^jI*'";^'-^'* PERKINS LIBRARY Duke Universi <7 Kare Dooks cOid/^ r Uy^JU^JjKX. /ALLE7, AND SOLD 3Y JOHN DICXINSf NO. 44, NORTH SECOND STREET, NEAR ARCH STREET, M DCC XCIV. [ iii ] TO THE INHABITANTS OP KIDDERMINSTER. My Dear Friends, JF either I or my labours have a;iy thing of public ufe or worth, it is wholly (though not only) yours. And I am convinced by Provi- dence, that it is the will of God k fliould be fo. This I clearly difcerned in my firft coming^^p you, in my former abode with you, and in the time of my forced abfence from you. When I was fer paraled by the mifevies of the late unhappy war, I durft not fix in any other congregation, bit« lived in a military unpleafing ftate, left I fliould forellaH my return to you. The offers of greater worldly accomodations were no temptation to ni<: once to queftion whether I fnould leave you : your free invitation of my return, ypur obedi- ence to my dcclrine, the ftrong afTe^lion v.-hich Ihave yet towards you above all people, and the general hearty return of love which I find from you, do all perfuade me, that I was fent into the world efpecially for the fervice of your fouls : and that even when I am dead, I might be yet a help to your falvation, the Lord hath forced. O ^J ^ *"? O -'^ ii i o o i:^ o [ IV J me, quite befide my own refolution, to write this treat if(', and leave it in your hands. It was far from iViV thoughts ever to have become thus pub- lic, and burdened the world with any writing of nine : therefore have I often refifted the requeft of my leverend brethren, and fome fuperiors^ who might clfe have commanded much more at iiiy hanii.s. But fee how God over-ruleth and crolTcih our refolutions ! Being in my quarters far from home, cad in- to extreme languiOiing (by the fudden lofs of a- bout a gallon of blood, after many years fore- going weuknefs, and having no acquaintance Tibout me, nor any book but my Bible, and lir- ing in eontinual expedition of death, I bent my thoughts on my everlafling reft: and becaufe my memory, through extreme weaknefs, was imper- fect, ^V*'took my pen, and began to ciravr up my own funeral fermon, or fome help for my owa meditations of heaven, to fweeten both the reft of my life, and my death. In this condition God was pleafed to continue me about five months from home ; where being able for nothing elfe, I went on with this work, which lengthened to this which you here fee. It is no w^onder therefore if I be too abrupt in the begmning, fee- ing I [hen intended but the length of a fermon or two. Much lefs may you wonder if the whole be very imperfe de- lights of the glutton, the drunkard, and of all volup- tuous The Saints Everlafiing Refl, 21 tuouG fenrualifts whatfoever ; lo excellent is all truth. Wl)at then is their delight, who know the God of tnith ? What would I not %l'^'^^ fo that all the uncer- tain principles in logic, natural philofophy, metaphy- fic8, and medicine, were but ce; tain ? And that my dull, obfcure notions of them, were but quick ai d clear ? O what then would I not perform, or part with, to enjoy a clear and true apprchenfion of the mod true God ! How noble a faculty of the foul is the undtr- llandlng ! (t can compafs the earth ; it can meafurc the fun, moon, ftars, and heaven ; it can foreknow each ecl'pfe to a minute, many years before : yea but this is the top of all its excellency, it can know God,. who is infinite, who made all tliefe ; a little here, and much more hereafter. O the wifdom and good- nefs of our blefied Lord ! he hath created the under- ftanding with a natural bias to truth, and its ohjt'd ; and to the prime truth as its prime objedi : and left we (hould turn afide to any creature^ he hath kept this as his own divine prerogative, not communicable to any creature, viz. to be the prime truth. Didd thou never look fo long upon the Son of God, till thine eyes were dazzled with his aftonifhing ^\o' ry ? and did not the fplendor of it make all thincrs below feeni black and dark to thee, when tho'i l^ok- edd down again, efpecially in the days of fdffering for Chr'ijl (when he ufually appears mod maiiifedly to his people ?) didd thou never fee o-ie fwill'ing in the midji of the fiery furnace ^i ith thee, like the Son of God ? If thou know him, vahie him ss thy life, and follow on to know him ; and thou fhalt ksow incomparably more than this. Or if I do but renew thy grief, to tell thee what thou once didd feel, but now had lod ; I counfel thee to remrmher ivhen e thou art fall er;^ ni repent, and do the Jifi Ivor's, rnd be ii^ tchfuly and frengthen the thinys nvhich remain ; and I dare promife thee, (becaufe God hath promifedj thou iTialt fee ind know 2 2 The Saints Everhijling Reji, know that which here thine eye could not fee, nor tiiy underitanding conceive. Believe me, chfiftians, yea, bclitve God; you that have known moft of God in C/' //? here, it is notliing to that you fliall know ; it fcarce, in comparifon of that, deferves to "be called knowledge. i he difference betwixt our knowledge now, and our knowledp^e then, will be as gr<;at as that between ourflefhly bodies now, and our fpiritual bodies then. For as thefe bodies, fo that knowledge rauil ceafe, tliat a more perfeft may fuc- ceed. Our filly childifh thoughts of God, which now is the higheft we can reach to, muft give place to a move manly knowledge. Marvel not, therefore, how it can be life eternal to Inoiv L'od ..nd his Son Jefus Chrifl : to enjoy God and his Chrif. is et-ernal life, and tl-e foul's enjoying 13 in knowing. They that favour only of earth, and have no way to judge but by fenfe, and never were acquainted with this knowledge of God, think it a poor happinefs to know God. Let them have health and wealth, and worldly delights, and take you the other. Alas, poor men ! they that have made trial of both, do not envy your happinefs : O that you would come near, and tafte and try as they have done, and then judge ; then continue in your former mind, if you can. For our parts we fay with that knowing apufUe, (though the fpeech may feem prefumptuous) I yohnx. 19, 20. IVe know that zvs are o/GoT)., ar.d the whole ivorld I'leth in iulke:hiefs : and ice knozo that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an underfland- ingf thut nvc may know htm that is true ; and ii-e are in Um :h It is truei in his Son Jefus Chrift : this is the true God and eternal life. The Son of God is come to be our head and fountain of life, ai:d hath given vs on KKderfUrding, that the foul may be made capable to know him (GoD; that is true^ the prime truth ; fMd m£ are brought fo near to this enjoyment, that ive The Saints Everlajihig Rejl. 2 j are in him that it true ; we are in him, by beinp^ in hit Son Jefus Chrifl: : this is the true G^ J, and lb the fitrtfl objedl for our underflanding, arul this knowing of him, and being in him, in Ghiifl, is eternal fife. And donbtlefs the memory will not be idle in this blefkd work. If it be bat by looking back, to hcip the foul to value its enjoyment. Our knowledge will be enlarged, not diminifhed ; therefore tlie know- ledge of things pad (hail not be taken away. From that height the faint can look behind him and before him : and to compare pad with prefcnt things, mull needs raife in the bleffed foul an unconceivable fenfe of its condition. To ftand on that mount, whence we can fee the wlldernefs and Canaan botli at onrc ; to Hand in htaven, and look back on earth, and wei;ih them together in the balance, how mull it tranfport the foul, and make It cry out. Is this the purchafe that coll fo dear as the blood of God? O bleflVd price, and thrice blefled love 1 Is this the end of believing? is this the end of the Spirit's workings ? have the galea of grace blown me into fuch an harbour ? is it hither tlia: Chri/i hath inticed my foul ? O blefled way, and thrice blefled end ! Is thistlie glory which the fcriptures fpoke of, and miniflers preached of fo much ? Now I fee the gofpel indeed is good tidinprs, even tidi^igs cf great joy to ■If n fio s ! Is my m.ourn- ing, my fading, my heavy waljfing, groanings, com- plainings, come to this ? Are all my afilidions and fears, a 1 Satan's temptations and the world's fcorns, coT^e to this .^ O vile nature, that relided fuch a blefling ! Unworthy foul ! is this the place thou camefl: fo unvvilling to ? was the world too good to lofe I didd thou flick at leaving all, denying all, and fuf- ferinor any thing for this ? O falfe heart ! that had alinod betrayed me to eternal flames, and lod me this glory ! O l)a!'' flefli ! that wmild needs have been pleafed, though ;o the lofs of this felicity ! didd thou make 24 The Saints Everlnjling Rejl. make me to queftlon tlie truth of tlils glory ? didfl: thou diaw me to dlibiirt the Lord ? My Ibul, art thou not afiiamcd that ever thou didll qu= hath brought thee hither? that thou wall jealous of the faithfuhicfs of thy Lord ? that thou fufpediedd his love, when thou rtiouldil have only fufptftcd thyfclf ? that thou did[t not live continu- ally tranfported with thy Saviour's love ? and that ever thou quenchedil a motion of his fpirit ? art thou not afliamed of ail thy hard thoughts of fuch a God? of all thy mif-interpreting thofe piovidences, and re- pining at thofe ways that have fuch an end ? Now thou art convinced that the ways thou calledfl: hard, and the cup thou calledft bitter, were neceffary : that tliy Lord meant thee better than thou wouldll be- lieve : and that thy Redeemer was faving thee, as well when he crofled thy defires, as when he granted them ; as well when he broke thy heart, as when he bound it up. No thanks to thee, for this crown j but io Jehovah andihe Lumhjor ever. Thus, as the memory of the wicked will eternally promote their torment, to look back on the fin com- mitted, the grace refufed, Chr'ijl negletted, and time lod : fo will the memory of the faints for ever pro- mote their joys. Eut O the full, the near, the fweet enjoyment, is that of the afft6lions, love and joy: it is near, for love is the effence of the foul, and love is the effence of God. God u love, and he ih.J diveUeth in love dweileth in God, a;.d God in hivu The adding of this affed^ion wherefoevcr, carrieth much delight with :t ; efpecially when the object appears dcferviwg, and the affcdtlon is flrong. But what will it be, when perfed affediions fliall have the ftrongtO:. perfed a6l- sng upon the mod perfeft object ? Now the poor foul complains; O that I could live Ckriji more ! but I cannot, The Saints Everlajling Reji, 25 cannot, alas, I cannot: yea, but then thou canfl not choofe but love him ; I had almoll fald. foibtar if thou cand. Now thou knowefl little of his amiable- nefs, and therefore loved little ; then thitie eye will aiTeft thy heart, a-id the continual viewing of that perfect beauty, will keep thee in continual ravirtiments of love. Now thy falvation is not perfcded, nor all the mercies purchaftd, yet given in : but when the topflone is fet on^ th u fkalt iv'ith JJooutl gs c y gr ce, grace. Chriftians, doth it now ftir up your love, to reniember all the experiences of his love ; to look back upon a life of mercies ? doih not kindnefs melt you ? and the funfiiine ©f divine goodntfs warm your frozen hearts? What will it do then, when yon fliall live in love, and have all in him, who is all? O the high delig'its of love ! of this love ! the content that the heart findvth in it ! the fatisfadi-.m it brings along with it ! furely love is both work and wages. And if this were all, v^^hat a high favour, that Goi> will gwQ us leave to love him ! that he will vouchfafe to be embraced by fuch arms that have embraced fm before him ! But this is not all, he returneth love for love : nay, a thoufand times more, as pcrfcft as v^ (hall be, we cannot reach Ins mcafure of love : c; tian, thou wilt then be b' inful of love ; yet 1 • as much as thou canft, thou fhalt be ten thoufaiui ^jes more beloved. Doft thor. think thou can« ov-. = iove him ? what, love more than love itfolf ! wer " the arms of the Son of God open upon the crofs, end am open pafTage made to his hcait by the fpear ? and will not arms and heart be open to thee in glor) ? .lid he begin to love befoie thou lovedft, and will he nc: con- tinue now ? did he love thee an enemy ? thee a finner? thee who even loathcdft tbyfelf ? and own tl-^c when thou didil difclaim thyfelf ? and will he nor mvv un- meafurably love thee a fon ? thee a perfed fai.r ? thee ¥/ho returncftlove for love ? thoti wall wont ir./.rio.;f- c V 26 The Sahits Everlafling Rejl. ly to queftion his love : doubt of it now if thou canft. As the pains of hell will convince the rebellioud fin- ner of God's wrath, who would never before behevc it : fo the joys of heaven will convince thee through- ly of that love which thou wouldll fo hardly be per- fuadc'd of. He that in love wept over the old Jerufa' hm near her ruins; with what love will he rejoice over the new Jtrufulem in her glory ? Methinks I fee liiiu groaning and weeping over dead Lazarus ^ till he forced the Jews that Hood by to fay, Behold hotu he loved him! Will he not then much more by rejoicing, over us, make all (even the damned, if they fee it) fay, behddhoiu he lovdh ihem ! Here is the heaven of heaven J thefruition of God : in thefc mutual embracements of love, doth it confift. To love, and be beloved : 1 hc/e are the everlajiiwg arms that are undcrneoth : his left hand is under their heads, and ivith his right hand doth he embrace ihem. Stop here and think a while what a flate this if. Is it a fmall thing to be beloved of God? to be the foil, the fpoufe, the love, the delight of the King of glory ? Believe this, and think on it : thou fhalt be eternally embraced in the arms of that love, which was from everlafting and will extend to evtrlalting ; of that love, which bt ought the Son of God's love from hea- ven to earth, from earth to the crofs, from the crofs to the grave, from the grave to glory ; that love, which v/as weary, hungry, tempted, fcorned, fcourg- ed, buffeted, fpit upon, crucified, pierced ; which did fa ft, pray, teach, heal, weep, fweat, bleed, die.: that love will eternally embrace them. When perfedl created love, and moll perfect uncreated love pieet to- gether, O the blefTcd meeting ! It will not be like Jo- Jt-ph and his brethern, who lay upon one another's necks ■weeping ; it will break forth into pure joy ; not a mix- ture of joy and foirow ; it will be loving and rejoicing, not The Saints Kverlafting Reft. 27 not loving and forrowing : yet will it make Fh raoPt (S van's) court to ring, with tht- news that jfifeph^s brethren are come ; that the faints are arrived fafe at the bofom of Chriji, out of the reach of hell for ever. And now are we not left in the apoflle's admiration ? tvhai Jhall ive Jay to thife fhv:gs ? Infinite love mull needs be a myftery to a finite capacity. No wonder, if angels defire to pry into the myitery ; and if it be the Ihidy of the faints here, to kno">i> the hei^hth and b^eaflthf and length ^ and depth of this love^- thnu Jo if p-'Jfcth knovuledge : this is the faints rcll in the fruition of God by love. Lajlly, The affedion of joy hath not the lead fiiare in this fruition. The inconceivable complacency which the blefftd feel in their feeing, knowing, lov- ing, and being beloved of God. The delight of the fenfes here, cannot be known by exprtllions, as they are felt-: how much lefs this joy? Th's is the zch'ite Jlone, "johkh none knowcth but he th':t rert'i'ucfh: and if there be any joy which the fti anger meddleth not with, then fiirely this, above all, is it All Chrijl's ways of mercy tend to, and end in the faints joys. He wept, fonowed, fuffered, that they might rejoice : he fendeth the fpii it to be their comforter : he multi- plieth promifcs, he difcovers their future happinefs, that their joy might be full ; he aboundeth to them in mercies of all forts : he maketh them lie doivn tn green pn/lurest a>'.d leadeth t^-em hy thejltllivaters ; yea, open- eth to them the fountain of living waters, thut their joy may he fill, that they may thirjl no more, and that it truy Ipring up in them to eVirlaJliny life: he caufeth them to fufFer, that he may caufe them to rejoice ; and chafteneth them, that he may give them reft ; and maketh them (as he did himfelf to drink of the brook in the -ivay, that they may lift up the head, Pfalm ex. 7. And left after all this they Ihould ne- gled 28 The Saints Everlq/ihg Reft. gleet their own comforts, he maketh it their duty, commaBding them to rejoice in him alivay. And he never brings them into fo low a condition, wherein he leaves them not more caufeof joy than of forrow. And hith the Lord fuch a care for us heie j where, the bridegroom being frona us, we mud mourn ? O ! what will that joy be, where, the foul being perfe6l- ly prepared for joy, and joy prepared by Chrill for the foul, it (hall be our work, our bufinefs eternally And it feems the faints joy fhall be greater than .^ic damned's torment : for th^ii torment is the torment of creatures, prepared for (he devil and his ar.geh : but our joy is the joy of our Lord, even our Lord's own joy r4i?.ll we enter. And the fame <^Iory ii-hich the Fa^ $' er giveth hlmy doth the Son give them, John xvii. 22. And to fii. down Tvith him in his ihtone, even a^s he is Jet /Jcion inh'ti F.!(h.'>*s ihrunef Rev. iii. 2 1. Thoti that now fptndcll; thy days in ffirrow, who knowcA no, g-Ai-ments but fackcloth, no food but the bread and water of afllicilons, what fayeft thou to this great change ? from all forrow to more than all joy ? Thou poor foul, who prayeft for joy, complained for want of joy, then thou {halt have full joy, as much as thou caiitl hold, and more than ever thou tboughted on, or thy heart de fired. And in the meantime walk carefully, watch con- flantly, and then let God meafure out thy times and degrees of joy. It may be he keeps them till thou had more need ; thou mayft better lofe thy comfort, than thy fafety : as the joy of the hypocrite, fo the fears of the upriglu, ate but for a moment. Weeping miy iii.-ure for a nighty but joy cometh in the morning, O blelTed morning ! Poor drooping foul, how would, it fill thee with joy now, if a voice ftom heaven dioul4 aiTure ihee of thy part in thefe joys ! What then will thy The Saints Everlajllng Rejl, 29 thy joy be, when thy adlual pofltffion Hiall convince thee of thy title : when the angels (hall bring thee to Chrifly and when Chnjl fliall (as it were) take thee by the hand, and had thee into thy purchafcd pofTchion I "Wilt thou not be almod ready to draw back, and to fay, What f, Lord, I, the unworthy neglectcr of thy grace ! 1, the unworthy difelleemer of thy blood, and fjighter of thy love ! Muft 1 have this glory ? Alake me an hleJ fer-uant^ I am no more ivorthy lo he called a Jon : but love will have It fo j therefore thou mull en- ter into his joy. Arid it is not thy joy only : it is a mutual joy, as ^*ell as mutual love : is there fuch joy in heaven at thy converfion, and will there be none at thy glorifica- tion ? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and congratulate thy fafeariival? Yea, it is the joy of Jejus ChnJl : for now he hath the end of his labour, fuffering, dying, when we have our joys; ivhen he is ^hr'ijied in his Jaints, and admired in all them that believe. IVe are his feed, and the fruit of his fouVs travnily fwhifb nuhen hefeeth, he nvil! be futisjled i he will rejoice over his purcliafed inheritance, and his people fhall rejoice in him. Yea, the Father himfelf puts on joy too, in our joy ; as we grieve his fpirit, and weary him with our iniquities ; fo he is rejoiced in onrgood. O how quick- ly here doth he fpy a returning prodigal, even afar off ! How di)th he run and meet him, fall on his neck, and kifs him ! This is indeed a happy meeting : but nC' thing to thcjoy of that laft and great meeting. And now look back upon 7.11 this ; I fay to thee as the angel to Johi, Wh t hajl thou feen ? Or if yet thou perceive not, draw nearer, come up higher, Cotne and fee: doll thou fear thou hall been all this while in n dream ? Why, Theje are the iruefayings o/God. Do(h C 2 thoii o o The Sahits Everlajling Reft. thou fear as the difclplcs) that thou haft feen but a ghoft inilead of Chr'ijl ? a Ihadow inllead of ti e reft ? Come near, and feel : a fliaduw contains not thofe fubtlantlal bleffings, nor refts upon fuch a fure word of promife, as you have feen thefe do. Go thy way now, and tell the dilciples, and tell the drooping fouls thou mceteft with, that ihou haft, in this glafs, feen heaven ; that the Lord indeed is rifen, and hath here appeared to ihee^ and behold he is gone before us into reft ; and that he is no-.v preparing a place for them, und will come again, and take them to himfelf, that s for our fakes, wanted not its glory. If the angels of heaven niuft be the mclfengcvs of that coming;, as be- ing Tidings of joy to all people : and the heavenly hoft mud acconnpany his nativity, and miift praife God with that folemnity : O with what (houtings will an- gels and faints at that day proclaim, Gh'y to God, an.i peace and ^ooi-^will to .xanh men ! If the ftars of heaven muft lead men to come to worfhip a child in a manger, how will the glory of his next appearing con drain all the world to acknowledge his fovtreign- ty ! If when he was in the form ofafervant, they cry out, What manner of man is this^ that loth nuind and/ea oSey him ! What fhall they fay when they fhall fee him coming in his glory, and the heavens and earth obey hinj ? Then fhall appar the fign of the Son cf man in he^ven^ and th^n fload all the tribes of the earth mourn, and thty Jhall fee the Son of man coming in the clouds oj heaven nxith power and great glory. This coming' of C/6r/,/? is frequently mentioned in the prophets, as the great fiipport of his people's fpirits till then. And whenever the apoftles would quicken to duty, or en/:ourage to patient waiting, they ufual- ly do it by mentioning Chfift\ coming. Why then do we not ufe more this cordial confideration, when- ever we want fiipport and comfort ? Shall the wicked with inconceivable horror behold him, and cry out. Yonder is he whofe blood v^'e negle£led, whofe grace we redded, whofe couufcls we refufed, whofe go- vernment we cad off! And thall not the faints, with inconceivable gladnefs, cry out, Yonder is he whofe blood redeemed us, whofe fpirit cleanfed us! Yonder comes he in whom we truded, and now we fee he hath not deceived our trud : he for whom we long waited, and now we fee we have not waited in vain' O how fuould it then be the charader of a chridian, To wait for the Son of God from heaven, luhom he raifed from ths ds^id, exsn Jefus ivhich delivered us from the tijrath 34 Ths Saints Everlajllng Rejl, vurath to come! I Tlieff. I. lo. And with all faith* ful diligence, to prepare to meet our Lord with joy. /\nd feeing liIs coming is of purpofe to be glorified in- his fa'mtSi an J a.Jmired in all them that believe ; what thought fhould glad our hearts more than the thought of that day? A httle while indeed we have not feen- hims but yet n lilile ivhUe ani ive Jhall fee him, for he hath faid, / ivill not leave y.u comforllefs , but tuill come unto you. We were comforllefs fliould he not come. And while we daily gaze and look up to hea- ve, after him, let us remember what the angel fai i, 7 his fame Jcfus 'uhiih is taken up from you into heaven^ JJiall fo come in like manner, as ye have feen him go int§ heaven. Let every chrlftian that heareth and readfth, fay, Come; and our Lord himfelf faith, Surely J come quickly y amen, even fo come Lord Jcfus. The fecond ftream that leadeth to paradife, if that great work of Jefus Chrift, in raifing our bodies from the dull, uniting them again unto the foul. What, faith the atheill, fliall all thefe fcattered bones and dull become a man? Thou fool, dofl thou difpute againfl; the power of the Almighty? Doll thou ob- ject difficulties to infinite ilrength? Thou blind mole! thou little piece of creeping, breathing clay ! But come thy way, let me take thee by the hand, and with reverence (as ElihuJ plead for God; and for that power whereby I hope to arife. Seed thou this great, mafi) body of the earth ? upon what foundation doth it (land ? Seeft thou this vail ocean of waters ? what limits them, and why do they not overflow and drown the earth? whence is that conftant ebbing and flow- ing of her tides? wilt thou fay from the moon, or other plautts ? and whence have they that influence ? Mull thou not rome to a caufe of caufes, that can do all things? Ai'd doth not reafon require thee, to con- ceive of that caufe as a perfeft intelligence, and vo- lantary agent, and not fuch a blind worker and empty QOtioik The Saints Everlajling Refl. 35 iiotion as that nothing is, v^hich thou calleft nature ? What thinkeft thou ? Is not that power able to effc6l thy refurred^ion, which doth all this ? Is it not ae eafy to raife the dtad, as to make heaven and earth, and all out of nothing? But if thou be unperfuadable, all 1 fay to thee more is as the prophet to the prince o£ .Samaria y 2 Kings vii. 19.. Thou /halt fee that day tuith X thine eyes i but little to thy comfort ■; for that which is .the day of relief to the faints, fhallbe a day of re- <^enge on thee. Come then, fellow-chriftians, let us commit thefe carcafes to the dull : that prifon fhall not long contain them. Let us lie dawn in peace and take our reft: it will not be an everlailing night, or endlefs deep What if we go out of the troubles and (lirs of the world, and enter into thofe chambers of duft, and the doors ; be (hut upon us, and we hide our fe Ives, as it were, for a little moment until the indignaticn be overpajl ? Yet, behold the Lord cometh out of his place to pun'r/h the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquty : and then the earth fliall difclofe us, and the dull fhall hide us no more. <^s fure as we awake in the morning, when we have flept out the night, fo fuie (hall we thea ^wake. Lay down then cheerfully this lump of corruption : thou fhalt undoubtedly receive it again in incorrup- . tion. Lay down freely this terreftriah this natural "^body : thou (halt receive it again a celeftial, a fpi- ritnal body. Though thou lay it down with great dilhonour, thou fhalt receive it in glory ; and though thou art feparated from it through weaknefs, it fhall be raifed aj^ain in mighty power. When the trumpet of God fliall found the call. Come atvayt rif ye dead; who fliall then ftay behind ? Who can refift the pow- erful command of our Lord ? When he fhall call to the eartli and fea, earthy jea, ^ive up thy dead: the 3 5 The Saints EverlaJIing Rejl. the firft that fliall be called are the faints that fleep ; and then the faints that are alive fhall be changed. For they nvh'tcb are alfve, and remain till the cumin^ of the \^or^^ Jf^all not prevent them ivhich are ojleep. For (he Lord htmfelf Jlj.ill defcend from heaven iv'tth a floout, , fivith the voice of the arch-angeJ^ and txith the trump of God ; and the dead in Chnjl JJ:all rifefrfl. Then they nvhich are alive and remain^ Jhall he caught up together nuith them in the clouds ^ to meet the Lord in the air ; and fo Jloa'd ive ever he ivith the Lord. Triumph now, O chriftian 1 in thefe promifcs : thou (halt fhortly tri- umph in their performance : for this is the day that the Lord ivill make ; IFe Jh.'^U he glad and rtjoice therein. The grave that could not keep our Lord, cannot keep us : he arofe for us, and by the fame power will caufe us to arife. For if ivt believe th.Jt Jtfiis died androfe again ; ei'^n fo them aff 'which fleep in efiis, ivill God bring iv'th him. Therefore 1ft our hearts be glad, and our glory rejoice, and our flefh al- fo rell; in hope ; for he will not leave us in the grave, nor fufFer us ft ill to fee corruption. Yea, therefore let us hejledfafly unmovcahle^ alixays abounding in the wori . of the Lord, for as much as ive know qur labour is not in , n}uin in the Lord. The third part of this prologue to the faints reft, IS Uie folemn procefs at their judgmeiit, where they fhall fird themfelves be jutlified ; and then with Chrift judge the world. All the world mufi there appear, young and old, of all eflates and nations, that ever vere from the c; eat Ion to that day. 'I'hc jtidgment . fliall be fet, and the books opened, and the book of life pioduced : and the deid fl:a'l be judged out of thofe things iK^hich ivtre i^ritten in the books, according to their nrorksy and ivhofocver is not found vjvitten in the booh of life, is ca/l into the Lhe of Jire^ O terrible ! O joy- ful day ! Terrible to thofe that have not watched, 4>ut forgot the coming of their Lmd ! Joyful to the faints^ The Splints EvenaJIin^ Red. 37 faints, whofe waiting and liope was to fee this day ! Then (hdll the world behold the goodnefs and leverity of the Lord ; on them who perifh, feverity ; but to his chofen, goodnefs. When every one nuifl give ac- count of his ftewardfliip ; and every talent of tinie» health, wit, mercies, afHidlion, means, warnings, mulh be reckoned for. When the fins of youtlt, and thofc which they had forgotten, and their fccret fins fhall be laid open before angels and men : when they fliall fee sll their fiiends, wealth, old delights, all their c^ifi- dence and falfe hopes forfake them. IVhcn they Ihall fee the Lord Jefua whom they negleded, whofe wtiid they difobeyed, whofe minificrs they abufed, whofe fervants they hated, now fitting to judge themi when their own confciences (hall cry out againll them, and call to their remembrance all their mildoings Remem- ber, at fuch a time fiich or fuch a fm; at fuch a time ^rfft fued hard for thy converfion : the Minillei pref- Ito it home to thy heart, thou wait touched to the quick with ti»J word; thou didit purpofc audpromlfe returning, and yet thou didfl c^lt off all. (3 w liicli way will the wretched fmncr look ! O who can con- ceive the thoughts of his heart ! Now tiie world can- not help him ; liis old companions cannot help him ; the faints neither can nor will; only the Lord Jefus can : but there is the mifery, he will not : nay, with- out violating the truth of his word, he cannot : tho' otherwifc, in regard of his abfolute power, he might. The time was, fmner, when Chrift would, and yon would not ; and now, fain would you, and he wii! not. What then remains but to cry to the mountains. Fall on us ; and the hills cover us [rem ths prcfencc of htm that fits upon the throne I But all in vain! for thou haft the Lord of mountains and hills for thine ene- my, whofe voice they will obey, and not thine. Sin- ner, make not light of this ; for as thou livelt (ex- cept a thorough change prevent it) thou fliak (hortly, lo thy inconceivable horror, fee that day. D Poor 58 Th£ Saints Everlajling Hejl. Poor earelefs finner, I did not think here. to. have faid fo much to thee: but if thefc hncs fall into thy Jiaiids, / charge thee before God, end the Lord Jefus Chrill, ruho Jhalt judge the qu'uk and the dead at hif appearing., and his kingy^rn; that thou make hade and gtt alone, apd fet ihyfclf fadly to ponder thefe things. Ail-c thy heart, is this true, or is it not ? Is there fucK .a day, aud muft 1 fee it ? What do J then ? Is it not time, full time, that I had made fure of v hrill and comfort long ago? Should 1 iil Itill another day, who liave loll fo many ? Fritnd, 1 ptofefs to thee from the word of the Lord, that of all thy fwtet fins, there will then be nothing left but the (ting in thy confci- ence, which will be never out through iM eternity. But why trembled thou, O gracious foul! He that .would not overlook one J^ot in S d'tn, nay. tliat could do nothing till he went foith; will he forge*: thee at that day ? Thy Lord knoueth hotv to deiivtr ihe gody cut of tempt itioriy and to rtferve thr ur'jufl to the a ay nf jui^gment to be punijht i : he knowcth how to make the fame day the grtattit terror to his foes, and yet tliC ,greatefl joy to his people. 1 here u n-) cor.iltmnation t§ them that are in Chrilt Jcfus, ni'ho nvalk not afet the Ji^Jht but after the jpirit. And, -iihofh U luy any thttg to the charge of God's ele£l? Sliall the law.? Why, fwhatfosver the law fatth^ it faith to them tbc^ are under tlte law : but we are not unuer the laiVy but .vn-icr grace : for the law of the Jpirit of life,, nnhich is in Chtift Jefus, hath made us free from the /a gf- Jln ana death. Or (hall confcience ? We were long ago jujiyied by faith f and fo have peace '^ ith G049 and have our hearts fprinkled from an evil confciencez and the fpirit bearing witnefs with our fpirtts^ that we are the children of _GoA» A w God that jujliftethf whfi Jha-.l condemn? If our judge condemn us not, wlio /hall? He that faid to tlir adulterous woman. hMh fi9 man condemnsd thee? Neither do I condemn thet\: He The Saints Ever hiding Rcjl. 39- He will fay to us, (more faithfully than Peter to him) Though all men reny the?, or condemn the?, I 'will not. Thou haft confejfid me before men^ and I ni'tll conjfjs thee before my Father and the angels in heaven. What inexprefiible joy mr\y this r.fford a believer ? Gur dtar Lord fhall he our j idge. "Will a man fear to be judged by his deareft friend, by a brother, hj a father, or a wife by her own hufband ? Did he come down, and fufFer and weep, and bleed, and die for thee; and will he now condemn thee ? Was he judg- ed and condemned, and executed in thy (lead, and now will he condemn thee? Hath it colt him fo dear to fave thee ? and will he now deflroy thee ? Hath lie done the moft of the work already, in jullifying, pre- ferving and peifefting thee ? and vlll he now undo all again ? O what an unreafonable fm is unbelief, that will charge our Lord with fuch abfut cities ! Well then, feilow-chriftians, let the terror of that day be never fo great, o\ir Lord can mean no ill to us in all. Let it make the devils tremble ; and the wick- ed tremble ; but it fhall make us leap for joy. And it mud needs afFeft us deeply with the {cm the pre fence of the hor^, and ft ora the ghry of his p'yie^-. And now is Dot here enough to ir.ake tlat diiy a welcome day, and the thoughts of it tlcllghtful to KM ? But yet there is more. We (hall he fo far from the drtad of that judgment, that our- ftlves fh.all become the judges. Chrift will take his pev)ple, as it were into commifHon with him ; and they Ihi.ll ill a:id appiovc his righteous jiidgmeKt. *Do yu not hoiv ih t the / tuts fj^^ll }udge the rn^orld ? j-^ay. Know y.u not that 'ueJkaU judge nngeh r Surely, Mtre It not the ^vord of Oiriil thai fpeaka it, this ad- vancemejit would fttm incredible, yet even Enoch, t'ae feventh from A<-arn^ prophtficd of this ; faying, J^eholj the Lord cometh with ten thoufnd of h s fdiuts^ 10 cxrcute jud^ir.eni upcn ally an i eonv.'nce a'/ ih.it are urigod'y riniOi g ihirriy cf thtir ungodly deed, nxhith they /? i: e un^odldy committed \ and of aH their hard JfcecheSy .ilh ftrv::nt heat ; the earth afo, and the nuorks that are therein he bumf up ! When all fhall be on fire about iheir ears, and all earthly glory con fumed. For the heavers^ and the earth avkich are aoxu, by the fame i( ord are ktpt in flore, refrved unto fire againfl the day ofjudgn.enty cind perdition cf ungodly men. Seeing then all thffe things Jhall be dfpjivsJy ix-hat manner of perfons ought ye to be in rm. This is the preparation of his counfcl ; for the execution whereof Chrid was yet to Kiake a further preparation. [Fcr you] Not for be- lieveis only in general, but for you in particular. l^F' om the ffyundaUon (f the I'.orld] Not only from tiie prcmife after Adufti^ fa^l, but from eternity. But a difficulty arifcth incur way. Fn what fenfe is our improvement of our talent, our well-duing, our overcoming, our harbouring, vifiting, fecdin;^ Chiid in his little ones, alledged as a reafcn of our coronation and glory ? Is it not the purchafed poffef- fiv)n, and mere fruit of Chrift's blood ? If every man mull be judged according to his works, and receive according to what they have done in the flefh, u'he- ther good or evil ; if God will render to every man acurd'm^ ii- his deeas^ Rom. ii. 6, 7. and give eternal life to all men, if they patiently continue in well do- ing ; if he will give right to the tree of life, i^fv, xxii. 14. and entrance into the city, to the doers of his commandments ; and if this laft abfolving fentence be the com.pleting of our iuilification ; and fo the do- (is of tbt; laiv be j'jj}ifi£j^ Rom, ii. 13. then what is become The Saints Everlafnng ReJI. 45 become of free grace? or juflification by faith or.Iy ? of the fole righteoufnefs of ChriR to make us accepted ? I anfwer, 1. Let not the names of men draw thee one way or other, nor make thee partial in fearchini^ for the tiiith : diflike the men for their iinfound dodlrine ; but call not do^^rine unfound, becaufe it is theirs : nor found becaufe of the repute of the writer. 