The Christian in Complete Armour

Secondly, earthly things are such, as it is a great uncertainty, whether with all our labour we can have them or not. The world, though so many thousand years old, hath not learned the Merchant such a method of trading, as that from it he may infallibly conclude he shall at last get an estate by his trade: nor the Courtier such rules of comporting himself to the humour of his Prince, as to assure him he shall rise. They are but few that carry away the prize in the worlds lottery, the greater number have only their labour for their pains, and a sorrowful remembrance left them of their egregious folly, to be led such a wild goose chase after that, which hath deceived them at last. But now for heaven and the things of heaven, there is such a clear and certain rule laid down, that if we will but take the counsel of the Word, we can neither mistake the way, nor in that way miscarry of the end. As many as walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and the whole Israel of God. There are some indeed who run, and yet obtain not this prize, that seek & find not; knock and find the door shut upon them but it is, because they do it either not in the right manner, or in the right season. Some would have heaven, but if God save them he must save their sins also, for they do not mean to part with them; and how heaven can hold God and such company together judge you; As they come in at one door, Christ and all those holy spirits with him would run out at the other. Ungrateful wretches, that will not come to this glorious feast, unless they may bring that with them, which would disturb rhe ⟨p. 324⟩joy of that blissful state, and offend all the guests that sit at the Table with them, yea, drive God out of his own mansion-house. A second sort would have heaven, but like him in Ruth, ch. 4. v. 2, 3, 4. who had a mind to his Kinsman Elimelech's land, and would have paid for the purchase, but he liked not to have it by marrying Ruth, and so missed of it: Some seem very forward to have heaven and salvation, if their own righteousness could procure the same, (all the good they do, and duties they perform they lay up for this purchase) but at last perish, because they close not with Christ, and take not heaven in his right.

Secondly, earthly things are such, as it is a great uncertainty, whether with all our labour we can have them or not. The world, though so many thousand years old, hath not learn't the Merchant such a method of trading, as that from it he may infallibly conclude he shall at last get an estate by his trade: nor the Courtier such rules of comporting himself to the humour of his Prince, as to assure him he shall rise. They are but few that carry away the prize in the worlds lottery, the greater number have only their labour for their paines, and a sorrowful remembrance left them of their egregious folly, to be led such a wilde goose chase after that, which hath deceived them at last. But now for heaven and the things of heaven, there is such a clear and certain rule laid down, that if we will but take the counsel of the Word, we can neither mistake the way, nor in that way miscarry of the end. As many as walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and the whole Israel of God. There are some indeed who run, and yet obtain not this prize, that seek & find not; knock and find the door shut upon them but it is, because they do it either not in the right manner, or in the right season. Some would have heaven, but if God save them he must save their sins also, for they do not mean to part with them; and how heaven can hold God and such company together judge you; As they come in at one door, Christ and all those holy spirits with him would run out at the other. Ungratful wretches, that will not come to this glorious feast, unlesse they may bring that with them, which would disturb rhe