The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. How by Faith to look aright to the Coming of Jeſus Chriſt in Glory.
BEcauſe I have ſaid ſo much of this alſo, in my Saints Reſt, and in many other Treatiſes, I will now paſs it over with theſe brief Directions.
Direct. 1. Delude not your ſouls, nor corrupt your faith and hope, by placing Chriſts Kingdom in things too low, or that are utterly uncertain.
Think not ſo carnally of the ſecond coming of Chriſt, as the Jews did of the firſt who looked for an earthly Kingdom, and deſpiſed the ſpiritual and heavenly: And make not the unknown time, or other circumſtances of his coming▪ to be to you as the certain and neceſſary things; leſt you do as many of thoſe called Millenaries, or Fifth-Monarchy men among us, who have turned the doctrine of Chriſtian hope into an outragious fury, to bring Chriſt down before his time, and to make themſelves Rulers in the world, that they might preſently reign under the name of the Reign of Chriſt▪ and have by ſeditious, rebellious railing at Chriſts Miniſters, and hating thoſe that are not of their mind, done much to promote the Kingdom of Satan, while they cryed up nothing but the Kingdom of Chriſt.
Direct. 2. Do all that you can in this day of grace, to promote Chriſts preſent Kingdom in the world, and that will prove your beſt preparation for his glorious coming.
To that end labour with all your might, to ſet up Life, and Light, and Love, abhorring Hypocriſie, Ignorance, and Ʋncharitableneſs; turn not Religion into a ceremony, carkaſs or dead Imagery or Form: Nor yet into Darkneſs, Errour, or a humane wandering, diſtracting maze: Nor into ſelfiſh, proud, cenſorious faction: Build not Chriſts Kingdom as the Devil would do, by hypocritical dead ſhews, or by putting out his Lights, or by ſchiſm, diviſion, hatred and ſtrife. Read James 3.
Direct 3. Yet leave not out of your faith and hope, any certain part of Chriſts glorious Kingdom. We know that we ſhall for ever be with the Lord, and in the preſence of the Father in heavenly glory; and withall, that we ſhall be in the New Jeruſalem; and that there ſhall be a new Heaven, and a new Earth, in which ſhall dwell righteouſneſs; and that we ſhall judge the Angels and the world. And if we know not the circumſtances of all theſe parts, let not therefore any of them be denyed, 1 Theſ. 4.11. 2 Cor. 5.1, 3, 8. Rev. 20. & 22. 2 Pet. 3.13.
Direct. 4. Think what a day of Glory it will be to Jeſus Chriſt, Matth. 25.31. O how different from his ſtate of humiliation! He will not come again to be deſpiſed, ſpit on, buffeted, blaſphemed and crucified: Pilate and Herod muſt be arraigned at his bar; it is the marriage-day of the Lamb; a day appointed for his glory, Rev. 21, & 22.
Direct 5. Think what a day of honour it will be to God the Father; how his Truth will be vindicated, his Love and Juſtice gloriouſly demonſtrated, Matth. 25. 2 Theſ. 1.8, 9.
Direct. 6. Think what a day it will be to all the children of God; to ſee their Lord, when he purpoſely cometh to be admired and glorified in them, 2 Theſ. 1.11, 12. To ſee him in whom they have believed, whom they loved and longed for, 2 Pet. 3.11, 12, 13. & 1 Pet. 1.8. To ſee him who is their deareſt Head and Lord; who will juſtifie them before all the world, and ſentence them to life eternal: To ſee the day in which they muſt receive the end of all their faith, and hope; their prayers, labours and patience to the full, 1 Pet. 1.8, 9. Rev. 2, & 3. Matth. 25. 2 Pet. 4.13.
Direct. 7. Thinks what a day it will be to the ſhame of ſin, when it ſhall be the reproach and terrour of the world, and to the Honour of Holineſs, when faith, obedience and love ſhall be the approved honour of all the Saints: And what a day of admirable Juſtice it will be, when all that ſeems crooked here, ſhall be ſet ſtrait: O the difference that there will then be in the thoughts of ſin and holineſs, in compariſon of thoſe that men have of them now!
