[...] HEAVEN and HELL EPITOMIZED. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN Characterized. AS ALSO An Exhortation with Motives, Means, and Directions to be speedy and serious about the work of Conversion. By George Swinnocke M. A. sometime fellow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford, and now Preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, Deut. 30.19

Accidiosi erubescere possunt qui non tam diligenter labo­rant ad impetrandum gaudium coeli, sicut multi impio­rum laborant ad impetrandum poenam inferni. Fabritius indestruct. Vitior. part. 5. cap. 2.

Crede, Stude, Vive, Pinge Aeternitati. Cor. A Lapid.

London, Printed by E. M. for Tho. Parkhurst, and are to be sold at the Sign of the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside, over against the Conduit, 1659.

TO THE WORSHIPFUL And my esteemed Friend RICHARD BERESFORD Esquire, Justice of the Peace for the Liberty of St. Albans in the County of Hertford, and Clarke of the Pleas in his Highness Court of Exchequer.

Worthy Sir,

THis small Treatise (part where­of was lately preached in your eares at the Funeral of your dear Mother presenteth it self to your eyes, not for your protection (Divine Truths desire none from men, and [Page] humane errors deserve none from any) but for your direction. It containeth that in it, which is able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

You have a double right to the dedication of this book; partly in regard of the occasion of it; partly in regard of the Authors obligation unto you, which is great, for your liberality, but farre greater for your encouraging of, and exemplari­ness in the truth and life of Christianity.

I did not think my self a little bound to that Providence, which gave you Relation to our Parish; and I suppose not without cause, when the power of godliness hath few such considera­ble Patrons. There is scarce one of a thou­sand, cui praesens fae­ticitas si arrisit, non irrisit. Bern. lib. 2. de con­solat. Men of your rank, though some­times (to stop the mouth of conscience, or for their credit) they take up a form and pro­fession, yet do usually neglect, if not cursedly deride the strictness and power of Religion. They are too often like the Moon farthest from, and in most direct opposition unto the Sun of Righteousn sse, when they are at the full of out­ward plenty, and receive most light of Divine bounty from him: their carnal hearts, as the Sea, turn the showers of mercies from heaven, and fresh streams from the earth, into the salt waters of corruption. In our natural bodies, the more fat there is, the lesse blood in the veines, [Page] and by consequence the fewer spirits. Great­nesse and Goodness are beautiful and happy, Quies hath no plural number; God sel­dom gi­veth two Heavens. Tamen ali­quando Christus voluit Re­ginam in coelum ve­bere saith Luther of Elisabeth Queen of Denmark. Luth. in Epist ad Jo Agric. but rare conjunctions. You know who hath said, Not many such are called, 1 Cor. 1.26. And experience teacheth us, that they are like Stars of the first Magnitude thinly scattered in the Firmament of a Country. How much therefore are you engaged to that distinguishing love, which enableth you to look after the things of a better life!

I shall take the liberty (which I know you will give) to speak a few words to you in your twofold capacity.

First as you are a Christian; and herein my counsel will be, that you would more and more ensure your effectual calling. We say, where men intend to live long, they build strong. I am confident all that you are worth, for your endless condition in the other world, dependeth under Christ upon your inward change. And if ever any wyers had need to be firm and strong, then questionlesse they upon which such heavy weights hang, as your eternal unchange­able estate.

You have a large room in the hearts of many that are holy: But alas Sir, the best mans confi­dence of me would prove but a bad evidence for heaven: He is not approved whom man com­mendeth, [Page] but whom the Lord commend­eth.

The great affection which you bear to the souls of the people, amongst whom you were born, is worthy of imitation: And so is your care and cost in scattering some practical home-treatises in several families (whereby souls may be converted, and wherein you may have comfort at the day of Christ) for soul-charity is the soul of charity; but the best charity be­gins at home, though it never ends there; your main business lyeth within your own doors, to make sure that good work within you, which shall be perfected hereafter.

The ordinary security which most men trust to, will not serve when they come in the other life, to lay their claims, and shew their deeds for the inheritance of the Saints in light. Ma­ny flaws will then be found in their evidences, which now through their wilful blindness they neither see nor fear. Pa [...]lens aurum me­lius est qu [...]m ful­gens auri­chalcum. Bern. He had need to have ar­mour of proof that would enter the list with his enemy Death, and not be foiled. The heart not ballasted with renewing grace, may hold out in the calm of life, and shallows of time; but when it meets with the storm of death, and launcheth into the Ocean of eternity, it suffer­eth a desperate and everlasting shipwrack. The [Page] want of this is the leak which sinketh many a precious vessel (soul I mean) in the gulph of per­dition.

There is as much difference between a nomi­nal and a real Christian, as between a liveless picture and a living person. True Christia­nity, which consisteth in the souls humble un­fained acceptation of, and hearty resolved de­dication unto Christ, as Saviour and Soveraign, is a Paradox to most. There are many Christi­ans (as Salvian complained in his time) with­out Christ, Christiani sine Chri­sto. Salv. but they which know experimentally what the sanctification of the holy Ghost mean­eth, are few indeed. The Moralist in his best dresse of civility, the Formalist in his gaudy attire of ceremonies, and the hypocrite in all his royalty, is not arrayed like one of these. I do not write these things as in the least suspecting your sincerity, but to quicken you to a godly jea­lousie over your own soul. If the Apostles and Disciples needed such rousing cautions, Take heed least that day come upon you unawares, Luke 21.34. Take heed least any man fail of the grace of God, Heb. 12.15. then much more you and I, who are more drowsie and prone to slumber, do require awaken­ing considerations.

Secondly, As you are a Magistrate. And that relation calleth upon you to be very exemplary among men, and exceeding active for God▪

Man is a creature which is led more by the eye than the ear, by patterns than precepts. Great men therefore which are copies, after which ma­ny write, had need to be exact. You are the look­ing-glasses by which others dresse themselves; the heads of the people, Deut. 1.15. now the whole body will go along with the head.

Qui in excelso a gunt, eorum facta cun­cti morta­les n [...]vere Salust. ad Cae [...]arem.You are like Beacons upon an hill, visible to all. The Sun may as soon go unseen, as a Ju­stice unobserved. A small Star may be dar­kened, and none take notice of it; but if the great Luminaries are eclipsed or obscured, a thousand eyes will be gazing on them. A little spot in silk or scarlet is more looked on, than a great one in russet or sackcloth. A crack in a peb­ble is nothing so eyed or prejudicial, as a small flaw in a jewel. Corruptio optimi pessima. Satan doth therefore plant his strongest batte­ries against the Royal Forts of Magistracy and Ministry (whoever are spared, David and Pe­ter shall be sifted) knowing that he gaineth a double advantage by their miscarriage, exam­ple and scandal; by which two wings it will soar higher, and flie much farther An ordi­nary [Page] Tradesmon may prove bankrupt without much noise; but if an Alderman or Merchant that had a name for a great estate breaks, the the City and Country ring of it. The honor of God and credit of the Gospel are much engaged in the carriage of a Magistrate that is a Pro­fessor. The many eyes that look upon you, the many feet that follow after you, and the glory of the blessed God which is concerned in you, do all call aloud to you, to have your eyes in your head (as the wise mans phrase is, Eccles. 2.14. to make straight paths for your feet, and to walk nobly, exactly, worthy of the Lord, even unto all well-pleasing.

Besides, your very place is apt to be a snare and temptation, and therefore requireth the greater care and circumspection. Places of honour and power are like strong meats, which being well concocted yeild much good nourish­ment (bring much glorie to God and good to souls) but they are of verie hard digestion. He must have a strong brain that will bear much wine, and he much grace that will walk humbly and closely with God in an high condition.

Your Office calleth upon you to be zealous for God, as well as a pattern of piety to your neigh­bors. So Mr. Pemble in loc. Eccl. 7.16. Be not righteous overmuch, is the voice of carnal and corrupt reason, which [Page] inciteth to an indifferencie in good courses, and politick forbearance of forwardness in pietie. Such is the judgement of carnal policie, that our verie dutie is but overmuch and needless precisenesse. Moderation is commendable in all things but Religion, because therein there can be no excesse. The lukewarm temper is of all others most loathsome to the Divine Nature, Rev, 3.16. You should not think it below you, to be diligent in finding out, and strict in pu­nishing those that would debase God, by the breach of his Laws, prophanation of his day, and abuse of his Creatures. To serve the Lord is your greatest honour. Jesus Christ humbled himself more for you: or O how low had you been laid long ere this!

You have begun well with your honoured John Be­resford Esquire, one of the Justice of the Peace for the same Li­berty. Uncle, my loving Friend, to beat up those head-quarters of hell, Ale-houses. I wish you both an happie progress, and their ungodly disorders a speedie conclusion. Foolish pitie to mens sins is the greatest crueltie to their souls: Favour or connivence encourageth them in their rebellions, encourageth them in their re­b [...]llions, and encreaseth their corruptions, and thereby furthereth their damnation; when the faithful wounds of wholsom severitie (if God have any sanctifying or saving mercie for [Page] [...]hem) may reform and heal them. You can­not easily do them a greater injurie, than to let [...]hem alone in their enormities. One of the greatest stroaks that ever Israel felt from [...]he hand of God, was not to be stricken, Isai. [...].5.

Some Magistrates are like Mountains and Cypresse trees, high and barren; but God hath [...]ron hands for Justices that have leaden heels, and will shortly strike them home for forswear­ [...]ng themselves to spare others. He will be a [...]error to them, and make them terrors to them­ [...]elves, who will not at his command be terrors to [...]vil doers. They are guilty of all the sins which they can and do not hinder. They sin in others, whilst they suffer them to sin: Vitia aliorum si feras, facis tua; And they that are partakers of others sins, if we will believe the God of Truth, shall receive of their plagues, Rev. 18.4. Some shew at this day, that they accept such places to honor not God, but them­selves; and they shall know one day, that it were better offending all their neighbors, nay all the world, than one God.

I suppose you do not wonder, that the cruel Lion roareth when he is disturbed of his rest, nor that vicious men rage because they may not without some rubs ruine their souls. Our Na­turalists [Page] observe truly, that beasts hate fire: And so do men of heastly principles and practices that heavenly fire zeal. The Dogs will bark and flie at the Moon, not alwayes when she shi­neth, but when by reason of the clouds hurried under by the winds, she seemeth to run faster than ordinary. The wicked world can well e­nough endure a cursed neutrality, or (as they term it) a prudential policie; Bona [...]gere & mala pati Regi­um est. but to serve the Lord with fervencie of spirit, is not more acceptable to God, than abominable to them.

If they cannot make you wound your con­science, Didicit ille maledicere, & ego contemnere said the Philoso­pher. (according to the subtilty of the Ser­pent) they will wound your credit; but a god­ly mans name is like an oyled post, on which such dirt will not stick. Their good word might be a disgrace to you, and give you cause to re­flect upon your self (as that Heathen did) and say, What evil have I done, that such a grace­lesse fellow commends me? But their bad word [...] doth no more now, than the treading with dirty feet on figures engraven in brasse, which are thereby rendred more bright and glorious. And hereafter you shall see a resurrectirn of names as well as of bodies, when Christ will make the sinner pay back the stoln rep [...]tation [...]f his see­vants with interest.

David was the song of the drunkards, and the scorn of the gluttons; and the Son of Da­vid, that pattern of patterns, Luke 2.34. was set for a sign to be spoken against, and endured the contra­diction of sinners, Hebr. 12.3. I hope you set your watch not by the Parish clock, but by the dial of scripture, which ever goeth true with the Sun of Righteousness.

In a word, your time is little, your work is great; your talents are many, your account will be weighty; your Saviour observeth every mo­ment how tender you are of his honor, that was so tender of your eternal welfare; how you testifie your thankfulnesse to him, for all the bitter ago­ny, and ignominy, which he suffered for you. You shall shortly never more have the least op­portunitie (though you would give a thousand worlds for it) to do any thing in, for Gods glo­rie, your own or others good. Work therefore the work of him that sent you into the world, while it is the day of your life, for the night of death is hastening on you, wherein you cannot work: Up and be doing, as a Christian, as a Magistrate, and the Lord be with you.

Sir, I have no more to speak to you, but that the Hearer of prayers may hear often from you, that I may take heed to the ministrie which I have received of the Lord, and fulfil it, and to assure [Page] you, that my prayers at the throne of grace shall be, that you and your religious Consort may continue to dwell together as fellow heirs of the grace of life; and your hopeful Children may be planted with, and grow up in grace, till they shall be transplanted into the true Paradise, the Kingdom of Glorie. This, through the help of heaven, shall be the petition of

Your real Servant in the ever blessed Saviour, George Swinnocke.
Febr. 15. 1658./9.
Christian Reader,

THere are two thing which should be of high­est regard with us, a ser­viceable life, and a comfor­table death; and they are both so in­separably conjoyned, that in vain do we hope for the one without the other; which of these is to be preferred, was a doubt, which put the Apostle to an Anxious disquisition; on the one side there was service, on the other side there was gain; if he lived he should preach Christ; if he dyed he should en­joy Christ; and remain with him for e­ver; therefore Paul was at a stand, and knew not what to determine; Surely he had an holy heart that could thus set duty against enjoyment, and [Page] think his service worthy to come into competition with his spiritual and eter­nal interests! that which made Paul so indifferent and incurious, as to the means, was the resolved fixing of his scope, his end & scope was Christs glory▪ now 'twas all one to him how God would use him to such a purpose, as a man that is resolved upon a journey, taketh the way as he findeth it, fair or foul, tis enough that it leadeth him to his journeys end; so Christ might be glorified, either by his Ministry; or by martyrdom, Paul was indifferent, 'twas enough that Christ should be glorified; none have such an unfeighned respect to Christs glory, but those that live in the communion of his life; mens tendency is according to the principle by which they are acted, carnal men that act by their own life, and live up­on their own root, bring forth fruit to [Page] themselves; water riseth no higher than its fountain; but those that have life from Christ use it for him, to them to live is Christ, as they live in him and by him, so they live for him and to him. We need then to take all occasions to press men to get into Christ, that they may live in the communion of his life, and in the strength and influence of it be carryed out to his glory; this is that which will make life service­able, and death sweet; and to this we need to be pressed by all kinde of ar­guments, both those which are taken from Gods relation to us; as also those which are taken from our expectations from him, Rom. 14.8. We are the Lords by every kinde of right and title, and therefore owe all manner of service to him, even though nothing should come of it; but they that do the Lords work will not want his wages, [Page] though he might require our service out of meer soveraignty, yet he condescendeth to propound a reward, and that so full and ample, that it should ravish our hearts eve­ry time we think of it. These considerati­ons which I have here loosely discoursed of, are notably improved in the ensuing treatise, which being communicated to me by a friend of the Author, I could not but re­turn it with this Character, that 'tis a di­scourse grave and judicious, and yet quicken­ed with such warmth and vigor of illustrati­on, as that it may be of great use to awa­ken men unto more seriousness in the great concernments of their souls, among which nothing can be more momentous than our living in Christ, that we may live to him, and then with him for evermore; this being signified, I leave thee to the work it self, (which I cannot but judge to proceed from one, both of a good head and heart) and pro­fess my self

Thine in the service of the Gospel Tho. Manton.

THE PREFACE and EPISTLE TO THE READER, Especially of the Parish of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire, and Borden in Kent; as also the oc­casion of this Treatise.

I Have sometime considered with my self, (not with­out some remorse and grief of spirt) the multitudes of men and women, that even in those places, where the Word of God is plainly and powerfully taught, run headlong in the broad way which leadeth to destruction. And indeed if my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and [Page] night (though every tear were a tear of blood) I could never sufficiently bewail the slain of the daughter of my people, of that Parish to which the providence of God hath called me.

That the lying vanities of this world should by most be so greedily pursued, and the reall mercies relating to a better world, so wretchedly despised: that a brutish flesh, which must shortly be food for wormes, should be so highly prized, and constantly gratified; and an angelical spirit, the soul which must live for ever, so basely slighted and unworthily neglected: that every soul-damning lust should be so heartily embra­ced; and the soul-saving Lord but coldly and complementally entertained: that the road to Hell should be so exceedingly filled, and the way to Heaven almost wholly unoccu­pied. Surely this ought to be for a bitter lamentation; and O what sea of blood is enough to bemoan this horrid wicked­nesse!

It hath seemed to me therefore a matter worthy of diligent enquiry, what special Malefactors should be indicted for these ma­ny soul-mischeifs, and soul-murders, which are committed amongst us. And truly by [Page] that acquaintance which I have with the Word of God, and experience of the soul-affairs of men, I find, though many Accessa­ries might be named, that ignorance ought to be arraigned and condemned as one of the principals. The people perish for want of knowledge, Hos. 4.6, Inner darkness is the beaten path to utter darkness, to the black­ness of darkness for ever. Men in this mist of ignorance (like ships) run upon those rocks which split them eternally. As the Indians prefer every toy and trifle before their Mines of Gold; so they, every sensu­all sinful pleasure, every foolish perishing creature, before the beautiful Image of God, the unsearchable riches in Christ, the end­less happiness in Heaven; because they know not the vanity and emptiness of the former, the excellency and pretiousness of the latter. Did men know the gift of God, and who it is that speaketh to them, Ignoti nul­la cu [...]ido. and what he of­fereth, they would ask of him, and he would give them living waters, John 4.10.

What is the reason, that so many make a mock of sin, and dance merrily over the in­fernal pit, and play with the unquenchable fire, but ignorance? The Child doth not know that the fire will burn him. As the [Page] Horse they rush into the battel (fighting against God and their souls) not knowing it will be to their destruction, to their dam­nation. These Balaams run greedily after the wages of unrighteousness, not seeing the Angel that standeth in the way with a drawn sword in his hand ready to kill them. Did they know what they do, when they wilfully break Gods Law, they would soon­er leap into a furnace of scalding lead, than provoke so jealous a God. But sin goeth in a disguise, and thence is welcome; like Ju­das, it kisseth and kils; like Joab, it salutes and slayes. The foolish sinner seeth the pleasant streames of Jordan, but not the dead Sea, into which they will certainly empty themselves to his ruine.

What is the reason that the Devil carri­eth so many captive at his will, leadeth them whither he pleaseth, but ignorance? They are ignorant of his wiles, of his devi­ces: they know not (as drunken Lot of his Daughters) when he cometh, nor when he goeth. The Prince of darkness takes up his throne in dark understandings. The god of this world blindeth their minds, 2 Cor. 4.4. least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them. How easie [Page] is it for him to lead blind men out of the way, and then to destroy them! as Pliny saith, the Eagle deals with the Hart, she lights upon his horns, and there flutters up and down filling his eyes with dust, born in her feathers, that at last he may cast himself from the rock, and so be made a prey unto her: so the wicked one bindeth a muffler before mens eyes, and then turneth them off the ladder and executes them.

What is the cause of mens scandalous practices but ignorance? The dark corners of the earth ar [...] full of the habitations of cruel­ty, Psal. 74.20. The flood-gates of wick­ednesse are open, when the door of know­ledge is shut; the cause why there was no mercy, nor truth in the land, but swear­ing, and lying, and stealing, comitting a­dultery, and blood touching blood, was ignorance, Hos. 4.1, 2. This is the root of bitterness on which those cursed fruits grow. This is the blind Captain, which like Zilpah hath a Gad, a troop of enormi­ties following him. Paul thanks ignorance for his blasphemy and persecuting the Church, 1 Tim. 1.13. The reason why the heathen did not call on God, was because they did not know him, Psal. 79.6. The [Page] most ugly and monstruous wickedness, which ever was hatched or brought forth, calleth ignorance mother. Had they known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. Act. 3.15.17. What Augustine saith of Original sin, is (in some respects) true of Ignorance, it is peccatum, poena peccati, & causa peccati; It is a sin as contrary to the law of God which requireth men to know him, 1 Chron. 28.9. Lev. 5.15.18. It is the punishment of sin as the fruit of our apostacy from God; It is the cause of sin, as toads and serpents grow in dark cellars; as blind Alehouses are sinks and sources of all villanies, so are dark and blind hearts. They are strangers to the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, Eph 4.18.

Ignorantiae [...]uae pessi­maefiliae, Falsitas & Dubietas, Aug. de c [...]vit. d [...]i l. 22. c. 22.What is the cause of mens erroneous principles but ignorance? They erre, not knowing the Scriptures, Mat. 22.29. Im­postors like cozening tradesmen, when they have men in a dark shop, put what rotten deceitful ware they please into their hands; they lead captive silly women, that are ever learning and never coming to the know­ledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3.6, 7. Hereticks like nurses may put meat or poison into [Page] their mouths who are babes in understand­ing; they that are children in knowledge will be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. The blind man eates many a flye, and the ignorant man swallows many an er­ror. Men will easily be brought to deny the truths which they understand not, and to speak evil of the things which they know not, Jude vers. 10. Simul ac desinunt igno­rare, desinunt odisse, saith Tertullia [...] (in apolog.) of them that condemned the Christian Re­ligion.

What is the reason that men put God off, either with no service or worship at all, or else with a few cold superficial lazy du­ties, without either heat or life, but their ig­norance? They know not the Majesty, purity, jealousie, and severity of God; they wor­ship they know not whom, and therefore they worship him they care not how; their Altars are of any slight form or fashion, be­cause (like the Athenians) they are dedicated to the unknown God; they that know not their masters will, cannot obey it. Some cry up their good meanings to excuse their ig­norance; but ignorant devotion is like feet without eyes, which the farther they carry men, the greater is their wandring and wo.

What is the reason that men take up short of Christ, and renewing grace, that they please themselves with the shadow in­stead of the substance of Religion, that they cry peace, peace, to their souls onely upon some outward priviledges or a few in­ward good meanings (as they call them) when they are in a most damnable condition, and suddain destruction is ready to seise on them (as travail on a woman with child) which they cannot escape; surely it is ignorance of the nature of Christianity and sanctifi­cation; they know not what regeneration is, and what faith and repentance are, which are the conditions upon which salvation may be had; therefore they rest in forms (which will fade) when their hearts and lives deny the power of godlinesse. This, this is (not as Papists would perswade their deluded votaries the mother of devotion, but) the monster which causeth such hide­ous births of corruption. This is the epi­demical disease that raigneth all the year long, and killeth (I fear) more souls then any of our new distempers doth bodies: For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from hea­ven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, [Page] and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; Which shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, 2 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. This, this is the sourse of mens sins on earth and eternal sufferings in hell.

But one would think such truths as these might be seasonable in Turky or India, or in Spain and Italy, where the tree of know­ledge is forbidden fruit, where they may not read their fathers mind in their mother tongue; but is it possible that in England (where the will and word of God is more powerfully preached, more practically ap­plied, more clearly discovered than in any nation of the world) there should be any ignorant persons? Alas, alas, We finde by woful experience that there are many, very many Indians and heathen (for ignorance) in England. Men and women that know as little of God and holiness of Christ, his natures, offices, of true faith and repentance, as if they had been born, and bred up all their time in Turky or India. I am asham­ed to write what I know of the sottish stu­pid hellish ignorance of many, and some that are aged too, that are going to dye, and yet never knew what it was to live, ei­ther [Page] to God or their souls. The good Lord affect my heart more with the danger and dreadfulnesse of their eternal condi­tions.

O how sad is it that so many precious souls should lie lazing on their beds of secu­rity and idleness, and though the Sun shine brightly in upon them, they will not draw their curtains and open their eyes to behold it! That in a valley of vision, a Goshen, a land of light, thousands should live and dye in worse then Egyptian darknesse; that the Bible should be a sealed book to them, and almost every one have the dark side of that glorious pillar towards him!

Reader, To cure this soul-murdering distemper, I have endeavored (according to the trust committed to me, and the grace bestowed on me) to discover in this Treatise the life in Christ, or true Christi­anity, with the matchless endless felicity that accompanieth it; as also the nature and danger of unregeneracy, with the means to come out of it; by which thou mayst see that many cozen their souls with counterfeit coin (false evidences for heaven) instead of true, which will not abide the touchstone of Scripture, and so like Uriah, they carry [Page] those letters about them, though they know it not, which will at last cost them their lives, and cause their eternal deaths. That there is no fool like the sinner who selleth his soul for a song; his Saviour, his eternal happiness, the unspeakable plea­sures at Gods right hand for evermore, for the perishing empty profits, and base brutish pleasures of sin, which are but for a season; Though sin be delightful in the act (to car­nal wretches) yet it will be bitterness in the end. It will be a bitter-sweet to all its lovers, when for their momentany pleasure they shall be recompenced with eternity of into­lerable unconceivable pain. That it is not for nothing that Ministers call so loudly and earnestly to thee, to kill those lusts which would kill thee, and to follow after holiness, without which no man shall ever see the Lord, Heb. 12.14. It will teach thee, that God and Christ, heaven and hell, thy soul and eternity, death and judgement are not things to be dallied with; believe it, thou wilt one day find that it is bad jesting with such edged tools. Surely the greatest seriousness that is imaginable is too too lit­tle for them. O hadst thou but the thou­sandth part of that seriousness about them [Page] which they deserve, and call for at thy hands; surely thou wouldst have other man­ner of thoughts of them, and carriage to­wards them then now thou hast. Well, I have four special things at present from the living God to commend to thee and leave with thee in order to thine eternal good (I known not how soon I may be taken from thee) If thou lovest thy soul, practice them faithfully; if not, answer the contrary when thou and I shall meet in the other world at the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus.

First, do thou labor for the knowledge of God and his Son, thy self, and the duty which thou owest to thy Maker and Re­deemer; hast thou not read the doleful con­sequence of ignorance? and doth it not nearly concern thee to get out of that dam­nable condition?

Without this thou canst never be Reli­gious, notwithstanding all thy pretences that thou meanest well, and hast as good an heart as the best. If thou knowest not the God of thy fathers, thou canst never serve him with a perfect heart, 1 Chron. 28.9. All thy worship will be but wild, and wan­dering from God; all thy services but the [Page] sacrifice of a fool; The foundation of o­bedience must be laid in knowledge, Mal. 1.8. till then thou offerest up to the Lord, the lame and blind, which he will not ac­cept. God expecteth reasonable services, Rom. 12.1. such for which thou canst give a good reason out of his word, which must be the warrant of thy worship. Be not therefore in shape a man, a reasonable crea­ture, and as NebuchadneZZar, in heart a beast; be not as the horse and mule which hath no understanding, Psal. 32.9.

Without knowledge thou canst not be saved; If the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that perish, 2 Cor. 4.4. Wilful igno­rance is a sad sign that thou art in Gods black bill. If God will ever have thee to be saved, he will bring thee to the know­ledge of this truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. When Ham­mans face was covered, his execution was near. Do not delude and destroy thy soul by presuming that thy ignorance will not damne thee; for if thou art without know­ledge, he that made thee will not save thee, and he that formed thee will shew thee no mercy, Isa. 27.11. Mark Reader but this one place, Psal. 95.10, 11. where the God of truth confirmeth it by an oath that they [Page] which do not know his ways, shall not enter into his rest. One would think that a pri­soner should be both earnest and diligent to learn his neck verse, who knoweth he must be hanged if he cannot read; and dost not thou read in broad Characters, in the word of God, that thou must be an eternal monument of divine fury in hell, if thou dost not learn to know the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent? doth it not then behove thee to be diligent for knowledge?

1. How shouldst thou wait on the word of God which enlightneth the mind, and maketh wise the simple! Auditus est sensus disciplinae. Psal. 19.7, 8. Da­vid had more understanding then the anci­ents, because Gods word was his meditati­on, Psa. 119.98, 99. Watch at wisdoms gate, with an humble hungry soul, and God may fill thee with good things; God maketh ma­nifest the favour of his knowledge by his Mnisters in every place, 2 Cor. 2.14. If thou wouldst see, go where the Sunne shineth.

2. Ply the throne of grace with uncessant prayers, Bene or assc est bene studuisse. that God would enlighten thy mind in the knowledge of his will. If any man lack wisdom or knowledge, let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, [Page] Jam. 1.5. Intreat him to open thine eyes that thou mayst see the wonderful things contained in his law, Psal. 119.18. If thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as sil­ver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God; For the Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth cometh know­ledge and understanding, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5, 6.

3. Take heed of sinning against those commands which thou knowest: Hold not the truth in unrighteousness; Do not wan­ton away the light, least God give thee up to judiciary darkness. Thou knowest thou shouldst pray with thy family, and in secret; make conscience of the Lords day, instruct thy children, forbear drunkenness, swearing, lying, uncleanness, and the like; be sure thou do not shut up this knowledge in thy consci­ence, and deny it in thy conversation, lest (as a candle pent up in a dark lanthorn) it swail out quickly. If any man will do my will, he shall know my doctrine whether it be of God or no, John 7.17. To practice what you know, is the way to know what to practice; Knowledge is the mother of obedience, it breeds it; and obedience is [Page] the nurse of knowledge, it feedeth and nurtureth it; if thou improvest thy little stock well, doubt not but God will adde to it and encrease it; leave no means untried for the obtaining this purchase. I have (if thou belongest to our Parish) offered thee to instruct thee to my power in the mysteries of Christ, appointed also days for that end; it may be thou art one of those many that ate too old to learn, that scorn to be taught. I would ask thee one question, and think of it, Art thou not too old to be saved? Dost thou not scorn to go to heaven? Surely thou dost; by contemning the way thou scornest the end. Well take heed thou dost not die without knowledge; for if thou dost, all the world cannot keep thee one quarter of an hour out of hell, and then thou wilt have time enough to befool thy self for refusing a good offer, and will­fully rejecting through thy pride those things which concerned thine eternal peace. I shall conclude this head with the words of that eminent and pious writer. Mr. Gur­nal Arm 1 part, p. 239, 240. ‘How long (saith he) may a poor Minister sit in his study before any of the ignorant sort will come upon that errand ( i. e. to learn the knowledge of God & themselves)! Lawyers [Page] have their Clients, and Physicians their Pa­tients; these are sought after & called up at midnight for counsel; but alas the soul which is more worth then raiment and body too, that is neglected and the Minister seldome thought one, till both these be sent away. Perhaps when the Physitian gives them over for dead, then we must come and close up their eyes with comfort, which were never opened to see Christ in his truth, or else be counted cruel, because we will not sprinkle them with this holy water, and anoint them for the Kingdom of heaven, though they know not a step of the way that leads to it. Ah, poor wretches, what comfort would you nave us speak to those to whom God himself speaks terror? Is heaven ours to give to whom we please? or is it in our power to alter the laws of the most High, and save those whom he condemns? Do you remember the curse that is to fall upon his head, that maketh the blind to wander out of the way? Deut. 27.18. What curse then would be our portion, if we should confirm such blind souls as are quite out of the way to heaven, encouraging them to go on, and expect to reach heaven at last, [Page] when God knows, their feet stand in those paths that lead to eternal death? No, 'tis written, we cannot. God will not reverse it, you may read your very names amongst those damned souls which Christ comes in flaming fire to take vengeance on, 2 Thess. 1.8. And therefore in the fear of God let this provoke you of what age or sex, rank or condition soever you be, to labor for the saving knowledge of God in Christ, whom to know is life eternal, John 17.3.’

Secondly, Do not rest in bare knowledge but endeavor to get thy will, affections, and heart renewed; a clear head must be ac­companied with a clean heart; saving knowledge is ever a sanctifying knowledge. Content not thy self with any thing short of regeneration and the power of godliness; Master Robert Bolton, Mr. Bol­tons life [...]y Master [...]gshaw. when dying, told his children, That he verily believed none of them durst think to meet him at the great tribunal in an unregenerate estate. So I am confident that none of you can with any comfort (nay without unspeakable horror and sorrow) meet me at the Bar of Christ in your natural estates. O how sad will it be for thee that art now asleep in sin, to [Page] awake (like the Jailor) at the midnight of death, and to find this inward change, this new creation, this life in Christ missing: what an heart quake will possess thee? how pale and trembling wilt thou spring in­to the presence of Christ, in the other world for thy particular judgement! Con­sider thy profession will not serve turn; the storm of death will wash out all colours of profession that are not laid in the oyle of re­newing grace, Mat. 25.8.

Thy priviledges will not do it; circumci­sion is nothing, nor uncircumcision but a new creature, Gal. 6.15. Thou mayst enjoy Scripture, and Sabbaths, and Sacraments, and many seasons of grace, and hell at last. Nay the higher thy exaltation (in regard of these priviledges) if thou diest unconver­ted, the greater thy condemnation will be. None go to such Chambers of utter dark­ness, as they that are lighted thither with the torches of Ordinances. Heathen will keep holy day in hell, in comparison of those that are now lifted up to heaven and perish. If the sweetest wine make such sharp vinegar, and the cold lead when melted be so hot and scalding; how pure and weighty will that wrath be which shall [Page] be extracted out of abused love and mercy! Grace is the sweetest friend, but the bitter­est enemy. If thou waste the riches of grace, God will recover out of thee riches of glory. Thy performances also can be no infallible evidence of thy good estate. The Pharisees prayed, fasted, did (many of them) abound in outward acts of charity, righte­ousness and holiness (which are commanded by God, and must be minded by all that will be saved) and yet Christ telleth us ex­presly, That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 5.20. There was in them a [...] in the young man one thing wanting, and that was the regeneration of their natures, the actual predominancy of the interest o [...] God and Christ in their hearts above all interest of the flesh and world. I beseech thee therefore make sure of the new birth, without which it is impossible for thee to es­cape the second death. I have in the third use of this Treatise endeavoured to awake [...] thee to, and to direct thee about this great work, as in the first use I have discovered the unspeakable endless misery of them that dye before it be done. Those which had [Page] the Sudor Anglicus or sweating sicknes [...], dy­ed assuredly if suffered to sleep; those were their best friends that kept them wak­ing, though they (possibly) had little thank for it. It may be thou mayst think I am too sharpe; but truely the wound is deep, dan­gerous, yea deadly, and therefore though I put thee to pain by lancing it, I am forced to it, otherwise thou wilt not be cured. Sin and hell, and holiness and sanctification are other manner of things then the sleepy world dreameth of.

The Lord give thee an heart to obey his counsel in order to thy conversion, and then I am sure thou wilt have cause to give him thanks that I would not let thee sleep quiet­ly on a bed that was in a flame, nor in an condition that was next door to infinite mi­sery and eternal desperation.

Thirdly, exalt godliness in thy family. If once Christ be chief in thy heart, I am confident he will to thy utmost power be so in thy house; that thou art really, which thou art relatively. Labor that thy chil­dren and servants may know and serve God▪ Dwell with thy wife as a man of know­ledge, as heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindred. 1 Pet. 3.7. [Page] Bring up thy children in the nurture and ad­monition of the Lord, Eph. 6 4. Teach thy servants their duty to God and their own souls. Consider these are the laws of the righteous God; and ere long when thou shalt leave all the dying and lying vanities of this world, thou must give an account in the other world, how thou hast obeyed them. God hath committed a great trust to thee, even the charge of the souls of all in thy family; and doth not thine heart tremble to think of soul-blood, of soul-murder! I assure thee thou mayst be as true­ly and really guilty of their deaths and dam­nations by starving them as by poisoning them. I mean by not instructing, chatechi­zing, and principling them in the things of God, by not praying with them, and over seeing that they mind the worship of God, as in making them drunk, and teaching them to steal and swear.

For thy children, Dost thou not know that they are born children of wrath, and heirs of hell? and canst thou be quiet till thou seest in them some signs and hopes of regeneration; an interest in Christ, and thereby a right to heaven? When thou readest of Herod, how he murdered poor [Page] children, thou condemnest him; thou thinkest Ah hard-hearted Herod! But dost not thou do ten thousand times worse, in murdering the souls and bodies of thy dear children for e­ver? Ah hard-hearted, ah bloody fa­ther! Herod was a man of bowels, a merci­ful man to thee. Is it any wonder to hear (saith one) of that ship sunk, or dasht upon a rock, that was put to sea without card of compass? nor is it a wonder to hear of chil­dren sinking in perdition, who are thrust into the world, which is a sea of tempta­tions, without any knowledge of God and their duty. One would think every time thou readest and hearest of the extremity and eternity of hells torments, of the mul­titudes that must undergo them, of the few even of those within the visible Church that shall be saved, and of the difficulty of obtaining salvation, that thy loyns should tremble, and thy joynts smite together; that thy head, yea heart should ake for fear any of thy dear children should be among those many that must drink that cup of the Lords pure wrath; & that thou shouldst be restless night and day in wrastling with [...]od, and instructing them, in using all means to prevent their endless ruine; surely if thou [Page] hadst a spark of true love to thy children, thus it would be with thee.

And for thy servants, unless thou art careful, that they serve the Lord, they are but little beholden to thee for thy service; thou givest them (possibly) food and outward things convenient, but dost thou not do as much for thy cattel? And is it thinkest thou, enough to do no more for those souls which must live in unspeakable pain or plea­sure for ever, then for thy beasts? If he that provideth not for the bodies of his fa­mily, be worse then an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. surely he that provideth not for their souls, is kin to a devil; say not, they are stub­born and will not be taught. Hast not thou power in thy hands either to teach them, or turn them out of doors? Let none serve thee that will not serve God. Thou wilt not keep a servant that knoweth not how to do thy work, at least if he will not learn, and then follow it with diligence; Now let thy conscience be judge; Is not Gods work (the pleasing and glorifying his infi­nite majesty) of far greater concernment than thy greatest and weightest work? and darest thou keep one that neither knoweth how to do it, nor will learn? Follow the [Page] man after Gods own heart, Ps. 101.2.9. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart: Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful in the land that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. It is said of Constantine (that in this he was truely great) that he would have his whole Court gathered together, and cause the Scriptures to be read to them, and instru­ction to be given them from the Word of God.

Besides, if thou didst but regard thy own temporal good, thou wouldst instruct thy servants and children in spiritual things; for they that are unfaithful to their Master and father in heaven, will be unfaithful to their master and father on earth. They that make no conscience of their duty to God, but rob him of his service and worship, will never make conscience of their duty to thee, but if they have opportunity, will rob thee of thy time, service, and goods.

Be sure that thou performe family duties, as praying, reading, and the like, morning and evening; do not serve the flesh and the world all day, and then put God off with a few cold sleepy petitions at night; the com­mand is, Pray continually, 1 Thess. 5.17. [Page] Daniel was at it three times a day, Dan. 6.10. David seven times a day, Psal. 119.164. Gods mercies are renewed on thee every morning, and should not thy prayers and praises be renewed every morning? Doth not the preservation of thy family every night, deserve family acknowledgement in the morning? Wearisome nights are ap­pointed to others; the beds of others prove their graves, thou and thine might have a­waken in hell; doth this distinguishing mer­cy deserve no thanks? Is not thy family every day lyable to many dangers, both bodily and spiritual? doth it not need pitying, san­ctifying, pardoning, directing, preventing mercy every day, nay every moment? and is not all this worth a prayer? Upon no account neglect the offering up of these morning and evening sacrifices; let thy prayers and of the rest in the family come up before the Lord in the morning like in­cense, and the lifting up of thine hands at night as an evening sacrifice.

Do not say as sometimes I have heard of thee, that thou canst not spare time for these duties, thy family is great, and thou canst not get them altogether, thy busi­ness is great, and a little time spent this [Page] way, may wrong thee; I answer thee, Canst thou get all thy family together twice a day to set meals for their bodies, and canst thou not get them together twice a day for set meals (family duties) for their souls? 2. What greater or weighter business canst thou have, then the working out the salva­tion of thy own, and the souls committed to thy charge? are not the most impor­tant affairs thou canst possibly deal about, but toys and trifles to this? 3. Was not Davids family greater then thine, and his occasions weighter? and yet he could find time (though a King) for family duties, Psal. 101.9. He and his Queen did both instruct their child in the things of God, 1 Chron. 28.9. Pro. 4.3. to 10. Pro. 31. If thou art poor, and saist thou art to provide for thy family, see an answer to that in this book, pag. 187.188.189. Though God will give you both another manner of answer to your foolish pretences, when ye ap­pear at the judgement seat of Christ.

Have a special care also of the sanctifica­tion of the Lords day in thy family; re­member the living God commandeth thee, that thou, thy son, thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and all [Page] within thy gate keep that day holy. Do not make the sins of others thine by thy pattern or permission; let not that queen of days be defloured or prophaned by idle­ness, earthly thoughts, words, or actions; spend the whole time which thou sparest from the publike Ordinances, in secret and private duties, as praying, reading, singing, chatechising, taking an account of thy children and servants, what they know of the mysteries of Christ, and particularly what they have learned that day. Esteem it a special priviledge, a great mercy, that thou and thine may upon that day sequester your selves wholly from worldly imploy­ments, and enjoy communion with the bles­sed God in the means of grace. This I shall be bold to tell thee, that Religion and the service of the most high God in thy family, dependeth much, yea very much upon thy observation of the Lords day; thou mayst expect its increase or decrease according to thy sanctification or prophanation of it. In the Primitive times when the question was Servasti Dominicum? the answer was, Chri­stianus sum, omittere non possum. Thou pre­tendest to be a Christian, make conscience of every minute of that day of Christ. Be [Page] sure that thou and as many of thy fa­mily as can possily be spared, attend with all diligence and reverence at the publike place of worship; there God receiveth the great­est praises, and there he bestoweth the choicest mercies. O blessed are they that dwell in his house, blessed are they that wait at Wisdoms gates, that watch at the posts of her doors, Prov. 8. In all things shew thy self a pattern to them that are under thy care and charge; the peop!e commit­ted to thy government, will sooner imitate thy doings, then obey thy sayings. Sin cometh in at first by propagation, but is in­creased exceedingly by imitation; thou that hast thy children and servants follow­ing thee either to heaven or to hel, hast need choose a right path, even the narrow way that leadeth to life. Weigh thy words, con­sidering that they will learn thy language; avoid those sinful expressions of Faith and Troth (let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; for whatsoever is more is evil) of re­peating others oathes, of speaking irreve­rently of the great God and his word, of wishing evil on any man; for the command is, Bless them that curse, Mat. 5.44. let no evil communication proceed out of thy lips, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] but let thy speech be seasoned with grace, that it may administer good, and be exem­plary to the hearers. Look well to thy works, that they be agreeable to the word of God. In thy Religious performances especially manifest all reverence, fervency, & seriousness, that thy children and servants may see that thou art in earnest about soul-affairs; about eternity-concernments; thou little knowest how profitable such a pattern may be unto them. Do thy utmost, use all means commanded thee to save thy self and them that dwell with thee. Be confident that shortly Christ will say to thee as Eliah to David, With whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? What is be­come of the children and servants which I intrusted thee with? will it be enough think­est thou for thee then to answer, Lord, For my children, I brought them up without any charge to the Parish; or Lord, I bred them Gentlemen; or I put them out to trades, or I left them competent estates. And for my servants, I paid them their wa­ges, gave them their meat and drink, ac­cording to my agreement with them. When Christ shall reply (Man) what is become of their souls which I created capable of the [Page] im­mediate fruition of my self, which I re­deemed with my precious blood? what shame will then cover thy face, and what horror fill thy heart, when the blood of their souls shall be required of thee! O therefore let Joshuahs practice and resoluti­on be thine, That thou and thy house will serve the Lord, Josh. 24.15.

Fourthly, Make Religion and the wor­shipping and glorifying the great God the great business of thy whole life. Improve all thy time, power, estate, interests, and talents whatsoever to the utmost, for the honor of God, and thine own everlasting good. Look on thy self as created, pre­served, supplyed with nightly, daily, hour­ly mercies (not for the service of thy flesh, no, that end were mean and low, but) that thou mightest be enabled unto and encour­aged in the service of the glorious God; Surely saith that noble Lord Du Plessi [...], In the epistle before Ve­ritaes Chri­stia. Relig. If all the world were made for man, then man was made for more then the world. All the favors thou enjoyest are but baitslaid by God to catch thy soul; as they come all from him, so let them be improved all for him. It is godliness alone that will hold out when thou comest to the greatest [Page] hardships at the day of affliction and the hour of thy dissolution. The good man and his godliness are like Saul and Jonathan, lovely in their lives, and in their deaths they are not divided, therefore exer­cise thy self unto godliness. It may be, thou art one to whom God hath given much in the world; I must tell thee that much will be required of thee; the greater thy receipts are, the greater thy returns must be, and the larger thy dis­bursements for God; make to thy self friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when that faileth, thou maist be re­ceived into the Celestial habitation. The way to get that which thou canst not part with, is by charity to part with that which thou canst not keep. Thou canct not car­ry thy bags to heaven; it is good to take bills of exchange from the poor, whereby thou maist receive there what thou couldst not carry thither; Laudent te esurientium vis­cera, non ructantium opulenta convivia, saith Hierom. It is storied of Alexander, that ha­ving given away almost all he had, one of his friends asked him where his treasure was; he answered, pointing to the poor, In scriniis, in his chest. He asked him what he had left [Page] for himself; Alexander answers, spem majo­rum. Let thy charity especially relate to the souls of people. What were it for thee to maintain four or six poor children at School, whereby they may come to read, and learn to know the way to life? Doth it not grieve thee to understand the gross ignorance of many! and what do they tell us (when we reprove them for it) that they are not book learned, they could never read! What were it for thee that hast (pos­sibly) severall hundreds per annum, to give twenty pound a year this way? I tell thee that God expecteth more than this for his service; and I am confident thou maist have more comfort in such acts of soul-charity, than in ten times the value bestowed on the world and the flesh. I am sure God keepeth an exact account how thou employest thy revenues; and think of it again and again, what thou wilt do in such an hour, when thou shalt stand naked at the judgement seat of Christ, and all thy receipts and disburs­ments shall be declared and mentioned be­fore the Lord, Angels, and Men; when Im­primis Pride cometh with her Tailors long bill of so many thousands for new fashions, foolish fancies, or gaudy attire for thee or [Page] thine, when the poor members of Christ were ready to perish with nakedness. Item, Gluttony or drunkenness, or luxury, so ma­ny thousands. Item, So many hundreds for Hauks or Hounds, or gaming. Item, so many hundreds for idle needless expences. Item, for propagating the gospel, relieving the poor, exalting the interest of Christ, so many pounds, or onely some few scraps, which the Knight or Esquire, or Gentleman could spare after he had made full provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Be­lieve it, thou wilt wish then, thou hadst done more for God and his interest, and less for the flesh. It was a wise speech of Licon the Philosopher (when a wealthy Mer­chant bragd to him of the multitudes of his ships and furniture for sea, Laert. how he was able to trade into all parts) I esteem not that to be felicitie which hangs upon ropes and cables. Sure I am thy wealth hath wings, and will within a few daies take an eternal flight from thee; the way to make the best of it, is not to lay it up, but to lay it out as may be most for the glory of God

Whoever thou art, whether poor or rich, make an absolute dedication of thy self and [Page] thy all unto Christ, if thou wouldst attain salvation by Christ. He that cannot live of himself, must not live to himself; for if he doth, he dieth eternallie, he loseth him­self for ever. If heaven might be had up­on mens cursed terms of liberty for their lusts, Christ would have customers enough; but he that bought the purchase is fittest to set the price.

Reader, I set before thee in this Treatise Life and Death, Heaven and Hell; if thou art a true Isaac, and hast a spiritual appetite, I dare promise thee such savoury meat as thy soul loveth; but if Gallio-like, thou carest for none of these things, or as the two tribes and an half, desirest thy portion on this side the land of Canaan; If as Spira thou wilt put thy relations and possessions, honor and pleasure, and outward good things in one scale; and God, and Christ, and Heaven in the other; and then choose the former, and refuse the latter; I hope I shall never envy thy happiness, nor desire to eat of thy dainties, or drink of thy cup, but pray that the Lord would have mer­cy on the; onely let me tell thee; if thou [Page] wouldst avoid the unconceivable endless misery of the damned; if thou wouldst at­tain the eternal matchless felicity of the sa­ved: If thou wouldst have all thy former rebellions blotted out through the blood of the Son; If thou wouldst have thy person reconciled to the Father; If thou wouldst have God in Christ to stand by thee, when none of thy friends or comforts shall own thee; if thou wouldst appear at the dread­ful Bar of Christ with comfort, when thousands and millions shall weep and wail; If thou wouldst not have me, nor this book to be a witness against thee before the Lord, Angels and men: then turn from sin speedi­ly, cleave to thy Saviour unfainedly, give up thy self to all the commands of Christ unreservedly; To day if thou wilt hear his voice, harden not thy heart, least he swear in his wrath, that thou shalt never enter into his rest, Heb. 3.

Reader I shall detain thee but a little longer in the porch, onely to give thee a brief ac­count of this ensuing tractate; Though I confess I never liked large Apologies for any publications; for if mens books are like to [Page] be serviceable to the honor of the infinite God, and the welfare of the souls of men, [...] small a Apology will serve; if they are [...]ot, why do they trouble the world [...]ith them? It is not all the image and [...]uperscription, which their excuses can [...]amp on them, shall ever make them [...]urrant coin with me. I was called to [...]each a Sermon at Borden in Kent, Octob. 7. 1658. at the Funeral of a grave Re­ [...]gious Gentlewoma [...] (one that (as I am [...]formed) was a tender mother of her [...]ildren, and a dutiful daughter to the [...]ther of Spirits) Mistris Beresford, wi­ [...]w of Master Michael Beresferd, a learn­ [...] painful godly Minister of the Lord Je­ [...] Christ, who had a good report of [...] men (that feared God and knew [...]) and of the truth it self; He was [...]nister of the abovenamed Parish above [...]nty years.

[...] was after the preaching of it, re­ [...]ed to publish it, and promised that [...]nsiderable number should be freely [...]red in several families, whereby [...]gh the blessing of God, some poor [Page] souls might be turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Sata [...] unto God. Before I had prepared th [...] Sermon for the Presse, I was intreate [...] to inlarge it into a Treatise. All whic [...] desires I was willing to satisfie, part [...] out of the great respect I did bear Mr. John Beresford Citizen & Apotheca­ry, one that feareth the Lord a­bo [...]e ma­ny. one especially that earnestly begd i [...] but chiesly out of the weak desire I [...] to be instrumental for the conversion [...] the souls of them to whom the Serm [...] was preached, and of the Parish wh [...] the Lord had committed to my cha [...] I considered with my self that by r [...] son of my sickly and infirm body, I [...] not likely to continue long with t [...] people, to which the providence of [...] did at first joyn me, and from whic [...] far greater things could never divorce [...] and therefore it might not be need [...] to leave them some testimony of my [...] fained desires of their eternal welfa [...] Who knoweth what this mean pi [...] may do, if the divine power pleas [...] accompany it? Possibly out of the [...] that is here sown, when the husb [...] man is dead, an harvest may be [...] ed [Page] of glory to God and good to souls.

Reader, If thou gain any spiritual pro­fit by it, let God have the praise, and let him be remembred in thy prayers, who is

Thy Servant for Christs sake, George Swinnocke.
Febr. 22. 1658./9.

THE Contents.

  • TWo great Lessons to be learned of all page 1
  • The division of the Chapter p. 2, 3.
  • The meaning of the words p. 4, 5.
  • Doct. They that have Christ for their life, shall have gain by their death p. 6.
  • What is implyed in, To me to live is Christ p. 6.
  • 1. Christ the principle of a Christians life p. 6, 7, 8.
  • 2. Christ the pattern p. 9, 10.
  • 3. Christ the Comfort p. 11. 12, 13, 14.
  • 4. Christ the end p. 15.
  • [Page]Wherein a Christian is a gainer by death p. 19.
  • 1. He gaineth a freedom from all evil ibi.
    • 1. From the evil of sin p. 20.
      • 1. From the commission of it p. 20, 21, 22.
      • 2. From temptations to it p. 24, 25, 26.
    • 2. From the evil of suffering p. 27, 28.
      • 1. From ignominy in his name p. 29, 30.
      • 2. From infirmities in his body p. 31, 32.
      • 3. From sorrow in his soul p. 33, 34.
  • 2. He gaineth the fruition of all good p. 3 [...].
    • 1. The society of perfect Christians p 36, 37.
    • 2. Nearest communnion with Jesus Christ p. 38, 39, 40.
    • 3. The enjoyment of the blessed God p. 42, 43, 44.
    • which shall be
      • Full p. 47, 48.
      • Immediate p. 49, 50, 51.

1. Use, by way of Information.

  • The difference betwixt the estates of the good and bad at death p. 54. to 63.
    • 1. The sinner loseth by death p. 64.
      • 1. All his carnal comforts, his relations, [Page] wealth, honor, mirth, and that for e­ver p. 65. to 68.
      • The difference between a Saints loss of outward things by death, and a sinners p. 68. to 73.
      • 2. All the means of grace p. 73. to 78.
      • 3. The society of all the Saints p. 78. to 82.
      • 4. All his hopes of heaven p. 82. to 87.
      • 5. His precious soul p. 87. to 95.
      • 6. The blessed God p. 95. to 102.
    • 2. The sinner gaineth by death
      • 1. Fullness of sin p. 102. to 105.
      • 2. Fullness of suffering
        • In regard of intension p. 105. to 111.
        • In regard of duration p. 111. to 122.

2. Use by way of Examination.

  • To try our title to happiness p. 122. to 127.
    • 1. Arguments to inforce this use
      • 1. It is easie and ordinary to mistake p. 127. to 132.
      • 2. True Christians are very few p. 132. to 139.
      • 3. The benefit of a faithful tryal p. 139. to 144.
    • 2. Marks of a true Christian
      • [Page] 1. To him to live is Christ
        • 1. Is Christ the principle of thy life p. 144. to 147.
        • 2. Is Christ the pattern of thy life p. 147. to 150.
        • 3. Is Christ the comfort of thy life p. 150. to 152.
        • 4. Is Christ the end of thy life p. 152. to 155.
      • 2. He hath the Spirit of God p. 155, 156. which is
        • 1. A purifying Spirit p. 156. to 160.
        • 2. Enabling to pray p. 160. to 163.
          • Fervently p. 163. to 166.
          • Frequently p. 166. to 170.
  • Counsel to a Christian that upon tryal findeth his estate good p. 170. to 173.
  • To him that findeth his estate bad p. 173, 174.

