yet as to this the Rule is safe herein to do as Moses did who was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all Things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. And now that the Old Dispensation is abolished we are to see that we Order all Things in our Worship according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel That we may in our Worship which is a great thing relating unto that God with whom we have to do walk before God in Truth I do believe and speak after my Judgment that there is not a way of Worship now in this Nation nor yet on the Earth which is exactly according to the Scriptures of Truth in all things and in all things according to the Pattern shewed in the Gospel And I suppose it will be so seen at the Day of Judgment wherein it will be Found and Rehearsed That all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3. 23. So the several Churches and Congregations the several Saints and Servants of God have somewhat erred and come short of the Spirituality and Truth of his worship as it was in the Mind and Ordaining of God and as might be apprehended from out of his Book for it may be observed now a-days that in each Sect or Party however they are Nicknamed Distinguished or Termed there is something which is good and true and again there is somewhat which is Erroneous and Savours of Men. Now as to all this the faithful and knowing Soul as â—he Soars up above all the Ordinances of Religion as they are managed now a-days by the Worldly Priesthood they seeming to her cold dull low and fâ—at and she apprehends somewhat above them and is for higher and more excellent attainments So the same knowing and faithful Soul is vexed and dissatisfied That she knows not where on this Earth the People do worship God in all thigns exactly according to the mind of the Spirit Nor where â—er self may turn to the People of a Pure Language that â—hey may Call upon the Name of the Lord with one Consent Zeph. 3. 9. And she doth thirst and desire earnestly that she might once Worship the Lord God her Invisible Creatour so in the Congregations of his People as they were in the Days of a Old But where are they so now And she hath great Thought and Earnestness of Heart when that time will again come when it shall be fulfilled what is Written Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the Days of Old and in former Years Mal. 3. 4. Tho' here again it is to be thought that as long as we are on this dark and corrupt Earth we shall never come to worship the Fatheâ— in Spirit and in Truth still we ought to endeavour and to do the best that ever we can till we come to fall down on our Faces before him in Heaven the Habitation of his Holiness where we shall see all things in the light of the Lord. What will satisfy this perplexity and doubt and desirâ— of Soul as to this great thing in the mean while shoulâ— be to this Effect and Purport As the Lord saith unto 〈◊〉 the Inhabitants of the Earth Eschew Evil and do Gooâ— 1 Pet. 3. 10 1. So let him or they that love salvatioâ— and would go to Heaven be sure to do this as much 〈◊〉 ever they can Avoid errour and receive and follow the truth in all the several instances thereof As God himselâ— speaketh on this wise If thou shalt learn to separate tâ— Precious from the Vile and to put a difference between 〈◊〉 Holy and Profane then shalt thou be meet to come unto 〈◊〉 Altar So here it may be reasoned and applied if thâ— knowest and also shalt carefully and constantly do tâ— same to take out the truth from that Multiplicty 〈◊〉 Errour which is abroad in the world like as is the gathâ—â— ing of Gold or Silver from out of the Dross or Honâ— from the Wax If thou knowest to put a difference between truth and falshood so as to gather and receive 〈◊〉 first into thy heart and cast away and not admit the 〈◊〉 ther sort then thou shalt be meet for to come with 〈◊〉 ceptance on the Altar of the Lord Thou shalt enter iâ— his City the Holy of Holies the highest Heavens 〈◊〉 to his presence and to his own Divine Majesty Be 〈◊〉 to observe this Rule in the worship of God Eschew 〈◊〉 falshood and errour therein and receive and do accord 〈…〉 to the truth according to the very best of thy Knowledge and Understanding and with all thy Heart 〈◊〉 and Will and then thy worship will be accepted with the Lord and in thy worship also thou wilt walk before the Lord in Truth Another Explication of walking before the Lord in Truth is to walk in such a way as is Butted and Bounded in his word which is Truth This seems to be the most proper Acceptation and Understanding thereof for to make Gods written Word and Revelation our Guide and Rule throughout the whole Course of our Life is a walking before the Lord in Truth and it is the true and right way to Heaven as to go through or by such and such places is the way to such a City or the like The Word and Truth of God are near one and the same thing Sanctify them through thy Truth Thy word is Truth John 17. 