Death Improved and Immoderate Sorrow Reproved, Letter (2 of 5)

Death Improved and Immoderate Sorrow Reproved · Letter (2 of 5)

p. 65By theſe and the like Arguments, Madam, I have upon the like Occaſion oft-times argued my ſelf into content, and ſtilled thoſe boiſterous Storms and Tempeſts, which Paſſion and Diſcontent had raiſed in my breaſt, and brought the Controverſie between God and me to this Reſult, That God was wiſe, and I was fooliſh; and that it was much fitter for him to diſpoſe of me, and my Relations, than it was for me; and brought me to a Reſolution, to let him, who had ruled the World for ſo many thouſand Years, to Rule it ſtill. The like Conſideration had the like Operation on Job; though at firſt he had a mind to quarrel God, yet at laſt he lays his hand upon his mouth, and humbles himſelf in Duſt and Aſhes, and cries out, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer? Theſe Meditations brought me to know that it was fitter for me to prepare for my own Death, than to bewail the Death of another; yea, made me know that it was of much more concern to p. 66take care of my Relations, while living, to fit them for their Eternal Being, than to bewail them (eſpecially thoſe I have comfortable hopes of) when dead; and to be troubled more at my own Neglects, than at God's Providence. And the Lord grant that theſe and the like Meditations may have the ſame or rather a better Effect upon you, to quiet your Spirit under this preſent Providence.

But, Madam, though this be neceſſary to bring us to ſubmit unto God, and bring our Wills to God's Will, and to acquieſce in what he doth, yet 'tis not ſufficient; God doth not laſh us only to make us leave crying, or to ceaſe our murmuring, but in theſe Viſitations he hath a further deſign upon us; his Rod ſpeaks more than this unto us, he expects that his Phyſick ſhould have ſome other Operation upon us, and not only leave us as it finds us, but ſhould do us ſome good alſo; the Father beats one Child, that the reſt may beware. It was good for me (ſaith David) that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now I learn to keep thy commandments, Pſal. 119.67.71. If God preſerve us, 'tis no great matter whether it be in Salt or Sugar; Fiſh proſper as well in ſalt as freſh Water. The Wallnut-tree, they ſay, bears beſt when moſt beaten; and I am ſure many times Chriſtians thrive beſt under Affliction: The Wind ſhaking the Tree, makes it take deeper and better Root, quae nocent docent, bitter Pills may ſometimes be as neceſſary as Sweet-meats; a Leſſon ſet on with whipping, is beſt retained; and many times Correction doth what Cockering will not; and there is no doubt, whatever Man intends, p. 67God in Correcting his Children minds their good, Heb. 12.10. Theſe bitter Pills procure ſweet Health, as ſharp Winters kill Weeds and Worms; and God's Vines bear the better for bleeding, neither are they hurt when ſuperfluous branches are lopt off. Camomile, the more 'tis trod upon, the more it ſpreads; and the more the Cypreſs-tree is bowed down, the more it riſeth. Ephraim found the benefit of Affliction, this made him Obedient, when before he was as an untamed Heifer, unaccuſtomed to the Yoak, Jer. 31.18, &c. Manaſſeh's Priſon and Fetters, were better to him than his Crown and Scepter, 2 Chron. 33.12, &c. As 'tis ſaid of Queen Elizabeth, Mr. Aſcham was a good Tutor to her, but Affliction did her moſt good. Correction with Inſtruction is ſure and ſafe, Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtiſeſt, O Lord, and teacheſt him in thy Law, Pſal. 94.12. Feri domine feri (ſaith Luther) ſtrike me as much as thou wilt, if thou wilt inſtruct me; laſh me and ſpare not, ſo thou wilt Leſſon me. God doth chaſtiſe his People, that they may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11.32. God hath a double end in your preſent Viſitation, and both for good; one to ſet an end to your dear Daughter's Miſery, and the other to prepare you for Happineſs, by weaning you from the World, and raiſing up your heart to Heaven, whither your Delight is gone: And happy are you if you learn this Leſſon, and wiſely improve this Providence; if you learn the voice of the rod, and of him that holds it, Micah 6.9. For the rod of reproof gives wiſdom, Prov. 29.15. Vexatio dat intellectum. A Father Corrects his Child, not ſo much in Revenge for p. 68the fault done, as for caution for the future. Schola crucis, Schola lucis, The way to the Crown is by the Croſs. When God's Judgments are abroad in the World, the Inhabitants thereof ſhould learn Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 29.9. Under ſuch Providences as theſe God would not have us be like unto bruit Beaſts in a Paſture, when one by one goes to the Shambles, the other regard it not. All Spectacles of Mortality, eſpecially thoſe of ſo near a concern, ſhould mind us of our latter end, and make us prepare for Death, when we ſee younger and ſtronger than we go to the Grave before us. We ſhould be like ingenious Children, when one is beaten, the other ſhould not only cry and tremble, but alſo take warning: We ſhould not blame our Father's Cruelty, but our own Folly; and if all work together for our good, why not this? Nay, doubtleſs a good uſe may be made of this, and, if well improved, we ſhall have cauſe to ſay, with the Pſalmiſt, It was good for us that we were afflicted. Some Grapes may be gathered from theſe Thorns, and ſome Figs from theſe Thiſtles; ſome Honey may be lick'd off theſe Briars, for God's Rod, like Jonathan's, hath Honey at the end. Senſible we muſt be of this Providence, as doubtleſs Aaron was at his two Sons deaths; but diſcontent we muſt not be. God complains, that Righteous perſons periſh, and no man lays it to heart; and merciful men were taken away, and no man conſiders it, Iſa. 57.1. Some uſe of ſuch Providences we ſhould make, and get ſome benefits by theſe Tryals. Now, among the many Leſſons this Providence holds out to us, I ſhall only point p. 69out theſe ſeven following, which if you and I can learn by it, it will be happy for us.

Leſſon 1. From this Lecture of Mortality, your dead Daughter, we may learn the curſed Nature of ſin, which was the cauſe of her Death, and how little beholding we are to it, that thus rends one Friend out of the Arms of another; for whatever Diſtemper our deceaſed Friends dye of, ſin lies at the bottom, and ſets the Diſeaſe on work; but for ſin, 'tis probable we had never dyed. For the wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. By one man's offence ſin came into the world, and death by ſin; and ſo death paſſed upon all, for as much as all have ſinned. Now, ſhall we love the Tree, and hate the Fruit? Love the Cauſe, and hate the Effect? Shall we be like fooliſh Children, that hate the ſmarting Plaiſter, and conſider not the Ulcerous Sore that makes it neceſſary? We would have the Wound cured, and yet not have the Weapon drawn out, for fear of a little ſmart. Had not Sin gone before, Death had not followed; many Men love the Drunkenneſs, and hate the Surfeit. But did we ſee ſin in its own Colours, it would be worſe than the Effects, for 'tis the only Object of God's infinite hatred; for he hates nothing but ſin, or for ſins ſake; and yet ſin ſeems lovely when we behold it in the Devil's Glaſs, or through his Spectacles. If we could ſtrip the Devil himſelf of his vicious Qualities, he would return to his former Angelical Glory; yea, into God's Favour, for he hates nothing he hath made. Man in his firſt Creation was made Holy and Happy, and had Power given him ſo to continue; and though p. 70by his Conſtitution he was Mortal, yet by God's Bleſſing he had been Immortal for ought we know, …s the Soul is: But by eating the Forbidden Fruit, Gen. 2.17. in all probability he had ſuddenly dyed, had not Chriſt interpoſed, and become a Surety to his Father, and ſo gained a longer Leaſe, and paid the Fine; however Man became obnoxious to Death, and dye he muſt. See how dangerous it is to play at the hole of the Aſp, and to ask Counſel at the Devil's Mouth, for ſo Eve did, and for that Offence all her Poſterity muſt eat bread in the ſweat of their brows, till they return to the duſt out of which they were taken. No Greatneſs can excuſe us, no Wiſdom can prevent it; but the moſt dangerous Death is to dye in our ſins. Sin it is that makes us uncurable, otherwiſe we had been ſo armed, Death could never have entred, or pierced the heart, Rom. 5.12. And ſhall we hug this Viper in our Boſom, that will ſting us to Eternal Death? For ſin is the very ſting of death, without which Death were not ſo formidable. Adam's Offence diffuſeth it ſelf to all his Poſterity, as Poiſon doth to every part of the Body; and ſhall we love the Work, and hate the Wages? Actual Sin is the Fruit of Original Corruption, and ſprings from this bitter Root, and 'tis the cauſe of all our Miſery; and ſhall we, like the fooliſh Dog, bite the ſtone, and let the Paſſenger that threw it go free? Let us turn therefore all our ſorrow into ſorrow for ſin, for all is little enough to run in this Chann…l. And let this be your Motive, though not one of the greateſt, ſin was the cauſe of your d…ar Daughter's Death, and will ere long be the cauſe of yours alſo; and happy will it be for you p. 71if this bitter Pill have this Operation upon you, to make you hate ſin with a perfect hatred.

