lei Ailotiie to et.holy Gonverfatio». ufeth to the Church of Pkitadc'tpbia, Rev.;. it. Floleifait that thou ball, and let: no man take thy crown. Á3 if he lhould fay; There is a time coming when Crowns Chad be given : but to -whom ? to thofe that hold out , that perfevere in! a godly ¿ourfe, Te thetafat?hful 7o the death and thoufháltreceive a ero.in of ry, , This is that, I fay; that will make a 'mango on, Will make him that isgood in , youth, be good In age 'ago ; beéaufe wbentoever he diet'h, he (hall receive his \, Crown. This will make aman that.he (hail not beginin the 1ptrit, and endin th, ells ; this will make him, that having put his hand to the plough, he wo11 not look back; becaufe he nofurtherlooks forcoritfórtin the appearancebfChrift, than he I. hash had tare towalk oaikonftantly in a'good'courfc. Thies you fee the pointproved to you, that a Chriftian fóäl bath a main benefit by his looking for the fecund, coming of Chri i ; and that this is it that makeshim careful to mortifie his fecretlufts : that this is' it that makes him careful to purge himfelffrom worldly affcetìons: that this is it that maltes him indìiftriotis to avoid evil courfes: thatthis is it that makes him diligent-in good at}ions; that this is it that makes him confiatt, and to perfevcre to the end in.alf holy waycs, and in avoiding of all evil : becaufe he looks for; and waits for the coming of Chrift. Now then take this for a 'main tryal of yotit felves, concerning the former point. Whethèr you can with comfort look for the coming of Chrift of no ? There lliall he abundance at that daj', that (hall hang dts'An their heads : 1law ( faith Saint John the Divine ) the Kings of the eàrth and thegreat men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the a tó'rty men, and every bond-man , and every free-man ( men of all forts ), hide themfelvat in thrdens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and Paid to the mountains and rods, fall on us, and hide uo from ekeface,ofhim that fitteth on the thrdne, andfroni the wrath of the Larhb, forthe great day ofhis wrath itcome, and íähò(hall be able toRand? Would you therefore' hola up your heads with comfort and with joy ? that when you hear a Funeral Sei-man , it might Comfort you to think, . It willnot be long before my time (hall- tome, before my time (hall be ? would you, in truth have freedomfrom thefear of Hcb. r.. 04 death, which Chrift bath purchafed ? (for he rook tapon him the famenature, be- eaufethe children were partakers of flefh and blood, that he might free them; who f r fear of dark were held in bondage all their life.) Would you llave comfort in Chrilts coining to Judgement ? Sec how effeClually this works Iii Is it thus effc.C-tual; that beeaitfeyoit look for thrifts coming, therefore you pré- pare your felves ; therefore you purge out your lulls and corruptions, becaufe there (hall be nothing then (when the fecreesof all hearts !hall be manifeft) that íhallbedifpleafing to himwhen he (hail come ? Are you careful to let fall worldly affeeciona, becaufc you have a comfortable apprehenfion óf heavenly jo es ? Are you careful to turn your courUe from fn; becaufc you would not lid open to the Judgement ofcondemnaricn? Are you careful to do good,, to_perfcvere in the prafttfe of godlinefs, bécaufê he thàt!hall Come, will cdrise, and will not Carry ? ifit be thus with you, then you may with comfort think of that day, then youmay withçhearfignefslookUpon the daÿ of death ó the .day ofdeaththen, is better than the.day inwhich thou wert born: It is better to thee than the day ofthy marriage, it is the dal,- ofthat great Marriage that (hall be made betwéeñChrift and thy foul to All eternity: It isbetterthanthe day th:.t thou obtaineff thyfreedorn, than the'day th5tthou comeff out of thy r' pprentiflaip : it is the day wherein than,' artfet free; and brought unto the /Itrioli, liberty ifthefins cfGód : It is a day that is better than thedayofthe'enjoyment ofthegreatefl coinforts ofthis life,becatife itfctstheein the poffcfliion of pleafures t biasareat gods right handfor evërbaore. Take this confderarion therefore to heart and that yodmay walk in a holy courfe thebetter, and with more conftancy; keep theobject alwayes dole to your eye; Think with your felves and fay ;' Ifwe would Walk as Saints in heaven; we mull .. ,...__.. 207 vf' Fox uÿ,1. l Rev. 6. t,. !
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