The World Conquered, Sermon (2 of 6)

The World Conquered · Sermon (2 of 6)

p. 59Oh how many Captives hath it taken from the mighty? what multitudes of priſoners hath it gotten? Some it hath in golden chains, fettered in riches and worldly gains, in honours and dignities. Some it holds with a Spiders web, which yet they cannot break; the faſhions and fooleries of the world; its pomps, pleaſures and humours: others it hath laid faſt in iron chains, manacled with fears, and dread of its fury and violence: they dare not be Saints any longer; their faith, and their love, and their zeal, are all thrown away; they dare not appear in their Armour, leſt they ſhould be known for Chriſts diſciples.

How many renegadoes, and Apoſtates hath the world made; that have run from their colours, and have liſted themſelves under the Devil; under whoſe conduct they are fighting againſt that faith, and holineſs, which once they profeſſed? and thoſe that are left behind, how weak and faint-hearted are they moſt become? afraid not only of ſufferings but of their duty. O how are we loſt in our conflicts with temptations? whither are our hearts run? ſome into our fields, ſome into our ſhops, ſome into our gardens, ſome into our beds of eaſe, where we may ſleep in a whole skin. Some are gotten into ſanctuary, turn'd aſide to iniquity to eſcape affliction.

Oh how few hearts are there left behind with Chriſt, and thoſe that are how cold and ſpiritleſs are they become! tis woful to obſerve with what a pale face Chriſtianity looks at this day.

May we not ſadly invert the words of the Text, p. 60This is the victory that hath overcome our Faith even this preſent world? whileſt the Apoſtle boaſts that the believers of old, by their faith, ſubdued Kingdomes, wrought righteouſneſs, obteined promiſes, ſtopd the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of Fire, &c. May we not now hear the world triumphing, that it hath, ſhaken the Kingdom of Chriſt, wrought wickedneſs, vacated promiſes, ſtopped the mouth of Conſcience, quenched the heat of zeal, ſlain holineſs with the edge of the ſword, put to flight the hopes of the Saints, left for dead thoſe whom God hath raiſed up to life, left the Church that living vineyard as a field of dead carkaſſes, their peace ſlain, their comforts ſlain, the Spirit of light and life within them vaniſhed into dimneſs and deadneſs? and all this becauſe our Faith hath ſo much fail'd: what are we become? to what a low ebbe are we brought O we of little faith? well, but yet there is hope concerning this thing. This ſtump if there be but life in the root, will ſpring again and recover again: you that have but a little faith, blow up that living ſparkle, and your ſick, and ſpoiled and half dead Souls, will revive again; let your faith once out of weakneſs be made ſtrong, and it will recover all you have loſt.

Beleive more, nouriſh and cheriſh and exerciſe Faith more; lean on the rock of ages, look unto Jeſus, lay hold on the Covenant, live in the word of promiſe, hang upon the ſhoulders, feed upon the fulneſs of the Lord, and there let your Faith gather ſtrength again, and this will be the ſtrength of your hearts; will renew your life, recover your love, enflame your zeal, ſet your holineſs, and your hopes again upon the wing, and bring p. 61the world and its temptations again under your feet: the ſtrenth of a Chriſtian is his Faith.

2. The ſtrength of Faith is Chriſt. Chriſt is the mighty one: the mighty God, If. 9. 6. The rock of ages, in whom is everlaſting ſtrength, If. 26. through Faith this mighty God is our God, this rock of ages is our rock, 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them, becauſe greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world: who is he that is in you? tis Chriſt that is in you: who is he that is in the world? the Devil is in the world. Chriſt is greater then the enemy, and therefore you have overcome. He that is in the world is great, but he that is in you is greater, he that is in the world is ſtrong, and ſubtil, but he that is in you is ſtronger and wiſer then he [little] Children ye have overcome: what are a company of poor children to a mighty giant? But behold the childrens Champion, and you will quickly ſee on which ſide the victory will go.

There are 2. things in Chriſt which are the ſtrength of faith.

His

Power.

Victory.

1. His power: he is a mighty one as before: I have layd help on one that is mighty, Pſal. 89. 19. he hath power,

Temptations.

To prevent

To deaden

To ſuccour thoſe that are tempted.

1. He hath power to prevent temptations, 1 Cor. 10. 13. he will not ſuffer us to be tempted above what we are able: You may conclude from the promiſe of Chriſt, to his power; he will not promiſe more p. 62then he can doe; when he ſaies he will not ſuffer us to be tempted, you may be ſure he hath power to reſtrain the tempter. Chriſt hath all our tempters and temptations in his power; the Devil in his power, the World in his power, they muſt have leave ere they can ſtrike a ſtroke. If he ſay the word, the Aſſyrian ſhall not come againſt Jeruſalem, nor dig a trench about them, nor ſhoot an arrow againſt them, he hath his hook in the noſe, and his bridle in the Jaws of all his enemies. As the Devil could not tempt Chriſt, ſo neither any of his ſervants unleſs the Spirit lead them into the wilderneſs to be tempted: therefore he directs us to pray, Lead us not into temptation.

2. He hath power to deaden temptations; to take off the edge of them, that ſo though they come, yet they ſhall not enter: though Sathan ſtrikes, yet his arrows ſhall not ſtick, Gal. 6. 14. By him the world is crucified to me and I am crucified to the world. Chriſt by his Croſs hath ſlain the world; its now become to the Saints as a dead thing. Its beauty and glory is dead, dried up and withered. Chriſt by his croſs hath diſcovered the glory of the other world; life and mortality are hung forth in open ſight on the Croſs of Chriſt; and that ſunſhine hath withered all the flowers here below; who will play at ſuch ſmall games, that ſees the inviſible Crown, which the Croſs of Chriſt hath ſet before his eyes. And as the beauty and glory, ſo the power and wrath of the world is ſlain. Chriſt by his death kill'd all the powers of darkneſs: a Chriſtian ſees, that the world can now doe him neither good nor hurt, it can neither befriend nor miſchief him: who would be enticed by a p. 63dead Carrion, or affrighted by a dead Lyon?

[And I am crucified unto it] Chriſt hath ſlain the World without us, and our worldly Luſts within us: Our old man is crucified with Chriſt, Rom. 6. 6. ye are dead, ſaith the Apoſtle, Col. 3. 3. dead to this World: Set your affections on things above, for ye are dead to things below: I am crucified to the World; that is, worldly temptations are no more to me, than if I were a dead man: What are meat, and drink, and cloaths, and pleaſures, and honours to a dead man? If the Devil ſhould go and preach among the tombs, and call out to the dead, hearken to me, and I will feed you with delicates, cloath you in ſcarlet, enrich you with ſilver and gold, exalt you to honour; what skull or bone would be moved? the ſame ſucceſs will he have in his tempting crucified Saints: were they totally thus mortified, the higheſt temptations would move them nothing at all, no more than a Carkaſs in the grave; and according to the degree of that mortification, they have attained to, ſo far forth is the edge of temptation blunted.

3. He hath power to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted. Though the Tempter be let looſe, and temptation come thick, and ſtrike deep, as by reaſon of our imperfect mortification they may; our experiences ſadly reſtifie, how much the World is often too hard for us, how often we are intangled and led away by it; what breaches it makes on our peace, what wounds in our hearts, and what fears and miſgivings hereupon ariſe in our ſouls, how we ſhall ſtand for the future; thus are we weary and diſtreſſed and hard beſtead; but though p. 64it be thus with us, in the midſt of all theſe there's this to ſupport us, Heb. 2. 18. In that he ſuffered being tempted, he is able alſo to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted.

2. His Victory over the world. Chriſt hath power over the World to reſtrain it from tempting, to deaden its temptations, to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted; yea more than that, he hath already overcome the World, and thereby ſecur'd our fifinal victory, John 16. 33. In the world ye ſhall have tribulation, but be ye of good comfort, I have overcome the World. Why what comfort's that, that he hath overcome? Why, 1. 'Tis ſome encouragement, that our enemy is not invincible; he that hath been beaten, may be beaten. 2. There's this farther comfort to us, that in his victory we have overcome: Who is it that hath overcome? Our Captain, our Champion hath overcome; he hath overcome, and overcome for us; he hath overcome, and we in him; We are more than Conquerours through him that loved us, Rom. 8. Faith unites to Chriſt; and thereupon,

1. All the Power of Chriſt is engaged to our help and aſſiſtance; We are hereby intereſs'd in his Victory; Chriſts Victory is our Victory; and alſo in his Power; he is now concern'd to protect and help us: we are his own, the attempts that are made againſt us, are made againſt him; the ſpoil that is made upon us, is made upon him, as in all our afflictions he is afflicted, ſo in all our temptations he alſo is tempted; our enemies are his enemies, our ſufferings are his ſufferings, our temptations are his temptations: Is not Chriſt concern'd to look to his own? Iſa. 63. 15. 19. Look down from p. 65Heaven and behold from the habitation of thine holineſs, and thy glory; where is thy Zeal and thy Strength? Why, what have you to do with me, or with my ſtrength? O we are thine, ſay they, ver. 19. So are not our enemies, thou never bareſt rule over them, nor are they called by thy Name, Pſal. 119. 94. I am thine, ſave me: I am thy Child, ſaith the Believer, thy Servant, a Lamb of thy Flock; thou art my Shepherd, I have committed my ſelf to thee, and thou haſt undertaken for me: If Satan prevails upon me, he prevails upon thee; if the World ſteal away my heart, it robs thee of thy due: I am thine ſave me.

2. By vertue of this Union, there is a diffuſion and ſhedding forth of the ſtrength of Chriſt into the ſoul: ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, Epheſ, 3. 16. Believers as they have the mighty hand of Chriſt over them, ſo they have the mighty Spirit of Chriſt in them, whereby they wax ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Chriſtians, be ware of excuſing your falls, by pleading want of ſtrength, as ſometimes ſome do; I could not help it, I am not able to ſtand in the day of temptation; the cares of this life are too hard for me, either to bear, or to deliver my ſelf from: there's no man knows what a load they are to me, how they run upon me like a flood, which I am no way able to withſtand. I [cannot] keep my heart free, I cannot mind my God and my Soul, as I would and deſire to do; one buſineſs or other, one care, one trouble or other is ſtill upon me, dividing, diſtracting me ſo, that I cannot do as I would; 'tis no comfort to me to live at the rate I do, but I can do no more p. 66then I can, I cannot help it.

