us observe this well the contempt of the world lyes much in this when a man accounts and thinks with himself he may be happy without these things when a man lives under this apprehension My happiness lyes not in these things if God deny me these things I may be happy without them the essence of happiness lyes not in these things This is a signe of the contempt of the world he that hath such an opinion of a thing as that he thinks he may be happy without that thing such a man may be said to have a contempt of that thing This is the contempt of the world we should labour after so as to think we may be happy without these things The Stoicks say of their wise man He may be without many things but he wants nothing Truely a Christian should be able to say so much more though he be without many things yet he wants nothing nothing that is essential to true happiness though he be without many earthly comforts that others injoy yet he hath God and Christ and the hope of eternal things to live upon and he may be happy in these things although he want other things When a man is fixt in his own thoughts in the estimation of happiness he knows he may be happy without this world this is a signe such a man is crucified to the world 4. To contemn the world is for a man to think he is not made happy by earthly things when he hath these things as the Apostle speaks in another case Meat commends us not to God If we eat we are not the better if we eat not we are not the worse So a Christian may say It is not any temporal thing that commends me to God if I have much or little it is not that which makes me accepted with God But let us not be mistaken here First I grant that a Christian may see a vein of love in temporal things He delivered me because he delighted in me Psal 18. David saw special love peculiar love in a temporal deliverance Having given us his Son Rom. 8. how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Matth. 6. And seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added to you When a Christian sees temporal blessings flowing from covenant-love when he sees them given in as appendices to greater mercies so far he may see the love of God in these things Secondly Temporal things so far as they conduce to a higher end may be said in a subordinate way to conduce to a Christians happiness The things of this world so far as they conduce to keep a man from sin and to make him serve God the better so far they are to be valued Prov. 30.8 Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain Temporal things so far as they are means to keep us from sin and fit us for the service of God so far they are to be esteemed but that which I say is that temporal things considered in themselves do not constitute or make up a Christians happiness A Christians true happiness lies out of the road and chanel of these things and therefore when he hath these things he ought to say My happiness lies above these things Omnis mibi copia quae Deus meus non est egestas est All that abundance of mine which is none of my God is but my penury and want says Austin All earthly things compared with God and Christ are none of a Christians happiness 5. The contempt of the world consists in this and I take it that much of the spirit of the contempt of the world if I may so express it lies in this When a mans heart is carryed off from the world because his heart is reserved for higher things We look not to the things which are seen but to the things which are not seen Paul's heart was taken off from present things because his heart was referved for and taken up with higher things Our conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 He had spoken of some before that minded earthly things now he saith Our conversation is in heaven The reason why Paul had his heart taken off from earthly things was because his conversation was in heaven he expected other things A Christian should have his heart rapt up with the contemplation and admiration of eternal things A Christian should cry out as Austin doth O amare O ire O sibi perire O ad Deum pervenire O to love God O to go to him O to die and perish to a mans self O to come to God! A Christian should solace and delight himself with the thoughts of the Divine presence and account all things here on earth little in comparison of that presence It is an expression which Luther hath Debemus magno animo contemnere mundum pleno pectore anbelare ad gloriam futurae vitae We ought with a great soul to contemn this world and with a full gale of affection to breathe after the glory of the future life This is the truest contempt of the world when the thoughts apprehensions desires and expectation of future things causeth us to reserve our affections mainly and principally for these things when we look upon these as those things which mainly and principally deserve our love A Christian should keep his heart reserved for God and say Lord I would not love any thing that may not consist with my love to thee I would not enjoy any thing that may not consist with my communion with thee A Christian should be able to turn his eye upon God say Here is my riches here is my true sweetness my solace my delight Dominus Deus meus vita mea dulcedo mea sancta my great happiness and felicity The Lord my God he is my life my holy sweetness saith Austin This is another discovery of our contempt of the world when a man hath his heart carried off from these things upon this account that his heart is reserved for higher things and that other things have taken up his heart 6. The contempt of the world consists in this When our hearts sit loose from the world and we are at a parting point with these things Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he hath cannot be my disciple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not bid farewel to all things is not ready to take his leave of all things God doth not always call us to an actual forsaking of all things but we must be in an habitual readiness to forsake all things when he calls us so to do Our hearts must not be so riveted and glued to earthly things but we must be in a readiness to
