A Sovereign Antidote Against the Fear of Death, Tract · Meditation 5
MEDITAT. V. The World is not deſirable to a Chriſtian.
OH my Soul, why art thou deſirous to ſtay in the World? and why ſo unwilling to go to thy Father? The time was when thou waſt otherwiſe minded; thou lookedſt upon it as Bochim, a place of tears, a Golgotha, an unlovely habitation: thou waſt not willing to dwell in Meſeck, and in the tents of Kedar; thy affections did like fire mount upward; and what Load-ſtone haſt now to draw thee back? thou waſt at a point with all things under the Sun, and didſt wear the World about thee as a looſe garment ready to caſt off upon all occaſions, and doſt now ſpit upon thy hands and take better hold? doſt now ſet up thy Staff, and with Peter ſay, 'tis good being here? Art now beginning to build Tabernacles here, and ſlight that houſe not made with hands, but eternal in the Heavens? thou didſt conclude with Solomon, Eccleſ. 1.14.All is Vanity and vexation of ſpirit, and now at laſt haſt found ſome ſolidity? 2 Pet. 2.22.art thou now returnining with the dog to his Vomit, and the waſhed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire? are the Scales of ignorance now fallen from thine eyes, and doſt thou ſee ſome excellency in the worlds enjoyments, that before were hid from thee? take heed leſt thou ſee through the Devils Spectacles, for theſe may deceive thee. Is the world now become a Pearle in thine eye, that thou deſpiſeſt that Pearl of great price? be not deceived, it will not prove a true Diamond, but a Briſtow Stone. Art thou now ready with Cardinal Burbon to ſay, thou wilt not leave thy part in Paris for a part in Paradice? conſider well what thou doſt before thou ſtrike up the bargain, and take the world for thy portion; take a view of it again, and ſee it in its own dreſs, and not in the Devils paint and colours, or in his Glaſs: hadſt thou indeed rather be abſent from the Lord than from the World, and doth it yield thee better delight and ſatisfaction? Well, and will it do ſo at death alſo? where will thy portion be, 2 Pet. 3.10.when the earth and all the works therein ſhall be burnt up? give not Chriſt a bill of divorce till thou art ſure of a better match: will the World content thee here and hereafter? what proviſion can it make for thee for hereafter? if this be all thou takeſt for thy portion, then no wonder thou art loth to leave it; for where the treaſure is, there will the heart be alſo. Hadſt thou a great Eſtate in the World, there might be ſome temptation, but who will grieve to leave an empty Cell? heretofore when thou hadſt a greater Eſtate in the World, thou waſt crucified to the World and the World to thee, and now doſt fall in love with Poverty and Want? thou didſt look upon it as upon a dead Carkaſs, and now doſt perceive ſome life in it? But ſtay a while, and conſider well what the World hath, and whether her portion can pay thy debts, and make proviſion for thee to Eternity; thou canſt expect no more portion than it hath; conſider whether it will ſerve thy turn: the Soul is an immortal piece, and muſt run parallel with the longeſt line of Eternity, will the world do ſo alſo? if not, what will the Soul do when the portion is ſpent? thou art in debt ten thouſand Talents, and canſt not pay one farthing, and it muſt be paid to the utmoſt mite, or thou wilt be caſt into a Furnace of fire for ever; can the World, if thou eſpouſe thy ſelf to it, pay this debt? No, nor all the Angels in Heaven to help it: and what a caſe wilt thou then be in to Eternity! 'Tis beſt for thee to return to thy former Huſband, for it's much better with thee then: Here is enough in him to pay thy debts, and provide for the future. But is thy forſaking Chriſt and chooſing the World the reſult of all thy profeſſion, and the fruit of all thy Mortification, Repentance, Self-denial, Preaching, Praying, Hearing, Reading, Meditating, and of all thy other duties? and is the World a ſufficient recompenſe for all the pains thou haſt taken in Gods Service? and doſt expect no more at his hands? and art thou willing to let go all thy right in the Promiſes, and all thy hopes of a future reward? and doth the World make thee amends for all thy loſſes and croſſes thou haſt met with upon Religious accounts? haſt thou reduced thy ſelf to pinching wants, hard labour, how fooliſhly then haſt thou behaved thy ſelf! if the world be thy portion how fooliſhly haſt thou denyed thy ſelf