Two Treatises — Jeremiah Burroughs

Two Treatises · Jeremiah Burroughs

CHAP. III. Fourteen Evils of Earthly-mindedneſs.

The Firſt EVIL.

F… The Scripture cals it, Adultery: it is ſpiritual Adultery, in Jude, 4. verſ. Ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God. They were Adulterers and Adultereſſes in reſpect of their love to the world: you that would abhor the thought of a temptation to Adultery, yet you may commit ſpiritual Adultery, a man or a woman may be an Adulterer or an Adultereſſe before the Lord, though they never commit the act of uncleanneſſe with another, yet if their hearts be towards another, they be guilty of uncleanneſſe: for Chriſt ſaith, whoſoever doth but look after a woman to luſt after her in his heart, he hath committed adultery already; that is, hath ſinned againſt that command that forbids adultery: Is it ſo, that if a man do but let his heart go after another woman more than his wife, and a wife after another man more than her husband, this is adultery before the Lord. So if our hearts be after any things more than the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that we profeſs our ſelves married to and he to be our husband; this is adultery in Scripture phraſe.

The Second EVIL.

Yea further, A worldly or an earthly-mind in Scripture phraſe, is called Idolatry; in Epheſ. 5. 5. ſpeaking of divers ſins that ſhould not be ſo much as named among them as it became Saints, he hath Covetouſneſs among the reſt, and he ads this; And Covetouſneſs which is Idolatry. Now what is Earthly-mindedneſſe, but Covetouſneſſe, which is Idolaitry? A man, or woman is an Idolater that is of an Earthly mind: Now Idolatry which is a worſhiping of ſtocks and ſtones, you all account to be a great ſin; but do you, and al others take heed of another Idolatry that may be as bad that is, To have your hearts to make the god of this world to be your God, the curſed Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe, to make the things of the earth to be your Chriſt, to fall down and worſhip the golden-Calfe of the world. It's certain, that that thing a mans heart is moſt taken with, and ſet upon, that's his God: and therefore here in this verſe out of which my Text is, it's ſaid, They made earthly things (their bellies) their God: The Voluptuous, and Drunkard makes their Belly their God; and the Unclean perſon, makes his Strumpet to be his goddeſſe and worſhppeth that; whatſoever thy heart is moſt upon, that's thy God: therefore, that you muſt know to be the meaning of the Commandement, Thou ſhalt have no other Gods before me: That is, thou ſhalt give me the ſtrength of thy ſoul, and nothing elſe: So, I am a God to my Creature when I have its ſtrength exerciſed about me, to lift up me as the higheſt good; but if there be any thing elſe that thy ſoul is ſet upon as thy higheſt good, that's thy God, and it's worſe than bowing the knee, thou boweſt thy ſoul to that thing: now the meaner any thing is that we make a God of to our ſelves, the more vile is the Idolatry: as when the Egyptians worſhiped divers ſorts of gods, they were accounted the moſt vile Idolaters; whereas other Heathens worſhipped more excellent things, the Sun, Moon, and Stars; the Egyptians worſhiped Dogs, Cats, Onions, and vile things; and therefore their Idolatry was vile. So, the viler any thing is that a man or woman ſets their hearts upon, the more vile is their Idolatry; as for a man that ſhould ſet his heart upon unclean luſts, now to make that to be a god, the ſatisfying of thoſe luſts, that's abominable, and to make any earthly thing to be a god to us, that's moſt vile; for of all the things of the works of creation that God hath made, the Earth is the meaneſt, 'tis the baſeſt and loweſt thing, and hath the leaſt beauty in it in it's ſelf, and it is the moſt dul and meaneſt element of all; and to make earthly things to be a God to you, this is moſt vile.

Object. You will ſay for this Idolatry, What is there in it?

Anſw. There is Two particulars to open the Evil of Idolatry, or Earthly-mindedneſſe.

Firſt. The Evil of your Idolatry, it is in this. You do depart from God; in letting out of your hearts to theſe things, you do (as it were) go off from God, and renounce the protection of God, the goodneſſe and mercy of God, you leave it all by this: In the 4. chap. of Hofea, 12. verſe. They are ſaid, To go a whoring from under their God. It's a notable phraſe; that is, by going to Idols they did go off from the protection of God; whereas, while they were worſhiping the true God, they then were under the protection of God; but when they went to Idols, they went from under their God, from under his protection: So when thou ſetteſt thy heart upon God, and lifteſt up the infinite Firſt being of all things as the chief good to thy ſoul, thou art under the influence of this Grace and Mercy: but when thou doeſt depart from him, and makeſt other things to be thy Cheef good, thou goeſt from under his protection, and from his good and mercy.

Secondly: God is ſlighted and contemn'd in this, When thou chooſeſt rather to make the earth to be thy God than the infinit bleſſed firſt-being of all things; As a man that doth diſpiſe his wife, and it were abominable ſin, if he ſhould chooſe to go to a Queen though the moſt beautifulleſt woman in the world, and forſake his wife; but to leave a Queen, or Empreſs that were the beautifulleſt woman upon the earth, and to have the heart cleave to a baſe dunghil-raker, were not this a great contempt to the Queen that were ſo beautiful? Yet ſo it is when thou doeſt forſake the bleſſed eternal God as thy chief good, and chooſeſt the things of the earth: for the truth is, the earth is the fink of all the creatures of Gods making, and for thee to leave the moſt bleſſed and Eternal One, and to make that thy god it muſt needs be a very vile and abominable thing; and therefore the Prophet Jeremiah in ſpeaking of this Idolatry, he cals the Heavens and the Earth to be amazed at it. Jeremiah, 2. 12. Be aſtoniſhed O ye Heavens at this, and be horrible afraid, be ye very deſolate ſaith the Lord, Why? what's the matter? For my people have committed two evils, They have forſaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out Ciſterns, broken Ciſterns that can hold no water. So 'tis here; thou forſakeſt the fountain of living waters, the bleſſed God, and thy heart cleaves to the duſt, and ſeekeſt thy contentment and happineſſe in ciſterns that can hold no water; let the Heavens be aſtoniſhed at this horrible wickedneſs.

The Third EVIL.

Thirdly, Earthly-mindedneſs it's enmity againſt God. Thou wouldſt be loth to be found an enemy againſt God; certainly it's a truth, and it will be found another day, That an earthly-minded man, or woman is an enemy to God: yea the Scripture makes it to be enmity in the very Abſtract, James, 4. 4. Know ye not that the love of the world is enmity to God? Obſerve this, for there's very much in it, if God would be pleaſed to make us to lay it to heart, you will find it by experience, that earthly-mindedneſſe doth make men to be enemies to that that is ſpiritually good, therefore well might the holy-Ghoſt ſay, 'tis enmity to God, for whatſoever is enmity to any thing that is ſpiritually good, it is enmity to God; ſo much as my heart, or any of your hearts are againſt any thing that is ſpiritual, ſo much mine or any of your hearts are enemies to God. Now here in the very Text, theſe earthly-minded men are made enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt: that is, enemies to the ſpiritual preaching of Chriſt, and holding forth Chriſt: Indeed, If they would have mixt Chriſt and Circumciſion together, then they would have been content with it; but now this ſpiritual way of preaching Chriſt, and being juſtified by faith alone, and Chriſtian Religion in the purity of it, was that that was not ſutable to their carnal hearts, and therefore they were enemies to it. Oh! earthly-mindedneſſe doth make us enemies to ſpiritual things; where have you greater enemies unto the things of God, unto ſpiritual things, unto the Miniſtry of the word (as we had occaſion to hint) and to the work of Gods grace upon the hearts of men and women, no greater enemies unto theſe things than earthly minded men, men that ſavour the things of the earth, that can go up and down and care not if they can but load themſelves with thick clay, grow rich in the world and fare deliciouſly every day with Dives, make proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof, there is an antipathy in their ſpirits againſt Jeſus Chriſt and al goodneſſe.

The Fourth EVILL.

Then Fourthly; There is ſcarce any diſpoſition more oppoſite, more contrary to the work of grace, to the work of godlineſſe in a mans own heart than earthly-mindedneſſe, 'tis ſo exceeding croſſe to the nature of grace, that it may as well put men or women to be at a ſtand, and put them upon examination whether there be any grace or no in their hearts if earthly-mindedneſſe prevail, as almoſt any other thing; if God ſhould ſuffer your corruptions to prevail over you, ſo as you ſhould break forth into ſome outward notorious ſins, then it may be you would begin to think, can this ſtand with grace? and how can that ſtand with ſuch workings as I have had before? have not I cauſe to fear that I am but an Hypocrite, a rotten profeſſor? But now, this earthly-mindedneſſe hath as much oppoſition to the nature of grace, and the power of godlineſſe in the heart as almoſt any ſin that you can name. It is ſo quite contrary to the very beginning of the work of grace, not contrary to the degrees only, but to the very begining. The main work of God at the very firſt, in working grace in the ſoul, is to diſingage the ſoul from the creature, it is to take it off from the Earth, and from all creatures here below: for naturally 'tis true, That as we are of the earth, ſo we are earthly, and have our ſpirits ingaged to the things of this earth; but then comes the work of grace upon the ſoul, and takes it off, and diſcharges the heart from the earth: and therefore you find that Chriſt laies in this as the firſt leſſon, That he that will be my Diſciple, muſt deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs and follow me: as if he ſhould ſay, never think of being a Chriſtian except you will deny your ſelves. Self: what's that? all natural contentment, natural-ſelf, and ſinful-ſelf, to be emptied wholly of your ſelves, and creature-comforts, and contentments, and take up my Croſs, to be willing to ſuffer any thing in regard of earthly comforts, to be willing to lay down all at my feet, and to give up your intereſt in all, and to take up my Croſs; this is the very firſt beginning of Chriſts bringing Diſciples to himſelf. Then (ſaith the ſoul) let me have my ſin pardoned, and farewel earth, it's Heaven, Holineſs, renewing of the Image of God, communion, and union with God, and living to the eternal praiſe of his Name in Chriſt that my heart is upon; I ſay, this in the beginning of Gods working the heart to himſelf. The work of Grace when it is firſt wrought, it hath the name of Vocation: Calling, what is it for a man to be called? give diligence to make your calling & election ſure: To be called, is this, and whereas before thou wert altogether digging and dolving in the earth, and ſeeking for thy happineſs in the world, now it pleaſes God to make thee to hear a voice behind thee, calling thee, and telling thee, O poor ſoul, thy happineſs is not here, there are other things in which thy chief good conſiſts, thou art made for higher and better things than theſe, God hath nobler thoughts about man-kind than meerly to let him have a few contentments here in the earth, Oh ſoul! come away and look after higher things; here's the firſt work of grace: and the ſoul anſwers unto this call of God and ſaith, Lord, I come, and ſo gives up it's ſelf to God to diſpoſe of it, and this is in the beginning of the work of Grace: Now, how contrary is earthly-mindedneſſe to the work of God in bringing grace into the heart? Conceive it in theſe three things.

