Corner of the World in which He is not Present So the Holy Ghost would cease to be our Infinite and Souvereign Good if any Corner of our Heart have any thing lodg'd in it that excludes Him When once we have receiv'd the Holy Ghost our Heart is the Kingdom of God He is the Absolute and Only Monarch that commands it He cannot Alienate the least part of his Title to the Gouvernment He cannot any way admitt of a Companion in his Throne Our Heart is the Throne of the Most High And if we remember what became of Lucifer I hope it will suffice to make us sensible how dangerous a thing it is to place a Creature in the Throne of God Isai 14.14 make it like the Highest S. Austin wondring at the overflowing measure of Gods Holy Spirit in the Apostles Hearts observes that the reason why they were so full of God was because they were so empty of his Creatures They were very Full says he because they were very Empty because they were so Empty of the Spirit of this World therefore they were so full of the Spirit of God O that our Hearts were Empty O that they were purg'd cleans'd like theirs from all inordinate affection to this World We then should be prepar'd like Them ready to receive the Fullness of the Holy Ghost T is a great Work will require some time Why are we then so flow in undertaking it Acts. 1.11 VVhy do we stand Gazing We gaze we lift our eyes to Heaven But yet we stand our feet are fixt upon the Earth We preferr Heaven before Hell of the two we had rather be there But of the three if it were possible we had rather be always here How long will you love Vanity Psal 4.2 says the Psalmist This World is nothing else but Vanity How long will you Love it Eccles 4. v. 16. T is Vanity Vexation of Spirit How long will you delight in it It flies before you like a Shadow 6. v. 12. How long will you run afterit Alas t is but a Shadow if you overtake it The VVorld passes away 1. Jâ— 4.17 T is an unkind illnatur'd VVorld which passes by us with a flattering smile will not stay a moment with us If it had ever been a true faithfull Friend to any man We should have some pretence to justifie our expectation of its being Kind But since we know it never was so to its greatest Favourites We way be sure it never will be so to us The Time will come when we shall plainly see although perhaps too late that All is Vanity we shall love no more what we are now so fond of The Love of all those Trifles which our Infancy was once much pleas'd withall is now forgot and we so much contemn those childish entertainments that unless we saw the same in other Children we should scarce beleeve we ever lov'd them As when we advance in years we see the folly of our Childhood so upon our Deathbed we as plainly see the folly of our Life we then discover that the Honours Riches Pleasures of this World are only so many serious Trifles which are therefore more ridiculous because more serious When once the Period of our Time approaches When we are upon the Borders of Eternity When we are as it were betwixt two Worlds the End of this the Beginning of the next which never will have end Then it is that all our Joys begin to vanish out of sight they are the same to us as if they never had been present Than it is that all our Miseries are every one in View such Miseries as never can be past but will for all Eternity be always present When once that Hour comes we shall be Wise enough to undervalue contemn what we so dearly love But then I fear We shall be VVise too late Our useless VVisdom will not rise in Judgment for us but against us O let us now endeavour to be VVise disengage our Hearts from all inordinate affection to this world that we may be prepar'd for the receiving of this Grace which is the best surest Pledge of the Eternall Glory which we hope for in the world to come MOTIVES OF FEAR SECT I. How much it imports us to remember the Day of Judgment WHen the Disciples askt our Saviour what would be the Sign of his Coming and of the End of the VVorld Math. 24.3 v. 36. Our Saviour answerd that the Day Hour were not to be known before hand that his Coming would be like a Flash of Lightning v. 27. when they least expected Him Therefore v. 44. says He be ready for in such an Hour as you think not the Son of Man will come v. 35. Heaven Earth shall pass away but my VVords shall not passe away The World shall have an End The Son of man shall Come to Judge