Three Treatises, Treatise 1 (3 of 3)
The second Ground is the Corruption of nature, which maketh bitter and uncleane every thing that toucheth it.Tit. 1. 15. Hag. 2. 12, 13, 14 Revel. 10. 9. It polluteth holy flesh, much more will it pollute ordinary things. We reade of a Roule which was sweete in the mouth, but bitternesse in the belly: Such are the Creatures; In the bowels of men, their hearts and consciences (which are the Seminaries of Corruption) they turne into gall, however in the mouth they have some smatch of honie in them. For this is a Constant Rule, Then only doth the Creature satisfie a man when it is suteable to his occasions and necess…ies. The reason why the same proportion is unsufficient for a prince, which is abundant for a private man, is because the occasions of the prince are more vast, massie, and numerous then the occasions of a private man. Now the desires and occasions of a man in Christ, that doth not ransacke the Creature for Happinesse, are limited and shortned, whereas another mans are still at large: for he is in a way, his eye is upon an end, he useth the world but as an Inne, and no man that travels home-ward will multiply businesses unnecessarily upon himselfe in the way. In his house he can finde sundry employments to busie himselfe about, the education of his children, the governement of his family, the managing of his estate are able to fill up all his thoughts, whereas in the Inne he cares for nothing but his refreshment and rest: So here, The faithfull make their home their businesse, how to have their conversation in Heaven, how to have a free and comfortable use of the foo…e of life, how to relish the mercies of God, how to governe their evill hearts, how to please God their father and Christ their husband, how to secure their interest in their expected inheritance, how to thrive in grace, to bee rich in good workes, to purchase to themselves a further degree of glory, how to entaile their spirituall riches to their posterity in a pious education of their children, these are their employments: the things of this life are not matters of their Home, but onelyonly comfortable refreshments in the way, which therefore they use not as theirSolatia non negotia. grand occasions to create businesses to them, but only as interims and necessary respites. So that hereby their occasions being few and narrow, those things which they here enjoy are unto those occasions largely suteable, and by consequent very satisfactory unto their desires. But worldly men are here at Home, they have their portion in this life: hereupon their desires are vast, and their occasions springing out of those desires, infinite. A man in the right way findes at last an end to his journey, but hee that is out of the way wanders infinitely without any successe. Rest is that which the desires and wings of the soule doe still carry men upon. Now the faithfull being alwayes in the way, doe with comfort goe on, though it be peradventure deepe and heavie, because they are sure it will bring them home at last; but wicked men in a fairer way are never satisfied, because they have not beforeforeign. Arist. polit. lib. 2. cap. 7. them that rest which their soule desires. For inordinate lusts are ever infinite. What made the heathen burne in lust one towards another, but because the way of nature is finite, but the way of sinne infinite? What made Nero that wicked emperour have an officer about him, who was called Arbiter Neroniana libidinis, the Inventer and Contriver of new wayes of uncleannesse, but because lust is infinite? What made Messalina, that prodigie of women, whom I presume Saint Paul had a particular relation to, Rom. 1. 26. Profluere ad incognitas libidines, as the Historian speakes, prostitute her selfe with greedinesse unto unnaturall and unknowne abominations, but because lust is infinite? What makes the ambitious man never leave climbing, till he build a nest in the starres; the covetous man never leave scraping, till heforeign. Arist. polit lib. 1. cap. 9. fill bagges, and chests, and houses, and yet can never fill the hell of his owne desires; the epicure never cease swallowing, and spuing, and staggering, and inventing new arts of catches, and rounds, and healths, and caps, and measures, and damnation; the swearer finde out new gods to invocate, and have change of oathes as it were of fashions; the superstitious Traveller runne from England to Rhemes, and from thence to Rome, and from Rome to Loretto, and after that to Ierusalem to worship the milke of our Lady, or the cratch and tombe of our Saviour, or the nailes of his Crosse, or the print of his feete, and I know not what other fond delusions of silly men, who had rather finde salvation any where then in the Scriptures; what is the reason of these and infinite the like absurdities, but because Lust is infinite? and infinite Lust will breed infinite occasions, and infinite occasions will require infinite wealth, and infinite wit, and infinite strength, and infinite instruments to bring them about: and this must needs beget much Vexation of minde not to have our possessions in any measure proportionable to our occasions.
The third and last ground is the Creatures deceitfulnesse, there is no one thing will more disquiet the minde then to be defeated. Those things wherein men feare miscarriage, or expect disappointment, they prepare such a disposition of mind as may be fit to beare it: but when a man is surpriz'd with evill, the novelty encreaseth the vexation. And therefore the Scripture useth to expresse the greatnesse of a judgement by the unexpectednesse of it: Esai. 64. 3. Esai. 30. 13. Esai. 47. 9. Psal. 58. 9. 2. Pet. 2. 1.When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for. The unexpectance doth adde unto the Terror. A breach in an instant, a momentary, a sudden destruction, a swift damnation, a flying roule, a winged woman; such are theZach. 5. 2. 9. expressions of a severe Iudgement. And therefore it was a wise observation which Tacitus made of a great Romane, he was Ambiguarum rerum sciens, eo que intrepidus; He foresaw, and by consequence was not so much troubled with evill events, as those whom they did surprize. Now men are apt to promise themselves much con…entment in the fruition of earthly things, like the foole in the Parable, and to be herein disappointed is the ground of much vexation. When a man travels in deepe way & sees before him a large smoothe plaine, he presumes that will recompence the wile he was formerly put to; but when he comes to it, and findes it as rotten, as full of sloughs, and bogs and quagmires as his former way, his trouble is the more multiplied, because his hopes are deceiv'd: The divell and the world beget in mens mindes large hopes, and make profuse promises to those that will worship them; and a man at a distance sees abundance of pleasure and happinesse in riches, honors, high place, eminent employments, and the like; but when he hath his hearts desire, and peradventure hath out-climb'd the very modesty of his former wishes, hath ventur'd to breake through many a hedge, to make gaps through Gods Law and his owne conscience, that he might by shorter passages hasten to the idoll he so much worshipped, he findes at last that there was more trouble in the fruition, then expectation at the distance; that all this is but like the Egyptian Temples, where through a statelyClem. Alex. in Paedag. li. 3. ca. 2. frontispice and magnificent structure a man came with much preparations of reverence and worship but to the Image of an vgly ape, the ridiculous idoll of that people. A man comes to the world as to a lottry with a head full of hopes and projects to get a prize, and returnes with a heart full of blankes, utterly deluded in his expectation. The world useth a man as Ivie doth an Oke, the closer it gets to the heart, the more it clings and twists about the affections (though it seeme to promise and flatter much) yet it doth indeed but eate out his reall substance and choake him in the embraces.
First then they deceive our judgements, make us thinke better of them then they deserue; they deale with us as the Philistines with Sampson, they begin at our eyes. Thus the divell began to beguile Eve, When she saw that theGen. 3. 6. 1. Tim. 2. 14. Tree was good, and pleasant to the eyes, then being thus first deceived, she became a transgressor: and thus Esau disputes himselfe out of his birth-right; I am at the pointGen. 25. 32. of death, the pottage will make me live, the birth-right will not goe into the grave with me; I will preferre my life before my priviledge.
Secondly, they deceive our hopes and expectations. Achan promised himselfe much happinesse in a wedge of gold and Babylonish garment; but they were denoted and cursed things, they did not only deceive him, but undoe him; The wedge of gold (if I may so speake) did serue to no other purpose but to cleave asunder his soule from his body, and the Babylonish garment but for a shrowd. Gehazies presumptions were vast, and the bargaine he thought very easie to buy garments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheepe and oxen, and manservants and maide-servants at the price of an officious and mercenarie lye, he thought he had provided well for his posterity by the reward of Naaman; but the event proves quite contrarie, he provided nothing but a leprosie for himselfe and his seede forever.
They deceive our hopes in respect of Good; They promise long life, and yet the same night a mans soule is takenLuk. 12. 20. Ezek. 28. 9. from him, and they the instruments of that calamity: How many men have perished by their honours? how many have beene eaten up by their pleasures? how many hath the greedy desire of wealth powred out into the grave? They promise peace and safety (as we seeIer. 2. 36. how Israel boasted in their mountaines, confederacies, supplies from Egypt and Assyria, in their owne counselsHos. 10. 6. Esay 10. 7. 16. Esay 47. 8. 11. Iob 6. 19. 20. and inventions) and yet all these end in shame and disappointment; They promise liberty, and yet make men slaves unto vile lusts: they promise fitnesse for Gods service, and nothing more apt to make men forget him or his worship: Thus all those phantasticall felicities, which men build upon the Creature, prove in the end to havePsal 62 9. Hos. 10. 13. Ier. 16. 19. been nothing else but the banquet of a dreaming man, nothing but lies and vanitie in the conclusion.
