to Wrath and Vengeance Wouldst thou be content the Day of the Lord should find thee thus Art thou sure but that Day may find thee thus Would not such a Voice from Heaven Thy Day is come strike thee into horror and amazement and strike through thy easie lazie Soul as a Dart through thy Liver O why wilt thou not try what some thoughts of that Day might do whether it would not perswade thee to a wiser course and put thee into a better case against it comes indeed It is a strange thing that it should be possible for Sinners that believe the Scriptures not to think of a day of recompence Hast thou not heard dost thou not read that the Wages of Sin is Death dost thou not know that every working day must have its pay-day Canst thou be Sowing daily and never think of Reaping And hast thou not learned That as thy Sowing is such must thy Reaping be that an evil Seed-time will bring forth an evil Harvest Canst thou be Sowing Tares and either not think of Reaping at all or think of Reaping Wheat Is this all the wit thou hast Be not deceived as Men Sow so shall they also Reap he that Soweth to the Flesh shall Reap Corruption he that Soweth to the Spirit shall Reap Life Everlasting Gal. 6.7 8. Know it in time and throughout thy Sowing think of thy Reaping-Day 2. Men put the Evil Day far from their Loyns That is though they do think of the Judgments of God and as such as both may overtake them and if they fall will fall heavy upon them and grind them to Pouder yet they count 't will be a great while first there may be time enough to prevent them or at least the distance they apprehend of them from them makes them the less to be feared or regarded Eccles 1.8 Because Sentence against an evil work is not executed specdily therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil Because Judgment is so long a-coming therefore they grow bold in their Sin as if 't would never come Not till after a long time is almost the same with them as never at all As if because the Bench and the Gibbet stand not both together because the Sin and its Sentence the Sentence and its Execution are not on the same day therefore there will be no Sentence no Execution as if because it's Sun-shine to day there were no fear of a Storm for many dayes after The Thoughts of Sinners are like those words of Rebellious Israel Ezek. 12.27 The Vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he Prophesieth of the Times that are far off Those Scoffers who walk after their own Lusts 2 Pet. 3.4 demand in derision Where is the Promise of his coming Where is the Promise that is where is the Threatning of his coming The same word that is a Promise to the Saints is often a Threatning to Sinners Where is the Threatning of his coming There hath been much Preaching and Talking of the Day of the Lord of a Black Day that 's coming to pay all our Scores this hath been foretold a long time agone even in the dayes of our Fore-fathers who are yet gone to their Graves in peace and behold to this day after the revolution of so many Ages we see no sign of it but all things are still as they were and Men may sin at as cheap rates now as they did then Those Rebel Jews Isa 5.19 That drew Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and Sin as it were with Cart-ropes are so bold as to say Let the Day of the Lord come let it hasten that we may see it let the Counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh that we may know it Such Infidels were these Rebels become that they made the Threatnings of the Lord a meer Mock or a Dream or a lying Vision that would never come to pass But even among those that do believe that there is such a day a-coming wherein the Lord will confirm the Word of his Servants and perform the Counsel of his Messengers even amongst them there are who say Yet the Lord may delay his coming I may have time enough to repent before it comes not considering that though to day it be said Time enough yet to morrow the word may be Too late too late though now the word be My Lord delayeth his coming the next word may be He is come the Day of the Lord is come and I must no longer escape O my foolish Soul thou thoughtest such a day might come but didst thou think it so near Wo wo unto me the Day of Vengeance is come in a day that I thought not of in an hour that I was not aware He is come he is come to cut me in sunder and to give me my Portion with Hypocrites It is fallen unto me as to some Women with Child my Time is come before my Reckoning was out Friends Is there nothing of this kind of Security also to be found even among those that take themselves to be wiser than this Bedlam-World How is it with many Professors of Religion Do we live in hourly expectation of the Day of Retribution Are we so vigilant and so circumspect in our daily course as Men that do believe that the Day of the Lord is at hand How didst thou live yesterday didst thou carry it so as if that should have been thy last day How dost thou behave thy self to day Dost thou now carry it so as if thou expectedst to hear This night shall thy Soul be taken away Dost thou hear daily as if thou wert hearing thy last Sermon Dost thou pray daily as if thou wert making thy last Prayer Dost thou not sleep daily and sin daily as a Man that presumeth on many dayes to come Dost thou never venture on a little sin or on remisness in thy Duty with this thought it will but be repenting of it after Wouldst thou dare to do what sometimes thou dost wouldst thou dare to neglect what sometimes thou dost neglect wert thou sure there would be no time for repentance Wouldst thou be so proud as thou art or so covetous as thou art or so vain or so slothful as thou art if thou didst not count upon more day before thee Darest thou never lie down one night in an unrepented Sin for fear of what may be before the morning O what Holy-Dayes what Sabbath-Dayes would every day be did we but daily think this may be my Judgment Day But dost thou use to think so Thou hast thy fleshly designs already laid for to morrow and next day and next year to morrow thou sayest thou wilt go to such a City to buy and to sell and to get gain next day to such a Fair next day to such a Feast to make merry with thy Friends and there thou goest and eatest and drinkest and tradest and so thou meanest to go on from Year to Year and
die foolish Soul thou must be judged and condemned and suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire there 's no shifting it off or escaping it 't is a plain case the Evidence is full and undeniable lay it to heart for of a truth thou art in an evil case Here-upon as the effect of this Conviction follows 3. Consternation Now the bold Sinner is knock'd in the Head and laid on his back now his old hopes give up the Ghost and Fear and Astonishment take hold upon him This Convincing Spirit is the same which is called the Spirit of Bondage working Fear Rom. 8.15 And when he is thus broken by Fear and feeling all his hopes and supports falling under him gives himself for a lost and undone Man then he is made ready to the hand of him that comes to seek and to save that which is lost He from whom just now nothing was heard but God I thank thee I am not as other Men is now brought to his O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me Presumptuous Sinner thou art never like to be happy till thou be undone there 's no hope of thee till thou be overcome of Fear O cry unto the Lord to cure thee of thy confidence to work thee to harder thoughts of thy present state if ever thou lookest it should be well with thee hereafter What dost thou yet retain thine old confidence wilt thou yet do all thou canst to maintain that good opinion of thy state which thou hast hitherto had what dost thou herein do but resist that Spirit of God who would but break thee that he might build thee up for ever Wilt thou not be undeceived wilt thou not be convinced wilt thou never know thy danger till it be too late to be prevented But how shall I do to get mine heart