Kingdom of God John 3.3 and Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And become as little children that is we must be kind and loving one to another and tender hearted and we should be humble and lowly in heart have mean and low thoughts of our selves and forget injuries and pass by wrong done to us by others we should forgive our enemies as we hope for forgiveness from God Now we should examine our own hearts Psal 4.4 Commune with your own heart upon your bed 1 Cor. 11.28 Whether ever there hath been a real change wrought upon your souls or no If the bent of your souls be after sin and the pleasing of your flesh more than for the pleasing of God If your hearts be set upon carnal things to gratifie self and to fulfil the lust of your flesh and to love this world more than to love God then your case is very sad but if your great care be to please God and to eschew evil to avoid sin and to save your souls then you are the people of God Do you study so to walk as to approve your hearts to God is your great comfort in God is he your portion and treasure and if your greatest comfort be in the enjoyment of God then you are his peculiar people It is not the forsaking of some sins that doth make the change in the heart There are many that do forsake some sins such as may disgrace them before men but they love all sin in their hearts why they are as wicked as any neither is the forsaking of sin in time of affliction onely the changing of the heart but the hating of all sin the least sin the most secret sin the striving against it and the forsaking of it is a sign that there is a change wrought in the Soul We should consider the great love of the Great Almighty God towards us poor miserable sinners that when we were in a lost condition and could no way help our selves then he sent his beloved Son into the world to deliver us from our sins and to give unto us eternal life John 3.16 and we should consider the great love of the Lord Jesus Christ towards us He came down from Heaven from the Glory of his Father and took upon him the nature of man he satisfied Gods Justice in his suffering for our sins he suffered a most shameful painful and cursed death even the death of the cross for sinners all that should believe in his name O now that people would but lay hold on the Lord Jesus Christ for life and for salvation He is the onely way the truth and the life Joh. 14.6 They that have an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ shall have eternal life And then as for all such if they are sure of nothing here in this world yet they are richer than if they had all this world to their command without him What shall it profit any man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 16.26 O it is the great desire of my Soul that people would but turn from their sins and give up themselves unto the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him by faith into their Souls there was never one Soul that came unto him and stedfastly believed on him that ever he cast away but they have all eternal life it doth grieve his heart when sinners will not come unto him that they may have life John 5.40 We may see how he was greived because of the people of Jerusalem that they had out-lived the day of their visitation Luk. 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes We should take care that our hearts be not hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin Heb. 3.13 We should pray to God that he would keep us from a seared conscience and from a hardened heart and that he would make us truly sensible of our sins that we may be humbled and that our hearts may be broken for sin that we may have a godly sorrow upon our hearts such as worketh repentance unto salvation never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 It doth greatly concern us to know whether we are of the number of those that shall be saved We know not how soon we shall dye and depart out of this world and if we dye without an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ it will be miserable with us to all eternity we have all of us precious and immortal souls within our bodies which must be either saved or damned must go either to Heaven and be glorified with God to all eternity or go to Hell and be tormented with Devils to all eternity There is none can express the delight and comfort that the Saints in Heaven do enjoy they shall have everlasting rest and peace Isa 57.2 and continual joy in the Lord Mat. 25.21 They shall have a kingdom Luk. 12.32 and a Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Jam. 1.12 None here can tell their blessed state as it is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neitherr have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 They shall be glorified with God and Christ to all eternity And then on the other way there is none of us that doth know nor can conceive what it is to be damned O what a dreadful thing damnation is it is to be banished for ever from the presence of the glorious God and to be tormented with Devils to all eternity 2 Thes 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power It is eternal banishment and separation from God Christ Angels Saints Heaven