them as certainly as if they were already 73 2. Faith looks upon the present possession of things ibid. 1. In Christ our head ibid. 2. We have the first-fruits of the Spirit ibid. 3. This time is nothing to eternity ibid. 4. Faith eyes the things of Heaven continually 74 5. The Saints enjoy all in God ibid. Faith it selfe is a very substantiall thing ibid. The vanity of the faith of most people discovered 75 We must learn to strengthen and exercise our faith in the things we hope for ibid. Spirituall and heavenly things are things not seen 76 1. They are hidden 77 2. They are beyond the principles of reason ibid. 3. The blindness of man naturally is such that he can not see these things ibid. 4. God orders things so in his providence that he goeth a contrary way as to sense and reason to what he hath promised ibid. We should cease wondering that men of excellent parts and reason doe not see the things of God 79 Faith doth evidence and make spirituall things clear 80 If faith be an evidence to other things then it is an evidence to it selfe 81 One way to be freed from doubts and feares is by renewing the act of faith it selfe 82 It is no presumption to cast ones selfe upon the free grace of God in Christ ibid. Christians should be afraid of unbeliefe as well as of presumption 83 The admirable use of faith 84 T is a wonderfull mercy to have faith to evidence all the glorious things of God ibid. Faith can make those that are of weak parts to see the great things of God 85 SERMON IV. Doctrine THere is a blessed liberty that Christians enjoy by Christ and onely by him 88 In what sense Christians are freed from the Law 89 The rigour of the Law opened in seventeen particulars 1. It requires hard things of those that are under it 90 2. It requires things which are impossible to be performed by those that are under it 91 3. The Law exacts all of us under the condition of perfection ibid. 4. The Law accepts of no surety 92 5. The rigour of the Law is such that it acceps of no endeavours short of perfection ibid. 6. The Law requires constancy in all we doe ibid. 7. The Law exacts the obedience it requires exceeding rigorously 93 8. There is this rigour in the Law that upon any the least breach of it it doth utterly disenable the soul for ever performing any obedience to it again ibid. 9. The Law requires as perfect obedience as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it ibid. 10. It requires it of us and yet gives us no strength to doe what it requires 94 11. In all the Law doth it strikes at our life ibid. 12. Vpon any breach it doth presently binde over the soul to everlasting death ibid. 13. When the Law is once offended it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe ibid. 14. The Law accepts of no repentance 95 15. The Law when it hath opened our wounds and miseries it shews us no means of deliverance ibid. 16. The Law accidentally stirs up lust ibid. 17. The promises of the Law are but mean and low in comparison of the promises of the Gospel ibid. This rigour of the Law will not seem hard if we consider 1. That we have to deale with a God of infinite justice and worth 96 2. If we consider that state of perfection wherein God made man at first ibid. 3. If we understand aright what sin is ibid. 4. If we consider those things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as these ibid. Use 1. All men in their naturall condition are in a very evill case 97 2. The saving of a soule is a great and mighty work ibid. 3. T is a vaine thing for carnal hearts to trust to their good meanings ibid. 4. If God reveal himself to a man onely by the law it is impossible but the soul must flye from him ibid. The liberty of the Gospel is a precious liberty 98 Our bondage under the law and liberty under the Gospel opened from Gal. 4. 21 c. ibid. The liberty of the Gospel opened in seventeen particulars 1. If thou beest a believer in Christ thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law 100. 2. Thy Law-giver is no other then he that is thy husband and thy advocate ibid. 3. Thou art made a law to thy self by having the law of God written in thy heart 101. 4. Though there be many imperfections in what thou doest yet if God can spye out but the least good thing in thee he will take notice of that and cast away all the evil ibid. 5. If there be a desire in thee to doe good God accepts the will for the deed 102 6. Though the Gospel call for obedience yet it doth it in a sweet and loving way ibid. 7. The Gospel and liberty of it comes with abundance of life and strength 103 8. God doth compassionate those that are made free by the Gospel ibid. 9. The Gospel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart ibid. 10. The Gospel as it hath a melting power so it hath a healing power ibid. 11. Sins against the Gospel shall not have power to root out any habits of grace 104 12. The Gospel takes advantage at our misery to pardon us ibid. 13. All that is required of us may be accepted from another ibid. 14. The grace of the Gospel shewes a way wherein God shall have all the wrong made him up that ever thy sins did him ibid. 15. There is a perfect righteousnesse made over unto us in the Gospel 105. 16. The Gospel proclames admirable promises ibid. 17. The covenant of the Gospel shall never be forfeited ibid. SERMON V. THe Text opened 107. 108. Doctrine That the onely time that men have to provide for their eternal condition is the time of this life if it be not done here there is no help afterward for after death comes judgement 109 This point is one of the most serious points that concernes the children of men ibid. Wicked men when they die are stated in an irrecoverable evill condition ibid. The tenor upon which we all hold our lives 110 There can be no repenting nor believing after this life 112 After death God takes away all means of grace ibid. The souls of wicked men are then stated in such a condition that they can doe nothing but sin ibid. At the great day Christ gives up the Kingdom to the Father 113 Presently after death the wrath of God is let out fully into the soules of the wicked ibid. Use 1. We have cause to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially those that have not throughly made their peace with God and are not upon certain and infallible terms in this great businesse of providing for their eternall estates ibid. 114 115 Use 2. Those are to be reproved that mispend and squander away the precious time of their lives about vanities and neglect the great businesse that they were sent into the world for 116 Time an exceeding precious thing ibid. Few think of the passing away of their time or that any great matter depends upon the time of their lives here in this world 117 Use 3. When death findes any man unprepared in an estate of unregeneracy that hath not made his peace with God it must needs be exceeding dreadfull because it brings judgement and states such a one in his eternall condition 120 Gods wrath let out fully upon the wicked immediately after death 121 Then they must bid an everlasting farewell to all comforts that ever they did enjoy ibid. The dreadfulnesse of death is applicable 1. To old people whose time is neer at an end therefore had need be sure that that great work be done of making their peace with God 123 2. To prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their soules wider 124 3. To those that have heretofore been in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turnd back againe ibid. 4. To those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead 125 5. To those that upon every drunken occasion for a word or two will venture their lives ibid. 6. To those that in trouble and anguish of conscience are ready to lay violent hands upon themselves ibid. 7. To those that have been upon their death beds as they thought and in danger of everlasting ruine and did then promise if they lived what new people they would be but afterwards forgot all 126 The efficacy and worth of a thing is when it is done in the season of it 127 The consideration of time and the worth of it should take off all sleightnesse of heart and roving dispositions 128 The consideration of this point should take off peoples hearts from the creature ibid. All young ones should now while God gives them time labour to make their peace with him 129 The danger of putting off the worke of repentance till we die 130 We should labour to make sure work in the great business of our eternall estate because that which is done in this world is available for ever ibid. Wee should not baulk any way of God for feare of suffering ibid. Temptations to sinne are to be repelled by the consideration of the great business we came into the world for 131 FINIS ERRATA IN some of the books p. 8. l. 33. for reference read inference p. 9. l. 11. for notion r. Nation l. 19. for Numb 27. r. Numb 23. p. 17. l. 27. for so take all r. take all p. 23. l. 19. for them r. him p. 25. l. 3. observe no stop at consciences p. 26. l. 26. for in this holy worship r. in his holy worship p. 31. read the text thus but Christ is all and in all p. 37. l. 33. for the humane r. humane p. 54. l. 24. read doe but take this one rule for that p. 76. last line for 2 Cor. 2. r. 2 Cor. 4. p. 99. l. 30. for Levit. 29. r. Levit. 25.
JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Late Minister of the Gospell J. Croâ—s Sculpsit THE SAINTS TREASURY Holding forth 1. The incomparable Excellency and Holinesse of God 2. Christs All in All. 3. The glorious enjoyment of Heavenly things by Faith 4. The Naturall mans bondage to the Law and the Christians liberty by the Gospell 5. A preparation for judgement Being sundry SERMONS preached in LONDON By the late Reverend and painfull Minister of the Gospel JEREMIAH BURROUGHES LONDON Printed by T. C. for John Wright at the Kings head in the Old-baily 1654. TO THE HONOURABLE FRANCIS ROUS Esq Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England and Provost of Eaton-Colledge Honoured Sir IF a Heathen Poet could say Non omnis moriar I shall live though I die supposing his Works immortall though himselfe were mortall Upon how much better an account may a Prophet of the Lord say Non moriar sed vivam I shall not die but live both in respect of his immortall soule to which death is as the gate of life and in respect of the immortall travell of his soule being conversant in the Word of the Lord that abideth for ever The workes of the Saints of God in whom is the spirit of prophecie not onely live when they are dead but are instrumentall in the hand of grace both to plant life where it is not and water it where it is that it may spring forth more abundantly The chosen Vessell of the Lord by whose Ministry he was pleased to give out the Heavenly treasures laid up in these Sermons hath some yeares since put off his earth and put on that Inheritance of the Saints in light for which the Lord seemed earlie to have fitted him by his earnest and assiduous Travail in sitting others But though the Vessell be broken or rather indeed refined and translated to his masters more immediate use yet the Treasures abide for the common enrichment of the Saints For spirituall Treasures like the loaves blessed by our Saviour multiply in their use and when thousands have been enriched by them doe still remaine sufficient to enrich thousands To you honoured Sir is this small but Precious treasury presented not as though your own store were not already full for who knowes not how many precious Jewels through the riches of Christ in you you have richly set and polished for the adorning the Bride the Lambs wife Surely the spirit of Christ seemes to have chosen and sealed your Spirit to celebrate his own Nuptials in your Mystical Marriage and song of loves But as gold besides its own internal worth receives an Authentick impression from the Image and Superscription of the Prince And as in honouring the Lord with the best part of our substance An humble acknowledgement of his Interest both in the whole and our selves not any Addition to his fulnesse is intended So is this Treasury presented to the touch and test of your Judgement First as the Standard of approving things that are excellent And then as an humble testimony how much he owes himselfe to you that presents it That the Lord would make you long an Ornament and defence to his Saints and prosper his own pleasure in your hands is the prayer of Honoured Sir The most humble and most obliged of your Servants J. W. To the Christian Reader THe Authour of these ensuing Sermons hath so abundantly approved himselfe to the Church of God by his former labours both in preaching and writing that it would be rather a disparagement to him to offer any thing by way of commendation His name is yet like a precious Oyntment and so may it be so long as the Sunne and Moon endures These Sermons will discover themselves to be his genuine issue the severall lineaments and proportions of his stile though stiles differ as much as faces are here discernable Those that had the happinesse to be conversant with him and auditors to him are able to say Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora ferebat So he opened his Text so he handled his Doctrine so he delivered his Application It is true these fragments of his are under the prejudice of being Posthumus works yet we may say of them as Paul said concerning himselfe We suppose they are not inferiour to the rest of his Works though they are born out of due time and fragments though they are yet are they to be esteemed Ramenta auri sunt pretiosa These Sermons are to be prized for their own worth and intrinsecall excellency whoever was Authour And this Authour is to be honoured for his reall worth whatsoever he is the authour of We shall adde this also for thy encouragement that these Sermons have been very happily taken by the pen of a ready writer Mr. Farthing now a Teacher of Shortwriting one who hath given ample testimonie of his great skill and dexteritie in writing Short-hand We think we may say there are not many words delivered by the Author that are left out However confident we are that there is nothing materiall which was by him preached but is here by the care and faithfulnesse of the Scribe presented to thy view The desire of the publishers is that the name of this worthy man of God may be kept in honour that thou maist transferre these things to thy own use and expresse them in thy life that what was spoken to some may be common to all what was accepted by them that heard it may be received and improved by those that read it This is all we have to communicate to thee it would be an injury to detaine thee longer from the reverend Author we only commend thee to the grace of God which is able to make thee abound in every good work and bid thee Fare-well Ja. Nalton Wil. Cooper Tho. Jacomb Matthew Poole Allen Geare Ralph Venning Septemb. 29. 1653. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY THE SAINTS TREASURY EXODUS 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders THis Scripture is this day fulfilled in our Eares and before our eyes that which God hath already begun to doe for this Kingdome and the neighbour Churches doth shew unto us that there is none like unto the Lord Who is glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders The words though they be in the middle of the song yet they are a kinde of an Epiphonema which usually is at the end but the spirit of Moses being raised in admiring at and blessing God for the great things he had done for his people he containeth not himselfe till he comes to the end but breakes forth in the very middle with this applause of the glory of God Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises doing wonders You see then the words are a part of Moses his song occasioned upon the goodnesse of God in delivering of his
notwithstanding this the Law goes on in its curse and requires as perfect obedience and that upon pain of eternall death to every thing of it as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it still this is the severity of the Law it doth not remit at all of the threatning or punishment or exactnesse of obedienâ—â— notwithstanding we have lost all power to obey it Yea further in the tenth place it requires this of us and gives us no strength at all to doe what it requires it findes us divested of those principles that once we had to yield obedience and it affords us no new principles therefore some have compared the severity of it to Pharaohs Task-masters it requires the tale of Brick but gives no strength at all Yet further in the eleventh place In all it doth it strikes at our life the Law is satisfied with no affliction let it be transgrest in the least degree all the afflictions that can possibly be in this world will not satisfie it such is the severity of it I say that it strikes at life and at eternall life it follows to pursue us to our blood to temporall and eternall death and here I might open the condemning sentence of the Law but that would require a subject by it selfe therefore I only name what is in this head that it strikes at our lives upon every transgression of it Again twelfthly the severity of it is in this that upon any breach it doth presently binde over the soule though it doe not execute it presently by the strongest bonds that possible can be to everlasting death it suspends execution but the bond is immediately