15. Mr. Watson's Afternoon Sermon

15. Mr. Watson's Afternoon Sermon
"Having these promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves." - 2. Cor. 7:1.
It is the Title that I intend now by the help of God, to insist upon, that sweet Parenthesis in the Text, Dearly Beloved, wherein you have the Apostle breathing forth his affections unto this people: he speaks now as a Pastor, and he speaks to them of his spiritual Children.
Dearly Beloved; where you have,
First the Title, Dearly Beloved.
Secondly, the Exhortation to Holiness, let us cleanse ourselves.
Thirdly, the means how we should be cleansed and sanctified, Having these Promises.
It is the first of these that I intend, the Title that the Apostle gives to his Children, Dearly Beloved.
From hence observe this Doctrine:
That the affections of a right Gospel-Minister towards his People, are very ardent.
Dearly Beloved, there are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised; his Head, and his Heart; his Head with labour, and his Heart with Love; his Head with labour in the work of the Ministry; if done aright, it is a work fitter for Angels than for men; it is our work to open the Oracles of God, even those sacred profound things that the Angels search into; and if God did not help us, we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden; and as a Ministers head is exercised with labour, so his Heart is exercised with Love, and it is hard to say which of the two exceeds, his labour or his Love: Thus is it here in the Text, My Dearly Beloved.
In these words we have St. Paul laying siege to these Corinthians, and labouring to make a happy victory, to conquer them with Kindnesse; Dearly Beloved, St. Pauls heart was the spring of Love, his lips were the Pipe, the Corinthians were the Cistern into which this spring did run: this Holy Apostle was a mirrour and a pattern of Love towards the sinning Corinthians; Pauls tears did drop towards the praying Corinthians, his Love did burn; Holy Paul was a Seraphin, his Heart did burn in a flame of affection to his People: How many passages do we find scattered in his Epistles? he tells his People, which sometimes he did write to, and sometimes he preached to, he looked after their souls more than their silver, 2 Corinthians 12:14. We seek not yours, but you: as a tender Nurse cherisheth her child with the Brest, so St. Paul gave his People the breast-milk of the Word, in 1 Thessalonians 2:7. this man of God did not only bestow a Sermon upon his People, but was willing to impart his very soul to them if it might save theirs, 1 Thessalonians 2:8. We were willing to have imparted to you our own souls, because you are dear unto us: Such was St. Pauls affection to his people, that without a complement he loved them more than his life. Php_2:17. and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your Faith, I rejoyce with you all; that is as if he had said, if it be so, that my bloud be poured forth as a sacrifice, if my death may be any way serviceable unto you, if it may help forward the strengthening and confirming of your Faith, I am willing to die, I rejoyce to do it: so full of affection was this Apostle, that he could not choose but love his people, though the more he did love, the less he should be loved: In 2 Cor. 15. Oh! how did Paul sweeten all his Sermons with Love? 2 Corinthians 12. if he reproved fin, yet he was angry in love, he dipt the Pill in Sugar, Galatians 4:9-11. How turn ye again to weak and beggarly Elements? ye observe days, and moneths, and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain: Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am. See how St. Paul chides their sins, and yet at the same time courts their souls; no sooner did he lanch the wound, but presently he poured in Wine and Oil into it; so did Paul love his People, that he would not justly give any offence to the weak Believer, 1 Corinthians 8:13. If meat make my Brother to offend, I will never eat flesh more while the world standeth. Paul was like some tender Mother, who forbears to eat those meats that she might, for fear of hurting the child that she gives suck to. Thus you see he was a spiritual Father made up of love; and surely my Brethren, this affection in some degree, is in all the true Ministers of Jesus Christ, they are full of sympathy and bowels unto those over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers.
I shall only glance at the Reason, why it will be thus, and why it should be thus, that such flaming affections there should be in all Christs Ministers to their People.
It will be thus, for these two Reasons briefly.
First, from that Principle within, that teacheth love; Grace doth not fire the heart with passion, but with compassion; Grace in the heart of a Minister files off that ruggedness that is in his spirit; making him loving and courteous. Paul once breathed out persecution, but when Grace came, this Bramble was turned into a spiritual Vine, twisting himself about the souls of his People with loving embraces.
