WHAT Luther said of Justifi­cation by Faith, that may we concerning the Resurrection of the dead, Articulus est Ecclesiae stan­tis, aut cadentis; it is an Article with which the Church standeth or falleth; Yet so foul an errour had taken the head of some Members in the Church of Corinth, as to deny this grand Truth, which S ^t Paul calls in another place, Heb. 6.2. one of the principles of the Doctrine of Christ: how say some among you, there is no Resurrection of the dead? v. 12. [Page 2] And, is it not strange, that such who professed to believe the Resurrection of Christ should deny their own! but much more, that any in the Church of Corinth (especially in those early days) should have such a darkness found up­on their minds, who stood so near the rising Sun? and that while S ^t Paul himself was yet alive, who had planted this Church; by this we see, though Truth is errours elder, yet errour is not much Truths younger. Though the Gospel-Church was purest in the Primitive times, yet it soon began to corrupt in its Members. Not unapt therefore was his saying, who compared (in this respect) the gathering of Churches to the gathering of Apples, which when first gathered, may ap­pear all fair and sound, but then with­in a while, some amongst them begin to speak, and others to discover their rottinness. No doubt this Church of Corinth, and so others gathered by the rest of the Apostles, appeared in their Members very sound in the faith, and [Page 3] fair in their lives at their first embrace­ing of the Gospel; yet some we see did thus soon discover corruption in both. Now to recover the tainted, and especially to preserve the sound from this dangerous infection, the Apostle sets himself to defend this Arti­cle of our Faith, well knowing, that this was a blow made at the root of Christianity; which must needs fall to the ground, if this cannot be maintain­ed; and he doth it with such invinci­ble arguments, that if any Heretick shall now deny it, the reason cannot be deficiency in the proof here given, but rather a criminous conscience in himself, which makes him on his own defence, deny a Resurrection, for fear of the Judgment which attends it.

Now the Apostle having done this, and withal shewn the glorious array, in which the Saints shall arise out of their beds of dust: he then v. 55. sings his [...], or triumphant song over Death, and out-braves this King of Terrours to his face, that is wont to keep the hearts [Page 4] of poor Mortals in the miserable bon­dage of a slavish fear. O Death where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy vi­ctory? As if he had said, Death do now thy worst, we fear thee not: thou mayest indeed get us into thy hands, but thou canst not long keep us in thy power, fall we shall into the Grave, but we fall to rise again, and when we arise out of our Graves, then shalt thou Death fall into thy Grave, never to arise again. Then v. 57. he sings with an holy ravishment of joy the praises of God, and Christ our Redeemer, by whose atchievement this glorious victo­ry over death is won: The sting of Death is Sin, and the strength of Sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. This indeed is our David, who cut off the head of this Goliah with his own sword, killed Death by falling dead upon it; he unstung this Serpent by receiving its sting into his own bles­ed body. He overcame this great Con­querour, by submitting himself for a [Page 5] time to be conquered by it; when Christ lost his life, then his whole Army of Saints won the day. Death now to them is no death, that which was their punishment as Sinners, is now their pri­viledge as Saints. That which stood amongst the threatnings of the Law, and was the most formidable of them all, hath now changed its place, and is got amongst the promises of the Gospel. All things are yours, or Life or Death. 1 Cor. 3.21. So pretious an oyl doth our Apostle extract from this slain Scorpion; so sweet an honey comb doth he find in this dead Lyons breast, and gives it into the hand of the Saints, to go eat­ing of it, to their unspeakable joy and comfort: but, is this victory over Death only matter of joy and comfort unto Believers? Oh no; Blessed art thou O Land, when thy Princes eat for strength, and not for drunkenness; and, blessed art thou O Emanuels Land, when thy Saints feed on the priviledges and promises of the Gospel, not to make them drunk with Pride, nor to lay them asleepin Sloth; [Page 6] but to rèfresh them to run the Race set before them, and the Joy of the Lord becomes their strength; the Apostle therefore goes on to improve and close up his discourse on this subject with an Exhortation to Duty; There­fore, my beloved brethren, be ye sted­fast, always abounding in the work of the Lord, that is, be stedfast in the faith of the Gospel, and especially in the belief of this particular Article of our Christian faith, the Resurrection of the dead, and then live up unto this belief; walk and work as for God while you live, as believing you shall, when dead, rise again. Now my Text hath the nature of a pow­erful Argument to inforce this Ex­hortation upon them, for as much as ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

In which words these two things are observable. First, the Nature and Quality of the service or work of God, it is a Labour; the Apostle changeth the the word [...], i. e. Work, which he [Page 7] had used in the Exhortation immedi­ately preceding into this of Labour, and that not [...], which signifies any ordinary labour but [...], which im­ports the hardest of labour; Negotium, quod nos caedit & quasi vires frangit, saith an Etymoligist, and this we may conceive to pre-occupate an Objection of such that could be willing to do some work, but afraid of meeting with too much labour.

Secondly, Here is the reward that sweetens this labour, and may make the Christian more easily submit unto it. For as much as ye know your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. In which, first, here is the certainty of the re­ward, [...], knowing, or ye know, your labour is not in vain. It is not an un­certain surmise, taken up by a self-flattering hope from some easie ground of a weak fortassis, or may be; but ye know it upon infallible grounds; ye doubt no more of the being of another World, where God will reward his faithful labourers, then ye do of the [Page 8] being of this which you see with your bodily eyes, and live at present in. Here you know it, though here you do not receive it. Secondly, the trans­cendency of this reward, 'tis a great re­ward as well as sure. For there is a [...] in this Phrase, an elegant figure in Rhetorick, wherein more is meant than is spoken: the words sound low, but the sense is high. You shall not lose your labour, that is, you shall be infinite gainers by it, you shall receive a reward greater than now you can conceive. Thus in our own Language we are wont to speak, when we would make one willing to do a work we set them about, we'll say to him, you shall not repent doing of it, you shall not be a loser, or work for nothing; in which we intend more than we express, that it shall redound to his great advantage. Thus here under this ex­pression, your labour is not in vain, is intended no less than Heaven, that ex­ceeding great and eternal weight of glory, which no tongue of men or [Page 9] Angels can express how great it is.

First of the first, the nature or qua­lity of the Christians work; his work is a labour, and so will every one find it, that means to be faithful in doing of it. Man is born to labour, and the Chri­stian is not born again to be idle; God sends not his servants into the World as a Play-house, but Work-house; and such a work it is which he appoints them, as is not an idle mans business, that may be done sitting at his ease on the chair of sloth, but requires his greatest pains and diligence; therefore Christianity is in Scripture compared to the most toylsom imployments: is it a labour to run a race, which strains all parts of a mans body; what is it then to run this spiritual race, which is every step of the way up-hill, and straineth not legs and lungs as the other doth, but faith and patience which is a harder exercise? Is the Husbandmans work laborious to plow up his stiff ground, and with many a weary step to go sowing his heavy land, especially [Page 10] in a wet season? what then is the Christians labour, who is to plow on the Rock, to break up an heart by nature, harder than stone, and whose whole life is a wet seed-time, he living in a Valley of tears. Is the Souldiers work laborious and hazardous, who must be content to lye hard, and fair hard, and which is more, prepare for hard blows, and knocks, yea wounds, and death it self? then the Christians cannot be easie, who must deny him­self, and take up his Cross and follow Christ, and that cheerfully, amidst all his losses and crosses. For this Captain non amat gementem Militem? loves not a Souldier that followeth him groaning and grumbling. But for the further clearing and amplifying this point, it will not be amiss to descend to some par­ticulars, to discover what it is that makes the Christians work so laborious and difficult; and in the next place, why God hath charged Religion with so much labour, and so many difficul­ties.

[Page 11] First of the first, The vast circumfe­rence of his duty; the more strings an Instrument hath, the more art is required to handle it well; the larger the Field is, the more labour it will cost him that is to Till it; in a word, the greater the Servants charge is, and the more busi­ness which lies upon his hánds, the more care is needful to tend it; and where the care must be great, the labour can­not be little, because care is it self one of the greatest labours: O how great then is the Christians labour? whose care and duty has no less compass than the commandment of God, which is of such vast comprehension, that the Psalm­ist, who saw an end of all perfections, could see no end of it. Psalm 119.96. I have seen an end of all perfections, but thy commandment is exceeding broad. The Commandment here includes both Law and Gospel, and the Christians du­ty extends to, yea, diffuseth it self over both. First, the Law Moral, this is bound upon the Christian in point of du­ty to make it his rule, as strictly as it [Page 12] was upon innocent Adam himself, though not upon such strait conditions, and dis­mal consequences. The Christian is bound to it upon peril of contracting sin, though not of incurring death and dam­nation; the Christian hath no more li­berty to transgress the Law than Adam had, though he hath a promise of par­don upon repentance, when he hath sin­ned, which Adam had not; how indeed can we imagine that Christ, who was made a curse for sin, would come to be a cloak to sin? now is it an easie work, for the Christian to keep his heart in a sincere compliance with, and respect to, this Law in his daily walking? a Law which is so large, as reacheth from Heaven to Earth, commanding us to keep a conscience void of offence to God and Man; a Law so pure and pre­cise, that forbids all sin, omissions of good, as well as commissions of evil; that indites him for a Murderer that doth not feed his Brother (yea his Enemy) as well as he that stabs him to the heart; him that doth not pray to God, [Page 13] as well as him that doth curse him; the barren Heath without good fruit, as well as the Dunghil-life of the profane sinner filled with the stinking weeds of gross crimes, that condemneth sud­den passions, as well as deliberate sins; that bindeth the soul to its good beha­viour, as well as the hands. Is it an easie thing to hate every false way? to be ready to every good work? to have respect to every Command, which yet he must have that will not be put to shame, Psal. 119.6. willing in all things to live honestly. Yet this he must do, that will keep a good conscience, Heb. 13.18. is not here enough to fill the Christians head with care, and his heart continually with an holy fear and trembling? But this is not all his work; for secondly, the Evangelical Law is also bound upon the Christian; the sum of which the Apostle gives us in these two comprehensive duties, Acts. Repen­tance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ; and are these to be got, or exercised when got, with­out [Page 14] labour? When the poor Chri­stian hath done his utmost to keep the Law, how far short doth he fall of that exact Rule? Now these deficiencies and obliquities call for repentance, and is it easie for him to comply with this duty? is it easie to rifle his consci­ence, and search his own heart, so impartially, as if he forgot it was his own house he was searching, and his own shame he was to discover; yet this is a necessary antecedent to the act of repentance: how can he cor­rect the Errata's or faults of a book, that never read nor examined it? and to do it surely will cost some pains. I confess this review the Christian is to make, is more easily done, when he doth it daily, and examines his life (if I may so say) sheet by sheet, as it is printed off in every particular days conversation: but even this is a labour too heavy for a slothful heart to en­dure, is it easie when the poor crea­ture hath found out his many sins and failings, upon this review, to get his [Page 15] heart into a melting frame and sorrow­ful sense of his ingratitude and disinge­nuity to God in them, so as to throw up those sweet morsels with more bit­terness of spirit, than they were swal­lowed down with pleasure. In a word, Is it easie for the poor Christian to get these Inmates out of doors, which he hath so unadvisedly let in, to clear his affections of that poyson, with which these his sins have infected them? Is it easie to recover the strength of his re­solutions, which his sins must needs have much loosned and weakned? The second great duty of the Gospel is Faith, and this is as hard as the other; for indeed the difficulty of believing makes that of repenting so hard. Is it easie to assent to the truth of these Mysteries of the Gospel, which are contrary to the apprehensions of cor­rupt reason, and beyond the compre­hension of the Christians most elevated understanding? Is it easie for one of a wounded spirit, sunk and dejected as low as Hell, under the heavy sense of [Page 16] his guilt, to lift up an eye of faith to the promise, and to conceive a hope, that such a Wretch as he hath been, may ever find grace and favour in the eyes of a just and holy God? Verily, it is a wonder little less, than that of the Prophets, in making Iron to swim; it is easie for a stupid sinner (indeed) to dream of a pardon, while Conscience is asleep; but when this is once throughly awake, only he that can still the waves and winds in a storm at Sea, can pacifie this, can give either power to believe, or peace in belie­ving. Is it easie to repent, and bring forth the meet fruits of it, good works, and not to make them the Idol of our trust? not to relye on the first to procure our pardon here, nor on the other to purchase our reward hereaf­after; but to rejoyce only in Christ Jesus, as the sole entire object of our trust for both.

Secondly, The curious Sculpture with which every Duty in Religion must be engraved, to render it accepta­ble [Page 17] to God, a miscarriage in any of which is (like an hair on the writers pen) enough to mar and blot his fair­est copy, for bonum ex integris. First, every duty in Religion, to render it ac­ceptable to God must spring from a su­pernatural principle. It is not labour in the Lord, except the labourer him­self be in the Lord. Actio sequitur vi­tam, a carnal man can do no other than a carnal action, though the matter of it be spiritual. A dead state can have no other but dead works, a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Mat. 7.12. Secondly, the Christians work must be performed with an holy fervor, Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Psalm. 119.4. [...] valde, ve­hementer. The word is emphatical, im­porting an exerting the utmost force of our Souls. Zeal is the religious part of our affections, the first-born and strength of a mans spirit, and therefore God sets it apart for himself, as his peculiar por­tion, fervent in spirit serving the Lord; without this, he accounts himself slight­ed, [Page 18] not served, and accordingly deals with such cold servitours, giving them as cold welcom as they do him service; cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; If we would repent, we must be zealous and repent, Rev. 2. v. 2. if hear the word, we must be swift to hear; if pray, it must be an effectual fervent prayer, or else it is but thuribu­lum sine prunis, a censure without fire. If we would give an alms, we must draw out our soul, as well as our purse to the hungry. Now those imploy­ments are counted most laborious, to which most strength and force must be put, and those which intend the pow­ers of the soul, more than such as strain the limbs of the body; the Scho­lars labour in his study, is more spending, than the Plow-mans in the field. What then is the Christians la­bour, which exerts the zeal and heat of his spirit? O how hard is it to kin­dle, or kindled, to keep this heaven­ly fire alive, on a hearth so damp and cold as our heart is? Thirdly, the Chri­stians [Page 19] work must be done from a right motive to a right end; First, a right motive from obedience to the will of God, and that such as springs from the love of God; he doth not Gods work that doth not obey him, and he doth not obey him, that doth not love him, that only be­ing true obedience, which is hearty obe­dience. Ye have obeyed him from the heart; Rom. 6.8. and that only hearty obedience, which is loving; for love hath the regency of the heart, and it goes only whither love car­rieth it. O how hard is this, where there is so much of the slave, even in those that are children? where Hagar so oft over­tops Sarah's servile fear, our filial affe­ction; Secondly, it must be to a right end; it is in vain to wind up the watch, if it be not set to the right figure, or to draw the Arrow (though to the head) if the Archers eye direct it not to the right mark; Zeal winds up and draws forth the powers of the soul, it makes the Christian act vigorously, and forci­bly: but if sincerity (which is the sin­gleness of the souls eye) be not present [Page 20] to direct it ultimately to the glory of God, the labour is in vain; the faster a man goes, (when out of his way) the worse; for the faster he goes, the fur­ther he hath to come back: he that is slothful in the Lords work doth dis­please him, but he that makes a great bustle in Religion, and by this his acti­vity calls others eyes to behold his zeal, yet secretly intends his own, not Gods praise, provokes him more, because more hypocritical in what he doth: hypocrisie being to sin, what putrifacti­on is to diseases; the more of this in a disease, the more dangerous it makes it; the more of that in a sin, the more abominable it makes it: nay further, though the aim be not false, yet if that which God allows to be our infe­riour end, be made our ultimate, it de­praves the action; if I aim at the com­fort and relief of a poor mans necessity in my alms (which I may and ought) yet if this be the highest I look, and my eye passeth not through this, to the glorifying of God, it becomes unac­ceptable; [Page 21] a man may lose the prize by shooting short, as well as wide of the mark; now how hard to keep our eye fixed on this ultimate end? truly even as hard as to keep our eye fixt on a sin­gle object, through an Optick Glass, held by a trembling hand. Fourthly, Every Duty must be timed aright; the Chri­stians life is full of duties, and those very various; now he is called to ex­ercise himself in one, then in another; now to pray, anon to meditate; now to be in his Closet, then to be in his Shop about his worldly calling; now to pri­vate, then to publick; now to reprove, then to encourage or comfort his Bro­ther. As one that hath a Shop full of di­vers Tools, all necessary for his Call­ing, but this for that purpose, and that for this in it; now if he should cut with his Axe, when he should smooth with his Plain, he would soon spoil his work; that which is at one time a Duty, would, if done, at another be a Sin. Dili­gence in our worldly Calling on the week day is the work of the Lord; [Page 22] but the same on the Lords day would be Satans; no doubt as many a fair Child hath been lost by an untimely Birth, so many a good Work spoiled by an unseasonable performance; and to dis­cern time and judgment for our actions, requireth both wisdom and care, and these labour and pains.

