Now or never the holy, serious, diligent believer justified, encouraged, excited and directed, and the opposers and neglecters convinced by the light of Scripture and reason / by Richard Baxter ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1662 Approx. 300 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 133 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A26967 Wing B1320 ESTC R11592 11687548 ocm 11687548 48167 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A26967) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 48167) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 12:1) Now or never the holy, serious, diligent believer justified, encouraged, excited and directed, and the opposers and neglecters convinced by the light of Scripture and reason / by Richard Baxter ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. [24], 239 p. [s.n.], London : 1662. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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To be Communicated by such as want ability or opportunity themselves to plead the Cause of Serious Holiness for mens Conviction . Luk. 7. 35. But wisdom is justified of all her children . Nihil est ad defendendum Puritate tutius : nihil ad dicendum Veritate facilius . Ambros . LONDON . Printed in the Year , 1662. The Contents . IN the Preface : the Question resolved , Whether a Man may be saved in any Religion , that is serious in practising it ? No Religion will save a man that is not true to it , & serious & diligent in practising it . Why the Author rather publisheth such common necessary things , than confutation of the many calumnies publisht against himself . His expectations from men : And answer with Tertullian about sufferings . An Advertisement about a passage cited out of the Homilies . His Justification for opposing scorners & enemies of Holiness , out of the Church Homilies . A Passage about Philip Nerius , the Father of the Oratorians . The Text opened . Doct. 1. The work of this life cannot be done when this life is ended . Doct. 2. Therefore while we have time , we must do the work of this present life , with vigour and diligenee . 1. Time cannot be recalled . 2. Life shall never be here restored . 3. There is no doing this work in the life to come . What it is to [ do it with our Might ] some cautions . Instances of the work to be done with our might . Obj. What Might have we ? Answered . How to rouse up our selves to seriousness . What to think of them that oppose a holy serious diligence in the service of God. The greatness of the sin . Especially if they are Preachers . What it is in Religion that Hypocrites hate . Seneca's testimony for seriousness . A terrible passage in our Homilies against Scorners at godliness . The greatness of their sin . Obj It is not Godliness , but humour , faction , disobedience , hypocrisie , &c. Answered . Advice to the flocks . Obj. Be not righteous overmuch , Answered . Exhortation to serious diligence . Obj. 1. I have lost my Time , Answered . Obj. 2. I have opposition and hinderances . Obj. 3. I am dull and cold . Directions and Cautions . Reasons for pleading this cause with Ministers . The Exhortation re-inforced . The Devils designe to make use of Differences in smaller matters against Christianity and Godliness it self . Such differences , sects , divisions , shall be no excuse to the ungodly , but aggravate their sin , as being against that which all Sects and Parties were agreed in . What that Religion is that we call men to be serious and diligent in . 1. To live according to the Principles of Faith that among Christians are past controversie : Ten named . 2. To do that Materially that all are agreed of : Ten duties named . 3. To do that in the very Manner of Gods service that all are agreed in . Ten particulars mentioned . Obj. I will never believe that God delights in long and earnest prayers , or is moved by the words of man. Answered . Obj. Is not your strict observation of the Lords Day a Controversie ? Answered . The Conclusion exhortatory . The Preface . IT is a question more boldly than accurately debated by many ; [ Whether a man may not be saved in any Religion , that is faithful to the principles of it by serious diligent practice ? ] The true Solution is this : Religion is that which men hold and do to serve and please God. 1. If men make themselves a Religion of serving Idols or Devils instead of God. 2. Or if they place their service to God himself in things that are evil ( as what evil is there that some men have not brought into their Religion , and fathered upon God ? ) the more diligent such men are in their Religion , the more they sin . 3. Or if they make themselves a Religion of irrational ludicrous ceremonies , their greatest diligence in this will not save them . 4. Or if they hold all the Essentials of the true Religion , except some one , it cannot save them while one thing is wanting , which is Essential to that Religion , and so necessary to salvation ( which is the case of real Hereticks : ) For they are not indeed of that Religion , if they want that which is Essential to it . 5. Or if they hold all that is Essential to the true Religion only Notionally , and hold any thing with it practically , which is contradictory and inconsistent with it , the soundness of their Notional belief will not save them from the mortal poison of their practical Heresie or Error . But 1. Whosoever holdeth all that is necessary to salvation , and is serious and diligent in living according thereunto shall be saved , whatever error he holdeth with it . For if he be serious and diligent in the Practice of all things necessary to salvation , he hath all that is necessary to salvation ; viz. in Belief and Practice : And it must needs follow , that his Errors are either not concontradictory to the things necessary which he holdeth and practiseth , or that he holdeth not those Errors practically , but notionally , as an opinion , or uneffectual cogitation in a dream , which provokes not to action ; and in such a case the error keeps no man from salvation . What is necessary to be believed by them that never hear the Gospel , it so little concerneth us to know , that God hath not thought meet to make it so plain to us , as things that more concern our selves . But as it is certain , that without the Atonements , Satisfaction , and Reconciliation made by Christ , and without new terms of Grace to be judged by , and without his Grace for the performance of their part , no man can be saved ( that hath the use of reason , ) so there is so much knowledge necessary to salvation , as is necessary [ to engage the heart to love God above all , and sincerely to obey his revealed will , and to prefer the life to come before the transitory pleasures of this life . ] Now if any man can prove to me , that those that never heard the Gospel , can thus love God , and the life to come , and obey sincerely , without the knowledge of the person , life , death , resurrection of Jesus Christ , and the Declaration of the attractive Love and Goodness of God in him , and in the work of our Redemption , then I should believe that such Negative Infidels may be saved : For God cannot damn a sanctified soul , that sincerely loveth him . But if the discovery of the Love of God in our Redemption be so necessary a moral means to ingage the heart ( now corrupted by sin and creature-love ) to the true Love of God , that this cannot be wrought without it ; or if Christ give not his Spirit to produce the love of God in any but those that hear the Gospel , and believe in him , then no such persons can be saved by their Religion . For Christ is the way to the Father , and no man cometh to the Father but by him ; and and the Love of God is absolutely and of its self necessary to salvation ; and Faith in Christ is so far necessary to salvation , as it is necessary to bring men to the love of God , as pardoning sin and reconciled to them . But if any should never so confidently conclude , that some that hear not of Christ may be saved , yet he must needs confess that the want of this clear and great discovery of the love and goodness of God , in his pardoning grace , and of the glorious life which he hath prepared for us , must needs make the love of God a very rare and difficult thing , and consequently their salvation rare and difficult in comparison of ours . The Christian Faith , is [ The believing an everlasting life of happiness to be given by God ( with the pardon of all sin ) as procured by the sufferings and merits of Jesus Christ , to all that are sanctified by the Holy Ghost , and do persevere in love to God , and to each other , and in a holy and heavenly conversation . ] This is saving Faith and Christianity , if we Consent as well as Assent . All that was necessary to salvation to be believed , was formerly thought to be contained in the Creed , and that was the test or symbol of the Christian Faith ; and Christian Religion is the same , and hath the same rule , and test , & symbol in all Ages . But since Faction and Tyranny , Pride & . Covetousness became the masters of the Religion of too many vice and selfish interest hath commanded them to change the Rule of Faith by their additions , & to make so much necessary to salvation , as is necessary to their affected Vniversal Dominion , and to their Commodity and carnal ends . And since Faction entred , and hath torn the Church into many Sects ( the Greek , the Roman , the Armenian , the Jacobites , the Abassine , and many more ) it seemeth meet to the more tyrannical Sect to call these several Religions , and to say that every man that differeth from them in any of their opinions or additions , which they please to call Articles of Faith , is of another Religion . † And yet when they have divided the Church , and damned the greatest part of Christians , and raged with fire and sword against their brethren , they confess themselves that it is no point of faith at all , that it is of Divine right that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters Successor , and not only of humane right . And must the Church be divided , and most be damned for not believing or submitting to a humane Ordinance ? If we be of many Religions , is not Popery then a humane Religion ? The very words of Smith Bishop of Chalcedon , the chiefest of the English Popish Clergy , are these , Survey c. 5. To us it sufficeth that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters Successor , and this all the Fathers testifie , and all the Catholick Church believeth , but whether it be jure divino , or humano , is no point of faith . ] And how do their Laicks here know what is a point of faith , but by the testimony of their Priests ? He is the true Catholick Christian that hath but One , even the Christian Religion : And this is the case of the Protestants , who casting off the additions of Popery , adhere to the Primitive simplicity & unity : If Papists , or any others , corrupt this Religion with humane additions and innovations , the great danger of these Corruptions , is , lest they draw them from the sound belief and serious practice , of that antient Christianity which we are all agreed in : And ( among Papists , or any other Sect ) where their corruptions do not thus corrupt their Faith and Practice in the true Essentials , it is certain that those corruptions shall not damn them . For he that truly believeth all things that are essential to Christianity , and liveth accordingly with serious diligence , hath the promise of salvation : And it is certain that what error that man holdeth , it is either not inconsistent with true Christianity , or not practically , but notionally held , and so not inconsistent as held by him : For how can that he inconsistent which actually doth consist with it ? If a Papist or any other Secta●y do seriously love God , and his Brother , and set his heart upon the life to come , and give up himself to the merits and Grace of Jesus Christ , and the sanctification of the holy Spirit , to be fitted for that glory , and liveth by faith above the world , and mortifieth the desires of the flesh , and liveth wilfully in no known sin , but presseth after further degrees of holiness , I doubt not of the salvation of that person : No more then of the life of him that hath taken poison but into his mouth and spit it out again , or let down so little as nature and antidotes do expel . But I will not therefore plead for poison , nor take it , because men may live that thus take it . Having answered this great Question Reader , I am now come up to the subject of my following discourse , and to tell thee that though it be a great question whether serious diligence in a corrupt Religion will save a man , it is past all question , and agreed on by all sides , that no Religion will save a man that is not serious , sincere and diligent in it . If thou be of the truest Religion in the world , and art not true thy self to that Religion , the Religion is good , but it is none of thine . Objectively thou art of a true and good Religion , the things in themselves are true and good ; but subjectively , thou art sincerely of no Religion at all ; for if thou art not serious , hearty and diligent in it , it is certain that thou dost not truly entertain it , and make it thine ; but it is thy Books that have the true Religion , or thy tongue or fantasie , or brain , but not thy heart , and the best meat on thy table , or that goeth no further then thy mouth , will never feed thee , or preserve thy life . So certain is the salvation of every holy mortified Christian , and so certain the damnation of every ungodly , worldly , fleshly sensualist that I had a thousand fold rather have my soul in the case of a godly Anabaptist , yea or a Monk or Fryar among the Papists that liveth a truly heavenly life , in the love of God and man , and in a serious diligent obedience to God according to his knowledge , then in the case of a Protestant , or whomsoever you can imagine to be rightest in his opinions , that is worldly , and sensual , and a stranger ( if not an enemy ) to the power and serious practice of his own profest Religion , and void of a Holy and Heavenly heart and life . If ever such a man be saved , the principles of all Religion do deceive us . And certainly such mens hypocrisie doth aggravate their sin , and will encrease their misery . So many as there be in the world , that profess themselves Christians , and yet are not serious and diligent in their Religion , but are ungodly neglecters or enemies of a holy life , so many Hypocrites are in the world . And I wonder that their consciences call them not Hypocrites , when they stand up at the Creed , or profess themselves Believers : though the Congregation seeth not [ hypocrite ] written in their foreheads , God seeth i● written on their hearts , and those that converse● with them may see it written in their lives . And yet these men are the forwardest to cry out against Hypocrites : The Devil hath taught it them to stop the suspition and the chase of conscience , as he hath taught the greatest Schismaticks or Church-dividers the Papists ) to cry out most against Schism and division , and pretend to unity . But these shifts do blind none but fools , and forsaken consciences ; and the cheat that is now detected by the wife , will quickly by God be detected before all the world . Till then l●t them make merry in their deceits : who would envy the drunkard the pleasure of an hours swinish sick delight ? This is their portion , and this is their time : As we have chosen and covenanted for another portion , we are content to stay the time assigned , till God shall tell them & all the world , who was sincere & who the hypocrite . For our parts , we believe that he is most or least sincere , that is most or least serious in the practice of his own profest Religion . For my part , I must profess that ( by the mercy of God ) I have made it the work of many a year , to look about me and think wherein the felicity of man doth indeed consist : And I have long been past doubt ( as much as I am that I am a man ) that it is not in transitory sensual delights ; and that these are such lean and dry commodities , and pittiful pleasures , leaving men so speedily in a forlorn state , that I am contented that my greatest enemy have my part of them . I have renounced them to God ( as any part of my felicity ) and I renounce them to men : Let them do with me about these things as God will give them leave . I will have a portion after death , or I●e have none . And the case is so palpable , that it is my admiration that the contrary deceit is consistant with the nature and reason of a man ; and that so many Gentlemen and Scholars and persons of an ingenuous education , can no better distinguish , and can possibly conquer their reason so easily with the presence or sensual delights , and so easily make nothing of that which will be to morrow and for ever , meerly because it is not to day . Well . I must say the Wisdom and Justice of God is abundantly seen in the Government of the world with the Liberty of the will , and determining that all men should speed as they choose . It may be the Reader will say , be expected that instead of writing such popular discourses , I should have vindicated my self against the accusations , that in multitudes of Libels and Pamphlets are scattered abroad against me . But doth he think that man is seriously a Christian that is not more zealous for God and Religion , and the souls of men , then for himself ? Have I nothing else to do with my time & labour , but plead cause of my own which God will so speedily and effectually plead ? Will it not be time enough to be justified at the Bar and day of God ? I am content that they carry it as they desire till then ( were it not more for their own and other mens sakes then mine ) Am I like to forsake my life & all for Christ , & endure torments if I were called to it , if I cannot endure to be reviled and slandered by passionate men ? Was it for nothing that our Lord would not answer for himself when he was accused before Pilate ? Shall they be able to calumniate under the threatnings of the Revenge of Heaven ? and shall I not be able to be silent under such a promise , as Mat. 5. 10 , 11 , 12. The servant of the Lord must not strive ! Our Lord gave us an example of not reviling again , when he was reviled : He made himself of no reputation , but endured the cross and contradiction of sinners , despising the shame . I confess I think when Gods interest , and the good of others doth require it , a man should not be wanting to his own defence , and I have long ago written that which will satisfie the impartial : But when I saw that it is like to tend to heats , and set more on work , I had rather let men call me all the names they can devise , and voluminously accuse me of any thing that malice shall suggest , then do any thing to foment contentions in the Church . But if God convince me that it is my duty to detect the calumnies of man , it is a work soon done . But what good will it do the world for me to open the numerous untruths , that other men have published , or to confute every Script ; when all that I converse with are satisfied already , and believe not the reproaches ; and all the evidence in the world will not satisfied those that will not read it , or are resolved by their malice or interest never to be satisfied ? For my part , I doubt not but God and their consciences will give them such a Confutation as shall be sufficient to them and me to end the controversie . My work is to plead the Cause of God and holiness against the profane and sensual world , and no further to plead any Cause of my own , then is necessary to that . If I must bear the effects of mens displeasure , I had an hundred times rather it were for pleading for Holiness , and Love , and Peace , and Concord , against impiety , uncharitableness , and divisions , then for defending my self , or upon the account of Ceremonies or smaller matters . And if for these I bear it , I doubt not of more comfort at the present , much less do I doubt of a better issue then false accusers can expect . We shall be shortly upon even ground : The time is short : The pleasures of sin , the triumphs of malice , the sufferings of innocency , are but for a moment . I envy them not so short and dark day : The Judge is at the door that will judge all again , and set all strait , and judge in righteousness . When I am afraid of leaving a noisom and unrighteous world , and ending all my pain and trouble , and being beyond the reach of malice , then I will fear what man can do . Let them keep me out of heaven , or deprive me of my peace and comfort if they can : If they fear not the threatnings of God against the malicious and unjust ; surely I have less reason to fear their threatnings . When they have done their worst to others , let them save themselves from death if they can : I am devoted to God , and I never yet found cause to repent it : I am resolved to use the utmost of my power for the interest of Holiness , Charity and Peace , and for loyalty to the King , and obedience or patient submission to Superiors : And if yet I bear the fruits of fury , let those that insult over sufferers , as if they were therefore guilty or miserable , remember that we could have avoided it if we would , and could have found the way of applause and prosperity as well as they ; and that no man takes that for his misery which he chooseth ! If this kind of preaching or writing offend , could not I have avoided it ? I am not in love with sufferings from men , nor will I escape them at the rates of Gods displeasure . I never think my self in the highest form of christians , till I am more conform to the sufferings of Christ , and have endured more then yet I have . It is the Christians old Apology in Tertullian : Quasi non totum quod in nos potestis nostrum si Arbitrium Certe si velim Christianus sum tunc ergo me damnabis : si damnari velim : Quum vero quod in me potes , nisi velim non potes jam meae voluntatis est quod potes , non tuae potestatis : Proinde & vulgus vane de nostra vexatione gaudet . Proinde & nostrum est gaudium quod sibi vendicant , qui malumus damnari quam a Deo excidere . Contra , illi qui nos oderunt , dolere non gaudere debebant , consecutis nobis quod eligimus . ] Tert. Apologet. cap. 39. That is , As if all that you can do against us were not our own choice ! ( or will ) Certainly it is because I will that I am a Christian , therefore if I will be condemned , then thou wilt condemn me . And when that which thou canst do against me , thou canst not do , unless I will ; it is not now from thy power that thou canst do it , but from my will : And therefore the vulgar do in vain rejoyce at our vexation . And therefore it is our joy , which they challenge to themselves , while we had rather be condemned then fall from God. On the contrary they that hate us should grieve and not rejoyce while we attain but what we choose . For my part , if the world will needs be mad , I think both the laughing and the weeping Philosopher are more excusable then he that would be over-angry at them , or over-busie in disputing with them ; saith Seneca [ Quare fers aegri rabiem & phrenetici verba ? nempe quia videntur nescere quid faciunt . Quid interest quo quisque , vitio fiat imprudens ? Sen. de Ira. l. 3. c. 26. Anger and phrensie are but several wayes of a mans losing his wit ; and therefore he that can bear with one , should somewhat bear with the other : ( Though indeed voluntariness , or involuntariness maketh a great difference . ) It is not worth a man's time and labour and cost to be over solicitous in his own vindication , let the world say of him what they please . [ Multum temporis ultio absumit . Multis se injuriis objicit , dum unam dolet . Diutius irascimur omnes quam laedimur . ] Sen. de Ira. l. 3. c. 27. Revenge takes up a deal of time : He that complaineth of one injury , objects himself to many . We are all angry longer th●n we a●e hurt . I have truly given you now the Reasons , why I rather choose to speak these common necessary things , against the Devils party , the ungodly , the enemies , or neglecters of serious Holiness , ( agreeable to the subject of his Majesties Christian and excellent Declaration against Debauchery at his entrance upon his Royal Goverment ) then to meddle with any of the contending parties of these times ( who are so angry because in obedience to authority I once endeavoured to reconcile them ) or to be unseasonable in pleading any cause that is my own . And now referring the Reader to this short Discourse , I must first desire that he misunderstand me not in one or two passages . 1. That my citation of the passage in the Homiles , be not taken as if I spoke a word against it , though I say , I dare not my self subscribe it : For though I think my self , that seeing a persecutor like Saul may repent , and be pardoned ; a mocker at Godliness may Repent and be forgiven also : Yet I am resolved still to suspect my own understanding , rather then to speak against the doctrine of the Church . 2. Think it not strange that I reprehend even Ministers that are secret , or open opposers of a holy diligence : For our foresaid Homily telleth us , as followeth : Hom. for Inform , &c , part 2. p. 150 , 251. [ Examples of such scorners , we read in 2 Chron. When the good King Hezekiah in the beginning of his Reign had destroyed Idolatry , purged the Temple , and Reformed Religion in his Realm , he sent Messengers into every City to gather the people to Jerusalem to solemnize the feast of Easter in such sort as God hath appointed . The Posts went from City to City — And what did the people think ye ? Did they laud and praise the name of the Lord that had given them so so good a King , so zealous a Prince to abolish Idolatry , and to restore again Gods true Religion ? No , no ; the Scripture saith , the people laughed them to scorn , and mocked the Kings messengers . And in the last Chap. of the same Book it is written , that Almighty God having compassion on his people sent his Messengers the Prophets to them , to call them from their abominable Idolatry and wicked kind of living : But they mocked his Messengers , they despised his words , and misused his Prophets , until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people , and till there was no remedy . ] — The wicked people that were in the dayes of Noah made but a mock at the Word of God , when Noah told them that God would take vengeance on them for their sins — Lot preached to the Sodomites , that except they repented , both they and their City should be destroyed ; They thought his sayings impossible to be true ; they scorned and mocked his admonitions , and reputed him as an old doting fool : But God — burnt up those scorners and mockers of his holy Word . And what estimation had Christs doctrine among the Scribes and Pharisees ? What reward had he among them ? — The Pharisees ? which were covetous , did scorn him in his Doctrine . O then you see that worldly rich men do scorn the doctrine of their salvation ; the worldly wise men scorn the Doctrine of Christ as foolishness to their understandings . These scorners have ever been , and ever shall be to the worlds end . For St ▪ Peter prophesied , that such scorners should be in the end before the latter day . Take heed therefore my brethren , take heed : be ye not scorners of Gods most Holy Word : provoke him not to pour out his wrath upon you , as he did upon those Gibers and Mockers : Be not wilful murderers of your own souls . ] Thus far the Homily . And no marvel if Priests may be guilty as well as people , if it be true that is said by the Church in Hom. 3. against peril of idolatry , p. 56 , 57. [ But a true Preacher to stay this mischief , is in very many places scarcely heard once in the whole year , and somewhere not once in seven year , as is evident to be proved . Further it appeareth not by any story of credit , that true and sincere preaching hath endured in any one place above an hundred years . ] But it is evident that Images , superstition , and worshipping of Images , and idolatry have continued many hundred years . — For preaching of Gods Word ( most sincere in the beginning ) by process of time waxed less and less pure , and after corrupt , and last of all altogether laid down and left off , and other inventions of men crept in place of it . — So that Laity and Clergy , learned and unlearned , all ages , sects , and degrees of men , women and children of all Christendom ( a most horrible and dreadfull thing to think ) have been at once drowned in abomi●able Idolatry , of all other vices most detested of God , and most damnable to man , and that by the space of eight hundred years . So far the Church of England . And though I am far from crediting the many fabulous stories in that and such other Books ; yet I shall recite one instance in the life of Philip Nerius , the Father of the Oratorians , which shall shew you , that even among the Papists , holy serious diligence where it is , hath the same usage from the prophane both Clergy and Laity , as in other places , and so that every where Holiness is persecuted by men , professing the same Religion with those they persecute . The meetings of the Oratorians , and their exercises , so like those now abhorr'd by many , are by Baronius ( that was one of them ) thus described , as you may see in the life of Nerius , p. 45. Certainly by the Divine wisdom was it brought to pass , that in our times — Assemblies were instituted in the City , much what after the form of those Apostolical Conventions , such especially as by the Apostle were oppointed for discoursing of divine matters , both for edifying the hearers , and for propogating the Church . It was agreed that the zealous Christians should meet a days at St. Hieroms Oratory , and there a Religious meeting should be held after this manner . First , silence being made , they began with prayer , and one of the brothers reads some pious lesson . At the reading of which , the Father used to interpose upon occasion , explaining more fully , enlarging and vehemently inculcating on the minds of the Auditors , the things read , continuing his discourse sometime a whole hour ( to the great satisfaction of the hearers ) dialogue-wise , asking some of the company their opinions about such a thing . Afterward by his appointment , one of them went up into the Desk , raised upon steps , and made an Oration without flourishes , or varnish of Language , composed out of the approved and choice lives of Saints , sacred Writ , and sentences of Holy Fathers . He that succeeded him , discoursed after the same manner , but on a differing matter . Then followed the third , who related some part of the Church story in the order of its several Ages . Every of these had his half hour allotted him , and performed all with marvellous delight and approbation : Then singing some Hymn , and going to prayers again , the company broke up . All things thus ordered , and ratified by the Pope , as far as the times would suffer , the beautiful face of the Primitive Apostolical assembling , seemed to be revived again , whereat all good men rejoycing , and many taking their Model from them , the like exercises of piety were set up and practised in other places . ] So far Baronius . If any say that this long and zealous exercise was not in private houses ; I Answer , Allow us an Oratory , as the Pope himself allowed them , and we had rather far be there then in private houses : But if any that hinder such from being publick , shall then reproach it for being in a less publick place , they scarce play fair . The Church of England , in the third part of the Serm. against the peril of idolatry , p. 66 , 67. saith . In Maximinian and Constantius the Emperours Proclamation , the places where Christians resorted to publick Prayer , were called Conventicles . ] See further . But how were the Oratorians esteemed and used ? In Chap. 16. of Nerius's persecutions , after the mention of mens rancor and railing that maligned him , it follows , p. 56. that The Prelate that was Deputy of the City , moved by the reports of them that bore a spleen to Philip , sent for him , and reprehended him sharply : Is it not a shame ( saith he ) that you who profess a contempt of the world , should hunt for popular applause , and walk through the City guarded with troops , with such nets as these , fishing for Church-preferments ? ] When having shrewdly taunted him with such like expressions , he prohibits him the hearing of Confessions for fifteen dayes , and to use the customes of the Oratory , but by leave first obtained , or to lead about with him any companies of men , threatning imprisonment upon his disobedience : Neither would he let him depart , till he put in security for his appearance , saying — Come , you do all this , not for the glory of God , but to make a party for your self . — Mean time , while the good man was commending himself to God , having intreated divers religious persons to be instant in Prayer about this business , one appeareth and saith — This trouble shall be quickly over , and the work that is begun be more strongly oonfirmed ; they who resist now , shall assist hereafter ; and if any one shall dare to oppose it any longer , God shall speedily avenge it on him ; the Prelate , that is your chiefest adversary , shall certainly dye with 15. dayes . ] And it fell out precisely as he foretold : for the Prelate ( the Popes Deputy ) relating the proceedings to his Holiness somewhat partially , died suddenly . — No sooner was this blaze of persecution out , but a much fiercer was kindled against the Order : For under pretext of Piety and Religion , some possessed the Pope that the Preachers of St. Hieroms many times delivered things ridiculous and unsound , which argued high indiscretion or ignorance , and must needs endanger their hearers . ] I would not have troubled you with any of these citations , but to let those know that are offended at my reproof of impious Ministers , that in all places and parties in the world where there is any serious diligence for salvation , there are alwayes enemies of the same Profession , even among the Clergy as well as others . The hindering of Holy Diligence and Seriousness , is the work of the Devil and his Instruments in the world . The promoting it is the work of Christ , and of his servants . The great actions of the World are but the conflictings of these two armies , the salvation of the Conquerors , and the damnation of the conquered being the end . By this contending for Faith and Holiness , and bearing the Cross , I take my self bound to perform my Covenant of [ professing the Faith of Christ crucified , and manfully fighting under his Banner against the Devil , the World and the Flesh , to my lives end . ] Reader , thou art engaged to the like as well as I , and shalt be judged accordingly , and reap as thou hast sowed . CHOOSE and DO as thou wilt SPEED . Eccles . 