and taking care for the Body all one as the Soul for they will fare alike and be in the same condition The Garments of Salvation and Robe of Righteousness the fine Linnen clean and white to be all glorious within and adorning the hidden Man of the Heart these will be found altogether as necessary and convenient as now it is thought to deck with Ornaments and adorn with Jewels for 't is evident they must and are deprived of these They must strip and makâ— bare Isa 32. 11. as they do every night till they put on a Shroud or Winding-Sheet and then nothing will stand them in any stead but what is afore-mentioned Then Dust shall be the only Powder and Paint Instead of sweet smell there shall be stink and instead of well set Hair Baldness Isa 3. 24. The holy Spirit speaking of this Excess makes particular application to Women for they are most subject to this Sin and Vanity they are the weaker Vessel and presently taken with a slender appearance of Good. A â—ine outside and gaudy shew though it is not much more then the colour of a Flie do exceedingly transport them whose thoughts are not fixed on the true and substantial Good. Who pursue no certain end may be observed to catch at every phantastick Image that hath the least sign of Happiness though it be a meer shadow varnish and next to nothing Again who have a right sence and belief of spiritual things they do not in the least esteem of Toyes and Triâ—â—es As Women professing Godliness differ from those of this World in manner of Life and Conversation hoping to be unlike them in their Death so they should appear outwardly not to run to the same Extravagancy of Apparel They may be of the same Fashion with others but more modest and less expensive Not setting themselves out in the same manner as the vain Women do of like Rank and Quality What is saved this way and given to the Poor will avail more then Conforming to this World and the empty applause of their Acquaintance Though people are so admired or envied for fine Clothes yet the principal delight arises to the owners from this ignorant miserable nature of lookers on Good God! that the Soul which was designed for great things should ever be brought so narrow and low as to take pleasure in bodily Vestments That she who is brighter then the Sun if she knew her self should at alL mind the glittering of Gold or Embroidery That she whom the whole World cannot satisfie in her due stretching forth should seem the least contented with what is meer outside and colour She must be extreamly fallen from her noble and exalted Nature She must lose much of her original Honour before she can set any estimation on them which are only useful and convenient for the Body but not worthy of her Care and Affection Temperance extends yet further to Recreations The necessity of them appears in that we are Flesh and not Spirit that Of Recreations will tire and grow weary It is as needful to Refresh as to Eat when Hungry We do not read that Christ used Recreations his Meat and Drink was to do the Will of God But we are not as he was without Sin and Corruption We cannot be always conversant about holy things an Intermission and Freedom is allowed as appears by bodily labour God hath Ordained and when tired by that he affords Divertisment Provided that we do not shut out the sence of him from Worldly business or deny our Subjection unto him in those Portions of Good he hath given Be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the day long and then do what thy hands find to do If we acknowledge and preserve our Obedience unto him and then delight our selves as much as we will. Looking unto the end and design of a thing which in Recreation is to fit us the more for his Service and works of our Calling And therefore are not to be made an occasion to turn our Hearts from him or neglect the other It is lent to refresh and not to fill to delight but not to satisfie to use but not to rest in them We are not to be happy before our time Even this may be learnt out of the nature of Recreations for they are hungry and empty and when immoderately pursued they are wearisome and cease to Recreate They please and divert when sparingly used but still are not found an adequate Happiness to Man. That irksomness and not satisfying that constant seeking after variety though little to be had not being contented even when one is tired with them make known all this Can Men feed on still and be nourished with Sauce only These do not gratifie the Soul otherwise then by rendring the Body more fit for her operations which cannot be always working Now what diverts makes them to stand still but when she is somewhat eased and relieved she hath an inclination to return to her proper Employment and hath regret to be hindred Happiness is the end that she drives at which is kept in another World we being only to prepare for it here in that method and way God hath Ordained In our course we are assaulted by many Temptations and proposals of Good which would deceive and turn aside God saw every thing be made and behold it was good Gen. 1. 31. Every thing that is not expresly forbidden may be lawfully used but an intermixture of evil came in afterwards so it may be turned and abused If Recreations are had according to the prescribed limits of Moderation they help to our Comfort there and Happiness hereafter but if excessively dwelt on they tend to Distraction and Misery The great danger of them is that then they hinder the Love of God make to forget him render us earthly-minded and quite estranged from spiritual things they consume precious time which should be spent in working out our Salvation and doing good to others The faculties of Soul are not exercised on those great and sutable Objects to which they were designed but are taken up with little and vain things Had we been only made for them to skip like Lambs or with the Leviathan to take his Pastime in the deep the same and ordinary endowments which they have would have served us also There would have been need of no more then power just to sport and play Reason might have been spared and the other Accomplishments of a Man. We may observe in the lower rank of Creatures after the briskness and festivities of Youth are over they do not leap up and down but serve only to the right end of their Being Because Recreations are commonly used to spend Time the tediousness Of Time and the passing away thereof whereof is so afflicting to some it can be no improper digression at least from the general Argument to say some what thereof If Man did reflect within himself and on the nature of things he
for that also was once to come and we see it hath already been The day of death with us living is to come and though it be so none can be foolish to deny but that will as certainly be as was the day of our Birth All this great business which is cryed up to be so much at a distance is only till then for albeit the perfect consummation of bliss and misery will be after the general Judgment and how it shall be with us immediately after Death there is no plain Revelation yet from John 9. 4. Heb. 9. 27. and alike places it appears As the Tree falls so it lies As Death leaves one so Judgment finds him What therefore doth it signifie if the General Day be afar off when the Day of our particular Death may be next Week to Morrow this very Night God may require our Soul The body remains insensible in the Sleeping-House of the Grave yet it will be awaked from thence by the Trump of the Arch-Angel A Man would not go to sleep very securely if he knew before hand he Mat. 25. 6. should be rouzed by his House burning about his ears and of this we are assured that after our earthly Tabernacle is laid down it riseth up no more till the day of the Lord comes as a Thief in the Night 1 Thes 5. 2. In the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up If we would be safe in that great day we must before we go hence consider and do well that we may be worthy to escape and stand the only strength is innocence Seeing then these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved 2 Pet 3. 10 11 14. We daily approach nearer to morrow then to day and thus continually make towards it Whether we Eat or Drink Sleep or Play our time passeth and whether we think of it or not we are always going to that state in which time shall be no more How soon we may be there we know not but most certainly we shall be there at last Take ye heed Watch and Pray for ye know not when the time is Mark 13. 33. Who will not obey this Commandment but be unmindful go to sleep and take their rest yet their Damnation slumbereth not and if they put the evil day far from them yet still their condemnation lingereth not and that will come do what they can In the days of Sodom they did Marry and were given in Marriage did not at all consider the things which should come upon them nevertheless the Lord rained down Fire and Brimstone What are now become of all those in the Generation with Amos who would put the evil day far from them Yet it is long since come and they could not stave it off Those of the same mind in the time of our Amos 6. Fathers are all gone and their carelesness could not preserve them from the Pit of Destruction They thought the very like what some do now the things of another World were at a great distance and they need not mind them yet they fell in unawares We can no more think their misery less then who wilfully shut their Eyes and drop into a bottomless Gulph whereas if they had kept them open they might have seen and passed by it Like the evil Servant who said in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming Mat. 24. 48. They had time enough and to spare on the Earth therefore they would smite and oppress their Neighbours eat and drink with the drunken But the Lord came in a day when they looked not for him and they are reserved unto his just Judgment if they might rise from the dead again and have another day of grace and for bearance they would be other kind of Men They would take heed and not be surprized on a sudden But the decrees of Almighty God like himself are unchangeable they were told of this before and they might have accepted the good counsel of the Lord Jesus and therefore he is Righteous in his dealings towards Men. Who dyed in their sins have no more place for repentance for he gave them a space to repent and they repented not Rev. 2. 21. But the living may as we are at this day yet not better then our Fathers we must shortly dye in like manner and are to stand or fall to our own Master We shall see another representation of things then is now before us one which openeth into the eternal Countrys either new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. Or a Land of Darkness of the shadow of Death a place of Dragons and Scorpions the inhabitation of Sin and Misery Yet a little while and we shall be removed out of this place and then we shall find that the things here spoken of though they may at present seem as idle tales Luke 24. 11. will be real and no fictions Whosoever believeth that God is true and that those things are so which he hath spoken by his holy Prophets Son and Apostles cannot otherwise then be convinced of the certainty of them even now If so nothing can be more effectual to perswade Men futurity will be no more an argument against them then now it is against Mens going a Voyage to a Foreign Country where it is several Months before they can reap any profit The shortness of the time before at least by Death the infallibility of that the exceeding greatness of the concern should take away all other disadvantages If we had but faith as a grain of Mustard-seed we should remove Mountains which now hinder us to behold the Land that is very far off Isa 33. 17. And for all the distance it would more affect us because of its exceeding pleasantness then that our feet now tread on if it doth not it cometh to pass because of unbelief Nevertheless if we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. He hath provided a rest for his people and to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not Heb. 3. 18. They shall not only be deprived of that but shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Rev. 21. 8. Which they may as soon avoid by saying they do not believe any such thing as now they may a temporal evil by fancying strongly it shall not come upon them If they could make themselves immortal by having a lively Faith that they shall â—ot die or if they were fast bound to a Stake and a pile of Faggoâ—s kindled close round about and they could be preserved from
must out of his own experience and knowledge assent to what the Apostle saith The whole World lieth in Wickedness 1 John. 5. 19. If thou hast no mind to be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11. 31. Do not comply with the sinful customs thereof Remember what thou didst promise unto God in thy Baptism that thou wouldst renounce the vain Pomp and Glory of the World with all covetous desires of the same and the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wouldst not follow or be led by them This thou didst then promise by thy Sureties which promise when thou camest to Age thy self wert bound to perform and thou didst take it immediately upon thy self either at Confirmation receiving the Sacrament or full purpose of mind or if thoâ— hast not how canst thou expect the benefits thereof How art thou in the Christian Church If thou hast not taken it upon thee yet God will judge thee and if thou hast it is a fearful thing to be a Lyar unto God. If thou thinkest this a thing of Form the custom of the Country then thou art a Christian only in Name and for all that to have thy Portion with Hypocrites and Unbelievers But thou hast a distinction to elude this and all which hath been hitherto spoken viz. The Pomp and Glory of the World there meant and those places in the New Testament afore-cited refer only to the Idolatrous customs of the Gentiles at that time and signifie nothing to those of the present Age. This is apparently false for in the generality of those Texts there is no mention made of Idolatrous Customs but of Lust excess of Wine excess of Riot Revellings Vanity of Mind they are somewhat intended but not only A full Answer is given to all this from Acts 2. 