saith Jer. 9 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. But let him glory in this that he knows me Here is the sweetness of all Gospel commands the Lord is pleased to fet them upon a right Object he doth not forbid laying up of Riches but be rich to God he doth not forbid adorning and bravery but saith he be adorned with humility love not the world nor the things of the world not absolutely forbad but comparatively only sets it upon the right object still That 's the first thing I observe by way of premise Secondly it is observable also that there are divers ways of treasuring the Text names two some there be their treasures are on earth and some there be whose treasures are in heaven But observing the Scripture I finde there are three sorts of treasures among men men do lay up treasure three wayes and in three places First Thesauri in terra men lay up treasures upon earth that is they place their happiness in the things below they savour nothing else they mind nothing else look only to the things that are seen and have no higher end in all their ways Now these men all their treasure is upon earth It s well observed by one finis amatus intentus thesaurus dicitur that which a man doth love and aim at that 's his treasure for a mans chief good and utmost end are the same Now men that have no End beyond this life have no treasure beyond this world but all the projects of their lives they are terminated here below that look for nothing beyond the life that now is only in this world let me be rich and honorable and let me live in bravery and gallantry while I am here in this they please themselves and take this for their portion now these are the men that lay up treasures upon earth But there are Secondly Thesauri in Gehenna another sort of treasures some men lay up treasures in hell you have such an expression Rom. 2. 5. Thou after the hardness of thy heart and impenitency dost treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Here is a man that lives in sin this man is a treasurer too but he lays up treasures in hell there is a treasure of sin and a treasure of wrath and as the manÌ„ adds to the one God adds unto the other therefore you must know that as sin doth ripen so doth judgement as sin increases so doth wrath Ezek. 7. 10. the prophet hath this expression The rod hath blossomed pride hath budded spoken of Gods bringing wrath upon the Jâ—ws by Nebuchadnezzar for as sin ripens so the affliction ripens nay in Zach. 5. 8. there is an ephah that notes the full measure of their wickedness and a talent of lead propoâ—tionable to the sin that covers the mouth of it as you fill up the measure of your sins so you fill up likewise the measure of the Lords wrath oh that men would but consider this then you only think you carry on one treasure but remember there is another treasure goeth on you treasure up sin God treasures up wrath 3. Thesauri in coelo There are a third sort of treasurers that lay up treasures in heaven place their happineâ—◠〈…〉 good in nothing 〈…〉 â—â—â—ven that take aim◠〈…〉 this life the things present are the succors of their way but far from being made their journeys end The Philosopher could observe every man is as his utmost end is what thy utmost End is what thy chief good is that art thou if thy end be earthly thou art a man of earth if thy end be heavenly thou art a Citizen of heaven therefore the Scripture speaks as in Psalm 10. last verse That the men of the earth may no more oppress and Psal 17. 14. They are the men of this world Why the men of this world their portion is in this life they have no good beyond this life therefore their utmost end is not beyond this world and so likewise why are the people of God said to be Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2. 19. and to seek after a Câ—ty whose builder and maker is God Hebr. 11. 10 16. what is the reason that he hath prepared for them a city they are therefore said to be Citizens of heaven because their End their chief good is beyond this life that 's the second thing to be premised There are several sorts of treasures some lay up upon earth others in Hell and some lay up in heaven Thirdly we are to observe here Modum praecepti the manner or nature of this command Lay up treasures in heaven Christs meaning is not that men should lay up nothing upon earth that 's not the meaning nay to lay up upon earth is their duty Prov. 6. 6. Vain man is sent to the Ant upon that account that lays up in Summer against Winter T is a lesson that the bruit Creatures must teach nay 2 Cor. 12. 14. Parents ought to lay up for their children saith the Apostle He that provides not for those of his own house is worse then an infidel Then t is not unlawfull to lay up upon earth but what then is the meaning I finde three hints given by Interpreters which all will help to explain it Not upon earth Non ut adversetur sed ut subjiciatur Coelo Do not lay up treasures on earth as contrary to treasures in heaven but lay up treasures on earth as they may be helpfull to treasures in heaven There is a second hint Camnissius and others give Non absolute tanquam ex necessitate objecti do not lay up treasures on earth as if there were an absolute necessity of it and a man could not live without it according as God gives opportunity so men may make provision for their own comfortable being and those that God hath given them but not as if I and my posterity were undone without it They think they cannot live without so much by the year How many poor simple people have we heard of that cannot live happily without so much a year Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetousness for the comfort of a mans life comes not in from the abundance of things that he possesses Happily thou mayest have so many thousands a year and yet be a poor miserable man and live a wretched life all thy days for all that There is yet another hint Coelo neglecto do not lay up treasures on earth how that is so as to neglect heaven Let not this be a means to take off your hearts from higher things if it be your treasure on earth it is your curse and plague therefore look to it you whose estates take off your hearts from the things of God and eternity God hath given
