for thee Uniâ— me to Christ 111 who is the Fountain of life that I may live who by nature am dead in sins and trespasses Let thine Eternal spirit by its powerful influence and breathings heal 114 my Soul sanctifie my heart subdue the rebellion 115 of my will and purifie all uncleanness out of my affections that acting from inward principles of holiness I may imitating blessed St. Paul exercise 121 my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards man and 122 in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God I may have my conversation in the world in all things willing â—12 to live honestly and walking before thee in truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good that so when thou shalt bring to my mind the History 126 of my life which having been very sinful might here be followed with dreadful apprehensions of thy wrath and some glimpses and pre-occupations of Hell and hereafter with Eternal torments I may have that which will afford unto me inward consolation and refreshment and in the day when I must pass 127 through the valley and shadow of death that neither the terrors of death nor the fiercest oppositions of Hell and the Divel may dismay me let me be found interested in what will do me 145 good then and being lasting good things will last beyond Death go with me out of this 131 world stand me in stead at the day of 23â— 152 Judgement and keep me out 137 of Hell If whilst I live thou shalt make my condition an afflicted condition that 141 I must go through the valley of Baca towards Zionâ— yet bestow upon me what thou knowest 142 will make me bear afflictions patiently be as an Ark to uphold my spirits and keep them from sinking in the greatest deluge of calamities Though here I should meet with shame and disgrace O Christ yet with thee let me 174 enjoy Eternal Glory though here I should live but a short life yet in Heaven let me live 175 an Eternal life though here I should not have one joyful hour yet hereafter let me enter into my Masters 177 joy into that joy which Eternity begins 178 but Eternity shall never end though here I should never enjoy any earthly inheritance yet let me not miss of that Inheritance incorruptible 179 which fadeth not away in the 180 everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and there also receive that Crown 182 of glory that fadeth not away though here I should not have a house to shelter my self from storms and tempests yet let me be admitted into that house not 184 made with hands Eternal in the Heavens and scituated in the new Jerusalem which is the everlasting habitation of 189 Angels and glorified Saints Take my heart off these lower things wherein so many do fancy 221 doth consist the only comfort of their lives which are only for the body 198 and but vanity and vexation 191 of spirit and set it upon those alwayes 188 desirable good things in Heaven which only can satisfie 193 the longings of it and make my soul 198 that most precious and immortal 203 being happy By faith help me to look above 22â— the gaiety and eye-dazling 224 objects here in the world and to see the excellency and worth of those things that are 215 invisible but are made 235 known in the Gospel Oh that my head were water 245 and mine Eye a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for them who make all the motions 250 of their Souls to wait upon earthly designs and for the gaining 252 the Mammon of unrighteousness in this world such â—s prefeâ— momentany pleasures before 244 Eterâ—al joyes and spend their whole time in making proâ—sion for the flesh without the least thought upon Eâ—ernity that follows and never think of their present â—nfulness or their future Eternal misery Pardon â—e O my God that I have at any time postponed 256 the things of Heaven to the things of this world â—referring dross before Gold the fatness of the Earth â—efore the dew of Heaven earthly Mammon before Heavenly Mansions and the good things of this life â—efore the good things of another and better life yea â—ood and â—aiment for my body before Grace and Glory â—or my soul and now O Lord â—help me to consider â—hat it is â—igh time for me to mind the concerns of my â—oul and to be labouring for Eternal good things and â—261 seeking those things that are above and to â—ve above those things which 269 I cannot live withâ—ut yea wholly to spend my time whilst 269 I am â—n the body about those things whereof I shall have â—ost need when I am out of the body and principally â—o Labour for on earth those things that will be of use â— Heaven Make me spiritually 273 wise to lay up â—uch a stock and store that will do me good throughâ—ut all Eternity and before my body be laid in the Grave to take care that my never dying soul may be â—arryed into Abrahams bosome by a turning to thee O God by accepting of Jesus Christ by getting my â—ins pardoned and my evidence for Heaven cleared â—hough I do yet remain upon Earth let I pray thee â—hy spirit help me to converse in Heaven 274 and â—o have mine Eyes fixed upon those invisible things â—or ever blessed be thy most holy name O Lord that I am not placed among the common Beggars of this world that I have not been sent to beg my bread from door to door it might 278 have been my portion to have crowched to another for a morsel of bread to have been a vagabond and have saught my bread out of desolate places and to have lived as another Lazarus 279 in a starving and famishing condition O Lord I beseech thee never lay me under the heavy judgement of poverty in this world least I be poor and steal and take the name of thee my God in vain neither let me be a beggar in another world in Hell to howl for a drop of water to cools my tongue Yet if poverty must be the condition thou O God wilt have me to end my dayes in and I must be made worldly 287 poor yet O God vouchsafe to make me spiritually rich rich in Faith even enriched with the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ let me be found to be an heir of Salvation even an heir 288 of God and a joynt heir with Christ an heir of that Kingdome 289 which thou hast promised to them that love thee Help me O Lord to overlook the splendid braveries of this world the greatest and best things of this life 299 as those things which are 293 not but are as so many Empty 294 clouds and Wells without Water ciphers without figures and but as shadows to real substances being altogether void of 291 what will make me happy to Eternity and to Labour that I may have
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and body in Hell Christ does not here exclude all reverence and fear to be given unto such but the meaning is do not so fear them as you neglect to fear him which hath power to kill both body and soul he preferred the latter before the former So in my Text Christ excludeth not labouring for things necessary in this life but preferreth labour for those things that will endure to Eternal life This I conceive to be the scope and intent of our Saviour in these words and being thus opened would afford us several very profitable observations but I shall only name one the which I have chosen to make the subject of my following discourse CHAP. III. Obser THat the great Labour and pains of every Christian ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but eternal good things Not for things that endure but for a season but that will endure to Eternity A doctrine worthy our serious and choicest thoughts and meditations It was a good question the young man proposed to Christ Mark 19. 17. v. Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life As if he had said I know I shall be eternally happy or eternally miserable eternally cursed or eternally blessed eternally damned or eternally saved c. but what shall I do that I may be eternally happy that I may be eternally saved that I may be eternally blessed c. that I may be happy to all eternity The point of doctrine may be a fit answer Let thy labour and pains chiefly be imployed not about perishing but eternall good things It is observable that in the Lords Prayer where there are five Petitions for spiritual good things there is but one for temperal good things and that is Give us this day our dayly bread to note and intimate unto us that our desires and endeavours should be most after spiritual good things things that will endure to eternity And besides these are Petitioned for in the first place before Temporal good things to note that Temporal good things should be subserviant to Spiritual and eternal things the things of this life should be subservient to thosâ— which belong to an Eternal life I may allude to that which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 7 38. speaking of giving a Virgin in marriage saith he he that giveth her in marriage doth well but he thaâ— giveth her not in marriage doth better so he that carefully and industriously labours for the things of this lifâ— does well as he that giveth his Virgin in Marriagâ— does well but he that laboureth and provideth foâ— things belonging to Eternal life as he that giveth noâ— his Virgin in Marriage doth better As t is said of Rachel and Leah Gen. 29. 17. Rachel was the fairer though Leah was the fruitfuller so to be diligently laborious to get what is necessary for this life is needful but to be diligently laborious to geâ— what belongs to Eternal life is more needful It was once the saying of one Si mihi daretur optio eligeriâ— Christiani rustici sordidissimum maxime agreste opiâ— praeomnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri aut Caesaris Might I have my wish I would preferr the most despicable and sordid work of a Rustick Christian before all the Victories and triumphs of Alexander and Caesar let it for ever be the practise of holy minded Christians alwayes to prefer the diligent labouring for the Kingdome of Heaven before the striving and contending for more Kingdomes and Countries then ever were possessed by Alexander or Caesar The Wiseman who knew what was fittest to be chosen and what was best to be laboured for saith Prov. 1â— 16. That wisdome and understanding is to be chosen rather than Gold and Silver Grace here and glory hereafter are unspeakably better than Gold or silver these things they serve only the life that now is the back and the belly but Grace and Glory the life to come What Aeneas Silvius sayd of Learning may much more be said of Grace and Glory and all Eternal good things Vulgar men should esteem thereof as silver Noble men as Gold and Princes should prize it above their cheifest Pearles and manifest the same in labouring not with Martha for the many things but with Mary for the one thing necessary Eternal salvation A Christian should have his affection carryed out to these things as the Thessalonians had theirs towards St. Paul 1 Thes 3. 6 where the Apostle takes notice of the Thessalonians excellent faith and love the truth of their faith discovering it self by their love for faith that justifies works by love Gal. 5. 6. v. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by Love Now as to their faith was joyned love so in their love for which I name the place may be observed a specialty towards the Apostle they loved all Saints but especially St. Paul for they had a special remembrance of St. Paul him above many they desired to see him above many they had in their remembrance So these things of Eternity above many should be laboured for by every Christian Moses exhorteth the children of Israel in Deut. 4. 9. 10. v. to remember all the things which they had seen but especially the day that they stood before the Lord their God in Horeb. what ever a Christian wants he must labour and take pains for but specially for those things which endure to everlasting life the Jews had an high esteem of every part of God's worship that he had appointed them to observe but praecipuus honos Paschae habitus est the Pasover was chiefly had in honour We cannot promise our selves to obtain any good thing at the hands of God without labour but Eternal good things are chiefly to be laboured for CHAP. IV. In the discussion of this point I shall speak to these parts 1. SOmething by the way of Explication 2. Something by way of Demonstration 3. Something by way of Confirmation 4. Something by way of Application By way of Explication we shall enquire when a man may be said chiefly to labour for eternal good things And this we shall do in these following particulars 1. When he does rem agere when his heart is intense and serious about eternal good things 2. When he does use the right means to gain eternal good things such as are the Ordinances of the Gospel 1. The word read and preached 2. When having read or heard the Word of God Preached he does meditate upon it that he may get the good by hearing and reading he aimeth at 3. When he makes use of and improves the Sacraments of the Gospel those seals of the Covenant of Grace 1. Baptisme 2. The Lords Supper 4. When he is importunate at the Throne of Grace by Prayer begging of these things 3. When he does not use the right means for a time only but perseveres labouring in the
use thereof he holds out to the end 4. When he will not take up or be put off with any other good things but such as are eternal 5. When he goes on to labour though God keep him low and mean though he receive no pay nay though he meet with many discouragements 6. When he does this thing at all times improves every hour and minute of time 1. When he does it in the day time 2. When he does it in the night time 1. When he does rem agere when his heart is intense and serious about eternal good things Orantis est nihil nisi caelestia cogitare he that is imployed in any holy and sacred imployment should have his mind set only on heavenly things Luk 9. 62. sayes our Saviour there No man having put his hand to the Plough and looking â—ack is fit for the Kingdome of God The meaning is â—hat as he that ploughs must have his eyes alwayes â—orward alwayes upon his work to guide and direct â—is hand in casting and laying the furrows straight and â—ven for his hand will be quickly out and his Plough â—o amiss when his eye is off So he that heartily reâ—olves for heaven and seriously sets himself to labour â—or eternal good things such a one addicts himself wholâ—y and intently to the business of Religion I remember a story of a certain Youth who being â— the Temple with Alexander when he was to offer inâ—ense to the gods and the youth holding the golden â—euser with the fire in it a coal fell on the youths hand â—nd burnt â—is wrist but the youth considering what a â—cred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be â—urnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the â—nd the burning of his wrist did not disturb him when â—ey were offering to the gods So then a Christian â—ay truâ—y be said to be taking pains for Eternal good things when he so vehemently applyes himself to understand apprehend and gain them that at the same time he scarcely observes or takes notice of such things as do occur his senses the whole force of his Soul buâ—â—ing it self herein as in one of its most supream and most noble actions and imployments of all other Like that Archimedes a great Mathematitian who when a City of Sicilia wherein he dwelt was taken by the Romans he never took any notice that the City was taken when the Souldiers broke into the house where he was yet he takes no notice nay when they brake into his Study he was not the least moved nor took any notice of them he was drawing Lines in the dust and did not mind them insomuch as one of the Souldiers thinking they were disregarded drew his Sword and killed him Then a man labours indeed for Eternal good things when he is so bent upon this his imployment as that famous Painter Zeuxis was about his Paintings who being asked the reason of his so much carefulness and exactness answered Aeterniâ—atiâ— pingo I paint for Eternity and what Augustus saies of the young Romaâ— is verefied in him Quicque vult valde vult whatsoever he does herein he does it exactly and to purpose And then does a Christian the like when he spends the marrow of his soul and the strength of his spirits abouâ— Eternal good things about things that will abide foâ— ever not for ten twenty or thirty years but foâ— ever Surely he had need to be serious in what he goes about who is labouring to provide for what must endurâ— to Eternity and be provision not for a few years buâ— for Eternity Such one should so be imploying himselâ— for Heaâ—en as the Duke of Alva said of himself Thâ— story is this King Heâ—ry the fourâ—h asking him whethâ— he had observed the Eclipses No saith he I have so much to do upon Earth that I have no leisure to look up to Heaven 2ly When he does use the right means to gain Eternal good things such as are the Ordinances of the Gospel It is acknowledged by all that in every man there is an innate appetite to the chiefest good and Eternal happiness but as naturally all men do err about the knowledge of it what it is so also about the means how to attain the same The best means we can use in our labouring for Eternal good things are Gospel Ordinances Manna from Heaven usually falls in the dew of those spiritual Ordinances and warm milk streams into their mouthes who suck at the breasts thereof They are so many golden stair-cases by which our souls may climbe above the thickets and dunghils of this world as high as Heaven to view and contemplate the things of Eternity They are as so many wings to help the Soul more speedily to approach the presence of its Creator They are so many Conduit pipes to convey the water of life and motions of God's spirit into our hearts And as Galleries in which both Saints and Angels walk beholding the Glory of him that sits upon the Throne Zach. 3. 7. Now when a Christian improves these Ordinances rightly then he labours for Eternal good things then when he searches for these things as Saul did for David when he said 1 Sam. 23. 23. v. I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah so when he searches for them through all the Ordinances of the Gospel searches for them in reading and hearing of the Word Preached searches for them in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lord's Supper c. But to come to particulars 1. When he searches for them in reading and hearing of the word preached He hath an high esteem of the Scriptures with him the Scriptures are to other writings as Joseph's Sheave was to his brethrens or as the Sun is to the lesser Stars he accounts of all writings but as so much wast Paper in comparison of them I may here apply the answer of Budaeus to Francis the first King of France when the King asked him if all the books in the world were to be burnt but one what one that should be to preserve Learning Budaeus answered that he would save the works of Plutarch because they had in them impressions of all Sciences but let the like question be propounded to a Christian desirous to obtain Eternal good things his answer will be though all the books in the world were to be burnt and Plutarch also to bear them company yet if the book of the Scriptures were preserved in them a man might find impressions of all Arts and Sciences of all kind of Divinity both contemplative and practical The Scriptures being as that Princely Preacher Count Anhalt used to say The swadling band of the Child Jesus provided they are to informe us in matters of Faith to guide and direct us in the course of life to discover and reveal unto us what God hath prepared for those that love him things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor have
