will be a great means to keep out worldly sorrow the glory and happiness of Heaven will so transport a Christians soul with spirituall joy that he will not easily be over-whelmed with worldly sorrow I have read one of the Schoolmen that was of this opinion that the reason why Adam in innocency was not sensible of his nakednesse was because he was so taken up with immediate converse and communion with God So now if you were more taken up with conversing with God and apprehensions of glory though you had nothing here below yet you would think you wanted nothing The consideration of Heaven and glory and happiness would make you over-look all worldly crosses and afflictions it is said of Paul that he was rapt up into the third Heaven and saw things ineffable but whether in the body or out of the body he could not tell that is he saw so much glory and was so taken up with the joyes of Heaven that he could not tell whether he was in the body or no it made him to forget all his troubles and miseries here below I remember I have read in Jerome what advice he he gives a young man in his time that was overmuch pressed with sorrow and grief for worldly crosses Saies he do but now and then take a turn or two in Paradise and then you will never think of a wilderness or be troubled at the miseries of a desert Oh beloved that your souls had once this art of divine speculation and contemplation that you might have an experimentall knowledge of the joyes of Heaven and this would keep you from mourning any more for worldly crosses When Christ was transfigured upon the Mount saies Peter to him Master Master it is good for us to be here let us build three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias he was so lifted up with the sight of Heaven that he never thought that he was then upon a barren Mountain and of what wants and exigencies they should be driven to there I have formerly told you what I have read of the Eagle that she is like no other Bird that flies in the Aire for whereas all other Birds when they are hurt or want meat to satisfie their hunger will crie and mourn and make a noyse the Eagle when it is hurt will fly aloft and comfort her self with the warm beams of the Sun And oh Beloved if you would Eagle-lik sore aloft in divine meditations and contemplations of heavenly glory and happiness this would arm you against worldly sorrow very much 8. Remember that your sins call for more teares from you then you are able to shed and therefore do not wast them about worldly things Beloved could you dissolve into tears for your sins it would all be too little to express your grief and sorrow for them nay were every drop of tears you shed an Ocean it would be too little to shed for sin Tears are sweet water and it is pitty to wash foul Rooms with them reserve them for your sins they have more need of them and if you had more tears all would be too little nay were your head a Fountain and your eyes Rivers of tears they would all be too little to shed for those many sins and iniquities that you have committed against God And thus I have done with this first part of the Text and they that weep as if they wept not SERM. VI. 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not WEe now proceed to the second part of the Apostolicall Directory and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not If your condition here in the world be sad and miserable and afflicted then your duty is to weep as if you wept not But if you meet with a gale of prosperity and happiness and enjoy the comforts of this world in abundance then you must rejoyce as if you rejoyced not that is you must rejoyce moderately and with discretion And the point of instruction that I shall give you from hence shall be this Doct. That it is the duty of Christians not onely to take heed that they be not excessive in worldly sorrow for outward crosses but also to take care that they be not excessive in worldly joy for outward comforts All under-moone comforts we may joy in them too much In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall dispatch these 2. or 3. queries 1. I shall shew you when your joy is excessive 2. I shall lay you down some Rules to keep your joy within bounds that you do not over-joy in the comforts of this life 3. And then I shall give you something by way of Use and Application I shall not come to handle any of these at this time Severall Conclusions concerning immoderate joy for worldly comforts but shall first as my usuall method is lay down 6. or 7. Conclusions by way of premise 1. Take this Conclusion That though Christians must take heed that they are not immoderate in their joy for worldly comforts yet you must know that you are allowed by God to rejoyce in the outward comforts that he gives you here in this world Eccles 3.4 saies Solomon There is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce and in Eccles 9.7.9 Goe thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest So in Eccles 7.14 in the day of prosperity rejoyce so Deut. 12.7 ye shall rejoyce in all that you put your hand unto This Conâ—… sion is necessary for sad and melancholy Christians that though they enjoy an affluence and confluence of worldly comforts yet will not at all rejoyce in them beloved God allowes you to rejoyce Consid 2 2. Consider that Religion does not extirpate or annihilate worldly rejoycing but only regulate it It is not like a Weeding-hook to pluck up your joy by the roots but like a Pruning-hook to lop off the luxuriancy of it and to keep your joy in its due decorum This I lay down to take away those prejudices that many men harbour against Religion as if it made men melancholy being apt to think that when once they begin to be Religious that then they must forsake and abandon all worldly comforts and for ever shake hands with all the pleasures of this life Beloved Religion doth not annihilate but regulate your joyes nay being Religions does rather increase then any way diminish your joyes when God made a Covenant with Abraham he promised him a Son and God gave him the name saying thou shalt call his name Isaac which signifies laughter Gen. 17.19 to shew that after thou art in Covenant with God thou mayst have joy and pleasure and therefore do not harbour such ill thoughts of Religion as to imagine you must shake hands with joy when you close with Religion 3. Take this conclusion that the worldly joy of a wicked man is oftentimes mingled with more
more any is taken with the estimation and contemplation of the Joyes of Heaven the lesse he will be in the valuation and admiration of comforts here on earth The higher you stand the lesse you see things below will any rejoyce in the light of a Candle when he sees the brightness of the Sun shining in its full strength It is a Rule amongst Divines that as Physicians when a man bleeds at nose to stop and make a diversion of the blood will open a vein so the way to keep your worldly Joy from being excessive is seriously to ponder and consider what great cause you have of spirituall Joy and reioycing and this will divert your joy from worldly objects To turn all the affections on the right objects is the way to keep them from being excessively bent upon the wrong fear God and you will not fear men love Christ and you will not over-love the Creature weep for sins and corruption and you will not mourn too much for outward crosses rejoyce in spirituall things and you will not joy over-much in temporalls 2. Rule 2 If you would be kept from excessive joy in outward comforts consider that nothing here below is worthy of your joy the world is not worthy of a godly mans affections Heb 11.38.40 and therefore saies Amos in Amos 6.13 why do ye rejoyce in a thing of nought the world is as nothing the fashion of this world passeth away it is not worthy of a Christians joy Acts 25.23 when Agrippa came to the court of Judicature to judge Paul it is said he came with great pomp but in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came with a meer fancy all the honours and riches and bravery of the world are but meer fancies very unworthy of a Christians Joy 3. Consider that the more you rejoyce in any outward mercy the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your mercies the more you rejoyce in your comforts the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your comforts And therefore excessive joy in outward comforts is no less then robbery you deprive God of that which of right belongs to him 4. Consider that thou spoilest thy mercies by rejoycing too much in them you provoke God to take away that which you so much rejoyce in I may very fitly compare rejoycing in your mercies to a posie in your hand Now you know if you handle a posie gently and smell to it now and then it will continue fresh and fragrant a whole day together but if you crush it in your hand and are continually smelling to it it will die and wither the sooâ—… So the more you rejoyce in the things of the world 〈…〉 they will forsake and leave you whereas if you did 〈…〉 and joy in them moderately and not affect them so much you would injoy them more and keep them longer with you 5. Consider that if you rejoyce over-much in those mercies you injoy you will grieve and sorrow over-much in the want of those mercies when God shall take them from you If you would live with such weaned affections from the world that the comforts of it might be but as the Gloves to your hands then you would easily part with them without any great trouble but if you love the world so