The True Interest of Families, Part 2
Some Motives to excite you to do theſe things.
Firſt, 1. Motive, from the ſhortneſs of your Time.Conſider how ſhort your time is. Your life is compared to a Vapour, which appears for a little time, and then vaniſheth away. Jam. 4.14. It makes a little ſhew and appearance for a while, and then it is gone. It is compared to a Poſt, to the Swift Ships, and to the Eagle that haſteth to the Prey, Job 9.25, 26. And to the Wind, and to a Weaver's ſhuttle, Job. 7.6, 7. All which Compariſons ſerve to expreſs how ſhort and ſwift our time is, how ſuddenly it flies away and is gone. Man that is born of a Woman (ſaith Job, chap. 14.1.) is of few days. And Jacob, (when he was a great deal older than men live to be now, even 130 years old) told Pharaoh, ſaying, Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been. What are 40, or 60, or 80 years, when a man lives ſo long, and looks back upon them all? They appear to him but like a ſhadow, or as a Dream, or like a Tale that is told Ought not this to move you to be good husbands of your ſhort time? If it were in your own power to diſpoſe of it, according to your own humour and fancy, you might then be pardoned to delay your great Work and Buſineſs till you thought good: But now that it is not in your power to lengthen out your time one Minute, what a madneſs is it for you to put off and neglect your greateſt and chiefeſt Concern? Now therefore be ſo wiſe as to make good uſe of your preſent opportunities and occaſions of doing good. That you may work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, and may make your calling and your Election ſure, work while the day laſts, for the night cometh wherein you cannot work.
If a man who is guilty of Treaſon, or Rebellion againſt his Prince, or of any other great Crime which deſerves death, were allowed a few days to ſue out his Pardon, that he might ſecure his Life and Eſtate, would he not improve with great care and diligence that little time? To be ſure he would not loſe one moment of it: And tho' perhaps at other times, he was wont to give up himſelf to his pleaſures and paſtimes, and to mind little elſe, but the gratifying his Luſts and Paſſions, and his vanity and folly; yet now that his Life and Fortune lye at the ſtake, you ſhould ſee ſuch a man changed in a moment: You ſhould ſee him, with great application of mind, with the utmoſt diligence imploying his time, running from place to place, from one perſon to another, according as his great and important buſineſs and concern required. How readily would ſuch a perſon redeem his time, not only from idleneſs, from gaming, from impertinent Viſits, and from dreſſing and adorning of his Body, and the like, but even from eating and drinking, and from his reſt and repoſe in the night? The deſire of preſerving his life would ſo fill his thoughts, as to make him forges almoſt every thing elſe. What would you … or ſay, if you ſhould ſee a man in ſuch circumſtances wholly unconcerned and careleſs, ſpending his time in g…ming, or idleneſs, in making impertinent viſits, in rioting and drinking, and the like, and doing nothing at all to obtain his pardon, and to ſecure his life and fortune? Doubtleſs you would look upon ſuch a man as void of common underſtanding, fit only for Bedlam, or not worthy to live, who knew no better to make uſe of his ſhort time, to preſerve his life, which Nature teacheth all men to do by all honeſt and lawful means.
It is eaſie for you to make application of all this to your ſelves. You are by your ſins Enemies to God, Rebels againſt your Lord and King, whereby you are in danger of everlaſting death and deſtruction. But God in his infinite mercy gives you time to ſue out your Pardon, which he offers you upon the moſt juſt and reaſonable conditions; only believe and repent, and you ſhall be ſaved: He will have mercy upon you, and blot out your iniquities. Be therefore ſo wiſe as to husband well this ſhort time which God beſtows on you for this purpoſe: Redeem it as much as you can, from all vain and unneceſſary things, that you may obtain forgiveneſs of Sins, and the aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit, to enable you afterwards to walk in newneſs of life.
But if inſtead of minding this great and important concern of your Souls, you give up your ſelves to ſin and folly, and indulge your ſelves in your mad and wicked practices, and thereby provoke God yet more and more againſt you, how juſt will your judgment and condemnation be? If you will not be ſaved, if you will not turn to the Lord that you may live, if you will not believe, repent, and amend; what remains? you ſhall certainly dye, and be miſerable for ever. They that will not be happy, ſhall not be happy. The wrath of God ſhall abide upon them.