2. Know tin's, that as an unhumbled foul is far apter to give too much to duty and perfonal righte- oufuefs, than to Chiift j fo an humble felf-denying cliriftian is as likely to err on the other hand, in giv- ing lefs to duty than Chrifl: hath given, and laying ail the work from himfelf on Chrift, for fear of robbing Chrift of the honour; and fo much to look at Chrilt without him, and think he fhould look at nothing in liimfelF; that he forgets Chrift within him. 3. Our giving to Chrift more of the woik than fciipture doth, or lather our afcribing it to him out of the fcripture way, doth but diiTionour, and not honour him ; and dcprefs, but not exalt his free grace : while we deny the inward fandifying work of his fpirit, and extol his free juftification, which are equal fruits of iiis merit, we make liim an imperfeft Savi- our. 4. But to arrogate to ouiftlves any part of Chi/ft's prerogative, is moft defperate of all, and no doctrine more diredly overthrows the gofpcl almoft. than that of juftification by the merits oi our own, or by works of the law. And thus we have feen the chriftian fafely landed in pav'^dife ; ar.d conveyed honourably to his reft. Now let us a little further view thofc maniions^ corr- fid.r i 44 '^^^^ Saints EverJaJling Refi, fider his privileges, and fee whether there be any glo-. jy like unto this glory. CHAP. V. The Excellencies of our Refi, LET us fee more immediately from the pure foun-. tain of the fcriptures, what further excellencies this reft affordetli. And the Lord hide us in the clefts of tlie rock, and cover us with the hands of in- dulgent grace, while we approach to take this view. And flrft, 't is a moft fingular honour of the faint's reft, to be called \\\t: par chafed pcjftjfion ; that it is the fruit of the blood of the Son of God ; yea, the chief fruit : yea, the end and peifeilion of all the fruits of that blood. Surely love is the moft precious ingredi- ent in the whole compofitlon ; and of ail the flowers that grow in tke garden of love, can there be brought . one more fweet than this blood? Greater love than this there is not, to lay down the life of the lover. And to have this our Redeemer ever before our eyes, and the livelieft fenfe and frefheft rem<"mhrance of that dying bleeding love ftill upon our fouls; O how will it fill owr fouls with perpetual ravlihments, to think . that in the ftrcams of this blood, we have fwum thro' the violence of the world, the fnares of Satan^ tlie fe- ducements of tlje fiefh, the curfe of the law, the wrath of an oifended God, the accufationsof a guilty confci- ence, and the doubts and fears of an unbelieving heart, and are pafled throuoh all, and arilved fafely at the breaft of God ! Now we are ftupified with vile and fenfekfs hearts, that can hear a:l the ftory of this love, and read. all the fuiferings of love 5 and all with dui- flefs* The Saints Everlijllng Reji.. 45 r/efs, and unaffedlcJnefs. Yi^ cries to us, Bahohi and" fee, is it nothi g to y^u^ all ye that pafs by P Is there any forrcw l:he unto my forrow ? And we will fcarce hear or re^i^ard the voice ; or turn afide to view the wou4ids of him who healed our wounds at fo dear a rate. But oh ! then our perftAed fouls will feel as well as hear, and with feeling apprehenfions flame in love for love. Now we fet his pidure wounded and dying before our eyes, but can get it no nearer our hearts, than if we believed nothing of what we read. But then when the obllrufiions between the eye and the iinderftanding are taken away, and the paflage opened between the head and heart, fuf-ely our eyes- will everlaftlngly affed our heart ! And while we view with one eye our flain revived Lord, and with the other eye our lod recovered fouls, thefe views will eternally pierce us. and warm our very fouls. And thofe eyes through which folly hath fo often fl:olen into our liearts, let in the love of our deareft Lord for ever. We fhall then leave thefe hearts of flone and rock behind us, and the fin tliat here fo clofe befets us, and the fottlfh unklndnefs tlmt followed us fo lou'^, fhall not be able to follow us into glory. But we fhail be- hold, as it were, the wounds of love, with eyes s,nd hearts of love for ever. Now hhs heart is open to U8^ and ours (hut to him : but when his heart fhall be open, and our hearts open, oh the blefTcd congrefs that will then be ! What a pHfllonate meeting is there between our new-rifen Lord, and the firft Unftil wo- man that he appears to ! How doth love ftruggle for expreffions? and the firaitened fire fhut up in the bread, drive to break forth ? Mary ! faith Chriit : M ifter ! faith Mary : and prefently fhe clafps about his feet, having her heart as near ta his heart as her hands were to his f'^et What a meetiuff of love then' v:\\[ there be, between the newly glorified faint, anc the 46 The Saints Everlajiing Rejl\ the glorious Redeemer ! But 1 am here at a lofs, my apprehenfions fail me, and fall too fhort. Only this I know, it will be the fingular praife of our inheri- tance, that It was bought with the price of that blood ; and the fingular joy of the faints, to behold the pur- chafer and the price, together with the pofTeflion : neither will the views of the wounds of love renew our wounds or forrow : he whofe firfl words after hi*, refurred^ion were to a great finner, IVoman, v.'hy nveepeft f ou ? knows how to raife love and joy by all thofe views, without raiiing any cloud of forrow. If a dying friend deliver but a token of his love, how carefully do we prefervc it ? and (lill remember him- when we behold it, as if his own name were written- on it ? And will not then the death and blood of our- Lord everlaflingly fweeten our pofTelTed glory ? Well' then, chriftians, as you ufe to do in your books, and- on your goods, to write down the price they colt you : fo on your righteoufnefs, and on your glory j; write down the price. The precious Hood of Chriii. Yet underfland this rightly : not that this higheft- glory was in the ilri^fteit fenfe purchafed, fo as that* it was the moft immediate effcA of Chtift's death ; we mud take heed that we conceive not of God as a ty- rant, who fo delightcth in cruelty, as to excliange mercies for ftripes. God was never fo plea fed with the fufferings of the innocent, much lefs of his Son, as to fell his mercy properly for their fufferings. But- the fufferings of Chriii were primarily and immediate- ly to fatisfy juftice, and to bear what was due to the ftnner, and fo to leftore him to the life he loll, and the happinefs he fell from : but this dignity, which furpafleth the lirft, is as it were, from the redundancy ^- of his merit, or a fecoiidary fruit of his death. 'I'he ^^^work of his redemption fo well pleafcd the Father, ^^^■.hat he gave him power to advance his chofen to a ^^^m'gher dignity, than they fell from \ and to give them The Saints Everla/ling Reft. 47 tile glory which was given to himfdf ; and all thU according to the good pleafure of his own will, 2. The fecond ^ earl in ihe faint's Sa^eniy is, that it • -is free Ihis feemeth as Pharaoh's fecond kiney t> ie^ vour the former. But the feeming difcord, is but a pleafingdiverfity whichconftitutes the melody. Thefe two attributes purchafed and free, arc the two chains «f gold, which make up the wreath for the heads of the pillars in the temple of God. It was dear to .Chrilt, but free to us. When Chrift was to buy, fil- .vt-r i\nd geld were nothing worth ; prayers and tears .could not fufficc ; nur any thing below his bluod ; but when we come to buy, our buying is but receiv- ing : we have it freely, iiith-mt m ney and luithrut •piice. Nor do the gofpel-conditions make it the lefa free; if the gofpel- conditions had been fuch a>i are the laws, or payment of the d^bt required at our liands.; the frecnefs then were more queftionahle. Yea, if (Sod had faid to lis. Sinners, if you ivll fnitsfy .my jutiice for one of ynurfins, I •i\.iilfjy i^i: e you all tlje reji, it would have been a hard condition on our part, and the grace of the covenant not (o free, as our dif- -sbility doth require. But if all the condition be our ,curdial acceptation, furely we defejve not the name of purchafer?. 'i hankfully accepting of a free acquit- tance, is no paying of the debt. If life be ofTtrcd to -a condemned man, upon condition that he (hall not icfufe the offer, the favour is neverthtlefs free. Nay, though the condition were, that he (hould beg, and wait before he have his pardon, and take liim for his Jjord who hatli thus redeemed him, this is no fatis- fying tliejnftice of the law : efpecially when the con- dition is alio ^iven by God ; furely then here is all (free : if the Father freely give the Son, and the Son freely pay the debt ; and if God freely accept that Avay of payment, when he might have required it of the principal j and if both Pathcr and Son freely offer U9 48 The Saints Everla/ling Rejl. AJ8 the purchafcd life upon thofc fair conditions; ar>d \l thf-y alfo freely fend the fplilt to enable us to perform thof*! conditions, then what is here, that is not free? O tbj everlafting admiration that mud netds furprife the faints to think of this freenefs! What did the Lord fee in me, that he fliould judge me meet for fuch a rtate: that I who was but a poor, defpifed wretch, fhould be clad In the brightnefs of this glory? that I, a filly, creeping worm, fhould be advanced to this high dignity ? He that durft not lift up his eyes to heaven, but ftood afar off fmiting his breaft, and crying, Lord, he merciful to me a Jinner! now to be lifted up to heaven himfelf ! He who was wont ta write his name in Bradford's ftyle, the unthanhfuU the harff'hearteJ, the untuorthy Jinucrl and was wont to admire that patience could bear fo long, and juflice fuffer him to live: fure he will admire at this altera- -tion, when he fhall find by experience, that unwortht* nefs could not hinder his falvation, which he thought tvonld have bereaved him of every mr-c^. Ah 1 chriflian, there is no talk of our worthinefs or un- vrovthinefs. If worthlncfs were our condition for ad* mittanc^, we might fit down with 8t. John, and weep, Becaufe none in hsaven or on earth is found tvorthy. But the Hon of :he tribe of Judah is 'worthy, and hath pre- 'vaile^ i and hy that title mufl lue hold the inheritance. We (hall offer there the offering that Da-jid refufed', .rven praife for ihat ivhich cojl us nothing. Here our •commiffion runs, freely ye have received, freely give* But Ciirili hath dearly received, yet freely 'gives. Yet this is not all. If it were only for nothing, -and with- out our m<^rit, the wonder were great : but it is more- over againft our merit, and againtl our long%>ndea- ■vouring our own ruin. The broken heart that hath. t known the defert of fjn, dofh both UTiderftand and feel - what I fay. What an ailonifning thought it will be, E to think of the unmeafurable difference between our ^^efervings, and our receivings! between the Hate we \ fhould V The S.ihits EvsrlajTing Rcfl. 49 (Kould have been In, and the Qate we are in ! to look down upon hell, and fee the va!l duTerence that free grace hath made betwixt us andthern ! to fee the In- liciltance there, wliich we were born to, fo dilferent from that which we are adopted to ! Oh ! what pangs of love will it caufe within us, to think, yonder was the place that fin wonid have brought nne to ; but this is it that Chrill Iiath brought me to ! Yonder death was the wages of my lln ; but this eternal life is the gift of God, through Jefiis Chrift my Lotd. Doubf- lefs this will be our evcrlafiing admiration, that fo rich a crown fiiould fit the head of fo vile a fuiner ! that fuch higli advancement, and fiich long imfrultfulnefs and unkindncf^ can be the (late of the fame perfons ! and that fuch vile rebellions can con- clude in fuch moll precious joys ! But no thanks to us ; nor to any of our duties and labours, much lefs to our negledls and Ir/.inefs; we know to w!iv>m trie praife is due, and mult be given for ever. And in. deed to this very end i: was, that infinite wifdom did call the whole dehgn of man's falvat ion into the mould of PURCHASE and FREENESS, tiiat the Jove and joy of man might be perfected, and the ho- Dour of grace moll highly advanced : that the thought of merit might neither cloud the one, nor obltruft the other ; and tliat on thefe two hinges the crates of hea- ven might turn. So then let [DESERVED] be wiitten on the door of hell, but on the door of hea- ven and life, [THE FREE GIFT.] A third comfortable adjund of this refl is, tliat it is the felhm'ihip of the bleifcd faints and angels of God. i>Not fo lingulai\will the chriiiian be, as to be folitary. Though it.'fce proper to the faints only, yet is it common to allrthe faints. For what is it, but an affociation of blcffed fpirits in God ? A corpora- tion of perfetled faints, whereof Chrill is the head \ The commuiiioa of faints complcated : Foi thofe that K have 50 Tloe Sill fits ExferlaJIhig Refl. Iiave prayed, and faftcd, and wept, and watched, and availed together; now to enjoy, and praife together, metliinks (hould much advance their plcafure. He V'ho mentioneth the quah'fications of our happinefs,, cf piirpofe that our juy may be full, and makcth fo ok mention of our conjundlon In his praifes, fure doth hfjreby intimate to us, triat this will be fome ad- vantage to our joys. Certain 1 am of this, fclluw- chriilians, that as we have been together in labour, duty, danger and diitrels, fo fluill we be in the great jecompenfe ; and as we have been fcorned and defpif- cd, fo ihall \vc be crowned and honoured together ; nnd we who have gone through the day of ladnefs, (liall enjoy together that day of gladnefs. And thofe who have been with us in perfecution and prifon, (hall he with U3 alfo in that place of confolatlon. When I ]uok in the faces of the people of God, and belitv- j'lgly think of this day, what a refrefhing thought is it! 6ha!l we not there remember our fcUowHiip in <3uty and in fufrerings ? How oft our gioans made as it were one found, our tears but one llream, and our dcfiies but one prayer? And now all our praifes f iall make up one melody ; aud all our churches one church ; and all ourfclves but one body : for we fhall be one in Chi ill, even as he and the Fatlver are cue. It. is true, we muft be very careful that we look not fjr that in the faints, wiiich is aluue in Chrill and that we give them not his prerogative : i.or expert too great apart of our comfort in the fruiiii)n of them: we are prone enough to this kij>d of itiolatry. But yet he who commands Ub fo to icvc them now', will give us leave in the fame fubtwdiiialion to himielf to love them then, when hii' tlf hath made tl.i m much more lovtly. And ^ wc may love thtm, we fhali furely rejoice in them ; for love caimot lland wiihout an anfwerablejoy. If the forcthougfit oi htting down with Ab'-ahamy Ifaac^ Jacob, and all the prophets in tUe kliigdom of God, mjy be oui lawful joy ; then how The Saints E'verlnjiing Rtfl, 51 how much more that real fight, and acTtiial poiRiTion ! It cannot choofc btit be comfortable to mc to tljink of that day, vvhcn 1 fii!iljoi:i w:th M ft: in his fon^, with Daind'wx his pfalms of pvaife, and with all rii/Je of the J.amh for eve . When we fh;dl fee Enoch walkincr with God ; Noah cnjoyinnr the end of his finjTularity ; J'^eph of his Integrity ; Job of his patience ; Hfzeki.ih of his iiprightnefs ; and all the faints the end of their faith. O happy day, wncn I fhall depart out of this crowd and fiuk, and go to :fiat fame council of fouls ! I know that Chrid is All in All, and that it is tlic prefence of Gud that: maketli heaven to be heaveii. But yet It much fwttt- cnelh the ihonjfhts of that place to me, to remember tdiat there are fach a ir^nkitude of my mi ;l dear and precious friends in Ch.ift. : iv'tth iib m J t ok f^ruett iounftij uhh ix'Uh 'whom I K.:ent iih to fh^ h .if- of God, ivho ivalkeu ivilh me in the fe. r of Q-tdy 'in.i imegrily of their heirts : In the face of whofc converfatio.i there was written the name of Ciir;il; ; wiiofe fenfible mention of his excellencies hath made my heart to burn witnln me. To think fuch a friend that died at fuch a time, and fucli a one at another time, and that all thefe are entered into rell ; and we (hall rare- ly go tothcrn It is a qutllion with fome, Whether ve fhall kno>v each other in heaven or no ? Surely, there (hall no knowledge ceafe which now we have ; but only that which implieth our imperfection. And what Imperfeftlon can tiiis imply ? Niy owv prefcnt knowledge fliallbe increafed beyond belief: it ihall In- deed be done away, but as the light of the Itars Is dune away by the riling of the fun ; which Is more proper- ly doing away our ignorance than our knowledge ; indeed we fhall not know each other after the flefh ; but by the image of Child, and fpiritual relation, and former faithfulnefs In improving our talents, be- yond doubt, we fliall know and be known. Nor Is it only our old acqualntdnce, but all the faints of all aofes. 52 The Saints Evcrlajling Rcjl, sgL-s, whofe faces in tlie flefli ve nevtr faw, vlom vc fliall there both know and comfortably enjoy. Yea, nnd ar.gtls as well as faints will be our blcfTcd acqunintance. Tliofe ^vho now are willin^rly mini- fterial fpirics for cur good, will willingly thcn'be our companions In joy for the petfefiiwo of oiir good : and tliey vvlio had fiich joy in htzstu for our convcrfion, >vill gladly rejoice with us in our gloriiicaiion I tliiuk, cliriuian, this will be a more honourable affem- bly^ than ever you have beheld ; and a more happy fccl^ty then you were ever of before. Then we H'-iill tiuly fay as Drjvd^ lima com/aniov of i.Il ihem that far ih?^ : tih.ti txe are come to m'juni Sion, and to the cry tf the livhio ^God, the heavef.ly Jenifakm, an.i to an tur.ums'ahle umpovy of (W^els \ to the general (Jfim- hly, and church of the Ji-fi bom, 'which ore v:riiitn in hn-oetiy end to God the jud^e of all, and to the fpWHi '■'/ j'-'fi ^^"^ made I'trffB, and to Jefus the vtedtntcr of the r.eiv covemint. So then 1 conclude : This is one finr;rjr.r cxctllercy of the reft ofhenven. That ii.'e are fedo'xv-clizcr.s \iith the f.intsj and of the hcufehdd f Gwd. 4. Another excellent property of our reft _iv ill be, that the joys of it are immediately from God. IVe fo nil fee God fare to face : and ftand continually in his jircfcnce ; and confequently derive our life and com- fort immediately fiom him. Whether God will make ufe of any creatures for our fervice then ; or if any, of what creatures, and what ^e ; is more than I yet know : but it is certain, that at Uaft, our great- cit joys will be immediate, if not all. Now we have uotliing at all immediatcK', but at the fecond or third h.md, or how many \\\\o knows ? From the earth, froai man, from the fun and moon, from the Influ- ence of tlie planets, from the miniftration of angels, and fV'MU t!>e fpirit of Chr'ijl ; and doubtlefs, the fur- tlicr the fticam runs from the fountain, the more inn- pure The Saints Everhifiiv.g Rejl, ^^ pure it Is. It gathers fome defilement from every un- clean channel it paffeth through. Though it favours rot in the hand of angels, of the imperfection of fin- ners, yet it doth of the imperfediion of creatures ; and as it comes from man, it favours of both. How quick and piercing is the word in itfelf ! Yet many times it never enters, being managed by a feeble arm. O what weight and worth is there in every pafiage of the blcifcd gofpel ! enough, one would think, to en- ter and force the dulleft foul, and wholly poiTefs its thoughts and aftedlons : and yet how oft doth it drop as water upon a ftone ? The things of God which we handle, are divine ; but our manner of handi-ng is human : and there \% little or none that ever wc touch^g^^ but we leave the print of our fingers behind us ; birlr if God fhould fpeak this word himfclf, it would be x piercing melting word indeed* If an angel from heaven ruould preach the gofpc!, yet could he not deliver it according to its glory ; much Icfs we who never faw what they have feen, and keep this treafure in earthen veffels. The comforts that flow through fcrmons, facraments, reading, con- ference, and creat'ires, are but" half comforts ; in com- parifon of thofe which, the Almighty ftall fpeak with his own mouth, and reach forth with his own hand. The chrldian knows by experience now, that his moft immediate joys arq^Is fweetefl; joys ; which have lealt of man, and are molt dircftly from the fpiiit. Tli'it i;i one reafon, I conceive, why chrlftlans who are much in fecret prayer and meditation, are m.en of greatelt life ; becaiife they are nearer the well-hear', and have all more immediately from God lumfclf. And tliat I conceive the only reafon, why we are more inulfpofed to thofe fecret duties, and can eafier brinc^ our hearts to hear and read, than to fecret prayer, fclf-examinatlon and meditation ; bccaufe in the f;^r- raer is. more of man, and in thefe we approach the H 3 Lord I 54 77j^ Saints Evcrlajling Rejl, Lord alone, and our natures draw back from the moH fpiiltual duties. Not that we fnould therefore ca{\ off the other, atid negledl any ordinance of God : to ]ive above lh live without them, is to live without the governmenr of Chrill. It is then we dial! have light without a can- dle ; and a perpetual-day without the fun : Fcr its city hath no mtd of the fun, neither of the moon it Jhlne in it : for the glcry of Gcd d'th lighten it^ and the Lamb is the li^ht thereof Rev. xxi 23. Nay, Th?'e fl:all he no li^ht ihere^ and they need no candle j nor li^bt of the fun., fr the Loid God givdh ihem light, ind they Jhiiil rei^r for evtr and ever. We ihall then have reft without deep, and be kept from cold without our cloathing, snd need no fig-leaves to hide our (hame : for God will be our tetl, and Chrill our cloathing and fliarae and fin will ceafe together. We fliall then have health without ph\ fic, and flrength "without the ufe of food ; for the Lord God v\ill be our (Ircngth, and the hght of his countenance will be health to (Hir iouls, and marrow to our bouts. We ihall then ( and never liilthen) have enligiitencd undcr- flaiidinj^'s wiihoat fcripture, and be governed witii- ou. A AiiLten law. For the Loid will perfe/tt his la\<' in our hearts- and we fhall be all perfcc^.tly taught Df Ljod ; his own will fliall be our law, and his own face (hall be our liglit for ever. We fliall then have communion without facraments, when Chrill fhall drink vviih us of the h nit of tlie vine new, that is, re- frcfli us with the comforting wine of immediate frui- tion in the kingdom of his Father. 5 'K further excellency of this reft is this ; it wll! be a fuitable reft : fuited, I. to our natures. 2. to our dtlires. 3. to our ntceffities. I. To 77j^ Saints Evcrhifiing Rcjl, 55 1. To our natures. If fultabknefs concur not with excellency, the heft things may be bad to us; for It is not that which makts things good in themfelves, to be good to us. In our choice of friends, we oft pafs by the more excellent, to choofe the more fuita- b!e ; every good agrees not with every nature. The choiceft dainties which we feed upon ourfclves, would be to our beads, as an unpleafing, fo an infufficicnt fullenance. Now here Is fuitablcnefs and excellency conjoined. T!ie new nature of the faints doth fuit their fpirits to this rell : and indeed their holintfs is nothing, elfe but a fparlc taken from this element, and by the fpirit of Ciirill kindled in their hearts, the flame whereof, as mindful of its divine original, doth ever mount aloft, and tend to the place from whence It comes. Gold and cartlily glory, temporal crowns and kingdoms, could not make a reft for faints. As they were not redeem- ed ^vith fo low a price, fo neither are they endued witn fo low a nature. As God will have from theiu a fpirltual worPaip, fuitable to his own fpl.itaai be- ing ; fo will he provide tiiem a fpirltual reit, fuitable to his people's fpirltual nature. A heaven of the knowledge of God, and his Chrld; and a deliglitful complacency in that mutual love, and everlafting rejoicing In the fruition of our God, a perpetual finging of his high praifes : this is a heaven for a faint : a fpirltual reft, fuitable to a fpiritual na- ture, rhen we ftiall live in our element. We are HOW as the fifh in fome fmall vefl'el of water, that hath only fo much as will keep him alive : but wh^t is that to the full ocean ? We have a little air let Into us to afford us breathing : but what Is that to the fweet and frefti gales upon mount S'lon? We have a bean:i of the fun to lighten our darkncfs, and a warm I ay 56 77?^ Sdh.iJ Everlafthig RlJI. ray to keep us from frcczinj^ : but then we fhall live in it^ light, and be revived by its heat for ever. 2. It is fullaLle to the defires of the faints: for fuch as is their nature, fuch are their dclires ; and fuch as their dtliies, fuch will be their reft. Indeed we have now a mixed nature ; and from contrary prin- ciples, arife contrary defires. But it is the dtlires of our renewed nature, which this reft is fuited to. Whilft our defires remain corrupt and mifgulded, it is a far greater mercy to deny, yea, to dtflroy them, than to falitfy tliem : but tliofe wliich are IpirituaV are of his own planting, and he will furely water them, and give the incrcafc. He quickened our hun- ger and thirft for righteoufnefs, that he might make us hapjiy in a full fatibfai'tion. Chriftian, this is a reft after thy own heart ; it con- talr.vith all that thy heart can wifh, that wlu'ch thou longeft ^^\^ prayeft for, laboureft for, tiiere thou Oialt find it all. Thou hadll rather have God in ChrilT, than all the v^'orld : why there thou ftialt have him. Defire what thou cnnft, and aflc what thou wilt, as a chriftian, and it fliall he given thee ; not only to half of the kingdom, but to th? enjoyment of both king- dom and king. Tin's is a life of dcfne and prayer j but that is a life of fatisfaciion and enjoyment. 3. This reft is fuita^)le to the fainfs neccfficies alfo, as v.ell as to their naUires and dcfires. It contains whatfocver they truly wanted ; not fupplying them with grofs created comfotts, which, like S^^ui's ar- mour on Diviiy are more burden than benefit : but they fiiall there have the benefit without tlic burden ; and tlie pure fpirits cxtradled (as it were' ftiall make up their cordial, without the mixture of any diuffy or eartlily fubllance. It was Ciiiilt and perfcd. holi- r.L-fs, which tlicy nioft netded, and with thefe ih^ll they be fupplicd. 4. Another The Saints Everlaftlng Rsjl. 57 4. Another excellency ofour reft will be this, that it will be abfolntcly petfeit and complete; and this both In the fincerity and univerHility of it. We fhall th-n Itave joy without f)rro\v, and red without wea- rint- fs ; as there is no mixture of our corruption with our graces, fo no mixtute of fiilTerin'^s with our fo- lace : there is none of thefe waves in that liarbour, which now tofs us up and down. To-day we are Well, to morrow lick : to-day in efteem, to-morrow in difgrace : to-day we have friends, to morrow none : nay, we have wine and vinegar in the fame cup. If revelation fhould raife us up to the thiid heaven, the mefTcnger of Satan mufl prefently btjfFet ns : but there is none of this inconliancy in heaven, If pei fe(ft love cad out fear ; then perfect joy miiil needs call outfor- row, and perfcit happinefs exclude all the relicks of mlfery. There will be an univerfal perftfting of all our parts and powers, and an univerfal removal of all our evils. And thou;^Hi the pofitive part be the fweet- ed, and that which draws ihe other after it, even as the rifing of the fun excludes the darkncfs ; yet is not the negative part to be flighted, even our freedom from fo many and great calamities. Let us therefore look over thefe more puadlually, and fee what it is we Hiall there reft from. In genevrd, it is from all evil, Pavticulaily, F'lrji^ from fm. Sscondly, fuiTeiing. Firjl, It excludeth notliing more diretrly than fin ; whether original, and of nature; or actual, and of con ver fat Ion ; for there enieretb nothing; that dtfikth, nor that nvcrketJj ahomhialiGn^ nor that maktih a 11: V/liat need Chrift have died, if heaven could have contained imperfe£l fouls? For to this end came he into the ixorld^ that he mi^ht put away the nvorks of the de- inl. His blood and fpiilt have not done all this, to leave us after all, defiled. For ii^hat commurA'jn hith light with darknefs ? And what fellowjhip hath Chrift: , with Belial ? He that hath prepared for fin the tor- n:er.t3 58 The Saints Everlajiing Rcjl. ments of hell, will never admit it into the blcflVdnefff of heaven. Therefore, chrillian, never fear this: if thou be once in htaven, thou (halt fin no moie. Is not this glad news to thee, who haft prayed, and watched, and laboured agalnft: it fo long ? I know, \x it were offered to thy choice, thou wouldft rather choofe to be fited from fin, than to be made lieir of the VTorld. Thou (halt have thy defirc : that hard htart, thofe vile thoi;^',hts, which thou conldft no more leave behuiu thee, than leave thyfclf behind thee, (hall be now left behind for ever. If they accompany thee to death, they canaot proceed a Hep further. Tliy underftanding Oiall never more be troubled with dark- nefs : ignorance and error are inconfilie^jU with this light. Now tliou walkert like a man in tht twilight, evtr afiaid of being out of the way : but then will all darkntfs be difpeiitd, and our blind underliandings fully opened. O wlnnt would we give to know clearly all the pro- found myfteries in the do£^rine of redemption, ofjufr tificaiion, of the nature of grace, of the divine at- tributes ! \^'hat would we give to fee all dark fcrip- turcs made plain ; to fee all teeming contradiftioas reconciled! Why, when glory hath taken away the veil fr(;m our eyes, all tliis will be known In a mo- ment ; we fhall then fee cltarly into all the contro- vcrlics about do<^rine or difcipline that now perplex us. The pooreft chridian is prefeutly there a more perfect divine, than any is here. We are now through our ignorance fubjtdt to fuch mutability, that in pointB not fundamental, v\ e change as the moon : but when once our ignorance is pcrfedlly healed, then fliall \vc be fettled, refolved men ; then (hall our reproach be t-iken from us, and we ihall never change our judgment more. Our ignorance now doth lead us int« error, t<^ :he grief of iMir moie knowing brethren, to the dillurbing the chuich's quiet, to the fcanda- lizing The Saints EverlaJIirig Rejf. ^g JizJng of others, and weakening" ourfelves. How ma- ny a faithful foul is feduccd into error ! Loth thty are to err, God knows ; afid therefore read and p'ay, and yet err ilill. And in kfTer and more difficult points, how can it be dtherv.ifc ? Can it be 'expected, that men void of learning and {Irength of parts, unftudied and untauglit, ffloiild at tlie firft onfet know thofe truths, which they are al- moll incapable of knowing at all? When the great- eft divines of cleared jud^rment acknowledge fo much difficulty, that they could almoft find in tlu ir hearts, fometimes to profefs them quite beyond their reach. But O that happy approaching day, when error fhall vanifh away for ever, when our underitanding fhall be filled witl» God himfclf, whofe light will leave no darknefs in us! His face fliall be the fcripture, where v/e fliall read the truth : and himfelf inftead of teach- ers and counfcUors, to perfefl our underftandings, and acquaint us wfvh himfelf. No more error, no more fcandal to others, no more difqulet to our own fpirits, no more miftaken zeal fox faliehood. Many e good man hath here in his millaken zeal, been a means to deceive and pervert his brethren ; and when he fees 1ms own error, cannot a »ain ttll how to unde- ceive them : but there we fhall all confpire in one truth, as being one m him who is ttie truth. And as we fhall refl from all the fin of our under- ft.indings, -fo of our wills, affediions and converfation, Wr fhall no more retain this rebelling pjinciple, which is Hill withdrawing us from God. We fhail no more b'^ opprefTcd witri the power of our corruptions, nor vexed wiih their ptrAnce: no pride, palTion, floth- fiilncfs, fenfr-leffiH-rs fhall enter wiih us; no flrange- n> is to God, ami tilings of God ; no coldnefs of jiiiov^ions, nor imperieCtions in u^^ii be ghrif.ed njiihh him. Now we muft be hated of all men for Chrift's name fake : then i to them that trouble you ; and t:) you that are i'rouhlsd, reft ii'Uh Chrift. 4. We fhall then alfo reft from all our fad divlfions and unchriRIan quarrels with one another. As he faid, who faw the carcafes lie together, as if they had embraced each other, who had been flain by each other in. a duel: *' How lovingly do they embrace *' or.c another, who periHicd through their mutual *' enmity !" So, how lovingly do thoufands live to- •^elher in heaven, whp lived in divifions on earth ! As he faid, who beheld how quietly and peaceably the bcuies '^.w^i dtift of m.ortal enemies did lie together, *» yau did :u;t live together 'fo peaceably.'* So we may fay cf naikitudes in heaven now all of one mind, one heart, and one employment, you lived not on earth in fo fwtct familiarity. There is no conten- tion, becaufe none of this pride, ignorance, or other corruption : Paul a:!C B^r.ahcis arc now fully reconciled. There The Saints EverJafcing Rcjl, 65 There they are not every man conceited of his own undcrllanding, and in love with the iiTue of his own brain ; but all admiring the divine perfection, and in love with God, and one another. As old Gryneus wrote to his friend, " If 1 fee you no more on earth, yet we fliall there meet, where Luther and Zuingl'ius are now well agieed." There is no recording our brethren's infirmities ; nor raking into the fores which Chrift died to heal. There is no plotting to ilrengthen our party; nor deep defigning againll our brethren* And is it not a fliame and pity, that our courfc h now fo contrary ? Surely, if there be forrow or fhanic in heaven, we fhall then be both forry and afhamed to look one another in the face : and to remember ail this carriage on earth, even as the brethren of Jofeph were to behold him, when they remembered tlieir former unkind ufage. Is it not enough that all the world is againft us, but we mud alfo be againft our- felves ? Did I ever think to have heard chrillians {\y to reproach and fcorn chriftians? Atid men profiling the fear of God, to make fo little confcience of cen- furing, vilifying, and difg racing one another? O what hellifli tilings are ignorance and pride, that caa bring men's fouls to fuch a cafe as this ! Faul knew what he faid, vv'hcn he commanded, that a novice Jhould not be a teacher, lejl being lifted up he fall into the condemnation cf the devil y i Tim. iil. 6. He dif- cerned that fuch young chrillians that have got but a little fmattering knowledge in religion, lie in great- eil danger of this pride and condemnation. Who but Paul could have forefeen that among the very teachers and governors of fo choice a church as Ephtjus^ there were iome that afterwards (liould be notorious feil- mafters ? That of ibetr onvn f elves men JJjould arife^ Jpeaking perverfe things, to draw aiuay dijcipUs afur tbem, Adls xx. 30, Who thea can expert better From F 2 an/ 66 lljc Saints Lvcrlojlin^ Rcfl. any fuciety now, how knowing amilioly focver ? To- c]av tlicy may be unanimous, and joiritd in love ; and perliapb within a few weeks be divided, ar.d at bitter enmity, thiou^h their doating on qneltions that tend not to codify. 5. We {iiall then reft from all which we now un- dergo, by piiriicipatiug with our brethren in their calaaiitiet;. Aias, if we had nothing upon ouvfelves to trouble us, yet what hearl could I'ay afide forrows, that lives in the found of the church's fiifferings? If job liad nothing upon his body to difqniet him, yet the rneflagc of his children's oveitlirow inuil needs grieve the moft patient foul. Except we arc tunud 'into lUel or lioue, and have loft 'both chriftian and •Itiiman aiFt:6ticn, there needs no more than tlie mife- iles' of our brethren to fill our h.carts with forrow:j. The clrjich on earth is a mere hofpital ; which way iov.^ver we go, we hear comphn'nmg ; and into what cornel ioevcr we cait oui eyes, we behold obje<5ls of pity : fome groaning under a dark underftandiug, fome under a fenfelefs heart, fome languiftiing under \ji'f'njitful weakneff, and fome bleeding for mifcarrl- ages and wilfu!nefs, and fome in a lethargy, that they are pall coniplaining ; fome crying out of their pin- ing poverty ; fome groaning under pains and infirmi- fcr;, and fome bewailing a whole catalogue of calami- ties, efpeci;dly in days of common fulferings :• but oar day of reil v^ ill free us and them ficm all this. •Now we may enter many a poor chiillian's cottage, 'and fee poverty poffelTing and filh'n^ all : how much better is that day, when we (hall fee them filled with Chrili, cloath^'d with gloiy, and equal with the greatcil priuces ? But a far greater grief it Is to our fpirits, to fee the fpirituai imf-^iicti of our bictlwen; to fee fuch an OliC The Saints Ei^erlnfing Rejl. 67 fme, with whom we took fwcet counfc^I, now falh\ig ofF to fc-nfiiah'ty, turned drunkard, worldling, or a pcrfecutor, and thcfe trying times have given us too large occaiion fvir fnch forrows ; to fee our deareft friends turned afide from the ttuth of Chrift, and con- fident in the flefh, continue their negle(^^ of Chrift and their fouls, and nothing waking tliem out of their fe- curity ; and to think how ceitainly they (hall be in hell for ever, if tliey die in their prefent iUte : and will it not be a bleffed day, when we (hall reft from all thefe forrows ? IVhm the pecph [hall he oil r'tghleout, even the --lork cf God's hanrls, the branch of his plant- innr, thai he mjy be glorifitd ? Thus fliall we reft from cur participation of our brcthien's fulfeiings. 6. We fhall reft from all our pcrfonal fuffering?. And though tfiis may feem a fmall thing to thofe that live in continual eafe, and abound in all kind of prof- ])erity ; yet methinks, to the daily afEifted foul, it fhould make the fore-thoughts of heaven delightful : and I think I ftiall meet with few of the faints, but will fay, that this is their own cafe. Though we are reconciled by the blood of the co- venant, and the price v, paid for our full deliverance ; yet our Redeemer fe^^s -fit to leave this meafure of mi- fcry upon us, to mind us of what we would tlfe for- get ; to be ferviceable to h.is wife and gracious dc figns, and advantageous to our full and final recovery. As all our fenfes are the inlets of fin ; fo they are the in- lets of forrow. Grief creeps in at our eyes, at our ears, and ahnoft every where : it fclzeth upon our head, our hearts, our iiefh, our fpiritb : and what part doth efcape it ? fears devour us and darken our de- lights, as the froft nips the buJs : cares ftcd upon our fpirits, as the fcorching fun dotli wit'icr tlie delicate ilowers. Or, if any hath fortified his inwards againft tliffc, yet \ic is naked Itili wilhoiU. 68 The Saints Everlajllng R.