dearly and the comforts of it cleave so close to you as the skin to your flesh you will not part with them but with a world of grief and a world of pain and trouble And thus I have done with the second query I have but a word of application and so I shall conclude Applicat And the use that I shall make of it shall be by way of caution in four or five particulars Caution 1 1. Is this so that Christians must take heed that they do not exceed in their worldly joy then do so much honour to Christianity as to let it appear that it does bear a greater sway and authority over your affections then any thing in the world besides Let Christianity be so far honoured by you as to have your love and joy and sorrow and all your affections regulated by it Caut. 2 2. Never be prejudiced against Religion as if that were an enemy or any way destructive to your worldly joy for it doth not extirpate but regulate your joy It is not a weeding-hook to pluck up and root out your Joy but a Pruning-hook to moderate and rectifie your Joy oh do not therefore entertain hard thoughts of Religion Caut. 3 3. Take this caution you that are Christians do not disparage Religion to the world in abridging your selves of that lawfull Joy and comfort that God hath given you and his word allows you in the mercies and blessings of this life for a Christian to hang down the head and pull in the lip to have teares in his eyes and sorrow upon his heart not to have a chearfull look nor a comfortable word this disparageth and laies a scandall upon Religion and therefore do not abridge your selves of the lawfull Joy in the Creature that God allowes you I remember Calvin saies that because he was such a pensive and sorrowfull man the Papists would not embrace his Religion he being so sad and mournfull Caut. 4 4. Take heed likewise of too much jollity As you must take heed of a sad disconsolateness so you must take heed of a lightness of spirit of too much joviallness you must as it were cut a hair in two neither be too sad nor yet too joviall Caut. 5 5. Take heed of ever running into worldly joy and pleasures to expell and drive away trouble in your mind You that use such base shifts and unlawfull means to quiet your Consciences and to remove terrour of mind It is the ready way rather to trouble and disquiet then to appease your Consciences You that in your sorrows give your selves to mirth and pastime and merry meetings thinking thereby to drive them away you do rather increase and augment them Just like the Pelican of whom it is reported that being naturally affraid of fire the shepheards are wont to carry some Coles and lay them by her nest and she poor â—illy Creature keeps a fluttering with her wings thinking thereby to extinguish and put them out but does inflame and kindle them and by this means the fire burns both her nest and self too So for us to go to worldly joyes and pastimes to quench the sorrow and trouble of our minds is the ready way rather to increase then remove our grief SERM. VIII 1 Cor. 7 30. And they that buy as though they possessed not WEe now come to the third part of the Apostles direction in these words and they that buy as though they possessed not I shall spend only two or three Sermons upon this third branch and then come to the latter part of the Apostles direction and they that use this world as not abusing of it We shall begin with the
by day because of thy daily indisposition From hence see the need thou hast of the Spirit of God Posit 2 It is not enough you be convinced of the need you have of the Spirits motions but also you should be convinced what a great gulfe of misery you are plunged into if the Spirits motions be restrained which will appear upon this threefold account 1. It is recorded in Scripture as a great misery if but the common workings and gifts of Gods Spirit be withdrawn 1 Sam. 28. and therefore you read what a lamentable complaint Saul made because the Spirit was departed from him which was but in its common gifts And so also of Sampson it is said he wist not that the Spirit was departed from him that is the Spirit of fortitude Judg. 16.20 and is this a lamentation when the Spirit in its common gifts shall be withdrawn and shall it not be looked upon as a sad misery when the Spirit in its saving comforting and sanctifying operation shall be withheld 2. Be convinced hereof because whilest the Spirit is withdrawn thou art under a constant losse I may exemplifie it by this comparison Suppose a great Merchant that had a ship at sea richly laden and this ship should be neer the harbour but being becalmed or having crosse windes it should not be able to come to its haven Now all the while the ship is out the Merchant is at a daily losse Make it your case in a spiritual sense this ship is thy soul the lading is grace and the haven is heaven the gales of winde are the motions of the Spirit cross gales that arise are temptations now if the motions of the Spirit help thee not thou wilt not be able to come to the haven from hence see your misery without the motions of Gods Spirit 3. Be convinced of thy misery because if good motions do not possesse thy heart multitudes of evil motions will if the house of thy heart be empty of good motions the devil will enter by evil motions and dwell there Mat. 12.44,45 Either thy heart is an habitation for the Spirit of God or else it is a receptacle for the evil spirit with all its sinful motions The soul is a restlesse active thing and when the good Spirit doth not act it the evil spirit will the devil will slippe no oportunity that may advantage he will not let any house long stand empty Posit 3 What cause have we to be humbled for that receptivenesse that is in our natures to entertaine evil motions from the wicked spirit and for that backwardnesse in our hearts to entertaine holy motions from the good Spirit Our natures are as gunpowder to fire if a spark of temptation fall upon us how soon are we all on a fire but to good motions out hearts are as green wood to the fire what opposition is there in us and backwardnesse to entertaine them Evil thoughts in the soul are natural but good thoughts are supernatural Mans heart by nature is a slaughter-house to holy motions many good motions hast thou stifled and strangled in thy heart but that nature which is a slaughter-house to good motions it is a store-house to wicked motions An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil Luke 6 45. saith our Saviour what a natural receptivenesse is there in thy heart for the intertaining of that which is evil Posit 4 When the Spirits motions are withdrawn labour to search and finde out the cause and then bewaile it what injuries or unkindnesse hast thou done to the Spirit that it is gone To grieve the Spirit Eph. 4.30 is more unkindnesse then to resist the Spirit a man is more troubled for the unkindnesse of a friend then for all the hatred and opposition of his enemy Surely something is the matter hast thou not kept thy conscience nasty it is nastinesse in the dove-house that causes the dove to leave the house Is there not an indulgence of some allowed provoking sinne that the Spirit of God sees in thee hast thou not quenched the Spirits motions hast thou not grieved the Spirit vexed resisted or tempted the Spirit Search out the cause and when thou hast found it then bewaile it and cry Wo is me the Spirit would have taken up his residence in my heart and I would not give him entertainment And so whom I have begg'd with teares and enjoyed with comfort I have lost through the folly of my sinful doings If thou hast not yet found out the cause I would have thee to consult with thy own conscience which is Gods officer in thee and it will give thee a true account if thou wilt hearken to it ask it these three question Have not I fallen from my first love as the Ephesians did Revel 2.4,5 Have I not stifled checks of conscience and the Spirits motions Have I not prostituted the Spirits motions to servile and base imployments as Simon Magus for secular advantage and worldly interest hast thou not addicted thy self to contrary motions hast thou not been more ready to hearken to the solicitations of the evil spirit then to the incitations of the good Spirit Aske thy conscience it may be it will give in this answer Hath not the Spirit departed because of thy pride and idlenesse and self-conceitednesse by such like proposals as these to conscience thou mayest come to know the cause wherefore the Spirit is withdrawn from thee Posit 5 Consider that the withdrawings of the Spirits motions is not alwayes for sinne but some other higher and greater ends which God hath 1. It is true that God doth usually withdraw the motions of his Spirit because of sinne and therefore sayes the Prophet Isaiah Your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isai 59.2 and so also the Prophet Micah They shall cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them at that time as they have behaved themselve ill in their doings Micah 3.4 Usually sinne is the cause for which the Spirit of God withdraws 2. This is most true that if there were not sinne in us Gods Spirit should never be withdrawn from us we should be uncapable of desertion of the Spirit were it not for sinne in general and therefore though sinne in general be the causa sine qua non yet it is not alwayes the cause immediate for which the Spirit withdraws 3. Though there be sinne in us as a cause to us why Gods Spirit departs yet God doth not alwayes make sinne a cause to himselfe but it is for some other higher ends Divines that handle this subject touching the desertion of the soul and the withdrawings of Gods Spirit they distinguish a threefold desertion upon a threefold cause and we have touched upon that already 1. There may be a desertion which is cautional not for sinne 2 Cor. 12.7 but to prevent sin And