Lastly, They Deceive us likewise in respect of evill. No Creatures, however they may promise Immunitie and deliverance, can doe a man any good when the Lord will be pleased to send evill upon him. And yet it is not for nothing that a truth so universally confessed should yet bee repeated in the Scripture, That silver, and gold, and corruptible 1 Pet. 1. 18. Psal. 49. 7. 8.things are not a fit price for the soules of men. Doubtlesse the holy men of God forsaw a time when false Christs, and false Prophets should come into theRevel. 18. 13. world, which should set salvation to sale, and make merchandise of the Soules of men (as wee see at this day in popish Indulgences, and penance, and the like no lesse ridiculous then impious superstitions). Neither is it for nothing that Salomon tells us, That riches yea whole Treasures Prou. 11. 4. 10. 2. Ezek. 7. 19. Zeph. 1. 18.doe not profit in the day of death: a speech repeated by two prophets after him. For surely those holy men knew how apt wealth and greatnesse is to bewitch a man with conceits of Immortality, as hath been shewed. Who were they that made a covenant with death, and were atEsay 28. 14. 15. an agreement with hell to passe from them, but the scornfull men, the Rulers of the people, which had abundance of wealth and honour? Who were they that did put far away the evill day, & in despight of the Prophets threatnings did flatter themselves in the conceite of their firme and inconcussible estate, but they who were at ease in Sion, who trusted upon the Mountaines of Samaria, whoAmos 6. 1, 7. lay upon beds of I…orie, and stretch'd themselves upon their couches. But we see all this was but deceite, they go captive with the first of those that go captive, & the banket of them that stretched themselves is removed. All earthly supports without God are but like a stately houseAmos 2. 14 16. on the sand, without a foundation; a man shal be buried in his owne pride. He that is strong shall be to seeke of his strength, he that is mighty & should deliver others, shall be too weak for his own defence, he that is swift shall be amaz'd, and not dare to fly; if he be a bowman, at a great distance, if he be a rider & have a great advantage, he shal yet be overtaken, and he that is couragious, & adventures to stand out, shall be faine to flye away naked at the last.Amos 9. 2. 5. Obad. vers. 3. 9. Esay 57. 13. Ier. 2. 28. Deut. 32. 37. 42. Ier 11. 12. Esay 10. 3. 4. Ezek. 22. 14. Ier. 4▪ 30. Esay 31. 3. What ever hopes or refuges any Creature cā afford a man in these troubles, they are nothing but froth & vanity, the Lord challenges & derides them al. And the Prophet Esay gives a sound reason of it all, The Egyptians are men and not God, & their horses are flesh & not spirit, when the Lord shal stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth, shall fall, and he that is helpen shal fal down, and they al shal faile together.
Before wee proceed to the last thing proposed; here is a question to be answered. If the Creatures be so full of Vexation, It should seeme that it is unprofitable and by consequence unlawfull either to labour or to pray for them. Which yet is plainely contrary to Christs direction, Give us our daylie bread, and contrary to the practice of the Saints who use to call for the fatnesse of the earth and dew of heaven, peace of walls and prosperity of Palaces upon those whom they blesse.
To which I answere. That which is evill by accident doth not prejudice that which is Good in it selfe and by Gods ordination. Now the vexation which hath been spoken of is not an effect flowing naturally out of the condition of the creature, but ariseth meerely by accident, upon the reason of its separation from God, who at first did appoint his owne blessed communion to goe along with his Creatures. Now things which are good in themselves, but accidentally evill may justly be the object of our prayers and endeavours: And so on the otherside, many things there are which in themselves alone are evill, yet by the providence and disposition of God they have a good issue, they worke together for the best to them that love God. It was good for David that he had been afflicted: yet wee may not lawfully pray for such evils on our selves or others, upon presumption of Gods goodnesse to turne them to the best. Who doubts that the calamities of the Church doe at this time stirre up the hearts of men to seeke the Lord and his face, and to walke humbly and fearefully before him; yet that man should be a curse and prodigie in the eyes of God and men, who should still pray for the calamities of Sion, and to see the stones of Ierusalem still in the dust. Death is in it selfe an evill thing (for the Apostle calles it an enemy, 1. Cor. 15.) yet by the infinite power and mercy of God, who delights to bring good out of evill, and beauty out of ashes, it hath not onelyonly the sting taken away, but is made an entrance into Gods owne presence, with reference unto which benefit, the Apostle desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Phil. 1. 23. Now notwithstanding this goodnesse which death by accident brings along with it, yet being in it selfe a Destructive thing, we may lawfully in the desires of our soule shrinke from it and decline it. Example whereof we have in the death of Christ himselfe, which was of all as the most bitter, so the most pretious: and yet by reason of that bitternesse which was in it, hee prayes against it, presenting unto his Father the desires of his Soule for that life which he came to lay downe: as his obedience to his Father, and love to his Church made him most willingly embrace death, so his love to the integritie of his humane nature, and feare of so heavy pressures as he was to feele, made him as seriously to decline it. And though the Apostle did most earnestly desire to be with Christ, yet he did in the same desire decline the common rode thither through the darke passages of death, 2. Cor. 5. 4. Vnlawfull indeed it is for any man to pray universally against death, because that were to withstand the Statutes of God, Heb 9. 27. but against any particular danger wee may; as Ezechiah did, 1. King. 20. 1, 2. reserving still a generall submission to the will and decrees of God. For we are bound in such a case to use all good meanes, and to pray for Gods blessing upon them, which amounts to a prayer against the danger it selfe. So then, by the Rule of contraries, though the Creatures be full of vanitie and vexation, yet this must not swallow up the apprehension of that goodnesse which God hath put into them, nor put off the desires of men from seeking them of God in those just prayers which he hath prescribed, and in those lawfull endeavours which he hath commanded and allowed.
