whilst the flesh is unchang'd thus doth it destroy the soul whilst the body seems to remain in good plight Every creature hath some such perfections proper to its own nature that the having thereof causeth them to be reputed good as being agreeable to their own kinde and fit for that use they are design'd to Thus the Horse that hath strength or swiftness fitting him for the service hee is put to is a good Horse and though sometimes he may be set out with a fine Saddle and gaudy Trappings 〈◊〉 he 's never the worse if considered as an Horse wâ—â— these are taken off him And no more is a man for 〈◊〉 loss of any external things which belong to him sincâ—â— is not in these that his excellencie as hee is a man consists nor was that the end of his Creation that he might enjoy them What does it add any thing to his real proper worth to be cloath'd in gorgeous and costly array or to have store of monie lying in his chests or to live 〈◊〉 brave house with a deal of pomp and attendance faith deliciouslie everie day having high titles and honâ—â— confer'd upon him What 's all this to the worth of 〈◊〉 man These tell what he has not what he is His clothes and his house and monie may bee good whil'st hee himself is stark naught Such things as these which are here to day and gone to morrow and are of so little reference to him whil'st they stay can they better or advance him without question they cannot For shall wee not finde those who abounded with them having nothing else to commend them term'd no better in the language of Scripture than Dogs and Swine such to whoâ— the societie and portion of Devils is threatned and allotted When as holy men though destitute of all the ornaments by the sentence of God himself who best knows the worth of his creatures are stiled happy honourable blessed and the only excellent ones upon earth And if Holiness be the peculiar excellency of the reasonable creature then the loss of this only is his ruine as your horse or any other beast is then spoiled when he hath lost his ability for service and as the loss of limbs or life is the destruction of the body Even thus doth sin where it hath its full force and operation wound and murder the soul so far as it 's capable of dying For the death of the Soul is its final departure from God and it's enâ—â—itie against him which is far worse than any other death or annihilation that can befall it as wee may unâ—â—rstand even by the body it self for which to draw out life upon the wrack or in any such like torments is worse than to be slain out-right and that miserable life may most properlie be call'd a lingring death according to the saying vita non est vivere sed valere But it is no crosses nor losses nor any thing that lights upon what is without the soul that can inflict this miserie upon it nothing I say but its voluntary declining from that holy state wherein God would have it live to the sordid â—â—uitish waies of wickedness May we not fitly allude to be words of Christ concerning that which defiles the man Mark 7.15 There is nothing from without a man that enring into him can defile him but the things which come out of him those are they which defile the man And most demonstrative is the reason there given vers 19. Because what he receives from without entreth not into his heart but into the belly and goeth out into the draught purging all meats So neither can affliction endamage the soul since it enters not into it but falls upon some external thing and so slides away But those evil things which come from within such as are instanc't in verse 21 22. Evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness these defile the man And these are the thing which destroy him for the defilement of the soul is 〈◊〉 destruction Take it Sirs for a most unquestionable truth that to have an excessive love for worldly things 〈◊〉 much more hurtful than not to have the things themselves to burn in such inordinate affections to them is worse for you by far than to have them all burnt upâ— for this latter is but like the firing of some poor Cottageâ— and out-buildings which in time of war is oft done oâ— purpose for the defence and safety of the fortified City when as the former is like a fire which the Enemy hath kindled in the very he art of the City it self Since then your chief happiness as you are men 〈◊〉 Christians is plac't so far out of the Sphere and hunâ—â— influence of all external accidents that the worst 〈◊〉 them can do no more to lessen or interrupt it how 〈◊〉 reasonable is it to be much dejected for but a little grievance Of what a sordid spirit is that man who should lament the loss of his dung or some sorry trifle whilâ— his house is well fill'd with goods and his Coffers with money And no more reason hath he to be cast down for having his hands emptied of all his earthlie substance whose heart is fill'd with the more substantial heavealieâ— Treasure of Grace and Goodness Yet after all I am afraid least most of my Reader should take what I have said for meer Notions not 〈◊〉 to be framed into Principles to guide them in their practise and in their judgements of things Hardlie will meâ— be perswaded