1. The very work of converſion, it is ſet out in Scripture by Gods calling the ſoul out of the world, Whom he hath predeſtinated; him he hath called. When God effectually begins to work upon the heart of a ſinner, he does cauſe a voice to be heard in the ſoul, Oh ſoul, thou haſt been buſying thy ſelf about many things, but there is one thing neceſſeary, Oh come out of that way of thine that thou art in, thou canſt never be happy elſe, thou wilt be undone in it; the Lord calls the ſoul out of the world; and that (I ſay) is the very work of converſion, the ſouls anſwearing to Gods call: Now for one ſtil to be earthly, and to have a heart cleaving to theſe things, ſurely ſuch a one is not as yet effectually called out of the world.

2. And then from thence follows, upon the ſouls anſwer to this call; the Lord difingages the heart from all creaturecomforts, and teacheth, the firſt leſſon to deny himſelf, and to take up Chriſts Croſſe: now what's more oppoſite to ſelf-denial and the taking up of the Croſſe of Chriſt than earthly-mindedneſſe? the text ſaith here, They are enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt.

And then a third thing in converſion it is, The reſigning up of the ſoul to God as the chief good; the ſoul upon the call of God, it learns the leſſon of Self-denial, and taking up the Croſſe, and ſo being diſingaged from the creature, now it reſigns up it ſelf to God as an infinite ſoul ſatisfying good for ever: now you cannot but in the naming of this ſee how oppoſite earthly-mindedneſſe is to it.

And then for the work of grace upon the heart, after the heart is converted and turned to God.

Firſt, Grace brings a new light into the ſoul: A Spiritual and Divine light is ſet up in the ſoul upon the converſion of a ſinner to God; but now, the earth you know, it's the dark part of the world, and earthly mindedneſſe it cauſeth darkneſſe to be upon the ſpirit, as the interpoſition of the earth between us & the Sun, it doth hinder the ſight of the Sun from us; And ſo the interpoſition that there is of earthlineſſe in the ſoul of man between God and it, doth hinder the ſight of God from the ſoul; there is a Divine light ſet up in the ſoul, and when as God works grace that doth diſcover things of a higher and more excellent and glorious nature, than thoſe things were that before the heart did ſo much cleave unto.

In the ſecond place: the Scirpture ſets forth the work of grace by the New creature. In the ſoul all things are made new, old things are Paſt, he that is in Crhiſt is a new creature: Now earthly-mindedneſſe is oppoſite to the new creation in the ſoul, it's the old man that is of the earth, the firſt man is of the earth earthly; and ſo it is apparant that thou art ſtill only in the ſtock of the firſt man, of the earth earthly who art an earthly-minded man. But the ſecond man is, the Lord from Heaven: But now, thou that art an earthly-minded man or woman art yet but a child of Adam, of the firſt man, and ſo art of the earth earthly, this is oppoſite to grace, grace works a new creation in the ſoul.

3. And grace is of an Elevating nature, raiſes the heart above its ſelf, and above the creature, yea, above the world, in ſome reſpect above Angels themſelves, above Principalities and Powers, above all created things, grace is of a raiſing nature; but an earthly-minded man ſinks down to low and baſe things.

And grace (fourthly) is of an Enlarging nature; it enlarges the heart, ſo that it cannot be ſatisfied with any earthly thing, though God ſhould give the whole world to a heart that hath grace, this would not ſatisfie that heart, why? becauſe it is ſo Enlarged by the work of grace, the work of grace it is the Divine nature, the Image of God in the ſoul, and therefore works the ſoul like to God: and it's ſaid of God in the 40. of Iſa. that all the nations of the earth are to him, but as the drop of the bucket, and as the ſmal duſt in the ballance. Now grace makes the ſoul to be like God, to accout all the things of the earth to be as the drop of a bucket, and the duſt of the ballance, to be nothing, leſs than nothing.

5. And then, Grace ſanctifies the ſoul: Now what is it to ſanctifie, but to take off from all common uſes, and to dedicate to God as the higheſt act of all things? And therefore, the Greek word that is for Holy, it is taken from a participle Premitive, and a word that ſignifies the Earth, as much foreign ab foreign pri. & foreign terra, extra terram, ſine terra. Beda.as to ſay, Not Earthly, and a holy one in the Greek language is not an earthly one, according to the uſual etimology given of it. Now Grace it makes the ſoul holy, it ſanctifies the ſoul, it ſets apart the ſoul for God, and dedicates and conſecrates the ſoul to God: and therfore you ſee that it is oppoſite to the work of God in bringing Grace into the ſoul, and to the work of grace, and the power of godlineſs in the ſoul of man: This is the great Evil of Earthly mindedneſs.

The Fifth Evil.

But Fifthly: For the diſcovery of the great Evil that there is in Earthly-mindedneſs: It puts men upon very great Temptations; and for that we need no other Scripture than that in the 1 of Tim. 6. 9. ſaith the Apoſtle there, But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a ſnare. Mark, that is, Thoſe that have ſet their hearts ſo much upon the things of the earth, as they are reſolved they muſt have them whatſoever comes of it: Obſerve the phraſe; They that wil be rich, they apprehend a neceſſity of the things of the earth, they do not only wiſh and deſire, Oh! that we had riches, and had theſe things of the earth, but they reſolve they muſt have them upon any terms: Wel, If the heart go on in obedience to God in the duties of its calling, and if God ſend in riches and an eſtate, it doth thankfully accept it from God; theſe do not meet with ſuch temptations and a ſnare as the Apoſtle here ſpeaks of; but when the heart is ſet upon it, that it needs muſt have an eſtate whatſoever comes on it; now they that will be ſo, they (ſaith the Apoſtle) fall into temptations and a ſnare. There's dangerous temptations in following after the things of the earth, and there is a ſnare in them that you do not think of, for you think only of the bravery of the things of the earth, how ſumptuouſly you ſhould live, and how fine you ſhould be, in your houſe, and cloaths, and what table you may keep, you only think of theſe things that may give the fleſh contentment; but you do not think of the temptation, and the ſnare that is in them; and thoſe whoſe hearts are ſet upon theſe things, they fall into the ſnare, nay, temptation; thoſe that are earthly-minded, have great temptations, to ſhift up and down, to ſtrain their conſciences for the things of the earth; for ſo it is, that while we live in this world God hath made the things of the earth to be as thorns, and ſo they are compared in Scripture, and it's hard for one to meddle with thorns without pricking his fingers; they are as briars, & its hard for the ſheep ro get among them but ſhe wil loſe ſome of her wool: and ſo it's hard for the heart to be buſie about the things of the earth, but it will be prickt and loſe ſome of its fleece, in will fall into temptation and a ſnare, and be catch'd: Oh! how many men and women that have enlightened conſciences, & they think ſometimes that they would not for all the world do any thing againſt their conſciences, though they might gain all the glory and riches under Heaven: Well, but yet their hearts being earthly, when it comes to ſome particular, how ready are they? at leaſt, to ſtrain conſcience, and not to attend to the voice of conſcience, and are willing that conſcience ſhould have its mouth ſtop'd for the time: Indeed, If their conſciences did plainly tell them, that this thing is abſolutely ſin againſt God, perhaps they would not do it, but that were not the ſnare, for tis no ſnare when I ſee the danger before me, here's a deep pit, and if I ſtep a ſtep further I fall into it, this is no ſnare. But now, there are ſome that are not catch'd ſo, by a pit that's open; but the Devil doth lay upon the pit (it may) ſome green graſs, ſo that they ſhall not perceive, or very hardly perceive the danger; thus ſuch as have earthly hearts they fall into a ſnare and temptation, they are put upon ſtraining of conſcience, and wringing it as much as may be, and many ſhifts that they are put too, Oh! a man when once he is got into an earthly buſineſs he knows not how in the world to bear it if he be croſt in it, It may be I have gone thus far, and I have very great hopes that I ſhall ſucceed in it, only there is one ſtop, now for him to think that for this one ſtop I am like to loſe all, Oh it goes to his heart: Oh but now, if you would but ſtrain conſcience a little you may get over it preſently; an earthly-man will ſtrain hard but he will get over it; whereas now, were the heart taken off from the earth, though ſuch a man had gone on never ſo far in a buſineſs, if there comes a ſtop in a matter of conſcience, yea, if it were but a doubt that ſuch a thing were ſin; it's enough to ſtop him, a meer doubt leſt he ſhould ſin would be enough for to make him ſay, let the buſineſs fall if it will, there may be a ſnare in this, and I ſee ſome cauſe to doubt: now if the heart were ſpiritual it would be taken off; but an earthly mind will go through very many dreadful things and doth not much trouble himſelf, and ſo doth inſnare himſelf exceedingly, that he may get an eſtate, or preſerve it when once he hath got it: That's the fifth thing.

The Sixth Evil.