The third thing proposed was the consideration of that Vse which we should make of this vexation of the Creature. And first the consideration thereof mingled with faith in the heart must needes worke humiliation in the spirit of a man, upon the sight of those sinnes which have so much defaced the good Creatures of God. Sinne was the first thing that did pester the earth with thornes, Gen. 3. 17. 18. and hath fill'd all the Creation with vanitie and bondage. Sinne is the ulcer of the soule; touch a wound with the softest Lawne, and there will smart arise; so though the Creatures be never so harmelesse, yet as soone as they come to the heart of a man, there is so much sinne and corruption there, as must needs beget paine to the soule. The palate, prepossest with a bitter humour, findes it owne distemper in the sweetest meate it tastes; so the soule, having the ground of bitternesse in it selfe, finds the same affection in every thing that comes neere it. Death it self, though it be none of Gods works, but the shame and deformitie of the Creature, yet without sinne it hath no sting in it, 1. Cor. 15. 55. how much lesse sting, thinke we, have those things which were made for the comforts of mans life, if sinne were not the Serpent that did lurke under them all? Doest thou then in thy swiftest careere of earthly delights, when thou art posting in the wayes of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, feele a curbe privily galling thy conscience, a secret dampe seizing upon thy soule, and affrighting it with dismall suspicions and trembling pre-occupations of attending judgements, see a hand against the wall writing bitter things against thee? Dost thou in all thy lawfull Callings finde much sweat of brow, much toyle of braine, much plunging of thoughts, much care of heart in compassing thy just and lawfull intendments? Doe not lose the opportunitie of that good which all this may suggest unto thee, take advantage to fish in this troubled water. Certainely there is some Ionah that hath raysed this storme, there is some sinne or other that hath caused all this trouble to thy soule. Doe not repine at Gods providence, nor quarrell with the dumbe Creatures, but let thine indignation reflect upon thine owne heart; and as ever thou hopest to have the sweat of thy brow abated, or the care of thy heart remitted, or the curse of the Creature removed, cast thy selfe downe before God, throw out thy sinne, awake thy Saviour with the cry of thy repentance, and all the stormes will be suddenly calmed. Certainely the more power any man hath over the corruption of his nature, the lesse power hath the sting of any Creature over his heart. Though thou hast but a dinner of herbes with a quiet conscience, reconciled unto God, thou dost therein finde more sweetnesse then in a fatted Oxe with the contentions of a troubled heart. When ever therefore we finde this Thorne in the Creature, wee should throw our selves downe before God, and in some such manner as this bewaile the sinne of our heart, which is the roote of that Thorne. Lord, thou art a God of peace and beauty, and what ever comes from thee must needs originally have peace and beauty in it. The Earth was a Paradise when thou didst first bestow it upon me, but my sinne hath turned it into a Desert, and curs'd all the increase thereof with Thornes. The honour which thou gavest me was a glorious attribute, a sparkle of thine owne fire, a beame of thine owne light, an impresse of thine owne Image, a character of thine owne power; but my sinne hath put a Thorne into mine honour, my greedinesse when I look upward to get higher, and my giddinesse when I looke downeward for feare of falling, never leaves my heart without angvish and vexation. The pleasure which thou allowest mee to enjoy is full of sweet refreshment, but my sinne hath put a Thorne into this likewise; my excesse and sensualitie hath so choaked thy Word, so stifled all seeds of noblenesse in my minde, so like a Canker overgrowne all my pretious time, stolne away all opportunities of grace, melted and wasted all my strength, that now my refreshments are become my diseases. The Riches which thou gavest me, as they come from thee, are soveraigne blessings, wherewith I might abundantly have glorified thy Name, and served thy Church, and supplyed thy Saints, and made the eyes that saw mee to blesse mee, and the …ares that heard me, to beare witnesse to me, wherewith I might have covered the naked backe, and cured the bleeding wounds, and filled the hungry bowels, and satisfied the fainting desires of mine owne Saviour in his distressed members; but my sinne hath put in so many Thornes of pride, hardnesse of heart, uncompassionatenesse, endlesse cares, securitie and resolutions of sinne, and the like, as are ready to pierce me thorow with many sorrowes. The Calling wherein thou hast placed me is honest and profitable to men, wherein I might spend my time in glorifying thy Name, in obedience to thy will, in attendance on thy blessings; but my sinne hath brought so much ignorance and inapprehension upon my understanding, so much weakenesse upon my body, so much intricatenesse upon my employments, so much rust and sluggishnes upon my faculties, so much earthlymindednesse upon my heart, as that I am not able without much discomfort to goe on in my Calling. All thy Creatures are of thems…lves full of honour and beauty, the beames and gli…pses of thine owne glory; but our sinne hath stained the beauty of thine owne handyworke, so that now thy wrath is as well revealed from Heaven as thy glory, we now see in them the prints as well of thy terrours as of thy goodnesse. And now, Lord, I doe in humblenesse of heart truly abhorre my selfe, and abominate those cursed sinnes, which have not onelyonly defiled mine owne nature and person, but have spread deformitie and confusion upon all those Creatures, in which thine owne wisedome and power had planted so great a beauty, and so sweet an order. After some such manner as this ought the consideration of the thornynesse of the Creature humble us in the sight of those sinnes which are the rootes thereof.
Secondly, the consideration hereof should make us wise to prevent those cares which the Creatures are so apt to beget in the heart: those I meane which are branches of the Vexation of the Creature. There is a two fold Care, Regular and Irregular. Care is then Regular, First, when it hath a Right end, such as is both suteable with and subordinate to our maine end, the Kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse. Secondly, when the meanes of procuring that end are right; for we may not do evill to effect Good. Recovery was a lawfull end which Ahaziah did propose, but to enquire of Baalzebub was a meanes which did poyson the whole businesse: nay Saint Austin is resolute, that if it were possible by an officiousAug. de Mendac. ad Consent. lib. lie to compasse the redemption of the whole world, yet so weighty and universall a good must rather bee let fall, then brought about by the smallest evill. Thirdly, when the manner of it is good, and that is, first, when the Care is moderate, Phil. 4. 5, 6. Secondly, when it is with submission to the will and wisedome of God, when wee can with comfort of heart, and with much confidence of a happy issue recommend every thing that concernes us to his providence and disposall, can bee content to have our humours mastered, and conceits captiuated to his obedience, when we can with David resolve not to torment our hearts with needlesse & endlesse projects, but to rowle our selves upon Gods protection. If I shall finde favour in his eyes, he will bring me againe, 2. Sa. 15 25. 26.and me shew both the Arke and his habitation; But if he say thus unto me, I have no delight in thee, let him doe to me as seemeth good unto him. Such was the resolution of Eli, It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good. Such1. Sam. 3. 18. the submission of the disciples of Cesarea, when they could not perswade Paul to stay from Ierusalem, The Act. 21. 12. 14.will of the Lord be do…e. Cleane contrary to that wicked resolution of the King of Israel in the famine, This evill is 2. King. 6. 33.of the Lord, what should I waite for the Lord any longer. Now in this respect care is not a vexation but a duty; he is worse then an Infidel that provides not for his own.1. Thes 5. 8. Our Saviour himselfe had a bag in his familie, and Salomon sends foolish and improvident men unto the smallest Creatures to learne this care. Prov. 6. 8.
That Care then which is a branch of this Vexation is not foreign but foreign, a cutting, dividing, distracting care, against which wee ought the rather to strive, not onelyonly because it is so apt to arise from the Creature coupling in with the corruption of mans heart, but also because of its owne evill quality, it being both Superfluous and sinfull. First, Irregular cares are superfluous, and improper to the ends which we direct them upon, and that not to our maine end onelyonly, Happinesse, which men toyling to discover in the Creature where it is not, doe insteed thereof finde nothing but trouble and vexation; but even to those lower ends which the Creatures are proper and suteable unto. For unto us properly belongs the Industry, but unto God the care, unto us the labour and use of meanes, but unto God the blessing and successe of all.1. Cor. 3. 6. Though Paul plant and Apollo waters, it is God onelyonly that can give the increase, he must be trusted with the events of all our industry. Peter never began to sinke tillMatth. 14. 28. he began to doubt, that was the fruit of his carking and unbeliefe. Which of you by taking thought can adde oneLuk. 12. 25. cubit to his stature, saith Christ, our cares can never bring to passe our smallest desires; because I say the care of events was ever Gods prerogative and belonged wholly to his providence. VponUpon him wee must cast our care, upon1. Pet. 5. 7. him we must vnlode our burdens, and he will sustainePsal. 55. 22. us. Wee are all of one family, of the houshold of GodEph. 2. 19. Gal. 6. 10. and of faith, now we know children are not to lay vp for parents, but parents for children. If we should see a childe carke and toyle for his living, wee should presently conclude that he was left to the wide world, and had no father to provide for him; and that is our Saviours argument, take no thought, for your heavenly Father knoweth Matth. 6. 32.you have need of these things. Let us therefore learne to cast our selves upon God. First, Infaith depending vponupon the truth of his promises, He hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee, and upon the All-sufficiency of his Power, Heb. 13 5. Dan. 3. 17.our God whom we serve is able to deliver us. This was that which comforted David in that bitter distresse, when Ziglag was burnt by the Amalekites, his Wives taken2. Sam. 30. 6. captive, and himselfe ready to be stoned by the people, He encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God. This was that which delivered Asa from the huge hoste of the2. Chron. 14 11. 12. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Lubims and Ethiopians, because he rested on God; and all which afterwards hee got by his diffidence and carnall projects, was to purchase to himselfe perpetuall warres. That which grieved the Lord with his people in theNumb. 14. 11. Wildernesse was their distrust of his power and protection, Can he spread a Table in the Wildernesse? Can hee Psal. 78 19. 20. Psal. 106. 24.give bread also and flesh for his people? And indeed as Caines despaire, so in some proportion, any fainting underGen. 4. 13. temptation, any discontent with our estate, proceede from this, that we measure God by our selves, that wee conceive of his power onelyonly by those issues and wayes of escape which we are by our owne wisedomes able to fore-cast, and when we are so straitened that wee canEzek. 37. 11. Esay 49. 24 25. see no way to turne, there we give over trusting God, as if our sinnes were greater then could be forgiven, or our afflictions then could be removed. It is therefore a notable meanes of establishing the heart in all estates, to haveHab. 3. 3. 18. Zach. 4. 6. 10. Esay 55. 8. 12. Hos. 11. 9. 2 Chro. 20. 6. 12 the eye of Faith fixed upon the power God, to consider that his thoughts and contrivances are as much above ours, as Heaven is above the Earth; and therefore to resolve with Ieroboam, that when wee know not what to doe, yet we will have our eyes upon him still. Sonne of Man, saith the Lord to Ezekiel, can these dead bonesEzek. 37. 3. live; and hee answered, O Lord God thou knowest. Thy thoughts are aboue our thoughts; and where things are to us impossible, they are easie unto thee. Secondly, byMat. 10. 16. 17. Prayer. This is a maine remedy against carefull thoughts. When the Apostle had exhorted the Philippians, that their Moderation, that is, their Equanimitie and calmenesse of minde in regard of outward things, should bee knowne unto all men, he presseth it with this excellent reason, The Lord is at hand, he is ever at home in hisPhil. 4. 5. 6. 7. owne family, he is neere to see the wants, and to heare the cries of all that come unto him; therefore saith hee, Bee carefull for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving (thankesgiving for what you have, and prayer for what you want) let your requests be made knowne unto God, and hee shall furnish you with peace in all estates. A notable example of which promise we have in Anna the Mother of Samuel; In the1. Sa. 1. 7. 10. 18. bitternesse of her soule she wept, and did not eate (namely1. Chron. 29. 9. Deut. 12. 18. Deut. 28. 47. Mal. 2. 13. of the Sacrifices, which were to be eaten with rejoycing) then she prayed, and vowed a vow unto the Lord, and having cast her cares upon him, she then went her way, and did eate, and her countenance was no more sad. Ezekiah in his sicknesse chattered like a Swallow,Esay 38. 14. 20. and mourned as a Dove; but after his prayer he sungHab. 3. 2. 16. 18. 19. songs of deliverance to the stringed instruments. Habaknk before his prayer trembled, but after his prayer hee triumphed in the midst of death. David full of heavinessePsal. 6. 6. 9. and of gronings in his prayer, but after as full of comfort against all his enemies.