that riches the Diana whom not any particular Country onlie but the whole world worshippeâ—â— who may number more Votaries and Martyrs than the true God that these are of so little consequence and so little conducing to make a man happie But yet I may well hope for better entertainment from you that haw been enlightned to behold such a beautie and glorie iâ— spiritual things as hath in some good measure abated your esteem of all things else And the better yet to clear and settle your apprehensions I would desire you but attentlie to consider your own Nature whether you bear not something about you better than flesh and blood and whether the gratifying and advancing of this Noblest part be not most your interest and how far earthlie things which are of a nature so distant from it can be serviceable to this end Confider moreover what that is which you must live upon for ever and then think whether such kind of attainments as make the nearest approach thereto and are the very beginning of it ought â—ot rather to be stil'd your happiness than such as are quite of another kind and will then be whollie useless Consider also what kind of men they are to whom ordinarilie the largest share of these things is allotted how Infidels Idolaters and the profanest wretches abound therewith and remember how little of them Christ himself and his most Noblest Followers enjoyed and yet bear what Paul in
Banner of the Lord of Hosts whose servant he is and whose cause he hath espoused Why then should he be more afraid to go through them than some known friend of the Generals is to walk through the midst of his armed men Though he may go by the mouths of Cannons ready fixt and the points of drawn Swords yet he dreads them not since these instruments of death are prepar'd for their enemies not their friends When any of these overflowing scourges pass over a Nation and seem to take all before them yet then have the Righteous the same securitie and priviledge that Noah and his company in the Ark had in the time of the Deluge what if I should say the same that the fishes then had above all other Creatures left out For whilst they continue in compliance with that will which orders all things for them they are never out of their proper element whilst they follow this Providence and keep out of the by-paths of wickedness they are still in their way Not but that their bodies are as weak as other mens and their outward enjoiments subject to the same casualties but their souls are of another temper and their happiness of another nature and cannot be destroied or lost Boldly may they defie all the Hasts of hell or earth that rise up against them since none of these can keep them from God whilst they live and do but translate them to him when they die Well therefore may you whose interests are so securely plac't out of the reach of all violence and malice sing aloud with the blessed Apostle whilst in the midst of his battles he justly triumphs like a Conquerour Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress persecution or famine nakedness peril or sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8.35 37 38 39. And what can be more comely than all you upright ones to return thanks and praise to that God who hath dealt so graciously with you And to rejoyce in your felicity which he hath made so secure and inviolable Instead of continual complainings of this misery and the other which is upon us or fearful prophesyings of worse yet to come wherewith many are overmuch taken up Let the high praises of God be in your mouths who hath done so much for you to make you at all times safe and therefore comfortable Blesse him with all your Souls for his inestimable love to mankinde which he hath revealed by Jesus Christ in whom hee is reconciling the world to himself and hath actually done that work upon you whereby it comes to pass that being reconciled to the Creator the whole Creation is so far at peace with you that all the Creatures which stand on his side will not hurt you and they that are his enemies cannot Praise your Redeemer who by his death hath slain your foes spoil'd principallities and powers disabled Satan overcom'n the world and taken the sting out of all affliction and death it self that you might walk securely through this vale of tears and depart out of it chearfully Oh praise his name that hee hath kept you from being destroyers of your selves and will keep all other things from destroying you Bee thankful to him for the glorious light of his Gospel and for enlightning your mindes therewith whereby you are made acquainted with the true nature of all things that concerns you that so you might neither be startled with those Bugbears which the fears and fancies of weak and guilty men in the dark apprehend so terrible nor fall into those real mischiefs which ignorant benighted sinners run upon to their own destruction God hath already done much for you and hath given you promises of very much more praise him therefore for what you have and for what you hope for Especially for the dawnings of Heaven in your souls and for the promises of a fuller glory hereafter to be revealed in