soule to God peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost comfort in affliction strength in temptation life in death and neuer-fading delights and riuers of pleasures the ioy and solace of a Sonne of God of a spouse of Christ of an inhabitant of heauen and of an enioyer of God in fulnesse of ioy and vnchangeable glory Oh consider I beseech you beloued in the Lord consider and weigh these things a little The matter is worthy your deepest meditation 2. A speciall comparison of the gaine of the worlding and godlieman Consider I say and you shall assuredly finde that the greatest gaine of the worldling is very smal the smallest of the godly is very great This of worth that worthlesse The greatest gaine the worldling can enioy is but outward and superficiall 1. The worldlings gaine is but outward and superficiall seruing onely for the vse of humane and corporall life which consistes in coniunction of soule and body vnited alone by the bond of nature but the gaine of the godly is inward and substantiall The godly mans inward and substantiall of vse to a life diuine and spirituall which consistes in coniunction of the whole person both soule and body with God and that by a bond of the spirit of God That frees but from some outward euill as pouertie the least of euils which one rich and ready friend may easily remedy From disgrace which may sometimes prooue glorious as for such cause or with such persons as where disgrace is honour From outward paine which may worke vs pleasure and prepare for greater ioy and solace But this freeth from the greatest euils from spirituall beggery ignominy misery and makes rich within glorious and well appayed And what were it to haue a purple coate a polluted conscience a gay gowne and a sick heart a bed of gold and a diseased minde a full chest and an emptie soule afaire face and foule affections to glister in iewels and to bee filthy in manners to bee in grace with men and disgrace with God One dramme of that true inwarde gaine is farre more worth then a thousand worlds 2. The worldlings gaine is mutable and vncertaine The worldlings gaine is mutable and vncertaine and soone God knowes is changed for a losse it is constant in nothing but in mutabilitie 1. Ioh. 2.17 the inseparable property of all earthly vanities Now a man is rich presently poore now in honour anon in disgrace now in pleasure euen now in paine Prou. 23.5 Riches take their wings and flie away honour with euery crosse blast is blowen away and pleasures melt in the taste as dew before the morning sun How soone are our feastes turned into fastes and our sweetest songs into mournefull lamentations Lament 3.5 They that did feede delicately are desolate in the streetes and they that were brought vp in scarlet embrace the dunghill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poet. Instin histor lib. 2. How soone fayre-shining Fortunes fall and faile Renowmed Xerxes the fame of antiquity passed ouer into Greece in passing state and pride but returned home in great basenesse and feare As he went he couered the seas with his gallant shippes but as hee came was scarce prouided of a meane fishers boate Hee went guarded with an army so huge and mighty that it emptied deepe riuers did eate vp large countries and was a burden to the very earth but he returned not attended of a wayting boy And he who of late was the terrour of the world a broade was presently in contempt with the meanest of his house at home Would you see an admirable spectacle of humane mutability Munster Chronol de Tureis lib. 4. c. 64. cast your eyes vpon Baiazet that terrible Turke and cruell scourge of Greece How soone was he subdued by Tamerlane the Tartar led about on a scaffold as a beast in a chayne of gold and carried with him abroad in all his expeditions as a footestoole to tread on when hee mounted on horse-backe and as a dogge to picke crummes from vnder his table And what became of the estate of this cruell conquerour who in deuilish pride disdayning the name of man would bee stiled the wrath of God the vastity and calamity of the world Hee left his kingdome stuffed with wealth and treasures to be dissipated and extinguished by his disagreeing sonnes Read the historie of Adoni-bezek Iudg. 1.6 7. Who hauing in his pride and cruelty caused 70. Kings hauing their thumbes and great toes cut off to bee g'ad like whelpes to gather crummes from vnder his table hee was requited of God and brought to like misery and experienced the mutability of all earthly states What should I mention the known History of Croesus Herodet Clio. sine lib. 1. who in the top of his prosperity would needes haue Solon to pronounce him happy but anon ouer-topt by Cyrus and set on a pile of wood to bee burnt finding his sudden change from supposed happinesse to certaine calamity cryed out in griefe and sorrow of heart Oh Solon Solon Solon The cause of this out-cry when Cyrus vnderstood he gaue him his life and intreated him kindly fearing the like misery to befall himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hered