17. And so the walking according to the Word of God or the having our Conversation according to the Gospel is to walk before God in Truth And so it is reciprocally To walk before the Lord in Truth is to walk according to the VVord of God Every Variation or Deviation from it is a false way Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be Right and I hate every false way It was both a Puzzling and also a sudden Question of Pilate What is Truth To me it seems to be the expressing forth the Nature of things as they are with the Connexion between themselves and how they pertain to us Men. Things again are divided into things present and things to come Now to know the very Nature of both these and how they belong unto and are to be had by us What is Good for us and what is Evil for us so as to choose the Good and Refuse the Evil this is Truth Here again to make a Right Judgment and Choice for our selves so as to pursue the best of Ends viz. Future Blessedness and Glory by Lawful and Right means This a walking before the Lord in Truth And so it may be conceived of in other like Instances As to the Second Particular What it is to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart Paul gives the Character of some Jews that they had a Good mind towards God And here Put and Conceive
I hear and receive from him Well done Good and Faithful Servant enter thou into thy Masters Joy or I know you not depart from me thou worker of Iniquity Go away thou Accursed Creature into Everlasting Punishment Prepared for the Devil and his Angels God hates nothing that he hath made as it is his Creature till afterwards he sees Sin and Evil in them Hereupon a Multitude of thoughts doth arise in the Soul whither my sin be Pardoned and taken away or not And why dost thou not Pardon my Transgression and take away mine Iniquity for now shall I sleep in the dust Job 7. 21. If the Soul had but once assurance that God would do this for her then she could with as little fear and concern commit her Body to sleep in the Dust and then her self could also without Terrour step forth upon the dark Mountains as now we do without fear yea willingly go to Bed to take our ordinary common sleep each Night in a Bed of Damask Violet or Roses or as any one ever lay down with Sweetness and Joy in the Marriage-Bed of his most Dearly Beloved For as a Young Man Marrieth a Virgin so shall thy Sons Mâ—â—y thee And as the Bridegroom Rejoyceth over a Bride 〈◊〉 shall thy God Rejoyce over thee Isa 62. 5. For then it 〈◊〉 upon Death which is the loosening and dissolution of other 〈◊〉 that the Souls of the Righteous are Married and United â—â—to God They are gathered up unto the Father of Spirits and stand in his Presence and near and next unto yea they are one with him as Husband and Wife make one Flesh in whose Presence is fulness of Joy and at whose Right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore But let no Stranger meddle with this joy let not those who are Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel and not in Covenant with God ever think to receive or to come in for to share and partake of these Good and Comfortable things For as before observ'd there is no commending of our Spirits when we come to dye into the Hands of God without having been Redeemed by him from Sin and Guilt from the vain Conversation and Corruption that is in the World from Satan and his Temptations So it is here in Micah 6. 6 7 8. Take them all together there is no Agreement or Peace to be made with the Lord no not with those Great Many and Near Offers and Overtures there mentioned without following that which is good and obeying the Requirings of the Lord in doing justly and loving Mercy and walking Humbly with thy God throughout thy past and foregoing Life There is no other way under Heaven to get the sin of our Soul pardoned or taken away or to make Atonement or Expectation for it but to come into Covenant with God and not to break it again but to observe it according to what is written Nâ—t according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them by the Hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which Covenant they brake although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord. This confirms the Truth of what was before spoken But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel After those Days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know ye the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquity and will remember their Sin no more Jer. 34. 