Now or Never, Text (1 of 3)

Now or Never · Text (1 of 3)

p. 1Eccleſ. 9. 10.

Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt.

THe mortality of man being the principal ſubject of Solomon in this Chapter, and obſerving that wiſdom and piety exempt not men from death, he firſt hence infers, that Gods love or hatred to one man above another, is not to be gathered by his dealing with them here, where all things in the common courſe of providence do come alike to all. The common ſin hath introduced death as a common puniſhment, which levelleth all, & endeth all the contrivances, buſineſſes and enjoyments of this life, to good and bad; and the diſcriminating juſtice is not ordinarily manifeſted here: An Epicure or Infidel p. 2would think Solomon were here pleading their unmanly impious cauſe: But it is not the ceſſation of the life, or operations, or enjoyments of the ſoul that he is ſpeaking of, as if there were no life to come, or the ſoul of man were not immortal; But it is the ceſſation of all the actions, and honors, and pleaſures of this life, which to good or bad ſhall be no more. Here they have no more reward, the memory of them will be here forgotten. They have no more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun, verſ. 5, 6.

From hence he further inferreth, that the comforts of life are but ſhort and tranſitory, and therefore that what the creature can afford, muſt be preſently taken; And as the wicked ſhall have no more but preſent pleaſures, ſo the faithful may take their lawful comforts in the preſent moderate uſe of creatures; For if their delightful goodneſs be of right and uſe to any, it is to them; And therefore, p. 3though they may not uſe them to their hurt, to the pampering of their fleſh, and ſtrengthening their luſts, and hindering ſpiritual duties benefits, & ſalvation; yet muſt they ſerve the Lord with joyfulneſs, & with gladneſs of heart, for the abundance of all things, which he giveth them, Deut. 28. 47.

Next, he inferreth from the brevity of mans life, the neceſſity of ſpeed, and Diligence in his duty. And this is in the words of my Text: where you have 1. The duty commanded. 2. The reaſon or motive to enforce it.

The Duty is in the firſt part; [Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do] that is, whatever work is aſſigned thee by God to do in this thy tranſitory life [do it with thy might] (that is, 1. Speedily, without delay; 2. Diligently, and as well as thou art able; and not with ſloathfulneſs, or by the halves.)

2. The Motive is in the laſt part [For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledg, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt] (that is, It muſt be p. 4now or never: The grave, where thy work cannot be done, will quickly end thy opportunities.) The Caldee Paraphraſe appropriates the ſenſe too narrowly to works of charity, or Alms; [whatſoever good and almſgiving thou findeſt to do]: and the moving reaſon they read accordingly [for nothing but thy works of righteouſneſs and mercy follow thee.] But the words are more general, & the ſenſe is obvious, contained in theſe two Propoſitions.

Doct. 1. The work of this life cannot be done, when this life is ended. Or, There is no working in the grave, to which we are all making haſte.

Doct. 2. Therefore while we have time, we muſt do our beſt: or do the work of this preſent life with vigour and diligence.

It is from an unqueſtionable and commonly-acknowledged truth, that Solomon here urgeth us to diligence in duty; and therefore to prove it would be but loſs of time. As there are two worlds for man to live in and ſo two p. 5lives for man to live; ſo each of theſe lives hath its peculiar employment. This is the life of preparation: the next is the life of our Reward or Puniſhment: We are now but in the womb of eternity, and muſt live hereafter in the open world. We are now but ſet to ſchool to learn the work that we muſt do for ever: This is the time of our apprentiſhip: we are learning the trade that we muſt live upon in Heaven. We run now, that we may then receive the Crown: we fight now, that we may then triumph in victory. The Grave hath no work: but Heaven hath work, and Hell hath ſuffering. There is no Repentance unto life hereafter: but there is Repentance unto torment, and to deſperation. There is no Believing of a happineſs unſeen in order to the obtaining of it: or of a miſery unſeen in order to the eſcaping of it; nor believing in a Saviour in order to theſe ends: But there is the fruition of the happineſs which was here believed; & feeling of the miſery that men would p. 6not believe; and ſuffering from him as a righteous Judge, whom they rejected as a merciful Saviour. So that it is not all work that ceaſeth at our death: but only the work of this preſent life.

And indeed no reaſon can ſhew us the leaſt probability of doing our work when our time is done that was given us to do it in. If it can be done, it muſt be, 1. by the recalling of our Time; 2. by the return of life; 3. or by opportunity in another life: But there is no hope of any of theſe.

1. Who knoweth not that Time cannot be recalled? That which once Was, will be no more. Yeſterday will never come again. To day is paſſing, and will not return. You may work while it is day: but when you have loſt that day, it will not return for you to work in. While your candle burneth, you may make uſe of its light: but when it is done, it is too late to uſe it. No force of Medicine, no Orators elegant perſwaſions, no worldlings wealth, no Princes power, can call p. 7back one day or hour of time. If they could, what endeavours would there be uſed, when extremity hath taught them to value what they now deſpiſe? what chaffering would there be at laſt, if time could be purchaſed, for any thing that man can give. Then Miſers would bring out their wealth, and ſay, All this will I give for one days time of Repentance more: And Lords and Knights would lay down their Honours, and ſay, Take all, and let us be the baſeſt Beggars, if we may but have one year of the Time that we miſpent! Then Kings would lay down their Crowns, and ſay, Let us be equal with the loweſt Subjects, ſo we may but have the Time again that we waſted in the Cares and Pleaſures of the world. Kingdoms would then ſeem a contemptible price for the recovery of Time. The Time that is now idled & talkt away: The Time that is now feaſted and complemented away, that is unneceſſarily ſported & ſlept away; that is wickedly & preſumptuouſly p. 8ſin'd away; how precious will it one day ſeem to all? How happy a bargain would they think that they had made, if at the deareſt rates they could redeem it? The prophaneſt Mariner fals a praying, when he fears his Time is at an end. If importunity would then prevail, how earneſtly would they pray for the recovery of time, that formerly derided praying, or minded it not, or could not have while, or mocked God with lip-ſervice, and cuſtomary forms, & feigned words inſtead of praying? what a Liturgy would death teach the trifling Time deſpiſing Gallants, the idle, buſie, dreaming-active, ambitious, covetous Lovers of this world, if time could be intreated to return! How paſſionately then would they roar out their requeſts! [O that we might once ſee the dayes of Hopes, and Means, and Mercy, which once we ſaw, and would not ſee! O that we had thoſe dayes to ſpend in penitential tears and prayers, and holy preparations for an p. 9endleſs life, which we ſpent at Cards, in needleſs recreations, in idle talk, in humouring others, in the pleaſing of our fleſh, or in the inordinate cares and buſineſſes of the world! O that our youthful vigour might return! that our years might be renewed! that the dayes we ſpent in vanity might be recalled! that Miniſters might again be ſent to us publickly and privately, with the meſſage of Grace which we once made light of! that the Sun would once more ſhine upon us! and patience & mercy would once more re-aſſume their work!] If cries or tears, or price or pains, would bring back loſt-abuſed Time, how happy were the now-diſtracted, dreaming, dead-hearted, and impenitent world! If it would then ſerve their turn to ſay to the vigilant believers [Give us of your oyl, for our lamps are gone out] or to cry [Lord, Lord, open to us] when the door is ſhut, the fooliſh would be ſaved as well as the wiſe. Mat. 25. 8, 10, 11. But this is the day of Salvation! this is the accepted Time, 2 Cor. 6. 2. p. 10While it is called To day, hearken, and harden not your hearts, Pſal. 95. 8. Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand up from thy ſloathful wilful death, and uſe the light that's afforded thee by Chriſt, Epheſ. 5. 14. or elſe the everlaſting utter darkneſs will ſhortly end thy Time and Hope.