Secondly, there will be this ardent love in a Ministers heart, from the spiritual relation that is betwixt him and his People; he is a spiritual Father, and shall we think him to be without bowels? 1 Corinthians 4:15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers, yet have ye not many Fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. Some he begets unto Christ, others he builds up in Christ. Doth not a Father provide cheerfully for his Children? Can a Father see bread taken from his Child, and not have his heart affected with it? Is it not a grief to a Parent to see his Child put out to a dry Nurse?
Thirdly, There should be this ardent love and affection in all Gods Ministers, for this reason, because this is the liveliest way to do most good; knotty and stubborn hearts will soonest be wrought upon with kindness. The fire melteth the hardest metal: the fire of love, with Gods blessing, will melt the most obdurate sinner. A Boanerges, a Son of consolation; who comes in the spirit of Love, is the fittest to do a piece of Gospel-surgery, to restore and put such a one in joynt again that is taken with a fault, Galatians 6:1. Restore such a one with the spirit of Love and Meekness. Thus much in short for the Doctrinal part.
Give me leave now to make some Application.
And first, here are several Inferences that may be drawn from this: As
First, See here the right Character of a Gospel-Minister: He is full of love, he exhorts, he comforts, he reproves, and all in love; he is never angry with his People, but because they will not be saved; how loath is a Minister of Christ to see precious Souls, like so many Jewels, cast overboard into the dead sea of Hell; a conscientious Minister would count it an unhappy gain, to gain the world, and lose the souls of his people; he saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham, Give me the Persons, and take thee the Goods, Genesis 14:21.
The second branch of Information is this; are true Gospel-Ministers so full of Love? then how sad is it to have such Ministers put upon a people as have no love to Souls? The work of the Ministry, it is a labour of Lope: Oh! how sad it is to have such in the Ministry, that can neither labour nor love, that are such as are without bowels, that look more at Tyths than at Souls, it must needs be sad with a people in any part of the world, to have such Ministers set over them, as either poisons them with error, or do what in them lies to damn them by their wicked example: How can the Devil reprove sin? How can the Minister cry out in the Pulpit against drunkennesse, that will himself be drunk? Romans 2:22. Thou that teachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man ought not to commit Adultery, dost thou commit Adultery? We read that the Snuffers of the Tabernacle, were to be made of pure Gold, Exodus 37:23. those who by their calling are to reprove and snuff off the sins of others, they should be pure Gold, holy persons. In the Law, God did appoint the lip of the Leper should be covered, he ought to have his lip covered, he should not be permitted to speak the Oracles of God, who though he be by Office an Angel, yet by life is a Leper.
Thirdly, see from hence the happiness of a Minister, who is placed among such a people as give him abundant cause of love; how happy is he that can say to his people from his heart, my dearly beloved: And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this Parish; I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people, 1 Thessalonians 1:3. We are bound to thank God always for you Beloved, because your Faith grows exceedingly. Here Paul is commending his People; in imitation of the Apostle, let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry now among you for almost sixteen years, and I rejoyce and bless God that I cannot say, the more I love you, the less I am loved; I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you, though other Parishes have exceeded you in number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection: I have with much comfort observed your reverent attentions to the Word Preached; you rejoyced in this Light not for a season, but to this day: I have observed your zeal against Errour: and as much as could be expected in a critical time, your unity and amity, this is your honour; and if for the future there should be any interruption made in my Ministry among you, though I should not be permitted to preach to you, yet shall I not cease to love you, and to pray for you; but why should there be any interruption made, where is the crime? some indeed say, that we are disloyal and seditious; Beloved, what my actions and sufferings for his Majesty have been, is known not to a few of you: but however we must go to Heaven through good report and through bad report, and it is well if we can get to glory, though we pass through the Pikes, I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my Love to you; I will not promise that I shall still preach among you, nor will I say that I shall not; I desire to be guided by the sil∣ver thred of Gods Word and of Gods Providence, my heart is towards you: there is you know an expression in the late Act, that we shall be now shortly, as if we were naturally dead; and if I must die, let me leave some Legacy with you before I go from you, I cannot but give you some counsel and advice for your souls, and I hope there is no hurt in that: There are my beloved, these twenty Directions, that I desire you to take special notice of, which I would leave as advice and counsel with you about your Souls.