in thy portion! why haſt thou not run down the current of the times as others have done, when it was the way to preferment? why haſt thou ſwam againſt the ſtream? why didſt not take thy pleaſure as others did, in thy ſins and ſinful company? then mightſt thou have enjoyed the World as they do, for their Portion in Externals is better than thine; they take their pleaſures, they ſatisfie their luſts; and why doſt then live a mortified life for the like portion? why didſt thou take upon thee the profeſſion of Religion, when thou kneweſt it would run counter with the times? why doſt not ſwear with the Swearer, drink with the Drunkard, and be as debaucht as any other, if the reward be alike? but if thou look for another reward, why art thou afraid of the time when thou art to receive it? if Religion will not pay thee thy charges, why didſt profeſs it? if it will, why doſt forſake it? haft thou had a hard Maſter of Chriſt? hath he failed of his Word, or broke his promiſe to thee? is his work or Wages worſe than Covenant? if not, why doſt leave thy Maſter? look about thee, within and without; conſider while thou art here what thy wants are, what thy miſeries, and whether the world is like to free thee from the one or the other; if it can, how happens it in all this time it is not done? thou haſt ſpiritual wants, can the World relieve thoſe? thou haſt but a little knowledge of God, and doſt thou deſire no more? if thou do, in what School wilt thou learn it? death will bring thee where all theſe clouds of ignorance ſhall be diſpell'd, and thy knowledge ſhall be perfected: 1 Cor. 13.9, 10.Here thou knoweſt but in part, and underſtandeſt but in part: But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part ſhall be done away. Thou haſt now but a little enjoyment of him, a few glimpſes of him in a duty, and doſt deſire no more? what means then all thy Prayers and Duties tending this way? but thou art never like to have much more till thou come to Heaven: doubtleſs, if thou now take up with the World for thy portion, thou art of all men the moſt fooliſh; why doſt thou run from it, when thou ſeekeſt to enjoy it? and why doſt forſake thy deſired happineſs? If the world will content thee, why doſt ſeek after other things, and deny thy ſelf that content the world offers thee? Art thou as holy as thou deſireſt to be, and as good as thou wouldſt be? and haſt thou as much ſatisfaction as thou deſireſt? what is the meaning then of all thy Prayers, Studies, and other duties? why doſt bewail thy ſins, and implore Heaven for power againſt them? and if thou wouldſt be better, why doſt fear Heaven, where thou wilt be holy as God is holy? if thou be as good as thou deſireſt to be, why doſt play the Hypocrite with God and man; and like a man in a Boat, look one way and row another? wouldſt thou have no more power againſt thy ſins, why then doſt rail upon it and revile it, and profeſs that it is thy greateſt trouble? why doſt wreſtle, and fight, and pray againſt it, and bring under thy body? and if thou wouldſt have power, why doſt thou fear Death which will free thee from this as well as other Enemies? art content to live in thy Pride, and Paſſion, and Ignorance, and Hypocriſie? why doſt not then ſpeak plain? art thou like ſome Beggars, that have ſores to ſhew to move compaſſion, but are not willing to have them cured leſt it marr their Trade? haſt as much Grace as thou deſireſt; why then doſt pray for an increaſe, and uſeſt means to ſtrengthen it? Why, Death will bring thee to perfection: canſt thou content thy ſelf with a low frame of Spirit, and a ſmall meaſure of Grace? why doſt thou the… complain, that thou canſt not ſerve God with greater freedom, and that thy duties are performed ſo deadly, dully and drowſily, and with ſo much diſtraction? and yet art content with them as they are, and longeſt not for the time when thou ſhalt ſerve him without diſtraction, and never have wandring thought more? thou complaineſt that thou feedeſt upon the husks of duty, and findeſt not God in the duty, and yet art willing to reſt in this condition, and longeſt not for the time when thou ſhalt ſolace thy ſelf in his love, ſerve him according to his will, and enjoy him for ever? doſt thou do God as good ſervice as thou deſireſt? and doth he reward thee here according to thy content? art thou fully ſatisfied, and doſt expect no more at his hands? art thou ſatisfied for all thy duties, loſſes, croſſes, and