A Body of Practical Divinity

VSE IV. Of Exhortation, To all in General.

1. Branch. If there be such a glorious Kingdom to come, believe this great Truth; Socinians deny it. The Rabbins say the great dispute between Cain and A •• l was about the world to come, Abel affirmed it, Cain denied it; this should be engraven upon our hearts as with the point of a Diamond; there is a blessed Kingdom in reversion, Psal. 58.11. Doubtless there is a Reward for the Righteous. Let us not haesitate through unbelief; doubting of Principles is the next way to denying them: Unbelief as Sampson, would pull down the Pillars of Religion; be confirmed in this, there is a Kingdom of Glory to come; whosoever denies this cuts a sunder the main Article of the Creed, Life Everlasting.

2. Branch. If there be such a blessed Kingdom of Glory to come, let us take heed least we miss of this Kingdom; let us fear least we lose Heaven by short shooting; trembling in the Body a Malady, in the Soul a Grace; this fear is not a fear of Diffidence or Distrust, such a fear as discourageth the Soul, for such a fear frights from Religion, it cuts the Sinews of Endeavor; but this holy fear least we miss of the Kingdom of Heaven, is a fear of diligence; it quickens us in the use of means, and puts us forward that we may not fail of our hope, Heb. 11.6. Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark: Fear is a watch Bell to awaken sleepy Christians; it guards against security; it is a spur to a sluggish heart: He who fears he shall come short of his Journey rides the faster; And indeed this Exhortation to fear least we miss of this Kingdom, is most necessary, if we consider two things;

First. There are many who have gone many steps in the way to Heaven, yet have fallen short of it; Mark 12.34. Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God ; yet he was not near enough.

Quest. How many steps may a Man take in the way to the Kingdom yet miss of it?

Resp. 1. He may be adorned with Civility, he may be morally righteous, he may be prudent, just, temperate, he may be free from paenal Statutes; this is good, but not enough to bring a Man to Heaven.

2. He may hang out the Flag of a glorious Profession▪ yet fall short of the Kingdom; the Scribes and Pharisees went far, they sat in Moses Chair, were Expounders of the Law, they prayed, gave Alms, were strict in the observation of the Sabbath; if one had got a Thorn in his Foot, they would not pull it out on the Sabbath day, for fear of breaking the Sabbath; they were so externally devout in God's worship, that the Jews thought, that if but two in the all World went to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee; but the Mantle of their Profession was not lined with Sincerity; they did all for the applause of Men, therefore they missed of Heaven, Mat. 5.20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of God.

3. A Man may be a Frequenter of Ordinances, and yet miss of the Kingdom; 'tis a good sight to see People flock as Doves to the Windows of God's House; 'tis good to lie in the way where Christ passeth by, yet be not offended if I say, one may be an Hearer of the word, and fall short of Glory; Herod heard John the Baptist gladly, yet beheaded John, instead of beheading his sin: the Prohpet Ezekiel 's Hearers did come with as much delight to his Preaching, as one would do to a fit of Music, Ezek. 33.32. Thou art to them as a lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant Voice, and can play well on an Instrument, they hear thy Words, but they do them not. What is it to hear ones Duty and not do it? As if a Physician prescribe a good Receipt, but the Patient doth not take it.

4. A Man may have some trouble for sin, and weep for it, yet miss of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Quest. Whence is this ?

Answ. 1. A Sinners tears are forced by God's Judgments; as water which comes out of a Still is forced by the fire. 2. Trouble for sin is transient, it is quickly over again; as some that go to Sea are Sea-sick, but when they come to Land they are well again. So Hypocrites may be Sermon-sick, but this trouble doth not last, the sick fit is soon over. 3. A Sinner weeps but goes on in sin; his sins are not drowned in his tears.

5. A Man may have good desires yet miss of the Kingdom; Numb. 23.10. O that I might die the death of the righteous.

Quest. Wherein do these desires come short?

Answ. 1. They are sluggish. A Man would have Heaven but will take no pains: As if one should say he desires water, but will not let down the bucket into the well; Prov. 21.25. The desire of the slothful kills him, his hands refuse to labor. 2. The Sinner desires Mercy but not Grace; he desires Christ as a Savior, but not as he is the • oly One ; he desires Christ only as a bridge to lead him over to Heaven. Such desires as these may be found among the damned.

6. A Man may forsake his Sins, Oaths, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, yet come short of the Kingdom.

Quest. Whence is this?

Answ. 1. He may forsake gross sins, yet he hath no reluctancy against heart sins, Pride, Unbelief, and the first risings of Malice and Concupiscence. Though he dams up the Stream, yet he lets alone the Fountain; though he lop and prune the Branches, yet he doth not strike at the Root of it. 2. Though he leaves Sin (for fear of Hell, or because it brings shame and penury) yet he still loves Sin; as if a Snake should cast her Coat, yet keep her Poison; Hos. 4.8. They set their heart on their iniquity. 3. 'It is but a partial forsaking of Sin; though he leave one Sin he lives in some other. Herod reformed very much, Mark 6.20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He did many things, but he lived in Incest. Some leave Drunkenness and live in Covetousness; they forbear Swearing and live in Slandering. It is but a partial reformation, and so they miss of the Kingdom of Glory. Thus you see there are some who have gone many steps in the way to Heaven, yet have come short. Some have gone so far in Profession that they have been confident their estate hath been good, and they should go to the Kingdom of Heaven, yet have missed it: Luke 13.25. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. How confident were these of Salvation, they did not beseech but knock, as if they did not doubt to be let into Heaven; yet to these Christ saith, I know you not whence you are: Depart from me ye workers of iniquity: Therefore fear and tremble least any of us miss of this Kingdom of Heaven.

Secondly, This fear is necessary if we consider what a loss it is to lose the Heavenly Kingdom. All the tears of Hell are not sufficient to lament the loss of Heaven! They who lose the Heavenly Kingdom, lose God's sweet Presence, the ravishing views and smiles of God's Glorious Face. God's Presence is the Diamond in the Ring of Glory; Psal. 16.11. In his presence is fullness of joy. If God be the Fountain of all Bliss, then to be separated from him is the Fountain of all Misery. They who lose the Heavenly Kingdom lose the Society of Angels, and what sweeter Music than to hear them praise God in Consort, they lose all their Treasure, their white Robes, their sparkling Crowns; they lose their hopes, Job 8.14. Whose hope shall be cut off. Their hope is not an Anchor but a Spiders Web: If hope deferred makes the heart sick, Prov. 13.12. what then is hope disappointed? They lose the end of their being. Why were they Created but to be enthron • d in Glory? Now to lose this is to lose the end of their being: As if an Angel should be turned to a worm. There are many aggravations of the loss of this Heavenly Kingdom.

1. The eyes of the Wicked shall be opened to see their loss; now they care not for the loss of God's Favor because they know not the worth of it. A Man that loseth a rich Diamond and took it but for an ordinary Stone, is not much troubled at the loss of it; but when he comes to know what a Jewel he lost, then he laments. He whose Heart would never break at the sight of his sins, shall now break at the sight of his loss. Phinehas his Daughter, when she heard the Ark was lost, cried out, The Glory is departed ; 1 Sam. 4.21. When the Sinner sees what he hath lost, he hath lost the Beatifical Vision, he hath lost the Kingdom of Heaven; now he will cry out in horror and despair, The Glory, the everlasting Glory is departed.

2. A second aggravation of the loss of this Kingdom will be, that Sinners shall be upbraided by their own Conscience: This is the worm that never dies, Mark 9.44. viz. a self-accusing Mind. When Sinners shall consider they were in a fair way to the Kingdom; they had a possibility of Salvation; though the door of Heaven were strait, yet it was open; they had the means of Grace; the jubilee of the Gospel was proclaimed in their ears; God called but they refused; Jesus Christ offered them a plaster of his own Blood to heal them, but they trampled it underfoot; the Holy Spirit stood at the door of their heart knocking and crying to them to receive Christ and Heaven, but they repulsed the Spirit, and sent away this Dove, and now they have, through their own folly and willfulness, lost the Kingdom of Heaven: This self-accusing Conscience will be terrible, like a venomous Worm gnawing at the Heart.

3. A third aggravation of the loss of Heaven will be to look upon others that have gained the Kingdom; the happiness of the Blessed will be an eye-sore; Luke 13.28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. When the Wicked shall see those whom they hated and scorned to be exalted to a Kingdom, and shine with Robes of Glory, and they themselves miss of the Kingdom, this will be a dagger at the heart, and make them gnash their teeth for envy.

4. A fourth aggravation is, this loss of the Kingdom of Heaven is accompanied with the punishment of Sense. He who leaps short of the Bank falls into the River; such as come short of Heaven fall into the River of Fire and Brimstone; Psal 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell : And how dreadful is that? If when but a spark of God's Anger lights into the Conscience here, it is so torturing, what will it be to have mountains of God's Wrath thrown upon the Soul? Psal. 90.11. Who knoweth the power of thy anger? The Angel never poured out his Vial but some woe followed; Rev. 16.3. when the bitter Vials of God's Wrath are poured out, Damnation follows. Dives cries out, O I am tormented in this flame; Luke 16.24. In Hell there's not a drop of Mercy. There was no Oil or Frankincense used in the Sacrifice of Jealousy, Numb. 5.15. in Hell no Oil of Mercy to lenifie the Sufferings of the Damned, nor Incense of Prayer to appease God's Wrath.

5. A fifth aggravation of the loss of this Kingdom will be, to consider on what easy and reasonable terms Men might have had this Kingdom. If indeed God had commanded impossibles, to have satisfied his Justice in their own Persons, it had been another matter, but what God did demand was reasonable, only to do that which was for their good, to accept of Christ for their Lord and Husband, only to part with that which would damn them, if they kept their Sins; these were the fair terms on which they might have enjoyed the Heavenly Kingdom: Now to lose Heaven, which might have been had upon such easy terms, will be a cutting aggravation; it will rend a Sinners Heart with rage and grief, to think how easily he might have prevented the loss of the Heavenly Kingdom.

6. It will be an aggravation of the loss of Heaven for Sinners to think how active they were in doing that which lost them the Kingdom; they were felo de se. What pains did they take to resist the Spirit, to stifle Conscience, they sinned while they were out of breath; Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. What difficulties did Men go through, what did they endure for their Sins, how much shame and pain, how sick was the Drunkard with his cups, how sore in his Body was the Adulterer, and what marks of his sin did he carry about him? What dangers did Men adventure upon for their Lusts, they adventured God's Wrath, and adventured the Laws of the Land. O how will this aggravate the loss of Heaven, how will this make Men curse themselves, to think how much pains they were at to lose happiness. How will this sting Men's Consciences to think, had they taken but as much pains for Heaven as they did for Hell they had not lost it.

7. Aggravation of the loss of this Kingdom, it will be an eternal irreparable loss; Heaven once lost can never be recovered. Worldly losses may be made up again; if a Man lose his Health he may have it repaired by Physic, if a Man be driven out of his Kingdom he may be restored to it again; as King Nebuchadnezzar was, Dan. 4.36. My honor returned to me, and I was established in my Kingdom. King Henry VI. was deposed from his Throne, yet restored again to it, but they who once lose Heaven can never be restored to it again: After millions of years they are as far from obtaining Glory as at first. Thus you see how needful this Exhortation is, that we should fear least we fall short of this Kingdom of Heaven.

Quest▪ What shall we do that we may not miss of this Kingdom of Glory?

Resp. 1. Take heed of those things which will make you miss of Heaven. 1. Take heed of Spiritual Sloath. Many Christians are settled upon their lees, they are loath to put themselves to too much pains. It is said of Israel, They despised the pleasant land: Psal. 106.24. Canaan was a Paradise of Delight, a Type of Heaven; I, but some of the Jews thought it would cost them a great deal of trouble and hazard in the getting, and they would rather go without it; They despised the pleasant land. I have read of certain Spaniards that live where there is great store of Fish, yet are so lazy that they will not be at the pains to catch them, but buy of their Neighbors; such a sinful sloth is upon the most, that though the Kingdom of Heaven be offered to them, yet they will not put themselves to any labor for it. They have some faint velleities and desires, O that I had this Kingdom; like a Man that wisheth for Venison but will not hunt for it; Prov. 13.4. The soul of the sluggard wisheth and hath nothing. Men could be content to have the Kingdom of Heaven, if it would drop as a ripe Fig into their mouth, but they are loath to fight for it. O take heed of Spiritual Sloath; God never made Heaven to be an hive for drones. We cannot have the World without labor, and do we think to have the Kingdom of Heaven? Heathens will rise up in Judgment against many Christians, what pains did they take in their Olympic Races, when they ran but for a Crown of Olive or Myrtle intermixed with Gold, and do we stand still when we are running for a Kingdom? Prov. 19.15. Sloathfulness casts into a deep sleep. Sloath is the Souls sleep. Adam lost his Rib when he was asleep. Many a Man loseth the Kingdom of Heaven when he is in this deep sleep of sloth.

2. Take heed of Unbelief. Unbelief kept Israel out of Canaan; Heb. 3.19. So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief ; and it keeps many out of Heaven. Unbelief is an enemy to Salvation, 'tis a damning sin, it whispers thus, to what purpose is all this pains for the Heavenly Kingdom, I had as good sit still, I may come near to Heaven, yet come short of Heaven; Ier. 18.12. And they said, there is no hope. Unbelief destroys hope, and if you once cut this sinew, a Christian goes but lamely in Religion if he goes at all. Unbelief raiseth jealous thoughts of God, it represents him as a severe Judge, this discourageth many a Soul and takes it off from Duty. Beware of unbelief, believe the Promises; Lam. 3.25. God is good to the Soul that seeks him ; seek him earnestly and he will open both his Heart and Heaven to you. Deus volentibus non deest ; do what you are able and God will help you. While you spread the sails of your endeavor God's Spirit will blow upon these sails, and carry you swiftly to the Kingdom of Glory.

3. If you would not miss of the Heavenly Kingdom take heed of mistake, imagining the way to the Kingdom of Heaven to be easier than it is; 'tis but a sigh, or Lord have Mercy. There's no going to Heaven per saltum, one cannot leap out of Delilah's lap into Abraham's bosom. The Sinner is dead in trespasses, Eph. 2.1. is it easy for a dead Man to restore himself to life? Is Regeneration easy? Are there no pangs in the new birth? Doth not the Scripture call Christianity a warfare and a race ? And do you fancy this easy? The way to the Kingdom is not easy, but the mistake about the way is easy.

4. If you would not miss of the Heavenly Kingdom, take heed of delays and procrastinations. Mora trahit periculum. It is an usual delusion, I will mind the Kingdom of Heaven but not yet; when I have gotten an Estate, and am grown old, then I will look after Heaven, and on a sudden Death surpriseth Men, and they fall short of Heaven. Delay strengthens sin, hardens the heart, and gives the Devil fuller possession of a Man. Take heed of adjourning and putting off seeking the Kingdom of Heaven till it be too late. Caesar deferring to read a Letter put into his hand was killed in the Senate-house. Consider how short your Life is; 'tis a Taper soon blown out. Animantis cujus{que} vita in fuga est ; The Body is like a Vessel tuned with breath, Sickness broacheth it, Death draws it out; delay not the business of Salvation a day longer; sometimes Death strikes and gives no warning.

5. If you would not come short of the Kingdom of Heaven, take heed of prejudice. Many take a prejudice at Religion, and on this Rock dash their Souls; they are prejudiced at Christ's Person, his Truths, his Followers, his Ways.

(1.) They are prejudiced at his Person; Matth. 13.57. And they were offended in him ; what is there in Christ that Men should be offended at him? He is the pearl of price, Matth. 13.46. are Men offended at Pearls and Diamonds? Christ is the wonder of Beauty, Psal. 45.2. Fairer than the children of men ; is there anything in Beauty to offend? Christ is a mirror of Mercy, Heb. 2.17. why should Mercy offend any? Christ is a Redeemer, why should a captive slave be offended at him who comes with a sum of Money to ransom him? The prejudice Men take at Christ is from the inbred pravity of their hearts. The eye that is sore cannot endure the light of the Sun; the fault is not in the Sun, but in the sore eye. There are two things in Christ Men are prejudiced at. 1. His Means. The Jews expected a Monarch for their Messiah; but Christ came not with outward Pomp and Splendor; His Kingdom was not of this World : The Stars which are seated in the lightest Orbs are least seen; Christ who was the bright Morning Star was not much seen, his Divinity was hid in the dark Lantern of his humanity; all who saw the Man did not see the Messiah; this the Jews stumbled at, the Means of his Person. 2. Men are prejudiced at Christ's strictness; they look upon Christ as austere, and his Laws too severe, Psal. 2.3. Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us. Though to a Saint Christ's Laws are no more burdensome than Wings are to a Bird; yet to the Wicked Christ's Laws are a yoke, and they love not to come under restraint; hence it is they hate Christ. Though they pretend to love him as a Savior, yet they hate him as he is the holy One.

(2.) Men are prejudiced at the Truths of Christ. 1. Self-denial. A man must deny his Righteousness, Phil. 3.9. his Duties and Moralities: he would graft the hope of Salvation upon the stock of his own Righteousness. 2. He must deny his Unrighteousness. The Scripture seals no patents to Sin, it teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, Tit. 2.11. We must divorce those Sins which bring in Pleasure and Profit. 3. Forgiving of injuries, Mark 11.25. These Truths Men are prejudiced at; they can rather want forgiveness from God than they can forgive others.

(3.) Men are prejudiced at the Followers of Christ. 1. Their paucity; there are but few (in comparison) that embrace Christ; but why should this offend? Men are not offended at Pearls and precious Stones, because they are but few. 2. Their Poverty; many that wear Christ's livery are low in the World; but why should this give offense? (1.) Christ hath better things than these to bestow upon his Followers; the holy Anointing, the white Stones, the hidden Manna, the Crown of Glory. (2.) All Christ's Followers are not humbled with Poverty; Abraham was rich in Gold and Silver as well as rich in Faith: Though not many Noble are called, yet some Noble; Acts 17.12. Honorable women which were Greeks believed; Constantine and Theodosius were Godly Emperors; so that this stumbling block is removed. 3. Their Scandals. Some of Christ's Followers under a mask of Piety commit sin, this begets a prejudice against Religion; but doth Christ or his Gospel teach any such thing? The Rules he prescribes are holy: Why should the Master be thought the worse of because some of his Servants prove bad.

(4.) Men are prejudiced at the Ways of Christ; they expose them to Sufferings; Matth. 16.24. Let him take up his cross and follow me ; many stumble at the Cross. There are as Tertullian, delicaetuli, silken Christians, who love their ease; they will follow Christ to Mount Oliver to see him transfigured, but not to Mount Golgotha to suffer with him. But alas, what is Affliction to the Glory that follows: The weight of Glory makes Affliction light; Adimant Caput non Coronam. O take heed of prejudice, this hath been a stumbling stone in Men's way to Heaven, and hath made them fall short of the Kingdom.

6. If you would not miss of the Kingdom of Heaven take heed of Presumption. Men presume all is well, and take it as a principle not to be disputed that they shall go to Heaven. The Devil hath given them Opium to cast them into a deep sleep of security. The presumptuous Sinner is like the Leviathan, made without fear : He lives as bad as the worst, yet hopes he shall be saved as well as the best; He blesseth himself, and saith he shall have peace though he goes on in sin; Deut. 29.19. As if a Man should drink Poison yet not fear but he should have his health. But whence doth this presumptuous hope arise? Surely from a conceit that God is made up all of Mercy. 'It is true God is merciful, but withal he is just too; Exod. 34.6, 7. Keeping mercy for thousands, and that will by no means clear the guilty. If a King did proclaim that only those should be pardoned who came in and submitted, should any still persisting in Rebellion claim the benefit of that Pardon? Dost thou hope for Mercy who wilt not lay down thy Weapons, but stand out in Rebellion against Heaven? None might touch the Ark but the Priests; none may touch this Ark of God's Mercy, but holy, consecrated Persons. Presumption is heluo Animarum, the great devourer of Souls. A thousand have missed of Heaven by putting on the broad spectacles of Presumption.

7. If you would not miss of the Heavenly Kingdom take heed of the delights and pleasures of the Flesh; soft pleasures harden the heart. Many people cannot endure a serious Thought, but are for Comedies and Romances, they play away their Salvation. Homines capiuntur voluptate ut pisces hamo, Cicero. Pleasure is the sugared bait Men bite at, but there is an hook under; Job 21.12. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ: And a parallel Scripture, Amos 6.4. That lie upon beds of ivory, that chant to the sound of the viol, that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments. The pleasures of the World do keep many from the pleasures of Paradise▪ What a shame is it that the Soul, that princely thing which sways the scepter of Reason, and is akin to Angels, should be enslaved to sinful pleasure. Beard in his Theatre, speaks of one who had a Room richly hung with fair Pictures, he had most delicious Music, he had the rarest Beauties, he had all the Candies and curious Preserves of the Confectioner, thus did he gratify his Senses with Pleasure, and swore he would live one week like a God, though he were sure to be damned in Hell the next day. Diodorus Siculus observes, that the Dogs of Sicily while they are hunting among the sweet Flowers lose the scent of the Hare; so many while they are hunting after the sweet pleasures of the World lose the Kingdom of Heaven. 'It is, saith Theophylact, one of the worst sights to see a Sinner go laughing to Heaven.

