evil but only good for from an absolute Goodness nothing can proceed but good And such are as will appear Even things necessary for this life they are called Good things In Deut. 6. 11. We read of houses full of all good things In the Book of Job there is mention made of such a wretched kind of people which said unto God Depart from us and what can the Almighty do for them Job 22. 17. And yet in the 18. v. t is said He filled their houses with good things Says Abraham to the rich Man in Hell Luk. 16. 25. v. Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things St. James calls them precious fruits of the Earth Jam. 5. 7. v. and therefore precious saith an Interpreter because they cost hard labor and because they are choice blessings of God Called they are in Scripture Our life Because they are the very sinews of our life It is said of the Woman in the Gospel that she had spent all her living upon the Physicians Luk. 8. 43. In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she spent her whole liâ—e upon the Physitians because she spent her estate by which she should live No Man can live in the world without some portion had of the things of the world Here I may fitly transcribe the words of a good Preacher As saith he theâ—e be three Ages of Man An Infant who creeps upon the ground with all four a young man who goes upon his two leggs an old man who goes on three counting his staffe for one So there be three conditions of Men the worldly man who goes upon all four and looks to earthly things The Saints in Heaven who trample these things of the world under their feet going upright and scorning so much as to look towards them they need them not at all But the Saints on earth though they tread upon them in their esteem yet they must look a little towards them in their necessity because they cannot be without them as long as any of us have the old man about us we cannot go without the staffe of Bread as long as we abide in the world we cannot be without some things of the world and even these things you see are called good things But yet our labor should be chiefly about Eternal good things Because though the things of this life are good yet Eternal good things are the best the chiefest and excellentest of good things they are the only things worth the laboring for many things are hard to come by and yet of no great use or worth when by great labor and pains taking they are gotten or brought to pass Aelians censure of the Chariot I have read of made by Myrmccidas and Callecrates so small that it might be hid under a Fly in my conceit was good and applicable to my purpose For when others wondered at it he said it was worthy no wise man's praise but was rather to be accounted a vain expence of time and how much vain expence of time may be noted amongst many men laboring for what is not worth the labor used to gain them As some more excellent Schollars of great parts and abilities spend their time and studies about very unprofitable Questions and Disputations and intricate subtilties about Moon-shine in the Water as one complains that Spider-like eviscerate themselves and spend their bowels to make Cob-webbs of Wit So a man cannot but have observed what time and labor some men spend in and about some things that neither are of advantage to their Souls or their Bodies But now Eternal good things they are indeed hard and difficult to obtain but will be found to be singularly excellent good things Eternal good things to the very best of worldly good things are as the Sun to the least of Starrs as some stately Pallace the seat or habitation of a great Monarch to a smoaky and thatch'd Cottage the habitation of a Peasant they are as Gold to Brass Et melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum a little of the palest and coursest Gold is farr better then much of the finest and brightest Brass One Christian's share of Eternal good things is farr better then what all the Kings and Potentates in the world do injoy of the world Hi numerosè aggrigant penes se densissimum lutum as the Prophet Habakkuk speakes chap. 2. 6. v. Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his how long and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay These are laden with thick clay Illi aurum igni exploratum possident They are inriched with pure Gold Revel 3. 18. v. Their Exchequer may be full but t is only the World 's counterfeit coyn the other have the true treasure Their Wardropes may be plentifully furnished but t is only with glassy Pearl the other injoy that precious Orient Pearl which to purchase the wise Merchant sold all There is as much difference between Temporal good things and Eternal good things as there is between the light of a Candle and the light of the Sun when it shineeth in its full brightness at mad-day A Candle in a dark-night makes a great shew but the light thereof when the Sun cometh vanisheth and is nothing Even such are all those things that men now so much affect and labor so much for if compared with what will indure to Eternity the worth of them doth vanish and come to nothing What think you of those new investitures of the Soul after the Resurrection of those royal endowments of glorified souls in Heaven shining there like the glorious body of our Saviour upon Mount Tabor What think you of having our bodies to glitter in glory like those spangles in the Firmament of those Sun-like bodies we shall have in Heaven Of corruptions putting on incorruption and mortality putting onimmortality What think you of the beatifical vision of beholding him who is invisible in the presence chamber of his glory of the souls living for ever in the continual prospect of the infinite beauty and Majesty of God in the most glorious and eternal sanctuary of Heaven of taking a full view of that All-glorious Deity whose very fight gives blessedness to the beholder of having the beams of our Creators heavenly glory to shine in our faces of so seeing God as never more to look of him of so enjoying him that he shall for ever be all in all unto us Of seeing the glory of Christ which is the glory of glories What think you of the Golden City beautified and irradiated with the unconceivable splendor of the glory of God where Streets Walls gates and all is gold and Pearl nay where Pearl is but as mire and dirt and nothing worth of walking through the streeâ—s of Paradise where Sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of sadness is never seen evil success is never feared but instead thereof there is all good without any thing of
Diadem made of the pure gold of Ophir is long since dust but the Crown of glory worn in the Kingdom of Heaven is immarcessible incorruptible and lasting beyond all compass of time being without all possibility of alteration as there will be found no Cross set upon this Crown so there will be no end of this Crown It s no news to hear of Crowns in the World pluckt from the heads of Kings and Emperors but Fortune that ridiculous riddle of fools cannot reach this Crown for as it is super-eminent so it is permanent Then the head wearing this Crown and the crown then worn will be both immortal the person glorifyed and the Crown of glory both will endure for ever You will hardly hear of a King or Prince that wore the Crown of his Kingdom the whole age of a Man long a time as a man may naturally live which the Psalmist says is threescore years and ten and few come to fourscore but the Philosopher makes the life of a man an hundred years yet Saints in glory wearing this Crown will injoy not only the age of a man but In secula seculorum for ever and ever 7. The house or habitation prepared in Heaven is an Eternal habitation God is an excellent preparer He prepared a table in the Wilderness for the Israelites where he gave them water out of a stony rock and Manna from Heaven He prepared a Kingdom for Hester when she was a poor banished Maid He prepared a Whale for Jonah when he was cast into the Sea He prepared the World as an house well furnished against the coming of Man into it But of all preparations that is the greatest He hath prepared for every Believer an house Eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. v. For we know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand Eternal in the Heavens Here is the habitation prepared for every true believer that which St. Paul lays claim to belongs to each member of Jesus Christ so that each one of them may say Was Heaven prepared for Abraham Isaac and Jacob so it is prepared for me Was the Apostle St. Paul sure of this so am I. Was Lazarus carryed up thither so shall I I shall one day inhabit those habitations scituate in heaven An house scituate in a fruitful and pleasant Countrey is very taking with every one An house in some great City is of great esteem What would you judg of an house to have been scituate in Jerusalem that Princess and Paragon of the Earth and for Renown called the City of God But this is the new Jerusalem this is Mount Zion the garden and paradise of God here is an house scituated not in any Kingdom of the World but in the Kingdom of the Saints not in any Region of the Earth but in Heaven in the Land of Promise flowing with Milk and Honey where are fruitful Hills and pleasant Vallies whence came all those large clusters of Grapes of inward and outward comforts unto us whilst we are on this side the river This sets forth the excellency of the habitation that it is in Heaven when Christ would shew the excellency of the bread of Life he says It is bread from Heaven the excellency of Spiritual and Eternal blessings is set out in this That they are blessings in heavenly places Ephes 1. 3. v. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Because Gold is the most precious metal therefore we lay it over things not only Wood and Cloth but Silver it self we will wash over Silver it self that is a precious metal with Gold that is the most precious metal So because Heaven is so excellent we find the choicest blessings and good things guilded with this adjunct and all to shew the wonderful excellency of Heaven it self this then sets out the Excellency of this building of God it is in heaven and our Saviour Christ calls it his Father's house Joh. 14 2. v. In my Father's house are many Mansions this was created to be the Court of the great King the Praise of the whole World made to be a Non-such most magnificent stately and glorious farr above the reach of the thought of Men no man being able in words to set forth what Workman-ship and â—are pieces what Majesty and incomprehensible Excellencies are in this Palace of the great King and heavenly habitation of Saints and Angels It pleased God to create this glorious â—abrick which we see for his servants to inhabite in for some time but this is not to be compared to the Palace in Heaven When in a Kingdom we see Subjects live in stately houses what houses think we Kings live in Verum haec tantum alias inter caput extulit urbes Quantum lenta solent inter viburna cupressi To use the Poets words for look how much the greatest Palaces of Kings and Princes do exceed the poorest and meanest Cottages so much nay infinitely more does Heaven the greatest Palaces themselves that soon will be laid in the dust The most sumptuous Palaces and the strongest Materials have vanity written upon their Portalls and are oftentimes demolished and laid in the dust hence those ruines of whole Cities strong Castles great Abbies and Monasteries these are subject to Fire Earthquakes Storms Tempests Inundations and many other Casualties but Heaven hath Eternity written upon the gates thereof and shall stand for ever Say that many houses in the World Kings Palaces and strong Castles have stood long have lasted already many generations and yet may indure hundreds of years and be neither burnt with Fire nor shaken with Earth-quakes nor battered with Canon nor blown up with Gunpowder but continue quiet habitations not only to the present possessors but Ad natos natorum Et qui nascentur ab illis even for many years many Generations be continued to their children and to the children of their Nephews Yet who knows not that the like places have somtimes been laid waste the line of Confusion hath been stretched out upon them thorns and nettles and bryers have grown up in them they have beâ—n habitations for Dragons and Courts for Owls Corâ—orants and Bitterns have possessed them Ostriches and Ravens have dwelt in them the wild beasts of the Desert have there met with the wild beasts of the Islands and the Satyre hath been heard to cry to his fellow the Shrich-Owl hath also rested there and found for her self a place of rest there the great Owl hath made her nest and layed and hatched and gathered under her shadow and thither have the Vultures been gathered together As the Lord in Isay 34. for many Verses threatens to deal with his Churches enemies But say they should escape such desolating Judgments yet the day is coming when they will be consumed and brought to nothing When the
v. O Lord thou art my God early will I seeâ— thee And Psal 5. 3. v. My voyce shalt thou hear in the morning in the morning will I direct my Prayer to thee and look up Psal 88. 13. In the morning shall my Prayer prevent thee So â—ob chap. 1. 5. He rose up early in the morning and offered up burnt offerings So the Church to express her longâ—ngs after God says Isai â—6 9. With my spirit within me will I seek thee early in the dimm and duskish morning while it is not yet so much as twi-light And our blessed Saviour Mark 1. 35. it is said of him theâ—e in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed Of Luther it is said that every day he spent three hours in Prayer Etiam studijs aptissimas even those that were most proper for study and surely no time so proper as the morning foâ— study and no â—â—me more proper then the morning foâ— Heavenly duâ—y anâ— labor Under the Law they who gathered not Manna in the morning had none all day anâ— they who begin not with God in the morning have â—arâ—lâ— any thing to do for God or in â—eaven all the â—ay if the world â—s but the start of Reâ—â—gion in the morning is hard for Religion to overtake it all the day 2. In the Evening or last part of the day As God lets him see the day begin in mercy and end in mercy so then is a Christian minding the good things of Eternity when he both begins the day with God and ends it with God When Eternal good things are the first things he labors for in the morning of the day so they are the last things he minds in the evening of the day then he may be said chiefly to be imployed about Eternal good things When before he begins with the world or any business on Earth he begins with God and the things of Heaven and when he hath done with the world and all business upon Earth he again returns to mind God and the things of Heaven As under the Law God had his evening and morning Sacrifices 1 Chron. 16. 40. 2 Chro. 13. 11. So from him God shall have his evening as well as his morning Services Twice a day was God worshiped in the Temple both morning and evening twice a day was the Jews constant course to be in the Temple there to worship God They had their morning sacrifice when they went to their labor and their evening sacrifice when they ended their labor they gave God the first part of the day and the last part of the day although they were days appointed for work they gave the Lord his part of every day so when a Christian though he does follow the work of his particular calling in the day yet forgets not to labor for what is chiefly to be labored for as in the morning and first part of the day so in the evening and last part of the day he is obeying our Saviour's Injunction in the Text. 2. When he does it in the night time It is true the night is for sleep God hath made the night time for man to rest in they that sleep sleep in the night 1 Thes 5. 7. and sleep is a singular mercy when God does afford it tis ros naturae the Nurse and dew of Nature the sweet Parenthesis of all griefs and cares t is Medicus laborum redintegratio virium recreator corporum the great Phisitian of the sick body the redintegration of mans spirits a reviver of wearied bodies more necessary then meat and drink and without which a man were not able long to subsist but yet as the whole day is not alwayes to be spent in bodily labors no more is the whole night alwayes to be spent in taking of bodily rest under pretence of a little time allowed us for that use the half of our time should not alwayes be exacted from us Heathens will herein shame many Christians Alexander and Caesar parted the night into three parts the first they took unto rest the second to the works of Nature the third to their Studyes and thus they did because they were forced to take the day-time for the Government of their Kingdomes and administration of warlike affairs Indeed God sometimes withholds sleep from men in the night that they might be imployed in some Nocturnal actions of piety towards God for the good of their immortal Souls Sometimes that they may call to mind their sins to mourn for them and repent of them that so they may not sleep the sleep of death Psal 13. 3. that a sensible sinner can truly say with David Psal 6 6. v. All the night long make I my bed to swim I water my Couch with my tears surely these are no tears of an Hypocrite that are shed in the night and that in such abundance as to cause a flood in the bed God deals by Men as those used to be dealt with who had the Sweating-sickness In the Sweating-sickness that raigned sometims in England those that were suffered to sleep as all in that case were apt to do they dyed within a few hours the best office therefore that any could do them was to keep them waking though against their wills so God deals with many when he brings their sins to their remembrance the thoughts of their sins will not let them sleep As t is said The rich Man's abundance will not let him sleep Eccles 5. 12. care of getting and fear of losing breaks his sleep and how oft does God make the poor penitent troubled Sinner find this true that the abundance of his sins will not let him sleep Sometimes to pray unto God in the night T is true the day is most seasonable to work in Night cometh saith Christ when no Man can work John 9. 4. v. that is then it is unseasonable to work but though it be unseasonable to follow the works of our particular calling in yet it is not unseasonable to Pray in of Samuel it is said 1 Sam. 15. 11. v. he cryed to the Lord all night for Soul And of David it is said 2 Sam. 12. 16. v. And David fasted and went in and lay all night upon the earth when he sought to God by Prayer for his child So did our blessed Saviour Luk. 6. 12. v. in the Mountain he prayed all night totam noctem consumpsâ—t in â—raeciâ—us he spent the whole night in Prayer when Christ prayed for sinners he prayed all night long that they might learn how to pray for themselves if God drive sleep from them or the condition of their souls reqâ—ire iâ— not only to pray in the day but also in the night so did Jacob when he wrestled with God in the shape of a Man Gen. 32. 24. 25. â— untill the breaking of the day Iâ— is storyed of St. Anthony that having spent the whole night in Prayer
danger of Storms at Sea but saith he we must go on it is necessary that Rome should be relieved but it is not necessary that we should live It is absolutely necessary that we labor for Eternall good things but it is not absolutely necessary that we labor for Temporal good things For Eternal good things must be had or Eternal evil things will be had either Eternal pleasures or Eternal pains must be had either Eternal bliss or Eternal burnings either Eternal life or Eternal death either an Eternal heaven or an Eternal hell Omnis homo aut est cum Christo regnaturus aut cum Diabolo cruciandus every man will be found to belong either to Christ's flock or the Devils heard either to Christ's sheep or the Devils goats to be vessels of honor prepared unto Glory or vessells of wrath fitted for Destruction you know the old Proverble Aut Coesar aut nullus either a King or a Caitiffe not a Man but must be either Eternally happy with Christ or Eternally miserable with the Devil He that will not labor for the things of Heaven shall never injoy the things of Heaven Those who will abuse their pains in this world will meet with nothing but pains in another world when men make the world only their aim the world only is like to be their gain nothing of Heaven or in heaven Those by whom Eternal good things are here neglected by them Eternal good things hereafter cannot be expected I may ask many men what good they think it will be to them under Eternal Torments to remember that by their great industry and pains they got such an Estate heaped up so much wealth and riches attained to such preferments but neglected the good of their Souls neglected what would have done them good to Eternity We read of some which have sold the Righteous but at no great rate for a matter of nothing for a very small price for a pair of old Shoes Joel 3. 6. Amos 2. 6. But we may see there how much the Lord abhorred that detestable fact and recompenced it upon the neck of the Oppressors And what can they expect who setting a great Estimate upon earthly things and advantages labor more for them then they do for the Eternal welfare of their Souls and afterwards see that their Damnation and perdition is the only reward of their pains that instead of Eternal Felicity they are rewarded with Eternal Miseries and Torments even Torments that cannot be expressed by the tongues of Men and Angels Prisons Dungeons Racks and Gibbets Pangs of Child-birth burning with Scalding Lead drinks of Gall and Wormwood gnawing of Chest-worms raging fitts of the Stone Chollick Strangury Tooth-ach c. are not able to shadow them out Mauritius the Emperor when it was revealed unto him that he should be punished for his great Offences sent unto all the Patriarchal Seas unto all Cities Monasteries c. to desire them to pray that he might be punished in this world and not in the world to come And when again it was revealed unto him that his request was granted but he should lose his Empire Life Children and all he was heartily thankful for it and accepted it as a great mercy the punishment and greatest evils of this world being nothing to those evils of another life Now they who for want of laboring for Eternal good things here shall be thus dealt with hereafter with what anguish of Spirit will they then mourn for ever It was a sad expression of Lysimachus who had lost his Kingdom for one draught of Water O dij quam brevis voluptatis gratia ex Rege me feci servum For what a short pleasure have I made my self a servant And what a soul-sinking thought will it be in Hell O God how have I for preferring Temporal good things before Eternal good things for laboring more after Earth then Heaven made my self a bondslave in Hell for ever and instead of for ever being Happy must for ever be Miserable I may therefore conclude with his words in another case Haec qui pavet cavit qui neligit excidit He that minds these things in time is safe he that slights them is in danger of what of losing Eternal good things and of feeling Eternal evil things 7. From the end wherefore we live to enjoy Eternal good things is the end wherefore God gave us life All things have some end for which they are and man came not into the world for nothing there is an end to be known wherefore God gave him life wherefore God drew him from a not being to a being wherefore God made him to pass from nothing to be a reasonable Creature to be a Man indued with a rational Soul and to be Lord of all things below Now what is this end It is to be made capable of Eternal Happyness capable of Glory capable of an everlasting injoying of God This is the end of Man's life to injoy a life whereof there is no end It is a good saying of one Quis alius noster est finis nisi pervenire ad Regnum cujus nullus est finis What other thing is our end but to come to that Kingdom whereof there is no end The end of a Christian's life is not as Anaxagorus dreamed of the life of Man to behold the Heavens but to live in heaven to serve God upon earth whilst he is here and to injoy endless Joys with God in heaven hereafter Questionless Christians the end why God created us was not for a short season and time to remain in the world there to eat drink sleep ingender and then presently for ever to decay and return to nothing but rather to be pertakers of a most high and inestimable Happyness to all Eternity which is to be given us by God after the Emigration and passing out of this life after our souls shall be divorced from our bodies Christians you that are earthly Angels by the nobleness of Creation were placed in this world not to labor and take pains chiefly for temporal good things but for business of another nature and for a far more important affair and of dearest consequence viz. by all means possible to win and work out glory unto God and to save your immortal Souls For what is a man profitted if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. A lesson that Francis Xaverus counselled John 3. King of Portugal dayly to meditate upon Man himself is the end wherefore all things in the world that are Temporal were created they were created that they might be serviceable to Man but it cannot be that he for whom God made the world should have no further end then to injoy the world certainly the end wherefore Man was created and wherefore Men are dayly born is that they might injoy an Eternal and Supernatural Felicity That which is the last Article of his Creed or Belief is truly the end of his life
viz. Eternal life There is no creature hath a more noble end then Man there is neither Seraphim Angel nor Arch-Angel that surpasses Man in his end How should the thoughts hereof cause every Christian's end and design to take a nobler flight then to stay within the narrow bounds of a visible Sphear things of another world should raise the hearts of such noble creatures as Men are and not be contented with such things as they dayly see with their eyes and touch with their hands The things that we dayly see being but small inconstant and of short continuance the other great firm and in fine Eternal and answer the end wherefore God gave us life The excellency of any thing lies herein when it answers the end whereunto it was assigned what is a thing good for that does not answer the end whereunto it was assigned The end wherefore Men will get a Clock into their houses is to strike what is a clock good for that will not strike it does not answer its end The end wherefore Merchants are at great charges to build or buy Ships is to sail in them upon the Waters What is a Ship good for that will not sail it does not answer its end The end wherefore a Man hires a Servant is to do his work what is a Servant good for that will not do the work he is set about he does not answer his end The excellency of any thing lyes herein when it answers the end unto which it was assigned so herein lyes the excellency of a Christian viz. To attain unto the end wherefore God gave him a being Hence it is that the Apostle goeth about to breed in us an holy Ambition telling us we are born for higher matters then any earthly things are therefore not to be so base minded as to dote on these transitory things but to seek after things above Col. 3. 1 2. v. though we may have Temporalia in usu yet should we have aeterna in desiderio Temporal things may be by us used but Eternal things should be by us desired It is said of Isidore that being at a great Feast and there beholding a great sign of God's bounty towards the sons of Men suddenly breaks forth into abundance of tears being demanded the cause for and said he I here feed on earthly creatures that am created to live with Angels 8. From that willingness to dye and to have an end put to this tâ—mporal life that the injoyment of Eternal good things will work in us That Man will never be unwilling to dye that can say as St. Paul does Phil. 1. 21. v. Mors mihi lucrum to dye is gain Death will no ways indamage me but rather turn to my advantage hereby I shall gain heaven though I lose the earth and an happy Eternal life though I have an end put to this miserable and mortal life Not every one is thus a gainer by Death they that have labored only to gain the world the more they have gained whilst they did live the greater is their loss when they dye It was a good saying of one to a great Lord upon his shewing him his stately House and pleasant Gardens Sir you had need make sure of Heaven or else when you dye you will be a very great loser When men are sure to lose by death t is no wonder if they be loath to submit unto death How many tell us they have been utterly undone by great Losses some have lost all by Fire others by Water some have lost all by Theeves and others at Land some again have lost all by Pyrates and Shipwrecks at Sea but the greatest number of men are undone by death Death robbs them of all death spoyles them of all their great Estates in the world and takes away from them what they were unwilling to part with When the Duke of Venice had shewn unto Charles the Fifth the glory of his Princely Pallace and earthly Paradice the Emperour instead of admiring it or him for it only returned him this grave and serious memento Haec sunt quae faciunt in vitos mori These are the things which make us unwilling to dye Some of the Turks have said they did not think Christians believed there was an heaven because they saw them so loath to dye and to go to it such an aspersion have some of those Infidels cast upon our Religion but none are loath to go out of this world but such as have not made sure of Eternal good things laid up in Heaven When the people of Israel were come to the very entrance of Canaan the children of Reuben and the children of Gad regarding not that good Land desired Moses that they might stay on this side Jordan because it was a place meet for their droves of Cattel which they more respected then their passage into Canaan Numb 32. 2. and following verses they were loath to go over Jordan the land on this side Jordan pleased them so well not far unlike these children of Reuben and Gad are they who be of that Cardinals mind unwilling to quit their parts in Paris for any hopes whatsoevr of Paradice loath to quit the pleasures and profits of this life in hope of those incomprehensible joys of Eternal life and esteem more of one Bird in the hand then two in the bush Certain it is a Man will never yield to part with this life untill he have gotten good hopes of a better life t is that will help a Christian to out-face Death He that hath gotten treasures laid up in Heaven will not be loath to part with the greatest treasures upon Earth Nay such will rather rejoyce at the sight of those things they have so longed to see and now must possess to all Eternity Contemnuâ—t presentia ad futura festinant little regarding things present and hastening toward things to come such a one can say when death approaches Mâ—riar ut videam I am willing to dye that I may see God and Christ and all the Eternal good things of Heaven And with St. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is farr better Phil. 1. 23. And with Babylas slain by Decius in the words of the Psalmist Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath been beneficial unto thee and now my soul be glad for now cometh thy rest thy sure rest thy sweet and never fading rest and can truly say he is willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5. 8. v. This was it made the Martyrs go to their death with cheerfulness and songs and run to the Stake as to a Garland It was the sight of these things that made them not loath to dye any kind of death as some of them being asked what made them so to suffer they have named that Text 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into