31 32 33 34. From all this considered together for a Covenant must be taken all together as it lies in the whole and not by Peace-meals it appears that the only way for God to forgive our Iniquity and remember our Sin no more is to be in covenant with God to take him for our God Wherein is supposed that he is to be our Ruler and Governour and we his People which implies Subjection and Obedience to have his Law in our inward Parts and written in our Hearts For what end and purpose is that Namely for us to observe keep and do it So that the ready and compendious way there is none besides it to obtain Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified is by Repentance for the past and Obedience for the future There is no other way under Heaven given unto Men whereby they must be saved To this do all the Scriptures both Law and Prophets Christ and Apostles give witness If the God of Truth hath Redeemed us and Delivered us from the Hand of our Enemies it is that we might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life All this Doctrine is pertinent and direct to our Text for it was this which gave Hezekiah that comfort and rejoycing that did spring up even through his Weeping and Tears when the Message of Death was brought unto him that before that he had walked before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and had done that which was good in his Sight For there is no Dying in the Lord without having Lived unto the Lord There is no dying the Death of the Righteous without having lived the Life of the Righteous It may seem a strange thing but only it shews forth the exceeding Delusion and Subtilty of Satan that one may speak many of the Truths of God and yet not be saved by them himself that one may Preach unto others and yet Himself be a Cast-away and Prophesie in Christ's Name and yet at the last Day be rejected and disowned by Christ So Balaam could and did really wish and desire to die the Death of the Righteous And when he afterwards saith Behold I have received Commandment to Blesâ— and he hath Blessed and I cannot reverse it Numb 23. 20. Hereupon his own Reason for the like Reasoning and Truth runs throughout all the things of God might have told and acquainted him that it is impossible to dye the Death of the Righteous without having lived the Life of the Righteous for of necessity such an one must have been Righteous before which doth respect some yea and the most considerable part of his foregoing Life for otherwise such an one could not properly and truly be said to be Righteous inasmuch as the Denomination is taken from the greater Part. And seeing that the Order Decree and Purpose of God stands on this wiâ—e The Righteous hath hope in his Death Prov. 14. 32. Such must have been Righteous before their Death for otherwise the Spirit which always speaks properly and truly would not have called them Righteous None else have Hope in their Death Not all the Ministers and People on the Earth can ever reverse alter or change this
same thou shalt receive Reward or Punishment Gain or Loss at the last Day O that we could once have a lively true and through sense how that we Live and Act all along in the sight of the unseen God whom tho' we do not see yet He seeth us And then we should be as careful to please and approve our selves unto him in all things as ever any Servant was to his Master any Maiden to her Mistress or as any Poor Person is to his Rich and Bountiful Benefactor or as we study to please those whom we most Love and are most beholden unto As God standeth behind the skreen of the visible Creatures and always looketh on the Inhabitants of the Earth So we should abstract from these visible things and outward objects and with the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened and turned inward We should look towards our Maker and as both our selves and all our ways are in his sight He seeth the way that I take even so we should with the Eye of Faith continually see him that iâ— Invisible And this is to walk before God or with God as the Scripture doth express it and recommend the same unto us And Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him Gen. 5. 