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do it with thy might : for there is no work , nor device , nor knowledge , nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest . THe mortality of man being the principal subject of Solomon in this Chapter , and observing that wisdom and piety exempt not men from death , he first hence infers , that Gods love or hatred to one man above another , is not to be gathered by his dealing with them here , where all things in the common course of providence do come alike to all . The common sin hath introduced death as a common punishment , which levelleth all , & endeth all the contrivances , businesses and enjoyments of this life , to good and bad ; and the discriminating justice is not ordinarily manifested here : An Epicure or Infidel would think Solomon were here pleading their unmanly impious cause : But it is not the cessation of the life , or operations , or enjoyments of the soul that he is speaking of , as if there were no life to come , or the soul of man were not immortal ; But it is the cessation of all the actions , and honors , and pleasures of this life , which to good or bad shall be no more . Here they have no more reward , the memory of them will be here forgotten . They have no more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun , vers . 5 , 6. From hence he further inferreth , that the comforts of life are but short and transitory , and therefore that what the creature can afford , must be presently taken ; And as the wicked shall have no more but present pleasures , so the faithful may take their lawful comforts in the present moderate use of creatures ; For if their delightful goodness be of right and use to any , it is to them ; And therefore , though they may not use them to their hurt , to the pampering of their flesh , and strengthening their lusts , and hindering spiritual duties benefits , & salvation ; yet must they serve the Lord with joyfulness , & with gladness of heart , for the abundance of all things , which he giveth them , Deut. 28. 47. Next , he inferreth from the brevity of mans life , the necessity of speed , and Diligence in his duty . And this is in the words of my Text : where you have 1. The duty commanded . 2. The reason or motive to enforce it . The Duty is in the first part ; [ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do ] that is , whatever work is assigned thee by God to do in this thy transitory life [ do it with thy might ] ( that is , 1. Speedily , without delay ; 2. Diligently , and as well as thou art able ; and not with sloathfulness , or by the halves . ) 2. The Motive is in the last part [ For there is no work , nor device , nor knowledg , nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest ] ( that is , It must be now or never : The grave , where thy work cannot be done , will quickly end thy opportunities . ) The Caldee Paraphrase appropriates the sense too narrowly to works of charity , or Alms ; [ whatsoever good and almsgiving thou findest to do ] : and the moving reason they read accordingly [ for nothing but thy works of righteousness and mercy follow thee . ] But the words are more general , & the sense is obvious , contained in these two Propositions . Doct. 1. The work of this life cannot be done , when this life is ended . Or , There is no working in the grave , to which we are all making haste . Doct. 2. Therefore while we have time , we must do our best : or do the work of this present life with vigour and diligence . It is from an unquestionable and commonly-acknowledged truth , that Solomon here urgeth us to diligence in duty ; and therefore to prove it would be but loss of time . As there are two worlds for man to live in and so two lives for man to live ; so each of these lives hath its peculiar employment . This is the life of preparation : the next is the life of our Reward or Punishment : We are now but in the womb of eternity , and must live hereafter in the open world . We are now but set to school to learn the work that we must do for ever : This is the time of our apprentiship : we are learning the trade that we must live upon in Heaven . We run now , that we may then receive the Crown : we fight now , that we may then triumph in victory . The Grave hath no work : but Heaven hath work , and Hell hath suffering . There is no Repentance unto life hereafter : but there is Repentance unto torment , and to desperation . There is no Believing of a happiness unseen in order to the obtaining of it : or of a misery unseen in order to the escaping of it ; nor believing in a Saviour in order to these ends : But there is the fruition of the happiness which was here believed ; & feeling of the misery that men would not believe ; and suffering from him as a righteous Judge , whom they rejected as a merciful Saviour . So that it is not all work that ceaseth at our death : but only the work of this present life . And indeed no reason can shew us the least probability of doing our work when our time is done that was given us to do it in . If it can be done , it must be , 1. by the recalling of our Time ; 2. by the return of life ; 3. or by opportunity in another life : But there is no hope of any of these . 1. Who knoweth not that Time cannot be recalled ? That which once Was , will be no more . Yesterday will never come again . To day is passing , and will not return . You may work while it is day : but when you have lost that day , it will not return for you to work in . While your candle burneth , you may make use of its light : but when it is done , it is too late to use it . No force of Medicine , no Orators elegant perswasions , no worldlings wealth , no Princes power , can call back one day or hour of time . If they could , what endeavours would there be used , when extremity hath taught them to value what they now despise ? what chaffering would there be at last , if time could be purchased , for any thing that man can give . Then Misers would bring out their wealth , and say , All this will I give for one days time of Repentance more : And Lords and Knights would lay down their Honours , and say , Take all , and let us be the basest Beggars , if we may but have one year of the Time that we mispent ! Then Kings would lay down their Crowns , and say , Let us be equal with the lowest Subjects , so we may but have the Time again that we wasted in the Cares and Pleasures of the world . Kingdoms would then seem a contemptible price for the recovery of Time. The Time that is now idled & talkt away : The Time that is now feasted and complemented away , that is unnecessarily sported & slept away ; that is wickedly & presumptuously sin'd away ; how precious will it one day seem to all ? How happy a bargain would they think that they had made , if at the dearest rates they could redeem it ? The prophanest Mariner fals a praying , when he fears his Time is at an end . If importunity would then prevail , how earnestly would they pray for the recovery of time , that formerly derided praying , or minded it not , or could not have while , or mocked God with lip-service , and customary forms , & feigned words instead of praying ? what a Liturgy would death teach the trifling Time despising Gallants , the idle , busie , dreaming-active , ambitious , covetous Lovers of this world , if time could be intreated to return ! How passionately then would they roar out their requests ! [ O that we might once see the dayes of Hopes , and Means , and Mercy , which once we saw , and would not see ! O that we had those dayes to spend in penitential tears and prayers , and holy preparations for an endless life , which we spent at Cards , in needless recreations , in idle talk , in humouring others , in the pleasing of our flesh , or in the inordinate cares and businesses of the world ! O that our youthful vigour might return ! that our years might be renewed ! that the dayes we spent in vanity might be recalled ! that Ministers might again be sent to us publickly and privately , with the message of Grace which we once made light of ! that the Sun would once more shine upon us ! and patience & mercy would once more re-assume their work ! ] If cries or tears , or price or pains , would bring back lost-abused Time , how happy were the now-distracted , dreaming , dead-hearted , and impenitent world ! If it would then serve their turn to say to the vigilant believers [ Give us of your oyl , for our lamps are gone out ] or to cry [ Lord , Lord , open to us ] when the door is shut , the foolish would be saved as well as the wise . Mat. 25. 8 , 10 , 11. But this is the day of Salvation ! this is the accepted Time , 2 Cor. 6. 2. While it is called To day , hearken , and harden not your hearts , Psal . 95. 8. Awake thou that sleepest , and stand up from thy sloathful wilful death , and use the light that 's afforded thee by Christ , Ephes . 5. 14. or else the everlasting utter darkness will shortly end thy Time and Hope . 2. And as Time can never be recalled , so Life shall never be here restored : Job 14. 14. [ If a man die , shall he live ( here ) again ? All the dayes of our appointed time we must therefore wait ( in faith and diligence ) till our change shall come ] One Life is appointed us on earth , to dispatch the work that our everlasting life dependeth on : And we shall have but One. Lose that and all is lost for ever : Yet you may hear , and read , and learn , and pray : but when this Life is ended , it shall be so no more . You shall rise from the dead indeed to Judgement , and to the Life that now you are preparing for , but never to such a Life as this on earth : your life is as the fighting of a Battel , that must be won or lost at once . There is no coming hither again to mend what is done amiss . Oversights must be presently corrected by Repentance , or else they are everlastingly past remedy . Now if you be not truly converted , you may be : If you find that you are carnal & miserable , you may be healed : If you are unpardoned , you may be pardoned : If you are Enemies , you may be reconciled to God : But when once the thread of life is cut , your opportunities are at an end . Now you may enquire of your Friends and Teachers , what a poor soul must do that he may be saved , and you may receive particular instructions and exhortations , and God may bless them to the illuminating , renewing and saving of your souls : But when life is past , it will be so no more . O then , if desperate souls might but return , and once more be tryed with the means of life , what joyful tidings would it be ! How welcome would the Messenger be that bringeth it ! Had Hell but such an offer as this , and would any cryes procure it from their righteous Judge , O what a change would be among them ! How importunately would they cry to God , [ O send us once again unto the earth ? Once more let us see the face of Mercy , and hear the tenders of Christ & of Salvation ? Once more let the Ministers offer us their helps , and teach us in season and out of season , in publick and in private , and we will refuse their help and exhortation no more , we will hate them , and drive them away from our Houses & Towns no more : Once more let us have thy Word and Ordinances , and try whether we will not believe them , and use them better then we did : Once more let us have the help and company of thy Saints , and we will scorn them , and abuse them , and persecute them no more . O for the great unvaluable Mercy of such a Life as once we had ! O try us once more with such a Life , and see whether we will not contemn the world , and cloze with Christ , and live as strictly , and pray as earnestly , as those that we hated and abused for so doing : O that we might once more be admitted into the holy Assemblies , and have the Lords Days to spend in the business of our Salvation ! We would plead no more against the power & purity of the Ordinances ; We would no more call that day a burden , nor hate them that spent it in works of Holiness , nor plead for the liberty of the flesh therein . I makes my heart even shake within me , to think with what cries those damned souls would strive with God , and how they would roar out [ O try us once again , ] if they had but the least encouragement of Hope ! But it will not be , It must not be ! They had their Day , and would not know it : They cannot lose their time , and have it . They had faithful Guides , and would not follow them : Teachers they had , but would not learn. The dust of their feet must witness against them , because their entertained obeyed message , cannot witness for them . Long did Christ wait with the patient tenders of his blood and spirit ; His Grace was long and earnestly offered , but could not be regarded and received : And they cannot finally refuse a Christ , and yet have a Christ ; Or refuse his mercy , and yet be saved by it . He that would have Lazarus sent from the dead , to warn his unbelieving Brethren on Earth , no doubt would have strongly purposed himself on a reformation , if he might once more have been tried : And how earnestly would he have beg'd for such a Trial , that beg'd so hard for a drop of water ? Luk. 16. 24 , 27 , 28. But alas , such mouths must be stopt for ever with a [ Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things ] vers . 25. So that it is appointed for all men once to dye , and after that the Judgement , Heb. 9. 27. But there 's no return to earth again : The places of your abode , imployment and delight , shall know you no more . You must see these faces of your friends , and converse in flesh with men no more ! This world , these houses , that wealth and honour , as to any fruition , must be to you as if you had never known them . You must assemble here but a little while ! yet a little longer , and we must preach , and you must hear it no more for ever . That therefore which you will do , must presently be done , or it will be too late . If ever you will repent and Believe , it must be Now. If ever you will be converted and sanctified it must be Now. If ever you will be pardoned & reconciled to God , it must be Now. If ever you will reign , it s now that you must fight and conquer . O that you were wise , that you understood this , and that you would consider your latter end , Deut. 32. 29. And that you would let those words sink down into your hearts , which came from the heart of the Redeemer , as was witnessed by his tears , Luke 19. 41 , 42. [ If thou hadst known , even thou , at least in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace . But now they are hidden from thine eyes . ] And that these warnings may not be the less regarded , because you have so often heard them , when often hearing increaseth your obligation , and diminisheth not the truth , or your danger . 3. And as there is no Return to Earth , so is there no doing this work hereafter . Heaven and Hell are for other work . If the Infant be dead born , the open world will not revive him ; That which is generated , and born a beast , or serpent , will not by all the influences of the Heavens , or all the powers of Sun or Earth , become a Man. The second and third concoxion presuppose the first ; The harvest doth presuppose the seed time , & the labour of the husbandman . It s now that you must sow , and hereafter that you must reap . It s now that you must work , and then that you must receive your wages . Is this believed and considered by the sleepy world ? Alas sirs , do you live as men that must live here no more ? Do your work as men that must work no more , and pray as men that must pray no more , when once the time of work is ended ? What thinkest thou , poor besotted sinner ! will God command the Sun to stand still , while thou rebellest or forgettest thy work and him ? Dost thou look he should pervert the course of nature , & continue the spring and seed-time till thou hast a mind to sow ? or that he will return the dead-born or mis-shapen Infant into the womb , that it may be better formed or quickned ? Will he renew thy age , and make the young again , and call back the hours that thou prodigally wastedst on thy lusts and idleness ? Canst thou look for this at the hand of God , when Nature and Scripture assure thee of the contrary ? If not , why hast thou not yet done with thy beloved sins ? Why hast thou not yet begun to live ? Why sittest thou still , while thy soul is un-renewed ? and all thy preparation for death and judgement is yet to make ? How fain would Satan find thee thus at death ? How fain would he have leave to blow out thy candle , before thou hast entred in●● the way of life ? Dost thou look to have Preachers sent after thee , to bring thee the mercy which thy contempt here left behind ? Wilt thou hear and be converted in the Grave and Hell ? or wilt thou be saved without holiness ? that is , In despight of God that hath resolved . it shall not be . O ye sons of sleep , of death , of darkness , awake , and live , and hear the Lord , before the Grave and Hell have shut their mouths upon you ! Hear now , least hearing be too late ! Hear now , if you will ever hear . Hear now , if you have ears to hear ! And O ye sons of Light , that see what sleeping sinners see not , call to them , and ring them such a peal of lamentations , tears and compassionate intreaties , as is suited to such a dead and doleful state ; Who knows but God may bless it to awake them ? If any of you be so far awakened , as to ask me what I am calling you to do ; My Text tells you in general , Up and be Doing : Look about you , and see what you have to do , and Do it with your might . 1. [ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do ] That is , whatsoever is a Duty imposed by the Lord , whatsoever is a Means conducing to thy own or others welfare ; Whatsoever Necessity calleth thee to do , and Opportunity alloweth thee to do . [ Thy hand findeth ] that is , Thy executive powers by the conduct of thy understanding , is now to do . [ Do it with thy Might : Do thy best in it . 1. Trifle not , but do it presently , without unnecessary Delay . 2. Do it Resolutely : Remain not doubtful , unresolved , in suspense , as if it were yet a question with thee whether thou shouldest do it , or not . 3. Do it with thy most awakned affections , and serious intention of the powers of thy soul . Sleepiness and insensibility are most unsuitable to such works . It is a peculiar people zealous of good works , that Christ hath purchased to himself , Tit. 2. 14. 4. Do it with all necessary forecast and contrivance : Not with a distracting , hindering Care ; but with such a Care as may shew that you despise not your Master , and are not regardless of his work : And with such a care as is suited to the difficulties & nature of the thing , and as is necessary to the due accomplishment . 5. Do it not sloathfully , but vigorously and with diligence . Stick not at thy labour : Lest thou hear [ Thou wicked and sloathful servant , Mat. 25. 26. Hide not thy hand in thy bosom with the sloathful , & say not , There is a Lion in the way , Prov. 26. 13 , 14. The negligent and the vicious , the waster and the sloathful , differ but as one brother from another , Prov. 18. 9. As the self-murder of the wilfully ungodly , so also the desire of the sloathful killeth him , because his hands refuse to labour , Prov. 21. 25. The soul of the sluggard desireth , & hath nothing ; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat , Prov. 13 4. Be not sloathful in business , but be fervent in spirit , serving the Lord , Rom. 12. 11. 6. Do it with Constancy , & not with destructive pawses and intermissions , or with weariness and turning back . The righteous shall hold on his way , and he that is of clean hands shall be stronger and stronger , Job 17. 9. Be stedfast , unmovable , alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord , 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be not weary of well-doing : for in due season we shall reap , if we faint not , Gal. 6. 9. These six particulars are necessary , if you will observe serve the precept in my Text. But that misunderstanding hinder not the performance , I shall acquaint you further with the sense , by these few explicatory cautions . 1. The Might and Diligence here required , excludeth not the necessity of Deliberation and Prudent conduct . Otherwise , the faster ▪ you go , the further you may go out of the way ; and mis-guided zeal may spoil all the work , and make it but an injury to others or your selves . A little imprudence in the season , and order and manner of a Duty , sometimes may spoil it , and hinder the success , & make it do more hurt then good . How many a Sermon , or Prayer , or reproof , is made the matter of derision , and contempt , for some imprudent passages or deportment ? God sendeth not his servants to be jesters of the world , or to play the mad-men , as David in his fears : We must be wise and innocent , as well as resolute and valiant : Though fleshly and worldly wisdom be not desirable , as being but foolishness with God ; yet the wisdom which is from above , & is first pure , and then peaceable , and is acquainted with the high and hidden mysteries , and is justified of her children , must be the Guide of all our holy actions . Holiness is not blind : Illumination is the first part of Sanctification . Believers are Children of the light . Nothing requireth so much wisdom as the matters of God , and of our Salvation . Folly is most unsuitable to such excellent imployments , and most unbeseeming the sons of the most High. It is a spirit of wisdom that animateth all the Saints , 1 Cor. 3. 19. & 2. 6 , 7. Ephes . 1. 8 , 17. Col. 3. 16. It is the treasures of wisdom that dwell in Christ , & are communicated to his members , Col. 2. 3. We must walk in wisdom toward them that are without , Col. 4. 5. And our works must be shewn out of a good Conversation , with meekness of wisdom , Jam. 3. 13. Yet I must needs say , that its more in great things then in small , in the substance then the circumstances ; in a sound judgement and estimate of things , and suitable choire & prosecution , then in fine expressions , or deportment answering proud mens expectations . 2. Though you must work with your might , yet with a diversity agreeable to the quality of your several works . Some works must be preferred before others : All cannot be done at once . That 's a sin out of season , which in season is a duty . The greatest , & the most urgent work must be preferred . And some works must be done with double fervour & resolution , and some with less . Buying , and selling , and marrying , and possessing , and using the world , must be done with a fear of over-doing , and in a sort as if we did them not , though they also must have a necessary diligence , 1 Cor. 7. 29 , 30 , 31. Gods Kingdom and its Righteousness must be first sought , Mat. 6. 33. And our labour for the meat that perisheth , must be comparatively as none , John 6. 27. 3. Lastly , it is not an irregular , nor a self-disturbing , vexatious violence that is required of us : but a sweet well-setled resolution , and a delightful expeditious diligence , that makes the wheels go merrily on , and the more easily get over those rubs and difficulties , that clog and stop a sloathful soul . And now will you lend me the assistance of your Consciences , for the transcribing of this command of God upon your hearts , and taking out a Copy of this order , for the regulating of your lives ? [ Whatsoever ] is not a word so comprehensive as to include any vanity or sin ; but so comprehensive as to include all your Duty . 1. ( To begin with the lowest ; ) The very works of your bodily callings , must have diligence . In the sweat of your brows you must eat your bread , Gen. 3. 19. Six dayes shalt thou labour , and do all that thou hast to do , Exod. 20. 9. He that will not work , let him not eat , 2 Thess . 3. 10. Disorderly walkers , busie-bodies , that wil not work with quietness , and eat their own bread , are to be avoided & shamed by the Church , 2 Thess . 3. 6 , 11 , 12 , 14. Lazy servants are unfaithful to men , and disobedient to God , who commandeth them to obey their Masters according to the flesh ( unbelieving , ungodly Masters ) in all things ( that concerns their service ) and that not with eye-service as man-pleasers , but in singleness of heart , and in the fear of God , doing what soever they do as to the Lord , and not unto men ; knowing th●● of the Lord ( even for this ) they shall receive the reward of the inheritance , Col. 3. 22 , 23 , 24. But he that doth wrong ( by sloathfulness , or unfaithfulness ) shall receive for the wrong which he hath done , vers . 25. Success is Gods ordinary temporal reward of diligence , Prov. 10. 4 & 12. 24 , 27. And diseases , poverty , shame , disappointment , or self-tormenting melancholy , are his usual punishments of sloath . Hard labour redeemeth Time : you will have the more to lay out on greater works : The sloathful is still behind hand , & therefore must leave much of his work undone . 2. Are you Parents or Governours of Families ! you have work to do for God , and for your childrens and servants souls : Do it with your might : Deal wisely , but seriously & frequently with them about their sin , their duty , and their hopes of Heaven ; Tell them whither they are going , and which way they must go : Make them understand that they have a higher Father and Master that must be first serve , and greater work to do then yours . Waken them from their natural insensibility and sloath : Turn not all your family duties into lifeless customary form ( whether extemporate , or by rote ) speak about God , & Heaven , and Hell , and Holiness , with that seriousness as beseems men that believe what they say , and would have those they speak to , to believe it . Talk not either drowsily , or lightly , or jeastingly of such dreadful , or joyful , unexpressible things . Remember , that your families and you , are going to the grave , and to the world where there is no more room for your exhortations . There is no Catechising , examining ; or serious instructing them in the grave whither they and you are going . It must be now or never : And therefore do it with your might . The words of God must be in your hearts , and you must diligently teach them to your children , talking of them when you sit in your houses , when you walk by the way , when you lie down , and when you rise up , Deut. 6. 6 , 7 , 8. & 11. 18 , 19 , 20. 3. Have you ignorant or ungodly neighbors , whose misery calls for your compassion , and relief ? Speak to them and help them with prudent diligence . Lose not your opportunities : Stay not till Death hath stopt your mouths , or stopt their ears . Stay not till they are out of hearing , and taken from your converse . Stay not till they are in Hell , before you warn them of it , or till Heaven be lost , before you have seriously called to them to remember it . Go to their houses : take all opportunities : stoop to their infirmities : bear with unthankful frowardness : It is for mens salvation . Remember there is no place for your instructions or exhortations in the Grave or Hell. Your dust cannot speak , and their dust cannot hear : Up therefore and be doing with all your might . 4. Hath God intrsusted you with the Riches of this world ; with many talents or with few , by which he looketh you should relieve the needy , and especially should promote those works of piety which are the greatest charity ? Give ( prudently , but willingly and liberally ) while you have to give . It is your Gain : The time of market for your souls : and of laying up a treasure in Heaven ; and setting your money to the most gainful Usury ▪ and of making you friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ; & furthering your salvation , by that which hindereth other mens , & occasioneth their perdition . [ As you have opportunity , do good to all men , but especially to them of the houshold of faith ] Gal. 6. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12. [ Cast thy bread upon the waters ; for thou shalt find it after many dayes . Give a portion to seven and to eight ; for thou knowest not what evil may be upon the earth ] Eccles . 11. 1 , 2. [ In the morning sow thy seed , and in the evening withhold not thy hand : for thou knowest not whether shall prosper , this or that , or whether they both shall be alike good ] v. 6. [ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due , when it is in the power of thy hand to do it : say not to thy neighbour , Go , and come again , and to morrow I will give , when thou hast it by thee ] Prov. 3. 27 , 28. Lay up a foundation for the time to come : do good before thy heart be hardened , thy riches blasted & consumed , thy opportunities taken away ; part with it before it part with thee . Remember , it must be Now or Never : There is no working in the Grave . 