suit spiritual things with spiritual and to teach though not in the enticing words of mans wisdom yet in the fullest demonstration of the Spirit He was not worn away with rust but did wear away himself with use the emanation of the Spirit filling his Cistern so as made him free to do much work in a little time * Amplissimum vitae spatium usque ad sapientiam vivere He understood well that the acceptance of our works follows upon the acceptance of our persons first and he therefore did to the admiration of them that heard him open the whole Doctrine of the Covenant through which our persons finde acceptance with God that Covenant of Grace which comprehends what ever we are either by way of blessing to expect from God or whatever we are by way of duty to return back to God again that Covenant I say did he for years together labour in the opening of had he lived to perfect and to publish it the Churches of Jesus Christ had received a much more special advantage then now I fear they can have by it but we must be content to have Elijah first taken from us before his mantle will be given us He vexed his righteous soul to see how among many professors of Religion practical Godliness did seem to wither much what truths therefore might serve best to revive encourage and put on to holiness of life or circumspect walking those to choose would he most frequently acquaint his Hearers with He judged the power of godliness to consist not so much in mens ability to Master this or the other high-towring speculative doctrine though himself was of excellent high-raised parts as in mens affectionate hearty closing with and living up to those more obvious common truths for in facili absoluto stat aeternitas Aust Enchir. that are the great necessary things on which mans everlasting happiness or misery does most depend And he would therefore therein following the direction Paul gave to Titus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 3. 8. earnestly exhort professors to be known most by their maintaining of good works and that however they might somewhat differ in matters of outward order or Church Discipline yet that they would all agree in what was more intimately consequtive to the Spiritual man A being rich in holy works * Sancta rectae vitae antistites esse The Greek word which is a military word taken from such as set themselves in the foreward o◠front of the Battel and march before for the encouragement of the rest of the army some translate it to go before others in good works Our works being the best at least most sensible evidence of our faith He laboured much that parties disagreeing a little what in that part of the circumference which concerns Ecclesiasticks might yet be one i' th center of an holy life for indeed he knew well that though Professors in matters possibly of less consequence may shew what party of Christians we side with yet holiness of life only it was that should best evince our being set apart for God He laid it much to heart to see how slightly and ungroundedly not a few of latter years since the goodness of some in power had altered the face of times so much as that godliness was no longer now a reproach or hindrance in the way of but the easiest step to preferment for one or other loaves sake only took up Religion as from the manner of their walking might be suspected He did therefore insist upon and in the course of his Ministry press those doctrines of self examination and self denial both which subjects thou mayst hereafter God willing have put into thy hands with much earnestness searching power and spiritual exactness that if there were any who profest Christianity out of Faction carrying a Pagan heart under a Christian name they might be made manifest to themselves His insight into the Gospel was wonderfully quick and singular his delight was to lead his Hearers within the vail and to shew them the glory of that one Mediator whom the Father set forth for the propitiation of our sins great was his pains in opening those Relations together with their respective vertue and influence that he stood in to his Father to Angels to all Mankinde and to the Elect in special sundry subjects and single Sermons the Author has left behinde him which will God willing be hastened into the Press what he did last does herewith come out first because indeed an imperfect Copy hereof stole forth as a spurious obtrusion upon the world Which the Authors Friends judged a great wrong unto the Publique as well as to the Author himself and for that reason therefore have put the same subject first into thine hand leaving thee to judge how much more this Edition thus publisht hath of the signature and mark of his spirit in it above what the former carried Thus much premised I shall only add by way of prayer that the Spirit of life and power who alone is able may make the price here put into thy hand very usefull for thy souls good We are accomptable not only for what we hear but for what we read and t is equally dangerous to be found among the number of them that are unprofitable Readers as to be one of those that are unprofitable Hearers Geo. Griffith Good Reader IT is usually observed that Gods children do best in their close and last farewel as natural motion is slower in the beginning and swifter in the end so are their motions more vehement and stirring towards heaven and heavenly things when their souls are ready to dislodge from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Certain I am the Scripture puts a special mark and consideration upon the last words of the Saints 2 Sam. 23. 1. Now these be the last words of David so the speeches of dying men have more weight in them for as we draw neer to eternity we grow wiser and being about to return to the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plotin apud Ves Original Divinity as Plotinus speaketh we are more Divine And this not only when the Lord giveth his people fair warning of their approaching end but many times when death stealeth upon them unawares by a strange kinde of presage their souls have been marvellously heightned in the contemplation of eternity and wholly taken up with that blessedness into which God was about though unknown to themselves to translate them t is one of the observations of this Treatise That when the heart is in heaven the body will not be long out of it our translation is but delayed till the moneths of our purification be ended and we by growing dead to sin weary of the world are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light All this is spoken to put thee in mind that these discourses which are now put into
