comfortablewalking with God. 163 ,.............1 pooreConies in the Day of Chrifl. This is that One neceffary thing,in refpeCt of which, all other things, though otherwife honeft and excellent, are but reipeaively neceffary and fo farre as they further, and are warrantably and comfortably fubordinate and contributory to this end : Nay, to this the exquifite Quinteffence and concurrence of all other, the dearefl and molt defireable things under the Sunne, are to be accountedbut droffe anddung. And yet for all this, many of us , while wee yet abode in the darkcneffe and damnation of our naturall Slate,fpent manyyeeresfome twenty, fome thir- tie, fome perhaps flank , wholly upon hell, in bale and un- bleffed courfes, quite croffe to the end of our Creation. All that dm*mifery to be lamented evenwith teares ofblood) was utterly caft away upon the kingdome of darkeneffe fearefully loft upon our owne lutts,fintull fafhions, and pride of hire ; flavifhly and wofully wafted in the divels fervice. Nay, all that while, abominable and beatify wretches that we were, we let our felves with fenfuall rage, againft the very face of heaven , lay in aEtuall high Treafon , and bore Armes in open Rebellion againft that dreadful( Maieftie which might moil ju illy every moment of that wofull time have arrefted us with death, arraigned us at the Barre of his Iutlice andthrowne downe into hell.What manner ofper- ions then I pray you ought we to bee, in the short remainder of thole few and evil( dayes which are behind ? Even to im. ploy and irnproove the utmoft poffibility of all our natu- rail acquired andgracious parts, our credit, calling, outward Rate, allour power,meanes, occaflons,advantages,to win and worke out glory unto God, enlargement of Chrifis King- dome, conflation to the devils dominion, convert:ion of o- thers, comfort unto our owne poore Conies againft our en- ding houre. A fellow that bath loytered a great part of the day in his journey, or bufineffe, andyet mutt needes reach home and finifh his taske, will toile and Tweet at it towards night, doublehis paines, and put all his ftrength unto it : fo wehavingnot onely been flacke in our bufineffe about.Gods fervice, and flow ip the way to heaven ; bat even for many _ M 2 yeeres,
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