5. Hath God intrusted you with Power or Interest , by which you may promote his honour in the world , & relieve the oppressed , & restrain the rage of impious malice ? Hath he made you Governours , and put the sword of Justice into your hands ? up then , and be doing with your might . Defend the innocent , protect the servants of the Lord , cherish them that do well , be a terror to the wicked , encourage the strictest obedience to the universal Governor , discountenance the breakers of his Laws : Look not to be reverenced or obeyed before him , or more carefully then he : openly maintain his Truth and worship without fear or shame : Deal gently and tenderly with his lambs and little ones : Search after vice that you may succesfully suppress it . Hate those temptations that would draw you to man-pleasing , temporizing , remisness , or countenancing sin ; but especially those that would ensnare you in a controversie with Heaven , & in quarrels against the ways of Holiness ; or in that selfconfounding sin of abusing and opposing the people that are most careful to please the Lord. Your trust is great , & so is your advantage to do good ; And how great will be your account , & how dreadful , if you be unfaithful ? As you signifie more then hundreds or thousands of the meaner sort , and your actions do most good or hurt ; so you must expect to be accordingly dealt with , when you come to the impartial , final judgement . Befriend the Gospel as the Charter of your everlasting priviledges ; Own those that Christ hath told you he will own . Use them as men that are ready to hear , [ Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my Brethren , you did it unto me ] Mat. 25. Know not a wicked person : but let your eyes be on the faithful of the land , that they may dwel therein , and lead a quiet and peaceable life , in all godliness and honesty , Psal . 101. 1. Tim. 2. 2. [ Let those that work the work of the Lord , be with you without fear ] 1 Cor. 16. 10. Remember ▪ that it is the Character of a Pharisee and Hypocrite , to see the mote of the non-observance of a Ceremony , or tradition , or smaller matter of difference in Religion , in their Brothers eye , and not to see the beam of hypocrisie , injustice , and malicious cruel opposition of Christ and his Disciples , in their own eyes : And that its the brand of them that please not God , that are filling up their sins , on whom Gods wrath is coming to the utmost , to persecute the servants of the Lord , forbidding them to Preach to the people that they might be saved , 1 Thess . 2. 15 , 16. Learn well the second , and the hundred and first Psalm : And write these sentences on your walls and doors , as an Antidote against that self-undoing sin : Mat. 18. 6. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me , it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck , and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. ] Zach. 2. 8. [ He that toucheth you , toucheth the apple of his eye ] Rom. 14. 1 , 2. and 15. 1. [ Him that is weak in the faith , receive you but not to doubtful disputations . — For God hath received him ] Mat. 10. 40 , 41 , 42. [ He that receiveth you , receiveth me ; and he that receiveth me , receiveth him that sent me . He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man , shall receive a righteous mans reward ; And whoso shall give to drink to one of these little ones , a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple , Verily I say unto you , he shall in no wise lose his reward . ] If you love not the Godly , love your selves ( so far as to such self-love is possible ) wound not your own hearts , to make their fingers bleed . Damn not your souls , ( and that by the surest , nearest way ) that you may hurt their bodies . Provoke not God to thrust you from his presence , and deny your suits , by your dealing so with them : stop not your own mouths , when your misery will bespeak your lowdest cryes for mercy by your stopping the mouths of the servants of the Lord , and refusing to hear their requests for justice . If you have the Serpents enmity against the womans seed , you must expect the Serpents doom : Your heads will be bruised , when you have bruised their heels , Gen. 3. 15. Kick not against the pricks , Acts 9. Let not bryars and thorns set themselves in battel against the Lord , lest he go therefore through them , & burn them together , Isa . 27. 4. I speak not any of this by way of accusation , or dishonorable reflexion on the Magistrate . Blessed be God that hath given us the comfort of your defence . But knowing what the Tempter aimeth at , and where it is that your danger lieth , & by what means the rulers of the earth have been undone , faithfulness commandeth me to tell you of the snare , and to set before you good & evil , as ever I would escape the guilt of betraying you by flattery , or cruel and cowardly silence . And especially when your Magistracy is but annual , or for a short time , it concerneth you to be doing with your might . It is but this year , or short space of time , that you have to do this special service in ; Lose this and lose all . By what men on earth should God be eminently served & honoured , if not by Magistrates , whom he hath eminently advanced , impowred , and intrusted ? With considerate foresight , seriously ask your selves the question , Are you willing to hear , at the day of your accounts , that you had but one year , or a few , to do God special service in , and that you knew this , and yet would not do it ? Can your hearts bear it then , to hear and think , that you lost , & wilfully lost such an opportunity ? Look about you then , and see what is to be done . Are there not Ale-houses to be supprest , and drunkards & riotous persons to be restrained ; Preaching and Piety to be promoted ? Do it with your might : For it must be Now or Never . 6. To come yet a little nearer you , and speak of the work that is yet to be done in your own souls ; Are any of you yet in the state of unrenewed nature , born only of the flesh , and not of the Spirit , Joh. 3. 3 , 5 , 6. minding the things of the flesh , and not the things of the Spirit ? Rom. 8. 1 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 13. & consequently yet in the power of Satan , taken captive by him at his will , Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26 , 27. Vp and be doing , if thou love thy soul . If thou care whether thou be in Joy or misery for ever , bewail thy sin and spiritual distress : Make out to Christ , cry mightily to him for his renewing and reconciling pardoning grace : plead his sactisfaction , his merits & his promises : Away with thy rebellion , & thy beloved sin ; Deliver up thy soul entirely to Christ , to be sanctified , governed and saved by him . Make no more demurs about it ; it is not a matter to be questioned , or trifled in . Let the earth be acquainted with thy bended knees , and the air with thy complaints and cries , & men with thy confessions and enquiries after the way of life ; and heaven with thy sorrows , desires and resolutions , till thy soul be acquainted with the Spirit of Christ , ( Rom. 8. 9. ) and with the new , the holy and heavenly nature ; and thy heart have received the transcript of Gods Law , the impress of the Gospel , and so the Image of thy Creator and Redeemer . Ply this work with all thy might : For there is no Conversion , Renovation , or Repentance unto life in the grace whither thou goest . It must be Now , or Never . And Never saved , if Never sanctified , Heb. 12. 14. 7. Hast thou any prevailing sin to mortifie , that either reigneth in thee , or woundeth thee and keepeth thy soul in darkness and unacquaintedness with God ? Assault it resolutely , Reject it speedily : Abhor the motions of it : Turn away from the persons or things that would entice thee . Hate the doors of the Harlot , and of the Alehouse , or the gaming house : and go not as the Ox to the slaughter , and as a bird to the fowlers snare , and as a fool to the correction of the stocks , as if thou knewest not that it is for thy life , ] Prov. 7. 22 , 23. Why thou befooled stupid soul ! wilt thou be tasting of the poysoned cup ? wilt thou be glutting thee with the bait ? Hast thou no where to walk or play thee , but at the brink of Hell ? Must not the flesh be crucified with its affections and lusts ? Gal. 5. 24. Must it not be tamed and mortified , or thy soul condemned ? Rom. 8. 13. 1 Cor. 9. 27. Run not therefore as at uncertainty : fight not as one that beats the air , ver . 26. seeing this must be done , or thou art undone , delay and dally with sin no longer : Let this be the day : resolve , and resist it with thy might : It must be Now or Never ; when death comes , it is too late . It will be then no reward to leave thy sinne , which thou canst keep no longer : No part of Holiness or happiness , that thou art not drunk , or proud , or lustful in the grave or hell . As thou art wise therefore know and take thy Time. 8. Art thou in a declined lapsed state ? decayed in grace ? Hast thou lost thy first desires and love ? do thy first works , and do them with thy might . Delay not , but remember from whence thou art fallen , and what thou hast lost by it , and into how sad a case thy folly and negligence hath brought thee : say , I will go and return to my first husband ; for then was it better with me then now , Hos . 2. 7. Cry out with Job 29. 2 , 3. 4 , 5. [ O that I were as in moneths past ! as in the dayes when God preserved me ! when his candle shined upon my head , and when by his light I walked through darkness . As I was in the dayes of my youth , when the secret of God was on my Tabernacle , when the Almighty was yet with me . — ] Return while thou hast day , lest the night surprize thee : Loyter and delay no more ; thou hast lost by it already : thou art far behind hand . Bestir thee therefore with all thy Might . 9. Art thou in the darknesse of uncertainty concerning thy conversion , and thy everlasting state ? Dost thou not know whether thou be in a state of life or death ? and what should become of thee , if this were the day or hour of thy change ? If thou art careful about it , and enquirest , and usest the means that God hath appointed thee for assurance : I have then no more to say to thee now , but , wait on God , and thou shalt not be disappointed or ashamed ! Thou shalt have assurance in due time , or be saved before thou wouldst believe thou should be saved . Be patient and obedient , and the light of Christ will shine upon thee , and yet thou shalt see the days of peace . But if thou art careless in thy uncertainty , and mindest not so great a business , be awakened and call thy soul to its account ; Search and examine thy heart and life : Read , and consider , and take advice of faithful Guides . Canst thou carelesly sleep , and laugh , and sport , and follow thy lesser business as if thy Salvation were made sure , when thou knowest not where thou must dwell for ever ? Examine your selves whether you be in the faith ; prove your selves ; know ye not your own selves , that Christ is in you except you are reprobates ? 2 Cor. 13. 5. Give all diligence ( in time ) to make your calling and election sure , 2 Pet. 1. 10. In the Grave and Hell there is no making sure of Heaven : you are then past enquiries and self-examinations , in order to any recovery or hope . Another kind of tryal will finally resolve you . Up therefore and diligently ply the work : it must be Now or Never . 10. In all the duties of thy Profession of Piety , Justice , or Charity , to God , thy self , or others , up and be doing with thy might . Art thou seeking to inflame thy soul with love to God ? plunge thy self in the Ocean of his love ; admire his mercies ; gaze upon the representations of his transcendent goodness ; O taste and see that the Lord is gracious ! Remember that he must be loved with all thy heart , and soul and might , canst thou pour out thy love upon a creature , and give but a few barren drops to God ? When thou art Fearing him , let his Fear command thy soul , and conquer all the fear of man. When thou art Trusting him , do it without distrust , and cast all thy care and thy self upon him : Trust him as a creature should trust his God , and the members of Christ should trust their Head and dear Redeemer . When thou art making mention of his great and dreadful name , O do it with Reverence , and awe , and admiration : And take not the name of God in vain . When thou art Reading his Word , let the Majesty of the Author , and the greatness of the matter , and the Gravity of the stile , possess thee with an obediential fear . Love it , and let it be sweeter to thee then the honey-comb , and preciouser then thousands of Gold and Silver . Resolve to do what there thou findest to be the will of God. When thou art praying in secret , or in thy family , Do it with thy might : Cry mightily to God , as a soul under sin , and wants , and danger , that is stepping into an endless life , should do . Let the reverence and the fervour of thy prayers shew that its God himself that thou art speaking to : that its Heaven it self that thou art praying for ; Hell it self that thou art praying to be saved from . Wilt thou be dull and sensless on such an errand to the Living God ? Remember what lieth upon thy failing or prevailing : and that it must be Now or Never . Art thou a Preacher of the Gospel , and takest charge of the souls of men ? Take heed to thy self and to the whole flock , over which the Holy Ghost hath made thee an Overseer , to feed the Church of God , which he hath purchased with his own blood . Let not the blood of souls , and the blood that purchased them , be required at thy hands , Acts 20. 28. Ezek. 3. 18 , 20. Thou art charged before God , and the Lord Jesus Christ , who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom , that thou preach the Word , be instant in season and out of season ; reprove , rebuke , and exhort , with all long-suffering and doctrine , 2 Tim. 4. 1 , 2. Teach every man , and exhort every man , Col. 1. 28. Even night and day with tears , Acts 20. 31. Save men with fear , pulling them out of the fire , Jud. Cry aloud : lift vp thy voice like a trumpet ; tell them of their transgressions , Isa . 58. 1. Yet thou art alive , and they alive : yet thou hast a tongue , and they have ears : The final sentence hath not yet cut off their hopes . Preach therefore , and Preach with all thy Might . Exhort them privately and personally with all the seriousness thou canst . Quickly , or it will be too late . Prudently , or Satan will over-reach thee : Fervently , or thy words are like to be disregarded : Remember when thou lookest them in the faces , when thou beholdest the Assemblies , that They must be Converted or Condemned ; sanctified on Earth , or tormented in Hell ; and that this is the Day , It must be Now or Never . In a word , Apply this quickening precept to all the duties of thy Christian course . Be Religious and Just , and Charitable in good sadness , if you would be taken for such when you look for the reward . Work out your salvation with fear and trembling , Phil. 2. 12. Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; for many shall seek to enter and shall not be able , Mat. 7. 13. Luk. 12. 24. Many run , but few receive the prize : so run that you may obtain , 1 Cor. 9. 24. If the Righteous scarcely be saved , where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? 1 Pet. 4. 18. Let the doting world deride your diligence , and set themselves to hinder and afflict you : It will be but a little while before experience change their minds , and make them sing another song . Follow Christ fully : Ply your work , and lose no time . The Judge is coming . Let not words nor any thing that man can do , prevail with you to sit down , or stop you in a journey of such importance . Please God , though flesh , and friends , and all the world should be displeased . Whatever come of your reputation , or Estates , or Liberties , or Lives , be sure you look to Life Eternal , and cast not that on any hazard , for a withering flower , or a pleasant dream , or a picture of commodity , or any vanity that the Deceiver can present . For what shall it profit you to win the world , and lose your soul ? Mat. 16. 26. Or to have been honoured and obeyed on earth , when you are under the wrath of God in Hell ? Or that your flesh was once provided with variety of delights , when it s turned to rottenness , and must be raised to torments ? Hold on therefore in Faith , and Holiness , and Hope , though Earth and Hell should rage against you ; though all the world by force or flattery , should do the worst they can to hinder you : This is your trial : your warfare , is the resisting of deceit , and of all that would tempt you to consent to the means of your own destruction : consent not , and you conquer : conquer , and you are crowned . The combat is all about your Wills ; Yield , and you have lost the day . If the prating of ungodly fools , or the contemptuous jears of hardned sinners , or the frowns of unsanctified Superiours could prevail against the Spirit of Christ , and the workings of an enlightened mind , then what man would be saved ? You deserve damnation , if you will run into it to avoid a mock , or the loss of any thing that man can take from you . You are unmeet for Heaven if you can part with it to save your purses . Fear not them that can kill the body , and after that have no more that they can do : but fear him that can destroy both soul and body in Hell , Mat. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 4 , 5. Obey God , though all the world forbid you . No power can save you from his Justice : And none of them can deprive you of his Reward . Though you lose your Heads , you shall save your Crowns : You no way save your lives so certainly , as by such losing them , Mat. 10. 39. One thing is necessary : Do that with speed , and care , and diligence , which Must be done , or you are lost for ever . They that are now against your much and earnest praying , will shortly cry as loud themselves in vain ; When it is too late , how fervently will they beg for mercy , that now deride you for valuing & seeking it in time ! But then they shall call upon God but he will not answer : they shall seek him early , but shall not find him : For that they hated knowledge , and did not choose the fear of the Lord : They would none of his counsel , but dispised all his reproof . ] Prov. 1. 24. to the end . Up therefore & work with all thy might . Let unbelievers trifle , that know not that the righteous God stands over them , and know not that they are now to work for everlasting , and know not that Heaven or Hell is at the end . Let them delay , & laugh , & play , & dream away their Time , that are drunk with prosperity , and mad with fleshly lusts and pleasures , and have lost their reason in the cares , and delusions , and vain glory of the world . But shall it be so with thee whose eyes are opened , who seest the God , the Heaven , the Hell , which they do but hear of as unlikely things ? Wilt thou live awake , as they that are asleep ? Wilt thou do in the day-light , as they do in the dark ? shall Freemen live as Satans slaves ? shall the living lie as still & useless as the dead ? Work then while it is day , for the night is coming when none can work , John 9. 4. It is not the works of the Mosaical Law , nor works that are conceited for their proper value to deserve any thing at the hands of God , that I am all this while perswading you to : But it is the works prescribed you by Christ in the Gospel , according to which you shall be shortly judged to joy or misery by Christ himself , that will call you to account These must be done with all your Might . Object . But ( you 'l say perhaps ) alas , what Might have we ? We have no sufficiency of our selves ; without Christ we can do nothing ! And this we find when it comes to the trial . Ans . 1. It is not a might that is Orignally thine Own , that I am calling thee to exercise : but that which thou hast already received from God , and that which he is ready to bestow . Use well but all the Might thou hast , and thou shalt find thy labour is not in vain . Even the strength of nature , and of common Grace , are Talents which thou must improve . 2. Art thou willing to use the Might thou hast , and to have more , and use it if thou hadst it ? If thou art , thou hast then the strength of Christ : Thou standest not , and workest not by thy own strength : His promise is engaged to thee , and his strength is sufficient for thee . But if thou art not willing , thou art without excus●● , when thou hadst Heaven and Hell set open in the word of God , to make thee willing , God will distinguish thy wilfulness from unwilling weakness . 3. There is more Power in all of you then you use , or then you are well aware of . It wanteth but awakening to bring it into act . Do you not find in your Repentings , that the change is more in your Will then in your Power ? and in the awaking of your Will and Reason into act , then in the addition of meer abilities ? and that therefore you befool your selves for your sins & your neglects , & wonder that you had no more use of your understandings ? Let but a storm at Sea , or violent sickness , or approaching death , rowse up and waken the powers which you have , and you will find there was much more asleep in you then you used . I shall therefore next endeavour to awaken your abilities , or tell you how you should awaken them . When your souls are drowsie , and you are forgetting your God , and your latter end , and the matters of Eternity have little force and savour with you ; when you grow lazie and superficial , and religion seems a lifeless thing ; and you do your duty as if it were in vain or against our wils , when you can lose your time , and delay repentance , and friends , and profit , and reputation , and pleasure can be heard against the Word of God , and take you off when you do all by the halves , and languish in your Christian course , as near to death ; Stir up your souls with the urgency of such Questions as these . Qu. 1. Can I do no more then this for God! Who gave me all ? Who deserveth all ? Who seeth me in my duties and my sins ? When he puts me purposely on the trial , what I can do for his sake and service , Can I do no more ? Can I love him no more ? and obey , and watch , and work no more ? Qu. 2. Can I do no more then this for Christ ? For him that did so much for me ? that lived so exactly ; obeyed so perfectly ; walked so inoffensively and meekly ; despising all the baits , and honours , and riches of the World ? that loved me to the death ; and offereth me freely all his benenefits , and would bring me to eternal Glory , Are these careless , cold and dull endeavors my best return for all this mercy ? Qu. 3. Can I do no more , when my salvation is the prize ? when Heaven or Hell depend much on it ? when I know this before-hand , and may see in the glasse of the holy Scriptures , what is prepared for the diligent and the negligent , and what work there is and will be for ever in Heaven and Hell on these accounts ? Could I not do more , if my house were on fire , or my estate , or life , or friend in danger , then I do for my salvation ? Qu. 4. Can I do no more for the souls of men ? when they are undone for ever if they be not speedily delivered ? Is this my love and compassion to my neighbour , my servant , freind or child ? Qu. 5. Can I do no more for the Church of God ? for the publick good ? for the peace and welfare of the Nation and our prosperity ? in suppressing sin ? in praying for deliverance ? or in promoting Works of publick benefit ? Qu. 6. Can I do no more , that have loytered so long ? and go no faster , that have slept till the evening of my daies , when Diligence must be the discovery of my Repentance ? Qu. 7. Can I do no more , that know not now but I am doing my last ? That see how fast my Time makes haste , and know I must be quickly gone ? that know it must be now or never : and that this is all the time I shall have , on which an endless life dependeth ? Qu. 8. Can I do no better , when I know before hand , what different aspects diligence and negligence will have , to the awakened soul in the review ? What a comfort it will be at death and judgement , to be able to say , I did my best , or loytered not away the time I had ? And what a vexatious and heart-disquieting thing it will then be to look back on time as irrecoverably lost , and on a life of tryal , as cast away upon impertinences , while the work that we lived for lay undone ? shall I now by trifling prepare such griping and tormenting thoughts , for my awakened conscience ? Qu. 9. Can I do no more , when I am sure I cannot do too much , and am sure there is nothing else to be preferred ? and that its this I live for : and that life is for action , and disposeth thereunto ; ( and holy life for holy action ) and that its better not live , then not attain the ends of living ; when I have so many and unwearied enemies ; when sloath is my danger , and the advantage of my enemy ; when I know that Resolution and Vigorous diligence , is so necessary that all is lost without it ; will temptations be resisted , and self denied , and concupiscence mortified , and fleshly desires tamed and subdued , and sin cast out , and a holy communion with Heaven maintained with idleness and sloath ? will families be well ordered , and Church , or City , or Country well governed ? will the careless sinners that I am bound to help , be converted and saved , with sitting still , and with some heartless cold endeavours ? Qu. 10. Can I do no more that have so much help ? that have mercies of all sorts encouraging me , and creatures attending me ; that have health to enable me , or affliction to remember and excite me ; that have such a master , such a work , such a reward as better cannot be desired ; who is lesse excusable for neglect then I ? Qu. 11. Could I do no more , if I were sure that my salvation lay on this one duty ? that according to this prayer , it should go with me for ever ; or if the soul of my child , or servant , or neighbour must speed for ever , as my endeavours speed with them now for their conversion ? for ought I know it may be thus . Qu. 12. Would I have God to come with the spur and rod ? How do I complain when affliction is up-me ? And will I neither endure it , nor be quickened without it ? Is it not better mend my pace , and work on easier tearms ? I would not have distressed souls to use these considerations meerly to disquiet themselves for their infirmities , and so live in heaviness and self-vexation , because they cannot be as good as they desire , or do as much and as well as they should do : It is not despair that will mend the matter , but make it worse : But I would wish the lazie sloathful soul to plead these Questions with it self , and try whether they have no quickning power , if closely urged , and seriously considered . Believe it , Sirs , it is the deceitfulness of prosperity that keeps up the reputation of a slathful life , and makes holy diligence seem unnecessary . When affliction comes , awakened reason is ashamed of this , and seeth it as an odious thing . BY this time you may see , what difference there is , between the judgement of God , and of the world ; and what to think of the understandings of those men , ( be they high or low , learned or unlearned ) that hate or oppose this holy diligence . God bids us love , and seek and serve him , with all our heart , and soul , and might : And these men call them Zealots , and Precisians , and Puritans that endeavour it ; though , alas , they fall exceeding short , when they have done their best . It is one of the most wonderfull monstrosities and deformities that ever befel the nature of man , that men , that learned men , that men that in other things are wise , should seriously think that the utmost diligence to obey the Lord and save our souls , is needless ; and that ever they should take it for a crime , and make it a matter of reproach : That the serious ▪ diligent obeying of Gods Laws , should be the matter of the common disdain and hatred of the world ; that no men are more generally abhorred , and tost up and down by impatient men ; that great and small , the Rulers and the vulgar rabble , in most places of the earth cannot endure them : To think how the first man that ever was born into the world , did hate his own brother till he had proceeded to murder him , because he served God better then himself , [ Because his own works were evil , and his brothers righteous , ] 1 Joh. 3. 12. And how constantly this horrid unnatural madness , hath succeeded and raged in the world from Cain until this day ! It is not in vain that the Holy Ghost addeth , in the next words , 1 Joh. 3. 13. [ Marvail not my brethren , if the world hate you ] implying that we art apt to marvail at it ; as I confesse I have oft and greatly done . Methinks , it is so wonderful a plague and stain in Nature , that it doth very much to confirm me of the truth of Scripture ; of the doctrine of mans fall , and original sin , and the necessity of a Reconciler , and of renewing grace . Distracted miserable souls ! is it not enough for you to refuse your own salvation ; but you must be angry withal that will not imitate you ! Is it not mad enough , and bad enough to choose damnation , but you must be offended withal that are not of your mind ! If you will not believe God , that without Regeneration , Conversion , Holiness , and a Heavenly Spiritual life , there is no Salvation to be hoped for ( John 3. 3 , 5 , 6. Mat. 18. 3. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 8. 9 , 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. ) mnst we all be unbelievers with you ? if you will laugh at Hell till you are in it , must we do so too ? if God and glory seem less worth to you , then your fleshly pleasure for a time , must we renounce our Christianity and our Reason for fear of differing from you ? if you dare differ from your Maker , and the Redeemer , and the Holy Ghost , and all the Prophets , Apostles , and Evangelists , and all that ever came to Heaven , might not we be bold to differ from you ? If you will needs be ungodly , and choose your everlasting wo , be patient with them that have more understanding , and dare not be so hardy , as to leap after you in the unquenchable fire : Mock not at Holiness if you have no mind of it . Hinder not them that strive to enter in at the strait gate , if you refuse your selves . Be not so desirous of company in Hell : It will prove no comfort to you , or abatement of your pain . But because you have the faces to contradict the God of Truth , and to reproach that work which he commandeth , and to say , what needs so much ado ? when he bids us do it with all our might ; I will briefly tell you what you are doing , and shew you the ugly face of the scorner , and the filthy hearts of the enemies of Holiness , that if it may be , you may loath your selves . 1. These enemies of Holy diligence , deny God with their works and lives , and are practical Atheists ; and it seems are so near of kin to [ that wicked one ] ( see 1 Joh. 3. 12. ) that they would have all others do so too . And then how soon would earth be turned into Hell ! The case is plain : If God deserve not to be loved and served with all thy heart , and soul , and might , he is not God. And if thy wealth , or honour , or flesh , or friend , deserveth more of thy love , and care , and diligence then God , then that is thy God that deserveth best . See now what these deriders of purity and obedience do think of God , and of the world . 2. These Cainites do blaspheme the Governour of the world : When he hath given Laws to the Creatures , that he made of nothing ; These wretches deride and hate men for obeying them . If God have not commanded that which you oppose , contradict it , and spare not : I would you were much more against that pretended Religion which he commandeth not . But if he have commanded it , and yet you dare revile them as too pure and precise that would obey it , what do you but charge the King of Saints with making Laws that are not to be obeyed ? which must needs imply that they are Foolish , or Bad , though made by the most wise and Good. 3. These Enemies of Holiness , oppose the practice of the very first principles of all Religion . For Heb 11. 