you And through the hopes of this bee you ever fild with peace and joy in beleiving And with the frequent meditation of all his loving-kindness be still making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I have before endeavoured to take off those hindrances to this frame which might arise from worldly crosses for if they so little deserve our sorrow when they befall us as I have fullie manifested how much less do they deserve our sorrow and fear least they should And indeed it was my design not onlie to comfort those that have met with troubles but to prepare others for whatever they may meet with But there is yet another Objection behind that may appear of more weight than any of the former which I cannot altogether pass over in silence since fain I would do something for the removal of all shelters and pretences for carnal fears and faintings which do so much pinch and wrong Christian souls hinder the pleasantness and benefit of their Societie and eclipse the glorie of their profession Object Perhaps then some may tell me That this is an unseasonable time to call men to joy and chearfulness when such heavy judgements lie upon us and such a black cloud hangs over us and God is angry with those who takes no notice of nor lay to heart his hand when we consider also the low estate of Gods Church both at home and abroad When the Church in former times was in such a condition we find what bitter lamentations holy men were wont to make The loss of the Ark cost Eli's life and Nehemiahs serrow of heart when Jerusalem lay waste was so great that the King took notice of it by the change of his countenance Neh. 2.2 Why then should it not be so with us Answ 1. In answer whereto First let me repeat the Caution I have before laid down that you should not think I am perswading you to be regardless of Gods hand stretcht out against us neither think I beseech you that I perswade you to any such mirth and jollitie which might manifest this regardlesness This is indeed provoking to God when he calls to Fasting Humiliation and girding with Sackcloth to behold killing of Sheep and slaying of Oxen Banquets and Revellings with all kind of excess and braveâ—â—eâ— 'T is to none of this that I call you not to haunt Taverns and Playhouses feastings and dancings to sing and drink away your reason and fears together rather do you pitie their distraction who take this course whilst they may deride your seriousness So far am I from this that on the other hand
in 〈◊〉 theirs who judge of persons and things by the saâ—â— false rules you may pass for the only happy men in 〈◊〉 World But yet I can and dare say that though youâ— Lives and your Pleasures should be thus prolonged 〈◊〉 hundred years you are but miserable men whose wâ—â—â— are now accursed as your end shall bee Even all 〈◊〉 while the vengeance of God hangs over your heads liâ—â— a Sword by a Twine-thred and will shortly fall upâ—â— the Scalp of such as go on in their trespasses It pursâ—â— you at the heels and though it seem to tarry will certainly overtake you However you may mis-call 〈◊〉 Patience you shall finde that God is no more slâ—â—â— concerning his Threatnings than his Promises In thâ— hand of the Lord there is a Cup and the Wine is red it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same and though they should escape when it is poured out Yet the Drâ—â—â— thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out 〈◊〉 drink them Psal 75.8 These are the distinguishing judgements which shall light upon the ungodly and none bâ—â— them Then at length shall men discern between tâ—â— righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God 〈◊〉 him that serveth him not when that day cometh that stâ—â— burn as an Oven and all the proud yea all that do wiâ—â—â—lyshall be as stubble Whatever false consequences wanton Sinners drâ—â—â— from Gods forbearance of them in this day of his pâ—â—ence or from his promiscuous dealing with good 〈◊〉 bad in this state of tryal they shall soon be freed froâ— their mistakes when they shall finde and feel in 〈◊〉 a different manner they are treated in the other siâ—â— This will make them acknowledge that verily there 〈◊〉 God a Righteous God who judgeth in the earth Here â—ndeed they were Neighbours and had bodies alike â—nd might therefore dye by the same Diseases Their â—ouses were joyned and might therefore burn together â—ut their souls were not alike nor shall they fare alike or â—ive together any longer but betwixt them will bee a great Gulf fixed over which there will be no passing for the persons nor any translation of their conditions one â—o another Though you might remove your dwellings and scape the Infection or have estates of that nature that Fire did not consume them yet all your refuges will fail when these last woes shall bee brought upon you Then shall the scorners who made light of threatâ—ings that hid themselves under falshood and made lies their refuge finde that their Covenant with death shall be disannulled their agreement with hell shall not stand When this overflowing scourge shall pass thorow the ungodly World they shall all be trodden down by it Though they might