2. And as Time can never be recalled, ſo Life ſhall never be here reſtored: Job 14. 14. [If a man die, ſhall he live (here) again? All the dayes of our appointed time we muſt therefore wait (in faith and diligence) till our change ſhall come] One Life is appointed us on earth, to diſpatch the work that our everlaſting life dependeth on: And we ſhall have but One. Loſe that and all is loſt for ever: Yet you may hear, and read, and learn, and pray: but when this Life is ended, it ſhall be ſo no more. You ſhall riſe from the dead indeed to Judgement, and to the Life that now you are preparing for, but never to ſuch a Life as this on earth: your life is as the p. 11fighting of a Battel, that muſt be won or loſt at once. There is no coming hither again to mend what is done amiſs. Overſights muſt be preſently corrected by Repentance, or elſe they are everlaſtingly paſt remedy. Now if you be not truly converted, you may be: If you find that you are carnal & miſerable, you may be healed: If you are unpardoned, you may be pardoned: If you are Enemies, you may be reconciled to God: But when once the thread of life is cut, your opportunities are at an end. Now you may enquire of your Friends and Teachers, what a poor ſoul muſt do that he may be ſaved, and you may receive particular inſtructions and exhortations, and God may bleſs them to the illuminating, renewing and ſaving of your ſouls: But when life is paſt, it will be ſo no more. O then, if deſperate ſouls might but return, and once more be tryed with the means of life, what joyful tidings would it be! How p. 12welcome would the Meſſenger be that bringeth it! Had Hell but ſuch an offer as this, and would any cryes procure it from their righteous Judge, O what a change would be among them! How importunately would they cry to God, [O ſend us once again unto the earth? Once more let us ſee the face of Mercy, and hear the tenders of Chriſt & of Salvation? Once more let the Miniſters offer us their helps, and teach us in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, in publick and in private, and we will refuſe their help and exhortation no more, we will hate them, and drive them away from our Houſes & Towns no more: Once more let us have thy Word and Ordinances, and try whether we will not believe them, and uſe them better then we did: Once more let us have the help and company of thy Saints, and we will ſcorn them, and abuſe them, and perſecute them no more. O for the great unvaluable Mercy of ſuch a Life as once p. 13we had! O try us once more with ſuch a Life, and ſee whether we will not contemn the world, and cloze with Chriſt, and live as ſtrictly, and pray as earneſtly, as thoſe that we hated and abuſed for ſo doing: O that we might once more be admitted into the holy Aſſemblies, and have the Lords Days to ſpend in the buſineſs of our Salvation! We would plead no more againſt the power & purity of the Ordinances; We would no more call that day a burden, nor hate them that ſpent it in works of Holineſs, nor plead for the liberty of the fleſh therein.

I makes my heart even ſhake within me, to think with what cries thoſe damned ſouls would ſtrive with God, and how they would roar out [O try us once again,] if they had but the leaſt encouragement of Hope! But it will not be, It muſt not be! They had their Day, and would not know it: They cannot loſe their time, and have it. They had faithful Guides, and p. 14would not follow them: Teachers they had, but would not learn. The duſt of their feet muſt witneſs againſt them, becauſe their entertained obeyed meſſage, cannot witneſs for them. Long did Chriſt wait with the patient tenders of his blood and ſpirit; His Grace was long and earneſtly offered, but could not be regarded and received: And they cannot finally refuſe a Chriſt, and yet have a Chriſt; Or refuſe his mercy, and yet be ſaved by it. He that would have Lazarus ſent from the dead, to warn his unbelieving Brethren on Earth, no doubt would have ſtrongly purpoſed himſelf on a reformation, if he might once more have been tried: And how earneſtly would he have beg'd for ſuch a Trial, that beg'd ſo hard for a drop of water? Luk. 16. 24, 27, 28. But alas, ſuch mouths muſt be ſtopt for ever with a [Remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things] verſ. 25.

So that it is appointed for all men once p. 15to dye, and after that the Judgement, Heb. 9. 27. But there's no return to earth again: The places of your abode, imployment and delight, ſhall know you no more. You muſt ſee theſe faces of your friends, and converſe in fleſh with men no more! This world, theſe houſes, that wealth and honour, as to any fruition, muſt be to you as if you had never known them. You muſt aſſemble here but a little while! yet a little longer, and we muſt preach, and you muſt hear it no more for ever. That therefore which you will do, muſt preſently be done, or it will be too late. If ever you will repent and Believe, it muſt be Now. If ever you will be converted and ſanctified it muſt be Now. If ever you will be pardoned & reconciled to God, it muſt be Now. If ever you will reign, its now that you muſt fight and conquer. O that you were wiſe, that you underſtood this, and that you would conſider your latter end, Deut. 32. 29. And that p. 16you would let thoſe words ſink down into your hearts, which came from the heart of the Redeemer, as was witneſſed by his tears, Luke 19. 41, 42. [If thou hadst known, even thou, at leaſt in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace. But now they are hidden from thine eyes.] And that theſe warnings may not be the leſs regarded, becauſe you have ſo often heard them, when often hearing increaſeth your obligation, and diminiſheth not the truth, or your danger.

3. And as there is no Return to Earth, ſo is there no doing this work hereafter. Heaven and Hell are for other work. If the Infant be dead born, the open world will not revive him; That which is generated, and born a beaſt, or ſerpent, will not by all the influences of the Heavens, or all the powers of Sun or Earth, become a Man. The ſecond and third concoxion preſuppoſe the firſt; The harvest doth preſuppoſe the ſeed time, & the labour of the husbandman. Its now p. 17that you muſt ſow, and hereafter that you muſt reap. Its now that you muſt work, and then that you muſt receive your wages.

Is this believed and conſidered by the ſleepy world? Alas ſirs, do you live as men that muſt live here no more? Do your work as men that muſt work no more, and pray as men that muſt pray no more, when once the time of work is ended? What thinkeſt thou, poor beſotted ſinner! will God command the Sun to ſtand ſtill, while thou rebelleſt or forgetteſt thy work and him? Doſt thou look he ſhould pervert the courſe of nature, & continue the ſpring and ſeed-time till thou haſt a mind to ſow? or that he will return the dead-born or miſſhapen Infant into the womb, that it may be better formed or quickned? Will he renew thy age, and make the young again, and call back the hours that thou prodigally waſtedſt on thy luſts and idleneſs? Canſt thou look for this at the hand of God, p. 18when Nature and Scripture aſſure thee of the contrary? If not, why haſt thou not yet done with thy beloved ſins? Why haſt thou not yet begun to live? Why ſitteſt thou ſtill, while thy ſoul is un-renewed? and all thy preparation for death and judgement is yet to make? How fain would Satan find thee thus at death? How fain would he have leave to blow out thy candle, before thou haſt entred in… the way of life? Doſt thou look to have Preachers ſent after thee, to bring thee the mercy which thy contempt here left behind? Wilt thou hear and be converted in the Grave and Hell? or wilt thou be ſaved without holineſs? that is, In deſpight of God that hath reſolved. it ſhall not be. O ye ſons of ſleep, of death, of darkneſs, awake, and live, and hear the Lord, before the Grave and Hell have ſhut their mouths upon you! Hear now, leaſt hearing be too late! Hear now, if you will ever hear. Hear now, if you have ears to hear! And O p. 19ye ſons of Light, that ſee what ſleeping ſinners ſee not, call to them, and ring them ſuch a peal of lamentations, tears and compaſſionate intreaties, as is ſuited to ſuch a dead and doleful ſtate; Who knows but God may bleſs it to awake them?

If any of you be ſo far awakened, as to ask me what I am calling you to do; My Text tells you in general, Up and be Doing: Look about you, and ſee what you have to do, and Do it with your might.

1. [Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do] That is, whatſoever is a Duty impoſed by the Lord, whatſoever is a Means conducing to thy own or others welfare; Whatſoever Neceſſity calleth thee to do, and Opportunity alloweth thee to do.

[Thy hand findeth] that is, Thy executive powers by the conduct of thy underſtanding, is now to do.

[Do it with thy Might: Do thy beſt in it. 1. Trifle not, but do it preſently, without unneceſſary Delay. 2. Do it p. 20Reſolutely: Remain not doubtful, unreſolved, in ſuſpenſe, as if it were yet a queſtion with thee whether thou ſhouldeſt do it, or not.

3. Do it with thy moſt awakned affections, and ſerious intention of the powers of thy ſoul. Sleepineſs and inſenſibility are moſt unſuitable to ſuch works. It is a peculiar people zealous of good works, that Chriſt hath purchaſed to himſelf, Tit. 2. 14.

4. Do it with all neceſſary forecaſt and contrivance: Not with a diſtracting, hindering Care; but with ſuch a Care as may ſhew that you deſpiſe not your Maſter, and are not regardleſs of his work: And with ſuch a care as is ſuited to the difficulties & nature of the thing, and as is neceſſary to the due accompliſhment.

5. Do it not ſloathfully, but vigorouſly and with diligence. Stick not at thy labour: Leſt thou hear [Thou wicked and ſloathful ſervant, Mat. 25. 26. Hide not thy hand in thy boſom with the ſloathful, & ſay not, There is a Lion p. 21in the way, Prov. 26. 13, 14. The negligent and the vicious, the waſter and the ſloathful, differ but as one brother from another, Prov. 18. 9. As the ſelf-murder of the wilfully ungodly, ſo alſo the deſire of the ſloathful killeth him, becauſe his hands refuſe to labour, Prov. 21. 25. The ſoul of the ſluggard deſireth, & hath nothing; but the ſoul of the diligent ſhall be made fat, Prov. 13 4. Be not ſloathful in buſineſs, but be fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11.