Direct. 8. Think what a confounding day it will be to the infernal Serpent, and all his ſeed, Matth. 25.41, 16. When impudent boaſters ſhall then be ſpeechleſs, and all iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth, Matth. 25.44. & 22.12. Pſal. 107.42. And when Lazarus ſhall be ſeen in Abraham's boſome; and the enemies of the Saints ſhall ſee them advanced (as Haman did M…rdecai, and rejoycing when the Glory of Chriſt is revealed, 1 Pet. 4.13. When every ſcorners mouth ſhall be ſtopped, and all ſtand guilty before their Judge, (Rom. 3.4.19.) and the wretched unprepared ſouls muſt for departing from God, be ſentenced to depart into miſery for ever, Matth. 25.41, 46. Jude v. 6.
Direct. 9. And think what a change that day beginneth both with the Saints, and with the world: What a glory is it that we muſt immediately poſſeſs, in body and ſoul; and how we muſt partake of the Kingdom of our Lord: Saints ſhall be ſcorned and perſecuted no more: The threatnings and promiſes of Chriſt ſhall be no more denyed by unbelievers: Sin will be no more in honour, nor pride and ſenſuality bear ſway: The Church will be no more ecclipſed, either by its lamentable imperfections, and diſeaſed members, or by the diviſions of ſects, or the ſcatterings of the cruel, or the ſlanders of the lying tongue, Epheſ. 5.17. Satan will no more tempt or trouble us (Rev. 12.9.) Matth. 25.41. Sin and death will be excluded; and all the fears and horrours of both: For the face of Infinite Love will perfectly and perpetually ſhine upon us, and ſhine us into perfect perpetual Glory, Love and Joy; and will feed theſe, and the thankful and pra…ſeful expreſſions of them, to all eternity, Matth. 5.46. 2 Cor. 4.17. Rev. 2, & 3.
Direct. 10. Laſtly, Think how neer all this muſt needs be: If the day of the Lord was near in the times of the Apoſtles, it cannot be far off to us. If the worlds duration be to ſix thouſand years (the time which arrogant preſumption moſt plauſibly gueſſeth at) it will be leſs than 350 years to it. Though we know not the time, we know it cannot be long.
And let me conclude with a warning to both ſorts of Readers: And 1. To the ungodly unprepared ſinner. Poor ſoul! doſt thou believe this dreadful day or not? if not, why doſt thou diſſemble, by profeſſing it in thy Creed? if thou do, how … thou live ſo merrily or quietly in a careleſs unprepared ſtate? Canſt thou poſſibly forget ſo great, ſo ſure, ſo near a day? Alas, it will be another kind of meeting, than Chriſt had with ſinners upon earth; when he came in meekneſs and humiliation, not to judge and condemn the world, b…t to be falſly judged and condemned by them, John 3.17. & 12.47. Nor will it be ſuch a meeting as Chriſt had with thee, either by his Miniſters that called thee to repent, who were men whom thou couldeſt eaſily deſpiſe; or by his Spirit which thou couldeſt reſiſt and quench; or by his afflicting Rod, which did but ſay to thee, Go, ſin no more, leſt worſe befall thee, Joh. 5.14. Heb. 12.10, 12. 1 Tim. 5.24. Nor as the Judgment of mans Aſſize, which paſſeth ſentence only againſt a temporal life, Luke 12.4. Nor like the treaty of a Judas with his new awakened conſcience here. O no! It will be a more glorious, but more dreadful day: It will be the meeting, not only of a creature with his Creatour; but of a ſinner with a juſt and holy God, and of a deſpiſer of grace, with the God whom he deſpiſed: O terrible day to the unbelieving, ungodly, carnal and impenitent! Heb. 10.31. & 2.3. & 10.12. Luke 19.27. There muſt thou appear to receive thy final doom; to hear the laſt word that ever thou muſt hear from Jeſus Chriſt (unleſs his everlaſting wrath be called his Word) And O how different will it be from the words which thou waſt wont to hear! Thou waſt wont to hear the calls of grace: Mercy did intreat thee to return to God: Chriſt by his Miniſters did beſeech thee to be reconciled: But if thou intreat him for pardon and peace, with the loudeſt cryes, it would be all in vain, Matth. 