24. Even so for us severally to walk with God whilst we dwell here on the Face of the Earth that when here we shall be no more as it is evident that here we do not continue by Reason of Death God may take us unto himself into the highest Heaven for evermore It was not without good Reason that when Hezekiah had received the sentence of Death which is a removal from this Earth that He should then in a most proper manner make his appeal unto God oâ— this wise Remember O Lord how I have walked before thâ— in Truth and with a Perfect heart and have done thâ— which is good in thy Sight For He knew this to be thâ— ready way by his having done thus that now He wâ— to be taken away from the City of Jerusalem for Gâ—â— to take him up to himself into the Habitation of 〈◊〉 Holiness The same God who in wisdom made and ordereth 〈◊〉 things sent us so many Days here on Earth on purpoâ—â— to call us to an Account and to Judge us for the samâ— The consideration and inference whereof should be this 〈◊〉 to our selves Namely That we should so live every Day as we will averr and justify and stand by the same at the Bar of God and as we will Answer for it at his Judgment Seat For if we are resolved and purposed on this wise then we should do nothing but what is Lawful and Right For when God enters into Judgment nothing but what is so shall be justified in his sight And whether we are of that foregoing Purpose and Resolution of mind or not yet still we must unavoidably give Account and be Judged for the several deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. We must be Judged as certain as that we must die which again is as certain as that we now live This is the difference between the Godly and Righteous and the Wicked Ungodly or Ignorant People of the World The former part so live as thinking and knowing before hand that they must be judged and therefore they are for preparing and making up their Account before hand They are for doing all things that they may stand in that Day and they do intreat their Judge in the mean while for his Favour Acceptation and Reconciliation and Acquital against the Great Day of Everlasting Decision But the Wicked Ungodly and Ignorant do live at Random and in Forgetfullness or Unmindfullness of the future Judgment They being resolved on their way I have loved strangers and after them I will go They do things at a venture and they run the risque of the future Judgment and so they are in danger to be broken snared and taken to fall and be Condemned in that Day In a word Let People do whatever they will in the mean time yet the Great Day of Judgment will surely come and will not tarry one moment longer beyond the appointed Time This we are now warned of again before hand that when it shall come we may have the less excuse or Plea that of this and of every Day of our Life after Years of Discretion we are not only in danger but we shall be certainly called to an Account As the Wise Man saith Remember the End and thou shalt never do amiss So it may be applied and reasoned a little further keep the Judgment of God always in thine Eye and thou shalt never go much astray And Hezekiah wept sore In the Margent it is with great weeping Here it may be â—urmised and asked What need had Hezekiah to weâ—â— sore or with a Great Weeping seeing that He had led so Good a Life which must needs Administer much Comfort and Rejoycing But a manifold Reason may be assigned thereof as will appear in the Sequel of our Discourse One is from that Natural fear and dread which all Men both Good and Bad have at the Instant Approaches of Death especially those under the Old Testament Dispensation as Hezekiah was under that wherein future Life and Immortality were not so clearly and distinctly revealed and made known as under the Gospel Altho' in the midst of Youth Life Health and Vigour we can think of Death without Weeping Probably a Melancholly sigh or a secret inward and sad thoughâ— may arise at the serious and through apprehension thereof But when indeed it shall stand before us like an Armeâ— Man or Messenger and say to the Soul Come along with me then it is no easy matter to Refrain our Voice from Weeping and our Eyes from Tears for that our works shalâ— be judged and we are going away from the Land when we had if not all yet most things comfortable and convenient for us thoâ— none truly satisfactory unto us Aâ— in the midst of Prosperity we do not know throughâ— what Adversity is and as in the midst of fulness we cannot then so well feel what Pinching Hunger is even sâ— in the midst of Life Tho' we are in Death that is subject unto and drawing towards Death yet then we know not throughly what Death is The Ruffling Royster 〈◊〉 the Jolly Merry Man of the World may cast a Contemptuous Smile or Pish at the Hearing of Death when it 〈◊〉 afar off from him but when it shall approach nigh anâ— touch him when He shall be Death struck and the shadow of Death shall sit upon his Eye-lids then his force Smile or Proud Scorn and Disdain will be turned intâ— Weeping and Real inward Sorrow If People will be ever serious they will be so when they come to lie on the Death-Beds and as Death doth Naturally fix the Coun 〈…〉 nance so it is evidently and sensibly seen to work Peopâ—â— into a great Composedness