6. Do it with Conſtancy, & not with deſtructive pawſes and intermiſſions, or with wearineſs and turning back. The righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that is of clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger, Job 17. 9. Be ſtedfaſt, unmovable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord foraſmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be not weary of well-doing: for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap, if we faint not, Gal. 6. 9. Theſe ſix particulars are neceſſary, if you will obſerve p. 22ſerve the precept in my Text.

But that miſunderſtanding hinder not the performance, I ſhall acquaint you further with the ſenſe, by theſe few explicatory cautions.

1. The Might and Diligence here required, excludeth not the neceſſity of Deliberation and Prudent conduct. Otherwiſe, the faſter▪ you go, the further you may go out of the way; and miſ-guided zeal may ſpoil all the work, and make it but an injury to others or your ſelves. A little imprudence in the ſeaſon, and order and manner of a Duty, ſometimes may ſpoil it, and hinder the ſucceſs, & make it do more hurt then good. How many a Sermon, or Prayer, or reproof, is made the matter of deriſion, and contempt, for ſome imprudent paſſages or deportment? God ſendeth not his ſervants to be jeſters of the world, or to play the mad-men, as David in his fears: We muſt be wiſe and innocent, as well as reſolute and valiant: Though fleſhly and worldly p. 23wiſdom be not deſirable, as being but fooliſhneſs with God; yet the wiſdom which is from above, & is firſt pure, and then peaceable, and is acquainted with the high and hidden myſteries, and is juſtified of her children, muſt be the Guide of all our holy actions. Holineſs is not blind: Illumination is the firſt part of Sanctification. Believers are Children of the light. Nothing requireth ſo much wiſdom as the matters of God, and of our Salvation. Folly is moſt unſuitable to ſuch excellent imployments, and moſt unbeſeeming the ſons of the moſt High. It is a ſpirit of wiſdom that animateth all the Saints, 1 Cor. 3. 19. & 2. 6, 7. Epheſ. 1. 8, 17. Col. 3. 16. It is the treaſures of wiſdom that dwell in Chriſt, & are communicated to his members, Col. 2. 3. We muſt walk in wiſdom toward them that are without, Col. 4. 5. And our works muſt be ſhewn out of a good Converſation, with meekneſs of wiſdom, Jam. 3. 13. Yet I muſt needs ſay, that its more in great p. 24things then in ſmall, in the ſubſtance then the circumſtances; in a ſound judgement and eſtimate of things, and ſuitable choire & proſecution, then in fine expreſſions, or deportment anſwering proud mens expectations.

2. Though you muſt work with your might, yet with a diverſity agreeable to the quality of your ſeveral works. Some works muſt be preferred before others: All cannot be done at once. Thats a ſin out of ſeaſon, which in ſeaſon is a duty. The greateſt, & the moſt urgent work muſt be preferred. And ſome works muſt be done with double fervour & reſolution, and ſome with leſs. Buying, and ſelling, and marrying, and poſſeſſing, and uſing the world, muſt be done with a fear of over-doing, and in a ſort as if we did them not, though they alſo muſt have a neceſſary diligence, 1 Cor. 7. 29, 30, 31. Gods Kingdom and its Righteouſneſs muſt be firſt ſought, Mat. 6. 33. And our labour for the meat that periſheth, muſt be comparatively as none, John 6. 27.

p. 253. Laſtly, it is not an irregular, nor a ſelf-diſturbing, vexatious violence that is required of us: but a ſweet well-ſetled reſolution, and a delightful expeditious diligence, that makes the wheels go merrily on, and the more eaſily get over thoſe rubs and difficulties, that clog and ſtop a ſloathful ſoul.

And now will you lend me the aſſistance of your Conſciences, for the tranſcribing of this command of God upon your hearts, and taking out a Copy of this order, for the regulating of your lives? [Whatſoever] is not a word ſo comprehenſive as to include any vanity or ſin; but ſo comprehenſive as to include all your Duty.

1. (To begin with the loweſt;) The very works of your bodily callings, muſt have diligence. In the ſweat of your brows you muſt eat your bread, Gen. 3. 19. Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, and do all that thou haſt to do, Exod. 20. 9. He that will not work, let him not eat, 2 Theſſ. 3. 10. Diſorderly walkers, buſie-bodies, that wil not work with quietneſs, p. 26and eat their own bread, are to be avoided & ſhamed by the Church, 2 Theſſ. 3. 6, 11, 12, 14. Lazy ſervants are unfaithful to men, and diſobedient to God, who commandeth them to obey their Maſters according to the fleſh (unbelieving, ungodly Maſters) in all things (that concerns their ſervice) and that not with eye-ſervice as man-pleaſers, but in ſingleneſs of heart, and in the fear of God, doing what ſoever they do as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing th… of the Lord (even for this) they ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance, Col. 3. 22, 23, 24. But he that doth wrong (by ſloathfulneſs, or unfaithfulneſs) ſhall receive for the wrong which he hath done, verſ. 25.

Succeſs is Gods ordinary temporal reward of diligence, Prov. 10. 4 & 12. 24, 27. And diſeaſes, poverty, ſhame, diſappointment, or ſelf-tormenting melancholy, are his uſual puniſhments of ſloath. Hard labour redeemeth Time: you will have the more to lay out on greater works: The ſloathful is ſtill behind hand, & therefore muſt p. 27leave much of his work undone.

2. Are you Parents or Governours of Families! you have work to do for God, and for your childrens and ſervants ſouls: Do it with your might: Deal wiſely, but ſeriouſly & frequently with them about their ſin, their duty, and their hopes of Heaven; Tell them whither they are going, and which way they muſt go: Make them underſtand that they have a higher Father and Maſter that muſt be firſt ſerve, and greater work to do then yours. Waken them from their natural inſenſibility and ſloath: Turn not all your family duties into lifeleſs cuſtomary form (whether extemporate, or by rote) ſpeak about God, & Heaven, and Hell, and Holineſs, with that ſeriouſneſs as beſeems men that believe what they ſay, and would have thoſe they ſpeak to, to believe it. Talk not either drowſily, or lightly, or jeaſtingly of ſuch dreadful, or joyful, unexpreſſible things. Remember, that your families and you, are going to the grave, and to the world p. 28where there is no more room for your exhortations. There is no Catechiſing, examining; or ſerious inſtructing them in the grave whither they and you are going. It muſt be now or never: And therefore do it with your might. The words of God muſt be in your hearts, and you muſt diligently teach them to your children, talking of them when you ſit in your houſes, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you riſe up, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8. & 11. 18, 19, 20.

3. Have you ignorant or ungodly neighbors, whoſe miſery calls for your compaſſion, and relief? Speak to them and help them with prudent diligence. Loſe not your opportunities: Stay not till Death hath ſtopt your mouths, or ſtopt their ears. Stay not till they are out of hearing, and taken from your converſe. Stay not till they are in Hell, before you warn them of it, or till Heaven be loſt, before you have ſeriouſly called to them to remember it. Go to their houſes: take all opportunities: ſtoop p. 29to their infirmities: bear with unthankful frowardneſs: It is for mens ſalvation. Remember there is no place for your inſtructions or exhortations in the Grave or Hell. Your duſt cannot ſpeak, and their duſt cannot hear: Up therefore and be doing with all your might.

4. Hath God intrſuſted you with the Riches of this world; with many talents or with few, by which he looketh you ſhould relieve the needy, and eſpecially ſhould promote thoſe works of piety which are the greateſt charity? Give (prudently, but willingly and liberally) while you have to give. It is your Gain: The time of market for your ſouls: and of laying up a treaſure in Heaven; and ſetting your money to the moſt gainful Uſury▪ and of making you friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs; & furthering your ſalvation, by that which hindereth other mens, & occaſioneth their perdition. [As you have opportunity, do good to all men, but eſpecially to them of the houſhold of faith] Gal. 6. 6, p. 307, 8, 9, 12. [Caſt thy bread upon the waters; for thou ſhalt find it after many dayes. Give a portion to ſeven and to eight; for thou knoweſt not what evil may be upon the earth] Eccleſ. 11. 1, 2. [In the morning ſow thy ſeed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall proſper, this or that, or whether they both ſhall be alike good] v. 6. [Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it: ſay not to thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee] Prov. 3. 27, 28. Lay up a foundation for the time to come: do good before thy heart be hardened, thy riches blaſted & conſumed, thy opportunities taken away; part with it before it part with thee. Remember, it muſt be Now or Never: There is no working in the Grave.

