all diligence to make firm our title, our calling, and our election here on earth: if we fear hell, we must fear being prepared for it.

And it is great and difficult work that must be here done. It is here that we must be cured of all damning sin, that we must be regenerate and new born, that we must be pardoned and justified by faith; it is here that we must be united to Christ, made wise to salvation, renewed by his spirit, and conformed to his likeness. It is here that we must overcome all the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh, and perform all the duties towards God and man, that must be rewarded. It is here that Christ must be believed in with the heart to righteousness, and with the mouth confessed to salvation. It is here that we must suffer with him, that we may reign with him, and be faithful to the death, that we may receive the crown of life. Here we must so run that we may obtain.

Yea, we have greater work here to do than mere securing our own salvation. We are members of the world and church, and we must labour to do good to many. We are trusted with our master's talents for his service, in our places to do our best to propagate his truth, and grace, and church, and to bring home souls, and honour his cause, and edify his flock, and further the salvation of as many as we can. All this is to be done on earth if we will secure the end of all in heaven.

It is then an error (though it is but few I think that are guilty of it) to think that all religion lieth

in minding only the life to come, and disregarding all things in this present life. All true Christians must seriously mind both the end and the means, or way; if they mind not believingly the end they will never be faithful in the use of means; if they mind not and use not diligently the means they will never obtain the end. None can use earth well that prefer not heaven; and none come to heaven (at age) that are not prepared by well using earth. Heaven must have the deepest esteem and habituated love, and desire, and joy; but earth must have more of our daily thoughts for present practice. A man that travelleth to the most desirable home, hath a habit of desire to it all the way; but his present business is his travel; and horse, and company, and inns, and ways, and weariness, &c. may take up more of his sensible thoughts, and of his talk and action, than his home.

I have often marvelled to find David, in the Psalms, and other saints, before Christ's coming, to have expressed so great a sense of the things of this present life, and to have said so little of another to have made so great a matter of prosperity, dominions, and victories on one hand, and of enemies' success and persecution on the other; but I consider that it was not for mere personal, carnal interest, but for the church of God, and for his honour, word, and worship; and they knew that if things go well with us on earth, they will be sure to go well in heaven. If the militant church prosper in holiness, there is no doubt but it will triumph in glory God will be sure to do his part in

receiving souls, if they be here prepared for his receipt. And satan doth much of his damning work by men; if we escape their temptations we escape much of our danger. If idolaters prospered, Israel was tempted to idolatry. The Greek church is almost swallowed up by Turkish prosperity and dominion. Most follow the powerful and prosperous side; and therefore for God's cause, and for heavenly everlasting interest, our own state, but much more the church's, must be greatly regarded here on earth.

Indeed, if earth be desired only for earth, and prosperity loved but for the present welfare of the flesh, it is the certain mark of damning carnality and an earthly mind. But to desire peace and prosperity and power to be in the hands of wise and faithful men, for the sake of souls, and the increase of the church, and the honour of God, that his name may be hallowed, his kingdom come, and his will done on earth, as it is in heaven, this is to be the chief of our prayers to God.

Be not unthankful then, O my soul, for the mercies of this present life, for those to thy body, to thy friends, to the land of thy nativity, and specially to the church of God.

This body is so nearly united to thee that it must needs be a great help or hinderance. Had it been more afflicted it might have been a discouraging clog, like a tired horse in a journey, or an ill tool to a workman, or an untuned instrument in music. A sick or bad servant in a house is a great trouble, and a bad wife much more; but thy body

is nearer thee than either, and will be more of thy

concern.

And yet, if it had been more strong and healthful, sense and appetite would have been strong, and lust would have been strong; and therefore danger would have been greater, and victory and salvation much more difficult. Even weak senses and temptations have too oft prevailed; how knowest thou then what stronger might have done? When I see a thirsty man in a fever or dropsy, and specially when I see strong and healthful youths bred up in fulness and among temptations, how mad they are in sin, and how violently they are carried to it, bearing down God's rebukes, and conscience, and parents, and friends, and all regard to their salvation, it tells me how great a mercy I had even in a body not liable to their case.

And many a bodily deliverance hath been of great use to my soul, renewing my time, and opportunity, and strength for service, and bringing frequent and fresh reports of the love of God.

If bodily mercies were not of great use to the soul, Christ would not so much have showed his saving love, by healing all manner of diseases as he did. Nor would God promise us a resurrection of the body if a congruous body did not further the welfare of the soul.

And I am obliged to great thankfulness to God for the mercies of this life which he hath showed to my friends, that which furthers their joy should increase mine. I ought to rejoice with them that rejoice; nature and grace teach us to be glad when

our friends are well and prosper, though all in order to better things than bodily welfare.

And such mercies of this life to the land of our habitation must not be undervalued. The want of them are parts of God's threatened curse; and godliness hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come, and so is profitable to all things. And when God sends on a land the plagues of famine, pestilence, war, persecution, especially a famine of the word of God, it is a great sin to be insensible of it; if any shall say, while heaven is sure we have no cause to accuse God, or to cast away comfort, hope, or duty, they say well; but if they say, because heaven is all, we must make light of all that befalleth us on earth, they say amiss.

Good princes, magistrates, and public-spirited men that promote the safety, peace, and true prosperity of the commonwealth, do thereby very much befriend religion, and men's salvation, and are greatly to be loved and honoured by all. If the civil state, called the commonwealth, do miscarry or fall into ruin and calamity, the church will fare the worse for it, as the soul doth by the ruins of the body. The Turkish Muscovite, and such other empires tell us, how the church consumeth and dwindles away into contempt, or withered ceremony and formality, where tyranny brings slavery, beggary, or long persecution on the subjects. Doubtless divers passages in the Revelations contain the church's glorifying of God, for their. power and prosperity on earth, when emperors became Christians. What else can be meant well