awakned out of this dangerous state Why wouldst thou be delivered Then 1. Dread Presumption more than ever thou dreadedst Conviction Every hard word every close word from a Minister of Christ how do Sinners shun it and hide themselves as much as they can from it Fear the fair speeches and smooth words that thy false heart speaks to thee more than the sharpest rebukes thou receivest from the Mouth of God Be willing to know the worst of thy case before it be too late to be recovered Be afraid to be deceived flatter not thy self and be afraid of the flatteries of others Know it to be safer for thee to think worse of thy self than thou art than to think it better than ' t is 2. Wait for and help on as much as thou canst a thorow-Work of Conviction upon thee 1. Give heed to and improve the convincing Word Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick powerful and sharper than a two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit of the Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart But as quick and powerful as this Word is yet it will not cut nor pierce unless it be duly heeded Therefore as the Apostle speaks in another case Heb. 2.1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard to every thing to every word that the Lord speaks not only to his sweeter and softer words his promising and comforting words but to his sharper and harder words his convincing and threatning words every word of God is needed by us and no word will do its work if it be not heeded Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words as these He that committeth Sin is of the Devil He that doth not Righteousness is not of God The Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God He that walketh after the Flesh shall die He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If any Man love the World the love of the Father abides not in him Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except ye repent ye shall all perish Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words consider whose words are these Is not this the Word of the Lord Thou shouldst bethink thy self to whom doth the Lord speak thus Is it not to me Am not I one of this number Am not I Unrighteous Am not I a Servant of my Flesh Hath not my Life been a wicked Life a worldly Life a meer carnal Life Have I been born again and become a new Creature Have I the Spirit of Christ Is this proud Spirit this froward Spirit this vain Spirit this lying contentious Spirit is this the Spirit of Christ Have I repented of my Sins and returned from my sinful and foolish wayes Speak O my Conscience do not lye to me but tell me truth how dost thou find it Sure I have been a Sinner and a worldly and wicked liver and I cannot find that I have repented or been new-Born and become a new Creature to this day How then can I conclude but that God hath spoken this word to me Thou art the Man that shall die and shall not see the Kingdom of God And how canst thou but take these words from his Mouth into thine own and confess I am the Man 2. Pray for the Convincing Spirit The Word without the Spirit can do nothing neither convince nor comfort thee When God sent a Word into the World he sent his Spirit along with it to make it prosper He was promised to be sent to this very end amongst others to Convince the World of Sin John 16.8 O pray for this Spirit when thou hearest a word that strikes upon thy sore lift up thine Heart to the Lord let thy Spirit thine Almighty Spirit set home this Word upon mine Heart I hear such a word as makes both mine Ears to tingle and I cannot deny but it belongs to me but for mine Heart I cannot get it to stick let the Spirit of the Lord sharpen this Nail and drive it home Here 's a poor Minister does what he can speaks as plainly as closely and as powerfully as he is able does what he can to startle me and to humble me and break me But poor Man he cannot do it this Heart is too deep for him to reach it too hard for him to pierce it But where is the God of mine Heart O let the Spirit of the Lord take the Pulpit and set an edge upon this two-edged Sword that its Iron may enter into my Soul Cry thus unto the Lord Say not as once Israel did Let not the Lord speak to us any more but let Moses speak Let this be thy Prayer Let Moses speak and the Prophets and Pastors and Teachers speak but let the Lord speak also and then there 's hope I may hear 3. Receive and retain the convincing Word when it comes Do not pray Lord speak and then turn away the Ear Lord come in and then shut the door against him pray for the Holy Ghost and then see that you resist not the Holy Ghost What
Godly-Fear OR THE Nature and Necessity of FEAR And its Usefulness BOTH To the Driving Sinners to Christ AND To the Provoking Christians on in a Godly Life through the several Parts and Duties of it till they come to Blessedness By R. A. Author of Vindiciae Pietatis Heb. 12.28 Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear LONDON Printed for Samuel Sprint and Brabazon Aylmer at the Bell in Little-Brittain and at the three Pigeons in Cornhil 1674. To the Reader READER THe following Sermons thô set together into one Treatise were preached upon divers Texts of Scripture and therefore thou wilt the better bear it if thou find not that exactness of Method nor that evenness of Stile which thou dost expect All the Parts of it concenter in the same Design thô some of them seem a little more remote from it Such as it is the Whole is offered thee for thy Use accompanied with the Author's Prayers for a Blessing from Heaven upon it and thee Thine in Christ R. A. The Contents THe Text opened Page 1 The Doctrine Propounded Page 3 The Doctrine Expounded in two particulars viz. 1. What that Fear is to which Blessedness is pronounced and what there is in it ibid. 1. It hath Vnderstanding in it Page 6 2. It hath Faith Page 9 3. It hath Love Page 11 4. Aversation from Evil. Page 13 5. It hath Foresight Page 14 6. It hath Forecast Page 17 2. What that Blessedness is that is pronounced to this Fear Page 24 The Man that feareth shall have Sufficiency Page 25 Security Page 26 Use Of Information Exhortation and Direction For the carrying on whereof Vnderstand I. The Opposites of this Fear these are 1. Rashness Page 32 2. Audacity Page 35 3. Security Page 36 Amos 6.1.3 Wo be to them that are at ease in Zion that put far away the Evil Day opened at large Page 40 II. The Grounds or Reasons why Men Fear not These are their 1. Ignorance Page 47 2. Vnbelief Page 50 3. Presumption Page 53 A two-fold Presumption 1. Of the goodness of Mens present state ibid. 2. Of the happiness of their future state what-ever their present state be Page 76 III. The Grounds or Reasons why we should Fear Page 84 These are 1. Because of our Ignorance ibid. 2. Because of the deceitfulness of our hearts Page 92 3. Because of the weight and importance of the Work we have upon our hands Page 109 4. Because of the great Treasure we carry with us whereof we are in danger of being rob'd and spoiled Page 127 IV. What things we should especially Fear Page 133 These are 1. Our Delilah's or our Beloved Sins ibid. How the Beloved Sin may be known Page 134 2. Our Jezebel's or our painted Sins Page 138 3. Our Isaac's or every Beloved Creature Page 140 4. The Cross or Affliction Page 146 1. How the Cross is not to be feared Page 147 1. Not out of tenderness to the Flesh ibid. 2. Not out of faintness of Spirit Page 151 Some Cordials to preserve from fainting Page 152 2. In what respects the Cross is to be feared Page 156 1. Fear a surprisal by the Cross ibid. 2. Fear the Temptations of the Cross Page 158 5. The Curse or Everlasting Damnation Page 159 The Fear of the Curse will 1. Quicken our Fear of Sin Page 164 2. Quench our sinful Fear of the Cross Page 169 The Fear of the Curse press'd in particular upon Vnconverted Sinners Page 171 By shewing 1. What the Curse is ibid. 2. That Vnconverted Sinners are at present under the Curse Page 177 3. That there is great hazard