The World Conquered, Sermon (3 of 6)

The World Conquered · Sermon (3 of 6)

p. 116Becauſe there is ſo much depending on this, both as to the iſſue of our conflict, and the evidence of our victory over the world, give me leave to preſs you the cloſer to it, by giving you a ſhort view, of the ſumme of what I have here ſuggeſted, in theſe following propoſitions and advice.

1. The death of the world will never be either p. 117compaſſed or witneſſed, but by the life of religion.

2. The life of religion cannot be maintained, but by keeping up the life of duties: no prayer no holineſs, little prayer and but little holineſs. The vigour of grace is maintained from above; and nothing will come down unleſs we often look up.

3. The life of duty will not be kept up, unleſs there be ſet and ſufficient time allotted to it: occaſional duties will be but ſhort and ſeldom.

4. Seldom receſſes from the world, and ſuddain returns to it, ſhort and haſty prayers the Devil will allow us, and the world will be no looſer by them.

5. If buſineſs, or ſlothfulneſs ordinarily get the upper hand of duty, whatever time be allotted for it, little enough will be beſtowed on it. If we never pray but when we have liſt or leiſure, there will be but little done; the world will either fill us with work or weary us into ſloth. Therefore,

6. Reſolve whatever the countermands of the world or Devil, of your buſy or weary Spirits are, to ſet and keep up your daily duties: if time fall ſhort, yet let not your Souls fail of their due; be conſtant, be inſtant in prayer. If this counſell be not accepted, I look not that any other of the counſels of God ſhould proſper with you. Are you worldlings? are you in bondage to your carnal and earthly hearts? there I look to find you to your dying day, if conſtant and inſtant prayer do not fetch you off.

3. That in the multitude of his buſineſſes he neglect not the Souls of his Relations: He that neglecteth his families Souls, ſinneth againſt his own Soul.

p. 118Worldlings hold all they have in the ſame bondage with themſelves; the ſons of theſe bondmen are ſeldom ſuffered to be freemen: like the Scribes and Phariſes, Math. 23. 13. They neither enter into the kingdom of God themſelves, nor ſuffer thoſe that would to enter in. Like Pharaohs taskmaſters, Exod. 5. 17. Ye are idle, ye are idle, is their word, when any of theirs will worſhip God: an hour ſpent in prayer or reading, by ſuch as belong to them, is as great a crime, as ſo much time waſted in play or idleneſs: to your work to your work; any work that's done for God is counted loſt to them.

He that fears God would have God ſerved by all his, and never counts himſelf ſerved, when God is neglected.

He ſees that the education of thoſe that are under him in the knowledg and worſhip of God is neceſſary work and excellent work: a godly family is a nurſery for Heaven: he counts it his beſt husbandry to be husbanding up ſuch choice plants, as will afterwards be for trees to be here and there tranſplanted in the vineyard of the Lord: he would train up a new generation that may riſe up in his room to bear the name of God in their generations; whereby the Lord may have a ſeed preſerved to ſhew forth his praiſes from generation to generation, Gen. 18. 17. I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord. It may be written over the ſayings of the ſeed of the righteous as Prov. 31. 1. The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy which his mother taught him: over others it may be written, not the propheſies but the prophaneſs, p. 119the oathes the lyes the ſcoffes that his mother taught him; the covetouſneſs and the oppreſſion that he hath learned of his Father.

Whats the reaſon of that rudeneſs, and thoſe debaucheries, that Ignorance, Atheiſm and Irreligion, that abounds in wordly families: tis all they have been bred up to; they have learn'd to be wicked, of Children: the iniquity of their Fathers covetouſneſs would not allow them time, to teach them better things.

He whoſe own foot is eſcaped out of the ſnare, would not leave any of his in priſon behind him. Tis a vain argument for the Devil to uſe with ſuch: thou wilt never thrive, if thou ſpendeſt ſo many thoughts and words and hours about ſuch matters: thou wilt if thou takeſt this courſe bring thy ſelf to a morſell of bread; and wilt teach all thine the way to the ſame poverty, and make them all as bad husbands as thy ſelf: this would do ſomething with earthly minds; but he that fears God, if it muſt be, had rather be undone then to preſerve or increaſe his eſtate by the murther of Souls. This may be my way to increaſe my ſtore; for what is labour without a bleſſing, and what bleſſing where God is not known? this may be my beſt husbandry for [this] world, but whether it be or no, God muſt be ſerved.

