to give all things to us richly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. There is no creature can give us to enjoy another another may give a man such and such things in which may be comfort but he cannot give him comfort in the thing it must be God that must give to enjoy no creature can properly give the enjoyment of another because though it gives the thing it cannot give the comfort with it but God gives the thing and he gives the comfort with it and so a man is said to enjoy it Fourthly it is such an enjoyment as the having of it does perfect that which does enjoy it and by that we shall understand the difference between other creatures attaining to their end and the rational creature attaining his end the other creatures when they attain their end they perish so as they cannot be said to enjoy their end the plants and beasts that God hath made for the use of man when man comes to have the use of them then they come to have their end but they do not enjoy their end because in having their end they are destroyed but the rational creature when he comes to have his end then he comes to have the highest perfection and so he may be said to enjoy it because when he comes to have his end he is made the more perfect so take these four together and you may know what I mean by fruition of God and that is the fifth particular 6. The sixth particular in having God to be their portion is the Rest that the foul hath in God The term of all motion is rest every thing that moves moves that it may have rest Now here in this world the creature is altogether in motion and especially man because he is not here in his proper place every thing moves to its center till it comes to its place Psal 38. 10. My heart panteth the word in the Original signifies such a kinde of motion running up and down as Merchants run up and down from one Countrey to another and it is observable there is the two last radical letters double and that is to note That it is more then an ordinary stirring and motion of the spirit because it is not come to its rest but when the foul comes to the term unto which it moves then it comes to have rest God hath let out good things to other creatures and they never return back again directly to him but the good that God lets out to mankinde and to his people it returns back again to God The Saints are made by God and they come and return to the first fountain from whence they came whereas other creatures do not As the wicked they come from God but do not return to God again as their rest And therefore it is an expression of Jeremy Those that seek onely after the satisfying of their senses they go out from God like unto rivers that run from the fountain but there is no regress of them they do not return back again but the godly come from God and have their returns back again unto God unto their fountain there to rest and to have their happiness Psal 12. 9. The wicked walk on every side the wicked move up and down in a circle but never unto the center onely keep their round from one creature to another but never have any direct motion unto God to come to him as their center and so to finde true rest in him Return O my soul unto thy rest Psal 116. 7. The word translated Rest is in the plural number Return O my soul unto thy rests God is the rest of the souls of the Saints Rest and glory seldom meets in this world they who are in glory have not the quietest life and they who have most rest are furthest off from being glorious Issachars condition likes some Gen. 49. 14. Rest was good to him though under burthens and if a man will have a name amongst the great ones of the earth farewel rest but in heaven rest and glory do both happily and perfectly meet together The Rabbies have a note from the name Jehovah that all the letters of that name are quiescentes and they say There is a mystery in it to shew that all our rest is in God Some creatures God hath made so as there is no other good they are capable of but to continue in their beings and therefore they onely seek for their place and no more and there they rest as the Fire and Ayr and the Earth these creatures have no other good but to continue in their beings and you shall observe if they be out of their places with what violence will they move to their proper place As if there be fire or ayr got into the earth it causeth earthquakes it moves there with that violence that it shakes the whole earth that it may come to its proper place because it hath no other good but that Then I would reason thus If those creatures that have no other good but onely to be in their proper place if they be out to get that good shall move with such violence then considering what a good mans soul is capable of if he have not obtained that good with what violence should he move how should the kingdom of heaven suffer violence how should we work toward God who is our proper place and center in whom is so much good But there are other creatures that have an higher good then being in their place as the plants have a Vegetative place and therefore they grow to it and if they have attained that there they rest then the sensitive creature hath an higher good and that moves till it hath got its end namely to all things that are agreeable to sense and they go no further The rational creature looks to that which is suitable to reason And where there is grace grace looks to attain that which is the proper perfection of the life of