tears with so much love and light about him might justly enjoyn reformation of the whole man and a transformation of the mind and temper of the Soul and require a conformity to his own Life and insist upon mens becoming patient and humble and charitable and contented and peaceable and watchful over their Thoughts and Words and Actions and heavenly-minded How could this Grace which appeared to all men challenge less than Self-denial and Contempt of the World and living in the thoughts and expectation of a better Life and seeking earnestly for glory and honour and immortality And as he that will be the Judge in that Day is the Lawgiver too so he understands best the meaning of his Laws nor will Tricks and Evasions and false Constructions of those Laws signifie any thing before him who will not depart from the sense his eternal Wisdom put upon them and which by his Prophets and Ministers he once caused to be proclaim'd in the Ears of men The Sinner in that Day will not have to do with Deputies and Lieutenants and Delegates who too often make the Law a Nose of Wax and can turn and interpret it to what sense they please and their Interest dictates are sometimes unskilful and apt to mistake the Law of their Superiors and these Laws not being of their own making are the colder or the more remiss in executing them but here men shall see the Law-giver himself who will not be put off with Pretexts and Pretences as ordinarily Deputies and such Persons are as are employ'd by the Supreme Law-givers in a Commonwealth or Kingdom Even here on Earth where the Law-givers themselves sit Judges the Malefactor must expect severer dealings in this case even Lycurgu's Wife shall not escape that durst break her Husband's Law against riding in a Chariot during the time of Divine Service and Zaleucus his Son must lose his Eye for slighting his Father's Order against Adulterers not to mention the Severities of Manlius Torquatus Epaminondas Tenes c. on their own Children where the Legislators have sat Judges of their Crimes and Errors The Almighty Judge in that Day will justly resent the Affront done to his Laws He hath Reason to resent it greater Reason than any Potentate in the world hath to take it ill that their Laws are set light by Gods Law being holy and perfect and infallible and under an impossibility of Errour and a Mercy it is a wonderful Mercy that he vouchsases to give such a Law to the Children of men and a greater Mercy yet that his Son came into the world to publish it and so many thousand Messengers besides are sent to declare it so that in this affront Mercy and Goodness as well as Justice and Sovereignty and Power are wronged and abused and as all Perfections in God are infinite so whatever injury is offered to any of them it receives a deeper Dye and greater aggravations from the Infinity of those Attributes God who is omniscient sees the virulent nature of this Affront and indeed none is better able to declare the heinousness of such contempt than he and this must necessarily encrease the Terror of that Day And as he is the Law-giver against whose Precepts the Sinner hath offended so he is the Party offended too Sinner This is he whose Body and Blood thou hast so often receiv'd unworthily in the Sacrament this is he to whose Cross thou hast been an Enemy so many years on whose Merits thou hast trampled whom thou hast so often crucified afresh whose Temple thou hast defiled whose House thou hast dishonoured whose Gospel thou hast been ashamed of and therefore wonder not if such thundring Queries come forth from the Throne at last dost not thou remember how oft thou hast broke thro' the Guards and Fences I have set betwixt thee and Sin How couldst thou find in thy heart to afflict and grieve me so often who have endured such Agonies already on the Cross Why wouldst thou forsake me the Fountain of Living Waters How is it that thou wast not afraid to make thy Belly thy Gold thy Harlot and such a great Man thy God Did ever any Person oblige thee more than I Didst thou ever receive such Favours at any mans hand as thou hast received at mine And why could not I have thy Heart and thy Will and Affections Why must a sottish Lust and Passion engross thy Desires and my Law be cast behind thee If ever Law-giver had reason to be offended this Judge in the last Day hath for his Commandments were not grievous his Yoke was easie and his Burthen light all that was required was Love and it 's hard if so small a Tribute for his ineffable and incomprehensible Mercies must not be paid him It s true this Love must extend and branch it self into various Acts of Meekness and Patience and Humility c. But still where Love is the Principle none of all the other things which are required can seem tedious or difficult Nor is this all for the same Judge will be Witness against the Sinner too Indeed no Creature can be so true a Witness against him as the Judge himself There are many Sins no Creature ever saw but he and therefore who so fit a witness against those crimes as he I will come near to you to Judgment and I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against the false Swearers and against those that oppress the Hireling in his wages the Widow and the Fatherless and that turn aside the Stranger from his Right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3. 