Secondly, 2. Motive, from the uncertainty of your Time.Conſider that as your time is very ſhort, ſo it is moſt uncertain. What do you know whether your Sun ſhall decline leaſurely, or whether it may not go down ſuddenly, when you think it is not yet come to the noon-tide of the day? You are not ſure to live till you come to a good old Age. How many ſickneſſes and diſtempers, and how many ſudden accidents are there in the way, which may ſhorten your day, and cauſe your Sun to ſet, when you think it ſhines with its greateſt force and luſtre? Sometimes a Candle is blown out by the Wind, or ſnufft out undeſignedly, when it is not yet half burnt. And ſo the life of Man is often extinguiſhed by outward accidents, when by the courſe of Nature, it might have been prolonged much further.
How many come forth into the World, and give great appearances of making a very conſiderable figure in it by their Wiſdom and Sagacity, their good Conduct, and Addreſs, their excellent Parts and uſeful Learning, their Courage and Valour, their charming Eloquence, and clear and diſtinct Reaſoning, or by their ſhining Piety and burning Zeal? But do not you ſee how ſuddenly they are gone? they are hurried away by death, and you neither ſee them nor hear of them any more.
There is nothing certain as to your time, but its ſhortneſs and uncertainty. Nothing can ſecure you againſt an unexpected blow by death, when God ſees fit to give charge to the King of terrors to knock you down. Youth and ſtrength cannot do it; for how many dye when their Breaſts are full of milk, and their bones are moiſtened with marrow? Too great abundance of Blood and Spirits do ſometimes oppreſs and ſtifle the life of Man. Wealth and Riches cannot ſecure you: How many great and wealthy men have been ſuddenly carried away as with a Flood, when their Coffers were full of Silver and Gold, when they had all that heart could wiſh? Even their Wealth proved the bait which allured idle, covetous, and deſperate perſons, to break into their Houſes and rob them, not only of their Treaſure, but of their lives.
Greatneſs of Power and earthly Honour and Dignity are not able to do it: Crowns and Scepters, Caſtles and Palaces, a wiſe Council, and great Armies, are not able to protect Princes from the violent and deſperate attempts of Men who are prodigal of their lives. How many of thoſe who have been moſt famous in the World for their Power and Greatneſs, have been very unexpectedly removed by a violent and ſudden death? When they have been in their greateſt heighth, at the very top of Earthly Felicity, and full of the deepeſt Projects and Deſigns; when they made account to make the Earth, as it were, to tremble; to humble and to mortifie their Enemies, to enlarge their own Dominions, or to enſlave their Subjects, even then Death gave them a ſudden blow, and ſo there was an end of them and their deſigns together.
But may not Wiſdom and Underſtanding, great Learning, and skill in various Arts and Sciences, do ſomewhat to ſecure men from the ſudden blow of Death? No, all this cannot do it: We ſee even Wiſe men ſuddenly and unexpectedly removed from us by death, as well as others. In the midſt of their uſeful Studies, and excellent contrivances, and deſigns, the King of terrors puts a ſtop to them, and in the twinkling of an Eye they are gone, and all their thoughts are laid aſleep. So vain a thing is Man, and even the wiſeſt Man; and ſo uncertain is his time.
Conſider that Death can enter by a thouſand doors. Every pore in your Body is a gate wide enough for Death to enter in at. Do not you ſee what a ſmall thing makes way for Death? The prick of a Thorn, or a Splinter of Wood does it ſometimes, by occaſioning a Fever, or a Gangrene. How quickly are ſome removed by violent and unexpected Diſtempers, and ſometimes on a ſudden are ſtruck dead, you cannot tell how? Have not ſome dyed through an exceſs of joy, and others through immoderate grief; ſome by exceſſive laughter, and others by too much mourning and weeping? Some have dyed with a fright or ſudden fear: ſome by the violence of their anger and wrath, and others by an exceſs of love. How many have been killed with over much care and too great watching? and others have occaſioned their own death by idleneſs and too much ſleep: Some have killed themſelves with eating and drinking, and others have done it by too great abſtinence and faſting. Have not ſome dyed while they have been at Meals, by a Crumb or a little Bone, or ſome ſuch very ſmall matter? When they were thinking to repair their ſtrength, and to fit themſelves for going on with their buſineſs and work; that which they did to ſave and lengthen out their lives, did ſhorten them, and put an end to them. May not this inſtance alone ſhew you the great uncertainty of your time, and how neceſſary it is to redeem it?