that they may never escape it Page 178 V. How we should improve this Fear Page 193 Answered in three Directions Direct 1. Fear and Search ibid. Search 1. What good thing there is in you whether there be sincerity in your Hearts towards God Page 196 1. How by searching to work to this Fear Page 200 Five Considerations to make afraid Page 201 1. There are preparations for Grace which are not Grace ibid. 2. There are Images of Grace which are not Grace Page 208 3. There are some properties of gracious Persons which are no certain Evidences of Grace Page 209 4. There is no one Grace which is really so which will put us out of doubt Page 212 5. What-ever you have short of Saving-Grace it may go back and you may be reduced to a worse State than ever you were in before Page 213 Objection against putting Christians in Fear answered Page 218 2. How this Fear will work towards a farther search Page 221 Three infallible Marks of Sincerity to settle the fearing Soul 1. A resolved choice of God for our Portion and Happiness Page 257 Five Marks to prove the sincerity of our chusing God Page 260 2. An actual embracing of Christ as he that shall bring us to God Page 272 The sincerity of our close with Christ evidenced by our hearty consent to him Discovered 1. By our approbation of him and his way of Salvation Page 273 2. By our acceptation of him Page 275 3. By our dedication of our selves to him Page 276 3. A giving up our selves to the practice of a Godly Life endeavouring to follow God in Holiness without 1. Allowing our selves in any known sin Page 281 2. Allowing our selves in the neglect of any known duty Page 283 2. Search what evils there are found in you Page 292 Direct 2. Fear and beware Page 297 1. Fear and hide ibid. 1. What we are to hide 1. Our Sins ibid. 2. Our Souls Page 303 2. Where we are to hide viz. in Christ Page 304 3. How we may hide our selves in Christ ibid. 2. Fear and flee Page 309 1. Flee out of a state of Sin Page 310 2. Flee all sinful practices Page 315 Direct 3. Fear and follow after Page 305 Applyed 1. To Vnbelievers to whom the general Direction is Follow after True and Saving-Grace in fear of falling short of it Page 306 Two particular Directions ibid. 2. To Believers to them the general Direction is Follow on towards Perfection in fear of falling back from or walking unworthy of that Grace wherein you stand Page 313 Particular Directions 1. Follow on the Work of Mortification in Fear lest whatsoever Wound Sin hath received it should recover and get head again Page 314 2. Nurse up the Grace that is in you and let it have its perfect Work in Fear of receiving the Grace of God in vain Page 343 That you may not receive the Grace of God in vain but may grow up to fruitfulness therein Follow after 1. Power Page 352 2. Activity Page 354 3. Severity Page 356 4. Simplicity Page 365 5. Ingenuity Page 370 6. Spirituality Page 372 7. Pleasure Page 376 ERRATA There are some Literal and Verbal Mistakes and some mis-pointings which by reason of the Author's absence the Reader is desired to correct with his Pen. Besides these P.
spared thou wilt not deliver them up God sayes sometimes to thee Not take thou thy Child but let me take him be content that I lay mine hand upon him and smite him with Sickness or Death No thou canst not bear it but takest on and murmurest and art impatient and wilt not be comforted or quieted Some Parents can better bear it that the Devil should take their Children than that God should take them If the Devil takes thy Child and makes a Prodigal Child of him makes a Drunkard of him or a Rioter if evil Company carry him away from thee into the Paths of the Destroyer thou canst bear it with more patience though possibly it be some trouble to thee At least if the Devil take him and only make him a greedy Worldling or Muck-worm though that make him a sure to Hell as Prodigality yet this thou canst bear with ease Though we may sometimes hear Parents say I had rather my Child had been dead it would not have been such an affliction to me to have followed him to his Grave as it is to see him buried alive in Lewdness and Debauchery yet to see him held by the Devil under a blind Mind under an hard and impenitent Heart so he be civil and sober and thirty for this World though he be but a civil Infidel a thrifty Unbeliever this is not so heavily taken But let God lay hands upon him and take him away out of the World and then no other noise is heard in the House but such as was heard in Ramah Matth. 2.18 Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they were not 4. Fear the Cross or Afflictions You 'l say this is strange counsel the Scripture give the quiet contrary Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Rev. 2.10 Fear not them that kill the Body Luk. 12.4 I shall therefore shew 1. How we are not to fear the Cross 2. How we are to fear the Cross 1. How we are not to fear the Cross Now the Cross must not be feared either 1. Out of tenderness to the Flesh or 2. Out of faintness of Spirit 1. The Cross is not to be feared out of tenderness to the Flesh By the Flesh understand both our Bodies of Flesh and out fleshly Lusts 1. Not out of tenderness to our Bodies 'T is this which makes us shrink from and shun the Cross that it is such a trouble to our outward Man that it puts it to so much pain and hardship The Soul suffers not immediately by any thing that Man can do unto us but as it partakes in the sufferings of the Body If our Bodies could bear with Ease their own Infirmities the Soul could not feel them what the Body cannot endure makes the Soul sick because of its tenderness towards it Upon this account 't is that we fear bodily Afflictions but thus it must not be A Christian is a Souldier and Souldier must not fear but endure hardness 2 Tim. 2.3 Endure hardness as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ It is not for tender Persons to be Souldiers hunger and thirst cold and weariness is their ordinary lot and their hardness must be their Armour against all It is not for tender Persons to be Souldiers and therefore it is not for Christians to be tender the most tender of Sin of any Persons in the World but not so of Sufferings There are several kinds of Sufferings we may be exposed to some fall at a greater distance when we are smitten only in our Goods or Estates others come nearer and touch our Flesh and our Bones and these are they that are hardest born The Devil in his tempting Job knew which was the tender part and therefore reserves that for his last trial Job 2.5 Put forth thine hand now and touch his Bone and his Flesh and he will curse thee to thy face And if this tender part once becomes hardy then thou art a Souldier fit to fight the Devil and his Armies Christian be not tender of thy Flesh and then thou wilt not thence fear Sufferings 2. Much less is the Cross to be feared out of tenderness to our fleshly Lusts Here let three things be considered 1. The Intention of the Cross is the Destruction of the Flesh 2. 'T is this corrupt Flesh that makes the Cross to pinch 3. This Flesh is no such Friend to us that for its sake the Cross should be feared 1. The Intention of the Cross is the Destruction of the Flesh Afflictions as ill-favouredly as they look come to us upon no ill intent 't is to save us from that which is worse God delivers his People up to the Cross to the same end for which the Church was to deliver up Offenders to the Devil for the destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus Sin must be put to death and it must be put to the same death which Christ was put to it must be Crucified Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is Crucified with him Our old Man I that 's the Male-factor that must be executed on the Cross God would have the Souls of his People to live and thrive in warm weather the most hopeful Blades are even chok'd up with Weeds then come the Frosts to kill the Weeds and save the Corn. 2. 