afflictions? if ſo, why haſt thou put up ſo many vain petitions, wherein thou beggedſt for greater matters? nay, what matter had it been if thou hadſt never put up any petition? for ſuch a portion is given to thoſe that never care to Pray, Hear, Read, or do any Religious Duty; but if thou expect a better reward, why then art thou afraid of death, which puts thee into the poſſeſſion of it? Why art thou afraid of having thy prayers anſwered, and thy requeſts granted, and a reward given thee an hundred fold? if thou preſſeſt after perfection, why art thou afraid of it, when it cannot be obtained on this ſide Death? wouldſt not have thy prayers granted? death will conduct thee where it ſhall be done; but it is in vain to expect it on this ſide Heaven: art thou afraid of being called out of the Vineyard to receive thy wages? and wilt rather loſe thy labour than go home for thy pay? haſt ſo eagerly purſued after happineſs, and when thou comeſt within ſight of it, doth thy heart fall thee? or wouldſt thou find happineſs where no man ever did? or doſt expect it to be ſown in the furrows of thy field? art thou ſearching for Honey in a Waſps neſt? None of theſe things can be had in this world, they are reſerved for Heaven; ſin will not dye till thou dyeſt, nor leave thee till body and Soul are ſeparated: ſerve God thou canſt not till thou come to Heaven without diſtraction; thy graces will be imperfect, thy knowledge weak, thy love cold, thy obedience imperfect, and all thy Graces maimed; and thy corruptions will be ſtrong, 1 Cor. 15.54. Lev. 14.44.till this corruptible hath put on incorruption, and thi mortal hath put on immortality, and theſe natural bodies become ſpiritual, and then deathſhall be ſwallowed up of Victory. Sin in thee here is like a Leproſie in the Houſe, it will not be cleanſed till the houſe be pull'd down; it is in thy very nature, and ſticks as cloſe as the skin to thy fleſh; yea as the fleſh to thy bones, and more cloſe: theſe may be ſeparated, but ſo cannot ſin while we live, till Death make the diviſion; this polluteth the heart, which is the fountain; and hence the ſtreams are filthy; for like corruption it lyes within, and will break out in ſome botch or other; the very heart and conſcience, the affections, actions, life, and converſation are polluted, ſo that thou maiſt ſay with the Leapers, Ʋnclean, Ʋnclean; and thus it will be while thou art in the world, and there is no other way to cleanſe thee or make thee whole, but paſſing under the ſtroak of Death, this lances the Ulcer, and heals the Sore; and while ſin goes before, miſery follows; for this follows ſin as the Shadow the Subſtance, or the effect the cauſe; and the ſame hand that cures the one, heals the other alſo: for in Heaven ſin and ſorrow ſhall be no more, yea ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee way, and there ſhall be no more pain; abut till we are rid of ſin we ſhall never be rid of ſorrow, the natural effect of it: Nil valet medicamentum dum ferrum in vulnere; thou maiſt as well expect fire without heat, or water without moiſture, or a ſtone without weight, as ſin without ſorrow; here thou maiſt expect to lie under an afflicted condition while thou liveſt; and the holier thou art, the worſe entertainment thou art like to meet with in the world; it will love her own, but hate the godly, as it hated Chriſt; 'tis a Step-mother to them, but an own mother to the wicked; theſe ſhe nouriſhes, but would ſtarve the other, if the their Father did not look to them. It is by reaſon of ſin that our lives are ſo bitter, and we live inter ſuſpiria & lachrymas, between ſighs and groans; here thou liveſt alwaies under the hatches, 2 Cor. 12.7.and alwaies haſt ſome thorn in the fleſh, ſome meſſenger of Satan ſent to buffet thee; and being amidſt theſe ſtorms and tempeſts driven from ſide to ſide, and alwaies in danger, canſt thou fear a ſafe harbour? when thou art weary canſt thou be afraid of reſt; or being hungry or thirſty art afraid of meat and drink? all manner of miſeries attend us here in this vale of tears, and whatſoever outward miſery a wicked man ſuffers, a child of God may ſuffer the like; Eccle. 