Thirdly, The difficulty the Christian finds to order his Conversation, so that his care for one part of his work may not hinder him in another. Now the reason of this difficulty, is the seeming contrariety of some duties to others: Seeming, I say, not real, indeed it is in Satans service only (not in Gods) that there is a real contrariety of work: Er­rors have their opposites; he that main­tains one, cannot, if he understands himself, hold some others; so in Practi­cal Lusts, some are at such a feud, that when one is in the Throne, the other is kept under, but all Truths agree lo­vingly together, being all but one Faith; and so do the Graces of a Chri­stian, being all the effect of one and [Page 23] the same Holy Spirit; they do no more hinder one another in acting, than the several wheels in a well made Clock do one anothers motions; or the vari­ous members of the body, one the o­thers Operations and Functions; yet, I say, there is a seeming contrariety. And as it requires Art and care to touch the several strings of an Instrument, that have different Sounds, so as from all may result one harmonious sound, so much more holy skill and care in a Christian to exercise these many vari­ous Graces, and perform so many di­vers Duties, in such a sweet concur­rence and fellowship, that from all, there may result an uniform Holiness in the course of his life. The Christian must be Zealous, but leave room for Discre­tion, or else like a Ship that hath all Sail and no Ballast, he'll grow top heavy; he must fear to sin, and yet hope in the Mercy of God, when he hath sinned and repents of it; 'tis his duty to draw near to the Throne of Grace with an Holy boldness; but it [Page 24] is his duty even then to preserve an Holy awe and reverence; he must be sensible of the hand of God when afflict­ed, or else he is not a Man; but then he must bear it patiently, or else he is not a Christian; he must be meek and lowly in his carriage to all, even the meanest, yet must keep an high cou­rage and noble resolution, not to be turned out of the path of Duty for the frowns of the greatest; he must love his Brother but hate the sin he commits; how many such riddles are there in Re­ligion? Now is it an easie work for the Christian to drive his Charriot in so narrow a path, without justling one duty against another; to hold a fair and friendly correspondence with all these duties, and not set one at variance with the other?

Fourthly, The great opposition the Christian meets with in doing the Lords work, makes his labour still greater. Other men can work in their Shops quietly, and few or none will molest them, much less throw stones at them; [Page 25] but the Christian he's hindred from all hands. First, The flesh within con­trouls him, lusting against every good motion and holy action which the Spi­rit of God stirs him up unto; so that he is forced to dispute his way before he can come at his work; much ado to an­swer what the flesh objects against eve­ry duty he is to perform. Would he pray, then the flesh begs time, and will be putting it off for a more convenient season, some other business it starts first to be done; would he give an Alms, the flesh asks him, whether he meaneth to be a beggar, and give that to others which himself may want before he dyes? would he reprove a sinning Bro­ther, then why will he be a busie body in other mens matters, and lose a Friend in doing a thankless office? would he bear witness to the Name and Gospel of Christ, then pity thy self is its counsel? no duty but it either keeps from it, or disturbs in it; so that he needs a Sword as well as a Trowel to lay every stone in his Spiritual build­ing. [Page 26] Secondly, A body of flesh hangs heavy upon him; the body was at the first, and shall again be at last in Hea­ven a wing; but now, alas, 'tis a weight to mans Soul, and that an heavy one; it should indeed be the Souls servant, but now the Soul is fain to tend and wait upon that, to provide Food to keep, and Physick to restore its Health; yet when all is done, it proves no over meet help to the Soul; if it be strong and healthy, then like a pamper'd Beast, it grows crank and wanton, ready to throw its rider, which made Saint Paul keep down his body; yet if the Soul dis­cipline it but a little too severely, then 'tis feeble and tyred. Thirdly, The World, this makes no small opposition. First, The things of the world; the Christians worldly calling is ready to filtch the time which should be spent in the Christians general; Martha is in the Kitching, when she should be in the Chappel; the enjoyments of the world, how ensnaring are they? sensual delights, so sweet Wine, that when the [Page 27] cup is at our lips, we cannot drink lit­tle, and so heady and intoxicating that we cannot bear much: when troubles come, how hard to keep from extremes, making too light of them, or thinking them too heavy; we are prone either to despise them, or to faint under them. Secondly, The men of the world, these are oft a snare to draw the Christian in­to sin, sometimes a whip in the Lords hand to scourge him for his sins, but always a sore vexation to the Christian by their sins. Lastly, The Prince of the world brings up the rear; he like a roaring Lion comes fell out of his Den, and runs full month at him: such a bold and brazen faced Enemy, that he is not afraid or ashamed to tempt the chastest Soul to the foulest crimes: he that durst tempt Christ himself to devil-worship and self-murder, what will he not dare to attempt upon the best Chri­stians? and he is as sly as bold; an Art he hath of insinuating and winding in his head before the Christian can dis­cover his design; he hath more baits [Page 28] than one to his hook and knows how to fit every ones pallat; if he cannot make the Christian wallow in the mire of fleshly lusts, then he tempts to Spiri­tual sins: if he will not be so prophane as to live without Religion, he'll try to make him an Hypocrite in Religi­on; if that succeed not, he'll try to blow him up into a proud conceipt of his Sincerity; if that will not do, he'll labour to abuse his Humility into de­jection, and make him think worse of himself than he is. Lastly, He is as im­portunate and restless an enemy, as he is bold and sly; like Marcellus the Ro­man Captain, of whom Hannibal said, he was the oddest man he ever met with; for whether he did beat; or was beaten, he would not be quiet: if Satan gets a victory, he pursues it without mercy, never losing an advantage given him; if he be worsted, he rallies and comes on again with more rage. Thus he dogs the Christian to the last breath, and never leaves till the Christian be got into Heaven it self, where he cannot [Page 29] come at him. Now if any can go through all this work, and withstand all this opposition without labour, or with but a little, he hath learnt an Art, and got a sleight, which the rest of his bre­thren never knew; and we may bid him, as the Emperour did Acctius, set up his ladder, and go to Heaven away by himself alone.

Quest. But why hath God charged his peoples work with so much labour, travel, and trouble?

Answ. First, Therefore they have so much labour here, because they shall have none at all hereafter; they shall in Heaven rest from their labours, there­fore it is fit they should have some on Earth; otherwise, some Graces could never be exercised, and so their excel­lency would not be known, and conse­quently might seem to be Created in vain; there resulting from them neither benefit to the Saint, nor Glory to God. To name but one, how should the ex­cellent Grace of Patience (which shall have no occasion for its exercise in [Page 30] Heaven) be ever seen, if no part were given it to bring it upon the stage in this world? and what can discover Pa­tience, but labour and trouble? we had never heard of Job, probably, but for his Patience; and I am sure we could never have heard of his Patience, if we had not also heard of his Tryals: indeed there is a great decorum in this dispensation, that the Christian should have his Patience tryed in this world, where God himself hath his own Pati­ence so much exercised: that they should endure some affliction from God, where God bears with so much sin from them.

Secondly, God doth this, that his people may give good proof of their high esteem of the promised reward; it was an unspeakable▪ contempt which Adam cast upon his happiness to sell it for a trifle; how could he more de­prize it? God therefore resolved, that before he restored him, or any of his to their lost happiness, they shall first restore what he so vilified, to its due [Page 31] place in their estimation; and because no more convincing Argument can be given of the high price we value Hea­ven at, than by the great labour we are willing to take, and trouble we are ready to endure for the obtaining of it; therefore he hath charged the Christi­ans work with so many labours and difficulties, that by our digesting these, to obtain that, we may give, indeed, a real proof that we prize Heaven at a rate Superlative to all that is here be­low. Thus Caleb shewed his high ac­count of Canaan, when he was not cooled in his desire of it, nor quailed in his courage with the high Walls, and high Gyants upon them, which ren­dered the attempt difficult and hazar­dous; but crys, Numb. 13.30. Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are able to overcome it. Whereas the other faint-hearted Israelites are said to despise the good land, Numb. 14.31. and why, but because they valued their ease and safety at an higher rate than it?

Thirdly, That he may make his Peo­ples [Page 32] rest in Heaven sweeter when they come to it: There are three joys men­tioned in Scripture, as the greatest this world hath; the joy of Harvest, the joy of Victory, and the joy of a Woman that hath brought forth a Man-child; now all these joys are ushered in with great labour and travel; past troubles swell present joys; for besides the plea­sure which is sucked from the present good enjoyed, there is a further acces­sion of joy made, from the remembrance of past labours and perils happily now conquered; the more hazardous the Battel was in the Fight, the more plea­sure the Conqueror hath in his Victo­ry. It would ease the damned of some of their sorrow, could they forget the possibility they once had of being hap­py; and it would deprive the Saint of much of his accessory joy in Heaven, did he not remember the danger he once had of falling into that misery, which there he needs not fear.

I shall apply this Point only to two sorts of Persons. First, To those that have [Page 33] slighty thoughts of Religion, who think it an easie thing to be a Christian here, and no hard matter to be saved hereafter, Secondly, To those that are so far from believing it thus easie, that (through the suffusion of Melancholy and Satans Art, who thickens this dark­ness) apprehend it so hard a labour, as renders it next to impossible; whereby they are dispirited from making any vigorous endeavours in Religion, fear­ing they shall never overcome the dif­ficulties which attend it; and as good they think it is to set still, as rising to fall deeper at last into condemnation. Thus, the Ship cannot sail if it hath no wind, or too strong and violent a one. My desire is to undeceive those, and thereby to do a kindness to them both. Those that think it so easie to be a Christian, no hard matter to obtain Salvation; I would endeavour to shew these what a delusion they are under, and danger they run, by fancying the Bridge to. Heaven wider than it is: But where, may some say, dwell these [Page 34] Men I am now directing my speech un­to? I wish they did not swarm every where, and made not the greatest number in most of our Towns and Congregations. I shall point at a few: First, He that conceits himself a Chri­stian, and nourisheth in him an hope of Salvation, even whilst his life is prophane, he, no doubt, thinks it too easie to be a Christian; when a man shall think Christ will own him as his, meerly for his Christian name, and not reject him for his Heathenish Practices, thinks that his heart is good, though his life be wicked; whereas his life could not be wicked, if his heart was not so (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh) when men shall think they are Gods Servants, though they be the Devils Labourers; that God is their Friend, when they declare themselves every day his Ene­mies. In a word, to think they shall leap at death, è coeno in coelum, out of Delilahs lap, into Abrahams bosom; is not this to make it an easie thing to [Page 35] be a Christian, and no hard matter to be saved? and where is any one (who hath not first been convinced from some work of the Spirit) so bad, that is not yet thus kind to himself? yea, have they not commonly the strongest Faith, who have the weakest Grounds for it? they build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniqui­ty, yet will they lean upon the Lord, Mic. 3. and say, is not the Lord amongst us, none evil can come upon us? Who knocks more boldly at Heaven Gate to be let in, than they whom Christ will reject as workers of iniquity? O what a delusion is this! Caligula never made himself more ridiculous, than when he would be honoured as a God, while he lived more like a Devil. Before you would have others take you for Chri­stians, for Gods sake, prove your selves men, and not beasts, as you do by your bruitish lives. Talk not of your hopes of Salvation, so long as the marks of Damnation are seen upon your flagiti­ous lives. If the way to Heaven were [Page 36] thus easie, I promise you the Saints in all Ages have been much over-seen, to take so great pains in mortifying their lusts, in denying to satisfie their sensual appetite, ad quid perditio haec, to what purpose did they make so much waste of their sweat in their zealous serving God? and of their tears, that they could serve him no better, if they might have gone to Heaven, as these men hope to do? That Fryar was far more sound in his judgment, in this Point, who Preaching at Rome one Lent, when some Cardinals, and many other great ones were present, began his Sermon thus abruptly and Ironically. Saint Peter was a Fool, Saint Paul was a Fool, and all the Primitive Christians were Fools; for they thought the way to Heaven was by Prayers and Tears, Watchings and Fastings, severities of Mortification, and denying the pomp and glory of this World. Whereas you here in Rome, spend your time in Balls and Masks, live in Pomp and Pride, Lust and Luxury, and yet count your selves [Page 37] good Christians, and hope to be saved: but at last you will prove the Fools, and they will be found to have been the Wise men. Did ever any man ar­rive at London by going from it? eve­ry sin is a step from God, and the more we sin, the further we depart from God. Doth not he then take a wise course to come at last to the full enjoy­ment of God in Heaven, who by a lend wicked life runs as far from him, as his legs can carry him?

Secondly, They who think they are good Christians, and fair enough for Heaven, though they have no more then a Negative Holiness; the best that can be said of them, is, they are not so bad as the worst; they do not take so much pains for Hell as others; but none for Heaven; they labour not so much in the Devils work; but work not at all for God: like those in the Gospel, they stand idle all the day long, and yet hope for a peny at night, though they never entred into Christs Vineyard: they are so far from labouring in the [Page 38] work of the Lord, that they will not touch his work with one of their fin­gers. Do not these think it very easie to be Christians? as if God was bound to save them, but they not bound to serve them. Is not Heaven called a re­ward? and what reward can be expect­ed where no work is done? if some that work shall be denyed all reward, because they did not labour at it; and some seek, that shall not be able to en­ter; because they do not strive; then miserable must thy condition be, who fallest short of those, who themselves fall short of Heaven.