But beſides all this, conſider that when you go abroad, you are in danger from innumerable accidents. You may be killed by the noiſom ſteams of the Earth, by ſome infectious quality in the Air, by the Beaſts of the field, by the teeth of Dogs, by the horns of mad Oxen, or by the heels of wild Horſes. You are likewiſe in danger from the winged Creatures, the leaſt of whom have Weapons ſufficient to deſtroy you, if God by his Power and Juſtice arm them againſt you.
How remarkable was the manner of the death of Aeſchylus, Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 12.an ancient Poet in Sicily, who as he ſate in a Sunny place without the Walls of the City, was killed by a Tortoiſe, which an Eagle let fall on his head.
And no leſs memorable is the Story which is mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, of one Burton, Bailiff of Crowland in Lincolnſhire, who pretending to be a Friend to the Reformation in King Edward's time; after the King's death began to ſet up the Popiſh Maſs again, and would have beaten the Curate, if he had not complied with his deſign. But ſee how the Lord's hand overtook him; as he came riding from Fenbank one day, a Crow flying over his head, let fall her excrements upon his face, the noiſom ſcent whereof ſo annoyed his ſtomach, that he never ceaſed vomiting till he came home: And after falling deadly ſick, would never receive any meat, but vomited ſtill, and complained of that ſtink, curſing the Crow that had poiſoned him, and in a few days he died without giving any ſign of his repentance for his former wicked life.
Beſides the danger you are in from unreaſonable Creatures, are you not alſo ſometimes in hazard from men, who are mad either through the diſtemper of their Brain, or through their violent Malice and Envy? Let a Bear robbed of her Whelps (ſaith Solomon) meet a man rather than a fool in his folly, Prov. 17.12. And not only are your Lives in danger from unreaſonable Creatures and from Men, but likewiſe from the Spirits of Darkneſs, unleſs reſtrained by the mighty Power of God. Theſe are Enemies of great Power, and of as great Malice: But your heavenly Father keeps them as it were in chains, and ſets bounds to their rage and fury, that they cannot hurt you ſo much as in a hair of your head, without the Divine permiſſion. But further; ſo uncertain is your time, that there is not a ſtone, nor a block in your way, but it may be an occaſion of your ſtumbling and falling into the ſnares of Death. And ſometimes when there is no ſuch block in your way, you are not ſecure from danger: One foot may prove a ſtumbling-block to the other, and an occaſion of your falling into the hands of Death.
And more than all this; in how great danger are your Lives from Fire and from Water, from Heat and Cold, from Storms and Tempeſts, from Thunder and Lightning, and many other things, the ſtroke whereof you cannot prevent nor foreſee? God hath in ſtore the Sword, the Famine and Peſtilence, and innumerable Judgments and Plagues, whereby he can cut you off, and ſhorten your Lives. When you are in your houſes, and think your ſelves in ſafety, you know not but that Death is even there, and that your Grave is ready for you: By a ſudden Wind, by an Earthquake, or by a decay in the Foundation, or ſome other part of the Building, the houſe may fall down about your ears, and prove your burying place.
From all which you may conclude, that your time is the moſt uncertain thing in the World. Ought you not therefore to make good uſe of it while it laſts, not knowing how ſoon and ſuddenly it may be at an end?
Thirdly, Conſider how great and difficult a work you have to do;3. Motive, from the greatneſs and difficulty of the work you have to do. a work that requires a great part of your time, and worthy of all your time. How hard is it to work out your Salvation, to make your Calling and Election ſure, to ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, to be born again, to be made new Creatures, to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind, to put off the works of darkneſs, and to put on the armour of light; to add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlineſs; and to godlineſs, brotherly kindneſs; and to brotherly kindneſs, charity? To have the image of God renewed in your Souls, to be made partakers of the Divine Nature, to eſcape the corruptions which are in the World through luſt; to be comformed to the Example of your Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, in thoſe Virtues wherein you ought to imitate him; to learn of him who was meek and lowly; to go about as he did, doing good to the Souls and Bodies of men; to be zealous for God, and holy as he who called you is holy in all manner of converſation?
