A Vindication of Godliness, Sermon 2 · Part 4
IV. Head, concerning the vanitie and miſerie of a worldlie life.
BY a Worldly life, underſtand any courſe or way of life, which is ſhort of a godly life. That which the Apoſtle calls, Epheſ. 2. 2. The courſe of this World: Such a life, the main buſineſs, care, and delight whereof lies in the managing our Worldly affairs and intereſts, in buying, ſelling, working, trading to get together this worlds good. The main comfort whereof ſtands in the enjoying theſe Earthly things, when as for Souls, and the things of another World, little or no care is taken about them, and as little pleaſure taken in them.
Direct. 1. Conſider what the Scripture ſpeak… concerning the vanity and miſery of ſuch a life, Pſal. 30. 6. Surely man walketh in a vain ſhew, he is diſquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who ſhall gather them. Matth. 16. 26. For what is man profited, if he ſhould gain the whole World, and loſe his own ſoul? or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul? Jam. 5. 1. 2, 3. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miſeries that ſhall come upon you: Your Riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten; your gold and ſilver is cankered, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt you, and ſhall eat you as it were fire, ye have heaped up treaſures together for the laſt dayes. Luke 12. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. And he ſpake a parable unto them concerning a certain rich man, whoſe ground brought forth very plenteouſly, and he thought within himſelf, ſaying, What ſhall I do, becauſe I have no room where to beſtow my fruits? And he ſaid, this I will do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I beſtow all my fruits: and I will ſay to my Soul, Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many years; take thine eaſe, eat drink, and be merry. But God ſaid to him, Thou fool, this night ſhall thy ſoul …e required of thee then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be that thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treaſure for himſelf, and is not rich towards God.
Direct. 2. Ask thy heart,
Queſt. 1. Is not my life a worldly life?
What have I done for hereafter? What have I laid up for the World to come? Have I been trading for Heaven, have I been trading in faith, repentance, prayer, have I been ſowing in righteteouſneſs and mercy, following of holineſs and purity? What labour and pains have I taken in ſeeeking Knowledge, Grace, an intereſt in Chriſt, reconciliation with God, &c. that it might be well with my ſoule hereafter? My body is cared for, I have enough laid up for that, my Wife and Children are all cared for, I have made ſufficient proviſion for them, but is not my poor ſoul uncared for.
Queſt. 2. How long will this life and the comforts of it laſt.
My ſoul is immortal, and muſt never die. I muſt have a being ſome where or other to all Eternity. Is the happineſs which I have choſen and purſued an everlaſting happineſs? Are my Money, and my Corn, and my Land, everlaſting.
Queſt. 3. What ſhall become of me when this life and the comforts of it fail?
Will this golden or ſilve… …ey open the gate of Heaven to me? Will my money buy me an inheritance in the Land of Promiſe? will my thriftineſs and good husbandry for this world plead for me before my Judge, or excuſe my neglect of my ſoul? Will the memory of my plenty, or my pleaſure, or my eaſe, in which I have lived here, be a comfort and refreſhing to my ſoul hereafter? Can all my carnal friends and companions, with whom I have lived ſo merrily, and ſpent ſo many a jolly hour, can their good word ſtand me in ſtead then? Will God own me, or Chriſt plead for me then? Is not this he whom I have deſpiſed, and refuſed to hearken to, and will he not then ſay to me, Go to the Gods whom thou haſt choſen. Go to thy Money, and thy pleaſures, and thy companions, let theſe ſave thee if they can. Oh what ſhall I do, and where ſhall I dwell for ever if I continue in this vain courſe?
Queſt. 4. Shall I now ſet upon a better courſe?
Shall I in earneſt? wilt thou, oh my Soul, wilt thou now in earneſt become an adventurer for another World? A Traveller to the holy City, which is above? Wilt thou caſt in thy lot with Chriſt and the everlaſting Goſpel? Wilt thou at laſt fall to labour for the true Riches, and enduring ſubſtance; Wilt thou provide the bags that wax not old, a treaſure in Heaven that faileth not? Shall I take this courſe, or ſhall I continue as I am?