to whom it is due you do not think it is due it is at your own liberty now here is the deceit men take that to be their own good which is another mans this worlds good and under these four mistakes the greatest part of the world perish they take that for a true good which is but good in appearance for an universal good that is particular for an eternal that which is but temporal and that which is another mans for their own Lastly it is this which will be unto Satan matter of insultation and if thou be deceived in thy chief good it will be matter of derision to thee for ever remember that to Satan matter of insultation it is not with Cheaters as with Robbers that take goods from a man by violence but the Cheater boasts of his pranks afterwards to tell how he hath outwitted a man so it is with Satan as a deceiver and you know every prevailing is an insulting evil and Satan is the envious man there are not only from Satan cruel murtherings but there are cruel mockings I pray do but consider Isa 14. 10 11 12. there is Nebuchadnezzar the devil set the greatest good before him that this world could afford to be the great Emperor of the world and by this particular good the poor man is deceived Well he comes to Hell after all this and the spirit beneath is moved at his coming Do but see how the devil insults How art thou fallen from heaven Oh great Lucifer Son of the morning Here is a man that I cheated by varnishing over a particular good riches one by honors another by pleasures a third and it is that which will be to thee matter of derision for ever it will be too late then to say so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee then a man must own his own shame and lie down under it and this is the great and grand deceit which men will look upon with shame and confusion of face to eternity Certainly you had need to take heed then you be not deceived in your chief good thus men are miserable whose chief good is misplaced But wherein doth their miserie lie that misplace their chief good There are six things but it would spend a days time to reckon up the misery of that man I and a day would be too little to recount the misery of that man who erres in his chiefe good errs in placing his treasure There are only six things at present I shall mention that whoever finds that his chief good is mis-placed he may consider of it and this may help towards his conversion for the change of his chief good First there is nothing good to that man who errs in his chief good it s the old rule Nil bonnm sine summo bono There is nothing good to that man who is deceived in his chief good look into Eccles 5. 3. there be riches why is not that a good thing a good thing for a man to have a great estate and a large portion but to a man that makes these his chief good there is no good in them to him There be riches kept for the hurt of the owners the man shall wish one day that he had been as poor as Lazarus when he lay at the rich mans gate the man is the worse for them he is but made rich for his hurt and the same thing is true of honors and all outward things many a man is made honorable to his hurt for if he errs in his chief good he errs in all things else Is it not a good thing to live under the means of grace the preaching of the Gospel the droppings of the Spirit of grace in the Sanctuary where he uses to work look into Heb. 6. 7 8. there is the ground that drinks in the rain and yet is nigh to cursing Why because he errs in his chief good for what fruit hath he of all these truly they all tend to no other end but to ensnare his soul to draw out his lusts to ripen his sins to hasten his ruine here is all the good the man gets by it as t is to a good man that hits right in his chief good every thing is good to him sufferings shall be good sinning good afflictions good temptations good Why every thing is sanctified to him so on the contrary to another man nothing is good to him because he errs in his chief good As t is in order of causes so t is in order of goodness too all inferior things are never good to a man without an influence of the chief good remember that is the misery of a man that mis-places his chief good his treasure if he erre in that nothing is good unto him Secondly if a man err in his chief good this will make him err in his judgement of things and persons as long as he lives that is his misery he never judges aright of things and persons the rule of every mans judgement is that which is to him his chief good now if he err in that he must needs err in his judgement both of things and persons First You shall see he errs and must needs do so in reference to things Take a man whose chief good is here below and see how he judges of things he judges sinning to be good and therefore he chooses iniquity rather then affliction Job 36. 21. he judges the praise of men better then the praise of God and therefore chooses that John 12. 43. nay he chooses things present as better then those that are to come This is the way of a man that hath his chief good here below he errs in his judgment of all things whereas now t is contrary to a man whose chief good is in heaven he saith sin is worse then death worse then Hell as Anselm once profest if hell were offered on the one side and heaven on the other with sin he would rather enter hell and account that a good exchange Mallem Gehennam intrare And so he is not praise-worthy whom men but whom the Lord commends why does one judge of things one way and another another way t is because of different chief good and as t is true of things so t is true of persons one that places his happiness here below and hath his treasure in this life he calls the proud happy judges them happy that be set up in this world Mal. 3. 15. he saith they are happy that be rich and honorable and have all things in this world in possession because t is that wherein he places his chief good Now another man that hath his treasure in heaven saith they be the godly that be the excellent ones the precious ones of the earth the Lords jewels and so they are in his account for he judges of them according to his own chief good and this is the true reason why the men of the world put darkness