the World The Hour of his Coming shall surprise us when we think not of it If we knew before hand we should certainly prepare And we have much more reason since we do not know it But alas our Saviour Jesus Christ himself has prophecied v. 38. that As in the days that were before the Floud they were eating drinking marrying giving in marriage till the Day that Noe entred the Ark v. 39. And Knew not till the Floud came and took them all away So also shall be the Coming of the Son of man He told us how it would be every day we see how true it is We mind nothing but eating drinking marrying giving in marriage We seek for nothing but Diversion Sport Pastime We now Rejoyce But then when the World ends our Joys will end with it Then we shall Grieve not only then Math. 24.30 but for ever THEN all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn They shall All mourn Not All the Just Not All God's Friends Not All devout pious Christians who not only in their Baptism but also during Life renounc'd the Vanities Pleasures of this World All these will have just reason to abound with Joy at the Approach of their so long defir'd everlasting Happyness Psal 126.5 They sow'd with Tears but now shall reap with Joy All the Tribes of the Earth All Those whose Hearts were always fixt upon the Earth upon the Honours Riches Pleasures of the Earth THEY shall All mourn And not without sufficient Reason For 1. They shall see the fatall End of all their transitory Happyness 2. They shall see the sad Beginning of their everlasting Misery SECT II. That our Last Day is the fatall End of all our transitory Happyness AS on the one side Nothing can be truly Little which is Infinite So on the other Nothing can be truly Great which has an End Baruch 3. v. 25. Our God is Great says the Prophet has no End As if
is who dayly gives him all he has to whom he ows the bread he eats the air he breaths the ground he goes upon the hand he moves the very life he spends in Sin all the Time allowd him to repent Can such a Creature so oblig'd by such a Benefactor be so basely so horribly ungratefull to betray Him preferr before Him the unreasonable satisfaction of a silly Humour of a shamefull Passion of a sinfull Inclination Open once for all thy Eyes Blind Sinner confess that no Ingratitude but that of Judas can compare to thine A Slave I wish he were so to his Master A Slave to Passion Humour A Slave to Sin Misery A Slave condemn'd to worse than Galleys during Life afterwards to the Eternall Flames of Hell 1. Cor. 2.9 where neither Eye has seen Nor Ear has heard nor has it ever entred into the heart of any Man what Torments God's great Justice has prepar'd for those who dare abuse his Mercy A vile Slave deliver'd from the mischief of all This by God himself descending from his Glory living here a poor painfull life laying down the same with every drop of his most precious bloud to pay the the ransom of this Wretch That such a Slave deliver'd so by such a Hand should offer to abuse the Mercy which once sav'd him still holds him by a slender thred from falling into everlasting Misery A Servant I should have said A miserable Insect full of sinfull putrefaction A vile Spawn of Man's originall Corruption A Worm whose very Crawling on it's fellow-dust is more Preferment than it can deserve That such a Thing as This should be so proud as to despise the Master of the World So Great so VVise so Infinitely Perfect so every way Deserving as He is This Vermin has indeed a Soul an Angell once by Grace but now by Sin a Devil black as Hell it self Gen. 3.5 Isai 14.14 a Lucifer that will be knowing Good Evill will be like the Highest will pretend to Gouvern in his Master's House despise his Orders slight his Menaces neglect his Admonitions Be astonisht Jer. 2.12 O ye Heavens at this A most insolent Criminall A Criminall so insolent as to offend before God's Face in presence of his Generall his King his Father his Deliverer his Benefactor his Master and besides all this in presence of his Judge before the very Bar where he continually is upon his Tryall for his everlasting Life or Death Our Saviour says that Whosoêre beleeves not Jo. 3.18 is condemn'd already We may say the same of every Sinner In the very moment he offends He is condemn'd already His All-Seeing Judge is always VVitness of his Thoughts Words Actions Desires and He no sooner is a Criminall but He