5. This Judge sees all nor will the Sinner be able to elude this Testimony of the invisible God When thou wast under the Fig-tree I saw thee said Christ to Nathanael his Conscience knew he had been there and he believed But this was in love In that Day we speak of such Language as this will be pronounced in wrath and indignation and therefore will cause other Thoughts in the hearts of the Wretch that shall hear it Thou careless Creature couldst thou imagine that any thing was hid from me Did not I see thee at such a time in such a place in such a Garden in such a Chamber playing the Rebel and the Wanton Did not I see thee treating with mine Enemies Did not I see thee conspiring against me Hadst not thou such base thoughts such wicked intentions such impure desires in such Company I opened the Windows of Heaven and looked upon thee when thou wast committing Fornication with such a Woman Wilt not thou believe me who look'd within the Curtains and saw thy abominations Couldst thou think I would look on and not set thy sins in order before theeâ— There will be no contradicting of this Testimony for thy Conscience O man will immediately joyn issue with it and say as Nathan to the guilty King Thou art the Man For besides this grand Witness there
This was the excellent choice of Moses and of all the Martyrs of old who were content to be sawn asunder to be stoned to be tormented to wander about in Caves and Dens weeping and destitute rather than desile their Souls with Sin which puts me in mind of the good Advice St. Jerom gave to his Friend Heliodorus Did the Babe thy Grand child saith he hang about thy Neck should thy Mother that bare thee bid thee look upon the Breasts thou hast sucked should thine own Father lie prostrate at thy Feet and intreat thee to spare thy self and to forbear venturing on the Strictness and Severities of Religion get away from them my Friend and with dry Eyes fly unto the Banner of Christ Jesus in this case to be cruel is the greatest Piety This was the Case of the Primitive Believers who preferred their Distresses before Nero's Chair of State and took greater Pleasure in their seemingly forlorn Condition than Claudius or Caligula in their Affluence In the midst of their Tears they were greater men than their Persecutors and though they wanted all things and their Enemies had all that Heart could wish yet they justly believed themselves happier in their Funeral Dress than the other in their Triumphs The Man that roars in a Tavern or sings in an Ale-house or rejoyces in his Sin had more need to wish that his head were water and his eyes a Fountain of Tears were he in his Wits he would do so But his Reason is distorted his Understanding darkned his Eyes blinded his Mind unhing'd his Desires perverted his Affections led astray and like a distracted Creature he rejoyces in his Nakedness Ah brutish and inconsiderate Soul Thou weepest to see a Child or a near Relation dye and canst thou see thy Soul die and be robb'd of that Goodness which must give her Life and be unconcerned Thou weepest at the loss of a thousand Pounds and canst thou remember how thou losest God's Favour and all Right and Interest in the Merits of a crucified Saviour and keep thine Eyes dry Thou weepest to see a Friend drowning or burning in a merciless Fire and canst thou think how thou flingest thy self into the Furnace of God's Wrath makest his Anger kindle and wax hot against thee and dost what thou canst to turn it into a Fire which no Man no Angel can quench and will no Tears flow into thine Eyes How barbarous how inhumane is thy Joy What dost thou rejoyce in That Sin which makes thee merry that Folly which chears thy Spirit what is it but Ingratitude to thy kindest Benefactor What is it but requiting the greatest Good with the greatest Evil What is it but contempt of him who keeps thy Soul in Life What is it but bidding defiance to him who carries thee on his Wings and out-does the tenderness of a Mother the care of a Father and doth all that 's fitting to guard thy Soul from Ruin And are these fit things to rejoyce in Are these fit Objects of thy Mirth Are these Divertisements proper for a Creature that holds his very Being of God and is beholding to him for all the Blessings he enjoys What wonder if after all this Impiety and Stubborness God rejoyces too rejoyces in thy Groans rejoyces in thy Anguish rejoyces in thy Agonies rejoyces in thy Sense of his Justice rejoyces