5. Hath God intruſted you with Power or Interest, by which you may promote his honour in the world, & relieve the oppreſſed, & reſtrain the rage of impious malice? Hath he made you Governours, and put the ſword of p. 31Juſtice into your hands? up then, and be doing with your might. Defend the innocent, protect the ſervants of the Lord, cheriſh them that do well, be a terror to the wicked, encourage the ſtricteſt obedience to the univerſal Governor, diſcountenance the breakers of his Laws: Look not to be reverenced or obeyed before him, or more carefully then he: openly maintain his Truth and worſhip without fear or ſhame: Deal gently and tenderly with his lambs and little ones: Search after vice that you may ſuccesfully ſuppreſs it. Hate thoſe temptations that would draw you to man-pleaſing, temporizing, remiſneſs, or countenancing ſin; but eſpecially thoſe that would enſnare you in a controverſie with Heaven, & in quarrels againſt the ways of Holineſs; or in that ſelfconfounding ſin of abuſing and oppoſing the people that are moſt careful to pleaſe the Lord. Your truſt is great, & ſo is your advantage to do good; And how great will be your account, & how dreadful, if you be unfaithful? p. 32As you ſignifie more then hundreds or thouſands of the meaner ſort, and your actions do moſt good or hurt; ſo you muſt expect to be accordingly dealt with, when you come to the impartial, final judgement. Befriend the Goſpel as the Charter of your everlaſting priviledges; Own thoſe that Chriſt hath told you he will own. Uſe them as men that are ready to hear, [Inaſmuch as you did it to one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, you did it unto me] Mat. 25. Know not a wicked perſon: but let your eyes be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwel therein, and lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honesty, Pſal. 101. 1. Tim. 2. 2. [Let thoſe that work the work of the Lord, be with you without fear] 1 Cor. 16. 10. Remember▪ that it is the Character of a Phariſee and Hypocrite, to ſee the mote of the non-obſervance of a Ceremony, or tradition, or ſmaller matter of difference in Religion, in their Brothers eye, and not to ſee the beam of hypocriſie, injuſtice, and malicious cruel oppoſition of Chriſt p. 33and his Diſciples, in their own eyes: And that its the brand of them that pleaſe not God, that are filling up their ſins, on whom Gods wrath is coming to the utmoſt, to perſecute the ſervants of the Lord, forbidding them to Preach to the people that they might be ſaved, 1 Theſſ. 2. 15, 16.

Learn well the ſecond, and the hundred and firſt Pſalm: And write theſe ſentences on your walls and doors, as an Antidote againſt that ſelf-undoing ſin: Mat. 18. 6. Whoſoever ſhall offend one of theſe little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a milſtone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea.] Zach. 2. 8. [He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye] Rom. 14. 1, 2. and 15. 1. [Him that is weak in the faith, receive you but not to doubtful diſputations.—For God hath received him] Mat. 10. 40, 41, 42. [He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me. He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous p. 34man, ſhall receive a righteous mans reward; And whoſo ſhall give to drink to one of theſe little ones, a cup of cold water only in the name of a Diſciple, Verily I ſay unto you, he ſhall in no wiſe loſe his reward.] If you love not the Godly, love your ſelves (ſo far as to ſuch ſelf-love is poſſible) wound not your own hearts, to make their fingers bleed. Damn not your ſouls, (and that by the ſurest, neareſt way) that you may hurt their bodies. Provoke not God to thrust you from his preſence, and deny your ſuits, by your dealing ſo with them: ſtop not your own mouths, when your miſery will beſpeak your lowdeſt cryes for mercy by your ſtopping the mouths of the ſervants of the Lord, and refuſing to hear their requeſts for juſtice. If you have the Serpents enmity againſt the womans ſeed, you muſt expect the Serpents doom: Your heads will be bruiſed, when you have bruiſed their heels, Gen. 3. 15. Kick not againſt the pricks, Acts 9. Let not bryars and thorns ſet themſelves p. 35in battel againſt the Lord, lest he go therefore through them, & burn them together, Iſa. 27. 4.

I ſpeak not any of this by way of accuſation, or diſhonorable reflexion on the Magiſtrate. Bleſſed be God that hath given us the comfort of your defence. But knowing what the Tempter aimeth at, and where it is that your danger lieth, & by what means the rulers of the earth have been undone, faithfulneſs commandeth me to tell you of the ſnare, and to ſet before you good & evil, as ever I would eſcape the guilt of betraying you by flattery, or cruel and cowardly ſilence.

And eſpecially when your Magiſtracy is but annual, or for a ſhort time, it concerneth you to be doing with your might. It is but this year, or ſhort ſpace of time, that you have to do this ſpecial ſervice in; Loſe this and loſe all. By what men on earth ſhould God be eminently ſerved & honoured, if not by Magiſtrates, whom he hath eminently advanced, p. 36impowred, and intruſted? With conſiderate foreſight, ſeriouſly ask your ſelves the queſtion, Are you willing to hear, at the day of your accounts, that you had but one year, or a few, to do God ſpecial ſervice in, and that you knew this, and yet would not do it? Can your hearts bear it then, to hear and think, that you loſt, & wilfully lost ſuch an opportunity? Look about you then, and ſee what is to be done. Are there not Ale-houſes to be ſuppreſt, and drunkards & riotous perſons to be reſtrained; Preaching and Piety to be promoted? Do it with your might: For it muſt be Now or Never.

6. To come yet a little nearer you, and ſpeak of the work that is yet to be done in your own ſouls; Are any of you yet in the ſtate of unrenewed nature, born only of the fleſh, and not of the Spirit, Joh. 3. 3, 5, 6. minding the things of the fleſh, and not the things of the Spirit? Rom. 8. 1, 5, 7, 9, 13. & conſequently yet in the power of Satan, taken captive by him at his p. 37will, Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26, 27. Vp and be doing, if thou love thy ſoul. If thou care whether thou be in Joy or miſery for ever, bewail thy ſin and ſpiritual diſtreſs: Make out to Chriſt, cry mightily to him for his renewing and reconciling pardoning grace: plead his ſactisfaction, his merits & his promiſes: Away with thy rebellion, & thy beloved ſin; Deliver up thy ſoul entirely to Chriſt, to be ſanctified, governed and ſaved by him. Make no more demurs about it; it is not a matter to be queſtioned, or trifled in. Let the earth be acquainted with thy bended knees, and the air with thy complaints and cries, & men with thy confeſſions and enquiries after the way of life; and heaven with thy ſorrows, deſires and reſolutions, till thy ſoul be acquainted with the Spirit of Chriſt, (Rom. 8. 9.) and with the new, the holy and heavenly nature; and thy heart have received the tranſcript of Gods Law, the impreſs of the Goſpel, and ſo the Image of thy Creator and Redeemer. p. 38Ply this work with all thy might: For there is no Converſion, Renovation, or Repentance unto life in the grace whither thou goeſt. It muſt be Now, or Never. And Never ſaved, if Never ſanctified, Heb. 12. 14.

7. Haſt thou any prevailing ſin to mortifie, that either reigneth in thee, or woundeth thee and keepeth thy ſoul in darkneſs and unacquaintedneſs with God? Aſſault it reſolutely, Reject it ſpeedily: Abhor the motions of it: Turn away from the perſons or things that would entice thee. Hate the doors of the Harlot, and of the Alehouſe, or the gaming houſe: and go not as the Ox to the ſlaughter, and as a bird to the fowlers ſnare, and as a fool to the correction of the ſtocks, as if thou kneweſt not that it is for thy life,] Prov. 7. 22, 23. Why thou befooled ſtupid ſoul! wilt thou be taſting of the poyſoned cup? wilt thou be glutting thee with the bait? Haſt thou no where to walk or play thee, but at the brink of Hell? Muſt not the fleſh be crucified with its affections p. 39and luſts? Gal. 5. 24. Muſt it not be tamed and mortified, or thy ſoul condemned? Rom. 8. 13. 1 Cor. 9. 27. Run not therefore as at uncertainty: fight not as one that beats the air, ver. 26. ſeeing this muſt be done, or thou art undone, delay and dally with ſin no longer: Let this be the day: reſolve, and reſiſt it with thy might: It muſt be Now or Never; when death comes, it is too late. It will be then no reward to leave thy ſinne, which thou canſt keep no longer: No part of Holineſs or happineſs, that thou art not drunk, or proud, or luſtful in the grave or hell. As thou art wiſe therefore know and take thy Time.