The Sixth thing wherein the danger of earthly-mindednes conſiſts is this: That 'tis one of the greateſt hinderances in the world to profiting by the Miniſtry of the Word. Oh! many of you cannot but be convinc'd in your conſciences that you have not profited by the Word, and ſometimes you will complain of the want of profiting under the means, Oh that you had but hearts to look into the cauſe of it, from whence it is that you profit ſo little: It will appear to come from your earthly-mindedneſs, you bring a heart full of the world, full of droſſe with you, no marvel though you do not ſee thoſe ſpiritual and heavenly things that are in the Word, when as there is ſo much droſſe in your eyes; you know travellors in the ſummer time, travelling in the midſt of duſt and in company, they have not that freedome of their eyes to ſee things as at another time: Oh! many men com to the word with their thik clay, & a great deal of filth that doth clam up their very eyes, and dead their hearts in the hearing of the Word; you know what Chriſt ſaid to Martha, when Mary was ſitting at Chriſts feet, and hearing his word, but Martha was cumbred with many things; ſo 'tis many times with thoſe that come to hear the Word, though they are in the preſence of Chriſt, and have the ſound of the Word in their ears, yet their hearts are cumbred about many things, there's a great noiſe in their hearts, they are buſied in the world even while they are hearing of the Word, as you find it in the 33. of Ezek. 31. ver. there is an notable diſcription, I fear it may be of many of you: And they come unto thee (ſaith the Lord to the Prophet) as the people cometh, and they ſit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words; but they will not do them, for with their mouth they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after thir Covetouſneſs: They ſit befor thee as my people, and they hear thy words, (mark) and they ſhew much love with their mouth; they will commend the Sermon; it may be they will ſay, He is an excellent Preacher, it's a very good Sermon that we heard this day; they wil ſhew love with their mouth; but yet their hearts go after their covetouſneſſe for all that; they heard a man ſpeak fine things, and brought excellent expreſſions for to ſet forth his matter that he had in hand; but yet their hearts are after the things of the earth, and after their Covetouſneſs, they had carnal, earthly, droſſie hearts, and hence it was, that there was no good came unto them by the Miniſtry of the Word: And that famous place which we have for this, which ſhews it cleerly in the 13. of Matt. 22. ver. you know the ſeveral ſorts of ground that had the ſeed of the Word ſown into them, but there was but one of them that was good and faithfull, and among others there was the thorny ground; He alſo that received ſeed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulneſſe of riches choaks the Word and it becometh unfruitful. I beſeech you obſerve it, theſe that our Saviour ſpeaks of here in this parable that get no benefit by the Word are not men that live lewdly, your drunkards, ſwearers and whoremaſters, but thoſe that have earthly hearts; it's ſaid, the deceitfulneſs of riches; the things of the earth do not hinder in an open way, for thouſands of men that have earthly hearts, they do not know that they have earthly hearts, no, it is the deceitfulneſſe of riches, and it choaks the Word, it may be juſt when they are in hearing of the Word it doth affect them, Oh they think it's ſweet, and they will remember it, but the deceitfulneſſe of riches, and the cares of this world choaks the word, when they come, they have buſineſſes about the world, and their houſes, and gardens, and comings in, and full tables, and all the delights that they have in the world, comes and poſſeſſes the heart that the word is choakt, it cannot get down into the ſoul to ſink in there, and ſo to prevail in the ſoul to bring forth fruit, Oh the word is choakt; Oh many of you come here three times on the Lords day, and have precious ſeed ſown all thoſe times, and yet, Oh! how it is choakt through the cares of this world, and through the deceitfulneſſe of the things of this world! You bring with you, and keep with you, and carry along with you earthly minds, and hence it is that the Word prevails not with your hearts: Oh! what do you looſe through this earthlineſſe? you loſe the fruit of the Word that ſhould ſave your ſouls; a ſpiritual heart having received ſome one truth into it, afterwards bleſſes God for it, and would not for ten thouſand worlds but he had had that truth preached unto his heart at ſuch a time, Oh he hath cauſe to bleſſe God for ſuch a morning, for ſuch a day that he hath had ſuch a goodly pearl of great price preſented to him, and taking root in his heart, (I ſay) it's more than if God had given them thouſands of worlds to poſſeſs. But now, many of you, having your thoughts and hearts about ſome petty thing of this world, all thoſe bleſſed Truths, that you hear from time to time, that the very Angels deſire to pry into, they are all choak'd and come to be unfruitful. What was the reaſon when the young man came to Chriſt, to know what he ſhould do to the Eternal life that he got no good? the Text ſaith, That he had great poſſeſſions. A man (no queſtion) may be a rich man, and yet a godly man, a holy man: but when the heart is in the eſtate, mixed with the earth, Oh! this it was that hindred the young man from imbracing of Jeſus Chriſt even when he came to him. Young men for the moſt part are rather guilty of fleſhlineſſe, than ſeeking after the riches of the world; yet ſometimes it hath been the bain of ſome young men, at their firſt ſetting up; they were very forward when they were ſervants, Oh! how precious was the Word unto them, but when they were got into the world, and found the ſweetneſs of it coming in, Oh then the Word hath been choak'd to them; and they have loſt the ſavour they had in the Word, they have loſt the reliſh of the Word, it is not now ſweet to them as formerly it hath been, Oh many examples there hath been this way: That's the great evil of Earthly-mindedneſſe, that it doth hinder the great benefit of the Word, and there is much evill in this; If you had hearts to receive what is delivered your hearts would tremble at the thought of this, Oh Lord, what ſhall I be hindred from profiting by this word? 'tis the great bleſſing of God to the world, it's that that muſt ſave my ſoul, there's more worth in it than ten thouſand worlds, whatſoever ſhould hinder my profiting by thy Word I had need take heed of it; take heed of earthly-mindedneſſe, many of your conſciences cannot but tell you this, ſometimes any buſineſſe will keep an earthly-minded man from coming to the Word, and when he doth come there is earth in his heart and ears that keeps him from attending upon the Word: and when thy thoughts are about earthly things in the hearing of a Sermon, it may be there is ſome truth paſſes by thy ſoul that might have ſav'd thee eternally, and thou haſt loſt that opportunity which perhaps thou ſhalt never have again.

The Seventh Evil, opened in Six Particulars.

Further, In the ſeventh place, Earthly-mindedneſs, it cauſes many fooliſh luſts in the heart, that's a great evil; and for that you have the ſame Scripture that was before, for the temptations and ſnare, 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtfull luſts: luſts that are very fooliſh and ſimple.

1. As for inſtance; It cauſes men to follow after things that are very vile and mean, it cauſes men to beſtow the ſtrength of their immortal ſouls about things that have no worth at all in them: that's a fooliſh luſt, to beſtow the ſtrength of an immortal ſoul about vanities: If you ſhould ſee men that are of excellent parts for to ſpend their time about trifles and toyes, as about catching of flies, and following of feathers, you would ſay, ſurely they begin to be beſotted: ſo for the ſoul of man, that is capable of ſuch excellency as it is, of communion with God, with the Father, Son and holy Ghoſt, for ſuch a ſoul to have the ſtrength of it ſpent about ſuch poor trifling things that cannot profit in the evil day, Oh this is a fooliſh luſt.

Secondly, Fooliſh luſts, for earthly-mindedneſs, cauſes thee to be a ſervant to thy ſervants: you would account that man a fool that ſhould be a ſervant to his ſervants: So God hath made the things of the earth to be a ſervant to thee, and yet thou wilt come and put thy neck under thy ſervants yoke, and art a ſervant to thy ſervant: yea, were it not a great deal of folly for a man to expect all his honour and reſpect to come from his ſervant rather than from any excellency in himſelf; as thus, Suppoſe a man were travelling, & indeed there is reſpect given to him, but it's for his ſervants ſake rather than his own; If he ſhould come to know this, this he would account a great diſhonor to himſelf: But an earthly heart (I ſay) puts himſelf into ſuch a condition, as indeed he makes it to be his greateſt honour to have honour from his eſtate and riches: So that men do not reſpect rich men for any worth that there is in themſelves, or for any excellency of their own, but only for their riches, as much as to ſay, a man is not reſpected for himſelf but for his ſervant. Take ſome men that have had eſtates, but now they are deprived of them, and are become as poor as any Almes-men or Beggars amongſt us; who doth regard them then? But now, let a man have grace and holineſſe, if he were turned out of all and made as poor as Job, yet he were one that the Angels of Heaven would look upon with honour, and would glory in attending upon him; this is the difference between the carnal earthly heart, and the ſpiritual heart. It's a fooliſh luſt to make himſelf to be a ſervant to his ſervant.

3. It brings into fooliſh luſts, For a man might have as much (it may be) more of the earth if he did not mind it ſo much as he doth. Now for a man to mind the earth and to indanger himſelf in the minding of it, when as he might have it as well without ſo much minding, ſurely, this is a fooliſh thing: For a man to beſtow a great deal of labour about a thing when as he might have it with leſſe labour, he is a fool ſurely. Certainly if you be ſuch as belongs to God, eſpecially you may rather expect God to bleſs you if you kept your hearts more ſpiritual, you might expect that God would grant to you more of the good things of this world if you were leſſe earthly-minded than you are, and it's your earthlymindedneſſe that makes God cut you ſhort of theſe things; I am verily perſwaded there are many men that have ill ſucceſſe in their earthly affairs, and it's a fruit of Gods diſpleaſure upon them becauſe their hearts are ſo much upon worldly buſineſſes, did you go on in your imployment in obedience to God, and commit it to God for ſucceſſe, you might be crowned with more ſucceſſe than you have been: now what a fooliſh thing is this?