Oh what dark and diſmal holes are the dwellings of worldlings: their habitations are full of violence; cruelty and bloud lodges in them: they live by murther and rapine, the bloud of Souls, is their meat and drink: the lives of their Children muſt be ſacrifices to their luſt; they buy them livings and raiſe them portions out of their own p. 120ruine; all the purchaſes they make for them, they may call the Potters field, for they are the price of bloud: they will ſuffer them to run down to Hell, for fear they ſhould leave them beggers on earth: they'le make them too good husbands to be ever good Chriſtians: they are bondmen themſelves, and they ſell all theirs for ſervants to the ſame maſter.

Chriſtians, you that hope you are gotten free, prove that you are ſo by being zealous of getting that freedom entail'd upon your poſterity; leave them no longer at the brick kiln, but bring them away with you to ſerve the Lord.

1. Bring them with you before the Lord: lay them often at his feet: pray over them; Here be my blind (Lord) and my lame, my creeples and my captives. Lord open their eyes and bring forth theſe priſoners out of priſon: behold the Souls which thou haſt given me, here they are before thee, Oh that they might live in thy ſight, let all mine be thine. Haſt thou delivered thy ſervant? O let all theſe be as the Soul of thy ſervant: haſt thou brought me out of bondage, O let me not leave a Child behind.

2. Bring the Lord to them, let theſe poor priſoners hear of a redeemer; make Chriſt known to them; and that they may accept of his redemption, make them firſt known to themſelves? Inſtruct them often, make them to know their ſin and their miſery; the dreadful bondage that they are under at preſent, and the dreadful pit they are haſtning to; and then tell them of that redeemer that is come out of Zion.

3. Bring them over to the Lord: be an Embaſſadour p. 121for Chriſt to them; ceaſe not to warn them to command, perſwade beſeech them in Chriſts ſtead, till they conſent and be reconciled to God.

Be induſtrious, be at pains with them: lye at them from day to day; bethink not your time and labour. And if the world ſtep in and reprove you; this is not the way to thrive, theſe houres ſpent in thy trade or calling would turn thee and them to more profit, then prove thy ſelf to have broken its yoke from off thy neck, by turning away thine ear from its ſuggeſtions.

4. That in all his dealings in the world, he have reſpect to truth, righteouſneſs, and mercy. He would not live by lying, he would not get by unrighteouſneſs, nor ſave by unmercifulneſs.

The worlds vaſſals muſt ſtick at nothing that will ſerve their turns; muſt lye, defraud, oppreſſe, extort, grind the faces, ſtarve the bowels break the bones of their poor brethren, this is for their intereſt.

1 Tim. 6. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil: whence is it that there is ſo little faith, or truth, or righteouſneſs, or mercy among men? ſo little truth in their words, ſo little faith in their promiſes, ſo little righteouſneſs in their dealings, no more bowels of compaſſion? we may be aſhamed to think how little, we may fear and tremble to think how little; ſo much praying, and hearing, and profeſſing, and yet ſo much falſhood and wrong? ſo much knowledg of God and yet ſo little conſcience towards men? ſuch pretences to faith, and yet ſo little exerciſe of charity? this is dreadful; but whence is all this? the love of money is the root of all evil: this is the lyar, p. 122this is the oppreſſour this is the barbarian, the love of money: there had been more faith, and more truth, and more mercy, had there been leſs of this love: where this root is dried up, where the world is no longer lov'd, it will be no longer ſerv'd or obey'd; nothing of it will be regarded but what comes in, in a way of truth and righteouſneſs.

He that loves truth above the beſt trading, righteouſneſs above the greateſt riches, that counts mercy the beſt good husbandry; he that had rather ſtand to a bad bargain, then break promiſe; make a bad market, then advance his gain by a lye; ſuffer bad wares to lye on his hands, then ſay they are good; he that had rather have no bleſſing in his hand, then no bowels to lay it out for God; He that however he hath this world about him, has an eſtate, houſes, lands, money in greateſt abundance; he that however he labours in all fair and innocent wayes, to preſerve and improve what he has; yet chooſes rather to be poor then not to be honeſt, to have nothing then not to be a good ſteward of what he has; he that will not be tempted to be falſe, unrighteous, or unmerciful, for the getting or ſaving an eſtate, the world hath not much in the heart of that man.