Secondly, as Irregular Cares are needlesse and superfluous, so they are sinnefull too. First, In regard of their obiect, they are worldly cares, the Cares of the men of this world: therein wee declare our selves to walke in conformitie to the Gentiles, as if wee had no better foundation of quietnesse and contentment then the heathenEph. 4. 17. Matth. 6. 32. which know not God. And this is Christs argument, after all these things do the Gentiles seeke. We are taken out of the world, wee have not received the spirit of the world,Ioh. 15. 10. 1. Cor. 2. 10. Rom. 12. 2. Psal. 4. 3. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Cyprian. and therefore wee must not bee conformable unto the world, nor bring forth the fruits of a worldly spirit, but walke as men that are set apart, as a peculiar people, and that have heavenly promises, and the Grace of God to establish our hearts. Illi terrena sapiant qui promissa coelestia non habent, It is seemely for those alone who have no other portion but in this life, to fixe their thoughts and cares here. Secondly, they are sinnefull in regard of their Causes, and they are principally two. First, Inordinate lust or coveting, the running of the heart after covetousnesse; Secondly, Distrust of Gods providence, for thoseIam. 4. 3. desires which spring from lust can never have faith to secure the heart in the expectation of them. Lastly, they are sinnefull in their Effects. First, They are murthering 2. Cor. 7. 10.cares, they worke sadnesse, suspicions, uncomfortablenes, and at last death. Secondly, They are Choaking cares, Math. 13. 22.they take of the heart from the word, and thereby make it unfruitfull. Thirdly, they are Adulterous cares, theyIam 4 4. steale away the heart from God, and set a man at enmity against him. In all which respects wee ought to arme our selves against them.
Which that we may the better doe, wee will in the last place propose two sorts of directions. First, How to make the Creature no vexing Creature. Secondly, How to vse it as a vexing Creature: for the former. First, pray for conveniencie, for that which is suteable to thy minde, I meane not to the lusts, but to the abilities of thy minde. Labour ever to sure thy occasions to thy parts, and thy supplies to thy occasions. If a ship out of greedinesse be overloaden with gold, it will be in danger of sinking, notwithstanding the capacity of the sides be not a quarter filled; on the other side fill it to the brimme with feathers, and it will still tosse up and downe for want of due ballasting: so is it in the lives of men, some have such greedy desires, that they thinke they can runne through all sorts of businesse and so never leave loading themselves, till their hearts sinke and be swallowed up with worldly sorrow and securitie in sinne: others set their affections on such triviall things, that though they should have the fill of all their desires, their mindes would still be as floating and unsetled as before. Resolve therefore to do with thy selfe as men with their ships. There may a Tempest arise, when thou must be constrained to throw out all thy wares into the Sea; such were the times of the Apostles and after bloudy persecutions, when men were put to forfake Father, Mother, Wife, Children, nay to have the ship it selfe broken to pieces, that the Marriner within might escape upon the ruines. But besides this, in the calmest and securest times of the Church these two things thou must ever looke to, if thou tender thine owne tranquillity. First, fill not thy selfe onelyonly with light things. Such are all the things of this world in themselves, besides the roome and cumbersomenesse of them (as light things take up ever the most roome) they still leave the soule floating and unsetled. Doe therefore as wise Mariners, have strong and substantiall ballasting in the bottome, faith in Gods promises, love and feare of his name, a foundation of good workes, and then what ever becomes of thy other loading, thy ship it selfe shall bee safe at last, thou shalt be sure in the greatest tempest to have thy life for a prey. Secondly, Consider the burden of thy Vessell; All ships are not of an equall capacity, and they must be fraighted, and mann'd, and victualed with proportiō to their burden. Al men have not the same abilities, some have such a measure of grace as enables them with much wisedome and improvement to manage such an estate as would puffe up another with pride, sensualitie, superciliousnesse, and forgetfulnesse of God. Againe some men are fitted to some kinde of employments, not to others, as some ships are for merchandise, others for warre; and in these varieties of states every man should pray for that which is most suteable to his disposition and abilities, which may expose him to fewest temptations, or at least by which he may bee most serviceable in the body of Christ, and bring most glory to his Master. This was the good prayer of Agur, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me: this is that we all pray, Give us Our daylie Bread, that which is most proportion'd to our condition, that which is fittest for us to have, and most advantageous to the ends of that Lord whom wee serve.
Secondly, labour ever to get Christ into thy ship, hee will check every tempest, and calme every vexation that growes upon thee. When thou shalt consider that his truth, and person, and honor is imbarked in the same vessell with thee, thou maist safely resolve on one of these, either he will be my Pilot in the ship, or my planke in the Sea to carry me safe to Land; if I suffer in his companie, and as his member, he suffers with me, and then I may triumph to be made any way conformable vntounto Christ my head. If I have Christ with me, there can no estate come which can be cumbersome unto me. Have I a load of misery and infirmity inward, outward, in minde, body, name or estate, this takes away the vexation of all, when I consider it all comes from Christ, and it all runnes into Christ. It all comes from him as the wise disposer of his owne bodie, and it all runnes into him as the compassionate sharer with his owne bodie: It all comes from him who is the distributer of his Fathers gifts, and it all runns into him who is the partaker of his members sorrows. If I am weake in body, Christ my head was wounded, if2. Cor. 8. 9. Phil. 2 7. Matth. 12. 24. Act. 27. 23. weake in minde, Christ my head was heavie unto death. If I suffer in my estate, Christ my head became poore, as poore as a servant, if in my name Christ, my head was esteemed vile, as vile as Beelzebub. Paul was comforted in the greatest tempest with the presence of an Angel, how much more with the Grace of Christ; when the Thorne was in his flesh, and the buffets of Satan about2. Cor. 12. 7. 9. his soule, yet then was his presence a plentifull protection, my Grace is sufficient for thee, and hee confesseth it elsewhere, I am able to doe all thingsPhil. 4. 13. through Christ that strengthens me. Christs head hath sanctified any thornes, his back any surrowes, his hands any nailes, his side any speare, his heart any sorrow that can come to mine. Againe, have I a great estate, am I loden with abundance of earthly things, this takes away all the Vexation that I have Christ with me; his promise to sanctifie it, his wisedome to manage it, his glory to be by it advanced, his word to be by it maintained, his Anointed Ones to be by it supplied, his Church to be by it repaired, in one word his poverty to be by it relieved. For as Christ hath strength and compassion to take of the burden of our afflictions, so hath he poverty too, to ease that vexation which may grow from our abundance. If thou hadst a whole wardrobe of cast apparrell, Christ hath more nakednesse then all that can cover; if whole barnes ful of corne, and cellars of wine, Christ hath more empty bowels then al that can fill; if all the pretious drugs in a country, Christ hath more sicknes then all that can cure; if the power of a mighty Prince, Christ hath more imprisonment then all that can enlarge; if a whole house full of silver and gold, Christ hath more distressed members to be comforted, more breaches in his Church to be repaired, more enemies of his Gospel to be oppos'd, more defenders of his faith to be supplied, more urgencies of his Kingdom to be attended, then al that wil serve for. Christ professeth himself to be still hungry, naked, sick, andMatth. 25. in prison, and to stand in need of our visits and supplies. As all the good which Christ hath done is ours, by reason of our communion with him, so all the …vill wee suffer is Christs, by reason of his compassion with us. The ApostleEphes. 2. 6. Col. 1. 24. saith that we sit together with Christ in heavenly places, and the same Apostle saith, that the suffrings of Christ are made up in his mēbers. Nos ibi sedemus, et ille hic laborat. Aug.We are glorified in him, and he pained in us, in all his honor we are honored, and in al our affliction he is afflicted.
