THE Book of Job, where­of this Text is a Part, in general lays before us these things, viz.

1. Gods Omnipo­tency.

2. Mans uncharitableness.

3. Jobs Patience and Thankfulness, arising from his living in the will of God; He giveth and takes away, blessed be his name, Job 1. 21.

[Page 2] Now there were many things very eminent in Job.

1. Uprightness of life, in these words, And Job was an upright and just man, one that feared God, and hated evil, Job 1. 1.

2. Patience in Affl [...]ction, Shall we re­ceive good at the hands of God, and not evil? Job 2. 10.

Job further holds forth, viz.

3. The vanishing frailty of mans Na­ture.

4. The envy of the Devil, Job 1. 11.

5. The mercy of Almighty God in these words, He maketh the wound, and bindeth it up, Job 5. 18.

In the first of these (to wit) the Up­rightness of his Life, there are these things considerable.

• 1. His Holiness towards God, in his Uprightness toward the World.
• 2. His Sobriety toward himself.
• 3. His Patience, in bearing the mu­tability, and change of his state.

1. Of the first, his Holiness towards [Page 3] God in his Uprightness toward the World. He was the eye of the blinde, and the feet of the lame; he fed the hungry; he cloathed the naked; he har­boured strangers, Iob. 31. 17, 19. and Iob 31. 32. and Iob 31. 16, 17, 21.

2. In sobriety toward himself, his heart was not infected with lust, Iob 31. 7. Nor suffered he his feet to walk in de­ceit, Iob 31. 5. Nor made he gold his hope, Iob 31. 24.

3. Here also have you his Patience, in bearing the mutability and change of his state, viz.

1. He lost his children, and then his wealth; then his body became leprous; his friends also upbraided him, his wife forsook him, his own servants despised him, Iob 19. 15, 16.

Iob was in affliction, and he expected pitty from his friends; but all his friends proved like a River that in Summer was dry, and in Winter frozen, Iob 6. 15.

Next, here is the vanishing frailty of mans age, viz.

[Page 4] 1. He compares it to the vanishing and consuming of a cloud, Iob. 7. 9.

2. He compares it to the swiftness of a Post, Iob 9. 25.

3. He compares it to the sailing of a Ship, Iob 9. 26.

4. He compares it to a flower, that springs in the morning, and withereth before night, Iob 14. 2.

5. He compares it to a shadow, Iob 8. 9, 12

6. And lastly, He setteth forth the shortness thereof, by its being swifter then a Weavers Shuttle, saying, My days are swifter then a Weavers Shuttle: and here I will fix.

What the Weavers Shuttle is, most men do know.

What the swiftness thereof is, a few do know.

But the swiftness of mans days be­ing swifter then the Weavers Shuttle, there be but few, yea very few do know or consider.

Now the Weavers Shuttle is an In­strument [Page 5] of a very swift, and sudden motion, which passeth the Lomb or Web with such speed that it is grown a Proverb, What is swifter then a Weavers Shuttle? Now as the Shuttle flies to and again, forward and backward, untill the Cloth is fully wove, which for the most part is done in a few days; so nights and days passeth this Shuttle of our life, forward and backward, to and fro again. The night casts it to the day, and the day to the night, and the night to the day; and so from one to the o­ther, forward and backward, to and a­gain; and between these two, time quickly wears off the thred of our life, the Cloth comes to be filled or cut off, and just so is our life, Isa. 38. 12. I have cut off like a Weaver.

Our days flie away swift, and our time is short, that man is not master of one day; and yet how slow are we to take notice of the swiftness of time! It is a wonder that such a plain familiar Do­ctrine [Page 6] as this should be handled so of­ten, and that the Holy Ghost should, as it were, endeavour by so many simili­tudes and comparisons to hold it forth to us, and fetch in all things that are more then ordinarily transitory in na­ture, to teach us the mutability of our condition: yet how few believe it? When the Weavers Shuttle is once out of his hand it is gone presently; so our time flies away swiftly, and passeth a­way irrecoverably. A Weavers Shuttle flyes swift, but our days are swifter then a Weavers Shuttle, Psal. 78. 39. Oh re­member that my life is but wind, saith David; this is a Proverbial speech, like that before of the Weavers Shuttle.

Now the life of man is like the wind in two things.

1. The wind passeth away speedily, so doth mans life.

2. The wind when it is past, returns no more: so man passeth away, and shall not return again: they whose heads are [Page 7] highest must lie down in a bed of earth, and rest their heads on a pillow of dust. Most sleep in the dust while they live; but all must sleep in the dust when they die. Earthly men have earthly minds, and they cannot rest but in Earth, for it is their Center: only take notice, that he who hath laid up his heart in Heaven can comfortably think of laying down his head in the dust.

We no sooner come into the World, but we are going out again; and as soon as we begin to live, we begin to die; as soon as we begin to breathe, our breath is departing. Yea, all the Prophets and Apostles, that have written any thing for our learning, have more or less writ­ten of the mutability and uncertainty of of our life: As to instance;

Gen. 18. 27. I which am but dust and ashes (said Abraham) have taken upon me, &c.

1 Chron. 29. 15. All our dayes are on the earth as a shadow, & there is no abiding.

[Page 8] 2 Sam. 14. 14. For we must needs die; we are as water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.

Job 16. 22. When a few years are come, then I shall goe the way whence I shall not return.

Psal 102. 3. For my dayes are consumed like smoak.

Psal. 70. 9. We spend our dayes like a tale that is told.

Job 7. 7. Oh remember that my life is but winde! mine eye shall no more see good.

Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to mor­row; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Isa. 4. 6, 7. All flesh is grass, and the good­liness thereof as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, and the flower thereof fa­deth away.

Isa. 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities as a winde have taken us away.

[Page 9] Isa. 51. 6. Lift up your eyes to the Hea­vens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the Heavens shall vanish away like smoak, and the Earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die; but my salvation shall be for ever, & my righteous­ness shall not decay.

Hos. 10. 7. Our life is cut off as the foam upon the water. At the best we are but a Bubble; and it is no wonder to see a Bubble break.

And so in the New Testament we have it frequently laid before us. I shall instance in one or two places for all.

Jam. 4. 14. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

1 Pet. 1. 24. For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower thereof fall­eth away.

Now all these Scriptures being well considered, we may all break forth in the words of Iob, My dayes are not only [Page 10] swift, but swifter then a Weavers shuttle.

Now to avoid all curious and nice di­vision of the words, which for the most part doth darken the truth rather then discover it, & set up the wisdom of man rather then the wisdom of God; we will take the words as they lie, without any division or subdivision, &c. My dayes are swifter then a Weavers shuttle. From which words we may naturally draw this Conclusion or Doctrine:

That such is the swiftness of mans dayes, and shortness of mans life, and frailty of his nature; that the swiftest, shortest, and frail­est things for the most part that we read of in Scripture, are not swift, short, and frail enough to compare mans life unto.

This Observation might be proved by Scripture and Reason abundantly: but I shall endeavour to contract what I understand in it in few words. Iob tels us, Iob 16. 22. When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not re­turn. But as if a few years were too [Page 11] long a time, the Prophet Isaiah saith, Isa. 64. 6. We all do fade as a leaf. But as if that were too long a resemblance, the Prophet tels us, 2 Sam. 14. 14. We are as water spilt upon the ground, that cannot be taken up again.

Now as if this were too long a Com­parison, (for water may lie in the Pool a pretty distance of time before the ground drinks it up) Job tels us, that Man that is born of woman, is of few dayes, and full of trouble.

Now as if a few dayes were too long a time to set forth the short life, David brings it within the compass of one day. Psal. 90. 6. Our life is as grass, which flou­risheth in the morning, and in the evening is cut down and withered.

But as if this were too long a resem­blance, David tels us, Psal. 102. 11. Our dayes are like a shadow that declineth, and I am withered like grass.

But none of these are swift, short, and frail enough to compare mans life unto: [Page 12] wherefore James saith, Jam. 4. 14. For what is your life? it is even a vapour that appears for a little time, und then vanisheth away.

But as if this were too long, we find it written for our further learning, Ps. 102. 3. My dayes are consumed like smoak. Now smoak will appear as a cloud in the air, but speedily consume away.

But this is yet too durable a thing to compare mans frailty unto; therefore another Scripture tels thee, it is but a span long.

But as if a span was too much, the Holy Ghost tels us, it is but a hand-breadth, Ps. 39. 5.

But a hand-breadth is too large a thing to compare mans little time unto: and therefore Job tels us, Job. 7. 7. that our life is but as a puff of wind, which flies away as swift as lightning.