est omnis gratia In this Sacrament not only some one certain grace is given but he in whom is all grace viz. Christ Jesus the Lord from whom is to be had all grace and by whom is to be had all glory There are some who may be observed to be frequently at the Sermon but never to their shame be it spoken at a Sacrament now come these to look for Christ and what is to be had by Christ come these to obtain Eternal good things why come they not unto both is not the same Christ in all his benefits propounded in both does not the same spirit seal up his promises by both does not that God who lifteth up his voice in the one to promise what he calls upon us to labour for reach out his hand in the other to give what he promises and must men and women have ears opened in the one and not their hands stretched out at the other yes And hence it is whilst a Christian does breath after things above he is at the Lord's Table not once a year only as at Easter but his constant need therefore makes him a constant guest hereat When others look for no good to be had there and therefore never come thither they are often at the Plough and Câ—â—t why they expect some good will come of that course others are often at their Wheeles why they expect some good will come of that course but as for coming to the Lord's Table Oh how backward oh how discouraging of others But now when for the Eternal good and welfare of his Soul a Christian is a constant partaker of this Sacrament dares not turn his back thereon but highly valuing those spiritual incomes and soul-refreshments there to be had is ever one of those guests that desire to eat of the Lord's Supper where Christ's body is set before him to eat and warm draughts of his blood to drink and where he beleives are held out unto every worthy receiver all the unsearchable Riches of Christ Heaven and Eternity as truly and as really as in the Preaching of the Word then I say he is labouring and taking pains for what will Eternally be advantagious unto him 3. When he is importunate at the Throne of Grace praying for these things Prayer is not performed without labour 2 Cor. 1. 10. 11. v. The Apostle intimates so much there when he says v. 10. We trust that he will yet deliver us v. 11. You also helping together prayer for us The Greek word is labouring together verily he that will obtain any thing at God's hands by Prayer his Prayer must be a working and labouring Prayer Lazy praying will not prevail the heart herein should not be sluggish but earnest at work a man may spend much time in Prayer and be no better then those Psalliani and Euchitae who spent all their time in Prayer and yet were accounted but Hereticks for their pains it is not the length of Prayer but the importunity of Prayer that prevails with God It is storied of Proteus that he was wont to give certain Oracles but it was hard to make him speak or deliver them but he would turn himself into several shapes and forms yet if they who sought to him would hold out and press him hard without fear into whatsoever form or shape he appeared they were sure to have satisfactory Oracles So verily God gives not any kind of blessings either Temporal Spiritual or Eternal unless we will wrestle them out and contend and strive with God for them by earnest and importunate Prayer Now when a Christian wings his soul with fervent Prayer thereby to fly to Heaven and use all the motives he can to make him pray to God with the greatest fervency and importunity he goes not coldly but importunately to the Throne of Grace contenting himself not to utter words but Prayers to God when he is ever striving and wrestling with God by Prayer for them that he obtains not any thing of Heaven but he may name it his Napthaly because with great wrestlings he did wrestle for them as Rachel called her maid Bilhah's second son whom she did bare Jacob Gen. 30. 8. v. And Rachel said with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my Sister and I have prevailed and she called his name Napthaii when he wrestles with God for them by Prayer as Jacob did for the Blessing Gen. 32. 24 25 26. v. As Hannah did for a son 1 Sam. 1. 9 10 11. v. striving with such an unusual motion of her lips that old Eli looking upon her thought her drunk and yet her Prayer consisted more in the travel of her heart then in the labour of her lips As the Canaanitish woman besought Christ for her Daughter who had an unclean spirit Matth. 11. 26 27. v. she was importunate and would not be put off with any denyal or repulse neither with silence or saâ— answers As St. Paul did to have the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him to depart from him 2 Cor. 1â— 7. 8. sayes he in the 8 v. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me that is often left not off praying until he had his desire As the Widdow did strive with the unjust Judge Luk. 18. who left not off her suit until she was master of her requests As Elijah did use Prayer 1 Kings 18. 42. who put his head between his legs as straining every string of his heart in Prayer He prayed and prayed saith Saint James Jam. 5. 17. and by his prayer he had what he would of God even so does he use prayer as Elijah did to be a key to open Heaven and to unlock Heaven where all the Treasures of Eternity are laid up that as the Prophet by Prayer procured rain so he by Prayer may gain the Dews and showers of the spirit to water the seeds of grace in his heart that they may bring forth a crop of glory Eternal When he resolves not to restrain Prayer Iob 5. 4. or give the Lord any rest until he bestow these things upon him he will take no nay until he speed in his suit before God Paulus Aemilius the Roman General being to fight against Perses King of Macedony when as he sacrificed to his god Hercules and it proved not to his mind he slew twenty several sacrifices one after another and would not give over until in the one and twentieth he had descried certain Arguments of victory and so does the importunate Christian when his heart is set upon it to gain Eternal good things he perseveres in Prayer continuing instant in Prayer Rom. 12. 12. As St. Paul directs a Metaphor from hunting doggs that give not over the game until they have got it so he continues praying unto God until he get the better of him and is the more fervent when most confident of obtaining what he prayes for hope is industrious and draweth to action 4. When he does not
were great drops of blood falling down to the ground the words sets forth what a vehement conflict was at this time in Christ's soul occasioned through the deep sense of his Father's wrath against sinners for whom he stood now as Surety and Redeemer a conflict that put Him into a bloody sweat so that through flesh and skin in great abundance sanguinem congelatum quasi extruscrit issued forth clottered or congealed blood So that our Saviour when he says strive to enter in at the straight-gate he would have us to strive and strive until we are in an Agony until we sweat blood to get inâ—o Heaven As it is storied of Scanderbeg that in fighting against the Turks he was so earnest that the blood would often start out of his Lipps A Christian should at this work strive Quasi pro vita si vincit vel pro morte si vincitur luctaturus as if he labored for life or death nay for that which is dearer then life it self even the life of his soul the words are an allusion to that fighting and striving which was to be amongst Wrestlers in their solemn games with sweat pains and trouble and wherein a Christian should use his utmost best and choicest endeavors and labor with all his ability of power and skill whilst striving to get into Heaven and the reason laid down by our Saviour in those would seriously be considered For many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13. 24. it is not enough to seek many seekers will never find but there must be striving there must be an holy violence used to enter in at the straight-gate Matth. 11. 12. And the violent take it by force A Metaphor taken from Warriours who force their passage into a City and take it by Storme Heaven is as Canaan the type of it was though a Land of Promise yet of Conquest too it will not prove any easy work to get to Heaven Facilis descensus Averni A Man may go to Hell without a Staffe as we say the way thither is easy 2. From the impossibility of injoying Eternal good things without labor Of all things to be injoyed Eternal good things are not to be injoyed without labor and that not without our own labor and pains so run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. v. there is no obtaining the prize of Eternal happiness without running the Race God will not bestow these things upon those who never seek never labor for them It is true without God all a Man's labor can do nothing and without a Man's labor God will do nothing They can never expect Heaven afterwards that labor not for Heaven now Qui fugit molam fugit farinam he that will not have the sweat of labor upon Earth must not expect the sweet of honor and happiness in Heaven Matth. 20. 8. v. The Lord of the Vineyard saith unto his Steward Call the laborers and give them their hire it is not call the loyterers or idle bodies but call the laborers none but the laborers had their Penny given them They must be doing that will keep in with God Ad summa nemo sine labore pervenit Worldly wealth and honors may be had without labor or study by the donation of others or by succession and descent Pharoah raised Joseph out of Prison and gave him the next place to himself in the Kingdom Darius prefers Daniel above the Presidents and Princes of his Kingdom nay had thoughts to have set him over the whole Realm Of how many Men may it be said what Seneca said of Plato Philosophy found not Plato a Noble Man but made him one There are many who are not noble Men born but the Prince makes them Noble Men Princes have not found some men Noble Men but they have made them noble But it is not so with Eternal good things for the gaining of them each man must labor for himself the labor and pains of others herein will do him little good All the Princes in the world with all their combined Bounties and forces cannot put a Christian into possession of Heaven or the things thereof 3. From that agreement that there is between Eternal good things and our Natures Laboring for Eternal good things doth best agree with the nature of every Man Man is by nature a provident Creature apt to lay up for time to come It is with Men accounted a good piece of providence to lay up something for a Rainy-day as the proverb is something that may do them good afterwards and not only in Diem vivere as the â—oules of Heaven do Now this disposition should reach beyond the forecast of Joseph in Egypt Gen. 41. 35 36. v. laying up Corn in the Cities only for seven years Or of that fool in the Gospel who had good things laid up for him in his Barnes many years Luk. 12. 19. v. Our Saviour directeth where our treasure is better to be laid up Matth. 6. 19. 20. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt where theeves break thorow and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break thorough and steal Laying up treasure in Heaven is here opposed to laying up treasure in earth a Christians care should be not so much to labour to be rich here as hereafter not so much to be rich upon Earth as to be rich in Heaven the best store is that which is layd up in Heaven The Argument that the Apostle useth to persuade rich men not to rest in uncertain riches but in the living God and to move them to be rich in good works you have 1. Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy v. 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Most men delight to hoard and treasure up something for themselves for the time to come an hoard of Eternal good things is that will do good more then a thousand years hence Verily that is the best store that will last not only until time shall be no more but will last more days then will be time in even to Eternity that will not be consumed in that universal Flame which shall melt the very Elements into their primitive confusion when this whole visible Fabrick must be dissolved by the fire of the Last-day Were a man made Lord of all the world and had he his life co-extended with it yet he may be assured that there will come a day in which the Heavens will pass away with a noise and the Elements melt with heat and â—he Earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up that there will be an universal Dissolution
one of his adversaries answered it is in vain he cares neither for Gold nor Honour the small things of this world which most men account great have not been taking with those with whom the whole world was despised and that had there eyes set upon the great things of Eternity Gracious hearts cannot rest satisfied with such low things that Reprobates may have as well as they these admire and hunger after those things which none but the darlings and favorites of Heaven can have as knowing that a man possessing the former may go to Hell and without an interest in the latter can have no hopes of Heaven What labor and pains have these taken for such things Phill. 3. 12. I follow after saith St. Paul if I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus v. 13. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before v. 14. I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus A full place setting forth St. Paul his great labor and pains to gain the prize of heavenly glory for saith he in the 12. v. I follow after and verse the 14. I press towards the mark It is the same word in both places and signifieth with utmost eagerness to pursue and follow not simply to follow but to follow as an Hunter follows his prey who pursues it untill he take it Or rather as a persecutor that will not give over nor rest untill he have him whom he persecuteth For it is the same word that signifieth to â—ersecute shewing that the earnestness of St. Paul his â—pirit in pressing towards the mark now is the same that â—t was in his persecution of those that pressed towards â—he mark before the Apostle is resolved not to rest unâ—ill he had attained his end Forgeting those things that â—re behind and reaching forth unto those things which â—re before Ad ea vero quae sunt priora extendens me â—sum that is prono quasi praecipiti corpore ferri â—d scopum straining and stretching out head and hands â—nd whole body A manifest Metaphor from runners in race to lay hold of the prize of the high calling of â—od in Christ Jesus Ad praemium supernae vocationis in Christo Jesu The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie est praemium quod datur certantibus ac vincentibus It signifies that reward which was wont to be given by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jugd in the Olympick games amongst the Grecians to those who overcame therein Whence it is that some render the Greek word by Palmam rather then by Praemium which is thought to be too general a word they are not a few that approve of Palmam and they render this reason for it Propterea quòd certaminum judices datâ virgâ palmeâ designarent victorem How copious is the Apostle in relation of his labor and pains taken for that incorruptible Crown as he calls it 1 Cor. 9. 25. for that Crown of life as it is called by St. James chap. 1. 12. and by St. John Rev. 2. 10. for that Crown of Glory as it is called by St. Peter 1 Pet. 5. 4. I shall therefore to conclude this point only urge the following of Solomon's counsel Pro. 2. 20. That thou maist walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous and also the practising of St. Paul's Exhortations that we read in his Epistles to this purpose Phill. 3. 17. v. Bretheren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example So Phill. 4. 9. v. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do And the God of peace shall be with you Heb 13. 7. v. 5. From the paucity and fewness of that number that will be found to have their share in Eternal good things Thousands hope they are such as shall be happy for ever and yet they will find themselves mistaken even men whose hellish nature is written in the face of their conversations that he that runs may read it whose tongue pleads the cause of the Devil and speaks the language oâ— Hell yet â—hese do strongly hope for Heaven thougâ— the God of Heaven hath told them over and over again in his Word that none such as they shall ever come there these do strongly hope to be Eternally happy in the Kingdom of Heaven though Christ hath said John 3. 3. v. Except a Man be born again he cannot see thâ— Kingdom of God these do strongly hope to see God in Happyness though God hath told them Heb. 12. 14. v. without holyness no man shall see the Lord The Angels for their unholyness were cast out of Heaven and shall we think that God will take unholy ones into Heaven The place in the Temple that did represent Heaven was called the Holy of Holies and if no prophane or unclean things might enter the Temple much less into that more Sacred place These strongly hope to escape Hell and forever to be happy in Heaven though God plainly tells them in his Word That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the people that forget God Psal 9. 17. And again They all shall be damned that obey not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 12. v. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire takeing Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1. 8 9 10 v. Nothing more common then for those who have least grounds to build hopes of Heaven and Eternal happyness upon yet to nourish most confident hopes thereof in their hearts see that place Prov. 14. 16. v. A wise Man feareth and departeth from evil but the Fool rageth and is confident A wise man he is jealous over his own heart he trembles at the judgments whilst they hang over his head in the threatnings of God he meets God with intreaties of Peace and so redeems his own Sorrows but what followeth A Fool that is a wicked Man he rageth and yet is confident Transit confidit as some render it he rangeth and yet is confident he passeth on from sin to sin like a mad Man and yet persuades himself all shall do well he runs on in wicked ways and practices without any remorss or sorrow and yet he is a confident man he shall go to Heaven and be Eternally saved as well as the best Such another you read of Psal 36 1 2. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes And yet in the next words He flattereth himself in his own eyes untill his iniquities are found to be hateful Wicked