^jl. What tender pieces are thefe dufty bodies? Vv^hat brittle glafTes do we bear about us? And how many thoufand dangers are they hurried through ? Andliow hardly cured \i once cracked ? O the multitude of {lender veins, of tender membranes, nerves, fibres, roufcles, arteries; and all fubjed: to obftrudlons, ten- fions, contractions, refolutlons, ruptures, or one thing or other to caufe their grief ! Every one Is a fit fubjeft for pain, and fit to communicate that pain to the whole : but fin, and flcfh, and dull, and pain, will all be left behind together. O the blefTcd tranquillity of that region, whers there is nothing but fweet continued peace ! No fuc- cefiion of joy there, becaufe no iutermilTion. Our lives will be but one joy, as our time v^'ill be chang- ed into one eternity. O healthful place^ wheie none are fick ! O fortunate land, where all are kings ! O place moll: holy, where all are prieft^ ! How free a .ilate, where none are fervants, fave to their fupreme jjjionatch ! Our face fhall no more be pale or fad ; our .groans and fighs will be done away, and GoA Jhall ;enerati(>n. is as ''mpoCible as to b'. the childicn of men without generation j fteing we are boni G«rd's enemies, 72 The Saints Everlajling RcJ}, enemies, we muft be -new-born his fons, or elfe re- main his enemies (till. Chr'tjl hath fpokeu it with his mouth, That except a man be born agar;:, be car.not enter into the kingdom of God. The greateft reformation of hfe, without this new h'fe wrought in tlie foul, may procure our further tlelufion, but never our falvation. But by what a6ls doth this new life difcover Itfelf ? The firft work T call convi^lion, which comprehends the knowledge of vhat the fcripture fpeaks againftiin and fmners; and that this fciipture which fpeaks fo, is the word of God himfelf It comprehends alfo, fome knowledge of ourfelves. and our own guilt, and an acknowledgment of the verity of thofe confequen- ■ces, which, from the ptad\ice of fin in us, and threats ^n fcripture, conclude us miferable. 2. As there mud be convidlon, fo alfo fenfibility. "God works on the heart, as well as the htad ; b the abfolute necelTity, the full fufficien- ty, and perfect excellency of Jcfus Chrift. This convi6\ion is not by mere argumentation, as « m.an is convinced offome unconcerning confequence by difputc : hut alfo by the fenfe of our dcfperate inifery, as a man in a famine of the necefTiLy of food ; ar The Saints Everlajling Reft. 77 tjr a man that had read, or heard his condemnation, is convinced of the abfohite necefiity of a pardon. Now the finner finds himftlf in another cafe than ever he was aware of: he feels an infupportable burden upon him, and fees there is none but Chnll can take It off: he perceives that he is under the wrath of God, and that the law proclaims him a rebel and out-law, and none but Chrill can make his peace : he is as a man purfued by a lion, that mufl perifh if he find not prefent fanftuary : he feels the curfe doth lie upon him, and upon all he hath, for his fake, and Chrid alone can make him blefled : he is now brought to this dilemma, either he muft have Chrid to jullify him, or be eternally condemned ; he mud have Chrill to fave him, or burn in hell for ever : he muft have Chrid to bring him again to God, or be fluit out of his prcfence cvcrlaftiugly.- And no wonder, if he cry, as the martyr Lamhert^ none hut Chi id : none hut Chrill, It is not gold, but bread, that will falisfy the hungry : r.or any thing but pardon, that will comfort the con- demned. All things are now hut drofs and dung ; and rvhat he counted gain, is now, hut lofs in compar'ifon of Chrid : for as the finner feeth his utter mifery, and the difability of blmfelf, and all things to relieve him ; fo he doth perceive, that there is no faving mercy ouL of Chrid. ; There is none found in heaven or on earlk that can open the ftaled book fave the Lamb ; with- out his blood there is no remillion, and without rernil'* fion there is no falvation. Could the finner now make any fnift without Chr:d> or could any thir.g elfe iupply his wants, and fave his foul, then might Chrid be dif- regarded : but now lie is convinced, that there is no other nam.e, and the necefuty is abfohite. 2. And as the foul is thus convinced of the neCvfli- ty of Chrid, fo alfo of his full fufficiency : he fees, though the creature cannot, and himfelf cannot, yet Chrid can. Though the fig leaves ^S. our own un- G 2, right^cus 78 The S.ihtts Evcrlijliug Titjl. 1 iglitcous nghleoufner"- are tooilioit to cover our nal*-. cdiicfj, yet the rl^htcoufncfs orClirift Is large enough ; ours Isdifpropoitionahle lo the jufticc of the law. biit Chrlil's doth extend to every tittle : his fuiTcrings be- ing a peiftd faiisfa^flion to the law, and €rhjling Reft. ^. To ?>!•:, rrd dorh the TinDcr now ent^ t-.io a cor- *"' ' Chria. Bm he »M« ncr< r ftr.JtIy, !" '1 covrnaftt with Chrift i .. oow. He " ' confer!, and now doth he cordullj ^' "^ ^^ »hc agi cement u fully made. 6. \\.IJi I. . ,. ( ;,anr C(■>•■>■•>•■>■•>■>■ »■••> >■>■■>■ *>■>■■>■■>■■>■> -zyi T tl E Saints Everlaftino: Reft, PART ir. Hebrews iv. 9. 77jere remaljelh tlerefjre a ReJ} to the Peot-le of God. CHAP. I. In AVE been hitherto prefe ning to your undei- llandings, the excellency of tie Relt of the 8aliitti. Let your hearts now cheerfully embrace it, and im- prove it, and I fhall prerent it to you, in its ?;cijt?_- tive ufes. 1 will hy together all thofe ufes that mod concern the ungodly, and then thofe that are proper to the godly thent^felves. The inancei'vahle m'lfery of the ungodly in their lofs of this Refl. And firft-, if this reft be for none but the people of God, what tidings is this to the ungodly world? That there is fo much glory, but none for them : fc> great joys for the faints of God, while they muft H confume A "56 The Saints Everlajling Reft, confume in perpetual forrows ! If thou who readefl thefe words, art a ftrangcr to Chrift, and to the haly Jiature and life of his people, and fhalt live and die in the condition thou art now in ; I am a meflenger of the faddeft tidings to thee, that ever yet thy ears did hear : that thou (halt never partake of the joys of hea- ven, nor have the leall tafte of the faints eternal reft. I may fay to thee, as EhudU) Eglon ; 1 have a meffage to thee from God : but it is a mortal meffage, that as fure as the word of God is true, thou (halt never fee the face of God with comfort. This fentence I am commanded to pafs upon thee ! Take it as thou wilt, and efcape it if thou canft. I know, if thy heart and life were throughly changed, thy rclatioa to Chrift and eternity would be changed alfo ; he would then acknowledge thee for one of his people, and give thee a portion in the inheiitance of his cho- itw. But if thou end thy days in thy prefent condi- tion, as fure as the heavens are over thy hca|3, and the earth under thy feet ; as fure as thou liveft and breath- eft in this air, fo fure fhalt thou be fhut out of this reft: of the faints, and receive thy portion in everlafting lire. I expeil that thou fliouldft in the pride of thy heart, turn upon me, and fay, and wlien did God fliew you the book of life, or tell you who they are that ftiall be faved, and who fliut out ? I will not anfwer thee according to thy folly : bat plainly difcover this thy folly to thyfelf, that if there be yet any hope, thou mayell recover thy anderftand- ing, and return to God and live : Firft, I do not rame thee, nor any other ; I only conclude of the unregenerate in general, and of thee conditionally, if thou be fuch an one. Secondly, I do not go about to determine who fhall repent, and who fliall-not, much lefs, that thou ftialt never repent, and come to Chrift. Thefe things are unknown to me ; I had far rather •{hew thee what hopes thou haft before thee, if thou wilt The Saints Everlajling Rejl\ ^j wilt not fit ftlll and lofe them : and I would far rather perfiiade thee to hearken in time, before the dour is fliut againft thee, th?.t fo thy foul may return and live, than tell thee that there is no hepe of thy re- penting and returning. But if the foregoing defcrip- tion of the people of God do not agree with tlie (late of thy foul ; it is then a hard queflion, whether thou flialt ever be favtd ? Even as hard a queftion, as whe- ther God be true ? Do 1 need to afcend up into hea- ven, to know, That nv'tthout holim-fs none Jhall /-t might not feel the ptmifnment infiidlcd on it ; and the wiiOi€ IxKJy were a rotten carcafe, or might again jie down in duft and darkn^fs- Much more do they vant that moral pcvfettion which the blclTed partake of; thofe holy d'.fpofitions ; that blcflcd conformity to the holinefs ot God ; that cheerful rcadinefs to do Iiis will ; that perf*. God will abhor to retain them in his houfehold, cr to give them entertainment in his fellowfhip and glo- r)'. He will never admit them to the inheritance of his faints, nor endure them to Hand amongil them irr his prefence : but bid them, depart from Me, ye 'e dogs, forcer en ^ ixharemo/igers, murderers^ tdolatersy and njohatfoever loveih and maheth a lie. God is firft enjoyed in part on earth, before he be fully en- joyed in heaven. It is only they, that walked with him herC; who (lull live and be happy with him there. H 2 Oh, 90 Th: Saints EvcrlaJIhrg ReJI\ Oh, little cloth the wot Id know what a lofs thnt fo'.il hath, who lofeth God ! What were the uorhi but a dungeon, if it had loll the fun ? What were the body^ lv.it a loalhfom. carrion, if it had led the foul ? Yet all thcfc are nothing to the lofs of God. So that as the enjoyment of God is the heaven of the faints; fo- the loft, of God is the hell of the un;j;odiy. An-I vs- the enjoying of God is^he enjoying of all ; fo the lofs of God is the lofs of all. Thin^Iyy As I hey lofe God, fo they lofe all thofc delightful aiTtdions and actions, by wiiich the bleffed feed on God; that trar.fpoiting- knowltdge: thofe- Tavifiiing views of his glorious face: the inconceiva- ble plcafure of loving God : the apprchenfinns of his Jufinite love to i:s : the conf'ant joys which his fainta are taken up with, and the rivers of confolation where-AJth he doth fatlsiy tlicm Is It nothing to lofe »il this ? The enr.ploynneiit of a king in ruling a king- dom, dvilh not fo f.ir exceed the employment of the vklcll fiave, as this heavenly employment cxceedeth his* Fou'ih>y, They flial! he dcpii.vcd of the bKfTcd fo- ciety oi angels and gl'Tilied (aints. Infltad of being; companions of t';ofe fappy fpirits, and numbered with thoA- joyful and triumpiiinj^ kings, they mull now be n;cmbeis of the coip(.Mation of hell, where they (liall have companions of a far diffeient nature. Wlille they lived on earth, they loathed the faints, they im- prilowed, baiiiflnd thtm, and call them out of their focitties, or at leaft they would not be their compa- nion.-> in labour and in fufferiugs ; and therefore they fhall not now be tlieir companions \\\ their glory. Now you aie (hut out of that company, from which yon f<»(l (hni out yourfrlves ; and are ftparated fioni them whom you would not be joined with. You coniil not «'r!dui . i\>.y\x\ in vomp iijjufes, nor in your town; nor fcarce in the Jkingdom \ you took them na Ahab The Saints Everla;ih^ Reft, 91 jihab did Eias^ for the troublers of the 'and \ and as the apoilks were taken for m''n thaf turned the ivorhl upfule do7vn : if any thini^ fell out anilis, you thought all was through them. When thty were dead or ba- niuied, you were glad tliey were gone ; and thougljt the conuti'v was well rid of them. They m;)]cilcd you viih their faithful leproving your fin : their holy con- verfation troubled you. You fcarce ever heard them prayer fing praifcs in their families, but it was a vex- ation to you; and you envied their liberty ofwovfhip- ping God And is it then any wonder if you be fe- paiatetl from tlum hereafter! The day is near when they will trouble you no more ; betwixt them and you will be a great gulf fet, that thofe that would pafs from thence to you f if any had a defire to cafe you with a drop of water} cannot, neithei can they pafs to them, who would go from you. C H A P. IL The Aggravation of the Lofs of Heaven to the Ungodly. I KNOW many will be ready to think, if this be all^ tliey do not much care : what care they for loHng the perfedions above ? What care they for loilr.g God, liis favour, or his prefencc ? They h'ved mer- rily without tiirn on earth, and why fliould it be fo grievous to be witliout !iim hereafter: and what care they for being deprived of that love, and gov, and praifing of God I I'hey never tafitd fweetncis in the thinirs oi that nature ; or what gare they foi being de- prived I'f the fellowfliip of angels and faints ? They could iparc their company in this world well enough, aud 92 77?^ SiiinH Everlajllng Re/l, and why may they not be without it in the world ta come ? l"o make thefe men therefore undcrlland the truth of their future condition, I will here annex thefe two things : 1. I will fhew you why this lofs will be intolera- ble, and moft tormenting then, though it fcem as no- thing now. 2. I will fhew you what other lofTes will accompany thefe; which, though they are lefs in thcrafelves, yet will now be more ftnfibly apprehended. I. Then, That this lofs of heaven will be moft tor- menting, may appear by thefe confiderations. I.. The underftandings of the ungodly will be then- cleared, to know the worth of that which they have loft. Now they lament not their lofs of God, becaufe they never knew his excellency, noi the lofs of that holy employment and fociely, for they wete never fenfible what they were \vortii< A man that hath loft a jewel, and took it but for a common ftone, is never troubled at his lofs ; but when he comes to know what, he has loft, then helamenteth it. Though the underftandings of the damned will not then be* fan6^ififd ; yet will they be cleared from a multitude of errors. They think now that their lio- nour, their eftates, their pleafures, their health and life, are better worth their labour, than the things of another world ; but when thefe things which had thtir hearts, have left them in mifery, when ihey know by experience, the things which before they did but read and hear of, they will be quite in nn^ther uiind. They would not believe that water would drown, till they were in tlie fea ; nor that the fiie would burn, till thej were call into it j but when they feel it, the/ will The Sill fits Even a/ling Reft. 93 win 'eafily believe. All that error of their mind, which made them fet light by God, and abhor his worfhip, and viiify his people, will then be removed by e'-;peri- dice ; their knowledge fliall be incteafcd, that their forrou'3 may be increafed. Donbtlefs thofe po '•r foul$ would be compr^rativfly happy, if their iinderft^i-idings were wholly taken from them, If they had no more knowledge than idiots, or brute beads ; or if tiiey knew no more in hell, than they did upcn earth, their lofs and mifery would then lefs trouble them. How happy would they now think themfclves if they did not know there is fuch a place as henvi.n ? Now when their knowledge would help to prevent their mil'ery, they will not know; but then when their know- ledge wijl but feed their confuming fire, they fhall know whether they will or no. 2. The lofs of heaven will more torment them then, becaufe, as tlie undc-rflanding will be cleared, fo it will be more eniarj^ed. and made more capacious, to conceive of the worth of that glory which they have loft. Tlie ftrcncrth of their apprthenfions. as well ai the truth of them, will then be increafed. Wliat deep apprehenfionsof the wrath of God, of the mnd- nefs of finning, of the mifery of fmners, have thefc fouls that now endure this mifery, in comparifon of thf)fe on eaith that do but henr c.f it ? What fenfible apprehtnfions of the worth uf life, hath the condemn- ed man th.at is goinj^ to he cKccuted, in comparifon of what he was wont to have in the time of h's prof- J)erity ? Much more will the aftnal deprivation of eternal blefiedncfs m-i-ike the damned exceeding appre- henfive of the greatnefs of their lofs : and as ?. hrge veffel will hold more water than a (hell, fo will their more enlarged underftandings contain more matter to feed their torment, than now their (hallow capacity c«Q do. 3. And 94 The Saints Everlajling Rtjl. 3. And as the damned will have deeper apprehen- fions of the happinefs they have loft, fo will they have a clofer application of this dodlrine to themfelves, which will exceedingly tend to increafe their torment. It will then be no hard matter for them to fay. this is my lofs, and this is my everlafting mifery. The want of this is the mnin caufe why they are now fo little troubled at their condition ; they are hardly brought to believe that there is fuch a ftate of mifery, but more hardly to believe that it is like to be their own. This makes fo many fermons to be loft, and all thrcatenings and warnings prove in vaia. Let a minirter of Chrift fhew them their mifery never ^o plainly, they will not be perfuaded that they ate fo mifcrable. Let him tell them of the glory they mulV lofe, and the fufferings they muft 'i*t^, and they think it is not they whom he means. We find in all oup preaching* by fad experience, that it is one cf the hard- eft things in the world to brisg a wicked man to know that he is wicked ; a man that is in the way to hell, to know that he ia in that way ; or to make a man fee himfclf in a ftate of wrath and condemnation : how feldom do we hear men, after the plaineft difcovery of their condemned ftate, cry out, Iamiheman\ or to acknowledge, that if they die in their prefent conditi- on, they are undone for ever. There is no perfuading men of their mifery till theyr feel it, except the Spirit of the Almighty perfuadcc them. Oh, but when they findthemfelvesfuddenly in the land of daiknefs, perceive by the extcution of the fentence- that they were indeed condemned, and ftel themfelves in the fcorching flames, and fee that they are ftiut out of tlie prefence of God for ever, it will then be no feich difficult matter to convince tliem of their mifery : this particular application of God's anger to thera^ f^lves. The Saints H^erlafting Rejl. g^ felves, will then be the eafieft matter in the world; then they cj^n not choofc but know and apply it, whe- ther they will or no. 4. Again, as the underftandings and confciences of finncrs will be ftrengthened, fo will their afFedtiona be more lively and enlarged : as judgment will be no longer blinded, nor confcience ftifled, fo the affefli- ons will be no longer ftupified. A hard heart now makes heaven and hell feem but trifles : and when we iiave fhewed them everlalling glory and mifery, they are as men half afleep, they fcarce take notice what we fay, our words are caft as ftones againft a hard wall, which fly back in the face of him that cafteth them. We talk of terrible aftonifhing things, but it is to dead men that cannot apprehend it : we fpeak to rocks rather than to men : the earth will as foon tremble as they. But when thefe dead wrfelches are revived, what paffionate fenfibility ! what working effedlions ! what pangs of horror ! what depth of for- row will there then be ! How violently will they fly HI their own faces ! How will they rage againfl; their former madnefs ! The lamentations of the moft palli- onate wife'for the lofs of her hufl:>and, or of the ten- dered mother for the lofs of her children, will be no- thing to theirs for the lofs of heaven. Oh, the felf- accufing, and felf-tormenting fury of thofe forlorn wretches ! How they will even tear their own hearts, and be God's executioners upon themfelves I I am perfuaded, as it was none but themfelves that com- mitted the fin, and themfelves that were the meritori- ous caufe of their fuff"erings, fo themfelves will be the chief executioners of thofe fufferings.; God will have it fo for the clearing of his juftice : even Satan him- felf, as he was not fo great a caufe of their finning as themfelves, fo will he not be fo great an inftrument «f their torment. How happy would you think your- ielves then, if you were turned into rocks, cr any thing g6 The Saints Everlajling Rtjt, thing that had neither paflion nor fcnfe ! How happy were you. if you could now feel, as lightly as you were wont to hear ! And if you could iltep out the time of execution, as yon did the time of thefeimons that warned you of it ! But your ilupidlty is gone, it will not be. 5. Moreover, it will much increafe the torment of the dan)ned, that their men-'.oric^s will be as large and ftrong as their undenlandings and afFe6lions. Were their Icifs' never fo grrat, and their fenfe of it never fo pafiirnate, yet if tiicv could bat lofe the ufe of their memory, thofe paffioos would die, and that lofs, be- ing for«^-otten, would little trouble them. But as they cannot lay by their life and being, fo neither can they lay afide any part of that being. Under* (lauding, confcience, affe6lions, memory, mud alllive to torment them, which fhould have helped to their happinefs. And as b) thefe they iliould have fed up- on the love of God. and drawn forth perpetually the joys of his preftnce ; fo by thtfe mull thiy nc/W feed upon the wrath of God, and draw forth continually the pains of his abfence. And yet thefe men would never be brought to con- fider ; bur in the latter days faith the Lord) they fhali perfeftly confider it : when they are enfnared in the work of their own hands : when God hath arrett- ed them, and judgment is pafled upon them, ^nd ven* geance is poured out upon them to the full, then they canuot choofe but confider it whether they will or no. Now they have no Icifure to confider, nor any room' in their memories for the things of another life. But then they fhall have leifure enough, they fhall be wliere they have nothing elfe to do ; their memories Ihall have no olher employment, it fhall be engraven upon the tables of their hearts. God would have liad the dodbine of their ctern?.l ilate to have been writteu The Saints EverlaJIing ReJI, 97 'vrrittcn on tlie pods of their doors, on their houf^s, on their hands, and on their hearts : and feeing they re- jefted this counfcl of the Lord, thcrefoic Hiall vc be written always before them in the place of their thral- dom, that which way foever they look, they rnay dill behold it. I will briefly lay down fonic of thofe confiderati- ons, which will thus feed the anguidi of thefc damntd wretches. T . It will torment them to think of the greatnefs of the glory which they have lod. O if it had been that which they could have fpared, it had been a fmall mat- ter : Or. if it had been a lofs reparable with any thing elfe ; if it had been health, or wealth, or friends, or life, it had been rothiifig ; but \.o\oic thai exceeding^ and eternal iveight of glory ! 2. It will torment them to think of the poiTibility that once' they were in of obtaining it. I'iien they will remember, the time was, when I was in as fair a poflibility of the kingdom as others ; I was fet upi.-a the llage of the world ; if I had played my part wifely and faithfully, now I might have had pofkfI:oii of the inheritance ; I might have been amongft yont'er blef- fcd faints, who am now tormented with ihefv damnei fiends ! The Lord did fet before me life and dea't-{i, and having chofen death, I dtferve to C'jffer it :^/ the pri^;e was once held out before me ; if I had ruvj well, I might have obtained it : if I had fctiven, \ might have had the niadery ^ if I had fougU'w valian* Jiy^ I had been crowned, ./ 3. It will yet more torment thf.m to r ^-member, not only the poffib'lfty, but the great p ^babllity that once they were in, to obtain the crow ^ \^ ^vill thea wound th<;m, to think : why, I h^ ^d once the rales I " of / 98 The Saints E'uerla/Iing Reft, of the Spirit ready- to have aflifted mc. I was fullv- puipofed to have been another man, to have cleaved to Chnfl, and to have forfook the world ; I vv'as al- nioft refolved to have been wholly for God : I had even caft cfF my old companions, and yet I turned back, and loft my hold, and broke my promifes, and Slacked my purpofes ; almoil God had perfuaded m.e to be a real chriilian, and yet I conquered ihofe per- fuafions. V\ hat v/orkings weie in my heart, when a faithful minifter pvefTed home the truth I O how fair was I once for heaven ! I had alraoft had it, and yet I have loll it ; if 1 had but followed on to feek the Loid, and biov/n up the fparks of defire which were kindled in me, 1 had now been bleffed among the iaints. 4. Yet further, it will much add to their torment to reniember that God bimfclf did condefcend to en* treat them : how long he did wait, how freely he did ctfer, how' lovingly he did invite, and how importu- nately he did folicit them ! how the Spirit did con- tinue flriving with thtir hearts, as if he were loth to take a denial : how Chrift ilood knocking at the door all it be till thou attain to innottncy ? jficr'- If^j^ JhiiU ihy la'in thoughls Ico^e ti'ithin thee P Wo to thee, O unworthy fmner ! Will thou not be made -clean I Wilt thou not be pardoned and faii(ftified, and rr;ac]c happy ? Wheo fl^all ii one- be : O that thou wouldft hearken to my word, and obey my gofpel ! ^T hen Jhou'id tJyy peace he as the ri-vr, ana thy right eouf- nefs as the waves of the feu : though ihy Jms i ere as red OS ctimfon, I nxov-ld m he ihtm as ivhitt- as ihc fncw : ihat ihou in ere lui li-fe to anfnkr this ! and that thou to fright you from linning : or if there be a hell, wliat need you fear it ? are not you chriilians ? and fhall yoit not be favt'd by Chrift ? was not his blood (hed for you? Minillers may tell you what they pleafe, they would make men- believe that they (hidl all be damned except they will lit themfelves to their humour. — Thus as the Spirit of Chrlll is the comforter of the faints, fo Salan is the comforter of the wicked ; for he knows. ii he fhould now difquiet them, they would no long- er fcrve him ; or if fears or doubts fhould trouble them, they would bethink themfelves of their danger. Never vvas a thief more carefiJ left he fhould awake the people, when he is robbing the houfe, than Satan is, not to awaken a fmner. But when the finner is dead, and he l»sth his prey, then he hath done flatter- ing and comforting them. While the fight of fm and mifery might have helped to fave them, he took all the pains he could to hide it from their eyes ; but when it is too late, and there Is no hope left, he will make them fee and feel to the utmoft. Oh, which way will the foilorn finner ihen look for comfort ! They that drew him into tlie fnare, and promlLd him fafety, now forfake him, and are fiirfakei; ih.emfelves. His anci- ent coa.forts are takrn from iciin, and the righteous, God, whofe fore-w: i<( .^^ K^' ?>';c^ ».:«:<{>>:):( ^^^^^ C H A P. V. . The SecG?2d life reprehending the general Negled of this Rcjl^ and eaciting to Dili- gence in fe eking it. I COME now to the fecond ufe. If there be fu ccr- taia and glorious a reft, why 13 thert; no more fl-ek-' L 3 jne ^ 126 The Saints Everlqfling Rtjl. ing after It ? One would think that a man that did but once hear of fuch unfpeakable glory, and did be- lieve what he h-^areth to be true, ihould be tranfported with defire after it, fhould almoll forget ro eat or drink, and miud and care for nothing elfe, and fpeak of and enquire after nothing, but how to get this trea- fure ! And yet people who licar it daily, and profcfs to believe it, do as little mind it, or care, or labour for it, as if they had never heard of any fuch thing, or did not believe one word that they hear. I {IihIi apply this reproof more particularly to four forts of men : Firft, the worldly-minded, who is fa t^.ikcn up in fecking the things below, that he hath neither heart nor time to feek this reft. May I not well fay to thefe men, as Paul to the Gulctlans in another cafe, Foolifh finners ! 'who hath beivi'ched you P It is not for nothing that divines ufe to call the world a witch ; fer as in witchcraft, men's lives, fenfto, goods or cattle are dcltroyed by a ftrange, fccret, unfeeii power of the devil, of which a man can give no natural rtafon ; fo here, men will deftroy their own foiiis in a way quite againft their own know- ledj;e. Wi;uld not a man wonder, that is in his right fcnlcs, to fee what riding and running, what fcramb- hu^r and catching there is for a thing of nought, while eternal rell lies by neglefted? What contriving and car- ing, whut h^';i.ting and bloodfhed, to get a itep higher in the world than their brethren, while they negle^l the kingly dignity of the faints ! What infatiable purfuitof jieflily plcafures, whilft they look upon the praifes of God, which is the joy of angels, as a burden ! What unwearied diligence is there in raihng their pofterity, enlarging their pofTcflions, gathering a little filver or gold ! Yea, perhaps for a poor living from hand to mouth, while in the mean time their judgment is drawing Dsar i and yet how it fliail go with theni theui f The Saints Everlq/ling Refl. 127 then, or how they (hall live eternally, did never put them to one hour^s fober confideration. What rlfing up early, fitting up late, labouring and caring year after year, to maintain themfelves and children in ciedit till they die; but what fliall follow after, that they never think on ; and yet thefe men cry to us, may not a man be faved without fo much ado ? How early do they roufe up their fervants to their labour ? [Up, come away to work, we have this to do, and that to do ;] but how fcldom do they call ihem [Up, you have your foul to look to, y©u have ever lading life to provide for j up to prayer, to the leading of the fcripture.] What a gadding up and down the world Is here, )ike a company of ants upon a hillock, taking incef- fant pains to gather a treauire, which death will fpurn abroad, as if it were fuch an excellent thing to die in the midli of wealth and honours ! Or as if it would be fuch a comfort to a man in another world, to think that he was a lord, or a knight, or a gentleman or a n'ch man on earth ! What hath this world done for its lovers and friends, that it is fo eagerly followed, and painfully fought after, while Ct)vift and heaven Hand by, and few regard them ? Or what will the world do for them for the time to come ? The com- mon entrance into it is throuy:h anguiOi and forruw, 'I'he pafiage through it is with continual care and la- bour. The paffage out of it is with the greateft fnarp- nefs and fadnefs of all. What then doth caufe men fo much to follow and affef^ it ? O unreafonable bewitcii- ed men ! Will mirtii and pleafure ftick clofe to you ? Will gold and worldly glory prove'faft friends to you m the time of your greatcft need ? Will they hear}: nr cries in the day of your calamity ? If a man {hot. Id fay to you, as Ellas did to Baal's priefls, cry .Jovci : Oh riches, or haaour, now help us ! Wili they e'r' er anfwer 1 28 The Saints Everhijluig Reft, cfrfwer or reliv.=re you ? Will they go along with you to another world, and bribe the Judge, and bring you . off clear ; or purchafe you a room among the blcflld ? Why then did fo ricli a man want a drop of water to cool his tongue ? Or are the fwect morfels of prefcnt delight and honour of more worth than eternal reft ? and will they recompenfe the lofs of that enduring trcufurc ? Can there be the leaft hope of any of thtfe ? What then is the matter ? Is it only a room for our dead bodies that we are fo much beholden to the world for ? Why this is the laft and longeft courtefy that we fliall receive from It. }3ut we fliall have this whether we ferve it or no ; and even that homely, dufty dwel- ling it will not a{ff)rd us always neither ; it fhall pof-^ fcfs our (}.\.\'^ but till the refurre^tion. How then doth the world deferve fo weir at men's hands, that they fliould part with Chrill and their falvr.t ion to bt its fol- lowers ? Ah viJe deceitful world ! how oft have we heard thy faithfullcft fcrvants at laft complaining. Oh the world hath deceived me, and undone me ! And yet fucceeding fmners will. take no warning. So this is the firft fort of negleders of heaven which fall under this reproof. 2. The fccond fort here to be reproved, are the profane, ungodly, prefumptuous multitude, who will not be perfuaded to be at fo much pains for falvation, as to perform the common outward duties of religion. Yea, though they are convinced that thefe duties are commanded, yet will they not be brought to the com- mon pradlice of them. If they have the gofpel preach- ed in tiie town where they dwell, it may be they will give the hearing to«it one part of the day, and ftay at home the other ; or if the mafter come to the congre- gation, yet part of his facrtily muft ftay at home. If tUey want the plain and powerful preaching of the gof- p-fl, how few arc there in a whole town who will tra- . The Saints Ever lofting Rejl, 129 vcl a mile or two to hear abroad, though they will go jnany miles to the maiket for their bodies. And though they know the fcrlpture Is the law of God, by which they muft be acquitted or condemned in judgment ; and that it is the property of every bltrfied man to delight In this law, and to meditate in it day and night, yet will they not be at the pains to read a chapter once a day, nor to acquaint their fami- lies with this dodrlne of falvatlon. But if they carry a bible to church, and let it lie by them all the week, tl)is is the moil ufe that they make of It. And though they are commandtd Xo pray iv'uhout cea/itig ; and to pray always and not to faint ; to continue in prayer, and nvaich in the fame ivith thankf^iving ; yet will they not pray conftantly with their families, or In fecret. Yoa may hear in their houfes two oaths for one prayer. Or if they do any thing this way, it is ufually but a running over a few formal words wlu'ch they have 'got on their tongues' end, as if they came on purpofe to make a jell of prayer, and to mock God and their own fouls. Alas ! he that only reads In a book that he Is ml- ferable, and what his foul Hands In need of, but never felt hlmfclf miferable, or felt his feveral wants, no wonder if he muft alfo fetch his prayer from his book only, or at fartheft from the ftrength of his memory. Solomon^s requeft to God was, that nvhal prayer or fup- plication foever fhould he made by any man, or by all the people, nvhen every man Jhall know his otvn fore, .ind his own grief, and fiall fpread forth his hands before God, that God Tvould then hear and forgive, 2 Chron. vl. 29, 30. If thefe men did thus know and feel every man the foie, and the grief of his own foul, we fliouid neither need fo much to urge them to prayer, nor to teach them how to perform it. Whereas nowr they invite God to be backward in giving, by ti.eir backwardaeia 130 The Saints Everlajling Rejl. backwardnefsin an That we will not go roundly and clieerfiilly toward heaven without all this ado? No, nor with it neither ? Where is the man that is ferioiis in his chriilianity ? Methinks men every where make but a trifle of their eternal ilate. They look after it hut a little by the by ; they do not make it the taflc and bulincfs of their lives. To be plain with you, I think nothing undoes men i for God? do they build up his houfe ? are they tender jjf his honour ? do they fecond the word ? encourage the good ? relieve the oppreffcd ? compaflionate the diilrefied ? and fly at the face of fin and finncrs, as being the diflurbers of our peace, and the only caufe of all our miferi^s ? do they ft:udy how to do the ut- mofl; they can for God ? to improve their power and parts, and wealth and honour, and all their intered for the grcatert advantage to the kingdom of Chrifi:, as men that mull fhortly give an account of their ilevvardfhip? or do they build their own houfes, and feek their advancements, and contefl for their own ho- nours, and do no more for Chrlfl than needs they mud, or than lies in their way, or than is put by others into their hands, or than (lands with the pleafing of their friends, or with their worldly interell ? And how thin are thofe minifters that are feri'ous in their work ! Nay, how m.ightily do the very bed fail in this I Do we cry out of men's difobedience to the gofpcl. in the evidence and power of the Spirit, and 4ciil w'ilh fill, as tK«;i ji'bich h the fire in our towns I 35 77jc S.iifits Everlafiir,^ Rcjl. and houfes, and by force pnll men out of tliis fire? Do we pcrfuade our people, as tkofe that know the terrors of the Lord fhonid do ? Do we prcfs Chrlll, and regeneration, and faith, and holinefs, as men that helicve indeed, tliat without ihefe they fnall never have life ? Do our bowels yearn over the ignorant, and the careiefs, and the obftinate multitude, as men that believe their own dodlrine ? When we look them in the face, do our hearts melt over them, left we fhould never fee their faces in reft ? Do we, as Paul, tell them vvctpins;, of their nefhly and earthly dirpofjtion ? And teach them puhJickly, and from houfe to houfe, x\\^\\K. snd day with tears? And do we entreat them, as if it v/ere indeed for their lives ? tliat when we fpeak of the joys and miferics of another world, our people may fee us afFeded accordingly, and perceive that we mean as we fpeak ? Or rather, do we not ftudy words ? As if a minifter's bufinefs were but to tell them a imoolh tale of an hour long, and fo look no more af- ter them till the next fermon. Oh the formal, frozen, lifelefs ferraons which we daily hear preaclied upon the moft weighty, piercing fubjcAs in the world ! How gently do we handle thofe fins, which will handle fo cruelly our people's fouls ! And how tenderly do we deal with their cnrelcfs hearts, not fpeaking to them as men that m.uft be awakened or damned ! We tell them of heaven and hell in fuch a Ofepy tone, and flight way, as if we were but a6l- ing a part in a play ; fo that we ufually preach our people a fieep with thofe fubjefts, which one would think fhould rather endanger the driving fome befide thtmrL-lves. In a word, our want of ferioufnefs about the things of heaven, doth charm the fouls of men into formal- ity, ar,d hath brouglit them to this cuftomary, care- lefb' hearing, which undoes them. The Lord pardon the Th^ Saints Everlajling Refl. 137 the great fin of the miniftry in this thing, and, In par- lie ular, my own. And are the people any more ferlous than maglf- trates and minifters ? How can it be expected ? Read- er, look but to thyfelf, and refolve the queilion. Afl-: confcience, and faffer it to tell thee truly. Haft thou fet thine eternal reft before thine eyes as the great ba- finefs, which thou haft to do in this world ? Haft thou ftudied, and cared, and watched, and laboured witU ^11 thy might, left any fl^ould take thy crown from thee ? Haft thou made hafte, left thou ftiouldft come too late, and die before the work be done ? Hath thy heart been fet upon it, and thy dcfires and thoughts Jim out this way ? Haft thou prefTed on through crowds of oppofilion ioivards the mark, fur the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jcfus ? \Vhen you have fet your hand to the work of God, have you done It with all your might f Can confcience witnefs your fecret cries, and gtoans, and tears ? Can your families witnefs that you have taught them the fear <)f the Lord, and warned them all with earneftnefs and unweaiicdnefs to remember God and their fouls? Or that you have done bat as much for them, as that damned glutton would have had La%arus do for his brethren on earth, to warn them that they come not to that place of torment ? Can your minifters witnefs that they have heard you cry out, What Jhall ivecJoto be fivcd ? And that you have followed them with, complaints againft your cotruptions, and with earneft: enquiries after the Lord ? Can your neighbours about you witnefs, that you are ftill learning of them that are able to inftrud you? And that you plainly and louiuUy reprove the ungodly, and take pains for the favi.ig uf your brethren's fouls ? Let allthefe witneftes judge this day between God and you, whether you £st in good eai neft about eternal reft. U 2 . 