and prepared b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashioned as a Vessel the meaning is saith Dr. Preston that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good works to every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Labour to get your natures changed and hearts quickened you must be born again or cannot see the Kingdom of God Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart a renewed mind will and affections to have a saving principle put into your hearts and a disposition of Soul towards the whole will of God Cry mightily for the Spirit and wait for his movings upon the face of Sanctuary-waters and for a mighty power of God in the Gospel upon your Souls Get under the healing-wings of Christ and rest not looking unto Jesus till virtue go out from him to heal your Souls If this be thy restless desire thou can'st not let Christ alone running after him crying Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me he will turn again and have compassion and give the holy Spirit to them that unfeignedly and incessantly ask him Mark 10. 47 48 49. Luke 11. 13. Direct 2. Secondly cease from your own works Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy The first step in returning to God is departing from sin and self c Nihil nobis cum Deo esse potest nisi a nobis discedamus Calv. Neither can we saith Calvin hold converse with a holy God till we be estranged from our unholy self When the Apostle advises the Ephesians to put on the new man Eph. 4. 24. He first exhorts them to put off the old with his whole conversation vers 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Grace builds not on an old foundation neither does it adorn but reform the former conversation of called Saints there is no cloathing upon in regeneration-work the old garments must off before the new will come on Religion is not a covering for but a stripping off a sinful life neither can you be free to set on God's work till you leave your old works Rom. 6. 20. For when you were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness You had nothing to do with holiness you had no freedom to do God's work while you were Sins servants He speaks of their actual liberty from grace not their legal freedom d Libertas hic de facto non de jure intelligatur saith Paraeus you are not at liberty to do the work of holiness while under the command of sin No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. that is two contrary Lords How can the same man e Quomodo poterit unus idemque homo pietati se quantum opus est impendere simul circa divitias quaerendas servandasque perpetua solicitudine distrahi Grot. saith Grotius follow godliness as his work and at the same time be distracted with cares about getting and keeping earthly things 'T is a vanity for persons to dream of a compliance between sin and holiness whose work is too inconsistent for one Soul at one time ruling iniquity and grace are two contrary states which cannot meet in one person and time Never think of setting up on the Heavenly Trade till you are freed from hellish servitude and invested with the liberty of the Sons of God a freedom from the love and service of every sin Godliness calls for the whole of a man's heart strength and time and requires a person void of any inconsistent obligations resolve to break from every way of death if ever you think to enter into the way of life Direct 3. Thirdly Make over your selves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant they that will be Masters of a Trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons wills capacities and time to the instruction and government of another in order to their fitness for such a calling And so must souls that will learn Wisdom's Merchandise they must bind themselves to the Trade and make over themselves and their all to God in Christ to be taught and enabled to set up this excellent work Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that cannot be forgotten Sin had made a separation between their God and them and brought a death upon their mercies and Templeenjoyments but now the Spirit of Prophecy breathing on these dry bones moves them to a vital union with the fountain of life the onely regular way to their new work and mercies they must first be joyned to the Lord before they can be rejoyned to one another and re-enjoy their lost priviledges and this union lies in a hearty acceptance of offered grace a taking hold of God in Christ and a Covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its All to him again O for arms to embrace him saith Mr. Rutherford This is called a giving up of ones self to the Lord 2 Corinth 8. 5. But this they did not as we hoped but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God They exceeded our hope We onely expected some part of what was theirs but they gave themselves first to God and to us to be directed and governed by the will of God to be placed in the fellowship of his Gospel as well as their interests to the service of his people 'T is also a giving away of ones self to the Lord wholly unreservedly and perpetually to be no more his own 1 Cor. 6. 19. And ye are not your own This surrender of your selves to God souls must be in judgment understandingly and ariseth freely on choice universally without the least reservation absolutely without any limitation or conditions of our own eternally without any expiration and term of this grant and to be attested by all overt acts within your power Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's another shall call himself by the name of Jacob another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Jacob. Whatever may most fully ensure and express an absolute devotedness unto God must be done by those that ever expect to thrive in grace and godliness Verse 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses When once this implantation into Christ is dispatched then will the Lord give prosperity to that soul then are you in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings and like to speed well in this Heavenly Trade when you become entirely the Lord 's in order to it O be not
to the Lord Jesus A flock of Sheep whereof every one beareth twins and not one is barren Cant. 4. 12 13 14 16. Ch. 4. 2. 'T is compared to the Palm-tree the Cedar the Vine the Fig-tree a green Olive plants famous for flourishing growth clusters of fruit constant fruitfulness 't is said of the Fig-tree it bears fruit all the year long and in many places they shall always find green figs on it Such is the Spouse of Christ compared with the world and hypocrites fruitful and flourishing A good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7. 17. The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Prov. 12. 12. Where-ever the grace of God is received in truth there it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. As sin brings forth fruit unto death so doth grace unto life Rom. 6. 22. No sooner doth the Lord Jesus espouse a Soul but he heals it of its barrenness He maketh the barren Woman to keep house Psal 113. 9. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15. 2. A barren Christian is a monster in Religion no living member of Christ's body indeed there are Winter-seasons when fruit may not appear but even then 't is in the seed and sap and there is a preparative for fruit which appears in the season but to be always without the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. is a sign of one that never had marriage-union and intimate communion with Jesus Christ but is the certain mark of a fruitless Fig-tree in danger of cutting down and the character of that ground which is cursed and nigh to burning Luke 13. 7. 9. Heb. 6. 8. Souls try your state 't is for your lives your All depends upon your marriage-union with Christ Had you never any special acquaintance with Christ Have you no conjugal love to Christ Cannot you consent to leave all for Christ Do you usually live and stay on other things for life and salvation and not on Christ Have you been ever barren souls that never brought forth the fruits of the Spirit unto God then were you never married to Christ nor have any true title to heavenly treasures Mark 2. Secondly your interest in heavenly things is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them Where the treasure is there will the heart be Mat. 6. 21. If heavenly things be yours your heart is there worldly men have the World set in their hearts Eccl. 3. 11. Their heart is but the World copied out so heavenly souls have Heaven set in their hearts which are but the counterpane of Heaven every thing hath a natural love to his own the World will love his own Joh. 15. 19. No man ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5. 29. What affections have brute beasts for their young and will venture their lives to defend and maintain them 'T is storied of the Storks when the Town of Delph in the low Countreys was on fire and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests they endeavoured to carry away their young but when they could not remove them they flutter'd over them with their wings covering them from the flames till they all perished together Belg. Com. wealth So strong is natural affection to its interest and the natural issues of it self much stronger should gracious affections be to their interests O how I love thy Law saith David 't is my meditation all the day long Psal 119. 97. Whence came this affection it was from his interest in those great and lovely truths Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I chosen as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Souls risen with Christ and born to the inheritance above will set their affections on things above Col. 3. 1 2. Where is thy heart Christian in Heaven or Earth what things are dearest to thee and sweetest to thy taste canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life had'st thou rather be a door-keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World Is a little of Heaven better than a great deal of Earth and can thy heart consent to be at any loss in the World to enjoy God in his Ordinances and to be enriched with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Then heavenly things are thine Mark 3. Thirdly if heavenly things be yours it will appear by your heart-cares for them and vigorous pursuits of them how careful are men of their interests to secure and enlarge them Phil. 2. 21. All men seek their own If the things of Heaven be yours your greatest care will be to get and keep them when Kish thought his Son Saul was lost he left caring for the Asses sorrowing for him saying What shall I do for my Son 1 Sam. 10. 2 Christians if heavenly things be yours they will lie nearer your hearts than all the World besides the sense or fear of losing them will more trouble you than all losses besides the world relations creature-comforts will be forgotten when you apprehend a death on your heavenly interests you will do more and part with more to get Heaven than the World and dearest comforts of it Many will pretend desires for Heaven as the young man in the Gospel but Christ will say to them as to his Hearers Mat. 5. 47. What do you more than others Souls you would have Christ here and Heaven hereafter but what do you for it what do you more than hypocrites and common professors whose portion is in this life can you leave the world for God can you deny your self for the pleasing of Christ and part with your right eye and right hand throw away your Idols of gold and silver the world and fleshly lusts and honour God with your time strength and substance Can you let your Plough stand still to follow God's and stick at no pains and hardships to enjoy the least spiritual good Then are heavenly things yours Mark 4. Fourthly Then are you interested in Heavenly Treasures when your hearts and spirits are suited to them when the Lord hath let in a heavenly tincture on your hearts and inlaid your spirits with heavenliness and a mind that answers to heavenly things as face answers face in the water When God intends men for Heaven he doth in time fit them for it and where he gives a title to mercy he gives a capacity also where he makes over the riches of glory he makes that soul a vessel fit for glory Men do not purchase Pearls for Swine and build Schools for brute beasts God did not make the Heavens for fishes and the Sea for beasts but suited every creature to its element They that are his Adoption are his new Creation also Ephes 2. 10. and when they are designed to a blessed end they are principled for it and have a disposition put into them to move towards it They that are set apart for Heaven hereafter do