escape Sword and Plague Fire and Famine yet Hell they shall never escape And are there any that own the name of Men and desire the reputation of Christians of such a desperate insensibleness of their own concerns that the known certainty of infinite everlasting torments in case they hold on their present course will give them neither check nor diversion Such indeed who can thorowly perswade themselves to be Infidels may possibly live in a stupid peace till they are brought with the Devils to believe and tremble But for them who take on them to believe all that is in the Gospel and yet walk in those very waies to which this Gospel threatens everlasting destruction may we not admire what strange devices they have got to keep themselves peaceable and steady in this their furious march to Damnation What Sirs have you a belief for what Scripture tells you of the weightiest and most concerning matters in the World and yet can you alwaies drive thâ—â— out of your thoughts Do you think it of no consequenâ—â— to consider where the way will end in which you 〈◊〉 walking with so much confidence Do you not 〈◊〉 well enough that if you never turn you are certainâ—â— undone And that wil'st you delay it you run such 〈◊〉 hazard as every man in 's right wits would beware of Every step you tread being upon such a dangerous precipice that nothing but the mercy which you daily abuse anâ—â— which will not alwaies bear such usage keeps you froâ—â— falling headlong And when once it 's withdrawn doâ—â— you go and are lost for ever Is this your case and 〈◊〉 you not spare time to think how to get out of it 〈◊〉 Sirs sad and serious thoughts will be good cheap in 〈◊〉 other World As much as you fear and shun them noâ— then you shall bee sufficiently haunted with them bâ—â— as serviceable as now they might be then they shall nothing avail you To think in time which way to avoid perdition should not methinks bee so tedious and unpleasant to those to whom it is so necessary and may 〈◊〉 as advantagious but if this be neglected to think whâ— you have brought your selves to and how strangely and wilfully you have done it shall fill you with a sadness that will break your hearts but nothing better your estates What then are those dreams wherewith you delude your selves into a quiet continuance in an ungodly state which is like to prove so bitter in the end What do you think it's best to go on a while longer that you have yet time enough before you But do you well consider how dear this little while longer may cost you Have you any ground to expect to bee waited on much longer Doth not the time of patience seem expiring Are not the years wherein God resolv'd to try you what fruit you would bring forth near to an end And is thâ—â— a time to dally with the Almighty when hee 's coming forth so severely to reckon with you Is your Sun seting and yet do you loyter Is the Ship sinking and are you â—et unresolv'd whether you had best shift for you selves Certainly they who take not this as a fit season for Reâ—entance would by their good will never Repent and â—is to be fear'd never will till it is too late But further you are not I hope so vain as to conceit â—at there is any other way beside sound Repentance and 〈◊〉 thorow Conversion to secure your selves from that â—rath which is denounc't against and will certainly â—ome upon the Children of Disobedience If you believe â—e Scripture which I now suppose you do you cannot â—arbour such a conceit which is there so often and so sainly contradicted And as far methinks you should â—e from imagining if this wrath be not thus prevented â—at ever it can with any patience be endured or by any â—eans remov'd Do you indeed take hell for a tolleraâ—e evil even more tollerable than an holy heart and â—fe by which it might be avoided In how dark and â—ind a state are they who run from their felicity as an â—urtful thing And in how sad a case whom nothing â—it woful experience will convince of this mistake But
are but principled with a prevailing deep-rooted love of heavenlie things And one would think it no hard thing to attain such holie affections if first you will but well and dulie consider the worthlesuess of all things else till you are cur'd of your excessive and undeserved admiration of them and then will be as much in meditation of the excellencie the suitableness the sufficiencie of those things that are invisible and eternal and how great reason you have and what engagements you lie under to fix and settle your hearts upon them Consider well what you owe to the giver and preserver of your life and all the comforts of it and how you ought to stand affected toward him who thought not his own unvaluable Bloud too good to be shed for such finners as we Think if you have such a thing within you as an immortal Soul whether the bealth and safety and felicity thereof bee not of far greater moment and worth than the prosperity of the body and whether an unexpressible fulness of all blessedness and joy for ever deserve not more esteem than any of the short uncertain advantages and delights which his world affords you Continue such kinde of considerations as these till