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
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
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
is in any earthly thing and when he is come to the end of that sweetne's which he did injoy he desires more therefore when a mans enjoyment hath been highest he still desires more Nothing can satisfie the soul but some transcendent good such a good as is so great as is more then the soul can take in So long as the soul is capable of taking in more it is not satisfied Now a man may take in all the delight and contentment that is to be found in earthly things and when he hath taken in all he is capable of taking in more This is clear in Solomon who made an experiment of all things under the Sun and when he had tryed all he cryed out All is vanity and vexation of spirit The capacity of the soul is too great and too big for any earthly thing to fill it and therefore when the soul hath passed from one temporal thing to another and tryed what is in one and in another it remains unsatisfied still Reas 4 4. Earthly things will not comfort a man when he comes to dye Riches avail not in the day of wrath it will be little comfort to a man when he comes to dye to think what he hath enjoyed or what he is like to leave behinde him nay if a man have placed his happiness and felicity in earthly things it will be the greatest torment to him to think that he must leave these things Come to a man that is at the point of death and who knows for certain that he shall dye shew him gold and silver bring forth his Jewels and most precious Treasures tell him of his Lands and Fossessions and how little will these things signifie Oh but tell him of everlasting happiness assure him that death shall do him no harm that there is a life beyond this and that he shall be câ—rtainly happy in that life and this will signifie something to him Reas 5 5. Earthly things are not our last happiness our last and true happiness is beyond any thing in this world Mundus non patria sed captivitas nobiâ— est The world is not our country but the place of our captivity and bondage Our last and true happiness is to live in he Divine presence to see and enjoy God in the heavens Now that which is not our last happiness deserves not to have the main of our affections that which deserves to take up our hearts is our last happiness we should be setting our hearts upon that which will continue always we should be thinking of the life we must live in the other world and how we are like to spend the days of eternity that is the state that is worth thinking of when time shall be no more when there shall be no more changes when we shall be wholly taken up in the contemplation of the first original of all things that is the state that is worth thinking of of which I can say Thus it shall be for ever that is the state that is worth thinking of of which I can say When once I am come into it there is no alteration in it Here is always joy always life always satisfaction Here is no sorrow no pain no grief no death no fear of death Reas 6 6. Earthly things have no influence as to a mans happiness so as of themselves to make him ever the happier at last It is true Temporal blessings so far as they are sanctified so far as they further a man in the ways of God and help him forward toward the heavenly Country so far they are mercies and so far they may in a sort be said to conduce to a mans last happiness but consider temporal things in themselves they have no influence upon a mans last happiness Love or hatred cannot be known by any thing under the Sun No man can conclude by the meer enjoyment of thâ—se things that he is the more beloved of God at present or that he shall have the higher place in heaven hereafter Abraham saith to the rich man Son Luk. 16.25 remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented God gives to some men their portion in this life This they shall have this is all they shall have He fills their bellies with his hid treasures but this is all they shall have he denies to them the heavenly inheritance Reas 7 7. Earthly things are so far from having an influence upon a mans last happiness as that they do many times blunt and hinder the soul in its pursuit ater eternal things Amor terrenarum viscum spiritualium The love of earthly things is as bird lime to the soul as to the pursuite of spiritual things when a poor Bird is taken in the lime-twigs his wings are pinioned that he cannot flie upward the love of earthly things pinions the wings of the soul that it cannot ascend to God and eternal things Terrenarum appetitus tenebras animarum nostrarum densat The inordinate desire of earthly things thickens the darkness of the soul the violence and impetuousness of the affections to carthly things blindes the judgement and darkens the eye of the minde when the affections are violently set upon earthly things the minde cannot see and behold the excellencie of spiritual things Nothing so great an enemy to growth in grace as the love of earthly things A man that is addicted to the love of earthly things can neither see the evil that is in sin nor the beauty that is in holiness Mundo alligati spiritualis vitii vix possunt nomen apprehendere Men that are bound and tyed fast to the world can hardly understand the name of a spiritual sin Tell a man that is immers'd and drowned in the world of spiritual sins of spiritual pride self-self-love inordinate affection hypocrisie formality in duty and the like he understands none of these things his conscience is so benummed through the love of the world that he is not sensible of these things And as the love of earthly things dulls the spiritual senses of the soul that a man cannot apprchend sin so it blunts the soul in the pursuit after grace and holiness the love of earthly things kills and extinguishes the love of God If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 I remember it is an expression of Peter Martyr concerning Soloman What love could Solomon have for God who distributed and parted his love among a thousand wives And we may say What love can men retain for God the chief good who part and divide their love to so many lower and inferiour goods Reas 8 8. It is the depressing and debasing of the soul for a man to set his affections on earthly things The soul was made for higher things and 't is capable of higher things the soul was made for converse