3. Use by way of Exhortation.

  • To Labor for this spiritual life, and thereby for this gain p. 175. to 180.
  • Rich men should labor for it p. 180. to 185.
  • Poor men should p. 185. to 190.

Two requests to all that desire this spiritual life.

  • 1. Req. To set about it speedily p. 190. to 195.
    • 1. Hath not God waited on thee long enough already p. 195. to 198.
    • 2. Hast thou not served sin long enough p. 198.
    • 3. Thou wouldst not defer things of lesse concernment p. 199.
    • 4. The longer thou delayest, the farther thou wandrest from God and happiness p. 200.
    • 5. Thou canst not promise thy self the next hour p. 201.
    • 6. Art thou sure God will accept thee here­after p. 202.
  • 2. Req. To set about it seriously, and with all thy might p. 203. to 208.
  • Inforced by a fourfold supposition
    • 1. Sup. Thou hadst seen the terror of the day of judgement p. 208. to 213.
    • [...]. Sup. Thou wert sure to dye this day mo­neth p. 213. to 217.
    • [...]. Sup. Thou couldst speak with thy carnal, sloathful neighbors in hell p. 217. to 218.
    • [Page] 4. Sup. Thou hadst seen the Majesty and purity of the infinite God p. 219. to 222.

Directions for the attaining this spiritual life.

  • 1. Direct. Labor for the knowledge of thy sins and misery p. 224. to 234.
  • Mark that six sheets are false figured in this place in the book
  • 2. Direct. Get thy heart truly affected with, and throughly humbled for thy sins and misery p. 234. to 271.
  • 3. Direct. When thy heart is humbled cast thy self wholly and onely upon the merits of Je­sus Christ p. 171. to 186.
  • 4. Direct. Dedicate thy self and all thou hast to the service, commands and glory of Christ p. 186. to 200.
  • 5. Direct. Be diligent in reading, hearing, and meditating on the word of God p. 200. to 208.
  • 6. Direct. Be frequent and fervent at the throne of grace p. 253. to 263.

Motives to labor for this spiritual life.

  • 1. It is the most honorable life p. 263. to 267.
  • 2. It is the most comfortable life p. 267. to 275
  • 3. It is the most profitable life p. 275.
  • Conclusion of this large use to the unconverted p. 287.

4. Use by way of consolation to all that live spiritually p 288.

  • It is comfortable
    • 1. Against persecution from the world p. 290.
    • 2. Against the temptations of the devil p. 294.
    • 3. Against the corruptions of thy own heart p. 297.
    • 4. Against our own deaths p. 300.
    • 5. Againgst the death of our godly friends and relations p. 303.
  • It is further comfortable if we consider
    • 1. The excellency of this gain which will appear p. 305.
      • 1. By the foretastes of it p. 306.
      • 2. By the price paid for it p 309.
      • 3. By the titles given to it p. 311.
    • [Page] 2. The certainty of this gain p. 315.
      • It is ensured by promise ibid.
      • By witness, by oath, by seals p. 317.
    • 3. The eternity of it p. 318

REader, I desire thee to excuse the unsuit­ableness of some of the page titles, that being the work of the Printers (I intended a running Title according to the several heads which were handled) The Contents will make full satisfaction for that error. My absence from the Press hath occasioned also some few mistakes in the body of the Book; the most consi­derable of which, I have observed, and re­quest thee to amend. The Greek and Latine are mangled in the Margine, but I intending not the Treatise for Scholars, medled little with them, and am the less troubled for the mistakes about them.

Errata.

PAge 7. line 21. r. is p. 20. l. 10. r. there p. 23. l. 21. add i [...] p. 37. l. 8. r. shall p. 41. l. 3. r. Demarathus p. 81. l. 23. r. such p. 116. l. 6. r. life p. 123. l. 2. add shall p. 159. l. 25. 1. whose l. 26. r. mayst p. 192. l. 24. add for p. 198. l. 20. add years p. 278. l. 4. for Christ is a co-heir r. Christ is heir.

Margine. Pag. 4. r. an p. 35. [...]. adeptio p. 39. r. cummo.

Phil. 1.12.

For to me to live, is Christ, and to dye is gain.

IT is a memorable observation of that Christian Heathen, Vivere t [...] ­ta vita di­scendum est, & quod magis for­tasse mira­beris, tota vita discen­dum est mori. Sene. ad Paulin. cap. 7. as he hath been sometime called, That the two great lessons, which every man hath to learn in the whole time of his life, are, how to live, and how to dye; how to live vertuously, and how to die valiantly. These two weighty questions are clearly and fully answered in this Text. It declareth and delivereth such directions about life, as could never be learned in the school of nature, improved to the utmost; It pre­pareth and provideth such a cordial against death, as could never be extracted out of all the creatures distill'd together. And indeed herein the excellency of the Christian Religi­on [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] appeareth above all Religions in the world. None enjoyneth such pious precepts, none subjoyneth such precious promises, none sets the soul about so noble a work, none satisfieth it with such an ample reward.

The scope of the Apostle in this Epistle, 1 is first to confirm the Philippians in the faith of Christ, against the scandal of the Crosse; 2 And secondly to exhort them to such godli­nesse as might be answerable to the Go­spel.

In this first Chapter, Paul encourageth them greatly to be constant in Christiani­ty.

1. From the nature of God, who never doth his works by halves, but performeth what he promiseth, and perfecteth what he beginneth, ver. 6.

2. From his own prayer, which was for their increase, and perseverance in grace, and that inoffensively to Gods glory, verse 9.10.

3. From the happy fruits of his sufferings for the faith. The Rod wherewith he was scourged like Aarons Rod blossomed. First, The Gospel was the more propagated, verse 12. The more the Husbandmen were di­spersed, the more the seed of the Word was [Page 3] scattered; and the deeper the ground was ploughed, it took the better root, and brought forth the greater fruit. Secondly, The Ministers of the Gospel were the more emboldned, ver. 14. True zeal like the fire, burns hottest in the coldest season: and sincerity like the stars, though it may be hid in a warme day, yet it will be sure to shew it self in a frosty night. Thirdly, Eveniunt mihi ut mi: his [...]ut salu­taria. Trem. in Phil. 1.19. Paul him­self should be much advantaged, verse. 19. which latter he amplifieth by acquainting them with the reason of that hope; namely the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, verse 19. and the assurance God had wrought in him, from his experience of what God had done for him, that his Saviour should be honou­red, and his salvation furthered, both by his life and death, ver. 20.21.

The Text considered relatively, contains the ground why the Philippians should not be troubled so much at Pauls trials. For to me to live is Christ, and to dye is gain, i. e. If I be a gainer in all conditions, why should you be discouraged by my afflictions? If suffer­ings advantage the Pastor, why should they dishearten the people? The children may well enjoy a calm in their spirits, when their spiritual Father is safe, nay, a gainer in the grea­ [...]st storme.

Take the words absolutely, and they in­clude first, the character of a Christian while he liveth, To me to live is Christ; and second­ly, the comfort of a Christian when he dyeth, and to die is gain. Or you may take notice of the piety of a Saint in life; To me to live is Christ; and his profit by death, to dye is gain.

For the meaning of the words.

To me, To me who am the mark at which hell and the world shoot their arrowes of per­secution; [...]. To me whose life hath been a ring of miseries ever since my conversion; To me who am set to undergo both mens and devils opposition: yet to me there are spiritual and inward consolations. For to me to live is Christ.

To me to live is Christ. To me who am in Christ, [...]. Nam mihi vivere Christus est, i. e. Tota meavita ad hoc ordina­ta est ut per meum mi­nisterium perque me­am vocati­onem verbis & factis promoveam pro mea virili regnum Christi. Au non hac res bona & cuique fideli optanda? Zanch. in loc. to me to live is Christ. I live not on­ly the life of nature, but I live also the life of grace; I have not only a being from Christ as a man, but likewise a well-being in Christ as a Christian; as I did receive my life from Christ, so I do improve my life for Christ; his honour is my utmost desire, and my grea­test endeavour.

And to die is gain, i. e. [...]. Diodate to this purpose. I having had no other object, no employment but Christ and his service in my life, shall certainly have an eternal advancement at my death. Or Christ is my life here by grace, and hereafter by glo­ry; He is both the Authour and the end of my life; I live for him, I live to him, I live in him, I live by him, and if I be put to death, that shall no way endamage me, but rather bring me great advantage, in regard that thereby I shall gain heaven for earth, an hap­py eternal life for this miserable mortal life. So our larger Annotations sense it. Atqui Christus in utroque membro subjectum esse debet; Christus vi­ta in vita; Christus lucrum in morte. Cal. in loc. Mihi enim est Christus & in vita, & in mor­te lumen. Beza. Some indeed read the words, Christ is my gain both in life and death, and therefore the Apostle was little troubled at, but rather in­different to all conditions. There is a cer­tain truth in this Exposition, though Sic haec sententia non cohaere­bit u [...] r [...]tio­cum praece­dente, quod tamen postulat conjunctio [...]; nama­liud [...]st glo­ria Christi, aliud salus Pauli. Pis­cat. in loc. Pisca­tor will by no means grant it to be the mind of the Spirit in this place.

In the words you may see the sign of a Saint; to him to live is Christ, and his so­lace; to him to die is gain; his holy descripti­on in the former, his happy condition in the latter.

The Text being thus explained, af­fordeth this truth taking both parts of it to­gether.

Doctrine. That such as have Christ for their life, shall have gain by their death.

He that liveth in Christ on earth, shall live with Christ in heaven.

Where the soul hath the seed of holi­nesse, it shall reap an harvest of happi­nesse.

The Apostle when he summeth up the e­state of a believer, counteth death as a part of his riches. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Ce­phas, or the world, or life, or death, all are yours, 1 Cor. 3.22 and ye are Christs; he that can say I am Christs, may as truly say, Death is mine; If thou canst say, I am Christs ser­vant, I am Christs Subject, thou mayest say, Death will be my preferment, death will be my advancement.

For the Explication of this doctrine, I shall shew first, what is meant by that phrase, to me to live is Christ; and secondly, wherein it will appear that death to such a man i [...] gain.

Four things in the phrase, To me to live is Christ.For the former, To me to live is Christ, may imply these four things.

1. Christ is the principle of my life. All living creatures have an inward principle by which they live, and according to which they act. Plants have a principle of vegetation, [Page 7] beasts have a principle of sense, Ad vitam spiritua­lem quod attinet, certum est adnos deri­vari exigu­os quos­dam rivu­los, ipsum autem fon­tem in Christo la­tere. Da­ven. in Col. 3.3. men have a principle of reason, and their lives are diffe­rent, answerable to their different principles. But a Christian hath an higher principle (that is, Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, Ephes. 3.17.) and thence it is that he lives an higher life. As the body liveth by its u­nion with the soul, so the Christian liveth by his union with Jesus Christ; Christ is the fountaine and spring of his life, the soul of his soul, and the life of his life. I live saith the Apostle, Gal. 2.20. yet not I, but Christ li­veth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God.

As the branches, they live, but it is by the root, they derive sap from it, and so live by it: So the believer, he liveth spiritual­ly, but it is by Christ, he deriveth the sap of grace from this true Vine, and so liveth by him.

The water in the Rivers doth not more de­pend upon the Ocean, nor the light in the air upon the Sun, than the life of a Christian de­pendeth on Jesus Christ. And therefore the Holy Ghost telleth us, He that hath the Son, 1 Joh. 5.12. hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.

I have sometime read, that the Lioness bringeth forth her whelps dead, till after some time the lion roareth aloud, and then they live. This is certain, every man and woman is born dead; dead to God, dead in sins and trespas­ses, till this lion of rhe tribe of Judah utter­eth his voice; then they arise from the dead, and Christ giveth them life. When the soul (like the body of Lazarus) hath been dead so long that it stinketh and is unsavory, when it hath been many dayes, nay many years rot­ting in the grave of corruption, then if Jesus Christ calleth effectually, Lazarus, come forth, sinner come forth of thy carnal unregenerate estate: then, and not till then the soul hear­eth the voice of the Son of God, and liveth.

Grace is of a divine birth: Joh. 3.3 it is the seed of God; John 3.3. [...], Except a man be born from above. 1 Joh. 3.9. an unction from the holy One; 1 Joh. 2.27. called dew, which is of a coelestial extraction; Psal. 110.3. and light: 1 Joh. 1.7. the fountain of water is in the earth, but the fountain of light is in the Hea­vens.

Non nas­cimur, sed renascimur christiani.The web of godlinesse was never spun out of mans own bowels: As none can see the Sun but by its own light: so none can with an eye of faith see the Sun of righteousnesse, but by the light of grace derived from him.

We are his workmanship, saith the Apostle, created in Jesus Christ, unto good works: His workmanship, not only in our natural capa­city, as men, as creatures; and in our civil ca­pacity, as rich or poor, high or low; but also in our spiritual capacity, as Christians, as new creatures.

Secondly, To me to live is Christ; i. e. Christ is the pattern of my life; my life is not onely from him, but according to him; Christ is the rule according to which I walk; the copy after which I write: As sin and disobe­dience is a resemblance of the first; so grace and holinesse is a resemblance of the second Adam.

True christianity consisteth in nothing but our conformity to, Sanctitas dicitur per quam mens scipsam & suos act [...] applicat Deo. So the School­ [...]e. and imitation of Jesus Christ: And indeed, as the child in generati­on receiveth from the parent member for member, part for part, and the paper from the press, word for word, letter for lettter, and the wax from the seal, figure for figure: So in regeneration Christ is formed in the soul and it receiveth (according to its proportion) grace for grace.

One end of Christs incarnation and life in the flesh, was to set an exact pattern for our lives in the spirit; He left us an example, that [Page 10] we shoeld follow his steps, 1 Pet. 2.21. All the actions of Christ are instructions to a Christian: His actions were either moral or mediatory; In both the Christian imitates him: In the former, doing as he did, exercising the same graces, performing the same duties, resisting the same temptations, forbearing the same corruptions: In the latter by similitude, dy­ing to sin, as he died for sin; rising to a spiri­tual life, as he rose again to a natural life. None indeed can parallel the life of Christ, but eve­ry new creature imitateth Christ in his life; he walketh as Christ walked, Philip. 2 1 Joh. 2.6. The same mind is in all the Saints (so far as they are re­generated) that was in Christ, the same will, the same affections; they love what he loveth; they loath what he loatheth; what pleaseth him, pleaseth them; what grieveth his spirit, grieveth their spirits: As the wicked are like their father the Devil; unholy, as he is unho­ly; so the children of Christ are like their e­verlasting Father; holy as he is holy; onely with this difference, in Christ there is a ful­nesse, in them a measure; in Christ pureness, in them a mixture.

Thirdly, To me to live is Christ, i. e. Christ is the comfort of my life; though I have ma­ny crosses, yet I have Christ for my comfort: [Page 11] He is the comfort of my life, and the life of all my comforts. All my joyes come in at this door, all my contentments come swimming in this stream.

Piscator observeth that the consolation of Israel is the Periphrasis of Jesus Christ, Luk. 2.25. Because all the consolation of a true Israelite (as Jacobs in Benjamin) is bound up in Christ; if he be gone, the soul goeth down to the grave with sorrow. As all the candles in a Country cannot make a day; no, it must be the rising of the Sun that must do it: So all the health, wealth, honours, pleasures, relations, possessions, nay the greatest confluence of comforts, that the whole Creation affordeth, cannot make a day of light and gladnesse in the heart of a be­liever; no, it must be the rising of this Sun of Righteousnesse. The light of his counte­nance causeth more joy than all the corn and wine, and oyl of this world can. He faith as Luther, Christ liveth, or otherwise I would not desire to live one moment. Or as that Noble Marquesse of Vico, Their mony pe­rish with them, that think all the wealth in the world worth one hours Communion with Jesus Christ.

His comfort ebbeth and floweth as Christ [Page 12] manifesteth himself to him, or with-draweth himself from him; like the Mary-gold, he o­peneth and shutteth with the rising and set­ting of this Sun. When the Bridegroom is taken away, the children of the Bride-Cham­ber mourn; the voice of the true Dove is e­ver doleful in the absence of her Mate; many a long look hath this gracious soul after its absented Saviour; many a time doth it sigh out (for lovers hours are full of eternity;) Why is his Chariot so long a coming? why tarry the wheels of his Chariot? Make haste my beloved, and be thou like the Hart and Roe upon the Mountain of spices; It like Zacheus, climbs up into the Sycamore-tree of the Or­dinances, that it may have a sight of its be­loved; for it heareth that he useth to passe that way; and when it spieth him afar off (for love is quick-sighted) coming towards it, hearken how the soul calleth aloud to faith, to lift up the gates, to lift open the everlast­ing doors, that the King of glory may enter in; Desire like Joseph makes ready its Cha­riot to go forth to meet this God of Jacob; and when he draweth nigh, it cometh down hastily, and receiveth him joyfully; it cryeth out (with the Mr. Ro­bert Glo­ver. Acts & Mo­num. Vo­lum. third. p. 427. Lond. An. 1641. Martyr) in a flame of love, He is come, He is come; Now like Mary it [Page 13] closeth with him, cleaveth to him, clingeth and claspeth about him, and thinketh it can never have enough of him, or be near enough to him. Who can expresse the wel-come which this pious Soul giveth him? what warme affection it hath to him; what com­placency and delight it hath in him; what enlarged egresse of spirit it hath after him; if the wise men were so glad when they saw the star that led to him; how glad is this soul in seeing this Sun? if the babe in the wombe of Elizabeth sprang for joy, when the Mother of the Lord came to her; how doth the heart of this Christian spring with joy when the Lord of that Mother comes to it? and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak­eth, Dearest Jesus why camest thou no soo­ner? why tarriest thou no longer? Sweetest Sa­viour, why should this meeting ever ever part? Be thou like a bundle of myrrh lodging all night betwixt my breasts; yet be not like a wayfaring man to tarry with me but for a night, but do thou abide in me, and dwell with me for e­ver: Good Lord, how good is it to be here! O how blessed are they that dwell in thy house! they ever (and not without infinite cause) praise thee. Lord, grant me this hap­pinesse, what ever thou deniest me, that my [Page 14] heart may be thine everlasting home. Ah, what an holy emulation hath this Saint at the spirits above, that they should have so much and he so little; that they should drink full draughts out of the Rivers of pleasures, and he can only taste God to be gracious. Ah, what an heavenly vexation hath he at the ne­cessities of his body and family here below, that they must call him away, and hinder his Communion with his beloved! O how wil­lingly would this soul be separated from its dearest Wife, that it might more nearly be conjoyned to its dearer Husband. Surely such a soul would with chearfulnesse die in these embraces of Christ, breathing out with Austin, Aug. on those words. Moriar Domine [...]ut te vide­ [...]m. Lord, since no man can see thee and live, O let me die, that I may see thee.

This indeed is the fore-taste of the Saints future happinesse, their morning of glory, the Suburbs of the new Jerusalem, the first fruits of their great and eternal harvest, the joy that strangers intermeddle not with, [...]erba non [...]alent ex­ [...]rimere, [...]xperimen­ [...] opus est. Prov. 14.10. It may better be conceived and felt, then described or exprest; and therefore is most fitly by the Apostle called joy unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1.8. Thus Christ is the comfort of a Christian.

Fourthly, To me to live is Christ, that is, Christ is the end of my life; Christ is both the Authour and the end of my life; as my life is from Christ, so my life is for Christ; the great care of the Apostle, was to magnifie Christ both by his life and death, Phil. 1.20. Large Annot. All the gain I aim at, both in life and death, is Christ, namely to glorifie him by my ser­vice.

According to the principles of a man, Op [...]rari se­qu [...]tur esse. such are his ends; He that acteth from self, acteth for self: That obedience which ariseth from the creature, will be terminated in the crea­ture. Solomon saith, Eccles. 1.7. All the Rivers run into the Sea; unto the place from whence the rivers came, thither they return again; so the life of a Christian coming from Christ, must necessarily tend to Christ. A sincere Saint doth not like the hypocrite, look asquint at self-applause, self-profit, and such beggarly ends, but his eyes look straight on at the glory of Jesus Christ. If Christ be glorified, though he be disgraced, he is satis­fied; when Christ hath honoured the soul by giving it grace, the soul honoureth Christ by giving him glory. Grace is the most curious work, and therefore no wonder if it be for the credit of the Workman, Trees beare fruit [Page 16] for the owner, Cant. 4.16. Of him and through him are all things, therefore to him be glory for e­ver and ever, Rom. 11.36.

It is confest the flesh will propound other ends, but the Spirit carrieth the vote. As some write of the heavenly Orbes, that they have a proper motion of their own, different from the motion of the Primum Mobile, yet in obedience to this first mover, they follow its motion; thus it is with the unregenerate part of a man, it hath proper ends of its own, pride, and flesh-pleasing, and the like, contrary to the ends of the spirit, but in obedience to the regenerate part, the Christian leaveth the for­mer ends, and follows the ends of the latter.

Bonum est mihi, si Deus me uti pro cli­peo digne­tur. Bern.The honour of Christ is exceeding dear to a true Christian: It is dearer then his name. Lord, saith a Father, use me for thy shield to keep off those wounds of dishonour which would fall on thy majesty. Let the reproaches wherewith they would reproach thee, fall up­on me: Prorsus Satan est Lutherus, sed vivit & regnat Christus. Amen. And Luther is called a Devil, saith Luther, in an Epistle to Spalatinus; but be it so, so long as Christ is magnified, I am well a­paid, nay the honour of Christ is dearer than life to a believer. Paul, as one saith of him, stood a tip-toe to see which way he might glorifie Christ most, whether by life or death. [Page 17] Neither count I my life dear unto me, so I may finish the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus, Act. 20 and 24.

I come now to the second thing promi­sed, and that is, to manifest wherein the christian that hath Christ for the principle, pattern, comfort, and end of his life, shall be a gainer by death. And truly, Reader, in speaking of this gain I shall acknowledge my self at a losse; though my tongue were as the pen of a ready writer, it could never expresse it, and if my pen were as the tongue of a ready speaker, it could never describe it. The land of Canaan, notwith­standing all the helps we have, is still for the most part terra incognita, an unknown land. The sights there, are light inacces­sible, as to mortal eyes, 1 Tim. 6.16. [...], i. e. quod fando ex­plicari à quopiam homine non potest. Beza & [...]rasm. ita eo ponunt. and the sounds there, are words not audible, as to mortal eares, 2 Cor. 12.4. words which may not or cannot be uttered, or both.

One being asked, what God was; an­swered, that he must be God himself, before he could know God fully. I am sure it is re­quisite, that that Christian should be in hea­ven first, who would know heaven fully. Fame, which in other things is too free and prodigal, in this is too sparing and penuri­ous, and that in so great a degree; that [Page 18] Reader, after thou hast heard it set forth by the holiest heavenliest man alive, though of the greatest capacity and oratory, yet if e­ver thou gettest thither, thou wilt finde cause to speak, as the Queen of Sheba did in another case, 1 Kings 10, 6, 7. It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy glory and thine excellency. Howbeit I be­lieved not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and behold the half was not told me: the delight and happiness exceedeth the same which I heard. There it is indeed that God doth more for the be­liever then he is able to ask or think. As the losse of the damned will be beyond the most melancholy mans fear: so the gain of the saved will be above the strongest chri­stians faith. The eye of a man may see much good, the ear of a man may hear more, the heart of a man may conceive most of all; but yet neither hath eye seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepa­red for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. They which have written most of this sub­ject, might have added at the end of their books (as in other Treatises some have done) Desiderantur nonnulla, or plurima de­sunt; [Page 19] More is desired, or more is wanting. It is as ea­sie, saith one, to compasse the Hea­vens with a span, to contain the Ocean in a nut­shel, as to relate heavens hap­pinesse.

Reader, I shall speak to this subject, but briefly: Set the Holy Land before thee, (as it is in a Map in a little room, yet by what I shall speak in this place, and in the the last use, (as the spies by the clusters of grapes) thou maiest gather the land is good, it floweth with milk and honey, and this is some of the fruit of it, Numb. 13.27.

The christians gain by death will appear in these two particulars. He shall gain a free­dome from all evil, the fruition of all good; and is not this man a gainer? Ademptio omnium malorum.

First, he shall by death be freed from all evil; the immediate and full presence of the chiefest good which the believer shall enjoy after death, will cause the absence of all evil: The influences of that Sun will scatter every mist, and disperse all clouds, which now darken the conditions of pious souls: The day of a christians dissolution will be the day of his redemption, Luke 21.28. this may be the reason why the Apostle placeth redemption last, saith an Expositor, 1 Cor. 1.30. Now we have Christ made into us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctifi­cation, but then redemption. When the Saint is passed through the red Sea of death, [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [...] [Page 20] and landed at the true Canaan, he shall then see all his bodily and spiritual enemies dead on the shore. In the middle Region there are storms and tempests, and so here below; but above all is calm and quiet: While the christian is upon earth, evils like Jobs mes­sengers follow him, one upon the heels of another; but when he leaveth the earth, every evil will take it's eternal leave of him.

Therere are two evils, which are indeed the onely evils (though the first is by much the worst) the evil of sin, or defilement; and the evil of suffering, or chastisement: Now a believer by death shall be freed from both these.

First, from the evil of sin: and in this take notice, that death will deliver the christian both from the commission of it, and from all suggestions tending to it.

First, Death will free the Saint from the commission of sin: In hell there is nothing but wickednesse: In heaven there is no­thing but holiness: The unregenerate man is never so wicked, as after death; now sin is in its minority, then it will be in it's maturity now it is but the sinners evening, but then i [...] will be a perfect night of blacknesse, o [...] darknesse: The godly man is never so ho­ly [Page 21] as after death; grace is now in its infan­cy, then it will attain to its full age; now it is as the morning light, then it will at­tain to its noon-day brightnesse: Sin is now by a spiritual life mortified, that it doth not raign; but then by death it shall be nullified, that it shall not so much as re­main in a believer.

The ungodly after death shall be perfect­ly like the Divel (the Indians some write, have a conceit that death will transforme them into the ugly shape of the Divel; and therefore in their language they have the same word for a dead man and a Divel) and the godly after death, shall be perfectly like God.

They are now partakers of the divine na­ture, and so like him (yet how much un­like him!) but when they shall see him in heaven, then they shall be like him indeed, 1 Joh. 3.2. Pet. Mar­tyr tells us of a defor­med wo­man (mar­ried to an uncomely man) that by look­ing much on beauti­ful pictures brought forth love­ly chil­d [...]en. Loc. Com. pars. 1. cap. 6.. Vision causeth an assimulati­on in nature, Gen. 30.37, 38. in grace, 2 Cor. 3.18. so here in glory.

The Schoolmen put the question, How the Angels and souls of men in heaven, come to be impeccable, or without sinne Vis [...]o be­atifica im­potentes reddit ad peccandum., and answer, that it is by the beatifical vi­sions; The Apostle seemeth to intimate [Page 22] as much in the fore-quoted place, When he shall appeare we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. As the Pearl by the often beating of the sun-beams upon it, becomes radiant; so the Christian be­ing ever beheld by the Lord, and alwayes beholding the face of his Father in heaven, shall be more like him, then ever child was to father on earth; then that Profes­sion of Christ will be abundantly verified, Behold thou art faire my love, behold thou art faire, thou art all faire my love, there is no spot in thee, Cant. 4.1. & 7. Then the end of Christs passion shall be fully attain­ed, when he shall present to himself a glo­rious Church without spot or wrinckle, or any such thing, ( Ephes. 5.27.) not only in regard of imputed righteousnesse, or justification, but also in regard of im­parted righteousnesse, or sanctifica­tion.

Here the heart of a Christian is like Re­beccahs womb, it hath twins struggling in it (the appearance of the Church is as it were the company of two Armies, Cant. 6.13.) the old man, and the new man, flesh and spirit, the Law in the members warring a­gainst the Law of the mind: As there was [Page 23] war betwixt Asa and Baasha all their dayes▪ so there is betwixt the regenerate and un­regenerate part all the time of this life; but this gracious conflict shall then end in a glorious conquest, when the death of the body shall quite destroy this body of death: Sin in the heart is like the leprosie in the house, which would not out till the house was pulled down, Levit. 14.44, 45. But when soul and body shall be parted for a time, sin and the soul shall be separated to eternity.

And as the heart, so the life of a Chri­stian is like a book which hath many erra­ta's in it; and therefore legendus cum veniâ; the whitest swan hath her black feet; the best gold must have its grains of allowance. There is no man that liveth upon earth, and sinneth not, Eccles. 7.20. All of us offend in many things, and many of us in all things. Jam. 3.2. Omne o­pus justi damnabile est si judi­cio Dei ju­dicetur. Lu­ther in Al­sert. Our righteousness as a filthy rag. Isa 64.6. Our graces not without their defects; Lord I believe, help mine unbelief, Mark 9.24. Our duties not without their defaults; When I would do good, evil is pre­sent with me, Rom. 7.21. The purest fire hath some smoak, the richest Wine some dregs, but death will turn sinne out of all [Page 24] its holds, and leave it not so much as a be­ing in the Christian. The bodies of men have usually a mighty shoot at death: but O what a shoot will the soul of a Saint have, when it shall be carried by Angels to the place, where the spirits of just men are made perfect! Heb. 12.23.

2. The soul alive in Christ shall be fre­ed at death, from all suggestions and tem­ptations to sin. Then a Christian shall be above the reach of all Satans batteries; then that promise will be performed, That the God of peace will tread Satan under the Saints feet, Rom. 16.20. Now Peter is winnow­ed, Paul is buffeted, David is stirred by the wicked one to number the people. If Jo­shua be ministring unto the Lord, Satan will be at his right hand to resist him, Zach. 3.1. It's no small unhappinesse to a Saint, that he is here followed with unwearied as­saults, that the Prince of darknesse is rest­lesse in casting in his fire-balls, to put the soul into an hellish flame; though he should never be conquered, yet for the Christian to have his quarters beaten up night and day, must needs disquiet him. To have blasphemous thoughts of a God infinitely great and gracious, to have mean and vile [Page 25] apprehensions of a Saviour imcomparably precious, cast into him, though he close not with them, cannot but wound him to the heart: As for a chast Matron that loatheth the thoughts of dishonesty, to be continu­ally solicited to folly, is a sore vexation. The temptations of our Lord Jesus, were a sad part of his humiliation.

But death will ease the soul of this trou­ble; As in heaven, there shall be no tinder of a corrupt heart to take, so no divel like steel and flint to strike fire. The crook­ed serpent could wind himself into the ter­restrial, but shall never creep into the ce­lestial Paradise; his circuit is to go to and fro in the earth, he cannot enter the con­fines of heaven; when he fell from his state of integrity, he left that place of felicity, and cannot possibly recover it again. The Saints on earth indeed are militant, figh­ting with him, but the Saints in heaven are all Triumphant, wholly above him; more than conquerours through him that loveth them, Rom. 8.37. There the children of God are gathered together, and no Satan among them; there the son of David de­livereth his true Israelites, from all their fears of this uncircumcised Philistine. [Page 26] When the heavenly Mordecai comes to be a chief favourite in that high and holy Court, he shall be freed from all his frights, about this enemy and adversary, this wicked Haman.

The Ark and Dagon could not stand to­gether in one house, much lesse can light and darknesse, Michael and the Dragon, God and the Divel dwell together in one heaven.

If Ireland (as some write) be so pure a soyle, that it will not nourish any venemous creature; I am sure heaven is so pure, that into it can in no wise enter any thing that defileth, Rev. 21. ult. it will not harbour those poisnous serpents.

Heaven once (saith an Author) spued them out, and it will not return to its vo­mit, or lick them up again; no such dirty dog shall ever trample on that golden pave­ment. There is such a cursed irreconcilea­ble contrariety in their natures, to the bles­sed company and exercises in heaven, that certainly they cannot desire, much lesse de­light in that place; If the Presence of Christ were such a torment to them in his estate of humiliation: what a torment would it be in his estate of exaltation! it [Page 27] is observable they left their own habitation, Jude ver. 6. the word seemeth to imply, that when they lost their primitive purity, they willingly lost that habitation of spiri­tual pleasures. But whether he will or no, he shall be banished those coasts; though he now dog the Saint at, and disturb him in every duty, he shall do it no more; The accuser of the brethren shall be cast down, nei­ther shall his place be found any more in heaven, Rev. 12.8, 9.

Secondly, a Christian by death, shall not only be freed from the evil of sin and defilement, but also from the evil of suffer­ing and chastisement: Sublataē causā, to [...]i­tur effe­ctus. the cause being ta­ken away, the effects will cease. Sinne is that great-bellied mother (or rather Mon­ster) which conceiveth and bringeth forth all those losses, crosses, diseases, disgraces, sorrowes and sufferings whatsoever, that befall the children of men; though man may be the Butt, yet sin is the mark at which the arrows of Divine displeasure are shot; man weaves a spiders web of sinne out of his own bowels, and then in intan­gled in it. Wickednesse alone is the original cause of all we, Lament. 3.39. Rom. 6. ult. But now at the death of a Saint, the foun­tain [Page 28] of sin will be dryed up, and therefore the streams of sufferings must be dryed up also. The fuel being taken away, the fire will go out of it self: sin and sorrow were born, do live, and shall die toge­ther.

As sin is the original cause of all, so it's the final cause of most afflictions. Some­times they are for probation (as we shoot at good armour, that we may prove it, and that we may praise it) but most commonly they are for purgation, to amend something that is amiss: the fathers of the flesh cha­stize for their pleasure; but the father of spirits for our profit, that we might be par­takers of his holinesse, Heb. 12.6. the quiet fruits of righteousnesse blossome from the correcting rod: bitter Aloes purges the worms, winds and thunder clear the air, frosts and showers whiten cloaths; the husbandman useth the flail to separate the chaff, and the refiner the fire to consume the drosse; but when the wheat shall be clean, there will be no need of the flail, when the gold pure, no use of the fire: now saith the Apostle, if need be, ye are in heavi­nesse, 1 Pet. 1.6. Mark, now if need be, now men have hard knots, and therefore need [Page 29] sharp wedges: now men have strong cor­ruptions, and therefore need strong corre­ctions; now the rod is as necessary as our daily bread: chastisements are to teach men in Gods law, Psal. 94.12. to search and heal their spiritual sores; but now at death the Scholar in Christs school will have per­fectly learned his lesson, and therefore there will be no need of a rod; then the wounds of the soul will be perfectly cured, and these plaisters will fall off of themselves: Death will make him whole, that he can sin no more; and so no worse, or so bad thing shall come to him.

There are three evils of affliction which I shall mention:

  • The first on the Name.
  • The second on the Body.
  • The third on the Soul.

From all which a believer shall be freed by death.

First, Death will free the Saint from ig­nominy on his name: Here if the world cannot make the christian wound his consci­ence, they will be sure to wound his credit: Elijah is counted the troubler of Israel, Ne­hemiah a rebel against the King, David the song of the drunkards, and the scorn of the [Page 30] gluttons, Psalme 69.12.35.16. Isaiah and his children for signs and wonders, Isa. 8.18. Jeremiah is a man of contention, Jer. 15.10. The son of man a wine-bibber & a glutton, Paul a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition, Acts 24.10. the uprightest Saint is markt for an hypocrite in the worlds Kalender: If they cannot smite him with their hands (their arms are not long enough alwayes) they will not fail to smite him with their tongues: What a precise fool, say they, is such a fellow! he dares not take up his cups as we do; but could we see his heart, it is as bad as the worst of ours; he will do as bad or worse, when no body seeth him; he will not swear, but he will lie, I'le warrant you: He spendeth his time in nothing but going to Sermons and meetings, and is as arrant a dissembler as liveth. Such an one of the same Society was guilty of such a sin, and they are all alike: these are your professours. Thus the corruption of their hearts breaks out at their lips, and they most wretchedly wound even Christ, through the sides of the Christian.

But heaven will not only wipe away all tears from the christians eyes, but also all blots off from his name. Upright Hezekiah [Page 31] in heaven is above the sound of cursed Rab­shekah's tongue, which was set on fire of hell. Now holy David is got up that hea­venly hill, that Mount Zion, he heareth not the railings and revilings of sinful Shimei. The most spiteful scorner of them all can­not throw that dirt so high, with which he bespatters the Saints reputation here be­low.

Secondly, As death will free the christi­an from ignominy in his name; so likewise from infirmities in his body: Diseases cause death, but death will cure all diseases: In this life Job had his botches, Hezekiah his boil, David his wounds and sores, the poor widdow her issue of blood; one man wa­steth away with a consumption, like a can­dle, till all the matter is spent: Another la­boureth under a continual ach, that like the importunate widdow will give him no rest day nor night: this man spends his dayes in pain, that man hath wearisome nights appointed to him: In some the bridle is ta­ken off the fire, and they burn with a Fea­ver; in others the flood-gate is taken up from the water, and they are like to be drowned with a dropsie. The patient man complaineth, my breath is corrupt, my days [Page 32] are extinct, the grave is ready for me, Job 17.1. the upright man cryeth out, My wounds stink, and are corrupt, my loines are filled with a loathsome disease: In one, the keepers of the house tremble with a palsie or lamenesse. In a second, the sound of grinders is low, through weaknesse. In a third, those that look out of the windows are darkned through blindnesse. In a fourth, the daughters of Musick are brought down with deafnesse: O what an army, not only of moral, but natural adversaries, hath eve­ry man in his own bowels, constantly set in array against him, marching up, sometimes one, Physicians tell us, that 2000 dis­eases an­noy mans body, whereof 200 affect the eyes. sometime another, as the Lord of hosts giveth the word of command. So that indeed mans body is a spittle or an hospital for diseases. But death will help all this; as the blind man told the lame, when they met at the stake; Brother, you may cast a­way your staffe, death will cure us both: the Physician of souls will by death heal all the diseases of the Saints bodies; there are some diseases which are called opprobria me­dici, because they cannot cure them; but none are opprobria Christi, he healeth all whom he undertaketh. If the higher an house standeth on earth, it be esteemed the [Page 33] healthier; surely then the highest heavens must be a pure air, and all health, Revel. 20.4. there shall be no more death, nor any more pain, for the former things are past a­way: So that every christian that dieth in the faith, how diseased soever he were before, shall then immediately (as in the Gospel) be made every whit whole, John 7.23.

Thirdly, As death will free the believer from diseases in his body, so also from sor­rows in his soul: The christian liveth upon earth, as in a valley of tears, and often min­gleth his drink with weeping: As he is a man, he is born to sorrows, as the sparks fly upward; he cometh into the world crying, and goeth out groaning; and his whole life from the womb to the tomb is in some re­gard a living death, or a dying life. But as he is a christian, he drinketh deepest of this cup of sorrows; the world is a tender mother to her children, but a step-mother to strangers. Sometimes the afflictions of the good cause high-water in the Saints heart; by the rivers of Babylon he sits down and weepeth, when he remembreth Zion, Psal. 137.1. He cannot but sympathize with the miseries of his fellow-members, as being himself in the body: Sometimes the trans­gressions [Page 34] of the bad cloath him with mour­ning, like Croessus son, though dumb before, yet he cryeth out when his father is wound­ed. As with a sword they pierce his bones, when they blasphemously say unto him, Psal. 42.10 Where is thy God? rivers of tears run down his eyes, be­cause the wicked forsake Gods Law, Psal. 119.136. Sometimes his own corruptions, like so many daggers stab him to the heart, that he should abuse such an Ocean of unspeaka­ble love, by so unsuitable a heart, and so unanswerable a life: He confesseth his ini­quities, and is sorry for his sins, Psal. 38.18. Sometimes divine desertions darken and cloud all his comforts; When God hides his face, he is troubled, Psal. 30.7. As there are no joyes like to those joyes wherewith God reviveth him in the day of his favour; so there is no sorrow like to those sorrows wherewith God depresseth him in the day of his anger. Thus his life is a circle of sorrows, but death will be the Funeral of his sorrows, and resurrection of his joyes now he soweth in tears, but then he shal [...] reap in joy. The day of death is a Saints Marriage-day: Sampsons wife indeed wep [...] on her wedding-day, Judg. 14.16. but when the soul, which in this life is contracted [Page 35] shall at death be solemnly espoused, and more neerly conjoyned unto Jesus Christ, all tears shall be wiped from its eyes, there shall be no more sorrow, Revel. 21.4. At that Mar­riage-day Christ will turn all water into wine, all mourning into mirth, all sighing into singing, and cause the bones which he hath broken to rejoyce: Now the Saints sor­rows are not perfect sorrows, ( non dantur purae tenebrae, to the believer) it shineth and showreth at the same time: he sorroweth not as they which have no hope; but his joy at death shall be perfect joy, fulness of joy, Psal. 16. ult. and permanent joy: when they shall see Christ at death, their hearts shall re­joyce, and their joy shall no man take from them, John 16.22. then the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Isa. 35. ult.

So much for the privative gain of a chri­stian by death, or his freedome from evil.

There is a second thing which is positive, Ade [...]pt [...]o omnium bonoru [...]. and that is the fruition of all good which a believer shall gain by death; and in this Head I shall observe these three gradations.

First, a believer by death shall gain the company of perfect Christians: Death wil exempt him from all commerce with sin­ners, and teach him fully the meaning of that article, The communion of Saints: In the field of this world the tares and the wheat grow together; but in that heaven­ly Garner they are parted asunder. There is no treacherous Judas among the Apostles, no covetous Demas among the Disciples, no Amorites to be prickes in the eyes, and thorns in the sides of the Israelite, no besti­al Sodomite to vex righteous Lot with their unclean conversation, no flattering Doeg sets his foot in that heavenly Sanctuary. David doth not there complain, Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar, My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace, Psal. 120.4, 5. nor Isaiah, that he dwelleth among a people of un­clean lips, Isa. 6.5. nor Elijah, that he is left alone. Hell holdeth none but sinners, & hea­ven hath onely Saints; He that dieth in the Lord, goeth to the congregation of the first-born, to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12.23. And questionlesse the sweet company will be part of our felicity. If Platinus the Philosopher could say, Let [Page 37] us make haste to our Countrey, there are our parents, there are all our friends; and if Cicero the Orator could say, O praeclarū diem, cùm ad illud a­nimorum concilium coetumque proficiscar, Cic de Se­nect. O what a brave day will that be, when I shall go to the councel and company of happy souls, to my Cato, and other Roman Worthies! How much better will it be with the Christian! when he wall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of heaven, when he shall leave the rout and rabble of wicked ones, and be admitted into the society of all that died in the faith, and be joyfully wel­comed by the melodious quire of Angels, and be heartily embraced by the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, yea all the Saints! Sure­ly if ever thar Proverb were true, it is here, The more the merrier: The fair streams there will never be drawn dry, though it be divi­ded into many channels: the musick there is not the lesse harmonious, because many hear it; nor the light of the Sun of righte­ousness the lesse pleasant, because many see it; and O what a gain will this be, to en­joy the company of them that are holy? If Aaron when he met Moses on earth was glad at his heart, certainly there was greater joy at their meeting in heaven. If David pla­ced all his delight in the Saints here below, [Page 38] when they shined a little (with the light of purity) like the Moon, and had their spots in them; what delight doth he take in them above, now they have perfect purity, and shine like the Sun in the firmament of their father! Matth. 13.43. If it were so lovely a sight to see Solomon in his rags of mortality, that the Queen of Sheba came so far to behold it, what will it be to see him in his robes of glory!

Mr. Thomas Wilson, Minister of Maid­stone in K [...]nt, an eminent servant of the Lord Jesus.I remember I have sometimes heard an able holy Minister (now with Christ) say, that that sight of five hundred Saints, and Jesus Christ among them, 1 Cor. 15.6. was one of the bravest goodliest sights that ever eyes beheld on earth: Sure I am they that are in heaven see a far better, beholding Je­sus Christ in the midst of many thousands.

Secondly, A Christian shall gain by death the neerest communion with the Lord Jesus Christ; and O what happiness [...] is included in this Head! The presence of Christ on earth can make a mean cottage a most delightful court; to the three chil­dren it turned the fiery furnace into a de­lectable palace; what will it do then in Heaven. Bernard saith, he had rather be [Page 39] in his chimny-corner with Christ, Mallem in camino meo cum Christo quam in coelo sine Christo. Bern. than in heaven without Christ. Luther saith, he had rather be in hell with Christ, than in heaven without Christ; communion with Christ can sweeten the bitterest condition. Christ alone is the salt which seasons all the Saints comforts, without which nothing is savoury to the spiritual taste. A duty with­out Christ, is like a body without a soul, which hath neither loveliness nor life in it. Communion with Christ is one great mo­tive which inciteth the Saint to, and encou­rageth him in the Ordinances of God: He attendeth on Scriptures because they are they that testifie of Christ; the pearl of price is hid in that field: Cant. 5.1. In them the lips of Christ, like lillies, drop sweet-smelling myrrhe; and O how his heart burneth with­in him, with love to Christ, whilst Christ is opening to him the Scriptures! He fre­quenteth prayer, because therein Christ and his soul converse together; in that Ordi­nance he enjoyeth much of Ch ists quick­ning presence; he speaketh to Christ by holy supplications, and Christ to him by heavenly consolations: He mindeth fast­ing, because therein his soul may with Je­sus Christ have a spiritual feast; or the [Page 40] greatest cause of his weeping is with Ma­ry, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: The means of grace are therefore so desirable and delight­ful, because rhey are the Galleries wherein he walketh, talketh, feedeth, and feasteth with the Lord of glory.

The highest duty without Christ is as a dish without meat, from which he goeth as empty and unsatisfied as he came to it; It is to him as Tullies Hortens. to Austine, of little worth, if the Name of Jesus be not there.

If he love the Saints with a love of com­placency, 'tis because they are Christs seed; if he love the sinner with a love of pity, 'tis for Christs sake; his affections are contra­cted or enlarged towards any thing, as it hath lesse or more relation to Christ; and nothing is of true value or worth in his e­steem, which hath not aliquid Christi, some­thing of Christ in it.

Now consider Reader, if the presence of Christ be so precious, so pleasant to the Christian here, when he can see so little of his excellent beauty, and receive so little of his infinite bounty; what will it be when he shall appear to the soul in all his royalty, [Page 41] and fill the water-pots of the soul up to the brim, with the riches of grace and glory!

Demorrhathus of Corinth saith, they lost the chief part of their lives happinesse, that did not see Alexander sit on the throne of Darius; if that were such an happy sight, what a sight shall the Saints have to see Christ on his Fathers Throne? O how much is included in those few words, To be with Christ, which is the description of the Saints gain by death! Philip. 1.23. This was the great Legacy and portion which Christ bequeathed his in his last Will and Testa­ment, John 17.24. This was the great pro­mise and sweet meats which the tender fa­ther provided to comfort his fainting chil­dren with at his own Funeral, John 16.22. This was the great prayer which Paul ma­keth for his beloved Timothy, 2 Tim. 4.22. This was the enlivening cordial which the good Physician administred to the dying patient, Luke 23.43. This is the great rea­son for which the godly long for death, Philip. 1.23. I desire death, saith Melancthon, that I may enjoy the desirable fight of Christ: Ut deside­rato fruar conspectu Christi. and O when will that blessed hour come! when shall I be dissolved? when shall I be with Christ? said holy Mr. Robert [Page 42] Bolton, on his Death-bed: Surely then this gain is great, which the Saint shall have by death. He that hath Christ with him by grace, may say with Peter, Master, it is good to be here; but he that is with Christ in glory, may say with Paul, To be with Christ is far better, without doubt best of all. They were blessed which saw him in his estate of debasement, Luke 10.23. but much more blessed will they be, that shall see him in his estate of advancement.

Thirdly, the Saint by death shall gain the full and immediate fruition of God. The former were excellent; but this as the Sun among the Planets surpasseth them all: The other were as Rivers, this is the O­cean; they were as branches bearing good­ly fruit, but this is the root upon which they grow: they all as lines meet in this center: this is the top-stone of the celesti­al building; this is the highest stair, the apex of the Saints happinesse. This is the greatest gift which the creature can pos­sibly ask, or the infinite God bestow. The boundlesse God cannot well give a greater mercy than this. Is any thing, yea are all things in heaven and earth equal to [Page 43] God? God alone is the highest object of faith, 1 Pet. 1.21. and therefore the great­est ground of joy and satisfaction to the soul, Psalm 17. ult. The Vision of God is the beatifical vision, 1 John 3.3. and there­fore the fruition of God will cause perfecti­on in the soul. The enjoyment of God is the great desire and delight of the Saints on earth, Psalm 42.1, 2. nay it is the happinesse of the humane nature of the Lord Jesus, Psalm 16.5, 6. without que­stion then it will be the Heaven of Heaven. That excellent description of Heaven men­tioned by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.28. That God may be all in all. 1 Thess. 4. ult. is a being ever with the Lord. This is all; the most fluent tongue must be here silent, and the most capacious understanding will be soon at a stand, in the consideration of the felicity which floweth from the frui­tion of God.

The presence of this King will make the Court indeed. For the Lord to be with us is our chiefest security; though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no evil, for thou art with me; Psal. 23.4. but for us to be with the Lord, will be our choicest felicity. In his presence is fulnesse of joy, at his right hand are pleasures [Page 44] for evermore, Solus tues jucunditas totus mun­dus est ama­ritudine plenus. Aug. in Psa. 85. Psal. 16. ult. God is not wealth or honour, or comfort, or friends, or earth, or heaven, but something infi­nitely beyond all these. God is an im­mense Ocean of all excellencies and perfe­ctions, without either banks or bottome. God is virtually eminently every thing, all things; As in the Wars between Charles the fifth, and Francis the first, King of France, when the Emperours Herald had bid defiance to the King, Heil. Geo­gra. from Charles Em­perour of Germanie, King of Castile, Le­on, Arragon, and Naples, Arch-duke of Austria, with the rest of his Titles: the King commanded the Heralds to return the challenge from Francis King of France, commanding them to repeat France as ma­ny times as the other had Petty Earledomes in his stile, intimating that one France was worth them all; so truly, one God answer­eth all things. He is health and strength, riches and relations, joy and pleasures, light and life, and much more; all the ex­cellencies scattered and shadowed in the creature, are united and reallized in the Creatour who is blessed for ever; One God is worth more than all his creatures can sum up in millions of ages.

This is the gain of a Saint by death, he shall gain the fruition of God. He who hath lost God, hath nothing more to lose, he hath lost all; the losse of God is hell, 2 Thes. 1.7. But he that hath gained God, hath nothing more to gain. He hath got all, the gain of God is heaven.

It is worthy our observation, that Job speaking of God, Job 13.16. saith, He shall be my salvation. An Expositour ob­serveth on that Text, Job doth not say, He shall giue me salvation, but he shall be my salvation. Car. in loc. It more pleaseth a Saint that he enjoyeth God, then that he enjoyeth salvation. As nothing that a godly man giveth God, will content him, unlesse he give God himself: so nothing which God giveth a godly man will satisfie him, Fecisti nos proptert [...], & inquie­tum est cor nostrum donec re­quiescat in te. Aug. confes. lib. 1. cap. 1. unlesse God giveth himself to him; His voice is non tua, sedte Domine. Lord not thine, but thee; he is better pleased that God is his salvation, then that he saveth him; Whom have I in heaven but thee? saith he; There are Saints, Angels, Arch-Angels, saith Musculus; but in the presence of this glo­rious Sun, those stars must vanish and dis­appeare. What are Saints, what are An­gels without God? and it's true of things, [Page 46] as well as persons; what is the glory, what the pleasures, what the joys of heaven without God? What's all the robes and riches, what's all the crowns and comforts, what's all the delights, the delicates, the diadems of heaven, without the God of heaven, but as the Funeral-banquet for some eminent Prince, where is large pro­vision, and great cost, but no chear? No, it is God alone that is the centre to which the Saint moveth, and in which he rest­eth.

O what happinesse shall the holy man have at death, to be ever with God! If that Queen could say of Solomons attendants, Happy are thy men, happy are these thy ser­vants which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdome, 1 King. 10.8. how hap­py are they that dwell in Gods Mansion­house, ever beholding his face, and hear­ing his voice! It is reported of Eudoxius, that he was so extream desirous to be near the Sun, that he might see it, and know its nature, that he profest, so he might ob­tain his desire, though but for one hour, he would willingly be burn [...] up by it the next hour; how much worth then is the sight and knowledge of this Sun of righte­ousnesse; [Page 47] and what gainers are they by death, that come thereby to see him as he is, and to know him as they are known of him? 1 Joh. 3.2. 1 Cor. 13.12.

But the Christian shall not barely enjoy God after death, for that he doth in this life, but he shall enjoy God fully. Now the Saint enjoyeth a little of God, and O how refreshing is it to his weary soul! but then he shall have as much of God, as his heart can wish or hold. In this life there is a Communication of God, answerable to the capacities of men, and the fault is in us, not in God that we receive no more of him on earth. The ground is not in the Sun, but in the narrownesse of our windowes, that we partake no more of its light; the cause is in the smallnesse of our vessels, not in the well, that we carry away no more of its water. If our mouths were never so wide-opened, God would fill them now: But then the windowes of the soul shall be wi­dened, and the vessels of the heart enlarg­ed, and so fitted for, and filled with a grea­ter participation of God. There is not the least complaint of want; All the Patriarchs sacks are there filled with corn; There Davids cup runneth over; there the holy [Page 48] Ephesians are filled with all the fulnesse of God. In that Fathers house there is bread e­nough, and to spare for all his children. There is given to all good measure, pressed down, sha­ken together, and running over, Luk. 6.38.