grace and there it rests and never else Therefore it is the expression of an Ancient O Lord thou hast made us for thee and our hearts are unquiet till they come to enjoy thee and when the soul comes to rest in God that is glorious and that is the Saints happiness to attain the end of their motion and the more glorious is the rest when the end is attained and the glory of the end may be discovered much by the glory of the means that tend to it As if a man will bestow a great deal of Cost and Charges to get his Health then he accounts health worth all those charges and the greater charges are laid out for health argues his greater esteem of it and so if a man be at great charge about a Voyage it is because he accounts much of the excellency of the end of his Voyage and if this be so how excellent is the end of Gods people if we consider the most glorious
live godly to go beyond morality in his profession then he must expect to suffer Fifthly he that will live godly in Christ Jesus that is in the vertue strength and power of Christ Jesus The other may be done without knowledge of Christ but this godliness in Christ Iesus is that which is persecuted in the world godly in Christ Jesus That is first real and true godliness not the shadow of godliness A Wolf flies not upon a painted sheep we can look upon a painted toad with delight There are some forms and shadows of godliness entertained in the world but the reality and truth of godliness is that which is hated and opposed Secondly godliness in Christ Jesus is exact godliness it carries a soul to a higher pitch then morality doth now a man begins to live in a higher course of Religion to be strict in his ways to tremble at the least sin to devote himself wholly to God this man must expect to suffer Thirdly the godliness that is in Christ Jesus is a stirring godliness if a man will be lukewarm and as Gallio not caring which way things go then many will speak well of him he is no busie-body not so hot and fierce as others are We reade Exod. 8. 28. Pharaoh was content to let the people go onely he would not have them go far so many are content that men should be Religious so be it they do not go too far Revel 2. 2. Christ saith to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus I know thy labor and thy patience mark how these two are joyned If the Angel had not labored so much it is like he had not suffered so much If Ministers and Christians will be idle and do little they are not like to suffer much a little patience will serve turn but those who put forth themselves who are stirring active who labor much they must expect to suffer much It is very observable that of the seven Churches we reade of in the Revelations there are onely two of whose troubles there are no mention and which are they the first is Sardis of which it is said She had a name that she lived and was dead the other was Laodicea that was neither hot nor cold These two escaped troubles but none of the other Fourthly the godliness that is in Christ Iesus is a powerful godliness that will not yield and give in such as the Lord requires in Ieremy Let them come in to you do not you go to them Let men say what they will let them threaten rail flatter perswade yet this yields not Now the world judges this to be pride stubbornness not knowing what the power of godliness means A reed that yields is not shattered by the wind So those who will be time-servers whose consciences will bow any way those shall suffer no great matter but if men be unyieldable especially in things that are counted small as many of the Christians in the Primitive times who would not cast one grain of frankincense into the fire to save their lives these are hated contemned and persecuted in the World Antichrist is content to let the name and profession of Religion alone but he persecutes the power of godliness it is that which witnesseth against him Revel 11. 8. He slays the witnesses but he lets their carcasses lie openly he cares not for the name and profession so be it the witnessing power be slain Fifthly Godliness in Christ Jesus is world-condemning godliness Noah condemned the world by that he did Other men should be accounted well of were it not for these but this darkens their light and condemns their way which they are not able to abide 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it not strange saith the Apostle concerning the fiery tryal as though some strange thing happened unto you be not moved at it as at the coming of a stranger unexpectedly you must entertain troubles as ordinary daily guests It hath been is and will be the order of Gods providence towards his people that they shall be in an afflicted condition and that many times in great extremities and hence Chap. 5. 