into your mindes leave not these motions till you have brought them into actions holy motions should be backed with holy resolutions which also should be followed with holy actions It is the fault of many Christians they let good motions die in their breasts and so they come to an untimely issue Daniel 1.8 That of Daniel is for our imitation He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself He did not rest in the bare motion and purpose but he made it his request he joyned endeavour to his resolution but as for us how may we as I before told you take up the complaint of Job Our purposes are broken off even the thoughts of our hearts Job 17.11 Holy motions they should be followed with holy resolutions and accomplished with holy performances 2. When the Lord vouchsafes you the motions of his Spirit you must not conceive that you have the Essence or the Person of the Spirit this is the errour of the Familists and no lesse then blasphemy for want of a distinction between the motions of the Spirit and the Person of the Spirit their opinion is this that there is in a Beleever not only the graces of the Spirit but the Person of the Spirit but this is nothing else but to make humanity the Deity For the clearing hereof let me exemplifie it by a comparison The Sunne that is in the firmament we use to say that it is in such a house or such a window but when we say so we do not mean that the body of the Sunne is there but only that the light heat or influence of the Sunne is there So though the Scripture tells us that the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3 16. Spiritus Dei habitatin nobis quia regit gabernat saâ—ctificat Paraeus or Spirit dwells in us the meaning is not as if the Person of the holy Ghost were in us but only the motions and graces of the Spirit are there And therefore in both those expressions You are the Temple of the holy Ghost and The holy Ghost dwelleth in you there is saith Paraeus a Metaphor 3. Take heed that you mistake not the Spirits motions for Satanical illusions I gave you the characters before how you might know the Spirits motions from the devils delusions I shall only hint this to you which is an infallible rule That all motions that are not consonant to a written Word they are from the devil not from God Prov. 1.23 Isa 59.21 I gave you two Texts of Scripture wherein the Spirit and the Word were joyned together therefore see that all your motions be according to a written Word Direct 4 4. Take heed of beleeving every one that sayes he is inspired by the Spirit There are many high-flown Teachers in these dayes who indeed are Masters of errour yet would be thought the Disciples of truth that say they are inspired when none else are beside them But as the Apostle John saith Believe not every Spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 2 Thes 2.2 that is every corrupt teacher but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world They are called Spirits because they pretend with such confidence to have the Spirit Now that you may know such men I shall discusse this Question Quest How you may know men who pretend to have the Spirit when indeed they have not Answ 1 Such men who only pretend to have the Spirit they are always proud of the gifts of the Spirit their conceited opinion of having the Spirit raises their mindes to a high degree of pride This is a certaine rule that they who are truely inspired of the Spirit 1 Cor. 7.40 they are alwayes humble thus it was with Paul I give my judgement sayes he and I think I have the Spirit of God Paul he knew he had the Spirit yet would he speak in humility not boastingly and insultingly as many did And so at another time sayes he 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a man caught up into the third heaven and heard words which it is not lawful for man to utter Now who was this man it was none but himself it was his modesty that made him speak in a third Person therefore those who boast of the Spirit and are vain glorious it is an argument that indeed they have not the Spirit of Christ which is a Spirit of meeknesse and of humility Answ 2 Those that so cry up the Spirit as to cry down ordinances and the Ministery they have not the Spirit of God In the time of the New Testament when vision and inspiration were in use yet then the Spirit would not teach men immediately but did referre them to an outward Ministery Acts 8. A famous instance you have hereof as I noted before in the Ethiopian Eunuch who being reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Esaias the Spirit would not interpret to him the meaning hereof Acts 9.6 but bids Philip go and expound it So Paul when Christ revealed himself to him he would not teach him himself but bids him go to Damascus and there it should be told him what he should do The like example we have in Cornelius Acts 10.5,6 the Spirit would not teach him immeditely but bids him send for Peter and he should tell him what he ought to do By these examples we see how the Lord hath honoured the Ministery of the Word And therefore those who cry up the Spirit so as to cry down the Ministery as expecting to have the immediate teaching of the Spirit doubtlesse they have not the Spirit of God Answ 3 Those who pretend to the Spirit and yet boast of the effects of the Spirit rather in future Revelations then in present motions to holy duties are deceived by a Satanical delusion There are many in these dayes that will take upon them to tell you future contingent events but this can be nothing else but a delusion of the devil because the gifts of the Spirit in foretelling future events is now ceased and doth not remaine in the Church It is true I deny not but that the devil by a special manifestation from God may tell a future event but I am sure your Astrologers cannot by the help of the starres Thus the devil appeared to Saul in the shape of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. â—9 and sayes he To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me the Lord also shall deliver the Host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines Now how came the devil to the knowledge of this but by a special Revelation from God the Lord permitting it for the
but it is called so because the devil is an instrument to set on our sinful nature to sin this thorn in the flesh was left in Paul to humble him and this is the true and proper reason why God will not have regeneration to be as perfect as Creation because he would keep us humble So it is that humility the best of graces comes from the worst root our sin and pride the worst of sins comes from the best root our graces How wise and how good is God that by this thorn in the flesh he doth prick thereby let out the impostumation of pride out of our hearts 2. To make the regenerate put a difference between earth and heaven between being in a course of pilgrimage and in their fathers house Heb. 12.22 In heaven the spirits of just men are made perfect but they are not so on earth if the spirit were made perfect we should have all spirit and no flesh In the wildernesse there were scorpions and fiery serpents but in Canaan there were none this world is a wildernesse and whilest we live here the fiery serpents of sin will sting us but when we come to heaven we shall be above sin Corruption now dwells in the soul as the body in a house and so long as the soul dwells in the body sin will dwell there in the soul but when we come to heaven then corruption shall put on incorruption And we shall be freed not onely from the natural corruption of the body but also from the moral corruption of the soul by sin 3. Which is the chief reason of all God suffers it that so you may the more prize a Mediator if you had no sinne you would prize God only as a Creator and not Christ as a Mediator Sin makes you to prize a Saviour thus it was with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.24 as if he should say if I had been perfect I should have thanked God as a Creator as Adam in Paradise but now having a sinful nature it makes me to prize Christ as a Mediator delivering me from sin I may exemplify this by an Elephant which as some say if it once falls to the earth cannot rise again and therefore Naturalists say that the Elephant doth not lie down to sleep but doth sleep leaning to a tree now the story is this An Elephant being fallen to the earth and a man having helped him to rise the Elephant like Andronicus his grateful Lion followed his Benefactor whereever he went so it is with us we were fallen and no help but Christs could raise us up how should we then be lift up with humble thankfulnesse to God who hath therefore suffered us to fall that we might thereby learn to prize the help we have and hope to have by Jesus Christ 4. God suffers corruption in nature to try his people which side they will take in this conflict here are two Camps pitcht army against army and the Lord leaves the flesh in thee to try which side thou wilt take wilt thou cleave to the strongest side wilt thou worship the rising Sun why then thou wilt side with the flesh for many times and for the present that conquers though indeed the final issue and conquest will be on the Spirits side