The World Conquered, Sermon (1 of 6)

The World Conquered · Sermon (1 of 6)

p. 11 JOHN 5. 4.

This is the Victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith.

IN this former part of the Chapter, we have a double deſcription of them that are born of God.

1. A Priori, from that which is the primum vivens, the heart of the New Creature; that's faith, v. 1. Whoſoever believeth is born of God.

2. A Poſteriori, from one ſpecial fruit of the New Birth, Victory over the world, v. 3. Whatſoever is born of God overcometh the world.

In this whole verſe, wherein the Text lies, we have

A Propoſition.

Its Expoſition.

1. A Propoſition. Whatſoever is born of God overcometh the world. A Chriſtian is a Conquerour, a great Conquerour; greater then he that for his Victories was ſirnamed Magnus, or The Great. He hath conquered all the world.

2. An Expoſition of this Propoſition. But what is this Conqueſt of a Chriſtian! and how is it obtained? why it is a ſpiritual Conqueſt, and obtain'd by Faith. This is the Vict…ry that overcometh the world, even our Faith.

For the opening of the words;

By the world, underſtand whatſoever is in the p. 2world, that hinders us in that Race which Chriſt hath ſet before us, and holds us ſhort of our Crown. Thoſe three things which the Apoſtle tells us, 1 Joh. 2. 16. are in the world, the luſts of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life. And alſo the objects of theſe luſts, as they are ſuch; the pleaſures, the profits, and the pomps of the world; together with all worldly tribulations and afflictions.

By Faith underſtand, a living ſaving Faith, which unites to Chriſt, and thereby engages him in our Combat with us.

This is the Victory, even our Faith. Faith is ſaid to be our Victory.

1. Formally. The world hinders and holds us back from Chriſt, Faith is our coming to Chriſt; our coming to Chriſt, is our Victory over all that which held us back.

2. Inſtrumentally. This is the Victory, that is, this is our arm, or our hand, this is the weapon of our warfare, that hath gotten for us the Victory.

Divers obſervations lye in the words;

Doct. 1. The world is a Chriſtians Enemy. A Conqueſt ſuppoſes a Combat, and a Combat ſuppoſes an Enemy.

Doct. 2. A Believer hath his Enemies under his feet, even whileſt he is in the fight. He is a Souldier as ſoon as he is a Believer, and he is a Conquerour as ſoon as ever he is a Souldier. His very taking up Arms is his Victory.

Doct. 3. A Chriſtian overcomes the world by his Faith. In the proſecution of this third Doctrine, whereon I intend to bottom the following diſcourſe, I ſhall ſhew,

p. 31. Wherein the enmity of the world againſt Souls ſtands.

2. Wherein the ſtrength of the world lies, whereby it prevails againſt our Souls.

3. Wherein the ſtrength of faith lies, whereby it overcomes the world.

4. The conflict of faith with this warring world; or the ſeveral ways in which faith ſo maintains the fight, that it obtains the victory.

5. The Conqueſt of Faith over the conflicting world; or wherein this victory ſtands.

1. Wherein the enmity of the world againſt ſouls ſtands, or diſcovers it ſelf. The world is an Enemy (as before.) It pretends to be a friend, but its friendſhip is enmity; enmity againſt God, Jam. 4. 4. and therefore againſt ſouls; its kindneſſes are darts, its kiſſes are ſwords and arrows, its very peace is war againſt the ſoul.

But what is this Enmity, or wherein is it diſcovered?

For the better underſtanding of this, I ſhall premiſe theſe four things.

1. Every creature of God is good. The whole Creation, in their Original, were mans friends or ſervants; there was nothing hurtful that was made.

2. The enmity that is, came in by ſin. Sin was the only Make-bate; as betwixt God and Man, ſo betwixt Man and the reſt of the Creatures; all the Enemies which man hath, in Heaven or Earth, he may thank his ſin for.

3. There is no malignity in the creature properly, againſt man in his lapſed ſtate. They are yet all capable of being good and ſerviceable to him.

p. 41 Tim. 4. 4, 5. Every creature of God is good,—it is ſanctified by the Word of God, and Prayer. Riches are good, yea, and honors and pleaſures may be good and uſeful to man.

4. It is by accident, and not from the nature of the things, that the creatures are become enemies to us. Sinful man is a diſtempered diſeaſed creature, diſtempered in his mind; and hereupon he miſapprehends and miſtakes the world; and looking for that good that is not in it, he looſes that which is; making it his happineſs, it becomes his undoing. He is diſtempered and diſeaſed in his heart, yea and his whole man; And hereupon, as in bodily diſeaſes, the beſt of creatures, which would be nouriſhment to the healthy, are to the ſick the nouriſhment of their diſeaſes; and as ſuch are apt to luſt after thoſe things which are moſt noxious, ſo is it with diſeaſed ſouls; our appetites are vitiated, and whileſt we luſt after, either that which we ſhould not, or more then we ſhould have, thoſe very things which are good in themſelves, become miſchievous and hurtful to us, the maintaining and encreaſing our diſeaſe.

Theſe things premiſed, I ſhall now ſhew wherein the enmity of the world againſt our ſouls ſtands; and that is in theſe two things eſpecially.

1. In withdrawing our ſouls from God. Particularly.

1. In withdrawing our affections from God as our Portion.

2. In withdrawing us from our Allegiance to God as our Soveraign.

1. In withdrawing our affections from God as our Porti…n. The world by the advantage of our diſtempered p. 5minds and appetites, ſets up it ſelf as our God; as our happineſs or chiefeſt good; it propoſes its ſelf for a portion to us, and that both as a richer portion, and more ſuitable then God would be; it perſwades us to take our portion in hand, and to take up with what's before us, as our happineſs, and not to be ſo unwiſe as to make an adventure for an unknown happineſs, with the hazard of that preſent felicity and contentment, which we taſt and ſee to be ſo good.

God calls, Come unto me, and I will give thee reſt, I will be thy portion and reward; come up to the other world, there's an Inheritance for thee. No, no, ſaith the world, ſtay with me, dwell here below; thou ſeeſt what thine entertainment is here, there thou knoweſt not what thou ſhalt find; here thou haſt ſubſtance, here thou haſt Sunſhine, here thou haſt hearts eaſe, here thou art full and aboundedſt; thou haſt thy houſe full, and thy hands full, and thy belly full, and thy heart full; thou knoweſt what thou haſt, thou canſt taſt, thou canſt ſee how good this world is; the Treaſures of the other world, though they be called Treaſures of Light, yet to thee they are but Treaſures of Darkneſs, thou knoweſt not what they are; be content, dwell here below, where thou art well.

2. In withdrawing us from our Allegiance to God as our Soveraign. When it hath once drawn away the heart, it will with eaſe pull away the ſhoulder; if Gods Crown be deſpiſed, his Yoke will quickly be ſhaken off; we break our faith with God when once we are fallen in love with the world; if it become our treaſure, we yield our ſelves to it for ſervants; the ſtrength of its temptations lies in p. 6the eſteem we have of it, and the affection we bear it. What will the Authority of the Lord do with us, when he hath loſt our hearts, and we have choſen us another God! What cannot the world command us to, if we have once ſet it before us, as our Goal and Prize? if it be our end, it will appoint us our means and way; no unrighteouſneſs but will be right in our eyes, that will ſerve our worldly deſigns; farewell faith, truth, mercy, honeſty, and all conſcience of ſin, further then we can make a gain of godlineſs: And by withdrawing us from our love and obedience to God, to this I might add 3ly, It expoſes us to his wrath and diſpleaſure; when we will none of him, he will none of us; when he is forſaken by us, he ſets himſelf againſt us; by deſpiſing the riches of his goodneſs, we fall under his fury and fiery indignation. This is the ſtate into which the world is leading us.

2. In withholding us from Chriſt. Chriſt comes to bring us back unto the Father, 1 Pet. 3. 18. to reduce us to our duty, and reſtore us to our happineſs: The world that withdraws us from God, withholds us from Chriſt. Particularly

It holds us back from coming to Chriſt.

It holds us in from following of Chriſt.

1. It holds us back from coming to Chriſt. And this it doth by theſe four means: By

Darkning our ſight.

Deadning our ſenſe.

Hanging upon our hearts, and about our necks.

Furniſhing us with excuſes.

1. By darkning the ſight, that we cannot ſee, either p. 7the excellency, or the neceſſity of Chriſt; Chriſt draws on Souls to him by love and fear. Firſt he frights us in, by preſenting the danger and miſery that is falling upon us, and we cannot eſcape if we ſtand out. Look to thy ſelf Sinner, this world will betray thee to thy ruine: thy pleaſures are thy traitors, thy carnal friends are thy traitors, thy eſtate is thy traitor; they are feaſting thee and feeding thee, but tis for the day of ſlaughter: the butcher the butcher of ſouls is near thee, into whoſe hands they are betraying thee: they ſeek thy life, thou art but a dead man; death is already feeding upon thee, the curſe of God doth already cleave to thee, and is ready to fall upon thee in its full weight; thou wilt be devoured, thou wilt be ſwallowed up ere thou art aware: come away, come to me and thou ſhalt be ſafe: this houſe is falling on thine head, eſcape for thy life; the avenger of blood is at thy heels, flee to the City of refuge; I am thy City of refuge, come unto me. Thus he provokes by fear. And this is ſuch an argument to drive Souls into Chriſt, as a clap of thunder, or a ſtorm of hail is to the Traviler, to haſten him to ſhelter.

Then Chriſt draws by love; preſents himſelf and his ſalvation to the Soul, diſplayes all his beautie and excellencies before it; opens the Goſpel, wherein his grace and his glory appear and ſhine forth: the Goſpel is ſent down full of Chriſt; there are all the treaſures and unſearchable riches of Chriſt, and all held forth in open ſight, to invite ſinners unto him.

Now the world daſhes all this, that it workes nothing on the Soul; by blinding the eye that it p. 8cannot ſee what Chriſt ſets before it: what is either beauty or blackneſs, to the blind ſoul? 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleive not, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. We are naturally born blind, and if our eyes begin a little to be opened, this earth is thrown as duſt in our eyes, that we may not ſee whats before us. The things of this world as the Moon interpoſed, cauſeth an eclipſe in our ſouls, that we cannot ſee the Sun, we cannot diſcern either light or darkneſs, either the light of the glorious Goſpel, or the darkneſs of the Pitt; either our hopes or our dangers; this earth keeps both Heaven and Hell out of ſight.