7.21, 22, 23. Prev. 1.27, 28. Now the voice is, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the ſins of the world, John 1.29. But then it will be, [Behold he cometh with clouds, end every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which pierced him, and all the kindreds of the earth ſhall wail, becauſe of him, Rev. 1.7. And [behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints, to execute Judgment up…n all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him, Jude 14, 15. Now he entreateth you to come to him that you may have life, John 5 40. But then you will cry to the Mountains to fall upon you, and the hills to cover you from his preſence, Luke 23.30. Rev. 6.16. Now he ſaith, Behold I ſtand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me, Rev. 3.20. But when once you hear that midnight cry, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye forth and meet him; then they that are ready ſhall go in, and the door ſhall be ſhut againſt the reſt, Matth. 25.9, 10. The door of mercy ſhall be ſhut: Your Reprobation will be then made ſure, Rom. 9.22. & 2.5. The day of thy viſitation is then paſt, (Luke 19.41, 42.) No more offers of Chriſt and mercy: No more intreaties to accept them: No more calls to turn and live: Min…ſters muſt no more preach, and perſwade, and intreat in vain. Friends muſt no more warn thee, and pray for thee. All is done already that they can do for thy ſoul for ever. No more ſtrivings of the Spirit with thy conſcience; and no more patience, health or time to be abuſed upon fleſhly luſts and pleaſures: All theſe things are paſt away, 1 Cor. 7.31. 2 Cor. 4.17. And the door of Hope will be alſo ſhut: No more hope of a part in Chriſt: No more hope of the ſucceſs of Sermons, of Prayers, or of any other means: No hopes of pardon, of juſtification, of ſalvation; or of any abatement of thy woe, Luke 16.25.26. Behold this is the accepted time; behold this is the day of ſalvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. Heb. 6.4, 5, 6, 8 Pſal. 5.4, 5. & 9.7. James 1.15.
By this time, methinks you ſhould better know what the uſe and meaning of the Goſpel, and Grace, and Miniſters is; and what is the deſign of Preaching, and in what manner it ſhould be done. Would you have us ſilent, or talk to you as in jeaſt, while we ſee ſuch a day as this before us? Every true Preacher ſpaketh to you with Judgment and Eternity in his eye. Our work is to prepare you, or to help you to prepare to meet the Lord, and to be ready for your final ſentence: O then with what ſeriouſneſs ſhould we ſpeak, and ſhould you bear, and ſhould both we and you prepare! It's pitty to ſee people hear Sermons many years, and not ſo much as know what a Sermon is; or what is the uſe and nature of it. If our buſineſs were to draw away Diſciples after us, and to make our ſelves the admired heads of factions, then we would ſpeak thoſe perverſe things contrary to the doctrine which you have been taught, by which our ends might be carryed on, Acts 20.30. Rom. 16.17. Or if our deſign were to be high, and great, and rich, we would flatter the great ones of the world, that we might rule you with violence inſtead of love: Or if we conſulted our caſe, we ſhould ſpare much of this labour, and let you ſilently alone, at cheaper rates to the fleſh, than now we ſpeak to you. But O who can be ſilent, who is engaged in this ſacred office, when he foreſeeth what will ſhortly be the iſſue of our prevailing, or not prevailing with you! Now as we love Chriſt, we muſt feed his ſheep; and neceſſity is laid upon us, and woe be unto us if we preach not the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.16. Our preaching Chriſt is to warn every man, and teach every man, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Jeſus, Col. 1.22. And to perſwade men as knowing the terrours of the Lord, 2 Cor. 9.10, 11. Heb. 12.25, 29. If it were only that we loved ſo to hear our ſelves talk; or to be cryed up by many followers, we deſerved to pay dear indeed for ſuch Preaching. But when our Lord loved and pittied ſouls at the rate of his ſufferings and bloody death, ſurely our rates are not above the worth of ſouls. O what a doleful ſight is it to us, to foreſee by faith how loud, how earneſtly you would knock and cry, when the door is ſhut, and hope is gone! And what you would then give for one of theſe daies which you now are a weary of; and for a drop of that mercy which now doth beg your entertainment!