4. Yea further: It's a great deal of folly, for any of you to go and buy a thing and to pay a greater price for it than it's worth: If you ſend a ſervant to buy you commodities, and when he comes home you ask him what it coſt, and he tells you it coſt ſuch a price which is ten times more than it's worth, you will ſay, Thus it is to ſend a fool to Market: ſo an earthly - minded man manifeſts himſelf to God, and his Angels and all the Saints to be a fool, for why? thou beſtoweſt that upon this world, that is a thouſand times more worth than the things of the world, for thou beſtoweſt that upon the world that might bring thee to heaven; I may ſay to an earthly-minded man, thoſe thoughts, and cares, and affections, and endeavours that thou doeſt ſpend upon the things of the world, If they had been ſpent about the things of God might have ſav'd thy ſoul to all eternity, thou mighteſt have got Chriſt and Heaven, and Eternity, the Lord would have gone along with thee; and thou maieſt come hereafter to ſee it at the great day when all things ſhall be opened before men and Angels: had I but ſpent thoſe thoughts and cares, and endeavours, about underſtanding the waies and things of God and eternal life, my ſoul might have bin ſav'd for ever: Not that our works wil do it, but that God would have gone along together with you in ſuch waies as thoſe are; now for you to ſpend thoughts and cares about that that perhaps you ſhall not have, for many men and women ſpend their ſouls about the things of the world and never have them, this is a ſad thing; Oh! wil not this be folly? will not you curſe your ſelves hereafter for your folly? Oh that I ſhould ſpend my ſelf and be ſpent about that that I have not got neither, and I muſt be damn'd for that, whereas had I ſpent time about things that concern'd my ſoul and eternal life it would have been more like that I ſhould have gotten thoſe things; for God doth not fail men ſo in ſpiritual things as he doth in earthly things, a man may be as diligent as it's poſſible for any man to be in buſineſs of the earth, and yet he may miſcarry; but give me any man or woman that ever was diligent in ſeeking the things of God and eternal life that ever did miſcarry; I verily beleeve at the day of Judgment there will not be one man found, that ſhall be able to ſay, Lord, I did improve what talents thou dideſt give me to the uttermoſt to ſave my ſoul, but Lord, becauſe I was not able to do any more, without thy grace, thou dideſt deny thy grace to me, and therefore now I muſt be damn'd: I beleeve there will not be any ſoul that will be able to ſay ſo; but in the matters of the world men do ſay ſo, that they have done what they could, nad labour'd and toyl'd, and yet for all that they miſcarry. Oh what a fooliſh thing is this then, for thee to toyl and labour about that which is ſo uncertain: for were it not a fooliſh thing for a man to beſtow all his eſtate about buying of pibble ſtones, and that that will afford him no kind of benefit at all: This folly is in the heart of man: I'le but put this care to you, If two of you ſhould go to the Indies, where precious ſtones are, and one ſhould purchaſe a lading of precious ſtones and other rich commodities, and the other that carried as much money with him, he laies out all his money about baubles and trifles, and they both come home laden, Both went out with the ſame ſtock, both come home laden, and one comes home with precious ſtones that makes him rich, and his poſterity to be great men; the other brings home nothing but a company of pibble ſtones which makes him ſcorn'd and jeer'd at by all his Neighbours; Oh! how would he be ready to tear his fleſh for his folly in this kind: This will be the difference between men and women at the day of Judgment, for the truth is, what is this world but a ſea-fare? we are here ſailing in this world, and here we have the market of pearls, or elſe of that hath no worth at all in it: when you live in the times of the Goſpel I ſay there is a market for pearls, for thoſe things that may enrich you to all eternity; now there's one man, he beſtows the ſtrength of his thoughts and heart about thoſe things that he ſhall be bleſſing of God in the higheſt heavens to all eternity for, and the other man beſtows his thoughts and heart but upon the things of the earth, and lades himſelf with thick clay (as the Scripture phraſe is;) and now at the day of Judgment when it ſhall appear, here's a man or woman that ſhall be to all eternity bleſſed, that ſhall joyn with Angels and Saints in the higheſt heavens to magnifie the free grace of God in Chriſt: and here's another had that he beſtowed but his thoughts, and heart about the ſame things he might have been ſo bleſſed for ever, but he minding the things of the earth is a curſed fool, and is the ſcorn and contempt of men and Angels to all eternity; earthlymindedneſſe brings men into fooliſh luſts (the Scipture ſpeaks:) Oh! though men of earthly minds think themſelves the only bleſſed men, I applaud my ſelf at home, let men talk what they will; but the holy Ghoſt ſaith, that thoſe Iuſts that are cauſed by earthly-mindedneſſe are fooliſh luſts.

Fifthly, That's folly for a man to do that that he muſt undo again. Now eſpecially thoſe earthly-minded men that have this earthlineſſe ſo to prevail with them as to get any thing of the earth by falſe waies; they muſt certainly undo all they have done: you have got ſo much of the earth in ſome cunning cheating way, and you bleſſe your ſelves that you have found out ſuch a myſtery of iniquity; this is a fooliſh luſt: Fooliſh, Why? it muſt be done again, either you muſt be eternally damn'd, or elſe you muſt reſtore as Zacheus did if you be able, though it be to the impoveriſhing of your ſelves, yet it muſt out again, all the ſorrow and repentance that can be will not be ſufficient, thou canſt not be pardoned upon all thy ſorrow and repentance if thou doſt not reſtore if thou beeſt able, what thou haſt ill gotten; I do not know that there was ever any Miniſter of the Goſpel upon the face of the earth but held this, that it was of abſolute neceſſity to ſalvation to reſtore, and this one reaſon cannot but ſatisfie any mans conſcience, That a man cannot truly repent of a ſin, and yet wilfully to continue in it. Now except you do reſtore, you do wilfully continue in it; for why? you do not only wrong the man the firſt hour, but ſo long as you keep any thing that is his you do wrong him: and if you be able to reſtore and do not, becauſe you are loth to part with ſo much mony, or ſo many goods, you do wilfully continue in the ſin: now, no man or woman can truly repent of a ſin and yet wilfully perſiſt in that ſin: what a fooliſh luſt is this, for a man or woman to go and get the things of this world in ſuch a way as he muſt undo all again though it be to his ſhame; Oh! conſider what a folly it is. You deceitful ſervants, that ſpend away that upon your luſts, that you cheat and coſen your maſter of; afterwards when you come to ſet up for your ſelves, you muſt reſtore what you have purloind, and it may be a great part of your eſtate muſt be repaid in way of reſtitution, it muſt be done, there's no gain-ſaying of it; and therefore what a fooliſh luſt it is, to be ſet upon the things of the earth ſo as to get them in an earthly way.

6. And then fooliſh, (obſerve this one note) By Earthlymindedneſſe, they do loſe the comfort of earthly things before they have them. I make it out thus, A man or woman that hath carking thoughts about the things of the earth, and it may be by their inordinate thoughts, and cares, and affections after ſome earthly things, they contract much guiltineſſe upon their own ſpirits, yet after this perhaps God doth give them that earthly thing; now when they have got it, if they have any light in their conſciences, their convinced conſciences will then reflect thus upon them, I have got this indeed, Oh! but have I it with the bleſſing of God? I have it in my coſtody, but I got it dearly, it coſt me ſuch thoughts and cares, and affections before I had it, and now I have it, I cannot ſay it comes out of Gods love, I rather fear that God hath given it me in his wrath becauſe I got it in ſuch a way; now all the comfort is gone and loſt, whereas had it come in the way of God, and hadſt thou given up thy ſelf to God, and then providence had brought ſuch a comfort to thee, thou mighteſt have enjoyed much of God in it, & bleſſ'd God for it, the Lord hath bleſſ'd me in my trading, Oh! I have it from the Love of God. But now, when thy heart was earthly before it came, when it doth come thou haſt no comfort in it, the comfort of all is loſt before it comes, thou haſt ſpent ſo much upon it; as if a man hath got a thing, & after he hath gotten it, he thinks thus, What hath this coſt me; it hath coſt me a great deal more than it's worth; now the comfort of it is vaniſhed.

The Eighth Evil.

Earthly-mindedneſſe, It is the root of Apoſtaſie. I'le give you but one Scripture, & compare it with another: 2 Tim. 4 10. there's a notable Text, that ſhews how earthly-mindedneſſe breeds Apoſtaſie; 'tis the example of Demas, For Demas (ſaies the Apoſtle) hath forſaken me: what's the matter? having loved this preſent world. It was that that made Demas to be an Apoſtate; why? what was Demas before? compare this Scripture with that you have in the Epiſtle to the Coloſſians, and you ſhal ſee what he was before this time: he was a forward Diſciple of Paul; and the Apoſtle had ſome good eſteem of him, in the laſt to the Coloſſians, 14. verſ. mark there in that Epiſtle, where Paul was directed by the holy Ghoſt, Luke the beloved Phyſitian and Demas greet you: Paul doth rank Demas here among the famous Profeſſors of Religion; the Apoſtle, writing to the Coloſſians, ſaith, Demas greets you among the reſt. When we ſend to our friends and ſay, Such a one commends him to you, we uſe not to name them except they be entire friends. So it appears, and I find that Interpreters ſeverally do think it was the ſame Demas, and the word gives us ſome ground for this! for in Timothy you find, that he names Luke there too: It ſeems that Demas and Luke were two great Aſſoſſiates: and Paul mentions them together; when Demas had forſaken him, yet Luke rode with him, and when Paul ſends them greeting of Luke that was the beloved Phyſitian, he ſends the greeting of Demas too: But now, one was truly godly, and whatſoever ſufferings Paul met withal, one cleaved to him, and would not forſake him: But when Paul begins to ſuffer, and Demas thought, that there's no thriving for me, if I ſhould follow this perſecuted Apoſtle; Demas now would have no more of Paul, he thanks him for his company and fairly departs from him: He hath forſaken me: and what's the root of it? He had imbraced this preſent world. And that's another note, that though he was a forward Proffeſſor, yet the heart of Paul was not ſo much for him, for ſaith he, Luke the Beloved Phiſitian and Demas great you; He doth not ſay, the Beloved Demas; it's true, Demas was a forward Proffeſſor, and did ſeem to wear a cloak of Religion; yet Paul was directed by the holy-Ghoſt only to ſpeak of him as a Proffeſſor; but in that the holy-Ghoſt directs him to ſpeek of two together that were two companions, and gives one an Epethite, Beloved, and the other only his name. By this we may gather, that thoſe that have diſcerning ſpirits, may ſhew ſome kind of ſign in thoſe that are earthly, at leaſt to darken their eſteem of them, and to make them ſomwhat jealous of them: as now, ther's two men, and both very forward, and two companions together; yet thoſe that are godly, old Diſciples can ſavour one more than the other; Indeed they are both Proffeſſors, and both have excellant parts and gifts, and yet there's more ſpiritualneſs, and greater experiences in one than in the other, ſo it appears there was in Luke rather than in Demas, and indeed, your earthly-minded men, afterwards prove to be Apoſtates, uſually before their grand Apoſtaſy do manifeſt ſome deadneſſe and waywardneſs of ſpirit to that that's good. yea, their ſpirits before diſcover themſelves to be earthly ſpirits, they ſmell of the earth. As a man before he dies, his breath will ſmell very earthly; you will ſay: Oh! ſuch a one cannot live, his breath is ſo earthly; ſo it is with thoſe that are very great proffeſſors of Religion; that thoſe that have intimate acquaintance with them before they do Apoſtatiſe they ſmell their breath to be earthly in their duties, in their conferences: Oh take heed of earthly-mindedneſs, leaſt it be the root of Apoſtaſie; This may be written upon many an Apoſtates grave, This was an earthly minded man or woman in the mideſt of their profeſſion. And hence it is that they fell off from the truth in times of danger, when they were brought to the tryal, they were baſe back ſliders from God and his truth.