10. the Apostle prays That the God of all grace would make them perfect after they had suffered a while as if prayer might not be made for perfection until we have suffered a while As soon as St. Paul was manifested to be a chosen vessel for the honor of God it was shewn unto him what things he should suffer for the name of Christ as if that were a necessary concomitant to the profession of godliness Look over the whole Book of God and consider the history of the lives of Gods people in all ages both in Scripture and in other records and you shall finde them usually in a poor afflicted condition as soon as we hear of any work of Religion we hear of the persecution of Abel Noahs Ark on the waters was a type of the condition of the Church in afflictions What hard things did Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs endure in their generations How sore was the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt Their passage through the Red sea and the dismall Wilderness into Canaan was a type of the afflicted condition of Gods people in after ages through which they were to pass to Heaven How was David hunted as a Partridge in the wilderness What bitter and sore complaints do we hear of the grievous suffering he met withal Psal 129. the Church there bemoans her condition that from her youth up she had been afflicted What hard usage did the blessed Prophets of the Lord finde Eliah was persecuted and must flie for his life while four hundred false Prophets were fed at Iezabels table Micaiah must be fed with the bread of affliction and the water of adversity Histories tell us that Isaiah was sawn asunder with a wooden saw Ieremy was put into a dungeon sticking in the mire as some stories say even up to the ears and after was stoned to death in Egypt Ezekiel was slain in Babylon Micah was thrown down a steep place and his neck broke Amos was smitten with a club and so brained The Story of the persecutions of the Maccabees prophesied of Dan. 11. 36. and recorded by the Apostle Heb. 11. from the 35 Verse to the end is exceeding lamentable the Texts says That they were tortured that they had the tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonment they were stoned were sawn asunder slain with the sword wandred up and down in Sheep-skins and Goats-skins being destitute afflicted tormented they wandred in deserts and mountains and dens and caves in the earth And after for the Christian Church we know what Christ himself the great leader of his people suffered what contradiction of sinners what contempts miseries scorns scourges cursed cruel shameful death When Stephen the first Christian Martyr was stoned Dorotheus witnesseth that two thousand others which believed on Christ were put
heart and in the sight of thine eyes live after thy lusts and do what thou wilt a thing that yong men love as their lives it is an Ironical confession but remember withal there must be an account for these things know then this is certain it is no fancy a conceit know it be throughly convinced of it as a thing most certain for all these things there is not one merry meeting not one hour spent in pleasure yea not one pleasurable act or thought but an account must be given for it God will bring thee though thou be unwilling to come yet thou canst not avoid it God will bring thee to judgement You think such delights as you have are no such things as God takes notice of they are but matters of sport thou thinkest thou hast liberty in them to do what thou listest thou shalt never hear of them again but assure your self God will bring you to judgement to be examined condemned and punished Of all men voluptuous men least think of judgement they put far from them the evil day Amos 6. 2. but above all men God hath an eye upon them to bring them to judgement and therefore 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. The Lord reserves the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness mark chiefly them if it were possible for any to escape it is impossible for you for God looks at you chiefly Thou now art riotous and callest for all the delights thou hast a minde to but there comes a reckoning behinde that will damp all There are three heads upon which the enquiry at the day of judgement will be concerning thy pleasures First What kinde of pleasures they were whether wicked in their own natures or not Secondly What time was spent in them Thirdly How far thy heart was let out upon them Lastly let the fearful end of these delightful things be considered Those morsels which were so sweet in going down they must come up again as bitter as gall Job 20. 12 13. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Asps within him And Prov. 23. 31 32. it is said of the wine that moveth its self sparkling in the cup at the last it biteh like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder The yong man that follows the enticings of the Whore Prov. 7. 22 23. He goes as an Ox to slaughter and as a fool to the stocks till a dart strike through his liver he knows not that it is for his life And cap. 5. ver 11. he is said to mourn at the last when his flesh and his body is consumed and he cryes out How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voyce of my teachers nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me Sensual pleasure leads to and fits for destruction Esay 5. 14. Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Job 21. 12 13. They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ they spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to hell The fish swim down pleasantly in Jordan but fall at last into the dead sea the black sea of eternal horror is the conclusion of all these sweet delights As Abner to Ioab 2 Sam. 2. 26. Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end These are they who come to a fearful end yea many times in this life as Esay 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass about your selves with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that you have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow You now frame a delightful life to your self well walk in the light of your fire enjoy your delight satisfie your selves in your own ways but this shall you have of the Lord You shall lie down in sorrow yea and that in proportion to your pleasure Rev. 