no need of repentance that mans condition is sase enough already and that he may do well enough though he be never reconciled to God Do you think that we take delight in vexing men and women Do you conceive that it pleaseth us to displease you and to get your hatred Do you not believe that a great many of us if it might consist with Gods honour and your welfare had not far rather be excused Can any man imagine that so many thousands of Prophets Apostles and Ministers in such distant ages and in such distant places should all agree in this to impose a falsity upon the world Would any man be so mad as to invent such things as these which are so contrary to mens dispositions if he had not abundant warrant from God himself Is it possible that men should make such complaint and shed so many tears and be in such agonies about these things if there were nothing at all in them Are all the experiences of so many thousands of Saints but meer fancies Speak Christian speak What do you say to this Are all thy joys thy answers of Prayers those sweet dishes that thou hast sometimes fed upon but dreams Doth not thy very blood stir in thee at the very putting such a question to thee Canst thou not say that thou hast seen that thou hast felt and that thou hast known undoubtedly that Spiritual things are realities the greatest realities in the world and that thou hast been as much affected with them as ever thou wert with the things of sense Let me the meanest of ten thousand tell the stiffest Athiest in the world that I have seen these things so realized that I shall sooner believe that I am turned to a stone or am dead then believe that Spirituals are nullities and fancies I am confident if there be any credit to be given to both eyes and ears then these things are true and had you seen but what I have seen in dying Saints and heard what I have heard you would easily have been convinced that there is something in communion with God something in spiritual Joys I am sure if there be any truth in the Scriptures if the word of God be true if Christ and the Apostles were not all mistaken then these things are true If I should tell you a business that did concern your House or your Children or Body or any worldly thing whatever upon my own personal knowledg would you not readily assent to what I say I am perswaded you would be far from suspecting the truth of what I affirmed I am ready to think that there is none of you all that think that I dare tell you that which is false O then Why will you not believe me in a business of sar greater consequence And if you ask me to what purpose do I spend so much time for nothing What need I speak at this rate What will I make Infidels of you all What do I think that you are such Atheists as not to believe that the word of God is true Well then you your selves are witnesses that the word of God is true and that you do believe all that is contained in it and by rational inferences deduced from it I shall therefore take it for granted that you give your assent to these things if you be Christians in profession your very Name speaks as much Now my next Question shall be this Quest 2. Are these things of weight and importance or are they not You hear that they are matters that concern your eternal life or death Soul affairs and are not these matters of the greatest consequence If acquaintance with God the happiness or misery of a Soul your making or undoing for ever be inconsiderable things What then are great things Is it a matter of greater importance to lose the sight of a lascivious Play Is it an affair of greater weight to have the frowns of a wanton mistriss or the frown of a God You said even now that the word of God was true if you will stand to that I desire no more How is it written Read a verse or two turn to Matthew 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And John 3.3 Except a man be born agian he cannot see the Kingdom of God And God will pour out his wrath upon the Heathen and upon the Families that call not upon his Name Doth not the Scripture say that is the one thing necessary Are not these things called by the Lord Christ the weightier things Mat. 23.23 I hope you will not say that God is mistaken and that the Scripture speaks more of these matters than needs What are you gone from your word so soon did you not say that the word of God was true and are you now of another mind because you find that it requires more strictness you are willing to submit to But are you ashamed of that and are you convinced of this also that the Doctrine of Reconciliation Acquaintance and Peace with God are affairs of the highest importance in the world And do you indeed believe this and will you stand to it well then my next Question shall be this Quest 3. What do you mean then to mind such things as you acknowledge to be most unquestionably true and of the greatest consequence with so much indifferency and coldness what reason have you then for your strange neglect in your prosecuting of them what say they are the greatest things in the world and will you say they are least to be looked after Is it any Prudence and Wisdom to be very serious about trifles and to triflle about the most serious things Are Heaven the love of God and the like by your own confession the most weighty and will