after eternal life The more our desires run out in one chanel the less will they run out in another Did we covet to live with God more to be admitted into the Divine presence to live in that state in which the Saints and Angels live we should covet other things less this is the truely noble covetousness we cannot covet this too much to live with God in his eternity Oh let us love eternal life If we have right thoughts of the future life and the future state we shall see nothing worth desiring and coveting in comparison of that state 7. Let us pray for a holy contentation of spirit with our present state This is the Directiou which the Apostle insinuates Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with the things which you have Contentation with our present state would prevent covetousness the reason why our desires are immoderate is because we are not content with Gods allewance Divine providence is never overseen Divina providentia not potest falli never mistaken Divine Wisdom measures out to every man what is best and if we could think so that would keep our desires from being too violent and impetuous after these things Lastly let us set before us the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he is the highest Pattern of holiness in every kinde Christ when he was in the world he was Lord of all yet he possessed little and as he possessed little of the world so he did not covet and seek after the things of the world His heart was wholly taken up in glorifying the Father and in finishing the work which he had given him to do he minded not gold or silver lands or possessions his heart was set upon other things True it is that having taken to himself not onely our nature but also the infirmities of it he used the things of the world in his passage as things accommodate unto that state of Humiliation unto which he had voluntarily subjected himself yet a little sufficed him of these things that were necessary for the support of nature so far was he from designing to heap up wealth and riches and from seeking great things for himself in the world Use 3 3. Of Admonition To admonish us not to set our hearts upon the world and earthly things This is the counsel which the Spirit of God gives us 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world This Admonition is most solemn if this solemn Admonition which the Spirit of God gives us will not bear weight in our conscience what little hope can we have that any other Admonitions should take place Vae tibi si amaveris condita deserueris Creatorem pulcra tibi sunt sed quanto pulcrior est qui ista formavit Aug. if so clear and express a Prohibition Love not the word do not bear sway with us what should Wo to thee saith Austin if thou love created things and forsake the Creator these things seem beautiful unto thee but how much more beautiful is he that made these things We are all of us too prone to fall into the love of the world and of earthly things When first we left God in our Apostacie in Adam we fell from God into the creature and there we have stuck ever since and it must be the mighty power of divine Grace to recover us out of the creature and to bring us back to God the love of the world is the great temptation to most of us I often think of the last counsel which an holy man gave a little before his death as he was drawing on toward his dissolution he called his Relations to him and gave them this as his last advice Make sure of Christ saith he and take heed of the world I have found that my greatest enemy If the world be our greatest enemy we have need to watch so much the more against it That which we shall do more in the prosecution of this Use is to propound several Considerations to take us off from the love of the world and earthly things First Consider the love of the world and of earthly things is a great wrong and injury done to God Aug. He that loves the creatures more then God offends the Creator We cannot love the world too much but we must of necessity love God too little No man can serve two masters So much as our love is let forth inordinately upon the creature it must of necessity be withdrawn from God Now this is the highest Sacriledge and Injustice Sacriledge to rob God of that which is his due Injustice to give that to the creature which is not due to it Secondly consider the Soul was made for greater things the Soul being an immortal and an eternal principle was made to converse with eternal things and to seek for happiness in eternal things Therefore when we love temporal things and pursue them as our happiness we forget the true nobleness and dignity of our own souls That which doth distinguish us from the Brutes is an intellectual principle whereby we are capable of contemplating and pursuing something that is eternal the Brutes minde present things It is the property of Sence to minde something present and to go no further When we onely minde and pursue present things we depress our selves beneath our own species and bring our selves as it were into the rank of Brutes and sensitive creatures Thirdly consider there are greater things for us to love there is a greater and fairer happiness that lies before us we have God and Christ to love there are eternal things that lie before us Non satiat animam nisi incorruptibilis gaudii vera certa aeternitas Aug. Serò te amavi pulchritudo tam antiqua tam nova serò te amavi Aug. Nothing satisfieth the soul but the true and certain eternity of that joy which is not corruptible Who would fix his eyes upon a Glow-worm that hath the Sun to look upon I have loved thee to late saith Austin O thou that art so ancient a beauty and so new and fresh a beauty I have loved thee too late We have the living and eternal God to love and yet we love dying things Well may we wonder at our selves that having the infinite and eternal God whom we might make the object of our affections we should take up with things so far short of him What are a few drops compared to the Ocean what are a few weak rays in comparison of the Sun what are all the creatures in comparison of the Creator God is an infinite Sea of perfection there are no bounds nor limits to his perfections In God there is all good that is desirable all perfection imaginable all perfection possible Do we desire life he is the fountain of life Do we desire wisdom he is the fountain of wisdom Do we desire holiness he is the fountain of holiness