Thirdly, Formalists and slothful Chri­stians; and how many are these? who will not be Atheists to live without all Religion, but resolve not to be Zea­lots. They are more then key-cold, but are afraid to be too hot in their work; they are not idle, but cannot be per­swaded to be diligent; they love such a temper in Religion for their Souls, as they do a Climate for their Bodies to live in; it must be a very temperate one; [Page 39] afraid to exceed only in Piety and Ho­liness, in which alone there can be no excess. Oh what a delusion is this! he that will chuse another temper for his Religion, than God hath command­ed, had need provide another Heaven for himself, than God hath prepared; for that is given to the zealous Labour­er, not the lazie Loiterer. The violent are they which take this Kingdom by force; a man may be sure of Hell with a little pains, but Heaven will certain­ly be lost without our labour and dili­gence: and the reason is, because eve­ry man is born in a state of sin and dam­nation, and so needs no more than to fit still in that state, to bring inevitable destruction upon him; to Hell he will come soon enough, though he gallop not so fast as others in riot and excess. But, alas, we are born afar off from God and Heaven; much labour is re­quired to get into the way that leads to life Eternal; and when we are in it, many a weary step to take, abun­dance of work to dispatch; sins to mor­tifie, [Page 40] temptations to resist, afflictions to endure, impaired Graces to repair, weak to strengthen, and to persevere in all this labour, till death it self takes us off. This we must do, or else (as Saint Paul said of their abiding in the Ship) we cannot be saved. It is with the Christians Spiritual Life, (in this respect) as with his natural; his bo­dy hath within it self, that which is sufficient to cause the death of it, but not to maintain its life. This provisi­on is without; as a man, he will dye, though he make no use of knife or hal­ter to dispatch himself: not taking food, or not using physick will do it alone: Thus the Christian hath enough within him to procure his Spiritual death, and consequently his Eternal; but not to maintain his Spiritual life. The provision for this is out of him­self, his sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5. and this sufficiency God gives not in an immediate way, but by appointed means, which he requireth their care to make use of (as he did the Israelites [Page 41] hands, to gather and bake their Manna) and so by blessing his means, and their care in using of it, their Spiritual life is preserved and nourished unto Eternal life. Now, when any shall thus extend his care to the use of all appointed means, and intend the faculties of his Soul in­dustriously (as he ought) in the use of them, and shall have continued some considerable time in this exercise; then, and not till then, will he be a compe­tent judge, to tell us whether it be a slighty business, to be a Christian in­deed or not.

Secondly, A few words to those who will acknowledge the labour of Chri­stianity to be great; but that is it which is their discouragement, and scares them from entring into that service, which will cost so much pains, and bring so much trouble. I shall leave some Considerations to be pondered by them, which, I hope, may ease them of this too deep an apprehension of the Christians labour.

First, Christianity, 'tis confest, is a [Page 42] labour, but a necessary labour; it is not, indeed, the part of a wise man, to la­bour, or hazard much for that he little needs; yet for such things is it (God knows) that most men bestow their greatest toyl and travel; to obtain that which they may have ( specie aut valo­re) and spare this their pains also; as Cyneas told Pyrrhus, when he said, after such and such Kingdoms Conquered by him, then we will sit down and live a merry life. But why, quoth Cyneas, may we not do that already without all this trouble? I confess (considering the present frame of Carnal mens hearts) they are under a kind of necessity of what they inordinately desire. The Covetous man must have his Gold, the Voluptuous man his Pleasures; or else they cannot enjoy themselves: but this necessity is no other than that of a Dropsie man, for his unmeasurable drinking; for was this mans disease, and the other mans lusts purged out, both their necessities would cease alike; but Heaven is absolutely necessary to [Page 43] all, whether they think so or no. Bet­ter we had the Soul of a Beast, than having the Soul of a Man, not to have at last that perfection and happiness, for which this Immortal Soul was made. And this thou canst not have, except thou wilt take the pains to walk in the ways of Holiness, which lead to it; thy Soul (poor man) is hastning apace to its last and eternal state, which will be either in Heaven or Hell: the Hap­piness of the one invaluable, the mise­ry of the other intollerable, and both interminable. If thou bestirrest not thy self, and that timely, to take hold of Eternal Life, Hell is at thy back to take hold of thee. Now is there any room left in this case for deliberation, when de vitâ aut morte aeternâ agitur? is it now time to say, shall I labour to be saved, or shall I not? It may in some cases be more eligible to lose our tem­poral life, than to be at pains to save it. If Caesar told the Marriner, in a storm, it was necessary he should sail, not that he should live; then surely with [Page 44] much more reason may the Christian say; yea, must he say, it is not necessa­ry I live here, but 'tis necessary while I live, that I perform the voyage God hath imposed on me; that I launch forth into his service, whereby I may make sure of Eternal Life, though with the loss of my Temporal. But no worldly necessity can be such, as should controul our care in the other. Get Eternal Life, and thou wilt find again that life thou didst lose in getting it; but lose Heaven, and in Hell thou wilt see all those paltry gains lost, to keep which a while, thou didst lose Heaven.

Secondly, Consider, the greatest la­bour and trouble the service of God will put thee to, is incomparably less, than the least pain the sinner shall find and feel in Hell. What is the trouble a Christian is at in Mortifying a Lust here, to the torment which the enraged Conscience of a Damued Soul will put him to there, for not Mortifying of it when time was? what is the sorrow which the Saint feels here, whilst he [Page 45] mourns for his sins in hope of pardon, to the horror of a Reprobrate anguish in Hell, imbittered with despair: what is the Christians loss to part with his Temporals for Christs sake, to the Sin­ners parting with God and Heaven, never to see his blessed face more? in a word, what are the flouts and re­proaches which the Saint hath from a wicked world, to the Sinners portion; when God, with all the Holy Angels and Saints, shall laugh at their destructi­on. If the love of Heaven will not move you to submit to the short labour which attends the service of God, let the fear of Hell do it.

Thirdly, Though the Christians la­bour be hard, yet there are many things alleviate the burden of it.

First, The sumbleness of the Christi­ans work to his renewed Nature; the trouble of a work is much as the mans mind stands to or against it. It would be a tedious business to an ignorant Rustick, to be locked up in a Scholars Study, and there be made to spend his [Page 46] time amongst his Books; but the true Scholar needs not be forced or wager­ed to this work; his delight in it, takes away the labour of it; non inveni (said one) in hoc mundo requiem nisi in angulo cum libello; it were a great calamity, to a slothful dastardly spirit, to be made to endure the labour and hardship of a Souldier: whereas a ge­nerous Soul, would prefer it before ease and gain at home; mea sit laborum major pars, pecuniâ autem, abundet quis volet, was Achilles his speech; give me the labour, let who will take the mo­ney. To a sensual heart, what more unpleasing then Heavenly Meditati­ons? yet what more delighted David? To a carnal heart, the Commandments of God are all hard sayings, because, contrary to his unholy nature: but to a Gracious Soul, none of them are grievous; he loves the Law of God from the same reason, for which the o­ther hates it, because it is pure; he de­lights to do the Will of God, because he hath a law within him, which cor­responds [Page 47] with the law without; his Heart answers to it, as the eccho to the voice; thou saidst seek my face, thy face will I seek: No wonder a Cross lies heavy upon his shoulders, that hath no Faith in God to sustain him under it; but a Paul, he can take plea­sure in infirmities, in reproaches, in ne­cessities, &c. 2 Cor. 12.10.

Secondly, The Divine assistances which the Christian hath in his work, alleviates the labour of it; consider the Christians work without this help, 'tis heavy indeed, yea, too heavy for him to stand under; but Gods helping hand put to it, makes this heavy work light. The Ship, which when lying on ground, all the Teams in the Coun­try could not draw off; how easily is it set a float when the Tide comes in? Thus the Heart which the Christian, by no pains and industry of his own, can raise out of its dullness and indis­position to Duty? Oh how soon is it elevated and inspirited, when God flows in with his secret Aspirations [Page 48] and Exuscitations of his Blessed Spirit and Grace! he who confessed that he could do nothing of himself, not so much as think a good thought, tells us also, he is able to do all things through Christ who strengthneth him: now this help from the Lord is promised; but it comes not till the Christians hand is put to the work; let him be up and do­ing, and then God will not fail to be with him. 'Tis cheap travelling (we say) for a Child in his Fathers compa­ny: to be sure God will pay the charge the Christian is at in his whole jour­ney to Heaven; it is easie working while God holds our hand, yea, puts strength into it. Art thou to pray his Spirit will lift with thee, for so that [...], signifies, art thou tempt­ed? whilst thou art fighting in the Val­ley below, Christs hands are lift up in Heaven above for thy Victory. I have prayed that thy Faith fail not; yea he doth not only pray above for thee, but will be in the Field with thee, and in thee, by the secret succours of his [Page 49] Spirit. My Grace is sufficient for thee, which is not meant of Grace Inherent in us; that indeed is unsufficient of it self; but the auxiliary Grace, which he sends in to assist and excite that in a time of need.

Thirdly, Though Christianity be a labour, and many troubles and perils at­tend it, yet 'tis not alike to all: every Christian hath not Hemans Faith, Jobs Patience, or Pauls Courage; neither shall all have Hemans Disertions, Jobs Losses, nor Pauls Persecutions; the stoutest Souldiers are put upon the hot­test service; the heaviest burden upon the strongest back: he knows every Saints ability, and so he rates them; he will not suffer any to be tempted above that they are able. When the Israelites came first out of Egypt, he knew they were raw Souldiers, and therefore led them about, that they might not be put to fight, before he had hardned, and heartned them more to bear such a work. While Christ was upon Earth, he interposed his own body between [Page 50] his weak Disciples, and the fury of the wicked world: but when he went to Heaven, then he ventured them into the storm, but careful first to re-inforce them with power from above, before he let them take the Field, Acts 1.4. Being assembled together with them, com­manded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the pro­mise of the Father.

Fourthly, The merciful indulgence which the Lord gives them as to their failings: hard work, indeed, God calls them to, but the harder the work is, the more his pity is expressed towards them; in pardoning those invincible infirmities, which notwithstanding their faithful endeavour, will be found in their doing it. It was hard for the Apostles to keep their eyes wakeful in the dead of the night; Christ consi­dereth this, and Apologizeth for them, even while he chides them; the Spirit is willing, but the Flesh is weak. It is hard when Afflictions are strong, and long, not to fall into some indecen­cies [Page 51] of speech and behaviour: we have heard of Jobs Impatience, as well as Pa­tience, yet the Lord was graciously pleased to to take his part against his accusing Friends; ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath, Job 42.7. It is hard to act Faith, when sense and reason are non­plust; the Lord therefore is pleased to overlook the weaknesses of his Chil­drens faith, which in such deep plunges they bewray, so they strive against them, and be humbled for them; in magnis tentasse aliquid, non parvum, in great and difficult enterprizes, an essay and endeavour is not little: Peter shew­ed great Faith in venturing to go up­on the Sea, but discovered infirmity when he began to sink; therefore Christ pitieth and succoureth his weakness. Davids strait was in a manner as great at Land, as Peters was at Sea. When at Gath amongst his Enemies, whose Champion he had slain; much fear and unbelief he borrowed in this his strait, yet some secret actings of Faith were [Page 52] mingled with these his fears, as appear­ed by the Prayer he then lift up to God; and even this Prayer attended with so many distrustful fears, found acceptance with God; which made the good man bring this forth as an en­couragement for others; This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his Troubles, Psalm 34.6. A poor man, indeed, he was at this time, not only in his outward state, but his inward; poor and low in the actings of his Faith. O what encou­ragement is here to come into the ser­vice of God; hard work thou mayst meet with, but not an hard Master; do but thou thy best, and God will for­give thy worst. Beware of wicked­ness, in not doing what thou canst, and God will not reject thee for thy weak­ness; Like as a Father pitieth his Chil­dren, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Psalm 103.13.

I come now to the Second Part of the Text, which presents us with the [Page 53] reward that attends the Christians la­bour; it is not in vain in the Lord; they shall not be put off with their la­bour for their pains: no, there is a re­ward laid up in Heaven, which will abundantly compensate all the pain and pains they were put to on Earth; but we must not understand this, as if the Christian received no gain or advan­tage, in this life, from the service of God, while he is labouring in it: God­liness hath the promise of this life, as well as the other. There are promises of which payment is made here; and though these be inferiour to what the Christian shall receive hereafter; yet be they so pretious, as prove Religion even in this life, no hospes asymbolus. No guest that lodgeth on free cost, but such as pays well, and that in present Coin for its entertainment. It affords Bread to the eater, as well as Seed to the sower; there is fruit unto Holiness, which the Christian may now feed on to his comfort, as well as an hope of Eternal life to be received at the end [Page 54] of this. The very vales which the Chri­stian hath given him, while at his work, afford him enough for his present ex­pence, to maintain him in a port be­coming his high hopes for afterwards. First, His conscionable labour in the Lords work, will gain him more abili­ty, and holy skill to do his work still better; by exercising of himself daily unto Godliness, he becomes more rea­dy and prepared for every good work; by daily combating with his corrup­tions, and resisting temptations, he learns more easily to overcome his Enemy. And if in worldly trades this be ac­counted a sufficient reward to an Ap­prentice, for serving out his time, to learn the mystery of his Calling; Oh what a reward is it, by the daily pra­ctice of Godliness, to learn more fully the Mystery of it? This I am sure holy David set down for great gains, I have remembred thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy Law; this I had because I kept thy Precepts, Psal. 119.55. And again, I understand more than the [Page 55] Ancients, because I kept thy Precepts, ver. 100. He did not grudge his own pains, nor envy others ease, so long as he might get more Heavenly Wisdom by it. Secondly, The Christians con­scionable labour, interesseth him in the special Providence of God for him: while he is at work for God, God will take care of him; and what can he want, that hath God for his Provider? what, or whom need he fear, that hath God for his Protector? For though all the Saints have a right in Promises, yet none have a pleasant aptitude to apply the comfort of any one Promise, while they are idle and negligent; no, this is the portion of the laborious Christi­an, that walks in the actual exercise of his Grace: No good thing shall he want that walks uprightly. When God en­gageth to Abraham his Almightiness, it is to him, as walking before him, not as sitting in the chair of sloth. Thirdly, The Christians labour is rewarded here with inward peace of Conscience, and serenity of Mind; Great peace have they [Page 56] that keep thy Law, and nothing shall of­fend them, Psalm 119.166. Peace be on them that walk by this rule, as on the Israel of God, Gal. 6. These are they, in whose bosoms this Bird of Paradise sings her sweet Notes, and her sweet­est in foulest weather; when sickness comes, and death approacheth. Now he that hath the testimony of his Consci­ence, for having been a faithful La­bourer in the Lords work, will be able to make a comfortable reflection upon his past life: For mens expectations of what is coming to them at death, de­pends upon what their past lives have been. Life is the time of sowing, and death of reaping; as they have sown, so only can they expect to reap. Life is a time for working, and death for re­ceiving the reward, sutable to the work. Hence it is, when death is ap­proaching, Conscience (if not seared, and past all feeling) is then carried back to review what the man hath been do­ing, for whom he hath been labouring; and therefore must needs bring in heavy [Page 57] tidings to the sinner of his approaching misery; then it rips up all the stitches of that false peace, which the ungodly wretch had been bolstred up with, and tells him, that now the Righteous Judge is at hand, to pay him the dismal wages due to him, for all the wicked works he hath done, which makes the thoughts of death a terror to him. But the Sincere Christian, who hath laboured faithfully in the Lords work; he then hath a pleasant Prospect to behold, when he looks back upon his conscio­nable walking, and can thence make his humble appeal to God, and desire him to remember how he hath walked before him in Truth, and with a Per­fect Heart. Oh what joy is this to his poor heart, that his Conscience bears him witness, he hath endeavoured to walk before God, with godly simpli­city, and not in guile? and can cast himself upon the Mercy of God in Christ, and breathe out his Soul with a joyful expectation, of being received into the Kingdom of Glory.

[Page 58]This premised, I address my self to speak of the Christians reward in the other world, this being principally (if not solely) in the Text; where it is set forth two ways. First, By its cer­tainty, For as much as ye know. Se­condly, By its transcendency, Your la­bour is not in vain in the Lord. In which words, you may remember, I told you there is more intended, than exprest.