you feel they have an influence upon your souls to change the bent and stream of your affections and inclinations And be diligent in be use of all other means appointed by God for the befirming and carrying on a work of grace in the heart of â—an and above all bee very importunate suitors at be Throne of Grace that God would bestow upon â—ou his holy spirit which he hath promised to those that 〈◊〉 him that by the power hereof Your mindes may â—e enlightned to a right apprehension of things and our affections strongly carried out to that which best deewes them that you may be brought with the Apostle â—or so much to look at or bee concern'd for those things which are seen which are temporal as for those which are not â—in which are eternal And for the future let this bee our chiefest project how to gain heaven and to this after all your labours and cares Though it bee not the only yet if it bee the principal trade you drive on to â—rive and grow in Grace till at length it shall bee imrov'd into such a stock of Glory as will never be spent manage all your Talents to the best advantage as â—ay redound most to your Masters honour and bring on in the richest inerease daily reaching forth unto those â—ings which are before pressing toward the mark for the price the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Thus set your hearts and faces Zion-ward looking upon your passage through â—is lower World only as a journey to and preparation â—s the higher And having so rightly fixt your end and your work taking your selves here but for Pilgrims 〈◊〉 Strangers then set about your worldly affairs and take care for the accommodations of life regarding and â—â—siring them under this notion as they are convenience for a Traveller And let this true notion of them moderate and guide all your designs and undertakings 〈◊〉 the utmost of your ambition be to maintain your selves and those that depend upon you so as you may be â—â—test to do the service God hath set you and walk oâ— comfortably in the way he hath appointed you What ever you aim at more let it be purely and sincerely 〈◊〉 the good of others and the honour of God So 〈◊〉 you fulfil the commands 1 Tim. 5.8 Eph. 4.28 〈◊〉 by this means you will most easily escape the temptations which ruine thousands who wrong their Conscience to encrease their Estates for will he sin against Godget riches who desires them only that he may there with serve and glorifie God Nor can I think that here by you will have ever the less of the World but I 〈◊〉 sure you will have a great deal more contentment in and more security of what you shall have and when length you come to leave it you shall neither desire 〈◊〉 need it but shall bee supply'd with that which is inâ—â—nitely better when as those who were bewitcht into 〈◊〉 unreasonable fondness of their present enjoyments sâ—â— at last irrecoverably lose both them and their souls topâ—ther Again Methinks your very worldy wisdome aâ— self-love may teach you that if you have been and aâ— still like to be so great losers by Gods displeasure yâ—â— only way is speedily to use means for the obtrining his favour that so you may either secure your tempore possessions or something of more worth in their roeâ—â— when-ever they may bee taken from you Believe 〈◊〉 Sirs there 's nothing of all that which you grasp with 〈◊〉 greatest closeness that you can keep with you whether â—od will or no If hee command it away it will soon â—ey his call You may think of reducing your estates 〈◊〉 be of that nature that they shall be exposed to no casualties but all your art will fail you whil'st God is your enemy What foolish merchants then are those who take him so by their dishonest waies of gaining Who will 〈◊〉 found at length to have put the most not orious cheat â—â—on themselves purchasing the curse of God with their â—â—just gains laying themselves open to that wrath from which neither their wit nor their wealth can secure them 〈◊〉 where ever you are and whatever you have you are â—â—waies alike naked to his stroak Though you should â—â—g deep as Hell to hide your selves and your treasure â— can easily fetch you thence and pluck you asunder then you have been so foolish as by any way of wickedness what ever to engage God against you does it not now concern you to seek after and make suit of his friend-ship Without his leave none of your designs â—all take effect without his blessing nothing can truly â—â—osper that you take in hand Except the Lord build the â—â—ty they labour in vain that build it Psal 127.1 What â—â—cess they are like to have whose undertakings God â—ill not favour the Builders of Balel can inform you at how much his blessing speeds a work you may learn â—om Nehemiah and his fellow-builders Neh. 6. To the â—en of Ephraim and Samariah that said in the pride and â—utness of their heart that the bricks were fallen down but â—â—ey would build with hewen stones and have Cedars instead Sycamores God threatens to raise up adversaries that â—ould joyn together against them the Syrians before and the â—â—ilistines behinde that should devour Israel with open mouth â— 9.9 10 c. As perhaps when you consider the â—uines of the City you look no higher than second causes it 's like you look no higher for its restauration very little minding what hand God had in the one and 〈◊〉 have in the other before it be accomplisht And what you are thus forgetful of God and take not his blessâ—â— along with you let your preparations be
