thence it is that spiritual things are so natural and delightful to his regenerate part as we see in David I delight to do thy will O my God how cometh this to passe but from an inward principle Thy Law is within my heart Psal 40.8 or as it is in Hebrew Thy Law is in the midst of my bowels But now an hypocrite usually acteth from some outward principle as the Pharisees did Matth. 23.14 27. Matth. 6.1 5. the wind from without makes their Mill to go some goads or whips force them forward hence it is that like tired Jades they are presently weary and desire nothing more then to rest and cease from such unpleasant labour 2. Ask thy soul what is the pattern of thy life whom dost thou labour to imitate is it Christ or thy Neighbour Do'st thou set thy watch by the Town Clock or by the dial of Scripture because that never faileth of going according to the Sun of Righteousnesse A man dead spiritually like dead fish ever swimmeth down with the stream of the times will follow a multitude to do evil cannot endure to be singular like the Planet Mercury at best if in conjunction with good he is good if with bad he is bad or like water taketh the figure of the vessel what ever it be into which it is put But now a living Christian doth not dresse himself by the glasse of the times whil'st he is in the Wildernesse of this world he may follow the cloud of faithful Witnesses but it must be no farther then they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Christ is the great standard by which he measureth and trieth and which he endeavoureth to imitate in his thoughts words actions He doth uti verbis nummis praesentibus vivere moribus praeteritis use such words and money as is currant at present but lives after that example which was in times past the patterns of godly men bear much sway with him but he knoweth there are some things in their lives Admonet non omnes promiscue esse imitandos Calv. in Phil. 3. which are sea-marks to be avoided and not Land-marks to direct us therefore like the Eagle he looketh most at the Sun Christ himself Now Christian examine thy selfe whom dost thou look upon for thy pattern is it thy desire and care to regulate thy Family and life as such a Knight or Esquire or Gentleman in the Parish where thou livest ordereth his or as thy prophane irreligious Neighbours do theirs or do'st thou look upon and labor to resemble Jesus Christ to govern thy house and heart as he did his praying with his Apostles instructing them in the Mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven and the like Matth. 6. walking humbly inoffensively and worthy of the Lord even unto all well-pleasing Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 1.19 It is reported of Hierom that having read the Religious life and death of Hilarion he cried out holding up the book Well Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow So when thou readest in the Scripture of the heavenly pious life and holy patient death of the Redeemer how he did all things well and none could convince him of sin is thy soul so ravish't with the beauty and lustre of those many graces which shined so eminently in him that it breatheth out O that I were like him O that I could be as meek and lowly as Christ that I could deny my self and despise the world and glorifie God as much as Christ did Christiani à Christâ— nomen acceperunt operae pretium est ut sunt haeâ—edes nominis ita sint imitatores sanctitatis Bern. Sentent p. 496 that the same mind were in me that was in Christ Jesus and though to thy hearty sorrow thou seest how far short thou comest of a perfect conformity to him yet thou resolvest to use all means appointed that thou mayst be more like him and concludest Well Christ shall be the only Champion whom I will follow Answer thy conscience within thee whether it be thus or no for if thou art a living Member thou wilt resemble thy Head Those whom God did fore-know he did predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 As the Image in the glasse resembleth the face in figure feature and favour so doth the true Christian after his proportion resemble Jesus Christ 3. Is Christ the comfort of thy life when trouble like frosty weather overtaketh thee which is the fire at which thou warmest thy heart is it this friend or that place of preferment or any outward comfort whatsoever or is it thy Relation to Christ and his affection to thee when damps arise out of the earth is it the joy of thy soul that light springs down from heaven or do'st thou trust to the Candle of the creature which will burn blew and go out Is Christ man or the world the door through which thy joys come in the dish on which thou feedest with most delight If Christ should give thee the long life of Methuselah the strength of Sampson the beauty of Absolom the wisdome wealth and renown of Solomon and deny himself to thee canst thou contentedly bear his absence or wouldst thou say as Haman in another case and Absolom 2 Sam. 14.32 All this availeth me nothing so long as I may not see the Kings face Xenophon As Artabazus when Cyrus gave him a cup of gold and kissed Chrysantas told the King The cup thou gavest to me was not half so good gold as the kisse thou gavest Chrysantas so saith the living Saint when Christ blesseth him outwardly and with-draweth himself from the soul Lord the cups the wife and children the food and raiment the pleasures and treasures all the earthly mercies thou givest to me are not a quarter so good gold as the kisses of thy love which thou givest unto thy favourites O kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth for thy love is better then wine Cant. 1. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy children O visit me with thy salvation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladnesse of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance Psal 106.4 5. Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name Psal 119.132 These are the holy Petitions of a gracious soul for a childs portion Common mercies will never content them that have special grace nor satisfie them that are sanctified indeed As the needle toucht with the Load-stone is restlesse till it points toward the North so the Saint that is toucht effectually by the Spirit of God is unquiet till he turn unto and have fellowship with Jesus Christ He may flutter up and down like the Dove over the waters of this world but can find no rest for the soles of his feet till he return to Christ the true Ark till Christ put forth his hand
art young It was a wise answer of one that wa invited to dinner on thâ— morrow saith he A multis annis crastinum non habui thou deferrest it till to morrow but suppose thou dye to day and God say to thee as to the rich fool This night thy soul shall be required of thee Boast not thy self of to morrow thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pro. 27.1 It is a good saying of Aquinas That though God promise forgiveness to repenting sinners Waldus he the fâ—tâ—er of the Walden es seeiâ— one suddenly fâ—ll â—own dead was converted wenâ—â—ome and â—ecame a new maâ— yet God promiseth not to morrow to repent in think how many hundred casualties thou art liable to how many others dye suddenly and take the counsel of Michal to David Save thy self to night to morrow thou mayest be slain Save thy soul today to morrow thou maist be damned 6. Art thou sure that God will accept thee hereafter if thou shouldst now delay and dally with his Majesty It is good seeking the Lord while he may be found and calling upon him while he is near Psal 55.6 There is a time when men shal call but God will nor hear cry but he will not answer and that because when God called they would not hear but set at naught his counsel Prov. 24. to 29. Whilst thine eyes are open the things which concern thy peace may be hid from them Luke 19.41 Thou maist live to have thy soul buried long before thy body Ezek. 24.13 14. God would purge thee now and thou wilt not take heed he clap not the same curse upon thee which he did on some others that thou shalt never be purged till thou diest The Spirit of God probably now stirreth thee to turn presently and offereth thee its help if thou lovest thy soul do not now deny it least the spirit serve thee as Samuel did Saul Saul disobeyed him and Samuel came no more to Saul to the day of his death 1 Sam. 15. ult i. e. never So take heed of quenching this motion of the holy Ghost least it depart in a distaste taking its everlasting leave of thee and thou never feel it more to the day of thy death Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 This day if thou wilt hear his voice