Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

I Of the !bertne: andfrailtieofmans life. 659 death;bat departing from the world,we fhal carie with vs there rich treafures,and hauing there precious jewels in our hands,we (hall with by and comfort meet the Bridegroome, andprefene out fcluesin Gods prefence, offering vnto him his owne gifts and graces, to be rewarded and crowned with glorie and euer- Jailing happines. Finally, feeing our life is but a íhadow, let vs Vmbrarfvits hailen to the Sun of righteoufncffe,that he with his vitall heate h.rc: Jrr7tnn ad may preferue vs from the cold of this fhade: let vs let our hearts /,lrmuifü ia, vi it d f ndat vpon him with all loue and affe6lion, and fo fhall we be lure for ab vmbne hM_ euer to enioy our loue,and in him to find erernall happines and iu, frigare;eh' endiefleglory,fecirìg he being life it Idle dieth not, & with his r,frrr blibi quickening Spirit will make vsimmortall , and toflue eternally j a brof_ with him who is cternall.Whereas contrariwife,ifwith the fine in Plalm a 8, foolifh virgins, we haue not the pure oyleofGodsfan6ijf}'it g Serm.s. graces (lining in our lamps , we (hall be (hut out of the bridall chamber,and when we would moll be knowne, e (hall heare that fearefullfentence,Departfrom rose I knolbyou not : if we de_ fer our repentance,& do not vie the meanesappointed by God whereby we may be allured ofour faluation; if we do not hun- ger and thir(í afterChrifíand hisrighteoufnes; and letting our loue and affe&ionsvpon our heauenly countrie, feeke and en- deauour with all our powcrs,to be enfranchifed, and made free burgefhes of the new lerufalem; there gracious offers will once be pulled backe, and the acceptable time and day of faluation will within a while bepaffed,neuer againe to be recalled. Whi- lefí the vnfaichfull (leward walleth his mailers goods about his owne pleafures, ruffling it out in his (likes and veluets, and re- velling in all delightfull fports and pleafingpafíimes;eating and drinking,masking and dancing, commanding and ouerru- lang all hi; fellow feruants,euery one enuieth hishappines, and with in theirhearts that they were like him; but when the day ofreckoning commeth,that he muffleaue his place,and giue an account ofhis flewardfhip to a iufí and powerful! mailer, then all his former pompe and pleafure vanifheth like a dreame, and the meanefíofhis fellow feruants,which isaffurcd ofhis owne integritie, and his mailers lone, would not now change with him eflaces,becaufe his glory is pafí,& his reckoning to come. And fo howfocuerGods poore feruants may for a while cnuie the profperiryofwicked worldlings,when they fee theirbraue- V v z roe,