evil There is mirth without moan joy without heaviness peace without perturbation blessedness without misery light without darkness abundance without want ease without labor eyes without tears hearts without sorrow souls without sin a life that never endeth and joy that never ceaseth for there is not the least shadow of matter for tears discontentments griefs and uncomfortable passions to work on What think you Christians of all these things are not the Psalmist's words true when he says Psal 87. 3. v. Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God What think you Christians of a Crown of Glory Of glittering thrones of Abraham's bosom of being admitted into the society of God and Christ and of Saints and Angels of injoying the company of the antient Patriarchs and Prophets of living with the holy Apostles and Evangelists of belonging to the noble army of glorious Martyrs and Confessors of being amongst all those eminent Saints whose holyness was by all Men magnified of walking with all those now in Heaven in whom either nature or grace have especially interested us What think you of dwelling for ever in the presence of God of lying in the bosom of his love of being infolded in the everlasting arms of his mercy of being filled with all the fulness of God then when God shall communicate himself beatifically to the uttermost and shall manifest what a glorious God he is and the souls of glorified ones find him to be a Sea of sweetness and an Ocean of unspeakable joys What think you of inhabiting in that Eternal Pallace of Heaven and blessedness where God and his blessed Saints inhabit when we shall be raised far above all the visible Orbs and starry firmament when we shall behold those Starrs under our feet which now are over our heads when we shall have all our spiritual sences feasted with unspeakable delights What think you of those treasures in Heaven more precious then Gold Pearl and Diamonds If all the earth were of Gold and all the Rivers there of the most precious Liquours and all the Rocks of precious stones who but would say here were a great treasure Well Christians yet know that a treasure which exceeds Gold as far as Gold does Dirt precious liquours water or precious stones pebles is laid up for Believers in Heaven Bona vitae aeternae tam multa ut numerum tam magna ut mensuran tam praetiosa ut estimation em omnen excedunt The good things of Eternal life are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation One leaf of the Tree of Life being far better then all the fruits that grow in this world But why do I promise my self to set forth the Excellency and worth of Eternal good things It was a good saying of Seneca Nusquam verecundiores esse debemus quam cum de Deo agitur Modesty never becomes us better then when we speak of God It will hold as true of Heaven for verily a Man may as well with a Coal paint out the Sun in all his splendor as with his tongue express or with his heart though it were as deep as the Sea conceive the Excellency and worth thereof and if any tongues can utter it or hearts conceive it they must be the tongues and hearts of those that are translated already thither and yet were an Angel from Heaven sent to set forth to us the excellency thereof he would sooner want words then matter What Tully said once concerning Socrates and desired his Readers concerning L. Crassius that they would imagine greater things of them then they find written So our highest apprehensions of Eternal good things falls infinitely short of the excellency thereof I deny not but that many things in this world are transcendent and ravishing but the best of them are no better then accessories to these principals drops to these Oceans glimps to these Suns and dunghill-felicities to these Eternal Injoyments The greatest pomp and glory of Kings and Emperors is but dust in comparison of these things It will appear that Eternal good things are the best Good things 1. Because only Eternal good things make those who injoy them to be good 2. Because only Eternal good things will do us good then when other good things will do us no good Now by making good these two things that Eternal good things make men good in this world as well as happy in another world and also that Eternal good things will do men good and stand them in stead when other good things will neither do them good nor stand them in stead I hope it will appear that Eternal good things are the best good things for surely those things may well be called the best things that make men good and that do men good when nothing else in the world will do them good I shall begin with the first 1. It will appear that Eternal good things are the best good things Because only Eternal good things make those who do injoy them to be good They make men to be good here in this world and happy hereafter in another world Even to be conversant about Eternal good things is of great moment to the bettering of the Soul for look what the object is such is the soul that is conversant about it high and Eternal Objects lift up the soul to God and towards Heaven and make the mind answerable unto them Eternal good things are high Objects and they will work in men conversant about them high minds they will draw the mind upward and raise it from Earth to Heaven But too oft is it otherwise with Temporal things Gold may make a man the richer not the better Honor may make a man the higher not the happier Says one of our own Land God hath no worse servants in our land then they that can live of their own Lands and care for nothing else none are so ready and apt to neglect the thoughts and care of Religion and Heaven as those who have most upon earth as being on every hand beset with temptations to sin and solicitations to forget God That veryly the more any man hath of Temporal things the more cause he hath to pray Lord lead us not into temptation I have to this purpose read it noted out of St. Hierome that antiently there were two most notable Proverbs in prejudice of Rich Men The first That he who was very rich could not be a good man The second That he who was rich had either been a bad man or was the Heir of a bad man Indeed two often Riches and Vice go together And therefore our Saviour when he taught the Beatitudes he gave the first of them to the Poor Luk. 6. 20. v. Blessed be the poor for yours is the Kingdom of God And in laying down of the Woes he gave the first of them to the rich Luk. 6. 24. v. But woe unto you that are rich for
make the owner good Those then to whom God gives Grace they may truely say Their grace is better gold then the world affords 2. The second Instance is that of God the thrice-glorious Jehovah blessed for evermore who is the God of all Grace and the most soveraign only and chiefest good he is Summum verum summum pulchrum summum bonum The chiefest truth the chiefest beauty and chiefest good who Himself is more then a world of worlds filling Heaven and Earth with the Majesty of his glory having before his all-glorious Throne innumerable hosts of powerful and glorious Spirits in comparison of whom the All here below is nothing God brings it in himself as an argument of his own geratness I say 40. 15. v. That all the Nations of the earth are as a drop of a bucket and as a dust of the ballance to him He it is who is the only satisfying and everlasting portion of his people and the apprehension of such a portion as God is will solace and refresh those that have him See Daviâ—'s words Psal 16. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance saith he the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage He alludes to the manner of dividing the Land of Canaan to the children of Israel which was done by line upon this account also Jacob said I have enough Gen. 33. 11. v. Or I have all And this God is an Eternal God he whose life is Eternity must needs be Eternal Aeternitas enim Dei solummodo naturae substantialiter in est says one Eternity is substantially only in the name of God When God would make his Name known to Moses he tells him what is his name I Am that I am by which name God hath made himself known according to his Eternal Essence whereby he is discerned from all other things which are in Heaven or the Earth or elsewhere Exod. 13. 14. To which that of the Psalmist doth well agree Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90. 2. And of all beings God is the most excellent all beings else falling infinitely short of God himself whose perfections are infinite and without limit all the perfections whatsoever that are found in Creatures are more eminently contained in our great All our All-mighty All-lovely All-glorious God In him is enough to make him the desire of all hearts and the accomplishment of all hopes and wishes Nihil potest quietare hominis voluntatem nisi sâ—lus Deus says one Nothing but God can satisfy the Soul Were the whole earth turned into a Globe of gold it would not fill the heart it would still cry Give Give Only God fills and satisfies those who have him The souls of men are like Noah's Dove Wicked mens souls are like the Dove out of the Ark they are in a constant motion ever restless seeking for some satisfaction for themselves but find none but pious souls injoying an Eternal God are like the Dove returned to the Ark when they take up their rest in God God is totus totus desiderabilis wholly amiable every whit of him to be desired Where may we find such a man says Pharoah of Joseph implying that such another would hardly be found Gen. 41. 38. so may I say Christian where wilt thou find out such a God as God is Multi sacerdotes pauci Sacerdotes Multi in nomine paâ—ci in opere said one of the Antients So many good things are presented unto the Soul but none are so desirable to the Soul as God is his Manifestations are a Paradise his Communications a very heaven in the hearts of all that injoy him If there be any object of Delight either in Heaven or Earth it is God who is more radiant and shining then all light more fair then all beauty more sweet then all pleasure and infinitely farr more excellent then either words can express or mind deliver The Spaniards say of Aquinas that he that knows not him knows not any thing but he that knows him knows all things He that possesseth God possesseth all things that may make him happy but he that hath no interest in God possesseth nothing that can make him happy Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia In God all goodness is summed up and wraped up together Happy soul that can say My God and my All the God of my heart my portion and my Inheritance to all Eternity But the world methinks is like some great Kings court wherein are both great Statesment and young children the children are very much taken with pictures they delight to feed their eyes and fancies with gildings paintings hangings and such fine things but the wise and grave Statesmen pass by these their business is with the King I compare he greatest part of men to these young children these are wholly taken up with what they judg gaudy and outwardly fine but there are others like the wise and grave Statesmen whose eyes desires and ways are unto and wholly set upon God And indeed no wonder if those that know the worth of God have their hearts set to have God for their God for to injoy one God is far better then to injoy many worlds When Charles the fifth Emperour in a challenge to Francis the first King of France commanded his Herald to proclaim him with all his Titles styling him Emperour of Germany King of Castile Aragon Naples Sicily c. Francis commanded his Herald to call him so often King of France as the other had Titles by all his Countries intimating that France alone was more worth then all the Countries which the other had So when men of the world bragg of their honors livings and great Lordships He that can say God is his God that God is his Portion he may oppose this one God to all Dignities and Possessions whatsoever for when a man hath God he hath all God is blessedness it self he is a good in whom there is no evil But this is not all for he who thus injoys God is made good God being the source the spring the fountain and original of all that good which is in the Creature from him comes all that good any of his have received as the beams from the Sun or water from the Fountain and from him comes all that good any one can expect hereafter God is good and he does good so he is good and makes all those who have him for their God in Covenant with them Good They who injoy God in heaven are made glorious those upon earth that have God for their God are made gracious God is an holy God and those upon whom he bestows himself in a special manner he makes them holy he stamps his Image upon them he conveys his blessed Spirit into them to sanctify their natures to purg
Spirit which is to sanctify or make holy the hearts of men St. Paul therefore calleth it the spirit of holyness Rom. 1. 4. v. And tells the Corinthians they were sanctified hereby 1 Cor. 6. 11. v. And again thus he doth speak to the Thessalonians God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth The spirit is principal in stamping the Image of God upon the heart and sanctifying the soul by Grace here that he may exalt us to Eternal glory in heaven hereafter Hence we have all our graces and gifts Grace whereby we are sanctified whereby the rebellion of our will is subdued and the uncleanness of our affections purified and we thereby qualified and enable to serve God Hence we have not only our Graces but all our gifts to qualify and inable us in our several places and relations to edify one another 1 Cor. 12. 7. v. The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal The gifts of the holy Ghost are given for the common good of all the Church to which only end all ought to be referred Non nobis nati sumus we are neither born nor born again for our selves By the former we are made good Christians and by the latter we are made profitable Christians Hence also it is that we read of the renewing of the Spirit Titus 3. 5. v. for upon whom the spirit is bestowed it changes such from earthly to heavenly from the Image of Adam to the image of Christ Every man by nature in respect of any divine or spiritual good hath a very heart of stone It was the Poets fiction that Men were made of Stones Inde gâ—nus durum sumus to be sure there is this spiritual Stone in the hearts of men all Mankind naturally aâ—e aâ— hard tough rugged and untractable people Insomuch that where any are sanctified by the spirit there children are raised up to Abraham out of stones there water is made to gush out of a rock there dry bones are caused to gather together and made to live and such a gracious quality of softness is wrought by the spirit that it melts before God becomes willing and obedient to all commanded duties and cries out with St. Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do he is willing to do any thing and pliable to any thing that God commands him Ezek. 36. 26. 27. v. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Such a willing obedience is wrought by the spirit when that is made good that you have in the 26. v. A new spirit will I put within you and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh If a man could put a vegetative life into a stone what would the stone do it would grow as a plant doth grow If a man could put a sensitive life into a stone what would the stone then do it would stirr and move as a worm or beast doth If a man could put a reasonable soul into a stone what would the stone do it would talk as a man doth it would discourse of heavenly matters as a man doth and pursue the matters of the world as a man doth But if a man could put the spirit of God and the spirit of Grace into a stone what then would the soul do it would speak of God and Christ of Heaven and Happyness it would pursue spiritual and heavenly matters and things This is every Man's estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of reason in them they savour nothing but the things of the World they talk of nothing but the world and they labor after nothing but the Temporal things of this world but if once the spirit of God be in them if once they have gotten the spirit of God it stirrs them up to talk of Heaven and to labor after the things of heaven it works in them holy motions and holy affections How fruitful in all kind of goodness does the spirit make those in whose hearts it dwells read Gal. 5. 22. v. It is fruitful in love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All these are the fruits of the Spirit The spirit is as seed in the heart which will spring up and shew it self it cannot lye dead but will work and move it will make the Soul that was barren to become fruitful it animateth the Soul as to an heavenly being so to all kind of heavenly working When others are empty Vines like Israel Hos 10. 1. v. Israel is an empty vine And when others are unfruitful willows and barren grounds not trees of the Garden but of the Wilderness wild degenerate plants and for their unfruitfulness in goodness shall have an heavy doom pass upon them Matth. 25. 30. v. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darkness These being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the Glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. v. are plants of renown like the Pomcitron which as Naturalists say bears fruit at all times of the year they are like the ground in the Parable which brought forth Some sixty and some an hundred fold Matth. 13. 8. v. And it may be said of them as of Joseph Gen. 49. 22. v. Joseph is a fruitful bough Who have their fruit unto holyness and their end everlasting life Rom. 6. 22. v. 5. The fifth Instance is that of a good Conscience A good Conscience will be of no little concernment hereafter Forty thousand pounds for a good Conscience cryed out a wicked wealthy Worldling when he was dying and passing into Eternity I may here propound a most serious question to those whose hearts are more taken up with the Temporal things of this world then with the Eternal things of another world Quid prodest bonis plena arca si in anis sit conscientia What good is there in a Chest full of goods when the Conscience is empty of goodness Conscience will live for ever Conscience dyes not when a wicked dyes Death it self is not able to part Conscience from a sinner As the probationer disciple said to Christ Matth. 8. 19. v. Master I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest So will Conscience follow a sinner whithersoever he goes It is said of the Statue of Juno placed in a City near to Euphrates in Assyria that it always looks towards those that come into her Temple be they where they will in the Temple she stares still upon them if they go by her yet she follows them with her eye So unto all places whithersoever a sinner goes Conscience will follow him Goes he to God's tribunal to receive the sentence of his Eternal doom to have the question of his Eternal estate to be absolutely and unalterably determined even thither will