ib. as knowing the instability of humane affaires and calamity whereto all men are subject as the Historian doth well obserue Of all the daies of this mortall life the latter findes him not as the former left him No maruell though Tiberius the Emperour refused the stile of Pater patriae father of his country on this ground of vncertainty of all these earthly thing saying All mortall mens estates are vncertaine Cuncta mortalium incerta quantoque plus adeptus foret tanto se magis in lubrico dictitaus Tacit. annal lib. 1. De Ciuit. Dei l. 1. c. 1 Esa 28.4 man hath gotten the more slippery is his condition Let me in one word with Saint Augustine speake thus of them all Sunt omnia terrena cacumina temporali mobilitaie nutantia All terrene heights doe reele with temporall mutabilitie Heare the Lord himselfe The glorious beautie of all earthly excellency which is on the head of the fatte valley shall bee as a fading flower and as the hastie fruit before the Summer which when hee that looketh vpon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eateth it vp The best settled states grow soone vnsetled and these adamantine kingdomes haue foundations of sand The godly mans chief gaine is immutable and certaine But the choise gaine of godlinesse is immutable and certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdome vnshaken The heauenly calling and special guifts thereof are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 12.28 Rom. 11.29 Beza in Locum Nec prodi nec perdi possunt Aug de ciuit deil l. 1. cap. 10. Such as whereof God can neuer repent himselfe that hee gaue them or repenting take them backe againe These good things can neither bee
is all and onely entailed to godlinesse The best title being lost in Adam restored by Christ for godlinesse hath the promises both of this life present and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. vngodlinesse the threats and curses of them both Yet if any be so retchlesly peeuish and peruerse that hee will still contend that the gaine of the world belongs aswell to the vngodly as godly as de facto so de iure To leaue the deciding of that controuersie as a fit Nisiprius for the great Iudge of all at the generall Assises be it granted vnto him that his claime is as good yet his gaine is still lesse then the godly mans is for howsoeuer the gaine of the world be granted to bee great yet the gaine of godlinesse is of all the greatest gaine And in this I am to spend the last part of my discourse 3. Godlinesse is the greatest gaine of all That the gaine of Godlinesse should be of all the greatest gaine it is holden a Paradox and a strange assertion among many in the world The godlesse worldling take him in his humour would be loath to be thought so foolish as to exchange his gaine with a godly mans His eyes are so blinded and his heart so possessed with the supposed worth and excellencie of this earthly gaine that hee hath neither eyes to see nor heart to esteeme the price of the heauenly Yea the euer-thirsting desire and restlesse endeauour after that gaine of the world and the carelesse neglect and retchlesse contempt of this of Godlinesse which is seene in the most doeth plainely demonstrate that of all the fewest doe account of godlinesse as of all the best and greatest gaine A comparison betweene the gaine of the world and the gaine of godlinesse Let vs now enter into a comparatiue discourse betweene that temporall gaine of the world which a godles worldling may haue in common with the godly and the spirituall gaine of godlinesse which a godly man doth alone possesse besides his part and portion in that other and it shall soone appeare I hope to our profit that the gaine of godlinesse is far the greater gaine 1 Generall and that in 1 Profits of the worldling 1. And worldlings gaine may be great in deede shall we to helpe him suppose him possessed of pleasant gardens fruitfull orchards fieldes and vineyards faire pallaces and large prouinces shall we suppose him enriched with wealth at will Eccle. 2. in store and aboundance of gold as siluer of siluer 2 Chron. 1.15 as stones of pearles as pibbles in the streetes yet were the gaine of godlinesse greater then this and a godly man farre richer then he Profites of the Godly man For Christ the Lord of all is his Lord-treasurer and the infinite fulnesse of his al-sufficient deity the store that 's laid vp in the godly mans treasurie some Iewels which Christ doth heere bestow are these Prou. 3. Wisdome which is better then fine gold more precious then the Rubies Iob. 28. faith which is precious loue of God hope of glory pietie righteousnes holinesse all heauenly vertues and diuine graces treasures inualuable of incomparable woorth And what were those worldly goodes in the iudgement of the wisest among the heathen surely but indifferent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peripatet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Platonic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. Neither good nor euill Or good not so much in their owne nature as in the iudgement of men Others accounted them vsefull to some good end Or let them bee good as indeed they are the good blessings of God yet are they good things but of the lowest rancke of good Bona minima Aug. retract l. 1. c. 9. The couetous worldling may esteeme wealth the most Honourable good And siluer to him may be blood and soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. and when he hath lost his goods hee may hange himselfe as hauing lost already his life layd vp in his goods Let all bee trifles compared with his gold Yea let him say to the wedge of gold thou art my hope Iob. 31.