Heavenly mindedness AND Earthly-mindedness In Two PARTS With an APPENDIX Concerning Laying hold on Eternal life By JOHN ROWE LONDON Printed by J. C. for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet MDCLXXII To the READER IT is the chief point of Wisdom to know what is true happiness If we place happiness in that which is not happiness we shall be deceived so much the more at last The things of this world cannot be happiness to us because the soul must live beyond them when the soul is gone out of the body it sees it self incircled with broad and vast â—â—ternity and when it is in its separate state it meets with none of those sensible Objects which it endavoured to suck contentment from whilst it lived in the body at what a loss then must that soul be for happiness who knew no other happiness but what was to be taken in from sensible things The designe of this small Tract is to put us upon the contemplation of that which must be happiness to us at last It is no difficult thing for us to come in our thoughts to the end of all those things which now we take comfort in Life it self and all the comforts of it must shortly have an end Now since all these things must have an end a short and speedy end it may not seem unreasonable for us to consider what the next state of things is like to be and what it is that must make us happy at last 2 Cor. 4.18 The things that are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The minde of man is not quieted neither indeed can it be until it meets with something that will be happiness to it and it never meets with happiness until it sindes all the good it would have and also knows it shall have that good always without diminution intermission or cessation God alone is an infinite and an eternal good Nothing can be happiness to the reasonable creature but to enjoy him as the chief good and to acquiesce in him as its last ond and then is the minde quieted when it comes to six and rest in him The scope of the whole Discourse is to gather in our souls from sensible things unto God and to six them in the contemplation of that which must be our happiness at last That which was mainly designed in the first Part which concerns Heavenly-mindedness was to make some Essay how we might be brought to some suitableness and conformity to the life of Heaven and to shew so far as we could how we might be led into the beginnings of that life here on earth And that is the true reason why that which concerns that Matter is more insisted on and drawn out to a greater inlargement then might seem preportionable to the rest of the Discourse The other Part which concerns Earthly-mindedness was not to be omitted because it lyes so full in the Text and too sad experience teacheth that we need not more to be stirred up to the desire and love of eternal things then we do need to be warned against the love of this World which is the great Rock upon which many Professors split their Profession and indeed the great obstacle which keeps them off from the pursuit of eternal things All that I shall add more is that if Divine Grace help us to get up a little into the Spirit of the future life I am perswaded we shall finde it the sweetest frame of spirit whilst we live and to be sure most comfortable to us when we come to dye I doubt not but upon experience this will be found true that the firm and stedfast belief the desire and expectation of eternal things is much more sweet then the highest injoyment of temporal things And it will be no grief of heart to us when we come to dye that we have been a little acquainted with and in some sort accustomed unto that life here on earth which must be our life when we enter into the other world and must continue to be so unto Eternity THere is newly printed a Book intitled The worm that dyeth not Or Hell-torments in the certainty and eternity of them plainly discovered in several Sermons preached on Mark 9.48 by that painful and laborious Minister of the Gospel William Strong published by Dr. Thomas Manton and Mr. Jo. Rowe Sold by Fran. Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet The first part Concerning Heavenly-Mindedness Colos Chap. 3. Vers 1 2. Vers 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Vers 2. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth THe scope of the Apostle in the whole context is to press us to the great Duty of Heavenly-mindedness Hic Paulus Colossenses hortatur ad meditationem caelestis vitae Calv. in Loc. Calvin observes the Apostle doth here exhort us to the meditation on of the Heavenly life We finde it very difficult for us to get up our hearts into Heaven we are most prone to stick in this earth and to rise no higher in our thoughts and affections then visible things and therefore there is great need that this duty of Heavenly-mindedness should be pressed upon us Now the Apostle propounds his exhortation whereby he presseth us to the Duty of Heavenly-mindedness two manner of ways 1. Affirmatively 2. Negatively I. Affirmatively in two expressions 1. Seek those things which are above in the first Verse 2. Set your affections on things that are above Verbum cogitandi magis exprimit assiduitatem studii vehementiam ac si diceret sit haec tota vestra meditatio huc ingenuum huc animum applicate Calvin in the second Verse The Apostle aims at one and the same thing in both expressions Seek those things that are above Set your affections on things that are above All that the Apostle aims at in both is this that he would have us to be Heavenly-minded onely to inforce the exhortation the more he repeats and doubles it and the variation of the phrase adds some more weight to the exhortation we must not onely seek but set our affections upon the things which are above It is not enough for us to seek the things that are above in any manner or after any sort in a careless indifferent way but we must set our affections upon these things that is our hearts must be taken up in them these must be the great things that must take up our souls II. The Apostle having propounded this exhortation affirmatively he comes to propound it negatively at the latter end of the second Verse Not on things which are upon the earth Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth So that as the Apostles scope is to press us to Heavenly-mindedness so his designe also is to press us to a holy contempt of this world and to take