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment give her And how grievous will eternal pain be to thee who art now altogether for delight and pleasure Thou canst not now endure any sad thoughts thou cryest out they make thee melancholy how wilt thou endure the dismal thoughts of an accusing tormenting conscience everlastingly those fearful gnawings of that never-dying worm that was bred in thy sweet delights Now thy flesh is dainty delicate and tender it must lie soft and fare deliciously it must have all to satisfie it that can be devised how will it endure those everlasting burnings If after every intemperate draught there should be a draught of scalding lead poured down how grievous would it be the end of thy intemperate pleasures will be worse for as Iob 21. 20. Thou shalt drink of the wrath of the Almighty and this shall be the portion of thy cup now thou delightest in thy long sittings at it thou shalt drink of this eternally those cursed delights in burning lusts shall end in eternal burnings CHAP. XII Who are the truly wise men with the encouragement to the Saints in the happy choice they have made HEre you see who are the wise men in the earth wisdom does most discover its self in choice for choice requires understanding to compare and weigh things The will of every man is for some good he would have every man wills to be happy this is as natural for every reasonable Creature as for the fire to burn But herein appears wisdom to make a right choice of those means that may bring us to that happiness that we do will here is the infinite mistake of the world they would be happy but they choose means that are quite contrary to happiness but those that choose right and pitch upon the means that will indeed bring to that happiness that an immortal soul is capable of surely those are wise this is the wisdom that is from above that can dispose of such means as to obtain this end and the greater the means are and the more excellent the end is the greater is the wisdom that orders thereunto guides therein every one can propound an ordinary end to himself and means to attain it but if the business be of high consequence as for a General to manage an Army his end is a high end that concerns the prosperity of a whole Countrey and because his end is so high that wisdom that can order means to attain this end is admired in the world it is not an ordinary skil that is able to do this Now the attaining of God himself the being blessed to all eternity if there be any end that is high this must be it
bearing one anothers burthens As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned together by loops so should the members of the Church be joyned one to another by love In the Primitive times we finde the Heathens and enemies of the Church did acknowledge there were no people in the world did love one another so as Christians did The Church of Philadelphia is blamed for nothing Philadelphia signifies brotherly love when brotherly love rules in Churches they grow to a blameless conversation before God and man Sixthly be bountiful and liberal The men of the world having skill in these things and they seeing no eminency of these in you they say Let them make what profession they will in those things we have no skill in we believe them not they are a company of false hearted people Fifthly if you would walk so as to draw others in love to communion with you labor to manifest the power of godliness by doing such things as the men of the world cannot do if the men of the world can see that men that make profession of Religion are able to do that they cannot do they see now there is some reality in Religion You know how it was with Pharaoh and his Magicians all the while Moses wrought such things that Pharaohs Magicians could do Pharaoh was not convinced but when Moses did such things that the Magicians could not do this convinced them and so for you to do that the men of the world do or can do this does not convince them says Christ If I had not done such things as no man did you had had no sin What is it to do those things which the men of the world cannot do First the resisting of strong temptations every slight temptation overcomes them but when they shall see you stand out against powerful temptations they see you have a power beyond theirs When Nebuchadnezzar saw the three Children in the fiery furnace and they were not touched by the fire he was convinced so when the men of the world shall see you in the midst of prevailing temptations and you keep your selves untouched they will be convinced and say Surely there is a power with these that we have not Secondly the overcoming of strong passions this convinces them When as those you live withal shall know there was a time you were outragious and forward at every thing that did displease you and since God hath wrought on your hearts you can be meek and patient and those passions and temptations cannot overcome you now that did before When Christ commanded the winds and seas and they were still at his word they wondred and said Who is this that the winds and seas obey him And so when you have storms and passions arise in you and you by the word of God can make all quiet men will wonder and say Who is this Thirdly