called his day in the place before mentioned when Christ tells the Jews Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day But the great question will be this how Abraham did see this day of Christ's birth It is clear in the words that Abraham had his desire granted He did see Christ's day he saw it though it were two thousand years before it came to pass But how saw he this day of Christ's birth It was oculis animi says Piscator by the piercing eye of his Faith It is most true that Abraham saw not the day of Christ as the Shepheards and wisemen of the East saw Christ in the Manger at Bethlehem the one being sent thither by the Angel and the other guided by a Star that they might see and behold Christ Nor did Abraham see the day of Christ as Simeon saw Christ in the Temple at his Mothers Purification Nor as Zacheus who had a sight of Christ from the top of a Sycamoor-tree being climbed up thither to get a sight of him But Abraham saw it luce fidei by the sight of Faith Faith helped Abraham to see Christ and to see his day as clearly as he was seen by the Shepheards or Wise men of the East as clearly as he was seen by Simeon or Zacheus and this two thousand years before it came And as Faith can discover and approximate things remote in respect of time so things remote in respect of place It is said therefore That Faith is the evidence of the things not seen Heb. 11. 1. v. by it may be seen what is afar off Some write of one Lynceus that he could see an hundred and thirty thousand paces off but the eye of Faith can see further The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing she can see from Heaven to Earth she can spy her prey afar off she and her Birds can look upon the Sun Faith is such an excellent eye it can see him who to the eye of the body is invisible By Faith Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. v. God is invisible to any eye but to the eye of Faith And as God is an invisible God a being that no natural eye ever saw or can be that way seen so also are all the Eternal good things of Heaven so saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4. 18. v. he sayes that things that are Eternal are not seen But in the very same Verse he sayes that we look at things that are not seen Though they be things that are not seen yet Saint Paul sayes of himself and other Believers that by the eye of Faith they could see them they could by the eye of Faith see Eternal things While we look not at the 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 In which words it is observable that Saint Paul saith That he and other Believers look at the things which are not seen and those things not seen that they look at are Eternal they are good things that are Eternal And without doubt such a sight as the Apostle here means cannot but work very much upon the heart of a Christian A sight of the day of Christ by Faith greatly rejoyced the good old Patriarchs heart It even ravished his heart to hear the wonderful promise of God concerning the Messias and to foresee the joyful performance which he saw would follow in due time The Apostle Saint Paul is Perplexed but not in despair 2 Cor. 4. 8. v. he is Cast down but not destroyed 9. v. he faints not saying Though our outward perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day 16. v. And the reason of all is laid down at the 18. v. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen And these things which are not seen are Eternal In like manner such a sight would work signally upon our hearts if we could by the eye of Faith but have a sight of Eternal good things it would make us long until we come to the fingering and possessing of them till we have livery and seizin of them Such a sight would inflame our hearts with love to them it would make us like a Suitor or Lover who is not satisfied who is willing to do any thing and take any pains that he may enjoy his desired Object He that gets this sight will certainly find his affections setled upon them and having his affections setled upon his heart will be set to take pains to gain them When Sampson had seen Dalilah he loved her loving her he could not be at rest until he enjoyed her When Jacob had once seen Rachel he loved her loving her he was contented to labour and take pains the space of two hard Apprentiships that he might possess her CHAP. XIV Some directions in labouring for Eternal good things VVHerein is shewed how a Christian should labour for Eternal good things As 1. Faithfully 2. Diligently 3. Cheerfully 4. Abundantly 5. Earnestly 6. Vnweariedly And because I have been long upon this subject I shall speak but briefly hereunto and so conclude this Text. 1. In labouring for Eternal good things labour faithfully let there be sincerity in using all those means whereby Eternal good things are to be gain'd take heed in the use thereof that there be no squinting aside at any thing else Verily not every one that useth those means are labouring after Eternal good things but may have their eye rather upon Temporal good things like the Monk in the Story who looked downwards towards the Earth like a mortified Person but 't was only to find the keys