Oh brethren, if this be to overcome the world, then how many more captives hath it ſtill then the moſt are aware of? what trade is there driven almoſt any where in the world, wherein the trade of lying hath not a great ſtock going? Are there not even among men pretending to religion, too many found, who inſtead of uſing the Pſalmiſts prayer, Keep me from the way of lying, will rather p. 123content themſelves with the Syrians prayer, The Lord pardon me in this thing; the Lord forgive me, I know not how to help it. It's true that men of great dealings have great temptations to it, and is it not as true, that they are taking temptations?

But how can you then take your ſelves to be any of Chriſts diſciples? or how can you ſtand here praying with the ſame mouth, that it may be within a day or two, will be found in the market lying? Can the ſame fountain ſend forth ſweet water and bitter, Jam. 3. 11. Deceive not your ſelves, you do but lye unto God in your duties, that make it your practiſe to lye unto men in your dealings. If any man ſeem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue (from lying as well as other ill language) that mans religion is in vain, Jam. 1. 26.

And as little truth as there is in mens words, is there not as little righteouſneſs in their wayes? the lying tongue and the oppreſſing hand are animated from the ſame heart. How very few are there that weigh their actions on that unerring beam, Do unto others as you would they ſhould do unto you? Wouldſt thou be oppreſſed? thou wouldſt not: why then doeſt thou oppreſs? wouldſt thou not be defrauded? why then doſt thou defraud? wouldſt thou not over-buy nor underſel? why doſt thou then in the ſame kinds, go about to overreach thy brother?

Brethren you do not know your own generation you live in, if you do not underſtand, how commonly and how greedily men are every where heaping up to themſelves the gains of unrighteouſneſs, and for mercy there's little hope of finding that, where righteouſneſs is departed.

p. 124And now Soul, where is thy victory over the world? thou pretendeſt to Chriſt, takeſt thy ſelf to be a beleiver, and hopeſt thou haſt choſen God for thy portion, and renounced this preſent world; what and yet lye for a little worldly advantage? be unrighteous that thou mayſt be rich: ſell thy conſcience for a penny, and bleſs thy ſelf in thy good bargain? Hath the world ſuch power of thee, that for its ſake thou wilt be thus falſe and deceitful and cruel, and yet haſt thou overcome it?

Is this thy Faith? is this your Chriſtianity, to be diſciples of Chriſt ſo far as it may be for your profit? was there any ſuch reſerve in your engagement to be the Lords, Ile be thine ſo thou wilt abate me lying? I will ſerve thee in any thing, ſo thou wilt allow me, the gain of unrighteouſneſs? Ile profeſs thy name, and ile pray and ile hear, and ile be godly in all things wherein my gain is not concerned? In theſe things the Lord pardon thy ſervant, in theſe things let me have the liberty to be as other men, and in any thing elſe command me what thou wilt?

Brethren, be plain hearted throughout: be able to ſay with the Apoſtle, Heb. 13. 18. We truſt that we have a good conſcience, willing to live honeſtly in all things: convince the world that you are none of theirs, but are come out from among them, and are of Chriſt indeed, by being in all things as he was in the world, who did no ſin, neither was any guil found in his mouth.

3. Victory over the world ſtands, in a power to uſe our worldly goods to their proper ends. What is there on this ſide Hell, (ſin onelyonly excepted) but being well us'd, will prove our bleſſing? Rom. 8. 28. All things ſhall work together for good to them that love p. 125God. What is there on this ſide Heaven, (grace only excepted) but being ill uſed may degenerate into a curſe? Pſal. 69. 22. Let their table be made a ſnare and that which was given to them for their wealth be an occaſion of falling.

All things in the world, as they have their various particular uſes, and intermediate ends, ſo they have but one common end, in which they all concenter. God who made man, hath made all things elſe alſo for himſelf: and man only of all theſe lower creatures, is made capable, both of underſtanding the end to which all things are, and of directing them to it, and accordingly is oblig'd ſo to do.

Then only may we be truly ſaid to enjoy what we have, and are ſecur'd from the miſchiefs of it, when we have ſo much power over it, as to uſe it aright: he that hath not an heart to uſe what he hath, and to uſe it well, is rather poſſeſs'd by it, then the poſſeſſour of it: upon this account are worldly men the worlds ſervants; ſervants of their eſtates rather then the maſters of them: will you call him a maſter that is under the command of his ſervant? that cannot govern nor order nor diſpoſe of himſelf, and what he has, but is alwaies governed by it? when the world ſaies go he muſt go, when this ſaies come he muſt come, when it ſaies work he muſt work, and till it ſaies ſit ſtill, he muſt not reſt; who muſt neither eat, nor drink, nor give, nor lend, but where the world gives him leave? who is a ſlave if this be a freeman?