if you be able to deny your selves in your wills and ends this is a thing they cannot do but now the godly if there come any word of God to shew their wills are not right they do not only change the thing their will is upon but their will is bowed to Gods word And as it was with David when he had Saul at an advantage and might have had his own will upon Saul and yet spared him how did this convince Saul Who having his Enemy would have spared him As if he had said If I had had thee at an advantage at my own will I must have had my ends And so is there any thing that the men of the world can see you may have your ends in you should rather deny your selves in them Brethren Gods people are to strive and contend with the world above all people and that for God now then that we may manifest unto the world that when we do contend with them that it is meerly-for God when it comes to our selves and our own causes we should be the most yieldable people in the world There is a time when we must contend with the world our consciences put us upon it and the cause of God puts us upon it and then they say we are stubborn proud spirits now to take off this reproach and to convince them it is not self-will therefore when it is onely your own cause yield to the utmost you can and this will convince them when you do not yield that it is not for self but for God and conscience Fourthly do good for evil this is that which the men of the world cannot do We must labor to do some singular thing for God if you onely do good for good the Publicans can do so but we must do good for evil As it is reported of Bishop Cranmer they used to say of him If they would have Bishop Cranmer their friend let them do him some ill turn Do you not think how you may be even with them that have done you an ill turn but rather go home and all the way you are going be musing and studying how you may return some good to that man that hath done you wrong and so you shall not be even with him but above him by this you shall heap coals of fire upon his head This beseems the people of God that are the peculiar of God It was a notable speech that Balaam had in Numbers 23. 9. Lo the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the Nations They are a people peculiar amongst themselves if they be such a people as are so peculiar as they must not be reckoned amongst the Nations then they must do such things as cannot be reckoned amongst the ways and works of the Nations If we should read all Authors of the Heathens yet we may finde such things in Gods people as we cannot finde in all the Authors Fifthly be joyful in affliction rejoycing in God and Christ then when all outward delight fails in very convincing If people speak so much of faith and living by faith on the promises and yet if they be crost in any thing in the world their hearts are as low and sinking as the hearts of any when men of the world see this they say Where is all their faith But if they see when affliction comes even such as would make their hearts sink and the people of God carry them out chearfully they will say Surely there is some real principle in them that we cannot see As Justin Martyr when he saw the Christians suffer such great things so chearfully says he Surely these men have more then the men of the world they have other principles and so he enquired what maner of people they were and so came to embrace the truth It is not so much to be merry and joyful over their cups the people of God cannot be merry and joyful in sensual delights but put them into afflictions and hardships and they can be chearful more then you they are not so dumpish
busie to tend on him and to make a fire and get him dry cloathes So when the people of God meet with such hardship in the world when they shal come and meet with Christ for whom they have suffered how shall they be entertained What riches of glory shall they enjoy in the highest heavens for ever hereafter our sufferings are but the seeds of our glory and the deeper the furrows are the more plentiful will the Harvest be and therefore Gordius the Martyr said It is to my loss if you bate me any thing in my sufferings Are you reproached for Christ Blessed are you for the Brand of reproach says Basil shall be turned into the glory of an Angel A gracious heart counts it more riches to be conformable to Christ then to have Crowns upon his head As in Phil. 3. 8. he counted all the things of the world dogs meat for the fellowship of Christs sufferings he did not count all the world dogs meat for the glory he should have by Christ onely but for the fellowship he should have in the sufferings of Christ Truly happy is that soul and to be equalled with Angels says Jerome who is willing to suffer if it were possible as great things for Christ as Christ hath suffered for it Vera est illa anima faelix Angelis aequanda quae pro nomine opere Christi tanta quanta pro nobis ille sustinuit voluit sustinere Hyeronym Epist ad Oceanum Such as have been followers of eminent men they highly esteemed to be like their Masters though in things that were some dishonor As Plato was a man of a crooked back and his Schollars counted it an ornament for to go crooked And Aristotle had a lisping speech and his Schollars thought it an honor to have a lisping speech And Alexander had somewhat a wry neck and a harsh speech and his soldiers thought it an honor to be like him how much more should the godly count their sufferings