3:>L 135 The Saints Ei^erlaPang Rep. But If yet yon cannc-t difcern your ncgieds, look but to yourftlves ; within you, without you, to the woik you have done : you can tell by his work whe- ther your fervant hath loitered, though you did not fee him } fo you may by yourfclves. Is your love to Chrift, your faith, your zeal, and other graces, llrong or weak j* What are you: joys? What is your alTur- ance ? Is all right and ftrong, and In order within you ? hxc you ready to die, if this fliould be the (lay r Do the fouls among whom you have converfed, blefs you r Why, jndge by this, and it will quickly appear whetlicr you have been labourers or loiterers. C li A P. VL An Exhortation to Scriovfncfs infeehing Reft. HOPE, reader, by this time thou art fomewhat fenftble, what a defperate thing it is to trifle about eternal rell ; and how deeply thou hall been guilty of this thyftlf. And 1 hope alfo, that thou darell not now fuficr this conviction to die ; but art refolved to be another man for the time to come : What fay- cii tI;ou ? Is this thy refolution ? If thou wert fick of fome cVfperate difeafe, rod the phylician fhould teil thee, if you will obfervebut one thing, I doubt not to cure you : wouldfl: tliou not obferve it ? Why, if thou wilt obftrve but this one thing Tor tliy foul, I make no doubt of thy falvation ; if thou wilt now but fiiake off thy floth and put to all thy flrength, and be a downright chriftian, I know not what can liinder thy happlnefs. As far as thou art gone from Gc^d, if thou now return and feek him with thy whole htitjt, no doubt but thou ffialt find him. As unkind- ly The Saints EverlaJIing Rejl, 139 ]y as thou liad dealt with Jcfus Clirifl, if tliou- didll but ffcl thyfelf lick and dead, and feck !iim heartily, and apply thyfelf in good earn«2ll to the obe- dience of his laws, thy falvation were as fiirc as if th.oa- hadil it already : but as full as the fatisfadion of Chriib is, as frte as the promife is, as large as the mercy of God is ; yet if thou do but look on thefe, and talk of them, wlien thou fliouldll greedily entertain them, thou vviit be rvevei the belter for them : and if tliou ftiouldil loiter when thoa (houldit labour, thou wilt lofe the crown. O fall to work then fpeedily, and fe- rioufly, and blefs God thai thou haft ytt time to do it ;■ and though that which is pail cannot be recalled, yet- redceai the ti.ne now by doubling thy diligence. And becaiife thou (Irak fee I nige ihee not without caufe, i will here adjoin a multitude of confiderati- ons to move thee : their int-eat and ufc is, to drive thee from delaying, and from loitering in fetking reit. Whoever thou art therefore, I entreat thee to lor.fc up thy fpirit, and give me awhile thy atten- tion, and (as My'^/- faid to the people) Set thy heart to, {fi! !'?e ivonls that I teji'ify to thee this day ; for i' is not a vain thinly but it is for rhy life. Weigh what I here writev with the judgment of a man ; and the Lord open thy heart, and fallen his counfel eilettually up- on thee. I. Confidjr our affections and anions fliould be anfwerabjc to the greatnelsof tlie ends to which they are intended. Now the ends of a chrillian's defjres and endeavours are io great, that no human under- ilanding on earth can comprciiend them ; whetlieryou relp^dt their proper excellency, their exceeding im- portance, or their abfolute nccefiity. Thefe ends arc, the glon'fying of God, the falva- tion of our owii audothtr men's fouls, in efcaping ihtr tormenli 140 The Saints EveHaJling Rtjl, torments of hell, and pofTcffin^ the glory of heaven. And can a man be too much affedted with things of fuch moment ? Can lie defire them too earncftly, or love them too violently, or labour for them too dili- gently ? When we know that if our prayers prevail not, and our labour fucceeds not, we are undone for ever, I think it concerns us to ftek and labour to the purpofe. When it is put to the queftion, whether we ihall live for ever in heaven or in hell ? and the quefti- oamuft be refolved upon our obeying the gofpel, or dilobeying it, upon the painfulncfs or the fjothfulnefs of our prefent endeavours ; 1 think it is time for us to bedir ourfelves, and to leave our trifling and com- jilimeating with God. 2. Canfidcr, our diligence fhoul-d be anfv^'crable to the greatuefs of the work which we have to do, as well as to the ends of it. Now, the works of a chriRian here are very many, iindvery great : the foul muft be renewed ; many and great corruptions mortihed ; cuftom, temptations and worldly interelt muft be conquered ; fiefh nvuft be maftered ; life and friends, and credit, and all muft be {lighted ; confcience muft be upon good grounds qui- eted ; afTurance of pardon and falvation muft be at- tained. And though it is God that muft give us thefe, and that freely, without our own merits ; yet ivillhe not give them without our earneft feekiwg and labour. Befid-es, there is a deal of knowledge to be got, for the guiding ourfelves, for defending the tvucii, for the direction of others, and a deal of nn, every peiTon we have to deal with, every change of our condition, doth ftill require the renewing our labour, and bringeth duty along with it : wives, children, fervants, neighbours, fricr.ds, enemies, all of \\\t\\\ call for duty from us : ?.nd all this of great importance too ; fo thnt for the moil, if we mifcarry in it, it wouLi prove our undoing. Judge then yoiirfelves, wliet'ncr Tien that have ^ci m ich bufinefs lying upon their hands, fhould not be- llir them ? And vvhctlKr it be their wifdom either to delay, or to luittr ) %. Confider, oiir diligence fliauLJ be qteickened, bs- caiTe of t'le ihortnefs and uncertainty of the time al- lotted us for the performing of all this w^ork, and the many and great impediments which we meet with. Yet a fe// days, and we fliall be here no more. Time paiTeth on : many difeafes are leady to alTault us ; we t!iat now are preaching, ^id hearing, and talking, and . walking, mud very fho.tly be carried, and laid in the du*l, and there l.-ft to tl'.e worms in darknefs and cor- luption ; we are almoll there already ; it is but a few days, or months, or years, and what is that when once they are paft ? We know not whether we fhall hHV;r an.)ther fei mon, or fabbath, or hour. How thet) fhould thofe beillr them for their everlafting vefl;, who know they have fo fhort a fpace for fo great a work ? Befides, every Itep in the way hath its diiticnkies : the gate is Jirait, an.i the icay narrozv : the ri^htecu! them' fehes are fcirc-!\ fjvei. Scandals and difcouragementa will be rtill caPt before us : and can all thefe be eve;- come by ilothful endeavours ? 4. Moreover, o'jr diligence Hioukl be anfwcrable to the dilii^ence of our enemies in feeking our deiliudli- on. For if we fit ftill while tliey are plotting and la- bouring ; oi- if we be Ir./y in our dt fence, while they aro 142 77?^ Saifits Ever hiding Rejl. aic diligent in aflaulting us, you may eafily conceive liow we are liktrly to fpecd. How diligent is Satan in all kinds of temptations ! Therefore, be foler and •vigi- lant, hscaufe y:ur aiivtrfary, the dczi/, as a roaring Hon 'Ufaikfth abouti fecking avhom he may detour. Hov/ diligent are all the miniflers of Satan / Falfe teach- ers, fcorners at godiinefs, malicious perfecutors, all unwearied ; and our inward corruption the moft bufy and diligent of all: w'hatever we arc about, it ia flill refifling us; depraving our duties, perverting our thoughts, dulling our affeftions to good, exciting them to evil : and will a feeble refjftance fcrve our turn ? Should we not be more adlivc for our own pre- fervation, than our enemies for our ruin ? 5. Our affections and endeavours fhould bear fome proportion with the talents we have received, and means we have enjoyed. It may well be expe6^ed that a horfemnn fliould go fafter than a footman : and he that hath a fwift horfe, fader than he that hath a flow one. More work will be expelled from a found man, than from the lick ; and from a man at age, than from a child ; and to whom men commit much, from them they will ex- pect the more. Now the talents which we have received are many and great; the meaiis which we have enjoyed are ve- ry many, and very precious. What people breathing on earth, have had plainer inRruftions, or more forci- ble perfuafions, or conftant admonitions, in fcafon and out of fcafon ? Sermons, till we have been weary of them : and fabbaths, till we profaned thera ? Excel- lent books in fuch plenty, that we knew not which to read ! VVnat people have had God fo near them us we have had .■* Or have fecn Chrilt, as it were, crucifi- ed before their eyes, as v/e hav£ done :' What people have llje Saints Everlqfiing Reji, 143 have had heaven and hell, as it vc-ere, opened ui;to them, as we ? Scarce a day wherein we have not had foijie fpiir to put us on. What fpecd then fliould fuch a people make for heaven ? How fhould they fly that are thus winged ? And how fwiftly fhould they fail that have wind and tide to help them ? Believe it, brethren, God looks for more from England, than from moil nations in the -world ; and for more from you that enjoy thefe helps, than from the dark un- taught congregations of the land. A fmall meafure of grace befeems not fuch a people ; nor will an ordi- r:ary diligence in the work of God, excufe them ! 6. The vigour of our affc(5^ions and adions fnould be anfwerable to the great cod beftowed upon us, and to the deep engaging mercies which we have receiv- ed from God. Surely we owe more fervice to our mafter, from whom we have our maintenance, than we do to a llranger, to whom we were never be- holden. O thecoft that God hath been at for our fakes ! The riches of fea and land, of heaven and earth, hath he poured out unto us. All our lives have been filled up with mercies : we cannot look back upon one hour of it, or pafTage in it, but we may behold mercy. We feed upon mercy, we wear mercy upon our backs, we tread upon mercy ; mercy within us, mercy with- out us for this life, and for that to come. O the rare deliverances that we have partaken of, both national .and perfonal ! How oft, how feafonably, how fully have our prayers been heard, and our fears removed ! What large catalogues of particular mercies can every chviftian rehearfe ! To offer to number them would be as endlefs a tafl<:, as to number the ftars, or the fands of the fliore. If 144 ^^^ Saints Everiajling Rejl, If there be any difference betwir.t hell, (where we fhould have been) and earth, (where we now are) yea, or heaven, (which is olTeredtous) then certainly we have received mercy : yea, if the blood of the Son of God be mercy, then are we engaged to God by mer- cy ; for fo much did it co(l him to recover us to him- fclf. And fliould a people of fuch deep engagements be lazy in their returns ? Shall God think nothing, too much nor too good for us; and (hall we think all too much that we do for him ? Thou that ait an ob- Hrving fenfible man, who knowcfl: how much thou ait beholden to God, 1 appeal to thee, is not a. loitering performance of a few heartlefs duties, an unworthy requital of fuch admirable kindnefs ? For my own part, when I compare my flow and unprofit- able life, with the frequent and wonderful mercies re- ceived, it fliames me, it filenceth me, and leaves me in excu fable. 7. Confider, all the relations which we ftand In toward God, call upon us for our utmoft diligence. Should not the pot be wholly at the fcrvice of the potter, and the creature at the fervice of his Creator ? Are wc his children, and do we not ov^'c him our moil tender affections, and dutiful obedience ? Are we the fpoufe of Chriil, and do we not owe him our ohfervance, and our love ? If he he our father, luhere is his honour ? ani if he be our mafler^ ivhcre is his fear P IVe call him Lord an I Mnjlcr, and -wc Jo ivell : but if our induftry be not anfwerable to our relations, v.'e condemn ourfelves in faying, we are his children, or his fcrvants. How will the hard labour and daily- toil ^hat fervants undergo to pleafe their matters, judge and condemn thofe men who will not labour fo hard for their grtat mailer ? Surely there is none have a more honourable matter than w^', nor can expedl fuch fruit of their labours* S. How The Sdints Kverlajling R^'Jl, 145 8. How dole fhould -they p^y their work, who fiave fuch attendants as we have ! r\li the world are oi:r fervants, that we may be the fervants of God. The fun, and moon, and Uars, attend us with their h'ght and influence : the earth, with all its furniture, is at our fervlce : how many thoufand plants, and flowers, and fruits, and birds, and beads, do all attend us ? 7'he fea with its inhabitants, the air, the wind, the froft and fnow, the heat and fire, the clouds and rain, all wait upon us wliile we ^^o our work: yea, the an- gels are min'ijJerin^ fp'^^'i^^ fif ^^- And is it not an in- tolerable crime for us to trifle, while all thefe are em- ployed to afhit us ? Nay more ; the patience of Go» doth wait upon us: the Lord Jesus Christ wait- eth, in the offers of his blood ; the holy Spirit wait- eth, in flriving with our backward hearts : bcfides, all his fervants, the minifters of Ju*s gofpel, who ftn- dy and wait, and preach and wait, and pray and wait upon carelefa llnnc-rs : and fhall anpiels and men, yea the Lord himfelf, (land by ar.d look, on, while thou doll nothing? O chrillians, I befeech yen, whenever you are on your knees in prayer, or reproving the tranfgreiTors, or exhorting the obllinate, or upon any duty, do but re- member what attendants you have for this work : and then judge how it behoves you to perform it. 9. How forward and painful fhould we be in tliat work, where we are fure we can ntver do enough ? If there were any danger in over-doing, then it might well caufe men to moderate their endeavours : but we know, that if we cou.d do all, ive were hut unpv fiiable fervants \ much more when we fail in all. It is true, a man may pofBbly preach too much, or hear too much, (though I have known few that did fo; but yet no man can obey or ferve God too much : N one I 146 The Saints Everlnjl'ing Rcji, one duty may be faid to be too long, when It (hllts^out another ; and th<:n it ceaftlh indeed to be a duty. And all ruptrrftition, or worfnip of our own devifing-, may be called a vighteourncrs over much ; yet as long as you keep your fervice to the rule of the word, you never need to fear being I'lghious onrr much ; for elfe we fhould n proach the Lord and Lawgiver of the church, as if he commanded us to do too much. If the world were not mad with malice, they coiild never be fo blind in this point as they are : to think tliat diligence for Chr'tji^ is folly and fingularity: and that they who ftt themfcl\'es wholly to feek eternal life, nrc but precife Puritans ! The time is near, wlien they will eahly confcfs, that God could not be loved or ferved too much, and that no man can be too bufy to fave his foul : for the world you may cafily do too niiich, but herein ^in God's \^'ay . you cannot, ~io. Confider, they that trifle in tlie way to heaven, iofe all their labour. If two be running in a race, he that runs floweit, had as good never run at all : for he lofeth the prize,,and his labour both. Many, who like jignppa, are but aimojl clir'ijlians, will lind in the end they (hall be but almoll faved. God kath fet the rate at which the peail rnufl be bought ; if you bid a penny lefs, you had as good bid nothing. As a man that is lifting up fome weighty thing, if he put to almofi: ib'cngtli enough, it is as good he put to none at all, for he doth but Iofe all hib labour. O hpvv many profeiTors of chriftlanity will find this true to their forrow, who have had a mind to the ways of God, and have kept up a dull tafl< of duty, but ne- vei came to fcrlous chriftianity ! How many a duty have they loft, for want of doing t^em throughly i Many Jhall feeh to -^nhr an.^ n t be able : who, if they iha^ tliiven mi^ht have bc^ntible, O therefore pm to 9 little The Saints Everlajllng Rcfl, 1-47 a little more diligence and (Iren^th, that all be not.in vain that you have done already ! 11. Furthermore, wc have lofl a great deal oF time already, and therefore it is reafon that we labour fo much tlie harder. If a traveller flecp, or trifle (Uit moll of the day, he tnu^l travel fo mucii the fallcr in the evt-ning, or fail lliort of his journey's end. With fome of us our childhood and youth is gone ; with fome alfo their middle age, and tiie time before us is very uncertain. What a deal of time have v.-tr flept away, and talked away, and played away ? What a deal have we fpent in worldiy thoughts and labours, or in mere idlenefs ? Though in likelihood the mall of our time is fpent, yet how little of our work is done ? And is it not time to beltir ourfclves in the evening of our days ? 1 he time which we have h;R: 4:an never be recalled ; (hould wc not then redeem it by Improving the little which remaineth ? You may receive indeed 2Ln equil recompen e ivUh th fe that have borne ths burden and heat of the day^ thow^h yon came n^t in till the lijl hour ; but then you mu!l be furc to labour diligently that hour. It is enougli fure that we have loll fo much of our lives. Let us not now be fo foolifh as to lofe the rell. 12. Conficler the greater are your layings-out, the greater will be your coralngs-in. Though you may feem to lofe your labour at the prefent, yet the hour Cometh when you fliall find it with advantage. The feed which is buried and dead, will bring forth a plen- tiful increafe at the haivelt. Whatever you do, and whatever you fuffer, everlafting reft *vill pay for all. There is no repenting of labours and fufienngs in. heaven ; none fays, *' would I had fpared ray pains " and prayed lefs, or been lefs ftrid, and did as the ** red of my neighbours did :" there is never fu.ch a thought in heaven as thefe. But on the'Contrary, It will i 14S I'be Saljits Everlafting Rejl, will be their j'ly to Io(>k hack upon their labours, and confjder how the nriolity power of God did Bring thtm through all. Whoever complained that he came to heaven at too dear a rate ; or that his falvation colt liim more labour than it was worth ? We may fay of all our laboLiry, as I'au] of his fi'.ftetir.gs, / reckon that the fujfcrinos 1 and labours) of this prejent iim?y are not luorthy to h: cctnpare.I iv'sth the gl^ry th :t Jhall be reveal- ed. We labour but for a moment, but we fliall reft for ercr. Who would not put forth all his ftreugth for one hour, when he may be a prince while he lives ? Oh, what is the duty and fufferings for a fliort life, i.) iLTpefk of endlefs joys with Hod? Will not all cT tears then be nvipsd wziay ^ and all the forrows of our citilies forgotten ? But yet the Lord will not forget tliem : for hs n no: unjuji, i a forget our tvorh and labour cj love. 13. ConHder, violence and laborious firiving for falvaiion, is the way that the wifdom of God hath (iirciled us to, as beft, and his fovcreign authority appointed us as necefiary. Who knows the way to heaven better than the God of heaven ^ When men ttU us t'aat we are too ftricl:, whom do they accufe, God, or us ? If we do no more than what wc are commanded, nor fo much neither ; they may as well iay, God hath made laws which are too llridt. Sure if it were a fault, it would He in him that commands, jiiid not in us wIjo obey. And dare thefe men tliink that ^hey are wifcr than God ? Do they know better than he, what men mull do to be laved? Tliefe are the men that afl: us, whether we are wifer than all the world bcfides ? and yet they will pretend to he wikr than God. What do they lefs, when God bids i!3 take tiie moll diligent courfe, and they tell us, it is more ado than needs? Mark well the hmguage of C>-OD, and.^c how you can reconcile it with tlie lan- guage The Saints Everlajling ReJI, 149 -gunj^e cf the world : The hingdom of heaven fujjtreth violencet and the x'wleut take it by force. Strive to en- Ur in at the Jirait jraie ; for many fidl feek to enter la and not he able. IVhatfoever the hand Jinddh to do, do it with all thy might ; for tl:>€re is no luorh, nor device., nor knonoU'dge^ or ivifdom in the gravf, ivhither thou goejl. Work out your falvation ivith fear and trembling., Give diligence to make y:ur calling and ck^ion fure. If the rlghte^ius fcarctly he faved^ vjherejhallthe ungodly and Jinmr appear ? Tills Is the condant language of Chri/l : and which /hall 1 follow, God or men ; yea, and that the v.'orik ^nd moft wicked men ? Shall I think that every ig- r.orant worldly fot, that can only call a man a Puritan^ knows more than Chr'd}, or can tell God how to mend the fcnptiires ? Let them bring all the feeming reafoa they can again ft the holy, violent ilriving of the faints.; and this fufiiceth me to confute them all, that God is of another mind, and lie hath commanded me to do much more than I do : and though I could fee no reafon for it, yet his will is reafon enough to me : I am fure God is worthy to govern us, if we were better than we are. Who fliould make laws for us, but he that made us ? And who fhould mark out the way to •heaven, but he that mud bring us thither ? And who fhould determine on what conditions we fnall be faved, but he that bellows the gift of falvaticn ? So that let the world, or the iiefh, or the devil, fpeak againft a holy labonous courfe, this is my aafwer, God hath commanded it. 14. Moreover, it is a courfe that all men in the world either do, or will approve of. There is not a man that ever was, or is, or fhall be, but fhall one day julllfy the diligence of the faints. And who would not go that way, which every man fhall ap- plaud ? N 2 it 1^0 Ths Saints Everhi/l'in^ ^^J^- It is true, it is now a rcny every luhsre fpoken ngn'mjf^ and kited; hnt let mc tt'll you, i. Moll tlut fpcak. anainfl it, in tlieir jiid[;mests approve of It ; only !>-- cuufe the practice of g(3fllincfs is agnlull the pleafures of the flt^i, tlvcrcFore do they, agaiwft thtfr own judg- ments, r«.{i:l it. They have not one vvoidofreafon ag-ainft. it, b'Jt reproaches and irJling are their beft ai^iinitnts. 2. Thofe that are now agaiufl it, whe- ther in jjjgment or pafTjon, will (liort'y be of another mind. If they come to heaven, their mind ^u^'^yitttf|| chan^L^ed bjfore they come there. If they go to heflv^^B tiieir judgm-jnt will then be altered, whether they will ^| or no. If you could fpeak with every foul tliat fuffereth thofe torments, and afi<, whether it be pofTible to be too diligent and Rrious in feeking f^lvatlon, you may eufily conjedlure whatanfwer they would return. Take tiie mod bitter dcrider or perfecutor of godlinefs, even tisofe that will venture their lives to overthrow it^ if thofe men d^K^ not flionly vvilli a thoufand times that th'.v h'ld been the moll holy, diligent chriflians on earth, then let me bcai the fhamc of a fa'.fe prophet for evci. jl Remember this, you that will be of the opinion and v.\-;y that moil arc of: why will you not be of the opinion then that all v,- ill be ilionly of? Why will you be of a judgment which you are fure you fhall all Tnortly change ? O that you weie but as wile in this, as thufe in hell ! 15. Confiuer, They that have been the moil feri- ous, p::ir,ful clirillians, when they come to die, ex- ceedindl he dif- folvedi and the elements Jhall mtlt ivilh fervent heat ? As if he fl^oukl fay, we cannot pofhbly conceive or cxprefs what manner of perfons we fhould be in all hoHnefs and godlincfs, when we do but think of the fuddrn, and certain, and terrible difiolution of all things below. 5. ^i''fl' What if you had feen the procefs of the judgment of the great day ? If you had feen the judg- ■ mtiit ftt, and the books opened, and the mofl: (land trembling on the left hand of the judge, and Chrifl ' himfclfaccuhng them of their rebellions and negle6ls, and remembering them of all their former {lightings of his grace, and at lall condemning them to perpetual perdition ? If ytui had feen the godly (landing on the right hand, and ^efus Chr'fl acknowledging their faith- ful obedience, and adjudging them to the poffeflion of the joy of their Lord ? What mxanner of perfons would you have been after fuch a fight as this ? Why, this fight thou (halt one day fee, as fure as thou lived. And why then fliould not the forekuovvkdge of fuch a. day awake thee to thy duty ? 6. ^lefl' What if you had once feen hell open, and all the damned there in their ceafelefs torments, and had heard them crying out of their flothfulnefs in the day of their vifitation, and wilhing that they Tad but another life to live, and that God would but try ihem once again ? one crying out of his neglcCii of duty^ and another of his loitering and trifling, when The Saints EverlajTmg Rejl, 157 when he (hould have been labouring for his life ? Wliat manner of perfons would you have been after fuch u fight as this? What if you had fcen heaven opened, as Stephen did, and all the faints there triump'uiug in gloty, and enjoying- the end of their labours and fuf- ferings ? What a life would you lead after fuch afiglit as this ? Why, you will fee this with your eyes betoro it belong. 7. ^lejl. What if you had lain In hell hut one year, or one day, or hour, and there felt thofe torments that now you do but hear of ? and God (liould turn you into the woild again, and try you with another life- time, and fay, I will fee whether thou wilt be yet any better ; what manner of perfons v/ould you be ? Il yuu were to live a thoufand years, would you not gladly live as ftridly as the precifell faints, and fpend all tliof^v. years in prayer and duty, fo you might but efcape the' "torment which you fuffered ? how lerioully then would you fpeak of hell ! and pray againft it ! And hear, and read, and watch, and obey ! ¥Low earnellly would yoii admonifli the carelefs to take l>eed, and look about them to prevent their luin ! And will not you take God's word for the truth of this, except you feel it ? Is it not your wildom to do as much now to prevent it, as y6u would do to remove it when it is too late ? Is it not more wifdom to fpend this life in labouring for heaven, while ye have it, than to lie in torment, wilh- mg for more time in vain ? And thus I have faid enough, if not to ftir up the lazy fmner to a ferious working out his f^lvation, yet at lead to fjience him, and leave him iuexcufable at the judgment of God. If thou canft, after reading all this, go on in the fame negle6t of God, and thy foul, and draw out the reil of thy life in the fame dull and carelefs courfe, as thou had hitherto done ; and if thou haft fo far ftupified thy confcience, that it will quietly O fufTcr 158 The Saints Everlajiing Rejl. fufFcr thee to forget all this, and to trifle out the reft of thy time in the bufinefs of the world, when in the mean while thy falvation is in danger, and the judge is at the door ; I have then no more to fay to thee : it is as good to fpeak to a rock. Only as we do by our friends when they are dead ; and our words and adli- ons can do them no good, yet to teftify our affeftions we weep and mourn for them : fo will I alfo do for thefe fouls. It makes my heart even tremble to think, how they will fland trembling before the Loid ! And how confounded and fpeechlefs they will be, when Chriil (hall re?fon with them concerning their negli- . gence and floth ! When he fhall fay, as the Lord doth in Jcr. ii. 5.9. ir. 15. What iniquity have your fathers (or you) found in me, that ye are gone far from me, end have ivalked after vanity? Did 1 ever wrong you, or do you any harm, or ever difcourage you from fol- lowing my fervice ? Was my way fo bad that you could not endure it ? or my fervice fo bafe that you could not ftoop to it ? Did 1 ftoop to the fulfil- ing of the law for you, and could not you Hoop to fulfil the eafy conditions of my gofpcl ? Was the world or Satan a better fiiend to you than I? Or had they done for you more than I had done ? Tiy now whether they will fave you, or whether they will rtcompenfe you for the lofs of heaven ; or whether they will be as good to you as I would have been. O ! what will the wretched finner anfwer to any of this ! But thougli man will not hear, yet we may have hope In fpeaking to God — Lord, fmite thefe rocks till they gufli forth waters: though thefe ears arc deaf, fay to them, Ephphatha^ be opened : though thefe fjnners be dead, let that power fpeak, which fometime faid, La- zarus arifi! We know they will be awakened at the laft rcfurreftion ; O, but then it will be only to their fonovv ! O, thou that didft weep aiu groan over dead I^a-^aruiy pity thefe fad and fenfcl-fs fouls, till they ave able to weep and groan for, aiid^ity theoifcives. ^^s thou The Saints Enjerlajling ReJ, Yet I will add a few more words to good men in par- ticular, to iliew t!iem why they above all men fhould be laborious for heaven ; and that there is a grea deal of reafon, that though all the world fit ilill. yet they fiiould abhor that lazinefs and negligence, and lay out all their ftrength on the work, of God. To this end, I ddire them alfo to anfwer foberly to thefe few quef- tions. 1. %f/?. What manner of perfors fliould thofebe» who have felt the fmart of their negligence, in the new birth, in their feveral wounds and trouble of confci- ence, in their doubts and fears, in their various af?»ic- tions : they that have groaned and cried out fo oft, un- der the fenfe and efFe6^s of their negh'gence, and aie like enou/h to feel it a^fain, if they do not reform it ? Sure one would think they fhould be flottiful no more. 2. ^i^j?' What manner of perfons (hould thofe be who have bound themfelves to God by fo many cove- rants aa we have done, and in fp^-cial have covenanted fo oft to be more painful and faitiiful in hi- fervite ? At every facrament ; on many days of humiliation and thankfgiving ; in mod of our deep diltieffes and dan- gerous iicknefTes : we are Illll ready to bewail oar ne- gleds, and to engage ourlelves, if God will but try us and truft us once again, how diligent and laborious we will be, and how we will improve our time, and re- prove offenders, and watch over ourfelves, and ply our work ; and do him more feivice in a day than we did in a mouth ? The Lord pardon our perfidious cove- nant 1 60 The Saints EvcrLijling Rejl, nnnt-brf?.king ; and grant tliat our engagements may not condemn us. ?>' ^!{fl- What manner of men fhould they be in duly, who have received fo much encouragement, as we have done ? Who have tailed fuch fweetnefs in di- ligent obedience, as doth much more than counteivail Jill the jiains ; who liave fo oft had experience of the wide difference between lazy and laborious duty, by their diitVrent iffues ; who liave found all our lazy du- ties ui. fruitful ; and all our iliivings and wrctUings with God fucccfbful, fo that we were never impor- tunate with God in vain ? We who have had fo ma- ny deliverances upon urgent feeking ; and have re- ceived almoil all our folid comforts in a way of clofe i;nd conftanr r^;;|.Y : how fhould we above all men ply our work ? 4. ^iej. What manner of perfons fhould they be ill holiuefs, who have fo much of the great work yet undone i* So many fins in fo great ilrength ; graces 'vciJi, fan6tification imperfeft, corruption ft ill work- ing and taking advantage of all our omiffion ? When wc are as a boat- man on the water ; let him row ne- ver fo hard a month together, yet if he do but flack }rls hand, and think to eafe himfelf, his boat goes farter down the ftream than before it went up : fo do our fouls, when we think to eafe ourfclves by abating our pains in duty. Our time is fhort : our enemies ir.ighcy : our hinderances many : God feems yet at a illffance from many of us : our thoughts of him are dull and unbelieving : our acquaintance and commu- nion with Chrirt, is fmall, und our defires to be with him are as fmall, and fhould men in our cafe fland it ill? 5. ^eji. Ladly, wliat manner of perfons fhould they be, on whom the glory of the great God doth The Saints Everlajling Reji. i6l fo much depend ? Men will judge of the father by the children, and of the mafler by the fervants. We bear his image, and therefore men vviil meafnre him by his reprefentation. He is no where in the world fo lively reprefented, as in liis faints : and fhall they fet him forth as a pattern of idlenefs ? All the world is not capable of honouring or diflionouring God fo much as we : and the lead of his honour is of more worth than all our lives. Seeing then that all thefe things are fo, I charge thee that art a chrillian, in my mailer's name, to confider, and refolve the queftion, What manner of pe'- fans ou^ht lue to be in all holy converfalion and godlinefs P And let thy life anfwer the quellion as well as thy tongue. I have been larger upon this ufe, partly becaufe of the general negleil of heaven, that all forts are guilty of; partly becaufe men's falvation depends upon their .prefcnt llriving and feeking ; partly becaufe the doc- trine of free grace mifunderftood, is lately fo abufed, to the cheriining of fioth and fecurity ; partly becaufe many eminent men of late do judge, that to work or labour for life and falvation is mercenary, legal and dangerous ; which dodlrine (as 1 have faid before) were it by the owners reduced into pra6lice, would ■imdoubt'rdly damn them ; becafife they that feek not* fliail not find ; and they that Ibive not to enter, fiiall be ihut out; and they that labour not, fhall not be crowned ; and partly becaufe it is groum the cuftom, inftead of ftriving for the kingdom, and contending for the faith,, to ftrive with each other about uncer- tain controverfies, and to contend about the circum- ftantlals of faith : wherein the kingdom of God doth no more confift than in meats or drinks, or ge- Mcalogics. Sirs, fhall we who are brethren fall out by the way home, and fpend fo much of our time about the fmaller matters which thoiifands have been faved without, but never any one faved by them, while O 2. ChriO; 1 62 The Saints Enjcrlajilug Rejl. Chvift and our eternal reft are almoft forgotten ? Tlie Lord pardon and lieal the folly of his people 1 C H A P. VIL The Third life. Perfuading all Men to try their Title to this Reft ; and direding them how to try^ that they may know. I I NOW proceed to the third life ; and becaiife it is of very great importance, I entreat thee to weigli it the more feriouHy. Is there fiich a glorious reft fo near at hand ? And fhall none enjoy it but the people of God ? What mean the molt of the world then, to live fo contented- ly without the afTurar.ce of their intereft in this reft ? And to negleft the tiying of their title to it, when the Lord hath fo fully opened the bleflednefs of that l:inodom, which rone but obedient bJievcrs (hall poffcfs, and {o fully cxpreft thofe toiments which all the reft of the world muft eternally fuffer ? A man would think now, that they vho believe this ftiould never be at any quiet till they were heirs of the king- dom. Moil men fay they believe this word of God to be true : how then can they fit ftill In fuch an utter uncertainty, whether ever they fhall live in reft or not ? Lord vvluit a wonderful madnefs is this, that men who know they muft prcfenlly enter upon unchangea- ble joy or pain, fliould yet live as uncertain what ihali be their doom, as if they had never heard of any fuch ftate : yea, and live as quietly, and as m.trri- ly in this uncertainty, as if nothing ailed them, and there were no danger ! Arc The Sahits Everlafting Reft. 163 Arc thefe men alive or dead ? Are they waking o» afleep ? What do they think on ? Where are tlieit hearts ? If they have but a weighty fuit at law, how careful are they to know whether it will go for them, or againit them ? If they were to be tried foi their lives, how careful would they be to know whetlier thi^y fliould be faved or condemned, tfpecially. if theiu care might An tly fave them ? li they be dangeroufly fick; they will enquire of the phyhcian ; what think you fir, fhall I efcape or no ? But for the bufinefs of their falvation, they are content to be uncertain. If you an< mod: men a reafon of their hopes to be faved^ they will fay it is bccaufe God is merciful, and Chrift died for finners, and the like general reaforis, which any man in the world may give as well as they ; but put them to prove their intereil in Chrift, and the fav- ing mercy of God, and they can fay nothing at all i at leall nothing out of their hearts and experience. if God ihould aflv thenv for their fouls, as he did Cam for his brother Ahc\ they could return but fuch an anfwer as he did. If God or man fiiouid fay to them, what cafe is thy foul in man ? Is it regene- rated, and pardoned or no ? Is it in a (late of life, or a ftate of death ? He would be ready to fay, I know, not, am 1 my foul's keeper. I hope well, I trufl God with my foul, I fnall fpecd as well as other men CO, I thank God I never made any doubt of ray faU vat ion. Thou haft the more caufe to doubt a great deal, becanfe thou never didll doubt ; and yet more becaufe thou hall been fo carekfs in thy confidence. What do thefe exprefTions difcover, but a wilful negledl of thy own falvation ? As a fhip-mader that fiiould let his veffd alone, and fay, 1 will venture it among the rocks, and the waves, and winds ; I willtrufi God with it ; it will fpeed as well as other veffelsdo. In- deed as well as other men's that are as caielefs and idle, •but cot fo wtll ii3 other men's that arc diligent ani W^lvhUlI; s 64 The Saints Everlajling Rtjt. watchful. What horribic ?bufe of God \% this, for men to pretend they trufl God, to cloak their own wilful negligence ! If thou didft truly truft God, thou wouldlt alfo be ruled by him, and truft him in that way which he hath appointed thee. He requires thee to gnx- ail dUigejue io make thy calling and ele^ion Jure, and fo tt) truft him, 2 Peler i. 10. He hath marked thee out a v.ay by which thou mayft come to be fure j and charged thee to fcarch and try thyfelf, till thou certainly know. Wert he not a foolifti traveller, that would go on when he doth not know whether it be right or wrong ; and fay, I hope I am right ; I will go on and truft God? Art not thou guilty of this folly in thy travelt^ to eternity ? Not Conlidering that a little ferious enquiry whether the way be right,, might fave thee a great deal of labour which thou be- lloweft in vain, and muft undo again, or elfe thou wilt mifrf of falvation, and undo tiiyfelf. Did I not know what a defperate, blind, carnal heart is, I ftiould wonder how thou doft to keep off continual terrors from thy heart: and efpecially in thefe cafes- folio wing : 1. I wonder how thou canft either think or- fpeak of the dreadful God without exceeding terror and aftonilhment, as long as thou art uncertain whether he be thy father or thy enemy, and knoiveft not but ali- bis attributes may be employed againft thee. If hi& faints muji rtjoice before him nviih tremblings and f yva htm tu'xih fear : If they that are fure to receive the im- jnovable kingdom, muft yet ferve Gi>d 'w'lth reve^ rence and god y fear^ becaufe he is a confutningfrc : how terrible IhouM the remembrance of him be to them that know not but this lire may for ev^r confuine- them ? 