We say there is no fishing like to the Sea, because the Sea hath the greatest plen­ty, and the vastest capacity; there are fish enough to fill all our nets, and lade all our ships. I may more truly say, there is no fruition like to the fruition of God; he hath enough, not only to supply all our indi­gencies, and to satisfie all our necessities, and desires, but he can do abundantly for us, above what we are able to ask or think, Ephes. 3.20. God hath enough to fill himself, as boundless a being as he is; sure­ly then he hath enough to fill the limited soul of man; that which can fill the Ocean, may well fil a spoon.

Now a Christian is described by his hun­gring and thirsting, his panting and brea­thing after a perfect conformity to God, that thereby he may be prepared for perfect Communion with God; but blessed are they which now thus hunger and thirst, for then they shall be filled, Matth. 5.6. Well [...] a good bait, as the [Page 49] word used by our Saviour doth signifie; He that drinketh of that water which God shall there give him, shall thirst no more; [...] hoc proprie di­citur de ar­mentis; nam [...] prati vo­cant gra­men aut pabulum. That God who filleth the bellies of his enemies on earth with the hidden treasures of com­mon bounty, will surely fil the souls of his children in heaven, with the precious trea­sures of special mercy. The soul that now sippeth of the water of life, shall then drink a full draught out of the Rivers of [...]ods pleasures. The Christian who can now on­ly taste God to be gracious, shall then have a full meale when he shall eat bread in the Kingdome of God. They are before the Throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple; and he that sitteth on the Throne, shall dwell among them; they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heat; For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, Rev. 7.15.16, 17.

Observe Reader; I say a Christian shall gain by death, Immedi­ate fruiti­on of God. a full immediate fruition of God; now the Saint drinketh of the wa­ters of life, (and they are pleasant, though) through the Conduits and Cisterns of Or­dinances; but with what joy will he draw [Page 50] water immediately out of the Well of salva­tion? Dulcius [...]x ipso fonte, &c. We read in Joshua 5.12. when Isra­el came to Canaan, Manna ceased, and they did eat of the fruits of the Land. While the Saint is in the Wildernesse of this world, he needeth, and feedeth on the Manna of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and the like; but when death shall land him at that place of which Canaan was but a type, the Manna of Ordinances shall cease, he shall eat the fruits of that Land. Ordinances are necessary for, and suitable to our state of imperfection; Jacob drove his flocks, as they were able to go, so doth Christ his sheep.

Here we are in a state of uncleanenesse, and therefore want water in Baptisme to wash us, (saith an Eminent Divine) in a state of darknesse, and therefore want the light of the Word to direct us; in a state of wearinesse, and therefore want a Lords day of rest to refresh us; in a state of weaknesse, and therefore want bread in the Supper to strengthen us; in a state of sorrow, and therefore want wine to comfort us; in a state of beggery, and therefore want prayer to fetch some spiritual alms from the beauti­ful Gate of Gods Temple: Whil'st the [Page 51] Saint is as a child, he thinks as a child, speaks as a child, understands as a child; but when he shall come to be a perfect man, he shall put away these childish things: when every earthly member shall be mor­tified, and the body of death wholly de­stroyed, when the faculties of the soul shall be enlarged, and the sanctification of the in­ner man perfected, when the rags of morta­lity shall be put off, and grace swallowed up in glory, The Sun shall be no more thy light by day, nor the Moon thy light by night, but the Lord thy God thine everlasting light, and thy God thy glory, Isa. 60.19.

Apostles, Prophets, Pastours, Teach­ers, are for the perfecting of the Saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, no lon­ger then till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the mea­sure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ, Ephes. 4.11.12, 13. When God shall be all in all, then (and not till then) Ordi­nances will be nothing at all. When the Saint comes to his journeys end, he may throw away his staffe. Now how much will this adde to the former, that the Chri­stian shall without ordinances enjoy God! [Page 52] How lovely is the face of God, though it be but in the glasse of the Gospel? 2 Cor. 3.18. this was the one thing which David begg'd, that he might dwell in the house of the Lord, to see the beauty of his face, Psal. 27.4. Ah how lovely will he be, when the Christian shall see him face to face! 1 Cor. 13.12.

If it be so good to draw neer to God on earth, Psal. 73. ult. and if they are blessed that watch at Wisdomes gates, and wait at the posts of her doors, Prov. 8.34. how good will it be to draw neer to God in heaven; and how blessed are they that (wait not at the door, but) dwell in that house!

How pleasant will it be for the soul, when it's eyes shall be strengthened to see God as he is, without the spectacles of Or­dinances. We esteem that honey sweet­est which is suckt immediately out of the comb (though hony out of a dish is sweet) and we do with more delight eat that fruit which we gather ourselvs from the tree, than we do that which is brought to us through others hands: The enjoyment of God is so sweet in the dish of a Duty, that a Christi­an would sooner lose the best friend he hath than it: But O how sweet will it be in the [Page 53] comb of immediate communion! This fruit is very delightful and pleasant, as it is conveyed through the hands of Ministers (though the liquor will sente of the cask) but O with what delight (Christian, canst thou read it, and thy heart not warmed with joy?) with what pleasure wilt thou with thine own hands gather this fruit from the Tree of life, that standeth in the midst of Paradise? Rev. 22.

Thus I have given thee a little of that great gain which a Saint hath by death; death will free him ftom all evil, both of sin and suffering; it will give him the fruition of ali good, in the enjoyment of perfect Saints, and the blessed Saviour, and in full immediate communion with the infinite God, who is blessed, and blessing his for e­ver: This is the heritage of a righteous man from God, and this is the portion of his cup: thus shall it be done to the man, whom the King of heaven delights to ho­nour. There is but one thing more requi­red to make the Christian perfectly happy; and that is the eternity of all this: but I shall speak to that in the last use. I now proceed to the application of the Point.

The first use which I shall make of this Doctrine, shall be by way of information: If such as have Christ for their life, shall have gain by their death; it informeth us of the difference betwixt the deaths of the sinner and the Saint: the one is an unspea­kable gainer; the other an unconceivable loser by death. Death to the good is the gate through which they go into the king­dome of heaven: death to the bad is the trap-door through which they fall into hell. The godly dyeth as well as the wick­ed; but the wicked man dieth not so well as the godly. The metal and the drosse go both into the fire; but the metal is re­fined, and the drosse consumed: As the cloud in the wildernesse had a light side to the Israelite, but a dark side to the Egypti­an: so death hath nothing but light and comfort for the Israel of God; nothing but darknesse and sorrow for the sinful Egypti­ans. Death to every one is a messenger sent from the Lord of life; it cometh to the re­generate, as the young Prophet to Jehu; I have an errand to thee, O Captain; and what was his errand? he poured the oil on his head, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee King over Israel, 2 Kings [Page 55] 9.5, 6. It is a messenger from God to call the Christian to a Kingdome which cannot be shaken. But it commeth to the unre­generate, as Ehud to Eglon: And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee; and what was his message? Judges 3.20, 21. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglons belly: It is a messenger from God, with a mortal wounding, killing, stabbing message to a sinner. The pale white horse of death rides before, and the red fiery horse of hell follows after.

The people of God pass safely through this red Sea of death, which his enemies assaying to do, are drowned, are dam­ned.

There is a great dis-agreement in the lives of the holy and unholy; but O what a vast difference is there in their deaths! they are like two parallel lines; how far soever they go together, they never touch in a point. Their wayes differ, and there­fore their ends must necessarily differ: Eve­ry mans end is virtually in his way; their ways differ as much as light and darknesse, and therefore their ends must differ as far as heaven and hell. The one walketh in his own [Page 56] wayes, Prov. 14.14. in the wayes of his own heart, Eccles. 7.9. in the broad way of the flesh and the world, Matth. 7.13. and so his end is damnation, Phil. 3.19. his latter end is, that he shall be destroyed, Fine discer­nuntur im­probi ab e­lectis. Mol­ler in Ps 37 for ever, Numb. 24.20. The other walketh in the way of the Lord, Psal 119.1. in the way of his testimo­nies, ver. 14. in the narrow way of self-deni­al, mortification, and crucifying the flesh, Ma [...]t. 7.14. and so his end is peace, Psal. 37.37. Such as the seed is which is sown, such is the crop wich is reaped; the unregenerate man soweth to the flesh, and of the flesh reapeth corruption: The sanctified soul soweth to the spirit, and of the spirit reap­eth life everlasting, Galat. 6.6, 7.

The blind world indeed, as it seeth not their difference in life, (the life of a Saint is an hidden life, Col. 3.3. the Kings daugh­ter is all glorious, but 'tis within, Psal. 45.13. the jewels of her graces are laid up in that privy Drawer, the hidden man of the heart:) so it beholdeth not the difference in their deaths: As dieth the wise man, so dieth the fool, to the eye of sense, and they want the eye of faith, Eccles. 2.16. We see no difference, say they, betwixt the death of them you call prophane, and your precise [Page 57] ones; they die both alike to our judg­ments.

But this conceit, Reader, if thou art such an Athiest, proceedeth from thy blindnesse and unbelief. Thou art probably in the chamber, when a drunkard, a swearer, or a civil moral, yet unsanctified, neighbour de­parteth this life; thou seest his body trem­bling, panting, groaning, dying; but thou doest not see the ten thousand times worse condition his poor soul is in: thou seest his kindred or relations weeping; but thou doest not see the infernal spirits rejoycing; thou dost not see the greedy Devils, that waited by the bed-side, like so many roaring lions for their desired & deserved prey: thou doest not see when the soul left the body, how it was immediately seised on by those frightful hell-hounds in a most hide­ous horrible manner, and haled to the place of intolerable and eternal torments; thou doest not see the shoutings of those legions in hell, at the coming in of a new prisoner, to bear a part in the undergoing of divine fury, in their blasphemies against heavens Majestie, and in their estate of hopeless­nesse and desperation.

Men, saith a modern writer, like silly fishes, see one another caught, and jerkt out of the pond of life; but they see not (a­las) the fire and pan into which they are cast, who die in their sins; Oh it had been better surely for such, if they had never been born, as Christ said of Judas, then to be brought forth to the murtherer (that old man-slayer) to be hurled into hell, there to suffer such things as they shall never be a­ble to avoid, or abide.

On the other side, thou standest by a scorned persecuted Saint, when he is bid­ding adieu to a sinful world; thou seest the struglings and droopings of his outward man, but thou seest not the reviving cor­dial the Physician of souls is preparing for his inward man; thou doest not see those glorious Angels which watch and wait up­on this heaven-born soul.

That waggon or chariot, which the son of Joseph sendeth to fetch his relation to a true Goshen, Never Ro­man Em­peror rode in such a Chariot of Triumph, as the Saint doth to heaven. the inheritance of the Saints in light, is as invisible to thee, as those cha­riots of fire on the mountain were to the servant of the Prophet: When the soul biddeth the body good night, till the mor­ning of the resurrection, thou doest not see [Page 59] those ministring spirits (sent down for the good of this heir of salvation) presently so­lacing and saluting it. Thou doest not see how stately it is attended, how safely con­ducted, how gladly received into the bo­some of Abraham, into the fathers house, into that City, whose builder and maker is God. Thou doest not see the soul putting off with the cloathing of the body, all sin and misery, and putting on the white linnen of the Saints, even perfect purity, match­lesse joy, and eternal felicity. When thou canst see these things with the eye of faith, thou wilt easily grant a vast difference be­tween the death of the gracious and grace­lesse.

Reader, if thou art dead in thy sins, and unacquainted with this spiritual life, which I have before described, nothing of that endlesse gain which the godly shall enjoy at death, belongs to thee; none of that ful­nesse of joy, of those rivers of pleasures, of that eternal weight of glory shalt thou par­take of; I may say to thee, as Simon Peter to Simon Magus, thou hast no part, nor [...]t in this matter, for thine heart is not right in the sight of God: Thou mayest like the mad-man at Athens, lay claim to all the [Page 60] vessels that come into the haven; but the vessels of the promises richly laden with the treasures of grace and love, do not at all appertain to thee. If like a dog thou snatchest at the childrens bread, thou art more bold than wel-come, and wilt one day be well beaten for thy presumption. Reader, if thou art unregenerate and so di­est, look to thy self, for thy lot must fall on this side the promised Land. Thou may­est like a Surveyour of Land, take a view of anothers Mannor, and bring a return, how stately the house is, how pleasant the gardens, how delightful the walks, how fruitful the Pastures, how finely it's seat­ed, how fully it's woodded, how sweetly it is watered, how fitly it is every way ac­commodated: but as long as the Pronoun is wanting, it can be but little comfort, it is none of thine. So thou mayst read, and hear much of that comfort, joy and rich­nesse of that incomparable Kingdome, which the holy shall immediately upon their deaths enter into; but what is all this to thee, when thou must be without it for e­ver? thou mayst see Abram afar off, and Lazarus in his bosome, but between him and thee, there will be a great gulf.

As a stranger thou mayst hear the last Will and Testament of Christ read, and therein the fair, rich and large portions, which he hath bequeathed to his children, John 17.24. Luke 12.32. but not the least mention made of any good for thee; look from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of Revelation, and see if there be one good word spoken to thee, whil'st thou art in thy natural estate. Moses like, thou mayst by the prospective of Scripture, have a Pisgah sight of Palestine, of that good Land flow­ing with milk and hony; but as God is true, if thou diest in unregeneracy, thou shalt ne­ver enjoy one foot of it.

The worst of a Saint is past when he dy­eth; but thy worst O sinner is to come; there are some dregs in the bottome which thou art yet to drink down, thou hast thy good things here, and he his evil things; but at death he is comforted, and thou art tor­mented. He hath all his hell upon earth, his heaven is to come; thou hast all thy hea­ven on earth, and thy hell is to come when thou passest into another world; the hell of a Saint is an easie hell. But ah how hot is that hel in hel, how fiery is that furnace, how how terrible those torments? I may con­ceive [Page 62] somewhat the damned feel most, but no tongue can expresse them.

But it may be, Friend, thou art one that thrivest in this world, and therefore dost not trouble thy head, much lesse thy heart, with the things of another world; thou art unwilling to put a spoonful of those thoughts into thy sauce, least it should make thy meat unsavory, it would mar thy mirth, and spoile thy sports. As Sigismund the Emperor, did not love the pronunciation of the Greek Zeta, because it represented the gnashing teeth of a dying man; so thou art resolved to banish such enemies (as thou thinkest) out of thy coasts, and like a bear, to go down that steep hill of death back­ward. But know thou, O man, that whe­ther thou wilt consider of thy death before­hand or no, it is hastening upon thee; though thou puttest it farre from thee, whether thou wilt or no it draweth nigh to thee; the ship moveth not so fast in the waters, nor the Sun in the heavens, as thou art hastening towards thy long, thine e­verlasting home, and then death will bring thee up a reckoning for all thy sweet mor­sels, merry meetings, time and talents whatsoever; believe it then, thou wilt have [Page 63] sowre sauce for all thy sweet-meats; thy presumption will prove but like Hamans banquet before execution. What advan­tage then will thy suni-shiny morning of common mercies bring thee, when (as on Sodome) it will be followed with flakes of fire and brimstone before night? Dost thou not know, that when the wicked flourish, it is that they may be destroyed for ever? Psal. 92.7. The higher thou ascendest on this ladder, the greater thy fall, when death turneth thee off; thou art but ripening for ruine, and fatting on earth to fry in hell, all the while thou art flourishing in a course of sinning; nay, thou mayest be much nearer hell, then thou art aware of; The mettal when it shineth brightest in the fire, is nearest melting; thou like a candle, mayst give a blaze when thou art going out of the world, into blacknesse of darknesse for ever. The Hawk flieth high, and is as highly prized being set upon a Pearch, and set out with the gingling bells of en­couragement, and carried on his Masters fist, but being once dead, and pitched over the Pearch, is cast upon the dunghill as good for nothing; The Hen scrapes in the dust, nothing rewarded while she li­veth, [Page 64] but being dead, is brought as a choice dish to her Masters Table; Thus wicked men in this life are set in high places, godly men lie groveling with their mouths in the dust; but being dead, the former is cast in­to hell, the latter brought to Heavens Table.

But that I may awaken thy conscience, O secure sinner, and make thee look about thee, whil'st there is time and hope (if the gracious and powerful God please to as­sist) I shall give thee an estimate of the sinners losses by death, by which thou mayest see what a difference there is, be­tween the death of the titular, and the real Christian.

And here Reader thou must help me with thy conceptions, for I shall come infinite­ly short in my expressions. As none can endure it, so none can declare it; for who knoweth the power of Gods wrath? Psa. 90.11. The oratour when he would describe the violent death of the Crosse, doth it by an Aposiopesis. What (saith he) shall I say of the death of the Crosse? Quid di­cam in cru­cem tollere? Tull. much more cause have I to speak so of this death. What shall I say of this eternal death?

[Page 65]1. By death thou shalt lose all thy earth­ly delights; and carnal contentments; The table of thy life possibly is richly spread with variety of outward enjoyments, riches, re­lations, honours, pleasures, beauty, and bravery: but death will come in with a voider, and take all away. It is called an uncloathing, 2 Cor. 5.4. and indeed it wil strip thee naked of all such garments, and ornaments; Thine eye shall no more see good, Job 7.7. i. e. the good things of this life, they will all die with thee, as to thy use and comfort. It is a doleful expression of Abram to Dives, Thou hadst, or thou recei­vedst thy good things in thy life-time, Luk. 16.25. O what a cutting word was that to his heart, when he was passed into another world, Remember there was a time when thou and they were joyned together, but now ye are parted for ever; to have been happy, Miserum est fuisse felicem. was no small aggravation of his mi­sery; It is with thee while in this world, as it was with the Jews, in the Vineyards and fields of their Neighbours, pluck and eat they might while there, but pocket up, and carry away they might not. Deut. 23.24, 25.

Death is the great thief which will rob [Page 66] thee of all thy riches. The wealthiest Em­peror, the next moment after death, hath no more than the poorest beggar. As thou camest forth of thy mothers wombe, naked thou shalt return, to go as thou camest, and shalt take nothing in thy hand of all thy labour, Eccles. 5.15. That gold which thou lo­vest, and trustest more than God, these pebbles which thou valuest above the pearl of price, that treasure on earth, which thy heart is set upon more than on the true trea­sure in heaven, will all leave thee when death findeth thee. In his Treatise of love. Mr. Rogers telleth us of one that being nigh death, clapt a twenty shilling piece in his mouth, saying, Some wiser then some, I will take this with me however; but alas poor fool, he could not be so good as his word. The Holy Ghost excellently termeth rich men; rich in this world, because riches will not make men rich in another world, 1 Tim. 6.17.

Death will seal a Lease of ejectment, and turn thee out of all thy possessions, and death will give thee a bil of divorce, and se­parate thee from all thy relations. The re­lations of Husband and Wife, Parents and children, are calculated only for the Meri­dian of this world, and shall not out-live [Page 67] this life. Thy dear husband, or thy lo­ving wife, and thy most dutiful children, wil all serve thee as Orpah did Ruth, Ruth. 1 [...]4 follow thee while thou art full, but forsake thee when thou shalt be empty; cleave to thee in thy health and life, but leave thee in thy greatest danger at death: and thy birth and breeding, honour and respect wil serve thee in the like kind; they are but a shadow which wil not be seen when the Sun of thy life is set. The great distinctions in the o­ther world, wil be holy or unholy, not no­ble or ignoble.

Be not afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is encreased; for when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away, Mors scep­tra ligoni­bus aequat. his glory shall not descend after him, Psa. 49.16, 17. Death is the great leveller, making Princes and Peasants equal.

All thy sinful pleasures will also be lost; the sweet taste thou foundest in thy mouth wil be gone, though they wil rise in thy stomach, and after in thy belly be more bitter than gall. Thy merry meetings, jo­vial companions, witty jests, sporting, re­creations, pictures for thine eyes, musick for thine ears, dainties for thy taste, thine eating and drinking, and all these delights [Page 68] on earth, which thou solacest thy sensual soul with, (desiring no other heaven) will all like leaves in the Autumn of thy death, fall off from thee; though in the short sum­mer of thy life, thou art richly laden with them; yet in thy long, thine everlasting Winter, thou shalt be stript naked of them.

Thou mayest say to all the fore-mentio­ned delights of riches, relations, honours, and pleasures, and what ever it is which thou foolishly rejoycest in, as Charles the fifth, Emperor of Germany (whom the world counted most happy) did to his tro­phies, treasures and things of the like na­ture, A bite hinc, A bite longe, Be gone▪ get you farre out of my sight. Be assured that as a false harlot leaves her lovers, whe [...] they are arrested for debt, and followeth other customers: so this painted strumpe [...] this deceitful world that now layeth ope [...] her fair breasts, to allure thee to go a who [...] ring after her, and commit spiritual forni­cation with her, when death shall arre [...] thee by a Writ from heaven, will wholl [...] forsake thee, and follow them that survive now what a losse will this be?

But it may be thou comfortest thy self against [Page 69] this, that all, even good as well as bad will joyn with thee in this losse. Rea­der, dost thou consider, that they who en­joy the stars all night, and come in the morning instead thereof to enjoy the glori­ous Sun, are no losers; the Sun hath all the light of the stars, and far far more; Neither can the godly be properly called losers of these comforts, because they enjoy them all, and infinitely more in the blessed God; As mony answereth all things, Prov. 10.19. Mony is equivalently sheep, ox­en, corn, meat, drink, cloth, whatsoever you want for this life, is virtually in mony; so God to a gracious soul after death will answer all things, he will be eminently and virtually, Father, Mother, wife, child, wealth, honour, pleasure and all things; though he loseth them here, he will find them there and much more; but when thou O sinner losest them in this world, they shall never be made up to thee in another world; thou losest not only the streams, but the fountain; not only the beams, but the Sun; and therefore thy portion will be scorching, drought, and dismal darkness [...] Besides, these things are not the portion, the all of a good man, they are not his e­state, [Page 70] or inheritance, they are but an addi­tional over-plus, cast in over and above. So much the words of Christ imply, Matth. 6.33. And all other things shall be added to you. As when a father giveth his son a thousand pounds worth of ware, he casteth in paper and packthread; or one thousand yards of cloth, he doth not stand upon the bredth of the thumb, which is to be allow­ed in measurng; so God having given himself and his Son to his Saints, out of his vast bounty, casteth in the creatures as an over-plus; they are not their estate or por­tion, or all; no, when a godly man at the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus, shall see his house, and land, and outward good things in that common flame, which shall burn up the earth, he may then behold it with comfort, Omnia mea n eoum por­t [...]: [...]ias. and say with the Philoso­pher, I have my all still.

But sinner, thy losse of them will be a losse indeed; for these things are thy all, they are all thy God, and all thy Christ, and all thy happinesse, and all thy heaven; they are all the fulnesse of joy, and all the rivers of pleasures, and all the weight of glory which thou shalt enjoy; They are all thy riches, all thine inheritance, all thy [Page 71] consolation, all thy reward, all thy portion, and all thou shalt be worth for ever; look Luk. 16.24 They have received their consolation, (cold comfort indeed) ye have your reward, * Mat. 6.2. [...] they re­ceive it as their full pay, whence [...] an acquit­tance. It is one of the saddest speeches in the Book of God, whose portion is in this life, Psal. 17.14. (ah poor portion.) Thou hast no other Paradise but thy garden, no other mansion but thy beautiful building, no other inheritance but thy Land, no o­ther kindred but thy wife and children, no other honour but the stinking breath of thy flattering neighbours, no other God but thy gold, no other heaven but the earth: all thy estate is in dust, rubbish, and lum­ber; surely then it will be a losse with a witnesse, to lose all that in a moment, and that for ever, wherein all thy happinesse consisteth. Will it not be a sad sight for thee to stand as it were upon the shoare, and to see the vessel in which is imbarqu'd all thy treasures, all thy near and dear relati­ons, all thy respect and esteem, all thy joy and delights sinking before thine eyes, and lost for ever? or to see that house, in which is thy Plate and Jewels, thy wife and chil­dren, and all that ever thou art to be worth, in a flame, and nothing possible to [Page 72] be recovered, would not thine eyes affect thine heart with unspeakable horrour? Now this O Reader will be thy case, if thou art unsanctified at death; when thou lyest up­on thy death-bed, and art going out of the world, thou mayst take thy leave of thy friends, estate, honour and delights in such language as this, Farewel my dear wife, children, and all my friends, farewel for e­ver, I am going where lovers and friends will be put farre from me, I must never ne­ver have any friend more, but shall remain friendlesse to all eternity. Farewel my house and Land, my silver and gold, fare­wel for ever; I shall from henceforth and for ever be a beggar, and though I beg but for one drop of water to coole my tongue, when this whole body shall be in unquench­able flames, I must everlastingly be deni­ed. Farewel my honours and delights, farewel for ever, I shall never more be re­spected or comforted; confusion of face, and easelesse pains are to be my endlesse and unchangeable portion; Thus (man) thou wilt most miserably, even out-live thy felicity, and when thou comest to live in­deed, i. e. in the other world, want all thy comforts and joys.

[Page 73]2. Thou shalt lose by death all thy spiri­tual preferment. It is now no mean mer­cy to thee, hadst thou an heart to prize and improve it, that thou enjoyest the Ordi­nances of God, the means of grace, many golden seasons, for the good of thy soul, that thou mayst sit at Gods feet, and hear his voice out of Scripture, fall down on thy knees, and seek his face by prayer; but know to thy sorrow, death wil rob thee of all these Jewels; Now thou hast the ten­ders of mercy, the intreaties of the Mini­ster, the motions of the Spirit, the invita­tions of Christ, liberty to cast thy self down at the foot-stool of Heavens Majesty, and to be as fervent and instant as thou wilt, for mercy, but then the gate wil be shut, and there wil be no praying, or hearing, or preaching in the place whether thou art go­ing. Psal. 88.11 Shall thy loving kind­nesse be declared in the grave? or thy faith­fulnesse in destruction? the interrogation is a strong negation. There is no preaching of Gods clemency or fidelity, either in the grave or hel. All the Lectures read in the former, are by worms of mans mortality; and all the Sermons heard in the latter, are [Page 74] of mans misery, and Gods severity. Rea­der, I assure thee from the living God, that though in this life thou art now and then bungling about a duty, and giving God thy stinking breath, a few cold lazy petitions, which proceed from thy corrupt lungs, thy cursed heart, thou shalt do so no more after death. As the Saints shall be above this mediate enjoyment of God, so thou shalt be below it. And truly, hadst thou ever had Communion with God in a duty, this losse would go near thee; How amiable is the worshipping of God to a gracious soul? he prizeth Ordinances, because they are the means of it in this world, above his estate, and food, or what ever is deare to him, Psa. 119.14, 72, 111. Job 23.12. Psa. 84.1.2, 3. And this priviledge he shall have by death, to be employed stil about the same work, (of pleasing, glorifying, worshipping, and en­joying God) only he shall do it in a more excellent and more delightful way.

He continueth as it were in the same School; death only removes him to an high­er form, or (if you will) death sends him from the School (in which he was fitted and prepared) to the University of heaven; but O sinner, thou must be deprived of this [Page 75] happinesse; indeed now thou esteemest the Ordinances of God a burden; as precious as they are to others, they are tedious to thee. The Church is thy Goal, the Sabbath is thy ague-day, the commands of Christ are bonds and fetters to thee, Psa. 72.3. The voice of thy carnal heart is, when wil the glasse be out? when wil the duty be done? when wil the Sabbath be over? that thou mayst follow the world, Amos 8.5. Thou thinkest the prayer is too long, the Sermon is too long, the Sabbath is too long, the duties are all too long; wel, be patient but a little, a short time, and thou shalt never be troubled with these long duties more; The night is coming, when there is no working, Joh. 9.4. There is no enjoying Sabbath or Sacraments, or seasons of grace, no wisdome, knowledge or device, in the grave to which thou art hastening, Eccles. 9.10.

Now the Minister exhorteth thee to cast away thy sins, and come to thy Saviour, to reject thy soul-damning lusts, and accept of a soul-saving Lord; The Father com­mandeth thee by his Soveraignty over thee, and propriety in thee as thy Creatour; The Son entreateth thee, by presenting his bloo­dy sweat and sufferings unto thee, as he is [Page 76] thy Redeemer; The Spirit stirreth thee to pity thy precious soul, and to minde thine unchangeable estate, to consider se­riously in this day of Gods patience, the things which concern thy eternal peace; The Gospel is a Treasure of inestimable va­lue, freely offered to thee, upon condition thou wilt but heartily embrace it and the easie yoke of Christ together; The Word of God chargeth, inviteth, allureth, be­seecheth, promiseth, threateneth; all these like so many Trumpets, do loudly sound a retreat, to call thee off from thy slavery to the world and flesh, unto the glorious li­berty of the Sons of God: but thou art as deaf as the Adder, and wilt not hear the voice of these heavenly charmes; as hard as the Rock; the waves of threatenings which dash unweariedly against thee, stirre thee not; the showres and dews of promi­ses which fall on thee continually, make no impression, neither mercies nor judge­ments, neither men nor God can prevaile with thee; Well sinner, think of it again and again (and thy heart is hardened with a witnesse, if it do not tremble to think of it) the hour is approaching, when thou shalt never have these tenders, these invi­tations, [Page 77] these means, these motions more, though thou shalt earnestly, and uncessant­ly desire them, and willingly accept of them if they could be granted thee; after thou hast fryed as many millions of yeares in hell, as there are stars in the heavens, piles of grasse on the earth, and sands on the sea shoar; yet thy intreaty upon such an hard condition shall be denied, then thou wilt befool thy self to purpose, for staying til the day after the faire, for not accepting when thou wast wel offered; then mercy wil be mercy indeed, then grace wil be grace indeed, then the Gospel wil be glad-ty­dings indeed, when by the want of them thou shalt fully know the worth of them.

Now God holdeth the Candle of his Word to thee, and instead of working, thou playest; instead of working out thy own salvation, instead of working the works of him that sent thee into the world, thou playest the fool, the drunkard, the beast, the hypocrite, the Atheist; wel, thou shalt go into utter darknesse, where those lights which thou now enjoyest, will never shine.

Plutarch observeth of Hannibal, he might [Page 78] once have taken Rome, and would not; af­terwards he would and could not; now God offereth thee heaven, thou choosest earth, and notwithstanding he assureth thee, that now is the only acceptable time, now is the only day of salvation, yet thou wilt not hear when he calleth; I tel thee, the day is near, when thou wouldst, but God wil not; when thou shalt call, but he wil not hear, and then thou shalt find no place for repentance, though Esau like, thou seek it carefully with tears; When once thy parti­cular judgement is pass'd, 'twil be in vain to beg a Psalm of mercy.

3. Thou shalt at death lose the socie­ty of all the godly, even of those excellent ones, in whom is the delight of Christ, Prov. 8.31. and all the delight of Christians, Psa. 16.3. It is a blessing to thee upon earth, (did the Lord but sanctifie it to thee) that thy lot is cast in a Land, in a Parish, in a family, where those holy ones are, that thou mayst hear their gracious prayers, see their pious patterns, and enjoy their preci­ous precepts. Homo boni pedis. A Saint is as the Proverb is in Africa, A man whose coming is pro­sperous; this churlish Laban could confesse, [Page 79] Gen. 30.27. and the Heathenish Egypti­an found by experience, Gen. 39.2. All the Countrey fareth the better for a good and rich Christian, he eateth not his mor­sels alone, but keepeth open house for all comers.

He both desireth, and endeavoureth that others might be not almost, but altoge­ther as he is. None are more spiritually covetous to make Proselites, then the true Israelites. As the wall which receiveth heat from the Sun, reflecteth it on the pas­sengers: so he wisheth so wel to the worst, that they were partakers of the same grace, that they may have fellowship with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Sonne, John 1.1. Like the Bee he goeth to this and that flower, to this and that Ordinance, and sucketh some sweetness, some spiritual good, and carrieth all home to his house, to his hive. As sin is diffusive, a little leaven, leaven­eth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5. & 6. Some say, they that have the plague are very de­sirous to infect others: so is grace, like oil spreading; the gracious desire to go to an innumerable company of Angels, with a nu­merous company of Saints.

Their examples are amiable, and some­times [Page 80] instrumental for the conversion of others, 1 Pet. 3.1. 1 Cor. 7.16. Justin Martyr confesseth of himself, that behold­ing the Saints piety in life, and patience at death, he gathered their doctrine to be the truth, and was converted; their prayers are desirable, and that in the esteem of pro­phane and ungodly men, Exod. 8.28. Exod. 9.28. Acts 8.24.

In a word, The Saints are clouds which wa­ter the earth, Heb. 12. the salt which keepeth the world from putrefaction, Mat. 6. That place Prov. 10.25. But the righteous is an everlasting foundation, The Hebrews ex­pound the righteous are the foundation of the world, which but for their sakes, would soon shatter and fall to ruine; Sanctum semen sta­tumen te­rae Isa. 6.13 Absque sta­tionibus non staret [...]undus. I beare up the pillars thereof, saith David, Psalm 75.9. It is for the sake of the good, that the bad are spa­red. Acts 27.24. All that sailed with Paul, were saved for his sake; How many a time have they stood in the gap, and di­verted a flood of wrath from breaking in? Psal. 106.30. Numb. 14.20. How many a mercy hath come flying to the world upon the wings of their prayers?

But O sinners, herein wil be a part of thy misery, that thou shalt for ever be banish't [Page 81] their company; now possibly thou thinkest the Parish the worse for such strict inhabi­tants, thy dwelling the worse for such pre­cise Neighbours, thy family the worse for such an humble zealous child, or servant; now thou do'st not know what thou gainest, when thou hast their society, but thou shalt know what thou losest, when thou hast lost them to eternity.

If Cicero did so bewail his banishment from the Romane Moralists, that though the Countries through which he travelled, did him much honour, yet he would often look towards Italy with sighs and tears; and if the Disciples wept so much for the losse of Paul, they fell about his neck, and kis­sed him and wept; sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more in this world, Acts 20.37, 38. how wilt thou sigh and sob, weep and wail, when thou shalt be parted from them in the other world?

Did the devout men make suck great la­mentation for the losse of one good man for a little time? Act. 8.2. what lamentation shalt thou make for the losse of all good men to eternity? Surely, as in Ramah, there wil be a voice heard, lamentation, weeping [Page 82] and mourning for the losse of these children of God.

4. When thou diest, thou shalt lose all thy hope (or presumption rather.) Thy dead hope (for Saints only have a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3.) wil fail thee at death. As thou hast no true holiness, so thou canst have no true hope; but something 'tis like­ly thou hast, upon which thou reliest as to thy future estate. It may be, thou hast the good things of this life, and thence conclu­dest thy right to a better life; as if because the great House-keeper of the world throw­eth some bones to the dogs, therefore he must love them with a paternal love; thou do'st not consider, their houses may be full of gold, whose hearts are empty of grace, and whose souls shall assuredly come short of glory, Job 22.17, 18. Psal. 17.13, 14.

It may be it is thy profession of Religi­on, that holds thee up by the chin, and keepeth from sinking; as if because a stage-player is drest in the Robes, and for a quar­ter of an houre acteth the part of a King, he must therefore have a real right to the Dignity, Dominions, and Revenues of the Regal Office, not believing that those co­lours [Page 83] of the form, which are not laid in oyl, in the power of godlinesse, wil be wash't off at death, Matth. 25.8. Or it is likely, thou enjoyest the priviledges of the Gospel; Sabbaths, Sacraments, and the seasons of grace are the bladders, with the help of which (without an inward change) thou thinkest to swim to heaven; do'st thou not know that many go to hel fire with Font-water on their faces, and from the table, to the tormentour? Matth. 22.13. that E­sau a cast-away, and Ishmael an out-cast, had both Abram to their father; and so had they whom truth it self assureth, that they were of their father the divel, John 8.44. Circumcision availeth nothing, nor uncircum­cision, but a new creature, Gal. 6.15. All such things are but lying words, where an in­ternal work of grace is wanting, Jer. 7.4, 5, 6.

Or possibly thou art a man of many per­formances; thou mindest secret, family, relation-duties, (which too too many neg­lect) praying, reading, hearing, Christian communion; like the spider thou weavest a curious web out of thine own bowels, and therewith makest thee a house in which thou restest quietly; but O friend, God [Page 84] hath Job 8.14 15. a besome of death which will sweep this down. This, and all the rest as nigh as they seem to be to heaven, will prove but a Castle in the air; whether any or all these, or something else be the Pillars by which thy hope is upheld in life, they wil fail thee at death; and then the rotten props being taken away, the house of thy hope wil fall. These are all but a sandy founda­tion, and therefore when that great storm comes, they will down to the ground, Matth. 7.26, 27.

It is possible thou mayest hope all the time thou livest, but thy life and hope wil depart together; like thy neighbours, thou mayst be ful of hope even when thou art going into the pit of despaire; and die in peace, though thou art going unto the place of eternal war; but the next moment after death, thy hopes wil take wings and flie away. Prov. 11.7. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of unjust men perisheth. He died perhaps with his head ful of hopes and ex­pectation, as those seemed to have done, that came bouncing at heavens gate, with Lord, Lord open to us; but soon were their hearts filled with desperation, when they [Page 85] heard, Depart from me ye workers of iniqui­ty, I know you not. Etiam spes valentissima periit, as some read that fore-cited place, His great hope shall be little worth. A false heart and false hope can never hold out in such a real hardship. Job 27.8. What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained, when God shall take away his soul. An Ex­positor glosseth on it thus; The anchor of a wicked mans hope entereth not within the vail (as a godly mans doth closing with God himself in Christ, Hebr. 6.19. which anchor in all storms is sure and stedfast) but is cast upon false and loose ground, and therefore when the storm comes, his An­chor drives and is unstedfast; and so his hope and heart fail together. The stout­est unregenerate man alive wil drop at last; when God cometh to take away his soul, then his crest falls, and his plumes flagge. The wicked is driven away in his wickednesse, Prov. 14.32.

He being arrested by death as a cruel ser­jeant, in the divels name is hurried away, and hurld into hel; as Syrens are said to sing curiously while they live, but to roare hor­ribly when they die; so thou that art high in hope on earth, wilt be lower in grief in [Page 86] hel; when thou shalt see all thy hopes like Absoloms Mule, to fail thee in thy greatest extremity.

We say, if it were not for hope, the heart would break; what wilt thou do then, when thy hope shall depart, and thy heart conti­nue?

How sad wil thy condition be, when thou shalt fall from the high pinacle of thy pre­sumption into the bottomelesse gulph of desperation! surely thy raised expectation disappointed, wil prove a sore vexation; how extreamly wilt thou be perplexed, when thou shalt fall as low as hel, whose hopes were raised as high as heaven! If hope deferred make the heart sick, Prov. 13.12. then hope of such happiness wholy frustra­ted, wil kil it with a thousand deaths.

Improbidū spirant spe­rant: justus etiam cum expirat sperat.When a gracious man dieth, his hope is perfected in the fruition of all (and ten thou­sand times more then) he hoped for; when a graceless man dieth, his hope perisheth, in an utter disappointment of all that he (though with little reason) so much ex­pected.

5. Thou shalt lose by death thy pre­cious soul; this wil be a losse indeed; the [Page 87] price of this pearl is not known to thee on earth, but it wil be fully known in hel; this one head Reader, didst thou but understand what is included in it, would stab thee to the heart; and the thought of this one losse, would be enough to imbitter the comforts of thy whole life. The soul of man is cal­led the man, Job. 4.19. though not in a na­tural, Quia ani­maest prin­cipalior pars homi­nis, unum­quodque autem con­suevit ap­pel [...]ari id quod in e [...] est princi­palius. A­quin. in Job 4.19. yet in a moral consideration (saith one upon that place) it being the most no­ble, the most excellent part of man; and 'tis usual to denominate the whole from the better part. The body is but an house of clay, its foundation is in the earth; but the soul the inhabitant in this house, is of an Angelical, spiritual nature; The genera­tion of this was from heaven. Zachariah 12.1.

The operations of this are most noble; the Redemption of this cost the blood of God, Psal. 31.5. Acts 20.28. this is that part of man which is capable of the Image of his Maker. Col. 3.10. Ephes. 4.24. the working out the salvation of this, is the whole of a Saints care and labour, Phil. 2.14. 'tis upon the welfare of this, that the body dependeth for its unchangeable estate; what a losse then wil the losse of this be?

Faci [...]is ja­ctura sepul­cri.An Heathen can tel us, that it is an easiy matter to beare the losse of an earthly house for our bodies, when we die; but certain­ly it wil be hard to beare the want of an heavenly habitation for thy soul. Let him that bought this ware, speak to its worth, and thy losse; What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matth. 16.26. Behold what an incomparable, what an irreparable losse is here. It is such a losse, there is none like it; The gain of the whole world, cannot ballance the losse of one soul. If a temporal life be more worth then meat, and the body then rayment, what is an im­mortal eternal soul worth? Couldst thou set thy soul to sale for all the world, yet for all that thou wouldst be a loser, nay, as the rich man, a beggar. This is an irreco­verable losse; If thou losest one eye, thou hast another; if thou losest one limb, thou hast more; if thou losest thine estate, thou mayst recover it again; if thou losest thy life, thou mayst be a gainer by it, thou mayst find it again. Matth. 16.25. but if thou losest thy soul at death, thou hast no more; there is no second throw to be cast, [Page 89] no after-game to be play'd, thou art gone, thou art undone for ever. Here is a losse (man) that may make thy hair stand an end thy head, yea, thy heart to ake when thou readest or thinkest of it, do not thine eares tingle, and thy loines tremble to hear of it?

When God would smite the rich fool, under the fifth rib as it were, and strike him so home, as that there need not a second thrust, he doth it in these words, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be requi­red of thee, Luke 12.20. Ah! sad sen­tence, wherein every word speaketh wo, every syllable sorrow and sighs; Had it been, Thou wise man, the message might have been wel-come, and death desireable as a passage to eternal life; but it's Thou fool; had it been this year, or this month, nay, had it been this week, the man might have been fore-warned and fore-armed, but it is, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; Had it been this night thy riches shall be required of thee, how harsh would it have sounded in his eares who had no o­ther God but his gold; who like a Mole li­ved in the earth as his element! O how hard would it be to part this covetous [Page 90] muck-worm, and his Mammon of unrigh­teousnesse! but it is not thy silver, but thy soul shall be required of thee! Had it been, This night thy relations shall be required of thee, thy wife and children, and all thy kindred shall be required of thee, what hea­vy tidings would it have been to his heart, that had had no kindred in heaven! with what wringing of hands, and watering of cheeks, and sighs and sobs would such news have been entertained! many an eye would a tender husband and father have cast upon his loving wife and lovely babes; and O how would his eye have affected his heart with grief and sorrow, to consider that these thriving hopeful plants must be removed into another soil, that this near conjugal knot must be untied, and he and his dearest relations, who had so often, and so much rejoyced together, so suddenly be separated, and that for ever! but it is not thy wife that is one flesh with thee, but thy Spouse that is a spirit within thee; thy soul shall be required of thee. Had it been, This night all the means of grace shall be re­quired of thee, it had been worse then the losse of a limb to him that had had any spi­ritual life; the Ordinances of God to a [Page 91] soul, are as the Sun to the world, without which (notwithstanding all its earthly de­lights) it would be but a place of dark­nesse, and of the shadow of death, Matth. 4.16. but it is thy soul; the former might have spoken the mans condition very dan­gerous, but this speaks it altogether de­sperate, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall he required of thee. The former although sad, are yet nothing to this, not so much as the noise of a podgun to the noise of a Cannon. This is the great Ordnance which includes, and yet drowns those smal­ler pieces.

Couldst thou, Ambr. ult. pag. 69. saith one upen the fore-ci­ted Text, purchase a Monopoly of all the world, hadst thou the Gold of the West, the Treasures of the East, the Spices of the South, the Pearls of the North; all is nothing to this incarnate Angel, this in­valuable soul: O wretched worldling, what hast thou done, thus to undo thy soul! Was it a wedge of gold, an heap of earth, an hoard of silver, to which thou trustedst? see they are gone, and thy soul is required. Alas poor soul, whither must it go? to hea­ven? No, there is another place for wan­dring sinners; Go ye into everlasting fire, [Page 92] prepared for the Divel and his Angels; thi­ther must it go with heavinesse of heart, in­to a Kingdome of darknesse, a lake of fire, a prison of horrible confusion, and terrible tortures.

Reader, if thou art not new-born, put this case to thy self, and ask thy soul what it wil do in such an hour, when the grave shall come with an habeas corpus for thy bo­dy, and the Divel with an habeas animam for thy soul; when thy soul shall leave this dwelling of thy body, and passe naked of all its comforts into a far countrey, where Divels and damned spirits are the inhabi­tants, where screeching, yelling, and howling, is the language, where fire and brimstone is the meat, and a cup of pure wrath without the least mixture is the drink, where weeping and wailing is their calling, where a killing death is all their life. Assure thy self if thou diest unsancti­fied, thou wilt find far more, and worse then all this.

O my soul, saith Bernard, what a terrible day shall that be, Bern. me­dita. when thou shalt leave this mansion, and enter into an unknown Regi­on? who can deliver thee from those ramping Lyons? who shall defend thee from those hellish monsters.

Now thou most unworthily undervaluest thy precious soul, little caring what flaws by sin thou causest in this Diamond; like the cock on the dung-hill, thou knowest not the worth of this Jewel, but preferrest thy barly-corns before it. I have read, that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their shoes;; thou do'st worse, thou tramplest this matchlesse Jewel under thy feet; whil'st thy dying body is cloathed and pampered, thy ever-living soul is na­ked and starved; some write of Herod (I suppose because of that infant massacre;) It was better to be his swine than his Sonne; for when his superstition hindred him from slaying his hogs, his ambition helpt him to kill his child. I say, it were better to be thy beast than thy soul; thou canst every morning and evening what ever happen, take care that thy beasts be watered and foddered, and many times in the day look abroad after them, to see what they ail, and accordingly take order for their supply; and yet O man, or rather O brute, thou canst let thy soul go an whole day, and never feed it with the set meals of prayer, Scri­pture and meditation, yea, and in an whole day (nay, it may be an whole week) not [Page 94] ask thy soul in good earnest how it doth, what it wanteth, what sins it hath to be mortified, what grace it hath to be be­stowed or increased, what spiritual neces­sities to be supplied.

Reader, Is it not so? let conscience speak; and canst thou read these lines with­out blushing and heart-breaking, that thou shouldest spend more time and strength up­on thy beasts than upon that soul which truth it self saith, is more worth than a world? Matth. 16.26. which is created ca­pable of such an high work, as pleasing, glorifying, and enjoying God, and of such an happy reward as the immediate and eter­nal fruition of, and communion with his in­finite majesty in heaven! Well, this soul thus despised, when lost, though then too late, will be esteemed. Hell will read thee such a Lecture of thy souls worth, that it will make thee understand it, and believe it whether thou wilt or no, and then thou shalt have time enough (in that eternity in which thy soul shall be lost) to befool thy self for thy desperate madnesse, in gratify­ing thy bruitish flesh, and thus basely neg­lecting thy soul, that heaven-born Spi­rit.

Sixthly, Thou shalt by death lose the infinitely blessed God; this is the losse of losses, the misery of miseries, the very hell of hell, such a loss as there was never the like before it, nor ever shall be again after it, such a loss as no tongue can express, as no heart can conceive, yet such a loss as thou shalt know fully, when experimentally. The four first losses might have been born with comfort and delight by the person that had but gained this good, and the first could not have been without this. The e­ternal death of the soul consisteth in its farthest separation from that God, whose favour is far better than life. This is the lowest round in that ladder, by which thou shalt descend into the bottomless pit. This is the foot of this black bloody ac­count, the head of that arrow which pier­ceth the hearts of the damned.

This is the worst effect and fruit of sin, that it is privative of our union with and fruition of God: Vines on James 4.8. pag. 23. Depart from me is as ter­rible a word as everlasting fire: Ah whe­ther do they go, that go from him? when he alone hath the power of eternal life: how dismal, how dark must that dungeon be, where this Sun will not shine in the least [Page 96] degree, with the light of his countenance well may it be called blacknesse of darknesse for ever, Jude 15. the hell of the hypocrites, which will be hottest of all, is set out by this, Job 13.16. the hypocrite shall not come before God. Couldst thou have all the mercies that the world can give, yet in this want of God thou wouldest be com­pleatly miserable. Ten thousand words cannot speak a soul more unhappy than those two words, Without God, Ephes. 2.12. Thou mayest be without riches, with­out friends, without health, without liber­ty, nay without all outward blessings, and yet blessed: but if without God, thou art cursed with a curse. When God would couch all arguments in one to perswade to duty, this is instead of all, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, Jer. 7.23. when he would disswade and drive them from ini­quity, Sicut Sole recedente succedunt densae tene brae: sic Deo rece­dente suc­cedit hor­ribilis ma­ledictio. Paraeus in [...]. Hos. this is the stinging whip, Be instru­cted, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee, Jer. 6.8. When he would strike Israel dead with a blow, this is it, Wo unto them when I depart from them, Hos. 9.12. How sad a saying is that of Saul, I am sore distressed! (and well he might) the Philistines are upon me, and God is departed from me, 1 Sam. 28.15.

If a partial Eclipse of the Sun cause such a drooping in the whole Creation; what will a total Eclipse of this Sun cause? how mournfully doth Micah bemoan the losse of of his dunghil deity! Ye have taken away my gods, and what have I mor [...]e and what is this that ye say unto me, what aileth thee? Judg. 18.24. surely the damned, as they will have infinitely more cause, so they will with more horrour and anguish bewail the losse of the true God; though all the tears in hell are not sufficient to bewail the losse of this heaven. If the body from which the soul is parted be such a deformed sad spe­ctacle, what shall the condition of that soul be, from which God is parted for ever?

How unable are the children of God to bear the absence of God in this life, though it be but in part, and for a short time; take Heman, Psal. 88.14, 15. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted, and ready to die, while I suffer thy terrours, I am distra­cted. Observe the good man is at deaths door, and no wonder, when as to his appre­hension the life of his soul had left him: for though no man can see the essential face of God, and live; yet no Saint can live, un­lesse [Page 98] he see the providential face of God. Consider Job a man of courage, one that had entered the list against Satan, and foild him. The Sabeans and Chaldeans were too hard for his servants, and captivated his cat­tel, but Job was too hard for them, he con­quered them; the winde that blew down the house on his children, could not blow down the tower of his confidence, his hold on Christ; yet when this valiant Warriour comes to encounter with the withdrawings of God, how exceedingly is his courage withdrawn, Job 13.24. wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Why Lord, are all the appearances from heaven so black and lowring? Why is it that I see not the former smiles of thy face? O what is the cloud that hindereth the light of thy countenance from shining on me! What sin is the mist which is gathered about the true Sun, impeding my fight of thee!

Behold our Lord Jesus himself, that could bear the spiteful buffetings of some, the bloody scourgings of others, the scorn and derisions of many; that could suffer the treason of one Apostle, the denial of another, and the unkindnesse of them all, [Page 99] without complaining; yet when the Deity did but withdraw it self for a time, that the humanity might suffer for our sins, how mournfully doth he sigh out that expressi­on, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matth 27.46. It was not his torturing from men, nor the terrours of devils, not the presence of all the powers of darkness that Christ complained so much of; as the absence of God: Now meditate, O sin­ner, if the departure of God▪ though par­tial and temporal, were so terrible to his Saints, to his Son; how intolerable will the losse of God be to thee, when it shall be total and eternal! Do they mourn so bit­terly when for a small moment he forsaketh them, though with great mercies he gathe­reth them, when in a little wrath he hides his face from them, though with everlast­ing kindnesse he hath mercy on them? Isa. 54.7, 8. How bitterly wilt thou complain, when he shall forsake thee to eternity, when he shall hide his face from thee for ever, and not bestow on thee the least mercy or the smallest kindnesse! This will be a woe with a witnesse: Suffering may be the portion of Saints; but separation from God the punishment of Devils. As the face and [Page 100] comfortable presence of God is the great­est felicity of the saved; Summa mors ani­mae est alie­natio à vita Dei in ae­ternitate supplicii. Aug. de civit. Dei, lib. 6. so the full with­drawings or absence of God will be the greatest misery of the damned.

Now thou doest not value the enjoy­ment of God, thou thinkest often that he is too neer thee; the coming of God to thee is as to the Devils a torment, Matth. 8.29. If he draw nigh to thee sometime in a Sermon, in a private Instruction, in a moti­on of his spirit, or in a conviction of thy conscience, thou wishest him farther off with his precise laws, that thou mighst have more liberty for thy fleshly lusts: The voice of thine hellish heart unto God, is, Depart from me, I desire not the knowledge of thy wayes, Job 21.14. Well, thy petition shall be granted to thy destruction, and God will take thee at thy word, and give thee thy wish to thy woe, when thy doom shall be to depart from him, Luke 13.27. Matth. 25.41. and then thou shalt know the in­comparable worth of him; thy understan­ding shall be cleared, though not changed, that thy knowledge may increase thy sor­row: Thou art now wilfully ignorant of him and his Will: (some never look up to the Sun, but in an Eclipse) but then thou [Page 101] shalt know so much of him to grind thee with tormenting grief for thy losse of him. As a prisoner through the grates may see the costly apparel, the precious liberty, the pleasant and plentiful provision which o­thers enjoy, wh [...]lest he is vexed with hun­ger, nakednesse, cold, and bondage; So thou shalt see bread enough in the Fathers house, and the children sitting round about his table, eating bread, and feasting in the Kingdom of heaven, while thou art perish­ing with hunger: Thou shalt see those Ri­vers of pleasures, wherein the godly bathe their souls, those soul-ravishing delights which they enjoy in God, the fountain of all good, whilest thou art sentenced to an eternal separation from him.