Now will you war against the flesh and side with the Spirit in opposing the motions of sin hereby will the Lord make a trial of you Deut. 8.2 The Canaanites and Jebusites were left in the land on purpose to try whether the Israelites would cleave unto the true worship of God so God suffers corruption to bein us to try the truth of our grace 5. The Lord suffers motions to sin to be in the hearts of his own people that so he might make use of the motions of sin to keep men from the acting of sin and this is a mysterious consideration God so disposes of it that those sins which we most are frequently tempted unto we shall be most watchful against A man that is suddenly tempted may yield but a man often haunted with motions to sin God in his wisdome makes use of these motions to prevent the action Had David been often haunted with motions to those great and abominable sins of adultery and murder he might happily had time to have bethought himselfe and so prevented the acting of them and the like of Peters denial of Christ but both these servants of God were suddenly surprized And these are the reasons why God leaves regeneration so imperfect The next Quere is to shew what rules you should follow that so the motions of the flesh exciting to sin may not prevaile against the Spirit 1 If you would not have the flesh in its sinful motions prevaile over you then resist them whilest they are but bare motions before they break forth into actions Crush the Cockatrice in the egge tread out sin which is the fire of Hell while it is in the spark the suggestion and motion As we say It is easier to keep out an enemy then to beat him out being once gotten in so it is easier to keep out sin then to beat out sin sin in the motion it is like an enemy in the suburbs not got into the city and if thou wouldst not yeeld to these motions resist them whilest they are so quench them while they are motions A disease if it be taken in time Principiis obsta serò meâ—icina paratur Cùm mala per longas invaluêre moras before the humours be gathered together may easily be cured Do to thy sins as Pharaoh gave command should be done to the Israelites children he would not stay till the children were grown up to yeares but commanded the Midwives to kill them assoon as they were born this was a cruel act in him but thus do thou to thy sins and it will be a merciful act in thee to thy soul what Pharaoh did most cruelly do thou do prudently against thy sins kill them when they are in the birth and there are three cogent reasons why you should take this course 1. Because if you resist motions whilest they are motions you shall be sure not to find the devils suggestions to joyn against you with the fleshes motions take but this experiment if thou hast a motion in thy nature to sin and doest act that motion the devil will then joyn with thy corruption to make thee act that sin again The devil he knowes not the motions to sin that are in thy heart but as thou actest such motions as suppose thou art tempted to lust and thou yeeldest to it hereby the devil knowes what motion there was in thy heart and thy love to that sin and so will be ready to tempt thee to the committing of that sin again therefore resist motions while they are so and by this meanes you will
rather then charge it upon our selves There are three things which men usually lay the blame upon Either upon God the devil or else upon other men 1. Upon God and so did Adam The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat Gen. 3.12 thus he layes the blame of his fall upon God himselfe if thou hadst not given me this woman she had not tempted me and I had not eaten 2. Others say the blame upon the devil and yet if there were no devil to tempt us weshould tempt ourown selves and indeed neither the one nor the other is to be blamed God is never to be blamed though the devil be sometimes to be blamed the Apostle James tells you that God tempts no man James 1.13 And the devil sometimes is not to be blamed James 1.14 because thy own nature is a tempter to thee so the same Apostle declares that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised Lust conceives sin the devill may be the Father to beget sin but the flesh is the mother which conceives nourisheth and bringeth forth sin and the reason is this because the devils suggestions could do no harm were it not for our vicious inclinations The devill came to Christ but he found nothing in him the devil shak't the bottle but it was a Crystal glasse of pure water there was no mud in it but thou though thou hast a fair appearance yet if the devil do but rake into thy heart the mud of thy corruption doth quickly appear 3. Again some there are who will lay the blame of their sinne upon men and thus did Aaron when Moses chode him for his Idolatry Exod. 32.22 Thou knowest the people sayes he that they are set on mischief he would fain shift off and excuse his own wickednesse by laying it upon the people yet this would not serve his turn for God charges the sin upon him Nothing is more natural then to excuse and hide our sin Job 31.33 and therefore it is said that men cover their transgression as Adam if thy heart were not in the fault examples of sin would rather provoke to detestation then imitation Others there are who will lay the blame upon the badnesse of the times whereas if thou hadst not a bad heart thou wouldest be good in bad times if thou hadst a good heart the worse the times were the better thou wouldest be and therefore lay the blame of thy sin where it ought to be upon the naughtinesse of thy evill heart Vse 3 Of exhortation doth the flesh lust against the Spirit oh then joyn with the motions of the Spirit against the flesh though thou art a godly man and sin shall not damne thy soul yet it may wound thy conscience and will eclipse thy comfort And though thy sirs cannot as to damnation huurt thee who art a childe of God yet they may hurt others As Tostatus oâ—seves upon the 1 Chron 21.1 where it is said That Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people Observe it is not said that Satan stood up against David but against Israel and the reason is this David was a publick person and the devil knew if he could provoke him to sinne Israel should smart for it and therefore the devil in tempting David stood up against Israel so that if thou art a publick man and the devill get thee to yield to sin others will be hurt by it Vse 4 Lastly you who are regenerate remember that you carry flesh and blood about with you you have the flesh lusting against the Spirit and there is a repugnancy in your spirits to the holy Spirit of God go home therefore and complain of the contrariety and naughtinesse of your hearts Gen. 25.22 and say as Rebecca when she had two babes strugling in her womb Why am I thus thou hast an Esau and a Jacob within thee nature and grace evill motions strugling against good motions go unto the Lord and say Rom. 7.24 Why am I thus and with Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Now proceed to the second part of the conflict the Spirits lusting against the flesh the flesh began the onset first because there was flesh in us before the Spirit but the Spirit doth undertake the war and as the flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the flesh Before I draw out the point I shall clear one Scripture which seems to contradict this which is in Ephes 6.12 where it is said that we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darknes of this world against spiritual wickednes in high places This place may be renonciled with the Text two wayes First when the Apostle sayes we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers the words may be understood not simply or absolutely but comparatively and if you take flesh and blood there for corrupt nature then the meaning is this that we do not only wrastle with flesh and blood corrupt nature within but we have also the devil without against whom we are to stirre But the more likely reconciliation of this place is this it is said in the Text that we do warre with the flesh and in the Ephesians that we do not warre with the flesh now though the same word be used in both places yet it is used in a different sense and that you may know how it is used in both places â—ake these three acceptations of the word 1. Flesh and blood is sometimes taken for corrupt nature and so is that saying of Christ to be understood Matth. 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee 2. Flesh and blood is taken for the natural body of man so it is used in 1 Cor. 15.50 1 Cor 15.50 Flesh blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God that is as now we are living in the world as our bodies are now natural corruptible mortal bodies they are not capable of the glory and happines of Heaven 3. Flesh and blood it is taken for wicked men in Scripture and so it is taken in Ephes 6.12 Isay 66.16,23 Ier. 25.31 Zech. 2.13 Gal. 1.1 We wrastle not against flesh and blood that is not so much against wicked men as against the devil the ruser of the darknesse of this world and thus you have the reconciliation of these places The flesh lusts against the Spirit that is the motions and workings of Gods Spirit they do oppose the motions to sin of corrupt nature so that