2. Nay, 'tis not only Death, but alſo all the Miſeries that accompany Life, and are the fore-runners of Death, which are the direful Fruits and Effects of Sin. Could we ſee Sin in its own proper ſhape, it would appear moſt hateful and deteſtable; but the Devil hides its Deformity from us what he can, and to this end lends us his Spectacles, in which it appears lovely and amiable; but we may beſt ſee it in the Effects. It was this that turned Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradice, and many thouſands into Hell; and can the Tree be good that brings forth ſuch unſavoury Fruit? This raced out the Image of God, and engraved upon the Soul the very Image of Satan. The Devil knows well enough that if we ſaw Sin in its own Colours, we muſt needs hate it, for who can fall in Love with Deformity it ſelf? And therefore miſrepreſents it, as a deformed Hag paints her Face, and covers her Deformity, thereby to take her Prey, and allure unwary Youth. So the Devil deals by Sin, and repreſents it in Vertue's Colours; but the Glaſs of the Word would ſhew it in its own ſhape. Indeed there is nothing in the World that can fully reſemble it, yet in the Scripture 'tis repreſented by the fouleſt things imaginable; to filthy Ulcerous Sores, James 1.21. To the Mire that Swine wallows in, the Vomit of a Dog, to filthy Rags, Menſtruous Cloathes, deadly Poiſon, a fretting Cancer, or Gangreen; 'tis ſo infectious, none can eſcape the Infection; it infects the whole Man, like the Leproſie in the Head, the Thoughts, Words, Deſires, Affections, p. 72and Actions, are all polluted and unclean, and ſmell of the Cask, and ſtink in the Noſtrils of God; our Eating, Drinking, Buying, Selling, Trading, yea, Plowing, is ſin, Prov. 21.4. And all our Religious Duties, if not performed with the Incenſe of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, are defiled, Iſa. 1.11, &c. and 66.3. Why? Thoſe Duties, though commanded by God, yet proceeding not from a right Principle, directed to a right End, and done in a right manner, muſt needs be faulty. Now ſin, though looked upon as a harmleſs innocent thing, (and when Men have put a fair Mask upon its ſoul Face) looks lovely; and the Devil hides its ſoul Viſage, as 'tis ſaid the Panther doth his deformed Head, purpoſely to take his Prey, yet ſtill it remains ugly: Pride covers it ſelf with the name of Cleanlineſs; Drunkenneſs is taken for Good-fellowſhip, and Covetouſneſs for Good Husbandry, &c. But the Effects are not ſo lovely, let the Devil and his Inſtruments ſay what they will to the contrary; for 'tis the occaſion of all the Miſeries that ever befel Mortal Man: We had never had aking Head, or aking Heart, or Loſs, or Croſs, or any thing to moleſt us, had it not been for ſin; yet are we apt to over-look it, and yet have our finger always upon the Sore; we cry out, Oh my Back, my Belly, my Bones, my Heart, but ſeldom Oh my Sin; we are like h…m that complains of the pain in his Foot, but not of the Shooe that pincheth him; of the Gout, Stone, Strangury, Surfeit, but not of the Intemperance that is the cauſe. Pharaoh cries out, Take away the Frogs, the Lice, the Darkneſs, let there be no more Hail, but not take away the Sin, the hardneſs of Heart; p. 73that brought them. God when he threatens Death for ſin, threatens alſo all the Cauſes, and Fore-runners of Death, and all the Evils which accompany a ſinful Life, for theſe are the Natural Productions of ſin, and much worſe. Fruit it bears, if Repentance prevent it not, and like a mighty Wind blows it not down before it come to Maturity, otherwiſe it will be bitter Fruit: We have far greater cauſe to cry out, Oh my filthy Sins, Oh my Pride, my Paſſion, my Covetouſneſs, my Deadneſs, Dulneſs, Formality, Hypocriſie, &c. than Oh my dead Father, my Husband, my Son, my Daughter. We ſhould ceaſe quarrelling God, and turn the edge of our Anger, Sorrow, and Indignation againſt Sin, and againſt our ſelves for our ſin, and ſo our Quarrel will be much more juſt. 'Tis a ſtubborn Child, that when corrected for a known fault, will rather quarrel his Father, than acknowledge his own Guilt. We are apt to cry out, Oh my Loſs, Oh my Croſs, than Oh my Sin, my Infidelity, my inordinate Affections, which forces God thus to Correct me. Let us remove the Cauſe, and the Effect will ceaſe. Thus you ſee, whether we conſider ſin in it ſelf, in its peſtiferous, infectious Nature, or whether we conſider it in its direful Effects, the Miſeries that attend it, we have more cauſe to bewail it, than any Loſs or Croſs that can befal us for ſins ſake, as the Cauſe is worſe than the Effect.

3. But this is not all, for ſin procures Spiritual Judgments as well as Temporal, and theſe are far more deadly and dangerous; for theſe Diſtempers reach the Soul, when the other touch only the Body, or Eſtate; Sin defiles and deforms p. 74all the Powers and Faculties of Soul and Body; Sin is ſo Infectious and Contagious, and the Effects thereof ſo Malignant, that the greateſt and moſt dangerous Plague-ſore, even that which rendeth the Soul from the Body, is not ſo dangerous. 'Tis ſin that hardens the Heart, and turns it into the Nature of a ſtone. We read of a ſtony heart, and of all the Plagues that fell upon Pharaoh, this was the worſt, and a greater than this cannot befal a Mortal Man in this Life. God complains of this, That the houſe of Iſrael were impudent and hard-hearted, Ezek. 3.7, &c. And the great Goſpel-promiſe is, To take away th… ſtony heart, and give them hearts of fleſh. And as it hardens the Heart, ſo it blinds the Mind, which by reaſon of ſin is Naturally, Judicially, and Wilfully blind; the Image of God conſiſted in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs, and true Holineſs; theſe by the Fall were loſt, and Ignorance, Wickedneſs, and Profaneſs, the very Image of the Devil, were engraven in their ſtead, 1 Cor. 3.14. And Men walk in Darkneſs, till the Scales of Ignorance are wiped from their Eyes, and Chriſt's Spiritual Eye-ſalve applyed, Rev. 3.18. A natural ma… cannot perceive the things of the ſpirit, for they a… ſpiritually diſcerned. Many alſo are Judicially blind, God in his juſt Judgment giving them up to ſtrong deluſion, to believe lies, Mat. 13.13, &c. They are Wilfully blind, and God will not Cure them; like Hagar, they cannot ſee the Well of Water that is before them. They are wilfully Ignorant, that they may ſin the more freely; The God of this world hath blinded their eyes, 2 Cor. 4.4. He draws a Curtain between them and the Light, and holds his black hand before their faces; and p. 75were they anatomized, his Image would be found …ngraven upon their hearts. Light is come into …e world, and men love darkneſs rather than light, …ecauſe their works are evil. They are willingly …gnorant of what they are not willing to know; …hey have alſo cauterized Conſciences, ſeared with … hot Iron, and reprobate minds, Rom. 1.28. And …iſtempered and diſordered Affections, ſet upon …rong Objects, loving what they ſhould hate, …nd hating what they ſhould love; fearing Men …nd their threatnings, and deſpiſing God and his …hreatnings; being given up to vile affections, Rom. ….26. 1 Tim. 4.2. Yea, they are given up to …tubbornneſs of Will, Judges 2.19. And of this …e have Pharaoh for an Example, that was be…ome Cannon-proof, that all the Judgments …rought upon Egypt could not work upon him. …uch are mentioned, Jer. 44.19. that would bake …akes to the Queen of Heaven, let God himſelf ſay what he would to the contrary; they will ſet up …heir Poſt by God's Poſt, and prefer their Dagon …efore the Ark; therefore God gives up ſuch to …trong deluſions, to believe lies, Rom. 1.24. The Memory alſo, though ſtrong enough to retain what is bad, yet 'tis like a leaking Veſſel, that cannot retain any thing that is good. In a word, …ll the Powers and Faculties of the Soul are pol…uted, and the Members of the Body are the unhappy Inſtruments to act the wickedneſs the Soul contrives: So that a Toad or Serpent is not fuller of Poiſon, than Man's heart is naturally of Sin and Wickedneſs, and of noxious Qualities, the Fruits and Effects of which, if timely Repentance prevent not, will be the loſs of God's Favour, which is better than life, in whoſe preſence is p. 76fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand are pleaſure… for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. The loſs alſo of an Intereſt in the Blood of Chriſt, will follow, which is of more value than the World it ſelf, for ſuch trample upon the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing, Heb. 10.29. Yea, they do deſpight unto the Spirit of God, and put themſelves from under the favourable Protection of God, and tha… Guard of Angels that God ſends forth as miniſtring Spirits for the good of thoſe that love him; and makes Men uncapable of the ſweet Communion of Saints, which David made his chiefeſ… Delight on Earth, Pſal. 16.2. It deprives them of the Peace of Conſcience, a Jewel of ineſtimable worth, and brings many times ſuch a Storm there, that all the World cannot allay; a… in Cain, Judas, Spira, and many more; that Bird in the Boſom, when it ſings ſweetly, makes better Melody than all the World can do. Sin alſo deprives Men of all true Intereſt and Spiritua… Right to all our outward Enjoyments; a Civi… Right we may have, but a Covenant-Right we cannot have in a Natural condition, for theſe things are not given, but lent to a wicked Man, and an Account will be required to the utmoſt Farthing. In a word, unrepented ſin deprives Men of an Intereſt in God, in Heaven, and Glory, and of the Beatifical Viſion; for withou… holineſs we ſhall never ſee God. Let us therefore leave off ſorrowing for petty Loſſes and Croſſes, and turn the whole Torrent of our Sorrow into this Channel, even againſt our ſins.