have their life above above the world and things below and such should their work be also How pleasant should heavenly work be to heavenly souls which Believers are and should be Secondly Christians set upon heavenly work for as is your work so will your maintenance be They who do that work which the world cannot have that meat and drink which the world knoweth not Joh. 4. 32 34. The Lord hath dainties and peculiar refreshments for those who are single and faithful in his work they have joyes which strangers intermeddle not with Prov. 14. 10. Whoever go without his labourers shall not lack He keeps a good table for his work-men In keeping of his Commands there 's great reward Psal 19. 11. They eat the fat and drink the sweet Neh. 8. 10. The marrow the spiced wine the hidden Manna is their meat and drink so far as they have need of it O the sweet bits and pleasant sips they miss of who are idle in God's Vineyard They that will not work shall not eat 2 Thes 3. 10. Would you live high in your spiritual comforts then work hard in your spiritual work Thirdly As is your work so will your company be They that do earthly work have earthly companions to labour with them As is mens Trade such is their company The children of the night have their fellowship with unfruitfull works of darkness Ephes 5. 11. and gracious souls are companions with them that fear God Psal 119. 63. Wicked workers have wicked men and devils casting in their lot with them Prov. 1. 14. And so have heavenly Traders heavenly company they have the presence of God with them 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you are with him They have the Comforter with them Joh. 14. 16. He shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Rom. 8. 11. By his Spirit that dwelleth in you No company like the Comforter friends may leave you but if you keep with God and do his will the Spirit of God will abide with you for ever though he may not alwaies be seen of you yet he will alwaies reside with you At the best friends can but stay with you but the Spirit of Christ will dwell in you and give you the nearest and most intimate acquaintance with himself if you obey his voice and follow him God's labourers have the company of Angels also they are ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. They pitch their tents about them that fear God Psal 34. 7. and have it given in charge to take care of the Children of God and to carry them in their arms that they dash not their feet against a stone Psal 91. 11. Those are lovely company indeed such as will never hurt you but do you good you shall be the better for them Prov. 13. 20. Fourthly As is your work so will your wages be to all eternity though not for your work yet according to it Rom. 2. 6. Who shall render to every man according to his deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to not for their works The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting here saith Paraeus c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non meritum significat sed mensuram ceu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae praemia distribuentur indebita poenae irrogaountur promeritae Paraeus Non propter quid sed quibus sit danda docetur Idem not the merit but the measure analogy or rule by which undeserved rewards shall be distributed and just punishments shall be inflicted as the word is used Mat. 9. 29. ch 23. 3. And so as it refers to glory saith he it rather describes the person to whom this glory shall be given then shews the cause why it is given as Mat. 25. 34 35. Also the word rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for a free reward that hath no respect to desert Mat. 20. 8. The same reward being given to him that wrought one hour as to those that bore the heat and burden of the day So that the word according notes the kind of work not the cause of reward reward as it refers to salvation Suitable to that of Christ Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed evil works have their causality and desert of punishment but not good works of reward Gryner gives three reasons of the difference First Because good works proceed from God and are the fruits of his Spirit in us but evil works proceed from man and are the effects of his own spirit and will Secondly good works are imperfectly good as to degrees and therefore cannot merit but evil works are perfectly evil and therefore deserve death Thirdly Good works are commanded and so are but our duty and cannot merit payment of debts are not purchase but sins are forbidden and so are a breach of the Law of God and deserve death Luke 17. 10. The gift of God is eternal life but the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Death is wages due but life is a gift altogether free By grace ye are saved Ephes 2. 5. There can be no desert of glory in the most spiritual duties of man Because First They are not man's work but God's in him John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Holiness is called the fruit of the Spirit Ephes 5. 9. Now the reward is due by way of debt to him that worketh but to him that worketh not 't is of grace Rom. 4. 4 5. and therefore reward is not due to Saints who work not but by strict way of justice rather to the Spirit that worketh in them Secondly They are no way proportionable to the reward and so not meritorious Their work is imperfect they know but in part and do but in part 1 Cor. 3. 9. Phil. 3. 12. The best duties as they come from the Saints here are spotty and as sweet waters that come from an evil vessel they savour of the cask through which they come but glory is perfect omnibus modis and hath no defect in it Our works also are finite being created and creature-actions but the reward is infinite the love and glory of an infinite God Thirdly Though our Holiness were perfect yet it could not merit because it is due to God from that relation we bear to him as his creatures and redeemed ones and from our promise and covenant with him to love obey and serve him Ephes 2. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Duties are but debts not acts of favour to God We owe God our selves and our all and are indebted to Christ for his Redemption-grace more than we can ever pay we cannot though we do all we possible can requite the blood of Christ and love of Christ and till we are out
marriage-day must be delayed till you come to a full age The Saints must be as a shock of corn that cometh in in its season Job 5. 25. Ripen a pace in your graces if you would get to glory Get your faith hope patience and every grace encreased daily especially your love to God that 's the grace shall abide in glory 1 Cor. 13. 8. Faith and Hope are the soul's helps and companions in the way but Love will be an eternal inhabitant with you Get purer deeper rooted stronger more enlarged love to Jesus Christ every day till you be downright sick for him this will make your life a death without his presence here and your death to be life in being with him for ever 'T was love to Christ made Ignatius so dead to all things below a Vita sine Christo mors est Ignat. and so longing to be with Christ 'T is storied of him that when he was dead and his heart taken out they saw the name of Jesus written in it in letters of Gold The more love to God the more fit for God for God is love b Non est in me incendium quidpiam amans D. Ludov. Rub. Thirdly Get and keep the testimony of a good conscience that may witness for you in the day of Christ when you die you are to have a trial for your life your inheritance your All and you had need have your witness firm and ready Now there are two great witnesses you will need in that day to clear your title the witness of Conscience and the Spirit have the one on your side and you will not want the other Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works by the Spirit of Christ that it may be able to appear for you in that day The blood of Christ will put words into the mouth of conscience for you to plead the general issue and the benefit of pardoning grace wherein you have been transgressors enlightned conscience will accuse you that you have sinned and besprinkled conscience will plead for you that you are pardoned and purged conscience will testify for you that you are changed and that you hate the evil you have done and love the holiness you have neglected O of what wonderful use will the testimony of a good conscience be when you stand at the Bar of God! Get it true to you now and sure for you then Fourthly Maintain more constant walks with God daily this will fit you for your eternal fellowship with him Converse with God is begun acquaintance here and in Heaven is perfect friendship and perpetual fellowship It will much fit you for Heaven hereafter to begin the work of Heaven here which lies in maintain'd intercourse with him Through these gallery-walks with God do the Saints pass into the Presence-Chamber and sit down with him for ever Communion with God now is Heaven begun such are fittest for his presence in glory who are train'd up in his company here Fifthly If you would prepare for Heaven dispatch your work on Earth Heaven is a state of rest and rest follows the finishing of labour Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 4. 13. Paul must end his fight finish his course and keep the faith before he can reach the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In the grave there 's no wisdom device or work this is your only time for labour while you are in the Vineyard O how much work is behind with most which will make a departure terrible to an awakened conscience Haste about your neglected work you have it may be much work to do with others in your families with your relations possibly there are some souls in their graves and you have not done what you might to bring them forth dead Husband Wife Children Servants for whom you must do more or cannot comfortably appear before God O hasten about this work that you may give up your account with joy There 's soul-work to be done to get corruptions subdued graces strengthned your accounts stated evidences cleared and lamps trimmed which must be attended with utmost vigour If you would get home finish your work Lastly Be alwaies ready waiting for the coming of the Lord Luke 12. 35 36. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Not only be waiting for your change but longing after it as persons that are ready for a desired journey think the time long ere they go Why are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Judg. 5. 28. The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. With the Virgins go out to meet him Mat. 25. 1. If you knew the welcome that abideth for you when you come home ye would hasten your pace Rutherf The more ready you are for the coming of Christ the more will you long for his appearance and the more grateful will his approach be The uncertainty of that time when the Lord Jesus shall appear and the unseasonableness of that surprisal for preparation-work should put Christians on continual readiness lest coming in an hour they know not of they be found unfit to enter in and the door be shut Mat. 25. 10. O how dreadful will a miscarriage be at last All the hopes labours and comfort of your life depend upon your final safety and happy conclusion of your day 'T is a great thing to live a sanctified and die a saved soul O how few imagine the difficulty of being a Christian indeed and the infinite concern of securing an immortal soul and a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world O the folly and madness of rational creatures to make every thing sure but salvation and to spend their time and strength about the many things of a perishing life and lose the better part Whoever thou art that castest thine eye upon this discourse thou wilt one day find Religion to be thy chiefest interest when thou comest to take thy farewel of a vain deceitful world and seest all thy Lovers for whom thou hast sleighted thy precious soul thy Soverign Lord and dying Redeemer to prove miserable comforters not able to afford one drop of balm to heal or cordial to chear thy fainting heart and affrighted conscience When thou seest pale death deliver thee a summons to appear before the holy God and to give an account of thy Stewardship when thou seest the Books opened and such a fearful charge against thy guilty conscience which thou canst not deny or answer then wilt thou find godliness in the power of it to be the greatest gain and would'st give ten thousand worlds for such an evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity And is not Religion as
