1. 13. The tranquillity of the mind was what the Wisdom of Ages did A summary of the preceeding Discourses labour after but they for want of the Grace of Jesus Christ knew not what hindered which should be first taken away A gross and Stupid Understanding a guilty Conscience a crooked and perverse Will strong and irregular Affections but Almighty God hath sent him who was the Wisdom of the Father and hath published peace Isa 52. 7. If our Souls be framed according to the directions given they must be composed and quiet Every one who doth not only call Jesus Lord but doth the things which he saith Who being in Christ is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 7. hath his Passions so as above described out of his Revelation He is free from those miseries which do arise from inordinate affections and they being in him conversant about holy things afford more satisfaction then when pressed down only to the things of this life It is more delightful to love God with all his Heart and all his Soul then to them who are lovers of Pleasure Riches and Honour He loving his Neighbour as himself doth exceed them who are outwardly kind and civil but within dissembling and malicious It is better to serve God with reverence and godly fear and not to be slavishly afraid of any thing Psal 118. 6. Psal 112. 7 8. Isa 41. 10. Then to others who dread him with the Spirit of Bondage who stand in continual fear of evils to come Death Judgment and Hell. There is more contentment in rejoycing in the Lord then worldly delgihts loud laughter and hearing all manner of Musick Godly sorrow and contrition hath been shewed to be less grievous then cares trouble and discontent for the things of this World. Who is zealous for God and true Religion hath more rest in his Soul then those who are so for their own honour and reputation and are tormented with the least disgrace or evil surmising And lastly the assured hope of glory brings more comfort then all vain false and foolish confidences The right use of the Affections grows up to immortality and reward but the abuse is only for this present and short time the act perishes and the punishment is to come besides the present irregularity and torment of disordered Passions Whereas he that is born again hath in a great measure escaped the original corruption of his Nature he is not tossed to and fro with contrary desires and passions within him is a great calm this was done by the everlasting Gospel The Word of him whom even the Wind and Sea obey It is to be understood that none have an uninterrupted peace Of Temptations for there is a Law in the Members warring against the Law of the mina Rom. 7. 23. There are some lees remaining of corruption and then are the several kinds of temptation from the World the Flesh and the Devil Thou art too delicate O Christian if thou expectest to come to Heaven without some trouble What Worldly good is to be had without it Thou must withstand and go through all these Enemies for if thou yieldest or art overcome thou art undone for ever This is the good fight Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints they cannot now enjoy perfect and absolute happiness but this they are to contend for here being reserved for them who shall be found worthy in another state Take the Apostles Exhortation Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. He â—here furnisheth with habiliments of War from the crown of the head to the â—ole of of the foot see 1 Cor. 10. 31. James 1 2 3 12. 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. The Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your Soul Deut. 13. 3. Thus he did tempt Abraham Gen. 22. 2. To know his obedience or to try but as to deceive or to perswade unto sin Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any Man but every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed James 1. 1 3 14. And there is one called the Tempter Mark 4. 3. Who finds something in him whereon to ground the Temptation as Pride Lust or such like God doth suffer all this to try our Obedience the whole order and establishment of things may be referred to this See Deut. 8. 2. none can compel and by the assistance of his Grace which is made known unto Men they may be all resisted The excellency of Mans faith and service unto God appears when he holds fast to that notwithstanding Sollicitations and Discouragement to the contrary Who would not fear God I had almost said even those who sin against him if thereby he was assured to have a â—edge round about but if a gap were opened and Satan might come in and trouble him a little this would manifest for what reason we did and whether we would keep constantly to obedience Job 1. 10. Innumerable are his devices which all may be known out of Scripture In general they are either to commit sin or hinder good By the first he doth delude the wicked World and with the latter assail Gods faithful people more especially though the one and the other are tempted both ways He would first keep them from doing the thing that good is but if it is done for all then he will endeavour some way to spoil or defeat of the reward When they have heard the word Satan cometh immediately and
send Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3. 6. Come let us return to the Lord he hath torn and he will heal us Hos 6. 1. That want of universal reformation is many times a cause he doth not remove publick or private Calamities sometimes he doth but not presently to try our faith and trust in him when we know the Rod and who hath appointed it tho' we saw no hand lay it on or will take it off Although the Fig-tree doth not Blossom Hab. 3. 