first undergoing much Labour, and many Diffi

culties.

The Merchant, if he after a ten Years Voyage can encrease his Estate, repines at none of the many Difficulties and Dangers he has passed through.

I shall not mention to you the Perils of a Soldier's Life, Experience has fufficiently instructed you in them.

How great is the Trouble, how many the Anxieties which furround the Way to the Favour of Princes, in the gaining Friends, and acquiring Honours?

These I can better learn of you, than tell you; for I am content with my Books, and I have endeavoured to retire within my self, and farther than this, I do not aim or aspire.

Shall we then labour with so much Eagerness after the uncertain fading Things of this Life, which are common both to us and Brutes?

And shall we take so little Pains to obtain an eternal Inheritance, infinitely above all that Eye ever faw, or Ear heard, or ever entred into the Heart of Man to conceive?

Why are we thus unwillingly drawn to the Love and Service of the Almighty; as if God needed us, or that the Inhabitants of the Heavenly Manfions could not be happy without us?

Indeed, if earthly Happiness could be obtained without any Pains of ours, would any chuse this rather than the Favour and Blessings of the Almighty?

But if the way of the Ungodly is not less, nay more uneasy than the Paths of Righteousness; is it not the height of Madness not to follow that which leads to the Rewards of our Labours, rather than that wherein only the Punishment of them is to be found?

I omit the Peace, and Felicity of a Conscience void of Offence towards God and Man, which is certainly

the greatest Pleasure we are capable of enjoying in

this Life.

What can there be desirable in the Pleasures of the World, which tire us in their Pursuit, infatuate us in their Enjoyment, and torment us by their Loss?

Can you doubt that the Minds of the Wicked are agitated with perpetual Disquietudes, when the Word of God, and the Experience of all Ages assure us, that the Wicked are like the troubled Sea, never at Reft?

Are these then the Persons we are to envy? Are these they we are to emulate? And being forgetful of our Immortal Souls, and our Duty to our Heavenly Father, shall we chuse to live with them wickedly, to die miserably, and to be tormented hereafter in unquenchable Flames?

You meet, no doubt, continually with innumerable Impediments, in running that Race which leads to the Prize of Eternal Bliss; and which without great Care will hardly be furmounted.

But amongst all these the most destructive Pest is the Lives and Conversations of those who, under the Prince of Darkness their Ruler, are wholly employed in ridiculing and destroying all Principles of Religion and Virtue, fighting under the Banner of Death and Hell, against God and his Christ.

But do you cry out with the Prophet, let us break their Bonds asunder, and cast their Cords from us; for these are those whom God hath given up to Ignominy and a reprobate Life, that they may do those Things which are not convenient, full of all Iniquity, full of Envy, Adulteries, Uncleanness, Deceit, Haters of God, Proud, without natural Affection, Friendship, or Piety; who though they fee the Justice of God daily, yet consider not that they who do such Things are worthy of Death, and not only they, but fuch as confent to those that do them.

Conform

Conform not your self therefore to those that despise and neglect Religion, but always remember what the Apostle faith, it is better to please God, than Man; and that if I please Men, I am not the Servant of Chrift.

When I consider these Men, I do not know whether to wonder at their Folly, or deplore their Condition. Certainly it is the Height of Madness not to believe the Gospel, the Truth of which the Blood of Martyrs hath teftified, the Apostles have preached, Miracles proved, Reason confirmed, the Elements declared, and the Devils confessed.

But far greater is that Madness, if not doubting of the Truth of the Gospel, we live as if we were satisfied of the Falseness of it. If it is true, that a covetous Man fhall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, why are we so anxiously heaping up Riches? If it is true, that we are to feek Glory from God and not from Men, why are we so solicitous for their Applause? What shall I say more, there are indeed many that are called Christians, but few are so in Reality.

Do you endeavour to enter in at the strait Gate, and not regard what others do, but what ought to be done.

For neither will your Glory be less, if you are happy with a few, nor your Punishment lessened by the Multitude of Fellow-fufferers.

There are two Remedies against the Allurements of the World and the Devil, which may be always present with you, namely, Charity and Prayer; for what can we do without the Assistance of God, or how will he assist us uninvoked, and invoked how will he hear us, who regard not the Cries of the Needy? It is written, with what Measure thou metest, it shall be measured to thee again.

When I exhort you to Prayer, I do not mean long Prayers,

b 2

:

Prayers, but those that come from the Secrets of the
Heart, which are only acceptable to God.

Be not concerned how long, but how ardent your Prayer is, rather interrupted by Sighs, than continued.

If you Defire to be pleasing to God, and to be for ever happy, let no Day pass without approaching the Throne of God, by humble Prayer, through the Interceffion of Christ Jesus our Redeemer; not with the Lips only, but with all the Affections of your Soul: Cry out with the Royal Prophet, Remember not the Sins of my Youth, but according to thy Mercy remember me for thy Goodness Sake, O Lord.

I make it my humble Request to you, that you would not fail to read the Holy Scriptures Night and Morning with great Attention; for as it is our Duty to meditate upon the Law of God Day and Night, fo nothing can be more useful.

For there is in the Holy Scriptures a Celestial and efficacious Power, inflaming the Soul with the Divine Fear and Love.

Lastly, you should never forget that the Son of God died for you, and that this Life is of a very short Continuance; with these two Spurs, the one of Fear, the other of Love, haften through this your short Stage of momentary and uncertain Life, to the Rewards of an eternal Bliss.

Of

Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES, their Authority and Excellence; how they are to be meditated upon, observed and obeyed.

2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

A

LL Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness. That the Man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good Works.

Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever Things were written afore-time, were written for our Learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures, might have Hope.

Deut. viii. 3. Man doth not live by Bread only, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lord doth Man live.

Luke xvi. 29, 31. Abraham faith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.

If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be perfuaded the one rose from the Dead.

Deut. xi. 18, 19. Therefore shall ye lay up these my Words in your Heart, and in your Soul, and bind them for a Sign upon your Hands, that they may be as Frontlets between your Eyes.

And ye shall teach them your Children, speaking of them when thou fittest in thine House, and when thou walkest by the Way, when thou lieft down, and when thou risest up.

Heb. i. 1, 2. God who at fundry Times and in divers Manners spake in Time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, Hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son.

John v. 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye bave eternal Life, and they are they which testify of me.

John xx. 31. These are written, that ye may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believing ye might have Life through his Name.

Luke xxiv. 44, 45. These are the Words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all Things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.

Then