the heart of Man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him Though death spoyl such a one of all the good things of life yet like the believing Hebrews mentioned Heb. 10. 34. v. he takes joyfully the spoyling of his Goods knowing in himself that he hath in Heaven a better and more induring substance It is storied of the Duke of Bulloin and his company when they went to Jerusalem as soon as his company saw the high Turrets they gave a mighty shout that the Earth rang so when a Christian at death that all his life long hath been providing Eternal good things shall see the Turrets of the heavenly Jerusalem shall see that induring substance laid up for him in Heaven shall see those Rivers of Pleasure that are to be had at God's right hand for evermore shall see those things that now are invisible shall see such things as no mortall Eye ever saw shall see what no heart is able to conceive and shall see that all these things are his own and that they shall now be possessed and injoyed by him for ever unto all Eternity what joy what gladness what rejoycing of heart will there be in him In some places of the West Indies there is an opinion in gross that the soul is immortal and that there is a life after this life where beyond certain hills they know not where those that dye in the defence of their Countrey should remain after death in much blessedness which opinion made them very valiant in their fights and willing to dye in defence of their Countrey The bare opinion of the Druides who taught that the soul had a continuance after its seperation from the body made many of their followers hardy in great attempts and abated in most the fear of Death When a Christian hath labored for and by his labor obtained what will nourish his immortal Soul unto Eternal life and be provision for it in Eternal life none can express the willing thereof to leave the body A Christian now looks upon Death to be a valley of Achor a door of hope to gain entrance into Paradice to bring him Malorum omnium ademptionem bonorum omnium adeptionem a removal of all things that are evil and an enjoyment of all things that are good and that not good only for a season but for Eternity Old Hilarion could not but wonder his soul should be so loath to depart out of his body and therefore when he lay a dying it is said of him he bespake it in this manner Soul get thee out thou hast for seventy years served Christ and art thou loath to depart or afraid of Death When a Christian hath husbanded all the time of life for the good of his Soul and finds it stored with grace and assured of glory he is not afraid or unwilling that his soul should leave his body he hath hope in his death and that makes him to be be willing to submit to death Pro. 14. 32. v. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death I have done with two of the first perticulars I propounded to speak to upon this Point I have shewed by way of Explication when a man may be said to labor for Eternal good things and I have shewed by way of Demonstration That Eternal good things are to be labored for The third perticular propounded was to speak something by way of Confirmation and here I shall shew that labor is chiefly to be used for and about Eternal good things CHAP. VI. I come now to Confirm this Truth That the great labor and pains of every Christian ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things To which end I shall speak to these following Perticulars 1. OVr labor and pains ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things because God hath commanded it 2. Our labor and pains c. Because Eternal good things are the chiefest of good things 3. Our labor and pains c. Because Eternal good things are lasting good things other good things are perishing good things 4. Our labor and pains c. Because Eternal good things are good things always desirable good things that a man shall never be weary of 5. Our labor and pains c. Because Eternal good things are the only satisfying good things 6. Our labor and pains c. Because Eternal good things concern our Souls other good things concern only the body 7. Our labor and pains c. Because our labor about Eternal good things will not be in vain 8. Our labor and pains c. Because even to Eternity it self it will never repent us to have bestowed the greatest labor and pains about Eternal good things 1. I shall begin with the first of these eight and say something to that Good reason there is that Our labor and pains ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because God hath commanded it it is charged upon us as a duty and if we obey not we run our selves into a spiritual Praemunire that Almighty God who tells the number of the Starrs calling them by their names he charges us to do so and if we obey him not we offer an affront to his Soveraingty as if his will were not reason enough for his commands And to his wisdom as if he did not know what Laws were good for us And to his Justice as if the ways of God were not equal If any ask me Quis requisivit who hath required this at our hands who requires that our labor should chiefly be about Eternal good things I answer It is the great GOD of Heaven and Earth that by his word made all things to whom the Winds and Seas obey And it is well we have express commands from God in Scripture for this else the world is full of curious Heads and prophane Hearts to outface and out-wrangle such a Truth nay any truth indeed which men are laborâ—â—â— oath to yield unto so ready are carnal men to be the Devil's Proctors against God and haveing their wits and spirits whetted upon the Devil's whetstone to cavil against spiritual and flesh-crossing truths I wish all that do love God and do make it their daily work to labor chiefly for Eternal good things may be all of the mind of that reverend Baldassar as he expresses it in an Epistle unto Oecolampadius Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemus illi sexcenta si nobis essent colla Let but the word of God be urged upon us and we shall not be unwilling to lay down our very lives in obedience thereunto were this but the resolve and holy temper of Mens hearts a few Scriptures would serve to confirm such truths that Ministers do preach upon I shall here commend only one unto you and I think it may be as good as many t is that in Matt. 6. 33. v. But seek ye
ye received your consolation The first of the Beatitudes is given to the poor and needy The first of the woes is given to the rich and such who abounded with the Temporal good things of the world Riches proving two oft not only impediments to Vertue and Piety but occasions to Sin gotten for the most part they are by sin and occasions they are often times afterwards of sin and without Repentance consequently of Eternal Damnation It is an hard matter to have them and not to be hindred from Heaven by them they being fuel to mens Lusts le ts to Prayer and blocks in the ways of Piety and Devotion many times Matth. 19. 24. It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Here Christ alludes to a proverbial speech among the Jews and it was this When men did brag and boast they would do strange works and great matters their friends would jeer them with this you can as soon bring a Camel through a Needles eye as do it Now Christ in a solemn way useth this Proverb they knowing what he meant that as it is a thing not easie to bring a Camel through a Needles eye so it is a thing not easie neither to bring a Rich man to the kingdom of Glory How many have had them but they got no good by them they do rather poyson them then profit them What kept the Young man from following of Christ in the same Chapter Great possessions Christ tells him at the 21. v. If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and come and follow me but at the 22. v. When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions When Christ that spake as never Man did persuaded him to sell all come again then to follow him He was so far from obeying Christ that without any civility or good manners tendred unto Christ his Master he rudely and unthankfully departs from Christ neither love to Christ nor desire of Eternal life could prevail with him to stay with Christ any longer he was loath to part with his great Possessions that if Heaven and Eternal life be to be had upon no other tearms Christ may keep his Heaven to himself He will have none he will keep his possessions upon earth for all possessing of Eternal life How good had it been for this young man that he had never been a Rich man How many do we see in the world injoying a Confluence of temporal good things to kick against God Hence that Caution Deut. 6. 10 11 12 v. And it shall be when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the Land which he sware unto thy Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give thee great and goodly Cities which thou buildest not And houses full of all good things which thou fillest not and wells digged which thou diggest not Vinyards and Olive-trees which thou plantest not when thou shalt have eaten and be full Then beware least thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt from the house of Bondage And indeed so it fell out at the 32. Deut. 15. But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked nay more then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation His heart was exalted against God though he had in his possession Houses full of good things yet for want of having his heart filled with Goodness he kicked against God like the young Mulet when it hath sucked turns up his heels and kicks at the Damm Nay that is not all for he runs from God like the fed Hawk that forgets his Master There are but few Jehosaphats in the world some I hope there are that do imitate so good a Man It is said of him 2 Chron. 17. 5 6. That he had riches and honor in abundance and his heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord in the ways of God's commands to do such things as God required and that were pleasing and acceptable unto God The higher God had raised Jehosaphat in his Estate the lower he kept his Heart in a way of obedience to the God of his Estate the more God had enriched Jehosaphat the more Jehosaphat set himself to obey God what God had given him became as Oyl to the wheels of his obedience and made him more fit and willing for service But alas it oft-times proves otherwise with very many that injoy much of these Temporal good things that they have had cause to curse the time that ever they had an Estate that ever they had abundance of the good things of this life they have found them as enchantments to draw away their hearts from God and as Trumpets sounding a Retreat and calling them off from the pursuance of Religion these things are as great weights upon the backs of thousands hindering them from ascending up the hill of God Solomon's Wealth did him more hurt then his Wisdom did him good it was his fulness and abundance that drew out his spirits and dissolved them and brought him to such a low ebb in Spirituals that it remains a question with some Whether he ever recovered it to his dying day What a sad story was that of Pius Quintus When I was in a low condition said he I had some comfortable hopes of my salvation but when I came to be a Cardinal I greatly doubted of it but since I came to the Popedom I have no hope at all For as it is the misery of the poor to be neglected of men so it is the misery of the rich to neglect God and too oft to neglect the worship and service of God Rare fumant faelicibus arae the Altars of the Rich seldom smoak But herein now lyeth the excellency of Eternal good things above the best of Temporal good things that as these are often found to do hurt to the Owners so the other good things make the owners thereof to be good not only make them happy in another life but they make them good here that they may be happy hereafter And this will appear by laying down some instances of Eternal good things that may be had in this life all which have in them this Excellent property to make those who have them to be Good I shall Instance in these five Particulars 1. In Grace 2. In God who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. v. 3. In Jesus Christ who is the author and giver of Grace 4. In the Spirit who is called the spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. 5. In a good Conscience consequent of Grace Such things as these cannot but make that man a good Man who injoys them surely he must needs be a good man that hath his heart established with Grace Heb. 13. 9. That is sanctified by
make the owner good Those then to whom God gives Grace they may truely say Their grace is better gold then the world affords 2. The second Instance is that of God the thrice-glorious Jehovah blessed for evermore who is the God of all Grace and the most soveraign only and chiefest good he is Summum verum summum pulchrum summum bonum The chiefest truth the chiefest beauty and chiefest good who Himself is more then a world of worlds filling Heaven and Earth with the Majesty of his glory having before his all-glorious Throne innumerable hosts of powerful and glorious Spirits in comparison of whom the All here below is nothing God brings it in himself as an argument of his own geratness I say 40. 15. v. That all the Nations of the earth are as a drop of a bucket and as a dust of the ballance to him He it is who is the only satisfying and everlasting portion of his people and the apprehension of such a portion as God is will solace and refresh those that have him See Daviâ—'s words Psal 16. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance saith he the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage He alludes to the manner of dividing the Land of Canaan to the children of Israel which was done by line upon this account also Jacob said I have enough Gen. 33. 11. v. Or I have all And this God is an Eternal God he whose life is Eternity must needs be Eternal Aeternitas enim Dei solummodo naturae substantialiter in est says one Eternity is substantially only in the name of God When God would make his Name known to Moses he tells him what is his name I Am that I am by which name God hath made himself known according to his Eternal Essence whereby he is discerned from all other things which are in Heaven or the Earth or elsewhere Exod. 13. 14. To which that of the Psalmist doth well agree Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90. 2. And of all beings God is the most excellent all beings else falling infinitely short of God himself whose perfections are infinite and without limit all the perfections whatsoever that are found in Creatures are more eminently contained in our great All our All-mighty All-lovely All-glorious God In him is enough to make him the desire of all hearts and the accomplishment of all hopes and wishes Nihil potest quietare hominis voluntatem nisi sâ—lus Deus says one Nothing but God can satisfy the Soul Were the whole earth turned into a Globe of gold it would not fill the heart it would still cry Give Give Only God fills and satisfies those who have him The souls of men are like Noah's Dove Wicked mens souls are like the Dove out of the Ark they are in a constant motion ever restless seeking for some satisfaction for themselves but find none but pious souls injoying an Eternal God are like the Dove returned to the Ark when they take up their rest in God God is totus totus desiderabilis wholly amiable every whit of him to be desired Where may we find such a man says Pharoah of Joseph implying that such another would hardly be found Gen. 41. 38. so may I say Christian where wilt thou find out such a God as God is Multi sacerdotes pauci Sacerdotes Multi in nomine paâ—ci in opere said one of the Antients So many good things are presented unto the Soul but none are so desirable to the Soul as God is his Manifestations are a Paradise his Communications a very heaven in the hearts of all that injoy him If there be any object of Delight either in Heaven or Earth it is God who is more radiant and shining then all light more fair then all beauty more sweet then all pleasure and infinitely farr more excellent then either words can express or mind deliver The Spaniards say of Aquinas that he that knows not him knows not any thing but he that knows him knows all things He that possesseth God possesseth all things that may make him happy but he that hath no interest in God possesseth nothing that can make him happy Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia In God all goodness is summed up and wraped up together Happy soul that can say My God and my All the God of my heart my portion and my Inheritance to all Eternity But the world methinks is like some great Kings court wherein are both great Statesment and young children the children are very much taken with pictures they delight to feed their eyes and fancies with gildings paintings hangings and such fine things but the wise and grave Statesmen pass by these their business is with the King I compare he greatest part of men to these young children these are wholly taken up with what they judg gaudy and outwardly fine but there are others like the wise and grave Statesmen whose eyes desires and ways are unto and wholly set upon God And indeed no wonder if those that know the worth of God have their hearts set to have God for their God for to injoy one God is far better then to injoy many worlds When Charles the fifth Emperour in a challenge to Francis the first King of France commanded his Herald to proclaim him with all his Titles styling him Emperour of Germany King of Castile Aragon Naples Sicily c. Francis commanded his Herald to call him so often King of France as the other had Titles by all his Countries intimating that France alone was more worth then all the Countries which the other had So when men of the world bragg of their honors livings and great Lordships He that can say God is his God that God is his Portion he may oppose this one God to all Dignities and Possessions whatsoever for when a man hath God he hath all God is blessedness it self he is a good in whom there is no evil But this is not all for he who thus injoys God is made good God being the source the spring the fountain and original of all that good which is in the Creature from him comes all that good any of his have received as the beams from the Sun or water from the Fountain and from him comes all that good any one can expect hereafter God is good and he does good so he is good and makes all those who have him for their God in Covenant with them Good They who injoy God in heaven are made glorious those upon earth that have God for their God are made gracious God is an holy God and those upon whom he bestows himself in a special manner he makes them holy he stamps his Image upon them he conveys his blessed Spirit into them to sanctify their natures to purg
portion of his fulness Let burning hanging all the torments of Hell befall me Tantummodo ut Jesum nauciscar so that I may get my Jesus said Ignatius Christ to him was more dear then his temporal life Jesus Christ was the Paradise wherein he delighted and the foundation in whom his Soul found all satisfaction Lambert at the Stake cryed out None but Christ none but Christ lifting up at the same time such hands as he had and his fingers ends flaming It was the saying of Holy Bernard Lord Jesus I love thee Plus quam mea meos me that is more then all my goods then all my friends wife or Children yea then my own self To him all riches were but poverty in comparison of that treasure he found in Jesus Christ all his friends and relations but dumb idols in comparison of Christ Himself to be nothing in comparison of Christ nothing was so sweet and dear unto him as Christ It is storied of Hormisda a Noble man in the King of Persia his Court because he would not deny Christ he was put into ragged cloaths deprived of his honors and set to keep Camels after a long time the King seeing him in that base condition he was and remembring his former fortunes he pitied him and caused him to be brought into the Pallace and to be cloathed again like a Noble man and then the King persuades him to deny Christ he presently rends his Silken cloaths and says If for these things you think to have me to deny my Faith take them again and so with scorn was cast out This hath made those who have wanted Christ to long as sore for Christ as Daâ—id did for the waters of the Well of Bethlehem Oh for a blessed armful of the Babe of Bethlehem such a one as Simeon once had It hath made them cry out Give me Christ or else I dye All things to them have been of no value in comparison of Christ they must haâ—e 〈…〉 t wâ—ateveâ— it cost â—â—em Certainly did Christians iâ— these days thus esteem of Christ Christ would haâ—e â—â—â—e â—oom in their hearts T is said when 〈◊〉 was Emperour that Germaniâ—us raigned in â—â—e Râ—â—an hâ—â—râ—s Tiberius only in their Provinces â—o â—ill it be â—iâ—h all that prize Christ Though God have given them leaâ—e â—o â—ave the world in their hands yet Christ only shall reign in their hearts they will take him to be the top of all their felicity and happyness Christ shall be to them in respect of all things else as the Aple Tree among the trees of the Wood as the Sun among the gloe-worms as the Jewel among dross Well may we reckon Jesus Christ amongst the chiefest of Eternal good things called therefore the Everlasting Father Isay 9. 6. v. He is One Eternal God with the Father and with the Holy Ghost read these following places John 10. 30. v. I and the Father are one John 1. 1 2 3. v. In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God The same was in the begining with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made As God he did preexist in the form of God not only before his Incarnation but before the whole Creation before Abraham was born he was Joh. 8. 58. v. Before any creatures were he had an existence Jesus Christ was so before all Creatures that all creatures were made by him Col. 1. 16. v. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Pro. 8. 23. v. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was And as he was before the world began so will he be after the world shall have an end As â—e was before all Temporal things so is he not to be out-lived by any Eternal things whatsoever As he was begotten of his Father before all worlds so will he be the same when there shall be no world when there shall be no Earth nor Heavens Psal 102. 26 27. v. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end St. Paul assures us that he it is who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. v. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Christ is the same aforetime in time and after time he is unchangeable in his Essence always the same Revel 1. 8. v. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The phrase is known to be taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha is the first and Omega the last letter of the Greek Alphabet The first and last letters are a description of Jesus Christ who was before all and will be after all and altogether unchangeable in himself When friends dye when estates are gone yet Jesus Christ will remain and be a never failing spring and fountain of all blessings and goodness And Jesus Christ doth make all them good who do injoy him All men by nature are empty of all spiritual good but Christ is as a fountain filling them therewith that possess him All men by nature are dead in sins and trespasses it is true of all men what the Apostle faith of the wanton Widdow 1 Tim. 5. 6. v. She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth As Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light Huswife Sane hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit St. Paul's Greek as one noteth cannot well be rendred but by Terences Latin and Terences Latin cannot well be put into other Greek Here is the true condition of men before they are interested in Christ they are all as so many dead men they are but walking Sepulchers their bodies living Coffings carrying about in them dead souls they are all of them spiritually dead they are living ghosts those men who be already in their graves are not more devoid of natural life then these are of spiritual life they are like Ezekiel's dead bones until Jesus Christ breath life into them until Jesus Christ speak to them as once he did to Lazarus Come out of the Grave and live they are stark dead Look what a branch is without a root or a body without a Soul such is every man without Jesus Christ he is but a withered branch or dead carcass Dead twice dead and pluckt up by the roots spiritually dead whilst corporally alive altogether alienated from the life of God whilst they injoy the life of Men. There is the life of
saying Take I pray thee my blessing that is brought to thee because God hath dealt graciously with me and because I have enough I have enough saith Esau I have enough saith Jacob though the word â—e one and the same in both places in the English I have enough yet it is by Divines observed that there is a difference in the Original Jacob's word is different from Esau's Jacob's word signifies I have all things and yet Jacob was poorer than Esau Esau had much but Jacob had all but how had he all Because he had the God of all he had God that was all And indeed as one observes Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all things that hath him that is all things God alone was enough to Jacob and God alone would satisfy David's desire Psal 73. 25. v. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none I desire upon earth besides thee So great is the capacity and largeness of the Soul of Man that no Riches no Dignities Kingdoms nor the Empire of the whole World no Pleasures in a word no finite and limitable good can quench its insatiable thirst and desire nothing can do this but some immense infinite and boundless good and such as containeth in it self by way of Eminency or preheminency the fulness of all good whatsoever This David insinuated Psal 17. 15. v. Satiabor cum apparuer it gloria tua as the vulgar translation renders those words I shall be satisfied and filled when thy glory shall appear As if David had said No other thing can give me full contentment except the manifestation of thy glory which is an infinite and illimitable good David is here conceived to speak of that confidence and hope that himself and others of God's people have of happyness and satisfaction after this life when their bodies that sleep in the grave shall be awaked to the resurrection of Eternal Life then their happyness will be full in the measure without want of any thing that can make them happy all their desires shall be then satisfied They shall be abundantly satisfied with thâ— fatness of thy house Psal 36. 8. v. It were impossible to imagine that any one should have an interest in God and not be happy Psal 144. 15. v Happy is that people whose God is the Lord But in this life the happyness of the best is but like an house in building hereafter when they shall injoy God in heaven and be glorified with Christ in those heavenly Mansions when they shall wear upon their heads a Crown of life and be blessed associates unto Angels and all glorified spirits then the top-stone of perfect and everlasting happyness shall be put on At their conversion they are restored to the possession of some of those good things they lost in Adam but in heaven they shall injoy all those good things they lost in Adam 6. Our labor and pains ought cheifly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because Eternal good things concern our Souls other good things concern the body only As the soul is to be preferred before the body so our labor and pains should rather be for those things that concern the soul than for those that concern the body only It is most true there is an excellency even to be taken notice of in the body and most excellent things might be observed touching the Noble Structure and Symetry thereof its figure frame temperature and proportion not any part of the common lump of Claâ— being fashioned like to it It is said of Galen that he gave Epiâ—urus an hundred years time to imagine a more commodious Configuration or Composition of any one part of a humane body When David spends his thoughts upon the curious frame of Man's body he seems to look upon himself as it were in amazed Extasies See Psal 139. 13 14 15. v. Thou hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers womb I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right-well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Where David compares the Workman-ship of the body to the curious Needle-work of some skilful Woman The body is indeed a little miracle of Nature a vessel made capable of the best Jewel an house prepared for the best inhabitant every part whereof hath its wonder neither is there any piece in this Exquisite frame whereof the place use and form doth not admit wonder and exceed it God having invested the body with many noble Endowments made it a mirror of beauty and printed upon it surpassing excellencies But yet a Christians greatest labor and pains should not be for the body but for the soul the body indeed is to be provided for but the more special care should be for and about the soul The Egyptians parted with their money after that with their cattel and last of all with their land to buy bread to feed their bodies and what should not a man part with and do for the good of the soul The Heathen man could say Major sum ad majora genitus quam ut mancipium sim mei corporis I am more noble and born to more noble ends then that I should become a Slave to my body And should not Christians who are made capable of an infinite good and do far exceed him in spiritual nobility as having God for their Father Christ for their elder-brother conclude it far short of those noble ends for which they were born to toyl and labor all their whole life only to nourish to feed and cloth the body and in the mean time to neglect the soul which is far more excellent then the body Shall they only look after what is conducing and accommodated to a corporal life and not mind what will be good for their souls when they must injoy an Eternal life It is said of Caesar Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae That he had greater care of his books then of his Royal robes for swimming through the waters to escape his enemies he carried his Books in his hands above the waters but lost his Robes That heathen Epimanondus being dangerously wounded with a Spear so that he sunk down as one dead and after coming to himself he asked if his Target were safe his cheif care was about his Target So should it be with a Christian about his Soul his cheif care should be about his soul that must in the first place be regarded and cared for the body is but the souls upper garment and although that should fall into hands of unreasonable men though the Soul should lose its upper garment yet if the soul it self be safe all is safe but if the soul be lost all is lost God lost and Christ lost and the society of glorious Angels and blessed Saints lost and