39. The promise is unto you and your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And seeing Christ is to have a Church for all Generations to come even to the end of the World undoubtedly he designed the New Testament which is Sealed with his own Blood and become of force by his Death as a means for those to believe on him and as a Law to govern their Manners not only for those which saw and heard him in the Flesh but for their Children and Childrens Children even to all posterity for evermore It is further decreed that he shall judge the World by the Gospel Now if he should as most certainly he will understand them according to the plain and common sence of the same Words What then will become of those who trust unto this Objection Which if admitted true would strike at the Root of all Religion and by further degrees banish it quite out of the World. But if here Men should shake the fear of God from their minds by cunning Evasions excuse themselves from the Obligation of his Commandments yet they shall never escape that vengeance which now dogs them at the heels and will be sure to seize on them when out of this life all their Sophistry will signifie nothing at all when they come to appear before his Judgment-Seat Though at present they are so pleased if by a nice distinction they can save themselves from the obedience of such precepts yet when he discovers the deceit they intended to put on him and maketh them of none effect How must they be confounded before Angels and Men at the last and terrible day Indeed if we were to be judged by those of like infirmities with our selves who know nothing of our thoughts then there might be some hopes by crafty excuses and subterfuges to palliate our case before them but Seeing God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17. 31. Who is the Power of God and Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1 24. Who will have all the Churches know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts Rev. 2. 23. How then can they expect by some foolish fancie to out-wit him or that their close intents shall not be made known in that day when Christ Jesus shall judge the secrets of Men according to the Gospel And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25. 32. And then several who think themselves sure enough at present will be deceived in their Expectation Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils And in thy Name done many wonderful Works and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. Every one is sensible there is no little Torment in a Worldly disappointment but in a thing of so great Moment it must be inexpressible anguish The indignation will be so great that they would utterly destroy themselves if possible rather then see themselves rejected by God and that happiness with him and to go along with the accursed crew into everlasting Misery No words can throughly set forth that discontent and raging those wretched Souls must groan under and therefore least any one who casts his eye upon these lines should come amongst their number to prevent this danger let him look upon the verse foregoing Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 7. 21. This place which is easy to be understood should take away their confidence who rest only in a formal course of Devotion for here we are told it is not that but doing his Will which is revealed in Scripture that must bring us to Heaven What can be more plain and which if throughly confidered of would take away all those destructive mistakes we have been labouring all this while to remove Hath any one a mind to go to Heaven or escape Hell He need not ascend up thither in curious Speculations or study whither it be possible to climb up and wrack his brains which way to accomplish it so neither need he descend into the lower most parts of the Earth to search where the place of Torment is that he may avoid it But the Word is nigh thee which shews the way to the one or the other They are both set before thee Choose whether you will have Never mind what others do Every one is to bear his own burthen and to give account of himself before God What they do what is that to thee Look thou to thy self thou art more sensible of thine own Happiness or Misery then all the World besides it were better for thee that thou wert Happy and all Mankind besides Miserable then that thou wert Miserable and all the rest Happy Whosoever shall come to dwell with everlasting Burnings it will be but
Gentile World were not able to suppress though they did try with their utmost skill and might Which had no aid from the World yet obtained the victory over it Which still increased though who entertained it got nothing at present but cruel Mockings and Scourgings Moreover Bonds and Imprisonments nay further the most horrid and Tormenting Deaths that was possible for Flesh and Blood to suffer yet through Faith hereof endured them all with more Constancy and Resolution then was ever seen in the Mightiest Men of Valour If these and several other Arguments were duly considered and weighed it would be the greatest wonder that for all these any yet should not believe So more then abundantly hath God provided for Mankind to bring Mark. 6. 6. them to Heaven and Happiness But as if all this were nothing worth Men will not know or not believe what he hath told unto them otherwise they would be never so regardless thereof When they reverence their Land-lord but do not mind the great Lord of Heaven and Earth When they earnestly court the favour of a Mortal Man and think themselves never sufficiently diligent in getting Money but are not careful after those things above Do they verily believe God is and that he is a Rewarder of them who diligently seek him When they like Beasts are only for the present things before them but negligent of what shall be hereafter and never cast an eye towards the things that are not seen certainly these do not live by Faith Whose understanding is waxed gross that can conceive of nothing but what may be felt or seen Who can relish nothing but what goes between the Teeth these do not live the common lives of Men being led by sence and not reason It is an amazing thing to consider of the stupidity and dulness of those of lower degree as concerning their Spiritual State and Condition 'T is not so much down right Atheism and Unbelief but a dead Faith which is in them It is not equal to that of Devils for they believe and tremble but this hath no such effect upon them They fancy there may be such a thing as Heaven they are not suâ—e to the contrary They look upon it as a place of reserve where they would be when they can no longer abide in the World it is appointed for the poor and needy so it will receive them whether they take any care or no. Such thoughts as these may enter into their minds for notwithstanding they may still go on in their course But were they really perswaded there are two places for all to go into after this life Heaven and Hell And how it is set down in Scripture what is to be done to obtain entrance into the one and avoid the other Did they really think what an happiness the one is much greater then Riches and all Pleasures in this World and the other to be a worse Torment then any Pain or Sickness now is they would as willingly go to Church and be as devout to set them forward in the way to Heaven as now they go to Fairs and Markets and are intent upon their Business to get some small gain On the other hand they would take as much care to flee from the Wrath to come as now they do to keep themselves in health and prevent the beginnings of a bodily Distemper They would labour as earnestly for the exceeding great reward God hath prepared for them that keep his Commandments as now they do for a little Money from another Man. They would act in the very same manner to obtain the things pertaining to his Kingdom as now they do for the things of the Earth It is the property of Faith to make things which are not seen to be as if they were seen and though were they both of the same value it could not be expected we should so willingly run after what we have never seen as after that which is most certain and our Eyes see Yet there being such an exceeding odds and worth in the things that are to be believed over the things that are now seen this turns the Scales and make them hang even yea and weigh down the things of Sense If we have the full assurance of Faith that upon doing such things we shall receive an everlasting 1 John 5. 4. Kingdom we should no more grudge to do them then we do now a days work upon anothers Promise of so much for our Pains We may as reasonably trust for what he hath promised as we do the Word of a sinful Man when we Labour for him And there being such a vast difference between what the Almighty will vouchsafe to bestow upon us worthy of God to give and as much as a Creature can receive over what we can impart to another then surely there is as much reason I say infinitely more why we should serve God as do the like for another Would we be as diligent to be made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. as now we are to be Servants unto great Men endeavour as much to get an eternal Crown of Glory as now for those Corruptible things of Gold and Silver Labour as earnestly after the great things of Eternity as is now done for the little things of Time we should certainly come to possess them Neither can the World condemn us of Folly for we Act according to the same measure as themselves who are accounted Wise in their Generation If we do indeed settle it in our Hearts that these things are we should be as careful and industrious to have them as others are of the things here and if so our Labour would not be in vain But what a faithless and stubborn Generation are we fallen into A Generation that will not believe or will not set their Heart to obtain them A Company of Infidels and Fools for so are all those who do not walk in the way to the New Jerusalem If you will not consider you must perish in your Folly. Look and bethink your selves you are Men Stand upon your Feet and shake off that drowsie and benum'd Disposition Be throughly rouzed out of Negligence and Sottishness Come to thy self and hear what shall be said unto thee The Lord made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Prov. 16. 4. He will be glorified in all his Works and thou also being the work of his hands art not to think thy self unconcerned or nothing related to that God with whom we have all to do If thou wilt have nothing to do with him he will have to do with thee Thou art his Creature and he will deal so with thee as the rest of mankind according to their deservings Thou must be either a Partaker of his Mercy or Wrath There is mercy O Lord with thee that thou mayest be feared And his Wrath is likewise revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men Rom. 1.
might somewhat understand what he hath here to do All the powers of Soul and Members of Body ure fitâ—ed for Action they crave after it Here is the Right and the Wrong something he must do and if he mistakes to the latter there is Regret and Discontent Even when he is exercised about vain and insignificant things which must be done rather then none at all or if about more material in which there is some but little profit yet still he knows he is not in his proper work The usual scene of Employment lies in Recreations and business of Life the first doth not so much satisfie the mind as the other and this doth it not altogether for there is something further which is so little regarded because wilfully shut out of the mind and through the Craft of the Adversary these are made an occasion to stifle it or to divert so much from it as should be done To speak plainly it is God and Religion To seek after and know him to conform to his whole Will This O Man is what thou hast to do and all other things which come not under here are avocations from the one thing needful Said our Lord and Fore-runner I must work the Work of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no Man can work John 9. 4. His was laying the Foundation for all to build on He finished the Work God gave him to do and every Soul is to work out that which he hath wrought and accomplished for us all in this Life which is the accepted time for the darkness draws on in which nothing of this is to be done And therefore if we neglect Wo unto us for the day goeth away for the Shadows of the evening are stretched out Jer. 6. 4. We haste on towards the Period so uncertain is our stay here that the Sun sets while it is Noon-day yea at all times so we are to be as those which wait for the coming of the Bridegroom not knowing when it will be Time was given us that we might prepare for Eternity It seems to point forth the other as also we may know somewhat of our own frame We have immortal Spirits which began to be but shall never end for if we look back upon Eternity that vast space which was before we came into the World we are consounded We that came forth in time cannot imagine that which was from Everlasting but who have assurance of continuing for evermore We can very well conceive what shall be to Everlasting and shall have no end Now Time stands between both these as a little Creek between two Seas And this may be considered in the motion of the Celestial Bodies since they have been Created until they shall be dissolved And then Time is that space during those several Generations come and pass through here as God hath ordained But to bring it more close to our selves it may be taken for that while every particular Man is in the World. One is more to himself then all the World besides and therefore he is not so much concerned with others or the days before and after but whilst himself is here that is his Time. Whilst he is in Life the Springs and Wheels thereof continue in motion so that if the Sun should stand still yet unless the hour-Glass within did cease to run the Garments of Flesh wax old it would be no advantage to Man for the moving of those things within determine his space and not the common measure of Days and Nights Months and Years Since the World began it was never heard that they did stand still with any Man but the Pulse is continually beating towards its last stroke We all do fade as a Leaf Isa 64. 6. When it first springs and buds forth it hastes towards being blown off or withering and so dropping down My times are in thy Hand Psal 31. 15. during the while God shall hold our Souls in life and the Tabernacle remain fit for our Habitation As sure as Time now is so it will be when Time shall be no longer Rev. 10. 6. As Days and Nights pass with us so the duration of Eternity will begin As manifestly as there is something above the Sun which was set in the Firmament to give light upon the Earth Gen. 1. 17. but beyond is an eternal and unchangeable Light. The Darkness is no Darkness with thee the Night and Day are both alike We are to be Translated thither where is no Sun for it hath no need thereof for the Glory of God doth lighten it Rev. 21. 13. so neither to divide the Day from the Night nor for Signs nor for Seasons nor for Years for this is only the manner of these lower Regions of the World. One Day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as one Day 2 Pet. 3. 8. There is no respect at all of the numbrings of Time with the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity Isa 57. 15. And so it will be when he shall be pleased to admit â—s there Hast thou courteous Reader a warm and serious Apprehension of this thing When thou art pressed with the tediousness of Time think upon Eternity And then knowest thou not how to make use of the flying Moments before thee Is it nothing to secure unto thy self the Everlasting Mansions no while to be allotted for getting an Happiness which endures unto all Ages Only a spare Minute and the refuse of Time will this serve towards obtaining that to which Millions of Years are but the twinkling of an Eye Will the Antient of days accept of that opportunity of serving him when not detained by vain Company or Pleasures He will not be dallied with by foolish and proud Creatures Heaven and Immortality are for those who strive Luke 13. 24. labour 1 Cor. 15. 58. seek diligently Heb. 11. 6. who make it their constant business throughout their Life Are thy desires a little quickened What wouldst thou do towards the blessed Enjoyment and Possession of them Thou art yet in Time upon the right use and improvement whereof all this doth depend It is commonly consumed either in ill-doing or doing nothing or something besides what is proper to do Separate these three Falsities and the right end will come in of course The first tends directly to Destruction and Misery the second and third to the loss of the Good set before us Wisdom and Experience do sufficiently manifest that they cannot profit for they come to nothing at all The Pleasure or Conveniency of them perish in the using and appear the same as if not had at all Whatever is to come is of the same nature just to be had and vanished away as the formeâ— things and all will come to an end Sin Idleness and Covetousness beguile Men of their precious Time for thus it irrecoverably glides from them without benefit and for all these things God will bring them to
