The faithful souldier's reward, or, A glimpse of the saints happiness discovered in two sermons, occasioned by the death of that truly vertuous and religious gentle woman, Mrs. Katherine Disney : the former preached at Kirkstead, the place of her last abode here upon the earth, on the 18th day of May, 1690, being the Lord's Day, and the latter at Swinderly, near Lincoln, where she was interr'd the Tuesday following / by William Scoffin.

Ʋse II.

For Excitation. A Second Ʋse may be for the stir∣ring us up to use our utmost Care and Diligence, for the getting and ex∣ercising a lively Faith, in order to our obtaining the Heavenly Blessed∣ness. And,

1. Let me turn my Discourse un∣to those that are yet in a State of Impenitency. Sure what hath been spoken, should excite all such to lay hold on the Hope that is set before them; and to strive and labour with all their Might, to make sure of an Interest in Jesus Christ: for without this we must never hope to partake of Eternal Blessedness. He that believeth not, shall not see Life; but the Wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3.36. O what should we strive and labour for, if not for Eternal Happiness? And what should we strive to escape,* 1.1 and flee from, if not from the Wrath to come? Why, Faith and Repentance are absolutely necessary, both for

obtaining the one and escaping the other. He that believeth not,* 1.2 shall be damned (saith Christ.) And except ye repent, ye shall all perish. Well, what is it then that you are now resolved for? And what are the chief Desires of your Souls? Are you for Everlasting Glory, or for the Pleasures of Sin for a Season?

Are you for accepting of Christ for your Soveraign;* 1.3 or for conti∣nuing still to be the Servants of Sin? Are you for sighting the good Fight of Faith; or for being the captivated Slaves of the Devil? What is it you resolve upon? for one of these must be your Choice. Are your Desires after God and Heaven? Or can that be your Blessedness which you do not desire? De∣ceive not your selves (I beseech you) with vain Conceits, but consider these Things, and shew your selves Men. Do you think that God will ever receive any such into his blessed and glorious Presence as are not at all desirous of it, or unto whom it shall be a Burden? No, no, God sets not so small a value upon it,

as to force it upon those that desire it not.

Mistake not then the Notion of Heaven,* 1.4 or the Nature of a Soul∣satisfying Blessedness. Do not you render it unto your selves a Composition of Sensual Enjoy∣ments; but look upon it, as chiefly consisting in perfect Holi∣ness and Communion with God. And then you cannot judge of your own Right to it, by a surer Rule than this, that the Blessed∣ness of Heaven shall be certainly theirs, whose Hearts are bent and directed towards it. Mat. 5.6, 8. Heb. 12.14. Phil. 3.8,—14.

Repent therefore, and believe the Gospel, and sleep not in the Bonds of Iniquity.* 1.5 You are earnestly call'd and invited to come and ac∣cept of Eternal Happiness; and the Lord is pleas'd to expostulate with you, saying, Sinners, Why will ye die?

Consider how dreadful your Con∣dition will be, if Death should find you in your Unbelief.* 1.6 It had been better for you never to have heard of a Saviour, than to live and die without an Interest in him. O! what will you have to say for your selves, when Christ as your Judge shall plead the Case with you? And say, Sinners,* 1.7 I sentence you to Hell and Damnation; for this is the fruit of your own fool∣ish Choice: No Invitations, Per∣swasions or Warnings could keep you from running into it. I offer∣ed unto you Eternal Happiness, but you did not regard either Me, or my Offers.* 1.8

You could love the most vain and foolish Tri∣fles, but you loved not Me, nor cared for my Presence.* 1.9 You had Thoughts enough and to spare for vain Things, but how seldom did you think of Me, be∣cause your Hearts were not with Me. I banish you therefore that Presence which you never loved; I deny you that Vision which

you did always shun,* 1.10 and the Impressions of my Likeness which you did ever hate. I eternally abandon you to the grossest Darkness, seeing Darkness was so grateful to you.

Depart from Me,* 1.11 and from the Happiness you slighted, into endless and easeless Miseries and Torments.

O! what will impenitent Sinners have to say when the Righteous Judge shall plead the Case with them, and shall pass the irrevo∣cable Sentence upon them? All Mouths (assuredly) will then be stopped, and their Conscience will tell them that the Sentence is just. Think of this therefore,* 1.12 and con∣sider it seriously, while a Door of Hope is yet open unto you. And if the Heavenly Happiness will not invite you,* 1.13 let the Terrours of Hell affright you from your Sins. For it's certain, if you slight the Glory that's offered, you will bring up∣on your selves Everlasting Confu∣sion.