you make light of them O folly and Hyprocrisie Out of thy own mouth thou shalt be condemned Dost know that Heaven and Hell are before you dost thou know that the one is unspeakably glorious and the other unspeakably dreadful and yet for all this dost thou stand demurring which of these thou shouldest choose and darest thou for all this venture on in a way which leads to the region of Eternal Darkness and though those that know the way better then you and see you ride on so hastily and merrily call after you with earnestness yet dost thou still turn thy back upon them Consider whether you act in these affairs like one that is well in his wits Is God the best friend in the world and yet his kindness least to be regarded Man what hast thou to say for thy self O What bruits and how irrational are men in their spiritual matters how do they contradict themselves how do they say one thing and do the quite contrary O let me in a word or two renew my Expostulation with them which are loath to be accounted fools What reason hast thou to
lives for him some of them were willing to quench his thirst though with their blood and yet for all that in all his life he never met with so faithfull a friend as his God Psal 89.8 O Lord God of hosts who is a strong God like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee He had rather trust his God then any of them all God is a real true faithful Friend he tells us things as they be he doth not speak of more things then the nature of them doth require he doth not tell the best and hide the worst he doth not speak all of Heaven and nothing of suffering but saith plainly all that will live godly in Christ Jesus they must suffer persecution and Christ saith Those that will be his Disciples must take up their Cross and follow him and that through many tribulations they must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven He speaks of sowing in tears as well as reaping in joy of fliction as well as glory And when he speaks of the glory of another world he doth not too highly advance his excellency When he speaks of his Wrath or Hell or Sin he doth not make them greater evils then they be The Lord is faithful in all his dealings and that they which love him know right well Whatsoever doth happen in the world doth happen justly and faithfully and so if thou wilt but well observe thou shalt find And what sayest thou after all this thou who hast tried many and many a friend so called and hast by sad experience first or last found them all unfaithfull and art almost ready to say of all men that they are lyars and that truth and reality are rarities thou thinkest there is scarce a man upon the earth to be trusted and wilt thou never be affraid of such a friend wilt thou at last be wise and be acquainted with a friend that never proved unfaithfull behold such a one that would be glad with all his heart to entertain you would you but forsake your old treacherous acquaintance Here here 's one that never fails nor forsakes those that put their trust in him The Heavens shall depart and the Hills be removed out of their places but his faithfulness his love shall never depart from his and wilt thou not think such a friend after all this worth the having Come come never stand fretting thy heart out with discontents men will be men that is unfaithful as long as the world lasts Do you expect as long as sin reigns in mens souls that as long as Satan doth so much act therein that they should forget to be selfish covetous deceitful but now God will alway be like himself a God faithful true holy just and if any one in Heaven or in Earth can condemn God justly of the least unfaithfulness my mouth shall soon he stopped In this thing I confess my self to be of Antoninus his mind who said That if there be a God as there is most certainly why that God must necessarily be most faithful most wise most good but if there be no God it is not worth the while to live in a world in which there is nothing but sin confusion disorder and no hopes of a redress the excellency of our being our Reason would make our misery more exquisite and our lives less desirable But blessed be God it is not come to that pass that we should need question the being of a God for as one saith wisely Thou hast far more reason to question thy own being then Gods Now I say again methinks he that hath been so oft perplexed with many unfaithful unworthy carriages from them which he called friends should be at last perswaded to try what this one friend would do for him O what abundance of sorrow would it prevent if men would but trust God more and men less This this is the friend sick and well rich and poor living and dying always the same Make sure of this Friend and thou art safe thy All is then in safe and faithful hands Seventhly He is a rich Friend the earth is the Lords and the Fulness thereof cattel upon a thousand hills is his He it is that hath the absolute disposal of Crowns and Scepters he it is that can easily raise all his Favourites to a high estate if the world and all its glory can do his any good if Kingdoms and vast Dominions can advantage them he can with better reason then he did to Christ say All this is mine and if thou wilt love me and worship me I will give you as much of it as will do thee good and who would