harden not thy heart least he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest Psal 95.7.11 My second request is that thou wouldst make the attaining this spiritual life the whole business of thy natural life that thou wouldest esteem it as the great end of thy creation preservation and of all the mercies and means of grace which God bestoweth on thee as the great end why God is so patient towards thee so provident over thee so bountiful unto thee that thou mightest repent and return unto him from whom thou hast gone astray Shall I intreat thee for the sake of thy poor soul to let thy greatest labor be for thine eternal welfare Is not this a business of the greatest necessity of the greatest excellency It is the unum necessarium Luk. 10. ult The primum quaerendum Mat. 6.33 The totum hominis Eccl. 12.13 and of the greatest commodity and profit that thou didst ever undertake To be everlastingly in heaven or in hell to enjoy endless and matchless pain or pleasure are other manner of things than men dream of Good Lord that men did but believe what it is to be happy or miserable for ever how then would they flie from the wrath to come and strive to enter in at the strait gate Mat. 7.14 Surely things of the greatest weight call for the strongest work matters that concern thine unchangeabe felicity require the greatest industry Demost Non taâ—ti emam poenitere The Philosopher would not buy repentance at too dear a rate Sure I am thou canst never buy this inheritance too dear though thou spendest all thy time and strength and sellest all thou hast to purchase it Friend if ever thou art saved thou must work out thy own salvation Phil. 2.12 God giveth earth to the meek and patient but heaven to the strong and violent Mat. 5.5 Mat 11.12 It is a saying of Lombard God condemns none before he sins nor crowns any before he overcomes The blind carnal world thinks that a man may go to heaven without so much ado as Judas said of the ointment so they of diligence in duties To what purpose is this waste Mat. 26.8 They tell us it is waste time to pray so frequently and it is waste strength to pray so fervently to what purpose is this waste They presume that godly men might spare a great deal of their pains heavenward As Seneca told the Jews that they lost a seventh part of their time by their sanctification of the Sabbath So the earthly-minded man will tell us that such and such men spend all their time almost in reading or hearing or praying or instructing their families or neighbors and they count it but lost time These men if you will believe them have found out an easier and a nearer way to heaven then ever Jesus Christ did they are the right brood of wicked Jeroboam that told the people 1 King 12.28 It was too much to go up to Jerusalem to worship he had found out a cheaper and an easier way of worship The Calves at Dan and Bethel would save them much labor and in his conceit serve to as much purpose Thus they delude themselves that their lazy cold trading God-ward their slight indifferent prayers will bring them in as much gain as the most zealous performances of the Saints But Reader I hope thou wilt obey the voice of God and not of men in this Consider his promise is to the laborious They that seek him early shall finde him Prov. 8.17 He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 So Prov. 2.3 4. His precept is for labor Agaâ—hocles gâ—t to be King of Sicily by his industry so may the Chrstian by violence attain the kingdom of heaven Mat. 7.13 Strive to enter in at the strait gate be diligent to makâ— your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 So John 6.27 nay he curseth them that put him off with their lame sacrifices For I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts and my name is dreadful Mal. 1.13 14. Further he is peremptory that the slothful shall be for utter darkness Mat. 25.26 The Egyptian King would have men of activity and industry to be his servants and will God thinkest thou who is a pure act accept of those that are not active Canst thou imagine that he should ever bestow pardon of sin eternal life the sanctification of the spirit the precious contents of his own promise the invaluable fruits of Christs purchase upon those those do not judge them worthy of all their strength and time and hearts and pains
purchase which cost the blood of God to which all the wealth in the world is as dirt as nothing sit down and consider what an house what an heaven that must be if thou considerest God did infinitely love his Son and was not so prodigal of his blood as to let one drop more be shed then heaven was worth Besides canst thou think that the Lord Jesus would humble himself to such a contemptible birth live such a miserable life dye such a lamentable painful death to purchase low mean things or any thing less then eminent excellent unspeakable unconceivable happiness 3. The titles given to it do abundantly speak the excellency of it The holy men of God do as it were strive for expressions and words to set out the glory richness joy magnificence of this gain To the weary it is rest Isa 2.57 Rev. 14.13 To the hungry it is hidden manna Rev. 2.17 To the thirsty rivers of pleasures Psal 36.8 To the sorrowful the joy of the Lord Mat. 25.21 Fulness of joy Psal 16. ult To the disgraced Glory Rom. 8.18 A crown of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 To them that walk in darkness and see no light it is the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 To them that are dying it is life Colos 3.3 yea eternal life John 10.28 It is a kingdom Luk 12.32 A kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Where all the inhabitants are Kings and Queens Rev. 1.5 with palms and scepters in their hands Rev. 7.9 crowns on their heads Iam. 2.5 sitting on thrones Rev. 3.21 and shall reign with Christ for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 It is a being in Abrahams bosom Luk. 16.22 A being with Christ Phil. 1.23 A being ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 A seeing God as he is 1 Iohn 3.2 A seeing God face to face a knowing God as we are known of God 1 Cor. 13.12 And many more expressions doth the spirit of God use to describe the excellency of the Saints happiness and why in such variety of phrases but to assure us that whatsoever is requisite or desirable in order â—o happiness it is there the holy Ghost doth gather as it were a posie of the most sweet beautiful pleasant choice flowers that grow in the whole garden of this world and telleth us this is heaven Do but abstract all the imperfections that attend the riches and honor and pleasures of earthly kindoms and they may be dark resemblances that shadow out the glory and excellency of the heavenly kingdom The Philosophers could say That happiness must consist in such a state wherein was an aggregation of all good things So that though a man had all good things and wanted but one he could not be called an happy man therefore in Scripture the Hebrew word for happiness is in the plural number Mâ— Anthony Burges on Ioh. 172. because not twenty or fourty things can make a man happy but there must be all good things and for this reason the holy Ghost useth such variety of resemblances to represent this blessedness to shew that it hath all desireable good things Reader when thou art feeding on all those glorious descriptions of heaven that are set before thee on the table of the Scripture do not swallow them all together but chew them severally and thou maist get much spiritual nourishment out of them As for example It is called the joy of thy Lord or the Masters joy Mat. 25.21 Now what joy must that be What infinite unconceivable joy hath the blessed God the fountain of all joy and the God of all consolations Thou shalt partake of the very same joy according to thy capacity Thou shalt sit at the same table drink of the same cup and feed on the same dainties with his Majesty Can it then enter into thy heart to imagine either the pureness or fulness of thy Lords joy Is not the best joy of the servants on earth sorrow and their greatest mirth mourning to the Masters joy in heaven Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord a joy too big to enter into us we must enter into it A joy more meet for the Lord then the servant yet such a Lord do we serve as will honor his servants with his own joy Again it is called a City whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 Hence thou maist gather That structure must be beautiful indeed which hath such a builder what a glorious fabricke must that be which hath such a workman as he is who hath infinite richness