9.2.all things fall alike to all, as to the good ſo to the bad: and is not that Phyſician welcome that will free us from all theſe? we pay our Phyſician if he heals us of one diſtemper, our Surgeon if he cure one wound, but death deſerves more that cures us of all that is called evil: here thou liveſt in the midſt of thy enemies, they are both within and without; ſome ſeek thy eſtate, others thy good name, ſome thy liberty, and ſome thy life, and others thy ſoul; and theſe lay ſnares accordingly to take their prey, and doſt thou chooſe to live in ſuch a Neighbourhood? thy very ſences are the floodgates to let in ſin, thou canſt ſcarcely open thy eyes, or ears, or any other ſence but ſome bewitching object or other preſents it ſelf, and the Devil baits his hooks with it, to Angle for thy ſoul; one vanity or other comes in at theſe windows, either to provoke pride, or covetouſneſs, or paſſion, or luxury, or ſome vice or other that lodges in the heart; theſe are the five Cinque-Ports, and here the Devil many times ſails in with the Tide; Jer. 17.9.And thy heart is deceitful alſo and deſperately wicked, and ready to betray thee into thine enemies hands: thy very Relations many times prove a ſnare, and either draw away thy affections inordinately to them, or incline thee more to accept of life upon unlawful terms: This was Spira's ruine, thy Children and Servants many times prove thy trouble, either beholding them under Sufferings, or fearing their extravagant courſes; thy Table alſo ſometimes becomes a ſnare; thy Meat and thy Drink, the Cloaths thou weareſt; the Neighbours among whom thou liveſt prove ſnares or troubles, ſometimes vexing thee with their unjuſt dealings, ſometimes provoking thee by paſſionate words, and ſometimes grieving thee to ſee and hear their ſinful words and actions; the moſt with whom thou liveſt have one plagueſore or other running upon them, giving and receiving infection one from another; the very duties thou performeſt are full of ſnares, the Devil doth what he can to thruſt in baſe ends and motives, or to divert the heart in the performance, or he fly-blows them, and makes them ſtink in the noſtrils God: thy very Calling is full of temptations and ſnares, all the Talents, Gifts or Endowments God hath lent thee, the Devil will do what he can to render them the fuel for Pride or ſome other luſt; and how canſt deſire to live in ſuch a world, among ſuch ſnares, and ſuch temptations? The world it ſelf is a very Golgotha, there are few men but what are ſpiritually dead; a very Egypt for ſlavery, where there is little elſe but Moiling and Toiling, Carking and Caring, and a thouſand troubles and anxieties do here accompany the Sons of men, and few men but be ſnares one to another, many pull-backs in Heavens way, but very few helpers forward: every man almoſt is like a Turkey Gally-Slave, chained to ſome oar or other, where he labours in the very fire, Iſa. 55.2.and ſpends his money for that which is not bread, and his labour for that which ſatisfies not; he moils and toils night and day, works hard, and fares hard, and all this while thinks not of his latter end; and of any the Godly meet with moſt wrongs, moſt injuries, and moſt hardſhip, and all little enough to make them mind their Fathers houſe; yea Profeſſors themſelves many times help to increaſe each others Burthens, by their contentions, animoſities, and reproach they faſten one upon anot…r, if they differ from one another in circumſtances and modes of Worſhip; and canſt take delight in ſuch a world, and exchange it for Heaven? What canſt obſerve here but Pride and Covetouſneſs, and Tyranny, and Oppreſſion, Envy and Malice, Debate and Strife, Hypocriſie and diſſimulation, and other works of the fleſh; and little ſincerity, and the power of godlineſs to be ſeen? now are theſe the things that take with thy affections? are theſe the fleſh-pots, the Garlick and the Onions that tempt thee back into Egypt? look but within thee and without thee, and thou wilt ſee enough to wean thee from the world; within thee are many bodily diſtempers, Pains and Aches, Griefs and Infirmities, and apparent decayes in nature, languiſhing diſtempers, which haſten thy approaching death; decay of thy ſenſes, thy ſight dim, and thy hearing dull, many a broken nights ſleep, many a waking hour, yet few free from pain, weakneſs, and trembling of Joints and Limbs, and ſeveral diſtempers which are not like to be cured by any Phyſician but Death; and look which way ſoever thou wilt without thee, and thou maiſt ſee ſome cloud or other pretending an approaching ſtorm ariſing; ſome threatning wants and penury, and thou findeſt much adoe to provide neceſſary Food and Raiment for thy Family; here one