Ver. 9. Fiftb Chap. 2d Ep. to .the C O R I N T H. i and their names'in their Pofteritÿ by fucceflive Generations. " The World morally con- " fidered is divided into two Societies; the one of the Devi/idle other of God. AuguJline ele civitate Dei. Some Peek their Happinefs upon earth, others an Eternal abode in Hea- ven. Pp' nature we are all of the earthly Society, by grace tranfplanted, and thenwe uirft feek the Kingdom of God, Matth. 6.33. Have our converfatioir in Heaven, Phil. 3. zot Carry our felves as of an Heavenly extra&ion. All is known by our bufinefs; a confiant fidelity to approve our felves to God, and a ready obedience in all Conditions of life, fheweth which fort we are of. What is it that you have been doing in the World ; and the end and bufinefs for, and in which you have laboured until now ? What thing or prize have you had in view and chafe ? Have you laboured for paltry vanities, or the meat that perilheth not? john 6. z7. A man is known by his labour. Have you lived for the World,or God ?If you havefpent fo many years, and you know not why,or about what, you have been firangely carelefs, and forgetful. What hath your great care been ? To pleafe the flelh, or to pleafe God, andbe Caved by him ? What have you made provifi- on for, either for earth, or for Heaven ? You do for both, but for which molt ? 3. We muff not only take care that we be accepted of God at Taft, when we go outof the Body, but whilfi we are prefect in the Body, it concerneth us to know that we are well pleating to him. We mutt ftrive to be accepted of him now. 'Tis a Bleffed thing at the dole of our pilgrimage, that God will receive us into his Glor -y. But while we continue in the Body; The believing apprehenfions of the favour of God, are very comfortable before we come to injoy the fruits of it. r. How elfe can we long for the coming of Chrifi, and expe& his.appearance, if before We pats to our Judgment, we know not whether we fhall be accepted, yea or no? Now within time it concerneth us to know how we (hall fare hereafter. Man hath a curiofi- ty to know his deftiny, as the King of Babylon flood at the beginning of the ways to make divination The good and the evil of the World is of fuch light concernment, and of fo fhort continuance, and God is fo good, that we may truft him blindfold for Worldly things, and 'tis a wicked, foolifh, and needlefs.curiofityy to be fo defirous to know our fortune. But it concerneth us much to know whether we Cliall be well or ill for ever; how the cafewill be carryed in the lalt Judgment; if it be evil, that we may prevent ir, and corre& our errour ; in Death we cannot err twice ; if good, that we may know our portiob, and rejoice in it; if it be our Happinefs, then it muff needs be very defirable td know it aforehand. In the next verle to the Text, verle loth, he fpeaketh of our Judge, our Happinefs and final doom, dependeth upon his being pleated with us ; if we appre- hend him as an angry Judge or an adverfary, let us agree with him quickly by the way; if he be a gracious Father,let us have the folace and comfort of it,during our pilgrimage, while we fo much need it. z. Elfe we cannot comfortably injoy Communion with God, for the prefent. How can we come before him, if we know not whether he will accept an offering at our hands. They who being in a ftate of Faith and Reconciliation, make it their endeavour to pleafe God, have God ever with them, Yohn 8. zq. He that fens me is with me. The Father bath not left me alone, for I do always the things that pleafe him. They that would have the comfort of Gods pretence and company in all Conditions, they ought to fet themfelves to pleafe God, and obferve his will in all things; and when we have any fpecial bufinefs to do with God, r john 3. zz. And whatfoever we ask, we receive of him, becaufe we keep his Commandments, and do thole things that are pleating in his fight. So that while we are prefect, we are accepted of him. 3. We cannot have a cbeerful fruition of the Creature and Worldly injoyments, till 'God accepteth us, Eccl. g. 7. Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God accepteth thy works. Till we are ina reconciledeflate, accepted by God, all our comforts are but as ftolen waters, and bread eaten in fecret, like Damocles his banquet, while a !harp fword hung over his head, by a Bender thread. But now when our per- tons and ways are pleating unto God, then all thefe comforts are tweet and fatisfa &ory, we tart Gods love in them, and can ufe them as his Bleffings,with cheerfulnefs and thank fulnefs. 4, That which maketh us more lively and a&ive in our courte of pleafmg God, is Fir??, The future judgment. And z. Thg hope of ourpretence with him. r. The future judgment. That I gather from the tóth verfi, for we mutt all appear before the Judgment feat ofChri(l. There will certainly come a day, when every per- fon, that ever lived in this World," !hall be Judged by God, and this day is lure and near. rr K 2 In
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