in thy Howlings This he must do at last to secure his Honour This he will be obliged to do in the end to vindicate the Veracity of his Threatnings This he will be constrained to do after all that Devils may not mock his Holiness nor deride his Thunders nor upbraid him with Partiality At that time this will appear very good Divinity no Fable no Romance no Trade of Priests no Invention of Politicians no old Wifes Tale no idle Story and if thou could'st exhaust the Sea in that day and weep it out again to testifie thy unfeigned Sorrow thou would'st do it Happy the Soul that thinks of this Happy the Man that believes these Terrors before he feels them How much wiser are those tender Hearts that do little else but weep and mourn and make their Life a Valley of Tears without a Metaphor whose Fear of offending God is so great that every little Defect and every accidental Miscarriage forces Tears from their Eyes Though there may be some Indiscretion in the Management of their Conscientiousness yet notwithstanding all this their Tears are the Wine of Angels these are the gaudy Dress of a holy Soul The Almighty that sees her adorned with these Pearls and glistering in these Pendants falls on her Neck and kisses her Fear not ye afflicted and toss'd with Tempests So the Lord Jesus wept though not for his own Sins yet for the Sins of others and was receiv'd into Glory so Mary Magdalen wept and on those Streams a gracious Pardon was convey'd into her Soul so the great St. Paul wept and found the Consolations of Christ abounding in him so the penitent Publican wept and went justified to his House They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Luk. 6. 21. There is a place high wondrous high above where all Tears shall be wiped away and no Sorrow no Grief no Anguish shall appear so we have heard so we shall see e'er long in the City of our God Verily Verily I say unto you That ye shall weep and lament but the World shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy A Woman when she is in Travel hath Sorrow because her Hour is come but as soon as she is deliver'd of the Child she remembers no more the Anguish for Joy that a Man is born into the World And ye now therefore have Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoyce and your Joy no Man takes from you Joh. 16. 20 21 22. 2. See here how differently spiritual things affect Men as they either attentively or inattentively think upon them The process of the Day of Judgment to a Man that retires and through Desire separates himself to think of it as the Covetous doth of his Gold or as the Timorous doth of his Danger i. e. in good earnest it will prove an invincible motive to self-denial Another that looks upon it as a thing spoke of in course every Lords day thinks of the Words as he hears them but ruminates not upon the Sense is no more moved with it than the Carcasses that sleep in their Graves forbears not one Sin for it but doth still as he used to do mind his Body gratifie his Flesh pursue his temporal Interest comply with sinful Men please himself regard Religion on the By and set his Affections on things below And as it is in this so it is in other Truths for do but take a view of the Publick Assemblies here the glad Tidings of God's Mercy to penitent Sinners shall make an humble Spirit
brutish part of the World said there was But while he tried Experiments upon the Viper the Beast flew into his Face and poyson'd the Empirick He went on in these slippery ways and walk'd on this Sea of Glass a considerable time spread the Sails of his sensual Desires and bid his carnal Mind ask and crave whatever it could fancy and if either Love or Money or Force could procure it it should have it He hugg'd all the little shooting flames he met with and kissed every thing that had the name and reputation of Mirth â—â—d Jollity But see the sad Catastrophe and woful turn of that pleasant Wheel when he thought himself in Paradise he found himself in Hell and that which tickled his Senses at the first proved after some time his greatest torment and vexation Providence can be silent for a time but at last the sleeping Lion wakes and roars so that all the Beasts of the Field do tremble and Solomon on whose Head the Candle of the Lord had shined so long found that Light at last go out in a Snuff and himself the Object of Gods wrath and indignation he found by sad experience what it was to abuse the Wisdom God had bestowed upon him how dangerous the Paths were he had walked in what it was to pervert the End and Design of the Gifts of God and what darkness and confusion it brought upon Men and that makes him impart this sad Memento to the Man who hath Blood and Youth and Strength enough to be vain and foolish Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth c. By way of Explication I must take notice of these few things 1. That the words young Man and