'T is this corrupt Flesh that makes the Cross to pinch 'T is the Flesh that 's struck at and 't is that that smarts Afflictions would fall more easie on mortified Hearts Dead Flesh cannot feel And therefore 't is that what-ever complaints and groanings are heard from mortified Christians 't is usually much more for their Sins than for their Sufferings Their Medicine is sharp and puts them hard to it at first to bear it but when it hath a little conquered their Disease much of its tartness is allayed 'T is their Sore or Disease that makes them so full of pain What 's the reason that losses in Mens Estates the spoiling of their Goods that Poverty so vexes their Hearts and puts them into such fits of Impatience O 't is their Covetousness and the Cares of this Life that are the Teeth of Poverty and Want Had we once mortified our earthly Members and learn'd in every Estate to be content how easie would losses be What 's the reason that contempt and disgrace raises such a storm in others 'T is their Pride that cannot be patient He whose Heart is humble can be content to be humbled and laid low The like may be said in all other afflictive cases 't is Lust that makes Affliction tedious 3. The Flesh is no such Friend to us that for its sake we should fear the Cross 'T is near us 't is true and cannot suffer but we our selves suffer and are pained in it But so 't is with an Ulcer in the Body 't is in thine own Flesh and whatever smart is felt 't is thou
and raise against every Soul that so much as looks after serious Christianity How full is the World of Experiences of this kind No sooner is any Soul awakened from his Sins making out after Christ and shewing himself among the Disciples but presently the Birds of Prey are picking at him His carnal Friends will disswade and discourage him the Ishmaels and Nimrods will be upon his back mocking and reviling hunting and persecuting him Christ tells us Luk. 15.10 There 's joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth But what is there in Hell or in the World the Territories of Hell O they are all in a rage the Devil is madded when he hath lost a Captive and resolves if he will be gone not to let him go without some marks of his Fury and Rage Sinner thou art yet under the Power of the Devil it may be thou mayst never make an offer to be gone but wilt abide with him in quiet till he carry thee home with him to his place But if ever thou shouldst make an attempt to be gone from him and to joyn thy self to Christ behold he hath a whole World of Instruments ready either to block up thy way or stick in thy sides And art thou not afraid if it should come to this that thou shouldst rather abide as thou art than adventure on such Discouragements 2. The Examples of the World are against it How great is the power of Example the whole World is much governed by Examples Laws can do little in comparison of what Examples can do There is a great influence that good Examples often have upon Mens Minds and Manners Therefore Christ did not only make a way into the Kingdom by his Blood nor only shew us the way in his Doctrine but also led us the way by his Example 1 Pet. 2.21 Therefore also the Ministers of Christ are required not only to feed the Flock by their Instructions and to rule them by good Discipline but to be Examples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.3 And therefore also Christians are required to give a good Example to the World and one to another 'T is a vain thing for us to exhort one another Be humble be sober be meek be merciful whilst we our selves are proud and unmerciful passionate and revengful Give a good example if you would do good by your good words let not your Feet tread down what your Lips build up destroy not by an evil Life what you build by good Counsel Thou that teachest another should not steal dost thou steal Thou that sayest a Man should not commit Adultery dost thou commit Adultery Rom. 2.21 22. Thou that sayest to another Swear not Lye not give not place to Wrath speak evil of no Man Dost thou the same thing Thou dost more mischief by thy evil Works than ever thou art like to do good by thy good Speeches O by the way let us learn to bewail and to be ashamed of our evil Examples that we have given Ah Wretches that ever any People should be charged concerning any Professors as the Disciples were once charged concerning the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. Do as they say but do not as they do Shall this evil World have occasion to speak thus of any of the Preachers or Professors of Christianity Beware of them follow not after them for behold they bid Men beware of Covetousness and yet who more covetous They bid Men beware of Pride and yet who more proud They charge it upon others to be just to be true to be meek and yet who more fraudulent more false and peevish than themselves O how much mischief do poor Sinners suffer by the evil Examples of some Professors Good Examples draw mightily but evil Examples more But yet the evil Examples of Professors are not they by which Sinners are in the greatest danger of being kept back from Christ though these be pernicious enough but the evil Examples of the World Sinners are of the World and they are professedly for following of the World Now what Examples do the profane World set before them whither are they leading them Are they making towards Christ and running from their Sins unto God Does not the Stream run quite contrary And does it not pass for a sufficient Encouragement to them in their evil wayes to think they do but as their Forefathers did before them and as their Friends and their Neighbours do See how the Example of the World is urged against following of Christ John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this People who knoweth not the Law are cursed What do ye mean ye foolish People to follow this Jesus Do ye see any of the wise Men or great Men do any of the Rulers believe on him And will ye think your selves wiser than they Go not after him be none of his Disciples And is not the same Argument urged upon Sinners daily Why should you trouble your heads about these Matters About Repentance and Regeneration and Conscience and making sure for the other World Do the Pharisees and High-Priests do the great Men and the wise Men trouble themselves about any such Matters It 's true there are a sort of People which know not the Law a company of ignorant Souls an heady and a giddy Generation that trouble themselves and the World about these things but what heed is to be given to them a company of despicable simple Souls Do any of the wise or great Ones take this course Sinner think with thy self what a mighty influence this sort of Argument hath had upon thee hitherto The World despise the Gospel the World neglect Christ The World are for the Flesh for Liberty and Care and Pleasures and Idleness and against the Spirit of Christianity the Stream runs downwards towards Sin and Hell and hitherto thou hast been swimming with the Stream hast gone with the Multitude and hast troubled thy self about Christ and Religion as little as any of them O tremble to think what great danger thou art in that thou mayest still run down that Stream and never stop till thou fall into that Gulf from which there will be no Return or Redemption for ever Now Sinner lay all these things together and then judg if thou hast not reason to fear thou mayest never escape the Wrath and Curse of God It is evident that whilst thou art unconverted thou art under the Curse Well but yet thou hopest that one time or other thou mayest be Converted But how great fear is there thou mayest not All the ungodly World are against thy Conversion thine own Flesh and the Devil are against it all these will joyn together to hinder it if they can And besides all the means that have been hitherto used prosper not thou hast been Preach'd to thou hast been Prayed over thou hast had many years of Warnings and yet nothing hath prevailed And what multitudes are there that have been in thy