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
give that to the creature which is due to God onely this must needs be a great impediment to heavenly-mindedness A man that would be heavenly-minded whilst he is using lawful things ought to think with himself These things are good for present use these things are suitable to my present state these things are good so far as I see God in them but these things are not my happiness my happiness is a superiour happiness my happiness is to live with God and Christ in the other world therefore though I use these things I ought not to think them to be my chief good nor to take up my rest in them 7. Another impediment of heavenly-mindedness is too much addictedness to the love of this life We are exceeding loth to think of going hence we would fain live a little longer here on earth that we might solace our selves in outward comforts and enjoyments This addictedness to the present life is a great impediment to heavenly mindedness He that would be heavenly minded ought to sit loose from this world and the present life he should be able to think with contentment of going hence and entring into the future state the thoughts of the divine presence into which we are to enter should wean us from this world and the love of this present life We should labour to have such great thoughts of the Divine presence into which we are to enter that it should not be grievous to us to part with this world and all creatures and to part with this life to go into that presence 2 Cor. 5.8 Absent from the body and present with the Lord. No sooner do we leave the body but presently and immediately if we be the Lords we enter into the Divine presence Now the thoughts of that presence should so over-power our souls that we should be willing to quit our station here to enter into that presence It is a speech which one of the Ancients hath There are some saith he Solo leternitatis amore pâ—â—cuntur that are fed onely with the love of eternity O these are blessed souls indeed but how few such souls as these are there to be found We are so much wedded to the present life so much addicted to present things that we cannot rise up to the contemplation of eternal things we cannot be willing to forgo this life and present things to go to God and live with him in his eternity This fondness of the present life is a great impediment to Heavenly-mindedness 8. Another impediment of heavenly-mindedness is presumption of long life The generality of men are apt to think it is soon enough to think of eternity and the future life when they are grown old or brought into some great sickness so that they have no hope of a longer life and we are apt to think of a long life here on earth we are too apt to presume there are some more years we may live and this inclines us to think how we may make the best of this world while we live in it and so we put off the thoughts of the future state But we ought to be of another frame and temper we ought to pray as Moses did Psal 90. Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom And what is it so to number our days as to apply our hearts to wisdom but this So to consider that our present life is short and uncertain here on earth as to think of another life and state that is more lasting and permanent and to prepare for it Death may surprise us before we are aware and to be sure we cannot live long much less always here on earth this therefore is true wisdom to consider how we are like to spend the days of eternity and what the life is we are like to live in the other world A wise man will consider the end of things he will consider how things are like to be with him at last True wisdom respects the longest state and duration of things To presume of a long life here on earth which if it were the longest is not so much as a moment to eternity and to forget the future state which is everlasting this is the greatest folly 9. Another impediment of heavenly mindedness is a false opinion of the world and of earthly things Men think there is more good more happiness more satisfaction in the world then indeed there is to be found in it No man will minde and look after an absent and an unseen happiness when there is an happiness as he imagines that is present and lies before him The world lies before men as a fair and a pleasant field and there are variety of flowers appear in it this and the other pleasure this and the other contentment that presents it self Surely think men if I am in such a condition I shall finde something there if I have this enjoyment I shall finde happiness there but the world is not that which men take it for when they have tried the variety of pleasures and conditions they expected happiness in they do not finde that happiness and satisfaction in them they expected All earthly pleasures have an emptiness in them and leave the soul under a greater thirst after the enjoyment of them then it was in before It was the speech of a Philosopher that Plutarch mentions What gluttonous person is there that saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now I have eaten and it is enough and what amorous person saith Now I have loved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is enough Carnal pleasures are so far from quenching the thirst of the soul that they do increase it and though it commonly falls out that sensual men are soon surfeited and cloyed with one pleasure yet not finding that which they expect in one pleasure that doth beget in them a thirst after some new pleasures These golden dreams of finding happiness in earthly delights makes men forget the true pleasures the pleasures that are at Gods right hand This imaginary happiness which men please themselves with in earthly things takes them off from minding that which is solid substantial happiness indeed 10. Another impediment of Heavenly-mindedness is want of a due consideration of the glory and eternity of the future state The reason why men desire no more and long no more after future things it is because they do not duely consider the glory and eternity of future things The Scripture tells us Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him In his presence there is fulness of joy at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore and they shall drink abundantly of the river of his pleasure The glory which thou hast given to me I have given to them All these things and much more doth the Scripture speak concerning the future