Thirdly, cast out thy Ionah, every sleeping and secureforeign, &c. Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 5. sinne that brings a Tempest upon thy ship, vexation to thy spirit. It may be thou hast an execrable thing, a wedge of gold, a babylonish garment, a bagge full of unjust gaine, gotten by sacriledge, disobedience, mercilesnes, oppression, by detaining Gods, or thy neighbours rights; It may be thou hast a Da…la, a strange woman in thy bosome, that brings a rot upon thine estate, and turnes it all into the wages of a whore; what ever thy sicknesse, what ever thy plague be, as thou tenderest the tranquillity of thine estate rouse it up from its sleepe by a faithfull, serious and impartiall examination of thine owne heart, and though it be as deare to thee as thy right eye, or thy right hand, thy choicest pleasure or thy chiefest profit, yet cast… out in an humble confession unto God, in a hearty and willing restitution unto men, in opening thy close and contracted bowels to those that never yet enjoy'd comforts from them; then shall quietnesse arise unto thy soule, and that very gaine which thou throwest away is but cast upon the waters, the Lord will provide a Whale to keepe it for thee, and will at last restore it thee whole againe.
The last direction which I shall give to remove the vexation of the Creature is out of the text, and that is, To keepe it from thy Spirit, not to suffer it to take up thy thoughts and inner man. They are not negotia but viatica onelyonly, and a mans heart ought to be upon his businesse and not upon accessories. If in a tempest men should not addresse themselves to their offices, to loose the tacklings, to draw the pumpe, to strike sailes, and lighten the vessell, but should make it their sole worke to gaze upon their commodities, who could expect that a calme should droppe into such mens laps. Beloved when the Creatures have rais'd a tempest of vexation, thinke upon your Offices, to the pumpe, to powre out thy corruptions, to the sailes and tackling, abate thy lusts and the provisions of them, to thy faith, to live above hope, to thy patience, It is the Lord, let him doe as seemeth good to him, to thy thankfulnesse, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord. If Iob should have gazed on his children or substance, he might have been swallowed up in the storme; but God was in his heart, and so the vessell was still safe. But what is it to keepe the Creature from the spirit? It isPsal. 6…. 10. in the phrase of Scripture, N…t to set the Heart upon riches. Apponere cor, to carry a mans heart to the creature, the Prophet gives a fit expression of it when hee saith, That the heart doth g…t after covetousnesse; when a man makes all the motions of his soule waite upon his lusts, and drudgeth for them, and bringeth his heart to the edgeNec vulnus adactis debetur gladijs, percussum est pectore ferrum. Luc. of the creature: for the world doth not wound the heart, but the heart woundeth it selfe upon the world. And it is not the rock alone that dasheth the ship, without its own motion being first tossed by the winde and waves upon the rocke; so it is a mans owne lust which vexeth his spirit, and not the things alone which he possesseth.
To set the heart on the Creature denotes three things. First, to pitch a mans thoughts and studies, to direct all the restlesse enquiries of his soule upon them, and the good he expects from them. This in the Scripture is expressed by aMic. 2. 1.Devising, bHab. 2. 10.Consulting, cLuk. 12. 17. 18.Thinking within ones selfe, being tossed like a dLuk. 12. 29. foreign.Meteor with doubtfulnesse of minde and carefull suspence, eHos. 4. 17.Ioyning ones selfe, making fRom. 13. 14.Provision for lusts, &c. Secondly, to care for, to employ a mans affections of love, delight, desire upon them, to set a high price on them, and over-rate them above other things. For this cause covetous men are call'd gEph. 5▪ 5. Col. 3. 5.Idolaters, because they preferre monie, as a man doth his God, before all other things. When the women would have comforted the wife of Phineas with the birth of a sonne, after the captivitie of the Arke, it is said she regarded it not, the Text is, she did not put her heart 1. Sam. 4. 20. Ioh. 16. 21.upon it: though a woman rejoyce when a man childe is borne, yet in comparison of the Arke she no more regarded the joy of a sonne, then a man would doe if the sunne should be blotted out of heaven, and a little starre put in the roome; and therefore, though children be the gloryHos. 9. 11. of their parents, yet shee professeth that there was no glory in this to have a sonne, and lose an Arke, a starre without light, a sonne without service, a levite borne and no Arke to waite upon; and therefore she did not set her heart upon it. They will not set their heart upon us, 2. Sam. 18. 3.say the people to David, for thou art worth ten thousand of us; that is, they will no whit regard us in comparison of thee: so then a mans heart is set on the Creature, when he prizeth it above other things, and declareth this estimation of his heart by those eager endeavours with which he pursueth them as his God and Idoll. Thirdly, to relie upon, to put trust and affiance in the Creature: and this is imported in the word by which the Prophet expresseth riches, which signifieth strength of all sorts, vires, and propugnaculum, the inward strength of a man and the outward strength of munition and fortification: therefore, saith Salomon, the rich mans wealth is hisProv. 10. 15. Psal 49. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Ier. 9. 23. strong city, and rich men are said to Trust and Glorie in their riches, examples whereof the Scripture abundantly gives in Tyre, Babylon, Ninive, Edom, Israel, &c.
Now a man ought not thus to set his heart on the Creature; first, because of the Tendernesse and delicacie of the spirit, which will quickely be bruiz'd with any thing that lies close upon it and presseth it. As men weare the softest garments next their skinne, that they be not disquieted, so should we apply the tenderest things, the mercies and the worth of the bloud of Christ, the promises of grace and glory, the precepts and invitations of the Spirit unto our spirits. And now as subterraneous winde or ayre being pressed in by the earth, doth often beget concussions and earth-quakes; so the spirit of a man being swallow'd up and quite clos'd in earthly things must needs beget tremblings and distractions at last to the soule. The word heere which we translate Vexation is rendred likewise by Contritio, a pressing, grinding, wearing away of a thing, and by Depastio, a feeding on a thing, which makes some render the words thus, All is vanitie and a feeding upon winde. That as windie meates, though they fill and swell a man up, they nourish little, but turne into crudities and diseases; so the feeding upon the Creature may puffe up the heart, but it can bring no reall satisfaction, no solid nutriment to the soule of man. The Creature upon the spirit is like a worme in wood, or a moth in a garment, it begets a rottennesse of heart, it bites asunder the threads and sinewes of the soule, and by that meanes workes an ineptitude and undisposednesse to any worthy service, and brings a decay upon the whole man; for cares will prevent age, and change the colour of the haire before theHos. 7. 9. 11. time, and make a man like a silly Dove, without any heart, as the Prophet speakes.
Secondly, because the strength of every man is his spirit; Mens cujus que is est quis que . Now if the Creature seize on a mans strength, it serues him as Dalilah did Sampson, it will quickely let in the Philistines to vexe him. Strength hath Two parts or offices, Passive in undergoing and withstanding evill, and Active in doing that which belongs to a man to doe. Now when the heart and spirit of a man is set upon any Creature, it is weakned in both these respects.