This is the punishment of loss and the worst of Hell Mat. 25.41 Then shall he say unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels O terrible terrible to be doom'd and sentenc'd to lie under the wrath and hatred of the insinitely great and dreadful God for ever and ever so long as God shall live whose being is to eternity so long as there is a Devil to torment or to be tormented shall their plagues last O that people would consider now while they are here in this world and prepare for death To one of these two places their souls must for ever be O that the thoughts of Heaven and the Torments of Hell would cause people to consider and prepare that they might come safe to this Heaven and escape this Hell Oh it doth greatly grieve me when I do seriously think of it of the great number of those which shall be damned and
you to awake out of your sleep unless you mean to sleep the sleep of eternal death These golden sands running will quickly be gone a short race will soon be run O what a nothing is our life as one may say a span a dream a wind a shadow a vapour a post swifter than a post Job 7.6 You are all going to your long and last home to the house of eternity Every man goeth to his long home Eccles 12.5 How doth he go He goeth swiftly always in motion night and day sleeping and waking labouring or loitering this post hastens time and tide stays not Man doth not discern or perceive how his precious time doth fly from him And we know not how soon all our precious time will be gone from us we know not how soon our souls shall be separated from our bodies We know not how soon we shall pass into eternity And Oh that people would consider which of the two eternities they are going towards Oh that they would deeply and seriously consider that there is one place for the sheep and another for the goats one place for the righteous and another for the ungodly one place for believers and another for unbelievers An eternal night or eternal day eternal pains or eternal pleasure eternal happiness or eternal misery eternal life or eternal death eternal Heaven or eternal Hell Oh that my dear Brethren and Sisters would truly and sincerely seek after the welfare of their precious and immortal Souls now while it is time My dear Brethren and Sisters I have many times had great fears and cares about your precious Souls as you are nearest related to me so you are nearest to my heart I could desire that all men would turn from their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and close with him that so they may have life and salvation by him but my greatest desire is for you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you might be saved My dear Brothers and Sisters great is the misery of an unregenerate estate without regeneration repentance conversion and holiness none can be saved and see God as in John 3.3 5. and Luk. 13.3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And Heb. 12.14 Without holiness there is none shall see the Lord and a carnale state is an estate of death Rom. 8.6 And if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ver 13. And the Apostle saith love not the world neither the things that are in the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2.15 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whoseever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Jam. 4.4 Now if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 15.17 and as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 Oh that you would consider and meditate upon these and such like Texts of Scripture and try your selves thereby how it is with you Mr. Joseph Alleins book of conversion might prove a great help with the Lords assistance and blessing and there are many other good books that might prove a help to you herein which the Lord direct you unto and that you may read and consider and lay it to heart and that you would search narrowly into your own hearts and the Lord of Heaven grant that his heavenly and spiritual blessing may rest upon you all I have many times desired the Lord for you that he would cause you to see the great evil of sin and to close savingly with Christ and receive him upon his own terms and that you may be regenerated and born again that you may be truly converted unto God that you may receive forgiveness of sins and that your souls may be truly sanctified that you may all be redeemed by the Blood of Christ and may be justified by faith in him and that the Lord would sanctifie his dealings towards you that it may be for his glory and your good and that you may live to the praise and glory of God and be comforted in him to all eternity Oh now that you would give up your selves to God resign up your selves in Covenant to him through Jesus Christ for ever to be his to walk in his wayes to be guided by his laws to be ruled and directed by him at all times that you might never depart from him Oh that you would truly prepare for death and eternity Make a true preparation for death and then you will be in a well set way to live for till people are prepared for death they are not well fit to live Oh now you should give up your selves to God by prayer pray heartily to God that he would come in with