THe Apostle, after he had directed Timothy how to teach severall men, in their severall relations, to ho­nour God, both how Magistrates, Governours in the Church, and Servants, and how professors should carry themselves to be usefull in their generations; in the close of this Epistle, he comes here to the duties of rich men: The Text is long, and I would be very loth to be tedious; and [Page 2]therefore I shall only briefly open the beginning of [...], and insist upon the latter end. In the words there are three Particulars considerable.Partic. 1. First, The Persons to be admonished. And second­ly, Partic. 2. the admonition that Tim [...] is charged to give unto those per­sons.Partic. 3. And thirdly, the particular things wherein those persons are to be admonished.

The persons to be admonished is in the beginning of the Text. Charge them that are rich in this would. Rich in this world; you may observe, Observ. 1 that there is another world, besides this world, and therefore this world is put by way of distinction: you have it often: some sins (saies our Saviour) shall not be for given, Mat. 12.32. neither in this world, nor in that which is to comes and godlines hath the great ex­cellency above all other advantages that we can look after,1 Tim. 4.8. Heb. 6.5. because it hath the promise of the life that now is, and of the life that is to come. Certainly, the great powers of the world to come are such glo­rious truths, that every Christian soul should be well acquainted with. I will not now endeavour to prove by many Arguments, that there must needs be another world besides this: our Saviour hath told us,Joh. 18.36. His kingdom is not of this world, but a glorious kingdom he hath;Isa. 9.7. and his Saints say, If they had their hopes in this world only,1 Cor. 15.19. of all men they should be most miserable. Certainly, if there were no other world to be look'd after by the sons of men, but this world,Psal. 17.14. then it would be a happinesse for man to have his portion in this world: but our Saviour more then once in one Chapter pronounced them to be the greatest in misery; Woe to you, ye Pharisees,Mat. 6.2, 5. for verily I say to you, you have your reward; one would think this to be an happinesse. Our greatest trouble is, when we doe service, that goe away unrewarded; I but the sad­dest misery you can imagine is, for a man to have all his reward in this world; certainly, if there were not another world, besides this world, then it should be the best with the worst men, and it would be worst with the best men: for in this world I looked un­der the Sun, and behold there was a righteous man to whom it was after the deeds of the wicked; Eccles. 8.14. and there was a wicked man that had all the good things almost, for outward things, that God had promised to the righteous: it is so evident a truth, that there must needs be another world, besides this world, that all the most inge­nuous Heathen did confesse it: and I might show you, that the [Page 3]souls being is distinct from the body, and that there must needs be a day of resurrection, and a day of judgement, and an eternall be­ing, when we are at the end of this being. These are truths that should be entertained with a great deal of belief, and our souls should be much affected with them: where these precious truths are not believed or regarded, how doe men pour out their souls to vanities? Yea the heart also of the sons of men is full of evil, and madnesse is in their heart, while they live, Eccles. 9.1. and after that they go to the dead.

And then secondly, you may observe, Obser. 2 that as there is another world besides this world:All men not equall. so in this world there is great distincti­on between the rich and the poor: all mens estates cannot be e­quall, and it is a great errour that hath been broached in sundry ages, that all things by the law of Jesus Christ should be common: Surely, when men have done all they can, all the men in the world cannot make all men equall: there is a great variety in the parts of minde, in the gifts of Gods Spirit, and in the statures of mens bodies; and so there must consequently be some variety in names and states, and with conditions too, that God leads the children of men thorow.

1. If you look but upon the mindes of men, certainly,1. Variety of naturall parts. all men are not of equall parts. There are some that are like to Solomon, and like to1 King. 4.30, 31. Heman, wisemen: and there are2 Sam. 16.23. Ahithophels, andAct. 13.10. Luk. 16.8. 2 Chron. 13.7. 1 Sam. 25.25. Elymuses, none of the best men. and yet very wise, and wi­ser in their generation then the children of light. And there are o­thers in all ages that are like unto Rehoboam, whose heart was weak, tender; and some like to Nabal, men of Belial, their names may be Nabals, for folly is with them. It was the great trouble of Solomon, A wise Father (saies he) begets a childe, and this is the great evil under the Sun,Eccles. 2.19. He knows not what shall be in his hand, whether he shall be a wise man, or a fool, and yet shall that man have the rule of all the labour and toyl, wherein I have shewed my self wife under the Sun. And as the parts of minde are not equall, so certainly;

2. The gifts that God superadds (I speak not of those saving gifts,2 Variety of gifts. but of those common gifts of the spirit) all of them are not equall, all men have not the same gifts, and not of the same kinde; there are variety of gifts, and scarce does God give to any one [Page 4]man all gifts, but to one the gift of prophesying (you know) as the Apostle handles it in the 1 Cor. 12. And where there are gifts of the same kinde, they are not in the same degree, and same mea­sure; and where there is no discernable difference in regard of the degrees, there is a great deal of difference in regard of Gods con­currence and influence: God does not alwayes concurre with men of the same gifts, that the excellency of his power might ap­pear to all the world, 2 Cor. 4.7. 3. Variety of bodily statures. to be of God, and not of men.

And, 3. Look upon the statures of men, and all men cannot be of one proportion. It was the act of a Giant, and unhumane, to make a bed that should fit all passengers, and those that were too long, should be fitted for his bed and cut short, and those that were short, should be lengthened out: Certainly, you cannot finde, nor can all the wit of man alter it, but that there will be some like Saul, 1 Sam. 10.23. higher then others from the shoulders upwards: and if you cannot finde an equality in the mindes of men, nor in the gifts of men, nor in the bodies of men, that there should be here an e­quality in the states of men, may be by some inconsiderately desi­red, but by prudent men cannot groundedly be expected. Cer­tainly, in that inequality much of Gods wisdom appears to the sons of men, and that inequality, is not of mans usurping, but Gods ordaining. What men should doe in time of danger, how farre they should deny themselves or their states, to promote the publike, is another Question. But in respect of personall right, that they have a distinct interest,Act. 5.4. is without dispute. The Apostle determi­neth this in the case of Ananias, when he sold his possession, Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy own power? And if all things should be common, there should be no theft under the times of the Gospel: Ephes. 4.28. and certainly, the providence of God much appears, when God makes some men that are low, appear high: and when they are little in their own eyes, God makes them great. Jacob goes from his fathers house over Jordan with a staff in his hand, he had none to accom­pany him, but his sorrows and fears, and the Lord brings him back wonderfully multiplied, that he cries out, Oh Lord! I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies, Gen. 32.10. for with my staff in my hand went I over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. And I believe, many, many of you Christians, that came to this City [Page 5]poor, in a very low condition, cannot deny, but that God hath poured down upon you rivers of oyl, and hath caused the moun­tains to drop down fatnesse upon you: and this promotion cometh neither from the East nor West, it is God that sets up one, Psal. 75.6, 7. and puls down another: and therefore, Ʋse 1 if the Lord hath shined upon any of your tabernacles, and hath made you, when you were low in your own eyes, to be high in the eyes of others, remember from whence this promotion came. What difference is there in naturals, intel­lectuals, spirituals, or in things civil, but of Gods disposing?Exod. 4.11. Who hath made the dumb, on the deaf, or the seeing, or the blinde, have not I the Lord? said God to Moses. Therefore doe ye remem­ber, the Lord your God, for it is he alone that gives the power to get wealth. He maketh poor, and he makes rich:Deut. 8.18. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dung­hil, to set them among Princes,1 Sam. 2.7, 8. and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and he hath set the world upon them. And if any of you be poor, Ʋse 2 envie not others that are rich: you have never the lesse, though others have more; and let not any of our eyes be evil,Mat. 20.15. because Gods hand is good.

And then the Apostle saies, Rich in this world: there is ano­ther world besides this, and there are some rich in this world, and others are poor.

And then thirdly, Rich in this world, that does intimate, (it is an observation of Austins)Cur dixit, huju­mundi, nisi quia sunt divites non bujus mūdit Aug. Serm. de temp. Certainly, the Apostle would not say, Rich in this world, but that he intimates and hints unto us, that some men are truly rich, that are not rich in this world: Ob­serve it,

That there are some men that are very rich; Obser. 3 and yet they are not rich in this world, but look upon their outward garbe,Heb. 21.37. and they are poor, wandring in deserts, and dens, and canes, and yet so rich indeed, though they be not rich in this world,vers. 38. that the world is not worthy of them. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, in Jam. 2.5.Jam. 2.5. It is an admirable thing when a mans riches are above this world, and our treasure is in heaven, from whence we look for the coming and ap­pearing of the great God, and our Saviour, Mat. 6.20. who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, [...]hi. [...]3.20. [Page 6]according to the working whereby he is able, even to subdue all things unto himself.

Further, Rich in this world: the words may be taken by way of exclusion to another world, and by way of limitation, confining their riches onely to this world: and then observe,

There are many that are only rich in this world; Obser. 4 that if you look upon heaven, and upon eternity they are poor men: Thou saiest, thou art rich and increased with goods,Revel. 3.17. and wantest no­thing, when alas I poor creature, thou art poor, and naked, and blinde, and miserable: and certainly, though this cannot be de­nied, but there is a distinction to be made between the rich and the poor, yet look but beyond the grave, and there is an end of this distinction: there is (indeed) in this world a difference be­tween the learned and unlearned, betwixt the honourable and the base, betwixt the wise and the foolish, betwixt the full and the empty, betwixt the rich and the poor; but look but a little beyond the grave,Job 3.19. and there the rich and the poor meet together, there the honourable and the base lie down together, and the Lord is found the maker of them both.

But now look upon the difference that grace makes betwixt the sons of men, it is an eternall difference: look in this life, where the difference is reall, yet only spirituall, and so not obvious nor discernable to a carnall eye; but this difference ceaseth not to be reall, though it be not visible, and it may be visible to the Saints, when a vail is upon the eyes of others. The knowledge of this difference is worth your begging; Paul saith, I pray that your love may abound more and more in all knowledge, Phil. 1.9, 10. that you may discern the things that differ, and the things that make an eternall difference; look upon the things of this life, and the difference they make betwixt man and man, is but for a moment; but the difference that grace maketh is spirituall, reall, wherein the distin­ction betwixt a good man and a bad man, betwixt a man that fears God, and fears him not: this difference is not only for a moment, but unto eternity; it is reall in this life, but at the death and at the day of judgement it shall be evident to all the world, when God comes to be admired in his Saints, and to be glorified in them that believe, 2 Thess. 1.10. and in the same day he will come to render vengeance upon them that have not known him, vers. 8. and have not o­beyed [Page 7]the Gospel of his Son: a sad thing to be riell in this world, and to have nothing prepared nor provided for another world. You see the persons that are admonished.

The Admonition that is given to these persons is very strange,2^d Part. and not very frequent in all the Epistles of S^t Paul. He saies not only, Intreat rich men, and perswade rich men of the world; but in an unusuall phrase, Charge, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded: Why should the Apostle say here more, Charge them that are rich in this world, then els­where? he did not bid him, when he was to deliver the duty of servants, how they should obey their Masters; nor in all the par­ticulars that are before recited, (though they be very many) he did not say, Charge them to doe their duties: but when Timothy was to preach to a company of rich men, and great men, then the Apostle charges him, I charge thee before the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Tim. 6.13. that thou discharge thy duty in all sincerity: and he goes on in ma­ny Arguments: and charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded: certainely, it argues,

That there is a great deale of necessity, Observ. that rich men should be admonished, and admonished with all authority: though the poore Ministers of the Gospell of Jesus Christ should use all words of meeknes, and as the Embassadours of God, should intreate men and women to be reconciled unto their God; yet withall,2 Cor. 5.20. they are to declare the great charge that they have received from their Lord and Master, even to rebuke wicked men with all Authority. 1 Tim 5.10, 21.