Youth in Scripture especially in this Book are not only meant of that time we commonly allow to Youth which is from Ten or Fourteen to Twenty or Five and Twenty but include all that Age which is fit for Action and the Hebrew words import so much being derived from a Root implying Choice and Election so that the time here aimed at is the most vigorous time of our Life or that time which any Man of Sense would chuse for Action 2. That those Sentences which sound like Exhortations are perfectly Ironical or spoke by way of derision as if we should say to a Man Go play the Fool burn thy Finger in the Candle and see what thou wilt get by it whereby we do not mean that he should do so but do rather express the silliness and simplicity of the thing to make him avoid it And such Ironical Expressions or mocking Exhortations are very frequent in Scripture as 1 Reg. 18. 27. Cry aloud for he is asleep which is a kind of mocking the stupid Priests of Baal that called on a Stock or Stone so Jer. 49. 11. Leave thy Fatherless Children and let thy Widows trust in me i. e. Ay go comfort thy self with this that I will take care of thy Fatherless Children and provide for thy Widows but thou shalt find thy self egregiously mistaken So 2 Cor. 12. 13. For what is it wherein you were inferior to other Churches except it be that I my self was not burdensom to you Forgive me this wrong i. e. If I did wrong you in doing so it was a very pleasant Wrong or Injustice for which you have more reason to thank me than to be angry with me So here Rejoyce O young Man c. i e. go play the Mad-man let thy sensual Appetite rove gratifie thy Flesh please thy besotted Heart fix thine Eyes on what Beauty thou thinkest fit sing Care and Reason and thy Wits away and see what the issue of all will be and so much is evident from the following words which are a Bridle to all these Extravagancies and the Gall that embitters all these Sweets and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrase justly turns these Mock-exhortations into a serious Admonition Walk in humility let not thine Eyes gaze upon that which is evil but be exceeding cautious and so the Septuagint Walk spotless in the ways of thy Heart and not in the Lust of thine Eyes 3. God brings a Man into Judgment two ways either by causing his Conscience to awake with horror in this life and laying some other heavy Affliction upon him and there is Mercy in this Process for this may yet lead the forlorn Soul to serious thoughts of Repentance bring the Pangs and Throws of the New-Birth upon her and deliver her into a New-Creature Or where God intends a higher degree of Wrath and Indignation he lets the jovial Sinner alone on this side Hell and the burthen shall not fall on him till he comes to look the angry Judg in the Face at which time as the Surprize will be greater so the horror and anguish of Mind which will seize on the Sinner will like Nebuchandnezzar's Furnace prove seven times hotter than ordinary upon which follows eternal Despair and endless howling and gnashing of Teeth The Result of all is this Proposition That the Prospect of a future Judgment is enough to embitter all the sensual and carnal Delights of Men particularly of young Men and to bring a Damp upon the most youthful and most jovial temper imaginable Not only the Sense of the Text I have already laid down imports so much but there is this farther in it that the Wise-man seems to couch his Argument plainly thus Do but take a view of that dreadful Judgment God is resolved to bring thy guilty Soul to and thou wilt not dare to indulge thy self in the mad rejoycings of thy Youth nor walk in the ways and after the Fancies of thy corrupted heart nor suffer thy wanton Eyes to fix on those Objects from which God hath bid thee turn thy Face away You know the Story of the young Gallant who riding by a lonely Hermit's Cell and finding the solitary Man very devout and fervent in Prayer and looking with a severe and mortified countenance called to him Father Father what a Fool are you to debar your self of the charming Refreshments and Pleasures of this Life and live here immured within Walls of Mud and Clay What if there should be no other world to what purpose is all this Rigor and Mortification The Hermit heard him smiled and replied Ay but Friend What if there should be one where are you then What a Fool will you be then How will you wish that you had been in my condition The Youngster startled at these words went home left his Women and his Swine his Lusts and dry Husks of brutish Delights and like the Prodigal became another Man The Truth is we have seen this prospect of a future Judgment have very strange Effects upon a Man who was not apt to be frighted with sad Prognostications and that was Felix a Person who had drunk as deep of the stolen Waters of Sensuality as any Man then living for he lay in the embraces of