to adorn infinite bounty to bestow and infinite power to erect what a City must that be If poor mortals can set up such stately buildings what a place what a palace must that be whose builder and maker is God Besides it is called the fathers house here I might expatiate and tell thee that great Princes have great seats often for their servants but they have glorious ones indeed for themselves In their own houses they manifest all their wealth and worth their bounty and bravery their honor and magnificence What an house then hath the King of kings for his mansion house If the several excellencies of all the Princes palaces in the world were united in one suppose it had the foundations of marble the floors of pearl the cielings of wrought gold all the varieties of Babel the glory of Solomons house the richness of the temple at Jerusalem suppose it had the stateliest rooms the pleasantest musick the greatest dainties the richest furniture that this inferior world could afford suppose all the choice perfections of the whole creation here below were extracted and the quintessence of them all bestowed upon it yet after all this it would be but like an house of dirt made by children in comparison of the fathers house of that house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens But Christian I leave these titles to be considered and enlarged in thy own meditations Secondly it is comfortable if thou considerest the certainty of it It is not onely excellent but certain though it were never so excellent yet if it were not certain it would be but little comfort but know to the joy of thine heart that as heaven is a place of unspeakable excellency so thy enjoyment of it O new-born creature is of unquestionable certainty It is worthy our admiration how many wayes the most high God out of condescention to our capacities and compassion to our infirmities doth confirm and ensure this gain by death to believers 1. By his promise Luk. 12.22 Fear not little flock it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom So Ioh. 3.16 Now all the promises of God are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 They as good as performances Not one good thing faileth of all the good things which the Lord promiseth Josh 23.14 But mark friend one place for many Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God
that cannot lye hath promised â—ods people are a people that will not lye Isa 63.8 but God is a God that cannot lye it is impossible for God to lye Every lye proceedeth either from weakness or from wickedness Some are weak they would be as good as their words but cannot others are wicked they can be as good as their words but will not Neither of these can be charged on the blessed God he is able to perform his promise for he is the almighty God Gen. 17.1 I know that thou canst do all things saith Iob Iob 42.2 Omnipotency never met with a difficulty too hard for it the promises of â—od will eat their way through all the Alps of opposition because he is a â—od of infinite power and as he is able free from weakness so he is righteous holy so free from wickedness There is no unrighteousness in him Psa 92. ult He is light in him is no darkness at all 1 Io. 1.5 There is not the least spot in this Sun His truth reacheth unto the heavens and his faithfulness is above the clouds 2. By an oath God hath confirmed it Omnia verba Dei sunt juramenta quoad certitudinem saith Philo sed infirmatatis nostrae causa ut si non credamus Deâ— promittenti credamus saltem pro nostra saâ—usâ— juranti Hebr. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation Thou wouldst take the word of a good man and wilt thou not take the word of a God But wonder at his goodnesse he tendereth further security by his oath nay by the greatest oath imaginable having no greater to swear by he sware by himself Hebr. 6.16 3. By his Seals we have the broad Seal of Heaven the Seals of the Covenant to confirm this to us The Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 And we have the privy Seal of the Spirit Eph. 4.30 So that if the hand and seal of a God will do it Heaven is ensured to all that are sanctified 4. By an earnest that makes a bargain sure Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 When Christ went from us he left his Spirit with us to assure us that he would come to us and took our flesh with him to assure us that we shall come to him 5. By first fruits Rom. 8.23 which did assure the Jews of their harvest 6. By the death of Christ Heaven is given to the holy by testament by Will John 17.24 Father I will saith the then dying Saviour that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Now because a Testament or Will is of no force whilst the Testator liveth therefore Christ died to make his Will valid Hebr. 9.16 17. Thirdly it is comfortable if thou considerest the eternity of it Though it were never so excellent and certain yet if it were for a short time only it would afford but little comfort Nay the greater our joy were in the possession of it the greater our sorrow would be in our separation from it The very thought of ever losing such incomparable happiness would be a deep wound to a Christians heart and without question abate much of his joy whilst he did enjoy it Nothing lesse than eternity can perfect the Saints felicity And lo here it is thy gain is not only of unspeakable excellency and unquestionable certainty but also durable even unto eternity The pleasures of the Saints are for evermore Ps 16. ult The pleasures of the wicked on earth are like a standing pool quickly dried up by the scorching heat of Gods wrath leaving nothing behind save the mud of vexation But the pleasures of the godly in heaven are rivers of pleasures running over and running ever because they flow from the fountain of living waters The joy of the sinner is like the crackling of thorns under a pot it may make a busling noise but quickly goeth out but the joy of a Saint will be like the fire upon the Altar which never goeth out day nor night Their joy shall no man take from them John 16. The glory of a Christian there will be an eternal weight of glory the shame of a Christian here is transitory like a cloud upon the face of the Sun which will soon be scattered and the honor of a graceless man here is short like a fleeting shadow * Tacitus as Sejanus was one day adored like a God and a little after with the greatest ignominy committed to the Goal But the honor of a Christian there is an eternal noon-tide of glory heaven is an everlasting home to the Saints Luke 16.9 2 Cor. 5.1 when their earthly tabernacles are dissolved they enjoy the building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens They enjoy the society of the good for ever they sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 Standing is a posture of going or at least of but staying little but siting is a posture of staying long They shall enjoy God for ever they shall ever be with the Lord Angels in the Syrisck have their name from a word wh ch signifieth face because â—t is their honor and office alwa es to behold Gods face 1 Thess 4. ult The Saints shall in heaven be like Angels Mat. 22.30 Now Angels always behold the face of their Father Matth. 18.10 Now God sometimes sheweth himself unto and sometimes hides his face from his children that a godly man may say to Christ as Jacob to his Wives I perceive that thy fathers countenance is not towards me as at other times Gen. 31.5 Some sin or other like a cloud interposeth and hindereth the light of his gracious countenance but there will be no cloud or mist of sin and the Sun of Righteousness will ever behold the soul with the same favorable aspect And therefore the joy and happinesse of the Saint will be ever like the Moon at the full because that Sun will ever look upon him with the same lightsome countenance O what a long day will eternity be to the damned and what a short day to the saved Eternal pain will make every moment seem eternity eternal pleasure will make eternity seem but a moment the joyes there will be so great and many that the dayes there will seem small and few the delights there will spring every moment so fresh and full that a Christian like Jacob will think them but few dayes for the love he will bear to them Reader if thou art in Christ ponder much in time the eternity of pleasure which is prepared for thee Consider if there be so much felicity in seeing the lovely face of
