The Work of a Christian

An Important CASE of Practical Religion.

QUESTION. How may we do to make Religion our business?

1 Rule. YOU must thoroughly acquaint yourselves with the Rule & Compass that Religion steers by. The Word is a believers Compass, a believers Rule, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this Rule, &c. A believer walks by Rule, and by this Rule, The word of God. You can never thoroughly manage the great business of Religion, except you do thoroughly know, & often eye your Rule, and put the Rule to your work. The Commandment is exceeding broad, & prescribes you Rules for your whole man, & for the right behaving of yourselves in every part of your Conversation; Oh hide the word in your hearts; lay up the Rules you are to work by, the Rules that you are to give by, the Rules that you are to speak by, to hear by; be sure there be no part of your Conversation but that you have some Rules that you set to yourselves about it. How can you carry yourselves Religiously in your Relations, unless you do Conscientioussly observe the Rules you are to carry yourselves by? If Wives do not know their Rules, & Husbands their Rules, Children their Rules, and Servants their Rules? Oh, if ever you would make anything of Religion, know the Rules of your places, set it down with yourselves, these are the Rules we will walk by.

2. Rule. You must have the whole Lump of the heart leavened & seasoned with Religion. Mat. 13.33. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven which a woman hid, &c. The Word is this Leaven, the Heart is this Lump, in which this Leaven is hid; now when the whole Lump is thoroughly Leavened, there will be such a suitableness betwixt the heart and the work, that Religion will become a pleasure. A true Christian hath the Law of God in his heart; a Transcript of the Word in his Soul; now where the Law of Religion is in the heart, there will be a love of delight in, & prosperity to the work of Religion. Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy Will, thy Law is within my heart. Where Religion hath taken deep root in the heart, the concerns of Christ will become its natural care, Phil. 2.20. now that which is natural is delightful; and when a man loves his work, he will be much in it. Again, that which is natural is constant, so that when the heart is naturalized & habituated to Religion, the man will constantly follow it. To a heart thoroughly Sanctified, Religion is the very Element it lives in, when the heart is renewed and made spiritual, 't will naturally mind the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8. • .

3. Rule. You must have these Six Principles inwrought and deeply engraven in your Souls.

First, That Religion is the very end of your being, that you were made and maintained for. This is the end and use of all your powers and faculties, that you may serve and glorify the God that made you; He made you for himself, Prov. 16.4. For His pleasure you are & were Created. Rev. 4.11. Oh man, look upon thyself; think, whence thou art, what a little while since thou wast not, how camest thou to be? Hath not the hand of God framed thee? Think with thyself, wherefore serve all these powers and faculties? To what end were they given me? What to Eat, and Drink, & Sleep, and Sport? If I had been a Bruit, I could have done this; wherefore have I reason above the rest of the Creatures, but that I should answer the Law of my Creation, and the end of my being, and know my Makers end, and do His pleasure? Better I had never been Born, than not to answer my end; better I had been a Bruit than a Man, unless I Glorify God with my understanding, and employ my powers & faculties in his service. Oh let these thoughts live daily upon your hearts. Fix it upon your Souls that you are of no use nor worth in the world, except you serve your Makers ends.

Secondly, That look as you do manage the great business of Religion, so you are made or mar'd to all Eternity. Settle it upon your hearts, that if this business miscarry, you are undone for evermore; You may miscarry in any other business, and yet do well enough at last, but if you donit go through with the business of Religion, you are undone men. Believe it, Religion is no trifling matter; if thou be careless and idle, and remiss here, thou art a Damned man. The reason why Religion is minded with so little care, is, because men do not consider the Consequence of Religion. Can you Dy? Can you Burn? If not, take heed of trifling in Religion, and of selling Heaven for want of a little pains taking. Oh, wherever you be unserious, be sure you be serious and in earnest in the business of Religion. And that you may be so, let this ever dwell upon hearts, that halving and trifling will undo all.

Thirdly, That nothing is well done, except it be Religiously done. Do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Col. 3.17. Do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10.31. Remember the Rules of Religion donit only reach your Praying, Hearing, &c. but your Eating, Drinking, Trading, &c. Count that hour lost, that is not spent Religiously; Your lying down, and rising up, must be managed Religiously, or else they are not well managed; and you must impose it upon yourselves, to be serving God, not only on your knees, but in your Shops, in the Field, at your Tables, in your Journeys, that God may be Glorified by you in all things.