sealed upon the breach of it so that all men upon every breach of it have chains clapt upon their soules which is the guilt of sinne whereby they stand bound to eternall death by such bonds as all created power in heaven and earth is not able to loose Thirteenthly In the next place such is the severity of the law that when it is once offended it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe Suppose we have offended the Law in some one thing and that but once if after this we should endeavour what we can for our lives and swelter our heart bloods to obey the Law and think to make up the breach we have made yet we can never make it amends again It is true some though they be offended yet by double diligence may be pleased again but we must never think to doe so with God being under the law when we have once broken it we cannot with all our care and diligence be able to make it amâ—â—â—s and that is a great part of the severity of the Law I but what have we to doe but to mourn and cry and rent our hearts because of this distressed condition we are in Fourteenthly Nay the Law accepts of no repentance it will not discharge the guilt of any one sinne for all the sorrow in the world And here lieth a great mistake of people when they have offended they think they will be carefull to make amends and they will mourn and repent c. It is true if you be under the covenant of grace this is something but if you be in your naturall condition should you weep your hearts out and send streames of blood from your eyes in mourning but for any one sinne suppose that which thou countest a little matter a sinne in thought shouldest thou resolve to cry out and mourne for that one sinne all thy life it will not be accepted unlesse thou commest under the blessed liberty purchased by Christ therefore know the difference of being under the Law and under the Gospel Fifteenthly Yet further such is the rigour of the Law that when it hath opened our wounds and miseries it goes no further it shews us no means of deliverance like a Surgeon that opens the wound but applies no remedy Certainly were it not for a Mediator we should finde the Law onely to open our wound and there leave us Sixteenthly but yet again such is our bondage to the Law that instead of mortifying any of our sinnes it rather stirres them up and makes them more it threatneth indeed grievous things against the transgressors of it but it doth not mortifie any sinne it doth stir up lust though accidentally and makes our sin out of measure sinfull Sevententhly Yea there is one thing more after all this If we should keepe the Law yet the promises of it are but mean and low in comparison of the promises of the Gospel I doe not say they are but temporall though before the Gospell was revealed there was but little of Spirituall promises yet we know what the Apostle sayes 2 Timoth. 1. 10. That life and immortality is brought to light through the Gospel And though I do not say there are none yet there are very few Scriptures of the old Testament that speak of eternall life Thus you see your bondage under the Law and surely you will now think it a blessed condition â—o be freed from the Law And 't is one Argument that a soule is delivered from the bondage of the Law when it can heare all this and yield to Gods justice in it and can have the heart raised to God in the hearing of it But if the soule at the hearing of these things think them so hard and unreasonable that it is ready to rise at them it is a signe that the spirit is not acquainted with them and although these things may seem hard unto us yet if we consider but three or foure particulars they will not appeare so hard First doe but consider you have to deale with a God of infinite justice and worth indeed did we look upon God as we look upon a creature like our selves we should think it mighty hard but now when we have to deale with a God of infinite worth we should not think it hard Secondly we shall not think it hard if we consider that state of perfection wherein God made man at first however it is with us now yet God did at first give us a stock to trade in the way of obedience and to enable us to doe what the law required And then Thirdly if you did but understand aright what sin is then you would not think it hard that upon that sin we should be given up to such a woful condition we speak of if you look upon sin as that which strikes at an infinite deity at the very being of God himself as much as in us lyeth then you will not wonder that one sin should bring us into such a hard condition Fourthly if we consider those things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as these and doe but lay them with them and they will not seem so hard As that God for one thought should cast the Angels into eternal torments and not so much
I must here breake off This Sermon was preacht April 21. 1641. HEBR. â— v. 27. the latter end of the Verse But after this the judgement April 29. 1641. THe scope of the Holy Ghost in this Epistle is to prove the excellency of Christ that he is the Messiah that was to come into the world and that all the types and shadowes of the law pointed at him And a special part of the Epistle is to shew the excellency of the Priesthood of Christ by preferring it above the Priesthood of Aaron and amongst other regards in this that those Priests did offer up sacrifices often but Christ offered himself but once and this once offering of himself was available for ever and needed no further offering And this the Holy Ghost doth illustrate by comparing the efficacy of Christs sufferings with the efficacy of what a man doth here in this world that as the actions of men here in this world whatever they are whether good or evil are available for ever what a man doth in this life accordingly when he dyes he comes to be stated eternally so the death of Christ it is available for ever It is appointed for men once to dye and then comes judgement By judgement here I doe not think the Holy Ghost intends especially the judgement of the great day though it be true that after death the judgement of the great day will follow and all men must come to judgement but I shall not speak one word of the judgement of that day But there is another judgement that I conceive is the intent of the Holy Ghost here and that is the particular judgement that passeth upon every soul immediately after death which is the stateing of the soul in the eternal condition of it either of happinesse or misery While men live here their condition is not stated by any act of God though in regard of his eternal purpose it is the same for ever even the Saints themselves would be here in much hazzard and danger about their everlasting estate in regard of themselves and what they have actually bestowed upon them were it not that the grace of God is above them the people of God in this life are not without many feares and doubts about their everlasting condition and what would many poor children of God give to be delivered from their feares and doubts which are a grievous burthen to them that they might never have feare or doubt more about their eternal estates Well if thou beest godly in a little time it will be so with thee this is the good that death will bring unto thee that after death judgement will come to thee that is thou shalt be so actually stated in thy everlasting condition as to be beyond all hazard about it thou shalt be beyond all feares and doubts and temptations thou shalt never feare more never doubt more never be tempted more never more lose any of the good that thou art possessed of this is the judgement that comes to the Saints after death And on the other side wicked men here in this world are not without their hopes and confidences that all shall be well with them but after death comes judgement to them that is as we have it Proverbs 11 7. when a wicked man dieth his hope perisheth he is stated in such a condition as he is never like to have hope of good more he is past all hope and possibility of ever receiving further mercy from God and this is the meaning of the Text on both hands that after death comes Judgement Whatsoever mens conditions are here in this world though the Saints have many fears doubts about their estates yet I say immediately after death they shall be so stated and actually possessed of happinesse that they shall never doubt more And howsoever wicked men in this world have many hopes and confidences and blesse themselves in their way yet immediately after death all shall vanish for then judgement shall come Job hath this expression Job 8. 