6. [ He that commeth to God must believe that God is , and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him . ] And its diligent seeking him , that they hate and set themselves a●gainst . 4. Do not they not judge Heaven to be less worth then Earth ; when they will do less for it , and would have others to do so too ? 5. They would have us all unchristen and unman our selves , as if there were no life to come ▪ or as if our reason and all our faculties were given us in vain . For if they are not given us for greater matters then all the honours and pleasures of the world , they are in vain , or worse ; and the life of man is but a dream and misery . Were not a beast less miserable , if this were all ? 6. How base a price do these Cainites set on the immortal soul of man , that think it not worth so much ado , as the careful obedience of the Laws of Christ ? Not worth so much as they do themselves for their filthy sins and perishing flesh ? But would have us so mad as to sell Heaven and our Souls , for a little sinful sloath and ease . 7. These enemies of holiness would have men take their Mercies for their Hurt , and their greatest Blessings for a Burden or a Plague , and to run into Hell to be delivered from them . Why man , dost thou know what Holiness is ? and what it is to have access to God ? I tell thee it is the foretaste of Heaven on Earth . It is the highest Glory , and sweetest delight , and chiefest commodity to the soul . And art thou afraid of having too much of this ? What , thou that haste none ( which should make thee tremble ) art thou afraid of having too much ? Thou that never fearest too much money , nor too much honour , nor too much health , art thou afraid of too much spiritual health and holiness ? what shall be thy desire , if thou loath and fly from thy felicity ? 8. You that are loyal subjects , take heed of these ungodly scorners : For by consequence they would tempt you to despise your King , and make a mock at the obeying of his Commands and Laws . For if a man perswade you to despise a Judge , he implieth that you may despise a Constable . No King is so great in comparison of God , as a fly or worm is to that King. He therefore that would relax the Laws of God , and make it seem a needlss thing to obey him diligently and exactly , implieth that obedience to any of the sons of men is much more needless . And you that are children or servants , take heed of the doctrine of these men : Masters , admit it not into your Families . If he be worthy to be scorned as a Puritan or Precisian , that is careful to please and obey the Lord , what scorn do your children and servants deserve , if they will be obedient and pleasing to such as you ? 9. All you that are poor Tradesmen , take heed of the consequences of the Cainitès scorns , lest it make you give over the labours of your Calling , and turn your selves and Families into beggery . For if Heaven be not worth your greatest labour , your bodies are not worth the least . 10. These Cainites speak against the awakened Consciences , and the confessions of all the world . Whatsoever they may say in the dream of their blind presumption and security , at last , when Death hath opened their eyes , they all cry , O that we had been Saints ! O that we might die the death of the righteous , and that our last end might be as his ! O that we had spent that Time , and Care , and Labour for our souls , which we spent on that which now is gall to our remembrance ! And yet these men will take no warning , but now oppose and deride that course that all the world do wish at last they had been as zealous for as any . 11. The enemy himself hath a conscience within him , that either grudgeth against his malicious impiety , and witnesseth that he abuseth them that are far better then himself ; or at least will shortly call him to a reckoning , and tell him better what he did , and make him change his face and tune , and wish himself in the case of those that he did oppose . 12. To conclude the Cainite is of the wicked one , 1 Joh. 3. 12. of his Father the Devil , Joh. 8. 42 , 44. and is his walking , speaking instrument on Earth , saying what he himself would say : He is the open enemy of God. For who are his enemies , but the Enemies of Holiness , of his Laws , of our Obedience , of his Image , and of his Saints ? And how will Christ deal at last with his Enemies ? Luk. 19. 27. O that they knew , that foreseeing , they might escape ! This is the true , the ugly picture of a Cainite , or Enemy of a holy life , that reproacheth serious diligence as a precise and needless thing , when God commandeth us , and death , and the Grave , and Eternity admonish us to do his work with all our might . Now consider this ye that forget God , lest he tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver you , Psal . 50. 22. BUt of all the opposers of serious Holiness in the world , there are none more unexcusable and deplorably miserable , then those that profess themselves Ministers of Christ . Would one believe that had not known them , that there are such men in the world ! Alas , there are too many . Though Education , and the Laws of the Land engage them to preach true doctrine , yet are they false Teachers in the Application . For they never well learned the holy and heavenly doctrine which they preach , nor digested it , or received the power and impress of it upon their hearts ; and therefore retaining their natural corruptions , impiety and enmity to the Life , and Power , and practice of that Doctrine , they indirectly destroy what directly they would seem to build ; and preach both for God , and against him ; for Christ and the Holy Spirit , and against them ; for Godliness , and against it , both in the same Sermon . In General , they must needs speak for the word of God , and a holy life : But when they come to the particulars , they secretly reproach it , and condemn the parts , while they commend the whole . In General they speak well of Religious , Godly , Holy people ; But when they meet with them , they hate them , and make them Precisians , a Sect that is every where spoken against , pestilent fellows , and movers of sedition , as the Apostles were accused , Acts 24. 5. & 28. 22. and any thing that malice can invent to make them odious : And what they cannot prove , they will closely intimate in the false application of their doctrines , describing them so as may induce the hearers to believe that they are a company of self-conceited Hypocrites , factious , proud , disobedient , turbulent , peevish , affecting singularity , desiring to ingross the reputation of Godliness to themselves , but secretly as bad as others . And when they have thus represented them to the ignorant sort of people , they have made the way of Godliness odious , and sufficiently furnished miserable souls with prejudice and dislike ; so that because the persons are thus made hateful to them , all serous diligence for Heaven , all tenderness of Conscience , and fear of sinning , all heavenly discourse , and serious preaching , reading , or praying , are also made odious for their sakes : For hearing so ill of the persons , and seeing that these are the things wherein they differ from others , they reduce their judgement of their practices to their foresetled judgement of the persons . When their diligence in their Families in prayer and instructions , in reading , and fruitful improvement of the Lords day , or any other actions of strictness and holy industry are mentioned , these ungodly Ministers are ready to blot them with some open calumnies , or secret reproaches , or words of suspicion , to vindicate their own unholy lives , & make people believe that serious piety is faction & hypocrise . The black tincture of their minds , and the design and drift of their preaching may be perceived in the jeers , and girds , and slanderous intimations against the most diligent servants of the Lord. The controverted truths that such maintain , they represent as errours : Their unavoidable errours they represent as heresie : Their duties they represent as faults : and their humane frailties as enormous crimes : They feign them to be guilty of the things that never entred into their thoughts . And if some that have professed godliness , be guilty of greater crimes , they would make men believe that the rest are such , and that the family of Christ is to be judged of by a Judas , and the scope is to intimate that either their Profession is culpable , or needless , and less commendable . Regeneration they would make to be but the entrance into the Church by Baptism , and any further conversion , then the leaving off some gross sins , and taking up some heartless forms of duty , to be but a fancy or unnecessary thing : And they would draw poor people to believe , that if they be born again Sacramentally of water , they may be saved , though they be not born again by the renewing of the Holy Spirit . Being strangers themselves to the mystery of Regeneration , and to the life of Faith , and a heavenly Conversation , and to the loving and serving God with all their Soul and Might , They first endeavour to quiet themselves with a belief that these are but fancies or unnecessary ; and then to deceive the people with that by which they have first deceived them elves . And it is worthy your observation , what it is in Religion that these formal Hypocrites are against . There are scarce any words so sound or holy but they can bear them , if they be but deprived of their Life : Nor scarce any duty , if it be but mortified , but they can endure . But it is the Spirit and Life of all Religion which they cannot bear . As a Body differeth from a Carkass , not by the parts , but by the life ; so there is a certain life in preaching , and prayer , and all other acts of worship , which is perceived by several sorts of hearers . The Godly perceive it to their edification and delight : For here it is that they are quickned and encouraged . Life begetteth life , as fire kindleth fire . The ungodly often perceive it to their vexation , if not to their conviction and conversion ; This life in preaching , praying , discipline , reproof , and conference , is it which biteth , and galleth , and disquieteth their consciences . And this they kick and rail against ; This is the thing that will not let them sleep quietly in their sin and misery ; but is calling and jogging them to awake , and will not let them sin in peace , but will either convert them or torment them before the time . It is the Life of Religion that the hypocrite wants ; and the life that he is most against . A painted fire burneth not . A dead Lion biteth not . The Carkass of an Enemy is not formidable . Let the words of that Sermon that most offendeth them , be separated from the life , and put into a Homily , and said or read in a formal drowsie , or a School-boys tone , and they can bear it and commend it . Let the same words of prayer which now they like not , be said over as a lifeless customary form , and they can like it well . I speak not against the use of forms , but the abuse of them : Not against the Body , but the Carkass . Let forms themselves be used by a spiritual serious man , in a spiritual serious manner , with the inter position of any quickening exhortations , or occasional passages , that tend to keep them waken and attentive , and make them feel what you mean and are about , and you shall see they love not such animated forms . It is the living Christian , and lively worship , and serious spiritual Religion , which they hate : kill it and they can bear it : Let the picture of my enemy be nearer and comelier then his person was , and I can endure it in my bed-chamber , better then himself in the meanest dress . It is the living Christians that in all parts of the world are chiefly persecuted : Let them be once dead , and dead-hearted hypocrites themselves will honour them , especially at a sufficient distance : They will destroy the living Saints , and keep Holy dayes for the dead ones . Wo to you , Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites , because ye build the Tombs of the Prophets , and garnish the Sepulchers of the Righteous , and say , if we had been in the days of our Fathers ; we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets : Wherefore be ye witnesses unto your selves , that ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets : Fill ye up the measure of your Fathers ; ye serpents ; ye generation of vipers , how can ye escape the damnation of Hell ! Matth. 23. 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33. The dog that will not meddle with the dead creature , will pursue the living ; and when he sees it stir no more , will leave it . Christianity without seriousness is not Christianity ; and therefore not lyable to the hatred of its enemies as such . Say any thing , and do any thing how strict so ever , if you will but act it as a player on the stage , or do it coldly , slightly , & as if you were but in jeast , you may have their approbation . But it is this life , and seriousness , and worshipping God in Spirit and Truth , that convinceth them that they themselves are lifeless , and therefore troubleth their deceitful peace , and therefore must not have their friendship . If it were the meer bulk of duty that they are weary of , how comes it to pass that a Papist , at his Psalter , Beads , and Mass-books , can spend more hours without much weariness or opposition , then we can do in serious worship ? Turn all but into words , and beads , and canonical hours and dayes , and shews , and ceremony , and you may be as religious as you will , and be Righteous overmuch , and few will hate , or reproach , or persecute you among them , as too precise or strict . But living Christians and worship , come among them like fire , that burneth them , and makes them smart , with a word that is quick , powerful , sharper then any two edged sword , piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit , joynts and marrow , and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart , Heb. 4. 12. And the enmity of the Cainites may teach the Christian , what he should be , and wherein his excellency lieth . It is life , and seriousness that your enemies hate : and therefore it is life and seriousness that you must above all maintain ; though dead-hearted hypocrites never so much oppose and contradict you . O sirs , they are no trifles , but the greatest things that God hath set before you in his Word , and called you out to prosecute and possesse : and your time of seeking them is short ; and therefore you have no time fortrifles , nor any to lose in idleness and sloath . And of all men , Preachers should be most sensible of this . If they were not against serious holiness in others , it is double wickedness for such as they , to be against it in themselves . It is great things that they have to study and to speak of ; and such as call for the greatest seriousness , and reverence and gravity in the speaker , and condemn all trifling in matter or in manner . A man that is sent to Christ to run for an immortal crown , or to direct others in such a race , to save his own , or other mens souls , from endless misery , should be ashamed to fill up his time with trifles , or to be slight and cold about such great and weighty things . All the heart , and soul , and might , is little enough for matters of such unspeakable importance . When I hear Preachers or people spend time , in little impertinent fruitless things , that do but divert them from the great business of their lives , or to dally with the greatest matters , rather then to use them , and treat of them with a seriousness suitable to their importance , I oft think of the words of Seneca , the serious Moralin , as shaming the hypocrisie of such trifling Preachers and Professors of the Christian faith ; [ Verba copiosa componis , & interrogans vincula nectis , & dicis , Acuta sunt ista : Nihil acutius aristâ ; & in quo est utilis ? Quaedam inutilia & inefficacia ipsa subtilitas reddit . ] that is [ You compose copious words , and tye hard knots by curious questions ; and you say , O these are acute things ! what is more acute then the peal of corn ? and yet what is it good for ? subtilty it self makes some things unprofitable and uneffectual . ] [ Istae ineptiae Poetis relinquantur , quibus aures oblectare propositum est & dulcem fabulam nectere ; sed qui ingenia sanare , & fidem in rebus humanis retinere , ac memoriam , officiorum animis ingerere volunt , serio loquantur , & inagnis viribus rem agant ; ] that is , [ Leave these toyes or fooleries to Poets , whose business is to delight the ear , and to compose a pleasant fable . But they that mean to heal mens understandings , and retain credibility among men , and to bring into mens minds the remembrance of their duties , must speak seriously , and do their business with all their might . ] Demens omnibus merito videret — He would justly by all be taken for a mad man , that when the Town expecteth to be stormed by the enemies , and others are busie at work for their defence , will sit idle , proposing some curious questions ] — Nunquid tibi demens videtur , si istis impendero operam , & nunc obsideor ? quid agam ? mors me sequitur ; vit a fugit ; Adversus haec me doce aliquid : effice ut ego mortem non timeam , & vita me non effugiat . ] [ And shall I not be taken for a mad man , if I should busie my self about such things that am now besieged ? what shall I do ? death pursueth me : teach me something against these ; make death not dreadful to me , or life not to fly from me . ] Si multum esset aetatis , parce dispensandum erit , ut sufficeret necessariis : nunc quae dementia est supervacua discere in tanta temporis egestate ! ] [ If we had much time , we should sparingly lay it out , that it might suffice for necessary things : But now what a madness is it , to learn things needless or superfluous in so great a scarcity of time ! ] [ Metire ergo aetatem tuam : tam multa non capit . Measure thy age : It s not enough for so many things . ] [ Relinque istum ludum literarum Philosophis Rem magnificam ! ad syllabas vocant qui animum minuta discendo diminuunt & conterunt , & id agunt , ut Philosophia potius difficilis quam magna videatur : Socrates , qui totam Philosophiam revocavit ad mores hanc summam dixit esse sapientiam , bona malaque distinguere ] [ Leave this learned play to Philosophers : A gallant business ! They call us to syllables ; and debase , and depress the mind by learning such little trivial things , and make Philosophy rather to seem a matter of difficulty then great . Socrates ; that revoked all Philosophy to manners , 〈◊〉 call this the highest wisdom , to distinguish good and evil . ] Did a Seneca see by the light of nature , so much of the necessity of seriousness and diligence , about the matters of the soul ? and so much of the madness of spending words and time on trifles ? And yet shall there be found a man among professed Christians , and among the Preachers of Faith and Holiness , that plead for trifling , and scorn at seriousness , and count them moderate and wise that a Heathen brands as toyish and distracted ? What is it that cloudeth the glory of Christianity , and keepeth so great a part of the world in Heathenism and Infidelity : but this , that among Christians there are so few that are Christians indeed ? and those few are so obscured by the multitude of formal trifling hypocrites , that Christianity is measured and judged of by the lives of those that are no Christians ? Religion is a thing to be demonstrated and honoured and commended by practice : words alone are ineffectual to represent its excellency to so blind a world , that must know by feeling , having lost their sight . In our professed faith we mount unto the Heavens , and leave poor unbelievers wallowing in the dirt . O what a transcendent , unconceivable glory , do we profess to expect with God unto eternity ! And what manner of persons should they be , in holy conversation and godliness , that look for such a life as this ? How basely should they esteem those transitory things , that are the food and felicity of the sensual world ? How patiently should they undergo contempt and scorn , and whatsoever man can inflict upon them ? How studiously should they devote and refer all their time , and strength , and wealth , and interest , to this their glorious blessed end ? How seriously should they speak of , and how industriously should they seek , such sure , such near , such endless joyes ? Did professed Christians more exactly conform their hearts and lives to their profession and holy rule , their lives would confute the reproaches of their enemies , and command a reverent and awful estimation from the observers , and do more to convince the unbelieving world of the truth and dignity of the Christian faith , then all the words of the most subtile disputant Christianity being an affecting practical Science , must practically and affectionately be declared according to its nature : Arguments do but paint it out : And pictures do no more make known its excellency , then the picture of meat and drink makes known its sweetness . When a doctrine so holy , is visibly exemplified , and liveth , and walketh , and worketh in serious Christians before the world : Either this or nothing will convince them and constrain them , to glorify our Lord , and say , that God is among us or in us of a truth , Mat. 5. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 25. But it is unchristian lives that darkneth the glory of the Christian Faith. When men that profess such glorious hopes , shall be as sordidly earthly , and sensual , and ambitious , and impotent , and impatient as other men , they seem but fantastical dissembles . And yet shall there be found such a perfidious wretch under the heavens of God , as a professed Minister of Christ , that shall subtilly or openly labour to make an exact , and holy , and heavenly conversation a matter of reproach and scorn , and that under pretence of reproving the sins of Hypocrites and Schismaticks , shall make the exactest conformity to the Christian rule , and faithfullest obedience to the Almighty Soveraign , to seem to be but hypocrisie or self-conceitedness , or needless trouble , if not the way to sedition , and publick trouble , and turning all things upside down ? that cannot reprove sin , without malicious insinuating slanders or suspitions against the holy law and holy life ; that are most contrary to sin , as life to death , as health to sickness , and as light to darkness ? For any man , especially any professed Christian , any where to oppose or scorn at godliness , is a dreadful sign , as well as a heinous sin : But for a Preacher of Godliness to oppose and scorn at Godliness , and that in the Pvlpit , while he pretendeth to promote it , and plead for it in the name of Christ , is a sin that should strike the heart of man with horrour to conceive of . Though I cannot subscribe my self to that passage in the second part of the tenth Homily , Tom. 2. pag. 150. ( however I very much love and honour the book of Homilies ) yet for their sakes that not only can subscribe to it , but would have all kept out of the Ministry that cannot , and that take it for that Doctrine of the Church of England which they will believe and Preach , I will recite it to the terror of the guilty , not to drive to despair , but to awake them or to shame them for their opposition to the wayes of godliness . Expounding Psal . 1. 1. Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsel of the ungodly , nor stood in the way of sinners , nor sit in the seat of the scornful ] having shewed who are the [ ungodly ] and [ the sinners ] it addeth these words . [ The third sort he calleth scorners ; that is , a sort of men whose hearts are so stuffed with malice , that they are not contented to dwell in sin , and to lead their lives in all kind of wickedness , but also they do contemn and scorn in others all godliness , true Religion , all honesty and vertue . Of the two first sorts of men , I will not say , but they may take Repentance , and he converted unto God. Of the third sort , I think I may without danger of Gods judgement pronounce , that never any yet were converted unto God by Repentance , but continued still in their abominable wickedness , heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of Gods inevitable judgement . Though I dare not say but some such have Repented , yet let the scorners that believe this , remember , that they subscribe the sentence of their own condemnation . Though I look upon this sort of the enemies of Holiness as those that are as unlikely to be recovered and saved , as almost any people in the world , except Apostates and Malicious Blasphemers of the Holy Ghost ; yet in compassion to the people and themselves . I shall plead the cause of God with their consciences , and try what Light can do with their understandings , and the terrours of the Lord with their hardened hearts . 1. A Preacher of the Gospel should much excel the people in understanding : And therefore this sin is greater in them then other men : what means , what light do they sin against ? Either thou knowest the necessity of serving for salvation with the greatest diligence , or thou dost not . If not , what a sin and shame is it to undertake the sacred Office of the Ministry , while thou knowest not the things that are necessary to salvation , and that which every Infant in the Faith doth know ? But if thou dost know it , how dost thou make shift maliciously to oppose it , without feeling the beginnings of Hell upon thy Conscience ? When it is thy work to read the Scriptures , and meditate on them , dost thou not read thy doom , and meditate terrour ? How canst thou choose but perceive that the scope of the word of God is contrary to the bent of thy affections and suggestions ? Yea what is more evident by the Light of Nature , then that God and our salvation cannot be regarded with too much holy seriousness , exactness and industry ? Should not the best things be best loved ? and the greatest matters have our greatest care ? And is there any thing to be compared with God and our eternal state ? O what overwhelming subjects are these to a sober and considerate mind ! what toyes are all things in comparison of them ! And yet dost thou make light of them , and also teach men so to do ! As if there were something else that better deserved mens greatest care and diligence then they . What a Preacher , and not a Believer ! Or a Believer , and yet not see enough in the matters of Eternity to engage all our powers of soul and body , against all the world that should stand in competition ? 2. Is it not sinful and terrible enough , to be thy self in a carnal unrenewed state ! ( Rom. 1. 13. ) and to be without the Spirit and life of Christ ( v. 9. ) but thou must be so cruel as to make others miserable also ? Psal . 50. 16 , 17. [ But to the wicked saith God , What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes ? or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest instruction , and castest my words behind thee ? ] Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least Commandments , and shall teach men so , he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven : But whosoever shall do and teach the same , shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven . ] 3. What an aggravation is it of thy impiety and soul-murder , that thou art bound by office to teach men that life of holiness which thou oppoposest , and to perswade them to that with all thy might , which thou endeavourest closely and cunningly to disgrace ! And wilt thou be a Traytor to Christ , in the name of a Messenger and Preacher of the Gospel ? Wilt thou engage thy self to promote his interest , and to use all thy skill and power to build men up in holiness and obedience ; and when thou hast done this , wilt thou disgrace and hinder it ? Dost thou take on thee to go on the message of Christ , and then speak against him ? We do not find that Judas dealt thus with him : when he sent him as he did other Preachers , we read not that he preacht against him . O let not my soul be numbered with such men in the day of the Lord ! It will be easier for Sodom and Gomorah , then for the refusers of the Word and Grace of Christ . What then will be the doom of the opposers ? And above all of those treacherous opposers , that pretend themselves to propagate and promote them . If the wit and malice of Satans instruments were sharpened against the wayes and servants of the Lord , it belongs to you to plead Christs cause , and shame these absur'd unreasonable gainsayers , and stop the mouth of impious contradiction : And will you joyne with the gainsayers , and secretly or openly say as they ? Who should confound the d●●ders of a holy life but you ? Who should lay open the excellencies of Christ , the Glory of Heaven , the terrours of the Lord , and all other obligations to the most serious Religiousness , but you that have undertaken it as your calling and employment ? If any man in the Parish were so Atheistical and brutish , as to think God unworthy of our dearest Love , our most exact obedience , and most laborious service , who should display this Atheists folly , but you that are doubly ( as Christians , and as Ministers ) obliged to defend the honour of your Lord● If any of the people should fall into such a dream or dotage , as to question the necessity of our utmost diligence in our preparations for eternal life , who should awake them by lifting up their voices as a trumpet , and help to recover their understandings , but you that are the watchmen , and know their blood will be required at your hands , if you give them not loud and timely warning ? if any subtile malicious servant of the Devil , should plead against the Necessity of Holyness , and disswade the people from serving God with all their might , who should be ready to confirm the weak , and strenghten and encourage them that are thus assaulted , and help to keep up their zeal and forwardness , but you that are leaders in the Army of the Lord ? is it not a Holy God that you are engaged to serve ? And a Holy Church in which you have your station ? And a Communion of Saints in which you have undertaken to administer the Holy things of God ? Have you not read what was done to Nadab and Abihu , when Moses told Aaron [ This is it that the Lord spake , saying , I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me , and before the people I will be glorified ] Lev. 10. 3. Is it not a Holy Law and Gospel which you publish ? You have undertaken to warn the sloathful , the sensual , the worldly and the prophane , that they strive to enter in at the straight gate , and seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness , Luke 13. 24. Matth. 6. 33. and to give diligence to make sure their calling and election , 2 Pet. 1. 10. and to give all diligence in adding vertue to their faith , &c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. and with all diligence to keep their hearts , Prov. 4. 23. And are you the men that would quench their zeal , and destroy the holy diligence which you should Preach ? The Lord touch your hearts , and recover you in time , or how woful will it be with such hardened Hypocrites , that in the Light , and in his Family and Livery , and under his Standard and Colours , dare prove Traitors and Enemies to the Lord ? 4. And what an addition is it to your guilt , that you speak against God in his own Name ? By Office you are to deliver his Message , and speak to the people in his Name , and in his stead , 2 Cor. 5. 