But this is yet too permanent a thing to hold forth our life by: therefore Da­vid sayes, Mine age is nothing before thee.

[Page 13] Let us a little lay these things toge­ther, and we shall soon conclude with Job, My days are swifter then a Weavers Shuttle. Lo here is the Anatomy of our life; it is a shrub, a leaf, a reed, a rush, a grass, a smoak, a Post, a cloud, a wind, a water, a bubble, a vapour, a shadow, a nothing; it is swift, yea more swift then a Weavers Shuttle. We no sooner have our Being, but we are go­ing to our End; and our strength is but as the grass, and our beauty is but as the flower; the grass fadeth, and the flower withereth; and so our glory is gone; and life is uncertain, but death is certain; for we are more sure to die then live; for what is more certain then death? and what is so uncertain as life?

All Creatures observe their time but man; and yet man is the most noble of Creatures, having time and all things attending him to minde his Creator: but alas poor Creatures! we do counte­nance our greatest Enemy; for we are a [Page 14] friend to our Flesh, and it is an enemy to God: How much time do we take in cloathing it? what cost do we be­stow on it to cloath it, and to make it fine? we rob, or at least borrow of eve­ry, Creature to adorn our selves, viz. we go to the Sheep, and take his wool, and from another Creature his skin, from another his furr; then we go down to the ground for gold and silver; and turn up the Sands for pretious stones; and having borrowed all this of other Creatures, we jet up and down, and look so big and so lofty, as if all this were our own; when the stone shineth upon our finger, we will seem forsooth thereby to shine; when the silver and silk doth glister upon our backs, we look big, as if all that beauty came from us: and as we walk in the Streets and meet with men that be not so richly arrayed as our selves, we expect Cap and Knee, as Haman did of Mordecai, or else we will seek their ruine as he did, [Page 15] Esther 3. 5. How oft do we change our habit, and how bravely do we indea­vour to adorn our selves? How carefull are we of our dyet? how softly do we lay us down? In a word, we seek to save that which doth seek to destroy us, and so we are a friend to our flesh, and it is an utter enemy to God; and so we come to be carnally minded, which is death, Rom. 8. 6. The word, Fashion not your selves according to this world, is forgotten: and also that of Christ is slipt out of our memory, Matth. 6. 31, 32. Take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith­all shall we be cloathed; for after all these things do the Gentiles seek: It is a won­der to consider the different proceed­ings of God and the World herein; the Almighty was the first that ever made apparel in the World, Gen. 3. He made it for the most noble of all our Ance­stors in Paradise, and yet he made it but of Beasts skins. And Saint Paul te­stifies [Page 16] of the noblest Saints of old, Heb. 11. how that they were cloathed with Goats skins and Camels hair: what vanity is it then for us to be so curious in apparel? and to take such Pride therein, as most do at this day; never considering those words, Isa. 40. 6, 7. The voice said, Cry. And he said, what shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the good­liness thereof as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, be­cause the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. Psal. 90. 9. We spend our days as a tale that is told; but a tale is sometimes longer in telling then a man is dying. Let them that have wives, be as if they had none, saith Paul: there is the Doctrine.

My days are swifter then a Weavers Shuttle, saith Job: there is the Rea­son.

Oh teach me so to number my days, saith David, Psal. 90. 12. that I may ap­ply my heart to wisdom: there is the Use.

[Page 17] Oh earth, earth, earth, hear the voice of the Lord, Jer. 22. 29.

Why doth the Prophet mention the earth three times; is it not for this cause? viz.

• 1. Because we came from the earth.
• 2. Because at the best we are but earth.
• 3. Because we shall speedily return to the earth, which is our proper Cen­ter.

Man is born to trouble, as the sparks flie upward; and all these troubles come in thick one after another, like Iobs In­telligencers, Iob 1. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

And each of these summons the soul to come forth of that rotten house the body: when thy tooth doth ake, one of the best beams in thy house doth begin to crack; and soon after, some incurable disease or other fastens upon thy body; and then the Spirit ascends upward, and thy body downward, even to the earth [Page 18] thy mother, Job 17. 14. I have said to cor­ruption, thou art my father; & to the worm, thou art my mother, sister and brother. So the earth returns to its earth, the fire to its center, the water to its water, the air to its own place: and so that which was dust at first, becomes dust again. Gen. 3. 19. For dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return: And that speedily; for thy dayes be not only as swift, but swifter then the Weavers shuttle.

Consider, how many thousand soules had their being in this life many weeks, yea many moneths, yea many yeares since thou hadst thy being, and they be already turned to the dust from whence they came, and thou doest yet remain going up and down thy Mother the Earth: Let this teach thee two things.

First, Admire the pleasure of God; and say, What should be the cause that I remain upon the earth? surely the Lord expecteth something to be done by me: Oh let me do it speedily, before I die, and be no more seen!

[Page 19] Secondly, consider, That although thou art yet alive, thy time is even at an end: for thou must cut off like a Weaver, and be no more seen, Isa. 38. 12.

Now if if it be so, that our dayes are swifter then the Weavers shuttle; and our life so short, that the swiftest and shortest things we read of in Scripture, are not swift, short, and frail enough to compare mans life unto: I say, if this be true, then by way of Use there be many considerable things for us to know and doe.

Ʋse 1. First then, the serious conside­ration of these foregoing things doth bespeak our care and diligence immedi­atly to setabout the doing of that which most men do wish they had done when they lie a dying; saying, Oh that I were to live again, how circumspectly would I walk! how careful, vigilant, and dili­gent would I be! saith the dying soul. Wherefore whatsoever thy hand find­eth to do, do it quickly with all thy [Page 20] might. If ever you will give attendance to Reading, Exhortation, and Doctrine, do it faithfully, throughly, and present­ly. If ever you will be pittiful and cha­ritable to the poor, sow plentifully and presently. If ever you will declare your self to be a true Disciple of Christ, by manifesting your love to Saints and Sin­ers, do it presently. If ever thou intendest to examine whether thou art in Christ, and to give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure, or to run the race that is set before thee, or to strive to enter in at the strait gate, set about it presently; do not so much as eat or drink or sleep, until thou hast begun the work: for thou doest not know whether ever thou shalt live one year, one month, one day, one hour, one minute. Time past cannot be recalled; Time to come is un­certain; Time present is only thine: To day then if thou wilt heare his voice, harden not thy heart; before the silver­cord be loosed, or the golden-bowl be broken, [Page 21] or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, Eccl. 12. 6. Work while it is day, the night cometh in which thou canst not work: Turn, turn presently to the Lord with thy whole heart: while it is called to day, hearken to his voice, lest thou art hard­ned through the deceitfulness of sin, as in Heb. 3. 13.

Lest it be said to thee and I, as in Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. Oh Ierusalem, Ierusalem, saith Christ, Luk. 13. 34. how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a Hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and you would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate. So again, Prov. 1. 24, 25, 26. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh: when they shall call upon me, I will not answer; they [Page 22] shall seek me early, but shall not finde me, ver. 30. They would none of my Counsell, they would none of my reproof. ver. 31. Therefore shall they eat of their own do­ings, and be filled with their own devices. For the further confirmation of this, see Heb. 12. 16, 17.

Nay further, if thou lookest upon thy self as one elected by the Father, Redeemed by the Son, sanctified by the Spirit, and so canst not fall finally from God: yet if thou improve not the pre­sent inch of time, thou wilt loose abun­dance of thy sweet consolation, and bring thy self into great straits, and it may be die in despair of mercy, and so loose the manifestion, apprehension, and enjoyment of thy interest in God for many days at least, Cant. 5. 1. 2. Christ he comes, and calls, saying, Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one: well the Spouse answereth, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile [Page 23] them: well, Christ immediatly withdraws himself, then the Spouse sought him, but could not finde him; she called him, but he gave no Answer. Well, what fol­lows? she seeks him sorrowing, but could not finde him; ver. 7. The watchmen that were about the City smote her and wounded her, as in Cant. 5. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 So also one of the Apostles, Thomas by name, would not embrace the present opportunity, neither believe the re­port that he heard of the Resurrection of Christ, Joh. 20. 25. well, Thomas he lost the sight of Christ for many days, Joh. 20. 26, 27, 28. If ever thou intendest then to believe in Christ, and to relieve Christ in his Members, do it presently, for if thou stay till to morrow, either thy house and all that thou hast may be burned, or it may be thou mayst not have an opportunity to give, or else thou wilt have but little mind to do it; thou mayst not live till to morrow, seeing thy days are swifter then a weavers Shuttle; surely this relieving of poor Saints, is accept­able [Page 24] with God, although it be so neglect­ed by men; this duty would not be so slighted, if these four things were well considered.