Tongues will tell you we are all out of the Way we must take another course than the Devil and our Lusts will yet suffer us or else wo to us that ever we were born We would be loth to die in the Way we live in we must turn a new Leaf or we are undone These do not so much as pretend to be in the Way of Life Well thus far now a Sinner may come by beholding the Self-evidencing Light that is in the Doctrine of Godliness the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors thereof the Self-condemnation that is in all other Wayes he may be led into a good Opinion of Sincere-Godliness And this Good Opinion is but a little ground gotten towards it It is not Godliness to think well of it 3. Sinners good Opinion of Godliness may beget good Inclinations towards it and good wishes after it Happy are those Souls that are in Christ who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O that my Soul were among them I could even find in mine Heart to be one of his Disciples I am in a strait between two as the Apostle said in another case Phil. 1.21 and what I shall chuse I wot not fain I would be a Christian in earnest I see it would be best for me to be so and O that I were But on the other side how shall I bear the Labours and Sufferings of that way What shall I do what shall I chuse I would be a Disciple of Christ but I am afraid what may come of it 4. Sinners good Opinions and good Inclinations may bring forth some ineffectual Attempts and Endeavours they may set forth after Christ their enlightned Minds may set their Hearts upon them and cause them to fall a reasoning thus with themselves If this be the good way why should not I walk in it Is a Godly Life such an Excellent Life can I approve it in others can I pronounce them blessed who so live Come my Soul put in for a part in Christ resolve once what thou wilt do stay not in these Uncertainties hang no longer betwixt Heaven and Hell speak the word once Wilt thou be for Christ Shall the Sincere Christians God be my God their Hope 's my Hopes their Life my Life Shall I cast in my Lot among them and take up my Lot with theirs Come along venture after the Lamb venture for the Blessedness to come set to Praying set to Hearing give thy self to the study and practice of that blessed course which thou knowest will have its Fruit unto Holiness and its end Everlasting Life And yet after all this little or nothing may be done These now are fair Preparations to Grace but this is not Grace Conviction is not Conversion the approving and liking and wishing for and making some ineffectual Attempts and Offers at Godliness this is not chusing and embracing it 2. There are Images of Grace which are not Grace There is a form of Godliness which is not Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 An Image is not the same an Image of a Man is not a Man the Image of a Christian is not a Christian The Image of Christ is a Christian but the Image of a Christian is no Christian as great a likeness as there is yet there is as great a difference also as betwixt Living and Dead There is something like Faith which is not Faith something like Repentance which is not Repentance something like the New Man and is not it but the Old Man new dressed up and so like it may be in Complexion in Language in Carriage that it is often taken to be the same The Pangs of Travel may bring forth but when all comes to all it may be but a dead Child there may be all the Parts the Head the Eyes the Hands and every Limb but no Life and yet when it is but newly brought forth it may be hard to discern whether it be alive or dead so difficult is it to discern between Common and Special Grace so many Counterfeits have there been found which have both been Deceivers and deceived as is enough to make the Hearts of many Christians indeed to shake 3. There are some Properties of Gracious Persons which are no certain Evidences of Grace but may be found also in Hypocrites Nothing can evidence the Truth of Grace but that which is so adaequately proper to Saints that it cannot be found in an Hypocrite What-ever maybe found in an Hypocrite can never certainly prove me to be no Hypocrite Assuring Marks must be distiguishing Marks such as separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile and nothing can distinguish the Sound from the Unsound but that which the Unsound cannot attain As 't is said of some Sinners Deut. 32.5 Their Spot is not the Spot of his Children So may it be said of all Saints Their Grace is not the Grace of his Enemies and we can never come to give a clear and comfortable Judgment of our selves till we find something in us which is not to be found in any Hypocrites in the World But some Properties there are of Sincere Christians which may be found in Hypocrites which yet some Divines have some-what unwarily made use of and proposed for Peoples Tryal of their States Indeed it is much to be wished that we were more exact and cautelous in this Matter than many of us are at this day Though good use may be made of probable Evidences yet should we declare to our People which are but probable Marks and which are certainly concluding Of those Properties of Christians which some Divines have formerly given as Marks of Sincerity I shall mention three 1. Prayer 2. Hearing the Word 3. Reforming the Life 1. Prayer This is a property of a Sincere Christian He is praying Person Behold be prayeth 't was said of Paul when he was a young Convert Acts 9.11 The whole Generation of the Saints are called Psal 24.6 a Generation of Seekers This is the Generation of them that seek thee But are there no praying Hypocrites as well as praying Believers See Mat. 6. Will he alwayes call upon God saith Job Chap. 27.10 But though he will not pray alwayes yet will he never pray 2. Hearing the Word This also is the property of Christians they are Hearers of the Word Joh. 10.27 My Sheep hear my Voice 3. Reforming the Life 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you that is Drunkards Revilers Covetous Fornicators c. but ye are washed Ye are now reformed Persons and are there no reformed Hypocrites Every Reformation is not Sanctification 'T is a good sight to see Men that once lived like Heathens and never called upon God to set upon a course of serious Prayer 'T is a good sight to behold others that not only neglected the Word but mocked at and persecuted those that heard it to be now become constant Hearers themselves 'T is a good sight and a comfortable to behold those that were once loose livers
the objects and reproach of the world That forsaking of all which is necessary to and will prove our sincere choosing the Lord must be 1. In esteem and affection so as no longer to account or love any thing we have as our portion and happiness God will not allow us two portions one for the Flesh another for the Spirit one for this world another for the world to come God will be all in both worlds As we may not serve two Masters Luk. 16.13 So neither may we have two portions we cannot serve and we may not love God and Mammon God will be all or nothing to us he will as soon allow us two Gods as two portions when we make the world our happiness we make it our God and then we make it our happiness when we prize it too highly love it too dearly seek it too hotly when we prize or seek or love the world more than God or otherwise than in subordination to him 2. In vote and resolution to let all go at the good pleasure of God To forsake all is to get the heart loose from all to stand with a mind prepared and ready to part with all whenever God will To be able heartily to say If God will have it so I am willing to be poor and every way as low as he pleases Now I live in credit but if God will have it so I am willing of contempt and disgrace now I have friends but if God shall see it good to leave me no friend in the world I am content now I live and am in health and prosper and flourish but whenever the Lord will I am content to wither and suffer and die for his Name A willingness