the Gall which is part of it must be tasted too God will not be always mocked and they that durst in despight of his Will and Prohibitions feed upon that luscious Fruit shall feel the smart of the Prickles too In this Judgment their Postures Gestures and Behaviour and Deportment appear in another Figure and they that before laught at the Thunders of the Law made light of the Threatnings of the Gospel and let the Warnings of the Ministers of the Gospel go in at one Ear and out at another now call themselves Fools and Sots for doing so and they that before thought of no after-reckoning now fall a wishing but in vain O that I had been wise O that I had bethought my self O that I had looked beyond this World O that I had believed O that I had retired and considered what these Satisfactions would end in Fool that I was to think that God would prove a Liar Where was my Reason to think that all that the wisest and holiest Men have said were but Dreams and idle Tales I that might have been a terror to Devils how am I become their Scorn I that might have been a Favourite of God how am I become his Enemy I that might have triumphed with other Saints how am I fallen from their Bliss O what would not I give to be rid of the torment I feel Help help ye Souls that have any pity in you I sink under the weight of my former pleasures they are loathsom to me they appear Monsters Furies hideous things to me Cursed be that Lust I cherished Cursed be that Bed on which my wickedness was wrought O that my Tongue had dropt out of my Head when I pleased my self with lascivious discourses O that I had been deaf when I was tickled with hearing a smutty jest O that I had been struck blind when with joy and satisfaction I beheld that charming Beauty O that my Feet had failed me when I was going into that jovial Company O that I had locked my self up that I might not have seen those Temptations which enticed me O that I had spent those Hours I threw away in Carding and Dicing and Drinking and Revelling O that I had spent them in holy Contemplations of the Vanity of these sublunary Objects Now I would do it and it is too late now I would repent and it profits me not now I would be serious and it signifies nothing my Time is lost the Day of Grace is gone the Opportunities are past O that I could tear out this Heart O that I could pull out these Eyes O that I could dispatch my self O that I had a Sword that I might put a period to this miserable condition I see nothing but Ruine before me nothing but Darkness nothing but Confusion nothing but Horrors and no Creature will help me to annihilate my self I am not able to endure this Torture for a moment how shall I be able to endure it to infinite Millions of Ages I see no end of it the farther I look the more of my Misery I see Where-ever I cast my Eyes I see nothing but Terror Devils and miserable Souls in the same condition with my self all howling about my Ears A thing so far from affording Comfort that it fills me with greater Horror Whither shall I â—lee for remedy Heaven is shut up there is a vast Gulph betwixt me and that there is no passing from hence thither nor from thence to this doleful place I swim in a Sea of Sorrow I swim and see no shoare I labour and not a Plank appears on which I may save my Life here are no Hills no Mountains no Rocks I can cry to and if there were they are all deaf God hath forsaken me and good reason for I left him for a Lust and undervalued him for Trifles I pleaded I could not withstand the Charms the World offered to me Mad man I could withstand them now why could not I have withstood them then I might have considered of this Place and of this State and of these Vexations and checked my self O that I were but to live again in the World O that God would but try me again How would I scorn the very thoughts of Mirth and Raillery How would I run away from the very mention of these Impostures Break my Heart break If God will not kill thee call upon the infernal Spirits and see what they will do But Oh they delight in these groans Themselves lie under the same Condemnation banish'd from the gracious Presence of God They would die as well as I if they were able O what a Torment is iâ— I see the everlasting Joys before me and cannot reach them they are over my Head and I cannot come near them Paradise I see but cannot enter into it I knock my Head I smite my Breast I stamp with my Feet but am never the better That Jesus on whose Blood I trampled I see rejoycing with his Followers at the Right Hand of God and not a drop of Comfort drops from his Lips on mine I feel Flames within which no Waters can quench a drop of Water would be some refreshment and give me some hopes of ease but here is none All the Rivers of Consolation are dried up to me I walk in Darkness I see no Light O God tear the Heavens and come down Canst thou hear these shrieks and be unconcerned Canst