C+~:jho~ruir ·is it to. thee to be flout-hearted and high in thy own con.:– cett, and to It ve applauded by thy felf and others ? Think of your felves as well as you will, God counteth you worfe then the . bafdl: brutes., as long as you make your felves fo, by·neglectin~ theC?ne th~ng for which yoa have yo~r reafon •. W;hen you fwag~ ~er 1t out m the worlci, you do but gu'lgle your fetters;and glory m yonr fhame, Phi!. 3· 18, 19. Whil~--fool!i admire you, God . abborreth you; he laugheth you to fcorn, and hatbyou in derifion as he expreffeth himfelf after the manner of men , Prov. 1. 26: 1-7, 28. Pf~tlm 2. 4. When you are proud of your riches or honour with fuch as your felvcs, you are but proud of the b~nds . of your captivity, 2. Tim. 2. 26. Though you live as careleily and merrily, and laugh as heartily, and fport your felves as fearieily as if all were fafe, and nothing ailed you, yet your mirth is hue your madnefs, Ecclef. ·7· 4, 6. and 2. 2. andGodfeeth that your· day (awofulday) ucoming,Pfalm 37.13; and youknownot . h·Jt you may the .next hour be tormented in hell, that this .hour · are fo pleafant and confident onearth. And is this a defirab1e or · r ational kind of mirth ? Did you bmnow forefee the end. -did ycu fee what youmufl fee, orfeel a little of what you muft feel, . y·ou would prefenrly be far from mirth or laughter ; it would , fpoil your fport, .and, turn y-our tune to doleful lamentations• . 0 £hort unfatisfaetory pleafure 10 endlefs, eafekfs woe, how quickly wilt thoufurprize them thatlittle dream offuchachange! ' You fay Rel.igion is a Melancholy thing , but ·verily your con- . dirion is fo much worfe then melancholy, th6lt it may make a man , melancholy to think of men in fo fad acafe. If any thing in the world will make a man melancholy , methinks it fhould be to :ftand in your unhapy fiate , and thence to look into Gternity ! _' and to think of your enmity to heaven, and that you have no , part i.1 Chrifi, no title to his Kingdom , and to think what hafie · you are making to you.r infernal home , and bow fafi thewheels , of night and day do hurry your unprepared foul£ to Judgement, , and tl at your judgt!ment lingreth not ·, and your ·damnation -fl um– hreth not, qs the Holy Ghoil: fpeaketb, 2 Pet. 2. 3. Whether you fleep or wake, be fure it jlrepeth not. . In a word , to neg l e~ the One thing needful, is to negleCt Heaven it felfand yo1:1r falva tton : – to negldl Heaven i$ to lo{e it: and lofe Heaven and lofe all. And what comfort <:an rhe fore-thot1gbrs of life everlaJtingatford a· f<iul.in a fiate of finJ ~hat is ~ aili n g to everla.11ing_plifery_? And - -- - · · · - · · · - what~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=