Now tell me whether the sinful wretch be not a loser by death, when he shall lose all his wealth, friends, and opportunities of grace, the company of all the Saints, all his false hopes of heaven, his precious soul, and the ever blessed God; & tel me whither sin, how sweet soever it be in the commission, will not be bitter in the conclusion; whether in such an hour, the Devil will not pay thee thy full wages, for all thy wicked works; [Page 102] whether it be worth the while to continue in thine unregenerate estate, though thou couldst gain never so much, when it will certainly end in such inestimable losse. In a word, answer me whether the greatest pleasure thou canst gain for thy flesh, the greatest addition thou canst gain to thy e­state, by a sinful irreligious life, can coun­tervail the everlasting losse of God and thy soul.

But this is not all, (sinner) I have not done with thee; yet I have told thee a lit­tle of thy losse; for the whole of it, no tongue can tell, no pen can write; I will now tell thee thy gain by death, and then do thou cast up the accompt, and tell me whether thy wickednesse will not end in woe.

First, By death thou shalt gain a cursed perfection of sin, (if it may be called a per­fection) Upon earth the most notorious sin­ner is a lion chained up, and kept in; but in hell he will be let loose, and then his ra­venous nature and cruel disposition will ap­pear to purpose.

Gurnals Armour. Part. 1. p. 257. ‘Thou yet standest in a soil (saith that accurate Writer) not so proper for the ripening of sin, which will not come to its [Page 103] fulnesse, til trans-planted unto hel. Thou who art here so maidenly and modest, as to blush at some sins out of shame, and for­bear the actings of others out of fear, when there thou shalt see thy case as de­sparate as the Devil doth his; then thou wilt spit out thy blasphemies with which thy nature is stufft, with the same malice that he doth.’ The vilest man in this world Is like a swine in a fair meadow; but in the other world, there wil be the wal­lowing in the mire. Thy heart now Is like the Sea which cannot rest, but is ever cast­ing up mire and dirt of sin, foaming out thy own shame, yet still it is shut up with bars and doors of restraining grace; hitherto shalt thou come, and no further; and here shal thy proud waves be stayed; but then the doors wil be opened, the banks broken down, and the flood-gates taken up; and ô what a deluge, what an overflow of sin will be there! Here if God should not put a bridle into the mouth of these unruly beasts, and hold them in, there would be no living for a Saint among them; but then when the good shall be parted from them, the reins shall be laid (in some respect) on their own necks, and then they wil run [Page 104] to the same excesse of riot and sin with the very divels.

Voluntas morientis confirma­tur in eo statu in quo moritur.All the weeping in hell will not wash thee a whit the cleaner, and all the fire there wil not consume the least of thy drosse. He that is filthy at death, will be filthy still, and he that is unjust then, shall be unjust for ever. Rev. 22.11.

Arcem om­nium turpi­tudinum.Hell may fitly be called, as Tertullian called Pompeys theatre (the glory of old Rome) a stye of filthinesse. Every bottle of wickednesse, wil be there filled with those bitter waters; thou that now makest a match with mischief, shalt then have thy belly full. Here sin is thy sin and defile­ment; but there it wil be thy hel, thy pu­nishment. Here thou sportest with it, but there thou shalt smart for it; now it is thy pleasure, but then it wil be thine everlasting pain.

Sin is ugly to a Saint on earth, notwith­standing all her gaudy attire, and painted face; but O what a deformed monster wil she be in hel, when she shall be stript of all her ornaments of pleasure and profit, and when all her paint shall be washt off with Rivers of brimstone. I thus preach, and thus think (saith Chrysostome) that it is [Page 105] more bitter to sin against Christ, then to suffer the torments of hell. And holy An­selm saith, that if the evil of sin were prof­fered to him, and the torments of hell, he had rather choose hell then sin. Thus o­dious sinne is to a godly man in this world; and surely it will not be amiable to a wick­ed man in the other world; but they who now glory in their shame, will then be a­shamed of their glory, and find their lusts more burthensome to them (how lightly soever now they go with them) then ever Prisoners did their chains and fettets.

If thy soul be so unhealthy in so pure an air as this (comparatively) is among the Saints of God; how diseased will it be in that misty Region of darknesse, in that Pest-house, among Divels and infectious spirits

2. Thou shalt gain by death a fulnesse of sorrow; when thy sins come to their high­est degree, then will thy sorrows likewise, both in regard of intention and durati­on.

1. In regard of intention; and how great this will be, I am not able to tell thee. When one was desired to paint the Spanish Inquisition, he took a Table and besmear­ed [Page 106] it with blood, implying the torments were so cruel and bloody, that his pencil could not delineate them. Sure I am Pha­leris Bull, Low-countrey wracks, and all out-landish tortures whatsoever, are but plays and bug-bears to the sufferings of the damned; There are no sorrows like to their sorrows, wherewith the Lord afflicteth them in the day of his fierce wrath; Unum gut­tula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudij [...]b­sorbet. Lu If the wrath of God be kindled but a little, and a spark thereof light into the conscience of a Saint, what a work doth it make? there is no rest in his flesh, nor quiet in his bones; when the arrows of the Almighty stick within him, the poison thereof soon drinks up his spirits. Psal. 38 3. Job 6.4. what wil their condition then be, against whom God shall stir up all his wrath, Psal. 78.39. Hell is said to be prepared for the Divel and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. as if the Al­mighty and infinite God had sate down, and studied the most exquisite torments that could be, to inflict on them. As when he would glorifie the riches of his mercy, on them that love him and keep his com­mands, he provideth fulnesse of joy, and greater pleasures than the heart of man can possibly conceive; So when he would [Page 107] glorifie his Justice in the highest degree on them that hate him, and wilfully break his Laws, he prepareth fulnesse of sorrow, and greater pain then any, yea, then all the men in the world can possibly comprehend. A melancholy man may fancy (saith one) vast and terrible fears, fire, sword, Dr. Rey­nolds on Hos. 14. p. 23. of Ser­mon 1. tem­pests, wracks, furnaces, scalding-lead, boyling pitch, running bell-metal, and be­ing kept alive in all these, to feel their tor­ment: but these come far short of the wrath of God; for first there are bounds set to the hurting power of the creature; the fire can burn, but it cannot drown; the serpent can sting, but not teare in pieces. 2. The fears of the heart are bounded within those narrow apprehensions which it self can frame of the hurts which may be done. But the wrath of God proceeds from an infinite justice, and is executed by an Omnipotent and unbounded power, com­prising all the terror of all the creatures, (as the Sun doth all other light) eminent­ly and excessively in it. It burns and drowns, and tears, and stings, and can make nature feel much more than reason is able to com­prehend.

A wounded spirit who can beare? Prov. 18. [Page 108] 14. The wise man gives a challenge to the whole creation, to find out a person that is strong enough to undergo such a burden, and certainly none ever dared to accept the challenge. How intolerable hath such a weight been to them that are Lyons for strength and courage? This caused Davids broken bones, and watered couch. This made Heman at his wits end, Psal. 88.15. This made Spira that seven years monu­ment of Gods justice, In his sin­cere con­vert. (as Mr. Shepherd calls him) to roare so horribly out of an­guish of spirit. This made Daniel choose rather to be cast to the cruel Lyons, then to carry about with him such a ravenous Ly­on in his conscience. This made some of the Martyrs to feel a very hell in their con­sciences after their recantation; no wolfe in the breast, no worm in the bowels, no phrensie so out-ragious as a gnawing cor­roding conscience.

If the wrath of a King be as the roaring of a Lyon; O what is the wrath of God! and if his wrath be so terrible in this world, where there is ever some mixture of mercy with it, what will it be in the other world, when the soul shall have a cup of pure wrath to drink, when God shall shew the uncon­ceiveablenesse [Page 109] of his strength, in tormen­ting the creature, Primamors animam no­lentem pel­lit á corpo­re; Secun­da no [...]en­tem retinet in corpore. Aug. de ci­vit. dei lib. 21. cap. 3. and preserving it to feel those torments? ( Who knoweth the power of his anger? Psal. 90.11.) there will be tri­bulation and anguish, indignation and wrath on the soul of every man that doth evil, Rom. 2.8, 9. There is fire to burn, and brim­stone to choak, Matth 13.40. and chains to bind, and serpents to sting, and worms to gnaw, Mark 9.44. Jude 12. and dark­nesse to affright; there is variety, univer­sality, and extremity of torments. Aug ibid l. 21. c. 13. Au­stine admires it, and saith, that for vehe­mency of heat it exceeds our fire, as much as ours doth fire painted on the wall. But the sufferings of thy soul will be the soul of thy sufferings; the worme that never dy­eth, will be the killing death, when thou shalt remember all thy former sinful plea­sures, of which nothing remaineth but thy present shame and pain; when thou shalt reflect upon the former offers thou hast had, of all the dainties which others feed on in heaven, and despair now of ever obtaining the least crumb that falleth from the Ma­sters table; when thou shalt fore-see the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus, the re-uniting of thy body to thy soul, the [Page 110] easelesse and endlesse torments which soul and body must endure together; Memoria praeterito­rum, sensus prasenaium & metus futurorum are the whole of the souls torments. thy sins past will horribly perplex thee, thy present shame will lamentably confound thee, thy future tortures will unspeakably affright thee. O it will be a fearful thing to fall in­to the hands of the living God! Heb. 12. ult. one touch of it, made a man at arms to cry out sadly, Have pity upon me my friends, have pity upon me, for the hand of God hath touched me. Job. 19.21. One blow of it broke the backs of the Angels, Jude 6. Alas sinner, what wilt thou do under the whole weight of it? how will thy heart endure, or thy hands be strong, in this day that the Lord shall thus deale with thee! the Lord hath spoken it, and he will do it, Ezek. 22.14.

Now thou canst hear and read, and talk of hell, and be no more troubled, then Phy­sicians are at the many diseases which affect their Patients; nay, it may be thou dost jear when thou shouldst fear; like Levia­than, Credo quae de inferit dicuntur falsa exi­stimas, said Cato to Caesar. laugh at the shaking of this spear; if a Minister come to thee as Lot to his Sons in-law, and warn thee to leave the Sodome of thy sinful sensual life, and tell thee that otherwise the Lord will destroy thee, that [Page 111] fire and brimstone will be thy portion; he seemeth to thee (as Lot to them, Gen. 19.14.) as one that mocketh, thou thinkest that he is in jest; but they feel what they would not feare; now they are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 7. and so wilt thou, if God prevent it not by renew­ing thy heart, and reforming thy life. And though now thou art so senselesse that the seat thou fittest in, and the pillar thou lea­nest on, are as much affected with the threatenings and denunciation of the judge­ments of God, as thou art, yet then thou wilt be sensible enough; and thine eyes so dry now, will weep enough when they come to that place, where is nothing but weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, Matth. 24.51. As the love of God is a known unknown love, Ephes. 3.18, 19. none know it fully but they that enjoy it in glory; so the anger of God is a known un­known anger, Psal. 90.11. none can know it perfectly but they that shall feel it eter­nally.

2. It will be full in regard of duration; all thy sad losses, and all thy sorrowful gains will be for ever; there was nothing else wanting to make thee compleatly misera­ble, [Page 112] but the everlasting duration of them, and lo here it is; the positive part of thy punishment will be permanent; there the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark 9.44. and the privative part also shall be perpetual, thou shalt suffer everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, 2 Thes. 1.9. Thou sinnest in thy eternity, and God will make thee suffer in his eternity.

Thou sinnest against an infinite God, and therefore thy punishment must be infi­nite; which because it cannot be, in regard of intention, thy back is not strong e­nough to bear an infinite stroak; therefore it must be in duration; Infinite power can­not inflict greater or longer paines than in­finite Justice doth call for. The debt thou owest to the righteousness of God will be ever paying, and never paid, and therefore thou shalt not escape out of that prison, till thou hast paid the uttermost far thing, Matth. 5.23.

Ita feri, ut se mori sen­tiat. Suer.The command of Caius Caligula to the Executioner (after he had condemned a malefactor) was so to strike, that they might feel themselves dying, and indure the pains of an enduring death. Such will be the everlasting death of the damned; they [Page 113] will be ever, ever dying, and never dead; they shall seek death, but not find it, fol­low after it, but it will free from them, Rev. 9.6.

The same Author reporteth of one that requested of Tiberius Caesar death rather than long imprisonment, Nondum tecum redii in gratiam. how he was an­swered by the Emperour; You and I are not yet friends. The truth is, the punish­ment there must needs be long, yea eternal, because God and the sinner shall never be friends: In this life God treateth with the soul by his Ambassadours upon terms of peace; nay, he beseecheth the sinner to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.21. the carnal man still continueth in his enmity against God, wal­king contrary to him, and fighting against him; God continueth many a day, to some many a year, offering peace, desiring there may be a league made; onely it must be offensive and defensive; it must be an holy peace and league against the Devil, the world, and the flesh; upon this the sinner breaks off, he will not be an enemy to his old cursed friends: now at death this Trea­ty dieth, and the breach then continuing it is irreconcileable for ever. Then the King of Kings causeth his terrours to set [Page 114] themselves in array against the sinner, and proclaimeth open and eternal war.

Reader, for thy souls sake let me beseech thee to ponder this but one half quarter of an hour every morning, that the pain which sin bringeth will be eternal. O how may it take off the edge of thy love to thy most pleasing lusts! Endlesse misery must needs be easelesse: no condition so intolerable as a miserable condition that is unalterable. Its a comfort to a woman in travel, in the midst of her sharp throws and bitter pangs, to think these will have an end; the hope of that doth much help her to hold out; but wo and alas they whose end is damna­tion, shall have damnation which hath no end.

It doth much support the Saints under the anger of God, that though it be sharp, it will be but short, his anger endureth but for a moment, Psal. 30.5. but then will not the heart of the sinner be rent in pieces with rage and despair, to know that the wrath of God must abide on him? John 3. ult.

The Egyptians three dayes darknesse was esteemed a sore plague, but what will thy punishment (O sinner) be, when thou [Page 115] shalt suffer utter darknesse, blacknesse of darknesse for ever, Jude v. 12. Ah wounding word, ever, ever; the most cutting word in comparison of it is healing; the bitterest word, in respect of this, is sweet; Despair will be the cutting off of all hope; and to have hope, the anchor of the soul, cut off, will be the deepest cut in the world; then the vessel of the soul will be liable to all storms and tempests imaginable.

Suppose that one of thy hands were to continue burning in one of our fires, as ma­ny millions of years, as there have been minutes since the Creation, couldst thou undergo it with any patience? what thinkest thou of it? Alas! this were a mer­cy, a heaven to the misery of men in hell; what wilt thou do when thy whole man shall suffer the vengeance of eternal fire? Jude 7. Who can dwell with the devouring fire? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? Isa. 33.14.

It is storied of one Roger Bishop of Salis­bury, that being in prison extreamly tortu­red, live he would not, and die he could not: truly such will the case be of rebelli­ous ones; they shall long for death, but it will not come; and dig for it more than [Page 116] for hid treasures. O how would they re­joyce and be glad, if they could finde a grave! but a being must be given to them that are in misery, and life to the bitter in soul: It is called death indeed, because [...] is neither desired there, nor can it pro­perly be said to be enjoyed; it is a living death, or a dying life, such a death as shall never taste of life, and such a life as shall ne­ver taste of death. After the murderer of his soul hath continued in that lake of fire, as many thousand years as there are fish in the mighty Ocean, and as there are crea­tures great and small upon the whole earth, and as there are stars in the heavens; and after this as many millions of ages as there are hours in all the fore-mentioned time, yet after all this his torment will not be one moment neerer to an end. O eterni­ty, eternity, eternity, what art thou? to what shall I liken thee, or with what com­parison shall I compare thee? Thou art like a vast Ocean which hath no banks, like an outragious fire which knoweth no bounds, like the grave that is never satisfied, like the barren womb that never saith, It is enough; in respect of God thou art like Melchisedec, without father, without mother, having [Page 117] neither beginning of dayes, nor end of life. In respect of the good, like a day which had a morning, but shall never have an e­vening: in respect of the bad, like a night which had an evening, but shall never have a morning. In thee it is that the justice and severity of God, the sinfulnesse and malignity of sin, the deceitfulnesse and va­nity of the world, the madnesse and despe­rate folly of sinners will sufficiently be de­monstrated. In time men are whipped, but in thee it is that they are executed. In thee it is that men must suffer long, for all their abuse of the long-suffering of God. In thee it is that the swearer shall have e­nough of wounds, and oaths, and blasphe­mies, when he shall have Devils wounding his soul with their fiery darts, and when he shall blaspheme the Name of God through extremity of torments. In thee it is that the Adulterer will have enough of lust and lasciviousnesse, when he shall imbrace de­formed Devils, and lie down in a bed of fire (instead of feathers) surrounded with curtains of frightful fiends. In thee it is that the drunkard wil have enough of his cups, when a cup of the pure wrath of an infinitely incensed God, shall be presented [Page 118] to him, and he forced to drink it all up, though there be eternity to the bottome. In thee it is that the Sabbath-breaker shall have enough of disturbing Gods rest, when he shall be tormented, and have no rest day nor night for ever and ever, Revel. 14.16. In thee it is that the Atheist in his family shall have enough of his prayerlessness and regardlessenesse of God, when he shall be ever, ever praying with his whole heart for a drop of water to cool his tongue, and God shall never, never shew the least re­gard towards him. In thee it is that the hypocrite wil have enough of putting off God with a painted holinesse, when he shall find a real Hell. In thee, lastly, it is that the covetous worldling, that like Corah is swallowed up of earth alive, and yet hath never enough, shal have fire enough, pain enough, and wrath enough in Hel.

Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, when there is none to de­liver you, Psal. 50.22. Good God! whe­ther is man fallen? what desperate hard­nesse hath seised on his heart, that he should be every moment liable to such a boundless, bottomlesse sea of scalding wrath, and yet as insensible of it, as if it did no whit con­cern [Page 119] him; Ah did but the seduced world believe thy word, they would mind other works than now they do.

But Reader, what is thy judgment? is not the mirth of every sinner that maketh a mock of sin worse than madnesse? Should not the sting in sins tail deterre thee more than the false beauty of its face allure thee? Shalt thou look hence forward upon the most delightful sin as any better than Clau­dius his mushrome, pleasant, and poison? Well, whoever thou art that readest this Use, be confident all this, and ten thousand times more is thy birth-right; thou art by nature an heir to this estate, that lieth in the valley of Hinnom: All this is the wages due to thee for thy service to sin; sin pay­eth all that die its servants in such black mony; and shouldst thou go out of this world before thou art new-born, thou shalt as certainly find and feel more than all this in the other world, as there is a God in hea­ven, and as thou art a living creature on earth. The God of truth hath spoken it, and who shall dis-annul it? Matth. 18.3. Matth. 5.20. John 3.3. though thou art not actually under it, yet then art every mo­ment liable to it; this cloud of blood hangs [Page 120] night and day over thy head, and thou knowest not how soon it may break and showre down upon thee. The decree and sentence is already pass'd in heaven, that thou who turnst not in time, shalt burn to eternity; and thou canst not tell how soon God may seal the warrant for thy executi­on.

Bellarmine is of opinion, that one glimpse of hel-fire were enough to make a man turn, not only Christian, but Monk, and to live after the strictest order. Drexelius tells us of a young man given to his lust, that he could not endure to lie awake in the dark; and on a time being sick, he could not sleep all night; and then he had these thoughts, What! is it so tedious to lie awake one night? to lie a few hours in the dark; what is it then to lie in everlasting chains of darknesse! I am here in my house, on a soft bed, kept from sleep one night; O to lie in flames, and in darknesse everlasting, how dreadful will that be? this was the means of his conversion.

O that Reader, what I have written, might work such an effect upon thy soul; how abundantly should I be satisfied for all my pains, how heartily should I blesse that [Page 121] God, who by his providence call'd me to this task? Shall I entreat thee (as thou hast the least spark of true love to thy dy­ing body, to thy immortal soul, to thine eternal peace) to break off thy sins by re­pentance, and flie all ungodlinesse as hell; for dost thou not perceive out of the Word of the living and true God, that though thy lust may be sweet in the act, yet her end is bitter as worm-wood, sharp as a two-edged sword, her feet go down to death, her steps take hold of hell, Prov. 5.4, 5.

And in order hereunto, I desire thee to observe faithfully those directions I shall give thee in the third use; for I would not only open the sore and shew its danger, but also by the help of the Physician of souls, prepare a plaister; the Lord enable thee to apply it for thy cure.

Take a man that is most addicted to his pleasures, and bring him to the mouth of a furnace red hot, and flaming, and ask him, How much pleasure wouldst thou take to continue burning in this furnace for one day? he would answer undoubtedly, I would not be tormented in it one day, to gain the whole world, and all the pleasures of it; ask him a second time, what reward would [Page 122] you take to endure this fire half a day? pro­pound what reward you wil, there is no­thing so precious which he would buy at so dear a rate as those torments; and yet how comes it to passe O God, that for a little gain, and that vile; for a little honour, and that fugitive; for a little pleasure, and that fading, men so little regard hel-fire which is eternal.

By this time I hope it is day in thine un­derstanding, Drex. of e­tern. third consid. Rhodo­daphne. and thou seest clearly that there is a difference between the death of the righteous and the wicked; that as the same perfume, which is mortal to the rave­nous vulture, is refreshing to the true Dove; that as the same hearb which cureth men stung with Serpents killeth beasts: so the same mortal disease which cuteth the God­ly of all their spiritual and bodily distem­pers, killeth the wicked; they are killed with death, Rev. 6.

Heavinesse to a Saint, may endure for the night of this life, but joy wil come in the morning of death; whereas the fresh­est streams of sinful delights, wil end in a salt sea of sorrows and tears.

I come now to a second use, and that will be by way of examination. If it be so, [Page 123] that they who have Christ for their [...]ife [...]ll have gain by their death; then examine whether thou art one of them, to whom to die will be gain. Like a Merchant, cast up the accompts between God and thy soul, and see how much thou art worth for ano­ther world; It is good husbandry to know the state of thy flock, Prov. 27.23. but there is a greater necessity of knowing the state of thy soul, of communing with thy own heart. Psal. 4.5. Is it not a thousand pities to live known to others, and to die unknown to thy self? to speak so often, Many a man may say of him­self, as the [...]pigram [...] ­matist of his un­neighbor­ly Neigh­bor, In urbe tota nemo tam prope tam proculque nobis. and so much to others, and yet in the ma­ny years that thou hast lived, never to have spent one houre in serious discourse with thy self, about thine eternal condition, what shall become of thee for ever?

Friend, it may be thou hast been very solicitous to know what shall befall thee whil'st thou livest; is there not more cause for thee to be inquisitive, what sha [...]l befall thee when thou diest? I think it concern­neth thee to be faithful and diligent about this work of examining thy soul, whether Jesus Christ be thy life, when all thy hap­piness hangs on this hinge, even thine e­state for eternity: Trivial matters may be [Page 124] pass'd over sleightly, but things of weight must be minded seriously. Reader, hadst thou ever a matter of greater or equal con­cernment to thine unchangeable eternal e­state? Are not thy following thy trade, thy providing for thy family, thy eating, drinking, sleeping, and the most necessa­ry things thou canst imagine about thy out­ward man, but rattles and babies, but toys and trifles in comparison of this?

Suppose the title I am speaking of, did but concern an estate in Land of 100 pound per annum, which thou wert buying, wouldst thou not consult with this and that man, whether the Title were good or no? wouldst thou think two or three dayes ill spent, in searching and advising to pre­vent the cozenage of thee and thy chil­dren? And doth not thy soul, thine eter­nal estate, deserve more care, more time, more pains, more consulting, searching and questioning, for fear of an everlasting miscarriage? Let thy reason be judge; Had not those wyers need to be strong, that have such a weight as thy eternal wel­fare hanging on them? Should not that Anchor be cast sure, which is entrusted with a vessel so richly laden as with thy [Page 125] soul, that Jewel of inestimable value more worth than a world? Can that foundati­on be too firmly laid, that hath such a buil­ding as eternity of happinesse depending on it. Without question, those deeds and e­vidences (if ever any) had need to be un­questionable, that convey the inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, reserved in heaven.

And the rather shouldst thou try thy soul throughly, because shouldst thou content thy self with a counterfeit Title to heaven, (as most men and women amongst us do) by vertue only of some deeds which the divel and thy carnal heart have forged, and shouldst so dy, thou wouldst assuredly be dealt with as a cheat, and cast into the pri­son of hell, and then thy condition will be most lamentable, because it will be irreco­verable.

If thou missest at all when thou diest, thou missest for all and for ever: An er­ror then can never be mended; there can be no second throw cast, no second Edi­tion come forth to correct the errors of the former; but the great work for which thou wert born not being done, thou art undone to eternity; and then (as godly [Page 126] men befool themselves in this world, while they live, Psal. 73.2. for their corrupti­on, so) thou wilt befool thy self in the o­ther world, when thou diest for thy pre­sumption, Jer. 17.11. that thou shouldst think the rotten props of a little profession of a few outward priviledges, and inward good meanings (as thou call'st them) could bear the weight of thy soul and thine end­lesse state, that thou shouldst build so sleightly for a dwelling of perpetuity. Set thy heart therefore to all the words that I speak unto thee; for it is not a vain thing, but it is for thy life, Deut. 32.46, 47.

Wel friend, the great question which I shall put to thee, will be this; Canst thou say, [...] to pierce through and through, because by piercing, a thing is tryed what it is with­in, whe­ther found or no. To thee to live is Christ? thy gain by death dependeth on this, Examine thy self throughly, prove thy self, whither thou art in the faith or no, 2 Cor. 13.5. The Eagle tryeth her young ones by the Sun, whether they be of the right brood or no, as some affirm; do thou try thy self by this Sun of righteousnesse, by this life in Christ, by thine ingraffing into Christ. Ask thy soul whether it be acquainted with the new birth, the new Creation, the Divine na­ture, the renewing in the spirit of thy [Page 127] mind, the sanctification of the Spirit, the walking after the Spirit, the Image of God, the writing of his Laws in thy heart, the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ, effectu­al calling; unlesse thou hast that one thing signified by all these things, thou hast no­thing; then and not till then, thou hast crost thy line, shot the gulph, art safely landed in Christ, and hast attained that which ever accompanieth salvation.

But because this self-tryal, though it be a necessary duty, yet is a work of much difficulty; It is easier for a man to speak to the stateliest King in the world, then to him self as he ought to speak; and because naturally, mens sores and corruptions make them so unwilling to be searched for feare of pain, I shall annex two or three quicken­ing motives to perswade thee to this much neglected duty.

1. Consider how easie and ordinary it is to be deceived, though it be in a work of such infinite weight; now where the bu­sinesse is weighty, and the mistake ordina­ry and easie, it requireth thee to search throughly. It's one of the most ordinary and easie things in the world, for a child of disobedience to live and dye asleep in sin, [Page 128] and never dream of hell, till he come to a­wake in the other world in a bed of fire; thy deceitful heart will be night and day inclining thee to sleep, and the divel wil be sure to keep the cradle rocking.

Alas, how very very few are there that will be perswaded to cast up their spiritual accompts; but like men that we say are worse than naught, loath the thoughts of looking into, or summing up their estates; or like some women, when they come to be old, turn the back-side of their looking-glasses towards them, as unwilling to see their own wrinckles, and defor­mity.

And of those that do sometimes exa­mine themselves, how many are there that do it sleightly and superficially, contenting themselves with false marks, quickly be­lieving what they would have, even all to be well till they are sent to be undeceived in hell?

Maud mother to King Henry the second, being besieged at Oxford, she got away with white apparel in the snow undiscovered. Cambd. Brit. So do many hypocrites with their profession of snow like purity passe among men, but God knowes the heart.

All is not gold that glisters, nor is all grace that makes a fair shew in the flesh; there is much counterfeit coin in the world, that goeth currant among men, as if it were as good as the best; so there is a great deal of counterfeit holinesse in the world, a great deal of civility, of morality, of common grace, which is taken (or rather mistaken) by men for true saving grace; much fancy is taken for faith, presumpti­on for hope, self-love for Saint love, and worldly sighs for godly sorrow.

What can the Saint do, but as to the outward appearance, the sinner may do the same? as the divel is Gods ape, so is the self-deluding soul not seldom the Saints ape.

Doth the Saint abstain from grosse sins? so doth he whose Religion consisted so much in Negatives, Luke 18.11. Doth the Saint pray? so do the Pharisees, and make long prayers too, Matth. 23.14. Do the Saints fast? Nehem. 1.4. Dan. 9. So do they, Matth. 6.16, 9, 14. and it may be twice in one week, Luke 18.11. Do the Saints give alms? Acts 10. so do they, Matth. 6.1, 2. Do the Saints confesse sin, the sinner can do it in the very same words, [Page 130] 1 Sam. 15.24. Doth Ephraim repent? Jer. 31.18. so doth Judas, Matth. 27.3. Doth A­bram believe? Rom. 4. so doth Simon Magus, Act. 8.13. Doth Hezekiah humble himself? 2 Chron. 32.26. so doth Ahab, and walk softly into the bargain, 1 Kings 22.15. Doth the man after Gods own heart fulfill all Gods will? Act. 13.22. you shall hear that a Jehu shall do very much, and that by a te­stimony from Gods own mouth, 1 Kings 10.31. Thou hast done well in executing that which was right in mine eyes, thou hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart: What a great resem­blance is there in all these outwardly? but a vast difference inwardly. The un­godly sometimes do attain to the outward actions, but never to the inward sanctified affections of the godly. As the painter may paint fire, but he cannot paint heat, that is beyond his skill. Many titular Christians are like the Onyx-stone, of which Naturalists write, that it is clear and bright in the superficies, but dark and muddy at the center; men of civil conversation, but not of sanctified affections. Now all this calleth aloud to thee, to try thy self whe­ther thou goest beyond them, that do all [Page 131] before-mentioned, and yet come short of heaven.

Besides it is not seldome that a true Christian, for want of a prudent trial judg­eth himself unsound; As the face of Mo­ses, so his heart shines with grace, and he knoweth it not; Christ is in him, as he was with the two Disciples, and he (as they) is ignorant of it. Many Christians like Ha­gar, weep and mourn, that they must die for thirst, when the water of life is by them, yea within them.

There is that maketh himself rich (full of peace and joy, from assurance of Gods fa­vour and his salvation, yet hath nothing, (not one jot of grace or true ground of joy) there is that maketh himself poo [...] (perswa­deth himself to be in a most wretched e­state) and yet hath great riches, Pro. 13.7.) is highly in Gods favour, and hath great store of saving grace.

But most cōmonly the error is on the other side; how doth every swaggering, or at best, civilized sinner presume that he is a Saint? how often hath he blear-eyed Leah lying by him all night, and he thinketh it is beauti­ful Rachel, til the light of the morning dis­cover the contrary? how many have the [Page 132] Devil and the world lodging in their arms and embraces, and think it is Christ, the fairest of ten thousand, till upon examina­tion it be found otherwise?

Reader, take heed this be not thy case, that thou like Uriah carriest letters about thee, importing thy own execution, and yet thou not know of it; it is ordinary for men to think they are spiritually rich, and increased with good, and to have need of nothing, and not to know that they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Revel. 3.17. they cry like Agag, Surely the bitternesse of death is past; there is no fear of death, of wrath, of hell, or damnation, when they are liable every moment to be hewn in pieces before the Lord, to be torn in pieces by the roar­ing lion: O how many a precious vessel (soul I mean) hath been split upon this rock of presumption! Doth it not there­fore concern thee to be serious and faithful in searching thy heart, lest thou shouldst (as the most) deceive thy self about a busi­nesse of such unspeakable consequence?

Secondly, consider the fewnesse of them that have Christ for their life, or that live [Page 133] this spiritual life; every one almost that li­veth within the visible Church is ready to say, that heaven is his inheritance, and he shall escape the wrath to come; when the Word of God, and the works of men do clearly and fully speak the contrary.

The Devil hath his droves, all the earth wandreth after the beast, Rev. 17.8. The whole world lyeth in wickedness, 1 John. 5.19. The enemies of God cover the earth like grass­hoppers for multitude, Judg. 7.12. they fill the Countrey, when the Israeliter are like two little flocks of Kids, 1 Kings 20.27. The good and the true shepherd calleth his flock a little flock, Luke 12.32. nay a little, little flock, [...]. there being in the original two diminutives to shew ther fewnesse. When four, if not five Cities were destroyed, one righteous Lot with his small family is delivered, Gen. 19.15. When an whole world is drowned, a few, that is, eight souls are saved, 1 Pet. 3.20. Therefore the children of God are called a remnant, Micah 7.18. two or three yards remaining of fourty or fifty, and com­pared to the gleanings after the vintage, Isa. 17.6. one or two bunches may be left under some thick or outmost bough; but what are they to the many baskets full that were [Page 134] gathered before. The Saints are jewels; now how few are there of such pearls, in comparison of pebbles! Mal. 3.17. and stran­gers, Psal. 119.19. how small is their num­ber to natives, which are the worlds own, Joh. 15.19. The Church of Sardis hath a few names onely that have not defiled their gar­ments, Rev. 3.4.

Some have divided the world into thirty parts, and have affirmed nineteen of those to be without Christ, (in whose name alone is salvation) and six of the remaining eleven to be [...]apists, which certainly are in no safe way to heaven, and five parts of thirty on­ly to be Protestants, amongst whom they that read of their way of worship beyond the Seas, will find many of these to be but mungrel-Protestants; But (to wave this, and) to come to England, where it is gene­rally by godly men believed, that God hath as numerous an issue of new-born children, as in any such quantity of ground in the world; and Reader, take the publick con­gregation thou dost joyn with in the so­lemn worship of the ever-blessed God up­on his own day; and suppose one should come and sweep out of it in the first place, all notorious sinners, drunkards, swearers, [Page 135] adulterers, extortioners, liars, railers, scof­fers at godlinesse, Sabbath-breakers, and the like; upon whom whosoever looketh with Scripture-spectacles, may see the De­vils mark on their foreheads, hell written on them in great letters, 1 Cor. Gal. they continuing impenitent; would not such a besome sweep away much dust, even a great part of the people of the Parish where thou livest: but suppose one should come in the second place, and purge out your civil and moral, yet unsanctified men and women; such I mean, as are fair and just in their carriage and dealings, you cannot say black is their eye; they pay to every man his due; these are good second-Table men and women, their Religion consisteth altogether in their righteousnesse towards men; they will not for a world wrong their neighbour of a far­thing, but they make no conscience of rob­bing God of the great fear, chief love, choice delight, strong trust, which are due to his Majesty; they know not what it is to know him and his will, to acknowledge him by religious performances of prayer, reading, and the like in their Families and Closets, they can scarce tell you what God is, or what Christ is; or what the Lord [Page 136] Jesus hath suffered or purchased for sinners: As old as many of them are, they are more ignorant of the natures, offices, states of Christ, of regeneration, justification, and sanctificati­on, than little children; and yet they are too old to learn; the Minister cannot perswade them to come to him, and be instructed by him in the principles of the Oracles of God; nay, and they will not believe that ignorance is a damning sin, though God hath spoken so peremptorily, That Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God, 2 Thess. 1.8. and he hath told them expresly, that men perish for want of knowledge, Hosea. 4.6. Prov. 1.22, 29.

Suppose, I say, one should purge out all these civil righteous, yet ignorant and ir­religious persons, questionlesse he would purge out two parts of three of the remai­ning ill humours; how very many would that blind Captain ignorance lead out of a Congregation?

But suppose one came, in the third place, again, and take away them that are righte­ous in their dealings with men, and seem te­ligious in their duties towards God; that pray, and hear, and read, and fast, and in­struct [Page 137] their Families, and call upon God in secret, and yet are only so good to the eye of man, being like some fruit, fair in the outside, but rotten at coare, having self-ends and carnal principles in all they do, Matth. 23. and Matth. 6.

After three such sweepings, how few thinkest thou would be left in a Congrega­tion, or in a Parish? If Christ should come with his whip of cords, and scourge all these out of his Temple (whom the Word of God clearly condemneth) would not Jesus be left almost quite alone, as he was in John 8.9?

Besides all those fore-mentioned; Totus mundus est Arrianus. Hierom. how many are there whose Religion consisteth meerly in opinions, or heresies, or schisme, and separation from the people of God and publick worship, and from the good old way of faith and repentance, that minde neither Sabbath, nor Sacraments, nor Fa­mily-duties, and trust for salvation to the light within them, even till they come to utter darknesse? 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. Jude 11, 12. 1 John 2.19. O how few are there that shall be saved! If Ulpian complained, there were few true Philosophers, have not we more cause to complain, there are few true belie­ers; [Page 138] for who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed, Isaiah 53.1.

The termes of denying a mans self, of crucifying the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof, of cutting off right hands, and plucking out right eyes, of hating father, mother, wife, child, name, house, and lands (without which Christ will not save the soul) are so irksome, and contrary to the sensual brutish man; that rather then ad­mit them, they will take their leave both of Saviour and salvation: Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that finde it, Matth. 16.24. Galat. 5.24. Mark 9.43. Luke 14.26. Matth. 7, 14.

Reader, I take not delight to number the people of God, much lesse to lessen their number. The Lord knoweth, I have not written this Head without some sorrow of heart; 2 Sam. 24.3. my prayer is like that of Joabs, The Lord adde unto his people an hundred fold, and grant that his sons may come from far, and his daughters from the ends of the earth, that the dominion of his son may be from Sea to Sea, and from one end of the land unto the other; but without all controversie, they are com­paratively [Page 139] very few; and why doth the Word of God mention it so much, but to make thee more diligent and violent for the Kingdome of heaven! Matth. 7.13, 14. If there were but few damned, and many sa­ved out of the places where we live, I think it would behove thee to try upon what ground thou standest, lest thou shouldst be one of those few that must suf­fer the vengeance of eternal fire; but when so many, when such multitudes go in the broad way that leadeth to destruction, when the love of many waxeth cold; and tis but an he almost that shall endure to the end, and be saved, Matth. 24.12. how much, how much doth it concern thee to look about thee, that all things are right within be­twixt God and thy soul!

Thirdly, consider the profitablenesse of a serious faithful examination of thy estate; if thou hast this spiritual life, thy comfort dependeth upon the knowledge of it. He that hath true grace, shall go to heaven cer­tainly; but he only that knoweth it, De non ap­parentibus & non ex­istentibus, eadem est ratio. shall go to heaven comfortably. What the Law­yers say of civil things, I may say of spiri­tual: Things that appear not, are all one [Page 140] as if they were not at al in being. What com­fort hath he that is heir to a vast estate, till he know of it, more than he that hath no­thing to do with it? What comfort is it to thee that thou art a child of God, a mem­ber of Christ, an heir of heaven, unlesse thou knowest it upon Scripture-grounds. If twenty or thirty are condemned, and one be pardoned, this man torments him­self with fears and terrours as much as the rest, till he knoweth of his pardon. Doth not many a Christian, like Jacob, go down to the grave with sorrow, and refuse to be comforted, onely upon a false supposition, that the Joseph of their soul is dead, when indeed he is alive, and in favour in the hea­venly Court, as they upon a true search and enquiry will find? vide Galat. 2.20. 2 Pet. 1.10. which will shew this to be a duty and attained unto by others, 2 Cor. 5.1. and in­deed how contented wilt thou be in all con­ditions, when thou hast once attained the knowledge of thy good estate God-ward! thou wilt bid every messenger welcome for his sake that sendeth him; thou needst not fear any servant can night or day knock at thy door with ill news; how willingly wilt thou go to duty? and with what ala­crity [Page 141] perform them? knowing the God whom thou drawest nigh to, is thy loving Father; the Christ in whose Name thou approachest, is thy lovely Saviour; nay, how joyfully maiest thou think of death, as the portal through which thou shalt go into thy Masters joy and endlesse life! Believe it, thy life will be an heaven upon earth. And shouldst thou find thy estate lost, will it not be an infinite mercy to thee, that thou didst know it before it was too late! how will it awaken thee out of thy security, and affrighten thee upon the apprehension of thy misery! how will it quicken thee to mind thy duty! in loathing thy self, in lea­ving thy sins, and in flying to thy Saviour. Sound conversion begins at self-examina­tion; First we search and try our wayes, and then turn to the Lord, Lament. 3.39. The way to have our sores cured, is first to have them throughly searched; I considered my wayes, and turned my feet to thy testimonies, Psal. 119.59. If thou wouldst have thy face clean, look into the glasse of the Law, and view thy spots: He that knoweth not that he is in a wrong path, will not turn back, though the farther he goeth, the greater is his deviation and danger. Jer. [Page 142] 31.19. After I was instructed, or after I was made known to my self, I repented. As Abi­gail said to David, if thou hearken to thy ser­vant, it will be no grief of mind hereafter to my Lord, that thou art kept from shedding of blood; so say I to thee; If thou wilt faith­fully examine thy self, it will be no cause of sorrow hereafter to thee, that thou wert thereby kept from a further shedding the blood of thy soul. Bish. Halls Meditat. & Vows, Cent. 2. Meditat. 4. I will conclude this mo­tive with the meditation of the learned and holy Bishop, now with Christ.

‘That which is said of the Elephant, that being guilty of his deformity, he cannot abide to look on his face in the wa­ter (but seeks for troubled and muddy channels) we see well moralized in men of evil conscience, who know their souls are so filthy, that they dare not so much as view them, but shift off all checks of their former iniquity, with the excuses of good fellowship. Whence it is that every small reprehension galls them, be­cause it calls the eye of the soul home [...]o it self, and makes them see a glimpse of what they would not: So have I seen a foolish and timerous patient, which knowing his wound very deep, would [Page 143] not endure the Chirurgion to search it; whereon what can ensue, but a festering of the part, and a danger of the whole body? so have I seen many prodigal wa­sters run so far in books, that they cannot abide to hear of a reckoning; It hath been an old and true Proverb; Oft and even reckonings make long friends; I will oft summe my estate with God, that I may know what I have to expect and answer for; neither shall my score run on so long with God, that I shal not know my debts, or fear an audit, or despair of pardon.’

I come now to the touchstone, by which thou must be tried, whether thou art true gold or counterfeit; it is likely thou presu­mest thy estate is good; well, art thou wil­ling, the Word of God that must whether thou wilt or no judge thee for thy eternal life or death at the last day, Ad bunc librum, ut judicem; ad alias, ut [...] judex di­venio, saith Melancth. of t [...] [...] ble. should try thee at this day? If thy wares be right and good, thou wilt not be afraid to bring them out of thy dark shop, into the light: If thy title be sound and good, I know thou wilt be ready for a fair Trial at law, even at the Law of God.

I shall try thee two wayes, though both will lead to the same place; I must first in­treat thee to put those four particulars to thy soul, which in the beginning I told thee were included in that expression, To me to live is Christ.

1. Ask thy soul what is the principle of thy Religious performances, what is the spring of thy obedience; men indeed judge of others principles by their practices, be­cause they cannot discern the heart, whe­ther it be right in a duty or no; but God judgeth of mens practices by their princi­ples, as we may see by his speech of Paul, Behold he prayeth, Act. 9.11. Paul was a Pharisee, one of the strictest of them, and they were much in prayer, but God who knew his heart was wrong in former duties, takes not any notice of them; now behold he prayeth; he might say a prayer before, but he never pray'd a prayer til now; when he had a right principle, being regenerated by the holy Ghost, then and not till then he made a right prayer. Til the Tree be good, the fruit can never be good, Matth. 7.17. Now Friend, what is the principle of thy duties? is it fear of men, hope of honour, desire of gain, or mearly the stop­ping [Page 145] the mouth of conscience, or custome? are these the weights that make thy Clock to go? and if these were taken off, would thy devotion stand still? then thy heart is not right in the sight of God; intreat him for the Lords sake, that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; Or do thy pious actions flow from a renewed will, and renewed affections? Doth the outward correspondency of thy life to the Law of God, proceed from an inward conformity in thy heart to the nature and Law of God, from the Law written within? if it be thus, thy condition is safe; for the deeper the spring is from whence the water comes, the sweeter the water is, and thy services the more acceptable to God.

Speak thy self, whether thou prayest, readest, hearest, singest from the Divine nature within, from love to the infinitely amiable God, from the delight thou takest in communion with him in duties; O how sweet is that hony, that drops of its own accord from the comb! and how pure is that Wine which floweth freely from the grape! So grateful and acceptable is that sacrifice to God, which is season'd with sincere love. Blessed is the man that feareth [Page 146] the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his Com­mandments, Psal. 128.1.

Or dost thou worship God from the same principle the Sadduces do, who deny the Resurrection? only from a desire it may go well with thee in this life; or from the same principle from which the Persians do the divel? only from fear least he should do thee hurt; surely that service will be sowr, which like verjuice is squeezed out of the crabs; To serve God with a filial fear is commendable, but to serve him from a ser­vile fear is unacceptable.

The upright Christian worketh from an inward principle, the new Creation within; and thence it is, that spiritual things are so natural and delightful to his regenerate part, as we see in David, I delight to do thy will, O my God; how cometh this to passe, but from an inward principle? Thy Law is within my heart, Psal. 40.8. or as it is in Hebrew, Thy Law is in the midst of my bow­els. But now an hypocrite usually acteth from some outward principle, as the Pha­risees did, Matth. 23.14, 27. Matth. 6.1, 5. the wind from without makes their Mill to go; some goads, or whips, force them forward; hence it is, that like tired Jades, [Page 147] they are presently weary, and desire no­thing more then to rest, and cease from such unpleasant labour.

2. Ask thy soul what is the pattern of thy life; whom dost thou labour to imi­tate, is it Christ or thy Neighbour? Do'st thou set thy watch by the Town Clock, or by the dial of Scripture, because that ne­ver faileth of going according to the Sun of Righteousnesse? A man dead spiritual­ly (like dead fish) ever swimmeth down with the stream of the times, will follow a multitude to do evil, cannot endure to be singular; like the Planet Mercury (at best) if in conjunction with good, he is good; if with bad, he is bad; or like water, taketh the figure of the vessel, what ever it be, into which it is put; But now a living Christian doth not dresse himself by the glasse of the times; whil'st he is in the Wil­dernesse of this world, he may follow the cloud of faithful Witnesses, but it must be no farther then they follow Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. Christ is the great standard by which he measureth and trieth, and which he endeavoureth to imitate in his thoughts, words & actions; He doth uti verbis & nummis praesentibus, & vivere moribus praeteritis, use [Page 148] such words and money as is currant at pre­sent, but lives after that example which was in times past; the patterns of godly men bear much sway with him; but he knoweth there are some things in their lives, Admonet non omnes promiscue esse imitan­dos. Calv. in Phil. 3. which are sea-marks to be avoided, and not Land-marks to direct us; there­fore like the Eagle, he looketh most at the Sun, Christ himself; Now Christian, examine thy selfe whom dost thou look up­on for thy pattern; is it thy desire and care to regulate thy Family and life, as such a Knight, or Esquire, or Gentleman in the Parish where thou livest ordereth his, or as thy prophane irreligious Neighbours do theirs? or do'st thou look upon, and labor to resemble Jesus Christ, to govern thy house and heart as he did his, praying with his Apostles, instructing them in the My­steries of the Kingdome of heaven, and the like? Matth. 6. walking humbly, inof­fensively, and worthy of the Lord, even unto all well-pleasing, Heb. 7.26. 1 Pet. 1.19.

It is reported of Hierom, that having read the Religious life and death of Hilari­on, he cried out holding up the book, Well, Hilarion shall be the Champion [Page 149] whom I will follow; So when thou read­est in the Scripture of the heavenly pious life, and holy patient death of the Redeem­er, how he did all things well, and none could convince him of sin; is thy soul so ravish't with the beauty and lustre of those many graces, which shined so eminently in him, that it breatheth out, O that I were like him, O that I could be as meek and lowly as Christ, that I could deny my self, and despise the world, and glorifie God as much as Christ did, Christiani à Christ [...] nomen ac­ceperunt, & operae pre­tium est ut sunt hae [...]e­des nomi­nis, ita sint imitatores sanctitatis. Bern. Sen­tent. p. 496 that the same mind were in me that was in Christ Jesus! and though to thy hearty sorrow, thou seest how far short thou comest of a perfect conformi­ty to him, yet thou resolvest to use all means appointed, that thou mayst be more like him, and concludest, Well, Christ shall be the only Champion whom I will follow. Answer thy conscience within thee, whe­ther it be thus or no; for if thou art a living Member, thou wilt resemble thy Head; Those whom God did fore-know, he did prede­stinate to be conformable to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. As the Image in the glasse resembleth the face, in figure, feature, and favour, so doth the true Christian after his proportion resemble Jesus Christ.

[Page 150]3. Is Christ the comfort of thy life? when trouble like frosty weather overta­keth thee, which is the fire at which thou warmest thy heart? is it this friend, or that place of preferment, or any outward com­fort whatsoever; or is it thy Relation to Christ, and his affection to thee? when damps arise out of the earth, is it the joy of thy soul that light springs down from hea­ven? or do'st thou trust to the Candle of the creature, which will burn blew and go out? Is Christ (man) or the world the door through which thy joys come in, the dish on which thou feedest with most de­light? If Christ should give thee the long life of Methuselah, the strength of Sampson, the beauty of Absolom, the wisdome, wealth and renown of Solomon, and deny himself to thee, canst thou contentedly bear his absence, or wouldst thou say as Haman in another case and Absolom? 2 Sam. 14.32. All this availeth me nothing, so long as I may not see the Kings face. Xenophon. As Arta­bazus, when Cyrus gave him a cup of gold, and kissed Chrysantas, told the King, The cup thou gavest to me, was not half so good gold, as the kisse thou gavest Chrysantas; [Page 151] so saith the living Saint when Christ bles­seth him outwardly, and with-draweth himself from the soul; Lord, the cups, the wife and children, the food and raiment, the pleasures and treasures, all the earthly mercies thou givest to me, are not a quar­ter so good gold, as the kisses of thy love which thou givest unto thy favourites; O kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better then wine, Cant. 1. Remem­ber me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bea­rest unto thy children; O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy cho­sen, that I may rejoyce in the gladnesse of thy Nation, that I may glory with thine inheri­tance. Psal. 106.4, 5. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do un­to those that love thy Name. Psal. 119.132. These are the holy Petitions of a gracious soul for a childs portion. Common mer­cies will never content them that have spe­cial grace, nor satisfie them that are san­ctified indeed. As the needle toucht with the Load-stone is restlesse, till it points to­ward the North; so the Saint that is toucht effectually by the Spirit of God, is unquiet till he turn unto and have fellowship with Jesus Christ. He may flutter up and down [Page 152] (like the Dove) over the waters of this world, but can find no rest for the soles of his feet, till he return to Christ the true Ark, till Christ put forth his hand, and take him in, Gen. 8.9. Then and not till then, he crieth out with the Psalmish, Return to thy rest O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt boun­tifully with thee.

Now Reader, what say'st thou, how is it with thee? Do thy affections as the wa­ters of Jordan, overflow their banks at the time of thine earthly harvest? Josh. 3.15. Or like the bird, do'st thou then sing most merri­ly, when thou art mounting up to heaven? Art thou willing to be served as the chil­dren of Abrams Concubines, put off with ordinary gifts? or must thou like Isaac, have all, even Jesus Christ, or else thou esteem­est thy self to have nothing? Gen. 25 5, 6.

4. Is Christ the end of thy life? Is it thy main scope to live to him that died for thee? Doth the compasse of thy soul without trepidation, stand right to this pole the glory of Jesus Christ? For none of us liveth to himself, (saith the Apostle) and no man dieth to himself; but whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether [Page 153] we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords. For to this end Christ both died, and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of dead and living, Rom. 14.7, 8, 9. A sincere Christian dedicates his body, soul, name, estate, relations, interests, and his all to the glory of Christ, and wisheth he had something better to consecrate to him; As the Grecian told the Emperour, If I had more, more would I give thee; so the Saint desireth that he may believe more, and re­pent more, and hate sin more, and for this end, that he may exalt Christ more. The Philosopher telleth us that means move by the goodnesse of their ends, Media mo­vent boni­tate finis. not by any ab­solute goodnesse of their own, but by their relative goodnesse, the goodnesse of their ends; as we take Physick not for Physicks sake, but for healths sake; So duties and Ordinances move a Christian to mind them, not so much for their own sake, as for their [...]nds sake; he prayeth, fasteth, readeth, meditateth, that he may thereby and there­in please, glorifie and enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ.

But now a Professour without the power of godlinesse, hath another end; He go­eth [Page 154] to Church, but it is as the cut-purse, not to seek God, but his prey. He per­formeth duties, but either for self-credit, Matth. 6.2. as Pliny observeth of the Nightingale, As that Emperor who com­manded all golden I­dols to be pull'd down out of Chur­ches, not out of ha­tred to the Idols, but out of love to the gold that she will sing much lon­ger and louder when men are by, then when they are not; or else for self-profit, Matth. 23.14. Like him in the comedy that cri­ed out O heavens, but pointed to the earth. Religion is either this mans stirrup, by which he hopes to get into the saddle above his Neighbours, or else it is his stalking horse, which he contentedly followeth all day, because it may bring him in some gain at night; like Satan, he may assume the shape of Samuel, but it is only upon some parti­cular errand, and for his own ends; This man is not holy, but crafty, and doth not serve God, but himself of God. Reader, search whether thou art not one of these; Thou art but an empty vine, if thou bringest forth fruit to thy self, Hos. 10.1. O how many a work, materially good, being flie-blown with self, proves sormally bad, and so becomes stinking and unsavoury in the nostrils of God! Self is the pirate which too too often intercepteth the golden fleet of religious performances, that they can­not [Page 155] return fraughted with blessings. It con­cerneth thee therefore to observe thy ends; what are thy ends in thy eating, and drink­ing, and all thy natural and civil actions? is thy end to please and gratifie the flesh? or is it that thou mayst get health and strength, and thereby be the more service­able to thy Maker and Redeemer? what is thy end in thy spiritual undertakings? is duty the end of duty, or is obedience to the honour of, and Communion with Christ the end of thy performances? make a pause before thou readest farther, and answer the Lord who commandeth thee to examine and know the state of thy soul.