you estates on earth they are your plagues your curses and yet how many poor souls do we hear say as those in Zach. 11. 6. Blessed be God for they are rich Notwithstanding they hope God will be good to them but never hear them say blessed be God for I am gracious or blessed be God I am converted these are things their souls savor not But rather as that poor wretch that Cardinal said I would not leave my part in Paris for my part in Paradice Now do not you thus lay up treasures on earth but lay up treasures in heaven and thus I have given you these Cautions for the right understanding of the phrase Let us now improve the Exhortation that hath been laid before you which was this Seeing every man in this life hath a treasure some do lay it up upon earth and some do lay it up in heaven be you exhorted to lay up your treasure in heaven now that we may gain the more benefit by it we shall open it a little For the more distinctly you understand spiritual truths the more profit you get by them and the more sweetness you taste in them that I will tell you Therefore there are four things I shall speak to briefly in the prosecution of this Use First what is meant by heaven and why we are commanded to lay up treasures in heaven Secondly what are those treasures that a man may have in heaven Thirdly how can a man lay up treasures in heaven or what is it for a man to lay up treasures in heaven seeing no man in this world ever was in heaven How is man said to lay up treasure there while he is in this life how a man can lay up treasure on earth we can understand Lastly give some Arguments to press and inforce the Exhortation on every one of us as the Lord shall bless them unto us First what is heaven what is meant by heaven And here I meet with a double interpretation and we may make improvement of both of them and therefore I shall give them both unto you for all such things tend to very great advantage to the opening of Scripture First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven some expound it of God apud Deum lay up your treasure in God as Grotius lay up your treasure with God and so they take heaven for him that is the God of heaven the possessor of heaven this will help you to explain some other Scriptures Matth. 21. 25. The baptism of John was it from heaven or of men The proper opposition lies is it from God or man Was it from mans authority or from Gods And so Luke 15. 18. I have sinned against heaven and before thee Why it is the God that dwelleth in heaven Why so lay up your treasure in heaven that is place your happiness in God alone be satisfied in nothing below himself Let him be who hath promised to be your portion and your exceeding great reward lay up treasure in heaven that is lay up treasure in God for you are to consider that Though the Scripture do speak of some other treasures in heaven as in Luke 12. 33. men are exhorted to give alms and they should have treasures in heaven Good works are treasures in heaven But how only as the Lord doth give himself there to the soul as a rewarder pray observe that you may not mistake that your treasure in heaven is God as after I shall shew Why this is very true the exercise of every grace and the performance of every duty all these are said to be treasures in heaven Why because they stand upon record in heaven and because the Lord himself in Heaven will be the rewarder and therefore lay up your treasure in God let him be your chief good and for all good duties lay them up wiâ—â— God that so he of all these may be your great rewarder Lay up therefore your treasures in Deo in God that he may be your eternal portion your good works apud Deum with God that he may be your exceeding great reward This is of great Use Secondly in Coelum others take heaven here For that which we commonly read of in Scripture the third heaven that is called commonly by the Schoolmen the highest heaven the habitation of Gods majesty and glory It is the place where the Saints shall be glorified with God when they shall enter into their masters joy This third heaven that was the first of the Creation of God for so I conceive the highest heavens with its inhabitants were first made and the first day In the beginning God created the heavens the highest heavens with its first inhabitants for though it be true God from eternity was his own heaven as I may so speak and though he hath created the highest heaven yet he is not included and comprehended there for he fils heaven and earth Jer. 23. 23. He is God every where present yet the highest heavens are the place of his Throne the place where his honour dwels Where he is pleased to shew forth his majesty and glory in a most eminent manner and the place that he hath appointed where his people shall have both vision and fruition of him to eternity called therefore their fathers house called therefore the City whose builder and maker is God called therefore an inheritance immortal uncorruptible undefiled reserved in the heavens for us Now this being the place of the Saints happiness when they shall ever be with the Lord they are exhorted to lay up their treasures there for the time will shortly come when all the Saints of God shall remove for you have here no continuing City you seek for a countrey the time will shortly come when you shall leave all your treasure here behinde you for you shall carry nothing away with you for their happiness is in heaven to enjoy God and Christ unto all eternity for this cause they are exhorted to lay up treasure in heaven Where they shall receive the end of their faith and the fruit of their obedience the salvation of their souls which consists in the enjoyment of God in heaven then take either of these for heaven t is true of both either God lay up your treasure in God who is the God of heaven or lay up your treasure in heaven where your eternal enjoyment of God shall be That is the first what is meant by Heaven But Secondly What treasures may a man have in heaven I have spoken a little of that already but give me leave to explain it a little more unto you There are great variety of interpretations what a mans treasure in heaven is and truly almost every Interpreter differs some speak of the word some of the promises some of graces some of duties some of alms but we shall easily understand what must needs be meant if you observe but the opposition there is a treasure in earth and a treasure in heaven what is a mans