is the chief and only good of man we shall thâ—â— better understand what is hurtful to him Now in one word mans happiness consists in his conformitie to God or in his Communion with him which seems the same thing or a necessarie consequence of it that is to say in his being made as like to God in all imitable perfections as his Nature is capable in framing all his motions and guiding his actions by those rules which God hath prescribed and in reaching to that knowledge love and enjoyment of God for which his reasonable faculties were given him and are suited This is the proper formal happiness of Humane Nature which is begun on earth perfected and compleated in heaven Here is in the bud and is call'd Grace hereafter it is in the lower and fruit and is call'd Glory I speak to Chritians who believe they have immortal Souls and that all is true which Scripture speaks concerning them and â—herefore the supposition of your Faith may well excuse mee from any laborious proof of a Truth so fundamental to Religion and so plainlie revealed in Gods â—olie Word If God be the most perfect Being then to resemble him is our greatest Perfection If his wisdome power and benignity be such that he created man in an happy state set him upon and design'd him for a blessed emâ—â—iment and end then to comply with his will living 〈◊〉 that manner and to that purpose for which we were reated is our greatest interest And if God be the best 〈◊〉 Beings then to have our souls fitted for and rais'd to the fruition of him is our highest felicity From this it was we fell by sin and to this it is the Office and deâ—igâ— of Christ the Redeemer and the work of his Spirit 〈◊〉 recover and restore us The intent of his undertaing was not to purchase for us riches ease or honours 〈◊〉 to repair our decaied natures and renew us after the â—â—age of God which we had defac'd and so to qualifie us for and bring us into his service and favour Only it is to be considered that whil'st man is in this earthly state emploid in the service of his maker and getting fitter for the higher glory he hath a body that stands in need of outward support and comforts as food and raiment house and lodging and such like conveniencies but yet his happiness which is that I before mentioned depends not upon his continuance in this body nor upon its prosperity whil'st he is in it Let what will befall the body our case is good whil'st the soul prospers and is constant and regular in those duties that are proper to the present state Nay further riches health and all manner of bodily accommodations are no farther to be reckoned good for a man than as they help on his higher spiritual good as by them we are supported whil'st wee are serving God and as wee emploie them to his Glorie by putting them to those several good uses which he hath appointed us By this time I hope you apprehend what it is I drive at namelie to manifest how inconsiderable your losses are that you may value them accordinglie You see of what nature and in what rank those things are which you have parted with at what a great distance they stand from your happiness and how little reference they have thereto And that whether you consider your happiness as now begun or as you are in the way to it hereafter to be enjoied If even here on earth the good man who lives in the fear and love of his Maker bee the only happie man what then are you the unhappier for having lost some yet suppose it were all of those worldly things you possest And what reason have you to complain or grieve what I hope you have lost nothing of God nor the Graces of his Spirit wherewith you were inricht nothing of yâ—â— Spiritual wisdome and affections of your faith and love and zeal for his Glorie These Goods I hope are â—â—burnt It was not sure in the power of the flames as raging as they were to reach to your souls and burn up their furniture That which was Gods building within you is not consum'd nor his image upon you defac't And if your choisest treasures the having of which can alone enrich you be sav'd may you not with much ease let go your lumber of a far less value Are you not still as holie humble and heavenlie as ever you were And if so I dare affirm it you are never the worse for all your losses What a wretched creature else would you make man if his happiness hung as loose about him as he riches and all external things do This would seem to blemish the Divine Providence as if he had put the affairs of man the noblest of all inferiour Beings into no better a state than of a Bruit nay worse by far For as his earthly enjoiments are of a much greater extent so would he be more obnoxious to hurts and dangers 'T is peculiar to him to be concern'd for an estate for reputation for Wives and Children c. and if to be depriv'd of these would undo him then the waves might swallow up