8 If you would not fall short of the Kingdom of Heaven, take heed of Worldlimindedness; a covetous Spirit is a dunghill Spirit, it chokes good Affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The World hindered the young Man from following Christ, abiit tristis, he went away sorrowful, Luke 18.23. which extorted those words from our Savior, Verse 24. How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God? Divitiae saeculi sunt laquei Diaboli, Bern. Riches are golden Snares. If a Man were to climb up a steepy Rock, and had Weights tied to his Legs, it would hinder him from his ascent: Too many Golden Weights will hinder us from climbing that steepy Rock which leads to Heaven; Exod. 14.3. They are entangled in the Land, the Wilderness hath shut them in. So it may be said of many, they are entangled in earthly Affairs, the World hath shut them in: The World is no Friend to Grace; the more the Child sucks the weaker the Nurse is; and the more the World sucks and draws from us, the weaker our Grace is, 1 John 2.15. Love not the world. Had a Man a Monopoly of all the wealth of the World, were he able to empty the Western Parts of Gold, and the Eastern of Spices; could he heap up Riches to the Starry heaven, yet his heart would not be filled: Covetousness is a dry dropsy: Joshua who could stop the course of the Sun, could not stop Achan in his covetous pursuit of the Wedge of Gold: he whose heart is locked up in his Chest, will be locked out of heaven: Some Ships that have escaped the Rocks, have been cast away upon the Sands: Many who have escaped gross Sins, have been cast away upon the Worlds Golden Sands.

9. If you would not come short of the Kingdom of heaven, take heed of indulging any sin; one Mill-stone will drown as well as more; and one sin lived in will damn as well as more: Vbi regnat peccatum non potest regnare Dei regnum, Jerome. If any one sin reign, it will keep you from reigning in the kingdom of heaven; especially keep from sins of Presumption, which wast Conscience, vastare Conscientiam, Tertul. and the Sin of your natural Constitution, the peccatum in delitiis, Aug. the darling Sin, Psal. 18.23. I have kept myself from mine iniquity. That Sin which my heart would soonest decoy and flatter me into; as in the Hive there is one Master-Be, so in the heart one Master-sin: O take heed of this!

Quest. How may this sin be known?

A. 1. That Sin which a Man cannot endure the Arrow of a reproof should shoot at, that is the bosom sin; Herod could not brook to have his Incest meddled with, that was a noli me tangere: Men can be content to have other sins declaimed against, but if a Minister put his Finger upon the sore, and toucheth upon one special sin, then igne micant oculi, they are enraged and spit the Venome of Malice.

2. That sin which a Mans heart runs out most to, and he is most easily captivated by, that is the Delilah in the Bosom: One Man is overcome with wantonness, another by worldliness; 'tis a sad thing a Man should be so bewitched by a beloved sin, that if it ask him to part with not only half the kingdom, but the whole Kingdom of heaven, he must part with it to gratify that Lust.

3. That sin which doth most trouble a Man and fly in his Face in an hour of sickness and distress, that is the sin he hath allowed himself in, and is his complexion sin: When Joseph 's Brethren were distressed their sin in selling their Brother came into their Remembrance, Gen. 42.21. We were verily guilty concerning our Brother, &c. So when a Man is upon his sick-bed, and Conscience shall say, thou hast been guilty of such a sin, the sin of slandering, or uncleanness, Conscience reads a Man a sad Lecture, it affrights him most for one sin, that is the Complection sin.

4. That sin which a Man is loathest to part with, that is the endeared sin: Jacob could of all his Sons most hardly part with Benjamin, Gen. 42.36. Will ye take Benjamin away? So saith the Sinner, this and that Sin I have left, but must Benjamin go too? must I part with this delightful sin? that goes to the heart; as it is with a castle that hath several Forts about it, the first and second Fort are yielded, but when it comes to the main Castle the Governor will rather fight and die then yield that: So a Man may suffer some of his Sins to be demolished, but when it comes to one, that is like the taking of the Castle, he will never yield to part with that; surely that is the Master-sin; take heed especially of this sin; the strength of sin lies in the beloved sin: This is like an humor striking to the heart which brings Death. I have read of a Monarch, that being pursued by the Enemy, he threw away the Crown of Gold on his head, that he might run the faster▪ So that sin which thou didst wear as a Crown of Gold, throw it away that thou mayest run the faster to the Kingdom of heaven: O if you would not lose Glory, mortify the beloved sin, set it as Uriah in the Fore-front of the battle to be slain; by plucking out this right eye, you will see the better to go to heaven.

10. If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of inordinate Pashion; many a Ship hath been lost in a storm; and many a Soul hath been lost in a storm of unruly Passions: Every Member of the Body is infected with sin; as every Branch of Wormwood is bitter; but the Tongue is full of deadly poison, I am. 3.8. Some care not what they say in their Passion, they will censure, slander, wish evil to others; how can Christ be in the heart when the Devil hath taken possession of the tongue? Passion disturbs reason, it is brevis insania, a short Frenzy; Jonah in a Passion flies out against God, Jonah 4.9. I do well to be angry to the death. What to be angry with God, and to justify it? I do well to be angry, the Man was not well in his Wits; Passion unfits for Prayer, 1 Tim. 2.8. I will therefore that Men pray lifting up holy hands without Wrath He that prays in wrath may lift up his hands in Prayer, but he doth not lift up holy hands. Water when it is hot soon boils over; so when the heart is heated with Anger it soon boils over in fiery passionate Speeches. Some curse others in their Passion: They whose tongues are set on fire, let them take heed that they do not one day in Hell desire a drop of water to cool their tongue O if you would not miss of the heavenly kingdom, beware of giving way to your unbridled Passions; some say words are but wind, but they are such a wind as may blow them to Hell.

11. If you would not fall short of the heavenly kingdom, beware of too much indulging the sensual Appetite, Rom. 13.14. Make not Provision for the flesh ; the Greek Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to make Provision, signifies to be Caterers for the flesh, Phil. 3.19. Whose God is their Belly. The Throat is a slippery place; Judas received the Devil in the Sop; and often the Devil slides down in the Liquor: Excess in Meat and Drink clouds the Mind, chokes good Affections, provokes Lust; many a Man digs his own Grave with his Teeth; the Heathen could say, magnus sum & ad mojora natus quam ut sim corporis mei mancipium, Sen. He was higher born then to be a slave to his Body: To pamper the Body and neglect the Soul is to feed the Slave and to starve the Wife: Take such a proportion of food as may recruit Nature not surfeit it: Excess in things lawful hath lost many the kingdom of heaven. A Be may suck a little honey from the leaf, but put it in a Barrel of honey and it is drowned; to suck temperately from the Creature God allows, but excess ingulphs Men in Perdition.

12. If you would not fall short of the Kingdom of Heaven, take heed of injustice in your dealings; defrauding lies in two things, First, mixing Commodities; as if one mix bad Wheat with good, and sell it for pure Wheat, this is to defraud, Isa. 1.22. Thy Wine is mixed with Water. Second, Giving scant Measure, Amos 5.8. Making the Ephah small; Ephah was a Measure which the Jews used in selling; they made the Ephah small, they scarce gave measure; I wish this be not the sin of many, Hos. 12.7. He is a Merchant, the Ballances of deceit are in his hand. Can they be holy which are not just? Mic. 6.11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked Balances? Is his heart sincere who hath false Weights? This hath made many they could not reach heaven, because of their over reaching.

13. If you would not miss of the Kingdom of Heaven, take heed of evil Company; there is a necessary Commerce with Men in buying and selling, else, as the Apostle saith, We must go out of the World, 1 Cor. 5.10. But do not voluntarily choose the Company of the wicked; 1 Cor. 5.11. I have written to you not to keep Company. Do not incorporate into the Society of the wicked, or be too much familiar with them: The wicked are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God haters; and 2 Chron. 19.2. Shouldst thou join with them that hate the Lord? A Christian is bound by virtue of his Oath of Allegiance to God in Baptism, not to have intimate converse with such as are God's sworn Enemies; 'tis a thing of bad report: What doth Christ's Dove among Birds of Prey? What do Virgins among Harlots? The Company of the wicked is very defiling, 'tis like going among them that have the Plague; Prov. 6.27. He that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled. Psal. 106 35. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their Works. If you mingle bright Armor with rusty, the bright Armor will not brighten the rusty, but the rusty Armor will spoil the bright. Such as have had religious Education, and have some inclinations to good, yet by mixing among the wicked they will be apt to receive hurt; the bad will sooner corrupt the good, then the good will convert the bad; Pharaoh learned Joseph to swear, but Joseph did not learn Pharaoh to pray. There is a strange attractive power in ill company to corrupt and poison the best dispositions; they damp good Affections: Throw a Fire-ball into the Snow and it is soon quenched. Among the wicked you lose your heat of zealous affections; by holding familiar correspondence with the wicked one shall hear them dissuading him from strict Godliness, that it will debar him of his Liberty and Pleasure, Act. 28.2. This Sect is everywhere spoken against. Hereupon he who before did look towards Heaven, begins to be discouraged, and gradually declines from goodness.

(1.) There steals upon him a dislike of his former religious course of Life; that he was righteous over-much; stricter then needed.

(2.) There is instilled into his Heart a secret delight of evil; he begins to like foolish scurrilous discourse; he can hear Religion spoken against and be silent, nay, well pleased; he loves Vanity, and makes a sport of sin.

(3.) He is by degrees so Matamorphosed and made like the Company he converseth with, that he now grows into a disgust and hatred of his former sober ways; he is ill-affected towards good Men; he is transformed into scoffing Ishmael, a breathing devil; and becomes at last as much the Child of Hell, as any of that graceless damned Crew he conversed with; and what is the end of all? a blot in the Name, a Moth in the Estate, a Worm in the Conscience. O if you would not miss of the kingdom of Heaven beware of • vil Company: Bad Company is the Bane and Poison of the Youth of this Age: Such as were once soberly inclined, yet by coming among the Profane they grow familiar, till at last they keep one another Company in Hell.

14. If you would not miss of the Kingdom of Heaven take heed of parleying with the Fleshy part; the Flesh is a Bosom Traitor. When an Enemy is gotten within the Walls of a Castle, it is in great danger to be taken. The Flesh is an Enemy within; the Flesh is a bad Counselor; the Flesh saith there is a Lion in the Way; it discourageth from a religious strictness; the Flesh saith as Peter did to Christ, Spare thyself ; the Flesh saith as Judas, What needs all this wast ? what needs this praying? why do you wast your strength and Spirits in Religion? What needs all this wast? the Flesh cries out for ease and pleasure. How many by consulting with the Flesh have lost the Kingdom of Heaven!

15. If you would not fall short of Heaven take heed of Carn • l Relations: Our Carnal Friends are often Bars and Blocks in our way to Heaven; they will say Religion is preciseness and singularity: a Wife in the bosom may be a Tempter; Job 's Wife was so, Job 2.9. Dost thou still retain thy Integrity? curse God and die. What still pray? What dost thou get by serving God? Job where are thy Earnings? what canst thou show thou hast had in God's Service, but Boils and Ulcers? and dost thou still retain thy integrity? throw off God's Livery, renounce Religion. Here was a temptation handed over to him by his Wife: The Woman was made of the Rib, the Devil turned this Rib into an Arrow, and would have shot Job to the heart, but his Faith quenched this fiery Dart. Beware of Carnal Relations: We read, that some of Christ's kindred laid hold on him, and would have hindered him when he was going to Preach, Mark 3.21. They said he is beside himself. Our kindred sometimes would stand in our way to Heaven, and judging all zeal rashness would hinder us from being saved: Such Carnal Relations Spira had, for advising with them whether he should remain constant in his Orthodox Opinion, they persuaded him to recant and so abjuring his former Faith he fell into horror and dispondency of Mind. Galeacius Marquess of Vico found his Carnal Relations a great Block in his way, and what ado had he to break through their Tentations? Take heed of a snare in your Bosom: 'It is a brave saying of Jerome, Si Mater mihi ubera ostendat, &c. If my Parent should persuade me to deny Christ, if my Mother should show me her breast that gave me suck, if my Wife should go to charm me with her Embraces, I would forsake all and fly to Christ.

16. If you would not fall short of the Kingdom of Heaven, take heed of falling off; beware of Apostasy; he misseth of the Prize who doth not hold out in the Race; he who makes shipwreck of the Faith cannot come to the haven of Glory. We live in the fall of the Leaf; Men fall from that goodness they seemed to have; some are turned to Error, others to Vice; some to drinking and dicing, others to whoring; the very Mantle of their Profession is fallen off: 'It is dreadful for Men to fall off from hopeful beginnings: The Apostate saith Tertullian seems to put God and Satan in the Ballance, and having weighed both their Services, prefers the Devils Service and proclaims him to be the best Master, in which respect, the Apostate is said to put Christ to open shame, Heb. 6.6. This is sad at last, Heb. 10.38. If you would not miss of Glory take heed of Apostasy, those who fall away must needs fall short of the Kingdom.

1. If we would not come short of this Heavenly Kingdom, let us be much in the exercise of Self-denial; Matth. 16.24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. He who would go to Heaven must deny self-righteousness, Cavendum est a propria justitia; Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him not having my own righteousness. The Spider weaves a web out of her own Bowels; an Hypocrite would spin a web of Salvation out of his own Righteousness: We must deny our Civility in point of Justification. Civility is a good staff to walk with among Men, but it is a bad ladder to climb up to Heaven. We must deny our holy things in point of Justification. Alas, how are our Duties checkered with Sin. Put Gold in the fire and there comes out dross; our most golden services are mixed with unbelief. Deny self-righteousness; use Duty but trust to Christ. Noah's Dove made use of her wings to fly, but trusted to the Ark for safety. Let Duties have your diligence but not your confidence. Self-denial is via ad regnum ; there is no getting into Heaven but through this strait gate of self-denial.

2. The second means for the obtaining of the Kingdom is serious Consideration: Most Men fall short of Heaven for want of Consideration.

1. Consideration. We should often consider what a Kingdom Heaven is. 'It is called Regnum paratum, a Kingdom prepared, Matth. 25.34. which implies something that is rare and excellent. God hath prepared in his Kingdom, such things as eye hath not seen nor ear heard ; 1 Cor. 2.9. Heaven is beyond all hyperbole. In particular, in this Celestial Kingdom are two things.

• (1.) A stately Palace.
• (2.) A Royal Feast.

(1.) A stately Palace. 1. It is large and hath several stories; for the dimensions of it, it is twelve thousand furlongs, Rev. 21.15. or as it is in some Greek Copies, twelve times twelve thousand furlongs, a finite number put for an infinite; no Arithmetician can number these furlongs: Though there be an innumerable company of Saints and Angels in Heaven yet there is infinitely enough room to receive them. 2. The Palace of this Kingdom is lucid and transparent; 'tis adorned with light, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The light is sweet. Hell is a dark dungeon, but the Palace above is bespangled with light; Col. 1.12. Such illustrious beams of Glory shine from God as shed a brightness and splendor upon the Empyrean Heaven. 3. This Palace of the Kingdom is well situated for a good Air and a pleasant prospect. There is the best Air which is perfumed with the odors of Christ's Oyntments; and a most pleasant prospect of the bright Morning-Star. 4. The Palace is rich and sumptuous; it hath Gates of Pearl, Rev. 21.21. it is enriched with white Robes and Crowns of Glory; and this Palace never falls to decay, and the dwellers in it never die, Rev. 22.5. They shall reign forever and ever.

(2.) A Royal Feast: It is called, The marriage supper of the lamb, Rev. 19.9. which Bullinger and Gregory the great, understand of the magnificent Supper prepared in the Kingdom of Heaven. A Glorious Feast it will be in respect of the Founder, God; the Glorified Saints shall feast their eyes with God's Beauty, and their hearts with his Love; a delicious Feast it will be in respect of the festivity and holy Mirth. What Joy when there shall be the Anthems and Triumphs of Glorified Spirits; when Saints and Angels shall twist together in an inseparable union of Love, and lie in each others sweet embraces; a Royal Banquet it shall be where there is no surfeit, because continually a fresh course served in. The serious Consideration what a Kingdom Heaven is, would be a means to quicken our endeavor in the pursuit after it. What causeth Men to make Voyages to the Indies, but the consideration of the Gold and Spices which are to be had there; did we survey and contemplate the Glory of Heaven, we should soon take a Voyage, and never leave till we had arrived at the Celestial Kingdom.

2. Consideration, How it will trouble you if you should perish, to think you came short of Heaven for want of a little more pains. The Prophet Elisha bid the King of Israel smite the ground six times, and he smote but thrice and stayed, 2 Kings 13.19. and he lost many Victories by it: So when a Man shall think thus, I did something in Religion but did not do enough, I prayed but it was coldly, I did not put coals to the Incense; I heard the Word, but did not meditate on it, I did not chew the end; I smote but thrice, and I should have smitten six times; had I taken a little more pains I had been happy, but I have lost the Kingdom of Heaven by short shooting. The consideration how terrible the thoughts of this will be, that we should lose Heaven for want of a little more pains, will be a means to spur on our sluggish hearts, and make us more diligent to get the Kingdom.

3. The third means for the obtaining this Kingdom is to keep up Daily Prayer, Psal. 109.4. I give myself to Prayer. Prayer inflames the affections, and oyls the wheels of the endeavor; Prayer prevails with God, it unlocks his Bowels, and then he unlocks Heaven; all that have got to Heaven have crept thither upon their knees: The Saints now in Heaven have been Men of Prayer; Daniel prayed three times a day, Jacob wrestled with God in Prayer, and as a Prince prevailed; this Prayer must be fervent, else it is thuribulum sine prunis, as Luther, a Golden Censer without Fire. O follow God with Prayers and Tears, say as Jacob to the Angel, Gen. 32.26. I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Prayer vincit invincibilem, Luther, it conquers the Omnipotent; Elijah by Prayer opened Heaven; by ardent and constant Prayer Heaven is at last opened to us.

4. If you would obtain the Heavenly Kingdom get a love to Heaven. Love puts a Man upon the use of all means to enjoy the thing loved. He that loves the World how active is he, he will break his sleep and peace for it; he that loves Honor what hazards will he run, he will swim to the crown in Blood. Jacob loved Rachel, and what would not he do, though it were serving a two seven years Apprenticeship, for obtaining her? Love carries a Man out violently to the Object loved. Love is like Wings to the Bird, like Sails to the Ship; it carries a Christian full sail to Heaven; Heaven is a place of Rest and Joy, 'tis Paradise, and will you not love it? Love Heaven and you cannot miss it: Love breaks through all opposition, it takes heaven by storm: Love though it labor is never weary; it is like the Rod of Myrtle in the Travelers hand which makes him fresh and lively in his travel▪ and keeps him from being weary.

5. If you would obtain the Kingdom of Heaven make Religion your business. What a Man looks upon as a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a thing by the by, he doth not much mind. If ever we would have Heaven we must look upon it as our main concern: Other things do but concern our livelihood, this concerns our Salvation; then we make Religion our business when we wholly devote ourselves to God's service, Psal. 139.18. we count those the best hours which are spent with God; we give God the cream of our affections, the flower of our time and strength; we traffic in Heaven every day, we are Merchants for the Pearl of price. He will never get an Estate who doth not mind his Trade; he will never get heaven who doth not make Religion his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his main business.

6. If you would obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, bind your hearts to God by sacred Vowes. Vow to the Lord that (by his Grace) you will be more intent upon heaven than ever, Psal. 56.12. Thy vows are upon me, O God. A Vow binds the Votary to Duty; he looks upon himself as obliged by his Vow to cleave to God. Bees when they fly in a great Wind ballast themselves with little stones that they may not be carried away with the Wind; so we must fortify ourselves with strong Vowes, that we may not be carried away from God with the violent wind of temptation. No question a Christian may make such a Vow, because the ground of it is Morally good, he vows nothing but what he is bound to do by virtue of his Baptismal Vow, namely to walk with God more closely, and to pursue heaven more vigorously.

7. If you would obtain the Kingdom embrace all seasons and opportunities for your Souls, Eph. 5.15. Redeeming the time. Opportunity is the cream of time; the improving the seasons of Grace is as much as our Salvation is worth. The Mariner by taking the present season while the Wind blows gets to the haven; by taking the season while we have the means of Grace, and the wind of the Spirit blows, we may arrive at the Kingdom of heaven. We know not how long we shall enjoy the Gospel; the seasons of Grace like Noah's Dove, come with an Olive-branch in their mouth, but they soon take Wings and fly. Though they are sweet, yet swift. God may remove the Golden Candlestick from us as he did from the Churches of Asia. We have many sad symptoms, Gray hairs are here and there upon us, Hos. 7.9. therefore let us lay hold upon the present season; they that sleep in Seed-time will beg in Harvest.

8. If you would go to the Kingdom of Heaven you must excubias agere keep a daily Watch; Mark 13.37. I say unto all, watch. Many have lost Heaven for want of watchfulness. Our hearts are ready to decoy us into sin, and the Devil lies in ambush by his temptations; we must every day set a spy, and keep sentinel in our Souls: Hab. 2.1. I will stand upon my watch.