14. The hope of the hypocrite is as the spiders web he spins out of his own spirit a cunning web but the besome of death at once dasheth it all away for immediately after death he comes to judgement This then is the doctrinal conclusion we are to handle out of these words thus opened unto you That the onely time that men have to provide for their eternall condition is the time of this life if it be not done here there is no help afterward for after death comes judgement I shall desire to handle this point so farre as it may be a ground to work upon your hearts and to stirre you up in the time of your lives to make all sure between God and your souls for after death comes judgement This point that I am now to treat about it is one of the most serious points that concerns the children of men and usually one of the first things that the Lord settles upon the hearts and consciences of those whom he converts to himself For a man going on in wayes of sin and death to bethink himself Lord where am I what am I doing what is like to become of me wherefore was I borne wherefore came I into the world what have I to doe here Then God answers that which thou hast to doe here and art sent into the world for is to make provision for eternity t is about this great businesse to make up all between God and thy soul and look thou beest careful in it for though thy life be short and uncertaine yet this great businesse doth depend upon this short and uncertaine time of thy life and if it be neglected in this little space of time I give unto thee thou art lost and undone for ever for presently after death comes judgement and you shall be then stated so as there can be no alteration It is the observation of the School-men that what did befal to the Angels that sinned that in death befalls unto wicked men that is as the Angels upon the first act of sin were presently stated in an irrecoverable condition so wicked men when they dye are stated in an irrecoverable condition It is true while we live in this world though we are sinful yet our condition is to be lookt upon as better then the condition of the fallen Angels there is not here such an actuall stating of us but when once death comes a wicked man is then in the same condition with the devils themselves that is his condition is then so stated and made as certaine and sure and as irrecoverable as any of the Angels that sinned While we preach to men though never so wicked and ungodly because an actual judgement such as the Text speakes of is not past upon them we are to offer grace and mercy to them in Christ but if this offer be neglected for a while if the twine thread the single thread of thy life be once
Son in reference to man-kind before the world was The covenant now being between the Father and the Son and the Father requiring in this Covenant satisfaction to infinite divine justice Christ he yeilds to this And therefore in the second place Christ he actually comes to be the way of conveyance by taking our nature upon him and so makes us reconcilable to God by taking humane nature into such a neer union to the divine nature to the second person in the Trinity so as that there should be but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one person in them both that there should be a personall union which is the great mystery of the Gospell There are two great mysteries in the Gospell the one that there should be divers persons in one nature and this is the mystery of the Trinity the other that there should be divers natures in one person and this is the mystery of the hypostaticall union of our nature with Christ So that Christ taking mans nature into such a neer union to himselfe it was a mighty preparative for God to have thoughts of peace toward humane nature rather then to the Angels and it was one part of his humility and therefore hath a meritorious efficiency in this worke of reconciling God to man But this was not sufficient Therefore in the third place Christ was content now to come into the world and be made the head of a second covenant between God and mankinde to performe what ever God the Father should require for the satisfaction of divine Justice so that look as Adam by being the head of the first covenant was the meanes of conveying all evill to us so Christ by being the head of the second covenant is the meanes of conveying all good to us by his subjecting to this we come to receive all grace and mercy from God And it could not have been otherwise for though God would have thought of a second covenant yet if he had left it to us to have performed the termes of it we should assoon have broken that as we did the first but Christ undertaking to be the head of the second covenant and performing whatever the Father required in it by his perfect obedience to the law and satisfaction to divine Justice divine Justice had nothing to lay to the charge of those that Christ undertook to satisfie for This was a mighty way of Gods letting out his grace and mercy to the souls of believers for what is it that stops the current of his mercy 't is the curse of the law and cryes of divine Justice but now Christ undertaking to undergoe that curse and to satisfie divine Justice God hath as much honour now by his suffering as he had dishonour by mans sinning so that mans sinne is made up in this and that is it Justice requires I have had dishonour by sinne sayes Justice I must have this dishonour made up by suffering and so much suffering as in which I must have as much honour as I had before dishonour in sinning These are the conditions upon which God will be reconciled to man and upon no other I beseech you consider this and herein you will see an infinite necessity of Christ God is with us upon these termes sayes God you have sinned against me and dishonoured me how doe you think to be delivered why Lord thou art mercifull I sayes God but I am resolved upon this I will have as much honour by suffering as I had dishonour by sinning And Lord what would have become of us if we had been left to make up this breach This is the very reason why the damned in hell are there eternally because they are there upon these termes sayes God I am infinite and I am dishonoured and there they must lye till I have as much honour by their suffering as I had dishonour by their sinning Now after they have been there thousands of thousands of yeares still the honour of God calls for more and therefore they must lye there for ever But now Christ who is the great Saviour he comes and entering into covenant with God and fulfilling that covenant he layes downe God such a price that God shall have as much honour in his suffering for sinne as he had dishonour before in the committing of sinne Now this being done the current of mercy being unstopt and the passages of it opened and God being infinite in grace and mercy in himselfe what a glorious way is made for the streames of his mercy to issue and flow forth to the children of men And take in this one particular more and then we shall have done with this head In this we may see that God in forgiving of sinne and shewing mercy to sinfull creatures is just and goes in a way of Justice as well as in a way of mercy therefore that Text Rom. 3. 25. 