Serpents curse Gen. 3. 14. v. They lick dust and eat dust and lye and wallow into the dust On many the judgment of Corah is spiritually exercised The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed up his body but it hath opened her mouth and swallowed up their hearts their time and their affections These men are like the Israelites who preferred Leeks and Onions before Quails and Manna or like that Diaphontus who refused his mothers blessing to hear a Song Or like some low bred Persons that prefer themselves before their betters vaunting and boasting with much vanity and presumption of themselves and of all that belong to them but despise others though their Superiours and betters So these men having set their hearts upon things below care not by what unjust and indirect means they come by them they are resolved to get Rem rem quocunque modo rem They are of the mind of that Atheistical Polititian who said Quod utile est illud justum est That which is profitable the same is just and righteous all is fish that comes to their nets As it was said of Cicero that he was gentle to his Enemies froward to his Friends And as it was unjustly charged by Joab upon David 2 Sam. 19. 6. v. That he loved his enemies and hated his friends So it may be truly said of these men They higly esteem what they should under-value and they under-value what they should highly esteem highly esteeming these poor things below this Mamâ—â—n of unrighteousness in the World and not valuing the incomprehensible excellencies of Heaven the inexplicable and inestimable glory there and all those unutterable and ineffable felicities to be enjoyed at God's right hand for ever-more And why Because their hearts by excessive rooting in the Earth are turned wholly into Earth that they are even drunk with the love of the World and no wonder then if like the Gadarens they prefer Swine before their Souls or like him in the Parable that would go to see his Farm though he lose Heaven Or like the rich Glutton who was so taken up with his great crop and building his new barns that he never thought of Heaven until he was in Hell Or like thousands more in the World who if they have but something to leave behind them for the good of their Children they matter not whether they have any thing to take with them for the good of their Souls Quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis Who can refrain from tears when he relates such a truth Not the Apostle Paul that blessed Saint and Servant of Jesus Christ he cannot speak of them without weeping Philip. 3. 18 19. v. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of 〈◊〉 Christ Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind Earthly things Nor methinks can any other who knows the worth of Souls and Eternal good things but secretly weep for them As Zanchy complained with much regret of the Lutheran ubiquitaries that he found them ubique every where to vex and molest him so hath every Christian cause to grieve oh that we could all of us with brokenness of heart bewail it that these kind of men are every where to be found And themselves are called to weep by the Apostle St. James who looks upon them as Persons in a deplorable condition Indeed none more frolick and merry none dreaming of more content and freedom from want none less fearing either miseries or judgments than many carnal rich worldlings although what they possess hath been gathered and scraped together by oppression and unrighteous dealings But see what the Apostle saith Jam. 5. 1. v. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Here we have assigned the reason why they should weep and lament For the miseries that shall come upon you That is saith an Interpreter partly sore afflictions in this life but these are but the beginnings of sorrow And partly also Hell torments in the life to come Hell torments are indeed miseries to come and though here they laugh yet there they will howl O that such Earthly minded ones that be rooting and 〈◊〉 in the Earth as if they meant to dig themselves 〈◊〉 it a nearer way to Hell would consider this before the cold grave holds their bodies and hot Tophet burn their Souls The one is as sure as the other if timely repentance prevent it not for they have damnation for their end Phil. 3. 19. v. Whose end is destruction When an Angel of the Lord threatned the Israelites not to drive out the Inhabitants of Canaan from before them but that they should be as thorns in their sides and their Gods should be snares unto them Judg. 2. 3. v. In the two next verses it is said v. 4. 5. And it came to pass when the Angel of the Lord spoke these words unto aâ— the children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept And they called the name of that place Bochim That is as it is in the Margâ—n â— Weepers because the People of Israel did weep abundantly in this place And we have a strain of threatnings in Scripture against such who both sinfully get and use these Temporal things below I say 5. 8. v. Woe unto them that joyn house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth Luk. 6. 24 25. v. Woe unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Let us mind the words before we leave this point 1. Here the Rich are threatned with this That they have received their consolation we may understand the words either Ironically by way of a scornful jeer unto them that call it a consolation to have riches and account them the only comfort of their lives or at the most the words can intend no more then Woe be to you hereafter for here in this life and only here in this life they have that they call consolation they shall have none of this consolation in the other life CHAP. IX 2. A Second use may be by way of Reproof to those that never look after Eternal good things but are wholly taken up with the pursuit of the good things of this life labouring for the meat which perisheth but not for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life labouring only for back and belly for food and raiment but as for those things that endure to Eternal life them they postpone to the things of this World Here they do as we use to say Set the Cart before the Horse not only equalize Hagar with Sarah though that were injurious enough but they give Hagar the place and make
Sarah come behind as an attendant they make Sarah to tend on Hagar the Mistress to wait upon the Hand-maid Like the Gadarens they prefer their Hogs before Christ. Or the Jews that preferred Barabbas before the Messiah With Esau they esteem more of a mess of Pottage then a birth-right They bestow most labour about that which God would have them to bestow least labour about and the least labour and pains about that which God would have them bestow most labour about I remember a pregnant Story of an ancient Father that being invited to a great Man's house coming there about ten a clock he saw the Mistriss of the house trimming and dressing her self in a glass and from ten until one he observed she spent that time in plaiting her hair painting her face and trimming her seâ—f at one a clock when she came to dâ—nner expecting nothing but mirth this ancient Father fell a weeping and being askt why he wept he turned himself to this Gentle-woman and said thus unto her I weep to see that you have spent three hours in dressing your self and doing other acts of pride to damn your Soul and yet I never spent so many hours to save my Soul since I was born We may make this the very case of many in the World whom in the Phrase of Habbakuk chap. 2. 13. v. we see to weary themselves for very vanity To work day and night and take indefatigable pains for a poor living and to scrape together a little more of the World then another doth but no pains at all for life Eternal and to get a better assurance of Eternal happiness then others do Herein more use the Counsel of the World than the Counsel of the Lord the words of Horace than the words of the Bible Hâ—â— Ep. 1. O Cives cives quaerenda pecuma pâ—imum est virtus post nummos First look after â—iches then vertue first after money then mercy first make sure of the Earth then of Heaven Most do as that â—â—â— said he would do if he should meet with an Angel and a Priest together he would first do his duty to the Priest and then afterwards salute the Angel though the Angel were an Inhabitant of Heaven and the Priest an Inhabitant of the Earth yet would he prefer the Earthly Inhabitant before the Heavenly Inhabitant he would salute and shew his respects to that before he would so much as take notice of or shew any respects unto this As the Poet reports of his Achilles that he had rather be a Servant to a poor Country Clown here thâ—n to be a King to all the Souls departed So these men had rather live here and posseâ—s what is only here to be possessed than leave the possessions of these things for a Crown not of Gold but glory in Heaven It was the saying of a Cardinal That he preferâ—ed his part in Paris before a part in Paradise And â—s wretched an expression was that of another worâ—dâ—y disposition Let but God give me enough of Earth â—nd I will never complain of the want of Heaven We do every where meet with such Cocks of the Worlds dunghil that prize a Barley-corn more than a Jewel who make it their work their business and their chiefest labour to fill their chests with money rather then their hearts with grace to gain great Inheritances here rather then to be Heirs to an Heavenly Inheritance hereafter As that man in his sickness cryed out to his Physician Give me any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life So these in their hearts to God deny us grace deny us glory deny us Heaven and all Eternal good things so we may have our fill of the Earth and all Temporal good things Such men are like Children that are more taken up with counters than with future Crowns being as laborious as Bees for Earthly prosperity but as Drones for heavenly felicity having more of the Earth in them thâ—n there is of them in the Earth discovering thereby their hearts to be full of the Earth but to have nothing of God in them When the Devel tempted our blessed Saviour Matth. 4. 3. 5 8 9. v. he soon perceived that Chriâ— was more then man It is worth our observation that when the Devil began his temptation on Chriâ—â— he tempted him as the Son of God and used two subtile arguments to work upon him thereby to manifest and shew his power As first to turn stones iâ— bread 3. v. If thou be the Son of God command thâ— these stones be made bread And then secondly Tâ— cast him self down from the Pinacle of the Temple v. 5. 6. Then the devil taketh him up into the hâ—â— City and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple And saith unto him Cast thy self down for it is written c. But when these weapons in the Devil's hands were soon repelled by our Saviour the Devâ— sets upon him as Man and that he might not â—â— foiled a third time he used that which he knew seldom failed with meâ—â— men and this was to shew him all the Kingdoms and glory of the world and to promise him all these things 8 9. v. Which when the Devil found that Christ refused he then perceived that Christ was more thâ—n Man and then and not till then the Text saith The devil leaveth him 11. v. for the Devil saw it was time to leave tempting him any further knowing that if the profer of and hopes to gain the world's wealth would not perswade that nothing could be able to move him Aâ— heart void of Grace and having nothing of God therein but wholly set upon things below would questionless have catcht the promise out of the Devils mouth when he said All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me 9. v. least he should have gone back from his word Such a love men void of God have to the World and things thereof that they will be content to fall down and worship the Devil instead of God yea to ride post to Hell might they be but well paid for their pains So earnestly fixed are their desires hereon that they grow as impatient in their hopes hereof as Rachel who cry'd Give me children or else I dye and too often take very ill courses and use very unlawful means to come thereby As Tamar who chose rather to lye with her Father then to dye without issue In like manner who sees not the neglect of Heaven on one hand and the many ill courses and unlawful means on the other hand amongst men for these things Thousands we see are resolved to be rich what course and means soever they must use or what labour and industry soever they must manifest but their daily conversation does not bespeak in them any resolution to be holy here and to be happy hereafter for holiness and happiness neither private nor publick means are made use of Now thus to do
to be possessed arise and work and lose not all that you have heard of for want of labour As David said to Solomon 1 Chron 22. 16. v. Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with you Christians you are labouring every day for meat that perisheth you are engaged over head and ears in the pursuit of the things of the World Iâ— is a speech I have read of one Demades when the Emperour sent to his Countrey-men of Athens to give him Divine honour and they were loath to yield to it but consulted about it sayes he Take heed you be not so busie about Heavenly matters as to lose your Earthly possessions So say I Take heed you be not busie about Temporal matters as to lose Eternal possession Follow therefore the Apostle's direction Col. 3. 1. v. Seek those things that are above Os homini sublime dedit God hath given to men countenances erected towards Heaven that they should not cast their eyes on tâ—ings below but lift them up to better even things that are above Christian thy affections were made for those things that are above thee not for those things that are below thee A Christian should Superna anhelare pant after glory and things Eternal his affections should be carried above all Earthly Objects he should not be content until he get up into Heaven This Bird of Paradise though he may with God's good leave sometimes touch upon the Earth and upon Earthly things yet should he be mostly upon the wing and what ever he enjoyes here on the Earth should be to him but Scalae alae Wings and wind in his wings to carry him upwards To conclude this first Part and come to the second I shall use the words of Saint Austine Volemus sursum Let us flye upwards so he somewhere reports that his Mother Monica said in a kind of trance when she was near her death CHAP. XI 2. I Come to the second Branch of this use of Exhortation and that is to labour for Eternal good things chiefly and before all other good things labour for these in the first place Labour indeed we may and must for Temporal good things Though Temporal good things are not so high as to be primarily desired yet they are not so low as to be peremptorily neglected They are a good Viaticum to a better Inheritance they are great enablements to do service to God and good to others Not a Christian though a Believer but hath relation to two Worlds whilst he lives here he is a member of this World but he is Heir of a better Now so long as he is in this World he stands in need of what may help him in his way towards Heaven or that may be useful for his better and more easie leading of this short and mortal life Verily were but the World kept in its own room it would prove no enemy to Grace to the Soul or Heaven for no question but there is a way of enjoying God even in Worldly enjoyments and labouring after the good things of this life The whole World says one and all things contained therein were made for man and are so disposed in that â—ort as they may best serve to the benefit and profiâ— of man It seemeth nothing else then a vast house furnished with all things necessary whose inâ—abitant possessor or Fructuarius is man Supposing says â—y Author man were not in the World there were no â—â—se of the World The World was never intended to â—e a desart serving only for a den of wild Beasts and for a Wood of thorns but for man to dwell in and inhabit there to glorifie his Creator in a right using of â—he Creatures as well as any other way A Believer may questionless with God's good leave labour for the good things of this life he haâ—h God's allowance to endeavour to get an estate in the World and to haâ—e a share in the fatness of the Earth as well as in the dew of Heaven as Isaac divides that bleâ—â—ing of his Gen. 2. 28 v. to Jacob God give tâ—ee saith he of the dâ—w of heaven and the fatness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine Though Mâ—rie's better part in the unum necessarium of the Soâ—l â—houâ—d â—e â—ooked after in the first place yet Martha's many tâ—ings of the body should not be neglected Your heavenly Father said Jesus Christ our Saviour knoweth ye have need of these things Matth. â— 32. v. And God hath promised to his People Temporal blessings needful for this Natural life In the Covenant of Grace God promiseth not only to write his Law in our hearts and to forgive our sins but also to confer even Temporal good things as they shall be serviceable to us in our journey towards Heaven or for our more comfortable living in the World Adam when he fell did not only lose his title to Heaven and all Eternal good things but even to the Earth too and all Temporal good things thereof but when God makes a Covenant with any of the Sons and Daughters of Adam it shall give them a title not only to Heaven but also to the Earth they shall be as Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. v. so inheriters of the Earth Matth. 5. 5. v. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Psal 37. 9. v. Those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth 22. v. Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth 29. v. The righteous shall inherit the Land and dwell therein for ever 34. v. Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land And therefore in old time the best men were likewise the richest men as Abraham Isaac Jacob Job and David Abraham's Servant saith Genes 24. 35. v. The Lord hath blessed my master greatly and he is become great and he hath given him flocks and heards and silver and gold and men-servants and maid-servants and Camels and Asses Jacob speaking of his two bands or great heards of Sheep and Camels that went before him saith Gen. 32. 10. v. With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Job 1. 1. v. Job was a perfect man and a just one that feared God and eshewed evil Now one of the next things mentioned of Job is his substance 3. v. which was very great Seven thousand Sheep three thousand Camels five hundred yoak of Oxen five hundred she-Asses and a very great houshold so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East As Job was eminently rich so he was eminently good as by Providence he was made eminently rich so by Graâ—e he was also eminently godly none like him in all the earth And moreover Temporal good things are God's blessings that came with a promise God hath promised his own People such a share and portion of them as shall be needful for their more comfortable being and living in this World
called his day in the place before mentioned when Christ tells the Jews Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day But the great question will be this how Abraham did see this day of Christ's birth It is clear in the words that Abraham had his desire granted He did see Christ's day he saw it though it were two thousand years before it came to pass But how saw he this day of Christ's birth It was oculis animi says Piscator by the piercing eye of his Faith It is most true that Abraham saw not the day of Christ as the Shepheards and wisemen of the East saw Christ in the Manger at Bethlehem the one being sent thither by the Angel and the other guided by a Star that they might see and behold Christ Nor did Abraham see the day of Christ as Simeon saw Christ in the Temple at his Mothers Purification Nor as Zacheus who had a sight of Christ from the top of a Sycamoor-tree being climbed up thither to get a sight of him But Abraham saw it luce fidei by the sight of Faith Faith helped Abraham to see Christ and to see his day as clearly as he was seen by the Shepheards or Wise men of the East as clearly as he was seen by Simeon or Zacheus and this two thousand years before it came And as Faith can discover and approximate things remote in respect of time so things remote in respect of place It is said therefore That Faith is the evidence of the things not seen Heb. 11. 1. v. by it may be seen what is afar off Some write of one Lynceus that he could see an hundred and thirty thousand paces off but the eye of Faith can see further The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing she can see from Heaven to Earth she can spy her prey afar off she and her Birds can look upon the Sun Faith is such an excellent eye it can see him who to the eye of the body is invisible By Faith Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. v. God is invisible to any eye but to the eye of Faith And as God is an invisible God a being that no natural eye ever saw or can be that way seen so also are all the Eternal good things of Heaven so saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4. 18. v. he sayes that things that are Eternal are not seen But in the very same Verse he sayes that we look at things that are not seen Though they be things that are not seen yet Saint Paul sayes of himself and other Believers that by the eye of Faith they could see them they could by the eye of Faith see Eternal things While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for 〈◊〉 the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal In which words it is observable that Saint Paul saith That he and other Believers look at the things which are not seen and those things not seen that they look at are Eternal they are good things that are Eternal And without doubt such a sight as the Apostle here means cannot but work very much upon the heart of a Christian A sight of the day of Christ by Faith greatly rejoyced the good old Patriarchs heart It even ravished his heart to hear the wonderful promise of God concerning the Messias and to foresee the joyful performance which he saw would follow in due time The Apostle Saint Paul is Perplexed but not in despair 2 Cor. 4. 8. v. he is Cast down but not destroyed 9. v. he faints not saying Though our outward perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day 16. v. And the reason of all is laid down at the 18. v. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen And these things which are not seen are Eternal In like manner such a sight would work signally upon our hearts if we could by the eye of Faith but have a sight of Eternal good things it would make us long until we come to the fingering and possessing of them till we have livery and seizin of them Such a sight would inflame our hearts with love to them it would make us like a Suitor or Lover who is not satisfied who is willing to do any thing and take any pains that he may enjoy his desired Object He that gets this sight will certainly find his affections setled upon them and having his affections setled upon his heart will be set to take pains to gain them When Sampson had seen Dalilah he loved her loving her he could not be at rest until he enjoyed her When Jacob had once seen Rachel he loved her loving her he was contented to labour and take pains the space of two hard Apprentiships that he might possess her CHAP. XIV Some directions in labouring for Eternal good things VVHerein is shewed how a Christian should labour for Eternal good things As 1. Faithfully 2. Diligently 3. Cheerfully 4. Abundantly 5. Earnestly 6. Vnweariedly And because I have been long upon this subject I shall speak but briefly hereunto and so conclude this Text. 1. In labouring for Eternal good things labour faithfully let there be sincerity in using all those means whereby Eternal good things are to be gain'd take heed in the use thereof that there be no squinting aside at any thing else Verily not every one that useth those means are labouring after Eternal good things but may have their eye rather upon Temporal good things like the Monk in the Story who looked downwards towards the Earth like a mortified Person but 't was only to find the keys of the Abbey The Monk indeed seems to have been a most mortified man and dead to all these things of the World and to have minded things above Even so do many others how attentive are they in hearing of the Word of God how often are they reading of the Scriptures how earnest are they in praye◠how frequent in eating Sacramentally the Body and Blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper But alas their hearts are not upright for God not any delight in such duties not any love to God's wayes not any hungring desire after Eternal good things moves them but they are conscious to themselves that there is something else which doth set them upon this work and that notwithstanding all they do they are not faithful in these and the like holy observances Verily thousands there are who will hereafter bewail such kind of labour and pains taking When Cardinal Woolsey was cast out of his Princes favour and left to his enemies fury said he If I had served my God as faithfully as I have served my King he would not have left me thus And will not those men say so when they come into Hell that have been as you call them true drudges to the World but hypocritical in all their seeming
for thee Uniâ— me to Christ 111 who is the Fountain of life that I may live who by nature am dead in sins and trespasses Let thine Eternal spirit by its powerful influence and breathings heal 114 my Soul sanctifie my heart subdue the rebellion 115 of my will and purifie all uncleanness out of my affections that acting from inward principles of holiness I may imitating blessed St. Paul exercise 121 my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards man and 122 in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God I may have my conversation in the world in all things willing â—12 to live honestly and walking before thee in truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good that so when thou shalt bring to my mind the History 126 of my life which having been very sinful might here be followed with dreadful apprehensions of thy wrath and some glimpses and pre-occupations of Hell and hereafter with Eternal torments I may have that which will afford unto me inward consolation and refreshment and in the day when I must pass 127 through the valley and shadow of death that neither the terrors of death nor the fiercest oppositions of Hell and the Divel may dismay me let me be found interested in what will do me 145 good then and being lasting good things will last beyond Death go with me out of this 131 world stand me in stead at the day of 23â— 152 Judgement and keep me out 137 of Hell If whilst I live thou shalt make my condition an afflicted condition that 141 I must go through the valley of Baca towards Zionâ— yet bestow upon me what thou knowest 142 will make me bear afflictions patiently be as an Ark to uphold my spirits and keep them from sinking in the greatest deluge of calamities Though here I should meet with shame and disgrace O Christ yet with thee let me 174 enjoy Eternal Glory though here I should live but a short life yet in Heaven let me live 175 an Eternal life though here I should not have one joyful hour yet hereafter let me enter into my Masters 177 joy into that joy which Eternity begins 178 but Eternity shall never end though here I should never enjoy any earthly inheritance yet let me not miss of that Inheritance incorruptible 179 which fadeth not away in the 180 everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and there also receive that Crown 182 of glory that fadeth not away though here I should not have a house to shelter my self from storms and tempests yet let me be admitted into that house not 184 made with hands Eternal in the Heavens and scituated in the new Jerusalem which is the everlasting habitation of 189 Angels and glorified Saints Take my heart off these lower things wherein so many do fancy 221 doth consist the only comfort of their lives which are only for the body 198 and but vanity and vexation 191 of spirit and set it upon those alwayes 188 desirable good things in Heaven which only can satisfie 193 the longings of it and make my soul 198 that most precious and immortal 203 being happy By faith help me to look above 22â— the gaiety and eye-dazling 224 objects here in the world and to see the excellency and worth of those things that are 215 invisible but are made 235 known in the Gospel Oh that my head were water 245 and mine Eye a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for them who make all the motions 250 of their Souls to wait upon earthly designs and for the gaining 252 the Mammon of unrighteousness in this world such â—s prefeâ— momentany pleasures before 244 Eterâ—al joyes and spend their whole time in making proâ—sion for the flesh without the least thought upon Eâ—ernity that follows and never think of their present â—nfulness or their future Eternal misery Pardon â—e O my God that I have at any time postponed 256 the things of Heaven to the things of this world â—referring dross before Gold the fatness of the Earth â—efore the dew of Heaven earthly Mammon before Heavenly Mansions and the good things of this life â—efore the good things of another and better life yea â—ood and â—aiment for my body before Grace and Glory â—or my soul and now O Lord â—help me to consider â—hat it is â—igh time for me to mind the concerns of my â—oul and to be labouring for Eternal good things and â—261 seeking those things that are above and to â—ve above those things which 269 I cannot live withâ—ut yea wholly to spend my time whilst 269 I am â—n the body about those things whereof I shall have â—ost need when I am out of the body and principally â—o Labour for on earth those things that will be of use â— Heaven Make me spiritually 273 wise to lay up â—uch a stock and store that will do me good throughâ—ut all Eternity and before my body be laid in the Grave to take care that my never dying soul may be â—arryed into Abrahams bosome by a turning to thee O God by accepting of Jesus Christ by getting my â—ins pardoned and my evidence for Heaven cleared â—hough I do yet remain upon Earth let I pray thee â—hy spirit help me to converse in Heaven 274 and â—o have mine Eyes fixed upon those invisible things â—or ever blessed be thy most holy name O Lord that I am not placed among the common Beggars of this world that I have not been sent to beg my bread from door to door it might 278 have been my portion to have crowched to another for a morsel of bread to have been a vagabond and have saught my bread out of desolate places and to have lived as another Lazarus 279 in a starving and famishing condition O Lord I beseech thee never lay me under the heavy judgement of poverty in this world least I be poor and steal and take the name of thee my God in vain neither let me be a beggar in another world in Hell to howl for a drop of water to cools my tongue Yet if poverty must be the condition thou O God wilt have me to end my dayes in and I must be made worldly 287 poor yet O God vouchsafe to make me spiritually rich rich in Faith even enriched with the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ let me be found to be an heir of Salvation even an heir 288 of God and a joynt heir with Christ an heir of that Kingdome 289 which thou hast promised to them that love thee Help me O Lord to overlook the splendid braveries of this world the greatest and best things of this life 299 as those things which are 293 not but are as so many Empty 294 clouds and Wells without Water ciphers without figures and but as shadows to real substances being altogether void of 291 what will make me happy to Eternity and to Labour that I may have
