Righteous We should observe the way of good men keep the paths of the righteous It 's true that the examples of the best men though never so holy are not a sufficient rule for any action If a man or woman doth any thing though it be never so good meerly upon the example of another man yet this that they do will prove sin to them I say though the thing be good thou doest it upon the example of other good men yet if that be al thy rule the action wil be sin to thee for that is the rule of Christ to us Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Now no example can be a ground sufficient for faith therefore example alone is not a good rule Yea and somtimes we know that Satan himself may transform himself into an Angel of light and may for the prevailing of some evil make a great shew of some holiness and so many grosse Hypocrites for a time have had much seeming holiness in their lives and therefore it must be taken for a certain truth that the examples of men never so holy are not a sufficient rule But yet thus far examples of men that are holy should prevail with us First They should prevail with us more than other examples than examples of the most learned men let men be never so great Rabbies the example of one holy man whose Conversation is in Heaven should be more to us than the example of many Scholers For many men that are learned may be very corrupt they may go against their own consciences as certainly many do 1. It should prevail against the example of great rich men who have goods laid up for many yeers you should rather follow the example of those that appear to be holy than the example of the richest and greatest in the places where you live 2. It should be more than the example of the Multitude Joel 3. 14. you have a notable Scripture there against following of Multitudes of men you may see there that multitudes go to destruction Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision 3. It should be more than the example of those that are meerly related unto us as children should rather look at the example of godly men and women though they be strangers than of Father or Mother or Uncle or Aunt or the neerest kindred though their examples be not rules for our faith yet they should be more than the examples of any others Secondly Though they should not be rules or grounds of faith yet they should be enough to take off prejudices that come from accusations of men If men will accuse the waies of godliness and if there be any prejudices taken up against the paths of Sion without ground the example of godly men should be enough to make us stand out against them it may be you hear many crying out bitterly against such a way of Worship and many false aspersions are cast upon it because it is not a National way of Worship for few there be that follow it Now do but observe what manner of persons do worship God in that way which some cal Heresie are they not of holy and blameless Conversations according to the Gospel the strictest Puritans Now though you must not do as they do meerly from their example yet their example should have a great deal of power and influence upon you to take off prejudices and answer accusations and to calm and sweeten your angry and bitter spirits Thirdly Examples though not sufficient ground and rule for faith yet they should be enough to make us to enquire after those waies and to examine and try whether they have any footing in the Word because the followers of them are very upright and circumspect in their way Let me at least enquire after these waies let me examine them by the light of the Gospel surely there is some probability that these waies are the very paths of Sion and lead to the gate of Heaven because the Professors of them are such friends of Jesus Christ It 's likely that these men should know the mind of God that do converse with God most that lie in his bosom as the beloved Disciple in Christs Is it not more likely that a man that is a familier friend and converses daily with such an one that this man should know his secrets his will rather than a stranger so all men in the world are strangers to God but only the Saints they converse with God they are the men of his Counsel and his heart and therefore of all men in the world it 's most likely that they should have all the Wils of God revealed unto them All Learning and Natural wisdom cannot shew the mind of God so much as converse with God and an holy humble familiaritie with him God loves to open his bosom to his hidden ones to reveal his mind to them and therefore when we see men that are godly whose Conversation is in Heaven that they walked in such and such waies it should make us to think it is like there is more good in these waies than I am aware of at the present it 's like that such men as God smiles upon that they should know the mind of God more than other men therefore though I will not presently conclude it 's the mind of God and do it meerly because they do it yet I 'le examine and search whether it be not the mind of God or no according to the Scriptures Fourthly The example of godly men should prevail thus far to make us to take heed that we do not oppose those waies except we have very cleer ground to the contrary then we may oppose them as Paul opposed Peter and resisted him to the face because he did not go in a right way let men be never so holy and godly yet they may be opposed in their way If upon any examination you see cleerly this is not the way of God I find it to be otherwise not others think it 's not the way of God and such and such are of a contrary mind No but I have been examining it by the Word of God and laying the rule to my conscience and my conscience to that and I find it to be disagreeing to the mind of God then ye may speak or write against it but do it not otherwise If ye see men holy men whose Conversations be in Heaven don't oppose it because men do be sure your ground be good and you be cleer in it if you do oppose it otherwise you may be in danger of fighting against God when you oppose them therefore make so much use of the example of godly holy men as not to oppose the way but upon cleer Scripture-evidence to the contrary Fiftly The example of godly men should prevail thus far with us As to prepare us to let in any truth that they do profess and practice When we come to examine what is in the waies of God
priviledg of the redeemed ones Now this way of walking up unto the Land of Canaan from their captivity it 's typical to typifie the walk of the soul with the Lord. Sixthly For the souls walking with God there is this further done by God Christ the Son of God he takes the soul and brings it unto God the Father as the Spirit leads so Jesus Christ The Lord Jesus Christ he brings the soul unto the Father to render God and the soul familier together In Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an acccess by one Spirit unto the Father We have an access through him we have a manuduction He brings us unto the Father we have access through Jesus Christ As if a Prince should take a Traytor that is reconciled to his Father having his pardon and his Father being passified towards him the Prince comes takes him by the hand and saith Come I 'le bring you unto my Father and I will walk along with you unto my Father So it is None that ever hath been a sinner can walk with God but Christ must walk together with him Christ walks along with him and so God is ever more rendred sweet aimable and lovely why Because Christ hath him by the hand as I may so say God the Father hath him in one hand and Christ hath him by the other hand and so the soul walks in this blessed walk between the hands of God the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost leads and guides him too CHAP. IV. Walking with God what it is Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now The way of the soul in this walk with God When the soul is thus brought to God and by this means enabled to walk with him Then what 's the way of the soul in walking thus with God Walking with God causes the soul to eye God In the first place Now the soul being come thus to God in all the waies of God it ey 's God and sets God before it Enoch walked with God that is Enoch in the waies of his life set God before him and did eye God in his waies First beholding the infinite beauty there is in God Secondly God being the fountain of al good to the soul Thirdly the soul apprehending God infinitly worthy of all honor These three things causes the eye to be upon God continually The Lord hath infinit excellency and beauty in him The Lord is the fountain of all good to me The Lord is infinitly worthy of all honor and service and a soul walking with God eyes God thus continually In the 26. Psal 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Oh Lord I see thee aimable lovely and gracious and the fountain of all good and Lord I have walked in thy truth setting God before me so in Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me that I might not fall A soul that walks with God scarce ey 's any thing but God when it enjoyes the creature yet the eye is upon God as the little child walking with the father looks up to the father every soul that walks with God hath his eye upon him for there 's no such lovely drawing object to the soul as God himself is whereas wicked men they do not find God to be such a lovely object sees no such excellency in him and therfore they rather turn their eyes away from him they look another way Psal 86. 14. They do not set God before them men that walk according to the lusts of their own hearts in their wicked sinful waies the Lord is not in all their thoughts as in the 10. Psalm That 's the first thing in the way of the souls walking with God he eyes God and sees God before him Walking with God causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods Presence Secondly The soul behaves its self as in Gods Presence I see my self in Gods presence and my eye is upon God Oh let me then look to my self that the carriage of my soul be as beseems one who is in the presence of so holy so great so glorious and blessed a God as the Lord is in the 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ saith the Apostle when we come to do any thing we do it as of God in the sight of God knowing that we are allwayes before God Augustine speaking concerning Noah's walking with God he hath this expression Noah walked with God that is he had God alwaies present before his eyes walking so holily and so reverenced God This is to walk in the fear of God when the soul upon the apprehention of Gods presence shall labor to compose its self as beseeming the presence before whom it is and this indeed is the walk that you shall find the Saints of God in all day long would you know where to find a Saint you may know his walk you shall all the day long find him walking in the fear of the Lord Preverbs 23. 17. saith the text there Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long He doth not say do thou fear the Lord all the day long but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Oh the walk of a Christian should be so from morning to night to walk in the fear of the Lord and nothing in this world should put him out of this walk no temptations should call him out of it but in the fear of the Lord all the day long This is the walk of a Christian when he labors to behave himself as beseems the presence of God Walking with God is when we make Gods Will the Rule of our will Thirdly The soul may be said to walk with God When the way of it is the same way that God himself goes the soul doth that that God doth What 's the way of God but the way of holiness and righteousness when the soul makes the Will of God to be the rule of it I will not be acted by my own will I will not be acted by any thing but by the Will of God what is it that God wills I will the same thing then the soul walks that way God walks when it doth sute its self with God sets the Lord as an example before it as the Scripture saith Be ye holy as your Heavenly Father is holy I see the holy and the righteous waies of God and I labor as a deer child to follow him and to go in the very same steps that God doth how doth God carry businesses I will labor to carry things so as God doth that my life shall hold forth a resemblance of God himself this is to walk with God to do as God doth to imitate God that 's a third thing in a souls walking with God Walking with God is when a Soul hath the same Ends that God hath The Fourth is this