treasure on earth that which stands in opposition to treasure any where else The man hath nothing else but what he hath on earth then a mans treasure on earth is his chief good on earth be it what it will riches honors pleasures or whatever else where his heart is and his chief good that is his treasure then what is a mans treasure in heaven with a mans chief good in heaven that 's his treasure Now what is a godly mans chief good in heaven why t is God God is his portion God is his reward and Christ only as Mediator as he brings him to God Now there are three things that I should point you to Why none but God can be a mans treasure in heaven First a mans treasure is that which he loveth most and a man must love nothing more then God nay a mans treasure and chief good is that which he loves with an infinite love that he can never have enough of that he can never be satisfied with that he never says I have enough The Hebrews they have two words that we use for treasure one is that which a man doth most set his heart upon that which is unto him above all a peculiar You see the word used Exod. 19. 5. Israel is my peculiar treasure saith God that is a people that God set his love upon above all the people in the world besides that is treasure where a man stays most t is very true where a mans love goes there truly the man dwels that 's his treasure that carries out his heart Now there being none in heaven the soul is to love above God or equal with God therefore he alone in heaven must be his treasure Secondly a mans treasure is that Quod maxime habetur in pretio which he prizes most and some observe upon this place that is a mans treasure that he sets the highest price upon Now a man should prize nothing more then God so you see when God saith of his people they are his peculiar treasure all people in the world are undervalued for them Isa 43. 4. I will give men for thee and princes for thy life Kings and Nations are nothing in comparison of Gods people to God In this respect God is the treasure of his people because they are to prize nothing in comparison of him Thirdly God only is their treasure because upon a mans treasure he doth rely for supply and therefore that 's the other word in the Hebrew which is put for treasure Gen. 20. 5. It signifies that which a man makes his refuge in all calamities and distresses now when a Godly man is in distress whither doth he go Prov. 8. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous flie thither and are safe And in Davids distress Psal 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee only God is his treasure Now these three things are in a treasure that which a man loves most and sets the highest price upon and that to which his heart doth retire and seek supply from in all his wants and every man must be supplied out of his treasure that I will tell you Take a rich man when he comes to die Riches avail not in the day of wrath therefore God only is the Saints treasure and chief good he lays up treasure in heaven and this treasure is God Thirdly you will say unto me God is in heaven already it is the habitation of his holiness and glory How can I be said to lay up God in heaven I that was never in heaven the Lord he ever was there how can I be said to lay up God as a treasure there T is very true God was in heaven from the very Creation of heaven that it hath been the throne of his glory but he is not laid up there as thy treasure until thou close with him And no man but he that hath the Lord for his God can say I have God for my treasure What shall I do then to lay up God for my treasure There are six Rules that I shall give wherein this duty lies and observe them for they are the great duties of your lives for we live in a scraping age labour then to get the God of heaven for your treasure Why how so First he that will lay up treasure in heaven must choose God for his treasure no man hath a treasure either in heaven or earth but by choice If a man choose riches that is his treasure honors that is his treasure if he choose God that is his treasure therefore choose the Lord as that which you prize above all things this is the way to lay up God in heaven for your treasure Josh 24. 22. You have chosen the Lord this day for your God choose the Lord for your God and you shall have God for your treasure Secondly If you would lay up God for your treasure in heaven then you must part with all other things for him All other treasure remember that Matth. 19. 21. See the terms there was a rich young man that came to Christ Christ bids him go sell all he had and give to the poor and he should have treasures in heaven No man can have two treasures no more then he can be servant to two masters its impossible that a man should have two chief goods you can never have God for your treasure lest you part with all other treasure for him You that have other treasures do not tell me that God is your treasure Thirdly the soul is to be carried out after this treasure incessantly that a man lays up for his treasure which his heart is carried out abundantly after Tell me you have a treasure in God and never groan and long after him you have nothing to do with him and therefore David Psal 73. 22. There is none in earth I desire but thee Now how doth his soul go out after God My soul pants after God as the thirsty land Consider with your selves may be you can be content I have a great estate and I am raised from a mean man and a Prentice boy and God hath given me a large estate and I can bless his name for this thanks be to God for I am rich But do you taste no more savour in these things in comparison of God then in the white of an egg Can you desire to part with all that you may be with him This is to lay up treasure in God to have the soul go out after him and to him incessantly Fourthly if you lay up treasure in God live upon your treasure live upon him You say often you live by faith what is it to live by faith To live by faith is to live upon God who is the object of faith therefore in all the necessities of your lives have recourse to God still my Refuge is in God still what is your chief good to that your souls will retire Fifthly what a man lays up for his