converting and sanctifying Grace into your souls Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4.8 The Lord is very near to them that call upon him intruth and will never leave nor forsake such as put their trust in him He that neglects prayer is an unsanctified sinner they that neglect prayer cannot expect the blessing of God on either soul or body All they that are the adopted children of God they have the spirit of prayer in them whosoever is born of God can in some measure express himself to God and cry unto him for pardon of sin for grace for peace of conscience with earnestness and confidence in God Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Now this spirit of bondage and fear it is the Spirit of God there is a spirit of bondage once in all they that are the true people of God working fear in them and afterwards it doth become a spirit of adoption unto them First the Spirit of God doth convince people of their sins it shews them the evil of sin and so brings them in fear and bondage about their sins and afterwards the Spirit of God doth comfort their Souls people must be convinced before they be converted they must be sensible of their sins and pricked to the heart before they will ask what they must do to be saved Act. 2.37 And then afterwards the Spirit of God doth come in with comfort to their souls then the Spirit of God causeth them to cry Abba Father that is to make their request to God as to a Father Prayer is a duty that doth lie upon all people and God doth accept weak prayers from his children if they be sincere There are many Hypocrites that can make better prayers that can express themselves in prayer better than many of Gods chosen ones but God doth reject them because they are not sincere Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the
right hand there are pleasures for evermore Under this are comprehended those great and glorious things that make up and compleat the positive happiness of the Saints 1. As to their Souls 2. As to their Bodies 3. As to their Company 1. As to their Souls Their understanding being inlarged and widened shall have a right knowledg of all things a clear sight and vision of God Now we know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.12 but then shall we know even as also we are known The will shall be perfected with an absolute indefective holiness with an exact conformity to the Will of God and perfect Freedom from all servitude of Sin The affections shall be set right by an unalterable regularity there shall be a constant cleaving to God a constant loving him without satiety or weariness The Soul shall enjoy a full imediate uninterrupted Communion with God and fruition of him While we are here we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Here our comforts are in and through Ordinances but there God will be all in all immediately 2 Cor. 15.28 2. As to their Bodies There shall be glory upon them they shall be made like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 What that is was in some glimpse of it seen in Christs transfiguration Matt. 17.2 His face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light that was a little glimpse and specimen of the future visible glory of Christ and the Saints shall be like him they shall shine forth as the Sun Matt. 13.43 Their Bodies shall be indued with new and glorious qualities as incorruption immortality strength and power activity nimbleness Their Bodies shall be spiritual not that the Body shall be turned into a Spirit but the Body shall then live as Spirits and Angels do without Meat Drink Sleep and such like bodily Supports and shall be perfectly conformable and obedient and subservient to the Operations of the Spirit the ready Instrument of the Soul 3. As to their Company They shall be blessed oh the blessed Company that is in the new Jerusalem God Christ Angels Saints And that which Crowns all the Saints shall have the perpetual injoyment of all this blessedness secured to them without any fear of losing it or being deprived of it The Saints shall never put of their glorious Robes after they have once put them on their State is a sure eternal State of actual delights Upon these accounts the people of God do long and pant after the immediate fruition and presence of God in Heaven Vse Let us consider our selves by this property Have we desires after God thus Truly it is to be feared that abundance that do live under the preaching of the Word from whence are held forth such glorious things to be conveyed by God in the immediate fruition of him do not believe or at least do not desire the same but they are well contented with their Portion here on Earth like that Cardinal of Burbon who professed that he would not give his part in Paris for his part in paradise There are they that are of this mind they would think themselves well a paid if there were no other Heaven nor no change of their estates that they have here in this world But I beseech you see to it that you be of another temper and disposition that ye are panting after God in Heaven To this purpose practice these counsels 1. Endeavour after a settled and well-grounded assurance that you have an interest in Gods special love and