4. Nay, the miſchief of Sin ends not here, it alſo expoſeth us to the wrath of God, and makes him our Enemy, that otherwiſe would be our p. 77cloſeſt, ſureſt, and faſteſt Friend; and did we …now what it is to have God for our Enemy, it …ould ſend us trembling to our Grave; for when …is Fury is kindled, it ſets on fire the foundation of …he mountains, Deut. 32.22. 'Tis better have all …he World to grapple with, than with God; if …e frown upon us, no Creature dare ſmile; If …e be for us, who can be againſt us? Rom. 8.31. …f God have a Controverſie with us, who dare …ake our part, or move a Hand or Tongue in our Defence? We cannot grapple with him, he is …oo ſtrong for us; we cannot flye from him, as …onah thought to do, he will over-take us; nei…her can we hide our ſelves from him, Pſal. 136.…, &c. We cannot ſtruggle out of his hand, …or he is the Almighty, and we but deſpicable Worms; if he tread upon us, he leaves us dead …ehind him: Before him the Holy Angels cover …heir faces, and all the Infernal Spirits tremble. …n his hand is the ſoul of every living thing, and the …reath of all mankind, Job 12.10. If he with-hold …ur breath, we return to our Duſt, for we have …o more than what he puts into us, how then …hall we contend with our Maker? Can Chaff …nd Stubble grapple with a devouring Flame? One blaſt of his Diſpleaſure can blow us into Hell, yea, Heaven and Hell and All into nothing; …nd how are we like to make our Party good …gainſt him, when we cannot move a Finger, …wag a Tongue, or fetch a Breath, without his …ſſiſtance? Well, but let us well conſider whether our Cauſe be good: What cauſe hath God given us to take up Arms againſt him? Hath he …een a hard Maſter to us? Or with-held our Wages? Jonah thought he did well to be angry, p. 78but was ſoon convinc'd. Job had a mind to quarrel him, and ſeems of any other to have the beſt Cauſe, but when the Conteſt began, h… ſoon threw down the Cudgels, and lays his hand upon his Mouth. Hath not God been our greate… Benefactor, and done more for us than all the World ever did, or can do? Is not he our be… Friend, and ſhall we become his profeſt Enemies? Many good works have I done among you (ſaith Chriſt) for which of thoſe do you ſtone me? John 10.32. God gave us our Being when we had none, and ſhall we hate him for it? We were t… Clay, and he was the Potter, and might have daſh'd us into pieces with his foot. He gave us Reaſon, when he might have made us bruit Beaſts, as Dogs or Swine, or more contemptible Creatures. He hath given us Limbs and Senſes, when other… want them, Peace and Plenty, yea, Life and Liberty, and hath made our Lives comfortable to us, when we deſerve not the Ground we tread upon, or the Air we breath in; and ſhall we flye at the Face of God, and thus requite the Lord our Maker? Nay, hath not Chriſt ſuffered more for us, than any other hath or can do? We had ſold our ſelves Bond-ſlaves to Satan, and neither Man nor Angel could have redeemed us out of our Slavery, or have paid a Ranſom ſufficient for us, but Chriſt laid down his Life to free us from the guilt of ſin, from the filth of ſin, from the Puniſhment due for ſin, from the Curſe of the Law, the Wrath of God, the Slavery of Satan, and from Everlaſting Damnation. And hath he for all this deſerved our Malice and Hatred? He hath beſtowed more upon us than the World hath to beſtow; 'tis he p. 79that ſends us ſo many Ambaſſages for Peace, and rains Heavenly Manna ſo plentifully about our Tents; he gives us Promiſes, ſuch as the greateſt Kings upon Earth cannot make, and make good to their greateſt Favourites, as of his Spirit, his Graces, his Son, and his Glory: And is all this nothing? Shall we foſter ſin in our Boſom, that hinders us in the Enjoyment of thoſe promiſed Bleſſings, and expoſe us to the wrath of God, and the everlaſting Deſtruction of Soul and Body, and expoſe us alſo to all Miſeries Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal? God forbid. Well, we cannot make our Peace with God, till we break our League with Sin; and if God be our Enemy, (and our Enemy he will be if we are at Peace with Sin) then we may expect he will treat us as Enemies. Well may we fear that every bit of Bread we eat, will choak us, and every drop of Drink we drink, may be our bane, and that every Creature may wait for a Commiſſion to end our days; that the Floods may drown us, as they did the Old World, or the Fire conſume us, as Sodom, or the Earth ſwallow us up, as Korah and his Complices, or the greateſt Judgments that ever we read fell upon Mortal Man, may be our Portion. Oh, what need had we then to leave ſorrowing for other things, and turn all our Tears into the right Channel, that it may drown our ſins, that expoſe us to theſe Miſeries and Miſchiefs.

5. Nay, but this is not all, for Eternal Death as well as Spiritual and Temporal is the Reward of Sin, the everlaſting ſeparation of Soul and Body from God, which is called, The ſecond Death; and this is far greater than all the Miſeries before p. 80mentioned; for if the ſinner be not reconciled to God, (which cannot be before ſin be mortified) he ſhall be caſt into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, Rev. 21.8. This is the Natural Fruit and Effect of every beloved ſin, even the everlaſting Damnation of Body and Soul; a thouſand thouſand rentings of the Soul from the Body, is not comparable to one renting of the Soul from Chriſt. Sin doth that for us, that all the Men on Earth, and Devils in Hell could never do, even pull us out of the Arms of God. This threw Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradice, and Millions of Souls into Hell. This brought Death into the World, and is the very Sting of Death; and if this Sting be not taken out, it will ſting the Soul to Eternity. This imbitters our Lives (as you have heard) while we are in the World, and opens the Door to let us out of the World, and will open Hell it ſelf to let us in, and is the only bar to keep us from coming out. But if Sin were mortified, we might, with Old Simeon, depart in Peace; and with Ambroſe, ſay, I am not aſhamed to live, nor afraid to dye: And with Paul, I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt. Death without his Sting, is like Samſon without his Hair, or like the Drone-Bee without a Sting, not terrible; he may hum, but not hurt; ſtrike, but not ſting; kill a Believer, yet not hurt him; the worſt is to ſend him to his Father's Houſe the ſooner. But what is this to thoſe in whom ſin not only lives, but raigns? It will bring ſad tidings to ſuch, 'tis indeed the cauſe of all the Croſſes and croſs Providences they meet with here in this World, but brings forth far bitterer Fruit, which will not be p. 81ripe in this World, which Reprobate Wretches muſt feed upon to Eternity. Whatever we ſuffer here, we may thank Sin for it; haply we have laid ſome Creature-Comforts too near our hearts. Well, the Achan muſt be removed, or God will not be pacified: But if we dye while …in is alive, our preſent Suffering, though to the …oſs of our Relations, Wealth, Honours, Plea…ures, yea, and Life it ſelf, is but a Flea-biting …o our future Torments. Then ſin, how plea…ant ſoever it look now, will be found our greateſt Enemy. All Men in the World, and the Devil …o help them, can but kill the Body, 'tis Sin on…y that kills the Soul, and God caſts both Soul …nd Body into Hell for ſin, the loſs of which is more than the loſs of the World, Matth. 16.26. The loſs of it is incomparable and irreparable; …he Rich Glutton could not with all his Wealth Purchaſe one drop of Water to cool his tongue, Luke …6.24, &c. The Soul it ſelf is a Precious Piece, next the Angels the moſt precious that ever God made, being made in his own Image, and the greateſt and richeſt Purchaſe that ever was made, …nd coſt the greateſt Price, the Precious Blood of the Son of God: 'Tis that which is moſt like …nto God himſelf, and fitted for Communion with him, and of Enjoying him for ever. 'Tis …ndued with excellent Faculties, the Underſtand…ng, Will, Affections, Conſcience, Memory, and many more, which make a Man differ from a Beaſt, and reſemble an Angel. And for dura…ion, it runs parallel with the days of Heaven, with the longeſt times of Eternity; neither is …here any thing in the World to be compared to …, and there is nothing but ſin can hurt or p. 78duplicate page p. 79duplicate page p. 80duplicate page p. 81duplicate page p. 82wound it, and this alone makes it ſubject to Eternal Torments, and rents it out of the hands of God, and the arms of Chriſt, when nothing elſe can do it. Sin makes Men in a worſe condition than the Beaſts that periſh, which were in the Creation little lower than the Angels; the one is thrown into the Ditch, and ſo ends their Miſery, the other into Hell with the Devil and his Angels, where they are ever dying, and never able to dye; ever ſuffering thoſe inſufferable Pains, out of which is no hope of Redemption; for when they have been there as many thouſands of Years as there are Graſs-piles upon the Earth, Stars in Heaven, Sands upon the Sea-ſhore, and Hairs upon their Heads, they are never the nearer going forth, than they were the firſt day they were caſt into it; for a thouſand thouſand Millions ſubſtracted from Eternity, doth not leſſen the Account. Oh, the horrible Nature of Sin, which plucks the Soul from the Eternal Embraces of her dear Redeemer, and from thoſe Rivers of pleaſures at God's right hand for evermore, and lodges it among the Devils and the Damned in thoſe Eternal Flames to all Eternity, in thoſe Rivers of Brimſtone kindled by the Wrath of God, Iſa. 30.33. Here we may behold the deadly Fruits of Sin, and ſhall we bewail the Death of Relations, which indeed is the Fruit of Sin, and ſhall we not bewail and prevent its more deadly and dangerous Effects, when without Repentance our Souls as well as our Bodies are like Eternally to periſh?