an honor because they are comformable to Christ For Application In the first place hence we see the excellency of grace what an excellent and glorious thing it is wheresoever it is that it does conduce so far to encrease riches out of any thing great must needs be the gain of godliness when it gains from their sufferings and reproaches grace is such a thing as can turn dust into gold The Philosophers stone is counted a rich thing because it turns dust into gold grace will do it the dirt that the world casts upon Gods people is turned into gold well may it be called the Divine nature for as God brings light out of darkness and comfort out of sorrow and riches out of poverty and glory out of shame so does grace How does grace conduce to the comfortable life of Gods people as for the service that God employs them in they count that honorable and the sufferings that God calls them to they count them comfortable we need not therefore be so afraid of sufferings indeed if we have not a principle to change the nature of them we may be afraid but if God do put a principle into us to turn our shame into glory and sufferings into riches we need not be afraid If any did see Moses his Serpent he would be afraid but if he had Moses hand he would not be afraid because Moses hand had a divine vertue with it to turn the Serpent into a rod and so if we look upon sufferings as a Serpent ready to devour us we may be afraid but when we consider the excellency of grace that it hath a divine power to turn the Serpent into a rod you need not be afraid labor to prize this jewel of grace that can do such great things It was the curse upon the wicked that God would turn their glory into shame It is the blessing of grace that it will turn shame into glory Secondly we see a reason of the meekness and quiet behavior of Gods people in sufferings Though they are persecuted they carry themselves meekly and are ready to forgive they are not discouraged and sink in their sufferings because they look upon sufferings with another eye then the men of the world do they look upon their sufferings as their glory and riches When a man hath riches coming in he is quiet and though he were angry passionate and vexing before yet when riches come in that quiets his heart and he is ready to do any office of love then this is the reason why Gods people are ready to do any office of love to them that do persecute them because they look upon them as their glory St. Paul was a man that had a high esteem of his sufferings and therefore when he suffered much and from those that were his friends in Gal. 4. 12. see his behavior Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as you are ye have not injured me at all As if he should say How soever you have carried your selves yet be as I am I am as you are let our hearts close and joyn together you have not injured me at all Thus his spirit was carryed in this quiet and meek frame because he had a right understanding of the nature of sufferings And so we read of Stephen when they were stoning him says he Lord forgive them What was the ground of this He saw the heavens opened and Christ stand at the right hand of his Father he saw a great deal of glory that was in his sufferings when he suffered thus for Christ he could pray for his persecutors What was the reason Christ endured all so quietly he knew the good that was in his sufferings Indeed as for those that see no good in them that finde nothing but trouble and vexation no marvel though their hearts fret and revile again but where a gracious heart findes sweetness and good in suffering surely there need not be that fretting and vexation of spirit in them as in others And why should we vex and fret when we suffer any thing for God it must be upon one of these two grounds either because of the evil that we do endure or the evil of those from whom we do endure The evil that we do endure cannot cause fretting because it is turned to such great riches But you will say The suffering it self I do not care for but the base malicious hearts of those from whom I suffer that troubles me To that I answer It is reported concerning Socrates being once reproached and yet behaving himself meekly and quietly one came and asked him how he could be so meek and quiet when he was reproached by such a one as he was that did reproach him Socrates answered If as we go along we should meet with a man that had a diseased body more diseased then our bodies more weak then ours should we fret at him because we see the disease of his body more grievous
can be their consciences cannot but accuse them that they undertake the ways of Religion to employ them for no more then for the attaining such low ends Yea many that are now in Heaven and have this glorious reward did not finde so much difficulty in the ways of Religion as many Hypocrites do There are three Reasons for it First that they do is by their own strength and when one comes to perform the duties of Religion by his own strength they are hard to him a gracious heart hath strength from Heaven and from Christ now when a man hath received strength he can do that with ease that was difficult before A man that hath a base unclean heart the ways of Religion must be tedious to such a one as a mans body being corrupted whatsoever he does is tedious to him if he were sound it would not be so tedious and so the ways of Religion are tedious to an hypocrite because he does all in his own