hear me Preach the Word Tho' Peradventure thâ— would lift up and exalt and please that Worldly Corrupt Nature which I confess and speak to my shame 〈◊〉 yet too much in me Some do Account themselves 〈◊〉 ry much because perhaps they are beloved of or Popular amongst their Neighbours another for his Honour another for his Courage and Might and becauâ—â— by such an one The Lord hath given Deliverance froâ— the Syrians or for his having wrought Great Aâ—chievâ— ments Another perhaps is lifted up in Soul because 〈◊〉 the Gifts that are given him and the word of wisdom 〈◊〉 committed unto him which is the most Valuable 〈◊〉 all the Priviledges of Mankind but here it is alleviated again with this consideration that where are Great Gifts there must be Great Accounts Another is Delighted and Transported within himself because he hath a Wife and Children to his Mind or because he hath some other Worldly Blessing And so one is lifted up for one thing another for another if we did run throughout the several Particulars among the Children of Men. But all these and such like are but light and small things in Comparison of the great things of Eternity and the exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory As God said unto Solomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long Life neither hast asked Riches for thy self neither hast asked the Life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy self Vnderstanding to discern Judgment Behold I have done according to thy Words Lo I have given thee a Wise and Understanding heart So that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee And I have also given that which thou hast not asked both Riches and Honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy Days And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my Statutes aâ—d my Commandments as thy Father David did walk then I will lengtâ—â—n thy Days 1 Kings 3. 11 12 13 14. And as it is written For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. From all this put together it is my inward and very thought As I behold and observe how Men differ from one another and one Prides himself in this thing another in that whereas none should be Proud for any thing which he hath but be humble and thankful for each distinguishing blessing or mercy received As it is Written But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent Mark that word excellent in whom is all my delight And as there is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory So each Man or Woman doth excell or differ from one another in Glory or real worth according â—s they know and understand and have more of the Mind of God All your excellency is of me saith the Lord and derived from him And as long as we walk and breath a little longer on this Earth The more any one is in favour with God and hath more of his will and secret The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Herein only one Man excelleth another or differeth from and exceedeth such an one in real worth That Courtier who can soonest obtain a favour from his King or Prince he is the best Courtier So amongst the vast Number of we Fellow Creatures on Earth altho' there is no difference between the Flesh of a Saint or of a Sinner for our flesh is as their flesh and our Children as their Children and we are all near the same both Godly and Ungodly as to the same outward Frame and Composure But that is the best Man or Woman who hath most interest now in the Court of Heaven who even whilst here on Earth is soonest heard by the Great King for this is an Earnest and Assurance before-hand that he shall one day stand in his Presence Who is an Israelite indeed a true Son of Jacob Hath Power with God Yea he had Power over the Angel and Prevailed Hosea 13. 3 4. As a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast Prevailed Gen. 32. 28. Who like another Lot hath that Interest and Prevalency with God that himself saith I cannot do any thing till thou come thither Gen. 19. 22 Altho' it were to be in the Destruction and Punishment of the wicked yet God could not do it till he came out from amongst them And so he speaks on that wise to his Servant Moses Let me alone that is Do not Pray or Interceed for them that I may consume this People in a moment Or like another Elias who was a Man subject to like Passions as we are And he Prayed earnestly that it mighâ— not Rain and it Rained not on the Earth by the space of Three Years and Six Months And He prayed again and the Heaven gave Rain and the Earth brought forth her Fruit James 5. 