{ 164 ----~------~be 'Parable of_._th_e____ 1 portancc, 2 Cor. 4· r6, r8. We fai"t not while we look._ to thingi that are tternal, Afli 24. r 5, .16. There is n0t the vileH 1\eprobare, but when he !hall fe(! rhe glory that Dull be reve;~led, '!hall fiamp and tear his hair and fay; Ob , if I bad Known this! I hope I ihould never have dreamed out my time fo as I have done 1 W c look on tbe PiCl:ure of Goodnefs in the volume of the Creatures, which fatisfie not ; Ob never ceafe looking upw<trd, rill you fc:e what you feek for in the gre.ttnefs of ir. Suppofe a man j}ould fleep all his life-rime, and be in a drc.tm, and in it have all the delights and glory cf the world prefenred before him, at lafi rh~ "tound opens its mouth and fwallows him up, and tf.en he is aw.tkened, Lordhow will he cry ? Truly Chri(l and grace and fellow/hip with God are notrhougbt of, fought f0r, are lin:tll things with men, bm rhe World is great, and t};)is is your delight; truly 'tis but your dream: What will your fouls be when death opens its mouth? what a fad thing is it to fee men fpin Copwebs that muH be fwept down. Motivet. I. To thofe that never fought the Lord effectually to this day, not to neglect him now ; {hofe that are like children born before their time , that have had fame fvrrow after rhe Lord, but comforted before it was deep enough ; h1ve fome deGre> , bur eafed with other things before they were fatistied with ChriH bimfelf; char have run for a· fpurr, but are grown weary before they come half way home, and fo fir down in the way ; like Clocks fer flow in the firtt hour of rhe day, run flow all the day after : So rhefe fer back and chink they are fer right roo, run flow all their life after. That a; he faid .of a cover0us man, he h;~d a (lrong delire for heave>t if any would be.tr his charges thither : So chefe. And ro you I fpeak, not t)JH never fought, but char have been feeking; yet effeCl:ually ·eo ufe all means, this you never did. - r. ConGder how far men have gone? What mctans they have ufed ? yet' baye never found eo this day, LHk! I 3· 24. Strive, faith Cbrifi. This I fpeak becau!e men think they may neglect their feafons of earneR purfuir after grace, men may fit Hill, and put all care fmm rbemfelvel to God, and live in their floth. Ob no, ConGder fo many fnares,fo many by paths, {o many deceits wirbin, fo many Gns and lu!ls to fubdue, all time and means is little enough: Take heed of fpending prodigally, and think Chrifls grace will bear you our. Oh! look upon the cries at death-bed, to fee fome men char have been like familhing men that have wanted bread , and then have cryed bread, bre;td, bur could not e.1tit. Oh faith Paul, I beat down mJ bo4J, kjfin preaehing t9 otl:eri my felf beco,Je a caft llWIIJ· • 2. ConGder how others have broken down the greatefi difficulties , .and are now in glory,as Rev. rz. rr. They loved not their ls7m to the death. They bave not only fFenc rbeirrime,lolhbeir name, their comforts, bur their blood, that have pa!Ted rhrough waters, fires, bonds, imprifonmencs, and with P11ul have not 'accounted their livu dear, that thry might jinifh their work_: David was full of God one would think fometimes he had enough, yer when he awakes, he is with God at midnight, his thoughts 11ntl reim injlrufl him ; the Li•w was hii meditation dttJ and night. You lhall fee him in the Temple ble!Iing God, on the Throne advancing die Lord, on the dunghill,in banilhmenr longing after him, when he fare among Princes meditating; andwas there here too much coil, might any of this ointment have been fpared r Co11Gder Chri(l himfelf, Heb. n. x,2,3. cafi off florh, I L9&kj_ng to _'{tfm, whofor the jo7, defpiftd. the_ fhllmt,endured the .Crofs, an~ tlm not • for btmfelf, it may be for thee,that thou mtghtH not, now he ts at the nght hand of God : So are the Saims in Heaven, and now rejoycing that ever they fought I him, dm they fpent fo much time gn him. 3· Conlider, There is a time of negleCl: of Chrill, which when pall, you £hall never finc'e him again, John7.3,4· Yejhlfllfeek_me, but never jimle me. You ~:a
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