hinder the success of the Ministry of Paul You shall find if you look back a few verses that this is meant of those kind of men especially for he tels us that many walk'd so as they were enemies to the Cross of Christ they were those that opposed the preaching of Paul and his Ministry and he describes those men what they were by divers Characters but I 'le treat of none but this Who mind Earthly things Who mind Earthly things who savour or relish Earthly things so you may translate the word as well It is a general word comprehending the actions and operations both of the understanding and will It is in Scripture applied to both but most commonly to the Actions of the wil and affections we are particular in Actions of the Will Earthly things The things that are upon the Earth whatsoever they be the Beauty the Glory and Parentry of the Earth the Profits that are Earthly the Pleasures and Honors of the world who mind any things inordinatly that are sublunary accommodations But we carry and behave our selves as free Denizens of the City of Heaven for so the words in the Original are if we should thus reade them Our City whereof we are Citizens and whereunto we have right is Heaven But our Conversation our City Converse it is of things that are above the earth when the Apostle would have men to follow their example and not the example of others in the 17. verse he uses this as an Argument saith he such and such men are enemies to the Cross of Christ and they make their belly their god and they mind Earthly things do not follow them do not hearken what they say to you they come up and down from house to house and whisper this and that to you and would take you off from the ways of God God hath begun to enlighten you and to stir your consciences do not let the precious affections of your souls run wast towards them but be ye followers of us as we are of Christ for our Conversation is in Heaven with our Lord and Master there comes in the Argument in the 20. verse So that being the only scope and meaning of the words take this Doctrinal Truth That this is the great difference between a wicked man and a godly man one minds Earthly things and the other hath his Conversation in Heaven I intend to handle both these in order One of these minds Earthly things It is a paralel Scripture that we have in the 8. to the Rom. 5. verse For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Do mind there is the same word only here the Participle and there in the Verb but the meaning is the same as they that are after the Earth mind Earthly things so they that are after the flesh savours fleshly things the first part of this point is the discription of wicked men that are enemies to the crosse of Christ and to the waies of godliness and they are men that mind Earthly things the more grosse of them are described before To have their bellies to be their god some of them are very sensual druken unclean and altogether given to satisfie the flesh in fleshly lusts But there are others that do not appear to be so brutish yet they are men of earthly minds savour only of earthly things and these are the men that are secret enemies to the crosse of Christ yea and wil many times appear so to be it will break out at length Such a man whose spirit hath been earthly for a long time will appear at length to be an enemy to Christs crosse Now in the handling of this point I will propound these Five things to treat of First What it is to mind earthly things in a sinfull way or thus When a man may be said to be an Earthly-minded man that we may know when a man is an Earthly-minded man what it is to mind Earthly things that the Apostle here describes a wicked man by Without the opening of this al that I shall say afterwards will be but to little purpose Secondly The great evil that there is in minding of Earthly things and I shall discover to you a greater evil in it than you are aware of Thirdly Lay down some Convincements whereby those men and women that it may be think they are cleer from this sin yet may have it discovered unto their consciences that they are the men and women that do mind Earthly things Fourthly I shall search into the Reason Why it is that the hearts of men and women are so much after Earthly things Fifthly I shall labour to take off your hearts from Earthly things These are the Five things that are to be done in the first part of the point Namely the Character of wicked men here laid down Who mind Earthly things For the first Who they are that mind Earthly things Certainly they are not all those that enjoy earthly things all men that do make use of earthly things must not be condemned for minding earthly things Paul himself in this very Epistle where he wrote to these Philippians chap. 4. vers 12. Though he knew how to want yet he knew how to abound he could tell how to make use of earthly things yea and he gives charge That all those that are instructed should make such as had instructed them partakers of all their goods It may be they would have said is not this To mind Earthly things To require those that are instructed to make those that did instruct them partakers of all their goods Paul doth charge this Yea and Christ himself even in that Scripture where he does labor most to take the thoughts of men off from the earth as not to take any thought what they should eat or drink yet saith he Your heavenly Father knows that yea have need of these things in the 6. of Matthew and Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things and if there be any pretence against it yet saith he be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap Thus therefore it is not here charged as a note of an evil man to have earthly things and doth justly require what is due unto him as here Paul doth and the Galatians could not charge him as breaking his own Rule which he wrote to the Philppians and therefore we must enquire out somwhat else that 's here means by minding earthly things When a man or woman doth mind earthly things in a sinful way And for that there are these several particulars considerable CHAP. II. Earthly-mindedness discovered in Nine particulars THE first is this When a man looks upon earthly things as the greatest things of all when he hath a high esteem of earthly things as THE things as thus Oh if I had such and such things as
peace with God by some thing that he himself must perform but for the point of Free justification by the grace of God in Christ it 's too Divine Spiritual and Heavenly for an earthly-minded man to apprehend in the Spiritualnesse of it an earthly-minded man his apprehensions of God are but in a carnal earthly way as the Prophet speaks in the 1 of Isa The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his masters crib Even after that manner doth an earthly-minded man know God as an Ox his owner and the Ass his masters crib as thus the ox knows his owner because he brings him fodder daily so an earthly-minded man hath no other apprehensions of God but this he thinks God gives him good things in this world God makes his corn to grow or Prospers his voyage An earthly-minded man may rise so high to have apprehensions of God as bringing good things unto him here on earth But one that is spiritual and heavenly doth apprehend God as God doth not look upon God meerly as good in respect of the benefit he receives from God here but he looks upon God as he is in himself he sees the face of God as there 's a great deal of difference between a man that knows another man and a beast that knows a man The ox knows his owner the ox knows the man that brings hay or provender to him but a man knows a man in another way knows what the nature of a man is knows what it is to be a rational creature so one that is spiritual knows what God is in himself he sees the face of God and understands what God is in another way than others do the difference between the knowledge of God that a spiritual soul hath one that is pure in heart and the knowledge of God that an earthly heart hath is just so much difference as comes to this As the ox knows the man that drives him to fat pastures so doth an earthly man know God that gives him good things but a spiritual heart knows God as one man knows another not in his full excellency I mean not so but there is such a kind of difference in some degree between the apprehensions of God in a spiritual heart and the apprehensions of God in an earthly heart And so we might mention in many other Spiritual and Divine Truths that an earthly mind doth apprehend but in an earthly way consider of Heaven its self how doth an earthly mind apprehend that he apprehends that he shall be delivered from pain and shall have some kind of glory but knows not what it is conceives it according to the way of the earth some pompous glotious thing that he shall live in pleasures and not in pain and so apprehends all the glory of Heaven but in sensuality whereas a spiritual heart looks at Heaven in another kind of notion he looks upon the enjoyment of Communion with God and Jesus Christ in Heaven and living of the life of God in Heaven that 's a thing that an earthly heart hath no skill at all in neither doth such an heart so much as savour it Thus I have in these several particulars discovered what an earthly-minded man is Oh that you would lay your hands upon your hearts and every one consider how far these things do reach you But I have besides these divers other convincements to convince the consciences of men and women that yet there is much earthlinesse in them but of them we shall treat of in their order afterwards The Second head to consider is this The great evill that there is in earthly-mindedness They mind earthly things Is that any such great matter you will say indeed we cannot imagine the transcendency of the evil that there is in this We think there 's a great deal of evil in swearing whoring drinking and such kind of scandalous sins and indeed there is But to have an earthly mind we do not think this to be so exceeding evil yet you will find that the Scripture doth speak most dreadful things against this and if God please to set them home upon your hearts I hope there is much glory may come to God by it and much good unto you in particular CHAP. III. Fourteen Evils of Earthly-mindedness The First EVIL Fâ—â—â—â— The Scripture cals it Adultery it is spiritual Adultery in Jude 4. vers Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God They were Adulterers and Adulteresses in respect of their love to the world you that would abhor the thought of a temptation to Adultery yet you may commit spiritual Adultery a man or a woman may be an Adulterer or an Adulteresse before the Lord though they never commit the act of uncleannesse with another yet if their hearts be towards another they be guilty of uncleannesse for Christ saith whosoever doth but look after a woman to lust after her in his heart he hath committed adultery already that is hath sinned against that command that forbids adultery Is it so that if a man do but let his heart go after another woman more than his wife and a wife after another man more than her husband this is adultery before the Lord. So if our hearts be after any things more than the Lord Jesus Christ that we profess our selves married to and he to be our husband this is adultery in Scripture phrase The Second EVIL Yea further A worldly or an earthly-mind in Scripture phrase is called Idolatry in Ephes 5. 5. speaking of divers sins that should not be so much as named among them as it became Saints he hath Covetousness among the rest and he ads this And Covetousness which is Idolatry Now what is Earthly-mindednesse but Covetousnesse which is Idolaitry A man or woman is an Idolater that is of an Earthly mind Now Idolatry which is a worshiping of stocks and stones you all account to be a great sin but do you and al others take heed of another Idolatry that may be as bad that is To have your hearts to make the god of this world to be your God the cursed Mammon of unrighteousnesse to make the things of the earth to be your Christ to fall down and worship the golden-Calfe of the world It 's certain that that thing a mans heart is most taken with and set upon that 's his God and therefore here in this verse out of which my Text is it 's said They made earthly things their bellies their God The Voluptuous and Drunkard makes their Belly their God and the Unclean person makes his Strumpet to be his goddesse and worshppeth that whatsoever thy heart is most upon that 's thy God therefore that you must know to be the meaning of the Commandement Thou shalt have no other Gods before me That is thou shalt give me the strength of thy soul and nothing else So I am a God to my Creature when I have its strength exercised