He that underſtanding his dominion of all that is in his hand, and his way to uſe it aright, accordingly exerciſes his dominion, this man is p. 126Lord and the world his ſervant.

Now (as I hinted but now) the proper end to which all we have ſhould be laſtly directed, is God. God made all things for himſelf; and he hath put us in poſſeſſion that we may uſe them for him, for whom they are made. All we have are our talents intruſted in our hands by our Lord, with this charge, Occupie till I come, Luk. 19. 13. Occupie till I come, as thoſe that muſt give an account to me when I come; that I may receive mine own with advantage, v. 23. twill be but a lame account we ſhall give of what we have received, if we bring not in, every talent employed for God.

We muſt work for God, and get for God, and lay up for God, and lay out for God: he that works for bread or for clothes, or for money; he that works for wife or for children, and doth not therein work for God; he that beſtows any thing of what he has, on himſelf for food or raiment; he that beſtowes any thing on his wife or his children, for their preſent proviſion, or their future portions, and doth not beſtow it there for God, is an evil ſteward and unfaithful to his truſt.

And as we muſt work for God, and beſtow for God, ſo we muſt keep for God and ſave for God: A good ſteward muſt ſee there be no waſtes made on his Lords eſtate. He muſt not ſave any thing from God; when God calls for a peny, or a pound, or all that he hath, he muſt let it go and keep nothing back.

He muſt conſider, that God hath more mouthes to feed, and more backs to clothe, then his own or his families. There's a poor neighbour by thee, that wants bread, go and feed him; there's a poor p. 127orphane by thee, go and take care of him, and what thou layeſt out, put it on account to me: he muſt conſider, that God hath other wayes to diſpoſe of his eſtate, then on backs and bellies; There are a company of poor children by thee, that are like to be bred up for Hell; to be bred up in ignorance and profaneſs; go and be at charges with them, put them to School, or help to the diſpoſing of them, ſo that they may be bred up as Chriſtians, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: and other like wayes has God for the beſtowing what he has.

He that muſt ſave for God, and ſee that there be no waſt made, that nothing be ſpent upon ſtrangers, upon his pride upon his gluttonous appetite, upon his vain companions; he that muſt not be thus prodigal of his eſtate, to ſatisfie his own or others luſts and humours, muſt neither be a niggard, and think to ſave any thing from God: He that ſpends and not for God, and he that ſaves from God, will both prove but evil ſtewards. This ſaving will in the end prove the greateſt waſting: as Chriſt ſaith, Math. 16. 25. He that ſaveth his life ſhall loſe it; ſo upon the ſame account, he that ſaveth his eſtate; he that ſaveth his bread or his money, ſhall loſe it: there is not a ſhorter cut to beggery, then ſinful parſimony: tis ill ſaving from Gods poor: that bread thou ſaveſt from the mouth of the poor, whom God would have thee feed, that bread will become an eater; that peny which ſhould have gone for an alms, may ruſt out all thy pounds.

Thou thinkeſt thou art more provident then others, who are ſo free and liberal; and bleſſeſt p. 128thy ſelf in thy better husbandry; when God calls for an alms thou ſhifteſt him off with an anſwer, I have nothing for thee; when God calls for a liberal almes, ſome of thy pounds, thou putteſt him off with a peny or a groat; and then pleaſeſt thy ſelf to think how well thou cameſt off, and what a good husband thou haſt been; but boaſt not to ſoon.

On the other ſide, thou that art a prodigal of thy eſtate, that ſwilleſt it down thy throat, that ſpreadeſt thy table with it, or trimmeſt thy carcaſs or debaucheſt thy companions with it; thy coſtly fare, thy gorgeous apparel, thy riotous company, thy ſumptuous buildings, muſt devour all thou haſt; what anſwer wilt thou give to thy Lord, when he ſhall require thee, Give an account of thy talents? how will thy account be taken whereof this is the total ſumme, All ſpent in ſin and vanity?

Theſe things I have ſpoken, to give you a ſhort account how we are to uſe our worldly comforts, namely all for God: and he that hath power thus to uſe the world; yea he that doth charge this on himſelf, and is heartily reſolved on this courſe, making it his ordinary care thus to diſpoſe of himſelf and what he has; though in many things he fall ſhort, and too often tranſgreſs his rule, may without arrogance write himſelf, By the grace of God, crucified with Chriſt and conquerour over the world.