favour and that you are of the number of those that shall one day be admitted into the immediate presence of God that you may be able to say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Labour after this pray much for this It is our Saviours own direction Joh. 16.24 Ask that your joy may be full O sweet consideration that it is the Mind and Will of Christ that we should seek for full joy and peace in believing And take this for an evidence that you shall be admitted to the immediate presence of God if you seek and and enjoy Communion with God in his Ordinances if you do behold him in the beauties of holiness through these glasses I say this is a pledg a beginning and so an evidence of that full Communion you shall have with him in Heaven and of your seeing him there face to face Are your Sabbath-days days of Communion with God that is a sweet evidence that you shall keep an everlasting Sabbath with him in glory but if strangers to God and profane-hearted on Sabbaths you cannot be for Heaven 2. Be in an actual preparation of your selves for it Spouses and Brides that wish and look for their beloved prepare for their coming to them and prepare for their going to them so do you prepare your selves for the enjoyment of God in Heaven To this purpose observe these Rules 1. Labour after the mortifying and subduing of sin especially your most beloved sin Your own iniquity as David calls it Psal 18.23 While that prevails that darkens the sincerity and efficacy of grace in the Soul breaks the peace thereof grieves the holy Spirit therefore remember what the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope of seeing God purifieth himself as he is pure Hence when the Apostle would raise up people to an heavenly frame he calls on them to mortifie their special corruption Col. 3.1 5. We find these joyned together denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 14. 2. Be loosned from the World for while staked down and fixed here you are unfit and unready to remove to Heaven It is he that is a stranger and pilgrim on the Earth and that dwells in Tents here ready on a short warning to pluck up stakes and be gone that is a faithful seeker of that better country and a traveller toward it Heb. 11.9 10 13 14. You cannot have two homes nor two rests nor two portions if you take up your home and rest in the World you are not prepared nor principled for Heaven nor fit to go thither Be loosning and drawing off your hearts every day from the World expect not either a perpetual nor yet a long abode here Be sensible of the vanity and emptiness of things here be often thinking of and expecting and waiting for your removal from hence into another World 3. Be finishing of your work and to that end continually doing your present work with all your might do what God hath appointed and called you to is there any work that lies upon your hand that conscience tells you should be done without delay as to get your selves setled in the assurance of Gods love
A Present for YOVTH AND Example for the AGED OR THE REMAINS OF DAMARIS PEARSE Containing her Speech after she kept her bed And a Copy of a Written Paper of her own Composing which she left as her last Lagacy to her Brothers and Sisters and was the last thing that ever she wrote And also several pious Expressions occasionally uttered in her last Sickness worth minding Together with her Funeral-Sermon preached by a Reverend Minister of the Gospel Howbeit certain men believed and a Woman named Damaris Acts 17.34 And by it being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 lat London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side near Mercers Chappel 1683. To the Book GO little Book abroad and tell mankind What graces lodged in a Virgins mind Declare the glorious wisdom power and love Which did her infant-years to Vertue move And fit for Heaven when her childish days Rather invited her to harmless plays Urge youth to make her their Exemplar till By Graces steps they mount to Glories hill Shame lazy Christians who are grown in years Yet not like-working in their hearts appears Heaven's bless thy errand and make sharp thy Words To pierce the Sinners heart like Spears or Swords If they reject thee in a scornful heat Tell them thou 'lt meet them at Gods Judgment-Seat D. C. To the Reader IT is said in Holy Writ That of making many Books there is no end which was never more verified than in this our scribling age This following Collection which is now exposed to publick view was not at first so intended but collected and composed for private use which after a while coming to the view and passing thorow so many private hands not only of Relations and Acquaintance but also of some that were strangers who all of them as if by one consent earnestly desired it might be Printed and some were restless therein and one threatned that if I to whom it did most properly pertain to set it forth did refuse and would not do it it should be done without me by a strange hand which indeed was the great prevailing argument that did extort it forth for tho it discover weakness enough as now it is yet if it had been done by a stranger in likelihood it might have contained somewhat that is worse than