The things of the world ſhould be a glaſs wherein we may behold the glory of the Lord; we may ſee God in every creature. The Heavens declare the glory of God, Pſal. 19. 1. And ſo doth the earth alſo, and all that is therein; but that which God made a glaſs in which we might ſee his glory, the Divel makes a cloud to take God out of ſight; what God made a window to let in the light, the Divel makes a ſhut, to keep it out. Worldly men fix and terminate their eyes in worldly things; they can neither look beſides them nor through them. It is not with them according to the courſe of nature [The Sun dazles mens eyes that they cannot ſee the Earth] but the quite contrary [The Earth dazles their eyes that they cannot ſee the Sun] Men uſually carry their eyes in their hearts, they will not look but where they love; or if they ſhould look heavenward, yet they could not ſee, the earth hath dazled their eyes.

p. 9Sinners, take heed of theſe riches, take heed of theſe pleaſures; theſe ſubſtances and theſe ſhadowes, which your hearts are ſet upon; they will not only be as clogs to keep you down from aſcending heavenward, but as clouds to hinder you from looking thither. It may be they appear as bright clouds, but a bright cloud will hide the Sun out of ſight, as well as a black.

2. By deadning the ſenſe; they can neither ſee nor feel: they ſee not the excellency, nor can feel their need of Chriſt, who are drunken with theſe worldly vanities: they who altogether live by ſenſe, are without ſenſe of any but the preſent things: they can make a ſhift to [live] without Chriſt; the leſs of Chriſt the better for their turns. Chriſt and the things of Chriſt are the only things that ſtand in their way; are their way to poverty not to wealth, to reproach and ſhame not to honour: they can well enough want Chriſt while they live, but what need they may have of him after this life, that enters not into their hearts; they are ſo buſy with what they find here, that they look not ſo far as the grave, much leſs beyond it.

'Tis hard dealing with ſuch hearts, but when you find them alone; retired and withdrawn from the world; and how long may we wait ere we meet with ſuch a ſeaſon? find them in a croud, among their carnal friends and companions, find them among their Sheep or Oxen, or at their pleaſures, and the noiſe of theſe will ſo drown all that can be ſaid, that its like to make as deep impreſſion, as a ſhowre upon a ſtone: cry out in their eares, fire, fire, throw Death and Hell in their faces, it moves them not ſo much, as to draw forth p. 10ſuch a queſtion, What may I do to eſcape?

We never will come to Chriſt till we ſee we need him; and we never ſee our need of Chriſt, till being withdrawn from the hurries of this World, we have leiſure to ſit down and conſider.

How ſeldom do carnal hearts ask, What uſe is there of Chriſt? wherefore is he come? what want would there be of him if there were no Chriſt? If God that ſpared not his Son, but gave him a ranſome for the world, had ſpared all this coſt, it had been all one to them; they could have liv'd as merrily, and as plentifully here however, and thats all they mind or regard.

Or if they have any ſenſe of their need of Chriſt at all, it is ſo little, that it will do nothing to the perſwading them after him: the wound is not ſo deep, but the name of a Saviour will skin it over. Seldome does it riſe ſo high as to wring out ſuch a ſerious queſtion, What may I do that Chriſt may be mine?

How many Houſes, and Markets, and Shops, and Companies may we come into, ere we hear any ſuch queſtion?

Go into the Field, where Men are buſy a plowing and ſowing or reaping, and there you may hear them enquiring, how may I keep off the Birds, or how may I keep out the Beaſts from hurting my field! when will it be rain? or when will it be like to be fair weather! Come into the Market, where men are buying and ſelling and trading, and there you may hear them asking, how goes the price of Corn, or of Cattel! where are the beſt Commodities! where is the beſt choice! Come into the houſes where they are eating and drinking or working, p. 11and there you may hear them enquiring, what muſt we have for the next meal, what for to morrow, &c. But oh how ſeldom do we hear amongſt them all, any ſuch queſtions, How is my Soul provided for! how, how doth my ſoul proſper! No, no, when the world is gotten into the heart, there's no ſenſe of Souls or the concernment of them: where the world is in the heart Death and Hell may be there too, and never regarded.

Could we once make men deeply ſenſible, how great their need of Chriſt is, what they are without Chriſt; in what ſlippery places they ſtand, in what jeopardy they go daily, what a dreadful gulf of woe and miſery, the wind and tide of their worldly proſperity, are carrying them down into, and how ſuddenly they may be ſwallowed up in perdition and deſtruction, and what miſerable comforts their paſt pleaſures, and plenty will then be to them; were they ſenſible, that nothing but Chriſt, and a part in him would ſtand them in any ſtead, to ſave them from that gulf; that the caſting anchor on that rock of ages, would alone ſecure them from ſplitting on thoſe fatal rocks, from periſhing by thoſe tumbling waves and billows, that are hurrying them down to the lake beneath; were they ſenſible, that tis Chriſt only that can ſecure them from theſe dangers, their need would be argument enough to drive them to him. But being drunken with the pleaſures of ſin, whileſt this wine is in, the wits are out, they will not conſider, they do not perceive the danger they are in. When the Prodigal, Luk. 15. had ſpent all that he had in his riotous living, when his whole ſtock was waſted, and not an husk left, then he p. 12had time to conſider, and bethink himſelf what a caſe he was in; and the pinching ſence of his neceſſitous ſtate, to which his folly had reduced him, this brings him to his wits again; he comes to himſelf, and then away he will to his father. If you had met him a little before; in his cups, and amongſt his whores, if you had found him at his riotous table, and in the heat of his luſt, and ſhould there have preach'd to this Prodigal, Friend this life will not laſt alwaies, twill be thy wiſeſt courſe to conſider in time what thou doſt. Be ſober be temperate, run from theſe Harlots, and return to thy Father; how would he have laughed and ſcoffed at ſuch a ſermon; at leaſt the next cup would have waſh'd it off his heart: but when his hunger and thirſt preach thus to him, Get thee home to thy Father, then away he goes.

3. It hangs upon our hearts, and about our necks: The world hath gotten hold of our hearts, and there it will keep its hold while it can. Its gotten ſo much within us, and hath ſo twiſted and twined it ſelf about our affections, that it will be very hard getting it off.

We cannot cloſe with Chriſt, but we muſt break with the world; we muſt be divorc'd from this, ere we can be married to our ſecond husband: worldlings ſee what work Chriſt makes, in thoſe hearts where he gets poſſeſſion; he whips out the buyers and ſellers and their merchandiſe out of his Temple: he changes the cuſtomes, and pleaſures, and buſineſs of the heart, Its dealings and its delights: Its love and its labour muſt be no longer beſtow'd, and conſum'd upon meat, and drink, and money, and mirth; he hath other delights p. 13for it, and other work to keep it doing.

Theſe things muſt be minded in their place, and in their ſeaſon, but they muſt keep their place: Stand off Farms and Oxen, ſtand off Lands and money, keep your diſtance, get you down and take the lower room, give this man place who is more honourable then you all. Chriſt and the world contend for the place, which ſhall ſit uppermoſt, and go foremoſt in the ſoul: Chriſt will not come in to be an Underling, he will have the chief room, the chief reſpect and eſteem; he will have the command of all that is in the houſe: herein ſtands Chriſtianity, or our converſion to Chriſt, in ſurrendring up the Throne to Chriſt; 'tis not the queſtion, whether thou canſt find a corner in thine heart to entertain Chriſt in, but who ſits in the Throne, who hath the government of thy ſoul, who hath the right hand within thee; Canſt thou ſay to the Lord Jeſus, Sit thou on the right hand, let all thy foes be made thy foot-ſtool?

All ſinful pleaſures, all ſinful gains, muſt depart, and come no more where Chriſt dwells; and thoſe which are lawful muſt come under, and be brought into ſubjection to him; no more ſenſuality or carnal mirth, no more covetouſneſs or oppreſſion, no more pride or ſelf-exalting, away with theſe, caſt them out, and never take them in for ever, if thou meaneſt that Chriſt ſhall take up his habitation in thee: And no more zeal for the lawful concernments of this life; no more pleading buſineſs againſt Religion, no more pleading ſafety againſt duty, no more pleading credit againſt conſcience, no more pleading gain againſt godlineſs, preſerve p. 14and improve thy eſtate, maintain thy credit, provide for thy ſafety, follow thy buſineſs, thou mayeſt, and thou muſt; but bring all under, make all to ſtand aſide, and give place to Chriſtianity and Conſcience: Chriſt will be no underling, he reſolves for the Throne, where ever he dwells.

And the world that hath already gotten the Throne, is loath to become the foot-ſtool; 'tis who ſhall be King, 'tis who ſhal be God, that the great Conteſt is about; and the world that hath King'd it ſo long, knows not how to be content to be a ſubject; it ſees it muſt come down if Chriſt come in, there cannot be two Kings in one Kingdome, it muſt come down, this pride muſt come down, this credit, theſe pleaſures, this carnal mirth, this covetouſneſs muſt be laid in the duſt, if Chriſt ſet footing here. And therefore it does all it can to reſiſt Chriſt; ſtops the ears, blinds the eye, turns away the heart from hearkening to him.

Chriſt ſtands at the door and knocks; Chriſt cryes and calls, Come unto me, open to me. Chriſt promiſes and offers, Come and I will receive you, open and I will come in unto you, and dwell with you.

If the ſoul begins to liſten to the call of Chriſt, the world ſteps in, and objects, What doſt thou mean ſimple ſoul? What art thou doing? whither art thou going? hearken to Chriſt, hearken to this Word, hearken to this Conſcience, and what then ſhall become of me? What ſhall become of thy eſtate? what ſhall become of thy eſteem? what ſhall become of thy liberty? what ſhall become p. 15of all thy love, and friendſhip, and pleaſure thou haſt in the world? art willing to be poor? art willing to be in bondage? art willing to be in reproach and diſgrace? open that door once, let Chriſt in, have any thing to do with Conſcience, and thou art undone; all that ever thou haſt, all that ever thou loveſt in all the world, muſt thenceforth become ſtrangers to thee. Haſt thou not given [me] thy heart? have not I lyen in thy boſome? haſt thou not cheriſhed me, and cared for me as thine own ſoul? and have not I deſerv'd thy care, and reſpect? have not I been thy food, and thy rayment, and thy joy, and all the comfort of thy life? What wilt thou be when I have left thee, when thy eſtate hath left thee, thy pleaſures have left thee, thy friends have left thee?

I know thou loveſt me; thou loveſt to be rich, and to be great, and to be at thy eaſe, and thy liberty, as thou loveſt thy life: I know I have thy heart, and thou art loath to leave me. I, but therefore conſider, and take heed; if thou hearken to Chriſt once, if thou meddle too far with Religion, and wilt be dealing for another world once, then farewell this.