subject of this Heavenly Trade Let those be Judges who know the worth of things call in Wisdome's Lapidaries let God Saints and Angels speak in this matter their verdict will be Wisdome's wares weigh down all as to their innate excellency I shall onely propose three evidences to determine this case and they are of unquestionable verity and a sufficient proof of this truth They are 1 Scripture 2 Experience 3 Reason First The Scriptures will tell you there are no wares like heavenly wares Deut. 32. 32. Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges His loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63. 3. And the light of his countenance than the encreases of corn and wine and oyl Psal 4. 6 6. The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. Tryed faith much better than gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. One day in God's Courts better than a thousand elsewhere Psa 84. 10. None in Heaven like to God nor any on earth in comparison of him Psal 73. 25. To make provision for the soul is the one thing needful to enjoy Christ and spiritual things is the better part that shall never be taken away Luk. 10. 42. The Kingdom of God is the chiefest thing to be sought for in the first place Matth. 6. 33. first in affection and first in time Multitude of testimonies might be produced from Scripture to attest this truth the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no goods like heavenly goods what do you trade for here is it for more than life you plot you work for you gain no more here than meat drink rayment money land credit and the like which onely tend to life but the favour of God is better than life one gracious look one whisper of peace from God weighs down all those riches pleasures honours do not make a happy man or woman the Scripture never reports such blessed as have the abundance of these things but rather miserable and unhappy obnoxious to more snares and dangers but godliness makes a blessed man and pardon of sin a happy man in God's account Psal 1 1 2. and 32. 1. whose testimony is truth it self and to be relied on beyond all the grounds of blinded opinion and false hopes Secondly Experience assures men of this truth that heavenly things are the best things come to a Soul that hath tried both one who hath had all that the World could afford on the one hand and hath also experienced the favour of God and spiritual things and he will tell you of spiritual things as David did of Goliah's Sword There is none like them 1 Sam. 21. 9. And as Solomon of the vertuous Wife These things above excel them all Prov. 31. 29. And wisdom is much better than Gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than Silver Prov. 16. 16. This was Solomon's experience who had the largest trial of any man he had Houses Vineyards Gardens Servants Silver Gold the peculiar treasures of Kings Greatness Pleasure Musick and whatsoever his eyes desired and upon all gives this verdict That wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excels darkness Eccles 24 13. Piety transcendeth Pravity Heaven the World Purity out-passeth Pleasures as Light doth Darkness When he speaks of things below he tells you These are all vanity and vexation of spirit he that labours for these labours for the wind Eccles 5. 16. and what he seeks finds not but when he speaks of wisdom and spiritual things he is as one that wants words to express their worth Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8. 11. David was a man who had tried various conditions in the World he knew what trouble and comfort was what youth and age was what poverty and riches were he had pleasures honours treasures with the hearts of his people and command of a Kingdom and yet he tells you he had seen an end of all perfection and that the light of God's countenance was better than all and to be a door-keeper a mean place in the house of God was more eligible than to abide in the tents of wickedness Psal 119. 96. Ps 4. 6. and 84. 10. He chooses it as his one thing To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Psal 27. 4. Moses knew what honour was and the pleasures of sin and yet upon choice preferr'd poverty with godliness on the side of truth before all the treasures of Egypt He refused to be called Pharaoh ' s Son rather choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 24 25 26. He knew the Nobles of Egypt and grandeur of Pharaoh's Court and yet could value a poor persecuted people that own'd God and cleav'd to him beyond them all Happy art thou O Israel who is like to thee Deut. 33. 20. He counts God the none-such Who is like to thee O God Ex. 15. 11. and Religion the best interest Set your hearts unto all the words I testify for it is not a vain thing for you for it is your life Deut. 32. 46 47. Ask of Paul and he will tell you what the fruit of sin and driving furiously against Christ and his interest was when the Lord Jesus came to reckon with and to pay him off in the way to Damascus Act. 9. 3 4. whose blow he felt many years after in Conscience twitches now and then 1 Tim 1. 13 15. And upon the sense of that change Grace made on his heart and condition he tells you that whatever he counted gain before he saw now to be loss for Christ Phil. 3. 6 7 8 9 10. There was a time when he thought his letter-knowledg blind zeal birth-priviledges legal duties popular applause Rulers favour and protection by Power to be great things but now he alters his reckoning and values the knowledg of Christ and interest in him and grace derived from the power of his death and resurrection to be an excellency that stain'd all his former glory The Jaylor once thought it his greatest interest to swim with the stream and sail by the compass of the times he lived in to run down the ways and servants of the Lord Jesus to obey his warrant and secure the Saints feet in his stocks Act. 16. ver 24 to 34. but when once Grace takes him in hand and plucks him through the strait-gate of conscience terrors and repentance into a state of regeneration then he corrects his errors and sees it his chiefest concern to espouse Christ and to come over into the way of persecuted godliness then to believe in the Lord Jesus to be kind to his servants and to drive the Trade of
ties and yet have never yielded any right subjection to it all your days but have violated all its righteous commands every day and moment of your life both in thought word and deed For he that keepeth the whole Law and yet offendeth in one point or iota is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. Debtors to Conscience whose Law is in force against you and by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 14 15. These having not the Law are a Law to themselves which shew the works of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another and yet you have broken these Conscience-bonds casting its cords from you how many ties hath Conscience laid upon you which you have broken going against the light and dictates thereof Debtors to all the World to whom in some respect or other you are obliged There are duties you owe to all men to love them and pray for them to all your neighbours and acquaintance to do them good as you have opportunity and to seek and endeavour their Salvation to your power which you have not done to this day There are duties you owe to your relations friends and family which you have neglected and have been encreasing your Original debt by running on new scores every day which can never be cancell'd or a power obtained to discharge your duties acceptably till you come to Christ and enter your souls into his new and everlasting Covenant setting upon those great and Evangelical duties of it Your slavery is also great till you come over to this blessed work You are in bondage unto Satan Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. 16. You serve incomparably the worst Lord a cruel Lord who hath no mercy but delights in the misery of fal'n man A roaring Lion that goes about seeking to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. A cursed one cast out from God cursed above all creatures reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day Gen. 3. 14. Jude verse 6. Thine implacable enemy that hates thee with a perfect hatred An Accuser that never speaks well of any A Murderer he was from the beginning Rev. 12. v. 10. and the original cause of all the destruction in Earth and Hell A false and deceitful creature that never kept his word with any A Lyar and the Father of Lies Joh. 8. 44. one that will be too hard for you and cheat your souls into destruction A miserable poor creature one that hath lost all his glory and excellency and hath nothing to give you for all your service but some of the same flames in which he must fry for ever This sinners is your Lord whom you have chosen and served all your daies And as you serve the worst Lord so you do the worst work base filthy shameful cursed work Such are all thy actions whiles in an unchanged state you do hard work no service like it you work and have no food to refresh you which is the cruellest bondage Israel in Egypt wrought hard and yet had flesh-pots Onions and Garlick to relieve them but you have nothing to feed your hopes and affections but lies and vanity you work and have no rayment to cover you all your employment makes you naked you labour and have no rest weary and heavy laden and yet feel it not Gen. 3. 7. Other Labourers have their successive quietudes but you have none the hireling hath his shadow the labourer hath his evening to give over his work his bed to sleep on but your work admits of no rest 't is never done you do the Devil's work day and night waking and sleeping nay while you eat and drink your work still goes on O sad servitude You work and have no wages All earthly Labourers have their penny something or other to compensate their pains money or maintenance but you have nothing in hand or hope here or hereafter but death and damnation the fruit of your labours here is more bitter than death and the wages at the end of your day wrath and vengeance worm and There can be no mirth saith Latimer where weeping is served in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second fire Mark 9. 44. And is not this bad employment and is it not time sinners to change your calling and to accept this offer made you of this excellent Trade Arg. 2. Secondly The danger that attends your present state should put you on a timely relinquishment of it You are poor and that exposes you to scorn and contempt to oppression treading down and crushing to devouring and destruction you are not safe from ruine one moment the next knock at thy door may be a call to Judgment Prov. 17. 5. Amos 4. 1. Hab. 3. 14. Prov. 10. 15. When thou liest down thou mayest make thy bed in Hell when thou awakest thou mayest see God on the Throne thy Soul at the Bar thy Accusers at thy right hand the Evidence in thy own breast the Sentence written in capital letters Go ye cursed Under thy feet a bottomless lake of fire and brimstone round about thee cruel Devils ready to seize upon thee and lodge thy guilty condemned soul in thine eternal home Matth. 24. 51. You have been Prodigals wasting what is not your own and are in danger every day of a charge against you You are deeply in debt and in danger of an arrest every hour when you go forth death may be at your heels when you return destruction may enter with you O the uncertainty of thy time sinner the danger of thy eternity the absolute ruine of thy immortal soul if thy reckoning begin before thy work and hast thou not reason then to hasten about thy great concern and to burn no more day-light in works of darkness Arg. 3. Thirdly Thy duty should quicken thy undertaking in this great employment Religion is not your Liberty but your manifold debt The Law of Creation binds you unto God you will confess you were made by him and God will profess you were made for him Isa 43. 21. This people have I formed for my self that they should shew forth my praise Your fall from the Covenant of Works is not your liberty from the essential duties of it neither is your incapacity to perform it a dispensation of your obedience 't is still your duty to return from whence you fell to take the Lord to be your God to love him with all your heart and with all your might to trust in him to fear and obey him A draught of these Covenant-duties did God place in your conscience by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. 15. though the counterpane you have defaced yet the Original Deed is with God and will be brought forth in the day of Christ against such as have not taken the Lord for their