of the Abbey The Monk indeed seems to have been a most mortified man and dead to all these things of the World and to have minded things above Even so do many others how attentive are they in hearing of the Word of God how often are they reading of the Scriptures how earnest are they in praye◠how frequent in eating Sacramentally the Body and Blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper But alas their hearts are not upright for God not any delight in such duties not any love to God's wayes not any hungring desire after Eternal good things moves them but they are conscious to themselves that there is something else which doth set them upon this work and that notwithstanding all they do they are not faithful in these and the like holy observances Verily thousands there are who will hereafter bewail such kind of labour and pains taking When Cardinal Woolsey was cast out of his Princes favour and left to his enemies fury said he If I had served my God as faithfully as I have served my King he would not have left me thus And will not those men say so when they come into Hell that have been as you call them true drudges to the World but hypocritical in all their seeming
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
Serpents curse Gen. 3. 14. v. They lick dust and eat dust and lye and wallow into the dust On many the judgment of Corah is spiritually exercised The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed up his body but it hath opened her mouth and swallowed up their hearts their time and their affections These men are like the Israelites who preferred Leeks and Onions before Quails and Manna or like that Diaphontus who refused his mothers blessing to hear a Song Or like some low bred Persons that prefer themselves before their betters vaunting and boasting with much vanity and presumption of themselves and of all that belong to them but despise others though their Superiours and betters So these men having set their hearts upon things below care not by what unjust and indirect means they come by them they are resolved to get Rem rem quocunque modo rem They are of the mind of that Atheistical Polititian who said Quod utile est illud justum est That which is profitable the same is just and righteous all is fish that comes to their nets As it was said of Cicero that he was gentle to his Enemies froward to his Friends And as it was unjustly charged by Joab upon David 2 Sam. 19. 6. v. That he loved his enemies and hated his friends So it may be truly said of these men They higly esteem what they should under-value and they under-value what they should highly esteem highly esteeming these poor things below this Mamâ—â—n of unrighteousness in the World and not valuing the incomprehensible excellencies of Heaven the inexplicable and inestimable glory there and all those unutterable and ineffable felicities to be enjoyed at God's right hand for ever-more And why Because their hearts by excessive rooting in the Earth are turned wholly into Earth that they are even drunk with the love of the World and no wonder then if like the Gadarens they prefer Swine before their Souls or like him in the Parable that would go to see his Farm though he lose Heaven Or like the rich Glutton who was so taken up with his great crop and building his new barns that he never thought of Heaven until he was in Hell Or like thousands more in the World who if they have but something to leave behind them for the good of their Children they matter not whether they have any thing to take with them for the good of their Souls Quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis Who can refrain from tears when he relates such a truth Not the Apostle Paul that blessed Saint and Servant of Jesus Christ he cannot speak of them without weeping Philip. 3. 18 19. v. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of 〈◊〉 Christ Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind Earthly things Nor methinks can any other who knows the worth of Souls and Eternal good things but secretly weep for them As Zanchy complained with much regret of the Lutheran ubiquitaries that he found them ubique every where to vex and molest him so hath every Christian cause to grieve oh that we could all of us with brokenness of heart bewail it that these kind of men are every where to be found And themselves are called to weep by the Apostle St. James who looks upon them as Persons in a deplorable condition Indeed none more frolick and merry none dreaming of more content and freedom from want none less fearing either miseries or judgments than many carnal rich worldlings although what they possess hath been gathered and scraped together by oppression and unrighteous dealings But see what the Apostle saith Jam. 5. 1. v. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Here we have assigned the reason why they should weep and lament For the miseries that shall come upon you That is saith an Interpreter partly sore afflictions in this life but these are but the beginnings of sorrow And partly also Hell torments in the life to come Hell torments are indeed miseries to come and though here they laugh yet there they will howl O that such Earthly minded ones that be rooting and 〈◊〉 in the Earth as if they meant to dig themselves 〈◊〉 it a nearer way to Hell would consider this before the cold grave holds their bodies and hot Tophet burn their Souls The one is as sure as the other if timely repentance prevent it not for they have damnation for their end Phil. 3. 