2. How doft thou think without trenbilngv upon Jefus Chrift ? when thou Jknowell not whether The Saints Ever I a/ling Reft. 165 liis blood hath purged thy foul, or not ? And whether lie will condemn thee, or acquit thee in judgment ; nor whether he be the cornei-done and foundation of thy happinefs, or a ftone of ilun:ibhng to break thee, and grind thee to powder ? 3. riow canflthou open the bible and read a chap- ter, or hear a chapter read but it fhould terrify thee ? Methinks every leaf fliould be to thee as Be'/ba%%ar^s writing on the wall, except only that which draws thee to try and reform : if thou read the promifes, thou knoweft not whether ever they (hall be fulfilled to thee, becaufe thou art uncertain of thy perform- ance of the condition. If thou read the threatenings, for any thing thou knoweft, thou doll read thy own ft ntence. 1 do not wonder if thou art an enemy to plain preacliing, and if thou fay of it, and of the miniltor and fcripture itfelf, as Ahab of the prophet, J hale h'lmyfor hi djth not prophecy good concerning mf, Lut cviL 4. What comfort cand thou find in any thing which thou ponVlTeft ? Methinks, friends, and ho. nours, and houfes, and lands, fhould do thee little good, till thou know thou hall the love of God withal, and fualt have rcil with him when thou k-av- ell thefe. Offer to a prifoner, before he know his fentcnce, either mufic, or clothes, or lands or prefer- ment, and what oarers he for nny of thefe. till he know how he fli;:!! cfcapf for his liu^ ? Then he will look after thefe comfo'ts of life, and not b fore : f)r he knows if he miiR die the next day. it will be fmall comfort to die rich or honourable. Even when thou Heft down to take tliy reft, methinks the uncertainty of thy falvation fhould keep tlice waking, or amaze thte in thy dreams, and trouble thy deep ; and thou fl^ouldft fay, as Job in a fmaMer diftrtfs than thine, Job wiii 13, 14. When I Jay^ my hsdfoiiU comfort tm^ l66 The Saints EverlaJIivg Rejl. my couch Jhall eafe my complaint^ then thou fcareji me through dreamsy and terrijiejl me through 'v'lftom. 5. What (hlft dofl thou make to think of thy dy- ing hour ? Thou knoweft it is hard by, nnd there is no avoiding it, nor any medicine found out that can Jjrevent it ; thou knoweil it is the hing cf terror, and the inlet to tliine unchangeable ftate. \i thou fhouldft die this day (and nx^hs^ knozvs what a day may bring forth P) tliou doft not know whether thou {halt go ftrait to heaven or hell : And canft thou be merry till thou art got out of this dangerous ftate ? 6. What fhift doft thou make to preferve thy heart from horror, when thou remembered the great judg- ment day, and the everlafting flames ? doft thou not tremble ns Felix when thou heareil of it ? and as the elders of the town trembled when Samuel came to it, fayii)g, comeft thou peaceably P So methinks thoii {houldft do when the minifter comes into the pulpit : and thy heart, whenever thou meditateft of that day, fliould meditate terror, and thou fhouldft even be a terror to thyfelf and all thy friends. If the keepers trembled, and became as dead men, when they did but fee the angeh, Matt, xxviii. 3, 4. bow canll thou think of living in lieli with devils, till thou haft got fome found affurance that thou ftialt efcape it ? Or if thou feldom think of thefe things, the wonder is as great, what fnift thou makeft to keep thcfe thoughts fiom thy heart ? Thy bed is very foft, or thy heart Is very hard, if thou canft fieep foundly in this uncertain cafe. I have {hewed thee the danger ; let me next proceed to Ihcw thee the remedy. If this general uncertainty of the world about their (alvatioii were remedilefs, then mull it be borne as otb.c« The Saints Everlajliiig Rejl, 167 other unavoidable miferies : but, alas, the common caufe is wilfulnefs and negligence : men will not be perfuaded to ufe the remedy, though it be at hand, prefcribed to them by God himfelf, and all neceffary helps thereunto provided for them. The great means to conquer this uncertainty, is felf-examination, ®r the ferious and diligent trying of a man's heart and ftate by the rule of fcripture. But, alas, either men underlland -not the nature and ufe of this duty, or ell'e they will not be at the pains to try. Go through a congregati- on of a thoufand men, and how few of them will you meet with, that ever be flowed one hour in all their lives in a clofe examination of their title to heaven ? A/k thy own confcience, reader, when was the time, and where w^asthe place, that ever thou folemnly took- edll thy heart to tafK, as in the fight of God, and cxaminedll it by fcripture, whether it be born again or not ? Whether it be holy or not ? Whether it be fet moll on God or on creatures, on heaven or earth ; and didft follow on this examination till thou hadft difcovered thy condition, and fo paffed fentence on thy feif accordingly ? But becaufe this is a work of fo high concernment, and fo commonly negleded, I will therefore, 1. Shew you, that it is poflible by trying, to con:>€ to a certainty. 2. Shew you the hinderances that keep men from trying, and from affurance. 3. I will lay down fome motives to perfuade you to it. 4. I will give you fome dir€(Siions how to perform it. 5. And 1 1 68 The Saints Everlajlbig Rejl. 5. And laflly, I will lay you down fome marks out of fcripture, by which you may try, and come to an infalhble certainty, whether you are the people of God, or no. And I. Ifhall fhevv you that a certainty of falvallon may be attained, and ought to be laboured for. Which { maintain by thefe arguments: 1. Scripture tells us we may know, and that the faints l)efore us have known their juftification, and falvation, 2 Cor. v. i. Rom. viii. 36. Jf^k- xxi. 15, I Joh. V. 19. and iv. 13. and iii. 14, 24. and ii. 3, 5. Rom. viii. 14, 19. Eph. Iii. 12. I refer you to the places for brevity. 2. If we may be certain of the premifes, then may we alfo be certain of the conclufion. But here we may- be certain of both the premifes. For, i. That ivho- foever believetJo in Chnjl Jhall not perijhy but have ever- lajling lifcy is the voice of the gofpel ; and therefore that wc may be fure of; that we are fuch believers, may be known by confcience and internal fenfe. 3. The fcripture would never make fuch a wide difference between the children of God, and the chil- dren of the devil, and fet forth the happinefs of the one, and the mifery of the other, and make this dif- ference to run through all the veins of its do6lrine, if a man cannot know which of thcfe two ftatcs he is 4. Much lefs v^'ould the Holy Ghoft bid us give all diligence to make our calling and eledion fure, if it could not be done, 2. Pet. i. 10. 5. And to what purpofe fhould we be fo earneftly urged to examine, and prove, and try ourfelves, whe- ther The Saints EvendjUng Rt/}, 1 69 s, xiii. iher we be in the faltW, and whether Chrift be in or we be reprobates? i Cor. xi. 28. and i Cor. 5. Why ihoidd we fearch for that which cannot be found ? 6. How can we obey thofe precepts which require us to rejoice always : i. T/v/". v. 16. to call God oiir father, LuJ^e xi. i 5. to h'vc in his prailVs, P/al. xh'x. r, 2, 3,4, 5. and to long for Chi ill's coming, Rdv. sxii. 17, 20, 2 T/ji'/. i. 10. and to comfort oiirfcilves wltk. the mention of it, i T/x^. iv. 18. which are ail th^ confequents of affnrance i Who can do any of thefe heartily, that is not in forae meafiae fure that he is #«. child of God > The 2d thing I promiTcd, i^, to (hew you wliat are the hinderances which k(;ep men from examination and aOTurance. I niuil, i. iSriew \\\\?X hinders them froni trying; and 2. What hindereth them from knowirrr, when they do try, that fo when you fee tht impedi- ments, you may avoid tliem. And, J. Wc cannot doubt but Satan will co his pnit to hinder us from fuch a ncccffary duty as this : if all the power he hath cau do it, or all th.^ nuans and in- ftruments which he can raife up. He is loth the god- ly ihould have that alTurance, and advantage again;! Corruption, which faithful felf-examin'dtion would procure them; and for the ungodly he knows, if they iliould once fall clofe to this they would find out his deceits, and their own danger. If they did but faith- fully perform this duty, he were likely to lofe moil of his fubj^cts. If the fnare be not hid, the bird will cfcape it: Satan knows how tc angle for fouls, bet- ter than to fliew them the hook or line, and to fright them away with a noife, ov witli his own appear- ance, r Therefore i yo The Saints Everlajling ReJI^ Therefore he labours to keep them from a feard> ing miniftry ; or to keep the minlfter from helping them to fearch : or to take off tlie edge of the word^ that It may not pierce, or to turn away their thoughts, or poffcfs them with prejudice : Satan is acquainted with all the preparations of the minifter ; he knows when he hath provided a feaiching fermon, fitted to- the (late and neceflity of an hearer; and therefore he will keep him away that day, if it be pofiible, or elfe cad him afleep, or ileal away the word by the cares and talk of the workl, or fome way prevent its ope- ration. This is the firft hinderance. 2. Wicked men alfo are great impediments to poor finners when they ftiould examine and difcover their eftates. 1. Their examples hinder much. When an ignorant finner feeth all his friends and neighbours do as h« doth, yea, the rich and learned as well as others, this js an exceeding great temptation to proceed in hi« fecurity. 2. The merry company and difcourfe of thefe men do take away the thoughts of his fpiritual ftate, and make the uiiderfianding drunk: fo that if the Spirit had before put into them any jealoufy of them- ielves, or any purpofe to try themfelves, thefe do foon quench all. 3. Alfo their continual difcouife of matters of the world, doth damp all thefe purpsfes. 4. Their railings alfo, and fcorning at godly per- fons, is a very great impediment to multitudes of fculs, and poffefleth them with fuch a prejudice and <3iflik€ The Saints Everlajling Refi. ijl ^I'nikc of the way to heaven, that they fettle In the way ihey are in. 5, Theli- con(la«t perfnafions, allurements, and threats, }un ;u bclieveff {lror:<'lv, and loved fervently, thou ciiiiit not 4oubt whether thou believe and love or not ; no n-.-ne ihaa \ l'76 77jf Sainfs Everlcjling Reft. than a man that is burning hot can doubt whether he be warm : or a man that is ftrong and lufty can doubt whethtr he be alive. 2. Many a foul lieth long under doubting, through the jmperfefkion of their very reafbn, and exceeding weaknefs of their natural parts. Grace doth ufually rather employ our faculties on better objeds, than add to the degree in ti»y back d'>th turn in thy fice. then thou vv ik venture he-ivcn rather than earth, and as dtfperatt- le- bel^ nfe to fay' thou wilt rathei tiali God's mctry for ih) foul, than man's for thy body ; and l"o deny thy obedience to God. 5. And c<'rtainly if God would but give thee leave to h've in health and wcalrli for ever on earth, l -.w wouldii think it a better ftatethr.n rcll ; let them It.k for ^KU'en that would, tliou wotjldll thivik thi.7 ihy chivf.'ll happinefs. 'I'his is thy cafe if th.ju be ytt an tinregencKitc pciion, aiid hall no title to tiie faiuLs relt. The fecond mark which I fhall give tlice, to try vhccher thou be an heir of relt, is this : As thou taked God for thy ctiief good, fo, Thou dofl heartily accept of Chriil for thy only Saviour and JiOrd to bring thee to this reil. The former mark, was the fum of the firll and great command of the law of nature, [ThmJh^It }ove)he Lord ihy God.] This ffcond mark is the fum of the command or condition of the gofpel, [Balieve in the Lord Jrfus, and ihoujhalt he faved.\ And the performance of ihefe two is the whole fum or efTence of godlinefs and chrillianity. Obferve therefore the parts of this mark, which is iMit a definition of faith. r. Doft thou find that thou art naturally a lofl, con- demned man, for thy breach of the firll covenant ? And believe that Jefus Chriil is the mediator who hath mad: :<^" >:i >K ic( ):< >^rA' >>^ CHAP. X. The Rcafon of the Sulnis AfilBlons bsrc*' - A Further ufe which \vc mud make of the prefent doftrine is, -To inform us why the people of God fafTcr fo iriiich in this life. What wonder ? when you fee their red doth yet remain : they ar-: not yet come to their rciling place. We would all fain have continual profperity, beeaufe it is pleafing totlie jflefh ; but weconfuler not the unreafonablenefs of fuch defires. We are like children, who if they fee any thing which their appetite defjreth, C17 for it ; and if. you tell them that it is unwholefome, or hurtful for them, they are never the more quieted ; or if you go about to heal any fore that they have, they will Rat endure youtohurtthem, though you tell them, that they cannot otherwife be healed ; their fcnfe is too flrong for their reafon, and therefore reafon doth lit- tle perfuade them. Even fo it is with us when God is aifli:l:ing us : he giveth us reafons why we mud bear it, fo that our reafon is oft convinced and fatif- fied, and yet we cry and complain dill: it is not rea- fon, but eafe that we mud have ; fpiritual remedies may cure the fpirit's maladies ; but that will not ccn- : tent the flefli. . But methlnks chviftians fhould have another palate th^:; \\\ \i of the fiefh, to try and rclid^ providences by : Gbd hath given tliem the Spirit to fubdue theflcdj. /iml intietore 1 ihall hcrre give them fome reaf^^s of God's deahng in their prefeul fulferings, whereby the (^ 2. equity 10 J The Saints Everlnjiing Rc;/l, equity and mercy therein may appear : and they (hall" be only fucli as are drawn from the rtference that thefe affli(f\!(!KS have to our roll ; which being a chrilllan'8 h^ppinefs, and uhimate end, will direct hlai in judg- ing of ?.ll eftates and means. 1. Coriider tlien, That labour and trouble are the common way to reft, both in the courf'e of nature and of i:^Tace. Can there polTibly be rtlt wiiuout motion and vveaiinef:>? Do you not travel ai.d toil Hr(t, and tbf'n reft afterv.-nrds ? '1 lu- day for kb<'Ur goes fii^, and tlicn the niglvt for reft, doth fiHow. Why ftionld we dcfire tlie conrfc of grace to be perverted, any more than we would do the ctjurfe of nature ? God did once dry up tiie fea to make a paflage for his people ;. p.nd once made the fun in the fi'mament to ftand ftill : but muft he do fo aUvays I Or as oft as we would have }ii r> ■■ It is his eliablinied decree, That through many tnbu^Micns lue mujl enter into the k'tngdom of heaven* A£^s xiv. 2 2. And that if 'wc f'^jft^i' -ivifh h'lm^ ive JJoall a>Jo be goriT-ed ivilh him, 2 1 im. ii. 12. And what are we, thai God's ilatutts fhould be reveiftd for our pkafure ? As Bihiad h\dio Job. Chap, xviii. 4. Shalt the earth be fo'-faktn for thee r' or the roek be removrd out c/ his place F So, ?/;//// God pervert hit ejjahlifbed. order for ■tkc P 2. Confidcralfo, That afflldions are exceeding ufe- fill to us, to keep us from miftaklng our refting place, snd fo taking up fliort of it. A chriftian's motion heaven-wards is voluntary, and not conftraincd. Thofe r.icans th( ttfore are moil profitable to him, which help his uvdcrftanding and will in tiiis profecution. The rnorlxbngerous miftake that our fouls are capable of, k, to take the creature for God, ard earth for hoaven. And yet, alas, how common is this ! Though we are aihamcd to fpcak fo much with our tongues, yet how cK do our hearts fay, // is lejl bitnghere ! And how contented The Saints Everlajiing ReJ}. 1 87 contented are we with an earthlr p):tion ! So that I fcar, God would diTplcafe moll of us n>ore to affli<3: us here, and piomife us .reft hereafter, than to give us our heart;, dcfire on eaith, though he l^.d never a; ide us a pro mile of heaven. As if the creature wiuiout God, were better than God witliont the creature. Alas, how apt are we, like foollfn children, when we are biiiy at our fports and worldly employmtnts, to forget botli our father and our home ! Theiefove It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into hcavrn, be- caufe it is hard for him to value it more tlian earthy and not think he is well already. Come to a man that hath the world at will, and tell him, This is not your happiuefs, you have higher things to look after; and how httie will he regard you ? But when nfflidlioiT comes, it fpeaks convincingly, a.nd will be heard when. preac!it:s cannot. Sometimes a CinczrQ man begins to be lifted np with applaufe ; and fometimes being in health and profpe- riLy, he iiath lo(l his relKh of Chrill, and the joys above ; till God break in upon his riches, and fcalter- them abroad, or upon his children, or upon his confci- encG, or upon the health of his body, and break down his mount whicli he thought {"o llrong : and then when' he licLu in Manajfahh fettcis, or is faltened to his bed- ■with. pining ficknefs, O what an opportunity hath the Spirit to plead with his foul ! When the world is wortli nothing, then heaven is worth fomething. How oft have I been ready to think myfelf at home, tin fickn.fs hath roundly told me, I was raiilaken ! And how apt yet to fall into the fa\ne difeak, which prevaileth till it be removed by the fame cure ! If our djear Lord did not pat thefts thorns into our bed, we ihould lleepLOUt ourlIv«;3, and lofe our glory. q. Corfidcr^ 1 58 I he Saints EverlaJIivg Rcji, 3. Confider, affilclions arc God's mod efTtftual ' mt.an8, tokeiptis from (Irajrgling out of the way to our reft. If he had not fct a hedge of thorns on the right hand, and ou the left, we ihould hatdly keep the vs»ay to htaven : if there be but one gap open without theft thorns, how ready are we to turn out at at ? But when we cannot go allray, but thefe thorns will prick us, perhaps we will be content to hold the way. Wheiv- we grow wanton, or worldly, or proud ; what a nota- ble means is ficknefs, or other affliction, to reduce us? It is every chridu)!), as well as Luther^ that may call afilidion one of his beil: fchool-maftcrs. Many a one, as well as Daviily may fay by experience, Before I was nffl\8nl I ivent ajlrny^ hut noiv hr.ve J kept thy p-ecepis. Many a thoufand poor recovered finners may cry, O healthful ficknefs ! O comfortable forrows ! O gainful lofies ! O enriching poverty ! O bleffcd day, that ever 1 was afflided ! It is not only tht pJeafjni JireamSi and the green pajluresy hut his rod and Ji.-iff aU fo that are cur comfort. Though I know it is the word and Spirit that do the work; yet certainly the time of fufTering is fo opportune a fcafon, that the fame word will take them th.rn, which before Avas fcarce obfeived; it dv)ih fo unbolt the door of the heart, that a minifler o> a friend may then be heard, and the word rnay liavs eafier entrance to the afftdlions. ■ 4. Confider, afHidions are God's moft cfFe£lual lueans, to make us mend our pace in the way to our reft. They are his rod, and his fpnr : what lluggard will not awake and (lir when he feeleth them ? It were well if mere love would prevail with us, and that we v^cre rather drawn to heaven, than driven : but fee- jug our hearts are fo bad, that mercy will not do it j it is better we be put on with the fharpeft fcourge, thaa loiter out cur tin:ic till the doors are ihut. O what. The Saints Everlafting Rejl, 189 O what a difference is there betwixt our prayers In health and in ficknefs ! betwixt our profptrity and ad- verfuy-repentings ! He that before had not a teir to fhed, or a groan to utter, now can fob, and figh, and weep : he that was wont to lie like a block in prayer, and fcarce minded what he faid to Gi^d : now alH'cli- on preffeth liioi down, how earneftly can lie beg ! How doth he mingle his prayers and his tears } And cry out, what a perfon he will be, If G )d will but hear him and deliver hini ! Alas! if we did not fometirncs feel the fpur, what a flow pace would mod of us hold toward heaven ! Seeing then what our vile natures require, why ihould wc be unwilling God fltould do ns good by a fharp means '. Suje that is the bell deallnf* for us witich furell and foone'l d'.)th further us for heaven. I leave thee, cliriftian, to judge by thy own experience, 'vhe« ther thou d-jR not go mjre w^atchfuijy, and lively, and fpeedily in tliy way to reft, in thy fufFcrings, than thou doll in thy more pleaiing and profperous Rate. Laflly, confider Gr>d doth feldom give his people fo fweet a fore-tafle of fhcir future reft, as in their deep afilielion?. He keepeth his moft precious cordi- als for the time of our greateft faintings and dangers. God is not fo lavIHi of his choice favours as to be- flow them unfeafonably : he gives them at fo fie a time, when he knoweth they are needful, and will b3 valued ; and when he is fure to be thanked for them, and his people rejoiced by them. Efpecially, when our fufferlngs are m.ore direftly for his caufe, thea doth he feldom fail of fweetening the bitter cup. Therefore have the martyrs been pofleffors of the high- q'\ joys, and therefore v/ere tliey fo ambitious of mar- tyrdom. I do not think that P I and Silas did ever fing moje joyfully, than when they were fore with fcourgings, 1 90 The Saints Everlajling Reji, fcourgings, and faf^ fn the inner prifon, witn their feet in the (locks. When did Chrift preach fnch com- forts to his dlfciples, and afTure them of his provid- ing them n.anfions with himftlf, but when he was ready to leave them, and their hearts were foirow'ful becaufc oT his departure ? When did he aj^pear nm^nj^ them, and fay, p'are be unto yruy but when they were /hut up together for fear of th perftcutin^r Jeti-s ? W'htn 6'n\ Stephen fee }»eaven opentd, but %vhtti he was giving i:p his life for the teilimony of Je us ? And tliouf^h wt be never put to the fuiftting of mar- tyrdom, yet God knoweth that in our natural fuffeiv Ings we need fuppoi t. Seeing then t}>at the time of affilftion, is the time of our mofV pure, fpivitual, and heavenly joy, for the mnft part ; why fhould a chril\ian think it fo bad a time ? Is not tf'.at our bcfi efta^e, wherein we have ipo'^ of God ? Why elfe do we defire to come to heaven ? If we look for a heaven oF flcH-sly delights,, we fludl nnd ourfclves miftaken. Conclude then, that afHiclion is not fo bad a (late in our way to reft, aa the flefh wouai make it. Aie we wifer thrin God ? I)oth not he know what is good for us better than we ? Or is he not as careful of our good, as we are of our own ? Ah wo to us if he were not much more ! And if he did not love us better than we love either bim or ourfelves ! But let us hear a little what it is that we can objeft, I. Oh, faith one, 1 could hear any other afHitflion fave this : if God had touched me in any thing clfe, I could have underjrone it patiently ; but it is my dearcfl: friend, or child, or wife, or my health itftlf. I anfwer, it feemcth Cod hath hit the right vein, w!iere thy moLl iniiamed, dillempered blood did lie : it The Saints HverJaJiing Rejl. iqi it is his condant courfc to pull down men's idols, and take away that which is dearer to them than himfelf. There it is that liis jealoufy is kindled ; and there it is that the foul is moll tndangertd. If God ihould have taken from tliee that which thou canll let go for him, and not that which thou canli not ; or have af- iliclcd thee where thou canil bear it, and not where thou canft not ; thy idol would neither have been dif- covered nor rt- moved ; this would neither have been a fufiicient trial to thee nor a cure, but have con- firmed thee in thy idolatry. Objeft. 2. Oh, but faith another, if God would but deliver me out of it at laft, I could be content to bear it : but I have an incurable ficknefs, or I am like to live and die in poverty, or difgrace, or diiUefs. 1 anfwer, i. Is it ROthing that he hath promlfed, ttjhill fvork for thy good ? J>on. viii. 28. and that uith ih' afflidion he ivtll rr.ike a Tvay to efc pe r" that he will be with thee in it ? and deliver thee in the iitteft manner and feafon ? 2. Is it not enough that then nrt Aire to be deliv* -«red at death, and that with lo full a deliverance ? Oh, what curfed unbelief doth this d'Tcover in our hearts ! That we would be more thaakful to be turn- ed back again into the ftormy fea of the world, than to be fafely and fpeedily landed at our reft! And would be more glad of a few years inferior mercies at a diilance, than to enter upon the eternal inheritance \vith Chrift ! Do we call God our chief good, and heaven our happinefs ? and yet is It no mercy or de- liv-rnnce to be taken hence, and put into that pof<» icflion ? Objea, 192 The Saints EverlaJJing Rc/l. ObjeA. 3. Oh, but faith another, if my affliftiod did not difable me for duty, I could bear it ; but it maketh me ufelcfs and utterly unprofitable. Anfw. I. For that duty which tendeth to thy own benefit, it doth not difable thee ; but is the greattft help that thou canft exped. Thou ufeft to complain of coldnefs, and dulnefs, and worldlinefs, and fecuri- ty : if afflidion will not help thee againft all thefe, by warning, quickening, rouzing thy fpirit, I know not what will. Suie tliou wilt repent throughly, and pray fervently, and mind God and heaven more fe- lioufly, either now or never. 2. As for duty to others, and fervlcc to the church, it is not thy duty when God doth difable thee. He may call thee out of the vineyard in this refped, even befjie he call thee by death. If he lay thee in the grave, and put others in thy place is this any wrong to thee ? So if he call th e out bef re thy death, and fet others to do the work, fhould thou not be as well content ? Muft God do all the work by tiiet ? Hath he not many others as dear to him, and as fit for the employment ? But alas, what deceitfulnefs licth in thefe hearts ! When we have time, and health, and oppoitunity to work, then we loiter, and do our Mafter but poor fervice : but when he layeth affli6^i- on upon us, then we complain that he difableth us for his work, and yet perhaps we are Hill negligent in that part of the work which we can do. So, when we are in health and profperity, we forget the public, and are carelefs of other men's miftiies and wants, and mind almoll nothing but ourfelves ; but when God afflidleth us, though he excite U8 more to duty for our- felves, yet we complain that he difableth us for our duty to others: as if on a fudden we were grown fo charitable, that we regard other men's fouls more than gur own ! But is not the hand of llefh in all this dif- fimulation; The Saints Ever la/l big R'^/J, 153 mulation, pleading its own caufe ? What pride of heart is this, to think that other men cannot do the work as well as v/e ! Or that God cannot iee to his church, and provide foi his people, witliout U3 ! Objefl. 4. Oh, but faith another, it Is my friends that are my afflict ers : they difclaim me, and will fcarqe look at me : they ccnfure me, and backbite me, and Jlander me, and look upon me with a difduinful eye ; iTit were others, I could bear it, 1 look for no belter from them : but when thofe that are my dt. light, and that I louked for comfort and refrething fiom, when thofe are as thorns in my fides, who can bear it ? Anfw. I. Whoever is the inftrumfnt, the affiictit)?* is from God, and the provoking caufe from thyGIf ; and \vc:e It not fitter that ihoa look mcie lo God and thyfelf? 2. Doft thou not know, that good men are ilili fin» ful in part ? and that their hearts are naturally deceit- ful and defperately wicked, as well as others ? Learn therefore abetter X^^ow from the prophet, Mich. vii. 5, 6, 7. Trifjl not (too muck) in a iHend^ nn- put con^ Jidtnce in a guide : keep the doors of thy monlh frm her that I'uth in thy bofom : hat look rather for the Lord, ami nu ait for the God of thy fat oat ion, 3. It Is likely thou haft given that love and truft to men, which was due only to God ; or which thou haft denied him: and then no wonder if he chaftlfe thee by them. If we would ufe oui fi lends as friends, God would make them our helps and comforts ; but when once we make them our gods, by exceflive Iovg and truft, then he fuffers them to be our accufers and tormentors : it Is more fafe to me to have any crea- ture a fatan than a g(;d : to be tormented by them than to idolize thtm. Till thou haft learned to fuffer R from 1 94 77?^ Saints Everlafting Refl. from the good, as well as the ungodly, never look to live a cor.tcnted or comfortable life, nor ever think thou hail truly le?.rncd the art offuftering. Obje£l. 5. Oh but if I had that confolation, which you fay God refeiveth /or our fuffering times, I fhould fufFer more contentedly : but 1 do not perceive' any fuch thing. Anfw. I. The more you fiiffer for righteoufnefs- fake, the more of this blefling you may expeft ; and the more you fufFer for your ow^n evil doing, the longer you muft look to flay till that fvi'eetncfs come. When we have by our folly provoked God to chaflifc us, fhall we prefently look that he fliould fill us with comfort? *' That were (as Mr. Paul Bayn faith; to « make affiiftion to be no affliction." What good \vould the bitternefs do us, if it be prefently di owned in that fweetncfs ? It is well in fuch fufFerings, if you have but fupporting grace; and if your fufferings are fancliiied to work out your fin. 2. Do you not ntgledl or refifl the comforts which you defire } God hath filled precepts and promifes, and other of his providences, with matter of comfort : if you overlook all thefe, and obferve one crofs more than a thoufand mercies, who maketh you uncomfort- able but yourfelves ? If you refolve you will not be comfortable as long as any thing aileth your flefli, you may ftay till death before you have comfort. 3. Have your affiiftions wrought kindly v^'Ith you and fitted you for comfurt ? Have they humbled you, and brought you to a faithful confeffion and reforma- tion of your beloved fin i and made you fct clofc to your neglected duties ? and weaned your hearts from their former idols ? and brought them unfeignedly to take God for their portion and their reft .^ If this be not The Saints Everlafling Reft. 195 ■iiof dane, how can you expett comfort ? Should God bind up the fore while it feltereth at the bottom ? It is not mere fuffering that prepares you for comfort ; but the fucccfs and fruit of fuffcring upon your hearts. CHAP. XL All Exhortation to thofe that have got AJfur- ance of this Rejl^ that they ivould do all they pojfibly can to help others to it* H ATH God fct before us fuch a gloiious piize _^ .^ as this everlafling Reft, and made man capable of fuch an inconceivable happinefs ? Why then do not: all tlie children of this kingdom bellir themielvc-s move to help others to the enjoyment of it ? .-^las, how lit- tle are poor fouls about us, b'jholden to the moft of us ! We fee the glory of the kincrdom, and they do not : we fee the mifery and torment of thofe that mifs of it, and they do nut : we ft^e them wandering quite out of tlie way, and know if they hold on, tiiey can nevei* come there ; and they diicern not this themfelves. And yet we will not fet upon them fcrioufly, and n:e\v them their danger and eiror, and lielp to bring thein into the way that, they may live. Ala5, how few chriftians are there to be found, that live as men that are made to do good, and that fet themfelves with all their miirht to the faving of fouls ! No thanks to us if heaven be not empty, and if the fouls of our brethren perilh not for ever. But becaufe this is a duty which fo many negleft, and fo few are convinced that God doth expect it at their hands, and yet a duty of fo high concernment: to the glory of God, and the happinefs of men ; I will 196 The Saints Ever la/ling ReJ}, will fpeak of it fomewhat the more largely, and fhew you, I. Whcrtfin it doth confift. 2. What is the caufe that it is fo neglcdid. 3. Give feme confide- rations to pcrfuade yon to the performance of it, and otherG to the bearing of It. 4. A ppl)^ this more par- ticularly to fome perfons whom it doth nearly con- cern. I. I would have you well underftand what is this work which 1 am peifuading you to. Know then on the litgatlvc. 1. It is not to Invade the office of thcmlnlftry, and every man to turn a public pieacher. I would not have you go beyond the bounds of your cabing : we fee by daily experience, what fruits thofe men*s teach- ing doth bring- forth, who run uncalled of God, and thnift their.fclves into the place of public teachers, thinking thcmfelvcs the fitteft for the work in the pride of their hearts, while they had need to be taught the very principles of religion : how little doth God blefs the labours of thefe felf-conceited intruders, even if they be ordained ! 2. Neither do I perfuade you to a zealous promoting of frftions and parties, and venting of uncertain opi- nions, which men's falvation is little concerned in. Alas, what advantage iiaih the devil always got in the church by this impollure ! The time that fhould be employed in drawing men's fouls from fin to Chrift, is cmplctytd in drawing them to opinions and parties : when men are fallen in love with their ovi-n conceits, and think themfelves the wifeft, how diligently do they labouj 10 get them tollowtrs ? as if to make a man aprofflyteto their opinions, wee as happy a work as to convert bini to Chriit ! and when they fall among the lij^hter, ignorant fort of men, whofe reli- gion is all in the brain, and on their tongue, they (sldom The Saints Everlafthig Rejl. 1 97 ftldom fail of fiiccefs. Thefe men (liall fhortly know, that to bring a man to the knowledge and love of Chriil, is another kind of work than to bring him to be baptized again, or to be of fuch a church, or fuch a fide. Unhappy are the fouls tliat are taken in their fnare ; who when they have fpent their lives in con- tending for the circumftantials of religion, which fhould have been fpent in ftudying and loving the Lord Jefus, do in the end reap an empty harvcit, fuitable to their empty profelTion. 