17 19. Who is here brought in as aâ— Example that the effectual â—ervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much Who when God heareth not sinners but if any be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth hath this Testimony that he is a VVorshipper of God and doth his VVill because that God heareth his Prayer If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the Voice of my Prayer Psal 66. 18 19. By which it follows of Consequence that the Psalmist did not regard Iniquity in his heart For God to be nigh unto us in all things that we call upon him for and to hear our Prayer is the greatest of all Wordly Blessings and Mercies put together either long Life Riches or what we would have in this World for if God hears our Prayer then we shall have what we would have in the next world which is much better and more enduring Go and say to Hezekiah thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father This and the foregoing Verses are a kind of Dialogue between the Great God and his Creature Hezekiah which Dialogue or Conference God manages by his Prophet Isaiah That God should hearken unto the Voice of a Man Joshua 10. 4. Seems wonderful if we have but those just and raised thoughts of the God-head in Comparison of whom in Greatness or Bigness the vast Fabrick of the whole World is but as a Dust of the Ballance and the true Knowledge of our selves But yet the Lord who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth is pleased to keep a care over and a Communication with his Creatures The whole Scripture is but a Declaration in order of what hath passed and been
ye shall Mourn and Weep But it is Pitiful and Miserable thing to be despised and not 〈◊〉 regarded by God which is to be a foreâ—orn wretch a 〈…〉 cast off by our Maker To be cast out of thy sight Jo 〈…〉 7. 4. As Jonah complained and feared he should 〈◊〉 when he was in the Whales Belly which yet he was 〈◊〉 there altho' many others are out of Gods sight in tâ—â— sence even when they breath move and live on 〈◊〉 Earth But he quite gives them over as a Father doth 〈◊〉 Continued Provoking and Disobedient Child But if any of us should be disowned by and separated from God our Creatour and Preserver as he will do so by a great many at the last Day Depart from me I never knew ye ye Workers of Iniquity Alas What Despicable and Vile Beings should we be Who thereupon must 〈◊〉 necessarily fall down and sink into Misery as the Body when the Soul is out of it sinks and turns into Corruption and Dissolution Even so the Soul or whole Man without God will be nothing else but Restless â—nd Tormented As the Danger and Misery is very great yea unexpressible to be without God so is the Benefit and Happiness as great on the other side yea to be greatly desirâ—d and sought after to have God Propitious Favourâ—ble and nigh unto us in all Things that we call upon â—im for If we once have God for our Friend then we have him who possesseth all Things and what can that â—oul want As was aforesaid If God hears our Prayâ—â— here on Earth this is an earnest and assurance before â—and that we shall one day stand in his presence in the Highest Heavens so it is here again If the Lord sees â—ur Tears and hears the Voice of our Weeping in these Days of our Flesh when it is upon the very same account as Hezekiahs and the Psalmists was for the bleâ—â—ing and advantage belongs not unto Wordly sorrow which Worketh Death but Godly sorrow which Worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be Repented of so the â—orrow towards God Worketh and Effecteth it so for 〈◊〉 that we shall come into be Partakers of the Consoâ—â—tion even the Consolation of Israel I say this also 〈◊〉 an earnest and assurance before-hand that when these â—ays of our flesh are Ended The Days of our Mournâ—â—g shall be Ended Isa 60. 20. And we shall come to â—â—at place where it shall be said Behold the Tabernaâ—â—e of God is with Men and he will dwell with them â—nd they shall be his People and God himself shall be their â—od And God shall wipe away all Tears from their â—yes and there shall be no more Death Mark here â—gain how fitly this is put in the first place for all Tears and the things next named are by Reason of Death neither Sorrow nor Crying neither shall there be any 〈◊〉 Pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21. 3 〈◊〉 As one Scripture saith Wo unto us for the day giveth away for the shadows of the Evening are stretâ—â—ed out Jer. 6. 