But because I would willingly find thee out whoever thou art, and have thee ful­ly acquainted with thy spiritual condition, I shall desire thee to try thy spiritual condi­tion by the efficient cause of it, and that is the Spirit of God. The holy Ghost is cal­led the Spirit of life, Rom. 8.2. and indeed he only hath this spiritual life, that hath this Spirit of life; As all the members of the natural body are actuated and enliven­ed by the same humane spirit from the Head; So all the Members of the Mystical body are quickened and actuated by the [Page 156] same Divine Spirit from their Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark therefore that one place in Rom. 8.9. how full it is to this purpose; for upon that place, the weight of all I have to speak further about this Use of trial will depend. The words are these, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. (Mark) Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Observe I beseech thee, If any man, let him pretend never so much, let his priviledges be never so many, let his profession be never so great, and his per­formances never so numerous, yet if he have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; so that if the Spirit of Christ have not its ha­bitation in thee, thou hast no spiritual relati­on to Jesus Christ.

Now I shall teach thee to know, whe­ther the Spirit be in thee or no, by two of its effects or properties; the first will be more general, the second more spe­cial.

1. The Spirit of God if it be in thee, will purifie thee, for it is a purifying Spirit. Sanctification is the proper work of the Spi­rit of Christ. It is called the holy Ghost; and it is holy not only subjectively, but ef­fectively; [Page 157] it worketh holinesse, and makes men holy, 1 Cor. 6.11. It infuseth holy habits and principles into the soul, whereby it is enabled to fight with, and by degrees to foyl its corruptions; It changeth the un­derstanding by illumination, the will by re­novation, and the affections by sanctificati­on; it doth not infuse new faculties into the soul, but it doth renew the old; it turn­eth the same waters into another Channel; they ran before after the world and the flesh, but now after God and his wayes; It is as it were the same viol, only it is new tuned; before it could make no musick in praying or singing, but now it is so melo­dious, that it delighteth the heart, and ra­visheth the ear of God himself. The old Moon and the new are the same, only the new hath a new endowment of light from the Sun, which it had not before; so it is here, the purified person is the same man he was before, only he hath a new endow­ment of the light of holinesse, which he had not before. Now thus the Spirit ever work­eth where it dwelleth; it is therefore called a river of living waters, John 7.37. not a pond of dead, but a river of living waters; a pond will suffer dirt and mud to continue [Page 158] in it without opposition; but a river of li­ving waters purgeth out, and casteth up its mire and dirt, its foam and scum, Isa. 57.20. So the spirit of the world and flesh will let Atheism, pride, and unbelief to lodge and lurk in the soul without resistance, unlesse it be a little from a natural conscience; but the Spirit of God worketh out these gra­dually, as generous wine worketh out lees and dregs. The Spirit is also called fire, Acts 2. Matth. 3.11. for as fire fighteth with the cold water that is over it, and by degrees conquereth it, and reduceth the water to its own likenesse of heat in some measure; so the Spirit lusteth and fighteth against the flesh, and by degrees overcom­eth the interest of it, captivateth the soul to the obedience of Christ, and conformeth the whole man in some measure to the I­mage of God.

Examine thy soul by this; Doth the spirit within thee combat with, and conquer thy corruptions? Doth it enable thee to cast them away with shame and detestation? Hath it turned the bent of thy heart, and stream of thy affections, after spiritual and heavenly things? The waters of the sea (as some write) though by their naturall [Page 159] course they follow the center; yet in obe­dience to the Moon are subject to her moti­on, and so turn and return, ebbe and flow. So though thou by nature didst follow the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, yet in obedience to the Spirit dost thou now follow its motions? Hath the interest of the Spirit an actual predomi­nancy in thy soul, above the interest of the flesh? Canst thou say, that the interest of the spirit, and the interest of the flesh, do often meet together, on a narrow bridge, where both cannot go forward together, and usually thou sufferest the Spirit to go for­ward, and the flesh to go back? When two Masters walk together, and a servant follow­eth after, it is not easie to know to which of the two the servant belongs, but when the Masters part, the servant is discovered whose he is; When relgiion and the world have their interests together, thou mayst be hid; but when thy credit and Christ, thy pleasure and the spirit come in competition (as they will very often) thou mayst disco­ver thy self clearly, whore servant thou art. Speak friend, and let thy conscience witness, whether it be thus or no; thou mast deceive and thereby undo thy self, but thou canst not [Page 160] deceive God; for if the Spirit do not sanctifie thee, the Son will never save thee. Pharao's Court admitted of Frogs and Lice, and Noah's Ark received unclean Beasts into it; but no such vermine can crawle into the hea­venly Court: Into it can in no wise enter (observe Reader) in no wise any thing that is defiled or unclean, Revel. 21.17. These are the words of the true and living God. Canst thou think that thou hast the Spirit of God, and shalt be a gainer by death, who art a servant of unrighteousness, who hast vain-glory, covetousness, hypocrisie, carnal-mindedness within thee, and never mournest under them, as one heavy laden with them, nor longest after, Regenera­tio gratui­tam coram deo justifi­cationem individuo nexu comi­tatur, nec ab ea sepa­rari potest, etiamsi distingui debeat. Polan. Syntag. lib▪ 6. cap. 37. nor usest diligently the meanes for deliverance from them? Dost thou live a spiritual life, that instead of being dead to sin, art dead in sin? and shalt thou ar­rive at heaven, who walkest in the road to hell? I assure thee, a King will sooner ad­mit dunghill-rakers and privy-cleaners, in their nastiest, filthiest pickle into his bed, then God will take thee, if thou be such a one, into heaven: No, Heaven is for the ho­ly, and for them only.

2. The Spirit of God is a praying Spirit: [Page 161] it is called the spirit of grace and supplicati­on, Zach. 12.10. the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15. and of his Son, whereby they that have it cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6.

As Christ in Heaven makes intercession for them without them, Heb. 7.25. so the Spirit of Christ on earth maketh intercessi­on for them within them; God never had any still-born children. The fathers after the flesh sometimes have dumbe children, but the Father of spirits never had any such. Mans invocation of God presently follow­eth upon Gods effectual vocation of him: One of the first signes of spiritual life in Paul was spiritual breathing; Behold he prayeth, Acts 9.6. and it is observable, that prayer is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending almost of all his Epistles: And David was three times a day, Psal. 55.17. nay seven times a day, at this blessed du­ty, Psal. 119.164. yea, he was so wholly em­ployed in it, that he speaketh as if he were altogether made up of it, Psal. 109, 4. Et ego ora­tio. Moller. legit. But I prayer ( give my self unto, as it is read in our translations, is added for explanation, as the different character sheweth) as if prayer had been his essential constitutive part. Some write of Latimer, that he would pray [Page 162] so many hours, that he was not able to rise. Nazianzen saith of his Sister Gorgonia, that she prayed so much, that her knees seemed to be grown to the very ground. Hierom. in rit. Paul the Eremite was found dead, kneeling upon his knees, holding up his hands, and lifting up his eyes. Euseb. Constantine the Emperour would not have his effigies set up, as other Princes had, in his armour leaning, but in a posture of prayer kneeling. Thus all the Children of God are frequent at asking their heavenly Father blessing. Quorum spiritus do­miti sunt & qui [...]ese deo subji­ciunt (mendici spiritu) [...]unius in Mat. 5.3. Now ask thy soul; Doth the Spirit of [...]od bring thee often upon thy knees? Art thou one of the generation of seekers? Psal. 24.6. Art thou one of Gods suppliants? Zeph. 3.10. Dost thou know what it is to be poor in spirit, It is the character of the worst of sinners, they call not on God, Psal 14.4. a man once speechless is nigh unto de [...]th to be a beggar, and to live altoge­ther upon the almes-basket of heavens bounty? Is there a constant trade driven betwixt God and thy soul, God sending down mercies, and thou sending up prayers? This is the daily Exchange. Canst thou better live without thy daily bread then this daily duty? When thy heart is big with grief, whither dost thou go? Is this thy grea [...] ease, that thou mayst empty thy soul into Gods eares?

Are thy prayers fervent prayers? Is this holy fire put to thy daily sacrifices? Is thy prayer made without ceasing, or instantly! Acts 26.7. stretched out upon the tenters; [...] (as the word signifieth) not so much in the length of the petitions, as in the acting of holy affections; Dost thou labour in prayer? Coloss. 4.12. i. e. wrastle with God (as that word imports) bending and straining every joynt of the new man in the soul, [...]. Rom. 12.12. [...]. instant in prayer, a Met [...]phor from hun­ting dogs, which will not cease following the game till they have got it. [...]. Luk. 11.8. Nazian saith of his sister Gor­gonia that [...] prayer she was modestly impudent. that they may all help to prevail with God? Are all the heavenly forces within thee united when thou prayest? that if pos­sible thou mayst take the Kingdome of hea­ven by storm, by violence? Matth. 11.12.

What sai'st thou? Reader, dost thou like the importunate Widow, take no de­nial? but use an (humble) impudency, as the Word of Christ includeth, when thou art intreating the Divine Majesty for spiri­tuals? Or dost thou pray, but it is as if thou prayedst not? so dully and coldly that thou canst hardly hear thy self? only as it were between sleeping and waking, thou mumblest over a few petitions, either out of custome, or to stop the mouth of consci­ence, never regarding whether God answer thy requests or no.

Didst thou but consider the dreadful Ma­jesty of that God to whom thou prayest, the unvaluable worth of the soul, and end­less state for which thou prayest, and the poor pittance of time (upon which thy e­ternity dependeth) that thou hast to pray in, it might rouse thee out of thy security.

Common beggery as it is the poorest, so it is the easiest trade; A whisper­ing devoti­on is sel­dome an­swered with a loud ec­cho from heaven. Dr. Arron Serm. on 1 Sam. 7.12. p. 15. but this special, as it is the richest, so it is the hardest. The fer­vent prayer is the prevalent prayer, Jam. 5.16. The bullet will flie no farther than the force of the powder will carry it. That arrow of prayer that would hit the mark, must be drawn with full strength. He that in prayer for grace through an humble de­pendence on Christ, will not be denied, shall not be denied. Lip-labour doth no more than a windie instrument, makes a loud noise, and that is all. Prayer without the travail of the soul, is but the cold car­cass of a duty, and no wonder if it be un­savory in Gods nostrils. How many among us are there that pray every day for pardon and holinesse, and yet shall die without them, and perish eternally for want of them? and all because they never begg'd them in good earnest, but were alwayes indifferent [Page 165] whether God heard them or no; No day pas­sed where­in Luther spent not 3 hours in prayer; once it fell out that I heard him; (saith Vitus Theo­dorus of him) Good God, what a spirit, what a con­fidence was in his very expressions? with such reverence he pray'd as to a God, with such assu­rance as to a Father or friend. The child hath esca­ped many a stripe by his loud cry. Heart­lesse moti­ons do but bespeak a denial, whereas fervent suits offer a sacred violence both to earth and heaven. I would have such know, that the blessed God va­lueth his special ware at an higher rate than to bestow it on such as will not esteem it something answerably to its worth.

It were easie to instance how fiery and fervent the children of God, in whom was this spirit of God (which is compared to fire) have been in their supplications: look Gen. 32.24, 25. Psal. 5. Ps. 77. Ps. 88. Jacob wrestled with God, and would not let him go, unlesse he blessed him; Christ seemed willing to shake him off; Let me go, saith Christ: I will not let thee go, unlesse thou blesse me, saith Jacob. My limbs may go, my life may go, but no going for thee with­out a pawn, without a blessing. Thus in­deed doth the seed of Jacob seek the face of their God, and thence are called Israelites; for as Princes they have power with God, and prevail, Gen. 32.26, 27. And this is the difference betwixt the prayer of a living and a dead Christian, the prayer of the former is instant and fervent, not discoura­ged, but rather increasing by opposition; as lime by water cast upon it burneth the hotter, (see Matth. 15.22. and 25.27.) the [Page 166] latter is flat and indifferent, easily put off, though it be with a crum instead of a crown, with a bubble, a butterfly, instead of the e­verlasting fruition of God. Any tempo­ral good is satisfying to them that have no true spiritual good in them, Psal. 4.5. And the reason is clear, the breath of a pair of bellows is cold, because it doth not pro­ceed from a living principle within, but the breath of a man is warm, because it cometh from a principle of life within; so the pray­er, the breath of an hypocrite is cold, be­cause it doth not flow from the spirit of God, the onely inward principle of spiritu­al life; but the prayer, the breath of a sin­cere Saint is warm, is fervent, because it proceedeth from this living principle, the spirit of Christ within. Indeed the Chri­stian knoweth not how to pray as he ought, but the spirit helpeth his infirmities with sighs and groanings, which cannot be ut­tered, Rom. 8.26. Doest thou pray con­stantly? that duty which is done out of con­science, will be done with perseverance. A godly man will seek Gods face evermore, Psal. 105.4. and Ps. 116.2. He calleth upon God as long as he liveth. Breathing heaven­ward in prayer is the beginning and ending [Page 167] of his spiritual life upon earth, as we see in Paul, Act. 9.6. and Stephen, Act. 7. ult.

He never taketh his leave of prayer, till he is entering into the place of praise. Pray­er is his element, he cannot live without it, and communion with God in it. Prayer is the vessel, by which he is continually tra­ding into the Holy Land; he sendeth it out fraught with precious graces, faith, hope, desire, love, godly sorrow, and the like; and it commeth home many times richly laden with peace, joy, and increase of grace. But now an hypocrite, Job saith, will not pray alwayes, he will not alwayes call upon God, Job 27.10. possibly he may sometimes cry out (as a Scholar undet the rod, or a Malefactor upon the Rack) for deliverance out of some affliction; but when God openeth his hand, and bestoweth the mercy, his mouth is shut, and his heart too, that you shall hear but little more of this duty. If he pray on his sick bed, and God raise him up, he leaves his prayers sick a bed behind him. His prayer was but a messenger sent about some particular errand; when that is done, the messenger returneth: As that story of the Friar speaketh, how when he was a poor Friar, he went ever sadly, cast­ing [Page 168] his eyes upon the ground; but being Ab­bot, he went merrily, looking upward; one of his companions asked him the reason of that alteration; he answered, that when he was a common Friar, he went dejected by looking downward for the keys of the Ab­by, which now he had found, and therefore left that posture.

So when an hypocrite hath the temporal good thing he desireth, (for that usually is most desired by him) he hath his ends, and his prayer an end too.

Or if God do not hear him presently, he will not submit patiently, but often fling­eth away in a rage, with that wicked King, Why should he wait upon the Lord any lon­ger?

If there come not in present profit, he will give over his trade; as Tully said to his Brother, That he would pray to the Gods, but that they have given over to hear. Whereas a godly man will cry in the day, and not be silent in the night; he will direct his prayer to God, und look up, Psal. 5.3. He will pray and wait, wait and pray, as you see beggars in some places, they will beg and knit, knit and beg, and continue still begging and knitting: So a right beggar at Gods [Page 169] door, he will pray and work, work and pray, he will believe and pray, hope and pray, read and pray, wait and pray; he knoweth that it is not good to limit the holy One of Israel; but it is good that a soul should hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of God, Lam, 3.26.

A Divine giveth me this Simile, which doth excellently illustrate our present sub­ject: Take some draught horse, Mr. Car. on Job 27. and he will draw when the load is coming, Of Carolus Magnus it is said, Carolus plus cum deo quam homi­nibus lo­quitur. but if he feel it not coming, he will trample and not draw; but take a horse of a right breed, and put his traces to a tree, or a post, he will strain and strain, and die upon the place, before he will give over, though nothing comes: So a rot­ten Christian, if he find no present gain coming, he gives over duty, fearing all is lost; but a right Christian will pray conti­nually, 1 Thess. 5.17. whether God hear him presently or no; he knoweth that both the command of God and his own wants call upon him never to give over.

Besides, this spirit of prayer abides in him for ever, John 4.14. and 16.

Examine thy heart by these marks faith­fully, and do not by flattery or self-love (or rather self-hatred) deceive thy soul (no de­ceit [Page 170] like soul-deceit) but passe sentence up­on thy self impartially, and if thou findest thy condition good, blesse God, keep close to Jesus Christ, and labour that thou mayst walk worthy of the Lord, Col. 1.10. even unto all well-pleasing. The great and extraordina­ry priviledges bestowed on thee, do call a­loud for gracious and extraordinary practices from thee. How exemplary shouldst thou live among men, who art to live eternally with God? What singular things wilt thou do for that God, for that Saviour, that hath done such singular things for thy soul? Can any love be too much? Can any labour be too great? Can any honor be too high? Can any service be too holy for that God, to whom thou art by millions of eternal obligations thus infinitely infinitely bound? O let the fruitfulness of thy heart and life in holiness proclaim thine abundant thank­fulness for such mercies as for weight and worth exceed the very thoughts of Men and Angels: How abundant shouldst thou be in the work of the Lord, when thou knowest that thy labour shall not be in vain in the Lord? When thou art confessing thy sins, meditate on the choosing calling love of that God, against whom thy sins are [Page 171] committed, and try whether the heat of that burning love will not thaw thy heart, and dissolve it into tears, when it is most hard and icie. When thou art backward to a duty that hath some difficulty in it, consider Jesus Christ was not backward to his bitter bloody sufferings for thy sins. As the Soul­dier told Augustus, when he denied his peti­tion, I did not serve you so at the battel of Actium: So say to thy soul, Jesus Christ did not serve thee so, when he was to drink the cup of his Fathers fierce wrath for thee; and see whether such melting perswasions will not prevail with thee to subject thy self to the hardest precept. When thou art departing away from [...]od by any sinister course or insincere carriage, remember who thou art, one that art called not to sin, but sanctity; not to uncleanness, but holiness. As Antigonus, being invited to a place, that might probably prove a temptation to sin, asked counsel of Menedemus, what he should do? He bade him only remember he was a Kings Son: So do thou remember thine high and heavenly calling, and do nothing unworthy of the God that hath enrolled thy name in the Book of Life, that hath ransomed thy soul with the precious blood [Page 172] of his Son, and hath sanctified thee by the effectual operations of his Spirit, but walk worthy of the vocation wherewith and whereunto thou art called, Eph. 4.1.

It is an excellent meditation of Eusebius Emissenus; Though the Devil, saith he, should be damned for many sins, and I but for one, yet mine would exceed the Devils impiety; they never sinned against a God that became an Angel for them; they ne­ver sinned against a Mediator that was cru­cified for them; but miserable and wretch­ed I (and its wonderful that my heart melteth not when it thinketh on it) I have sinned against a God that became a Man for me, against a God that died an ignominious death for me; against a God that hath left me an example of love and holinesse. I am more unworthy then the Devils.

Consider it Friend; no sins admit of high­er aggravations, nor are matter of deeper provocation, then the sins of those that are interested in Gods special distinguishing af­fection. In a word (for I had not thought to have told thee so much, it was for the sake of others principally that I penn'd this piece) since it shall be thy reward to be [Page 173] like an Angel in happiness, ever to behold the face of the Father, let it be thy work and endeavour to be like an Angel in holi­ness, to do the will of God readily, heartily, and universally.

But if thou find upon a thorough search, that thou art a stranger to this spiritual life; if conscience sent to enquire bring in its verdict, that this purifying praying Spirit dwelleth not in thy soul: Let me beseeth thee, in the fear of the Lord, to bethink thy self, what is like to become of thee for ever. One of the Martyrs put his finger into the candle, to try how he could endure the fire, in which he was afterwards to be burnt; do thou but read over again the former use of information, and consider whether thou art able to undergo that losse, and that terrible intolerable eternal wrath of an omnipotent God, which is therein declared, and by Scripture proved to be the portion of all that live and dye in thy condition. Sup­pose thou shouldst hear a voice this hour, as that wicked Pope did, Ve [...]i Miser in judicium Come thou wretch unto thy particular and eternal judgement; what wouldst thou do? where wouldst thou ap­pear? and where wouldst thou leave thy glory? Isai. 10.3. I would not for a [Page 174] world take thy turn: How is it possible, that thou canst eat, or drink, or sleep with any quietness of mind: that in the day thy meat is not sauced with sorrow, and thy drink mingled with weeping: that in the night thou art not scared with dreams, and terrifi­ed with visions, when thy whole eternity de­pendeth upon that little thread of life, which is in danger every moment to be cut asun­der, and thou to drop into hell! Art thou a man that hast reason, and canst thou be con­tented one hour in such a condition? Art thou a Christian, that believest the Word of God to be truth, and canst thou continue one moment longer in that Sodom of thy natural estate, which will be punished with fire and brimstone?

I tell thee, didst thou and the rest of thy carnal neighbours but give credit to Scri­pture, thou and they too would sooner sleep in a chamber, where all the wals round, the cieling above, and floor below, were in a burning light flame, then rest quietly one moment in thine estate of sin and wrath. But for thy sake, (thy condition yet not being desperate, though very dangerous) that thou mightest avoid the easeless misery of the sinner, and attain the endlesse felicity [Page 175] of the Saint, I have purposely written the next Use, which I request thee, as thou lovest thy life, thy soul, thine unchangeable good; nay I charge thee, as thou wilt answer the contrary at the great and dreadful day of the Lord Jesus, that thou read carefully, and that thou practice faithfully the means and directions, therein propounded out of the Word of God.

3. My third Use shall be, of exhortation to those that are dead in sins, to labour for this spiritual life. Whoever thou art that wouldest have gain by thy death, then get Christ to be thy life. Hast thou read of that fulness of joy, of those rivers of plea­sures, of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory, of that Kingdom that cannot be shaken, of that enjoyment of Christ, of that full immediate fruition of God, and in him of all good, of that perfect freedom from all evil, which they (and only they) shall be partakers of, who have this spiritual life? And is not thy heart inflamed with love to it? thy soul enlarged in desire after it? Extrema Christia­norum de­siderantur etsi non ex­ [...]r i [...]. Hi [...]. thy will resolved to venture all, and undertake any thing for it? Surely if thou art a man, and hast reason, thy will and affections will [Page 176] be carried out after things that are good; but if thou hast but a spark of Christianity, thou canst not but be exceedingly ravished with things so eminently, so superlatively, so infinitely good. The Historian observeth, that the riches of Cyprus invited the Romans to hazard dangerous fights for the conquer­ing it. How many storms doth the Mer­chant sail through for corruptible treasures? How often doth the Souldier venture his limbs, nay his life, for a little perishing plun­der? Reader, I am perswading thee to mind the true treasure, durable riches, even those which will swim out with thee in the ship­wrack of death.

‘ Stephen Gardiner said of justification by Faith only, that it was a good supper do­ctrine, though not so good a break-fast one. So the power of godliness, this spi­ritual life, though it be not so pleasant to live in as to the flesh, yet it is most com­fortable to die with.’

When Moses had heard a little of the earthly Canaan, how earnestly doth he beg that he might see it! Deut. 3.25. I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. Thou hast read a little of the [Page 177] heavenly Canaan, and hast thou not ten thousend times more cause to desire it?

Plato saith, If moral Philosophy could be seen with moral eyes it would draw all mens hearts after it: May not I more truly say, if the gain of a Saint at death could be seen with spiritual eyes, with the eye of faith, it would make all men in love with it, and ea­ger after it! Baalam, as bad as he was, did desire to die the death of the righteous; and surely they that dislike their way, cannot but desire their end; but God hath joyned them both together, and it is not in the power of any man to put them asunder; therefore if thou wouldst die their deaths, thou must live their spiritual lives. Holi­nesse is the seed out of which that harvest groweth. If thou wouldst be safe when thou shalt launch into the vast Ocean of eternity; if thou wouldst be received into the celestial habitation, when thou shalt be turned out of thy house of clay, make sure of this life in Christ. If an Heathen Prince would not admit Virgins to his bed before they were purified; Est. 2.12. canst thou think the King of Kings will take thee into his nearest and dearest embraces, before thou art sanctified? Believe it, heaven must be in [Page 178] thee, before thou shalt be in heaven. Unless the Spirit of God adorn thy soul, (as A­brams servant did Rebeckah) with the jewels of grace, thou art no fit Spouse for the true Isaak the Lord of glory.

The brutish worldling indeed would wil­lingly live prophanely, and yet die comfor­tably; dance with the Devil all day, and sup with Christ at night; have his portion in this world with the rich man, in the other world with Lazarus. There is a story of one, tha [...] b i [...]g re­p [...]ved for his vicious life, and p [...]rswaded to mind godliness, would an­ [...] often Th [...]t it was but say [...]ng three words at his death, [...]nd he [...]as sure to have eternal life; probably his three words were, Mi [...]erere mei Deus: but he riding one day over a bridge, his horse stumbled, and as bo [...]h wer [...] falling into the river, he cryeth out, Capiat omnia diabolus, [...]o se and m [...]n [...]nd all to the Devil. As he l ved so he died, with three words, [...] such as he hoped to have had. As the young swag­gerer told his gracelesse companion (when they had been with Ambrose, and seen him on his death-bed, nothing affrighted at the approach of the King of terrors, but tri­umphing over it) O that I might live with thee, and die with Ambrose! But this can­not be; an happy death is the conclusion of an holy life. The God who giveth heaven hath in great letters written in his Word, up­on what termes (and no other) it may be had. He chooseth to salvation through sancti­fication of the spirit, and belief of the truth, 2 Thess. 2.13.

It is as possible for thee to enjoy the benefit of the Sons passion, without the Fa­thers creation, as without the Spirits sancti­fication. Believe the word of truth, John 3.3. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: And Hebr. 12.14. Follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Con­sider Friend, this is the Word of the true and living God; and this Law, this stand­ing Law of Heaven, is like the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered; not one iota or title of it can possibly go unful­filled, Math. 5.18. Darest thou think that the God of truth will be found a lyar for thy sake, as he must be if he save thee in thy sinful unconverted state? I tell thee, the God of holiness and justice will send milli­ons of such carnal wretches as thou art to hell, there to suffer the vengeance of the un­quenchable fire, before he will stain his ho­nour in the least. No, he is more tender of his glory then so; though thou carest not how much thou tramplest his honor in the dust, by the wilful breach of his Com­mands, yet he is exceeding jealous of his great Name; and when his very being is engaged for the accomplishment of his [Page 180] Word, he will not ungod himself to glorifie thee in an unsanctified condition; and therefore do not delude thy soul, in presu­ming that he that made thee will not damn thee; for he saith himself, that unless thou art new made, and hast that true understand­ing to fear his Majesty, and depart from ini­quity, He that made thee will not save thee, and he that formed thee will shew thee no mercy, Isai. 27.11, I hope therefore thou art fully con­vinced, that it highly concerneth thee to be night and day with the greatest diligence imaginable, labouring for this spiritual life, when thine everlasting comfort in the other world, thine eternal life dependeth so much upon it.

Art thou rich? hearken to this word of counsel from God; look after these dura­ble riches, Prov. 6.18. thy earthly riches are not for ever, Prov. 27.24. though thy heart possibly is more set upon thy houses and hoards, then upon heaven, yet thou must take thine everlasting leave of them ere long; when these unsearchable riches in Christ, which I am perswading thee to mind, out-live the dayes of heaven, run parallel with the life of God, and line of eternity, Prov. 8.18. Nay till thou livest this spiri­tual [Page 181] life, all thy wealth is want, all thy glory is ignominy, all thy comforts are crosses, yea curses to thee, Prov. 1.32, Psal. 69.22.

All thy outward comforts like the Rain­bow shew themselves in all their dainty co­lours, and then vanish away; or if they stay with thee till death, then they die with thee; Oh how hath the Moon of great mens plenty often been eclipsed at the full, and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon!

Through the corruption of thy heart they prove but fuel for thy lusts on earth; & if thou shouldst die, having only this worlds goods, they will feed the eternal fire in hell. It is storied of Heliogabalus, that he had silken halters to hang himself with; ponds of sweet water to drown himself in; and gil­ded poyson to poyson himself: Truly more hurtful are the worlds trinity, riches, honors and pleasures, to them that have great e­states in the world, but no estate in the Co­venant. Poyson worketh more furiously in wine then in water; and so doth corruption many times bewray it self more in plenty then in poverty: It is sad, that thou shouldst not be led to God by that which came from [Page 182] God. But O how lamentable is it, that thou shouldst, Jehu like, fight against thy Master with his own Souldiers; like the dunghill, the more the Sun shineth on it, it sends forth the more stinking savour; The Poet feigned Pluto to be the god of riches, and Hell, as if they had been insepara­ble. Homer. that thou shouldst by the riches which his Majesty hath given thee, only have this cursed advantage, to be the greater Rebel! Many good works hath Christ done for thee, for which dost thou stone him? John 10.32. for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy house? by oaths, or drunkenness, or gaming, or by athe­isme, and irreligion, or at least by putting him off with a few short, cold, formal prayers, and that but now and then neither: Many good works hath he done for thee, for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy heart? by letting the world and the things of the world have the highest seat there, the throne, thy chiefest esteem, warmest love, and strongest trust? What sayest thou, is it not thus? and is this to be led by his goodness to repentance? Oh consider thy bodies mercies are holy baits laid by God to catch thy soul. He tryeth the vessel with water, to see whether it will hold wine; do not like the foolish flie, burn thy self in this flame of love; turn not his grace into wan­tonnesse; [Page 183] but let the kindnesse of God be salvation unto thee; thou shouldst by those cords of love be drawn nearer unto him, and by those bands of mercies be tied closer to his commands. How shouldst thou ga­ther, if the streames of creatures be so sweet what sweetnesse is there in God who is the Fountain? If he be so good in tem­porals, surely he is better in spirituals, and best of all in eternals: How unsatisfied shouldst thou be with all these outward gifts which may consist with his everlasting ha­tred, and resolve with Luther, not to be put off with the blessings of his left hand, Valde pro­testatus summe nol­le sic ab eo satiari. Melch. A [...] in vit. Luth. of his foot-stool? Thou hast the more cause to look about thee, because few of thy rank are truly religious; a little godliness will go a great way with great men, though of all men they have most obligations from God: see James 2.5, God chooseth the poor of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of his Kingdom: And Christ telleth us, It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 19.24. Our Saviour indeed doth not speak of an impossibility, but of the difficulty of it, and the rarenesse of it. Job unfolded the riddle, and got [Page 184] through the needles eye with three thou­sand Camels; but it is hard to be wealthy and not wanton; too too often are riches like bird-lime, hindering the soul in its flight towards Heaven; a load of earth hath sunk many a soul to hell; and the in­riching of the outward occasioned the im­poverishing of the inward man. A rich man is a rare dish at heavens table: Blessed be God there are some, but surely few rich of those very few that shall be saved, 1 Cor. 1.26. The weighty burden in a vessel, though it consisted of the most pre­cious commodities, hath not seldom caused its miscarriage, when otherwise it had arri­ved safely at its desired haven. As the Moon when she is at the full, is farthest from, and in most direct opposition to the Sun; so tis the temper of most in thy con­dition to be farthest from, and most opposite to Christ, when they receive the most light of prosperity from him, and art fullest of the blessings of his goodness. Take heed thou be not like the Horse and Mule, Psalm 32.9. to drink plentifully of the streames, and never look to the Fountain; but let thine eyes, as the Churches, be Doves eyes; When the Dove hath pecked her corn, she turn­eth [Page 185] her eyes heavenward, she looketh up, Cant. 1.15.

It is reported of the Spartans, that they use to choose their King every year, during which year he liveth in all abundance, but is, after the year be expired, banisht into some remote place for ever. One King knowing this, being called to be King, did not as others prodigally spend his revenues, but heaped up all the treasure he could get together, and sent it before to that place whither he should be banisht; and so in the year of his Government made a comforta­ble provision for his whole life: So wise are they that lay up a treasure in Heaven a­gainst the time of their departure out of this world.

Art thou poor? Labour for this spiritual life, it will make thee rich indeed. Thou hast little on earth, but thou mayst have a treasure in heaven. God offereth thee Grace, Christ, and Life▪ as freely as others; take heed thou neglect them not and think as they in Sweden, that it is only for Gentle­men to keep the Sabbath; that its only for Gentlemen to mind Religion; thou hast a soul to save; an endlesse estate to provide for; an hell to escape; an heaven to attain; [Page 186] a dreadful day of judgement to prepare for, as well as they. It is a great mercy, that though God difference thee from others in temporals, yet not in spirituals. Among the Israelites the price for their ransome was equal, half a shekel, the rich shall not give more, nor the poor lesse, Exod. 30.12, 15, 16. thereby Willet in loc. signifying, that the same price was paid by Christ for the redemption of all, poor as well as rich, and that the ver­tue and merits of Christs passion belong equally to all; thy outward condition doth not exclude thee from an interest in Christs death, and intercession. Poor Lazarus may lie in the bosom of rich Abraham. The poor may be gospellized, as that Matth. 11.5. is sometimes read, not only have the Go­spel preached to them, but be changed by it. God accepted the Lamb and Dove in sacri­fice, when he rejected the Lion and Eagle. But thou must be one of Gods poor, not of the Devils ragged Regiment: Will it not be sad for thee to have two hels: one on earth, in cold, hunger, and thirst, and wants, and another in hell, in heat, and unspeakable woe? How many of thy condition serve the Devil and the world all their dayes in drudgery and slavery, and are turned into [Page 187] hell as a Sumpter-horse at the night of death, after all his hard travel, with his back full of gals and bruises.

A low man, if his eye be clear, may look as high as the tallest, B. Hall Contempl. the least Pigmie may from the lowest valley see the Sun as fully as a Gyant upon the highest mountain: Christ is now in Heaven; it is not the smal­nesse of our person, nor the meanness of our condition, that can let us from beholding him. The soul hath no stature, neither is heaven to be had with reaching. If God clear the eyes of our faith, we shall be high enough to beho!d him.

Do not say, thou art to provide for thy wife and children, and hast no time to regard thy soul, in a solemn, serious performance of duties; remember the same God that com­mandeth thee to follow thy particular cal­ling as a man, injoyneth thee likewise to follow thy general calling as a Christian, and that in the first place; Seek first the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all other things shall be added to you, Mat. 6.33. and also with the greatest labour, John 6.27. Phil. 2.12. Labour not for the food that perisheth, but for the food that endu­reth to everlasting life.

Where our Saviour doth not indeed ab­solutely forbid labour for the body, but comparatively; thy labour for thy soul should be so much, so great, that thy labour for thy body should be no labour at all, not deserve the name of labour in comparison of it. Now consider, what answer thou wilt make to the great God, when he shall plead with thee for the breach of these commands; besides, hast not thou many spare hours in many evenings, and on wet dayes, wherein thou mightst go to God in secret, and with thy family, and humble thy soul in a mournful confession of thy sins, and sensible apprehension of the wrath which is due to thee, and wherein thou mightst be importunate for pardon and grace, without which thou art lost for ever? Nay, the Lord knoweth how many Lords dayes thou hast enjoyed, which dayes he hath set apart, as well out of mercy as out of soveraignity, not only for the glory of his Name, but also for the good of thy soul, wherein thou mightst both publickly, pri­vately and secretly have furthered thy spi­ritual and eternal good; but how dost thou squander away those precious hours, some­time in corporal labour; alwayes in spiritual [Page 189] idleness, in sleeping, or walking, or sitting at thy door, or talking with thy neighbors, and yet thou hast no time for thy soul.

But lastly tell me, hast thou time to eat, and drink, and work, and sleep, and no time to work out thy salvation, to fit thy soul for death, for judgement, for eternity? If thy house were in a flame thou wouldst not let it burn, and say, I have no time to quench it: If thy neighbor call thee to sit, or talk, or dine, or it may be to go to the Ale-house with him, thou dost not answer him, I must provide for my family, I have no time; but when thy Maker and Preserver, the blessed God, calleth upon thee by his Spirit and Word to be diligent, for the making thy calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. thou must provide for thy family, thou hast no time for this. Foolish worm, leave off thy vain and cursed pretences, and set upon the business for which thou wast sent into the world, even the glorifying and obeying the Lord, or thou shalt have ano­ther manner of answer to thy simple excu­ses from the Judge of quick and dead, when for thy want of time to serve him in, he shall give thee an eternity to suffer in.

Reader I have two things to desire of thee, before I deliver thee the directions which I have received of the Lord for thee; and indeed unlesse thou grant me, or rather God and thy soul, these two requests, all that I have to say will be to no purpose at all; my requests are, that thou wouldst follow the counsel of God in order to the recovery of thy soul out of its bottom­lesse misery with all speed, and with all dili­gence. Now because they are of such exceeding importance, that if thou art once perswaded to them, my work will be half effected; and because delayes and laziness are the two great gulphs, in which such multitudes of souls are drowned and perish, I shall speak the more to them.

My first request to thee is, that thou wouldst presently set about the affairs of thy soul. We say of things that must be done, De rebus necessariis non est de­liberandum there needeth not any deliberation a­bout them. Is not this the one thing ne­cessary to prepare for the last hour, to make sure of thine everlasting well-fare? In re tam justa nulla est consul­tatio. If thou believest the word of God, thou wilt not give the flesh so much breath as to debate it; muchless wilt thou as Felix [Page 191] did, put off the thoughts of righteousness, and judgement to come, till thou art at better leisure, till thou hast a more conveni­ent season. What more weighty work hast thou to do, then to work out thy own salvation? Is the following thy calling, hoarding up an heaps of earth, feeding, cloathing that flesh which shall shortly be food for worms, is any of these half so ne­cessary as thy provision for eternity?

If thou art old, its high time to begin to prepare for thy latter end. Thou hast the feet of thy body almost already in the earth, in the grave; and hadst thou not need have the feet of thy soul, thy affections in hea­ven? Thou hast but a little time to con­verse with men; doth it not behove thee to be much in communion with God? Death often (possibly) knocketh at thy door by the hand of sickness, and warn­eth thee to look after another habitation, for thou art to be turned out of thy house of clay; Dost thou take warning? what wilt thou do, if thou shouldest dye before thou didst ever begin to live? If the Sun of thy life should set, before the Sun of righ­teousness hath arisen on thee, all the while thou livest thou art dead, and thou [Page 192] livest long to add to thy torments, as o­thers have died soon to hasten them. Thou art but like stubble, laid out a drying to burn the better in hell, all the while thou continuest a stranger to the new birth.

Thou hast every day been treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; been ga­thering as it were more wood to increase those flames in which thou (if thou thus diest) shalt live for ever. Because judge­ment against an evil work is not speedily exe­cuted, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil; though a sin­ner do evil an hundred times, and his dayes be prolonged, it shall not go well with the wicked, Eccles. 8 11, 12, 23. The sinner an hundred years old shall be accursed, Isa. 65.20.

I have read of the Circassians, a kind of mungrel Christians, that they divide their time betwixt the Devil and God, dedicating their youth to robbery, and their old age to repentance. How much time hast thou spent in the service of sin? how little time hast thou left the service of God and thy soul? Is it not high time for thee to number thy dayes, and to apply thy heart unto wis­dom speedily?

Old sinner, dost thou not tremble, to [Page 193] think that there is but a step betwixt thee and death! nay betwixt thee and hell. O the time, and talents, and opportunities which thou hast to reckon for, more then others! Happy, happy had it been for thee to have been turned out of the wombe into hell, rather then to dye an old man, and not a babe in Christ. If thou hast a sparke of love to thy self, mind thine inward change presently, least thy change come, even death, and send thee to unchangeable misery.

If thou art young, Honor ado­lescentum est, timo­rem Dei habere. Ambros. de offici. mind the gathering the Manna of godliness in the morning of thine age; present the first fruits of thy life to that God who desireth the first ripe fruits, Exod. 3.19. The firstlings are his darlings, Gen. 4.4. and that cloth will keep colour best that is died in the Wool; the vessel will sente longest of that liquor with which it is first seasoned; let thy soul like Gideons Fleece drink up betimes the dews of grace. As young as thou art, thy life is e­very moment at the mercy of the Lord; There is a saying, that in Golgatha there are skulls of all sizes; In the Church-yard thou mayest see graves of all sorts, and some of thy very length; thou art concerned [Page 194] therefore to remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. Aquinas telleth us, the young man hath death at his back, the old man before his eyes; and that is the more dangerous enemy that pursueth thee, then that which marcheth up towards thy face. This calleth for the greater care and watch­fulness. In the Isle of Man the maides spin their winding sheets the first thing they spin; do thou in youth and health ponder and prepare for thy death, lest as young and strong as thou art, death trip up thy heels and throw thee, and it prove thine everlasting overthrow.

Besides, canst thou imagine that such a sinner deserveth favor who cometh in to serve God at last, when he can serve his lust no longer? Is it equal (be thy own judge) to give the flower of thine age, the spring of thy life, the best of thy time, thine health and strength to the devil, and thy brutish flesh; and to give the dregs, the snuffe, the bottom of all this to the in­finitely glorious God, whose creature thou art, at whose cost and charge thou livest e­very day and night, and who calleth upon thee for thy service, not for the need he hath of thee, but because of the need thou [Page 195] standest in of him, all whose happiness doth consist in the pleasing and enjoying his Majesty?

Whoever thou art, of what age soever, either set speedily about thy soul-work, or answer these few questions the Lord shall put to thee, or be speechless and without excuse at the day of Christ.

First, Hath not God waited upon thee long enough already? wouldst have him whom the heavens and the heaven of hea­vens cannot contain, who hath millions of glorious Angels waiting on his Majesty, to wait on thee miserable worme al­wayes?

I tell thee all the while thou art sinning, his eyes behold thee, his heart is incensed against thee, and his hand can reach thee and avenge him on thee every moment. How many hath he sent into hell, that ne­ver tasted of his patience as thou hast done? The angels sinned and were not waited up­on one hour for their repentance; yet how many years hath he endured thee with much long-suffering, and still waiteth upon thee that he may be gracious unto thee, Isa. 30.18. The last oath thou didst swear he [Page 196] could have cursed and rotted thy tongue. The last time that thou wentest prayerless to thy rest, he could have sent thee to lit­tle ease, to the place where there is no rest day or night. The last time thou didst quench the motions of his Spirit, and stifle the convictions of thy conscience, he could have taught thee by experience, what is the meaning of the worm that never dyeth, and the fire that goeth not out; and yet he spareth thee, stretching out his hands all the day long to a rebellious child, Isa. 65.2. Should not his long patience quicken thee to speedy repentance? Answer God whe­ther he hath not waited enough, been long-suffering enough already; and if he have not, continue in thy ungodly course, and see who shall suffer longest at last, he or thou. It is one thing to forbear a debt, another thing to forgive the debtor. The longer God is in fetching his hand about, the heavier his blow will be when he strik­eth. The threatning is like a child, the longer it is kept in the womb, the bigger it groweth, and it will put thee to the more pain, when it cometh to the birth of its ex­ecution; therefore bethink thy self before the decree bring forth, before the day [Page 197] passe as the chaffe, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon thee, Zeph. 2.2.

Dost thou not see in the Scriptures ma­ny examples of Gods severity upon the abuse of his patience? What became of Sodom and Gomorrah when God waited in the dayes of Lot? Are they not suffering the vengeance of eternal fire? Jude v. 7. What became of the Jews upon whom Christ waited, calling upon them, and crying to them to return and reform? is not wrath come upon them to the utmost? 1 Thess. 2.16. Are not these like the Maste of a ship sunk in the sands, standing up to warn thee to avoid their course, least thou split eternally? Have not these the same inscription on them with Senacheribs tombe, Look on me and learn to be godly? Do not the Sodomites seem to say, Look on us and learn to be godly? Do not thy Atheistical neighbors in hell, that thought they had had time enough before them, and futured their repentance cry, O look on us and learn to be godly, and that with speed! Friend, take example by others, least thou be made an example to others, To day after so long a time, thou wilt hear his voice, harden not thy heart, Heb. 4.7.

My second question which I desire thee to answer, is, Hast thou not served the world and the flesh long enough already? Is it not yet time to serve God? hath not lust had too much of thy heart, and the flesh of thy life already? may not the time past of thy life suffice thee to have wrought the will of the flesh? 1 Pet. 4. and 3. Canst thou have the face to say with the sluggard, a little more slumber, a little more sleep, a little more drunkenness, a little more swearing, a little more wickedness? is not the debt which thou owest to Divine Justice great enough? Is not the heap of wrath and fury which thou hast provided for thy self against death and judgement big enough? Dost thou think that thou maist serve the flesh too little, and the Lord too much? It may be thou hast served the devil twenty, thirty, fourty, fifty, sixty or seventy, and knowest not whether thou shalt have so many hours to serve God in, and is it not yet time to begin? Answer me; Hast thou not wallowed long enough in the mire of Atheism, worldliness and sensuality? wilt thou not yet be made clean (Ah) when shall it once be? Jer. 13. ult.

[Page 199]3. If one should offer thee an house and land, or a bag of money, wouldst thou not presently accept it? wouldst thou say I am not yet at leisure, hereafter will be time enough? and is there not infinitely more reason why thou shouldst presently close with Christ, and leave thy sins, and seek the Kingdom of heaven? Is not hea­ven more worth then earth? are not the fruits of Christ better then silver, and his revenews then choice gold? Prov. 3.15.

When gold is offered thee, saith Am­brose, thou dost not say, I will come again to morrow and take it, but art glad of pre­sent possession; but salvation being pro­fered to our souls, few men haste to em­brace it.

Is it not a sordid slighting of Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, for thee to be more rea­dy and hasty to take a little perishing wealth, then his most precious blood?

Canst thou read the story of Pope Gre­gory the seventh, how he made the Empe­ror Henry the fourth, with his wife and child, to stand bare feet and bare leg'd three days and three nights in a cold frosty season, before he would admit them into the house, and thy heart not rise against the [Page 200] Popes pride and wickedness? And why doth it not rise against thy own obstinacy and vileness, that hast suffered the King of Kings to stand knocking at the door of thy heart till his head hath been wet with the dew, and his locks with the drops of the night? and though he hath waited thus many years, yet thou hast denyed him en­trance, and art not to this hour resolved to give him speedy acceptance.

4. Dost thou not finde by experience that the longer thou delayest, the farther thou wandrest from God and holiness, and the more unfit thou art for, and the more unwilling unto the work of conversion? is it not time therefore to turn with speed, when continuance in sin insensibly hardeneth thy heart, and gradually indisposeth it more to the work of repentance? as the ground, so is thy heart; the longer it lyeth fallow, not ploughed up, the harder it will be; wilt thou go one step farther from God, when thou must certainly come back every step, and that by weeping cross all the way, or be damned for ever? The purchase of heaven is like buying the Sybils prophe­sies, the longer thou holdest off, the dearer. [Page 201] A stain which hath been long in cloaths, is not easily washed out; an house that hath long run to ruin, will require the more cost and labor for its reparation. Diseases that have been long in the body, are cured, if at all, yet with much difficulty. The devil which had possessed the man from his in­fancy, was hardly cast out, and not with­out much renting and raging, Mar. 9.21, 26. Satan thinks his evidence as good as eleven points at law, now he hath once got posses­sion, and the longer he continueth Com­mander in chief, in the royal fort of thy heart, the more he fortifieth it against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. All the while thou delay­est, God is more provoked; the wicked one more encouraged, thy heart more harden­ed, thy debts more encreased, thy soul more endangered, and all the difficulties of conversion daily more and more multiplied upon thee, having a day more to repent of, and a day lesse to repent in.

5. Canst thou promise thy self the next hour to repent in, and darest thou defer it to another hour? thou sayest thou wilt mind these things when thou art old, but [Page 202] what if thou dyest while thou art young? It was a wise answer of one that wa invi­ted to din­ner on th [...] morrow; saith he, A multis annis crastinum non habui. thou deferrest it till to morrow; but sup­pose thou dye to day, and God say to thee as to the rich fool, This night thy soul shall be required of thee! Boast not thy self of to morrow; thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, Pro. 27.1.

It is a good saying of Aquinas, That though God promise forgiveness to repen­ting sinners, Waldus he the f [...]t [...]er of the Wal­den es seei [...] one suddenly f [...]ll [...]own dead, was converted, wen [...] [...]ome and [...]e­came a new ma [...]. yet God promiseth not to morrow to repent in; think how many hundred casualties thou art liable to, how many others dye suddenly; and take the counsel of Michal to David, Save thy self to night, to morrow thou mayest be slain: Save thy soul today, to morrow thou maist be damned.

6. Art thou sure that God will accept thee hereafter, if thou shouldst now delay and dally with his Majesty? It is good seek­ing the Lord while he may be found, and call­ing upon him while he is near, Psal. 55.6. There is a time when men shal call, but God will nor hear; cry, but he will not answer; and that because when God called they would not hear, but set at naught his counsel, Prov. 24. to 29. Whilst thine eyes [Page 203] are open, the things which concern thy peace, may be hid from them, Luke 19.41. Thou maist live to have thy soul buried long before thy body, Ezek. 24.13, 14. God would purge thee now, and thou wilt not; take heed he clap not the same curse upon thee, which he did on some others, that thou shalt never be purged till thou diest. The Spirit of God probably now stirreth thee, to turn presently, and offereth thee its help; if thou lovest thy soul do not now deny it, least the spirit serve thee, as Samu­el did Saul; Saul disobeyed him, and Samu­el came no more to Saul to the day of his death, 1 Sam. 15. ult. i. e. never. So take heed of quenching this motion of the holy Ghost, least it depart in a distaste, taking its everlasting leave of thee, and thou ne­ver feel it more to the day of thy death. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. This day if thou wilt hear his voice, harden not thy heart, least he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest, Psal. 95.7.11.

My second request is, that thou wouldst make the attaining this spiritual life the whole business of thy natural life, that [Page 204] thou wouldest esteem it as the great end of thy creation, preservation, and of all the mercies and means of grace which God bestoweth on thee, as the great end why God is so patient towards thee, so pro­vident over thee, so bountiful unto thee, that thou mightest repent and return unto him from whom thou hast gone astray.

Shall I intreat thee for the sake of thy poor soul, to let thy greatest labor be for thine eternal welfare? Is not this a business of the greatest necessity, of the greatest ex­cellency, It is the unum ne­cessarium, Luk. 10. ult. The primum quaerendum Mat. 6.33. The totum hominis, Eccl. 12.13. and of the greatest commodity and profit that thou didst ever undertake? To be everlastingly in heaven or in hell, to enjoy endless and matchless pain, or plea­sure, are other manner of things than men dream of. Good Lord! that men did but believe what it is to be happy, or miserable for ever, how then would they flie from the wrath to come, and strive to enter in at the strait gate! Mat. 7.14. Sure­ly things of the greatest weight call for the strongest work; matters that concern thine unchangeabe felicity, require the greatest industry. Demost. Non ta [...] ­ti emam poenitere

The Philosopher would not buy repen­tance at too dear a rate; Sure I am thou [Page 205] canst never buy this inheritance too dear, though thou spendest all thy time, and strength, and sellest all thou hast to pur­chase it. Friend, if ever thou art saved, thou must work out thy own salvation, Phil. 2.12. God giveth earth to the meek and patient; but heaven to the strong and violent, Mat. 5.5. Mat 11.12. It is a saying of Lombard, God condemns none before he sins, nor crowns any before he overcomes. The blind carnal world thinks that a man may go to heaven without so much ado; as Judas said of the ointment, so they of di­ligence in duties To what purpose is this waste? Mat. 26.8. They tell us it is waste time to pray so frequently, and it is waste strength to pray so fervently, to what purpose is this waste? They presume that godly men might spare a great deal of their pains hea­venward; As Seneca told the Jews that they lost a seventh part of their time by their san­ctification of the Sabbath: So the earthly-minded man will tell us that such and such men spend all their time almost in reading, or hearing, or praying, or instructing their families, or neighbors; and they count it but lost time. These men if you will be­lieve them, have found out an easier and a [Page 206] nearer way to heaven then ever Jesus Christ did; they are the right brood of wicked Jeroboam, that told the people, 1 King. 12.28. It was too much to go up to Jerusalem to worship; he had found out a cheaper and an easier way of worship. The Calves at Dan and Bethel would save them much labor, and in his conceit, serve to as much purpose▪ Thus they delude themselves, that their lazy, cold trading God-ward, their slight indifferent prayers will bring them in as much gain, as the most zealous perform­ances of the Saints. But (Reader) I hope thou wilt obey the voice of God and not of men in this; Consider his promise is to the laborious, They that seek him early shall finde him, Prov. 8.17.

He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Heb. 11.6. So Prov. 2.3, 4. His precept is for labor, Aga [...]hocles g [...]t to be King of Sicily by his indust­ry, so may the Chr­stian by violence attain the kingdom of heaven. Mat. 7.13. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, be diligent to mak [...] your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. So John 6.27. nay he curseth them that put him off with their lame sacrifices, For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful, Mal. 1.13, 14. Further he is peremptory, that the slothful shall be for utter darkness, Mat. 25.26. The Egyp­tian [Page 207] King would have men of activity and industry to be his servants; and will God thinkest thou who is a pure act, accept of those that are not active? Canst thou i­magine that he should ever bestow pardon of sin, eternal life, the sanctification of the spirit, the precious contents of his own promise, the invaluable fruits of Christs purchase, upon those those do not judge them worthy of all their strength and time, and hearts, and pains, and ten thousand times more? Besides, for what reason dost thou suppose God to have given thee these things? Surely thou canst not be so brutish as to think, that the great God made thee, and serveth thee in daily with such variety of mercies (health, strength, food, raiment, influences of heaven, and fruits of the earth) onely or chiefly that thou should eat and drink and follow thy calling, and pro­vide for thy family; were such low ends the ground of his kindness? or is it not that thou mightest ravish that pure and virgin inheritance, by an holy and heavenly vio­lence, that thou mightest imploy them and improve them to the utmost about his ser­vice and thy own salvation?

Reader, I must desire thee to consider [Page 208] and grant me these two or three suppositi­ons, in prosecution of this my second re­quest to thee.