There are two Reasons I will give you of it. It is a matter of necessity: and a matter of very great difficulty, to deale with rich men.

1. Certainely t'is a matter of necessity: when God hath made some men richer then their neighbours, God does not alwayes make them better; though their inlargements outwardly be great­er, yet notwithstanding their corruptions are not poorer, their tem­ptations are not weaker, their diversions are as many: it is a hard thing for a man in fulnes, not to forget his latter end, and the great day of account.

2. And then it is not onely needfull, but it is very difficult for rich men, they have this one disadvantage of poore men, that they doe not onely flatter themselves, which is the nature of all [Page 8]men, and that they love to be flattered by others, which indeed all the sonnes of men are liable to: which is a great folly, and much to be lamented: for naturally, that is the condition of all men, we love to flatter our selves,Deut. 29.19. and many times to blesse our selves in our owne hourts, and to flatter our selves in our own eyes, till our iniquities are found out to be abominable hatefull: but though many poore men flatter themselves, and love to be flattered, yet instead of being flattered, they are reproached and contemned, and trod under foot: yet there are a world of people, that will have great men in admiration because of advantags, Jude ver. 16. as the Apo­stle tells us: it is an argument indeed mens hearts are not upright with God, when it is so. In all ages there hath been a generation of men that would make the Rulers of the people glad with their wickednesse,Hos 7.3. and the Princes with their lies: and Ahab, instead of one Michaiah truly to informe him, there are four hundred false Prophets to seduce him: and therefore the Apostle Paul char­ges Timothy, 1 Tim. 5.27. If ever God call thee out to preach to great men, I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect Angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality, that thou hold the testimony of Christ out,Jam, 2.1. without respect of persons: Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, (he sayes unto Professors, and much more unto Preachers,) with respect of persons;2 Cor 4.2. and therefore declare them their duty with all Authori­ty, and with all integrity, and doe not handle the word of God de­ceitfully: as the Apostle sayes in the 2 Cor. 4. beg. we are not of them that hukster the word, and handle that word deceitfully, that we may please the humours of men; but by the manifestation of the truth we commend our selves, and our ministery to the conscience of every man, as in the sight of God. And it was the great command of God to Jeremy, Goe and preach to them, tell them their duties, if thou beest affraid of their faces,Jer. 1.17. I will destroy thee before them. Certainely, you must thinke there is some great matter in hand, that the Apostle Timothy should be so sharpely charged by the great A­postle S^t Paul, so full of meeknes, that he should tell him, and tell him with all authority: Charge them that are richin this world.

Now the third and maine thing is,The 3^d part. the particulars whereof they are to be admonished: and they are three things: (I shall [Page 9]not handle them, but only the last.) 1. 1 The evils that are to be avoided. 2. The duties that are to be performed. And 3. 2 The glorious eternall end that is to be propounded. 3 I shall speake principally of the last, i'le onely name the first. The evils to be avoided by rich men: Charge them that are rich in this world: There are two great evils they are subject to: Arrogancy, and Creature-confidence: and against these two there is this double charge, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded. Be not high minded, Here observe,

That to be high minded is one great sinne, Observ. that great men are subject to, when God hath lifted up them, they beginne to lift up themselves: and it is so usuall a sinne, that Austin professes, he would alwayes count him a great man indeed, that did not there­fore count himselfe great because of his greatnes: and he is a rich man indeed, who is above his riches, who know when God had strengthened Rehoboam, then he forsook the Law of the Lord, 2 Chron. 12.1. and all Israel with him: and God raises up a poore man in the 24. of Job latter end, to a great height of honour, and when de hath got up, there is no man sure of his life, Job. 24.24. for he drawes away the migh­ty with his power, and he is full of rage; but (sayes God) They are exalted for a little while, but they are gone, and brought low, they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as tops of the ears of corne; waite but a little time, and thou shalt see the tri­umph of the wicked to be short, that are fully ripe. You may finde it, not only the sinne of wicked and lewd men: (when the Lord had lifted up the Assyrian, he said, By my owne power, Isa. 10.13. and by my owne understanding have I done it, because I am prudent: there­fore the Lord brought him downe wonderfully:) but is the sinne even of very good men: I said in my prosperity,Psal. 30.6. (said the Belo­ved of God, that great saint and servant of the most high:) I shall never be removed, thou Lord through thy goodnes hadst made my mountaine to stand so strong, but thou didst but hide thy face, and I was troubled: And you shall finde Ʋzziah, a man that fear­ed God greately,2 Chron. 16.16. till the Lord had subdued his enemies round a­bout him: but when he was strong, then his heart was lifted up to his destruction. I could give you examples infinite: And there­fore if the Lord hath made you above your Brethren, make your selves in your carriage and garbe equall to the lower sort: Let [Page 10]not the rich man glory in his riches, nor the wise man in his wis­dome, but let him that glories, Jer. 9.23. glory in the Lord, for he is our wisdome and sanctification, 1 Cor. 1.30. and indeed, all in all, that he that glorieth should only glory in the Lord. Surely, if you would be high minded, labour to minde the great things above: and I shall tell you what a kinde of high-mindednesse God allows, that you would be above the creature; for all their high-mindednes (when men love themselves, and seek themselves, and mistake themselves) (indeed) it is only their lusts and distempers: this high-min­dednesse is a lownesse of men, and a basenesse of spirit, as God otherwise calls it,Isa. 57.9. Thou hast debased thy self even unto hell, thou art wearied in the greatnesse of thy waies, and yet thou saist not, there is no hope: That is one duty, to take heed of self-arrogance: if God hath made you rich, then be you low in your own eyes, and lay it as a charge upon your consciences, when God hath made you rich, that you will not make your selves high-minded.

2. 2 And then secondly, another evil that rich men are subject to, and therefore warned against, That they trust not in uncertain riches: Hence observe,

Creature-confidence is another great bane and ruine of rich men; Observ. that certainly they had been happy, if they had not been happy; and they had been rich for ever, if they had not been rich for a moment. How many thousand men are undone by their e­states? men commit adultery, secret adultery with a piece of earth in their affections, all for getting and grasping, and when they graspe it, then commit open idolatry in their hopes and expe­ctations, and say to gold,Job 31.24. Thou art my hope, and to a piece of sil­ver, Thou art my confidence: this is that that Gods soul abhorrs, and cannot endure in any of his people, I have seen a great evil under the Sunne (saies the Wise-man) and it is common amongst men. Eccles 5.13. This is a sore evil that I have seen under the Sunne, name­ly, Riches reserved for the hurt of the owners thereof. Truly, that is a very great evil indeed, when a mans table comes to be his snars, Rom. 11.9. Job 20.22. Psal 106.15. and a trap and a stumbling block; and when in all the ful­nesse of his sufficiency, he shall be in straits, and God gives him not only meat for his lust, but withall he sends leannesse into his soul, and into his inward man. And this evil it is so common, that you [Page 11]have it in the 62. Psal lat. end, all the Psalm (indeed) is to that purpose: trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery, If riches increase, set not thy heart upon them; for God hath spo­ken it once, twice have I heard it, that power, to make a man live contentedly, and to die comfortably, this power lies not in thy estate, but this power belongs only unto God. Trust not in uncertain riches. There are indeed many truths under the words: Your riches they are uncertain: if thy soul desire riches, thou art uncertain in getting of them; all men cannot be rich, that desire to be rich; for you lust and have not, and you warre and fight, and cannot obtain, in Jam. 4. beg. It is the saying of Solomon, in Pro. 23.5. Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not riches take to themselves wings, flee like Eagles towards heaven apace: if e­ver they were uncertain, much more now; you have seen now, by manifold experiences, how uncertain they are in these daies. How many men, that they, and their Fathers, and their Grand-fathers, have laid out all their wits, and strength, and labour, and toil, and sore travell under the Sun, to get an estate, and they are all plun­dered of it in one moment? How many thousands come out of every Countrey to this poor City,Ruth 1.20. that come like so many Nao­mies, coming from Moab, and crying out, Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah, let not my name any more be pleasantnesse, but bitternesse, for I went out full, and the Lord hath made me empty, the hand of the Lord is sorely gone out against me? It is a madnesse at any time to trust in uncertain riches, but to trust to uncertain riches in these times, truly 'tis a madnesse to admira­tion. It was the saying of the rich man, in Luk. 12. saies he, Soul, Luk. 12.19. take thy ease, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; you know what answer he had, Oh! fool, this night shall thy soul be taken away from thee, and then whose shall these goods be? Whose shall they be? they are uncertain in getting, uncertain in enjoying, and when thou dost leave them, thou art uncertain to whom to leave them, thou fool, this night shall thy soul be taken away, and whose shall these goods be? whose shall they be? Au­stin upon these words saies, Oh! rich man, I hope they shall be my own [...] darest thou, a poor man, that hast thy breath in thy nostrils, darest thou entertain such a thought, or such a word, thou shalt enjoy them? I, but though I enjoy them not, I hope my [Page 12]children shall, and it is good to lay up something for them; and he that provides not for his own, is worse then an infidell, and I hope they shall enjoy them.

Darest thou say this of thy children that are mortall, and in a moment may be taken out of the land of the living? Indeed it is true, I know not that my children shall have them, but it may be my friends shall have them. It may be thy friends, but it may be thy enemies, I am sure in all these parts of the Kingdom, rich men have found them to be their heirs that they never thought of. It is true indeed, if my friends have them not, but my enemies, it will doe some body good, if not my friends, others. True, it may be they may doe them good, it may bee they may doe them hurt: How many have been undone by the estates that have been left them, and they had never been unhappy had they not been happy,Dan. 4.30. when they have lost God in their happi­nesse? Is not this Babel (said that great Monarch) that I have built for the house of the Kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majestie; you know there came a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy Kingdom is departed from thee: and when he that succeeded him, Belshazzar was carousing in the vessels of the Temple, you know there was a hand-writing over the wall,Dan. 5.27. Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found too light. Therefore what ever you trust in, never put your trust in uncertain riches. What would you have rich men doe then? tell them, you would not have them to be ar­rogant, nor to be confident in their estates, that is certain, you have no reason to doe either of these, for if you doe either of these they will make you low, and you will make your selves low, when God hath made you high. Mat. 19.24. Luk. 18.25. Our Saviour, it is reported in the three Evangelists, that he saith, It is easier for a Camel to enter thorow the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: and in the Evangelists, Matthew and Luke, it is said, a rich man,Mark 10.24. our Saviour expounds it, in the 10. Mark. 24. when he opened the Parable (for his Disciples wondered at it) How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdome of God? That which one cals, having riches, our Saviour expounds, trusting in riches. And truly there are very few that have them, and doe not trust in them: it is a u­suall [Page 13]infirmity and distemper that accompanies rich men: it is hard to possesse them, not to confide in them, and when they trust in them, then it must needs be a very hard thing to enter into the Kingdome of God: it is true, with man it is impossible, but all things are possible with God; and the Kingdom of Heaven is not unattainable with rich men; but what then is it, that rich men must doe? I answer, that great charge that is laid upon them, is, when God hath made you rich in earth, to labour for hea­ven, that you may lay hold of eternall life. You have seen the evils to be avoided.

Now the second thing is, the duties to be performed; 2 what would you have rich men to doe? There are three sorts of duties God requires of them. I cannot handle them now, I shall give you a touch of them in the Use, for it would take up all the time. There are duties, 1. Towards God. 2. Duties towards your Neigh­bours. And, 3. Duties towards your selves. A three-fold service every man ows, and a rich man is not exempted from that service.

