d §. III. And to you all, that fport yourselves after the manners of the world, let me fay, that you are of those, who profess you know God, but in works deny him; living in those pleafures which flay the juft in yourselves. For though you talk of believing, it is no more than taking it for granted, that there is a God, a Chrift, Scriptures, &c. without farther concerning yourselves to prove the verity thereof, to yourselves or others, by a strict and holy converfation: which flight way of believing, is but a light and carelefs way of ridding yourfelves of farther examination; and rather throwing them off with an inconfiderate granting of them to be fo, than giving yourselves the trouble of making better inquiry, leaving that to your priests, oft-times more ignorant, and not less vain and idle than yourfelves, which is fo far from a gospel-faith, that it is the least respect you can fhew to God, Scriptures, &c. and next to which kind of believing is nothing, under a denial of all. But if you have hitherto laid afide all temperance, reason, and shame, at least be intreated to resume them now on a matter of this importance, and whereon no less concernment refts, than your temporal and eternal happiness. O! -retire, retire, obferve the reproofs of instruction in your own minds: that which begets fadness. in the midst of mirth, which cannot folace itself, nor be contented below immortality, which calls often to an account at nights, mornings, and other seasons which lets you fee the vanity, the • Tit. i. 16. folly, the end and mifery of these things; this is the juft principle and holy Spirit of the Almighty within you: hear him, obey him, converfe with them who are led by him; and let the glories of another world be eyed, and the heavenly recompence of reward kept in fight. Admit not the thoughts of former follies to revive, but be fteady, and continually exercised by his grace, to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this present world: for this is the true and heavenly nature of Christianity, to be so awakened and guided by the Spirit and grace of God, as to leave the fins and vanities of the world, and to have the affections regenerated, the mind reformed, and the whole man baptized into purity, and faithfulness towards God and man, as to act with reverence, justice, and mercy to care for very few things; to be content with what you have; to use all as if you used them not; and to be fo disentangled from the lufts, pleafures, profits, and honours of the world, as to have the mind raised to things above, the heart and affections fixed there that in all things you may glorify God, and be as lights fet on an hill, whofe fhining examples may be conducing to the happiness of others, who beholding fuch good works, may be converted, and glorify God the Father of lights, in whom you all would be eternally bleffed. S. IV. But if the impenitence of any is fo great, their pursuit of folly fo earnest, and Tit. ii. 12. f notwithstanding what has been thus seriously offered to reclaim them, they are refolved to take their courfe, and not to be at leifure for more divine things, I have this farther to leave with them from the Almighty, who first called me to this work; that tribulation, anguish, and forrow, fhall make their dying-beds; indignation and wrath fhall wind up their days, and trouble and vexation of mind and fpirit fhall be the miferable fruits which they shall reap, as the reward of all their wretched folly and rebellion! Be not deceived, God will not be mocked: it is fo irreversibly decreed; Whatever is fown here, fhall be reaped hereafter. And juft is the Almighty, to make good his determinations upon fuch, who instead of employing the time given them to work out their falvation with fear and trembling, have spent it in the pleasures of the flesh, which perisheth; as if their heaven were here. Nor can it seem unreasonable, fince he hath thus long waited with remiffion of fins, and eternal life in his hand, to distribute to them that repent; that if fuch will not, to recompence fo great obftinacy and love of this perifhing world, with everlasting tribulation. † §. V. But I am otherwife perfuaded of many; yes, I am affured, the mercies of the everlasting God have been fo extended to many, that this will prove an effectual call to bring them out of the ways and customs of this corrupted and corrupting world; and a means of establishing fuch, who hitherto have been unfaithful to f Rom. ii. 4, 5, 6, 9. 8 Gal. vi. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. what they have been already convinced of. And you, my friends, whofe minds have received the alarm, whose hearts have truly heard the voice of one crying in the wilderness, where you have been straying from the Lord, Repent! repent! To you, in the name of the great and living God I fpeak, I cry, Come away, come away: ah! what do you do there? Why are you yet behind? That is not your reft; it is polluted with the fins and vanities of a perishing world: gird up your loins: eye your light, one in all, Chrift Jefus, the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever: who hath enlightened every one: follow him, he will lead you to the city of God, that has foundations, into which the wicked cannot enter. §. VI. Mind not the difficulties of your march; great and good things were never enterprized and accomplished without difficulty, which does but render their enjoyment more pleafant and glorious in the end. Let the holy men and women of old be your examples: remember good old Abraham, the excellency of whofe faith is fet out by his obedience to the voice of God, in forfaking his father's houfe, kindred, country, &c.k And Mofes, that might in probability have been made a king, by faith in God, leaves Egypt's glory and Pharaoh's favours, and chufes rather a fojourn and pilgrimage with the defpifed, af ficted, tormented Ifraelites in the wilderness, than to enjoy the pleafures of that great court for a feafon; efteeming Chrift's reproaches ♪ John i. 9. Gen. xii. 1, 2. Heb. xi. 24, to 27. Ifaiah liv. 3. greater riches than Egypt's treasures. But, above all, how great was the reproach, how many the fufferings, how bitter the mockings, which Jefus fuffered at the hands of his enemies? Yet with what patience, meekness, forgiveness, and conftancy, did he in all his actions, demean himself towards his bloody perfecutors, defpifing the fhame, enduring the crofs, for the joy that was fet before him? And hath left us this glorious example, that we fhould follow his fteps; which hath in almost every age been imitated by fome. The apostles fealed their teftimonies with their blood, and multitudes after the example of their conftancy, esteeming it the greatest honour, as it was always attended with the fignalest demonstration of the Divine prefence. How memorable was that of Origen: If my father were weeping upon his knees before me, and my mo ther hanging about my neck behind me, and all my brethren, fifters, and kinsfolk lamenting on every fide, to retain me in the life and practice of the world, I would fling my mother to the ground, run over my father, despise all my kindred, and tread them under my feet, that I might run to Chrift. Yet it is not unknown, how dutiful and tender he was in thofe relations. Not much unlike to this, was that noble and known inftance of latter times, in Galeacius Carraciolus, marquis of Vico, who abandoned his friends, eftate, and country, refolutely faying with Mofes, that he would rather fuffer afflictions with the first reformers 1 Peter ii. 22, 23. 'Heb. xii. 12. |