our selves The Judge of all the Earth will do right so that Most certainly we shall fare better than they in the World that is to come From the things that have been spoken it appears That the way whereby we may avoid the Wo denounced against us upon the account of the day of our life going away is to do these three things especially First Be sure to finish that Work which God sent thee on this Earth for to do Secondly Stand in aw and sin not and abstain from all appearance of evil Thirdly Pray without ceasing unto God and labour earnestly to get all thy past Sins Iniquities and Transgressions pardoned And take it for a general rule besides to be followed and observed That whatever Trouble sorrow Melancholy fear or such like doth arise in thy mind there endeavour to know the true cause thereof And then take away the cause and the effect ceaseth Be sure to answer all the requirings of God in thee Turn you at my reproof Prov 1. 23. That is at the reproof of God in thy Soul and Conscience whither the Lord be upon thee with a still voice in the gentle motions and dictates of his Spirit or if he doth Instruct thee with a strong hand that thou shouldst not walk in the way of this people That thou shouldst not do such a thing or such a thing In all these or alike cases Do not turn away thy Ear nor yet ' be Rebellious For this Life is the time of tryal and the day of Temptation in the Wilderness wherein God doth prove thee whither thou wilt keep his Commandments or not There is a Wo pronounced or else implyed if thou shouldest turn away the Ear or be Rebellious Which same Wo though it is now in word only yet after the day of this life is gone will fall down upon thee in Punishment and Misery The Wo or Threatning of God is of the like Nature with that flying roll or curse that goeth forth over the face of â—he whole Earth For every one that stealeth shall be cut off as â—n this side according to it and every one that sweareth shall â—e cut off as on that side according to it Zech. 5. 2 3. Here the flying roll and curse is said to go forth over the face of the whole Earth That is for the present little time between It doth hover somewhat above them and it doth not pitch But at length it will light upon the hairy scalp of the sinner and it shall be done unto him according to the same flying roll curse or threatning when God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses If we did live in Righteousness and Holiness before him all the days of our life we might serve God without fear as may be understood from Luke 1 74. 75. But as long as there is Fear Trouble Sorrow and a certain forebode or fearful expectation of a Wo to come we should do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1. 19. unto these as they may be Perceivable in our hearts for all these do give notice and warning of some real future Evils to which they do relate Nay yet further As saith the Apostle I know nothing by my self yet I am not hereby justified So when we comâ— to know nothing of Trouble Fear or Misery as to futurity and our Heart upon the utmost search and examination and enquiring diligently as to these thingâ— to come doth not meditate terrour as very few do comâ— up to this state yet still even here we should not livâ— securely nor over confidently but according to thâ— counsel of the Spirit of God who knoweth all things Pass the time of our sojourning here in fear And work oâ— our Salvation with fear and trembling But then here agaiâ— is a great difference between a fear which excites caution and care and another fear which hath Torment anâ— gendreth bondage as is the case of those who haâ—â— not a well grounded hope It is the mind of the most high God that his Seâ—vants as long as they are on this Earth should be keâ—â— in a Low Trembling and Dependant state and coâ—dition Accordingly we Read in the Scriptures Thâ—â— the best Saints have been most fearful and apprehensive partly of the Judgments Wrath and Indignation of Goâ— as also what is consequent to that of their own futuâ—â— state and condition When I heard my Belly tremblâ— my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my self that I might have rest in the day of trouble when he cometh up unto the people he will invade me with his troups Hab. 3. 16. For if when the Lord appeared on mount Sinah by his Angel only so terrible was the sight that Moses one of his best Servants and favourites Said I exceedingly fear and quake Much more shall we exceedingly fear and quake just as our Soul is taking flight into the invisible World where we shall come nearer unto and have a much more sensible and lasting apprehension of the great God himself then ever the Israelites had of the presence of his Angel on Mount Sinah The Lord shall judge his people It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Which yet we must all do Unto thee shall all flesh come And when the Lord shall Judge his People even his own Saints and Servants by reason of the exceeding strictness thereof will have fears arising in their hearts also And enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified Psal 143. 2. A Wo being pronounced against us indefinitely in the Text for the day goeth away this reaches and extends to the House of God even his Children and Servants For the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God And if the Righteous scarcely be saved wher shall the ungodly and sinner appear 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. The result of the whole is The Spirit of the Lord doth speak and his word is gone out indefinitely Wo unto us for the day goeth away Therefore all we dying Creatures should go softly all our years in the bitterness of our Soul We should be in a very low and trembling condition and wait all the days of our appointed time till our change come Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man Luke 21. 36. Do your utmost diligence that ye may be accounted worthy to escape that Wo which is pronounced For the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out I shall now wind up the foregoing Discourse with these two practical uses and inferences The first use is of Warning The second