become old yea are mighty in power 9. v. Their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them 10. v. Their Bull gendereth and faileth not their Cow calveth and casteth not her calf 12. v. They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoice at the sound of the Organ 13. v They spend their days in wealth And as nothing is more common then to find the worst of men in the best outward condition yet as common it is on the other hand to find the best of men in the worst outward condition to find them suffering Afflictions and to meet them travelling through the Valley of Bata as they go towards Zion Psal 84. 6. v. Usually God most afflicteth those whom he best affecteth Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34. 19. v. The Israelites passage through the Red Sea and the dismall Wilderness into Canaan what was it but a type of the afflicted condition of God's people afterwards In outward things God's enemies fair better in this world then his friends and for any to expect to be wholly freed from affliction is in vain that is the priviledg of none but Saints already in Heaven even they whilst on this side Heaven were fed with the bread and water of affliction and t is not for any to expect that God should strow Roses or spread Carpets for their feet only to tread upon in the way to Heaven that Man is but a Thistle and no good corn that cometh not under the Flayl a bastard and no son whom God correcteth not I might abound in Scripture instances time would fail me to tell you how greaâ—l Job was afflicted in his children in his substance in his body from the crown of the head to the soul of the foot whose afflictions came upon him like waves one in the neck of another Or to shew you that holy David had cause to say what he did in Psal 38. 2. v. Thy arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore What an arrow was that at David's heart to hear from Nathan That the Sword should never depart from his house that his house should be cut off by the sword What another arrow was it that Tamar his Daughter should be deflowred by his own Son Ammon And that Ammon should be afterwards murthered by Absolom That Absolom should be a Rebel and force David from Jerusalem Besides other arrows that could not but stick deep in the heart of David But I will not so much as name any more for whoso lists to look over the whole Book of God and will consider the history of the lives of God's people in all ages both in Scripture and other records will find them usually in an afflicted condition And now the great fault of Christians at such a time is this they are too ready to look upon their afflictions as if they viewed them through such multiplying glasses as they say are made at Venice which being put to the eye make twenty men in Arms shew like a terrible Army So they are ready to fancy their troubles and afflictions so great and so many that they shall never be able to bear them never be able to overcome them and extricate themselves out of them But Eternal good things at such a time as this will stand a Christian in stead they will make him bear afflictions more patiently they will be as Cordials to strengthen him when he faints as an Ark to bear up his spirits and keep them from sinking in a deluge of Calamities as so many baits for his Soul until he comes home to those heaveâ—ly Mansions We noted before what David says of the prosperity of wicked men in Psalm 73. and how he himself was afflicted all the day long he was plagued and chastened every morning but now see what it was that helped David in the midst of a sore temptation that did arise from his affliction read v. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterwards receive me to glory as if he should say Howsoever it be with the men of the world who injoy their prosperity according to their desires and howsoever it be with me that I am afflicted and must indure hard things here yet this is that which upholds me through all this is that which does me good under my afflictions Thou shalt afterwards receive me to glory That which made Moses not only patient but joyful in what he suffered was this Heb. 11. 26. v. He had respect unto the recompence of the reward he had his heart set upon that state of Eternal glory in Heaven T was this upheld the spirit of St. Paul and made him account of any evil here to be indured but light and short and not to be compared and reckoned with that exceeding and Eternal weight of glory that is to come Rom. 8. 18. v. whereunto let me add that in 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. While we look not at things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Israel never minded the difficulties they went through nor the Anakims they fought with when the Land of Canaan was to be possessed by them Pericula non respicit Martyr Coronas respicit It was not the danger that troubled the Martyrs it was the Crown that helped them to go through those dangers the fulness of those joys and sweetness of those pleasures at God's right hand bore up their hearts and raised up their souls under their sufferings and made them contemn fire and fagot yea and slight what everthe malice of men could do unto them It was nothing with them to drink down large draughts of Vinegar and Gall when God called them to it why because such Cups were sweetened with the new Wine drunk in his Kingdom They would not pull in their heads for fear of any blows whatsoever for that they had put on for an helmet the hope of Salvation and glory They refused not to enter into the most fiery Chariots for that they knew they would carry them up into Heaven It is reported of Egypt that there is no Countrey in which there are more venemous creatures then in Egypt and also that there is no Countrey hath more Antidotes to help against poyson Even so no people under the Sun I think meet with more troubles and afflictions outward and inward then the people of God do but then none have more excellent Cordials to make use of at such a time then they have Alcheumes Bezoar dust of Pearl or aurum potabile are not so comfortable as those spiritual Cordials of all sorts that the Saints have to do them good in times of affliction And believe it those who injoy any share in these Eternal good things find such comfort therein and they stand them so much in stead under afflictions that they go on cheerfully in their way towards Heaven What else
be our Judg he that redeemed regenerated sanctified and justified us is to be our Judg he that hath loved us he that hath interceded for us with the Father he that hath united us to himself and hath made us one with himself is to be our Judg. And will not Jesus Christ now stand his people in good stead see Rom. 8. 1. v. Such shall never be judged to condemnation For there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Jesus Christ who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit they shall then hear no other proclamations but of blessings peace and glory no other sentence but of absolution Christ hath verily told us John 5. 24. v. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 3. 36. v. He that believeth in the Son hath Eternal life Hath Eternal life how 1. In promissis in promises thereof 1 Joh. 5. 25. v. And this is the promise that he hath promised us Eternal life 2. In principijs in the beginnings of it Eternal life is begâ—n here John 17. 3. v. And this is life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent This is life Eternal that is T is the beginning of life Eternal the full injoyment of which life is hereafter to be had 3. In primitijs in the earnests first fruits and handsel of it in those clusters of grapes and bunches of figgs those graces of Christ's spirit they are called by Saint Paul Rom. 8. 23. v. The first fruits of the Spirit 4. In capite Christ as a believer's head already injoys it and so a believer hath it in a begun possession Upon Earth Christ was his surety to answer the penalty of his sin and in Heaven he is now his advocate to take seisin and possession of Eternal life So that Jesus Christ then will not sentence them to Eternal death who are so many ways interested in Eternal life he will not cast any of his members nor any branches growing in him into Eternal fire none of these shall be made everlasting fuel for Eternal flames But yet this should not incourage any one in the way of Licentious living no the thoughts of the day of Judgment should call upon every one to keep a good Conscience and to walk unblamably all the days of their lives both before God and Man This is a duty that St. Paul lays down from this doctrine of the day of Judgment Act. 24. 15 16. v. First the Apostle lays down the Doctrine of Christ's coming to Judgment That there shall be a Resurrection both of the Dead both of the just of the unjust as if he had said All men shall appear at Christ's Tribunal in the last day And what follows Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Man The thoughts of this that the just must arise and be judged by Jesus Christ as well as the unjust this was an inducement upon St. Paul's heart that he should labor to keep his Conscience void of all offence both towards God and Men. Unto this of St. Paul let me add another place out of St. Peter The Apostle having shewed That the day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night in the which the Heavens will pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt 2 Pet. 3. 10. v. addeth in the 11. v. Seeing you look for such things as these and that all these things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and Godlyness The Apostle here would infer from Christ's appearing in Judgment and the dissolution of the Heavens and all things at the last day That they should be â—areful to spend their days in all manner of Piety and to keep their Consciences free from Sin St. Augustine tells of himself that as long as his Conscience was gnawed with the guilt of some youthful lust he was once insnared with the very hearing of the day of Judgment was even an Hell to him Conscience will then go with men to Judgment but they who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience will hold up their heads in judgment and not fear when the rest of the world shall be full of fear nay when the whole world shall be in an aproar and shall see the Earth flaming the Heavens melting the Judg arrayed with Majesty and attended with all his holy Angels sitting on his Throne of Glory like the fiery flame Dan. 7. 9. v. and all souls fetched from Heaven and Hell to be re-united to their bodies when dreadful souls must leave their place of terror and once more to be re-united to their stinking Carions to receive a greater condemnation and blessed souls now in their place of happiness once more to be re-united to their then refined and glorified bodys to receive Eternal glorification Happy we if here we find our souls changed by Grace in Covenant with God united to Christ and do exercise our selves to have always a good Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man Then may I say as St. John does 1 John 3. 2. Now we are the sons of God but it doth not appear yet what we shall be but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Read those words of the same Apostle in the former Chapter 1 Joh. 2. 28. v. And now little children abide in him In Christ your dear and ever blessed Saviour that when he shall appear in Judgment ye may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Fear thou not O Christian who hast labored for and possessed thy self of Eternal good things which are the Best of good things such things that will make thee good and do thee good when all Temporal good things will do thee no good But go thou thy way until the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the days Dan 12. 13. v. Go on in the way and course of thy life that yet remaineth be contented whatever condition thou beest cast into prepare for thâ— end of thy life so that thou mayst end it comfortably and go to thy g 〈…〉 e in peace and stand up at the general r 〈…〉 ecâ—ion of the Dead when Christ shall come to Juâ—gment in thy lot of Coelestial Inheritances and heavenly glory prepared and allotted to thee and all laborious Christians at the end of the world for the days of Eternity For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the Dead in Christ
desiderant sine anxitate desiderant sine fastidio satiantur â—n heaven they always behold God's presence and â—till they desire to behold it and yet without anxiety they are satisfied with God's presence and without saâ—iety We read of some Kings that have been weary of their Crowns and Kingdoms and have therefore laid aside their Crowns and yielded up their Kingdoms unto others 5. Our labor and pains ought cheifly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because Eternal good things are the only satisfying good things Verily when a man can pull the Sun Moon and Stars from the Heavens and fix them in his house when he can sow Grace in the furrows of his field when he can fill his barns with glory when he can get baggs full of Salvation when he can plow up heaven out of the earth and extract God out of the creatures then he may be able to find that in Temporal things which shall satisfy his desires A covetous man may have his house full of Money but he can never have his heart full of money An ambitious man may have Titles enough to overcharge â—his memory but never to fill his pride A voluptuous man may spend whole weeks nay years in carnal pleasures and delights and yet never be satisfied therewith but is ever thirsting after new invented delights and pleasures like Nero that wicked Emperor who had an Officer about him that was called Arbiter Neroâ—nianâ— libidiniâ— The Inventer and Contriver of new ways of uncleaness Sooner will Stygian darkness blend with light the Frost with Fire or Day with Night then these things below satisfy the hearts of men As all the rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full nor does it for all that flow its banks Eccles 1. 7. v. So though all the golden streams of the world should run into the hearts of men yet would they not be filled which was long since observed by Solomon Eccles 5. 10. v. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Agur mentions four unsatiable things in Pro. 30. 15 16. v. There are three things that are never satisfied yea four things say not It is enough The Grave and the barren Womb the Earth that is not filled with Water and the fire that saith not It is enough Such an unsatiable thing also is the heart of Man this also saith not It is enough So inordinate are the appetites and desires of men after these things Non plus satiatur cor auro quam corpus aura As Aiâ— fills not the body so neither doth money the mind A Man may as soon fill a Chest with grace as satisfy an heart with wealth Wherefore saith the Prophet Isaiah 55. 2. v. Do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which satisfieth not This very consideration should take off our immoderate love and labor from the things of the world because there is not any sweet juice of satisfaction in them As it is reported of a great School-man Quod a studijs Scholasticae theologiae averteretur ferè nause abundus quoniam succo carebant liquidae pietatis He turned with loathing from the study of School-divinity because it wanted the sweet juice of Piety The sweet juice of what we labor for it is satisfaction and content but this we see is altogether wanting in Temporal good things But Eternal good things are satisfying good things here all the earth would not satisfy one man hereafter one Heaven will be enough for all men Herein lies one of the excellencies of the heavenly Inheritance Non augustior multitudine haeredum the portions of those that possess it are not scanted by reason of the number and multitude of co-heirs In the 23 of St. Luke you have a Theif condemned crucifyed and hanging upon a cross an â—ngine and rack of most grievous torture for spinning out of pain and slowing of death and what desires he To be remembred of Christ He beggs not life nor pleasure nor riches nor honor or any other Temporal good things no there was one thing more necessary one thing more satisfactory Give him Heaven he cares for nothing more give him but an Eternal inheritance in Paradise and his desires are satisfied Let the Executioners now rack him tear him break all his bones and pull him into atomes if Christ will do so much for him as to remember him in his Kingdom he is satisfied Let him but hear of being with Christ in Paradise he desires no other news he is satisfied he hath enough And Christ answers his expectation for at vers 43. he tells him To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Paradise was however now defaced the sweetest and goodliest place upon earth a Demesne sutable for the greatest Prince then on earth renowned for many things for all sorts of trees such as were both pleasant to the sight and good for food there growed the tree of Life and the â—ree of knowledg of Good and Evil and for that famous four-brancht River that watered the place In a word nothing was wanting which might be either for Ornament use or delight or which might make Man as happy as he would be for God loves to see his creatures happy And as Man was the Image of God so was this earthly Paradise an image of heaven but both the images are defaced the image of God in Man and the image of Heaven in Paradise yet the first patterns they are both Eternal and in Heaven are such things that Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man 1. Cor. 2. 9. v. There that chosen Vessel was in the Spirit and heard and saw so much that could noâ— be expressed 2 Cor. 12. 2. v. for indeed it is as easy to compass the Heavens with a span or contain the Sea in a Nut-shell as to relate what things are in the heavenly Paradise St. John adds the name of God to it and calls it the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. v. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God The adding of the name of God here doth not only pâ—â— a difference between the heavenly Paradise and Adam's earthly Paradise but also sheweth it to be a great and most excellent place and enough there is iâ— it to satisfy all those who possess it There is enough in God to satisfy all that have aâ— interest in him It is a notable speech to this purpose that of Jacob when his brother Esau met him ye find Gen. 33. 8. v. That Esau he refused Jacob's present and told Jacob he had enough What meanest thou by all this drove which I met and he Jacob said these are to find grace in the sight of my Lord In the next verse says Esau I have enough At the 11. v. Jacob urges it