AETERNALâ—â— OR A Treatise wherein by way of Exâ—â—â—cation Demonstration Confirmation and Application is shewed That the great Labour and pains of every Christian ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things from John 6.27 By FRANCIS CRAVEN M. A. and Minister of the Gospel at Acton in Suffolk Matth. 6.33 v. But seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Col. 3.2 v. Set your affections on things above not on things on the Earth LONDON Printed by H. Brugis for R. Northcott adjoyning to St. Peters Alley in Cornhil and at the Marriner and Anchor upon Fishstreet Hill near London Bridge 1677. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the truly Honourable Lady the Lady Cordell Not only a continuance of Temporal good things upon Earth but a full fruition of Eternal good things in Heaven MADAM THE goodness of Your Ladiships disposition hath procured you no little Love from those you live amongst and I never could observe any that I thought really Loved you but they Honoured you and were very ambitious upon all occasions to serve you I must write my self one of those though the meanest of many from whom you may justly expect Love Honour and Service and that for more reasons than as I judge you would be willing I should publish to the World however permit me to say Thankfulness makes my best service your debt That singular worth that all even your greatest Enemies will acknowledge to be in you makes me to Honour you and your no few inward endowments of Grace I have some reason to say I am not ignorant of enforce me to Love All which I cannot forbear to express unless I will brand my self with Ingratitude the which I have ever held to be a Monster in nature and a solecisme in manners a crime so odious that the more Ingenuous of the Heathens much decryed it saying The unthankful man is a compendium of all Evils Now that I might give a publick testimony of all the said particulars I most humbly crave leave that the following discourses which are not notional but practical and containing nothing of Fanaticisme but Orthodox Truths may to the view of the world go forth under your name and be transmitted unto the hands and use of your Neighbours of Acton for whose Instruction they were primarily prepared and in whose hands I desire to leave them having your Ladiships name prefixed in the Front as a testimony of that respect I have for more then twenty years had to that place Possibly they may in some degree serve the Interest of their souls when I am in my Grave It is true they may meet with many profitable treatises of the like argument yet I was desirous they should have somewhat thereof from my self Besides your Ladiship was pleased to hear almost all these discourses from the Pulpit and I would crave leave to promise my self that you will receive them from the Press as you retrained not the Church when they were Preached that you will not refuse them into your Closet now they may be read as you did not I believe grudge them your time in the Congregation that you will not deny them portion of your retirement but as they have already had your religious Eare so they shall also have your judicious Eye Let not I pray the homeliness of these impolit lines cause you to reject them they were I confess a tumultuary work for all the time they were modelling I had two works lying upon my hands Pulpit work and School work to labour for Elder persons against the Lord's day and to labour amongst and for Younger persons every day and but slender means of assistance That which makes me ventrous to beg your Ladiships acceptance is your unexpected Candour being confident you will receive them as I present them with the right hand More great and excellent things I know are expected to be presented to great and excellent ones but as under the Law he that was not able to bring a Lamb the sacrifice of the richer sort was commanded to bring two Turtle Doves Levit. 5. 7. v. yea a little Goats hair from those who had no better was required to be brought towards the building of the Tabernacle Exod. 35. And our blessed Saviour commends the poor Widdowes two mites then when the richer sort cast mâ—ch into the Treasury Mark 12. 42. v. Esteem my present little and so it is yet well it may become the Greatest upon earth to imitate a great God who weigheth the heart of the giver not the value of the gift and so doing your Ladiship will please to eye not the Present but the Presenter who hopeth the following lines will help you to mind that here upon earth upon which you must live for ever in Heaven as also provoke you to labour for those Eternal good things in them mentioned and the rather because your time is hastning towards an end and it may come to an end suddenly for none know how soon they may meet with the death of the body that are every day encompassed with the body of death but happy they who the nearer their bodies draw to the pit of corruption do find their Souls draw nearer to the place of perfection and the nearer they are to leave Temporal good things the nearer also they are to the enjoyment of Eternal good things On Earth it is your business to labour for Eternal good things in Heaven it will be your blessedness to enjoy Eternal good things Now that God would continue unto your Ladiship such a large portion of Temporal good things as you already enjoy here upon Earth and Crown you with all happiness in the full fruition of Eternal good things in Heaven as you are dayly I hope labouring for shall ever be the Prayer of him who promiseth to continue at the Throne of Grace Madam Your Ladiships Solicitour FRANCIS CRAVEN TO THE READER Christian Reader IT was not any arrogant stupidity of my own weakness but a confident presumption of their acceptance for whose sakes the following discourses were first Preached that caused me to appear so publickly in the world a thing very contrary to my natural disposition that hath ever delighted in privacy If they accept hereof and get good hereby if they by what they have so lately heard and now may read be perswaded whilst they are labouring for Temporal good things yet chiefly and before all other things to labour for Eternal good things I have obtained my end though I should not escape the Satyre unchristian invectives or unkind and unjust censures of some envious ones I assure thee Christian in what thou findest written it was not to gain any praise from thee that I sent these lines abroad but truly aiming at thine and all mens Eternal good Et veniam pro laude peto laudatus abunde Non fastiditus si tibi Lector ero Only this is all that
10. 28. And would have us to turn our worldly care into a godly care our care for this life and the things of this life into care for the things of another life of a better life Matth. 6. 31 32 33. v. The like course useth our Saviour here in this Chapter when he sayes Labour not for c. CHAP. II. Shewing the coherence and parts of the words THe words are a direction following upon a reprehension the reprehension is in v. 26. Jesus said unâ—o them verily verely I say unto you ye seek me not because of the Miracles but because ye did eate of the Loavâ—s and were filled It was for that they valued not his doctrine or confirmation thereof by Miracles so â—hat they might believe and be saved but cared princiâ—ally for their bellies The direction is for the ordering â—f their and our endeavours towards that which is the â—ain of all and this in the words read Labour not for â—he meat which perisheth but for that which endureth unâ—o Eternal life Thus you see the Connexion But to the words It is observable that all Preaching may be referred to two heads viz. Inhibitions and Injunctions Inhibitions to pull back from evil Injunctions to quicken to â— better course Take some instances hereof out of the Scriptures In the 6. of Math. 31. 33. v. in the 31. v. Our Saviâ—ur takes them of the world and the things thereof â—ying Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithall shall we be cloathed In the 33 v. he setteth them to work But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1. Pet. 3. 11. Eschew evill and do good there we have the Apostles Inhibition Eschew evil And his Injunction do good Rom. 12. 9. Abhorr that which is evil there we have an Inhibition and then followes the Injunction cleave to that which is good Eph. 5. 4. where we have 1. a dehortation or Inhibition 2. an Exhortation or Injunction 1. A Dehortation or Inhibition Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient 3. An Exhortation or Injunction But rather giving of thanks So my Text in every man's eye and apprehension divides it self into two parts 1. An Inhibition Labour not for the meat which perisheth 2. An Injunction But for that which endureth unto everlasting life In the Inhibition we may note 1. Something that Christ does Inhibit and forbid Labour not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne operanimi In the fourth Commandement saith God the Father six dayes shalâ— thou labour and do c. St. Paul agrees with the same 2 Thess 3. 10 11 12. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat v. 10. For we hear that there be some which walk among you disorderly working not aâ— all but are busie bodies v. 11. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread v. 12. In the Text Christ sayes Labour not God the Father and St. Paul the Apostle command Labour anâ— here Christ the son sayes Labour not The words aâ— first reading me thinks do please men of a sluggish spirit men that do like no life like to an idle life It waâ— the speech of that Epicure M. Lepidus who lying under a shady tree upon a sun shine day stretching himself cryes out O utinam hoc esset laborare O would to God this were to take pains to live at ease There are more such in the world men that cannot away with labour men that by their good will would do nothing but eat and drink and sleep and sport and sit and talk and laugh and be merry but such are the very excrements of all humane Societies where they live very burdens to the earth whereon they walk as unprofitable they are to the world as that Margites I have read of of whom it is said that he never Ploughed or digged nor did any thing all his life long that might tend to any goodness spending their time nihil agendo in doing nothing at all But our Saviour does not absolutely forbid labouring for things necessary to this life 2 Thes 3. 10. There you have St. Paul his Sanction or Ordinance for Manual labour For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should they eat and this you see is inforced by a penalty provided for willing or wilful Loyterers if any would not work neither should they eat As Scipio Banished all idle Souldiers and unprofitable people from his Camp so the Apostle banisheth such sloathful ones from the table It was not Adams case alone but it is the case of every one in his calling in sudore vultus tui in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread So the Apostle cannot brook those who spend their whole lives only meerly in Epicurate wayes I could wish St. Paul his penalty here might be such mens punishment Let not such eat That if nought else yet hunger and necessity may drive them to labour The act here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing indifferent and lyes all upon the object that our labour is conversant about as that is good or evil as the thing is good or bad for which we labour 2ly The thing for which we must not labour Meat Under this word it is observed that Christ comprehends all earthly things 1. Because it was their meat they were most taken up with they followed Christ now only for their bellies as Christ note v. 26. saying verily I say unto you ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles of which read v. 2. and 14. but because ye did eate of the Loaves and were filled 2. To point out to them what it was they might expect from the things of time let them have what dreams they please if they had all the world at will yet they would get no more of it but their Meat which the poorest man may attain unto 3. To suggest unto them an argument why they should not toyl and labour so much for that which would afford them so little Eccles 5. 11. When goods encrease they are encreased that eat them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes Therefore he takes them off from labouring for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worlds things Temporal things and so the wiseman forbids what Christ forbids Prov. 23. 4. Labour not and he shews what we must not labour for To be rich Labour not for these earthly things though they are in themselves mercies yet they are but mercies without the pale they are but Acrons with which God feeds swine there are choiser fruits to be looked after viz. those Olives and Pomegranates which grow on the true Vine Jesus Christ and
springs of living waters clarified with Christ's blood and indulcorated with his love 3ly The kind or property of that meat for which they must not labour that perisheth Labour not for the meat which perisheth that perisheth with the using as the Apostle sayes 2 Coll. 22. v. rudiments of the world Such was that Manna which God gave Israel for meat from Heaven he gave them this meat indeed miraculously but yet it was no lasting meat they could not keep it by them any long time Exod. 16. 20. 21. If they kept it but till the next morning it bred worms and stank it was but of a perishing nature and indeed all meat for the body is but perishing meat is but of a perishing nature it serves but to uphold a perishing life and cannot prevent the bodies perishing at last to which agreeth that of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 6. 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them and where men do only and mainly labour for that it will cause them to perish Eternally In the Injunction we may note 1. A duty by Christ injoyned and that is Labour It must necessarily be supplyed in the Text Labour not for the meat which perisheth but Labour for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life Though t is true servile labour with trouble sweat and vexation was occasioned by the curse Gen. 3. 17. yet there was work required of man or labour in the earth with reference unto his natural life and subsistence in the world in the state of innocency for it is expresly said Gen. 2. 15. That God put man into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it that is to labour in it and to preserve it by labour No sooner was man Created but by and by he is set to labour Paradise was not 〈…〉 place that served only to delight his senses but to exe 〈…〉 cise his hands God never made any as he made Leviathan to spo 〈…〉 himself only or to do as it is said of the people in Tom 〈…〉 m in Africa that they spend their whole time in 〈…〉 ing and dancing but to work either with his hands or his head in the sweat of his brow or of his brain the thing that is good God will have no man to be idle he will have no Ciphers in his Arithmetick oâ— sloathfull servants in his Vineyard Homo natus ad laborem man was even born to labour and not to expect any rest whilst here only the dead which dye in the Lord rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. Now they must labour and toyle and then rest Idle persons are good for nothing but to eat drink and sleep It is good saith one to do something whereby the world may be the better and not to come hither meerly as Rats and Mice only to devour victuals and to run squeaking up and down Periander made a Law at Corinth that whosoever could not prove he lived by his honest Labour he should suffer as a Thief No State whatsoever can priviledg Idleness no Man is too Noble to have an occupation the greatest Kings have not this priviledg Alphonsus said that God and Nature had given Kings hands as well as other Men. By the Law of Mahomet the Great Turk himself is bound to exercise some manual trade or occupation though sin brought in man s labour Gen. 3. 19. yet now for a man not to humble himself by just labour would encrease his sin and therefore aboundance of idleness is reckoned to be in the number of Sodomes sins Ezek. 16 49. 2. In the Injunction we have the thing for which laâ—our that is the duty is injoyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That meat â—at food for the soul that which is meat for a Christiâ—ns faith and not for a christians tast such as are Christ with all his riches and treasures with all his benefits and priviledges and what else with Christ the Gospel declareth making for the Saints Eternal â—â—lfare of which afterwards in the discourse But these things Chriâ—â— commends under the name of Meat as one notes 1. Because his followers now were earnestly seeking after meat therefore he points them out better meat Thus to the woman of Samaria coming for water he points out the living water 2. To shew the necessity of having these things and the usefulness of them they had as great need hereof as of meat 3. In the Injunction there is the modâ—s or property of the meat for which labour is injoyned which endureth unto everlasting life that is for those things which are appointed by God to refresh and sustain the soul unto Eternity for such things that when all these poor helps which serve to prop up a Pilgrims travel as so many baites till he get home shall fail may be Eternal provision That which our Saviour does here then is this he diverts their affections and eagerness from off earthly things and sets them upon the right object Christ does not hereby dehort them altogether from labouring for meat that perisheth but what he sayes is spoken per modum comparationis by way of comparison q. d do not so labour for the meat that perisheth that you neglect to labour for the meat that perisheth not as when he sayes Matth. 6. 31. 33. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed But seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you The Heathens with whom if Christians should symbolize in sins or not exceed in vertue it were a shame to them for as a Christian differs from an Heathen in Profession so he should in Practice because they know not the Eternal blessedness of the life to come but only that which concerneth this present life their care is only after what they shall eat and drink and wherewithal they may be clothed as our Saviour observes v. 32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for men that have hope in this life only it is no marvel if they labour their utmost to make their best of it but our Saviour teaches his Hearers to prefer care for things Eternal before a care for things Temporal indeed what our Saviour sayes here is not contradictory to that of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 8. 21. Provide for things honest things that are necessary provide for things necessary hath his time so that our Saviour his primum quaerite regnum Dei be first remembred The care for this life present and things necessary thereunto is by the Apostle commended but by our Saviour the care of heavenly things is preferred Many such like instances we meet with from Christ as Matth. 9. 13. I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Christ excludeth not Sacrifice but preferreth Mercy And Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul
use the right means for a time only but perseveres labouring in the use thereof he holds out to the end labouring herein not onely in some good moods and hot fits of zeal or strange pangs of Devotion at certain times of their lives as when they are invited to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in times of sickness and fears of death or when some heavy judgement of God hath befaln them but when he devoâ—es himself to a diligent endeavour at all times to store his soul with such things as will for ever be useful to the soul When he followes that good counsel of one Non tantum facite sed perficite and thinks not enough to begin his work unless he crown it with perseverance not ceasing to labour until he come to dy not being weary in well doing for he knows that in due season we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6. 9. accounting it a shame to faint or be weary in the search of that which being found will more then pay for the pains of searching as one sayes Quaerendi defatigatio turpis est cum id quod quaeritur sit pulcherimum When he follows on to use the right means as the Prophet Elisha followed his Master Elijah whom having once found he would never again go from him never leave him until he saw him taken up into Heaven no more does one truly industrious for the things of Eternity having entred into a course of well doing he never goes from it until he be taken up into Heaven and put into possession of what he hath been labouring for He is like the little Bee which will not off the meanest flower until he hath got something out of it 5. When he will not take up or be put off with any other good things but such as are Eternal he will bless God for the least of the mercies of this life if he have but Offam aq 〈…〉 bread and water if he have but â—ood and rayment as good Jacob desired of God Gen. 28. 20. he is well satisfied therewith and envies not the richest Craesus or Crassus upon the earth and yet will not be put off with the greatest of worldly things for a portion when he is contented with dayly bread with the bread of the day for the day only that he may in diem vivere as birds do the little birds having only what may serve for natures use yet he would not be put off with the greatest of those things which are indifferently distributed to Saints and Sinners Such a one was Luther who when he had great gifts sent him from Dukes and Princes he refused them and saith he I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so t is not that will content me No mercy but the God of mercy would satisfie Davids desire Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee David would not be put off with any thing in Heaven or Earth but the God of Heaven and earth should David by his diligent labour and pains have gotten not only the earth but Heaven yet that by David would not have been thought enough to put an end to his labour except he had God also The possession of that which would have made another to say with the rich man in the Gospel Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12. 19. would not have wrought so upon David until David had what he desired viz. God David from labour would not have been eased As it is said of Caius Marius in choosing of his Souldiers he would willingly admit none into his band that were less then six foot high men of a low mean and ordinary stature would not coâ—â—ent him no he would have such as were of a tall and high stature so when not low mean things of the world but only thâ— highest things of Heaven and Eternity are the objectâ— of a Christians desire then he chiefly labours c. 6. When he goes on to labour and take pains for these eternal good things though he meet with many vexations and sore persecutions when he will onward in the way to Heaven though the way thither be via spinosa sanguinea full of thorns and bryars when he will not be hindred in his journey towards Canaan though he must travel through a wilderness of Serpents and a red Sea When he will follow Christ though he sees Swords and Staves in the way as St. Paul at Miletus tells the Elders of the Church of Ephasus Acts 20. 22 23 24. And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the thing that shall befal me there save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying Bonds and Afflictions abide me But none of these things move me none of these things discourage me as if he had said For I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Act 21. 13. And hath taken up the like resolution as St. Ambrose took up to Valentinian the younger I follow saith he the determination of the Councel of Nice from which neither sword nor death shall ever seperate me when neither the worlds flatteries nor its frowns shall take him off his pains and labour When neither Nebuchadnezars Musick nor his Furnace can alter his resolutions but continues like the three Children who would not leave off to worship God and worship the golden Image though they knew a fiery Furnace heat seven times hotter then ordinary was provided for them Like Daniel that would not be taken off praying unto God though he knew for certain he should be cast into the Den of Lyons Like St. Paul and Barnabas whom neither the Lycaonians preposterous affection to have deified them nor their devillish rage when they about to stone them could procure either of them to yield one hairs breadth like all the Martyrs that noble Army whom neither the threatnings of fire nor the fair and large promises of their cunning and cruel Adversaries could cause them to shrink from Christ When rather then to desist or draw his neck from under Christ's yoak he will be stretched upon the Cross choosing rather to keep his conscience pure then his skin whole and to secure an Eternal rather then a fading inheritance resolving to gain through the assistance of a good God an eternal Crown though he swims to it in blood not mattering what he suffers upon Earth so he may be but Crowned in Heaven and not retiring for any trouble or persecution whatsoever that stands between him and eternal happiness If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead sayes the Apostle Phill. 3. 11. Ad gloriam caeâ—estem vitam aeternam ad quam Christus exitatus â—st quaeque credentibus ex morte exciâ—â—tis a Deo contingit St. Paul speaketh not of the Resurrection of the dead common to
all but of a resurrection to a glorious and immortal life This so takes up the heart of the Apostle that no opposition no persecution shall deterr him in looking after it Witness Holy St. Bazil when Modestus the Emperours Lieutenant told him what he should suffer as confiscation of Goods cruel tortures and death c. He answered If this be â—ll I fear not Yea had I as many lives as I have hair on my head I would lay them all down for Christ and he can say with that Martyr that being very much threatned by his persecutors he replyed there is nothing of things visible nothing of things invisible that I fear I will stand to my profession of the name of Christ and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints come on it what will When he holds on to continue firm to such a resolution he is therein serious in both taking of it up and keeping of it afterwards ever having an eye at the glory of God and the eternal good of his own soul his resolution is not like that pretended resolution of the Scribe in the Gospel that soon vanished and came to nothing he comes to Christ and declares to him what his resolution was viz. to be a constant follower of him Master saith he I will follow thee whither soever thou goest Matth. 8. 19. But when Christ had told him what he must expect to meet with in case he should do what he had resolved on how he must look for no such temporal advantage as he had an eye at as profits and honors c. presently he recedes and falls off so as we hear no more of him but his resolution is rather like that of Maevius a noble Centurion of Augustus who being taken and brought to Antonius and demanded how he would be handled heroically answered Jugulari me jube quia non salutis beneficio nec mortis supplicio addue possum ut aut Câ—saris miles esse desinam aut tuus esse incipiam command me to be slain because neither the benefit of life nor the punishment of death can move me either to cease to be Caesar's Souldier or to begin to be â—hine what ever befalls him though a thousand deaths be threatned yet neither the hope of life nor the fear of death draws him from his resolution which thing discovers how much he esteems of these things and prefeâ—rs them before what ever the whole world affords As Jacob no way more discovered the sincerity oâ— his affections to Rachel then that he continued to love her notwithstanding all the hard usage he endured for her so no way does he more discover the great esteem he hath of Eternal good things then that he continues to labour for them notwithstanding all the hardship he meets with in labouring for them As Antimachus said when all his Schollers save Plato forsook him I will go forward for Plato is more to me then all the rest so saies he that is labouring thus one Heaven is more to me then all these things that I do suffer and endure 7. When he does this at all times improves every hour and minute of time le ts no time or opportunity slip and slide away without labouring for such things as will endure beyond a season 1. When he does it in the day time 2. When he does it in the night time 1. When he does it in the day time indeed the day-time is a working time then t is that Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the Evening Psal 104. 23. For each one in his place should in a literal sense say with Christ John 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day to be sure a long night will shortly cover us with its wings in which we shall not have the power to work Our King Alfred cast the natural day that is our ordinary day and night into three parts eight hours he spent in Prayer Study and writing eight hours in the service of his body and eight in the affairs of his Kingdome he was careful to spend every hour of the day The whole day is not to be spent in bodily labour some time should be set a part for actions of piety towards God and labouring after the eternal welfare of our souls this should be our work not only upon the Lords day but every day As David in his Psalm of thanksgiving to God 1 Chron. 16. 23. v. would have them shew forth from day to day his salvation so from day to day even every should a Christian be imployed about his salvation should a Christian be providing for Eternity especially in the Morning or first part of the day and also in the Evening or last part of the day 1. In the Morning or first part of the day Our Naturalists tell us that the most Orient Pearls are generated of the Morning Dew the best services and holyest endeavors of Christians are they which are performed in the days morning So soon as the Sun ariseth the Bee flies abroad to gather in her Honey so does the industrâ—ous Christian in this his Heavenly labor he â—â— careâ—ul to spend the morning well as the best way to put hâ—s heart inâ—o a good frame for the right expense and husbanding â—he day following I have read of a sort of Heathens which woâ—ship that as their God all day which they first see in the morning It is so with Mens hearts if they look upon God first and spend the morning with him â—e is likest to have all the day and their hearts will be best fiâ—ted to sâ—end the whole day in his service and in the affairs of the soul Even some Heathens have thus spenâ— the morning choosing the morning câ—iefly for Sacrifice The Persian Magi sang Hymns to their Gods at break of day and worshiped the Sun rising The Pinaâ—ij and Politij sacrificed every morning as well as evening to Hercules Publius Scipio that famous Roman of whom it was said Ejus viâ—â—â—rat dijs dedica was â—â—nt to go to the Capiâ—o every morning before he went to the â—â—at to converse with the gods before he would converse with Men to be imployed in Heaven before he wenâ— about any imployment upon Earth So true have Heathens found those words Aurora est auâ—ea hora the morning is called the Golden hour and fittest as for any imployments so especially for Religious imployments And when a Christian religiously spends the morning or first part of the day with God for the good of his Soul and in Heaven laboring for the things of Heaven that he may all the day after have God in his thoughts and Heaâ—en in his eye then is he taking pains for Eternal good things Many instances hereof might be mentioned out of Scripture even of those that chiefly labored for these things David highly esteemed of the morning for religious and heavenly exercise therefore saith he Psal 63. 1.