First, it is disabled from bearing or withstanding evill. We will consider it, First in temptations; Secondly in afflictions. First, A man who hath set his heart inordinately upon any Creature is altogether unfit to withstand any temptation. In the Law when a man had new married a wife, he was not to goe to warre thatDeut. 24. 5. yeere, but to rejoyce with his wife. One reason whereof I suppose was this, because when the minde is strongly set upon any one object, till the strength of that desire be abated, a man will be utterly unfit to deale with an enemie: so is it with any lust to which a man weds himselfe, it altogether disables him to resist any enemie: after Hannibals armie had melted themselves at Capua with sensualitie and luxurie, they were quite strangers to hard service and rigid discipline, when they were againe reduc'd unto it.
The Reason hereof is, first The subtiltie of Satan, who will be sure to proportion his temptations to the heart, and those lusts which doe there predominate, setting upon men with those perswasions wherewith he is mos likely to seduce them; As the Grecians got in upon the Trojans with a gift, something which they presum'd would finde acceptance. The divell dealeth as men in a siege, casts his projects, and applies his batteries to the weakest and most obnoxious place. Therefore the ApostleIam. 1. 14. Causas corruptelarum non in illecebris, sed in cordibus habemus, & vitiositas nostra mens nostra est. Salvi. de Guber. lib. 6. saith, that a man is tempted, when he is led away of his owne lust and enticed; the divell will be sure to hold intelligence with a mans owne lusts, to advise and sit in counsell with his owne heart, to follow the tyde and streame of a mans owne affections in the tempting of him. Adam tempted in aGen. 3. 5.knowledge, Pharaoh by lying bExod. 7. 23.wonders, the Prophet by pretence of an c1. King. 13. 18.Angels speech, Ahab by the consent of d2. Chro. 1…. 11false prophets, the Iewes by the eIer. 7. 4.Temple of the Lord and carnall priuiledges▪ the heathen by pretence of fAct. 19. 27.vniversalitie, and gAct. 17. 19.antiquitie. When Dauids heart after his adultery was set vponupon his owne glory more then Gods, how to saue his owne name from reproach, we see as long as that affection preuailed against him, as long as his heart was not so throughly humbled as to take the shame of his sinne to himselfe, to beare the indignation of the Lord, and accept of the reproach of his iniquity, hee was ouercome with many desperate temptations: he yeelds to be himselfe a temper of his neighbour to unseasonable pleasures, to drunkennesse and shame, to bee a murtherer of his faithfull seruant, to multiply the guilt, that hee may shift of the shame of his sinne, and provide for his owne credit. Peters heart was set upon his owne life and safetie more then the truth of Christ or his owne protestations, and Sathan fitting his assault to this weakenesse prevailes against a rocke with the breath of a woman. They that will be rich, saith the apostle, who set their hearts upon1. Tim. 6. 9, 10. their riches, whose hearts runne after their couetousnesse, fall into temptation and a snare, into many foolish and hurtfull lusts. Such a heart is fit for any temptation. Tempt Acha…s covetous heart to sacriledge, and hee will reach forth his hand to the accursed thing; Tempt Iudaes his covetous heart to treason, and he will betray the pretious blood of the Sonne of God which is infinitely beyond any rate of silver or gold for a few pieces of silver, the price of a little field; Tempt Gehazies covetous heart to multiply lie upon lie, and he will doe it with ease and greedinesse for a few pieces of money, and change of rayment; Tempt Sauls covetous heart with the fattest of the Cattell, and hee will venture on disobedience, a sinne worse then witchcraft, which himselfe had rooted out; Tempt the covetous heart of a Iudge in Israel to doe iniustice,Amos 2. 6. and a paire of shooes shall spurne righteousnesse out of dores, and pervert iudgement; Tempt the covetousProv. 1. 18, 19. heart of a great oppressor to blood and violence, and he will lie in waite for the life of his neighbour; Tempt the covetous heart of a proud pharisee or secure peopleLuk. 16. 14. Ezek. 33. 31. to scorne the word out of the mouth of Christ or his prophet, and they will easily yeeld to any infidelitie. The like may bee said of any other lust in its kinde. If the heart bee set on Beautie; Tempt the Sonnes of God to forsake their covenant of marrying in the Lord, the Israelites to the idolatrie of Baal Peor, Sampson to forsake his vow and calling, easily will all this bee done, if the heart hauehave the beauty of any creature as a treacher in it, to let in the temptations, and to let out the lusts. How many desperate temptations doth beauty cast many men vponupon? bribery to lay downe the price of a whore, gluttonie and drunkennesse to inflame and ingenerate new lusts, contempt of the Word and Iudgements of God to smother the checkes of conscience, frequenting of Sathans palaces, playes and stewes, the chappels of Hell and nurseries of vncleannesse, challenges, stabbes, combats, blood, to vindicate the credit and comparisons of a strumpets beauty, to revenge the competition of uncleane Corrivals. Thus will men venture as deepe as Hell to fetch fire to powre into their veines, to make their spirits frie, and their blood boyle in abhorred lust. If the heart bee set on wit and pride of its owne conceits, tempt the Libertines and Cyrenians to dispute against the truth, the Greekes to despise the Gospell, the wise men of the world to esteeme the ordinance of God foolishnes of preaching, the false teachers to foist their straw and stubble upon the foundation, Achitophell to comply with treason, Lucian to reuile Christ, and deride religion, easily will these and a world the like temptations bee let into the heart, if pride of wit stand at the dore and turne the locke.
Whence is it that men spend their pretious abilities in frothy studies, in complements, formes and garbes of salute, satyrs, libels, abuses, profanation of Gods Word, scorne of the simplicitie and power of godlinesse, with infinite the like vanities, but because the… hearts are taken up with a foolish creature, and not with God and his feare? If the heart be set on Ambition, tempt Corah to desperate rebellion, Absolom to unnaturall treason, Balaam to curse the church, Diotrephes to contemne the Apostles and their doctrine, Iulian to apostacie, Arius to heresie, the Apostles themselues to emulation and strife, easily▪ will one lust let in these, and a thousand more. What else is it that makes men to flatter profanenesse, to adore golden beasts, to admire glistering abominations, to betray the truth of the Gospell, to smother and dissemble the strictnesse and purity of the wayes of God, to strike at the sins of men with the scabberd and not with the sword, to deale with the fancies of men more then with their consciences, to palliate vice, to dawbe with untempered morter, to walke in a neutralitie and adiaphorisme betweene God and Baal, to make the soules of men and the glory of God subordinate to their lusts and risings, but the vast and unbounded gulfe of ambition and vaine glory? The like may be said of seuerall other lusts. But I proceede.
Secondly a Heart set on any lust is unfit to withstand temptation, because temptations are commonly edged with Promises or Threatnings. Now if a mans heart be set on God, there can no promises bee made of any such good as the heart cares for, or which might be likely to ouer-poise and sway to the temptation, which the heart hath not already; spirituall promises the Divell will make few, or if he doe, such a heart knowes that evill is not the way to good; if hee make promises of earthly things, such promises the heart hath already from one who can better make them, 1 Tim. 4. 8 neither can hee promise any thing which was not more mine before then his; for either that which he promiseth is convenient for me, and so is Manna, foode for my nature, or else Inconvenient, and then it is Quailes, foode for my lust. If the former, God hath taught mee to call it mine owne already, giuegive us our Bread, and not to goe to the Divels shambles to fetch it; If the other, though God should suffer the Divell to giuegive it, yet he sends a curse into our mouths along with it. And as such a heart neglects any promises the Divell can make, so is it as heedlesse of any of his threatnings, because if God be on our side, neither principalities, …or powers, nor things present, nor things to come, can ever separate from him; stronger is hee that is with vsus then hee that is with the world, it is the businesse of our calling to fight against spirituall wickednesses, and to resist the Divell. But when the heart is set on any creature, and hath not God to rest upon, when a man attributes his wine and oyle to his lovers and not to God, his credit, wealth, subsistency to the favours of men and not to …he all-sufficiency of God, then hath the Divell an easie way to winne a man to any s…ne, or withdraw him from any good, by pointing his temptations with promises or threatnings fitted to the things which the heart is set on.