What then remaineth, but as ever you believe that day; and as ever you care what becometh of your ſouls and bodies for ever; and as ever you would not be charg…d and condemned, as final and obſtinate refu…ers of mercy and ſalvation; yea and for wronging the Miniſters of Chriſt, by making them ſtudy and preach in vain: That you harden not your hear…s, but hear Chriſts voice, to day, while it is called to day▪ before the door of grace be ſhut: O cry while crying and begging may do good: Meet Chriſt now as may beſt prepare you to meet him then. Meet him now as the Prodigal met his Father, Luke 15. Saying, I have ſinned, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me one of thy hired ſervants.
Meet God as Abigail met David, 1 Sam. 25.32, 34. with an offering of peace (even Chriſt apprehended by an obedient faith:) When ſhe heard from David, Except thou hadſt haſted and come to meet me, all had been deſtroyed.
Meet him to enquire of his ſacred Oracle, what is like to become of thy ſoul; as the King of Syria ſent Hazael with a preſent to Eliſha, to meet him, ſaying, Shall I recover of this diſeaſe? 2 King. 8.8. Or as Paul met with Chriſt when he humbled and converted him, ſaying, Who art thou, Lord? and what wouldſt thou have me do? Acts 9.
Meet him as the men of Iſrael and Juda did David their King, 2 Sam. 19. ſtriving who ſhould firſt own and honour him, Amos 4.12. Meet God thus n…w when h… ca…eth you by his Word, when he perſwadeth you by his M…ſters, when he moveth you by his Spirit, when he allureth and obligeth you by his mercies, while he driveth you by affliction, while he waiteth on you by his patience, and by all th…ſe calleth you to repent, to love him, and to obey; to ſet your hearts on Heaven if ever you hope it ſhould be your portion: Meet him thus now, and then you may joyfully meet him in his glory.
II. And O all you that are true Believers, lift up your heads with hope and joy, for your final deliverance draweth nigh. The world hath but a little while longer to abuſe you: Satan hath but a little while more to moleſt you: The blinded Sodomites ſhall not long be groping for your doors: You ſhall not long walk among ſnares and dangers; nor live with enemies, nor with troubleſome unſuitable friends: You have not long to bear the burden of that weariſome body, of that ſeducing fleſh, of thoſe unruly paſſions, or thoſe diſordered thoughts; you have not long to groan under the miſery of that troubled and doubting conſcience, that darkened mind, thoſe dull affections, thoſe remnants of unbelief, ſtupidity and carnality; nor to cry out with wearineſs from day to day, O when ſhall I know God better, and love him more! Death is coming, and quickly after, Chriſt is coming: One will begin, and the other perfect your full deliverance, and put an end to theſe complaints.