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand and esteeme siluer and gold his most profitable gods Yet what of all this is he therefore rich The godly hath wealth which is a God in deed for Christ is his gaine and God is his portion Phil. 1.2 â— 3 7. Ier. 10.16 It is not good simply to be wealthy but to be wealthy in good things especially in God who is goodnesse it selfe 2 Let the worldlings wealth bee graced with honour 2 The honour of the worldling backed with Empire and authority royall Let him sit on the Throne weare the crowne saay the scepter prescribe lawes command forbid reward punish Let him be able to helpe his friends to hurt his foes to aduance his fauorites to debase his opposites Let him be royally attended highly honoured lowly saluted as victorious wise prudent politique Let him be heartily loued and loyally embraced as the piller of the weale-publique father of his countrie patterne of antiquity Amor deliciae generis humani loue and darling of wholem man-kinde with Titus Vespasian Let him be esteemed the light of the eyes Bonus Deus Constantinum Imperatorem tantis terrenis impleuit muneribus quanta optare nullus aâ—deret Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 25. ioy of the heart breath of the nostrils of many millions of subiectes And to conclude Let him be so fully replenished with such earthly good things as no mortall man durst wish so great As Augustine speakes of Constantine the Great Yet if in all this prosperity hee be but a meere worldling the godly mans game is greater then this shall hee bee likewise inuested with his expected soueraignty The honour of the godly For hee shall be adorned with the glorious robes of the righteousnesse of Christ victoriously triumph ouer the world flesh sinne and satan prescribe lawes to inordinate affections be ctowned a King in heauen Apoc. 1.6 attended of the Angels honoured of all creatures liue in neerest communion with God himselfe enioy his glorious presence Luk. 12.32 Mat. 25.34 and partake with him in an eternall Kingdome 3. Pleasures of the worlding 3 Lastly let the worldlings wealth be not onely adorned with honour but sweetened with pleasures Let him enioy the sweete comforts of health of body tranquillity of mind faithfull faire and fruitfull wife towardly and obedient sonnes and daughters trusty seruants good neighbours kinde acquaintance able and stable friends Let him enioy dainty meates sweete-sounding musicke Eccle. 2.10 and all the delights of the sonnes of men Pleasures of the godly Yet is the godly mans estate far better then this for hee doth most comfortably enioy the sweetest delights and comforts of the soule due submission of body to soule of
betrayed nor lost The same God that gaue them will still maintaine them and second his kindnes with a supply of newgrace This grace of God hath no end knowes no stint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chryst in Rom. 5 Temptation may obscure the outward glosse but cannot hurt the in ward substance Some leaues may fall and some fruit may fade but the feede and roote of grace shall still remaine Some showres and cloudes are heere below but aboue these mountaines there are no clouds in the highest heauens is no mutability But in that day shall the Lord of Hostes be for a crowne of glory and for a durable diademe of neuer-fading beauty vnto the residue of his people Esay 28.5 3 The worldlings gaine is for a short time The worldlings gaine though it were firme and certaine yet is it but for a time The longest terme is but the short life of man and what is the life of man short and vncertaine Iob. 14.1.2 breuis est vita ipsa breuitas semper incerta Aug. de verb. dom serm 10. As grasse in the field soone withering as a flower in the garden soone fading as a bubble on the water soone falling as an vnconstant shadow soone flitting as a drowsie mans dreame soone vanishing A gnat a flie ill smell moisture of dew infected blast or suspense of short breath dislodgeth the soule of body and dispossesseth both body and soule of the world and heere is farewell to all and thus all this gaine is gone Vnlesse he hope his name shall liue in the mouthes of commenders which gaine if but for worldly respects is a smoke of no weight in St. Augustines ballance or to purchase a tombe for his liuelesse carcasse which somtimes proclaimes to the world his not