Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. How we ſhould know how it will be with us for eternity, and what we ſhould do that it may be well with us eternally.
IF you ſay, How ſhall I know how it ſhall be with 1.me for eternity? ſhall it be well, or not well with my ſoul when I am beyond things that are for a ſeaſon? You may have ſome gueſs by thoſe thoughts you have had upon things for eternity: you that have given liberty to your ſelves, to ſatisfie your ſelves in the things of the fleſh, and your hearts have been fully ſatisfied in the things of the world, and this point is a ſtrange point to you, you have cauſe to conclude with your ſelves, that you are in a miſerable condition for eternity; but if your conſciences can teſtifie that this point, the getting of your hearts from things that are but for a ſeaſon, and ſetting them upon the things that are eternal, is that which the Lord hath ſetled upon your hearts for many years, when you wake in the night, or in the morning, the ſame thoughts that are preſented to me by the Word, the Lord hath preſented to me by his Spirit, the ſtrength and chief of my thoughts have been buſied about this argument. It is a good ſign, that God does intend good for that ſoul to eternity, whom he is pleaſed to poſſeſs with the thoughts of it ſo deeply for the preſent.
Again conſider, could you not wiſh in your hearts, 2.that you might live always? and that the content and delight in this world, in meat, and drink, and ſports do ſatisfie you, and you think your ſelves happy in the enjoyment of them; certainly God hath not yet ſavingly made known the things of eternity to you. Thoſe that God does prepare for his eternal mercies in Heaven, God does take off their hearts from all things in the world; that if it were put to your choice, though you might have a thouſand worlds, you would not have them for your portion; no, there are more glorious, more excellent things for my ſoul to have, and therefore God forbid I ſhould have my portion in theſe things, though they were to endure.
Auguſtine brings in Plotinus, acknowledging it the mercy of God to man, that his ſoul is in a mortal De civ. Dei lib. 9. c. 10.body, that the body is not immortal, but that after a little time the bodies of men may be diſſolved, and ſo their ſouls be there for ever where the ſoul of the world is; that is his expreſſion.
3. A third Argument that it ſhall be well with 3. Ut ipſae ibi forent ſemper, ubi eſt anima mundi. Aug. de Civ. Dei. l 9. Ca. 10.you for eternity, is this, To know what ſeeds of eternity God hath begun to plant in your hearts. This is a certain truth, There is no ſoul that God intends eternal life unto, but God begins eternal life in this world. You know what St. John ſays, He that hates his brother, hath not eternal life abiding in him. Eternal life is begun in this world in all that ſhall be ſaved; therefore think with your ſelves, What ſeeds of eternity have I put into my ſoul? All common graces, and moral vertues are not a ſeed that will grow up to eternal life, but ſaving grace will; though it be under the clods for the preſent, it will grow up eternity.
Fourthly, Examine the Scriptures, look into the book of God, and ſee whether the Scripture ſpeaks 4.well on your ſide, becauſe that in this Book, in this Scripture, there God hath revealed the eternal counſels of his will, and the great things about mans eternal eſtate: there is little in all the Book of the Creature, the Book of Creation, revealed of the counſels of Gods will, about bringing man to his eternal eſtate; but in this Book of the Scripture he hath revealed his will concerning this; and therefore confider, does this ſpeak well of your ſide? Thus by theſe How to get eternal things to be our portion.arguments you may know how it ſhall be with you for eternity.
But what ſhall we do to get a portion in thoſe things Queſt. 2.that ſhall be eternal?
Firſt, labor to bring all things in ſubordination to eternity, do not make other things your ſcope, make 1.them an underling, and take no further content in them, then that they may further your ſouls to eternity. Suppoſe you have an eſtate encreaſing more then another, what will you do with it? how will you uſe it? wherein do you count the good of it to conſiſt? that by theſe things I have coming from God, I hope to make uſe of them, to fit me for eternal mercies, and to treaſure up eternal mercies by a ſanctified holy uſe of theſe things; but when temporal things come in, and your hearts reſt upon them, without ſubordination to eternal things, this is infinitely dangerous.
Secondly, make conſcience of the little time you 2.have; O it is but a little time you have, let that be conſecrated and devoted to God: it is eternal happineſs that you look for hereafter, why ſhould you not be willing to ſpend as much of this little time for it as can be?
Thirdly, labor to be exact in all that you do, for 3.you are working for eternity. As Zeuxis the Painter, when he was askt, why he was ſo accurate in his Painting, ſays he, I Paint for eternity: Let us in Aeternitati pingo.our Chriſtian profeſſion be exact in our way, becauſe we live for eternity; There is nothing that does make men ſo accurate in their way as this; and let the men of the world know, that this is the reaſon of the exactneſs of the ways of Gods people, becauſe they know they live to eternity. Hypocrites, who in Religious duties aim onelyonly at ſome preſent, ſome temporal good, they are not exact, they reſt in outſides; but the Saints who make eternity their aym, are exact in all things, eſpecially thoſe things that have a more immediate influence into eternity.
Fourthly, be ſure all you do, you do upon divine and eternal grounds, take heed of being carnal, and 4.earthly in your ſpiritual ſervices; but in all duties in Gods worſhip, look to an eternal God, and let your principles, aims, grounds, and intentions be eternal. The Temple was called Bethgnolam, the houſe of Eternity; do all you do in the houſe of God, in his Ordinances, in order to eternity, that it may indeed be an houſe of eternity unto you.
Laſtly, be ſure you be conſtant, abide conſtantly to the end, do not onelyonly begin, and now and then in a good mood, have ſome thoughts of a good life, and providing for your ſouls, but abide, be conſtant. And if you take theſe ways, by this you ſhall come to chooſe Moſes Choice. O that now in my winding up of all, by all that hath been ſaid, ſome ſoul or other may have cauſe to bleſs God in being inclined to chooſe the ſame Choice: If you would chooſe Moſes Choice, uſe Moſes argument; and this is the ſpecial argument that moved Moſes to make this Choice, he looked upon all theſe things as for a ſeaſon, and he looked upon eternity: O that you being moved by Moſes argument, you may this day be brought to chooſe Moſes Choice, that you may ſing Moſes Song, Rev. 15. 3, 4. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy name? for thou only art holy. O that that Choice by this argument were made, that ſo you might ſing hereafter this part of Moſes Song; O Lord, there was a time that I never ſaw thee in thy glory, and never minded thee, but now Lord I ſee, worthy thou art to be feared, and glorified for ever, for thou art holy: The Lord give us hearts upon this argument, to make this Choice.
Moſes his Choice.
The third Part.
Heb. 11. 26.
Eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.