The Excellency of the Heavenly Substance, Treatise · Part
5ly. Contentation; to be contented with any ſtate and condition, though it be never ſo mean and low. Contentment, indeed, implies the two former; but yet it's ſomething more; it's a being well pleaſed with our preſent condition; a complacential acquieſce therein. This muſt be, or elſe a Chriſtian cannot rejoyce to be impoveriſhed, or cheerfully undergo ſuch loſſes for Religion. Phil. 4.11. To do this, we muſt learn what the Apoſtle there tells us he did; I have, ſaith he, learned, in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content. And that Doctrine of the Apoſtles, in 1 Timoth. chap. 6. verſ. 8. And, having food and rayment, let us be therewith content, foreign, the word ſignifies, let us have enough, though we have neither delicates, nor ornaments; but any thing that may be called food and rayment, foreign, Coverings, any garments that will cover our nakedneſs, and ſhelter us from the cold; though but hair covering; though but ſuch as thoſe Worthies, had, in Heb. 11.37. They wandred about in Sheep Skins, and Goat Skins, &c. yet let us count this enough, and ſufficient. Thoſe that …annot deny their ſenſitive appetites, their fleſh and ſenſes (whether outward, or the fancy and imagination, which deſervedly comes under the ſame denomination) their gratifications and ſatisfactions, that cannot live without full Tables, Silks and Sattins, and a large confluence of more inferiour comforts, and droſſy pleaſures; whoſe ſouls are not the Cabinet where this rare Jewel of Chriſtian Contentment is to be found; will never do as the Hebrews did, i. e. take joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods.
6ly. A low eſteem of theſe worldly goods, eſpecially compared with this Heavenly Subſtance. What a man eſtimates very highly, it's very ungrateful to him to part with it; he cannot do it with any joy. Mens value of terrene Treaſures, muſt be brought to a very low ebb (and that by an exceeding high appretiation of unſeen immortal treaſures,) before they can take joyfully the ſpoiling the ſame. The reaſon why ſo many Profeſſors ſtick at this, is, becauſe Earth out-weighs in the ballance of their eſteem, Heaven. Thoſe Saints that have their converſations in Heaven; that are frequently taken up into the Mount of Contemplation, to view and behold their moſt excellent Inheritance there; that often revolve in their minds the cogitations and thoughts of its ineſtimable pleaſures and delights; the whole world, with all its glories, is no more to them, when compared therewith, than a drop is to the Ocean, a beam to the whole body of the Sun, or the ſmalleſt punct or point to the vaſt expanded and encompaſſing Heavens: After they have looked upwards a while, and pierced into eternity, and then caſt their eyes upon the things of this lower world (which are admired ſo much by thoſe that never beheld better) they all ſeem to vaniſh and diſappear (as bluſhing, and being aſhamed, from a conſciouſneſs of their vileneſs and imperfections to ſtand before thoſe very mental Idea's that they have of what they have ſeen in the other world) and become very contemptible to them. Its from want of a ſuperlative eſteem of this better and abiding ſubſtance in Heaven, that men reluctate ſo much to part with for God, and Chriſt, the vacuous and flacceſcous things here upon Earth; things that are ſo empty, and therefore cannot fill; things that are ſo tranſitory, and therefore muſt leave an immortal ſoul.