3. Nor do 1 perfuade you to fpeak againft men's faults behind their backs, and be filent before their faces, as the common cuftom of the world is. To tell other men of their faults, tendeth little to their reformation, if they hear It not thcmfelves. To w hifper men's faults to others, as it comcth not frotn love, or from an honeft principle, fo ufually doth it produce no good efFecTi : for if the party hear not of it, it cannot better him ; if he do, he will take it but as the reproach of an enemy, and not as the faithful counfel of a friend, and as that which is fpoken to make him odious, and not to make him virtuous ; it tend- eth not to provoke to godlinefs, but to raife conten- tion ; for a 'wh'ifperer feparaielh chief friends. And how few fnall wc find that make conlcience of this horrible fin ? or that will confefs it, and bewail it,' when tliey are reprehended for it ? efpeci?lly if men are fpeaking of their enemies, or thofe that have wronged them ; or whom they fuppofe to have wrong- ed them, or if it be of one that eclipfeth their glory, or that llandeth iu the way of their gain or efteem : or if it be one that differeth from them in judgment ; or of one that is commonly fpoke againft by others ; who is it that maketh any confcience of backbiting fuch as thefe ? And you (hall ever obferve, that the forward- er they are to backbiting, the more backward always ^ faithful admonilhing ; and none, fpeak lefs of a R 2 man'sL 1 98- The Scents Ever la/ling Rcji. man's faults to his face, than rhoft; that fpeak moli of them behind his back. So far am I from pcrfuading therefore to this pre- pofterous courfc, that I v.'ould advife you to oppofe it wherever you meet with it. See that you never hear a man fpeaking againft his neighbour behind his back (\vlthoi!t fome fpecial caufe or call) but prefently re- buke him ; ailv him, whether he hath fpoke ihofc things in a way of h)ve to hio face ? if he hath not afl-c hin, how lie dare to pervert God's pi cfcribed or- der, who commandeth to rebuke our neighbour plain- ly, ar^t to tell him his fault firft in private, and then before witnefi;, till he fee whether he will be won, or not ? And how he dare do as he would not be done by ? The duty therefore that I would prefs you to is of another nature, and it coniiileth in thefe things fol- lowing : * « 1. That you get youf" hearts affected with tlie mife- ry of your butlnen's fouls : be companionate towards them ; yearn after theiir falvation. If you did earnell- ly long after their converfion, and your hearts were fully fet to do tliem good, it would let you on work, and God would uluaiiy blcfs it. 2. Take all Opportunities that poflibly you can, to inftrufl and help them to the attaining of falvation. i^nd lell you fhould not know how to manage this work, let mettllyou moie particularly what you are herein to do. i. If it be an ignorant pcrfcn you have to deal with, who is an utter ftj anger to the myfieries of religion, and to the woik of regeneration, the firft thing you have to do, is, to acquaint him with thefe do(!:\rines : labour to make him underlhuid wherein man's chief happiatis dolh conriil j and how far he was The Sain's EvsrlaJIhig Rejl, igc) was once poflelTed of it ; and what law atid covenant God then madtr with him ; and how he broke it ; and. what penalty he tncjned, and what mifcry he bro.ight himfelf into thereby : teach liim what need men had of a Redeemer ; and how Chrilt in mercy did inter- pofe, and bear t!ie penalty ; and what covenant now he hath made with man ; and on what terms only fid- vation is now to be attained ; and what courfe Chrill takcth to draw men to himfelf; and what are the riches and pi ivileges that believers have in him. If when he underftands thefe things, he be not mov- ed by ihem ; or if you find that the ftop lieth in his will and affe<£lions, and in the hardnefs of his heart, and in the interell that the fltfli and the world liavegot in him ; then fhew him the excellency of the glojy which he negleActh, and the intolcrLblenefs ofthelols Oi it, and tlie extremity and eternity of tlie torments of the dnmntd, and haw certainly they rouft cndm-e them ; and how jull it is for their wilful refufals of grace ; and !iow heinous a !in it is to reject fnch free and abun- dant mercy, and to tread iinOer foot the blood of the covenant ; fnew him the certainty, ncarnefs and terrors of death and judgment, and the vanity of all things belov.', which now he is taken up with ; and how lit- tle they uili beliead him in that time of his extremity. Shew him that by nature he himfelf is a child of wrath, an enemy to God ; and by a6tualfjn much m.oie : Hiew him the vile and heinous nature of fin ; the abfolute necelTity he Itandeth in of a Saviour ; the freenefs of the ptomife ; iht. fulntfs of Chrift ; the fufficicncy of liis falisiaiStion ; his readinefs to receive all that are wil- ling to be his; and the authority and dominion which he hath purchafed over us ; fliewhim alfo the abfolute iiecciTity ol regeueration, faith and holinefs, how im- poffibk it is to have falvation by Chrilt withcuit thefe ; aud wbal they are, and the Irue nature of them. If ^oo 77?^ Saints Everlq/llng Rejl, If when lie iinderftandeth all this*, you find his foul enthralled in falfe hopes, perfuading hi'mfelf that he is a true bch^ V'.r. and pardoutd, and reconciled, and fhall be faved by ChriH:, and all this upon falfe grounds, (which is a comiiion cafe) tiien urge liim hard to exa- mine his ftate, (hew him the nectflity of trying ; the danger of being decfived ; the commonnefs and eafi- nefs of miftaking thnnigh the deceitfulnefs of the heart ; the extreme madnefs of puttingitto a blind ven- ture ; or of reftiug in negligent or wilful uncertainty : help him in trying himfclf : produce fome undeniable evidences from fcripture ; all^ him, wliethei thefe be in him or not ? Whether ever he found fuch workings or difpolitions in his heart? Urge him to a rational an- fwer : do^ot leave him till yuu have convinced him of his mifery ; and then feafonably and wifely flicw him the remedy. If hcproduces fome gifts, or duties, or work, know to what end he doth produce them : if to join with Chiifi: in compofing him a righteoufnefs, fhew him how vain and deltru^tive they are : if it be by way of evidence to prove his title to Chrilt ; fhew him where- in the life of chrillianity doth confili, and how far he mud go further, If he will be Chrlii'a difciple. In the mean time, that he be not difcouraged with hearing- of fo high a meafure, fhew him the way by which he mull attain it : be fure to draw lu'm to the ufe of all means : fet him on hearing and reading the word, call- ing upon God, accompanying the godly : perfuade him to leave his accual hn, and to get out of all ways ©f temptation ; efpecially to forfake ungodly compa- ny ; and to wait patic ntly on God In the ule of means ; a«d (hew him the ftrong hopes that in fo doing he may have a blcffing ; this 'i)eing the way that God will be fbuiid in. If The Saints Everlapan^ Refl. 2ci 7f yaii perceive him pofTeffcd with any pvejnJiccs agafnll the way of holinefs, fticw him their falfe- hood, and with wifdom and mceknefs anfwer his ob- jedions. If he be addicted to delay duties he is convinced of, or hizincfs and Itupidity endanc rhis foul, tlien lay it on mo'-e powerfully, and fet home upon his heart the moft piercing conii Jerations, and labour to faftcn them as thorns in his confciencc, that he may find no cafe or reft till he change his ellate. But becaufe in all works the manner of doing them is of greatcll moment, and the riglit pciformance doth much further the fucctls ; I will here adjoin a ffw di- re(^lions, which you muft be Aire to obferve in thi^ work mifery is the inoft effedtual fuiter to one that is com- paffionate : iFGod had not heard the cry of our mife- ries before he heard the ciy of our prayers, and beei> moved by his own pity, before he was moved by our importunity, we might have long enough continued the flaves of Satan. Alas, what pitiful fights do we daily fte ! The ignorant, the profane, the negled^ers of Ch^'d and their fouls : their fores are open and vifi* ble to all : and yet we do not pity tiiem. You will pray to God for them, in cuftomary duties, that God would open the eyes, and turn the hearts of your friends and neighbours ; and w'hy do you not en- deavour their convcrfion if you defire it ? and if yoi> do not defire it, why d,Q you aik it ? Doth not youi? negligence convince you of hypocrify in your prayers^ and of abufing the mod high God with your deceit- ful words ? Your ntighbours are near you, your friends are in the houfe with you, you eat and drink, and work, and walk, and talk with them, and yet yoti fay little or nothing to them. Why do you not pray them to confider arrd return, as well as pray Cod ta convert and turn them ? Have you as oft begged of them to think on their ways, and to reform, as yott have taken on you to beg of God that tbey may fo do? W':at if you fnould fee your neigiibour fallen into a pit, and you (hould prefently fall down on your knees, and pray God to help him out, butwould neither put forth your hand to help him, nor once perfuade or diredl hin; to help himfelf, would not any man ctrfurt you to be cruel and hypociitical? W'hatthe Holy Ghoit faith of n)en's bodily mifenes, I may fay jnucjli move of the mifery of their fouls > If any man feeth The Saints Evcrlajiing Rcfi, 217 feelh his brother in neeJy and pjufteth up lis comf^r^'.n from him y hozu cliveVcth ihc Icoe of G id in h'r.i ? Or what love hath he to his brother's fcul ? The charity of our ignorant fure-fathers may rife up in judqntnt a^ainft us, and condemn us : they would give all their eftates almolt, for fo many niaffes or pardons, to deliver the fouls of their friends from a feigned purgatory : and we will not as much as adtnonilli and entreat them, to fave them from the certain fiames of hell. 4. Another hinderance, is, a br.fe man-pleafmg d'f- pofition that is in us. We arc {a loth to difpleafi men, and fo d;;(i"ous to keep in credit and favour witli them, that it makes us neglect our own duty. A foolirti phyficlan he is, and a niofl unfaithful friend, that will let a fick man die for fear of troubling him. And cruel wretches are we to our friends that will ^rather fufFer them to go quickly to htll, tlian wc will anger them, or hazard our reputation with them. If they did but fall in a fwoon, we would rub them a;i I pinch them, and never ftick at hurting them. If they were dl{lra<£l:ed, we would bind them with chains,, and we would pleafe them In noihing that tended to their hurt. /\nd yet when they are befide themfelvci In point of falvation, and in their madncfs poftin^f on to damnation, we will not Rop them, for f.-ar of difpleafing them. Hew can thcfe men he chrlftlans^ that love the pnvje an i favour of mm, more than tls favour of God ? John xii. 43 For if they yet feeh tt pleafe me?i, they are no longer the firv.iv-is of Chrijl, Gal. I. 10. To win them Indeed they^nuit b.^come all things to all men : but to pleafe them to their de- llru£lion, and let them perlfh, that we may keep our credit with them, is a courfe fo bafe and barba- roufly cruel, that he that hath the face of a chilllian fliould abhor it. T c. Another 2i8 The Saints Everlajling Rcfi. 5. Another common binderance, Is, a finful barti^ fiibjefs. When we fhould labour to make men afliam*- ed of their fins, we are ourfelves afliamed of our du- ties. May not thefe fiiincrs condemn us, when they v^'ill not bliifh to fwear or be drunk, and we blufli to tell them of it, and perfuade them from it ? Sinners will boafl of their fins, and Ihew them in the open- ftreets : and fiiall not we be as bold in drawing them from fin ? Not that I would have inferiors forget their diftance in admonifliing their fuperiors; but do it with all humility, and fubraifiion, and refpedl. But yet I would much lefs have them forget their duty to God and their friends, be they never fo much thett" fuperiors: It is a thing that mull be done. Bafliful- nefs is unfeemly In cafes of flat neceflity. And in- deed It is not a work to be afhamed of; to obey God in perfuading men from their fins to Chrift, and help- ing to fave their fouls, Is not a bufinefs for a man to blufli at. Yet, alas, Vv'hat abundance cf fouls have been negledled through the prevailing of this fin 1 oLven the moft of us are [helnoufly guilty In this point. Keader ! is not this thy own cafe? Hath not thy con- fcience told thee of thy duty many a time, and put thee on to fpeak to poor finners, left they pcrifli'? And yet thou haft been afiiamed to open thy mouth to them, and fo let them alone to fink or fwim ; be- lieve me thou wilt ere long be afiiamed of this fhame: O read thofe words of Chrift and tremble: He that is ajhavied of me and my 'words ) before tins aduherous ge- neration ^ of hem ivill the Son of Man b-: ajhanud before h'li Father and the angels, 6. V/Ith many alfo pride Is a great impediment.'^ If It were to fpeak to a great man, they would do it, fo It would not difpleafe him. But to go among a company of ignorant beggars, or mean perfons, and to fit with them In a fmoaky nafty cottage, and there to exhort thcai from filay lo day j where is the perfoa thafi- Tve Saints Ever la/ling ]Zif}. 219 that will do it ? Many will much rejoice If they ^av^ been inftrutjients of converting a gentleman (and tliey have good caufe) but for the common multitude, ihcy look not after them : as if God were a rcfpeclcr of the perfons of the rich, or the fouls of all were not. alike to him. Alas, tliefe men llitic conTsdcr how low Chrift did ftoop to us ! When the God of c;lory comes down in fiefn to worms, and goeth preaching up and down among them from city to city. Not tiic fillieft women that he thought too low to confer with : few rich, and noble, and wife are called. It Is the poor that receive the glad tidings of the>ofpel. Objeft. but, faith one, I am of fo weak part?, that I am unable to manage an exhortation ; efpecially tp ,mcnof ftiong parts and underlUndirg. / anfii'eri i. Set thofe upon the work who are .more able. 2. Yet do not think that thou art /? ex.- .cufed thyfelf, but irfe faithfully that ability which thou haft ; not in teaching thofe (jf whom thou nioiil'^^ Jearn, but in indrufting thofe that are more ignorant than thyfelf, and in exhorting , thofe that iirc negll- _gent in the things which they do know. If you can- not fpeak -well yourfelf, yet .you ca.u tell them wl;:\t God fpeaketli in his word. It is not the exceh.i'.cv of fpeech that winneth the fouls ; but the authority .of God manifeftcd by that fpeech, and the poA'er of his word in the mouth of the inftrudlor. A weak wo- man may tell what God faith In the plain paiTages of the word, as well as a learned man. If you cannot .preach to them, yet you can fay, Thus it is written. One of mean parts may remember the vvifeft of their duty when they forget It. Obje£t. It is ray fuperior: and Is it fit for me to teach or reprove my betters? Muft the wife teach the ,huibaiid, of whom the fcripture biddeth them to learn ? Or C2 20 The Sa'mts LverJafAng Rejl. Or%iu(l the child leach the parent?, vvhofe duty it is to t(?&ch them I I anfivfrt i. It is fit that huft>and8 Hiould be able to teach thtir vivcs, and parents to teach their children ; and God expcdieth they fhould be fo, and therefore comnp.andfth tiie inferiora to learn of them. But if they tlirough their neojigence difable thcmftlves, of through their wickednefs bring their fouls into fuch n^.ifery, then it is thcmfclves, and not you, that break God's order, by biloging themfelvcs into difability and mifery. Matter of mere ovders and manners m->:{l be difpen- f.d witli in cafes of fiat neccflity. Though it were your mlnift^r, you mult teach lam in fuch a cafe. It it; the part of parents to provide for their children, and not children for tajir parents : and yet if the parents fall into want, mull not the children relieve them ? It is the part of the hufband to difpofe of the affairs of tjj? family and eilate ; and yet if he be fick or befidc liinfclf, mull not the wife do it ? Th.e rich (liould relieve the poor : hut if the rich fall into beegary, th-y muft be relieved thcmfclves. It is the work of a phylician to look to the health of others : and, yet if he fall Tick, fomc lx)dy niufl help him. So mull thiC meancft fervant admonifli his mailer, and the child liis parent, and l])e wife her hulband, and the people their mifiiftcrs, in cafes of ntcefiity. Yet fecondly, let me give you thefe two cautions here. 1. Tliat you do not pretend nccellity when there is none, out of a mere dtfirc of teaching. There is fcarce a more certain difcovery of a proud heart, tlian to be more defirous to ttach, than to learn ; efpeciaily to- ward thofc that are fitter to teach us. 2. And The Saints Everlajling Rejl. 221 2. And when the necefllty of your fuperiors doth call for your advice, yet doit with ?.ll pofiible liumi- ■lity, modefty, andmeekncfs. Let them difcern yoiu- reverence and fubmilTion in tlie humble manner of your addrefles to them. Let them perceive that you do it jiotout of a mere teaching humour, or proud felf-con- . ceitednefs. If a wife fhould tell her liufband of fin in a mafterly railing manner ; or if a fervant reprove his mailer, or a child his father in a fancy way, what .good could be expecfled from Hfuch reproof? But if they fhould meekly and humbly open to him his fm -and danger, and entreat him to bear with them in what God commandeth, and if they could by tears tellify -their fenfe of his cafe : what father, ormafter, or huf- Jaaud could take this ill ? Objed. But forae may fa}^, this will make all as '.preachers, and caufe all to brea.k over the bounds ajf" their caUings. I anfiuetj j. This is not taking a padoral charge -of fouls, nor making an office or calling of it, a^ ^preachers do. 2. And in the way of our callings, every good -chriftian is a teacher, and hath a charge of his neigh- bour's foul. Let it be orJy tlie voice of a Cain to fay, j^m I my brother* s keeper P I would one of thefe men, .that are fo loth that private men fhould teach them, to tell me, what if a man fall down in a fwoon in the llreets, though it be your father or fuperior, would you not take liim up prefently, and ufe all means to recover him? Or would you let him lie and die, and fay, it is the work of the phyfician, and not mine : I will not invade the phylician's calling. In two cafes every m-m is a phyfician ; firft, in cafe of necelTity, and v.iien a phyfician cannot be had : and fecondly, In .cafe the hurt be fo fmall, that every man can do %? r 2 2 2 The Sdints EvcrhiJflng Rejl, well as the phyf.ciDn. And in the fame two cafes, every man mull be a tcaclier. Objeft. Some will further objecSl, to put off this du- ty, that the party is fo ignorant, or ftupid, or carelefs, - or rooted in fin, and hath been fo oft exhorted in vain, that tlicre is no hope. I av fiver. How know you when there is no hope ? Cannot God yet cure him ? And liave not many a& far gone been cured ? Should not a mercilul pliyfician life menus wliile there is life ? and is it not inhuman cruelty in you to give up your friend to t])c devil as Iiopelefs, npot) mere backvvardnefs to yoiir duty, or ■>ipcn groundlefy dlfcou^agcments ? What if you had been fo given up yourfelf when you were ignorant f Objcft. B'jt rtr rtmji not cajl pearls before f'winfy nor g.l'Uc ihdi ivkiih is ho-y to dogs. I anfxvrr. That is but a favourable difpenfation of Chrifl for your own fafety. Wlien you are in danger of bein^ torn in pieces, Chrift would have you for- ocar ; but what is that to you that are in no fuch thoie men's fins bring upon the town or country where they live. I know you are not fuch atheilts, but .1^|m^, belitve it is God that fendeth ficknefs, and fa- rii'iicj and war : and alfothat it is only fin that mov- etii Vwxi to this indignation. What doubt then is th'civ, hut you are the caufe of judgments, who do not ft five againll thofe fins which caufe them ? God .hatr. llaid long in patience, to fee if any would deal -plainly viih the finners of tiie times, and fo free their own fouls from the guilt : but v^'hen he feeth that ■ there is none, but all become guilty : .no wonder thea if he lay the judgment upon all. We have all fee p the m The Saints Everlaf.'iitg Reft. 227 the drunkards, and heard the fvvearers, in our ilreetj, and we would not fpeak to them : wc have all lived fn the midfl: of an ignorant, worldly, unholy people ; and we have not fpoke to them with earneftnefs, phin- nefs, and love ; no wonder then if God fpeak in his wrath both to them and us. Eli did not commit the fin himfelf, and yet he fpeaketh fo coldly againft it, that he muft bear the punifliment. God locketh up the clouds, btcaufe we have (hut up our mouths. The earth is grown as hard as iron to us, becaufe we have hardened our hearts againft our mifcrable neighbour*; The cries of the poor for bread are lo'jd, becaufe oiw a^^^ ciies againft fin have been fo low. Sickneffes run % -^••^^ pace from houfe to houfe, and fweep away the pool unprepared inhabitants, becaufe we fwept not out the fin that breedeth them. As Chrlll faid in another cafe, . r/»fc- Luke xix. 30. If ihefe JJjould hold their peace, theJIonef'^JuM 'would fpeak : fo, becaufe we held our peace at the ig- ^m norance, ungodlinefs, and wickedncfs of our places, therefore do thefe plagues and judgments fpeak. 4. Confider, What a thing it will be, to look up- on your poor friends in thofe flames, and to think that your neglect was a great caufe of it ! And that there was a time when you might have done much to prevent it. If you fhould there perifh with them, it would be no fmall aggravation of your torment ! If you be in heaven, it would fure be a fad thought, •were it poflible that any forrow could dwell there, to hear a multitude of poor fouls there to cry out for ever. O if you would but have told me plainly of my fin and danger, and dealt roundly with me, I might have efcaped all this torment, and been now in reil ! O what a fad voice will this be ! 5. Confider, How diligent are the enemies of thefe poor fouls to draw them to hell. And if no body be diligent in helping theni to heaven, what is like to j?%tcome ai. dill ^ ilal 22 S The Saints Evcrlajling Reft. become of them ? The devsl is tempting them day and night : their inward hifts are llill working an^ withdrawing them : the flefli is ftill pleading for its deh'ghts and profits : their old companions are ready to entice them to fin, and to difgrace God's ways and people to them, and to contradicl the dodrine of Chrift that fliould fave them, and to increafe their dif- like of holinefs. Seducing teachers are exceeding diligent in fowing tares, and in drawing off the un- flablc from the way to life : and fhall a feducer be unwearied in profelyting poor unguarded fouls to fancies? And fliall not a found chrillian be much ipre unwearied ir. labouring to win men to Chrill and ? 6. Confidcr, The neglefl of this doth vety deeply wound when confcience is awakened. When a man comes to die, confcience will aflc him. What good hall thou done in thy life-time ? The faving of fouls is the greateft good ; What haft thou done towards this ? How main' haft thou dealt faithfully with ? I have oft obferved, that the confciences of dying men- very much wound them for this omifiion. For my own part (to tell you my experience) when ever I have been near death, my confcience hath accufed me more for this tiian for any fin : it would bring every Ignorant, profane neighbour to ray remembrance, to whom I never made known theii danger : it would tell me, thou fhouldft have gone to them in private, and told them plainly of their defperate danger, with- out bafhfulnefs or daubing, though it had been when thou fiiouldft have eaten or flept, if thou hadft no other time : confcience would remember me, how at fuch a time, orfach a time, 1 was in company with the ig- norant, or was riding by the way with a wilful finner, and had a fit opportunity to have dealt with him, but did not ; or at Icaft did it by halves, and to httle pur- pofe.^ The Lord grant I may better obey confcience hereafter The Saints Emerla/iing RtH. iir^ hereafter while I live and have time, that it may have lefs to accufe me of at death ! 7. Confidtr, laftly, the happy confequences ')r''this work, vvhr-re it is faithfully done : to narriL- fome : 1. You may be inftriimmtal in that bleffed work of faving fouls, a wo) k thac Ciirirt ta.r.e down and died for, a work that the angels of Gv)d rtjoice in : for, faith the Holy Ghoft, If '^V oj you do err fom th, truth, and one convert h'lm^ let him knoiv^ that he - h convffteth thefinnefom the e ro- of his lUiy, Jhall j a foul frm 'ie Jh, anijhall hide a mu'/itud^ ' James v. 19, 20. And how can God more highl honour you, than to make you inllruments in fo great a work ? 2. Such fouls will blefs you here and hereafter. They ma) be angry with you at rirft ; but if your words fucceed, taey will blefs the day that ev r chcy knew you, and blefs God ihat fent you to fpeak to them. 3. It bringeth much advantage to youvfelves : firll, it will increafe your graces, both as it is a courfe tiiat God will blefs, and as it is an adlni>- of them in this perluading of others : he that will not let you lofe a cup of water which is given for him, will not let you lofe thefe greater works of charity ; befides, thofe that have pradlifed this duty, muft find tjv experience, that they never go on more profperoufly towards heaven, than when they ^o mod to help otuc-rs thither with them ; it is not here as with worldly treafure. the more you give away, tlie lefs you have ; but the more you give, the more you have : the fetting forth '^hrid in his fulnefs to others, will warm your own hearts ; the opening the evil and danger of fin to others, will increafe your hatred of it. Secondly, it will in- U creai^ 230 Th^ Saints Ever la/ling Re/!. creafe your gloiy as well as your grace, both as a du- ty which God will reward, (For they that convert ma' ny to righleoufnefs Jhalljhine as thejiars for -ever and ever, Dan. xii. 3 and alfo as we fhall there behold them in heaven, and be their afTociates in blefTednefs, whom God made us here the inftiuments to convert. Third- ly, however, it will give us much peace of confci- ence, whether we fucceed or not, to think that wc were faithful, and did our bell to favc them, and that e are clear from the blood of all men. Fourthly be- fid|^, that is a work, that if it fucceed doth exceed- j^ nigly rejoice an honeft heart : he that hath any ft nfe '^^f God's honour, or the leaft affeftion to the foul of his brother, mufl needs rejoice much at his converfion, ^^whofoever be the initrumcnt, but efpecially when ' God maketh ourfelvcs the means of fo bleffed a work. For my own part, it is an unfpeakable comfort to me, that God hath made mc an inftrument for the recovering of fo many . from "bodily difeafes, and faving their natural lives ; but all this is nothing to the comfort I have in the fuccefs of my labours, in the converfion and confir-mation of fouls; it is fo great a joy to me, that it drowneth the painfulnefs of my daily duties, and the trouble of my daily langulfhing and bodily griefs. And maketh all thefe, with all op- pofitions and difficulties in my woik, to be eafy : and of all the perfonal mercies that ever I received, next to his love in Chrift to my foul, I moft joyfully blefs him for the plenteous fuccefs of my endeavours upon others : O what fruits then niight I have feen, if I had btcn more faithful, and plied the work in pri- vate and public as 1 ought ! I know we have need to be very jealous of our deceitful hearts in this point, left <)' : rejoicing fliould come from our pride. Na- turally we would eveiy man, be in the place of God, and have the praife of every good work afcribed to ourfelves ; but yet to imitate our Father in goodnefs, and Tht Saints Everlaflhig Rejl, 23 1 find to rejoice In that degree we attain to, is the part of every cliild of God. I tell you therefore, to per- fuade you from my own experience, that if you did but know what a joyful thing it is to be an indru- ^nent for the faving of fouls, you would fet upon It prefently, and follow it night and day through tlie greateft difcouragemcnts and refiftance. And thus I have fhewed you what ihould perfuade you to this duty. Let me now conclude with a word of entreaty : firft, to all the godly in general. Second- ly, to fome above others in particular. C li A P. XIV. An Advice to fome more particularly to help others to this Rcji. UP then every man that hath a tongue, and is a fervant of Chriil, and do fomething of this your Mafter's work ; Why hath he given you a tongue but to fpeak in his fervice ? And how can you ferve him more eminently, tiian in the faving of fouls ? Ke that will pronounce you blefled at the lalt day, and fentence you to the kingdom prepared for you, becaufe yon fed him, and clothed him, and vifited him, in his mem- bers, will furely pronounce you bleffed for fo great a work as the bringing over of iouls to his kingdom. He that faith, T he poor you have ahu^ays ^-/ith you, hath left the ungodly always with you, that you might ftiil have matter to exercife your charity upon. O if you have the hearts of C/jri/Iims, or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor, ignorant, ungodly neighbours ! Ala>, there is hut a Uep betwiKt them, aud d'jath and hell j many hundred difeafes are wait- insr f 232 The Saints E-verlaJI'mg Reft, ing ready to feize them, and if they die unregenerate, they are loft for-ever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity inen in fiich a cafe ? If you bch'tvf not the word of God, how are you chriftians yourfelvts ? If you do but btlleve it, why do you not beftiv you to help others? Do you not care who is dannned, fo you be favtrd ? If fo, you have as much caufe to pity your- ownfelves ; for it is a frame of fpirit inconfiitent with grace : fhould you not rather fay, as the lepers of Sam iria^ is it not a day of glad tidings, arc! we fit flill, and hold our peace ? Hath God had fo much mer- cy on you, and will you have no mercy on yorr poor neighbours ? Yoti need not go far to find objedis for youi pity : look but into the ftreets, or into the next houle to you, and you will probably find fome. H^ive you not a neiglibour that fets his heart below, and uegle(::teth eternity ? What bliflcd place do you h've in, where there is none fuch ? If there be not fome ot them in thine own fainily, it is well ; and yet art thou filent ? Dod thou live clofe by them, or meet th', m in the (hvets, or labour with them, or travel with thern, or fit ftill and talk with them, and fay nothing to them of their fouls, or the life to come ? If their houfes were on fire, thou wouldft run and help them ; and wilt thou not help them when their fouls are al- mc/li at the fire of hell ? If thou knoweft but a remedy for their difeafes tliou wouldft tell it them: or <^lfe thou wouldll judge thyfdf guilty of their death. CarHan fp(;aks of one that had a receipt that would difiblve the ftone in the bladdf r, and he makts no doubt but that man is in hell, bfcaufe he never revealed it to any be- fore he di-^d : what (hall we fay then of them that know the remedy for curing fouls, and do not reveal it ; nor perfuade mtn to make ufe of it ? Is it not hy-» pocrify to pray that Cod's mme may re hailowed^ and never endeavour to bring men to halloif it ? And can. you pray, Let thy kingdom come; and yet never labour for the coming or increafe of that kingdom I Is it not grief The Saints Everlajling Reft, 23-3 gnef to your hearts to iee the kingdom of Satan flou- rifh, and to fee him lead captive fiich a multitude of fouls? you fay you are foldiers of Chrift : and will you do nothing agalnft his pevailing enemies ? You pray alfo daily, That h'ls toill may he dons ; and Ihould you not daily then perfuade men to do it ? You pray, That God ivould forgive them their Jins, and that he u>:uld not lead them into tempt ntv.n., but deliver them fro:n evil. And yet will you not help them againft temptations, nor help to deliver them from the great- ell evil ? Nor help them to repent and believv", that they may be forgiven ? Alas, that your prayers and your praflice fliould fo much difagree ! Look about you therefore, chriftians, with an eye of compaffion on the finners about you ; be not like the Priell or Lcvite that faw the man wounded, and paHed by : God did not fo pafs by you, when it was your own cafe. Are not the fouls of your neighbours fallen into the hands ofSa:an ? Dothlwot their mifery cry out to you, htip, help ! As you have any compaffion towards men in the greateil mlft-ry, help ! As you have the hearts of men, and not of tygers in yop, help i But a? this dutT-lieth upon ail in general, fo UDqn fome more tfpecially, according as God hath . alicd or qualified liiem thereto. To them therefore more paiticularly 1 will addrefs my exhortation : v^'hether they be fuch as have more opportunity and advanta- ges for this worky or fuch as have better abilities to ptrform if. I. All you that God hath given m,ore learnln'T and knowledge to, or endued with better utterance than your neighbours ; God expeclcth this duty efpecially at your hand. The ftrong are made to help the weak, and thofe that fee mu(l direiSt the blind. GoJ look- eth for this faithful improvement of your parts and gifts, which if you Kegled, it were better for you that 2 34 ^^^ Saints Eveiiafiing Rcjl. you never had received them : for they will but fur- ther your condemnation, and be as ufelefs to your own lalvation as they are to others. 2. All tl.ofe that have efpecially familiarity with fame ungodly men, and that have Inttreft in them, God looks fnr this duty at their hands. Chrill him- felf did eat and drink with the publicans and fiOners, but it V as oiily to be their phyilcian, and not their con.panion. God might give you intereft in them to this end, that you might be a m.eans of their re- covtry. ihey that will not rcgaid the words of ano- ther, will tegaid a brother, or fiUer, or huiband, or wife, or near friend : befides that the bond of friend- fhip doth engage you to more kindnefs and compaf- fion. 3. Phyficians that are much about dying men, {hould in a fpcclal rr.anner make a gonfcience of this duty: tht-y have a treble advantage. Firft, thty are at hand. Secondly, they are with men in Hcknefs and dangers, when the ear is more open, and the heart lefs ftubborn than in time of health.' He that made a fcorn of godllnefs' before, will hear counfcl then, if ever he will hear it. Thi'dly. befides, they look upon their phyiician as a man in whofe hand is their life : or w ho at Ualt may do much to fave them, and therefore they will the fnore regard his advice. Therefore you that are of thib honourable profeflion, do not think this a work befide your calling, as If it beloiigcd to none but minillers ; except you think it befide your cal- ling to be compaflionate, or to be chriftinns. Help to fit yoi:r patients for heaven, and whether you fee they are fur life or death, teach tin m both how to live and how to die, and give them fomc phyCc for their fouls, as you do U>x their bodies. BlelTed be God that ' very many of the chief phyiicians of ibis age have by their The Saints EverlaJJlng Refl^ 235 their eminent piety, vindicated their profefiion froift the common Imputation ofatheifm and profanencfs. 4. Another fort that have excellent advantage for this duty, are men that have weakh and authority, and are of great place or conuaand in the woild, eipt'clally that have many who live in dependence on them. O vvhat a urorld of good migtit gentlemen and lords do, that have a great many tenants, and that are the leaders of the country, if they had but hearts to improve their intereil and advantage ! Little do you that are fuch, think of the duty that lies upon you in this. Have you not ail honour and riches from God ? Is it not evident then, that you muft employ them for the advantage of his fervice ? Do Vwu not Itnow who hath faid, 'Thai to ivhom men coiri' mit wuchf from them they iv'ill exped the more ? You have the greateil opportunities to do good, of moll men in tiie Vi-orid. Your tenants dare not ci)n- tjadi£l you, Kft you dipofrefs them or their children of their habitations: tney fear you more, than t!ie thrcatentngs of the fcriptures ; they will foC'P.er obey you than God. If you fpeak to them of Gtid and their fouls, you may be regarded, when even a mi- ni'ler fhall be defpifed. O therefore as you value the honour of God, your own comfort, and the falvati- on of fiU^g improve your inter^rft to the utmoft for God. G) vifit your tenants' and neighbours' houfcs, and fee \\ hctlier tiiey worfhip God in their famdi-?, and take all opportunities to prtfs them to their du- ties. Do not dcfpife thein, becaufe they are poor or ii riple. Remember, God is no rtfpefter of perfons ; your flcfli is of no better metal than tlieirs ; nor will the worms fpare your faces or iiearts any more than titcirs; nor will your bones or dult boar the badge of your gentility ; you mult be all equals vvhtn you ii.iiid ::; jtid^meiu j uftd ll.';ivfo;\: iicip the foul of a 2-3^ The Saints Everlafilng Refl. poor man, as well as if he were a gentleman : and let' men fee that you excel others as much in piety, hea- venlinefs, compaflion and diligence in God's woik^ as you do in riclics and honour. I conft fs you are like to be fingular if you tak-c this courfc ; bat then remember, you (hall be fingular in glory, for feiv great,, and inighty, and nobis are culled. 5. Another fort that have fpecisl opportunity to help others to heaven, are the miniftcrs of the gofpcl.: as they have, or Ihould have more ability than others^ fo it is the very work oftlieir calliiig ; and every one expecSteth it at their hands, and will better fub- mit to their teacJiers, than to others. 1 intend not thcfe iullruvilions fo much to teachers, as to others^ and therefore I (hall fay but little to them ; and if all,, or mod miniilers among us were as faithful and dili- gent as fome, I would fay nothing. But becaufe it is other wife, let me give thefe two or three words of advice to my brethren iu tliis ofiicc. I. Be fure thr.t the recovering and faving fouls, be the main end of your fiudics and ptcaciiing. Oda. not propound any low and bafe ends to yourfclves-. This is the end of your calling, let it be aifo the end . of your endeavours. God, forbid that you fliould fpend a w'eek's itudy to pleafe the people, or to feek . the advancing your own reputations. Dare you appear in the pulpit on fucha bufmcfsjand fpeakfor yourfelves, when you are fent and pretend to fpeak for Chrift ? Set out the work of God as dm everl.iiling burning, tf)at do wluie you have the opportunity, and price in your hand, that pe';ple may difrern you mean as you fpeak ; and thtt you aie nMt Itage players, hut preachers of the do6lrine of falvation. Remeinbtrr what Cicero faith, " That if •* thcr matter be never f») combuftible, yet if you put ** not fire to it, it will lot burn.'