4. And hereupon Anguish ariseth in 〈◊〉 heart and our Eyes are ready to burst forth into 〈◊〉 because we must severally yea we shall shortly Tastâ— Death Do ye know what kind of Taste it is It is 〈◊〉 terness for so we conceive it and Agag truly Phrasâ— it And we have every one of us yea the non he 〈…〉 ers of the Word also for God hath shewed and m 〈…〉 known as much unto them received the Message 〈◊〉 Word of Command from the Lord of Life who 〈◊〉 put and now holds our Souls in Life and can call 〈◊〉 them out again whensoever he will Set your Houâ—â— your Souls the Inhabitants of your Earthly House 〈◊〉 order for ye shall die If it was this Night that 〈◊〉 Souls should be required of us we should Fear yea 〈◊〉 we should be apt to weep sore also Here againâ— would revive us if God did see our Tears and say◠〈◊〉 each of us Behold I will add unto thy days Fift 〈…〉 Years Some in this assembly may Probably live Fift 〈…〉 Years longer same Thirty Forty Fifty together 〈◊〉 the odd Years Mouths and Days according as to 〈◊〉 his Time is appointed and his days upon Earth are 〈◊〉 that of an Hireling And so if I should Dogm 〈…〉 cally affirm and Preach set your Souls in order for 〈…〉 shall die that is very suddenly and quickly e 〈…〉 this Evening to Morrow or this week at furthestâ— have no warrant â—o to say Several of ye may hear 〈◊〉 perceive the Decree and Sentence of God otherwiâ—â— Behold I will add unto thy Temporal Life so maâ—â— Years Months Weeks and Days more as it is knoâ— in the Purpose and Mind of God concerning each 〈◊〉 us though it is Uncertain and Unknown to every 〈◊〉 of us therefore ye would not give much heed 〈◊〉 nor believe such a Doctrine of Mine that should 〈◊〉 quaint ye that ye should die within a week or sucâ— little Time But if I should teach and affirm const 〈…〉 ly as I do this day Set your Houses in order For ye shall most certainly die one time or another this ye must Necessarily assent unto And also this ye cannot do otherwise than assent unto that the few and Evil Days remaining of your Pilgrimage will run out and Elapse as the former days of your Life are gone Vanished and passed by already As suppose a Man should live to Fourscore and Ten Years of Age to which length of Days not more than one of Ten Thoussand do arrive if he hath lived Threescore Years already the Thirty Years which are yet to come will pass and at length be quite expired out and finished as the Threescore Years already have been An End will come as it is Emphatically noted and doubled for our the more taking notice thereof by the Prophet An End is come the End is come it watcheth for thee Behold it is come The Morning is come upon thee O thou that dwellest in the Land The time is come the day of trouble is near and not the sounding again of the Mountains Ezek. â—â— 6 7. The Time of last Sickness or Death hath already come upon many Millions of past Generations and upon a very great many of the present The same also watcheth for thee who art as yet Breathing on this Earth and it will very quickly be returned and said as â—o thy case and feeling Behold it is come The Mornâ—ng of Futurity and Immortality is come upon thee O thou that dwellest in the Earth the Time is come and if thou hast sinned and done Evil the day of Trouble is near even that Indignation and wrath Tribulation and Anguish which shall be upon every Soul that doth Evil for the day of Death unto such is not the End but the beginning of Sorrows And not the sounding again of the Mountains There is no more Resorting to the Pleasures and comforts of Life
133. 3. The words foregoing are to be taken notice of As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion Even so this Life for evermore is to descend upon the Reasonable Inhabitants of this Earth after they are descended into the Bars 〈◊〉 the Pit Which it is as easy for God to give unto thâ—se his Creatures as to command his Dew to descend down from above It is as easy a matter with Almighty God to Link and Annex on Life for evermore as soon as this Life which is as a Vapour and continueth not is ended as to add Fifteen Years or any Days Weeks Months or Years to this Temporal Life or as it was to hold our Souls in Life those Days which are past already or as it is to give any Life at first All things are equally possible to an Almighty Power and what he hath said shall be fulfilled And therefore it fitly and properly comes in the middle of that aforequoted Place out of Titus In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Titus 1. 2. For indeed it is promised throughout all the Old Testament tho' it be most commonly shaded there in Dark Speeches and General Expressions as I am the God of Abraham c. I am thy God I commanded them Statutes which if a Man do He shall even live in them This of necessity must be understood of future and Eternal Life for Transgressors also did live this Present and Temporal Life The Lord the hope of thy Fathers And therefore they must remain and be raised up again in being tho' dead and gone or otherwise God could not be properly and truly stiled their Hope And so this adding of Fifteen Years unto the Days of Hezekiah was an earnest and pledge before-hand and also a making known and shewing unto him in a mystery that God would add and annex unto him Life for evermore when those Fifteen Years of Reprieve should be gone out In a Word the difference between the Preaching manifestation and making known of Eternal Life under the Old Testament And that to us now made under the Gospel was as the first breaking of the Day or Twilight is now as to the Shining more and more unto perfect Day or as an Hour and an half before Sun rising is to its shining in its fullest and clearest Brightness For those of old time had but just a Guess and Glimeering thereof Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life John 5. 