duty are as the Hebrews in Goshen as Israel in the wilderness as Noah in the Ark they onely are safe from ruining evils when others are exposed to destroying judgments Thirdly Nay Holiness will not onely maintain and secure you but it will also enrich you and fill you with the best Treasures the true Riches Luke 16. 11. the tryed gold that cannot be corrupted or defrauded Matth. 6. 20. It will furnish you with the unsearchable riches of Christ the world hath its treasures and so hath Christ his precious substance to bestow on all that trade with and for him as hath been already shewn Fourthly Piety will cheer and delight you no comforts like theirs who walk with God in truth This was Hezekia's cordial when under a sentence of death Isa 38. 3. Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart And Paul's rejoycing that in all simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in this world 2 Cor. 1. 12. The purest pleasures flow down from the Throne and steam in thorough Sanctuary-waters into the soul Alas what are those drossy comforts that run thorough the worlds chanels which onely leave a slime behind and then empty themselves into the dead Sea of perdition perishing in their using Col. 2. 22. Carnal mirth hath a pleasant entrance but an ill farewell Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heaviness But Religion breeds the best contentments and most satisfying pleasures Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures Fifthly Wisdom's Trade will make you truly great and honourable and give you a place to walk among those that stand by Zach. 3. 7. That is saith Junius p Constituam te in eadem dignitate qua sunt Angeli Dei in Coelo inter ipsorum Myriadas in eadem Ecclesia conversaberis I will place thee in the same dignity the Angels of God enjoy in Heaven and thou shalt dwell in the same Church among those Myriades Prov. 4. 8. Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her V. 9. She shall give to thine head an Ornament of grace a Crown of glory shall she deliver thee How contemptibly soever the world looks on the waies of Godliness and those that espouse them yet all true greatness lies on the side of piety All the world's glory is but a Pageant a meer show of honour compared to that which is on the head of every true Believer Saints have the noblest extraction born of God the highest dignity made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. Ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 10. 6. Cloathed with the richest Ornaments perfect through divine comeliness Ezek. 16. 10 to 15. appointed to a Kingdom that is everlasting assured of Thrones and Crowns with Christ for evermore Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am sit down with my Father in his Throne A sure Throne shall Believers have above as certain as Christ is now upon his Fathers Throne and the same Throne that the Father gives to Christ specifically though not gradually A Crown fitted to their heads indeed Saints cannot wear the Crown Christ doth his is the Redeemer's Crown their 's the Redeemeds made of the same glory Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we suffer we shall also reign with him O blessed glory and greatly to be longed for whose measure is incomprehensible whose duration is undeterminable Now Sinners If these Arguments convince you that 't is your necessity interest and duty to set upon this great employment and you find your hearts really willing to come up to the proposed terms of this high Calling and embrace any counsels that lead thereto a Prima sanitatis pars est velle sanari A willingness to be healed is the first part of health Sen. Then Direct 1. First You must get a capacity for so excellent an undertaking Heavenly work is too high for earthly natures and special service for common endowments They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. Vltra posse non est esse 8. 8. No creature can act beyond its being 't is above the sphere of unchanged nature to carry up the Soul to things above there must be a spiritual principle before there can be a heavenly operation you must first be God's workmanship before you can do his work and be created to good works before you can walk therein Eph. 2. 10. 'T is a sad thing saith Mr. Caryl to see a bad Caryl Nature and principles of Love man do that which is bad yet it is a sadder sight to see a bad man continuing in his state to go on doing good this is the acting of the new creature's part in the old creature's state and what will that avail To set upon Religion in an unregenerate state is labour in vain the dumb may as well speak the blind see the dead walk while they remain such as they that are evil do good Can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Mat. 7. 18. Or a Fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter Jam. 3. 11. No more can an unsanctified Soul do holy work The person must be gracious before the work can be good God had first respect to Abel and then to his Offering Gen. 4. 4. The ungraffed Cherry-tree brings forth but harsh fruit let the soil and dressing be never so good so is the Soul under the highest priviledges and performances without implantation into Christ The root must bear the branch before the branch can bear fruit a breaking off from the wild Olive with a participation of the fatness of the good Olive-tree is absolutely necessary to true faithfulness Rom. 11. 17 18. Four things are needful to make an action Evangelically good a good Principle Matter Form and End neither of which is consistent with a man in his natural state 'T is dangerous also as well as vain for persons to set upon doing good and never care to become good for this deceives their own Souls making them think their condition safe when they are wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 16. and not only feeds an error in their state but strongly hinders the cure while these unprofitable duties consume Salvation-time and destroy Salvation-hopes despair is usually the issue of presumption and they that conceit too soon that all is well shall conclude when too late that it shall never be better This then is your first work Souls To be sanctified and made meet for your Masters use
who can know it none but he who searcheth the deep things of God can reach this bottom and bring to light the hidden things thereof The work of grace is a secret full of mysteries that none can open and fully know but the eternal Spirit that formed it in the womb of a Believer's heart Seeming grace hath so near a resemblance to saving grace that it puzzles the most curious and searching eye if not enlighten'd with a beam from Heaven to discern the difference besides the slender measures of the Spirit that most have attained to in this life with the subtil insinuations the false representations and treacherous prevarications of that bloody and irreconcilable enemy of mankind all which conspire to put a cheat upon the professing Christian and render his Salvation exceeding doubtful And suppose thy state should be safe yet how perplexing and full of anxiety is it to have the least suspition of thy unsoundness To have the life of thy precious soul hang in suspence and to be unresolv'd in that great case whether thou must live or die to all eternity O! how tormenting and heart-sinking is this An awakened Soul that cannot rest in sin nor yet hope in grace or upon any Scripture-warrant come to a determination about his real interest in God and things eternal is like a troubled Sea that cannot rest Instruments of Musick cannot allay its disquietude no Creature-comforts can charm its heart to a peaceful composure who does in reallity but suspect his eternal welfare and but think he reads this hand-writing on the wall Mene mene tekel upharsin Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting Dan. 5. 25. 27. Nothing in all the World can be a Plaister broad enough for such a wound no Cordial can cheer that heart till Grace decides the controversy and assures the Soul of an unquestionable title to the Heir of all things and to the inheritance with the Saints in light And have you not reason then to be restless till your propriety in these glorious treasures be attested which though difficult yet is possible and feasible to all that follow Wisdom's counsel in order to it The eternal truth hath opened a way to the decision of this question whether I have eternal life or no and laid down certain marks of a Soul entitled to things above 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life Vers 12. 19. Chap. 3. 14. The Lord hath charged this to be the duty of all that profess their hopes of glory to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. To examine themselves whether they be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. To prove their own work that they may have rejoycing in themselves Gal. 6. 4. which he would never have done were it impossible He hath also promised the Spirit to help them in this work and to lead them into all truth bearing witness with their spirits that they are the Lords Joh. 16. 13. Rom. 8. 16. And upon this very account exhorts them to holiness that they might not impede this sealing work of the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. And upon the arrival to this certainty hath ensured great consolation and advantage 2 Pet. 1. 8. 10 11. All which words signify nothing and reflect unrighteousness on the spirit of truth were not an evidence of right to these heavenly things obtainable Quest But how may I come to the knowledg of this desirable truth that Heavenly Treasures are surely mine and that I may make a warrantable claim to God to Christ and these things of the other World Sol. 1. First By your conjugal union with the Heir of Heaven All things in Heaven and Earth are Christ's he is the Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things All things in Heaven and Earth are his by donation purchase and inheritance juridically conferred over to him in the new covenant and actually put into his hand upon the finishing of his meritorious work and victory over death Matt. 28. 18. All power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given to me in Heaven and Earth Lawful power right priviledg and authority as the word imports and with this is the Lord Jesus invested and hath all things put into his hands and all creatures under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. And all right to true riches is derived from him through union with him 1 Cor. 3. 21. 23. All things are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's If you are Christ's then all things are yours not else your title is founded on your marriage-relation to him Gal. 3. 29. And if you are Christ's then are you Abraham ' s seed and Heirs according to the promise A title to these glorious treasures is made over in the new covenant which covenant is confirm'd in Christ and made in him and through him to all that are his He is the way there 's no coming to these treasures but by him he is the door no entring into them but through him He is the treasury it self in whom all the riches of grace all the fulness of pleasures and satisfaction lies you must have the treasury before you can have the treasures the well it self before the waters are yours He that hath the Son hath life hath him by way of possession as an owner and proprietor If you have Christ you have all that is his his person and purchase go together Rebekah must consent to go and marry Isaac before she could be invested with that substance and wealth which was his This new covenant which interests a soul in the Lord Jesus and his unsearchable riches is a marriage-covenant Hos 2. 19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee to me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Ezek. 16. 8. I entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine this was a marriage-covenant Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back sliding children saith the Lord for I am married to you If you would see your title to heavenly treasures try your conjugal union to the Lord Jesus the Heir of Heaven Every relation to Christ is not a conjugal relation There is a general relation as dead branches to the tree Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away A person may be in Christ as the luxuriant branch or sucker is in the tree that sucks the sap of priviledges and gets some nourishment of frames and comforts but brings not forth fruit it sprouts out of the stock as proud-flesh grows on the wound but hath no right union with the root or nourishment from the head Such are obtruders and hang-bies which take