(1.) We must watch our Eyes; Job 31.1. I made a covenant with my eyes. Much Sin comes in by the eye: When Eve saw the tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, then she took; Gen. 3.6. First she looked and then she lusted; the eye by beholding an impure Object sets the heart on fire; the Devil oft creeps in at the window of the eye. Watch your eyes.

(2.) Watch your Ear. Much Poison is conveyed through the ear. Let your ear be open to God, and shut to Sin.

(3.) Watch your Hearts: We watch suspicious persons; The heart is deceitful, Ier. 17.9. Watch your heart; 1. When you are about holy things; it will be stealing out to vanity. When I am at Prayer, saith S. Jerome, Aut per porticum deambulo aut de foenore computo, either I am walking through Galleries, or casting up Accompts. 2. Watch your heart when you are in Company. The Basilisk poisons the herbs he breaths on; the breath of the wicked is infectious. Nay, watch your hearts when you are in good Company; such as have some good in them, yet may be some grains too light; they may have much levity of Discourse, and if no scum boils up, yet too much froth. The Devil is subtle, and he can as well creep into the Dove, as he did once into the Serpent. Satan tempted Christ by an Apostle. 3. Watch your hearts in Prosperity; now you are in danger of Pride. The higher the Water of the Thames riseth, the higher the Boat is lifted up; the higher that Men's Estates rise, the higher their Hearts are lifted up in Pride In Prosperity you are in danger not only to forget God, but to lift up the heel against him; Deut. 32.15. Iesurun waxed fat and kicked. It is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling, and to carry a full prosperous Estate without sinning. Turpi fregerunt saecula luxu divitiae molles. Sen. Trag. Sampson fell asleep in Delilah's lap; many have fallen so fast asleep in the lap of Prosperity that they have never awaked till they have been in Hell. 4. Watch your hearts after holy Duties. When Christ had been Praying and Fasting then the Devil tempted him, Mat. 4.23. After our combating with Satan in Prayer, we are apt to grow secure, and put our Spiritual Armor off, and then the Devil falls on and wounds us. O if you would get Heaven be always upon your Watch-tower, set a spy, keep close sentinel in your Souls: Who would not watch when it is for a Kingdom.

9. If you would arrive at the Heavenly Kingdom get those three Graces which will undoubtedly bring you thither.

(1.) Divine Knowledge. There's no going to Heaven blindfold. In the Creation, Light was the first thing which was made; so 'tis in the new Creation, Knowledge is the Pillar of Fire which goes before us, and lights us into the Heavenly Kingdom. 'It is light must bring us to the inheritance in light; Col. 1.12.

(2). Faith. Faith ends in Salvation; 1 Pet. 1.9. Receiving the end of your faith, Salvation. He who believes is as sure to go to Heaven as if he were in Heaven already; Acts 16.31. Faith toucheth Christ, and can he miss of Heaven who toucheth Christ? Faith unites to Christ, and shall not the Members be where the Head is? All have not the same degree of Faith; we must distinguish between the direct act of Faith, and the reflex act, Affiance and Assurance; yet the least seed and spark of Faith gives an undoubted title to the Heavenly Kingdom. I am justified because I believe, not because I know I believe.

(3.) Love to God. Heaven is prepared for those that love God, 1 Cor. 2.9. Love is the Soul of Obedience, the Touchstone of Sincerity. By our loving God we may know he loves us, 1 John 4.19. and those whom God loves he will lay in his bosom. Ambrose in his Funeral Oration for Theodosius, brings in the Angels hovering about his departing Soul, and being ready to carry it to Heaven, asked him, What that Grace was he had practiced most upon Earth, Theodosius replied, Dilexi, dilexi, I have loved, I have loved ; and strait-way he was by a convoy of Angels translated to Glory. Love is a sacred Fire kindled in the breast, in the flames of this Fire the devout Soul ascends to Heaven.

10. If we would obtain this Heavenly Kingdom let us labor for Sincerity; Prov. 28.18. Whosoever walketh uprightly shall be saved. The sincere Christian may fall short of some degrees of Grace, but he never falls short of the Kingdom; God will pass by many failings where the heart is right; Numb. 23.21. True Gold, though it be light, hath grains of allowance; Psal. 51.6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts. Sincerity is the sauce which seasons all our Actions, and makes them savoury; it is the ingredient into every Grace: It is called Faith unfeigned, 2 Tim. 1.5. and Love 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in sincerity, Eph. 6.24. Coyn will not go currant that wants the Kings stamp; Grace is not currant if it be not stamped with Sincerity. Glorious Duties soured with Hypocrisy are rejected, when great Infirmities sweetened with Sincerity are accepted. If anything in the World bring us to Heaven it is Sincerity: Sincerity signifies plainness of heart, Psal. 32.2. In whose Spirit there is no guile. The plainer the Diamond is the richer.

(1.) Sincerity is when we serve God with our heart; we do not only worship him but love him. Cain brought his Sacrifice, but not his Heart: This is God's delight, a Sacrifice flaming upon the Altar of the Heart. A sincere Christian, though he hath a double principle in him, Flesh and Spirit, yet he hath not a double heart, his heart is for God.

(2.) Sincerity is when we aim purely at God in all we do. The Glory of God is more worth than the Salvation of all Men's Souls. A sincere Christian though he comes short in Duty yet he takes a right aim. As the herb Heliotropium turns about according to the motion of the Sun; so a Godly Mans actions do all move towards the Glory of God

11. If we would obtain the Heavenly Kingdom, let us keep up fervency in Duty, What is a dead form without the power? Rev. 3.16. Because thou art luke-warm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Fervency puts life into Duty; Rom. 12.11. Fervent in Spirit serving God; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Boyling over. Christ prayed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , yet more earnestly, Luke 22.44. When the Fire on the Golden Censer was ready to go out, Aaron was to put more Coals to the Incense. Praying with Devotion is putting more Coals to the Incense; 'tis not Formality but Fervency will bring us to Heaven: The Formalist is like Ephraim, a Cake not turned, hot on one side and dough on the other. In the external part of God's Worship he seems to be hot, but as for the Spiritual part of God's Worship he is cold. Oh if you would have the Kingdom of Heaven keep up heat and fervor in Duty. Elijah was carried up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot; if you would go to Heaven you must be carried thither in a fiery Chariot of Zeal: 'It is violence takes the Kingdom of Heaven.

12. If we would arrive at the Heavenly Kingdom let us cherish the motions of God's Spirit in our hearts. The Mariner may spread his Sails, but the Ship cannot get to the Haven without a gale of Wind; so we may spread the sails of our endeavor, but we cannot get to the Haven of Glory without the North and South-wind of God's Spirit blow; how nearly therefore doth it concern us to make much of the motions of God's Spirit; motions to Prayer, motions to Repentance. 2 Sam. 5.24. When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself, for then shall the Lord go out before thee: So when we hear as it were a voice within us, a secret inspiration stirring us up to good Duties, we should then bestir ourselves; while the Spirit works in us, we should work with the Spirit. Many Men have God's Spirit striving with them, he puts good motions in their hearts, and holy purposes, but they neglecting to prosecute these good motions, the Spirit is thereby grieved, and being grieved, withdraws its assistance, and that assistance being gone there is no getting to Heaven. Oh make much of the motions of the Spirit, it is as much as your Salvation is worth. The Spirit of God is compared to fire, Acts 2.2. if we are careful to blow this spark, we may have fire to inflame our affections, and to light our feet into the way of peace. If we quench the Spirit by our neglecting and resisting its motions, we cut ourselves off from Salvation. The Spirit of God hath a drawing-power, Cant. 1.4. The Blessed Spirit draws by attraction, as the Loadstone the Iron. In the preaching of the Word the Spirit draws the heart up to Heaven in holy longings and ejaculations. Now when the Spirit is about thus to draw us, let us take heed of drawing back left it be to perdition: Heb. 10. We should do as Noah, when the Dove came flying to the Ark, he put forth his hand and took it into the Ark, so when this sweet Dove of God's Spirit comes flying to our hearts, and brings a gracious impulse as an Olive-branch of Peace in its mouth. O take this Dove into the Ark, entertain the Spirit in your hearts, and it will bring you to Heaven.

Quest. But how shall we know the motions of the Spirit from a delusion?

Answ. The motions of the Spirit are always agreeable to the Word. If the Word be for Holiness so is the Spirit: The Spirit persuades to nothing but what the Word directs; which way the tide of the Word runs, that way the Wind of the Spirit blows.

13. We obtain the Kingdom of Heaven by uniform and cheerful Obedience; Obedience is the Road through which we travail to Heaven; many say they love God, but refuse to obey him; doth he love the Princes Person who slights his Commands?

(1.) Obedience must be uniform, Psal. 119.6, Then shall I not be ashamed, Lo Eboth, I shall not blush when I have respect to all thy Commandments ; as the Son goes through all the signs of the Zodiac, so must we through all the duties of Religion: If a Man be to go an hundred Miles, and he goes ninety nine Miles, and there stops, he comes short of the Place he is to travel to; if with Herod we do many things that God commands, yet if we lie in the total neglect of any duty we come short of the Kingdom of Heaven; for Instance, If a Man seem to make Conscience of duties of the first Table, and not the duties of the second; if he seem to be religious but is not just, he is a Transgressor, and is in danger to lose Heaven; a good heart is like the Needle which points that way which the Loadstone draws, so he moves that way which the Word draws.

(2.) Obedience must be cheerful; I delight to do thy Will O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart, Psal. 40.8. That is the sweetest Obedience which is cheerful, as that is the sweetest Honey which drops from the Comb freely: God doth sometimes accept of willingness without the work, but never of the Work without willingness; Zach. 5 9. There came out two Women and the wind was in their wings. Wings are swift, but wind in the Wings denotes great swiftness; an Emblem of the swiftness and cheerfulness which should be in Obedience; we go to Heaven in the way of Obedience.

14. If we would obtain this Kingdom, be much in the Communion of Saints; one Coal of Juniper will warm and inflame another; when the heart is dead and frozen the Communion of Saints will help to warm it, Mal. 3.16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another. Christians should never meet (saith Mr. Bolton ) but speak of their meeting together in Heaven: One Christian may be very helpful by Prayer and Conference to another, and give him a lift towards Heaven. Old Latimer was much strengthened and comforted by hearing Mr. Bilnyes Confession of Faith. We read that when Moses his hands were heavy, and he was ready to let them fall, Aaron and Hur staid up his hands, Exod. 17.12. A Christian who is ready to faint under Tentation, and lets down the hands of his Faith, by conversing with other Christians, he is strengthened and his hands are held up; a great benefit of holy Conference is Counsel and Advise: If a Man, saith Chrysostom, who hath but one head to advise him, could make that head an hundred heads to advise him, he would be very wise: A single Christian hath this benefit by the Communion of Saints, they are as so many heads to advise him what to do in such a case or exigence: By Christian conference the Saints can say, Did not our heart burn within us ? Communion of Saints we have in our Creed, but 'tis too little in our practice: Men usually travel fastest in Company, we travel fastest to Heaven in the Communion of Saints.

15. If we would attain to this Kingdom of Heaven, let us be willing to come up to Christ's terms; many will be cheapening, and bid something for the Kingdom of Heaven, they will avoid gross sin, and will come to Church and say their Prayers; and yet all this while they are not willing to come up to God's Price, that is, they will not renounce the Idol of self Righteousness, flying only to Christ as to the Horns of the Altar; they; will not sacrifice their bosom-sin; they will not give God Spirit-worship, serving him with zeal and intenseness of Soul, John 4.24. they will not forgive their Enemies: they will not part with their carnal profits for Christ; they would have the Kingdom of Heaven, but they will not come up to the Price: If you would have this Kingdom, do not article and indent with Christ, but accept of his Terms; say, Lord, I am willing to have the Kingdom of Heaven whatever it cost me; I am willing to pluck out my right eye, to part with all for the Kingdom; here is a blank paper I put into thy hand, Lord write thy own Articles, I will subscribe to them.

16. If we would obtain the Heavenly Kingdom, let us attend to the holy Ordinances; thus God brings Souls to heaven; Act. 27.31. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved. Some People would leap out of the Ship of Ordinances, and then God knows whether they leap; but except ye abide in the Ship of Ordinances ye cannot be saved; especially if you would get to Heaven attend to the Word preached: It was by the Ear, by our first Parents listening to the Serpent, that we lost Paradise; and it is by the Ear, by the hearing of the word, that we get Heaven, Isa. 55.3. Hear and your Soul shall live. God sometimes in the preaching of the word drops in that holy Oil into the Ear which softens and sanctifies the heart: The word preached is called the Ministry of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8. because the Spirit of God makes use of this Engine to convert Souls: If the word preached doth not work upon Men, nothing will, not Judgment, or Miracles, no, nor though one should arise from the Dead, Luke 16.31. If a glorified Saint should come out of Heaven, and assume a Body, and tell you of all the glory of Heaven, and the joys of the blessed, and persuade you to believe; if the preaching of the word will not bring you to Heaven, neither would his Rhetoric do it who rose from the dead. In Heaven there will be no need of Ordinances, but there is while we live here: The Lamp needs Oil, but the Star needs none. While the Saints have their Lamp of Grace burning here, they need the Oil of Ordinances to be continually dropping upon them; but there will be no need of this Oil when they are Stars in Heaven. If you intend to get to Heaven, be swift to hear; for faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.14, 17. Peter let down the Net of his Ministry and at one draught catched three thousand Souls. If you would have Heavens Door opened to you, wait at the Posts of Wisdoms Door.

17. If you would arrive at Heaven, have this Kingdom ever in your eye: Our blessed Lord looked to the Joy which was set before him, and Moses had an eye to the Recompence of Reward, Heb. 11.26. Let the Kingdom be much in our thoughts; Meditation is a means to help us to Heaven.

Quest. How doth it help?

Answ. 1. As it is a means to prevent sin, no Sword like this to cut asunder the Sinews of Tentation; it is almost inpossible to sin presumptuously with the lively thoughts and hopes of Heaven: It was when Moses was out of Sight that Israel set up a Calf and worshipped it; so it is when the Kingdom of Heaven is out of sight, I mean out of Men's thoughts, that they set up their Lusts and idolize them; the Meditation of Heaven banisheth sin; he who thinks of the weight of Glory, throws away the weights of sin.

2. The 〈◊〉 on the Kingdom of Heaven would excite and quicken Obedience, we should think we could never pray enough, never love God enough who hath prepared such a Kingdom for us, immensum Gloria calcar habet: Saint Paul had Heaven in his eye, he was once caught up thither, and how active was he for God, 1 Cor. 15.10. This would oil the Wheels of Obedience.

3. It would make us strive after Holiness, because none but such are admitted into this Kingdom, only the pure in heart shall see God, Mat. 5. Holiness is the Language of Heaven, it is the only coin will pass currant in Heaven; this considered would make us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.

Thus you see how the Meditation of Heaven would be a means to bring us thither.

18. The last means for obtaining the Heavenly Kingdom is, Perseverance in Holiness, Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful unto death, and thou shalt receive the Crown of Life. In Christians non initia sed finis laudantur, Jerome.

• 1. Is there such a thing as persevering?
• 2. How doth a Christian come to persevere?
• 3. What are the Encouragements?
• 4. What Helps?

1. Is there such a thing as persevering till we come to Heaven? The Arminians deny it, and truly that any one holds out to the Kingdom is a wonder; if you consider,

1. What a world of Corruption is mingled with Grace; Grace is apt to be stifled, as the Coal to be choked with its own ashes: Grace is oft like a Spark in the Sea, 'tis a wonder it is not quenched: 'It is a wonder sin doth not do to Grace as sometime the Nurse to the Child, overlay it that it die; so that this Infant of Grace is not smothered.

2. The Implacable malice of Satan; he denies that we should have a Kingdom, when he himself is cast out; it cuts him to the heart to see a piece of dust and clay be made a bright Star in Glory, and he himself an Angel of Darkness; he will Acheronta movere, move all the Powers of Hell to hinder us from the Kingdom; he spits his Venome, shoots his fiery Darts, raiseth a storm of persecution, yea, and prevails against some; Rev. 12.4. There appeared a great red Dragon, and his Tail drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven, and did cast them to the Earth. By the Dragon is meant the Heathenish Empire; now when his Tail cast so many to the Earth, it is a wonder that any of the Stars keep fixed in their Orb.

3. The Blandishments of Riches: The Young man in the Gospel went very far, thou art not far from the Kingdom of God ; but he had rich Possessions, and these golden weights hindered him from the Kingdom, Luke 18.23. Jonathan pursued the Battle till he came at the Honey-comb, and then he stood still, 1 Sam. 14.27. Many are forward for Heaven till they taste the sweetness of the World; but when they come at the Honey-comb, then they stand still and go no further; Faenus pecuniae funus animae. Those who have escaped the Rocks of gross sins, yet have been cast away upon the Golden Sands: What a wonder therefore that any doth hold on till he comes to the Kingdom.

4. A wonder any holds out in Grace, and doth not tire in his march to Heaven; if you consider the difficulty of a Christians Work, he hath no time to lie fallow, he is either watching or fighting; nay, a Christian is to do those Duties which to the eye of sense and reason seem inconsistent: While a Christian doth one duty he seems to cross another, e. g. he must come with holy boldness to God in Prayer, yet must serve him with fear; he must mourn for sin, yet rejoice; he must be contented, yet covet, 1 Cor. 12.32. contemn Men's Impieties, yet reverence their Authority: What difficult work is this; a wonder any Saint arrives at the Heavenly Kingdom, to this I might add, the evil Examples abroad, which are so atractive, we may say, the Devils are come among us in the likeness of Men; what a wonder is it that any Soul perseveres till it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven; but as great a wonder as it is, there is such a thing as perseverance; a Saints perseverance is built upon three immutable Pillars.

(1.) God's Eternal Love: We are inconstant in our Love to God; but he is not so in his Love to us, Ier. 31.9 I have loved thee with an everlasting Love ; a havath gnolam, with a Love of Eternity. God's Love to the Elect is not like a Kings Love to his Favorite, when it is at the highest Spring-Tide it soon ebbs; but God's Love is eternized; God may desert, not disinherit; he may change his Love into a Frown, not into hatred; he may alter his Providence, not his decree: When once the Sun-shine of God's Electing Love is risen upon the Soul, it never sets finally.

(2.) A Saints Perseverance is built upon the Covenant of Grace; 〈◊〉 a firm impregnable Covenant: This you have in the words of the sweet Singer of Israel, 2. Sam. 23.5. God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure. 'It is a sweet Covenant that God will be our God; the marrow and quintessence of all Blessing; and it is a sure Covenant, that he will put his Fear in our heart, and we shall never depart from him, Ier. 32.40. This Covenant is inviolable, cannot be broken; indeed sin may break the Peace of the Covenant, but it cannot break the Bond of the Covenant.

(3.) The third Pillar Perseverance is built upon is the Mistical Union: Believers are incorporated into Christ, they are knit to him as Members to the Head, by the Nerve and Ligament of Faith, that they cannot be broken off, Eph. 5.23. What was once said of Christ's natural Body is as true of his mystical Body, John 19.36. A bone of it shall not be broken. As it is impossible to sever the Leaven and the Dough when they are once mingled, so it is impossible when Christ and Believers are once united ever by the Power of Death or Hell to be separated: How can Christ lose any Member of his Body and be perfect? You see on what strong Pillars the Saints Perseverance is built.

2 Quest. How doth a Christian hold on till he comes to the Kingdom? How doth he persevere?

Resp. 1. Auxilio Spiritus: God carries on a Christian to perseverance by the Energy and vigorous working of his Spirit: The Spirit maintains the Essence and Seed of Grace, it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 blow up the Sparks of Grace into an holy Flame; Spiritus est Vicarius Christi, Tertul. 'tis Christ's Deputy and Proxy, is it every day at work in a Believers heart, exerting Grace into Exercise, and ripening it into perseverance: The Spirit doth carve and polish the Vessels of Mercy, and make them fit for Glory.

2. Christ causeth perseverance and carries on a Saint till he comes to the Heavenly Kingdom, vi orationis, by his Intercession: Christ is an Advocate as well as a Surety; he prays that the Saints may arrive safe at the Kingdom, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to save them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the uttermost, (i. e. perfectly) seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them; that Prayer he made for Peter on Earth he prays now in Heaven for the Saints, that their Faith fail not, Luke 22.32. that they may be with him where he is, John 17.24. and sure if he pray that they may be with him in his Kingdom, they cannot perish by the way: Christ's Prayer is efficacious; if the Saints Prayers have so much force and prevalency in them: Jacob had power with God, and as a Prince prevailed, Hos. 12.4. By Prayer Elijah unlocked Heaven: If the Prayers of the Saints have so much power with God, then what hath Christ's Prayer? how can the Children of such Prayers miscarry? how can they fall short of the Kingdom, who have him praying for them who is not only a Priest but a Son? and besides what he prays for as he is Man, that he hath power to give as he is God; thus you see how a Christian comes to Persevere till he comes to the Kingdom.