But canſt thou find in thine heart to leave me? have I been a Wilderneſs to thee, or a Land of darkneſs? hath it not been well with thee? haſt thou wanted any thing? haſt thou not been full and abounded? haſt thou not flouriſhed and proſper'd? haſt thou not had thy belly full of meat, and thy belly full of mirth, and thy bones full of reſt, and thy heart full of eaſe and content? what haſt thou wanted whileſt thou imbracedſt my love? and canſt thou now find in thine heart to part? look p. 16to thy ſelf; what day thou ſtrikeſt hands with Chriſt, thou muſt ſhake hands with all the world. Look for no more favour from me; thou doſt not know when thou art well, when thou haſt enough; but henceforth, if thou take this courſe, thou ſhalt have little enough? If Chriſt carry thee, he ſhall carry thee naked, thou ſhalt leave all thy good things behind thee; and look for it, I have not been ſo great a friend, but now I'le be as great an enemy; I'le perſecute thee, and plague thee, and vex thee; and if I may no longer ſleep in thy boſome, I'le ſtick in thy ſides; if I may no longer be the treaſure of thine heart, I'le be a dart in thy liver.

But conſider, be adviſed fooliſh ſoul, let us not part thus; ſtay, ſtay with me, go not after thou knoweſt not what; forſake not an old friend for a new; believe it, the old is better; if thou wilt be wiſe, ſtay as thou art, and mind thy preſent commodity; lay by the thoughts of the other world, let hereafter take care for it ſelf, never ſtand amuzing thy ſelf about thou knoweſt not what, I have not been ſo good to thee, but I will be better to thee then ever; come let's take our fill of love, eat, drink, and be merry; gather, keep, lay up what's before thee, and caſt away care: And thus it wooes, and flatters, and bewitches it into a neglect of Chriſt ſo long, till it hath ſmitten the ſoul under the fift rib, and ſtab'd it to death, and drown'd it in perdition and deſtruction.

4. It will help men to excuſes for their neglect of Chriſt. Men are aſham'd to play the Fools, but they would have ſomething to ſay for't, to ſtop p. 17mouths withall; to ſtop the mouth of Conſcience, to ſtop the mouths of Men, to ſtop the mouth of their Judge, if it be poſſible, Luk. 14. 18. Thoſe that were invited to come to Chriſt, its ſaid, they all began to make excuſes; they were aſham'd to ſay, they would not come, that had been too groſs; but they excuſe themſelves, we cannot come, Ruth 4. 6. The Kinſman of Ruth, that had the offer of redeeming the Inheritance of his deceaſed Kinſman, anſwered no, I cannot redeem it, leſt I mar mine own Inheritance. He would not ſay, I will not redeem it; no, an excuſe muſt be found out, I cannot redeem it, I ſhould mar mine own Inheritance, if I redeem my Brothers. So theſe here, they do not ſay I will not, but I cannot come. Why, what's the matter you cannot come to Chriſt? what excuſe have you? whence have you your excuſe? Oh the world furniſhes them with an excuſe; I have a Farm, ſayes one, I have Oxen to look to, ſayes another; I have a Wife to mind, ſayes a third, I pray thee have me excuſed, I cannot come.

Chriſtians, have your hearts never made this uſe of the world, to make it your excuſe for your neglecting Chriſt, and your ſouls? it hath hindred you many a time from coming to Chriſt, and then excuſed you for not coming. How many prayers hath it loſt you? how many Sabbaths hath it loſt you? the loſs of theſe may be the loſs of Chriſt, the loſs of your ſouls: How much of theſe ſpiritual advantages hath the world loſt you? and when they are loſt, when you have loſt a praying time, or hearing time, loſt a Sabbath, or a Sermon, or a Sacrament, this muſt ſerve for an excuſe, I was buſie, and could not come.

p. 18An excuſe is a pretence, or a ſhift that men find out, to ſave themſelves from blame, for all their neglects of Chriſt, and their ſouls; as if they ſhould ſay, its a ſhame for men to neglect Chriſt that have nothing elſe to mind in his ſtead; its a ſhame for men to neglect their ſouls, that have nothing elſe to look to; I have no mind to Chriſt, and his wayes, this looking after my ſoul, and my Conſcience, and the matters of the other world, are things that I like not, and liſt not to be medling withall; but what ſhall I ſay for my ſelf if I neglect them? I am aſham'd to ſay, I care not for Chriſt, I care not for my ſoul, I care not for heaven and everlaſting glory, I care not though I periſh and die, I dare not ſay thus; and yet theſe things that Chriſt calls to me, are ſo contrary to me, that I have no mind to meddle with them: But what ſhall I ſay for my ſelf, if I do not? ſome excuſe or other I muſt have, what may be my excuſe?

Why, haſt thou never a Farm to look to, never a Wife nor Family to look after? or haſt thou not an houſe, or an horſe, or a companion? haſt thou no ſports, nor pleaſures, no Hawks nor dogs to follow? haſt thou nothing to do? haſt thou nothing to ſay? tell Chriſt, tell Conſcience, thou haſt other buſineſs to do; thou haſt thy friends, or thy pleaſures, that call thee another way; any thing may ſerve, a bad excuſe is better then none.

An excuſe is a pretence to have reaſon for what we do: no man can have reaſon to neglect Chriſt, no man can have reaſon to continue in ſin; and yet there are few caſes, wherein men will not p. 19pretend to have reaſon for it, eſpecially the worldling, whoever wants, he will be ſure to find reaſon enough for his worldlineſs.

Though the Drunkard can hardly ſay, I have reaſon to be drunk; though the Adulterer can hardly ſay, I have reaſon to follow Harlots; though the Swearer can hardly ſay, I have reaſon to ſwear, or blaſpheme; though the Prodigal can hardly ſay, I have reaſon to waſt, and ſpend my Eſtate; yet the worldling will eaſily ſay, I have reaſon to get an Eſtate, to keep what I have; reaſon to be a good Husband, and to be provident; who ſhall keep me when I am old? who ſhall take care of my Family? I have reaſon to take care for my ſelf; who will take care for me, if I do not take care of my ſelf?

And though this may be look'd on as a miſerable Plea for the neglect of Chriſt, I am following a Whore, and I cannot come; I muſt to the Alehouſe, or the Tavern, and I cannot come; yet this will paſs for a fair excuſe, I have a Wife, or a Family, or a Farm, and I cannot come.

I pray thee have me excuſed? For what? that thou doſt not come to Chriſt, and hearken to, and follow him? that is, excuſe me that I undo my ſelf, that I ſtab, or drown, or hang my ſelf, that I go to the Devil and damn my ſoul: If I go to hell, and there periſh for ever, I pray do not blame me for it, I have reaſon for what I do; I [muſt] take care of this world whatever becomes of me in the other world: as for thoſe that have nothing elſe to do, but to mind Chriſt and Salvation, if they neglect it, let them anſwer for themſelves, if they can; for my part I have reaſon p. 20enough to do as I do: Haſt thou reaſon to go to hell? reaſon to be damn'd? go then and bear thy burthen for ever, till thy ſenſe too late teach thee better reaſon.

Oh what wiſe men are the men of this world! what very fools are the worldly wiſe! they deſtroy their ſouls to pleaſe and provide for their carkaſſes; they count the world their happineſs, and this their happineſs muſt have the killing of them: ſome mens buſineſſes muſt have the killing of them; ſome mens money muſt do it, ſome mens pleaſures muſt do it, ſome mens friends muſt have the killing of their ſouls: ſome are too rich, ſome are too buſie, ſome are too merry, ſome are too high, ſome are too civil and courtly, to come to Chriſt and ſave their ſouls. Behold the wiſdome of this world!

Conſider this Brethren, if ſome of you do not find it thus; how is it with your ſouls? in what caſe are your ſouls? are you in Chriſt? are you converted to God? have you gotten any ſaving knowledge, or any thing of the Grace of God in your hearts? or are you not ſtill without Chriſt, without Grace, without God in the world? what is it that hath hindred you, but your fleſhly and worldly hearts, which have held you under the power of theſe fleſhly and worldly things? it may be you might have had grace in your hearts, if you had not had ſo much money in your purſe, if you had not had ſo much to do in this world, you might have done more for the world to come: whileſt you have been buſie here and there, as the man in the Prophets Parable, 1 King. 20. 40. your ſouls are loſt, the Kingdome is loſt: if you p. 21had not had ſo many ſheep, and oxen, and trades to be look'd after, it may be your ſouls had been better look'd to; if you had not had ſo many carnal friends about you, it may be Chriſt had been entertained by you; theſe are they which you have taken in exchange for Chriſt, theſe are they for which you have ſold the Goſpel, theſe are they for which you have ſold your ſouls to the devil.

You wonder at thoſe poor miſerable creatures, the Witches, who for a little money, or a few years pleaſure, do by expreſs bargain and ſale, make over their ſouls to the devil, and yet will do the ſame things your ſelves.

Where are your ſouls? in whoſe hands are they? who hath the poſſeſſion? who hath the dominion of them? are they with Chriſt? doth he govern? doth he rule them? hath he taken poſſeſſion of them? do you think he hath indeed? are the ignorant, the idle, the ſimple, the ſenſual, the earthly, the careleſs, the barren ſouls of the world, are theſe the poſſeſſion of Chriſt? would Chriſt have left you in ſuch a carnal ſenſleſs ſtate, if you had ever come into his hands? do ye think he would? who are they that are without Chriſt, if you are in Chriſt? who are the ſinners, if you are the Saints? who are the children of this world, if you be the children of the Kingdome? are you they whom God hath choſen out of this world, to be a peculiar people to himſelf? are you they that have forſaken all for Chriſt, who have forſaken Chriſt for this world? are you the Ch…ldren of Light, Veſſels of Honor, the Images of God, his mortified ones, his crucified p. 22ones, his ſanctified ones? Will Chriſt leave his choſen veſſels to be ſuch wooden, and iron, and earthen veſſels, as your Souls are at this day? What a poor and low and miſerable thing do you make of Chriſtianity, if this be it, which you have attain'd to? look to it, if you have any ſuch thought, ſure you have deceived your ſelves to this day.

Are you not in Chriſt? what is it that hath hindred you? Chriſt hath invited you in; the Goſpel of Chriſt hath been preach'd to you, the everlaſting door hath been ſet open to you, the ſervants have been ſent out among you, to call you and compel you to come in; but the world hath kept you back, your friends have hung about you, your buſineſs have lyen upon you, your eſtates have call'd you another way, and would not ſuffer you to enter in.

And that theſe are they that have done it, it is apparent, ſince theſe are they that muſt ſerve you for an excuſe. I have had ſo many encumbrances and entanglements and diverſions every day, that I could not doe for my Soul, as others may.