to be poor whenever God will have it so this is a forsaking our riches a willingness to be in disgrace to lose our friends or our lives at the pleasure of the Lord this is our forsaking all these He that will lose his life or estate when God calls him to it in his account he doth lose it there be more Martyrs in the world than have suffered at a stake if thine own heart hath given thee to the flames as a witness or Sacrifice to God 't is accepted with him as if thou hadst been actually offered up Abraham's intention and attempt to offer up Isaac for a burnt-offering was the same thing with God as if he had done it and had this testimony from the Lord that he did it Heb. 11.17 By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac Gen. 22.16 17. Because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Son therefore blessing I will bless thee Friend art thou willing to be undone willing to lay down thy life when e're God shall put thee to it God will say the like to thee because thou hast done this thing therefore blessing I will bless thee as 't is on the other side he whose heart withholds himself or any thing that he hath that will rather deny Christ than suffer for him he whose heart is against it and will not offer himself up though he should never be tryed or put to it the Lord will say to that man because thou hast done this thing hast forsaken me rather than thou wouldst suffer for me therefore cursing I will curse thee O how many Apostates in heart are there who did never actually Apostatize but would have done it had they been put upon the tryal Heart-Martyrs shall be accepted and Heart-Apostates shall be rejected even as they that are actually such 3. In practice or execution so as actually to let all go whenever God doth call for it Particularly 1. To suffer the loss of all whenever it comes to be a case that we must either suffer or sin Whoso hath sincerely chosen God will choose affliction rather than iniquity Elihu Job 36.21 would prove Job to be an Hypocrite by this that he had chosen iniquity rather than affliction and if he could have made good the antecedent that Job had made such a choice the consequent would have been strong against him It 's true every act of Sin nay of sinning deliberately and that when the temptation to it is is not great doth not certainly evidence us to be Hypocrites the Lord be merciful to us all if it were so the best of men turn aside too often from God to Sin even when we are not much tempted to it by suffering But however this is the principle that every one that is sincere proposes to himself to live by to suffer rather than to Sin to lose all that he hath rather than lose his integrity and his ordinary care and endeavour is that his practice be according to this principle 2. To use all as God would have him He that will not give an Alms will much less give himself for a Sacrifice he that cannot spare his bread to the Lord how will he spare his life He that bestows and employs all that ever he hath according as God by his ordinary providence calls and appoints him that layes up and layes out only according to Gods order hath herein done that thing which will give him great ground of confidence that he hath an heart that will let go all whenever he is call'd to it The second Mark 2. An actual embracing of Christ as he that shall bring us to God 'T is Christ alone that must bring us to that God whom we have chosen 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Joh 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me And every one that cometh unto him he will certainly bring to the Father Now for the trial of our sincere embracing of Christ I shall put it upon this one thing our hearty consent to Christ Christians are joyned to Christ in a marriage union Hos 2.19 and 't is consent that makes the Marriage Consent to Christ is our will to have him and our willing Christ is our taking and embracing him Gen. 24.58 when Rebekah was ask'd the question Wilt thou go with this man Wilt thou have Isaac for thine Husband She said I will go there 's her consent and that 's the condition upon which Christ becomes ours whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Now our unfeigned consent unto Christ includes in it and will be evidenced by Our approving of Christ Our accepting of Christ Our dedication and yielding our selves up to Christ Only I must tell you there is one thing that is necessarily pre-required to this consent and that is a distinct knowledge of Christ a knowledge of his person who and what manner of person he is a knowledge of his proper place in which he stands and his proper work that he is to do in order to the bringing us to God as in general that he is the Mediator betwixt God and Man
any thing thou apprehendest to be praise-worthy this must be meat for thy pride It may be thou prayest against thy covetousness or sensuality but as soon as thou art off thy knees away thou goest to work for the one or to thy play to please the other When some of thy last words are lead us not into temptation it may be thy very next steps may be running into temptation this is but mocking of God and deluding thy self If thou would'st prosper against this enemy whil'st thou stormest it by seeking to God starve it by denying thy self 3. Put a bridle on its Jaws My meaning is restrain it from its actings if thou canst not prevent its conception strangle it in the birth if the fire be kindled within yet give it no vent allow not the lust of thine heart the priviledge of thy mouth or the command of thine hand if thou canst not restrain thy covetous desires yet hold in from covetous practices if thou lovest the wine and the strong drink yet withhold the cup from the lip if thou canst not so easily rule thy spirit yet bridle thy tongue the fire of passion doth not waste by spending but rather increases the ordinary preventing and restraining the acts of sin will weaken its habits I have heard some persons vainly speaking at this rate when I have anger in mine heart out it must and then I am friends and so take it for their vertue rather than their sin that they cast out all their mire and dirt in a storm because then a calm follows Thou fool hast thou conquered thine unruly spirit by suffering thy self to be thus conquered by it what do'st thou think of him that conquers his lust by going to an Harlot when thou hast eas'd thy stomach by thy Bedlam-language then there is a calm but thou neither considerest the sin of letting fly thine angry words nor yet wilt mind that the fire will kindle the sooner for that it finds so easie a vent Damme up the furnace and that 's the best way to quench the coals 4. Set thy foot on the neck of Sin Have any of thy lusts fallen before thee make them sure tread them under thee that they rise not up again do not slight them as conquered enemies which now thou needest no more to fear those which are now under thy foot if thou look not well to them may be Lords over thee again Hath the Lord humbled thy proud heart broken thy unruly spirit and seem'd to turn a Lyon into a Lamb whilest thou sayest I hope I shall never be proud again never be so froward or peevish again whil'st thus thou hopest thou shalt not yet still fear lest thou should'st whil'st sin hath any life in it thou art still in danger as we use to say of dying men whil'st there is life there is hope so may it be said of these dying beasts while there is life there is fear Let that fear be as the foot upon their necks to prevent their rising and return upon thee Well thus set upon sin let it be destroyed reward it as it would serve thee and because it will be long a dying let it be killed all the day long draw not back thine hand whil'st its life is left in it O what an advantage will the death of of sin be to the life of holiness when the body of sin is dead 't will stink dead bodies will do so and all the issues of it will be noisome and loathsome to thee Lust is never deadly but when it lives and is sweet and pleasant when it dies and stinks and is become an annoyance to thee it will be the less thine hindrance it hath now done its worst the more it offends the less it will hurt Do'st thou find sin sweet Is it still a pleasure to thee beware of it 't is a sign 't is still alive it would stink if it were dead thou would'st nauseate it thy stomach would rise against it O this stinking pride this stinking covetousness these stinking pleasures away with them my very soul is sick with the stench they make and when sin stinks then holiness will be pleasant and the work of holiness a delight the very severities of Religion will be sweet when the pleasure of sin ceases The death of sin is all our diseases cured the lean and consumptive Soul will now revive and recover and be strengthened for its work The crucifying of sin is the casting off our weights that hang on to hinder us in our way Heb. 12.1 2. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth easily be set us and run with patience the race that is set before us 't is ill running with weights upon our backs Lust is such a weight upon the Saints as Conscience is upon sinners some sinners Consciences make them drive heavily on in their way of sin when they can once knock off this weight when they can kill Conscience and get themselves rid of its checks and controuls then they rush on upon iniquity as the horse rusheth into the battel let the Saints serve their Lusts as Sinners do their Consciences and then they may run with patience the race which is set before them There is a sore evil that is seen under the Sun Sinners all upon the Tantivie riding post towards Hell O how sprightly O how hot are they upon their chace of sin and vanity and poor creeple-Christians but barely wagging on by a Snail-creeping motion heavenward O 't is a sign that the weights do yet hang on thou art yet heavy loaden thou carriest too many bundles of thorns upon thy back too many burthens of earth and flesh upon thine heart to make any hast heaven-ward lay aside these weights tread down these worldly lusts throw off these worldly cares and carnal desires and delights yea get this carnality which is the body of Sin and the very soul of that body to be slain and crucifyed with Christ and when thou art dead with Christ thou shalt live the better to him He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and vers 18.22 Being made free from sin ye then become the Servants of Righteousness and so shall have your fruit unto holiness and your end everlasting life O what a visible improvement should we quickly see on the professing world did we prosper more in our mortifying work then would the languid and pale-fac'd Saints have blood in their cheeks and more spirits in all their veins the young man within would be fresh and ruddy were the old man once well laid then would the Plants grow up into Trees and the Shrubs into Cedars then will the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb be loosed then would this vile image of earth and flesh vanish and disappear and the Spirit of Glory and of God would more visibly rest upon us and we should go forth as the Sun out of his Chamber and rejoyce as the
than others said Christ to his Disciples Math. 5.47 I have not done by others as I have done by you they have not been taught as you have been taught they have not been fed as you have been fed they have not seen nor heard nor tasted what you have done think not that it can be born that you do no more nor no better than they Coloss 2.6.7 As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Is Christ in thee let the life of Christ be made manifest in thy life as he was so be thou in the world he went about doing good go thou and do likewise Hast thou faith hast thou the love of Christ in thee where is thy work of faith where are thy labours of love hast thou been filled with the fruits of righteousness with meekness humility mercy patience let them all have their perfect work that thou may'st be entire lacking nothing Our first fruits must be brought forth upon our selves our first care and business must be to work out our own Salvation to keep every one of us our own vineyard Thou hast an heart of thine own to keep and a tongue to keep and eyes and hands to look to and govern well thou hast thy thoughts and thy passions and thine appetite and thy Conscience and thy conversation to take care of and the grace thou hast received is firstly to be exercised upon thy self But though thy work begin there yet it must not end there thou hast thy family to govern thou hast thy father's family the houshold of faith to look after yea and thou hast a larger charge than this as thou hast opportunity do good to all Gal. 6.10 thou art set to be a guide to the blind a light to them that are in darkness an instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes an example of the believers yea and of the unbelievers also in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Now Christians know your work and set to your work serve the Lord with the best you have and serve the Lord with all you have and all this in fear lest you should receive the grace of God in vain I beseech you saith the Apostle take heed of that 2 Cor. 6.1 I beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain Then the grace of God is received in vain not only when nothing is done by it but in a degree it may be said to be received in vain when its fruits are not proportionable there is not so much done as might have been done When he that hath received ten talents brings forth no more fruit than might have been brought forth with five when he that hath received five talents hath done no more good than might have been done with two all our receivings that are over and above the proportion of our fruits all the over-plus of them is received in vain He that is a knowing Christian if he lives not to better purpose than a Christian of little knowledge he that is an ancient experienced Christian if he be no more useful in his life than he that is but a babe that which he hath received above what this babe hath received is received in vain and the Lord may say to him wherefore is this waste What art thou a man of knowledge and hast had such long acquaintance with God and such experiences of his special love and kindness to thee and do'st thou keep all so much to thy self that thou art of little more use in thy generation than a child Hath the Lord taken thee into his heart shewed thee his loves comforted thee in Prayer counselled thee in his Word feasted thee at his Table caused his grace so to abound towards thee and made thee glad with the light of his countenance and all for no more but this hath he furnished thee and fitted thee for every good work and yet art thou thus barren and unfruitful An unuseful and unactive spirit in a Christian is an unhappiness and an unworthiness which yet possibly some that are none of the lowest form for attainments may have reason enough to charge themselves withall and to conclude that though they have not altogether yet they have very much received the grace of God in vain Brethren beloved let us study and let us learn that wisdom which is from above which is full of good fruits dare not to be found among the barren of the flock nor of those trees which do little better than cumber the ground Once more let me put the spur to the side What if the Lord should come among his fig-trees and find so little fruit upon thee art thou not afraid thou might'st hear that word Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Consider friend what fruits are there found upon thee the fruits of the flesh may be are still hanging on what clustres are there of them hatred variance emulation strife wrath envying pride covetousness what a vintage is there of these wild grapes but where are the fruits of the spirit what a small gleaning is there of them to be found and what shrivelings are those that are would'st thou that thy Lord should find it thus with