First, I beseech you, keep your constant hours every day with God; the Godly man is a man set apart, Psalms 4:3. not only because God hath set him apart by election, but because he hath set himself apart by devotion; give God the Aurorae fitiam, begin the day with God, visit God in the morning before you make any other visit; wind up your hearts towards Heaven in the morning, and they will go the better all the day after: Oh! turn your Closets into Temples, read the Scriptures; the two Testaments are the two lips by which God speaks to us; these will make you wise unto salvation: the Scripture is both a glass to shew you your spots, and a laver to wash them away; besiege Heaven every day with prayer, thus perfume your houses, and keep a constant intercourse with Heaven.
Secondly, get good Books into your houses, when you have not the Spring near to you, then get water into your Cisterns: So when you have nor that wholesome Preaching that you desire, good Books are Cisterns that holds the waters of life in them to refresh you. When Davids natural heat was taken away, they covered him with warm cloaths. 1 Kings 1. So when you find a chillness upon your souls, and that your former heat begins to abate, ply your selves with warm cloaths, get those good Books that may acquaint you with such truths as may warm and affect your hearts.
Thirdly, have a care of your Company, take heed of unnecessary familiarity with sinners, we cannot catch health from another, but we may soon catch a disease; the disease of sin is very catching: I would be as fraid of coming among the wicked, as among those that have the plague. Psalms 106:35. They were mingled with the heathen, and learned their works: If we cannot make others better, let us have a care that they make not us worse: Lot was a miracle, he kept fresh in Sodoms salt water. My beloved, take heed of the occasions of sin, evil company is an occasion of sin. The Nazarites in the old Law, as they might drink no wine, so they were forbidden grapes, whereof the wine was made, as you read in Numbers 6. to teach us, that all occasions of sin must be avoided; evil company is belluo animatrum, the Devils draw-net, by which he draws millions to Hell: how many families, and how many souls have been ruined and undone in this City by evil company? many there are that go from a play-house to a Whore-house, and from a Tavern to Tyburn.
Fourthly, have a care whom you hear; it is our Saviour Christs counsel, Matthew 7:15. Beware of false prophets that come to you in sheeps cloathing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Let me tell you, the Devil hath his Ministers as well as Christ, Revelation 12:15. The Serpent cast out of his mouth water, as a flood over the woman; that is, as the Learned expound it, Satan by his Ministers, and Emissaries, cast out the flood of Arian Doctrine to drown the Church. There are some, who by the subtilty of their wit have learnt the Art to mix error with truth, and to give poison in a Golden cup. Take heed who you hear, and how you hear, be like those Noble Bereans, that searched the Scriptures whether the things that they preached were so or not, Acts 17:11. Your ears must not be like spunges that suck in puddle-water as well as wine, but your ears must be like a Fan, that fans out the chaff, but retains the pure Wheat; you must be like those in the Parable, Matthew 13:48. that gathered the good Fish into vessels, but cast the bad away; the Saints are called Virgins for their wisdom: they will not let everyone defile their Souls with error, they have a judicious ear, and a critical palate, that can distinguish between truth and error, and put a difference betwixt meat of Gods sending, and the Devils Cooking.
Fifthly, study sincerity, Psalms 51:6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward part: Be what you seem to be, be not like Rowers in a Barge, that look one way and Row another: Do not look Heaven-ward by your profession, and Row Hell-ward by your Conversation; do not pretend to love God, and yet love sin: simulata Sanctitas, duplicata Iniquitas, counterfeit Piety is double Iniquity. Let your hearts be upright with God: the plainer the Diamond is, the richer it is; and the more plain the heart is, the more doth God value his Jewel; a little rusty Gold is far better than a great deal of bright brass; a little true grace, though rusted over with many infirmities, is better than all the glistering shews of Hypocrites; a sincere heart is Gods current Coin, and he will give it grains of allowance.
Sixthly, as you love your souls be not strangers to your selves, be much and often in the work of self-examination; amongst all the books that you read, turn over the book of your own heart, look into the book of Conscience, see what is written there, Psalms 77:6. I commune with mine own heart: set up a judgement-seat in your own souls, examine whether you have grace or not, prove whether you are in the faith, be as much afraid of a painted holiness, as you would be afraid of going to a painted heaven: do not think your selves good because others think so: let the Word be the touch-stone, by which you try your hearts: let the Word be the looking-glass, by which you judge of the complexion of your soul; for want of this self-searching, many live known to others, and die unknown to themselves.