8. Art thou in a declined lapſed ſtate? decayed in grace? Haſt thou loſt thy firſt deſires and love? do thy firſt works, and do them with thy might. Delay not, but remember from whence thou art fallen, and what thou haſt loſt by it, and into how ſad a caſe thy folly and negligence hath brought thee: ſay, I will go and return to my firſt husband; for p. 40then was it better with me then now, Hoſ. 2. 7. Cry out with Job 29. 2, 3. 4, 5. [O that I were as in moneths paſt! as in the dayes when God preſerved me! when his candle ſhined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkneſs. As I was in the dayes of my youth, when the ſecret of God was on my Tabernacle, when the Almighty was yet with me.—] Return while thou haſt day, leſt the night ſurprize thee: Loyter and delay no more; thou haſt loſt by it already: thou art far behind hand. Beſtir thee therefore with all thy Might.

9. Art thou in the darkneſſe of uncertainty concerning thy converſion, and thy everlaſting ſtate? Doſt thou not know whether thou be in a ſtate of life or death? and what ſhould become of thee, if this were the day or hour of thy change? If thou art careful about it, and enquireſt, and uſeſt the means that God hath appointed thee for aſſurance: I have then no more to ſay to thee now, p. 41but, wait on God, and thou ſhalt not be diſappointed or aſhamed! Thou ſhalt have aſſurance in due time, or be ſaved before thou wouldſt believe thou ſhould be ſaved. Be patient and obedient, and the light of Chriſt will ſhine upon thee, and yet thou ſhalt ſee the days of peace. But if thou art careleſs in thy uncertainty, and mindeſt not ſo great a buſineſs, be awakened and call thy ſoul to its account; Search and examine thy heart and life: Read, and conſider, and take advice of faithful Guides. Canſt thou careleſly ſleep, and laugh, and ſport, and follow thy leſſer buſineſs as if thy Salvation were made ſure, when thou knoweſt not where thou muſt dwell for ever? Examine your ſelves whether you be in the faith; prove your ſelves; know ye not your own ſelves, that Chriſt is in you except you are reprobates? 2 Cor. 13. 5. Give all diligence (in time) to make your calling and election ſure, 2 Pet. 1. 10. In the Grave p. 42and Hell there is no making ſure of Heaven: you are then paſt enquiries and ſelf-examinations, in order to any recovery or hope. Another kind of tryal will finally reſolve you. Up therefore and diligently ply the work: it muſt be Now or Never.

10. In all the duties of thy Profeſſion of Piety, Juſtice, or Charity, to God, thy ſelf, or others, up and be doing with thy might. Art thou ſeeking to inflame thy ſoul with love to God? plunge thy ſelf in the Ocean of his love; admire his mercies; gaze upon the repreſentations of his tranſcendent goodneſs; O taſte and ſee that the Lord is gracious! Remember that he muſt be loved with all thy heart, and ſoul and might, canſt thou pour out thy love upon a creature, and give but a few barren drops to God?

When thou art Fearing him, let his Fear command thy ſoul, and conquer all the fear of man.

When thou art Truſting him, do p. 43it without diſtruſt, and caſt all thy care and thy ſelf upon him: Truſt him as a creature ſhould truſt his God, and the members of Chriſt ſhould truſt their Head and dear Redeemer.

When thou art making mention of his great and dreadful name, O do it with Reverence, and awe, and admiration: And take not the name of God in vain.

When thou art Reading his Word, let the Majeſty of the Author, and the greatneſs of the matter, and the Gravity of the ſtile, poſſeſs thee with an obediential fear. Love it, and let it be ſweeter to thee then the honey-comb, and preciouſer then thouſands of Gold and Silver. Reſolve to do what there thou findeſt to be the will of God. When thou art praying in ſecret, or in thy family, Do it with thy might: Cry mightily to God, as a ſoul under ſin, and wants, and danger, that is ſtepping into an endleſs life, ſhould do. Let the reverence and the p. 44fervour of thy prayers ſhew that its God himſelf that thou art ſpeaking to: that its Heaven it ſelf that thou art praying for; Hell it ſelf that thou art praying to be ſaved from. Wilt thou be dull and ſenſleſs on ſuch an errand to the Living God? Remember what lieth upon thy failing or prevailing: and that it muſt be Now or Never.

Art thou a Preacher of the Goſpel, and takeſt charge of the ſouls of men? Take heed to thy ſelf and to the whole flock, over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made thee an Overſeer, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood. Let not the blood of ſouls, and the blood that purchaſed them, be required at thy hands, Acts 20. 28. Ezek. 3. 18, 20. Thou art charged before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom, that thou preach the Word, be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon; reprove, rebuke, p. 45and exhort, with all long-ſuffering and doctrine, 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2. Teach every man, and exhort every man, Col. 1. 28. Even night and day with tears, Acts 20. 31. Save men with fear, pulling them out of the fire, Jud. Cry aloud: lift vp thy voice like a trumpet; tell them of their tranſgreſſions, Iſa. 58. 1. Yet thou art alive, and they alive: yet thou haſt a tongue, and they have ears: The final ſentence hath not yet cut off their hopes. Preach therefore, and Preach with all thy Might. Exhort them privately and perſonally with all the ſeriouſneſs thou canſt. Quickly, or it will be too late. Prudently, or Satan will over-reach thee: Fervently, or thy words are like to be diſregarded: Remember when thou lookeſt them in the faces, when thou beholdeſt the Aſſemblies, that They muſt be Converted or Condemned; ſanctified on Earth, or tormented in Hell; and that this is the Day, It muſt be Now or Never.

In a word, Apply this quickening p. 46precept to all the duties of thy Chriſtian courſe. Be Religious and Juſt, and Charitable in good ſadneſs, if you would be taken for ſuch when you look for the reward. Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate; for many ſhall ſeek to enter and ſhall not be able, Mat. 7. 13. Luk. 12. 24. Many run, but few receive the prize: ſo run that you may obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24. If the Righteous ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and the ſinner appear? 1 Pet. 4. 18. Let the doting world deride your diligence, and ſet themſelves to hinder and afflict you: It will be but a little while before experience change their minds, and make them ſing another ſong. Follow Chriſt fully: Ply your work, and loſe no time. The Judge is coming. Let not words nor any thing that man can do, prevail with you to ſit down, or ſtop you in a journey of ſuch importance. Pleaſe God, though fleſh, and friends, p. 47and all the world ſhould be diſpleaſed. Whatever come of your reputation, or Eſtates, or Liberties, or Lives, be ſure you look to Life Eternal, and caſt not that on any hazard, for a withering flower, or a pleaſant dream, or a picture of commodity, or any vanity that the Deceiver can preſent. For what ſhall it profit you to win the world, and loſe your ſoul? Mat. 16. 26. Or to have been honoured and obeyed on earth, when you are under the wrath of God in Hell? Or that your fleſh was once provided with variety of delights, when its turned to rottenneſs, and muſt be raiſed to torments? Hold on therefore in Faith, and Holineſs, and Hope, though Earth and Hell ſhould rage againſt you; though all the world by force or flattery, ſhould do the worſt they can to hinder you: This is your trial: your warfare, is the reſiſting of deceit, and of all that would tempt you to conſent to the means of your own deſtruction: p. 48conſent not, and you conquer: conquer, and you are crowned. The combat is all about your Wills; Yield, and you have loſt the day. If the prating of ungodly fools, or the contemptuous jears of hardned ſinners, or the frowns of unſanctified Superiours could prevail againſt the Spirit of Chriſt, and the workings of an enlightened mind, then what man would be ſaved? You deſerve damnation, if you will run into it to avoid a mock, or the loſs of any thing that man can take from you. You are unmeet for Heaven if you can part with it to ſave your purſes. Fear not them that can kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: but fear him that can deſtroy both ſoul and body in Hell, Mat. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 4, 5. Obey God, though all the world forbid you. No power can ſave you from his Juſtice: And none of them can deprive you of his Reward. Though you loſe your Heads, you ſhall ſave your Crowns: You no way ſave your lives ſo certainly, p. 49as by ſuch loſing them, Mat. 10. 39. One thing is neceſſary: Do that with ſpeed, and care, and diligence, which Muſt be done, or you are loſt for ever. They that are now againſt your much and earneſt praying, will ſhortly cry as loud themſelves in vain; When it is too late, how fervently will they beg for mercy, that now deride you for valuing & ſeeking it in time! But then they ſhall call upon God but he will not anſwer: they ſhall ſeek him early, but ſhall not find him: For that they hated knowledge, and did not chooſe the fear of the Lord: They would none of his counſel, but diſpiſed all his reproof.] Prov. 1. 24. to the end.