19. v. Whose end is destruction When an Angel of the Lord threatned the Israelites not to drive out the Inhabitants of Canaan from before them but that they should be as thorns in their sides and their Gods should be snares unto them Judg. 2. 3. v. In the two next verses it is said v. 4. 5. And it came to pass when the Angel of the Lord spoke these words unto aâ— the children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept And they called the name of that place Bochim That is as it is in the Margâ—n â— Weepers because the People of Israel did weep abundantly in this place And we have a strain of threatnings in Scripture against such who both sinfully get and use these Temporal things below I say 5. 8. v. Woe unto them that joyn house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth Luk. 6. 24 25. v. Woe unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Let us mind the words before we leave this point 1. Here the Rich are threatned with this That they have received their consolation we may understand the words either Ironically by way of a scornful jeer unto them that call it a consolation to have riches and account them the only comfort of their lives or at the most the words can intend no more then Woe be to you hereafter for here in this life and only here in this life they have that they call consolation they shall have none of this consolation in the other life CHAP. IX 2. A Second use may be by way of Reproof to 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 labouring only for back and belly for food and raiment but as for those things that endure to Eternal life them they postpone to the things of this World Here they do as we use to say Set the Cart before the Horse not only equalize Hagar with Sarah though that were injurious enough but they give Hagar the place and make
but none can reckon up the many thousands of good things that all interested in an Eternal God have in him It is said of the great Duke of Guise that though he was poor as to his present possessions he was the richest man in France in Bills Bonds and Obligations because he had engaged all the Noble men in France unto himself by preferring of them So you see that a Christian interested in these Eternal good things is the richest man in the world though he may be poor as to his Earthly possessions though he may be temporally poor yet he is Spiritually rich and so he makes good that riddle of the Apostle concerning himself 2. Cor. 6. 10. v. As having nothing yet possessing all things That is as having nothing Re yet possessing all things Spe. It seems no less then a Paradox what is said of those Churches of Asia Smyrna and Laodicea but is a real truth Laodicea was the very worst of all the Churches of Asia and she thought her self rich and encreased in goods and to have need of nothing but she was indeed wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. v. Whereas on the contrary Smyrna was one of the best Churches of Asia of which Church Christ sayeth I know thy poverty but thou art rich Revel 2. 9. v. though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly poor yet she was inwardly rich And such are all those who have laboured for and by their labour have gotten a share of Eternal good things though possibly they should be outwardly poor yet are they inwardly rich though now they may be oppressed and made miserable with Temporal wants yet will be hereafter made blessed and happy with Eternal enjoymeâ—ts 4. Because Eternal good things are real good things Temporal good things are but Imaginary good things There is as much difference between Temporal good things and Eternal good things as there is between a shadow and a substance as there is between Counters and currant coined Gold between Entia and Non Entia things that have a being and things that have no being sayes Solomon Prov. 23. 5. v. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Why are thy desires so ardent for that which is not that is but a meer Cipher without a Figure before it The things of this world are only Beryls no true Diamonds they are Juno in the pursuit but Clouds in the enjoyment They are not what they do appear they are like some double Pictures which are sometimes shewed unto us Pictures that are so made by the making up of the cloth or paper in folds and pleats that being looked upon one way they represent one shape but being looked upon another way they present another shape As some represent the face of a Woman the one way but the other way a Serpent Or an Emperour's head one way and the head of a Fool another way So look upon Temporal good things one way with Carnal eyes and they are substantial enjoyments the only desirable good things real certainties present feâ—iciâ—ies and absolutely necessary to be laboured for but look upon