Christ take it to be thus used, when he comes on such a gracious embassy ? May he not say to tliee, as once he did to those officers sent to attack him, ' Do you come out against me as a thief, with swords and staves?' If he be a thief, it is only in this, that he would steal your sins from you, and leave heaven in the room. Oh, for the love of God, think what you do ; it is eternal life you put away from you ; in doing of which, ' you judge yourself unworthy of it,' Acts xiii. 46.
Secondly, It reproves those who are Satan's instruments to rob souls of what is heavenly. Among tliieves there are some ye call setters, who inquire wliere a booty is to be had ; which when they have found, and know such a one travels with a charge about him, then they employ some other to rob him, and are themselves not seen in the business. The devil is the grand setter ; he observes the Christian, how he walks, what place and company he frequents, what grace or heavenly treasure he carries in his bosom ; which when he hath done, he hath his instruments for the purpose to execute his design. Thus he considered the admirable graces of Job, and cast about how he might rob him of his heavenly treasure : and who but his wife and friends must do this for him ? (well knowing that his tale would receive credit from their mouths.) Oh, friends, ask your consciences, whether you have not done the devil some service of this kindin your days. Possibly you have a child or servant who once looked heaven- ward, but your browbeating of them scared them back, and now it may be they are as carnal as you would have them : or possibly thy wife, before acquainted with thee, was full of life in the ways of God ; but since she hath been trans- planted into thy cold soil, what by thy frothy speeches and unsavoury conver- sation, at best thy worldliness and formality, she is now both decayed in her graces, and a loser in her comforts. Oh, man, what an indictment will be brought against thee for this act at God's bar ! You woidd come offbetter, were it for robbing one of his money and jewels, than of his graces and comforts.
Thirdly, It reproves the woful negligence most shew in labouring for this heavenly prize. None but would be glad their souls might be saved at last : but where is the man or woman that makes it appear, by their vigorous endea- vour, that they mean in earnest? What warlike preparation do they make against Satan, who lies between them and home? Where ai-e their arms, wliere their skill to use them, their resolution to stand to them, and conscionable care to exercise themselves daily in the use of them ? Alas ! this is rarity indeed, not to be found in every house where the profession of religion is hanged out at the door. If woulding and wishing would bring them to heaven, then they may come thither ; but as for this wrestling and fighting, this making religion our business, they are as far from these as at last they are like to be from heaven. They are of his mind in TuUy, who in a summer's day, as he lay indulging him- self on the grass, would say, O utinam hoc esset laborare ! O that this were to work, that I could lie here and do my day-labour ! Thus many melt and waste their lives in sloth, and say in their hearts, O that this were the way to heaven ! but will use no means to furnish themselves witli grace for such an entei-prise. I have read of a great prince in Germany, invaded by a more potent enemy than himself, yet from his fi-iends and allies, who flocked in to his help, he soon had a good army, but had no money, as he said, to pay them ; but the truth is, he was loath to part with it ; for which some in discontent went away, others did not vigorously attend his liusiness, and so he was soon beaten out of his kingdom ; and his coffers, when his palace was i-ifled, were found full of treasure. Thus he was ruined, as some sick men die because imwilling to be at cost to pay the physician. It will add to the misery of damned souls, when they shall have leisure enough to consider what they have lost in losing God, to remember what means, offers, and talents they once had towards the obtaining of everlasting life, but had not a heart to use them.
Fourthly, It reproves those who make a great bustle and noise in religion, who are forward in profession, very l)usy to meddle with the strictest duties, as if heaven had mono])olized their whole hearts; but, like the eagle, when they tower highest, their prey is below, where their eye is also. Such a generation there ever was and will be, that mingle themselves with the saints of God ; who pretend heaven, and have their outward garl) faced and fringed, as it were, with heavenly speeches and duties, while their hearts are lined witli hypocrisy,
]^Q IN HIGH PLACES; OR,