saying Take I pray thee my blessing that is brought to thee because God hath dealt graciously with me and because I have enough I have enough saith Esau I have enough saith Jacob though the word â—e one and the same in both places in the English I have enough yet it is by Divines observed that there is a difference in the Original Jacob's word is different from Esau's Jacob's word signifies I have all things and yet Jacob was poorer than Esau Esau had much but Jacob had all but how had he all Because he had the God of all he had God that was all And indeed as one observes Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all things that hath him that is all things God alone was enough to Jacob and God alone would satisfy David's desire Psal 73. 25. v. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none I desire upon earth besides thee So great is the capacity and largeness of the Soul of Man that no Riches no Dignities Kingdoms nor the Empire of the whole World no Pleasures in a word no finite and limitable good can quench its insatiable thirst and desire nothing can do this but some immense infinite and boundless good and such as containeth in it self by way of Eminency or preheminency the fulness of all good whatsoever This David insinuated Psal 17. 15. v. Satiabor cum apparuer it gloria tua as the vulgar translation renders those words I shall be satisfied and filled when thy glory shall appear As if David had said No other thing can give me full contentment except the manifestation of thy glory which is an infinite and illimitable good David is here conceived to speak of that confidence and hope that himself and others of God's people have of happyness and satisfaction after this life when their bodies that sleep in the grave shall be awaked to the resurrection of Eternal Life then their happyness will be full in the measure without want of any thing that can make them happy all their desires shall be then satisfied They shall be abundantly satisfied with thâ— fatness of thy house Psal 36. 8. v. It were impossible to imagine that any one should have an interest in God and not be happy Psal 144. 15. v Happy is that people whose God is the Lord But in this life the happyness of the best is but like an house in building hereafter when they shall injoy God in heaven and be glorified with Christ in those heavenly Mansions when they shall wear upon their heads a Crown of life and be blessed associates unto Angels and all glorified spirits then the top-stone of perfect and everlasting happyness shall be put on At their conversion they are restored to the possession of some of those good things they lost in Adam but in heaven they shall injoy all those good things they lost in Adam 6. Our labor and pains ought cheifly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because Eternal good things concern our Souls other good things concern the body only As the soul is to be preferred before the body so our labor and pains should rather be for those things that concern the soul than for those that concern the body only It is most true there is an excellency even to be taken notice of in the body and most excellent things might be observed touching the Noble Structure and Symetry thereof its figure frame temperature and proportion not any part of the common lump of Claâ— being fashioned like to it It is said of Galen that he gave Epiâ—urus an hundred years time to imagine a more commodious Configuration or Composition of any one part of a humane body When David spends his thoughts upon the curious frame of Man's body he seems to look upon himself as it were in amazed Extasies See Psal 139. 13 14 15. v. Thou hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers womb I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right-well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Where David compares the Workman-ship of the body to the curious Needle-work of some skilful Woman The body is indeed a little miracle of Nature a vessel made capable of the best Jewel an house prepared for the best inhabitant every part whereof hath its wonder neither is there any piece in this Exquisite frame whereof the place use and form doth not admit wonder and exceed it God having invested the body with many noble Endowments made it a mirror of beauty and printed upon it surpassing excellencies But yet a Christians greatest labor and pains should not be for the body but for the soul the body indeed is to be provided for but the more special care should be for and about the soul The Egyptians parted with their money after that with their cattel and last of all with their land to buy bread to feed their bodies and what should not a man part with and do for the good of the soul The Heathen man could say Major sum ad majora genitus quam ut mancipium sim mei corporis I am more noble and born to more noble ends then that I should become a Slave to my body And should not Christians who are made capable of an infinite good and do far exceed him in spiritual nobility as having God for their Father Christ for their elder-brother conclude it far short of those noble ends for which they were born to toyl and labor all their whole life only to nourish to feed and cloth the body and in the mean time to neglect the soul which is far more excellent then the body Shall they only look after what is conducing and accommodated to a corporal life and not mind what will be good for their souls when they must injoy an Eternal life It is said of Caesar Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae That he had greater care of his books then of his Royal robes for swimming through the waters to escape his enemies he carried his Books in his hands above the waters but lost his Robes That heathen Epimanondus being dangerously wounded with a Spear so that he sunk down as one dead and after coming to himself he asked if his Target were safe his cheif care was about his Target So should it be with a Christian about his Soul his cheif care should be about his soul that must in the first place be regarded and cared for the body is but the souls upper garment and although that should fall into hands of unreasonable men though the Soul should lose its upper garment yet if the soul it self be safe all is safe but if the soul be lost all is lost God lost and Christ lost and the society of glorious Angels and blessed Saints lost and
Heaven lost and that for ever Is it not a wonder to consider that whereas Faith teacheth us that the soul is immortal and must live for ever and experience sheweth us that the body is mortal yet most people contrary to faith and experience do neglect the Soul as though that were mortal and labor for the body as if that were immortal As Julius Caesar was wont to say of Cicero that he was negligent in things belonging to himself but diligent in things belonging to the Common-wealth So such there are who are negligent in things concerning their souls but diligent in things concerning their bodies who spend the best of their time and strength in laboring for their bodies but in the mean time neglect to provide for their Eternal Souls Prima animi bona says Juvenal those good things of the mind are the first things to be minded Optimum est curam principalem animae impendere says another Our first and principal endeavor should be for the principal things for things which concern the Soul for sanctification here and glorification hereafter To provide for the body should be but a Christian's by-work but caring for the soul ought to be his main work As our greatest fear should be for the Soul so our greatest care ought to be for the Soul That our greatest fear should be for the Soul appears by those words of our Saviour Matth. 10. 28. v. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell It is the greatest folly in the world out of fear of the body to betray the soul That our greatest care should be for the soul appears also out of our Saviour's words Matth. 16. 26. v. What profit hath a man if he win the whole World and lose his own Soul A Christian's great care should be not to hazard the Eternal welfare of his soul for a short fruition of Riches and Splendor in the world these are but conveniences of the body not of the soul If we could discern Souls with the eye or conceive them by the mind they would even ravish us and lead us into an excessive love of them The souls of Men though now they are clogged with flesh are dwelling in houses of clay and tabernacles of dust though now they are shut up in the body like a bird of paradise in a cage yet are such beings as have no less distant original from the body then heaven is from earth coming immediate from God a truth exprest by Ovid in a short verse Sedibus aethereis Spiritus ille venit but better by Zachariah chap. 12. 1. The Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth the foundations of the Earth and formeth the spirit of Man within him The body which is flesh is from flesh but the Soul which is a spirit is from the God of Spirits and in the Soul mostly and properly is the Image of God stampt Magna res est anima It is a sparkling Diamond set in a ring of Clay It is the better more noble and sublimated part of man It is the quintessence of a rational nature the very glory of the Creation that hath the image of its Creator to beautify it and is a Jewel more worth than the World with all its Revenues and Perquesites in every respect far more excellent and precious then the body The body that is but of a course make the soul that is a finer spinning the body that is but of an earthly extract the soul is an heavenly born being The Apostle Phil. 3. 21. v. calls the body a vile body and so it is compared with the soul T is the Soul that makes the body lovely and amiable Take the soul out of the body but even half an hour and the body forthwith grows out of each one's love that they who before were enamoured on it do not now desire to come near it or have it in their sight Though Sarah had been unto Abraham the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24. 16. v. and a most sweet companion of his life yet is she by the removal of her soul at death so defaced that he loaths to look on her hence saith he to the Sons of Heth Gen. 23. 4. v Give me a possession of a burying-place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Hence it is that the Psalmist calls it Vnica mea my Darling Psal 22. 20. v. Deliver my soul from the Sword my Darling from the power of the Dogg He prefers the soul as his Darling before the body A darling child shall be cared for and provided for whoever is neglected Not a soul here but is so excellently and perfectly precious that we cannot set forth nor understand how excellent and perfectly precious it is So precious is the soul of every man that all the Gold of the West all the treasures of the East all the Spices of the South all the Pearls of the North are nothing though a man had a Monopoly of them to an invaluable Soul heaps of wedges of Gold mountains of Silver hoards of Pearl are not to be compared with it I may say of the Souls preciousness what is commonly spoken of Aristotles book of Physicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that made publick it was and yet not made known because men do not yet understand the Secrets of it So the preciousness of the Soul hath by many pens been made publick and yet not made known because no man knows the full preciousness thereof Favorinus the Philosopher was wont to say and his words are excellent Nihil in terra magnum praeter hominem nihil in homine praeter mentem The greatest thing in the world is Man the greatest thing in man is the Soul The body at best cannot live long for all the pampering and triming and repairing and dawbing it will not be long before it lyes down in the grave it hath but a short time to live but believe it Christian in that mouldring decaying and dying body of thine thou hast an immortal and never dying soul And wilt thou provide for thy body and not for thy soul wilt thou labor and take pains for a decaying body and not labor for thy soul that means to live as long as Eternity This were as if a man should buy in a great deal of provision for his Servants and starve his Wife and children or as if he should think nothing too much to lay out upon his Doggs and yet starve himself So do all those that labor for what pleases and contents the body but neglect their immortal and never dying souls which God hath breathed into them which God hath beautified with some shadowing representations of his own most glorious being and for which he hath given so great a price and values above all the world besides It was the saying of Aristippus an Heathen who will rise up
Wilderness and that they had been put to fight with the Sons of Anak and other enemies No more did it ever repent any believer when he was once in Heaven that he had taken paâ—ns for heaven Heaven hath made amends for all his pains taken But it will hereafter repent thousands that now labor and toil only after the things of the world but neglect the things of heaven We have Solomon recognizing and reviewing all his works and all his labor that he had labored to do and what finds he vanâ—y and vexation of Spirit no contenâ—aâ—ion no satisfaction but endless vexation enough to convince him to how little purpose he had wearied himself enough to make him repent of all his labor and pains See that place Eccâ—es 2. 