the message might have been wel-come and death desireable as a passage to eternal life but it 's Thou fool had it been this year or this month nay had it been this week the man might have been fore-warned and fore-armed but it is this night thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been this night thy riches shall be required of thee how harsh would it have sounded in his eares who had no other God but his gold who like a Mole lived in the earth as his element O how hard would it be to part this covetous muck-worm and his Mammon of unrighteousnesse but it is not thy silver but thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been This night thy relations shall be required of thee thy wife and children and all thy kindred shall be required of thee what heavy tidings would it have been to his heart that had had no kindred in heaven with what wringing of hands and watering of cheeks and sighs and sobs would such news have been entertained many an eye would a tender husband and father have cast upon his loving wife and lovely babes and O how would his eye have affected his heart with grief and sorrow to consider that these thriving hopeful plants must be removed into another soil that this near conjugal knot must be untied and he and his dearest relations who had so often and so much rejoyced together so suddenly be separated and that for ever but it is not thy wife that is one flesh with thee but thy Spouse that is a spirit within thee thy soul shall be required of thee Had it been This night all the means of grace shall be required of thee it had been worse then the losse of a limb to him that had had any spiritual life the Ordinances of God to a soul are as the Sun to the world without which notwithstanding all its earthly delights it would be but a place of darknesse and of the shadow of death Matth. 4.16 but it is thy soul the former might have spoken the mans condition very dangerous but this speaks it altogether desperate Thou fool this night thy soul shall he required of thee The former although sad are yet nothing to this not so much as the noise of a podgun to the noise of a Cannon This is the great Ordnance which includes and yet drowns those smaller pieces Couldst thou Ambr. ult pag. 69. saith one upen the fore-cited Text purchase a Monopoly of all the world hadst thou the Gold of the West the Treasures of the East the Spices of the South the Pearls of the North all is nothing to this incarnate Angel this invaluable soul O wretched worldling what hast thou done thus to undo thy soul Was it a wedge of gold an heap of earth an hoard of silver to which thou trustedst see they are gone and thy soul is required Alas poor soul whither must it go to heaven No there is another place for wandring sinners Go ye into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels thither must it go with heavinesse of heart into a Kingdome of darknesse a lake of fire a prison of horrible confusion and terrible tortures Reader if thou art not new-born put this case to thy self and ask thy soul what it wil do in such an hour when the grave shall come with an habeas corpus for thy body and the Divel with an habeas animam for thy soul when thy soul shall leave this dwelling of thy body and passe naked of all its comforts into a far countrey where Divels and damned spirits are the inhabitants where screeching yelling and howling is the language where fire and brimstone is the meat and a cup of pure wrath without the least mixture is the drink where weeping and wailing is their calling where a killing death is all their life Assure thy self if thou diest unsanctified thou wilt find far more and worse then all this O my soul saith Bernard what a terrible day shall that be Bern. medita when thou shalt leave this mansion and enter into an unknown Region who can deliver thee from those ramping Lyons who shall defend thee from those hellish monsters Now thou most unworthily undervaluest thy precious soul little caring what flaws by sin thou causest in this Diamond like the cock on the dung-hill thou knowest not the worth of this Jewel but preferrest thy barly-corns before it I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their shoes thou do'st worse thou tramplest this matchlesse Jewel under thy feet whil'st thy dying body is cloathed and pampered thy ever-living soul is naked and starved some write of Herod I suppose because of that infant massacre It was better to be his swine than his Sonne for when his superstition hindred him from slaying his hogs his ambition helpt him to kill his child I say it were better to be thy beast than thy soul thou canst every morning and evening what ever happen take care that thy beasts be watered and foddered and many times in the day look abroad after them to see what they ail and accordingly take order for their supply and yet O man or rather O brute thou canst let thy soul go an whole day and never feed it with the set meals of prayer Scripture and meditation yea and in an whole day nay it may be an whole week not ask thy soul in good earnest how it doth what it wanteth what sins it hath to be mortified what grace it hath to be bestowed or increased what spiritual necessities to be supplied Reader Is it not so let conscience speak and canst thou read these lines without blushing and heart-breaking that thou shouldest spend more time and strength upon thy beasts than upon that soul which truth it self saith is more worth than a world Matth. 16.26 which is created capable of such an high work as pleasing glorifying and enjoying God and of such an happy reward as the immediate and eternal fruition of and communion with his infinite majesty in heaven Well this soul thus despised when lost though then too late will be esteemed Hell will read thee such a Lecture of thy souls worth that it will make thee understand it and believe it whether thou wilt or no and then thou shalt have time enough in that eternity in which thy soul shall be lost to befool thy self for thy desperate madnesse in gratifying thy bruitish flesh and thus basely neglecting thy soul that heaven-born Spirit Sixthly Thou shalt by death lose the infinitely blessed God this is the losse of losses the misery of miseries the very hell of hell such a loss as there was never the like before it nor ever shall be again after it such a loss as no tongue can express as no heart can conceive yet such a loss as thou shalt know fully when experimentally The four first losses might have been born with comfort and delight by
hear a voice this hour as that wicked Pope did Veâ—i Miser in judicium Come thou wretch unto thy particular and eternal judgement what wouldst thou do where wouldst thou appear and where wouldst thou leave thy glory Isai 10.3 I would not for a world take thy turn How is it possible that thou canst eat or drink or sleep with any quietness of mind that in the day thy meat is not sauced with sorrow and thy drink mingled with weeping that in the night thou art not scared with dreams and terrified with visions when thy whole eternity dependeth upon that little thread of life which is in danger every moment to be cut asunder and thou to drop into hell Art thou a man that hast reason and canst thou be contented one hour in such a condition Art thou a Christian that believest the Word of God to be truth and canst thou continue one moment longer in that Sodom of thy natural estate which will be punished with fire and brimstone I tell thee didst thou and the rest of thy carnal neighbours but give credit to Scripture thou and they too would sooner sleep in a chamber where all the wals round the cieling above and floor below were in a burning light flame then rest quietly one moment in thine estate of sin and wrath But for thy sake thy condition yet not being desperate though very dangerous that thou mightest avoid the easeless misery of the sinner and attain the endlesse felicity of the Saint I have purposely written the next Use which I request thee as thou lovest thy life thy soul thine unchangeable good nay I charge thee as thou wilt answer the contrary at the great and dreadful day of the Lord Jesus that thou read carefully and that thou practice faithfully the means and directions therein propounded out of the Word of God 3. My third Use shall be of exhortation to those that are dead in sins to labour for this spiritual life Whoever thou art that wouldest have gain by thy death then get Christ to be thy life Hast thou read of that fulness of joy of those rivers of pleasures of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory of that Kingdom that cannot be shaken of that enjoyment of Christ of that full immediate fruition of God and in him of all good of that perfect freedom from all evil which they and only they shall be partakers of who have this spiritual