The Ninth Evil.

Earthly-mindedneſſe doth wonderfully dead the heart in prayer. It ſinks the ſpirits of men, and ſtraightens them in ſpiritual duties; yea, and indeed, doth defile every duty of Religion; in the 119. Pſal. 37. ver. David (you ſhall find) paryes there to God, That he will turn away his eyes from beholding vanity, and that he would quicken him in his law. Certainly by the vanity that he ſpeaks of there, he means the things of the world, and by his eyes he underſtands the eyes of his mind, chiefly the working of the thoughts of his heart after earthly things; for if you will caſt your eyes but to the 36. verſe, faith he there, Incline my heart to thy teſtimonies, and not to covetouſneſs; Oh Lord, let not my heart be inclined to covetouſneſs: afterwards, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, to the end that my heart may not be inclin'd to covetouſneſs; Lord, let not my thoughts be buſied about ſuch vain things, but quicken me in thy Law: as if he ſhould ſay, Lord, while my mind is turned to vanity, or my heart to covetouſneſſe, after the things of this earth, I alwaies find my ſpirit dull and heavy in any holy duties, I have no quickneſs at all in my inward man when I come in thy preſence, and by experience I find this to be the cauſe that my heart is ſo droſſie, becauſe my thoughts and mind are ſet upon earthly things that are but vanity, therefore, Lord let not mine heart be inclin'd to covetouſneſs nor mine eyes looking after vanity, but turn away mine eyes from theſe things and quicken me in thy Law: If you would have your hearts quicken'd in Gods Law, in the Duties that God ſets you about, take heed of your eyes that they look not after vanity, & your hearts that they follow not after covetouſneſſe; for an earthly ſpirit will be a dead ſpirit, as the element of earth it's the ſluggiſheſt, and deadeſt element of all; ſo earthlineſſe in the heart makes the heart ſluggiſh and dead, and liſtleſſe to any holy and ſpiritual duty: I appeal to your conſciences in this, when you have let out your hearts after the things of this earth, and been exerciſed in the world, in abundance of buſineſſes, when you have come to enjoy communion with God, Oh! how dead have you found your hearts! a droſſie heart muſt needs be a dead and a ſtraight heart in heavenly exerciſes: you complain many times of your vain thoughts in performance of holy duties, you cry out of dead ſpirits then, but there lies the cauſe, you have given your hearts up ſo much to the things of the earth at other times, and hence when you ſhould come to have converſe with God your hearts are ſo dead and dull & ſtraight as they are, look at this to be the ground of it; this is the great root of all, it lies here in your earthly-mindedneſſe, Oh! how many prayers have been quite ſpoil'd with an earthly heart! whereas, ſuch as have had ſpiritual hearts, have enjoyed bleſſed communion with God at the Throne of his Grace, and have been ſweetly refreſhed as a Gyant with wine; the while thou haſt gone with a dead heart, and continued ſo there, and came away with as dead an heart, without anie quickneſſe and life, and this is that that comes by, thy earthly-mindedneſſe, which is ſuch a remora and pulback to duties.

The Tenth Evil.

10. Earthly-mindedneſſe, is ſo great an evil whereſoever it prevails, as it were juſt with God that thy name who art ſo earthly-minded ſhould be written in the earth. I ſay, thoſe that are earthly-minded and have this ſin prevailing upon their hearts, and are not ſenſible of it, they have cauſe to fear leaſt God ſhould write their names in the duſt: yea, leſt God hath already written their names in the earth; in the 17. of Jerem. 13. we reade of ſuch an expreſſion, Oh Lord, the hope of Iſrael, all that forſake thee ſhall be aſhamed, and they they that depart from thee ſhall be written in the earth: becauſe they have forſaken the Lord the fountain of living waters. And it's apparant that he ſpeaks of earthly ſpirits here, for in the 11. verſe he ſaith, As the Partridg ſitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not, ſo he that getteth riches and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his daies, and at his end ſhall be a fool: and then he goes on and deſcribes the excellencie of God and his Sanctuarie, A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary, &c. As if he ſhould ſay, There are a company of fooliſh vain men that ſeek after nothing but getting riches and the things of the earth; But a glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary: Oh Lord we ſee an excellencie in thee and in thine Ordinances, and thy Sanctuary, Oh Lord the hope of Iſrael in whom there is ſuch excellencie, is there any that do forſake thee who haſt ſo much excellencie in thee, who art the hope of Iſrael, Oh Lord, juſt it were that their names ſhould be written in the earth, that they ſhould never come to partake of thoſe good things that there are in thee, the excellent things that there are in thine Ordinances, and in thy Goſpel, but Lord, let their names be written in the earth: an earthly ſpirit (I ſay) may fear leaſt the name of it be written in the earth, leſt God write concerning ſuch a man or ſuch a woman, earth ſhall be their portion, and their mouths ſhall be fil'd with earth one day, and that's all the good that they ſhall have from the Almighty: Oh thoſe who have known God and the things of eternal life they cannot but apprehend this to be a ſad and a grievous evil, for their names to be written in the earth.

The Eleventh Evil.

An Earthly-minded man hath the curſe of the Serpent upon him: What was that? Ʋpon thy belly ſhalt thou go, and duſt ſhalt thou eat. Thou haſt the curſe of the Serpent, thou grove-leſt upon the earth (as it were) upon thy belly, thy ſoul cleaves to the ground in a ſinful way, and duſt thou feedeſt upon: While the Saints are feeding upon Jeſus Chriſt, upon the very fleſh and blood of Chriſt; when they are refreſhing themſelves with the hidden Mannah, Angels bread, corn from Heaven; thou art ſatiating thy ſelf with the earth, that's thy food, and that's the very curſe of the Serpent; it's a ſign of a ſerpentine brood of the old Serpent, to be groveling upon the earth and to feed upon it.

The Twelfth Evil.

Earthly-mindedneſs is a diſhonor to God, and a ſcandal to Religion. What! ſhalt thou profeſs an intereſt in Chriſt? and are there no higher things to be had in God than ſuch baſe things as thy heart is upon? What! doeſt thou hold forth the everlaſting Goſpel in thy hand to others; and doeſt openly profeſſe a nearneſſe to God more than others; and is there no difference between the workings of thy heart and the workings of others after the things of this world? Oh! how does this darken the excellency of Grace! if there be any grace at all: it very much clouds it; as the mixing of earth and droſſie ſtuff with pure mettle, it takes away the excellencie of the pure mettle; ſo the mixing of earth with the profeſſion of Religion, blemiſheth the beauty and ſplendor of the profeſſion of Religion: Thou wilt never be the man or woman that is like to convince any by thy Converſation: thou art never likely to be a means to draw any to the love of the waies of godlineſſe, becauſe there is ſo much darkneſſe and earthlineſſe in thy Converſation: Oh will they ſay, Indeed, he or ſhe makes a great blaze in the world, and talks much of Religion, and of Ordinances, and ſuch things, but as worldly as any, and groveling in the earth as much as any; people that are ſtanders by wil think that profeſſion is but a meer verbal thing, or a mock-ſhew, when as they ſee as much earthlineſſe in your converſation as in the converſation of thoſe that are without: you do bring an ill report on the things of God, as the Spies did on the Land of Canaan. Whereas every profeſſor of Religion ſhould endeavour to put a luſtre upon Religion, and to make the waies of God to be beautiful, amiable, and glorious in the eyes of all that do behold them: But now, to give a lye to your Goſpel-profeſſion by your Earthlyconverſation, is a very great ſcandal to the Name of Chriſt that is upon you and to his Goſpel that you ſeem to ſtand up for. Oh! there's a great evil in this, and a very ill report comes upon the waies of Religion by this means; many that have had little religion in them, yet have ſome kind of generouſneſs of ſpirit, ſo that they ſcorn ſuch baſe ſordedneſſe as ſome ſorts of Profeſſors are given unto. Oh! for ſhame let not thoſe that have only common gifts of nature, and education outſtrip you, that ſeem to be the followers of Chriſt; away with that baſe, muddy, earthly, ſaving, pinching diſpoſition, it becomes none but Judas that carried the bag and betraied his Lord and Maſter for Eighteen ſhillings and four pence. Let me argue with you, you that have to deal with any friends or neighbors, that you yet are afraid have not the power of godlineſſe in them as you deſire, but yet you ſee they have much ingenuity, and generouſneſſe, and publickneſs of ſpirit in them for publick good; take heed of ſcandalizing ſuch men, for certainly ſuch men if they could be brought to the love of Religion, to the power & ſtrictneſs thereof, had they the work of the holy Ghoſt upon their hearts to humble them for ſin, and to ſhew them the excellencie of Jeſus Chriſt, they would be glorious Inſtruments in the Church of God and Common-wealth, and therefore it's a very great evil to ſcandalize ſuch men as theſe; no, you ſhould labor to walk ſo as they might ſee a beauty and excellencie in the waies of Religion by your Converſation; Oh! better, a thouſand times better that you be cut ſhort of theſe things in the world, than that you ſhould ſcandalize the waies of God, and the profeſſion of the Name and Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.

The Thirteenth Evil.