11. v. Then I looked on all the work that my hand had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the Sun So it will be with many men in Hell that here take uncessant pains and as we say labor like an horse when they shall review and recognize all the labor and â—ains they have taken after Temporal good things and what little pains about and for Eternal good things What will be the issue but even endless vexaâ—ioâ— this will vex and torment their Souls throughout all Eternity this will make them say as Solomon in the 2 Eccles 18. v. I hate all the labor which I have taken under the Sun Solomon had got no good no pay that would equallize his pains In 〈◊〉 they will haue the remembrance of all their labor having in their life gained nothing that would equaâ—lize their labor or their loss even tâ—e loss now of heaven and all the Eternal good things of heaven As they say of the Bird that â—â—tâ—eth upon the Serpents Eggs that by breaking and hatching of them she brings forth a perillous brood to her own destruction So do these that sit brooding on the worlds Vanisies the end of all their pains will be but Eternal Destruction When I see some men priding themselves in what they possess in the world but careless of Heaven When I behold them delighting themselves in the many honors conferred upon them by the great bounâ—y of Princes but not minding God's honor When I observe them spending their whole time in voluptuous pleasures that are but for a moment and look no further I call to mind some pleasant rivers that fall into the Sea You know there are many sweet and Chrystal rivers that run pleasantly as it were sporting of themselves winding and turning their silver streams up and down many a pleasant and goodly Meadow a great while but at last they fall into the Salt Sea there they lose their sweetness and become brackish So these men for a while do turn and wind themselves up and down through the Meadows of pleasure and bath themselves in the transitory bliss of this world arising from their great possessions and many honors but for want of laboring for Eternal good things at last fall into the mouth of Hell and there lose all the sweetness of those things and find nothing but the bitter brackishness of Eternal pains How will it now repent them that they labored for Earth so much and for Heaven so little for Temporal good things so much and for Eternal good things so little that they looked more at things below than at things aboâ—e This hath made some bewail their folly at death that ever they set their hearts upon them and so sinfully labored to attain them I have read a sad story of a rich oppressor who had scraped up a great estate for his only Son when this rich oppâ—essor came to dye he called his Son to him and said Son do you indeed love me the Son answered That Nature besides his Paternal indulgence obliged him to that then said the Father express it by this hold thy finger in the Candle so long as I am saying a Pater noster the Son attempted but could not indure it upon that the Father broke out into these expressions Thou canst not indure the burning of thy finger for me but to get this wealth I have hazarded my Soul for thee and must burn body and soul in Hell for thy sake thy pain would have been but for a moment but mine will be unquenchable fire Thus he bewailed that he had wickedly labored after the good things of this life this at the time of his death filled his heart no doubt with no little sorrow and vexation But I do â—erily believe that there never was any laborious Christian but upon his death bed lamented that he took no more pains for these things Nay rather he hath then wished that he had been a thousand times more laborious for them Though a lazy generation of men have accused them for â—oo much preciseness have deâ—ided them for too much strickness and have judged them to be almost besides themselves when they have taken notice of their extraordinary diligence yet themselves could say as Erasmus did Accusant quod nimium fecerim verum Conscientia mea me accusat quod minus fecerim quodque lentior fuerim They accuse me for doing too much but my own Conscience accuseth me for doing too little And what shall I say more have we God's command to labor after Eternal good things are they the best of good things making those Good and doing those Good that injoy them that when others under terrors of conscience upon a dying bed in the grave at Judgment and under everlasting torments will find nothing which do them any good or stand them in any stead these under all their afflictions upon a death-bed and at judgment will not want what will support them under the first comfort them under the second and make them hold up their heads at the third being interested in that everlasting desirable satisfying provision they have made for their souls and shall see their labor for the same hath not been in vain as also that they shall not have cause ever to repent thereof Are not these considerations sufficient to make our hearts serious to improve every hour and minute of time both day and night in the use of all good means to the very end of our days for Eternal good things and not yield to be put off with any other good things whatsoever then such as are Eternal though God keep us low and mean in the world I shall answer one question and then come to apply what hath been said CHAP. VII Question VVHat Reasons may be assigned why men labor so much after Temporal good things that they do neglect Eternal and build their happyness upon so deceitful grounds as earthly possessions and transitory things they account themselves happy in these earthly injoyments whereas a painted face is as certain an argument of a good complexion as this of an happy condition When God
naturally full of enmity towards hatred of and contâ—arity against God and what belongs unto God despising and rejecting whatsoever is heavenly and supernatural both truths and ways doctrines and things As the learned Grecian accounted Christ crucified but a foolish Doctrine to be either imbraced or believed for no other reason than because it was against natural reason So are these Eternal good things not accounted of or labored for by too many for no other reason but because they agree not with their natures By nature all men are in the flesh walk after the flesh making provisions for the flesh and no ways savoring what is agreeable and sutable to flesh Were it possible to prove that there were Praeadamiti men before Adam for though Scripture doth not mention any such but calleth Adam the first man yet such a paradoxal opinion hath been vented and endeavoured to be proâ—ed or might it be as peremptorily concluded of any as some do of the Virgin Mary who shall ever be acknowledged blessed amongst women others also of St. Anne the Virgins mother others of all the Virgins Family that they were without Original sin Or if mankind were multiplied not by Generation but by an other way as some have thought That if Adam had not faln all his Posterity would have been and as the Turks say of such their Religious persons whom they call Nefesogli that they are not born in an human way of Generation Or if God would please miraculously to create some men de novo make children to Abraham out of stones so as their Natures mighâ— be holy and free from Original contagion as I find some affirm that Seth Enoch Noah and such eminent men were and as indeed Jesus Christ was he being without all sin either Original or Actual called therefore Dan. 9. 24. v. Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of holies or most holy Were there now such men as these to be found in the World their hearts would not have in them this contrariety to God and the things of Heaven such a neglect of and averâ—ness unto grace here and glory hereafter 2. R. Because men do fancy that in these Temporal things below doth consist the onely comfort of their lives look as the affections are very potent in a man to turn him this way or that way from this thing to that thing so also is the Imagination or fancy of a man a mans fancy since the Fall is as full of evil as the Sea is of water a Womb wherein much iniquity is conceived and is a great impediment and hinderance to the Souls good but in no way more thâ—n in this that iâ— pleases it self with empty and vain things and neglects true solid good things it pleases it self with the vain things of this World and neglects the real and lasting things of Heaven It is one part of man's misery devoid of grace and whilst in a sinful estate that his Soul and all the parts and powers thereof are inhabited by Satan there he dwells and therein he reigneth and in no one room of the Soul doth he ofâ—ner appear then in the fancy the Devil hath a great command over the fancy who being the God of this World he makes men to set an high estimate upon the things of the World Hence it is that having raised the value and price of Temporal good things above their real worth and caused men to place their happiness â—herein they now think no labour too great to obtain what they fancy very good and that as they believe maketh for the happiness of their present being And I wonder not to see this very thing practised by men of greatest understanding and wisdom in a Countrey who however they are or may be otherwise profound Statesmen and very wise as to all Earthly affairs yet are altogether oftentimes blinded and know not how to guide their actions to their true end And the reason hereof is because their fancy usurpeth upon their understanding and getteth into the Chair thereof Even as Athaliah destroyed all the Seed Royal that she might reign so fancy bolteth out all solid reasons and arguments used to take their hearts from off an immoderate pursuit of these Temporal things It is fancy onely that doth all and they are herein more led by their fancy then by any Scripture grounds or reasons their understanding is made but subservient and an under-agent to their fancy in these undertakings It can hardly be imagined how vain such men are become in their fancies and imaginations and how far fancy doth transport men herein So true is that noted long since to be delivered by Gerson That the world now grown old is full of doting fancies Or as a most reverend and learned Person glossing upon those words of Gerson sayes The world now near her end raves and talkes nothing but fancies and frenzies Some men are not more subject to madness in their fancy then these to be guided by fancy rather then by Scripture or right reason That it is true of many Christians what the Apostle speaketh of the Heathens and that in their high profession of wisdom Rom 1. 21. v. They became vain in their imaginationâ— And he shews wherein at the 23. v. And changed the glory of uncorruptible God into an Image mâ—de liâ—e to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things So that they became vain in their imaginations by their setting up many fabulous and idle Deities whereby the knowledge of the true God was obscured Even so many Christians are become vain in their imaginations in fancying and imagining that happiness may be found in things below and therefore neglect to labour after the true happiness of Heaven They regard not what God commandeth or what the Soul wanteth but what their fancy pleaseth But why do the people imagine a vain thing Psal 2. 1. v. For the comfort of a man doth not stand in having much It is Christ's maxime Luke 12. 15. v. Man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Yet otherwise men believe and fancy and hence it is that they esteem more highly of those things which will perish in the using then they do of those things which are of Eternal use Wherein they are like that Hermit who set a greaâ—er value upon his Cat then Gregory upon the World And like Diogenes who preferred his Cynical life before Alexander's Royalty he fancyed his little Cloyâ—ter best Or like those of Angola who prefer a Dog before many Slaves Or the Indians who esteem more of trifles then Gold Or Children who â—ake greater delight in 〈◊〉 handful of Nut-shells then Jewels What a strange fancy was that of Bassianus the Emperour who so degenerated in effeminateness â—hat he would not only conform to Womens attire â—ut would also make his name feminine he would be â—alled Bassiana not Bassianus Such a fancy have many amongst Christians who are so degenerated â—nto Irreligion
exhortations that they find in Scripture which are backed with strong reasons and encouraged unto by many sweet promises If we had saith one a window in men's breasts we should see this principle ingraven on their hearts That the Gospel is promises and all their work is to believe them to be true And so they never mind exhortations to labour after Heaven and Immortal life after Salvation and Eternal happiness only they please themselves with such promises that God hath made of Heaven and Eternal rewards making use of the promises to strengthen their hopes for Heaven but follow not the exhortations which call upon them to labour for Heaven It is most true that a well grounded hope for Heaven and Eternal salvation is gotten by and grounded upon the Word of God hence it is called the Hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 23. v. because it is gotten by the Gospel and grounded upon the Gospel All a Saints hopes comes from the Scriptures Psal 119. 49. v. Good is the Word of the Lord wherein thou hast caused me to hope Rom. 15. 4. v. That we saith the Apostle through the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And the promises of the Scripture are the Anchor of a Christian's hope that hope which any one hath of Heaven if not founded upon a promise it may rather be called presumption then hope Promises are the surest Pillars to build our hopes for Heaven upon when that hope which is not built upon a promise shall suffer ship-wrack then a promise will be as a planck upon which we may swim safe to the shoar of Heaven then a promise will be as a Fiery Chariot to carry us up to heaven Heaven is nothing else but the enjoyment of the promises Heb. 6. 12. v. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises that is Promissam illam haereditatem the promised Inheritance The promises are Heaven folded up Heaven is the promises unfolded The promises are made by God and they make over God to a Believer as his portion and Christ as his Saviour and the Spirit as his Sanctifier and all Eternal good things as his everlasting Inheritance It is therefore one of the greatest titles that â— belongâ— a Christian to be stiled an Heir of the Promises Heb. â— 17. v. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by Oath That man who hath a right to the Promises is the richest man in the World for God is his and Christ is his and the Spirit is his Grace here and Eternal glory hereafter is his Sad is that man's condition who hath no interest in God nor in Christ and who is without all hopes of future and Eternal happiness But he that is a stranger from the promise is without Christ without God and without hope Eph. 2. 12. v. Such a man may indeed nourish hopes of Heaven but his hopes if not bottomed upon a promise will prove afterwards to be no other then his Souls delusion and his Souls consenage he may promise himself to go to Heaven and there be blessed and happy for ever but his hopes will deceive him And under the like Soul-delusion are those men that hope they shall enjoy all whatsoever are held forth in the promises men who do not at all mind all the conditions of the promises men that only believe them to be true but labour not by an holy industry and diligence to gain and possess themselves of what is promised These men do highly value Promises but they under-value and despise Commands they read the Word of God and they meet with the promising-word this they retain and beâ—ieve and build their hopes thereon and they meet also with the Commanding-word this they embrace not this they obey not Ask many profane Persons what hopes they have of being happy to all Eternity O say they God is a merciful God and he hath made many gracious promises in the Scriptures to pardon our sins and blot out our iniquiâ—ies and upon such free promises as these we build our hopes I remember Mr. Torshel in his Hypocrite discovered and cured doth tell of such a one that he well knew He was saith he full of assurance to be saved but I knew him very well and knowing nothing that could make him so confident dealt with him as I saw most convenient for his estate and urged him with that of the Apostle Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure And with that other place Work out your salvation with fear and trembling The man now was staâ—led and told my Author He acted the dâ—vâ—ls part against him to make him despair Here was a confidence of being saved here was no question a resting upon promises but here wanted diligence and working here wanted aâ— obedience to Scripture Commaâ—ds none of that appeared in the wretches life and conversation And verily here is the very nature of many wickeâ— men to hope for Heaven building their hope upon promises but they will not do God's Commands that thousands I fear presume themselves into Heâ— and under Eternal Torments by a false hope in thâ— promises They will not run the race and yet hopâ— to obtain the prize they will not fight the batteâ— and yet hope to win the Crown they hope for Heaven at the end but they never act holiness as thâ— means though happiness be intailed upon holiness Heb. 12. 14. v. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which none shall see God And a. promise of the life that now is and that which is to come is 〈…〉 iled upon Godliness 1 Tim. 4. 8. v. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come And as Christ became the Author of salvation unto all them that obey him Heb 5. 9. v. And the Psalmist concludes Psal 119. 15. v. Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not Gods Statuâ—es And if Salvation be far surely a well-grounded hope of Salvation must be far from them But why is Salvation far from the wicked Because they keep not thy Statutes they are strong in their expectation of Heaven but slow in their endeavours after Heaven they take no pains at all for Heaven They challenge an interest in the Promise but yield no obedience to the Command But believe it there is no hopes to have Gods promises fulfilled unless the Commandment of God be obeyed They are but presumptuous persons who so relye upon the promises of God as that they do sleight and disobey the Commandments of God Hitherto we have spoken only to the Doctrinal part of this point in the Explication Demonstration Confirmation thereof and also answered that serious question What Reasons may be assigned why men labour so much after Temporal good things that they do neglect Eternal and build their happiness upon so deceitful grounds as Earthly possessions and transitory things they