How great a work is it to overcome your ſelves? To become vile and baſe in your own eyes, to think meanly of your ſelves, and to be willing that others ſhould think ſo of you too; to be content with every ſtate and condition of life, wherein God does by his Providence place you; to bear wrongs and injuries with meekneſs and patience; not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good; to mortifie your ſinful deſires and ſenſual appetites; to crucifie the fleſh with the affections and luſts; to purifie your ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit; to cleanſe your hearts from all manner of wickedneſs, that they may be fit Temples for the Spirit of God to dwell in; to govern your eyes, that you may not thereby betray your ſouls into the hands of your enemies; to govern your lips, to take heed to your ways, that you offend not with your tongue; to put away from you all lying, flattery, and diſſimulation, all evil ſpeaking, whiſpering, and back-biting, all fooliſh talking and jeſting, which are not convenient; to be ſober and temperate in all things; to be juſt and ſincere in all your dealings, doing to others what you would have them do to you?
How great a work is it to overcome the World? to deſpiſe its Pomps and Vanities, not to be allured and charmed by its ſmiles, nor yet frighted and caſt down by its frowns; not to ſuffer your ſelves to be poſſeſſed with the love of Riches; to entertain juſt and fit opinions of the things of this World; to conſider them as vain, uncertain, and unſatisfactory enjoyments, which are not capable to make you happy, which are only ſo far to be deſired, as they are neceſſary in order to your accommodation and more eaſie ſubſiſtence in the World? How hard is it to overcome the temptations of earthly pleaſure and outward delights, and not to ſuffer your minds to be too far tranſported by the love of them; but to uſe even the moſt innocent pleaſures with great moderation, leſt they lead the Soul captive, and render it unfit for the true pleaſures? How hard is it to live in the World as Pilgrims and Strangers ought to do, to paſs through this Wilderneſs without much regarding it, but fixing your eyes on the happy Land, the heavenly Canaan, which you ought to look on as your only Country? How hard is it to eſcape the danger of the evil Manners and Cuſtoms which are in the World? the many temptations which you have to vanity and folly, to pride and paſſion, to gluttony and drunkenneſs, to luxury and ſenſuality, and to other Vices, by the bad Examples of your Friends, Neighbours, and other Acquaintances?
How great and difficult a work is it to reſiſt the Devil, to quench his fiery darts, to reject his ſuggeſtions, to diſcover his wiles and ſtratagems, to watch againſt all his aſſaults, and vigorouſly to oppoſe his temptations, that you may overcome him and triumph over him? Now this is the work you have to do: For we wreſtle not (ſaith the Apoſtle, Eph. 6.12.) againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt principalities, againſt powers, againſt the rulers of the darkneſs of this world, againſt ſpiritual wickedneſs in high places. How hard and dangerous a Warfare muſt it needs be, that makes it neceſſary for you to take the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all, to ſtand?
How hard a work is it to read and hear, and meditate, to examine your ſelves, to pray to God, and to praiſe him, to partake of the holy Sacrament, and to perform all other Acts of Devotion and Piety, as you ought to do?
How great a work is it to love God above all things, to love him with all your Soul and heart, and with all your ſtrength and might, and to keep your ſelves in the Love of God, that it may be in you a powerful Spring and Principle unto all good actions, that you may be thereby ſweetly conſtrained to do and to ſuffer whatever is his holy Will and Pleaſure?
Is it not a great work to perform aright all thoſe Duties which you are bound to do in your ſeveral relations and capacities? To inſtruct, to admoniſh, to reprove, and to comfort others, and to do every thing you can for the good of mens Souls and bodies? Let no man (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.24.) ſeek his own, but every man anothers wealth. And, Chap. 13.5. Charity ſeeketh not its own, that is, not only its own; it ſeeketh not its own to the prejudice of another, but it endeavours to promote the happineſs and welfare of others. The charitable perſon hath an eye to the good and benefit of other men, as well as his own gain and advantage.
And beſides all this, you ought to have ſo much Zeal for the Glory of God, and the good of Souls, as to endeavour to do ſomewhat which may have a laſting effect and influence not only in the preſent time, but in the time to come: You ought to contrive by all means to propagate Religion, to do ſomewhat which may bear fruit for the honour of your Maker and Redeemer, when you are laid in the Grave.