1. In reference to God. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches: what should they doe then? in regard of God, Trust in the living God, that gives unto you all things, richly to enjoy: Walk with God, and roll your self upon God, and have commu­nion with God, and when God hath lifted up you, strive you to lift up him, that he may be your glory, and your strength,Psal. 3.3. and the lifter up of your head. And,

2. You have many, many Brethren amongst whom you live, and God expects a duty from you to them: Charge them that are rich, that they may not only be rich and great, but good as well as great, that they be good and doe good, and be rich in good works, and ready to distribute and willing to communicate. And then,

3. The great duty they owe unto themselves; is, when God hath made you rich in your estate, above all, look to your selves, and count your soules your selves, for if a man counts his body himself, or his name, or his estate himself, he wonderfully mistakes himself, but lay up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come.

And then the third and last thing, after he hath showed them [Page 14]the evils to be avoided, and the duties that are to be performed; then, thirdly, there is a glorious end that is to be propounded: what is the great end, that rich men, and poor men, and all the sons of men should aim at? The great end that every man should aim at, is, To lay hold upon eternall life. Lay up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come, that you may lay hold upon eternall life.

That you may lay hold upon eternall life, I shall only in the re­mainder of time, endeavour to open unto you this last: for (in­deed) that which is the main, the end, should be the first in inten­tion, though it be the last in execution; though it be not the first in attaining, yet it should be the first in intending: and a man that knows not a right end, can never choose a right means.

Now I will intreat you to hearken to this one Doctrine, and I will endeavour to bring in the fore-recited parts in the Uses of it.

That the greatest design and the main project, Doct. that rich men, and all the sons of men should desire in this life, it is, how in this life they may lay hold of eternall life.

For that is the sum of all. I would have rich men (saies he) not to trust in uncertain riches, nor to be high-minded: and I would have them to trust in the living God, and I would counsell them, that they would doe good and communicate, and be rich in good works, and that they would lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. But the end of all is, That they may lay hold of eternall life: what rich men? they that are rich in this world, that they may lay hold of eternall life? Yes, even rich men, that have the riches of this world, may lay hold of the riches of another world: and they that are such here, should lay hold of the unsearchable riches (as the Apostle calls them) even the riches of Christs glory. I will prove it to you, and then apply it.

That it is the great design (for that is the summe of all the charge that Paul puts here into the mouth of Timothy) to charge them that they lay hold of eternall life. Certainly, Paul laid this charge upon himself, and this was the rule he walked by: he compares our life unto a race, and (saies he) as men that run in [Page 15]a race, they have the prize in their eyes, for many run,1 Cor. 9.24. But every one that runs, obtains not: so run, that ye may obtain: and they that strive for mastery, They are temperate in all things; now they doe it for a corruptible crown, but you doe it for a crown that is incorruptible; and therefore, I so run, not as uncertainly;vers. 26. so fight I, not as one beating the air, but I bring down all the lusts of my body and flesh, lest when I have preached unto others, the way to life, I should goe down to the paths of death; and life should not lay hold of me, but death surprize me, and I my self become a reprobate: and elsewhere he compares eternall life to a great crown; and (saies he) for my part,2 Tim. 4.8. Phil. 3.8. vers. 13. I count all things but losse and dung in comparison of Christ, and I count them like doggs meat, and yet I doe not count my self perfect, but I forget the things that are behinde, and I stretch forward to the mark of the high calling that God sets before me; if by any means I may lay hold upon that for which I am laid hold upon by Christ: that was the great design that Paul had.

And then, as he did lay this charge upon himself: so he did lay this charge upon Timothy. Timothy (saies he) thou livest in an age, wherein many Christians grow to be very full of questions, and questions (many times) to very little purpose, and doting about questions and strifes of words, 1 Tim. 6.4. whereof comes nothing but envie, and strife, and evil surmises: but I will tell thee, Timothy, if thou wouldst walk uprightly in this froward generation, above all questions in this world, question thy self about heaven, and the things of another world; Fight thou the good fight of faith, vers. 12. and lay hold of eternall life (a little before my text.) And when he charged this upon Timothy, he bids him, wheresoever thou goest to preach, acquaint poor men and women with the glory of the world to come, tell them, they have but a little time to be in this world, and use all the arguments and perswasions that possibly can be, that they may lay hold of eternall life. And certainly, when you see the Apostle charging it upon himself, and upon Ti­mothy, take it not unkindly he charges upon you: it is the greatest wisdome and understanding, for you (also) to lay hold of eter­nall life. It is the advice of our Saviour, and he goes often over it, in Mat. 6.19. &c. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth, where the moth corrupts, where theeves break thorow [...] [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [Page 16]and steal: but if you will be treasuring, lay up your treasures in heaven, where no chief can come to plunder, where the moth corrupts not, nor can theeves come in there to steal: and where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And our Saviour follows it there by many Arguments, to take the spirits of men off from the world: who of you can by caring adde one cubit to his stature? Look upon the fowls of heaven, for they sowe not, neither doe they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them, and will he not feed you, O yee of little faith. If you have but so much care for heaven, as for earth, and be as wise for souls, as for bodies, and as provident for an eternall life, as for a temporall life, you might be happy to all eternity; and he concludes his exhortation in that Chapter: first of all, seek the kingdome of God, and the righteousnesse thereof (make heaven sure) and then all these things shall be superadded unto you; God will throw them into the bargain, as many times Chap-men doe, when customers come and buy their fruit, they give the paper in; so God will give you all other things in, as things wherein the great kingdome of God consists not, which you may want, and be happy; and which you may enjoy, and yet be miserable. When the Disciples came to him,Luk. 13.23. and said, Master, are there many that shall be saved? are there many that lay hold upon eternall life? Mat. 7.13. No (saies he) Strive to enter in at the strait gate, strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few there be that finde it: indeed there are but few that once intend it, once take it seriously into their thoughts: Broad is the way that leads unto death, and there are thousands, and millions of men, that enter therein; and therefore strive ye to enter in at the strait gate, that when you have done all, you may be able to stand; that at the great day you may have this crown of life, that God hath pro­mised to them that love him, and that in this life, labour to lay hold of eternall life. In Joh. 6.24. Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endures to eternall life. Why take you so much pains for a body and a poor life? When you have done all you can to prop up this tabernacle, it will fall: La­bour not so much, nor so eagerly for this life, but labour for that food that endures to eternall life. I will give a few Reasons of it, and then proceed to apply it. Certainly, it should be [Page 17]our great designe in this life to lay hold upon eternall life.

One Reason is, i'le but name reasons, a few out of the Text, and there are enough, though there be many others that I might name from other places.

But in the Text, 1. Consider it is life, there is a life that the soule may attain in another world: now you know, if it were no more but the very notion of life, this may be one argument. All which you labour for, is it not for life? in the 2. of Job. 4. Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life; all the sore travell that men take under the sunne, it is but for the things of life: doe but consider the very life of nature, and you will easily be convinced that the life of nature is a great deale better then all the comforts of life; The life is more then food, and the body more then rayment: so our Saviour sayes in the 6. of Matth. 25. Surely, if we looke upon this life it is a great deale better then the comforts of it, because first it is only life that makes us capable of comfort, for take a way life, and a man is neither capable of comfort, nor discomfort: and it not onely makes a man capable, but secondly, sen­sible: there is (no question) a great deale of difference between Cordials, and Corrasives; betwixt poisons, and antidotes: but there is no difference between one and the other, where life is want­ing, put into the mouth of a dead man, and all the comforts, and discomforts are nothing to him: a man cannot be sensible of good or evil without life, and life must needs be a great deale better then the comforts of life: thirdly, because all your naturall comforts begin with life, and end with life, and if you had no other life to comfort your soules withall, when you, and we have done with this life, truly, of all dreadfull things, death would be most dreadfull. It was no wonder the Heathen man said, what is so dreadfull as to dye, and to lay downe this life of nature, till a man be acquainted with a better life? can a man be willing to goe from a certaine life, to a life that is uncertaine? from a life abound­ing with comforts, unto a condition wherein he hath no great hope to finde many comforts, but he hath many feares, he shall there meet with all manner of discomforts?Isa. 22.13. I know there are many men that would faine dispute themselves to be Atheists, and Epi­cures while they live; but certainely,2 Pet. 2.13. though it may be a pleasure for a man to be an Epicure while he lives, it can be no pleasure to [Page 18]him to be an Atheist when he comes to die: or if any will count it a pleasure, let him aske his owne soule these questions, or the like: Is it a pleasure for a man to be stripped of all his comforts? and re­duced to a non-being, and non Entity? is it a pleasure to goe down to the grave, and lodge in the deep earth, and to make his habita­tion in the slimy vallie, and to be a companion of wormes, and to be eaten up there of those crawling creatures? Surely, it is one end of the great worke of Jesus Christ,2 Tim. 1.10. to bring light and immortality to life: that by death he did overcome the feares of death, and him that had the power of death, that he might deliver them, who for feare of death,Heb. 2 15. were all their life time subject unto bondage. That is one thing then, here is life, lay hold of it, because it is life. And,

Secondly,2. Reason. From this life. It is not onely life, but that it is a life that may be laid hold upon: lay hold upon eternall life truly, first looke upon this life, and you can scarce hold it, nay doe what you can, you cannot hold this life:It cannot be held. The bre­vity of it. Psal. 49 7. No, if men by wit, and art, and greatnes, and friends could but hold this life, there would be many men that would not see the vale of the shadowof death: but no man can by a­ny means redeem his brother from death, or pay unto God a ransom for him: no, it cost more to redeem souls, and they must let that a­lone unto God for ever. Surely, this life it is a vapour: Can a­ny man hold a vapour to ascending? and when it is ascen­ded, can any one keep it from being dissolved, and from comming downe, and being reduced from nothing? What is your life (sayes the Apostle) is it not a vapour, Jam 4.14. that goes up in the mor­ning? and it is like a shadow, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away: My dayes are swifter then a post, and a weavers shuttle: Isa 38.12. and thou hast removed my age as a shepherd does his tent: and my dayes goe faster then the shadow that deelines: we are but pilgrims and sojourners, 1 Chron. 29.15. as all our fathers weres what a world of people are here this day? but a few dayes, and a great part of the people that are here, shall be (in reference to this world) as if they had not been: surely we cannot hold this life; it is good therefore to labour for that that we can hold.

But secondly if you could hold this life,This life is not worth the holding. yet it is scarce worth the holding: and for that I would but give you these two particu­lar considerations. The one is, the vanity of this life: The other, the miseries:

The vanity of this life, truly, this life,1. Consid. Vanity of life. Psal. 39.5. consider the shortnes of it: our lives, alas! what are they? Thou hast made mine age even like a hand-breadth; and my dayes, Lord, are nothing unto thee: surely, every man at his best estate is altogether vanity: oh Lord, teach me to number my dayes, that I may know how fraile I am: vers. 4. and then he goes on; Surely man walkes like a vaine shadow, and most men disquiet themselves in vaine, in heaping up riches,vers. 6. and cannot tell who shall gather them: all their wisedome, and under­standing laid out in gathering an estate, and God knowes, before they have little injoyed the benefit, they are taken out of the way, as all others, and know not who shall inherit it: that is the short­nes of life.