26. is very observable a Text that Luther for a while was exceedingly troubled about the meaning of it Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus This was that which troubled Luther so much that God should declare his righteousnesse in the remission of sinnes that God declares his mercy every one knowes but that God declares his righteousnesse and that Christ is set to be a propitiation that God might declare his righteousnesse this may seem strange and then the Holy Ghost repeats it To declare I say his righteousnesse as if he should say consider that God in the pardoning of sinne doth not onely manifest his grace and mercy but declares his righteousnesse That he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Not mercifull but just thus wee see what way Christ takes to be the meanes of conveying Gods goodnesse to us by performing the covenant and so satisfying divine Justice Lastly he is the way of conveying good to us as by his satisfaction so by his intercession for he is now and shall for ever be at the right hand of the Father in glory making intercession for his people that is continually presenting before his Father the worke of his mediation his merits what he hath done and suffered and as it were pleading with his Father for the conveyance of all needfull mercy and good unto the souls and bodies of his people whom he hath redeemed As if he should every moment eternally speake thus to the Father Father behold here is my bloud my merits my death all my sufferings the worke of my humiliation it is for these yea for this poor soul and for that poor soul particularly for know that Christ thinks not only of the lumpe of believers in the generall but particularly of every believer and is continually presenting before the
cut then thou art gone for ever For after death comes judgement In the meditation of this point me thinks I cannot but look upon God as beholding all the children of men in their fallen lost sinful and miserable estate with pity and compassion saying poor creatures they have sinned against me and have made themselves liable to eternal wrath which they understand not which they are not able to beare well a little time I will grant unto them to sue out their pardon and to come in and make up their peace with me and I will give them meanes for that end but let them look to themselves for according to the improvement of the time that I now give them so shall it be with them to all eternity if they neglect it they are gone for ever mercy then shall doe them no good so that the tenour upon which we all hold our lives it is no other then as a malefactor condemned to dye who hath granted to him through the favour of the Prince a little time of reprieval and some intimation withal given of a possibility in that time to sue out his pardon and according as he spends that time so it shall be with him for life or death Thus I say we all hold our lives we are all condemned before the Lord onely God hath out of his infinite grace provided a way and meanes of salvation for the children of men and gives us a little time we know not how long whether two or three dayes but as long as we live to look about us to provide for the making of our peace with him and if that be neglected all is gone and we are undone for ever great things then doe depend upon this uncertaine small time of our lives It is reported of Alexander that when he went against any City he did use to set up a lampe burning and would make proclamation that whosoever came in while this lampe was burning should finde favour and have his life but whosoever staid till this lampe was out he was but a dead man and must expect no mercy brethren know that God hath set up a lampe and our life is this lampe and God proclames Whosoever comes in while this lampe is burning shall finde mercy but if you stay till the lampe be out there is nothing but eternal misery to be expected Now this lampe of your lives may not onely goe out upon the consumption of the oyle but it may be put out by accidental meanes and if this lampe be once out and your work not done you are lost for ever We read 1 Kings 6. 7. that when Solomon was preparing the Temple he made all things so ready before hand that there was no noise of axe or hammer heard there Whosoever God intendeth for a living stone in the glorious Temple of Heaven he squares and fits them here there is no noyse of repentance and sorrow for sin after this life what is to be done must be done here nothing will doe it hereafter Whatsoever thou hast to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nos knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whòther thou goest Eccles 9. 10. and Chapter 11. vers 3. In the place where the tree falleth there it lyeth Which way thou fallest when thou dyest that way thou shalt lie eternally if Godward then God is thine for ever if sinward then misery and destruction is thine for ever Eccles 12 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it The souls of wicked men doe returne to God that gave them as well as the souls of the godly that is they doe presently returne to God to receive the sentence of their eternal doome from him and to be stated in their everlasting condition there is a mighty change in the soul immediately after it is departed from the body and is brought to stand before the glorious God to be stated in its eternal condition There are twelve houres in the day sayes Christ wherein a man may worke but the night comes when no man can work John 9. 4. The time of this life is thy working time I but the night is coming and then no man can work Revel 6. 8. And I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed him Hell immediately followes death where death surprizeth any in their natural condition that have not finished the work of making their peace with God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the flesh whether it be good or bad It is not according to what we doe afterwards but according to what we have done here in the flesh so it must be with us for ever There can be no repenting no believing after this life body and soul being parted the whole man is not capable of a work of God upon it And besides immediately after death God takes all meanes away you shall never heare Sermon more never have admonition more never have good connsel more never have any working of Gods spirit more to draw you soules to Christ And not onely so but God then withdrawes himself so fully in regard of all the common workes of his spirit that there is a kinde of stating the soul in sin which yet cannot so properly in regard of God be said to be sin as evil so that it shall be impossible for thee to doe any thing but sin as the Saints though while they live here they have many lusts and corruptions in them yet immediately after death their souls are so fully possessed of the spirit that then they cannot sin so on the contrary though wicked men while they live here have divers common gifts of Gods spirit and many restraints upon them yet immediately after death they are so fully separated from God and God so fully withdraws himself from them that it is impossible for them to doe any thing else but sin and rebell against God and blaspheme him to his face There was in Adam in innocency a possibility not to have sinned there is in us while we live in this world an impossibility but that we should sin but in the world to come there is in the Saints an impossibility that ever they should sin and look how the impossibility is on the one hand with the Saints so is the impossibility directly contrary on the other hand with the wicked therefore the wicked must needs be stated in an everlasting evil condition There is no more possibility for the damned souls in hell ever to doe any thing but to blaspheme God then there is a possibility for the Saints in heaven ever to sin against God And yet further at the great day Christ gives up the kingdome to the Father and then there will be another manner of administration then before