And oh how glad have you often been of an excuſe! that you have had ſomething to ſay for your ſelf, and to ſilence Conſcience under the neglect of Chriſt? more glad of an hindrance then of an opportunity; there is ſuch an ungratefulneſs and unpleaſingneſs of Chriſt and his wayes, to carnal hearts, that when Chriſt hath been dealing with them, and perſwading and awakening them, to look after them, the world ſeems to do them a kindneſs in ſtepping in, and calling their hearts back and putting all out of mind.

p. 23When Chriſt calls to a duty, to an ordinance, to bring us near to him, that he might deal with us, and treat with us about the matters of eternity; whileſt ſome rejoyce to come in, to appear in his preſence, to hear his voice, to pour out their Souls to him in prayer or faſting, &c. Others are glad that they have ſomething to ſay, that they could not be there; glad of a buſineſs or of a friend that kept them off, glad of a temptation; that the Devil laid a block in their way, that the world cal'd them out another way; not conſidering what an eternal loſſe they may have hereby ſuſtain'd.

Behold now the friend of ſinners; the Idol, the god whom they ſerve, this preſent world: this is your beloved, this is your friend. But what is its friendſhip to you? what kindneſs hath this world for you? you love it and ſeek it and ſerve it, and work for it; it hath your time, and your ſtrength, and your hearts, beſtow'd upon it; for this you live, and labour, and ſweat, and toyl out all your dayes; but when all is done, what kindneſs doth it ſhew you? what reward have you? it feeds you, and cloaths you; and pleaſes and pampers your fleſh, but it kills your Souls: It blinds, it hardens, it holds you in a ſottiſh, ſenſleſs, carnal ſtate and courſe, keeps Chriſt and your hearts apart, holds your Souls in death, and ſhuts you out from the kingdom of God. This is your God whom you hugge, and worſhip, and bleſs your ſelves in, and buſy your ſelves for: this is your beloved, here is the kindneſs of your friend: and is not this friendſhip of the world enmity? What can the Devil do more, then keep you from Chriſt, and what p. 24doth the world do leſs? hitherto it hath kept you off, and when do you think if you hearken to it, will it give you leave to go over to him? when will it ſay unto you, thou haſt ſerved me long enough; thou haſt ſerv'd thy pleaſures, and thy eſtate, and thy friends long enough, now go thy way and ſerve thy God, now go to Chriſt and look after thy Soul; how how long will it be ere the world will thus give thee leave? or if it will not give thee leave, how long will it be ere thou take thy leave.

Be not deceived, that which hath hindred doth hinder, and will hinder thee from ever making a ſaving cloſe with Chriſt, till thy Soul and it be parted.

Depart, depart: depart from your worldly wayes, depart from your worldly pleaſures, and let a worldly heart depart from you, and then welcome Chriſt and his Goſpel, then welcome Grace and Holineſs, then welcome God and the everlaſting kingdome.

2. The enmity of the world ſhewes it ſelf, in hindering the Soul from following of Chriſt. If it cannot quite keep us off from Chriſt, it will hold us back, that Chriſt ſhall have but little ſervice of us, 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himſelf with the affairs of this life, that he may pleaſe him who hath choſen him to be a Souldier. Chriſts ſervants are all Souldiers; and the world is one ſpecial enemy we are to fight againſt: theres like to be but heartleſs fighting, where we are in league with the enemy; whileſt we ſhould be charging it, we ſhall be like enough to be treating for peace, if not quite to forſake our colours, and run over to the enemies camp: p. 25Chriſt entertains none, but thoſe that are free and diſengaged perſons; and by how much the more free, by ſo much the more fit for his ſervice: no man that warreth [entangleth] himſelf: a Souldier that fights in fetters, fights thereafter: we muſt put off our fetters, if we will put on our armour.

[In the affairs of this life] the work that Chriſt hath to put his ſervants upon, lyes in the affairs of the other life; he that is intangled in the affairs of this, will do little about the affairs of the other life.

[That he may pleaſe him who hath choſen him to be a Souldier] The ſervant muſt ſo ſerve his maſter, as to pleaſe him; he that is Chriſts ſervant, muſt devote himſelf to the pleaſing of his Lord; he muſt not pleaſe men, he muſt not pleaſe himſelf; his appetite, his pride, his covetouſneſs; is this thy pleaſing of Chriſt, to be ſerving his enemies? If you be Chriſts indeed, you herein diſpleaſe your ſelves, in being ſelf pleaſers. He that is not angry with himſelf for his fleſh pleaſing, he that can humour, and favour, and gratifie his earthly and ſenſual heart, and be pleaſed with himſelf, and be patient with himſelf, for ſo doing, Chriſt hath little in that man; and if your pleaſing your ſelf cannot ſtand with the pleaſing of your Souls, which have devoted themſelves to Chriſt, much leſs will it ſtand with the pleaſing of your Lord, who hath choſen you for his Souldiers.

But more particularly, the world diſcovers its enmity here.

1. In cutting Chriſt ſhort of that ſervice and thoſe fruits which he ſhould reap from us.

2. In cutting us ſhort of that ſervice and peace that we might receive from him.

p. 261. The world cutts Chriſt ſhort of that ſervice, and thoſe fruits which he ſhould reap from us, Hoſ. 10. 1. Iſrael is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himſelf. Iſrael is an empty vine; that is, to his Lord: tis but a poor vintage, little or no fruit he brings forth to God; he is his vine; he hath planted, he hath watered, and he hath fenced him, and he looks for grapes,, but finds none; why whats the reaſon of it? Oh he hath brought forth all his fruits to himſelf; he hath ſtore of fruit, but no ſuch fruit as God looks for, he brought forth ſo much to his fleſh, that ther's none for his God.

Phil. 2. 2. All ſeek their own, and not the things of Chriſt. Here's little ſeeking of Chriſt among you, ſaith the Apoſtle; the worſhip and ſervice of Chriſt, the honour and intereſt of Chriſt is little regarded; there's a general neglect of him. None, that is, there are ſcarce any among you, none in compariſon, that mind the things of Chriſt: but why is Chriſt ſo neglected? Why becauſe every man is for himſelf; and all ſeek their own, that is, their outward and earthly things.

Their own things? Why are not the things of Chriſt ſo much thine own, as the things of the world? are thy carnal friends more thine, then Chriſt is thine? are thy earthly poſſeſſions, thy earthly pleaſures, thy meat, and thy drink, and thy money, the things of thy body, more thine then thy Soul, and the concernments of it? thou art a pitiful Chriſtian, if the things of Chriſt be not more thine, then the things of this world; if the things of Chriſt and thine own things, be not the very ſame; but yet thus our fleſhly hearts count, our carnal things are our own things; and the more p. 27we ſeek our own, the leſs the things of Chriſt: the moſt careful Worldling is the moſt careleſs Chriſtian.

Brethren, how little is there done for Chriſt? how little is Chriſt ſerv'd or ſought? Judge ye every one in your own ſelves: how little hath been done for Chriſt, or is now a doing! look back, and ſumme up all that you have done, and gather together all, concerning which you can ſay, this hath been done for Chriſt: this day, or this houre was ſpent in ſeeking of Chriſt; and ſee into what a narrow room all will be brought: look into your hearts, and ſee how many ſhops and feilds you may find there, to one ſanctuary; how how many Markets and Fairs have been kept there, to on Sabbath; how many ſervants hath Chriſt at work for him within you? all that is within you have the name of the ſervants of Chriſt; every faculty is his ſervant; your thoughts, affections, underſtandings conſciences; every member; your hands, eyes tongues, have all the name of the ſervants of Chriſt: but are theſe at work for Chriſt? are your underſtandings veiwing Chriſt? are your thoughts ſearching after Chriſt? are your affections working up towards Chriſt? are your conſciences pleading for Chriſt? are your tongues ſpeaking for Chriſt? are your hands laying up, or laying out for Chriſt? the Devil hath his ſervants buſy a working for him; our carnal thoughts, our fleſhly luſts, our earthly affections, all our earthly members are hard at work for the Devil; to harden us againſt Chriſt, to entice us from Chriſt, to defile and deſtroy our Souls; but how little is done for Chriſt twould make our hearts to tremble p. 28if we did conſider how little; may be there may be divers of our ſouls, in which there hath not been one ſtroke of work done for Chriſt, ſince they had a being, and in whom there's any thing done, oh how little is it?

What footing hath Chriſt gotten in your hearts? what faith, or love, or fear, or honor hath he in you? how goes his ſanctifying work, his mortifying work on in you? how fares it with his enemies in you, your luſts, and paſſions, and carnal affections? are not theſe ſtill Lording it in his room? Oh how little is it that is yet done for Chriſt within us? how little power and authority hath he in us? how low is it with us both in point of grace and peace? how little is he minded, or lov'd, or prais'd, in us? how little pleaſure or delight do we take in him? how little care take we for him? any little good thing that he hath committed to us, how hath it been cheriſh'd, and nouriſh'd, and improv'd? doth it not languiſh, and pine away? whileſt our faces ſhine, our fleſh flouriſhes, our outward man thrives, in what a withering periſhing caſe is our inner man?

Think with your ſelves, are matters with you within as you could wiſh they were? is it with your ſouls as Chriſt would have it? do you think he will ſay to you, in the caſe you are in, well done, thou haſt been a faithful ſervant, a good Steward of my manifold graces? how is it without you? what are your duties? what are your wayes? what praying, or hearing, or walking? oh what ſhuffling over duties, what halting in your goings? what do you more then others? are you not carnal and vain as others? are you not proud and p. 29froward as others? are you not unſavoury and unprofitable as others? of what uſe are you to thoſe you walk amongſt? what examples are you to them? wherein are they the better for you? does your light ſhine? do ye provoke them to love and good works? what do you for your Relations, for your friends, for your families, or any of the members of Chriſt?

What mourning is there under the diſhonor of Chriſt? what ſenſe of the ſufferings of Chriſt? doth not Chriſt ſuffer much in the world, in his Miniſters, in his Members, in his Worſhip, in his Sabbaths and Ordinances? how fares it abroad with Chriſt? how fares it with his Goſpel, with his Saints? is all well? is it peace? doth the Church proſper? doth Religion flouriſh? or doth it not ſuffer, and mourn, and bleed, and is even ready to vaniſh away? and yet who is there almoſt that cares for any of theſe things? how few are there that lay them to heart? where are the hearts that tremble for the Ark of God? that ask, how fares it with the Iſrael of God? Oh Brethren, its lamentable to ſee how little upon any account whatſoever, the things of Chriſt are any where minded But what's the reaſon? why look abroad every where in the world, and you may ſee reaſon enough; what is there a doing every where? go into one Town, go into another; go into one houſe, and another, and another, and what are they doing? how buſie are we in buying, and ſelling, and building, and planting, ploughing, and ſowing, marrying, and giving in marriage? this is it; we are ſo buſie for this world, that Chriſt and the things of Chriſt are little regarded by us. p. 302. It holds us ſhort of that grace, and true peace, which we might receive from him. The cares of this world choak the Word, that it cannot proſper in ſuch ſouls, that it can neither quicken us, nor comfort us: Grace is a flower that will grow beſt in thoſe Gardens where it hath leaſt of earth: A worldly-minded Chriſtian, a worldly-minded Profeſſor, will never be but a Dwarf, will be but an Infant in Religion, at forty years old. How many may we ſee among us, that have liv'd many years under the profeſſion of Religion, and have had ſome hope towards God, and ſome confidence that Chriſt is in them of a truth; who if they ſhould take an account of themſelves, what increaſe have I made in the grace of God all this while? What hath been added to me; to my faith, or love, or zeal of God? to my knowledge of God, to my acquaintance with mine own heart? how much humility, ſpirituality, mortification? what power over my corruptions, my pride, my paſſion, my peeviſhneſs, my fleſhlineſs have I obtained? what evidences have I gotten for heaven? what clearneſs, and grounded confidence and aſſurance am I grown up to now more then I was, ſeven, or ten, or twenty years agone? what have I gotten? how much, and wherein have I improv'd in all this time?