life And is not thy heart inflamed with love to it thy soul enlarged in desire after it Extrema Christianorum desiderantur etsi non exâ—r iâ— Hiâ—â— thy will resolved to venture all and undertake any thing for it Surely if thou art a man and hast reason thy will and affections will be carried out after things that are good but if thou hast but a spark of Christianity thou canst not but be exceedingly ravished with things so eminently so superlatively so infinitely good The Historian observeth that the riches of Cyprus invited the Romans to hazard dangerous fights for the conquering it How many storms doth the Merchant sail through for corruptible treasures How often doth the Souldier venture his limbs nay his life for a little perishing plunder Reader I am perswading thee to mind the true treasure durable riches even those which will swim out with thee in the shipwrack of death Stephen Gardiner said of justification by Faith only that it was a good supper doctrine though not so good a break-fast one So the power of godliness this spiritual life though it be not so pleasant to live in as to the flesh yet it is most comfortable to die with When Moses had heard a little of the earthly Canaan how earnestly doth he beg that he might see it Deut. 3.25 I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan that goodly mountain and Lebanon Thou hast read a little of the heavenly Canaan and hast thou not ten thousend times more cause to desire it Plato saith If moral Philosophy could be seen with moral eyes it would draw all mens hearts after it May not I more truly say if the gain of a Saint at death could be seen with spiritual eyes with the eye of faith it would make all men in love with it and eager after it Baalam as bad as he was did desire to die the death of the righteous and surely they that dislike their way cannot but desire their end but God hath joyned them both together and it is not in the power of any man to put them asunder therefore if thou wouldst die their deaths thou must live their spiritual lives Holinesse is the seed out of which that harvest groweth If thou wouldst be safe when thou shalt launch into the vast Ocean of eternity if thou wouldst be received into the celestial habitation when thou shalt be turned out of thy house of clay make sure of this life in Christ If an Heathen Prince would not admit Virgins to his bed before they were purified Est 2.12 canst thou think the King of Kings will take thee into his nearest and dearest embraces before thou art sanctified Believe it heaven must be in thee before thou shalt be in heaven Unless the Spirit of God adorn thy soul as Abrams servant did Rebeckah with the jewels of grace thou art no fit Spouse for the true Isaak the Lord of glory The brutish worldling indeed would willingly live prophanely and yet die comfortably dance with the Devil all day and sup with Christ at night have his portion in this world with the rich man in the other world with Lazarus There is a story of one thaâ— b iâ—g repâ—â—ved for his vicious life and pâ—rswaded to mind godliness would anâ— often Thâ—t it was but sayâ—ng three words at his death â—nd he â—as sure to have eternal life probably his three words were Miâ—erere mei Deus but he riding one day over a bridge his horse stumbled and as boâ—h werâ— falling into the river he cryeth out Capiat omnia diabolus â—o se and mâ—n â—nd all to the Devil As he l ved so he died with three words 〈…〉 such as he hoped to have had As the young swaggerer told his gracelesse companion when they had been with Ambrose and seen him on his death-bed nothing affrighted at the approach of the King of terrors but triumphing over it O that I might live with thee and die with Ambrose But this cannot be an happy death is the conclusion of an holy life The God who giveth heaven hath in great letters written in his Word upon what termes and no other it may be had He chooseth to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thess 2.13 It is as possible for thee to enjoy the benefit of the Sons passion without the Fathers creation as without the Spirits sanctification Believe the word of truth John 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a
man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And Hebr. 12.14 Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Consider Friend this is the Word of the true and living God and this Law this standing Law of Heaven is like the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered not one iota or title of it can possibly go unfulfilled Math. 5.18 Darest thou think that the God of truth will be found a lyar for thy sake as he must be if he save thee in thy sinful unconverted state I tell thee the God of holiness and justice will send millions of such carnal wretches as thou art to hell there to suffer the vengeance of the unquenchable fire before he will stain his honour in the least No he is more tender of his glory then so though thou carest not how much thou tramplest his honor in the dust by the wilful breach of his Commands yet he is exceeding jealous of his great Name and when his very being is engaged for the accomplishment of his Word he will not ungod himself to glorifie thee in an unsanctified condition and therefore do not delude thy soul in presuming that he that made thee will not damn thee for he saith himself that unless thou art new made and hast that true understanding to fear his Majesty and depart from iniquity He that made thee will not save thee and he that formed thee will shew thee no mercy Isai 27.11 I hope therefore thou art fully convinced that it highly concerneth thee to be night and day with the greatest diligence imaginable labouring for this spiritual life when thine everlasting comfort in the other world thine eternal life dependeth so much upon it Art thou rich hearken to this word of counsel from God look after these durable riches Prov. 6.18 thy earthly riches are not for ever Prov. 27.24 though thy heart possibly is more set upon thy houses and hoards then upon heaven yet thou must take thine everlasting leave of them ere long when these unsearchable riches in Christ which I am perswading thee to mind out-live the dayes of heaven run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity Prov. 8.18 Nay till thou livest this spiritual life all thy wealth is want all thy glory is ignominy all thy comforts are crosses yea curses to thee Prov. 1.32 Psal 69.22 All thy outward comforts like the Rainbow shew themselves in all their dainty colours and then vanish away or if they stay with thee till death then they die with thee Oh how hath the Moon of great mens plenty often been eclipsed at the full and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon Through the corruption of thy heart they prove but fuel for thy lusts on earth if thou shouldst die having only this worlds goods they will feed the eternal fire in hell It is storied of Heliogabalus that he had silken halters to hang himself with ponds of sweet water to drown himself in and gilded poyson to poyson himself Truly more hurtful are the worlds trinity riches honors and pleasures to them that have great estates in the world but no estate in the Covenant Poyson worketh more furiously in wine then in water and so doth corruption many times bewray it self more in plenty then in poverty It is sad that thou shouldst not be led to God by that which came from God But O how lamentable is it that thou shouldst Jehu like fight against thy Master with his own Souldiers like the dunghill the more the Sun shineth on it it sends forth the more stinking savour The Poet feigned Pluto to be the god of riches and Hell as if they had been inseparable Homer that thou shouldst by the riches which his Majesty hath given thee only have this cursed advantage to be the greater Rebel Many good works hath Christ done for thee for which dost thou stone him John 10.32 for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy house by oaths or drunkenness or gaming or by atheisme and irreligion or at least by putting him off with a few short cold formal prayers and that but now and then neither Many good works hath he done for thee for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy heart by letting the world and the things of the world have the highest seat there the throne thy chiefest esteem warmest love and strongest trust What sayest thou is it not thus and is this to be led by his goodness to repentance Oh consider thy bodies mercies are holy baits laid by God to catch thy soul He tryeth the vessel with water to see whether it will hold wine do not like the foolish flie burn