weakness Now you may be assured you have the very truth and by what is herein contained you have a tast of the frame and temper of Spirit and likewise of the endowments and qualifications of * A young woman of so plain education of whom the following Collection gives you her Character but only in a tast This considered it was the soonet yeilded unto to set it forth for had it been of some learned Minister or yet of some aged and experienced Christian man it had never seen the light tho the like Piety Grace and Zeal for God and to do good to others is not always manifested in such a young Woman who was several years very much afflicted with great distempers in her body and lay in a torturing pain several weeks before she departed some very grievous spiritual conflicts she had and in great Agonies yet after a while a comfortable deliverance and a most eminent conquest and tho she had but little cessation of her bodily pain yet she had most sweet inward refreshings in her Soul and Spirit and at last went triumphantly to Heaven and by strength and the stedfastness of her faith did as it were trample upon the very neck of Satan himself I am sensible what is here written will not suit the palates of this Ages learned Rabbies it being not calculated to please the humours of worldly wise men Neither will it find esteem among the vulgar sort of loose Christians But however some have seriously professed they have received great benefit by it already and who can tell but it may benefit others The Scripture saith that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord hath ordained strength and God it is said hath chosen foolish and weak things to confound the wise and things that are mighty and hath chosen things that are base and despised to bring to nought things that are highly esteemed Tho the person that gave the occasion hereof was one of the weaker Sex and but young and of very plain and ordinary education only taught fine needle-work wherein she was ingenious and little experienced in the World and the affairs thereof yet she was so very a Christian so earnest in taking hold of time and opportunity helps and means and made so great proficiency in knowledg and grace after she devoted her self to God and was so careful to prepare for Death and Eternity and so restlestly longing to have others do the like that in fine she became so much experienced in the things of God whereof you have so ample testimony hereafter given that I question not but her works will praise her in the gates and may administer occasion unto others to bless and praise God for her and these her Remains She is gone beyond the reach of envy and beyond our praises She hath left a sweet savour behind her and the Scripture saith The memory of the just is blessed That the Lord would bless this unto all those into whose hands it shall come and make it succesful in doing some spiritual good to others is and shall be the prayer of him who greatly rejoyceth to be serviceable to Souls On Mrs. Damaris Pearse An Anagram Passe Rare Maid PAsse on Rare Maid unto thine home above The World is no meet object for thy love Vntoucht pass through its crowd of Tempters be Deaf to their charming importunity Thine Husband 's Christ Espouse besides him none Lose not thy Nuptials nor thy glorious Crown When thou hast won the point and got secure Let 's know what thou enjoy'st and didst endure That with those comforts wherewith thou wert fed Surviving friends may here be comforted D. C. A Present for Youth and Example for the Aged NOT to detain the Reader with a tedious Preamble in brief thus The Whole of what follows was occasioned by the Piety and Zeal of a young Woman who may therein be an encouragement for imitation to others of her Sex and indeed besides the extolling of Gods Free Grace and Goodness towards her that is the only design here aimed at Her Name was Damaris Pearse she was born at Dunsford in the County of Devon the 8th of October in the year 1659. She lived the most of her time in Ermington and there departed this life the 6th of December in the year 1679. So that the whole of her temporal life was but twenty years and a few weeks she was sick near 4 years and so weak for more than twenty weeks before she kept her bed that she was not able to walk about the Chamber alone without the help of another and after all this she kept her bed being in torturing
in them a gracious soul carries alway a Temple with him but this did not satisfie and content this holy man no he must enjoy the ordinances of God in the meetings of his people The Reason why it was thus with David and so with all the people of God is because ordinance are the institutions of God and in and through these doth God impart himself to his people and therefore they desire here to meet God God hath appointed them as necessary helps in the way to Heaven and they are not able to want them till they come to Heaven As God fed the Israelites with Manna all the time they were in the Wilderness till he brought them to Canaan but when they came thither it ceased so it is with Gods people in regard of ordinances they are such helps as God affords to them so long as they are in the world and they may not expect to subsist