Let the Divell promise Balaam honour and preferment, on which his ambitious heart was set, and he will rise early, runne and ride, and change natures with his Asse, and be more senslesse of Gods fury then the dumbe creature, that he may curse Gods owne people: let the Divell promise thirty pieces of silver to Iudas, whose heart ranne upon covetousnesse, and there is no more scruple, the bargaine of treason is presently concluded: Let the Divell tempt Michaes Levite with a little better reward then the beggerly stipend which he had before, Theft and Idolatry are swallow'd downe both together, and the man is easily wonne to be a suare and seminary of spirituall uncleannesse to a whole tribe. On the other side, Let Sathan threaten Ieroboam with the losse of his kingdome, if hee goe up to Ierusalem, and serve God in the way of his owne worship, and that is argument enough to draw him and all his successors to notorious and Egyptian idolatry; and the reason was because their hearts were more set upon their owne Counsels, then upon the worship or truth of God. Let the Divell by the edicts and ministers of Ieroboam lay snares in Mizpah, Hos. 5. 4. 11.and spreade nets upon Taber, that is, use lawes, menaces, subtilties to keepe the people from the City of God, and to confine them to regall and state-Idolatrie,Hos. 13. 1. presently the people tremble at the iniunction of the king, and walke willingly after the Commaundement. Let … erect his prodigious …dole and uponDan. 3. 6, 7. on paine of a … ▪ furnace require All to worship, it and all people, nations, and languages are presently upon their faces. Let the Divell threaten Demas with persecu…ion, and presently hee forsakes the fellowship of the Apostles, and imbraceth this present world. And as it was heretofore so is it still.
If a mans heart be not set on God, and taught to rest upon his providence, to answer all Satans promises with his All-sufficiencie to reward vsus, and all his threatnings, with his All-sufficiency to protect us, how easily will promises begvile, and threatnings deterre unstable and earthly minds? Let the Divell tell one man, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt speake in a Cause to pervert judgement, how quickly will men create subtilties, and coine evasions to rob a man and his house, even a man and his inheritance? Let him say to another, I will doe whatsoever thou sayst unto me, if thou wilt dissemble thy conscience, divide thy heart, comply with both sides, keepe downe the power of godlinesse, persecute zeale, set up will-worship and supersti…ions, how quickly shall such a mans religion bee disgviz'd, and sincerity, if it were possible, put to shame? If to another thou shalt by such a time purchase such a Lordship, out such a neighbour, swallow up such a prodigall, if thou enhance thy rents, enlarge thy fines, set unreasonable rates upon thy Farmes, how quickly will men grinde the faces of the poore, and purchase ungodly possessions with the blood of their tenants? If to another, beware of laying open thy conscience, of being too faithfull in thy Calling▪ too s…rupulous in thy office, least thou purchase the dis-favour of the World, lest the times cloud overthee, and frowne upon thee, lest thou be scourged with persecuted names, and make thy selfe obnoxious to spies and censures, how will men be ready to start backe, to shrinke from their wonted forwardnesse, to abate their former zeale, to co…ple in with, and connive at the corruptions of the age, in one Word to tremble when Ephraim speakes, and not to tremble when God speakes? So hard is it when the heart is wedded to earthly things, and they are gotten into a mans bosome, to beare the assaults of any temptation.
Lastly▪ this comes from the just and secret wrath of God, giuing men over to the deceitfulnesse of sinne, and to the hardnesse of their owne hearts, to beleeve the lies2. Thes. 2 9. …2. and allurements of Satan, because they rejected the counsell of God, and the love of his truth before. In the influences of the Sunne we may observe, that the deeper they worke the stronger they worke; the beames nearer the Center meeting in a sharper point doe consolidate and harden the very Element; so the Creatures by the justice of God, when they meete in a mans Center, reach as farre as his heart, doe there mightily worke to the deceiving and hardning of it: the eye, nor any other outward sense, can finde no more in the Creature, then is really there; it is the heart which mis-conceives things, and attributes that Deity and worth to them, which the senses could not discover. If men then could keepe these things from their spirits, they should ever conceive of them according to their owne narrow being, and so keepe their hearts from that hardnesse which the Creatures, destitute of Gods blessing, doe there beget, and so worke in the soule a disposition suteable to Satans temptations.
Secondly, a Heart set upon any lust is unfit likewise toMark. 10. 22. beare any affliction. The Young man whose heart was upon his riches, could not endure to heare of selling all, and entring upon a poore and persecuted profession. First, Lusts are choice and dainty, they make the heart very delicate, and nice of any assaults. Secondly, they are very wilfull, and set upon their owne ends, therefore they are expressed by the name of concupiscence, and foreign,Ephes 2 3. The wills of the flesh, and wilfulnesse is the ground of impatiency. Thirdly, they are naturall, and move strongly to their owne point; they are a Body, and our very members; no marvell then if they be sensible ofCol. 2. 11. & 3. 5 Heb. 12 11. paine from afflictions, which are contrary unto nature. The stronger the water runnes, the more will it roare and some upon any opposition: lust is like a furious beast enrag'd with the affliction, the chaine that binds it. Fourthly, Lusts are very wise after a fleshly and sensuallRom. 8. 6. manner, and worldly wisedome is impatient of any stoppage or prevention of any affliction that crusheth and disappoints it. Therefore the Apostle doth herein principallyIam: 3. 13. 17. note the opposition betweene heavenly and carnall wisedome, that the one is meeke, peaceable, and gentle, the other divelish and full of strife. Fifthly, Lusts are aEzek. 28. 5. Psal. 10. 4. Obad. v. 3. Esay 10. 12. Ier. 22. 21. & 43 2. Hos. 13. 6.proud, especially those that arise from abundance of the Creature, and pride being set upon by any affliction makes the heart breake forth into bMal. 3. 13. 14. Nehem. 9. 29. Ier. 13. 17.impatience, debates, and stoutnesse against God; a proud heart growes harder by afflictions, as Metals or Clay after they have past thorow the furnace. It is said of cExod. 7. 23. & 9. 17.Pharaoh, that he did not set his heart to the Iudgements of God, but exalted himselfe against his people; Pride grew stronger by Affliction. Besides, dPsal. 10. 6. Ier. 21. 13. Ezek. 28. 2.pride in earthly things swallowes up the very expectation of Afflictions, and therefore must needs leave the heart unprepared against them. Sixthly, Lusts are rooted in e2 Tim. 3. 2.selfe-love, and therefore when Christ will have a man forsake his lusts, he directs him to fMat 1…. 24.denie himselfe. Now the very essence of Afflictions are to be grievous and adverse to a mans selfe. Seventhly, Lusts are gIam 4. 1. 4. 1. Pet. 2. …1.contentious, armed things, and their hRom. 8. 7.enmity is against God, and therefore utterly unfit to iLevit. 26. 41.accept of the punishment of sinne, and to kMic. 7. 9.beare the …ndignation of the Lord, or to submit unto any afflictions. Eighthly, Lusts l2. Tim 3 8. Ier. 12. 21. Zech. 7▪ 9. 12. Luk. 16. 14. Acts 7. 51. 2. Cor. 10. 3. 5.resist the truth, set up themselves against the Word, and thereby utterly disable men to beare Afflictions, for the mPsal. 1 19 92. 114. 143 165..Word sanctifies, and lightens all Affliction, the Word shewes Gods nIer. 30. 11. Esay 63. 13. Esay 28. 27. 18. Hab. 3. 3. Psal. 78. 38.moderation and oHeb. 12, 6. 10. 11. Esay 10. 12.intention in them, an p1. Cor. 10. 13. Zech. 1. 16. 4. 6. 7. Esay 64. 7. 12. Hab. 3. 17. 19 Prov. 10. 3 Ier. 17. 8.issue out of them, the qPsal 119. 71. Heb. 12. 11.benefits which will come from them, the r2. Cor. 12. 9. Phil. 1. 29. Phil. 4. 12. 13. 1. Cor. 10. 16.supplies of strength and abilities to beare them, the 2. Cor. 4 17. Esay 6. 7. & 54. 8.promises of a more abundant & exceeding weight of glory, in comparison whereof they are as nothing. Lastly, if wee could conceive some Afflictions not contrary to lust, yet Afflictions are ever contrary to the Rom. 13. 14.provisions of lust, to the materials, and instruments of lusts, such as are health, pleasure, riches, honours, &c. And in all these respect a Heart set upon lust is weakened and disabled to beare Afflictions.