1. First make their case thy case, their necessity thy necessity. Matth. 7. 12. Whatsoever that ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them.

2. Secondly, Consider, whatsoever ye do for them, the Lord takes it as done to himself, Matth. 25. 40. Forasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.

3. Thirdly, Consider, that whatso­ever we give, it shall be paid us again with interest. Luk. 6. 38. Give, and it shall be given to you again, good measure, pressed down and shaken together, 2 Cor. 9. 6. He which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.

4. Fourthly, Consider, that which you have in your Possession is not your own, thou and I are but Stewards; and we must give an accompt of our Ste­wardship, Prov. 3. 27, 28. Withhold not [Page 25] good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the Power of thy hand to do it, &c.

5. Fifthly, Consider, that in Scripture phrase, he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver that man in the time of trouble, Ps. 41. 1. Also consider that Scri­pture, 2 Cor. 8. 2, 3. How that in a great tryal of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality: For to their power, I bear record, they were willing of themselvs; Praying us with much intreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the ministring to the Saints. Therefore as you abound in every thing, in Faith, and Utterance, and Knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this also, and set spee­dily about the work, make no delay, for the time is short, our days are very swift, yea swifter then the Weavers Shuttle: It will be said shortly, that Time shall be no more; so Revel. 6. 7. And the An­gel lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware [Page 26] by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things that are therein, that there shall be time no longer. But in the dayes of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mysterie of God shall be finished, as he hath declareth to his servants the Pro­phets.

Methinks I see the words of Christ come to pass, Mat. 24. 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sun be darkned, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from hea­ven, and the powers of heaven shall be sha­ken; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourn, for they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with pow­er and great glory. Then he shall send his Angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the one end of the earth to the other, Mat. 24. 30, 31. O let all the [Page 27] inhabitants of the earth tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, lo it is nigh at hand: A day of darkness and of gloomi­ness, a day of clouds and of thick dark­ness; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall there be the like again: A fire devoureth before him, and behind him a flame burneth: before his face the people shall be much pined, all faces shall gather blackness; the Earth shall quake before him, the Heavens shall tremble, the Sun and Moon shall be dark, and the Stars shall withdraw their shining. Oh this day of the Lord is great and very terrible, who can abide it? yea, where will you find a man that can a­bide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a Refiners fire, and Fullers sope. Oh what a terrible day will this be to most of the sons and daughters of men! 2 Pet. 3. 12. The heavens shall be on fire and dissolve; the earth shall melt with fer­vent heat. If the rocks and mountains [Page 28] would fall on thee, thou wouldst think it a favour, to hide thee from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, Rev. 6. 16, 17. All, both small and great shall be ga­thered together before the Judgment-seat of Christ, Mat. 25. 32, 33, 34, &c. yea, the Sea shall give up her dead, and the grave shall give up their dead, death and hell shall give up their dead, Rev. 12. 13, 14, &c. So we shall all appear be­fore the Judgment-seat of Christ, and all that ever we have done, good or evil, shall be laid open before all the world: yea, all our sins shall be brought to light, and each man shall give an ac­compt of himself to God, and be judged according to his works, Mat. 25. 32, 33, 34. & Rev. 20. 12, 13.

If ever thou wilt improve time, do it presently. Luk. 21. 34, 35, 36. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunken­ness [Page 29] and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For thy dayes are swifter then the Weavers shuttle: and as a snare shal it come upon all them that dwell upon the earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things, and to stand before the Son of man. This day will come as a thief in the night.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hastening to the coming of that day, wherein the heavens shall be on fire, and the lements shall melt with fervent heat. Seeing then that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found in him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

But if any say, I will be diligent here­after: Let me tell thee, If ever thou in­tendest to do any thing for the glory of God, the good of thy self, and the be­nefit [Page 30] of others, do it presently, for the time is short.

Oh then get oyl in your lamps, grace in your hearts, that you may not be like the foolish Virgins, Mat. 25. 7, 8, 9, 10. The wise Virgins considered that their time was short, and their dayes swift; and so made it their present work to get oyl in their lamps, which was grace in their hearts: But the foolish Virgins put it off from day to day, never mind­ing that their dayes were swifter then the Weavers shuttle.

Our time is short, wherefore bid adieu to the world. For what is the World, but vanity? All the Honours are but as so many dishonours; all the Riches but poverty; and all the Joyes but sor­rows; and all the Pleasure is but pain: And if in this life only thou and I have hope, we are of all men most miserable. Our dayes are but as a bubble: we no sooner have our being, but we are going to our end: All our strength is but as [Page 31] grass, and all our beauty is as the flower of the field: the grass fadeth, the flow­er with ereth, and our strength and beau­ty is gone: Death will bring us to the grave, and our deeds to judgment; and as death doth leave us, so shall judgment find us.

All creatures observe their time but man; the Stork, the Crane, the Swal­low, the Pismire, these observe their time: and yet Man, the most noble of all creatures, none above or higher then himself but onely the Lord God Al­mighty, who hath given to man time and all things else to attend him to bring him to glory: but most men turn Pro­digals, and spend their little inch of pre­cious time with Harlots, and hope to return to their Father hereafter, not con­sidering that death stands in the way to put a period to his dayes, which flie away swifter then the Weavers shuttle.

Oh what a dreadfull day will that be, when thee and I shall stand before the [Page 32] Judgement seat of Christ, if not pre­pared for it: If we look about us, be­neath us, on the right hand, or on the left, all will increase our misery: above us shall be our Judge, offended with us; beneath us, Hell open, and the Furnace ready burning to receive us; on our right hand, shall be our sins accusing us; on our left hand, the Devils ready to execute Gods eternal Sentence upon us; within us our conscience gnawing; without us millions of damned souls bewailing: on every side the World burning, what way shall we take, to go back is impossible; to go forward is intol­lerable: what then shall we do? If we seek death, death shall flie from us; if we cry to the Hills to fall on us, they will refuse to do us so much pleasure: and then immediatly the Judge will say to all the Goats, Depart from me ye cur­sed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels. Then there will be the greatest separation that ever was up­on [Page 33] the earth: the husband and wife, the fathers and sons, the mothers and daughters, masters and servants, Priest and people, friends and companions, the one to glory, and the other to confusion, without ever seeing one the other again. Oh what an eternal separation will this be! Whose heart can read these lines, and not melt? whose eyes can behold these words, and not weep? Nay it may be these be the last lines that ever thou shalt read: for thy dayes be swifter then the Weavers shuttle. 1 Cor. 7. 29, 30, 31. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passes away. Wherefore be without earthly care­fulness.

But as Peter & Jude speak, there are a ge­neration [Page 34] of Scoffers, which lately went under the name of Levellers, and now have taken to themselves the name of Ranters: These men, for the most part of them, say that there is no Hell, neither day of Judgment, nor Devil; but all is God, and God is all things. And to these men I have but these two words to say.

First, that although they will not see or believe there is a Hell and a Devil here, they are most like to know it by woful experience hereafter. The second word is this:

When thou turnest over the leaves of the Bible, and findest mention made of Hell, and of the day of Judgment, and of evil Angels, called Devils, and yet wilt not be perswaded that there is any such thing; thou mayst as well rase out those Scriptures for untruths, for thou art wise above what is written.

And to the rest of that heady, high­minded, unbelieving, and vainglorious [Page 35] Crew, I say as in Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thine heart, and follow the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, for all these things God will bring thee to judg­ment. Oh miserable is that man, whose life is almost wasted, and daily wasting, and he thinks not of it: often saying, I thought no more of this that is now fal­len out, then of my dying day. Never minding what Job saith, My dayes are swifter then the Weavers shuttle. Neither doth he mind that, Heb. 9. 27. It is ap­pointed unto all men once to die, and after death to judgment.

And let me tell thee, thou art in a thousand thousand casualties here every moment, ready to take away all the comforts of the earth from thee. When Nebuchadnezzar was blessing himself in the Palace that he had built for his ho­nour, then there comes a Messenger from the Lord, and he was presently [Page 36] outed of all his comforts. The wheel is turning, the grass is withering, the flower fading, the smoak consuming, and the shuttle swiftly flying; and yet thy dayes are swifter then the Weavers shuttle. We have but a little time, and a great deal of work to do: let us work then while 'tis day, for the night cometh in which no man worketh.