Oh how may moſt of us ſadly anſwer, What have I gotten? how have I grown? oh the Lord he merciful to me, have I not loſt? have I not ſunk and decayed? is it not worſe with me now, then many years ago; my faith grown, my love grown, my holineſs and my hope grown, my comfort and my confidence grown? the Lord help p. 31me, rather my fears, and my doubts, my darkneſs and my deadneſs, and my ſins are grown upon me; I have leſs life, and leſs love, and leſs joy, and leſs peace, then when I firſt look'd after Chriſt. Let worldly-minded Profeſſors, prove and conſider themſelves narrowly, if this, ſuch a lean, ſtarveling, lifeleſs ſtate of ſoul, be not all the kindneſs they are beholding to their worldlineſs for; it hath built you houſes, and bought you Lands, and fill'd your purſes, and fed your carkaſſes, and provided for your Families; but it hath ſtarv'd your ſouls. O my leannes, my leannes, my dry and withered ſoul, my weak heart, my waſted Conſcience; Oh how little truth or tenderneſs, how little love, or liſe, or warmth, do I feel within me? Oh how much pride, and frowardneſs? oh how much luſt and liberty to ſin, hath there grown upon me? I can fret, and vex, and chafe; I can be falſe, I can lye, and diſſemble; all the Religion I have gotten into my ſoul, after ſo long a time of profeſſion, is not enough to reſtrain theſe vile abominations: Oh my ſoul, how ſad is it with thee? how low is it with thee to this day? how comes this to paſs? why, this is thy good husbandry, this is thy worldlineſs; thy labouring ſo much, thy hungring ſo much after the meat that periſhes, or thy being given to thy pleaſure, or thy eaſe; this is it that hath held thee in ſuch a poor caſe, ſuch an unfruitful and barren ſtate, ſuch a dark and uncomfortable ſtate, as thou art in at this day: for all this unhappineſs thou art beholding to the world, and thy worldlineſs.

Thus you have ſeen the enmity of the world againſt ſouls, it holds back from Chriſt, darkens p. 32the ſight, that we cannot ſee the excellency or the need of Chriſt; deadens the ſenſe, and hinders from following Chriſt, keeps Chriſt ſhort, &c.

Let this, by the way, be an argument to diſſwade from worldlineſs; are you Chriſtians, or would you be ſo? would you ever come to any thing in Religion? would you proſper in holineſs? would you have the comfort of Chriſtianity? then take heed and beware of a worldly heart, which will either hinder you from ever coming to Chriſt, or elſe be a Canker and a Moth, to devour and eat out the ſpirits of all that Chriſtianity you have.

II. Wherein the ſtrength of the world lies, whereby it prevails upon ſo many ſouls. It is a wonder it ſhould ever prevail ſo as it does, that ever men of underſtanding, endued with immortal ſouls, ſhould ſuffer themſelves to be led up and down down as they are, by ſuch a pernicious and mortal Enemy; that when they have ſeen ſo many loſt and undone by it, they ſhould never take warning; that it ſhould ever be truſted as it is, that it ſhould ever be lov'd as it is, that it ſhould ever be hearkened to as it is, eſpecially conſidering how unreaſonable its demands are, and how inconſiderable its rewards.

What does the world demand? what would it have? This is it, if it would ſpeak out; Come ſell me thy God, come ſell me thy hopes that thou haſt for the other world, come ſell me thy ſoul, come give me thy heart, love me, and ſerve me.

But what ſhall be mine hire? what wilt thou give me then? if it would ſpeak out, this is the reward it gives, Vanity and vexation, death and deſtruction; p. 33Hell ſhall be thine hire. But ſuppoſe it ſhould give what it ſayes it will; all the good things on this ſide the grave; riches, honors, pleaſures, eaſe, abundance of all theſe, and all manner of contentment in the enjoyment of them; yet what's all this thou ſhouldſt gain, on this ſide the grave, to what thou ſhalt looſe, and to what thou ſhalt ſuffer on the other ſide of the grave? what's Earth to Heaven? what's Time to Eternity?

Suppoſe it ſhould ſay plainly, come take thy good things here, and thy evil things hereafter; take thy riches in this, and thy poverty in the other world; take thy pleaſures here, and thy plagues beneath; be full or be merry, proſper, flouriſh, rejoyce for a few houres, or for a few dayes, and be miſerable, cry howl be in torments to Eternity.

If the World ſhould ſpeak out thus to Men (this it deſigns) if it ſhould ſpeak out thus, into what madneſs muſt thoſe Souls be bewich'd, that would hearken to it? and yet behold, though this be the deſign its driving on, and men might know it if they would but conſider; yet behold how the whole world almoſt, are wondering after this beaſt, and buſy in making bargains with it to be its captives and ſervants: yea not only ſuffering themſelves to be perſwaded, and beguiled in o this bondage, but alſo willingly offering themſelves for ſervants. I pray thee take me into the number of thy ſervants: Take [my] Soul, world ſaies one, take [my] God, ſaies another, take my hopes, ſaies another. Let me be but a rich man, let me be a great man, let me have ſo much money, or ſo much lands, or ſo much pleaſure, or p. 34eaſe or honour; let but this Moon ſhine upon me, and take the Sunſhine, whoever will; let me be this worlds favourite, and I am content to be its ſervant; and ſo along they go after it, till they be loſt for ever.

What a wonder is this? and yet how many ſuch prodigies are to be ſeen every day, and in every place? this is the caſe of every worldling; thou that wilt be rich, thou whoſe heart goes after thy covetouſneſs, thou who art given to thy pride, or thy pleaſures, or thy eaſe, thou art boring thine eare to the threſhold of thy mortal enemy; thou art doing away thy patrimony for husks, thou art doing away thy Soul, and its eternal inheritance to buy in thy life into an houſe, or parcel of Land; or for a bundle of crackling thorns, to make thee blaze, before which thou mayeſt dance and be merry for an hour or two, and then go down to everlaſting darkneſs.

This being ſuch a marvelous thing; that ſuch an enemy, that is ſo known and confeſt to be, by the very men that ſuffer themſelves to be led Captive by it, (for what worldling is there that will not confeſs that this world is an Enemy) that ſuch a known Enemy, ſhould ſtill ſo eaſily prevail in the world: (as the Apoſtle in another caſe, Gal. 3. 1. 3. O fooliſh Galatians who hath bewitched you? are ye ſo fooliſh that having begun in the Spirit ye will be made perfect in the fleſh? O fooliſh worldlings who hath bewitched you! are ye ſo fooliſh that being born to things Spiritual and Eternal, you will be thus led captive by things Temporal and Fleſhly?) this being ſuch a marvelous thing, it will be worth our time to enquire, wherein p. 35the ſtrength of the world lyes, whereby it ſo ſtrangely prevails.

And indeed it is a piece of the beſt policy, and that which gives great advantage againſt an enemy, to ſtudy and find out where his ſtrength lyeth, Judg. 16. 6. &c. When Dalilah attemped the delivering of Sampſon bound into the hands of the Philiſtimes, ſhe lyes at him day by day, tell me where thy great ſtrength lyeth, tell me where thy great ſtrength lyeth: in vain did they aſſault him, in vain did ſhe bind him; her Cords, and her Withs, and her webs could never hold him, till at length ſhe found out where his ſtrength lay; which when ſhe had once found out, ſhe quickly ſpoil'd him of it, and delivered him a captive to his enemies: find out the ſtrength of the World, what it is, and wherein it lyes, and then you will underſtand your way to the conquering of it.

But where lyes this ſtrength of the World? I anſwer.

In

The Spirit of the World within us.

In the God of the World without us.

1. In the ſpirit of the world within: the world hath a ſtrong party within man, which ſides with it, 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received not the ſpirit of the world but the ſpirit which is of God [we] have not; we who have that ſpirit of God in us have not received the ſpirit of this world: but all others have no other ſpirit. In the whole generation of worldly men, there is the ſame ſpirit; as in the whole generation of the Saints there is the ſame divine ſpirit, the ſame ſpirit of grace, the ſame ſpirit of faith, the ſame ſpirit of love, the ſame p. 36holy ſpirit. So in all the men of this world there is the ſame worldly ſpirit.

The ſpirit of this world is an earthly Spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 47. the firſt man is of the earth, earthy: in his creation he had an earthy body, and by ſin he is come to have an earthy Soul. Sin was his fall from Heaven to Earth, as in his choice he made for himſelf: he choſe an earthly inheritance; ſo in his temper, and diſpoſition, and tendency; his very nature now inclines, and bends towards earthly things; his Soul as well as his Body, luſts after, and feeds upon duſt.

The ſpirit of the World is a ſhort ſighted ſpirit: it cannot ſee afarr off, 2 Pet. 19. Heavenly things are too far diſtant to be diſcerned by it, it loves and gapes for, and graſps things preſent, things to come are far out of its ſight.

The ſpirit of the world is a low and narrow ſpirit, theſe poor and beggerly things that this earth affords, are the higheſt of its ambition.

Seekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf? Yes I do: what, worldly greatneſs? are theſe the great things thou ſeekeſt? a great name, a great eſtate? great poſſeſſions? thou miſtakeſt thy ſelf man, theſe great things are but ſmall things, below the ſpirit of a man, below a divine and immortal Soul: meat, and drink, and mirth, and money? are theſe the beſt things thou findeſt for thy heart to be ſet upon? for thy ſoul to take pleaſure in? ſure thou haſt changed Souls with the bruits, that canſt take up with ſuch things as theſe.

The Spirit of the World is an homebred ſpirit: it hath never been abroad, but hath been born and p. 37bred in this worldly region: it hath never ſet foot, nor been acquainted in a better land: the ſpirit which is of God, carries up to the upper regions; the regions of light, and life, and glory and immortality; where it hath made diſcoveries of other manner of treaſures, and joyes, and glories, then are here to be found; but the ſpirit of the world hath ever dwelt at home; the ſouls of worldlings dwell in their houſes of clay, and never travail farther; then they can, with the ſnail, carry their houſes upon their heads: their Souls travail no farther then their carkaſes.