1. Suppose thou hadst seen the Son of man, who now sitteth at his Fathers right hand, rising from his place, and attended with the thousand thousands that are before him, and with the ten thousand times ten thousand that minister to him, coming and sparkling so gloriously through the firma­ment, that he dazaleth the very eyes of the Sun, and makes him to hide his head for shame, and sitting down in the cloudes, with the glory of his Father, a fire devour­ing before him, and behind him a flame burning:

Conceive now with me, that thou hear­est him call to the Archangel, Sound the last Trump, that the dead may arise and come to judgement: Harke to the sound of the Trump, how it rendeth rocks, melteth mountains, breaks in pieces the bands of death, and bursts asunder the gates of hell, how it pierceth the ocean, and fetcheth from the bottom of the sea, the dust of Adams seed; how it descendeth into the [Page 209] belly of the earth, and forceth it to vomit up all the bodies which it had ever taken down, how it openeth the marble tombs of Princes and Potentates, and makes their Highness and Majesty stoop as low as the meanest, to the King of glory.

Dost thou not see the bodies of the Saints? look how they flie upon the wings of the wind to their souls, and both to the bosom of their beloved Saviour. See how the spirits of unregenerate ones leave for a little while, the dark vault of hell, and enter (though most unwillingly) into the stinking carrion of their bodies, and both haled by angels to the judgement seat of Christ.

When the Court is thus set, conceive the Commission read, wherein Jesus Christ is authorized, in his humane nature, by his Divine Power, to be Judge of the quick and dead; the law is produced, both of nature and Scripture; the books are open­ed, hoth of Gods omniscience and mans conscience, by which all men are to be tryed for their everlasting lives and deaths.

The holy ones are now called, their per­sons through the righteousness of Christ [Page 210] acquitted by publike proclamation, before God, Angels and men, their performances, duties, graces, services, sufferings, punctu­ally related, to their glory, and infinitely rewarded in their perfect freedom from all evil, and eternal fruition of the chiefest good.

Behold, how the unholy are with vio­lence draged to the bar, examined strictly by the covenant of works, have all their sins, secret, open, personal, relative, of na­ture, and practice, in thoughts, words, and deeds revealed publikely, and aggravated fully with all their crimson crying bloody circumstances; heark how pitifully they plead, what poor evidences they had for salvation; what sorry excuses for their Atheisme and abominations; their con­science instead of a thousand witnes­ses accuseth them, the law casteth them, the Judge pronounceth against them a most severe sentence of condemnation; the de­vils feise on them for its speedy execution; Now what confusion and shame of face, what lamentation and forrow of heart pos­sesseth them? what doleful screechings? what bitter yellow [...]ngs are heard among them? Here is body cursing the soul for [Page 211] being so ungodly a guide, and soul cursing the body for being so unready an instru­ment; and both cursing the time that ever they met together, and wishing (though in vain) that they might for ever be parted asunder.

Now the worldling curseth his flocks and his Farm, his gold and his silver, that had more of his heart, and of his care and time then his precious soul. Now the lazy Christian curseth his madness and folly, that he should think a little formal prepa­ration were sufficient for such a strict exa­mination. A bloody husband hast thou been to me, saith the wife, thou mindedst provision for me for a little time, and never regardedst my instruction about the things of eternity. A cruel father hast thou been to me, saith the child, for generating me a child of wrath, an heir of hell, and never endeavoring my regeneration, where­by I might have been a child of God and an heir of heaven: and thus cursing, crying, roaring, raging, they are sent to the place where is mourning without mirth, sorrow without solace, darkness without light, death without life, pure wrath without mixture, perfect pain without measure, no­thing [Page 212] but weeping and wailing, sighing, sobbing and gnashing of teeth for ever, ever, ever.

Suppose I say that thou hadst heard and seen all this, and God should after it try thee in this world fourty years, wouldst thou not night and day be strugling and striving with God by prayer, watching o­ver thy own heart, waiting upon thy Savi­our? With what earnestness wouldst thou pray? with what seriousness wouldst thou read and hear? with what exactness and ex­emplariness wouldst thou live? how dili­gent and laborious wouldst thou be in a faithful improvement of all thy time, ta­lents, and opportunities, that thou might­est find mercy at such a day, even the mer­cy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life! Wouldst thou after such a sight think any time too much, or any pains too great, for thy eternal good? Couldst thou give the world and the flesh, the choicest place in thy heart, and the chiefest part of thy life as now thou dost? shouldst thou dare to be nibbling again at the devils baits, or to be playing with the eternal fire, or to put off God with a few cold formal prayers, and that by fits, in stead of hearty, fiery, con­tinual [Page 213] supplication? or to put off Jesus Christ with a complement, that thou wearest his livery, and professest thy self a Christian, in stead of a sincere resolved de­dication of heart and life to his word and law. What saist thou man? And why wilt thou not be as diligent and as holy now? thou maist in the glass of Scripture see all that I have spoken (for the substance of it at least) if thou hast but an eye of faith; and without question the sight of faith is as sure and true as a sight of sense; what reason canst thou have, why thou shouldst not work as industriously to escape hell, and obtain heaven, as if thou hadst known these things experimentally, when the word of the living and true God speak­eth it so expresly? look 2 Cor. 5. & 10. Acts 17.13. Eccles. 12.2. ult. vers.

2. Suppose thou wer't sure to die this day come moneth, and take possession of thine eternal estate, to do that which thou never didst before, nor shalt ever do again; even to throw thy last cast for eternity, wouldst thou not then lay aside all other matters, and make it thy onely business to ensure an interest in Christ, and to make [Page 214] sure of a regenerated sanctified nature? wouldst thou not then think, Well now, there is no daubing, no dallying any longer, I am now going to my long long everlast­ing home; if I now deceive my self with any thing in stead of the power of godli­ness, and mistake at death, I shall miscar­ry for ever; if I be not then right, I shall be wrong for ever. Now or never, now and ever.

Wouldst thou not highly prize every week of that moneth, every day of those weeks, every hour of those dayes, yea and every minute of those hours, and say, Ah, desperate folly to leave a work of such in­finite weight (for which my whole life was little little enough) to so short a space; and yet O infinite mercy, that I have any seasons of grace left, wherein I may yet work out my salvation with fear and trem­bling? How wouldst thou labor as for life in this duty, and that ordinance, hanging on those brests, and tugging hard for some spiritual good! Wouldst thou not with Jacob wrastle with God, weep and make supplication? wouldst thou not with the Ninivites cry mightily unto God for mer­cy? How would thy prayers proceed from [Page 215] the very bottom of thy heart? and with what force would they pierce the very heavens? how wouldst thou with the Bereans search the Scriptutes? and see upon what termes Christ and heaven may be had. Wouldst thou not strive to break thy heart with the hammer of the law, and to melt it with the Sun shine of the Gospel, that thou mightest repent? Wouldst thou not en­courage thy soul from the freeness of Gods mercy, the fulness of Christs merit to believe? O what sad thoughts wouldst thou now have of thy soul, and thy sins? what serious thoughts wouldst thou have of God, and Christ, of hell, and heaven, of death and judgement? Surely other manner of thoughts then now thou hast.

Thus friend it would be with thee if thou wert to leave this world within a month, or thou wert worse then a mad man. And why shall it not be thus with thee now, when thou art so far from ensuring thy life for a moneth, that thou canst not promise thy self the next hour? dost thou not be­lieve that thy foundation is in the dust? Job 4.19. that man at his best estate is altoge­ther vanity? Psal. 32.5. that one dyeth in [Page 216] his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet, his breasts being full of milk, and his bones moistned with marrow, Job. 21.23, 24. Thou art not a tenant at thy own will, whilst thou dwellest in thy house of clay. Thou cuttest large thongs of Gods time, if thou assurest thy self another week. But look, Reader, dost thou not see that eternity is at the very threshold of thy house, Mortalium nemo est qui crasti­num sibi audeat pol­lireri, Eu­ripid. that there is but a step, a thin paper wall of life, between thee and eter­nity! Is there not much more reason that thou shouldst be more industrious for thy soul and salvation when thou art not sure to live a day, than if thou wert sure to live a moneth?

There is a bird peculiar to Ireland, called the Cock of the wood, remarkable for its fine flesh and folly; all the difficulty to kill them, is to finde them; they flie in woods in flocks; and if one be shot, the rest remove not but to the next tree, and there stand staring at the shooter, till the whole covey be destroyed; yet as foolish as this bird is, it may be the Embleme of most wise men in point of mortality; death sweeps away one and one, and one and another, and all the rest remain no whit moved, till at [Page 217] last they are destroyed, and then their folly is (though too late) bewailed.

3. Suppose thou couldst speak with thy carnal unregenerate neighbors or friends, that are now under endless remorse, frying in those unquenchable flames, and shouldst ask them what caused them to miscarry for ever, and how they came to that place of torment; and they should tell thee, O friend, I thought heaven might have been had without so much ado, that there had been no need of that seriousness and laborious­ness which a few precise ones practised, and which Ministers so much pressed. I thought I might do well enough with a formal lazy outside serving of God, because my neigh­bors did no better: I presumed, that because God was merciful, and Christ meritorious, & I enjoyed the outward priviledges of the Gospel, and gave God some of the time I could spare from the world and the flesh in a little heartless devotion, that I should be saved; never looking at that inward reno­vation and outward reformation which (I see now to my sorrow are required in all, to whom the special mercy of God and me­rit of Christ shall be extended; and now [Page 218] wo and alas, I am tormented in these flames.

After such an hearing from hell, wouldst thou not be diligent to prevent thy damna­tion? wouldst thou not take heed of those knives of negligence, idleness and formality, resting in a few good means, which did cut the throate of others souls? wouldst thou after this, jest at heaven and hell, or trifle about regeneration or the new birth? Wouldst thou again mock God, or cozen thy self with a form, a shell, a carcasse of Religion? Would not the words thou hadst lately heard, be alwayes sounding in thine ears, and piercing thy heart, and quickening thee to be sedulous and indu­strious about thy soul affairs? And why wilt thou not do as much now, when I can assure thee from the mighty possessor of heaven and earth, that this is as true (namely that many souls are eternally sunk by reason of those quick-sands) as if thou hadst heard it from the mouth of hell; nay it is possible a damned wretch may deceive thee, but it is impossible that the blessed God (who speaketh as much with his own mouth) should deceive thee. Look 1 Thess. 5.3. Mat. 7.21, 22, 23.

[Page 219]4. Suppose thou hadst with Moses had a sight of the back parts of the infinite God (about whose service I am perswading thee to be diligent) or with Isaiah, hadst seen some extraordinary manifestation of his glory; or hadst been with the disciples at the transfiguration of Christ? Or suppose thou hadst been in heaven, and seen the roy­alty and majesty of God in those glorious Angels and Saints which continually wait upon him, and in the glorified Saviour, who sitteth at his right hand, and representeth him as lively and fully as is possible to the eyes of men: Suppose thou hadst taken strict notice of the number (how many mil­lions) and order of Gods servants there, how high and noble their works; how ho­ly and pure their worship, and hadst known the infinite power, holiness, wis­dom, and justice of God as they do, and God should turn thee again into this world, wouldst thou slubber over thy du­ties, and play with his Ordinances as now thou dost? wouldst thou pray to this God as if thou prayedst not? or hear from his Majesty as if thou heardest not? or attend on him so carelesly, as if thou didst not at­tend on him at all? or wouldst thou not ra­ther [Page 220] think I can never be too serious in the service of such a God; I can never wait on him with humility enough, and with watchfulnesse enough, with upright­nesse enough, and with care and diligence enough.

Shouldst thou not be laborious in the service of such a good God? Give me leave to urge this thought a little farther, and to give thee a Scripture or two, which through the free grace of God have sometimes help­ed me against deadness and dullness in du­ties. The one is 2 Chron. 2. and 5. where Solomon telleth us, The house I am to build must be great (mark the reason) for great is our God above all gods. If God be so great a God, how greatly is he to be reverenced? canst thou do too much service for him? or give too much glory to him? Can thy love to him be too great? or can thy fear of him be too great? or can thy labor for him be too great, when this God is so great, That he measureth the ocean in the hol­low of his hand, and meteth out the heavens with a span, and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure, and weigheth the moun­tains in scales, and the hills in a ballance. [Page 221] Behold the Nations are as a drop of the bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the bal­lance. Behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him as lesse then nothing and vanity, Isa. 40.12, 15, 16, 17. God is a great God and therefore great­ly to be feared, Psal. 89.7. God is a great God, and therefore greatly to be praised; for his great­ness is unsearchable, Psal. 145.3.

If he be a great God, he may well require a great house to be his material temple, and if he be a great God, may he not justly call for a great part of, yea all thy heart to be his spiritual temple? It is likely the Son Solo­mon learned this of his father David, who giveth us this as the reason why he danced before the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth with all his might, 2 Sam. 6.14. & 21. It was (saith he) before the Lord: as if he had said, Had it been before men only, or in their service, I might have been cold and careless, slothful and sluggish; but it was before the Lord, the infinite, incomprehensible, and holy God, to whom I am unspeakably obliged for his [Page 222] distinguishing mercy; and therefore all my might, and all my strength was little enough for such a God. I might mind thee further that thou hast wrought hard in thy slavery to the world and thy flesh, in thy drudgery to the devil and thy lusts, whose reward and wages is nothing but disappointment and vexation, hell and damnation; and shouldst thou not be fervent fiery (seething hot as the word signifieth) in spirit when thou art serving the Lord? [...]. Rom. 11.12. Rom. 11.12. I might also ask thee to whom thou owest thy whole strength, and thy whole heart if not to God? Art thou so much indebted to the world and thy flesh, those enemies of thy salvation, as thou art to the blessed God? and who will at last pay thee best for thy strength and time? God or the world, Christ or the flesh. But I may speak more to this in another place.

Well Reader, have I yet, or rather the Lord by me, perswaded thee to set about this great business (upon which thy eternal felicity dependeth) timely, that is present­ly, & throughly, that is withal thy strength, as the main chief and onely work thou hast to do? Art thou resolved to do thine ut­most endeavor, and through the strength [Page 223] of Christ faithfully to follow the directi­ons which I shall commend to thee from the Lord, in order to thy recovery out of that bottomlesse misery, into which thou hast plunged thy self? Is there not abun­dant reason in what thou hast read? Are they the words of a sinfu [...] dying man, or of the jealous everliving God? Is it I only that call upon thee, to mind this spiritual life, or do not the daily and nightly mercies which thou (unworthy wretch) injoyest? do not the dreadful judgements which o­thers feel, and thou hast too much cause to fear? do not thy sweet babes, thy dear children, cry often and aloud in thine ears, O thar there were an heart in our Father, in our Mother, to fear the Lord, and keep all his Commandements alwayes, that it might go well with them and with their children for ever? Deut. 5.29. Nay, doth not the Almighty God, who observeth all thy wickednesse, in whose hands thou art every hour, who can with a word speak thee into that place of wo, where the worth of grace and holinesse is better known, and where the weight of sin and ungodlinesse is more felt? In hope that thou wilt not be such an enemy to the God that made thee, [Page 224] that thou wilt not do that despight to the Spirit that moveth thee, that thou wilt not be such a wilful murderer of thy precious soul as to neglect them, I shall set them down; the Lord set them home to thy heart.

Come along with me, and I will shew thee the Bride, the Lambs Wife, how she must be trimmed and adorned for the mar­riage.

First, Get thine understanding inlight­ned in the knowledge of thy sins and mise­ry: 1. Direction Illumina­tion. The knowledge of thy disease and dan­ger must precede thy recovery and cure. O how many thousand souls have miscarried in the dark of ignorance? Did men know, surely they would not daily by their sins crucifie the Lord of glory: Did they know their misery, they would not be so merry as they are in wayes of iniquity; they rush into sin as the horse rusheth into the battel, not knowing it will be to their death, to their destruction. I have sometime read a story of a King that was ever pensive, and never seen to smile, and being asked by his Brother the cause of it, he put him off till the next day for an answer; and in the mean time caused a [Page 225] deep pit to be made, commanding his ser­vants to fill it half full with fiery coals, and then causeth an old rotten board to be laid over it, and over the board to hang a two-edged sword by a small slender thred, with the point downwards, and close by the pit to set a table full of all manner of delicacies. His Brother coming next day for an answer, was placed at the board, and four men with drawn swords about him, and with all the best musick that could be had to play before him: Then the King called to him, saying, Rejoyce and be merry Brother, eat, drink, and laugh, for here is pleasant being. But he replied, O my Lord and King, how can I be merry, being in such danger on every side? Then said the King, Look how it is now with thee, so it is alwayes with me; for If I look above me, I see the great and dreadful Judge, to whom I must give an ac­count of all my thoughts, words, and deeds; if I look under me, I see the endlesse tor­ments of hell, whereinto I shall be cast if I die in my sins; if I look behind me, I see all the sins which I have committed, and the time which I have spent unprofitably; if I look before me, I see death every day draw­ing nearer and nearer unto me; if I look on [Page 226] my right hand, I see my conscience accusing me of all the evil I have done, and good I have left undone in this world; and if I look on my left hand, I see the creatures on their Makers behalf, crying out for ven­geance against me a Rebell. Now then cease hereafter to wonder, why I cannot re­joyce in the things of this world.

This is the condition of every unsancti­fied man and woman, and did they but know it, they would see but little cause to spend their dayes in pastimes and pleasure; but what the eye seeth not, the heart greives not: Had Haman known he had been so nigh his funeral, he would hardly have boasted so much to his friends; but it is the policy of the God of this world, to blind mens eyes, least they should see and avoid damnation. As when a Malefactor is for some capital crime cast at the Assize, Diogenes being de­manded what bur­then the earth did d [...]d bea [...], most heavy; answer­ed, An ig­norant man. he is then carried into a dark dungeon, and thence to execution: So the Devil, knowing that all the Sons and Daughters of Adam are cast by the Law of God (the Law shutting them all up under sin and wrath) endea­voureth to keep them in the dungeon of ig­norance, till the day of their execution. When Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Ze­dekiah, [Page 227] 2 Kings 25. and 7. he put out his eyes, bound him in fetters, and then carried him away to Babylon: Thus Satan as soon as he entereth into the soul, laboureth to put out the eyes of the understanding, and so to lead them hood-winkt to hell. Did men know what they had done against God, and how they had undone themselves, they would be restlesse till they attained a reme­dy: Did the sinner but know the purity, jealousie, power, and justice of that God, whom he daily provoketh? Did he but know the love and kindness, the blood and bowels of that Saviour, whom he underva­lueth: Did he but know the pleasures, and joy, and happinesse in heaven, which he neg­lecteth: Did he but know the beauty and amiableness, the delights and comforts of grace and holinesse, which he despiseth: Did he but know the emptinesse and vanity of this deceitful world, which he so heartily embraceth: Did he but know where sin is in the premisses, sorrow and hell (without faith and sanctification) must be in the con­clusion; Did men, I say, but know these things, how quickly would they turn from sin unto God, giving a bill of divorce to their most beloved lusts, and entring into a [Page 228] most solemn covenant with the Lord! But having their understandings darkned, they are alienated from the life of God (that is, a life of holinesse) through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindnesse of their hearts, Eph. 4.18. Observe how expresly the Spirit of God speaketh igno­rance to be the reason, why men are such strangers to the power of Religion.

Reader, thou mayst by all this see the ne­cessity of knowledge, if ever thou wouldst be converted and saved. The Devil (as I said before) carrieth men hood-winkt to hell; but God will never carry thee blind­fold to heaven: The end of a Saint is the inheritance in light, Col. 1.12. and the way thither is a way of light; The path of the just is as shining light, Prov. 4.18. and surely in respect of knowledge as well as in other respects. Do not please thy self, that though thou art not book-learned, yet thou hast as good an heart as others (as thy foolish ignorant neighbors will prate) for when thou thus speakest, thou speakest be­side thy book; for the Book of God telleth us otherwise.

The soul without knowledge is not good, Proverbs 19.2. There may be a clear [Page 229] head without a clean heart, the light of knowledge without the heat of grace; but a gracious heart in a grown person not di­stracted, was ever accompanied with a com­petency of knowledge in the head. And indeed knowledge is so near a kin to grace, that it is often in the Word of God put for it, John 17.3. It is life eternal to know thee to be the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. So 1 Cor. 2.2. Phil. 3.8. Isai. 53.11.

If thou would be sanctified and saved, get knowledge, seek knowledge as silver, and search for it as for hid treasure, Prov. 2.3, 4. This is the first thing to be done; it is first in the Ministers Commission, Acts 26.18. I send thee, saith God to Paul, to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn men from darkness unto light; and this is first in the Spirits operation on the soul. It convinceth the man of his sins, John 16.10, 11. It presenteth to the understanding a catalogue of its many and bloody provocations. Imprimis, thus Guilty in Adam of high treason against Heavens Majesty, and there­by of want of original righteousnesse, and of a deep deadly pollution in the whole na­ture. Item, so many hundred ungodly acti­ons; [Page 230] so many thousand unholy and idle expressions; so many millions of evil thoughts and suggestions: Item. so many omissions, and so many commissions: Item. so much precious time mis-spent, a moment of which cannot be recalled or purchased with the revenues of the world: Item, so many talents of health, strength, food ray­ment, esteem, riches, and the like misim­ployed: Item. so many Sacraments, Sab­baths, seasons of grace mis-improved: Item. so much uncorrigiblenesse under afflictions, so much unprofitablenesse under mercies: Thus the Spirit inlighteneth the sinners mind to see his sins with their circumstan­ces, and black aggravations; as also what is like to be the fruit and effect of sin, even nothing lesse than suffering everlasting per­dition from the presence of the Lord. It may be the Spirit may cause him, as it were, to see the smoak that ascendeth from the bottomlesse pit, to smell the scent of that infernal brimstone, and fire; to hear the roarings and howlings of the damned; nay possibly to feel a very hell in his own con­science. The Spirit indeed is a free Agent, and worketh in what manner and measure he pleaseth: But this is certain, he convin­ceth [Page 231] all of their sins and miseries; convicti­on doth go before conversion. The Phy­sitian of souls will heal none, but such as know both their distemper and their dan­ger, and thereby how infinitely they are ob­liged to him for their cure; As in the first creation one of the first thing God made was light; so in the forming the new crea­ture illumination is before sanctification, Every one is able to say in Christ as he in the Gospel, This I know, whereas I was blind, now I see, John 9.25.

This is absolutely necessary in order to the second direction I have to commend to thee; which is the sincere humiliation of thy soul. There must be a day-break of light in the understanding, before there can be an heart-break of sorrow in the affecti­ons; till sin and wrath be discerned by knowledge in the mind, they will be no bur­den to the conscience, nor grief to the spi­rit: As no good wrapt up in darknesse ex­cites desire, so no evil swathed up in igno­rance striketh terror. We may observe this by the holy Apostles expression; I was alive without the law, but when the commande­ment came, sin revived and I died, Rom. 7.9. i. e. the time was that I was ignorant both [Page 232] of the laws strictnesse and my own sinful­nesse, and then I thought my self to be very safe, my conscience was very quiet, and my heart full of hope (or more properly pre­sumption) about my future eternal happi­nesse; thus I was alive without the law; but when my eyes were inlightned, to see how exceeding broad the Commandements of God were, and that once I compared my crooked race with that strait rule, and took notice how far short I came of that obedi­ence which the law required, I was then a dead, a lost man; I quickly pulled in my plumes, and took down my sails, with which I was hastening in my conceit to Heaven; for I found that I was in very deed in the road to hell. When the Commandement came, sin revived and I died: There was then life enough in my lusts to wound me unto death, for I dyed.

Reader, if thou art convinced so farre of the absolute necessity of conversion, as to desire it unfeignedly, let me request thee, for the sake of thy poor soul, to set some considerable time apart; thy body hath had many years; surely thy soul deserveth one day, and that speedily, to be serious in about its endlesse estate, and to compare [Page 233] thy wicked life with the pure Law of God, and observe how exceedingly thou hast swerved from the precepts therein com­manded; consider not only its outward and literal, but likewise its inward and spiritual meaning, and thou mayst presently discern, that thy whole conversation for so many years as thou hast lived, hath been a conti­nued aberration and wandring from the Lord and his Laws. If thou lookest aright in that glasse, it will discover all the spots, all the dirt, that have been in the face of thy heart and life, Jam. 1.23. By the Law is the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3.20.

Consider also, that thy breach of the Law makes thee liable to the curse of the Law, which is the infinite eternal wrath of the Law-giver. Cursed is every one that conti­nueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10.

The Law must be satisfied; since not in its accomplishment, it will in thy punish­ment.

If God cast the glorious Angels out of heaven and reserved them in chains of dark­nesse, to the judgement of the great day for one sin, and that (as some think) in thought; into what an hell may he cast thee, whose [Page 234] iniquities for weight are like the sand of the sea, and for number like the sparks of a fur­nace, and the stars in the firmament! Think of it with all possible seriousnesse; thou hangest over the mouth of hell every mo­ment by a small thread of life, and if that should be cut asunder, the whole world can­not save thee from dropping into it.

2. Direction, Humilia­tion.2. In the next place labour to get thy heart deeply and throughly affected with thy sins and misery. Humiliation must follow Illumination. It is not enough for this knowledge of the transgressions thou hast committed, and the wrath thou hast de­served, to swim in thy head (it may be there as fire in the flint to no profit) but it must sink down into thy heart, and be beaten out into an application of, and lamentation for thy guilt and wickedness.

Man is so sinfully subtle, that he can bear the historical knowledge of these things in his understanding, he can hear the name of sin and hell, and be no more troubled then at a painted devil, or a tale of purgatory; but when God brings down sin from being a notion to be an obligation, and entereth an action against the soul within it self, then [Page 235] it will begin to melt and mourn under the sense of its sins and sufferings. Thus after the Spirt of God hath been a spirit of con­viction, it becometh a spirit of bondage; that eye which was before enlightened to see the lewdnesse of his heart and life, cometh now to affect his heart with grief and sorrow: This we find in those Con­verts, Acts 2.37. when they had heard of their sin and guilt, they began to recant and repent: When they heard those things they were pricked to the heart. The nails which had pierced Christs hands now pierce their hearts. It was with them (saith one) as if the sharp points of daggers had been stuck or fastened in their hearts. They wounded themselves with sorrow, that ever they had wounded the Lord Jesus with their sins.

The whole life indeed of a true Christian is (in some respects) a life of repentance: He is often greiving Gods Spirit, and there­fore he is often greived in his own spirit: As long as the ship leaketh, the pump must go. Though the Christian doth not pad­dle or wallow in the mire of sin every day, as gracelesse ones do; yet he findeth, that daily his hands contract dirt, and his soul [Page 236] guilt, therefore he must daily wash with faith and repentance.

Some report of Mary Magdalen, that she spent thirty years in Galba in weeping for her sins: And Tertullian saith of himself, That he was born for repentance. Anselm telleth us, That with grief he considered the whole course of his life; I found ( In lib. meditat. wri­teth he) the infancy of sin in the sins of my infancy; the youth and growth of sin in the sins of my youth and growth; and the ripenesse of all sin in the sins of my ripe and perfect age; and then he breaks out into this pathetical expression; What remain­eth for thee, wretched man, but that thou spend thy whole life in bewayling thy whole life?

But especially at the time of a Christi­ans conversion he is to mind contrition; when the vessel is newly tapt, then it run­neth most freely and plentifully. None might approach the King of Persia's Court in sackcloth and mourning, Est. 4.2. but no wandring sinner may draw near to the King of Heaven without it. Aut paeni­tendum, aut pereundum Except ye re­pent ye shall perish. God is resolved to break the sinners heart on earth, or his back in hell. He will have the wound search'd, [Page 237] and the pain of it felt, before it be bound up and cured. The wicked Prodigal must come to his Father with compunction in his soul, as well as confession in his mouth.

Look therefore, O sinner, into the book of thy conscience, and read over the black lines that still are in thy cursed heart, and the bloody leaves of thy wicked life; how long thou hast lived to little purpose, yea, to the killing of thy soul for ever; how farre thou hast been from accomplishing the end for which thou wast born, and the errand for which thou wast sent into the world. Keep a petty Assize in thy heart; preferre a large Bill of Indictment against thy self; accuse and condemn thy self, not only verbally, but cordially, if ever thou wouldst have Christ to acquit thee. Thou hast spent many years in sinning, and shouldst thou not spend some hours in sorrowing? Thou didst make the soul of Jesus Christ sorrowful unto death; shall not therefore thy soul be sor­rowful, when thy sorrow may be unto life? Did the Rocks rent when he died for sin, & shall not thy rocky heart that thou hast lived [...] sin? He bled for thee, and wilt not thou [Page 238] weep for thy self? Thou hast filled Gods Iob 14.17. Bag with thy fins, and hast thou no tears for his Psal. 46.8. Bottle? Hast thou so long bro­ken the holy Commandements of God, and shall not thy heart now at last be bro­ken? The damned feel sin, it lyeth heavy on their souls; couldst thou lay thy ear to the mouth of that bottomlesse pit, thou mightst perceive by their yellowings and howlings, that sin is sin in hell, how lightly soever it is regarded by men upon earth. The Lord Jesus felt sin; Hadst thou been in the garden, and seen his blessed body all over in a goar blood, beheld those drops, yea clods of blood that trickled down his face, surely thou wouldst have believed that it was some heavy weight indeed which cau­sed such a bloody sweat in a cold winter night.

And art not thou yet weary and heavy laden? Do I speak to a man or a beast? to a living creature, or to a rock that will never be moved? If thou hast a disease in thy bo­dy, thou canst greive and complain; and why not for the diseases of thy soul? Are not they farre more deadly, more dangerous? If thou losest a child, O what crying and [Page 239] roaring, what wringing of hands and water­ing of cheeks? nay, if thou losest a place of profit, an house, or a beast, thou canst mourn, and think of it often with sorrow; And doth it not greive thee, that thou hast lost, not thy child or cattel, but thy Christ, thy Saviour, thy Soul, thy God to eter­nity? If thou missest a good bargain that was offered thee, whereby thou mightst in­crease thy estate; or if thou buyest or hirest at too dear a rate how dost thou beshrew and befool thy self for it? Hast thou not ten thousand times more cause to be really and highly displeased with thy self, and to abhor thy self in dust and ashes, that thou shouldst have all the riches, and glory, and pleasures of the eternal Kingdom tendered to thee with many intreaties, and yet thou hast refu­sed them for the lying vanities of this world, and for the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season? Thou hast denyed Heavens, happinesse for a bubble, a butter­fly; all things for nothing. Did ever any fool buy so dear, and sell so cheap? Like Saul, busie himself in seeking Asses, when a Kingdom sought him: Like Shimei, seek his servant, and thereby lose himself. No [Page 240] fool like the sinner, that embraceth a shadow which will certainly flee from him, and neg­lecteth the substance which endureth to eternity.

Honorius the Emperor hearing that Rome was lost, cried, Alas, alas, very mournfully, fearing it had been his hen so called, which he exceedingly loved; but hearing it was the famous City of Rome that was become a prey to his cruel enemies, he made a tush at it: Thus too too many can greive suffi­ciently for the losse of vanities, riches, but not at all for the losse of God, and Christ, and enduring felicities.

Well Friend, repent timely and truly of this thy folly, for I must tell thee, shortly it will be too late; if repentance be hid from thy heart now, repentance will be hid from Gods eye then, by whose Law thou art now a condemned man already; if thy heart be hardened now in sinning, the heart of God will ere long be hardened in sentencing thee to an eternity of suffering.

It is an infinite mercy, that God yet al­loweth [Page 241] thee liberty for second thoughts, that notwithstanding thou hast shipwracked thy soul, yet thou mayst swim out safe upon the plank of repentance. O therefore think no pains too great to break thy stony heart; it is worth the while, when free grace hath promised a vast reward to that heaven-born work. Hadst thou once offered up to God the sacrifice of a spirit truly sor­rowful, out of love to God, and self-loath­ing, because of fin, I could tell thee as good, as joyful news, as ever thine ears heard: The Father of mercies, and God of com­forts, will be reconciled to thee in the Lord Jesus: Thy prayers for pardon and life will pierce Gods ears, and find acceptance if they proceed from a broken heart, from sincere repentance. A penitent tear is a messen­ger that never went away without a satis­factory answer. Prayers with such tears are prevalent; yea (in Luthers phrase) om­nipotent: Musick upon the waters sounds most pleasantly: Thou hast heard the voice of my weeping, saith David, Psal. 6.8.

Augustus Caesar having promised a great reward to any that could bring him the [Page 242] head of a famous Pirate, did yet, when the Pirate heard of it, and brought it himself, and laid it at his feet, Suet. in vit. not only pardon, but teward him for his confidence in his mercy.

As Plutarch in v [...]t. Alex. Antipater was answered by Alexan­der, Thou hast written a long Letter against my Mother, but dost thou not know that one tear of hers will wash out all her faults? When the returning sinner weeps, the ten­der-hearted Father smi!es: As he rejoy­ceth and laugheth at obstinate sinners de­struction and ruine, Quod [...] De­us loqui [...]ur cum risu, tu legas cum fletu. Aug. Proverbs 1.26. so he rejoyceth and smileth at the penitent sin­ners conversion. He will do something for an hypocritical humiliation, to assure us, that he will do any thing upon a sin­cere humiliation. Seest thou, saith God, how Ahab humbleth himself? this judge­ment shall not be in his dayes, but in his Sons dayes, 1 Kings 21, 29. A piti­ful humiliation it was God knew; he lookt sadly like a Fox in a trap, meerly to get out, yet God takes notice of it, and deferreth the judgement upon it. If God set such a price upon counterfeit, [Page 243] what will he upon true gold? Fierce Esau relenteth towards submitting Ja­cob, though he came against him ready and resolved to destroy him. Surely then the God of compassions (to whose pity and mercy the bowels of all the creatures are but as a drop to the Oce­an) who calleth those that goe from him, will not cast away those that come to him.

Reader, little dost thou think how much he longeth for thy conversion and humiliation: Little dost thou know what kisses and embraces, what robes and rings, what mercies and merits, what an heaven and happinesse, what a God, and Christ, and Grace, and Glory, are all ready for thee, and wait only for thy readinesse and preparednesse for them, by thy humiliation for an aversion from thy deceitful corruptions.

Alexanders Macedonians having offend­ed him, laid by their Armes, Plut. in vit. Alex. put on mourning apparel, came running in troops to his tent, where for almost three dayes [Page 244] together they remained with loud cries and tears to testifie their remorse for offending him; and wilt not thou do as much for of­fending God?

As thou therefore lovest the life of thy soul, endeavor to get thy heart throughly humbled for thy sins; take a view of thy sins in the word of God, in the glasse of his law, how in its nature it is contrary to his blessed nature and perfect law, and for its effects it maketh thee obnoxious to all the threatnings of the word, to all the vi­als of [...]ods wrath, to all the miseries of this life, and to all the torments of hell for ever.

Consider while thou livest in thy e­state of impenitency, thou art a cursed sinner, and if thou diest in it thou art a damned creature; the hand of God which is lifted up in the commination and threat­ning, will fall down in execution. If the wrath of a King be as a messenger of death, O what then will will the wrath of a God be! As that Christian King of Hungary told his brother (that sprang into his presence [Page 245] pale and trembling, because of the Execu­tioner and Deaths-man, that had sounded his trumpet at his chamber door in the dead time of the night, to call him away to exe­cution) O Brother, thou hast loved me, and never offended me, and is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful to thee? how then should I a greivous sinner, fear to be brought to judgement before Jesus Christ? Consi­der the day of the Lords wrath is coming, and who shall abide it? This terrible fire is kindled; this horrible tempest is gathered, and ready to fall on thy head every mo­ment. Do not put these things farre off, as many do, who thereby deprive themselves of the happy effects which these thoughts might produce. A Can­non afarre off, though never so great, doth no execution; men will not trem­ble and fall down for fear of it, when once they apprehend it many miles off: Things afarre off, though very big, will seem very small: A Starre that is bigger than the whole earth seems no bigger than a Torch, being many miles from us. Look therefore on all that misery that is treated of, in the first use, as [Page 246] thy portion, and as nigh to thee, even at the very door; like a Serjeant it waiteth continually to arrest thee, and hale thee to the prison of hell. There is not a night in which thou lyest down to sleep, but this roaring Lion of the wrath of God lyeth down beside thee, and is ready, when thou art asleep little dreaming of it, to rend thee asunder, and tear thy soul in pieces. In the mor­ning when thou risest it waiteth upon thee, dogging thee all the day long, whatsoever thou dost, and following thee like a blood-hound wheresoever thou goest; thou mayest as soon flie from thy self as from it, till thou art effectually humbled for thy sins, the cause of it. And be not insensible of it, because it is invisible to thee. The influences of the Sun are hottest among the minerals in the bowels of the earth, where it is not at all visible, not they sensible: So the fire of divine fury is hottest where it is not visible, nor the person sensible: Though thou mayst see it as plainly in the Scripture, as the Sun at noon day; God is angry with the wicked [Page 247] every day, Psalm 7.12. There is wrath prepared for the workers of ini­quity, and it will assuredly and speedily be inflicted, if thou art not timely and truly humbled and converted.

I would also desire thee to ponder much the free grace of God, which is discovered in the Gospel; what bowels of compassion in the Father to give his Son; what infinite affection in the Son, to give himself for the reconcilia­tion and salvation of his enemies. It is probable the heat of this unknown love may melt thy frozen spirit: This is the most ingenuous sorrow which is never to be sorrowed for, which springeth from the consideration that thou hast sin­ned against so good, so pure, so per­fect a God, in conformity to whom, and communion with whom, all thy happinesse consisteth. The Law indeed is of excellent use to open the sore, to search the wound, to make the Pa­tient feel his need of, and set a price upon his Physitian; thus it is a School­master to drive the soul to Christ; [Page 248] but winter fruits are more harsh and sowre, when summer fruits are sweet and pleasant. God taketh most delight in those tears and sorrow, which are the fruits of hot love to his blessed Ma­jesty. And could I see them once in thee, I durst joy thee of thy Babe of Grace, the new Creation. They are at least the kindly bearing throws of one in travail, very near her hour of deli­very, as also often the after-paines: A stroak from guilt, from wrath, broke Judas heart into despair: A look from love, from Christ, broke Peters into teares. Aspexit Christus & flevit Petrus. Ambr. That sap and moisture which in frost and snow lyeth hid and buried in the earth, sheweth it self pleasantly in the fruits of the trees, when it is called forth by the warmth of the Sun.

Even Saul himself will lift up his voice, and weep when he seeth a clear testimony of the love and undeserved kindnesse of David.

Hast thou never beheld a condemned [Page 249] prisoner dissolved into tears, upon the unexpected and unmerited receit of a par­don, who all the time before was as hard as a flint? The hammer of the Law may break the icie heart of man with terrors and horror, and yet it may remain ice still, unchanged: But when the fire of love kindly thaweth this ice, it is chan­ged and dissolved into water, it is no longer ice, but of another nature. Where the Sun is most ptedominant, there are the sweetest Spices, the richest Mines, and the costliest Jewels. Do thou there­fore meditate much on the love of God and Christ to thy unworthy soul: Think what love is it that still spareth thee, notwithstanding all thy God-daring and soul-damning provocations, and that when others (probably better than thy self) are every day and night sent to that place, where God hath large interest for his long patience. What love is it, not only to forbear thee, but also to doe thee good! thou his enemy art hungry, he feedeth thee; thou art thirsty, he gi­veth thee drink. If a man find his ene­my will he let him goe, 1 Sam. 24.19. [Page 250] but lo God findeth thee every mo­ment; as all thy sins are within the reach of his eye, so thou thy self art continually within the reach of his arm; he can as easily turn thee into hell, as tell thee of hell: And yet he letteth thee goe, and more than that, doth thee good. Thou spendeth every hour upon the stock of mercy. God is at great charge and much cost in continu­ing meat, and drink, and health, and strength, and time which thou dost ravel out, and wanton away unprofitably.

What love was that in the Father which sent his own Son to die, that thou mightst live! Well might the beloved Disciple say, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh. 3.16. In this the bowels of divine love are naked, as in an Anatomy: In other things the love of God is as the beames of the Sun scattered, which are warm and comfortable; but in this it is as the beames of the Sun united in a burning-glasse, [Page 251] hot fiery burning love; God so lo­ved the world, so dearly, so intirely, so incomparably, so infinitely: It is a sic with­out a sicut (as one observeth) a pattern which can never be parallel'd. In this God commended his love towards us, in that when we were sinners Christ died for us, Rom. 5.8. when God sent his Son into the world, he did as it were say to him, My dear Son, thou Son of my chiefest love and choicest de­light, go to the wicked unworthy world, commend me to them, and tell them, that in thee I have sent them such a love-token, such an unquestionable testimony of my favour and good-will towards them, that hereafter they shall never have the least colour of reason to suspect my love, or to say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Ma­lachi 1.2.

What love was that in the Son of God, which moved him to become the son of man that thou mightst become the son of God? What love was that which made him so willingly undergo the scorns, and flouts, and derisions of wretched men, the rage, and malice, and assaults of ravenous devils, [Page 252] the wrath and fury of a righteous God; such pangs and tortures in his body as no mouth can expresse, such sorrows and horror in his soul as no minde can conceive; and all that thou mightest e­scape such misery, and obtain everlasting mercy!

Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friend, John 15.13. The passion of Christ was the greatest evidence of his affection. The laying down of life did abundantly pro­claim his love. His love before was like wine in a cask, hardly seen; but O how did it sparkle and cast its colour in the glass of his sufferings! This Diamond before hid in the shell, doth shine radiantly in the ring of his death: If his tears did so much speak his love to Lazarus, that the Jews who saw him weeeping, cryed out, Lo how he loved him! surely his heart-blood doth far more demonstrate his love to his members. They that beheld him bleeding in the gar­den, had far more reason to say, Look, lo how he loved his!

What love is that which did all this for such a worm as thou art? such a sinner, such [Page 161] a rebel; what would God lose, if thou wert eternally lost? the least tittle of his happi­nesse would not be diminished; this Sun is no loser, when men shut their eyes, and will not behold its light: what gaineth God, if he gain thee to himself, to his service? thou canst not adde the least cubit to the stature of his perfections; the refreshment is to men, not to the Spring when the wea­ry passengers drink of it. He doth not command thee to repent from any need he hath of thee, but from the pity he hath to thee. He entreateth thee to return, not that he may be blessed and happy, but that he may be bountiful & liberal in bestowing on thee those blessings which accompany salvation. Methinks the apprehension of Gods great love and goodnesse should have such an impression on thee as to make thee little and low in thine own thoughts. Is it not a wonder, that God should vouch­safe a gracious look upon such a clod of earth, a piece of clay as thou art? but what admiration can answer this love and condescension, that God should wait and intreat to lift thee up, who wouldst cast him down! That an Emperour should sue to a traitour; that Majesty should thus stoop [Page 162] to misery; that the Lord of life and glory should prepare for thee exceeding rich and precious promises, a crown of life, a pur­chased possession, and beseech thee to ac­cept of them. Were thy heart never such hard metal, one would think that such an hot fire of burning love should melt it. I hsve in two or three Authors read of five men that met together, and asked each o­ther what means they used to abstain from sin? The first said, The thoughts of the certainty of death, and uncertainty of the time moved him to live every day, as if it were his last day. The second said, He meditated of the day of of judgment, and the torments of hell, and they frighted him from medling with his dangerous enemy, sin. The third considered of the defor­mity of sin, and beauty of holinesse. The fourth, of the abundant happinesse provi­ded in heaven for holy ones. The last con­tinually thought of the Lord Jesus Christ and his love; and this made him ashamed to sin against God.

Reader, if thou hast but any ingenuity, the abuse of such love and kindnesse should work upon thee. Some say, the blood of a goat will soften an Adamant: shall not [Page 163] then the blood of this true goat dissolve thy adamantine heart? Beasts themselves have been won by kindnesse, and wilt thou be worse than a beast, that such Philanthrophy and kindnesse of God shall no whit stir thee or humble thee?

There is a twofold necessity of a deep serious humiliation (for which cause I have been the more large upon it, though indeed I have added very much more than I first in­tended) in order to the two next directions which I shall prescribe thee.

First, in order to thy hearty acceptation of Jesus Christ. Humiliation is like John Baptist, to prepare the way of Christ before him. Christ will not be a Saviour to them that do not set an high valuation upon him: now an unhumbled sinner is a man (concei­tedly) whole, seeing no need of, and there­fore setting little price upon the Physician of souls. Till men see that they are cast by the Law of God, and condemn'd men, they will never heartily desire and value a psalm of mercy. According to a mans sense of misery, such is his estimation of mercy: When Paul saw himself the chief­est of sinners, then that saying, That Christ [Page 164] Jesus came into the world to save sinners, was worthy of all acceptation. This sharp sawce of repentance doth commend Christ exceedingly unto the spiritual palat: The more bitter and irksome sin is, the more sweet and welcome Jesus Christ will be to the soul. When the sinner seeth that he is lost in himself, then (and not till then) will he truly request to be found in Christ; the prodigal did not prize the bread in his fathers house, till he was ready to perish for hunger. Ministers preach much of the infinite excellencies that are in Christ, of the unspeakable misery of sinners without Christ, of the absolute necessity that men and women stand in of Christ, and yet preach to little purpose; most prize their shops and their lands, their relations, yea, and their sensual lusts above the Lord Jesus, notwithstanding all their pretences to the contrary; they see no such need of him, nor such worth in him, as the Preachers and Scriptures speak of: What's the reason of it? truly this; They were never sensible of the stings of the fiery serpents; if they had, they would look up to the brazen ser­pent with an eye of greater respect. They were never pricked to the heart, and there­fore [Page 165] cry not out, Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved? But when God dis­covereth his wrath to the soul, and shutteth the soul up under it, when he commandeth conscience in his Name to arrest the soul for all its debts, which it oweth to divine justice; and when in pursuance thereof conscience doth in the name of the dread­ful God, charge on the sinner the guilt of all his sins, and hales him to the Judgment­seat of God, where he seeth nothing but frowns and fury, fire and brimstone, and feeleth nothing but tribulation and anguish, indignation and wrath: now the sinner cryeth out in bitternesse of spirit, O wretched miserable man, alas, alas, I am undone! What desperate madnesse posses­sed my soul thus to provoke the Almigh­ty God by my sins? Into what a sea of mi­sery have I brought my self by mine iniqui­ties? The God whom I see is angry, the wrath which I feel is heavy, the torments which I fear are infinite. The Law which sheweth no mercy is violated; the God who will have full satisfaction for the breach of his law, is incensed; conscience which is his Jailour is commissionated to wound and terrifie me: And whether shall I go? [Page 166] wrath above me, wrath below me, wrath without me, wrath within me. A world (mark now) for a surety to discharge me of these debts; a thousand worlds for that balm which can heal this wounded consci­ence. Ten thousand thousand worlds for a Jesus that can deliver from the wrath to come. When sin comes to be sin indeed, then and not till then a Saviour will be a Sa­viour indeed.

Secondly, humiliation is necessary in or­der to the souls hearty resignation of it self, to every Law and Command of Christ. Ac­cording to a mans humiliation, such will his subjection to Christ be; Humilation is (in some sense) the foundation of a Christi­ans obedience; and the strength of the buil­ding dependeth upon the strength of the foundation. The reason why the Reli­gious buildings of hundreds of Professors in our dayes (though they have been very fair and beautiful to the eye) have miscar­ried is this, the want of this foundation, their hearts were never throughly humbled. The reason why the stony ground did not bring forth good fruit, was this, the plough had not gon deep enough, it did not take [Page 167] deep root, Matth. 13.20, 21.

Men would never dally with God as they do, or halt as the Israelites between two o­pinions, be sometimes for God, and some­times for the world; holy by fits and girts, if they had ever felt the weight of sin. Christ when he cometh into the soul as a Saviour, will come also as a Soveraign to command and govern the whole man; He is the true Sun, and he will have the whole heaven, the whole heart to himself; he will allow no writ of partition; his Law for­biddeth inmates as well as mans. Now a­gainst this, Probably therefore, fleshly lusts may be called earthly members. Col. 3. not only be­cause they flow from the body of death, but also because they are as dear to men as their bodi­ly mem­bers the natural carnal man riseth and rebelleth exceedingly; He hath ever at this time some lust or other which he valu­eth as his * limbs, some right hand that he desireth may not be cut off, some right eye which he would not have pluckt out, some Herodias that must not be medled with, some Absolom that the sinner intrea­teth Christ to spare, and deal gently with for his sake. Therefore before the Lord of hosts can make an absolute conquest, before he can perswade the besieged soul to surrender it self wholly and altogether to his government, he is forc'd by the Granadoes, and thundring Cannons of the [Page 168] Laws curse, and Gods wrath, to fire and fright it out of all its sinful holds. Then it will come up to those excellent terms of the Lord, which are most honourable for the Saviour, and most profitable for the soul. Now he seeth most certainly such a sting in sins tail, that he dares plead no longer for the beauty of its face; Now he feeleth it as a dart in his liver, as an arrow sticking in his heart, as a coal of fire in his hand; he is heartily willing, yea, thinks himself much beholden to that Redeemer that will pluck out this dart, this arrow. O how readily doth he throw away this coal of fire, fearing to be burnt by it any more! We have two famous instances of this in Scripture. The one is in Paul, Acts 9.6. When Paul that was posting in the road to hell, comes to be knockt down, and to feel those tremblings and terrors in his spirit, he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? He had probably heard much before of God: but he regarded it not, till now he receiveth a word, and a blow; a word from without, and a wound within to set it home; now it is, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? before it was, What will the high Priest, the Scribes and Pharisees have me to do? and [Page 169] what will the vain imaginations, and high thoughts which exalted themselves against God and Christ, have me to do? but now it is, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Before his heart was like hard wax, it would take no impression from God; but now it is soft­ned by this fire of inward humiliation, it is ready for any stamp. God may imprint what he pleaseth; Lord, what wilt thou have me do? The other instance is in the cruel, rough, hard-hearted Jaylour; After the earth-quake, and the heart-quake which God had caused, he springs trembling in, and fell down before Paul and Silas, crying out, Sirs, What shall I do to be saved? Acts 16. 29, 30. Observe, now the man is heart­sick indeed; he is willing to take the most bitter pills; As if he had said, Sirs, Do but tell me what I must do for salvation; though the terms be never so hard, the conditions never so unpleasant, the price never so much, the pains never so great, yet I will submit to any thing, to all things for salva­tion. What must I do to be saved?

When the Israelite first sets out towards Canaan, there is a mixt multitude of carnal affections which desire and endeavour to bear him company; now because God know­eth [Page 170] that the land is too good for such e­vil inhabitants, and besides that they will cause many mutinies in the way, he brings therefore the Israelite into the wildernesse, to humble him, and to cut them off.

Before the soul be throughly humbled, it dodgeth with Christ, it plaies fast and loose, off and on; this it liketh, and that it disli­keth; this part of the yoke is uneasie; this burthen is too heavy, and such and such commandments are grievous; fain it would have Christ and his precious promises, but loth it is to forego its old friends, its belo­ved lusts; but when God is pleased to take the sinner by the throat, and to shake him out of his security, by shewing him sin and wrath in their colours, making him sensible of the one, and terrifying him with a fearful expectation of the other, laying him at the pits brink, within the smoak of hell, within the smell of that brimstone, within the sorchings of that eternal fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angles, now the sinner seeth that God is in earnest, and therefore dareth not halt or halve it any longer; now he is in a boisterous storm, and casteth all those goods his darling-sinnes into the sea, perceiving [Page 171] that he must perish if he do not.

God is necessitated to launce mens wounds, and put them to pain, because o­therwise they cannot be cured. When the metal is thus melted, God may cast it into what mold he pleaseth. O thrice happy is that heart which hath been deeply and tru­ly humbled; it shall hold out in those tem­pests, wherein many others shall make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience.

Thirdly, 3 Direction. Applicati­on of Christ. if thou hast been faithful in following my former advice, to get thy mind enlightned to see, and thy heart throughly humbled for thy sin and misery: thy next work is to rest and rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon, grace and salvation. To look upon him, as one ap­pointed by the father, given by himself, sanctified by the spirit, and revealed in the word of truth, the Gospel, to be the onely and al-sufficient Saviour of lost souls. It is now the proper time for thee to cast thy soul, thy sins, thine eternal estate, upon the infinite meritoriousnesse of the blessed Re­deemer. Experience sheweth, that it is very easie for an unbroken sinner to presume; but surely it is very hard for an humbled sinner that hath had all his vilenesse and unwor­thinesse [Page 172] displayed before his eye, and the infinite wrath of God like a mountain of lead oppressing his conscience, to believe, and therefore I have prepared some choice cordials for such fainting spirits, which I shall give thee anon. But my work now is to beseech thee, broken heart, that thou take heed of thinking to lick, thy self whole. I know the Devil and thy heart will be both busie and diligent to get thee to make a Christ of thy contrition, and a Saviour of thy humiliation: O how un­willing is man when he hath shipwrack't his soul, to commit himself naked to the sea of Christs blood? how earnest is he to have the chains and jewels of his earthly affections along with him, This spiri­tual life is a li [...]e of Faith; and indeed up­on this the whole al­most of thy work dependeth Fide rege­n [...]ramur; resipiscon­tia non so­lum fidem subs [...]quitur sed ex ea nascitur. Calv. and to swim out upon the rotten boards of his own works!

Reader, now therefore especially, if thy soul be in a flame, be careful out of what well thou drawest thy water to quench it. This is one of the chiefest (nay the chief­est of all) fundamentals in Religion; and therefore it behoveth thee to be very ten­der. Now thou art nigh drowning, neer sin­king in the Ocean of divine fury, thou hadst need to make sure that the bough or stake, or what ever it be by which thou [Page 173] holdest be strong enough, and able to bear thy weight. It is likely, (nay it is certain, if thou art humbled as aforesaid) thou pray­est, thou mournest, thou sighest, thou loa­thest thy self for thy wickednesse, thou admirest God for his forbearance, thou longest after help and deliverance; be sure that thou do not look on these as so much money wherewith thou maiest purchase thy pardon, and buy off thy guilt; for believe it if thou doest, as white as thy silver is, it will draw black lines, instead of wiping off thy old score, thou wilt thereby run fur­ther in debt. Evangelical humiliation is required, not so much to make thee accep­table to Christ, as to make Christ accepta­ble to thee. It is a good evidence of the beginnings of sanctification, but it is a bad advocate for thy justification. It is as tru­ly dangerous to appear before God in the rags of thy own righteousnesse, as in thy sinful nakednesse.