â—urmised such a thing is Harsh and impracticable so he is thought an hard Master who requires and that his Commandments are grievous which is abominably False Where the Love of God is fixed that makes all things easie and delightful done in Reference to him They have Peace and Satisfaction all their days a well grounded Hope and are secured against the terrors of Death They do every thing of a cheerful mind and not grudgingly But where the work is only done and people are glad it is over Whose Holy and Spiritual things are left as soon as out of the Closet or Congregation and care for no other Hearing or Conversation thereof Who run on in their manner of serving God and certainly conclude themselves Right because they have the Course and Generality of the World on their side though they have been mistaken all along in matters of pure and sincere Religion Who do not universally prove what they do and if they did could find no Rejoycing in it â—ndeed their way may become familiar and customary to them for vain Hopes and Formality if not examined may produce some Gladness and Exultancy And then they reject what is more for Melancholy These will admire so many words should be made about what they conceive and do in short They may look upon what is here and afore-offered as a parcel of Melancholy Notions and contradictory to the Argument of Happiness which they fancy as only apt to breed Disturbance and sadness of Mind But iâ— the whole Work of Religion might be made so short Why did God make so large and full a Revelation in Scripture which is to be searched and contains infinite matter Why did he afford such a long John 5. 39. Psal 14. 2. time to Man upon Earth to understand and seek God if it might have been done so quickly His doings are all Wisdom and no more then what is Necessary Religion is not a Business of such sudden dispatch as some would falsly imagine and make it The general prâ—jâ—dice against Truth is that it makes Mâ—lancholy But he that will not be thus Melancholy shall be Miserable for ever We learn from 2 Thes 2. 10 13. They are to receive the Love of the Truth who would be saved from hence spring their Principles of acting aright and they must know before hand to avoid what is Evil and Destructive The Knowledge of Truth brings unto God who hath established all things under whose Shadow we may be secure from all Evil and Danger Indeed there may be mistaken ways of pleasing him which have no Footstep in his Word on a furious unwarranted Zeal which exposing to Trouble and Inconvenience without his Acceptance may run out of Breath in a wrong Road and so spend it self in weariness and doubt of mind There may be aâ— overmuch Righteousâ—â—ss in not Commanded things but in keeping close to the lines of known Duty in observance of the Precepts is application and hope of the Promises there is Approbation of Conscience Blessed are those Servants who are so doing It is called a Work of Faith and Labour of Love 〈◊〉 Thes 〈◊〉 3. but still they contentedly do it looking for the Reward and Rest as they have a little in the mean while to carry them through here yea this is an Antidote against Melancholy for they would be so otherwise the restless and busie Faculties of Man must be doing somwhat though less troubled when in any acting yet are uneasie if not on their proper Business as Religion is of the mind and outward Calling of the Body and this in subservierâ—y to the other A strange wresting of things to call that Mâ—lancholy Isa 5. 20. which only prevents and keeps it off a Disturbance which belongs to our Peace to be driven away and avoided which is the chief Good to be sought after and cherished None are more Melancholy then who seem to decline it for their utmost Happiness lies in Stupefaction and the studied Arts of unmindfulness but take away these and they sink into Dumpishness or are tortured in mind They having either a dead and troubled Heart do not know what Peace is and must find out some cure for that which would bring them to Repentance or Desperation O'foolish Sinners who hath bewitched you Why will you not suffer Gods design to be answered in you for he would have you turn from your Sins and Vanities the guilt whereof if permitted to stir causes Sorrow if stifled heaviness of Mind All this is a sad Earnest of worse things to come if not prevented this only way You must either comply or smother but how unreasonable is â—he last for if you could put away instead of putting afar off the evil Day it will come at the appointed time do what you can you only shut out the Sence thereof If in driving away Melancholy you could utterly beat off Death If you could hinder your Souls from being stript naked and sent into the other World where are no Company Pleasure or Recreations to harden If you could escape the day of Judgment and the dreadful Event thereof then it were some advantage to chase away Serioâ—sâ—ess but as things now stand it is the greateâ—â— Folly and â—anâ—er Be perswaded to endure it here for a little time Dare to be somewhat dull for a day or two and suffer the lâ—ksomâ—â—â—ss of what you have done in Iniquity 2 Cor. 7. 8 9 10. aâ—d begin the Work of Righteousness If people could be prevailed upon to be Mâ—lâ—ncholy a little and they must or suffer Eternally what is worse they would be Christians in Deed and in Truth for this is the great hindrance with aâ— High and Low Wise and Ignorant Religion makes dull and therefore they keep off Here again is to be repeated the former Observation Things at fiâ—st make a shew of the contrary Whatever brings Happiness and real Good to Mankind hath a slight appearance of Misery and Evil. The Wisdom from above doth bring Peace Satisâ—actron Delight and Assurance but the Enemy who lets from all that is Good would Suggest it raises Trouble Disquiet Fear and such like Many think of what is aforementioned as dull things because they do not make much outward noise and merriment But they do not understand the true Happiness of a Man. Peace c. What can be more desired Would they be Children always in Laughter or Crying now up in excessive Mirth and down again in Dejectedness and Anguish The first at the very instant doth not satisfie and there is weariness in it the other doth really Afflict It is desirable to be between both in a sober composed State to be as other Creatures pleased with themselves And though there is a knowledge of Imperfection and Vanity yet to go on contentedly to a better State and comfort himself in the mean time with hopes thereof He is just as a Man should be for the Mouth was not made always to be contracted Who
before he is sent for he thinks it Duty to wait till he is called He being but a Potsherd of the Earth dares not be thus rude with his Maker as to go before for this would be the way to be excluded from his Presence for evermore We are to use all honest Care to preserve our Life as long as we can for Death is no such trivial thing as some seem to make of it through ignorance and unmindfulness The Servant of God hath no reason to fear for unto him it is an entrance into a Blessed Eternity yet he would be rightly provided What is to be done but once all Wisdom and Caution are to be had that it be done well and sure If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead not as though I had already attained or were already perfect Phil. 3. 11 12. Or if that were done yet he is to tarry the Lords seisure What if he hath stood without his Fathers House the Spring Summer and Autumn yet there was no great Hardship in them if there was it signifies not now it is all past and gone The worst is behind the Winter and that may be shortned none knoweth how soon but for the present it is somewhat irksome to endure the Frost and Cold to have our head Hoary and our joynts Tremble This doth make him more desire Come Lord Jesus come quickly and it will be a greater happiness when he doth come but in the mean while he is not angry if not heard see Heb. 10. 36 37 38. If the body be waxed Old the Mind suffers no decay the Seed sown in Spring cultivated in the time of strength yields a plentiful Crop which doth good service in this time of need They shall still bring forth Fruit in old Age they shall be fat and flourishing to shew that the Lord is upright Psal 92. 14 15. The flower falleth and the beauty thereof is vanished before the Fruit come but this is better So it is of the flourishing and loveliness of Youth that is gone before good and worthy Actions are performed but when they are done the remembrance of them and a well spent life is a mighty comfort to fading and decrepit years If he cannot now enjoy the pleasures of the World that can be no vexation unto him whose mind is fixed upon better Objects God and Christ He being throughly convinced both by reason and experience of the vanity of all things here below doth indeed pity and not the least envy those who greedily hunt after them Having the Wisdom from above which is gentle and easie to be entreated he hath no peevishness of humour and therefore he is not wearisome nor hated like others of the same age The Grace of God changes the whole nature much more a single circumstance thereof He is not in continual dread of the approach of Death for that is the thing expected and desired The sting of it is sin but he hath made it his business throughout his life past to pluck that out now he can lie down in peace knowing assuredly that day which others so much fear will be unto him the Birth day of Immortality Neither is he afraid to consider thereof before hand for it doth not appear terrible to him who is reconciled with God and hath laid up a Foundation by good Works which are ready to follow him Having cleaved unto God in life and health he will not cast him away in time of Age nor forsake him when his strength faileth He that is his God will be his Guide unto Death with this firm assurance he is blessed But the sinner being an hundred Years Old shall be accursed Isa 65. 20. and therefore is extreamly afraid to receive it That studied unmindfulness of his latter end when Death dogs him at the heels and is ready to gnaw on him yet he puts of the looking thereon and thence foolishly thinks all is well enough An horrible dread and fearful expectation hovers over him which he drives away as long as he can some make a shew off much Mirth and Briskness all for pleasure and company still this is but a forced Joviality However they pretend to have a Youthful mind in a withered Body in vain Pastimes to skip like young Lambs this they are the more obliged unto for to stifle inward Sorrow and fear It is an easie matter especially by aid of Company and Sensuality to make an outward appearance of what is contrary within to laugh or make a noise when there is Vexation of Spirit 'T is not only Age nor Constitution whatever worldly and unbelievers talk is the cause of Misery but it is principally occasioned by Sin and Guilt which others again are freed from by Innocency and Gospel Righteousness Some are such deceivers of themselves that they will rather think any thing a cause of trouble then their sins The way of the wicked is as Darkness they know not at what they stumble Prov. 4. 19. Natural weakness is common to all as to which they are tormented and others comforted but they are further subject to horrour and misery from which the Righteous are altogether freed If the eyes of the ungodly are waxed dim so that they cannot longer behold vanity it is grievous to be bereaved of what they placed good in especially there being no Light within them but their body is full of Darkness If they are not able to fulfill their lusts in which was their chiefest delight how wretched must they be When the affection and desire towards them doth still remain but the Members and Sences have lost their power and relish Those which knew no other Happiness but outward sensual pleasures and they have yet an hankering what shall be done when those are vanished and they have no other comfort or satisfaction instead thereof They wish they had never been Life is a burthen which they would surrender up presently if they could be certain the Spirit would turn into soft air and the body ever remain insensible as the Earth out of which it was taken but they sadly fear it will be otherwise The oldest men if remaining in Irreligion and Wickedness still do desire and endeavour after a further continuance of their life though it be a succession of miseries linked one upon another and they have sucked out even to loathing all Worldly pleasures and now cannot enjoy them They are weary of life and afraid to die for they expect no good from it but evil That punishment which attends for them till out of the body frightens when they are in and the remedy they use is not to think thereof If they cast a transient glance towards the Grave as sometimes they are forced they do not look beyond unto Eternity and future Judgment for that raises trouble and anguish of mind There is an inward apprehension which hath been stifled as much as it could they are indeed afraid to appear before that God