This Spirit of the World, by what hath been hinted, of the make and temper of it, you ſee, hath a ſuitableneſs to worldly things; and this is the great advantage the World hath upon us, it tempts us to that we love and like: all that the World perſwades us to, is to ſeek what we have a mind to, to do what we have a mind to, to follow our natures and diſpoſitions, to find out what will beſt pleaſe us, and there to take our fill.

The difficulty of Chriſts victory over Souls, lyes in this, that he calls and commands them to things and to wayes contrary to their natures; not to pleaſe, but to deny themſelves; to kill their Fleſh, to croſs their appetites, to contradict their own mind; to purſue an happineſs, which is ſo ſublime and ſpiritual, and ſo unſuitable to their carnal natures, that it is altogether unſavory to them; and hereupon he hath hard work to prevail, and tis but here and there one amongſt many, that will be prevailed upon, to hearken to him: to how many houſes may we come, to how many ſouls may we bring the everlaſting p. 38Goſpel, ere one will open and accept? how many are call'd to Chriſt, to one that comes? O brethren, you are witneſs, how hardly any of your ſouls were perſwaded to come along with Chriſt; and may be, ſome of you ſtand off, and hang back, and will not be perſwaded to come fully in, to this day: What's the reaſon of this? Oh carnal men think that Chriſt calls them to their loſs, perſwades them to their hurt, that they have a better being, whileſt they are wallowing in their riches, and their pleaſures, then ever they ſhould find in following of Chriſt.

But now the advantage that the world hath on Souls, is, that it tempts them to things pleaſing to them; their natures joyn with the world, and draw them the ſame way: Whileſt Chriſt calls, if any man will be my diſciple let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs and follow me, this is all the world requires, if any man will be my ſervant, let him ſeek himſelf and ſhift for himſelf, and pleaſe himſelf, and ſhun the croſs, and follow his own heart; and what great difficulty is there, to perſwade men to follow their own minds? when worldly temptations meet with worldly ſpirits, when temptations to pride, meet with proud hearts, when temptations to pleaſure, meet with fleſh-pleaſing hearts, when temptations to vanity meet with vain hearts, when temptations to covetouſneſs meet with covetous hearts, how mightily muſt they needs prevail? From this ſuitableneſs of the ſpirit to worldly things, it doth

Readily take in of the World.

Greedily make out after the World.

1. It doth readily take in of the World, the world p. 39never knocks but the heart opens, the world never offers, but the hand is ready to receive; yea though the terms upon which we muſt have it be never ſo unreaſonable; though for every draught of pleaſure, they muſt after drink the double in wormwood, though with the gains of the world, they muſt drink in a curſe, yet like men in a dropſie, though to drink will be death, their thirſt muſt be quenched.

It may be when the world is a tempting the Soul, conſcience ſtands by, and gives it warning, take heed of theſe pleaſures ther's poyſon in that cup, or ther's wormwood at the bottome; take heed of theſe deceitful riches, ther's a ſnare lies under, there's a curſe cleaves to them; look to thy ſelf Soul, the world is but a playing the Devil with thee; theſe pleaſures and theſe riches it hath ſent to fetch away thy Soul: it holds thee ſo buſy about thine earthly affairs, that thou mayeſt the mean while looſe the opportunity of making Chriſt thine, of making the other world ſure to thee: look to it, thou wilt never have any part in Chriſt, thou wilt never have any hope towards God, if thou be tampering thus, and trading thus greedily for this preſent world: it may be Conſcience doth thus ſtand by, and give warning to the worldly heart; but alls one for that, come what will come the heart is ſo ſet upon it, that it will not be warned.

2. Hence it is that they ſo greedily make out after the world, Oh what haſt doe they make to be rich? how doe their Souls hunger after worldly greatneſs? they covet greedily all the day long, Prov. 21. 26. They enlarge their deſire as Hell and are as death and p. 40cannot be ſatisfied, as it was ſaid of the Caldean, H…b. 2. 5. they enlarge their deſire as Hell, of which tis ſaid, he hath made it deep and large; they have deep deſires, the bottom of their Soul comes up; they have large deſires, they never have enough, Ezek. 33. 31. Their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs: that is, either after thoſe earthly things, which are the objects of their covetouſneſs; or after the ductus or leading of their covetouſneſs: their covetouſneſs leads on and their heart follows: their heart goes, yea it runs after it: their heart out runs their feet, their heart out works their hands: when I awake I am ſtill with thee, ſaith the Pſalmiſt; and when the worlding awakes, where is his heart preſently? in the field, in the ſhop, in the market; his heart is there, before his body can get there: it may be that muſt ſtay a time in the houſe after he awakes, and put on his clothes or take his breakfaſt, or may be to make a ſhort prayer, for a faſhion; but his heart goes preſently abroad, as ſoon as ever he awakes, and leaves only his tongue behind to pray.

But whence is this eagerneſs this hungring and riding poſt after the world? why tis his love to the world that makes him gape ſo wide after it; he loves to be rich, he loves [give ye.]

Chriſt is propos'd and ſet before his eyes, the bread of life, the water of life, the windows of Heaven are opened, the fountains above are broken up; the durable riches, the everlaſting pleaſures, life and peace, and reſt, and joy, and glory are ſett forth in open ſight before the world: and as Pſal. 14. 2. God looks down to ſee if any would underſtand and ſeek God: to ſee who amongſt all the p. 41world had a mind to his riches, to his treaſures; who was for Chriſt, who was for Grace, who was for Heaven; but behold they are all running another way; there's none that underſtands, none that will ſeek God; every door is ſhut, every heart's aſleep when God paſſeth by. If he ſhould never give, till many ask, if he ſhould ſtay till they ſeek him, how long might he ſtay? he muſt come and call, and knock and break open their doors, and pour into their mouths, and tis well if Heaven will down with any at laſt; whileſt full tables, and full draughts of this world, will down and never ſtick, now and then a crumb, now and then a drop from above, is all that will be taken in. Oh this agrees not with our ſtomack, tis the world that is our favoury meat.

Oh what abundant proof is there brethren, of this difference of our appetites, to things ſpiritual and things carnal? Oh what thriving and what grown Chriſtians had we been, had we been as hungry after grace, as after greatneſs in this world; had there been ſo much craving and catching after God, as after Mammon; had there been ſuch good husbandry among us for things to come, as for things preſen?

What's the reaſon that our Souls are ſuch dwarfs, and babes, and ſtarvlings? Are they not ſo? is it not very poor and very low with us? what treaſures have you gotten? how little knowledge or Faith, or love, or power, or vigour of ſpirit, have you attain'd, how is death ſtill feeding upon us? Death in our underſtandings, Death in our affections, Death in our Conſciences, Death in our duties? we walk up and down more like p. 42the Ghoſts of Chriſtians; then like living Chriſtians; pale and wan, and weak and cold; mere carkaſes of Chriſtianity, when the Soul and Spirit of religion is not. Look about, enquire among you and ſee, how many ſuch dead carkaſes there are, to one living lively Soul: how many empty caskes that make a little ſound, to one full veſſel.

The Lord be merciful to us, though the name and ſhell of Religion be among us, and upon us, yet the ſpirit and kernel of it ſeems to be almoſt quite vaniſhed out of the earth.

It was once ſaid Revel. 3. 4. Thou haſt a few names even in Sardis, that have not defiled their garments: But oh may it not be ſaid, thou haſt [but] a few names, neither in Sardis, not Thiatira, nor Philadelphia, nor any where among all the Churches; thou haſt but a few names any where, that have any more then a name that they live.

Brethren, how is it with us who are here before the Lord? turn in every one his eye upon his heart, goe down and ask every one of you, Soul how fares it with thee? how art thou fed oh my Soul? how art thou clothed? what haſt thou by thee? what what grace, what peace, what hope to comfort thee? who is there within thee? is Chriſt there? is the holy ſpirit there, quickning thee, and cleanſing thee? or is not the world there preying upon thee and conſuming thee? Ask your Souls, art thou in health O my Soul? doſt thou live, and thrive, and hold up thy head, and hold on thy way, and thy work? or art thou not ſick? head ſick, and heart ſick, and weak, and poor and blind and naked? look in each one of you, ſtep down, and take an account of your ſtate. If you would do p. 43ſo, I doubt there are few of us, but would find all within, in a very pitiful and lamentable caſe.

What's the reaſon of all this? the Lord God hath offered to feed us, and nouriſh us, and nurſe up theſe languiſhing Souls; the Lord God hath ſtood among us, with his baskets of bread and his bottles of wine; hath put ſuch meat to our mouths, that would have nouriſhed us up, from babes to be men from ſuch weaklings to be ſtrong in the Lord; but there is ſuch an unſuitableneſs betwixt the things of God and our carnal hearts, that we have no appetite to them, and ſo they will not down; whereas the things of the world do find ſuch a Spirit of the world in us, that of any thing that it hath to offer us, nothing comes amiſs; we not only readily take it in, but greedily hunger and make out after it.

By the way Chriſtians learn, that if ever you would get victory over the world, you muſt firſt get you another ſpirit: in vain do you think to live other then a worldly life, whileſt the ſpirit of the world lives in you: Oh have you been ſo long profeſſours of Chriſtianity, and have not yet gotten the Spirit of Chriſtianity? Is this the Spirit of Chriſt, that leads you on in an earthly courſe? did God give you his Spirit, to teach you, how to be ſuch drudges to the world? did God give you his Spirit, to teach you how to plow, and ſow, and buy, and ſell, and hoord up treaſures on earth? what are your thoughts, your deſigns, your courſes, your ordinary talk and diſcourſe? what is it but earth earth? are theſe the thoughts, the wayes, the language of the Spirit? can any one that beholds our converſation, that in the general p. 44bent and tenour of it, is all about the world, and but now and then a cold wiſh, or a few heartleſs words, about the things of God; can any man that beholds us, ſay, I, theſe are the perſons that are dead to the world; that are crucified, that are mortified to things below? theſe are they that have received the ſpirit of Chriſt indeed? theſe ſpeak like Chriſtians, and look like Chriſtians, and live like Chriſtians, like men of another world? can it be ſaid thus of us? can we ſay thus of our ſelves? my life is a ſpiritual life, my courſe is an heavenly courſe, my ſteps are all bending to another countrey? can we ſay thus? would not our daily courſe, our daily diſcourſe, give us the lye if we ſhould? Oh we are yet of an earthly ſenſual Spirit; the Spirit of this world is yet bearing rule in us; our very Soul is but a lump of earth and fleſh; Oh for another Spirit, a new Soul, a more divine and celleſtial frame! O ſeek, O wait for this better Spirit, and then we ſhould quickly ſee another life: once let the world be thruſt out of the heart, and we ſhall quickly ſee more of Heaven breaking forth in the life,

2. The ſtrength of the world lyes in the God of this world, Sathan gives ſtrength to, and marſhals its temptations ſo, as that the ſucceſs of them depends much on him: this he he doth.