account themselves happy in these Earthly enjoyments The fourth particulor propounded was to make Application of all and here I shall speak but to three Uses Vse 1. By way of Lamentation and that over two sorts of men 1. Over those that instead of labouring foâ— these Eternal good things and having their hearts taken up with and set upon them have their hearts wholly set upon sensual pleasures and carnal delights and therefore do spend all their time in making provisioâ— for the flesh without the least thought upon Eternity that follows 2. Over those whose minds and hearts are oâ—ly set upon Earthly things and whose affections are faâ—â— nailed to the Earth making all the motions of their Souls to wait upon their Earthly designs and that so fixedly as if they had resolved upon no other Heaven then wealth Vse 2. By way of reprehension to reprove those that never look after Eternal good things but are wholly taken up with the pursuit of the good things of this life labouring for the meat which perisheth but not for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life Vse 3. By way of Exhortation to exhort every one to labour after Eternal good things CHAP. VIII Vse 1. BY way of Lamentation over those two sorts of men named whom when I consider how much they prefer momentany pleasures before Eternal joyes Earthly trash before everlasting riches and what little care they do express to have of their Souls of Heaven of being in Covenant with God of having an interest in Christ of gaining the Holy Spirit of Grace thereby to be brought out of that undone estate and condition they are naturally in I see cause to be Afflicted and mourn and weep to let laughter be turned to mourning and joy to heaviness Jam. 4. 9. v. as often as I think of their present sinfulness and their future Eternal miserableness When Jeremiah foresaw the heavy wast and destruction that should befal Moab Jer. 48. at what time the spoyler should come upon every City and no City should escape but the Cities thereof should be desolate without any to dwell therein and Moab should be a derision and dismaying to all them about him there should be no more praise of Moab but a continual weeping should go up the little ones of Moab should cause a cry to be made and the chosen young men thereof go down to the slaughter all joy and gladness should be taken from the plentiful field at the 17. v. the Prophet calls upon all those who are about Moab to bemoan Moab and at the 20. saith he Howl and cry tell ye it in Arnon that Moab is spoyled But how is the Prophet himself affected therewith see v. 31. Therefore I will howl for Moab and will cry out for all Moab mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kir-heres But all that was threatned here to befal Moab was only a Temporal Judgment but when we consider what the neglect of Eternal good things will bring upon these men I could even wish with the same Prophet Jer. 9. 1. v. Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for them 1. By way of Lamentation over those that instead of labouring for these Eternal good things and having their hearts taken up with and set upon them have their hearts wholly set upon sensual pleasures and carnal delights and therefore do spend all their time in making provision for the flesh without the least thought of â—ternity that follows There are many indeed that have nothing to do no callings wherein â—o imploy themselves no business to spend their time about but let me make bold to tell them especially the Gallants of our dayes Thaâ— they have Souls to save and that they have an Heaven to labour for and Eternal good things to make sure of and if they have any hopes to save their Soul to gain Heaven and make sure of those Eternal good things we have spoken of they have work enough every day to do They that say they have nothing to do ought to imploy themselves the more in reading meditating watching over themselves resisting sin with other acts of piety lest otherwise their time which they must afterwards account for pass away without any profit or fruit Every day is precious time and pity it is any one day should be spent in Idleness or evil imployments The Heathen Cicero hath taught us thus much saying Non generati a natura sumus uâ— ad ludum jocum facti esse videamur sed ad severitatem potius ad quaedam studia graviora atquâ— majora Ludo enim joco uti illis quidem licet seâ— sicut somno quietibus caeteris tum cum gravibuâ— seriisque rebus satisfecerimus We are not bred oâ— nature as to spend our time in playing and sporting but in severity and great weighty studies and that we should use sporting and jesting as we do sleep and other recreations only at such times when we have dispatched our weighty businesses Every thing almost in Nature is in motion and performing a kind of labour There is a continual change of day and night The Heavens are incessantly carried about with a daily motion The Sun stands not still but runs its ten or twelve millions of leagues every day The Sea no day ceaseth from its ebbings and flowings But our Age hath produced a generation of men who do afâ—er a most straâ—ge manner spend their whoâ—e time in Idleness Men that seldom know of what colour the dawning of the day is of whom it may be said as â—ully said of Verres the Deputy of Sicily Quod nunquam solem nec orientem nec occidentem viderat That he never saw the Sun rising being in bed after nor setting being in bed before Herein these men imitate that Epicurean Swine who boasted that he had grown old without seeing the Sun either rise or set As â—â—bosheth slept upon his bed at Noon so these men are found to be in â—heir beds at Noon They change the day or a great part of the day into night as oftentimes they change the night into day spending night after night as well as day after day in actions of impiety and prophaness It is said of Theodosias the Emperour that after the variety of worldly employments relating to his civil affairs in the day time he was wont to consecrate the greatest part of the night to the studying of the Scriptures to which end he had a lamp so artificially made that it supplyed it self with Oyl that he might no way be interrupted in dedicating that time to God As he was careful to dedicate some part of the night to God so these are as forward to dedicate it to the Divel As they of Gibeah Judges 19. 25. v. abused the Levites Concubine all night until morning so to the shame of Christianity they abuse and disorder themselves all night and not until morning only
but night after night not being contented to continue from morning until night till wine inflame them as the Prophet hath it Isay 5. 11. v. but they second the days drunkenness with the nights excess As they are never well until they be at it so they never give over when they are at it Prov. 23. 35. v. They can awake in the night to pursue that is evil but sleep away much of the day without doing that which is good without labouring after or so much as minding of the salvation of their Souls and the enjoying of these Eternal good things Or rise they early they are in their rising but like the High Priests we read of that early in the moâ—ning before it was yet day were gathered together against Christ they could not rest until they had apprehended and condemned Christ. No question but there were some of these Confederates that would not in all probability have been hired to come out of their beds or have broken their sleeps to have done any thing that was good but to persecute and condemn Christ now sleep never troubles them now they are awake before day now they are up and abroad about the Dâ—vâ—ls business Who alas observes not many in our days to be of these High Priests minds Men that if they rise early yet it is not to spend the day to the glory of God it is not to imploy themselves in any thing wherein they can with confidence and a good conscience desire any gracious assistance from God It is not to be active for God and Heaven that great end wherefore they have their beings It is not that while they have yet a day allowed them they may be providing for Eternity But to spend the day in sensual pleasures and carnal delights to wast and pass away their time either in Play-houses or Ale-houses those Palaces of Satan Chappels of Hell and Nurseries of all kind of sin and uncleanness little considering that in such a day they thus live thousands and perhaps millions of Souls are loosed from their bodies and presented before God's Tribunal there to receive an Eternal doom and that themselves in a moment may be forced to bear them company Dan. 4. 25. v. Seven times passed over Nebuchadnezzar that is he lived seven years like a beast But many amongst us have lived seven years three times yea seven times told and yet cannot say they have spent seven days to lay in any provision for their Souls against that endless duration these men live all their days like Beasts and happy were it for them might they perish as Beasts When some have thought day after day and night after night too little to labour in for Eternity they can spend day after day and night after night in doing nothing â—or Eternity That I may say of them as Ephorus of his Countrey-men the Cumaeans having no remarkable things to report of them and yet desirous to insert the name of his Countrey in his History of the Grecians relating what worthy acts many Nations had done the Lacedemonians saith he did this valiant act the Athenians did other noble acts but his Countrey-men the Cumaeans did nothing he had nothing to say of them but that they had done just nothing So in like manner we may recite this Holy man who hath done much towards the gaining of Heaven and that Martyr who chose rather to lose his life then lose his soul and that Believer who never thought he could do enough in labouring for Eternal good things but these men we speak of have done nothing at all We may here câ—y out with the Prophet call for the mourning women yea we may call for all such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing Amos 5. 16. v. Here we may excite all that know the worth of Souls and the excellency of Heaven with the Eternal good things thereof to sit down by the rivers of sorrow and weep Lachrymis non verbis miserationibus non orationibus opus est O Christians as often as we behold these kind of men let us look upon them with eyes full of tears as often as we speak of them let it be in words and expressions full of sorrow with sorrowful and lamenting hearts and yet let us not rest here but every one teach his Neighbour lamentation As that Phrase is Jer. 9. 20 v. that there may be a voice heard not in Ramah but in our own Countrey lamentation and bitter weeping Jer. 31. 15. v. Not Rachel only but all Parents weeping for their Children yea and refusing to be comforted for their children because they are not more careful for their Souls and more industrious for Heaven because they sottishly prefer swinish pleasures here before a labouring to enjoy pleasures in Heaven for evermore This very consideration should make us to lament with a doleful lamentation Micha 2. 4. v. 2 By way of Lamentation over those whose minds and hearts are only set upon Earthly things and whose affections are fast nailed to the Earth making all the motions of their Souls to wait upon their Earthly designs and that so fixedly as if they had resolved upon no other Heaven then wealth For which to gain how do they lye flatter swear deceive supplant undermine wrong and oppress others having darkneâ— the eyes of their consciences by offering violence to the tenderness thereof and neglecting the checks thereof they can entertain and digest without scruple or reluctation any means though never so indirect any conditions though never so base any advantage though never so dishonourable or unconscionable to raise themselves in the World Judas will betray the Son of God for a few pieces of Silver Balaam will be contented to curse the Church and People of God for a little honour and preferment Gehazi will multiply lye upon lye for a talent of silver and two changes of raiment Micha's Levite for a little better reward than the beggarly stipend he had before will neither scruple theft nor Idolatry To gain a Kingdom the bargain of treason is presently concluded between Absalom and the Devil He that is greedy of gain will not be backward to lye in wait for the life of his Neighbour Prov. 1. 18 19. v Rather then Ahab shall not have Naboth's vineyard poor Naboth shall be murthered How do we see some enrich themselves by Sacriledge as Ananias and Sapphira Others by Bribery as Felix Others by extortion and grinding the Poor as the griping Usâ—rer and unconscionable Tradesman Others by Symonie as too many of our covetous Church-men The undone condition of many poor Families that are left with naked backs empty bellies and languishing bowels do too sufficiently demonstrate the truth hereof The whole World abounds with men that do make nothing to break through many a hedge to make many a gap through God's Law and their own consciences that they may by shorter passages come to what they aime at then others Oh how many lye under the
what is it but as if an Husband-man should be very diligent to gather in his â—ubble and leave out his Corn Or as if a Goldsmith would carefully gather up his â—â—oss and disregard his Gold Or as Jacob to lay his right hand upon the younger and the left hand upon the eâ—â—er child It is spoken of some Jews by way of disgrace that when they might have returned to Jerusalem out of Captivity from Babyâ—on they would still dwell with the King of Babylon and live among their pots so they might have maintenance there they would rather there stay thâ—n to return to Jerusalem which was their own Country aâ—â— a type oâ— Heaven and where also was the true worship of God 1 Chron. 4. 23. v. these were men of base spirits and â—hat is there said is spoken by way of disgrace of them And such base spirited men are they we do speak of men that do chose rather to spend all their time and labour about things of the World thâ—n Heaven that make Earth their Heaven Gold their God that do worship the Golden Calf and herein proâ—e the Apostle's words fully Col. 3. 5. v. where he calls Covetousness Idolatry these evidence themselves to be Idolaters and no other thâ—n worshippers of the Heathen's God Pluto who having his name from riches was by them feigned to be the God of Hell and the rich man's God Being like those Natives in America who regard more a piece of glass or a mean priced knife and the like then a piece of Gold May we not say of these Americans surely they never heard of the worth of Gold or else they would noâ— exchange it for toyes And may not the like be said of these kind of Christians surely these men though they have heard of Heaven though they have heard of Eternal good things yet they do not believe the worth and excellency of Eternal good things why else do they so little mind them and labour for them CHAP. X. 3. A Third use may be by way of Exhortation To exhort every one to labour after Eternal good things Christians you hear what all men should first and last labour for what they are chiefly to labour and take pains about viz. about Eternal good things Eternal good things should be esteemed by them as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or principal things to be laboured for and Temporal things to be reckoned only as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or secondary matter to be looked for I shall divide my Exhortation into two parts 1. To exhort Christians to labour after Eternal good things 2. To exhort them to labour for them chiefly and before all other things whatsoever I will begin with first of these two and speak to it but briefly the second being what I chiefly intend to speak unto 1. To exhort every one to labour for Eternal good things How will the Merchant run through the intemperate Zones of heat and cold for a little treasure The Husband-man contentedly undergoes a laborious seed time to enjoy a happy câ—oâ— afterwards We every day see much gadding up and down in the World amongst men like a company of Ants upon an hillock for these things below some that they may get a poor living from hand to mouth others that they may get a step higher in the World thâ—n anoâ—â—er and almost all moâ—e panting after and labouring for Teâ—poral thâ—n Eternal good things Shall they take pains for Earâ—â—ly Mammon and shall we take no pains for a Heavenly Mansion shall they sweat and â—oâ—l and labour for these Temporal things and we take no pains for Eternal Much is spoâ—en in Scripture against slothfulness Rom. 12. 11. v. Not slothful in business Hebr. 6. 12. v. In the foregoing Verse saith the Apostle Wâ— desire that every one of you do sheâ— the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end And in this Verse he adds That ye be not slothâ—ul There is â— great deal of Spiritual sloth to be taken notice oâ— in the World many lazy and dull spirited Persons Persons like that slothful and unprofitable Servant who is mentioned and threatned to be cast into utter darkness Matth. 25 25. 30 v. And can such slothful ones expect any better thing to follow their slothfulness Let the Heathen's words be considered Nâ— illi falâ—i sunt qui diversissimas res expectant ignaviae voluptateâ— praemia virtutis They are utterly out that think to have the pleasure of Idleness and the plenty of painfulness It is true as to the gaâ—ning of any meâ—â— Earthly thing and much more true as may appear by what hath been said before in the gaiâ—ing Heavenly things Religion requires action labour and diligence Heaven will not be gotten but as it were by force and victory All Spiritual means and holy courses must be used all time and all opportunities must be improved least what gainers soever men are in this life they be losers in another life Sad will be the condition of those men whose Spiritual sloth eats up most of their time and thereby hinders their work and loses them Heaven To how many may it be said as the Housholder said in the Parable to those Matâ—h 20. 6. Why stand ye here all the day idle We read that Joshua said to the Sun stand still but God never said to the Soul of any Christian stand still Jacob saw the Angels some ascending others descending none standing still none appeared to him in an idle posture If Angels are not seen idle or standing still no more should men be seen so Though God made Behemoth to play in the waters not so men they must be doing that will keep in with God or get any thing from God Nil sine magno Vita labore dedit mortalibus He that will lay claim to the Habendum and Tenendum to the free-hold of happiness in Heaven must look to the Proviso of holiness and labour After all therefore that hath been said of Heaven and the Eternal good things of Heaven let me say to you as the Danites to their Brethren having spy'd out a good Land Judg. 18 9. v. We have seen the Land and behold it is very good and are ye still â—e not slothful to go and to enter to possess the Land As if they had said we have found out for you a Land which is very good pleasant and fruitful and â—hich may if you will take the pains be conquered and possessed by you do not ye therefore by your sloth and negligence let slip such an opportunity as now offers it self unto you to be enjoyers of a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the Earth 10. v. a place which aboundeth with all pleasures and profits and with such plenty and prosperity that nothing is wanting that can be desired So may I say unto you Christians the Heavenly Countrey is before you and such Eternal good things as you have heard described are there