thy self in this flame of love turn not his grace into wantonnesse but let the kindnesse of God be salvation unto thee thou shouldst by those cords of love be drawn nearer unto him and by those bands of mercies be tied closer to his commands How shouldst thou gather if the streames of creatures be so sweet what sweetnesse is there in God who is the Fountain If he be so good in temporals surely he is better in spirituals and best of all in eternals How unsatisfied shouldst thou be with all these outward gifts which may consist with his everlasting hatred and resolve with Luther not to be put off with the blessings of his left hand Valde protestatus summe nolle sic ab eo satiari Melch. Aâ— in vit Luth. of his foot-stool Thou hast the more cause to look about thee because few of thy rank are truly religious a little godliness will go a great way with great men though of all men they have most obligations from God see James 2.5 God chooseth the poor of the world rich in faith and heirs of his Kingdom And Christ telleth us It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19.24 Our Saviour indeed doth not speak of an impossibility but of the difficulty of it and the rarenesse of it Job unfolded the riddle and got through the needles eye with three thousand Camels but it is hard to be wealthy and not wanton too too often are riches like bird-lime hindering the soul in its flight towards Heaven a load of earth hath sunk many a soul to hell and the inriching of the outward occasioned the impoverishing of the inward man A rich man is a rare dish at heavens table Blessed be God there are some but surely few rich of those very few that shall be saved 1 Cor. 1.26 The weighty burden in a vessel though it consisted of the most precious commodities hath not seldom caused its miscarriage when otherwise it had arrived safely at its desired haven As the Moon when she is at the full is farthest from and in most direct opposition to the Sun so t is the temper of most in thy condition to
then it runneth most freely and plentifully None might approach the King of Persia's Court in sackcloth and mourning Est 4.2 but no wandring sinner may draw near to the King of Heaven without it Aut paenitendum aut pereundum Except ye repent ye shall perish God is resolved to break the sinners heart on earth or his back in hell He will have the wound search'd and the pain of it felt before it be bound up and cured The wicked Prodigal must come to his Father with compunction in his soul as well as confession in his mouth Look therefore O sinner into the book of thy conscience and read over the black lines that still are in thy cursed heart and the bloody leaves of thy wicked life how long thou hast lived to little purpose yea to the killing of thy soul for ever how farre thou hast been from accomplishing the end for which thou wast born and the errand for which thou wast sent into the world Keep a petty Assize in thy heart preferre a large Bill of Indictment against thy self accuse and condemn thy self not only verbally but cordially if ever thou wouldst have Christ to acquit thee Thou hast spent many years in sinning and shouldst thou not spend some hours in sorrowing Thou didst make the soul of Jesus Christ sorrowful unto death shall not therefore thy soul be sorrowful when thy sorrow may be unto life Did the Rocks rent when he died for sin shall not thy rocky heart that thou hast lived 〈◊〉 sin He bled for thee and wilt not thou weep for thy self Thou hast filled Gods a Iob 14.17 Bag with thy fins and hast thou no tears for his b Psal 46.8 Bottle Hast thou so long broken the holy Commandements of God and shall not thy heart now at last be broken The damned feel sin it lyeth heavy on their souls couldst thou lay thy ear to the mouth of that bottomlesse pit thou mightst perceive by their yellowings and howlings that sin is sin in hell how lightly soever it is regarded by men upon earth The Lord Jesus felt sin Hadst thou been in the garden and seen his blessed body all over in a goar blood beheld those drops yea clods of blood that trickled down his face surely thou wouldst have believed that it was some heavy weight indeed which caused such a bloody sweat in a cold winter night And art not thou yet weary and heavy laden Do I speak to a man or a beast to a living creature or to a rock that will never be moved If thou hast a disease in thy body thou canst greive and complain and why not for the diseases of thy soul Are not they farre more deadly more dangerous If thou losest a child O what crying and roaring what wringing of hands and watering of cheeks nay if thou losest a place of profit an house or a beast thou canst mourn and think of it often with sorrow And doth it not greive thee that thou hast lost not thy child or cattel but thy Christ thy Saviour thy Soul thy God to eternity If thou missest a good bargain that was offered thee whereby thou mightst increase thy estate or if thou buyest or hirest at too dear a rate how dost thou beshrew and befool thy self for it Hast thou not ten thousand times more cause to be really and highly displeased with thy self and to abhor thy self in dust and ashes that thou shouldst have all the riches and glory and pleasures of the eternal Kingdom tendered to thee with many intreaties and yet thou hast refused them for the lying vanities of this world and for the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Thou hast denyed Heavens happinesse for a bubble a butterfly all things for nothing Did ever any fool buy so dear and sell so cheap Like Saul busie himself in seeking Asses when a Kingdom sought him Like Shimei seek his servant and thereby lose himself No fool like the sinner that embraceth a shadow which will certainly flee from him and neglecteth the substance which endureth to eternity Honorius the Emperor hearing that Rome was lost cried Alas alas very mournfully fearing it had been his hen so called which he exceedingly loved but hearing it was the famous City of Rome that was become a prey to his cruel enemies he made a tush at it Thus too too many can greive sufficiently for the losse of vanities riches but not at all for the losse of God and Christ and enduring felicities Well Friend repent timely and truly of this thy folly for I must tell thee shortly it will be too late if repentance be hid from thy heart now repentance will be hid from Gods eye then by whose Law thou art now a condemned man already if thy heart be hardened now in sinning the heart of God will ere long be hardened in sentencing thee to an eternity of suffering It is an infinite mercy that God yet alloweth thee liberty for second thoughts that notwithstanding thou hast shipwracked thy soul yet thou mayst swim out safe upon the plank of repentance O therefore think no pains too great to break thy stony heart it is worth the while when free grace hath promised a vast reward to that heaven-born work Hadst thou once offered up to God the sacrifice of a spirit truly sorrowful out of love to God and self-loathing because of fin I could tell thee as good as joyful news as ever thine ears heard The Father of mercies and God of comforts will be reconciled to thee in the Lord Jesus Thy prayers for pardon and life will pierce Gods ears and find acceptance if they proceed from a broken heart from sincere repentance A penitent tear is a messenger that never went away without a satisfactory answer Prayers with such tears are prevalent yea in Luthers phrase omnipotent Musick upon the waters sounds most pleasantly Thou hast heard the voice of my weeping saith David Psal 6.8 Augustus Caesar having promised a great reward to any that could bring him the head of a famous Pirate did yet when the Pirate heard of it and brought it himself and laid it at his feet Suet. in vit not only pardon but teward him for his confidence in his mercy As * Plutarch in vâ—t Alex. Antipater was answered by Alexander Thou hast written a long Letter against my Mother but dost thou not know that one tear of hers will wash out all her faults When the returning sinner weeps the tender-hearted Father smi es As he rejoyceth and laugheth at obstinate sinners destruction and ruine Quodâ— Deus loquiâ—ur cum risu tu legas cum fletu Aug. Proverbs 1.26 so he rejoyceth and smileth at the penitent sinners conversion He will do something for an hypocritical humiliation to assure us that he will do any thing upon a sincere humiliation Seest thou saith God how Ahab humbleth himself this judgement shall not be in his dayes but in his Sons