food to Israel's faith in the wilderness And such are delightful remembrances of former sins When a person takes pleasure to think and talk of his former evils this doth feed present desires and hopes of sin When Paul would help on the Romans freedom from the service of sin he labours to get their present thoughts of former sins imbitter'd Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of these things is death Secondly Pleasing Imaginations and fancying of present or future sins do wonderfully strengthen the habit of sin The Lord charges Israel's sinful actions as the product of their wicked thoughts Isa 65. 2. Which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts Sin first begins in the head and ends in the feet first working thoughts of sin and then actual works of sin The Devil doth usually strike the first fire on the tinder of mens thoughts which afterwards burns in their hearts and lives Jam. 1. 15. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death They that would avoid the birth of sin in their lives must take heed of the conception of sin in their pleasing thoughts They that would help on Babylon's ruine must prevent its propagation and put a timely check to their growth dashing their little ones against the stone Psal 137. 9. Leave a Sit nihil in te Babylonicum not any thing that belongs to Babylon in thy soul saith Hugo Thirdly Unbelief strengthens lust Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desperatum est scil cor My heart despairs of help I fear it will never be better therefore I will go on in my way Unbelief strengthens lust and makes the soul a prey to it 'T was by unbelief Israel fell in the wilderness both into sin and ruine And the Apostle cautions Christians that they fall not by the same example of unbelief Heb. 4. 11. 'T was unbelieving desponding fears had almost turned up David's heels had not grace succoured him by the Word Psal 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt And whence came this weakness of grace and strength of corruption why it was from the apprehended prosperity of sin and sinners and the succesless issues of his profession and obedience Verse 15. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency If this be the fruit of my holiness then all my labour is in vain 't is to no purpose I have followed God all this while if wickedness shall carry it at last O take heed of unbelief if ever you would get down your lusts Fourthly Presumption secretly conveys in relief to sin and succours it against all the sieges of Word and Spirit 2 Pet. 2. 10. Presumptuous are they self-will'd A presumptuous soul is a self-pleasing soul one that pertinaciously and wilfully seeks his own carnal contentments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word imports he will boldly adventure on the most dangerous issues of sin so he may but gratifie his lusts and obtain his sinful desires he fears no dangers sticks at no hardships though God and his Word be against him it makes the sinner go against all warnings threatnings counsels with hopes of success Numb 14. 44. But they presumed to go up to the hill top verse 42. The Lord forbad them to go threatning his remove from them and their ruine if they durst go up against his will Nay it was said The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses went not out of the Camp would not stir one foot with them in that wicked enterprize yet they would go O take heed of Presumption that does exceedingly keep up sin and pull down the sinner Fifthly Carnal security is a great friend to sin and contributes much to its advantage when Christians let down their watch and lie down to slumber then corruptions rise up and prevails over them When the Amalekites were spread abroad upon all the Earth eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 30. 16 17. David fell upon them and smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon Camels and fled So 't is with gracious souls after some great mercy either some special priviledge enjoy'd some spoils upon their lusts obtained or token of God's favour received they become secure proud and careless letting down their watch exposing themselves to temptations and soon become a prey to sin and Satan Jer. 48 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into Captivity therefore his taste remaineth in him and his scent is not changed If you would have a change on your carnal hearts take heed of carnal security in your hearts Sixthly Self-indulgence helps to nourish sin when persons are lovers of their own selves seek to please indulge and gratifie the desires of carnal natural-self then lusts thrive in that soul He that feasts his body saith Ephrem Syrus and starves his soul is like him that feasts his slave and starves his wife 2 Tim. 3. 2. Self-love leads the Van to all the iniquities and hypocrisies of the last times O the troops of sin that march under the banner of self-love and are secured by its conduct hence self-denial is the first step to Christianity Mat. 16. 24. You can never prosper in your salvation-attempts or decay in your soul-ruining lusts till you learn to deny your selves in every part of it Take heed of a selfish spirit if you would be sincere souls and see the death of your lusts Seventhly Opportunity favours sin exceedingly and helps to keep its hopes alive and gives it occasion for its enlargement Opportunity is the Midwife of lust and helps to deliver it of its inward conceptions and pregnant desires 'T was opportunity that blew the coal of David's lust into a flame 2 Sam. 11. 2. and midwiv'd out Hezekiah's pride Isa 39. 2. Had it not been for opportunity Lot might have escaped the sin of incest as well as the sufferings of Sodom Gen. 19. 30 to 37. and Judah's uncleanness with his Daughter-in-law Tamar 'T was opportunity that exposed Dinah to a rape and Peter to the temptation of denying his Lord and Master Take heed of adventuring into the way of temptation and going to the borders of soul-danger shun the occasions of evil turn aside out of the way of snares Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Temptation feeds corruption ensnares and entangles the feet and as fewel keeps in the fire of lust You may as safely suffer the
Christian get if he did but follow his victory over his corruptions and not suffer them to recruit and gather strength again Give no rest to thy lusts nor space for reviving no not for a moment but keep up thy warfare every day Sixthly If you would further the death of sin keep up the life of grace As the life of sin weakens grace so the life of grace keeps down and weakens sin Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Keep up grace and sin will down As when the house of David waxed stronger the house of Saul waxed weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1. 'T is written of Ephrem Syrus that though he was a man much given to passion in his youth yet after he entered into a strict course of life he was never seen to be angry with any man As you cannot get power over sin but by the Spirit of Grace so you cannot keep the head over sin but by the Life of Grace Get your graces strengthened and you will find your corruptions weakened Thirdly You must carry on Renovation in grace and the inward work of Sanctification every day Ephes 3. 23 24. And be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. After the work of Mortification the Apostle presses Christians to this work of Renovation or Internal Holiness be renewed in the spirit of your minds i. e. in your minds by the Holy Spirit the mind being put for the whole man and internal faculties of the soul both understanding will affections and conscience all must be renewed by the Spirit called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or Workmanship of Christ transformed after his own Image in righteousness and true holiness and renewed in knowledge Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. When the soul is truly regenerated there is the stamp or eexmplar of Christ's holiness placed in the whole soul in truth but in weak measures at first which must be renewed or enlarged in the soul till it comes to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Christians at the first change are compar'd to new born babes 2 Pet. 2. 2. weak in grace but under a natural disposition and obligations to growth and encreases in this grace of God both intensively and extensively This is a Christian's duty by divine command and comports with the appointment of God in order to it 2 Pet. 3. v. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 'T is the way by which grace becomes glory and is greatly necessary to perfect a soul's holiness that so he might come to his full stature and conformity to Christ Ephes 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29. And by the encreases of grace may be enabled to dispatch all his duties bear his burdens and bear up under his temptations that he might be capable to enjoy all his mercies to glorifie the God of grace and to be made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory On all which accounts it becomes the Christian 's great concern to press after larger measures of grace every day to grow up into him in faith and love who is the head in all things Ephes 4. 15. To grow downward in humility and self-denial to grow extensively in every part of holiness and greater enlargements in every grace to wax stronger and stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Perfecting holiness in the sight of God and pressing more and more after the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The want of which encreases of the Spirit doth much obscure the glory of Christ in Believers cloud their evidences and render them too weak for their corruptions their growing tryals and duties Christians content not your selves with the truth of grace without daily growth in grace Improve your interest in the Resurrection of Christ by believing for the dailing quickening of your hearts and raising of your affections to things above and attracting your desires and whole souls after God grace and glory Be much in internal soul-work of heart searching soul watching divine contemplation secret ejaculations and soul breathings after God and higher manifestations of his light life and love Be constant in every appointment of God publick and private of prayer reading hearing holy conference that you may get nourishment thereby administred to your souls Get under all the dews and showres of grace for your fruitfulness Be spiritual as well as frequent in exercising grace under the means of Grace without this you cannot serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. or receive from him who is the head nourishment to your souls but by these bands and joynts of faith and love Col. 2. 19. Formality eats out that sap which should make you green and flourishing A dead cold heart under the Word can no more digest it to nutriment than a dead body can concoct natural food Maintain hungring desires after the word of grace and appointed means to your spiritual growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hungring after food argues a good digestion and a sound concoction furthers nourishment Keep up warm affection to every way of God living on Christ for all the good and blessing of them Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the rain also filleth the Pools they go from strength to strength every one in Sion appearing before God When Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 't is said he waxed great exceedingly 2 Chron. 17. 6. 12. Heart-enlargement in the ways of God is a notable help to soul-thrivings Take this one thing more be poor in spirit if you would be rich in grace Such are under the promise of being satisfied of being guided in judgment of encreasing their joy to such he will give grace and revivings Humble souls a Reyner Excellency of Grace saith one are empty vessels which God will fill are low plants which God will make to grow To be nothing in our own eyes is the way to receive all good things even grace in abundance from God Psal 22. 26. and 25. 9. Isa 29. 19. Prov. 3. 34. Isa 57. 15. Fourthly To keep your evidences for Heaven fair and legible is another part of your Salvation-work this will abundantly comfort you under all your tribulations quicken you to a lively dispatch of your duties give you a humble boldness in your approaches to God arm you against the fears of death and administer to you an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Beware of quenching and grieving the Spirit of grace by which its sealing-work is hindered Take heed of laying blots upon your evidences by any allowed iniquity in your hearts or unpurged defilement in your hands which will weaken