Object. But methinks I hear some Christians say, if only perseverance obtains the Kingdom, they fear they shall not come thither, they fear they shall faint by the way, and the weak legs of their Grace will never carry them to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Answ. Wert thou indeed to stand in thy own strength thou mightest fall away; that Branch withers and dies which hath no Root to grow upon; thou growest upon the Root Christ, who will be daily sending forth vital influence to strengthen thee; thou art imbecil and weak in Grace, yet fear not falling short of Heaven; For,

1. God hath made a promise to weak Believers; what is a bruised Reed but the Emblem of a weak Faith, yet it hath a Promise made to it, Mat. 12.20. A bruised Reed he will not break. God hath promised to supply the weak Christian with so much Grace as he shall need, till he comes to Heaven: Beside the two Pence which the good Samaritan left to pay for the Cure of the poor wounded Man, he passed his Word for all that he should need beside, Luke 10.35. So, Christ doth not only give a little Grace in hand, but his Bond for more, that he will give as much Grace as a Saint shall need till he comes to Heaven, Psal. 84.11. The Lord will give Grace and Glory, that is, a fresh supply of Grace till it be perfected in Glory.

2. God hath most care of his weak Saints, who fear they shall never hold out till they come to the Kingdom; doth not the Mother tend the weak Child most? Isa. 40.11. He will gather the Lambs in his Arms, and carry them in his Bosom. If thou thinkest thou art so weak that thou shalt never hold out till thou comest to Heaven, thou shalt be carried in the Arms of the Almighty, he gathers the Lambs in his Arms; Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah marched before hi • People, and his Power is their Rear-ward, so that none of them faint, or die in their March to Heaven.

3. Quest. What are the Encouragements to make Christians hold on till they come to the Kingdom of Heaven?

Answ. 1. It is a great Credit to a Christian not only to hold forth the Truth, but to hold fast the Truth till he comes to Heaven; when Grace doth flourish into perseverance, and with the Church of Thyatira our last works are more then our first, Rev. 2.19. This is insigne honoris a Star of Honor: 'It is matter of renown to see gray hairs shine with golden virtues: the Excellency of a thing lies in the finishing of it: What is the excellency of a Building? not when the first stone is laid, but when it is finished; so the beauty and excellency of a Christian is when he hath finished his Faith, having done his work is landed safe in Heaven.

2. You that have made a progress in Religion, have not many Miles to go before you come at the Kingdom of Heaven; Rom. 13.11. Now is our Salvation nearer then when we believed. You who have hoary hairs, your green Tree is turned into an Almond-tree, you are near to Heaven, it is but going a little further and you will set your Feet within Heaven Gates; Oh therefore now be encouraged to hold out, your Salvation is nearer then when you first began to believe: Our diligence should be greater when our Salvation is nearer: When a Man is almost at the end of the Race will he now tire and faint? will he not put forth all his strength, and strain every Limb that he may lay hold upon the Prize? Our Salvation is now nearer, the Kingdom is as it were within sight; how should we now put forth all our strength that we may lay hold upon the Garland of Glory: Doctor Taylor when he was going to his Martyrdom, I have (saith he) but two Stiles to go over and I shall be at my Fathers House. Though the way to Heaven be up hill, you must climb the steepy Rock of Mortification, and though there be Thorns in the way, viz. Sufferings, yet you have gone the greatest part of your way, you are within a few days march of the Kingdom, and will not you persevere? Christian pluck up thy Courage, fight the good fight of Faith, pursue Holiness, 'tis but a while and you shall put off your Armor, and end all your weary Marches, and receive a Victorious Crown; your Salvation is nearer, you are within a little of the Kingdom, therefore now presevere, you are ready to commence and take your Degree of Glory.

3. The blessed promise annexed to Perseverance; the promise is a Crown of Life, Rev 2.10. Death is a Worm that feeds in the Crowns of Princes, but behold here a living Crown, and a never-fading Crown, 1 Pet. 5.4. and Rev. 2.28. He that overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end I will give him Stellam matutinam, the Morning Star: The Morning Star is brighter then the rest; this Morning Star is meant of Christ; as if Christ had said, I will give to him that perseveres some of my Beauty, I will put some of my illustrious Rays upon him, he shall have the next degree of Glory to me, as the Morning Star is next the Sun; will not this animate and make us hold out, we shall have a Kingdom, and that which is better then the Kingdom, a bright Morning Star.

4 Quest. What are the means conducing to perseverance, or what shall we do that we may hold out to the Kingdom?

Resp. 1. Take up Religion upon good Grounds, not in a Fit or Humour, or out of worldly design, but be deliberate, weigh things well in the Ballance, Luke 14.28. Which of you intending to build a Tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost: Think with yourselves what Religion must cost you, it must cost you the parting with your sins, and what is may cost you, it may cost you the parting with your Lives; consider if a Kingdom will not countervail your Sufferings; weigh things well and then make your choice, Psal. 119.30. I have chosen the way of thy Truth. Why do many Apostatize and fall away, but because they did never sit down and count the cost.

2. If we would hold out to the Kingdom, let us cherish the Grace of Faith, 1 Cor. 1.24. By Faith ye stand ; Faith like Hercules Club it beats down all Oppositions before it; 'tis a conquering Grace.

Quest. How comes Faith to be so strong?

Resp. Faith fetcheth Christ's strength into the Soul, Phil. 4.13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . A Captain may give his Soldier Armor, but not strength: Faith partakes of Christ's strength, and Faith gets strength from the promise; as the Child by sucking the Breast gets strength, so doth Faith by sucking the Breast of the Promise; hence Faith is such a wonder working Grace, and enables a Christian to persevere.

3. If you would hold out to the Kingdom, set before your Eyes the Examples of those Noble, Heroic Saints who have persevered to the Kingdom; Vivitur Exemplis, Examples have more influence upon us then Precepts, Job 23.11, 12. My Foot hath held his steps: Though the way of Religion hath Flints and Thorns in it, yet my Foot hath held his steps, I have not fainted in the way, nor turned out of the way; Daniel held on his Religion, and would not intermit Prayer, though he knew the writing was signed against him, and a Prayer might cost him his life, Dan. 6.10. The blessed Martyrs persevered to the Kingdom through Sufferings; Saunders that holy Man said, Welcome the Cross of Christ, my Savior began to me in a bitter Cup, and shall I not pledge him? Another Martyr kissing the Stake said, I shall not lose my Life, but change it for a better, instead of Coals I shall have Pearls. What a spirit of gallantry was in these Saints; let us learn Constancy from their Courage. A Soldier seeing his General fight valiantly, is animated by his Example, and hath new Spirits put into him.

4. Let us add fervent Prayer to God, that he would enable us to hold out to the Heavenly Kingdom: Psal. 119.117. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe. Let us not presume on our own strength. When Peter cried to Christ on the water, Lord save me, then Christ took him by the hand, Matth. 14.30. but when he grew confident of his own strength, then Christ let him fall. O pray to God for auxiliary Grace. The Child is safe when held in the Nurses arms; so are we in Christ's arms. Let us pray that God will put his fear in our hearts that we do not depart from him; and that Prayer of Cyprian, Domine quod caepisti perfice, ne in portu naufragium accidat, Lord perfect that which thou hast begun in me, that I may not suffer shipwreck when I am almost at the haven.

3. Branch. Let us press forward with the greatest diligence to this Kingdom: And here let me lay down some powerful Persuasives, or Divine Arguments, to make you put to all your strength for the obtaining this blessed Kingdom.

1. This is the great errand for which God hath sent us into the World to prepare for this Heavenly Kingdom; Matth. 6.33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. First in time, before all things; and first in affection, above all things. Great care is taken for the achieving Worldly things; Matth. 6.25. To see people laboring for the earth, as Ants about a Molehill, would make one think this were the only errand they came about: But alas, what is all this to the Kingdom of Heaven? I have read of a devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem, who passing through several Cities, where he saw many stately Edifices, Ware and Monuments, he would say, I must not stay here, this is not Jerusalem: So when we enjoy Worldly things, Peace and Plenty, and have our presses burst out with new Wine, we should say to ourselves, this is not the Kingdom we are to look after, this is not Heaven: 'It is Wisdom to remember our errand. It will be but sad upon a Death-bed for a Man to think he was busying himself only about trifles, playing with a feather, and neglected the main thing he came into the World about.

2. The seeking after the Heavenly Kingdom will be judged most prudent by all Men at last. Those who are regardless of their Souls now, will before they die wish they had minded Eternity more; when Conscience is awakened, and Men begin to come to themselves: Now what would they give for the Kingdom of Heaven? How happy were it if Men were of the same mind now, as they will be at Death. Death will alter Men's opinions; then those who did most slight and disparage the ways of Religion, will wish their time and thoughts had been taken up about the excellent Glory. At Death Men's eyes will be opened, and they will see their folly when it is too late. If all Men, even the worst, will wish at last they had minded the Kingdom of Heaven, why should not we do that now, which all will wish they had done when they come to die.

3. This Kingdom of Heaven deserves our utmost pains and diligence; it is Glorious beyond Hyperbole. Suppose Earthly Kingdoms more magnificent than they are, their Foundations of Gold, their Walls of Pearl, their Windows of Sapphire, yet they are not comparable to the Heavenly Kingdom; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Chrys. If the Pavement of it be bespangled with so many bright shining Lights, glorious Stars, what is the Kingdom itself? 1 John 3.2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be. This Kingdom exceeds our Faith. How sublime and wonderful is that place where the blessed Deity shines forth in his immense Glory, infinitely beyond the comprehension of Angels.

(1.) The Kingdom of Heaven is a place of Honor; there are the glorious Triumphs and sparkling Crowns. In other Kingdoms there is but one King, but in Heaven all are Kings: Rev. 1.6. Every Saint glorified partaker of the same Glory as Christ doth; John 17.22. The glory thou hast given me I have given them.

(2.) This Kingdom is a place of Joy; Matth. 25.21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. To have a continual aspect of Love from God's face, to be crowned with Immortality, to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Angels of God, to drink of the Rivers of Pleasure forever, this will cause Raptures of Joy. Sure it deserves our utmost pains in pursuing and securing this Kingdom. Julius Caesar coming towards Rome with his Army, and hearing the Senate and People fled from it, said, They that will not fight for this City, what City will they fight for? If we will not take pains for the Kingdom of Heaven what Kingdom will we take pains for. It was the speech of the Spies to their Brethren, Judge. 18.9. We have seen the land, and behold it is very good, and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. We have had a lively description of the Glory of Heaven, we find the Kingdom is very good, why then do we sit still? Why do we not operam navare put forth our utmost zeal and industry for this Kingdom? The diligence of others in seeking after Earthly Kingdoms, shames our coldness and indifferency in pursuing after the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. The time we have to make sure of the Heavenly Kingdom is very short and uncertain; take heed it doth not slip away before you have prepared for the Kingdom. Time passeth on apace, Cito pede praeterita vita: It will not be long before the silver cord be loosed, and the golden bowl broken, Eccles. 12. The skin wherein the Brains are enclosed as in a bowl, this golden bowl will soon be broken. Our Soul is in our Body as the Bird is in the Shell, which soon breaks and the Bird flies out; the Shell of the Body breaking, the Soul flies into Eternity. We know not whether we shall live to another Sabbath: Before we hear another Sermon-bell go, our Passing-bell may go. Our Life runs as a swift stream into the ocean of Eternity. Brethren, if our Time be so minute and transient, if the taper of Life be so soon wasted, or perhaps blown out by violent death, how should we put to all our strength, and call in help from Heaven that we may obtain the Kingdom of Glory. If time be so short, why do we wast it about things of less moment, and neglect the one thing needful, which is the Kingdom of Heaven. A Man that hath a great work to be done, and but one day for the doing of it, had need work hard: We have a great work to do, we are striving for a Kingdom, and alas we are not certain of one day to work in, therefore what need have we to bestir ourselves, and what we do for Heaven, to do it with all our might.

5. To excite our diligence, let us consider how inexcusable we shall be if we miss of the Kingdom of Heaven, who have had such helps for Heaven as we have had: Indians who have Mines of Gold, have not such advantages for Glory as we; they have the light of the Sun, Moon and Stars, and the light of R • ason, but this is not enough to light them to Heaven: But we have had the light of the Gospel shining in our Horizon; we have been lifted up to Heaven with Ordinances; we have had the Word in season and out of season. The Ordinances are the pipes of the Sanctuary which empty the golden Oil of Grace into the Soul, they are scala ParAdisi, the Ladder by which we ascend to the Kingdom of Heaven: Deut. 4 7. What nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? We have had Heaven and Hell set before us, we have had Counsels of Friends, Warnings, Examples, the Motions and Inspirations of the Holy Ghost, how should all these spurs quicken us in our pace to Heaven? Should not that Ship sail apace to the Haven which hath Wind and Tide to carry it? The Tide of Ordinances, and the Wind of the Spirit. Surely if we through negligence miss of the Kingdom of Heaven, we shall have nothing to say for ourselves; we shall be as far from excuse as from happiness.

6. You cannot do too much for the Kingdom of Heaven; you cannot pray too much, sanctify the Sabbath too much, love God too much; you cannot over-do. In secular things a Man may labor too hard, he may kill himself with working; but there is no fear of working too hard for Heaven: In virtute non est verendum ne quid nimium sit, Seneca. The World is apt to censure the Godly, as if they were too zealous, and did over-strain themselves in Religion. Indeed a Man may follow the World too much, he may make too much hast to be rich. The Ferry-man may take in too many Passengers into his Boat, to the sinking of his Boat; so a Man may heap up so much Gold and Silver as to sink himself in Perdition, 1 Tim. 6.9. but one cannot be too earnest and zealous for the Kingdom of Heaven; there is no fear of excess here; when we do all we can for Heaven, we come short of the Golden Rule set us, and of Christ's Golden Pattern; when our Faith is highest, like the Sun in the Meridian, yet still 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there is something lacking in our Faith, 1 Thess. 3.1. so that all our labor for the Kingdom is little enough. When a Christian hath done his best, yet still he hath sins and wants to bewail.

7 By this you may judge of the state of your Souls, whether you have Grace or no, by your earnest pursuit after the Heavenly Kingdom. Grace infuseth a Spirit of activity into a person; Grace doth not lie dormant in the Soul, 'tis not a sleepy habit, but it makes a Christian like a Seraphim swift and winged in his Heavenly motion; Grace is like fire, it makes one burn in love to God, and the more he loves him, the more he presseth forward to Heaven where he may fully enjoy him. Hope is an active Grace, 'tis called a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. hope is like the spring in the Watch, it sets all the wheels of the Soul a running: Hope of a Crop makes the Husbandman sow his seed; hope of Victory makes the Soldier fight; and a true hope of Glory makes a Christian vigorously pursue Glory. Here is a Spiritual Touchstone to try our Grace by. If we have the anointing of the Spirit, it will oil the wheels of our endeavor, and make us lively in our pursuit after the Heavenly Kingdom. No sooner had Paul Grace infused, but presently, Behold he prays; Acts 9.11. The Affections are by Divines called the Feet of the Soul, if these Feet move not towards Heaven, it is because there is no Life.

8. Your labor for Heaven is not lost: Perhaps you may think it is in vain that you have served God, but know, that your pains is not lost. The Seed is cast into the Earth and it dies, yet at last it brings forth a plentiful Crop; so your labors seem to be fruitless, but at last they bring you to a Kingdom. Who would not work hard for one hour, when for that hours work he sh • uld be a King as long as he lived. And let me tell you, the more labor you have put forth for the Kingdom of Heaven, the more degrees of Glory you shall have. As there are degrees of Torment in Hell, Matth. 23.14. so of Glory in Heaven. As one Star differs from another in Glory, so shall one Saint; 1 Cor. 15.41. Though every Vessel of Mercy shall be full, yet one Vessel may hold mor • than another. Such as have done more work for God, shall have more Glory in the Heavenly Kingdom. Could we hear th • Saints departed speaking to us from Heaven, sure they would speak after this manner, Were we to leave Heaven a while, and live on the Earth again, we would do God a thousand times more service than ever we did; we would pray with more Life, act with more Zeal; for now we see, the more hath been our labor the greater is our reward in Heaven.

9. While we are laboring for the Kingdom, God will help us; Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. The Promise encourageth us, and God's Spirit enableth us. A Master gives his Servant work to do, but he cannot give him strength to work; but God as he cuts us out work, so he gives us strength, Psal. 86.16. Give thy strength unto thy servant. God not only gives us a Crown when we have done running, but gives us legs to run; he gives exciting, assisting Grace: Lex jubet, Gratia juvat. The Spirit helping us in our work for Heaven makes it easy. If the Loadstone draw the Iron, it is not hard for the Iron to move▪ If God Spirit draws the heart, now it moves towards Heaven with facility and alacrity.

10. The more pains we have taken for Heaven the sweeter Heaven will be when we come there. As when an Husbandman hath been grafting Trees, or setting Flowers in his Garden, it is pleasant to review and look over his labors; so when in Heaven we shall remember our former zeal and earnestness for the Kingdom, it will sweeten Heaven and add to the joy of it. For a Christian to think such a day I spent in examining my heart, such a day I was weeping for Sin; when others were at their sport, I was at Prayer, and now have I lost anything by my Devotion? My Tea • s are wiped away, and the Wine of Paradise cheers my heart. I now enjoy him whom my Soul loves, I am possessed of a Kingdom, my labor is over, but my joy remains.

11. If you do not take pains for the Kingdom of Heaven now, there will be nothing to be done for your Souls after death: This is the only fit season for working, and if this season be lost, the Kingdom is forfeited; Eccles. 9.10. Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. It was a Saying of Charles the Fifth, I have spent my Treasure, but that I may recover again, I have lost my Health, but that I may have again, but I have lost a great many brave Soldiers, but them I can never have again : So other Temporal things may be lost, and recovered again, but if the term of Life wherein you should work for Heaven be once lost, it is past all recovery, you can never have another season again for your Souls.

12. There is nothing else but this Kingdom of Heaven we can make sure of: We cannot make sure of Life. Quis scit an adjiciant hodiernae crastina Vitae tempora dii superi? Hor. When our Breath goes out we know not whether we shall draw it in again▪ how many are taken away suddenly? We cannot make Riches sure, it is uncertain whether we shall get them. The World is like a Lottery, everyone is not sure to draw a Prize: Or if we get Riches we are not sure to keep them; Prov. 23 5. Riches make themselves wings and fly : Experience seals to the truth of this. Many who have had plentiful Estates, yet by Fire, or losses at Sea, they have been squeezed as sponges, and all their Estates exhausted; but if Men should keep their Estates a while, yet Death strips them of all. When Deaths gun goes off away flies the Estate. 1 Tim. 6.7. It is certain we can carry nothing out of the World : So that there is no making sure anything here below, but we may make sure of the Kingdom of Heaven; Prov. 11.18. To him that worketh righteousness is a sure reward. He who hath Grace is sure of Heaven, for he hath Heaven begun in him. A Believer hath an evidence of Heaven; Heb. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things not seen ; he hath an earnest of Glory, 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also given us the earnest of his Spirit ; an earnest is part of the whole sum; he hath a sure hope, Heb. 6.19. Which hope we have as an anchor ; this anchor is cast upon God's promise, Titus 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath promised. So that here is great encouragement to take pains for Heaven, we may make sure of this Kingdom.

13. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot be obtained without labor. Non est ad astra mollis e terris vi • . A boat may as well get to land without oars, as we to Heaven without labor. We cannot have the World without labor, and do we think to have Heaven? If a Man digs for Gravel, much more for Gold: Phil. 3.14. I press toward the mark. Heaven Gate is not like that •• on-gate, which opened to Peter of its own accord, Acts 12.10. Heaven is not like those ripe figs which fall into the mouth of the eater; Nahum 3.12. No, there must be taking pains. Two things are requisite for a Christian, a watchful eye and a working hand. We must as Hannibal, force a way to the Heavenly Kingdom through difficulties. We must win the garland of Glory by labor, before we wear it with triumph. God hath enacted this Law, That no man shall eat of the Tree of Paradise, but in the sweat of his brows ; how then dare any censure Christian diligence; how dare they say, you take more pains for Heaven than needs: God saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , strive as in an agony, fight the good sight of Faith ; and these say, you are too strict: But who shall we believe, an holy God that bids us strive, or a profane Atheist that saith we strive too much.

14. Much of our time being already misspent, we had need work the harder for the Kingdom of Heaven. He who hath lost his time at School, and often played truant, had need ply it the harder that he may gain a stock of Learning; he who hath slept and loytered in the beginning of his journey, had need ride the faster in the evening, least he fall short of the place he is travelling to. Some here present are in their Youth, others in the flower of their Age, others have gray hairs, the Almond tree blossoms, and perhaps they have been very regardless of their Souls or Heaven. Time spent unprofitably is not time lived, but time lost; if there be any such here who have misspent their golden hours, they have not only been slothful but wastful Servants, how had you need now, redeem the time, and press forward with might and main to the Heavenly Kingdom; 1 Pet 4.3. The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles. It may suffice us that we have lost so much time already, let us now work the harder: Such as have crept as Snails, had need now fly as Eagles to the Paradise of God; if in the former part of your Life you have been as Willows, barren in goodness, in the latter part be as an Orchard of Pomegranates, with pleasant fruits, Cant. 4.13. Recompence former remissness with future diligence.