account it a kindness to be given that which will do one hurt but these are but toys and trifles in comparison of what God hath to bestow upon his friends List up thine eyes and behold those glistering Stars look upon that stately Canopy that hangs over thy head why all this is nothing almost to the glory which shall be revealed there is a far greater disproportion between what we see and enjoy at the best here below then there is between the footstool and the Crown O could you but by faith draw the curtain and see what is within O did you but know what 's behind those hangings which you see wrought so curiously the work of his fingers O that that 's the place there 's a house indeed there 's a palace couldst thou but by faith and meditation take a view of it could you but make a voyage into that far Country and see that City of God and discourse with the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem what discoveries should you then have of the Riches State and Granduer of that Princes Court shouldst thou but see those Treasuries opened and know the worth of Gods Jewels thou wouldst wonder what men and women meant that they should need so much perswading to be acquainted with him that had such things to bestow you would judge him worse then mad who should not joyfully embrace any Overtures of this nature in a word they would reckon that person besotted that should not with all possible gratitude close with such kind of proposals Come along therefore with me poor soul thou that art not worth a groat and hast never a friend that can or will give you any thing to speak of come along with me and take a short prospect of the Territories of this mighty Monarch let 's get up to mount Pisgah make a survey of that goodly land let 's take a turn or two in the Courts of his place consider well the pleasantness of this seat how rarely it is accommodated the richness of the furniture the nobleness of the inhabitants the sweetness of that harmony that founds night and day in that Temple the unconceivable costliness riches glory and excellency of every thing Do but look a little about thee are not thine eyes even dazelled at the sight do you see what building that is
the matter for accepting or looking after I believe I need not spend ten years in earnest begging and intreating you to look after such a thing Should I offer to bring you to the place and person of whom you might buy it should I not soon have your company should not your necessaries be quickly made ready for such a journey would you not be up betimes in the morning nay would you not travel all night and think it no folly nor madness both to lose some rest and to take some pains so you might but come to possess what I speak of Nay were there but a possibility of obtaining of it at least a probability I perswade my self you would not fail to look after it the very first thing you did I am ready to think you would neither spare for pains or costs so that after all you might but make sure of enjoying it Why what then is the matter that I can do no more in the business that I am about I am sure I bring you tidings of a better bargain a braver purchase and surer inheritance and what need I then spend so much time in arguing with you Good Lord what mean people Are they out of their wits and quite beside themselves What is a Feather better then a Crown Brass then Gold Is a Glass to be preferred before a Diamond finite Enjoyments before everlasting Riches Darkness before Light the World before God O how is man sunk below himself What hath sin made men and women If this be not folly and madness what is Such may go for wise men in the worlds account that makes such choices and it 's possible a man in Bedlam may say his neighbour that tore all his hair off from his head is well in his wits O that this were not the condition of the far greater part of the world And what meanest thou O my soul that thou art no more affected to see such vast multitudes of brain-sick frantick sinners that make light of the tender of the Gospel that take them for their enemies who would do their utmost to make them happy for ever I must profess I am even ashamed of my own heart that I do not mingle my words with tears that I should speak for God and souls with so indifferent a spirit Well now you have heard of a great match by which you may be made for ever are you for all this of the same mind you were Well then complain not if you be a beggar Remember how you were offered remember you might have been worth more then a world O that inconsiderate souls did but know and indeed know what an offer this is O that they would not carelesly undervalue such a proposal O what shall I do How shall I perswade you What Arguments will prevail O thou great and mighty God give men and women but a spiritual understanding of these things make them deeply apprehensive of their excellency and reality and then I should soon have them with thankfulness complying with these tenders which thou commandest me to make unto them O when shall it once be How long shall the Devil and an unbelieving heart undo so many millions How long shall Satan triumph over souls and cheat them thus miserably of their All O pity pity dear Lord the besotted foolish world and give me more compassion to souls that I may with