but as the drop of the bucket and as the smal dust in the ballance Now grace makes the soul to be like God to accout all the things of the earth to be as the drop of a bucket and the dust of the ballance to be nothing less than nothing 5. And then Grace sanctifies the soul Now what is it to sanctifie but to take off from all common uses and to dedicate to God as the highest act of all things And therefore the Greek word that is for Holy it is taken from a participle Premitive and a word that signifies the Earth as much as to say Not Earthly and a holy one in the Greek language is not an earthly one according to the usual etimology given of it Now Grace it makes the soul holy it sanctifies the soul it sets apart the soul for God and dedicates and consecrates the soul to God and therfore you see that it is opposite to the work of God in bringing Grace into the soul and to the work of grace and the power of godliness in the soul of man This is the great Evil of Earthly mindedness The Fifth Evil. But Fifthly For the discovery of the great Evil that there is in Earthly-mindedness It puts men upon very great Temptations and for that we need no other Scripture than that in the 1 of Tim. 6. 9. saith the Apostle there But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare Mark that is Those that have set their hearts so much upon the things of the earth as they are resolved they must have them whatsoever comes of it Observe the phrase They that wil be rich they apprehend a necessity of the things of the earth they do not only wish and desire Oh! that we had riches and had these things of the earth but they resolve they must have them upon any terms Wel If the heart go on in obedience to God in the duties of its calling and if God send in riches and an estate it doth thankfully accept it from God these do not meet with such temptations and a snare as the Apostle here speaks of but when the heart is set upon it that it needs must have an estate whatsoever comes on it now they that will be so they saith the Apostle fall into temptations and a snare There 's dangerous temptations in following after the things of the earth and there is a snare in them that you do not think of for you think only of the bravery of the things of the earth how sumptuously you should live and how fine you should be in your house and cloaths and what table you may keep you only think of these things that may give the flesh contentment but you do not think of the temptation and the snare that is in them and those whose hearts are set upon these things they fall into the snare nay temptation those that are earthly-minded have great temptations to shift up and down to strain their consciences for the things of the earth for so it is that while we live in this world God hath made the things of the earth to be as thorns and so they are compared in Scripture and it 's hard for one to meddle with thorns without pricking his fingers they are as briars its hard for the sheep ro get among them but she wil lose some of her wool and so it 's hard for the heart to be busie about the things of the earth but it will be prickt and lose some of its fleece in will fall into temptation and a snare and be catch'd Oh! how many men and women that have enlightened consciences they think sometimes that they would not for all the world do any thing against their consciences though they might gain all the glory and riches under Heaven Well but yet their hearts being earthly when it comes to some particular how ready are they at least to strain conscience and not to attend to the voice of conscience and are willing that conscience should have its mouth stop'd for the time Indeed If their consciences did plainly tell them that this thing is absolutely sin against God perhaps they would not do it but that were not the snare for t is no snare when I see the danger before me here 's a deep pit and if I step a step further I fall into it this is no snare But now there are some that are not catch'd so by a pit that 's open but the Devil doth lay upon the pit it may some green grass so that they shall not perceive or very hardly perceive the danger thus such as have earthly hearts they fall into a snare and temptation they are put upon straining of conscience and wringing it as much as may be and many shifts that they are put too Oh! a man when once he is got into an earthly business he knows not how in the world to bear it if he be crost in it It may be I have gone thus far and I have very great hopes that I shall succeed in it only there is one stop now for him to think that for this one stop I am like to lose all Oh it goes to his heart Oh but now if you would but strain conscience a little you may get over it presently an earthly-man will strain hard but he will get over it whereas now were the heart taken off from the earth though such a man had gone on never so far in a business if there comes a stop in a matter of conscience yea if it were but a doubt that such a thing were sin it 's enough to stop him a meer doubt lest he should sin would be enough for to make him say let the business fall if it will there may be a snare in this and I see some cause to doubt now if the heart were spiritual it would be taken off but an earthly mind will go through very many dreadful things and doth not much trouble himself and so doth insnare himself exceedingly that he may get an estate or preserve it when once he hath got it That 's the fifth thing The Sixth Evil. The Sixth thing wherein the danger of earthly-mindednes consists is this That 't is one of the greatest hinderances in the world to profiting by the Ministry of the Word Oh! many of you cannot but be convinc'd in your consciences that you have not profited by the Word and sometimes you will complain of the want of profiting under the means Oh that you had but hearts to look into the cause of it from whence it is that you profit so little It will appear to come from your earthly-mindedness you bring a heart full of the world full of drosse with you no marvel though you do not see those spiritual and heavenly things that are in the Word when as there is so much drosse in your eyes you know travellors in the summer time travelling in the midst of dust
great evil and for that you have the same Scripture that was before for the temptations and snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts lusts that are very foolish and simple 1. As for instance It causes men to follow after things that are very vile and mean it causes men to bestow the strength of their immortal souls about things that have no worth at all in them that 's a foolish lust to bestow the strength of an immortal soul about vanities If you should see men that are of excellent parts for to spend their time about trifles and toyes as about catching of flies and following of feathers you would say surely they begin to be besotted so for the soul of man that is capable of such excellency as it is of communion with God with the Father Son and holy Ghost for such a soul to have the strength of it spent about such poor trifling things that cannot profit in the evil day Oh this is a foolish lust Secondly Foolish lusts for earthly-mindedness causes thee to be a servant to thy servants you would account that man a fool that should be a servant to his servants So God hath made the things of the earth to be a servant to thee and yet thou wilt come and put thy neck under thy servants yoke and art a servant to thy servant yea were it not a great deal of folly for a man to expect all his honour and respect to come from his servant rather than from any excellency in himself as thus Suppose a man were travelling indeed there is respect given to him but it 's for his servants sake rather than his own If he should come to know this this he would account a great dishonor to himself But an earthly heart I say puts himself into such a condition as indeed he makes it to be his greatest honour to have honour from his estate and riches So that men do not respect rich men for any worth that there is in themselves or for any excellency of their own but only for their riches as much as to say a man is not respected for himself but for his servant Take some men that have had estates but now they are deprived of them and are become as poor as any Almes-men or Beggars amongst us who doth regard them then But now let a man have grace and holinesse if he were turned out of all and made as poor as Job yet he were one that the Angels of Heaven would look upon with honour and would glory in attending upon him this is the difference between the carnal earthly heart and the spiritual heart It 's a foolish lust to make himself to be a servant to his servant 3. It brings into foolish lusts For a man might have as much it may be more of the earth if he did not mind it so much as he doth Now for a man to mind the earth and to indanger himself in the minding of it when as he might have it as well without so much minding surely this is a foolish thing For a man to bestow a great deal of labour about a thing when as he might have it with lesse labour he is a fool surely Certainly if you be such as belongs to God especially you may rather expect God to bless you if you kept your hearts more spiritual you might expect that God would grant to you more of the good things of this world if you were lesse earthly-minded than you are and it 's your earthly-mindednesse that makes God cut you short of these things I am verily perswaded there are many men that have ill successe in their earthly affairs and it 's a fruit of Gods displeasure upon them because their hearts are so much upon worldly businesses did you go on in your imployment in obedience to God and commit it to God for successe you might be crowned with more successe than you have been now what a foolish thing is this 4. Yea further It 's a great deal of folly for any of you to go and buy a thing and to pay a greater price for it than it 's worth If you send a servant to buy you commodities and when he comes home you ask him what it cost and he tells you it cost such a price which is ten times more than it's worth you will say Thus it is to send a fool to Market so an earthly minded man