thou see this poor Creature lie in torments and give no relief Hast thou no Mercy left O then my State is desperate I shall not be able to refrain from Blasphemy for I see none can help but thou and thou wilt not I rave I am distracted with fear I tremble I quake Stand off Devils I have Furies enough within Ye damned Pleasures whither have you brought me Ye have made me lose the Favour of him who alone is able to give me ease I might have been happy if it had not been for you I might have escaped these Regions of Anguish if you had not tempted me But why do I accuse you This brutish Heart of mine was in the fault my Devilish Lust hurried me into Ruine I had Reason and would not use it Means of Grace and would not apply them Offers of Mercy and would not accept of them O all ye that pass by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me where with the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger from above he hath sent a Fire into my Bones and it prevails against them he hath spread a Net for my feet he hath turned me back he hath made me desolate and faint all the day the Yoak of my Transgressions is bound by his hand they are wreathed and come up upon my Neck he hath made my strength to fall the Lord hath deliver'd me into their hands from whom I am not able to rise up All this certainly appears in the Prospect
be more ready to affront him that is the same yesterday to day and foâ—ever Nor will it follow becausâ— Books that treat of Heathen God may be read that therefore those Deities may be Acted and mentioned oâ— the Stage for there is a great difference between reading a thing anâ— seeing it acted with all the vanitâ— and boldness that usually attends iâ— In reading a mans serious thought are not dispersed or scattered buâ— keep within the compass of modesty and weigh things in the ballance oâ— reason whereas being Acted to thâ— life they naturally strike vanity intâ— the mind affect the sensual part drivâ— away seriousness and leave an unhappy tincture behind them And if it be against the Divine Law familiarly to mention or talk of theâ— fictitious Deities it cannot be very agreeable to the sense of it for Christâ—ans to go and hear that idle talk foâ— as in other concerns the receiver is aâ— bad as the thief so he that with delighâ— hears that which another is forbid tâ— speak makes himself accessory to hâ— sin and draws needless guilt upon his Soul Flatter not your self Sir with a fancy that these Plays are no where forbid in the Bible and that therefore it may be lawful to see them for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelling I mentioned before and to which the Apostle threatens exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven Gal. 5. 21. and from which the word Comedy in all probability is derived though I know others fetch it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a village because in ancient times they did sing Songs about Country Towns I say this word includes all such vain lascivious Ludicrous and Jocular representations not only Dancing and luxurious Feasting but wanton light and amorous Interludes and all that belongs to the pampering and satisfying of the Flesh such as amorous Songs Complementing of Mistresses Love-tricks and immodest parts and speeches which make the vainer sort of the company merry for the word is very comprehensive and being so one would think should fright every serious person from coming within the guilt of that which hath so severe a threatning annex'd to it And is it worth losing Heaven and eternal happiness for the sight of such jocular Shews Are the pleasures arising from hence of that consequence that they will counter-ballance so great a loss Had you rather forfeit Gods favour than these ludicrous transactions Are these momentary satisfactions of that value that you would run the hazard of being for ever deprived of the beatifick vision for them That usual exception that God will not be so cruel as to condemn Men for such harmless sports is of no weight at all for God hath no where declared that he will govern himself by Mens fancies but his eternal wisdom is the rule he 'll go by if men will have their pleasures he hath thought fit to forbid they must thank themselves if they go without his favour and since they were warned of this danger they can have no excuse but are as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemn'd of themselves Tit. 3. 