a Christian and â—oth as it were proclaim to the world that he is overâ—boured and but hardly used If any of us should see a servant continually sad and dejected hear him murmuring and complaining we must needs think that he either loves not his Master or likes not his worke or fears his pay Such a servant discredits his Masters service and such a Christian also disgraces Religion as if he were like to gain nothing by all his Religious labour and pains As God loveth a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9. 7 v. so God loveth a cheerful Labourer that in Psal 100. 2. v. may be a command as well as advice Serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing As St. James saith if any be merry let him sing Psalmes so I say if any sing Psalmes read the word pray or do any other commanded duty let him be merry The Apostle did take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ sake 2 Cor. 12. 10. v. He did not only submit to God's dealings but rejoyced in them so should every Christian not only set about this labour but he should rejoyce in it his Soul should make him like the Chariot of Aminadab and a love to Eternal good things should Oyl the wheel of his affections he should go through his work as the Plowman goes through his drudging work whistling and singing imitating our blessed Saviour who delighted to do his fathers will it was to him meat and drink as he said to his Disciples at the Well of Samaria John 4. 34. v. Jesus saith unto them my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Christ's delight in gaining souls and bringing them to the knowledge of the Gospel took his mind off bodily food and refreshment even when he had need thereof the delight he took herein allayed the sense of his outward necessities and was more refreshing to him then meat and drink could be it made him to forget his meat and it was as meat unto him he took more delight in this worke then an hungry man could take in meat As Abrahams servant would not eat till he had dispatcht his errand Gen. 24. 33. v. he preferred his work before his food it was more content to him to dispatch the work his Master sent him about then to be eating and drinking But that I must draw to a conclusion here might be laid down many particulars to shew what reason a Christian hath to be chearful in this his labour For First he hath good company with him and that will make men cheerful though their labour should be a little more then ordinarily difficult and tedious Most men will be merry in good company if ever they will be merry and herein a Christian hath the company of the Eternal Trinity and the immortal Angels Secondly He is certain to be a great gainer by his labour he is not called upon to labour like a Captive or a Galley slave for nothing God hath made promises to him of good Rewards he hath promised a Crown of Righteousness 1 Tim. 4. 8. v. a Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. v. Such a Crown of Life as is a Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. v. and such a Crown of Glory as is everlasting an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4. v. All which are such things as are enough to make a lame man walk and a broken arm to bear a burden Thirdly he is assured of a future and Eternal rest after the labour of this life ended It is not with a Christian as it is with an Ox that when he can labour no longer is carryed to the slaughter and ceaseth to be but he lives for ever yet ceaseth to labour and enjoyes a Sabbâ—th of Sabbâ—ths in the Heavens Rev. 14. 13. v. Blessed are they which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labour When once this present life ends he shall pass his Eternity of bliss in contemplating loveing lauding and praysing the incomprehensible Glorious Majesty of our Creator Redeemer and Saâ—ctifier and in perpetual Hallelujahs unto him that sits upon the Throne in the fellowship of Caelestial Spirits who rest not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and which is and is to come Rev. 4. 8. v. Fourthly his work while he labours as he should for these things is accepted it is no small trouble to a man both in and for the doing of any thing when the person by whom he is imployed accepts not of what he does as the contrary must needs be a great cheering Eccles 9. 7. v. Go thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works Fifthly he hath good help and assistance he is assisted herein auxilio spiritus by the help of the spirit and the spirit makes all a Christians labour work and duties easy Heaven is promised unto him to encourage him and make him willing to labour and the spirit is given unto him to assist him and make him able not any one will much complain what ever his work is who hath power and affections too The spirit worketh in every Christian the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to will and to do Sixthly His labour is easy it is so if we will beleive either the testimony of Christ or the testimony of St. John both the Master and the Disciple give their testimonies hereunto we have the testimony of Christ Matt. 11. 30. v. My yoak is easy and my burden is light Sin layes an heavy yoak upon men and therefore Sin is compared to a Talent of Lead Zach. 5. 7. v. to shew the weightiness of it but Christ tells us his yoak is easy the yoak that was easy so long ago when Christ said it cannot be grown uneasy with wearing for the longer any thing is worn the easier that thing is to wear We have the testimony of St. John 1 Joh. 5. 3. v. His Commandements are not grievous As Christ spake what he well knew so questionless St. John spake what he by experience had found to be true Indeed to labour for these things may be irksome and troublesome to him that is unwilling and would not labour that would not at all strive to enter in at the strait Gate or climb up the Hill or it may at the first beholding of it appear so unto one that never set himself to labour or it may be so to one that loves not any kind of labour for as love will make any kind of labour delectable want of love makes it burdensome Or Lastly it may be so even to the carnal fleshly and unregenerate part of a beleiver for in such there is a Law in the members which rebells against the Lawes of Heaven but to the regenerated part of a Christian it is not irksome but
thee whom my soul prizeth above 306 the earth and its comforts and above heaven and its glory for my portion Jesus Christ for my Saviour the blessed spirit of Grace for my sanctifier Grace to change me from what I am by nature and Glory with thee in Heaven hereafter that will continue throughout that life which will be 299 Eternal even after a Million of ages 301 and longer then a Million of worlds Inlighten my darkned understanding that I may attain to the true knowledge of Eternity 304 and Eternal good things before my glass be out 305 my Sun set my race run and the dark night of Eternity overtake me Work Lord upon my heart a serious consideration what it is to perish 306 Eternally in Hell and to enjoy a blessedness eternally in Heaven that my labour and care may be to escape the one and to obtain the other O that as I must live hereafter through all Eternity so whilst I live here I might alwayes have Eternity in my thoughts and ever be endeavouring to 307 get assurance of an happy Eternity As my soul trembles to remember the 307 Eternity of pains in the nethermost Hell that region of confusion 309 and storehouse of Eternal fire where poor damned ones must be drenched in Seas of fire and floods of wrath 309 overwhelm them So Lord make me to tremble at sin that will bring all this upon me and enable me to walk in the wayes of holiness which will 309 be followed with happiness and Eternal glory O God whilst I am in the wilderness of this world let me I pray thee have some tasts 310 of those fruits that grow and are to be had in the Land of promise whereby my Soul 312 may be entered into the first degrees of heavenly joyes and may learn what a great difference 311 there is between the bitter sweets of this world and those fruits which grow upon the tree of Life in the Paradise of God and may have my soul effectually drawn and inflamed made unquiet and 314 restless to long for more labour for more 312 and not think my self happy until I have my fill of them until I be 314 filled with the fulness of God and come to swimm 312 in that Sea of Eternal bliss in heaven and those infinite Oceans of pleasure 314 that are at thy right hand for evermore I am convinced that my Soul 315 by which I have my animation shall not be extinguished 416 with my body but that it is seperable from my body and will subâ—ist and have a being in its seperate state survive the grave live longer then time its continuance must be eviternal inexterminable and without end and be clothed with Eternity after it is devested of this earthly case O God help me so to work this consideration of my Souls immortality upon my heart as to make me Labour for that 317 which will make my immortal soul for ever blessed and happy when it shall be unsheathed from my body unclothed from corruption and let loose from this cage of clay About this very thing I confess O God that my former carelesness hath been very great and at the remembrance of which I blush I am ashamed and tremble Had death seperated my soul from my body whilst I was thus careless of my Soul as my body should have been a prey 316 to rottenness worms and corruption my Soul that is endowed with an undying condition might have been in Hell I have yet a little time before me and it may be but a very little for the whole time of all my life is but short 317 and I do perceive my dayes do pass away 322 like a Post glide away strangely every day every hour every minute added to the time of my life proves so much taken from my life and I confess I know not what a day may bring forth 318 or whether I shall 319 enjoy a morrow even this night may 318 death assault me and my Soul be taken from me and before the Sun rise again I may be taken hence Help me therefore to improve my short time about such things as will be 318 of an Eternal advantage O let me not see an end put to my time until I have provided for Eternity Whilst I am in the way 320 to salvation whilst I suck at the breasts of those Ordinances that can feed me to Eternal Life help O Lord to improve present opportunities 322 to get an interest in Jesus Christ to lay hold on Eternal Life and to make sure of a future and everlasting happiness As the Divel 323 delayes no time becausâ— his time is sâ—ort to get me to Hell enable me to delay no time because my time is far shorter to get to Heaven But oh how dull is my heart in labouring for that without which I can neither be happy here nor hereafter help me therefore O Lord by the eye of faith to get a sight of 323 Eternal good things that so my heart may 325 be quickned to labour and take pains for them and long until it be in possession of them Purge out of me I pray thee O God all insincerity and all hypocrisy and make me with all faithfâ—lness 331 and Christian 332 diligence chearfully 336 and with delight earnestly 343 and unwearâ—â—aly 348 to seek those things 347 that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and alwayes to abound 340 in the work of the Lord forasmuch as I know my labour is not in vain in the Lord and I shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt at last make me drink of the River of thy pleasures These things O Lord and whatsoever else thou knowest needful for the enabling of me thy poor servant to live to thine honour and glory and forwarding the Eternal happiness of my precious Soul I beg for the sake of thy dear Son Jesus Christ my only Mediator and Advocate to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory world without end Amen Mark 11. 24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray beleive that ye receive them and ye shall have them John 16. 23. v. Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you A TABLE By the Order of Letters Directing to some Chief Things found in the fore-going Treatise A. A Bounding in all things in this life is oft times followed with want in Hell pag. 282 Abundant must the labour for Heaven be p. 340 â—braham how said to see Christ ' s Day p. 327 â—chilles Choyce p. 257 â—dam in innocency set to labour p. 7 â—fflicted ones find that Eternal good things stand them in stead p. 14â— â—fflictions often befal the Saints p. 141 â—lexander sleeps sound Parmenio being on the war p. 311 â—lexander compared by one to a stone 92 Alexander poysoned p. 171 King Alfred how spent the natural Day p. 35 Aelians
he could not rout out the Christians p. 207 Diogenes preferred his Cynical Life before Alexanders Royalty p. 223 Dionysius of Syracuse teaches a School at Corinth p. 170 Domitian ' s carelesness a cause of his death p. 318 Dreams how Temporal good things are compared thereunto p. 297 Dye willingly those will who are interessed in Eternal good things p. 75 Dying Men by wealth cannot be freed from the fury of a guilty conscience p. 129 E. EArthly things comprehended under Meat for three Reasons p. 6 Earthly things are but mean things in comparison of Eternal good things Ibid. Early some rise but why p. 248 Edward the Third at death forsaken of all but one Priest p. 128 End of a Christian ' s life what it is p. 72 Enemies there are many unto a Christian p. 51 52 Enemy to a Christian is Sin and that a sore one p. 53 Ephemeris a Beast and why so called p. 318 Ephorus his Saying of his Countrey-men the Cumaeans p. 249 Equal are all Men after death p. 284 Eternal good things comprehended under Meat for two Reasons p. 9 Eternal good things especially are to be laboured for p. 11 12 13 Eternal good things to be laboured for do best agree with our Natures p. 57 Eternal good things greatly laboured for by the Saints p. 63 64. Eternal good things will be possessed but by a few p. 64 65 66 67 68 Eternal good things must of necessity be gained p. 69 Eternal good things make Men willing to dye p. 75 Eternal good things are by God commanded chiefly to be laboured for p. 80 Eternal good things the best of Good things p. 84 Eternal good things the best of Good things proved by two Reasons p. 91 Eternal good things make the possessor of them good Ibid. Eternal God is p. 101 Eternal good things will do a Christian good under afflictions p. 140 Eternal good things will stand a Christian in stead and do him good when he lyes upon a sick or dying bed p. 144 Eternal good things will do a Christian good and stand him in stead at the day of Judgment p. 152 Eternal good things are always desirable p. 188 Eternal good things are satisfying good things p. 193 Eternal good things concern the Soul p. 198 Eternal good things neglected will cause vexation in hell p. 212 Eternal good things not to be gotten without labour p. 229 Eternal good things are not Fancies p. 235 Eternal good things make a Man a Rich man p. 286 Eternal good things are real good things p. 293 Eternal good things are for a Mans life p. 299 Eternity longer than the longest life p. 400 Eternity thought of should make Men provide for Eternity p. 301 Eternity with the very word Eternity a Gentlewoman was much moved p. 307 Eternales certain Hereticks so called p. 318 Evenings Returns to God p. 38 Examples of Saints to be imitated p. 59 60 61 Excellency of a Thing lieth in answering of the end p. 74 Exceter a Duke of that Place begg'd barefooted p. 170 Exhortations to get Eternal good things p. 265 Eye of Faith sees a beauty in Eternal good things p. 22â— F. FAith an enriching Grace p. 289 Faith like a Prospective-glass to the Soul p. 326 Faiths eye sees a beauty in Eternal good things p. 224 225 Fancy of some Men is that the only comfort of this Life doth consist in temporal good things p. 221 Fancy since the Fall what it is Ibid. Fancy often usurpeth upon the Vnderstanding p. 222 Favorinus his excellent Saying concerning the Soul p. 203 Few only have a share in Eternal good things p. 64 65 66 67 68 Fighting of a Battle a Comparison to set forth Christianity by p. 51 Fire hath caused great ruines p. 168 Five parts of the World onely are observed to know CHRIST p. 68 Fools are all they who labour not for Eternal good things Friendship amongst Men mutable p. 156 Fruitfulness in the heart is caused by the Holy Ghost p. 117 G. GErmany in it 26 Villages at once on fire p. 166 Gillimer the King of the Vandals his poor Estate p. 171 Glory the hopes thereof in Heaven is a cordial under sufferings p. 143 Glory in Heaven is Eternal p. 174 309 God onely desired by David p. 31 God Eternal p. 101 God hath in him all perfections Ibid. God in Covenant with any makes their condition happy God hath enough in him to satisfie a Christian p. 196 God to be a God to any is a great portion p. 291. 292 Good are all they who do enjoy Christ p. 110 Good men are men of good consciences p. 121 Good and bad not small and great will be the difference at the day of Judgement p. 133 Gospel giveth a true account of Heaven p. 235 Grace and glory better than gold and silver p. 12 Grace commended p. 96 Grace an Eternal good thing p. 97 Grace and glory how they differ p. 97 Grace cannot be lost p. 97 Grace makes a change p. 97 Grace the best riches p. 98 Grace cleanseth the heart p. 97 Grashoper was the Athenians badge p. 219 Grashoper who like it p. 218. 273 Grave in it no man is richer than another p. 131 Grave in it temporal good things yield no comfort p. 130. 131. Great gifts despised by Luther p. 31 Guise the Duke thereof said to be the richest man in France p. 292 H. HAbitation for the soul in the body but a meer habitation p. 149 Habitation in Heaven is Eternal p. 184 Hannibal disappointed in taking of Rome and why p. 320 Happy men who they are p. 292 Hearing of the word attention is required p. 21 Heart of man by nature is stony p. 115 Heart is made fruitful by the workings of the Holy Ghost p. 117 Heathens minding things of this life p. 10 Heaven a light some glorious and everlasting habitation p. 150 Heaven truly described in the Gospel p. 235 Heaven all that have a knowledge thereof do not labour for it p. 236 Heavenly happiness set forth in some Queries p. 88. 89. 90 Heavenly happiness cannot be conceived p. 90 Heavenly things are the only lasting the everlasting good things p. 264. 173 Heir of the promises one of the greatest titles that belong to a Christian p. 241 Hell full of many knowing heads p. 236 Henry the 4 Emperour in poverty p. 170 Henry the 4 King of France esteemed France equal to the Spaniards many Kingdomes p. 179 Hermet his esteem of a Cat p. 223 Holiness from the Holy Ghost p. 114 Hopes of wicked men for Heaven will be frustrated p. 66. 67. Hopes for Heaven should be grounded upon the word of God p. 240 Hopes for Heaven a Cordial under afflictions p. 143 Hopes for Heaven are but in vain built upon the promises by those who obey not the Commandements p. 242. 243 Hormisda his esteem of Christ p. 108 I. Idleness desired of most men p. 5 Idle persons unprofitable persons p. 5. 8 Idle persons