And then, it is not only the brevity of life, but the world of Casualties in it: our life at the longest is but short, and yet we meet with so many evils in this life,Psal. 55.23. 2 Sam. 3.27. that makes our lives a great deale shorter then otherwise they would bee; that there are ma­ny men, that in course of nature might live a great deale longer, that now live not out halfe their dayes: Abner meets Joab, meets him like a friend, and Joab strikes him under the fift rib, that he died: where should a man thinke himselfe more safe, then when he is saluting his friend? One goes into the field (it is an observati­on ofQuid a tot venenis fruti­cum, aquarum, aurarum, vel tantummodo a rabis quae con­tingit ex rabi­do cane, ut eti­am blanda & amica suo de­mino bestia ve­hementius & a marius quā le­ones metuatur, faciunt{que} bomi­nem, quem for­te attamin [...]e­rit, ita rabio­sum, ut a pa­rentibus, con­juge, filijs, pe­jus omni be stia formidetur. Aug. de civit. Dei. l. 22. c. 22. 1 Sam. 4.18. Pro. 27.1. Austin) and there a madde dogge meets him and bites him, and he growes distracted, and growes more dreadfull to his wife and children then the wildest beast in the field, and the boare in the forest. Another man walkes in the garden, and puts his leg out of joint, and is taken out of the land of the living. Where should Eli thinke himselfe more safe, then sitting in a chaire? and yet the sad newes comes, and makes him fall backward, and break his neck; and a thoufand cafualties befall the sonnes of men, which they can neither see nor prevent: for as the birds are caught in the snare, and fishes in an evill net, so the sonnes of men sna­red in an evill time, when it falleth suddenly upon them, in the 9. of Eccles. 12. Surely then, this life is not very much worth hold­ing: first, It is but short, doe what you can; and second, not worth holding: no man can tell this morning, what this day will bring forth before the evening: but the wombe of time is full of births, and many times that befalls us in one moment, that hath not be­fallen us in many yeares.

And then consider not onely the vanity of life;2^d Consid. The miseries of this life. First, Discases of the body. but consider the miseries of this life. If we could hold this life, and hold it out many thousand yeares; surely consider, what is this poore misera­ble life? If you consider either first the diseases of mens bodies: alas! the bodies of men, to what diseases are not they subject? It is hard for men to number the members of mens bodies; and yet some one member is exposed to numberles diseases. And tis an observation that Austin hath,Jam vero de if so corpore, tot existunt morborum ma­la, ut nee the is med. corum comprehensa suntabid. he sayes, that all the Physiti­ans that have studied nature, they could not in all their bookes comprehend all the diseases of mans body. There was in England the sweating sicknes, which all the Physitians of that age could give no account of, and had not been left upon record in any age before them, and it went thorow a great part of Christendome. The Lord does call for another sweating sicknes to come upon us; a sicknes, non onely sweating drops of water, but (as it were) ri­vers of blood; and there is no man amongst us that can tell, how long?

And then, if you could reckon up all the diseases of mens bo­dies: but every age of men have new diseases: there is now that disease of children, called Rickets, unknowne of our former ages: and moreover, all the bookes of Physitians, and after ages, shall finde diseases, that former ages were not acquainted withall:De hoc morbo, quom alij Gal licum, alij Ne­opolitarum ve­cant, est au­tem Indcut, cum que in illa Hispaniex fi Indtâ infantes nascantur, ni­bil invent ur scriptum a ve­teribut, Lod. Vives cōment. in lib 22. de civit. Det. quid de sudore pestifero, &c. ibid. you know the great disease that some call the French, others the Nea­politan, that came from India, unknowne to these parts of the world, untill almost this last generation: and then when men have found out all diseases, it is a hard thing to finde out fit medicines: they see the diseases, and they are mortall, and all the world can­not keep the parts of men from diseases, nor oft times finde any healing medicines: and when they have found fit medicines, they are unskilfull to apply them, and mis-apply that for a preserva­tive, which proveth destructive to that frame to which it is ap­plyed. I have knowne a mother, to heal her children of the wormes, hath given them Mercury, and hath forced her children in the mor­ning to take it; the children taking it as unwillingly, as the tender mother applyed it unskilfully, have dyed suddenly. Such a world of miseries come upon the sonnes of men, that through our mi­stakes we oft sowe the seeds of destruction, where our bowells doe most tenderly endeavour preservation. And besides, if we had [Page 21]alwaies the surest medicines (it is the observation of Austin) Many times medicaments are very torments; and a man had as good endure his disease that grieves him, as to undergoe some kindes of cure, intended to relieve him, and many men had rather die of the stone, then be cut of it. These are the miseries that this earthly tabernacle is subject to, and God shows them this, that they may look for another tabernacle. It is the observation of that Father, and God hath on purpose made this life miserable, August. that eternall life might appear to the sonnes of men more de­sirable.

And then come from the diseases of bodies,2. Distempers of the minde. Job 1.21. to the distempers of minde, and there, where can a man begin to reckon up mans miseries? no sooner born a son of naturall life, then a son of eter­nall death; no sooner conceived, but deserves to be damned; and when he comes into the outward world, he comes more naked and helplesse then all other creatures, Naked we came out, and naked we must return to him again: and but look upon the meer follies, and ignorance, and lusts, and those distempers (it is Au­stins observation) Take a little childe, as soon as he is come into the world, and a great part is spent in frowardnesse, and there must be the chiding of the parent; and the rod of the Parent at home, and the Master abroad: Folly is bound in the heart of a childe, and only the rod of correction can fetch it out. What a­bundance of whippings, and scourgings, and childings doe chil­dren under goe? andNulla esset effrenior fera, aut immantor homine, si edu­catio & disce­plina non suc­curret, si sibt ip­se relinqueretur, tota rationis vis ad explen­das cupiditates converteretur, nec esset insipi­entior bestia, nec antmal ma­gis brutum. Gomment. de civ. l. 22. Jer. 10.141 Joh 11.12. it is an observation of Lodovicus Vives, There is that untamed folly and ignorance in the hearts of men, that if man were but left to himself, he cannot finde any creature in the world that is more brutish: for so, it is not only his obser­vation, but the observation of the holy Ghost, Every man is brutish in his own knowledge, and is born as wilde as the wilde Asse colt. What is the reasonQuid est quod cum labore me­minimus, sine la­bore oblivisci­mur, cum labore discimus, sive la­bore nescimus? &c. Aug. ibid. Act. 27.41. that a man learns with difficulty? He is ignorant with ease, he remembers with pain, he forgets with a great deal of facility; all this argues the folly that is bound up in the hearts of the children of men. And then, if you look up­on the crosse and troubles that comes from without: Alas! there is a sea of miseries; wee are many times in our voyage, as Paul to Rome, and after many consticts escaped at last, we fall where two seas meet, seas so contrary one to another, that what course [Page 22]soever we take, we see our selves ready to be over-whelmed, and the proud streams to goe over our poor souls. And this life, though it be but very short, yet not to some discontented men only, but even to godly men, this life (as short as it is) hath seemed too long. You know Elij ah, he prevailed so with God, that he could command the heavens and the clouds, and yet this man of God he made a great request to God,1 King 19.4. Oh Lord, take away this life, I am even weary of it, and I am not better then my Fathers, why shouldst thou continue life to me? It was the great expostulation of Job to God, Lord, why is life given to a man whose way is hedged in,Job 3.21, 32, 23 and who diggs for death more then men dig for hidden treasures?Jer. 20.17. and you know the great expostulation that the Pro­phet Jeremy (though he was sanctified in the wombe) had with God in that particular. And then if you look upon the spirituall corruptions, and spirituall temptations, and those over-whelm­ings of spirit, that come upon the souls of Gods people, truly it is a wonder that any man should be so much taken with the love of this life. Austin when he had reckoned up all the miseries of infancy and childehood, then he comes to youth; and in his con­fessions, when he speaks of himself, I thought I should be happy, if I could but get from the ferula, and the power of my master, but when I came to be 15. or 16. years old, Lord! what a sea of carnall lusts came into my nature, as if hell had been broke loose: those corruptions of my minde that I never knew, that a chaste minde never thought of, then hell poured forth all it's venome in­to my spirit: truly, all the servants of God, when they are con­verted, they finde that the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, Gal. 5.17. Rom. 7.24. and these are contrary one to another, and have cause to cry, Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death? So that this life a man cannot hold it, and if he could, yet no man can be happy in holding this life: and therefore Porphyrius, though he were a great enemy to Christians, yet held this for a certain conclusion, No man can be happy,Ʋt beata fit a­nima, corpus omne est fugi­endum. Aug de civit. l. 22. c. 26. till this soul be rid of this body. Plato (indeed) he had another opinion, That though the souls were happy in heaven without the body, yet they could not continue so long, but it would desire to come again into the body. And Austin he con­cludes, Porphyrius and Plato hold certain truths severally, which [Page 23]if they had joyned, perhaps would have made them Christians. Plato said,Dicat ita{que} cum Platone, Porphyrius, re­dibunt ad cor­pora Dicat, Plato cum Por­phyrio, non re­dibunt ad mala, & ad ea cor­pora redire con­sentient, in qui­bus nulla male patiuntur. Haec ita{que} non erunt, nisi illa quae promisit Deus beatas animas in aeternum cum suâ aeternâ car­ne victuras. Au. de civ. Dei, l. 22 c. 27. 1 Cor. 15.42, 43. the happinesse of the soul could not be eternall without the body: and therefore after some long time, the soulshould again be joyned to the body. Porphyrius saw the miseries of the body so great, that he said, when the soul goeth to the father of spirits, it shall never, when once made happy, return to the un­happy evils of the body. Both these are true, the happy souls shall return to the body, and they shall not return to the evils of the bo­dy. —Let Porphyrius therefore confesse with Plato, that the soul shall return to the body: and let Plato confesse with Porphyrius, that the souls shall not return to the evils of the body; and both these joyn'd together, are no other, but that which God hath pro­mised to his Saints, That the immortall soul shall for ever live with an eternall body, when Christ shall change this vile body, that it may he like his glorious body, Phil. 3. And this corruptible must put on incorruptible: The body is sown in weaknes, and raised in power: & when that day of resurrection of the body comes, then the dead must hear the voice of the Sonne of God, and arise in­torruptible, and we must be changed, and some to the resurrecti­on of life, and others to the resurrection of condemnation. You see there are two things in this life. 1. It cannot be held, though you would never so gladly hold it. 2. If you could, it is scarce worth the holding. I might also adde the slavery of the soul and universall bondage under lusts, then which no slavery can be greater.

3. But consider this one thing more: though you would hold this life, and might hold it long, though you should never meet with any crosse, and live many years, and in all of them enjoy good; yet surely life in it self would grow a very great burden: read over the 12. Eccles. beginning of it, and saith he,Eccl. 1.2. Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth, before the evil times come, and daies approach, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; before the clouds return after the rain; great showres,v. 5. and yet the clouds never empty; and before the Grashopper shall be a burden: Every thing grows a burden at that age; if thou hast li­ved many yeers, and never knew what sicknesse meant, age it self will be a sicknesse, and bring with it all diseases; when the keep­eis of the house shall tremble, and the grinders cease, because [Page 24]they are few; and those that look out of the windows be darkned, and the doors shall be shut in the streets, and man returns to his long home: and where is he then? That is one particular. This life cannot be held, and it is not worth the holding, there are so many miseries: or if you could be freed from all those miseries, ve­ry life it self would be a misery.