die his heart is as it were rent from him his heart lies in the world and yet he must be rent from that which he loves so much An holy soul an heavenly-minded man hath sent his heart beforehand into heaven and it is no difficult thing for him to be willing that his person should be removed there where his affections are gone before but now an earthly-minded man when his person comes to be removed out of the world he leaves his heart as it were behinde him and it must needs be very grievous and bitter to him to part with the world that hath seen nothing better then the world Eighthly to take us off from the love of earthly things consider that all these things must have an end The earth also the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Should a man set his heart upon that which after a little while must be consumed to ashes If a man would love wisely he should love that which he might always love Nothing but eternal things last always and therefore the truest wisdom is to love these things It is easie for a man to think himself out of all the happiness of this world A man may think himself beyond the happiness that is in riches honours or pleasures a man may easily come in his thoughts to the end of the happiness that is in these things Now should a man make that his happiness which he can think beyond there is a happiness that a man cannot think himself out of nor think beyond it this happiness is our God who is infinite and eternal this is such a happiness that we can never come to the bottom of Oh! it is good to love him as our happiness if we love the world as our happiness we and our happiness are like to pass away together When the Apostle admonisheth us Love not the world what is the argument he urgeth The world passeth away and the lust thereof The world is a transient thing and as the world passeth away so the lusts thereof pass away when those things are gone which men had made the object of their love and affections they have nothing left to set their affections upon When this world comes to be burnt up and the works thereof none of those objects are to be seen or injoyed which now at the present draw mens hearts so much to them Nay not to go so far when men must enter with their naked souls into eternity and must leave all these things behinde them what will they have to love then how stript and naked and forlorn may we well suppose a carnal soul who was onely filled and fraught with creature-loves and the love of earthly things to be when he comes to leave these things behinde him All the objects of his affections are left behinde him he hath none of those things left him which once he let out his heart upon What a pitiful empty thing is a miserable soul that is separated from the Divine presence while he lived here on earth he made a shift to love the creatures and to suck out as much contentment from them as he could but now he is in Eternity he hath none of these things to love And now it is a great aggravation of his misery to remember that he loved these things that did deceive him Ninthly The inordinate love of earthly things is a signe that a man is of an earthly carnal spirit and that his name shall be written in the earth 1. The love of earthly things is a signe that a man is of an earthly spirit Talis est quisque qualis ejus dilectio terram diligis terra eris Every man is as his love is if he loves the earth he himself shall be earth saith Austin Every man is moulded into the nature of what he loves if he loves the earth he himself is turned into a piece of earth Austin observes That the two sorts or kindes of love that are in the world have constituted two kindes of Cities the heavenly City and the earthly City If a man be a lover of heaven and the things above he is a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem if he be a lover of the earth he is a Citizen of this world therefore let a man put the question to himself and ask himself what it is that he loves and he may know what Citizen he is The predominant love of the world and of earthly things is a signe that a man is a worldly man a man of this world and that he belongs to it and that he hath nothing to do with the heavenly City and the spiritual corporation that is above 2. The love of earthly things is a signe that a man shall be written in the earth It is a great expression of the Prophet Jer. 17.13 O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be confounded they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth c. When do men forsake God when they leave God and adhere to the creature that the following words make out because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters When men forsake the living God and imbrace dying creatures then they depart from God Now all such shall be written in the earth Coelo extorres aeternum ad exitium destinati Glassius an Elegant expression what is the meaning of it Banished from heaven and destinated to eternal destruction So one Learned man interprets it Calvin carries it much to the same sense Your name shall be here on earth but it shall be blotted out in heaven that is there shall be no portion for you in the Kingdom of Heaven The Apostle saith expresly No covetous person which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God Ephes 5. Or we may understand it thus They shall be written in the earth whatsoever account and estimation men may be of in this world they shall be of no account above with God and the holy Angels their names shall be written in the earth they love the earth and all the honour they shall have it shall be upon the earth their honor and esteem shall not go beyond this world Earthly minded men that leave great Estates Dignities and Honours behinde them they may be famous in the Records and Annals of this world they may be renowned for their riches and the great things they have enjoyed here but this is all they shall have they shall have no estimation in the upper world their name shall not and dye on the earth they shall have no honour nor carry any esteem in the heavenly Country Tenthly Consider there is much of vanity and vexation in earthly things We know whose words they are All is vanity and vexation of spirit First earthly things are vain things 1. There is not in them that which they promise to us Earthly things promise much more then we finde
us off from an inordinate minding of earthly things The Spirit of God foresaw how prone our hearts were to be taken up with this world and with earthly things and therefore he is not content to press us to the duty of Heavenly-mindedness in general but gives us an express and particular caution against the love of the things of this world Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth Now then this being the Apostles scope to press us to Heavenly-mindedness and to take us from earthly-mindedness there are several Motives he useth in the context to inforce these things upon us The first Motive or Argument the Apostle useth to press this duty of Heavenly-mindedness is taken from the consideration of our fellowship or communition with Christ If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above A Believer is risen with Christ and therefore he ought to seek the things which are above Although Believers have not as yet attained to glory in their own persons yet they have attained it in the person of their Head A Believer is risen in Christ ascended in Christ glorified in Christ his Head Christ's Resurrection Ascention Glorification is a pledge and an earnest of his Resurrection of his Ascention of his Glorification Therefore eternal life and glory being secure to us in Christ and we having a right and title to it in our Head it becomes us to set our hearts on that which is our proper inheritance We are risen with Christ that is in Christ our Head we have a right and title to Heaven and Glory therefore Heaven and Glory being secure to us in Christ our Head who hath taken possession