manifests himself to God and his Angels and all the Saints to be a fool for why thou bestowest that upon this world that is a thousand times more worth than the things of the world for thou bestowest that upon the world that might bring thee to heaven I may say to an earthly-minded man those thoughts and cares and affections and endeavours that thou doest spend upon the things of the world If they had been spent about the things of God might have sav'd thy soul to all eternity thou mightest have got Christ and Heaven and Eternity the Lord would have gone along with thee and thou maiest come hereafter to see it at the great day when all things shall be opened before men and Angels had I but spent those thoughts and cares and endeavours about understanding the waies and things of God and eternal life my soul might have bin sav'd for ever Not that our works wil do it but that God would have gone along together with you in such waies as those are now for you to spend thoughts and cares about that that perhaps you shall not have for many men and women spend their souls about the things of the world and never have them this is a sad thing Oh! wil not this be folly will not you curse your selves hereafter for your folly Oh that I should spend my self and be spent about that that I have not got neither and I must be damn'd for that whereas had I spent time about things that concern'd my soul and eternal life it would have been more like that I should have gotten those things for God doth not fail men so in spiritual things as he doth in earthly things a man may be as diligent as it 's possible for any man to be in business of the earth and yet he may miscarry but give me any man or woman that ever was diligent in seeking the things of God and eternal life that ever did miscarry I verily beleeve at the day of Judgment there will not be one man found that shall be able to say Lord I did improve what talents thou didest give me to the uttermost to save my soul but Lord because I was not able to do any more without thy grace thou didest deny thy grace to me and therefore now I must be damn'd I beleeve there will not be any soul that will be able to say so but in the matters of the world men do say so that they
have done what they could nad labour'd and toyl'd and yet for all that they miscarry Oh what a foolish thing is this then for thee to toyl and labour about that which is so uncertain for were it not a foolish thing for a man to bestow all his estate about buying of pibble stones and that that will afford him no kind of benefit at all This folly is in the heart of man I 'le but put this care to you If two of you should go to the Indies where precious stones are and one should purchase a lading of precious stones and other rich commodities and the other that carried as much money with him he laies out all his money about baubles and trifles and they both come home laden Both went out with the same stock both come home laden and one comes home with precious stones that makes him rich and his posterity to be great men the other brings home nothing but a company of pibble stones which makes him scorn'd and jeer'd at by all his Neighbours Oh! how would he be ready to tear his flesh for his folly in this kind This will be the difference between men and women at the day of Judgment for the truth is what is this world but a sea-fare we are here sailing in this world and here we have the market of pearls or else of that hath no worth at all in it when you live in the times of the Gospel I say there is a market for pearls for those things that may enrich you to all eternity now there 's one man he bestows the strength of his thoughts and heart about those things that he shall be blessing of God in the highest heavens to all eternity for and the other man bestows his thoughts and heart but upon the things of the earth and lades himself with thick clay as the Scripture phrase is and now at the day of Judgment when it shall appear here 's a man or woman that shall be to all eternity blessed that shall joyn with Angels and Saints in the highest heavens to magnifie the free grace of God in Christ and here 's another had that he bestowed but his thoughts and heart about the same things he might have been so blessed for ever but he minding the things of the earth is a cursed fool and is the scorn and contempt of men and Angels to all eternity earthly-mindednesse brings men into foolish lusts the Scipture speaks Oh! though men of earthly minds think themselves the only blessed men I applaud my self at home let men talk what they will but the holy Ghost saith that those Iusts that are caused by earthly-mindednesse are foolish lusts Fifthly That 's folly for a man to do that that he must undo again Now especially those earthly-minded men that have this earthlinesse so to prevail with them as to get any thing of the earth by false waies they must certainly undo all they have done you have got so much of the earth in some cunning cheating way and you blesse your selves that you have found out such a mystery of iniquity this is a foolish lust Foolish Why it must be done again either you must be eternally damn'd or else you must restore as Zacheus did if you be able though it be to the impoverishing of your selves yet it must out again all the sorrow and repentance that can be will not be sufficient thou canst not be pardoned upon all thy sorrow and repentance if thou dost not restore if thou beest able what thou hast ill gotten I do not know that there was ever any Minister of the Gospel upon the face of the earth but held this that it was of absolute necessity to salvation to restore and this one reason cannot but satisfie any mans conscience That a man cannot truly repent of a sin and yet wilfully to continue in it Now except you do restore you do wilfully continue in it for why you do not only wrong the man the first hour but so long as you keep any thing that is his you do wrong him and if you be able to restore and do not because you are loth to part with so much mony or so many goods you do wilfully continue in the sin now no man or woman can truly repent of a sin and yet wilfully persist in that sin what a foolish lust is this for a man or woman to go and get the things of this world in such a way as he must undo all again though it be to his shame Oh! consider what a folly it is You deceitful servants that spend away that upon your lusts that you cheat and cosen your master of afterwards when you come to set up for your selves you must restore what you have purloind and it may be a great part of your estate must be repaid in way of restitution it must be done there 's no gain-saying of it and therefore what a foolish lust it is to be set upon the things of the earth so as to get them in an earthly way 6. And then foolish observe this one note By Earthly-mindednesse they do lose the comfort of earthly things before they have them I make it out thus A man or woman that hath carking thoughts about the things of the earth and it may be by their inordinate thoughts and cares and affections after some earthly things they contract much guiltinesse upon their own spirits yet after this perhaps God doth give them that earthly thing now when they have got it if they have any light in their consciences their convinced consciences will then reflect thus upon them I have got this indeed Oh! but have I it with the blessing of God I have it in my costody but I got it dearly it cost me such thoughts and cares and affections before I had it and now I have it I cannot say it comes out of Gods love I rather fear that God hath given it me in his wrath because I got it in such a way now all the comfort is gone and lost whereas had it come in the way of God and hadst thou given up thy self to God and then providence had brought such a comfort to thee thou mightest have enjoyed much of God in it bless'd God for it the Lord hath bless'd me in my trading Oh! I have it from the Love of God But now when thy heart was earthly before it came when it doth come thou hast no comfort in it the comfort of all is lost before it comes thou hast spent so much upon it as if a man hath got a thing after he hath gotten it he thinks thus What hath this cost me it hath cost me a great deal more than it's worth now the comfort of it is vanished The Eighth Evil. Earthly-mindednesse It is the root of Apostasie I 'le give you but one Scripture compare it with another 2 Tim. 4 10. there 's a notable Text that shews how earthly-mindednesse breeds
Apostasie 't is the example of Demas For Demas saies the Apostle hath forsaken me what 's the matter having loved this present world It was that that made Demas to be an Apostate why what was Demas before compare this Scripture with that you have in the Epistle to the Colossians and you shal see what he was before this time he was a forward Disciple of Paul and the Apostle had some good esteem of him in the last to the Colossians 14. vers mark there in that Epistle where Paul was directed by the holy Ghost Luke the beloved Physitian and Demas greet you Paul doth rank Demas here among the famous Professors of Religion the Apostle writing to the Colossians saith Demas greets you among the rest When we send to our friends and say Such a one commends him to you we use not to name them except they be entire friends So it appears and I find that Interpreters severally do think it was the same Demas and the word gives us some ground for this for in Timothy you find that he names Luke there too It seems that Demas and Luke were two great Assossiates and Paul mentions them together when Demas had forsaken him yet Luke rode with him and when Paul sends them greeting of Luke that was the beloved Physitian he sends the greeting of Demas too But now one was truly godly and whatsoever sufferings Paul met withal one cleaved to him and would not forsake him But when Paul begins to suffer and Demas thought that there 's no thriving for me if I should follow this persecuted Apostle Demas now would have no more of Paul he thanks him for his company and fairly departs from him He hath forsaken me and what 's the root of it He had imbraced this present world And that 's another note that though he was a forward Proffessor yet the heart of Paul was not so much for him for saith he Luke the Beloved Phisitian and Demas great you He doth not say the Beloved Demas it 's true Demas was a forward Proffessor and did seem to wear a cloak of Religion yet Paul was directed by the holy-Ghost only to speak of him as a Proffessor but in that the holy-Ghost directs him to speek of two together that were two companions and gives one an Epethite Beloved and the other only his name By this we may gather that those that have discerning spirits may shew some kind of sign in those that are earthly at least to darken their esteem of them and to make them somwhat jealous of them as now ther 's two men and both very forward and two companions together yet those that are godly old Disciples can savour one more than the other Indeed they are both Proffessors and both have excellant parts and gifts and yet there 's more spiritualness and greater experiences in one than in the other so it appears there was in Luke rather than in Demas and indeed your earthly-minded men afterwards prove to be Apostates usually before their grand Apostasy do manifest some deadnesse and waywardness of spirit to that that 's good yea their spirits before discover themselves to be earthly spirits they smell of the earth As a man before he dies his breath will smell very earthly you will say Oh! such a one cannot live his breath is so earthly so it is with those that are very great proffessors of Religion that those that have intimate acquaintance with them before they do Apostatise they smell their breath to be earthly in their