Now then, Reason 3 From life eter­nall. turn your selves from this life, unto this eternall life; and then doe but consider of this life eternall: Lay hold up­on eternall life; why? because it is not universall; I say not, that every man that hath naturall life, shall be a partaker of eternall life; no, there are a world of men that doe undervalue and scorn eternall life, and the great things that belong to it, they never did once seriously lay them to heart. I need not say that it is the most foulest opinion that can be harboured (some impute it unto Origen) and Austin he abundantly confutes it,De civ. Dei, l. 23. c. 22, 23, 24. but it needs no great con­futation, the very naming of it is a refutation, That all men after they had been tormented in hell, should at last come out of hell, and be freed from eternall death, and be partakers of this eternall life.Mark 9.44, 46, 48. Certainly, there the worm never dies, and the fire never goes out; our Saviour oft repeats it: and there are abundance of Arguments to prove that death to be eternall; but I must omit them: the Scrlptures are clear to evince this errour, therefore be­lieve this, that eternall life is not so universall as naturall life; all of us doe partake of this life of nature: how happy were it, if we would all of us strive to be heirs of the life of grace, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? but certainly, many men have God for a Creatour, that shall never finde Jesus Christ for a redeemer: and then, when he comes to save his elect, he will come also in flaming fire, to render vengeance upon them that have not known him, and they shall be destroyed with everlasting destru­ction from the glory of his presence, even at that time when he comes to be glorified in his Saints, and in all them that believe, 2 Thess. 1.10. But though (I say) this life be not universall, yet I will not discourage any Christian, but rather encourage them so much the more. Many men finde it, I but though every man does not obtain it, yet it is attainable. That is the first thing I will name to you:1. Life eternall is attainable. Lay hold upon eternall life. Though every one attains it not, yet it is attainable by any one: there is not any [Page 25]one man or woman, that hears these things concerning eternall life this day, but he may, and if it were not for the wickednesse of his own will, he would lay hold of eternall life: for though e­ternall life be not the portion of every one, yet it is tendered unto any one.

No man can say, God hath excluded me from eternall life, till I actually exclude my self; and if I desire eternall life, and am wil­ling to come to Christ for life, and to accept of the conditions of life, there are no decrees of God to barre me; but it is a strong ar­gument, from all eternity God hath ordained me to life, when he works in my soul these strong desires after eternall life: but I shall speak more of that by and by. It is good to labour for that that a man may obtain; what advantage is it, when a man labour for the winde, and reaps whirlwinde? Jam. 4.1. as many times a man labours to be rich in this world, and cannot obtain it: Phil. 2.12. labour therefore for heaven, and work out thy salvation with fear and trembling, and surely, you shall not lose your recompence of reward, it is at­tainable. I, you rich men of this world, lay ye hold on eternall life. God hath given you the comforts of this life, and you have tasted the sweet and benefit of it: Oh! when you have been rich in this life for a few years, lose not an eternall life, but lay a good foundation, that you may lay hold of it: and it is not only attain­able, But

Secondly, it is tenable; if once you get it, you may hold it,2. Eternall life is tenable. you cannot hold this life; every man that is desperate of his own life, hath another mans life at his command: but this eternall life, it is higher then the heavens, and no man can take away eternall life from you: Fear not them that can kill the body,Mat 10.28. and when they have kild the body, can doe no more: but if you be full of fear, turn your fear into a right chanell, and fear him, that after he hath kild the body, can cast the soul into eternall death,Revel. 3.11. I say un­to you, fear him: this life is tenable, Hold fast that thou hast, let no man take away thy crown from thee, Joh. 10.19. and no man shall take my sheep out of my hands; my father that gave them me is greater then all and if we be reconciled, we are sure we shall be saved. Rom. 5.20. There­fore because it is attainable; and because when thou hast attained it thou maist hold it, and hold it to all eternity: therefore let that be another Argument to move thee to lay hold of eternall life.

And then consider thirdly, It is a life that is absolutely most needfull;3. Eternall life absolutely needfull. Luk. 10.42. there is but one thing necessary, (saith our Saviour) and Mary, she hath chosen the better part, which shall not be m­ken away from her: this eternall life, it must come by way of choise; we must choose to delight rather to have our portion in the things of eternity, then in the things below that are but for a moment, it is absolutely needfull: this life (indeed) it is not so absolutely needfull, but a man may want it: nay, it is not so needfull to make a man happy, but a man may be happy without it; nay, a man can never be happy, till he be rid of it, till he lay down this life; nay, and it had been happy for some men they had never had not so much as the light of nature; it had been good for that man, if he had never been born (saith our Saviour of Ju­das) Mat. 26.24 But now, this eternall life it is absolutely needfull, if thy soul want this life, I am not able to tell thee what miseries thy soul lies under; for if thou beest not an heir of eternall life, though thou hast all the comforts of the life of nature, what hope hath an hypocrite, though he hath gained much, when God comes to take away his soul? Job 27 8. Mat 16.26. And what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, and be deprived of eternall life?

And then I will adde;4. Eternall life most desirable. Eternall life, it is the most desirable life. It is the saying thatInter tempo­ralia & aeterna hoc interest, temporale plas diligitur ante­quam, haheatus, vilescit autem cum advenerit: non enim satiat animam, cui ve­ta & certa se­des est aeterni­tas: Aeternum autem ardentius diligitur adeptū quam desdeta­tum, quantu a quis{que} ventens existimare potuerit, plus per­veniens inven­turm est. Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 1. 1 Cot. 2.9. Austin hath, betwixt the life of na­ture, and the life of Heaven, eternall life: and the comforts of spi­rituall, eternall life, above the comforts of naturall life, in that (he saith) every thing that is eternall, when it is attained is more lovely, then when it is desired; the more we partake of it, and taste the sweetnesse of it, the more delightfull, and the more admi­rable we shall be to all eternity: we look at conditions at a di­stance, and promise our selves great content in some thing that is future; almost every change seems afarre off to be admirable, but near approaches show it to be contemptible, when we are young and in an unmarried condition, Oh! if we live but to be from un­der the frowns of parents, and commands of Masters, and be once at our own freedom, then we shall be happy; then (alas) comes our care: our temptations are changed, but not abolished, and o­ther temptations come that are as violent, and take us as much captive as the former; but we promise our selves abundance of [Page 27]contentment, if we can attain that we have not; and when we attain that we desired, we finde nothing of the contentment we imagined: but if thy soul comes to heaven, there is infinitely a­bove that thou didst imagine: Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him: These things show you, that there are great Arguments to move you to lay hold of eternall life. There is life, and, 1. it is a life that is attain­able, may be gotten, 2. it is tenable, it may be held; and, 3. it is ab­solutely needfull to make you happy, to free you from being mise­rable; 4. It is most desirable;Numb. 23.10. even Balaam could not but desire to die the death of the righteous, and that his latter end might be like his. These are four Arguments, I will name, and but name a fift.

5. Lay hold of eternall life,5. The excel­lency of eter­nall life most admirable. because of the excellency of eternall life. Indeed I know not where to begin to name it; for if I should handle it thorowly in the nature of it, it would take up more time then I have spent already, and I am weary, and you your selves may begin to be weary. I will only intreat you to consider it's excellency in two things.

1. The enjoyment of all good. And,

2. The freedom from all evil.

It hath been the greatest dispute in all ages, What is that which can and will make men happy? and all wise men have beat their heads about it. Some have thought it to be riches, and the favours of great men: and Solomon tels us what wilde race he ran, He ta­sted of all waters, used all art, industry, and after all his experien­ces, he professeth (and he hath left upon eternall record for our admonition) that it could not be found in any creature,Vid. August. de civ. Dei l. 19. c. 1. Ibid. c. 4. for all things under the Sun are full of vanity. And Austin tels us out of Varro, that the Heathen Philosophers were so divided about what it was that made a man happy, that they fell into almost 300. severall opinions, he reckons up 288. but now (saies he) take a poor Christian, that is laying up for himself a good founda­tion against the time to come, and ask him, What thinke you in this life can make you happy? What thinke I? I am sure there is one thing can make me happy in this life, if I could get a sure and certain hope of heaven: if I were sure God were my Father, and [Page 28]loved me, and my sins were done away in Christ, and when this body were dissolved, I had an eternall tabernacle made without hands, everlasting in the heavens: Surely, this hope of eternall life is that that can make the souls of poor men and women happy in this life; happy, because in the eternall life there is that freedome from all evils. I will name you three of them.

1. The evils of afflictions; 1. Freedome from all evil. 1. From affli­ction. 1 King. 20.11. here you have croffes, and the end of one affliction is but the beginning of another: and when you have got victory over one affliction, Let not him that girds on his armour, boast himself, as he that puts it off; you have new affli­ctions still to wrestle with; but then the Lord shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his people.

2. And not only the evil of affliction, 2. From corru­ption. but that which is a great deal more, Eternall life will free you from the evil of all corru­ption; there shall then no spot nor wrinkle be in thy soul. The life of grace and glory differ in this; The life of grace is to fight with our spirituall enemies: the life of glory is, we shall have no enemies to fight with; no evil thought shall come into thy soul: take but thy soul now when God breaths upon thy heart, and lets the influences of heaven come down upon thee, and makes thee to drinke of the Rivers of his pleasure; thy soul sees thou art in heaven almost already, and thy soul is transfigured, and thou be­ginnest to say, Lord, it is good being here: if thou couldst keep thy soul in this frame for some daies together, as it is in some mo­ments, would it not seem to thee to be an heaven upon earth? But is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better then the vinrage of Abiezer? Judg. 8 2. The least Saint in heaven enjoyeth incom­prehensibly more sweetnesse, then the highest Saint ever did, or could doe on earth, for here our visions which we have of God, are mixed with darknes; our affections, when the warmest, are clogg'd with deadnesse: thy soul had never that contentment in any of thy sweetest moments, as then thy soul shall enjoy to all eternity, then there shall be no corruption any more.

3. And as no evil of affliction, nor corruption: 3. From tem­ptation. so there shall be no evil of temptation; and therein the soul shall be happier then Ad [...] was in the day of his Creation; it is true, Adam was with­out fur and corruption, and then without affliction; but he was liable to temptation, there was a Serpent crept into Paradise; [Page 29]but then thy soul shall be a great deal happier, then ever Adam was in the day of his brightest excellency; nay, saies Austin, I will say it, and boldly, that thy scul shall be a great deal happier, then ever the lost Angels were, for their happinesse: was to be without sinne, but then it was not impossible for them to commit sinne; they were immortall, but then they might commit that sinne that might make them mortall; but thy soul shall be so im­mortall, that it shall be impossible for thee to fall into any tem­ptation to make thee mortall. It is such a life, as by this life Mortality shall be swallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5.4. 1 Cor. 15.54. and death, and sin, and cor­ruption swallowed up of victory.

And then,2. Enjoyment of all good. if I should come to tell you of the enjoyment of all good, truly I dare not enter upon it; but consider with your selves of the glory, and the peace, and tranquillity, and the society, &c. if it were no more but to have love perfect: truly we finde Chri­stians in this life, that are all travelling heaven-ward, and have all one father, and all taught by the same spirit, yet Christians want that love, they cannot love sincerely, and they cannot, and doe not purifie their souls in obeying the truth through the spirit,1 Pet. 1.28. unto the unfeigned love of the brethren: to have thy love perfect, that thou shalt love as strongly, as thou art beloved, what an hap­pinesse is this above all imagination? And then the visions of God shall be clear, and the joy that rises from al these shall be so full, that all the joyes in this world cannot equall it; and so permanent, that no time shall determine it; and so sweet, as all you can imagine is lesse then nothing to it, it is jey unspeakable and full of glory: but I dare not stand now upon it.

I will but name one Reason more, Reas. 4 From the danger of the losse of eternall life. though there be two or three more; and that is, Lay hold of eternall life, because, if thy soul doe not lay hold of eternall life, thou canst not escape, but thou wilt be laid hold of by eternall death; it is not a matter of indifferency; if thou beast not an heir of life, thou art certainly a childe of death; and if thou beest not saved, certainly thou shalt be condemned. And truly, to lay open the nature of this, I know the time is gone away, and I must hasten to the Use, and my strength gone, other wise I would have shown you some three or four things in this.