7ly. The weaning of our affections from worldly good; from eſtates and riches; a conſiderable mortification and crucifixion to them, in reſpect of love and deſire for them, and delight in them. What a man intenſly loves, vehemently deſires, and abundantly delights in; that he cannot joyfully part with; for that is a rending of the thing from the ſoul, which puts it to grievous pain. Every mans ſorrow in loſing any earthly good, is proportionable to the love he had for it, and delight he took in it. And when theſe affections are in exceſs, and acted beyond thoſe due bounds and limits, that reaſon ſhould, and which Divine Laws have preſcribed, and ſet unto them; they make their darling objects at laſt the moſt ſmarting Rods to correct and laſh them with for their folly: And ſometimes they become ſharp ſwords, cruelly and deeply to wound them, that had too kindly entertained them before. All that violent, and unbounded ſorrow that we ſee in many, when ſome finite good flies away from them out of ſight, and returns no more; proceeds from the deep poſſeſſion it had in the ſoul by a no leſs imperious and commanding love before. This is ſo univerſally an experimented truth, that it clearly demonſtrates and proves another, viz. That no man will, or can take joyfully the ſpoiling of his goods, till ſuch affections be moderated towards them; or in a conſiderable degree be withdrawn from them. Could we that profeſs our ſelves Chriſtians, but follow, and put in practice the Pſalmiſts advice, Pſal. 62.10. If riches increaſe, ſet not thy heart upon them. And the Apoſtles, in Heb. 13.5. to have our converſation without covetouſneſs, foreign, without the love of money, as that Greek word ſignifies; and that counſel of his which we have in Coloſ. 3.2. Set your affections upon things that are above. And were we but as the Apoſtle was in the 6th chap. of the Galatians, v. 14. crucified to the world, &c. & had the world crucified unto us, then would it be eaſily attainable for us to do what the Hebrews did; and the preſent Doctrine ſhould not be judged ſo impracticable, or ſo little practiſed as it is. Let us but cloſe, and ſhut our hearts againſt the world, while we have it in our hands, and then we ſhall neither ſigh, nor ſob, to let it go for the Goſpel, and the great concerns and intereſt of Jeſus Chriſt: But if this world be profoundly radicated and riveted in mens hearts, and have the prevailing intereſt in their affections, to ſpeak to them, to uſe all the ſwaſion and counſel that we can to make them loſe and leave it thus joyfully for the ſame, is an attempt as vain as to command Mountains to remove out of their places, and flie up into the Air; or the Sun to forbear ſhining, and the Sea flowing at their ſtated times.
8ly. And laſtly, An act of deliberate Judgment, not a precipitous and raſh act, for that would cauſe repentance and ſorrow for our folly afterwards. Mens timerarious actions are uſually erroneous, and terminate in ſome angry, or penſive reflection upon their incogitant, haſtineſs, which they find hath diſcommoded them. So that to ſuffer joyfully for Chriſt (that ſuch joy may not be turned into ſorrow after from an apprehended miſtake) muſt ſuppoſe ſome deep cogitancy, and conſideration; a weighing in the judgment what the loſs and gain will be thereby: This therefore reſults from a compariſon made between theſe two, and a ſober pondering judgment paſſed thereupon, which will prevent all after repentance; for the ruminating ſoul finding that the diſproportion is ſo vaſt between what it ſhall loſe, and what it ſhall gain; and that the former is ſo unworthy to be compared with the latter; it ſhall never befool it ſelf for ſuffering, and learn to be wiſer thereby for the future; to verifie that old Proverb, That bought Wit is beſt; and that ſaying of the Heathen — foreign.Heſiod. A fool is wiſe after he hath ſuffered. When the Apoſtle tells the Hebrews what they had ſuffered, and what joy they had therein; he makes it an argument why they ſhould perſevere and be conſtant in ſuffering; which implies, they had not declared any repentance or ſorrow for their former folly. Such praeconſideration there was to part with their goods for the pure Doctrine of the Goſpel. The reaſon of many mens inconſtancy, and inſtability in ſuffering for Chriſt; (but after perhaps they have endured a little, they flinch, is, the want of a thorow deliberate judgment before they engage in ſuch a ſight. So much thoſe words of our Saviour import in Luke 14.26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32. But when Chriſtians (to uſe the Apoſtles words, in James 1.2. Count it all joy (which is an act free from all temerity, and the doing this in their choiceſt deliberation) when they ſhall fall into divers temptations. And with the Apoſtle Paul, foreign, the word is not to be referred to Opinion, which is uncertain and doubtful, but to aſſuredneſs, & certainty; and is a metaphor taken from ſuch as Caſting Account find the true total ſumme, as if he ſhould ſay, I have caſt up the croſs, with all the incumbrances of it. Par. in Loc.Rom. 8.8. Reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed in them. I ſay, when they do this, then is their joy durable and abiding; a joy that ſuffers no ecclipſe; a Sun that never ſets in a Sea of ſorrow. And ſuch counting and reckoning there muſt be to take joyfully the ſpoiling of our goods.