of it in our name and stead we ought to set our hearts upon that which is our great and proper inheritance That is the first Motive the consideration of our fellowship and communion with Christ we are risen with Christ A Believer hath glory already given him in his Head he is destinated unto glory and this his Head hath already taken possession of in his Name and stead The second Motive to press us to Heavenly-mindedness and to take us off from earthly-mindedness is taken from the consideration of our present state A Believer's present state is a dead state Ye are dead saith he verse the third Seek the things that are above set your affections on things that are above for ye are dead Ye are dead that is dead to the world dead as to any earthly happiness Your happiness lyes not in the rode of this world Ye are dead that is ye are like to dead men though you have a life in this world yet the life you have in this world as men not to speak of your life as you are Saints it is but a dead kinde of life though you may have some comforts and enjoyments in this world as other men yet they are all as dead comforts and enjoyments in comparison of what is your true happiness your true happiness is to live with God and Christ The Apostle hints so much that true happiness is to live with God and Christ as he saith afterward Your life is hid with Christ in God therefore your present life and comforts are all dead things in comparison of what is your true life and happiness Now if a Believer be dead to the world if all his happiness in this world be but the picture and shadow of true happiness then it is all the reason that his heart should be taken off from earthly things and set upon that which is indeed his happiness The third consideration to press us to Heavenly-mindedness is that a Believers life is a hidden life You are dead your life is hid with Christ in God A Believers true life his true happiness lyes not within sight within view it is hid with Christ in God If we will finde out true happiness we must not look for it in the rode of present sensible things but we must look for it with Christ in God Your life is hid with Christ in God Mark it if we would finde out true happiness we must consider what it is that Christ as man and as the Head of the Church injoys in the presence of the Father A Believers happiness lyes in communion with his Head in enjoying blessedness in communion with the Father like unto that which Christ as man injoys now in the presence of the Father Our life is hid with Christ in God as much as if the Apostle had said Your happiness lyes not in any thing in this world but your happiness is of the same kinde as Christs happiness is look what happiness Christ as man injoys in the presence of the Father that is your happiness and nothing else Now this being a Believers true happiness it concerns him to clevate his thoughts and affections unto the things that are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God The fourth and last Motive the Apostle useth to press us to the duty of Heavenly-mindedness is the consideration of the certainty that is given to a Believer of future glory A Believer hath already a title to glory in Christ his Head yea after a sort he hath an inchoate possession of it forasmuch as Christ is possessed of Glory in his name and stead but at last a Believer shall be brought to a full perfect compleat possession of glory in his own person as now he hath it inchoatively in the person of his Head This the Apostle intimates in the fourth verse When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory that is we shall actually appear with him in glory that is as another Apostle expresseth it We shall be like him 1 Joh. 3.2 We know when he shall appear we shall be like him Look what glory is given to Christ the Head of the Church the same glory in a proportion shall be given to the Members Now then the future happiness of the Saints being so sure it being as certain that they shall have it as if they had it in hand the glory and happiness of Heaven being no notion no fiction but as sure as Christ is glorified so shall all his Members be glorified then certainly it becomes Believers to set their hearts upon these things These are the Motives the Apostle makes use of to press the great duty of Heavenly-mindedness upon us The Observations that arise from the Text are these two Doct. 1 It is the duty of Christians to seek after and to set their affections on the things that are above Doct. 2 That Christians ought to have their hearts taken off from the world and from earthly things and to have their hearts carryed forth to an holy contempt of this world Set your affections on things that are above not on things on the earth Doct. 1 That it is the duty of Christians to seek after and to set their affections on the things that
are above For the Explication of this Doctrine two things are to be spoken unto 1. To shew what these things above are that we are to seek after and to set our affections upon 2. What it is to seek after and to set our affections on things that are above 1. What are these things above that we are to seek after and to set our affections upon This shall be opened in four Particulars I. By the things above we are to understand God and Christ we ought to seek the things that are above that is we ought to converse much in our thoughts with God and Christ That these are the things above here intended is clear from the Context If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above What follows where Christ sits at the right hand of God it is as much as if the Apostle had said Christ is above and God is above now let your hearts be upon these things Seek the things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God that is let your thoughts dwell much upon God and Christ So at the third verse Your life is hid with Christ in God If our happiness lye hid in God and Christ then we do seek the things which are above when our hearts are mainly and principally carryed out after God and Christ in whom onely our true happiness is to be found 1 Joh. 1.3 Truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ When may our fellowship be said to be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Certainly one way whereby we have fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ is this when we converse much in our thoughts with God and Christ that is when God and Christ have more of our thoughts then any earthly thing My meditation of him shall be sweet saith David then do we seek the things above when our Meditation is taken up about God and Christ Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent The perfect knowledge of God and of Christ is our perfect happiness in Heaven and so much as we do know of God and Christ here on earth so much happiness do we enjoy here on earth there is more sweetness more comfort more satisfaction to be taken in from the knowledge of God and of Christ here on earth then from all earthly injoyments whatsoever might it not seem too much