Fourthly, That the trade of Religion, of all others, yields the sweetest pleasure, and surest gain. A Religious Holy life is a Spiritual trading. Mat. 25.16. Now there is no trade to this. A Christian is a Merchant that deals for no small matters, but for goodly Pearls. Mat. 13.5. A believer trades for Grace and Glory. Oh how Glorious is the prize, and how excellent and invaluable is the income of Religion! Wisdom is more precious than Rubies; all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her, the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof then fine gold. Read Prov. 8.11. & Prov. 3. to 19. Every man will be dealing in that Commodity that yields great profit. The reason why men have so little heart for Religion is, because they have secretly an opinion that there is little to be got by it. They say in their hearts it is vain to serve God, Mal. 3.14. and, what profit shall we have if we pray unto Him? Job 21.15. But when a man tastes the pleasure, & finds the gain of Religion, then he will set to it to purpose, and like the wise merchant, employ all his stock here. Mat. 13.44. As ever then you would wake Religion your business, get your hearts thoroughly possessed with the advantage and profit, the pleasure & the gain, that comes in by Religion. There are two great pillars upon which Religion stands the one is, A belief that God is: and the other is, That he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. 11.6. Then let this dwell upon your hearts, that you cannot better your state, nor promote your happiness any way in all the world so much as by Religion, no pleasure nor profit to that of Religion: Riches and Honor are with her, all her ways are pleasantness; She is a tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that retaineth her, Prov. 3.17.

Fifthly, That your time is short, your work great, and must be done now or never. Remember with Christ, that now you have a day to work in, and it but a Day, and the Night is hastening upon you when there is no work to be done; no more Praying, no more Hearing &c. Let it ever dwell upon you, that there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou art going. And this will put you upon doing the work of Religion with all your might: Be convinced of the weight of your work, remember of what dreadful Consequence it is, your Salvation is at stake, and therefore you must work it out with fear and trembling.

Sixthly. That except you make it your business, all your Religion is in vain. While you halt & halve it in Religion, you come but half way to heaven. Settle it upon your hearts, that except you are throughout Religious, you are Religious to no purpose. Be sure you shall never come to heaven, except you seek it in God's order. Mat. 6.33. Seek first, &c. It were not suitable to the wisdom of God, so to undervalue His Christ and Glory, as to throw them away upon those that account other matters better worth their pains and care.

4. Rule. You must have the Love of God, & Religion, lying next your hearts; Love is a busy Grace, 1 Thes. 1.3. Your labor of love. Love will constrain you, and put you upon a willing and diligent keeping God's Commandments. Get your hearts in love with the Laws and Ways of God; who more busy then David, thinking and talking of God and his ways all the day, and all 〈◊〉 his Love to them. Psal. 119.97.

5. Rule. You must beware of taking too much of the world into your hands. If Marcha will trouble herself about many things, the One thing needful will be neglected. Luk 10.41, 42. You must Buy, and Trade, and Marry, and Weep, & Care for these things, as if you did it not; not laying too much stress upon these things, not engaging too eagerly in seeking after them, or else you will neglect the better things; and learn to Pray, and Read, and Hear, as if you did it not. 1 Cor. 7.30. It is true that the work of your Callings is part of your business for heaven; but then you must be sure to keep your affairs at command, as that you may have so much room for Prayer, Meditation and Self-reflection as may season your worldly business with Religion, and sanctify it to you, that it may become a help and not a snare.

6. Rule. You must always work as under your Masters Eye. When the Masters eye is known to look on, there is as much work done in an hour, as many times is done in two when the fence of his oversight doth not quicken the workman. Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me.

7. Rule. You must ever carry your eye upon your Mark. So did Paul; I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. The Mark that a believer aims at, is, God's Glory, and his own, that God may be Glorified in him, and he with God. This glorious prize will animate you to your work, & swallow up the sense of labor and difficulty, and make you for the joy set before you, endure the Cross and despise the Shame. Heb. 12.2. Paul carried the Crown incorruptible in his eye, and that made him with patience invincible to run, and fight, and keep under his body. 1 Cor. 9.25, — Keep Heaven in sight, and your work will go on with pleasure, and all your difficulties will seem light and easy.

8. Rule. You must at the entrance of every action remember the Rules that you are to act by. Else in vain, do you receive and lay up Rules, if when occasion is, you do not apply them to the particular case. As ever you desire to make anything of your Religion, remember when you come to your Tables, the Rules you are to eat by, when you come to your Callings, make Visits, Read, or hear the Word, be sure you think on the Rules that you are to work by, discourse by, read by, hear by. &c.