19 , 20. And dare you before the Sun , and under the Heavens of God , and in his Hearing , perswade men that the most Holy God is against Holiness ? and the King of Saints is an adversary to sanctity ? and that he that made his holy Law , is against the most exact obeying of it ? Dare you prefix a [ Thus saith the Lord ] to so impious a speech as [ It is in vain to serve the Lord ? what needs there so much ado for your salvation ? dare you go to men as from the Lord , & say [ You are too careful & diligent in his service ? Less ado may serve the turn ! What needs this fervour , and redeeming time ! This is but Puritanism or Preciseness . It s better do as the most , and venture your souls without so much ado . ] Who could at last hold up his face , or stand before the dreadful Tribunal , that should be found in the guilt of such a Crime ! What , to put God into the similitude of Satan , and describe the most Holy , as the enemy of Holiness ! and make him plead against himself , and disgrace his own Image , and disswade men from that which he himself hath made of necessity to their Salvation ! What viler Blasphemy can be uttered ! 5. And it aggravateth your sin , that your Relation obligeth you to the most tender affections to your people . And yet that you should seduce them to damnation . For the Nurse to poison them ; for the parents to cut the childrens throats , is worse then for an enemy to do it . If the Devil our professed enemy , should himself appear to us , and say , [ Prepare not so seriously for death : Be not so strict , and diligent , and holy ] it were not , in many respects , so bad , as for you to do it , that should help to save us from his snares . You that profess your selves their Fathers ! that should travail in birth till Christ be formed in your peoples hearts ! that should love your people as your own bowels , and tender the weak , and pitty the wicked , and stick at no labour , suffering or cost , that might advance their holiness , and further their Salvation ; For you to tempt men into a careless life , and turn them out of the holy way , is an aggravated cruelty . It s worse for the Shepherd to destroy us then the Wolf. Read Ezek. 34. & 33. 6. Are you not ashamed thus to contradict your selves ? What can you find to Preach from the Word of God , that tendeth not to this holy diligence which you are against ? How can you make shift to Preach an hour , and not acquaint men with the Duty and Necessity of seeking God with all their Might ? Do you not tell them , that except they be converted and new born , they shall not enter into the Kingdom of God , John 3. 3 , 5. Mat. 18. 3. And that without holiness none shall see the Lord , Heb. 12. 14. And that if they live after the flesh , they shall die , Rom. 8. 13. And that except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven , Mat. 5. 20. And will you in your Application , or private discourses , unsay all this again , and give God and your selves the Lye ? And let people see , that the Pulpit is to you but as a Stage , and that you believe not what you speak ? 7. Consider , that your place and calling , maketh you the most successfull servants of the Devil , and so the most bloody murderers of Souls , while you give your judgement against a strict and Heavenly life . For a Drunkaod in an Ale-house to mock the Minister , and rail at serious Religion , is less regarded by sober men , and small advantage to his Masters cause ; nay the wickedness of his life , is so great a shame to his judgement , that it inclineth many to think well of those that he speaks against . But when a man that pretendeth to learning and understanding , and to be himself a Pastor of the Church , and Preacher of the Misteries of Christ , shall make them odious , that are most careful for their Souls , and most exact in pleasing God , and shall make all serious diligence for Heaven to seem but intemperate zeal and selfconceitedness : and shall describe a Saint as if the formal lifeless Hypocrite , that giveth God but the leavings of the world , and never set his heart on Heaven , were indeed the man : what a snare is here for the perdition of the ignorant ! They that are naturally averse from holiness , and are easily perswaded to think that to be unnecessary or bad , which seems so much above them , and against them , will be much confirmed in their mistakes and misery , when they hear their Teachers speak without them , the fame that Satan by his suggestions doth within them . This turneth a trembling sinner , into a hardened scorner : he that before went under the daily correction of his conscience , for neglecting God , and omitting holy duties , and living to the flesh , grows bold and fearless , when he hears the Preacher disgrace the stricter purer way . By that time he hath heard a while the fear of God derided as preciseness , and a tender conscience reproached as a scrupulous foolish thing , his conscience grows more plyable to his lusts , and hath little more to say against them . When Gods own professed Ministers , that should be wiser and better then the people , are against this zeal , and industry for Heaven , the people will soon think , that at least it is tolerable in them . And they will sooner learn to deride a Saint from a Sermon , or discourse of a Preacher or a learned man , then from the scorns or talk of hundreds of the ignorant . And wilt thou teach them to hate Godliness , who hast undertaken before the Righteous God , to teach them to practice it ? He that dispraiseth it , though under other names , and representeth it as odious , though masked with the title of some odious vice , doth indeed endeavour to make men hate it . And what a terrible account wilt thou have to make , when the seduction and transgression of all these sinners shall be charged upon thee ? When Christ shall say to the haters , deriders and opposers of his holy wayes and servants [ In as much as you did it to one of the least of these my Brethren , you did it unto me . ] How durst you scorn the image of your Maker ? and hate the Saints whose Communion you professed to believe ; and deride or oppose that serious holiness , without which you had no hope of being saved ? If then the sinners become your accusers , and say , [ Lord , we thought it had been but unnecessary preciseness , and that serious Christians had been but self-conceited factious hypocrites , and that lip service with a common worldly life might have served the turn ; We heard our Preachers represent such strict and zealous men , as turbulent , seditious , and refractory , as odious and not as imitable : Their application was against them : Their discourse derided them : Of them we learnt it . We thought they were wiser and better then we : Of whom should we learn but of our teachers ! ] Wo to the Teachers that ever they were born , that must be then found guilty of this crime . If Adam 's excuse was Eve's accusation , [ The woman which thou gavest to be with me , she gave me of the tree and I did eat . ] And the womans excuse did charge the Serpent [ The Serpent begulled me and I did eat ] Gen. 3. 12 , 13. though it freed not the excusers ) How will it load you , when your people shall say [ The Teachers that we thought thou gavest us , did teach us & go before us in setting against this holy diligence ; and we did but learn of them , and follow them ! 8. Are not the people backward enough to the serving of God with all their might , unless you hinder them ? Is not the corrupted heart of lapsed man averse enough to the matters of salvation , but you must make them worse ? If you had to do with the best and holiest person in the world , that walketh with God in the most heavenly conversation , he would tell you that his dull and backward heart hath no need of clogs , and pull-backs , and discouragements , but of all the help that can be afforded him , to quicken him up to greater diligence . The most zealous lament that they are so cold : The most heavenly lament that they are so earthly , and so strange to heaven : The most laborious lament that they are so sloathful ; and the fruitfullest believers that they are so unprofitable ; and those that are most watchful of their words and deeds , that they are so careless ; and those that most diligently redeem their time , lament it that they lose so much ; and those that walk most accurately and exactly , that they are so loose , and keep no closer to the Rule . And yet darest thou increase the backwardness of the ungodly ! will not their carnal interests and lusts serve turn to keep them from a holy life ! Is not Satan strong enough of himself ? will not the comon distaste of Godliness in the world , sufficiently prejudice and avert them without thy helps ? Do you see your people so forward to do too much for Heaven , that you must pull them back ? Cannot souls be damned without your furtherance ? or is it a desirable work ? and will it pay you for your cost and labour ? The way is up hill ; The best of us are weak , and frequently ready to sit down ! A thousand impediments are cast before us by Satan and the world , to make us linger till the time be past ; and many a charm of pleasure and diversion to make us sleep till the door be shut . And Ministers are sent to keep us waking , and take us by the hand , and lead us on , and remove impediments : and shall they set in with the enemy , and be our chiefest hinderers ? O treacherous guides ! O miserable helps ! Are not our dark understandings , our earthly , dull and backward hearts , our passions and troubled affections , our appetites & sensual inclinations , our natural strangeness and averseness to God , and heaven , and holiness , enough to hinder us without you ? Are not all the temptations of the Devil , the allurements of the flesh , and world , the impediments of poverty and riches , of flattery , and of frowns , or friends and foes , in our callings and in our divertisements , are not all these enough to cool and dull us , and keep us from serving God too much , and being too careful and diligent for our souls , but Preachers themselves must be our impediments and snares ? Now the Lord deliver our souls from such impediments , and his Church from such unhappy guides ! 9. Consider whom thou imitatest in this . Is it Christ , or Satan ? Christ calleth men to strive , to labour , to seek first , to watch , to pray alwayes , and not waxfaint , Luk. 12. 24. John 6. 27. Mat. 6. 33. & 25. 13. Luke 18. 1. The Apostles call men to be [ fervent in spirit , serving the Lord ; to be a peculiar people , zealous of good works ; to pray continually ; to be 〈◊〉 ●●osen generation , a royal Priesthood , an holy Nation , a peculiar People to shew forth the praises of him that hath called us , and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ , 1 Pet. 2. 5 , 9. 1 Thes . 5. 17. Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 12. 11. To fight the good fight of faith , and lay hold upon eternal life , 1 Tim. 6. 12. To serve God acceptably ( being as a consuming fire ) with reverence and godly fear , Heb. 12. 28 , 29. To be stedfast , unmoveable , alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord , forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord , 1 Cor. 15. 58. ] And dare you gainsay the Lord and his Apostles , and concur with Satan , and the Pharisees and enemies of Christ ? 10. You do your worst to make the sacred office of the Ministry to become contemptible , as Eli's sons did : Poor people that cannot sufficiently distinguish the Doctrine from the Application , the office from the person , the use f●●● the abuse , will be tempted to run from the Ordinances of God , and think the worse of others for your sakes , and suspect all their food , because you mix such poyson in it . And the more Holy and Necessary the office and work is , the greater is your sin in corrupting it , or making it suspected or abhorr'd . Consider soberly of these things , and then go on and speak against a Life of Holy diligence if you dare . I know you 'l say , It is not Godliness , but singularity , or humour , or disobedience , or hypocrisie , or faction that you oppose : and perhaps you 'l instance in some that are guilty of some of these , or seem so at the least . But 1. I do here solomnly profess that I hate these crimes as well as you : and that it is not any part of my intention to plead for intemperance , disobedience in lawful things , for schisms , or faction , or any irregularity : And this I here put in against those that are disposed to misunderstand and misreport us , and leave it as on record to prove them slanderers , that shall accuse me of defending any such thing . And I do protest against those on the other side , that will fetch encouragement for any transgression from my necessary plea for the holy industry & vigilancy of believers . And moreover , I do profess that it is only the opposers of Holiness that I mean in this Defence , and have not the least intent to intimate that any others are guilty of that crime that are not . But having premised this protestation , to prevent mistakes and false reports , I answer now to the guilty . 2. If it be crimes only that you are against , deliver your self so , as may not lay reproach or suspicion on Godliness , which is most opposite to all crimes . Cannot you preach against divisions , disobedience , or any other sin , without any scornful intimations or reflections against mens diligent serving of the Lord ? 3. Why do not you commend those that are not liable to your accusations , and encourage them in holiness , and draw others to imitate them ? And why do you not commend the Good where you discommend the evil that is commixt ? 4. Shall Health and Life be made a scorn , because there are few but have some distemper or disease ? Shall Christianity and Holiness be secretly reproached , because all Christians have some fault to be accused of ? If men be faulty , you should perswade them to be more strict and diligent , and not less : It is for want of watchfulness and strictness that they sin . Nothing is more contrary to their faults , then Holiness . There is no other way for their full reformation . And therefore all true humbled Christians are ready to confess their faultiness themselves ; but so far are they from thinking the worse of piety for it , that its one great reason that moveth them to go on , and to read , and hear , and pray , and meditate , and do so much that they may get more strength against their faults . Must they think ill of food , and physick , and exercise , because they are infirm ? All faithful Ministers tell their people plainly of their sins ( so far as they are acquainted with them ) as well as you : But they do it not in a way reproachful to their holy diligence ; They do not therefore call them off from Godliness , nor tempt them to be less in the use of means , but more by how much their need is greater . A holy heart , and a malignant heart , will shew their difference in the reproving of the same fault . The one layeth all the odium on the vice , & honoureth the holy obedience of the Saints . The other fasteneth his sting upon the Godly , and under pretence of dishonouring their faults , doth seek to fasten-the dishonour on their holiness . And those that are so minded , will never want ●ccasion or pretence , for the worst that Satan would have them say . The Church will never be without some hypocrites , and scandals , nor the best without some faults and passions ; nor the holiest action without some mixture of humane frailty and infirmity ▪ nor will the very goodness and holiness of the act on , be free from plausible calumnies and scorns , while there is the wit and venom of the serpent in the heads and hearts of wicked men . How easi● is it to put a name of ignominy upon every person , and every duty ? To charge any man with Hypocrisie or Pride ? To take the wisest man for self-conceited , because he is not of the accusers mind ? To call our obedience to God , by the name of disobedience unto man , when man forbids it , as they used the three witnesses , Dan. 3. and Daniel himself for praying in his house , Dan. 6. though they confessed they had nothing else against him ? To call Gods Truth by the name of Heresie , and Heresie by the name of Truth , To charge all with Schism , that dare not subject their souls to the usurpation and arrogant impositions of the sons of Pride , that have neither Authority nor Ability to Govern us , as the Papists deal by the greatest part of the Christian World ? To lay snares for mens Consciences , and then accuse them for falling into those snares ? To make new Articles of faith , till they have transcended the capa●ity of Divine and Rational belief , and then condemn us for not believing them ? To make Laws for the Church , unnecessary in their own opinion , and sinful in other mens , and command things which they know that others think the Lord forbids , and then load them with the sufferings and reproaches of the disobedient , turbulent , heretical , schismatical , or seditious ? To call men factious , if they will not be of their faction ? and Sectaries , if they will not unreasonably subject their Souls to them , and joyn with an imperious Sect , against the Catholick Vnity and Simplicity ? All which the Romanists practice upon the Church of Christ . How easie , but how unreasonable , and yet how unresistible is all this ? How easie is it to call a meeting of sober Christians , for prayer and mutual edification , such as that was , Acts 12. 12. by the name of a Factious Schismatical Conventicle , and a meeting of Drunkards , or Gamesters , by a more gentle less disgraceful name ? To say a man becomes a Preacher , when he modestly reproveth another for his sinnes , or charitable exhorteth him in order to his Salvation , or giveth any necessary plain instruction to his Family , for whom he must give account ? Believe it , it will be a poor excuse to any man , that becomes an enemy to the diligence of a Saint , that he could thus cloak his malice , and cloath a Saint with the vizer of an Hypocrite , and the rags of any odious Sect. If the Pharisees were to be believed , it was not they , but Christ that was the Hypocrite : nor was it the Son of God , but an Enemy to Caesar , and a Blasphemer that they put to death . But will not Christ know his sheep , though he find them torn in a wolks skin ? You say it is turbulent Pre●isians that you strike , but what if Christ find but one of the least of his Brethren bleeding by it ? It is but Hypocrites or Schismaticks that you reproach ; but if Christ find an humble serious Christian suffering by your abuse , and you to answer it , I would not be in your coats for all the greatness , and honour that you shall have before your everlasting shame . If Tertullus accuse a pestilent fellow , and a mover of Sedition , and Christ find an holy laborious Apostle in Bonds and suffering by it , it is not his names that will excuse him , and make an Apostle or Persecution to be another thing . TO return to the endangered Flocks : Look upward sirs ▪ and think whether Heaven be worth your labour ! Look downwards , and think whether Earth be more worthy of it ! Lay up your treasures where you must dwell for ever . If that be here , then scrape , and flatter , and get all that you can ; But if it be not here , but in another life , then hearken to your Lord , and lay up for your selves a treasure in Heaven , and there let your very hearts be set , Matth. 6. 20 , 21. And upon the peril of everlasting misery , hearken not to any man that wil tempt you from a diligent holy life . It is a serious businesse , deal seriously in it ; and be not laught or mockt out of Heaven , by the flouts of a distracted sensual Atheist . If any of them will pretend to sobriety and wisdom , and undertake to prove that God should not be loved and served , and your Salvation sought with all your might , and with greater care and diligence then any earthly thing , procure me a sober conference with that man , and try whether I shall not prove him to be a befoold servant of the Devil , and a mischievous enemy of your Salvation , and his own . O that we might have but sober debates , instead of jeers , and scorns , and railings with this sort of men ! how quickly should we shew you , that they must renounce the Scripture , and renounce Christianity , and ( if that be nothing with them ) that they must renounce God , and renounce right Reason , and unman themselves , if they will renounce a holy Heavenly life , and blame them that make it their principal business in the world , to prepare for the world to come . But if they will not be entreated to such a sober conference , will you that hear them , ( if you care what becomes of you ) but come to us , and hear what we can say for a Holy life , before you hearken to them ; and let your souls have fair play , and shew that you have so much love to your selves , as not to cast away Salvation at the derision of a fool , before you have heard the other side . If I make not good the strictest Laws of God Almighty , against the most subtil cavils of any of the instruments of Satan , then tell me that Infidels or Epicures are in the right . Compare their words with the words of God. Consider well but that one Text , 2 Pet. 3. 11. and tell me whether it suit with their Opinions , [ Seeing all these things must be dissolved , what manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness ; looking for , and hasting to the coming of the Day of God! ] Did these words but sink into your hearts , the next time you heard any man reproach a Holy Heavenly life , it would perhaps make you think of the words of Paul to such another , Acts 13 , 10. O full of all subtilty and all mischief , thou child of the Devil , thou enemy of all Righteousness , wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord ? ] And if holiness be evil spoken of by them that never tried it , what wonder ! Christ hath foretold us that it must be so , Matth. 5. 11 , 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake . Rejoyce and be exceeding glad , for great is your reward in Heaven : for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you . ] John 15. 19 , 20. [ If ye were of the world , the world would love his own : but because ye are not of the world , but I have chosen you out of the world , therefore the world hateth you , &c. ] 1 Pet. 4. 4 , 5 , 14. They think it strange that they run not with them to the same excess of riot , speaking evil of you , who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and dead — If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ , happy are ye ; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you ; On their part he is evil spoken of , but on your part he is glorified . ] Seneca himself oft telleth us , that among the Heathen , Vertue was a derision , so far is the nature of man degenerated . The question is not what you are called or taken to be , but what you are . [ Intus teipsum considera ( inquit Sen. ) non qualis sis aliis credas ; Plerunque boni inepti & inertes vocantur . Mihi contingat iste derisus : Aequo animo audienda sunt imperitorum convitia ; & ad honesta vadendi contemnendus est iste contemptus . ] that is , [ Inwardly consider of thy self , and judge not what thou art by the words of others : For the most part good men are called fools and dullards : Let me be so derided : The reproaches of the ignorant ( or unskilful ) must be patiently heard ; and this contempt of one that followeth vertue , must be contemned . ] Yea it is the highest honour to be content to be accounted bad , that we may not be so ; and the greatest tryal whether we be indeed sincere , to be put to it , to be either accounted Hypocrites , or to be such . Me thinks I can scarce too oft recite that excellent saying of Seneca , Epist . 72. Nemo plus videtur aestimare virtutem , nemo magis illi esse devotus , quam qui beni viri famam perdidit , non conscientiam perderet ] that is [ No man seems to set a higher price on vertue ; no man seems to be more devoted to it , then he that hath lost the reputation of being a good man , lest he should lose his conscience . ] But perhaps you 'l ask , May not a man be righteous over-mmch ? as is intimated , Eccl. 7. 16. I answer , it is making a mans self over-wise or righteous , that is ther● reppoved . And no doubt but 1. many take on them , or make themselves more wise and righteous then they are : that is , are hypocrites . 2. As righteousness is taken materially and in common estimation , so a man may be too Righteous . He may be too rigorous , which is called Justice ; and too much in grief , or fear , or trouble , & too much in any outward act that goeth under the name of duty . But it is not then truly and formally duty and righteousness , but sin . As to fast to the disabling the body for Gods service . To pray when we should hear : To hear when we should be about some greater work of mercy or necessity : To neglect our outward labour and calling on pretence of Religion : To set up sacrifice against or before mercy : To sorrow when we should rejoyce : To meditate , and fear , and grieve , beyond what the brain can bear , till it distract us : This is called , being righteous over-much : As also to make us a Religion of our own inventions , and to over-do with will-worship and the traditions of men , as the Pharisees and Papists . But indeed this is not Righteousness , but sin : To be formally over-much righteous , is a contradiction , and impossible . For to go beyond the Rule is unrighteousness : And to do too much , is to go beyond the Rule . Unless you dare imagine that God hath erred , and the Rule it self is over-strict , and the Law is unrighteous : But then how shall God judge the world ? saith the Apostle , Rom. 3. 6. Shall not the judge of all the world do righteously ? Gen. 18. 25. Nay how then shall he be God ? And is there any thing now left but Ignorance or Wickedness to stand up against thy speedy diligence ? Away then with thy delayes and sloathfulness . If thou wilt serve God with all thy might , let it be seen ; If thou wilt be a Christian indeed , let deeds declare it . Christianity is not a dead Opinion . If really thou live in hope of heaven , such hopes will make thee stir for the attainment . Why standest thou idle , when thou art born for work , and all thy faculties are given thee for work , and thou art redeemed for work ? ( for Evangelical work . ) If thou be sanctisied , thou hast the Spirit of Christ , a quickning working principle within thee ; which way canst thou look , but thou mayst see that which would shame a sloathful soul , and fire a cold and frozen heart , and call thee up to a speedy industry ? what quickning words shalt thou find in Scripture , if thou wilt but bring thy heart thither as one that is willing to be quickened ? what powerful commands , what promises , what threatnings , what holy examples of exceeding diligence of Christ and his Apostles ? See how the Godly about thee are at work , though the world oppose them and deride them ! how earnestly they pray ! how carefully they walk ! how sadly they complain that they are no better ! And hast thou not an immortal soul to save or lose as well as they ? See what a stir the proud ambitious person makes for less then nothing ? what a stir the covetous and the voluptuous make for a sweetned draught of mortal poyson ? And shall , we be idle that are engaged for Heaven ? Is it reason that we should do less for God & our salvation , then they do for sinful pleasure to damnation ? You cannot mock them out of their Pride and Covetuousness : And shall they mock thee out of thy Religion , and thy hopes of Heaven ? All the commands , and promises , and threatnings of God , the most powerful preaching , that , as it were , sets open Heaven and Hell to them , doth not prevail with fleshly men , to leave the most sordid and unmanly sin ▪ And shall the words or frowns of creeping dust prevail with thee against the work for which thou livest in the world , when thou hast still at hand unanswerable arguments from God , from thy self , from Heaven and Hell , to put thee on ? Were it but for thy Life , or the Life of thy children , friend , yea or enemy , or for the quenching of a fire in thy house , or in the Town , wouldst thou not stir and do thy best ? And wilt thou be idle when eternal life ●ies on it ? Let Satan bawl against thee by his instruments . Let sensless sinners talk awhile of they know not what , till God have made them change their note . Let what will be the consequent to thy flesh . These are not matters for a man much to observe , that is engaged for an endless life . O what are these to the thing● that thou art called to prosecute ! Hold on then Christians in the work that you have begun . Do it prudently , and do it universally . Take it together , both works of Piety , Justice , and Charity : But do it now without delay , and do it seriously with your might . I know not what cloud of darkness hath seized on those mens minds that speak against this ; or what deadly damp hath seized on their hearts , that hath so benummed and unmanned them . For my own part ; though I have long lived in a sense of the preciousness of time , and have not been wholly idle in the world ; yet when I have the deepest thoughts of the great everlasting consequents of my work , and of the uncertainty and shortness of my time , I am even amazed to think that my heart can be so slow and sensless , as to do no more in such a case . The Lord knows , and my accusing wounded Conscience knows , that my sloathfulness is so much my shame and admiration , that I am astonished to think that my resolutions are no stronger , my affections no livelier , and my labour and diligence no greater , when God is the Commander , and hiis Love the encourager , and his wrath the spur , and Heaven or Hell must be the issue . O what lives should all of us live , that have things of such unspeakable consequence on our hands , if our hearts were not almost dead within us ! Let who will speak against such a life , it shall be my daily grief and moan , that I am so dull , & do so little . I know that our works do not profit the Almighty , nor bear any proportion with his reward ; nor can they stand in his sight , but as accepted in the Lord our Righteousness , & perfumed by the odour of his merits . But I know they are ne●essary , & they are sweet . Without the holy imployment of our faculties , this life will be but a burden or a dream , and the next an unexpressible misery . O therefore that I had more of the Love of God , that my soul could get but nearer to him , and swiftlier move upward by Faith and Love ! O that I had more of that Life , and active diligence , which the serpentine Cainish nature doth abhor , though I had with it the scorns of all about me , and though they made me as they once did better men , as the filth of the world , & the off-scowring of all things ! 1 Cor. 14. 13. O that I had more of this derided diligence , and holy converse with the Lord , though my name were cast out as an evil-doer , Luk. 6. 22. and I were spit at , and buffetted by those that do now but secretly reproach ! Might I nearly follow Christ in holiness , why should I grudge to bear his Cross , and to be used as he was used ? Mat. 26. 27. Luke 18. 32. knowing that if we suffer with him , we shall also reign with him ; and the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us , Rom. 8. 17 , 18. If when we have done all , we are but unprofitable Servants , and must say , we have done but our duty , Luke 17. 