for me to speak I might adventure to say Though it be but a little of God and Christ that I know yet I would not exchange or part with the thoughts of God and Christ which are to be had in this world for all the Kingdoms upon earth Now if the thoughts of God and Christ and the little knowledge that may be had of God on earth have so much sweetness in it what will the vision of him in heaven and what will the perfect knowledge of him there be When the Apostle Paul desires the highest thing he could do for the Saints it is this that they might have a greater measure of the knowledge of God and Christ let us consider the Text for it is a great Text Col. 2.1 2. For I would that ye knew what great conflicts I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ See with what a magnificent Preface the Apostle ushers in this desire 1. He tells them he had a great conflict for them the word in the original signifies an agony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle was in an agony of desire for these Saints 2. He tells them he would have their hearts comforted he longs after their comfort the highest measure of consolation for them And what is all this Preface for onely to usher in this to tell them he would fain have them come to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ that which put him into such an agony of desire was that they might come to a fuller measure of the knowledge of Goâ— and Christ and that because he knew this was the onely way for their comfort That their hearts might 〈◊〉 comforted being knit together in lovâ— and unto all riches of the full assâ—rance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of Goâ— and of the Father and of Christ hâ— knew there was no better way foâ— their comfort then to come to 〈◊〉 clear knowledge of the Mystery oâ— God and Christ Observe how thâ— Apostle expresseth this he would have them come to the riches of thâ— full assurance of understanding to thâ— acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Then are several things of great moment to be considered in these words 〈◊〉 1. The Apostle teacheth us here that the knowledge of God is a Mystery to the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God There is a great Mystery in the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 poor creatures that we are we are apt to think we know enough of God at first but there is a Mystery in the knowledge of God and what this Mystery is the Apostle tells us it is the mystery of the Father and of Christ And what is this Mystery what is this mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ So far as we can conceive of it it lyes in this to know God in the unity and simplicity of the Divine Essence to know God in the Trinity of Persons to know Christ as Mediator and to be able to apprehend the Father in Christ it is the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ to be able to apprehend the Father in Christ as Christ says He that hath seen me hath seen the Father that is to apprehend the Divinity to be so in Christ as that we see that by having the Son we have the Father and in possessing Christ we possess whole God This is the Mystery of God the Apostle here speaks of and we have reason every day to be more and more diving into it to labour to come to a clear knowledge of it That is the first thing there is a Mystery in the knowledge of God 2. The Apostle would have them to come to the acknowledgement of this Mystery to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God that is he would have them to come to a clear and distinct knowledge of all the Principles concerning God and Christ the word signifies an accurate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phavorinus or more exact consideration of a thing after the first perception of it we have
〈◊〉 signifies to value and esteem a thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to under-value and despise a thing and this appears by the Text it self Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth The Antithesis and opposition that is between these two shews what we are to understand by setting our affections on things above Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth as much as if he should have said Have the highest value for spiritual things set the highest price upon spiritual things esteem spiritual things above all earthly things This value and estimation of spiritual things Paul had when he said Phil. 3.8 I count all things but loss and dung for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Spiritual things bught to bear the greatest weight in our thoughts we ought to approve them as the best things and see a far greater excellencie in them then in all temporal things Davenant There is a Learned man that observes upon this Text this word translated to set our affections comprehends two acts in it 1. It notes the act of the minde or understanding when it thinks of any thing 2. It notes the act of thâ— will or affections approving or loving a thing so that to set our affections on things above is to approve of them in our estimation as the beâ— things Phil. 1.10 That you may approve the things which are excellent III. To seek the things which are above it is to intend these things as our principal aim and scope Matth. 6.33 Seek first the kingdom of God that is let your principal aim and scope be to get an interest in the kingdom of God So here Seek the things which are above that is let your principal aim and scope be to acquire and get these things let the main bent and tendencie of your souls lye towards these things Every rational Agent that acts out of reason and understanding intends some end now that which the Apostle would press us to is this to intend and designe spiritual and eternal things as our great end There is no man but he hath some last end that he prosecutes now that which the Apostle would press us to is to make eternal things the things of the other world our great and last end as much as if he should say Whereas others are sursuing after other things Riches Honour Pleasures and making them their uttermost end do you intend another end do you make God and Christ and the things of other world your principal aim and scope Seek the things that are above Two are implyed in it 1. Make this your end to make sure your interest in these things 2. Get a holy meetness and preparedness of Spirit to injoy these things 1. Make this your end to make sure your interest in these things 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Phil. 3. â—4 I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Paul pressed toward the mark of eternal Glory Paul's great ambition was to win the price of eternal Glory 2. As we should make sure our interest in these things so we should make this our end to get a holy meetness and preparedness of spirit to injoy these things Seek the things which are above that is labour as much as may be to get up into the Spirit of heaven here on earth labour to get a suitableness to the future life Others converse