but Thirdly from the devil are interruptions and hinderances cast in and in this case you are to do as Abraham did when the fowles did light upon his sacrifice he drove them away Gen. 15.11 By the fowles coming upon the carcases of Abrahams offering as Deodate saith it is an evident signe of the devils disturbing the elect when they are about any holy performance now as Abraham did so do you when these fowles as they are compared in Matth. 13.4 to the devil those foul and infernal spirits when they come to disturb you in worship you must drive them away all those impertinencies and vain thoughts which the devil casts in Job 1.6 In the first of Job you read that upon a certain day the Sons of God presented themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them By the Sonnes of God there cannot be meant the Angels for then it would follow that the devils would be in heaven where the Angels are therefore by the Sonnes of God are meant the children of Iob and thus were the posterity of Seth called in Gen. 6. Gen. 6.2 See Zech. 3.1 The Sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair Now to my purpose the children of Iob are said upon a certain day to appear before the Lord that is say Interpreters on the Sabbath-day now when they appeared on that day before the Lord it is said that Satan came among them Celeberrimum sabbati festum Pined and you may be sure the devil came for no good intent but to labour to interrupt and disturb them in those religious performances And therefore seeing that you have not onely your own hearts the world and natural infirmities but the devil also to hinder and divert you what cause have you with utmost diligence to watch over your selves 7. If the flesh doth interrupt you in Gods service then learn not to place any confidence in your most religious performances darest thou lay the weight of thy soul upon such a weak foundation if thy duties are tainted and mingled with so much evill how darest thou rest in thy duties It is the speech of Iob Though I were righteous yet would I not plead with thee Job 9.28 and again sayes he I am afraid of all my sorrowes I know that thou wilt hold me innocent In the vulgar translation it is I am afraid of all my good works and further sayes he Though I should wash my selfe with snow-water and make my selfe never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in a ditch and my own clothes shall abhorre me Cap. 30.31 Though I should acquit my selfe never so well in duty yet thou wouldest finde much evil in me If then thy best services are mingled with sin rely only upon a Christ for salvation and here to set home this inference I shall lay down three cogent considerations 1. Thou hast more acts of sin that come from the flesh then acts of grace that come from the Siprit in thy duties and wilt thou rest upon such a duty that hath more sinne then grace acted in it more wandring thoughts then holy thoughts thou forgettest more of a Sermon then thou remembrest of a Sermon and the sin of thy nature doth cast in more wandring thoughts then the Spirit of God doth cast in holy thoughts thy graces are as the filings of gold but thy sinnes as heapes of dust and therefore how darest thou rest on thy duties expecting life and salvation by them 2. Consider that one circumstance in a duty is enough to make it evil but many concurring circumstances is not enough to make a duty good Suppose thou prayest one circumstance in thy prayer may make it sinful though thou prayest wel for the manner yet if thou art defective in the end or if the end be right yet if thou failest in thy principle it is not right It is a rule in moral Philosophy In moralibus plus circumstanti a quà m substantia actioâ—is that circumstances are more to be weighed then acts and so it is in Divinity One circumstance may make a duty defective but many circumstances concurring together cannot make a duty good 3. Consider that thou art guilty of many past sins and present duties cannot make a recompence for past sinnes Suppose a tenant who payes his rent duly for time present yet being in arrear it may be ten or twenty yeares his payment of his rent at present will not recompense his past arrear Thus it is with thee thou art much in debt and in arreare to God for past time and if there were merit in thy duties as there is not yet present duty could not expiate past sinnes therefore rely not upon duty 8. Doth the flesh thus interrupt us in duty then from hence we may see the evill nature of sin the mischievous quality of original corruption It is a doctrine which cau never be too much insisted upon and therefore from this doctrine I beseech you turn a little to see the evil nature of originall sin I may illustrate it by this example if you have a vessel full of liquor a little gall shall more imbitter it then a great deal of honey shall sweeten it behold the mischievous nature of sinee how doth it taint both thy person and performances You read of a Law in Numb Numb 19.22 19 22. that whatsoever an unclean person toucheth shall be uuclean this is spoken of ceremonial uncleannesse but it holds true also in spirituals thou art an unclean man all thou touchest becomes unclean thou defilest all thy duties There is an useful passage in Haggai 2.12,13 Hag. 2.12,13 there was an case of conscience which the people were to demand of the Priests concerning the Law The question was this If one beat holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirts do touch bread or pottage or wine or oile or any meat shall it be holy and the Priests said No. And then said Haggai If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the Priest answered and said It shall be unclean Here you may observe that holy things could not make common things clean and holy but if a man that was unclean did but touch holy things they became unclean Now if you would know the meaning of this it is explained by the Prophet in the 14. verse Then answered Haggai and said So is this people and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every worke of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean that is every sacrifice and every duty is unclean In Gospel-language the meaning is this if a man be in the state of nature all his offerings and all his sacrifices Tit. 1.15 that is all his duties they are unclean unto him For unto the unclean all things are unclean Vse 2 The second Use I shall make of this point shall be
too much when he so blubbers and cries the tears trickling down his eyes that he cannot see his Letters nor read his Book so a Christian grieves too much for his corruptions when he cannot see nor blesse God for those graces he gives him 2. You grieve over-much for sin when it doth damne and darken your evidences for Heaven when a Christian does so pore upon his sins and discover such cause of grief and sorrow from them that he never looks into his own heart to see what cause of joy he hath there in having an assurance of his interest in Christ and a right and title unto glory Beloved God would not have one grace to justle out another sorrow for sin is a grace but yet God would not have this to justle out spirituall joy When a Christian does so grieve for sin that he casts away all hopes of Heaven then his forrow is excessive when he grieves and blubbers so that he cannot read his evidences for Heaven 3dly Sorrowing for sin is excessive when it laies discouragements upon the soul to come in to Christ for pardon and remission when a man shall so grieve for sin that he dares not venture to look up to Jesus Christ for mercy and to lay hold upon a promise for his comfort when a sinner does thus then he mourns excessively If the Children of Israel in the wilderness when they were stung of the fiery Serpents had not had the boldness to look up to the Brazen Serpent they could not have been healed and recovered so when sorrow for sin makes us that we cannot look up to Christ for pardon then it is excessive Sorrow and teares for sin are never right till they are like floods of water to drive us to Christ Fourthly sorrow for sin is then immoderate when it so overwhelms you that you can take no comfort in the outward blessings that God hath given you as Houses or Lands or Corne or Wine or the like When a Christians sorrow for sin doth so damp his spirits that he cannot take that outward joy and lawful complacency in worldly comforts that God allowes him then is your sorrow inordinate though many think that God allowes that sin should be so bitter to them yet it is no such matter you must be sorry for sin and yet take comfort in the outward blessings that God bestowes upon you Fifthly Sorrow for sin is inordinate when it puts a man into an incapacity to receive comforts from the Gospel when a Christian shall see his sin so great and his case so sad that if you tender the promises of the Gospel to him they are as things of no worth to him he thinks they do not belong to him and therefore can find no comfort nor savour in any of them When a man shall be obstinate and peremptorily stand out against the comforts of the Gospel because of his sin then is his sorrow inordinate Thus Asaph did in Psal 74.2 saies he I was in trouble and my soul refused to be comforted When a mans condition is sad and yet he refuseth to be comforted then is his sorrow excessive Sixthly Then is sorrow for sin immoderate when it disables or indisposeth a man to perform his duty either in his generall or particular calling when it doth indispose him to the duties of his generall calling as a Christian that he cannot pray nor read nor discourse nor hear the word of God but lies alone in a corner and will not admit of any body to comfort him or confer with him that sorrow that indisposeth a man to holy duties is an irregular sorrow Ps 