discharge the main dutys which are incumbent on us yet we may do as I have here mentioned and that 1st Through the grace Received which will be more or less operative as we more or less Exite it and comply with it and as it is our duty to stir up the gift and Grace of God in us 2. Tim. 1. 6. So it is in our power as we see its an easy thing for any to make of a little spark a great flame by adding fewell to it and blowing it 2ly Through grace offered for God is ready to give more grace unto those who make a good use of the grace which they have already Received according to that promiss to him that hath shall be given c. Mat. 26. 29. To conclude men generally must needs be making great hast to Distruction Considering with what eagarness they go on in the way they are in and that way cannot be the way of Life for they never passed through the strait Gate nay they are so far from having done this that they have not so much as found it O that men were brought to this to say few find the way of Life and to fear that there is danger they may not be of those few when as yet they are little Troubled with their Condition Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven CHrist having shewed the difficulty of Salvation telling us that it is not attained unto but by entering in at the Strait Gate Walking in the narrow Way And minded us of the danger of being deluded by false Prophets so far as by them to be perswaded that Salvation may be had upon far easier Termes He here proceeds to informe us plainly what is absolutely necessary to be done by us as ever we desire or hope to be saved There is no less then a Kingdome to be enter'd into yea such a Kingdome as for Peace and plenty Security and Righteousness Joy Glory and stability is not to be parallel'd on Earth it s A Kingdome of Heaven Now if any think to Enter into this Kingdome by a Complementall profession be this profession never so specious they will find themselves grosly mistaken for no less then an Vniversall complyance with Gods will is required and Expected to fit for this In the Words we have 1st A suppossition of a blessed state which is not only to be veiwed at a distance but Enter'd into The height of Earthly happiness is a Kingdome in which their are delights to gratify the most Voluptuous Riches to satiate the most Covetous honours to content the most ambitions but here is a Better Higher surer Kingdome then any is to be found in this vain vncertaine miserable World a Kingdome of Heaven 2ly An opposition of a dangerous mistake which do's too commonly prevail men oft fancy that this Kingdome may be well Enough enter'd into by a formall professing themselves to be the Servants of God wheras in very deed though men profess this never so much again and again both before God and man if there be nothing else done by them they shall in no wise Enter into this Kingdome 3ly A position of those termes which are Necessarily required from those who shall be admitted to Enter those who do the will of their Heavenly Father may enter into this Kingdome but none else can Doct. There is a Kingdome of Heaven to be Enterd into There is a double Kingdome of Heaven 1st A Kingdome of Heaven on Earth which is a state of Righteousness with inward peace and Joy Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and peace and Joy c. 2ly A Kingdome of Heaven in Heaven which is a state of happiness where the Righteousness Peace and Joy are consumated Luke 13. 29. Men from all Quarters shall sit down in this Kingdome of God Both these Kingdomes may be Enter'd into that of Grace may 2. Pet. 1. 11. By giving diligence to make the calling sure an enterance is Administerd abundantly into this That of Glory may Christ will say at the Last day unto those who are fitted for it Enter into the Kingdome prepared for you Mat. 25. 34. It matters not whether of these Kingdomes we here understand for these two so far as the Soul is concern'd in them differ only in degrees there are the same Ingredients in both the same Righteousness the same Peace the same Joy only here they are in Obscurity there they are in Glory Here they are little not fully grown There they are great arrived to their Compleat stature Here they are mix'd Righteousness with Corruption Peace with trouble Joy with Heaviness There they are altogether pure And he who has enter'd into the one is sure to Enter into the other Que. But why is this state of Righteousness with the Peace and Joy attending it Called a Kingdome Ans The reason is not so much taken from the resemblance it has to a worldly Kingdome as if it were the designe of the Holy Ghost to allure unto a love of this such as are hugely taken with the Riches and Glory of Kingdomes here below For indeed those who are admiring and prizing those Vanities which make up the Deceitfull happiness of Earthly Kingdomes can never understand much less prize and Love that Blessed state whose Chief Happiness Consists in Holiness and the consequence of it call it by what name you please As from its having in it self the Reallity of a Kingdome for 1st God is here in his Kingdome all the Faculties of a mans Soul and all the Members of his Body being brought into subjection unto God and all the Rebell lusts being subdu'd and Destroy'd So that now God's will is done in and by the man as it is in and by the Holy and Blessed