Earthly-mindedneſſe, it doth exceedingly hinder preparation for death, and it is like to make death to be very grievous and terrible to them when it comes (that are like the rich fool in the Goſpel) In the 21. of Luke, the 34. verſe, (this I have from the Scripture) Take heed to your ſelves (Chriſt here ſpeaks to his Diſciples) leſt at any time your hedrts be over-charged with ſurfitting and drunkenneſs and cares of this life; (he puts them together) It's very ſtrange you will ſay that Chriſt ſhould ſpeak this to his Diſciples, to forewarn them of this, we do not think that they were drunkards ſo as to follow after Taverns and Ale houſes, or to reel in the ſtreets; but by this drunkenneſſe he means any exceſſe in the uſe of the creatures in meat or drink, and profeſſors of Religion may be ſubject to that, to give up themſelves too much to ſenſual delights and exceſſe in the uſe of the creature, but beſides that, though many there are that would abhor glutteny and drunkenneſſe, yet the cares of this life takes up their hearts; therefore ſaith Chriſt, Take heed to your ſelves leſt at any time your hearts he over charged with the cares of this life: why? what evil would the over-charging of the heart which the cares of this life bring? mark, (ſaith the text) And ſo that day come upon you unawares, for as a ſnare ſhall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth, watch ye therefore and pray alwaies &c. I may apply this to death: though the Scripture be ſpeaking of Chriſts coming; now in the time of death Chriſt comes particularly, there is a particular day of Judgment at the day of death; it may likewiſe be applied to the time of any affliction, and then it may be inlarged thus, and ſo then the evil of earthly-mindedneſſe appears in this, that it doth hinder the preparation of the ſoul for afflictions. Oh! earthly-mindedneſſe will make thine affliction to be grievous and heavie to thee: an affliction is a very grievous thing to an earthly ſpirit; if God comes to take away any comforts of this world, now becauſe thy heart cleaves ſo cloſe to them there muſt be a rending of them from thee, and that will put thee to pain; a man that hath his garments looſe, he can eaſily put them off when he goes to bed at night, but if a man hath a ſore upon his body, and his inward garments ſhall cleave to the ſore, If he puls them off then it puts him to a great deal of pain, Oh then he cries out of his pain! Truly, this earthly-mindedneſſe comes from diſtemper of ſpirit, and the things of the earth they cleave to the hearts of men and women that are earthly, as the inward garment ſhould cleave to a ſore on a mans body; and now when afflictions or death comes to take the things of the earth from them, or them from the things of the earth, Oh it's painful to them, it's grievous to them and for one that hath an earthly ſpirit, a hundred to one if he hath any light of conſcience left in him, but his conſcience will trouble him in time of ſickneſſe and then tell him how he hath ſpent his time and ſtrength of his ſpirit about the things of of the earth, whereas they ſhould have bin ſpent about more excellent things, and when he comes to die then his ſpirit will be troubled, I am now to leave all theſe things that I have ſpent my care and thoughts upon and let out my heart about, and what good is it to me now that I ſhall leave ſo much more than my neighbor doth, what great content is this to me when I am upon my ſick and death bed? what comfort can I have in all the good things I have enjoyed? yes, (it may be) through the earthlineſſe of my ſpirit, I have enjoyed but little of them, but I have had carking thoughts about them; But now, death is like to be to me as a Strainer, that ſtrains out the good and leaves the droſſe and the dirt behind it. And ſo all the good of the things of this world is gone, But the guiltineſſe that I have contracted upon my ſpirit with my immoderate care and affections that I have let out upon the world that now is upon my ſpirit, Oh! death hath been very grievous to worldly ſpirits. I remember there's one that liv'd in a place not far from the place that I have formerly liv'd in, a covetous, earthly ſpirit, when he was to die, cals for his Money, and fals a ſwearing, Muſt I leave you now? (ſpeaking to his Bags, and hugging of them) What! muſt I leave you now? An earthly man that had ſpent his ſpirits and ſtrength upon theſe things, and indeed let out his heart to them as his portion, and then he ſees that he muſt be ſtript from all, muſt bid an eternal fare-wel to all, no more houſes, nor lands, nor comming-in, nor money: Oh! death is grievous to ſuch a one. Now, what ſhould be the life of a Chriſtian, but a continual preparation for death? Many of the Heathens ſaid of Philoſophy, that it was but a preparation for death. A ſpecial excellency of Chriſtianity conſiſts in this, that it is a Preparative for death; and therefore you ſhould let out your hearts to the things of this world ſo, as to be continually thinking of death, that when God cals you to depart from theſe things, that you may do it with eaſe, with as much eaſe as a man when he is going to bed caſts off his cloaths that are looſe about him; for ſo the grave is as a bed to the Saints where they fall aſleep when they die, and ſo they may lay down all things and go to their ſleep with eaſe and peace. A man or woman that can have their conſciences tell them, I have been diligent in my calling, but God knows through faithfulneſſe to him, rather than l…e to the world; and I have kept my heart cloſe to God, and faithful to him, I can bid the world now farewel, as the world hath done with me, ſo I have done with it; ſo long as my time was to work for God, God continued thoſe things that this frail nature of mine had need of, and now my work is done, farewell the the comforts of this world, I expect other kind of comforts that I am now going to: So, ſuch a one that is ſpiritual may die with comfort; but thoſe that have their hearts overcharged with the cares of this life, they will have the day of Chriſt come upon them unawares.

The Fourteenth Evil

Earthly-mindedneſſe, is that that will bring deſtruction at laſt, it will drown thy ſoul in perdition; there's thoſe two texts for it; the firſt is here in this very Scripture wherein my Text is, ſaith the Apoſtle here (ſpeaking of men who mind earthly things.) Whoſe end is deſtruction. They are both joyn'd together, earthly-mindedneſſe will bring deſtruction at laſt: And the forenamed place that for other purpoſes we have had, in 1 Tim. 6. 9. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks of bringing them into ſnares, and fooliſh luſts: ſaith he, which drown men in deſtruction and perdition. Some that are waſhing themſelves in the Thams, go a little way at firſt, & then venture a little ſurther & further, & at length they are over head and ears, and there they are drown,d and cannot recover themſelves: So it will be with your hearts if you look not to them; you think you may venture ſo far to the things of this world, why? Are they not good, and in themſelves lawful? I get not my eſtate by wrong, cheating and couſning, and ſo by degrees your hearts are ſtoln away from God, and taken with theſe earthly things, and ye get deeper & deeper into the world, til at length you are plunged over head and ears before you are aware, and you cannot recover your ſelves; that man or woman that will give their hearts to the things of this world, and think that they will go no further, but thus and thus far, a hundred to one but when once theſe things have taken up their hearts they get more and more advantage till they be even drowned in deſtruction and perdition: A man or woman may be undone by earthlineſſe, and be damn'd and periſh eternally as well as by adulterie, or drunkeneſſe, murder, or by any notorious ſin, many that are great Profeſſors of Religion, it's very like that this will be the ſin by which they will periſh to oll eternity, The earthlineſſe of their minds. Do not pleaſe your ſelves in this, that becauſe you keep from thoſe groſſe & notorious ſins that others live in therefore you hope to be ſav'd, your earthlineſſe may damn you as well as any thing elſe: As upon dunghils you caſt not only filthy carrion, and ſuch naſtie ſtuff, but your duſt, that is ſwept out of your houſes, I may compare Hell which is the place where God caſts thoſe damned out of his preſence, it is (as it were) the common dunghil upon which filthy creatures are caſt; now upon that dunghil there are not only carions, and filthy blaſphemers, and whoremaſters, and theeves, thoſe are as it were the dead dogs carion: but likewiſe there will be duſt caſt upon that dunghil, and ſcrapings that are from your houſes will be caſt upon the dunghil of Hell from the preſence of God; and therefore ſatisfie not your ſelves in this, that you do not live in ſuch filthy abominable luſts as others do, but if you have foul earthie hearts you may be caſt upon the dunghill as well as thoſe that have liv'd moſt notoriouſly wicked; and therefore take heed of earthly-mindedneſſe.

You will ſay, By all theſe particulars that you have diſcovered to us, there is a great deal of evil and danger in earthly mindedneſſe. Well, the Lord keep us from earthly-mindedneſſe: But you will ſay, We hope that we are not thoſe earthly-minded men that are here ſpoken to though we do follow our buſineſſes and callings: we muſt mind what God ſets us about, But we hope we are not of theſe earthly-minded men that are ſpoken of here in this Scripture.

Now beſides what we ſpake too in the opening what it was, that might ſhew as in a glaſſe the hearts of men and women: I ſhall inlarge my Meditations on this ſubject, by opening ſome few Convincements, further to convince men and women that there is a great deal of earthly-mindedneſſe in them.

And for preparation I will lay down this.

Firſt. That a man or woman may be earthly minded, and yet little think of it themſelves, not know that they are ſo: Yea, and it may be even periſheternally through their earthly-mindedneſſe, and not know of it themſelves.

Six things may be wrought in a man, and yet Earthly minded.

1. A man may have his judgment convinc'd that there is a vanity in all things in this world, and yet be an earthly-minded man for all this: many think they are not earthly-minded, why? Becauſe they are convinc'd that all theſe things are vanity; come and ſpeak to them about the things of this world, and they will acknowledg there's a vanity in all theſe things, that they are vanity of vanities, al is vanity.

2. A man may have ſome kind of contentment in his eſtate, and yet have an earthly mind; at the 33. of Gen. 9. verſe, Eſau that was one of the earth, yet he ſaid he had enough, yet certainly one of an earthly ſpirit, and his portion was in the earth: how many of you come ſo far as Eſau did? to ſay for your eſtates, you have enough: Oh 'tis a ſhame for thoſe that are profeſſors of Religion, and would ſeem to be of the ſeed of Jacob, and yet they can never ſay they have enough, when as an Eſau can ſay, he hath enough: I have enough my brother.

3 Men and women may ſpeak very great words about the vanity of all the things of this world: When you come to diſcourſe, you may (I ſay) diſcourſe much about them, and yet have a very earthly ſpirit.

4. A man may be free from getting any thing of this world by falſe waies, by deceit, by injuſtice, &c. and yet be earthly for all that.