1. By over rating the good things preſent, and underrating the good things to come.

2. By ſharpning the edge of the evil things preſent, and blunting the edge of the evil things to come.

3. By an active ſtimulating, and provoking the Soul, on any terms whaatſoever, to purſue the p. 45preſent good, and to eſcape the preſent evil.

1. By over rating the good things preſent, and under rating the good things to come: He that looks on the world through the Devils glaſs, ſhall ſee it double to what it is: he gives the ſame proſpect to us, as he did to our Lord, Matth. 4. 2. ſhews it in its Glory; every Comet Shines as the Sun; he makes the ſilver as gold, the braſs as ſilver, ſtones as iron; every thing hath a borrowed face, and looks better then it is. The Apple whereby he tempted our firſt parents, Gen. 3. 5. he makes a deifying Apple. In the day that you eat your eyes ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. Sathans deſign is, to blind, and put out mens eyes; knowing, that they can never ſee the terrene glory, till their eyes be out; but his pretence is to open eyes; to make ſuch diſcoveries of the hidden excellencies in theſe earthly treaſures, as will transfigure Earth into an Heaven.

He preſents the world, as that which hath ſubſtance, ſufficiency, contentment, hearts eaſe, ſatisfaction in it: he ſayes to his friends, as the Lord ſayes to his, Prov. 8. 17. &c. I love them that love me, and them that ſeek me early ſhall find me: riches and honours are with me, yea durable riches and righteouſneſs; I will cauſe thoſe that love, me to find ſubſtance, and I will fill their treaſures: thus the Lord ſpeaks to his, and the Devil gives the world a tongue, to ſpeak at the ſame rate. I love them that love me, I have riches and honours, durable riches, and I will fill them with treaſures.

And as the world ſpeaks, ſo worldlings think, it cannot boaſt greater things of it ſelf, then will be believed. Hoſ. 12. 8. I am become rich, ſayes p. 46Ephraim I have found me out ſubſtance: the ſhadow is a ſubſtance in thoſe eyes, that ſee no better things.

Hence theſe things are taken up by the men of this world, as their portion as their heritage, as their happineſs and hope: thou giveſt them their portion in this life, Pſal. 17. and they take them as their portion: and now Lord what wait I for, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, my hope is in thee: and now world, what wait [I] for? what work I for? what live I for? truly my hope is in thee: the worldling ſayes, God is my portion; and in a ſenſe he ſays true, for the world is his God.

And on the other ſide, as Sathan over rates this, ſo he under rates the other world, 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the image of of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. The Goſpel is a window, through which the light and glory of the other world breaks in, and ſhines down upon this: here the pretended opener of eyes, ſmites with blindneſs; by a vail of unbelief, he keeps the Goſpel, and all the glory of it out of ſight: unbelief gives the lye to all that the Goſpel ſpeaks; calls all into queſtion, holds under uncertainties, whether there be any ſuch thing or no; and what's doubtful and uncertain whether it be or no, will be vallewed there after.

What a low price do carnal hearts put upon the deep things of God, upon the great things of eternity? Glory and honour and immortality and eternal life, what cheap things are they accounted? whileſt ſoul, and conſcience, and peace, and hopes, and life are ſo ordinarily ſold, to purchaſe p. 47an earthly inheritance, (that's the bargain that every where is driving in this earth) how few are there that will deal for Heaven and Glory, though it may be bought without mony, and without price? though it may be had for the ſeeking for; though it be bought to their hands, yet they will not take it. Now what advantage is this to wordly temptations, when the price of things to come is ſo beaten down, when the price of things preſent is ſo hoiſed and raiſed, as if the one could hardly be over-bought, and the other were ſcarce worth the dealing for?

2. By ſharpening the edge of preſent evils, and blunting the edge of evils to come. The afflictions of this life are made to cut deeper than the vengeance to come. The perſecutions of men are more feared than the Plague of God: Satan makes his Vaſſals to think, there is no Heaven or Hell to thoſe on Earth; Poverty looks more diſmally than eternal Fire, Diſgrace than Damnation, the Wrath of man than the Cnrſe of God.

Let Death and Damnation be preached to the World, and this ſtirs them not, let the Devil preach of Tribulation and Perſecution for righteouſneſs ſake, and how are they frighted,? Let the Word declare unto them, with never ſo much plainneſs and power, He that believeth not ſhall be damned; If you live after the fleſh you ſhall dye; The Wrath of God ſhall be revealed from Heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſs and ungodlineſs of men; Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and the glory of his Power: And how little is this regarded, who doth believe this report? how few are convinced? how few are awakened, p. 48ſo much as to conſider how they may eſcape? How weak are all thoſe Arguments, which are either fetch'd down from above, or fetch'd up from the deep, and how little will they work? On the other ſide, let men be told, He that departs from evil makes himſelf a prey; All thoſe that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution; Ye ſhall be reproached, reviled, and caſt out of men, made as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things; Ye ſhall be as Sheep among Wolves, as Lilles among Thorns; The Devil ſhall caſt you into Priſon; You ſhall be as Signs and Wonders in Iſrael; Many are the troubles of the Righceous, &c. Let the Devil take ſuch Texts as theſe, and preach to them, and how deep does his word go? If this be the portion of Chriſtians, if this be the wages of Righteouſneſs, and the fruit of Holineſs, let me take heed of Chriſt and his waies. A mocking Iſhmael, a curſing Shimei, a rayling Rabſhakeh, will do more to fright them off from holineſs, than the Worm, than the Fire, than all the Vipers, and Scorpions, and Stings, and Torments beneath will do, to drive them back from Sin: They dare not be Saints for fear of the barking of Dogs, but they dare be Sinners notwithſtanding the roaring of Lyons; The Devil hath made ſuch fools of them, that a few grains laid on them at preſent, ſeem more heavy, than thoſe Talents that the Almighty is caſting down upon them.

3. By an active ſtimulating and preſſing them on, what ever becomes of them hereafter, to purſue the preſent good things, and to prevent the preſent evil things. If the Devil can but make the Premiſes take with them, That the good things preſent are ſo good, p. 49that there's nothing better, That the evil things preſent are ſo evil, that there are none greater; then hee'l eaſily gain the Concluſion; Therefore it's the beſt and wiſeſt courſ, per fas aut nefas, to ſecure the one, and eſcape the other.

But more particularly, the Devil manages and quickens the temptations of the World,

By propoſing of Objects.

By provoking the Appetite.

1. By propoſing of Objects. He brings the World in ſight. Sometimes he preſents it immediately to the fancy; he raiſes great thoughts of heart about it; he calls the thoughts abroad with him, to take a view of the glory, and the riches, and the pleaſures of his Kingdom; ſets men a thinking on the pomps and faſhions, or the ſports and pleaſures of the world; a rolling over in their minds, the gains and ſweetneſſes of a worldly life.

Sometimes he preſents it to the Eye. There is a quick paſſage from the eye to the heart: If the Devil can but turn the eyes to behold vanity, by the eye he will eaſily infect the heart. The Devil preſents Objects to the eye, leading men up and down, where his baits and ſnares do lye, 2 Tim. 3. 6. Sinners are ſaid to be lead about by divers [Luſts.] The Devil leads Luſt, and Luſt hath the leading of the Man. But whither do mens Luſts lead them? Why every where, up and down, where the Devil hath laid his baits to take them: Some mens Luſts lead them to their Companions, to their ſports and paſtimes, to the Ale-houſe, to the Tavern; other mens Luſts carry them into the City, or into the Field, over Sea and Land, to find them out wealth and ſubſtance; Some mens Luſts lead them p. 50to the Courts of Princes, to the Palaces of Nobles, to ſee faſhions, to get favour, and to climb up into dignities and high places. Men need conſider whither they go, and what their call is thither; the Devil hath oftner an hand in the leading us up and down, than we are aware of; and he that goes whither the Devil leads him, 'tis ten to one but he's in the Net before he returns: We are never more ſecure than when we keep aloof from temptations, when the Devils baits are out of ſight. We are never in more danger, than when the hook is out of fight and the bait is in ſight: that's Satan's courſe, as to hide the hook, ſo to ſhew the bait. He turn'd Eve's eye to the Apple, Achan's eye to the wedge of Gold, Ahab's eye to Naboth's Vineyard, and then what work did he make with them.

2. By provoking the Appetite; And this he doth, not onelyonly by propounding of Objects at all adventures, but ſuch objects as are moſt ſuitable and taking with thoſe he has to deal: Satan is a skilful Philoſopher; he underſtands our natures and complexions, and the ſeveral inclinations that flow from them: Satan is a cunning Fiſher, and knows at what baits every kind of Fiſh will bite; and accordingly angles for them: Some men he obſerves are naturally of a ſenſual heart, given to the pleaſures of the fleſh; for theſe he hath ſports and paſtimes, Mirth and Jollity, Wine, Beauty, &c. Look thee here ſaith the Devil, what a life thou maiſt live if thou wilt; Ariſe, take, and eat, here's meat thou loveſt, take thy fill, and make thee an happy man: if thou meddle too far with the Scriptures, or hearken to theſe Preachers, p. 51what a ſad Soul wilt thou become? a ſowr unpleaſant and moroſe ſpirit, thou wilt be even eaten up of thy melancholick dumps: thou muſt croſs thy ſelf, and be ever vexing thine heart, with intollerable ſeverities, if thou wilt hearken to them: let them alone, let them Preach to whom they will, run not after them, hearken not to their words; beleive thy ſenſes, taſte what I ſet before thee, taſte if it be not good.

Others he obſerves to be of earthly minds, gaping after wealth and riches; tis not mirth, and jollity, and pleaſures, and ſuch like traſh, and chaffe, that will take with theſe; they muſt have ſubſtance; and for theſe he hath money, and lands, fields, and farms and oxen: Wilt thou be a rich man? wilt thou be a wealthy man? wilt thou increaſe thy ſtock and thy ſtore? wilt thou enlarge thy poſſeſſion? hearken to me, be a good husband; waſt not thy time about impertinencies, reading hearing, praying, &c. Mind thy buſineſs, and thine intereſt, ſet thine heart upon thy work, let this be the one thing thou mindeſt. Nouriſh not needleſs ſcruples, this is a forbidden courſe, this ought not to be done; away with ſuch fears; the more free thou art to venture on any thing, the greater will thy gain be: let Men or Conſcience clamour againſt thee, call thee Earth-worm, unjuſt, extortioner, oppreſſour; let them alone, thou ſhalt increaſe in ſubſtance, and that will make thee amends for all; and for conſcience, if that be ſore or troubleſome, a little repentance at laſt will heal that ſore.