with present sensible things but do you converse with the things of the other world see how you may get up into a spirit and temper that is fit for the life which is above Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven that is we labour to converse as men in heaven and to get our spirits suited and adapted to that life IV. To seek the things which are above it is to see that our affections bâ— mainly carryed out after these things to see that our desire love and delight do run out after these things and lye in these things where the treasure is there the heart will he If we judge and esteem these things as the best things if we intend them as our principal aim and scope then these things ought to draw our affections after them our desire love and delight should be carried out after these things God and Christ should have more of â—ur hearts then the creatures have we should solace and delight our selves in the thoughts of the future life and â—e more pleased in the thoughts of what we shall injoy hereafter in â—he future state then in any thing we â—njoy at present here on earth To â—et our affections on things above is to have our affections so fixed on these â—hings as that nothing here on earth should be able to loosen unhinge unsettle or take off our affection from these things To set our affections on things which are above it is to cleave to God as our chief good to imbrace God as our onely portion with the full bent of our affections Scis occultorum cognitor Deus quod non solum terrâ omnibus quae in ea sunt mihi cariores sed etiam coelo omnibus quae in ca sunt mihi acceptabilior es They are rare strains of affection which Austin hath O God saith he the knower of all secrets thou knowest that thou art not onely dearer to me then the earth and all things that are in it but thou art more acceptable to me then heaven it self and all things that are in it God is the sum of all good things to us God is our chief good O how happy were it for us if we could get such strains of love to God and appeal to God as he did and say O God the knower of all secrets thou knowest that thou art not onely dearer to me then the earth and all things that are in it but thou art more acceptable to me then heaven it self and all things that are in it This is to seek the things which are above when our souls cleave more to God then to any created thing V. Lastly To seek the things which are above it is to use our uttermost care study diligence and endeavour to get an interest in these things and to be fitted for the injoyment of these things It is observed by a Learned man Quaerendum vocabulum indicat laborem conatum atque excludit otïosam velleitatem Davenant This expression of seeking notes labour and industry and it is opposed to an idle velleity we may not content our selves with general desires and faint wishes after the things which are above but we must strive to enter in at the straight gate as our Saviour's expression is to seek after a thing Quaerere est cum studio ferri tendere ad res habendas vel fruendas is to be carried out with study care
Spirit of God by him That which men pursue as their last end they are apt to take up their rest and happiness in it when once they have acquired it That appears from that of the rich man in the Gospel Soul soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry Worldly men make the world their chief good and acquiesce in it as their chief good Now not to set our affections upon the things on the earth is not to acquiesce in and take up with the creature as our chief good and happiness A Christian ought to say Bonorum summa Deus est Deus est nobis summum bonum Aug. God is my portion he is my happiness my felicity God is the sum of all good things God is our chief good this should be the language of a Christian A Christian should take up in nothing as his happiness but in God himself 3. Not to set our affections on things on the earth is this not to imploy our principal care and industry about these things Matth. 6.33 Seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof Our chief and principal care ought to be about spiritual and eternal things and then we do not set our affections on earthly things when our first and principal care is not about earthly things but about those other things To seek after and to set a mans affections on earthly things in this place Toto corde desider are Davenant it is with all a mans heart to desire after these things with all a mans might and endeavor to seek after these things Now in this sense we should not set our affections on earthly things that is the main strength of our desires the main strength of our endeavours should not run out to these things It is an expression of Austin Ad Creatorem tendere jubemur non ad crea turam ut efficiamur beati We are commanded to have our tendencie towards the Creator not towards the creature that we may be made happy The command is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy strength and all thy might We are no where commanded to love other things so we are no where commanded to love the creature with all our heart and soul and strength and might we may and ought to love the creature in its place and in subordination to God but we may not love the creature as we love God 4. To have a mans heart taken off from the world it is to be spiritually dead to the world Paul saith of himself that he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him Gal. 6.14 We ought to have dead affections as it were to the world and to earthly things and to have living affections towards God and spiritual things Non usque adeo diligenda terrena quin amplius diligendus Deus Aug. not but that the creature is to be beloved in its place but earthly things are not so to be beloved but that God is much more to be beloved We ought not to love any thing better then God nay we ought not to love any thing equal with God Minus te amat qui aliquiâ— tecum amat quod non propter te amat It is a sweet speech of Austin He loves thee too little who loves any thing together with thee which he doth not love for thee This is to be spiritually dead to the world when if our love to God and the creature be compared our love to the creature is but poor and mean in comparison of that higher love we finde working in our hearts towards God himself A holy soul should be able to say Lord thou art dearer to me then heaven and earth yea then all things in heaven and earth David said so Whom have I in heaven but thee or whom have I on earth that I desire in comparison of thee III. What is that holy contempt of the world we should be aspiring after For thus it is express'd in the Doctrine A Christian ought to have his heart carryed forth to an holy contempt of this world That may be opened in a few particulars briefly 1. We should have low and mean thoughts of the world The contempt of the world consists in this in having low and mean thoughts of the world he that contemns a thing hath low and mean thoughts of that thing He that contemns a thing apprehends