9. Rule. Be sure every morning to set out to a right point of the Compass. Never rise from your Beds but with such thoughts as these, I will set forth this day in the Name of God; Religion shall be my business this day; I will surely spend this day for Eternity. David would begin with God, Psal. 139.15. When I awake I am still with thee.

10. Rule. Let the present days practice be still the mending of the past days errors. Else to what purpose are your Self-examinations? In vain do we think on our ways, except we turn our feet into God's Testimonies. Psal. 119.59.

11. Rule. You must Deny yourselves, and keep under your Carnal Lusts and Affections. If you suffer your Lusts and Carnal Affections to command you, to be sure they will find you work enough you will then have little room and little leisure: but these will be all the day long calling upon you to gratify. Your Lusts will find you work Night and Day, and your Employment will be to make provision for the Flesh: Get these therefore under, or the business of Religion can never go on.

An Important CASE of Practical Christianity, On that Question; Seeing no man hath one Days certainty of Life; what may we do to be secured from being surprised by Death?

1. SIT loose from the World, that you may be able to pack up and be gone upon sudden warning. If you would be fit for your great Journey to your long home, you must lay aside every weight, & in special, the incumbring and entangling, & insnaring burden of worldly Affections; you must take heed to yourselves, Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness, and the Cares of this Life, if you would not have that day come upon you unawares. Study to be Crucified to the world; to use all Earthly Comforts in a mortified manner, as those that are taking their last leave; and let Death find you Dead beforehand, and then let it come when it will, and do its worst.

2. Intreach not upon God's Prerogative, in carving out the Future time. Reckon not upon Hereafter; It was the unhappiness of that rich Fool in the Gospel, he counts upon many Years: God had given him much Goods, and now he is so bold, as to cast upon many Days to spend them: but God is angry at his usurpation, and seeing he will presume to be his own carver, God rebukes his boldness, and will show His Prerogative, and will cut him short enough This Night shall thy Soul be required. Remember your times are in God's hands; improve with all possible diligence, your present allowance; He gives you wealth to lay up for Hereafter, but He keeps your • imes in his own hands; so that you shall not know one day whether ever you shall have another, or be allowed to live till the next. Cast not upon tomorrow, live this day well. When shall we learn to practice the received lesson, To live every day as if it were our last? Blessed men should we be if we would but live up to this short Rule. Doth Conscience witness that we live up to this? If the Rule be good why do we not conform to it?

3. Store up in Heaven apace, and see that you be rich towards God. Give yourselves to Prayer, let Reading the Word, Meditation, self-Examination be your daily Exercises: Do good to all men, serve your Generation with diligence, study to be Useful, fill up your Relations with Duties, and when you have done all, go out of yourselves, look wholly unto Jesus, and live by Faith, this do and you shall have treasure in Heaven, and let Death come when it will, it will but set you in possession of Glory.

4. Be the Death of your Sins. Mortify your Corruptions, and then the bitterness of Death is past: Sin is the Sting of Death, that makes it Dreadful, that makes it Hurtful: Death cannot hurt you but by the weapons that you put into its hand by your Sins. If Sin be dead, Death is conquered; this is the top of misery, when Sin and Death shall fly upon a poor Creature together; when Death shall set all a man's sins upon him, and besides the terror of its own appalling looks, shall show him the more ghastly and affrighting looks of those fiends & furies, his Unpardoned Sins; this is the Sting of Death, and makes that the King of Terrors.

5. Observe the approaches of your Enemy daily, and remember that you are, for ought you know, more than half dead already. Let not gray heirs be here and there upon you, and you know it not: Observe all the warnings of Death, and consider in all your pains and infirmities, that these are but the Twitches and Items from Death. How often is Death knocking at your doors? Death hath a great part of you already in possession: whatsoever is past, is Deaths; how little, how very little is to come, God knows; to be sure nothing is yours but the present time; as Death comes daily towards you, do you labor to provide accordingly, and make preparations for it every day. Let somewhat be mended every day; forget not that holy Counsel to meditate every Evening, that seeing thy days are numbered, there is one more of thy number spent, and thou art now nearer to thy end by a Day.

6. Dare not to Live in such a case or course that you would not dare to Dy in. How know you but your next step may be into the Grave? Would you be found in your Sins? How do you know but that Death may meet you at the next turning? And Oh how unwelcome a meeting will it be, if you be found by it laden with your Lusts? Would you have Death to find you out of your Harness? Would you meet your Enemy without a Weapon? Or be found by him in a careless, secure and sleepy posture? If not, how dare you live at such a rate? Are you at an agreement with death?