1. That the losse of Heaven, the losse of eternall life, is a losse [Page 30]not to be sustained: there are many men (I know) that thinke, if I misse eternall life, I shall not be alone, if the Lord will save me, he will save me, and if he will damn me, I must be content to be damned, I shall not be alone in that conlition, and I must en­dure it as well as I can. What? thou endure the losse of eternall life? it is impossible! When thy soul comes to know what eter­nall life is, it will cut thy heart and conscience to all eternity, to remember,Act. 13.46. that for the love of a base lust, thou hast judged thy self unworthy of eternall life; there is no other losse in the world but may be borne: we live in sad times, and I know not what God may call you to lose before many years goe over your heads; but surely, it will not be long before you lay down all you have, and you your selves will lie down in the grave: yet there is no losse, come the worst that can come, but if a man have eternall life, he may undergoe it, and that with a great deal of chearful­nesse: the losse of an estate is a great losse; many poor Christians come to Town, plundered of all that they have, and have not scarce a peny to buy them any thing withall; but yet this losse may be endured patiently, triumphingly, in Heb. 10.34. They suffe­red joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 2. The losse of children, Mat. 2 18. Job 1.21. it is a very great losse, you have a Rachel mourning fir her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are not; and yet many a man is enabled to endure the losse of children: Job endured it with a great deal of comfort, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. 3. And of all naturall comforts, life is the greatest, yet many a man can lose that, and lay it down as chearfully, and a great deal more, then ever he took it up. [...] Juitin. Martyr. in de­fensione Christi. anorum ad Se­ratum Rom. c. 3 Justin Martyr saies, that in his time many Martyrs, when he was a Heathen, and studying the book of Plato concerning the things of eternall life, he look'd upon Christians, and saw them part with the life of nature so comforta­bly, that he wondered at it: when he saw them racked, and torn in pieces, and all the dreadfull things men can imagine done to them; and they did not only suffer them patiently, but triumphant­ly; surely I began to thinke that these men must have some other principle then that of nature, that could rejoyce in the stames.

And when I begin to see the hope they had of eternall life, then it was no wonder indeed for a man to be prodigall of this lifes but if a man once lose eternall life, I'le name no other place but that in the 13. of Luk. 28. sayes he, many shall come from the East and West, and from the North and South, and sit downe with Abraham, Isack, and Jacob in the kingdome of God; and when you see them entertained, and your selves shut out, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever: for thy soule to see this poore neighbour saved, and the Lord to damn, and destroy thee to all eternity: if thy soule come to know the losse of eternall life, thou art never able to endure it.

And then secondly, 2 suppose thou art able to endure the losse of e­ternall life, I am sure thou art not able to endure the torments of e­ternall death: can thy heart be strong, or thy hands endure in the day that God hath to deale with thee?Ezek 2214. when God comes to lay righteousnes to the line: There are many things in those torments of hell, I dare not now handle them: first, the variety of them: if a man cannot endure one torment, can he endure all manner of tor­ments? if men against men have found such torments, what hath the Creatcur found against his creature? if the wrath of God upon his own children makes them cry out, oh! if my sorrow were weigh­ed, and my calamity layd in the balance together,Job. 6.2, 3, it would be hea­vier then the sand of the Sea: what is the wrath of God when it falls upon his enemies? if the wrath of God upon Jesus Christ made him cry out, who sustaines all things by the word of his pow­er, My God, my God why hast thou for saken me? and to sweat drops of blood; and his soul was heavy unto death: which among you can dwell with everlasting burning? And secondly,Isa. 33.14. to tell you of the universality of those torments, that they shall be in all parts of soul and body, and all manner of torments: and then thirdly, the Intention of those torments, that they are in the highest degree, that there is no mixture of any comfort to alay the discomfort. I thinke not there is any man so miserable in this life, that hath so many discomforts, but there is a mixture of some comforts to s­hy the bitternes of his discomforts: but woe to you that desire the day of the Lord, it shall be darknes, and no light in it, Amos 5.18.20.

But then fourthly, If you adde but this word of eternity, eter­nall [Page 32]death, truly that is beyond all that men can expresse all that possibly you can imagine, that the soule should lye under all the wrath of God, shut out from the presence of God, and from the pity both of God and of Christ, and from the pity of his Saints, and from the pity of thy selfe, that thou shalt be made an abhorring to all flesh, Isa. 66.24. and an abhorring to thy selfe to all eternity: and that when thousands of millions of years more passe over thy soule in those torments, thou shalt be no neater thy redemption, then at the first houre of thy condemnatiō: this is beyond all under­standing to comprehend, when they goe into the gulfe of eterni­ty: Some Divines say, it is just as if a bird should goe at the end of every thousand years, and did but take a little water out of the Sea, how long would it be er'e that bird should empty the Sea? and yet sooner should such a bird empty the Sea, then ever those endlesse paines should come to a period. And so others compare it: Suppose there was a heape of sand upon the superficies of the earth, that reached up to Heaven, and at every millions end of years, one sand should be taken from the rest, the heap would soon­er be exhausted, then those torments ended. I'le but adde this, fifth­ly, He that puts away from his soul eternall life, and brings up­on it eternall death, that condition will be unanswerable: the neglect of Heaven, no man can give an account to God why he lost Heaven; if a man lose Heaven, should it not be for some­what? will a man lose a kingdome, and for nothing? but to goe and lose thy soule, and the crowne of glory, and bring upon thy soul eternall torment: and for what? for whom hast thou laboured? and for what is it that thou hast bereaved thy soule of God? but when God shall say, It is for this corruption: and thy conscience shall, It is for that lust, I could not part with it, nor leave it; this shall cut thy soule to all eternity, that I loved the pleasures of sin that are but for a moment, above the pleasures that are at Gods right hand for evermore. There are some other Reasons I dare not name: I'le only briefly apply it, and so conclude. I will not trespasse much upon the time.

One Use is to informe us of the infinite love of Jesus Christ to poore finners, Ʋse 1 that when we are children of death, he holds out un­to us hopes of eternall life; and he sayes to us, Well, you are sin­ners, and polluted, and deserve to be damned, yet come to me, and [Page 33]I'le give you eternall life, an admirable comfort: when Adam fell, there were the Angels set to guard the garden with a flaming sword, Gen. 3.24. lest Adam should come in againe to take hold of the tree of life: and behold the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the tree of life did but shadow, he comes downe from Heaven to bring this tree of life to us, and he hath brought life, and immortality to light in his glorious Gospel.2 Tim. 1.10.

And then secondly, It informes you here, 2 of the excellency of the commands of God, when all the commands of God aime at no other end, tend to no other purpose, but that you may lay hold of eternall life, then surely they are all for your owne good: if you will be angry with the commands of God, pull away the shoulder, stop the eare, refuse to obey, and you will have these and these sins allowed: you fret against the law that prohibits such lusts as you like, that injoynes such duties as you dislike: consider against whome, and against what doe you fret your selves, is it not a­gainst God? can you have a pure God to be like to you in pure creatures, and against what, is it not against a pure law? that is holy and just and good; and all for your good? If a rich man should quarrel with Timothy, Why would you have us that are rich in this world? why should we be rich in good works? Why? that you may lay hold of eternall life, it is for your advantage: and surely, to him that is borne of God, and whose eyes God hath opened, to him the commands of God are not grievous. 1 Job. 5.3.

And thirdly, It informes us, that selfe-love, 3 if it be taken in a right sense, it is not only not a vice, but a grace of Gods spirit: it is not onely lawfull, but absolutely needfull for a man to love him­selfe: Indeed here, there is a question, why God in all the law did not command man to love himselfe; but all the Commande­ments ran, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thy selfe? but no command to love himselfe.

Austin answers, that truly there was no need of any com­mandement for man to love himselfe, God had imprinted it upon his nature: if when God commands thee to love thy neighbour as thy selfe, and makes the love of thy selfe the rule of loving ano­ther, it implyes that a man should love himselfe; and if a man did truly love himselfe, all the exhortations Ministers bring to you [Page 34]would be received with joy and gladnesse for all we desire, and beg at your hand in the name of the Lord Jesus, is, that you would be wise for your selves, and lay up a good foundation for your selves against the time to come, that you may lay hold of eternall life. Now I intreat you, when I speak of self-love, Remember, your bodies are not your selves, much lesse your corruptions; and the world is not your selves, for all things are either the things above us, and that is God; and things without us, the world; and the things within us, and that is our soul: the soul of man is the man: now love but your souls, and then surely this self-love is so farre from being condemned, it is commanded, and God makes ad­mirable use of it, and no man can be wise for another, and mercifull for another,Vid. Aug. Serm. 203. that is cruell to himself: every man is bound to love himself: and it is a dispute the School-men handle, Whether any man can truly love another, that truly loves not himself? and they argue, no man can truly love another, till he love himself; and no man truly loves himself, till he loves Jesus Christ, that is the authour of this eternall life.

4. And then it may informe us, That it is lawfull for every man that loves his soul, and desires his own souls happinesse, to look unto the joy set before him, that eternall reward promised to,Heb. 12. [...]. those mansions prepared for us; it is lawfull for us to doe things upon this ground,Heb 11.26. to have respect to the recompence of reward: There are some men that goe so farre, as to say, they need no ar­gument of this nature, either the fear of hell, or hope of heaven, they need neither the fear of wrath, nor hope of eternall life. Truly, as long as you are here in this world, you need all Gods ar­guments, as well as you need all Gods creatures; and if you could live without food, and be cloathed without raiment, I should easlier believe it, then that you can walk to heaven without Gods arguments. Besides, take eternall life in a right notion, and it is the fruition of God; and should not a man desire to be made one with God, and to walk with the lamb? and what is your eternall reward, but this? and should not a man desire this?

And a second Use should be a Use of reproof to them that neg­lect eternall life. Ʋse 2

I am not able to set out the nature of this, it requires rather [Page 35] tears, then words. How many thousand men when they are dying cry out of this world, how hath it deceived us? and it is Austins saying! Oh! the infelicity of men, that they love this life, and forget eternall life; Oh! how bitter (sayes he) is this life? yet this life when it is bitter, if it be so admired and adored, that a man would never goe out of this life, how would this life be ado­red, if it were sweeter? But the Lord hath on purpose made this life bitter, that he might put us in minde of eternall life; but surely, the greatest neglect in all the world is,Heb. 2.3. when men neglect eternall life; how shall we escape, if we neglect this great sal­vation? that man is worthy to be judged to eternall death, that judges himself by his own neglect unworthy of eternall life. You judge your selves unworthy of eternall life, saies the Apostle, in Act. 13.46. Look upon every creature, and you see every crea­ture striving for life. There are four things (saith Solomon) that are but very little, and yet very wise. I look'd upon the Conies, and they are weak people, and they build in the rocks: Prov. 30.24. and the Locusts have no King, yet goe they forth all of them by armies: and the Ant is a poor little creature, yet it hath the wit to pro­vide its meat in Summer. A poor Spider, a little creature,ver. 28. every foot can crush it, but it weaves its webs in the tops of Kings pa­laces: Doth not every worme maintain its life? And it is a rule Philosophers have, That every forme is not only multiplicative of it self, but every forme is preservative of it self too. No crea­ture hath life, but desires to preserve that life: and shall every worme labour to maintain the life of a worm? and shall not thy soul maintain the life of reason, and the life of grace, and seek af­ter the life of glory? no man at the great day of account can an­swer this neglect, Out of thy own mouth will God condemn thee, oh, thou unrighteous servant. When God shall come and tell you, you have provided much for this life; what provision have you made for the other? And certainly the neglect is great, when men are very indifferent, whether they have eternall life or no; if God would give it us, we will be thankfull, and if he deny it to us, we will be patient. What, patient, if you want eternall life? Doth this contentment rise from submission? It is only a spirit of prophanenesse, for what thy soul loves, thou wilt not part with lightly: if a man loves his childe, will he be indifferent, whether [Page 36]he live or die? Can a man love his friend really, when it is all one to him, whether he be enlarged or in prison? whether he sinke or swim?Gen. 17.18. When Abraham loved his son, he cries out to God, Oh that Ishmael might live in thy presence! and so Benhadad, what a strugling did he make for life: 2 King. 20.32. Psal. 119.175. and so, if thou didst truly love this eternall life thou wouldst beg this life: oh! let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.