Christ will not then be exercised in the work of his mediatorship to mediate any further for those for whom he did not mediate in this life And presently after the separation of the soul from the body the spirit of God wholly departes from the soul and the wrath of God is let out so fully into it that it breaks the soul and fills up every faculty of it so that it is impossible in regard of the strong current of divine wrath that carries the soul along with it that ever it should be exercised to all eternity any one moment in any thing but onely in bearing of torment and divine wrath As the Saints shall be filled up with the presence of God and carried on with such a strong current of divine mercy that it shall be impossible that their souls should ever to all eternity be exercised in any other thing but in the enjoyment of God and living to his praise so on the quite contrary is it with the wicked therefore after death there is a stating of both I will enlarge my self no further in the opening of this point but come presently to apply it for this point is applicatory rather then doctrinal and I shall content my self with three or foure branches of application and so conclude In the first place hence we may see what cause we have to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially any that are here this day that have not throughly made their peace with God that are not upon certaine and infallible termes in this great businesse of providing for their eternal estates If there remaines but any doubt in thy heart concerning thy eternal condition and if the feares of eternity have been upon thy spirit thou Wilt from this point that hath been thus briefly spoken to see cause to blesse God with thy face up on the ground adoring the riches of his grace that thou art alive this day why because thy life it is the time of making up thy peace with God it is the time of providing for thy eternal condition if thy life be at an end and this work not done then all is gone then judgement comes and thou wilt be infallibly and unalterably stated in a lost and undone condition O therefore it s well that thou art alive this day if a man have a great businesse to doe that concernes his whole estate or life and it must be done in a very little time O what a favour would he count it to have his time lengthned out though but a little because his businesse is of great weight and he thinkes with himself if I miscarry in it I am lost and undone for ever so all those that have ever had serious apprehensions of the infinite consequence of what depends upon their lives here they cannot but sit downe and blesse God for lengthening out their lives for the time of this life is a happy time it is a day of grace a day of salvation O how happy would those poor creatures upon whom this judgement is past that are stated in their eternal condition think themselves if they might have but one day wherein it might be said there is a possibility for them to make provision for themselves concerning their eternal estate As they were not long since so art thou now and therefore know how to prize thy life O the lives of men and women especially such as have not yet done that great work are worth a thousand thousand worlds I remember I have heard of a speech of a great Gentleman who being very sick and Physitians telling him that there was no way for him but death O sayes he that I might live though it were but as a Toad and indeed what man or woman is there that hath not got a thorough and Scripture-assurance of this great work that their peace is made up with God but may upon very good ground if sicknesse be upon them desire to live though but as a Toad because such great things depend upon their lives here in this world Brethren doe but say this to your own hearts upon serious meditation of this that I am now speaking of What if God should come now to this Congregation and say to every one of you Well now the time that I have given you to provide for your eternal estate is at an end if you have done your work well and good you shall be saved and possesse eternal glory but you must be cast according to that which is now done I feare if such a message should come from heaven to many of us it would make our hearts to ake within us and we should cry out O Lord give me a little space before I goe hence and be no more seen O that I might yet have a little more time Suppose God had taken you away when he took away such a kinsman or kinswoman of yours such a neighbour or friend and death had come then and judgement had then been past upon you which way doe you thinke you must have been cast cannot some of you remember that if God had taken you away at such a time or when such a one dyed you were then in such a case that you have cause to think you had been certainly stated in a condition of eternal misery therefore blesse God that you are alive at this day to heare of such a doctrine as this is that so long as you live God gives you time to provide for your eternal estate Psalm 78. 38. the Text sayes God did not stirre up all his anger but called back his wrath when sicknesse comes upon men and women some part of Gods anger is let out I but if God had let out his anger but a little more what would have become of you you had been gone one stroake more had cast you for ever I but God was pleased to call back his anger and did not stirre up all his wrath O blesse God for sparing you at such a time for certainly had you died then your condition had been as irrecoverable as the Devells themselves now t is a day of grace now you have the voyce of the Gospel and the glad tidings of salvation sounding in your eares but then you had been past the time of grace past praying and past repenting now that you are not past this day you are to prize your lives And brethren know wherein consists the worth of your lives and the continuance of them there is a horrible impudence in some men they would faine have their lives lengthened to have their lusts more satisfied did God give thee thy life for this end no the end why thou shouldst desire to live is that thou mayest have further time to make provision for that which is of such infinite consequence which if it be not done it had been better for thee to have been a Toad or Serpent or the vilest creature that ever lived O that we had hearts to give God
things that concerne your souls and eternal condition which you have to doe and you spend your time to get estates to get a little pleasure or honour in the world but now when the conclusion of all shall come and you shall look back to see what you have done and God shall come and call you to an account and say Well now there is an end of your time what have you done in this world It may be you can say Lord I have got an estate and I have led a merry and jovial life but all this while what hast thou done for thy soul what hast thou done for eternity what hast thou done for the making up of thy peace what hast thou done about those things that are of such infinite weight and consequence thy heart now will be overwhelmed with this thought O Lord I did forget my soul I had no thoughts about my eternal estate I have spent a great deal more time in playing then in praying at least more time in playing then I have done in praying to God in private to make my peace with him however it may be you can passe away your time merrily here yet it will be a dreadful thing to you hereafter when you shall know what was the businesse of your time and what you were borne for I remember Bernard hath a notable expression speaking of some calling one to another Come let us be merry till an houre be past sayes he speaking with indignation against such folly What wilt thou doe thus and thus till an houre be past till time be past what passe away that which the mercy of thy Creator hath so farre indulged to thee as to give it thee for repentance and to get grace and to obtaine pardon What to passe away time in which thou oughtest to be breathing after that life and blessednesse which thou hast lost It becomes men that have not made up their peace with God to spend their dayes in bewailing of their sinful and miserable condition and not in merrinesse and jollity in chambering and wantonnesse how wilt thou wish one day that thy time had been spent rather in mourning and lamenting sayes Abraham to Dives Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures this life is not the life of thy sensual pleasures but to make all even between God and thy soul when God is so gracious as to give us space for such great ends as he doth in this world he expects that all the children of men should spend their dayes in seeking his face and in making up their peace with him in prizing his mercy in admiring and adoring the riches of his grace and goodnesse in his Son but where doe we finde this what a different course of life is there in most men from what God expects they are guilty of desperate folly that squander away their precious time seeing all depends upon it Thirdly If after death comes judgement certainly then when death findes any man unprepared in an estate of unregeneracy that hath not made his peace with God it must needes be exceeding dreadful because it brings judgement and states such a one in his eternal condition Job 18. 