and there are the designs of the heart Let us take some instances of this Prov. 8. 5. Ye fools understand wisdom understand the heart so it is according to the Hebrew Prov. 15. 32. He that heareth reproof getteth understanding he gets a heart and so also Prov. 10. 20. Fools die for want of wisdom it is for want of a heart and Hos 7. 11. Ephraim is a filly Dove without a heart that is without wisdom so then the wisdom of the heart the plots counsels and designs of the heart these are called the heart in Scripture as the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 5. saith At the last day he will make manifest the Counsels of the heart there be the deep plots and designs there is the wisdom of the man then this is put for the heart and where a mans treasure is there are his designs there is his wisdom and for this cause there is wisdom that is earthly and there is wisdom ihat is from above Jam. 3. 15 17. If a mans treasure be on the earth all the wisdom he hath goes no higher all his plots and designs never rise above the earth if his treasure be in heaven his wisdom is heaven-ward Do but observe that which is a very choice Scripture Luke 16. 8. The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light the children of this world he doth intimate now of two sorts of men and two sorts of wisdom both of them are wlse in their generations the one his wisdom reaches not beyond this world the other his wisdom is in reference to the world to come or as the Apostle saith is wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 5. and so some do expound that expression wiser in their generation Grotius I remember saith that the Hebrews do use to put generation for action actiones denotat actions are called generations and Chemuisius goes likewise the same way they are wiser in their generation In rebus suis agendis in doing their own business and accomplishing their own ends here they are wiser in these things below a godly man is said to be a babe Matth. 11. 22. but the children of light are wiser in their generation too then the children of the world now every mans wisdom in reference to his treasure is exercised in three things In getting of it In keeping of it In improving and increasing it And all the wisdom plots and designs of men are exercised in these three things all about their treasure First every mans wisdom is exercised about his treasure in the getting of it if it be pleasure then observe the wisdom of Amnon by the advice of his friend Jonadab for the obtaining of his lust upon his sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. And certainly in this respect even the counsels of the flesh are deep and mightily assisted from below and so if a man hath a desire to rise and preheminence and to be superior is the thing aimed at and the treasure be laid up in it see with what wisdom he can do it take the instance of Ieroboam his aim was to be head of the ten Tribes observe his policy and t is remarkable 1 Kin. 12. It lets a man see that there is all knowledge in the Scripture first Jeroboam must come in and discontent the people by telling them of their former pressures and hard usages this being done he must take advantage of the same discontent of the people growing high in their demands hereupon who so like to be the head of the people upon choice as he that ventured and hazarded so much for them and seems to be so far tender of their pressures and to finish all there must come in the old prophesie of Abijah the Prophet that God will rend ten tribes from the house of David and give them to Jeroboam Do but observe it is plain as a mans treasure is so his wisdom works in the getting of it but there is another instance in Scripture that is a mighty one which I shall not give the whole story of but speak somewhat it is that of Antichrist The woman that rides upon the scarlet coloured beast and sits upon many waters that is rules over many people why do but observe dominion being the thing aimed at the strange ways that have bin taken look to the rise of Antichrist Revel 13. and you see he arises in the double shape suitable to the twofold power he aims at first the beast that rises out rf the Sea so he hath seven heads and ten horns he comes in upon the breach of the Roman Empire when the Goths and Vandals had given it its deadly wound and he joyns with the ten Kings to set up an Image of the former Roman Empire and to put life into it an Image it was and but an Image they were all zealous for the Roman Empire and this Antichrist got exceedingly by he and the ten Kings that submitted to him now made up one body of Empire but this was not power enough and therefore he arises under the shape of another beast not out of the Sea but out of the earth stirpium more after the manner of herbs that insensibly grow and this is his Ecclesiastical power over the consciences of men for all pretence of Civil power was to gain this compleat power of ruling over the consciences of men and thus you see whatever a man makes his treasure all his wisdom runs out unto this you shall finde in reference to Religion also a godly man all the wisdom he hath tends that way for I told you It was to make him wise unto salvation there is all his wisdom and so Paul saith he did Phil. 3. 14. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead he means the resurrection of the just all the wisdom that he aimed at was upon this account so that a godly man hath but one design in the world and that is that he may enjoy God and Christ where his treasure is that he may get an interest in God by Christ t is all the design he hath and therefore Bernard doth very well observe Mens sapientis semper est apud Deum A wise mans heart is always with God that is all his plots and contrivance is how he may bring about that great business all his wisdom is said out upon this how he may get his treasure Secondly when he hath once got it his great design and wisdom is exercised therein how he may keep it thus it is with men whose treasure is on the earth they know that rust and moth will corrupt and thieves break through and steal and therefore they all contrive to keep what they have gotten for they do know that there be Fâ—nners saith the Lord I will send fanners upon Babylon Jer. 51. Take away all the chaff that now hangs about that you may well spare and yet indevour to keep so close now on this account men are
