536 Eccbo, or, their final falvation, and yetnotwithftanding they are fo fixed to the world ; they gather the world as greedily, grapling the things of this life together fo earneftly, with fuch vehement affe tions,as if they were tolive their age over a hundred times? be therenota number of polititians that profcfs this hope too, that hold it moftun- wife and foolilh thing in the world to lofe any thing for confcience-fake, andfor Chrift ? Alas! their things will not frond with this expeftatioo. when a man hath a good title to heaven, he is content to part with the broken title to the things of this life : as long indeed as amanhathnot abetter title, he will hold to that worfe : but when he bath a blefled title to the inheritanceof the Saints in light,hecarethnotfor this broken Tenour and title, he will not hold thcm,becaufethey cannot hold him. In the laft place, another note that attcndeth this expeEtation is, where this is, there will beananfwerable affeftion, there will he a promoting ofall the means to further it,there will be agrief andforrow for an things that come againfi is to hinder it. Thus wedo in otherexpeEtation.s. Whenwe cxpeCt this or that reverfioñ, when anything cometh betweenour hope,wc grieve for it,any thing that consctlior falleth out to further our hope,we rejoyce init.And thus it will be likewife in this expecîa- tionofChrift, if it be true, whatfocver it is that may further otir hbpc,and further Chrift his coming, that we defirc and pray for, that werejoycein,t!ìat we promote 1 andputonwith ail our power and ffrength; andbccanfea powerfulminiftryofthe Word, promoteth the kingdom ofChriff,and fetchctlt in the company that (hall be faved,and haftenethhis corning; therefore we will with all our power and ftrength, hold up the miniftry of the Word of GOD, (that Scepter ofjefus Chrift) forthe gatheringin ofpeople to God, for the perfcEhng of the number of the Elea,that fo Chrift may come and fining our falvation. And whatfocver it is that may haften this his coming andappearing,wearcglad to fee it in the means ofit,when the Word is preached,when the Sacramentsare adminifted, when people are gathered to God,, whengrace appeareth in thehearts and lives ofmen,when we fee thepowerofgodli- nefs manifeft it felfany where, when we feegodly men incouraged and entertained, when we fee the fear of God to prevail in Families and thelike, we rejoyce at this. Why fo ? becaufe this increafeth and confirmeth our hope,it gathereth in the num- ber that mufrbe accomplifhed, before our final deliverance. And contrarily,when we fee things to impair, and hinder the coming of the kingdom ofChrift, that hin- ders the falvations ofmen,when we fee the Churchof Godleftwithout able teachers, and in ftead of them,to comiinunprofitableand unfufftcient ignorant men,when we fee the free pafiageofthe Gofpel hindered,manyexcellent lights Moat under a hurtle!, and their light hid from the people of God,and the Gofpel from the Church ofGod, when we fee fa&ion prevail, and both Civil and Ecelcfialfical goverment defpifed, whenHeref,esare countenanced, and the people of Goddifcouraged anddifhcart- ned, whenwe fee the frate of the Church ofGod abroad, that many fad blows are given by the enemies, and the fword ofthe enemy is (harp uponthe Church,when we fee thefethings, thcfe dazle our hopes, they come between us and the kingdom, and fecund comingofChrift, the battening of it : therefore there muft begrieffor it. Thus itfvillbe; We pray for every thing that may haften it, and pray again& every thiat that Ifandsbetween, and hinders the converfionofmen,and the glory of God, and the proceedings ofChrifls kingdom : thus (I fay) it will be with us. But where is the man that takes thefe things toheart?who fettethhimfeffon chef; holyand confcionable courfes? If this be fo, it appeareth manifeffly, that thisex- pe Cation, though it be every where expreft, is hard to befound any where ; there beveryfew thatbelieveour report, few there be thatfet themfelves to lift and exa- minethefounclnefs oftheir ex eEtation, and defire after Chrift, yet where it is not (thereattendants) it is not found andfncere. In a word, to firr us up to this, as theChurch andtheSpirit, and the Bride, and he thatis a thirfi here,faithCoene,to flair up (t fay) our delires to this,we will ufeaMo- cive or two. Do wenot feeby all thisdifcourfc a plain difference between godly men andun- believers 2 Agodlyman that hath the Spirit ofGod inhim, faith come. A wicked than
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