Angels 2ly Man is here in his Kingdome he has got now from under the lash of Conscience which 〈◊〉 no more Condemn him from under the power of lusts which no more Tyrannize over 〈…〉 above the Temptations of the World which 〈…〉 Râ—ach him not above the Suggestions of 〈…〉 which now no more instigate him 〈…〉 is this called the Kingdome of Heaven 〈…〉 God dos here in a very gracious and 〈◊〉 manner manifest himself and as the Court is there where the King is be it where it will so Heaven is where ever God is But are you sure that Heaven may be Enter'd into Yes for otherwise 1st All the promises of God would be deceitfull yea God by them would deceive those whom he is most obliged to deal faithfully with because they do Confidently Relie on his Truth and goodness what God do's in plain termes speak out St. Luke 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome that he in most of his promises hints at when he uses other Termes The Gospel is made up of
he is hindred in the exercise of his regal Authority by the prevailing power of some Rebels so that he is as it were King and no King he has a Just Title to be King but he cannot Exercise his Kingly Iurisdiction untill he have subdued the Rebels so it is after Regeneration lust gets up and Christ withdraws as driven away and till Christ return with power to subdue these lusts there is little of the Kingdome of God appears little Righteousness little Peace nothing almost but Corruption and confusion So that this state of Restitution wherin we Receive a Kingdome which cannot be Moved Heb. 12. 28. Is that which do's principally go under the name of God's Kingdom and when we arrive at this then we Enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Thus the Jewes enter'd into Canaan when they came out of Egypt but because they were cast out of it again that was not the great Enterance but that when they Enter'd again after they had been 〈…〉 into Babylon and scatter'd into severall parts of 〈◊〉 World for after their return from Babylon they continued in the Land so long as the Jewish state was to continue Jer. 16. 14. 15. Vse 1st Are we got into this Kingdome It may be got into others have got into it during this life It s worth our while to Enquire where are we In it or out of it How canst thou say thou art in it how got thou into it knowest thou how What didst thou do what didst thou suffer to get in Can people dream themselves into Kingdomes while they are sleeping will Kingdomes drop into their Mouthes while they are Gaping can lust be Mortifyed and the Soul quickened and peace Established in the heart and Holiness in the life and the man can give no account how all this came about What signes is there of thy being in this Kingdome Art thou freed from the Commanding power of lusts so as not to obey them Do's Christ no sooner speak in thee but he is heard and Observed and Obeyed is there so much order and Righteousness and peace in thy heart and Life as may make it appear thou art under the Governance of so Wise and Righteous and potent a Prince as the great God of Heaven is 2ly Are we in the way to it Are we in the way to that lower Kingdome which is Immediately Enter'd upon in Regeneration where Christ keeps the Throne in the heart and the will is for God though lust domineer in the Members 1. Do we Conscienciously set our selves to do what ever is manifested to be our duty and to leave undone what ever we are Convinced to be Contrary hereunto 2. Are we carefull to make vse of those means whereby we may be convinced of the Worlds Vanity Sins Folly the Souls poverty c. And wherby we may be kept under those Convictions untill we be brought unto saving Conversion and to new Creatures Are we in the way to that higher Kingdome which is not enter'd into untill Restitution after desertion What greif is it unto our Souls that we should be so much under the power of our lusts Do we hereupon cry out O wretched man that I am c. Rom. 7. 23. 24. What fears do we ly under that God should never deliver us out of this Miserable Condition What complaints do we make that we are so far left to our selves Isa 40. 27. My way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God Isa 49. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me what Earnest Importunitys are there stirring in us that the Lord would help us here Psal 77 7. 8. 9. Will the Lord Caâ—â— of off Ever c. What Resolutions do we take up to wait patiently on the Lord till he have Mercy on us Psal 27. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good Courage c Psal 130. 5. 6. I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait c. How do we Reason our selves unto this Lam. 3. 26. 