And remember, that though Death hath ſomewhat in it, which to nature is terrible (God having made the love of Life to be the pondus, or ſpring of motion to the great engine of the ſenſitive world) yet what is there in the ſecond coming of Chriſt, that ſhould ſeem unwelcome to you? You ſhall not meet an enemy, but a friend; your ſureſt, and your greateſt friend; one that hath done more for you than all the world hath done; and one that is ready now to do much more, and ſhew his love and friendſhip to the height. One that will be then your ſureſt friend, when all the world ſhall caſt you off. You go not to be condemned, but to be openly juſtified; yea honoured before all the world, and ſentenced to endleſs glory. You go not to be numbered with the enemies of holineſs, or with the ſlothful and unprofitable ſervants; but to be perfectly incorporated into the heavenly ſociety, and to ſee the glorified faces of Henoch, Moſes and Elias, of Peter, and John, and Paul, and Timothy, and all the Saints that ever you knew, or whoſe writings you have ever read, or whoſe names you ever heard of, & millions more. You go to be better acquainted with thoſe Angels that rejoyced at your repentance, and that miniſtred for your good, and that bore you in their hands, and were your continual guard both night and day. You go to joyn in conſort with all theſe, in thoſe ſeraphick praiſes which are harmoniouſly ſounded forth continually, through all the intellectual world, in the greateſt fervours of perfect Love, and the conſtant raptures of perfect Joy, in the fulleſt intuition of the glory of the Eternal God, and the glorified humanity of your Redeemer, and the glory of the celeſtial world and ſociety, and under the ſtreams of Infinite Life, and Light, and Love, poured forth upon you to feed all this, to all Eternity: And all this in ſo near and ſweet an union with the glorified ones, who are the body and Spouſe of Chriſt, that it ſhall be all as one Praiſe, one Love, one Joy in all.
O for a more lively and quick-ſighted faith, to foreſee this day in ſome meaſure as affectingly, as we ſhall then ſee it! Alas, my Lord, is this dark proſpect all that I muſt here hope for? Is this dull, and dreaming, and amazing apprehenſion, all that I ſhall reach to here? Is this ſenſleſs heart, this deſpondent mind, theſe drowſie deſires, the beſt that I muſt here employ in the contemplation of ſo high a glory? Muſt I come in ſuch a ſleepy ſtate to God? and go as in a dream to the beatifical viſion? I am aſhamed and confounded to find my ſoul, alas, ſo dark, ſo dead, ſo low, ſo unſuitable to ſuch a day and ſtate, even whileſt I am daily looking towards it, and whileſt I am daily talking of it, and perſwading others to higher apprehenſions than I can reach my ſelf; and even whileſt I am writing of it, and attempting to draw a Map of Heaven, for the conſolation of my ſelf, and fellow-believers. Thou haſt convinced my Reaſon of the truth of thy predictions, and of the certain futurity of that glorious day: And yet how little do my affections ſtir? and how unanſwerable are my joyes, and my deſires, to thoſe convictions? when the light of my underſtanding ſhould cure the deadneſs of my heart, alas, this deadneſs rather extinguiſheth that light, and cheriſheth temptations to unbelief; and my faith, and reaſon, and knowledge, are as it were aſleep, and uſeleſs, for want of that Life which ſhould awaken them unto exerciſe and uſe. Awakened Reaſon ſerveth Faith, and is alwaies on thy ſide: But ſleepy Reaſon in the gleams of proſperity, is ready to give place to fleſh and fancy, and hath a thouſand diſtracted, incoherent dreams. O now reveal thy Power, thy Truth, thy Love and Goodneſs effectually to my ſoul, and then I ſhall wait with love and longing, for the revelation of thy Glory: Thy inward, heavenly, powerful Light, is kin to the glorious brightneſs of thy coming; and will ſhew me that which books and talk only, without thy Spirit, cannot ſhew. Thy Kingdom in me, and my daily faithful ſubjection to thy Government there, muſt