marvellous sollicitous what care is there for conveyances and inheritances and all is purely upon this because men use their wisdom to keep their treasure thou whosoever thou be that endeavourest to make safe here below pray mark that place and consider all you whose treasure is on earth Job 20. 15. He swallows down riches but he shall vomit them up God will pull it out of his belly and therefore in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits ver 22. Upon this account it is that the wisdom of the world is mightily exercised about that not only how to get but how to secure their treasure t is true of a godly man too God in Christ is his chief good his treasure how he may secure it that is his plot he knows that t is only sin that separates between him and God for this cause his design is not to sin as Tertullian doth observe nobis unica est necessitas non deliquendi men may pretend necessity whiles they will we have but one necessity a godly man hath but one necessity that he doth not sin why because his sin robs him of his treasure nay a godly man knoweth though men may lose their treasure here unwillingly yet not withstanding a treasure in heaven nemo perdit nisi volens no man loses it but with his own will why therefore now his great fear is lest his soul and his heart should depart from God and therefore Psal 86. 11. Unite my heart to thee that I may fear thee that I may with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord Act. 11. 28. this his wisdom is in his treasure not only in getting but in keeping it Thirdly his heart is where his treasure is that is how to improve it and increase it a treasure is such a thing as grows by a continual addition a treasure is not filled up at once but by degrees by a constant addition thereunto therefore now this is the great study of the man all his plots and designs are there as now take a man whose treasure is on earth you may see the man Hab. 2. 5. one that did desire Dominion it is spoken of Nebuchadnezzar he is a proud man saith the Spirit of God what is that he looks on himself as ad dominium natus alii ad mancipium as a man born to rule and looks on all other men as born to be servants well but what doth this put him upon to increase his treasure how doth he do it why he keeps not at home what is that that is he is not content with his own condition keeps not within his own territories and dominions but gathâ—rs to himself all nations and heaps to himself all people his treasure lay in his Empire and that is his business all his life tâ—me to increase it this is a man whose treasure is on earth you have another expression Dan. 11. 24 25. worthy your observation the Kings of the north and south are there spoken of the Text saith He shall forecast devices against him forecast devices that is plot and design why now they indeavor to invade one other who shall inlarge his Dominion most and this they did by using all designs and plots one against another So like wise consider a godly man whose treasure is above in heaven in enjoying God and Christ well truly what esteem soever he hath in the world it doth not much trouble him that 's a great speech of one of the ancients Magis ardere quam lucere nititur sapiens A wise man loveth heat rather then light chooses rather to have it within in his own soul then to appear among others now because the way to injoy much of God is to be much in communion with him therefore always his soul desires communion the Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come if there be degrees of enjoyment he would have the highest degree it is his treasure and he is adding to it and his wisdom lies in that Habet sapientia sui generis superbiam there is a holy pride as the Father saith now how is this obtained he rewards every man according to his works and what shall that reward be I am your reward not only that I may have fuller communion with him here but fuller fruition of him hereafter this is his design yea this is his wisdom his wisdom is always exercised about his treasure in getting or keeping or in improving and increasing it Thirdly the heart in Scripture is used for the thoughts not only for the consultations and counsels of the heart but for the meditations of it and so our Saviours meaning is where your treasure is there will the thoughts of your hearts be for this cause God is said to search the heart and to know the heart Cogitationes intimas absconditas that is all the most secret thoughts of the heart those secret thoughts which are hid from all else in the world God only knoweth and therfore is said to search the heart and know the heart that is to know the thoughts and David interprets it so Psal 139. 23. Search me and know my heart try me and know my thoughts thus he explains it and Judg. 16. 15 17. Dalilah saith to Sampson How canst thou say thou lovest me when thou hidest thy heart from me and he told her all his heart that is all his thoughts Now then the thoughts in Scripture they are put for the heart and indeed there is nothing carries the heart more with it then the thoughts doth and nothing wherein there is less deceit in reference to the heart then in thoughts the thoughts are the first-born of the soul the hearts immediate issues now if a man would taste water the way not to be deceived is to tast it in the Spring if a man would taste wine the way not to be deceived is to taste it in the wine-press before it is adulterated by the Vintner so our actions and words many times are adulterated therefore the heart mightily goes where the thoughts go you cannot say mens hearts go with their words no very seldom especially in this dissembling age men seldom speak as they mean Solomon speaks of a man that invites one to dinner Prov. 23. 6 7. Eat and drink but his heart is not with thee he bids thee eat but his heart is not with his words but I say there is the least suspâ—tion of deceit in thoughts that if a man can but know which way his thoughts go that way certainly his heart goes Now I have but four Rules to offer in reference to your thoughts but pray observe them for I do but touch on these things on purpose that you may a little know how you may espie out your own hearts the thoughts you l say run upon ten thousand things how is any man ever able to know where his thoughts are a mans thoughts are every where There are four Rules I shall give whereby