Seventhly, keep your spiritual watch, Matthew 13:37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch; if it were the last word I should speak, it should be this word, Watch. Oh! what need hath a Christian to be ever upon his Watch? the heart is a subtile piece, and will be stealing out to vanity, and if we are not careful, it will decoy us into sin: we have a special eye upon such persons as we suspect; thy heart is a suspicious person: Oh! have an eye upon it, watch it continually: it is a bosom Traitor, Job set a watch before his eyes, Job 31:1. We must every day keep sentinel, sleep not upon your guard: our sleeping time is the Devils tempting time: let not your watch-candle go out.
Eighthly, you that are the people of God, do you often associate together, Malachi 3:16. They that feared the Lord, spake often one to another. Christs Doves shall flock together: one Christian will help to heat another: a single coal of Juniper will soon die, but many coals put together will keep life in one another. Conference sometimes may do as much as Preaching; one Christian by good discourse drops holy Oil upon another, that makes the lamp of his Grace to shine the brighter. It is great wisdom to keep up the Trade in a Corporation. Christians by meeting often together, setting good discourse on foot, keep up the Trade of godliness, that else would decay and soon be lost; is not the communion of Saints an Article in our Creed? do not then live so asunder, as if this Article were blotted out. The Naturalists observe there is a sympathy in Plants, they say some Plants bear better when they grow near other Plants, as the Vine and the Elm; the Olive and the Myrtle thrive the best when they grow together: it is true in Religion, the Saints are trees of Righteousness, that thrive best in Godliness when they grow together.
Ninthly, get your hearts screwed up above the world, set your affections upon things above, Colossians 3:5. We may see the face of the Moon in the water, but the Moon is fixed above in the firmament: so though a Christian walk here below, yet his heart should be fix'd above in Heaven, there is our best kindred, our purest joy, our Mansion-house; Oh! let our hearts be above, it is the best and the sweetest kind of life: the higher the bird flies, the sweeter it sings, and the higher the heart is raised above the world, the sweeter joy it hath. The Eagle that flies in the air, is not stung by the Serpent, those whose hearts are elevated above the lower region of this world, are not stung with the vexations and disquietments that others are, but are full of joy and contentment.
Tenthly, trade much in the Promises, the Promises are great supports to Faith, Faith lives in a Promise, as the Fish lives in the water, the promises are both comforting and quickning, they are mitralia Evangelii, the very breast of the Gospel; as the Child by sucking the breasts gets strength, so faith by sucking the breast of a promise gets strength and revives; the promises of God are bladders to keep us from sinking when we come into the waters of affliction, the promises are sweet clusters of Grapes that grow upon Christ the true Vine: O! trade much in the Promises, there is no condition that you can be in, but you have a Promise, the promises are like Manna, that suit themselves to every Christians palate.
Eleventhly, to all you that hear me, live in a Calling. Jerome gave his friend this advice, to be ever well employed, that when the Devil came to tempt him, he might find him working in his Vineyard. Sure I am, the same God that saith, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, saith also, Six days shalt thou labour. The great God never sealed any warrants to idleness; an idle Professor is the shame of his Profession: 2 Thessalonians 3:11. I bear there are some (says the Apostle) that work not at all, but are busie-bodies, such we exhort, by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work. Solon made Laws to punish idleness; and Cicero saith of an idle man, Spiritum trahit, non vivit, he draws his breath, but doth not live, he is not useful; but a good Christian acts within the sphear of his own calling.
12. Let me entreat you to joyn the first and the second Table together, Piety to God, and Equity to your neighbour, the Apostle puts these two words together in one verse, Titus 2:12. That we should live Righteously and Godlily: Righteously, that relates to Morality; Godlily, that relates to Piety and Sanctity, always remember this, every command hath the same Divine stamp and authority as another command hath. I would try a Moral man by the Duties of the first Table; and I would try a Professor by the Duties of the second Table: some pretend Faith, but have no Works, others have Works but they have no Faith; some pretend Zeal for God, but are not just in their dealings; others are just in their dealings, but have not one spark of Zeal for God; if you would go to Heaven, you must run both sides of the Table, the first and the second Table, joyn Piety and Morality together; as we blame the Papists for blotting out the second Commandment, let not the Papists blame us for leaving out the second Table.