14. Death is called there the King of terrors and well may it be so for indeed it is the most dreadful thing in the world to those that understand the meaning of their own sinful state and condition there is enough in this to daunt the heart of the proudest stubbornest wretch that lives upon the earth to consider that now I am launching into the ocean of eternity but God knows I have made little provision for it it may be it is the ocean of the wrath of this infinite God that I am now launching into and must be in for ever certainly except thou hast good assurance of the work done between God and thy soul the sight of the infinite ocean thou art launching into immediately after death cannot but make thee give a dreadful shrieke when thou seest thou art now like to miscarry eternally death taking an ungodly man it is no other but the cutting asunder of the thred upon which he hung over the pit of eternal misery It is the pulling up of the flood gates of Gods eternall wrath Here when afflictions are upon men and women Gods wrath is but onely like the little droppings of water through the flood-gates as you see in flood-gates there will be some leakings forth of some drops of water onely but there is a vast difference between those drops and when the flood-gates are pulled up then the streames gush out abundantly just so is it with Gods dealings here in the world with ungodly men it may be Gods hand is upon them in many afflictions but these are but as some few drops of his wrath but when death comes and findes them unprepared then God pulls up the flood-gates and then the streames of the wrath of the almighty overflow them death to them will be no other then the Sergeant of the Lord of hosts to hale them to prison It will be a taking up of the draw-bridge It will be to them a dismal and dreadful Sun-set that brings with it a night of eternal darknesse and that will be a most dreadful Sun-set that shall never have day more why know that at death the day of grace and salvation sets to thee and an eternal night of dismal blacknesse and darknesse will be upon thee so that when thou art going out of this world and thy peace not made with God thou must then bid farewel to all comforts and to whatever thou didst enjoy Now farewel those excellent truths of God that I have had revealed to me I shall never heare such gracious truths out of the mouthes of Gods ministers more Now farewel all my loving friends that I rejoyced so much in and all the mercy meetings that ever I have had I shall never have them more Farewel now wife husband children I shall never see your faces more Yea farewel house and lands and all delights farewel Sun and Moon and Stars and all the world I shall never see you againe till I see you all of a light fire at the great and dreadful day of Christ And now I am leaving the world and all the comforts here and all the meanes of grace here and O Lord whither am I going It was a speech of Pope Adrian when he was to dye sayes he O my soul my soul whither art thou going thou shalt never be merry more as thou was wont to he It is a doleful thing for a poor creature whose time is at an end not to know whither he is going to think of former pleasures and delights and never to have them more Me thinkes when I consider the death of any ungodly man that place in Isaiah 10. 3. comes to my minde And what will you doe in the day of visitation It is true thou doest now ruffle it out in
the world and takest thy fill of pleasure and bearest all before thee and wilt have thy minde and art stout and stubborn in thy way and scornest the truthes of God by his Ministers but what wilt thou doe in the day of visitation when the time shall come that puts an end unto thy dayes here O the change that wil then be in thy spirit God will then look upon thee with indignation and say O wretched creature that hast spent thy dayes in vanity thou shalt continue no longer in this world and now the wrath of the Almighty is let out upon thee Thou art upon thy sick bed in distresse and conscience now is awakened and tortures that soul of thine and tells thee that such and such wickednesse at such a time in such a company in such a chamber thou didst commit and thou beginst now to curse thy selfe for thy folly and for neglecting the day of grace and salvation and now thy time is almost gone well thy sicknesse encreaseth thy paines continue thy friends are all sent for and they come about thee bewailing of thee and thou beginnest to look gastly and drawest thy breath short and the devil waits for his prey thy mouth falls thy soul departs and there is an end of thee an end of all thy pride and an end of all thy stoutnesse and an end of all thy vanity and wickednesse and this is the man that hath not made God his portion mercy hath had her time but thou hast neglected it and now thou art gone for ever We speak much of the mercy of God and is it not rich mercy for God to give to thee a wretched sinful creature such a blessed time of repentance as thou hast in this world for God to call and cry to thee and to tender thee grace and pardon and peace he did not doe so to the Angels that sinned when they committed but one sin against God he cast them away and would not so much as treat with them about any termes of peace and therefore seeing thou hast had thy time already let all the Angels in Heaven and Saints and creatures yea and devils themselves acknowledge that God was merciful to this man to this wretched man and woman that had such a faire time though now judgement be upon them O my brethren the thoughts of death under this notion hath a great deal in it to work upon your hearts I remember I have heard of one that used to pray six times a day and being asked why he spent so much time in praying he gave no other answer but this I must dye I must dye that which was to come after would put a period to the time of his life upon which so much did depend O that we had hearts to consider it and that we knew even now in this our day the things that belong to our everlasting peace before it be too late Brethren these things are of infinite concernment to your immortal souls the Lord grant they may be prevalent upon every one of us We may apply this dreadfulnesse of death that followes upon the meditation of this point I have been upon unto divers sorts of people as first me thinkes it should be of great force and efficacy to work upon the hearts of old people your time is neer you had need be sure that your work is done for certainly you have no long time for the accomplishing of that great work of making your peace with God it is three or foure a clock as it were in your day of grace the Sun is setting with you Now if a man be to goe a journey upon his life and hath neglected the fore-noon and much of the after-noon also and sees the Sun draw low he thinkes with himself I had need make haste now for if the Sun be once set and I not at my journeyes end I am a lost man my life is gone They that goe over where the Sea is dry at one time and flowes at another but so that if they misse but half an houre they are dead men if by their watch they finde the time is almost come for the waters to returne then their hearts are daunted and they say one to another we had need make haste for the time is almost at an end O consider this you old men that have neglected the time of your youth and now your time is almost at an end know in this your day the things of your peace double now your diligence It is a most dreadful thing to see an old wicked man an old sinner an old scorner an old carnal wretch that never understood the great