p. 83Leſſon 2. From this Lecture of Mortality before us, is this, It may plainly ſhew us, how little good the World will do us when we have moſt need; and by this we may take a true eſtimate of its Worth, or rather of its Vanity. We uſe to ſay, that is good that will do us good, and 'tis a Friend that will help in time of need. I am ſure the World will not, cannot do it; 'tis true, if we look upon it through the Devil's Spectacles, it will look fair, and ſo will an Old Hag in her Paint and Plaiſter, but this is the way to be egregiouſly deceived; but that there is really little worth in it, obſerve with me theſe following Conſiderations.

1. Conſid. Riches, Honours, Pleaſures, or whatever elſe the World can brag of, cannot prevent Death, though ſometimes it doth haſten it: The truth of this is evidently ſeen in this Providence; for had it been a vaſt Eſtate, ſumptuous Buildings, coſtly Apparel, Men or Means, Food or Phyſick, that could have preſerved her Life, doubtleſs ſhe had not dyed; but this could neither prevent the Diſeaſe, remove it, or take away the Malignity of it: For when Death comes, (and come it will) it will neither be bribed nor baffled. Diſeaſes are God's Servants, when he bids them go, they go; and when he bids them come, they come; and what he bids them do, they do it, like the Centurion's Servant, Mat. 8.9. Contra vim mortis, non eſt medicamen in hortis. If God ſtrike, the Creature cannot heal. God hath the Keys of Life and Death at his Girdle, and our way is to go to him, and neither truſt to Phyſicians, as Aſa, or to Witches, as Saul. 'Tis he that kills, and makes alive, and brings to the p. 84gates of death, and back again, Deut. 32.39. 'Tis he that paſſed that Decree, more firm than the Laws of the Medes and Perſians, That all men ſhould once dye, and after death come to Judgment, Heb. 9.27. By force of this, your Daughter dyed, and ſo will you ere long. All that the Rich Man had, Luke 12.19, 20. could not bribe Death one Night, neither can any Man Ranſom his Brother from Death. The Rich Cardinal Beuford found it true to his ſorrow. Though Money be the greateſt Commander in the World, it will be out of Commiſſion in the World to come. Death is a perfect Leveller, it will Lodge the Poor and the Rich, the Fair and the Foul, the Young and the Old, the King and the Beggar in the ſame Bed, without Reſpect of Perſons, let the World ſay what it will to the contrary; and Happy be thoſe that are prepared, or otherwiſe it will prove but a Trap-door to Hell. Death regards not any, however dignified or diſtinguiſhed; the King then muſt leave his Robes, and the Beggar his Rags behind him; the Scull of the one retains no impreſſion of a Crown, nor of the other of his Slavery. Now, great Men are like Capital Letters, they take up more room, and be more gorgeouſly adorned and clad, commonly go before others, but ſignifie the ſame thing: So the greateſt ſignifies no more than a Man, and the meaneſt ſignifies no leſs. Or like unto Counters, ſome in the Account ſignifie Pounds, ſome Shillings, ſome Pence, and ſome leſs, but when they are in the Box, they are all of a value. So here, ſome paſs for Kings, and ſome for Peaſants, but when Death hath gotten them into his Box, the Grave, they are all alike. p. 85Yet how much need have great Men of Philip's Monitor, for they are apt to forget their Mortality? See Job 3.17, &c. Some of the wiſer Heathens have accounted Mortality a great Mercy, that poor Creatures may be freed from their Miſery: And ſo doubtleſs 'tis for thoſe that are prepared for Death, for they reſt from their Labours. The Hebrew Proverb is, That in Calvary there are Sculls of all ſorts and ſizes, Kings and Captains, Lords and Lozels; one takes no more out of the World than the other. Naked they come, and naked they ſhall go. Great Saladine had but his Shirt. Now, though Riches cannot prevent Death, yet it may haſten it. Rich Men many times are as Oxen in a fat Paſture, fitted for the Slaughter; ſometimes they are butcher'd by others for their Wealth, and many times they prove their own Butchers, and kill themſelves by Intemperance. The Sun-ſhine of Proſperity quickly ripens the Fruit of Sin, and when Sin is ripe, Ruine is ready. Bachus or Venus opens the Door for Death to enter. Now, what good will it do to have a fair Suit of Cloathes, and a Plague-ſore under it? Or a dainty Dinner with a Surfeit? How often is Intemperance, which ends in Gouts, Surfeits, Dropſies, and ſuch-like Diſeaſes, the Fruits of a Plentiful Table? Theſe open the Door of Eternity, and light them a Candle to find the way to Death: Now, theſe are Diſeaſes Riches cannot cure. Seeing therefore the World is of ſo little uſe when we have moſt need, why ſhould we ſo greedily graſp after, and ſpend ſo much time about it, as to neglect our greater Concerns, and deſpond ſo much when we meet with diſappointments? And why ſhould we ſuffer p. 86thoſe Vultures, carking Cares, to breed in, and feed upon our Hearts, and eat out all the Comfort of our Lives? What Recompence can the World make us, for all our pains, and broken ſleeps we have had upon its Account? It cannot warrant us a Comfortable Life, nor a Happy Death; nay, not one day free from pain: Let ſuch as over-greedily graſp after it, remember Solomon's words, H… … maketh haſt to be rich, cannot be innocent. And at leiſure read James 5.1, 2, &c. Luke 6.24. Yet conſider, 'tis not the having Riches, …ut the over-loving of them that is dangerous; for they are not evil of themſelves, but great Bleſſings, if not abuſed, and ſome of thoſe Talents put into our hands to be improved by us; but prove dangerous when abuſed, over-loved, or over-truſted in. But ſeeing they can neither prevent Death, nor Diſeaſes, the cauſe of Death, we ſhould not put too high a value upon them, nor take them for our Portion.