First, of the first, The certainty of the Saints reward intimated by this Phrase, ye know: that is, ye know it for a certain indubitable truth; ye make no doubt of this: thus is the Saints future Happiness spoke of, with the greatest assurance and certainty; We know that if our earthly house of his Taber­nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens, 1 Cor. 5.1. We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. The Saints know this so well, 1 John 5.3. that they dare venture the loss of all they are worth here, for the reward they expect [Page 59] there: Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in Heaven a more enduring sub­stance, Heb. 10.34. yea, they have re­fused their temporal life, when offered to the prejudice of their eternal, Heb. 11.35. Not accepting Deliverance, that they might obtain a better Resurrection. If any should ask, how do they know so assuredly there is this reward? I would ask such, how they know the Sun to be, when they see it shine? if they say, by seeing of it; they may know, that the Saint sees an Heaven, as certainly, by an eye of Faith, as they can do the Sun, by an eye of Sense; Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebr. 11.1. The very light of nature, whereby the Heathens knew a God, did let with it into their minds, some knowledge of another world, and of a double state therein; of happiness to the good, and misery to the wicked; being not able, otherwise, to reconcile the uneven­ness of Providence in this world, with [Page 60] the righteous nature of God: but alas, what was this lesser light which God left in man to rule him, in the night of Heathenish darkness, to the certainty of the Saints knowledge, which comes in by the light of Faith? first, the Chri­stians Faith is grounded on the testimo­ny of God himself, in his word. Hu­mane Faith is, indeed the weakest, and most uncertain kind of knowledge; because mans testimony, on which it relys, is so fallible; but Divine Faith the most certain, because the testimony of God, on which its weight bears, is infallible: One, who cannot deceive, be­cause he is truth it self; nor be deceived, because he is wisdom it self: So that, though Faith be not Reason, yet to be­lieve what God saith is true, there is the highest reason. 2 ly, As the testimony on which the Saints Faith relies, is the infal­lible Word of God; so his very Faith which relies on this Word of God, is no other than the work of God; the same Spirit, who is the Author of that, is the efficient of this; for the Christian believes [Page 61] not from the power of his own will, but the power of God, mightily working his heart up to this supernatural act. Hence we are said to be saved through Faith, and that not of our selves, it is the gift of God, Ephes. 2.8. And this Faith is call­ed a Faith of the operation of God, Colos. 2.12. 'tis wrought in us, not by us. Not only the light of truth which the Christian sees is Divine, but the eye of Faith by which he sees, this light is Divine also; how certain must that knowledge be, which in the light of Gods Spirit, beholds the light of Gods Truth? now from this Word of God, the Christian is assured of this reward many ways. First, He is assured of it, by Jesus Christ, who, himself, came from Heaven, and makes report there­of; In my Fathers house are many Man­sions, if it were not so, I would have told you, John 14.2. As if he had said, you may belief me, for I speak it, that can­not lye; and who loves you too well to put a cheat upon you. That there are such Countries as France and Hol­land, [Page 62] you do not doubt, though you never saw them, because some that have, assure you it is true: and shall the Saint be blamed for relying on Christs own faithful Word? who cometh from Heaven, is above all, and what he hath seen and heard, that he testifyeth, John 3.32. Secondly, The Christian knows it, by the purchase Christ hath made of Heaven for Believers. Mans sin had shut Heaven door against him, and opened Death and Hells door upon him: now before God would (or in­deed could) set open again this door of life to poor sinners, it was necessary that his Glory should first be secured; which to do, this admirable expedient, the Divine Wisdom contrived, that Christ should dye for sinners, by which, both Death, the punishment of mans sin, might be abolished; and life, and immortality, which man had lost, might be restored, and brought to light again, 2 Tim. 1.10. Hence it is said, It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many [Page 63] Sons unto Glory, to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings, Heb. 2.10. Mark that, it became him; [...], there was a condecency for God thus to do. God never doth any thing that doth not become him; in all his works he acts like himself; every work declaring his Glory, but not all alike. Now God in the Redemption of the world, intending to make the greatest manifestation of his Glory, that ever he did: It became him to pitch on such a means, as was sutable to such an end; and this of bringing his People to Glo­ry, by the abasement of his own Son, to an ignominious and cursed death, was the expedient he resolved upon, as every way condecent to this design; and indeed, never did all the Divine Attributes appear in all their Glory, so as they do here. According there­fore to this Eternal Council of Gods Will and Love, in the fullness of time, the Son of God was cloathed with our Flesh, laid down his life, took it up again; and further, to shew he had got [Page 64] a full triumph over death, and had o­pened Heaven gates for Believers. He opened the Graves of many of the dead Saints, and raised them to life, as a pledge, that he would do the same, in due time, for the rest. So that now to doubt, whether there be an Eternal life for the Saints after death, is to make the whole Gospel a fiction. Thirdly, They know it by the actual possession which Christ hath already taken of Heaven for them. A Child thinks him­self sure of an Estate, when his Father not only purchaseth it, but also taketh it up for him. Thus did Christ ascend to Heaven, not only to sit down on his own Throne, but to take and keep pos­session of Heaven, for the behoof and benefit of Believers. Hence they are said, to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus; Eph. 2. that is, in him as their head, which is a certain pledge to them; they shall one day sit with him there, in their own persons: Because I live (saith Christ) ye shall live also. Indeed he lives there to make Intercession for them, and [Page 65] will never leave praying, till he hath prayed them up unto himself. I may say to Believers, as once Naomi to Ruth, sit still for the man will not cease, till he hath fi­nished the thing: Christ will not cease his Mediatory work, till he hath finished his peoples happiness, and got his betrothed Spouse home to him, in his Fathers house. 4 ly, He knows the certainty of this happy estate, by the many express Promises made to Believers of it. I cannot num­ber them they are so many, neither need I name them; there being no Child of God so little (I hope) ac­quainted, with his Saviours Will and Testament, as not to be able to turn on a sudden to many places, where this Inheritance is setled on them. The greatest Heir that lives, is the Saint. He is heir to both Worlds, having Pro­mise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: But the grand pro­mise of all is, that which gives him ti­tle to his Heavenly Inheritance. Heb. 6.17. Heb. 1.14. In one place they are called Heirs of Promise, in another, Heirs of Salvation; because [Page 66] this is the Crowning Promise. Heaven it is called their Hope, till this comes; he hath not his Portion; all he hath here, is the least of what is promised. But when Heaven comes, then all is paid; the Bond then is delivered in, Faith and Hopes work is done. The Chri­stian, who on Earth, believes and ex­pects Promises, shall in Heaven inherit Promises; there Faith shall be turned into Vision, and Hope swallowed up in Fruition. Now though nothing can make Heaven more sure to the Believer, than Gods Promise, no not the Oath of God it self, because it is as impossible for God to lye without an Oath, as with it; for being he can swear by no greater, he sweareth only by himself; and so the strength even of his Oath, lyeth in his Veracity, which is engaged in his Promise, as well as Oath: yet he is graciously pleased, ex abundanti, consulting therein with our frailty, to superadd all those things to his Promise; by which men in contracts, amongst themselves, do conceive a further con­firmation [Page 67] and security to to be given, for performance of their Promises one to another; as witnesses, Seal, Oath, and Earnest; that having these Securities, which are wont to satisfie us in Humane Promises, the sin of distrusting Gods performance of his, might appear the more unreasonable in us, and injuri­ous to him: as, indeed, it is beyond all expression, when those Securities will not assure our hearts, concerning the performance of Gods Promises, than which we cannot exact more from those men that are most unresponsable or deceitful.

Secondly, The Saints reward is de­scribed by its Transcendency; your la­bour is not in vain in the Lord. In the explication of which Phrase, I shewed, that there is more implyed, than is ex­prest. That the Christians labour shall be highly, unspeakably rewarded, the place where the reward is laid up, proves the transcendency of it, and that is Heaven, Heb. 10.34. Ye have in Hea­ven a better, and an enduring substance; [Page 68] and Heaven is a place so excellent, as renders it uncapable of an hyperbole; not so far above our heads, as it is a­bove our thoughts: It hath not entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. One may as easily draw in all the Air of the world at a breath, as express, or conceive, how great and glorious the Saints reward in Heaven is. As it is, praemium reconditum pro nobis; so it is, absconditum à nobis, as it is laid up for Believers, so it is hid from them. We are now the Sons of God, but we know not what we shall be. The Apostle com­pares our apprehensions of Heaven here, to the low apprehensions, which little children have of mens affairs, 1 Cor. 13.11. which you know is very low. That Saint which knew least of Heaven, while on Earth, did the first moment he entred into that Glorious place, understand more of it, than all the Doctors of the Church ever did, or could, whilst on Earth: The Scripture therefore presents it to us, as an object [Page 69] of our admiration, not comprehension. O how great things hath God laid up for them that fear him? Psalm 31. When Saint Paul had set forth the Saints Hap­piness, in that Golden chain of Salva­tion, whom he predestinated, them he called, whom he called, them he also justi­fied; and whom he justified, them he also glorified; breaks forth like a man in an Extasie, What shall we say to these things? expressing thereby his inabili­ty, to express the greatness and glory of them. Yet so much the Saints know of this blessed state that waits for them, as will not suffer them to admire any thing they see here below, any more, than he would the light of a Glow­worm, who hath seen the Sun. I shall content my self at this time, in setting forth the Transcendency of that Hap­piness the Saints shall receive as their reward in Heaven, after their labour is finished on Earth. To consider, First, The Properties of that Blessed state, to which they shall be advanced in Heaven. Secondly, To compare the [Page 70] Saints work and labour on Earth, with this their reward in Heaven. First of the first, The Properties of that Blessed state with which their labour shall be rewarded in Heaven.

First, It is a state purely Spiritual. The Saints state on earth, is partly Spi­ritual, and partly Animal. He ceaseth not to be a Mortal Creature, when he becomes a new Creature: his life is Spiritual as a Saint, but Animal as a mortal Man: and so his comforts and refreshings, are Animal, as well as Spi­ritual. He eats, he drinks, he sleeps; and all these acts of Nature have a plea­sure, and sweetness proper to their kind, which is too low for that glori­fyed state, to which they shall there be exalted; they shall need neither meat, nor drink, where there is no hunger, nor thirst; no time there lost in sleep, where the Body shall never be weary, nor drowsie, but be as wakeful as the Soul: no need of cloaths, where there shall be no shame, where the body it self, shall out-shine the Sun in its noon­day [Page 71] glory. And is it not more desire­able to be without these, than to need them and have them? to have sound legs, then to be lame, and have crutches? who had not rather have been with Moses, beholding the face of God in the Mount (though all that time without food) than Feasting with the Israelites at the bottom of the Hill? surely Spiritual Pleasures are more no­ble and sweet, than bodily; or else we might say, that Sensual men have more joy and pleasure in their life, than God hath in his.

Secondly, It is an accumulative state, wherein there is an aggregation, and concentration, of all those things, which are requisite to make their happiness compleat; it is not Esaus [...] but Ja­cobs [...] not having much, but having all will make man happy. Are here all thy Children? said Samuel unto Jesse, and would not sit down to the Feast, 1 Sam. 16.11. till David, the only one wanting was come. Thus mans Soul cannot sit down to its Feast, and be satisfyed, till [Page 72] it hath all that goeth to its Perfection; the absence of any one Ingredient, keeps it in motion, looking and long­ing for it; and that is inconsistent with compleat happiness, which consists in rest arising from satisfaction. Now in Heaven, there is a confluence of all, that the Saint, even then, when his faculties will be stretched out and en­larged to their utmost capacity, can possibly desire; He that overcometh shall inherit all things, Rev. 21.7. and I will be his God. The glorifyed Saint hath above him, the beatifying Vision of God himself, and Jesus Christ, the purchaser of all his Felicity, whom he so loved on Earth, and longed to see. Within him he shall behold his own Soul, made perfect in all its noble Powers, satisfyed with the Image of God, Psal. 17.15. as full of Holiness as it can hold. Upon him he shall see that body, which was once so vile and cor­ruptible, made Immortal, Spiritual, and Glorious, even like the Glorious body of Christ, the exemplar cause, after which it is fashioned: about him he [Page 73] shall see an innumerable company of Holy Angels, and glorifyed Saints, his Brethren; not one of them envying his happiness, but all congratulating him for it, and rejoycing in it. Beneath him, he shall see the Infernal Pit of Hell; wherein so many millions of lost souls are to spend a miserable Eternity in unspeak­able torment; which must needs fill him with ineffable joy to think, how near once, he himself was falling into it; but was happily prevented by the arms of free Grace, seasonably interposing and [...]atching him. In a word, he shall have joy without sorrow, health without languour, rest without labour, and life without end.

Thirdly, It is an entire state. There is not only all Ingredients of Happiness in Heaven, but the Saint enjoyeth all together: here on Earth, the Christian hath many pretious Promises, sweet Refreshings and Comforts; but he takes in the sweetness of them successively, not all in one draught. Indeed, the largest Heart, of the Holyest Saint on [Page 74] Earth, is an house of too little receipt and roomth, to entertain so many Guests together. No, now the Christi­an entertains himself, first in the com­pany of one, then of another Promise. God comes in a little at this, and more at the next Sermon he hears. He is as a leaky vessel under a runing cock, filling, but never full: But in Heaven, the Saint is filled, and that all at once; as a ves­sel thrown into the Sea, full as soon as it is in. This the Apostles expression seems to import, that mortality might be swallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5.4. in a word, the Christian here is like some great man, that hath a vast estate, but he neither seeth all his Land, nor re­ceives all his Rents together; but in Heaven, his whole felicity is present; not one imaginary point of time, wherein he can be more, or shall be less happy to all Eternity.

Fourthly, It is a consistent and fixed state, free from all changes and vicissi­tudes, which in this life he is subject to: here, alas, the Christian is some­times [Page 75] well, and sometimes sick; now in Prosperity, then in Adversity; Rich and Poor in the same day: In momento vertitur mare & ubi luserunt navigia sorbentur. In a moment, a storm arising, where the Ship even now danced, it is wrackt. He is like one that Travels in an April day, whose Cloak is wet with the Rain, and dryed again by the Sun, and then wet again: neither do these changes only befal the Saints outward state, but his inward also, both in point of Grace and Comfort. Now his Heart is up and lively in the performance of a duty; anon so dead and down, as if he were not the same man. Now the Christians Coat is on, ready to attend and follow his Master; anon it is off, and he on his bed of sloth. So in point of Comfort; one while the Spouse hath her Beloved in her arms, and is ravished with his company; another while, she is setting up her, Si quis, and enquiring if any can tell her tydings of him; hora longa, brevis mora: The Christian waits long for the Comforter, and when he [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76] comes, he doth but look in, and then withdraws again: so that the joy which he hath at present, is much interrup­ted from the fear of losing it; for, ne­mo fruitur solicito bono; how much there is of fear, so little is then of enjoy­ment in what we have. Indeed, what ever the Saints refreshings are here, 'tis but like a Travellers entertainment in an Inn; the thoughts that he must to Horse again in the morning, doth lessen the pleasure he takes in it. But in Heaven, the journey is at an end, the Saint is at home; his labour is gone, and his rest is come; he is in a King­dom that cannot be moved.

Fifthly, It is an Eternal state, this is more than the former; the property that crowns all the rest. There are some in this life (and those none of the best) who meet with no changes, and that for a long time; Psal. 55.19. who enjoy a con­tinued Summers day; their Sun of Pro­sperity goes not in and out, but shines with a constant beam; no black cloud of any great Affliction, interposing, to [Page 77] hide their joy from them: but at last, death chops in upon them, and spoils all their mirth; in a moment they go down to the pit, and with them all their thoughts perish. What joy remains to him that is in misery, to remember the years of pleasure he hath had? A past felicity, is a present misery; and to remember the pleasure we had, doubles the sorrow we have. This made Saint Bernard interpret that place of the Psalmist, with long life will I satisfie him of Heaven; because he thought nothing was long that had an end. This, indeed, is the Emphasis of Heavens joy; those Blessed Souls shall never sin, never weep more; they shall not only be with the Lord, but ever with the Lord. This is the accent which is set on the Elogies, given to Heaven, in Scripture. 'Tis an Inheri­tance, and that an incorruptible one, that fadeth not away: It is a Crown of Glory, and that a weighty one; yea, an exceeding great and eternal weight of Glory. When once it is on the [Page 78] Saints head, it can never fall, or be snatched off; it is a Feast, but such an one, that hath a sitting down to it, but no rising up from it.