for light and light for darkness because the rule of their judgment is their chief good and a mistake there makes them to erre that is the second Thirdly if a man mis-place his chief good this will cause him to mis-place all the affections of his soul all his life long all the affections of his soul will be set wrong and run upon wrong objects the holy Ghost speaks of a perverse generation crooked and perverse when all the affections of the soul are set wrong and run cross to every thing they are so perverse now thus you shall find a man that hath his chief good here below his treasure on earth he loves vanity Psal 4. 6. He fears where no fear is he rejoyces in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. all his affections are set upon wrong objects why they follow his judgement follow that which he looks upon as his chief good there be affections to that which is good in a way of prosecution and affections to that which is evil in a way of aversion and all these are set wrong and all these follow that which a man places his chief good in Other men fear man a godly man fears sin the other rejoyceth in a thing of nought but he rejoyceth in the hope of the glory of God to his chief good his affections are set and is not this a miserable thing to have all the faculties of the soul dis-joynted and set awry Fourthly this makes a man to lose his labour in every thing he doth all his life long if he err in his chief good all his labour is lost every mans labor in this life is in reference to his chief good Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endures to everlasting life Now if a man mistake and mis-place his chief good then all his labour is lost for that is the rule of all his labour you will say it was a miserable curse that upon the Princes of Zoar they made Egypt to err in every work of their hands as will you but consider Prov. 11. 8. the wicked works a deceitfull work why a deceitfull work why because the man is deceived in his chief good and therefore their work never answers their labor they weave a spiders web but it never becomes a garment he that mis-places his chief good he is deceived in every work of his hands he spends his parts his time in vain he sows the wind and reaps the whirlwind Fifthly this only will destroy the man oh consider this error only is the damning sin a man may be deceived in a particular good thing or action and his soul be saved in the day of the Lord there is not the best man on earth but in many things Satan deceives him in many things he may err and miscarry but if he be not deceived in his chief good his soul shall certainly be saved for all this Now that which is your chief good here by way of election shall be your chief good hereafter in way of fruition as for example as t is in errors in matter of Doctrine the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 11 12. speaks of such a man as holds the foundation and builds hay and stubble upon it that is is deceived in doctrines of lesser concernment he shall lose his labour but his soul shall be saved for all that so here in errors in matter of Practice good things to be obtained if a man err in a particular good thing his soul may be saved but if he err in his chief good he will be destroyed this is that which destroys the soul Lastly consider if there were nothing else but this it is the greatest delusion and the absurdest cheat that can be in the world for a man is deceived and makes that his happiness which is quite contrary a chief good must have a quite contrary ingredient It is observed by Austin that Blessedeness requires two things First a chief good is that which cannot be lost now you place your chief good in things below and Christ tels you The rust and moth corrupts and thieves break through and steal therefore to make them your chief good is a perfect cheat Secondly happiness requires impeccability the soul is put into a condition that it should not sin Now whoever he be that mis-places his chief good even in so doing he lives in a continual way of sinning for t is setting up another God he that places his chief good in any thing below God and heaven for to be your God and your chief good is all one In all these respects see what a miserable condition that man is in who mis-places his chief good when his heart should be on things above he sets it upon things below And thus much for the Use of conviction the Lord set it on upon our consciences Do not misplace your chief good do not be cheated and befooled in that for t is that deceit which is destruction Is this a truth that every man that lives in this world hath somewhat that he lays up as his treasure why then take Christs exhortation in the verse before the text lay up for your selves treasures in heaven that is the exhortation if every man hath a treasure then lay up for your selves treasure in heaven which before I can come to open there are three things that I thought necessary to premise before I come to press home the Exhortation upon you And pray mark for they are very profitable things First some do observe here praecepti suavitatem the sweetness of Christs commands see how he applies himself to the desires of a man the Lord Jesus notes this that as man in outward things is a prudent so he is a provident creature man is not content to have enough for the present he must lay up somewhat for time to come the Lord Jesus doth not forbid this here is sweetness of the Command if you will be laying up treasure I will tell you where you shall lay it up to purpose where you shall lay it up for time to come Indeed he tels you where is the true and the safe treasure you will be treasuring why then that you may not deceive your selves lay up treasure in heaven You have abundance of instances of this in Scripture as for example Luk. 10. The 72. Disciples are sent forth to preach the Gospel and they return with joy saith the Text that devils were subject to them Christ doth not forbid their joy but rectifies it set your selves to rejoyce in this that your names are written in heaven And so men are prone to fear evil he doth not reprove their fear Matth. 20. 18. but fear him that can cast body and soul into hell I say fear him he doth not forbid their fear altogether but sets their fear upon the right objects and so also men are apt to glory in some excellency Christ doth not altogether forbid their glorying but