The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…

Secondly, A few words to those who will acknowledge the labour of Christianity to be great; but that is it which is their discouragement, and scares them from entering into that service, which will cost so much pains, and bring so much trouble. I shall leave some Considerations to be pondered by them, which, I hope, may ease them of this too deep an apprehension of the Christians labour.

Secondly, A few words to those who will acknowledge the labour of Christianity to be great; but that is it which is their discouragement, and scares them from entring into that service, which will cost so much pains, and bring so much trouble. I shall leave some Considerations to be pondered by them, which, I hope, may ease them of this too deep an apprehension of the Christians labour.

First, Christianity, 'tis confessed, is a ⟨p. 42⟩labour, but a necessary labour; it is not, indeed, the part of a wise man, to labour, or hazard much for that he little needs; yet for such things is it (God knows) that most men bestow their greatest toil and travel; to obtain that which they may have (specie aut valour) and spare this their pains also; as Cyneas told Pyrrhus, when he said, after such and such Kingdoms Conquered by him, then we will sit down and live a merry life. But why, quoth Cyneas, may we not do that already without all this trouble? I confess (considering the present frame of Carnal mens hearts) they are under a kind of necessity of what they inordinately desire. The Covetous man must have his Gold, the Voluptuous man his Pleasures; or else they cannot enjoy themselves: but this necessity is no other than that of a Dropsy man, for his unmeasurable drinking; for was this mans disease, and the other mans lusts purged out, both their necessities would cease alike; but Heaven is absolutely necessary to ⟨p. 43⟩all, whether they think so or no. Better we had the Soul of a Beast, than having the Soul of a Man, not to have at last that perfection and happiness, for which this Immortal Soul was made. And this thou canst not have, except thou wilt take the pains to walk in the ways of Holiness, which lead to it; thy Soul (poor man) is hastening apace to its last and eternal state, which will be either in Heaven or Hell: the Happiness of the one invaluable, the misery of the other intolerable, and both interminable. If thou bestirrest not thy self, and that timely, to take hold of Eternal Life, Hell is at thy back to take hold of thee. Now is there any room left in this case for deliberation, when de vitâ aut morte aeternâ agitur? is it now time to say, shall I labour to be saved, or shall I not? It may in some cases be more eligible to lose our temporal life, than to be at pains to save it. If Caesar told the Mariner, in a storm, it was necessary he should sail, not that he should live; then surely with