such a pitch of light grace and comfort as will secure their salvation and present welfare they sit down and go no further this makes formalists and starvelings in Religion Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward Exod. 14. 15. is God's charge on his people in their passage to the heavenly Canaan Be adding to your faith vertue c 1 Pet. 1. 5. The greatest skill in this holy Arithmetick lies in Addition and Multiplication Be still enlarging your store get in more choice of heavenly wares greater quantities and more costly goods and be putting off more and more goods as you have opportunity seeing great is not only your present advantage but your reward in Heaven also Mat. 5. 12. Advice 3. Thirdly You that have good times for trading now make provision for bad times Lay in for changes be not like the Grashopper that spends her All in Summer and when the Winter comes starves Every Summer hath its Winter North-winds have their season to blow on Christ's Garden as well as the South Cant. 4. 16. Good and evil have their turns with Christians in this life 'T is only the Diveses that have their good things in this life here have the Saints no continuing City Heb. 13. 4. Created comforts whether spiritual or carnal have their shakings and removes Heb. 12. 27. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain The life of Believers is made up of vicissitudes with Naomi now full then empty Ruth 1. 21. like Ships in their passage to their Port now they have calms then storms none but wicked and they not always neither are exempted from their changes in this life Psal 55. 19. 'T was an error in David's apprehensions which he soon saw to his cost that his mountain was made so strong it should not be moved Psal 30. 6. I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou did'st hide thy face and I was troubled Prosperity and affliction have their different saies and thoughts think of thy most promising state here though this be a beautiful structure yet 't is but a tabernacle Sin puts wheels on every condition below and makes them moveable What that Ambassador said to the Romans who boasted of the heighth and strength of their Walls they were not so high but sin could bring them down may be said of the most flourishing condition of Saints in this World Is thy store full now a spending time may come Dionysius the second had four hundred Ships an Army of one hundred thousand foot nine thousand horse and the richest Magazine of any Prince and yet lived to lose all Christians have their spending as well as getting times and should lay in for times of need There are four special seasons when gracious souls will have need of all their store to relieve them Times of Temptation Times of Desertion Times of Affliction And The time of Death First Times of Temptation are spending times and call for great succours to be laid in against such seasons First Because such times are certain to Believers they will come Psal 11. 5. The Lord tryeth the righteous There 's never a gracious soul but some time or other the Lord trieth it either immediately by his Spirit or mediately by afflictions or temptations from men or devils The Apostle tells us every man is tempted James 1. 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and enticed The best of men saith one are tempted and that when they are at the best Capell of Temptation Adam in Paradise Gen. 3. 6. Solomon after God had twice appeared to him 1 King 11. 9. Job after the evidences of his uprightness before God and religious duties Job 1. 1 5. Peter after he had made a confession of Christ and entered into covenant never to be offended at him Mat. 26. 33. Yea Christ himself after his Baptism and the Spirit 's resting on him as a Dove and the Father's owning of him by an audible voice from Heaven Matth. 3. 17. chap. 4. 1. He saith the former Author that thinks he is so good that he ought not to be tempted and so strong that he need not fear to be tempted hath need of a temptation that by experience in himself he might prove what he ought to have found in the Word that of our selves we have no strength Capell Four things make temptations unavoidable to gracious souls 1 God's good Pleasure 2 Satan's Rage 3 The Saints Corruptions 4 And their Profit First 'T is God's good Pleasure to have them tryed The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is 1 Cor. 3. 13. whether it will bear the fire or no hereby the excellency of his work the greatness of his power appears in the enduring graces of the Saints and their standing after all By this the Lord will confute the slanders of men and devils who are still charging his people with hypocrisie and falling away when tryal comes Doth Job fear God for naught Job 1. 9. Put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and flesh and he will curse thee to thy face Job 2. 5. This is the usual calumny of the Saints enemies to confute which and prove them lyars doth the Lord suffer his people to be tempted 'T is his will and purpose that all his people should be tryed and therefore 't is unavoidable Secondly Such is Satan's Rage he cannot alwaies keep his fingers from them if he lets them alone 't is but for a season Luke 4. 13. When the Devil had ended all the temptations he departed from him for a season Is Satan busie then his work is not done hast thou any rest 't is because his tempting-time is not come he is a roaring Lion and cannot rest from seeking to devour though he forbears attempting to devour for a season when it makes to his greater advantage Never expect freedom from temptation till Satan's chain be shortened or thy remove without his reach obtained Rev. 20. 2 3. Thirdly The Saints corruptions expose them to temptations Where the carkass is there the Eagles resort Mat. 24. 28. While the Saints have gall'd backs they can expect no freedom from flies If Sampson be bound the Philistines will be upon him The cause of those sins is in us whereof the occasion is from Satan Capell Till the fire of Hell be out in the Saints the Devil will not lay down his bellows where there is no sin there is no matter for temptation to work on as where there is no morbid matter there contagion cannot so easily fasten corruption keeps open the door for Satan never look for silence from Satan till you find cessation from sin Fourthly The profit and good of gracious souls do necessitate it By this means they come
to see their own vileness were it not for temptation they could not see the greatness of their corruption David Solomon Hezekiah Peter did not think their hearts were so abominable till left to temptation which stirs the mud and brings up the bottom to the top and this helps to abase them and make them more vile in their own eyes By this also they see their own weakness and their need of Christ and are more effectually brought out of themselves to the Lord Jesus for succour and victory And by temptations from Satan they come to be acquainted with his devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. and more skill'd in his wiles and stratagems no small advantage to one that is in a state of warfare with him This way also doth the Lord winnow his Saints and by these high winds fan and cleanse them Luke 22. 31. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat and brings them to more conformity to their head and to greater establishment in grace which are glorious advantages to Believers promised in the New Covenant and this way accomplish'd which makes temptations necessary to Wisdom's Merchants and renders it their great concern to lay in provision against them Secondly As temptations are certain and will come so they are shaking when they come they are part of that rain flood and wind which did beat vehemently on the sandy building that it fell Mat. 7. 27. Luke 6. 49. Temptations are part of the Devil's Artillery his fiery darts and cruel buffettings which none can bear without the whole Armour of God upon him and then too all they can do is but to stand Ephes 6. v. 13 16. They are so potent and prevailing as that none but such as are in Christ can stand their ground under them And in time of temptation fall away Luke 8. 13. Receive the Word with joy seem to love God and delight in his waies for a season till temptations come to the purpose and then fall away There are some temptations are more easie to be born but when Satan sets on a soul with all his might there 's no standing without divine succour and the Lord 's opening a way to escape Temptation is reckoned amongst the sorest afflictions that the Saints do undergo 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 2. 18. Heb 11. 37. They were stoned they were sawn asunder they were tempted they were slain with the sword No suffering like temptations for they draw the soul to sin which is more cruel than death to a soul that loves Christ O Christians what need have you then to be laying in for an hour of temptation seeing it will surely come and seeing it will be so terrible when it comes Get your selves well furnish'd with wisdom that you may know Satan's devices that you may be able to distinguish between temptation and corruption and able to answer the Objections and subtle reasonings of Satan you must have experience also to encourage your hope and strengthen your patience that instances of former relief in the like cases may lift up your head and strengthen your expectations in new Tryals also You must lay in store of faith to guard your hearts and shield your heads from the fiery darts of Satan you must get your integrity cleared and the uprightness of your heart and way evidenced that 's of great use also to bear up your Spirit under all his charges against you Make much of every breathing of his Spirit in you and take care you quench not any of his motions God saith one doth often leave us to own Satan's suggestions for our own because we do not own God in his holy motions and breathings And have good evidences of your interest in Christ and assurance of his love to you and assured help in the time of need taking special care to have corruptions weakened and a growing mortification in your souls that so when Satan comes he may find nothing in you to fasten his temptations on This calls for your provident care to store your souls against times of Tryal Secondly Times of desertion are spending-times which will need a full stock when the Lord doth hide his face and withdraw the sense of his love and influence of his quickening presence This the Lord may do and hath done he hath left the dearly beloved of his soul gone from his habitation compass himself about with a cloud left his children in darkness as those that have been long dead 'T is just with God saith Mr. Cooper to deny us the comfort of our graces when we deny him the glory of them Isa 45. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Job 23. 8 9. Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him Isa 49. 14. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me This was one of the greatest sufferings on Christ his apprehensions of his Father's forsaking him O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. Here was a total and final desertion that our Lord Jesus came under as to his sense and the effects of it he saw nothing of the comforts of the Divine presence to the last breath of life but died in this darkness Verse 50. Jesus when he had cryed again with a loud voice that is as he had done verse 46. he gave up the Ghost and had no comfort to the last minute of life And if God hath done so to the green tree how much more may he to the dry if he forsake his natural and onely beloved Son he may surely hide himself from his Adopted Sons even to their dying hour And this is a condition full of consternation and terrour The poena damni the loss of God and all good is thought to be a far greater punishment to the damned than all the punishment of sense and torment O the dreadful apprehensions that good souls have had about God's forsaking them 'T is a Hell on Earth and the beginning of the second death to be under a real sense of God's removal from the soul O the amazing dread and consuming rerrour that Job Asaph Heman and others were fill'd with by such apprehensions of God's withdrawment from them and his wrath lying hard upon them Soul though now it be a time of light with thee the Candle of the Lord shines upon thee thou walkest in the light of his countenance lyest in his bosom and art dandled on his knee yet may the days of darkness be many and thy soul lie in the shadow of death and under real apprehensions of the Lord's departure from thee and displeasure against thee and then thou wilt find need of all the cordials light and hope imaginable O lay in sure and unquestionable satisfaction about this great case that God is