Chriſtians, if theſe things were conſidered and well weighed, how much would our bill of expences, on our ſelves, and our fleſh be ſhortned; and how greatly might it abound to our account?

O how many ſuperfluities would be par'd off, p. 129even from ſuch of us, who have been the beſt ſtewards for God? How much is there daily waſted of our Lords talents? how much of what we have, doth our fleſh totally conſume, whereof the Lord hath no ſhare at all? how much is there ſpent daily, concerning which we cannot have the face to ſay, this hath been ſpent for God? how much hath been loſt to God by our full bellies and pamper'd fleſh? Do we never eat to unweldineſs, drink, though not to drunkenneſs, yet to drowſineſs? how many times have we been chearing our ſelves into ſottiſhneſs, recreating our ſelves into uſeleſneſs, whileſt we have pretended to be fitting our ſelves for ſervice? how many a prayer and praiſe hath the Lord loſt by a feaſt? we have been feeding our wantonneſs, clothing our pride, nouriſhing up our ſelves into meer frothineſs and vanity, whileſt we have profeſſed to be refreſhing and comforting our hearts for God.

Hath not the Lord had the leſs for his bounty to us? ſhould we not have been like to have ſerv'd the Lord better in hunger and thirſt, then we have ſometimes done, in the abundance of all things?

Have we indeed us'd all for God? our eſtates for God? our liberties for God? our intereſt and eſteem in the world for God? might not God have been often better ſerv'd in a priſon, then we have ſerv'd him in our liberty? might not God have been better ſerv'd in our ſickneſs and weakneſs, then we have ſerved him in our health and ſtrength? hath not the Lord been often as it were forced to reſolve concerning us, well I muſt even ſmite them with ſickneſs, that they may ſerve me better, p. 130I muſt take away their talents that they may be better ſtewards!

What uſe hath been made of that eſteem and reſpect we have had from men? hath our care been, what the reſolution of a worthy ſervant of Chriſt, now with God, once was? I would (ſaid he) entitle God to every inch of Ground I get upon the opinions of men; I would make my advantage to be dealing for God with them, to be pleading for God with them, I would improve all my intereſt with them ſo, that if it be poſſible, God may become of the acquaintance of all my friends.

Oh how very few of us are there, whoſe aim and care is, to live at the rate and in the way that God would have us live? who reſolve, Religion ſhall have the whole ordering of me; this ſhall chooſe my company and govern my whole behaviour with them: this ſhall appoint me my habitation; this ſhall furniſh my houſe and my table; ſhall appoint me the quality and limit the proporof my daily food: this ſhall order me for my habit, both the coſt and the faſhion of my raiment: this ſhall direct me in the viſiting and entertaining my friends: this ſhall ſet me my buſineſs, and allow me my recreations; this ſhall meaſure my daies and my nights, and ſet me my times for my ſleep, my watch, and my work: this ſhall diſpoſe of my eſtate while I live, and make my will when I die. This ſhall give, my ſelf mine allowance, my wife her dower, my children their portions, and Gods children, his poor orphans theirs. I would ſo feed, and ſo clothe and ſo recreate my ſelf, ſo work and ſo reſt as God would have me. I would never ſpend nor ſave but for the Lord. I p. 131would viſit whom God would have me viſit, I would entertain as God would have me entertain; I would never viſit a friend, but to whom God ſends me, nor entertain but as God bids me; I would put it into the hands of the Lord to divide mine eſtate; no more to my children, and no leſs to his, then my conſcience tells me he would have.

O how few are there who are thus reſolved? And why is it not thus with us? Oh theſe worldly hearts hinder us; theſe put in for a ſhare; they would carry all, but if that may not be, they will divide with God: ſomething for thy ſelf, ſomething for thy fleſh, ſomething for thy friends, and let God take the reſt: and as the heart would have it, ſo ordinarily it goes; inſomuch that it often comes to paſs, that by that every one elſe is ſerved, he to whom all is due, hath little or nothing left; God ſhall be laſt ſerved, and by that his turn comes the ſtore is ſpent▪

Oh theſe falſe and treacherous hearts! Is the Lord our God or not? to whom do we owe any thing but to him? is not all his? is not he Lord of all? is there any thing in our hands, concerning which we can ſay, this is mine own, this is none of his. Do we not eat his bread and dwell in his houſes, and wear his clothes, his wooll and his flax? Is not the earth the Lords and the fulneſs thereof? and may he not require of his own what he will?