them another way with Spiritual eyes and then they are but vanities fancies and empty imaginary contentments no foundations for the Soul to build her happiness upon in a word they are directly contrary to what they do appear They are but like to Hercules Sacrifice who offered a painted man to the Gods instead of a living man They are but painted faces no true natural complexions And hence they are so bewitching which they could not be did they appear in their own Native colours If Jezabel had not painted her face she had not gotten so many doting Adulteres to have faln in love with her as she did What Pareus is noted to have said concerning Aristotles arguments whereby he would prove that the Woâ—ld neither had a beginning nor would have an end is applicable to my purpose These Arguments sayes he be but Inania Sophismata ad obscurandum veritatem ingeniose magis quam solide excogitata Vain Sophistications to obscure the truth having more wit then matter in them So may I say of these things they are but vain Sophistications having more fancie then of reality in them to make the Possessor of them happy being empty Clouds Wells without water but very shadows without any substance When Master Roger Ascham asked the Lady Jane Grey how she could lose such pastime her Father with the Dutchess being a hunting in the Park she smilingly answered All the sport in the Park is but a shadow of that pleasure I find in this book having a good book in her hand It is true of whatsoever good things the World affords the best of them are but a shadow of what Eternal goods Heaven doth afford Look how much substances do exceed shadows so the shadowy great things of the Earth are excelled by the great good things of Heaven I ake a Catalogue of all those things below that mens hearts are so much set upon and thirst after and I may say of them all that they be all of them to those Eternal good things mentioned before but as the shadow of a shadow like the reflexions of a rain bow when it seems to be doubled in a Cloud The rainbow it self is but a shadow what is the shadow of this shadow nay what is the third generation of a shadow as sometimes when the reflection is strong three are seen at once Verily all things in the world even the most excellent of them must stand in the lowest degree of these if compared with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost if compared with Grace and a good conscience Those things are but shadowish and seeming good things God and Christ Grace and Eternal glory are real good things they are substanâ—es and no shadows no lyes no falshoods nor any varnished appearances of good Narcissuâ— a beautiful youth though he would not love them that loved him yet afterwards fell in love with his own shadow So those whose hearts are so inflamed with love to the world that they have not hearts to labour after any thing else they are 〈◊〉 here faln in love with a very shadow so the Apostle hinteth 1 Cor. 7. 31. v. For the fashion of this world passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth a Mathematical Figure which is a meer notion and nothing in substance It is a notable diminishing term in the Original as if the world were not a substance but a fashion a Scheme an apparition a shew a pageant or imagination I have read of a King of Persia that he would have an Imaginary Heaven and therefore he prepared for himself a brave Palace and in the top he made the Heavens and underneath Clouds that with art moved up and down and distilled rain and made thunder and he made a brave Throne glistering above the Clouds Indeed this might be sufficient for an Heathen but an
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
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
that they will not only conform to â—he sinful lusts and pleasures of the World but they so idolize Temporal things that they place their onely and chiefest happiness in the enjoyment of the World they terminate their happiness here Though a man may as well think to extract Oil out of a flint or fire out of water as happiness out of these Temporal and terrestrial things To seek for happiness in any thing below is to seek for the living among the dead 3. Reas Because these temporal things being near at hand do dazâ—le the mind and distract the Judgments of men The sight that now the best here below have of those Eternal good things in Hâ—eaven is but weak dark and obscure for saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. v. Now we see through a Glass darkly And again Now I know in part If Saint Paul and other enlightned ones see but darkly and in part surely Children of darkness see nothing at all If the vigourous and sparkling eyes of Heavens darlings see no clearer the blind and bleer eyes of others behold nothing The Saints see a great deal yet nothing to what they shall see in Heaven where the illustrious beauty of Eternal good things shall be displayed in a most glorious Emphasis and they have their eyes fixed upon them through all Eternity An Eagle-eyed Christian by the eye of Faith beholding the beauty of these things sees a great deal of excellency and worth in them why they should