is ſick, another lame, another lying under other Infirmity, and all cauſing thy grief and trouble. And if thou look abroad, what pleaſing object canſt thou fix thy eyes upon? what but prophaneneſs and debauchery doth appear in ſight, and little of the fear of God is to be found? which way canſt thou turn thy Eyes, but thou wilt ſee Prophaneneſs, Sabbath-breaking, and debauchery acted? or thy Ears, but thou wilt hear Swearing, Lying, Filthy and Ribald ſpeaking, mocking Taunts and Reproaches againſt the power of godlineſs, Gods ordinances contemned, and his Miniſters abuſed? and is this thy pleaſant ſights, thy delightful Melody, the Syren Songs that inchant thee, and draw thy affections to the world? here, if thou delight in it, thou maiſt hear the godly made the Drunkards Songs, and with the Apoſtles, the Off-ſcowring of all things, a gazing-ſtock to Men and Angels, and thoſe that depart from evil make themſelves a Prey: Here thou canſt ſcarce pray in thy Family, or ſing forth the Praiſes of God, or faſt to the humbling of thy Soul, but thou becomeſt a reproach and deriſion, and perhaps the Butt of perſecution. And if thou look abroad in the Nation, thou wilt find it not much better, in ſome places much worſe; if thou aſcend the Courts of Judicature, in ſome of them thou maiſt find Judgment and Juſtice perverted, Tyranny and Oppreſſion countenanced by Magiſtrates, great men like great Fiſhes eating up the reſt, Covetouſneſs and Extortion exerciſed, and the Righteous Oppreſſed in Judgment, and Pillows ſown under great mens Elbows by many Miniſters, and the Power of Godlineſs more than the Torrent of ſin oppoſed and reſtrained, and ſin and wickedneſs winked at, and tolerated by both Magiſtrates and Miniſters, ſo that the Land is become a Sodom for Sin, and for Uncleaneſs, and may, for ought we know, equalize it in Sufferings, and few Mourners will be found in our Sion. If we look abroad, we have cauſe to fear a Foreign Invaſion, and at home Domeſtick Inſurrections; even Vipers breed in our own Boſom; many long to waſh their hands in the blood of the Saints, yea in the beſt blood in the Nation; and which increaſes our miſery and danger, our Councels are divided, and we know neither our Enemies nor the danger we are in; only this we know, we are in the hands of God, and 'tis againſt him that we have ſinned; and wilt thou fall in love with deformity it ſelf, and deſire to live amongſt confuſion? when God calls thee away from the evil to come, art thou loth to go? Sin is the uglieſt Hag that ever the World brought forth, and deſtruction is her natural iſſue. The very beſt which the world can ſhew thee, is nothing elſe but the ſhadow of a Smoak, or the Dream of a Shadow; thoſe that have moſt truſted to it, have been moſt deceived; there is no truſt to be put in mortal man, nor confidence in Princes; there is nothing of ſolidity under the Sun, or any thing whereof we can ſay, there is ſatisfaction in it. The Devil doth what he can to dreſs it up in his Paint and Varniſh, and ſhews it to us in its glory and ſplendor, but whoſo hath the wearing of it will find it much worſe than here it is deſcribed; ſo that death cannot be worſe to a Saint than life, neither ſhould it be leſs deſired; and is this world now Chriſts Rival? and is the contention which will prove the better Match, or whether Heaven or Earth be to be preferred, or whether God or the Devil be the better maſter, or give the better Wages? and is God, and Chriſt, and Heaven, and Glory like to be caſt off, and the world like to run away with thy affections? is this like beſt to maintain thee, and make thee moſt happy? Heaven and Earth may ſtand amazed at thy folly: ſurely, if thou haſt met with no better uſage than thy Neighbours, yea than thy Lord and Maſter hath done, the controverſie would ſoon be at an end, and the queſtion ſoon decided: Chriſt tells thee in plain terms, if thou belong to him the world cannot love thee, and I think thou haſt had experience of it to thy coſt; Joh. 15.18.wilt thou now proclaim to the world thy Hypocriſie, and make them believe thy Faith was but a fancy, and thy Love to God but a pretence? wilt thou now ſtrengthen the hands of the wicked, that he ſhall not depart from his wickedneſs? haſt thou all this while uſed Religion but as a ſtalking-horſe, to take a prey? and what prey haſt thou taken? nothing but Loſſes, and Croſſes, Scoffs, and Scorns, and Perſecution: ſure thou haſt plaid a