yet-dying ambition and whereon oft-times for his ill demeanure are instamped the characters of long-lasting disgrace Euseb de vita Constant lib 1. cap 3. Tacit. Annal. lib. 3. Alexander the great as likewise Caesar Germanicus liued but 32 yeeres his raigne was little more then one third of that In his short raigne hee was glorious for slaughter and crueltie and withall ignominious for reuelling and drunkennesse The glorious raigne of Cyrus ended in an ignominious death hee was conquered by a woman Euseb de vit Constant lib. 1. cap. 3. Thomyris Satia te saenguine quem sitisti cuiusque insatiabilis semper fuisti Iustin histor lib 1. and his head was cast into a vessell of blood with vile exprobration of his bloudy designes Yea and all godly Kings and religious Emperours must part with this part of their aduantage gaine and must trust to that more refined portion of their wealth The godly mans gaine is for euer Prou. 8.18 that proper gaine of godlinesse which is constant and durable not dying with the body or left below but liuing with the soule through indissoluble vnion and communion with God in Christ 1 Ioh. 2.17 Bona huius vitae sunt vanescendo transeuntia futurae sine fine mansura Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 3. the wel-spring of life to the soule while the body lies in the graue who shall raise the bodie to partake in glory When the world is passed and vanished away this gaine shall be constant for euer remaining That gaine is like a sudden showre which speedily falles and hastilie is gone this like a wel-spring or flowing fountaine euer streaming and streaming vnto all eternity * Facile contēnit omnia qui se semper cogitat esse moriturum Hieron op 2. lib. 2. He will easily contemne that earthly gaine who alwaies thinkes that once hee must needes die euer highly prize that heauenly wealth which shall make him euer blessed neuer forsake him For it were much to passe from small wealth to extreame penury from short honour to eternall disgrace and from momentany pleasure to euerlasting paine 4. The worldlings gaine is mixt and infected with losse The worldlings gaine is not sound and sincere but mingled and infected with some attendant losse heer 's no good entire without some losse no commoditie without some inconueniency Ipsemundi qualiscunque status plus anxietat is quam iucunditatis habet si qua tamen est praeterit iucunditas non reditura manet anxietas non relictura Bern. ep 113. The best prouided earthly estate hath more anxiety or vexation then sweetnesse and the sweetnesse if any passeth away not to returne the anxiety remaineth and will not goe away So that a worldling is most-what affected if not afflicted with vngratefull remembrance of some euill past or vnpleasant sense of some euill present or distractiue feare of euill to come And man is naturally affected more with euill then good with paine then pleasure A short sickenesse more affecteth then long health small paine swalloweth vp much pleasure a little disgrace defaceth much honour and a little losse of wealth sustained doth more disquiet then much wealth retained doth content Now no worldling so happy but feeles some calamity none gets such gaine but meetes with some losse and this losse doth make the gaine to seeme but small The godly mans gaine is sound and sincere But the gaine of godlinesse principally after this life when the chiefe returne thereof comes in is throughly sound and truly sincere without mixture of losse or concurrence of euill Apoc. 22.3.5 Ther 's no vngratefull remembrance of euill past but ioyfull triumph ouer euils escaped Ther 's no vnpleasant sense of euill present but sweete and sincere delight and pleasure Ther 's no distrustfull feare of euill to come but safe security and interrupted tranquillity 5. The worldlings gaine is imperfect and cannot content The greatest worldlings gaine suppose it greater then euer it can be onely good without positiue euill yet is is imperfect and cannot content the minde of man The desire of man doth farre exceede the modell and compasse of all inferior obiects they are all too scant and narrow to fill mans heart So that the worldling is vsually much disquieted with discontent at the imperfection of some good attained or with languishing hope of some good expected Hee often deuoures that in hope whereof he misseth or if his happe be so good as to hit on it yet is his ioy farre past before the thing bee had or if it be had with expected ioy yet is it enioyed with lesse then expected comfort while it melteth and dissolueth in the very taste Hence it comes to passe that a Godlesse man who hath gained the world but not godlinesse and therewithall godly contentment is like to a sicke man tumbling on his couch and finding all repose wearinesse tediously conuersing with things present and longingly desyring things to come Stilthe desire exceeds the fruition so the affectiō still wants contentation yea and though the present desire be granted yet is not the minde herewith satisfied for men vse highly to