If we did but know what Eternity means, and if the fear of Eternity did but once fall on us, we should cleerly see it had been better for us that we had never been born, or that we had been made Toads or Serpents, or the vilest beast that creeps upon the earth, then Reasonable creatures: Seeing we were born in sin; & as if that was not enough, we live in sin, and at last die in sin: and so as Death leaves us, the Judgment finds us. There depends upon our little short uncertain inch of time, matters of more consequence then all the world is worth. I do not say, upon the spending [Page 37] or mis-spending this inch of time de­pends our eternal being either in bles­sedness or misery: but this I say, that our well-being, whiles we remain here, depends much upon it. See Joh. 14. 21. & 2 Pet. 1. 11. Oh then consider, such is the swiftness of mans dayes, shortness of his life, and frailty of his nature, that the swiftest, shortest, and frailest things for the most part that we read of in Scri­pture, are not swift, short, and frail e­nough to compare mans life unto.

Vse 2. And if so, in the second place by way of use, this doth teach us to car­ry our selves towards all in a way of love, as if this were the last opportunity that ever thou shouldst have to be help­ful to them either in spirituals or tempo­rals. Hast thou a Father or Mother yet alive? If ever thou wilt obey the com­mand of God in honouring them, do it presently; for before one day is past, they may be taken from thee, or thou from them: and then how will thy heart [Page 38] smite thee, and thy conscience accuse thee, and thy carelesness often trouble thee? Let me tell thee, I know some that can speak this by woful experience, whose hearts do even bleed for their o­missions herein. And as for you Parents that have Children, if ever you will express your love to God in bringing them up in his fear, teach your Children their duty both towards God and man: If there be ever a word of God within you, endeavour to fasten it upon them. Prov. 22. 6. Train up a Child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not de­part from it. And what thou intendest to teach them, do it speedily, make no delay; for they are but as a flower of the grass, alive and green in the morning, and many times cut down and withered before night: your Childrens days are short, and swifter then the Weavers shuttle. And so likewise for Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, supe­riors and inferiors, old and young; if [Page 39] there be any Grace in your Heart, and power in your hands, improve both to the best advantage. Be pittifull, as your heavenly Father is pittifull; make it your business as Christ made it his business, to take all opportunities to do good, both to Saints and Sinners, Matth 5. 45, 48. Oh let all your good intentions end in actions, and all your Resolutions in spee­dy performances; for the glass is al­most run, the day of our life is even done, and thou must cut off like a Wea­ver, as in Isa. 38. 12.

Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity: Oh all ye Parents, then look upon your selves and chil­dren, as upon a Flower that quickly withereth: endeavour to acquaint your selves of one Lord Jesus Christ, who is the portion of his people, Psal. 16. 5. com­pared with Psal. 17. 14. Walk with God your selves, and so apply those promises that he hath made to his Seed; they will live more comfortably with [Page 40] one grain of Grace in the want of the abundance of these outward things, then they could with the Kings Ran­som if the other be wanting: cleave closer unto Christ, hang looser to your children, that so nothing may be able to separate the one, though death will separate the other: And let not your lives, O ye Parents, be bound up in the lives of your children, but let your wills be resigned up unto Gods Will, that if your children cut off like a Weaver, ye may say as once Job in the same case said, Ioh 1. 21. The Lord giveth, and the Lord takes away, bleßed be the name of the Lord; and endeavour by your further care and diligence in training them up in the way of Christ, instructing them in the way which they ought to walk. Shall I appeal to your consciences now O ye Parents! hath your care been, to provide in a sutable way for the souls of your children, for their Spiritual estate as you have for the earthly? you are [Page 41] loth to die before you can bring your estate so clear, that you may leave it to your children: but rather you should be loth to die before such time as you see some work of Grace wrought in their hearts; verily, these would your thoughts be, if you were spiritual. It is reported of Augustines Mother, that the great thing she desired to live for, was to see her son converted, and the Lord granted her desire, and then she found her self willing to die. One Mr. Staughton a Minister, in his Epistle to the Reader, prefixed to the Treatise called Davids love to Gods word, affirms upon his own knowledge, that there was a young Gentlewoman in Kent, but ten years old, could say all the New-Testament by heart; yea at that Age she was so perfect therein, that being asked where any word were, she would presently name Book, Chapter and Verse. Master Staughton writeth this upon his own knowledge and examina­tion [Page 42] of her, in above fourty places at one time, wherein she never missed Book, Chapter, and Verse. Truly if we would have the word of Christ dwell richly in us, we must ever and anon call home our wandring thoughts, and unprofitable desires and disordered affections, and gather them up, and establish them up­on something that Moth and Rust can­not corrupt, nor Thieves break through and steal; for most of us are like unto Peter, we toil all night and catch no­thing, because we do not cast down our nets at Christs Command: which that we may do, let us stand upon our guard, and guard our Thoughts, our Hearts, our Wills, our Affections, our Judge­ments, our Memory, our Lips, that we speak considerately, advisedly, and not so vainly.

Ʋse 3. By way of Use. If our days be so swift and short, let us indeavour to be in a continual readiness, that we may have nothing to do, but to resign [Page 43] up our souls into the hands of our Cre­ator, in the name of our dear Saviour, by the help of the blessed Spirit: and al­though death doth look gastly upon us when he comes to Summon us to appear before the Tribunal Seat of Justice, there to give an account of all our Actions; yet let us smile upon Death, for he will but destroy our last Enemy; Christ hath tasted death for us: It is true, Death is a dark entry that we must pass through: but all trouble on the other side death is taken away: the worst thing it can do for one prepared to die, is but this, namely, to shut up the door of earthly comforts, and open the door of Heavenly: to deprive us of Temporalls, that we may be invested with Spirituals: to deprive us of the society of a few imperfect Friends, that we might enjoy the society of all the Saints and Angels in a state of perfecti­on; and that which is ten thousands time more then all the rest, we shall en­joy [Page 44] the presence of the Almighty God, whose glory and excellency is such, that the tongues of men and Angels are not able to express. It is life to know him, it is melody to hear him, it is heaven to behold him, it is endless happiness to enjoy him. Oh then improve the pre­sent opportunity and ability that the Lord hath lent to the uttermost: that when thou comest to die, and to cut off like a Weaver, thy dayes being swifter then a shuttle, thou mayst be in some good measure so prepared; That,

1. If thou canst not say with thy Lord Christ, Joh. 17. 4. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do.

2. If thou canst not say with thy bro­ther Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: there is laid up a Crown of glory not for me only, but for all those that wait for his appearing:

3. Yet thou canst say with Simeon, [Page 45] Luk. 2. 29. Lord, now lettest thou thy ser­vants depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

4. Or else, if thou canst not say in the sincerity of thy soul with Hezekiah, Isa. 38. 3. Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart:

5. Yet thou canst say with David, Psal. 39. 13. Oh spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen.

6. There are but few men saying with the Prophet, Psal. 90. 12. So teach us to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

7. But most men and women, when they are cutting off their life like a Wea­ver, fall a praying with Balaam, Numb. 23. 10. Lord, let me die the death of the Righteous, and let my latter end be like his. Never considering that none can die the death of the righteous, but only those that live the life of the righteous. It is [Page 46] true, we read of one, as the Thief upon the Cross, that no man might despair; and we read but of one, that no man may presume.

Surely, Death sends many messengers to you and me, to tell us that he is coming. One while in comes the Ague, after that the Feaver; and before we can shake them off, many times in comes the Head-ach, and it may be the Tooth-ach, raging, and shaking the best beam in thy natural building. Well, after a while thou and I have, it may be, shaken them off, and now it is pretty well with us again, we begin to smile, and to fea­ther our nests: and while with Martha we are troubled about many things, Death sends another Pursuivant, and he terrifies us with Crosses and Losses, troubles within and without. Well, we have scarce got over these torments, but in comes Sir Thomas Gout, or Sir William Cramp, or both; and these unwelcome guests will sit at the table with us, and [Page 47] lie in the bed with us, and night and day lie trouble us: when we think to sleep, then they will be talking, & saying, Our days are swifter then the Weavers shuttle. Well, if all these be shut out of doors, through long patience & great charges, and thou begin to cheer up, in comes another Pursuivant, and turns thy near­est and dearest Friend into thy greatest Enemy; and so this cross in thy nearest Relation from whom thou didst expect thy greatest assistance and help, now proves thy greatest enemy. So that put all thy Crosses, Losses, Sicknesses, Per­secutions, &c. that ever befell thee, in one ballance, and this Cross in thy near­est Relation in the other ballance, and this latter will weigh down the former ten times over.