Others, it may be, will make the ſame complaint, concerning the pleaſures of this life; I know a ſevere and ſelf denying life would be much more comfortable to me, if I could bring my heart to it; I am troubled at my ſelf, and angry with my ſelf, that I am ſo often led aſide to fleſhly liberty; I find miſchief enough and ſorrow enough afterwards, that my vain mirth and my vain company bring upon me; I have many a ſad night after my merry dayes; but yet there is ſuch an unhappy proneſs of my nature and diſpoſition, to ſuch a life, that when ever I have temptations before me, I have no power to forbear. It hath coſt me ſomething, I have pray'd and hop'd for more ſeriouſneſs and circumſpection, but ſtill I am overcome, and how to help it I cannot tell.

But art thou a Chriſtian? where is thy Faith man? haſt thou Faith, and no Chriſt? haſt thou Chriſt and no ſtrength? Is the world too hard for Chriſt? Is the fleſh to ſtrong for the ſpirit? haſt thou the ſpirit of the living God in thee, and yet canſt thou ſay, I can't help it to be thus earthly and thus fleſhly? Miſtake not thy ſelf; thou haſt reaſon to fear leſt thy [cannot help it] be a [will not help it] or a [care not to help it] thou art too willing of this carking caring life; thou art too willing of this vain and looſer life; and it may be art glad thou haſt ſo much to ſay as [I cannot help it] thou art inexcuſable O man, who pleadeſt inability, when all the power of Chriſt is before thee, and he hath ſaid to thee [if thou believeſt thou ma…ſt]

IIII. The conflict of Faith with the tempting world: p. 67or the wayes and means by which faith over comes the world. Theſe are,

1. It gives a right Judgment of the world: It diſcovers its true valew, what the world is worth. By faith we underſtand, Heb. 11. 3. as whence the world was, we underſtand its original; ſo what the world is, we underſtand its worth and its power; what it can do for us or againſt us; what help there is in it, and what hurt it can do us: and we underſtand its end too, of what durance it is, as well as its beginning.

Faith takes its eſtimate of the world from the word, and gives its judgment of it according to the Scriptures. The word ſpeaks of every thing as it is; of God as he is, of Sin as it is, of the preſent World as it is, and of the world to come, as it is: what the word ſpeaks, God ſpeaks, and whatever Faith ſpeaks, it hath it from the word.

What a poor and contemptible thing doth the Word make the World? a figure, a ſhadow, an image, a dream, vanity, a lye, things that are not, of no conſiſtency, or endurance.

When the word ſpeaks of the world to come, how highly doth it ſpeak? what a wonderful and glorious report doth it make, of the promiſed land, and the new Jeruſalem, that ſtate of bleſſedneſs prepared for the Saints? a Kingdom, a Crown, an eternal weight of glory, an inheritance incorruptible underfiled that fades not away. Riches reſt joy pleaſures, ſuch as neither tongus can expreſs, nor hearts conceive.

And how dreadfully doth it ſpeak concerning the miſeries of the other world! A priſon a place of darkneſs, a bottomleſs pitt, a lake of fire where is weeping and howling and gnaſhing of teeth.

p. 68Faith ſeals to the Judgment of the Scriptures, Joh, 3. 33. He that believeth hath ſet to his ſeal that God is true: when the word ſpeaks moſt highly of things to come, Faith ſaith it is even as it hath been told me of the Lord; and it cannot ſpeak ſo contemptibly of things preſent, but Faith will believe its report.

Unbelievers will not be perſwaded that the world is ſo poor a thing as it is, Hoſ. 12. 7. He is a merchant, the ballances of deceit are in his hand: the unbeliever will not weigh things in the ballance of the ſanctuary, but in his own deceitful ballances. Ballances may be ſaid to be ballances of deceit in a double ſenſe. There are ballances where by men deceive others, as thoſe falſe ballances, which unrighteous men uſe for their own advantage, to buy or ſell by; which may be thoſe there meant; and there are falſe ballances, whereby men deceive themſelves. Ungodly men as they weigh their commodities they ſell, in falſe ballances, thereby to deceive others; ſo they weigh their gains that they get to themſelves, in falſe ballances, and thereby deceive themſelves: their bargains that they make, they could never count them ſuch good bargains, unleſs they weighed them on their deceitful ballances. If ſenſe may be Judge, the world is a good bargain when deareſt bought; though if faith may be Judge, when the world may be had cheapeſt, it is not over ſafe dealing for it.

Now when the worth of the world is underſtood, the Divels market is ſpoiled. No man will care to deal with ſuch a pedlar, whileſt the Merchant ſtands by: who will ſell his inheritance p. 69for counters, or his patrimony for dirt and dung? who will ſpend his money for that which he knows is not bread, or his labour for that which profiteth not? the ſtrength of the temptation is broken, when once we underſtand of how little valew the things are, we are tempted by.

Chriſtians, ſtudy the world more; ſearch the Scriptures, and what theſe teſtifie of it, believe the Scriptures, which have written upon all under the Sun, Vanity and vexation of ſpirit; underſtand what an inſignificant cypher this figure of the world is. Believe your own words; you can ſometimes ſpeak contemptibly of the world your ſelves. Who of you will not ſay, this world is but a ſhadow, and the faſhion of it paſſeth away? do ye think as you ſpeak? do not diſſemble; either ſpeak your minds plainly, that this earth is your ſubſtance, your treaſure, your portion, and that its worth the venturing your Souls for it; or if you go on to ſay, this is not your reſt, you have here no continuing City, ther's no building on this ſand, here's no contentment nor continuance here, if ye go on to ſpeak thus, believe your own words, and then Judg how wiſely you deal for your ſelves, in venturing your eternity for ſuch empty periſhing things.

2. By Faith the ſoul pitches upon an eternal inheritance. Its our chooſing the good part, Luke 10. 42. our laying hold on eternal life. 1 Tim. 6. 12. thoſe believers Heb. 11. 14. are ſaid to ſeek a countrey; they were not mindful of this, they confeſt themſelves, and were content to be ſtrangers and pilgrims here, their countrey was on the other ſide Jordan, and thither they ſent their hearts.

Faith deſcries a better countrey; it ſees into the p. 70inviſible world, Heb. 11, 27. its the good ſpy that's ſent out to ſearch the land of Canaan; and finding it to be a good land, there the Soul pitches. It ſaies unto the Lord, thou art my God, thou art my portion for ever: this is my reſt, here will I dwell. If I can bear through this weary land, and at laſt enter into that reſt; however matters go with me here, I am not careful about that, if I can but attain to the reſurrection of the dead, if I can but get to Heaven, thats all my deſire and deſign.

Meet a believer where you will, and ask him, whether art thou bound? Oh for the Holy Land: whom ſeekeſt thou thou? Jeſus of Nazareth: what runneſt thou for? what waiteſt thou for? The incorruptible Crown.

Ask him again, will nothing leſs content thee? Look about through all the earth, canſt thou find nothing worthy thy love? what is ſilver and gold, and houſes, and lands, and honours, and pleaſures, are theſe nothing with thee? may not theſe ſatiſfie thee? No no, theſe are not God, this is not Heaven; there's no reſt here for the ſole of my foot; my houſe, and my home is above, my hope, and my treaſure is above, and my Soul is above, and cannot be content to dwell in the duſt.

Ask him yet again, But how wilt thou get into that good Land? there are difficulties and dangers in the way; thou haſt a wilderneſs to go through, a red Sea, and a Jordan to paſs over; there are Lions in thy way, there are Giants in thy way; thou mayeſt be a prey to thine enemies, torn in pieces of wild Beaſts, or ſwallowed up in the waters, or at leaſt thou mayſt wander in the wilderneſs, and p. 71looſe thy way, and never come into thy reſt at laſt.

Well, but however, I [muſt] venture, I am reſolv'd for heaven, how difficult or dangerous ſoever the way may prove: I'le venture all here; Heaven or nothing, Chriſt or nothing. Henceforth let no man trouble me with other buſineſs, for I bear in my heart the prints of the Lord Jeſus, he is gotten within me, he is engraven upon my breaſt, and on my ſoul, and this heart can never be at reſt till I be with him where he is: Lord be thou my God, and bring me into thine holy habitation; lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and ſhew me thy ſalvation; this one thing I deſire, let this be granted me, and then my heart ſhall be glad, and my glory ſhall rejoyce, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope. I have enough; thou wilt ſhew me the path of life; In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore.

And now world, where art thou, with all thy glory? this earth is trodden to dirt, when the heart is once in earneſt for heaven.

Chriſtians, come pitch your Tents here; where will you that your lot ſhall fall? you have two worlds before you, which will you chuſe? hang not betwixt both. Will you get up to the Mountains, or will you dwell in this Plain? Come to a reſolution; you will never get clear of this world, till you climb up to the other.

'Tis only the milk and honey of Canaan, that will wean your ſouls from the Onions and Garlick of Egypt. The flowers of the field will be beautiful, till you ſee the Roſes of the Garden. The fatneſs of the earth will be your delight, till p. 72you underſtand the ſweetneſs of heaven: you'l never be content to looſe from this ſhore, till you ſee the banks of a better Land: you will not part with your preſent purchaſes, till you ſee where you may have a better bargain.

Its to no purpoſe to think to get off your hearts by common arguments; This world is vain, this world is troubleſome, uncertain, fading, a barren Land; if that be all you can ſay, 'twill never do; your hearts will anſwer, A barren Land is better than none, an houſe of Clay is better then no habitation: If my ſoul may not dwell here, where ſhall I be better?

Where mayſt thou be better? Come and ſee; lift up your eyes to the hills; look you towards Sion, the City of the great King; mark all her Bulwarks, tell all her Towers, behold her Foundations; Is it not a ſtrong City? walk through the midſt of her, behold the Tree of Life, bearing all manner of fruits, of which whoſoever eats ſhall live forever. Behold the River, thoſe ſtreams of everlaſting pleaſures, that run through the City of God; of which whoſoever drinks, ſhall never die. Behold the Palms, and the Robes, and the Crowns, the reſt, the joy, and the glory of the Inhabitants of this City; God is in the midſt of her; the all-bleſſed, all-glorious, all-ſufficient God, he is their light and their life; there ſhall be no Clouds, nor ſtorms, no night nor darkneſs, no wants nor fears, no ſorrow nor complaining in her ſtreet; everlaſting joy ſhall be upon their heads, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away. Look towards this holy City; live in the view and contemplation of the glory to come; and then p. 73look down, and ſee what a dark Miſt will becloud the worlds moſt glorious Sun-ſhine.

And then demand; Now ſoul, which wilt thou chuſe? where wilt thou pitch? both Lands are before thee, which ſhall be thine Inheritance? art thou for God or the world? for heaven or earth?

What ſhall I ſay? I wot not what I ſhall chuſe? why is the choice ſo hard? Is it ſuch a difficulty to determine whether light or darkneſs, joy or ſorrow, life or death, be the better choice?