From all which you may ſee what a great and difficult work you have to do in the World, and how great need you have to redeem time, and to loſe as little of it as is poſſible. How neceſſary is it for you to begin your work betimes, and to be conſtant in the purſuit of it, in the morning to ſow your ſeed, and in the evening not to withhold your hand? What a madneſs is it to have your work to begin when your time is almoſt at an end? When there are but a few ſands in your Glaſs? You have ſo long a Race to run, and ſo much bad Way to paſs through, and who are ſo weak, and have ſo little ſtrength to ſtir one foot, to do or ſay, or think any thing that is good, have you not great need to ſet out in good time, and to continue unwearied in your courſe all the day, that you may at laſt receive the glorious prize? Ought you not (forgetting thoſe things that are behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before) to preſs towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 3.13, 14. Ariſe therefore from your ſloth and lazineſs, and run and be not weary; and walk, and do not faint. Pray to God to hold up your goings in his paths, that your footſteps may not ſlide, to ſtrengthen your weak hands, and confirm your feeble knees, to draw you that you may run after him, and follow him fully. Beg of him, that he may be at your right hand to direct and defend you, that he may perfect his ſtrength in your weakneſs, and may give you in all things both to will and to do, according to his good pleaſure; that when you meet with enemies in your way, he may teach your hands to war, and your fingers to fight; and that his Grace may be ſufficient for you.
4. Motive, from the Account you muſt give how you ſpend your Time.Fourthly, Conſider that you muſt give an account of your time, how you ſpend and employ it. God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in Righteouſneſs by his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, who is to come from Heaven very unexpectedly and ſuddenly in a moſt dreadful and terrible manner, with Power and great Glory, in the Clouds of Heaven, in flaming fire, with ten thouſands of his holy Angels, with a ſhout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God. He ſhall ſend his Angels, and they ſhall gather together his Elect from the four Winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. The Throne ſhall be ſet, and all Nations ſhall be gathered before him. The Books ſhall be opened, and the hidden things of darkneſs ſhall be brought to light; the counſels of the heart ſhall be made manifeſt; and every work ſhall be brought into Judgment, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good or bad. There ſhall be no need of Witneſſes againſt the guilty, nor of Racks and Tortures to extort their Confeſſions: Every man's own Conſcience ſhall be inſtead of a thouſand Witneſſes. Then ſhall the Judge paſs Sentence on every man according to his works. The righteous ſhall be abſolved, and ſhall receive the reward of everlaſting Life and Glory: They ſhall be made partakers of a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away, and of a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. But the wicked ſhall be caſt into utter darkneſs, where there is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, where the Worm dieth not, and where the fire ſhall never be quenched: Where they ſhall continue for ever deprived of the Favour and Love of God, and expoſed to the inſupportable load of his anger and diſpleaſure. You profeſs to believe theſe things, and therefore ought you not ſo to live, and ſo to husband your time, that when the Judge cometh, he may not find you idle, nor doing ſuch things as are to his diſhonour?
You may conceive ſomewhat (tho' but very little) concerning the different thoughts of good and bad men, upon ſuch a ſudden appearance of the Judge. Suppoſe a Prince going into a far Country, ſhould call together his Servants, appointing them ſeverally their work till his return (which he tells them will be unxepected) and promiſing great rewards of Houſes and Lands, and honourable Employments to the faithful and obedient Servants, but threatning ſevere puniſhments, and torments, and a terrible death to the unfaithful and diſobedient. If after his departure ſome of the Servants mind their buſineſs, obſerving as well as they can what their Maſter required them to do: Others, without any regard to his Commands, take no thought of their buſineſs, but are idle, and eat and drink with the drunken, and ſmite their fellow-ſervants, and both by their words and deeds diſhonour their Lord. You may eaſily imagine how differently theſe Servants will be affected when he returns ſuddenly and unexpectedly. The good Servants will be glad and rejoyce at his coming, and will meet him with great chearfulneſs and confidence, as expecting the accompliſhment of his Promiſes, and being conſcious to themſelves of having done their Duty honeſtly and faithfully, of having carried themſelves as they ought to have done during his abſence. But the naughty and wicked Servants muſt needs be filled with ſhame and confuſion upon the Coming of their Lord, ſo as not to be able to look him in the face: There is no other thing which they can do, but to endeavour to fly from his preſence, that they may not fall under the weight of his terrible diſpleaſure.