2. As the World cannot prevent Death, no more can it procure a happy Life: And why? Becauſe it cannot give Content and Satisfaction to the Enjoyer of it; and how then can our Lives be Happy, when we are not content with our Condition, and ſatisfied with our preſent Enjoyments? Content never did, nor never will grow in the World's Garden, neither can Satiſfaction be found in any thing under the Sun: If we ſeek it here, Riches will ſay, 'tis not in me; Honours, 'tis not in me; Pleaſure, 'tis not in me, &c. Can we expect the Sun in a Pail of Water? Indeed if the Sun ſhine upon the Water, we may ſee the reflexion of it, but if the Sun be clouded, all the Water in the World p. 87cannot ſhew it. When God ſhines upon us, he may be ſeen in every Creature, if not, the World cannot ſhew him: Our Earthly Enjoyments ca… do us no good, bring us no Comfort, without a Commiſſion from God; and could they ſatisfie us for the preſent, it would be but a miſerable Portion, yea, a great Judgment; for what ſhould we do at Death, when they leave us? God did never give us theſe for our Portion, but only a… a Viaticum in our Journey. Our deceitful Hearts haply may promiſe Content, had we an Hundred Pounds per Annum, but they will deceive us, for our deſires would be enlarged from an Hundred to a Thouſand, and ſo in infinitum, till Kingdoms, yea, the World would be too little for us, as it was to Alexander. Covetous Men have a dry Dropſie, the more they have, the more they thirſt. Theocritus brings in the Cove-Man wiſhing he had a Thouſand Sheep, when this wiſh was obtained, he cries out, Pauperis eſt numerare pecus, 'Tis but a Poor Man that is able to number his Cattel. And 'tis no wonder, He that loveth ſilver, ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver. The World is of too baſe a Birth and Breeding to give the Soul content, for two things are requiſite to Satisfaction, and both of thoſe are wanting; there muſt be Proportion, and Propriety; but what proportion is there between a Piece of Gold and an Immortal Soul? It can neither feed it, nor cloath it, nor make it better. And for Propriety, this alſo is loſt by the Fall; that which we call our own, is but lent us, and we muſt be Accountable for it: And 'tis vain alſo, for what Satisfaction can an Hungry Man take in a Pebble, or a Thirſty Man in a p. 88dry Pumice-ſtone? What Satisfaction had Haman in his Riches, Honours, or Preferments, without Mordecai's bow, or Ahab's Kingdom, without Nabath's Vineyard? Something is ſtill out of Order, ſome ſtring or other out of Tune, that mar…s the Muſick. And no wonder Content is not to be found here, for God himſelf could not find Adam a help meet for him. If we could turn a heap of Diamonds into a Spiritual ſubſtance, then it might bear ſome proportion to the Soul, which is a Spirit, but except we could change it into God, the work would not be done, for none but God can make the Soul happy. Theſe Earthly things are far worſe than the Body, how then can they be a fit Match for the Soul? Gold and Silver, Gemms and Jewels, are but the Garbadge of the Earth, they ſeldom make bad Men good, or good Men better, but oft-times they make both worſe; they ſeldom procure Content, for the deſire enlarges with the Eſtate, as the Iſraelites Shooes did in the Wilderneſs with their Feet. Solomon could had nothing in them but Vanity and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 1.14. They are like Smoak, they wring Tears from the Eyes; but draw not Sorrow from the Heart; or like Thorns, the faſter they are graſped, the deeper they wound: If God ſmile upon us, they may bring us ſome Comfort, if not, all the Gold in the Indies will do us no good, for this Coin is not currant in another World; we may as well ſatisfie an empty Stomack with Air, as a Covetous Man with Gold; for the more Wood we lay upon the Fire, the more furiouſly it burns; a Ship may ſink under its Burden, before it be half full; and many p. 89Men have enough to ſink them, that have not half to ſatisfie them. Content is one main Ingredient of Happineſs, but till we have God, we cannot have it. Croeſus's Wealth, Alexander's Crowns, Heliogabalus his Pleaſures, fall ſhort of Happineſs, or Satisfaction, yet many are filling bottomleſs-tubs, and rolling Syſiphus his Stone, and have Tityus his Vulture gnawing in their Breaſt; thoſe that have much of the World, have uſually much trouble with it, and ſometimes God ſpoils all the Sport, by throwing ſome handfuls of Hell-fire into the Conſcience. Reader, waſt thou ever upon thy ſick Bed, and received the Sentence of Death within thee? What warming Comforts did the World then afford thee? Nay, hath not ſometimes a pinching Pang of the Cholick, Gout, Strangury, or the raging pain of an aking Tooth, put thee by all the Comforts the World can afford? And why then ſhall we ſo much doat upon it, that can do us ſo little good when we have moſt need? Till we can fill our Barns with Grace, and our Bags with Glory, and extract Heaven out of the Earth, and God out of the Creature, we muſt never expect Satisfaction in any Earthly Enjoyment, I know Riches of themſelves are the good Gifts of God, but become Snares, when they are over-loved, and truſted in; 'tis not the having them, but the over-loving them is dangerous; they often prove the occaſion of Pride, Luxury, Tyranny, Oppreſſion, &c. The World muſt have the Head, and the Hand, but God muſt have the Heart. Set the World in its own place, and there is no danger; ſend it before us to Heaven, and it will be made up into a Crown for us. Cornelius's Prayers p. 90and Alms came up for a Memorial before God, Acts 10.4. This is the way to make Friends with the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, and at the laſt day Sentence will paſs upon us accordingly. Yet are there too many Profeſſors that doat upon the World as much as ever Jonah did upon his Gourd, or the Athenians on Diana's Temple But theſe things are nec vera nec veſtra, they are worth little; and if they were, they have another Maſter: But there are Riches of another Nature, which nec prodi, nec perdi, nec ſurrepi poſſunt, none can deprive us of them; Bags that wax not old, a Treaſure in the Heavens, that fadeth not away. A Beggar is an unſuitable Match for a Prince, much more a bruit Beaſt; but 'tis a far more unſuitable Match for an Immortal Soul to be eſpouſed to a Wedge of Gold. When the Moon is at the Full 'tis fartheſt from the Sun, and neareſt to an Eclipſe. If the Heart be full of the World, there is no room for Chriſt; every Good is not ſuitable for every Nature, 'tis not Natural to a Man to live under Water, nor for a Fiſh to live on the dry Ground. Kingdoms may promiſe Content to carnal Hearts, but a Gracious Man cannot take up with ſuch poor things: One Dram of Grace will prove a better Portion than the World affords.