in the night he got his living by drawing of Water such another is that Christian who labors after Eternal happiness after he hath labored in the day if God should drive sleep from his eyes or his souls condition requires it he leaves not off in the night Like Seneca who says Nullus mihi per otium exit dies partem etiam nectium studijs vendico I let no day pass me idle some part of the night also I spend in study so does an Heaven desiring Christian when he hath spent the day with God and hath been taking pains about Eternal concerns of the soul will not be backward to spend some art also of the night especially if God drive sleep from his eyes Indeed it hath been well for some that God hath thus dealt with them that he hath kept them aâ—ake in the night their souls will fare the better for it to all Eternity It was well for Morâ—icâ—i and the people of the Jews that Ahasuerus could not sleep in the night it was a means to save them fâ—om destâ—uction Esther 6. 1. v. There is no need of searching after external reasons or occasions of sleep this night departing fâ—om the King the circumstances followiâ—g do appareâ—tly demonstrate it that God by his special proâ—â—dence took away his sleep this was the first occasion of 〈…〉 nâ—ng the â—heel of God's providenâ—e to the dâ—liâ—erance of his Church For that the â—ing might tâ—e â—eâ—er pass over the night or that he might tâ—e berteâ— sleep the Chronicles were read before him for reading to one â—â— bâ—d makes him sleep the sou 〈…〉 er So was 〈…〉 e â— for that youngman mâ—ntioned befâ—â—e that God 〈◊〉 is â—yes waking in the night as 〈◊〉 says of hi◠〈◊〉 â—sal 7â— â— Thou holdest mine 〈◊〉 waking iâ— waâ— a â—eâ—â—s of breaking him of his lusts â—haâ— was g 〈…〉 n to 〈…〉 of lust before And as 〈…〉 eâ— was it for â—he 〈◊〉 that by the Earthquake sh 〈…〉 the fouâ—dâ—â—ions of the Prison he was awaked oâ—â— of sleep for theâ—eby he was brought to inquire what he â—ho 〈…〉 do to be saâ—ed Act. 16. 2â— 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 v. thereby â—e hâ—d aâ— opportunity afforded to be acquainted with the word of the Lord and to receive the Sacrament of Baptism straightway that is instantly at the same hour of the night that the foregoing story was acted without any further delay Thus much by way of Explication to shew when a Man may be said to labor for Eternal good things I proceed to the second thing propounded to be spoken unto and that is something by way of Demonstration where I shall shew that Eternal good things are to be labored for CHAP. V. It will appear that in all Eternal concernments a Christian should put forth a great deal of labour 1. FRom those resemblances that the Labour belonging to Eternal good things is compared to in Scripture 2. From the impossibility of enjoying Eternal good things without labour 3. From that agreement that there is between Eternal good things and our natures 4. From the examples of those who have been well acquainted with the worth of Eternal good things 5. From the paucity and fewness of that number that will be â—ound to have their share in Eternal good things 6. From that necessity that there is of enjoying Eternal good things 7. From the end whereof we live 8 From that willingness to dye and to have an end put to this temporal life that the enjoyment of Eternal good things will work in us I shall begin with the first and speak to them as they have been named It will appear 1 From those resemblances that the labour belonging to Eternal good things is compared to in Scripture As 1. It is compared to a race the labour of a Christian about Eternal good things is compared to a race to that labour which men take in running of a Race See Heb. 12. 1. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us And that 1 Cor. 9. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize so run that ye may obtain It is called a Race to shew what labours and endeavors we must put forth after these things Here is the race but above is the Crown said Ignatius to Polycarp Here we must labour and take great pains here we must put forth all the strength we can We see that those who run in an earthly Race though but for no greaâ— matter how they will strain themselves to run how they will put forth all their strength how they will sweat with labour and pains taking therein 2. It is compared to wrestling and striving 2 Tim. 2. 5. If a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully For a man to be put to strive for any thing is both labour some difficult and painful Christianity is like to a game or striving for the mastery wherein no man is crowned unless he strive according to the Lawes that are prescribed be they never so difficult and painful a Christian will find it hard labour and pains to win an incorruptible Crown 't is that we labour and strive for so the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 9. 25. v. Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible that which St. Pauâ— elsewhere calls a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. by St James chap. 1. 2. v. and by St. John Rev. 2. 10. is called a crown of life and is by St. Peter 1 Pet. 5. 4. called a crown of glory is here by St. Paul called a crown incorruptible The Apostle alludes to the Olympick games wherein the wrestlers to gain some honorary or reward as a crown of Olive or Laurel or the like put forth all the strength pains and labour they could a lazy kind of striveing and wrestling would not win them a Garland upon the earth nor will it win a Christian a Crown in Heaven The Jewes are said to have a common Proverb amongst them He that on the Even of the Sabbath day hath not gathered what to eat shall not eat on the Sabbath meaning thereby that none shall reign in Heaven that hath not wrought on Earth Albeit men can no more merit Eternal good things by labour then a begger by craveing can merit his Alms yet they are not to expect that these things can be enjoyed without labour and striving as flesh and blood will find both hard and difficult to go through 3. It is compared to fighting of a battel the whole life of a Christian and the whole work of christianity in the concernments of the Soul is set forth by and compared in Scripture unto a fight or battel 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight 1. Cor. 9. 26. so fight I not as one that beateth the air Heb. 10. 32. Ye endured
were great drops of blood falling down to the ground the words sets forth what a vehement conflict was at this time in Christ's soul occasioned through the deep sense of his Father's wrath against sinners for whom he stood now as Surety and Redeemer a conflict that put Him into a bloody sweat so that through flesh and skin in great abundance sanguinem congelatum quasi extruscrit issued forth clottered or congealed blood So that our Saviour when he says strive to enter in at the straight-gate he would have us to strive and strive until we are in an Agony until we sweat blood to get inâ—o Heaven As it is storied of Scanderbeg that in fighting against the Turks he was so earnest that the blood would often start out of his Lipps A Christian should at this work strive Quasi pro vita si vincit vel pro morte si vincitur luctaturus as if he labored for life or death nay for that which is dearer then life it self even the life of his soul the words are an allusion to that fighting and striving which was to be amongst Wrestlers in their solemn games with sweat pains and trouble and wherein a Christian should use his utmost best and choicest endeavors and labor with all his ability of power and skill whilst striving to get into Heaven and the reason laid down by our Saviour in those would seriously be considered For many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13. 24. it is not enough to seek many seekers will never find but there must be striving there must be an holy violence used to enter in at the straight-gate Matth. 11. 12. And the violent take it by force A Metaphor taken from Warriours who force their passage into a City and take it by Storme Heaven is as Canaan the type of it was though a Land of Promise yet of Conquest too it will not prove any easy work to get to Heaven Facilis descensus Averni A Man may go to Hell without a Staffe as we say the way thither is easy 2. From the impossibility of injoying Eternal good things without labor Of all things to be injoyed Eternal good things are not to be injoyed without labor and that not without our own labor and pains so run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. v. there is no obtaining the prize of Eternal happiness without running the Race God will not bestow these things upon those who never seek never labor for them It is true without God all a Man's labor can do nothing and without a Man's labor God will do nothing They can never expect Heaven afterwards that labor not for Heaven now Qui fugit molam fugit farinam he that will not have the sweat of labor upon Earth must not expect the sweet of honor and happiness in Heaven Matth. 20. 8. v. The Lord of the Vineyard saith unto his Steward Call the laborers and give them their hire it is not call the loyterers or idle bodies but call the laborers none but the laborers had their Penny given them They must be doing that will keep in with God Ad summa nemo sine labore pervenit Worldly wealth and honors may be had without labor or study by the donation of others or by succession and descent Pharoah raised Joseph out of Prison and gave him the next place to himself in the Kingdom Darius prefers Daniel above the Presidents and Princes of his Kingdom nay had thoughts to have set him over the whole Realm Of how many Men may it be said what Seneca said of Plato Philosophy found not Plato a Noble Man but made him one There are many who are not noble Men born but the Prince makes them Noble Men Princes have not found some men Noble Men but they have made them noble But it is not so with Eternal good things for the gaining of them each man must labor for himself the labor and pains of others herein will do him little good All the Princes in the world with all their combined Bounties and forces cannot put a Christian into possession of Heaven or the things thereof 3. From that agreement that there is between Eternal good things and our Natures Laboring for Eternal good things doth best agree with the nature of every Man Man is by nature a provident Creature apt to lay up for time to come It is with Men accounted a good piece of providence to lay up something for a Rainy-day as the proverb is something that may do them good afterwards and not only in Diem vivere as the â—oules of Heaven do Now this disposition should reach beyond the forecast of Joseph in Egypt Gen. 41. 35 36. v. laying up Corn in the Cities only for seven years Or of that fool in the Gospel who had good things laid up for him in his Barnes many years Luk. 12. 19. v. Our Saviour directeth where our treasure is better to be laid up Matth. 6. 19. 20. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt where theeves break thorow and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break thorough and steal Laying up treasure in Heaven is here opposed to laying up treasure in earth a Christians care should be not so much to labour to be rich here as hereafter not so much to be rich upon Earth as to be rich in Heaven the best store is that which is layd up in Heaven The Argument that the Apostle useth to persuade rich men not to rest in uncertain riches but in the living God and to move them to be rich in good works you have 1. Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy v. 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Most men delight to hoard and treasure up something for themselves for the time to come an hoard of Eternal good things is that will do good more then a thousand years hence Verily that is the best store that will last not only until time shall be no more but will last more days then will be time in even to Eternity that will not be consumed in that universal Flame which shall melt the very Elements into their primitive confusion when this whole visible Fabrick must be dissolved by the fire of the Last-day Were a man made Lord of all the world and had he his life co-extended with it yet he may be assured that there will come a day in which the Heavens will pass away with a noise and the Elements melt with heat and â—he Earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up that there will be an universal Dissolution
evil There is mirth without moan joy without heaviness peace without perturbation blessedness without misery light without darkness abundance without want ease without labor eyes without tears hearts without sorrow souls without sin a life that never endeth and joy that never ceaseth for there is not the least shadow of matter for tears discontentments griefs and uncomfortable passions to work on What think you Christians of all these things are not the Psalmist's words true when he says Psal 87. 3. v. Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God What think you Christians of a Crown of Glory Of glittering thrones of Abraham's bosom of being admitted into the society of God and Christ and of Saints and Angels of injoying the company of the antient Patriarchs and Prophets of living with the holy Apostles and Evangelists of belonging to the noble army of glorious Martyrs and Confessors of being amongst all those eminent Saints whose holyness was by all Men magnified of walking with all those now in Heaven in whom either nature or grace have especially interested us What think you of dwelling for ever in the presence of God of lying in the bosom of his love of being infolded in the everlasting arms of his mercy of being filled with all the fulness of God then when God shall communicate himself beatifically to the uttermost and shall manifest what a glorious God he is and the souls of glorified ones find him to be a Sea of sweetness and an Ocean of unspeakable joys What think you of inhabiting in that Eternal Pallace of Heaven and blessedness where God and his blessed Saints inhabit when we shall be raised far above all the visible Orbs and starry firmament when we shall behold those Starrs under our feet which now are over our heads when we shall have all our spiritual sences feasted with unspeakable delights What think you of those treasures in Heaven more precious then Gold Pearl and Diamonds If all the earth were of Gold and all the Rivers there of the most precious Liquours and all the Rocks of precious stones who but would say here were a great treasure Well Christians yet know that a treasure which exceeds Gold as far as Gold does Dirt precious liquours water or precious stones pebles is laid up for Believers in Heaven Bona vitae aeternae tam multa ut numerum tam magna ut mensuran tam praetiosa ut estimation em omnen excedunt The good things of Eternal life are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation One leaf of the Tree of Life being far better then all the fruits that grow in this world But why do I promise my self to set forth the Excellency and worth of Eternal good things It was a good saying of Seneca Nusquam verecundiores esse debemus quam cum de Deo agitur Modesty never becomes us better then when we speak of God It will hold as true of Heaven for verily a Man may as well with a Coal paint out the Sun in all his splendor as with his tongue express or with his heart though it were as deep as the Sea conceive the Excellency and worth thereof and if any tongues can utter it or hearts conceive it they must be the tongues and hearts of those that are translated already thither and yet were an Angel from Heaven sent to set forth to us the excellency thereof he would sooner want words then matter What Tully said once concerning Socrates and desired his Readers concerning L. Crassius that they would imagine greater things of them then they find written So our highest apprehensions of Eternal good things falls infinitely short of the excellency thereof I deny not but that many things in this world are transcendent and ravishing but the best of them are no better then accessories to these principals drops to these Oceans glimps to these Suns and dunghill-felicities to these Eternal Injoyments The greatest pomp and glory of Kings and Emperors is but dust in comparison of these things It will appear that Eternal good things are the best Good things 1. Because only Eternal good things make those who injoy them to be good 2. Because only Eternal good things will do us good then when other good things will do us no good Now by making good these two things that Eternal good things make men good in this world as well as happy in another world and also that Eternal good things will do men good and stand them in stead when other good things will neither do them good nor stand them in stead I hope it will appear that Eternal good things are the best good things for surely those things may well be called the best things that make men good and that do men good when nothing else in the world will do them good I shall begin with the first 1. It will appear that Eternal good things are the best good things Because only Eternal good things make those who do injoy them to be good They make men to be good here in this world and happy hereafter in another world Even to be conversant about Eternal good things is of great moment to the bettering of the Soul for look what the object is such is the soul that is conversant about it high and Eternal Objects lift up the soul to God and towards Heaven and make the mind answerable unto them Eternal good things are high Objects and they will work in men conversant about them high minds they will draw the mind upward and raise it from Earth to Heaven But too oft is it otherwise with Temporal things Gold may make a man the richer not the better Honor may make a man the higher not the happier Says one of our own Land God hath no worse servants in our land then they that can live of their own Lands and care for nothing else none are so ready and apt to neglect the thoughts and care of Religion and Heaven as those who have most upon earth as being on every hand beset with temptations to sin and solicitations to forget God That veryly the more any man hath of Temporal things the more cause he hath to pray Lord lead us not into temptation I have to this purpose read it noted out of St. Hierome that antiently there were two most notable Proverbs in prejudice of Rich Men The first That he who was very rich could not be a good man The second That he who was rich had either been a bad man or was the Heir of a bad man Indeed two often Riches and Vice go together And therefore our Saviour when he taught the Beatitudes he gave the first of them to the Poor Luk. 6. 20. v. Blessed be the poor for yours is the Kingdom of God And in laying down of the Woes he gave the first of them to the rich Luk. 6. 24. v. But woe unto you that are rich for
were Lords or Ladies Dukes or Dutchesses Kings or Queens on the earth No comfort will it be to them there though they had injoyed in their life-time Mints of Gold and Silver Those that are already gone down to the Dead and are amongst the damned are not at all comforted with the remembrance of what once they had or were Those prisoners of Hell have all their sins there about them their sins which were the cause of their being cast into Hell are with them but they have none of their delights pleasures worldly honors and sensual contentments about them they have nothing of Gold Silver Pearl or their sweet Perfumes about them What is it Christians to be lifted up in this world and in another world to be cast down Here to injoy abundance of all Temporal good things and there to want all things for a short time to shine here in glory and hereafter to consume in misery here to have plenty of all things that can do us good and there to be deprived of all things which would do us good What though a man were now possessor of as much gold as Pope John the two and twentieth was possessor of who is said to have at the time of his death two hundred and fifty Tunâ—s of Gold What though a man had hoarded up as much wealth as Pope Boniface the Eight of whom it is storied that when he was taken by Phillip the Fair King of France and his Palace rifled there was more Treasure found than all the Kings of the earth could shew again And yet after all these great Stores to have no place in Heaven but to be cast down into Hell and there to have nothing to do us good There are thousands that once knew not where to bestow their goods on earth who now know not which way to turn themselves in Hell upon earth they took to themselves the Timbrel and Harp they spent their days in wealth as you have it in Job 21. 12 13. v. Then they lay upon beds of Ivory and stretched themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the flock and the Calves out of the midst of the stâ—ll that chaunted to the sound of the Viol and invented to themselves instruments of Musick like David that drank Wine in bowls and anointed themselves with the cheif Oyntments As Amos gives the character of some Amos 6. 4 5 6. Their whole life was but a diversion from one pleasure to another but now know not which way to turn them for a little ease in Hell that prison of the Damned They who here had their Harps and Timbrels to make themselves musick have there no musick but roaring and crying and howling of the Damned they who here lay upon beds of Ivory and stretched themselves upon their couches have there no other beds but what are made of fieâ—y Brimstone pitchy Sulphur scorching Darkness and Fire unquenchable they who here eat the Lambs out of the flock and the calves ouâ— of the midst of the stall have there their most dainty and delicious tasts empoysoned with far worâ—e food then the bread and water of Affliction even food of Divels aâ—d Damned ones they who here chaunted to the sound of the Viol have there no Hymnes but cursings no tunes but wailings no dittyes but blasphemies no songs but lamentations no streins but scriechings they who here drank wine in bowles have there not a drop to cool their tongues no other wine there but the wine of the wrath of God Rev. 14. 10. v. Do but consult History and read the stories of formerages and you will easily find that God hath given the good things of this life ye the best of such things as this world affordeth unto the worst and as Daniel speaketh the basest of men Who but the Nimrods the Nebuchadnezzars the Alexanders and the Caesars have ordinarily been the Lords of the world Even such when they lived fleeted of the cream of earthly enjoyments when the portion of the Saints hath been thin and lean and poor but alas they had their good thngs only in this life as Abraham tells the rich man but now in Hell in another life they enjoy not any thing that will do them good or stand them in any stead Hitherto of the first particular viz. That Temporal good things will not do the wicked man any good in such conditions as God will cast him into I come to the second and that is 2. That Eternal good things will stand a Christian instead and do him good in what ever condition a good man can be cast into As 1. They will do a Christian good and stand him in stead when God shall lay him under affliction 2. They will do a Christian good and stand him in stead when he lies upon a sick bed or a dying bed 3. They will do a Christian good and stand him in stead when he shall be brought to stand at Christ's tribunal in the day of judgement Having named these three things I cannot but conclude him an happy man that hath that which will do him good under those afflictions he may meet with in this life and that will do him good when he shall have an end put to this life and at the day of judgement that follows after this life is ended Christians let me say unto you as Paul once did to Agrippa Do you beleive the Scriptures I know you do And in them these truths are plainly and plentifully proved That Eternal good things will do those good who enjoy them under afflictions at death and at judgement I begin with the first of these three 1. Eternal good things will stand a Christian in stead and do him good when God shall lay him under affliction Nothing more common indeed then to find the worst of men in the best outward condition enjoying abundance of Temporal good things and liveing in prosperity and free from all kind of afflictions so David saies of them That they are not in trouble as other men their eyes stand out with fatness they have more then their hearts can wish but for himself all the day long he was plagued and chastened every morning Psal 73. 4. 5. 7. 12 14. v. And saies Jeremy when he would plead this very case with God Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth who rebelliously transgress thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit Jer. 12. 1 2. v. Mal. 3. 15. They that work wickedness they are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Proud and presumptuous sinners prospered and flourished they carryed the Flagg in the Main-top as if they had been God's special favorites whilst in the mean time it weâ—t fally with those that feared God And Job he askes the like question as Jeremie did before as if he would reason out the matter with God Job 21. 7. v. Wherefore do the wicked live
be our Judg he that redeemed regenerated sanctified and justified us is to be our Judg he that hath loved us he that hath interceded for us with the Father he that hath united us to himself and hath made us one with himself is to be our Judg. And will not Jesus Christ now stand his people in good stead see Rom. 8. 1. v. Such shall never be judged to condemnation For there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Jesus Christ who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit they shall then hear no other proclamations but of blessings peace and glory no other sentence but of absolution Christ hath verily told us John 5. 24. v. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 3. 36. v. He that believeth in the Son hath Eternal life Hath Eternal life how 1. In promissis in promises thereof 1 Joh. 5. 25. v. And this is the promise that he hath promised us Eternal life 2. In principijs in the beginnings of it Eternal life is begâ—n here John 17. 3. v. And this is life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent This is life Eternal that is T is the beginning of life Eternal the full injoyment of which life is hereafter to be had 3. In primitijs in the earnests first fruits and handsel of it in those clusters of grapes and bunches of figgs those graces of Christ's spirit they are called by Saint Paul Rom. 8. 23. v. The first fruits of the Spirit 4. In capite Christ as a believer's head already injoys it and so a believer hath it in a begun possession Upon Earth Christ was his surety to answer the penalty of his sin and in Heaven he is now his advocate to take seisin and possession of Eternal life So that Jesus Christ then will not sentence them to Eternal death who are so many ways interested in Eternal life he will not cast any of his members nor any branches growing in him into Eternal fire none of these shall be made everlasting fuel for Eternal flames But yet this should not incourage any one in the way of Licentious living no the thoughts of the day of Judgment should call upon every one to keep a good Conscience and to walk unblamably all the days of their lives both before God and Man This is a duty that St. Paul lays down from this doctrine of the day of Judgment Act. 24. 15 16. v. First the Apostle lays down the Doctrine of Christ's coming to Judgment That there shall be a Resurrection both of the Dead both of the just of the unjust as if he had said All men shall appear at Christ's Tribunal in the last day And what follows Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Man The thoughts of this that the just must arise and be judged by Jesus Christ as well as the unjust this was an inducement upon St. Paul's heart that he should labor to keep his Conscience void of all offence both towards God and Men. Unto this of St. Paul let me add another place out of St. Peter The Apostle having shewed That the day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night in the which the Heavens will pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt 2 Pet. 3. 10. v. addeth in the 11. v. Seeing you look for such things as these and that all these things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and Godlyness The Apostle here would infer from Christ's appearing in Judgment and the dissolution of the Heavens and all things at the last day That they should be â—areful to spend their days in all manner of Piety and to keep their Consciences free from Sin St. Augustine tells of himself that as long as his Conscience was gnawed with the guilt of some youthful lust he was once insnared with the very hearing of the day of Judgment was even an Hell to him Conscience will then go with men to Judgment but they who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience will hold up their heads in judgment and not fear when the rest of the world shall be full of fear nay when the whole world shall be in an aproar and shall see the Earth flaming the Heavens melting the Judg arrayed with Majesty and attended with all his holy Angels sitting on his Throne of Glory like the fiery flame Dan. 7. 9. v. and all souls fetched from Heaven and Hell to be re-united to their bodies when dreadful souls must leave their place of terror and once more to be re-united to their stinking Carions to receive a greater condemnation and blessed souls now in their place of happiness once more to be re-united to their then refined and glorified bodys to receive Eternal glorification Happy we if here we find our souls changed by Grace in Covenant with God united to Christ and do exercise our selves to have always a good Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man Then may I say as St. John does 1 John 3. 2. Now we are the sons of God but it doth not appear yet what we shall be but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Read those words of the same Apostle in the former Chapter 1 Joh. 2. 28. v. And now little children abide in him In Christ your dear and ever blessed Saviour that when he shall appear in Judgment ye may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Fear thou not O Christian who hast labored for and possessed thy self of Eternal good things which are the Best of good things such things that will make thee good and do thee good when all Temporal good things will do thee no good But go thou thy way until the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the days Dan 12. 13. v. Go on in the way and course of thy life that yet remaineth be contented whatever condition thou beest cast into prepare for thâ— end of thy life so that thou mayst end it comfortably and go to thy g 〈…〉 e in peace and stand up at the general r 〈…〉 ecâ—ion of the Dead when Christ shall come to Juâ—gment in thy lot of Coelestial Inheritances and heavenly glory prepared and allotted to thee and all laborious Christians at the end of the world for the days of Eternity For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the Dead in Christ