* And what Eraf- muf iaith '* ^ 'sat an hot iron will pierce, when a cold ** ir\c will not " nd if the wife men of the world account you mad, fav as Paul, If roe are bejine our- fclwi. it is to God : and remtmhtr that Chrift was fo bufy in doing of good, that hi^ friends tlicmlclvci be- gun to lay hands on him, thinking he had been btiide himfclf, Mark iii. 3- The fecond and chief word of advice that I would give you, is thi> : do not think that all your work is in ftudies, and in the pulpit. I confcfs that is great ; but, alas ! it is but a fmall part of ycnr tafl-c. Vou are fhepherds and muil know every llieep, and what is their difcafe, and mark their (trayings, and help to cure them, and fetch them home. O learn of Pa«/, A6l\ xx, 1 9, 20,3? *° preach publicly, and from houfe to houfc, niglit and day with tears. T^et there not be a foul in your charge that fliall i!ot be paiticularly ii;l>rjCted and watched over. Go from houfe to houfe daily, and enquire h >w they grow in knov\ ledge and holinefe, and on what grounds they build their hopes of falvation ; 3ud whether they walk uprightly and perform the du- 238 The Saints 'Ev€rlaflmg Reft. ties c'f their fcveral relations, and ufe the means ♦©• fncreaie their abiliiics. See whether they daily wor- (hip God in thtir families, and fct them in a way, and teach them how to do it ; confer with them about tht^ do(!"tnne6 and pra£ii -c of religion, and how they receive and profit by pu-^lic tea.cliino% and anfwer all. their carnal objections ; kcepia famili?rity with tnem that you may maintain your intereft in thtm, and improve all your intereft for God. See that no fe- ducers creep in amongll them, or if they do, be dili- gent to countermine them, arid preferve your people from the inffdtion of herefies and fchifms ; or if they be infected, be diligent to procure their recovery ; not with paffion and lordlir.cfs, but with patience and condefccnfioji : as Mafculus did by the Anahapttjis^ vlfiting t})em in prifon, where the raag'.ibate had cift them, and there inilrufting and relieving them ; and though they reviled Kim wiien he came, and called him a falfe j)rophet and antichriftian feducei tliat thirOed for their blood, yet he would not 10 leawe them, till at lafl by hss meekncfs and love he had overcome them, and recovered many to the truth,, and to unity with the church. If any be iveak in the fnith^ receive h'lm, but not to doubtful ilifpufattonf. If any be too carekTe of their, duties, and too httle favour the thi^ig? of the Spirit,, let them be pitied, and not negk Atd : if any walk, fcandaloufiy and dilo'.derly, dtal with them for their, rcx:overy, with all diligence and pntienqe, and ftt be- fore tl.em the heinouintfs and. danger of th(-ir fin : if' they prove obuinate, aftei c.ll, thtii avoid the.m, and cafl: them olf : if they be ignorant* it may be your fault as well aa theirc ; but however, they are f-Lier to be inflruc^ed than rtjeilcd, except they abfolutcly refufe to be taught. Chjlil will give you no thanks ^r keeping, or putting out fuch from his fchool that ■are unlearned, vvhen their (Jefire or will is to be taught?. I The Saints Everhijling Reft, 239 -fanght. I confefs it is eafier to (liut out the igno- rant, than to beftow oar pains night and day in teach- ing them ; but wo to fuch flothful, unfaithful fer- Vants. Who then is a faithful and a wife fcrvant, whom his lord hath made rula* over his houfehold, to give them their meat in due feafon, according to every one's age and capacity ? Blejed is that fervanf, tuhom his Lord^ when he coineth^Jhallfindfo doing, O be not afleep while the wolf is waking ! Let your eye be quick in obferving the dangers and ftrayings of your people. If jealoufies, heart-burnings, or con- tentions at ife among them, quench them before they break out into ragfng, irrefillible flames As foon as you difcern any to turn worldly, or proud, or fac- tious, or felf-conceited, or difobedient, or cold, and flothful in his duty ; delay not, but prefently make out for his recovery : remember how many are lofers in the lofs of a foul. ^. Do not daub, or deal flightly with any ; fomc will not tell their people plainly of their fins, btcaufe tliey are great men ; as if none but the poor fliould plainly be dealt with: do not you fo, but reprove them (harply, i though differently and with wifdom) that they may be found in faith. God doth fuffici- ently engage us to deal plainly ; he hath bid us fpea^ and fear not : he hath promifed to (land by us ; and he will be our fecurity. I had rather hear from the mouth of Balaky God h ith kept thee from honour ; or "from Ahah^ feed him 'with the bread and water of of- Jlidion ; than to hear confcience fay, Thou haft be ir ay ed fouls to damnation by thy cowardice andjilence ; or to hear God fay, Their bkod ttn/I I require at thy hands ; or to hear from Chtift, th > judge, Cafi the un- profitable fervant into outer darknefsy whi're Jlmll be weeping and gnafhing of teeth \ yea^ or to hear thefe f:nners ciy out againft me in eternal fire, and with implacable ra^e to charge me with their undoing. And 240 T^he Saints Everlafling Reji. And as you muft be plain and ferious, fo labour to be fkiltul and difcreet, that the manner may fomc- what anfwer the excellency of the matter. How oft have I heard a ftammeting tongue, with tidiculous expicfiions, vain repetitions, tedious circumlocutions, and unfcemly pronunciation, fpoil molt precious df)C- trine, and make the hearers either loath it, or laugh at it ! How common are thefe extremes, while one fpoils the food of life by affeftation, and ncw-fa(hion- ed mincing, and pedantic toys, cither fetting forth a little and mean matter with a great deal of froth, and gaudy drefling ; or hiding excellent truths in a heap of vain rhetoric on the other fide ! How many by their flovenly drefling, make men loath the food of life, and cart up that which fhould nourifti thtm ! Such novices are admitted into the facied fundlion, to the hardening of the viacked, and the diigrtce of the work of the Lord ; and thofe that are not able tofpeak fenfe or reafon, are made the ambafladors of the moil high God. O therefore let me befpeak you my brethren, in the name of the Lord, efpecially thofe that are more young and weak, that you tremble at the greatnefs of this holy employment, and run not up into a pul- pit as boldly as into the market-place ; ftudy and pray, pray and liudy, till you are become workmen that need not be afhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, that your people may not be afhamed, or weary- to hear you : but that befides your clear unfolding the dodrine of the gofpel, you may alfo be matters of your people's afFe moft fcvere about the fancluary I And judgment beginneth at the houfe of God ? 5. The laft whom I would perfuade to this great work of helping others to the heavenly rell, is pa- rents, and matters of families. All you that God hath intruded with children or fervants, confider what duty lieth on you for furthering their falvatlon. That this exhortation may be the more efFedual with X you, 2-42 The Saints Everlajiing Refi. you, I will lay down feveral cbnfidetations for yoit* ^rloufly to think on. r. What plain and prefiing commands of (^od arc there, that require this great duty at your hand ! Deut. vi. 6, 7, 8. And thefe ivonh xihich I command thee this day Jhall be in thy heart t and thou Jhalt teach them diligeTitly to thy children, fpeakiny of them when thou fittejl in thy houfe^ and ivken thm tvalkejl by the 'Way, and yyxu. 17, 19. Shall 1 hide from Abraham that thing which I do ? For I know him, that he wi'l command his clMdren, and his houfehold after him, that they Jhall keep the way of the Lord. Prov. xxii. 6. Train up a child in the way he Jljould go^ and when he » is old, he will not depart from it. So that you fee it is " a work that the Lord of heaven and earth hath laid ' i3pon you ; and how then dare you negledl it ? 2\ You vt^III elfe be witneffes againfl your own fouls : your great care and pains, and coft for their bodies, will condemn you for your negleft of their precious fouls : you can fpend yourfelves in toiling and caring for their bodies, and even negleu hajl given me. And are not all thefc comforts enoq^h to perfuade you .to this diity ? :6, .Cop/ider I 1 'The 'Saints EverlaJIing Reji, -24-5 • 6. Confider further, that the very welfare of church -mnd (late lleth mainly on this duty of well-educating children; and without this, all other means are like to be far lefs fuccefsful. I ferioufly profcfs to you, that I verily think all the fins and miferies of the land may acknowledge this fin for their nurfe. It is not good laws and orders that will reform us, if the men be not good, and refoim.ation begin not at home ; when ciiildren go wicked from the hands of their pa- rents, in every profeiTion they bring this fruit of their education with them. I tell you ferioufly, this is the caufe of all our miferies in church and llate, even ' the want of a holy education of children. Many lay the blame on this negled, and that ; but there is none hath fo great a hand in it as this. 7. I entreat you that are parents, to confider what excellent advantages you have .above all otheis for the faving of your children. J. They are under your hands while they are young, and tender, and flexible ; but they come to njiniRers when they are grown older, and ftiffer, and fettled in their ways, and think themfelves too good to be catechifed. You have a twig to bend, and we an oak ; you have the young plants of fin to pluck up, and we the deep-rooted vices. The confcienccs of children are not fo feared with a cuftom of finning, and long re-fifting grace, as others. You have the foft and tender earth to plough in, and we have the hard and ftony ways, that have been trodden on by many years praftice of evjL We have a double taflc, firll to unteach them, and then to teach them better ; but you have but one. -We muit unteach them all that the world, and the f.efli, and vvigked company, and the devil have been diligently teaching them in many years. You have them before they f.re po(r;:fred ^.Y/ith prejudice againft the truth 3 but we have theoi _^.2 ,^p ■^6 The Saints Il%>erldfting Txtjl. to teach, when they have friany years lived r.mon^ tliofe that have taught them to tin'nk God's ways to b* foolilh. Doth not the experience of all the world {hew you tl\e power of educatton ? What elfe makes all the childien of the Jiezus to be ytiL-s ? And all the children of the Turhs to be Mahometans ? And of chridians to be in profcfilou chriliians ? And of each fe<^ oi party in religion to follow their parents? Now what an advantage have you to iile all this for ihe furtherance of their happinefs ! #2. Conlider z{ir>, \\\zl you have the afPeftions oF your chiidien more tlian anyothtriJ: none in the world hath that intcreft in their hearts as you. You will receive that connfel from an undoubted friend, that you would not do from an enemy, or a fttanger. Now, your children know you are their friends, and advifc th^^m in love ; and they cannot but love you again. Nature ha^h alrnoft neceflitated tliem to love you. O therefore improve this your interefl in them for their good ! 3. You have nifo the greateft authoi ity over tli^m. You may command them, and they da. e. not difobey yo'j, or elfc it is your own fault,, for tl»e molt part,; *ur you can make them obey yon. in your bnfii-.efi ; }ea, you m?.y corrcc^l them to enforce obedience. Your raitfi-orii.) alio is the muii unqueftionable autho- rity in the world '^i he authority of kint's and par- liaments h:r,e b.^eu difpiited, but youis is pafl diipute. And t'.vtrefwrc if you ule it- not to biing them to God, you are without excufe, 4.. BcHdes, their dependarrce is en you for their •inaiiitenance. ) hty know you ean eiiher give them, ®r d'^-ny them what you have, and fo punllh and re- 'vard theai at your pleafure. But on minifters or T^ci^bbours they have no fuch dependance. The Saints 'EverlaJUng Rejl, 247 •5. Moreover, yon that are pnrcnts know the tcm- rper and inchnations of your children, \v!;at vices they are mod inchntd to, and what inllruftion or reproof they mod need : but minlllers cannot fo well kiit>w -this. 6. Above all, you are ever with them, and fo have o;)port unity, as you know their faults," ^ni)l go .nir.n7 hands to this gieat v.-ork ; as to the building of rzjo TJje Saints Everlnjling Refi. ail houfe there -muft be many workmen, one to one pau, and another to another, and one muft not leave their part, and fay it btJongs to the other : fo it is here in the inllrudtiiig of your children ; firft, you mull do your work, and then the minilter mufl do his : you murt be doing it privately, niglit and day ; the mini- llcr mull do it .publicly iud privately, as oft as he can. 2. But 3s the cafe now fl^nds with minlAers, they are difablcd from doing that which belongs to their office, and therefore you cannot now caft your work on tlicm. 1 will iiillance but in two tilings. F'lrj}^ It belongs to their oilice to govern the church, and to teach with authority ; and great and fmall are commauded to obey them, HeK xiii. 7. 17. But this is unknown, and hearers-look on themfelves as frce-nr.cn, that may obey or not, at their, own piea- fure. People think we have authority to fpeak to them when they pleafe to hear, an which makes men impatient of the reins of guidance and command : 2. From the Popi(h error of imph'cit faith ; to avoid which we arc driven as far into the contrary extreme : and 3. From the modefly of minift^rs, that are loth ro (hew their eommilTion, and make known their authority, left they fhould be thought proud : as if a pilot fhould let the feamen run the fhip whither they will, for feav of being thought proud in exerciiiiig his authority. Secondly, A far greater clog than this doth lie upon minifters, which few take notice of ; and that is, the fewnefs of miniftcrs, and the greatnefs of congregati- ons. In the apoftles lime every church had a multi- tude of minillers, and fo it mull be again, or we Ihali never come near that primiti\*e pattern ; and then they could preach publicly, and from houfe to houfe : bat now, when there is but one or two minifters to many thoufand fouls, we cannot teach them one by one. So that you fee, you have little reafon to call: your work on the minifters, but (hould the more help them by your diligence in your ftverat families, bsjcaufe they •are already fo over-burdened. Objedl. 3. But fome will fay, We are poor men and mud labour for our living, and' fo mull our children ; we cannot have time to teach thent the fciiptures, ve have fomevvhat elfe for them to do'. Anfwer, And are not poor men fubje^l to God, as well as rich ? And are they not chriftians ? And muft they not give account of their ways? And have not your children fouls to fave or lofe, as well as the rich ? Cannot you find time to fpeak to them as they are at their work ? Have you not time to inftrudl them on the Lord's day ? You can find time to calk idly, as poor as you are ; and can you find no time to talk of the way to life ? You can find time on the Lord's d^-y for 2^2 The Sdints E'verlajlivg Rejf, for your children to play, or walk or talk In the ftreets, but no time to mind the life to come. Mc- thiiiks you fhould rather fay to your chiUrcn, I have no landb to leave you ; you have no Iiopc of great mat- ters here; be fure therefore to make the Lord your portion, that you may be happy hereafter ; if you could get riches, they would fhoitly leave you, but the riches of grace and glory will be everlailing. Me- thihks you fhould fay as Piio., Silver and gold I h I've noney but furh as I have.. I give you. The kinodom& of the world cannot bt had by beggars, but the king- dom of heaven may. O what a terrible reckoning will many poor men have, vvhen Chrift (l/all plead his eaufe, and judge them! May not he fay, 1 made the way to worldly honours inac« celTible to you, that you might not look after it for youvfelves or your children ; I .sit heaven 1 fet open, that you might have nothing lo difcourage you : I confined riches and honours to a fev; : but my blood and falva- tion I offered to all. that none might fay, I was not invited : I tendered heaven to the poor, as well as the rich : I made no exception ngalnft the meaneft beggar; why then did you nov come yourfclves, and bring your children, and teach them the way to the eternal inhe- ritance ? Do you fay you were poor? Why, I did not fet heaven to fale for money ; I called thofe that had nothing, to take it freely ; only on condition they would take me for their Saviour and Lord, and give up themftlvcb to me in obedience and love. What can you anfwer Chrlfl, when he fhall thus con- vince y.'U ? Is it not enough that your children are poor an ; mlierctble here, but you would have them be vvorfe for everlafting ? If your children were beggars, yet if I hey were Inch beggars as Jya%irusyX.\\ty may be con- veyed bv angels into the prefence of God. But be- lieve it, as God will fave no man becaufe he is a gen- tleman. The Saints Ever I a/ling Rc^fl. 2^^ lleman, fo will he fave no man becaufe he Is a beg- gar. God hath fo ordeied it in his providence, that riches are common occafions of men's damnation, and will you think poverty a fnfficietit excufe r The hardell point in all our work is to be weaned from the world, and in love with heaven ; and li you will not be weaned from it, that have nnthin;;^ in it but labour and forrow, yon have no exciife. The poor cannot have time, and the rich v/ill not have time, or thty are afliamed tobe fo forvvaid ; the youno- think it too foon, and the old too late ; and thus moll men inllead of be- ing faved, have fomewhat to fay agair.ll then- falva- tion ; and when Ciirilt fendeth to invite tlum, they fay, / pray ihee have me excujeJ. O unworthy guelts of fuch a blcffed f<.^aft, and worthy to be turned into cverIallinQ;burnino[s i Objedl. ^. But fome ^^ ill obje£t, we have been brought up u\ ignorance ourfeives, and therefore we are unable to teach our cliiidien. Anfw. Indeed this is the x'cry fore of the land ; but is it not a pity that men fhould fo receive their dedrudion by tradition ? Would you have this courfe to go on thus ilill r Your parents did not teach you, and therefore you cannot teach your children, and therefore they cannot teach theirs: ty this courfe the knowledge of God would be banifhed out of the v/orld, and never be recovered. But if your parents did not teach you, why did not you learn when you catne to age ? The truth is, you had no hearts for it; for he that hath not kn;v,vledge, cannot valiic it, or love it. But yet, though you have greatly finned, it is not too late, if you will but follow my faithful advice in thefe four points. I. Get your hearts deeply fenfible of your own fin tnd mifery, becaufe of this long lime which you Y have ^j;4 The Saints Everlajling ReJ}. liave fptnt in igrorance and negle<5l. Bethink your- felvcs when you are alo.ic ; did not God make you, and turiaiii you for his fcrvice I Should not he have had tlic youth and flrength of your fpirits ? Did you live all this time at the door ot eternity ? What if you had died in ignorance, where had you been ? What a deal of time have you fpent to h'ttle purpofe ? Yoiur life is near done, and your work all undone. You are ready to die, before you have learnrd to live. Should rot God have had a btttcr fhare of youi lives, and your fouls been more ref.rarded and provided for \ In the midft of thefe thou hts cafl down yoiirfelves ia forrow, as at the feet ofCtuiil ; bewail your folly, and beg pardon and recovering grace. 2. Then .think as fadly hov/ you have wronged your children. If an unthrift that hath fold all his lands, will lament it for his children's fake, as well as his own, much more fhould you. 3. Next fet prefently to work, and learn yourfelves. If you can read, do; if you cannot, ^ct fome that can ; and be much among thefe that willinftruA youi be not afliaraed to be fcen among learners, but be afliamed that you had not learned fooncr, God for- bid you (hould be fo mad, as to fay, I am nv)w too old to learn ; except you be too old tofeivt God, and be faved, how can you be too old to learn to be faved ; W^hy not rather, I am too old to kiv. the devil and the world, I have tried them too lonp to trull them any- more. What if your parents had Dot taught you any- trade to live by? Would not you have fet yourfelves to learn, when you had come to a^e ? Remember that you have fouls to care for, as v ell as your children, and therefore firft begin with yourfelves. 4. While you are ^arnin;; yoinTelves. teach your children what you 'do knovvj aad what you canrot teach The Sdkts Everlafilng Re/}. " 55 c teach them yourfclvts, put them to learn of ('.'-.crs that can : peiTuade them into the company of .:.ifs who will be ^lad to inRruci them. Have you no neigh- bours that will be helpful to ycu herein ? O do not kctp yourftlvos Grange to them, hat go among t'l- ;n, and dcfiif th-.-ir help, and be thankful to tl^enu mat thc-y will entertain you in their company. God for- bid rhat you (hould be like thofe that Chrift Ipeaks of Luke y.\. ^2. that luruid nehhfr tnkr into the king Iwr. cf God them L'h>!Si norfujfer thojc that vjnuUi to ent^t , God forbid you (hould be fuch barbarous wretches, as to hicider your children froai bcin^ godly, and to teach then^ to be wicked! If any thing that walks in fielh may be called a devil, I think it is a parent that riin- dercth his children from falvation : nav, I will lay more, I verily think that in this, they :.:e far \' • fe than the devil. God is a righteous judge and will not mnke the devil hiniftlf worfe than he is : I p "^y you be patient while you conlider it, and then j"dge yourfelves. They are the parents of their children, and fo is not the devil : do you think tlien that it is as great a fault in him to fcek their deftruftion, a-^ in them ? Is it as great a fault for the wolf to kill the Iambs, as for their Ovvn dams to do it ? Is it 1 ) hor- rid a fault for an enemy in war to kill a child, or for a bear or mad diKi^ to kill it, as for the mother tt dafli its brains ag;.init a wall I You know it is not ; do you tiiink then, that it is fo hateful a thing in Satan to entice your children to fin and hell, and to dil'-ouiage and dilTnade them from holmefs, as it is in you ? You are bound to love them by nature, more than Satan is. O then, what people are thofe that will tcacn their children, inftead of holincfs, to curfe, and fwear. and rail, and back-bite, to be proud and revengeful, to break the Lord's day, and to defpife his ways, to fpeak wantonly and filthily, to fcorn at holintfs, and glory in nn ! C when God ihall adc thefe children, wliere Icrarncd you this language and pvadlice ? and they fnall fay,.. 256 The Saints EverlaJJhig Rcjl, fay, I learned ;t of my father or mother : I would not be in the cafe of thofe paitnts for all the world ! Alas, i« it a work th;'t is worth the teaching, to undothem- fclves for-cvc: f Or can thiy not without teaching leara it too eafily of themfelves ? Do you need to teach a ferpent to rting, or a lion to be fierce ? Do you ne.^d to fow weeds in your garden ? Will they not grow of themfelves? To build an lioufe requiies fkill and teaching, but a lirtle may ferve to fet a town on fire : to heal the wounded or the fick, rtrqulreth fl and feal them up, and dehver them to the world as. his infalhble woid, w'nich none mull dare to alter, and. which all mull obfL-rvc, 16. That for all his free grace is offered to the world, yet the heart is by na- ture {(> dcfptrately wicked, that no man will believe andcnteitain Chrill Jinccrcly, except by an almighty power hebechangtd and born again; and therefore doth Chrill fend forth his fpiiit with his word, which workcth holinefs in our hearts, drawing us to God and the Redeemer. 17. Tiiat the means by which Chrill workeih and pielcrveth this grace, is the word read and pr. ached, together with ficqucnt, fervent prayer, meditatii)n, faciaments, and gracious confer- ence ; and it is much furthered alio by fpecial provi- dences keeping us from temptaiion ; fitting occurren- C£s to our advantage, drawing us by mercies, and driving us by afBi(::tions ; and therefore it nuift he the great and daily car<* of every chriltian to ufe faithful- ly all tlie ordinances, and improve all provId:*nccs. 18. That though the new law or covenant be an ea- iy yerlifting Reft, 261 tin's church mud h've together in entire love and peace, ddi^litinj: llieinfelves in God, and his worlhip, and the tbre-thougl.ts of their everlafting happincfs ; for* bjaring and forgiving ont- another, aad relieving each other in need ; and all men ought to drive to be ofthib focfety : yet will the vifihlc churches be ftill mixed of ^c/vid and bad 20 That when the full nu-nber of t'lere are called home, Chrift will come down from h^-aven ai^ain, and raifc all the dead, and fct them bcfv)re liim to be judged ; and all that have loved G :'d, and believed in Chrill, and been willing tint !k* (hould reign over th-m, and have improved their mercies in the day of grace, them he will jufti- i'-^ and fentence them to inherent everlafting glory ; and tiiofe that were not fuch, he will condemn to €ver]allin_fT fi,e : both which ftntences ihall be then executed accordingly. This is the brief fum of the doctrine which you muft teach your children. Though our ordinary cre^d, called the apoiUes creed, contain all the ablo- lute fundamentals ; yet in fv)me It is fo generally and darkly expreffed, that an explication is neceiTary. Then for matter of practice, teach them the mean* ing of the commaiidments, efpecially of the great commands of the gofpel ; (hew them what is com- manded ana forbidden, in the firft table and in the fecond, towaid God and men, in regard of the In- ward and outward man. Ar.d here flievv them, 1. The authority commanding, that Is, the Almighty God, by Chrift the Redeemer. They are not now to look at the command as coming from God immediately, merely as God, or the Creator j but as coming from God, by Chrift the Mediator, xvho is noiv the Lord of all ; fteinjr the Father noiv judgeth no man, but hath commht: I . llj-uJ^msnt to the Son. 2. Shew them the Jei.ms (ju which duty is rec^ulred, ar.d the endj of it. 3. And a 62 The Saints Everlajling i?£/?. ._ 3. And the nature of duties, and the way to perform them aright. 4. And the right order, that they firft love God, and then theii- \\t\g\ihom \ firft feek the liiH^iGTi f)f Cod and his nghtcp.uftiefs 5. Shew therri the f xccllcncies and dehghts of God's fervice. 6. And the flat neccjTuy of all tliis.^ 7. Efpccially labour to get all to their hearts, and teach them not only to fpeak the words, but to reduce them to j)ra£licc. And for fm, (hew them its evil and danger, and watch over tiiem ,;t;air!il it. Efpecially, i. The fins that youth is connnonly addi^icd to. 2. And which th^ir nature and conftituiion moft lead them to. 311 And which thetinie and place moll Ilrongly tempt to, 4 But efpecii'lly he fure to kill their killing fins, thofe that all are prone to, and arc of all moil dead- ly ; as pride, woildliuefs, ignorance, profciueuefs, and ficfli-pL^afing* And for the manner, you muft do all this, i. Be- times, before fin g-t rooting. 2. Frequently, 3. Sea- fonably. 4. Scrioufly and diligently. 5. Affedion- ately and tenderly. 6. And with authoiity : compeK ling, where comm.andiug will not ferve ; and adding correilion, wlieie inllrudlion is fiulhated. And thus I have done with the ufc of exhortation, to do our utmofl for tlie falvation of others. The Tord ^ive men compalTiouate hearts, tliat it may bt pracliftd, and then I doubt not but he v.'ill fucceed it. to the increafe of his church. End nj the Second Part* TKS [ 263 ] (5^ '^ I*? •<••<■■<••<••<■••<•.<■•■<■<••■<••<••<•••<••<••<■•<••<•■<•••*••>•>■>••>■•>•■•>•>■■>■■>••>•>•>•>■>■■>••>••>• >-!5^ THE Saints Everlafting Reft, PART in. Containing a Directory for the getting and keeping the Heart in Heaven, by the diligent Pradice of that excellent duty o/'Mf.ditation. CHAP. L 'Reproving our Expe^ations of Reft on Earth, DOTH this reft remain ? How great then is our fin and folly to feek and expe(ft it here ! Where fnall we find the chrillian that deferves not this re- proof? Surely we may all cry guilty to this. We •know not how to enjoy convenient houfes. goods, lands, and revenues, but we feek reft in thcfe enjoy- ments. We feldom, I fear, have fuch fweet and cou- 'tenting thoughts of God and glory, as we have of our tarthly dcflights. How much reft do we fetk in build- ings, walks, apparel, eafcr, recreation, fleep, pleafing meats and drinks, company, ht-allh and ftrength, and long life ? Nay, we can fcarce enjoy the neceflary means that God hath appointed for our fpiritual good, but we are feeking reft in them Our books, •cur preachers, fermons, fiiends, abilities for duty, •do not our hearts qui<-t themfelves In them, even more than in God? Indeed, in words we difclaim, and a64 The Saints Everlajlmg Rejl. •And God hath ufually the pre-eminence in our tongues and piofefiions : but do we not defire thefe more vi- olently when we want them, than we do the Lord himfelf? Do we not cry out more fenfibly, O my i"rieiid, my goods, my health ! than, O my God ! Do we not mils miniflry and means more paffionately than we mifs our God ? Do we not befiir ourfelves more to obtain and enjoy thefe, than we do to reco- ver our communion with God ? Do we not delight more in the pofTtiTion of thefe, than we do in the fru- ition of God himfelf: Nay, are not thofe mercies and duties more pleafant to us, wherein we ftand at the greateil diftance from God r We can read, and fludy, and confer, preach and hear, day after day, without much wearinefs ; becaufe in thefe we have to do with inftrumcnts and creatures : but in fecret pray- er and converfing with God immediately, where no creature interpofeth, how dull, how heartlefs and weary are we! And if we lofe creatmes or means, doth it not trouble us more than our lofs of God ? If we lofe but a friend, or health, all the town will hear of it : but we can m.ifs our God and fcarce be- moan our mifery. 1 hus it is apparent, we make the creature our rclt. It is not enough, that they are re- frtfhing helps in our way to heaven ; but they muft alfo be made our heaven itfelf. Reader, I would as willingly make thee fenfible of this fin, as of any fin in the world ; for the Lord's greatcft quarrel with us is in this point. Therefore I molt earneftly bcfeech thee to preis upon thine own confcience thcfc follow- ing confiderations. I. It is grofs idolatry to make any creature or means our reft; : to fettle the foul upon it, and fay, now 1 am v. ell. upon tht bare enjoyment of the crea- ture : what is this, but to make it our God ? Cer- tainly, to be the foul's rell i^ God's own prerogative. And ad it is palpable idolatry to place our refl in iich€S The Saints Everla/ling Re,fl. 2 '^^5 riches and honours; fo it is but a more refined idola- try to take up our refl: in excel'. -nt means, In tiie church's profperity, and in its reformation. When we would h.v-'c all that out of God, which is to be had only m God ; what is this but to run .iway fi):-;! him to the creature, and in our hearts to dcv, him? "When we fetch more of our comfort from the thoughts of profperity, and thofe mercies which we have at a diftance from God, than from the fore-thoughts of our eveilafling- blefifednefs in him. Are we chriOians in judgment, and pagans in affe6lioM ? Do we give our fenfes leave to be the choofers of our happinefs, while reafon and faith Hand by ? O how ill muft our dear Lord needs take it, when we give him caufe to complain, as fometime he did of our fellow-idolaters, Jir. I 6. that we have been loft flieep, and have for- gotten our rcfting place ! When we give'nim caufe tr> fay, my pt'oplc can find rtft in any thing rather than in me ! They can find delight in one another, but none m me ; they can rejoice in my creatures and or- dinances, but not in me ; yea, in their vcrv laboi.rs and duty they feek for rel>, but not in rv.z ; they had rather be any where than be with me : are theie their gods r Have thefe delivered and redeemed them ? Will thefe be better to them than I have been, or than I would be ? If yourfelves have but a wife, a hufband, a fon, that had rather be any where tliaa in your company, and is never fo meny as when fmtheft from you, would you not take it ill yourfelves? Why fo mull our God needs do. For what do we but lay thefe tilings in one end of the balance, and God in the other, and fooliHily prefer them before him ? As Efkanah faid to Hannah^ Am not I belter to thee than ten fons ? So when we are lon^^inor after creatures, wc may hear God fay, am not 1 better than all The crea- tures to thee I 7, 2. Confider c^65 The Saints Ever la fling Rejt. 1. Confider how thou contradldeft the end of God :n giving thefe things. He gave them to help thee to him, and doft thou take up with them in his lle-id ? He gave them that tfiey might be refrefhmcnts in thy journey j and vvouldil thou now dwell in tliy iim, and go no further ? Thou daft not only contia- dift God herein, but lofeft that benefit which thoa mighteft receive by them, yea, and makeft them thy great hurt and hinderance. Surely, it may be faid of all our comforts and all ordinances, and the blefTedeft enjoyments in the church on earth, as God faid to the Ifrazhteiy of his ark, Num. x. 33 Thr ark of the covitiant ivcnt before ihtm^ to fearch out for them a rejl' ing-place. So do all God's mercies here. They are not that reft, (as John profelTcth he was not the Ciirift) but they are voices crying in this wildernefs, to bid. us prepare ; for the kingdom of God, our true reft, it at hand. Therefore to reft here, were to tut nail mercies clean contrary to their own ends, and oui own advantages, and to deftroy ourfelves with that which iliould help us. 3. Confider, whether it be not the moft probable way to caufe God, either, fiift, to deny thofe mer- cies which we defire ; or, fecondly, to take from us thefe whi'.'h we enjoy ; or, thirdly, to imbitt^r them, or cr.rfc them to us f Certainly, God is no where fo jealous as here: if you had a fervant vvhom your wife loved better than ftie did yourfelf, would you not take it ill of fuch a wife, and lid your houfe of fuch a fer- vant ? Why {o, if the Lord fee you begin to fetiK- in the world, and fay, here I will reft, no wonder if he foon in his jealoufy unfettle you. U he love you. no Tvonder if he take that fiom you wherewith he fees you about to"acftroy yourfelvts. It hath been longr my obfervation of irany, that Vi'hca thej iiave iittcinpicd ^rest works, acd jnft iiai/hed The Saints Everlafiing Reft, 267 4ininiecl tliem ; or havr aimed at great things In thi: world, and have ju(t obtained -hem : or h. ve livtd in nnich trouble, and jufl come to begin with lome content to look upon their condition, and lefl in it, tliey arc near to dcatli and ruin. When a man is once at this lan^uji^e, Soul talu- thy e >fr ; the next •news ufuaMy is, 77'-;?^ fonl, this nl^h:, or tins m')nth, or this year, /Z'j// /^y foul be required '^>J thte, and ihm ivhcfe Jhall ihefe dings he? O what houfe is tl..rre v/here this fool dwelltih not ? Let you and I confides*, whether this be not our own cafe. Have not I after fuch an unfertkd life, and after fo mnny longings and prayers for thefe days ! Have not I thought of them with too much CDutent, and been ready tofijy, Soul^ take thy rejl r Have not I comrorted myfclF ir.ore in the fore-thoughts of enjoying theft, than of com- ing to heaven, and enjoying God? Wh.'t wonler 'then if God cut me off, when 1 am juft fitting- down -in this fuppofed red \ And hatli not the like been your condition ? Many of you have been folcHtTs, (Ijiven from houfe and home, endured a life of t ;/U- ble and blood, bi^en deprived of miniiUy and means: did you not reckon up all the comforts you fno^ld have at your. return; and glad your hearts with fuch thoughts, more than with the thougliis of jour com- ing to heaven? Why, what \X-onder if God now crofs you, and turn fome of your joy into fad nefs ? Many a feryant of God hath been deftroyed fiom the earth, by being over va ued and over-loved. I pray God you may take warning for the t«ime to come, that you rob not yomfclves of all your mercies. I am per- fuaded our difcontents and murmurincrs are not {o provoking to God, nor fo dcftrudive to the linner, as our too fweet enjoying, and reft of fpirit, in a pieafing (late. If God hath crofled any of you in wife, children, goods, friends, either by taking them from you, or the comfort of them : try whether this he not the caufe \ for whcrefoever yom* defires ftop, and 268 The Saints Everla/liiig Reji. anci you fay, now I am well ; that condition yon make your god, and engage the jealoiify of God againft it. "Whether yon be friends to God or ene- mies, you can never expeft that God (hould fuller you quietly to enjoy your idols. 4. Confider, if God fliould fuffer thee thus to take up thy red here, it were one of the greateft curfes that could bcfal thee : it were better for thee if thou never hadft a day of eafe in the world ; for then wearlnefs might make thee fcek after true reft. But if he fhould fufler thee to fit down and reft here where were thy reft when this deceives thee ? A reftlefa wretch thou wouldft be through all eternity. To have theii good tliinsrs on the earth, is tiie lot of the tnofl: miferablc peiiihiiig -finners. Doth it become chriftians then to expcd fo much here? Our reft is our heaven ; and where we take our reft, there we make our heaven : and wouidii, ihou have but fuch a heaven as this ? It •w'xW be but as a handful of watrrs to a man that is drowning, waich will help to dsftroy, but not to fave him, 5. Confider thou feekeft reft where it Is not to be found, and fo wilt lofc all thy labour. I think I fhall eafily evince this by thcfe clear demonflrations following : Firjlf Our r^ft is only in the full obtaining our ulti- mate end ; but that i^ not to be expe6^ed In this life. Is God to be enjoyed in tic beft reformed church here, as he is in heaven ? You confefs he is not ; how little of God, (not only; the multitude of the blind world, but fometimes the faints themfelves enjoy ! /,nd how poor comforters are the beft ordinances and enjoyments without God ! Should a traveller take up hi*; reft in tlie way ? No, becaufe his home is his jour- ney's end. When you have all that creatures and means can The Saints Everlajiing Rejl, 269 can afford, have you that you fought for ? Have you that yo^i believe, pray, fiilFer for ? I think you dare not fay fo. Why then do we once dream of refting here ? We are like little children (Irayed from home ; and God is now fetching us home ; and we are ready to turn into any houfe, ilayand play with everything in our way, and fit down on every giecn bank, and much ado there is to get us home. Second/j, As we have not yet obtained our end, fo are wq in the midd of labours and dangers ; and is there any relling here ? Wliat painful work doth lie upon our iiarids ! Look to our brethren, to our fouls, to God ; and what a dv.al of work in refpect of each of thcfj, doth lie before us ! And can we reft in our labours ? Indeed we may cafe ourfclves fometimes in our troubles ; but that is not the reft we are now fpcakingof; we may reft on earth, as the ark is faid to reft in the midft of Jordan, Jo/h, iii. 13. Oi as the angels of heaven are defired to turn in, and reft them on earth, Gen. xviii. 