whom they have provoked and offended throughout their foregoing days This they were warned of all along by Gods Word and Ministers their own Conscience but having continually resisted them all these Scriptures are fulfilled in them Isa 6. 9 10. 29. 10 11. Rom. 1. 24 26 28. Talk to an old Man who hath hitherto lived in disobedience and never left his lusts till they left him concerning Religion and exhort him to repent it is the same as if you did to a bruit Beast His ear is deaf and stupid to those things he understands as little of them as a Child Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray Hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth not Hos 7. 9. There hath been some exhortation used to those in the state of Manhood for if they are unconverted they have the spirit of slumber so they are more easily awakened but the spirit of deep sleep is poured out upon old hardened Sinners and it is to be feared some of them will not be throughly rouzed till they feel the flames of Hell about their Ears This Age is not usually bettered by reproof Who are unjust will be unjust still and who are filthy will be filthy still However they may know otherwise they shall feel that God shall wound the head of his Enemies and the Hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses Ps 68. 21. Let all people take heed how they put off their turning unto the Lord till this time for it is an unworthy thing after the body hath served divers lusts and pleasures and worn out in them and disabled any longer then to offer it up unto him Is it then a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God Is this a reasonable service No he disowns the Blind the Lame and Sick for Sacrifice Mal. 1. 8. Is it meet that the Church of God should be like the pool of Bethesda to be frequented by a number of impotent Folks of Blind Halt and Withered Neither let any presume too much on those who were called at the eleventh hour into the Vineyard but the reason is there given they were not hired before and they came as soon as called But here in a Christian Country all are called to serve the Lord in their Youth if they refuse because they think the day too long and they fancy it well enough if they go a little before Sun setting will the great Housholder thank them for it and so be imposed upon In no wise for which of you will be so served If your own workmen should not come or loyter all the day and do nothing till the time they should leave of Work would you reward such base and negligent Fellows who thus despise and put a trick on you God will be no more mocked or slighted by his Creatures then they will be by those under them He is jealous of his Honour and hates to have his commands disregarded with him is Power Sovereignty and Wisdom Men must not think to give him an answer when they will at some time hereafter for now they have other business to do or with Felix put him off to a more convenient season Let them deal thus with their Prince and see how he will resent it God is not beholden to the Work of his hands neither doth he receive any benefit by them it is alone his infinite Goodness and Love that he makes unto us any offer of Happiness and not our desert who do all we can to provoke the Author of our being He hath not dealt with us after our sins Psal 103. 10. He commands to turn from them and be healed it is meet and right the distance being infinite of him over us to answer him at the first call which he doth again and waits that he may be gracious but he doth not for ever Pharoahs heart was hardened after he had refused Gods message ten times and there are but few old Men in this Nation who have hitherto continued in an unregenerate condition but have more often resisted Gods Ambassadors commanding them in his name to turn and live and therefore equally deserve hardness of heart But God who can raise the Dead can raise these also out of the Lethargy and Death of sin he can pluck these brands out of the Fire Zech. 32. Yet there being so few sincere and hearty converts of this nature Oh my Soul trust not thou upon such uncertainties to day while it is called to day harden not thy heart but hearken unto Gods Voice forsake thy sins immediately and then thou art sure Defer not till old Age to be justified for then a thousand to one if ever thou be The hoary head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness â—rov 16. 31. It hath a resemblance to the Antient of Days and is a sign of that Eternity God shall endue him withal for the time is at hand let him that is Righteous be Righteous still Rev. 22. 10 11. Let your Loines be girded about and your Lights burning for the Bridegroom is near go ye out to Meet him that you go in with him to the Marriage be thou faithfull unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Thus have we run through all the Ages of Man which are visible Of the Body Sences and sensual Pleasure in the increase change and alteration they make in his body Let none flatter himself as if he should certainly pass through them all nor defer the doing of those things which ought to be done presently for we are not sure of a Day or a Week forward For besides the many instances of sudden Death Sickness is most commonly so which in three or four days may hurry us hence to give Account for the Deeds done in the Body so uncertain a thing is life that by outward appearance none knows whither it will be long or short The breath in our Nostrils hangs upon such slender threads from within and is subject to so many Casualties from without that if it were not for Gods providence who holds our Souls in life we should rather admire that any live so long as die so soon Upon this frail thing depends our everlasting Happiness or Misery it being the space to try how we will behave our selves towards God and accordingly we are to receive from him Bâ—hold thou hast made my Days as an hand breâ—dth and mine Age is nothing before Thee Ps 39. 5. By reason of the Evil and Vanity which enclose us on every side it is irksom and tedious which makes it seem somewhat longer but when our days are passed away they are the same as a tale that is told Ps 90. 3. So it appears upon a Death-bed yea in the time of Health and Vigour the Years that are past may be all measured in a thought and the same as if they had not been How soon is the Morning of
terrible Characters then suffer the Truth and Signification of them If diligent care be not used to prevent this it will take off from the Pleasure of your Recreations and Pastimes as they are called Which are said to be made use of to spend the time as if that did not pass away fast enough of it self And it may seem strange that some should so much endeavour to throw that away when for ought they know unless they repent and bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance this is the only time of Comfort they will ever have and therefore they should make much of it that it may appear long but not contrariwise Which is an intimation that their Life which they would have others think so Happy yet themselves do not find it for they that count it Pleasure to riot in the day time 2 Pet. 2. 13. yet are more Solicitous to make it seem short then poor Day-labourers At night they fall to the Works of Darkness spend the greater part in Chambering and Wantonness When it is time to awake out of sleep then they go to it and reverse Gods Ordinance of the night for Rest By not observing the words of his Law the threatning is fulfilled now upon Earth In the Morning thou shalt say Would God it were even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were Morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear Deut. 28 67. As is discovered by them who cannot be one minute without Company who in time of Health must have wax Candles burning all Night In the day they make it their Business to stifle it more And yet for all they would have time pass away Which is a manifest token of the Misery of their present Condition for none can desire that unless it be out of Expectation of a future and greater Blessedness which they have no Prospect of being only for the present and what is before them If all this should at length end in a sad Eternity there is no Stupefaction nor making the least part thereof to pass away and it will be ten thousand times more Vexing then that now in the days of their Flesh What can be said too much to recover People out of this Condition What kind of Expressions shall be made use of to prevent others sliding in but the least towards it To you High and Rich let this warning be given Who are so desirous after it have a care of mis-placing or seeking in a wrong way that Happiness which is to be found in God only and in the way he hath shewed for there it is to be had and no where else For my People have Committed two Evils They have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. Who resort to these will be still disappointed of satisfying their Thirst Our gracious God in that he would the more effectually draw us unto himself hath so provided that we cannot be otherwise Happy but by coming unto him and we must be necessarily miserable if we do not Man is a proud Worm he will not stand beholden no not to God for Happiness though he hath brought him into Being and furnished him with those means by which he will try to attain it himself and his own way in opposition to that prescribed unto him 'T is Riches and Honour which lift him up to this height he thinks them his own and they can make him Happy and what need he then be indebted to any For he is apt to say in his heart My power and the might of my hand hath got me this Wealth or Deut. 18. 17 18. else mine Ancestors have done it for me whereas he should remember the Lord his God for it is he that giveth thee Power to get Wealth It is he which brought thee into this World by means of such Parents if it had been the good Pleasure of his Will â—e might have caused thee even thee to have been a Beggars Off spring whom now he hath made the Son of Nobles Thou shouldst rather be the more thankful and obedient for his Goodness and not thence take occasion to be stubborn or lift up thy self against him O Generation see ye the word of the Lord Have I been a wilderness unto Israel A Land of darkness Wherefore say my People We are Lords we will no more come unto thee Jer. 2. 31. He doth as it were expostulate whether such should be the return for his Love and Kindness Stop a little and think seriously It pleaseth God now to call you by his Grace Be sure not to confer with Flesh and Blood but examine the things which have and are to be delivered in the Spirit of your Minds Have nothing to do with carnal Reason heaâ—ken not to the insinuations of lust or bewitchings of concupiscence Put away all things which may hinder As now born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. It will do you no harm Let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Rom. 13. 13 14. What pleasure doth at this instant remain of all past Jollities and if none doth now in time of health and enjoyment much less will they comfort upon a Death-bed They are fading and unsatisfying Vanities delight only a very little for the present but not yield a true contentment Wherefore leave them before they leave you if you forsake them you will avoid all their dreadful consequents but if you hold fast to them they will at length forsake you as to their refreshing Nature for this lasts not in Sickness or declining Age but the guilt they leave behind will stick close and press you down to the lowermost Hell. You must of necessity part you see what difference there is if they or you first drop away or you come out from among them In the Name of God cast them of forthwith do not cry out with the Sluggard yet a little Sleep a little Slumber a little folding of the hands to Sleep let me lye a little longer in my sins and then I will rise Thou dost not surely consider who it is that calls thee Awake thou that sleepest and Christ will give thee life Your hands have been defiled with sin and filthiness Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes cease to do evil learn to do well Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be red like Criâ—son they shall be as Wool. Behold what manner of Isa 1. 16 17 18. Love and Condescention is here The Mighty God proposes to reason with those whom he could as
into such a Sleep that he knows not whether he is tumbling notwithstanding he comes to a fearful end One dead in Trespasses and Sins perceives not whether he tends when he is just dropping into the Fire yet as soon as he is there he is sensible to a Witness and so will remain for evermore Whatever gnorant By-standers may think such a sort of Death must be a sad sight to all knowing Christians for who can approve of what is occasioned by unbelief gross Ignorance or habitual Wickedness All which Seal men up to the Day of Destruction There is a great difference between this and the end of the Righteous for the one is Senceless and Calls not upon God but in a general way as Lord have mercy upon me or the like which any one may do if he be never so ungodly But the other can express his Peaceable Condition and shew forth good Grounds of hope and call upon God his Saviour with that feelingness which no Stranger to the Covenant of Grace can Righteousness delivereth from Death Prov. 11. 4. It preserves from all the dreadfulness thereof which nothing besides doth Wickedness shall not deliver those who are given unto it but is the cause of all that Misery which this binds Men over unto Let them ruffle and sport themselves never so much their End is coming They must sicken and go away to Account for all their Frolick and Madness There is set before thee a good and evil Death one you must have and therefore be sure to choose the best Be good and do Good and thou shalt never die amiss When thou art wearied with Labour all the days of thy Life this will set thee at Rest but if thou art not willing and obedient thou mayest drudge on still without any hope for after toil here will succeed endless pains according as now thou behavest thy self thou shalt fare well or ill hereafter So will it be with Thee and Me. For we must all appear before the judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. When the Sun shall become black as a Sackcloth of Hair and the Moon become as Blood and the Heavens shall depart as a Reâ— 6. scroll roled together The trump of the Arch-Angels shall sound and the Dead shall hear and leap out of their Graves like frighted Men. Neither greatness nor smallness shall excuse from coming forth The mighty Men and every bond Man and every free Man hid themselves This will be more dreadful then a blazing Comet or the greatest Thunder and Lightning It may be we have no business at those Assizes which are holden twice a Year but at this general Grave-delivery which is kept once for all our dead bodies shall arise and every one of us shall give account of himself to God Rom. 14. 12. Mens hearts will fail them for fear and if conscious to themselves of evil will wish that they might return into this World again to live over their past life for then they would be better provided But when the Prisoner comes to be tried is he let go free only upon his bare saying he will not Steal nor commit Murder any more No he must answer for what he hath done We know it before hand that when it shall come we may have no excuse or plea that of this and every day of our life after years of Discretion we are in danger to be called to account Although at present we make a mock of sin we follow it with Greediness and Merriment valuing it as a matter of naught yet when God enters into Judgment what was formerly so light in Opinion will â—â—nk them down into the bottomless Pit. There is no other way to escape this but now even now to judge our selves that we be not judged nor condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. God now commandeth all Men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17. 