3. As theſe Earthly things are unſatisfying, ſo they are uncertain; and this is a certain demonſtration of their Vanity: For had we never ſo much of them, what avails it when we know not whether we ſhall enjoy them one day to an end? A Kingdom would give us little content, did we certainly know we ſhould loſe it at the Month's end, and our Lives with it; yea, Heaven p. 91it ſelf would yield us little content, did we know we ſhould enjoy it only a Thouſand Years, and then be caſt into Eternal Torments; the thoughts of leaving it would take away all Pleaſure of Enjoying it, and would be a Hell in the midſt of Heaven. Now, all theſe Earthly Enjoyments will be ſtript from us at Death, haply ſooner, and our Death cannot be far off, and why ſhould we doat ſo much upon them? Many Thouſands in our Age have been Rich o're Night, and Poor ere Morning? Witneſs France, Ireland, Germany, Savoy, and many others. Thus it was with Job, one day (for ought we know) ſaw him the greateſt Man in all the Eaſt, and Poor, even to a Proverb. The uncertainty of theſe Earthly Enjoyments, is one of the greateſt Vanities that is writ upon them, how then can they be a ſuitable Portion for the Soul, which runs parallel with the longeſt line of Eternity? What will become of the Immortal Soul, when the Portion is ſpent? Why do Men make ſo much haſt to climb the Ladder of Promotion, ſeeing ſo many break their Necks ere they get to the top? Haman may witneſs this; for King's Favourites ſtand but in ſlippery places, one day he glories in his Enjoyments, and the next day is hanging on the Gallows he made for another, Eſther 5.11, &c. and 7.10. Ahithophel, one day his words were eſteemed as Oracles, and preſently after falling into Diſgrace, he hanged himſelf. This Age may produce many Examples to this purpoſe. Sometimes the great Ones of the World hardly obtain a decent Funeral, and what a condition is the Soul in that took the World for a Portion, when the Body is neglected, judge you? Angels cannot p. 92help them, nor the Saints in Heaven, if they were willing, and then ſure nothing upon the Earth can do it. The thoughts of fore-paſt Pleaſures, Honours, or Treaſures, will give little eaſe to preſent Dolours, and the Wrath of God. It was ſmall comfort that Abraham gave to the Rich Glutton, Son, remember in thy life-time thou hadst pleaſure, and Lazarus pain, now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. When pale-fac'd Death, like Belſhazzar's Hand-writing, ſhall enter our Lodging, to Arreſt us to appear before God in Judgment, before we have evened our Accounts, it will make our Joints to tremble, and our Knees ſmite one againſt another. What will the World do for us then at Judgment? They will prove miſerable Comforters, when the Earth, and all the works therein, ſhall be burnt up, where then is your confidence? Now many love Gold more than God, and Money is preferred before Mercy. Now, Paul calls this Idolatry, Col. 3.5. And James calls i… Adultery, James 4.4. But this will prove like Achan's Wedge to cleave the Soul aſunder, or like his Babyloniſh Garment, ſerve for a Winding-ſheet. Riches at the beſt are deceitful, like Winter-brooks, dry in Summer; or like Job's Friends, miſerable Comforters. I have read of Fiſh in the River Araris, which change colour with the Moon; when 'tis at the Full, they are white, when in the Wane, black. Thus the World doth by us, when we want not, it ſmiles upon us, but when need is, it looks of another colour. There is no more proportion between this imaginary Felicity that the World doats up…n, and true Happineſs, than between painted Fire on the Wall, and true Fire; or p. 93between a King upon the Stage, and a King upon the Throne; or between a liveleſs Carkaſs, and a living Man. In the midſt of all our Enjoyments one hour's tormenting pain ſpoils all the Sport. At Death Riches take themſelves wings and flye away, and on whoſe Tree they will rooſt we know not. We uſually call Riches Subſtance, when 'tis but really a Shadow, an empty Nothing; if we look upon it through the Devil's bewitching Spectacles, it ſeems gilded; 'tis like the Serpent Scytale, of whom 'tis ſaid, ſhe allureth Beaſts to her by her beautiful Colours, and ſtings them to death. This made Paul be crucified to the world, and David as a weaned child. The World is but a blaze at beſt, but many times proves an Ignis Fatuus, which leads moſt Men out of the way; the beſt Account Solomon could give of it was, 'Tis vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Yet many load themſelves with thick Clay, but Death will unload them, and cover them with common Earth. Great Men a while diſturb the World, and graſp at Crowns and Kingdoms, but now Alexander's Aſhes are contained in a little Urn; they are in the World as a Gueſt in an Inn, for a Night; they ſit at the upper end of the Table, fare of the beſt, lye in the beſt Bed, but in the Morning they have moſt to pay. We are in a Journey to Heaven, let us not fall in Love with what we ſee in our way, or ſit down at the Stile, or Bridge. Let us uſe the world, as a Traveller doth his Staff, keep it, or throw it away, as it helps or hinders us. If Riches increaſe, let us not ſet our hearts upon them, neither think our ſelves much the better or ſafer for them, for we know not what World we may p. 94Lodge in the next Night, or whether our Money there will be currant Coin. 'Tis all one at Death whether we have little or much, the Poor are as nigh to Heaven then as the Rich, and ſometimes better prepared. Riches are uncertain at the beſt, to the Poſſeſſors, like the Sea, ſometimes there is a Storm, ſometimes a Calm; ſometimes it ebbs, and ſometimes flows. They are like Winter Weather, very variable; we ſee ſometimes in the Clouds like Towers and Caſtles in the Air, but a blaſt of Wind comes and they are daſht into another form, for they wanted a Foundation, and ſo do many Men for their great Hopes: The Devil eaſily blows up ſuch blubs in proud Men's hearts, yea, ſuch Tumours are apt to riſe of themſelves. 'Tis obſerved that a Sick Man, a Covetous Man, and a Diſcontented Man cannot take Pleaſure in their Enjoyments; ſtill there is ſomething wanting to give content. Job was a Rich Man, but his Heart did not cling to his Riches, we ſee how patiently he ſuffered the loſs of all; He made not gold his hope, neither ſaid unto the fine gold, Thou art my confidence, &c. Job 31.24, &c. Riches make no great difference among Men, the Wether that bears the Bell, haply may be a little better cloathed, and fatter than the reſt, but is a Sheep ſtill, and little the better for the Bell. Should the Devil not only ſhew us, but alſo give us all the Glory of the World, 'tis not much worth; theſe are but Thorns that choak the Word, and make it unfruitful, the harder we graſp them, the deeper they wound us, and ere long will be wrung out of our Arms; we can find little Honey, but many Stings. But in Heaven there is Pleaſure without Pain, and p. 95Treaſure which cannot be exhauſted. A Heart in Heaven is one of our ſureſt Evidences for Heaven; and a Heart ſet upon the Earth, the ſaddeſt Symptom of a Wicked Man; For where your treaſure is, there will your hearts be alſo. Thoſe that are Friends to the World, are Enemies to God, James 4.4. And though we expect a Paradice, it will prove but a Bochim, a place of Lamentation.

4. As the World can give little Content and Satisfaction to a Man, ſo it can do us little or no good in our great concerns here or hereafter; it can do little for the Body, and leſs for the Soul: I know the former eſpecially will ſeem a Paradox to many, who look upon Riches as the only Happineſs, and hate Poverty more than the Devil, and fear it more than Hell. But conſider, Gold cannot nouriſh us, nor keep us warm, both which are neceſſary to our well-being; we have read of ſome that have been famiſhed to Death amidſt infinite Treaſures. But it will be objected, it will buy us Food and Raiment; 'tis true, but Food cannot nouriſh, nor Cloathes keep warm, without a Commiſſion from God, and he can do it without them, as in Moſes, Elijah, and our Saviour Chriſt; neither can they prevent Pain, nor ſupport us under it: If they could, ſo many Rich Men would not labour under ſuch Tormenting Diſtempers, as the Gout, Cholick, Stone, Strangury, &c. as they do; and uſually Rich Men groan under ſuch Diſtempers moſt, and Riches cauſes them more than cures them: Yea, the raging pain of an aking Tooth, puts Rich Men as well as the Poor out of Humour, and all their Riches cannot eaſe them; the Oyl p. 90duplicate page p. 91duplicate page p. 88duplicate page p. 89duplicate page p. 90duplicate page p. 91duplicate page p. 92duplicate page p. 93duplicate page p. 94duplicate page p. 95duplicate page p. 96of Angels can do them no good againſt the Plague or Peſtilence, or Peſtilentious Diſeaſes, Fevers, Small-Pox, Conſumptions, Surfeits, and ſuch like; Riches are neither preventing, removing, or ſupporting Phyſick: Yea, Death enters into the Courts of Kings, as well as the Cottages of Peaſants, or the Beggar's Cell. The Poor Man's Diet feeds him as well as the Rich Man's Dainties; as Daniel's Pulſe and Water did him and his Fellows, as well as Court-Junkets did the other; yea, they are as warm in their Rags as others are in their Robes: Yea, we oft-times find that Surfeits and nauceating Stomacks, are the Fruits and Effects of Plentiful Tables. As to the true and Primitive uſe of Cloathes, viz. to cover our Nakedneſs, and to diſtinguiſh the Sex, a Ruſſet Coat may ſerve as well as a Velvet Gown, or Sattin Suit. The Poor Man ſleeps as ſoundly upon his hard Bed as the Rich upon his Bed of Down. The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet, whether he eat little or much, Eccleſ. 5.12. 'Tis true, his Fare is not ſo coſtly, neither are his Cares ſo great, but he can take his Reſt without Diſtemper or Diſtraction, while his Rich Neighbour, his reſtleſs Spirit, and carking Cares, read him nightly Lectures upon his Bed. I have read of Anacron, who when he was Poor was Merry and Jocund, which was obſerved by a Rich Neighbour, who ſent him two Talents, which when he had, his care to keep it, and his fears of loſing it, ſo diſtracted his Mind, that he could not ſleep, which after a while he obſerved, ſent back the Money, and was as Merry as before. Solomon tells us, He that maketh haſt to be rich, ſhall not be innocent. And no wonder if with Gold Men get p. 97Guilt, if God throws ſometimes ſome handfuls of Hell-fire into their Conſciences, and ſpoils all the Sport. In a word, many that eat their Bread in the ſweat of their brows, and are clad in their comely Ruſſet, have their Health as well, many times better than our Idle Gallants, that fare deliciouſly every day, and are cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen, in whom the Effects of Drinking and Drabbing do daily appear; and if ſuch like Debaucheries ſet an end to their Happineſs, and to their Lives alſo, what wonder now, if the World can do ſo little for the Body, then much leſs can it do for the Soul, for few bad Men are made good by it, and few good Men better; Men are never the better for Riches or Honour in God's Eſteem, many times the worſe, if they abuſe their Talents. Indeed the Papiſts Doctrine of Purgatory, Pardons, and Indulgences, if true, which they can never prove, give the Rich a very great advantage over the Poor; for though they dance with the Devil all Day, yet for a little Money they may ſup with Chriſt at Night; or do the Devil's Work, and receive Chriſt's Wages; but a wonder then that ſo many Woes are denounced againſt the Rich, and ſo many Bleſſings to the Poor: And ſure the Rich Glutton did not underſtand this Doctrine, nay, not in Hell, for then he would have ſent Lazarus to have told his Brethren which way to have prevented Hell, and Purgatory alſo, by Pardons, Indulgences, Maſſes, &c. But this Doctrine was brewed and broached long after this, or elſe Chriſt would not have let his Apoſtles want Money to bring them out of Purgatory, for doubtleſs they had ſome Venial Sins as well as others. Beſides p. 98this, Men want many things to make them happy, which are not ſold in the World's Shop, Gold tryed in the fire, white Rayment, ſpiritual Eye-ſalve, Rev. 3.18. The World deals not in ſuch Merchandize, they muſt be bought of Chriſt, for whoever thinks they are to be had elſewhere, will find his miſtake. The Image of God we have loſt in the Fall, the World cannot reſtore it; we are by Nature Enemies to God, the World cannot reconcile us; 'tis not thouſands of Rams, nor ten thouſand rivers of Oyl will do it, Micah 6.7. The World is too thin a Garment to keep off the ſhowers of Divine Vengeance; we have ſins to Pardon, and none can forgive ſins but God, let the Pope ſay what he will to the contrary. The Queſtion at laſt will not be, What Gold we have, but what Grace we have? 'Tis not a Purple Robe, but the Robes of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs; 'tis not every Spot, but the Spot of God's People; not a ſpotted Face, but Chriſt's Sheep-mark will procure us a ſtation on the right hand of Chriſt. We have many Spiritual Maladies, and Chriſt alone muſt be our Phyſician, and his Blood the only Potion; none but he can bind up the broken Heart, and ſpeak Peace to the troubled Conſcience. We are by Nature Slaves to Satan, and the World, were it ſold to the worth of it, cannot Redeem one Soul out of his Bondage; the World indeed are the Fetters that faſten us to him, but cannot looſe us, and theſe are the Toys he allures us with, as Children are with Rattles, to be content in our Slavery. We are by Nature ſtrangers to God, and 'tis by the Blood of Chriſt, not the World's Wealth, we are brought home, Epheſ. 2.13. We want Comfort, and 'tis the p. 99Spirit that is the Comforter. In our Spiritual wants we can have no ſupply, in our Diſtempers of Soul no help, at our Death no comfort from the World; it never did us much good, but at Death and Judgment can do us none, as many have too ſadly experienced. When we are lanching forth into the infinite Ocean of Eternity, and look back upon the World which we have loved and truſted in for help, we ſhall find our ſelves miſerably cheated; the thoughts then of former Enjoyments will bring us little Delight, eſpecially if we think of the after-reckoning, and that our eaten Bread is not forgotten, and our Silks and Sattins unpaid for. When the Bridegroom comes, the World cannot ſupply us with Oyl, 'tis not to be Sold in this Market; neither with a Wedding-garment: It muſt be the Oyl of Grace, and the Robes of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and the Jewels of his Graces muſt do our work; and this is our Miſery, all our Riches then will not pay the Debts it hath contracted, nor undo the Bonds it hath tyed. The World always ſhews moſt love where there is leaſt need, and yields us no help at the greateſt neceſſity. This may ſuppreſs our over-eager deſire after it; for if we would moil and toil, let it be in a more Fruitful Soil. Do not the Poor paſs through this Life as comfortably as the Rich, and ſometimes with more content? And think with Galeacius, All the Wealth in the World is not worth one day's Communion with God, and that may be had in the Cottage as well as in the Court. Many Treaſure up Riches, and it proves like Snow-drifts, the Sun ſhines upon it, and it melts away, and reaches not to Eternity. But there are durable Riches, p. 200other Riches before the cold Grave have their Bodies, hot Tophet hath their Souls, and their Wealth cannot ſave them; and thoſe that could never have enough, have there Fire enough. 'Tis a ſad miſtake to think Riches, Honours, and Carnal Delights, are the only Happineſs, for then Chriſt and his Apoſtles and followers had been moſt unhappy; for Silver and Gold they had none, no, not to pay Tribute. The Scripture meaſures not a Man's Happineſs by the multitude of his Riches, for ſuch may be deſtitute of Grace, and ſo is ſtill Poor in the midſt of Plenty. Who is it that would have a filthy Itch upon him for the pleaſure he takes in ſcratching? Such is an immoderate deſire after the World. Yet conſider, 'tis not the having an Eſtate, but the over-greedy deſire of it, and the over-loving it, makes it dangerous; for a Man may make friends with the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs for his own advantage, if he improve it well, and lay it not too near his Heart. 'Tis bad putting the Poor's part into a Child's Portion, 'tis better leave a Child a Bag to beg with, than ill-gotten Goods to make up his Portion.