15. How uncomely and sordid a slothful temper of Soul is; Zeph. 1.12. I will punish the men who are settled on their lees ; Hebr. Hakkophim, Coagulatos, curdled on their lees. Settling on the lees, is an emblem of a dull unactive Soul. The Snail by reason of its slow motion was reckoned among the unclean; Lev. 11.30. A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, Prov. 19.24. he is loath to pull it out, though it be to lay hold on a Crown: Non capit porta illa Caelestis torpore languidos, Brugens. The Devil himself cannot be charged with idleness, 1 Pet. 5.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He walketh about. An idle Soul stands in the World for a cypher, and God writes down no cyphers in the Book of Life; Heaven is no hive for Drones; an idle person is fit for a temptation. When the Bird sits still upon the bough, then it is in danger of the gun; one sits still in sloth, then the Devil shoots him with a temptation; standing water putrifies. Heathens will rise up in Judgment against supine Christians. What pains did they take in the Olympic Games, they ran but for a Garland of Flowers, or Olive, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Chrys • stom, and do we sit still who run for a Kingdom? How can he expect a Reward that never works, or a Crown that never fights? Inertia animae somnus, sloth is the Souls sleep. Adam when he was asleep lost his Rib; and when a person is in the deep sleep of sloth, he loseth Salvation.

16. Holy activity and industry doth ennoble a Christian: Labor splendore decoratur, Cicero. The more excellent anything is, the more active. The Sun is a glorious Creature, it is ever in motion, going its circuit: Fire is the purest Element, and the most active, 'tis ever sparkling and flaming: The Angels are the most Noble Creatures, they are represented by the Cherubims with Wings displayed. The more active for Heaven the more illustrious, and the more do we resemble the Angels. The Phenix flies with a Coronet on its head; the industrious Soul hath his Coronet, his labor is his ensign of honor.

17. It is Mercy that there is a possibility of Happiness, and that upon our pains taking we may have a Kingdom; by our Fall in Adam we forfeited Heaven; why might not God have dealt with us as with the lapsed Angels? they had no sooner sinned but were expel'd Heaven never to come thither more; we may say as the Apostle, Rom. 11.22. Behold the Goodness and severity of God. To the Apostate Angels behold the severity of God that he should throw them down to Hell forever; to us behold the goodness of God, that he hath put us into a possibility of Mercy, and if we do but take pains, there is a Kingdom stands ready for us; how may this whet and sharpen our Industry, that we are in a Capacity of Salvation; and if we do but what we are able, we shall receive an eternal weight of Glory.

18. Our labor for the Kingdom of Heaven is minute and transient, it is not to last long; our labor expires with our life; 'tis but a while and we shall leave off working, for a little labor an eternal Rest: Who would think much to wade through a little water, that were sure to be crowned as soon as he came at shore. Christians let this encourage you, you have but a little more pains to take, a few Tears more shed, a few more Sabbaths kept, and behold an Eternal Recompence of Reward; what are a few Tears to a Crown? a few Minutes of time to an Eternity of Glory?

19. What striving is there for earthly Kingdoms which are corruptible, and subject to change: With what Vigour and Alacrity did Hannibal 's Soldiers continue their March over the Alps and craggy Rocks; and Caesar's Soldiers fight with Hunger and Cold. Men will break through Laws and Oaths, they will swim to the Crown in Blood; will they venture thus for earthly Promotions? and shall not we strive more for an Heavenly Kingdom? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Chrysost. This is a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, Heb. 12.28. A Kingdom where there is unparalleled Beauty, unstained Honor, unmixed joy; a Kingdom where there shall be nothing present, which we could wish were removed, nor nothing absent, which we could wish were enjoyed: Sure if there be any Spark of Grace or true Generosity in our Breasts, we will not suffer ourselves to be out-striven by others, we will not let them take more pains for earthly Honors, then we do for that excellent Glory which will crown all our desires.

20. How much pains do some Men take to go to Hell, and shall not we take more pains to go to Heaven? Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit Iniquity. Sinners hackny themselves out in the Devils Service: What Pains do some Men take to satisfy their unclean Lusts! they wast their Estates, wear the shameful marks of their sin about them; they will visit the Harlots house though it stands the next door to hell, Prov. 7.27. Her house is the way to Hell. What pains do others take in persecuting! Holiness is the white they shoot at: 'It is said of Antiochus Epiphanes, he undertook more tedious Journies, and went upon greater hazards to vex and oppose the Jews, then any of his Predecessors had done in getting of Victories. The Devil blows the horn, and Men ride Pos • to hell, as if they feared hell would be full ere they could get thither: When Satan had entered into Judas, how active was Judas ! he goes to the High Priests, from them to the Band of Soldiers, and with them back again to the Garden, and never left till he had betrayed Christ: How industrious were the idolatrous Jews, so fiercely were they bent upon their sin, that they would sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to their Idol God's, Ier. 32.35. Do Men take all this Pains for hell, and shall not we take pains for the Kingdom of Heaven? The wicked have nothing to encourage them in their Sins, they have all the threatenings of God as a flaming Sword against them. O let it never be said that the Devils Servants are more active then Christ's, that they serve him better, who rewards them only with Fire and Brimstone, then we do God who rewards us with a Kingdom.

21. The labor we take for Heaven is a labor full of pleasure, Prov. 3.17. A Man sweats at his Recreation, tires himself with hunting, but there is a delight he takes in it which sweetens it: Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God, in the inner Man, Gr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I take pleasure. Not only is the Kingdom of Heaven delightful, but the way thither: What delight hath a gracious Soul in Prayer, Isa. 56.7. I will make them joyful in my house of Prayer. While a Christian weeps there is joy drops with Tears; while he is musing on God he hath such illapses of the Spirit, and as it were such Transfigurations of Soul, that he thinks himself half in Heaven, Psal. 63.5, 6. My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips, when I remember thee upon my Bed, &c. A Christians work for Heaven is like a Bridegrooms work on the Morning of the Marriage day, he puts on his Vesture and wedding Robes, in which he shall be married to his Bride; so in all the Duties of Religion we are putting on those wedding Robes, in which we shall be married to Christ in Glory: O what solace and inward Peace is there in close walking with God, Isa. 32.17. The Work of Righteousness shall be Peace. Serving of God is like gathering of Spices or Flowers, wherein there is some labor, but the labor is recompensed with delight: Working for Heaven is like digging in a Gold Mine, the digging is labor, but getting the Gold is pleasure: O then let us bestir ourselves for the Kingdom of Heaven; it is a labor full of Pleasure; a Christian would not part with his Joy for the most delicious Music; he would not exchange his Anchor of Hope for a Crown of Gold: Well might David say in keeping thy Precepts there is great Reward, Psal. 19.11. not only after keeping thy Precepts, but in keeping them; a Christian hath both the Spring Flowers and the Crop; inward delight in serving God, there is the Spring Flowers; and the Kingdom of Glory at last, there is the full Crop.

22. How industrious have the Saints in former Ages been, they thought they could never do enough for Heaven; they could never serve God enough, love him enough, minus te amavi, Domine, Austin. Lord I have loved thee too little. What Pains did Saint Paul take for the Heavenly Kingdom, Phil. 3.13. Reaching forth unto those things which are before ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Greek Word to reach forth, signifies to stretch out the neck, a Metaphor from Racers who strain every Limb, and reach forward to lay hold on the Prize. Anna the Prophetess, Luke 2.37. departed not from the Temple, but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day. Basil the Great by much labor and watching exhausted his bodily strength. Let Racks, Pullies, and all torments come upon me (said Ignatius ) so I may win Christ. The Industry and Courage of former Saints who are now crowned with Glory should provoke our diligence, that so at last we may sit down with them in the Kingdom of Heaven.

23. The more pains we take for Heaven, the more welcome will Death be to us: What is it makes Men so loath to die? they are like a Tenant that will not out of the House, till the Sergeant pull him out; they love not to hear of Death; why so? because their Conscience accuseth them that they have taken little or no pains for Heaven; they have been sleeping when they should have been working; and now they are afraid least Death should carry them Prisoners to Hell: Whereas he who hath spent his time in serving of God, he can look Death in the Face with comfort, he was wholly taken up about Heaven, and now he shall be taken up to Heaven; he traded before in Heaven, and now he shall go to live there, Phil. 1.23. Cupio dissolvi, I desire to be dissolved, and be with Christ: Paul had wholly laid out himself for God, 1 Cor. 15.10. and now he knew there was a Crown laid up for him, and he longed to take Possession. Thus I have given you twenty three Persuasives or Arguments to exert and put forth your utmost diligence for the obtaining the Kingdom of Heaven; O that these Arguments were written in all your Hearts, as with the Point of a Diamond; and because delays in these Cases are dangerous, let me desire you to set upon this Work for Heaven presently, Psal. 119.60. I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. Many People are convinced of the necessity of looking after the Kingdom of Glory, but they say as those, Hagg. 1.2. The time is not yet come : They adjourn and put off, till their time is slip'd away, and so they lose the Kingdom of Heaven; beware of this fallacy; delay strengthens sin, hardens the heart, and gives the Devil fuller possession of a Man; 1 Sam. 21.8. The Kings business requires hast ; so the business of Salvation requires hast; do not put off an hour longer; volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora ; what assurance have you that you shall live another day? have you any lease of life granted? why then do you not presently arise out of the Bed of Sloath, and put forth all your strength and Spirits that you may be possessed of the Kingdom of Glory? should not things of the highest importance be done first? settling a Mans Estate, and clearing the Title to his Land, is not delayed, but done in the first place; what is there of such grand importance as this, the saving of your Souls, and the gaining of a Kingdom? therefore today hear God's Voice, now mind Eternity, now get your Title to Heaven cleared before the Decree of Death bring forth; what imprudence is it to lay the heaviest Load upon the weakest Horse? so to lay the heavy Load of Repentance on thyself when thou art enfeebled by sickness, the Hands shake, the Lips quiver, the Heart faints: O be wise in time, now prepare for the Kingdom: He who never begins his Voyage to Heaven but in the storm of Death, it is a thousand to one if he doth not suffer an Eternal Shipwrack.

VSE VI. Of Exhortation.

1. Branch. If there be such a glorious Kingdom a coming, then you who have any good hope through Grace that you are the Heirs of this Kingdom, let me exhort you to six things.

1. Often take a Prospect of this heavenly Kingdom, climb up the Caelestial Mount, take a turn as it were in Heaven every day by holy Meditation, Psal. 48.12, 13. Walk about Zion, tell the Towers thereof, mark well her Bulwarks : See what a glorious Kingdom Heaven is, go-tell the Towers, view the Palaces of the Heavenly Jerusalem ; Christian, show thy Heart the Gates of Pearl, the Bed of Spices, the Clusters of Grapes which grow in the Paradise of God; say, O my Soul, all this Glory is thine, it is thy Fathers good pleasure to give thee this Kingdom: The Thoughts of Heaven are very delightful and ravishing; can Men of the World so delight in viewing their Bags of Gold, and Fields of Corn, and shall not the Heirs of Promise take more delight in contemplating the Caelestial Kingdom: The serious Meditation of the Kingdom of Glory would work these three effects.

(1.) It would put a damp and slur upon all worldly Glory: Those who stand upon the top of the Alps the great Cities of Campania seem but small in their eye. Could we look through the Perspective Glass of Faith, and take a view of Heavens Glory, how small and minute would all other things appear: Moses slighted the Honors of Pharaohs Court, having an eye to the Recompence of Reward: Heb. 11.26. St. Paul who had a Vision of Glory, and Saint John who was carried away in the Spirit, and saw the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven, having the Glory of God in it, Rev. 21.11. how did the world after appear in an Eclipse to them.

(2.) The Meditation of the heavenly Kingdom would much promote holiness in us: Heaven is an holy place, 1 Pet. 1.4. an Inheritance undefiled ; 'tis described by Transparent Glass to denote its Purity, Rev. 21.21. The contemplating heaven would put us upon the study of holiness, because none but such are admitted into that kingdom: Heaven is not like Noah 's Ark, into which came clean Beasts and unclean; only the pure in heart shall see God, Mat. 5.8.

(3.) The Meditation of the heavenly Kingdom would be a Spur to diligence, immensum Gloria Calcar habet. 1 Cor. 15.58. always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your Labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. When the Mariner sees the haven he plies it harder with his Oars; when we have a sight and prospect of Glory, it would make us much in Prayer, alms, watching, it would add wings to duty, and make the Lamp of our Devotion burn brighter.

2. If you have hopes of this Kingdom▪ be content though you have but a little of the World: Contentment is a rare thing, 'tis a Jewel that but few Christians wear; but if you have a grounded hope of heaven, it may work your heart to Contentation; what though you have but little in Possession, you have a Kingdom in Reversion. Were you to take an estimate of a Mans Estate, how would you value it? by what he hath in his house, or by his Land? perhaps he hath little Money or Jewels in his house, but he is a Landed Man, there lies his Estate. A Believer hath but little Oil in the Cruse▪ and Meal in the Barrel, but he is a landed Man, he hath a Title to a Kingdom, and may not this satisfy him? If a Man who lived here in England, had a great Estate befallen him beyond the Seas, and perhaps had no more Money at present, but just to pay for his Voyage, he is content, he knows when he comes to his Estate he shall have Money enough: Thou who art a Believer hast a Kingdom befallen thee; though thou hast but little in thy Purse, yet if thou hast enough to pay for thy Voyage, enough to bear thy Charges to heaven, it is sufficient. God hath given thee Grace which is the Fore Crop, and will give thee Glory, which is the After-Crop, and may not this make thee content?

3. Branch. If you have hope of this blessed Kingdom, pray often for the coming of this glorious Kingdom, Thy Kingdom come : Only Believers can pray heartily for the hastening of the Kingdom of Glory.

1. They cannot pray that Christ's kingdom of Glory may come who never had the kingdom of Grace set up in their Hearts: Can the guilty Prisoner pray that the Assis • s may come?

2. They cannot pray heartily that Christ's kingdom of Glory may come, who are Lovers of the World; they have found Paradise, they are in their kingdom already, this is their heaven, and they desire to hear of no other; they are of his mind who said, if he might keep his Cardinalship in Paris he would lose his part in Paradise.

3. They cannot pray heartily that Christ's kingdom of Glory may come, who o •• ose Christ's kingdom of Grace, who break his Laws which are the Scepter of his kingdom, who shoot at those who bear Christ's Name and carry his Colours; sure these cannot pray that Christ's kingdom of Glory may come, for then Christ will judge them, and if they say this Prayer they are Hypocrites, they mean not as they speak. But you who have the kingdom of Grace set up in your hearts, pray much that the kingdom of Glory may hasten, Thy Kingdom come ; when this kingdom comes then you shall behold Christ in all his embroidered Robes of Glory, shining ten thousand times brighter then the Sun in all it's Meridian Splendor. When Christ's kingdom comes the Bodies of the Saints that slept in the dust shall be raised in honor, and made like Christ's Glorious Body; then shall your Souls like Diamonds sparkle with Holiness; you shall never have a sinful thought more, you shall be as holy as the Angels, you shall be as holy as you would be, and as holy as God would have you to be; then you shall be in a better state than in Innocency. Adam was Created a Glorious Creature but mutable, a bright Star but a falling Star, but in the Kingdom of Heaven is a fixation of Happiness: When Christ's Kingdom of Glory comes you shall be rid of all your enemies: As Moses said, Exod. 14.13. The Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them no more forever ; so those enemies who have plough'd on the backs of God's people, and made deep their surrows, when Christ shall come in his Glory, you shall see these enemies no more. All Christ's enemies shall be put under his feet, 1 Cor. 15.25. and before the wicked be destroyed the Saints shall judge them; 1 Cor. 6.2. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World : This will cut the wicked to the heart, that those whom they have formerly scorned and scourged shall sit as Judges upon them, and vote with Christ in his judicial proceedings: O then well may you pray for the hastening of the Kingdom of Glory, Thy Kingdom come.

4. Branch. If you have any good hope of this blessed Kingdom, let this make the color come in your Faces, be of a sanguine▪ cheerful temper; have you a Title to a Kingdom, and sad? Rom. 5.2. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Christians, the Trumpet is ready to sound; an eternal Jubilee is at hand when a freedom from Sin shall be proclaimed; your Coronation day is a coming; it is but putting off your clothes, and laying your head upon a pillow of dust, and you shall be inthroned in a Kingdom, and invested with the embroidered Robes of Glory: Doth not all this call for a cheerful Spirit? Chearfulness adorns Religion; it is a temper of Soul Christ loves: John 14.28. If ye loved me ye would rejoice. It makes many suspect Heaven is not so pleasant, when they see those that walk thither so sad. How doth the heir rejoice in hope of the Inheritance? Who should rejoice if not a Believer who is heir of the Kingdom, and such a Kingdom as eye hath not seen. When the Flesh begins to droop, let Faith lift up its head, and cause an holy jubilation and rejoicing in the Soul.

5. Let the Saints long to be in this blessed Kingdom. A Prince that travels in Foreign parts, doth he not long to be in his own Nation, that he may be Crowned? The Bride desires the Marriage day: Rev. 22.17. The Spirit and the bride say, Come: Even so come Lord Jesus. Sure our unwillingness to go hence, shows either the weakness of our Faith in the belief of the Heavenly Kingdom, or the strength of our doubtings, whether we have an interest in it. Were our Title to Heaven more cleared, we should need Patience to be content to stay here any longer.

Again, Our unwillingness to go hence declares, we love the World too much, and Christ too little. Love (as Aristotle saith) desires Union; did we love Christ as we should, we would desire to be united to him in Glory; when we might take our fill of Love, be humbled that we are so unwilling to go hence: Let us labor to arrive at that divine temper of Soul as Paul had, Cupio dissolvi, I desire to depart and be with Christ; Phil. 1.23. We are encompassed with a body of sin, should not we long to shake off this viper? We are in Meseck, and the Tents of Kedar, in a place where we see God dishonored, should not we desire to have our pass to be gone? We are in a valley of Tears, is it not better being in a Kingdom? Here we are combating with Satan, should not we desire to be called out of the bloody field where the bullets of Temptation fly so fast, that we may receive a victorious Crown? O ye Saints, breath after the Heavenly Kingdom. Though we should be willing to stay to do service, yet we should ambitiously desire to be always sunning ourselves in the light of God's Countenance. Think what it will be to be ever with the Lord, are there any sweeter smiles or embraces than his? Is there any bed so soft as Christ's bosom? Is there any such joy as to have the golden banner of Christ's Love displayed over us? Is there any such honor as to sit upon the Throne with Christ; Rev. 3.21. O then long for the Caelestial Kingdom.

6. Wait for this Kingdom of Glory. It is not incongruous or improper to long for Heaven, yet wait for it; long for it because it is a Kingdom, yet wait your Fathers good pleasure; God could presently bestow this Kingdom, but he sees it good that we should wait a while.

(1.) Had we the Kingdom of Heaven presently, as soon as ever Grace is infused, then God would lose much of his Glory. 1. Where would be our living by Faith, which is the Grace that brings in the chief revenues of Glory to God; Rom. 4.20. 2. Where would be our suffering for God, which is a way of honoring him, which the Angels in Heaven are not capable of. 3. Where would be the active service we are to do for God? Would we have God give us a Kingdom, and we do nothing for him before we come there? Would we have Rest before Labor, a Crown before Victory? This were disingenuous. Paul was content to stay out of Heaven a while, that he might be a means to bring others thither; Phil. 1.23.

( • .) While we wait for the Kingdom our Glory is increasing. Every Duty Religiously performed adds a Jewel to our Crown. Do we desire to have our Robes of Glory shine brighter, let us wait and work; the longer we stay for the Principal, the greater will the Interest be. The Husbandman waits till the seed spring up: Wait for the harvest of Glory. Some have their waiting Weeks at Court; this is your walting time: Christ saith, Pray and faint not, Luke 18.1. so wait and faint not. Be not weary; the Kingdom of Heaven will make amends for your waiting: I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord, said that dying Patriarch, Gen. 49.18.

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God.

1. In all their Sufferings. The true Saint is as Luther saith, Haeres Crucis, heir to the Cross, Affliction is his Dyet drink, but here is that may be as Bezoar-stone to keep him from fainting; these sufferings bring a Kingdom. The hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, saith Basil, should indulcorate and sweeten all our troubles; 2 Tim. 2.12. If we suffer we shall reign with him: 'It is but a short fight, but an eternal triumph; this light suffering produceth an eternal weight of Glory ; 2 Cor. 4.17. 1. A weight of Glory, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Things which are precious, the more weighty, the more they are worth; the more weight is in a Crown of Gold the more it is worth 'It is a weight of Glory. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , An eternal weight of Glory : Did this Glory last but a while it would much abate and embitter the Joyes of Heaven, but the Glory of that Kingdom runs parallel with Eternity; God will be as a deep Sea of Blessedness, and the Glorified Saints shall forever bathe themselves in that Ocean. One days wearing the Crown will abundantly pay for all the Saints sufferings, how much more then, when they shall reign forever and ever; Rev. 22.5. O let this support under all the Calamities and Suffering in this Life: What a vast difference is there between a Believers Sufferings and his Reward; Rom. 8.18. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us. For a few Tears, Rivers of Pleasure; for Mourning, white Robes: This made the Primitive Christians laugh at Imprisonment, and snatch up Torments as so many Crowns: Though now we drink in a Worm-wood Cup, here is Sugar in the bottom to sweeten it; 'It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom.