strength and his soul is corrupted Besides the ways of Religion are not suitable to his principles but he is fain to force himself to them and all forced things are tedious but a gracious heart goes on in the ways of Religion as suitable to his principles Besides an Hypocrite hath not those comforts as those that are gracious have in their ways they have the assurance of Gods acceptance and the light of God shining upon them which Hypocrites have not so that the ways of God are more difficult to Hypocrites then to the godly and yet they get nothing by them but some base ends and the godly that do not endure so much difficulty get Heaven and immortality and a Crown of glory and all because their ends are different O be sure your ends be right you see what vast difference mens ends may make As if two should go to sea it may be they go out both together and one endures as much tempest and storm as the other and they are at the like charge perhaps yet the one comes home richly laden and the other brings nothing but Cockle shells and a little gravel when he that brought home the Cockle shells and the gravel shall see the difference between him and the other when as they were at like charge and endured the same difficulty how will he be ashamed This is the difference between a gracious heart and an hypocrite both go out in Religion the one makes as much stir as the other and suffers as much disgrace and contempt as the other the one enjoys all the riches of the Kingdom of God the other what does all his profession come to he gains a little respect from some that this body or that body says He is a man of good parts and here is all O miserable voyage that such as these are have made when all their profession comes but to this Yea it may be they do not so much as gain respect from those that are wise and judicious but onely from a company of pratlers that will speak well of you when you please them and when you do not please them they will speak as ill of you like a great blaze that a little fire will make in straw for the present and when it is past you see nothing but a few black ashes so many Professors make a great blaze and a great noise and shew and all that it comes to is that they get a little esteem in the world or like Kites they will flutter up a little but their eye is upon the carrion so many seem to be above in the ayr in the profession of Religion and yet their eyes are upon the carrion they make things below their aym What dishonor is this unto the ways of godliness those ways that are the most precious things in the world all the world is nothing to the profession of godliness and those ways that God hath appointed to lead to such glorious things as these are how are they vilified and abased you do not onely vilifie your selves but you vilifie Gods ways when as they tend to such a glorious end you put them under your base ends If a man were a Nobleman by birth what greater dishonor could be done to him then to make him serviceable to a drudge So the ways of God that are so glorious to make them serviceable to your base ends what dishonor is put upon the ways of God in this Certainly God cannot take it well at your hands to make the meanest creature of God our own civil actions serviceable to our lusts is a great sin but to make Prayer and the Word and the Sacraments and the ways of godliness to be serviceable to our lusts this is most horrible impiety Again how do you pollute that which is holy The way of God is a holy thing and take heed of polluting of it by having such low ends in it Again consider how you do take the name of God in vain the name of God is in the ways of Religion and for you to have no higher ends in Religion but such base ones you take Gods name in vain and God will not hold you guiltless These two men a gracious heart and a hypocrite may be compared to two men that follow the King one that follows the King for some Dukedom and place of Office to obtain some great thing from the King and a begger that knows not the King but runs after him for an alms and if he may have six pence or a shilling he goes away quieted So in the ways of Religion both seem to follow God a gracious heart follows God and knows what God is he knows that God is a blessed God a glorious God and that there are wonderful great and glorious things to be communicated from God to the souls of his people and therefore he follows God for great things for heaven and eternity and glory and immortality an hypocrite he knows little of God and he follows God that he may have a little credit and content for a while and he looks no higher O base ignoble spirits that have no higher thoughts in the ways of God! though we must take heed of high thoughts of our selves yet in the ways of God we must lift up our selves and have high thoughts and high ayms O what difference is there between an hypocrite and a true gracious heart A gracious heart hath high ends for God in the meanest actions in eating and drinking and an hypocrite hath low ends in his highest actions in the most solemn duties of divine worship Secondly those hypocrites are to be rebuked that go on fairly in the profession of Religion and make conscience of secret sins and not onely in shews but really are escaped many pollutions of the world and yet at last lose all for cleaving to some one sin but there is a great deal of difference between a real escaping and true sanctifying escaping many may really forsake