Up therefore & work with all thy might. Let unbelievers trifle, that know not that the righteous God ſtands over them, and know not that they are now to work for everlaſting, and know not that Heaven or Hell is at the end. Let them delay, & laugh, & play, & dream away their Time, that are drunk with proſperity, and mad p. 50with fleſhly luſts and pleaſures, and have loſt their reaſon in the cares, and deluſions, and vain glory of the world. But ſhall it be ſo with thee whoſe eyes are opened, who ſeeſt the God, the Heaven, the Hell, which they do but hear of as unlikely things? Wilt thou live awake, as they that are aſleep? Wilt thou do in the day-light, as they do in the dark? ſhall Freemen live as Satans ſlaves? ſhall the living lie as ſtill & uſeleſs as the dead? Work then while it is day, for the night is coming when none can work, John 9. 4.

It is not the works of the Moſaical Law, nor works that are conceited for their proper value to deſerve any thing at the hands of God, that I am all this while perſwading you to: But it is the works preſcribed you by Chriſt in the Goſpel, according to which you ſhall be ſhortly judged to joy or miſery by Chriſt himſelf, that will call you to account Theſe muſt be done with all your Might.

Object. But (you'l ſay perhaps) alas, what Might have we? We have p. 51no ſufficiency of our ſelves; without Chriſt we can do nothing! And this we find when it comes to the trial.

Anſ. 1. It is not a might that is Orignally thine Own, that I am calling thee to exerciſe: but that which thou haſt already received from God, and that which he is ready to beſtow. Uſe well but all the Might thou haſt, and thou ſhalt find thy labour is not in vain. Even the ſtrength of nature, and of common Grace, are Talents which thou muſt improve.

2. Art thou willing to uſe the Might thou haſt, and to have more, and uſe it if thou hadſt it? If thou art, thou haſt then the ſtrength of Chriſt: Thou ſtandeſt not, and workeſt not by thy own ſtrength: His promiſe is engaged to thee, and his ſtrength is ſufficient for thee. But if thou art not willing, thou art without excuſ…, when thou hadſt Heaven and Hell ſet open in the word of God, to make thee willing, God will diſtinguiſh thy wilfulneſs from unwilling weakneſs.

p. 523. There is more Power in all of you then you uſe, or then you are well aware of. It wanteth but awakening to bring it into act. Do you not find in your Repentings, that the change is more in your Will then in your Power? and in the awaking of your Will and Reaſon into act, then in the addition of meer abilities? and that therefore you befool your ſelves for your ſins & your neglects, & wonder that you had no more uſe of your underſtandings? Let but a ſtorm at Sea, or violent ſickneſs, or approaching death, rowſe up and waken the powers which you have, and you will find there was much more aſleep in you then you uſed.

I ſhall therefore next endeavour to awaken your abilities, or tell you how you ſhould awaken them.

When your ſouls are drowſie, and you are forgetting your God, and your latter end, and the matters of Eternity have little force and ſavour with you; when you grow lazie and p. 53ſuperficial, and religion ſeems a lifeleſs thing; and you do your duty as if it were in vain or againſt our wils, when you can loſe your time, and delay repentance, and friends, and profit, and reputation, and pleaſure can be heard againſt the Word of God, and take you off when you do all by the halves, and languiſh in your Chriſtian courſe, as near to death; Stir up your ſouls with the urgency of ſuch Queſtions as theſe.

Qu. 1. Can I do no more then this for God! Who gave me all? Who deſerveth all? Who ſeeth me in my duties and my ſins? When he puts me purpoſely on the trial, what I can do for his ſake and ſervice, Can I do no more? Can I love him no more? and obey, and watch, and work no more?

Qu. 2. Can I do no more then this for Chriſt? For him that did ſo much for me? that lived ſo exactly; obeyed ſo perfectly; walked ſo inoffenſively and meekly; deſpiſing all the baits, and honours, and riches of the p. 54World? that loved me to the death; and offereth me freely all his benenefits, and would bring me to eternal Glory, Are theſe careleſs, cold and dull endeavors my beſt return for all this mercy?

Qu. 3. Can I do no more, when my ſalvation is the prize? when Heaven or Hell depend much on it? when I know this before-hand, and may ſee in the glaſſe of the holy Scriptures, what is prepared for the diligent and the negligent, and what work there is and will be for ever in Heaven and Hell on theſe accounts? Could I not do more, if my houſe were on fire, or my eſtate, or life, or friend in danger, then I do for my ſalvation?

Qu. 4. Can I do no more for the ſouls of men? when they are undone for ever if they be not ſpeedily delivered? Is this my love and compaſſion to my neighbour, my ſervant, freind or child?

Qu. 5. Can I do no more for the Church of God? for the publick good? for the peace and welfare of p. 55the Nation and our proſperity? in ſuppreſſing ſin? in praying for deliverance? or in promoting Works of publick benefit?

Qu. 6. Can I do no more, that have loytered ſo long? and go no faſter, that have ſlept till the evening of my daies, when Diligence muſt be the diſcovery of my Repentance?

Qu. 7. Can I do no more, that know not now but I am doing my laſt? That ſee how faſt my Time makes haſte, and know I muſt be quickly gone? that know it muſt be now or never: and that this is all the time I ſhall have, on which an endleſs life dependeth?

Qu. 8. Can I do no better, when I know before hand, what different aſpects diligence and negligence will have, to the awakened ſoul in the review? What a comfort it will be at death and judgement, to be able to ſay, I did my beſt, or loytered not away the time I had? And what a vexatious and heart-diſquieting thing it will then be to look back on time as p. 56irrecoverably loſt, and on a life of tryal, as caſt away upon impertinences, while the work that we lived for lay undone? ſhall I now by trifling prepare ſuch griping and tormenting thoughts, for my awakened conſcience?

Qu. 9. Can I do no more, when I am ſure I cannot do too much, and am ſure there is nothing elſe to be preferred? and that its this I live for: and that life is for action, and diſpoſeth thereunto; (and holy life for holy action) and that its better not live, then not attain the ends of living; when I have ſo many and unwearied enemies; when ſloath is my danger, and the advantage of my enemy; when I know that Reſolution and Vigorous diligence, is ſo neceſſary that all is loſt without it; will temptations be reſiſted, and ſelf denied, and concupiſcence mortified, and fleſhly deſires tamed and ſubdued, and ſin caſt out, and a holy communion with Heaven maintained with idleneſs and ſloath? will families p. 57be well ordered, and Church, or City, or Country well governed? will the careleſs ſinners that I am bound to help, be converted and ſaved, with ſitting ſtill, and with ſome heartleſs cold endeavours?

Qu. 10. Can I do no more that have ſo much help? that have mercies of all ſorts encouraging me, and creatures attending me; that have health to enable me, or affliction to remember and excite me; that have ſuch a maſter, ſuch a work, ſuch a reward as better cannot be deſired; who is leſſe excuſable for neglect then I?

Qu. 11. Could I do no more, if I were ſure that my ſalvation lay on this one duty? that according to this prayer, it ſhould go with me for ever; or if the ſoul of my child, or ſervant, or neighbour muſt ſpeed for ever, as my endeavours ſpeed with them now for their converſion? for ought I know it may be thus.

Qu. 12. Would I have God to come with the ſpur and rod? How p. 58do I complain when affliction is up-me? And will I neither endure it, nor be quickened without it? Is it not better mend my pace, and work on eaſier tearms?

I would not have diſtreſſed ſouls to uſe theſe conſiderations meerly to diſquiet themſelves for their infirmities, and ſo live in heavineſs and ſelf-vexation, becauſe they cannot be as good as they deſire, or do as much and as well as they ſhould do: It is not deſpair that will mend the matter, but make it worſe: But I would wiſh the lazie ſloathful ſoul to plead theſe Queſtions with it ſelf, and try whether they have no quickning power, if cloſely urged, and ſeriouſly conſidered.