The second way I propounded for set­ing forth the Saints reward, was, to compare the Saints work and labour with the reward. For though the re­ward be great, yet if the labour bear any considerable proportion to it, so much of its greatness is taken away. But the Christians labour here bears no proportion at all, with his reward here­after; and therefore the Apostle saith, It is not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed. His labour is finite, but his reward infinite; and there is no proportion between finite, and infinite. There is but little pro­portion, you will say, betwixt a drop of water, and the Sea; yet there is some, because though vastly greater, yet not infinitely greater: but betwixt these finite, and infinite, there is none at all. The Christians reward is infi­nite; First, Intensive, God himself is [Page 79] his reward, as well as his rewarder, who is infinite in all his Divine Per­fections. And what proportion be­tween a poor nothing Creature, and his nothing Service, to the having this in­finitely Glorious God his portion? So far are these from bearing any propor­tion to God, that compared with him, they are denyed to be, I am, and there is none besides me, saith God, or to have any excellency; he is the Ho­ly one, the only wise God. Mans wis­dom, is no wisdom; his holiness, no holiness compared to God. Secondly, It is infinite extensivè, or in duration. Their reward is an everlasting life; but their work and labour for the Lord, how short? how soon is it dispatched? If there be no proportion between Time, and Eternity; then none be­tween the Christians labour, which is performed in so little a point of time, and the reward which endures for ever and ever. The Christian is a few hours in the Field at his work, and then called into an everlasting rest in [Page 80] his Fathers house. He carries a light cross, a little way on his back, which death at the furthest takes off; and then an Eternal Crown of Glory is set on his Head. It aggravated King Ly­simachus his sorrow, that he had lost so great a Kingdom, for so little a mat­ter as a draught of water. How will it ravish the Saints Heart, to receive so great a reward, at the end of so short a labour? Jonathan wondered that a little Honey, should cost him so dear as death. I did (saith he) but taste a little Honey, with the end of the Rod, that was in mine hand, and lo I must dye. How much more admiringly may the Saint say; 'tis but a little, and that sorry service that I have done for my God on Earth; and lo I must live, yea, live with God; yea, with God everlastingly in Glory. Well may the Apostle say, That Christ shall come to be admired in all them that believe, 2 Thes. 2.10. How can it but make them ad­mire, to see so infinite a Glory the re­ward of so poor a labour?

[Page 81]Object. But why should not the Chri­stians Holy labour and Faithful service, bear the same proportion to his reward in Heaven, as the wicked mans sin doth to his punishment in Hell? this deserves that, why not that this? though the wick­ed mans sin be as little a time in com­mitting, as the Saints Holy service is in performing; yet there is an infinite evil in his sin (that is, objective) because committed against an infinite God. And why should there not be the same reason for the Christians labour.

Answ. There is a vast difference be­twixt these, the nature of Sin, and the nature of Good and Holy Actions. The evil of sin, bears proportion to the object, or person offended by it; as the object is higher, and more excel­lent, so the offence is greater. The same offence done to a King, is far greater, than that which is done to a mean Subject. Every sin therefore be­ing committed against an infinite God, comes to be an infinite evil; and so de­serves [Page 82] an infinite punishment. But the valour and worth of a good and holy action, ariseth not from the excellency of the object, but of the subject, whose act it is. This made Christ his obedi­ence meritorious, and satisfactory with God for us; because his person, who performed it, was so excellent, of in­finite worth and dignity. And for the same reason, the Christians obedience can deserve nothing, his person being so mean and low, and performed to God, who is so infinitely great and glo­rious. Secondly, The Christians labour can deserve no reward at Gods hands, as sin doth punishment; because the service he doth is due debt; he owes it to his God, and even men do not use to reward those who pay them a debt; nay, not thank them: So saith our Saviour, Doth the Master thank his Servant, because he did that he com­manded him? I trow not, Luke 17.9. Thirdly, The Christians work and la­bour falls short of what is due; it is blended with sin; his Silver is mixed [Page 83] with dross, and his Wine with water; yea, there is but parvum in magno, a little silver with an abundance of dross. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Psal. 64.6. Surely that work deserves not a good reward, which deserves a punish­ment. Lastly, That little which is found truly and spiritually good, is not the Christians own; but his, by whose power it was done. The Christian may say of his best performed duty, what he of his axe, Oh master it is bor­rowed: The act, indeed, is the Chri­stians own, in Believing, Repenting, and the rest; he useth his own facul­ties, but the power by which he is en­abled to do so, is Christs. And there­fore he is so far from deserving a re­ward, that he is indebted to God for his assistance; and the greater the assi­stance is, the greater is the debt he contracts. Instead therefore of expect­ing thanks from God, for what he hath done, he owes thanks, and praise to God, who helped him to do it. Thus David, 1 Chron. 29.13. Now therefore, [Page 84] our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name; but who am I? and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own me have given thee: Yet this is the work which God so wonderfully rewards of his Free Grace; pugna & ego adjuvabo, vince & ego coronabo. Fight and I will help, overcome and I will Crown thee. God works all in us, and then rewards the work, as if all had been done by our selves; Oh Free Grace, never e­nough admired Mercy!

Quest. But if the reward be so glorious, what reason can then be given, why so few are found that will labour for it.

Answ. If you expect a good reason, there is none can be given: but if a true reason will serve, it is soon at hand. First, Because Heaven is a reward that is unseen to the Eye of Sense, and Carnal men (who make the most in the world) have not such an [Page 85] eye, as the eye of Faith, to make it evident to them: they have, indeed, an eye of Sense in their Head, but that like the Sun, doth revelare inferiora, sed obsignare superiora. It shews the good of sensual objects here below, but leaves the Glory of Heaven unseen. Secondly, Heaven is a glorious reward, but 'tis to come, we must wait for it; and carnal mens desires are impetuous, that will not let them stay so long for their consolation. Now the world that offers present pleasure, present pro­fit, present ease; and most men are like beggarly traders, who cannot sell for time, but must have ready money, though they put off their Goods with loss; thus do carnal men. Give me my Portion (said the Prodigal) Never thinks what he shall do, when that is spent. Demas loved this present World, 2 Tim. 14.10. Heaven is a great way off, they will put that to the adventure; occidit modo imperat. Let him kill me, (said Agrippina of her Son) only let him reign. This is the language of many mens [Page 86] hearts, fall back, fall edge, damned, or not damned hereafter, so I may have my present lust satisfyed Thirdly, Sin­ners do not like the nature and quality of Heaven. Some expressions, indeed, there are, with which it is set forth in Scripture, that please them very well, were they true in the Letter; as when it is set out by a Marriage Feast, by Rivers of Pleasures, by a Crown and Kingdom. A Feast the Glutton likes, were the chear such in Heaven, as is on his own Table here on Earth; if the Wine of that Kingdom were such as is drawn at the Tavern, the Drunk­ard would be for it. But a Feast with­out Sensual fare, joy without jollity, Musick without Fidling, a Crown and Kingdom without worldly Splendour or Pomp, are such things as put them quite out of liking with it. So that they care for Heaven only, when they can have Earth no longer, and chuse it as a place only more desirable than Hell.

The Application of this Point fol­loweth. First, To the Carnal world. [Page 87] Two Ways. First, Of Conviction. Se­condly, Of Exhortation.

First, Of Conviction. This convict­eth some wicked men of a false slander. And, Secondly, All of them of gross folly.

First, Some among them, of a slan­der and false report, they bring upon the holy ways of God; as if it would not quit cost to be Religious; and to take pains in its work, were labour lost. This, I confess, is an high charge, and there is reason I should make it good, before I proceed to the refuting of it; lest while I accuse others of slandering, my self be thought the Slanderer; and to set up an enemy to shoot at, when there is none, except in mine own ima­gination. But the proof is easie. The Devils Empire in the world, was founded first of a lye; and as he got it, so he labours to keep it; he found man at the first, happy in his willing subjection, and obedience to his God; his only way therefore to undo him, was to inveigle him out of Gods ser­vice [Page 88] into his own; to effect this his Policy, was to bring him into a dislike of his present state; and to promise him, not only impunity, but strange ad­vantages, accruing upon the change of his Master. Thus as Enemies throw down Castles, by blowing them up; so he by puffing man up with a conceit of being like God, brought him down from the height of his Felicity; and instead of making him like a God, made him like himself, who is an ac­cursed Devil. Speeding so well by this stratagem, he hath used it ever since, to keep sinners from returning to their first rightful Lord and Master, as he had done, to entice man, at first from his service; that is, by slandering God and Religion. He must be a hard Ma­ster, that reaps where he doth not sow, or suffers not his Servants to reap what they do sow. Either he exacts more than he gives ability to do, or he doth not reward the work they have done, and so makes them labour in vain. Both false slanders. The first [Page 89] I must pass over as foreign to my sub­ject. But the second lies in my way; and God knows, though it be as untrue, as he is true, yet it finds too easie credence among Sinners, who are glad to have any pretence to excuse them from▪ the service of God, which their own corrupt hearts do so much dislike. This, therefore, hath been the old Plea, which wicked men have made for their aversation to Religion, Job 22.17. Which said unto God, depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them? Oh what Sots doth sin make men? their Plea had been more plausible, if they had said, what can the Unmighty do for them? but to call him Almighty, and then ask what he can do, shews they were sunk beneath reason. Who, indeed, can exercise reason against God? you see here this prejudice a­gainst Piety, is as Antient, as Jobs time, who is judged to have lived about, if not before Moses his Age. Yet was it not then Novel, for Eliphas speaks, ver. 15. Hast thou marked the old way [Page 90] which wicked men have trodden? in­deed, Luther said right. Cain would kill Abel to the end of the world; and so had they, and will have vile and cheap thoughts of Religion. It held, I am sure, in Malachi his time; Ye have said it is vain to serve God, Chap. 3. ver. 14. And have we any reason to think, that the same prejudice against Religion, continues not amongst many ungodly ones, in these last times? wherein the world is grown as older, so colder to Religion. Old Age, indeed, is not wont to cure, but rather increase diseases that are hereditary: the pro­digious prophaneness, and filthiness, of our present Age, with the scorn that is cast upon all serious endeavours, after Holiness, is no good indication that it is ceased, but the contrary; that such as these have a most vile and base opi­nion of Religion; how else were it possible they would dub themselves, while wallowing in their brutish lusts, for the wise and happy men; and despise others, as doting Fools, that dare not [Page 91] venture their Souls in their company, by running with them into the same excess and riot? If they did not first think Religion an insignificant thing, Piety a needless scrupulosity, and all the Christians pains therein, in vain; and those to be in the right, and go away with all the gains, who will have nothing to do with Religion, but live in an open defiance of it. Now, though what hath been said already of the glorious reward, which will certainly crown the Christians labour, be enough to wipe of this dirt from the face of Religion, and leave it on their own that throw it; yet I shall a little, and ex abundanti, speak to the vindication of it in this point. And who, though but a stripling, would not venture to cope with such Goliahs, or Gyants of the Earth; that defie the Living God, and his Hosts of Saints? Is it not strange that those poor wretches should not take notice in whose hand the Pencil is, by the illfavouredness of the Por­traicture that here is drawn of God and [Page 92] Religion? Who but the Devil himself, would present him, and his holy ways, in such black lines and lineaments to their thoughts? and is it not more strange, that any of mankind should so far forget, or go against those common notions of the Divine goodness, which naturally are impressed upon their minds, as to believe God to be such an one, as the Devil, his sworn Enemy, tells them he is? But most of all strange it is, that those who have read, or heard the Gospel, where God, not only, more fully makes known the goodness and graciousness of his Nature, but also opens the counsel of his Will and Mercy to poor sinners, and brings life and immortality to light, as the sure reward of those, who at his gracious call, re­ceive Christ as their Lord and Saviour, should after all this, sing the same old note with ignorant Heathens; 'Tis in vain to serve God. And sutable to such ap­prehensions of him, lead Irreligious and Flagitious Lives, having nothing but the word of a lying Devil to se­cure [Page 93] them from Eternal misery. This is such an infatuation, as the world can­not shew the like; but who so blind as he, whose eyes are put out with Gos­pel-light? into this righteous judgment upon them, for rebelling against light, we must resolve this their folly. For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not, might see, and that they which see might be made blind, John 9.39. But to reason a little with this sort of men; can you think that the God of Truth hath made so many Promises to his people to deceive them with a false hope? will he be unrighteous to forget their labour of Love, after he hath made himself a Debtor, if not to them, yet to his own faithfulness, by making his Promise? Can he, that re­wards even the wicked for any work, in which he useth them, let his own faithful servants lose their pains? Ne­buchadnezzar had the Land of Egypt given him for his service against Tyrus, Ezek. 29.18.19. Cyrus had a great Em­pire for his expedition against Babylon: [Page 94] though these meant nothing less than the serving and glorifying of God, but aimed at the enlargement of their Do­minions, and satisfying their own am­bition; yet because they were instru­ments to accomplish his secret Decrees, in fauour of his People, he gave them a reward. And did he reward them for his peoples sake, and will he let these his own people sit down with loss, who out of pure Conscience and Love to him, do his work, and fight his Battels against Flesh, World, and Devil? It cannot be, he doth indeed make them stay longer, than the other, for their re­ward; but they are sure to speed bet­ter at last; they, like Ishmael, are sent away presently with bread and bottle. Temporal rewards, they have their Consolation here; but when their por­tion is spent, then the Saint shall re­ceive his reward, an Inheritance incor­ruptible, and Eternal. Be patient (saith the Apostle) and establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. And when he cometh, their reward [Page 95] comes with him. Again, Do you not cross the experiences of all the Saints, do they not they all give God and his service a good word? proclaiming him the best Master they ever served. Psal. 19.11. Psal. 34.8. In keeping thy commands is great reward, (saith David) And again, Oh taste and see how good the Lord is; once, I confess, in the Paroxism of a sore Temptation, he spake like one of the foolish world; I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency, Psalm 73.13. But will ye believe what a man saith, when his head is hot and light in the fit of a Fever, rather than when he is in his true and right temper? No sooner was this fit off, but he befools and be beasts himself, and blesseth him­self in his approaching happiness. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after­ward receive me unto Glory, verse 24. And from this hope takes faster hold of God and his Holy ways; But it is good for me to draw near to God, ver. 28. And surely one affirmative testimony of a Saint, in vindication of God and [Page 96] Religion, is of more weight than a thousand negative testimonies of the wicked world to the contrary, who speak evil of what they understand not; condemn Religion before they have tryed it, and disgrace that service they were never in. Whereas the godly man hath served both Masters, and speaks from his own experience, where most is to be got; professing that he hath nothing to shew of his gettings in the service of sin, but shame. But in the Lords service, Rom. 6.21. present fruit unto Holi­ness, and a hope of Eternal life after­ward. In a word, needs there any more to make this appear a false slander, than to observe, how these very wretches upon a sick-bed, when they apprehend themselves on the marches of death, do Court Religion; which in their jollity they Cart and Scourge with their reviling Tongues? Oh how glad would they then be to creep into a Saints cloaths, and go by his name; how desirous to dye the Righteous mans death, and to have an end like his? [Page 97] Oh how afraid to look into another world, or to think of going hence as they are? Doth not all this speak, that they themselves secretly think there is more reality in Religion, and the Eter­nal consequences of it, than they will in their Prosperity confess? The truth is, God hath their Conscience on his side, but their Lusts have their Hearts; and these are they which gag their Con­science, that it may not speak what it would: but at last, Conscience is even with them, and revengeth the violence offered to it, upon them. And for stop­ing its mouth a while, opens it the wi­der at last; both in accusing them for this their past wickedness, and terrify­ing them with the fearful expectation of the Dismal Tempest of Fire and Brimstone, ready now to pour down upon them. Thus as the hardest Frosts, when they break, leave the deepest slugs behind them: so doth the greatest Dedolency and insensibility, in an Ir­religious life, leave sinners (when Con­science recovers its sense and feeling) [Page 98] sticking fast in the deepest horror and desperation.