duties in their conferences Oh take heed of earthly-mindedness least it be the root of Apostasie This may be written upon many an Apostates grave This was an earthly minded man or woman in the midest of their profession And hence it is that they fell off from the truth in times of danger when they were brought to the tryal they were base back sliders from God and his truth The Ninth Evil. Earthly-mindednesse doth wonderfully dead the heart in prayer It sinks the spirits of men and straightens them in spiritual duties yea and indeed doth defile every duty of Religion in the 119. Psal 37. ver David you shall find paryes there to God That he will turn away his eyes from beholding vanity and that he would quicken him in his law Certainly by the vanity that he speaks of there he means the things of the world and by his eyes he understands the eyes of his mind chiefly the working of the thoughts of his heart after earthly things for if you will cast your eyes but to the 36. verse faith he there Incline my heart to thy testimonies and not to covetousness Oh Lord let not my heart be inclined to covetousness afterwards Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity to the end that my heart may not be inclin'd to covetousness Lord let not my thoughts be busied about such vain things but quicken me in thy Law as if he should say Lord while my mind is turned to vanity or my heart to covetousnesse after the things of this earth I alwaies find my spirit dull and heavy in any holy duties I have no quickness at all in my inward man when I come in thy presence and by experience I find this to be the cause that my heart is so drossie because my thoughts and mind are set upon earthly things that are but vanity therefore Lord let not mine heart be inclin'd to covetousness nor mine eyes looking after vanity but turn away mine eyes from these things and quicken me in thy Law If you would have your hearts quicken'd in Gods Law in the Duties that God sets you about take heed of your eyes that they look not after vanity your hearts that they follow not after covetousnesse for an earthly spirit will be a dead spirit as the element of earth it 's the sluggishest and deadest element of all so earthlinesse in the heart makes the heart sluggish and dead and listlesse to any holy and spiritual duty I appeal to your consciences in this when you have let out your hearts after the things of this earth and been exercised in the world in abundance of businesses when you have come to enjoy communion with God Oh! how dead have you found your hearts a drossie heart must needs be a dead and a straight heart in heavenly exercises you complain many times of your vain thoughts in performance of holy duties you cry out of dead spirits then but there lies the cause you have given your hearts up so much to the things of the earth at other times and hence when you should come to have converse with God your hearts are so dead and dull straight as they are look at this to be the ground of it this is the great root of all it lies here in your earthly-mindednesse Oh! how many prayers have been quite spoil'd with an earthly heart whereas such as have had spiritual hearts have enjoyed blessed communion with
the last of all Whose end is destruction who art drown'd in perdition lest hereafter this be the thing that thou shalt lie crying out of and cursing thy self for Oh! I had a base and earthly heart and sought the things of the earth and made my portion there and in the mean time the blessed God hath been forsaken and I have lost my Portion in the Holy Land for I had my portion in Egypt among the Egyptians accoding as I did choose to my self 9. Conv. That the more spiritual any truth is that is reveal'd the less doth it take with his heart Some truths of Religion perhaps he is moved with but these are as by-words to him he minds them not at at all The more spiritual an Ordinance is that is delivered the lesse is his spirit moved with it if indeed he comes to the Word and there be mingled some earthly natural excellencie for so I may call it as natural parts wisdom wit and eloquence and learning that he is mov'd withal it may be some fine story is more pleasing to him than the goodly pearls of truth that are revealed in the word as now such truths as these The enjoyment of communion with God the longing after Jesus Christs coming the living by faith upon a bare promise the excellencie that there is in suffering for Jesus Christ These truths now are spiritual The mortifying of the inward lusts Self-denial These things are little savored by an earthly-minded man tell him of the priviledges of the Saints the mysteries of the Gospel any thing that is spiritual it is but as a notion to him As 't is with men that are upon the earth they look up to Heaven and see the things of Heaven but little why is it that the Stars seem so smal to us here but because we are upon the earth the earth seems a vast bodie to us but the Stars seem but little to us though they are far bigger than the earth were we in Heaven then the heavenly bodies would seem vast to us and the earthly bodies would scarce be discerned by us were mens hearts heavenly all the things of the earth would seem little to them but because they are earthly therefore the things of heaven and spiritual mysteries are very small in their eyes CHAP. IV. Seven Reasons of mens Earthly-mindedness I Shall now proceed unto the Reasons of the Point Why is it that mens hearts are so much set upon the earth to mind earthly things I give you briefly these Reasons for it First The things of the earth appear real to them but spiritual and heavenly things be but a notion Now that that hath reality in it takes with the heart most though men are deceived in this for the Scripture speaks of spiritual things as the only real things and earthly things as that that hath no being at all in Prov. 23. 15. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not speaking of the riches of the world it hath no reality at all in it But in the 8. Prov. 20. 21. I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgment That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance to inherit that which is that which hath a being othert hings they are not the honors of the earth are but a fantasie and vain shew you have read of Bernice and Agrippa They came with much Pomp with great Fansie so the original is but to an earthly man these earthly things are real things and therefore he minds them and wisdom is a lye unto a fool Secondly These things they look upon as the present necessary things though the Scripture tels us but of one thing that is necessiary but yet they think that these are present now they may have need of heavenly things hereafter They may have need of reconciliation with God pardon of sin peace of conscience and such things they may have need of them that is when they depart out of this life Oh! the infinite folly of most hearts to think that there is no present necessity of spiritual and heavenly things whereas indeed our life consists in them for the present This is eternal life we may come here in this world to enjoy eternal life but the generality of people they look upon all spiritual things only as our good for the future when we go from hence and are seen no more Thirdly These things are most sutable to mens hearts It 's no wonder that they mind earthly things They are of the earth and from the earth they have nothing but the first Adam in them now the first man was from the earth earthly The truth is the happiness of mans estate even in innocency in the morning of the day of his creation in comparison of the things that are now reveal'd by the Gospel was but earthly take man when he was in Paradice that Paradice was but earthly but then take man in his fallen and corrupt estate then he must needs be earthly and every thing closes with that that is sutable to it comfort it doth not come so much from the goodness of a thing but from the sutablness of the object with the facultie Now the things of the earth they are sutable to men that are of the earth and therefore they mind them the heart will abundantly run out upon that which is sutable to it Fourthly These things of the earth have a very fair shew in the flesh they have a kind of goodly appearance in the eye of sence yea and in the eye of that reason that is now corrupted by sin we have a most elegant expression of these earthly things and earthly minded men having their hearts set upon these things it is in the 6. to the Gal. 12. verse As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh saith the Scripture the words are to signifie when a man looks smug and neat as you shall have some men dresse themselves curiously and having handsom bodys they look so trim fine handsom and very brave to the eye of all that do behold them So saith he these men that are the false teachers they desire to make a fair shew in the flesh that is they look upon the things of the flesh as those things that are very brave to the eye and they love to have all things so compleat about them that they may look smug and carry themselves with such beauty before the world Oh! this is their happiness this they take content in they seem to have fine estates and to have brave cloathing and all curious things about them this looks so brave in the eyes of the world and therefore it is that their hearts are upon them they are here enemies to the Crosse of Christ they think suffering for Christ poverty disgrace looks but untowardly But now those that desire to make a fair shew in the flesh that would have their countenances well wash'd
cannot say so they have a father to provide for them and all the earth is the Lords as well as heaven and the fulnesse of them both now the earth being the Lords as well as heaven the earth being thy fathers why should thy care be so much upon the things of the earth Let thy care be to do thy duty to thy father to walk as a child but let it not be for the things of the earth thou dost as much as disavow the care of thy father for thee and canst thou beleeve that God shall give his Son to thee and not give thee all things else hath not godliness the promises of this life as well as of that to come Oh! thou unworthy child that professest an interest in such a father or unworthy Christian that professest an interest in such promises and hop'st that God hath done such things for thee as he hath done and yet hast thy heart in the things of this earth as if the Lord had settled thee only here and put thee to shift for thy self here from door to door no certainly the care of God is over his people in the things of the earth as truly as it is over them in regard of spiritual and eternal things Some men can think at least they trust that they do trust God for their souls but cannot for their bodies so well but surely faith wil teach thee to trust God for thy body as wel as thy soul for God hath care of both and both were redeem'd by the blood of Jesus Christ and hath told thee that he that fears the Lord shall never want any thing that 's good for him Now these considerations may mightily prevail to take off the hearts of men from the things of this earth The Eleventh Consideration The last that I shall name is this That all that are Professors of Religion they are dead to the world or should be so nay if you be truly Religious you are so by profession you do professe your selves to be dead unto the world The Scripture makes this argument to take off mens hearts from the things of this world in the 3. Colos 2 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth why for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Ye are dead the Apostle writes to the Colossians and yet he tels them that they were dead the Sripture speaks much of the death of the Saints As it 's said of women that liv'd in pleasures in Timothy that they were dead while they liv'd so it may be said of Christians that they are dead while they live dead to the world I am crucified to the world saith the Apostle and we are dead with Christ I find that some interpret that Scripture in the 1. Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead they interpret it thus That all those that came in which were Heathens and converted to Christianity and were baptized they were baptized for dead men that is by their baptizm now there was a profession that they did professe themselves from that time for ever as dead men to the world baptized for the dead you have it in some of your books over the dead but the word is for and so it is translated in this last translation For dead men your baptizm is administred unto you as a sign of your profession to be as dead men unto the world so I find some carry it This is the profession of Christians to be as dead men to the world Oh do not dishonor your profession of Religion for indeed there is a greater evil as we said for professors of Religion to be earthly minded than for any others and yet how many are guilty of this It 's an observation of Luther when God rivealed himself to Abraham and told him that he would multiply his seed he made use of two similitudes one was this That he would make his seed as the stars of Heaven and at another time God saith that he would make his seed as the sand upon the sea shore Now saith Luther by these two expressions there is signified two sorts of Abrahams seed there are some that are as the stars of Heaven that are heavenly minded There are others that are as the sand of the Sea that is There are some professe themselves to be of Abrahams seed but are of earthly spirits Oh now my brethren we should labor to have such minds and hearts so as we should appear to be the seed of Abraham as the stars of heaven to be of the number of those that are as the stars of heaven that is through heavenly-mindednesse But that we shall come to when we come to speak of the conversation of Christians how it ought to be in heaven But now if any one should say May we not mind earthly things and heavenly things too Know there is a great mistake here you cannot serve two masters God and Mamon and it 's very observable that text of Scripture in the 3. of Colos 2. verse mark the opposition Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth they are there opposed one to another Set your affections or minds for so I think it is the same word with that in my text who mind earthly things A man cannot look up to heaven and down to the earth both at the same time there is an opposition between these two between the earthly-mindedness that hath been opened to you and minding of heavenly things I but you will say For these things while we are upon the earth we have need of them how can we do otherwaies but mind them When we come to heaven there we shall have dispositions sutable to heaven but sure not till then To that I answer Though Christians do live upon the earth yet they are not of the earth there 's a great deal of difference between one that is of the earth and another that lives upon the earth Christ saith concerning himself that he was not of the earth it 's true though he did live a while upon the earth yet he was not of it In the 3. of John 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth now Christ while he spake these words he was upon the earth but He was not of the Earth And so it is with Christians they are upon the Earth but they are not of the Earth they are a people redeem'd from the earth therefore that 's not enough it 's true these things are things that we need therefore we must not mind them for so in the 6. of Mat. where Christ speaks against taking thought what we shall eat or what we shall drink or what we shall put on Saith he Your Heavenly Father knows you have need of these things you have some need I but you have need of other things and greater
need of other things than of these things what need is there for thee to live upon the earth but in order to providing for eternity and of living to the honor of Christ and the praise of his Gospel I say thou hast no need of any thing on the earth but in subordination to higher things there is no need thou shouldest live but for some other end and therefore let not that be any such argument to plead for earthliness as indeed an earthly spirit is very witty in pleading for its self I shall close this Point with some Exhortation to you and Directions about this Point of Earthly-mindedness CHAP. VII EXHORTATION OH considering what hath been delivered I beseech you lay it seriously to heart especially you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion lest it proves with you as it doth with many that are digging of Veins of gold and silver under ground that while they are digging in those mines for riches the earth many times fals upon them and buries them so that they never come up out of the mine again and so it is with many that are beginning in the way of Religion that are digging in the mines of Salvation for unsearchable riches for that that is abundantly better than gold and silver now while you are thus seeking for grace and godliness Oh take heed that you be not covered with the earth while you are digging in the world but keep wide open some place to Heaven or otherwise if you dig too deep there will come up damps if the earth falls not upon you yet I say there will be damps rise from the earth that may choak you if there be not a wide space open that you may let the air that comes from heaven in to you Those that are digging into Mines they are very careful to leave the place open for fresh air to come in and so though thou maiest follow thy calling and do the work that God sets thee here for as others do be as diligent in thy calling as any yet still keep a passage open to Heaven that there may be fresh gales of grace come into thy soul if at any time thou beest got into the world if thou spendest one day and hast not some spiritual air from Heaven take heed there 's a damp coming up that will choak thee Oh! that Christians would consider of this while they are here below I remember I have read of Austin in his Comment upon the 72. Psal the 19. vers saith the text They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust He in a wittie way applied it to earthlie-minded men saith he If you do so lick the dust by this you will come to be accounted one of the enemies of God It 's true the scope of the place is different but take heed that in this metaphorical sence that you do not lick the dust and so come to be accounted an enemie to God You that would be accounted as friends and seek reconciliation with God Oh do not lick the dust to be alwaies here as Moles upon the earth they say Moles though they be blind yet if they be without the earth then their eyes are opened and then they shake and tremble and so though the earth may close the eyes of men here for a while yet certainly there will be a day when their eyes shall be opened to see how they have gul'd and deceiv'd themselves And now it 's worse too in the time of the Gospel to be earthly-minded than at other times it was not such an evil thing to be an earthly minded man in the time of the Law when all the promises of God were carried in a kind of earthly way Though I do not say that all promises that were made to them under the Law were meer earthly but they were carried in an earthly way therefore you shall find when God promises his people in the time of the Law what great mercies they shall have it is by earthly expressions as of gold and silver and such kind of things and their promises for Heaven it went under the expression of living in the Land of Canaan as being a type of Heaven now though they were taken with earthly things when God reveal'd himself to them in an earthly manner yet now in the time of the Gospel lift up your hearts for your calling is from above now there are Heavenly things revealed he that is from above is come amongst us and the Heavens are broken open and the glory of it doth shine upon the Churches in a far more brighter manner than it did before And therfore Gospel-light doth aggravate the sin of earthly-mindednesse and therefore now above all times should the hearts of men and women be disingaged from the things of the earth CHAP. VII Five Directions how to get our hearts freed from Earthly-mindedness FIrst To that end be watchful over your thoughts do not take liberty to let your hearts run too far in the things of the earth what time you have for meditation let it be as much as can be reserved for spiritual things most men and women think they may take liberty in their thoughts why the thing in its self is not unlawful I but your thoughts will steal upon you and affect your hearts very much therefore watch narrowly over your thoughts keep them within Scripture bounds The Second Direction Be much humbled for sin That will take off the heart much from earthly-mindedness Your earthly-minded men who have earthly and drossie hearts they have not known what the weight and burden of sin hath meant let God but lay the weight and burden of sin upon the soul it will take off the soul from earthly things quickly Oh! those men that have gone on in the world in a secure condition and never knew what trouble of conscience meant for sin they grow seer'd in those earthly Contentments but now those men that have had but the weight of sin lie upon them know what it is to have to deal with an infinite God in the bearing of the burden of the wrath of an incensed Deity such know that they have other things to look after than the things of the earth If God did but humble your hearts the humiliation of your spirits would quicken you and take off the dulness and deadness of your spirits and stir you up to look after other things than the things of this life The Third Direction Further Set the example of the Saints before you that have been the most precious servants of God in former times how they accounted themselves as Pilgrims and strangers here in the earth read at your leisure that Scripture in the 11 of the Heb. at the 13. verse These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
