A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Pleaſing Accommodations, Buildings, Gardens, Horſes, &c.
8. ANother ſenſual delight to be denied, is, Pleaſing accommodations, in Buildings, Rooms, Walks, Gardens, Grounds, Cattle, and ſuch like. It's lawful to be thus accommodated, and lawful to deſire and uſe ſuch accommodations, with ſuch cautions as I gave before about recreations. 1. If you do not with Ahab deſire to be accommodated by that which is another mans, coveting your neighbours poſſeſſions, or unlawfully procuring it. 2. If you be not at too much coſt upon ſuch things, expending that upon them that ſhould be laid out on greater and better things. 3. But eſpecially, if you deſire ſuch accommodations for right ends, ſincerely referring all to Gods honour, and deſiring them not principally to pleaſe your own fancy, and carnal mind, but for the enabling you the better and more chearfully to ſerve God. Nothing but God may be loved for it ſelf. When the Pleaſing of the fleſh and fancy is the utmoſt thing we look at in any of our deſires, they are wicked and idolatrous. Our houſes therefore muſt be fitted to Neceſſary uſes, and not to inordinate delights. Our Gardens, Orchards, Walks, and ſuch like muſt be firſt ſuited to Neceſſity, and then to ſo much Delight as is uſeful to us for the promoting of our holineſs; but not to any uſeleſs tempting Delight.
But worldlings and ſenſual perſons will not be tied to theſe Chriſtian Rules. Alas, it's the furtheſt matter from their minds, to make Heaven the End of all their earthly poſſeſſions and accommodations. They may hypocritically talk of God and of ſerving him by their eſtates: but really it is the pleaſing of a fleſhly mind that is the thing which they intend. They have more delight in their houſes, and gardens, and lands, and cattle, than in God and the hopes of life everlaſting. They deſire fair houſes that they may be thought to be no mean perſons in the world, and that they may pleaſe their humours that run after creatures for felicity and content. I would deſire ſuch men to conſider theſe things.
1. All theſe are but the baits of Satan to delight you and entangle your deſires, and find you work in ſeeking after them, while you neglect far greater matters. Can you have while to look ſo much after ſuperfluities and delights in the world, when you have Neceſſaries yet to look after for your ſouls? Have you not greater things to mind than theſe, which theſe occaſion you to neglect?
2. Do you really find that they conduce to your main end, even to make you more holy, or more ſerviceable to God? Nay do not your own Conſciences tell you, that they hinder you and croſs thoſe ends? And yet will go againſt your experience?
3. If you are humble conſcionable Chriſtians, you feel cauſe enough already to lament, that your love to God and delight in him, is no more: And yet are you preparing ſnares for your ſouls, to ſteal away that little remnant of your affections, which you ſeemed to reſerve for God?
4. If you have any ſpark of Grace in you, you know that the fleſh and the world are your dangerous enemies; and you know that the way that the world doth undo men, is by ticing them to over-value it & over-love it; & that thoſe that love it moſt, are deepeſt in a ſtate of condemnation; and the leſs men love it, the leſs they are hurt or endangered by it. And do you not know that you are liker to over-love a ſumptuous houſe, with gardens, orchards, and ſuch accommodations, than a mean habitation? Why ſhould you be ſuch enemies to your own ſalvation, as to make temptations for your ſelves? Have you not temptations enough already? Do you deal with thoſe you have ſo well, and overcome them ſo eaſily and ſo conſtantly, as that you have reaſon to deſire more? If Chriſt your General ſend you upon a hotter ſervice, you may go on with courage, and expect his help: But if you will ſo glory in your own ſtrength, as to run into the hotter battle, and call for more and ſtronger enemies, it's eaſie to conjecture, how you will come off. If you are Chriſtians, know your ſelves, you know that in the meaneſt ſtate, you are too prone to over-love the world, and that under all Gods medicinal afflictions, you cannot be ſo weaned from it, as you ought! Are you not daily conſtrained to groan and complain to God under the burden of too much Love of the world, and too much delight in worldly things? If this be not your caſe, I ſee not how you can have any ſincerity of ſaving grace. And if it be your caſe, will you be ſo ſotti…, and hypocritical, as to complain daily to God of your ſin, & in the mean time to love and cheriſh it? to groan under your diſeaſe, and wilfully eat and drink that which you know doth increaſe it? What will you think of a man that will pray to God to ſave him from uncleanneſs, and yet will dwell no where but in a Brothel-houſe? What do you better, that muſt needs have the world in the lovelieſt garb, and muſt needs have houſe, and grounds, and all things in that plight, as are fitteſt to entice the heart; and then will complain to God, that you over-love the world, and love him too little? To your ſhame you may ſpeak it, when you do it ſo willfully, and cheriſh the ſin which you thus complain of. If God call you into a ſtate of fulneſs and temptations, watch the more narrowly over your affections, and your practices: and uſe no more of the creatures for your ſelf, if you have ten thouſand pound a year, than if you had but an hundred: but do not ſeek and long for temptations: With not for danger, unleſs you were better able to paſs through it.