39. But we know and are assured that in them we have Eternal Life Now Jesus Christ hath Abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light which before was in the Twilight only through the Gospel And this is the promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. O Eternity Eternity Eternity How dost thou fill and swallow up our Thoughts with Terrour and Amazement To Launch forth into thee which we unavoidably must seems at first sight as dreadful as for us little Creatures to throw our selves into the great and wide Sea where we are as it were lost and are as nothing in Comparison of it Or as it seems dreadful to stand alone upon an exceeding high Pinacle having no more room than only just to se t our foot upon with nothing to hold by but encompassed about only with the thin Vast and Spacious Air. Unless we have hope the Anchor of the Soul which must have some Ground or Object to fix on Now the Object of Hope is the Promises and Particularly and in a most eminent manner that great Promise which he hath Promised even Eternal Life Otherwise we shall be of all Men yea of all Creatures most miserable For as the Tree Falls so it lies As Death leaves us so Judgment find us As the Soul goes out of the Body whether sanctified and renewed or unsanctified and unrenewed so it remains and so it must appear in Gods sight when she shall come before him and is to receive accordingly There is no Redressing or Altering her Condition in Eternity Fifteen Years yea Fifteen Thousand Years yea Fifteen Millions of Years yea Fifteen Millions of Millions of Years for 〈◊〉 many will God add unto the Life of every one of us as soon as ever this fluid Breath is gone forth out of our Nostrils And so to go on in Numbers after that manner 〈◊〉 as long a scrowl of Figures as long as the Earth is 〈◊〉 Circumference which is about 21000 Miles or as would Reach up from hence to the highest Heavens which is 〈◊〉 thousand times longer which would amount to such 〈◊〉 Number as no Man can Number And yet all this would bâ— no more in Comparison to Eternity than the twinkling 〈◊〉 an Eye is to our whole Life here Conceive in your Thoughâ— all the Sand that is on the Seashore or on the Earth all the Piles of Grass that did ever Grow or are now Growing 〈◊〉 the Grains of Corn all the leaves of Trees all the droâ—â— of Rain that ever fell or the drops of water that are in th 〈…〉 Sea and Rivers all the Stars that are in the Firmamen 〈…〉 In a Word all the Creatures Men Beasts Birds Fishe 〈…〉 Flies and Insects which were ever or now are Take 〈◊〉 reckon all this together which will amount to a Prod 〈…〉 ous I had almost said Infinite Number but that would be improper speaking for the greatest Number is not 〈◊〉 And all this again is no more to the Years of Eternity 〈◊〉 Proportionable to the duration thereof than a Minute 〈◊〉 second now is unto a Year I cannot go further in the description of Eternity whiâ—â— like the High and Lofty one the Inhabiter thereof hatâ— no Bounds nor measure Two Practical uses and inferences from what hath beâ—â— now said I would recommend and leave for 〈◊〉 Readers own Private particular and several Meditationâ— 1. Think always I mean before ye are entred into it 〈◊〉 think much upon Eternity 2. Pray without ceasing and be ye always in a Prayinâ— Posture of mind Having your heart continually lifted uâ— towards the Invisible God and Requesting those Mean and Preparatory things of him For himself having spoken to us his Creatures Do this and live there the heart is always to be Answering and Saying Lord evermore give us this Bread even that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World Lord Give us Grace Strength and Power to do all those several things which thou requirest of us that we may also do these things and live After two Days will He revive us in the third Day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6. 2. That he would hear our Prayer and see our Tears even that he may add to our Days Fifteen Years or how few soever the remaining Evil Days of our Pilgrimage are or shall be according as it is in