In this manner our Lord and Maſter Jeſus, before he left the World, gave Rules and Commands to his Servants how to employ themſelves, and what to do till his return. He promiſed Rewards to all who ſhould believe and obey, and threatned the unbelievers, and the diſobedient with heavy Puniſhments, and moſt dreadful Judgments. When he comes again in the great Day to judge the World, the godly ſhall meet him with great hope and aſſurance, of obtaining the end of their Faith, even the Salvation of their Souls. But the wicked and unbelievers ſhall be full of horrour and confuſion, and ſhall cry to the mountains to fall on them, to hide them from the face of their Judge, who will be a conſuming fire to all the workers of iniquity, and will in no wiſe clear the guilty.
Now do you deſire heartily and ſincerely to eſcape everlaſting Condemnation, and to obtain a glorious Reward in the Day of your Accounts? Then you muſt ſtudy to redeem the time, and to make uſe of all opportunities of doing good: You muſt not be ſlothful in your great buſineſs, but fervent in Spirit, ſerving the Lord, knowing that your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. You ſee how the men of the World beſtir themſelves when there is but a ſmall appearance and probability of gain and advantage. The Merchants make uſe of every favourable opportunity to buy and ſell; they go early to Market, that they may not loſe a good occaſion; and yet after all they may be, and are frequently diſappointed, and make a very bad bargain. But the Chriſtian, who redeems his time to buy Wiſdom, is ſure to find it. They who ſeek me early, ſhall find me, Prov. 8.17.
The Mariners wait for a favourable Gale, a fair and ſeaſonable Wind to go to Sea: And when it blows according to their wiſhes, they are ſure not to loſe one moment. Their deſire of gain, and their hopes of a proſperous Voyage, makes them venture. And yet after all they may and often do ſuffer ſhipwrack, and loſe their goods and their lives too. But the Chriſtian who redeems his time, is in no ſuch danger; he is ſure to arrive ſafely at the Harbour of everlaſting Reſt, after all the ſtorms and tempeſts which he meets with in the boiſterous Sea of this World.
The Husbandmen wait for a good ſeaſon to plough and ſow, and to do all other things belonging to their Employment; and when the time is favourable, they are ſure to make uſe of it. The deſire and hopes they have of a Harveſt, of a fruitful Crop, quickens their endeavours, and excites their induſtry. And yet after all, they may be diſappointed. Their Corn may be drowned by violent Rains, or ſcorched and burnt up with violent Heat, or eaten up and conſumed by Inſects, Fowls, or Beaſts. But the Chriſtian who ſows in tears, ſhall reap in joy, Pſal. 126.5, 6.
You ſee that men, who run a Race, ſtrive with great earneſtneſs to gain the Prize, to obtain that, which ofttimes is of no very great value. And yet ſome of thoſe who run come behind, and are diſappointed of their hopes. But the Chriſtian runs not uncertainly; he is ſure to obtain not a corruptible Crown, but an incorruptible, 1. Cor. 9.25.
Again, you ſee that men who beſiege a City or a Caſtle, wait for all advantages, and are ſure not to neglect a favourable occaſion of making an Aſſault, and ſurpriſing the Enemy. The hopes of getting rich Spoils, of gaining Honour and Renown, makes them reſolute and valiant. And yet it often happens, that they loſe their lives in the Attempt; or are taken captive by thoſe whom they did hope to overcome and ſubdue. But he who fights the good fight of Faith, is ſure to lay hold on eternal Life. He who fights under Chriſt's Banner, and who has him for his Captain, is ſure to obtain the Victory over all his Enemies.
I ſhall conclude this Diſcourſe with what is written by St. Peter, The Concluſion.2 Epiſt. Chap. 3. verſ. 10, 11, &c. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the Heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, the Earth alſo, and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up. Seeing then that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved, what manner of perſons ought you to be in all holy converſation and godlineſs; Looking for, and haſtening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire ſhall be diſſolved, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheleſs we, according to his promiſe, look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſs. Wherefore (beloved) ſeeing that ye look for ſuch things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſs.
FINIS.
ADVICE TO PARENTS.
ADVICE TO CHILDREN.
End of the text · James Kirkwood, The True Interest of Families (1692)