2. Comfort in Death: Here is that which may take away from God's Children the terror of Death, they are now entering into the Kingdom. Indeed no wonder if wicked Men be appal'd and terrified at the approach of Death, they die unpardoned, Death carries them to the Goal, where they must lie forever without • ail or Mainprize: But why should any of God's Children be so scared and half-dead with the thoughts of Death? What hurt doth Death do to them, but lead them to a Glorious Kingdom? Faith gives a Title to Heaven, Death a Possession; let this be a Gospel-antidote to expel the fear of Death. Hilarion that blessed Man, cried out, Egredere Anima, egredere, quid times? Go forth my Soul, go forth, what fearest thou? Let them fear Death, who do not fear Sin: But let not God's Children be over-much troubled at the grim Face of that Messenger which brings them to the end of their Sorrow, and the beginning of their Joy. Death is yours, 1 Cor. 3.22. it is part of a Believers inventory. Is a Prince afraid to cross a narrow Sea, who shall be Crowned when he comes to Land? Death to the Saints shall be an usher, to bring them into the Presence of the King of Glory: This puts Lilies and Roses into the ghastly face of Death, and makes it look amiable. Death brings us to a Crown of Glory which fades not away. The day of Death is better to a Believer than the day of his Birth. Death is aditus ad Gloriam, an entrance into a blessed Eternity. Fear not Death, but rather let your Hearts revive when you think these rattling wheels of Deaths Chariot are but to carry you home to an everlasting Kingdom.

WE come next to the Third Petition, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.

This Petition consists of Two Parts.

• I. The Matter, Doing of God's Will.
• II. The Manner, As it is in Heaven.

I. The Matter of this Petition is, The doing of God's Will. Thy Will be done.

Quest. 1. What is meant by the Will of God?

Answ. There is a twofold Will: 1. Voluntas decreti, God's secret Will, or the Will of his Decree: We pray not that God's secret Will may be done by us. This secret Will cannot be known, it is locked up in God's own breast, and neither Man or Angel hath Key to open it. 2. Voluntas revelata, God's revealed Will. This revealed Will is written in the Book of Scripture; the Scripture is a declaration of God's Will, it discovers what he would have us do in order to our Salvation.

Quest. 2. What do we pray for in these words, Thy Will be done?

Answ. We pray for two things. 1. For Active Obedience; that we may do God's Will actively in what he commands. 2. For Passive; that we may submit to God's Will patiently in what he inflicts. We pray that we may do God's Will actively, subscribe to all his commands, believe in Jesus the cardinal Grace, lead holy lives. So Austin upon the Petition, Nobis a Deo precamur Obedientiam, we pray that we may actively obey God's Will. This is the sum of all Religion, the two Tables epitomized, The doing of God's Will. Thy Will be done. We must know God's Will before we can do it; knowledge is the eye which must direct the foot of Obedience. At Athens there was an Altar set up 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , To the unknown God, Acts 17.23. It is as bad to offer the blind to God as the dead. Knowledge is the Pillar of Fire to give light to practice; but though knowledge is requisite, yet the knowing of God's Will is not enough without doing of his Will: Thy Will be done. If one had a System of Divinity in his head, if he had 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all knowledge, 1 Cor. 13.2. yet if Obedience were wanting, his knowledge were lame, and would not carry him to Heaven. Knowing God's Will may make a Man admired, but it is doing God's Will that makes him blessed; knowing God's Will without doing it, will not crown us with happiness.

1. The bare knowledge of God's Will is inefficacious, it doth not better the heart. Knowledge alone is like a Winter-Sun which hath no heat or influence; it doth not warm the Affections, or purify the Conscience. Judas was a great Luminary, he knew God's Will, but he was a Traitor.

2. Knowing without doing God's Will will make ones case worse, 'twill heat Hell the hotter; Luke 12.47. The servant which knew his Lord's will, and did not according to his will shall be beaten with maeny stripes. Many a Mans knowledge is a torch to light him to Hell. Thou who hast knowledge of God's Will but dost not do it, wherein dost thou excel an Hypocrite? Nay, wherein dost thou excel the Devil? who transforms himself into an Angel of light? 'It is improper to call such Christians who are knowers of God's Will, but not doers of it. 'It is improper to call him a Tradesman who never wrought in his Trade; so to call him a Christian who never wrought in the Trade of Religion. Let us not rest in the knowing of God's Will. Let it not be said of us as Plutarch speaks of the Grecians, They knew what was just but did it not. Let us set upon this, the doing of God's Will. Thy Will be done.

Quest. 3. Why is the doing of God's Will so requisite?

Answ. 1. Out of Equity. God may justly claim a right to our Obedience; he is our founder; we have our being from him; and 'tis but equal that we should do his Will at whose word we were Created. God is our Benefactor; 'tis just that if God give us our Allowance we should give him our Allegiance.

2. The great design of God in the World is to make us doers of his Will. 1. All God's Royal Edicts and Precepts are to bring us to this, to be doers of his Will; what needed God been at the pains to give us the copy of his Law, and write it out with his own Finger else. The Word is not only a Rule of Knowledge, but of Duty; Deut. 13.4. Deut. 26.16. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes, thou shalt therefore keep and do them. If you tell your Children what is your mind, it is not only that they may know your Will, but do it. God gives us his Word as a Master gives a Scholar a Copy to write after it; he gives it as his Will and Testament, that we should be the Executors to see it performed. 2. This is the end of all God's Promises to draw us to do God's Will; the Promises are loadstones to Obedience, Deut. 11.27. A blessing if ye obey ; as a Father gives his Son Money to bribe him to Obedience. Deut. 28.1. If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth; Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and in the field. The Promises are a Royal Charter settled upon Obedience. 3. The Minatory part of the Word, the threatenings of God stand as the Angel with a Flaming Sword to deter us from Sin, and make us doers of God's Will; Deut. 11.28. A curse if ye will not obey. Psal. 68.21. God shall wound the hairy scalp of everyone that goes on still in his trespasses. These threatenings do often take hold of Men in this Life; they are made examples, and hung up in chains to scare others from Disobedience. 4. All God's Providences are to m • ke us doers of his Will. As God makes use of all the seasons of the Year for Harvest, so all his various Providences are to bring on the Harvest of Obedience.

1. Afflictions are to make us do God's Will; 2 Chron. 33.12. When Manasseh was in affliction, he besought the Lord, and humbled himself greatly. The Rod hath this voice, Be doers of God's Will. Affliction is called a Furnace; Isa. 48.10. The furnace melts the metal, and then it is cast into a new mould. God's Furnace is to melt us and mould us into Obedience.

2. God's Mercies are to make us do his Will; Rom. 12.1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice. Body is by a Synecdoche put for the whole Man. If the Soul should not be presented to God as well as the Body, it could not be a reasonable service. Now saith the Apostle, I beseech you by the mercies of God present yourselves a living sacrifice. Mercies are the strongest obligations to Duty. Hos. 11.4. I drew them with the cords of a man ; that is, with the golden cords of my Mercy. In a word, all that is written in Law or Gospel, tends to this, that we should be doers of God's Will, Thy Will be done.

3. By doing the Will of God we evidence Sincerity; as Christ said in another sense, John 10.25. The works which I do, bear witness of me: So it is not all our golden words, if we could speak like Angels, but our works, our doing of God's Will, which bears witness of our Sincerity. We judge not of the health of a Mans Body by his high Colour, but by the Pulse of the Arm, where the Blood chiefly stirs; so a Christians soundness is not to be judged by his Profession; what is this high Colour? but the estimate of a Christian is to be taken by his Obediential acting, his doing the Will of God; this is the best Certificate and Letters Testimonial to show for Heaven.

4. Doing God's Will much propagates the Gospel; this is the Diamond that sparkles in Religion. Others cannot see what Faith is in the Heart, but when they see we do God's Will on Earth, this makes them have a venerable opinion of Religion, and become Proselytes to it. Julian in one of his Epistles writing to Arsatius, saith, That the Christian Religion did much flourish by the Sanctity and Obedience of them that professed it.

5. By doing God's Will we show our Love to Christ; John 14.21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. What greater Love to Christ than to do his Will, though it cross our own. Everyone would be thought to love Christ; but how shall that be known but by this, do you do his Will on Earth? Ne{que} principem veneramur si odio ejus Leges habemus, Isid. 'It is a vain thing for a Man to say he loves Christ's Person, when he slights his Commands. Not to do God's Will on Earth is a great evil, 'tis,

• (1.) Sinful.
• (2.) Foolish.
• (3.) Dangerous.

(1.) It is Sinful. 1. We go against our Prayers; we pray, Fiat voluntas tua, thy will be done, and yet we do not obey his will, we confute our own Prayer. 2. We go against our Vow in Baptism; we have vowed to fight under the Lord's Banner, to obey his Scepter, and this Vow we have oft renewed in the Lord's Supper; if we do not God's will on Earth we are forsworn, and God will indite us of Perjury.

(2.) Not to do God's will on Earth is Foolish; 1. Because there is no standing it out against God. If we do not obey him we cannot resist him: 1 Cor. 10. • 2 Are we stronger than he? Job. 40.9. Hast thou an arm like God? Canst thou measure Arms with him? To oppose God is as if a Child should fight with an Arch-Angel; as if an heap of Briars should put themselves into a battalia against the Flame. 2. Not to do God's will is foolish, because if we do not God's will we do the Devils will. Is it not folly to gratify an enemy? To do his will that seeks our ruin?

Quest. But are any so wicked as to do the Devils will?

Answ. Yes; John 8.44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do. When a Man tells a lie doth he not do the Devils will? Acts 5.3. Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?

(3.) Not to do God's Will is dangerous; it brings a Spiritual Praemunire. If God's Will be not done by us, he will have his will upon us; if we obey not God's will in commanding, we shall obey his will in punishing, 2 Thess. 1.7. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flames of fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not his gospel. Either we must do God's will, or suffer it.

6. Whatever God wills us to do is for our benefit: Behold here self-interest. As if a King commands his Subject to dig in a Mine of Gold, and then gives him all the Gold he hath digged. God bids us do his will, and this is for our good; Deut. 10.13. And now O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and keep the commandments of the Lord, which I command thee this day for thy good. It is God's will that we should repent, and this is for our good; Repentance ushers in remission; Acts 3.9. Repent that your sins may be blotted out. It is God's will that we should believe; and why is it but that we should be crowned with Salvation; Mark 16.16. He that believes shall be saved. What God wills is not so much our Duty as our Privilege; he bids us obey his voice, and it is greatly for our good; Ier. 7.23. Obey my voice and I will be your God. I will not only give you my Angels to be your guard, but myself to be your portion; my Spirit shall be yours to sanctify you, my Love shall be yours to comfort you, my Mercy shall be yours to save you. I will be your God.

7. To do God's will is our Honor. A Person thinks it an Honor to have a King speak to him to do such a thing; the Angels count it their highest Honor in Heaven to do God's will; Servire Deo regnare est, To serve God is to reign. Non onerant nos sed ornant, Salvian. How cheerfully did the Rowers row the Barge that carried Caesar ; to be employed in his Barge was an Honor, to be employed in doing God's will, is insigne Honoris, the highest ensign of Honor that a Mortal Creature is capable of. Christ's Precepts do not burden us but adorn us.

8. To do God's Will on Earth makes us like Christ, and akin to Christ. 1. It makes us like Christ: Is it not our Prayer that we may be like Christ. Jesus Christ did his Fathers will; John 6.38. I came down from Heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. God the Father and Christ, as they have but one Essence, so but one Will; Christ's will was melted into his Fathers; John 4.34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. By our doing God's will on Earth, we resemble Christ; nay, we are akin to Christ, and are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven. Alexander called himself Couzen to the God's; what Honor is it to be akin to Christ. Matth. 12.50. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven, the same is my Brother, and Sister, and Mother. Did King Solomon arise off his Throne to meet his Mother, and set her on a Throne by him, 1 Kings 3.19. such Honor will Christ bestow on such as are doers of God's will, he will salute them as his Kindred, and set them on a Glorious Throne in the Amphitheatre of Heaven.

9. Doing God's will on Earth, brings Peace in Life and Death. 1. In Life; Psal. 19.11. In keeping thy precepts there is great reward ; not only after keeping them but in keeping them; when we walk closely with God in Obedience, there is a secret Joy let into the Soul, and how swiftly and cheerfully do the wheels of the Soul move when they are oiled with the Oil of Gladness. 2. Peace in Death. When Hezekiah thought he was about to die, what gave him Comfort? this, that he had done the will of God: Isa. 38.3. Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and have done that which is good in thy sight. 'Twas Augustus his wish, that he might have an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an easy Death without much pain. If anything make our pillow easy at Death, it will be this, we have endeavored to do God's will on Earth. Did you ever hear any cry out on their Death-bed, that they have done God's will too much; no, hath it not been that they have done his will no more, that they come so short in their Obedience. Doing God's will will be both your Comfort, and your Crown.

10. If we are not doers of God's will, we shall be looked upon as contemners of God's will: Let God say what he will, yet Men will go on in Sin, this is to contemn God; Psal. 10.13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? To contemn God is worse than to rebel. The Tribes of Israel rebelled against Rehoboam because he made their Yoak heavier, 1 King. 12.16. But to contemn God is worse, 'tis to slight him; to contemn God is to put a Scorn upon him, and affront him to his Face, and an Affront will make God draw his Sword. Thus I have answered that Question why doing God's will on Earth, is so requisite: 'It is as necessary as Salvation.

4. Quest. In what manner are we to do God's will that we may find acceptance?

The manner of doing God's Will is the chief thing; the Schoolmen say well, Modus rei cadit sub praecepto, the manner of a thing is as well required as the thing itself: If a Man build an House, if he doth not do it according to the mind of the Owner, he likes it not, but thinks all his Charges lost; so if we do not God's will in the right manner, it is not accepted; we must not only do what God appoints, but as God appoints; here lies the very Life-blood of Religion. So I come to answer this great Question, in what manner are we to do God's will that we may find acceptance.

Answ. 1. We do God's Will acceptably when we do Duties Spiritually, Phil. 3.3. We worship God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Spirit. To serve God spiritually is to do duties ab interno principio, from an inward Principle: The Pharisees were very exact about the external part of God's worship; how zealous were they in the outward observation of the Sabbath, charging Christ with the breach of it; but all this was but outward Obedience, there was nothing of Spirituality in it; then we do God's will acceptably, when we serve him from a renewed Principle of Grace; a Crab tree may bear as well as a Pear-main, but it is not so good fruit as the other, because it doth not come from so sweet a Root: An unregenerate Person may do as much external obedience as a Child of God, he may pray as much, hear as much, but his Obedience is harsh and sour, because it doth not come from the sweet and pleasant Root of Grace; the inward principle of Obedience is Faith, therefore it is called the Obedience of Faith, Rom. 16.26. But why must this silver thread of Faith run through the whole work of Obedience?

Answ. Because Faith looks at Christ in every Duty, it toucheth the Hem of his Garment, and through Christ both the Person and the Offering are accepted, Ephes. 1.6.

2. We do God's Will acceptably when we prefer his Will before all other; if God wills one thing, and Man wills the contrary, we do obey Mans will rather than God's, Act. 4.19. Whether it be right to hearken unto you more then unto God, judge ye. God saith, thou shalt not make a graven Image; King Nebuchadnezzar set up a Golden Image to be worshipped; but the three Children (or rather Champions) resolve God's Will shall take place, and they would obey him, though with the loss of their Lives, Dan. 3.18. Be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy God's, nor worship the Golden Image which thou hast set up.

3. We do God's Will acceptably when we do God's Will as it is done in Heaven, that is, as the Angels do it: To do God's Will as the Angels, similitudinem notat non aequalitatem, Brugensis, denotes thus much, that we are to resemble them and make them our Pattern; though we cannot equal the Angels in doing God's Will, yet we must imitate them; a Child cannot write so well as the Scrivener, yet he imitates the Copy in particular.

1. We do God's Will as the Angels do it in Heaven, when we do God's Will Regularly, sine deflexu, we go according to divine Institutions, not Decrees of Councils, or Traditions, this is to do God's Will as the Angels; they do it regularly, they do nothing but what is commanded; Angels are not for Ceremonies; as there are Statute-Laws in the Land, which bind; so the Scripture is God's Statute-Law, which we must exactly observe; the Watch is set by the Dial: then our Obedience is right when it goes by the Sundial of the Word. If Obedience hath not the Word for its Rule, it is not doing God's Will but our own, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Will-worship, Deut. 12.32. The Lord would have Moses make the Tabernacle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to the Pattern, Exod. 25.40. If Moses had left out anything in the Pattern, or added anything to it, it would have been very provoking; to mix anything of our own devising in God's worship, is to go beside, yea, contrary to the Pattern: God's worship is the Apple of his Eye, that which he is most tender of, and there is nothing he hath more shown his displeasure against, then the corrupting his worship. How severely did God punish Nadab and Abihu for offering up strange Fire, Lev. 10.2. that is, such Fire as God had not sanctified on the Altar; whatever is not divinely appointed, is offering up strange Fire : There is in many a strange itch after Superstition; they love a gaudy Religion, and are more for the Pomp of Worship then the Purity; this cannot be pleasing to God, for, as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner how he will be served; Men will be so bold as to prescribe him. To thrust human Inventions into sacred things, is a doing our own will not God's, and he will say, quis quaesivit hoc ? who hath required this at your hand? Isa. 1.12. Then we do God's Will as it is done in Heaven▪ when we do it regularly we reverence God's Institutions, and observe that Mode of Worship which hath the Stamp of divine Authority upon it.

2. We do God's Will as it is done by the Angels in Heaven, when we do it entirely, sine mutilatione, we do all God's Will; the Angels in Heaven do all that God commands, they leave nothing of his Will undone, Psal. 103.20. Ye his Angels that do his Commandments. If God send an Angel to the Virgin Mary, he goes on God's Errand; if he gives his Angels a Charge to Minister for the Saints they obey, Heb. 1.14. It cannot stand with Angelical Obedience to leave the least Iota of God's Will unfulfilled: This is to do God's Will as the Angels, when we do all his Will, quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit. This was God's Charge to Israel, Numb. 15.40. Remember to do all my Commandments. And it was spoken of David, Act. 13.22. I have found David a Man after mine own heart, who shall perform all my Will, Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all my Wills. Every Command hath the same Authority, and if we do God's Will uprightly, we do it uniformly, we obey every part and Branch of his Will, we join first and second Table; surely we owe that to God our Father, which the Papists say, we owe to our Mother, the Church, unlimited Obedience; we must incline to every Command, as the Needle moves that way which the Loadstone draws.

(2.) This discovers the unsoundness of many, who do God's will by halves, they pick and choose in Religion, they in some things comply with God's will, but not in other; like a foundered Horse who sets but some of his Feet on the Ground, he favors one Foot. He who is to play upon a Lute must strike upon every Sring or he spoils all the Music: God's Commandments may be compared to a ten-string'd Lute, we must obey God's will in every Command, strike upon every string, or we can make no good Melody in Religion: The Badger hath one Foot shorter then the other; Hypocrites are shorter in some duties then other; some will pray, not give alms, hear the word, not forgive their Enemies, receive the Sacrament, not make Restitution, how can they be holy who are not just? Hypocrites profess fair, but when it comes to sacrificing the Isaac, crucifying the beloved sin, or parting with some of their Estate for Christ, here they stick, and say as Naaman, 2 King. 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant. This is far from doing God's will as the Angels do; God likes not such as do his will by halves; if your Servant should do some of your work which you set him about, but not all, how would you like that?

Object. But who is able to do all God's will?

Answ. Though we cannot do all God's will legally, yet we may Evangelically; which is,

1. When we mourn that we can do God's will no better, when we fail we weep, Rom. 7.24.

2. When it is the desire of our Soul to do God's whole Will, Psal. 119.5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Precepts. What a Child of God wants in strength, he makes up in desire, in magnis voluisse sat est.

3. When we endeavor, quoad conatum, to do the whole Will of God: A Father bids his Child lift such a burden, the Child is not able to lift it, but he tries, and doth his endeavor to lift it, the Father accepts of it, as if h • had done it; this is to do God's Will Evangelically, and God is pleased to take it in good part, though it be not to satisfaction, yet it is to acceptation.

3. We do God's Will as it is done in Heaven by the Angels, when we do it sincerely, sine fuco. To do God's Will sincerely lies in two things.

• 1. To do it out of a pure respect to God's Command.
• 2. With a pure Eye to God's Glory.

1. To do God's Will out of a pure respect to God's Command. Abraham 's sacrificing Isaac was contrary to Flesh and Blood, to sacrifice the Son of his Love, the Son of the Promise, and that no other hand but the Fathers own should do this, here was hard Service; but because God commanded it, out of pure respect to the Command, Abraham obeyed: This is to do God's will aright, when, though we feel no present Joy or Comfort in Duty, yet because God commands we obey; not Comfort, but the Command is the Ground of Duty; thus the Angels do God's will in Heaven; God's Command is the weight sets the wheels of their Obedience a going.