30. 31. The good have no reason to fear because they are to be judged by him who is now their advocate with the Father and the propitiation for their sins 1 John 2. 1 2. They may have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are they in this World 1 John 4. 17. But as for those who by continued doing the Works of the Devil in as much as in them lies build up that which he came to destroy shall receive from his Mouth that terrible Sentence Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels When the Words are gone forth these shall go away into everlasting Punishment Mat. 25. 46. Did we see this doleful herd as they are going we should fear What God hath said by his Son must come to pass so it will be as certainly as if we now saw it with our eyes What can be more forcible to make us take the utmost heed that our selves be not among them To whom the Summers heat seems so grievous and every little spark that falls upon the body so painful How can they abide to lye down in everlasting fire Who now think it so irksome to tarry a few and evil days here on Earth though they have several good ones intermingled How can they endure to be in Hell for thousands and millions of Years without an hour of comfort or the least freedom from Misery Let me ask thee O Man suppose thou â—awest a Fiery Furnace and there thou mightest continue alive for a thousand Years how much of the Worlds pleasure wouldst thou require to undergo the torment thereof for that time I am confident thou wouldst not take all the delights under the Sun all thy life long And why then wilt thou for the pleasures of sin for a season bring upon thy Body and Soul those Eternal Plagues The damned are set forth in Scripture suffering all those evils which are now accounted greatest in the World. What is all this for But to make the more hast to escape from the Stormy Wind and Tempest By the same reason that we flee from the face of a Serpent the Sword of a devouring Enemy to save our selves from Fire or Water or any thing which would hurt We are also obliged to avoid the damnation of Hell for this will more torment then all those things pâ—t together That is to be done by fearing the Lord our God and keeping his Commandments for he hath prepared those things only for the wicked and disobedient that none should be so As the Punishments are severe enough to frighten from Transgression so is the Reward sufficient to encourage any Soul to Obedience It is described by those things which are now most apt to raise our desires and stir up our industry towards obtaining of
If they will come they shall be kindly received but if they make light of all these Messengers going their Wayes one to his Farm another to his Merchandize at their peril be it The reason why they did Mat. 22. was because they had some present business which they thought of more concern then the Wedding Dinner In like manner Men will not entertain the offers of Grace and Salvation made to them out of the Gospel because they have some lusts and covetous desires to gratifie which they think tend more to their Happiness then the others That these have some delight they are sure for they have it in hand but they cannot conceive any in the other it is to be revealed hereafter they know not when so in their Opinion they make the better choice because they are certain of something whereas others expose themselves to self-denial and present losses and live upon imaginary expectancies There is no time like the present a slight vanity now is to be prefered before a substantial Glory hereafter Most excellent reasoning and agreeable to the Wisdom of this World that come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. It is worthy of and such as could be expected from Men who have no foresight of things to come in other things it is prudence to have an eye forward but in this which is of greater Moment then all things put together to pass on and be punished is reckoned the wiser way Then it will be discerned otherwise but this is the misery when they shall come to be throughly convinced of their foolishness it will be past remedy This objection against the things of God because they are to come hath been already answered And for the delight of the sins most in esteem and pâ—actice Ch. 3. if God permit shall be fully examined in the ensuing Chapters It may appear very small and inconsiderable for which a Man must lose Temporal Comfort and Eternal Joyes endure the manifold evils and inconveniencies of sin in this present time and afterwards suffer endless Torment To be excluded from Peace here and Glory hereafter to be made subject unto sorrows now and hence forwards Eternal anguish of mind must be prejudicial to Mans Happiness or nothing is All this is to lay stronger engagement on us to observe Gods Laws In keeping of them there is great reward Psal 19. 11. There is happiness to be found but in transgression is exceeding punishment there only misery is felt The way of God is a way of Peace as long as any one walks therein he is safe but if he turns his foot aside he presently falls into trouble and danger Obedience and Happiness are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other As again Sin and Misery are coupled Wickedness and Punishment are joyned hand in hand The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto Day uttereth Speech Night unto Night Of Scripture sheweth Knowledge There is no Speech nor Language where their voice is not heard Psal 19. 1 2 3. The astonishing Works of creation proclaim aloud to all the World there is a God who made them The excellent contrivance of this glorious Fabrick doth shew forth his great Power and infinite Understanding But they do not make known what the Lord requireth of us they do not reveal in what relation we stand towards him they cannot discover our imperfection or how we may please and become like unto him they do not shew the errour of our crooked and perverse wayes or manifest the true Happiness or how we may run towards it and not at uncertainty Neither doth they prescribe how to remedy our natural folly and blindness But the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the Heart The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes It doth what all the World cannot direct into the way of perfect Peace which leads up to everlasting Glory The Prophecy came not in Old time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. Who whilst he dwelt amongst us made known the Will of his heavenly Father chusing unto him Disciples to go and teach likewise He instructed them until the time of his Suffering To whom he shewed himself alive after his Passion by many infallible Proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them commanded that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me Acts 13. 4. It was the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom my Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14. 26. Many things Christ did and said which are not written by the Evangelists some whereof the Apostles have delivered And other things they have laid down out of his Doctrine by infallible inference and deduction They could not be mistaken for they received the Promise John 16. 13. The Spirit of Truth will guide you into all Truth and for a manifest Testimony thereof they foretold things to come which have been and are to be fulfilled In the old Testament the Law of Moses the Prophets and the Psalms so summed up Luke 24. 44. In the New the Writings of Evangelists and Apostles are given to make us wise unto Salvation By these God will judge us at the last day I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which was the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works Rev. 20. 12. The Bible is the Lords Statute Book containing those Laws for the Government of the world and according as People have observed oâ— transgressed them he will proceed to acquital or Condemnation In Christ's Sermon on the Mount before he comes to speak as to the Commandments he doth premise Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till Heaven Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 17 18. As for the Types and Ceremonies they were but Prefigurations of him that was to come so they vanish when all was finished on the Cross Other Statutes did relate to the Jews in their politick capacity which Moses did ordain from God who was to them
it is the height of impiety I will judge you according to the Fruit of your doâ—ngs O House of Israel Is your Faith at an uncertainty and doth that make you regardless Why you are required to use the means to attend unto the things that are spoken and weigh fully with your selves whether indeed they are â—o Before the Gospel was written Faith came by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. So it doth now and also by reading that Testimony Miracles Arguments and Demonstrations which must prevail when admitted into sincere Consideration but this you will not do Beware therefore least that come upon you which was spoken of in the Prophets Behold ye Despisers and Wonder and Perish for I work a Work in your days a Work which ye shall in no Wise believe though a Man declare iâ— unto you Acts 13. 40 41. God will â—ot take advantage over mankind without first making known his Good-will and Pleasure what he requires of them For we may be bold to say it would not have been consistent with Justice to punish Creatures for what they knew â—ot or could not know Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen 18. 25. The Case of the Heathen World is shewed Rom. 1. throughout and Rom. 2. 12 14 15. Acts 15. 17. And though of old Revelation was more * Exod. 19. 5. peculiar to the Land of Judea yet that was further a sign to all the Nations of the World but he will be pleased to deal with them most certainly according to Equity and Right But to us the Gospel is fully made known It was necessary God should discover himself to Man some way where he did it by implanting natural Principles of good and discerning of Evil within himself he will judge by them But in these latter days he hath revealed his Word more fully and universally and ordered it to be written in a Book that it may be for the time to come hereafter Nothing in the whole World can be said to be the written Will of God besides the Scripture wherein are Prophecies fulfilled God bearing them VVitness both with Signs and VVonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own VVill Heb. 2. 4. Who spoke this Word that is come down to us which testifies of Resurrection of the dead eternal Judgment Heaven and Hell in as plain Words as possibly things can be expressed How fain would People either cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before them Isa 30. 11. or themselves cease and come to nothing That whilst they were living they sinned against him so when Dead be as nothing and not the Objects of Punishment They would willingly exempt his Providence from them but not lay aside their Transgressions against him and then would utterly perish to avoid his Truth and Justice What Tricks and Shifts are Men put unto to gain truce and safety for their Wickedness But they may have a Truce for a little while but all their Devices cannot attain unto safety They may take the several kinds of Opium Ignorance Unbelief Negligence hardness of Heart perverse Disputings but they will be all spent as soon as their Souls depart from the Body If it was for a thousand or ten thousand years all that would have an end it were something but when only for seventy or eighty years their Crafts and sinful Provocations are the more foolish To be soothed up a little when it ends in Ruin when this manner of doing doth the more ascertain Destruction to themselves and make it worse for they might otherwise have prevented it What can be more imprudent Let them take as much Pleasure in the mean while as the World affords their whole Life is but running towards Death And therefore let them make speed and hasten out of the Evil way for God hath most certainly ordered a Life after this either of eternal Happiness or Misery This is taught this is affirmed constantly And though some may raise Questions and Scruples How can these dry bones live Or the Soul exist separately Yet they err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. He can do more then we conceive or imagine We are not to measure his Omnipotence by our weak understanding He hath said it shall be and we are to leave that to him which himself will accomplish For the Lord God of Recompences shall surely requite Jer. 51. 56. He could always do so in this Life if he pleased but his general Decree is to spare Men here this is the space of Forbearance and Long-suffering but afterwards is Punishment This is the time of Tryal but hereafter is retribution Why will not Man know of this before-hand Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my People know not the Judgment of the Lord Jer. 8. 7. They will not throughly consider thereof They may just call to mind how they shall be deprived of all things in this World of that Pain and Sickness distortion of Countenance pale Aspect that Death makes they are forced to think of these things because they are visible but the only useful part is neglected as it is an inlet into Eternity If there was no more in Death then what we now see in its worst Circumstances it were not worth while to concern ones Self so much concerning it but endure it when it comes and there is an end If attended with some weeks Sickness or Pain we suffer as much in the Course of our Lives and for the last strugling or gasp that is seldom longer then a single day and then the most acuâ—e Pain do destroy the sensible parts and a dangerous Sickness is least felt There is no need of making so much Provision against it But now we have assurance that this current of time is swallowed up in the Gulph of Eternity and therefore it is worthy the business of all our days to take heed into what kind thereof it enters Especially when by the Grace and Power put into our hands we may make it to end into which we will. And though none covet Death yet God hath ordered that if we will not accept of his Goodness we must be liable to the severity of his indignation Here Man would draw back and not run the hazzard of either He would be immortal and not die this is a fore-shewing of his future Condition but it cannot be here Then he would live as long as he can In Gods name let him endeavour so but withal go the way to make Death Comfortable Is he afraid when it approaches nigh And will he not take away the cause of his Fea Let him repent and turn from every Evil way and then it will do him no harm come when it will. In past Ages many were desiâ—ous to live some few years longer yet they are dead