17. There is no outward appearance of help or means yet God can furnish and put in mind of them in due time As to this our Prayers are often heard and granted he stirs up the heart and affections of Men towards us makes the Bones that were broken to rejoyce heals our Diseases and Sores by directing to the use of fit Remedies and first putting that vertue in them All this seems to be alike to them who pray not which is to be imputed to Gods gracious Nature to try the Faith of his Children to manifest their unbelief and unthankfulness If they have escaped Worldly danger and evil yet worse things wait for them from which they will not be delivered unless they both pray and also use the means to avoid them But that there is a real and sensible difference between the Righteous and the Wicked as to outward good and evil may be known by this that the one hath a more sweet enjoyment and comfort in them both which no wicked Man hath or can pretend unto So that as to the present time and less material things notwithstanding what prophane sinners say or others think It is not vain to serve God Mal. 14. and they have profit who pray unto him Job 21. 15. But much more doth it avail to procure inward and Spiritual good to hinder from temptation and evil It doth help in things which pertain to present Peace and future Happiness for preparation and joyful expectation to a perfect and consummate Glory and to get safe from the evils of the other World. Now we come to the Man which is within for outward good and evil is light and but for a Moment the one faintly delights and vanishes away the other vexes a little and will have an end But what hath relation to Eternal Happiness and Misery What is begâ—n here imperfectly and will in a little time be fully made manifest in a perfect and irreversible state of one or the other Here if our most fervent and devout Prayers to God will do any service to obtain the good and escape the evil set before us they must be necessary and highly important We have all the assurance in the World if any thing which is spiritual and inward is somewhat more then fancy and imagination that these things are so As certainly as our Souls are something more then meer Breath so that inward sence of Religion which is properly Religion as the other is the Man is real and something besides imagination or outward talk It is certain the fruits of its Obedience and good works do appear without and are seen but the Root and Principle is within Conscience towards God And again it is evident that many do act only by this Principle contrary to their present ease and conveniency in the World. The work of Religion is real and the effect thereof Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isa 26. 3. Now indeed this cannot be so perfectly demonstrated to the natural ungodly Man but the experience is so well known to the happy possessors of it that they esteem it before all wordly advantages whatsoever It is so in universally good and sincere People but then it is surmised fond hopes and expectations will cause complacency of Spirit Whereas herein may be observed the difference between the reality of the one and falshood of the other for the first will bear all Tryal and Examination and still shew forth reasonable and certain grounds of trust and confidence but the other cannot do this he must go on in his way not enduring the touchstone a convincing Argument the first is true the other false and counterfeit Besides there is a sensible growth in Grace and Knowledge a more confirmed purpose of Obedience a mortification of sin an assurance of Gods favour and the well grounded hope of Eternal Life That conversation in Heaven and antepasts of it that rejoycing and strengthening in the inward Man All these are as truly perceived as others find exultancy in their honour and esteem in the World in those vain projects which are doubtful and come to nothing When there is the promise and word of God for the reality of those afore spoken of It is but a small pleasure which results from the grasping and enjoyment of temporal things but that conceit which goes before those promises of good and the proposed satisfaction whilst but in pursuit are equally if not more delightful then when the thing is actually had and present And yet the first is a meer fantastick happiness as none of this World is much better which yet is sensible and pleasing It is an invisible but real delight though it relates to visible and corporeal things Every scheme of satisfaction Men raise to themselves in this World they find the first apprehension thereof good and pleasant which is wholly within Hereupon they act further exposing themselves to pain and trouble and perhaps this is all they will have for they may be disappointed at last either by missing the thing they aim at or proposing to themselves more contentment then realy it hath Let the ignorant and brutish laugh at inward good and satisfaction yet the outward deceitful vanities of this World make a shew of this or the Man would not seek after them Even the pleasures of sence afford most delight to the imagination before hand for when they touch they are unsatisfactory and instantly perish If the things we see handle or hear are more especially perceived from within How much more may we conclude of the things that pertain to Gods Kingdom which are purely Spiritual and Invisible which are exactly fitted to the reasonable Soul that these also are most real and certain What the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. is true but though they may seem foolishness to him yet let him not judge them to be vain or false if the natural man might be somewhat recovered out of his State for by reason alone he may judge there is something in what is here treated of God's faithful People are fully satisfied in their own Hearts of the truth of these things and may be offended that they are offered for proof which are so very plain and evident to them but some are to be spoken unto as Carnal 1 Cor. 3. 1. to lead them on to spiritual things But for the confirmation of the