If ever thou receive the blessing of par­don and love from thy heavenly father, it must be by appearing in the garments of thine elder brother. He maketh his accep­table, but it is in Christ the beloved, Eph. 1.6. Nothing but perfect righteousnesse will [Page 174] pacifie Gods anger, or satisfie his justice, or please those eyes which are purer than to behold the least iniquity: And this righte­ousnesse is onely in Christ, who was made sin for thee, that thou mightst become the righteousnesse of God in him, 2 Corinth. 5. ult.

Do not therefore, when thou ceasest to be an Athiest, begin to be a Papist, in rely­ing upon thy good works; for though God will not save thee without them, yet he will never save thee for them.

Shepherds Sincere Convert. p. 107. Edit. 5. ‘Canst thou (saith an eminent Minister now with Christ) make thy self a Christ for thy self? Canst thou bear, and come from under an infinite wrath? canst thou bring in perfect righteousnesse into the presence of God? This Christ must do, else he could not satisfie and redeem. And if thou canst not do this, and hast no Christ, desire and pray, till heaven and earth shake, till thou hast worn thy tongue to the stumps; endeavour as much as thou canst, and others commend thee for a diligent Christian: mourn in some wildernesse, till Dooms-day; dig thy grave there with thy nails; weep [Page 175] buckets full of hourly tears, till thou canst weep no more; fast and pray, till thy skin and bones cleave together; promise and purpose, with full resolution to be better; nay, reform thy head, heart, life and tongue; and some, nay all fins; live like an Angel, shine like a Sun, walk up and down the world like a distres­sed pilgrim going to another Countrey; so that all Christians commend and ad­mire thee; die ten thousand deaths, lie at the fire-back in hell so many millions of years as there be piles of grasse upon the earth, or sands upon the sea-shore, or stars in the firmament, or motes in the Sun: I tell thee, not one spark of the wrath of God against thy sin shall be, can be quenched by all these duties, nor by any of these sorrowes; for these are not the blood of Christ.’

It is both unacceptable and unprofitable for thee to approach God, either in him­self, or in thy self. I dare not meddle with an absolute God, saith Luther. Nolo De­um ab olu­tum. Luth. God in himself is a consuming fire but in his Son a loving father. Do thou therefore, now thou knowest thy self and sin; labour to know Jesus Christ, and him crucified, 1 Cor. [Page 176] 2.2. And count all things dung and drosse, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord, Phil. 3.8. Read, and pray, and weep, and pant, and thirst, that thou maiest be found in him; not having thy own righteousness, which is according to the law; but that which is through the faith of him, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. Take a view of him in the Gospel, where he is crucified before thine eyes, and behold him displayed in both his natures and all his offices, and therein his suitable­nesse unto, and sufficiency for all the wants and necessities of thy dying soul. Doest thou see a cloud of judgments gathering a­pace, and ready to pour down on thy head, run to him for shelter; he is both a shadow from the heat, and a shelter from the storm. Is thy conscience wounded with thy sins? hasten to the wounds of thy Saviour; by his stripes thou maiest be healed, Isa. 53. Do the murdering pieces of the Laws curses threaten to destroy thee? flie like the di­stressed Dove to the clifts of the rock of ages, the bored hands and feet, the pierced side of the blessed Redeemer, there thy soul may be sure of safety. He is the one­ly Ark wherein thou maiest be saved, when [Page 177] the whole world that lyeth in wickedness, shall be drowned, shall be damned. He is the little Zoar whither thou mayst retire, and thy soul shall live, when fire and brim­stone, yea hell Gehenna è caelo. Salv. shall be rained from heaven on ungodly ones. He is the true City of refuge, wherein thou mayst assuredly e­scape the wrath of God, which like the a­venger of blood pursueth thee. An hear­ty thankful acceptation of Jesus Christ, as he is tendered in the Gospel, will at the day of judgement be a plea as acceptable unto God, and profitable unto thee as perfect subjection to all the commands of the Law.

Consider how full his merits are, he is en horn of salvation, Luke 1.69. i. e. strong to save, the strength of the noble beasts ly­ing in their horns: 'Tis a fol­ly to think that an Emperors Revenues will not pay a beg­gars debts. Christ hath un­dertook to satisfie, and he hath mony e­nough to pay. Free grace can shew you large ac­counts, and a long b [...]ll cancelled by the blood of Christ. Mr. Man­ton on Jam. p. ult. There is no sinner so black, but the blood of this Saviour can make white, Rev. 7.14. There are some diseases which other Physicians cannot cure, but he healeth all diseases. All are dange­rously, but none desperately sick whom he undertaketh. Thou owest a vast debt to Justice, but the Lord Jesus is an able Sure­ty; He is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him. Heb. 7.25.

O what is it that thou wantest, which per­fect righteousnesse and infinite meritori­ousnesse cannot procure! Do'st thou want Remission? God forgiveth sin for Christs sake, Ephes. 4. ult. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son clenseth form all sin. 1 John 1.7. He was a great sinner (as Luther observeth) by imputation, that thou might'st be in­nocent through condonation and pardon. Themisto­cles appea­sed the an­ger of K. Admetus, by holding the Kings young son in his armes; so doth the Christian appease the beholding his Son in the arms of faith. Dost thou want reconciliation with God? He maketh peace through the blood of his Cross, Coloss. 1.20. God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself. 2 Cor. 5.20. He endured his Fathers frowns and fury, that thou might'st enjoy his smiles and favour. Dost thou want sanctification? His blood is san­ctifying as well as justifying, Heb. 9.14. He did not only buy off thy score of guilt, but also purchast a new stock of grace for his bank-rupt creature to set up with a­gain.

The oyl of grace was abundantly pour­ed on the Churches head, that it might fall down on the skirts and members. Of his fulnesse thou mayst receive grace for grace. Joh. 1.16. Dost thou want salvation? He hath the power and gift of eternal life. Joh. 10.28. John 17.24. He is the Authour of eternal [Page 179] salvation. Heb. 5.9. Thou mayst have boldnesse through the blood of Jesus, to enter into the holy of holies. Heb. 10.19, 20. He paid an infinite summe, to purchase the Fa­thers house for thine everlasting home. What ever thy need be, he is able to supply it, for he is an universal Treasure which can never be spent, a Spring that can never be drawn dry. In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily. Col. 2.9.

Consider also how free his mercy is, as well as his merits full. Thou mayst drink of the water of life freely. Rev. 22.17. If thou wilt buy his benefits, thou must leave thy mony behind thee. His wine and milk is to be had without mony, and without price. Isa. 55.2. Do not hold off, thinking to carry worthinesse to Christ, but believe on him, and thou mayst fetch worthiness from Christ. The same free-grace which gave Christ for thee without thy prayer, will at thy desire give Christ to thee. Do not al­wayes lie poring upon thy unworthiness, but if thou art sensible of it, and sorrowful for it, believe it, thou art worthy enough to Divine acceptation, though not to Di­vine satisfaction. As his Omnipotency answereth thy weakness, and his fulness thy [Page 180] wants: so doth his free-grace all thy un­worthiness. The natural Sun doth not in­lighten more freely, then this Sun of Righ­teousness doth enliven all that come under the shadow of his wings.

Ponder how universal his offers of grace are. Jesus Christ with all his merits are tendered to all. The proposals of Divine mercy and love are general and universal. Go preach the Gospel (observe) to every creature. He that believeth shall be saved. Ho every one that thirsteth, Isa. 55.1. If any man (let him be poor or rich, high or low) thirst, let him come to me and drink. John 7.37.

'Tis a great encouragement, that in the offers of pardon and life, none are excluded; why then shouldst thou exclude thy self? Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy-la­den, Matth. 11.28. Mark (poor sinner) all ye. Art not thou one of that all? Is not thy wickedness thy weight, and thy cor­ruption thy burden? then thou art called particularly as well as generally; Jesus Christ taketh thee aside from the crowd, and whi­spereth thee in the ear, O poor sinner that art weary of the work, and heavy laden with the weight of sin, be intreated to come to me, [Page 181] I will give thee rest. Why doth thy heart suggest, that he doth not intend thee in that call? Doth he not by that qualification, as good as name thee? Ah, 'tis an un­worthy, a base jealousie to mistrust a loving Christ without the least cause.

Once more meditate, how willing he is to heal thy wounded spirit, and be not faith­less but believing; He is willing to ac­cept of thee, if thou art willing to accept him. What mean his affectionate invita­tions? He seeketh to draw thee with cords of love, cords that are woven and spun out of Christs heart and bowels. Cant. 4.8. Come away from Lebanon, my sister, my Spouse, from the lyons dens, Mr. Man­tor. on Jude p. 75. from the mountains of Leopards. Christs love is hot and burning, he thinketh thou tarriest too long from his embraces. Open to me my sister, my Love, my Dove, my undefiled. Cant. 5.2. Christ stands begging for entrance? Lost man, do but suffer me to save thee; Poor sinner, suffer me to love thee; These are the charms of Gospel Rhetorick. None sing­eth so sweetly as the Bird of Paradise, the Turtle that chirpeth upon the Churches hedges, that he may cluck sinners to him­self. What mean his pathetical expostula­tions? [Page 182] Why will ye die? Ezek. 33.11. What reason hast thou thus to run upon thy death and ruine? What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me? Jer. 2.5. what harm have I ever done them? what evil do they know by me, that they walk so contrary to me? but one place for all. Micah 6.3, 4. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me. For I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants. O my people, remember now what bowels of love are here sounding in every line; what fiery af­fection is there in such sweet expostulations! O admirable condescention!

What meaneth his sorrow for them that refuse him for their Saviour? He is grieved because of the hardness of mens hearts, Mark 3.5.

He shed tears for them that shed his blood. When he came nigh that City (which was the slaughter-house of the Prophets of the Lord, and of the Lord of the Prophets) he wept, Luke 19.41. If thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day! The broken­nesse of his speech, sheweth the broken­nesse of his spirit. He is pitiful towards [Page 183] their souls, that are so cruel to themselves, and weepeth for them that go laughing to hell.

What meaneth his joy at the birth-day of the new creature, when he is received with wel-come into the sinners heart? The mother is as much pleased that her full breasts are drawn, as the child can be. The day of thy cordal acceptation of him, will be the day of the gladness of his heart; At such an hour he rejoyced in spirit, saith the Evangelist, Luke 10.22. He wept twice, and he bled (as some affirm) seven times; but we never read of his rejoycing, (if I mistake not) but in this place. And sure­ly it was something that did extraordinarily take the heart of Christ, which could in the time of his humiliation tune his spirit into a merry note, and cause this man of sorrows to rejoyce. Ah sinner, believe it, he would never so willingly have died such a cursed painful death, if he had not been willing that sinners should live a spiritual and eternal life.

What mean I say his invitations, expo­stulations, grief upon refusal, joy upon ac­ceptance, his commands, intreaties, pro­mises, threatnings, his woing thee by the [Page 184] Ministers of his Word, by the motions of his Spirit, by his daily, nightly, hourly mercies, by his gracious providence, by his unwearied patience, but to assure thee that he is heartily willing to accept thee for his servant, for his son, if thou art heartily willing to accept him for thy Saviour, and for thy Soveraign. He would never pre­sent thee with such costly gifts, if his offer of marriage were not in earnest: Besides (broken-hearted sinner, for 'tis to thee that all this while I have been speaking) how darest thou any longer entertain such a Traytour against the King of Saints in thy breast, as a thought that the Lord Jesus can be guilty in any of the fore-mention­ed particulars, of the least insincerity?

Do not therefore, like the silly Hart, go ever up and down, moaning and bleed­ing with the arrow in thy side, thy sinnes sticking in thy heart, but desire his helping hand to pluck them out, and without que­stion thou shalt have it. He had a special command and commission from his Father to remember and redeem thee, to bind up the broken-hearted, Isa. 61.1, 2, 3. to proclaim liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to comfort them [Page 185] that mourn; and dost thou think it possible for him to be unfaithful in his Office, or to his Father? No certainly, he keepeth all his Fathers Commandments and continu­eth in his love, John 15.

When he was upon earth, like a Physi­cian, he was in his Element when among sick and diseased persons, so much did he love to heal and cure: And now he is in heaven, though he be free from passion, yet not from compassion; his heart piti­eth thee most tenderly, and his hand will help thee effectually. Cheer up at last O drooping soul, and look up with an eye of faith to this Lord of life, to this brazen Serpent. I may say to thee, as Martha to Mary, The Master is come, and he calleth for thee; Heark how loudly he proclaim­eth his general tender of grace; Vocati­ons and in­terjections speak very affection are bowels toward the distressed; God layes his mouth as it were to the deaf eare of the unbeliever and cryeth aloud. Ho every one that thirst­eth. Ho eve­ry one that thirsteth come to the waters, Isa. 55.1. how lovingly he beseecheth. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5.20. See how chearfully he looks, out of hope that thou wilt by believing receive him into thy heart; His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, His mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether love­ly. [Page 186] Cant. 5.15. how hastily he runs to meet thee more then half way! loves pace is very swift, Behold he cometh leaping over the moun­tains, skipping upon the hills. Cant. 2.8. Observe how bountifully he provideth for thy entertainment, A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. Isa. 25.6. Behold he standeth at the door and knocketh, if thou hear his voice and open to him, he will come in and sup with thee, and thou with him. Rev. 3.20.

4. Direct. Dedicati­on to God.Fourthly, Dedicate thy self, soul, and body, and all thou hast unto the service and glory of Jesus Christ. If thou hast been unfaigned in the practice of the former di­rections; I doubt not in the least of thy willingnesse to this: If thy sorrow for sin hath been sincere, like a burnt child thou wilt dread that fire; The Jewel of faith must be laid up in the cabinet of a good conscience Though faith justi­fie our persons, yet good works must justi­fie our faith. The sense of former unkindnesse to Christ is fresh in thy heart, and a very glutton in pain under a distemper dares not but forbear such meats as will feed it. If thy Marriage to Christ hath been hearty, thou hast given an universal bill of divorce to other lovers, and hast accepted him for thy head and husband, to govern and command thee as well as to protect and [Page 187] provide for thee, and instate heaven as a Jointure upon thee. If thou expectest an immortal life from him, thou must conse­crate thy mortal life to him. I hope then thou art contented to take Jesus Christ, for better, for worse; with his shameful crosse as well as his crown of glory; with his tri­als as well as triumphs; with his gracious precepts as well as his precious promises; nay I hope thou seest so much equity in his commands, so much beauty in his wayes and worship, so much of thy souls felicity wrapt up in holinesse (in order to its perfe­ction and happinesse) that thou wouldest much rather chuse the easie yoke, the light burthen of Christ, than the drudgery of the world, or the bondage of corruption. Truly, thus it must be with thee, if ever thou art saved; and thus I thought to have found thee, at least to leave thee.

One excellently compareth holinesse and happinesse to those two sisters, Leah and Rachel. Salvation or happinesse, like Ra­chel, seems the fairer (even a carnal heart may fall in love with that) but sanctifica­tion or holinesse, like Leah is the elder and beautiful also, though in this life it appears with some disadvantage, her eyes being [Page 188] bleared with tears of repentance, and her face furrowed with the works of mortifica­tion. But this is the law of that heaven­ly Countrey, that the younger sister must not be bestowed before the elder; We cannot enjoy fair Rachel, heaven and happi­nesse, except first we embrace tender-eyed Leah, holinesse, mortification, self-denial, and all those severe duties which the Chur­ches Law-giver enjoineth.

Friend, sit down, and consider what it may cost thee to be a Christian. It must cost thee the absolute denial of thy sinful carnal self, of the body of death and its earthly members, which are expresly for­bidden in the Word of God; and thy main work must be every day to crucifie and mortifie them. Sin must die (though it may be never so dear to thee) or thy Soul cannot live. If thou lettest any sin go, since every one is appointed by God to destructi­on, thy life must go for its life, as the Pro­phet told Ahab, 1 Kings 20.42. When Christ came in the flesh, sin crucified him; but when Christ comes in the spirit, he will crucifie it. As Samson, an eminent type of Christ pull'd down the house upon the heads of the Lords of the Philistines, that [Page 189] he might slay them, and so be avenged on them for his two eyes. So Jesus Christ, if he be thy Saviour, is resolved to pull the house in which sin harbours it self down a­bout its ears, and by its slaughter to be re­venged on it for his two eyes, for all the ig­nominy and shame, agony and pain which sin put him to; He will teach thee better than to beg the life of those Barrabasses, those soul-murderers and robbers of God of his glory. And surely ingenuity will learn thee otherwise than to expect such in­finite favours from this King, and yet to entertain in thy heart any that are rebels a­gainst his Majesty.

Thus it will cost thee the absolute denial of thy sinful self; It must cost thee the conditional denial of thy natural self, and all that is outwardly dear unto thee; nay, it may cost thee the actual losse of relations, possessions, honour, pleasure, liberty, limbs, life, and all these for Jesus Christ. Thou must resolve when ever they come in oppo­sition unto, or competition with Christ his glory, Kingdome and Command, to let them go. As when Levies relations came in competition with the glory of God, he did not know his father, nor would he acknow­ledge [Page 190] his brethren, Deut. 33.9. When Mo­ses, his glory and pleasures came in compe­tition with a precept of God, he chooseth to suffer affliction with the people of God, ra­ther than to enjoy the pleasures of the Court. Heb. 11.25. When Pauls liberty and life come in competition with the Kingdome of Christ, he is ready not only to be bound, but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 20.24. They all willingly left their own comforts to obey Gods call and com­mands. Dr. Reyn. Sermon on self-de­nyal. In conversion as one well obser­veth, the use and the property of all we have is altered; All our vessels, all our Merchandize must be super-scribed with a new title, Holinesse to the Lord. Isa. 23.18. Zach. 14.20, 21. Then mens chief care will be to honour the Lord with their substance. Prov. 3.9. to bring their sons, their silver, their gold to the name of the Lord the holy One of Israel. Isa. 60.9. All we are, or have, we have it on this condition, to use it, to leave it, to lay it out, to lay it down unto the honour of our Master, from whose boun­ty we received it.

It was a notable saying of a Noble Lord of this Land, That that person may be de­ceived, L. Brooks. who thinks to save any thing by his [Page 191] Religion more than his soul; (And sure­ly, he that saveth his soul, saveth all that is worth saving;) He meant that his Religi­on might cost him the losse of all other things. There is certainly (if thou wilt be a Christian indeed) a necessity of laying thy health, strength, time, estate, name, friends, interests, in the world, thy calling and comforts whatsoever, at the feet of Christ, to be employed wholly in his ser­vice, and improved altogether for his glo­ry, and to be denied or enjoyed in whole, or in part, according to his call and com­mand. This may seem an hard saying to carnal minds, that rather than break, and leave off all shew of trading with God, (to which their stirred consciences will by no means yield) would willingly compound and give Christ a part, and the world and flesh the other part. But as Christ is wor­thy of, so he will have all acceptation. The gods of the Heathen are good fellows, and share their honour among themselves; but this Lord over all, who is God blessed for e­ver, will not give his glory to others; he will not suffer that superlative esteem, trust, and love of the soul, to be bestowed upon any but himself, o [...] to be divided betwixt [Page 192] himself and any other. He will allow no superiour, nay, no equal. As Alexander answered Darius (when Darius sent to him about peace, because there were Empires enough in the world to satisfie them both) The whole world could endure but one sun, but one Alexander; So the heart of man must have but one General, but one Com­mander in chief, and that must be Jesus Christ.

Truly Reader, I hope that these things will not discourage thee from the wayes of God. Do but rationally consider them; Is it not most just and equal, that since all these things come freely from him, that they should be laid out purely for him? Thou givest thy servant a little meat, and drink, and mony, (or rather God by thee) and what service dost thou require of him? Thou art instrumental (under God) to the birth and breeding of thy children, and what duty dost thou expect from them? Art not thou ten thousand times more engaged to Jesus Christ, for every bit of bread and breath of air, for every nights sleep and days supply, for every mercy that thine enjoy, for every moments abode on this side hell, for every soul-favour, and body-kind­ness?

In him thou livest, movest, and hast thy being; the light doth not so much de­pend on the Sun, as thy life and all thy comforts depend on Christ. Now (be thy own judge) what service, what obedience may the Lord Jesus look for at thy hands? If the world or the flesh could do half so much for thee, thou wer't more excuseable, then now thou art in doing so much for them.

Again, when the question ariseth, Whe­ther Christ or the flesh, Christ or the world should have thy greatest esteem, or love, or trust, or the most of thy time and strength, and talents; One would think thou shouldst be ashamed to put such a que­stion, or at least, that the very mention of it would be a sufficient answer to it. A­las, what are all the honours and pleasures, riches and relations, delicates and diadems of the whole world to Jesus Christ, but as pebbles to pearls, dirt to Diamonds, dross to gold, nothing to all things? there is sure­ly no comparison. The whole world of heaven and earth doth not so far excell a fea­ther as Jesus Christ doth the whole world.

Besides, this request of mine should ra­ther encourage thee, in regard this absolute resignation of thy self to Christ, tendeth to the perfection and happiness of thy soul. Thy misery by thy fall is chiefly in this, that thou hast thereby lost the Image of God. Thy want of conformity to him, is the cause why thou hast not communion with him. Beasts do not converse with men, nor trees with beasts, because they do not live the life of each other. Sense must fit trees to converse with beasts, and reason must fit beasts to converse with men, and grace and holiness must fit thee to converse with God. When thou once livest the life of God, as this unreserved soul-resignation or sanctifi­cation is called, Ephes. 4.18. thou mayst then bathe thy soul in his love.

Now this is the way to it. The life of Christianity consisteth in an hearty dedica­tion of thy self and all thou hast to Christ. When thou hast done this thou art a Chri­stian indeed.

‘The excellency of every thing standeth in two things; Dr. Reyn. on Hos. 14. Sermon 7. first, the perfection of beau­tie in which it was made; and the perfe­ction of use for which it was made; now [Page 195] the beauty of man consisteth in this, that he was made like unto God, Gen. 1 26. and his end and use is this, that he was made for God; first to serve him, and after to enjoy him; for the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself; therefore to recover the Image of God, which consisteth in knowledge, righte­ousnesse, and true holinesse, to work to the service and glory of God, to aspire to the possession and fruition of God, must needs be mans greatest good.’

By what hath been largely spoken before in this Use, thou mayst perceive that there is no going to heaven per saltum, by leaping out of a dirty and stinking jakes, into the presence of the glorious God. There is a being made meet to be partakers of the inheri­tance of the Saints in light, Coloss. 1.12. Operatione, & accepta­tione divi­nâ idonei constitui­mur ad par­ticipandam sortem san­ctorum. Davenant in loc. which is by sanctification. As cloaths are by lighter colours fitted to receive a deep Scarlet dye; so thou must by this spiritual life of holiness, be fitted for the eternal life of glory. Observe 2 Cor. 5.5. the Apo­stle tells us, He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing (i. e. heaven) is God. Man is a rugged piece of timber, an unhewn stone; now the stone must be polished, and [Page 196] the timber squared, before it can be fit for the heavenly building wrought for it.

Joseph, when he was sent for to Pharaoh out of prison, changed his Rayment and trimmed himself, and then appeared before the King.

And as there must be Regeneration, or the beginning of grace, so there must be a proficiency or growth in grace, to prepare the soul for the weight of glory. Mr. Strong. Holinesse the way to happiness. pag. 45. There is a double right which every child of God hath to heaven. 1. Jus haereditarium, an hereditary right, and that is at regenerati­on, when he is put into Christ, and made a Co-heir with him of his Inheritance, ha­ving grace begun in him, which shall be per­fected in glory, and was given as a princi­ple ordained to such a perfection. 2. Jus aptitudinarium, and that is a right of fitness, whereby we are qualified to receive such a mercy; and that as an heir hath a right of inheritance in his non-age, but he hath not a right of fitness till he come to years, and be able to manage his estate, when he hath received it. Reader, in both these re­spects there is a necessity that thou pre­sently make a deed of gift of thy self, and thy all unto Jesus Christ, and that thou [Page 197] never more look upon thy self (or any thing thou hast) as thine own, but as a servant intrusted with them for thy Masters use and advantage.

Well Reader, I suppose thou dost ere this fully understand the conditions upon which thy soul may be contracted unto Christ. My work is to treat with thee a­bout this marriage. I am commanded by the Lord (as Abrahams Steward by his Lord) Gen. 24. to provide a Wife for my Masters son. I do here in the presence of the living God, by commission from his Majesty, ten­der thee the most honourable, profitable, delightful match, that was ever offered to mortals: It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and glory, the onely begotten of the Father, the fairest of ten thousands, to be thy head and husband; hereby thou shalt have the King of Kings, the Lord of heaven and earth for thy Father; a Queen the Church for thy Mother; the Saints those truly excellent, noble, illustrious ones, higher then the Kings of the earth, for thy brethren and sisters; the Covenant of Grace (in com­parison of which all the gold of the Indies is but dirt and dung) for thy treasure; glo­rious Angels for thy servants, the flesh of [Page 198] the Son of God for thy meat, and his pre­cious blood for thy drink; perfect Righte­ousness, which is more beautiful then the unspotted innocency of Adam or Angels, for thy rayment; a palace of pleasures, a place of glory, a building of God, an house not made with hands, but eternal in the hea­vens, for thy habitation: And all this only upon these termes, that thou wilt be a lo­ving, faithful and obedient Wife (which the poorest beggar in the country expects from his wife) that thou wilt heartily give up thy self and all thou hast to his service and glory; and this he desireth also for thy good and benefit, that he may make thee a more excellent creature, and render thee more acceptable to God, and more capable of his dearest love and eternal embraces: (as the rain is sent up from the earth in thick and foggy vapours, but the heavens return it in pure and silver showers; so though thou givest an unbelieving, hard, earthly heart unto Christ, he will return it unto thee a­gain, believing, tender, heavenly, such an heart as shall be more pleasing both to God and thy self;) and for this he is pleased (though ten thousand Suns united into one are but darkness to him, so great is his glory) [Page 199] to condescend to become a Suiter to thee, to beseech thee to accept of him, who knoweth thy portion to be misery and beg­gery, who seeth thy person to be full of ug­liness and deformity, who gaineth no addi­tion to his happiness by thine acceptance of his love, nor suffereth the least diminution by thy refusal. Well, what sayest thou to this match? Art thou heartily willing to take Jesus Christ for thy wedded Husband to protect and direct thee, to purifie and pardon thee, to sanctifie and save thee, to guide thee by his counsel, and afterwards to receive thee to glory? And wilt thou here in the presence of the Lord, and before thy conscience, which is as ten thousand witnes­ses, promise and covenant to obey him uni­versally, to love him unfainedly, to resign up thy self, and all thou hast to his disposal unreservedly? What sayest thou? Art thou willing or no? Take heed of dallying in a match that is so unquestionably and in­finitely for thy advantage; Believe it, thou shalt not have such offers every day. Doe not stick at any of his Precepts, for he can require nothing but what is equal, excellent and honorable: doe not trifle or defer it (if thou lovest thy soul) for this may be the [Page 200] very last time of asking. If thou wilt deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell me; or if not, tell me, that I may return an answer to him that sent me, Gen. 24.49.

These four directions which I have laid down already, are without question the whole of Christianity; and that soul shall be certainly saved by whom they are up­rightly practised; yet there are two special means which God hath appointed for the enabling the soul to perform them, which I shall speak briefly to, and for method sake joyn them altogether.

Five Di­rections. Atten­dance on the Word.Fifthly, If thou wouldst attain this spiri­tual life, be much conversant with the Word of God, be often reading it, meditating on it, but especiall frequent it in publick where it is preached; by losing one Sermon (for [...]ought thou knowest) thou mayst lose one soul.

Death at first entred into the world by the ear, Gen. 3. and so doth life; Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. thou seest in the Gospel that Faith and Repentance are this spiritual life, Mark 16.16. Gal. 2.20. and thou mayest see as clearly, that they are both the fruits of the ministery of the [Page 201] Word: For Faith, that fore quoted place, Rom. 10.17. is full; and for Repentance, that of Acts 2.37. speaketh home, When they heard these things, they were prick­ed to the heart; mark, When they heard these things. The Word of God is an hammer with which God is pleased to break the sto­ny heart; and a fire wherewith he melteth the hard mettal, Jerem. 23.29. In this re­spect it is that the Minister is called the Father of some Converts, namely those whom he begetteth through the Gospel, 1 Cor. 4.15. Jo [...]. Isaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Isaiah. Junius by the first of Johns Go­spel. Augustine by the 13. of Romans I will ne­ver forget thy pre­cepts, for by them thou hast quickened me. David Psal. 119.93.

There is a resurrection of souls at this day, when Ministers lift up their voice like a trumpet, Isai. 58.1. Acts 2.37. as well as there shall be a resurrection of bodies at the last day by the Trump of the Archangel. This is the net which God is pleased to cast into the sea of the world, and wherewith he harh caught many a soul; three thousand at one draught, Acts 2.41. Spiritual life is the gift of God as well as eternal; the gift of all grace is of grace; but ordinarily, of his own will he begetteth souls by the word of truth, Jam. 1 18. If thou wilt have Wis­domes dole, thou must wait at Wisdomes gate, for there it is given, Prov. 8.34.

Grace is the law written in the heart, and usually the ministry of the Word is the pen wherewith the Spirit of God writes it.

That is the bed wherein the children of God are begotten, Cantic. 1.16. That is the school wherein the Disciples are taught of God, and learn the truth as it is in Jesus. The Ministers Commission doth abundant­ly evince this, I send thee, saith God to Paul, to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to the living God.

God indeed is a most free Agent, and can work when and how he pleaseth; but it hath pleased him to make the Gospel of Christ his own power unto salvation, Rom. 1.16. and it pleaseth him by the foolish­nesse of preaching to save them that be­lieve, 1 Cor. 1.21. Abana and Pharpar, Rivers of Damascus, to the eye of sense, may seem better then all the waters of Is­rael; but Jordan can cleanse and heal when those cannot, because it hath a divine pre­cept and promise annexed to it. Nay ob­serve how God is pleased to dignifie his Word, and to honour his own Ordinance. When he hath begun the work of conver­sion himself immediately, he will not perfect [Page 203] it without the ministry of his Word. He sendeth Paul to Ananias, Acts 9.21. to learn what he should doe; and biddeth Cor­nelius by an Angel (for an Angel must not doe that work) to send for Peter, and from him to hear words whereby he and his house should be saved, Acts 10.5, 6. Da­vid who was wiser then the ancients, then his enemies, then his teachers, lyeth many months asleep on the bed of security, in a most filthy pickle, till a Prophet is sent to call him up and awake him; then, and not till then, he mindeth cleansing, as appeareth plainly by the title and body of the 51. Psalm; So Davids heart smote him for num­bring the people; but mark the means of it; For (saith the Text) when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to Gad, and commanded him to goe to David, 2 Sam. 24.10, 11, 12.

Yea, the very honour of saving souls, the most High ascribeth to the ministry of his Word, 1 Tim. 4.16. Timothy is spoken of, as saving himself and them that hear him, i. e, instrumentally; thus highly God doth magnifie his Ordinances, though many men vilifie them. Doe not thou there­fore forsake the assemblies of the Saints, as the [Page 204] manner of some is, Heb. 10.25. but lie constantly at the pool, Some that have come to church to sleep (as Mr. Lati­mer saith) have been taken nap­ping. praying and waiting for the troubling of the waters of the San­ctuary. The Angel of the Covenant may move there, and thy diseased soul thereby be healed. As thou wouldst learn that les­son whereby thou mayst be wise to salvati­on, do not play the truant, but frequent that School where the Prophet of the Church teacheth. As thou wouldst not quench the Spirit, despise not prophesying, 1 Thess. 5.19, 20.

They that came to catch the Preacher, have been caught by the Ser­mon, as Austin by Ambrose. Aust. Con­fess. 5. lib. 14. And they that come to see fashions, as Moses came to the Bush, maybe called as he was. The Souldiers or Officers that went to apprehend Christ were probably apprehended by Christ, John 7.46. Wh n Henry Zatphen was Preacher at Breme, the Papists sent the [...]r Chaplains to hear, that they might intrap him, but God converted by his ministry many of them. Sleid. Comment.If thou wouldst have thy heart through­ly humbled, make use of the Word; you may read of a bad, hard, cursed heart indeed humbled by this, 2 Chron. 33.12. and 18. v. Manasses in his affliction humbled himself greatly; for God sent unto him Prophets and Seers, that spake unto him in the name of the Lord: so 2 Sam. 24.10, 11, 12.

Wouldst thou rest upon Jesus Christ for salvation? Mind the Word, Every one that [Page 205] hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me, John 6.45.

Wouldst thou have thine inward man renewed and changed? This may be done by the blessing of God accompanying his Word; therefore it is called the engraffed Word, Jam. 1.21. To teach us, that as the sciences of a good apple graffed into a crab­tree stock, hath vertue to change the nature of it; so hath the word preached (for of that he speaketh as is manifest, v, 19, 22, 23.) vertue to change the heart of man.

Reader let me perswade thee to have a reverent esteem of, and to be very familiar with the Word of God, reading it constant­ly, and hearing it frequently as the Lord shall give thee opportunities; but take heed how thou hearest, Luke 8.18. how thou readest. Attend on the Word (having first laid aside all superfluity of naughti­nesse; weeds, must be rooted up before the ground of mans heart is fit to receive the seed of the Word) 1. With meeknesse of spirit, Jam. 1.21. The humble sinner is fittest to be Christs Schollar. The meek he will teach his way, the meek he will guide in judgement, Psal. 25.8, 9. When the heart [Page 206] is tender, it is most teachable, it is like white paper for any inscription, like soft wax for any impression. A proud person is too good (in his own conceit) to be taught; he quarrelleth and rageth either at the person that preacheth, or at the plainnesse of the sermon, but to his own ruine. He rejecteth the counsel of God, but it is against himself, to his own hurt, Luke 7.30. The weak corn, which yeilds to the wind, recei­veth no dammage by it; but the proud sturdy oak which resisteth it, is often broken in pieces.

2. Attend on the Word with a resoluti­on to obey whatever the Lord shall in his Word command thee. O 'tis excellent to sit at Gods feet, hearing his voice purposely that thou mightest doe his will: like a ser­vant, to goe to thy master and know his mind, that thou mayst fulfill it; when thou canst say, I am here present before the Lord to hear and doe the things that are commanded me of God, Acts 10.33. like the Romans, de­liver up thy self wholly to that form of doctrine which God hath delivered down unto thee, [...]. as mettal for any stamp and mould, Rom. 6.17.

[Page 207]3. Plato as he walked in the streets, if he saw any dissolute or disor­dered, would re­flect on himself, with Num ego talis, Am I such a one as [...]his man is? Diogen. Laert. in vita. With self application; doe not think this concerneth such a man, and now the mi­nister hitteth such a one; but consider, now God speaketh to my soul, and this truth doth nearly concern me; If the word be not mixed with faith, it will not be profitable to them that hear it, Hebr. 4.2. Whilst truths rest in generals, little good will be done; but when they come to be particularly applied, and to sink down into the heart, then they work effectually for the souls salvation. Truths generally received are like the char­ging a piece, but the particular application of them doth the execution upon sin.

4. With supplication before and after reading or hearing; begin with God, Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law, Psal. 119.18. Begin du­ty with duty; The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord; Prov. 16.1. And af­ter thou hast heard or read, pray as the Di­sciples after they had heard, Lord open to us this parable, Matth. 15, 15. This Scripture, Write thy law in my heart, and thy truth in mine inward parts; teach me thy way, lead me in thy righteousness, give me understanding, [Page 208] and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart, Psal. 119.34.

Urge thy soul with the necessity of this duty, that thou must be converted or con­demned; and it is the law of the Lord that is perfect, converting the soul, Psal. 19.7. That thou must know thy misery, or feel it eternally; and it is the preiept of the Lord that is pure enlightning the mind, Psa. 19.8. That thou must repent or be ruined; and it is by hearing that men come to be prickt at the heart, Acts 2.37. That thou must be­lieve or perish; and how shalt thou believe on him of whom thou hast not heard? Rom. 10. As ships will ride a long time in a road-steed (when they might be in the ha­ven) for this end that they may be in the winds way to take the first opportunity that shall be offered for their intended voyage: So do thou ride in the road of Gods Ordi­nances, waiting for the gales of the Spirit; thou knowst not how soon that wind may blow on the waters of the Sanctuary, and drive the vessel of thy soul swiftly, and land it safely at the haven of happinesse of Heaven.

DirectionIf thou wouldst attain this spiritual life, be frequent and fervent at the throne of [Page 253] grace, Prayer. that the God of all grace would in­fuse grace into thee, and breath into thy soul the breath of this spiritual life. As Abram pleaded for Ishmael, Gen. 17.18. O that Ish­mael might live before thee! so do thou for thy soul, O that my soul might live before thee! And [...]s the Ruler for his son, Lord, come down quickly ere my soul die, yea ere it die eternally.

Go to God with a sense of thy own un­worthiness and iniquities, that though thou comest to his Majesty for the greatest fa­vours, yet thou art lesse than the least of all his mercies, acknowledging that thou hast sinned hainously against heaven, and before him, and art unworthy to be called his son; Confesse thy original, actual, heart, life sins, with their bloody aggravations, and intreat him to pardon and purifie thee: O with what humility, reverence, and self-abhorren­cy, should such a guilty prisoner approach the Judge of the whole earth! Arraign, accuse and condemn thy self and thy sins, if ever thou wouldst have God to acquit thee.

Pray also with a sense of thy own impo­tency and weaknesse. That though there be a necessity of humiliation, if ever thou [Page 254] wouldst escape damnation, yet thou canst as soon fetch water out of a rock, as teares from thine eyes, or sorrow from thine heart for thy sins (till the wind of the Spirit bloweth, those waters will never flow; It is God that must give to thee a poor Gentile re­pentance unto life, Non minus difficile est nobis velle credere quam cada­veri vola­re. Beza Confess. p. 22. Acts 11.18.) That thou must believe, or thou canst not be sa­ved; yet thou canst as easily cause iron to swim, as thy soul to believe in the Son of God; ( Faith is the gift of God, Phil. 1.29. Zeph. 8.) It is as hard a work to believe the Gospel, as to keep the Law perfectly. No­thing lesse than omnipotency can enable the soul to either. As thy first birth and generation, so is thy second birth and rege­neration from the Lord. Men and meanes may be instrumental and subservient, but their efficacy and successe dependeth on God. As Protogenes, when he saw a line curiously drawn in a Painters shop, cried out, None but Apelles could draw that line; so when thou seest the new Creation, thou mayst say, None but a God could doe that.

When thou hast through the strength of Christ wrought thy heart to some sense of thy weakness and unworthiness, then look [Page 255] into the Scriptures, and fetch arguments from Gods own mouth, weapons from his own Armory, whereby thou mayst prevail with him, and overcome him. Beseech him to consult his glorious Name and gracious Nature; mind him, that he is the Lord, the Lord God, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving ini­quity, transgression and sin, Exod. 34.6. Tell him, that he delighteth not in the death of sinners; that he taketh more pleasure in unbloody conquests; in the chearful services than in the painful suffer­ings of his Creatures: That he had much rather have trees for fruit than for the fire. Say, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, and after the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out mine offences, Psal. 51.1. O thou that art rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith thou lovest souls, quicken me in Christ, that by grace I may be sanctified and saved. Since thou de­lightest in mercy, be pleased Lord to delight both thy self and thy servant, by extending thine hand of mercy to pluck me out of this bottomlesse depth of misery. Intreat God to consult his own Honor, as well as his gracious Nature. Mind him, that if he [Page 256] condescend to convert and save thee, he shall have the glory of his patience, in wait­ing thus long to be gracious; the glory of his providence in causing all things to work together for thy good; the glory of mercy in pitying and pardoning such a greivous sin­ner; the glory of his justice in that noble satisfaction it shall have from the death of his Son; the glory of his power, in bringing such a rebellious heart into subjection unto Jesus Christ. Intreat his Majesty to consi­der, that he may pardon and cleanse thee through Christ, without the least diminuti­on to his glory; nay, that far more revenues will come to his crown from thy salvation, then from thy damnation. That the forced confessions of them that perish (as of Ma­lefactors upon a wrack) do not sound forth his praises so much, nor so well, as the joyful hearty acclamations of his saved ones; Say, Lord, if thou suffer me to continue in my filth and pollution, and never wash me by the blood and spirit of thy Son, and suffer me to perish eternally, thou art righteous; but Lord, if I perish I shall not praise thee; (thy glory will rather be forced out of me with blows, as fire out of a flint; thou delightest to see poor creatures volunteers [Page 257] in thy service:) The damned do not cele­brate thy praise, Psal. 30.9. they that go into the infer­nal pit give thee no thanks; The living, Psal. 88.10, 11. Isa. 38.19. the living they shall praise thee, they that live spiritually, and they that live with thee eter­nally. O what Hosanna's and Halelujah's? what honor, and glory, and blessing, and praise do they give to the Lord, and to the Lamb that sitteth upon the throne for ever? O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee. Thine is the kingdom and power; do thou work within me by thy grace, and thine shall be the glory.

Desire God to consider his own promise as well as his praise. Urge his own word, That they that ask shall receive, that seek shall find, that knock shall have heaven opened. That if men know how to give good gifts to them that ask, how much more will the Father in hea­ven give his holy Spirit to them that ask. That he will circumcise the hearts of men and women to love him, Deut. 30.6. That he will put his fear into their hearts, and they shall never depart away from him Jer. 32.40. That he will write his Law in their hearts, Ezek. 31.33. Go in to him when thou art full of heaviness, as Bathsheba did to David, and say, 1 Kings 1 [...] 17, 18. Did not my Lord promise thus & thus? & [Page 258] is it thy mind that thy word should go un­fulfilled? Lord, are not these thy own words? thine own hand writing? whose staffe and bracelet is this? If thou hadst not promised, I should not have found in my heart to pray: And if thou shouldst not perform, where would be the glory of thy truth? Thy mercy, O Lord, is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds, Psal. 57.10. My soul cleaveth unto the dust, quick­en thou me according to thy word, Psal. 119.25. Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope, Psa. 119.49.

Beseech him to consider thy misery; like a beggar, uncover thy nakednesse, shew thy sores and wounds to move him to pity: Tell him, that in regard of thy spiritual con­dition, Rev. 3.17. thou art at present wretched, mise­rable, poor, blind, and naked, without God, without Christ, without hope, an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel, and a stran­ger from the Covenants of promise; and that thine eternal state is like to be the worm that never dieth, the fire that never goeth out, amongst devils and damned ones, in blacknesse of darknesse for ever. Say Lord, open thine eyes, and see thy poor crea­ture weltring, Ezek. 16. wallowing, polluted in his [Page 259] own soul blood; and now I am in my blood, open thy mouth and say unto me, Live; yea, now I am in my blood, say unto me, Live. Since no eye pitieth me to do any good unto me, open thine heart, & let thy bowels yearn towards me: Let this time be my time of love; spread thy skirt over me, and cover all my nakednesse: Enter into a covenant with me, and enable me to become thine for ever. Since thou beholdest all the wants and necessities of my poor soul, open thine hand and supply all my spiritual need. There is bread enough, and to spare, in the Fathers house, O let not my dying soul pe­rish for hunger. Open thine eares and hear the prayers and supplications which thy ser­vant poureth out before thee night and day. Thou hast the key of David, and openest, and no man shutteth. Open the iron gate of my heart (which will never open of its own accord) that the King of glory may enter in. Thou didst open the rock, and cause it to send forth water; Bow the hea­vens and come down; Break open this rockie heart, and come in, and take an effe­ctual, universal, eternal possession of my soul. Consider thy bottomless mercie, Christs in­finite merits, my unspeakable misery, and let [Page 260] thine heart be opened in pitie, and thine hand in bounty, that my lips may be open­ed, and my mouth may everlastingly shew forth thy praise.

Only in thy prayers be instant, constant, and look up to Jesus Christ. Beg hard (though humbly) when thou art begging for heaven.

Hast thov never heard a Malefactor con­demned to be hanged, begging for a reprieve or pardon? with what tears and prayers, what bended knees, watered cheeks, strained joynts, he intreateth for his mortal life! Thou hast much more cause to be earnest, when thou art begging for spiritual life. Think of it; thy soul, thy eternal condition, are engaged and at stake in thy prayer: O how should all the parts and faculties of thy body and soul work and unite in prayers that are of such concernment? What fer­vencie shouldst thou use, considering that if thou art denied thou art undone! if thy prayers be lost, thy God is lost, thy soul is lost, thy happinesse is lost for ever.

Pray constantlie, resolve to give God no rest day nor night, till he give thee rest in his Son: Besides set times every day (for [Page 261] which thou canst not offer so little as two hours a day, it being soul-work, God-work, eternitie-work, and in which I would desire thee to be as serious and solemn as is possi­ble) thou mayst often in the shop, or in the field, in thy journying, on thy bed, thou mayst turn up thy heart to heaven, in some ejaculations (it is thy great priviledge where ever thou art, thou mayst find [...]od out) such as these, O when wilt thou come unto me? Psa. 101.2. Hear me speedilie, O my God, make no tar­rying. Ps. 40.17. Shall I never be made clean good Lord? when shall it once be! Save me Master or I perish.

But be sure in all thy addresses to God thou look up to Jesus Christ as thine Ad­vocate with the Father, as the only Master of requests, to present and perfume all thy prayers, and thereby make them prevalent. Through him we have access with confidence un­to the Father, Eph. 2.18. It is possible thou mayst have seen a Child going to be scourged for its faults by a stern Mother, the tender Father sitting by, and how the Child seeing the rod taken down, and the Mother in earnest, casteth a pitiful lamentable look upon its Father, both longing and expecting to be saved by his mediation. Go thou and [Page 262] do likewise; and know for thy encourage­ment, that if David heard Joah (whom he loved but little) for rebellious Absalom; and if Herod heard Blastus a servant for those of Tyre and Sidon, who had offended him, then without doubt God will hear the Son of his infinite love for thee. And if thou art but sensible of thy soul-sicknesse, thou mayst be confident, that thy spiritual Physi­tian (who is authorized by his Father to practice, and delighteth exceedinglie in the imployment) will come and heal thee; thy sicknesse shall not be unto death, but for the glorie of God and thine eternal good.

I shall in the next place only annex three properties of this spiritual life, as motives to encourage thee to a laborious en­deavouring after it, Si daretur mihi optio, eligerem Christiani rustici a­greste opus, praeomni­bus victo­riis Alex­andri Magni & [...]ulii Caesaris. Luth. in Gen. 39. and then leave both thee and this exhortation to the blessing of God.

First, This spiritual life is the most hono­rable life. No life hath so much excellencie in it, as the life of godlinesse. If I had my wish, saith Luther, I would choose the homely work of a rustical Christian before [Page 263] all the victories of Alexander the great, and Julius Caesar. The excellencie and dignitie of every life dependeth upon the form, which is its principle, and its specificating difference. Therefore the life of a man is more noble than the life of a beast, because it hath a more noble form, a rational soul, which distinguisheth it specifically from, and enableth it to act more nobly and highly than a beast. And truly, therefore the life of a Christian is more honorable and excel­lent than the life of any other man, because he hath a more noble form (which is the principle of it, and differenceth it specifi­callie from the life of gracelesse men) Jesus Christ the Lord of life and glory dwelling in his heart, by his Spirit, as the principle of his spiritual life. If there be an excellencie in that body which is united to a soul, what excellencie is there in that soul which is united to a Saviour? It is called the life of God, Eph. 4.18. Surely no life can be more honorable than the life of God; yet in their measure the sanctified ones live the very same life that the glorious God (the fountain of all true honor) liveth. David, though a King, thought himself honored by being Gods subject; and therefore as others [Page 264] before their works mention those titles which belong to them, and speak their ho­nor, David stileth himself before the six and thirtieth Psalm a servant of God, as his most honorable title, Constan­tine and Valentini­an, two Emperors, subscribed themselves Vasallos Christi. Socr. A Psalm of David a servant of the Lord. If it be such an honor to serve an Earle, a King, what is it to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

Godlinesse is called a walking with God, Gen. 5.24. a conversing or having fellow­ship with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, 1 John 1.3. For God to walk and converse with us, is his greatest humiliation; but for us to walk or converse with God, is our highest exaltation.

The righteous, saith the wise man (who had judgement to set a due price upon per­sons) is more excellent then his neighbor, Prov. 12.26. Let him live by never so rich or great men, yet if they want grace, they are not comparable to him.

Sumus Do­mini non tantum in Genitivo singulari; sed etiam in Nomina­tivo plura­li. Luth.The godly man hath the most honorable birth, he is born of God, John 1.13. the most honorable breeding, he is brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; the most honorable Tutor and Teacher, the good Spirit of God, John 14.16. the [Page 265] most honorable Attendants, the glorious Angels; the most honorable employ­ment, his main work is to wait upon God.

The most honorable Relations: A King for his Father, 2 Cor. 6. ult. A Queen for his Mother, Gal. 4.26. The excellent of the earth, Psal. 16.3. Lords in all Lands, Psal. 45.16. Higher then the Kings of the earth, Psal. 89.27. Those Worthies, of whom the world is not worthy, for his Bre­thren, Hebr. 11.

Numa second King in Rome, though an Heathen, could say, That he held it an high­er honor to serve God, then to rule over men.

The Jews say, That those seventie souls which went down into Egypt, were more worth then all the seventie Nations of the world beside. If the glorious Angels in heaven are more honorable than the Devils, sure I am, it is holinesse that maketh the difference.

The most gaudy and goodly fruits of mo­ralitie, springing from the soil of nature manured and improved to the utmost; The Heavens bespangled with those glittering Stars, and adorned with that illustrious Sun, [Page 266] are nothing glorious in comparison of the heart of a poor Christian that is embroider­ed with grace. It is godlinesse alone that addeth worth and value to all our civil and natural things, as the Diamond to the Ring. Nothing doth really debase and degrade a man but sin; and nothing doth truly advance or innoble the soul but holi­nesse. Job scraping himself on the dung­hill, and Jeremiah sinking in the mire, were more honorable and glorious, than Ahab and Ahaz on their Thrones with their Crowns. If the respect we have from others makes us honorable, then they that are most pre­cious in Gods sight are most honorable, Isai. 43.4. If it be some internal excellen­cie that makes men honorable, then they that have the Image of God must be most honorable.

It is worthy our observation; that sin is so ignoble and base, that those wicked ones, who love it most, are ashamed to own it o­penly; but because of the excellencie of holinesse, will set that forth for their colours, their banners, though indeed they fight Sa­tans battels: That forlorn hope for hell, 2 Tim. 3.5. of covenant-breakers, blasphe­mers, men without natural affection, yet [Page 267] they will have a form of godlinesse; though they do sins drudgery, yet they are ashamed of their base master, and therefore wear the Saints livery, having a form of godlinesse. Nay the Devil himself will appear in Sa­muel's mantle, and transform himself into an Angel of light.

But holinesse is so excellent that God is pleased to esteem it as his own beauty and glory. How often is he called The holy One of Israel? The Angels ascribe holinesse to him by way of eminencie; Holy, Holy, Holy, Isai. 6.3. (we read not in Scripture of any of Gods other Attributes thrice repeated, to shew that the Dignity of God consisteth in this) And so doe the Saints in heaven praise him for it as his Excellencie, Rev. 6.10. and the Saints on earth, Exod. 15.11. Holinesse is the character of Jesus Christ; The Image of the infinitely glorious God; nay, it is called the divine nature: Surely then they that have most of it are most honorable; and they which want it, how full soever they are of all other excel­lencies, are base and contemptible.

Secondly, As this spiritual life is most honorable, so it is most comfortable. There [Page 268] is no life so pleasant and delightful as the life of a Saint. The merry grigs, and jolly gallants of the world (whose sinful mirth is worse than madnesse) will needs tell us, that godlinesse makes men mopish and me­lancholy; that when once we salute Reli­gion, we take our leave of all delight and consolation; whereas indeed there never was true peace born, but it had purity for its parent. All other is spurious and illegiti­mate. But the world, like the Primitive Persecutors, put Christians into the skins of Beares and Buls, and then bait them, as if they were really such. And the hand of the Devil is in all this, who like the Indians, maketh great fires to fright Mariners from landing at such Coasts as would be most for their comfort and contentment. Believe (Reader) the true and faithful Witnesse, His wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. It is not san­ctity, but their want of it, or mistake about it, which maketh them sorrow­full.

It is confest Saints may be sad; they doe not cease to be men when they begin to be Christians. It was in thy company (it may be) O sinner: No wonder. Fish can­not [Page 269] sport themselves when they are out of their element. Birds do not sing on the ground, but when they are mounting on high towards heaven. And probably their hearts were heavy out of compassion to thee, whom they observed to be hastening to hell, and dancing merrily over the very pit or destruction and easeless misery. Thou seest their sorrows sometimes, thine eyes may behold their tears, but thou dost not see their joys, thy heart cannot conceive them.

Saint Aust [...]ne relateth concerning an hea­then that shewed the father his idol gods, saying, Here is my God, where is thine? and then pointing up to the Sun, he said, Here is my God, but where is thine? I shewed him not my God, saith Austine, not because I had none to shew, but because he had no eyes to see him. Thus the joys of a Saint are invisible to the wicked because they are inward, spiritual joys, though they are joys unspeakable and glorious. Austines confess.

