CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

¹2. As this ought to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with, so we must take the right way to answer it. It's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ, What truth was? and never matter an answer; but we are to be restless in our souls till we have a full answer, till we know the way. Now that we can only be instructed in from Gods Word, John 6.68. Whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life. The Scripture then is this Tree of Life, the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternal healing. Hence our Saviour in the next verse tells us, what is the way to have this eternal life, even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ. As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortality, so they were in Egyptian darkness, or like the blind Sodomites, groping and feeling for a way to it, but could never get in. Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this, How may I have this eternal life, betake thy self then to the Scriptures, make them thy counsellors; do not attend to the ways of the world, matter not what they say, or what they do, for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practises of the world. If you do not rectify your self by the Scripture, and resolve to follow the light of this star, though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternal life, yet they would do you no good; say then, let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into, my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to Gods Word, whatsoever course that prescribeth, though never so contrary to my lusts, to my former practises, yet I will gladly renounce all. Do this and then expect eternal life.

¹2. As this ought to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with, so we must take the right way to answer it. It's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ, What truth was? and never matter an answer; but we are to be restlesse in our souls till we have a full answer, till we know the way. Now that we can only be instructed in from Gods Word, John 6.68. Whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternall life. The Scripture then is this Tree of Life, the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternall healing. Hence our Saviour in the next verse tels us, what is the way to have this eternall life, even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ. As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortallity, so they were in Egyptian darknesse, or like the blinde Sodomites, groping and feeling for a way to it, but could never get in. Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this, How may I have this eternall life, betake thy self then to the Scriptures, make them thy counsellers; do not attend to the waies of the world, matter not what they say, or what they do, for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practises of the world. If you do not rectifie your self by the Scripture, and resolve to follow the light of this starre, though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternall life, yet they would do you no good; say then, let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into, my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to Gods Word, whatsoever course that prescribeth, though never so contrary to my lusts, to my former practises, yet I will gladly renounce all. Do this and then expect eternall life.