Secondly, This convicts the carnal world of gross folly, in refusing the ser­vice of God, where the reward of their labour is so sure and incomprehensibly great; and for misplacing their pains and labour for that which is neither sure to be obtained, nor much worth the having, if it be gotten; and so in both respects labour in vain. First, the sinner labours for what he is not sure to obtain. The world hath not to this day been able to give a certain rule whereby the covetous Worldling, can be sure after all his toyl and drudgery, that he shall be rich; nor the ambiti­ous, that he shall get up the hill of ho­nour, and not catch a fall in climbing it: the world is too like a Lottery, where men know not whether they shall draw a Prize or Blank. Though all come with heads full of hopes and projects into the world, yet most go out with hearts full of shame and sor­row for their disappointments. But in [Page 99] Religion, there is such a certain rule laid down in the good Word of God, that whoever walks by it, Peace is upon him; say ye to the Righteous it shall be well with him. Mark the Perfect man, Gal. 6. Isa. 3.10. Psal. 57.37. and behold the Ʋpright, for the end of that man is Peace, Psalm 37.37. They that wait on the Lord shall not be a­shamed, because not disappointed of their hope; but some carnal men will tell you, whatever the world is to o­thers, yet they can say their labour is not in vain. This worldling, who hath prospered in his way, can shew you his filled bags, and tell you how many hundreds a year he puts up as clear gain into his Purse. The Voluptuous person will tell you stories of the many merry Meetings he hath been at, Months and Years of Pleasure he hath enjoyed; saying with the carnal Jews, These are the rewards our Lovers have given us, Hosea 2.12. How then say you, that we labour upon such uncer­tainties? In the second place therefore, the prize that sinners get by all their [Page 100] Labour, it is not so much worth, as to save them from losing their Labour. For First, What they have got will ere long leave them. Secondly, It will de­ceive them. Thirdly, It will damn them. First, It will leave them. It is not in the power of mans wit to devise a way, how the Ambitious man should keep his honour long, except his preferment could change his Na­ture, and make him immortal; he is, alas, still of the same clay with other men, as he was before. The Rainbow is a common watry Cloud, no more durable, than the rest, though painted for a time with gayer colours. That which hath been, is named already, and it is known that it is man, Eccles. 6.10. [...] a lump of red earth, that must return ere long to his first dust. As impossible it is for the Covetous man to make his estate sure to him; his Riches will make wings to themselves, though he doth not as the Prodigal, Prov. 25.5. Jam. 5.3. make wings for them; fly away they will, and that toward Heaven also, to [Page 101] accuse him, and be a witness against him at the last day. If he should not see them flown from him while he lives, yet to be sure when Death's Gun goes off, these, and all the sinners joys, will flye away at once. And how near a step it is to Death, the very Hea­thens can tell you, by their Hyrogly­phick of an open eye for life, and an eye shut for death; intimating, that death may come, ictu oculi; mans life may be closed up, as soon as an eye can be shut: And is it not folly and madness to bestow all a mans Labour, to raise the hopes of his Felicity on such loose ground, where his building may fall as soon as it is up? this made Solomon hate all his labour under the Sun, Eccles. 2.17. Because when he had done all, he must leave all. Se­condly, What Carnal men labour for, will deceive them. Satan and the World are both very free of their Pro­mises to their Vassals and Servants; All these things, will I give thee, (said he) if thou wilt fall down and worship [Page 102] me. But alas, when the promised Feast comes to be served in; it proves, as we say, nothing between two dishes: They spend their Money for that which is not Bread; they labour for that which doth not profit, yea, 'tis worse than no­thing. For Bread they have Stones, for Fish Scorpions given them; instead of content, they have vexation, and a sting in their Conscience. Hence the wicked are said, to work a deceitful work, Prov. 11.18. Deceitful, because it deceiveth the worker; would not he be deceived, who labours hard all day, in hope of a good reward at night from his Master, but is then paid with nothing but a good Cudgel upon his bones? This is the reward which Sin­ners have even in this life; many a blow and stripe laid upon him by his Conscience, which others do not see, but he feels; he expects a Paradise, but finds a Purgatory, and not only so, but sometimes God testifying openly against him in his Judgments. No doubt Ge­hazi pleased himself with his Plot, [Page 103] whereby he might get in one day, more than he was like to do in many years service of his Master. Oh how brave should he be, when his new Cloaths were on his back? but, alas, he did not think of that other Garment of Leprosie, which God would bestow on him, a Garment not like others, to cover his shame, but to discover and proclaim his sin; a Garment that should last him to wear, and his Chil­dren, from Generation to Generation. Thirdly, That which the Sinner labours for, will not only leave and deceive, but also everlastingly damn him; they do not only labour for vanity, but they labour in the fire for it, Habak. 2. Hell fire, I am sure, will be the end of their labour; what the Apostle saith of one sort of Sinners, They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, is as true of the rest. He that will have Pleasures, or he that will have Honour; an Heart set vio­lently [Page 104] on any thing here below, that makes it his Treasure to enjoy, and therefore his chief Labour to obtain; this man must needs fall into temptati­on, and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which (without Gods merciful hand, snatching him out of their Clutches) are sure to drown them in Eternal Perdition. Was Shimei un­wise, who by going out of his Precincts to recover his run-away Servants, lost his own life? How much more folly and madness is it, by hunting after the run-away Vanities of the Creature, that are but thy servants to lose the life of thy Soul? Cur ea quae ad usum diu­turna esse non possunt, ad supplicium diu­turna deposces? Why wilt thou, oh man, make that which is but temporary in the use, eternal is thy punishment? Who would crave the sweetest morsel in the world, which after the short Pleasure in swallowing of it down, would cause intollerable gripes in his Bowels for but a month? and wilt thou devour that, which thou must be di­gesting [Page 105] in Hell with Torments, as end­less as easless?

Secondly, Of Exhortation, to all that are at present in the service of Sin, to be perswaded to change your Master. Oh come now into the Lords service, that at death you may enter into your Lords joy; enter into his Vineyard now, that you may have your penny at night amongst his Faithful Labourers; labour for God in this world, that you may rest with God from your labours in the other. It is said of Caesar, that when he had brought his Army so near Rome, that they might see it before them, he bad his Souldiers look upon it wishly, saying, What think you? is not yonder brave City worth Fighting for? I have been speaking of another guess place. Let me desire you to look once again up to the Heavenly Jerusalem, the City and Chamber of the great King, where is laid up this goodly re­ward spoken to; is it not worth the labouring for, and going to, though every step of the way were to be trod [Page 106] on points of Swords? Is it not a blessed thing to behold God face to face? to be ever with the Lord? to bathe thy self in those Pleasures that are at his right hand? to drink the wine of the Kingdom, in the Kingdom of Heaven it self? Wilt thou lose it, as Lysimachus did his worldly Kingdom, by staying to drink a draught of puddle water? the muddy pleasures of Sin for a season? long thou canst not stay here. Doth it not behove thee to make sure of an house above to receive thee, when thou art turned out of thy Earthly Ta­bernacle here? and if it doth, must thou not become his Servant, do his work, or never look for his reward? And if thou wilt do it, when mean'st thou to set about it, if not now? Hea­ven is won or lost here, now and ever, now or never. When death takes thee off the stage, think not to have leave to return, that thou mayst act thy part better. Times loss is the most irreco­verable; thou mayst lose thy Ring, and find it again; thy House may be [Page 107] burnt, and built again; but if time be lost, that never can be recovered. Death is a change, that puts into an unchangeable state, the Saint into a state of Bliss, the Sinner into a state of Mi­sery. Heaven the reward of Gods Labourers, and Hell the wages of wick­ed Workers and Loiterers. Oh think, and think again, before it be too late, what rapping there will be at Heaven Gate, what calling, and crying to be let in; yea, even by those, who now, when it stands open may, and will not; and therefore then shall have no other answer, than that of our Saviour, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity; let him pay you, that set you on work. Sinners, you think that at present you have the odds and advantage of the Saints; they are Ma­cerating themselves with Fasting, while you are pampering your selves with Feasting; they are Mourning for their Sins, while you are Pleasurably com­mitting yours; they are Afflicted, and you are at Ease; you get the World, [Page 108] and they lose it. But then the Tables will be turned, they will recover all their losses here, and thou lose all thy gain; their sorrows will take leave of them, never to trouble them more; but thy joys will be at end, and thy sorrows come in the room of them. In a word, they shall be comforted, and you tormented. 2. To the Saints. Walk in the view of this your reward, and make an holy improvement of it in your lives. That which is the end of our Faith, viz. Salvation, should be propounded as the end of all our actings, and have an influence into our whole course. Finis principium est om­nium operationum; it should have the nature of a Direction what to do, and of a Motive to inforce, and invigorate us in all we do. As the Bird is guided by its Train, and the Ship by its Rud­der, so the Christian should by his end. First, Therefore let this Glorious Re­ward thou seest before thee, keep thee from accepting of the rewards of sin; let them love the reward of iniquity, [Page 109] that look not for a reward of Righte­ousness. Abraham would not have it said, the King of Sodom made him rich, who had God for his exceeding great re­ward. Moses, who had respect unto the recompence of the reward, despised the pleasures of sin for a season. It dishonoreth the Prince, when his Courtier accepts a Pension from a strange, much more from an enemy Prince. When we yield to any sin, we do what Satan tempted Christ unto, even worship and pay an homage to him. I know no Ar­gument to repel the Enemy, more for­cible, nor more honourable, than this; I will not disgrace my Masters service, the hopes I have from him, to borrow a reward from his Enemy. Some Nati­ons are wont to sight in their richest Cloaths and Jewels, to make them more valiant, by considering how great their loss would be, by falling into their Enemies hands. Certainly, Satan would not so easily foil thee (Christi­an) if thou didst wear the rich Brace­lets of the Promises, and by Faith put [Page 110] on that robe of Glory, with which thou shalt ere long be clothed. How would a glorified Saint scorn a motion to sin, Visio beatifica impotentes facit Angelos & sanctos ad peccandum. What, they sin? the Sun might sooner be pull'd out of its Orb, than they out of their Obedience. What, they leave the Fatness and Sweetness they are satiated with, for any thing that is to be got by a base sinner? Such a thought never did, nor can enter into their Holy Heart. And we should be more like them, in our detestation of all sin, had we more raised apprehensions of the greatness of the Heavenly reward, and stronger hopes for our coming to it.

Secondly, Let it make thee stedfast, and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. This is the im­provement which our Apostle makes in this place, of this very Point; there is a [...] in Religion, much pressed by the Apostle upon Believers, to walk as becomes the Gospel, as becomes Saints, to walk worthy of God, worthy of our [Page 111] Holy Vocation. Now this becomingness lies much in the sutableness of our pre­sent actings, to the heighth of our fu­ture hopes. When we endeavour that the properties of our actions, may cor­respond, and bear a resemblance to the reward expected by us. As the impres­sion on the Wax, answereth to the Sculpture of the Seal; or as the Port and Garb of a great Heir, is to the vast Inheritance he shall have. Now the Text, (for I go no further) presents us with Two Properties of the Saints re­ward; Certainty, and Immensity. And accordingly presses this double Duty, Stedfastness, or unmoveableness, and abounding always in the work of the Lord, as bearing a resemblance unto it. First, Therefore labour to be sted­fast in thy profession of the Faith; hold­ing fast (saith the Apostle) the Faith­ful Word, Titus 1.9. How unsutable to a Faithful Word, is a Faithless Heart? A wavering weak Faith, to a sure Word? 2 Pet. 1.19. A Sceptical judg­ment, to a Doctrine that is indubitable, [Page 112] and without controversie, 1 Tim. 3.16. How unbecoming is it to be off and on, hot and cold, unstable and uncon­stant in an holy course, when thou lookest for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken? Secondly, Let it make thee a­bounding in the work of the Lord. How unsutable is it to pinch God in thy service, who is so magnificent in his reward? How unbecoming, to think any measure enough in thy duty, when the reward promised, is without all measure? Nay, do not only abound, but be always abounding in the Lords work, who will make thee always hap­py. Alas, what is our always in a­bounding here; to the always of his rewarding hereafter? the always of our service extendeth but to the end of a short life; but the always of the reward to an endless Eternity. Were there no reward at all hoped for, yet we ought; yea, the Saint would (for his new Na­ture inclines him thereunto) serve his God. We see even our Children, do love and obey us their Parents, though [Page 113] some of us have no Portion or Inheri­tance to leave them? But it superadds a further Argument to a Rich mans Child, to make him more abundantly dutiful and diligent, to consider what a great estate his Father hath; of all which he will make him Heir, though he might not (if he pleased) have set­led any thing on him at all. Thus when a Saint considers, that God, who might have made a Law, binding him to Obedience, without making a Pro­mise to reward the same. It must needs much affect his heart, to see God in his condescending Grace, and immense Bounty, thus to sweeten, and facilitate his Obedience, with a promise of no less reward, than of the Heavenly In­heritance. Think, oh Christian, how little the greatest service thou canst now do thy God, will in a dying hour appear to thine own thoughts. I have observed, that the best of Saints, whose eminency in Grace, and serviceable­ness in their Generations, others ad­mired, have yet themselves, upon a [Page 114] sick and dying bed, complained of their barrenness and unprofitableness. Not bragged of their zeal, but bewailed their coldness; not applauded them­selves for what they had done, but mournfully confessed, what they had left undone; the sense of their defici­encies, quite hiding from their eyes the sight of their eminent diligence. As that famous Light in our British Church, and laborious Servant of Christ, Bishop Ʋsher, on his dying bed, thus Prayed, Oh God forgive my sins of Omission: Who yet was admired of all that knew him, for his laborious diligence in the Pulpit, and out of it also. And one reason, I humbly conceive, why the best of Saints, at such an hour, are more than ever sensible of their deficiencies, is, because they then standing nearest to Eternity, have higher and wider apprehensions of the Majesty of God, and the immense Glory of Heaven; which apprehensions must needs cause them to see the vility and nothing­ness of their own sanctity, and all their [Page 115] services; and consequently, fill them with an holy blushing and shame, that they have done so little for God, who hath laid up so much for them; that they have no more glorified him on Earth, who hope, so soon to be glori­fied with him in Heaven. And if the highest measures of the most fruitful Saints, which have done God more service, than an hundred such as thy self, shrink into nothing, in their own eye at such a time, and leave them full of shame and sorrow for their unsutable actings, to their high and glorious hopes; how much more will it afflict thee with unspeakable grief and sor­row in the like hour (if thou hast a dram of Sincerity in thine Heart) to remember thy more palpable negli­gence and barrenness. Oh what then wilt thou say of thy past life, which is so thin sown with Holy Actions? now thou thinkest thy self Religious enough, with thy infrequent Devotions; if thou canst get to the Church once in a week, and into thy Closet, for a few moments, [Page 116] once in a day, it is well: But when thou comest to dye, thou wilt then complain, how thou hast starved thy Soul, and robbed thy God of much time, which might, and ought to have been imployed in Communion with him, and working out thy own Salvation. Now a few Pence out of thy great E­state, passeth for Charity; but when death comes to sweep all away at once, then thou wilt complain thou hast been a niggard of thy Purse, and didst not honour God with thy Substance. Now though thou speakest, but once or twice in a Moon of God, and Heaven in thy Family; and very seldom dost Cate­chise thy Children, and that but for­mally, without any affection, or with little desire to affect them, with the concernment of those Truths, thou in­structest them in, yet thou pleasest thy self, in having done thy duty to them so well. But when death's cold sweat shall warn you of your approach­ing Dissolution, then thou wilt bewail, that Religion was so seldom the subject [Page 117] of thy discourse, in your Family, that you did not more constantly instruct your Children and Servants; and when you did, that you did not more passionately endeavour to move their affections, and draw their hearts to the love and liking of Religion in its Truths, and the practice of them.