In a word, I do know a man that lost his tender Father, and after that he lost his Estate that his Father gave him; then he was in a banished condition at least 26 moneths; then he lost some of his [Page 48] Children; not long after he lost his tender Mother, and a little before he lost one of his dearest Brethren: since that he lost his onely Son: not long after he lost his dearest Sister: and between each of these Losses, for the most part he was visited with Sickness, and often brought even to the gates of death▪ Then a little after this, some of his most intimate Friends, with whom he had sweet converse about S [...]ul-work, these turned Ranters: besides these, at least an hundred Crosses more came in the one upon the neck of the other. And yet this man doth profess, that all these, put them together, are but a Flea­biting to that one Cross in his nearest Relation, and that but in her little mem­ber, to wit, the Tongue. See Jam. 3. 5, 6. & Eccles. 7. 26.

Death doth often summon us to be in a continual readiness to lay down these crazie, brittle, dusty Bodies in their own Center the Earth. And for my own part, [Page 49] I must confess, that the Weavers Shuttle hath been preaching to me almost these 25 years; still telling me, that my days flie away faster then my shuttle. And now at last it having prevailed with me a little for my attention at least, I had no sooner silenced my own thoughts, but I heard a voice from Heaven saying, All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the field. And when I lift up mine eyes to the Heavens, (as in Isa. 51. 6.) and look upon the Earth beneath; the Heavens shall vanish away like smoak, and the Earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall dye: but my Salvation shall be for ever, and my Righteousness shall ne­ver be abolished.

Men and women are like a bubble upon the water: they would fain get a­bove their element, and swim a loft; but they shall be cut off as the foam upon the water. Mans life is like a Candle in a Paper-lanthorn, full of crannies: there comes on a sudden but a little puffe of [Page 50] wind, and blows the Candle out. Oh then, let this little inch of Time be im­proved to the best advantage: seeing Time is one of the most precious herbs in the garden of the World. And yet by most men there is not one thing more slighted in the World; surely, if we did see time so pretious as it is, we should take the counsell of the Holy Ghost, and redeem the time, because the days are ev [...]l, Eph. 5. 16. And if in truth, thou and I did redeem the time, there would be no room or time for so many idle words; there would be no room or time for so many idle thoughts and un­profitable musings: our thoughts are the eldest, and most noble off spring of our souls, and so are too worthy to be cast away upon base objects; did we indeed see time precious, short, and swifter then the Weavers Shuttle, we should redeem a little from our ordinary sleep, and a little from our worldly bu­siness; and to make all our dealings in [Page 51] worldly business, subservient to Religi­on, and not to grasp so much of the world, as to distract our head with cares, or engage our heart in sin: we should redeem a little time from our u­sual lawfull recreations, and so from all things else that drink up our time: and improve this redeemed time to the best advantage, for the glory of God, and thy own good, and benefit of others.

Let me tell thee what I know upon found ground, we shall finde all little enough.

I once read of a man that did trifle away his time as most of us do, not see­ing the worth of it, untill he was about thirty years of age; and then hearing a Sermon of the shortness of mans life, being a little troubled, makes his request to a Godly man, whom he looked up­on as a Prophet, to tell him how long he should live, that so before death came he might repent of his sins, and make [Page 52] his Peace with God. The Minister as­ked him how long he desired to live: and he said he would fain live sixty years at least: well, the Minister told him that there were more did die be­fore they came to fifty, then there was that did live to fifty; yet, saith he, thou shalt have thy request, thou shalt live till sixty: Well, with that the man was very thankfull, conceiving he had time enough to take the pleasures of the World, and to repent hereafter. The Minister asked him how old he was? he answered thirty; then says he, take out thirty of sixty, and there remains but thirty years that thou hast yet to live; then consider, that half of this thirty years will be slept out, and then there remains but fifteen years; and the half of this fifteen years will be spent in pains and care to provide for thy self and Family, and then there remains but seven years and a half; and in the half of this thou wilt have some unexpected [Page 53] sickness, and weakness which man that is born of a woman is subject unto, and then there remains but three years, three quarters: and the half of this will be spent in mourning for some losses or crosses, in thy Wife, Children, Kin­dred and Friends: and so there doth not remain so much as two years of peace and quiet, for thee to minde thy soul: this struck the man into such a damp, that he went away sorrowfull, as the young man in the Gospel did from Christ, Matth. 19. 22. Oh let us redeem that precious jewel of time which we have formerly lost: Travellers that have staid a little too long at their Inn, when they do find the night approach­ing they mend their pace, and go as many miles in one hour as they did be­fore in two; so let us do, we have staid too long in doating upon the things of this life, and in setting our eyes and hearts upon that which is not: the World, it was Created of nothing, [Page 54] saith the Lord, and it hangs upon no­thing saith Job; Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? saith Solomon, Pro. 23. 5. I remember a passage that many years since I read in a little Book, called, Good News from Heaven, between Wealth and his worldly Master, at the point of death.

1. First, Wealth seeing his Master dying, saith, Well Master, thus long have I served you, or rather you have served me: for you have loved me too much, and doted upon me, and therefore now you be like to speed the worse; you was my Master in shew, but I was yours indeed: for you did what I would have you do; thus far have I gone with you, but further I will not; I have nothing to do in another world; now therefore Master, shift for your self; if you go to Hell, I cannot help it, I will go seek me a new Master: adieu.

Ans. Master. Nay, saith his Master, I hope thou wilt not serve me so now I have most need of thee; many a nights [Page 55] rest have I broken for thee, many an hour have I bestowed on thee, many a good Feast; yea, many a Sermon and good opportunity for my soul have I lost for thee, Wealth.

Wealth. The more fool thou Master: who bid you do so? not God I am sure, but the Devil; and therefore to him you are like to go that set you on work: or whither you go I know not, nor care not; but fur­ther to go with you I will not.

Master. Nay Wealth, I pray thee say not so, that goeth to my very heart; go answer for me, or at least speak a good word for me.

Wealth. Not I, nay I am sure you shall answer for me, and your self too; and to tell you the truth, I doubt the place is too hot for me where you are going; but go try Master first how you shall speed, and if you do not like the place, if you can get leave to come back again, I may chance to serve you again, believe it who list; look, look, here comes death quivering in your [Page 56] lips, quaking in your joynts, staring in your eyes: I cannot endure the sight of him; oh draw the Curtains, shift for thy self Master: I will shift for one.

Master. What dost thou mock me to increase my misery and dolor? What wilt thou leave me thus in the straits? Oh that I were to live in the World again, I would care as little for thee as thou doest now for me: Oh base Va­grant! have I thus entertained thee like a Prince for this? Oh all ye People of the World! be admonished by me a dying man, take heed how you give entertainment as I have, to this Vaga­bond cheating Wealth, that wanders up and down the World; but lay up trea­sure in Heaven, not on the earth, and that speedily: For man that is born of a woman is of few days, saith David; and they pass away faster then the Weavers Shuttle, saith Iob; & thou shalt cut off thy life like a Weaver, saith the Prophet I­saiah: and then if thou hast improved [Page 57] thy talent, redeemed thy time, and given all diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure; for ought I know thou mayest die in full assurance of true bles­sedness, which consisteth, not in ho­nour, for then Pharaoh had been blessed: not in wit, for then Achitophel had been blessed: not in wealth, for then Ahab had been blessed: but herein will thy bles­sedness be, that thou indeavourest to be found cloathed with the Robe of Christs righteousness, in comparison of which thy own is as dung, Phil. 3. 8, 9. Look­ing upon thy self as thou art in thy self, as a Tree, the body where of is iniquity, the Leaves of it is Atheism: the Rine pretends perfection: the Sap thereof, is Humane Reason: the Buds swelling words: the Fruit of it uncleanness: but as thou art taken off from the old stock the first Adam, and grafted into the new stock the second Adam, thy blessedness lies here in this Root, from whence thou receivest sap, and becomest a new Tree, which may be known by its Root, [Page 58] which is Christ: by its soil in which it grows, which is Free-Grace, planted in the House of the Lord: and by its bo­dy which is Faith: by its Bark, which is Hope: by its Boughs which is Chari­ty: by its Leaves, which is Spiritual Ver­tues: by its Branches, which is good words: by its Fruit, which is good works: This Tree shall stand up with boldness, when the other Tree shall fear and shake: if he look up, there is his Judge offended with him: beneath him Hell open, and the Furnace boiling ready to receive him: on thy right hand thy sins accusing: on thy left hand the Devils ready to execute Gods Sen­tence upon thee: within thee, thy con­science gnawing: without thee, all damned souls bewailing on every side: the World burning: and this dreadfull day will come suddenly, as a thief in the night, 2 Pet. 3. Therefore while thou hast thy legs, let them carry thee to the Assemblies of Zion: run to and fro [Page 59] that thy knowledge may be increased: thy legs may be taken from thee. While thou hast thy hearing, listen diligently: thou mayst speedily be deaf, as many be already. While thou hast thy hands, let them minister to the necessity of the Saints: while thou hast any estate, give somthing of it, lest thou dost repent too late. All these things be mutable and fleeting; thy dayes be swifter then the Weavers shuttle; and thou mayest lose these before thou dost lose thy life. All men had one entrance into life, and shall have the like going out.