11. Let 's but consider the Nature scope and drift of our Religion it commands us decency modesty sobriety vigilancy or watchfulness over our thoughts and words and actions simplicity in the inward and outward man redeeming the time employing the hours God hath lent us in profitable discourses and things useful and tending to edification It bids us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul it condemns all Rioting chambering wantonness and making provision for the Flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof It commands us to walk after the Spirit to be heavenly minded to have the same mind and temper in us which was also in Christ Jesus to grow in grace to advance in goodness to grow strong in the Lord and in the power of his might it bids us stand up for the glory of our God and to be concern'd when his Name or Religion or things Sacred are abubused it bids us avoid Scandal and take heed we do not by our example either draw people into errors oâ— confirm them in their sins it bids us take heed of discouraging our neighbours from goodness and of laying aâ— stumbling-block in the way of weaker Christians it bids us exhort one another daily and beware lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin these are some of its principal rules and I need not add what our great Master hath told us ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15. 14. how these rules can be observed by persons that delight in these shews I cannot apprehend is it modesty to be a hearer of that ribaldry and filthy communication which some Plays are stuffed with Or to be a spectator of so many undecent and wanton gestures postures and actions which in some Comedies make up the greatest part of the shew Is this sobriety to stand by and hear men curse and swear and talk of things which should not be so much as named among Christians Is this decency to afford your presence in a place where the most debauched persons assemble themselves for ill ends and purposes Is this your fear of God to go and hear the most solemn ordinances of God railled and undervalued such as marriage and living up to the strict rules of reason and conscience Is this your watchfulness over your thoughts and words and actions to go and expose your selves to temptations to run into the Devils arms and give him an opportunity to incline your heart to sinful delights and being pleased with things which God abhors Is this that Godly simplicity the Gospel presses to pay for your being affected with the vain shews of this sinful World and to take liberty to hear and see what men of little or no Religion shall think fit to represent to you Is this redeeming of your time to throw away so many hours upon fooling and seeing mens ridiculous postures gestures and behaviours Is not this making war against youâ— soul Is not this fighting against youâ— happiness Is this the way to groâ— in grace and to advance in goodness and to abound more and more in the love of God which your Christianity obliges you to Is not this to cloâ— your soul Is not this to throw impediments in her way to felicity Is not this the way to make her inamour'd with the World from which a Christian is to run away as much as he can By your Saviours rule though you are in the World yet you are not to be of the World These shews alienate other mens affections from the best of objects and what security have you that they will not alienate yours Or have you a peculiar exemption from that danger If you have shew us your warrant let 's see your patent if you take the same way that profane persons take to dull their religious desires how can it be otherwise but it will
with celestial Milk that you may be strong in the Lord and able to put on the whole Armour of God and grow up into a perfect Man in Christ what if it will not suffer you to please your Flesh beyond what is necessary for it's Subsistence must it therefore be your Enemy Will you count it a Foe because it denies you the Sword which would kill you How lovely should this very thing make it in your Eyes How dear should this make its holy Precepts to you How should you rejoyce that you have such a Monitor to prevent your Ruine What Praises do you owe to God that witholds you from that which would precipitate your Souls into the gulf of Perdition I conclude the Inference with this Story Two Brethren were travelling one a very prudent Man the other rude and silly coming to a place where two Ways met they dispute which of the two they should take one look'd as if great Art had been bestow'd upon it Flowers grew on both sides and it seemed to be most frequented the other look'd rough and uneven liker a Foot-path than a High-way the weaker Brother charmed with the out-side was clearly for making choice of the former but the wiser though he saw that the pleasant way invited the Eye yet I fear saith he it will not bring us to a commodious Lodging the rather because I have heard that the less beaten Path leads to an Inn where we may have excellent Accomodation The foolish Fellow was peremptory in it that the most pleasant way must be the right way and prevails with the Brother to bear him Company and being advanced considerably in it they light upon a Company of Robbers who immediately clap Shackles on their hands and feet and hale them both to their Captain and Governour