ià S E R.114.0 N S upon the Serm. XI. 1. Not venture his life for Chrift. Heb. 12. Te have not yet refilled unto blood, flriving againfl fin; Unlefs willing rather to be with the Lord, than in he Body. 2. Not Imploy his life for Chrìft, nor liv %in order to eternity, unlefs he hath been kept looking and longing for this happy change, Gen. 49, 19. Lord, I have waited for thy Salvation. As if all MS life time, he had been waiting for this. None live the Heavenly life, but thofe that look upon it as better than the worldly, and accordingly wait and prepare for it ; 'tis the end fweetneth the means. .3. Nor lay down nor yield up his life with comfort. The very fore - thoughts of their change are grievous to moth men, becaufe they are not willing rather to be with Chrift h an in the Body, and fo they move from that which they fpeculatively call their Bleffed- nefs, and count themfelves undone when they come to injoy. 4. There are many things to invite Is to delire prefence with Chrift; as there are many things to Thew us why we are not fatisfied with remaining in the body. While we remain in the Body, we dwell in an evil World, Gal. 1. 4. Which is a place of fins, fnares and troubles. But of this fee verfe4rh of this Chapter. Ufe. Let us all be of this temper andframe of SPirit,wiIling rather to leabfentfrom the Body, and to be prefent with the Lord. Almolt all will prefer the Life to come, in words, when indeed they utterly negle& it, and prefer the flefhly pleafures of this life, before it, cry out of the vanity and vexation of the World, and yet fet their hearts upon it, and love it better than God and the World to come. Gods Children do not often enough compare the difference between beingprefent with the Body, and being prefent with the Lord ; they root here to much. The delire ofthis life is very natural to us, but yet if it withdraweth us from thefe Heavenly good things, and weakneth our efteem of the true life, it fhould be curbed and mortified, and reduced into its due order and place. There- fore it is very necelfary, that we { hould often revive thefe thoughts, and right Judge of the prefent and future life, and ufe earthly good things pioufly,as long as it pleafeth God to keep us here, but {till to be mindful of home, and to keep our hearts in a confiant breathing after Heavenly things. Two things I lhall prefs upon you. s. Vfe the pleafures of the bodily lift more Coaringly. 2. Let your love to Chrift be moreftrong and more camel. T. life the pleafures of the bodily life more fparingly. They that have to great a care and love to the body, negle& their Souls, and difable themfelves for thefe Hea- venly defrres and motions, they cannot ad them in prayer, 1 Pet. watch unto prayer. And they lye open to Satans temptations, s Pet. S. $ For and verfary, the Devil,goeth about like a roaring Lion, Peeking whom he may devour. There- fore unlefs there be a great deal of Moderation, and a fpare medling of earthly delights, they are indifpofed, for he Chriftian warfare, r 7hef. S. 8. Let us who are of the day le fober, putting on the breath plate of Faith and Love ; we cannot exercife Faith and Love with any livelinefs, nor expe& the.Happinefs of the World to come, a Pet. 1. 1;. Wherefore gird up the loins ofyour mind, be fober and hope to the end. Whileft we hire out our reafon to the fervice of luff and appetite,and glutour felves with the. delights of the flefh and worldly pomp, as dainty fare, coftly apparel, fports, plays, and garbing; there is a ("range oblivion and deadnefs groweth upon our hearts, as to Heavenly things. A Chriftian looketh for days of refrefhing from the prefence of the Lord.But there mutt have their refrefhings here. The Drunkard feeketh his refrefhing in pleafing his palate, the idle man is loth to be put to work, he would have his refs here. The vain they muff have their fenfes tickled, and pleafed ; pomp and vanity, and fports, and paftimes, is the great bufinefs and pleafure of molt anéns lives. 2. Let your love to Chri/tbeflronger and moreearneft, forwhere love is, we defire union and prefence. 'Tis but a pretence oflove, where we aim not at the neareft conjun&ion that may be: if we love our friend, his prefence is comfortable, his abfenee troublefome, as Dalilah Paid to Samfon, how ranft thou fay thou loveft me, when thy Spirit is not with me, Judges 16. 1 f. If we love one, wedeliire to be with him. 4. Point. That this will and choice cometh from confidence of a better eftate, and our own intereft in it. For while the Soul doubteth of the thing, or of our injoying it, we fhall delire the con-. tinuance of our Earthly Happinefs, rather than to depart out of the Body, with fears of going to Hell. 1. 'Tis Faith that breedeth hope, which is a longing and defirous expe&ation. Fortis the fullianceof thin$a hoped for, Heb. 11. i. 2. '7,a
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