They have such joy as thou art not to in­termeddle with, Prov. 14.10. They have meat to eat which thou knowest not of. Their life is an hidden life, Col. 3.3. and [Page 270] their comforts are hidden comforts; their secret meals fatten their souls, and their bread eaten in secret how pleasant is it?

The kingdom of God, which is this spiritual life, consisteth not in meats and drink, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. And besides, it cometh not with observation, Luk. 17.20. the world taketh no notice of it. It doth not consist in the laughter of the face, in the smiles of the brow, but in the tranquillity of the mind, solid contentment in the brest.

Christ takes his Spouse apart from the crowd of the world, and then gives her the sweetest kisses, the dearest embraces, yea her very fill of love. Many a loving visit hath the Saint from his Saviour; when Christ came in at the backdoor, the neigh­bors neither saw when he came, nor when he went away. A true Christian hath the most heart-chearing wine, though he hangs out no bush, maketh no shew of it in the world; the wealthy Merchant that is worth thousands, doth not cry his commodities up and down the City.

The parlor wherein the spirit of Christ en­tertains the Christian, is an inner room, not next [Page 271] the street for every one that goeth by to smell the feast; the stranger doth not meddle with his joy, Prov. 14.10. Christ and the soul may sit at supper within, Mr. Gur­nal Arm. 2 part. pag, 343. and thou not see one dish go in, nor hear the Musick that sounds so sweet­ly in the Christians ears. Perhaps thou think­est he wants peace, because he doth not hang out a sign in his countenance of that peace and joy within. Alas poor wretch! may not the Saint have a peaceful conscience with a solemn, yea sad countenance, as well as thou and thy com­panions have a sorrowful heart, when there is nothing but fair weather in your faces?

Whether they have the greatest comfort or no, do thou judge. Sure I am, there are none in this world that have so much ground to be comfortable as they have. They have the most delightful com­pany, they walk with God, they suppe with Christ; their fellowship is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son, which is the one­ly good fellowship, 1 Iohn 1.3. They have the most delightful food; they eat of the bread that came down from heaven, and drink of that love which is better than wine. Psal. 36.8▪ They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods house, and made to drink of the rivers of his (own) pleasures, [Page 272] and are bidden welcome, with eat, O friends, drink abundantly, O beloved. These are exceedings indeed, but (if it be not their own fault) they have them often, besides their every hours fare of a good conscience which is a continual feast. They have the most delightful Musick, they hear the joy­ful sound of the Gospel of peace, the glad tidings of pardon, adoption, salvation, and so may rejoyce in hope of glory; many a time surely their hearts are warmed, and their ears ravished at the hearing of the af­fection which Christ beareth to them, and the benefits he hath bought for them. They have the most delightful lodging; they lie all night between Christs arms, in the cham­ber of the great King; They have the rich­est mercies, the special love of the Father, the precious blood of the Son, and the di­vine graces of the spirit; when others have onely the blessings of the footstool, of the left hand, such giftless gifts (as one calleth them) as may consist with an eternal sepa­ration from God; they have the mercies of the throne, of the right hand, the blessings of his own children, and such as do accom­pany salvation. No wonder that they sit under Christs shadow with great delight [Page 273] and his fruit is sweet unto their taste, Can. 2.3.

The child of God by vertue of a good conscience, in the midst of the waves of af­fliction, is as secure as that child which in a shipwrack was upon a plank with his mother till she awaked him then securely sleeping, and then with his pretty countenance, sweetly smiling, and by and by sportingly asking a stroak to beat the naughty waves; at last when they continued boystrous for all that, sharply chiding them as if they had been his play-fellows. O the innocen­cy! O the comfort of peace of conscience, Dr. Stoughton.

It is likely indeed that when they wander from Christ they may come home by weep­ing-cross (as out-lying Deer are full of fear; and therefore tis observed seldom fat) but they run the waies of Gods commandments with enlarged hearts. And what ever be the cause of their sorrow, whether their own sins, or thine, or others, or the afflictions of the church, whatever it be, their mourn­ing is better then the carnal mirth.

And this I dare undertake for them, that in their most disconsolate condition, they shall not change with the most prosperous [Page 274] Prince in the world that is out of Christ. Alas, the comfort of a sinner as it is but short, like the crackling of thornes under a pot, so it is but shallow, skin deep at most, like a sudden storm of rain which wetteth the surface of the earth, Caeterae hi­laritates non implent pectus, sed frontem re [...]mittunt. Sen. epi. 23 but never sinketh to the root; their joy may smooth the brow, but cannot warm the breast; their looks may be sometimes lively, but their hearts are alwaies heavy; For there is no peace to the wicked saith my God, Isa. 57.20. Their mirth is like some juicy plumbs which have stones with a bitter kernel. The stateliest and best accommodated houses of unsanctified men, I is not the great cage that maketh the bird sing, nor the great estate that bring­eth real comfort. are but like the nests of Wasps, where there may be curious combs, but no honey; many outward mercies, but no true inward mirth, no sweetness: when the voice of joy and salvation is in the ta­bernacles of the righteous, Psal. 118.15. They onely have the strong consolations, Heb. 6.18. The joy unspeakable and glori­ous, 1 Pet. 1.8. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, to garrison their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, Phil. 4.7.

As they have more afflictions than others (the disciple of Christ must take up his [Page 275] cross) so they have more consolations than others; and their soul comforts are not sel­dom the sweetest when their bodily crosses are greatest (as the sweetest Roses grow nearest the most stinking weeds) although the blind world see them not. As a man standing, saith a Divine, upon the sea-shore, seeth a great heap of waters, one wave ri­ding upon the neck of another, and heareth loud roarings thereof, but though he seeth the waters, yet he doth not see the wealth, the infinite riches, that lye buried in them: So wicked men see the waters, the afflicti­ons, the conflicts, but not the wealth, the comforts, the inward joy of the children of God.

Thirdly, as this spiritual life is the most honorable and comfortable, so it is the most profitable life: no calling bringeth in such advantage as Christianity; godliness is pro­fitable unto all things, 1 Tim. 4.8. There is an universal gainfulness in real godliness. Plutarch telleth us that the Babylonians make above three hundred several commodities of the Palme-tree; but there are many thou­sand benefits which godliness bringeth; no Merchant ever had his vessels returned [Page 276] so richly laden, as he that tradeth heaven­ward.

Observe Reader, after the Apostles affir­mation, his full confirmation of it. Godli­ness (saith he) is profitable unto all things; It hath the promise of this life, and that to come, i. e. It hath heaven and earth entailed on it; and therefore it must needs be pro­fitable. It giveth the Christian much in possession, the promise of this life; but infinitely more in reversion, the life that is to come.

The promises of God are exceeding great (for their quantity) and precious (for their quality) promises, and they all belong to a godly man, he is called an heir of the promises, Heb. 6.17. Whensoever the tree of the Scripture is shaken, whatsoever fruit of those precious promises falleth down, it falleth into the lap of a godly man. If at any time that box of costly ointment be broken, and sendeth forth its fragrant sent and vertue, it is to the refreshment on­ly of the Saints.

Godliness is profitable to thy self; If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self; and if a scorner thou alone shalt bear it, Prov. 9.12. The sinner is no bodies foe so much as [Page 277] his own; the murdering peices of sin which he dischargeth against God, miss their mark, but do constantly recoyle and wound him­self. The Saint is no bodies friend so much as his own; others fare the better for his great stock of grace; but the propriety in all the comfort of all, and the profit by all is his own. It enables him to give a­way the more at his door, but how rich a table doth he thereby keep for him­self?

Godliness is profitable for thy children: the just man walketh in his integrity and his children are blessed after him, Prov. 20.7. personal piety is profitable to posterity, yet not of merit but mercy. Though grace come not by generation, but donation, and though God hath mercy on whom he will; yet the seed of the Saints are visibly nearer the quickning influences of the spirit, then the children of others. When God saith, he will be a [...]od to the godly man, and his children. I believe he intendeth more in that promise for the comfort of godly parents, then most of them think of. Acts 2.36. Gen. 17.7. The children of believers are heirs apparent to the covenant of grace in their parents right; Godliness is profitable in [Page 278] prosperity; it giveth a spiritual right to temporal good things; a gracious man holdeth his mercies in capite, in Christ (that is his tenure) as Christ is a co-heir of all things, he being married to him by this spi­ritual life, is a co-heir with him; he enjoy­eth earthly things by an heavenly title; and one peny enjoyed by special promise, is far more worth than millions which ungodly men enjoy by a general providence, as the beasts of the field do their provender: It is godliness that causeth a sanctified improve­ment of mercies. Grace alone like Christ turneth water into wine, corporal mercies into spiritual advantages. The more God oiles the wheels, the more chearfully and swiftly he moveth in the way to heaven; the more showers of heaven fall down upon him, the more fruitful and abundant he is in the work of the Lord, as we see in that gracious King Iehosophat, 2 Chron. 17.5, 6. The Lord established the Kingdom in his hand, and all Iudah brought presents unto him, and he had riches and honor in abundance; and his heart was lift up in the wayes of God. Mark, the more Gods hand was enlarged in bounty, the more his heart was enlarged in duty. The more highly God thinks of [Page 279] David, the more lowly he thought of him­self, 2 Sam. 7.18. Outward mercies to a be­liever are a ladder by which he mounteth up nearer to heaven. Thus godliness like the Philosophers stone, turneth iron and every thing into gold; but the want of this spiri­tual life causeth a cursed hellish use of mer­cies; ungodly men like the spider suck poi­son out of those flowers, out of which the Bees, the Saints suck honey. Their mer­cies are like cordials to a foul stomach, which do but increase the peccant humor. He feedeth on such plenty that he surfeits himself, because of their abundance, Job 21.7, 8, 9, to 14. Therefore they say unto the Almighty, Depart from us, for we de­sire not the knowledge of thy wayes; like the Israelites, they make of the jewels which God giveth, a golden Calf and wor­ship that in stead of God.

Godliness is profitable in adversity; it maketh a Christian like a Rabbit, to thrive the better in frosty weather. The child of God learneth the better for the rod; Before he was afflicted he went astray, but now he keepeth Gods word, Psal. 119.67. Well may grace be called the divine nature, for [Page 280] it can bring not onely light out of light, spiritual comfort and good out of outward good things, but also light out of darkness, good out of evil, gain out of losses, life out of death. It will like Sampson, fetch meat out of the eater like the Ostrich di­gest stones, like Mithridates fetch nourish­ment out of poison. When wicked men like Ahaz in their distress, sin more against the Lord; as fire the more it is kept in, in an Oven, the more it rageth, so doth corrup­tion; but godly men far otherwise are by the fire of affliction the more refined and purified for their masters use.

Godliness is profitable to thee while thou livest; In doubts it will direct thee as a light to thy feet, and a lanthorn to thy paths; In dangers it will protect thee, by setting thee on high, and giving thee for a place of defence the munition of rocks; in wants it will supply thee by affording thee bread in the word, when thou hast none on the boord; and money in the promise, 1 Tim. 4.8. (which is by thousands the better) when thou hast none in thy purse; in thy pain it will ease thee; in disgrace It will honor thee; in sorrows it will comfort thee; in sickness it will strengthen, by causing thee [Page 281] to count the crosses of this life as nothing, and unworthy to be compared to the plea­sures and glory which shall revealed; in all distresses it will support thee, and make thee more then a conqueror over all, through him that loveth us, Rom. 8.37.

Lastly, godliness will be profitable to thee when thou diest; death which is the terrible of terribles to others, will be the comfortable of comfortables to thee. Thou needest never fear ill news in thine ears, ha­ving Christ and grace in thy heart; others shall not be such unspeakable loosers by death, but thou shalt be as great a gainer.

When thou liest on thy death bed (where all thy friends and riches, and earthly com­forts will fail thee) this spiritual life is the good part which shall never be taken from thee) Thou maist look upward, and see (as it were) God smiling on thee in the face of Christ, and hear him call to his angels to go and fetch thee his childe (who hast been all this while at nurse) home to the fathers house. Thou mayst look downward on thy relations, and with much faith and chearful­ness commit thy fatherless children to God, and bid thy weeping widdow trust in him, [Page 282] who will be infinitely better to them than ten thousand of the richest tenderest fa­thers and husbands in the world. Thou maist look without thee into Scripture, and behold it as a garden full of sweet flowers, comforting cordials, refreshing, heart-revi­ing promises; and though it be an inclosure to others, its open and free to thee; thou maist pick and choose, cull and gather where thou pleasest, and needst not fear to be chidden. In the multitude of those per­plexing thoughts which at that time may be within thee. thou mayest finde choice comforts there to refresh thy spirit. If thou look within thee, thou shalt not have thy conscience like an unquiet wife frowning on thee, and scolding at thee; but thou shalt hear a little bird singing merrily and sweetly in thy breast, Lord, Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seeen thy salvation.

How joyful maist thou leave thy dearest wife, to go to thine infinitely dearer hus­band? How willingly maist thou forsake thy lovely children, to go to thy loving God and Father? How freely maist thou part with all thy friends, honors, and plea­sures, to go to the Congregation of the [Page 283] first-born, those rivers of pleasures, and eternal weight of glory! How chearfully maist thou bid adieu to nothing for all things, to stars and streams (at best) for a full, immediate, eternal enjoyment of the Sun himself, of an immense Ocean of hap­piness! With what a lively colour in thy face and true comfort in thy heart maist thou behold that pale-faced messenger death (the thought of whom though a far off is death to others) entering into thy Chamber, and coming up to thy bed-side, how heartily welcome maist thou bid him, as knowing that he cometh purposely to give thee actual possession of fulness of joy, unspeakable delights, a Kingdom of glory that is eternal in the heavens! O the gain of godliness, the profit of piety, surely the price of this pearl is scarce known in this world!

A Merchant will in a morning gain five hundred pound by a bargain, whereas poor people work hard a whole day for a shilling; such a rich trade driveth the godly man; godlinesse brings in thousands and millions at a clap, when the moral and civil, yet un­sanctified man may work hard, and yet earn but some poor businesse, some outward [Page 284] blessing God may give them and his eternal wrath at last.

Now Reader, consider, if here be not abundant encouragement for thee, pre­sently and diligently to labor for this spiri­tual life. Is it not the gainfullest calling that ever was followed, the richest trade ever was driven? Why dost thou spend thy strength for what is not bread, and thy labor for that which will not satisfie? Heark­en to me, and eat thou that which is good, and let thy soul delight it self in fat­nesse.

As Saul said to his servants, Hear now ye Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give you fields, and vineyards, and make you all cap­tains of thousands, and captains of hundreds? 1 Sam 22.7. So say I to thee, hearken O friend, will a sensual fleshly life give thee such honor, as to be the son of the infinite God, such comfort as to drink of the pure rivers of Gods own pleasures, and will it make thee bold at death, and confident at judgement, an heir of heaven, and so hap­py in every condition? Can it do this? Can it give thee (as godliness can) so much in hand, and infinitely more in hope? If it can, I will give up my cause and leave thee [Page 285] to thy choice; but if it cannot, as doubtless thou art convinced, so (unlesse thou art an Heathen among Christians) why dost thou labour so much and so eagerly for the pam­pering and pleasing thy flesh, for the food that perisheth, and so little and so lazily for this food, which will endure unto everlasting life?

It was an excellent answer of one of the Martyrs, when he was offered riches and ho­nors if he would recant; Do but offer me somewhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall see what I will say to you.

Reader, Could the world, or the flesh, shew thee any thing that were equal, nay, that were but ten thousand degrees inferior to Christ and godliness, thou mightst have some colour for thy gratifying the flesh, and unwillingness to walk after the Spirit; but when the disproportion is so vast, that the one is not worthy in the least to be compa­red with the other; when the difference is as great, as between a sea of honey and a spoonful of gall; a whole world of pearles and a little heap of dirt; an heaven of hap­piness and an hell of horror: Is it not un­conceivable madness, and inexcusable folly, [Page 286] to choose that life which is after the flesh, and refuse that which is after the Spi­rit?

Reader, if thou wouldst be truly honora­ble in the esteem of God himself, who is the fountain of all honor: If thou wouldst have those spiritual consolations, which can warm the heart in the coldest night of affliction: If thou wouldst be profitable to thy dear children, to thy own soul; be a reall gainer in prosperity, in adversity, while thou livest, when thou dyest: If thou wouldst when thy wealth, and friends, and flesh, and heart shall fail thee, have God in Christ to be the strength of thy heart, and thy portion for ever: If thou wouldst in thy greatest extre­mity, when thy soul shall be turned (naked of all earthly delights) out of thy body, escape the fury of roaring Devils, and un­quenchable burnings: If thou wouldst in that hour of thy misery find mercy, and be received into the place of endlesse blisse; then get this spiritual life, this true wisdom, to fear God and depart from evil: Get wis­dom, get understanding, forget it not; above all thy gettings get wisdom. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that get­teth understanding: For the merchandise of it [Page 287] is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more pre­cious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her. Length of dayes is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasant­ness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her, Prov. 3.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

ANd now, Reader, I have done this large Use of Exhortation, which is of such infinite concernment to thy precious soul; but what thou wilt do, or what use thou wilt make of it, I know not. Could I have told what other holy bait to have laid, which had been more likely to have caught thy soul, it is probable I should have la [...]d it. I appeal to thy conscience, whether t [...]ere be not un­speakable weight, and unquestionable truth, in the particulars which are laid down. Well what sayest thou to them, and what effect have they wrought upon thee? Art thou resolved through the help of heaven, spee­dily [Page 288] and diligently to practice the directions, which I have from the Almighty God in­joyned thee? Is it not a thousand thousand pities, that such endlesse, matchlesse happi­nesse should be so gratiously offered by God, and so unworthily neglected by men! that an empty, perishing world should be so ea­gerly pursued, and heartily embraced, when the unsearchable riches in Christ, the Image of the blessed God, eternal weight of Glory, are basely undervalued, and wretch­edly despised! Good Lord, what teares of blood are sufficient to bewail this mon­strous unthankfulness. Friend, if thou art truly resolved to obey the counsell of God, thou wilt have cause to blesse that Provi­dence which called me to this task; and I may rejoyce in thee, and thou in me, at the day of Christ. But if thou either delayest the work till thou art more at leisure; or dalliest about it, doing it as if thou didst it not, I am sure the greatest wrong will be to thy self; for behold thou sinnest against the Lord, and be confident, thy sins will sooner or later find thee out.

I come in the next place to my last Use, which will be of consolation. If they who have Christ for their life, shall have gain by [Page 289] their death, what comfort is here to the new born Creature! Here is wine indeed to make glad the heart of every one that is holy. Reader, art thou sanctified and alive in Christ? then thou art freed from all the misery which is mentioned in the first Use, as the portion of the ungodly. I may say to thee, as Gryneus, when he had been re­proving and threatening sinners, would, turning to the Saint, say; Bone vir, hoc nihil ad te, Good man, all this is nothing to thee. Though they are losers, thou shalt be a gain­er by death. Come but with the mouth of faith, and thou mayst suck much honey from this combe, thou mayst draw much milk of consolation from this breast; to thee to die shall be gain. Surely here is enough to ballast thy soul, and keep it steady, in the most tempestuous condition, and to ballance and weigh down the greatest, the heaviest affliction.

Hierom comforted the Hermite that was in a wildernesse sad and pensive, Meditare coelum, & tam diu non eris in eremo.

If thou hadst hope only in this life, thou wert of all men most miserable; but because thou hast hope beyond this life, thou mayst be of all men most comfortable.

Should such a man as I fly? Nehem. 6.11. Should sucha a man as thou fear, that art heir to a Crown, to a Kingdom? Luke 12.32. Fear not little flock, it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom. In thy great­est losses this may support thee, that death will be thy gain, by giving thee possession of a life which will make amends for all. If an heathen could say, It is unbecoming a Roman spirit to cry out, I am undone, while Cesar was safe; sure it is more uncomely for a Christian to complain, as if he were un­done, when his soul is safe, his eternal estate is secure.

For thy help, I shall digest this Use into this method briefly:

First to shew thee against what it is com­fortable.

Secondly, wherein it is comfortable.

For the first: It is comfortable first against the opposition of the world; The world will hate thee, because thou art not of the world, John 15.19. She is a Paradise to her children and lovers; but a Purgatory to aliens and strangers. Whilst thou art in the stormy sea of this world, thou art a [Page 291] ship bound for the Streights. He that go­eth towards the Sun, shall have his shadow following him; but he that goeth from it shall have it flie before. He that goeth towards the Sun of Righteousnesse shall be sure to have these shadows, these afflicti­ons at his heels.

Infinite Wisdom seeth fit to imbitter the breasts of the creatures to wean thee from them. Trouble upon earth is one le­gacie which thy Saviour hath left thee: In the world ye shall have trouble, John 16. ult. The Souldiers were to have his garments. Joseph was to have his body. His Father was to have his soul. He had his crosse left, and that he bequeaths to his Disciples. But be of good chear, he did not only leave thee his crosse, but hath also made thee heir to a Crown.

He never lookt over the threshold of Heaven, Bish. Hall, Heaven upon e [...]rth, Sect. 14. that cannot more rejoyce that he shall be glorious, than mourn in present that he is miserable.

Oppose thy future felicity to thy present misery, thy happinesse at death to the hard­ships thou meetest with in life; thi [...] will be the way to counterpoise the temptation, and to keep thee from fainting in tribulation, [Page 292] whilst thou lookest not at the things which are seen, which are temporal, but at the things which are not seen, which are eternal, 2 Cor. 4.

I have read of one Giacopo Senzaro an Italian, who having been long in love, and much crossed about his match, filled a pot full of black stones, only one white stone among them, and being asked the reason, answered, There will come one white day (meaning his marriage day) which will make amends for all my black dayes. So whatso­ever poverty, nakednesse, hunger, cold, pain, shame, losses thou undergoest here in this world, how many soever thy black dayes are of trials and troubles, of persecutions and opposition, thou mayst say, there is one white day of death, one long day of eterni­ty coming, which will make amends for all.

It was a brave speech of Luther, when he was demanded, where he would be when the Emperor should with all his forces fall upon the Elector of Saxonie, who was the chief Protector of Protestants? He answered, Aut in coelo, aut sub coelo, either in heaven, or under heaven.

Why shouldst thou be discouraged at any [Page 293] losse, considering thou hast a treasure in hea­ven, a more enduring substance? At any disgrace, considering thou art heir to a Crown of glory? At any pain or sorrow, when thou art entitled to fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore?

No storm should disquiet thee, that shall shortly enjoy an everlasting calm. What a pitiful thing was it, that Alexander, that was Lord almost of the world, should be troubled that Ivy would not grow in his garden at Babylon? And is it not a poor thing for thee, that art a Child of God, the Spouse of Christ, the Temple of the Spirit, an Heir of the most glorious, rich, and de­lightful Kingdom that ever was, to lie whi­ning and pining if thy head do but ake, or thy estate decrease, or thy friend forsake thee? For shame remember who thou art, and to what thou art called, and say as the Martyr, Hold out Faith and Patience, your work is almost at an end: Thou shalt ere long leave this world, and all its evils, and go where there is neither sorrow nor sin; and indeed there can be no affliction there, be­cause there wilbe no corruption there, which is the original of all miseries. As there cannot be any thunder or lightning in the [Page 294] upper Region, because the vapours, which are the materials of it, cannot ascend so high: So because no unclean thing can be there, therefore no sorrow, no suffering, can be there.

How may this comfort thee? Basil tels us, Basil [...]. how the Martyrs that were cast out na­ked in a winters night, being to be burned the next day, solaced their souls with these words; Sharp is the cold, but sweet is Pa­radise: Troublesome is the way, but plea­sant shall be the end of our journy: Let us endure cold a little, and the Patriarchs bo­some shall soon warm us: Let our feet burn a while, that we may dance for ever with Angels.

2. It is a comfort against the temptati­ons of the Devil. Whilst thou livest in this world, thou art liable to his wiles. If thou wilt go to heaven, so boundless is his malice, that he raiseth all the powers of hell against thee, and forceth thee to fight every foot of the way. He is the strong man that hath full possession of carnal unregenerate ones, and therefore all is at peace with them. Matth. 12. What need a Captain bend his Forces against a Town which hath deli­vered [Page 295] up it self into his hands? What need he plant his Canons and batteries against these gates which are already set open to him? This Gaoler doth not trouble him­self much about those prisoners which are fast in his dungeon, with his irons on their legs, and are led captive by him at his will, 1 Tim. 2.26. But for thee who hast by the help of Christ broken prison, and in part got out of his power, he raiseth all the Country with Hue and cry to bring thee back to thy old place of bondage. But be comforted, Christ hath conquered him already in his own person as thy head; is daily conquer­ing him in thee his member by his Spirit; and will shortly crush him fully under thy feet, Rom. 16.20. Paraeus in loc Some refer that shortly to the day of judgement, which will come shortly, and wherein Satan shall be utterly crushed under all the Saints feet for ever. And it is as true of the day of death, in refe­rence to every particular Saint. As when a man dyeth, all those vexatious law-suits, with which he was before molested, do cease: So when the believer dyeth, all those false actions which Satan had commenced against him in the court of his conscience, and all that inward trouble which did arise thereup­on do all cease.

It is no bad sign now, O Christian, (if thou resistest) that thou art assaulted by the wicked one. A Theif will not break into an house that is empty. A Pirate will not fight but for some considerable prize. A Father will not seek to destroy his own Children. Temptation is no sign of Gods hatred but of the Devils: But let this be thy solace, that within a few dayes thou shalt be at rest, not only from thy own labours, but also from Satans snares and suggestions. God doth thee much good by them now; the noise of those guns causeth the Conies to hasten to their burrowes, and the Birds to their places of refuge. The more the tops of sound trees are shaken with the wind, the more deeply their roots are fixed in the earth: the more eagerly Satan followeth thee, the faster thou fliest, and the closer thou clingest to Jesus Christ. But God will do thee the greatest good without them; and when that shall be, thou shalt be wholly freed from them. Since the Devils were cast out of Heaven, we read of their being some­times in the Sea, Matth. 8.33. sometimes in the Earth, Job 1.7. and sometimes in the Air, Eph. 2.3. and they are called Principalities and spiritual wickednesses in [Page 297] high places, Eph. 6.12. but never in Hea­ven. They aspire to get as high as they can, but they can get no further than the Air; Satan and his Angels find no more place in heaven, Rev. 12.8.

Now what comfort is this, O Christian, that thou shalt serve the Lord without di­straction, without temptations?

3. It is comfortable against the corruptions of thine own heart. What is it now that is thy greatest sorrow? Is it not thy sin? These are the weights which hang on the clock of thy heart, and will not suffer it to rest day or night. Well, rejoyce in hope; at death all these Achans, which are the troublers of thy peace, shall be stoned to death; all these Jo­nahs, which cause such stormes in thy soul, shall be cast over-board; all these Hamans which seek the ruine of thee and thy people, shall be executed.

Now it is thy great care in every Ordi­nance to kill thy sins. Dost thou not like Joab set the Uriah of thy beloved lust in the fore-front of every duty, and retire from it out of pious policy, that it may be slain? And when at any time it pleaseth the Cap­tain of thy salvation to send the supplies of [Page 298] his Spirit, and wound mortally thy corrupti­on, that it lyeth gasping and dying before thee; dost thou not look up to Christ and say (as Cushi to David concerning dead Ab­salom) Would to God, that all the enemies of my Lord the King, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt were as that young man is. Lord, that all my sins might drink of the same cup, and be served the same sauce. Blessed be the Lord my God, which hath avenged me this day of mine enemy. If God should thrust the knife of mortification up to the haft, in the very hearts of all thy sins, that thou couldst see thy pride, distrust, unthank­fulnesse, hardnesse of heart, and every cor­ruption in a goar-blood, fetching their last breath, would it not be a lovely sight to thee? Wouldst thou not look upon it, with as much content as Hannibal did upon a pit full of the blood of men, when he cried out, O beautiful sight? O formo­sum specta culum! Or as that Queen, that cried out, when she saw her Subjects lie dead before her eyes, The goodliest tapestry that ever she beheld? At death all this shall be done for thee. One touch of Jesus Christ at death will quite dry up that issue of cor­ruption. Death will give thee a Writ of ease from all those weights and sins which [Page 299] do so easily beset thee. Thou shalt be without fault before the Throne of God, Rev. 14.5.

Will it not indeed be a brave world with thee in the other world, when thou shalt have as much holiness as thy heart can wish or hold? If God should grant thee such a request upon earth, that thou shouldst have as much of his Image and of his Spirit as thou couldst desire, wouldst thou not think thy self the happiest man alive? I am con­fident thou wouldst; and also that nothing lesse than perfect purity would be thy pray­er. Well, death will help thee to this; When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy like­nesse, Psal. 17. ult.

Now thou hast enough to stay thy sto­mack, but then thou shalt have a full meal. When the Israelites went out of Egypt to­wards Canaan, there was not one feeble per­son among them. When the Christian en­tereth into the true Canaan, he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, nay as the Angel of the Lord before him.

When thy frame of nature shall be rui­ned, thy frame of grace shall be perfected, and raised to the height of glory.

[Page 300]4. It is comfortable against thy dissolu­tion. To thee to die is gain; death will be thy passage into eternal life. Thou needst not fear death as a foe, it will be one of thy best friends. How did this hope of happinesse at death hold up the Martyrs heads above water, and carry them through those boistrous waves of violent and cruel deaths, with the greatest serenity and alacri­ty of spirit.

Xenophon. Agesilaus King of Sparta used to say, that they which live vertuously, are not yet bles­sed persons, but they had attained true feli­city who died vertuously.

What is there in death, that thou art so afraid of it? Wilt thou fear a Bee without a sting? Dost thou not know it had but one sting for Christ and Christians, and that was left in Christ the head; whereby now, though it may buz and make a noise about their ears, yet it can never sting or hurt the members. The waters of Jordan, though tempestuous before, yet were calm and stood still when the Ark was to passe o­ver.

If thou hadst been banished many years from thy dear Relations, whom thou lovedst as thy own soul, and from thy rich possessi­ons [Page 301] and comforts which might have made thy life pleasant and delightful, into a place of bondage, a valley of tears, a prison where thy feet were fettered with irons, and thy face furrowed with weeping: Mors non vitamrapit, sed refor­mat. Pru­dentius. wouldst thou be afraid of a messenger that came to knock off thy shackles, and fetch thee out of prison and carry thee to those friends and comforts? And why art thou afraid of death, which cometh to free thee from thy bondage to Satan, sin, and sorrow; and to give thee present possession of the glorious liberty of the sons of God? Art thou a­fraid to be rid of thy corruptions? of Sa­tans temptations? of the worlds persecuti­ons? Art thou afraid to go to [...]aints, where are no sinners, to Christ without his cross, to the full immediate eternal fruition of the blessed God? then why art thou afraid to dye, and dost not rather desire to be dis­solved and to be with Christ; knowing that while thou art present in the body, thou art absent from the Lord? 2 Cor. 5.6. Calvin in loc. J [...]el was offended at one that in h s sickness prayed for his life. Well the best of it is, thou art more afraid then hurt.

It is well observed by a judicious exposi­tor, that the Periphrasis of death, menti­oned John 13.1. where it is called a depart­ing [Page 302] out of the world and a going to the fa­ther, doth belong to all the children of God; it is to them but a going out of the world to their dear and loving father. And questionless this was that which made the Saints so desirous of death. Basil when the Emperors Lieutenant threatned to kill him, said, I would he would, for then he would quickly send me to my father, to whom I now live, and to whom I desire to hasten. Calvin in his painful sickness was never heard to complain, but often lifting up his eyes to heaven to cry out, How long Lord! How long Lord!

Plutarch. in vit.It is reported of an heathen, Epaminondas, that when he was wounded with a dart (at Mantinea in a battel against the Lacedaemo­nians) and told by the Chirurgions that when the dart was drawn out of his body, Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo, &c. he must needs dye, he called for his Squire, and asked him Whether he had not lost his shield? Non est ti­mendum quod nos liberat ab omni ti­mendo. Tertull. he told him no; whereupon he bade them pull out the dart, and so died. Surely Christian, thou hast more cause to dye with courage, when thou hast not lost thy God, nor thy soul, nor any thing that was worth the keeping.

[Page 303]5. It is comfortable against the death of thy friends, and relations which dye in the Lord. To dye is gain; if it be their gain, why should it be thy grief? nature will teach thee to mourn, but grace must moderate that mourning. We may water our plants, but must not drown them. We may sor­row, but not as they which have no hope, least we sin.

When Anaxagoras was told that both his sons were dead, he boldly answered the messenger, I knew that I begat mortal creatures.

The people were enraged and perplexed at the death of Romulus, but were after­wards quieted and comforted with the news which Proculus brought, That he saw him in glory riding up to heaven. So when thou art sorrowing for the death of thy child or husband, or father, or mother, or brother, or sister, that sleep in Jesus, thou shouldst hearken to the news which faith brings, that it saw them filled with joy, mounting up to heaven, and there enjoying rivers of pleasures and a weight of glory; and surely if after such news thou shouldst continue weeping, it should be for joy.

Friend, this text containeth choice sweet [Page 304] meats for thee to feed on, at the funeral of thy dearest godly friend.

Lugeatur mortuus, sed ille quem ge­henna sus­cipit, quem Tartarus devorat. Hier.I suppose if thy relation died out of Christ, thou hast not a little cause of sorrow; and probably that was the sharp edge of the sword, which wounded the soul of David for the death of Absolom, that he died in his sins; his fear was that his son died not on­ly in rebellion against the father of his flesh, but also against the father of spirits. But when thy relation dyeth in the Lord, thou hast surely more cause to rejoyce that thou ever hadst such a friend, or relation, who shall to eternity be employed in the chear­ful glorifying and beatifical vision of God, then to mourn that thou hast lost him for a little time. It was a memorable speech of William Hunters mother, when her son was to dye a violent death (for he suffered Mar­tyrdom under Bonner) I am glad (saith she) that ever I was so happy as to bear such a child that can find in his heart to lose his life for Christ; and then kneeling down on her knees, she said, I pray God strengthen thee my son to the end; I think thee as well bestowed as any childe that ever I bore.

Take the counsel of the spirit not to sor­row [Page 305] as others, which have no hope; and know this for thy comfort, that those which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him; for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord; wherefore com­fort one another with these words, 1 Thess. 4.13. to the end.

I shall shew thee farther in what respects it is comfortable, and then conclude.

1. It is comfortable if thou considerest the excellency of this gain; as David said of Goliahs sword, so I may of this gain of a Saint by death, There is none like it. In hist. Ec­cles. Ni­cephorus tells us of one Agbarus a great man, that hearing so much of Christs fame, by reason of the miracles that he wrought, he sent a Painter to take his picture, and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it, because of the radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face; whe­ther this be true or no, I leave to the author; but without controversie, there is such a [Page 306] radiancy on the glorified head and members in heaven that none can conceive it, much lesse describe it.

There are three things which will speak a little how great the gain of every godly man is by death.

1. The fore-tastes of it do shew that it is excellent; Saints here have the first fruits, Rom. 8.23. and they do speak what the har­vest will be.

The Jewish Rabbies report that when Joseph in the years of plenty had gathered much corn in Egypt, he threw the chaffe in­to the river Nilus, that so flowing to the neighbor Countries, they might know what abundance was laid up for themselves and others. So God is pleased that we might know the plenty in heaven, to give us some sign, some taste of it here upon earth. He enableth us to conclude, if his wayes are wayes of pleasantness, how plea­sant will the end be? If his people have songs in their pilgrimage, in their banish­ment; surely they have Halelujahs in their Country, in their fathers house. If there be so much goodness laid out upon [Page 307] them in this valley of tears, how infinite is that goodness which is laid up for them in the masters joy?

Christian, Didst thou never taste and see that the Lord is gracious? Didst thou ne­ver in thy closet enjoy fellowship with the father, and with Jesus Christ his Son? Didst thou never find one day in Gods Courts, nay one hour, better then a thousand elsewhere? Did the Lord Jesus never call thee aside from others, and carry thee into his ban­queting-house and cause his banner over thee to be love? Did he never kiss thee with the kisses of his lips, and embrace thee in his dearest arms? Hast thou not some­times seen the smiles of his face, and found them better then life? And hearing his voice, known thy heart-burning towards him with love? Dost thou not remember at such a time he took thee up into his Cha­riot, and gave thee a token for good, shew­ing thee a glimpse of thy future glory, sola­cing thy soul with a sense of his favour, ra­vishing thy heart with hopes of thy eternal happiness, when thou didst wonder exceed­ingly at the creatures emptiness, and be­fool [Page 308] thy self for doting so much upon no­thing, when thou didst see sin in its oppositi­on and contrariety to the divine nature, and thy own welfare, and didst curse thy lusts with the most bitter curses, whereby thou had offended so gracious a Lord; when thou didst behold the Lord Jesus in all his embroydery and glory! O how lovely was he in thine eyes! how sweet was he to thy taste! how precious was he in thy esteem! how closely was thy soul joyned to him! how largely was thy spirit drawn out after him! how earnestly didst thou desire to be ever with him! when thou thoughtest what joy is there in being with Christ, if there be so much in Christs being with me! How happy are they that enjoy the foun­tain, if some small streams are so pleasant! when thou saidst, Master it is good to be here, Let us build a tabernacle! My soul is filled with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. One thing do I desire of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever & ever. This is the foretaste of glory, by this thou maist conceive what heaven will be. As Fulgen­tius when he beheld the beauty and bravery, the glory and gallantry of Rome cryed out, [Page 309] If earthly Rome be so glorious, how glori­ous is heavenly Rome! Si talis est R ma ter­restris, qua­tis est Roma coelestis! so thou mayst ga­ther, if thou hast so much joy when thou hast heaven onely in hope, what joy shalt thou have when thou shalt have it in hand!

If the seed-time be so joyous, how great will the joy of harvest be! If the promise can stay one that is ready to die, surely the performance will be better then life from from the dead.

If Jerusalem below be paved with Gold, then questionless Jerusalem above is paved with Pearl.

2. The price paid for it, speaketh the excellency of it; where there is honesty and righteousness in the seller, and wisdom in the buyer, there the price of a thing will speak its worth. Now here there was infi­nite righteousness in God the seller, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ the purchaser; therefore the price laid down for heaven will speak the ex­cellency of it: If the price were very great, the place must be very glorious.

Heven is called the purchased possession, Eph. 1.14. because it was bought with the blood of the Son of God. Reader, wonder [Page 310] at this price, and at this place, We are bold to enter into the holiest by the blood of Je­sus, Heb. 10.19.

When thou hearest of a purchase on earth that costeth a hundred thousand pound, or a million, wouldst not thou pre­sently conclude, Surely that must be an in­comparable seat for delight! what pleasant Springs! what stately rooms! what curious contrivances! what unheard of excellencies must be there! without question all things imaginable for riches, glory, and comfort. But when thou readest in Scripture of a pur­chase which cost the blood of God (to which all the wealth in the world is as dirt, as nothing) sit down and consider what an house, what an heaven that must be, if thou considerest God did infinitely love his Son, and was not so prodigal of his blood, as to let one drop more be shed then heaven was worth.

Besides canst thou think that the Lord Jesus would humble himself to such a con­temptible birth, live such a miserable life, dye such a lamentable painful death, to purchase low mean things or any thing less then emi­nent, excellent, unspeakable, unconceivable happiness?

[Page 311]3. The titles given to it do abundantly speak the excellency of it. The holy men of God do as it were strive for expressions and words to set out the glory, richness, joy, magnificence of this gain.

To the weary, it is rest, Isa. 2.57. Rev. 14.13. To the hungry, it is hidden manna, Rev. 2.17. To the thirsty, rivers of pleasures, Psal. 36.8. To the sorrowful, the joy of the Lord, Mat. 25.21. Fulness of joy, Psal. 16. ult. To the disgraced, Glory, Rom. 8.18. A crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5.4. A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. To them that walk in darkness and see no light, it is the inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 1.12. To them that are dying, it is life, Colos. 3.3. yea eternal life, John 10.28. It is a kingdom, Luk 12.32. A kingdom that cannot be shaken, Heb. 12.28. Where all the inhabitants are Kings and Queens, Rev. 1.5. with palms and scepters in their hands, Rev. 7.9. crowns on their heads, Iam. 2.5. sitting on thrones, Rev. 3.21. and shall reign with Christ for ever and ever, Rev. 22.5.

It is a being in Abrahams bosom, Luk. 16.22. A being with Christ, Phil. 1.23. A being ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.17. A seeing God as he is, 1 Iohn 3.2. A seeing [Page 312] God face to face, a knowing God as we are known of God, 1 Cor. 13.12. And many more expressions doth the spirit of God use to describe the excellency of the Saints hap­piness; and why in such variety of phrases, but to assure us that whatsoever is requisite or desirable in order [...]o happiness it is there? the holy Ghost doth gather as it were a po­sie of the most sweet beautiful pleasant choice flowers that grow in the whole gar­den of this world, and telleth us, this is heaven. Do but abstract all the imper­fections that attend the riches, and honor, and pleasures of earthly kindoms, and they may be dark resemblances that shadow out the glory and excellency of the heavenly kingdom. The Philosophers could say, That happiness must consist in such a state wherein was an aggregation of all good things: So that though a man had all good things, and wanted but one, he could not be called an happy man; therefore in Scripture the Hebrew word for happiness is in the plu­ral number, M [...]. Antho­ny Burges on Ioh. 172. because not twenty or fourty things can make a man happy, but there must be all good things; and for this reason the holy Ghost useth such variety of resem­blances to represent this blessedness, to shew [Page 313] that it hath all desireable good things.

Reader, when thou art feeding on all those glorious descriptions of heaven that are set before thee on the table of the Scripture, do not swallow them all together, but chew them severally, and thou maist get much spi­ritual nourishment out of them. As for example, It is called the joy of thy Lord, or the Masters joy, Mat. 25.21. Now what joy must that be? What infinite unconcei­vable joy hath the blessed God, the fountain of all joy, and the God of all consolations! Thou shalt partake of the very same joy ac­cording to thy capacity; Thou shalt sit at the same table, drink of the same cup, and feed on the same dainties with his Majesty. Can it then enter into thy heart to imagine either the pureness or fulness of thy Lords joy? Is not the best joy of the servants on earth sorrow, and their greatest mirth mour­ning, to the Masters joy in heaven? Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord; a joy too big to enter into us, we must enter into it. A joy more meet for the Lord then the servant; yet such a Lord do we serve as will honor his servants with his own joy.

Again, it is called a City whose builder [Page 314] and maker is God, Heb. 11.10. Hence thou maist gather, That structure must be beau­tiful indeed which hath such a builder; what a glorious fabricke must that be which hath such a workman as he is, who hath in­finite richness to adorn, infinite bounty to bestow, and infinite power to erect? what a City must that be? If poor mortals can set up such stately buildings, what a place, what a palace must that be, whose builder and maker is God?

Besides, it is called the fathers house; here I might expatiate, and tell thee, that great Princes have great seats often for their servants, but they have glorious ones indeed for themselves; In their own houses they manifest all their wealth and worth, their bounty and bravery, their honor and magnificence. What an house then hath the King of kings for his mansion house? If the several excellencies of all the Princes palaces in the world were united in one, suppose it had the foundations of marble, the floors of pearl, the cielings of wrought gold; all the varieties of Babel, the glory of Solomons house, the richness of the temple at Jerusalem; suppose it had the stateliest rooms, the pleasantest musick, the greatest [Page 315] dainties, the richest furniture, that this in­ferior world could afford; suppose all the choice perfections of the whole creation here below, were extracted, and the quin­tessence of them all bestowed upon it, yet after all this it would be but like an house of dirt made by children, in comparison of the fathers house, of that house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens. But Christian, I leave these titles to be conside­red and enlarged in thy own meditations.

Secondly, it is comfortable if thou considerest the certainty of it. It is not onely excellent but certain; though it were never so excellent, yet if it were not cer­tain, it would be but little comfort; but know to the joy of thine heart, that as heaven is a place of unspeakable excellency, so thy enjoyment of it (O new-born creature) is of unquestionable certainty. It is worthy our admiration, how many wayes the most high God (out of condescention to our capa­cities and compassion to our infirmities) doth confirm and ensure this gain by death to believers.

1. By his promise, Luk. 12.22. Fear not little flock, it is your fathers pleasure to give you [Page 316] a kingdom. So Ioh. 3.16. Now all the promises of God are yea and amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. They as good as performances. Not one good thing faileth of all the good things which the Lord promiseth, Josh. 23.14. But mark (friend) one place for many, Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye hath promised; [...]ods people are a people that will not lye, Isa. 63.8. but God is a God that cannot lye; it is impossible for God to lye. Every lye proceedeth either from weakness, or from wickedness. Some are weak; they would be as good as their words, but cannot; others are wicked; they can be as good as their words but will not. Neither of these can be charged on the blessed God; he is able to perform his promise, for he is the almighty God, Gen. 17.1. I know that thou canst do all things, saith Iob, Iob 42.2. Omnipotency never met with a difficulty too hard for it: the promises of [...]od will eat their way through all the Alps of op­position, because he is a [...]od of infinite pow­er; and as he is able, & free from weakness, so he is righteous & holy, & so free from wick­edness; There is no unrighteousness in him, Psa. 92. ult. He is light & in him is no darkness at all, 1 Io. 1.5. There is not the least spot in this Sun; His truth reacheth unto the heavens, and his faithfulness is above the clouds.

[Page 317]2. By an oath God hath confirmed it, Omnia verba Dei sunt jura­menta quoad cer­titudinem, saith Phi­lo; sed in­firmatatis nostrae cau­sa ut si non credamus De [...] pro­mittenti, credamus saltem pro nostra sa­ [...]us [...] juran­ti. Hebr. 6.17, 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath; that by two im­mutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have strong con­solation. Thou wouldst take the word of a good man, and wilt thou not take the word of a God? But wonder at his good­nesse; he tendereth further security by his oath, nay by the greatest oath imaginable; having no greater to swear by, he sware by himself, Hebr. 6.16.

3. By his Seals; we have the broad Seal of Heaven, the Seals of the Covenant, to confirm this to us: The Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of Grace, Rom. 4.11. And we have the privy Seal of the Spirit, Eph. 4.30. So that if the hand and seal of a God will do it, Heaven is ensured to all that are sanctified.

4. By an earnest, that makes a bar­gain sure: Who hath sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts, 2 Cor. 1.22.

When Christ went from us, he left his Spirit with us, to assure us, that he would [Page 318] come to us; and took our flesh with him, to assure us, that we shall come to him.

5. By first fruits, Rom. 8.23. which did assure the Jews of their harvest.

6. By the death of Christ. Heaven is given to the holy by testament, by Will; John 17.24. Father, I will (saith the then dying Saviour) that they whom thou hast gi­ven me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. Now because a Testament or Will is of no force whilst the Testator li­veth, therefore Christ died to make his Will valid, Hebr. 9.16, 17.

Thirdly, it is comfortable if thou consi­derest the eternity of it. Though it were ne­ver so excellent and certain, yet if it were for a short time only, it would afford but lit­tle comfort. Nay, the greater our joy were in the possession of it, the greater our sorrow would be in our separation from it. The very thought of ever losing such incomparable happiness would be a deep wound to a Chri­stians heart, and without question abate much of his joy whilst he did enjoy it. Nothing lesse than eternity can perfect the Saints fe­licity; And lo here it is; thy gain is not only of unspeakable excellency, and unquestiona­ble certainty, but also durable even unto eternity.

The pleasures of the Saints are for ever­more, Ps. 16. ult. The pleasures of the wick­ed on earth are like a standing pool quickly dried up by the scorching heat of Gods wrath, leaving nothing behind, save the mud of vexation: But the pleasures of the godly in heaven are rivers of pleasures, running over, and running ever, because they flow from the fountain of living waters.

The joy of the sinner is like the crackling of thorns under a pot; it may make a busling noise, but quickly goeth out; but the joy of a Saint will be like the fire upon the Altar, which never goeth out day nor night: Their joy shall no man take from them, John 16.

The glory of a Christian there, will be an eternal weight of glory: the shame of a Christian here is transitory, like a cloud up­on the face of the Sun, which will soon be scattered; and the honor of a graceless man here is short like a fleeting shadow; Tacitus as Seja­nus was one day adored like a God, and a lit­tle after with the greatest ignominy com­mitted to the Goal. But the honor of a Chri­stian there, is an eternal noon-tide of glory; heaven is an everlasting home to the Saints, Luke 16.9. 2 Cor. 5.1. when their earthly tabernacles are dissolved, they enjoy the building [Page 320] of God, an house not made with hands, but eter­nall in the heavens.

They enjoy the society of the good for ever; they sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Ja­cob in the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 8.11. Stand­ing is a posture of going, or at least of but staying little; but siting is a posture of staying long. They shall enjoy God for ever; they shall ever be with the Lord, Angels in the Syrisck have their name from a word wh ch sig­nifieth face, be­cause [...]t is their ho­nor and office al­wa es to behold Gods face. 1 Thess. 4. ult. The Saints shall in heaven be like Angels, Mat. 22.30. Now Angels always behold the face of their Father, Matth. 18.10. Now God sometimes sheweth himself unto, and sometimes hides his face from his children; that a godly man may say to Christ, as Jacob to his Wives, I perceive that thy fathers countenance is not to­wards me as at other times, Gen. 31.5. Some sin or other, like a cloud, interposeth and hindereth the light of his gracious counte­nance; but there will be no cloud, or mist of sin, and the Sun of Righteousness will ever behold the soul with the same favorable a­spect. And therefore the joy and happinesse of the Saint will be ever like the Moon at the full, because that Sun will ever look up­on him with the same lightsome counte­nance.

O what a long day will eternity be to the [Page 321] damned, and what a short day to the saved? Eternal pain will make every moment seem eternity; eternal pleasure will make eterni­ty seem but a moment: the joyes there will be so great and many, that the dayes there will seem small and few; the delights there will spring every moment so fresh and full, that a Christian, like Jacob, will think them but few dayes for the love he will bear to them.

Reader, if thou art in Christ, ponder much in time, the eternity of pleasure which is prepared for thee. Consider if there be so much felicity in seeing the lovely face of God in the glasse of his Ordinances for one hour, what will there be when thou shalt see him face to face, and alwayes behold the face of thy Father?

When Christ and thy soul meet sweetly in a duty on the Lords day, and thou sittest under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto thy taste, thou thinkest the duty is done too soon, and the Sabbath is too short; thou couldst wish the Sun would stand still (as in the dayes of Joshua) a [...]d that day to be longer; but be encoura­ged; though thy Sabbaths now begin and end, yet within a few dayes thou shalt begin [Page 322] that eternal Sabbath which shall never end.

In his E­pistle before Dis­course of t ue hap­piness.Certain it is (saith Mr. Robert Bolton) that if a man were crowned with the royal state, and imperial command of all the kingdoms upon earth; if his heart were enlarged to the utmost of all created capacities, and filled with all the exquisite and unmixed plea­sures that the reach of mortality and most ambitious curiosity could possibly devise, and might without any interruption or di­staste enjoy them the length of the worlds duration, they were all nothing to the preci­ous and peerless comforts of the Kingdom of Grace but for one hour; I speak the truth in Christ, and use no Hyperbole; the Spirit of all comfort, and consciences of all true Chri­stians, bearing me witness. What then will it be, my friend, to enjoy the unconceivable comforts of the Kingdom of Glory for ever? If one day in Gods Courts on earth be better to thee than a thousand elsewhere, how hap­py wilt thou be, when thou shalt dwell in the heavenly House of the Lord, and that for ever, ever? when thou shalt be a pillar in the Temple of thy God, and shalt go no more out for ever, Rev. 3.12. O sweet word, ever, ever; thou art musick to the ear, and hon [...]y to the taste, and melody to the heart indeed: [Page 323] to be free from all evil, both of sin & suffer­ing, and to be for ever free from them; to be with the Lord, enjoying all good imagina­ble, and ever to be with the Lord. O how much worth doth this one word ever adde to the Saints portion in the other world!

Mortality is a flaw in all earthly tenures, which abateth their price, and imbittereth their pleasures; but eternity is a diamond which sparkleth most radiantly in the crown of glory, and maketh it beyond all expressi­on or comparison weighty.

Christian, how may this perswade thee to be exact in thy walking with God, when in doing of his commands there is such great reward? Thy temporal obedience shall have an eternal recompence. If Zeuxis the famous Painter was so curious in drawing his lines, because he painted for Eternity; how exact shouldst thou be in all thy duties, how curi­ous in the whole course of thy life, when thou dost all for eternity?

How may this support thee in the great­est dangers? Thy sufferings are temporal, but thy solace shall be eternal. If Saul, when cal­led to an earthly kingdom for a short time, could hold his peace, when men despised and derided him; surely thou mayst be steady in [Page 324] the greatest storm, and in all hardships bear up thy spirit with the lively hope of that heavenly eter­nal Kingdom to which thou art called. Dost thou not know, that all the sufferings of this life (though all the sufferings of the mystical body of Christ were laid on thy back) are not worthy to be com­pared to that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! Rom. 8.18.

Thus thy felicicy in heaven will be compleat felicity, and thy consolation in the fore-thoughts of it may well be a full consolation; since for its perfections it is unspeakable, thy fruition of it is unquestionable, and thy condition in it will be unchangeable and eternal. When thou hast filled thy heart with that fulness of joy, and bathed thy soul in those rivers of pleasures, as many millions of yeares as there have been minutes since the Creation, and after that as many thousand ages as there are creatures great and small in heaven, earth, and sea; and after that as many thousand mil­lions of ages as all the men in the world can rec­kon up all the time of their lives; yet after all this thou shalt not have one moment lesse to conti­nue in heaven, and enjoy that perfect happinesse. The very greatest and highest numerations and multiplications of time, are but drops, yea ciphers and nothing to this boundless bottomless ocean of eternity. For of eternity, as Drexelius saith, Truly there is no

FINIS.

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