5. As the Benefit the World affords here or hereafter is not great, ſo the Danger it expoſeth us to here and hereafter, is not ſmall; which, did our greedy Miſers well conſider, they would not ſo greedily graſp after it: For Riches are like Thorns, the faſter they are hug'd, the deeper they wound; yea, many times pierce to the very Heart. Of theſe Worldly things the Devil makes his choiceſt Baits when he fiſhes for Souls, and moſt Men will be nibling at them. He is like a cunning Fowler, he ſtands behind the Buſh p. 201when he expoſeth his Baits to our view, but 'tis hard ſometimes to ſee the Hand that holds it; he ſuits his Baits to the inclination of every Perſon; he hath a Companion for the Drunkard, a Delilah for Samſon, a wedge of Gold for Achan, Honour for Haman, the World for Demas, and Money for Judas; yea, ſo confident is he that thoſe Baits will take, that All this will I give thee, he thought ſufficient to take with Chriſt himſelf; and there is but a very few eſcape him, the moſt are lull'd aſleep with thoſe Syren Songs, and it had need be a cunning Ulyſſes that eſcapes the dangers. Very many Profeſſors of Religion are led Captive, and their Affections growing warm upon the World, they grow cold upon God, for they cannot ſerve two ſuch Maſters. Who almoſt can eſcape blinding, when the duſt of Gold is blown into their Eyes? But if theſe Promiſes ſucceed not, the Devil and the World have other Weapons at hand; Threatnings, Menaces, Mocks, Scorns, Perſecutions, Priſons, Gallows, Fire, and Faggot, or if need be, more horrible Tortures and Torments, and were it in their power, Hell it ſelf ſhould not be wanting, (but God keeps the Keys of Heaven and Hell in his own hands, let the Pope ſay what he will to the contrary.) If Nebuchadnezzar's Muſick will not allure, he hath a fiery Furnace to terrifie. Oh, vain World! how great an Enemy haſt thou been to thoſe that loved thee beſt, and truſted thee moſt? How many have bewailed upon their Death-bed, the time they have waſted in thy Service, and how they neglected their great Concerns to hunt Butter-flies, and miſtook Earth for Heaven, and the Creature for God, and all this while ſought Honey p. 102in a Waſp's Neſt, and Content where it never yet was found? A Kingdom cannot content Ahab without the addition of Naboth's Vineyard, nor that neither. Many think their Burden is never heavy enough. Miniſters that have two Steeples upon their backs, would have an addition; and one Kingdom is not enough for one Man: But one abuſed Talent will be found heavy enough in the Reckoning, and will ſink him down into outward Darkneſs, Matth. 25.30. It will be a ſad thought in Hell to think what a bad Bargain they made, when they ſold their Souls, their God, their Heaven, and their Happineſs, for thoſe tranſitory, deceitful, fading, gilded Nothings, which they had in the exchange.