And what doth the Lord require? doth he not require all? doth God reſerve only a chief rent to himſelf, and let the reſt go which way it will? hath he allowed any part to be beſtowed on his enemies? would God, that the Divel and luſt go p. 132ſharers with him? Do we not know and theſe tongues confeſs, that all is his due and expectation? what then is this fleſh, what are theſe luſts, that we ſhould hearken to them, when they put in for a part?

O rebuke and repell theſe imperious beggars: you ſhall have a whip and a ſcourge, but no alms at my door; you are none of the beggars that God would have me feed & clothe. Did God ever allow me to clothe my pride or feed my covetouſneſs or nouriſh this unruly and greedy appetite? away away, nothing is allowed you, but a cup of cold water to quench your flames. The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God, my ſoveraign and ſupreme proprietour? of him and through him and to him are all things: his I am and to him I owe and devote whatever I am or have; my ſtreams ſhall fall into no other channells but what will convey them into the Ocean: he is my Ocean who is my fountain, O my God my ſprings do all riſe and reſt in thee.

O what a ſtrange change would this doctrine and the practiſe of it make upon us: then we ſhould live like Chriſtians indeed, and be able to ſay with the Apoſtle Philip. 1. 21. To me to live is Chriſt.

O what exemplarie Chriſtians ſhould we be, had we nothing to do but to bring forth fruit unto God; how rich ſhould we grow were all our buſineſs to lay up treaſure in Heaven; how roundly would the work of our ſalvation go on, were all our works made to fall into this? what a tribute of praiſe and honour would be raiſed to the name of the Lord, if our united ſtreams ran all upward, p. 133how glorious ſhould the Lord be, if God ſhould thus become all in all?

4. Victory over the world ſtands, in a power to want the worlds good things, and to ſuffer the worlds evil things, and to keep our hearts and our way, whether we proſper or ſuffer.

Philip. 4. 12. I know both how to be abaſed and how to abound; every where and in all things I am inſtructed, both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to ſuffer need. Tis one thing to know [what] tis to abound, and what to want; and another thing to know [how] to do both: it may be, though the Apoſtle knew ſufficiently [what] tis to want and to be hungry, yet he knew but little what tis to be full and to abound; but he had learn'd [how] to want and how to abound,

To know how to want and how to abound, is to know how to carry it as a Chriſtian in both eſtates. Poverty and riches have each of them their temptations. Prov. 30. 8. Leſt I be full and deny thee, or leſt I be poor and ſteal and take the name of my God in vain: both eſtates have their temptations, and he knew how to deal with either of them, ſo that neither the one nor the other ſhould put him beſides his duty, or draw him to any thing unworthy of a Chriſtian.

He is a Chriſtian, that neither, beholding to the world for his religion (he hath other arguments to perſwade him to be godly, then that godlineſs is gain) and that will not be forc'd out of it, by all that the world can give or take away: he that is not beholding to the world for his religion, will be the more like to be religious in ſpite of the world: if the loaves were not they that drew him p. 134to Chriſt, neither will the want of bread drive him away; thoſe that come to Chriſt in hopes of a temporal Kingdom, will when they ſee themſelves diſappointed, go back from him again: thoſe that found nothing but Chriſt to draw them after him, will find nothing whileſt Chriſt is Chriſt to draw them off.

A Chriſtian counts Chriſt ſufficient: a ſufficient reward and a ſufficient ſafeguard, enough to ſatisfie him and to ſecure him; and thereupon can be content in all his wants and patient in all he ſuffers: we ſeldom depart from God, but it is either from diſcontent or impatience; either we think it intolerable abiding with him, or at leaſt, that we may have a better being elſewhere; our turning aſide from God to the world, is in hopes ſome way or other to mend our condition; either to be better provided for or better pleas'd: when God is accepted as a ſufficient portion, ſo that we need not the world to make us happy, when God is accounted our ſure refuge, ſo that we fear not that the world can make us miſerable, then twill be all one as to our godlineſs, whether the world be with us or againſt us.

He that can ſay God is my portion whether I want or abound; I have never ſo much but I have need of a God, I have never ſo little but a God will ſuffice; He that can ſay God is my refuge whether I be in ſafety or in danger; I am never in ſuch hazards but in God I am ſecure, I am never ſo out of hazard but I need his ſecurity; how little is it that the world with all its glory on the one hand, or all its fury on the other, can do upon that Soul? thou mayſt then go on thy way rejoycing, thou mayſt ſerve the p. 135Lord without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of thy life.