be laboured for and the oftner he looks thereon the more he is enamoured therewith and he is made restless until he enjoys them As it is said of Apelles that by his often beholding and looking on the Woman whose picture he was drawing though at first he minded his Art only yet secretly love did creep into his affection at the same time which made him languish away till Alexander helped her to him as his wife so 't is with a Believer his heart pants after these things as the Hart pants after the water brooks and his Soul even languisheth away till God help him to possess them as his own But now a generation of men having no other but sensual eyes which serve only to behold Objects near hand not Objects at a great distance they apprehend nothing in these Eternal things to affect them withal and therefore do they acknowledge nothing in them to make them desirable or worth taking pains for I remember what I have read of Nicostratus who being himself a cunning Work-man he finding a curious piece of work and being wondred at by one and asked what pleasure he could take to stand as he did still gazing on the picture answered Hadst thou mine eyes my Friend thou wouldst not wonder but rather be ravished as I am at the inimitable art of this rare and admired piece Had these men the eyes of Faith to behold things within the vail to see the Sun-like resplendent Body of Christ there to look upon our Jehovah's face there and the glory of all crowned Martyrs and other the glorious Inhabitants of that happy place surely things below would not dazâ—le their eyes so much as they do they would rather be looked upon as so much dung and dross in comparison of these but though they are sharp-sighted into things of Earth yet are they blinder then a Mole in beholding any Spiritual or Celestial beauty As Moses did Heb. 11. 27. v. so other of the Saints do see him who is invisible but these see nothing but what is visible They have no other but bodily eyes to see with and so God cannot be seen 2 Tim. 6. 16. v. Whom no man hath seen nor can see And having no other but bodily eyes it is no wonder if things as far off as Heaven do seem very small and little unto them and those things which are nearer unto them seem of a greater magnitude It is here as it is with many ignorant men who standing here below and looking upon the Sun Moon and Stars in Heaven whereof the first and several of the last are many times bigger then the Earth yet by such ignorant People the Stars are judged to be only pretty little golden spots of the breadth of a peâ—ny or of a man's finger and the Sun or Moon not broader then a bushel or a Cart-wheel The reason of this mistake is this these Heavenly luminaries are at a great distance from them from the Earth to the Starry Heaven Astrologers have made it sixteen millions three hundred thirty-eight thousands five hundred sixty two miles and such ignorant Persons will not allow for the distance and so are not able to judge thereof So it is here with carnal ignorant ones the things of Heaven are now accounted but small because of their distance though in themselves great but Earthly things are accounted great because of their nearness though in themselves small Now as Eve's looking upon the Tree of knowledge did her much prejudice she was thereby tempted to eat thereof and thereby lost an Earthly and hazarded an Heavenly Paradise So to men looking upon such things as the Temporal good things of this life are with no other eye then that of sense their eyes are dazled with the splendour of them and they seem great and do them a great deal of prejudice they make thousands not to hazard only but even to lose an Heavenly Paradise whilst all their searchings and enquiries all their plottings and contrivings all their labour and pains are chiefly after them neglecting those Magnalia Aeternitatis those great things of Eternity Why do not men love those things more why do not men desire them more why do not men labour and take pains for them more The very reason is because they see them no clearer If men saw them clearer they would love them more If men saw them clearer they would desire them more If men saw them clearer they would labour for them more When Jacob had seen Rachel's beauty he loved her loving of her he desired to have her to be his Wife desiring her he laboured twice seven years to obtain her And though Lovers hours are full of Eternity yet his love towards her and his desire of her did facilitate his labour and made the time seem short But now Temporal things being near at hand and more clearly seen men who are devoid of Grace have their eyes dazled and their hearts bewitched therewith for the World is a bewitching thing and as one says the World at last day shall be burnt for a Witch Herewith the dâ—vâ—l who is daily trading with men for the Souls be witcheth millions The World is the greatest price that the Dâ—vâ—l hath to give for a Soul What else doth the Dâ—vâ—l use when he would be dealing with Christ As that which was the most forcible temptation he could use he offers him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them he had been tampering with Christ before but