The World deals by the Soul, as by the Body; Riches oft makes the Body ſo Nice, it cannot endure Hardſhip, but it takes Cold; and 'tis much ado to converſe with the World, and not have our Affections cool as to Heaven. Froſt and Snow are good for the Seed, though the Flowers like it not. The Devil lays ſo many Snares in the way, that he prevails with the moſt to abuſe their Talents, to future their Repentance, and fool away their Salvation; and ſuch duſt-heaps are in every corner. The World may and muſt be uſed; but abuſe it we muſt not, and abuſed it is when it promotes Pride, Luxury, Gluttony, or Drunkenneſs, Sloth or Idleneſs, Chambering or Wantonneſs, Cruelty or Oppreſſion, or any other Luſt of the Fleſh; but of ſuch Servants that abuſe their Talents the World is full, and Hell alſo; but their Glaſs will be run out, when they think 'tis but newly turned; and their p. 103Maſter will come before they expect him, and give them a Reward. Proſperity doth not at all facilitate the work of Converſion, but frequently doth retard it. 'Tis hard for Rich Men to be crucified to the World, and the World to them; and therefore Chriſt in his time obſerved that it were the Poor that received the Goſpel; and the Apoſtle tells us, not many great men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. And many woes are denounced againſt the Rich upon this Account; they lye under more Temptations than others do, and had need of a great meaſure of Grace to withſtand them, and Self-denyal to reſiſt them. Many in a low Condition have ſtrained at Gnats, who, when Promotion comes, have ſwallowed Camels: See this in Hazael. I know Poverty hath its Temptations alſo, and therefore Agur prays againſt Poverty and Riches. An Eſtate too big is as troubleſome as one too little, as a Shooe too big is uneaſie. A ſmall Ship in a Storm can thruſt into a little Creek or Harbour, where a great one cannot ride. He that is on the top of the Ladder of Promotion, will have a worſe fall if his Foot ſlip, than he that ſtands on the Ground. 'Tis not the greatneſs of the Cage that makes the Bird ſing, nor the greateſt Eſtate that makes a Man always moſt content; but the Piece that God cuts us, and the Portion he gives us, is doubtleſs beſt for us, whatever our …urmuring Hearts ſay to the contrary. The Grain of Riches oft breeds the Vermin of Pride, Luxury, and Senſuality; thoſe that are full fed, oft wax wanton, and are oft dipping in the Devil's Sauce. Riches are ſuch blocks in Heaven's way, that many oft-times p. 204ſtumble at them, and never riſe again. The Ruler, Luke 8.18. cheapen Heaven, but when he knew the rate, he went away without it. Hence 'tis Rich Men hardly go to Heaven, they have a Clog at their heels. Self-denyal to great Perſons is not eaſie, and where it is, the Croſs is not difficult. Rich Men's ſhoulders are too tender to bear a heavy Burden; but there is ſeldom any paſſage à deliciis ad delicias, à Coeno ad Coelum, we cannot receive Chriſt's Wages for doing the Devil's Work; no leaping out of Delilah's Lap into Abraham's Boſom; there are but a few Stars of the Firſt Magnitude ſhine in this Hemiſphere, yet ſome there are. 'Tis not the having Riches, but the loving them, that is dangerous; not the uſing the World, but the abuſing it, that is forbidden; 'tis he that maketh haſt to be rich, that cannot be innocent, Prov. 28.20. Many Rich Men are like Children, that having both their Hands and their Mouths full of Meat, yet will part with none; but the Poor Man's Box would be their ſafeſt Repoſitory, for that is not given but lent to the Lord, when what is kept will be loſt. The Vertigo is not ſo dangerous to thoſe that ſtand low, as to thoſe that climb high. Many Men have their Heads turned by too much Drink, never by too little; and many a Man ſells his Soul for Riches, never for Poverty; Riches are the thorns that choak the Word, and 'tis hard handling thoſe Thorns, and not be prickt by them. Now, if they are ſo uncertain, and of ſo little uſe, why ſhould our Affections run out ſo immoderately upon them? Great Men 'tis true, make a great ſtir and bluſter in the World for a ſeaſon, and then their Place ſhall know them no more, p. 205and their Wealth and Honours ſhall be left behind, Sic tranſit gloria mundi. Time with his Sithe moweth down as well the Lillies of the Crown, as the Graſs of the Field: Every days Experience checketh the fond conceit of Immortality, when many of our Youthful Gallants drop into their Graves before they are aware, as Men in a Snow drop into a Pit before they ſee it; and except Repentance prevent it, their Souls will lye in Hell, as Grapes in a Wine-preſs, or Pickled Herrings in a Barrel, (as one ſaith) or as Lime-ſtones or Tiles in a Kiln to be burnt. The greateſt Men are but as Paſſengers in an Inn, the Goods they enjoy are but lent them for a Night, and they may ſay of them, as the Prophet of his Ax, Alas, Maſter, for it is borrowed. We ſhould uſe theſe things as a Traveller doth his Staff, which he keeps or throws away, as it proves a help or an hindrance to him. When we go to Bed, we know not but we may wake in Eternity next Morning, and then whoſe are theſe? We ſhould think never the better of our ſelves, neither think we are the ſafer for them, for they cannot better or ſecure us; for what World we ſhall be in to Morrow we know not, and then it will not be much to us whether we leave Poverty or Riches behind us. Riches may make us more unwilling, often more unfit to dye: They are like to Winter Weather, variable and uncertain; or like the Sea, ebbing and flowing; a double uncertainty always accompanies them; they may be taken from us, or we from them; ſometimes our hopes are great, and then ſoon daſh'd: Yet how ſoon can the Devil blow up the bubble of Pride with the wind of Vain-glory? p. 204duplicate page p. 205duplicate page p. 106'Tis obſerved that a Covetous Man, a Sick Man, and a Diſcontented Man, though they poſſeſs much, yet can enjoy nothing; when a Believer, though he poſſeſs little, yet he enjoys all things, 2 Cor. 6.10. A Covetous Man cannot be Rich, nor a contented Man Poor; thoſe that have God for their Portion, want nothing; and thoſe that have not, have nothing that is truly neceſſary. If we ſearch the World from end to end, we cannot find Happineſs in it; and therefore in the loſs of all Job was content, as knowing his Redeemer lived, and then his Happineſs was not loſt. In the World we find a little Honey, and many Stings; a little bitter-ſweet Pleaſure, and much Pain; but in Heaven there is Treaſure worth the enjoying, And rivers of pleaſures at God's right hand for evermore. And a Heart in Heaven would be a good Evidence for Heaven; if we love Pleaſure, we ſhall enter into our Maſter's Joy; here Pleaſure will be without mixture, meaſure, or end; if Riches be deſirable, here are true Treaſures; if we ſell all to buy this Pearl, we make a good Bargain; here we may have Wine and Milk without money, and without price; here is no danger of coveting too much, the more we covet, the more we ſhall have; a true deſire is the required condition of Enjoyment; the better we love Heaven, the better God loves us: We are in continual danger of loſing the the things of the World, but Heaven cannot be loſt if once made ſure. In a word, the World daily expoſeth us to the wrath of God, and the pains of Hell, and the loſs of Heaven. See then, all theſe things conſidered, whether the World be of ſo much worth, as 'tis uſually taken to be, and whether p. 107it be worth the Care, Induſtry, Pains, and Diligence we uſually beſtow upon it.

Leſſon 3. The ſhortneſs of your Daughter's Life, the ſuddenneſs and unexpectedneſs of her Death, teach us alſo the worth of Grace, and the neceſſity of a good Conſcience; for theſe are the neceſſary Qualifications to fit us for Death, and to give us an Intereſt in Glory: We know neither the day nor the hour when our Lord and Maſter cometh, and woe to us if we are found unprepared. This Oyl muſt not be wanting when the Bridegroom comes, nor the Wedding-Garment at the Marriage-Supper. If a bare Profeſſion of Religion would ſerve turn for Salvation, then Chriſt's Flock would not be a little one; but many are called, but few are choſen. There are many in the World, that, like Uriah, carry Letters with them of their own Condemnation. For if Religion be not good, why do they Profeſs it? If it be, why do they not Practice it? The Lamps of Profeſſion without the Oyl of Grace, will not ſerve turn; 'tis but ſparks of their own kindling, and notwithſtanding theſe, they will lye down in ſorrow, Iſa. 50.11. Chriſt muſt be apprehended by Faith, and honoured by a Holy Life, by all thoſe that ſhall enjoy him: He came to ſave us from ſin, as well as from Hell, and never changeth the Relation, but he changeth the Nature and Diſpoſition alſo; and is the Author of Sanctification, as well as of Juſtification, Rom. 8.30. For this Golden Chain cannot be broken: There is nothing but the Life of Grace, and the Death of Sin, can make us fit for the Life of Glory; for if Sin dye not before us, we muſt dye eternally. Now, we know not whether p. 208we have a day to live, or what may be in the Womb of the next Morning; and is it not then time to look about us, whether we are prepared to dye or no? We uſually prepare for a Journey before hand, eſpecially if it be long; and for a Fair or Market, before it comes. The Souldier will not Encounter his Enemy without his Armour; and dare we grapple with Death unprepared, who is the King of Terrors, and a Terror to Kings? We have not Fleſh and Blood to wraſtle with, but Principalities and Powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes in high places, Epheſ. 6.11, 12. And 'tis a thouſand times better to meet an Enemy without Armour, than Death without Grace. Now, this is our time to get Grace, and we know not how ſoon the Market will be over, and Night come, when no man can work. Upon this little Inch of Time depends Eternity, our Everlaſting well as ill Being. The greateſt Weights hang upon the ſmalleſt Wyers. Grace, though it cannot p…event Death, yet it ſweetens it, and ſteels the Heart againſt the dint of it; this made Old Simeon ſing that Swan-like Song, Luke 2.29. Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, &c. And Paul, deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt. And though Grace now be diſreſpected, it will prove the beſt Flower in the Garland, and the moſt Orient Pearl in the Crown. This is the Key that muſt let us into Heaven, when the World will prove a Bar to keep us out; it will prove a Comfort at Death, when the World will prove but Vexation. Grace and Peace were the choiceſt Jewels the Apoſtle could wiſh to thoſe he loved, Heb. 3.25. 1 Pet. 1.2. Riches, Honours, and Pleaſures are not of p. 209ſo great a value, but others are not of this mind. The pleaſed Face of God cannot be ſeen but in this Mirrour; when all other things vaniſh into ſmoak, this will endure; this fetches Water from the Fountain, Light and Heat from the Sun, and all that good is comes in at this Door. Sin is the only Make-bate between God and the Soul, and Grace the Reconciler. Now, that I may ſhew you ſomething of the worth of Grace, and the Neceſſity of it, I beſeech you obſerve well theſe following Conſiderations.