13. Joyn the Serpent and the Dove together, Innocence and Prudence, Matthew 10:16. Be wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. We must have innocency with our wisdom, or else our wisdom is but craftiness, and we must have wisdom with our innocency, else our innocency is but weakness: We must have the harmlessnesse of the Dove, that we may not wrong others, and we must have the prudence of the Serpent, that others may not abuse and circumvent us, not to wrong the truth by silence, here is the innocency of the Dove: not to betray ourselves by rashness, here the wisdom of the Serpent: How happy it is where these two are united, the Dove and the Serpent, the Dove without the Serpent is Folly, and the Serpent without the Dove is Impiety.
14. Be more afraid of sin then of suffering. A man may be afflicted, and yet have the love of God, but he cannot sin, but presently God is angry; Sin eclipses the light of Gods countenance, in suffering, the conscience may be quiet. When the Hail beats upon the Tiles, there may be musick in the house, and when there is suffering in the body, there may be peace and musick in the conscience; but when a man sins wilfully and presumptuously, he looseth all his peace. Spira abjured his faith, and he became a terrour to himself, he could not endure himself, he professed he thought Cain and Judas in Hell did not feel those terrors and horrors that he felt. He that will commit sin to prevent suffering, is like a man that lets his Head be wounded to save his shield and helmet.
15. Take heed of Idolatry, in 1 John 5:21. Little children keep your selves from Idols. Idolatry is an image of jealousie to provoke God, it breaks the Marriage-knot asunder, and makes the Lord disclaim his interest in a people: what kind of Religion is Popery? it is the Mother of many Monsters. What soul-damning Doctrines doth it hold forth, as the meriting of Salvation by good works, the giving of pardons, the worshiping of Angels, Popish indulgences, Purgatory, and the like; it is a soul-damning Religion, it is the breeder of ignorance, uncleanness and murder: the Popish Religion is not defended by strength of Argument, but by force of Arms; keep your selves from Idols, and take heed of Superstition, that is the Gentleman-Usher to Popery.
16. Think not the worse of godliness, because it is reproached and persecuted, wicked men being stirred up by the Devil, do maliciously reproach the ways of God: such were Julian and Lucian: though wicked men; would be godly on their death-beds, yet in the time of their life they revile and hate Godliness, but think not you the worse of Religion, because it is reproached by the wicked. Suppose a Virgin should be reproached for her chastity, yet chastity is never the worse: if a blind man jear the Sun, the Sun is never the less bright. Holiness is a beautiful and glorious thing, it is the Angels glory, and shall we be ashamed of that which makes us like the Angels? there is a time coming, when wicked men would be glad of some of that holiness that now they despise, but they shall be as far then from obtaining it, as they are now from desiring it.
17. Think not the better of sin because it is in fashion, think not the better of impiety and ungodliness, because most walk in those crooked ways; Multitude is a foolish Argument, Multitude doth not argue the goodness of a thing: the Devils name is Legion, that signifieth a multitude. Hell-road is this day full of Travellers, esteem not the better of sin, because most go this way, do we think the better of the Plague, because it is common? the plea of a multitude, will not hold at Gods Bar, when God shall ask you, why did you prophane my Sabbath? why were you drunk? why did you break your oath? to say then, Lord, because most men did so, will be a poor plea. God will say to you then, seeing you have sinned with the multitude, you shall now go to Hell with the multitude: I beseech you, as you tender your souls, walk Antipodes to the corruptions of the times, if you are living Fish, swim against the stream, dead Fish swim down the stream, Ephes. 5:11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
18. In the business of Religion, serve God with all your might, Ecclesiastes 9:10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no device or work in the Grave whither thou goest. This is an argument why we should do all we can for God, serve him with all our strength because the Grave is very near, and there is no praying, no repenting, in the Grave, our time is but small, and therefore our zeal for God should be great. David Danced with all his might before the Ark, and so should we act vigorously for God in the sphear of Obedience. Romans 12:12. Fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. Take heed of a dull lazy temper in Gods service, you must not only say a prayer, or read a prayer, but you must pour out your souls in prayer; not only love God, but be sick of love to God, God in the old Law would have the Coals put to the Incense, Levit. 16:13. and why so? to typifie that the Heart must be enflamed in the worship of God; your prayers must go up with a flame of Devotion. I confesse Hell will be taken without storm, you may jump into Hell with ease, but it is all up-hill to Heaven, and therefore you must put forth all your might, Matthew 12:11. The violent take Heaven by force. Heaven is not taken but by storm, do you not see men zealous and very active for the Devil, and for their Lusts, and shall they take pains for Hell, and will not you take pains for Heaven?