In a word, thou and I have forfeited our lives many times: The wages of sin is death; Every sin we commit, we make a forfeit of our life. Here is the sad condition of the sons of Adam. O A­dam, what hast thou done! For though it was thou that hast sinned, yet thou art not faln alone, but all we that come of thee, as being then in thee, and so in­fected by thee: And we become guilty [Page 60] not only of original, but also of actual transgression; and so many of us have forfeited our lives ten thousand times over: from which there is no redempti­on but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and it is to be feared, that not one of twenty do truly believe in him, and make it their work to follow him: hence it is that death finds us so unprepared; we never considering, that there is but a breath between us, and Heaven or Hell.

Ʋse 4 If our dayes be so short and swift, let us so accompt of it, that when death comes and sweeps away some of our nearest Relations, it may not be so tedious unto us, as to cause us to mourn excessively; because we saw their dayes to be short and swift before: So that in stead of grieving that they be gone so soon, we should give thanks to God that he did spare them to us so long; and say with David, I shall shortly go to them. The consideration of these ensuing [Page 61] things will much abate our mourning, and take off the edge of our excessive grief for Friends of any Relation that are deceased.

1. Let us consider, that whatsoever doth come to pass, is by the soveraign will and pleasure of God, 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Eli said, it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. In the foregoing verses, the Lord had told Samuel, that the iniquity of Eli's house should not be purged, because his sons made them­selves vile, and he restrained them not. Well, saith Eli, good is the word of the Lord, let him do as seemeth him good: as if he had said, The Lord is infinitely wise, and therefore knoweth better then I how to dispose of me and my family, for his own glory, and our everlasting good: And although those Judgments be very heavy which he hath denoun­ced against me and my family, yet we have no just cause to complain; for doubtless he will bring glory to his [Page 62] name, and good to us by it, according to his promises.

So said David, 2 Sam. 15. 26. Behold here I am, let him do to me as seemeth him good. So again, Psal. 39. 9. I was silent and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. So said Hezekiah, Isa. 39. 8. the Lord had told him by the Prophet Isaiah, that all his goods should be carried to Baby­lon; and his sons that did issue from him, they, though near & dear to him, should also be carried to Babylon: Well, saith he, good is the word of the Lord. So our dear Saviour himself, Mat. 26. 39. O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Psal. 68. 20. He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. Job 30. 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living; and that speedily too, for my dayes are swifter then the Weavers shut­tle.

[Page 63] 2. Let us consider that we our selves and our friend or friends that now we grieve for; I say, we and they received our lives from God, and must be accom­ptable to him for them again. Eccl. 12. 7. & Job 1 21. & 1 Tim 6, 7.

3. Consider, All men have one en­trance into the world, and the like go­ing out: Death is certain and appointed to all; the greatest Kings and Emperors under the Sun must taste of this cup; nay the Lord Christ himself, if he will be vailed in flesh, must die. And that it is certain and appointed to all, will appear by these Scriptures. Heb. 9. 27. & Job 30. 23. & Job 7. 1. Gen. 3. 19. & Psal. 90. 3.

4. Let us consider the fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ, answering every re­lation; and the many & excellent pro­mises that are suitable to our particular condition. He is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, cloths to the naked, eyes to the blind, legs to the lame, [Page 64] strength to the weak, life to the dead; he is peace in trouble, joy in sorrow, health in sickness, riches in poverty; he is a friend to the friendless, a hus­band to the widow, a father to the fa­therless: I had thought to have brought chapter and verse to have proved each of these to thee: but I would have thee to search for them thy self, that so thou mayst finde many more sweet Promises, sutable to thy present state and conditi­on; for he is all thy tongue can ask, thy heart can wish, or thy minde con­ceive; he is light in darkness, and Hea­ven in Hell; if thou canst but see thy Interest in him, and Relation to him, thou wilt be ready to say within thee in the midst of all thy troubles, Let friends forsake me, let enemies deride me, let all worldly comforts leave me; nay the plagues of Egypt, the botches of Iob, the enemies of David, the imprison­ment of Ioseph, the poverty of Lazarus, the bands of Paul cannot hurt me: for [Page 65] the Lord is my portion; his grace is suffi­cient for me; wherefore I will even say with David, Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower, &c.

5. Consider, though I have lost a neer and deer Husband, or Wife, Father, or Mother, Son or Daughter, Brother or Sister, Kinsman or Neighbour; yet I cannot say as once Jeremy did, Was ever sorrow like unto my sorrow? but I can say, There is nothing hath befallen me, but what is common to man: nay God hath dealt more favourably with me, then he did with Job, Job 1. 19. 20, 21. for he lost all; and he hath dealt more kindly with me then he did with his servant Eli, 1 Sam. 4 17. For he lost at once his two Sons, and the Ark of God, which went near­est to his heart: and at last his own life too.

6. Let us consider, that many of the [Page 66] Saints have desired death; and if we love our friends departed, shall we grieve that their desire is answered? Read and well consider, Phil. 1. 23. and Job 14. 14. & 2 Cor. 5, 1, 2, 3, 4. Again in another Scripture, we find these and the like words, Now let thy servant de­part in peace: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. 1 Kin. 19. 4. Take away my life, for I am no better then my fathers. For such as die in the faith, we should not mourn for as men without hope, 1 Thes. 4. 13. But I would not have you to be igno­rant concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not as others that have no hope. ver. 14. For if we believe that Iesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him. The Holy Ghost in this place forbiddeth not Christian sorrow for the dead, but Heathenish sorrow; not moderate, but excessive and immoderate, either in re­spect of time, or measure of our grief; we may water our plants for our decea­sed [Page 67] Friends, but not drown them.

7. Let us consider the priviledges of Believers after death: for death is unto them but a Porter opening a door into a dark entry, or a servant of thy Fathers sent to put thy dear friend to bed for a little while, till corruption shall have put on incorruption, and mortality shall have put on immortality. Death is but a sleep, and the grave a bed, and all things that be on the other side death are taken a­way by Iesus Christ; Death openeth the great gate that leadeth to thy Fathers house, that so thou mayest go home: for we are but Sojourners, Pilgrims, and Strangers here in this World: it is true, unbelievers are at home whiles they live here: they be called the inhabi­tants of the earth, and dwellers upon the earth; when they die, they do not go home as thou doest: it is true, they go to their own place, and to their own Fa­ther: so that death to them is the King of Terrours: but to thee and thy be­lieving [Page 68] deceased Friend, death should be looked upon as the Messenger of glad tidings, which is come only to crack the clay walls, which is our Prison, that you may flie home and be at rest; and when thou comest home, to enjoy the presence of thy Father and Saviour Christ, and to be filled with the Spirit, and to be with all the holy Saints of Heaven; thou wilt then rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

8. Let us consider, that although I and thee be like to loose our own lives, or else have lost some of our nearest and dearest friends, yet let this comfort us, this also shall work together for our good, Rom. 8. 28. Wherefore let us not so fear death: but hearken what death doth whisper in thy ears, saying, fear not me, I came from the Father, and have no Commission to hurt you; although my countenance be grim, my message is sweet and pleasing: Christ your belo­ved husband hath taken my sting from [Page 69] me before he would let me come to you: I am come without a sting, to tell you, that God and Christ loves you, and hath sent me on purpose to invite you into their presence, where is fulness of joy and pleasures at his right hand for evermore; only you must put off your filthy garments, that the earth may return to its earth, the fire to its fire, the water to its water, the aire to its aire: for these were the Elements thy body was made of, and so thou must endure a little pain in putting off these cloaths; they be somewhat little and strait, but thou must with Paul put off this earthly Tabernacle; for that must be dissolved before thou canst be with Christ, in whose presence there is fulness of joy, where all relations will be made up in God: there is no complaining in the Streets of this new Ierusalem, no want of Relations: God will be a Father, Christ will be a Husband, Saints glory­fied our Brethren, Sisters and associates: [Page 70] so we shall want no Relation, neither shall any Relation want Perfection. There is but a breath between thee and this condition.

9. Let us consider, that the Scripture doth pronounce them blessed that die in the Lord, Rev. 14. 13 For from hence­forth they rest from their labours. See Eccles 4. 2. & Job 3. 17. The greatest evil death can bring unto us, is but a more speedy way to happiness.