Others are of aerie Spirits, proud and ambitious; and for theſe he hath the breath of popular applauſe, p. 52reſpect and eſteem in the world, honour and reputation.

Others are of a timorous and fearful heart; and with theſe he deals in thunder and ſtorms; threatnings, perſecutions, bonds and baniſhments reproaches and cruel mockings. Look before thee fooliſh creature: what art thou a doing? what art thou preparing for thy ſelf? ſee what rods I have in brine for thee; knoweſt thou not that I have power to make thee or to undoe thee! art thou able to ſtand againſt all the world? See how all my Armies are confiderate againſt thee, and running upon thee to devour thee, and ſwallow thee up: conſider the rage of their hearts, the fury in their faces, the violence of their hands; behold them already on their march againſt thee; they are many, they are terrible, they are potent, they are near that ſeek thy ruine. Awake from thy folly, be not acceſſary to thine own undoing: ſave thy ſelf, go and make thy peace with them, caſt in thy lott amongſt them, joyn with the multitude, be as they are, let thy voice and thy way be as theirs; let go this pride and ſingularity, and be as others, and it ſhall be well with thee.

Thus ſubtilly doth our adverſary deal with us; with every man according to his humour, according to the ſeveral diſpoſitions of their hearts; and in this ſubtilty, his ſtrength lyes, and thereon his ſucceſs depends. What wonder, that the fearful are frighted? that the proud are lifted up, that the greedy gape ſo wide? that the full draughts of the worlds ſtollen waters, do ſo eaſily down with ſuch, whoſe Souls are panting after them?

Chriſtians let's learn wiſedom of this Serpent; p. 53Doth he make advantage of our Tempers? doth he obſerve our diſpoſitions, and accordingly order his temptations? Let us learn this wiſdom, to know our own hearts, and to obſerve our own inclinations, and accordingly there to ſtand moſt conſtantly on our guard, where we find the adverſaries moſt like to aſſault us; and to have a ſpecial eye to thoſe enemies that are moſt like to make a breach upon us.

Art thou a perſon given to pleaſure? Is a merry, jolly, frolick, wanton, luxurious life grateful to thee? art thou given to appetite? to indulge thy throat, to ſtudy thy belly? are meats and drinks, curioſities and varieties of them, the things thou mindeſt? Art thou given to pride? is honour or applauſe, is the higheſt place, the fineſt cloaths, the neweſt faſhions, are theſe thine hearts delight? Is merry company, lightneſs, vain jeſting, wanton or amorous books or diſcourſes, are theſe the delight of thine heart? When ever thou ſeeſt them before thee, tell thine heart, how pleaſing ſoever theſe be to thee, theſe things I muſt never allow thee: When ever thou ſeeſt ſuch objects before thee and opportunities inviting thee to ſatisfie thy luſt, when thou falleſt into company that are of the ſame ſpirit, when ſports and paſtimes when delicates and dainties or any other voluptuous Objects are before thee, then ſay, Now I muſt look to my ſelf; the Devil ſtands in the crowd, to ſteal away my ſoul: theſe are the flies with which he uſes to bait his hook for me,; he hath catch'd me with them many a time, and now he is come angling for me again: O my ſoul I know thou haſt a luſt to be nibing: theſe are the things thou naturally loveſt, p. 54here thy great danger lyes, and I muſt look the more narrowly to thee here. An heart given to pleaſure, ſhould hold it ſelf under a greater reſtraint, and allow it ſelf leſs liberty, than others that are not thus enclined; that may be ſafe for them, which would prove fatal to thee.

Art thou an earthly minded perſon? and doſt thou ſee ſubſtance before thee; a Field, or an Houſe that may be gotten? does the world come crowding and flowing in upon thee? Haſt thou good trading, rich merchandiſe, gainful bargains before thee, and is thy ſoul in chaſe of them? Take heed to thy ſelf, theſe are the things by which thou art like to be loſt: thou art never in ſuch danger of becoming poor, as by growing rich: When are Worldlings hearts ſo ready to take their leave of God, and Heaven, as when they are entertained with the flatteries of a ſmiling World? their gains are uſually their greateſt loſſe, they never decline or go back ſo much, as when they have the beſt trading. How hardly ſhalt rich men enter into the Kingdom of God? When riches increaſe, how hard is it for ſuch, not to ſet their harts upon them?

How little are the Counſels or Promiſes of God regarded, whilſt we have the World at will? how little is it regarded, that God Promiſes, I will be thine, Chriſt ſhall be thine, the Kingdom ſhall be thine; whilſt the World ſtands by and ſaies, I will be thine, Money ſayes, I will be thine, Sheep and Oxen ſay, we will all be thine! The Lord is hereupon often put to it, to take away our money, to drive away our cattel, to burn down our houſes, to turn our fruitful Land into a Wilderderneſs, p. 55to bring us to wants and ſtraits, ere he can be regarded, Hoſ. 2. 14. I will bring her into the Wilderneſs, and there will I ſpeak to her heart: ſpeak to her any where elſe, and ſhe will give me the hearing; in the Wilderneſs my Word will reach her heart.

Oh that men were ſenſible of this; that they are never ſo like to ſtarve as upon their heaps, that their proſperous times are the Devils ſeaſons to impoveriſh their ſouls; that the abundance that is ſet before them, are the Devils tokens, whereby he is enticing their hearts after him.

I am rich and have found me out ſubſtance, now I ſhall be happy? No, no, fooliſh ſoul, theſe riches are Satans Milſtones which he hangs about thy neck, to drown thee in perdition and deſtruction; if any thing ſink thee, 'tis this load upon thy back; thy Golden age is like to be thine Iron age: Satan knows thy mind, and what will pleaſe thee; he's trucking with thee for thy life: He knows thou haſt a greedy heart, and that there's nothing ſo dear unto thee, but he can buy it for money, and that's the bargain he's driving with thee; Sell all that thou haſt, thy God, thy Hopes, thy Soul, and come and follow me, and thou ſhalt have treaſures on Earth.

Chriſtians, ſtand ever upon your Watch, but eſpecially when there's any thing before you, that your carnal hearts like, and are apt to fall a luſting after, if ever you would fear the Devil, fear him then, when he is tickling your fleſh: he never does us more miſchief, than by doing us good turns: God ſeldom does us more good than by his ſrowns, and the Devil never does us more hurt p. 56than by his kindneſſes. It never fares better with Gods Children than when they are croſt, nor ever fares it worſe with the Devils Children, than when they are cocker'd: never ſuſpect the Devil more, than when he pretends to do you a courteſie; what ever it be, by which he uſually pleaſures you, dread that as Death and Hell: Miſtake not Gods chaſtiſements, nor the Devils complements; be content that God ſhould diſpleaſe you, and be afraid when the Devil pleaſes you; be convinc'd that Gods ſmitings are a precious Balm, and the Devils ſtroakings are ſtabs at your heart; fear not his Thunder and Storms ſo much as his warm Sun.

Beware of this folly, Whatever pleaſes me is good for me. Beware of this madneſs, I [muſt] be pleaſed what ever comes of it, mine eye muſt be pleaſed, my humour muſt be pleaſed, mine appetite muſt be pleaſed, I muſt be pleaſed what ever it coſts me: If you be for that, the Devil knows where to have you: though God does not pleaſe you, though holineſs does not pleaſe you, though Heaven does not pleaſe you, the Devil that knows your palate, will find ſomething that will: If Mony will do it, if Mirth will do it, if Meat, and Drink, and fine Cloathes or merry Company will do it, this he offers you, and by this he holds you captive at his will.

III. Wherein the ſtrength of faith lies, whereby it overcomes the world.

What a mighty enemy is here? who can ſtand before it? What is little David to Goliah? what is a ſling and a pebble to a ſword and a ſpear? to an helmet and greaves and a target of braſſe? The p. 57mighty Philiſtim comes bluſtring, and boaſting, and fuming, and chafing, ſo that he made an earthquake in the Camp of Iſrael; and what could a poor ſtripling do to undertake this mighty Champion? what hope is there of victory over him? little David tells us, 1 Sam. 17. 45. Thou comeſt to me with a Sword, and a Spear, but I come unto thee in the Name of the Lord of Hoſts: this day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and all this aſſembly ſhall know, that the Lord ſaveth not with Sword and Spear, the battel is the Lords, and he will give you into our hands.

The ſtrength of Iſrael is this David; the ſtrength of David is his Faith, the ſtrength of Faith is the Name of the Lord, Prov. 18. 10. the Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous runneth into it and is ſafe.

But to come cloſer to the matter in hand, this general I ſhall diſpatch in theſe two Particulars.

1. The ſtrength of a Chriſtian is his Faith.

2. The ſtrength of Faith is Chriſt.

1. The ſtrength of a Chriſtian is his Faith, Mark 9. 23. to him that believeth all things are poſſible; there's nothing impoſſible to Faith, becauſe there's nothing impoſſible to God: The 11th. chapter to the Hebrews is a ſhort Chroniele of the mighty Acts and Atchievements of Faith. It ſpoiled Death of its prey; as in the caſe of Enoch, verſe 5. his Faith carried him to Heaven another way, he was tranſlated and did not ſee death: It made an Ark to ſave from a Flood; as in the caſe of Noah, verſe 7. It caus'd a living iſſue to ſpring out of dead bodies; as in the caſe of Abraham and Sarah, verſe 12. It received p. 58a living Child from the dead, by offering it up to death; as in the caſe of Abraham offering up his Son Iſaac, v. 17. 19. It foretold things to come, and conveyed down the Fathers bleſſing on his poſterity; as in the caſe of Iſaac, Jacob, and Joſeph, v. 20.

But more fully to our purpoſe, It overcame the world.

1. It deſpiſed and rejected the proſperity of the world, v. 15. They were not mindful of their earthly countrey, they had a better, an Heavenly countrey in their eye, and were content to be Pilgrims in this, in hope to be poſſeſſours of that better inheritance. v. 24. Moſes by faith forſook the glory of Egypt, the Court of Pharaoh, the boſome of Pharaohs daughter, chooſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon.

2. It triumph'd over the power, and wrath of the world, v. 33. It ſubdued Kingdoms, wrought righteouſneſs, quenched the violence of fire, eſcaped the edge of the ſword; out of weakneſs it made ſtrong, turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens; endured cruel mockings and ſcourgings; yea moreover, bonds and impriſonments; endured ſtoning ſawing aſunder, wandrings about in ſheep-skins and goat-skins, deſtitute, afflicted, and tormented. In all theſe things the ſervants of God were more then conquerours [through Faith] in him that loved them.

Chriſtians, where is your faith? how is it that the world is ſtill on horſeback, riding on conquering and to conquer! not only riding over our backs, but riding over our Faith, crowing over our conſciences, triumphing over religion, and p. 59righteouſneſs; as if Chriſt had loſt the day, and conſcience had run the field?