his happiness and Thieves rob him of it fire and many other accidents consume it The slanderer might blast it sickness prey upon it and the grave burie it and which seems worse than all the rest our lives would be a continual torment upon apprehension of the uncerâ—intie of these things and through the fore-thoughts and â—â—ars of being stript of them when as a Bruit is free from these fears and from most of the evils that occasion them Moreover men would hence bee drawn to think that the blessed God hath dealt enviouslie and sparinglie with his creatures in that neither all nor the most are capable of rising to be happie if it consist in wealth honors and the like Wherefore they to whom they were never given or from whom they are at any time taken wil be enâ—â—n'd to hard and evil thoughts of God whose Providence â—â—us orders the course of things But blessed be our heavenâ—ie Father he hath dealt more bounteouslie with us than so and hath not cast us into any such necessitie of being miserable through discontentedness with our portion and reluctancie against his will but hath made our happiness of that nature that whoever is trulie willing may reach to it and none can he depriv'd of it against his will which is a priviledge wherein no creature on earth beside man is a sharer 'T is nothing else but wickedness which is alwaies a wilful thing that can possibly hurt us All afflictions be they never so sharp do but race our skin not pierce our souls They do but at the most break the Cabinet the Jewel is safe and whole When as the effects of sin are like those of lightning secret but most certainly pernicious melting the Sword whil'st the Scabbard's untoucht breaking the bone
take heed of sin of all sin which will blot your Evidences and make you of abject cowardly spirits so that instead of fetching comfort from approaching to God this will fill you with horrour and make you run from him as an enemy and then nothing in the whole creation can releive you But yet believingly live upon the Mediator by him to have all breaches heal'd betwixt God and your Souls and by his Spirit to have your souls healed of all their distempers Rest in nothing as an evidence of your interest in him below an earnest desire and sincere endeavour to grow up in him to bee like to him and to fulfil all the gracious precepts of his Gospel And having this evidence let no temptations or doubtings rob you of the comfort it may afford Remember that as your happiness consists in communion with God so this is not perfectly to be enjoy'd till after Death and Judgement Wherefore live alwaies chearfully apprehensive of the certainty and nearness of approaching death let your great business bee to get fitted for it and let all your main designs be so laid that they may not be blasted but accomplish't by it When once you have done this you have little more to fear at one time than another and nothing at any time For to Death you are in a manner alwaies alike liable and this is the worst that any mortal power can bring upon you onely they may make it more gainful and honourable than otherwise it would What matter is it whether we dye amongst our enemies or our friends since wee then take our leave of both Whether upon a bed or on the ground since our body will so soon bee in the earth What matter is' t whether the fire of a Feaver or of a Faggot consume us whether our souls fly out at our mouths or our throats since either way they will be alike soon with God But Scripture is most of all wont to press our looking and earnest waiting for the coming of Christ Perhaps as having less terrour in it to a Believer than death and as being the time when our fullest glory shall be accomplisht the whole Body of Christ being then brought together into the presence of their glorified Head and to a participation of his Glory And I 'le shut up all with an earnest request that you would comfort and encourage your selves with the fore-thoughts of and ardent longings after this day of the appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ When ever it is with you whilst you are sailing over this Ocean as it was with Pauls company Act. 27.20 that neither Sun nor Stars in many daies appear and no small Tempest lies on you then cast forth the Anchor of Hope and wish for this day And fix not your hopes with steadiness on any day short of this or your dying day The experience we have had of the long-talkt of and by some much hop't-for 66. beside other warnings of this kind may tell us that they who build their faith upon fancie do but encrease their own troubles provoke others laughter and dangerously tempt themselves to Infidelitie Expect this coming of Christ not to the same purpose that the Jews did and still do their Messiah to make you rich and high and prosperous in the world to throw down great men that you may enter upon their places and estates a poor preferment to a true Saint but expect him to advance you above sin and Satan the world and flesh and to raise you to the clearest blessed Vision and fruition of your God Upon this promise of his coming build all your hopes lay all your stress and venture all you have