27. It s good that a man should both hope and quietly wait c. Can we content ourselves to heare that there is a Kingdome an Heavenly Kingdome to be Enter'd into and we in the mean while know not that we are either in it or in the way to it 3ly What hopes have we of it Indeed there are very few that are out of the Kingdome and out of the way to it but they have great and fair hopes of it It is the Devils policy to muzzle People in hopes of Heaven when in the way they are in they are never like to arrive there But what gtounds have they for their hopes Is God mercifull It s true He is so Infinitely Mercifull but for all this mercy there are many Thousands Roaring in Hell and so maist thou come to be too Are Christs merits vast Indeed they are so but for all that there are Millions that are like to be never a whit the better for them Those that are not in the way to Heaven are certainly in the way to Hell and sure if they hold on in this course as for any thing appears they are like to do they have no reason to Expect that this should ever bring them to Heaven Nay the higher and stronger their hop's are of getting to Heaven the less ground there is for their hopes for they are so much the likelier to hold on in the way they are in and if it be not the way to Heaven it will assuredly never bring them thither Now can you be pleased that there should be a Kingdome to be Enter'd into and you neither in it nor like to Enter it nay to be at a greater distance from it while you hope for it nay at a farther distance from it for your hopes 4ly Why do we not bestir our selves to get into it 1st Is it not worth desiring If a Kingdome such a Kingdome so Righteous so Glorious so Durable be not desirable what is Who would not willingly be in such a state wherein they shall want nothing which they desire and wherein they need fear nothing which they do abhor wherein God himself will be their full Satisfaction and a sufficient security wherein they may as soâ—n expect that Gods will should not be done as that theirs should nor their will being resolved into God's will How can their be any Dissatisfaction there where all Inordinate desires are mortified and where God is present to Satisfy all Regular ones 2. Is there no danger of missing this Kingdome What not when there are so many Thousands that are very unlikely to come to it so many Thousands that are utterly in an incapacity of ever attaining it What not when we are at such a great distance from it and there are so many difficulties in our way to it and we are so averse ourselves and we have so many hinderances from without and we read of those who 〈◊〉 come near this Kingdome and yet
promises chiefly for what ever is required of us as duty that is required of us by the Law now we are told what the main Subject of the Gospel is it s the Kingdome of God therfore the Gospel has its Denomination from hence Mark 1. 14. The Gospel of the Kingdome of God This was the chief thing which Christ preached before his Death Mat. 4. 17. He had told them there was A Kingdome of God to be got it was not far off but at Hand this he Chiefly Inculcated after his Resurrection Act. 1. 3. Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God 2ly Many of the Commands of God Would be Idle when God bids us Seek first the Kingdome of God and its Righteousness it would be all one as if he should say be sure you seek that in the first place which when ye have sought never so long ye are sure never to find for there is no such state of Happiness to be attained When we are bid to Seek the Lord and his strength seek his Face for ever more Psal 105. 4. Which is al lone as if we were bid to seek his Kingdome for what is it else for him to Lord it over us so as to Rule us to put forth his strength upon us so as to subdue our lusts mightily to manifest his Face and presence in us so as to Enlighten Enliven Counsel Comfort us when he bids us thus do he would bid us take pains to no purpose for such an attainment is never to be Expected 3ly The secret Encouragments which Gods People have given in to them would be all Groundless and Delusory There are none of Gods People but he dos inwardly speak unto their heart Seek ye my Face labour to come unto a vision of God unto an intimate Communion with him so as to see him as he is 1. John 3. 2. To speak with him Face to Face And by this inward invitation and Encouragement their hearts are drawn out and Engaged thus to seek Gods Face thus they resolve their heart saith thy Face Lord will we seek Psal 27. 8. Now shall this their faith be in vain Shall God say unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Isai 45. 19. 4ly The industrious Endeavours of Gods people would be all lost Do not they take a great deal of pains with themselves Exercise a great deal of patience and all this that they may attain the Glory and Honour and immortality of this Kingdome Rom. 2. 7. And must they lose all there Labour is there no remedy but they must still be slaves to their own lusts carried which way the Temptations of the Devil and the World drives them is there no hopes of attaining the purity and liberty of this Blessed and Glorious Kingdome Must all their Fervent prayers their stedfast Resolutions their unwearied Labours their frequent selfdenyalls in studying their states purifying their hearts and reforming their Lives all come to nothing When they have made it their great Business for a long time to get into the Kingdome of Heaven must they still be kept under the power of Satan And shall he be of more might to Enslave them then God to save them And what are those who are Stiled the only Sons of Wisdome in very deed such Fools as to lay out their time and strength in pursuance of a designe which is altogether unfeasible 5ly The greivous sufferings of Gods People would be all in vain What makes them so willingly and chearfully to expose themselves to the hatred and contempt of the World and Satan to meet and Embrace hard censures bitter Reproaches Terible Threats cruell usages why do they Chuse rather to suffer Affliction with Gods People then to Enjoy all the pleasures of Sin Why do they not rather shun sufferings then run into them but that they know and Beleive and consider that if they Suffer with Christ they shall Reign with him 2. Tim. 2. 