Horv to do Good to ot/Jers i1i our Sic1<.11ejr. Tit. 4· 'DireElions for doing 6ood to others h1 our Sick1ie[s. ~· 1 , T '\}e whole life of a Chtifiian 010uld be a, fetving of his God: And though his body in fickncfs fecm to be unferviceable, yet 1t IS not the leafi or lowell of hts fervtces, whtch he is thm at lafi to do : Pattly by his holy example, and partly by hisJPeechu ;· which are borh more ob· iCrved in dying mm, than in any others: Fpr no.w a1~ fuppofe, that 1f there ~ere b~~ore any mask of hypocritie, it is hid afide, and the foul that IS gomg to the Bm of l;;od, wtll deal hncercly: And 11 ow it is fuppofcd, that we are delivered much from all [h~ ~efoohng dclufions of profperlty; and therefore fitter robe Counfcllors to others. And every Chnfitan (hould be very ddirous to do good to 6p the lafi, and be found fa doing. . .. ,. 9· 2· Direct. r. Shew not adijlempered impatient mind: Though pai11 wtll be pain, and fl<fh will DmU. f, be ficjh yet 01ew men that you have alfo Rea[o11 and Spirit. And that it calmeth yout foul, though ~ it cafe ~ot your body. Speak good of God, as befeemeth one that indeed bdieveth, that it is good ~~~~a·;;:: · for us, when we are affiitied by him, and that all fhall work together for good to us: Speak not a tepining word againfi him, Job,, 22· In aU thi< Job finned not, nor charged God foolifhly· And fpeak not roo pievijhly and imp,tiently to thofe about you : Though weaknefs mchne you to 1!, yet let the power of grace appear. §. 3. Direct. 2· Lu th!Jfe tbat are about you fie, that you tak_e the life to come for a reality, and th61.t Dirtlf. ~ )'Ott t•erily cxpeClto live 'R'itb Chrift in joyes for ever. Let them fee this in ytmr boly joy and confi· dwce, a11d yo,r tbanlifi41nefs to Gad for the grace and bopes which he bath given you tbr~ttgh Chrift : I know that a pained languifhing body is undifpofed to <xprefs the comforts of rhe foul: But yet as long as the foul is theCommander, they may be expretfed in fome good mea[ure, th~ll:gh not witfi fuch vivacity :md alacrity as in health. B(;have your fclves before all, as thofe that are going td dwell with Chrill ; If you 01ew them that you take Heaven fot a teal felicity, ir will do much to draw them to do fo roo. Shew them the difference between the deuh of the tighteous and.of the wicked ; and that may fo draw them to defirc to dye tbe death of the RighteoM., th~t it may draw them alfo to refolve to live their lives. How many fouls mig~t it win to God, if they faw in his dying fervants, fuch confidence a'nd joy, as befeernerh men that arc entering, into a world of joy and peace, and bldfedne£5? If we went out'of the body as from a Prifon into liberty; and from atedious journey to our detired home. it would invite finners to fc:ek af[Ct the fame felici'ty, and be a powerful Sermon to convert the inconfidcrate. 9· 4· Direct. 3· Now trY poor finnm of the vanity of the world, and of aD its glory, wealth andpiu- Direll. 3• fore; a1zd of the mifchief and rleceitfulnefs of fm: S1y to them, [ 0 SirJ, you may fee in me whatthe world iJ wortb ; I[ you had aU the.wealtb and ple:1[ure tbat you defire, thus it would turn you off .znd forfalze you i1t tiJe end! It will eafe no pai1s : It triU bring no peace to a truub/edfoul! It a:iU not lwgthoz )'ottr livu an hour : It will not fave you from tbt wrath ofGod. It ma~uh yotrr deatb tb'efodder beca1t[e you mujt be tak_!nfrom it: Your accoum wiU he the more dreadfuU: 0 Love not (uch a vain dec<itf•l world: Sell n•t yottr fouls for fo poor a price. Forfak..e it before you are forfak!• by it. 0 mak! not light of any fin! '1hougb the wanton flejh would have you tak,! it for a harmlefs thing, yeu cannot imagine, when the pleafitre Ugone, how fharp afling is left behind. Sin wiUbtthen nojeajiingmatur, when your foulJ o:Jrc going hence, into the dreadful prcfence of the Moft Holy God. ] §· 5 Direct. 4· Now tell th;fe about you of the Excellency and Nece!Jity of the Love ofGod, of Heaven, Dire/1; 4• 'ofChrijl, ,md of a holy life. Though thefe may be made light of at a difiancc, yet a foul that is drawing near thc:m, will be more awakened to undcrfiand their worth: fay to them, [ 0 friends, I find now more than ever I did before, that it is only God, that is :he end and happincfs offoulr: Nothing but hiJ favour through Jefzu Chrijf, can comfort and content a dying man : Ami n~ne bttt Chrijl can recoucile tu trJ God, and an[wer for our fins,and mak.,e us acccptablt: And no way but that offaith and h~lintjj will end in happintjs. Opiniom and cujfomary forms in Religion, Jl!ill not ferve the turn: To be of tbiJ or that Party, or Churcb, or Communion wiU not fave you: It it only the foul th.:zt is jufiified byChrijl, and {unllijied by hii Spirit, and brought up to t!Jt Lovt of God and holi11eji, that foaU be favcd: JYhat rvtr Opinion or Church you are of, withcut Holinrfs youfhaU nevtr fee God to your comfort, aJ 'Rlith!Jut faitb it is impoffiblt to pleafo him, Heb. 12. 14• & J 1. 6. Rorn. 8. 6, 7, 8, 9. 0 now'n'h:Jt a mi{trablt cafe were I in, ifl had all the wealth and bonottr in the world, and had not the favour ofGod, a11d aChrijl to purc?afe it, and biJ Spirit so witnefs it, and prepare mt for a better lift• Now I fee tbt djffcrmct between ]pending time in Holimfi and in fin : betwetn 61. godly and a worldly, ftrjhly, careh{s life: Now I "''"Id not/or a thou[and rvorld1, that I had {pent my life in fenf•ality ,and ungod/inefs and continued a Jfrangtr to the life of faith: Now if I had a world, I wot~ld give it to be more hui:J .? 0 Siu, btlieve it when yo!' come to dye, fin wilt he then fin indeed, and.Chriji anti Grace will be betttr than richeJ; aud to dye in an U11rcgeneratc unfan[iified jtate will be a greater mifery than any heart can now conceive. J ~· 6. Diru~l. 5· Endeavour alfo to mall$. mm Jt~oTP the dijferente between tht godly and the wicked i Dittll· 5; Tell [hem, [ l11o~ foe who n:a~ttb tbe wifojl cb<~t.ce: 0 happy men, tbat choo[t she joyei whicb bavt no end, snrllay up thur t!'eajitre m Heaven, where rujl and motiJJ do no' CDrr#pt, and thieve! do not bre 4 k through a11d jleal, andlaboHr for tbe food that mver perijhttb, M<tth. 6. 19, 20· John 6. 27. 0 foo· lijh --~.....--
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