low game; thou haſt been under fears and doubts about thy ſincerity, and wilt thou now determine it in the Negative? thou haſt complained of the abſence of thy Beloved, and now by thy willing deſertion, wilt thou prove all was in Hypocriſie? thou haſt been perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake, and wilt now convince the world that it wronged thee; and that thou waſt not righteous, nor the man they took thee for? if not, why art unwilling to go to Heaven, where thou ſhalt never hear this grinning language more? here thy eyes affect thy heart, when thou ſeeſt the Oppreſſion that is done under the Sun, but there thou ſhalt never more ſee unpleaſant ſight; here thy ears affect thy heart, for thou canſt ſcarcely open them, but ſome bad news or other reaches thy heart to afflict it. If thou look upon the Churches of God in moſt Nations in the World, thou maiſt find them pickled in their tears, and wallowing in their blood, abroad and at home; thou maiſt ſee them under ſufferings in many places, thou maiſt find the Priſons full of them, and many under tortures and torments, and bloodily butchered for Religion ſake; miſerably ſlaughtered in France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Helvetia, Savoy, Piedmont, Bohemia, Germany, New-England, Ireland, and many other places; yea, England and Scotland have not been freed; and at this day if we look upon the face of the Proteſtant Churches throughout Europe, 'tis ſo deplorable, that there is cauſe enough for grief; yea in ſome places there is perſecution even by thoſe of the ſame Religion, only for ſome ſmall differences about Modes and Circumſtances of Worſhip; they agree in all the Articles of Faith, and yet writing as bitterly one againſt another, as if they were Jews and Turks; and thoſe that we may believe may agree together in the ſame Heaven, cannot be of the ſame Church; yea the Church it ſelf is a very Hoſpital, every one hath one Diſeaſe or other; one complains, and not without cauſe, of a hard Heart, another of a Stubborn Will, and a third of a dark Underſtanding; one of Pride, another of Paſſion, another of Worldlineſs, and another of Hypocriſie; and yet, which is the miſchief of it, there are many more diſtempers upon them than they know of. Look into the beſt Congregations, and here ſome are ſick of a Lethargy, and ſleep as they go about their work; others of a Conſumption, and inſtead of growing in Grace, decline, and loſe their firſt love; ſome of the Rickets, and theſe mens heads grow bigger than the reſt, for they have ſome brain knowledge, which by reaſon of ſome obſtructions never ſinks into the Heart, or ſeaſons the life; others have he Falling-ſickneſs, ſome fall foully, and others fall quite away, and come to nothing; ſome have a Burning Feavour, and their fiery zeal ſets the Church on a flame, and in ſome it heightens to a Frenzy; theſe are alwayes raving, and tearing in pieces all that come in their way, or all that thwart their humor; theſe are never ſo confident as when in an Error; as men at football they many times make ſuch haſt they overrun the Ball, ſo theſe men many times leave truth behind them, and outrun it. Theſe men muſt have Religion model'd in their own Brain, or it pleaſeth them not; thoſe that go beyond them are too hot, and thoſe that cannot reach them are too cold, or in plain terms prophane and irreligious; and their Heart like Jehu's muſt be the Standard to try all others by; 2. King 10.15.and all this while 'tis but their Diſtemper, and a fiery zeal like James and John that would have all others conſumed but their own party, and rather had they rent the Church in pieces, than abate an Ace to diſſenting Chriſtians; and theſe many times ſpend themſelves and their zeal upon circumſtances, when the main ſubſtance is neglected, the very Vitals of Religion; yet theſe men think they have found out the neareſt way to Heaven, when alas they run but the circle of Errors; for the Devil leads them circular, when they thought they had ran ſtraight forwards; and many of thoſe that are in a little time above their Teachers, are quickly above Ordinances, and run from one opinion to another, till they end where they began, at Prophaneneſs; they are led by the Devil towards Hell, when they think they are in Heavens road, as the Syrians were to Samaria by the Prophet, 2 King. 6.19, 20.when they thought they had been going to Dothan; theſe men are like the Lapwing, who