Believe it, Sirs, it is the deceitfulneſs of proſperity that keeps up the reputation of a ſlathful life, and makes holy diligence ſeem unneceſſary. When affliction comes, awakened reaſon is aſhamed of this, and ſeeth it as an odious thing.

p. 59BY this time you may ſee, what difference there is, between the judgement of God, and of the world; and what to think of the underſtandings of thoſe men, (be they high or low, learned or unlearned) that hate or oppoſe this holy diligence. God bids us love, and ſeek and ſerve him, with all our heart, and ſoul, and might: And theſe men call them Zealots, and Preciſians, and Puritans that endeavour it; though, alas, they fall exceeding ſhort, when they have done their beſt. It is one of the moſt wonderfull monſtroſities and deformities that ever befel the nature of man, that men, that learned men, that men that in other things are wiſe, ſhould ſeriouſly think that the utmoſt diligence to obey the Lord and ſave our ſouls, is needleſs; and that ever they ſhould take it for a crime, and make it a matter of reproach: That the ſerious▪ diligent obeying of Gods Laws, ſhould be the matter of the common p. 60diſdain and hatred of the world; that no men are more generally abhorred, and toſt up and down by impatient men; that great and ſmall, the Rulers and the vulgar rabble, in moſt places of the earth cannot endure them: To think how the firſt man that ever was born into the world, did hate his own brother till he had proceeded to murder him, becauſe he ſerved God better then himſelf, [Becauſe his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous,] 1 Joh. 3. 12. And how conſtantly this horrid unnatural madneſs, hath ſucceeded and raged in the world from Cain until this day! It is not in vain that the Holy Ghoſt addeth, in the next words, 1 Joh. 3. 13. [Marvail not my brethren, if the world hate you] implying that we art apt to marvail at it; as I confeſſe I have oft and greatly done. Methinks, it is ſo wonderful a plague and ſtain in Nature, that it doth very much to confirm me of the truth of Scripture; of the doctrine of mans fall, and original p. 61ſin, and the neceſſity of a Reconciler, and of renewing grace.

Diſtracted miſerable ſouls! is it not enough for you to refuſe your own ſalvation; but you muſt be angry withal that will not imitate you! Is it not mad enough, and bad enough to chooſe damnation, but you muſt be offended withal that are not of your mind! If you will not believe God, that without Regeneration, Converſion, Holineſs, and a Heavenly Spiritual life, there is no Salvation to be hoped for (John 3. 3, 5, 6. Mat. 18. 3. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 8. 9, 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17.) mnſt we all be unbelievers with you? if you will laugh at Hell till you are in it, muſt we do ſo too? if God and glory ſeem leſs worth to you, then your fleſhly pleaſure for a time, muſt we renounce our Chriſtianity and our Reaſon for fear of differing from you? if you dare differ from your Maker, and the Redeemer, and the Holy Ghoſt, and all the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts, and all that ever came p. 62to Heaven, might not we be bold to differ from you? If you will needs be ungodly, and chooſe your everlaſting wo, be patient with them that have more underſtanding, and dare not be ſo hardy, as to leap after you in the unquenchable fire: Mock not at Holineſs if you have no mind of it. Hinder not them that ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, if you refuſe your ſelves. Be not ſo deſirous of company in Hell: It will prove no comfort to you, or abatement of your pain.

But becauſe you have the faces to contradict the God of Truth, and to reproach that work which he commandeth, and to ſay, what needs ſo much ado? when he bids us do it with all our might; I will briefly tell you what you are doing, and ſhew you the ugly face of the ſcorner, and the filthy hearts of the enemies of Holineſs, that if it may be, you may loath your ſelves.

1. Theſe enemies of Holy diligence, deny God with their works and lives, p. 63and are practical Atheists; and it ſeems are ſo near of kin to [that wicked one] (ſee 1 Joh. 3. 12.) that they would have all others do ſo too. And then how ſoon would earth be turned into Hell! The caſe is plain: If God deſerve not to be loved and ſerved with all thy heart, and ſoul, and might, he is not God. And if thy wealth, or honour, or fleſh, or friend, deſerveth more of thy love, and care, and diligence then God, then that is thy God that deſerveth beſt. See now what theſe deriders of purity and obedience do think of God, and of the world.

2. Theſe Cainites do blaſpheme the Governour of the world: When he hath given Laws to the Creatures, that he made of nothing; Theſe wretches deride and hate men for obeying them. If God have not commanded that which you oppoſe, contradict it, and ſpare not: I would you were much more againſt that pretended Religion which he commandeth not. But if he have commanded p. 64it, and yet you dare revile them as too pure and preciſe that would obey it, what do you but charge the King of Saints with making Laws that are not to be obeyed? which muſt needs imply that they are Fooliſh, or Bad, though made by the moſt wiſe and Good.

3. Theſe Enemies of Holineſs, oppoſe the practice of the very firſt principles of all Religion. For Heb 11. 6. [He that commeth to God muſt believe that God is, and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him.] And its diligent ſeeking him, that they hate and ſet themſelves a…gainſt.

4. Do not they not judge Heaven to be leſs worth then Earth; when they will do leſs for it, and would have others to do ſo too?

5. They would have us all unchriſten and unman our ſelves, as if there were no life to come▪ or as if our reaſon and all our faculties were given us in vain. For if they are not given us for greater matters then all the honours p. 65and pleaſures of the world, they are in vain, or worſe; and the life of man is but a dream and miſery. Were not a beaſt leſs miſerable, if this were all?

6. How baſe a price do theſe Cainites ſet on the immortal ſoul of man, that think it not worth ſo much ado, as the careful obedience of the Laws of Chriſt? Not worth ſo much as they do themſelves for their filthy ſins and periſhing fleſh? But would have us ſo mad as to ſell Heaven and our Souls, for a little ſinful ſloath and eaſe.

7. Theſe enemies of holineſs would have men take their Mercies for their Hurt, and their greateſt Bleſſings for a Burden or a Plague, and to run into Hell to be delivered from them. Why man, doſt thou know what Holineſs is? and what it is to have acceſs to God? I tell thee it is the foretaste of Heaven on Earth. It is the higheſt Glory, and ſweeteſt delight, and chiefeſt commodity to the ſoul. And art thou afraid of having too much p. 66of this? What, thou that haſte none (which ſhould make thee tremble) art thou afraid of having too much? Thou that never feareſt too much money, nor too much honour, nor too much health, art thou afraid of too much ſpiritual health and holineſs? what ſhall be thy deſire, if thou loath and fly from thy felicity?

8. You that are loyal ſubjects, take heed of theſe ungodly ſcorners: For by conſequence they would tempt you to deſpiſe your King, and make a mock at the obeying of his Commands and Laws. For if a man perſwade you to deſpiſe a Judge, he implieth that you may deſpiſe a Conſtable. No King is ſo great in compariſon of God, as a fly or worm is to that King. He therefore that would relax the Laws of God, and make it ſeem a needlſs thing to obey him diligently and exactly, implieth that obedience to any of the ſons of men is much more needleſs.

And you that are children or ſervants, take heed of the doctrine of p. 67theſe men: Maſters, admit it not into your Families. If he be worthy to be ſcorned as a Puritan or Preciſian, that is careful to pleaſe and obey the Lord, what ſcorn do your children and ſervants deſerve, if they will be obedient and pleaſing to ſuch as you?

9. All you that are poor Tradeſmen, take heed of the conſequences of the Cainitès ſcorns, leſt it make you give over the labours of your Calling, and turn your ſelves and Families into beggery. For if Heaven be not worth your greatest labour, your bodies are not worth the least.

10. Theſe Cainites ſpeak againſt the awakened Conſciences, and the confeſſions of all the world. Whatſoever they may ſay in the dream of their blind preſumption and ſecurity, at laſt, when Death hath opened their eyes, they all cry, O that we had been Saints! O that we might die the death of the righteous, and that our laſt end might be as his! O that we had ſpent that Time, and p. 68Care, and Labour for our ſouls, which we ſpent on that which now is gall to our remembrance! And yet theſe men will take no warning, but now oppoſe and deride that courſe that all the world do wiſh at laſt they had been as zealous for as any.

11. The enemy himſelf hath a conſcience within him, that either grudgeth againſt his malicious impiety, and witneſſeth that he abuſeth them that are far better then himſelf; or at leaſt will ſhortly call him to a reckoning, and tell him better what he did, and make him change his face and tune, and wiſh himſelf in the caſe of thoſe that he did oppoſe.