that lived under the Old Testament which doth not so clearly manifest immortality as the Gospel doth Luke 16. 22 23. Luke 23. 43. Phil. 1. 21 23. Heb. 9. 27. Rev. 6. 9. Besides are innumerable places to prove Resurrection eternal Judgment and Life everlasting Things are fixed and not according to Mens Fancies one way or another those Decrees and Ordinances remain still the same in Heaven Of which we could know no more unless they had been â—old unto us by the Son of God who came down from Heaven and the Spirit from above then one now lying in the lowest Dungeon doth know of what is done in this World. And they do not vary change or alter with our several apprehensions of them whether of assurance or doubt no more then the Sun ceases from shining when only a Cloud comes between Let the sick Person use continual Ejaculations Lord increase my Faith And God will not leave him But he shall receive the end of his Faith the Salvation of his Soul. There cannot be too much Strength or Comfort laid up against this Day it should be the business of a Christians whole Life before for it is the entrance into an endless Life It is the fulfilling and Manifestation of whatever he hath heard Read or done in Truth pertaining to God and Religion And indeed it is worth while to do all things to go off safely He will have Peace in his Life and strong Consolation in his Death Let him observe all parts of Duty to God his Neighbour and himself throughout the Course of his Days Let him do what he can in Sincerity and Truth Whoso doth these things shall never be moved He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2. 11. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good Work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ Pâ—â—l 1. 6. We may be certain of using the means of perseverance for God hath put them into our Power and as long as we rightly use those means we shall infallibly persevere So that in the mean while we may be assured and at last have true and cercertain hopes of Resurrection unto eternal Life And there cannot be such Fright and Amazement concerning that which is to make the everlasting Decision either when it is far off or near at hand If any one hath let him search and examine his Conscience impartially either he doth something which he ought not to do or he leaves something undone which he ought to do this makes him horribly afraid and must be amended before he can be freed from the Danger which the Fear gives warning of A true Christian can contentedly look for the blessed Hope even in the midst of Life he can find Comfort and sweet in the thoughts of Death as that which will free from the disturbances of Flesh and Blood the Molestations of an unthankful unbelieving ignorant World from the Miseries and Labours of Life and send him over unto eternal Rest and Rejoycing To come to the Enjoyment of our Lord Jesus Christ to be admitted into Fellowship with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Prophets Apostles Martyrs all the Good and Wise Men since the World began to be gathered unto his Fathers to see his Godly Friends and Acquaintance of the same Generation with himself just gone before all this must be a desirable thing The dead may be supposed to be about five hundred to one more then the living now are those whom thou leavest behind shall in a little time follow thee and the People which shall be born shall die in like manner and shortly God will accomplish his whole Elect. None hath advantage who goes before or after And seeing the River must be gone over it is small difference who hath a longer or shorter Passage so we avoid the Rocks and Dangers in the way The pious Soul will be in a Strait willing to stay and yet have a mind to go and there is some Irksomeness to leave the World as now it is to change the place where we have long dwelt Our Nature is something made up of Contraries willing and yet unwilling but if God doth really send as we know not his Pleasure until after the use of all prudent Remedies the Sickness proves unto Death Fear not to go for he calls thee Remember that Petition thou hast often made Thy Kingdom come and when it is wilt thou then shrink back One end of Sickness is to make us the more willing to leave the World. Whatever is sudden doth surprize for the time but then it is soon over whereas that which comes on by Degrees and expected is longer but then more easily born Good Men have been divided in Opinion about this thing those who have been for a sudden departure have rightly thought the only Preparation is by an holy Life for the Gospel speaks of no other It Commands to Watch to have our Loyns girt and our Lamps burning and this is to be done in the midst of Health Life and Vigour There is much Talk in the World about providing for ones latter End but unless to settle temporal Affairs from the example of Hezekiah there is not so much said thereof throughout the whole Word of God. It is the beginning of Error and Deceit when People depart from that It is Non sense and Contradiction to the saying of our Saviour John. 9. 4. to put off the working while it is day till the night cometh when no Man can Work. Who purposely put off the working out their Salvation till that time had best have a great Care what they do for besides the hazard of being taken away by sudden Death yet if they should have considerable time of Sickness or Old decrepit Age they have no such Warrant of being accepted Hear what God saith Mal. 1. 8. of offering the Blind the Lame the Sick for Sacrifice But if some are against Death by the ordinary way of Sickness because that is tiresome and may be an occasion of murmuring Distrust Unbelief blasphemous Speeches which proceed from violent Distempers yet we should not refuse to suffer whatever God thinks fit to lay upon us He knows our Condition and will not enter into Judgment for the meer Sin of the Disease no more then he imputes the Follies of Childhood We are to receive for the things done in the Body 2 Cor. 5. 10. to be judged according to the general Tenour and Bent of our Life Neither will our most merciful God take advantage of any infirmity or slip at the last He will not suffer us for any Pains of Death to fall from him The Church prays so for more abundant security and also to deliver from sudden Death O Lord thou knowest what is best for every one of us Thy Will be done Whether this first coming of the Son of Man finds in the
7 12 13 22. It is the great Aggravation of the Sin of Apostacy concerning which the Apostle speaks so dreadfully Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and Chapter 10. 26 27. Who were once enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good VVord of God and of the Powers of the VVorld to come If they shall fall away When one formerly hath had experience of the ways of Sin and then by Conversion hath full experience of the ways of God to fall away again from them is to pronounce on Satans side that he is the best Master as who hath judged of both and then resolvedly with Deliberation to determine for him which must be an exceeding Provocation to the Divine Majesty In like manner the next Degree to that is when one hath perceived to the utmost all the Delights of Sin and Vanity when he hath went from Flower to Flower and is either wearied in the Range and by insufficiency of some may be fully perswaded of the like in the rest yet still to cleave unto these nauseating empty and deluding Follies to seem to give Gods word the Lye which speaks of the Misery and Deceitfulness of them by owning the Happiness of them when he is convinced to the contrary to refuse to be reformed to shew himself despitefully and disdainfully against the ways of Holiness to give no Credit to the real good that is in them or when he assents there is not to follow after them but keep the preference to Old dreggy Lusts making his boast of them to stick unto Harlots when their Skirt is uncovered and the Filthiness of them fully known yet to esteem them before the true Beloved the chiefest of ten Thousand When he hath sufficiently found how little Fruit there is in those things whereof he was at first ashamed but still continues in them and hardens his Face When he is told the end of them is Death When for some considerable time sufficient to make a true and impartial Decision and by reason of use he hath had his Senses exercised to discern good and evil and he remains in the last still when all these things have been done and yet he perseveres wilfully and stubbornly to follow them against the Commands and forbidding of his Maker All these are sad Signs and Prognosticks that such an one will never come to Repentance but it is just with God after repeated Provocations of this manner to give him over to vile Affections and then he may dote upon his Destruction and be utterly estranged from the way of Salvation It is necessary to consider the Nature and end of things in order to state them aright many Souls have perished by mistakes and false Notions of Repentance Who have fallen from this Plank and been drowned in the Waters which would have carried them into the Promised Land if they had relied upon the whole instead of a part thereof or had not suffered it to slip from them by intending to lay hold on it but were not able it being gone too far from them To prevent as much Danger for the future as may be to have this sure and stedfast let the Reader be once more put in mind whereof he hath read or heard often that the word in the Greek Language Metanoia by which Repentance is signified in the New Testament imports a Change of mind and is expressed in words at length Rom. 12. 2. Gal. 6. 15. Eph. 4. 22 23 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is Superfluous but yet safe to set down though the Observation hath been so often made already of Metamelia and Metanoia in 2 Cor. 7. 8 9. Where Paul speaks of himself I did repent that is I was vexed for the time he Expresses it by the first Word but when ye sorrowed to Repentance Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of He Expresses that by Metanoia which plainly manifests that Metamelia is such as must be again repented of and doth not avail to Salvation Repentance in the Old Testament is seldom named but is intended by that Phrase of turning away from your iniquities to this give all the Prophets witness which might be done as to the outward Act. The Evangelical Prophet Isaiah goes further Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts Isa 55. 7. but the Gospel in a more especial manner is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart and makes use of this word Repentance which reaches to the very ground of it So that it is not a bare ceasing to speak or do Evil and retaining affection to the same in the Soul but that must be altered into a real dislike and hatred of Evil. As Sin doth first take its Rise from the Heart prâ—curâ—ng a Consent there and thence come forth into Word and Act so in the forsaking it may go backwards and by first leaving of the Actions and Speeches we may at length come to have an inward Detestation of it for less then this is insufficient to perfect the Work of Repentance Let nothing be said here or in any other place to exclude that growth and Proficiency of the Christian Life for that as none of Gods Works are done of a sudden with the beginnig increase and exercise thereof is the great end of our abiding in this World. The method of the working of his Grace like driving out †Exod. 23. 30. the Canaanites from within is by little and little None need to be perplexed or disturbed about this for if any should be taken away in the midst of his days and of the good Work yet if our merciful God sees a sincere tending towards it he accepts thereof as if actually done God forbid on the one hand any thing should be said to give License or Encouragement to Sin so again on the other let all things be done for the Hope and Consolation of all those who will come in due time and accept of Mercy This being the peculiar Priviledge of poor mankind and the means which our most merciful God hath ordained to save themselves from the Wrath to come far be it from me or any other to shorten the extent of it or to prescribe exactly at what time or to what pitch of abhorrence and Contrition it must be Even such as our Supream Judge will be pleased to accept of God is not tyed to the Fancies of Men if some Prophesie smooth things and others too hard Speeches he will not Ratifie what they say but condemn whom Man absolves as again acquit whom Man condemus Nevertheless he hath declared He will Judge the World Psal 96. 13. in Righteousness and with his Truth And will rectifie and excuse if it should be here mistaken on the severer hand as it being against our selves we are not apt to do neither indeed ought for Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment Yet for the safety of all as to give