the Lord will condemn you from their example and say Did not such and such live in the familie and place where you liv'd and did not you behold their holie and gracious Conversation and shall the example of such and such vile wretches be followed rather than the example of my Saints I say this will stop your mouthes and aggravate your condemnation in the great Audit-day Some there are that are so far from following the example of those whose Conversations are in Heaven as they rage and fret against them and do what they can to darken the glorie of their holie lives and if they can but have any misreport of them they will follow it what possibly they can to the end that they might eclipse the holiness of their lives that so they may stop their own consciences whereas were there not something to darken the luster and beautie of the lives of the Saints certainlie mens hearts would condemn them for walking in contrarie waies unto them and therefore for relief of their consciences that they may not condemn them for walking in waies contrary to them they do what they can to spew upon their glory and are glad if they can hear any ill report of them and will follow them to their uttermost and all because their corrupt hearts are against the holiness of their lives and Conversations And then lastly Let those that profess Religion labor to walk so as their examples may be convincing others Is there such a power in holy examples to prevail with men you that profess Religion make this an argument to work upon your hearts that your Conversation may be more in Heaven that so your example may do the more good in the place where you live you that profess Religion and yet have earthly spirits and live scandalouslie and vilie Oh know you live to do as much mischief almost as a man can do in this world no greater mischief than for one to profess Religion and yet for his Conversation to be wicked and ungodly and so to give the Lye to his profession But for that we spake to heretofore when we treated upon that Scripture Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel CHAP. IV. Two Doctrines observed from the Text. THus we proceed to the principal Doctrinal Truths For our Conversation is in Heaven Our Citie Conversation our Citizen-like behavior or Citie Burges estate for so the word signifies our carriage like free denizens it is in Heaven now from thence you have First That the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven Secondly That their behavior and Conversation even while they are in this world it is in Heaven For the first but briefly to make way to the second The Saints of God they are the Citizens of Heaven they are all free Denizens Burgesses of Heaven In the 2. Ephes 19. there you may see how God hath gathered all the Saints together to be fellow-Citizens of Heaven Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God They have an Heavenly Citie here in the Church the Church it is a Heaven to the Saints and as a type of that Heaven that they shal come into to live for ever both with the Saints and Angels hereafter And in the 11. Heb. 10. it 's spoken of Abraham He sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It seems then that all the Cities in the world in comparison of this Citie have no foundations Abraham looked for a Citie that hath foundations and whose builder and maker is God The builders and makers of these Cities are men the founders of the most famous Cities in this world have been men and manie times wicked and ungodlie men are the builders of them The first Citie that we reade of was built by Cain The builders and makers I say of these Cities are men laboring men But Abraham look'd for a Citie that had foundations whose builder and maker is God And in the 12. Heb. 22. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem mark and to an innumerable company of Angels so that you are to have them your fellow Citizens The Heavenly Jerusalem that is here in the Church which is in comparison of Jerusalem that was in Canaan called the Heavenly Jerusalem so that they are Citizens of Heaven even as they are Members of the Church the Saints of God here in the Church are said to dwell in Heaven but in that their Citie there are an innumerable company of Angels also that plainly notes that it hath reference unto the glorious Heaven of the Saints that they are the Citizens of the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven there they dwell in the 13. of the Revelation 6 and 8. verses this would serve for proof of this thing and so for the other point that remains That their Conversation it is in Heaven And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Now these were not in Heaven that is in their bodies they were not in Heaven for the present But they are said to dwell in Heaven because they are of the Church here and they are free Denizens of Heaven too of the Heaven of the Saints that they shall live in hereafter in a more glorious way They are Now Citizens of it and they may be said to dwell in Heaven as we shall see afterward in the opening of their Conversations being in Heaven CHAP. V. How the Saints are Citizens of Heaven opened in Nine Particulars NOW the Saints are Citizens of Heaven For First Their names are all inrold in Heaven They are written in Heaven in the 10. Luke 20. Rejoyce in this That your names are written in Heaven In Heaven is the Books of life where all the Names of the Saints are written Philip. 4. 3. Whose names saith he are written in the Books of life Secondly The Saints are the Citizens of Heaven for they have Christ their Head gone before to take possession of Heaven in their names therefore they have a right to Heaven As a man may be a Citizen although he should travel in another Country yet his name being inrol'd there and he having possession there he may be said to be a Citizen though he be in a strange land for the present in his body So the Saints have their names inrold in Heaven they have Jesus Christ their head that is gone before in their names to take possession for them and to provide Mantions for them as in the 14. John Thirdly When ever they do actually beleeve they do take up their
speak the very language of Canaan but it is in such company where they may gain respect by it but still are but as meteors that hang between heaven and earth whereas the truth is while they seem to be so high above others and so heavenly yet their hearts are groveling upon the earth many times while they have most excellent expressions in prayer yet God sees their hearts basely cleaving to some earthly thing there is some base earthly contentment that their hearts are upon while they seem to be so heavenly much like to the Kite that flies on high as if it were an Eagle but the eye of it while it is above in the air is fixed upon some carrion upon some prey that it hath upon the earth and as soon as ever it sees a fit opportunity to seise upon the prey it comes down to seise upon it and that 's the place the Kite would be at that 's the place he doth most delight in to be upon his prey And so an hypocrite though he rises high in some actions yet the truth is his eye is upon some earthly prey and when he sees his opportunity thither he goes and finks down to those things and that 's his most proper place there he takes most delight and content in his Conversation though his actions may seem to be Heavenly and therefore he will fall down and never attain to the highest Heavens that the Saints shall go to but to hell at the last CHAP. XII The Third Vse THE Third Use is this The Saints Conversation is in Heaven Hence then for shame let us not find fault with strictness in the waies of God let not man speak against the waies of God as being too strict and what need we be so Circumspect and so precise and so pure what need we labor to do so much what canst thou attain to a more strict and holy Conversation than a Heavenly Conversation It is a very carnal expression that some have Why we cannot be Saints we are not Saints yes the holy Ghost cals all beleevers all that have the very least degree of true grace he call them Saints When we come to Heaven then we shall live better but while we are in this world we cannot Yeâ— while you are in this world your Conversation is to be in Heaven surely men either are not acquainted with the Word or they shut their eyes and will not see and consider what the Word saith about a strict Conversation Sometimes you find in Scripture that we are commanded to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect It 's a strange speech and yet it 's the speech of Christ himself And we must walk as Christ walked and he that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure and then our Conversation is in Heaven Put these together Perfect as our Heavenly father is perfect Walk as Christ walked Purge our selves as he is pure Our Conversation is in Heaven what do all these things tend to Surely it tends to a great deal of strictness and holiness of life And these things shew that the work of a Christian here in this world is a busie work that a Christian-life it is not an idle dull heavy or sluggish life you that are Christians you had need quicken up your selves you had need awaken those drousie spirits of yours if this be required of you that you should be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Walk as Christ walked Purifie your selves as he is pure Holy as he is holy and to have your Conversations in Heaven surely there need be a great deal of quickness and life in the hearts of Christians and you are not to content your selves in a meer possession and doing some little matter in the way of Religion or being somewhat better than others you are to aim at heaven look up there and make that to be your pattern CHAP. XIII The Fourth Vse AND that rebukes even such as are truly godly many that yet do fail exceeding much in this thing Oh! their Conversations are too low are too earthly If they would examine their hearts strictly they cannot say that their Conversations are in heaven I am a stranger upon earth saith David But many may say that they are strangers in heaven Whereas earth should be the place of our pilgrimage and heaven our home but it 's quite otherwaies heaven is rather the place where most professors are strangers and earth is the place of their habitation they cast up a thought now and then to heaven as now and then men will cast up their eyes and look upon heaven but where 's your heart where 's the great workings of your spirits It 's a speech of the Lord saith he Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Foot-stool Spiritual things they are to be look'd upon as the good things as the Throne of God those earthly things only as the things of Gods foot-stool but now How many are there that have Earth their throne and Heaven their foot-stool that is Heavenly things are made subordinate to earthly things Oh! this should not be in any of those that professe themselves to be Christians none of the Saints should satisfie themselves in any life but this to be able to say I blesse God my Conversation is in Heaven though God let me live upon the earth yet my conversation is in Heaven What an unworthy thing it is for one that doth professe to have his portion and his inheritance in Heaven yet to have the heart so mingled here with the earth In Gen 45. 20. saith Joseph in sending for his father Regard not your stuffe for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours Regard not the stuff do not let it grieve you to forsake your stuff leave all your lumber behind you for all the good things of Egypt are yours Oh what a shameful thing is it that Christians should regard their stuff so much as they do that hope to have the good things not of Egypt but of Heaven its self to be theirs Surely if we have seen the things of Heaven one would think that all the things of the earth should be darkened in our eyes 2 Cor. 3. 10. That which was glorious saies the text had no glory in comparison of the greater glory That Scripture I confesse is spoken in comparing of the Law and the Gospel there was a glory in the delivering of the Law but that had no glory in comparison of the greater glory that is in comparison of the Gospel for in the Gospel we behold as in a glasse with open face the glory of God and are changed into the same image as from glory to glory But we may apply it thus As the things of the earth that were glorious before in your eyes yet in comparison of the greater glory should not at all be glorious though before conversion these things were glorious grant it that there is some kind