keep those things â—hich are written therein for the time is at hand Even nearer â—hen ever it vvas yet And further Blessed is he that doth according to all those thoughts of Goodness and Truth vvhich the Lord doth from time to time vvhen he wakeneth Morning by Morning put into our Soul Again on the other hand a Wo or Curse belongs unto them vvho do not For the time is at hand even just before us or as it is in the vvords of our Text The day goeth away and the shadows of the Evening are stretched out It is but a very little vvhile and the day vvill be quite gone avvay and the shadovv of Death vvill be upon our eye lids and each of us shall say or vve shall find it so Mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds tent I have cut off like a weaver my life He will cut me off with â—pining sickness from Day even to Night wilt thou make an end of me Which as the everliving God doth by us poor dying Creatures We should strive and work together with his grace vvhich vvould work in us mightily if vve are obedient to it that as our outvvard Man perish the invvard Man is renevved day by day Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing FINIS Practical Books Written and Published by Richard Stafford OF Happiness Wherein it is fully and particularly manifested That the greatest happiness of this Life consists in the fear of God and keeping his Commandments in opposition to the Pleasures of Sin or the pretended conveniency of Disobedience Rules and Directions for the preventing of and Recovery out of Sickness A Discourse against Partial Obedience Or that dangerous deceit so universal amongst them who call themselves Christians of keeping some of the Commandments of God and neglecting others Some Thoughts of the Life to come With a brief account of the State of Religion as it is now in the World The great Benefits of Christ to all that believe on and obey him Being a Treatise on Hebrews 2. 15. Wherein it is shewed and made known how People may be freed and delivered from that slavish fear of Death whereby they are subiect to Bondage throughout their Life-time and also how they may be saved and preserved from the Evil and danger of Death when it shall approach nigh anâ— come actually upon them An earnest call to all the inhabitants of the Earth to Turn immediately to the Lord their God An Exhortation unto all Dissenters however they are distinguished or named to return into the Communion of the Church oâ— England So far as all things are done therein according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel Six several Sermons Preached on Isaiah 38. 1 Wherein that great Duty of setting our Body and Soul in order for we shall die is aâ— large opened and explained The doctrine of the Cross or the Duty of Christian suffering in a Sermon on Mat 13. 20 21. A Sermon on 1 Chron 29. 18. And another on Mark 8. 36. The Nature of God's Kingdom and Dominion over Men in a Discourse on Deut 8. 2. Divine Arithmetick Illustrated in the Right and Exact Numbrinâ— of our Days or a Discourse of the near and continued approacheâ— of Death unto every one whatsoever The Extensiveness and Comprehensiveness of the future Judgment of God A Discourse of the Misery of Hell and Happiness of Heaven Grounded from Mat. 25. 46. A Discourse of God's hearing Prayer Grounded from John 9. 31. The observation of the three Great Festivals asserted in the Christian Church and also the Right manner of the observance of them made known in a Sermon on Col. 3. 1 Preached on Easter-Day A Sermon Preached unto the Inhabitants of the Town of Thornbury in Glocester-shire March 20. 1697. on Psal 143. 8. Two several Sermons on Phil. 4. 11 12. The necessity of keeping unto the Ordinances of Religion Prayer Hearing the word Baptism and the Lord's Supper in a Sermon on Acts. 6. 4. A Sermon of the devices of Satan on 2 Cor. 2. 11. The exceeding Great Comfort and Benefit of having walked before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and of having done that which is Good in his sight Set forth in several Discourses on Isaiah 38. 2 3. Another Sermon on Isaiah 38. 4 5. And another on Jer. 6. 4. Three several Discourses on Rom. 9. 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel Two Discourses on Coloss 3. 1. and another on Acts 2. 11. The cause and cure of Divisions Or the way and means for all Christians to come to Unity The Great Useful and Blessed Duty of a Contentment Willingness and Desire to Die Set forth upon true and assured grounds Any of which aformentioned Books may be had at the Author 's Hired House in Ewers Street Southwark Advertisement THese are to give notice That I have several other Practical Sermons or Discourses of mine own Composing lying by me in Manuscript Which if they who have the Plenty or Competency of this World's Goods would According to their several Ability Acts 11. 29. Thus Consecrate some part of their gain and substance unto â—he Lord Micah 4. 13. So as to be ready to distribute and willing to Communicate towards the outward Labour and Charge of the Printing and Publishing of them it would be for the Glory of God in making known his Truth Isa 38. 19. And for the Edification and Benefit of his Church and People and consequently it would be a Good work in such Persons who shall be helpful and any ways assistant herein for which they would be rewarded by God in the Life that is to come And I say unto you Make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into Everlasting Habitations Luke 16. 9. Charge them that are rich in this World that they do Good that they be Rich in Good Works ready to Distribute willing to Communicate laying up in Store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 17. 18. 19. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain Good Works these things are Good and Profitablsi unto Men Titus 3. 8.