5. Through ſome predominate luſt ſome other way, A man may ſeem to deſpiſe ſome earthly thing: As manie men that have a luſt of Ambition, will ſeem to deſpiſe money; that hath a luſt to ſhew themſelves to be generous; and thoſe that have a luſt of ſenſualitie will ſeem to deſpiſe the things of the world? manie a man through one luſt will ſeem as if he would hate the other, though the truth is, he doth not hate it as a ſin, but for the practice of it his heart is againſt it, not (I ſay) from the diſlike of it as a ſin againſt God, but becauſe it is oppoſite to ſome other luſt that he hath; as your Prodigals, your Young Spendthrifts, they will ſpeak againſt covetouſneſs as if they hated that ſin, whereas the truth is, no wicked man hates any ſin any further than one ſin croſſes another, ſo much he may hate it but not as a ſin, in the 13. of Iſa. 17. Behold (ſaith the text) I will ſtir up the Medes againſt them, which ſhall not regard ſilver, and as for gold they ſhall not delight in it: the Medes they were Heathen wicked people that had no grace in them at all, and yet (the text ſaith) they ſhall not regard ſilver, and for gold they ſhall not delight in it; ſome men they think it i… through the work of grace, and becauſe they find that they are above that baſe covetouſneſs that they ſee in other men, they do not regard ſilver and gold, and to be getting all for themſelves, and they diſpiſe thoſe men that are of ſuch a baſe covetous way, and upon that they think their condition good becauſe they think they are got above that luſt; but ye ſee it is no other than that a Mede may get, a Heathen may diſregard ſilver and gold, but how? it is becauſe his ſpirit is upon another luſt, that's the ground of it: canſt thou ſay this, (conſider what I am now upon) you that ſeem to ſcorn Covetouſneſſe and hate ſuch baſe ſordidneſſe as you ſee in ſome men: can you ſay, it comes from hence, The Lord hath made me to ſee the excellent things of the Goſpel, the treaſures of grace that are fountain'd up in Jeſus Chriſt: the Lord hath made me to know what communion with himſelf in Jeſus Chriſt doth mean, and ſince that time I bleſſe God my heart hath been above all theſe earthly things, and that's the ground that makes me look upon all theſe earthly things as vanity, becauſe the Lord hath diſcovered unto me thoſe excellent and glorious things that are infinitly above theſe earthly things: I, that's ſomewhat indeed, if you can be above earthlineſſe upon this ground, that's a good argument: therefore examine upon what ground it is that your ſpirit is againſt ſuch things, whether it be upon the ſight and experience of better things, then it's right: but certainly men and women may go far in ſeeming to be above earthly things in reſpect of the ſin of covetouſneſſe and yet ſtill have earthlie minde; wherefore to give you convicements, beſides things that have been hinted.

As how a man doth value himſelf and value others, is it not becauſe that others, or your ſelves have much of the things of the earth? can you value a poor man that is godly above the richeſt man that is wicked? and ſo, can you value your ſelves for the leaſt work of grace upon your hearts to make you more excellent thā the greateſt cōmingsin of your eſtates? (but theſe things we have hinted)

And then, where lies the chief Joy and chief Sorrow of mens hearts? what's that that doth moſt trouble your hearts? is it the loſſe of the light of the face of God, or the loſſe of an eſtate, the loſſe of a voyage, or the commiſſion of a ſin? So, what's your chief Joy, your profitting by the word, or gaining by your bargains? you have come to the word, and there ſomtimes God hath reveal'd ſome truth to you, and you have profited; can you go away rejoycing becauſe God hath made you to know his Law, the Lord hath darted ſome truth into my ſoul this morning, Oh! I go away rejoycing, and having my heart fil'd with more joy than ever I have had upon any bargain wherein I have got never ſo much of the world: Theſe be two convincements we hinted not before.

Nine CONVINCEMENTS of Earthly-mindedneſs.

1. Conv. For the further Convincement of an Earthly-minded man, ſeriouſly conſider this: When a man ſhall reſt upon earthly props, upon worldly helps for the good that he doth expect; If he can have thoſe things, then his heart ſeems to be upon the wing, very pleaſant; but there's nothing elſe can revive his heart, it's not a promiſe that can keep his ſpirit. Now that that a man or woman moſt truſts unto, that certainly they make to be their God: for that properly belongs to God to put our truſt in Him; then we make God to be our God, when we roul our ſelves upon Him. Now to truſt in earthly things though it be but for the comforts of your life, you will ſay, I cannot truſt in earthly things to bring me to God; nay, but to truſt in them for the comforts of your life, while you are herein this world; that's an Argument of an earthly ſpirit: for the truth is, the comfort of a mans life conſiſts not in any earthly thing he doth enjoy.

Object. You will ſay, Do not theſe comfort our lives?

Anſw. Yes, ſo far as God is pleaſed to let out Himſelf through them, but if thy heart doth reſt upon theſe for comfort, and doth not look higher than theſe for comfort, even for thy outward ſupport: certainlie thou haſt an earthlie heart. And ſo, when thou art about any buſineſſe, thou haſt ſome earthlie means to further thee.

Obj. You wil ſay, God would have us take all outward means to help us.

Anſ. I, but not to truſt in any thing; If riches encreaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them: ſo, if friends encreaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them, but truſt in the living God, let it be the living God that you reſt on even for all outward things in this world.

2. Conv. A Second Convincement, is this: When men make moſt proviſion for the things of this world, both for themſelves and for their children. Are not theſe your thoughts? I do not know what I may want hereafter, and I ſee many that have lived finely when they have been young, yet afterwards they have lived very miſerably, and therefore I muſt make proviſion for after-times. Thus for the earth.

But now, Do you reaſon thus for the things of Heaven? do not I ſee many that have made a great blaze of Religion, and yet afterwards they have come to nothing, they have gone out in a ſnuffe as men that God hath forſaken, and they have died in horror of Conſcience; and therfore let me lay up proviſion now againſt an evil time, that I may not miſcarrie in the matters of my ſoul ſo as others have done; this were a ſign your minds were not earthly. And for your children, God hath ſent you children, and Oh! how you toile and labour, and your thoughts run in the night, and as ſoon as you awake in the morning, about what you ſhall get for their portions, and for an eſtate for them: Now I appeal to your conſcience before God (the ſearcher of all hearts) Have your cares been to provide in a ſutable way for their ſouls, for their ſpiritual and eternal eſtates? No queſtion but it's lawful for parents to provide in a Providential way for their children, and they that do not are worſe than Infidels; but what is your chief proviſion for? are your thoughts more ſolicitous to provide portions for them, than that they ſhould have inſtruction in the fear of God, an intereſt in Chriſt, than that they ſhould have grace wrought in their hearts? You are loth to die before you can bring your eſtate ſo clear as you may leave it to your children:! Oh are you not loth die before ſuch time as you ſee ſome work of grace wrought in the hearts of your children? Oh! theſe would your thoughts be if you were ſpiritual: Oh! could I diſcern but ſome ſeeds of grace ſown before I was diſolved I could rejoyce abundantlie. As ti's repeated of Auſten's Mother, that the great thing that ſhe deſired to live for, was to ſee her ſon Converted; and God did grant her deſire, and then ſhe found her ſelf willing to die. There's nothing wil make the ſpiritual heart of a father or mother more willing to depart from this world, than to find grace wrought in their children; Oh! that I may ſee before I die my child left under the promiſe in Covenant with God: I, this were ſomwhat-like indeed: But thoſe whoſe cares & thoughts are moſt for theſe earthlie things, in providing for themſelves and children, that's a Convincement that their hearts are earthly.

3. Conv. A Third Convincement which is very notable (and I beſeech you all to lay this to heart and conſider ſeriouſly of it) for this evill of earthly-mindedneſs is a very ſecret and cloſe ſin, therefore I am the larger in this point: the convincement is this.

That man that can be content with a ſlight aſſurance in the matters of Heaven, but for the matters of earth he never thinks himſelf ſure enough, but is very careful to make all things ſo infallable as there can be no way that he can be decived in, but he may ſurely build upon what he hath in the things of this earth. This is an argument of an earthly mind, Come to men that are earthly, and diſcourſe with them concerning matters that concern their ſouls, What aſſurance have you that you are gone beyond any formal profeſſor, that you are better than the ſtony or thorny grounds that we reade of in Scripture? What evidence have you that the ſaving work of grace is wrought in you? that you have ſhot the gulf? that you are tranſlated out of the kingdom of darkneſſe into the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt? and that your ſins are pardoned, and your ſouls juſtified? that you are at peace with God? what evidences have you of peace made between God and your ſouls: This anſwer would be given: I hope I am converted, I truſt in Gods mercy, ſure I have grace, I ſhall be ſav'd, God is merciful. But what evidences can you ſhew? They know not ſcarce what belongs to that, nay, you ſhall have many of them, becauſe they know not what aſſurance means, therefore they, will think no body can be aſſured; we may hope well but we cannot come to be aſſured of it: No, a heart that is truly gracious and godly would be loth that ſhould be true for a thouſand worlds, they would not loſe their parts in the bleſſing of that, if God would make them Kings or Queens of the earth. But thou haſt an earthlie droſſie heart, and doeſt not much look after aſſurance for matters of thy ſoul and eternal eſtate, thou wilt venture thoſe matters and put them upon a peradventure; but when it comes to the matters of the earth there thou wilt make all ſure, and go from this Lawyer to another Lawyer to ask council, & to ſee whether the things are good, and will inrole them; and if there can be any thing done to make more ſure (if it be any great ſum upon which your eſtates lies) you will do it. I appeal to you, If you could but hear of any of your neighbors what they had done to make ſuch a thing more certain than you have done; you would ſcarce be at reſt till you had done ſo as they have done: is it ſo in matters of your eternal eſtate? do not you hear of many Saints of God that walk comfortably in the midſt of all afflictions upon the aſſurance of Gods love? you ſhall have ſome will be able to ſay, I, and it's this Scripture I build upon, and through Gods merciemercy ſuch and ſuch hath the work of God been upon my ſoul in revealing himſelf to me, and ſuch a promiſe I have ſuck't abundance of honie from. But now generally, come to people upon their ſick beds, all that they ſay is this, They hope in Gods merciemercy. But for the ground of their hope, for ſhewing how God hath been pleaſed to bring their hearts and the word together, and what real effects there hath been upon their ſpirits by the word, that they can ſhew nothing of: thou haſt not therefore got that aſſurance for thy ſoul and eternal eſtate as others have got, and yet thou canſt go on quietly, Oh! it concerns thee that art ſo buſie in making all ſure for thy outward eſtate, to ſpend more thoughts and care in the matters of thy ſoul and eternal eſtate than ever thou haſt done, here's an earthly-minded man that can be contented with ſlight aſſurance for the matters of his ſoul, and ſatisfied with no kind of aſſurance in the matters of the world, but would fain make thoſe things more and more ſure continually.