The third Use. Ʋse 3 Exa. It may be you will aske, How shall we know, what is it whereby we shall lay hold of eternall life? Or how shall we know that we are in the number of men and women, that are laying hold upon eternall life? I'le but give you three things, and then I'le come to the Conclusion.

1. One is, 1 laying hold of eternall life is a laying hold in our judgments and spirituall convictions, that the Spirit of God works in those that shall be heirs of this life. What are those? I'le but name a few.

1. If thy soul be convinced of eternall life, and by that be made an heir of eternall life, then the Spirit of Jesus Christ hath convin­ced thee, that in thy own nature thou art a childe of death, and if God should condemn thee, severe God might be, but unjust God could not be; and thou admirest the mercy of God, that God should not only hold up thy soul in life, but give thee a discharge from death and hell. Truly no man is an heir of eternall life, but God convinces their souls that their deserts are worthy of eternall death: and then how precious is it, that when thy soul sees thy desert of hell, that then the Lord makes to thee a tender of heaven? when thy own conscience tels thee, that eternall death may be thy portion,Isa. 65.8. Job 33.24. then Christ saith, Destroy him not, Deliver him from going down into the pit, I have made an attonement, I have found a ransome?

And then secondly, 2 The soul that is convinced of this eternall life, doth wonderfully admire the excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ,Act. 3.15. in being the authour and the Prince of life; that soul can never sufficiently enough admire the Lord Jesus Christ, who procu­red this life, Joh. 17.3. that once laies hold of eternall life; For this is eter­nall life, even to believe in God, and him whom he hath sent, this is eternall life: 1 Joh. 3.1. Oh! Behold what love the Father hath borne to us, that we shall be called the sons of God, and yet it appears [Page 37]not what we shall be, but when he appears we shall be like to him in glory. How doth the Apostle beg for himself and others, that God would grant unto them according to all the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man? why,Ephes. 3.16, 19. what to do? That ye may be able to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.

And then thirdly, The soul that is convinced of this life, 3 he measures the happinesse and unhappinesse of men by reference to this life. That soul that is convinced of the excellency of eternall life, he counts them happy that are heirs of life: and indeed, it is the only happinesse in all conditions of men, and above all parts of men: he is a wise man that is wise for eternall life, and he is a blessed man that hath this life, and he is a miserable man in the midst of all comforts that wants this life: Blessed, Lord, are the men that thou chosest, and causest to approach near to thee. Psal 65.4. Now ask but thy soul; for surely that soul that is acquainted with this life, it makes eternity the standard, whereby it measures com­forts and discomforts, and happinesses and miseries that befall the sons of men: Oh, Blessed are they that dwell in thy presence, Psal. 84.4. they will alwaies be praising of thee.

And then fourthly, 4 That soul that is prepared by saving con­victions to lay hold of eternall life, so likes eternall life, that it dislikes no condition upon which eternall life is proferr'd: If a man was dying, he would take his life upon very hard conditions: when the men of Gibeon were condemned to be destroyed, they were willing to be made hewers of wood and drawers of water; Josh 9.23.25. and truly that that makes men stick at the conditions that Christ tenders, it is meerly a mistake; for Christ requires nothing but for your good; and ask but your own souls, why you are not in love with the wayes of Christ, and with the counsels and commands of Jesus Christ, and you are not able to give an answer; for 'tis only Satans suggestions to make you thinke the yoak of Christ to be un­easie: he accuseth Christ to you, that he may never want whereof to accuse you before God night and day? and will you hearken to his delusions? will you willingly bear the yoak of the world, the yoak of your lusts, the yoak of Satan, and only refuse the yoak of Christ? What hath the Lord Jesus Christ deserved at your hands, that you should be under any ones command, and only [Page 38]refuse to be under the command of Jesus Christ?

In a word, that soul that is convinced about this eternall life, is so farre convinced, that it is very unwilling to be deceived about eternall life, rather be cozened of any thing in the world; rather let a man cozen me of my name and estate, and trample me under his feet, so he cozen me not of eternall life: that which a man makes his main good, Col. 3.2. he is jealous to preserve it; the hand will venture it self to preserve the head: that soul that saies, I will goe the way to death, and presumes he shall have peace and enter into life, that man he reasons himself out of his reason, and labours to bring eternall wrath upon his own soul: his only safety is, not to see his danger as if his danger would become lesse, the fire not burn, because he winketh with his eyes, and will not see flames, un­til he be in the midst of them.

The second is about affection: 2 that soul that laies hold upon e­ternall life, must lay hold upon strong desires after eternall life. How shall we know that? when poor sinners set their affections upon things above, and not upon things below: Things above (indeed) they are things above the world: some men have said, that if a man could be above the clouds, the middle region of the air, he might write his name in sand, and then seven years after­ward come and finde his name as fresh as when it was engraven; but when the soul shall be transported with desires of eternity, and shall through hope be set upon this rock above all waters, then shall the soul be above all changes, immutable in mutable times, and stedfast to the death; this will make thee above the world, a­bove the fears and frowns, 1 Cor. 4. [...]. and above the applause and threats of men; there is nothing able to doe this, but serious thoughts of heaven, that when men shall cry one up to day, and cry him down to hell to morrow; this alone can make thee above all reproa­ches: to me it is a small thing (saies Paul) to be judged of men; and that soul that knows eternity, to him all things grow little. It was the saying of an Heathen, Nothing is great when a man knows the greatnesse of eternity: what are all these things? They are nothing, and lesse then nothing. But how shall we know our affections to things above?

1. Doe yee believe that there are things above, and that they will make us above other men, and one man above another, nay a [Page 39]man above himself? for the more his heart is good, the more he is above his distempers?

2. Having your affections above does more lessen and diminish your affections to things below, that the things below are lesse pursued; the encrease of the heighth of the love of heaven, is a diminution of the love of the things upon earth. And,

3. That soul that is above, would not for all the world have his portion in this world: for the Lord to say, I'le give thee the ap­plause of men, and the love of creatures: It was Luthers saying, when a great deal of gold was brought him, and he goes to God by prayer, & said, Lord, thinkest thou to put me off with gold, I look to have the pardon of my sin from thee, and heaven, and my corru­ptions done away, that I might have cōmunion for ever with God; therefore put me not off with gold: now the soul that desires eter­nity, will be taken off with nothing but heaven, alas! all these things are nothing, and lesse then nothing. I cannot stand to show you other particulars, that I had thought to have named.

4. As that soul that hath his affection set upon things above, beggs rather the improvement of an estate, then the enjoyment of it: for certainly, the happinesse of a man consists not in having, but in improving, and the improving of a little is better then the enjoyment of never so much; and therefore, sayes Solomon, A little that a righteous man hath, is better then the great reve­nues of the wicked; I have but a little, and I am thankfull and content, and doe much good with a very little: an admirable thing for a man to begg the use of things, and not the pos­session.

5. And then, that soul that his affection is upon things above, will so use the creatures, as not to be brought under the power of the creatures: the things of this world are servants,1 Cor. 6.12. and not masters.

But I'le add only one thing more, and that is; as you are to lay hold upon eternall life, in your apprehensions, judgements, 3 and in your affections: so in the third place, to make it the end of your conversation, when a man desires to live for no end so much,2 Pet. 1.10 as to make his own calling and election sure; and when a man makes this not his main end, considering the end of our conversa­tion, Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever. Heb. 13.8.

And if you aske, How shall I know I make eternall life my end? I'le but name two or three things.

The end alwayes specificates the means that tend to that end: 1 if a man resolve upon such an end, surely, he must needs use the meanes that are suitable to attain that end: there is no end attained without meanes: and the means must be sutable to the end. I could give a world of examples, but the time calls me off. Surely no man can rationally thinke ever to attaine the end that God propounds, that will not make use of the meanes that God pre­scribes. If I say, I make Heaven my end, and yet I will drink, and sweare, and roare, and walke in the Imaginations of my owne heart; if I take all the wayes to damne me, and I say Hea­ven is my end, I lye against my own conscience: be not deceived (sayes the Scripture) God is not mocked;Gal. 6.7, 8. when a man sowes to the flesh, he shall reape damnation, but if to the spirit, he shall reape salvation. That is one thing.

And then secondly, 2 The end does not onely specificate the meanes, but does commensurate the meanes: for a man may al­most overlabour, and overdoe any worke under the Sunne: but what proportion of labour and paines shall a man use for heaven? where the reward is infinite, it is impossible to exceed in our endea­vours, which are ever finite. We can never doe to much for Hea­ven, no, he thinks he can never doe enough: all Lebanon is not suffiient to burne, Isa. 40.10. not all the beasts of the forest sufficient for a burnt-offering to this God.

Thirdly, 3 The end subordinates the meanes. I would require how knowledge, and liberty, health, strength, comforts, life it selfe, for this end that they may, and any other comfort, helpe me towards heaven: this is the maine end that subordinates all others. When all the creatures are desired, enjoyed, improved, that by them we may climb up everlastingly to enjoy the great Creatour. When we doe use God to enjoy the world, we make the world our end: but when all conditions are used for this end, to obtain communion with God, then eternall life is made our end.

Fourthly, 4 The end sweetens all the meanes that are used for the attainement of it: what is that makes the Patient to take bitter potions, but the sweetnes of the end? his health, this will sweeten even the waters of Marali. What sweetens all the toyle of the [Page 41]Husbandman, but hopes of harvest? what encourageth the Soul­dier to endure all conflicts, and to have his garments rolled in blood, but hope of victory? what is it that makes the Mariner adventure thorow all waves, but expectation of advantage? And what was it that sweetened the crosse of Christ,Heb. 12.2. but the joy set be­fore him? and made the Apostles count all these light afflictions, that are but for a moment, unworthy the glory that shall be re­vealed, but the looking up unto things not seen? 2 Cor. 4. last. for the things seen are temporall, but the things not seen are eternall.

I will only conclude with a word of Exhortation, and so I have done. Certainly, if it be this great duty to lay hold upon eternall life, I dare not presse it now with any other arguments, but only read once againe over the Text which I have read to you. It tels us there are three Duties, if you would lay hold of eternall life, you must make conscience of.

And first is, The Duties you owe to your selves: and secondly, the Duties you owe to others: and thirdly the great grand Duty you owe to God alone. And remember but those three things, and they will be admonitors and counsellours to you to lay hold of e­ternall life. What shall we doe for our selves? lay up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come. There are foure or five things we must take notice there, I'le onely name them.

That rich men must not only lay up for others, but for them­selves: 1 are you bound to provide for others, and neglect your selves? to provide for the bodie, and no provision for the soul? Certain­ly, that man is not a wise man that is not wise for himselfe: you are bound to lay up for your selves.

And then secondly, 2 You are bound to lay up for your selves for time to come: indeed we doe lay up for our selves, (you will say,) that we may have somewhat to keep us in a rainy day, and to shelter us when the stormes come, but doe yee lay you up for the time to come? for the world to come? what provision have you made for another world? it may bee you have laid up much for this world, but the great inquiry is, what you have laid up for another world? Surely, they that lay hold of eternall life, are men and women that are now striving to lay up for the time to come.