7. Be always about your Fathers business, your Lord & Masters work, that Death may not be able to find you doing evil, or doing nothing. Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing. Remember in what you undertake that Death may overtake you before you have ended; therefore see you go about nothing without God's warrant; carry this with you, and you need not fear Deaths surprisal; Woe unto you if Death find you with your work to do: This was Paul's joy, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith, henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness.

8. Get Conscience to be your Friend, lest that should set Death upon you to worry you, when you come to dy. Beware you mistake not the Slumber of Conscience for a settled Peace; Death will rouse the Sleeping Lyon, & then, Oh fearful work that he will make! If you be wise, get & keep a Good Conscience; carry it to the Fountain opened for sin & for uncleanness, get it sprinkled with the Blood of Christ. Exercise yourselves to keep a Conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men; In all your undertakings let Conscience have the casting voice; ask counsel of it diligently, hear its rebukes patiently, thankfully, as a precious Balm that will not break your heads; make it to give in its Judgment about your Estates; if it be Con 〈7 letters〉 , be sure it be upon Scripture evidence; if it be Doubtful, get it well Settled in time; if it Condemn • ou, away with speed to the Redeemer; sue out your Pardon, get it purified and pacified, please Conscience rather than all the world: Keep her and she shall keep you.

9. Remember your Sick-bed Resolutions, and set a mark upon those things that did most trouble you, & make Death look most ghastly. We to you if sickness find you again in the same sins which formerly Stung you; what will you say to Conscience, or how will you look Death in the face, if you be found at last to have been false to your Sickbed Vows?

10. Keep no long Reckonings; but let Conscience bring you in the Accounts every day before you sleep. Keep a day-Book in your own hearts; speedily make up any Controversies that may fall out betwixt God and your Souls; it will be sad to find old things to reckon for when you come to Die. Study to keep all clear & even daily within; Daily Self-Examination will make you live holily, and die comfortably; but if you let things run long you will be all at a loss.

11. Look often into your Coffens, & behold your bones and dust; as shortly others shall, when turned out of your Graves; be not strangers to the thoughts of Death; expect it, wait all the days of your appointed time when your change shall come; familiarize the thoughts of death to yourselves, that you may be always safe. You must never be secure: You must pray, and set a watch, & be always upon your guard; walk every day some serious turns with Death. Let it never come unlookt for; Consider your latter end, learn to number your days; God doth number them why should not you▪ If the man of the house had known what hour of the night the Thief would have come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken up; but it is too late to think of it when the house is rifled. Be not of them that put far off the evil day; it is the remembrance of of Death puts life into our Prayers, & into all our motions; he that remembers not his end, remembers nothing as he should.

12. Above all, Speed to the City of Refuge. First, Get into it, close soundly with Jesus Christ: Oh dreadful work that Death makes with those that are not found in Him; it tears the Body and Soul asunder, it drags the Soul to Hell, and locks up the Dust in Prison until the terrible Judgment, it puts an end to all comforts, and enters the sinner upon unchargeable misery, and delivers over the Prisoners to the Tormentors. But if you give up yourselves entirely beforehand to Jesus Christ, and accept him by believing on his own terms, this will secure you in him, then the danger of this is over. Look to this what ever you neglect, once in Christ and you have the Victory; you may send a challenge to Death, & with Paul triump'r, and go with shouts of Joy, and palms of Victory, and garments of Salvation, to encounter with, or rather make spoil of your already conquered Enemy. Secondly, Keep you in it. When you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, you must walk in Him: wander from Him & you betray your safety. Oh look to it, that Death find you not venturing out of your refuge by loose walking.

13 Lay in a stock of Promises now in time against the assaults of Death. Let that come when it will, thou mayest have a Cordial ready, & be provided with an Antidote. Delight thy Soul in meditating on the 6th of John, & 1 Cor. 15th Chapter, & 2 Cor. 5th. Chapter.

14 Suffer not the state of your immortal Souls to lie any longer at Uncertainties. Put to it with all your might for Assurance; try an hundred times, & make diligent search into the state of your hearts; how can you live one day, or dy without some Evidence that it shall be well with you forever 'Ah the woeful case the poor trembling Soul must needs be in, when it thrusts out into the Ocean of Eternity, not' knowing whither it is going, whether it shall be landed in the Region of Eternal Darkness, or the Land of Light.