He that knows and feels what God is, can want or ſuffer what ever is in the world; in him he finds a ſupply of every vacuity, and a ſalve for every ſore; He that knows what pinching want and piercing ſufferings are, will underſtand that nothing but God can hold him up or bear him through. You are miſtaken if you think, that natural hardineſs and ſelf confidence will do, without divine ſupports in preſſing caſes. He that hath this power, hath gotten it from above; he that hath this power, may be whatever the Lord will have him.

Then are we more eminently endued with this power when we have attained to,

1. Self-denial under the greateſt opportunities of ſelf-ſeeking or ſelf-ſatisfaction.

2. Contentment under the greateſt ſtraits.

3. Patience under the greateſt preſſures of affliction.

4. Humility in the height of honour.

5. Magnanimity in the depth of danger or difficulty.

6. Equanimity in the greateſt turns and changes of our outward condition.

1. Self-denial under the greateſt opportunities of felf-ſeeking and ſelf-ſatisfaction. Self-denial properly, is the neglecting the intereſt, and the croſſing the inclinations of our fleſh, in order to ſervice or the preventing of ſin. Then onelyonly ſelf-denial is a vertue, or a duty, when our allowance of our fleſh in its liberty, would be either a ſin, or an occaſion of ſin, or an hindrance of duty; when it would be a preferring p. 136the advantages of the fleſh above the ſervice and honour of Chriſt.

Now by how much the greater our opportunity to pleaſe our fleſh, by ſo much the greater vertue it is to deny it. He that might be full and yet for Chriſts ſake is content to be empty; he that might be rich and yet is content to be poor; he that might live at eaſe or in honour, and yet for Chriſts ſake is content to be vile or in trouble? He that chooſes rather to be ſerviceable then to be ſafe, to be holy then honourable, he that upon the account of Chriſt, flyes from fleſhly advantages when theſe fly after him, this is the man.

Tis a vertue to be quiet when Providence denies us; to be content to be poor and in affliction, when it comes unavoidably upon us: tis ſomething to be able to ſay, I cannot help it and therefore will be quiet. But when we can let Conſcience deny us, let love to Chriſt, let zeal for God ſtraiten us, when Providence allows us our liberty and our fill, this is ſomething to purpoſe.

To neglect the world when the world neglects us or flyes from us; not to ſeek great things for our ſelves, when we have no hope of obtaining; not to mind the pleaſing our pride or our appetite, when we have not wherewith to maintain them; to ſpare from our fleſh when we have nothing to ſpend upon it; to faſt when we have no bread, to put on ſackcloth when we have no better raiment, not to contend for our wills when we ſee we cannot have our wills, there is not ſo very much in all this, though it be more then every one hath attained to; But voluntarily to lay down all p. 137at the foot of Chriſt, to part with all for the ſake of Chriſt, when we might have even what we would in a way of ſin; to keep our fleſh ſhort when it is in our power to make it a larger allowance; this is a great teſtimony how high the intereſt of Chriſt is exalted, and how low the world is brought in us.

One great inſtance of this ſelf-denial, you may read in Moſes, Heb. 11. 24. 25. By faith Moſes when he came to years, refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs daughter chuſing rathor to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon.

Obſerve it, fairer opportunities of fleſh pleaſing, of living in the ſplendour of worldly glory, and the Grandieur of a prime favourite in the court, few of the ſons of men ever enjoy'd; he was adopted the Son of Pharaohs daughter, nurs'd up upon her knee and in her heart, and upon this account, what his hopes and advantages might be, tis eaſy to imagine.

But at once he forſook all; he had a ſervice to do for his God, and ſuch an affection to the people of God, that away he goes, puts himſelf out of Pharaohs favour, and caſts in his lot among his ſuffering brethren.

I ſhall conſider divers circumſtances, which all heighten this noble inſtance.

1. The circumſtance of time,

[When he came to years] twas not a childiſh folly, done when he was ſo young, that he knew not what he did; but when he came to age, when he came to underſtand himſelf; whileſt he was a child, he ſuffered himſelf to be dandled on the lap p. 138of theſe carnal pleaſures, but when he came to age, and underſtood what theſe things were, and had gotten thoſe higher things of the other world in his eye; when he came to age he put away theſe childiſh things: this world is a paradiſe only to children and fools; pictures, and babies, and rattles will pleaſe children, men muſt have manly delights; thou that art ſo taken with the embraces, and dalliances of this world, thou that makeſt thy ſelf ſport with images and rattles, when thou comeſt to have the underſtanding of a man, thou wilt wonder at thy childiſh folly.