If this prove false we are all undone but never till then nor then neither any worse than the rest of the world that believed it not for there 's nothing else to hold by but what we are sure will fail us and if this fail too Mankind was made to no more purpose than Boys blow up a feather But never fear it though the Worldling tells you by his practise he believes its false though the profane Swaggerer say so down-right and prove it by a jeer as the more sullen Atheist by his unreasonable cavils and wranglings yet believe none of them till you have tryed they neither are nor possibly can be sure of the contrarie whilst they are in this life and if there be no other life than this they 'l never be able to upbraid you with your weakness and errour But if there be as nothing more sure let them look to themselves Then let it be seen whether the money of scraping Earth-worms the mirth and musick the childish sports and bruitish delights of sensual Gallants the Drollerie and Sophistrie of self-conceited Infidelâ— will be as good securitie to them as your faith and holiness even that which they were wont to deride as follie proceeding from prejudice melancholly or superstition That will be the trying time when it shall be known who were wise men and who were fools when a righteous and all-knowing Judge shall justly decide the controversie Oh Sirs do you look for such a day as this such an amazing confounding day when the whole world shall be turned upside down the earth become fuel for raging flames and all its Inhabitants brought to account for their actions and receive their doom to endless joy or woe And have you any hopes of standing in such a day as this of beholding our Lord with confidence when he shall appear in all his Majesty with thousands of Angels for his Honourable Attendants when the Heavens above shall ring with the joyful acclamations of these glorious Spirits and the Saints their Companions and the Air below shall be fill'd with the yellings and roarings of Devils and damned Ghosts Do you look I say ere long to see such sights as these and to partake of the glory and joy of that great day And will you now be much concern'd for the burning of an house or City or for the busles and confusions of this dreaming world that will not till then be awakened Oh unreasonable that the Saints who shall shortly meet their Redeemer with comfort and before all the world be acquitted and applauded crown'd and receiv'd into eternal joyes should now pass their time in so much solitariness and live no more upon the hopes of such a day And oh monstrous that sinners who must shortlie be judged and shamed before all and sentenc't to the sad Societie of Devils for ever can yet spend their daies in ease and pleasure in pampering and adorning their dirty flesh overwhelm'd with gluttony and drunkenness and the cares of this life as if they were resolved never to think of their miserie till they feel it and judg'd it better to feel it than to think of it so as to prevent it But let them take their course and see where it will end But all you the unfeigned friends and followers of the blessed Jesus who shall be your Judge let it be your work to fetch comfort from that which is other mens terrour When their hearts fall for fear you must lift up your heads as knowing your Redemption draws nigh Or in S. James his words Be patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draws nigh And nearer it is drawn by sixteen hundred years since these words were wrote How near then may we now think it Though how near we cannot say yet for certain it 's not far off The eyes of them shall not fail that wait for him he will not frustrate your expectations as Sisera did his Mothers you who look forth from the prison windows of the flesh and with her cry out Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why tarry the wheels of his Chariot Confidently dare I answer you yea you may make answer to your selves Our Lord is coming to gather together and comfort all his dispersed distressed ones from the several corners of the world he is coming to give them final and full release from the heavy yoke of Turkish Popish and all other bondage and cruelty that remains till that day he is coming to trample down and overthrow all oppositions to his Government and Scepter and uterly to destroy the works of the Devil and all his Adherents he is coming to plead the cause of his righteous servants to vindicate them and the honour of Religion from all the disgraceful scandals slanders and calumnies which the wickedness of pretended Friends or the wilful malice of envenomed Enemies hath cast upon them He 's coming to make all faces and actions bare to reveal the secrets of all hearts and discover truth from falshood He is coming to the confusion and sorrow of all careless and ungodly ones rich or poor Princes or People that thought not on nor prepar'd for this time but he comes to the perfect full and everlasting Consolation of all believing souls that are praying and waiting looking and longing for this blessed day of his appearing Even so Come Lord Jesus come quickly and let him that readeth say Amen FINIS