is Tryd Judg'd This Insolence of his in some respect exceeds all other Aggravations of his Crime T is an Extravagance of which we hardly find the least Example betwixt Man Man We often hear of Souldiers that Desert But whensoêre they go they steal away We never hear that they acquaint their Generall with such Designs We often hear of Subjects that conspire against the Gouvernment but never hear them talk such matters loudly in the hearing of their Prince We often hear of Murders Robberies many other Outrages committed in the World But when the Prisoner once was brought to Tryall did you ever hear He either Robb'd or Murder'd at the Bar No no such Insolence was never heard of betwixt Man Man And yet this very Insolence is infinitely less than Ours which we are always guilty of in every Mortall Sin I say no more I tremble at the very thought of having said so much when I reflect how All that we can either say or think will nêre convert us without Grace There 's nothing but the Grace of God can make a deep Impression of it in our Hearts VI. Our Saviours Idea of Sin the Impression it made upon Him OUr Saviour Jesus Christ best knew the great Enormity of Sin we may judge how great it is by the Impression which it made upon Him when the approaching Hour of his Passion laid before his Eyes the terrible Idea of it T was the first bloudy Scene of all his Sufferings He began to be Sorrowfull very heavy Math. 26.37 A Deluge of Grief broke in upon his Soul quite overwhelm'd his Heart lay so heavy upon his fearfull Thoughts He was not able to conceal it any longer support the pressing weight of his Affliction all alone in silence His three most Dear most Familiar Disciples were surpris'd so much to see this suddain alteration in their dearest Lord They were not able to enquire the Cause but like Job's three Friends they stood astonisht spoke not one word to Him Job 2.13 because they saw his Grief was very Great Our Saviour could hold no longer but broke out into this dolefull expression Math. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding Sorrowfull even unto Death Ah my dear Disciples if you knew as well as I do all the Motives of my Grief you would not wonder that the very Thought of them makes me look pale shews you the face of Death in my countenance The violent pangs of my afflicted Soul are so sharp piercing that did not my Divinity support me preserve my life I should immediatly this very moment dy upon the place Stay a while and watch with me Math. 26.38 You who love me best who have been always most familiar with me Be not now so unkind as to leave me in this sad condition all alone Stay a while watch with me till my Storm of Grief blow over Dear Christians Let us stay a while with these three Disciples not only admire but search into the cause of this great alteration in the Soul of our Redeemer How was it possible that now He should begin to fear so much that Death which all his life He had so much desir'd His Love for Man his Desire of dying for us were conceiv'd by the operation of the Holy Ghost they came into the World with him ever after so employ'd his Thoughts He scarce could talk of any thing else Amongst his Disciples his common Discourse was of his Sufferings the Cup he was to drink his Obligation his Readyness his Impatience to fullfill the Prophecies I have says he Luke 12.50 a Baptism to be baptis'd with how am I straitned till it be accomplisht When the time drew nearer He redoubled his desires of dying for us Luke 22.25 with Desire I have desir'd to eat this Passeover with you And why says S. Chrysostom Because it is a preparation to my Passion which I have so long so earnestly desir'd He knew from the beginning every Torment every degree of it Often reflected on each Circumstance apart as often took delight in