no great worth or excellencie in it for which he should esteem it A Christian's contempt of the world consists in this when he hath mean thoughts of the world he sees no such great worth or excellencie in it for which he should admire it Paul accounted all things but loss and dung for the excellencie of the knowledge of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 A Christan that hath a true contempt of the world apprehends there is little good or worth in worldly things in comparison of God and Christ and eternal things It is a great expression of the Apostle We look not to the things which are seen 2 Cor. 4.18 We look not to them What then we overlook them we despise them we look above them we have something greater in our eye and therefore these things seem little to us He that hath a greater good in his eye overlooks a lesser thing a greater good swallows up a lesser good This is an holy contempt of the world to have low and mean thoughts of the world to look upon the world as having no excellencâ—e in it in comparison of God and Christ and eternal things 2. The contempt of the world we should press after is this we should not be too anxious and solicitous about earthly things Matth. 6.31 Take no thought saying What shall we eat what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be cloathed that is take no anxious no solicitous thought about these things Contemnere est rem negligere de tâ non curare To contemn a thing is to neglect it and not to take care about it that is a signe of our contempt of the world when we have no anxious thoughts about it when we are not much concerned about it when we have an holy indifferencie of spirit about it we are thankful to God if he give us these things and yet we are not too much dejected or cast down if he deny these things to us I have learned Phil. 4.14 faith the Apostle in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content Contentation of spirit with a mans present state is a signe that a man is crucified to the world For if a man be wedded to the world then he is troubled and discontented if he have not all he would have 3. The contempt of the world and of earthly things consists in this when a man accounts and thinks with himself that he may be happy without these things Let
soliticious to serve and please God 1. A covetous man loves these outward things more then he loves God that is a mans God which hath most of his heart The great Commandment is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy strength When a man loves any thing more then God that is his god Therefore it is well said of one of the Ancients that a covetous man is guilty of idolatry Non exhibitione ceremoniarum sed oblatione concupiscentiarum not by the offering any ceremonies of worship to his gold and silver but by the oblation of his own desires and affections What the affection of the heart goes out most unto that is set up in the place of God 2. A covetous man trusts in his riches It is proper to God onely to be the object of our trust He that I make to be my God he onely ought to be the great object of my trust Psal 91.2 I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress in him will I trust So that whatsoever it is we make the great object of our trust that is our God A covetous man trusts in his wealth Psal 52.7 Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches 3. A covetous man serves 〈◊〉 riches Hence is that of our Saâ—â—our Matth. 6.24 Ye cannot seâ— God and mammon All a covetoâ— mans care is to serve his own profâ— he hath little care to serve and pleâ— God This is the first thing to shâ— the evil of covetousness it is Idâ—latry 2. Covetousness is such a sin 〈◊〉 doth in a peculiar manner alienâ— and estrange the heart from God Thâ— School-men observe that covetouâ—ness is such a sin as makes us cleaâ— fastest to the creature Maximè adhaesivum creature maximè aversivum à Deo and turns us arâ—â— farthest from God The proper for mal reason and nature of sin lyes iâ— these two things 1. In the averâ—sion of the soul from God the chief good 2. In the conversion of the soul to the creature and covetousness carries both these two in it iâ— carries the soul from God the chieâ— immutable good and carries it to the creature and inferiour mutable good 3. Covetousness is altogether inconsistent with the love of God 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Austin observes from those words There are two loves the love of the world and the love of God If the love of the world inhabit in us the love of God cannot enter into us And hence he infers Exclude malum amorem mundi ut implearis amore Dei Shut out the evil love of the world that so thou mayst be filled with the love of God When the heart is fraught and filled with other loves there is no room for spiritual and divine love This is a sure rule There cannot be two last ends if the world be a mans last end he cannot love God as his last end and therefore the love of the world is inconsistent with the love of God 4. Covetousness is such a sin as is most inconsistent with our communion with God It is a speech of one of the Ancients Amatorem mundi odit spiritus Christi The Spirit of Christ loathes a man that is a lover of the world God is curious of nothing so much as of his peoples affections My son give me thy heart and Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart When those affections which should be reserved for God are reserved for other things God loathes and abominates such a man If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our aabode with him Joh. 14.23 God promises if a man love him he will make his abode with him covetousness is such a sin as is inconsistent with our love to God therefore where the love of God is not God will never make his abode with such a soul 5. Covetousness is such a sin as is most directly contrary to the nature of grace and the work of the new creature in the soul the reason is the nature of grace is to carry out the soul to spiritual things and to cause it to desire spiritual things grace causeth the soul to minde a spiritual happiness and to look after a spiritual happiness grace makes a man see an excellencie in the pardon of sin in the favour of God in the image of God and in conformity to God On the contrary covetousness causeth a man to place his happiness in external things a covetous person placeth his happiness in those things which are bona corporis the good things of the body he regards not grace and spiritual things which are bona animi the good things of the minde Hence it is that the Scripture ranks covetousness amongst the worst of sins Ephes 5.5 Colos 3.5 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither fornicators nor adulterers nor esseminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God Here we see covetousness is rankt with the worst of sins covetousness is as directly contrary to the nature of grace as a gross sin and in some respect more and the reason is because it is possible a man by surprize and upon a sudden