Well, jacta eſt alea; the lot is caſt; God ſhall be my portion, and the lot of mine inheritance. O my God, wilt thou be mine? ſhall my dwelling be with thee? The matter is ended; the lines are fallen to me in a pleaſant place, and I have a goodly Heritage. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour thou beareſt to thy children, and viſit me with thy ſalvation; let me ſee the good of thy choſen, let me rejoyce in the gladneſs of thy Nation, let me glory with thine Inheritance, and I have no more to ask.

Brethren, when once you have by Faith made this choice, there's an end of the Devils hopes. Look up therefore, look up to that bleſſed Country, cry unto God, Lord open mine eyes, and let me ſee, Lord reach down thine hand and help me up, take up this heart to thee, and there let it fix. Oh what clods of earth, what dead lumps of fleſh are theſe hearts, that do not yet begin to riſe; Lord let this fleſh become Spirit, let our aſhes flame and aſcend to thee; once for all, let us come to thee, and never return to this duſt again.

3. By Faith we underſtand that the good things preſent cannot further, and the evil things preſent cannot p. 74hinder our eternal happineſs: We are apt either to be pleas'd or diſtaſted, with the various objects and occurrences we meet withall, according as they ſerve or croſs our end. He that hath made God his end, and Eternal Glory his end, doth value all things according to their tendency thitherward; as any thing hinders or helps heavenward, ſo is it regarded: 'Tis a ſign thou haſt made thy fleſh thy end, when fleſh-pleaſing objects and courſes are the taking things with thee, and every thing is a croſs that touches upon thy fleſhly intereſt: what is a furtherance to thy ſoul, thou canſt want it; what is an hindrance to thy ſoul, thou canſt bear it, and find no trouble; but what ſerves or diſſerves thy fleſh, theſe are the things that move thee: Let ſuch ſouls never talk of making God their end. If God be your end indeed, if you be for heaven in earneſt, 'tis what will pleaſe God, and what leads heavenwards that are the only conſiderable things.

Now by Faith we underſtand that the things of the world, in themſelves, make neither one way nor other as to our future happineſs: The good things of the world cannot further our happineſs; there's no man the nearer heaven for being rich or honourable; the Palaces of Princes are not the porch to glory: Believe it Chriſtians, to be rich in this world, and to be rich towards God, are two things; the favour of Princes is no mark of divine honour, nor medium to it; the pleaſures of the fleſh are not of kin to the pleaſures above, nor ſubſervient to them. Theſe things may undo us, our gold may ſink us, we may break our necks from our high mountains; our temporal proſperities p. 75and advantages may ſhut us out from the everlaſting Kingdom, Matth. 19. may be the death and damnation of ſouls, (and do they not often prove ſo) but never their ſalvation.

And ſo on the other ſide, The troubles and afflictions of this world cannot hinder or happineſs. Faith ſees as open and near a way to heaven, from the dunghill, as from the Pinacle of the Temple; from the Priſon, as from the Palace; from the Croſs, as from the Crown: The gate of heaven ſhall never be ſhut againſt any, becauſe he is poor or perſecuted; 'tis not a Purple Robe, or a Gold Ring, that ſhall procure entrance, nor are they rags, or ſores, or reproaches that ſhall ſhut the door. We read Jam. 2. 2, 3. that there was ſuch a practiſe among men; If any one come into [your] aſſembly with a gold ring, or goodly apparel, or in a poor habit and vile rayment, they were entertain'd thereafter; they had their different reſpect, according to the pomp of the one, or the poverty of the other; But 'will not be ſo in the great Aſſembly above.

'Twill never be demanded, when you knock for entrance into glory, what Eſtate have you gotten in the world? in what honor and grandieur did you live? where are your Bags and your Barns, your Manſions and Mannors, that you have gotten? Will the Lord, think you, ever ſay to him that comes and knocks, and calls, Lord, Lord, open to me; will he ever ſay, No friend, you are a poor man; here's no place for you? you were ſo greedy after grace and holineſs, that you never minded the getting an eſtate in the world; you have waſted your time in reading, and praying, p. 76and faſting; you have waſted your Eſtate, in giving and lending, in feeding and cloathing others; you are a poor man, away from me, here's no place for thee; will the Lord ever ſay thus at laſt?

Men covet, and labour, and hoard up theſe earthly things, as if this were the condition of everlaſting bleſſedneſs, as if their ſouls and eternal life lay on them▪ men ſhift and ſhun affliction, as if theſe were the way to the Pit: But Faith ſees, that theſe things will not be ſo: No man ſhall be diſowned becauſe he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jeſus. Well may the Croſs be a Ladder by which we may aſcend into glory, but it ſhall never be a clog to detain us from aſcending.

Theſe things being by Faith underſtood, the world looſes a believers heart; the good below he can ſpare, and the evil below he will not fear.

There's the ſame ground why believers ſit ſo looſe from the world, and the things thereof, as there is, why unbelievers ſit ſo looſe from God, and the things of God.

Carnal men can want the preſence and favour of God; can ſpare Religion, and the duties and comforts thereof, and never find any miſs of them; why ſo? why, becauſe theſe things do not at all ſerve their deſign; they can be as rich, and as great, and as merry, without minding God, or holineſs, or any ſuch thing. And upon a like ground, a Believer can want his eaſe, or his pleaſure, or any of his outward comforts; why ſo? why, becauſe theſe if he had them, would as little ſerve his deſign, as Religion will the Worldlings.

p. 77Hearken to me, ſaith Satan, and whatever the world doth afford ſhall be thine: Why, will this world ſtand me inſtead in reference to the world to come? Can my ſoul feed upon this earth and aſhes? Shall I be ever the better man for being a rich man? Will theſe earthly things commend me to God? Is he a reſpecter of the rich above the poor, of the honorable above the deſpiſed? Is this following after riches or pleaſures thou perſwadeſt me to, Is this my way to life? Avoid Satan, thou comeſt but to mock me, and beguile me.

4. By Faith we underſtand, that the deſign of temptations is to deprive us of our Inheritance. A Believer knows, that the Devil owes him no good will, how fair ſoever he treats him; he ſees that all his promiſes are cheats, that all his gifts are bribes, to corrupt us firſt, and then to deſtroy us: he marks him for his mortal Enemy, whoſe drift is to keep him out of the Paradiſe of God: he hath learn'd from the Scriptures, who 'twas that at firſt thruſt him out thence. This Serpent was he, Gen. 3. and now he has him out, that his work is to keep him from ever recovering in. And he obſerves how his particular temptations do ſerve his general deſign, to deſtroy ſouls: whatever the voice is, this is the meaning of every temptation, Thou ſhalt never ſee God, thou ſhalt never get to heaven, if I can help it.

Faith underſtands what uſe the Devil [hath] made of the world; whither did the rich mans Purple, and fine linnen, and delicious fare lead him? Luk. 16. 19. 23. If you had ſeen him in the ſtate he was in, v. 19. in his gorgeous apparrel, p. 78at his voluptuous Table, what carnal heart but would have bleſs'd him? O this is an happy man! but where do you find him v. 23. Oh how ſadly is the Scene changed; Behold this brave Gallant in hell torments. A Believer would have ſeen him in hell in his firſt view; whilſt in the midſt of all his Gallantry and Gluttony.

Pſa. 73. 17. When I went into the Sanctuary, I ſaw the end of theſe men. How was it with them when he ſaw their end? where were they? why in the midſt of all their proſperity, in the heighth of their pride, in the heat of their luſt, in the heaps of their wealth; fat and flouriſhing, as full of mirth and jollity as their hearts could wiſh, and out of all fear of a fall; even then he ſees their end, in their very noon-tide he eſpied their night: Where ſhall we have you a few hours hence?

But what end was it he ſaw theſe men would come to? v. 18. Thou h…ſt ſet them in ſlippery places, thou caſteſt them down to deſtruction; how are they brought to deſolation in a moment? that's the end he ſaw was haſtening upon them, Deſolation and Deſtruction.

But how came he ſo ſoon to ſee their end? I went into the Sanctuary, there I underſtood their end. When I conſulted with God about it, when I left conſulting with Senſe, and conſulted with Faith about it, then I underſtood, how matters were like to go with them.

Believers, while they conſult with fleſh and bloud, are to apt to be envious at the fooliſh, to fret themſelves at the ungodly, whoſe way doth proſper, and to call the proud happy: yea and to murmure and think hardly of the Lord, who ſuffers p. 79his enemies to eat up the fat and drink the ſweet, and feeds his people with hunger and thirſt. I was envious at the fooliſh, when I ſaw the proſperity of the wicked.

But when they come to underſtand themſelves, what the meaning of all this plenty and proſperity of the ungodly is, and where it layes them at laſt, no more envy then; much good may doe them with all their glory and greatneſs; by that the fruit of all their doings comes up, they'le pay for all their pleaſure dearly enough.

Chriſtians, do ye ſee the proud inſulting oppreſſing ruffling world? do you ſee the vile of the earth ſcrambling for wealth, climbing up to honour, dividing the ſpoils and ſharing among themſelves the preferments and pleaſures of the world? beware you envy them not. Look a little farther, and you will ſee no matter of envy but of pity and praiſe. Pity over them, who are but fatting for the ſlaughter; and praiſe on the behalf of your ſelves, that you Souls are not gathered with them. But this by the way.

Faith underſtands from thoſe many inſtances it finds in Scripture what uſe the Divel hath made of the world; what miſchiefs and ruines he hath hereby brought on Souls; and when this is underſtood, then ſure its bewitching face notwithſtanding all its paint, will not look ſo beautiful and amiable.

5. Faith makes experimental and fuller diſcoveries of the glory of that inheritance the Soul hath pitchd upon. As I ſaid before, there's no way poſſible to divide the heart from this world, till you can ſhew it a better: thats the voice of every heart, which is p. 80ſaid, Pſal. 4. 6. to be the voice of the worldlings heart, Who will ſhew us any good? and whatſoever it finds and apprehends to be good, that it graſpes, and will hold till an higher good come in ſight.

This world is apprehended to be the worldlings good; and tis the beſt he knows; and he muſt be bought out of it, ere he will let it go; he muſt be bought out of his houſe, bought out of his livings and pleaſures, by ſomething that is, or is apprehended to be a valuable price at leaſt, ere he will quit what he has. Its vain to perſwade the rich to voluntary poverty, unleſs you can preſent him with a reward that will compenſate his loſs. All the arguments in the world, from the unſufficiency, inſtability, vanity, vexation in theſe earthly things, will be eaſily anſwered. But where ſhall I have better? better half a loaf then no bread, a ſhort meal is better then ſtarving the heart will not let go this world but upon the diſcovery of a better.