Thirdly, Improve the hope thou hast for this reward, to make thee live a­bove this present world. Truly, thou mayst well be content with a little here, who lookest for so much here­after. If the Labourer hath but meat and drink at his work, he asketh no more, but stays willingly for the rest till night, when he is to receive his wages. If thou hast Food and Ray­ment here, and Heaven at the end, doth not God deal well with thee? Oh, 'tis for want of Faith in the Promise, and activity in our Hope, to exercise it self on this Blessed Object, that we are so having and craving after the things of this world, and so dissatisfied with our portion here. We read of Solomon, [Page 118] that he made Silver to be in Jerusalem, as stones, & Cedars as the Sycomore trees, 1 Kings 10.27. The Christian might do more, had he a lively Faith and Hope; he might make all this worlds Glory, Pleasures, and Treasures, to be but as dirt and dung in his valuation, from what he expects to be preferred to, within a while in Heaven. And he is the happier man, that can live a­bove the world, than he that swims in all its abundance. It is for want of better Metal, that Leather and Cop­per are stamped for Coin; and for want of Faith, or exercising it on the Promise, that we set too high a price of the things of this world. This would, and nothing else can take off our Hearts from present things. Our Af­fections are too great a stream to be dryed up; but turned, they may be, into another Chanel; and truly, the world is too narrow a Chanel to con­tain them: But here is roomth enough, and more than enough for them all; here is a place of broad-water, no fear [Page 119] of wanting Sea-room. If we would launch out into the Meditation of this blessed place, oh how should we find our Hearts inflamed with longing de­sires to be there, and no more envy the Carnal world, for what we leave them here to enjoy, than you would the Swine his swill, if you were going to Feast at a Princes Table; which minds me of the next particular.

Fourthly, Improve this Glorious Re­ward to reconcile death to thy thoughts, and make thee rather desire, than fear to be dissolved. Many were the Ar­guments, which the Philosophers, a­mong the Heathens mustered up, to ex­pel the fear of this King of Terrors; but the wisest of them were baffled in all their attempts therein. As it is said of Cicero, a little before his death, that he confessed the remedies, which he had prepared against this Enemy, pro­ved, he knew not how, but too weak and feeble for that purpose. And one was bold to tell Plato, when he spake much of the contempt of death, Fortius [Page 120] loqueris, quàm vivis; that he spoke higher than he lived; and no wonder, if we consider, in how dark a light they saw the existence of a future state; and much more, at what a loss they were for finding the right way which leads to the happiness of it. Neither do I wonder, that any wicked man un­der the Gospel, should be terrified at an approaching death, and go down to the grave, as, they say, Bears go down an Hill, backward; afraid to see, or think of that state they are going into. For the more any knows of Heaven, without a well grounded hope of arriving there, the greater must his dread needs be. He that increaseth knowledge here, will be sure to increase his sorrow; but why any of the Peo­ple of God, that have a hope of Hea­ven, should not in some measure over­come the prevalency, at least of this fear of death, is strange; and, indeed, casts a reproach upon Christianity. The Turks (I have heard) some of them should say; they did not think Chri­stians [Page 121] believed there was an Heaven, because they saw them so loth to go to it. Labour Christian, to wipe of this reproach, which these Infidels cast up­on our Religion. First, Look thou buildest thy hope of Heaven, deep, and strong, upon a good ground; which is Regenerating Grace, (for a dead Soul, cannot have a lively Hope) Then labour to hold fast the rejoycing of thy Hope unto the end, to which it would much conduce, to preserve a right notion of death in thy thoughts. What else (Christian) is death to thee, but what Jordan was to the Israelites? a passage from an howling Wilderness, of a sinful miserable World, where thou hast been pinched with Wants, and stung with fiery Temptations, to a Land of Promise, where is safety to security, and fullness to Felicity: where thou wilt find the absence of no­thing, but sin and sorrow. Look up­on it, as the uncovering of the Ark of thy body, wherein thou hast been tossed and tumbled sorely upon the [Page 122] waves of a restless life, to set thee on shore on Heavens firm and peaceable Land. Is the betrothed Spouse afraid of her Marriage day? or a Prince loth to cross a narrow Sea, to take posses­sion of a wide Kingdom, and a rich Crown, that wait only for his coming? No (Christian) fear not thou death, but rather let thy heart revive with old Jacobs, at the sight of this Wagon or Chariot, which is sent to bring thee over to thy Heavenly Fathers house.

Fifthly, Let it moderate your sor­row, for the death of your Pious Friends, and useful Instruments in their Generations. Indeed, the loss of such is great, to those that are left behind; and therefore God allows us to mourn, when such breaches are made upon us; but withal, he sets bounds to our sor­row, that we sorrow not even as others, which have no hope, nor mourn so as to refuse to be comforted; to take our own loss so to heart, as not to rejoyce in their gain: Is this thy kindness to thy Friends? wouldst thou have them [Page 123] labour, and never rest? work, and ne­ver receive their reward? They could not have had these here, but they have them where they are gone. Oh be not unkind to them, by being over-kind to your selves. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) because I said I go to the Father, Joh. 16.28. As if he had said to them, you are indeed (my Disciples) too selvish. You think what you shall lose if I depart hence, but you do not consider, what I should lose, by my staying here: You see the poor condi­tion I live in here on Earth, and know the Royalty and Glory I am going to be possessed of in Heaven; and are you unwilling I should be advanced to my Throne there; and that after I shall have finished the work of your Redemption here? Truly you are un­kind, and shew but little love, in this, to me, your dear Lord and Saviour. Nor do we express much love to our deceased Friends, of whose happy change we have no reason to doubt, [Page 124] if their incomparable advantage doth not make us more rejoyce for them, than our loss, make us mourn for our selves. If we be, as they were, (sincere and faithful Christians) our loss is but short; ere long we shall recover it, by being taken up to them; they are not lost, but gone a little before, whither the rest of their Brethren, ere long, shall be called. And while we are left here behind, we have a God to live upon, who cannot dye, who will not leave us, and whose presence is suffici­ent to compensate, I trow, the absence, not of one, but all our Friends. Would Elkanah be thought better to his bar­ren Wife, than ten Sons? May not God then look his Children, when bereaved of any Creature Comforts, should count the having him better, yea, in­finitely better than them all. Let therefore every Saint, in this, and all other bereavements, solace himself with this of David, Psalm 18.46. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my Salvation be exalted.

[Page 125]It is expected, I know, that I should now speak something of that Noble (and without offence, I hope, I may say) Elect Lady; the Solemnization of whose Funeral, occasioned this our sorrowful meeting; which should I not do, without doubt, I should send you all away, very much dissatisfyed. But far be it from me, that I should by my silence, put her light (now she is dead) under a Bushel, which shined, before all your eyes, so radiently, while she was alive, even as a great Candle, Mar. 11.32. on an high Candlestick. It was said of John Baptist, all men counted John, that he was a Prophet indeed. And I am perswaded, that all who knew her, esteemed the Lady Vere a Christian in­deed. Truly, if we may not think so of her, we shall be at a great loss to find such Characters, by which we may judge any at all to be so. I shall begin to speak of her, where she her self be­gan to be, her Birth, I mean, and Pa­rentage, from which she had her Ex­traction. And this was High and An­cient [Page 126] on both sides. For by her Mo­thers side, she sprang from the chief of the Throg-mortons Family; and by the Fathers side, was extracted of the An­cient Family of the Tracies, at Toding­ton in Gloucester-shire. She was the youngest of Fifteen Children; born on the Eighteenth day of May, Anno 1581. being the 23. of Queen Elizabeth. Her Mother dyed three days after she was Born; and her Father, when she was but eight years old. Thus soon was she an Orphan; but, indeed, they only are Orphans, who have no Father in Heaven. When her Father and her Mo­ther thus forsook her, the Lord took her up. The many Experiences she had all along her life, of Gods most tender care over her, occasioned her to chuse this for her Motto (which is found written by her, in the front of most of her Books in her Closet) God will Pro­vide. She took much delight in speak­ing of one of her Ancestors, as one of the greatest Honours to her Family. William Tracy of Toddington, Esquire, [Page 127] mentioned by Mr. Fox in his Marty­rology, who in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, for the sound Pro­fession of his Faith, made by him in his last Will and Testament, was after his Decease, condemned to have his body taken out of the ground and burnt; which Sentence, accordingly was exe­cuted. She was twice Married; to Mr. William Hobby, her first Husband, at Nineteen Years of Age, by whom she had two Sons, which were Reli­giously Educated by her; the happy fruit of this her care, she reaped at their Pious Deaths (for they both went young to Heaven) the Younger dyed in the Fourteenth Year of his Age; the Elder in his Three and Twentieth, much admired for his Parts, and loved for his Piety. Her second Husband was, Sir Horace Vere, afterward Baron of Tilbury; so Noble and Excellent a Person, that I must not name him with­out some Honourable Reflection; one whose Coat Armour made more Re­nowned, than his Coat of Arms; and [Page 128] his Personal Atchievements in the field, ennobled more, than the High Blood he borrowed from his Ancestors. But his Piety gave him the highest Cha­racter of all; by the other he got a great Name, like unto the great Men, that are in the Earth; 2 Sam. 2.19. but by this he obtained a good Name. And even Ta­citus, the Roman Historian, prefers a praise from Goodness, before that which is obtained by Greatness. And there­fore speaking of a Noble Roman, saith, he was, inter claros potiùs quàm inter bonos censendus. This Noble Lord was one, who could wrestle with God, as well as fight with Men; and may be thought to have got his Victories upon his knees in his Closet, before he drew his Sword in the Field. And when he had overcome his Enemies, he could overcome himself also; being one of the humblest Souls, in whom so much true worth lodged, that I have heard of. His good Lady would say, she honoured him for his Valour, but most, for the Grace of God which shined in [Page 129] him. Thus she did, coruscare radiis Mariti, shined by the Rays of her Husbands Excellencies; but not only with these, for she had radient Beams of her own, by which she cast like Honour upon him, as she received from him. So happily was this Noble Couple suited, us in the high Extra­ction of both their Births, so also in the rest of their accomplishments, that they mutually illustrated each the o­thers Honour. But passing by all her secular Prerogatives, we shall now present her to you, in some of her spi­ritual Excellencies. These, indeed, give the intrinsick value to a person. He that would take the true height of of a man, must not measure him with the vantage-ground he stands on. I may say of this Gracious Lady, what Nehemiah said of another Noble Per­son in his time; She was a Faithful Wo­man, and feared God above many. Nehem. 7.2. Some are so prodigiously wicked, that they seem to have wedded the Vices of many others. But this good Lady may [Page 130] be said to have collected the Excellen­cies of many other Christians. In her you might have seen these various Graces, which grow to an eminency, but severally in others, met altogether in one knot; I shall speak of a few.

First, The fear of the Great God, was very great in her; wonderful tender she was of offending him. She hath been often heard to say, and that so­lemnly; Oh, I would not sin against my God. She professed, that she dreaded Hell most, as a place where God was Blasphemed. Oh pretious Saint, to dread Hells sin, more than Hells fire.

Secondly, Her Zeal to the Worship of God, was eminent. First, To the Publick, this was evidenced many ways. First, By her Zeal, to get able and faithful Ministers for those Livings she had in her dispose; and by improving her utmost interest, to procure the like for this Parish, where she resided, in its several vacancies. And herein the Noble Patron, did most kindly gratifie her with the choice, deeply obliging, [Page 131] not only her Honour, but the whole Town thereby; so that you in this place, have lived in a Goshen of Gospel light for a long season; and are able also to tell, how comfortably she spake to those that taught the good Word of the Lord amongst you. What countenance, and real encouragement she gave them in the Lords Work, without sparing her purse to do it. Secondly, By her con­stant attendance on the Publick Wor­ship, so long as the Lord vouchsafed her any health: yea, she did not only attend on it her self, but was careful that her Family should do the same with her. They that would not serve God with her, were no Servants for her. Thirdly, She was no less devout in, than constant at the Publick Wor­ship. She durst not trifle with Holy things, which made one (in this re­spect) say of her, That this Lady, by her Solemn and Reverent Deportment in Di­vine Worship, would make one believe that there is a God indeed. As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which [Page 132] is so dismally neglected by many; her desires were most Ardent to partake of it frequently, saying, (as the Minister of the place informed me) that she durst not neglect, no, not any one op­portunity, that was offered for the enjoying this Sacred Ordinance. And, oh, how intent was she in Preparation for it? the whole preceding week was taken up by her for that work; in which, she would always have a pri­vate Fast with her Family, or a secret one in her Closet. Was not this one that meant to go to Heaven in good earnest? Secondly, The Private Wor­ship of God. Let us follow her from the Church, to her own House, and we shall find, that she brought her Reli­gion and Devotion home with her, and did not leave them in her Pue be­hind her, till she returned to it again the next Sabbath. Some can comple­ment God Almighty, before their Neighbours, on the Sabbath, but care not to acquaint with God at home all the week after. But if ever any pri­vite [Page 133] dwelling, might be called a Chappel or little Sanctuary, her house was such. There you might find her, and her Family, twice every day, upon their knees, solemnly Worshipping the Great God; there you might see them, hum­bly sitting, at his feet, to hear his most Holy Word read unto them; conclu­ding constantly their Evening Service, with Singing one of Davids Psalms. What Strangers soever were present, there was no putting by, or adjoyning the Worship of God to a more conve­nient season. On the Lords day, you might hear the Sermons Preached in Publick, repeated to the Family, the Servants called to give an account be­fore her, or what they remembred, the high Praises of God sounded forth by the whole Family together. After Supper again, you might hear the Ser­vants in their room, exercising them­selves in the same Heavenly Duty of Singing Psalms. And no sooner did the good Lady hear them strike up, but a­way she would go to joyn with them in [Page 134] that duty. Follow her up the stairs, there you should be sure to find her, twice every day, shut up some hours in her Closet (which was excellently fur­nished with Pious Books of Practical Divinity) Here she redeemed much pretious time, in reading the holy Scrip­tures, and other good Books, that might give her further light into them, and help to put more heat into that light she had obtained. Here she poured out her devout Soul, with such fer­vours of Spirit in Prayer, as could not be hid (sometimes) from those her Maidens, whose occasions drew them, at any time, near her Closet dore; and yet are we not at an end of this good Ladies Devotions; for every night she would, her self, pray with her Maidens, before she went to bed. And now, is it any wonder, she grew so rich in Grace, who drove so great, and constant a Trade in the means of Grace, and had so many ways to bring her in Spiritual gains?