10. have we not all more need of monitors to humble us for doing so much lesse then our duty , then to be reprehended for being too diligent and exact ? I again protest , that it is not any works of Supererogation , or humane invention , superstition , or self-appointment that I am defending , but only the accurate obeying of the Laws of God , and the utmost diligence in such obedience , for the obtaining of everlasting life . Either God hath commanded these works of Holiness , Justice , and Charity , or not . If he have not then I have done , and yeild the cause ; It is only what he hath commanded that I plead for . O that before you either speak against any Holy duty , or your selves neglect it , you would but come to us , and soberly joyn in searching the Holy Scriptures , to see whether it be required there or not ; and resolve but to obey it , if we prove it thence : and if it be but matter of humane imposition , we leave you to your selves , and should desire that you may be much left to your liberty in such things ; and that you place not too much of your Religion therein . But if indeed it be commanded in the word of God , I beseech you , as you are Christians , & as you are men , remember that when ever you blame or scorn a holy duty , it is God himself that you blame or scorn . If it be naught , it is long of him that did command it . The Subject must obey ; should not such worms as we , obey the infinite God that made us ? If it be a fault to obey , it is a duty to rebel , or disobey ; and that must be because that God hath no authority to command , & that must be because he is not God. See whether you bring your opposition to a holy life ; And dare not you stand to this ? Dare you as openly mock God for making these strict and holy Laws , as you do men for obeying them ? None but a professed Atheist dare . Alas Sirs , it is nothing but intoxicating prosperity , and sensual delights , and worldly diversions , that turn your brains , and leave you not the sober use of Reason , that makes you think well of ungodly sloathfulness , and makes you think so contemptuously or senselesly of a heavenly life . I tell you ( & remember another day that you were told of it ) that there is not the boldest Infidel in the world , nor the bitterest enemy to holiness in this Assembly , but shortly would wish they had rather been Saints in rags , with all the scorn and cruelty that malice can inflict on such , then to have braved it out in pride and gallantry , with the neglect of the great everlasting things . I tell you again , there is not an ungodly wretch that heareth me , but e●e long would give a world if he were owner of a holy heart and life , that he had spent his days in holy watchful preparations for his change , which he spent for that which will deceive him and forsake him . Methinks I even see how you will passionately rage against your selves ▪ and tear your hearts with self-revenge , ( if grace prevent it not by a more safe repentance ) when you think too late how you lived on earth , and what golden times of grace you lost , and vilisied all that would not lose them as folishly as you . If Repentance unto life made Paul so call himself foolish , disobedient , deceived and exceeding mad , Tit. 3. 3. Acts 26. 11. ) you may imagine how tormenting Repentance will make you call your selves too late . O Sirs , you cannot now conceive , while you sit here in health , and ease , and honour , what different thoughts will then possess you of a holy and an unholy life ! How mad you will think them that had but one lifes time of preparation for eternal life ▪ and despe●ately neglected it : And how ●ensib●e you will then be of the wisdom of believers , that knew their Time , & used it while they had it ! Now wisdom is iu●●ified of all her children : but then how sensibly will it be justified of all its enemies ! O with what gripe , will undone souls look back on a life of mercy and opportunities , thus basely undervalued , and slept away in dreaming idleness , & fooled away for things of nought . The language of that damned rich man , Luk. 16. may help you in your predictions . O how you wil wonder at your selves , that ever you could be so blind and senslesse , as to be no more affected with the warnings of the Lord , and with the fore-thoughts of everlasting joy or misery ! To have but one one small part of time to do all that ever must be done by you for Eternity , and say all that ever you must say for your own or others souls , and that this was spent in worse then nothing ! To have but One uncertain life , in which you must run the race that wins or loseth Heaven for ever ; & that you should be tempted by a thing of nought , to lose that one irrecoverable opportunity , and to fit still , or run another way , when you should have been making hast with all your might ! O sirs , the thoughts of this will be other - kind of thoughts another day then now you feel them ; you cannot now think how the thoughts of this will then affect you ! That you had a time in which you might have pray'd , with promise of acceptance , and had not hearts to take that time ! That Christ was offered you as well as he was offered them that entertained him ; that you were called on and warn'd as well as they , but obstinately despised and neglected all ! That Life and Death were set before you , and the everlasting joyes were offered to your choice , against the charms of sinful Pleasures , and you might , have freely had them if you would , and were told that Holiness was the only way , and that it must be Now or Never , and yet that you chose your own destruction ! These thoughts will be part of Hell to the ungodly . They will wonder that Reason could be so unreasonable , and they that had the common wit of man in other matters , should be so far beside themselves in that which is the only thing that its commendable to be wise for ; that such sottish Reasonings should prevail with them against the clearest light , and nothing should be preferred before all things , and arguments fetcht from chaff and dung , should conquer those that were fetcht from Hea●en ! O what heart-renting thoughts will these be , when Eternity shall afford them leisure for an impartial review ! Yea that they should deceive others also with such a gross deceit , and scorn at all that would not be as mad as they : that being drunken with the worlds delusion , they should abuse all that were truly sober ; that the one thing needfull , should seem to them a needless thing ! That their tongues should plead for these delusions of their wicked hearts , and they should be enemies to those that would not be enemies to God , and to themselves , and cast away their Time and Souls as they did ! They will wonder with self-indignation , what could bewitch them into so great unreasonableness , below a man , against the light of nature , as well as of supernatural revelation . Honourable and beloved Hearers , I beseech you do not take it ill , that I speak so much of these matters that are so unpleasant and unwelcome to unbelieving , careless , carnal hearts : It is that I may prevent all this in time , by the awakenings of true Repentance : And O that this might be the success ! That I might hear by your penitent Confessions , and see by your universal speedy reformation , that God hath so great Mercy for you , & that these perswasions might be the means of so much Happinesse to you , and comfort unto me ! However this Assembly shall be witnesses that you were warned : and Conscience shall be witness , that if you wast the rest of your dayes in the pleasures and vanities of this deceitful world , it was not because you could have no better , and were not called to higher things . That if you yet stand idle , it is not because you could not be hired . For in the name of Christ I have called you into his vineyard , and told you of your work and wages , and ashamed your excuses and objections this day . Come away then speedily from the snares of sinners , and the Company of deceived hardened men , and cast away the works of darknesse ! Heaven is before you ! Death is at hand : The Eternal God hath sent to call you ! Mercy doth yet stretch forth its arms ! You have staid too long , and abused Patience too much already : Stay no longer ! O now please God , and comfort us , and save your selves by Resolving that this shall be the Day : and faithfully performing of this your Resolution , Vp and be doing : Believe , Repent , Desire , Obey , and do all this with all your Might . Love him that you must Love for ever , and Love him with all your Soul and Might ; seek that which is truly worth the seeking , and it will pay for all your cost and pains : And seek it first with all your Might : Remembring still it must be Now or Never . BEfore I conclude , I have two messages yet to deliver to the servants of the Lord : The One is of Encouragement : The Other of Direction . I know that many of you have a threefold trouble , which requireth a threefold comfort and encouragement . One is , that you have done so little of your work ; but lost so much of your time already : Another is , that you are so opposed and hindred . And the greatest of all is , that you are yet so dull and slow : The cure of which must be the matter of my Directions . 1. For the first : That you have lost your Time , must be the matter of your Humiliation : But that all is not lost , before you see your sin and duty ; but yet the patience and mercy of the Lord are attending you , and continuing your hope ; this is the matter of your comfort and encouragement . Repent therefore that you came no sooner home : But rejoyce that you are come home at last : and now be more diligent in redeeming your time , in remembrance of the time already lost ; And though it must be your grief , that your Master hath been deprived of so much as his service , and others of so much good which you should have done them , and that time is lost that cannot be recalled ; yet it is your comfort , that your own Reward may be equal with them that have born the burthen and heat of the day : For many that are last ( in the time of their coming in ) shall be first ( in receiving their reward . ) This is the meaning of that Parable in Mat. 20. which was spoken to encourage them that had stood out too long , and to rebuke the envie , and high expectations of them that came in sooner : and it is no whit contradictory to those passages in Matth. 25. which intimate a different degree of glory to be given to them that have different degrees of Grace upon their industrious improvement . The one Parable Matth. 20. shews that men shall not be rewarded differently for their longer or shorter continuance in the work , but that those that came in late , and yet are found with equal holiness , shall be rewarded equally with the first : And more , if their holiness be more , which the second Parable expresseth , declaring Gods purpose to give them the greatest Glory , that have improved their Holiness to the greatest Measure . O therefore that the sense of your former unkindness might provoke you the more resolvedly to give up your selves in fervent love , and full obedience ! and then you will find that your Time is Redeemed , though it cannot be recalled ; and that Mercy hath secured your full reward . O what an unspeakable ▪ Mercy is this ! that if yet you will devote your selves entirely to Christ , and serve him with your might , the little time that yet remains , he will take it as if you had come in at the first hour of the day ! 2. And as for the Opposition and hinderances in your way , they are no other then what your Lord foretold . He hath gone before you , and conquered much more then ever you will encounter from without ( though he had not a body of sin to conquer : and in that respect the conquest of his Spirit in his members , hath the preheminence of his personal conquest . ) He hath bid you Be of good chear , because he hath overcome the World. If you will not take up your cross and follow him , you cannot be his Disciples , Joh. 16. 33. Luk. 14. 27 , 33. Would you be soldiers on condition you may not fight ; or fight , and yet have no opposition ? Follow the Captain of your salvation . If mocking , or buffeting , or spitting in his face , or hanging him upon a Cross , or piercing his side , would have made him give up the work of your Redemption , you had been left to utter desperation . The opposition that is conquerable , should serve but to excite your courage and resolution , in a case of such necessity where you must prevail , or perish . Have you God himself on your side , Rom. 8. 31. and Christ your Captain , and the Spirit of Christ to give you courage , and the Promise to invite you , and Heaven before you , and Hell behind you , and the examples of such an Army of conquering Believers : and shall the scorns or threats of a crawling Worm prevail against all these for your discouragement ? You are not afraid lest any man should pull down the Sun , or dry up the Sea , or overturn the Earth : And are you afraid that Man should conquer God ? Rom. 8. 37. or take you out of the hands of Christ ? Joh. 10. 28. 39. Mark how they used David , Psal . 56. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. Every day they wrest my words : all their thoughts are against me for evil : They gather themselves together : they hide themselves : they mark my steps when they wait for my soul . ] But what did he therefore fear or fly from God ? No , [ What time I am afraid , I will trust in thee : In God will I praise his word ; In God have I put my trust ; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me ] Isa . 51. 7 , 8. [ Hearken to me ; ye that know righteousness , the people in whose heart is the Law ; Fear ye not the reproach of men , neither be ye afraid of their revilings ; For the moth shall eat them up like a garment , and the worm shall eat them like wool : but my Righteousness shall be for ever , and my Salvation from generation to generation . ] You deserve to be shut out of Heaven , if you will not bear the breath of a fools derision for it . 3. But ( saith the self-accusing soul ) I am convinced that I ought to be laborious for my salvation , and that all this is too little that I can do : but I am dull , and cold , and negligent in all : I am far from doing it with my might : I hear , and read , and pray , as if I did it not , and as if I were half asleep , or my heart were away upon somewhat else . I fear I am but a lazy hypocrite . ] Answ . I shall first speak to thy doubt , and then to direct thee against thy sin . And first , you must be resolved whether your sloath be such as is predominant , or Mortifi'd : such as proveth that you are dead in sin , or onely such as proveth you but diseased and infirm . And to know this , you must distinguish 1. Between the dulness and coldness of the Affections , and the unresolvednesse and Disobedience of the soul . 2. Between a sloathfulness that keepeth men from a godly life in a life of wickedness , and that which only keepeth them from some particular act of duty , or abateth the degree of their sincere affection and obedience . 3. Between that sloath that is the vicious habit of the Will ; and that which is the effect of age , or sickness , or melancholy , or other distemper of the body . And so the case lieth plain before you . 1. If it be not only your affections that are dull , but your will through sloath is unresolved ; and this not only in a temptation to the abatement of some degrees , and the neglect of some particular duty , but against a holy life , and against the forsaking of your reigning sin ; and this be not only through some bodily distemper , disabling your Reason , but from the vicious Habit of your Wills : then is your sloath a mortal sign , and proves you in a graceless state : But if the sloath which you complain of , be onely the dulness of your affections , and the backwardness of your wills , to some high degrees , or particular duties , and the effect of some bodily distemper , or the weakness of your spiritual life , while your wills are habitually resolved for God , and a holy life , against a worldly fleshly life . This is your infirmity , and a sin to be lamented , but not a mark of death and gracelessness . You will have a backward sloathfull heart to strive with while you live ; but bless God that you are offended with it , and would fain be delivered . This was Paul's evidence , Rom. 7. 24. You will have flesh , and flesh will plead for its interest , and will be striving against the Spirit ; but bless God that you have also the Spirit to strive against the flesh . Be thankfull that you have life to feel your sickness , though you languish under it , and cannot work as healthfull men ; and that you are in the way to Heaven , though you go not so fast as you should and would . 2. But yet , though you have Life , it is so grievous to be diseased , and languish under such an infirmity as sloath , that I advise you to stir up your selves to the utmost , and give not way to a lazie temper ; and that you may serve the Lord with all your might , I recommend these few Directions to your observation . Dir. 1. When you would be quickened up to seriousnesse and diligence , Have ready at hand such quickning Considerations , as are here before propounded to you , and set them before you , and labour to work them upon your hearts . Powerful truths would have some power upon your souls , if you will but soberly apply your reasons to them and plead them with your selves , as you would do with another , in any of your reproofs or exhortations . Dir. 2. Take heed lest any worldly design or interest , or any lust or sensual delight , divert your minds from God and duty . For all the powers of your soul will languish , when you should set them on work on spiritual things , and your hearts will be abroad , when you should be wholly taken up with God , if once they be entangled with worldly things . Watch therefore over them in your Callings , lest the creature steal too deep into your affections : For if you be alive to the world , you will be in that measure dead to God. Dir. 3. If it be possible , live under a lively Ministry , that when your hearts go cold and dull unto the Assemblies , they may come warm and quickned home . Life cherisheth life , as fire kindleth fire . The Word and Ordinances of God are quick , powerful , and sharper then any two-edged sword , piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit , and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts , Heb. 4. 12. and therefore it may do much to make you feel . Many a thousand hath it pricked at the heart , and sent them home alive , that before were dead , Acts 2. 37. Much more may you expect that it should excite the principles which you have already . Dir. 4. If it may be , converse with lively , active , stirring Christians ; but especially have one such for a bosome Friend , that will warm you when you are cold , and help to awake you when you drop a sleep , and will not comply with you in a declining , lazie , and unprofitable course , Eccles . 4. 9 , 10 , 11. Two are better then one , because they have a good reward for their labour : For if they fall , the one will lift up his fellow ; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth , for he hath not another to help him up . Again , if two lie together , then they have heat ; but how can one alone be warm ? And if one prevail against him , two shall withstand him ; and a threefold cord is not easily broken . Dir. 5. Put not away from you the day of death . Look not for long life . It is the life to come that must be the life of all your duties here : and distant things do lose their force . Set death , and judgment , and eternall life continually as near at hand ; live in a watchfull expectation of your change , do all as dying men , and as passing to receive the recompence of endlesse joy or woe ; and this will quicken you . To this end , go often to the house of mourning , and be not unseasonably or immoderately in the House of Mirth . When you observe what is the end of all men , the heart will be made better by it , Eccles . 7. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. But excess of carnal mirth doth infatuate men , and destroy their wisdom , seriousness and sobriety . Keep always a sense of the brevity of Life , and of the preciousness of Time , and remember that it is posting on whether you work or play . Methinks , if you forget any of the rest , this one consideration that we have in hand , should make you bestir you with your Might , that , It must be now or Never . I shall only add two needful Cautions , lest while we cure one disease , we cause another ( as knowing that corrupted-nature is used to run from extream into extream . 1. Desire and labour more for an high estimation of things spiritual and eternal , and a fixed resolution , and an even and diligent endeavour , then for passionate feelings and affections . For these latter are more unconstant in the best , and depend much on the temper of the body , & are not of so great necessity as the former , though excellent in a just degree and season . For its possible that passions even about good things may be too much , when Estimation , Resolution , and regular Endeavours , cannot . ) 2. Be suspicious when you have the warmest and liveliest Affections , lest your judgments should be perverted by following when they should lead . It 's very common for Zeal and strong Affections , even to that which is good , to occasion the mistakes of the understanding , and make men look all on one side , and think they can never go far enough from some particular sins , till ignorantly they are carried into some perhaps as great on the other hand . Be warned by the sad experience of these times , to suspect your judgements in the fervour of your affections . And observing these cautions , let nothing abate your Zeal and Diligence , but whatever Duty is set before you , do it with your Might : for it must be Now or Never . THough I know that the enmity to a holy , heavenly life is so radicated in corrupted nature , that all that I have said is necessary and too little ; yet some I know will think it strange that I should intimate , that any that preach the Gospel are guilty of any measure of this sin , and will think that I intend by it to reflect upon some parties above the rest . But again I profess , that it is no party but the Devills party , and the ungodly party , that I mean and its hard if you will not beleve me concerning my own sense . Nor is it my desire that any of the odiousness of Schism , Sedition , Rebellion , or disobedience to Authority , should be so much as diminished by any mens profession of godliness . No , I beseech you , by how much the more godly you are , by so much the more detest all these ; godlinesse tendeth to shame & condemn these odious sins , and not to be a cloak for them or any extenuation . Nay , what can more aggravate them , then that they should be found in the professors of godliness ? I again profess that I have no design but to plead for serious diligence in the Religion which we are all agreed in , and to stop the mouth of those that wickedly speak against it . But alas ! it is too evident that I have too many to speak to that are not innocent ; why else doth Scripture tell us that such there will be still to the end of the world ? and that there is some that preach Christ of strife and envy , to add affliction to the bonds of the afflicted ! And how came holy Mr. Bolton to find so much work for these rebukes so lately in his time , as in his books you find ? And can we already forget what abundance of Antinomian Teachers were among us , that turned out the very doctrine of practical diligence , and crying it down as a setting up our selves and our own works , and as injurious to free grace ; and under pretence of exalting Christ did set up an heartless , lifeless doctrine , that tended to turn out the life of a Christianity , and take men off their necessary dili - as a legal dangerous thing ? And what Ordinance of God hath not been cast out by Preachers themselves upon Religious pretences , Family-Duties , Catechising , Singing of Psalms , Baptism , the Lords Supper , and which not ? And if all these were down , wherein should the practice of Religion consist ? And what abundance of Pamphlets had we that laboured to make the Orthodox , faithfull Ministry a very scorn , and deride them for their faithful service of God , and their faithfulness to their Superiors , inopposition to their unrighteous ways ? I am loath to blot my papers , and trouble your ears with the names of the Martin-mar-priests , and a multitude of such others which I mean. And let no Papist , or any enemy of our Church , reproach us , because such enemies to Holiness are found among us . Can it be expected that our Church should be better than the Family of Adam , that had a Cain ? or of Noah , that had a Cham ? or of Christ , that had a Judas ? And are there not far more enemies to serious godliness among the Papists themselves , then among us ? One instance out of the Life of Philip Nerius , the Father of the Oratorians , I will put into the Preface , because it is too long to be here inserted . There is no place , nor rank of men in the world , where some of the enemies of an holy life are not to be found , even among those that profess the same Religion in Doctrinals , with those whom they oppose . Christ and the Devil have their several Armies ; and if once the Devil disband his Souldiers , and have none to oppose a holy life , then tell me that its a needless thing to defend it , and to confute them . But I am listed under Christ , & will never give over pleading for him , till his adversaries give over pleading against him , and his cause , as long as he continueth my liberty and duty . And blessed be the Lord , that if an Hypocritical Preacher be found among us , that secretly or openly disgraceth a diligent holy life , there are more able , holy faithful ones to confute him both by Doctrine , and by their Lives , then are to be found in any other Kingdom in the world proportionally , that ever I could hear of . And that the faithful Disciples are so many , and the Judas'es so few , how great a blessing is it to this Land , and how great an honour to his Majesties Government , and to the Church in his Dominions ? The Lord teach this sinful Nation to be thankful , and pardon their ingratitude , and never deprive them of this forfeited mercy . The Lord teach them to hearken to the Friends , and not to the Enemies of Holiness , and never to receive a wound at the heart of their Religion , however they hear their smaller differences about things circumstantial . And now I should conclude , I am loth to end , for fear lest I have not yet prevailed with you : What are you now resolved to do from this day forward ? It is work that we have been speaking of , and necessary work of endless consequence , which must be done , and quickly done , and throughly done . Are you not convinced that it is so ? that plowing and sowing are not more necessary to your harvest , then the work of holiness , in this day of grace , is necessary to your salvation ? You are blind if you see not this : you are dead if you feel it not : what then will you do ? For Gods sake , and for your own sake , stand not demurring till time be gone . It is all that the Devil desireth , if he can but find you one thing or other to be thinking , and talking , and doing about , to keep you from this till time be gone ; and then he will insult over you , & then he that kept you from seeing and feeing , will help you to see and feel to your calamity : Then the Devil will make you feel that which Preachers could not make you feel : and he will make you think of that , and lay it close enough to your hearts , which we could not get you to lay to heart . Now we study and preach to you in hope , but then ( alas it breaks our hearts to think of it ) we have done with you for ever , because all hope is gone . Then the Devil may challenge a Minis●●r : [ Now do thy worst to bring this sinner to repentance ; Now call to him to consider , and believe , and come to Christ ; Now offer him mercy , and intreat him to accept it ; Now cry to him to take heed of sin and of temptations , that he comes not to this place of torments ; Now tell him of the beauty or necessity of holiness , and call upon him to Turn and Live ; Now do thy worst to rescue him from my power , and to save his soul . ] Alas poor sinner ! will you stop your ears , and go on in sin , and damn your selves , and break our hearts to fore-see that day ! Must we see the Devil go away with such a prey , and shall we not rescue your captivated souls , because you will not hear , you will not stir , you will not consent ! Oh hear the God of Heaven if you will not hear us , who calleth to you , Return and Live ! Oh hear him that shed his blood for souls and tendereth you now salvation by his blood ! O hear without any more delay , before all is gone , and you are gone , and he that now deceiveth you , torment you ! Yet hold on a little longer in a carnal , earthly , unsanctified state , and it is too late to hope , to pray , or strive for your salvation : Yet a little longer , and mercy will have done with you for ever ; and Christ will never invite you more , nor never offer to cleanse you by his Blood , or sanctifie you by his Spirit ! Yet a little longer , and you shall never hear a Sermon more , and never more be troubled with those Preachers that were in good sadness with you , and longed once for your conversion and salvation ! O sleepy dead-hearted sinners , what should I do to show you how near you stand to Eternity , and what is now doing in the world that you are going to , & how these things are thought on there ! What should I do to make you know how Time is valued , how sin and holinesse are esteemed in the world where you must live for ever ! What should I do to make you know those things to day , which I will not thank you to know when you are gone hence ! O that the Lord would open your eyes in time ! Could I but make you know these things as believers should know them , I say not as those that see them , nor yet as dreamers , that do not regard them , but as those that believe that they must shortly see them ; what a joyfull hours work should I esteem this ! how happy would it be to you and me , if every word were accompanied with tears ! If I followed you home and beg'd your Consideration on my bear knees , or as a beggar begs an alms at your doors , If this Sermon cost me as many censures or slanders as ever Sermon did , I should not think it too dear , if I could but help you to such a sight of the things we speak of , that you might truly understand them as they are : that you had but a true awakned apprehension of the shortnesse of your day , of the nearless of eternity , and of the endless consequence of your present work ; and what holy labour and sinful loytering will be thought of in the world to come for ever ! But when we see you sin , and trifle , and no more regard your endless life , and see also what haste your Time is making , and yet cannot make you understand these things ; when we know our selves as sure as we speak to you , that you will shortly be astonished at the review of your present sloth and folly , and when we know that these matters are not thought of in another world , as they are among the sleepy or the bedlam sinners here , and yet know not how to make you know it , whom it doth so exceeding much concern ; this amazeth us , and almost breaks our hearts ! Yea , when we tell you of things that are past doubt , and can be no further matter of controversie , then men have sold their understandings , & betrayed their reason to their sordid lusts , and yet we cannot get reasonable men to know that which they cannot choose but know , to know that seriously and practically , which alwayes hath a witness in their breasts , and which none but the profligate dare deny : I tell you sinners , this , even this is worse then a prison to us ; it is you that are our persecutors ; it is you that are the daily sorrow of our hearts ; it s you that disappoint us of our hopes , and make us lose so much of the labour of our lives ! And if all others did as some do by us , alas how sad an employment should we have ! and how little would it trouble us to be silenced and laid aside ! If we were sick of the ambitious or covetous thirst , we should then say that it is they that deny us wealth and honour that disappoint us . But if we are Christians , this is not our case , but it is the thirst after your conversion and salvation which affecteth us : and therefore it is you , even you that linger in your sins and delay repentance , and forget your home , and neglect your souls , it is you that disappoint us , and you that are our afflicters ; and as much as you think you befriend us when you plead our cause against men of violence and rage , it is you that shall answer for the loss of our time , and labour , and hope , and for the grieving of your Teachers hearts . Sinners , what ever the Devil and raging passion may say against a holy life , God and your own consciences shall be our witnesses , that we desired nothing unreasonable , or unnecessary at your hands . I know it is the master-piece of the Devils craft , when he cannot keep all Religion in contempt , to raise up a dust of controversie in the world about names , and forms , and circumstances in Religion , that he may keep men busily striving about these , while Religion it self is neglected or unknown ; and that he may make men believe that they have some Religion , because they are for one side or other in these controversies : and especially that he may entice men to number the substantials of Religion it self among these lesser doubtful points , and make sinners believe that it is but the precise opinion of one party that they reject , while they reject the serious practice of all true Religion . And so the Devil gets more by these petty quarrels and controversies , occasioned by contentious empty men , then he could have done by the open opposition of Infidels , Heathens , or the prophane : So that neither I , nor any man that opinionative men have a mind to quarrel with , can tell how to exhort you to the very practice of Christianity it self , but you are presently casting your thoughts upon some points wherein we are reported to differ from you , or remembring some clamours of malicious men , that prejudice against the person of the speaker , make keep your souls from profiting to salvation by the doctrine which even your selvs profess . If this be the case of any one of you , I do not mean your consciences shall so scape the power or evidence of the truth . Dost thou talk of our differences about Forms and Ceremonies ? Alas man ! what 's that to the message which we come about to thee , what is that to the business that we are preaching of ? The question that I am putting to you , is not whether you will be for this form of Church-Government or for that , for a Ceremony or against it ; but it is , whether you will hearken in time to God and conscience , and be as busie to provide for Heaven as ever you have been to provide for Earth ? and whether you will set your selves to do the work that you are Created and Redeemed for ? This is the business that I am sent to call you to ; what say you ? will you do it , and do it seriously without delay ? You shall not be able to say , that I called you to a party , a faction , or some opinion of my own , or laid your salvation upon some doubtful controversie . No sinner , thy conscience shall have no such shift for its deceit : It is godlinesse , serious and practical godliness that thou art called to . It is nothing but what all christians in the world , both Papists & Greeks , & Protestants , and all the parties among those that are true christians , are agreed in the profession of . That I may not leave thee in any darkness which I can deliver thee from , I le tell thee distinctly , though succinctly , what it is that thou art thus importuned to ; and tell me then whether it be that which any christian can make doubt of . 