still act pursuant to it This suggests not to labour in vain not lightly to endeavour but surely to get the thing we aim at when it may be certainly had by giving all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure He that goes but half way will no more come to his Journeys end then he who doth not move one step towards it when he hath gone so far Reason prompts to go on throughly because there is so much behind and a little more will set him at the desired end What did induce to begin doth urge to press forwards still and to use those further helps which are necessary towards it He is an unthinking Fool who is regardless of his own Happiness or Misery especially when a slight appearance of the first and not enduring to be interrupted makes him willing to be thus but as he loves his own pleasure or ease let him endeavour to preserve it still by taking care against this shall fail what will be hereafter Every Soul must go into Heaven or Hell there is no avoiding of it We are invited to the first with Intreaties Solicitations gracious Methods and all good ways God would have all Men to be saved so there is a willingness in them to be saved likewise But the difference is He would have it only in the way of Obedience and Holiness they are for any other then that or not going or not continuing therein so much as they should Now when it is taking care for themselves or a fear of the Wrath to come they imagine less will preserve from that an indifferent outward Conversation and not open Ungodliness or abstinence from such scandalous Sins will set them safe as to all But had they a true love for God they would think nothing they could do too much for him The other thoughts will be quieted by Deceits and false Presumption But further when a Man sees a good set before him to be had at such a time there he goes on contentedly with such a course of action and endeavour as he knows before-hand is necessary to obtain it Neither is he impatient if not had sooner for he knew before it would not be until then The recompence of reward is much more valuable then all those little ends Men propose to themselves here and will abundantly answer for all seeming disadvantages it hath over present things But it is reserved in another World we must in a short time go out of this and in the mean while use those means which God who hath promised it in his Word hath there taught as necessary to be partaker of it What our Saviour advises of a King making War so we may consider of the terms on which we are to enter into Gods Service only Grace here and Glory hereafter necessary accommodations for our Pilgrimage but the true rest to come of which we have this assurance we must depart from this we are now in and he is as good as his word in what things he promised as to the present And therefore we may trust further on However if he should suffer us to continue in the dust of the Earâ—â— it is but what we were before we can lose nothing we have his Word that he will not leave us there but raise us up again and reward us Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107. 43. They shall see the Justice and Equity of his proceedings in that they shall certainly have what he hath promised only it belongeth to them to be meet partakers thereof The sure way to obtain is to have Faith in God and to love him with all our Heart Never any perished that had these Moses indeed came on Mount Pisgah he saw an earthly Canaan and never came into it but now is in a much beâ—ter viz. the Heavenly Men may be and are disappointed in their pursuits after earthly things though they used diligence and wisdom and were ready to lay hold on them but none that doth so as to Heaven who hath the Hope which enters within the Vail and such a 〈◊〉 thereof as to overlook present things who takes up this firm resolution for that will I labour and care all the days of my Life he shall not miss thereof Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your Labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Willingness to be happy self-preservation and knowing the time to come will be as much present as what now is these set forward but then godly Discretion and the Wisdom from above make a perfect and a blessed Work to be such as to entitle to the promises to strive earnestly the first points at the good this puts in a certain way of having it It is one prejudice against Religion that Men may do much therein and yet all do not come to Heaven that propose this to themselves It is most certain that without Obedience to God there is no Salvation to be had For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish Isa 60. 12. which is true as to every particular Soul. And though several bear Fruit for a season and go aside others continue longer in a blind course of partial Obedience and yet miscarry for all this is their want of consideration of what God doth sufficiently fore-warn them in his Word as Mat. 5. 20. and in other places They might do more if they would They might obey and follow the direction of Scriptures but some are for seeking Salvation any where else would work it out of their own wiâ— and fancies Surely it is convenient to stand beholden unto him for that which himself promises and shews the way and is the only Author of If the Man would please and get the favour of God it is requisite he should hearken and attend unto what is his Mind and Will. If he would not be mistaken in the only way to Happiness it is reasonable he should give up himself to this guide of the Lord. The Wisdom of the prudeâ—â— is to understand his way but the Folly of Fools is deceit Prov. 14. 8. There have many perished through the subtlety of Satan and the deceitfulness of their own Hearts through their wilfulness and inconsideratiou not suffering themselves to be instructed aright or they will not seek out true Information as all wise Men are very careful to do in their Titles to their Estate or making sure of any temporal good And they would do the very same in reference to the eternal if they did throughly exeâ—cise that Wisdom God hath given them which dictates to make use of his Grace and Means his Word and Truth In all those Fancies Excuses and Deceits which beguil so many if they would give their thoughts full scope something would come in to deâ—ect the falshood of them but they greedily take up with the
an high condition and as much as ever they can It may be observed that whilst in our Mothers Womb we grow up as Plants afterwards like young Beasts we Eat Drink Sleep and Play till the Organs come to be fitted for the exercise of Reason then we become Men but yet many live like Beasts all their days pursuing only the same end and that which was designed to seek after divine things degenerates and serves only to minister unto the Brutish part of Man. If he would keep in his honour and understanding and advance further if he hath really Prudence and Discretion he might know thus much that when the Lower ends are attained he should rise higher When Hunger and Thirst are satisfied what is all this for but to seek after the Bread of Heaven and to thirst after the Wells of Salvation When what he eats every day with his Mouth is cast into the draught and signifies no more but for the present hiâ— common and daily Work according to Gods Ordinance supplies him with that when he sees this comes to no more but just to keep life for the time this suggests not to labour for the Meat which perisheth but for the Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life When our Clothes wax old and new are had which are daily put on and off there is dressing and making neat What is all this for but to fit us unto something else to seek unto the Lord to be Clothed with the Garments of Salvation and to be covered with the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61. 10. to be arrayed in fine Linnen clean and white Rev. 19. 8. Doth not the Body wax old with the Raiment it weares Hath it not the like changes going to Bed puts in mind of laying aside these Rags of Flesh in the Chamber of the Grave The Morning may be an Emblem of the Resurrection our doing the same things shews forth the Happiness of Heaven which doth not so much consist in infinite and successive variety but all imperfection and tiresomeness shall be done away and we shall have full and satisfactory Objects for our desires The washing and making neat prompts to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit The rubbing away the dirt contracted by the sordes of the Body or outward things teaches to be pure Men and Women just as we were made without additional Plaistering or Colour This again puts upon adorning the hidden Man of the Heart which is not corruptible and all in order to be glorified both in Body and Soul hereafter Still Men do act but half way this living in the World points out what is to be done towards and as it were shews unto us the endless Life This Life is lent to make ready for the other It is an essential part of Wisdom to refer all things to the most excellent end to have an Eye still fixt upon that and then order our going accordingly Wherefore do I live here these few days and full of trouble To behold the Heavens at a great distance and see the outside only as we do not much more of the Earth we tread on to run through that Succession of Day and Night Summer and Winter and that small variety of things nearer to us Company Business necessary Actions we are quickly weary with all this but there being much more as Gods Revelation speaks of our Life was given to great ends and purposes wherein the Almighty Creator hath manifested his own Wisdom and Glory And then Is not Immortality more to be minded then a dying Life Is not Perfection rather to be sought after then to lie down under our Imperfection If one was wholly to be given up yet still the greater good is to be preferred before the less but when they may both stand together nay if the less is better managed when it is towards attainment of the other this will be a mighty Argument for the equality of Gods Ways towards Men. If the Life that now is may as well yea be better continued and preserved by ordering it so as God would have it in pursuance to the eternal Life he hath promised this demonstrates him to be most Righteous but our selves unreasonable and foolish if we do not comply therewith This is done by getting necessaries and conveniencies then in the use and exercise of them The Grace of God hath excellently prescribed for both Teaching that we should live Soberly and Righteously in this present World Tit. 2. 12. But we are to be advertised of what our Lord saith A Mans Life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth Luke 12. 15. It requireth no more then Meat Drink Raiment Habitation convenient for him remembring still what he is where he is and whither he is going A noble Soul enrapt in Flesh and therefore is for the pure desires of that only By the Well and in the Wilderness and therefore is to have a refreshment no continued sitting down some divertisement and delight but no perfect and lasting Happiness till he is come to the place God hath provided for him Since things are so as we are told in his Word and find True by Consideration out of it If we might not be carried through here by going his Way and according to his Directions then there was some excuse for distrust and revolt from him as now there is none at all On whom may we more safely depend then the God who giveth Food to all Flesh Who seedeth the Fowls of the Air albeit they Sow not neither do they Reap Mat. 6. 26. much more would he feed us also as we are better then they in the Rank of Creatures but yet more as we would shew our selves Obedient Children This is the more certain way of getting a comfortable Subsistence for every one both Just or Unjust would willingly have to do with an honest Man so hereby he hath more Custom or Employment This is so evident that all at least pretend and make a shew of being so though few act according and keep close to the true rules thereof It is just and equal that one Man should live by another that anothers Calling should maintain him as we are willing our own should as to us This is agreeable to the Royal and Fundamental Law provided that no Deceit Lying Over-reaching or other Sin be committed on this excuse for under this they do shelter Unrighteousness and Wrong The nature of Evil is fixt in it self and is not to be done under any pretended Good. None would care to be imposed upon or served after an indirect manner himself The Sin of Dishonesty is so shameful odious and prejudicial to Interest in the World that those who do not fear God nor have regard to futurity will conceal or mitigate it as much as they can for their Credit is their Livelihood and if they lose that they lose all none will deal with them So Honesty is the best Policy in this World the
Judgment Yea those which seem more significative in which considered abstractedly there is no ill as ingenuous Arts unnecessary Learning and several other things may be used as Recreations only but if insisted on they are something besides the matter in hand and at last tend to nothing but to further the great loss It would appear so whilst the Man was in the midst thereof if he did not go on in a blind hurry and inconsideration but it will be plainly discerned towards and at the conclusion I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad Psal 119. 96. Nothing remains in a Man besides what he doth in the Service of God and for the good of his own Soul. That the Body is a consuming but the other part a more enduring substance may be a little seen by this because all Acts done as to the first do just serve the present end and then utterly perish they are determined with the day whatever is done in order thereto yesterdays Eating and Drinking doth not satisfie present Hunger But the Soul is even now bettered and improved for what she received some years ago The incorruptible Seed of the VVord springs up that was sown long since and though immediately at first it may seem buried it will rise up and bear Fruit to everlasting Life This is the proper and adequate thing for her Spiritual and Immortal nature The words of Eternal Life make her increase whilst the Flesh decreases He that hath my VVord let him speak my VVord faithfully what is the Chaff to the VVheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. 28. Even now the difference may be perceived for the one doth not nourish like the other this abides for ever when that shall be utterly blown away Examine all the Actions and Designs of Men of whatever Nature and great Reputation they may bear in the World though many are long in compassing yet the several intermedial Acts pass away like the trace of a Cloud When the end is obtained it is little unsatisfactory and perishing and at length as they might have been put in mind by so many little Deaths foregoing Death comes indeed and there is an utter end of all they have done which avails nothing at all But the business of Religion all the Life long is Firm and Stedfast Real and Constant there is a sensible growth in Grace and Knowledge a renewal of the inward Man day by day a building up in our most holy Faith a laying in a Foundation against the time to come by good Works And at last it ends in Peace according as the Scriptures speak which being found true is an earnest and assurance that it is finished in Glory I humbly conceive God therefore put such a vain and transitory Nature in whatever is here below that Man might the more lay hold on this substantial and enduring thing For who knoweth what is good for Man in this life all the days of his vain Life which he spendeth as a shadow Eccles 6. 12. Nothing but the fear of God and keeping his Commandments as he concludes the whole Eccles 12. 13. What is before us is the principal hindrance to this great and only end We have another divine Writer speaking on this wise Love not the VVorld neither the things that are in the VVorld 1 John 2. 15. One Reason of mighty force and cogency is added verse 17. The World passeth away and the Lust thereof but he that doth the VVill of God abideth for ever All our Life from Infancy and Childhood to the present day whether in Manhood or Old-Age to Forty Fifty or Sixty Years is but as yesterday Of the things heretofore done unless relating to our Immortal continuing part Nothing survives but a saint remembrance Many more are forgotten as if they were not done at all For the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in Lasciviousness Lusts Excâ—ss of VVine Revellings Banquetings 1 Pet. 4. 3. Call to mind all the Enjoyments you ever had and what doth result out of them at this instant You are not desired to make the Reflection in Sickness or on a Death-Bed but even now in the day of Health and Fruition Are they not the very same as if never perceived or had Thou canst think upon such a day that was Past in Joviality and Merriment and another which went away in vexation and dulness Compare them both now And what advantage hath the one over the other There is no difference of Happiness or Misery as to the past God hath so ordained that according as we spend these days of Vanity in his Service and Obedience or if in the neglect thereof so there abides an eternity of Pleasure or Pain And therefore it must be the greatest Wisdom to improve them to the utmost for attaining the Eternal Good to lay hold of every opportunity for Well-doing to do all things in the first place to secure the principal end and then to husband every moment to continue in all Duty to abound in every Vertue and good Work that we may be found accepted of him who Rewards every Man according to his Deeds It is an exceeding satisfaction to look back upon well spent Time when some things have been done rightly heretofore he is for securing the present and hath a joyful Hope and Expectation further on Whatever trouâ—le and weariness is in the Christian course those Temptations and Tryals the evil usage and inconveniencies from the World all these go off making a way for a greater Reward But call to remembrance the former days in which ye endured a great fight of Afflictions Think upon those Reproaches Hardâ—hips and Difficulties you have suffered the irksomeness of them is past the pain is gone but still God will not forget them for your denyal of Pleasures Profits and Honours it is now the same as if you had catched at them all In keeping the Commandments there is great Reward Psal 19. 11. There was a concomitant good and satisfaction which you had for the inconvenience or disquiet occasioned not through them but the Devil your own Corruption or this wicked World God suffering it so to be to keep his Servants here in Tryal and Warfare that also is over and gone and appears to be the like as if you had endured none or Pleasure instead thereof but further on is a day of Recompence which will make amends for all The Vngodly are not so Psal 1. 4. They are for the Pleasures of Sin for a Season for all the profits of Obedience and Transgression as sure as Gods word is true there doth belong to them an Eternity of Sorrow and Repentance an Hundred Years pain is a sad requital for the joy of a Minute But take them whilst their day of Rejoycing lasts as to the past the poorest Beggar is as Happy as they all the pleasure of their whole Life being no more