[Page 135] Thirdly, Her Love to God (besides what already hath been said) did ma­ny ways make it self evident to be of an high degree. First, The mournful complaints she would make, that she could love God no more; the reason of which indeed was, because she loved him so much. Therefore she thought she loved him so little, because she knew she could never love him enough. The truth is, she had such raised ap­prehensions of Gods Glorious Excel­lency, as caused her to think her high­est affections unworthy of him. None, indeed, that have such high appre­hensions of the Divine greatness and goodness, can love him little, or think their love, when most, to be great. Secondly, The vehement desires, and longings, she had to be gone hence, that she might be with Christ. She was one of those very few Christians, which stood in need of old Mr. Dods use of Exhortation; which I have heard he would make to the Saints, in his Preaching: That they would he content [Page 136] and patient, though they were not taken up to Heaven so soon as they desired. This good man (who was one of the most Heavenly Souls that this Age knew) finding to do this, was some­thing difficult in his own Soul, thought it was ordinary for others to do the like; whereas (God knows) most Chri­stians, are of a lower form in Christs School, prone rather to linger too much here, than to be too hasty of going hence; so that they need rather Spur than Bridle, and Ministers have more reason to take hold of them, with the strongest Arguments they can find, to draw them out of the love of this world (as the Angels did Lot out of Sodom) than to make them willing to continue here. But this Gracious Lady, knew so much of Heaven, as made her stay here tedious to her: the earnest option of her Soul was, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. She found to her great grief, that her imperfect state on Earth, made it impossible to serve God here as she would, and therefore did won­derfully [Page 137] complain she was unprofitable and unserviceable; and this deep sence of her unserviceableness (while others admired her fruitfulness and useful­ness) did still increase her desires to be, where all these infirmities would be cured, and where she knew her ability should fully correspond to the height of her desires she had to serve and glorifie her God. Thirdly, Her love to the Saints, who are born of God, and have his lively Image stamped up­on them. This in Scripture, is made one of the fairest evidences for our love to God. Every one that loveth the Father that begat, loveth him that is be­gotten, 1 John 5.1. A man may love the Child, and not love his Father; but he cannot love him, because he is his Child, and because he is like his Fa­ther, but he must needs love his Fa­ther. Yea love him first and most, be­cause his love to the Child, springs from his love to the Father. This Good Lady then, was a great Lover, doubt­less, of God himself, because she had [Page 138] so dear an affection to his Children. She did not praise the dead Saints, and persecute the Living; she did not pre­tend love to those that lived far from her, but shewed kindness to them that lived near her: She did not facti­ously love some of one Party, and re­proach those of another. In a word, she did not love the Saints in an equa­lity with others, from a Natural ten­derness, which disposeth some to be kind to all, good and bad; but her love was a Spiritual, Cordial, Special, and Uniform Love to them. Where-ever she saw any thing of God, her Love was drawn out towards them, and had the most love for those, that dis­covered most of God; she loved them so, as to delight in converse and com­munion with them; yea, and the chief of her Charity was extended to them. As for the Faithful Ministers of Christ, whose Function lifts them above pri­vate Christians, few ever exceeded her, in loving and honouring of them; yea, she loved first the Ministry, and then the [Page 139] Ministers; professing seriously, the great love and high esteem she had for them, was for their dear Masters sake, whose Embassadours they were. So that what I have heard concerning her worthy Son-in-Law, in Norfolk, Sir Roger Townsend, that for his Love to the Mi­nistry, he got the title of being called, Deliciae Cleri, The Ministers Delight; may be truly given to her.

Fourthly, Her works of Charity were remarkable, upon manifold accounts. First, The largeness of her Charity, so great indeed it was, that it may well be admired, how this Tree should not long ago have killed it self with over­bearing. The Trees in our Orchards yield their Fruit but once a year, taking so long a time to be put in heart for bearing again. But her Charity was dropping Fruit all the year long. Ma­ny ways it diffused it self; she had Sil­ver for the Moniless aliment for the Hungry, Medicaments for the Sick, Salves for the Wounded. Abundance of good she did this way, in Town [Page 140] and Country; she did not only give, but devised liberal things. If her Ser­vants knew of any that were in great need, and did not tell her of it, she would (when by otherways she heard thereof) be very angry with them. It hapned, that an honest poor Neighbour dyed, before she knew he was sick, for which being troubled, she asked her Servant, whether he had wanted in his Sickness, saying, with some earnest­ness, I tell you, I had rather part with my Gown from my back, than the Poor should want. Secondly, In the prime objects of her Charity, she cast her seed upon all sorts of ground, but e­specially on Gods enclosure. The Houshold of Faith, had her fullest hand­fulls; to such she never thought she gave enough. Thirdly, Her Secresie in giving. When it might be, she did not give her Charity, as some throw their Money into a Basin at a Collection, so that it rings again, but it fell like Oyl into a vessel, without noise. Fourthly, Her Self-denying Spirit in all this; she [Page 141] was no Merit-monger; good Lady, she ne­ver thought to purchase Land in Hea­ven, with the money she gave on Earth. She was no Merchant to sell her Cha­rity, but a Faithful Steward, acknow­ledging, what she gave, was not her own, but her Lords money; she was, notwithstanding all her Charity, car­ried out to a naked Christ, desiring to be found alone in him, and his Righ­teousness, as earnestly, as if she had not done one good work in all her life. Hear this, Oh ye Papists, and be a­shamed for your notorious slander; who would make the world believe, that Protestant Religion, is too cold a Soil for Charity to thrive in. Behold here, a Protestant Dorcas, full of good Works, and Alms-deeds. Though she had no opinion of Merit to cherish the root of her Charity, from which much of yours comes, had not hope of ex­piating some foul Crimes, or conceit of meriting Heaven, been at the bot­tom of the Charity of many in your Church, it may be believed, the first [Page 142] stone had this day been to be laid in some of your Goodly Hospitals and Churches also.

Fifthly, Her Sincerity. This was as her under Garment, which she wore nearest to her, and gave excellency to all her other Graces. Many notable testimonies there were for this in her. First, The uniformity of her Holy Walking; her Religion was not like a drift Snow, which lyeth thick in one place, and leaves the ground bare in another; the Hypocrite hath some na­ked plot in his Conversation, that ren­ders him suspicious; you may perswade him with Herod, to do many things, but never make him with Saint Paul, willing in all things to live honestly. But in this good Ladies Conversation, one part corresponded admirably with another; an happy Symmetry appeared in her whole course, towards God and Man, abroad, and also at home, among her Domestick Relations, those that lived constantly with her, who saw her (as we are wont to say) hot and cold, in [Page 143] her night-cloaths, as well as when dres­sed to go abroad. Few, I believe, have had an higher testimony for Piety, from those that have lived near, and long with them, than she hath from all that dwelt under her roof. Secondly, The great freedom she gave her Friends in speaking to her, of what they saw amiss in her; she was wont much to applaud the priviledge of having a Faithful Friend, saying, others might see more by us, than we by our selves; she would also say, 'Tis a great mercy to be convinced of any sin. Thirdly, Her Faith, which was wont to be then strongest, when death appeared near­est. Like that great Souldier I have read of, who would tremble every joynt, whilst his Armour was putting on in his Tent, but without all fear, when he engaged in the Battel. A little more than a Twelve-month since, she fell into a long swound, which la­sted about half an hour, without any visible hopes of her recovery; but as soon as she came again to her self, she [Page 144] said, I know my Redeemer liveth; and be­ing conveighed to her chamber, there, again, I know whom I have trusted: An Hypocrites hope is compared, to the giving up the Ghost, Job 11.20. And in this particular not unlike. As a dy­ing man, his breath grows shorter and shorter, till at the last it is quite puffed out; so commonly the Hypo­crites hope lesseneth, as death grows nearer, and commonly expires, before the man himself doth.

Sixthly, Her Humility. This we may call her upper Garment, with which she strived to cover her other Excellencies, though their Beauty was rendered the more conspicuous and amiable, by ca­sting this veil over it. Grace, indeed, is like an Oyntment, which the closer it is held in a mans hand, the more strongly it sends forth his sweet scent. Oh how meanly did she think of her self? she saw not how her own Face shined, while others beheld and ad­mired. Ever complaining she was use­less, and unprofitable, and did no good. [Page 145] Never spake she of her Perfections, but frequently other Imperfections and unworthiness; yea, she would often say, I abhor my self, indeed I do. How easie of access, for the meanest to come into her presence? how affable, cour­teous, and lowly to the poorest? many times, when her very Servants had done a business well, she had set them about, she would say I thank you, to them. The Law of kindness was in her Tongue, to whomsoever she spake.

I have but a word or two to speak of her gracious behaviour in her last Sick­ness, and I shall say no more of this Honourable Person; her Pains was strong, but her Patience stronger; ne­ver was she heard to mutter, or utter any repining word; but justified God in all his proceedings with her. Yea more, she was much in admiring and blessing God for his Mercies, in her acutest Pains and greatest Agonies. How doth this Blessed Soul now Carol forth the Praises of God in Heaven? who could sing them so sweetly, while [Page 146] these sharp Thorns were at her Breast? that could keep her Heart in tune for this high note, in her greatest bodily pains and dolours? She was not with­out assaults from Satan: it were strange indeed, if he should not have consi­dered this Pretious Servant of Christ, and not offered her some disturbance at this time, whom he had found so great and old an enemy to him, and his King­dom of darkness; but he came only to be beaten back with shame, and to add more Trophies to all her former Victories over him. The last words which, I find, were observed to be spoken by her, (before a sleeping Le­thargy seised on her poor spent body, (which in two days carried her off the stage of this life) were, How shall I do to be thankful? how shall I do to praise my God? Thus she ended her life here, in the exercise of that Duty, which was to be her constant endless work in that life she was now entring into.

I have done speaking of this Elect Lady, and have now only some refle­ctions [Page 147] to make from what I have said on her, upon our selves.

First, Let us all be stirred up to give God the praise of those his Graces, which he so abundantly poured into this Elect Vessel; her light hath shined very radiently before most of your eyes, her good Works you have seen, and many of you been refreshed by them; now glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; think it not enough to go home and say, she was a good Lady, a pretious Christian indeed; but as your eye passeth through the Air, and stayeth not till it terminateth on the Sun; so let your thoughts not stay in the admiring other Perfections, but pass from her, and fix upon God the Donor, and Father of all these good and perfect gifts. Say not only, she was a good Lady, but oh how good and gracious is God, to fill such a poor Earthen vessel, with so much of his Heavenly Treasure. Again, Let us bless God, who hath so happily finished [Page 148] her course, and delivered her from the snares and miseries of this evil world. The Souls of the deceased Saints, are above our Praying for them, being at rest in a glorified state; they are be­neath our praying to them, being still but Creatures in Heaven, though glo­rified; but they may, and ought to be the subjects of our Thanksgiving unto God. This is a duty, therefore, the greater, because it is for the greatest of Mercies, that which crowns the whole series of Gods gracious past Providen­ces to them. If you think your selves engaged to bless God for your Friends, whom God hath brought safe home to you, after a long and dangerous jour­ney, or recovered out of a perillious Sickness? how much more then should we be thankful, to see any of our Godly Friends, carried safe to the end of this great journey, and landed at their Heavenly Fathers House? not recovered from a Sickness, which is but an adjournment to death; but to have shot deaths gulf, and to be set everla­stingly above it?

[Page 149] Secondly, Let the radient Excellen­cies that were in her, humble us for her Deficiencies. A coorse piece of Cloth, never appears to coorse, as when laid by a fine; nor a Dwarff so low, as when set by one that is tall. How may her knowledge in the Scriptures, shame the ignorance of many of us? Her awful fear of God, the little reve­rence we have of the Divine Majesty? Her zeal for God, our coldness? Her reverence in the Worship of God, the rudeness of many, who behave them­selves therein, as if God Almighty, and they were fellows? Her charitable Spirit, and large Heart, whereby she concerned her self in the wants and miseries of others, the narrow and selfish Spirits of many? who like the Hedghog, wrap themselves up in their own soft wool, and turn out bristles to all others. Or, who say with that fat Monk, stroking his own filled Paunch, If it be well here, all is well; though others be shithering with cold, pining with hunger. How may her [Page 150] Humility, which hid so great Excel­lencies in her, from her own obser­vance, put them to the blush, that are puffed up with their poor pittance of gifts or graces? much more, those who are swelled with a fancy of having that, which none can see they have. In a word, How may her Patience, un­der great Afflictions, reproach the mur­murings of many, when they feel but a little smart from a gentle Correcti­on? as if they would turn again upon God, and snatch the Rod out of his hand? I might say, I fear too many, that seem here to mourn for the loss of this good Lady, as Christ to the Jews, Weep not for her, but wee for your selves, that you are so unlike to what she was.

Thirdly, Let the high measures of Grace, this Pretious Servant of God attained to, encourage all weak Chri­stians to press forward, after further degrees of Grace. Sit not still for shame, at the bottom of this Hill, when you see how high she got in Grace and [Page 151] Godliness. She hath not drawn up the Ladder after her; take her course, tread in her steps, and by Gods blessing, though thou mayst not come to her pitch here, yet thou shalt have far more than now thou hast. She did not grow thus rich in Grace, with idleness and sloth, but by Gods blessing on her di­ligence, in the use of means. She did not become so eminent by proudly thinking her self so to be, but by Hu­mility, and Poverty of Spirit. Many had been better, if they had not thought themselves to be better than they were.

Fourthly, A word to you that had the priviledge to live in her Family: For Gods sake look to your selves; happy you, if the holy Example you had in her, and extraordinary means of Grace you enjoyed under her roof, have had a kindly and powerful effect in you; if they have produced a seri­ous resolution for an holy life. But wo be to you, that shall bring a pro­phane and wicked Spirit out of such a [Page 152] Pious Family; think seriously, how sad it will be, to live so near Heaven in this world, as there you did, and at last to miss of Heaven in the other.

Fifthly, To those that are privi­ledged with Noble Birth, or Gentile Extraction, learn from this Lady; the best way in the world, to make the Tribute of Honour, which is your due, surely and chearfully to be payed you; take but the same course that this Gra­cious Lady, and Noble Lord her Hus­band did, and I dare promise, you shall obtain it. Labour to be good, and to do good, be not afraid, or ashamed to be Religious; own God in his Holy Ways, and Holy Ones; and then you shall be Honoured of all, but by those that refuse to Honour God himself: And who would accept of Honour at their hands, who rob God of his? you have the Word of God for this, Them that honour me, I will honour, 1 Sam. 2.30. By Humility, and the fear of the Lord, are Riches, and Honour, and Life, Prov. 22.4. A place of Scripture, which God [Page 153] fulfilled, remarkably, in the deceased Lady. It fareth with Gentlemens Ho­nours, as it doth with Tradesmens Wares, which while they are made true and good, their price keeps up in the Market; but when they are made with little care, and of bad stuff, then it falls, and they hardly go off.

Oh defile not your Honours by any debaucheries; Dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in Luto, saith Salvian. What pity is it a Scarlet Cloak should be sopt in a swill tub? The corruption of the best is the worst. I do not clear those of sin, who do not give him the Honour due to his Title and Place, that is unworthy of them; but me­thinks, that those whom God hath left so high in dignity above others, should consider, that it is their duty, and wis­dom also, to shun all that may lead their Inferiours into this Temptation. How can he be free to complain of o­thers, denying him his Honour, who by his own prophaneness and wickedness, casts [Page 154] more dishonour on himself, than any other can do? To be dishonourable, is worse than to be dishonoured, as much as a sin is worse, than an affliction. The Good and Pious, are sometimes dis­honoured by those that are wicked, even for that which is their highest Ho­nour; but it is sin and wickedness that makes a person dishonourable, as also it doth a Nation, Prov. 14.35. But sin is a reproach to any People.