4, They would have been loth to have taken up their dwcliing there. Should Jfratl have fettled his reft in the wildcrnefs, among' ferpents, and enemies, and wearinefs, and famine ? Should Noah have made the ark liis home, and been lath to come forth when the waters were fallen ? Sliould the mariner choofe his dwelling on the fea, and fettle his reil in the micft of rocks, and funds, and tempefts? Though he may adventure through all thefe, for a commodity of worth : yetvl think he takes it not for his left. Should a foldicr reft in the midft of fight, when lie is in the very thickeft of his enemies ^ And are not chriftians fuch travellers, fuch mariners^ fuch foldiers ? Have you not fears within, and trou- bles without ? Are wc not in the thickeft of contihual jdangers? We cannot eat, drink, fleep, labour, pray, iiear or confer, but in the midft of fnares ; and lliali A^ fit down uud reft here ? O chriftian, follow thy .Z.3 wod:;,^!. 270 The Saints Everlajfing Refl, work, look to thy danger, hold on to the end ; win ' the fic'ld and come off the ground, before yon think of fetth'ng to left. 1 read that Chrllt, when he was oa the crofs, comforted the converted thief with tiiis. This day Jhult thou he nviih me in paradife : but if he had only comforted him with telling him, that he fliould rtft there on the crofs, would he not have taken it foi a dttifion ? Metiu'nks it fhould be ill rclling in- ■ themidilof fickneffes and pains, perfccution and ciif- ticdls; one would think it fliould be no contented dwelling for lambs among wolves. I fay therefore tto every uP.e that thinkctl) of reft on earth, Ar'ife ye^ ds' part, thii is not your rejL 6. Confult with experience, both other men's and your own ; many thoufands have made ttial, but did ever one of thefe find a fufficitnt reft for his foul on earth ? Delights I deny not but they have found ; but reft and fat isfaftion they never found: and ftiall we think to find that which never man could find before us? .^/^.//'•'s kiwgdom is nothing to him, except he had- elfo Naboth'^^ vineyard, and did that fatisfy hini when }ie hnd obtaintd it ? If we had conquered the whole world, we fnouid perhaps do as Alexander^ fit down and weep, becaufe there was never another world to conquer. Go afk honour, is there reft here ? Why you may as well reft on the top of the tempeftuoiis -mountains, or in Etna's iiames. Af]< riches, is there reft here ? Even fuch as is in a bed of thorns. Enquire cf worldly pleafure and eafe, can they give you any tidingsof true reft ? Even fuch as the fifti in fwallow- ing the bait J when the pleafureis fweeteft, death is the near^'ft. Sucii is the reft that all worldly pleafures aftord. Go to learning, to the pureft, plentifulleft, powerfulleft ordinances, or compafs fea and land to ■find out the moft pei fcft church ; and enquire whether there your foul may reft ? You might haply receive J^iom thele an olive branch of hope, as they are mean« to The Saints Ever lofting Reji, 271 ta your reft, and have relation to eternity ; but in re- gard of any fatisfaCtion in themfclves, you would re- main as rcftlefsas ever O how well miglit all thefe anfvver us, as jfucob did Rachel^ Am I injlead of God ? So may the hfgheft perfeclions on earth fay, are wc inftead of God ? Go take a view of all eftates oi men in the world, and fee whether any of them liave found this reft. Go to tlie hufbandmun, behold his endlefs labours, his continuni care and toil, and wearinefs, and you will eafiJy fee, that there is no reft ; go to the tradefman, and you (hall find the like : if I ftiould fend you lower, you would judge your labour loft : go to the painful minifter, and there you will yet more eafily be fatisfied ; for though his fpending, end- lefs labours are exceeding fweet, yet it is not bccaufe they are his reft, but in reference to his people's, and his own eternal reft : if you would afccnd to magif- tracy, and enquire at the throne, you would find there .is no condition fo reftlcfs. Doubtlefs neither court, nor country, towns or cities, fl^.ops or fields, treafuries, libraries, folitarinefs, fociety, ftudies, or pulpits, can afford any f'jch thing as this j eft. If you could en- quire of the dead of all generations, or if you could aflv the living through all domini-jii?, they would all tell you, here is no reft j and all mankind may fay, y/// our days are forrowy and our labour is ^i^itj) and our hearts take no reJI, Ecclef. xi. 23. If other men's experience move you not, do but take a view of your own : can you remember the ef- tate that did fully fatisfy you i Or if you could, will it prove a lafting ftare ? For my own part, I have run through feverai ilatts of life, and though I never had the necefiities which might occ?.fion difconttnt, yet did I never find a fettkment for my foul ; and I be- lieve we may all fay of our reft, as i^au! of our hopes. If It nuere in this life onlyy luc ivtre of all men mojl mi- ftrahic. If then cither fcripture.' or reafon, or the experience 272 The Saints Everlajling Rejl. c^rperience of ourfelves, and all the world will fatisfy us, we may fee there is no refting here. And yet how guilty are the generality of us of this fin ! How many halts and ftops do we make, before we will make the Lord our reft ! How muft God even drive us, and fire us out of every condition, left we ftiould fit down and reft there ! If he give us profperity, riches, or honour, we do in -our hearts dance before them, as the Jjiaelites before their calf, and fay, Thefs ere thy goos, and conclude it is good being here. If he imbitter all thefc to us by croffes, how do we flrive to have the crofs removed, and are reftlefs till our -condition be fvveetened to us, that we may fit down again and reft where we were ? If the I^ord, feeing our perverfenefs, (hall now proceed in the cure, and take the creature quite away, then how do we labour, and care, and cry, and pray, that God would reftore it, that we may make it our reft again ! /\rd while we are deprived of its enjoyment, and have not our former idol, yet rather than come to God, we de- ligiit ourfelves in our hopes of recovering our form- er ftate ; and as long as there is tiie leaft likelihood of obtaining it, we make thofe very hopes our reft : if the poor by labouring all their days, have but hopea of a fuller eftaie when they are old (though an hun- ched to one they die before they have obtained it) yet do they reft themfclves on thofe expedations. Or if God doth take away "both prefent enjeym.ents, and all hopes of recovering them, how do we fearch about from creature to creature, to find out fomtthing to fppply th.e room, and to fettle upon infttad thereof! Yea, if we can find no fupply, but are fure we fliall live in poverty, In fickncfs, in difgrace, while we are on earth, yet will we rather fettle in this mifery* ..and make a rt-ft of a wretched being, than we wiH :kaY,e .all and come to God. A rcaa ne Saints Everlafting Re/i, 273 A man would think, that a multitude of poor peopl^e, who beg their bread, or can fcarce with their hardcil labour have fultcnance for their lives, fhould ■tafily be driven from relling here, and willingly look to heaven for reft ; and the fick, who have not a day of eafe, or any hope of recovery left them. But O uhe curfcd averfenefs of our fouls from God ! We will rather account our mifcry our happinci's, yea that which we dally groan under as intc lerable, than we will take up our happinefs in God. If any place in htU were tolerable, the foul would rather tak up its reft there, than come to God. Yea, when he is ^'■'"o'"?^ us over to him, and l.ath convinced us of the worth of his ways and ftrvice, the laft deceit of all is here, we will rather fettle upon thofe ways that lead to him, and thofe ordinances th;;t ^peak of bira, and thofe gifts which flow from him, than we will come clean over to himfelf. Marvel not that I fpeak fo much of refting in thefe< beware left it prove thy own cafe : I fuppofe thou art fo convinced of the vanity of riches and honour, and pleafure, that thou canft more eafily difclaim thefe : but for thy fpiritual helps, thou lookeft on thefe with lefs fulpicion, and thinkeft thou canft not delight in them too much, efpecially feeing moft of the world defpife them, or delight in them too little. But doth not the increafe of t'lofe helps dull thy longings after heaven ? 1 know the means of grace muft be loved and valued ; and he that dclighteth in any worldly- thing more than in them, is not a chriftian : but when we are content with duty iuftead of God, and had rather be at a fermon than in heaven ; and a mem- ber of a church here, than of that perFeCl church, and rejoice in ordinances but as they are part of our earthl/ ^rofperity : this is a fad aiiilake. Sd 274 ^^-^^ Saitits EverlaJJwg Reft. So farrcjv^lce In ihe creature as It comes from GocI, or leads to him, or brings thee fome report of hi« love : fo far let thy foul take comfort in ordinances as God doth accompany them, or gives himftlf unto thy loiil b) tiiem : ftill remembering, when thou hall even what thou doft mod dtfire, yet this is not hea- ven ; yet thcfe are but t)ie firft fruits. It is not enough ihat God alloweth us all the comfort of travellers, and accordingly to rejoice in all his mercies, but \vc mull ftt up our ftaff as if we were at home. \Vbil€ we are at prefent in the body, we are abfent from the Lord ; and while we are abfent from him, we ar-e abfent from our reft. If God were as willing to be abfent from us, as we from him, and if he were as lot!) to be our reft, as we are loth to reft In him, we fhould be left to an eternal reftlcfs feparation. In a word, as you are fenfible of the finfulnels of your earthly difcontents, fo be you alfo of your Irregular contents, and pray God to pardon them mucli more And above all the plagues and judgments of God on this fide hell, fee that you watch and pray againft this [of ftttling any wr.ere fhort of heaven, or repof- ing your fouls on any thing below God. 3 Or el!e, wiien the bough which you tread on breaks, and the^ things whicli you reil upon deceive you, you will perceive your labour all loll, and your hightft hopes will make you alhanied. Try if you can perfuade Satan to leave temj)ting, and the world to ceafe trou- bling and feducing^ if you can bring the glory of God from above, or remove the court from hcaveii to earth, and fecure the continuance of this through tttr- nity,then fettle yourfelves btlow, and fay, Soul, take thy reft here j but till then admit notluch a thought. CXiAP. The Saints Everlojlhig Rejl, 275 CHAP. ir. - Motives to Hcavenly-mindcdnefs, WE have now by the guidance of the word of the Lord, and by the afTiftance of his Spirit, /hewed you the nature of the reft of the faints ; and acquainted you with fome duties in relation thereto ; We come now to the clofe of all, to prefs you to the great duty which I chiefly Intended when I begun this fubjedl. Is there a reft, and fuch a reft remaining for us \ Wiiy then are our thoughts no more upon it ? Why are not our hearts continually there ? Why dwell we not there in conftant contemplation ? Afl-: your hearts in good earneft, What is the caufe of this negledt ? Hath the eternal God provided us fuch a glory, and promifed to take us up to dwell v/ith himfelf ? And is not this worth the thinking on ? Should not the ilrongeft defircs of our hearts be after it ; and the dai- ly delights of our fouls be there ? Can v/e forget and negledl it ? What is the matter ? Will not God give us leave to approach this light ? Or will he not fuffer cur fouls to tafte and fee it ? Then what mean all his earneft invitations ? Why doth he fo condemn our earthly-mindednefs, and command us to fet our af- fecftions above? If the fore-thoughis of glory were forbidden fruits, perhaps we fliould be fooner drawn unto them. Sure I am, wher>i: God hath forbidden us to place our thoughts and our delights, thither it is eafy enough to draw them If he fay, love not the world, nor the things of the world, we doat up- on it neverthelefs. How unweariedly can we tliink of vanity, and dav after dav employ our minds ai)aut it ! And have we no thoughts of thia our reft ? How freely 2/6 The Saints Enjerlafling ReJI, freely and how frequently can we think of our plea- fiires, our friends, our labours, our flefli, our ftudies, our news ; yea, our very miferies, our wrongs, our fufFerings, and our fears ! But vvl ete is the cliiillian V'hofe heart is on this reft ? What la the matt< r ? Why- are we not tnkt-n up with the views of glory, and our fdiils more accuftomed to thefe delightful medita- tions ? Are we fo full of joy that we need no nnore ; or is tliere no matter in heaven for our joyous tljoughts; or rather, are not our hearts carnal and blockifh ? Eaith will ttrd to earth. Had we more fpirit, it would be otherwifc with us. As St. Auguflm cait by Cicero*^ writings, becaufe they contained not the name cA ye/us ; fo let us humble and caft down thefe fen- fual hearts, that have in them no more of Chriil and glory. As we {hould not own our duties any further than fomewhat of Chriti is in them, fo fhould we no further own our hearts: and as we fhould delight in the creatures no longer than they have reference to Chiift and eternity, fo no further fhould we approve of our own hearts Why did Chrilt ptonounce his difciples eyes and ears bleffed, b.*L as they were the dooTS to let in Chrid by his works and words into their heart ? Blelfed are the eyes ihdt fo fee, and the ears that fo hear, that the heart is thereby raifed to- this heavenly frame. Sirs, fo much of your liearts a» Is empty of Chrift and heaven, let it be filled with Ihame and foriow, and not with eafe. But let me turn my reprehenfion to exhortation, that you would turn this conviftion into reformation. And I have the more hope, becaufe I here addrefs mylclf to men of confcience, that dare not wilfully difobey God ; yea, becaufe to men whofe portion is there, whofe hopes are there, and who have forfaken all that tiity may enjoy this glory ; and fliall I be dif- coui-aged from perfuading fuch to be l.eavenly mind- ed I U you will not hear and obey, who will ? Who- ever i The Saints Everla/llng Rejl, 277 ever thou art therefore that rendeft thefe lines, I re- quire thee, as thou tendereft tliine sllegiunce to Che God of heaven, as ever thou hoped for a part in this gh)ry, that thou prefently takf tb.y heart to tLiHc ; chide it for its wilful l^.rangtnefs to God ; turn thy thought from the purfuit of vai.ity, bend tliy foul to ttudy eternity ; habituate thyfclf to fnch contempla- tions, and Ice not thofe thoughts be fcldom and cur- fory, but fettle upon them ; dwell here, bathe thv foul in heaven's delights ; drench thine a£e6liops in thefe rivers of pleafure ; and \i thy backward fo'.:l begin to flag, and thy thoughts to fiy abroad, call them back, hold them to tlieir work, put them ou, bear not with thtir lazinefg ; and when thou hafk once tried this work, and followed on till thou hafi got acquainted with it, ar-d kept a clofe guard upon thy thoughts till they are accuftomed to obey, thou wile then find thyfelf in the fuburbs o^ heaven, and as it were in a new world ; thou wilt then find thac there is fweetnefs in the work and way of God, and that the life of clniflianity is a life of joy : thou wilt meet with thofe abundant confolations which thou haft prayed, and panted, arid groaned after, and which fo few chriilians obtain, becaufe th.ey knou'^ not the way to them, or elfe make not conj^cier.ce of walking in it» You fee the Vv'ork row before you ; this, th.js is that I would fain perfunde you to pVadife : let me be- fpeal^ your confciences in the name of Chrift, and command you by the authority I have received from Chiift, that you faithfjlly fet upon this duty, and fi)C your eye more ftedfaftly on your reft. Do not v/on- der that 1 perfuadc you (o earneftly : though indeed if we were truly reafonable men, it would be a won- der that men (houf3 need fo much pcrfuafion to fa fweet and plain a duty : but 1 know the employment: is high, the heart is earthly, and will ftill draw back ; A a the e/S The Saints 'EverJaJlin^ Rtft. the temptations and luiidernnces will be many anil great, and therefore I fear all thefc perfiiafions are lit- tle effiDugh : fay not, We are iiiiaBle to fet our own Jiearts on heaven, this mufl be the work of Grd": .therefore all your exhortation Is In vain. I tell you, thounh God be tiie chief difpofer of yonr hearts, y^t next under him you have the grcattil cominand of ihem yourfelvcs, and a great power in the ordering of your own thoughts, and deternfiining your owli wihs ; though without Chrift you can do nothing, yet under him you may do much, and mufl: do much, or elfe you will be undone through your neglcdt : do your own parts, and you have no caufe to diilruft whether Ghriil will do his. 1 will here lay down fome confiderations, whic^- 'a you will but deliberately weigh with an Impartial judgment, I doubt not will prove tiTeftual with your hearts, and make you refolve upon this excellent duty. I. Confider, a heart fet upon heaven, will be one of the mod unquedionuble evidences of a true woi^ of faving grace upon thy foul. Would you have a f}gn infallible, not from me, or from the mouth of any man, but from the mouth of Jcfus Chrill himfeff, >vhich all the enemies of the ufe of maiks can lay fio exceptions againft. ? Why here Is fuch a one, Matt, vl, 2 1. Where your treafure is, there will your heart be u^f'>. Know once alTuredly where your heart Is, arid you may eafily know that your treafure Is thei'e. God IS the iaiuls treafure and happinefs : heaven Is the place where they fully enjoy him ; a heart there- fore fet upon heaven, is no more but a heart fet upon God, defiring this full enjoyment : and furely a heart fet upon God througli Ch>iH, Is the truefl evi- dence of faving grace. External actions are the eafiefl difcovered; but th;>fe of th*^ htait are the fureft evid*;nces. When thy Icuriiing will be' no good pn/of - of Tv£ Saints Evcrlojllng Rcji, 279. vQJ.thy gvace ; when thy knowltdg^, thy duties, and thy gifts will fail thee, when arguments from thy tongue and thy hand may be confuted : then wiil tliis argument from the bent of thy heart prove thee fin- cere. Take a poor chriflian that can fcarce fpeak -6'"j''/?' about religion, that hath a weak underftand- ing, a failing memory, a (tammering tongue, yet his lieart is fet on God, he hath chofen him for his por- tion, his thoughts arc on eternity, his dtfircs there, his dwelling there ; he cries out, O that I were there ! lj,e takes that day for a time of impiifonment, where- i;T he hath not taken one refrefning view of ett-rnity.- I had rather die in this man's condition, than in the c.afe of him that hath the moft eminent gifts, and is moll admired for parts and duty, whofe heart is not t^ken up with God. The man that Chrid will iind out at the lall day, and condemn for want of a wed- ding-garment, will be he that wants this fram.c of heart. The queftion will not then be, how rauchi y,ou have known or talked ? but, how much have you loved, and where was your heait ? Why then, as you would have a fure tellimony of the love of God, and 5 fure proof of jour title to glory, labour to get youi: hearts above. God will acknowledge you love him, when he fees your hearts are fet upon him. Get bun your hearts once truly in heaven, and without all queftion yourfelves will follow. Jf On and fatan keep not thence your affections, they will never be able tu keep away your p^^rfons. 2. Confider, a heavenly mind is a joyful mind: this is the neareft and the trueli way to comfort ; and without this you mud needs be uncomfortable. Can a man be at the fire, and not be warm ? or in the funfhine, and not have light ? Can your heart be in heaven, and not have comfort ? What could make fuch frozen uncomfortable chriftians, but living fo far aj they do from heaven ? And what makes others fo . warm ciSo The Saints EverJnfting Rcjl. warm in comfortJ, \-yX tlieir frequent accefs fo vxt'i to God ? When tlie fun In the IpTing drawi; near our part ot \\\>i e?.vt!), Ijow do rill iLhgs congratulate ii8 approEcli ! The enrtl. looks ^ireeii'and cufteth off lier mournir-g hhl-'t ; the trees /i;oot fcnh ; the plants ^evivc; the biuls fm^ j the face of all tilings fmiite upon ns, and all th?, creatures below rcjoi-ce. If we v.ouIJ but keep tliefc hcp.M-c above, what a fpiing: would be within us; ard nil our graces be frefli and green ! How would the face of (mh- fouls be changed. «nd all that is within us rejoice Kow ihoLid we Korget our winter- foi raws, and withdraw our fouls from our fad utlretnerts! How early fiiould we rife (as thofe birds in the fr-riug) to fing the praife of our !.' rest Creator ! O chi)ilir.:i ! get above ; believe it, that region is warmer than this below. Thofe that have been th;ve have found it fo, and thofe that have jjome thence have told us f o, ; and I doubt not but thou had fom?times tried it thyftlf. I dare appeal to thy own experience : when is it that you have largell comfotts? h it not after fiich an exercife as this, -^vhcn thou has got up thy heart, and converfed with God, and talked witb the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed the manfions of the faints and ar> gels, and filled thy foul with the fore thoughts of ■glory ? If thou knoweft by experience what this prac- tice is, I dare fay thou knowed what fpiritual joy is* If it be the countenance of God that fills us with joy, tl'.en they that mod behold ir, mud be fulled of thefe joys. If you never tried this, nor lived this life c-f heavenly contemplation, I never wonder that you 'valk uncomfortably, and know not what the joy of ihv; faints means : can you have comfoits from God, :ind never thin.k of him ? Can lieaven rejoice you when you do not remember it l Doth any thing in l! e world glad you, when you think not on it? Whom dionld we blaine then, that we are fo void of ■ o'lfjlatioPj bLit oi:r own ncgligrnt unflvjlful hearts? God 'The Saints Ever lajTing Rejl, 2 Si f'God hath provided us a crown of ^lory, and pro- miTed to fet it fhortly on our heads, and we will not To much as think of it : he holdeth it out to us, and biddeth us behold and rejoice ; and we will not To much as look at it. What a perveife pourfe is this, both againft God and our own joys ! I confcfs, though in flefhiy things the prefenting.a comforting objc6l is fufficient to produce an anfwera- ble delight, yet in fpirituals we are more difablcd : God muft give the joy itfelf, as well as afford us matter for joy : but yet withal, it mud be rem.em- bcred, that God doth work upon us as men, and in a rational way doth raife our comforts : he enableth and exciteth ur> to mind, thefe delightful objefls, and from thence to gather cur own comforts ; therefore he that is moft fl^ilful and painful in this gathering- art, is ufually the fullell of the fpiritual fweetncfs. It is by believing that. we are filled with ioy and peace ; and no longer than, we continue our believing. It is, in hope that the faints rejoice, yea, in this hope of the glory of" God ; and no longer than they continue hoping. And here let me warn you of a dangerous fnare, an opinion which will rob you of all your com- fort : fome think, if they fliould thus fetch in their own by believing and honing, and work it out of fcripture-promifts by their own thinking and ftudy- ing, then it would be a comfort only of their own hammering out (as they fay) and not the genuine joy of the Holy Ghoft. A defperate miftake, raifed up- on a ground that v.ould overthrow almofl all duty, as well as this ; which is their fetting the woikings of God's fpirit and their own fpirits in oppofition, •when their fpirits muft ftand in fubordination to God's : they are conjunft caufes, co-operating to the produc- ing of one and the fame effect. God's fpirit work- eth our comforts by fetting our own fpirits at work ■pon the promifci=, and raifing our thoughts to the A a 2 place £\ ^-.32 The Saints Evcrhijilng ReJL v'acc of our coinfoits. As you would delight a co- vetous man by flicwing liim money, or a voluptuous iran with fiePaly delights ; fo God ufeth to delight Iv:? people, by taking them as it were. by the hand, ?ud leading them into heaven, and (l^.ewing thfm liimfelf, and their reft with him. God ufeth not to Cuft in our joys while we are idle, or taken up with other things. It is true, he fomttimcs doth it fud- dcnly, bill ufnally in the aforefaid o^der : and his ibmtlimes hidden, extraordinary cafling of comfort- ing tliought.s in our hearts, fhould be fo far from hin- den'ng cnctavours in a meditating way. that it fhould .be a fingiilar inotive to quicken us to it ; oven as a tafte given r.s of Tome cordial, will make us dehre and feek the rcil. God ft-edeth not faints as birds do iheir younjj, bringing it to them, and putting it i« ihtir mouth, wjile they lie dill \\\ the neft, and only gape to receive it : but as he givcth to man the fruits of the eanh, the increafc of cur land in corn and wine, while we plough and fow, and wceut his own comforts by meditation, as to attempt the work in hib own llrengch, the work would prove to be like tlie workman, and tlic comfort he would j'nther would be like both ; even mere vanity ; even a3thc hufbandman's labour without the km, and rain, and blefling of God. So then you may eafily fee, that clofe meditation on tl c matter and taufe of yonr joy, is God's way to procure ftjlid joy. For my part, if I fiiould find niy joy of another kind, I fliould be very prone to doubt of its fmcerity. If I find a great deal of com- fort, and know not how it came, nor upon what ra- tional ground it was raifed, nor what coniiderations feed and. continue it, I ilioi^ld be ready to qucftion M'bethcr The Saints E-jerlafiing Rejl, 2S3 -whether this be from God. Our love to. God fhould not be like that of fond lover?'^ who love violently, but they know not v\hy. I think a chriflian's joy fliould be rational joy, pjid not to rejoice and know- not why. In fome extraordinary cafe, God may caft in fiich an extraordinary kind of joy : yet it is not his ufunl way. And if you cbferve tl»e fpirit of mod un- conifor table chriftians, you will find the reafon to be their expectation offuch kind of joys; and according- ly arc their fpiiits varioufly tc^Tcd, and inconftantly tempered : when they meet v/ith. fuch joys, then they lire chceifnl and lifted up ; but b-caufe thefe are ufii- ally iliort-li^ed, therefore tiiey are llrai^^ht as low as hell. And thus they are toiTtd ai a vcfild at fea, up and down, but dill in extremes; whereas alas, Gcd is moll: conftant, Ci:Tirt the fa'-ne, heaven the fan:!?,- snd the promife tiie f?.nie ; and if we took the right • courfe for fetching in onr comfort from thefe, Aire' our comforts would be more fettled and ccriiant, thd'" not always tlie fame. Whoever thou art therefore that readell thefe lines, I entreat thee in the name of the L©rd, and a^ thou valr.eft the life of conllant joy,' and that good confcience which is a continual feafr, that thou wouldft ferionfly fet upon this work, and le?.rn the art of heavenly-nMndednefs, and thou fiiah find the increafe an hundred fold, aad the beneftt ; abundantly exc;.'ed thy labour. 3. Confider, a hearc in heaven will be ?. moil ex- cellent prcfcrvative againf: temptations, and a power- ful means to fave the confcience from the v/ounds of fm : God can prevent our finning, though wc be . carelefs, and fometimes doth ; but this is not his ufu- al courfe ; nor is this our fafe(l way to efcape. When ■the mind is either idle, or ill employed, the dtrvll needs not a greater advantage : if he find but the -mind empty, there is room for any thing that he will i'.bring in ; but. wheahs ficds the heart in heaven, what .lope 23-4 The Saints Everlajling 'Reft. }>opc that his motions fliould take ? Let him entioc to nny forbidden couiTe, the foul will return Nehe- mia':>'s anfwer, / am d'/tn^ a gretjt tvoik^ and cannot come, Nch. vi. 3. Several- ways will this preferve us againll temptation Fltjfy By keeping the heart em- ployed. Secondly^ By dealing the undtrftanding, and confirming the will. Thirdly, By pre-poffefiing the aiFeftions. Fourthly^ By keeping us in the way of God's blcfiing. rirfl, By keeping the heart employed : when we are idle, we tempt t'i»' devil to tempt us ; as it is an. encouragement to a thi^f, to fee your doors open, and nobody within ; and as we ufe to fay, ♦* Carelcfs per- ** fons make thieves ;" fo it will encourage Satan, to find your hearts Idle : b'lt when the heart is taken up with God, it cannot have time to hearken to tempta- tions ; it cannot have time to be ludful and wanton, ambitious or worldly. If you were but bi;fied In your -lawful callings, you ■would not be fo ready to hearken to temptations : much lefs if yen were buiied above with God : will, ■you leave your plough and harveil in the field ? Or leave the quenching of a fire in your houfes, to run hunting of butterflies? Would a judge rife, when he is fitting upon life and death, to go and play among the boys in the fheets? No more will a chriilian, wien he is bufy with God, give ear to the alluring charms of Satan. The love of God is never idle ; it worketh great things where It truly Is ; and when it will not work, it Is not love. Therefore being ftill thus working, it is. ftill prefciving. Secondly, A heavenly mind is freed from fin, be- caule it is of cleared; underilandlng In fplritual mat- ters. A man that is much in converfing above, hath truer and livelier apprehenfions of things concerning GQd The Saints Tlvcrlafang Re/}, 285 God and his foul, tijnn any reading- or learning can beget : though perhaps lit; inay be ignorant in divers controverlics, and matters that lefs concern falvation : yet ihofc truths which niuft eftablilh his foul, and prefcrve him from temptation, he knows far better than the greatell fcholars ; he hath ^o deep an inllght into the evil of fin, the vanity of the creature, the brnti(hnefs o\ fenfual delights, that temptations have little power on him ; for tliefe earthly vanities aie (Sa- tan's baits, whicli v-ith the clear-fighted have loft their force. In 'vnin {{\\\\.\\ Solfjmon) the net is fpre.ii in the fijit of any bird. And in vain doth Satan lay his fnares to entrap the foul tliat plainly fees tliem Wlien the heavenly mind is above with God, he may from thence dil^ern every danger that lies below : nay, if he did not difcover the fnare, yet vveie he likelier far to efcape it than any others. A net or bait that is laid on the ground, is unlikely to catch the bird that Hies in the air; while fhe keeps above, flie is out of the danger, and the higher the fafer ; fo it is with u&. Satan's temptations are laid on the earth, earth is the place, and earth is tiie ordinary bait : how (liaU tliefe .enfnare the chrlftian, who hath left the earth and walks with God ? Do you not fenfibly perceive, that when your hearts are fcrloufly Hxed on heaven, you become wifer than before ? .'ire not your underftandings more folid ; and your thoughts more fober ? Have you not truer appre- •henfions of things than you had ? For my own part, if ever I be wife, it is when I have been much above, and feriouHy ftucied the life to come : methinks I find my underllanding after fuGh cbntemplatiorrs, as much to differ from what is was before, atJ I before differed from a fool or an idiot : whe>} my underi^anding is weakened and befooled with common eraployment, and witli converfmg long with the vanities bcdow, me- thi.nks a, few fober thoughts of my F.atliei's houie, and the 2-b5 The Saints Evtrhijling Reft. tUe blcfTed provlfion of liis family in heaven, dotU naake me (wiili the prodigal) to come to myfelf again. Siirely, wlien a chrilllan withdraws himfelf fiom his eaithly thoughts, and begins to convcrfe with God in heaven, he is a Nebuchadnezzar y taken from the heads of the held to the throne, aad liis underftandlnjr returneth to him again. O when a chrilllan hath had hut a c,lin"!pfe of eternity, and then looks down on the world again, how dotli he fay to his laughter, Thcu art mii! And to his vain mirth, What doji thou? How could he even tear liis flefli, and tr.ke revenge on liimfelf for his folly ! How vtiily doth he think that fheic is no man in Bedlam fo mad, as wilful finnera, 2nd Ir.zy betrayers of their own fouls, and unworthy l^ighters of Chriil and glory ! Do you not think (c'cept men are (lark devils) that. it would be a hauler matter to entice a man to fin,, Vihen he lies a dying, than it vi'as before ? If the de- vil, or his inflruratnts, fnould then tell him of a cup. of fack, of ir:erry company, or of a llage-play, do you think he would tlien be fo taken with the motion ? If, he fhould then tell hjm of riches, or honours, or fhew. him cards, or dice, or a whore, would the tempta-, lion (think you; be as ftrong as bcfoje? Would he not anfwer, Aks I what is all this to me, who mud prtfently appear before God, and give account of all. my life, and flraightways be in another world ? Why, if the apprehenfion of the nearnefs of eternity will, work fiicb (hange effects upon the ungodly, and make them wifer than to be deceived {o cafily as they were wont to be m. time of health ; what effects would it. work in thee, if thou couldft always dwell in the views, of God. aiid in livtly thoughts of thine cverlafting fiate ? Surely, a believer, if he improve Itis faith . may have truer, apprtlicnfions of the life to come, in the t.ime of his health., than an unbeliever hath at the hour of liis death. Thirdly,. nc Saints Everlajling Re/i, 2Sy Thirdly, a heavenly mind is fortifted againft temptfl' tions, becaufe the aflfedlons are pre-pofTcffed with the deh'ghts of another world. When the foul is not af- fef^ed with good, though the underftandlng never ^o clearly apprehend the truth, it is eafy for vSatan to en- tice that foul. Mere fpeculacions (be they never fo true) which fink net into the aiTt:(^ions, are poorpre- fervatives againO: temptations. He that loves mo^, and not he that knows moll, will eaiiell refill the mo- tions of fin. There is in a chriilian a kind of fpiriLn- al tafte, whereby he knows thefe things, b^fides his mere reafoning power : the will doth as fweetly rdifli goodnefs, as the undei (landing cToth truth ; and hete lies much of a chrifcian's llrength. If you fliould dii- pute with a iimple man, and labour to perfuade him that fugar is not fweet, or that wormwood is not bit- ter ; perhaps you might with fophiflry over-argne his mere reafon, but yet you could not perfuade hirn againll his fenfe ; whereas a man that hath loll his tafte, is eh- fier deceived for all his reafon. So it is hero. Wli^n thou haft had a frefh delightful talle of heaven, thou wilt not be fo eafily perfuaded from it : you cannot perfuade a very child to part with his apple, while tlk talte of its fwcetnefs is yet in its mouth. O that you would be perfuaded to be much in feed- ing on the hidden manna, and to be frequently taftiiK^ the delights of heaven ! It is true, it is a great way c^" from our fenfe, birt faith can reach as far as that. How would this raife thy refolutions, and make tlide laugh at the fooleries of the world, and fcorn to be cheated with fuch childifh toys ! What if the devil had fet upon Paul when he was in the third heaven ? Could he then have ptrfu?Ttied his heart to the pleafines, or profits, or honours of the world ? Though the If- raeiites btlow may be enticed to idolatry, and from eating and drinking to rife up to play ; yet Mo'f m the mouiU v.-ilh God will not do fu : and U they Had 288 The Saints Ever lofting Refi. been where be wss, r.nd l.ad but fcen what he there- faw, per hyps they would not fo eafily have finned. O if we could keep our fouls continually dtrlightcd with the fwcetucfs above, with what dildain fhould we fpit out the bails of fiu ! Fourthly, Whilft the lieart is fet on heaven, a man is undci God's protcdtion ; and therefore if Satan then alTault hiin, God is more engaged for his de* fence. Let me entreat thee then, if thou be a man that is liaunted with temptation (as douhtlefs tliou art, if thou be a manjif thou perceive thy danger, and wouldft fain efcape it ; ufe much this poweiful remedy, keep clofe with God by a heavenly mind ; and whtn \\\q. temptation comes, go ftraight to heaven, and turn tliy thoughts to higher things ; thou fliak find this a furer help than any other. Follow your bufinefa above with Chrilt. and keep your thoughts to their heavenly em- ployment, and you fooner will this way vanqullh the temptation, than if you argued oi talked it out with the tempter. 4. Confider, the diligent keeping of your hearts on heaven, will prefervc tlie vigour of all your graces, and put life into your duties. It is the heavenly chrifcian, that is the lively chriflian : it is our (Irange- nefs to heaven that makes us fo dull : it is the cud that quickens all the means ; and the more frequently and clearly this end is beheld, the moie vigorous will all our motions be. How doth it make men unweari- edly labour, and.fearlefbly venture, when they do but think of the gainful prize ! How will the foldier hazard his life, and the mariner pafs through llorms and waves ! How cheerfully do they compafs fea and land, when they think of an uncertain perifhing treafure ! O what hfc then would it put into a chnlh'an's en- dcavo urs The Saints Everlajlhij RefJ, 2S9 ,