without them till they come to Heaven The exigences of Gods people are such as do indeed call for them they have many temptations to resist many corruptions to subdue and many graces to strengthen and much work to perform and can they do any of these without helps Without doubt they cannot They that think to live without ordinances the life of grace they may as well think to live without meat and drink the life of nature and they shall do the one as well as the other True it is that God in the necessary want or restraint of publick ordinances is able to make it up another way if he pleases God promised his people Ezek. 11.16 That tho they were cast far off among the heathen and scattered among the countries yet he would be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come God can make a Wilderness a Prison a sick chamber or bed to be a sanctuary if he please by bringing to our remembrance those truths which formerly we have heard and by his own more immediate application of himself to us As God can sustain our natural life if he please in the want of food as he did Moses so he can if he please sustain our spiritual in the want of ordinances God can suggest good thoughts stir up gracious and holy desires shed abroad his love in our hearts and become all in all unto us as in Heaven but ordinances are the ordinary helps and the powerful helps according to that in Psal 63.2 That I may see thy power and thy glory as I have seen in the Sanctuary There is a power in ordinances as to instance 1. In the preaching of the Word 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The preaching of the word is powerful to convince 1 Cor. 14.24 To convert Rom. 10.14 To comfort Isa 66.11 Here God stays his people with flagons and comforts them with apples Cant. 2.5 It is powerful also for the flourishing and the growth of Gods people in grace Psal 92.13 2. In the Ordinance of the Lords Supper there is strength and efficacy to comfort to revive to seal up assurance as this servant of God now departed had experience of to the wonderful comfort of her spirit 3. In the ordinance of prayer there is power from God and a power with God a power from him whereby he does enable us to perform it and a power with him whereby we do prevail with him as it is said of Jacob Gen. 32.28 compared with Hos 12.3 4. That he had power with God and prevailed the same hath every true Israelite he hath a special power whereby he gains upon God in his approaches to him Oh but what power is prayer when there are bands of prayer vollies of prayer single prayers are as a single hair of Sampsons head there is a power in it but conjunct prayers are as his whole bush of hair When Gods people meet together when they twist their prayers and with one consent stir up themselves to take hold of God and hang upon him wonderful then are Gods condescentions to his people All this may shew why Gods people do so desire after God in ordinances To make a little improvement of this before I pass to the next particular Vse 1. Do Gods people desire after Ordinances and God in ordinances this then meets with the practise of many people who are far from such desires as these As instance 1. Such as do not lay it to heart nor are grieved when God threatens the removal of ordinances such hath been our barrenness under ordinances our lukewarmness that God may justly remove our candlestick but how few are affected with this There have been some that could for the want of their Idolatries grieve as Micah taking on for the loss of his God and Priest Judg. 18.23 24. Women weeping for Tammuz Ezek. 8.14 There are that that have grieved for the want of their merry-meeting it is said in Isa 24.11 There is crying for wine in the streets all joy is darkned the mirth of the land is darkned mirth is gone with the liquor There are that mourn for the want of trading 'T is said of Babylon Rev. 18.11 The Merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man hayeth her Merchandize any more I might instance in other things and what no mourning for the loss of the Ordinances of God Can people be grieved for the want of those things that gratifie only their corrupt flesh and not be troubled at the removal of Ordinances which are of so great importance and of so high concernment as to the everlasting welfare of their precious Souls 2. There are others that though God be so indulgent as to afford Ordinances and Liberty for the enjoyment of them yet do not value it they have no affections for these things There have been some that have said that they are above Ordinances and so what need they care whether they have them or no But there are too too many that are below them and have no heart fitted to them and therefore are not sensible at all of the advantage of them they would not be at a Sermon or a Sacrament from one end of the year to the other were it not example custom and the common practice put them upon it for their parts they could be contented to be without these Ordinances all their lives these are far from the temper of David and all the people of God There are others that withdraw from the Ordinances of God forsake the Assemblies of Gods people they think they can get as much good at home as they can to hear a faithful Minister or when they joyn in the meetings of Gods people such as these never found the sweetness and benefit of Ordinances they are such as would be