incomparably greater earnestness and tenderness plead thy cause with them and resolve to give them no rest till I have perswaded some of them in good earnest to look after the great and weighty affairs of Eternity and the making sure of this Friend Eighthly He is a sympathizing Friend It goes to his heart with Reverence be it spoken when any injuries are done to any of his when his friends are wronged it touches him to the quick He is as tender of them as of the apple of his eye Again He that despiseth you despiseth me Never was tender hearted Mother more pitiful over her only Child then God is to them which love him never was any friend so much concerned for another as God for his What else mean those high expressions of pity in Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old It was not once or twice that God did so by them but in all their afflictions he was afflicted which was not expressed in some cold formal words such as these Alas poor creatures they are quite undone their enemies are very barbarous but he shew'd it in that most real demonstration by saving of them by the Angel of his presence A verbal kindness costs little and helps little But suppose his friends are carried Captive are they not quite out of the reach of his help No his love pity and power will find them out in any place under Heaven and if they be slaves he will redeem them though he gives Kingdoms and Nations for their Ransom In his love and in his pity he redeemed them and when by hard usage they are grown so weak and feeble that they can scarce go nor creep why he will carry them in his arms and bare them And thus he did of old and his affections are rather greater then lesser now then they were then The mother can be weary of carrying a dirty screaming child she thinks it less trouble to whip him or to let him lie till he hath cried himself weary she is loath to lug such a troublesome thing up and down all the day long But yet such is the tenderness of this Father that he carries his all the day long though they be so heavy so unquiet so dirty But of that presently How oft do you read of strange pity in the book of the Judges when they had by their own folly more then once brought themselves into calamity how do his bowels yern over them and when any of his are groaning under any trials or temptation what sending and running is there how many Cordials are prepared for them what calling to this servant and that servant to attend them with all the care that may be and to comfort them in this state and in case of abuse how doth he shew his love to them If you should ask Pharaoh he would tell you that Gods Friends are edge tools why else doth the Lord lay about him with so much indignation when they are oppressed Nay for their sakes he rebukes Kings saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm if they do be it on their peril How did he bare the afflictions of his people Israel in Egypt did he stand still as if he were unconcerned did he shut his eyes not see or did he stop his ears to their cries No no he sees he sees the sufferings of his in Egypt and that both enemies and friends too
be men of a deeper reach and a larger understanding then others because they made it their business to get acquainted with God and thus to make their interest as large as Heaven and their peace and prosperity as sure as the oath of a God could make it Do you think that all these men were mistaken did their wisdom lie only in a prudent management of their worldly affairs to their best advantage what then did they mean some of them to leave all that they had so chearfully upon the command of God dare you say that they prized the favour of God at too high a rate as for their parts they thought they could never value such a friend as God too much What else was the meaning of their longing panting and breathing after him Why else are they so glad of his company his presence How loath were they to do any thing that might be in the least displeasing to him What bitter moans did they make if he did but withdraw a while if he did but a little absent himself from them how wonderful desirous were they of enjoying communion with him how earnest to live in his house for ever Dare you say that there were all fools and mad men for refusing the embraces of this present world for slghting its smiles and undervaluing its greatest kindnesses and choosing that favour of God though with the scorns and reproaches of the world rather then to hazard his anger whose wrath burns to the bottom of Hell Behold what a glorious company of these stand upon mount Zion with Harps in their hands with those hundred and forty and four thousand and the Lamb with an innumerable multitude of all Nations People and Languages Why all these were of the Friends and Acquaintance of God or else they had never had those Crowns Robes and Palms in their hands Now why should not our souls be as dear to us as theirs were to them Will not Heaven be as good for us as them is it not as needful for us to get a friend of God as them Will not God do as much for us as them if we will but do as they did walk with him The truth of it is the number of them which are saved is but few in comparison of the multitudes of them which know not God and go the broad way yet for all that take them