thee we read Cant. 4.16 when the Church was in a thriving fruitful state she prayed Let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Do'st Thou make that Prayer O no I am afraid he should come and find me thus thy Prayer is more like to be Let my Lord delay his coming But how long must he stay thine heart would shake within thee to think that he should find thee thus but when O when shall it be better with thee Take this pruning hook fear will serve thee for such an use and lop off these evil fruits that the fruits of righteousness may spring up in their room When shall the Roses and the Pomegranates bud when shall the fragrant spices flow forth those blessed fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance when shall these sprout once Christians do you not wish 't were better with you can you bear your own barrenness Is not this vain empty fruitless life an offence to you do you not confess 't is low water with you do you not complain of your uselessness and unprofitableness But shall this be all shall we never have better fruit to bring before the Lord but our confessions and complaints of our want of fruit but our self-bemoanings and self-judgings for our barrenness Better this than nothing but when shall it be better when shall we hear the voice of joy and praise and thanksgivings to the Lord for blessing our fields with increase when shall we be able to say See O Lord thy blood hath not been shed in vain thy spirit hath not been poured
than to receive the tincture of our society upon our hearts we like our acquaintance and are apt to grow like them Be familiar with the spiritual God and you will become more spiritually minded no such advance towards divine conformity as divine communion conformity will prepare for communion and communion will increase conformity Christians Be spiritual your work is spiritual it lyes in the exercise of spiritual Graces in the performance of spiritual duties in the offering up spiritual Sacrifices Your encouragements are spiritual encouragements spiritual priviledges comforts and rewards favour and acceptance with God fellowship and friendship with God peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost What are all these spiritual works and spiritual encouragements to carnal hearts how unfit is the spirit of a brute for the work of a man and how unsuitable is the Spirit of a man the carnal mind to the work of a Christian They that are in the flesh fleshly men cannot please God Rom. 8.8 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Sowing of fields planting of Orchards buying and selling and trading are as proper works for the beasts of the earth and as much they are like to do at it as blessing and praising and serving the living God to carnal men Sinners you also come together to pray and hear and Sing and serve the Lord but you are like to make as good works of it as to the spirit of these duties as your Cattel would do at building your houses or keeping your markets and by how much the more any amongst Christians are like you by so much the more unskilful are they like to be at the work of God And what are spiritual encouragements to carnal hearts how little would it quicken and provoke carnal men on in the Service of God to tell them as you grow more serviceable so you shall be more acceptable to God as you abound in duty so your grace and your comfort and your hopes and your joy shall abound If you could tell them This is the way to be rich to rise and grow great in this world you shall gain favour and friendship with men the Dignities and Preferments the Gold and the Silver shall be shared amongst the most active and industrious Christians What multitudes would this fetch in to be Disciples and what contending would there be who should be the most forward of all Christ's followers But whil'st this is all we can say you shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord you shall have treasure in Heaven we see by experience enough how little this will move them Get these hearts to be more Spiritualized and then you will find both the work of God and his rewards to be most acceptable work and the highest encouragements Friends what 's the reason that we so lose all our arguments which the Lord puts into our mouths to perswade you to more serviceable and fruitful life we open the good treasure of Heaven to you we set the unsearchable riches of Christ before your eyes and do what we can to enamour you of them thereby to allure on your lazy hearts to kindle desire to quicken to labour but nothing will do you are as slow and as heartless in your pursuit of these invisible treasures as if nothing had been told you of their worth and excellency how comes this to pass why are you 〈◊〉 yet carnal I that 's it that spiritual good things are no more taking with you your fleshly wayes your fleshly pleasures your fleshly converses and correspondencies have so kept alive and fed and fomented the carnality of your hearts that they cannot discern or taste the things of the Spirit When we are become more spiritual we shall savour and relish spiritual things and then shall we feel what attractives they will be our desires will be above our delights will be above our hearts will be lost to these carnal things we shall leave this earth to earthly minds when this mantle of flesh is fallen off and we are gotten up into the Chariots of fire then shall we ride upon the high places of the Heavens and our wings shall carry us on swiftly towards the mountains of Spices As far forth as we are become spiritual our motions upward will become natural and by how much the more natural by so much the more strong and pleasant the rougher things of Religion will be then more smooth and the hard things easie 't is this flesh that creates us difficulties when the flesh is swallowed up of Spirit difficulties shall be swallowed up of delight and then shall we go on our way rejoycing then shall we labour and abound in the work of the Lord when we shall thus taste and see that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. Lastly Follow after pleasure the Pleasure of Religion This will spring up to you out of the former branches as I have already hinted Get you such a Spirit of power and holy activity grow up to that exactness simplicity ingenuity and spirituality that you may drink of their pleasures Here I shall shew 1. That Religion hath its pleasure 2. That the pleasures of Religion are the portion of the grown Christian 3. What the particular pleasures of Religion are that we should be reaching after 1. Religion hath its pleasures You may remember I have been lashing and leading you on hitherto at least within a step or two by fear And though your fears will now in great part be left behind you I would not yet leave you That which follows will be of this use to you to encourage you to bear the rougher conduct of fear all along your younger time by that sweeter course you shall have of it when fear shall give up to love as the pleasures that comes in from the hopes of freedom doth allay and sweeten the the severities of an apprenticeship Religion hath its pleasure It hath its tartness and its trouble as you have seen already so much unpleasantness it hath in its fore view that foolish Sinners shun it and run away from it for fear They will not touch the Roses for fear of the prickles As 't is with Saints so 't is with Holiness 't is a Lilly among thorns these thorns not only hurt the Lillies but keep back the hand of the gatherers how many more than there are would be reaching after this precious flower but for fear of being scratch'd Well but whatever there be in Religion to affright it hath much more to invite us to it Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 36.17 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thine house and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasures Psal 36.8 what and how great the pleasures of Religion are will be made appear in the third particular