part with them and quit our interest in them when God calls us so to do When a man holds fast his estate and comforts when it is clear God calls him to forgo them it is a signe such a man hath little contempt of the world in him 7. We ought to contemn the world so as not to envie others for their worldly prosperity When a man thinks that others are happie and that he is not happie because he enjoys not what they do this is a certain signe such a man hath too great and admiring thoughts of the world and earthly things A man that hath an holy contempt of earthly things knows that men are not made happie by these things and therefore if God hath given him higher and better things Himself his Son his Spirit his grace pardon of sin and the hopes of eternal things he is not troubled to see God heaping temporal things upon such to whom he denies these things Therefore this is another thing wherein the contempt of the world doth consist when we contemn the world so as not to envie others for their worldly prosperity We come now to the Reasons of the Doctrine why we ought to have our hearts taken off from the world and from earthly things Reas 1 1. Because there is little good in earthly things Earthly things are rather good in shew and appearance then have any thing of solid good in them The good that is in earthly things is more in appearance then reality And as the world makes a greater shew of good then indeed is to be found in it so what good there is in it it is so thin and mean that it is not that which men take it for Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches take themselves wings and flee away Some observe that here are two Arguments to condemn the sin of Covetousness the one is taken from the vanity of riches the other from the instability of them It is the first of these that I am speaking of Wilt thou set thy bea rt upon that which is not Riches are not what they seem to be there is not so much good in them as men take to be in them External things have little of solid worth or excellencie in them Wisdom saith of her self that she will cause them that love her to inherit substance Prov. 8.21 In the Original it is that which is that which hath essence substance existence So the meaning is Those that love wisdom shall inherit substantial riches such riches as have real worth in them Christ grace and spiritual things they are real solid substantial goods there is substance solidity in these things But now external things they are not that is there is none of that substantial solid worth in them Not but that the creatures of God are good in their kinde and for the uses for which God hath appointed them the Lord made all things and behold they were good very good But when we say there is little good in these things the meaning is there is little good in them in comparison of spiritual and eternal things Bonum unus gratiae majus bono Naturae totius universi Aquinas The good of one Grace is greater then the good of Nature even of the whole Vniverse Also there is little of that good in them which men take to be in them men think that perfection is to be found in these things they think that happiness is to be enjoyed in these things earthly things are good in their place and for the uses God hath appointed them but they are not good to make a man happy they were never created for such an end and therefore if men think that these things are good to make them happy and that happiness lyes in them they are lamentably mistaken Reas 2 2. Earthly things are mutable changeable things as there is little good in earthly things so that little good that is in them is very mutable variable and inconstant This appears from the former Scripture Riches take themselves wings and flie away If a man should have a flock of Birds pitch in his Field should he set his heart on them should he think himself the richer for them before ever he can get near them they take the wing and flie away So unstable and uncertain are the things of this world no sooner doth a man approach to them and think to suck a little comfort and contentment from them but they are gone and pass away 1 Joh 2.17 1 Cor. 7.31 The world passeth away and the lust thereof The fashion of this world passeth away Temporal things are Herbae marcescentes withering Herbs All flesh is as grass and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field saith the Prophet Isai 40. Should a man set his heart on a fine flower in his Garden to day it flourishes to morrow all the beauty and glory of it is gone such are temporal things It is an expression Austin hath Tâ—â—spem poniâ— in rebus praesâ—â—tibus nec praesentibus nec eum dieenda sunt praesentia nunquam stantia Thou puttest thy trust in present things which yet are not present for those things are not to be called present that have no consistence that never stand or abide in one constant state If a man would set his heart upon any thing it is his greatest wisdom to set his heart upon that which is immutable for if a man set his heart upon changeable things his happiness must needs alter and change as oft as the things do that his happiness is made up of Now all earthly things are of a changeable nature and therefore it becomes us not to set our hearts inordinately upon these things If we love unchangeable things we shall have an unchangeable happiness 1 Joh. 2.15 16 17. Love not the world nor the things of the world for the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever The scope of the Apostle is to disswade us from the love of the world and to perswade us to the love of God the argument that he useth to disswade us from the love of the world is because the world is a mutable thing the argument he useth to perswade men to the love of God is because God is eternal and immutable He that doth the will of God abideth for ever One of the Ancients reads it thus He that doth the will of God abides for ever even as God abides for ever And Austine hath this expression Tenete dilectionem Dei Hold fast your love to God that as God is eternal so you may abide for ever Reas 3 3. Earthly things leave the soul unsatisfied after the gâ—â—atest in joyment of them Eccles 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver A man may quickly come to the end of all the good the pleasantness the sweetness the delight that