And according to the degree of the manifeſtation of thoſe better things above, ſo will there be more or leſs an abatement of our affection to things below. A little light from Heaven will make the world look dimme; and as the Sun riſes higher, all our ſtars creep into darkneſs: at the firſt entrance of God upon the Soul, the world looſes the place, as was ſaid before; and its thruſt lower and and lower ſtill as God riſes higher, till at length it be brought quite underfoot.

Its impoſſible that God and the world ſhould be intenſely lov'd together: that both ſhould be our God, our end, and chiefeſt good, is a contradiction; Its irrational for any to conclude that they have any great reſpect for God, who are ſtrongly p. 81affected to the world. Many profeſſours of religion may be convinc'd, that their religion is vain, by this, that to what ever height it ſeems to be rais'd its ſtill overtop'd by their earthly mindedneſs. 1 Joh. 2. 15. If any man love the world (intenſely, chiefly) the love of the Father is not in him.

Never talk of Chriſtianity till you ceaſe to be worldings, and never look to be leſſe worldlings, till you underſtand better what Heaven is.

Faith in its firſt entrance into the Soul brings this tidings, that God is better then the world; and according as it grows higher ſo is its teſtimony to this truth, more clear and full. As the Apoſtle ſaith concerning the righteouſneſs of God, Rom. 1. 17. ſo is it true of his Goodneſs, kindneſs, mercy, alſufficiency; the goodneſs and kindneſs of God is revealed from faith to faith: that is, according as faith grows, ſo is God and all the excellencies of his glorious name more known. Every cubit added to the ſtature of our faith, is a new beam of light ſprung forth from the face of God: and God known is Heaven known; our bleſſedneſs, our inheritance known; God is our inheritance.

Faith, as was ſaid before is the good Spie Num. 13. ſent forth to view the land of promiſe. The two Generals, Chriſt and Sathan, have each of them their Spie, which they ſend forth. Chriſts Spie is Faith, the Devils Spie is Senſe. The Devil will be ſending forth his Spie; Senſe muſt go and view the inheritance of the Saints. But this being ſhortſighted, and not able to travail far, muſt take up all its tidings upon heareſay; and finding no good report amongſt all its acquaintance, (ſenſual men will never ſpeak well of the things of God) it p. 82hereupon returns with an evil report; Its a dark land, and a dry and barren land; there's nothing of all that thou loveſt to be found in it, and it is uncertain whether there be any ſuch land or no: everlaſting joy and reſt are repreſented as fancies and conceits, to carnal hearts. Its better here, here are houſes and lands and pleaſures, we know there are, we ſee there are, but what there is in the other world, is altogether dark and uncertain to us.

Beloved, hath your ſenſe never dealt thus by you? what apprehenſions have you of the glory to come? have not your blind ſenſes diſparag'd and diſgrac'd the things of the Kingdome of God to you. You take every thing to be as ſenſe Judgeth it; and what is the Judgment of ſenſe, of theſe glorious things? It ſpeaks highly of things temporal; this world is good, a land flowing with milk and honey; But what ſaies it concerning things eternal? Are none of you the men and women, whoſe carnal hearts have told you, and you have believed them, that tis uncertain whether there be an Heaven or no; or if there be, yet the happineſs of it is ſo much unknown, that if you might, it would be more to your content, to live your eternity among theſe ſheep and oxen, in theſe gardens and orchards, in the poſſeſſion of your earthly delights and pleaſures, then ever to be carried hence to that unknown world?

Your opinions of theſe higher things, we may gueſs at, by the care you take about them.

What care is there taken about the things of God? what is there a doing, in your houſes, in your cloſets or any where about theſe matters? p. 83Have you taken up any deſign for Heaven? are you taking any effectual courſe for eternal bleſſedneſs? Are you as hearty and ſerious in ſeeking God as in ſeeking this world? whileſt your hearts are ſo hot and ſo zealous and buſy, in purſuing things temporal, is it not, upon the matter, indifferent to you whether you do any thing or no, or how you do it, in ſeeking the Kingdome of God? do you pray and labour and watch for your Souls, with as good a will as ever you did work for your living? do you hunger and thirſt after the knowledge and grace of God, after a part in Chriſt, after the pardon of your ſins, as ever you do after your appointed food?

What enquiries do you make? How is it with me? what evidences have I for Heaven? have I any right to the tree of life? Is there no fear I may fall ſhort of the reſt, and be ſhut out of the Kingdom of God? how may I know whether Chriſt be mine or no? Conſider are there any ſuch enquiries? no no, your ſenſe hath ſo much diſparag'd things to come, that they are to you, even as if they were hardly worth the inquiring after.

But now Faith is the good Spie, that makes a good report of that Holy Land: it makes more diligent ſearch after the riches of it, and finds out its hidden treaſures, and then ſpeaks as it finds: faith hath a glaſs, wherein it can behold, and whereby it doth reveal to the Soul, the glory of God. The goſpel is its glaſs, 2 Cor. 3. 18. the promiſes are its glaſs, thoſe great and precious promiſes, 2 Pet. 1. The promiſes are the deeds and conveyances by which this inheritance is made over. Now as among men, in their Deeds. there is a recital of all the particulars p. 84made over by them: The houſes, the lands, the gardens, the orchards, the rivers, the royalties and all the immunities belonging thereto; ſo is it here, the promiſes are a Map or Survey of Heaven; and Faith is often looking into theſe deeds, reading over the writings, and thence underſtands what a glorious purchaſe it hath.

Nay more, Faith brings down ſome of the fruits of this good land; this good Spie comes in loaden with ſome cluſters from Canaan.

A believer that walks with God, God lets fall to him now and then ſome handfuls of that harveſt, ſome drops of that vintage, which is ripening for him above: what are thoſe beams of divine light, that ſenſe of divine love, thoſe intimations of divine acceptance, thoſe communications of the divine image, in the increaſes of holineſs and righteouſneſs, that joy of faith, and peace in believing, what are theſe, but a Specimen of Heaven, the firſt fruits of glory?

By Faith the Kingdom of Heaven is within us: there's God within us, and Chriſt within us, and glory within us. Thoſe believers that live in the power of Faith and holineſs, need not travail far in ſearch for Heaven, tis but looking inward & there they may find it; ſay not who ſhall aſcend, in ſearch for Heaven, tis in thine heart. Sinners need not go down to the deep, to ſearch for Hell, there's an Hell within them? The filth and ſtench of Hell, in their vile affections; the ſmoke and flames of Hell, in their reeking and burning luſts; the darkneſs of Hell, in their darkned and blinded minds; and ſometimes the torments of Hell, in the anguiſh of their guilty and ſelf revenging conſciences. And as ſinners p. 85may find an hell, ſo believers an heaven in the heart; an heaven of light, an heaven of love, and joy, and praiſe: Thus it is with ſome, and thus it might be with all, were we ſtronger in Faith.

Oh what do we loſe by living thus by Senſe, when we migh… live by Faith! how have our carnal hearts, by conſuming and ſpinning out our daies in ſloth and idleneſs, ſticking at the labour of duty, whining under difficulties, ſhrinking from ſufferings, indulging to our eaſe, and our pleaſure, and liberties; how have our carnal hearts robb'd us of the life of God, the pleaſures of Angels, the joys of the Upper Region, and left us little more of Chriſtianity, then its wounds and bruiſes, its mournings and complainings, its ſighs and ſorrows! Oh fooliſh hearts, that conſult ſo unwiſely for our ſelves; that chooſe rather to live in Brakes, among theſe bryars and thorns, then among the Beds of Spices; that will rather laze it in a Wilderneſs, then get us up to the Garden of the Lord:

The life of Faith is an heavenly life. The life of God, Epheſ. 4. 18. though Faith ſhall never come into heaven, it ſelf, yet thither it tranſlates our hearts. It came down from heaven; it is the gift of God; and though it muſt not return thither ('tis love not Faith that ſhall dwell before the Throne of God) yet thither it raiſes thoſe hearts in which it lives.

Though it may not dwell there hereafter (Faith ſhall then be loſt in ſight) yet now its travelling thither, going and returning every day and hour.

Phil. 3. 20. Our converſation is in heaven; there's p. 86all our buſineſs: where ſhould a Chriſtian be? where does he live, but where his buſineſs lies? A Believer that had heretofore ſo many things to do, dividing his heart and time, hath now caſt all his buſineſs into one, hath brought all his buſineſs near his home; he hath nothing to do abroad in the Tents of wickedneſs, in the Camps of the Uncircumciſed; he hath done with ſerving fleſh and luſts, and times, and tables, and carkaſſes; here his whole work did lye, but no more of theſe now, they muſt be all laid aſide, or at leaſt made to come and ſerve with him in his higher buſineſs: God and glory, the loving, and praiſing, and ſerving, and ſecuring God to his ſoul, is all he hath to do, Phil. 3. 13. This one thing I do, forgetting that which is behind, and reaching forth to that which is before: I preſs to the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God, in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Theſe lower things, his outward priviledges, hopes and advantages, were once the things before him; but he's now gotten beyond, and hath left them all behind him; not only his Jewiſh priviledge, whereof he had boaſted, but much more all earthly things; he hath caſt off theſe weights, and is now flying upon the wing of Faith, aſcending in flames of love, winding up his ſoul by conſtant labour, above this dung and darkneſs, to the Regions of light and glory: This is his buſineſs.

And hence is his bleſſedneſs; heaven is his work and his meat, his labour and his hire; he will know nothing for a bleſſing, or a comfort, but what his Faith brings him down from above.

Why art thou caſt down O my ſoul? why art thou ſo p. 87diſquieted within me? Bid him, Hope in God; tell him, thou ſhalt yet praiſe him, who is the light of thy countenance, and thy God; and this will comfort him.

Say to him while you will, Man be of good comfort, the fig-tree bloſſoms, the labour of the Olive will not fail; there is fruit in the Vines, there are Flocks in the Folds, there are Herds in the Stalls, comfort thine heart, what wouldſt thou have more? And how little will this eaſe him?

Oh where is my God? how is it with my ſoul? what tidings from above? have I a treaſure there? doth God ſmile? what tidings from within? Is it peace there? doth my ſoul proſper? Is there grace there? is truth in my inward parts? this is good news; Come in thou bleſſed of the Lord, thou comeſt with good tidings; this ſhall comfort me.

This is the life of Faith; a converſation in heaven: Thus we ſhould, and thus we might live more then we do; but I doubt I have been here in telling you a Myſtery, whereof the moſt of us have but little experimental underſtanding.