desiderant sine anxitate desiderant sine fastidio satiantur â—n heaven they always behold God's presence and â—till they desire to behold it and yet without anxiety they are satisfied with God's presence and without saâ—iety We read of some Kings that have been weary of their Crowns and Kingdoms and have therefore laid aside their Crowns and yielded up their Kingdoms unto others 5. Our labor and pains ought cheifly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because Eternal good things are the only satisfying good things Verily when a man can pull the Sun Moon and Stars from the Heavens and fix them in his house when he can sow Grace in the furrows of his field when he can fill his barns with glory when he can get baggs full of Salvation when he can plow up heaven out of the earth and extract God out of the creatures then he may be able to find that in Temporal things which shall satisfy his desires A covetous man may have his house full of Money but he can never have his heart full of money An ambitious man may have Titles enough to overcharge â—his memory but never to fill his pride A voluptuous man may spend whole weeks nay years in carnal pleasures and delights and yet never be satisfied therewith but is ever thirsting after new invented delights and pleasures like Nero that wicked Emperor who had an Officer about him that was called Arbiter Neroâ—nianâ— libidiniâ— The Inventer and Contriver of new ways of uncleaness Sooner will Stygian darkness blend with light the Frost with Fire or Day with Night then these things below satisfy the hearts of men As all the rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full nor does it for all that flow its banks Eccles 1. 7. v. So though all the golden streams of the world should run into the hearts of men yet would they not be filled which was long since observed by Solomon Eccles 5. 10. v. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Agur mentions four unsatiable things in Pro. 30. 15 16. v. There are three things that are never satisfied yea four things say not It is enough The Grave and the barren Womb the Earth that is not filled with Water and the fire that saith not It is enough Such an unsatiable thing also is the heart of Man this also saith not It is enough So inordinate are the appetites and desires of men after these things Non plus satiatur cor auro quam corpus aura As Aiâ— fills not the body so neither doth money the mind A Man may as soon fill a Chest with grace as satisfy an heart with wealth Wherefore saith the Prophet Isaiah 55. 2. v. Do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which satisfieth not This very consideration should take off our immoderate love and labor from the things of the world because there is not any sweet juice of satisfaction in them As it is reported of a great School-man Quod a studijs Scholasticae theologiae averteretur ferè nause abundus quoniam succo carebant liquidae pietatis He turned with loathing from the study of School-divinity because it wanted the sweet juice of Piety The sweet juice of what we labor for it is satisfaction and content but this we see is altogether wanting in Temporal good things But Eternal good things are satisfying good things here all the earth would not satisfy one man hereafter one Heaven will be enough for all men Herein lies one of the excellencies of the heavenly Inheritance Non augustior multitudine haeredum the portions of those that possess it are not scanted by reason of the number and multitude of co-heirs In the 23 of St. Luke you have a Theif condemned crucifyed and hanging upon a cross an â—ngine and rack of most grievous torture for spinning out of pain and slowing of death and what desires he To be remembred of Christ He beggs not life nor pleasure nor riches nor honor or any other Temporal good things no there was one thing more necessary one thing more satisfactory Give him Heaven he cares for nothing more give him but an Eternal inheritance in Paradise and his desires are satisfied Let the Executioners now rack him tear him break all his bones and pull him into atomes if Christ will do so much for him as to remember him in his Kingdom he is satisfied Let him but hear of being with Christ in Paradise he desires no other news he is satisfied he hath enough And Christ answers his expectation for at vers 43. he tells him To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Paradise was however now defaced the sweetest and goodliest place upon earth a Demesne sutable for the greatest Prince then on earth renowned for many things for all sorts of trees such as were both pleasant to the sight and good for food there growed the tree of Life and the â—ree of knowledg of Good and Evil and for that famous four-brancht River that watered the place In a word nothing was wanting which might be either for Ornament use or delight or which might make Man as happy as he would be for God loves to see his creatures happy And as Man was the Image of God so was this earthly Paradise an image of heaven but both the images are defaced the image of God in Man and the image of Heaven in Paradise yet the first patterns they are both Eternal and in Heaven are such things that Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man 1. Cor. 2. 9. v. There that chosen Vessel was in the Spirit and heard and saw so much that could noâ— be expressed 2 Cor. 12. 2. v. for indeed it is as easy to compass the Heavens with a span or contain the Sea in a Nut-shell as to relate what things are in the heavenly Paradise St. John adds the name of God to it and calls it the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. v. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God The adding of the name of God here doth not only pâ—â— a difference between the heavenly Paradise and Adam's earthly Paradise but also sheweth it to be a great and most excellent place and enough there is iâ— it to satisfy all those who possess it There is enough in God to satisfy all that have aâ— interest in him It is a notable speech to this purpose that of Jacob when his brother Esau met him ye find Gen. 33. 8. v. That Esau he refused Jacob's present and told Jacob he had enough What meanest thou by all this drove which I met and he Jacob said these are to find grace in the sight of my Lord In the next verse says Esau I have enough At the 11. v. Jacob urges it
Heaven lost and that for ever Is it not a wonder to consider that whereas Faith teacheth us that the soul is immortal and must live for ever and experience sheweth us that the body is mortal yet most people contrary to faith and experience do neglect the Soul as though that were mortal and labor for the body as if that were immortal As Julius Caesar was wont to say of Cicero that he was negligent in things belonging to himself but diligent in things belonging to the Common-wealth So such there are who are negligent in things concerning their souls but diligent in things concerning their bodies who spend the best of their time and strength in laboring for their bodies but in the mean time neglect to provide for their Eternal Souls Prima animi bona says Juvenal those good things of the mind are the first things to be minded Optimum est curam principalem animae impendere says another Our first and principal endeavor should be for the principal things for things which concern the Soul for sanctification here and glorification hereafter To provide for the body should be but a Christian's by-work but caring for the soul ought to be his main work As our greatest fear should be for the Soul so our greatest care ought to be for the Soul That our greatest fear should be for the Soul appears by those words of our Saviour Matth. 10. 28. v. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell It is the greatest folly in the world out of fear of the body to betray the soul That our greatest care should be for the soul appears also out of our Saviour's words Matth. 16. 26. v. What profit hath a man if he win the whole World and lose his own Soul A Christian's great care should be not to hazard the Eternal welfare of his soul for a short fruition of Riches and Splendor in the world these are but conveniences of the body not of the soul If we could discern Souls with the eye or conceive them by the mind they would even ravish us and lead us into an excessive love of them The souls of Men though now they are clogged with flesh are dwelling in houses of clay and tabernacles of dust though now they are shut up in the body like a bird of paradise in a cage yet are such beings as have no less distant original from the body then heaven is from earth coming immediate from God a truth exprest by Ovid in a short verse Sedibus aethereis Spiritus ille venit but better by Zachariah chap. 12. 1. The Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth the foundations of the Earth and formeth the spirit of Man within him The body which is flesh is from flesh but the Soul which is a spirit is from the God of Spirits and in the Soul mostly and properly is the Image of God stampt Magna res est anima It is a sparkling Diamond set in a ring of Clay It is the better more noble and sublimated part of man It is the quintessence of a rational nature the very glory of the Creation that hath the image of its Creator to beautify it and is a Jewel more worth than the World with all its Revenues and Perquesites in every respect far more excellent and precious then the body The body that is but of a course make the soul that is a finer spinning the body that is but of an earthly extract the soul is an heavenly born being The Apostle Phil. 3. 21. v. calls the body a vile body and so it is compared with the soul T is the Soul that makes the body lovely and amiable Take the soul out of the body but even half an hour and the body forthwith grows out of each one's love that they who before were enamoured on it do not now desire to come near it or have it in their sight Though Sarah had been unto Abraham the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24. 16. v. and a most sweet companion of his life yet is she by the removal of her soul at death so defaced that he loaths to look on her hence saith he to the Sons of Heth Gen. 23. 4. v Give me a possession of a burying-place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Hence it is that the Psalmist calls it Vnica mea my Darling Psal 22. 20. v. Deliver my soul from the Sword my Darling from the power of the Dogg He prefers the soul as his Darling before the body A darling child shall be cared for and provided for whoever is neglected Not a soul here but is so excellently and perfectly precious that we cannot set forth nor understand how excellent and perfectly precious it is So precious is the soul of every man that all the Gold of the West all the treasures of the East all the Spices of the South all the Pearls of the North are nothing though a man had a Monopoly of them to an invaluable Soul heaps of wedges of Gold mountains of Silver hoards of Pearl are not to be compared with it I may say of the Souls preciousness what is commonly spoken of Aristotles book of Physicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that made publick it was and yet not made known because men do not yet understand the Secrets of it So the preciousness of the Soul hath by many pens been made publick and yet not made known because no man knows the full preciousness thereof Favorinus the Philosopher was wont to say and his words are excellent Nihil in terra magnum praeter hominem nihil in homine praeter mentem The greatest thing in the world is Man the greatest thing in man is the Soul The body at best cannot live long for all the pampering and triming and repairing and dawbing it will not be long before it lyes down in the grave it hath but a short time to live but believe it Christian in that mouldring decaying and dying body of thine thou hast an immortal and never dying soul And wilt thou provide for thy body and not for thy soul wilt thou labor and take pains for a decaying body and not labor for thy soul that means to live as long as Eternity This were as if a man should buy in a great deal of provision for his Servants and starve his Wife and children or as if he should think nothing too much to lay out upon his Doggs and yet starve himself So do all those that labor for what pleases and contents the body but neglect their immortal and never dying souls which God hath breathed into them which God hath beautified with some shadowing representations of his own most glorious being and for which he hath given so great a price and values above all the world besides It was the saying of Aristippus an Heathen who will rise up
shall come hereafter to take up his own to himself into heaven he will not look so much amongst the great ones of the earth the rich and wealthy as amongst the persecuted and contemned ones Out of them he will find his own out of them he will gather those who shall be Eternally happy Mal. 3. 17. v. In that day when I make up my Jewells saith the Lord The phrase notes that God's Jewells now lye scattered in the dirt and God hath his time to take them up and to bring them into the closet of Heaven but in gathering together of these Jewells God will pass by Palaces and look into Cottages he will pass by the rich and take the poor he will pass by the honorable and take the despised ones In the 1 Cor. 26. v. Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called The Apostle doth not say not any but not many How many are now in Hell under the Eternal hatred of God who when they lived had as much of the world as most now have who when they lived flourished in as much pomp and worldly glory as any now do and were served and waited upon in as much state as any now are And these men accounted their condition happy and of the like opinion are such as they once were at this day they content themselves with their present Temporal possessions and neglect the things of heaven that are Eternal For which I shall assign such Reasons as follow 1 Reason Because it is natural for men so to do Temporal good things do agree with their corrupt natures 2 Reas Because men do fancy that in these Temporal things below doth consist the only comfort of their lives 3 Reas Because these Temporal things being near at hand do dezâ—le the minds and distract the Judgments of men 4 Reas Because Eternal good things are not without great labor to be obtained 5 Reas Because men know not the excellency of Eternal good things 6 Reas Because men do noâ— as they ought work upon their hearts such divine exhortations thereunto that they find in scripture which are backed with strong reasons and incouraged unto by many sweet promises The agreeableness of Temporal good things which are so neaâ— at hand unto mens natures and fancies corrupted by Original sin as also the greatness of that labor by which Eternal good things are to be obtained ignorance of their excellency and the want of working upon mens hearts Scripture Exhortations thereunto and Divine promises thereof are some of those reasons why men labor so much for Temporal good things and so neglect Eternal good things 1 Reason Because it is natural for men so to do Temporal good things do agree with their corrupt natures every thing in religion is Antipodous to nature amongst the rest for a man to be dead to the world for a man to take his heart off from things below for a man to prefer things to come before things present and to have his conversation in heaven such things as these are wholly against nature But to hunt after the transitory trash of this world to set a greater value upon things below than upon things above to prefer things pleasant to flesh and blood before what pleases God these things agree with the corrupt natures of men which made the Heathen Poet say O curvae in terras animae caelestium inanes shewing how the Souls of men are bent to the earth and not regarding heavenly things It is not more unnatural for a stone to ascend upwards or for a spark of fire to descend downwards than it is for the corrupt natures of men to look after these Eternal objects There is a generation of men whose names are written in the earth as the Prophet hath the phrase Jerem 17. 13. v. called the Inhabitants of the earth Rev. 12. 12. v. in opposition to the Saints and heirs of heaven Men that may with the Athenians give the Grass-hopper for their Badge a creature that is bred liveth and dyeth in the same ground a creature that though she hath wings yet flyeth not somtimes she hoppeth up a little but falleth to the ground again but naturally liveth and dyeth on the ground So these Terrigenae fratres as one calls them they are bred upon the earth they live and dye on the same earth and they naturally mind only the things of the earth and their affections can no more ascend heaven-ward than a worm can fly upwards like a Lark Hence that command directing us about the Object we are to place our affections upon Col. 3. 2. v. Set your affections upon things above not upon things on the earth the object prescribed them they are to be upon Things above heavenly things things that will out last the days of heaven and run parallel with the life of God and line of Eternity The Command implyeth that our affections are before conversion naturally placed other where than they should be viz. Upon earthly things and fading objects The Serpents seed and so are all men by nature does naturally lick up the dust of the earth By nature all mens affections are taken off their proper Center they are crawling upon the earth they center themselves in the things of the earth they imbrace only such things as are sutable to sense although there be never so many snares and temptations therein to indanger their souls It is made the description of a child Isay 7. 15. v. That he knoweth not to refuse the evil and do the good And it may well pass for the description of a natural man Such folly and simplicity is upon the Sons of Men. Not a man naturally till he be converted and regenerated will choose any thing but as such a thing is connatural to and commensurated with that depraved appetite within Herein men somwhat resemble the Load-stone altogether despising and counting as nothing Gold and Silver mettals so excellent in their own nature makes choice of Iron and draws that unto it with a violent and greedy affection Such is the nature of men that they too often neglect things of greatest worth and most precious esteem to pursue what is of far inferior value It may be found true in these mens souls that which Solomon took notice of to be somtimes in the world Princes go on foot and Servants ride on horse-back things of greatest worth are debased and base things are advanced they suffer Temporal things to be like Antichrist even to lift themselves up above all that is called God in their Souls these shall and do with them sit upon the throne in the Soul but God and Christ and the spirit of Grace are shut out heaven and the favor of God had in no esteem Grace and glory not looked after There is indeed since the fall of Adam an unsutableness between mens natures and any spiritual or heavenly object hereby their hearâ—s are
that they will not only conform to â—he sinful lusts and pleasures of the World but they so idolize Temporal things that they place their onely and chiefest happiness in the enjoyment of the World they terminate their happiness here Though a man may as well think to extract Oil out of a flint or fire out of water as happiness out of these Temporal and terrestrial things To seek for happiness in any thing below is to seek for the living among the dead 3. Reas Because these temporal things being near at hand do dazâ—le the mind and distract the Judgments of men The sight that now the best here below have of those Eternal good things in Hâ—eaven is but weak dark and obscure for saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. v. Now we see through a Glass darkly And again Now I know in part If Saint Paul and other enlightned ones see but darkly and in part surely Children of darkness see nothing at all If the vigourous and sparkling eyes of Heavens darlings see no clearer the blind and bleer eyes of others behold nothing The Saints see a great deal yet nothing to what they shall see in Heaven where the illustrious beauty of Eternal good things shall be displayed in a most glorious Emphasis and they have their eyes fixed upon them through all Eternity An Eagle-eyed Christian by the eye of Faith beholding the beauty of these things sees a great deal of excellency and worth in them why they should be laboured for and the oftner he looks thereon the more he is enamoured therewith and he is made restless until he enjoys them As it is said of Apelles that by his often beholding and looking on the Woman whose picture he was drawing though at first he minded his Art only yet secretly love did creep into his affection at the same time which made him languish away till Alexander helped her to him as his wife so 't is with a Believer his heart pants after these things as the Hart pants after the water brooks and his Soul even languisheth away till God help him to possess them as his own But now a generation of men having no other but sensual eyes which serve only to behold Objects near hand not Objects at a great distance they apprehend nothing in these Eternal things to affect them withal and therefore do they acknowledge nothing in them to make them desirable or worth taking pains for I remember what I have read of Nicostratus who being himself a cunning Work-man he finding a curious piece of work and being wondred at by one and asked what pleasure he could take to stand as he did still gazing on the picture answered Hadst thou mine eyes my Friend thou wouldst not wonder but rather be ravished as I am at the inimitable art of this rare and admired piece Had these men the eyes of Faith to behold things within the vail to see the Sun-like resplendent Body of Christ there to look upon our Jehovah's face there and the glory of all crowned Martyrs and other the glorious Inhabitants of that happy place surely things below would not dazâ—le their eyes so much as they do they would rather be looked upon as so much dung and dross in comparison of these but though they are sharp-sighted into things of Earth yet are they blinder then a Mole in beholding any Spiritual or Celestial beauty As Moses did Heb. 11. 27. v. so other of the Saints do see him who is invisible but these see nothing but what is visible They have no other but bodily eyes to see with and so God cannot be seen 2 Tim. 6. 16. v. Whom no man hath seen nor can see And having no other but bodily eyes it is no wonder if things as far off as Heaven do seem very small and little unto them and those things which are nearer unto them seem of a greater magnitude It is here as it is with many ignorant men who standing here below and looking upon the Sun Moon and Stars in Heaven whereof the first and several of the last are many times bigger then the Earth yet by such ignorant People the Stars are judged to be only pretty little golden spots of the breadth of a peâ—ny or of a man's finger and the Sun or Moon not broader then a bushel or a Cart-wheel The reason of this mistake is this these Heavenly luminaries are at a great distance from them from the Earth to the Starry Heaven Astrologers have made it sixteen millions three hundred thirty-eight thousands five hundred sixty two miles and such ignorant Persons will not allow for the distance and so are not able to judge thereof So it is here with carnal ignorant ones the things of Heaven are now accounted but small because of their distance though in themselves great but Earthly things are accounted great because of their nearness though in themselves small Now as Eve's looking upon the Tree of knowledge did her much prejudice she was thereby tempted to eat thereof and thereby lost an Earthly and hazarded an Heavenly Paradise So to men looking upon such things as the Temporal good things of this life are with no other eye then that of sense their eyes are dazled with the splendour of them and they seem great and do them a great deal of prejudice they make thousands not to hazard only but even to lose an Heavenly Paradise whilst all their searchings and enquiries all their plottings and contrivings all their labour and pains are chiefly after them neglecting those Magnalia Aeternitatis those great things of Eternity Why do not men love those things more why do not men desire them more why do not men labour and take pains for them more The very reason is because they see them no clearer If men saw them clearer they would love them more If men saw them clearer they would desire them more If men saw them clearer they would labour for them more When Jacob had seen Rachel's beauty he loved her loving of her he desired to have her to be his Wife desiring her he laboured twice seven years to obtain her And though Lovers hours are full of Eternity yet his love towards her and his desire of her did facilitate his labour and made the time seem short But now Temporal things being near at hand and more clearly seen men who are devoid of Grace have their eyes dazled and their hearts bewitched therewith for the World is a bewitching thing and as one says the World at last day shall be burnt for a Witch Herewith the dâ—vâ—l who is daily trading with men for the Souls be witcheth millions The World is the greatest price that the Dâ—vâ—l hath to give for a Soul What else doth the Dâ—vâ—l use when he would be dealing with Christ As that which was the most forcible temptation he could use he offers him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them he had been tampering with Christ before but
they would â—nter in at the strait gate but they would not be put to strive to enter they would have given unto them a Crown of righteousness but they would not sight they would be glorified yet take no pains to be sanctified One well compares such men to Cats that would fain have fish but are loath to wet their feet Wish for Heaven at their end they will but labour and work for Heaven they will not they will not add endeavours to their desires Ora labora that is the old rule our willingness of heaven should be seconded with labouring for Heaven else it is nothing worth The young man in the Gospel wished well to Heaven when he came kneeling to our Saviour with Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal life Matth. 19. 16. v. The man seems to be no Sadducee for he enquires after Eternal life which they denyed he is rather thought to be a Pharisee by the manner of his expressing himself and of that sort of Pharisees which was named Quid debeo facere faciam illud Tell me what I shall do and I will do it He comes congeeing to Christ as if he had a good desire to be informed in this question of such great importance How he might obtain Eternal life He had a good mind to Eternal life but he stuck at what our Saviour directed for he went away sorrowful v. 22. This troubled him to be put upon what he was not willing to perform If Heaven and Eternal life are to be had upon no other terms Christ may keep them to himself and those who will come up to such hard terms as this young Gallant thought these were he will have none And now he that came running so hastily he goes away and departs heavily In like manner do more then this young man if Heaven and Eternal life cannot be had without so much ado without so much crossing of corrupt nature without so much denying themselves a carnal liberty in the World bidding adieu to their sins and embracing a strict holyness without which no Heaven or Eternal life is to be had they will not come up to the terms or use such means When the Israelites were come to the very skirts of Canaan and no question they had a longing desire to be in it yet would they notwithstanding that God himself had told them it was a good Land a Land flowing with milk and honey send out of every Tribe one as so many Spies to search the Land these were to report unto them what manner of Land it was after fourty dayes they return and with them bring some of the fruit of the Land and withal told Moses and Aaron and all the Congregation Numb 13. 27. v. saying We came unto the land whither thou sentest us and surely it floweth with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it Here was enough to perswade and excite to a cheerful and speedy endeavouring to possess it But the next Verse layes before them several difficulties they were like to meet with before they could possess it v. 28. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the Land and the Cities were walled and very great and moreover we saw the children of Anak there As if they had said Indeed the Land is a good Land and plentiful but it will cost us hot water before we can possess it we shall hardly ever conquer it And now they are discouraged they look at these difficulties and judge it to be in vain to set upon endeavouring to possess it they had Gyants to fight with and walled Towns to besiege and they themselves were but as Grass-hoppers to the Inhabitants thereof the conquest would certainly be very difficult And now they fall to wishing Numb 14. 2. Would to God we had dyed in Egypt or would â—â— God we had dyed in this Wilderness And at v. 4. say they Let us make a Captain and let us return into Egypt Now Canaan is rejected and Egypt that is preferred as if the Land of their bondage had been better then this Land of promise and a death there better then a life here And all this for no other reason but because Canaan could not be enjoyed without a sharp and hazardous War and they judged it better and a more easie work to go back to Egypt content themselves therewith In like manner many that cannot but speak very glorious things of Heaven and do wish well to the good things of Eternity and would gladly go in and possess that good Land but there is a Lyon in the way so says the the Sluggard in the Proverbs chap. 22. 13. v. The slothful man saith There is a Lyon without I shaâ— be slain in the street A meer fiction of his owâ— brain to cover and colour his idleness for who caâ— expect a Lyon to be in the streets Lyons hauâ—t nâ— in streets but in woods and wildernesses and sâ— these men they want not what to say for themselves they complain with these Malâ—-contented Isracâ—â—â— of the strength of the Amakims and many other difficulties in the way to Heaven Hence their secreâ— wishes are Oh that we might live for ever upon the Earth Earth is preferred before Heaven and a life upon the Earth is more esteemed then a life in Heaven and they can content themselves with the Earth and cast off all labouring for Heaven I daâ—e appeal to any observant Christian if he does not take notice of the truth of what I say that â—here are many who spend a great part of their lives â—n doing nothing towards their Salvation in not prayâ—ng for Heaven in not hearing for Heaven in not â—eading for Heaven in not taking any care or pains at all for Heaven and that upon no other ground â—hen this but that they cannot away with such labour as praying hearing and reading doth require 5. Reas Because men know not the excellency of Eternal good things Eternal good things are no fancies they are no Entia rationis no Chymeraes or conjectural things for the Gospel affordeth us a certain knowledge thereof of the wayes to obtain them In the Gospel we have some glimpses of Heaven and prospects of Canaan yea many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of happiness so that when a Christian shall come to possess Heaven he shall be able to say surely this is the very Heaven that was described in the Gospel As if Moses after he had seen Canaan from mount Pisgah had gone into that promised Land he would have said surely this is the very Land I saw from mount Pisgah these are the hills these are the rich valleys these are the rivers of milk I saw from thence So will Christians that have studyed the Gospel describing this good Land and declaring the excellency of those Eternal good things there when they afterwards come to possess it will verily conclude This is the Heaven we read of in the Gospel and these