of God as others do for their Prince If they would suffer a short dulness of Spirit as they go on through Fears and Cares for their earthly Sovereign then the blessed Work would begin continuing in Obedience and Godliness And Courage would carry them through all the Stages of the Christian Liâ—e It is as well employed this way as to get Honour a great Name and advance his Fortune It is as valuable a thing For the Righteous to be had in Everlasting Remembrance as to be slain in the Field knocked down under the Walls of a City buried in the Rubbish affording talk thereof for two or three days and so be utterly forgotten The Inheritance incorruptible undefiled God hath promised that Honour which shall be to those that Honour him do remain when all their Riches and Renown are expired and gone If it is not so let them accuse us as False Witnesses who from Gods Word and Spirit have testified of these things If they have fought the good Fight and the Crown is not given them let Me be found one of the Imposers upon the World let them suspend their Censures and Frowns until then and I cheerfully submit to the great Event of all things Certain it is the Courage according to the World comes to nothing with all the Castles Built in the Air the phantastick Projects those devices of Mans Invention the Rumors Stirs and Commotion of Wars that Domineering being Great and Terrible all these are Bubbles of a little longer continuance which break and dissolve into nothing Fenced Cities turn into ruinous Heaps and these in process of time are so changed that they are not discernable from common Earth but by a small Hillock or Rising we know not what it means Those goodly Armies that once looked big and blustering so stately and of large extent yet after the day of Slaughter they are thrown into a common pit and all their Carkases will not amount to so much as an ordinary pile of Faggots Their Name and Memorial is perished with them As natural brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2. 12. Or rather worse in that they go about sowing Death till they fall themselves a paralel of which cannot be found in whatever lives upon the Earth besides Who can refrain to burst forth into Tears for the Folly and Misery of Mankind that foregoing such excellent and worthy Principles they should take up with base and destructive ones God hath shewed them a way how they should exert their Valour and Activity for noble and assured ends to take his Kingdom by Violence All the mean Acts are as reasonable and praise worthy as in Conquest of the Kingdoms of the Earth When they are called up to the Heaven of Heavens which are so exceeding Great and Eternal as may be seen by the outward Courts yet they should scramble for a few Mole-Hills which are quickly overthrown and turned into Dust or themselves before In the Christian Warfare there is no hating one another all are Contenders and there is room enough in the Celestial Mansions for ten Thousand times more then all the Inhabitants of the Earth Yet here they continue to Kill and Slay not out of Necessity as we do Beasts for Food but to gratifie Pride Ambition and Revenge to dispossess them who have more right then themselves to turn them out of the World because they will not make way This is repuâ—ed Gallantry and Honour A strange way to Immortality as those of old foolishly imagined to Butcher here and by cutting off before the time to make Mortality more Mortal What fancies doth the Abaddon instill into Luct de fals Relig. Men Lactantius observed of his times and they now continue the same That to Kill or bring into Bondage free People the more Men did Afflict Spoil or Murder they would account themselves more Noble and Eminent and being taken with a shew of vain Glory put the name of Vertue to the greatest Wickedness This may be interpreted to weaken the Hands of the Men of War Jer. 38. 4. But it is only what is agreeable to the Laws of God and Truth which set up the Happiness of Mankind as going back from them is Destruction and Misery Reduce all Mens Transactions and Affairs to their Good that whatever makes for it may be followed and what doth not may be taken away for that tends to the contrary There is no indifferency in things such as are said to do neither good nor harm for they do one or the other either Save or Destroy We know who came on the first Errand The Prince of Peace whom God hath raised up to be a Prince and a Saviour So he is to all those who obey and entertain him But upon refusal of subjection to his Laws comes in the other of course who hath his name Apollyon These two divide the World The one hath honest meaning and the excellency of Reason which should still put it self forth Satan to keep up his Kingdom hath all the Tricks Devices cunning Delusions to befool poor Mankind representing such glorious Conquests such Fame and Briskness and secretly sets forth Religion as dull and regardless of any thing fit for little and narrow Souls it emasculates the Spirit making Men fearful and despicable The doubt lies whose Affections are catried towards the more Noble end The one is for Heaven and Eternal things the other for Earthly and Temporal The one for what comforts in Hope and Expectation being most satisfactory in the end the other is concerning what breeds restlesness regret and disappointment The one is for what hath all safety and real good to Men the other hath nothing but uncertainty and evil If Christianity were universally observed there would be no Sword or Spear to be seen throughout the World. There is no harm in this But now it is only by some and not by others thence do arise Wars and Fightings Yet whatsoever Kings will go according the direction of the Gospel as it is at their Peril if they do not must engage in no War at all but Defensive or for Reparation of great Injuries and that all fair means used first If it be possible as much as lieth in you live Peaceably with all Men Rom. 12. 18. Some are such Enemies that when we speak to them thereof they make them ready for Battel so they are to be brought over this way Here our excellent Religion suffers thereof for the Wickedness and Baseness of those who have no Vnderstanding and must be held in with Bit and Bridle Psal 32. 8. And when they break out are to be tamed with Whip and Scourge Those Primitive Christians who did Fight under the Heathen Emperours did altogether as Valiantly as others We have heard of several Armies of the Religious that have acted more worthily by the Grace and Fear of God without Drunkenness Inconsideration and Unbelief as who have went upon these Principles The Objection is