Chriſtians, what acquaintance have you with this life of God? Is this your buſineſs, heavenly work? are theſe your comforts, heavenly ſupports? we are yet carnal, and walk as men: Oh this earth, earth, how doth it hang on our ſpirits; we live as if there were a middle Region betwixt heaven and earth; a middle ſtate betwixt Faith and unbelief: Some little we have attain'd of this heavenly life, and bleſſed be the Lord for any thing▪ but oh how little is it?

Friends, wonder not that you ſee no more of p. 88the Divine Glory, conclude not that there is no more to be ſeen; put it to the proof, live more with God, more purely, more cloſely, more conſtantly with him; live in the daily exerciſe of Faith, and you will get the ſight of other manner of glorious things then can be told you.

What's the reaſon that unbelievers are ſo wholly in the dark, and can ſee nothing of God, no more then they can deſpiſe and laugh to ſcorn? O 'tis becauſe they come not near where God is; they are alienated from the life of God; their whole buſineſs is in the heart of the earth; here they dwell, and here is their whole converſe.

Speak ye unbelievers, where dwell ye? what is your Occupation? where is your Converſation? far enough from heaven ſure, where ever it be.

Speak ye proud and haughty ones, where is your Converſation? our Converſation is in the air, we feed on wind, live upon breath; honor and applauſe is all we work for, and live upon.

Speak ye Covetous, where is your Converſation? our Converſation is in the earth; we feed upon duſt and aſhes, and in theſe our buſineſs lies.

Speak ye contentious quarrelſome ones, where is your Converſation? our Converſation is in the fire; in ſtorms and tempeſts.

Speak ye voluptuous Senſualiſts, where is your Converſation? our Converſation is in the mud and mire, in laſciviouſneſs, wantonneſs, and all manner of filthy luſts.

Speak ye Ranters, Ruffians, Swearers, Curſers, Blaſphemers, where is your Converſation? our Converſation is in Hell, in the Alehouſe, the Tavern, the Brothel-houſe; we live where Satans p. 89Throne is, in the very Suburbs of Hell.

Oh what a difference hath Faith put betwixt Believers and all others in the world! whilſt they only live the life of God, all others live the life of Bruits or Devils.

Oh bleſs God for Faith; even ye of little Faith: at its firſt entrance it gives your ſoul a lift from heaven to earth. There it liſts your names, no longer men of this world, but henceforth, Citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God; there it hath laid you up an Inheritance, and thence it brings you your maintenance: thither it turns your eyes and all your ſtreams; it ſhews you what you have there, and by thoſe beams it draws you up thither. Thoſe to whom it ſhews the leaſt of that glory, it ſhews enough to diſgrace the glory of the world; and as this Sun-light grows, ſo doth all the beauty of the world fade, and vaniſh out of ſight.

By Faith our converſation is in heaven. Now by how much the more our converſation is in heaven, by ſo much the more our hearts are there; by how much the more our hearts are in heaven, by ſo much the leſs on earth; and when once the world hath loſt our love, it hath loſt its power over us.

1. By how much the more our converſation is in heaven, by ſo much the more our hearts and affections are there; we ordinarily love to be where we uſe to be. No ſuch damp grows upon affection, as by diſtance and eſtrangement: when we looſe our acquaintance, we looſe our delight in God. Acquaint thy ſelf with him, and be at peace, Joh 22. 21. Acquaint thy ſelf with him, and be in love; there wants nothing to fix our affections on heaven, p. 90but being better acquainted there. Intimacy begets dearneſs.

Do you not love God? tis a ſign you have had little to do with him. Is not your delight in Heaven? tis a ſign you are ſeldome there. Is prayer and holy meditation and exerciſing your ſelves in the Scriptures and attendance on ordinances, a wearineſs and altogether unpleaſant to you? ſure you have little known what the ſpirit of Prayer and Communion with God in his word and ordinances mean: thoſe whoſe Souls dwell by the wells of ſalvation, and often let down the bucket, do taſte that the waters thereof are ſweet; they ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thine houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures, for with thee is the fountain of life, Pſal. 36.

Thoſe that walking cloſely with God, do dwell in the ſecret of his preſence, under the ſweet dewes and influences of his grace; the buſineſs of whoſe life, is to behold, and love, and ſerve the Lord, their hearts have found ſuch reſt there, that they can find no reſt elſwhere.

2. By how much the more our hearts are in Heaven, by ſo much the leſs are they on earth: worldly profeſſours have all their religion in their mouths, there's little within, whatever they talk. If any man love the world the love of the father is not in aim; If any man love the Father, the love of the world ceaſes. Heaven and Hell may meet as well as Heaven and Earth, in the ſame heart: Set your affections on things above and not on the earth; on both you cannot: your bodies as eaſily as your Souls, may dwell in Heaven and Earth together. You uſe to ſay, I cannot be here and there too; no, ſure p. 91enough you cannot; whileſt your Souls are the inhabitants of this, they are exiles from the other world; and when they have their dwelling in Heaven, they are but ſtrangers and Pilgrims on the Earth: this world hath loſt your hearts when God hath gain'd them.

3. When once the world hath loſt our hearts, it hath loſt its power over us: who will be entic'd by what he hates or ſlights? God and the world rule, both, by love. If God hath our love, he hath the command of all that ever we have: if we love the world, what can it not do with us? whither can it not lead us? If the world hath loſt our love, it were even as good lay down its weapons, and let us alone: let them follow God, let them be holy, let them to Heaven, their hearts are gone and there's no holding them back. It may ſtill hang in their heels, and retard their motion Heavenward, but their hearts being gone, thither their main courſe will bend it ſelf.

6. Faith gives aſſurance of this better inheritance. Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the ſubſiſtence of things hoped for and the evidence of things not ſeen. It is an evidence, not only that there is another world, and a better world then this; and that this better ſtate may be obbtaind; that there is an entrance into the everlaſting Kingdom poſſible; that theſe mortals may] be clothed with immortality; that theſe corruptibles may put on incorruption; and theſe poor worms, that creep on the duſt, may get them wings, and fly away hence into everlaſting bliſs; but it is alſo an evidence, that all this [ſhall] be; that there ſhall be a performance of all thoſe glorious things which God hath ſpoken concerning p. 92his Saints. Bleſſed is he that hath believed for there ſhall be a performance of all that hath been told him. Luk. 1. 45.

Faith hath taken bond for performance. The Almighty God hath bound himſelf to us; and leſt through unbelief, we ſhould ſtick at taking his ſingle bond, he hath given ſecurity, hath brought in his Son and heir, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to ſtand bound with him. Faith hath taken this bond; and having it ſelf ſealed to the Articles or conditions on our parts, upon the performance whereof the inheritance ſtands ſure to us, upon the greateſt ſecurity that Heaven and Earth can give; it keeps it by it, and hath it ready to produce upon all occaſions, to ſtop the clamours of unbelief. The Covenant of God, that's our ſecurity, The Almighties bond and articles wherein he hath made over all that ever he hath, by an immutable and irrevocable deed to his Saints, Heb. 6. 17, 18.

Nay more, Faith will ſhew a believer his own name in this deed.

If it can but ſhew it ſelf to us, can make it evident, that it is what it is, the Faith of Gods elect; if it does but once appear that we do ſincerely believe, it therein ſhews us our names in the promiſe of God. To ſay to any one that knows he believes, to ſay to him, He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, is fully as much, as if it had been ſaid to him by name, Thou O man, even thou ſhalt be ſaved; thy name is written in the book of life.

Unbelief will be ſtaggering at the promiſe, and will call in queſtion all that the Lord God hath ſaid. And when this world comes upon us and tempts us; opens its pack and ſhews us its wares, p. 93and offers us our choice of whatſoever will pleaſe us; Take it ſaies unbelief, make ſure of ſomething; let not go ſuch penniworths, they may be the beſt thou art ever like to have. Mayſt thou be rich? mayſt thou live in pleaſure and in honour here? Be not ſuch a fool as to neglect thy ſelf for a conceit of ſome ſtrange things (thou knoweſt not what) thou mayſt find hereafter. Who can tell what there is in another world? whether there be any other ſtate of bleſſedneſs then what our eyes do ſee? But grant there be ſuch an happy ſtate, what may this be to thee? God knows whether ever thou mayſt be the better for't: when thou haſt done all thou canſt, and loſt all thou haſt, and left thy ſelf a poor and miſerable and forlorn wretch, an abject an exile from all thy comforts and contentments; after all this, thou mayſt never come to Heaven at laſt: fooliſh man looſe not a certainty for an uncertainty, know when thou art well, and keep what thou haſt; what thou haſt thou art ſure of; thine houſe is thine own, thy eſtate is thine own; thy friends and thy pleaſures and thy liberties, do not thine eyes ſee them, doſt thou not taſt that they are good? here thou haſt ſomething, but what thou mayſt have heareafter who can tell?

And what can a poor Soul anſwer to ſuch temptations, that's held under unbelief? I confeſs there's no great wiſdom in loſing certainties for uncertainties; I ſee I have ſomething here, and if I were ſure it ſhould be ſo well with me hereafter, I could be content to venture all I have; to follow Chriſt naked, to follow holineſs even to bonds impriſonment and death. But what if there ſhould p. 94be no ſuch thing as Heaven, or I ſhould never come there?

But now Faith will reply, what are thy good things, thou counteſt ſo ſure to thee? what, but vanity and vexation? but were they better then they are, and worth what thou counteſt them, what is the aſſurance thou haſt of them? for how long are they thine? for how many years? for how many dayes? what thine eye ſees to day, where may it all be by to morrow? or ſuppoſe the moſt thou canſt, thou canſt have but a leaſe of life in them; when thou dieſt, thy eſtate dies, thy pleaſures die, thy friends dye to thee; and heres the aſſurance thou boaſteſt of; at preſent thou haſt ſomething that pleaſes thee, and may be, they may laſt for an hour or two longer, or for a few dayes more; but to be ſure after a few years at utmoſt, they will be gone and thou muſt know them no more. This is thy aſſurance.

But is Heaven no more ſure then this? Is that enduring ſubſtance, like theſe tranſient ſhadows? can ſtability be removed, or eternity expire? or if the doubt be, whether ever thou ſhalt obtain this bleſſed ſtate, what hath God ſaid? He that beleiveth ſhall be ſaved.

Is it uncertain whether God be true? Hath God help'd me to beleive, and therein told me I ſhall be ſaved, and ſhall I yet queſtion whether I ſhall or no?

At leaſt this is ſure beyond all contradiction; Heaven [may] be had; thou ſhalt certainly be ſaved, if it be not thine own fault; if thou wilt thou mayſt; The Goſpel is a mockery, if this be not true; it apparently offers life to all that will, p. 95and therefore to thee amongſt the reſt. Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the bride ſay come—and [whoſoever will] let him take of the water of life freely: there is this only uncertainty now remaining, Its a queſtion whether thou wilt or not; If thou wilt thou mayſt.