1. That which I intreat of thee is , but to live as one , that verily believeth there is a God , and that this God is the Creator , the Lord , and Ruler of the world ; and that it is incomparably more of our business to understand and obey his Laws , and as faithful Subjects to be conformed to them , then to observe or be conformed to the Laws of Man : And to live as men that do believe , that this God is Almighty , and the greatest of men are less then crawling worms to him ; and that he is infinitely wise , and the wisdom of man is foolishness to him ; and that he is infinitely good and amiable , and the best of creatures is dung and filth in comparison of him ; and that his love is the only felicity of man , and that none are happy but those that do enjoy it , and none that do enjoy it can be miserable ; and that riches , and honors , and fleshly delights are brutish vanities in comparison of the eternal love of God. Live but as men that heartily believeth all this , and I have that I come for . And is any of this a matter of controversie or doubt ? not among Christians I am sure : not among wise men . It is no doubt to those in heaven , nor to those in hell , not to those that have not lost understanding upon earth , they Live then according to these truths . 2. Live as men that verily believe , that Mankind is fallen into sinne and misery , and that all men are corrupted , and under the condemnation of the Law of God , till they are delivered , pardoned , reconciled to God , and made new creatures by a renewing , restoring sanctifying change . Live but as men that believe that this cure must be wrought , and this great restoring change must be made upon your selves , if it be not done already . Live as men that have so great a work to look after . And is this a matter of any doubt or controversie ? sure it is not to a Christian : and me-thinks it should not be to any man else that knoweth himself , any more then to a man in a dropsy , whether he be diseased , when he feels the thirst , and sees the swelling . Did you but know what cures and changes are necessarily to be made upon your diseased miserable souls ; if you care what becomes of them , you would soon see cause to look about you . 3. Live but as men that verily believe that you are Redeemed by the Son of God , who hath suffered for your sins , and brought you the tidings of pardon & salvation , which you may have if you will give up your selves to him , who is the physitian of souls , to be healed by him . Live as men that believe , that the infinite love of God revealed to lost mankind in the Redeemer , doth bind us to love him with all our hearts , and serve him with all our restored faculties , and to work as those that have the greatest thankfulness to shew , as well as the greatest mercies to receive , and miserie to escape : & as those that believe , that if sinners that without Christ had no hope , shall now love their sins , & refuse to leave them , and to repent and be converted , and unthankfully reject the mercie of salvation so dearly bought , and so freely offered them , their damnation will be doubled as their sin is doubled . Live but as men that have such Redemption to admire , such mercie to entertain , and such a salvation to attain , and that are sure they can never scape if they continne to neglect so great salvation , Heb. 2. 3. And is there any controversie among Christians in any of this ? There is not certainly . 4. Live but as men that believe , that the holy Ghost is given by Jesus Christ to convert , to quicken , to sanctifie all that he will save : & that except you be born of the Spirit , you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven , and that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ , the same is none of his , Joh. 3. 5 , 6. Rom. 8. 9. And that without this , no patching or mending of your lives by any common principles wil serve the turn for your salvation , or make you acceptable to God , Heb. 11. 6. Live as men that believe that this Spirit is given by the hearing of the word of God , and must be prayed for , and obeyed , & not resisted , quench'd , and griev'd . And is there any controversie among Christians in any of this ? Ask those that make a mock at Holinesse , Sanctification , and the Spirit , whether they be not baptized into the Name of the Holy Ghost , and profess to believe in him as their Sanctifier , as well as in the Son as their Redeemer ? And then ask them whether it be not a thing that should make even a devil to tremble , to come so near the blasphemy against the holy Ghost , as to mock at his Office and Sanctifying work , and at the holines , without which no man shall see the Lord ! Heb. 12. 14. and this after they are baptized , and profess to believe in the holy Ghost as their Sanctifier ? 5. Live but as men that believe that sin is the greatest evil , the thing which the Holy Ghost abhorreth ; and then you will never make a mock of it , as Solomon saith the foolish do , Pro. 14. 9. nor say , What harm is in it ? 6. Live but as men that believe no sin is pardoned without Repentance , and that Repentance is the loathing and forsaking of sin ; and if that it be true , it will not suffer you to live wilfully in any gross sin , nor to desire to keep the least infirmity , nor to be loth to know your unknown sins . 7. Live as those that believe that you are to be members of the Holy Catholick Church , and therein to hold the Communion of Saints . And then you will know , that it is not as a member of any Sect or Party , but as a holy member of this holy Church , that you must be saved : and that it is the name of a Christian which is more honourable then the name of any division , or sub-division among Christians , whether Greek , or Papist , or Potestant , or Prelatist , or Presbyterian , or Independent , or Anabaptist . It is easie to be of any one of these parties ; but to be a Christian , which all pretend to , is not so easie . It is easie to have a burning zeal for any divided party or cause , but the common zeal for Christian Religion , is not so easie to be kindled , or kept alive , but requireth as much diligence to maintain it , as dividing zeal requireth to quench it . It is easie to love a party as a party ; but to keep up Catholick charity to all Christians , & to live in that holy love & converse , which is requisite to [ a Christian communion of Saints ] is not so easie . Satan and corrupted nature befriend the love and zeal of faction , which is confined to a party on a controverted cause : but they are enemies to the love of Saints , and to the zeal for holiness , and to the chatholick charity , which is from the spirit of Christ . You see I call you not to division , not to side with Sects , but to live as members of a holy Catholick Church , which consisteth of all that be holy in the world : and to live as those that believe the Communion of Saints . 8. Live as those that believe that there is a life everlasting , where the Sanctified shall live in endless joy , and the unsanctified in endless punishment and woe : live but as men that verily believe a Heaven and a Hell , and a day of Judgment , in which all the actions of this life must be revised , & all men judged to their endless state . Believe these things heartily , and then think a holy diligence needless if you can : Then be of the mind of the deriders & enemies of godliness if you can ! If one sight of Heaven or Hell would serve without any more ado , instead of other arguments to confute all the cavils of the distracted world , & to justifie the most diligent Saints in the judgment of those that now abhor them , why should not a sound belief of the same thing in its measure do the same ? 9. Live but as those that believe this life is given us as the only Time to make preparation for eternal life : and that all that ever shall be done for your salvation , must be Now , just Now , before your time is ended : Live as those that know ( and need not faith to tell them ) that this time is short , and almost at an end already , and stayeth for no man , but as a post doth haste away : It will not stay while you are trimming you or sporting you : it will not stay while you are taken up in Stage-plays , in complements , in idleness , or any impertinent needless thing ; It wil not tarry while you spend yet the other year , or month , or day , in your worldliness or ambition , or in your lusts and sensual delights , & put off your Repentance to another time . O sirs , for the Lords sake do but live as men that must shortly be buried in a grave , & their souls appear before the Lord , and as men that have but this little Time to do all for their everlasting life , that ever must be done . O live as men that are sure to die , and are not sure to live till to morrow . And let not the noise of pleasure or wordly business , or the chat or scorns of miserable fools , bear down your reason , and make you live as if you knew not what you know , or as if there were any doubt about these things . Who is the man , and what is his name , that dare contradict them , and can make it good ? O do not sin against your knowledg : do not stand still and see your glass running , and Time making such hast , and yet make no more haste your selves , then if you were not concerned in it : Do not , O do not slumber , when Time and Judgment never slumber ; nor sit still when you have so much to do , & know all that is now left undone must be undone for ever ! Alas , sirs , how many questions of exceeding weight have you yet to be resolved in ? whether you are truly sanctified ? whether your sins be pardoned ? whether you shall be saved when you die ? whether you are ready to leave this world , and enter upon another ? I tell you , the answering of these , and many more such questions , is a matter of no small difficulty or concernment . And all these must be done in this little and uncertain time . It must be Now or Never . Live but as men that believe and consider these certain unquestionable things . 10. Lastly , Will you but live as men that believe that the world and the flesh are the deadly enemies of your Salvation ; and that believe ; that if any man love the world , ( so far ) the love of the Father is not in him , 1 Joh. 2. 15 , 16. And as men that believe , that if ye live after flesh , ye shall die , but if by the spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the bodie , ye shall live , Rom. 8. 13. and that those that are in Christ Jesus , and are freed from condemnation , are such as walk not after the flesh , but after the Spirit , Rom. 8. 1. And that we must make no provision for the flesh , to satisfie the will or lusts thereof , Rom. 13. 10. and must not walk in gluttonie & drunkenness , in chambering and wantonness , in strife and envying , v. 13. but must have our hearts where our treasure is , Mat. 6. 21. and converse in Heaven , Phil. 3. 18 , 19 , 20. and being risen with Christ , must seek the things that are above , and set our affections on them , and not on the things that are on earth , Col. 3. 1 , 2 , 3. Sirs , will you say that any of this is our singular opinion , or matter of controversie & doubt ? Are not all Christians agreed in it ? Do you not your selves profess that you believe it ? Live then but as those that do believe it , & condemn not your selves in the things that you confess . I tell thee , if now thou wilt refuse to live according to these common acknowledged truths , thou shalt never be able to say before the Lord , that mens controversie about a Ceremony or Church-Government , of the manner or worship , were the things that hindred thee ! but all sorts & sects shall be witnesses against thee , and condemn thee , for they all agreed in these things even the bloodiest sect , that imprison , and torment and kill others for their differences in smaller matters , are yet agreed with those that they persecute , and murder , about these things : Papists are agreed in them , and Protestants are agreed in them : All the sects that are now quarrelling among us , & in the world , are agreed in them , who are but meet for the name of Christians . All these will be ready to bear witness against the prophane , the sensual , the sloathful neglecter of God and his Salvation , and to say , we all confessed , notwithstanding our other differences , that all these things were certain truths , and that mens lives should be ordered according unto these . But if yet you pretend controversie to cover your malignity or ungodliness , I will go a little further , and tell you , that in the matter as well as in the principles , it is things that we are all agreed in , which I call you to , and which the ungodly do refuse : I le briefly name them . 1. One part of your work which we urge you to do with all your might is , seriously & soberly to consider often of all these truths before mentioned , which you say you do believe : And is it any controversie with reasonable men whether they should use their reason ? or with believers whether they should consider and lay to heart the weight & use of the things which they believe ? 2. Another part of your work is to love God with all your soul & might and to make him your delight , & to seek first his Kingdom and the rightousness thereof ; and to set your affections on things above , and to live on earth as the heirs of heaven : And is there any controversie among Protestants , Papists , or any about this ? 3. Another part of your work , is , to see the honouring of God in the world , the promoting of his Kingdom and Government in your selves and others , the doing of his will and obeying of his Laws : And is there any controversie in this ? 4. Another part of your work , is , to to mortifie the flesh , & to reject its conceits , and desires , and lusts , which resist the foresaid obedience to God ; and to cast out the inordinate love and care of worldly things : to refuse the counsels , the commands , the will , the enticements and perswasions of man , which contradict the commands & will of God : & to forsake all that you have in the world rather then forsake your dear Redeemer , and hazard your salvation by any wilful sin : To take up your Cross and follow Christ through a life of suffering to glory ; I know there is difficulty enough in all this , and that flesh will repine against it and abhor it : But is there any controversie about it among any true believers ? Is not all this the express Command of God , and necessary to salvation ? 5. Another part of your work , is , to avoid temptations , and fly from the occasions and appearances of evil , and not only to avoid that which is directly evil it self , but that also which would draw you into evil ( as far as you can ) and to keep as far as may be from the brink of hell and danger , & to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknes , nor be companions with them , but reprove them , and mourn for the unclean and wicked conversation of the world . This is it that we intreat of you : & is there any matter of controversie in all this ? 6. Another part of the work which we call you to , is , to redeem this little Time that is allotted you ; To make the best of it , and improve it to the greatest furtherance of your salvation : To lose none of it upon unprofitable things : to spend it in those works which will comfort you most when time is gone ; If it will be more comfortable to you in the day of Judgment , that you have spent your Time in playes , & sports , and idleness , & worldly cares , & pleasures , then in serving God , & preparing for another life , then hold on , and do so to the end : But if it will not , then do what you would hear of , seeing you must hear of it : spend none of your time in idleness & unfruitful things , till you have no better and more necessary things to spend it in , & till you have Time to spare from more important work . This is our request to you , that you would not lose one hour of your pretious Time , but spend it as those that have lost too much , and have but a little more to spend in preparation for eternity . And is this any Schismatical or factious motion ? Is there any thing controvertible , or which any Christian can speak against , in any of this ? 7. Another part of your work , is , to search the Scripture as that which containeth your directions for eternal life , Joh. 5. 39. To love the Word of God more then thousands of gold & silver , & perfer it before your necessary food , Psal . 119. 72. Job 23. 12. and to meditate in it day & night , as that which is your pleasure and delight , Psa . 1. 2. & as that which is able to make you wise unto Salvation , 2 Tim. 3. 15. and to build you up , & give you an inheritance among the sanctified , Acts 20. 32. That you lay up the word of God in your hearts , and teach them diligently to your children , and talk of them when you sit in your houses , and when you walk by the way , & when you lie down , and when you rise up , Deut. 6. 6 , 7. & 11. 18 , 19. that so you & your houshoulds may serve the Lord , Josh . 24. 15. This is the work that we call you to : And is there any thing that a christian can make a controversie of in all this ? Is there any thing that Protestants are not agreed of ? 8. Another part of your work , is , that you guard your tongues , and take not the name of God in vain , and speak no reproaches or slanders against your brethren , & that no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths , but that which is good to the use of edifying , & that it may minister grace unto the hearers , Eph. 4. 29. and that fornication , uncleanness , and covetousness be not once named among you , as becometh Saints : neither filthiness , nor foolish talking , nor jesting , which are not convenient , but rather giving of thanks , Eph. 5. 3 , 4. And is there any thing of doubt or controversie in this ? 9. Another part of the work which we perswade you to , is , to pray continually , 1 Thes . 5. 17. and not to wax faint , Luke 18. 1. to be fervent and importunate with God , as those that know the greatnesse of their necessity , Luke 18. 6 , 7. Jam. 5. 16. That you pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit , Eph. 6. 18. and in every thing by prayer and supplication to make known your requests to God , Phil. 4. 6. that you pray for Kings and all in Authority , that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie , 1 Tim. 2. 1 , 2. And is there any thing in all this that any Christian can deny ? 10. Lastly , the work we call you to , is , to love your neighbours as your selves , and to do to others as you would have them ( arbitrio sano ) do to you . To scorn , deride , molest , imprison , slander , or hurt no man , till you would be so used your selves on the like occasion . To rejoyce in other mens profit and reputation as your own . To envy none , to hate no man ; to wrong none in their persons , estates , or names : To preserve the chastity , honour and estate of your neighbour as your own . To love your enemies , and forgive them that wrong you , and pray for them that hate , and hurt , and persecute you . This is your work : And is there any thing of faction , Schism or controversie in this ? No , you shall shortly be convinced , that the differences and controversies of believers , and the many opinions about Religion , were a wretched hypocrital pretence for your neglect and contempt of the substance of Religion , about which there was no difference , but all parties were agreed in the confession of the truth , however hypocrites would not live according to their own professions . But perhaps you 'l say , that there is such difference in the Manner yet among them that agree in the Principles and the Matter , that you know not which way God is to be worshipped ? In answer , 1. Do you practise as aforesaid , according to the Principles and matter agreed on , or not ? If you do not , it is but gross hypocrisie to pretend disagreements in the Manner , as an excuse for your contempt or omission of the Matter , which all agree in . Forsooth your families shall be prayerless , and you will make a jeast of serious prayer , because some pray on a book , and some without , and some that are wisest , think that either way is lawful . Will God be deceived by such siilly reasonings as these ? 2. But this shall not hide the nakedness of your impiety . Will you also in the Manner of your obedience , but go so far as all Christians are agreed in ? I will breifly then give you some particular instances . 1. The work of God must be done with reverence , in his fear : not like the common works of men , with a common carelesse frame of mind : God will be sanctified of all that draw near him , Lev. 10. 3. He will be served as God , and not as man : He will not be prayed to with a regardlesse mind , as those do that can divide their tongues from their hearts , and say over some customary words while they think of something else . Is a dreadful thing for dust to speak to God Almighty ; and a dangerous thing to speak to him as slightly and regardlesly , as if we were talking to one of our companions . It beseemeth a believer to have more of the fear of God upon his heart , in his ordinary converse in the world , then hypocrites and formalists have in their most solemn prayers . Knowest thou the difference between God and man ? Put then such a difference between God and man in thy addresses , as his Majesty requireth . And see also that thy family compose themselves to a reverent behaviour , when they joyn with thee in the worshipping of God. What have you to say now against this reverent manner of behaviour ? Is there any thing controvertible in this ? 2. It also requisite that you be serious and sober in all the service you perform to God. Do it not ludicruously , and with half a heart ! Be as much more fervent and serious in seeking God and your salvation , then you are in seeking worldly things , as God and your Salvation is better then any thing in the world : Or if that be beyond your reach ( though else there is reason for it ) at least let the greatest things have the greatest power upon your hearts . You cannot pray more fervently for heaven then heaven deserveth . O let but the excellency and greatnesse of your work appear in the serious manner of your performance . I hope you cannot say that his is any point of controversie , unlesse it be a controversie whether a man should be an hypocrite , or be serious in the Religion which he doth profess . 3. It is requisite that your service of God be performed understandingly , Psal . 47. 7. 1 Cor. 14 , 15. God delighteth not in the blind devotion of men that know not what they do . Prayers not understood are indeed no prayers : For no mans desire goeth further then his knowledge , and he expresseth not his desires that knoweth not what he expresseth himself . Nor can he expect the concurrence of another mans desires , that speaketh what another understandeth not . The word that is not understood , cannot sink into the heart and sanctifie it : or if it be not well and soundlie understood , it s easily stoln away by the tempter , Mat. 13. 19 , 23. If understanding be necessarie in our common conversations , much more in our holy addresses to the Almighty , Prov. 17. 27. A man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit : but God hath no pleasure in fools , or in their Sacrifices , Eceles . 5. 1 , 4. nor is pleased with a Parrot-like lip-service , which is not understood . He saith in detestation of the Hypocrites , This people draweth near unto me with their mouth , and honoureth me with their lips , but their heart is far from me , Mat. 15. 8 , 9. I hope then when we call you to serve God in judgment , & with understanding , we call you to nothing that a Christian should make question of . 4. God is a Spirit , and they that serve him must serve him in Spirit and in truth , Joh. 4. 24. The Father seeketh such to worship him , ver . 23. He calleth for the heart : he looketh for the inward desires of the soul : He converseth with minds that are abstracted from vanity , and are seriously taken up in attending him , and are intent upon the work they do : The carkass of a Prayer separated from the Life of it , stinketh before the holy God. As he will be loved , so will he be served with all the heart and soul and might . And do we call you then to any thing that is doubtful , when we call you to the Spiritual worshipping of God. 5. Yet we maintain that the body hath its part in the service of God as well as the soul , and the body must expresse the inward reverence and devotion of the soul ; though not in a way of hypocritical ostentation , yet in a way of serious adoration . The bowing of the knee , the uncovering of the head , and reverent deportment , and whatsoever nature , or common use , and holy institution hath made an expression of holy affections , and a decent and grave behaviour of our selves , should be carefully observed in the presence of the most High , and the holy things of God more reverently to be respected then the presence of any mortal man. And the rather because that a grave , and reverent , and holy manner of deportment in Gods worship , reflecteth upon the heart , and helpeth us in our inward and spiritual devotion : & it helpeth the beholders , and awakeneth them to reverent thoughts of God , and holy things ; which a regardless and common manner of deportment would extinguish . And it s no dishonour to reverent behaviour , that it is the use of Hypocrites , but rather an honour to it ; For it is something that is good that the Hypocrite useth for the cloak of his secret emptiness or evil . If there were nothing good in reverent behaviour before God , it would not serve the Hypocrites turn . As it is a commendation to long-prayer , that the Pharisees made it their pretence for the devouring of widdows houses : And those that call them hypocrites that are much in holy exercises and speeches , should consider , that if holy exercises and speeches were not good , they were not fit for the hypocrites design ; evil will not be a fit cloak for evil : that which the hypocrite thinks necessary to the covering of his sin , we must think more necessary to the cure of our sin and the saving of our souls ; The way to avoid hypocrisie is not by running into impiety and prophaness : we must do more then the hypocrite , and not less , else he will rise up in judgement against you , and condemn you , if he would do more to seem good , then you will do to be good , and to please your Maker : if a Pharisee will pray longer to colour his oppression , then you will do to attain salvation . The mischief of hypocrisie is , that the soul of Religion is wanting , while the corps is present : And will you cast away both soul and body : both inside and outside , in opposition to hypocrisie ? If others do seem to love God when they do not , will you therefore not so much as seem to do it ? So here about reverence in the service of God : The hypocrite should not exceed the sincere in any thing that is truly good . This is the manner of Gods service that I perswade you to , and to no other : And is there any thing of controversie in this ? Prefer but the spiritual part , and know but what that meaneth , [ I will have mercy , and not sacrifice ] that so you may not condemn the innocent , and you shall never say that we will be more backward then you to decency , and reverent behaviour in Gods service . 6. God will be served in Purity and Holiness , with cleansed hearts and hands , and not with such as remain defiled with the guilt of any wilful sin . He abhorreth the sacrifice of the wicked and disobedient . He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law , his prayers are abominable , Prov. 28. 9. and 15. 8. & 21. 27. Isa . 1. 13. Eccles . 5. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. [ To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me ? saith the Lord , ( to oppressing wicked men ) Isa . 1. 11. When you come to appear before me , who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts ? Bring no more vain oblations : incense is an abomination to me : the new Moons and Sabbaths , the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with : it is iniquity , even the solemn meeting , &c. ver . 12 , 13. And when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you ; yea when you make many prayers I will not hear ; your hands are full of blood : Wash you , make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil , learn to do well , seek judgement , relieve the oppressed , judge the fatherless , plead for the widdow ; Come now and let us reason together , saith the Lord. ] To play the glutton , or drunkard , or filthy fornicator in the day time & then to come to God at night , as if it were to make him amends by an hypocritical prayer ; to blaspheme Gods Name , and oppose his Kingdom and Government in your selves and others , and to do your own will , and hate and scorn them that do his will , and study his will that they may do it , and then to pray that Gods Name may be hallowed , his Kingdom come , and his Will be done ] is an abusing God , and not a serving or pleasing him . Live according to your prayers , and let your lives shew as well as your words what it is that you desire . This is the service of God that we call you to : And can you say that there is any thing controvertible in all this ? Are there any men of any party among Christians , or sober Infidels that dare contradict it ? 