Secondly, He must call upon his soul by many powerful and strong persuasions to awake to the work of ⟨p. 396⟩God with liveliness. Arise, O my soul, why sleepest thou, stir up thy self with readiness to obey the charge of God in the duties of his worship, and the works of Mercy and Justice: withstand sin, subdue corruptions, fight manfully against the temptations of Satan, and the allurements of the world: Stick fast unto the testimonies of the Lord, and lay his judgements before thee. For the testimonies of the Lord are wonderful,1 his judgements good, righteous and very faithful: his word is very pure; and his law is the truth. The service of God is perfect freedom: he walketh at liberty, who runneth on in obedience. As t•y love to the law is, such shall thy life be: nothing is hard to a willing mind. Want of affection to the word of truth, makes the duties commanded to seem irksome and tedious. Love the Commandments above gold, and obedience will be as pleasant as gain to the covetous. Look upon the Saints, who have gone before: they endured imprisonment, loss of liberty, the spoiling of goods, hazard of life with joy, looking unto the eternal and incomprehensible recompense of reward. Thou art not called to suffer, but to obey; at least not to suffer such grievous torments as they did: why doest thou then delay, start aside, or go forth unwillingly? Wouldest thou reign with them, and not labour with them? receive the price, and not run the race? divide the spoil, and not fight the battle? In the affairs of this life we love to excel, and out-go our fellows; as to be first up, and about our work; to exceed in favour, riches, honour, wisdom; and in matters of Religion to be dead and lumpish, is it not abominable? Obedience is no dull service, no dead piece of work, but the way to blessedness and the crown of glory.2 The Lord hath not said Seek me in vain. The reward of obedience is certain, though our wo kes deserve nothing. The Merchant undertakes dangerous adventures to raise his estate, enrich ⟨p. 397⟩himself. But what is the gold of India to the joys of Heaven? a fading possession to an eternal weight of glory? strive to enter, and go forward in the strait way that leadeth unto life. Arise, why tarriest thou? forget not the high price of thy calling, but contend forward towards the mark.
Secondly, He must call vpon his soule by many powerfull and strong perswasions to awake to the worke of ⟨p. 396⟩God with liuelinesse. Arise, O my soule, why sleepest thou, stirre vp thy selfe with readinesse to obey the charge of God in the duties of his wo•ship, and the workes of Mercie and Iustice: withstand sinne, subdue corruptions, fight manfully against the temptations of Satan, and the allurements of the world: Sticke fast vnto the testimonies of the Lord, and lay his iudgements before thee. For the testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull,1 his iudgements good, righteous and very faithfull: his word is very pure; and his law is the truth. The seruice of God is perfect freedome: he walketh at libertie, who runneth on in obedience. As t•y loue to the law is, such shall thy life be: nothing is hard to a willing minde. Want of affection to the word of truth, makes the duties commanded to seeme irkesome and tedious. Loue the Commandements aboue gold, and obedience will be as pleasant as gaine to the couetous. Looke vpon the Saints, who haue gone before: they endured imprisonment, losse of libertie, the spoiling of goods, hazard of life with ioy, looking vnto the eternall and incomprehensible recompence of reward. Thou art not called to suffer, but to obey; at least not to suffer such grieuous torments as they did: why doest thou then delay, start aside, or goe forth vnwillingly? Wouldest thou raigne with them, and not labour with them? receiue the price, and not runne the race? diuide the spoile, and not fight the battell? In the affaires of this life wee loue to excell, and out-goe our fellowes; as to bee first vp, and about our worke; to exceed in fauour, riches, honour, wisdome; and in matters of Religion to be dead and lumpish, is it not abhominable? Obedience is no dull seruice, no dead piece of worke, but the way to blessednesse and the crowne of glory.2 The Lord hath not said Seeke me in vaine. The reward of obedience is certaine, though our wo kes deserue nothing. The Merchant vndertakes dangerous aduentures to raise his estate, inrich ⟨p. 397⟩himselfe. But what is the gold of India to the ioyes of He•uen? a fading possession to an eternall weight of glory? striue to enter, and goe forward in the straiteway that leadeth vnto life. Arise, why tarriest thou? forget not the high price of thy calling, but contend forward towards the marke.
- 1Psal. 119.129. Verse. 9. Verse 138.
- 2Isaiah 45.19.Esay 45.19.