Now when a Soul is brought to this, much more when a beleiver, underſtanding that he beleives, can read his own name in the book of life, then let the world try its skill: what an hard task will it have before it? Come change thy God and thy glory for that which profiteth not; forſake the fountain of living waters for theſe broken Ciſterns, purchaſe the pleaſures of time with the loſs of Eternity. Come let the other world go: what wilt thou give me then? why what ever thine heart deſires, of all that thine eyes do ſee. No, no, deceitful world, I have better things then theſe, and I will now uſe thine own words, I will not looſe a certainty for uncertainties. God is mine, but after a few dayes whoſe ſhall theſe things be, that thou offereſt me? I mean not to be ſo put off, as to take mine Heaven on Earth. Let this earth be my priſon, my purgatory, my Hell rather then my Heaven; my life is bought into that eternal inheritance reſerved in Heaven for me and I will not ſell mine inheritance.

V. The Conqueſt of Faith over this conflicting world, this I ſhall diſpatch in ſhewing,

1. How far forth, or in what ſence every believer hath overcome the world.

2. Wherein the victory ſtands.

1. How far forth or in what ſence, every believer hath overcome the world, this in 4 particulars.

p. 961. He is actually intereſs'd in Chriſts victory.

2. He is radically indued with Chriſts conquering power.

3. He hath actually broken the head deſign of the world.

4. He is effectually marching on, in the purſuit of the victory.

1. He is actually intereſs'd in Chriſts victory: he hath overcome in capite: a believer is in Chriſt, and as ſuch, whatſoever Chriſt hath done, as redeemer of the world, is his and for him, Joh. 16. 33. aforementioned; Be ye of good comfort, I have overcome the world. Chriſts victory is a believers ſecurity. [I have overcome, be ye of good comfort] why what comfort is that to us? If an unbeliever had ask'd, what comfort is that to me? it muſt have been anſwer'd, none at all, whileſt thou continueſt in unbelief; thou haſt no part in Chriſt, nor art like to reap any profit by him? while he is a conquerour thou art a captive ſtill; its luſts fetter thee, its thorns choke thee, its pollutions cleave to thee; thou art at preſent, and thou mayſt dye a worldling, and from this temporal, it may carry thee down to an eternal bondage.

But if it be ask'd, what comfort is it to a believer, that Chriſt hath overcome? its great comfort. In him thou haſt overcome; his victory is thy victory; Chriſt ſaies to thee, not only as Joh. 14. 19. becauſe I live ye [ſhall] live alſo; becauſe I have overcome ye [ſhall] overcome; but becauſe I have overcome ye [have] overcome. 1 Joh. 4. 4. ye are of God little children and [have] overcome.

2. He is radically endued with Chriſts conquering p. 97power: he hath overcome in cauſa: he hath that within him which will be the death of his enemies, he is not only intereſs'd in Chriſt, and what he hath done; but Chriſt is in him, the ſpirit of Chriſt, which is the power of the living God, is in him. He that hath not the Spirit of Chriſt is none of his. Rom. 8. 9. The ſame power by which Chriſt overcame, is already communicated to the Soul of a believer: and thence may he be ſaid, to have already conquered, becauſe he hath received that ſpirit of power, which will certainly work for him the victory.

What can a living child, new born do? He is as weak as water; he cannot ſpeak, he cannot ſtand, he cannot conquer a flea: but what may not this child do, when he is grown up? there is the ſpirit of a man in him, there's a Soul in him, which in time will do wonderous things: a dead child, neither can do any thing, neither is there hope that ever he ſhould; but a living child hath a ſoul, hath that within him that in time will do much.

How ſmall are the appearances of the Saints in the Infancy of their New-birth? how low are their hopes, that they ſhould ever come to any thing? 'tis a weak Enemy indeed, and a weak aſſault, that is not too ſtrong for them: a little wind may blow away a ſmall twig; but deſpiſe not this day of ſmall things, conſider their Root, the Spirit of Chriſt that is in them, and thence you may expect great things.

Are there any of you that are grown Chriſtians, ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might? that are able for ſervice, and mighty for ſufferings; that can ſtand againſt the temptations of Satan, p. 98and endure the contradictions of ſinners, and not be weary and faint in your minds? yet look back, and conſider what you were in your original; time was when it was as low water with you as with others, when you were as weary and weak as the weakeſt: But behold what that mighty Spirit that was in you is at length grown up to, the ſame ſpirit is in every new-born Saint.

What contemptible things were Joſhua, and Gideon, and Sampſon, and David, when they were children? but when they were grown, and the Spirit of the living God came upon them, what Victories did they obtain? the Sons of Anak, the Armies of the uncircumciſed, the great Goliah, were then but children to them.

You that are yet little children; but of little time, and but of little ſtrength, that are newly begotten by the Goſpel, and brought forth into a tempeſtuous world; let not the greatneſs of your work, nor the potence of your enemies, nor thoſe aſtoniſhing tempeſts that meet you at the threſhold of Chriſtianity, diſcourage or diſmay you, as weak as you are, as many fears and faintings as you are ſurprized by, as many doubts as ariſe in your hearts, what ſhall I do? how ſhall I ſtand? how ſhall I go through? yet comfort your hearts; greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world: ye are of God little children, and [have] overcome them.

Mat. 13. 31, 32. The Kingdome of heaven is like to a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, which is indeed the leaſt among ſeeds, but when it is grown is the greateſt among herbs. This greateſt of herbs, is virtually in this ſmalleſt of ſeeds: Who knows what a little grace p. 99may grow to? what is there in that bitter root of ſin? all thoſe monſtrous wickedneſſes, and prodigious villanies which infeſt this earth, and fill up hell; all the drunkenneſſes, adulteries, murthers, rapines, and moſt barbarous inhumanities, which are the plague of this earth, and the fuel of that Furnace; they all lye in that little bitter root, Jam. 1. 15. And ſo on the other ſide, all the beauty and glory of holineſs, all the powers, victories and triumphs over ſin, the world, and the devil, are ſeminally contained in the firſt grace begotten in the heart: The whole Harveſt of Glory is in the leaſt ſeed of grace: The leaſt drop from the Fountain of Life, is a Well of water ſpringing up to life eternal, Joh. 4. 14.

Beloved, are you in Chriſt? hath the day-ſpring from on high viſited you? is the Spirit of the living God within you? then whatever your doubts, difficulties, hazards, temptations, or weakneſſes are, the victory hath already paſſed on your ſide. Death where is thy ſting? ſin, devil, world, where is thy victory? Here are thy Armies, here is thy power, here are thy policies, thy fury, thy fawnings, on every hand; before us, behind us, on the right hand, and on the left; here are thy Armies, but where is thy victory? Thanks be to God that hath given [us] the victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Thanks be to God who maketh us alwayes to triumph in Chriſt Jeſus; from the firſt time, in the worſt time, when we are hardlieſt beſtead, hotlieſt purſued, neareſt to a fall, yea even when we fall, (for though we fall we ſhall riſe again) thanks be to God, wh…ch cauſeth us alwayes, even when we deſpair in our p. 100ſelves, to triumph in Chriſt Jeſus.

3. He hath broken the Head deſign of the world: this is, to keep Chriſt and the ſoul apart, to keep the ſoul from ever coming to Chriſt. Herein, as hath been ſaid already, ſtands the deadly enmity of the world againſt ſouls, in holding them under its dominion, and thereby under the damnation of hell. When we are once come over to Chriſt, this great deſign is broken; when we are conquered, we are Conquerours. A ſoul ſubdued unto the Lord, is the world conquered to the ſoul: every Convert to Chriſt is a Captive ſet at liberty, a ſoul broken out of priſon: that's the word that Chriſt hath to preach, Iſa. 49. 9. To ſay to the priſoners go forth, and to them that are in darkneſs, ſhew your ſelves. And that's the work that Chriſt hath to do, To bring forth the priſoners out of priſon, Iſa. 42. 7. Every Convert to Chriſt is a priſoner broken looſe.

It is a ſufficient Conviction that thou art a worldling ſtill, that thou art no Convert to Chriſt, and it is a ſufficient Conviction that thou art no Convert, if thou be ſtill a worldling: he that is come to Chriſt is come off from the world, Joh. 15. 19. and he that is ſtill under the world, is not come to Chriſt.

That's the great conteſt betwixt Chriſt and the World, who ſhall carry the heart: Come along with me, ſayes Chriſt, give me thy heart, be my ſervant, be my Diſciple: No, no, ſaith the World, ſtay with me, be my ſervant; or at leaſt, if thou wilt not any longer be wholly mine, then it ſayes as the Harlot, be neither his nor mine, but ſuffer thy ſelf to be divided; let him p. 101take one half, and let the other half be for me; halt betwixt Chriſt and the world; keep both worlds; what hinders, but thou mayſt have thy gains and thy pleaſures here, and yet have Chriſt too?

When the heart is convinc'd; that there is no compounding betwixt Chriſt and the world, that Chriſt is the better Maſter, and that it cannot ſerve two Maſters, but muſt neceſſarily take to the one, and let the other go, and hereupon yields it ſelf to Chriſt: Lord I am thy ſervant, and will follow thee whatſoever become of the world; whether I ſink or ſwim, want or abound, proſper or ſuffer; whatever my condition be here, thine I am, and thee will I love and ſerve; when the ſoul is come to this, there's converſion; there's the Head deſign of the world broken.

4. He is effectually marching on in the purſuit of his victory; he is overcoming: So the word in the Text, he overcometh the world; he hath already gotten the better, and he is preſſing on after a total victory; he hath his foot on the neck, and his hand ſtill in the fight.

He keeps his enemy in his eye, and ſtands upon his guard daily; he diſpatches meſſengers, his prayers, his ſighs, his tears, to fetch down freſh ſupplies from above: his prayers ſpeak, his ſighs cry, his tears have a tongue, and all go up with the ſame meſſage, as the Gibeonites ſent to Joſhua, Joſh. 10. 6. Slack not thine hand from thy ſervant, come down to me quickly, ſave and help me.

He ſets all his graces, his faith, his love, his hope, his patience, in battel array againſt it.

p. 102He is ſtill making ſure the party that the world hath within him; keeps luſt under, keeps pride, and covetouſneſs, and ſenſuality low; that is, more or leſs, according as he acts as a Believer.