but night after night not being contented to continue from morning until night till wine inflame them as the Prophet hath it Isay 5. 11. v. but they second the days drunkenness with the nights excess As they are never well until they be at it so they never give over when they are at it Prov. 23. 35. v. They can awake in the night to pursue that is evil but sleep away much of the day without doing that which is good without labouring after or so much as minding of the salvation of their Souls and the enjoying of these Eternal good things Or rise they early they are in their rising but like the High Priests we read of that early in the moâ—ning before it was yet day were gathered together against Christ they could not rest until they had apprehended and condemned Christ. No question but there were some of these Confederates that would not in all probability have been hired to come out of their beds or have broken their sleeps to have done any thing that was good but to persecute and condemn Christ now sleep never troubles them now they are awake before day now they are up and abroad about the Dâ—vâ—ls business Who alas observes not many in our days to be of these High Priests minds Men that if they rise early yet it is not to spend the day to the glory of God it is not to imploy themselves in any thing wherein they can with confidence and a good conscience desire any gracious assistance from God It is not to be active for God and Heaven that great end wherefore they have their beings It is not that while they have yet a day allowed them they may be providing for Eternity But to spend the day in sensual pleasures and carnal delights to wast and pass away their time either in Play-houses or Ale-houses those Palaces of Satan Chappels of Hell and Nurseries of all kind of sin and uncleanness little considering that in such a day they thus live thousands and perhaps millions of Souls are loosed from their bodies and presented before God's Tribunal there to receive an Eternal doom and that themselves in a moment may be forced to bear them company Dan. 4. 25. v. Seven times passed over Nebuchadnezzar that is he lived seven years like a beast But many amongst us have lived seven years three times yea seven times told and yet cannot say they have spent seven days to lay in any provision for their Souls against that endless duration these men live all their days like Beasts and happy were it for them might they perish as Beasts When some have thought day after day and night after night too little to labour in for Eternity they can spend day after day and night after night in doing nothing â—or Eternity That I may say of them as Ephorus of his Countrey-men the Cumaeans having no remarkable things to report of them and yet desirous to insert the name of his Countrey in his History of the Grecians relating what worthy acts many Nations had done the Lacedemonians saith he did this valiant act the Athenians did other noble acts but his Countrey-men the Cumaeans did nothing he had nothing to say of them but that they had done just nothing So in like manner we may recite this Holy man who hath done much towards the gaining of Heaven and that Martyr who chose rather to lose his life then lose his soul and that Believer who never thought he could do enough in labouring for Eternal good things but these men we speak of have done nothing at all We may here câ—y out with the Prophet call for the mourning women yea we may call for all such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing Amos 5. 16. v. Here we may excite all that know the worth of Souls and the excellency of Heaven with the Eternal good things thereof to sit down by the rivers of sorrow and weep Lachrymis non verbis miserationibus non orationibus opus est O Christians as often as we behold these kind of men let us look upon them with eyes full of tears as often as we speak of them let it be in words and expressions full of sorrow with sorrowful and lamenting hearts and yet let us not rest here but every one teach his Neighbour lamentation As that Phrase is Jer. 9. 20 v. that there may be a voice heard not in Ramah but in our own Countrey lamentation and bitter weeping Jer. 31. 15. v. Not Rachel only but all Parents weeping for their Children yea and refusing to be comforted for their children because they are not more careful for their Souls and more industrious for Heaven because they sottishly prefer swinish pleasures here before a labouring to enjoy pleasures in Heaven for evermore This very consideration should make us to lament with a doleful lamentation Micha 2. 4. v. 2 By way of Lamentation over those whose minds and hearts are only set upon Earthly things and whose affections are fast nailed to the Earth making all the motions of their Souls to wait upon their Earthly designs and that so fixedly as if they had resolved upon no other Heaven then wealth For which to gain how do they lye flatter swear deceive supplant undermine wrong and oppress others having darkneâ— the eyes of their consciences by offering violence to the tenderness thereof and neglecting the checks thereof they can entertain and digest without scruple or reluctation any means though never so indirect any conditions though never so base any advantage though never so dishonourable or unconscionable to raise themselves in the World Judas will betray the Son of God for a few pieces of Silver Balaam will be contented to curse the Church and People of God for a little honour and preferment Gehazi will multiply lye upon lye for a talent of silver and two changes of raiment Micha's Levite for a little better reward than the beggarly stipend he had before will neither scruple theft nor Idolatry To gain a Kingdom the bargain of treason is presently concluded between Absalom and the Devil He that is greedy of gain will not be backward to lye in wait for the life of his Neighbour Prov. 1. 18 19. v Rather then Ahab shall not have Naboth's vineyard poor Naboth shall be murthered How do we see some enrich themselves by Sacriledge as Ananias and Sapphira Others by Bribery as Felix Others by extortion and grinding the Poor as the griping Usâ—rer and unconscionable Tradesman Others by Symonie as too many of our covetous Church-men The undone condition of many poor Families that are left with naked backs empty bellies and languishing bowels do too sufficiently demonstrate the truth hereof The whole World abounds with men that do make nothing to break through many a hedge to make many a gap through God's Law and their own consciences that they may by shorter passages come to what they aime at then others Oh how many lye under the
what is it but as if an Husband-man should be very diligent to gather in his â—ubble and leave out his Corn Or as if a Goldsmith would carefully gather up his â—â—oss and disregard his Gold Or as Jacob to lay his right hand upon the younger and the left hand upon the eâ—â—er child It is spoken of some Jews by way of disgrace that when they might have returned to Jerusalem out of Captivity from Babyâ—on they would still dwell with the King of Babylon and live among their pots so they might have maintenance there they would rather there stay thâ—n to return to Jerusalem which was their own Country aâ—â— a type oâ— Heaven and where also was the true worship of God 1 Chron. 4. 23. v. these were men of base spirits and â—hat is there said is spoken by way of disgrace of them And such base spirited men are they we do speak of men that do chose rather to spend all their time and labour about things of the World thâ—n Heaven that make Earth their Heaven Gold their God that do worship the Golden Calf and herein proâ—e the Apostle's words fully Col. 3. 5. v. where he calls Covetousness Idolatry these evidence themselves to be Idolaters and no other thâ—n worshippers of the Heathen's God Pluto who having his name from riches was by them feigned to be the God of Hell and the rich man's God Being like those Natives in America who regard more a piece of glass or a mean priced knife and the like then a piece of Gold May we not say of these Americans surely they never heard of the worth of Gold or else they would noâ— exchange it for toyes And may not the like be said of these kind of Christians surely these men though they have heard of Heaven though they have heard of Eternal good things yet they do not believe the worth and excellency of Eternal good things why else do they so little mind them and labour for them CHAP. X. 3. A Third use may be by way of Exhortation To exhort every one to labour after Eternal good things Christians you hear what all men should first and last labour for what they are chiefly to labour and take pains about viz. about Eternal good things Eternal good things should be esteemed by them as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or principal things to be laboured for and Temporal things to be reckoned only as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or secondary matter to be looked for I shall divide my Exhortation into two parts 1. To exhort Christians to labour after Eternal good things 2. To exhort them to labour for them chiefly and before all other things whatsoever I will begin with first of these two and speak to it but briefly the second being what I chiefly intend to speak unto 1. To exhort every one to labour for Eternal good things How will the Merchant run through the intemperate Zones of heat and cold for a little treasure The Husband-man contentedly undergoes a laborious seed time to enjoy a happy câ—oâ— afterwards We every day see much gadding up and down in the World amongst men like a company of Ants upon an hillock for these things below some that they may get a poor living from hand to mouth others that they may get a step higher in the World thâ—n anoâ—â—er and almost all moâ—e panting after and labouring for Teâ—poral thâ—n Eternal good things Shall they take pains for Earâ—â—ly Mammon and shall we take no pains for a Heavenly Mansion shall they sweat and â—oâ—l and labour for these Temporal things and we take no pains for Eternal Much is spoâ—en in Scripture against slothfulness Rom. 12. 11. v. Not slothful in business Hebr. 6. 12. v. In the foregoing Verse saith the Apostle Wâ— desire that every one of you do sheâ— the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end And in this Verse he adds That ye be not slothâ—ul There is â— great deal of Spiritual sloth to be taken notice oâ— in the World many lazy and dull spirited Persons Persons like that slothful and unprofitable Servant who is mentioned and threatned to be cast into utter darkness Matth. 25 25. 30 v. And can such slothful ones expect any better thing to follow their slothfulness Let the Heathen's words be considered Nâ— illi falâ—i sunt qui diversissimas res expectant ignaviae voluptateâ— praemia virtutis They are utterly out that think to have the pleasure of Idleness and the plenty of painfulness It is true as to the gaâ—ning of any meâ—â— Earthly thing and much more true as may appear by what hath been said before in the gaiâ—ing Heavenly things Religion requires action labour and diligence Heaven will not be gotten but as it were by force and victory All Spiritual means and holy courses must be used all time and all opportunities must be improved least what gainers soever men are in this life they be losers in another life Sad will be the condition of those men whose Spiritual sloth eats up most of their time and thereby hinders their work and loses them Heaven To how many may it be said as the Housholder said in the Parable to those Matâ—h 20. 6. Why stand ye here all the day idle We read that Joshua said to the Sun stand still but God never said to the Soul of any Christian stand still Jacob saw the Angels some ascending others descending none standing still none appeared to him in an idle posture If Angels are not seen idle or standing still no more should men be seen so Though God made Behemoth to play in the waters not so men they must be doing that will keep in with God or get any thing from God Nil sine magno Vita labore dedit mortalibus He that will lay claim to the Habendum and Tenendum to the free-hold of happiness in Heaven must look to the Proviso of holiness and labour After all therefore that hath been said of Heaven and the Eternal good things of Heaven let me say to you as the Danites to their Brethren having spy'd out a good Land Judg. 18 9. v. We have seen the Land and behold it is very good and are ye still â—e not slothful to go and to enter to possess the Land As if they had said we have found out for you a Land which is very good pleasant and fruitful and â—hich may if you will take the pains be conquered and possessed by you do not ye therefore by your sloth and negligence let slip such an opportunity as now offers it self unto you to be enjoyers of a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the Earth 10. v. a place which aboundeth with all pleasures and profits and with such plenty and prosperity that nothing is wanting that can be desired So may I say unto you Christians the Heavenly Countrey is before you and such Eternal good things as you have heard described are there
It is not my purpose to enlarge upon this subject yet would I leave a few words with you to encourage you to labour even for these Temporal things forasmuch as God hath promised them 't is promised to him that feareâ—h the Lord Psal 112. 3. v. That wealth and riches shall be in his house That is when God seeth it good for all promises of Temporal mercies must be understood with an exception they are not to be taken absolutely but conditionally So far as they are helps to the furthering of a Christians main good and no hinderances of his everlasting welfare so far he may be sure to be a partaker of them and God will bâ—ess his endeavouring to gain and possess them Whatsoever he doth it shall prosper Psal 1. 3. v. Indeed we cannot instance in any Temporal good things but in one place or other there is a promise made of it to the Godly Godliness hath the promise of this life What God hath promised to give his People may with his good leave labour for But notwithstanding what I have said a Christian's care should be that whilst he hath his hands in the Earth his heart should be in Heaven and he should learn to live above those things which he cannot live without his chief labour and pains should be to gain such things which will be of most use in Heaven I may say of the best of all Temporal things as the Philosopher said of the City of Athens That it was a City Ad perigrinaendum jucunda but ad habitandum non tuta Pleasant for journeying but not safe for dwelling So these things are comfortable and useful for us journeying towards Heaven but they are not such things as will be of use when we come into Heaven It is good counsel that one gives Omnia ista contemnito quibus solutus corpore non indigebis Despise whilst you are in the body those things whereof you shall have no need when you are out of the body Those things that will be of use in Heaven should principally be laboured for on Earth We cannot better shew our selves to be wise Christians then by taking off this course as I shall by and by shew You know what Christ said when he came to determine the question between the two Sisters even now named Martha and Mary Luk. 10. 42. v. Mary hath 〈◊〉 that good part which shall not be taken from her And why that good part because she had chosen that which should not be taken from her Verily he makes the best choice that prefers those things that will last those things that death cannot rob us of before all other good things in the World It was the saying of Aristotle that great leader of the School and most Eagle-eyed into the mysteries of Nature of all Philosophers called therefore Nature's Secretary concerning knowledge That a little knowledge though but conjectural about Heavenly things is to be preferred above much knowledge though certain about inferiour things It is true herein aâ—so that a little of those things that are Eternal is to be preferred before a great deal of what is meeâ—ly â—â—mporal And this should make every one to labour â—or Eâ—ernal good things as the same Ariâ—â—otle studyed Philosophy he studyed Philosoâ—hy in the morning that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Eloquence in the after-noon that was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his chief study was that oâ— Philosophy as for Eloquence and other studies they were only by the by as we say Indeed no time better spent then what is spent this way I find it reported of Suarez a very learneâ— man one who wrote many Tomes of Dispuâ—ations that he prized the time he set a part for the searching and examining of his heart in reference unto God above all the time that ever he spent in other stuâ—ies his consâ—ience felt a relenting pang for strength an time so ill imployed this time and strength had iâ— been spent in searching and examining his heart haâ— been better spent and so of every Christian theiâ— time cannot be better spent then in labouring for whaâ— will advantage the Soul in reference unto Eternity and for Heaven where he hopes to spend his who Eternity Even Heaâ—hens have highly esteemed thoâ— Eliâ—ian delights which they did but phansie anâ— have under-valued and contemned the things here be low how sad a thing is it that a Christian's hearâ— should not be more taken up with Heavenly delights which as I shall shew afterwards are no phaâ—sies but certainties Now to back this second branch of the use of Exhortation I shall add the following Motives to what hath been said by way of Confirmation Motive 1. Because Christians labouring or not labouring for Eternal good things will bespeak them wise men or fools Motive 2. Because the greatest of Temporal good things without Eternal good things will leave a man a Beggar leave him in an undone condition Motive 3. Because Eternal good things even without Temporal good things will make a man a rich man Motive 4. Because Eternal good things are real good things and all Temporal good things are but imaginary good things Motive 5. Because Eternal good things only are they that will be for a Christian's life To perswade all men to labour chiefly for Eternal good things I shall besides what I shall now add desire every one to call to mind those eight particulars mentioned in the sixth Chapter And when we remember that God hath commanded this very thing That these things are the chiefest of good things The only lasting good things Good things alwayes desirable The only satisfying good things Good things that do concern the Soul Good things about which our labour will not be in vain Neither will it ever repent us to have laboured for them I conceive the Exhortation will be sufficiently backed with Motives CHAP. XII 1. MOtive Because your labouring or not labouring for Eternal good things will bespeak you Wisemen or Fools My discourse will fall into these two parts 1. Your labouring for Eternal good things will bespeak you Wisemen 2. Your not labouring for them will bespeak you Fools I do begin with the first 1. Your labouring for Eternal good things will bespeak you Wisemen There are more fools in the world then such as we say are to be begged for fools men who are defective in their naturals that are meer Ideots and void of natural understanding Solomon affirms this in his Proverbs alwayes styling the wicked man the fool Prov. 1. 7. v. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction 22. v. How long ye simple men will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge It is the wicked man here that Solomon stiles fool the man that cares not to be made wise to salvation the man that cares not for the knowledge of Eternal good things There was not a man in all
Egypt to be found so wise as Joseph why so Because fore-seeing the years of famine he filled their Store-houses against the time of want Neither is there a man to be found in all the world so wise as the Godly man who only is called the man of wisdom Miâ—ha 6. 9. v. Why so Because fore seeing the length of Eternity he labours to enrich himself with hidden and Heavenly treasures that will do most good then They only shew themselves wisemen that are careful to lay up a stock and store that will do them good throughout all Eternity when as the world's fools for want of the like care will then have no good thing for their Souls to feed upon Many foolish men are like the want on Grashopper that leaps and skips chirps and sings all the time of Summer and when the time of the Winter comes it perisheth for want of what might have been gathered in the Summer O such are too many they eat and drink they laugh and sing they spend their dayes in sinful delights all the dayes of their life and entering upon Eternity they Eternally perish for want of what might have been gotten in the time of life Whereas the wise-hearted Christian is like the Annt or Bee that toyl and labour in the Summer against winter So they who are Spiritually wise in the time of life are trading for Eternity whilst they live upon Earth they are seeking after Heaven and looking after things that are invisible they are laying up treasures in Heaven a good foundation against the time to come Before their Bodies be laid up in the dark and dismal Prison of the grave their care is that their never-dying Souls may be carryed into Abraham's bosom Before all opportunities for doing their Souls good are taken away their care is to turn to God to accept of Christ to get their sins pardoned their evidence for Heaven cleared that so they may be for death prepared and after death enjoy a future and glorious felicity Before the unavoidable dissolution and separation of their Souls and Bodies and the departing hour must come their care is that when they dye they may dye in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. v. that when they sleep the sleep of death they may sleep in Jesus 1 Thess 4. 14. that when their lives must end their ends may be in peace Psal 37. 37. v. In a word that they may dye the death of the righteous That already twice repeated Text Col. 3. 2. v. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth speaks to this purpose The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must be wise for them and this is to manifest an high point of Heavenly wisdom when meâ— are wise for Heavenly things that though they do walk on the Earth yet they do daily converse in Heaven and have their eyes fixed upon invisible things there looking upon Earthly contents to be too mean grounds whereon to raise their joyes that which ravisheth their hearts and quickens them in their labours is their thinking upon beholding of and hoping for those beams of inaccessible glory Moses was a wise man and so esteemed and reported by the Spirit of God because he despised the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court having an eye to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11. 24 25 26. v. That is because he despised all the present arguments of delight and contentment and preferred those excellencies which he knew should be infinitely greater as well as he knew they should be all 2. Your not labouring for them will bespeak you Fools Here in the world if men be but deep Polititians have profound reaches and a deep insight into the things of the world they go for very wise men But suppose a man were not inferiour to Virgil of whom it is reported that if all sciences were lost they might be found in him Or to Aristotle who by some was called wisdom it self in the abstract Or that Jew Aben Ezra of whom it was said that if knowledge had put out her Candle at his brain she might light it again and that his head was a throne of wisdom Or to that Israelitish Achitophel whose words were held as Oracles Or to Solomon who was able to unravel Nature and to discourse of every thing from the Cedar to the Hysope or Pelitory on the wall Though we were as one sayes of St. Hierome that he knew all that was knowable Or lastly though a man were equal with Adam who knew the nature of all Creatures And yet not be wise to salvation not be like the wise Scribe who was taught from the Kingdom of Heaven not be seeking after those things that will endure beyond a season and that will satisfie an immortal Soul verily this man will at last prove himself but a fool Such a fool was that miserably mistaken rich man in the Gospel who though by himself or others judged wise in the account of the only wise God was a very fool why for he provided only for the time of this life for many years only to be spent in the world but provided nothing at all for death or for his Soul after death As Cicero said of some Mihi quidem nulli satis â—ruditi videntur quibus nostra sunt ignota I cannot take them for Schollars that partake not of our learning So may I say they are not to be accounted wise men but very fools who are not wise to that which is good wise in Christ wise to secure the chiefest good and which is of the greatest value to wit their precious Souls of more worth then any thing they can stand possessed of and Heavens happiness Such and such only deserve the name of wise men and prudent ones who choose those wayes and are diligent in those actions that make for Eternal happiness The Italians arrogate to themselves the monopoly of wisdom in that Proverb of theirs Italians say they both seem wise and are wise whereas Spaniards seem wise and are fools French men seem fools and are wise They of Portugal neither are wise nor so much as seem so So many in the world think themselves the only wise men but in Spiritual and Eternal matters neither are wise nor so much as seem wise therein Those who are not Heavenly wise wise to that which is good though the wisest Polititians upon Earth though they be the most ample and cunning Machiavilians that live though they be Doctors in that deep reaching Faculty yet are they like fools being sharp-eyed like the Eagle only in the things of the Earth but as blind as Beetles in the things of Heaven Wise it is true they are but it is with such a wisdom as like the Ostrich wings makes them out-run others upon Earth and in pursuit of Earthly things but helps them never a whit towards Heaven or to pursue Heavenly things Every one will cry him up for a fool who rather chose to stay in the Theatre and
but none can reckon up the many thousands of good things that all interested in an Eternal God have in him It is said of the great Duke of Guise that though he was poor as to his present possessions he was the richest man in France in Bills Bonds and Obligations because he had engaged all the Noble men in France unto himself by preferring of them So you see that a Christian interested in these Eternal good things is the richest man in the world though he may be poor as to his Earthly possessions though he may be temporally poor yet he is Spiritually rich and so he makes good that riddle of the Apostle concerning himself 2. Cor. 6. 10. v. As having nothing yet possessing all things That is as having nothing Re yet possessing all things Spe. It seems no less then a Paradox what is said of those Churches of Asia Smyrna and Laodicea but is a real truth Laodicea was the very worst of all the Churches of Asia and she thought her self rich and encreased in goods and to have need of nothing but she was indeed wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. v. Whereas on the contrary Smyrna was one of the best Churches of Asia of which Church Christ sayeth I know thy poverty but thou art rich Revel 2. 9. v. though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly poor yet she was inwardly rich And such are all those who have laboured for and by their labour have gotten a share of Eternal good things though possibly they should be outwardly poor yet are they inwardly rich though now they may be oppressed and made miserable with Temporal wants yet will be hereafter made blessed and happy with Eternal enjoymeâ—ts 4. Because Eternal good things are real good things Temporal good things are but Imaginary good things There is as much difference between Temporal good things and Eternal good things as there is between a shadow and a substance as there is between Counters and currant coined Gold between Entia and Non Entia things that have a being and things that have no being sayes Solomon Prov. 23. 5. v. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Why are thy desires so ardent for that which is not that is but a meer Cipher without a Figure before it The things of this world are only Beryls no true Diamonds they are Juno in the pursuit but Clouds in the enjoyment They are not what they do appear they are like some double Pictures which are sometimes shewed unto us Pictures that are so made by the making up of the cloth or paper in folds and pleats that being looked upon one way they represent one shape but being looked upon another way they present another shape As some represent the face of a Woman the one way but the other way a Serpent Or an Emperour's head one way and the head of a Fool another way So look upon Temporal good things one way with Carnal eyes and they are substantial enjoyments the only desirable good things real certainties present feâ—iciâ—ies and absolutely necessary to be laboured for but look upon them another way with Spiritual eyes and then they are but vanities fancies and empty imaginary contentments no foundations for the Soul to build her happiness upon in a word they are directly contrary to what they do appear They are but like to Hercules Sacrifice who offered a painted man to the Gods instead of a living man They are but painted faces no true natural complexions And hence they are so bewitching which they could not be did they appear in their own Native colours If Jezabel had not painted her face she had not gotten so many doting Adulteres to have faln in love with her as she did What Pareus is noted to have said concerning Aristotles arguments whereby he would prove that the Woâ—ld neither had a beginning nor would have an end is applicable to my purpose These Arguments sayes he be but Inania Sophismata ad obscurandum veritatem ingeniose magis quam solide excogitata Vain Sophistications to obscure the truth having more wit then matter in them So may I say of these things they are but vain Sophistications having more fancie then of reality in them to make the Possessor of them happy being empty Clouds Wells without water but very shadows without any substance When Master Roger Ascham asked the Lady Jane Grey how she could lose such pastime her Father with the Dutchess being a hunting in the Park she smilingly answered All the sport in the Park is but a shadow of that pleasure I find in this book having a good book in her hand It is true of whatsoever good things the World affords the best of them are but a shadow of what Eternal goods Heaven doth afford Look how much substances do exceed shadows so the shadowy great things of the Earth are excelled by the great good things of Heaven I ake a Catalogue of all those things below that mens hearts are so much set upon and thirst after and I may say of them all that they be all of them to those Eternal good things mentioned before but as the shadow of a shadow like the reflexions of a rain bow when it seems to be doubled in a Cloud The rainbow it self is but a shadow what is the shadow of this shadow nay what is the third generation of a shadow as sometimes when the reflection is strong three are seen at once Verily all things in the world even the most excellent of them must stand in the lowest degree of these if compared with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost if compared with Grace and a good conscience Those things are but shadowish and seeming good things God and Christ Grace and Eternal glory are real good things they are substanâ—es and no shadows no lyes no falshoods nor any varnished appearances of good Narcissuâ— a beautiful youth though he would not love them that loved him yet afterwards fell in love with his own shadow So those whose hearts are so inflamed with love to the world that they have not hearts to labour after any thing else they are 〈◊〉 here faln in love with a very shadow so the Apostle hinteth 1 Cor. 7. 31. v. For the fashion of this world passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth a Mathematical Figure which is a meer notion and nothing in substance It is a notable diminishing term in the Original as if the world were not a substance but a fashion a Scheme an apparition a shew a pageant or imagination I have read of a King of Persia that he would have an Imaginary Heaven and therefore he prepared for himself a brave Palace and in the top he made the Heavens and underneath Clouds that with art moved up and down and distilled rain and made thunder and he made a brave Throne glistering above the Clouds Indeed this might be sufficient for an Heathen but an