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak to wit to God in prayer And so again that sorrow that indisposeth a man to the duties of his particular Calling as a man that he cannot work or study or trade and follow his particular imployments that sorrow is an inordinate sorrow God doth require us to work in our Callings as well as to work out our salvation and therefore that sorrow that hinders and indisposeth us to it is excessive and immoderate And thus I have shewed you when sorrow for sin is excessive and have onely given you the heads of things and have likewise done in resolving the third case of conscience Vse VVe come now to the application and if it be so that a Christian must not onely take heed of grieving overmuch for afflictions but for sin too then take heed you do not pervert this Doctrine take heed of being obstinate and perverse and hard-hearted in sin though I tell you that Christians should not be excessive in their sorrows for sin yet I do not say that wicked men should be obstinate and stout-hearted in sin and never mourn for sin at all No it were well for them that they could weep bitterly for their sins therefore you that are obstinate and presumptuous sinners take heed that you do not abuse this Doctrine and again you that count sin your greatest burthen that every mole-hill of sin is like a Mountain upon you take heed that ye be not so overwhelmed with sorrow that you can see no comfort at all in Christ and in the promises of Salvation through him but do you look to the Lord Jesus Christ and see that there is more in Christ to save you then there is in your selves to condemn you though there be abundance of corruption in you yet there is a fullnesse of satisfaction in Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that shall come unto God by him All you that do belong to Christ do neither weep too much for your sins nor yet too little do not say I will not grieve nor shed tears at all for them for as Christs blood was shed for our sins so we should shed tears for them but yet we must not so grieve for them as to discourage us from going unto Christ and to darken our evidences for Heaven Use Exhor ∣ tation We have onely now a use of exhortation and then I have done If Christians must take heed that they weep as if they wept not for that is the scope of the Text then let me in the bowells of Christ perswade all you that are the people of God to labour to fulfill this Apostolike Rule that you would so carry your selves as those that have better hopes Several Considerations to keep men from excessive sorrow and better things to look after then any thing here below And as before I gave you twelve considerations to allay keep under excessive sorrow so now I shall give you 7 or 8 Considerations more to keep out excessive sorrow which if seriously laid to heart may be a great help to keep you from breaking out into immoderate sorrow whatever betides you Consid 1 1. Consider that excessive sorrow for worldly crosses argues either a totall want of grace or else an extream weakness of grace First it sometimes argues a totall want of
grace It is with a Christian in this case as it is with the rusty hinges of a door if you open or shut the door they will skreak make a noise but if you put some oyl upon them they do not so so Christians many times God cannot touch them with his rod of afflictions but they cry out and are immoderate in their sorrows and impatient under Gods hand and the reason of it is because they want the Oyl of grace or if it doth not argue a totall want of grace yet it is a sign of a great deal of weakness of grace I have observed often times in London streets that a pair of new Cart wheels will skreak and make a noyse as they go along but an old Cart goes away silently So if when God laies afflictions upon thee thou art like a new Cart that thou criest out and mournest immoderately under his hand it argues that thou art but a new and a weak Christian he that faints in the day of adversity saies Solomon his strength is small But now a Christian that hath been long used and experienced in troubles and afflictions you may lay a great and heavy burden upon him and he will make no noyse under it Consid 2 2. Another consideration to keep out excessive sorrow is this consider that whatsoever crosses befall you in the world they are but the manifestations and executions of Gods will which is the rule of order and justice his dispensations are good and just in themselves if Gods will be done though thy will be crost it is no matter This was that which kept David from excessive sorrow in 2 Sam. 12.21,22 Davids Servants wondred that he should fast and weep for his Child while it was alive but when the Child was dead he should rise up and eat bread and be no more sad And David said while the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live but now he is dead wherefore should I mourn can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Now I see the will of God is accomplisht why should I grieve at it I will hold my tongue and not open my mouth because the Lord hath done it Psal 39.9 Consid 3 3. Consider that before conversion you did never grieve for the want of grace and want of spirituall mercies Why then after conversion should you weep for worldly things when you enjoy spirituall mercies Consider before conversion I was content with outward worldly comforts and never was troubled for want of grace and hopes of Heaven and want of reconciliation with God I did never grieve for these and seeing when I was without Christ I did not grieve for the want of him now when I have Christ shall I grieve because I want the ordinary and common blessings of worldly things A Christian with a holy indignation should take a revenge upon himself if before my conversion I could not grieve for the want of grace now I have grace I will not grieve for the want of outward comforts seeing there is infinitely more reason you should grieve for want of spirituall then temporall mercies 4. To keep out worldly sorrow consider that God never laies any outward crosse or affliction upon his people but it is for sin either for the punishment of sin or the prevention or purging of it out 1. For the punishment of thy sins and if it be for the punishment of thy sin then if thou mourn for any thing mourn for thy sins that was the cause rather then for affliction which is but the effect of thy sin accept the punishment of thine iniquity Levit. 26. with submission but look upon the sin with detestation we have no reason to complain of our afflictions Lamen 3.39 why doth the living man complain man for the punishment of his sin you should in this case rather grieve for your sins then for your punishments And 2dly If it be not for the punishment then it is for the prevention of sin to keep thee from sin and this was the end why God punished Job 33 Job 17. it was that he might drive man from his purpose and hide pride from him And therefore suppose God takes away an Estate or friends or any outward comfort from you as long as it is to prevent a sin to preserve you from Hell and damnation you have no cause of grief If a Doctor takes away your blood from you to prevent a pleurisie will you be angry with him surely no so God never takes away any outward comfort from his people but it is in mercy that he may prevent sin thereby Or 3dly If not for the punishment or prevention of sin then it is for the purging out of sin as in Esay 27.9 by this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit of it to take away his sin A man will not be grieved that Physick makes him sick and pains him in his bowels because it purgeth out noxious and hurtfull humours Beloved your crosses are but purging pills to purge out your corruptions All worldly afflictions are either for the punishment prevention or purging out of sin and therefore we have cause to bear them patiently Consid 6 6. Consider that God turns all worldly crosses and losses into spirituall advantages to his people thou shalt never be a loser by thy afflictions As when a poor man that is in debt and in very much want of money shall come to a rich man and make known his condition to him and beg relief from him the man goes presently to his Chest and fetches a bag of money and throwes it at him the poor man would not look upon this as any wrong or injury done to him but would rather be thankfull for it So God turns all our seeming crosses and afflictions into reall and spirituall advantages to us Phil. 1.19 I know said Paul that this shall turn to my salvation All things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8 28. Though we cannot see how it should come to passe but are in this case like unto little Children who when they see a heap of beautifull and sweet Roses lying upon a Table and their Mother goes and puts them in a morter and pounds them all to peeces the Child cries and thinks the Mother spoyls them though she does it to make a conserve of them that they may be more usefull and durable So we think we have comforts like beds of Roses and when the Lord takes them from us and breaks them all to pieces we are apt to conceive they are all spoiled and destroyed and we undone by it whereas God intends it to work for our greater benefit and advantage Consid 7 7. Live in the meditation and contemplation of the joyes and glory of Heaven And this