absolutely they are abundance so many that the Scripture saith they are innumerable Do but read over the History of some of their Lives turn over the holy Records look sometimes into those Sacred Chronicles and behold how chearfully they served God how actively they followed the Lamb wheresoever he goes through thick and thin Hear what their language is now they are got home fafe now Christ hath brought them to glory and they are at their Friends house What do they talk of what is their discourse about do they complain what a sad journey they had of it through a howling wilderness after they had passed the Red Sea through a thousand sorrows and trials do they say that now they are at their journeys end they are weary and wish they had never taken so long and tedious a journey do they not rather speak the quite contrary and that if it were to go again they would do it with far more speed and chearfulness then they did Lissen hark methinks I hear them from the walls of the New Jerusalem crying out Come away come away fall on bravely follow your business gallantly but a little while longer and the City is your own fetch your scaling ladders run up apace mount the rampiers fear nothing though the Devil play his Artillery upon them yet it is but powder he shall never give you a mortal would resist him and he will flee and the field is yours the Spoil the Crown the Honour will pay for your pains bloud and danger Fall on brave souls fall on the valianter you be the more safe you are Methinks I hear those noble Saints encouraging of you to get acquaintance with God and saying to you that are yet afar off come near Come away poor souls come away what do you mean thus to delay O little do you think what a friend we now find of God it was but a little a very little that was told us of the excellency of Christ and the glories of this place to what we experience It was no false report that we heard when we was upon earth of the happiness of Heaven O here 's a prize worth the running for a Kingdom a Crown worth the fighting for an Estate worth the looking after We have not now our stint we are not dieted with those Spiritual Dainties we have not now and then a sip a draught a bit in a corner but we are at the fountain we are daily feasted with infinite pleasures our hearts are full brim full they run over we swim in an ocean of spiritual enjoyments these things are beyond your capacity now to understand Were we to live upon earth again and did we know what we do now know we should ever pine with our earnest longing for God the living God to be in his immediate presence and to be at that angelical work of praising serving and loving him for ever Wherefore brethren let us encourage one another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord his dwelling is in Salem his palace is upon mount Zion Why should not we go on as merrily in the paths of Wisdom as the wicked in the road of Hell How do the Devils Champions encourage and hearten one another up How do they laugh sing and roar as if their life were the only life for shame let 's tell them they lye in their teeth Who hath the best company they or we the Patriarchs and Prophets the Apostles and thousands of Martyrs are gone finging before some of our dear Relations Fathers Brethren and Sisters are newly welcomed by Christ to his Fathers house and they are blessing that rich mercy that hath conducted them to such a place to such a friend we have many thousands of Saints Militant that are going along with us as fast as they can and God himself will bear us company and why do we yet linger O that we were upon the wing O that our souls were like the Chariots of Aminadab O that the Lord would strengthen poor short-winded Creatures O that we could run and not be weary and walk and not faint O that we might have now and then a hearty meal and that in the strength of them we could travel to the mount of God! O that that acquaintance might now be happily begun which may never have an end O that God would visit us oft and get into our hearts O that he that gave those Worthies in former times so much grace would pour out of the same grace in abundance upon our souls O that he would shed abroad his love in our hearts O
stirring up of the Soul and awakening all it's strength to wrestle with God to lay hold upon God and to prevail with the Almighty and where are such as these to be found who is this that engages his heart in the service of God It is one thing to engage the tongue and another thing to engage the heart Men come to pray with a common Spirit and are many times weary of the work before they have well begun it what they do they do it lifelessly They can follow their worldly Imployments with life and delight They have Male in their flock but that 's too good for God a lame blind starved weak thing must serve his turn And is this the way to have the blessing Are such as these like to have any thanks for their kindness Let them try how any of their Friends would take such a present Now would you have the Blessing of Acquaintance with God you must wrestle for it and not let God go without it You must be Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord you must fight the good fight of Faith and lay hold on Eternal Life You must grasp about Christ as a man that is a