then last nights Dream It is finished and an end put to it hitherto all the pretended good vanishes away immediately with the several Acts. They dare not call to remembrance for Anguish of mind and sad Sighing they are more afraid to consider further on They desire to live over their time again not that they did find it altogether so pleasant but to be further off from what is behind this wish is as fruitless as it is tormenting The longer they continue to follow after sinful Pleasures and Profits They Treasure up Wrath against the day of VVratb and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. Now consider this ye that forget God least I tear you in pieces and there is none to deliver Psal 50. 22. Let the time hitherto suffice to have Sinned and Disobeyed your Maker But do so no more enter upon another Course of Life walk contrary to the former In that vast difference of the Actions of Men as to Obedience and Transgression the Conveniency and inconveniency the Pleasure and Pain pass away with the very Acts but the Good and Evil the Commendation or Guilt the Reward or Punishment they remain When things in this Place are done and over they are exactly the same as if they had never been at all and so is the nature of whatever is measured in Time but Gods Works are still worthy of himself For behold I Create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembrâ—d nor come into mind Isa 65. 17. They shall be much more glorious substantial and enduring We that are Creatures of a short Time here on Earth 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. shall also with the Transfiguration of the whole be advanced and made capable of being for ever When things are first done in a lesser degree in order to a greater When they are carried from Imperfection to Perfection When they are launched out from Time to Eternity thâ—s raises the greatest Admiration of the Wisdom of the Agent O Lord how great are thy Works thy Thoughts are very deep Psal 92. 5. I know that whatever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it and God doeth it that Men should fear before him Eccles 3. 14. There is no annihilation in things without Life so there may be no utter end in things with Life We have no express Revelation that Beasts Birds and Creeping things do Absolutely and Eternally Perish And as there is a strong desire in us of being for ever so the same instinct may be there ingrafted How know we but God to manifest his own Glory and Goodness may in the great Renovation of all things raise them up also to an higher state answerable to that they had here See and Consider well of Psal 104. 29 30 31. We see things come into Being which before were not all so to us they seem to cease again and just the same as if they had never been Such is Man himself whose Resurrection we do not behold as yet but it is made known to us from God that it will be and observing the like in Nature and even our Reason inferring the same which bears a lesser Testimony unto Faith that all things indeed are so Time and Motion do now divide the World and this tends unto and as it were shews the Eternal Rest Of all the Revolutions of the Sun over our Head we enjoy nothing but the present Thoughts maâ—â— run backwards or forwards but the impression of them now aâ—fects and so it is more of things of sence they Delight or Torment only whilst had or suffered The present soon passes into the condition of past Like Water that runneth apace the Streams are gone whilst seen others succeed which are just looked on One thing is catched at and the other drops away and so the one part perishes whilst the other is had There is no Time like the present and yet it is the least of all for compare it â—o what hath been and shall be and it is but a Moment to Years and Ages It is short but the tediousness thereof most Afflicts Those Pastimes which are said to make the Time pass away do it no otherwise then by taking away the Thoughts thereof So it is in Business Time in it self always passes with a certain and equal space but idleness makes most to think thereon and so it seems to delay Which shews how Man 's Nature is designed for Action and abhors Misery for he is Tormented with the tediousness of Time wishing that would hast away when he is free from the one and oppressed with the other Which prompts him to his right end and to that he is further quickened by Consideration of the Threatnings for if the least evil is so irksome and grievous when it is now light for a moment yet that is desired to pass away or the removal thereof much more should he endeavour to avoid the exceeding and eternal Misery When our mind is restless and uneasie it is a sign that we are not about our proper Business not in the right way nor going to that place where all are called and invited But when our Spirit is throughly pleased and satisfied when we can prove our selves and rejoyce in our own work then things are as they should be There is a natural and strong Inclination in the Soul to be Happy she is for doing those things which tend to that is vexed at what is contrary or hinders Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed and be still Psal 4. 4. Enter a little upon Retirement and get free from the Disturbance of outward things and then conclude what is to be done The shortness and determination of all things of this World doth manifest that they are not the proper end of Man they either go away from him or he from them And then what prudence is it to be still doing which profits but little at the very instant and nothing at all afterwards which thrust out greater concerns that are now to be begun and to remain for ever God now Commandeth all Men every where to Repent Acts 17. 30. The Language of Canaan like the Author thereof runs in the present Tence which though it may be understood of this Life this being the same to the days of Eternity aâ— this Minute to all our Time here Yet seeing we live in this point only Whosoever doth the Work of God doth it at the present Time for whatever we do is present and just before us And therefore it is a foolish delay and excuse with which the Devil deceives reasonable Creatures who caâ—e not to do a thing now but hereafter Whereas if they are against it only upon the account of its being present and would put it off they might know Either the future opportunity will be or not if the first then it will be also present with more disadvantages and difficulties
make as much yea more impression then worldly matters as it is of greater concernment Those Words whereby we shall be saved Acts 11. 14. are as gladly attended unto as the proposals of temporal Conveniency and Pleasure The Terrors of the Lord do as effectually perswade Men as they are beaten off from such a thing by its Evil and Danger When the Heart doth Love and Dread God it will Mâ—lt at hearing of the Law and Tremble at his Word Hereby the Kingdom of Heaven is opened unto all Bâ—lievers for when they hear thereof it is as if they saw it with their Eyes In the midst of Life they can look into the Chambers of Death have a Prospect of the Horrors of Dooms Day and the Misery of Damned Spirits which â—aisâ— sutâ—ble Affections and this is done by Words And the voice of VVords which voice they that heard intreated that the Word should not be spoken unto them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded Heb. 2 19 20. The Gospel was not brought in after such a terrible manner yet it being not in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance 1 Thes 1. 5. There being the greatest certainty that all will be fulfilled though it be in a still voice yet it causes as much and a more â—asting concern as those had at Mount Sinah Which declares all that God and Christ hath done for us since the World began and what is now a doing Christ sitting at the right Hand of God and making Intercession for us and how we are to behave our selves in the mean while and what shall be to Everlasting As now what is quickly spoken of is long in transaction for the Words of a Minute will comprize all the days of our Life here so what is or may be said of the succeeding one which is very much there will be a sutable space for fulfilling even all Eternity As Spiritual and Invisible things are discoursed of the hearer is stript and out of the Body not minding whither he hath any Flesh about him As there comes a Salutation the Babe leaps in the Womb the Soul lifts up her self at hearing of such things and is kept in from the World to come as an unborn Infant from this knowing that her spiritual Nature was designed for spiritual things all one as the Eye to see and the out ward Sences for things sensible It is her proper business to mind them and finds a like Gratification therein as the outward Rom. 8. 5. Man doth in his Employment and the good success thereof Let not the scornful Infidel come into our Assemblies thence Laugh or Imagine how the one sends forth Wind the others gape and suck it in think these to be the greatest Fools because The Preacher hath something for what he saith but they give and have nothing They Sow and Reap the Wind yet still they are the greatest Debtors and also wise in what they do If we have sown unto you Spiritual things is it a great matter if we shall reap your Carnal things 1 Cor. 9. 11. Neither do thou smile O ungodly Man for even that Reason and Inference thou pretendest to have for thus doing is a Spiritual thing As are all thy Principles of Evil those black Suggestions which arise from beneath the Imaginations of thy dark mind are not seen Why canst not thou likewise suppose that they are of a Spiritual nature and real which are from above God and his Grace which is written and manifested within us Do not go away in a slight cursory Apprehension but judge throughly and even thâ—â— mayest come to perceive of the things which we cannot represent to another but only by the help of Words They do as much transcend the natural Mans apprehension as Rational discourses the lgnorant and common Talk doth exceed the noise of brute Beasts All the Affairs of this World The Government of Kingdoms Transactions of Parliament Proceedings at common Law Administration of Physick are founded upon certain Propositions There are Rules and Skill as to inferiour Trades which are known by Thought Observation and so all the other Actions of Mankind both good and bad are the result of foregoing Thoughts which either are or might be made known by Words and therefore Whv should this be an Objection to Religion which is to nothing besides But here is an abuse and mistake the like whereof cannot be found in any other instance A plain Evidence there is an Enemy which doth strangely befool Mankind as to this one thing I mean that Deceit of resting in Words only as meer Devotion Reading or Hearing the Scriptures and Sermons or talking Godly without complying with what is prayed for and being doers of the Word One would think what Mâ—ses doth so often repeat was Impertinent Hâ—arken O Israel unto the Statutes for to do them Deut. 4. 1. This and the like phrase is repeated over and over in Deaterone ny and in innumerable places througâ—out the Scripture One might know as much without being particularly told thereof Yet the Wisdom of God fore-seeing this Deceit doth so often caution against it Nothing is more common in these days then the work done going to Church and there is an end But what is written in Gods Book and done in his Worship every least Syllable and part thereof is significative And who doth not think or do thereafter that Mans Religion is Vain and he is to have his Portion with Hypocrites and unbelievers Here is also a Lesson for those who instruct others Who say and do not Mat. 23. 3. Thou which Teachest another Teachest thou not thy self Rom 2. 21. Dost thou not conclude thy self because thou speakest against them which do such things and dost the same Herein appears the Justice of God that all those who fall under it shall even Condemn themselves and being convicted in their own Conscience shall subscribe to that as just and equal But what Wicked Men do in their own private Thoughts these do with the Mouth outwardly This proclaims our Judge Righteous because the Offenders affiâ—m Punishment due for such things but themselves Wiâ—ked and Foolish that still do the same It is a Marvellous thing that Reasonable and Wise Men should be deceived after this manner Whence doth it proceed â—uâ—from the subtlety of the Devil and that degree of Unbelief which would make it all pass for Words only even in those who profess to Believe and Teach the same There should be agreement between Thought Words and Actions for if the second do vary it is a Falshood and Lye if the third it is Dissimulation and Hypocrisie Cleanse the Fountain see that thy Thoughts be right and good then let thv Words and Actions be accordingly Let these be put forth and go together for saving thy self and those that hear thee Let them take from thy Mouth to turn into good Thoughts and Actions for themselves and tell