12. And that as he by Enduring the Cross and dispising the shame sate down at the Right Hand of God Heb. 12. 2. So shall they if they Be faithfull unto Death be sure to have the Crown of Life c. Rev. 2. 10. If they overcome as Christ did Christ will give unto them â—he power he Received from his Father to Rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron c. Rev. 2. 26. 27. And to the trouble they meet with in these sufferings they oppose the Joy of the Kingdome to the shame they meet with they oppose the Glory of the Kingdome Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the suffering of this present time c. 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light Afflictions c. To the losses they undergo here they oppose the Riches of the Kingdome Heb. 10. 34. They took Joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in them selves that they had in Heaven a better and an indureing Substance But may this Kingdome of Heaven be Entr'd into in this life Yes why not is it not possible that Victory may be gotton over lusts that they shall little Molest us and though we be in the midst of Temptations yet they shall not greatly either greive or hurt us may not we be Beautified and Satisfied with grace so that we shall desire little of the pleasures and Riches and Honours of the World May not we have peace of Conscience having no guilt lying upon them Peace of heart being nor disquieted with any Inordinate desire or terified with any vain fear the peace of God guarding them within Phi. 4. 7. We being kept in perfect peace by God Isa 26. 3. Others have Enter'd into this Kingdome during this Iife why may not we pray who were they who were come to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 22. 23. 24. Were they not some among the Hebrews who were yet alive when the Author writ to them How could St. Paul bear up so Magnanimously as he did so as to dispise all the Smiles and Frowns of the World how could he have so much love to others to have so great desire to see them do well as to Travel so many Miles to expose himself to so many Hard-ships and Sufferings for their sakes how could he be so wholy unconcerned about his Body and all its Comforts in this life unless he had an inward feeling of that Kingdome of God which is not in word but in Power 1. Cor. 4. 20. Vnless he felt the great Comforts of this Kingdome But what is the entrance into this Kingdome It is Regeneration for as soon as ever we come to be Born again to have a new life put in us which naturally carries us Heaven ward and makes us disgust vanity and to be ashamed of folly and to loth all Impurity Iniquity and Hypocrisy then do's Christ dwell and Rule in us in some measure he is in some sense King over us and we are made Kings with him But as it is in the World oft times after a King is Crown'd and own'd
for any thing we know come short of it too 3. Is there nothing to be done by us for the 〈◊〉 if it Must God do all and we sit still 〈◊〉 what purpose are all Gods Counsels and commands and prohibitions and Threatenings and promises if we can do nothing to further our selves in the way to Heaven nothing to hinder us Now if it be worth getting and may be missed but never can be got without our bestirring our selves unless it Suffer Violence by us why do not we Enquire the way which leads to it why do we not labour to get into it Why do not we count all our time and Labour lost which is not Employed in order to it 1. Care we not if we never come there is Heaven so despicable then Are Souls so vile Will Hell be so easy How know we but our dallying and triffling and putting off from time to time may shut us out of Heaven and plung us into Hell before ever we are aware Can God suffer without high Indignation his gracious offers of no less then a Kingdome unto Sinners and Wormes to be so basely slighted Do not they deserve to have Heaven door shut on them who will not Enter when it stands wide open and they so fairly invited in 2. Are we affraid to come to Heaven over soon will it be any inconvenience unto us to be raised above the vain Comforts of the Creature and to be brought to full Satisfaction in God himself Will it be any loss to us to Exchange our lusts for Christ and Earthly Comforts for Heavenly ones If Heaven will not make us happy why would we be there at all and if it will make us happy why would we not be there soon can we be happy over soon Doct 2. Men may be fair professours and yet not do the will of God This is evident out of Christ words for if every one who said Lord Lord did God's will they would certainly enter into Heaven which yet Christ denyes they do They may openly pretend that they are Christs Servants and that he is their Lord they may pretend that in many things they are willing ye desirous to yeild him that obedience and Observance which is due from a Servant to a Lord they may have those Expectations from him of Countenance Protection Maintenance which a servant has from his Lord they may make those Ceremoniall addresses to him which a servant does to his Lord in prayers and Religious duties and yet live in Disobedience to him This God observed in the Jewes Isa 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouths c. Isa 58. 