an happiness here on earth but our great hope should be above we should cast anchor within the veil Heb. 6.19 expect happiness in what is to be enjoyed on the other side of time If the main of our hopes and expectation be in this life we and our hopes are like to perish together for we our selves must die and the things we hope for and make account of as our happiness they must die and perish it is good therefore to have such an hope as will not fail us nor deceive us If we look for the main of our happiness yea our onely true happiness in the next world not in this world this is such a hope as will never deceive us A man that hath fixt his hopes in eternal things when he hath lost any temporal thing the main of his happiness is still where it was his hopes and expectations were carried above this world and therefore whatsoever his losses and disappointments were here on earth this doth not shake his happiness his happiness was placed elsewhere before and he is at the same point still 6. To lay hold on eternal life it is not to suffer the comfort of eternal life to be wrested from us As we ought to live much in the hope and expectation of eternal life so we ought to take comfort in the hope and expectation of eternal life Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope As we ought to hope for eternal life so we ought to rejoyce in the hope of eternal life I conceive that much of the force of the Text lies here Lay hold on eternal life unto which thou art called and hast made a good profession before many witnesses It is as much as if the Apostle had said Thou hast a true and an undoubted title to eternal life thou hast a firm sure title to eternal life thy vocation and calling as a Christian â—ntitles thee to eternal life Lay hold on eternal life unto which thou art called that eminent profession of faith which thou hast made as a Christian and as a Minister both in thy life and doctrine this gives an evidence and proof of thy right and title to eternal life Now this is the force of the Apostles argument Since thou hast so firm a title to eternal life lay claim to it as thy own live in the hope and comfort of it and do not suffer the comfort of eternal life to be wrested from thee Much of the meaning of the Text seems to be contained in this The Greek word as it signifies to pursue after a thing so also to hold it fast and retain it when once we have gotten it So that the designe of the Apostle is to perswade Timothy to hold firm and fast the hope of eternal life not to part with the hope of salvation upon any terms Lay hold on eternal life it is as much as if it had been said Do not part with thy hopes of salvation and eternal life upon any terms The stedfast assured hope of salvation is the great thing that must carry us thorow the difficulties sufferings and afflictions of our pilgrimage here on earth Therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Thessalonians that they would take for an helmet the hope of salvation 1 Thess 5.8 Putting on the brestplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Intimating thus much that if they had a well-grounded hope of salvation this would fortifie them against all the afflictions they were to meet with here by the way Whatever afflictions sufferings and troubles we meet with here in this world if we can cast an eye to the heavenly country and see that we have a part there all is well above there is none of those troubles fears sorrows where the main of our hope happiness and expectation lies Therefore let us not part with or let go the comfort of eternal life if we part with the comfort of eternal life we lose that which must be the standing comfort of our life nothing can bear us up under the afflictions of this life but the solid well-grounded assurance of eternal life Lastly To lay holy of eternal life it is to look after the first fruits of the spirit and to labour after an inchoate possession of eternal life in our souls here on earth Our Saviour teacheth us He that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternal life Joh. 6.54 He hath it that is he hath it in the beginning of it And concerning his Sheep he saith I give them eternal life Joh. 10. He speaks in the present tense what he doth do for the present I give unto them eternal life Christ hath already made over eternal life to his people he hath given them a right and a title to it and he hath given them the beginning of it in their souls here on earth it is a great Text Joh. 4.14 The water that I shall give shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life The plain meaning seems to be that Grace and that of the Spirit of God which Christ hath given to his people here on earth shall never leave them till it hath brought them to eternal life The Spirit of God that is in the hearts of the Saints and the Grace of Godwhich is wrought in them shall nover leave them till it hath brought them to eternal life Hence it is that the Spirit of God is called the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.14 an earnest is part of the bargain the Spirit of God that dwells in the hearts of Believers is an earnost of eternal glory for what is heaven but a fuller manifestation of the Spirit of God in us which manifests and puts it self forth in part in us here on earth So that so far as we are sensible of the indwelling of the Spirit of God and the operation of it in our souls so far we have an carnest of eternal glory This is that water which shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life We should labour therefore to be sensible of the indwelling of the Spirit and of the operation of the Spirit of God in us in a way of grace and of comfort In this sense we should lay hold of eternal life that is we should be earnestly pressing and making after it in our own souls we should pray carnestly that God would let down more of eternal life into our souls here on earth As he once said Lord come down to me or take me up to thee We should pray that eternal life may come down more into our souls here on earth This should be the highest ambition of a Christian to perceive and feel more of the dawnings puttings forth of eternal life in his soul here on earth It is not impossible for us to perceive and feel the dawnings and puttings forth of eternal life in our souls here on earth and this is that we should earnestly pray for Someof the last words