Secondly, when the Heart is set upon the Creature, it is utterly disabled, in regard of its active strength, made unfit to doe any duty with that uDeut. 6 5.strength as Gods requires. First, because Bonum fit ex causâ integrâ, A good duty must proceede from an entire Cause, from the whole heart. Now xHos. 10. 2. Iames 1. 8.lust divides the Heart, and makes it yPsal. 78. 37.unstedfast, and unfaithfull unto God. There is a twofold unstedfastnesse, one in degrees, another in objects, the former proceeds from the remainders of corruption, and therefore is found in some measure in the best of us, the other from the predominancy of lust which overswayes the heart unto evill. Good motions and resolutions in evill hearts are like violent impressions upon a stone, though it move upwards for a while, yet nature will at last prevaile, and make it zAct. 7 39. Ier. 11. 10.returne to its owne motion. Secondly, a Heart set on lusts mooves to … ends but its aPhil. …. 21. Esay 56. …1. Ezek. 34. 2.ow…e, and selfe-ends defile an action though otherwise never so specious; turnes b2. King. 9. 7. 10. 10. 16. Hos. 1. 4.zeale it selfe and obedience into murder, hinders cIoh. 5. 44.all faith in us, and acceptance with God, nullifies all other ends, swallowes up Gods glory and the good of others, as the leane Kine did the fat; as a Wenne in the body robs and consumes the part adjoyning, so doe selfe-ends the right end. Thirdly, the Heart is a fountaine and principle, andIam. 3. 12. principles are ever one and uniforme, out of the same fountaine cannot come bitter water and sweet, and thereforeIam. 1. …. the Apostle speakes of some, that they are doubleminded men, that have a heart and a heart, yet the truth is, that is but with reference to their pretences; for the Heart really and totally lookes but one way. Every manRom. 7 3. 4. is spiritually a married person, and he can be joyned but to one; Christ and an Idoll (as every …ust is) cannotMatth. 6. 24. consist, he will have a chaste spouse, he will have all ourEphes. 5. 27. Psal. 45. 10. Matth. 10. 37. Cant. 5. 10. 16. Phil. 3. 8. desires and affections subject unto him; if the Heart cannot count him altogether lovely, and all things else but dung in comparison of him, he will refuse the match, and with-hold his consent.
Let us see in some few particulars what impotency unto any good the Creatures bring upon the hearts of men. To Pray requires a hungry spirit, a heart convinc'd of its owne emptinesse, a desire of intimate communion with God; but now the Creature drawes the heart, and all the desires thereof to it selfe, as an ill splene doth the nourishment in a body. Lust makes men pray amisse,Iam. 4. 3. fixeth the desires onelyonly on its owne provisions, makes a man unwilling to be carried any way towards heaven but his owne. The Young Man prayed unto Christ to shew him the way to eternall life; but when Christ toldMark. 10. 21. 22 him that his riches, his covetousnes, his bosome lust stood betweene him and salvation, his prayer was turned into sorrow, repentance and apostacy.
Meditation requires a sequestration of the thoughts, a minde unmixt with other cares, a syncere and uncorrupted relish of the Word; now when the heart is prepossest with lust, and taken up with another treasure, it isMatth. 6. 21. as impossible to be weaned from it, as for an hungry Eagle (a Creature of the sharpest sight to fixe upon, and ofMatth. 24. 28. the sharpest appetite to desire its object) to forbeare the body on which it would prey; as unable to conceive aright of the pretiousnesse and power of the Word, as a feaverish palate to taste the proper sweetnesse of the meate it eates.
In Hearing the Word, the heart can never accept Gods Commands, till it be first empty, a man cannot receive the richest gift that is, with a hand that was full before. Now thornes, which are the cares of the World, filling the heart, must needs choake the feede of the Word. The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsellLuk. 7. 29. 30. of God against themselves, because their pride would not let them yeeld to such a baptisme, or to such a doctrine as requires emptinesse, confession of sinnes, justifying of God, and condemning of themselves (for these were the purposes of Iohus Baptisme, and of the preaching of repentance.) That man comes but to bee rejected who makes love to one who hath fixt her heart and affection already. A man must come to Gods Word as to a Physitian, a meere patient Mat. 9. 12. 13.without reservations, or exceptions, he must set his corruptions as an open marke for the word to shoot at, hee must not come with capitulations and provisoes, but lay downe the body of sinne before God to have every earthly member hewed of. Till a man come with such aIam. 1. 21. resolution as to be willing to part from all naughtinesse, hee will never receive the ingrafted Word with meeknesse, and an honest heart; a man will never follow Christ in the wayes of his Word, till first he have learned to denie himselfe, and his owne lusts. Nay if a man should binde his devotion to his heart With v…ws, yet a Dalila in his bosome, a lust in his spirit, would easily nullifie the strongest vowes. The Iewes made a serious and solemne protestation to Ieremie that they would obeyIer. 42. 5. 6. the voyce of the Lord in that which they desired him to enquire of God about whether it were good or evill; and yet when they found the message crosse their owne lusts and reservations, their resolutions are turned into rebellions, their pride quickly breakes asunder their vow, and they tell the Prophet to his face that hee dealt falslyIer. 43. 2. between God and them; a refuge which they were wellIer. 5. 12. Ier. 17. 15. 2. Chro. 36. 16. acquainted with before. Some when then conscience awakens and begins to disquiet them, make vowes to bind themselves vntounto better obedience, and formes of godlinesse; but as Sampson was bound in vaine with any cords so long as his haire grew into its length; so in vaine doth any man binde himselfe with vowes, so long as he nourisheth his lusts within; a vow in the hand of a fleshly lust will be but like the chaines and fetters of that fierceLuk. 8. 19. …unatick, very easily broken asunder. This is not the right way. First, labour with thy heart, clense out thy corruptions, purge thy life as the Prophet did the waters, with seasoning and rectifying the fountaine: Tis one thing to give …ase from a present paine, another thing to roote out the disease it selfe. If the chinkes in a ship bee unstopt, 'tis in vaine to labour at the pumpe; so long as there is a constant in let, the water can never be exhausted; so is it in these formall resolutions and vowes, they may ease the present paine, let out a little water, restraine from some particular acts, but so long as the heart is unpurged, lust will returne and predominate. In a word whereas in the Service of God there are two maine things required, faith to begin, and courage or patience to goe through, lust hinders both these. How can yee beleeve since yee seeke for glory one from another? Ioh. 5. 44. when persecution arose because of the word, the Temporary was presently offended. Matth. 13. 21.
Thirdly and lastly in one word. A man ought not to set his Heart on the Creature because of the Noblenesse of the heart. To set the heart on the creature is to set a diamond in lead, None are so mad to keep their Iewels in a cellar, and their coales in a closet; and yet such is the profannesse of wicked men to keepe God in their lips only, and Mammon in their hearts, to make the earth their treasure, and heaven but as an accessorie and appendix to that. And now as Samuel spake unto Saul, set not thine heart upon thine Asses, for the desire of Israel is upon1. Sam. 9. 20. thee; Why should a Kings heart be set upon Asses? so may I say, why should Christians hearts be set upon earthly things, since they have the desires of all flesh to fix upon?
I will conclude with one word upon the last particu lar, How to use the Creatures as Thornes, or as vexing things. First Let not the Bramble be King, Let not earthlyIudg 9. 14. 15. things beare rule over thy affections, fire will rise out of them, which will consume thy Cedars, emasculate all the powers of thy Soule. Let Grace sit in the throne, and earthly things be subordinate to the wisdome and rule… servi, ne… domini deteriores. 2. Sam. 23. 6. 7. of Gods Spirit in thy heart. They are excellent servants, but pernicious Masters. Secondly, Be arm'd when thou touchest, or medlest with them: Arm'd against the Lusts and against the Temptations that arise from them. Get faith to place thy heart upon better promises; enter not upon them without prayer unto God, that since thou art going amongst snares, he would carry thee through with wisedome and faithfulnesse, and teach thee how to use them as his blessings and as instruments of his glory. Make a covenant with thine heart, as Iob with his eyes, have a jealousie and suspicion of thine evill heart, lest it be surpriz'd, and bewitched with finfull affections. Thirdly, touch them gently, doe not hug, love, dote upon the Creature, nor graspe it with adulterous embraces; the1. Ti…. 6. 10. Iam. 4. 4. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. love of mony is a roote of mischiefe, and is enmity against God. Fourthly, use them for Hedges and fences, to relieve the Saints, to make friends of unrighteous Mammon, to defend the Church of Christ, but by no meanes have them In thy field, but onelyonly About it; mingle it not with thy Corne least it choake and stifle all. And lastly vse them as Gedeon, for weapons of Iust revenge againstIudg. 8. 16. the enemies of Gods Church, to vindicate his truth and glory, and then by being wise, and faithfull in a little, thou shalt at last be made ruler over much, and enter into thy Masters Ioy.
FINIS.