19. Do all the good you can while you live to others; God hath made every Creature useful for us, the Sun hath not its light for itself, but for us, the Fountains run freely, and so doth the myrrh drop from the Tree: every Creature doth as it were deny its self for us, the Beast gives us its labor, the Bird gives us its musick, & the Silk-worm its silk. Now hath God made everything useful for us, and shall not we be useful one for another? O labor to be helpful to the souls of others, and to supply the wants of others: Jesus Christ was a publick blessing in the World, He went about doing good. We are Members of the Body politick, nay, we are Members of the Body mystical, and shall not every Member be helpful for the good of the body? That is a dead Member that doth not communicate to the good of the body. O labour to be useful to others while you live, that so when you dye, there may be a miss of you, many live so unfruitfully, that truly their life is scarce worth a prayer, nor their death scarce worth a tear.
20. Every day spend some thoughts upon Eternity. O Eternity, Eternity: all of us here are ere long, it may be some of us within a few days or hours, to lanch forth into the Ocean of Eternity. Eternity, Eternity is status interminabilis, says Boetius; no Prospective-glass can see to the end of Eternity. Eternity is a summ that can never be numbred, a Line that can never be measured: Eternity is a condition of everlasting misery, or everlasting happiness: if you are Godly, then shall you be forever happy, you shall be always sunning your selves in the light of Gods countenance: if you are wicked, you shall be always miserable, ever lying in the scalding furnace of the wrath of the Almighty. Eternity to the godly is a day that hath no Sun-setting: Eternity to the wicked is a night that hath no Sun-rising. O I beseech you my brethren, every day spend some time upon the thoughts of Eternity. The serious thoughts of an Eternal condition would be a great means to promote Holiness.
1. The thoughts of Eternity would make us very serious about our Souls. O my Soul, thou art very shortly to fly into Eternity, a condition that can never be reversed or altered, how serious would this make us about our Heaven-born souls. Zeuxes being once asked why he was so long in drawing of a Picture, answered, Aeternitate pigno, I am now painting for Eternity. Oh how frequently would that man pray that thinks he is praying for Eternity. Oh how accurately and circumspectly would that man live, that thinks upon this moment hangs Eternity.
The thoughts of Eternity would make us slight and contemn all the things of this World, what is the world to him that hath Eternity always in his eye? Did we think seriously and solemnly of Eternity, we should never over-value the comforts of the world, nor over-grieve the crosses of the world.
1. We should not over-value the comforts of the World, worldly comforts are very sweet, but they are very swift, they are soon gone, the pleasures of the World are but for a season, just like Noah's Dove, that brought an Olive-branch in her mouth, but she had wings, and so did presently fly from the Ark; so are all outward comforts, they bring an Olive-branch, but they have wings too, with which they flie away.
1. The thoughts of Eternity would make us not to over-grieve the crosses and sufferings of the world. What are these sufferings to Eternity? Our sufferings, says the Apostle, are but for a while, 1 Peter 5:10. what are all the sufferings we can undergo in the world to Eternity? Affliction may be lasting, but it is not everlasting. Our sufferings here are not worthy to be compared to an Eternal weight of Glory.
And thus my Beloved I have given you these twenty Directions for your precious souls: I beseech you treasure them up as so many Jewels in the Cabinet of your breast. Did you carry these Directions about you, they would be a most excellent Antidote to keep you from sin, and an excellent means to preserve the zeal of Piety flaming upon the Altar of your hearts.
I have many things yet to say to you, but I know not whether God will give me another opportunity; my strength is now almost gone: I beseech you, let these things which I have spoken, make deep impressions upon all your souls. Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.