businesse that he came into the world for Secondly this concernes all prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their souls wider If a man have a journey to goe for his life and he must goe it before the Sun be set and he goes a quite contrary way when he begins to reflect upon himself he then sayes where am I If the Sun goe downe before I am at my journeyes end I am a dead man so is it with you that goe on in wayes of prophanesse God hath sent you here to live to the praise of his name and to work out your salvation with feare and trembling and you have gone directly backward and the time of your lives hath been spent in nothing else but in making your selves seaven-fold more the children of wrath then before you had need now look to your selves for if you dye in your course of prophanesse you are undone for ever Thirdly for those that have been heretofore in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation that have had some stirrings of conscience in them but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turned back againe and have fallen off from their former state certainly this point might strike thee to the heart As a man that is to goe over the Sea for his life by such a time and he hath a good gale for the present but when he is come neer the haven a great gust drives him back againe O what a sad condition is this man in so is it with thee the time was when thou hadst a good gale God came graciously to thee by the work of his spirit and thou seemedst to be in a good forwardnesse in the work thou wast borne for but the gust of fin and the violence of lust hath carried thee quite back againe and now thou art further off then before how should this awaken thee to improve all thy time and opportunities to the uttermost for the good of thy soul Againe this concernes those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead as some froward people if any thing crosses them they presently wish themselves in the grave O vaine man and woman dost thou know what thou doest
you are a dead man it would make him call in his thoughts and compose his spirit so if thou hast a slight and wandring heart this is said to thee this day friend poor soul know what thou art doing even this dayes work concernes thy life thy eternal estate and take your selves off from all creatures til you have done so great a work so saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31 32. Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as if they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not the time is short The word is the time is wrapt up it is folded up it is a Metaphor taken from cloth that is folded even to the very fag end the time is all folded up sayes the Apostle therefore let your hearts be taken off from the creature Truly brethren whatever you think of this point yet those that understand themselves aright would not venture to be in an unconverted estate one half houre for ten thousand worlds for they know that when death comes then judgement also comes And you that are poor people who live hardly and in great extremity in this world yet so long as you live here your condition is comfortable for you have time to doe that worke that is of such mighty consequence for the good of your souls And indeed upon the consideration of this point peoples hearts should be taken off from the creature for a man had better live here in order to that great work though as a stock or log in the fire then to be taken away before he hath done that work he was sent into the world for When men are in paine they would faine dye I but did they know what will be the state and condition of a wicked man immediately after his death they would rather live though as the miseablest creature in the world And consider all you young ones now while God gives you time of this great work of making your peace with him If a man were to goe over Sea about a businesse of great weight after he comes upon the shore what should his first thought be let him first make sure of his great work and then be merry afterwards If thou hast made sure of this great work that thy peace is made up with God and that thy everlasting estate is secure then thou mayest be merry amongst thy friends and mayest live joyfully and comfortably all thy dayes It was the complaint of one that Art is long and life short but surely the art of providing for eternity is a long and difficult art and thy life is short and uncertaine O therefore doe not put off this great work as Seneca speakes of some they are alwayes about to doe they will and they will and are about to live but never live O that you that are young ones would begin betimes and this point setled upon the hearts of young ones would cause them to apply themselves with all their might to the great work of their souls And that which you do be sure you do it with all your might which is the Argument of the Holy Ghost Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest If ever thou hadst a work to put forth thy strength about O doe it here doe not onely have some faint wishes and desires and some sudden good moods as perhaps at the hearing of such a truth as this is you have some sudden wishes and inclinations no but work out your salvation with feare and trembling and be sure to take hold of all opportunities seeing so much depends upon the short time of your lives If a man were to goe over Sea for his life and had a faire day and winde it were desperate madnesse for him to say Well I have two or three dayes more to goe over in and therefore I will not go now and so neglects his gale and when those days are past and the last day comes he thinks to go over but cannot have a wind for a world so many think they will repent when they come to dye O but take heed when thou hast a gale that thou doest not neglect it for feare it never come again and know that if the Lord stirres any of your hearts this day or any other day by his word and you neglect it and goe to your businesse and shops and to your sensual pleasures and delights you may hereafter desire to have such a time of the working of Gods spirit againe and if you would give a thousand worlds for it were it in your power you cannot have it therefore take heed you doe not neglect this great work And upon this ground labour to make sure work for if a man had a work to doe and having done it amisse he might mend it afterwards he need not be so exact about it but if a man be set about a work and he knowes when it is gone out of his hands he can never mend it he will not be carelesse in it but will lay his work to the rule and labour to make all sure Know it is so with you about your eternal condition that which you doe in this world must be available for ever you cannot mend it afterwards If after you see your selves cast you should say O Lord give me farther time and let me come into the world againe and then I will mend this and the other fault that I was rebuked for God will say no you cannot returne into the world again therefore it neerly concernes you to make all sure while you have time And doe not rest upon blinde hopes and desperate adventures I hope it will be thus and thus with me but entertaine this thought What if it should prove otherwise what if I should miscarry this will mightily daunt the heart of a man especially if he knows that upon his miscarriage he is undone for ever Yet further which is another branch of the exhortation my brethren never baulk any way of God for feare of suffering be willing to suffer any hardship for Gods way How doth that follow thus If the time of thy life be that upon which the stating of thy eternal condition depends then it concerns thee to goe through stitch whatever comes in thy way as for instance suppose a man were going to such a place and he must be there at such a time for his life and riding apace through the streets the dogs bark at him as usually the dogs bark most at those who ride fastest how little doth he regard the barking of the dogs but did a man ride onely for his recreation then it would be a little troublesome to him And when a man rides for his life though the clouds gather