not here 't is only to be found hereafter They as earnestly Desire the Happyness of Heaven as a Hart long hunted thirsts for Water T is a Duty indispensably incumbent upon all true Christians to Desire it above All Things Hear S. Austin Ibid. Ch. 21. He who finds himself at Ease on Earth who is contented to live always Here And finds his greatest Joy Satisfaction in this world will never enter Heaven If you ask the Reason He replys because He has not in his Heart the Love of God whoever dos not Sigh above all things Wish for the Enjoyment of Eternall Life Examine well your Heart If God should promise you a long Life upon Earth tell you You shall here enjoy whatever you can wish for Riches Pleasures Honours Health Prosperity what you please besides shall every where attend you Only You shall never See me You shall never have a Share with Me in Heaven would you be Content whoever is in such a Disposition dos not yet begin to Love Him above All Things Hear the Royall Prophet Ibid. Ch. 22. Hear the Language of his Love As the Hart pants after water Ps 42.1.2.3 so my Soul pants after Thee My God My Soul is thirsty for Thee O Thou Living God the only Life Comfort of my Soul My Tears have been my Entertainment Day Night t is the only Ease of my impatient Grief to have the Liberty of weeping in thy Absence VVhen shall I appear before my God When once that happy Day approaches Ps 17.15 when I once Behold thy Face I shall be Satisfyd but never shall be satisfyd till then T is this Ps 27.4 only this One Thing I always have Desir'd of Thee that I may Dwell in thy House for ever behold thy Beauty All God's Children say the same Ibid. they dayly pray to their Eternall Father that his Kingdom come And their Desire of Everlasting Life though sometimes out of Mind is always in their Heart By this they Pray incessantly By this they are attentive to God's Presence in the midst of those Employments Affairs which otherwise would easily divert them from the Thought of Him By This they frequently Recall their wandring Thoughts Renew their decaying Fervour Enflame their cooling Love Encourage their desponding Hearts March a great deal faster towards Heaven VVhen the Scripture commands us says S. Austin to Pray Always we are not therefore oblig'd to be always on our knees or always singing Psalms in Choire we only are oblig'd to have continually in the Bottom of our Heart a true Desire to leave this Earth enter into Heaven This continuall Desire must still persever in our Heart VVe always must lament sigh and say I am a Captive a Pilgrim I am far from Home I am not with my God T is true S. Austin adds a Just Man may divert himself sometimes spend some hours in such Employments as appear quite different from Gaining Heaven T is alas the Servitude of his Captivity which thus obliges him to work for the Egyptians whilst he is a Slave to Pharaoh But however in the midst of all his Slavery He never can forget the Land of Promise He laments He sighs He always wishes to be There And Thus He always Prays to God that He will please to grant him the Possession of that Souvereign Good which only can Suffice to make Him truly for ever Happy THE CONTENTS Motives of Love § 1. How much it imports us to Love God above All Things pag. 1 § 2. That the Love of God is our Greatest Duty 3 § 3. That the Love of God is our Greatest Good 20 § 4. That the Love of God is the chief Grace of the Holy Ghost 40 § 5. That we ought to prepare our Hearts for this great Grace 57 Motives of Fear § 1. How much it imports us to remember the Day of Judgment 71 § 2. That our Last Day is the fatall End of all our transitory Happyness 75 § 3. That our Last Day is the sad Beginning of our Everlasting Misery 90 Motives of Hope § 1. How unreasonable a thing it is for any Sinner to Despair 109 § 2. That God can help us if He will 115 § 3. That God will help us if we please 130 Danger of Delay § 1. How apt we are to Differr Repentance 149 § 2. How dangerous it is to Differr Repentance 153 § 3. Reasons why Delay is so Dangerous 161 § 4. That we ought to begin immediatly without Delay 172 A Contrite Heart § 1. Sorrow for our Sins 189 § 2. Resolutions of Amendement 193 An Humble Heart § 1. The Necessity Advantages of Humility 201 § 2. First Degree of Humility 213 § 3. Second Degree of Humility 219 § 4. An Objection answer'd 233 § 5. Third Degree of Humility 242 § 6. First Reason why the greatest Saints are the most humble 249 § 7. Second Reason why the greatest Saints are the most Humble 262 I. The Enormity of Sin 273 II. The Treachery of a Sinner 285 III. The Disloyalty of a Sinner 296 IV. The Impiety of a Sinner 303 V. The great Ingratitude Presumption Pride Insolence of every Sinner 311 VI. Our Saviours Idea of Sin the Impression it made upon Him 319 VII The Saints Idea of Sin How much it humbles them 335 The Character of a Good Christian § 1. The Perfection of his Duty 352 § 2. His Contempt of the VVorld 362 § 3. His Desire of Heaven 372 FINIS