2. To do God's will sincerely, is to do it with a pure Eye to God's Glory. The Pharisees did the will of God in giving Alms, but that which was a dead Fly in the Ointment, was, that they did not aim at God's Glory, but vain-glory; they blew a Trumpet▪ Jehu did the will of God in destroying the Baal worshippers, and God commended him for doing of it: but because he aimed more at settling himself in the Kingdom, then the Glory of God, therefore God looked upon it no better then Murder, and said he would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, Hos. 2.4. Let us look to our ends in Obedience; though we shoot short, let us take a right aim; one may do God's will yet not with a perfect heart: 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect Heart; the Action was right for the matter, but his aim was not right; that Action which wants a good aim, wants a good issue; he doth God's Will rightly, that doth it uprightly, his end is to honor God, and lift up his Name in the world. A gracious Soul makes God his Center, as Joab when he had taken Rabbah sent for King David, that he might carry away the glory of the Victory, 2 Sam. 12.27. So when a gracious Soul hath done any duty, he desires that the glory of all may be given to God, 1 Pet. 4.11. That in all things God may be glorified. This is to do God's will as the Angels, when we not only advance God's Glory, but design his Glory; the Angels are said to cast their Crowns before the Throne, Rev. 4.10. Crowns are signs of greatest Honor, but these Crowns the Angels lay at the Lord's Feet, to show that they ascribe the glory of all they do to him.

4. We do God's will as it is done in Heaven by the Angels, when we do it willingly, sine murmuratione: The Angels love to be employed in God's Service; 'tis the Angels Heaven to serve God, they willingly descend from Heaven to Earth; when they bring Messages from God, and glad Tydings to the Church; now Heaven being a place of such Joy, the Angels would not leave it a Minute of an Hour, only that they take such infinite delight in doing God's will; we do resemble the Angels when we do God's will willingly, 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, serve the Lord with a willing mind. God's People are called a willing People, Psal. 110.3. in Hebrew, Gnam nedaebot, a People of willingnesses; they give God a free-will Offering, though they cannot serve him perfectly, they serve him willingly; an Hypocrite though he doth facere bonum, yet not velle, he hath no delight in duty, he doth it rather out of fear of Hell, then Love to God, when he doth do God's will, yet it is against his will, Virtus nolentium nulla est. Cain brought his Sacrifice but grudgingly, his worship was rather a Task, then an Offering, rather Penance then Sacrifice, he did God's will, but against his will; we must be carried upon the wings of Delight in every Duty; Israel were to blow the Trumpets when they offered Burnt-Offerings, Numb. 10.10. blowing the Trumpets was to show their Joy and Chearfulness in serving God we must read and hear the word with Delight, Ier. 15.16. Thy Word was found and I did eat it, and it was unto me the Joy and Rejoicing of my heart. A pious Soul goes to the word as to a Feast, or as one would go with delight to hear Music. Sleidan reports that the Protestants in France had a Church they called Paradise, because when they were in the House of God, they thought themselves in Paradise: The Saints flock as Doves to the windows of God's House, Isa. 60.8. who are these that flock as Doves to the windows? not that a truly regenerate Person is always in the same cheerful temper of Obedience, he may sometimes find an indisposition and weariness of Soul, but his weariness is his burden, he is weary of his weariness, he prays, weeps, useth all means to regain that alacrity and freedom in God's Service that he was wont to have: This is to do God's will acceptably, when we do it willingly; 'tis this crowns all our Services; delight in duty is better then duty; the Musician is not commended for playing long, but well; 'tis not how much we do, but how much we love, Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law ! Love is as Musk among Linnen, that perfumes it; Love perfumes Obedience, and makes it go up to Heaven as Incense; this is doing God's will as the Angels in Heaven do it; they are ravished with delight while they are praising God, therefore the Angels are said to have Harps in their Hands, Rev. 15.2. as a sign of their cheerfulness in God's Service.

4. We do God's will as the Angels in Heaven, when we do God's Will fervently, sine remission, Rom. 12.11. Fervent in spirit serving God ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Metaphor from water when it seeths and boils over; so our Affections should boil over in zeal 〈◊〉 fervency; the Angels serve God with fervor and intenseness; the Angels are called Seraphims, from an Hebrew word which signifies to burn, to show how the Angels are all on fire, Psal. 104.4. they burn in Love and Zeal in doing God's will: Grace turns a Saint into a Seraphim; Aaron must put burning Coals to the Incense, Exod. 16.12. Incense was a Type of Prayer, burning Coals of Zeal, to show that the fire of zeal must be put to the Incense of prayer; Formality starves Duty; when we serve God dully and coldly is this like the Angels? Duty without fervency is as a Sacrifice without fire; we should ascend to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of Devotion.

5. We do God's Will as the Angels in Heaven, when we give God the best in every Service, Numb. 18.29. Out of all your Gifts, ye shall offer of all the best thereof. Numb. 28.7. In the holy place shalt thou cause the strong Wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink-Offering. The Jews might not offer to the Lord wine that was small, or mixed, but the strong wine, to imply, that we must offer to God the best, the strongest of our affections; if the Spouse had a Cup more juicy and spiced, Christ should drink of that, Cant. 8.2. I would cause thee to drink of spiced Wine, of the juice of my Pomegranate. Thus the Angels in Heaven do God's Will, they serve him in the best manner, they give him their Seraphic high stringed Praises; he who loves God gives him the Cream of his Obedience; God challenged the fat of all the Sacrifice as his due, Lev. 3.16. Hypocrites care not what Services they bring to God, they think to put him off with anything, they put no Cost in their Duties; Gen. 4.3. Cain brought of the fruit of the Ground. The Holy Ghost took notice of Abel 's Offering, that it was costly, he brought of the Firstlings of his Flock, and of the Fat thereof, Gen. 4.4. b • t when he speaks of Cain 's Offering, he only saith, he brought of the Fruit of the Ground. Then we do God's Will aright, when we do offer Pinguia, we dedicate to him the best. Domitian would not have his Image carved in Wood or Iron, but in Gold: God will have the best we have, golden Services.

6. We do God's Will as the Angels in Heaven, when we do it readily and swiftly; the Angels do not dispute or reason the Case, but as soon as they have their Charge and Commission from God, they immediately obey, and to show how ready they are to execute God's Will, the Cherubims representing the Angels are described with Wings, to show how swift and forward they are in their Obedience, it is as if they had wings, Dan. 9.21. The Man Gabriel (that was an Angel) being caused to fly swiftly: Thus should we do God's Will as the Angels, as soon as ever God speaks the Word, we should be ambitious to obey, alas! how long is it sometimes e • e we can get leave of our hearts to go to a Duty; Christ went more readily ád Crucem, then we to the Throne of Grace; how many disputes and excuses have we, is this to do God's Will as the Angels in Heaven do it? O let us shake off this backwardness to Duty, as Paul shook of the Viper, nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia; Zeck. 5.9. I saw two Women and the wind was in their wings : Wings are swift, but wind in the wings great swiftness; such readiness should be in our Obedience; as Peter as soon as ever Christ commanded him to let down his Net, at Christ's Word he presently let down the Net, and you know what success he had, Luke 5.4. It was prophesied of such as were brought home to Christ, Psal. 18.44. As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me.

7. We do God's Will as the Angels in Heaven, when we do it constantly; the Angels are never weary of doing God's Will, they serve God day and night, Rev. 7.17. thus must we imitate the Angels, Psal. 106.3. Blessed is he that doth Righteousness at all times. Constancy crowns Obedience, non cepisse sed perfecisse virtutis est, Cypr. our Obedience must be like the Fire of the Altar which was continually kept burning, Lev. 6.13. Hypocrites soon give over doing God's Will; like the Chrisolite which is of a golden Colour, in the Morning it is very bright to look on, but towards Evening it grows dull, and hath lost its splendor: We should continue in doing God's Will, because of that great loss that will befall us if we give over doing God's Will.

(1.) A loss of Honor, Rev. 3.11. that no man take thy Crown, implying, if the Church of Philadelphia left off her Obedience she would lose her Crown; viz. her Honor and Reputation; Apostasy creates Infamy; Judas from an Apostle to be a Traitor, it was a Dishonor.

(2.) If we give over our Obedience it is a loss of all that hath been already done; as if one should work in silver, and then pick out all the stitches; all a Mans Prayers are lost, all the Sabbaths he hath kept are lost, he doth unravel all his good works, Ezek. 18.24. all his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; he undoes all he hath done: As if one draw a curious Picture with the Pensil, and then come with his Spunge and wipe out all again.

(3.) A loss of the Soul and Happiness: We were in a fair way for Heaven, but by leaving off d • ing God's Will we miss of the excellent Glory, and are plunged deeper in Damnation, 2 Pet. 2.21. It had been better not to have known the way of Righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the Holy Commandment. Therefore let us continue in doing God's Will: Constancy sets the Crown upon the head of Obedience. Thus you see how we are to do God's Will acceptably.

VSE I. Branch. 1. See hence our Impotency, we have no innate power to do God's Will: What need pray Thy Will be done, if we have power of ourselves to do it? I wonder Free-willers pray this Petition.

2. Branch. If we are to do God's Will on Earth as it is done by the Angels in Heaven, see then the Folly of those who go by a wrong Pattern; they do as the most of their Neighbors do; if they talk vain on the Sabbath, they do but as their Neighbors do; if now and then they swear an Oath, it is the Custom of their Neighbors to do so, but we are to do God's Will as the Angels in Heaven; do the Angels do such things? we must make the Angels our Patterns, and not our Neighbors: if our Neighbors do the Devils will, shall we do so too? If our Neighbors go to Hell, shall we go thither too for Company?

3. Branch. See here that which may make us long to be in Heaven, then we shall do God's Will perfectly, as the Angels do; alas, how defective are we in our Obedience here; how far do we fall short, we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting; our holy things are blemished, like the Moon which when it shines brightest hath a dark spot in it: But in Heaven we shall do God's will perfectly, as the Angels in Glory.

VSE II. Of Reproof.

1. Branch. It reproves such as do not God's Will; they have the knowledge of God's will, (Knowledge they count an Ornament) but though they know God's Will, yet they do it not.

(1.) They know what God would have them avoid; they know they should not swear, Mat. 5.34. Swear not at all: For this sin the Land mourns, Ier. 23.10. Yet though they pray, Hallowed be thy Name, they profane it by shooting Oaths like Chain-Bullets against Heaven; they know they should abstain from Fornication and Uncleanness, yet they cannot but bite at the Devils Hook if he bait it with Flesh, Jude 7.

(2.) They know what God would have them practice, but they leave undone those things which they ought to have done ; they know it is the will of God they should be true in their Promises, just in their Dealings, good in their Relations; but they do not the Will of God; they know they should read the Scriptures, consult with God's Oracle, but the Bible like rusty Armor is hung up and seldom used; they look oftener upon a Pair of Cards then a Bible; they know their Houses should be Palestrae Pietatis, Nurseries of Piety, yet have no Face of Religion in them; they do not perfume their Houses with Prayer; what Hypocrites are these to kneel down in the Church, and lift up their Eyes to Heaven and say, Thy Will be done, yet have no care at all to do God's Will; what is this but to hang out a Flag of Defiance against Heaven? and Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.

2. Branch. It reproves those who do not God's Will in a right acceptable manner.

(1.) They do not God's Will entirely; all God's Will; they will obey God in some things, but not in other; as if a Servant should do some of your work you set him about, but not the rest: Jehu destroyed the Idolatry of Baal, but let the golden Calves of Jeroboam stand, 2 Kings 10.30. Some will observe the Duties of the Second Table, but not the first: Others make an high Profession, as if their Tongues had been touched with a Coal from God's Altar, but live idly and out of a Calling; these the Apostle complains of, 2 Thess. 3.11. We hear there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all. Living by Faith and living in a Calling must go together: This is an evil thing, not to do all God's Will.

(2.) They do not God's will ardently; they do not put Coals to the Incense; nor cheerfully, they bring their Sacrifice, but not their heart; this is far from doing God's Will as the Angels; this loseth the Reward; how can God like this to serve him as if we served him not? how can God mind our Duties when we ourselves scarce mind them?

VSE III. Of Examination.

Let us examine all our Actions, whether they are according to God's will: The will of God is the Rule and Standard, 'tis the Sundial by which we must set all our Actions; he is no good workman that doth not work by Rule; he can be no good Christian who goes not according to the Rule of God's will; let us examine our Actions whether they do quadrare agree to the will of God: Are our speeches according to God's will? Are our words savoury, being seasoned with Grace? Is our Apparel according to God's will? 1 Tim. 2.9. In like manner that women adorn themselves in modest Apparel, not wanton and garish to invite Comers. Our Diet is it according to God's will? Do we hold the golden Bridle of Temperance, and only take so much as may rather satisfy Nature then surfeit it; too much Oil chokes the Lamp: Is our whole carriage and behavior according to God's will? Are we patterns of Prudence and Piety? Do we keep up the Credit of Religion, and shine as Lights in the world? We pray, Thy Will be done as it is in Heaven; are we like our Pattern? would the Angels do thus if they were on Earth? would Jesus Christ do this? thus is to Christianize, this is to be Saints of degrees, when we live our Prayer, and our Actions are the Counter-pane of God's will.

VSE IV. Of Exhortation. Let us be doers of the Will of God; Thy Will be done.

1. It is our Wisdom to do God's Will: Deut. 4.6. Keep and do these statutes, for this is your wisdom.

2. It is our Safety. Hath not Misery always attended the doing of our own Will, and Happiness the doing of God's Will?

(1.) Misery hath always attended the doing of our own Will. Our first Parents left God's Will to fulfil their own, in eating the forbidden fruit ; and what came of it? The Apple had a bitter Core in it, they purchased a Curse for themselves and all their Posterity. King Saul left God's Will to do his own, he spares Agag, and the best of the Sheep, and what was the issue, but the loss of his Kingdom?

(2.) Happiness hath always attended the doing of God's Will. Joseph obeyed God's Will in refusing the embraces of his Mistress, and was not this his Preferment? God raised him to be the second Man in the Kingdom. Daniel did God's Will contrary to the Kings Decree, he bowed his Knee in Prayer to God, and did not God make all Persia bow their Knees to Daniel.

(3.) The way to have our Will is to do God's Will. Would not we have a Blessing in our Estate, then let us do God's Will; Deut. 28.1, 3. If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to do all his commandments, the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth: Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field: This is the way to have a good Harvest. Would we not have a Blessing in our Souls, then let us do God's Will; Ier. 7.23. Obey my voice and I will be your God ; I will entail myself upon you as an everlasting Portion; my Grace shall be yours to sanctify you, my Mercy shall be yours to save you: You see you lose nothing by doing God's Will, this is the way to have your Will. Let God have his will in being obeyed, and you shall have your will in being saved.

Quest. How shall we come to do God's will aright?

Answ. 1. Get sound knowledge; we must know God's Will before we can do it. Knowledge is the eye to direct the foot of Obedience: The Papists make Ignorance the Mother of Devotion, but Christ makes Ignorance the Mother of Error; Matth. 22.29. Ye err, not knowing the Scripture. We must know God's Will before we can do it aright. Affection without knowledge is like an Horse full of metal, but his eyes are out.

2. If we would do God's Will aright, let us labor for self-denial; unless we deny our own Will, we shall never do God's Will. God's Will and ours are like the Wind and Tide when they are contrary; God wills one thing, we will another; God calls us to be Crucified to the World, by Nature we love the World; God calls us to forgive our Enemies, by Nature we bear malice in our Heart; God's Will and ours are contrary like the Wind and Tide, and till we can cross our own will, we shall never fulfil God's.

3. Let us get humble Hearts: Pride is the spring of disobedience; Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? A proud Man thinks it below him to stoop to God's Will. Be humble; the humble Soul saith, Lord, what wilt thou have me do ? He puts as it were a blank paper into God's hands, and bids him write what he will he will subscribe to it.

4. Beg Grace and Strength of God to do his Will; Psal. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will: As if David had said, Lord, I need not be taught to do my own Will, I can do that fast enough, but teach me to do thy Will; and that which may add wings to Prayer, is God's gracious Promise, I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; Ezek. 36.27. If the Loadstone draw the Iron, it is not hard for the Iron to move; if God's Spirit enable, it will not be hard, but rather delightful to do God's Will.

II. In this Petition, Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven, we pray, that we may have Grace to submit to God's Will patiently in what he inflicts: The Text is to be understood as well of suffering God's Will as of doing it; so Maldonado, and the most Judicious Interpreters. I shall speak now of patient submission to God's Will in whatever he inflicts: Thy Will be done. This should be the temper of a good Christian when he is under any disastrous Providence, to lie quietly at God's Feet, and say, Thy Will be done.

Quest. 1. What this patient submission to God's will is not?

Answ. There is something looks like Patience which is not; namely, when a Man bears a thing because he cannot help it; he takes Affliction as his Fate and Destiny, therefore he endures that quietly which he cannot avoid; this is rather Necessity than Patience.

Quest. 2. What it is may stand with patient submission to God's Will?

Answ. 1. A Christian may be sensible of Affliction, yet patiently submit to God's Will We ought not to be Stoics, insensible and unconcerned with God's dealings; like the Sons of Deucalion (who as the Poets say) were begotten of a Stone. Christ was sensible when he sweat great drops of Blood, but there was submission to God's Will; Matth. 26.39. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. We are bid to humble ourselves under God's hand, 1 Pet. 5.6. which we cannot do unless we are sensible of it.

2. A Christian may weep under an Affliction, yet patiently submit to God's Will. God allows tears; 'tis a sin to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without natural affection, Rom. 1.31. Grace makes the Heart tender, strangulat inclusus dolor ; weeping gives vent to sorrow, expletur lachrymis dolor. Joseph wept over his dead Father; Job when he had so much ill news brought him at once, rent his Mantle, (an expression of grief) but did not tear his Hair in anger; only Worldly grief must not be immoderate; a Vein may bleed too much; the Water riseth too high when it overflows the banks.

3. A Christian may complain in his Affliction, yet be submissive to God's Will; Psal. 142.2. I cried to the Lord with my voice, I poured out my complaint before him. We may (being under oppression) tell God how it is with us, and desire him to write down our injuries. Shall not the Child complain to his Father when he is wronged? An holy complaint may stand with patient submission to God's Will; but though we may complain to God, we must not complain of God.

Quest. 3. What it is cannot stand with patient submission to God's Will?

Answ. 1. Discontentedness with Providence. Discontent hath a mixture of grief and anger in it, and both these must needs raise a storm of Passion in the Soul. God having touched the apple of our Eye, and smitten us in that we loved, we are touchy and sullen, and God shall not have a good look from us; Gen. 4.6. Why art thou wroth? Like a sullen Bird that is angry, and beats herself against the Cage.

3. Murmuring cannot stand with submission to God's Will: Murmuring is the height of impatience; it is a kind of mutinee in the Soul against God; Numb. 21.5. The people spake against God. When a Cloud of Sorrow is gathered in the Soul, and this Cloud doth not only drop into Tears, but out of this Cloud come Hail-stones, murmuring word • against God, this is far from patient submission to God's Will. When water is hot the scum boils up; when the Heart is heated with anger against God, then this scum of murmuring boils up. Murmuring is very evil, it springs, 1. From Pride; Men think they have deserved better at God's hands, and when they begin to swell they spit Poison. 2. Distrust; Men believe not that God can make a Treacle of Poison, bring good out of all their troubles, therefore they murmur; Psal. 106.24. They believed not his word, but murmured. Men murmur at God's Providences because they distrust his Promises; God hath much ado to bear this Sin, Numb. 14.27. this is far from submission to God's Will.

3. Discomposedness of Spirit cannot stand with quiet submission to God's Will. When a Man saith, I am so encompassed with trouble that I know not how to get out; Head and Heart are so taken up that a Person is not fit to pray. When the strings of a Lute are snarled, the Lute can make no good Music; so when a Christians Spirits are perplexed and disturbed, he cannot make Melody in his Heart to the Lord. To be under a discomposure of Mind, is as when an Army is routed, one runs this way, and another that, the Army is put into disorder; so when a Christian is in an hurry of Mind, his Thoughts run up and down distracted, as if he were undone; this cannot stand with patient submission to God's Will.

4. Self-apology cannot stand with submission to God's Will; instead of being humbled under God's hand a Person justifies himself. A proud Sinner stands upon his own defense, and is ready to accuse God of unrighteousness, which is as if we should tax the Sun with darkness: This is far from submission to God's Will. God smote Jonah's goard, and he stands upon his own vindication; Jonah 4.9. I do well to be angry to the death : What, to be angry with God? And to justify this, I do well to be angry. This was strange to come from a Prophet, and was far from this Prayer Christ hath taught us, Thy Will be done.

Quest. 4. What this patient submission to God's Will is?

Answ. It is a gracious frame of Soul, whereby a Christian is content to be at God's dispose, and doth acquiesce in his Wisdom; 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: Acts 21.14. The will of the Lord be done. That I may further illustrate this, I shall show you wherein this submission to God's Will lies; it lies chiefly in three things.

(1.) In acknowledging God's hand; seeing God in the Affliction: Job 5.6. Affliction ariseth not out of the dust ; it comes not by chance. Job did eye God in all that befell him; Job 1.22. The Lord hath taken away : He complains not of the Chaldeans, or the influence of the Planets, he looks beyond second Causes, he sees God in the Affliction, The Lord hath taken away. There can be no submission to God's Will till there be an acknowledging of God's hand.