lovely Cant. 5.15 how hastily he runs to meet thee more then half way loves pace is very swift Behold he cometh leaping over the mountains skipping upon the hills Cant. 2.8 Observe how bountifully he provideth for thy entertainment A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isa 25.6 Behold he standeth at the door and knocketh if thou hear his voice and open to him he will come in and sup with thee and thou with him Rev. 3.20 4. Direct Dedication to God Fourthly Dedicate thy self soul and body and all thou hast unto the service and glory of Jesus Christ If thou hast been unfaigned in the practice of the former directions I doubt not in the least of thy willingnesse to this If thy sorrow for sin hath been sincere like a burnt child thou wilt dread that fire The Jewel of faith must be laid up in the cabinet of a good conscience Though faith justifie our persons yet good works must justifie our faith The sense of former unkindnesse to Christ is fresh in thy heart and a very glutton in pain under a distemper dares not but forbear such meats as will feed it If thy Marriage to Christ hath been hearty thou hast given an universal bill of divorce to other lovers and hast accepted him for thy head and husband to govern and command thee as well as to protect and provide for thee and instate heaven as a Jointure upon thee If thou expectest an immortal life from him thou must consecrate thy mortal life to him I hope then thou art contented to take Jesus Christ for better for worse with his shameful crosse as well as his crown of glory with his trials as well as triumphs with his gracious precepts as well as his precious promises nay I hope thou seest so much equity in his commands so much beauty in his wayes and worship so much of thy souls felicity wrapt up in holinesse in order to its perfection and happinesse that thou wouldest much rather chuse the easie yoke the light burthen of Christ than the drudgery of the world or the bondage of corruption Truly thus it must be with thee if ever thou art saved and thus I thought to have found thee at least to leave thee One excellently compareth holinesse and happinesse to those two sisters Leah and Rachel Salvation or happinesse like Rachel seems the fairer even a carnal heart may fall in love with that but sanctification or holinesse like Leah is the elder and beautiful also though in this life it appears with some disadvantage her eyes being bleared with tears of repentance and her face furrowed with the works of mortification But this is the law of that heavenly Countrey that the younger sister must not be bestowed before the elder We cannot enjoy fair Rachel heaven and happinesse except first we embrace tender-eyed Leah holinesse mortification self-denial and all those severe duties which the Churches Law-giver enjoineth Friend sit down and consider what it may cost thee to be a Christian It must cost thee the absolute denial of thy sinful carnal self of the body of death and its earthly members which are expresly forbidden in the Word of God and thy main work must be every day to crucifie and mortifie them Sin must die though it may be never so dear to thee or thy Soul cannot live If thou lettest any sin go since every one is appointed by God to destruction thy life must go for its life as the Prophet told Ahab 1 Kings 20.42 When Christ came in the flesh sin crucified him but when Christ comes in the spirit he will crucifie it As Samson an eminent type of Christ pull'd down the house upon the heads of the Lords of the Philistines that he might slay them and so be avenged on them for his two eyes So Jesus Christ if he be thy Saviour is resolved to pull the house in which sin harbours it self down about its ears and by its slaughter to be revenged on it for his two eyes for all the ignominy and shame agony and pain which sin put him to He will teach thee better than to beg the life of those Barrabasses those soul-murderers and robbers of God of his glory And surely ingenuity will learn thee otherwise than to expect such infinite favours from this King and yet to entertain in thy heart any that are rebels against his Majesty Thus it will cost thee the absolute denial of thy sinful self It must cost thee the conditional denial of thy natural self and all that is outwardly dear unto thee nay it may cost thee the actual losse of relations possessions honour pleasure liberty limbs life and all these for Jesus Christ Thou must resolve when ever they come in opposition unto or competition with Christ his glory Kingdome and Command to let them go As when Levies relations came in competition with the glory of God he did not know his father nor would he acknowledge his brethren Deut. 33.9 When Moses his glory and pleasures came in competition with a precept of God he chooseth to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of the Court Heb. 11.25 When Pauls liberty and life come in competition with the Kingdome of Christ he is ready not only to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 20.24 They all willingly left their own comforts to obey Gods call and commands Dr. Reyn. Sermon on self-denyal In conversion as one well observeth the use and the property of all we have is altered All our vessels all our Merchandize must be super-scribed with a new title Holinesse to the Lord. Isa 23.18 Zach. 14.20 21. Then mens chief care will be to honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 to bring their sons their silver their gold to the name of the Lord the holy One of Israel Isa 60.9 All we are or have we have it on this condition to use it to leave it to lay it out to lay it down unto the honour of our Master from whose bounty we received it It was a notable saying of a Noble Lord of this Land That that person may be deceived L. Brooks who thinks to save any thing by his Religion more than his soul And surely he that saveth his soul saveth all that is worth saving He meant that his Religion might cost him the losse of all other things There is certainly if thou wilt be a Christian indeed a necessity of laying thy health strength time estate name friends interests in the world thy calling and comforts whatsoever at the feet of Christ to be employed wholly in his service and improved altogether for his glory and to be denied or enjoyed in whole or in part according to his call and command This may seem an hard saying to carnal minds that rather than break and leave off all
yet he doth not see the wealth the infinite riches that lye buried in them So wicked men see the waters the afflictions the conflicts but not the wealth the comforts the inward joy of the children of God Thirdly as this spiritual life is the most honorable and comfortable so it is the most profitable life no calling bringeth in such advantage as Christianity godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 There is an universal gainfulness in real godliness Plutarch telleth us that the Babylonians make above three hundred several commodities of the Palme-tree but there are many thousand benefits which godliness bringeth no Merchant ever had his vessels returned so richly laden as he that tradeth heaven-ward Observe Reader after the Apostles affirmation his full confirmation of it Godliness saith he is profitable unto all things It hath the promise of this life and that to come i. e. It hath heaven and earth entailed on it and therefore it must needs be profitable It giveth the Christian much in possession the promise of this life but infinitely more in reversion the life that is to come The promises of God are exceeding great for their quantity and precious for their quality promises and they all belong to a godly man he is called an heir of the promises Heb. 6.17 Whensoever the tree of the Scripture is shaken whatsoever fruit of those precious promises falleth down it falleth into the lap of a godly man If at any time that box of costly ointment be broken and sendeth forth its fragrant sent and vertue it is to the refreshment only of the Saints Godliness is profitable to thy self If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self and if a scorner thou alone shalt bear it Prov. 9.12 The sinner is no bodies foe so much as his own the murdering peices of sin which he dischargeth against God miss their mark but do constantly recoyle and wound himself The Saint is no bodies friend so much as his own others fare the better for his great stock of grace but the propriety in all the comfort of all and the profit by all is his own It enables him to give away the more at his door but how rich a table doth he thereby keep for himself Godliness is profitable for thy children the just man walketh in his integrity and his children are blessed after him Prov. 20.7 