miseries and afflictions of other men that want those comforts that you enjoy Judges 16.23.25 Sampson you know when he discovered wherein his great strength lay the Philistins cut off his hair and then his strength was gone and he became as another man and the Philistins took him and put out his eyes and bound him in fetters of brasse and made him grind in the prison-house they made him their drudge and their slave and the Lords of the Philistins gathered themselves together to offer sacrifice to Dagon and to rejoyce and when their hearts were merry they called for Sampson to make them sport their immoderate joy did make them insult over this poor blind man in misery Beloved then is your joy excessive when you make the afflictions of other men to be matter of your Joy 6. Your Joy is excessive when it is mingled with luxury and sensuality 2 Sam. 13.28 Luke 15.23,14 Hence it is that you read so often in Scripture of mens being merry with wine in 1 Sam. 25.36 and as an Authour observes the same word in the Hebrew that signifies to be merry signifies to be drunk in the 43. Gen. last when mirth proceeds so far as to drunkenness and sensuality Eâ—h 1.10 then it is excessive 7. When worldly joy breeds security and insensibleness of Gods judgements approaching any place then it is inordinate Thus Ethiopia was called the rejoycing City that dwelt securely Zeph 2.16 and hence it is that in Psal 2.11 fear is adjoyned to rejoycing serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling And hence it is that Absolom when he would by treachery shed the blood of Amnon gave this Counsel to his Servants When you see Amnon merry then fall upon him as knowing that when his heart was merry he would then be secure And so those in Amos 6.3.6 that chant to the sound of the Violl and drink wine in Bowles are said to be men that put far away the evill day and were secure in their pleasures and so these in Esay 22.12.13 In the day that the Lord called for weeping and mourning and baldness and to girding with Sackcloth behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die they would not believe the prophet that foretold them the Judgements of God that were coming upon them but in scoffing and jearing manner said one to another let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die And so again in Esay 56.12 Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant they feared not want nor alteration of their condition which security of theirs declared their joy to be excessive and inordinate 8. When men will run to worldly joyes and pleasures to still and stifle the troubles and terrours of their consciences When a man shall have a conviction upon his conscience which troubles and perplexes him for some grosse evill he hath committed in his life and shall then run to his recreations and pleasures or get amongst jolly Company to cast away and shake off these troubles that are upon him this shews his joy is immoderate And thus Saul did discover a joviall and sensuall spirit 1 Sam. 16.15 when an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him that is when he had some guilt and terrour lying upon his Conscience then he commanded his Servants to seek him out a man skilfull in Musick to play before him but he had been better to have gone to prayer upon his knees then to call for Musick and run to sensuall delights to remove his trouble And thus it was with those Idolaters that sacrificed their Children unto Moloch they had Instruments of Musick but what to do why first it was to drown the cries of their Children and secondly to provoke them to merriment and jollity that their Consciences might not trouble them for so cruel a murther as the sacrificing their Children Why now beloved you that can when a Sermon hath come home to you and toucht you to the quick and the word of God hath come with power and wrought effectually upon you to the discovering and convincing you of your sin If you then run to your recreations and pleasures to company-keeping and Stage-playes or the like to divert your thoughts from your sins and remove the terrour and trouble of your conscience This is a sign your joy is excessive and sinfull indeed this is the way rather to increase then to quiet the checks of conscience The Pellican to put out the fire flaps it with her wings and so instead of putting it out kindles it the more burns her self so do those that seek by worldly pleasure and jollity to stifle the checks of conscience And thus I have very briefly run over these 8. particulars to shew you wherein a mans worldly joy for outward comforts is excessive I have only now a second thing to run over and then give you a short use and so have done Query 2 2. What Rules and directions can you prescribe us to keep our worldly joy for outward comforts within bounds Answ Answ I shall give you 3. or 4. 1. Consider that you have better things to rejoyce in then any thing here below Directions for mode rating our joyes in worldly comforts thou hast better objects to transport thy soul with joy as thy reconciliation with God communion with Christ the comforts of the Holy Ghost assurance of the pardon of sin the justification of thy person by the merits of Christ the sanctification of thy nature by the spirit of Christ Thou hast thy election vocation redemption glorification thou hast all these objects to provoke thy Joy and to fasten thy delight upon Would any man rejoyce and delight himself in Counters if he might have so many peeces of Gold in the room of them or would any man delight or rejoyce so much in Pibbles if he might have as many Pearls for them or in a flint stone that hath a Diamond oh beloved you have things of more worth then any thing in this world to rejoyce in There is a great deal vaster difference between the things of Heaven the mercies of eternity and these outward comforts here below then there is between Brasse and Gold between Pibbles Pearls between the Sun and a Candle Therefore Consider I have a God and Christ Heaven and happiness pardon reconciliation sanctification Justification redemption and glorification I have all these to fix and place my Joy upon and therefore why should I rejoyce so much in the things of this world The Disciples of Christ thought themselves some body and were puffed up because they could cast out Devills and work miracles but saies Christ to them rejoyce not in that the Devills are subject to you but rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 the
of men whether in honours or prosperity or riches c. you shall see all these conditions in a fading and consâ—ming posture Look upon Adams condition in innocency his condition was in probability like to be a firm and lasting condition and yet Adam continued not a night in honour but became like unto the beast that perisheth And so if you look upon Solomon that was the glory of the world neither before him nor after him was there any like unto him all the things of the earth made obeysance and brought presents to him 2 Chron. 9.13 there is set down the totall sum of Solomons glory the waight of Gold that came to him in one year was 666. Talents of Gold and as for silver it was plentifull as stones in the street and nothing at all accounted of in his dayes he had 4000 stalls for Horses and Chariots and 12000 Horsemen he had 232 quarters of wheat every day brought into his house he had silver as stones and gold was of no value with him and yet what became of all his honour and glory Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like the Lilly in the field as Christ saies and so if you look upon the conditions of all men in honour they stand in slippery places and are sliding down every day as in Job 20.6,7,8,9 Though his excellency mount up unto the Heavens and his head reach unto the Clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say where is he he shall flee away as a dream and shall not be found yea he shall be chased away as a vision of the night So the Assyrian Monarchy passed to the Persian the Persian to the Grecian and the Grecian to the Roman The condition of honour is a fading condition Dâ—vâ—tiae habent si nem suum cut finem tuum Or if it be your fortune to be rich and wealthy in the world thâ—… condition is fading too thy riches will either see an end of thee or thou wilt see an end of them 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not in uncertain riches so Prov. 23.5 Riches take unto them wings and flie away so Prov. 27.24 Ricâ—es are not for ever neither does the Crown endure to every Generation Demon. 2 2. Another demonstration to prove that all the things of the world are fading and passing away is this because the whole world is of a perishing nature and therefore the things of the world must needs be so In 2 Pet. 3.10 The Heavens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Demon. 3 3. Man which is Gods Master-peece in the world is still fading and passing away and therefore the things of the world much more Mans life is but a vapour but a flying from his womb to his Tombe Animantis cujusque vita est in fuga Psal 14â— 4 Psal 39 6. Men have here no continuing City Heb. 13.14 In the 1 Job last saies Job Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return there is no mention made of staying in the world nothing but a coming into the world and a going out of it again Demon. 