The Hazard and Unprofitableness of Losing A Soul for Gaining the World, Direction – Conclusion
For Direction.
First; Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus we are called upon, Rom. XIII. 14. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Receive the Reports of the Gospel, and Christ Jesus, who is therein offered to us, as the alone Saviour of a lost Soul. Look upon His Obedience and Passion as our only Propitiatory Sacrifice; and humbly Plead it with the Eternal Father, for the Remission of our Sins, and our Acceptance with God: and commit our Spirits into His Hands, as the Lord God of Truth, who hath Redeemed them, by an intire Dependance upon Him, for all that Salvation which He hath Purchased for us. So let us lift up the everlasting Doors, that That King of Glory may come, and dwell in our Hearts by Faith (a)Eph. iii. 17.So will the Image of God be pourtrayed a new upon us, in bright and lively Characters, the Enmity between us will be Slain, and we shall be made nigh by the Blood of Christ (b)Eph. ii. 13.: And this will be the most effectual Method, to secure our Souls from the Tyranny of an Usurping World. For, who is he that overcometh the World, but he that Believeth, that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 Joh.V.5.
Again; Grow in Grace. Thus are we advised, 2 Pet. III. 18. Grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let us not rest contented with feeding upon the husks of this world, but reach after the Food of Angels, the Flagons and Apples of the Sanctuary, the Graces of the Holy Spirit of God. See to it, that all Old things are done away, and that all things are become New in your Souls; and to one Grace and Vertue add another, and never come to a stand, as tho' you had already attained, but still press forward, from one degree of Grace to another, till you come to appear in strength before God in Zion. For this is the Food & Nourishment of the Soul, which only can support the proper Life of it: And by this means, we shall come to have our Conversation in Heaven, while we are upon Earth, and so live above this World; and be enabled to Contemn its Glory, as not worth our Regarding.
Finally; Let us Lay up our Treasure in the Heavenly World. This is our Saviour's Direction, Luk.XII.33. Provide for your selves Bags that wax not old, a Treasure in the Heavens, that faileth not. There is a Treasure worth our seeking after: There are durable Riches & Righteousness (a)Prov. viii. 18.; there are Rivers of Pleasures and Fulness of Joys at God's Right Hand (b)Psal.xvi. II. & xxxvi. 8.; and a a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away (c)I Pet. v. 4.. This is a Treasure every way suitable to a spiritual & immortal Soul, agreeable to its Nature, & answerable to its Wants & Desires; large as our wishes, and exceeding our most raised expectations; which no Enemy can spoil us of, nor the longest Duration run it dry. For God is an inexhaustible Fountain, and when He becomes all in all to the Soul, tho' the Springs of Nature may fail, yet He will remain the Strength of our heart & our Portion for ever. Here then let us lay up our Treasure; and having our Treasure in Heaven, let our Hearts be there also: and then when our Souls shall be Uncloathed, our earthly House of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved, we shall not be Naked & Destitute; but provided with a Building of God, an House not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens. See 2 Cor. V. 1,2.
Let it be as Motive to us, to Excite us to this Prudent Care of our Souls; To Consider the Possibility of Saving them. If it were a thing impossible, who wou'd take any Pains about it? But this is possible, through Divine Goodness. God has begun this work for us, has laid the Foundation of it in infinite Grace and Love; He has sent His Only Begotten Son to Redeem and Save us; has Published to us these Glad Tidings of Great Joy, that to Us there is Born a Saviour, Christ the Lord; and He is waiting upon us, with the repeated Offers of His Grace, and the Strivings of His Holy Spirit with us, to carry on this Work in our Souls. Well then; Since it is a day of Grace and a time of Love, let none of us forsake our own Mercies, and follow after lying Vanities; let us be stirred up to improve the Opportunity, and Advantage we have in our hands; and know the things of our Peace, in this the Day thereof, e're they are hidden from our Eyes.
To Conclude;
Consider the Vast Consequence of determining your Choice Wisely Now; for you do it for Eternity. When once Death has laid us in the Grave, there will be no Knowledge, Work, nor Device for us there. What we do for the Salvation of our Souls must be done immediately: for we know not how soon the Midnight Cry may be heard; Come away. Let this Excite us, to hearken to the Gracious Offers made us from the Third Heavens, and Comply with the engaging Address of that World we now stand Probationers for; and then the Salvation of our Souls will be established, as the everlasting Mountains, and the perpetual Hills; and 'twill be their Glory to Shine Brighter than the Sun in the Firmament of God; the radiant Lustre whereof shall Shine around our Bodies, while we Joyn with the Holy Choir of Perfected Spirits, who surround the Throne of the Lamb, Singing, Alleluia! Salvation, Glory, Honour, and Power be unto the Lord our God.
FINIS.
ADVERTISEMENT.
THere is now in the Press, and may shortly be Sold, by Timothy Green at the North End of Boston, the Lower End of Middle Street; a Book Entituled, Memorials of Godliness and Christianity. In Three Parts.
The First Part containing Meditations, (1.) Of making Religion ones Business. (2.) An Appendix applied to the Calling of a Minister. The Second Part containing, (1.) The Character of a Christian in Paradoxes and seeming Contradictions. (2.) A Proof or Character a Visible Godliness. (3.) Some General Considerations to Excite to Watchfulness, and to shake off Spiritual Drowsiness. (4.) Remedies against Carefulness. (5.) The Soul of Fasting. The Third Part containing, (1.) A Daily Direction, or brief Rules for Daily Conversation. (2.) Particular Directions for the Lord's Day. Eighth Edit.
By HERBERT PALMER, B.D. Late Master of Queens College Cambridge in Great Britain.
End of the text · John Barnard, The Hazard and Unprofitableness of Losing A Soul for Gaining the World (1712)