4. Remember when your fancies deſire ſuch things, not only that it is an enemy that deſireth them, and to pleaſe your enemy is not ſafe for you: but alſo that it's the way that moſt have periſhed by, to have the world before them in too pleaſing and lovely a condition. Remember Nebuchadnezzar's caſe, Dan. 4. 30. that for glorying in his pompous buildings, was turned as a mad man among the Beaſts. Remember the rich mans ſad example, Luke 12. 20. & 16. and think whether it be ſafe to imitate them? If men muſt periſh for loving the creature more than God, methinks you ſhould long moſt for that condition, in which the creature appeareth leaſt lovely, or is leaſt likely to ſteal your love from God, and in which you may love him and enjoy him moſt.
5. And bethink you how unſuitable it is to your condition, to deſire ſumptuous buildings, and enticing accommodations to your fleſh. Have you not taken God for your portion, and Heaven for your home? and are you not ſtrangers and pilgrims here? and is not God and everlaſting glory ſufficient for you? You profeſs all this, if you profeſs to be Chriſtians: and if you be not, you ſhould not profeſs that you are. And what! do you begin to repent of your choice? muſt you yet turn to the pomp and vanity of the world again? and will you quit your hopes of God and glory? Ah poor ſouls! what little need have you of ſuch great matters on earth? you have but a little to do with them! and but a little while to ſtay with them! and will not a mean habitation, and ſhorter accommodations ſerve you for ſo ſhort a time? Stay but a while, and your ſouls ſhall have houſe-room enough in heaven or hell, and a narrow grave of ſeven foot long will ſerve your bodies till the reſurrection. And cannot you make ſhift with an ordinary habitation and with ſmall & common things till then? Naked you came into the world, and naked you muſt go out: make not then ſo great a ſtir in dreſſing, and undreſſing, and feathering a neſt, that will be ſo ſoon pulled down.
6. And it is a dangerous ſign that your time on earth is ſhort, when you have moſt content in outward things. I have told you once in another Diſcourſe (which I have ſince ſeen more of) that people that much ſet their hearts upon any earthly thing, do uſe to be ſnatcht away by death juſt when they have attained it, before they can have the comfort of poſſeſſing it. Juſt when their houſes are built; juſt when their debts are paid, and their eſtates cleared and ſetled; juſt when they have ſuch or ſuch a thing which they earneſtly deſired, then they are gone; as the fool in Luke 12. 20. This night ſhall thy ſoul be required of thee: then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be which thou haſt provided?
7. And you do but prepare for a double ſorrow, when you muſt leave all theſe. Do you think that the more you love or delight in any thing below, you will not be the lother to leave it? Do not think only of the preſent content, but ask your hearts; ſhall I be willinger to part with a ſumptuous houſe, and commodious gardens, walks, and fields, than with a mean habitation, and leſs pleaſing things? O how it tears the very heart of the worldling, when he ſees that he muſt for ever leave all that which he ſet ſo much by, and which hath coſt him ſo dear? If he ſet his heart but on a Horſe, or any creature, the loſs of it is a double ſuffering. Much more will he be wounded with the loſs of all, that his mind was ſo much ſet upon.
Remember therefore Chriſtians, that as theſe accommodations are mercies which you muſt faithfully uſe, when they are caſt upon you; ſo they are ſnares not to be ſought after; and matter for your ſelf-denial, to neglect. As they are Proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill its deſires, you muſt not know them. You have a building of God to mind and look after; a houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and it better beſeemeth you, earneſtly to groan, to be ſo cloathed, that mortality may be ſwallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 4. Poſſeſs preſent things as not poſſeſſing them; and uſe them as not abuſing them, for the form of them paſſeth away.