really and inseparably yours and under all your clouds fears and guilt think well of God 'T is hard saith one to think ill of our selves and well of God at the same time Store your selves with promises and experiences with faith hope patience and every grace that may bear you up in such a Tryal and cordial your fainting heart under such dangerous deliquiums If God should damne me saith one I have two arms the one of faith and the other of love with which I would embrace him and carry him with me and his presence would make Hell it self a Heaven to me Thirdly Times of sore affliction and distressing calamities are spending-times and will try your store of grace and strength to bear it and to get through it and such you may live to see The Cross is the usual way to the Crown and affliction the lot of them that will live godly in Christ Jesus And we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. 22. The fining-pot is for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 17. 3. And the fan for the wheat the condition of Believers in this world cannot long bear prosperity without loss to their spiritual part Christians under settled comforts in this world are like standing pools which soon gather mud and as 't is said of Moab so 't is with the people of God Jer. 48. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed The sweetest nights that ever Jacob spent were in the field so with Peter in prison and David had those large affections to rise at midnight and God's Word was sweet to him when his trouble was bitter saith Dr. Harris But by afflictions the Lord refines his people from their dross Though the wisdom of the world saith Mr. Bradford think of the cross according to sense and therefore flieth from it as from a most great ignominy and shame yet God's scholars have learned to think otherwise of the Cross as the framehouse wherein God frameth his children like to his Son Christ the furnace that fineth God's gold the high way to Heaven the suit and livery of God's servants the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory Acts Mon. 3. Vol. page 322. If you will be Christ's Disciple you must expect tribulation If need be you are in heaviness for a season God's fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Prepare for afflictions by which God prepares his people for himself He is not fit for the reward in glory saith Bernard r Non est idoneus ad praemium qui nondum paratus est ad patibulum who is not ready to ascend the Gibbet as the way to it We are fallen on the last times which are times of abounding iniquity Mat. 24. 12. sinning and therefore like to be suffering-times called perilous times cruel times 2 Tim. 3. 1. Beza renders it troublesome times Tremelius hard times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring damage or to overturn they will be overturning times times of desolation as Christ prophesies of them Mat. 24. 15. daies of vengeance Luke 21. 22. These be the daies of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled Great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be Mat. 24. 21. called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood Joel 2. 31. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Cocceius thinks this time to fall under the sixth seal Rev. 6. 12. under which 't is said These are they which come out of great tribulation I rather think that the sixth seal reckons with the enemies of God's people and brings redemption to the Saints under great tribulation That which we may clearly gather hence is that those last times will be times of sore calamities both personal and publick to Nations and to the Church of God and what a portion of those amazing troubles may fall upon the people of this age we know not this is certain God seems to give his call from Heaven as well as out of his Sanctuary to prepare to meet with him Amos 4. 12. to gird up the loins of our mind Rev. 16. 15. to keep our garments on to watch lest he come as a thief Luke 12. 35 36. to have our vessels stor'd with Oil and our lamps burning and to reckon on midnight sitting up and be as men that look for the coming of their Lord Matth. 25. 6. To watch and pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape the things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21. 36. Fourthly The time of Death is a spending time and calls for great provisions for that long journey and great change the Soul is then passing into Death is the King of Terrors O how amazing is the sight of it to a natural eye and an awakened conscience the work that death comes to do is frightful work to flesh and blood to pluck a soul out of its ancient dwellings to take it from all its acquaintance friends relations and earthly All from the comforts of the whole World never to see or enjoy them more as they have done nay to pull down this earthly tabernacle not to leave a stone upon a stone but quite to demolish it to the ground is a great change to lay a writ on the soul's back and in a moment to bring it to judgment from all its acquaintance friends and dearest relations to the vision of an infinite holy God there to receive its eternal doom and to enter into a new estate out of which he shall never depart either of blessedness or misery To take the soul off from all the means of salvation and possibility of change out of that estate into which by death he enters that if the soul should die in his sins there 's no future repentance or any thing can be done to mend his ill condition this will be terrible to a guilty conscience sensible of many sins unrepented of many duties neglected much time lost great hypocrisies uncur'd many fears unremoved and doubts unanswered Now for such a soul in a moment to come to judgment and to have no time allowed him to set things in order for so great a compearance and to state his account for that final Audit is an amazing providence The time of death is also a time of the greatest light when the soul's eye shall be opened to see things as they are no more in a glass but face to face then the soul that hath been dark all its days
shall see clearly things it never knew As 't is said of the Mole that it is blind all its time till it comes to die and then it sees So they that would not see shall then see and be ashamed then shall souls see things as they are and find that to be evil which they thought good and that to be good which they thought to be evil Death is the greatest informer and makes the largest discovery of things that ever was it brings to light the hidden things of darkness sins the world never knew and sins it may be the soul it self never saw or thought it self guilty of then will the least flaw error unsoundness neglect failing be fully seen then the things that now seem to be small will then appear to be great and those things that were taken for mountains will be less than one single grain of dust Death is a time also when conscience hath its quickest senses and liveliest acts when it sees hears feels fears all things as they are and without any other witness becomes both Accuser and Judge then Judas needed no Accuser to charge him or Judge to condemn him but his own conscience nor Executioner to dispatch him but his own hand What 's the matter man said Mr. Perkins to a Malefactor going up the ladder and his countenance shewing the inward terrors of his soul art thou afraid to die O no Sir said he but of a worse matter So another upon her death-bed and under a terrible sight of her wicked life when one that was by offered something to comfort her against the fear of death replied Were it but to die it were nothing A world said another upon the border of eternity and under conscienceaffrightings for one inch of time O give me one inch of time Luther speaks of an Eremite who a little before his death stood very sad never stirring out of his place for three days having his eyes fixt towards Heaven and being ask'd the reason of this posture answered he was afraid to die His Scholars began to comfort him telling him he need not to fear death who had been so holy in his life but he replies 't is true I have lived well and been obedient but God's judgments are otherwise than Man's judgment Tom. 4. fol. 50. The time of death is a time of great temptation also then Satan usually brings forth his chiefest strength to weaken the soul's faith 't is his last onset and that is the hottest as men that storm a Garrison in their last assault they usually put forth their utmost strength Then he opposeth us with most armed force In this last assault Å¿ Instructissimis copiis nos impugnat ipsam resistentiam aggreditur de certamine certamen est bellum alio bello defendendum hic pugnandum ut pugnare liceat resistendum ei qui resistere dissuadet Luth. saith Luther 't is not as in other temptations where faith and hope doth fight for here he sets upon the very resistance and the strife is about striving and the war is maintain'd by another war Here the fight is that it may be lawful to fight and to resist him whose greatest policy is then to disswade from resisting laughing at our hope as if it were already vanquished and it were to no purpose to resist This is a critical time and hard to stand the last enemy is death when the soul must have the whole armour of God and be found not in his own righteousness but take sanctuary in the grace of God the righteousness and faithfulness of Christ Death is somewhat driery saith Mr. Cooper and the streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comes let your anchor be cast within the veil and fastned on the rock Jesus let the end of the threefold cord be buckled to the heart so shall ye go through t Claude oculos nihil responde commenda causam Deo Idem When thou art tempted saith Luther and seest no way to escape shut thine eye answer nothing and commit the cause to God This saith he is the chiefest wisdom we should attend to in the hour of death This was Bernard's course and comfort when on the point of death I have lived wickedly saith he but thou Lord Jesus Christ enjoyest Heaven by a double right first because thou art the Son of God then because by thy death and passion thou hast obtained it u Hoc servas pro te jure nativitatis illud largiris mihi non jure operum sed gratiae thou keepest the first thy self by thy birth-right the last thou bestowest on me not for my works but of thy grace Christians you had need be well furnish'd for the hour of death your greatest and most difficult hour laying in all the provisions you can for a sure and comfortable passage to glory Thus you see Wisdom's Merchants have more to do than keep up present life and comfort they must lay in for times to come for times of temptation desertion affliction and the hour of death Advice 4. Fourthly If you have good trading with God then lay out for God This is reasonable work pleasing work honourable work profitable work First 'T is reasonable work to lay out for God he deserves it 't is his due all your mercies are his interest I will return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof I will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness Hos 2. 9. Though God gives his people the use of mercy yet he keeps the propriety in his own hand God is the Alpha and should be the Omega the Authour and 't is reasonable he should be the end of all our mercies James 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights And as beams from the Sun is derived from his bounty as his peculiar off-spring w Bona mea dona tua Omne bonum nostrum vel ipse vel ab ipso Aug. My goods are thy gifts saith Augustine All our good is either himself or what comes from him Both trading and thriving are from him and should also be for him both principle and interest are God's own Mat. 25. 27. If you lay not out your mercies for God you rob him of his due Your mercies are the Lords not onely by that interest he reserves in them but by your resignation of them unto him Christians when you gave up your selves to the Lord you gave up all your interests and capacities also 2 Cor. 5. 8. To keep back any part of your All from God is to lye to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the Land No lower terms will pass in reconcillation with God than what Ahab yielded to Benhadad 1 Kings 20. 4. My Lord