joyn themselves unto the Lord and love the name of the Lord to be his Servants If we are carefull and diligent and constant to do all this God will assuredly make up for our imperfection which we are apt to suppose our present misery in the time of the Restitution of all things Even what shall answer in kind to that same failure and imperfection as so is giving to the Eunuchs a place and a name better than of Sons and Daughters And to the Son of the stranger that had said the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people him will he bring to his Holy Mountain and make him joyful in his House of prayer Which is not separating him from his people for there it is that his people are gathered and assembled together It doth indeed seem disingenuous for it is not altogether so worthy as what proceeds from the principles of Love Prosperity and Thankfulness when people are as it were forced and driven to fear and serve God out of a sence of their Misery and Affliction But since there is a degree and tincture of that in the most healthful and prosperous person for he also is Subject unto Affliction and Misery through the fear and approach of Death And God doth accept of such a service though it is joyned with such thoughts of Heart as may be understood from Isa 56. Deut. 4. 30. 31. Therefore receive and follow this instruction All ye that shall hear or read these words O Man or Woman the more miserable thou art as to this world Do thou so much the more serve God and abound in well doing and than it will be better for thee at the end and distribution of all things then if thou hast been the most happy person that ever lived on this Earth When our Soul is vexed and disquieted within us Either because we have not good and comfortable things here or because whatever delights soon passeth away and we are gone there commonly at the very same time doth spring up a root of unbelief as if we were to be no more for ever And we being told and apprehensive that there is a good thing set out for the Sons of Men Hereupon indignation and anguish doth arise that our time here should pass away and yet that same good thing is not had by us Hence also is secret vexation when the Natural ends of our Creation are not answered And so pursue the reasoning part of all Trouble Melancholy Sorrow or such like and it will at length tend to this that therefore our Soul is full of troubles because our life draweth nigh unto the Grave Psal 88. 3. Thence doth arise more fretfulness of temper when the sting of Death doth put it self forth yet nearer towards us The reasonable Creature expected to have good in this life but the day goeth away and the good is not had The summer is ended and we are not saved And than again unbelief doth dictate and whisper that if the good thing be not had here we know not when it will be had When I thought to know this it was too painful for me Thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Psal 73. 16 21 22. This last is just to be sensible of and groan under the present pain but not to apprehend any thing further And so is every one meerly as he is a Man But than as a Believer he is carried and advanced higher even to speak after that manner as he doth in the following verses Nevertheless I am continually by thee Thou hast holden me by my right â—and Here he comes to the knowledge of his Creator and Preserver and than afterwards he hints forth how that God will be the restorer of Mankind by giving â—hem a Resurrection and future state Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory This Faith and Knowledge of futurity is consolatory to all present Griefs Pain or Trouble As we are reasonable Creatures so we should use and exert forth this same reason when we are amidst and under affliction Why It is an Adverb of Interrogation and Reasoning art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Here the Psalmist doth endeavour to quiet his dissatisfied Spirit with this short thought and speech Hope in God But as it is elsewhere written I remembred God and was troubled Even so here the cure and remedy is to rise the same way as the Grief and Malady doth For as God is the Creator and orderer of all things and as himself speaks in his word Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it And it is expresly said That the Lord doth cause grief So of all the griefs and evils which poor Mankind do endure in this vale of tears it is supposed that God hath an hand in it and that he is the Authour and Ordainer of them which indeed is true and thence it is because no chastening for the present seemeth joyous but grievous That hard thoughts do arise in the hearts of some against his Divine Majesty who either do not believe or not know throughly and consider further that the same chastening doth afterwards yield the Peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. For the Lord will not cast off for ever But though he cause grief yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve thâ— Children of Men Lam. 3. 31 32 33 To such people who have Faith and Spiritual knowledge all the griefs and miseries of this present life do but lightly affecâ— them Because all things here are so very little fugitive and vain and nothing here is so evil but what may and can be endured and the Spirit of Man will bear uâ— against it as to outward temporal things But thâ— great thought and searching of heart is concerning whaâ— is said in this same Lamentations That the Lord wâ—â—â— not cast off for ever And so how God will shew anâ— approve himself unto us throughout eternity Hencâ— doth arise all the fear and doubt But here again this same word speaks peace to the Soul Hope iâ— God for I shall yet praise him for he is the health of mâ— countenance and my God The object of hope is gooâ— things or an expectation of good things and here is speech of assurance I shall yet praise him Indeed â— will be the business and employment in Heaven of sucâ— Souls as shall be saved to praise God for that exceeding and eternal Blessedness which he will give unâ—â— and invest them withall and make it so sure unâ—â— them that it shall never be taken from them noâ— they from it There it is and there only