12. To conclude the Cainite is of the wicked one, 1 Joh. 3. 12. of his Father the Devil, Joh. 8. 42, 44. and is his walking, ſpeaking inſtrument on Earth, ſaying what he himſelf would ſay: He is the open enemy of God. For who are his enemies, but the Enemies of Holineſs, of his Laws, of our Obedience, of his Image, and p. 69of his Saints? And how will Chriſt deal at laſt with his Enemies? Luk. 19. 27. O that they knew, that foreſeeing, they might eſcape! This is the true, the ugly picture of a Cainite, or Enemy of a holy life, that reproacheth ſerious diligence as a preciſe and needleſs thing, when God commandeth us, and death, and the Grave, and Eternity admoniſh us to do his work with all our might. Now conſider this ye that forget God, leſt he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you, Pſal. 50. 22.

BUt of all the oppoſers of ſerious Holineſs in the world, there are none more unexcuſable and deplorably miſerable, then thoſe that profeſs themſelves Miniſters of Chriſt. Would one believe that had not known them, that there are ſuch men in the world! Alas, there are too many. Though Education, and the Laws of the Land engage them to preach true doctrine, yet are they falſe Teachers in the Application. For p. 70they never well learned the holy and heavenly doctrine which they preach, nor digeſted it, or received the power and impreſs of it upon their hearts; and therefore retaining their natural corruptions, impiety and enmity to the Life, and Power, and practice of that Doctrine, they indirectly deſtroy what directly they would ſeem to build; and preach both for God, and againſt him; for Chriſt and the Holy Spirit, and againſt them; for Godlineſs, and againſt it, both in the ſame Sermon. In General, they muſt needs ſpeak for the word of God, and a holy life: But when they come to the particulars, they ſecretly reproach it, and condemn the parts, while they commend the whole. In General they ſpeak well of Religious, Godly, Holy people; But when they meet with them, they hate them, and make them Preciſians, a Sect that is every where ſpoken againſt, peſtilent fellows, and movers of ſedition, as the Apoſtles were accuſed, p. 71Acts 24. 5. & 28. 22. and any thing that malice can invent to make them odious: And what they cannot prove, they will cloſely intimate in the falſe application of their doctrines, deſcribing them ſo as may induce the hearers to believe that they are a company of ſelf-conceited Hypocrites, factious, proud, diſobedient, turbulent, peeviſh, affecting ſingularity, deſiring to ingroſs the reputation of Godlineſs to themſelves, but ſecretly as bad as others. And when they have thus repreſented them to the ignorant ſort of people, they have made the way of Godlineſs odious, and ſufficiently furniſhed miſerable ſouls with prejudice and diſlike; ſo that becauſe the perſons are thus made hateful to them, all ſerous diligence for Heaven, all tenderneſs of Conſcience, and fear of ſinning, all heavenly diſcourſe, and ſerious preaching, reading, or praying, are alſo made odious for their ſakes: For hearing ſo ill of the perſons, p. 72and ſeeing that theſe are the things wherein they differ from others, they reduce their judgement of their practices to their foreſetled judgement of the perſons. When their diligence in their Families in prayer and inſtructions, in reading, and fruitful improvement of the Lords day, or any other actions of ſtrictneſs and holy induſtry are mentioned, theſe ungodly Miniſters are ready to blot them with ſome open calumnies, or ſecret reproaches, or words of ſuſpicion, to vindicate their own unholy lives, & make people believe that ſerious piety is faction & hypocriſe. The black tincture of their minds, and the deſign and drift of their preaching may be perceived in the jeers, and girds, and ſlanderous intimations againſt the moſt diligent ſervants of the Lord. The controverted truths that ſuch maintain, they repreſent as errours: Their unavoidable errours they repreſent as hereſie: Their duties they repreſent as faults: and their humane p. 73frailties as enormous crimes: They feign them to be guilty of the things that never entred into their thoughts. And if ſome that have profeſſed godlineſs, be guilty of greater crimes, they would make men believe that the reſt are ſuch, and that the family of Chriſt is to be judged of by a Judas, and the ſcope is to intimate that either their Profeſſion is culpable, or needleſs, and leſs commendable. Regeneration they would make to be but the entrance into the Church by Baptiſm, and any further converſion, then the leaving off ſome groſs ſins, and taking up ſome heartleſs forms of duty, to be but a fancy or unneceſſary thing: And they would draw poor people to believe, that if they be born again Sacramentally of water, they may be ſaved, though they be not born again by the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Being ſtrangers themſelves to the myſtery of Regeneration, and to the life of Faith, and a p. 74heavenly Converſation, and to the loving and ſerving God with all their Soul and Might, They firſt endeavour to quiet themſelves with a belief that theſe are but fancies or unneceſſary; and then to deceive the people with that by which they have firſt deceived them elves.

And it is worthy your obſervation, what it is in Religion that theſe formal Hypocrites are againſt. There are ſcarce any words ſo ſound or holy but they can bear them, if they be but deprived of their Life: Nor ſcarce any duty, if it be but mortified, but they can endure. But it is the Spirit and Life of all Religion which they cannot bear. As a Body differeth from a Carkaſs, not by the parts, but by the life; ſo there is a certain life in preaching, and prayer, and all other acts of worſhip, which is perceived by ſeveral ſorts of hearers. The Godly perceive it to their edification and delight: For here it is that they are quickned p. 75and encouraged. Life begetteth life, as fire kindleth fire. The ungodly often perceive it to their vexation, if not to their conviction and converſion; This life in preaching, praying, diſcipline, reproof, and conference, is it which biteth, and galleth, and diſquieteth their conſciences. And this they kick and rail againſt; This is the thing that will not let them ſleep quietly in their ſin and miſery; but is calling and jogging them to awake, and will not let them ſin in peace, but will either convert them or torment them before the time. It is the Life of Religion that the hypocrite wants; and the life that he is moſt againſt. A painted fire burneth not. A dead Lion biteth not. The Carkaſs of an Enemy is not formidable. Let the words of that Sermon that moſt offendeth them, be ſeparated from the life, and put into a Homily, and ſaid or read in a formal drowſie, or a School-boys tone, and they can bear it and commend it. Let p. 76the ſame words of prayer which now they like not, be ſaid over as a lifeleſs cuſtomary form, and they can like it well. I ſpeak not againſt the uſe of forms, but the abuſe of them: Not againſt the Body, but the Carkaſs. Let forms themſelves be uſed by a ſpiritual ſerious man, in a ſpiritual ſerious manner, with the inter poſition of any quickening exhortations, or occaſional paſſages, that tend to keep them waken and attentive, and make them feel what you mean and are about, and you ſhall ſee they love not ſuch animated forms. It is the living Christian, and lively worſhip, and ſerious ſpiritual Religion, which they hate: kill it and they can bear it: Let the picture of my enemy be nearer and comelier then his perſon was, and I can endure it in my bedchamber, better then himſelf in the meaneſt dreſs. It is the living Chriſtians that in all parts of the world are chiefly perſecuted: Let them be once dead, and dead-hearted hypocrites p. 77themſelves will honour them, eſpecially at a ſufficient diſtance: They will deſtroy the living Saints, and keep Holy dayes for the dead ones. Wo to you, Scribes and Phariſees hypocrites, becauſe ye build the Tombs of the Prophets, and garniſh the Sepulchers of the Righteous, and ſay, if we had been in the days of our Fathers; we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets: Wherefore be ye witneſſes unto your ſelves, that ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets: Fill ye up the meaſure of your Fathers; ye ſerpents; ye generation of vipers, how can ye eſcape the damnation of Hell! Matth. 23. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. The dog that will not meddle with the dead creature, will purſue the living; and when he ſees it ſtir no more, will leave it. Chriſtianity without ſeriouſneſs is not Chriſtianity; and therefore not lyable to the hatred of its enemies as ſuch. Say any thing, and do any thing how ſtrict ſo ever, if p. 78you will but act it as a player on the ſtage, or do it coldly, ſlightly, & as if you were but in jeaſt, you may have their approbation. But it is this life, and ſeriouſneſs, and worſhipping God in Spirit and Truth, that convinceth them that they themſelves are lifeleſs, and therefore troubleth their deceitful peace, and therefore muſt not have their friendſhip. If it were the meer bulk of duty that they are weary of, how comes it to paſs that a Papiſt, at his Pſalter, Beads, and Maſs-books, can ſpend more hours without much wearineſs or oppoſition, then we can do in ſerious worſhip? Turn all but into words, and beads, and canonical hours and dayes, and ſhews, and ceremony, and you may be as religious as you will, and be Righteous overmuch, and few will hate, or reproach, or perſecute you among them, as too preciſe or ſtrict. But living Christians and worſhip, come among them like fire, that burneth them, and makes p. 79them ſmart, with a word that is quick, powerful, ſharper then any two edged ſword, piercing even to the dividing of ſoul and ſpirit, joynts and marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4. 12.