Flee therefore unto Christ as your only Refuge,* 1.14 that he may deliver you from avenging Justice, and from the wrathful Displeasure of a provoked God. Psal. 2.12.

And O! let him not still have fresh cause to complain,* 1.15 Ye will not come to me, that ye might have Life.

2. It should also excite Believers to greater Diligence in the Service of God.* 1.16 For so an entrance shall be ministred unto us, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the Hopes and Fore thoughts of the Happiness above, will not ex∣cite and quicken us to our Duty, what will?

Let us then be convinced that there is such an Happiness; and when we believe, let us look for it, and long for it, and live in the hopeful expectation of it.

Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious Appearing of the Great

God,* 1.17 Tit. 2.13, 14. Now this Hope should put us upon serious Diligence, and earnest Pursuit after such a Blessedness.* 1.18 Let us therefore endeavour to live Heavenly Lives, as we hope to partake of the Hea∣venly Blessedness.

There is no∣thing should influence our Hearts below, but that which doth suit Christ's Heart above.* 1.19 All must be like the Lord, that are to live with him.

And if we do hope to be like him hereafter, then sure we should strive to resemble him here.* 1.20 Yea, And every Man (saith the Apostle) that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure, i. e. as Christ is pure. Yea, certain it is, if we do not desire further degrees of Holiness, we cannot be said to desire Heaven; for Heaven is the persection of Ho∣liness. A lively Hope therefore of our Conformity to Christ, in Glory and Blessedness hereafter, will assu∣redly put us upon a vigorous pursuit of Conformity to him in Holiness here. O! were but our Hopes more strong and lively, they would give

us a Taste of the Blessedness a∣bove; and this Taste would set us upon earnest longing after the En∣joyment of it.* 1.21

2 Cor. 5.2. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven.

So ver. 8. We are willing rather to be absent from the Body, and to be pre∣sent with the Lord.

Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, ver. 9.

Let us labour then,* 1.22 by a lively Faith, to realize the Happiness of Heaven to our Souls; as also to get a well-grounded Hope of our Interest in this Happiness: That so our most frequent and serious Thoughts, and delightful Medita∣tions may be of it. For 'tis im∣possible a Man can hope for any Thing, but he will be thinking of it. And the more we think of the Happiness Above, the more we

shall long for it. And where there are longing Desires and Breathings after the Enjoyment of such an Happiness,* 1.23 there will also be a heed∣ful and cautelous Fear, lest we should miscarry, or fall short of it; and this accompanied with a dili∣gent Care and most earnest Endea∣vour to make sure.* 1.24

Well then,* 1.25 Let us make it ap∣pear, that our Faith is true, and our Hopes lively, by a more Holy Activity, Vigour, and Diligence in the Ways and Service of God. 1 Tim. 6.12. And let us wait with Patience for the expected Happi∣ness, against all Oppositions and Discouragements; For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal. 6.9.

I shall conclude this Use, with the Apostle's Exhortation, 1 Cor. 15.58. Therefore, my Beloved Brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Now,

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 3.7.
• * 1.2

  Mar. 16.16 Luk. 13.3,—5.
• * 1.3

  Joh. 8.34. 2 Tim. 2.26. 2 Pet. 2.19
• * 1.4

  Psa. 17.15. See Mr. How's Bles∣sedness of the Righ∣teous. Psal. 63.1,—8. Psal. 73.24,—28.
• * 1.5

  Isa. 55.1, 2. Joh. 3.16. Ez. 33.11.
• * 1.6

  Joh. 3.19.
• * 1.7

  Prov. 1.24,—31.
• * 1.8

  Job 21.14, 15.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 10.4.
• * 1.10

  Joh. 3.19, 20.
• * 1.11

  Luk. 13.27, 28.
• * 1.12

  Heb. 3.15, 18.
• * 1.13

  2 Cor. 5.11.
• * 1.14

  Josh. 20. with Heb. 6.18.
• * 1.15

  Joh. 5.40.
• * 1.16

  2 Pet. 1.5,—11.
• * 1.17

  1 Pet. 1.13
• * 1.18

  Phil. 3.20.
• * 1.19

  1 Joh. 3.2.
• * 1.20

  Ver. 3.
• * 1.21

  Rom. 5.2. Chap. 8.19, 23.
• * 1.22

  Heb. 11.1.
• * 1.23

  Heb. 4.1.
• * 1.24

  1 Cor. 9. 24,—27.
• * 1.25

  Phil. 3. 10,—14. Ver. 17, 20 Mat. 11.12 Rom. 8.25. Heb. 10.32, — 36.