prepare me for the glorious endleſs Kingdom: If now thou wouldeſt pour out thy Love upon my ſoul, it would flame up towards thee, and long to meet thee, and think with daily pleaſure on that day: And my perfect Love would caſt out that fear, which maketh the thoughts of thy coming to be a torment: O meet me now when my ſoul doth ſeek thee, and ſecretly cry after thee; that I may know thou wilt meet me with love and pitty at the laſt. O turn not now thine ears from my requeſts: For if thou receive me not now as thy humble ſupplicant, how ſhall I hope that thou wilt receive me then? And if thou wilt not hear me in the day of grace and viſitation, and in this time when thou mayeſt be found, how can I hope that thou wilt hear me then, when the door is ſhut, and the ſeeking and finding time is paſt? If thou caſt me out of thy preſence now, and turn away thy face from my ſoul and my ſupplication, as a loathed thing, how can I then expect thy ſmiles, or the vital embracements of thy glorifying Love? or to be owned by thee before all the world, with that cordial and conſolatory Juſtification, which may keep my conſcience from becoming my Hell. If thou permit my fleſh and ſenſe to conquer my faith, and to turn away my love and deſire from thee; how ſhall I then expect that Joy, that Heaven, which conſiſteth in thy Love: And if thou ſuffer this unſtedfaſt heart to depart from thee now, will it not be the forerunner of that dreadful doom, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not: And if for the love of tranſitory vanity, I now deny thee, what can I then expect but to be finally denyed by thee? Come Lord and dwell by thy Spirit in my ſoul, that I may have ſomething in me to take my part, and may know that I ſhall dwell with thee for ever: If now thou wilt make me thy temple and habitat…on, and wilt dwell by faith and love within me; I ſhall know thee by more than the hearing of the ear, and thy laſt appearing will be leſs terrible to my thoughts: Thou wilt be health to my ſoul, when my body lyeth languiſhing in pain: And when fleſh and heart fail, my failing heart will find reviving ſtrength in thee: And when the portion of worldlings is ſpent, and at an end, I ſhall find thee a never-ending portion. Why wouldeſt thou come down from Heaven to Earth in the daies of thy voluntary humiliation, but to bring down grace to dwell where God himſelf hath dwelt? If the Eternal Word will dwell in fleſh, the Eternal Spirit will not diſdain it, whoſe dwelling is not by ſo cloſe an union, but by ſweet unexpreſſible inoperations: This world hath had the pledge of thy bodily preſence, when thou broughteſt life and immortality to light: O let my dark and fearful ſoul, have the pledge of thy illuminating, quickening, comforting Spirit, that life and immortality may be begun within me! Thy word of promiſe is certain in it ſelf; but knowing our weakneſs, thou wilt give us more: Thy ſeal, thy pledge, thy earneſt, will not only confirm my faith, as ſettling my doubting mind; but it will alſo draw up my love and deſire, as ſuited to my intellectual appetite; and will be a true foretaſte of Heaven: How oft have I gazed in the glaſs, and yet overlookt, or not been taken with the beauty of thy face? But one drop of thy Love, if it fall into my ſoul, will fill it with the moſt fragrant and delectable odour, and will be its life, and joy, and vigour. I ſhall never know effectually what Heaven is, till I know what it is to love thee, and to be beloved by thee: For what but Love will tell me what a life of Love is? If I could love thee more ardently, more abſolutely, more operatively, I ſhould quickly know and feel thy Love. And O when I ſhall know that proſperous life, and live in in the delicious entertainments of thy love, and in the ſweet and vigorous exerciſe of mine, then I ſhall know the nature of Heaven, the wiſdom of believers, and the happineſs of enjoyers! And then foretaſte will do more than foreſight alone, and will make me love the day of thy appearing, and long to ſee thy glorious Love!
