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[ 1094] Reconciliation with God in Christ, to be made sure.
A Runnagate Sonne, leaving his Father, and living in forraign Countries, was brought to want; and finding little charity among strangers, he was driven to work for his living; Industry brought in gains, and the sweetness of gain whet∣ted on Industry; soon he grew Rich, became a Merchant, and dealt in Traffick with divers Nations; and among the rest, with some of that Nation where his Father lived, hearing news how potent and opulent his Father was grown, of his wealth and Authority in the City,* 1.1 he resolves to steere his course thitherward: Four businesses he put into his head; One was to congratulate with his friends and Allyes, another to be merry with his old companions, the third to gather up his debts, th•• last and principall, to be reconciled to his Father: Being arrived there, he follows his three former employments close, he fails in none of them; but these did so whol∣ly take up his time, that he quite forgot the main, the Reconcliation to his Father; The Marriners on a suddain call aboard, the Tyde tarries no Man, presently he must be ship'd, and so leaves that businesse utterly undone. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we are all strangers on Earth,* 1.2 our Father is the Almighty King of Heaven; we are charged but with four businesses here in this World; First, Honestly to provide for our selves and families: Secondly, To perform all just duties to our Neighbours: Thirdly, To so∣lace our hearts with the sober and thankfull use of Gods Creatures:* 1.3 Fourthly, and chief∣ly of all, To serve our Maker in all holy obedience, to acknowledge our sins with hum∣ble penitence, to get his pardon through the merits of his Son Iesus. Now so it is, that we are diligent in the rest;* 1.4 we heap up Riches, we sa••e our selves with Pleasures, we are indalgent to our bodies; But for the matter of most moment, that of greatest concernment, The pleasing of God, the saving of soules &c. we are as negligent as if they were not things considerable;* 1.5 Death calls us aboard, carries us away in his deep bottom, and the main businesse we came about is left un••ffected; We can∣not but confesse all this, let us then amend it; and whatever become of our Riches, of our Pleasures, of our bodies, let us be sure of our Reconciliation made with God in Christ Iesus.