1. In Active Obedience. You must never be weary of well-doing, nor imagine that your work is done, till your life is done. It was an evil Servant, that because his Lord delayed his coming, fell ⟨p. 317⟩to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, Matt. 24. 48. Alas! there are many points of your duty, which you have formerly Omitted, and there are other which you have done by the halves, and spoiled them in your performing of them. You had need therefore to be as busy as ever you can, to correct the Errata's in the large book of your Lives. You should think, that there be many Persons who were born after you, who have got the start of you in Knowledge, Holiness and Charity, and therefore you had need to crowd as much work into your narrow time, as you can. If your Principles be sound, you will be some way fruitful to the last. The righteous man will hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands will be stronger and stronger, Job 17. 9. It's Elementary fire that's apt to go out, the celestial fire is never quenched. If you had but one grain of the right Mustard-seed, it will grow to be a great tree. The path of the just is like the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day. Prov. 4. 18. O labour to cross that uncharitable Proverb, A young Saint, and an old Devilp: rather, he that is a Saint when he is young, should be an Angel ⟨p. 318⟩when he is old. The nearer any thing comes to its centre, the faster it moves; so the nearer we approach perfection, the more we should hunger after it and labour for it. No man approached nearer unto God than Moses, and no man made so ambitious a suit, that he might draw nearer to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy Glory, Exod. 33. 17, 18. It was a complaint of old, that few people were solicitous how well, but only how long they should live: when as a good life might be attained by many, a long life only by a fewq. But our business should be to live well, and refer it to the wise God to determine how long. It is said, Isa. 65. 20. There shall not be an old man that hath not filled his days: Its true, that signifies, all the Aged shall complete their time, they shall fall ripe into their graves:
1. In Active Obedience. You must never be weary of well-doing, nor imagine that your work is done, till your life is done. It was an evil Servant, that because his Lord delayed his coming, fell ⟨p. 317⟩to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, Matt. 24. 48. Alas! there are many points of your duty, which you have formerly Omitted, and there are other which you have done by the halves, and spoiled them in your performing of them. You had need therefore to be as busie as ever you can, to correct the Errata's in the large book of your Lives. You should think, that there be many Persons who were born after you, who have got the start of you in Knowledge, Holiness and Charity, and therefore you had need to crowd as much work into your narrow time, as you can. If your Principles be sound, you will be some way fruitfull to the last. The righteous man will hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands will be stronger and stronger, Job 17. 9. It's Elementary fire that's apt to go out, the celestial fire is never quenched. If you had but one grain of the right Mustard-seed, it will grow to be a great tree. The path of the just is like the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfest day. Prov. 4. 18. O labour to cross that uncharitable Proverb, A young Saint, and an old Devilp: rather, he that is a Saint when he is young, should be an Angel ⟨p. 318⟩when he is old. The nearer any thing comes to its center, the faster it moves; so the nearer we approach perfection, the more we should hunger after it and labour for it. No man approached nearer unto God than Moses, and no man made so ambitious a suit, that he might draw nearer to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy Glory, Exod. 33. 17, 18. It was a complaint of old, that few people were solicitous how well, but only how long they should live: when as a good life might be attained by many, a long life only by a fewq. But our business should be to live well, and referr it to the wise God to determine how long. It is said,
- pJuvenis in sanctis senibus satanizat in annis.Iuvenis in sanctis senibus satanizat in annis.
- qNemo quam benè vivat sed quamdiu, curat: cum omnibus possit contingere, ut bene vivant; ut diu, nulli. Sen. ep. 22.