wiser than God who hath appointed such helps as these and so by taking a preposterous course do bring mischief upon their own Souls God blasts and curses those single performances which take from his more publick Ordinances This is like the Manna which the Israelits gathered unseasonably it putrified and stank and worms bred in it so are those duties which are performed singly and solitarily and unseasonably when the Meetings and Assemblies of Gods people are neglected There are others who are soon wearied and cloyed with Ordinances they have soon enough of such things as these instead of saying here with David When shall we come and appear before God they say When shall we be gone and depart from him like those in Mal. 1.13 Ye have said what a weariness is it and Amos 8.5 When will the new moon and the sabbath be gone There are some who are never more uneasie than when they are at Ordinances Oh how many carnal persons and formalists are there who have only an outside of Religion and scarce so much who look upon the Worship of God as a matter of course and fashion and so accordingly come to it Vse 2. Let it be a word of Exhortation long after delight in and bless God for Ordinances It is the greatest happiness that we are capable of here in this life that whiles we cannot see God face to face as we shall one day in Heaven yet we may now see him in the glass of his Ordinances in his Word in his Sacraments and by prayer converse with him That which carnal men and worldly spirits count a burden and tediousness to them let us look upon as a very high priviledg and reckon it as our greatest advantage and rejoyce in it and to quicken and inlarge our desires Muse upon the excellency of Ordinances for excellency apprehended is that which will move desires discern that these things are good and good and necessary for us by partaking of these we shall get our corruptions mortified our graces strengthned our spiritual decays supplied more ability gained to serve God in our whole conversation and more evidence and assurance of Gods love in Jesus Christ obtained And remember when you come to Ordinances resolve to put hard for it to enjoy such sensible Communion with God in them that you may come off in a better and more spiritual frame of heart than you came on resolve with the Father Nunquam a te absque recidam When I come before the Lord I will never go away without him The reason why there is no more good got by ordinances is because we do not meet God in them and the reason why we do not meet God is because we do not so earnestly desire and look for him whenever therefore you appear before God in ordinances make it your business to see God to taste of Gods to get down something of God upon your hearts some impressions of God upon your spirits 2 Secondly Gods people do long and pant after the immediate fruition and presence of God in Heaven Here they enjoy God by faith not by sight here in a mediate dark and imperfect manner through providences and ordinances as through a glass darkly but there face to face we shall know as we are known as the Apost 1 Cor. 13.12 Now Gods people long after God in this way The spirit and the bride saith come Rev. 22.17 They daily pray that Gods Kingdom may come that the number of the Elect may be accomplished and Christ may come to judgment They wait for the adoption the redemption of the body Rom. 8.23 They love the appearing of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 9.28 They look for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 The Reason why Gods people do long after the immediate fruition and presence of God in heaven is because they believe they shall be perfectly delivered from all those evils that they are liable to while they are here in this world and that they shall be made perfectly blessed 1. They count upon this they shall be freed from all evils they are subject to in this life As 1. From the evil of sin Oh this is the great evil that Gods people complain of with so much sadness here the flesh turneth against the spirit there shall be no such thing hereafter there shall be no blindness in the mind nor perverseness in the will nor disorder in the affections no pride nor slothfulness no carnal-mindedness no fleshliness no coldness and deadness of heart and affection no uneven walking no grieving the spirit of God or the spirits of their Brethren no unholy thought word or action 2. They shall be freed from the evil of temptation this world is a place of snares and valley of temptations what abundance of temptations are we assaulted with here continually from the Devil the world and our corrupt natures but there shall be none of these in heaven In paradise there was a tempter but none in heaven Satans walk and rendezvous is on the earth Job 1.7 but he never came into Heaven since he was cast out 3. From the injuries and molestation of evil men no place on earth is exempted from molestation by the Devil and his instruments but heaven is a place where such shall never enter there the children of