But alas, this feeble ſleeping Love, doth threaten, if not the thruſting of me out of doors (for none but friends and hearty Lovers dwell with thee) at leaſt, that I ſhall be ſet behind the door, and be one of the loweſt in thy Kingdom, as I was in thy Love. For if I have the leaſt degree of Love, I muſt needs have the leaſt degree of Glory, ſeeing that bleſſedneſs is Love it ſelf: And if I have the leaſt in this life, how can I hope to have proportionably with others, the moſt in that? I know that it is better to be a door-keeper in thy houſe, than to reign in the Palaces of earthly ſordid and polluting pleaſures: And that the leaſt in thy Kingdom, is greater than Emperours in the Kingdoms of darkneſs. But how can I have faith indeed, and not deſire intuition? or grace, and not deſire glory? Or who can love thee truly, and yet be contented to love thee but a little? Or who ever taſted truly of thy Love, that deſired not the fulneſs of it? If ſincerity conſiſt in the deſire of Perfection; and if mutual Love be heaven it ſelf, I am not ſincere then, if I deſire not the higheſt place in Heaven, which is ſuited to the meaſure of my natural capacity, and with the freedom and wiſdom of thy bounteous Will. Did I grudge at my natural capacity, and my rank among my fellow-creatures, and aſpired after the Divine Prerogatives, or a Greatneſs without Goodneſs, or any prohibited ſtation or degree, I might then expect the reward of Pride, and to fall into Satans condemnation for falling into his ſin. But when waſt thou ever offended at the ambition of loving thee with the moſt perfect Love? Thou forbiddeſt our carnal Pride, as our ſelf-abaſing folly: Not thinking preferments, Lordſhips and domination to be things too high for us, but too low: Thou alloweſt and commandeſt the pooreſt Lazarus to ſeek and hope for things ten thouſand times more high; in compariſon with which theſe pleaſures are pain, theſe Lordſhips are loſſes; this wealth is dung; theſe Courts are de… of uncleanneſs, wild and ravenous beaſts; and all this earthly pomp is ſhame. Thou forbiddeſt not the pleaſures and glory of the world, as too good for thy ſervants, but as too bad, and baſe, and hurtful.
O therefore encourage in my drooping ſoul, that holy ambition which thou commandeſt! Diſappoint not the deſires which thy ſelf, by thy Precept and thy Spirit haſt excited. I know thou haſt promiſed to ſatisfie them that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs: And (if my ſoul be acquainted with it ſelf) it is Righteouſneſs which I deſire. Though the ſolliciting calls of vanity have drawn me too often to look aſide, it is the Knowledge and Love of my Creatour, and Redeemer, and Sanctifier, which I purſue; and my prayer is, that thou wilt turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy way. But it is the dulneſs of my deſires which I fear; leſt they are not the hungring and thirſting which have thy promiſe; and leſt they ſhould prove but as the deſires of the ſlothful which kill him, becauſe his hands refuſe to labour: But thou knoweſt that I hate the ſluggiſhneſs and indifferency of my ſoul, and the coldneſs and interruptions of my deſires: And what is there in this world which I deſire more, than more deſires after thee; even more of that Deſiring, Seeking Love, which is the way to enjoying and delighting Love. O breath upon my ſoul, by thy quickening Spirit, that it may pant, and gaſp, and breath after thy preſence! The moſt dolorous motions of Life and Love, have more contenting ſweetneſs in them, than my dead inſenſibility and ſleep. When I can but long to love thee, or when I lie in tears for want of love, or when I am hating and reviling this ſluggiſh, carnal, diſaffected heart, even in my very doubts, and fears, and moans, I find my ſelf nearer to content and pleaſure, than when I neglect thee with a dead and drowſie heart. If therefore my vileneſs make me unfit to enjoy that pleaſure in the daily proſpect of thy Kingdom, which reaſon it ſelf adjudgeth to a ſerious lively faith; O yet keep up the conſtant fervour of deſire, that I may never grow in love with vanity and deceit, nor never be indifferent whether I ſtay on earth, or come to thee! And that in my greateſt health I may never think of Thee without deſire; nor never kneel in prayer to thee with ſuch an unbelieving, and unprayer-like heart, which doth not unfeignedly ſay, Let thy glorious Kingdom come: That ſo when on the bed of languiſhing, I am waiting for the diſſolution of this frame, I may not draw back, as flying from thy preſence; nor look at Heaven as leſs deſirable than Earth; nor be driven unwillingly from a more beloved habitation; but with that Faith, Hope and Love which animateth all thy living members, I may in conſort with thy Saints to the laſt ſincerely break forth, our common ſuit; Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly. Amen.
FINIS.