Lastly, let us consider, that our dear beloved brother David, although he mourned, fasted, and prayed whilst his Child was sick, yet as soon as it was dead, he arose and began to comfort him­self, saying, I shall go to it ere long: for my dayes are swifter then the Weavers shut­tle, saith Job. Then shall the dust return to its earth, saith Solomon, Eccles. 12. 7. The dust, that is the body, to shew the ori­ginal of it, Gen. 2. 7. and the weakness of it; Dust is the weakest part of the earth, Psal. 103. 14. the basest and vilest [Page 71] of it, Job 4. 19. & Phil. 3. 21. & Job 30. 19. Our original from the dust; our return unto the dust; This should humble us in our own eyes, and should warn us to im­prove all our ability, and every oppor­tunity to make our calling and election sure, that there might be nothing wanting in us to secure a better life before this be ended; and not to put off the endea­vours towards it, as most do, unto old age, which haply we may never attain unto; and if we do, it will bring it self work enough for us to do. Death comes swift and uncertain: Sin, the longer lived in, doth the more harden: Repentance is not in our call or command when we please; it is a work of the whole man, and of the whole life: this work defer­red will be greater, the time to do it in will be shorter; the strength to do it by, will be less; bodily infirmities will dis­inable spiritual actions: God will have less honour and service from us, and we our selves shall have more sorrow, and less comfort.

[Page 72] For my own part, I can speak some­thing by woful experience, of the sad effect of not imbracing the present op­portunity and ability that God hath given me: I am assured that I have lost much of my comfort here, for hearken­ing to the motions of my own spirit, and slighting the motions and strivings of the Lords Spirit; by which means I have deprived my self of manifestati­ons and apprehensions of heavenly and spiritual things that the Lord begun to pour out upon me. And now, if I would give all the world, I cannot recall one day that is past, nor one of those blessed opportunities that I have lost. Only I desire, if the Lord will, to redeem this little inch of time yet remaining, like an idle servant that hath loitered all the forenoon, begins to work twice as hard in the afternoon.

I have two Requests within me to make unto thee, whosoever thou art, that readest these lines.

[Page 73] If there be in thee any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercy; then my first Request is: I do beseech thee & beg thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, if thou mindest his glory, or thy own good, that thou wouldst seek the Kingdom of Heaven in obedience to his command, in the first place; for in so doing, the Lord will be glorified, thy light shining before men, that they seeing thy obedience to him, may glorifie thy Father which is in hea­ven: that so while the whole World, with Martha, are troubled about many things, thou mayst with Mary choose the better part: That so while some are giving all diligence to get earthly trea­sure, thou mayst give all diligence to get heavenly: And while some are spend­ing their time in vanity, one endeavour­ing to exceed another in folly, thou mayst redeem precious time for spiritual ends, endeavouring to excel others in [Page 74] piety: That so while others that have great possessions, are with the Young man in the Gospel going from Christ sorrowfull, thou mayst with Zacheus re­ceive Christ joyfully, and be willing to part with some of thy goods cheer­fully.

My second Request is, That in thy addresses to the Father, and approaches to the Throne of Grace in the name of the Son, by a lively faith in him, in whom are all our springs, from whom are all our supplies, that among all thy requests to the Lord of Hosts, both for a supply of spiritual things and natural things, for thy self and friends, that thou daily standest in need of, thou would'st have one request, one ejaculation, one sigh, one breathing, or one petition for me al­so; That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, would give unto me a more full, cleer, powerful knowledge of his will in all wis­dom & spiritual understanding, that I might [Page 75] walk worthy of the Lord, being fruitful in every good work; that he would pour out upon me that Spirit of Faith spoken of in the Gospel, which was once given to the Saints, which we are com­manded to contend for, and that Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the know­ledge of him, the Spirit of councel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord: that I might act for God, from a pure principle of love to God; that so not onely sinful self might be denied in me, but that also na­tural self and religious self might be laid at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, as dung and dross in point of justification and salvation, which is all of free grace: That so when I come to cut off my life like a Weaver, (for my dayes flie away swifter then his shuttle) I may say with Simeon, Luk. 2. 29, 30. Lord, let thy ser­vant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Or at least I might say with Hezekiah, Isa. 38. 3. Remember [Page 76] now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart: or else that I might say in the sincerity of my soul with Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: there is laid up for me a crown of glory.

O that our Parliament would con­sider with Job, that although they have sate long; yet now their days are swif­ter then the Weavers Shuttle, and they shall shortly cut off like a Weaver, Isa. 38. 12. that so they might minde what David saith, Psal. 15. 4. He shall abide in Gods tabernacle, and dwell in his holy hill, that keepeth his word and Promises: Oh that it might be your study so to do; and that you would yet further improve the present opportunity in discharging the Trust reposed to you by God and his People for his Glory and their Liberty; and this will bring you more comfort in the end, then all your honour and [Page 77] estates: which hath been, now is, and ever shall be my request to God for you.

O that our Armies, whom God hath made so victorious, would now pay their Vows that they made to the Lord of Hosts in the day of their distress, and that speedily, because their days are swifter then the Weavers Shuttle.

O that Magistracy and Ministry would consider, how swift this Shuttle flies, and yet their days flie swifter; that so the one might not judge for Reward, and the other teach for hire: that so the first wheel that moves them to act, might be out of conscience unto God, and faithfulness to his People, whose servants they are.

O that all men of all Opinions, by what nick-name soever they be known, viz. Episcopacy, Presbyterie, Independency, Lutherans, Socinians, Arminians, Ana­baptists, Antinomians, would consider, that their days are swifter then the Wea­vers [Page 78] Shuttle, and give off that excessive contending about the garment of Reli­gion, and the Form in which they are to Worship, which is but as paying Tithe of Commin and Annis, and the while the Power of Religion is much abated, and the weighty matters of the Law neglected; Faith and Repentance, Self-denial, and an holy Conversation, these by many are shut out of doors; and so whiles we lie contending for the Form, the Power of Religion is much abated; and so the gravy, marrow, and sap of our souls is almost eaten out, so that we had need, and that speedily, to take the Councell of Christ, Rev. 3. 2. Be watchfull, and strengthen the things that be ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God: thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art almost dead; for thou hast but a little strength, ver. 8.

Now my Brethren let me tell you, that I fear most of you, instead of con­sidering [Page 79] the great work that you have yet to do, and the little time allotted you to do it; and how swift that little time passeth away. I say, instead of con­sidering this, you all fall a weaving of the Spiders Web, Isa. 59, 5. that is, you are contriving Plots as may intangle o­thers, as the Spiders do the Flies, to their dammage and detriment, or to their utter undoing and destruction: but let me tell you, as in Isa. 59. 6. Your Web shall not become garments; which is, your devices, plots, and practises, though they may hurt and mischieve o­thers, yet they shall not help or avail your selves; all the good or gain you gather by them shall stand you in no stead; they will not be able to shelter you against Gods wrath, no more then a coat of Cobweb is able to shelter you from a fierce storm, or a thick volley of shot: they shall all prove in conclusion as Cobwebs to your selves, for any suc­cour or benefit that you shall receive [Page 80] from them, or reap by them: See Isa. 28. 15. 18. 20.

Ʋse 5. Forasmuch, as the soul is a more excellent piece then the body, it is but reason that we should spend more time and pains in seeking the well being of the one before the other; and if men did so indeed, they would make Reli­gion their business: In seeking first the kingdom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof: knowing that all things that con­cern the well being of the body, shall be added unto them: But alas! we serve the world, which was made to serve us, and so we become our servants servant: Re­ligion is not our business: but the world and the things thereof, is our business: and Religion is a thing but by the by: when we have nothing to do about our particular calling, we will a little look after our general calling: if we be cal­led upon to hear such a Sermon, to con­fer with such Christians about the busi­ness of our souls, and our thriving in [Page 81] Spiritual things, why we have many put offs: the business concerning our souls must wait upon us from day to day, from week to week, from moneth to moneth: nay, sometimes from year to year, before we be at leisure to take that into our consideration: it is easier for a man to prefer a Petition to the Parliament, and to get a promise of taking ones business into serious consi­deration, and to answer our desires, then it is to get our stubborn hard hearts (so glewed to the World) to be at lei­sure to consider the state of our souls: we think every minute spent about that to be an hour, and every hour a whole day, and every day a year.