7. God will be served entirely and universally : in all his Commands ; and with all your faculties , in works of Piety , Justice , and Charity , which must never be separated : You must not pretend your Charity against duties of Piety ; for God is to be preferred in your estimation , love and service ; and all that is done for man , must be done for his sake . You must not set up duties of Piety against duties of Justice , Charity and Sobriety : It is not true Piety that will not bring forth these . God must be loved above all , and our neighbours as our selves ; and these two sorts of love are inseparable . Do all the good you can to all while you have opportunity ; especially to them of the houshold of faith , Gal. 6. 10. What good you would hear of in the day of your accounts , that do now , speedily , diligently , and sincerely , according to your power . Say not , I may come to want my self , but [ cast thy bread upon the waters , for thou shalt find it after many dayes ; give a portion to seven , and also to eight , for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth , Eccles . 11. 1 , 2. ] and whether all may not quickly be taken from thee ; and then thou wilt wish thou hadst done good with it whilst thou hadst it , and lent it to the Lord , and trusted him with thy remainder , who entrusted thee with his blessings ; and hadst made thee friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness , that when all fail they might receive thee into the everlasting habitations . Drop not now and then a scant and grudging alms , as if thou were a loser by it , and God must be be beholden to thee ; but believe , that the greatest gain is to thy self , and look after such bargains , and do good as readily , and gladly , & liberally , as one that verily expecteth a ful reward in Heaven . This is part of the service of God that we exhort you to , even to visit , and relieve , and love Christ in his members and brethren ( Mat. 25. ) and is there any thing of doubt or controversie in all this ? 8. Moreover , God will be served with Love , and willingness , and delight : It is the most gainful , honourable , blessed , and pleasant work in the world , which he hath appointed you , and not a toilsome task or slavery : And therefore it is not a Melancholy , pining , troublesom course of life that we perswade you to , under the name of Godliness ; but it is to rejoyce in the Lord , and to live in the joyful expectations of Eternal Life , and in the sense and assurance of the Love of God. If you could shew us any probability of a more pleasant and joyful life on Earth , then that which serious Holiness doth afford , I should be glad with all my heart to hearken to you . I am ready to tell you what is the ground of our comforts , which faith revealeth : If you will come , and soberly debate the case , and shew us the matter and ground of your comforts , which you have or hope for in any other way : if yours prove greater , and better , and surer then the joys of faith , we will hearken to you , and be of your mind and side . The matter of the joyes of a Believer is , that all his sins are pardoned ; that God is reconciled to him in Christ ; that he hath the promise of God , that all things , even the greatest sufferings , shall work together for his good ; that he is always in the love , and care , and hands of God ; that he hath leave to draw near him by holy prayer , and open his heart to him in all his straits and wants ; that he may solace himself in his Praises and Thanksgiving , and in other parts of holy worship ; that he may read and hear his holy Word , the sure discovery of the will of God , and revelation of the things unseen , and the Charter of his Inheritance ; that he may exercise his soul in the serious believing thoughts of the Love of God revealed in the wonderful work of our Redemption , and of the person , and office , and grace of Jesus Christ our Redeemer ; and that he may love that God that hath so wonderfully loved him ; that he hath the Spirit of God to quicken and actuate his soul , to supply his spiritual defects , and kill his sins , and help him to Believe , to Love , to Rejoyce , to Pray : that this Spirit is Gods Seal upon him , and the earnest of everlasting life ; that Death shall not kill his hopes , nor end his happiness , but that his felicity and fullest joy beginneth , when that of worldlings hath an end , and their endless misery begins ; that he is delivered from everlasting torment by the redemption of Christ , and the sanctification of the spirit ; that Angels will attend his departing soul into the presence of his Father ; that he shall be with his glorified Redeemer , and behold his Glory ; that his body shall be raised to everlasting life : that he shall be justified by Christ from all the accusations of the Devil , and all the slanders of the malicious world ; that he shall live with God in endless Glory , and see and enjoy the Glory of his Creator , and shall never more be troubled with enemies , with sin or sorrow , but among his holy ones , shall perfectly and most joyfully love and praise the Lord for ever . These are the matter of a Believers joy : These , purchased by Christ , revealed in his Word , sealed by his Miracles , his Blood , his Sacraments , and his Spirit , are our comfort . This is the Religion , the labour that we invite you to : It is not to despair , nor to some dry unprofitable toil , nor to self-troubling , grieving , miserable melancholy , nor to costly Sacrifices , or idle Ceremonies , or irrational Service , such as the Heathens offered to their Idols ; it is not to cast away all mirth and comfort , and to turn unsociable , and morose , and sower : but it is to the greatest joys that the world alloweth , and nature is here capable of , and reason can discern and own : It is to begin a truly merry sociable life : It is to fly from fear & sorrow , in flying from sin and Hell , and from the consuming wrath of God : It is to the foretastes of everlasting joys , and to the beginnings of eternal life . This the labour , the Religion , which we would have you follow with all your might . If you have better things to seek , and follow , and find , let us see them , that we may be as wise as you . If you have not , for your souls sake , make not choice of vanity , which will deceive you in the day of your necessity . But you must not think to make us believe that a great house , or a horse or a whore , or a feast , or a flatterer , or fine cloaths , or any childish toys , or brutish filthiness , are more comfortable things then Christ , and Everlasting Life , or that it is sweeter and better to love a harlot , or lands , or mony , then to love God , and Grace , and Glory : nor that any thing that will go no further then the Grave with you , is as good as that which will endure to Eternity ; nor that any pleasure which a dog or swine hath , is equal to the delights of the Angels of Heaven : If you would have us of your mind , you must not be of this mind , nor perswade us to such horrible things as these . But we profess to you and all the world , that we are not so in love with sorrows or sowrness , nor so fallen out with joy and pleasures , as co choose a life of miserable sadness , or refuse a life of true delight . If we could hear from any man , or find by the most diligent inquiry , that there is a more full , and sweet , and rational , and satisfactory , and durable delight to be had in any other way , then that of serious faith and holinesse , which Christ in Scripture hath revealed to us , we were like enough to hearken after it . But can the distracted sensual world believe that its sweeter and happier to ruffle it out in fleshly gallantry and sport , and to rage against the godly for a while , till the vengeance of God lay hold upon them , and give them their reward , then to live in the love of God , and wait in patience for the performance of Gods promise of everlasting joy ? Oh what a thing is fleshly passion , and raging sensuality , and blind unbelief ! The Lord have mercy upon poor deluded sinners ; the Devils business is to turn the world into a Bedlam ; and alas , how strangely hath he prevail'd ! That so many men can take their greatest misery for their happiness , and the only happiness for an intollerable life ! Yea , and be so angry with all that are not of their mind , and will not set as much by filth and foolery , and as little by God and Glory as they ! Like the Noble man that was Lunatick , or mad by fits , and when ever he was mad , he would swear all were mad that said not as he said , and would make all his servants be sent to Bedlam that would not immitate him , and there they must lie as mad men till their Lord was recovered from his madness . So are Gods servants used , and talkt of in the world , as if they were beside themselves , as long as the world is uncured of its madness . As the Man is , so is his judgement , and such is his relish , and desire , and delight : When I was a child , I had far more desire to fill my pin-box , then now I have to fill my purse , and accounted it a greater treasure , and had much more delight and contentment in it . And alas , we may remember since we were strangers to the relish of Heavenly things , that we found more pleasure in that of which we are now ashamed , then we did in the most high and excellent things . Let us therefore pitty and pray for those that are distempered with the same disease . I have been longer on this then I thought to have been , because men think that we call them from all Mirth , & Joy , & pleasure , to a sowre heavy , melancholy life , when we call them to serious diligence for their salvation . As if levity & folly were the only freinds to Pleasure , and it were only to be found in childish , worthless , transitory things . And as if the greatest everlasting Happiness were no matter of true Delight , nor Seriousness , or Diligence of a friend to Joy. 9. Moreover , as to the manner , God will be served with absolute self-resignation , without Exceptions , Limitations or Reserves : Not with the leavings of the flesh , nor with a Proviso that you may not suffer by your Religion , or be poor , or despised , or abused by the world : But with self-denyal you must lay down all the fleshes interest at his feet ; and you must take up your Cross , and follow a suffering Christ to Glory . You must serve him as those that are wholly His , and not your own , and have nothing but what is his , and therefore nothing to be excepted , reserved or saved from him ; but must be content that you and all your interest be in his hands , and saved by him , if saved at all . I know these tearms seem hard to flesh and blood ( and should Heaven be the Crown and reward to them , that have undergone no tryal for it ? ) But here is nothing but what is past all controversy , and all Christians do confess is the Word of Christ . 10. Lastly , God will be served resolvedly and constantly : If you will raign , you must conquer and endure to the end . Opposition you must expect ; and overcome it , if you would not be overcome . It is not good beginnings that will serve turn , unlesse you also persevere , and fight out the good fight of faith , and finish your course , and patiently wait to the last breath , for the Crown of Righteousness , which the Righteous Judge will give the Conquerours , when the unbelieving world shall say of all their Delight and Hope [ Its past and gone , we shall never see or tast it more ] but must now tast of that endlesse wrath of God which we were treasuring up , when we should have workt out our salvation . Well sirs , I have all this while been describing to you , both as to the Principles , the Matter and the Manner , what that Religion and Service of God is , in which you must labour with all your might : that you may see that it is no factious or private opinions or practices that we call you to ; and that your consciences may no longer be deluded with the pretences of mens different opinions in Religion ; and that the names of Prelatical , Presbyterian , Puritan , Papist , nor any other sounding in your ears , may not so distract and doat you , as to make you forget the name of Christian which you have all undertaken , nor what the Christian Religion is . You see now that it is nothing ( no not a syllable or tittle ) which all sober Christians are not agreed in , that we perswade you to do as the work of your Religion : And therefore I tell you again here , before that God that shall be your Judge , and that Conscience that shall be as a thousand witnesses , that if you will go on in ungodly worldly lives , and refuse the serious diligence of Christians in this Religion which your selves profess , it shall be so far from being any excuse or ease to you , that there were Hypocrites , or Hereticks , or Schismaticks , or different opinions in Religion in the world , that this very thing shall aggravate your sin and condemnation , that all these Hypocrites , Schismaticks , or diffeing parties in the Church , did agree in the confession of all these things , and yet for all that you would not practice them : no nor practice what your selves confessed : All these Parties or Sects shall rise up against the sensual and prophane ungodly sinner , and say , [ Though we were ignorant or doubtful of many other things , yet we are all agreed in these : we gave our concurrent testimony for them : we tempted no man to doubt of these , or to deny them . ] If you will erre more then an Hypocrite , or a Schismatick , and be far worse then those that are such , or you account such , and think to excuse it , because they erred in lesser things , it is as if the devil should excuse his sin by saying ; [ Lord , thy Saints did none of them love thee as they should , and Hypocrites did but seem to love thee , and therefore I thought I might hate thee and set against thy wayes . ] BVT ( saith the ungodly sensualist ) I will never believe that God delighteth in long and earnest prayers : or that he is moved by the passions or the words of men ; and therefore I take this but for babling , which you call the serious diligence of Believers , in their serving God. ] To this impious objection , I return these several answers . 1. I suppose this were true as you imagine , what 's this to you that serve God no way at all with any serious diligence ? that live in sensuality , and wilful disobedience to his Laws , and do more for your bodies then for your souls , and for temporal things , then for eternal ? 2. Who do you think is likest to understand Gods mind , and what is pleasing to him ? Himself or you ? Is any thing more plainly commanded in Gods Word then praying with frequency , fervency , and importunity ? Luk. 18. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. 1 Thes . 5. 17. Jam 5. 16. And will you tell God that he hath but dissembled with you , and told you that he is pleased with that which is not pleasing to him ? 3. And what is the reason of your unbelief ? forsooth , because God is not moved with humane words or passions ! I grant he is not . But what of that ? Hath prayer no other use but to move God ? It is enough , 1. That it moveth us , and fiteth us to receive his mercies . 2. And that God hath made it necessary to the effect , and a means or condition without which he will not give thee the blessing . Do you think ( if you judge but by natural reason ) that a person is as fit for a mercy that knoweth not the want or worth of it , and would not be thankful for it if he had it , as one that valueth it , and is disposed to thankfulness and improvement ? And do you not know that holy prayer is nothing but the actuating of holy desires , and the exercise of all those graces which are suited to the due estimation and improvement of the mercy . And is it not the way when we would draw the boat to the bank , to lay hold of the bank and pull , as if we would draw it to the boat ? If God be not moved and drawn to us , it is enough that we are moved and drawn to God : And with all that God may give his own blessings to whom and upon what terms he please , and that he hath assured us he will give them but to those that value , desire , and seek them , and that with faith , and fervency , and importunity . And yet I may add , that God is so far above us , as that his incomprehensible essence , and blessed nature is very little known to us ; and therefore though we know and confess that he hath no humane passions or imperfections , yet if he assume to himself the title of such a thing as love , desire , joy or wrath , we must in reason believe , that though these are not in God as they are in man , with any imperfection , yet there is something in God that cannot fitlier be represented to man , nor be understood by man , then by the Images of such expressions as God himself is pleased to use . 3. But I beseech you hearken to Nature it self . Doth it not teach all rational creatures in necessity to pray to God ? A storm will teach the prophanest Sea-man to pray , and that with continuance and fervency . The Mariners could say to Jonah in their danger [ What meanest thou , O sleeper ? arise , call upon thy God ; if so be that God will think upon us , that we perish not . ] And they themselves cryed every man unto his God , Jon. 1. 5 , 6. When thou comest to dye , and seest there is no more delay , nor any more hope from the pleasures of sin , or from any of thy companions or old deceits , then tell me whether nature teach thee not to cry , and cry mightily for pardon , and mercy , and help to God ? Then we shall hear thee crying [ O Mercy , mercy Lord , upon a miserable sinner ] though now thou wilt not believe that prayer doth any good . I le say no more to thee of this . If Nature be not conquered , and Grace have not forsaken thee , thou wilt be taught at home to answer this objection . Sure thou canst not easily so far conquer reason , as to believe that there is no God. And if thou believe that there is a God , thou canst not believe that he is not to be worshipped , and that with the greatest seriousness and diligence ! Nor that he is not the giver of all that thou dost want ! Or that the Governour of the world regardeth not the dispositions and actions of his subjects , but will equally reward the good and bad , and give to all alike , and have no respect to mens preparations for his reward . What Heathen that believeth that there is a God , doth not believe that Prayer to him is a necessary part of his worship ? Obj. But is not your strict observation of the Lords day a controverted thing ? Answ . In this also I will strip thee of this excuse . 1. Spend the Lords day but according to the common principles of Christianity and reason , and it shall suffice : Spend it but as one that loveth God better then any thing in the world , and that taketh more pleasure in his service then in sin and vanity : Spend it but as the necessities of thy own soul , and thy families require ; as one that 's glad of so honourable , gainful , and delightful an imployment , as the publick and private worshipping of God , and the serious contemplation of the life to come : As one that knoweth the need and benefit of having stated times for the service of God ; and what would come of all Religion , if the Time were left to each ones will ? Spend it as men that put a just difference between the common business of this world , and the things that concern your endless state , and that have considered the proportion of one day in seven , in reference to this different consequence of the work : Spend it as men that have lost as much time as you have done , and have need to make the best of the little that is left , ; and that are behind hand so far in the matters of your salvation , and have need to work with all your might , and should be gladder of the helps of such a day , then of thousands of gold and silver : Spend it as those that believe that we owe God as much service as the Jews did : Spend it as the Ancient Christians spent it , that were wont to stay together almost from morning till night in publick worship and Communion : Spend it as the Kings Declaration requireth , which saith [ Our purpose and resolution is , and shall be , to take care that the Lords day be applied to holy exercises , without unnecessary divertisements . ] 2. And if yet there be any doubt in this , I refer you to the judgment of the Church of England , expressed in the Homily of the Time and Place of Prayer . And for the Time , the Name , the Antiquity , the Authority , & the Work it self , I desire you but to receive what is there delivered , not by any factious persons , but by the Church . Do this , and we are agreed and satisfied . And I make it my request to the Reader , to peruse both Parts of that Homily , that he may know how far the Church of England is from the loose conceits of the enemies of Godliness : And if also you will read over the Homilies against the peril of Idolatry , you will the fuller know the Judgement of the Church about the manner of Gods worship . ( Indeed the whole Book is such as the people should be acquainted with . ) I Have done my part to open to you the Necessity of SERIOVS DILIGENCE , and to call up the sluggish souls of sinners to mind the work of their salvation , and to do it SPEEDILY , and with all their MIGHT . I must now leave the success to God and you . What use you will make of it , and what you will be and do for the time to come , is a matter that more concerneth your selves then me . If long speaking , or multitude of words , were the way to prevail with you , I should willingly speak here while my strength would endure , and lengthen out my exhortations yet seven-fold . But that 's not the way : A little wearieth you : You love long feasts , and long visits , and plays , and sports , much better then long Sermons , or Books , or Prayers . But it is no small grief to us , to leave you in a case of such importance , without some considerable hopes of your deliverance . Sirs , the matter is now laid before you , and much in your own hands ; it will not be so long ! What will ye now do ? Have I convinced you now , that God and your salvation are to be sought with all your might ? If I have not , it is not for want of evidence in what is said , but for want of willingness in your selves to know the truth : I have proved to you , that it is a matter out of controversie , unless your lusts , and passions , and carnal interest will make a controversie of it . I beseech you tell me , if you be of any Religion at all , why are you not strict , serious , and diligent , and mortified , and Heavenly in that Religion which you are of ? Sure you will not so far shame your own Religion , whatever it be , as to say that your Religion is not for mortification , holinesse , heavenliness , self-denial , or that your Religion alloweth you to be ambitious , covetous , gluttonous , drunken , to curse , and swear , and whore , and raile , and oppress the innocent ; It is not Religion , but Diabolical serpentine malignity that is for any of this . It s wonderful to think , that learned men , and Gentlemen , and men that pretend to reason and ingenuity , can quietly betray their souls to the Devil upon such silly grounds , and do the evil that they have no more to say for , and neglect that duty that they have no more to say against , when they know they must do it NOW or NEVER ! That while they confesse that there is a God , and a life to come , a Heaven and a Hell , and that this life is purposely given us for preparation for Eternity , while they confess that God is most wise , and holy , and good , and just , and that sin is the greatest evil , and that the Word of God is true , they can yet make shift to quiet themselves in an unholy , sensual , careless life : And that while they honour the Apostles and Martyrs , and Saints that are dead and gone , they hate their successors and imitators , and the lives that they lived , and are inclined to make more Martyrs by their malicious cruelty . Alas , all this comes from the want of a sound belief of the things which they never saw ; and the distance of those things , & the power of passion , and sensual objects and inclinations , that hurry them away after present vanities , and conquer reason , and rob them of their humanity ; and by the noise of the company of sensual sinners , that harden and deaffen one another , and by the just judgement of God , forsaking those that would not know him , and leaving them to the blindness and hardness of their hearts . But is there no remedy ! O thou the fountain of mercy and relief , vouchsafe these miserable sinners a remedy ! O thou the Saviour of lost mankind , have mercy upon these sinners in the depth of their security , presumption , and misery ! O thou the Illuminater and Sanctifier of souls , apply the remedy so dearly purchased ! We are constrained oft to fear lest it be much long of us , that should more seriously preach the awakening truths of God unto mens hearts . And verily our consciences cannot but accuse us , that when we are most lively and serious , alas , we seem but almost to trifle , considering on what a message we come , and of what transcendent things we speak . But Satan hath got his advantage upon our hearts that should be instrumental to kindle theirs , as well as on theirs that should receive the truth . O that we could thirst more after their salvation ! O that we could pray harder for it ; and entreat them more earnestly ; as those that were loath to take a denial from God or man ; I must confess to you all with shame and sorrow , that I am even amazed to think of the hardness of my own heart , that melteth no more in compassion to the miserable , and is no more earnest and importunate with sinners , when I am upon such a subject as this ; and am telling them that it must be NOW or NEVER ; and when the messengers of Death within , and the fame of mens displeasure from without , doth tell me how likely it is that my Time shall be but short , and that if I will say any thing that may reach the hearts of sinners , for ought I know , it must be NOW or NEVER . O what an obstinate , what a lamentable disease is this insensibility and hardness of heart ! If I were sure this were the last Sermon that ever I should preach , I find now my heart would shew its sluggishness , and rob poor souls of the serious fervour which is suitable to the subject and their case , and needful to the desired success . But yet poor sleepy sinners , hear us : Though we speak not to you as men would do that had seen Heaven and Hell , and were themselves in a perfectly awakned frame , yet hear us while we speak to you the words of truth with some seriousness , and compassionate desire of your Salvation . O look up to your God! Look out unto eternity : Look inwardly upon your souls : Look wisely upon your short and hasty Time : and then bethink you how the little remnant of your Time should be employed : and what it is that most concerneth you to dispatch and secure before you die . Now you have Sermons , and Books , and Warnings : It will not be so long : Preachers must have done : God threatneth them , and death threatneth them , and men threaten them , and its you , it s you that are most severely threatned , and that are called on by Gods warnings , [ If any man have an ear to hear , let him hear . ] Now you have an abundance of private helps , you have abundance of understanding gracious companions ; you have the Lords dayes to spend in holy exercises , for the edification and solace of your souls ; you have choice of sound and serious Books : and blessed be God , you have the Protection of a Christian and a Protestant King and Magistracy : O what unvaluable mercies are all these ! O know your time , and use these with industry , and improve this harvest for your souls ! For it will not be thus alwayes : It must be NOW or NEVER . You have yet time and leave to Pray and cry to God in hope : Yet if you have hearts and tongues , he hath an hearing ear : The Spirit of grace is ready to assist you : It will not be thus alwayes : The time is coming when the loudest cries will do no good : O pray , pray , pray poor needy miserable sinners ; for it must be NOW or NEVER . You have yet health and strength , and bodies fit to serve your souls : It will not be so alwayes : Languishing and paines and death are coming . O use your health and strength for God : For it must be NOW or NEVER . Yet there are some stirrings of conviction in your Consciences : You find that all is not well with you : and you have some thoughts or purposes to repent , and be new creatures ▪ There is some hope in this , that yet God hath not quite forsaken you . O trifle not , and stifle not the conviction of your consciences , but hearken to the witnesse of God within you : It must be NOW or NEVER . Would you not be loath to be left to the despairing case of many poor distressed souls , that cry out , O it is now too late ! I fear my day of grace is past ; God will not hear me now if I should call vpon him : he hath forsaken me , and given me over to my self . It is too late to repent , too late to pray , too late to think of a new life ; all is too late . This case is sad : But yet many of these are in a safer and better case then they imagine , and are but frightened by the tempter , and it is not too late , while they cry out , It is too late : But if you are left to cry in hell [ It is too late ] alas , how long and how doleful a cry and lamentation will it be ! O consider poor sinner , that God knoweth the Time and Season of thy mercies : He giveth thee Spring and Harvest in their Season : and all his mercies in their Season , and wilt thou not know thy Time and Season , for love , and duty , and thanks to him ? Consider that God who hath commanded thee thy work , hath also appointed thee thy time : And this is his appointed time . To day therefore hearken to his voice , and see that thou harden not thy heart : He that bids thee Repent and work out thy Salvation with fear and trembling , doth also bid thee do it Now : Obey him in the time , if thou wilt be indeed obedient : He best understandeth the fittest time . One would think to men that have lost so much time already , and loitered so long , & are so lamentably behind hand , and stand so near the bar of God , and their everlasting state , there should be no need to say any more , to perswade them to be up and doing . I shall add but this : You are never like to have a better time . Take this or the work will grow more difficult , more doubtful , if through the just judgement of God , it become not desperate . If all this will not serve , but still you will loiter till time be gone , what can your poor friends do but lament your misery ! The Lord knowes , if we knew what words , what pains , what cost would tend to your awakening , and conversion and salvation , we should be glad to submit to it : and we hope we should not think our labours , or liberties , or our lives too dear to promote so blessed and so necessary a work . But if when all is done that we can do , you will leave us nothing but our tears and moans for self-destroyers , the sin is yours , and the suffering shall be yours : If I can do no more , I shall leave this upon record , that we took our time to tell you home , that SERIOUS DILIGENCE is nessary to your Salvation , and that God is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him , Heb. 11. 6. and that this was your day , your only day : It must be NOW or NEVER . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A26967-e840 † And if the Word Religion be taken in this sense , and if all that agree in One Christian Religion , are said to be of as many Religions , as different opinions , in points that some call necessary , then I answer the Question thus .