temptation may be overtaken with a gross sin when yet the bent of his soul hath been set against it but covetousness consists in this when the bent of a mans affections lyes towards earthly things and therefore nothing is more directly contrary to the nature of Grace then this sin and it becomes us to look to this because it is so inconsistent with the nature of Grace The thorny ground fell short of a true work of Grace upon this account because the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches did choke the world Many a mans profession comes to nought and never rises up to true grace because the love of the world is predominant in him though he may go far and have some seeming good affections yet all comes to nothing because the world hath the predominancie in his heart How much doth it concern us to look well to it to see that we do not loose all our profession upon this accompt that the world hath had more of our hearts then God and Christ have had 6. Covetousness is such a sin as is most contrary to our future life hereafter God shall be all in all hereafter we shall live upon God immediately without other things In heaven as we shall have no other happiness but God so we shall desire no other happiness but God himself If it were possible that the Saints and Angels could desire any thing which
Neither is there any thing we can conceive to be truely excellent and good but it is in him yea whatsoever perfection is possible to be it is in God Deus est bonum infinitissime infinitum Bradwardin God is such a good as is most insinitely infinite O! what folly is it then to have our hearts taken off from the infinitely-blessed God and to have them set upon little narrow things It is an expression that one of the Ancients hath to this purpose The Angels are so inflamed with divine love that all other things yea they themselves seem vile to themselves in respect of God whom they love Did we know God more we should not be so fond of other things Oh! let us turn our souls upon God the chief good there may we love freely and cannot exceed in loving him Fourthly consider the world and earthly things cannot give happiness unto men That is wise love when a man loves that which will make him happie Earthly things cannot do this You may say How doth that appear That is easily made out in few words Earthly things cannot give a man satisfaction while he hath them they cannot keep him from death they cannot comfort him in death and least of all can they be a happiness to him after death Now who would love that which will not answer the end for which he loves it The reason why men love earthly things although they will not confess it it is because they think to finde happiness in them but now that happiness that men think to finde is far from them No temporal thing will afford that to a man which he desires and expects from it Men expect satisfaction from what they do pursue but satisfaction is far from them Why should a man be fond of that which when he hath it his happiness must be in something above it and when he wants it it is possible for him to be happie without it If we had all the things in this world we could desire if we are the children of God and have indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious there is something above those things that we shall still desire Now if when we have the greatest abundance and confluence of earthly things there is something else that we desire and something else that must make us happie in the midst of these things viz. the presence of God and the enjoyment of him and that it is possible for us to be happie in those things without earthly things then there is no reason why our hearts should be so inordinately set upon these earthly things Fifthly consider the inordinate love of earthly things is a perverting of the End for which God gives us these things God never gave us the creatures that we might make them our happiness or pursue them as our last end but God gives us the creatures that we might see himself in them admire him in them and pass from them to him It is a speech of Austin The creature is to be praised for the sake of God the author and original of it not to be worshipped and adored as if it self were God All things are of him and by him and to him Rom. 11.36 All things are from God and they ought to lead to him therefore when we love the creatures as our chief good and stick in them as our last happiness we pervert the end for which they were given to us the creatures were never given for such an end but they were given for this end that we might ascend to God by them We ought to use the creatures not to enjoy them Now then do we use a thing when we use it to a farther end we ought to use the creatures in order to our enjoyment of God as our last end but we ought not to take up with them as if we had no higher end then to enjoy them Sixthly consider the inordinate love of earthly things is an argument of great ignorance and unbelief Every man would desire and love the best thing did he certainly know and believe that there are better things then these that are present to Sence he would love those things We look not to the things that are seen 2 Cor. 4. Paul knew that there were better things then those things that are seen and that these things were real and substantial and therefore his heart was carried out after these things Now because the generality of men do not see these things nor are acquainted with them therefore they desire them not The world lies before men as a fair and pleasant garden and there is many a goodly flower to be seen in it here is pleasure there is profit there is honour these captivate the eyes of men and because things invisible to the outward sences are not seen or perceived by them therefore they minde not these things But O ye sons of men how long will ye turn the glory of God into shame how long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing Psal 4.2 What folly and ignorance is it to think that there are no higher things then those which the Brutes are capable of conversing with as well as you The Brutes may have their outward senses delighted as well as you they may be taken and affected with present visible things as well as you but where are your souls in the mean time where is your intellectual part Can Reason discover nothing to you but what is present and obvious to Sence why then is the candle of the Lord set up within you What sottishness and stupidity is it to believe that there is no happiness to be found but what is to be found in this world As if the life which God lives were no happiness as iâ— so be the life which the Saints and Angels live in above were no happiness While men onely seek earthly things it is a certain signe that they are ignorant of these things Seventhly consider the inordinate love of the world and of earthly things doth greatly unfit a man for death Die we must that is certain and the time of our life here is mosâ— uncertain Now what folly is it to be found in such a frame as will certainly unfit us for death Pythagoras saith of Philosophy That it is a meditation of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certainly the life of a Christian should be a continued meditation of death and if a Christian should always be meditating of death that he may die well die happily and die comfortably then certainly it will be his greatest folly to be taken up with those things that must greatly unfit him for death Now there is nothing that will more unfit a man for death then the inordinate love of earthly things If a mans heart lie in the world how â—oth will he be to part with the world No man is willing to part with that which he loves much When a man that is a lover of the world comes to