a Lyon but for the Saints it shal not be terrible to them And how much is it worth that when God shall appear in death and at judgment here and hereafter the terrour of God shall be taken away My brethren God appears at death and at the times of Judgment ordinarily in another manner than he doth in the time of prosperity you see no terror in Gods presence now but beware of it when death is approaching wicked men when they lie upon their death-beds how terrible is the presence of God to them then but those that walk with God shall not find it so when they come to die then God appears to them Now am I going to stand before the great God to have my eternal estate determined one way or other But what God is this He is great indeed but he is my friend I have had converse with him all the daies of my life And so when I must come to Judgment here comes Jesus Christ with his thousands of Angels in glory but it is Christ that I have conversed with all the daies of my life this Christ hath been my friend before whom I am This will be the comfort in walking with God The twelfth Excellency And then The end of the walk that makes it belssed indeed Oh! how blessed will that make it It 's a blessed thing to walk with God now but when you come to the End of this walk you shall find it blessed indeed If a man did come to enjoy God at last though it was through never so many difficulties yet he had cause to blesse God If one were going to possess a Kingdom though his way were never such a difficult way and hard yet the end of his way would make it comfortable because it is to go and take a Kingdom But now you that are walking with God you have comfort in your walk but the end of your walk oh that will be glorious indeed it is to possesse a Kingdom it is to have the crown of glory set upon your heads your communion that you have with God here it is but as the forerunner of that glorious Communion that you shall enjoy with him together with the Saints and Angels to all eternity And thus we have given you the heads at least of the Excellency that there is in Walking with God No marvel though the holy Ghost sets such a commendations upon Enoch Above al things That he walked with God seeing there is so much good in it I confesse I had thought not to have left this Head without applying of it and warming it upon your hearts that you might walk so with God that you might not lose the comfort and blessing and sweet Excellency that you have had opened to you in walking with God only let me say thus much Be in love with it Know there is no such good in any other path the Devil doth but gul you and your own hearts and the world doth but deceive you if it promise any good in any other way that will counter vail this Oh no the walking with God it is the good of a Christian it 's his happinesse his glory his commendations Oh that this may be recorded of you as it was of Enoch And Enoch walked with God CHAP. VII Five Vses of Exhortation in walking with God Now we proceed Some Use I shall make of this briefly before I go to the third head about Evidences of walking with God The First Vse First Bless God that he will be pleased to walk thus with his poor creatures bless the Lord for his goodness to us Happy are the Angels that stand before the Lord How happy are we then that may have this free converse with God! What we that were not only strangers but enemies to God a while since now to walk with him Oh! a blessed thing it is Let God be magnified for this his goodness to us even He that humbleth Himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven do but look upon the things that are done in Heaven Psalm 113. and yet he will condescend fo far to His poor creatures even here on earth as to walk with them were we indeed wholly freed from sin it were somewhat but while we are not only so mean in our selves but so sinful and yet that God wiâ—l so walk with us this we have cause to bless God for if we should see his face hereafter though we should never see him in this world but that God should not only grant unto us this That we should hereafter after a wearisome and tedious pilgrimage here in this world come to see His face but that we should have so much converse with Him here Oh magnified and blessed be the Name of God for this The second Vse Secondly What strangers are the most part of the world to this that I am speaking of That which I am speaking of it's a riddle to most men in the world This walking with God is but an empty sound to most men yea for the greatest part of the world they walk as the Scripture speaks after their own counsels you shall find divers notable expressions in Scripture of the walk of sinners of wicked men They walk according to their own counsels They walk after the flesh They walk after their lusts They walk after the course of this world They walk in the vanity of their minds They walk contrary unto God They walk according to men Yea That 's observable unto this That the holy Ghost condemns not only walking according to the course of the world and as men But to walk in the way of Kings is condemn'd in Scripture In 2 Chron. 28. 2. If to follow the course of any men one would think it might be most coÌ„mendable the following of the King but here 's a charge against Ahaz that he walked in the waies of the Kings of Israel and the 2 Kings 17. 8. They walked in the Statutes of the Heathen here 's to walk as Kings walk and then to walk in the Laws of Kings God would not have any men walk in them any further than they are according to his own Statutes Not to say it 's according to Law and I must walk according to Law No this is charged to walk according to the practice of Kings or their Laws being evil And there 's another Scripiure in the I Kings 15. 26. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the waies of his father and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin There 's to walk in the way of great men and that 's condemned Secondly to walk in the way of the Laws of the places where we live Thirdly to walk according to our fathers that 's condemned And then lastly to walk according to the common course of the world that 's condemned and yet this is the walk of sinners And further The Scripture saith That wicked men they walk in darkness and they
walk after their own imaginations and in the vanity of their minds they walk in lies and their hearts walk after the sight of their own eyes and they walk after their covetousness We might mention neer twenty such kind of expressions in Scripture and these are the walks of sinners But the waies of the Saints they are to walk with God but those that walk in the way of sinners that is in the vanity of their minds according to the fight of their own eyes after their covetousness and after the flesh and their lusts and lasiviousness and vanity and such kind of expression as we have in Scripture Certainly they shall have the end of their walk to be no other but destruction and eternal misery The Third Vse Thirdly What vile hearts are ours that are so backward to walk with God seeing God is pleased to admit of his Saints to walk with him even those that are godly are to be rebuk'd from hence that they should be so backward to come in to walk with God It is our glory That is that that would make our lives comfortable it would make this wilderness of ours to be a paradice it would make our Gardens to be Edens it would make our Houses to be Churches and make the Church to be a Heaven unto us and yet we are backward unto this Oh that we would but consider of this when we are in our walk there have vain thoughts As ordinarily men that are walking in their pleasant Gardens or it may be pleasant Rooms Oh the vanity and folly of their thoughts I may speak to you who do you walk withal all this while when you are a walking in your Galleries or Parlours or Gardens or alone in the fields who are you parlying withal who are you conversing withal are not you walking many times with the Devil and making provision for the flesh you should be walking with God what are you the Saints of God doth God offer himself to walk and converse with you and will you walk with the flesh and converse with the Devil and be rouling of sin and wickedness up and down in your thoughts Oh what a vile and sinful thing is this The Lord humble you for your sinful walks humble you that are Saints you sometimes have had some walks with God why is it that you walk no more close with God you complain sometimes of your great business in the world and occasions to converse with the world that you have no time for your Communion with God and yet when you are off from the world and when you have time alone wherein you might converse with God and when you have walks to the Citie and from the Citie again what Communion might you have with God! But Oh! how backward are our hearts even unto this that is our happinesse and our glory That 's a third Use by way of reproof even to the Saints which is raised from the consideration of the excellency that there is in our walking with God The Fourth Vse Fourthly By way of exhortation Oh let us keep close to God in our walking with him We reade of Peter that he saw Christ walking upon the water and he would leap to him to walk with him there though it were in afflictions to walk with Christ it should be comfortable to us We reade of Idolators that they would have their children pâ—sse through the fire to get to their Idols Oh let us be willing to pass through any difficulties to get to God the Lord is willing we should coÌ„municate our selves to him and he is willing to communicate himself to us the Lord would communicate word for word promise for promise imbrace for imbrace if we would speak to him he would speak to us if we would let out our hearts to him he would let out his heart to us if we would promise to him he would promise to us The Lord doth often call us to walk with him As sometimes familiar friends will call one another Come let us walk out together and those that are very familiar and loving though they may have some business yet they will lay it aside seeing their deer friends calls them to walk they take so much delight in it many times God our deer friend cals us Come let us walk out together When God at any time doth dart in a Heavenly thought into your minds he doth as it were call you to walk with him there and would have you follow that thought The following that Heavenly thought that 's darted into your minds that 's the answering of Gods call to walk with him Consider of this one note Oh do not refuse this you do not know how your lives may be comforted this way and your hearts may be strengthened The Fifth Vse And then the last thing that I shall name by way of Use is this If there be so much Excellency in our walking with God here what will there be in Heaven then If our converse with him in this world be so sweet Oh how sweet shall our converse with him in Heaven be when we shall walk with him in white when we shall have our garments glorious indeed and our souls fit to converse with God Now the truth is we are very unfit to converse with the Lord because of our blindness and darknesse we do not know God As now let an ignorant man come to converse with a learned man he gets but very little good for he is not able to put a question to him nor able to understand what the man saith especially if he speaks any depth of learning to him So many that are very weak when they are in discourse with those that are strong and godly they are not able to make that use for their discourse as others can and it 's a great excellency for one to be able to improve his converse with some men that have abilities and strength to be able I say to improve their Converse it 's a great excellency Alas we are not able to improve our converse with God here but in Heaven we shall be able to improve our converse with God We shall know as we are known we shall understand God if God doth but communicate himself we shall be fit to receive all the beams of his glory that he shal be pleased to let out Oh! that wil be an excellent thing indeed when we shall be alwaies walking with God and conversing with him continually Saith Bernard in the gracious visitations of the Spirit of God to his soul How sweet if it were not so little but then it shall be constant we shall then follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes and walk with him in white according as he speaks Now the Church cries out and saith Oh draw us and we will run ofter thee The Spirit of God had need to draw us here but then we shall have no such need of drawing but we shall of our selves from the inclination