4. Conv. Further, An earthly-minded man may be convinc'd of his earthlineſſe in this, He is content with a little degree of Sanctification, but for the matters of the world, ſtill he would fain have more and more. He looks at thoſe that are the moſt eminent that are in his rank, and he would fain get up as high as they in the things of this life, but in matters of Religion he looks at the loweſt Chriſtians, and is content to be as low as they; take an earthly-minded man that is of ſuch a trade, if there be any of his profeſſion or calling that had as little to begin as he, and thrive better, he would fain get up as high as he, and is troubled that he is not ſo rich as he is; thus it is in the world. But now, take them in matters of God, there's ſuch men that began ſince you began, and had as little means for the good of their ſouls as you have had, they are thriven and got beyond you abundantly in the matters of God, and doth this trouble you? and are your thoughts ſolicitous about this? Oh! that I could attain to that degree of grace as ſuch a one hath got, ſuch an one hath a ſpiritual mind, and full of the joy of the holy Ghoſt, and full of faith, he is able to depend upon God in the want of all outward comforts, and certainly injoyes much communion with God; but I am far beneath ſuch and ſuch: do theſe thoughts trouble you? it is ordinary for earthly ſpirits, if they look but at any one that makes profeſſion of Religion that is low in his profeſſion, I did as ſuch a one doth; and I have as much as they have, and that ſatisfies them, they look upon the meaneſt Chriſtans, and are ſatisfied that they are like them; but for the matters of the world they look upon the higheſt, and are not ſatified except they come and attain to what they attain to: and that's a fourth evidence.

5. Conv. Then a Fift is this, Earthly-minded men are very wiſe in matters of the world, but in matters that are ſpiritual there they are very weak and Simple. You ſhall have many men, (which I have wondered at ſometimes to ſee) that in matters concerning Religion there they are very ignorant, if they do but ſpeak in points of ſaving knowledge they ſpeak like children, ſo that one would wonder where their underſtandings were; now turn ſuch men to the matters of the world, Oh! how wiſe are they in their generation, Oh! how ſubtile, and crafty are they, they can ſee an objecton there and know how to anſwer it, they can diſcern any thing that will let them in their profit, many miles off, and can prevent whereas others cannot; but now in thoſe things that hinder their ſouls, they cannot foreſee things there, they are wiſe in their generation, and they have memories for the matters of the world, they can underſtand things, and remember things, and they can meditate there, but put them to meditate on a point of Religion, they are preſently at a ſtand: Let me appeal to you, do not your conſciences tell you, that in the matter, of the world when you are walking from hence to London, you can run in your thoughts upon one buſineſs all the way that you walk, you can plot this, and contrive the other way, and foreſee this and the other objection, and anſwer it thus in your own thoughts; but I do but put this to you, when you walk over the fields, ſettle but upon one meditation concerning Chriſt, and ſee whether you are able to draw out that meditation the while you walk over one field, whereas you can ſpin out an earthly meditation if it were divers miles; when you awake in the night ſeaſon preſently your thoughts are upon the things of the world, and you can draw them out, and work there underſtandingly; but now in the things of God, Oh! how barren, and ſimple, and weak are you there! there's ſcarce any one can over-reach you in the things of the world, but in the matters of Religion you are over-reach't preſently, every ſlight temptation overcomes you there.

6. Conv. And beſides, you may know it by the diſcourſe and words of men; 1. John, 4. 5. They are of the world; therefore ſpeak they of the world, and the world heareth them: Their breath is earthly, Oh! it's an ill ſign that (you uſe to ſay of your friends ſometimes) when you come to their bed ſide, Oh! I am afraid they will die their breath ſmels ſo earthly, it's a ſimptom of the death of the bodie: So your hearts do ſmel ſo earthly, and it were ſomewhat tolerable if it were on other daies when your callings requires it to diſcourſe of buſineſſe, but even that time that God hath ſet apart for himſelf, you are ſometimes diſcourſing in your own thoughts concerning the buſineſſes of the world when you are praying, and hearing: whereas the communication and diſcourſes of men ſhould reliſh of what they have heard out of the world, not preſently to go and talk about ſome earthly exchange occurrances, and ſo looſe all, Oh! it's this that hath loſt many precious truths, it may be when you have been hearing, God hath darted in ſome beam of Goſpel-light into your ſouls, and you have loſt is before you have got home, and ſo have come to looſe the impreſſion of the truth that you have heard, Oh! what a ſeemly thing were it in thoſe that come to hear the word when they depart that there ſhould be no diſcourſe but tending that way? Oh! how often are you in company and never leave any thing to refreſh one anothers ſpirits, or to further one another in the way to eternal life; though God gives you allowance to ſpeak about your buſineſs, yet ſtill if you be ſpiritual and heavenly, he would have you to have ſomething about heaven or eternal life before you do depart.

7. Conv A. further Convincement is this, When Spiritual things muſt give way to Earthlyneſs upon every little buſineſs: Prayer muſt pay for it, if I have any buſineſſe, I will take it out of the time of Paayer, or converſe in the Word the leſs, or hear the leſſe; when as I ſay, that earthly things are ſo high as ſpiritual things muſt give way, Heaven muſt ſtand by (as ir were) til Earth be ſerved; this is an evil ſign of an earthly ſpirit: whereas were the ſpirit Heavenly, the very firſt thing that thou would do when thou awakeſt in the morning, or ariſeſt, ſhould be to ſeaſon thy heart with ſomthing that were ſpiritual: in Pſal 139. 17. How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto me O God! how great is the ſum of them? If I count them, they are more in number than the ſand: when I awake I am ſtill with thee. Oh! that were an argument of a ſpiritual mind, that upon the awaking preſently to be with God: When I awake I am ſtill with thee. But now, I appeal to you, Who are you withal when you awake? Can you ſay, Lord, when I awake I am ſtill with thee, I find an inclination in my ſpirit to be upon the matters of Heaven, and when I am up, I had rather my worldly buſineſs ſhould give way than ſpiritual duties.

8. Conv. When a man or woman cares not much how it is with the Church, with the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo it be well with them in the matters of the world: when as there are things ſtirring abroad in the world (for we live in ſtirring times wherein God is ſhaking the Heavens and the Earth:) now he doth not much enquire how things are in reſpect of the Priviledges of the Saints, the Ark of the Church, ſo his Cabbin be ſafe. Truly, there need no oeher thing but the examning of your hearts, how they have been theſe laſt years of Jacobs trubles. We find Eli in the time of war he ſat trembling becauſe of the Ark of God; he did not ſit trembling becauſe, that if the Philiſtims did prevaile he ſhould be put out of his place, and his eſtate taken away; no, but becauſe of the Ark of God; that was an argument of the ſpiritualneſſe of Eli's mind. And ſo it may be an argument of very great comfort to you in theſe dangerous times; If our conſciences tell us this, that God that knowes all things, knowes that the great thing my heart was ſolicitous about in theſe evill dayes, it was, What ſhall become of thy great Name: Lord, what ſhall become of Religion: what ſhall become of thy Goſpel: Lord theſe were the things that took up my heart, not ſo much what ſhould become of my eſtate and outward accommodations and relations in this world: Oh! examine your hearts in this, Whether the care of your ſpirts be more for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt or for the furtherance of your Eſtates? but for that man or woman that is moſt ſolicitous about buſineſſe that concerns their outward eſtates, and do not much care how Religion goes, how the way of the Kingdom of Chriſt is maintai'd, God at this time doth ſpeak to that ſoul; Thou art an Earthly-minded man or woman, and therefore take heed leſt what hath been ſpoken concerning the great evil that there is in earthly-mindedneſſe, leſt it befals thee, and eſpecially the laſt of all, Whoſe end is deſtruction, who art drown'd in perdition; leſt hereafter this be the thing that thou ſhalt lie crying out of, and curſing thy ſelf for, Oh! I had a baſe and earthly heart, and ſought the things of the earth, and made my portion there, and in the mean time the bleſſed God hath been forſaken; and I have loſt my Portion in the Holy Land, for I had my portion in Egypt among the Egyptians accoding as I did chooſe to my ſelf.

9. Conv. That the more ſpiritual any truth is that is reveal'd, the leſs doth it take with his heart: Some truths of Religion perhaps he is moved with, but theſe are as by-words to him, he minds them not at at all. The more ſpiritual an Ordinance is that is delivered, the leſſe is his ſpirit moved with it; if indeed he comes to the Word and there be mingled ſome earthly natural excellencie, (for ſo I may call it) as natural parts, wiſdom, wit, and eloquence, and learning, that he is mov'd withal, it may be ſome fine ſtory is more pleaſing to him, than the goodly pearls of truth that are revealed in the word; as now, ſuch truths as theſe, The enjoyment of communion with God, the longing after Jeſus Chriſts coming; the living by faith upon a bare promiſe, the excellencie that there is in ſuffering for Jeſus Chriſt: Theſe truths now are ſpiritual, The mortifying of the inward luſts, Self-denial, Theſe things are little ſavored by an earthly-minded man; tell him of the priviledges of the Saints, the myſteries of the Goſpel, any thing that is ſpiritual it is but as a notion to him; As 'tis with men that are upon the earth, they look up to Heaven and ſee the things of Heaven but little; why is it that the Stars ſeem ſo ſmal to us here, but becauſe we are upon the earth, the earth ſeems a vaſt bodie to us, but the Stars ſeem but little to us though they are far bigger than the earth: were we in Heaven, then the heavenly bodies would ſeem vaſt to us, and the earthly bodies would ſcarce be diſcerned by us; were mens hearts heavenly, all the things of the earth would ſeem little to them; but becauſe they are earthly, therefore the things of heaven, and ſpiritual myſteries are very ſmall in their eyes.

Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3

p. 20CHAP. III. Fourteen Evils of Earthly-mindedneſs.