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COnsider that no business is of so great importance to us as the business of our salvation; an Eter∣nity of happiness or misery depends on the success of this. All other affaires are only permitted as they are subservient to this great Work: If we lose this, we lose all, for we lose God who is all good; & without whom there can be no good; if we fail in this, he is lost to us, and lost for ever without recovery.
Salvation is our own business,
every thing else is forreign to us; in other things we do the business of our Children, our Friends, our fa∣mily, our Country, or of the Com∣munity to which we belong, and not precisely our own business; every thing else is a business of Time, this of Eternity.
If we lose other business tho of the highest importance we may find a re∣medy, or if we do not, we shall be no losers provided we succeed in this. The loss of our souls is the on∣ly irreparable loss, Eternity its selfe will not be sufficient to deplore it.
Shall we be able to comfort our selves with the thoughts that we ha∣ve been success full in all our other business of no consequence, and and have only neglected this, which is the only business of Eternity? 'Tis no matter tho we live obscurely and forgotten, without friends, or support, and dye poor, provided we secure our salvation. But what will all our Riches and power, all our knowledge and wisdom avail us, if we loose our souls? Tho all the world should conspire together,
they will never be able to deprive a man of Heaven & make him mise∣rable to all Eternity: Neither will they be able to make one damn'd soul happy, so much as mitigate his Torments. What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lo∣se his soul, or what can he give in exchange for his soul?
Is it possible that this business of Eternity is the onely business of con∣sequence we have to do, and that yet we should neglect this most, and lay it least to heart?
We fancy that our studies, our tra∣de, our diversions, that our visits and conversation are of great importance to us, they take up all our time, we can never find leisure enough for them, we are unwilling to deferr them; but when we should think seriously of our souls, we make no difficulty, of deferring, we imagi∣ne it is too soon, & that we shall have time enough, and yet (which is still more surprizing) we are never at leasure to set about it.
Certainly we must have odd no∣tions of Eternal happiness, since we
are so carless of securing it; would we be content to take no more pains, and spend no more time in our stu∣dy's. and in temporal affaires, then we do in what concerns ous Eternal salvation?
If our salvation depended on a no∣ther could he have so little zeal or charity, as to neglect it more then we do our selves? Tho we know it depends wholly on our own care. What pains do's every man take in his calling? If we have a child to provid for, if we have a design to∣joyn in partnership with a Merchant, how careful are we to inform our selves, to examine, to advise with our ffriends; what measures do we not observe; what precautions do we not take? we think we can never be too sure. But are we to spend a little time for salvation, we think a very little too much.
Salvation is the business of Eter∣nity, but it must be done in time; & we have need of all our Time for it; God gives us our whole Life to think of it; he judged it was all little enough, but we imagine it
may be done inless.
If we spent in working out our salvation, the hundredth part of the Time and pains we throw a way in worldy business, we should soon be great saints. This is the only neces∣sary business we can have, and yet we hardly allot a little Time for it, nay we grudge it even that little.
By our proceedings one would think that we believe God our deb∣tor, and oblig'd to us for beeing saved.
If a man of business or Letters, pass one whole day in accquitting himselfe of the duty's of a Christian, he looks upon that day as lost; But we spend whole months in vain stu∣dys, or in worldly business, and call this spending the time well.
Salvation is our great and chief business; now a mans chief business takes up all his thoughts & hardly gives him time to think of any other; & if this succeds he comforts him∣selfe for the miscarriage of the rest.
We commonly put off the care of
our salvation our to our last sickness, that is, we put of the business of Eternity, the most important business we have, and which requires all our Lives, to a time when we are incapa∣ble of following the slightest business in the world, when we are indeed in capable of any thing.
If God mistaken? who tells us, this only is of consequence. Is he deceived in the disposition of his Providence, & in all his care which tends only to this? Is he in whom are all good things, and who is all himselfe, so little to be valued that we can be indifferent whether we lose him or no? Whence is all that weeping, that cruel despair of the damn'd souls, if what they have lost be not worth our seeking? If ever∣lasting misery be so slight a business, why do we tremble at the thoughts of Eternity? And if we believe it so terrible, how can we be at rest while we are so careless about it, And in so much danger?
My God! how many day's of Gra∣ce have I abus'd? how many precious hours have I let pass unprofitably?
Wretch that I am to spend so much Time in doing nothing: But how much more wretched shall I be, if I do not now at length begin seriously to work out my salvation?
What do I stay for? For a proper time? Alas! that time perhaps is already past for me. Do I stay till thou callest me? Thou hast never ceas'd to do it. Oh! how long hast thou sollicited me to no purpose? shall this reiterated Grace thou givest me now be in vain?
How long shall I spend the best part of my Life in vain amusements which I my selfe condemn; And do I condemn them onely to aggravate my guilt, by losing that time in the pursuit of them which I ought to employ for Heaven?
How long shall I fancy those things necessary, which are of no use for the next Life? whill I neglect only the business of Eternity.
My God how great will my des∣pair and confusion be upon a Death Bed, if I continue to live as I have done hitherto? when all the meanes and opportunity's I have had of se∣curing
my salvation, when this pre∣sent opportunity, and the thoughts I now have of doing it present them∣selves to my memory?
O my God since thou hast not yet punished me, tho I deserv'd punish∣ment, I trust thou wilt not refuse me the assistance of thy Grace, tho I am unworthy of it. Since this is the day design'd for my conversion, the pre∣sent resolution shall not be like the rest. I believe, I am fully persua∣ded, I am sensible that there is but one thing necessary, that Eternal sal∣vation is the onely business that con∣cerns me, and I am determin'd to begin this Day to apply my selfe se∣riously to it.
Quid pro∣dest homini si universum mundum lu∣cretur, &c. Luc 6.25.