Here one Brother accuses the other the wiser charges the other with Stubbornness the weaker blamed the other's Facility and alledged That since his Brother pretended to greater Wisdom than he he should not have been perswaded In fine both are found guilty and both laid up in Prison These two Brethren are your Souls and Bodies your Soul is the wise your Body the foolish Brother Let not your Body by its Importunity prevail with the Soul to consent to its Desires and Fondnesses of the dangerous Delights of the World O! hearken not to the Perswasions of a sensual Appetite that chooses a present Satisfaction but considers not there are Robbers at the end of the way which will certainly throw both into outward Darkness 5. The great Day is at Hand let 's prepare for it So Christ told his Disciples and so the Apostles taught the Christian World nor must we wonder that the Blessed Jesus should fright his Followers with the Approaches of that day when he knew it would not come in sixteen hundred Years and more which are past since his appearing in the World I omit here the Calculations of curious Men who have been bold to determine the Year in which the day of Judgment will happen some that follow the Tradition of Elias have allow'd two thousand Years to the Oeconomy before the Law two thousand to that under the Law and two thousand to that under the Gospel and after this have placed the Succession of that tremendous day But I doubt that this is rather a Jewish Criticism than a real Prophecy for God having created the World in six days and a Thousand Years being as one Day with the Lord it 's like Men have concluded from this Notion That as the World was created in six days so after six days i. e. six thousand years it would be destroyed Some when they have seen any extraordinary Judgments of Hail or Rain or Thunder or Locusts or great Confusions happen in the World have from thence inferr'd the immediate coming of this Day Some have placed it in one Year some in another but all these are needless Speculations It 's enough that the Decree is sealed in Heaven that there will be such a prodigious day and it was as truly at hand in Christ's time as it is now and now as much as it was then nay as much now as it will be but a Year or a Month before it comes in good earnest for the day of our Death is at hand and we know not when or how soon whether this hour or the next the fatal Messenger will arrest us in our Journey The day of our Death is the fore-runner of that greater Day and according as our Souls are found at the day of our Death so they will be judged in that glorious day the Judgment that will be pronounced upon our Souls at our Death will be proclaimed aloud before the whole World another day and if they be so unhappy as to be condemned upon their departure hence they will all that while till the great day comes torment themselves with the thoughts of that Sentence and the Shame that will ensue upon it as holy Souls will comfort themselves with the Thoughts of their Absolution Therefore when our Souls leave this Body that day and hour is really a day of Judgment to us and that this day is at hand none but a Sot can deny and accordingly all Men of Sense have made and do make early Preparation for it and he that doth not imitate them is so far from giving Proof to the World that he is wiser than they that he proclaims his Stupidity and in a manner renounces his Portion in the Inheritance of the Saints in light But then by Preparation I do not mean those little Sprinklings of Devotion which Hypocrites and Men who pretend to love God yet will not part with their Lusts usually lay upon his Altar not the Pharisees Alms and Fasts and Prayer which were performed with sinister designs out of Vain-glory and Ostentation not Ahab's Repentance who put on Sac◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk'd softly but still kept an unmoâ—â—â—ed Heart not the Harlots Piety Solomon speaks of who said her Orisoâ—â— and paid her Vows and her Peace-offerings and thought to make God amends for the Crimes she lived in by these Services not Judas his Sorrow who lamented his Sin because he saw the Hell he was like to drop into not Demas his temporary Severity which soon chang'd into fondness of the World not the Angel of Sardis his Profession of Religion who had the name that he lived but was dead not the Jews Zeal for the Ceremonial Part of God's Worship while they neglected Justice Mercy Chastity Sobriety and Charity not the Zeal of Ezekiel's Hearers who loved to hear but were loath to do but if you would prepare for this day of Account so as to be commended by the Judge the Preparation must have these following ingredients 1. Pity those inconsiderate Men that live as if there were no future Judgment Say not where are they to be found There is no Country no City no Town no Village no Street but the greater part of