drowning would grasp any thing that were thrown out to save him You must use all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure You must work out your Salvation with fear and trembling You must seek for Wisdom as for Silver and search for her as for hid Treasure Then shall you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God What excellent thing is there that is got without pains Whoever came to be an Exquisite curious Artist in any skil whatever that never served an Apprentiship to it nor at the least gave his mind to it where is there a famous Physitian that never studied in his life Who gets a Victory by sleeping and carelesseness Who expects to have riches drop into his mouth when he goes all the ways that can be to make himself a beggar Doth the Husbandman look for a good Crop without plowing or sowing Why then should we expect such great things as Heaven Eternal happiness and the favour of God without out looking after them Whatsoever the lazy formal professor may say the Kingdom of Heaven is not obtained thus there must be running watching fighting conquering holding fast holding out and all little enough it requires all the strength of thy soul to engage in this great work it requires some resolution to do such a work as every Christian must do or else his Religion signifies little Further it calls for some time too it is not a thing to be minded now and then by the by between sleep and wake when the Devil and the World have had as much service as they call for Were it for your bodies that I were now pleading were you like to get any great matter in the world by following of my directions could you be shew'd a way how to get a great estate honours and long life I am verily perswaded a few words might prevail much Why if you will believe the word of God I am telling you of other kind of things then these be greater matters by far and yet how little are Men and Women affected As if we spoke but in jest always when we spoke about things that did concern Souls How little time do men spend in their inquiry into these things Ask Epictetus Ench. c. 63. And he will tell you that it is a sign of a low Soul to bestow much time upon thy body and the thoughts of it and little upon the Soul to be long eating and long drinking and long a dressing and short in prayer short in the thoughts of the Soul and short in the service of God and that it is a sign of a base degenerate Spirit to be very curious about toys and inconsiderable trifles and to be negligent about matters of the greatest importance to slubber over the great works of Religion with the greatest slightness Remember O man thy great work it is to take care of thy Soul to look after a Companion a Friend for thy Soul to get food and cloathing for thy Soul that that famish not with hunger and cold To be indifferent in all externals is the greatest prudence but to be indifferent about Spirituals and Eternals is the greatest madness We are all Soudiers and must fight in such a War wherein we must never lay down our Arms. The favour of God is worth the striving for it is as much as Heaven and Glory is worth If your estate or life lay at stake would you not be willing to use all the interest you could to make the Judg your friend would you go up and down laughing as if you had nothing to do would you eat and drink as merrily as ever and say it is but dying it is but being a beggar it is but the undoing of my wife and children would you not look upon a man that should argue at this rate to be little better than frantick and I pray which is most considerable the death of the body or the death of the soul the loss of a temporal or the loss of an eternal inheritance Most mens diligence in Temporals will condemn their negligence in Spiritnals Christ said Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven the righteousness thereof but most men say I will seek first the Earth and the glory thereof and if God will give me Heaven and happiness after I have served the Devil and the world as long as I can I shall be contented to have it No such matter never expect it God must sooner cease to be than to gratifie you in this Wherefore do you think did David follow his work so close Why did all those Noble Worthies in the Church of old take so much pains Why should they not much stick to venture estates and lives too Will you condemn them all as guilty of too much curiosity and unnecessary preciseness Do you think that their labour was in vain Are all those disappointed who willingly parted with present things for future things I must tell you if you expect to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven you must do as they did Heaven will not be obtained now upon any lower Term than then Your Souls are as precious as their's and Heaven will be as well worth your minding as theirs and God will look upon you as well as upon them if you will value his favour as they did Never look to have God give you that which you will not thank him for What do you say after all this will you sit down before your work is done open thine eyes and consider what thou hast to do and then tell me if it be not the greatest folly imaginable to be slight in these Affairs O how can'st thou eat or drink or sleep whilst thou hast such a great work to do which is undone O give