If you love pleasure, take that which is true, and full, and durable. For all that he calleth you to Repentance and Mortification, and necessary strictness, there is none that's more for your pleasure and delight than God: or else he would not offer you the rivers of pleasure that are at his right hand; nor himself to be your perpetual delight. If you come into a room where are variety of pictures, and one is gravely reading or meditating; and another with a cup or harlot in his hand, is profusely laughing, with a gaping grinning mouth; would you take the latter or the former to be the picture of a wise and happy man? Do you approve of the state of those in Heaven? and do you like the way that brought them thither? If not, why speak you of them so honourably? and why would you keep holy-days in remembrance of them? If you do; examine the sacred records, and see whether the Apostles and ⟨p. 58⟩others that are now honoured as glorified Saints, did live as you do, or rather as those that you think are too precise? Did they spend the day in feasting and sports, and idle talk? Did they swagger it out in pride and wealth, & hate their brethren that were not in all things of their conceits? Did they come to Heaven by a worldly, formal, hypocritical, ceremonious Religion? or by faith, and love, and self-denial, and unwearied labouring for their own and other mens salvation, while they became the wonder and the scorn of the ungodly, and as the off-scouring and refuse of the world? Do you like holiness, when it is for from you? in a dead man, that never troubled you with his presence or reproofs, or in a Saint in Heaven, that comes not near you? Why then do you not like it for your selves? If it be good, the nearer the better. Your own health, and your own wealth, do comfort you more than another mans: And so would your own holiness, if you had it. If you would speed as they that are now beholding the face of God, believe, and live, and wait, as they did. And as the righteous God did not forget their work and labour of love for his Name; so he will remember you with the same reward, if you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; and be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promises, Heb. 6.10, 11, 12.
If you love pleasure, take that which is true, and full, and durable. For all that he calleth you to Repentance and Mortification, and necessary strictness, there is none that's more for your pleasure and delight than God: or else he would not offer you the rivers of pleasure that are at his right hand; nor himself to be your perpetual delight. If you come into a room where are variety of pictures, and one is gravely reading or meditating; and another with a cup or harlot in his hand, is profusely laughing, with a gaping grining mouth; would you take the latter or the former to be the picture of a wise and happy man? Do you approve of the state of those in Heaven? and do you like the way that brought them thither? If not, why speak you of them so honourably? and why would you keep holy-daies in remembrance of them? If you do; examine the sacred records, and see whether the Apostles and ⟨p. 58⟩others that are now honoured as glorified Saints, did live as you do, or rather as those that you think are too precise? Did they spend the day in feasting and sports, and idle talk? Did they swagger it out in pride and wealth, & hate their brethren that were not in all things of their conceits? Did they come to Heaven by a worldly, formal, hypocritical, ceremonious Religion? or by faith, and love, and self-denial, and unwearied labouring for their own and other mens salvation, while they became the wonder and the scorn of the ungodly, and as the off-scouring and refuse of the world? Do you like holiness, when it is for from you? in a dead man, that never troubled you with his presence or reproofs, or in a Saint in Heaven, that comes not near you? Why then do you not like it for your selves? If it be good, the nearer the better. Your own health, and your own wealth, do comfort you more than another mans: And so would your own holiness, if you had it. If you would speed as they that are now beholding the face of God, believe, and live, and wait, as they did. And as the righteous God did not forget their work and labour of love for his Name; so he will remember you with the same reward, if you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; and be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promises, Heb. 6.10, 11, 12.