4 4. It appears to be so by those similitudes that this world and the things thereof are compared to in Scripture The spirit of God to note the uncertainty of all things here below in Rev. 15. compares the world to a Sea of glass mingled with fire It is compared to a Sea because of its fluctuation and variation and to a Sea of glasse for its brittleness and uncertainty it is soon broken and to a Sea of glasse mingled with fire to note to us that the world is alwayes in a consuming condition Now no man will look upon the Sea but as a very uncertain and unstable Element that drop of water that was here but now is presently gone and cannot be found 2. The world is compared to a Cloud in Job 30.15 my welfare saies Job passeth away like a Cloud Clouds are alwayes posting away and so is the world and all things therein And therefore David saith Psal 104.3 God maketh the Clouds his Charrets noting his volubility and celerity in his works of mercy or judgement 3. The World is compared to the wind in Psal 78.39 as a wind that passeth away and commeth not again so in Psal 18.10 and 104. Psal 3. what more swift then the wind how soon is a gust and a gale of wind gone by so neither is there any continuance in any thing here below 4. The vvorld is compared to grasse in 1 James 10. as the flower of the grass the rich men shall passe away for the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat but it withereth the grasse and the flower thereof faileth and the grace of the fashion thereof perisheth so also shall the rich man fade away in his wayes Not only to grasse but the flovver of grasse 5. They are compared to smoak and you knovv the vvind scattereth and driveth that to and fro presently In Hos 13.13 They shall be as the morning Cloud and as the early dew it passeth away You knovv as soon as the Sun shines the devv is presently gone and they shall be as the chaffe that is driven with a whirlewind out of the floor as the smoak out of the chimney there are 5. resemblances put together in one verse so that beloved you see these comparisons doe make it very manifest and evident how uncertain and fading and perishing all the glory and comforts of the world are I come now to that which I chiefly intended and that is to wind up all in a practicall application And all that I shall do herein shall be to draw out seven practicall instructions from this generall Doctrine 1. Is this so Practicall instructions by way of use that all the things of this world are passing away from us while they are with us why then let the consideration of this wean your affections from all worldly things Why will you love that much that cannot stay with you long It is the advice that Solomon gives in Prov. 23.5 saies he why wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not that is though they are in being yet not in continuance for riches certainly make themselves wings and flie away This consideration should wean our loves from all creature comforts And though vve look upon the things of the World vvith our eys yet not vvith our hearts but let them be fixt not upon those things that are seen but upon those things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporall but the things that are not seen are eternall 2 Cor. 4.18 they are not vvorthy the looking on because temporary In Sparta a City of Greece a man vvas King but one year aftervvards lived in retirement and meanness therefore no man could
hardly be gotten to accept of it so should the consideration of the fading nature of all vvorldly things cause us to vvithdravv our affections from them 2. If the fashion of this vvorld be passing avvay then let this excite and stir up your soules to look after the things of another World vvhich are more permanent and lasting Chrysostome compares the World to an Eele and you know the harder you hold an Eele the sooner it will slip out of your hands so the things of the world the faster you think to hold them the sooner it will slide from you and therefore labour to lay hold upon Christ and grace and glory upon Heaven and happiness In Heb. 13.14 saies the Apostle here we have no continuing City therefore let us seek one to come Because they had no continuance here therefore they lookt for one to come even a City whose builder and maker was God they lookt after the things of another world that would not passe away as these do As in 2 Cor. 4.18 we look not to the things which are seen that are temporall but to the things which are not seen that are eternall You have another notable Text for this purpose in Heb. 11.15,16,17 it is spoken of the godly Patriarks that if they had been mindfull of the Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned but they desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly Because they did not look after their own Land the Land of Canaan therefore they did declare that they had a better Countrey in their eye which they did look after namely a heavenly Kingdom The King of Sparta that year he was King sent a great deal of Treasure into the place of his banishment that he might live well ever after so should Christians while they are here lay up treasure in Heaven Mat. 6.19,20 Beloved if the things of this world be so vain and fading and uncertain let us look after the things of a better world Instruct 3 3. If it be so that this world is so fading and vanishing then labour to be convinced of the truth of it and let your hearts be sensible of the vanity and uncertainty of all things here below I may say of them as the Apostle speaks in another case in Col. 2.22 All these things perish with the using No sooner are you grasping of the world but it goes from you We have no more hold of these earthly things then of a flock of Birds I cannot say they are mine though they sit in my yard The glory of Ephraim is said to flie away like a Bird. The world like a Nose-gay withers while you are smelling to it as snow melts while it is in the hands of Children At the inthronization of Popes one used to go before him burning a wad of straw or flax crying sic transit gloria mundi It is an admirable observation that a learned man hath upon the names of the two first men that were born into the world Cain and Abel saies he we may learn this Lesson from their very names Cain here signifies possession and Abel here signifies vanity to shew that Adam and Eve did see nothing but vanity in all their possessions And oh that you that are the Sons and Daughters of Adam that have a great deal lesse of the world then Adam had that you would not set your hearts upon the vanities and uncertainties of this world that are so soon gone away from you 4. If this be so that all the comforts of the world are passing away then this shews the folly and madness of those men whose eager pursuits are after fading vanities O what a madness is it for men to be eager in their pursuits of these transient and fading things and in the mean time neglect these things that are of a greater excellency and duration and yet there are a world of such fools and mad men amongst us that seek after vanities and neglect durable and lasting riches O how foolish are many men in the world that are eagerly imployed about the mean and low businesses of the world and in the mean time neglect the great affairs of Heaven like Artaxerxes who imployed himself in making hafts for knives and neglected the waighty affairs of his Kingdom or like Archimedes who was drawing mathematicall lines and never took care to save the City nor his own life It is storied of Caligula an Emperour of Rome and for which he is befool'd of all that ever writ of him that having prepared and set out a very great Navy of Ships when his men thought he would have done great exploits and have conquered many Kingdoms with them he contrary to all their expectations commanded them to go and load all their Ships with Cockle shells and pibble stones and so return again Just such fools are many men that trouble themselves in purchasing Cockle shells and pibble stones the fading vanities of this world and neglect the looking after the firm and durable and substantiall riches of the Kingdom of Heaven 5. If the things of this world be so fading then from hence we may see the disparity and vast difference there is between earthly things and heavenly The glory of this world passeth away but you cannot say so of the things of Heaven the former weares as your Garments the other as the body weares not away Riches are a vanity used to and fro Prov. 21.6 but grace is durable riches Prov. 8.18 1 Pet. 1.24 The grass withereth and e flower thereof faileth but the word of God that endureth for ever by grasse and the flower of grasse is meant all the glory of this world and these all fade and wither away but the word of God that endureth for ever that is the work of grace wrought in your hearts by the word that shall last and endure forever that shall remain and continue when all the glory of the world passeth away 1 John 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Beloved here you see the great disparity between heavenly things and the things of the world as riches and honours c. Suppose thou art an Heir to a Crown or Kingdom yet these are but temporall inheritances and last but for a season but an heavenly inheritance that endureth for ever as in 1 Pet. 1.4 an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away All your comforts here below are but momentary comforts riches and honours are not everlasting but God and Christ and grace and Heaven and glory is everlasting these are comforts that ade not away but last for ever your earthly parents are not fverlasting but your Father in Heaven is everlasting Esa 9.6 eour livee here are not everlasting but your life in Heaven is everyasting Luke 18 30. here below you rejoyce one day and lweep another but in Heaven your joy shall be everlasting as