cryes moſt when fartheſt from her Neſt; and ſo they are moſt confident when they have left the truth behind: ſome fall from their firſt love, others into errors, and ſome turn Apoſtates, yea perſecute the truth they once profeſt; and is this a delightful thing to thee? and maiſt not ſee alſo ſome of thy own Relations going towards Hell, with hopes of Heaven in their mouth, and will take no warning, although they live in the committing of thoſe ſins which God hath plainly told us ſuch as commit them ſhall never enter into Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10.and yet they are as confident of Heaven as if they were there already; and after all this, canſt thou delight to live in ſuch a World, where thou canſt meet with ſo little comfort from good or bad, but all thou converſeſt with help to increaſe thy ſorrow, one way or other, ſome willingly and ſome againſt their wills? wouldſt thou live among thoſe hard task-maſters, rather than go through the red Sea to Canaan? nay, hadſt rather endure thy Wilderneſs troubles than go over this Jordan, and fight with this Anakim, Death, though thou have the Lord for thy Protector? thou haſt longed to enjoy thy Inheritance, and many a Prayer thou haſt put up to this purpoſe; thou haſt lookt upon the fleſh as a Screen drawn between thy God and thee, and as a clog to the Soul, and breathed after more liberty in Gods ſervice, and now art unwilling that the Screen ſhould be removed, and thy liberty gained? was Daniel unwilling to come out of the Lyons den, or Jonah out of the Whales Belly, or Joſeph, or Jeremy, or Paul, or Silas, or Peter, to come out of Priſon, when the time of deliverance came? was ever fick man afraid of Health, or Lame man of being reſtored to his Limbs, or a Blind man of being recovered to his ſight? was ever Hungry man afraid of his meat, or thirſty man unwilling to drink, or weary man unwilling to reſt? or was ever Turkiſh Slave unwilling to leave his Oars, or enjoy his freedom? yet have none of theſe ſo much cauſe to rejoyce in their freedom, as the poor Soul hath in the freedom purchaſed by Chriſt, and to be enjoyed at death. Doth not the Husbandman long for the Harveſt, when he ſhall receive the fruits of the Field, the reward of his labour? doth not the Souldier long for the Victory, when he ſhall receive the Crown? doth not the Traveller deſire his Journeys end, and the Mariner his wiſhed Port, and the Labourer for the Sun-ſetting, when his work is done, and his wages is due? and wilt thou only be afraid of the time when thy miſery ſhall end, and thy Joyes commence? and all becauſe there is a little dirty though not dangerous way to paſs, though there be an eternal reward for a temporal, yea momentany Pain, yea a thouſand weight of pleaſure for an ounce of grief? Oh fooliſh Soul! haſt thou fought the fight, and won the day, and is it but ſtooping down and take up the Crown, and wilt not be at ſo much pains? Is there but one ſtile more to thy Fathers houſe, and wilt thou ſit down here, and go no further? but one hour between thee and Glory, and haſt thou ſpent ſo many years in reference to it, and now wilt not add that hour to the reſt? haſt thou almoſt run the race, and ſhall one Lake in the way make thee to retire, when the end is in ſight? haſt ſubdued all the Enemies but one, and is he diſarmed alſo, and lyes proſtrate at thy feet, and yet fainteſt, and forſakeſt the Field? doſt thou fly from the Serpent when the ſting is out? haſt thou vanquiſhed the Fleſh, the World and the Devil, and yet feareſt Death which is a reconciled Friend? haſt thou overcome him that hath the power of Death, and feareſt thou Death it ſelf? Haſt thou overcome the ſubſtance, and doſt quake at the ſhadow? many thouſand loſe their Lives upon lower ends, and venture them for a lower reward than here is propounded; ſome for vain glory, others for a corruptible Crown, and wilt not venture thy life for Eternal glory, and to ſecure thy Soul? ſome venture Life and Soul and all in a Whores Quarrel, or a Drunkards fray, and wilt thou not in the cauſe of God, and vindication of the truth, and that when thy Captain ſtands by thee? are the Gates of the Heavenly Jeruſalem open, and wilt not enter? wilt loſe all rather than ſtrike one ſtroak more? O my God, let not the Fleſh, the World, nor the Devil deceive me: let me not faint under the burden, nor ever turn my back upon thee. Lord ſtrengthen me, and I will ſuffer for thee.