live always If I am sure to live why do I fear death If we lay hold on eternal life and finde the beginnings of that life in our souls we have that life set up in us which cannot expire Joh. 6.44 He that eats my flesh and drinks my bloud hath eternal life How can that be lost which is eternal that which is eternal cannot be lost It is a great skill to be able to distinguish between this natural life which we live in common with other men and that spiritual life which we live as Christians The natural life of a Saint is subject to death as other mens is although the curse of it be taken away but there is a life in a Saint and that is the life which he lives in and by the Spirit of God and this is such a life as cannot be extinguished We should labour for that spiritual skill as to be able to distinguish between these two kindes of life and not be without hope as other men when this natural life ceaseth we should remember there is a life in us that cannot dye If we have begun to know God to love God to live upon him and to live to him here on earth we shall not cease to know him to love him to live upon him to live to him in eternity and to eternity Vse 1 1. We come now to the Uses of this Doctrine and there are onely two that we shall make of it The first Use shall be of Reprehension If we ought to lay hold on eternal life two things are hence to be reprehended 1. That we are so much taken up in following this world and in the pursuit of temporal things 2. That we are so much addicted to the love of this life I. We are to be reprehended that we are so much taken up in following this world and in the pursuit of temporal things Lay hold on eternal life If we ought to lay hold on eternal life then we ought to live above the world and contemn it The eager pursuit of this world is most contrary to our laying hold on eternal life We cannot pursue two things at once while we are pursuing hard after the world we must needs let Heaven and Salvation go The greatest part of men think not on eternal things they live as if they were always to live here on earth they never think of a future state nor do they provide for it But if we ought to lay hold of eternal life if that ought to be the mark and scope in our eye that shews that we are far wide of that which ought to be our true mark and scope when we are wholly taken up with temporal things and neglect eternal II. We are to be reprehended that we are so much addicted to the love of this life We are commanded to love eternal life and to lay hold on that but we are found of this life and loth to part with it He is a rare soul that is satisfied with life here on earth and hath such an apprehension of the reality and excellencie of eternal life that this life groweth out of esteem with him I grant that this natural life is a blessing as other temporal blessings are but as it is possible for us to love other things too much so it is possible yea too common to love this life too much and it is the wisdom of God to imbitter this life to us by many afflictions because we are so fond of it and that he may weary us out of it and cause us to long for that which is the true life Vita longa long a infirmitas a long life is a long infirmity and we may adde Longa tentatio a long temptation What is our whole life but a life of tryals and temptations It is true we may value and prize life for these two ends 1. To work out our Salvation to make ready for the coming of the Bridegroom 2. That we may do some work and service for God that we may glorifie him upon the earth and finish the work that he hath given us to do But to be over-fond of this life meerly for lifes sake is a certain signe of unbelief It is a signe we have little knowledge of another life little acquaintance with eternal life Had we a prospect by faith of a better and more excellent life we should not be so over fond of this life Vse 2 2. By way of Exhortation to exhort us all to put the duty of the Text in practice Let us labour to lay hold on eternal life Oh! let us labour to call up our hearts from visible things to invisible from present things to future from momentary things to eternal the things of the other world are never the less real because they are out of sight Atheists think that eternal life and all future things are but a fiction but we may use to them that Speech of Cyprian In aeternam poenam serò tandem credent qui in aeternam vitam credere noluerunt Cyprian They shall believe too late to their eternal torment who would not believe to eternal life But let Atheists and Scoffers say what they please we do know or ought to know that eternal life is the greatest reality God that cannot lye hath promised us eternal life Titus 1.2 The great promise of the Gospel is eternal life 1 Joh. 2.25 This is the promise that he hath given to us eternal life Unless we make God to be a lyar we must take eternal life for the greatest reality In the prosecution of this Use I shall onely propound some Directions for the better putting in practice of this duty to shew us how we ought to lay hold of eternal life 1. Let us have great and admiring thoughts of eternal life We should labour to have our hearts raised up with the consideration of the excellencie of this life Quanta erit illa faelicitas ubi nullum erit malum nullum latebit bonum Aug. Civit. Dei. How great shall that happiness be where there shall be no evil present and no good shall be wanting where we shall be wholly taken up in the praises of God and God shall be all in all we shall see and love love and praise as Austin expresseth it This natural life which now we live is not worth the name of life in comparison of eternal life nay it deserves to be called a death rather then a life for we always carry about sin with us which is the matter cause of death But in eternal life we shall not onely be free from sorrow but from sin the cause of sorrow yea we shall be free from the possibility of sinning Mans first happiness in the state of Innocencie was posse non peccare a power not to have sinned His last happiness in Heaven is non posse peccare not to be able to sin at all Though man in his first estate was endowed with such a power