He ſecures the ſtrong hold; keeps his heart, keeps his Farms, and his oxen, and his pleaſures, at the greateſt diſtance he can from his heart: he ſends his heart far enough away out of their reach, he conveys it into the other world, where it dwells, and builds, and plants, and ſows, and gathers, and lays up a better treaſure; where it rejoyces and recreates it ſelf; where it hath better work, and better company, and better pleaſures to wean it from theſe below; he lives in the view and contemplation of God, in the Society and Communion of Saints and Angels, and is ſo ſatisfied with the Fountain of Living Waters, that he be neither thirſty after the waters, nor choak'd with the mud of theſe broken ciſterns.

He ſtudies the world more, and comes to a better underſtanding of it; of its vanity, of its enmity, of its treachery, power and policy: and the more he knows it, the more he fears it: the more he knows of God, the more he loves and thirſts and longs after him; the more he knows of the world, the leſs he loves, and the more he fears it. He fears not ſo much its anger as its kindneſs: he fears his worldly pleaſures, his carnal friends, his earthly buſineſſes and his proſpering in them: he carries a ſence of the danger he is in by them, and a fear of the ſnare they may be to him, whereever he goes: whileſt he is neceſſarily detained and buſied here, he carries this fear as his guard p. 103to ſecure his Soul, whither ever he walks: to his table, to his bed, to his ſhop, in his journeys; he feeds with fear and works with fear, and travels with fear, and trades with fear, leſt whileſt he is thus neceſſarily converſant in the world, he be again intangled with its temptations.

And in this warfare he grows, and gathers ſtrength daily; is more able to contemn the world, it becomes every day leſs and leſs to be a temptation to him. Time was when, whenever the world came enticing him after it, hearken to me, mind thy earthly concernments, and thou ſhalt be rich and proſper and abound; follow Chriſt and this holineſs and twill be thine undoing; time was, when theſe were arguments of great weight with him; that could command his heart, controul conſcience, conjure his affections, and perſwade him to any thing; but now they come too late, they are ſcarce temptations to him: his heart is ſo ſet upon the ſecuring his eternal intereſt, and ſo tranſported with the ſenſe of the importance of that great concernment; thoſe higher things are ſo great in his eye, and ſo much upon his heart, that it ſeems but a very ſmall thing to be poſſeſſour of all things here, and to make but a ſmall difference upon his condition, whether he hath or wants.

2. Wherein this victory ſtands: which I ſhall anſwer,

Negatively.

Poſitively.

1. Negatively, and this in 4. particulars.

1. A believer hath not ſo overcome the world, as to be above all need of the world: though man lives not by bread onelyonly, as Math. 4. Yet he muſt have bread, p. 104yea and muſt work for his bread, and therefore muſt diligently follow his calling, wherein he may provide things honeſt; provide him an honeſt livelihood.

2. Not ſo but that he is ſtill free to uſe the world in his need: every creature of God is good, good for uſe, being ſanctified by the word of God and Prayer. 1 Tim. 4. 4. Both neceſſaries and the abundance of the things of this life, are a bleſſing from God; and the free uſe of them, ſo far as to fit us for ſervice, is not onelyonly lawful but a duty; that ſelf denyal, that over-ſparing uſe of the creatures, which impaires our ſtrength, or dulls our Spirits, is not a virtue, but uſually, is either the fruit of a melancholique diſtemper, or a temptation.

3. Not ſo, as to be for ever freed from all noxious temptations of the world: This world is an enemy ſtill, and this enemy will be ſtill fighting againſt the Soul. A Chriſtian will never be ſuch a conquerour here, but he muſt ſtill keep on his armour, and ſtand upon his guard; hereafter, when the victory ſhall be compleat, he ſhall ſit down. Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to [ſit] with me in my throne: at preſent we muſt: ſtand, Epheſ. 6. 13. And having done all to ſtand ſtand upon our watch, ſtand to our arms; but hereafter we ſhall ſit down: we are yet in our march with our Lord, in his Chariot of war; for our place in his triumphal Chariot, for ſitting down with him in the throne, we muſt wait till hereafter.

4. Not ſo, as to be for ever free from all ſurpriſals, and falls by theſe temptations. The world will aſſault us, and in theſe aſſaults too often gets the better of us: though it cannot command us quite back p. 105from Chriſt, yet it may turn us aſide, and much hinder us in our following of him; though it cannot now deſtroy us, yet it may diſtract and diſturb us; though it cannot recover its abſolute dominion over us, yet it may lay our feet again in the Stocks. We may love it too much, and fear it too much, and mind it too much, and follow it too hard, and our ſouls may become great looſers by it: God may be forgotten, Souls may be neglected, Conſcience may be defiled, Duties omitted or ſhuffled over, and all ſenſe of Eternity for a time, buried in an heap of worldly cares or delights. We have experience enough to give in evidence to this, and much more.

2. Poſitively; and thus our victory over the world ſtands, in our having attained,

1. A power to poſſeſſe the things of the world, without placing our happineſs in them.

2. A power to manage our worldly affairs, without the prejudice of our Souls.

3. A power to uſe this worlds good things, to their proper ends.

4. A power to want this worlds good things, and bear the worlds evil things; and to keep our hearts and our way, whether we proſper or ſuffer.

5. A willingneſs to be gone from this, and to take our flight to the other world.

1. Victory over the world ſtands in our having attain'd to a power to poſſeſs the things of the world, without placing our happineſs in them. The Supremacy of the world is founded, in its apprehended ſufficiency, to bleſs us and make us happy: Whileſt we hold it our treaſure, we reſign our ſelves to it p. 106as our Governour, Mat. 6. 21. Where the treaſure is, there the heart will be alſo. The heart will never dwell in, or ſerve this world, when it hath choſen another treaſure; the world can never hold the dominion of a Lord, longer then it can hold the reputation of our God. The ſoul will not be governed or commanded by it, unleſs it be content to take it as its reward; when the heart hath ſaid to the Lord, Thou art my portion, it can ſay to the world, Stand thou as my footſtool: when we neither promiſe our ſelves contentment in our expectations, nor feel our ſelves at reſt in our poſſeſſions of the world; when the heart is fixed on an higher good, and ſo ſtrongly working upward, that it will not be detained from the purſuit of it, by any thing it either hath or hopes for here, then the world is vanquiſhed.

Now in this is included,

1. Our making God our happineſs. Its vain for any man to ſay or think, the world is not, who cannot truly ſay, The Lord is my happineſs and Heritage. Its natural to man to deſire happineſs, and to pitch ſome where or other, where he hopes 'tis to be had: what he apprehends to be the beſt of all he knows, moſt ſuitable and moſt ſatisfactory to his deſire and appetite, there he faſtens.

Worldly men, that know no better, promiſe to themſelves a worldly happineſs, and here they fix; and it is impoſſible for them to looſen hence, till they diſcover and cloſe with ſome higher good; till God comes in, the World will not out. The Pſalmiſt could never but have envied, and Idolized the portion, and proſperity of the p. 107ungodly, had not God been his portion. Firſt, he muſt ſay, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and then he can add, There's none in earth that I deſire beſides thee, Pſal. 73.

2. The due limiting our deſires after, and moderating our delights in the things of this world; and a ſubordination of them all to our great end. If the world be not our happineſs, we ſhall love it and ſeek it thereafter. The world, if it be any thing to us, it muſt be either our end, or our means; if God be our portion, he is our end; if God be our end, the world ceaſes to be ſuch; two laſt ends no man can have, till he have two ſouls; if the world be not our end, it muſt be either our means, or nothing to us.

Our deſires and delights are proportionable to our conceits of, and our expectations from the objects of them: that which is apprehended, and accepted as our end, is deſired accordingly, hath the ſtream and ſtrength of the ſoul running out after it; there it deſires and loves without limit: that which is apprehended only as a means, is ſo far only amiable and deſired, as it ſubſerves our end. When ever the world ceaſes to be accounted our happineſs, it will neceſſarily be judg'd only as a means to it; and thence will follow this limiting our worldly deſires, and moderating of our worldly delights; we ſhall deſire them no farther, nor delight in them otherwiſe, then as they are conducible to God.

2. Victory over the world, ſtands in a power to mannage our worldly affairs and buſineſſes, without the prejudice of our ſouls. Pſal. 112. 5. He will guide his affairs with diſcretion: and his diſcretion herein appears:

p. 1081. That in the multitudes of the thoughts he hath in his heart, and the buſineſſes he hath in his hand, he hath ſtill an eye to the main. He's a diſcreet man that rightly underſtands, and duly minds his great concernment: the world muſt be minded, the Plough muſt be followed, the ſeed muſt be ſown, the Flocks muſt be kept, the Oxen and the Aſſes muſt be cared for; But what is the world to my ſoul? what is my food to my life? this muſt be chiefly look'd to, that I periſh not, that I run not upon an eternal undoing, that my ſoul may live, and it may be well with me hereafter; I muſt firſt ſeek the Kingdome of God, and then let other things be minded as they may. He that ſaid, Be diligent to know the ſtate of thy flocks, and to look well to thy herds, Prov. 27. 23. ſaid alſo with an Emphaſis, Deut. 4. 9. Only take heed to thy ſelf, and keep thy ſoul diligently; above all keeping keep thy heart, Prov. 4. 23. And therefore to this he hath a moſt ſpecial eye; his eye looks moſt inwards; its well with me without, or whether it be or no, how is it within? how goes the work of Faith and Repentance on? how goes the work of Mortification and Sanctification on? here he beſtows his ſpecial labour, in working out his ſalvation, in laying up treaſure in heaven. I ſhall never count my ſelf to proſper, whileſt my ſoul proſpers not; I ſhall never count my ſelf a good husband, whileſt mine own Vineyard hath not been kept; and I ſhall never count my ſelf poor, while I am growing rich unto God; I ſhall never count my ſelf an ill husband, whileſt I have been wiſe and buſie for Eternity.

2. That to this end, he overcharges not; pulls no p. 109more of buſineſs upon him, then he can go through with, without neglecting his ſoul; though he muſt imploy himſelf, yet he will not intangle himſelf in the affairs of this life, 2 Tim. 2. 4.

His Lord hath given him fair warning, Luke 21. 34. Take heed leſt at any time your hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life; and he's willing to take the warning: He's wary how he undertakes more buſineſs then God calls him to; if God put him upon a more buſie life, and lays on a greater load of work or care upon him, he chearfully ſets his ſhoulders to it, knowing that where God ſets him on work, he will be with him in the work, and help him out; but he would have no more to do, then God ſets him about.