to be in them when we come to try them We think to finde much more good sweetness and contentment in these things then indeed we finde in them when we come to experiment what is in them Now that is a vain thing which is empty of that it promiseth that is called vain Vanum dicitur quod re ipsâ destituitur which is destitute of solidity and substance 2. They can never satisfie us now whatsoever cannot satisfie is vain Happiness lyes in satisfaction happiness consists in having all the good a man would have in having all the good that he desires while there is any good a man would have and doth desire and hath it not he is not happy Now there is no man by the enjoyment of any or all earthly things that hath all the good he would have and therefore he is far from satisfaction far from happiness Secondly Earthly things as they are vain so they are vexations the labour and travail in getting them the care and sollicitude in keeping them the fear of loosing them the grief that follows upon the loosing of them the defectiveness of something or other in them when we have the greatest abundance of them the bitternesses that are mingled with them bring a great deal of vexation into earthly things When men are carried away with inordinate love of earthly things they pierce themselves through with many sorrows Qui mundanis se implicat tela parat quibus consodiatur He that intangles himself with worldly things doth but provide darts for himself by which he is thrust through Austin in a discourse of his about the contempt of the world hath a passage to this purpose The bands of this world have a true sharpness but a false sweetness a certain grief but uncertain pleasure hard labour timerous and fearful quiet they are full of misery but empty of happiness Lastly the mordinate love of earthly things doth greatly unfit us for communion with God here and for the enjoyment of him hereafter 1. It unfits us for communion with God here God will not be assable and familiar with that person who desires prizeth loves and delights in any thing more then himself The way to enjoy most of God is to be taken more with God himself then with other things When we are more taken with God himself then with all his gifts when we are inamoured of the Lord himself and God is more sweet to us then all things that come from him this is the way to enjoy most of God Wisdom saith Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me If we love God himself more then his gifts then shall we know what it is to be loved of him Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he shall he loved of my Father and I will love him c. but if we lavish out our hearts upon earthly things and have great and admiring thoughts of them and are vigorous in our pursuit of them and God hath the least part of our thoughts and affections God cares not for such lovers neither may such expect to attain to any friendship or familiatity with him here on earth 2. The love of earthly things as it unfits us for communion with God here so it unfits us for the enjoyment of him hereafter In heaven the faculties of the soul shall be immediately acted upon God the soul will be wholly taken up in contemplating admiring loving delighting in God in praising and adoring of him Now when the heart is wholly taken up with earthly things it is altogether unfitted and indisposed for such a life The soul is coloured as it were with the objects that it converseth with and receives a tincture and an impression from them A man whose spirit is immers'd and drenched in the world will be very unfit to have the faculties of his soul carryed forth upon God The best way to have our souls suited and adapted to the future life it is to keep our spirits at as great a distance as may be from present things We should be saying often in our own souls Oh the blessed state Oh the blessed life that is above Oh to see God to love him to go to him to live with him in his eternity How sweet is that life When we are without those earthly things which we desire we should say our true life our true happiness is above where there shall be no more need or use of these things when we have the most of these things our hearts should be carried up above these things and say We expect and look for and long after another happiness a happiness that is above these things We should keep our hearts in the most reserved frame for the future life and the future state We should not suffer our spirits to mingle too far with present things Our hearts should sit so loose to present things that we may be ready to lay down these things and to take up with the happiness that is above If we suffer our spirits to launch forth too far into the world it will be a hard matter to reduce them and when the cry is made Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye forth to meet him we shall be very unfit to entertain his Call If our souls stick and be taken up in the things of time we shall be very unfit and unready to deliver them up into eternity AN APPENDIX Concerning Laying hold of eternal life 1 Tim. 6.12 Lay hold on eternal life The whole verse is read thus Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses Lay hold on eternal life LIFE is the great thing which we all desire there is nothing we fear so much as death nothing we desire so much as life This Text acquaints us what is the true life Lay hold on eternal life Amemus vitam aeternam Austin O let us love eternal life It is eternal life that is onely worth the name of life therefore since we are so fond of life since life is most pleasing to us of all other things let us love that life that is truly so This temporal life which we now live is not worth the name of life in comparison of eternal life The Text contains in it a double Gospel-precept 1. Fight the good fight of faith 2. Lay hold on eternal life It is the later of these precepts that I shall a little insist upon Lay hold on eternal life The Doctrine that offers it self to our consideration from the words is this Doctrine That it is the duty of Christians t◠lay hold of eternal life In this Point there are two things to be spoken unto 1. The Object 2. The Act. The Object is eternal life The Act is Lay hold on eternal life So that that which will bound our discourse as to the Explication of the Point will be these two things 1. To shew what