2. Yet they seek me Early c. They may abound in these Religious Complements so much that God shall be quite tired with them and yet lead very bad lives be as bad as the worst Isa 1. 11. To what purpose is the Multitude of your Sacrifices c. The reason of this is taken from themselves Profession is easy but Sincere impartiall obedience is difficult it cannot be done without denying themselves in there Inclinations and interests profession neither puts to Toyle nor shame nor Cost to speak of neither do's it inwardly disquiet them and therefore they can easily bear an empty profession a form without power they may be professours without any great Trouble But why must they be professours why may they not let the form of Religion alone as well as the power Because Profession is convenient if not necessary 1 To quiet Conscience which will not be content without somthing like Religion as men give Children Counters instead of Gold to keep them from Crying 2 To serve Temporal interest for though the power of Religion be Troublesome as disturbing people in their sinfull pleasures yet a form of Religion is very acceptable and to be a professour after such a mode as is most in request brings much repute So that this is a means oft-times to procure unto persons Esteem and love with some Persons and parties which may conduce much to the bringing them Custome if they be Tradesmen advantaging them in their marriages if they be single persons c. 3ly Profession may be sufficient to reach all those ends of Religion which men generally think it of use for for men do not look on Religon as designed for the Cleansing of their hearts and Reforming of their lives but they only conceit it is intended to please a great God pacify an angry God and they fancy God to be such an one as those proud Fools are who are soon pleased with caps and Cringes and a parcel of good words Vse Let us take heed that we be not such like Sounding brass or Tinkling Cymbals 1. Cor. 13. 1. All shew and Noise but nothing within know this that me cannot affront God more highly then to go about to Cheat him while we pretend to serve him like many Courtiers who carry with much Cermoniall Formality when they have settled designs to Mischieve As if God were so Foolish as not to understand that to present him with empty observances is as great a mockery as to offer another the shell while we keep the Kernell of the Nut to our selves or so Blind that he could not see that there wants our heart when there is nothing but fair words in our Mouth see how God abhors such Carriages as these Isa 66. 3. He that Kills an Oxe as if he slew a man c. See how highly he is provoked against these who allow themselves to lead Evil lives and yet keep a deal of do about the Temple of the Lord c. Jer. 7. 3. 4. 11. Doct 3. Those who profess fair though they live in disobedience to God they may fancy to themselves a liklyhood of their entering into the Kingdome of Heaven This is too much confirmed by daily Experience for we find how Difficult a thing it is to perswade People that they are in danger of missing Heaven even when there is nothing but Disobedience in their lives Jer. 4. 14. The reason is because 1st People are not willing to lay aside those hopes which they cannot part with but be plunged into desparate Fears and Troubles for if they be not such as shall enter into Heaven what will become of them should they be taken away by death before any Alteration be made in them 2ly People think they have grounds for these hopes considering the miserable Condition of the generallity in case their hopes should prove vain and groundless for these have no more to rely on then themselves have 3ly People are so Blind naturally have blinded themselves by sinfull Customes are so blinded by Satan their Malicious Enemy are given up to that Blindness by God the Righteous Judge that they cannot see the Unreasonablness of their hopes they see not the desperate Wickedness of their own hearts they do not see the great purity and exact Righteousness of God their Saviour and Judge who alone can sit there
Destruction of Ahabs Family and the Extirpation of Baals worship for these not only consist with his Interest but are very Subservient to it But as for the Pulling down the Calves at Dan and Bethel in this he musts needs pardon him he cannot do it without Shaking the very Foundations of his Kingdome 2. Kings 10. 29. Johanan and Jezaniah the Captains and the People are Gods very humble Servants they are willing and ready to do whatever he bids them only with this Provisâ— that he bid them do nothing which Thwarts either their Inclination or Interestâ— If God do but Require them to do what they have a great mind to do themselves they will not in the lest stick to obey him but if God will need cross them and when they have a mind to go into Egypt charge them to stay in Judea he must excuse them it is but reason they should serve themselves in the first Place Jere. 43. 24. Herod can well endure to hear John the Baptist yea he will hear him gladly and do many things also which he bids him do Reform many things in his Kingdom many things in his Court and some things in himself he will Countenance good People and good Ministers such as John he will Check those who would Suppress and destroy them such as the Scribes and Pharisees St. Mark 6. 