Chriſtians, beſides the Call of God, there are too often other Maſters call us to work: 'tis not ſeldome, that mens luſts ſet them on work; as their luſts call them off from work, call them to play, or to ſleep, or to be idle; ſo ſometimes alſo mens luſts call them to work. Some mens pride ſets them on work; many an hard daies work they have, to get ſomething to maintain it: Some mens prodigality ſets them on work, that they may have to ſpend on their throats, their bellies or companions; but moſt of all, mens covetouſneſs ſets them on work; this is an hard and cruel Maſter; oh what a labourious weary life do ſuch men live? their life is a meer drudgery, riſing early, going to bed late, eating the bread of carefulneſs. How many irons hath the covetous man in the fire? how many cares? how many projects is he ever loaden withall? he never reſts, his hands are ever full, his thoughts are ever buſie; p. 110whatever he hath done or gotten already, yet there's ſtill more work coming in, more load laying on; tother houſe, or tother field is in his eye; tother groat, or tother peny more to be gotten: the Ephah is not yet full, his large heart, that daughter of the Horſe-leech, is ſtill a crying upon him; Get, get; Gather, gather.

But whileſt thou haſt been ſo buſie here and there, what's done for thy ſoul? how does that work proſper? what trade has been driven for Eternity? O the Lord forgive me, I never thought of that; I had ſo many other things to do, that I had no time to mind it.

But who ſet thee on work about theſe other things? who hath hired thee? oh my neceſſities have hired me; my back, and my belly, and the neceſſities of my family; God hath ſet me on work. I but conſider, art thou not miſtaken? it may be 'tis the Devil that hath ſet thee on work, thy pride, or thy covetouſneſs, that hath put thee upon this buſie life all the while.

But now a Chriſtian reſolves, I will hearken what the Lord God will ſpeak; when he ſayes go, I will go; when he ſayes do this, I will do it; I will have nothing to do, but what I may anſwer for it; this is that which the Lord would have done: God ſayes, Look diligently to thy ſoul, Deut. 4. 9. God ſayes, What will it profit a man to win the whole world, and to looſe his own ſoul? Matth. 16. 26. God ſayes, Lay up in ſtore for thy ſelf a good foundation againſt the time to come. Provide thee bags that wax not old, a treaſure in heaven that faileth not. God ſayes, Mat. 6. 33. Firſt ſeek the Kingdome of God, and his righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto thee. p. 111God never ſaid, firſt ſeek food and rayment, and the Kingdome of heaven ſhall be added to thee; Chriſt ſhall be added, righteouſneſs ſhall be added, ſalvation ſhall be added to thee; but firſt make ſure the principal, and the appurtenances ſhall be caſt in.

And hereupon, a Chriſtian will do accordingly, will look to the main, whatever become of any thing elſe; and will not engage further in any other affairs, then will conſiſt with the ſecuring his great concernment: whatever buſineſs he hath, he muſt have room for duty; he muſt have his praying times, and reading times, and hearing times; he muſt have his daily ſeaſons for ſpecial converſe with God, for communing with his own heart; he muſt duly ſet his watch, and walk the rounds, through his thoughts, affections, conſcience, and all the powers of his ſoul; and finding ſo much work, and of ſo great conſequence of this kind, whatever wants, this muſt have his daily attendance.

I muſt have bread, I muſt have cloaths, I muſt not ſtarve? I, and I muſt have Christ, I muſt have grace: whether I have bread or no, cloaths or no, whether I ſtarve or no, I muſt not be damn'd; a praying time is more neceſſary then an eating, or drinking, or ſleeping time, and therefore much more then a working time.

'Tis not the leaſt part of a Chriſtians Victory over the world, to have the command of himſelf in his lawful affairs and buſineſſes. In licitis perimus omnes. When he hath ſuch power over himſelf, that he can aſſign to every thing their proper places, meaſures and ſeaſons, then he is Conquerour.

p. 112Chriſtians, how ſadly doth this ſpeak concerning many of you? what ſay you, Conquerours or Captives? Let your care of duty ſpeak. Do not your oppreſſed and curtail'd duties cry out, We are beaten, we are beaten! we are beaten out of the field: we are not regarded when the world hath any work to be done: Is this your care of the main? Believe it Brethren, when buſineſs gets the upperhand of duty, the world hath gotten the upperhand of the ſoul.

Conſider therefore, how is it with you? Do you allow duties their proper time and place? Do you firſt ſeek the Kingdome of God? Is the world made to give place to prayer, or is prayer ordinarily made to give place to the world?

Do you ſet your times for daily duty? and do you allow ſufficient time? do you not put the Lord off with ſhort and haſty duties, and then tell him, Lord, this is all the time I can ſpare thee; Soul, this is all the time I can allow thee. Haſty duties are next to none. Do you allow your ſouls room to make the beſt of their ſuits? room for enlargement and importunity, or are they not moſtly forc'd to ſhuffle over and ſhut up, almoſt as ſoon as they have begun.

Is there not too great a fault among Profeſſors, on this account? do not their buſineſſes borrow of their duties; borrow, but never pay? Conſcience, I pray thee lend me this praying hour? Soul, I pray thee ſpare me this reading time: I want time to diſpatch my buſineſs, hereafter I'le pay it again? How little of your time muſt ordinarily ſerve the turn for your attendance on God; a ſhort prayer, ſhort meditations are all you will allow, and your p. 113ſouls ordinarily fare thereafter; you are too much in haſt to ſpeed well, God will be waited on, and wreſtled with ere he will hear. We read, Gen. 34. 26. when Jacob was wreſtling with God, he held at it ſo long, that God ſaid, Let me go; enough Jacob, let me go, for the day breaketh; but he reſolv'd, I will not let thee go, unleſs thou bleſs me. But is it not with us the quite contrary? By that we have been at it a little while, Let me go Lord, I muſt be gone: Whether thou hear me or not, whether thou bleſs me or not, let me go, I am in haſt, and muſt be gone, give me leave quietly to depart, and that ſhall ſerve for this time inſtead of a bleſſing.

Oh Brethren, if we would trace our ſelves into our Cloſets, and obſerve our ſhort ſtay there, the ſlight and haſty work we make before the Lord, and our quick returns we make to the world; ſure methinks it ſhould make us ſay, I am afraid this world is ſtill too hard for me, I am afraid it hath me ſtill under its dominion; it will not truſt me to be long alone with my God, its preſently calling me off; and when it calls once, I muſt preſently take my leave, away I muſt. Conſider this Brethren, do you allow your ſelves ſufficient time for duty?

If you have appointed your ſet times, and ſufficient time, do you keep your times? does not the world ordinarily ſteal away your hours of prayer: when the time draws nigh for the worſhip of God, does not the world uſe to ſtep in, But I muſt be firſt ſerv'd, my Cattle muſt be firſt ſerv'd, my Cuſtomers muſt be firſt ſerv'd, I have a friend that muſt be firſt waited on? and when one buſineſs is p. 114diſpatch'd, another falls in, and another, and another, till it be too late and time to go to bed, and ſo God and the Soul muſt wait their time till to morrow; and when to morrow comes, that is as this day, and much more buſie.

Judge Brethren, whether it be not too ordinarily thus with us, and then tell me, which do ye think hath the greater intereſt, God or the world?

Prayer is one of our weapons, wherewith we are to maintain the fight againſt the world, Epheſ. 6. 18. Exod. 17. 11. When Moſes hands are lift up, this Amalek falls: And can you think the world hath you not ſure enough, when it can at pleaſure command your weapons out of your hands: or if it leave them with you, can ſo blunt their edge, that they are good for nothing?

No man that is a Souldier will lay aſide his weapons, but one of theſe, either a Conquerour, or a Captive, or a Fool. A Conquerour (whoſe victory is compleat) needs his Arms no longer; the work is done, the Enemy is fallen, and ſhall no more be able to riſe. A Captive (who is totally and irrecoverably loſt) hath no further uſe of his Arms; they will now ſtand him in no ſtead; 'tis too late to fight, the field is loſt. He that is yet in the fight, and will lay down his Arms, is a fool: in laying by his weapons, he gives his enemies the day: he is a fool, that thinks to ſtand in the fight, and will not ſtand to his Armes.

In heaven, when our warfare is accompliſhed, no more need of praying then; no more watching, no more fighting, no more exerciſes of faith and patience then; the Enemy is under our feet; the triumph is all that then remains; the Robes, p. 115and the Palms, and the Crowns, ſinging, and ſhouting, and rejoycing; no more need of praying and watching.

In Hell, when the captivity is irrecoverable, there's no more uſe of weapons; tis too late then, they'le ſtand them in no ſtead: tis too late to pray, and watch, and wreſtle; the day is loſt. The ſhame the contempt, the priſon, the mill, the dungeon, the torments of their captivity is all that there remains. Prayer, that men now make to give place to luſt and vanity, to laughing or labouring; God will then make it to give place to curſings, and ravings, and roarings; to tearing of hairs, and gnawing of tongues, and gnaſhing of teeth: you that now count it a trouble and a cumbrance to attend on praying, and faſting, and ſuch like duties; if you ever fall into that priſon, you ſhall have your liberty from theſe burthens; you ſhall live an eternity of dayes and nights, and never be put to the trouble of one Prayer more, of one Sermon more, of one exerciſe of religion more: there's an everlaſting end of Prayer in Heaven and Hell.

But now, though the perfect conquerour may, though the perfect captive muſt, lay by his weapons, have done with prayer for ever; yet he that is yet in the fight, is a fool, if he ſtand not to his arms: either he triumphs before the victory, or elſe cares not on which ſide the victory goes. Thou art a fool with a witneſs, that either ſlighteſt ſuch a potent enemy, or holdeſt thy ſelf little concerned in the victory.

May all his coſt and labour be ſpared? canſt thou ſtand in thine own ſtrength? needeſt thou not p. 116be beholding to the Lord for his help? or is the help of the Lord ſo cheap, as to he had without ſeeking for: or will any ſlight ſeeking now and then ſerve? ſerve thy governour ſo. Will the world give thee leave to take ſufficient time for ſeeking God, if thou wilt not take whether it will or no?

Brethren, learn hence forth, not to put God off with the worlds leavings, but let the world be content to take Gods leavings: if time fall ſhort for any thing, ſee that it be not for your Souls: let God have his daily due, and your Souls have theirs, whatever goe without. Let not the world any longer ſay, give place Bible, ſtand aſide Prayer, I have no leiſure for you; but let your Souls daily ſay, ſtand aſide world, buſineſs, trade, I muſt ſerve the Lord.

Never look to be other then worldlings, whileſt any thing below hath ſo much power with you, as to keep God and your Souls aſunder; to hold you either under a total neglect, or ordinary remiſneſs in your religious duties: whileſt it can keep you either ſo buſy, or ſo ſlothful, that you reſtrain prayer, it hath you ſure enough: if the Divel can but keep you out of your cloſets, he will not fear to meet you in the field; he will not doubt your ſtanding on your feet, if he can but keep you from falling on your knees.