And then thirdly, 3 You must in this laying up for the time to [Page 42]come, you must doe this worke seriously, and not superficially: soule-worke must be thorow worke, lay up a good foundation, venture not thy hopes of heaven, and eternity upon a sandy foun­dation, upon that that will not hold in the day of trouble, but lay a good foundation, Phil. 2.12. make your calling and election sure, work out your salvation with feare and trembling; Certainely, if ever you get Heaven, it will requite abundantly your paines and care; wee say, here a man may buy gold too deare; it is true, wee may doe so; but a man can never have Heaven at too deare a rate: if thou couldest doe nothing else all thy life long, but all this life long be laying up this good foundation, it is worth all thy paines, to have an inheritance undefiled, [...] Pet 1.4. and that never failes away, and to be made higher then the heavens, and like the great God, to sit upon Christs throne, Ioh. 17.26. Heb. 5.7. and to have Christs love, that the love wherewith thou hast loved mee, (father,) may be in them, and I in them, was Christs great prayer, with strong cryes and groans: if this be not worth all thy labour, surely thou much undervaluest Heaven, and overvaluest all thy labours.

And then not only lay up for your selves, 4 and for time to come, and lay up seriously: but treasure up, (as the word is,) treasure up a good foundation; doe not onely get a little hopes of Heaven, and a little inclination to Heaven, but treasure it up, that you may have grace, and have it in abundance, that this life may dwell richly in you; and in all spirituall understanding.

And not only lay up for a day, 5 when you are hearing of a ser­mon: but be alwayes laying up for your selves a good foundation: [...] laying up denoteth a continued act, when you have been at sermon, goe home, aske thy soule, what have I got now at this sermon for my selfe against time to come? and be ever treasuring up by Or­dinances, and by providences, and by experiences; and when you have done this for your selves, certainly it will teach you won­derfully to be kinde to others: a man that is mercifull to himselfe, and to his owne soule, that man cannot but be a kinde hearted man to others; that man that hath his hope of Heaven, and eternity, that man is fit for every good worke: Therefore charge them that they doe good, and be rich in good workes, and ready to di­stribute, and to communicate; that is in the eighth verse.

Secondly,2. Duty to o­thers. It is not enough for you to be good to your selves, but [Page 43]first you must strive to doe good, as well as to be good; it is a saying of David, in the 119. Psal. Oh! Lord, thou art good, and thou doest good; and be you like to your Heavenly Father, that God may say to you, Well done good children, I see you are good, and you are doing good, it is your life, and glory, and comfort to be doing good. Ioh. 4.34. Let it be your meat and drinke to doe the will of your hea­venly Father.

Secondly, And then in doing good, doe not doe good grudg­ingly, 2 and sparingly, and of necessity, but be rich in good works, be not onely good, but be abundant: this I pray,Phil. 1.9. that your love may abound in all knowledge, that you may approve the things that are excellent, and fruitfull in every good worke, and that the fruits of righteousnes may abound to the glory of God; be sted­fast and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord: 1 Cor. 15. [...]. Charge them to doe good, and that they be rich in good workes.

And then thirdly, That they be ready to distribute: 3 Certainly tis a great duty that God expects from his children, to be willing to communicate their gifts unto others: and when you reade over some passages of the Scripture, especially Job, 29. Job. and the 31. Job. truly it may make Christians blush; we many times speak with a kinde of derogation, and diminution of the Christians of the old Testament: but reade over those Christians in the old Testa­ment, and they may make us, that pretend to have more light, to be ashamed: where Job sayes, I caused the blessing of him that was ready to perish to come upon mee; and when I found him na­ked,Iob. 29.13. Iob. 31.17. Cant. 1.2. Vix contineo lacbrymas, it a pudet temporis torporisque ho­rum temporū, &c. grandis res petitur, opus est verecundia, comitare praesentem commendare pe­tentem. Bern. in Cant. I cloathed him; and I did not eat my morsel alone: when any Christian reades that chapter seriously, he may stand and wonder to see what integrity Job walked in. And I am sure it was a say­ing of Bernard upon that place, Oh! let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth: That the Church longs for Jesus Christ: When I see (saies he) the Church in the old Testament, breath­ing and gasping after Jesus Christ, as the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after the living God (saith he) I cannot look upon this generation wherein I live, but it shames me. Truly, that is one very great thing, that Christians should abound in acts of mercy. Ready to distribute, is not only mens estates, but counsels, and any other help; but that is one great [Page 44]way: and Paul when he commends the Church, I would not have you ignorant of the great grace of God given to Macedouia, how that in a great triall of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality; and 2 Cor. 8. and 9. Chapters are upon that subject,2 Cor. 8.1, 2. how the mi­nistration of this service exceedingly tends, not only to the supply of the necessities of the Saints,2 Cor. 9.12. but is abundant also by many thanks­givings unto God.

And that is one thing that I am intreated to commend to you in these great works of mercy, and you have an object before your eyes, and I shall presently conclude with the reading of the notes of it to you.

I know in these times men may say, Alas! it is an ill time for to make Sermons of being willing to distribute, these are times wherein we have laid out so much, we have scarce any thing left, and the times are hard. But consider what your brethren have undergone; you have laid out much, but others have lost all: and not only their estates, but their husbands, and wives, and sonnes, and daughters: you know not what it is to have a cruell enemy enter your houses, and rip your wo­men with childe: The Lord watch over your City, and keep it from one age to another. And if any one say it is a hard time, we know not what we may want our selves. No, you doe not, you know not where to hide your estates. It was a sad Story Josephus hath of Jerusalem, when it was besieged by the Romans, that many of the Jews melted their gold, and swallowed it down in little bullets, and after fleeing to the besiegers, when they thought themselves safe, they begin to rake their own excrements, to finde that which they had swallowed; in which when it was once espied by a souldier, it was noised about in all the Roman Camp, that the Jews which fled out of the City,Ʋnd necta duo­rum millium viscera put esa­cta, &c. Vid. Joseph. de belli Judai, l 6. c. 15. had their bowels full of gold, whereupon in one night, thousands of the poor Jews had their bowels ripped up by the greedy souldiers, to see if they could finde their gold and riches, laid up in those secret places. But there is a way to hide your treasures, where all the enemies in the world cannot finde them, hide them in the bowels of Gods Saints. There are many poor Christians come out of the West, many peo­ple [Page 45]are ashamed to begg, the Lord make you, as the elect of God, Col. 3.12. to put on bowels of compassion towards them.

And then, you have an object before your eyes, poor fatherlesse children, and to set poor people a work, an admirable way to hide your treasures there, where the thief cannot come to steal. Jam. 5.1. The Apostle said, Goe to, you rich men, Weep and howle, for your miseries that shall come upon you, you have heaped treasures together for the last dayes, you are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath: I, when they are treasuring up wrath, treasure you up mercy against the day of mercy, and make you friends of this unrighteous Mammon, Luk. 16.9. that when these things fail, they may receive you into their everlasting habitations. And then, there is one thing more, Ready to communicate [Communicate] the word is translated divers waies, [...]. and so it is in your margin, sociable: if God hath put power into your hands, speak not roughly: Charge them that be rich, that they doe good works, and be distributing, and very sociable and loving. It was the commendation of Trajan, that all that came to him for ju­stice, they had an easie admission, and they had a speedy dismissi­on, Justin in loc. that the cause was presently heard and determined. To great men, many times, there is hard accesse: a man may come to great men in Courts of Justice, and may a long time expect, and after long expectance, goe away disappointed, but be you sociable, and condescend to the lower sort.

And the third is, Charge them that be rich in good works,3 Duty to­wards God. that they trust not in uncertain riches, but trust in the living God, who gives us all things richly to enjoy: trust in the living God: well, your work is not only to doe with men, but with the great God. And then you have this comfort.

1. This God is the living God; though men, and fathers, and hopes, and armies, and all die, yet the Lord lives, Joh. 14.19. and blessed be our rock, and exalted be the God of our salvation, in Psal. 18. lat [...]end. And because I live (saies Christ) you shall live also: And this living God,

2. He gives to you all things to enjoy: I, all things you have the enjoyment of, they come from God; he gives you all tempo­rall good things to use, and all spirituall and eternall things to enjoy. And that is the distinction Austin follows, That all good [Page 46]things here, are given to us to be used, rather then enjoyed, and they are as ladders to climb up to the Creatour, and the soul should not enjoy them as the ultimate good, but as the subordinate good.

3. And he gives you richly to enjoy all things; who is it hath preserved your houses, and City, and families, and kept the plun­derer from coming into your streets, and the voice of the oppres­sour and destroyer is not heard in your habitations? is it not God that gives you all these things richly to enjoy? Then, Charge them that are rich that they be not high-minded, to trust in un­certain riches, but trust in this living God: I, you that are rich, trust in him that is worth trusting in, the rock of eternity, the God of Salvation, he is our Tower: And then, you that are poor, you have little to trust to else, oh! let your trust be in the great God, you may have enough in him. What can the poor soul want that hath God? the thief may plunder you of your outward e­states, but not of your inward grace; of your outward things, not of God: What hath a rich man? (saiesDelect abun­tur in multitu­dine pacis; dele­ctetur impius in multitudine au­ri, in multitudi­ne argenti, &c. At aurum tuam pax, argentum tuum pax, prae­dia tua pax, vita tua pax, Deu tuas pax, quicquid desi­deras pax tibi erit: bis auram quod est non po­test tibi esse ar­gentum, quod vinum est non potest tibi esse panis, quod tibi lux est non po­test esse potus. Deus tous totū tibi erit. Man­dicabis eumne esurias, bibes eū ne sitias, elumi­naberis ab eo ne sis coecus, sulcie­ris ab eo ne desi­cias, possidebit te totum integrū totus integer, angustias non ibi patieris cum eo, cum quo to­tum possides. Aug. in Psa. 37.11. Psal 63.3. Luk. 12.19. Luk. 16.19. Serm. de temp. Austin) he hath God: and what wants a poor man when he wants not God? God is all things; It is a saying he hath, in Psal. 37. Other comforts they are severed, for gold it will not nourish a man, if a man be hungry, nor actually cloath a man when he is naked, and yet, gold it is not meat formally, it may be so vertually: but take the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is all in all for you; he is meat and drink, and your Sunne, and your shield, and your God all-sufficient. Beloved! I wish I had but so much strength, as to presse upon you, that you would make the Lord, the great living God, the contentment of your souls, that your souls may say, If I have Gods favour, I have enough; that thy loving kindnesse, O God, is bet­ter then this life, and all this world; I had rather have a drop of thy joy, then all the seas of joy, that this world affords; What saies the rich man? Soul, take thy ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years: And Dives, he fared deliciously every day: but the time came, when this man begg'd for a drop of water, and he begs it from the hands of Lazarus, who had begged of him a crum of bread: And it is a saying of Austin, He was fain to begg a drop of water, that had refused to give a crum of bread; and he that would not give a crum of bread to Lazarus, when he was living, [Page 47]could not receive a drop of water to cool his tongue, when he was dead: there is enough in God to content thee, and there is enough in God to content the Angels, and all the Saints that are gone be­fore us: and is there not enough in God to content thee? Chuse God to be thy portion, and say, Lord, whom have I in heaven, but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire in comparison of thee; give me but thy love, and I have enough, be thou my God all-suffici­ent, and my exceeding great reward. I am to read a little Note here unto you (I have held you a long time) An account, &c.

I shall need no other Arguments to move you to acts of this na­ture, then to intreat you, when you are gone home, to read the text over, and remember it is the great charge God hath laid upon you, that you would not be high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives you all things to enjoy, and that you would doe good, and be ready to communicate, and by this way, cleaving to Christ, you shall lay up to your selves a good foundation against the time to come, and lay hold upon eter­nall life.