I remember the words of a man (now with the Lord) speaking to this, from that Gen. 27. 38, 39. You shall find there, that Isaac blessing of Jacob and Esau, he blest them both: but see with what difference he blessed Jacob, v. 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fat­ness [Page 82] of the earth. Then look to Esau's blessing: Behold (saith Jacobs father) thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above, v. 39. Mark, they were both blessed with the dew of heaven, and fatness of the earth: but now in Jacobs blessing, the dew of heaven is first, and the fatness of the earth is in the second place; but in Esaus blessing▪ the fatness of the earth is first, and the dew of heaven in the se­cond place. Noting this, that a godly man indeed, the greatest thing that he should mind in the first place, is the dew of heaven, and then in the second place the blessing of the earth: But an earthly man in the first place seeks for the fatness of the earth, and in the next place the dew of heaven. Hence it is that the choisest of our thoughts are carried forth and busied about earthly things, &c. And in order thereunto, how will men rise early, and lie down late, and eat the bread of carefulness, and travail night and day, [Page 83] far and near, through heat and cold, thick and thin, deprive themselves of sleep, and many times of necessary food; and all to gather a little Moths-nest to­gether; which once gotten, the Moths soon consume it, unless it takes wings and flies away, before the Moths can enter, as in Prov. 23. 5.

Are not most men and women in Eng­land like Corah, Dathan, and Abiram? we read of them, that they were swallowed up of the earth: and so at this day there be many millions of souls, both rich and poor, old and young, male and female, swallowed up of the earth; for they make it their great business, and therefore the strongest endeavours of their spirits are employed to effect and accomplish their own carnal ends: yea, the whole man both soul and body is laid out to the uttermost; they will neglect no time, spare no pains to increase their earthly treasure.

Indeed I have stood almost amazed, [Page 84] when I have a little considered the temper of my own heart & the state of others: wherein I find, that we are very diligent and ready to do that which we have no command for; and that which we have warrant for, we are negligent to do. As to instance; We have no command (as I can remember) to make the things of this life so sure to us and our posterity, although in a moderate sense it may be lawful and expedient so to do: but for our Evidence for Heaven, and our assurance of our interest in God, to this we have many commands. Give all diligence to make your calling and ele­ction sure, as 2 Pet. 1. 10 And again, 2 Cor. 13, 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves: know you not your own selvs, how that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 1 Col. 23. Continue in the faith grounded and setled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard, &c. Now for our assurance of earthly things, men ne­ver [Page 85] think them sure enough; but how careful are we to make all things infal­lible, as there can be no way (as we think) wherein we can be deceived? And to secure this earthly treasure, how do men toile and labour, and their thoughts run in the night? and as soon as you arise in the morning, you run headlong about the world, having so many things to do, you know not which to do first: But the business of our souls and the assurance for heaven, we either think not of it at all; or if we do, we make that but a business by the by: but as for the matters of the earth, men will go from this Lawyer to another, to ask counsel, and to see whether it be sure, and to see whether there can be any thing done to make it more sure; so that most men never think it to be sure e­nough: but as for our assurance in spi­ritual things, either we are contented with none at all, or else any slender assurance will serve the turn. Go from [Page 86] one seat to another, and enquire of the People, what evidence have you of Peace made between God and your souls? What evidence have you that you are gone beyond any formal Pro­fessour? What assurance have you that the saving work of God is wrought in you? Why these be either Paradoxes or Mysteries: the people know not what this doth mean: many of them saying in effect, it is an impossible thing for a man upon earth to have assurance of his salvation, and so poor souls they drop into the grave one after another, having no more assurance of Gods love to them, or of their interest in him, then the beasts of the field: they came first from the earth: and all the while they lived their hearts were upon it, and so they die and return unto it, never o­beying that voice, Ier. 22. 29. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.

These men have denyed Christ here while they lived in the body: now he [Page 87] will deny them, Mat. 10. 33. & 2 Tim. 2. 12.

They were ashamed to own him in his people here, now he will not own them, Luk. 9. 26.

Christ called upon them to repent, and they would not; and now they shall not repent if they would.

They would none of his ways here: and he will not accept of their persons hereafter, Mat. 7. 23.

O then let Religion be our business: Let us seek the Kingdom of Heaven in the first place, Mat. 6. 33. And again, 3 Ep. John, ver. 2. I wish even above all things thou mightst prosper in thy body, even as thy soul prospereth. Mark, here was a soul flourishing, growing and thriving, and that in the first place; and next unto that is the moderate care of the body; and this is Gods order: but mans care is most for the body first, and then a little for the soul afterwards when thou hast nothing else to do: but [Page 88] know God will have the first fruits or none; all thy after-services, are but like Cain's Sacrifices, procuring a curse ra­ther then a blessing.

In a word, we were not made to serve the world; the world was made to serve us, and we were made to serve God. Let every creature, especially Man, con­tinue in his place; for man is the most excellent creature of all on earth: Let him then transcend all in his holy obe­dience to his Maker: We are not our own, we ought not to live to our selves; we have forfeited our lives many a time; the wages of the least sin is death and cursedness, and yet our lives have been restored to us again. For what end? why, saith the Scripture, that we might not live to our selves, but unto God.

Oh how often times doth he call, how earnestly doth he knock at the door of our hearts? how powerfully doth he strive? how long doth he wait upon us to get us to yield unto him? [Page 89] namely, to have our hearts dis-ingaged from all things beneath himself: and yet such wretches as we are, we will not yield. What is become of that frame of Spirit that was upon the Saints in former days? Nathan used but one pa­rable to David, and he was converted: Jonah preached but few days to Nine­veh, and they repented: Christ look­ed back once upon Peter, and he wept bitterly: but there is such a spirit of slumber fallen upon most of the people in these days, that nothing will prevail, unless it be that place, Rev. 21. 11. He that is unjust, let him be so still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: And so they make good this place, as it is spoken by way of precept, and not by way of caution; never considering what will become of them in the end thereof.

O ye sons and daughters of men, did not our tender loving Lord God make us Lords of the Creation? and are not [Page 90] we become Servants unto it? Did not he make man the wisest of all Crea­tures? and is there any Creature under the whole Heaven so unwise as man? Did he not put a fear and a dread upon every creature, Gen. 9. 2. And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the ayr, and upon all that moveth on the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea: into your hands are they delivered: But how is poor silly man afraid of, and become a Servant to the meanest of all these Creatures in a Spiritual sense!

These were made our servants, and have been faithfull in their service to us: we were Created in the Image of God, and appointed by him to be serviceable unto him: and yet the whole Creation are more serviceable unto him, and do not dishonour him as man doth, Jer. 8. 6, 7. I hearkened (saith the Lord) and heard, but (the most excellent piece of my workmanship) man spake not aright: [Page 91] no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? So I was fain to repent my self that ever I made man: for every one runneth into sin, as the horse rusheth into the battel: Yea, the Stork in the heavens knows her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swal­low observe the time of their coming; but my People know not the judgments of the Lord. Man, that was made the wisest of all, is become the variest fool of all. And oh that we saw it! 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceive himself▪ If any man among you seemeth to be wise, let him become a fool that he may be wise. We like fools take a great deal of pains to make our selves miserable: We forsake the Fountain of living endurable waters, and ride and run through thick and thin, labour and toyl, dig and hew unto our selves Ci­sterns, yea broken Cisterns that will hold no water, Jer. 2. 12, 13.

If John were to write an Epistle to the Professors of our dayes, as once he did to [Page 92] Gaius, 3 Ep. Joh. v. 1, 2. Beloved, I wish a­bove all things, that thou mayst prosper & be in health, even as thy soul prospereth: I say, if he were to write to us, he would un­doubtedly change his voice, and say, O ye Professors now extant in the English Nation, I wish above all things that ye may prosper in your souls, even as your bodies prosper. O thou hast a flourishing body, but a starved soul: thy eyes stare out with fatness, thou hast more then heart can wish; thou art like the green Bay tree, or the Willows by the water side; thou hast given thee thy hearts desire: but thou hast a lean, famished, starved soul; and I could wish above all things that thy soul prospered as thy body pro­spereth. Oh, is it not better to go to Heaven with poor Lazarus, then to Hell with rich Dives? Is it not better, O sons and daughters of men, to be often saying with our head Christ, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to [Page 93] lay his head; then to be saying in effect as most do at this day, with that rich man, Luk. 12, 17. 18, 19, 20. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry? but God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, &c. We have forgotten those words, 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the world, neither the things of the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. O how few such can we find in a whole Parish, in a whole City, in a whole Shire! nay how many (think you) are there in a whole Nation, that love the world, and so have not the love of the Father abi­ding in them?

In this Epistle of John, the Spirit of the Lord (in the mouth of his servant) cals to all the sons of men, and craves their diligent attention: I have written to you Fathers, I have written to you Chil­dren, I have written to you Young men: Why? what is the Spirit of the Lord [Page 94] about to make out unto us? Only here is the sum, ver. 15. Love not the world, nor the things of the world: for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.