Distant things, be they never so great, do hardly move us: As in bodily motion, the mover must be contiguous: And as our senses are not fit to apprehend beyond a certain distance; so our minds also are finite, and have their bounds and measure: ⟨p. 167⟩And sin hath made them much narrower, foolish and […]-sighted than they would have been. A certainty of dying […] last, should do much with us: But yet he that looketh to live long on earth, will the more hardly live by Faith in Heaven; when he that daily waiteth for his change, will have easily the more serious and effectual thoughts of the world in which he must live next, and of all the preparations necessary thereunto; and will the more easily despise the things on earth, which are the employment and felicity of the sensual, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. Phil. 1.20, 21, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 15.31. As we see it in constant experience in men, when they see that they must presently die indeed, how light then set they by the world? how little are they moved with the talk of honour, with the voice of mirth, with the sight of meat, or drink, or beauty, or any thing which before they had not power to deny? and how seriously they will then talk of sin and grace, of God and Heaven, which before they could not be awakened to regard? If therefore you would live by faith indeed, set your selves as at the entrance of that world which faith foreseeth, and live as men that know they may die to morrow, and certainly must be gone ere long. Dream not of I know not how many years more on earth, which God never promised you; unless you make it your business to vanquish faith by setting its objects at a greater distance than God hath set them. Learn Christs warning to one and all, To watch, and to be always ready, Mark 13.33, 35, 37. 1 Pet. 4▪ 7. Mat. 24.44. Luke 12.40. He that thinketh he hath yet time enough, and day-light before him, will be the apter to loiter in his work or Journey: When every man will make haste when the Sun is setting, if he have much to do, or far to go. Delays which are the great preventers of Repentance, and undoers of the world, do take their greatest advantage from this ungrounded expectation of long life. When they hear the Physician say, He is a dead man, and there is no hope, then they would fain begin to live, and then how religious and reformed would they be?
Distant things, be they never so great, do hardly move us: As in bodily motion, the mover must be contiguous: And as our senses are not fit to apprehend beyond a certain distance; so our minds also are finite, and have their bounds and measure: ⟨p. 167⟩And sin hath made them much narrower, foolish and 〈…〉-sighted than they would have been. A certainty of dying 〈…〉 last, should do much with us: But yet he that looketh to live long on earth, will the more hardly live by Faith in Heaven; when he that daily waiteth for his change, will have easily the more serious and effectual thoughts of the world in which he must live next, and of all the preparations necessary thereunto; and will the more easily despise the things on earth, which are the employment and felicity of the sensual, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. Phil. 1.20, 21, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 15.31. As we see it in constant experience in men, when they see that they must presently die indeed, how light then set they by the world? how little are they moved with the talk of honour, with the voice of mirth, with the sight of meat, or drink, or beauty, or any thing which before they had not power to deny? and how seriously they will then talk of sin and grace, of God and Heaven, which before they could not be awakened to regard? If therefore you would live by faith indeed, set your selves as at the entrance of that world which faith foreseeth, and live as men that know they may die to morrow, and certainly must be gone ere long. Dream not of I know not how many years more on earth, which God never promised you; unl•ss you make it your business to vanquish faith by setting its objects at a greater distance than God hath set them. Learn Christs warning to one and all, To watch, and to be alwaies ready, Mark 13.33, 35, 37. 1 Pet. 4▪ 7. Mat. 24.44. Luke 12.40. He that thinketh he hath yet time enough, and day-light before him, will be the apter to loiter in his work or Journey: When every man will make haste when the Sun is setting, if he have much to do, or far to go. Delaies which are the great preventers of Repentance, and undoers of the world, do take their greatest advantage from this ungrounded expectation of long life. When they hear the Physician say, He is a dead man, and there is no hope, then they would fain begin to live, and then how religious and reformed would they be?