as one that was near the prize Hope puts strength and activity into the soul in its motion after God and makes it restless and unwearied till it enjoy him This argument the Apostle useth to provoke the Hebrews in their race towards glory Heb. 12. 1. Seeing then we are compassed about with so great a cloud of winesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us The weight of the argument lies in the sure and blessed issue of well-grounded hope attested by so many witnesses in the former Chap. who ran so great adventures sustain'd so great losses underwent such cruel deaths in chase of this eternal Crown and not one of them miscarried all got safe to glory through their many fears and deaths And seeing all that had this true hope hither to have sped well and the same promise is made to us Chap. 11. 40. having provided some better thing for us better priviledges better promises Let 's pluck up our spirits and at it again and if no visible comfort or evidence meet us in our way yet let us hold on with patience till we come to the end of our race Hopes of glory do also guard the soul against discouragements and difficulties 1 Thes 5. 8. Putting on the breast-plate of Faith and for an helmet the hope of Salvation Hope arms head and heart and keeps off the venom'd darts of Satan from ruining the soul while well-grounded hope of a blessed end is kept up Israel prevails and the Believer is kept from being overcome 1 Joh. 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Hope of glory maintains a patient expectation and quiet waiting for the fruition of it Rom. 8. 25. If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it and this is no small mercy Impatience hath a dangerous influence on a Christian's heart discouraging it and exposing to temptation of giving over saying Wherefore should I wait any longer 2 King 6. 33. which danger Hope secures from Hope settles and stays the heart stilling its fears scattering its doubts and strengthning its confident expectation of glory turning perswasions into the highest certainty even a kind of knowledg 1 Joh. 3. 2. But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Well-grounded and improved hope in a Christian's life doth usually end in a triumphing confidence at his death I shall shine said a precious servant of God on his death-bed I shall see him as he is and all the fair company with him and shall have my large share it is no easy thing to be a Christian but as for me I have got the victory and Christ is holding forth his arms to embrace me I have had my fears and faintings as another sinful man to be carried through creditably but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word his spirit witnessed to my heart saying fear not he had accepted my sufferings and the out-gate should not be matter of prayer but of praise Mr. Rutherford's last words And a little before his death after some fainting he said Now I feel I believe I enjoy I reâ—oyce I feed on Manna I have Angels food my eyes shall see my Redeemer O what rich cheer will hope of glory find on a death-bed What brightness is that I see said Mr. John Holland the day before his death have you light up a candle a stander by answered no 't is the Sun shines Sun shine saith he nay it is my Saviour shines now farewel World welcome Heaven the day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with men I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty I see things that are unutterable Hopes of glory will make the World seem a very poor thing in a Believer's eye he that by faith can stand on Mount Nebo and get one glance on the promised Land as his feeds on the first ripe Grapes of his own Countrey in comparison of which all the World 's dainties are bitter things Hopes of of glory cheers the heart in the way to glory Rom. 5. 3. And rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 12. 12. Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation It makes the soul go merrily on like a Ship under sail that hath both wind and tyde whereas the doubting Saint drives heavily on when winds and waves beat against him being unwheel'd of Faith and Hope Sure hope of Heaven gets honey out of the rock and meat out of the eater which makes his rough ways plain and his passage to Heaven pleasant 'T is Christians losing their hopes of Heaven makes them so uncomfortable in their passage through the World Lastly Well-grounded hopes of Heaven have a great influence towards preparation for it while it hath an advantage to further his holiness 1 Joh. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure When the Apostle speaks of the faith of God's elect which is after godliness Tit. 1. 1. as a furtherance of this holiness lays this hope upon eternal life In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began Expectations of Heaven well laid cannot but constrain a soul to utmost measures of holiness 2 Pet. 3. 14. Seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Heaven is a place of perfect holiness no unclean thing can enter there which the eye of faith seeing and the soul 's right to it puts a person upon perfecting his holiness that he may be ready to enter in O then lay up hopes of glory which have such precious fruits hanging on them Quest But what are those sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory and from which we may expect such excellent fruit Sol. First Sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory are issued out of a saving union with the Lord Jesus the Lord of glory Col. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory Christ united to you and dwelling in you by his spirit is this glorious treasure spoken of in the former part of the verse Here are two arguments to endear the Lord Jesus to Believers First That in their union with him they are invested with great and unsearchable treasures he himself being that glorious and hidden riches opened in the Gospel and made over to them in their reception of him into their hearts by faith part of which treasure they have in hand in their present union and communion with him and the blessed fruits and consequents of it here Secondly Another thing that
renders Christ precious to Believers is that in their union with him is laid the foundation of their right to and evidence of their hope of glory Quatenus est in illis eatenus habent spem gloriae Dav. and assurance of their future and eternal enjoyment of himself and all his treasure laid up in glory There 's no other way to have a right to glory but by union with Christ who hath purchased glory onely for those that are his and have this spiritual union with him Hence 't is that the Lord Jesus Christ is called a better hope John 17. 21 to 27. Heb. 7. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw near to God That is the Lord Jesus in his Priestly Office of which the Ceremonial Law was a forerunner did bring in a ground of better hope in opening the way to God in grace and glory All right to glory is through him who is the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and hath the disposal of it to whom he pleases John 17. 2. even to all the Father hath given him to be his and to these he gives eternal life John 10. 28. They that have union with Christ cannot perish being members of his body flesh and bones should a soul that hath received Christ here miss of glory hereafter then would a member of Christ perish and his body in Heaven be maimed and imperfect which cannot be his Church being the fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. v. 21. And Christ hath past his word for it they shall not perish John 10. 28. Not one of them is lost who are truly in Christ John 17. 10. They are his servants and shall be where he is John 12. 26. His Spouse which shall be ever with him Try then your union with Christ Have you received him into your hearts by faith Are you one Spirit with him having the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus you would be holy as he is holy nothing short of compleat oneness with Christ can content you Indeed you have carnal desires within the borders of your souls that crave for satisfaction and sometimes will have it whether you will or no but there is another Law in your mind warring against this Law in your members that cannot rest till you arrive more to his likeness who is your life righteousness and glory Are you implanted into Christ's death and resurrection brought into some conformity to him And do you live upon him as the branch upon the root for all your grace and supply and stay upon him as the stone upon the foundation for your support in grace unto glory as your onely Lord and Righteousness Then are your hopes for glory sure speeding hopes Secondly Truth of grace secures your hopes of glory it being the earnest seal and first fruits of glory 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Grace is God's seal for glory and what greater security can there be 'T is his earnest-penny which is never taken away as a pledge may be but secures the whole summe yea 't is part of pay Grace is that seed of God which remaineth in him 1 John 3. 9. and secures the soul's state against final Apostacy through its union with the Spirit dwelling in him Rom. 8. 11. Prove your truth of grace though never so weak and you will prove your title to glory Doth your grace owe its being to the fulness of Christ John 1 16. owning its derivation thence and dependance there Doth your grace spread it self into every part and faculty of your soul wholly sanctified throughout 1 Thes 5. 23. Cannot your grace mingle with sin or own the least appearance of evil Rev. 2. 2. but hath according to its measure an irreconcilable enmity against every known sin Gal. 5. 17. Cannot your grace rest in any measures short of perfection but hath desires and endeavours after more and more grace 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hath your grace pure and ultimate designs for Divine Glory aiming in every thing Phil. 1. 20 21. that Christ may be magnified John 3. 30. and self annihilated then is your grace true grace and will in time turn to glory Thirdly Your mortifiedness to the world will be a good proof of your title to Heaven The heirs of Glory are chosen out of the world are not of the world John 15. 19. Redeemed from the earth Rev. 14. 3. They have not received the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. and are crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. dead to the desires pleasures and interests of this world Col. 3. 1 2. Dead men have no favour or delight in things no more have they who are dead to this world any acquiescing pleasure in earthly things which can no more satisfie a heavenly soul than dung can feed a living man Christians try how your hearts stand affected to earthly things are these great in your eye amiable to your affections attractive on your desires prevalent on your wills beyond the things of Heaven then are your hopes of Heaven unwarrantable by any Divine evidence and will at last leave your names written on the earth Fourthly Your hopes for Heaven if right will be active lively hopes 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead Hopes that put life in your affections i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vivificam scilicet quae vivificat Metonymia Effecti Piscat and spirits and makes you vigorous after holiness and the way to glory Ephes 2. 10. Right hopes for Heaven will make you run in the way to Heaven and put you on all manner of holy conversation Paul's hopes for Heaven put him on labours and strivings after perfect holiness 2 Cor. 5. 8 9. Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Try your hopes do they quicken you to duty or leave you dead You have no heart to the waies of God or delight in approaching to him his commands are grievous to you this bespeaks unsound and frail hopes for Heaven which will at last deceive you But sure hopes for Heaven are back'd with suitable labours for Heaven Fifthly If your hopes be right for Heaven then will your conversation be in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. But our conversation is in Heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body You will be taken up about heavenly things and driving on heavenly concerns You will be maintaining entercourse in Heaven and keeping up your converses with God you will be often taking journeys to Heaven in your contemplations and desires your business will be much in Heaven and your occasions thither frequent though you live on Earth yet you will converse in Heaven As Dr.