that he might not have sinned yet it was possible for him to sin and he did sin but in eternal life the will shall be so confirmed as that there shall not be a possibility of sinning Oh! how great will that happiness be when the soul shall enjoy the sweetness of eternal joys without intermission when the soul shall forget all its sins and sorrows as to any sense or experience of them yet not so as to be unthankful to him who hath been its Saviour and Deliverer 2. We should breathe long and suspire after eternal life We should elevate and lift up our hearts abovetime and this lower world breathe after the sweetness and delights of the Heavenly Country Those breathings that are in the hearts of the Saints after eternal things Cum sitimus res coelestes tum sentimus perpetuò aliquid gaudii voluptatis Roloc. in Joh. give them some taste of those things When we thirst after heavenly things saith a judicious Divine we do always perceive and experiment something of joy and sweetness Those breathings that are in the hearts of the Saints after eternal life are some of the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.22 We our selves which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption the redemption of our bodies Other men feel no such longings and breathings as these are for although there be a natural instinct in all men which carries them out to desire happiness yet none but the Saints long and breathe after the enjoyment of God as their happiness Therefore so far as we finde a thirst kindled in our souls after the sight and enjoyment of God in eternal life so far we have an earnest of eternal life in our souls How great a thing should it be to us to be admitted to the sight of the Divine Majesty to be taken up from the light of the Sun and Moon to the light of him who made the Sun and the Moon as Austin expresseth it It is a good observation of Luther How much joy is there when God doth exhibit by the Word one drop of consolation to such as are tempted and afflicted in conscience but far greater and unexpressible will that joy be when the God of all consolation shall reveal himself and shall wholly pour himself forth unto us in eternal life How should we breathe after this life Thirdly let us place our happiness and expect it no where but in eternal life We should carry our hope and expectation above this world and never expect to finde happiness Ipse finis erit desideriorum nostorum qui sins fine videhitur sine fastidio amabitur sine fatigatione landabitur Aug. until we come to live with God in eternal life He shall be the end of our desires who shall be seen without end loved without nauseousness praised without wearisomness This is life eternal c. It is a vain thing to expect happiness until we come to see God and to live with him in his eternity If the Lord make our passage in any measure tolerable thorow this world this is a mercy if he give us any comfort in outward things in this world these are mercies so far as he is seen and loved in them otherwise the best comforts here on earth are pitiful things for what can be truely good from which the chief good is absent Deus est omnis boni bonum God is the good of every good and nothing is good but as he appears in it But we ought to remember that our true and great happiness is to live in the Divine presence above and to have the sight of God to eternity And it is not possible that any soul that hath had one glimpse or one true taste of him should think any thing to be happiness short of that sight This therefore is to lay hold of eternal life to keep our spirits aloof off from the world as much as may be and to keep our spirits reserved for the enjoyment of God in eternal life The enjoyment of God in eternal life is the point and centre that we should be moving and tending unto When the Lord gives us any of the comforts and blessings of this life when he gives us estates friends the comfort of relations we should say These are the gifts of God and so far they are good but these are not my happiness my happiness is God himself my happiness is to see him and to live with him in his eternity Here should our desires rest and terminate and though we defire and use many things for necessity in the present state yet our desire and expectation should be still carried above these things and end no where but in the enjoyment of God Quis alius noster est finis nisi pervenire ad regnum cujus nullus est finis Aug. What other end have we but to come to that kingdom of which there is no end Fourthly we should labour to be in a readiness and preparedness of spirit to enter upon eternal life 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blame Our ambition should be to be found in such a posture and to keep our souls in such an holy evenness as that nothing may impede or hinder our free passage out of Time into Eternity We should labour to keep our Consciences pure We should see that the guilt of no sin remain upon our Conscience unpardoned unrepented of We should see that our affections be not intangled with the inordinate love of lawful things much less with the love of any sin We should labour to have our hearts fortified with a stedfast belief of the things God hath promised us in the other world the weakness of our faith in believing the things promised makes us very unfit for the enjoyment of eternal life We should often contemplate eternal life we should be thinking of it night day all the comforts that we enjoy all the necessary employments we are engaged in should not take us off from the frequent meditation of eternal life What so necessary to be thought of as that state which when once it is begun shall never have an end This whole life is but like one long dream in comparison of eternal life Oh! let us not forget eternal life but be still preparing and making ready for it Fifthly we should not take up or rest satisfied with what we have already attained in grace but press forward toward that which lies before us and is yet wanting to us This is the direction the Apostle gives us from his own example Phil. 3.13 Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but one thing I do forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Paul's aim and scope was to obtain