20. If John will but connive at one or two things in Herod Herod and he will never fall out but if John be so unreasonable as to require him to part with his Herodias Herod will never obey him in this Let John say what he will He cannot Brook to have Princes Pleasures intruded into and Medled with by such Sawcy Fellows as John If Herod for John cannot quietly keep and enjoy his Herodias John for Herod shall not long keep his head Judas will hear Christ and obey him too so far as to leave his Estate and Friends to Follow a poor despised Jesus yea he will keep to him tho' Envyed Hated Reproached and persecuted by the Wise and great men of this World those who are uppermost both in Church and State yea if Christ will bid him preach to a People that will deâ—â—de him and Scoff at him and otherwise contumeliously use him he will not stick at this neither but let Christ bid him Take heed and beware of Covetousness S. Luke 12. 15. It is to no purpose he is Resolved to hug this Darling Sin tho it should prove his Ruine The Young Man is desirous to hear of Christ what he must do to he Saved he can patiently endure to hear all the Commandments prest upon him and Obedience to them required of him Let Christ say Thou shalt do no Murder c. He will hear Christs Doctrine yea approve it and obey it too But if Christ come a little too near the Quick and tell him he must part with all his Lands his Barns and his bags If he would come to good this he can abide no longer away he goeth Sorrowfull S. Mat. 19. 16. 22. 2ly They come not with a Settled Intention There are few so bad but they have now and then stirring in them some good desires some good Intentions yea some such Intentions as are Heightened into Resolutions for there are none if they be not quite left by God whom the Spirit of God is not now and then dealing with to Engage them for Heaven and Holiness But all these good thoughts desires and Intentions are but As a Morning Cloud and as the Early Dew they go away Hos 6. 4. They abide but a little while any new Temptation dashes them all The Intentions and Resolutions of many men but like the Efforts of dying men which are very Vigorous for a while but they have soon done as is seen in those who are deadly wounded who go strongly a while but soon fall dead to the Ground They are Almost Perswaded to do this and that as Agrippa was to be a Christian Acts 26. 28. But they are soon of another mind and their good thoughts prove very Volatile There is a double Account of the Fadingness of their Good Intentions 1st They are incited in an Heart where there is nothing Suitable to them as heat in Water whose Nature is quite contrary to this Quality for let Water be made never so hot if it be left to it self it Quickly Cools again A Fish will not stay long out of its Element it finds nothing to nourish and Cherish it but every thing is Troublesome to it It is with Good thoughts desires Intentions and Resolutions as it is with Grain in an Unsuitable Soil They never come to any thing like The Seed which fell among Thorns that soon Stifled it Luke 8. 14. Some Lust or other gets up and quite Choakes whatever good is stirring in a bad Heart for it has no Root there and can gather no Strength and so is Easily overpowered 2ly They are assaulted by severall Temptations from the World and Satan The Businesses of the World so throng men that they have little Leisure to Prosecute whatever Intentions they have which may advantage them for Heaven The cares of the World do so fill the Heads of many that they have little Room for any Serious Thoughts they quite forget all their Good Intentions The Pleasures of the World and the Flesh do so possess mens Hearts and take up their Time that they have neither Leisure nor Will for those things which in their good moods they once intended Satan by his Suggestions either directly opposes the Prosecuting of good Intentions representing to men the great Inconveniences which those Courses threaten that they may prejudice us in our Bodies Estates Credit Liberty and Relations that they may bring inward Dispuiet and Outward Vexation Or else he subtilly diverts us perswading us that there is something more Pertinent more Necessary to be done by us for the Present and that we may let this alone till Another time when we shall have more Leisure and fairer Opportunities Thus Felix thought of hearing S. Paul further but he would put it off to a more Convenient season Acts. 24. 25. Satan knows that if he 〈…〉 delay the Execution of Good Intentions he presents them for they soon die of themselves â—se 1st This shows the great folly which is in mens hearts And this their Folly appears in two things 1st In that they content themselves with that which is to no Purpose at all For let them Hear never so much and â—gain thereby a great deal of Knowledge if they do not reduce their Knowledge into Practise and do as they Hear they are never the nearer To what Purpose doth a man know what will cure his Disease and what will heal his Wound if he never 〈◊〉 out to prâ—curâ— the Medicine if he never care to 〈◊〉 and applie it but suffer the Disease to 〈◊〉 and the Wound to Corrupt untill they have killed him To what Purpose is it for a man