personal piety is profitable to posterity yet not of merit but mercy Though grace come not by generation but donation and though God hath mercy on whom he will yet the seed of the Saints are visibly nearer the quickning influences of the spirit then the children of others When God saith he will be a â—od to the godly man and his children I believe he intendeth more in that promise for the comfort of godly parents then most of them think of Acts 2.36 Gen. 17.7 The children of believers are heirs apparent to the covenant of grace in their parents right Godliness is profitable in prosperity it giveth a spiritual right to temporal good things a gracious man holdeth his mercies in capite in Christ that is his tenure as Christ is a co-heir of all things he being married to him by this spiritual life is a co-heir with him he enjoyeth earthly things by an heavenly title and one peny enjoyed by special promise is far more worth than millions which ungodly men enjoy by a general providence as the beasts of the field do their provender It is godliness that causeth a sanctified improvement of mercies Grace alone like Christ turneth water into wine corporal mercies into spiritual advantages The more God oiles the wheels the more chearfully and swiftly he moveth in the way to heaven the more showers of heaven fall down upon him the more fruitful and abundant he is in the work of the Lord as we see in that gracious King Iehosophat 2 Chron. 17.5 6. The Lord established the Kingdom in his hand and all Iudah brought presents unto him and he had riches and honor in abundance and his heart was lift up in the wayes of God Mark the more Gods hand was enlarged in bounty the more his heart was enlarged in duty The more highly God thinks of David the more lowly he thought of himself 2 Sam. 7.18 Outward mercies to a believer are a ladder by which he mounteth up nearer to heaven Thus godliness like the Philosophers stone turneth iron and every thing into gold but the want of this spiritual life causeth a cursed hellish use of mercies ungodly men like the spider suck poison out of those flowers out of which the Bees the Saints suck honey Their mercies are like cordials to a foul stomach which do but increase the peccant humor He feedeth on such plenty that he surfeits himself because of their abundance Job 21.7 8 9 to 14. Therefore they say unto the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes like the Israelites they make of the jewels which God giveth a golden Calf and worship that in stead of God Godliness is profitable in adversity it maketh a Christian like a Rabbit to thrive the better in frosty weather The child of God learneth the better for the rod Before he was afflicted he went astray but now he keepeth Gods word Psal 119.67 Well may grace be called the divine nature for it can bring not onely light out of light spiritual comfort and good out of outward good things but also light out of darkness good out of evil gain out of losses life out of death It will like Sampson fetch meat out of the eater like the Ostrich digest stones like Mithridates fetch nourishment out of poison When wicked men like Ahaz in their distress sin more against the Lord as fire the more it is kept in in an Oven the more it rageth so doth corruption but godly men far otherwise are by the fire of affliction the more refined and purified for their masters use Godliness is profitable to thee while thou livest In doubts it will direct thee as a light to thy feet and a lanthorn to thy paths In dangers it will protect thee by setting thee on high and giving thee for a place of defence the munition of rocks in wants it will supply thee by affording thee bread in the word when thou hast none on the boord and money in the promise 1 Tim. 4.8 which is by thousands the better when thou hast none in thy purse in thy pain it will ease thee in disgrace It will honor thee in sorrows it will comfort thee in sickness it will strengthen by causing thee to count the crosses of this life as nothing and unworthy to be compared to the pleasures and glory which shall revealed in all distresses it will support thee and make thee more then a conqueror over all through him that loveth us Rom. 8.37 Lastly godliness will be profitable to thee when thou diest death which is the terrible of terribles to
God in the glasse of his Ordinances for one hour what will there be when thou shalt see him face to face and alwayes behold the face of thy Father When Christ and thy soul meet sweetly in a duty on the Lords day and thou sittest under his shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto thy taste thou thinkest the duty is done too soon and the Sabbath is too short thou couldst wish the Sun would stand still as in the dayes of Joshua aâ—d that day to be longer but be encouraged though thy Sabbaths now begin and end yet within a few dayes thou shalt begin that eternal Sabbath which shall never end In his Epistle before Discourse of t ue happiness Certain it is saith Mr. Robert Bolton that if a man were crowned with the royal state and imperial command of all the kingdoms upon earth if his heart were enlarged to the utmost of all created capacities and filled with all the exquisite and unmixed pleasures that the reach of mortality and most ambitious curiosity could possibly devise and might without any interruption or distaste enjoy them the length of the worlds duration they were all nothing to the precious and peerless comforts of the Kingdom of Grace but for one hour I speak the truth in Christ and use no Hyperbole the Spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true Christians bearing me witness What then will it be my friend to enjoy the unconceivable comforts of the Kingdom of Glory for ever If one day in Gods Courts on earth be better to thee than a thousand elsewhere how happy wilt thou be when thou shalt dwell in the heavenly House of the Lord and that for ever ever when thou shalt be a pillar in the Temple of thy God and shalt go no more out for ever Rev. 3.12 O sweet word ever ever thou art musick to the ear and honâ—y to the taste and melody to the heart indeed to be free from all evil both of sin suffering and to be for ever free from them to be with the Lord enjoying all good imaginable and ever to be with the Lord. O how much worth doth this one word ever adde to the Saints portion in the other world Mortality is a flaw in all earthly tenures which abateth their price and imbittereth their pleasures but eternity is a diamond which sparkleth most radiantly in the crown of glory and maketh it beyond all expression or comparison weighty Christian how may this perswade thee to be exact in thy walking with God when in doing of his commands there is such great reward Thy temporal obedience shall have an eternal recompence If Zeuxis the famous Painter was so curious in drawing his lines because he painted for Eternity how exact shouldst thou be in all thy duties how curious in the whole course of thy life when thou dost all for eternity How may this support thee in the greatest dangers Thy sufferings are temporal but thy solace shall be eternal If Saul when called to an earthly kingdom for a short time could hold his peace when men despised and derided him surely thou mayst be steady in the greatest storm and in all hardships bear up thy spirit with the lively hope of that heavenly eternal Kingdom to which thou art called Dost thou not know that all the sufferings of this life though all the sufferings of the mystical body of Christ were laid on thy back are not worthy to be compared to that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Rom. 8.18 Thus thy felicicy in heaven will be compleat felicity and thy consolation in the fore-thoughts of it may well be a full consolation since for its perfections it is unspeakable thy fruition of it is unquestionable and thy condition in it will be unchangeable and eternal When thou hast filled thy heart with that fulness of joy and bathed thy soul in those rivers of pleasures as many millions of yeares as there have been minutes since the Creation and after that as many thousand ages as there are creatures great and small in heaven earth and sea and after that as many thousand millions of ages as all the men in the world can reckon up all the time of their lives yet after all this thou shalt not have one moment lesse to continue in heaven and enjoy that perfect happinesse The very greatest and highest numerations and multiplications of time are but drops yea ciphers and nothing to this boundless bottomless ocean of eternity For of eternity as Drexelius saith Truly there is no FINIS