II. And have not you also a course that should be finished with joy, as well as we? O sirs! time is precious, short, and hasty. This race is for all eternity, and is to be run but once. Heaven will be quickly won or lost for ever. Can any one hear and believe this who hath the heart of a man, and not be awakened presently to make haste? Dare you die in an unholy, unpardoned state? Dare you go out of the world more foolishly than the unjust steward out of his stewardship, before you have provided another habitation? Dare you appear before God without his Spirit and image, and without the wedding garment of sincere holiness, and so without a part in Christ? O sirs! no heart can now conceive what a dreadful appearing that will be. Alas, sirs! we are dying, we are all dying, one to-day and another to-morrow, and we are all quickly gone; and do you take no care whether you shall go next, when God bids you care, in a manner, for nothing else? Your course will soon be finished. Shall it be with joy, or the beginning of everlasting misery? Oh! resolve now, resolve this day, as you would speed for ever. God's grace must save you; but it lieth more on your present choice and resolution than careless sinners will well consider of. Quest. But how should I finish my course with joy? Answ. You may gather it from what is said already. Are you willing, if I tell you to do your part? Asking questions will not serve instead of work. I. Will you see that you perish not through your own mere carelessness, and wilful neglect of what you can do for your soul? If you will not do what you can, what good will directions do you? If men will live as if they had not reason and selflove, and knew not that they must die, or care not what becomes of them for ever, what can one do for the safety of such men? As men cannot dispute, that agree not in some granted principles, so we cannot lead you to Christ by the gospel, if you` agree not in some principles of humanity and self-preservation. A sottish carelessness is the undoing of the most, : II. Set yourselves to study the gospel of Christ, till you understand what salvation is, and what is the way to it, and know the nature of true religion and then you will see in it so much truth, so much necessity, so much amiable beauty and fitness to make you wise, good, and happy, that it will win your hearts. to love and pleasure in it. III. Study thoroughly the true meaning of your baptismal covenant, and solemnly, before God, consent to it with tongue and heart, and live as under the obligation of it all your days; and also live in the belief of all the promises of it, and expectations of all the benefits promised. The sum of all your religion for duty and comfort is comprised in your baptismal covenant. Though it be an error to be oft baptised, it is a hundred times worse error, never truly to understand, consent, and practise, after so solemn a vow and covenant. IV. When you have given up yourselves to God, as your God and Father, your Saviour and your Sanctifier, remember that your great relations have engaged you in the greatest business, and the highest hopes in all the world. And, therefore, now live as fellow-citizens of the saints and the household of God, that have nobler converse, work, and hope, than worldly unbelievers. Remember, now, with whom and what you have to do, and that it is not a by and trifling business, but the best and greatest that you have undertaken. V. Join with those that are for heaven, whose counsel and company may be your help; separate from no Christians by way of divisions, further than God commandeth you; and do not easily forsake the judgment of the generality of godly men: but make few your familiar friends, and those such as are most wise, and humble, and sincere, and cheerful in the belief and hopes of glory, and suitable to your use and converse. VI. In all doubts and difficulties of religion, judge not hastily before you have thoroughly heard and tried. Prefer a suspended judgment, that stayeth till it have tried, before a rash and hasty judgment of what you know not, and may repent of. VII. Carefully govern your fleshly appetites and sense, and avoid needless temptations, especially to sinful pleasure: for lust will conceive else, and bring forth sin; and sin being finished will bring forth death. You will find sin and comfort contrary. VIII. Especially, fear the flatteries of the world, and hopes of a pleasant life to the flesh on earth, and an itch after riches, plenty, or preferment, and designs for the attaining them; love not the world, nor the things that are in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life, the portion of the wicked; for if any man love the world (for the flesh and itself) so far the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John ii. 15, 16.) IX. Value precious time, and live not in idleness; spend time as you would hear of it at last, and as those that know what it is to have but one short life to determine where they shall live for ever. Hear and abhor all pastimes and triflings that would rob you of your time. X. Converse daily in heaven while you are on earth; let faith still see it; let hope still make after it, and let love desire it, and delightfully remember it. There is our Father, our Saviour, our Comforter, our friends, with whom we must live for ever. There let our hearts be as the place of all our hopes, and let the strain of your religion be as heavenly as you can; let it consist in love, in unity and concord, in the joyful praises of Jehovah, and in a pure, holy life. This will raise you above the sinful love of this transitory life, and the fear of death, and give you the foretastes of heaven on earth, while you do God's will on earth as it is done in heaven. But it is the Spirit and grace of Christ which you must beg and seek, and on which you must obediently depend, for the performance of all this, and not upon your inconstant wills. Without Christ we can do nothing; but by his strengthening us we can do all things necessary to our salvation; and we are more than conquerors, even in our patient sufferings, through the Captain of our salvation, who hath conquered for us. Thus we may finish our course with joy. |