(2.) Patient submission to God's Will lies in our justifying of God: Psal. 22.2. O my God I cry unto thee, yet thou hearest not, thou turnest a deaf ear to me in my affliction ; ver. 3. But thou art holy. God is Holy and Just, not only when he punisheth the Wicked, but when he afflicts the Righteous. Though God put Wormwood in our Cup, yet we vindicate God, and proclaim his Righteousness. As Maurice the Emperor, when he saw his Sons slain before his eyes, Iustus es Domine, Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy ways. We justify God, and confess he punisheth us less than we deserve; Ezra 9.13.

(3.) Patient submission to God's Will lies in the accepting of the punishment; Lev. 26.41. And they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity. Accepting of the punishment; that is, taking all that God doth in good part. He who accepts of the punishment, saith, Good is the Rod of the Lord ; he kisseth the Rod, yea blesseth God that he would use such a Merciful severity, rather to afflict him than lose him. This is patient submission to God's Will.

This patient submission to God's Will in Affliction shows a great deal of Wisdom and Piety. The skill of a Pilot is most discerned in a storm, and a Christians Grace in the storm of Affliction; and indeed this submission to God's Will is most requisite for us while we live here in this lower Re •• gion; in Heaven there will be no need of Patience, no more than there is need of the Star light when the Sun shines. In Heaven there will be all joy, and what need of Patience then? It requires no Patience to wear a Crown of Gold, but while we live here in a Valley of Tears, there needs patient submission to God's Will, Heb. 10.36. Ye have need of patience.

1. The Lord sometimes lays heavy Afflictions upon us; Psal. 38.2. Thy hand presseth me sore. The word in the Original for afflicted, signifies to be melted. God sometimes melts his People in a Furnace.

2. God sometimes lays divers Afflictions on us: Job 19.17. He multiplies my wound. God shoots divers sorts of Arrows.

(1.) Sometimes God afflicts with Poverty. The Widow had nothing left her save a pot of Oil, 1 Kings 17.12. Poverty is a great Temptation. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Menand. To have an Estate boiled away almost to nothing, is hard to Flesh and Blood; Ruth 1.20. Call me not Naomi but Mara: I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. This exposeth to Contempt. When the Prodigal was poor, his Brother was ashamed to own him: Luke. 15.30. This thy Son ; he said not this my Brother, but this thy Son ; he scorned to call him Brother. When the Deer is shot and bleeds, the rest of the herd push it away; when God shoots the Arrow of Poverty at one, others are ready to push him away. When Terence was grown poor, his Friend Scipio cast him off. The Muses ( Jupiter's Daughters) the Poets feign, had no Suitors because they wanted a Dowry.

(2.) God sometimes afflicts with Reproach▪ Such as have the light of Grace shining in them, yet may be eclipsed in their Name. The Primitive Christians were reproached as if they were guilty of Incest, saith Tertullian. Luther was called, A Trumpeter of Rebellion. David calls reproach an heart-breaking; Psal. 69.20. this God lets his dear Saints be oft exercised with. Dirt may be cast upon a Pearl; those Names may be blotted which are written in the Book of Life. Sincerity though it shields from Hell, yet not from Slander.

(3.) God sometimes afflicts with loss of dear Relations; Ezek. 24.16. Son of man behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke : This is like a pulling away a Limb from the Body. He takes away an holy Child; Jacob's Life was bound up in Benjamin, Gen. 44.30. and that which puts Teeth into the Cross, and is worse than the loss of Children, is, when they are continued as living Crosses; where the Parents expected Honey, there to have Wormwood. What greater cut to a Godly Parent than a Child who disclaims his Fathers God! A Corrosive applied to the Body may do well, but a bad Child is a Corrosive to the Heart. Such an undutiful Son had David who conspired Treason, and would not only have taken away his Fathers Crown, but his Life.

(4.) God sometimes afflicts with a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , infirmness of Body; scarce a well day. Sickness takes away the Comfort of Life, and makes one in Deaths oft, thus God tries his People with various Afflictions, so that there is need of Patience to submit to God's Will. He who hath divers Bullets shot at him needs Armor; when divers Afflictions assault, we need Patience as Armor of Proof.

3. God sometimes lets the Affliction continue long, Psal. 74.9. as it is with Diseases, there are some Chronical, that linger and hang about the Body several years together; so it is with Affliction, the Lord is pleased to exercise many of his precious ones with Chronical Afflictions, such as lie upon them a long time; so that in all these Cases we need Patience and submissiveness of Spirit to God's Will.

VSE I. It reproves such as have not yet learned this part of the Lord's Prayer, Thy Will be done ; they have only said it, but not learned it. If things be not according to their Mind, if the Wind of Providence crosseth the Tide of their Will, they are discontented and querulous, where is now submission of Will to God? To be displeased with God if things do not please us, is this to lie at God's feet, and acquiesce in his Will? This is a very bad temper of Spirit, and God may justly punish us by letting us have our Will. Rachel cried, Give me Children, or I die, Gen. 30.1. God let her have a Child, but it cost her her Life; Gen. 35.18. Israel not content with Manna (Angels Food) they must have Quails to their Manna, God punished them by letting them have their Will; Numb. 11.31. There went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quail: ver. 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, and the Lord smote them with a great plague. They had better been without their Quails than had such sower sauce to them. Many have importunately desired the Life of a Child, and could not bring their Wills to God's to be content to part with it, and the Lord hath punished them by letting them have their Will; the Child hath lived and been a burden to them. Seeing their Wills crossed God, their Child shall cross them.

VSE II. Of Exhortation. Let us be exhorted whatever troubles God doth exercise us with, aequo animo ferre, to resign up our Wills to God, and say, Thy Will be done: Which is fittest, that God should bring his will to ours, or we bring our will to his? Say as Eli, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good : And as David, 2 Sam. 15.26. Behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. It was the saying of Harpulas, Placet mihi quod. Regi placet, that pleaseth me which pleaseth the King: So should we say, that which pleaseth God pleaseth us: Thy Will be done. Some have not yet learned this art of submission to God, and truly he who wants Patience in Affliction, is like a Soldier in Battle who wants Armor.

Quest. When do we not as we ought submit to God's Will in Affliction?

Answ. 1. When we have hard thoughts of God, and our Hearts begin to swell against him.

2. When we are so troubled at our present Affliction that we are unfit for Duty. We can mourn as Doves, but not pray or praise God. We are so discomposed that we are not fit to hearken to any good Counsel; Exod. 6.9. They hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit. Israel were so full of grief under their present burdens, that they minded not what Moses said, though he came with a Message from God to them; They hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit.

3. We do not submit as we ought to God's Will, when we labor to break loose from Affliction by indirect means. Many to rid themselves out of trouble run themselves into Sin. When God hath bound them with the cords of Affliction, they go to the Devil to loosen their bands. Better it is to stay in Affliction, than to sin ourselves out of Affliction. O let us learn to stoop to God's Will in all afflictive Providences.

Quest. But how shall we bring ourselves to this Christian Temper in all Occurrences of Providence, patiently to acquiesce in God's Will, and say, Thy Will be done? We know not what Trials Personal or National we may be exercised with. We seem now to be under the Planet Saturn, which hath a malignant Aspect. Our Ship is steered so strangely, that we are in danger on one hand of the Sands, on the other hand of the Rocks. If Affliction comes how shall we keep a Christian Decorum, how shall we bear things with equanimity of mind, and say, Thy Will be done?

Answ. The means for a quiet resignation to God's Will in Affliction is;

1. Judicious Consideration; Eccles. 7.14. In the day of adversity consider. When anything burdens us, or runs cross to our desires, did we but sit down and consider, and weigh things in the balance of Judgment, it would much quiet our Minds, and subject our Wills to God; In the day of adversity consider. Consideration would be as David's Harp, to charm down the evil Spirit of frowardness and discontent.

Quest. But what should we consider?

Answ. That which may make us submit to God in Affliction, and say, Thy Will be done, is,

1. To consider that the present state of Life is subject to Afflictions, as a Seamans Life is subject to storms: Ferre quam sortem omnes patiuntur nemo recusat: Job 5.7. Man is born to trouble ; he is heir apparent to it; he comes into the World with a cry, and goes out with a groan. Ea lege nati sumus. The World is a place where much Wormwood grows; Lam. 3.15. He hath filled me with bitterness, Hebr. Bammerorim, with bitternesses, he hath made me drunk with wormwood. Troubles arise like sparks out of a Furnace. Afflictions are some of the Thorns which the Earth after the Curse brings forth. We may as well think to stop the Chariot of the Sun when it is in its swift motion, as put a stop to trouble; the consideration of this our Life is exposed to eclipses and sufferings should make us say with Patience, Thy Will be done. Shall a Mariner be angry that he meets with a storm at Sea?

2. Consideration, God hath a special hand in the disposal of all Occurrences that fall out. Job eyed God in the Affliction, chap. 1.21. The Lord hath taken away : He doth not complain of the Sabaeans, or the Influences of the Planets, he looked beyond all second Causes, he saw God in the Affliction, and that made him cheerfully submit, Blessed be the name of the Lord. And Christ looked beyond Judas and Pilate, he looked to God's determinate Counsel in delivering him up to be Crucified, Acts 4.28. this made him say, Matth. 26.39. Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt : 'It is vain to quarrel with instruments. Wicked Men are but a Rod in God's hand; Isa. 10.5. O Assyrian the rod of my anger. Whoever brings an Affliction, God sends it: The consideration of this would make us say, Thy Will be done ; what God doth he sees a reason for. We read of a wheel within a wheel, Ezek. 1.15. the outward wheel which turns all, is Providence; the wheel within this wheel, is God's Decree; this believed would rock the Heart quiet. Shall we mutiny at that which God doth? We may as well quarrel with the works of Creation, as the works of Providence.

3. Consideration, which may make us humbly to submit to God's Will is, that there is a necessity of Affliction; 1 Pet. 1.6. (If need be) ye are in heaviness. It is needful some things be kept in brine. Afflictions are needful upon several accounts.

(1.) To keep us Humble. Oft times there is no other way to have the heart low but by being brought low: 2 Chron. 33.12. When Manasseh was in affliction, he humbled himself greatly. Corrections are Corrosives to eat out the proud flesh; Lam. 3.19. Remembering my misery, the wormwood and the gall, my soul is humbled in me.

(2.) It is necessary that there should be Affliction, for if God did not sometimes bring us into Affliction, how could his power be seen in bringing us out? Had not Israel been in the Egyptian Furnace, God had lost his glory in their deliverance.

(3.) If there were no Affliction, then many parts of Scripture could not be fulfilled. God hath promised to help us bear Affliction, and Psal. 37.24, 39. how could we experience God's supporting us in trouble, if we did not sometime meet with it? God hath promised to give us Joy in Affliction, John. 16.20. how could we taste this honey of Joy, if we were not sometimes in Affliction? Again, God hath promised to wipe away tears from our eyes, Isa. 25.8. how could God wipe away our tears in Heaven, if we never shed any? So that in several respects there is an absolute necessity that we should meet with Affliction, and shall not we quietly submit, and say, Lord, I see there is a necessity of it; Thy Will be done.

4. Consideration, to make us submit to God's Will in Affliction is, that whatever we feel, it is nothing but what we have brought upon ourselves; we put a Rod into God's hand to chastise us. Christian, God lays thy Cross on thee, but it is of thy own making. If a Mans field be full of Tares, it is nothing but what he hath sown in it: If thou reapest a bitter crop of Affliction, it is nothing but what thou thyself hast sown. The cords that pinch thee are of thy own twisting; Me me adsum qui feci. If Children will eat green Fruit, they may thank themselves if they are sick; if we eat the forbidden Fruit, no wonder to feel it gripe. Sin is the Trojan Horse that lands an Army of Afflictions upon us; Ier. 4.15. A voice publisheth affliction: ver. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee, this is thy wickedness. If we by Sin run ourselves into arrears with God, no wonder if he set Affliction as a Sergeant on our back to arrest us. This may make us patiently submit to God in Affliction, and say, Thy Will be done. We have no cause to complain of God, it is nothing but what our Sins have merited. Ier. 2.17. Hast not thou procured this unto thyself? The Cross though it be of God's laying, it is of our own making; say then as Mica 7. • 9 I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him.

5. Consideration, to cause submission to God's Will in Affliction; God is now about to make an Experiment, he doth it to prove and try us; Psal. 66.10. Thou O God, hast tried us as Silver is tried, thou laidst Affliction upon our Loins. If there were no Affliction, how should God have an Opportunity to try Men? Hypocrites can sail in a Pleasure-boat, serve God in Prosperity; but when we can keep close to God in times of danger, when we can trust God when we have no Pawn, and love God when we have no smile; here is the trial of Sincerity! This may make us say, Thy Will be done. God is only trying us, what hurt is in that? What is the gold worse for being tried?

6. Consideration, to make us submit to God in Affliction, and say, Thy Will be done, is, that in all our Crosses God hath a kindness for us; as there was no Night so dark, but Israel had a Pillar of Fire to give Light; so there's no Condition so cloudy, but we may see that which gives Light of Comfort: David would sing of Mercy and Judgment, Psal. 101.1. This may make our Wills cheerfully submit to God's, to consider, in every Path of Providence we may see a Footstep of kindness.

Quest. What kindness is there in Affliction, when God seems most unkind?

Answ. 1. There is kindness in Affliction, in that there is love in it; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Chrysost. God's Rod and God's Love may stand together, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, Whom he cockereth above the rest, so Mercer: As Abraham when he lift up his hand to sacrifice Isaac, loved him; so when God afflicts his People, and seems to sacrifice their outward Comforts, yet loves them: The Husbandman loves his Vine when he cuts it and makes it bleed; and shall not we submit to God? shall we quarrel with that which hath kindness in it, which comes in love? The Surgeon binds the Patient, and launceth him, but no wise Man will quarrel with the Surgeon, it is in Love, and in order to a Cure.

2. There is kindness in Affliction, in that God deals with us now as Children, Heb. 12.7. If you endure Chastening, God deals with you as Sons; God had one Son without sin, but no son without stripes. Affliction is a Badge of Adoption, 'tis Dei Sigillum, saith Tertullian, it is God's Seal by which he marks us for his own. When Munster that holy Man lay sick, his Friends asked him how he did? he pointed to his Sores, saying, hae sunt gemme Dei, these are the Jewels with which God decks his Children; shall not we then say? Thy Will be done. Lord, there's kindness in the Cross, thou usest us as Children, the Rod of Discipline is to fit us for the Inheritance.

3. There is kindness that God hath in all our Afflictions left us a Promise; in the most cloudy Providences the Promise appears as a Rainbow in the Cloud.

(1.) That we shall have God's promise with us, Psal. 91.15. I will be with him in Trouble. It cannot be ill with that Man with whom God is: I will be with him, i. e. to support, sanctify, sweeten; God's presence is a sweetening ingredient into every Affliction. I had rather be in a Prison and have God's Presence, then be in a Palace and want it.

(2.) Promise, that he will lay no more upon us then he will enable us to bear, 1 Cor: 10.13. God will not try us beyond our strength; either God will make the Yoak lighter, or our Faith stronger; may not this make us submit our Wills to God when Afflictions have so much kindness in them? In all our Trials God hath left us promises, which are like Manna in the Wilderness.

4. This is great kindness that all the Troubles that befall us shall be for our profit, Heb. 12. He 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for our profit.

Quest. But what profit is in affliction?

Answ. 1. Afflictions are disciplinary, they teach us Schola Crucis, Schola Lucis: Many Psalms have this Inscription Maschil, a Psalm giving Instruction: Affliction may have this Inscription upon it Maschil, an Affliction giving Instruction, Mica. 6.9. Hear ye the Rod. Luther saith he could never rightly understand some of the Psalms till he was in Affliction, Judge. 8.16. Gideon took Thorns of the Wilderness and Briars, and with them he taught the Men of Succoth : God by the Thorns and Briars of Affliction teacheth us.

(1.) Affliction shows us more of our own hearts then ever: Water in a Glass-Vial looks clear, but set it on the fire and the Scum boils up: When God sets us upon the fire, then we see that Corruption boils up which we did not discern before. Sharp Afflictions are to the Soul as a soaking Rain to the House, we know not that there are such holes in the House, till the shower comes, and then we see it drop down here and there; so we before did not know that there were such unmortified Lusts in the Soul, till the storm of Affliction comes, then we spy unbelief, impatience, carnal fear, we see it drop down in many places. Thus Affliction is a sacred Collyrium, it clears our Eye-sight; the Rod gives Wisdom.

(2.) Affliction brings those sins to Remembrance, which before were buried in the Grave of Forgetfulness; Joseph 's Brethren for twenty Years together were not at all troubled for their sin in selling their Brother, but when they came into Egypt and began to be in straits, then their sin in selling their Brother came into their Remembrance, and their Hearts did smite them, Gen. 42.21. They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our Brother. When a Man is in distress, now his sin comes fresh into his Mind, Conscience makes a Rehearsal Sermon of all the Evils which have passed in his Life, now his expense of precious time, his Sabbath-breaking, his slighting of the word, come into his Remembrance, and he goes out with Peter and weeps bitterly. Thus the Rod gives Wisdom, it shows the hidden evil of the heart, and brings former sins to Remembrance.

2. There is Profit it Affliction, as it quickens a Spirit of Prayer, premuntur justi ut pressi clament. Jonah was asleep in the Ship, but at Prayer in the Whales Belly; perhaps in a time of health and prosperity, we prayed in a cold formal manner, we put no coals to the Incense, we did scarce mind our own prayers, and how should God mind them, now God sends some cross or other to make us stir up ourselves to take hold of God: When Jacob was in fear of his life by his Brother, then he wrestles with God and weeps in prayer, and would not leave God till he had blessed him, Hos. 12.4. 'It is with many of God's Children as with those who formerly had the Swe • ting sickness in this Land, 'twas a sleepy disease, if they slept they died, therefore to keep them waking they were smitten with Rosemary Branches; so the Lord useth Affliction as a Rosemary Branch to keep us from sleeping, and to awaken a Spirit of Prayer, Isa. 26.16. They poured out a Prayer, when thy Chastening was upon them ; now their Prayer pierced the Heaven: In times of Trouble we pray feelingly, and we never pray so fervently as when we pray feelingly, and is not this for our profit?

3. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a means to expectorate and purge out our sin, Isa. 77.9. By this th • refore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Arist. Affliction is God's Physic to expel the noxious humor, it cures the Imposthume of Pride, the Feaver of Lust, and is not this for our profit: Affliction is God's File to fetch off our Rust, his flail to thresh off our Husks: The Water of Affliction is not to drown us, but to wash off our Spots.

4. To be under the black Rod is profitable, in that hereby we grow more serious and are more careful to clear our Evidences for Heaven: In times of Prosperity when the Rock poured out Rivers of Oil, Job 29 6. we were careless in getting, at least clearing our Title to Glory; had many no better Evidences for their Land then they have for their Salvation, they were but in an ill case; but when an hour of Trouble comes, we begin to look after our spiritual Evidences, and see how things stand between God and our Souls; and is it not for our profit to see our Interest in Christ more cleared then ever?

5. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a means to take us more off from the World; the world oft proves not only a Spiders Web, but a Cockatrice Egg; pernicious worldly things are great Inchantments, they are • etinaculaspei, Tertul. they hinder us in our passage to Heaven; if a Clock be over-wound it stands still; so when the heart is wound up too much to the world, it stands still to Heavenly things; Affliction sounds a retreat to call us off the immoderate pursuit of earthly things; when things are frozen and congealed together the only way to separate them is by Fire; so when the heart and the world are congealed together, God hath no better way to separate them then by the Fire of Affliction.

6. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a Refiner, it works us to further decrees of Sanctity, Heb. 12.10. He for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holiness. The Vessels of Mercy are the brighter for scouring; you pour water on your Linnen when you would whiten it; God pours the waters of Affliction upon us to lay our Souls a whitening: The Leaves of the Fig-tree and Root are bitter, but the Fruit is sweet: Afflictions are in themselves bitter, but they bring forth the sweet fruits of Righteousness, Heb. 12.11. This may make us submit to God, and say, Thy Will be done ; there's kindness in Affliction, it is for our spiritual profit.

5. There's kindness in Affliction, in that there is no condition so bad but it might be worse; when it is duskish it might be darker; God doth not make our Cross so heavy as he might, he doth not stir up all his Anger, Psal. 78.38. He doth not put so many Nails in our Yoak, so much Wormwood in our Cup as he might; doth God chastise thy Body? he might torture thy Conscience; doth he cut thee short? he might cut thee off: The Lord might make our Chain heavier; Is it a burning-Feaver? it might have been the burning Lake: Doth God use the Pruning Knife to lop thee? he might bring his Axe to hew thee down. Ezek. 47.3. The Waters were up to the Ankles : Do the Waters of Affliction come up to the Ankles? God might make them rise higher, nay, he might drown thee in the Waters; this may make us submit quietly and say, Thy Will be done, because there is so much kindness in it; whereas God useth the Rod, he might use the Scorpion.

6. There is kindness in Affliction, in that your case is not so bad as others; they are always upon the Rack; they spend their Years with sighing,