wickedness and sons of violence shall not afflict any more there is no Mesech nor tents of Kedar to be complained of nor false brethren unfaithful unsound hypocritical persons that are secret enemies to truth and piety now discouraging no destroying company in heaven 4. They shall be freed from all divisions The divisions and differences and dissentions even among the godly which this state of imperfection on earth is liable to and lamentably cumbred with do create much trouble and many disquietments are multiplied thereby but in heaven there is but one mind one mouth as there is but one truth not so much as a different apprehension among all the thousands and millions of Saints there 5. They shall be freed from all bodily ailes pains weakness infirmities all afflictions whatsoever no sin therefore no sorrow in heaven all tears shall be wiped away no more of these tears that arise from the various Tryals of this weary life such as are Wants Straits Losses Crosses in Name or Estates Relations Injoyments nothing but Love in Heaven God will never knit his Brow nor chide nor strike never hide his face there but they shall live under the smiles of his Face and light of his Countenance without interruption 2. The people of God do believe and hope for a perfect injoyment of all good It is not a meer negative happiness that the Saints in Heaven partake of a not being miserable an absence from evil but also the positive presence and injoyment of all good according to that of the Psal 16.11 In the presence of God is fulness of joy and at his
must stay eight years longer O Sir says the youth I have gone thorow the burying-place and have seen little graves as well as long and I may be dead before I am so old therefore pray teach me the Law of God O Young People think of it begin now to be religious because your youthful time may be all your time Let me hint a few things more by way of argument 1. Consider your youthful time is Gods time the first fruits of your time is the Lords he required the first fruits as his due you rob God if you do not give up your selves to him betimes 2. Consider your youthful time is the best time now you are most active vigorous quick as you are now more capable to understand any trade of life so to take in the principles of Religion if you would give your minds to it Religion will be more facile and easy to you you are not possest with such evil notions and corrupt principles as you may be if you come to age you will then be more indisposed you will be habituated in sin and the devil will have a stronger claim and interest in you who will not be so easily put off O then mind Religion while you are young it will be a great deal more delightful and easy and comfortable if you begin betimes 3. Consider this timely beginning will prevent a great deal of guilt and trouble in your souls when a man in a journey sets forth early he goes on with comfort but if he neglects the morning and sets out late he must run and ride and that in the dark O they that set forth for Religion in the morning of their time prevent a great deal of trouble and sin 4. Consider by this means you will be very desirable grateful delightful acceptable to God and good men O! to see an holy humble gracious spirit in young people to hear them speak of the things of Christ and find them pliable to the ways of God O what a pleasant sight is this What delight do such to the Lord Such have a principal share of Christs love who seek him betimes Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me 'T is spoken by way of Emphasis and addition those that seek me early shall be sure to find me the Lord takes special notice of the love of his people in their youthful time Jer. 2.2 I remember the kindness of thy youth O what a lovely fight it delights God and Saints to see young souls humble holy serious savoury heavenly full of knowledg full of zeal O what a beauty is a young Samuel a young Abijah a young Jeremiah a young Timothy What honourable mention is made of these in Scripture And it was the honour of Andronicus and Junia that they were in Christ betimes Rom. 16.7 Oh if you give up your selves to Religion betimes you will be exceeding acceptable to God and good men 5. Begin betimes to be religious for hereby you will attain to a greater growth in Christianity and settlement in the truth and wayes of Godliness you shall bring more glory to God be more serviceable to your generation and lay up a greater and more sure foundation for glory yea the more eminent and abundant you have been in grace the greater Crown of Glory will be set on your head in Heaven O now you young people bestir your selves labour after knowledg set apart time to read the Scripture and other good books and be earnest with God to give you an heart to know and an eye to see the excellency of Jesus Christ fly the lusts of youth endeavour what you can to be under a faithful Ministry and get into acquaintance and communion with good people and cast off all vain company O there is a great deal of advantage by being in good company they will instruct counsel comfort and encourage you in your course of godliness Consider what I have said and the Lord bless these good counsels unto you FINIS