old Romans were out that thought Eternity dwelt in statues and Marble Monuments And it is as true that we shall never in this life know the worth and preciousness of things that are Eternal it should yet be a Christian's care and labour to read such books as handle Eternity and things that are Eternal The little knowledge that all sorts of persons have of Eternity and Eternal things is the main cause why they so much esteem the good things of this life and undervalue the good things of another life they are things excellent in themselves but how many do not so much as know their excellency Here is the very reason that when men are pressed to labour after eternal good things and provide for Eternity they know not what these things are and therefore they take no pains about them Had men but the knowledge of Eternity and eternal good things their desires would be like that of one Myrogenes I have read of who when great gifts were sent unto him he sent them all back again saying I only desire this one thing at your Masters hands to pray for me that I may be saved for Eternity An ignorant man if he sees a precious stone he may â—ossibly value it no more then a common stone beâ—ause he knows not the excellent nature and occult â—ualities of it but a Lapidary or a Jeweller that â—nows it does highly value it his very mind is set â—pon it he is contented to use all the wayes he can to â—et it and purchase it Even so in like manner such is â—e attractive nature of eternal good things that they â—ould draw the hearts of all that rightly know them â— labour for them not leaving them contented in esse â—gnito as the Philosopher speaks with the 〈◊〉 â—owlege of them but in esse reali that they do really â—d truly enjoy them Acquaint your selves therefore O Christians with â—e knowledge of these things before your glass be â—t your Sun set your race run least the dark night â— Eternity should overtake you and you made miseâ—ble for ever Without some clear knowledge hereâ— you will never be perswaded to labour and take â—ins for them and then you are undone unto all eterâ—y then you will curse the time that ever you laboured â— get the knowledge of other things and got no knowâ—ge of eternal good things that for this very reason â—cause your not knowing the excellency and necessiâ— of them was the reason you never looked after them â— Christ said to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. 10. â— thou knewest the Gift of God and who it is that sayâ— to thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water her not knowing of Christ was the reason why she begged not this living water of Christ the reason why men mind not eternal good things is this they have no knowledge of them Ignoti nulla cupido men's affections are kindled towards any thing according as their understandings apprehend the same Voluntas sequitur dictamen intellectuûs Their hearts will never be affected with what they know not Job's heart was not affected or troubled at his great losses until a messenger related them unto him that he might know them Jacob rejoyced not that Joseph was alive till he knew it No man joyes in an inheritance befallen him till he know it neither will any man be affected with or have any desire after eternal good things until he have knowledge of them The knowledge that Dâ—â—â— had of God made him prize him above Heaven anâ— its glory or the Earth and its comforts Psal 73. 2â— A knowledge of these things will make men priâ— them and prizing them to labour for them 2. Help Frequently imploy your selves in considâ—ring and contemplating upon Eternity Get as liveâ— apprehensions as you can of what it is either to pâ—rish Eternally in Hell or to enjoy a blessedness Etâ—nally in Heaven He that spends his time with an â— upon those two extreams which attend him will câ—tainly be brought to spend it in labouring for whâ— most advantagious for him viz. Grace here and haâ—piness hereafter Let this voice Eternity Eternâ— oft sound in the inmost part of your souls think oâ— upon this truth you not only are to dye but beâ— dead Eternity attends you either you must be gâ—â— of Paradise or guests of Hell and in one of those plâ—ces enjoy either Eternal happiness or Eternal miâ—eâ— either Eternal pains or Eternal pleasures either Eternal bliss or Eternal burnings either Eternal joy or Eternal torment Write upon all your hearts that which a learned man used to write upon all his books viz. Johannes Mursius he used to write upon all his Books Eternitatem cogita think upon Eternity Christians keep Eternity and the great things of Eternity that are ready to be revealed alwayes within your view live in the beleiving and serious contemplations of them and forbear labouring for those things we have spoken so much of if you can I have read of a Gentlewoman that used to spend her time in Carding and such like games coming late home one night the found her maid reading of a book and casting her eye thereupon she happened upon the word Eternity in the night time she could not sleep which her maid noting asked her the reason she answered I read this word Eternity in thy Book which hath so pierc'd my heart that I believe I shall never sleep more till I have a better assurance of my Eternity A serious meditation of Eternity will make us industrious after those things that will be Eternal Let your thoughts run upon both Eternities 1. Vpon the Eternity of pains 2. Vpon the Eternity of glory 1. Meditation upon the Eternity of pains in the nethermost Hell that region of confusion and the dread thereof me thinks should cause those who believe there are Eternal torments to labour for and make sure of Eternal happiness and not to content themselves with Temporal enjoyments In the Assumption and Consecration of Popes they burn before their eyes a small quantity of Flax with these words Holy Father so passeth away the glory of the world that by the light of this short and transitory blaze he may call to mind the flames that are Eternal I have read it to have been the saying of a wicked young man one very thriving in the World that he should utter these words If I live I shall be a rich man but this is the plague of it I must dye which accordingly came to pass not long after But though many wicked rich men do account thus of death that it is a great plague to be taken from their riches and wealth from their greatness and excellency in the world yet there will be a greater plague of the infinite and Eternal wrath of God when for want of what would interest them in Eternal happiness they must dwell with everlasting burnings I find it
seeing the King â—t an ordinary time and seeing him when he is in his â—obes with his Crown upon his head and his Scepter in his hand and set upon his Throne with all his Nobles about him in all his glory God doth manifest himself now unto his People but this is not all he intends they shall see of him he will manifest himself unto them in â—eaven in his Glory What a most ravishing sight will it be there to see the Lord Jesus Christ wearing the Roâ—e of our humane nature in the presence of his Father arrayed as was said of Mordecat â—sther 8. 15. v. in Royal apparâ—â— and with a great Crown of Gold upon his head to see the noble Army of Martyrs to see those millions of blessed Saints that have lived upon the Earth cloâ—hed in white and following the Lamb whither soever he goes to see the Angels those Morning Stars and to hear those Heavenly Choristers Eternally singing Jehovah's praise And lâ—stly to see what ever of Eternal good things we have mentioned before The best sight we have here of these things is but cloudy and obscure for we see but through a glass darkly whilst our Souls are hid in the dark Lanthorns of our bodies Here we see only some broken beams of Heavens glory but some few glimpses thereof as they are scattered up and down in the Scriptures so much as sets the Soul a longing rather then gives any true satisfaction When we come to possess them then we shall see more thâ—n the Scriptures do mention more then our hearts can conceive I may take up part of that extasie Saint Paul breaks out into 1. Cor. 2. 9. v. Eye hath not seen what God hath prepared for them that love him The eye hath seen many admirable things in nature it hath seen Mountains of Chrystal and Rocks of Diamonds it hath seen Mines of Gold and Coasts of Pearl Spicy Islands so Travellers tell us and Geographers write of the eye hath seen the Pyramids of Egypt the Temple of Diana Mauseolus Tomb which by Geographers are made the wonders of the World but what is all this and more then this to what the eyes of Saints in Heaven shall see Then iâ— shall be said to every glorified one Vide quod credâ—disti apprehende quod sperasti â—ruere quod amaâ—ti Beâ—old now and see clearly what formerly thou believeâ—st faintly Crede quod non vides videbis qâ—â—â— non credis Because that they have not seen and yet believe they shall then see more then now they do believe and have their eyes fixed upon them to Eternity These beautiful and beatifical objects they shall see and still desire to see and though they shall be satisfied in seeing of them yet they shall not be satiated with the sight of them To have but one glimpse of them though it were presently gone it were verily a great happiness beyond all that the World affords but they shall never lose the sight of them they shall have it to all Eternity their eyes shall be Eternally open to see them And without doubt the getting of a sight of these things whilst here will quicken the hearts of the Children of men to labour and take pains for them But what an eye must that be that can see at such a distance as Heaven is some compute that betwixt us only and the Starry Firmament there is no less then seventy four millions seven hundred three thousand one hundred and eighty miles and if the Empereal Heaven as many say be two or three Orbs above â—he Starry Firmament how many more miles is it â—hen beyond And the further distant any thing is from us the less clear sight can be had thereof but at such a distance no Corporeal eye can behold any object whatsoever yet may they be seen by the eye of Faith Faith is a sure Prospective-glass by help whereof the Soul may see things though afar off Did you never observe an eye using a Prospective-glass for the discovering and approximating of some remote and yet desirable Object Such a Glass the Soul hath of Faith it can discover and approximate things that are most remote remote I say and that either in respect of time or in respect of place I shall give an instance or two to clear this And first in respect of time It is said of Abraham by Christ himself who directs his speech to the Jews who were often calling Abraham Father Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad John 8. 56. v. It will not be amiss for the understanding of this place to enquire what day this was that the Patriarch Abraham so much rejoyced to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exultavit ut laetitiam gestivit The word signifieth He did leap or skip for joy 't is such a joy as is expressed by some bodily gesture Abraham it seems could not contain his affection could not keep it in but out it must And why He rejoyced that he might see surely it was something worth the seeing that he who was now well nigh an hundred years old should as if he had been grown young again fall to leaping for joy stayed discreet and grave Persons will never be so exceedingly moved but upon some very great occasion And such was â—â—at here in the Text it was to see Christ's day But Christ hath many dayes Christ hath more dayes then one Luk. 17. 22 v. And he said unto the Disciples The dayes will come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man and ye shall not see it It is true as God he was before all dayes before all time having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life as is said of Melchisedeck Heb. 7. 3. v. Before the day was I am he But as man he hath many dayes The Lords day is his day Rev. 1. 10. v. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day As man he is called Lord of the Sabbath day Math. 12. 8. v. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day So the day of Judgment is called the day of Jesus Christ Philip. 1. 6. v. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. And at 10. v. That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ So Philip. 2. 16. v. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ The time of Christ's preaching here on Earth is called Christ's day and thus understand that Luke 17. 22. v. before mentioned where Christ tells them they should desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man that is After Christ was departed out of the world they should desire his bodily presence here with them again to comfort them So also the day of Christ's birth may and is
mouth against Heaven and his tongue walketh through the Earth he lets fly on both hands and layes about him like a mad man and so aboundeth in transgression Let a Christian never so much abound in labouring for Eternal good things when he comes to enjoy them he will acknowledge that the abundant mercy of God in bestowing them upon him hath abundantly yea infinitely exceeded all his labour 5. In labouring for Eternal good things labour earnestly We shall see some men at their labour labouring so earnestly for what they desire to gain that they are not nor cannot be quiet until their desires be accomplished Qui diâ—â—s vult fieri cito vult fiâ—ri they that will be â—â—â—h cannot be at quiet until their desires be accomplished they are all upon the spurr all upon the wing after the world they add labour to labour for the getting of the worlds good things they are so inflamed with coveâ—ousness that the Prophet saith they pant after the dust of the earth Amos 2. 7. v. So eager are they in their pursuits as if they were almost out of breath but have no breath to labour after these Eternal good things But beleive it Christians any kind of labour will not serve the turn it must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary and labour but that labour St. Paul requireth 1 Cor. 15. last v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardest labour Negotium quod nos caedit quasi vires frangit It were a shame for a Christian to see some labour more earnestly for bubbles thâ—n he for blessedness for trifles thâ—n he for glory for Temporal good things thâ—n he for Eternal good things His labour for these things should be like that whereunto St. Jude exhorts in his Epistle when he would have those that he writeth unto earnestly contenà for the Faith v. 3. the Apostles word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth cum summâ— studio câ—rtare tâ— contend with all the strength most earnestly Herein he should be like the twelve Tribes of whom St. Paul saith Acts 26. 7. v. That they served God instantly not only sine intermissione without intermission but with a kind of vehemency the word used signifieth to the utmost of their strength And herein do as the Apostles prayed Acts 1. 14. v. They all continued with one accord in Prayer and supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The phrase signifieth not only continuance in regard of time but instancy and importunity and such a perseverance as is kept up with much labour and force When a Christian labours earnestly for these things he may hope his labour will be effectual As when Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain it rained not on the Earth by the space of three years and six moneths James 5. 17. v. This clause he prayeth earnestly noteth the cause why Elias was heard he prayed with earnestness and faith according to the will of God revealed to him So when a Christian laboureth earnestly and in Faith God will not let his labour be in vain It is great pitty to see some men and observe their uncessant care earnest labour and unwearied industry in riding and toyling and bustling up and down in the world and all this is done that they may be rich in the world but will do nothing to be rich towards God Luke 12. 21. v. and to compass an earthly purchase but take no care for Heavenly excellencies The very reason hereof is because they have no desire of these things and therefore they lay not out that strength and earnestness for Heaven as they do for the world Christ and Grace God and Salvation are offered unto them nay pressed upon them but they put away Salvation from them as a froward child puts away the breast hence God complaineth Psal 81. 11. v. Israel would none of me they preferr vain things that cannot profit before the blood of Christ and the Graces of the spirit Oyl in the â—cruse and Meal in the barrel before the bread of life Mammon before Manna perishing comforts before heavenly things that are lasting like foolish children who preferr their play before their food and trifles before Treasure It were to be wished that there were more who desired these Eternal good things more whose souls and hearts were set upon them as hungry men whose stomachs are set upon their meat such are not only willing to eat their meat â—ut they strongly long after their meat with desire they desire it and think it long until they have it How would they then cry out with the Church to God Isay 26. 9. v. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early and say as David Psal 42. 2. v. My soul thirsteth after God when shall I come and appear before God or as he again sayes Psalm 73. 25. v. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire beside thee Many it is true desire what I have spoken so much of but their desires are not right desires in as much as they labour not for them but are like a man thaâ— would have a Lease but is loath to pay a fine Anâ— like Herod who of long time desired to see Christ but never stirred out of his doors to come where Christ was that he might see him Or as Balaam thaâ— wished well to Heaven but cared not to lead such a life as would bring him to Heaven Carnales noâ— curant quaerere quem tamen desiderant invenireâ— cupientes consequi sed non sequi saith one Carnal men care not to seek after him whom yet they desire to find fain they would have Christ but carâ— not to make after him fain they would be in Heaveâ— but care not to strive to enter into Heaven Multitudes there are who notwithstanding such desireâ— after happiness will certainly be forever miserable most true will they find the words of Solomon Prov 21. 25. v. The desire of the sloathful killeth him foâ— his hands refuse to labour Such a one wisheth weâ— to himself and because he cannot attain desired food he vexeth himself to death but yet will not labouâ— and work for it and so pineth away in his iniquity what is said of the sluggard in respect of the body also true of all those men in respect of their souls who would be happy and desire to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but such desires will undo them why for their hands refuse to labour for Heaven Men must not think that good things whether temporal spiritual or eternal will drop out of the clouds to them as townes were said to come into Timotheus his toyl while he slept Unless mens desiring of Heaven and Eternal happiness be â—econded with labour whereby to obtain them it is â—othing worth desires if right are ever seconded with â—ndeavours after the thing desired Though St. â—aul saith 2 Cor. 8. 12.
v. that if there be first a wilâ—ing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath â—nd not according to that he hath not yet he had â—efore said in the 11. v. Now perform the doing of â— that as there was a readiness to will so there may â— a performance also As a thirsty man will not onâ— long for drink but he will labour earnestly to get â— neither will a covetous man only desire or wish â—r Riches and wealth but he will strive and take â—ins to be rich and wealthy so it should be with a â—tristian not only should he desire to be happy â—d desire to obtain Eternal good things but he â—ould labour earnestly to get these things Who was â—ere ever so wicked that desired not to be good and come to Heaven But neither Grace here nor â—ory hereafter can be had with bare wishing and â—iring as they say of Caeneus in the Fable who of â—oman became a man with a wish The Apostle â—h told us that there must be a seeking those things â—ich are above as well as a minding of those things â—ve Col. 3. 1. 2. v. If ye then be risen with Christ â—e those things which are above where Christ sitteth â—he right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seek those things which are above the word used signifieth summo studio quaerere to seek with the whole strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set your affections on or mind as in the margâ—nt things above it signifieth to mind with the whole Soul 6. In labouring for Eternal good things labour unweariedly never being weary but holding on to the end of your lives indeed that great desire which any one hath of enjoying these things will be to him like a rod of Mirtle of which it is reported that iâ— makes the traveller who carries it in his hand that hâ— shall never be weary or faint when others that wanâ— this true desire are in their pains and labour hereiâ— like Charles the eight of France of whom one noteâ— in his Expedition to Naples he came into the fielâ— like thunder but went out like a snuff So these answer not alwayes their sometime undertaken laboâ— but languish and sink herein such resemble thoâ— winds about Sancto Croix in Africk which the Poâ—tug call the Monâ—oones which blow constantly oâ— way for six moneths and then the quite contrary wâ— the other half of the year while the vein lasts the out-do and over-labour all others but this hot is soon over their motion soon endeth it being bâ— like the motion of a Watch which is quickly dowâ— The true labour for Heaven is constant but thâ— though they put their hand to the Plouâ—â— soon grâ— weary and look back whereby they shew they â— not fit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9. 62. v. present dilligence herein should be followed with future and lasting diligence Heb. 6. 11. v. We desâ— saith the Apostle that every one of you do shew same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto â—nd We look for happiness as long as God hath any being in Heaven why then should we cease from painfulness as long as we have any being on Earth Man goes forth saith the Psalmist Psal 104. 23. v. to his work and to his labour until the evening so till the sun of our life be set we must be working we must be labouring The things we labour for shall never end why thâ— should our labour for them ever end this should animate us every day to labour a fresh for them As the Mother of Melitho animated her son when she saw his legs broken and his body bruised being ready to yield up his spirit in Martyrdome saying O my son hold on yet but a little and behold Christ standeth by ready to bring help to thee in thy torments and a large reward for thy sufferings So may we animate our selves with those words of St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 4. v. who calls this reward an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us the two Greek words here used for undefiled and that fadeth not away are also Latine words the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undefiled it is a Latine word also Amiantus it is a pretious stone the nature whereof is such that though it be never so much soiled yet it can never at all be blemished but cast it into the fire it is taken out still more bright and clean The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non marcescens that fadeth not away This Greek word is a Latine word also Amarantus it is the proper name of a Flower which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and green To these it is thought the Apostle â—alludeth here and it is as if he should say the Crown â—hat you shall receive shall be studded with the stone Amiantus which cannot be defiled and it is garnished with the Flower Amarantus which continues fresh and green The latter of these two words is used by the same Apostle 1 Pet. 5. 4. v. where he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immarcâ—ssibilem gloriae coronam a Crown of glory that fadeth not away This is the Crown laid up in Heaven but it is given only to such as hold out to the end Rev. 2. 10. v. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Matt. 10. 23. v. He that endureth to the end shall be saeved Non currenti sed vincenti datur corona Only they who run their race with patience and finish their course can truly hope for these things When Judas Maccabeus 1 Macca 4. 17. 18. v. saw two men over greedy of the spoyl of the Enemy and thereupon to begin to desist from the Battel they had hitherto so valiently prosecuted Judas willeth them to follow on the persuit of the Enemy flying for quoth he in the end you shall safely take the spoyles or at last ye shall have Riches enough So say I Christians be not weary of your labouring after Eternal good things for in the end you shall have Eternal good things enough Let me here allude to our blessed Saviours words Matth. 5. 6. v. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled It is observable the Greek words in this place are the participles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are they that are hungring and thirsting though they have righteousness yet they are still hungring after more So should every Christian though he have already gotten a portion of Eternal good things yet should he be labouring and taking pains for more the sweetness of these things cannot but stirr up an hungring and thirsting after more of them whose infiniteness will more than fill the Soul brim-full How unweariedly therefore should a Christian go on in this Labour after Eternal good Things
especially remembering That it will not be long but this Labour will be at an end 1 Pet. 5. 10. v. After ye have suffered a while So may I say After you have laboured a while your Labour how great soever now it is will be at an END Soli Deo gloria in Aeternum A Prayer wherein the foregoing Treatise is Epitomized the several Pages thereof out of which the Prayer is collected being pointed unto by the Figures set down and composed for the use of the weaker sort of Christians after that they shall have read over the Treatise Psal 19. 14. v. 〈◊〉 the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer O Eternal Lord God before the Mountains were brought forth or ever the Earth or the world â—re made thou art God from everlasting to everlaâ—ng Help me a poor sinner with a thankful heart â— bless and praise thy name for the manifold and great â—reies both temporal and spiritual I have receiâ—d from thee Praised be thy name for ever that by â— holy word thou hast brought me to the knowâ—ge of thy self and Eternal happiness and hast afâ—ded unto me many precious helps both to underâ—d thy word and to direct me in that way which will â—d in a future and everlasting happiness Lord â—nt that what I have been taught by reading of this â—eatise may be sown as good seed in my heart keep that Satan that bird of Hell may not pick up anâ— of it but let it be so watered with the dew of thâ— blessed spirit that I who hope to 1 out live time anâ— all temporal enjoyments may turn 2 my worldlâ— care into a Godly care my care for this life and thâ— things of this life into a care for the things of anotheâ— life of a better life Let the great matter of mâ— thoughts 3 be not what I shall eat or what I shâ— drink or wherewithal I shall be clothed whereunto â— am 217 naturally prone but rather to seek first thâ— Kingdome of God and his righteousness being assureâ— that all these things shall be added unto me Seeinâ— thou callest for Labour and didst enjoyn 4. 5. 6. Labour to Adam in Paradise and wouldst have 8 noâ— idle and I have learned not to promise 13 my seâ— to obtain any good thing at thy hands without Labour work my heart into such a willing frame thaâ— 11 my Labour pains may 80 in obedience untâ— thy commands be chiefly 11 not about perishing bâ— Eternal good things and which without 56. 229 Labour cannot be obtained Help me being intenâ— and serious 15 to spend the 16 marrow of mâ— soul and the strength of my spirits about Grace heâ— and Glory hereafter which are 12 unspeakably beâ—ter then Gold and Silver and alwayes 17 to uâ— the right means to gain them searching for them â— all thine Ordinances in reading the Scriptures 19 for in them I think to have Eternal Life but becauâ— of my self I am dull to understand bless to me thâ— hearing 20 of thy word Preached and help me so tâ— hear that my soul may live the life of Grace here anâ— hereafter may live 21 the life of Glory To hearinâ— help me to add 21 such meditation both day anâ— night that may inable me to practice what I learn bâ— hearing Teach me how to improve the Sacrament so Baptisme 23 that first visible means whereby thou â—ast pleased to apply to me as by Word Sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ 24 for the remission of my sins that I may forsake the Divel the world â—d all the Lusts of the flesh and have no fellowship â—ith the unfruitful works of darkness but be found â— every respect faithful in God's Covenant sealed hereby However there be some who sleight the â—essed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 23. 26. if as â— were an unnecessary Ordinance for ever keep me â—at I hungring and thirsting 25 after Christ and â— the benefits of his death and passion may delight â— be a Guest at that Table 27 where Christ's body â— set before me to eat and warm draughts of his blood â— drink Thou art a God hearing of Prayers by imâ—tunate 28. prayer at the Throne of Grace make â—e able through Jesus Christ to obtain those great â—ngs of Eternity which are discovered unto me in â—y Word and sealed up in the Sacraments And grant â—at I may not use these means for a time but 30 perâ—eringly use them and all other right means to gain â—eaven until thou makest me to enjoy Heaven haâ—ng assurance 202 that my Labour shall not be in â—n and that it will there 211 never repent me to â—ve Laboured for it Blessed be thy Name 31 for â—yly bread and all the good things of this life yet â—ke not up my Portion out of the greatest of those â—ngs which are indifferently distributed to Saints â— Sinners but let Eternal good things absolutely â—9 necessary to be had be my portion though 23 â—ould in Labouring for them meet with many vexâ—ons and sore persecutions choosing rather as the â— 72 wherefore I live to secure 33 an Eternal then a fading Inheritance As thou renewest 37â— thy mercies to me every morning in this Life everâ— morning help me to renew my diligence for the obâ—taining of a better life and when I have done witâ— the world and all business upon Earth 38 permiâ— me again into thy presence to mind and Labour foâ— thee and the things of Heaven When in the nighâ— 38. 39. thou drivest sleep from mine Eyes keeâ— me that I may not drive any spiritual devotion froâ— my Heart though then rest be denyed to my body â— yet O that my soul might not rest from 40 Prayinâ— to thee from 41 seeking after Christ from 44â— praising thee for mercies from 45 meditating upon thy word O let my Soul desire thee in 47 thâ— night Strengthen me to run 50 with patience tâ— Race that is set before me and alwayes to fight 51â— a good fight of Faith and to strive 55 that I maâ— enter in at the straight gate that I may obtain 50â— not a corruptible but incorruptible Crown As I aâ— naturally provident 57 for time to come graâ— that I may be found provident for Eternity to comâ— by laying 58 up Treasures in Heaven where neithâ— moth nor rust doth corrupt and where Theives â— not break through and steal and hereby manifest 60â— my self to be a follower of those though 64 seâ— who through faith and patience inherit the promisâ— wâ—iâ—st I do walk in the way of good men and keep tâ— paths of the Righteous beleiving 239 Scriptuâ— promises and obeying Scripture commands thâ— at last with them now in Heaven I may posseâ— Eternal good things Enrich my Soul with thoâ— good things that will 91 make me good by Graâ— 96 work a change in me give thy self 100 â— me that by holiness I may be fit