2. When he was (upon the matter) newly come to age; a young man, in the prime and vigour of his time; when he had but begun to taſt the ſweet of his youthful pleaſures; the pleaſures of this l…fe are moſt taking at the firſt taſting, the firſt draught is the ſweeteſt; when they grow more common, and ordinary, they ſour and become leſs ſavory.

Oh how rare a thing is it, to ſee young men, in their prime to diſguſt and deſpiſe the world: Old men, whoſe ſtrength is gone, whoſe ſpirits are dead, who have been glutted and tired out with pleaſure, have loſt their appetite, 2 Sam. 19. 35. I am this day fourſcore years old, and can I diſcern between good and evil? can thy ſervant taſt what I eat or drink; can I hear any more the voice of ſinging men, or ſinging women? are theſe any longer a pleaſure to me? the world ceaſes to be ſuch a temptation to old men, it is a dead and a dry tree to them, in the winter of their age, which look'd ſo green and ſo beautiful in the ſpring of their youth.

But behold Moſes whileſt he was a young man, whileſt all look'd freſh and green, yet even then p. 139he rejects it. Young men, you whoſe wanton and ſprightful hearts cry in your ears, in the words of the Preacher, Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth, walk in the way of thine own heart, and in the ſight of thine own eyes; eat, drink, be merry, take thy pleaſure, take thy liberty: Behold here's an inſtance that preaches another Doctrine to you; and what does it preach? the next Text you find after the former, Chap. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth. Remember my Creator? ſo I will in time, I intend it hereafter; 'tis for old men to be ſerious, the Grave will teach gravity; I cannot be old while I am young, time enough to think of the other world, when I am leaving this; I am but newly come into the world, I cannot receive my welcome, and my farewell together; I mean to think on God hereafter, but you muſt give me leave to mind my ſelf, and pleaſe my ſelf a while. No, no, 'tis another manner of Doctrine then this, Moſes though dead, yet ſpeaketh; Remember now thy Creator in the daies of thy youth; make thy preſent choice, and let this be it, Chuſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. Oh that young men would ſet this Copy before their eyes; ſee what this young Moſes did, and do likewiſe.

Give me leave to take the hint, and in a ſhort digreſſion, to ſpeak a few words to young men, to perſwade them to make Moſes his choice betimes, to renounce the world, and to remember their Creator in the daies of their youth, and to conſecrate their firſt time to God. This I ſhall preſs to by the following arguments.

p. 1401. Otherwiſe this is like to be the worſt time of their lives. Such is the heat and ſtrength of their luſts, that nothing but a God will be a bridle to them, Jam. 3. 3. Behold we put bits in the horſes mouths. What ruling an horſe without a bridle? what bridle will hold theſe wild horſes, but the memory of a God?

Some young men are ſo head-ſtrong, that they catch the bit in their teeth, and run on their courſe with full career; though God be ſet before their eyes, and all the terrors of the Lord be put as a bridle in their jaws, yet all will not do to ſtop them, but on they run, as the horſe ruſheth into the battel.

Young men living without God, are as Eſau, wild men; wild-headed and wild-hearted, they run a wild Race.

Young men will do more work for the Devil in a day, then afterwards is done in many daies; and therefore Satan uſes to hire his labourers in the firſt hour of the day; when they are but newly ſtarted out of the ſhell, he ſtands ready to preſs them for hell. And O what haſte do they make on their way? like ſwift Dromedaries, like the wild Aſs, which none can tame, or turn her back.

Youth is the Devils ſeed time. All the tares that grow ripe in thine age, theſe were the ſeed of thy youth; all the Frogs and Toads of the Summer, were from the Spawn of the Spring.

O friends, this world hath been afore-hand with Chriſt, and is gotten firſt in, and there its buſie in complementing your hearts, ſhewing you its treaſures, entertaining you with its carnal delights, inſinuating into your affections, captivating p. 141and intangling your ſouls, building Forts and ſtrong holds againſt Chriſt, that he be not ſuffer'd to enter, and filling you with all wickedneſs, that you may become a loathing and abhomination to him.

O hearken, and open to the Lord, make room for the King of glory, who ſtands at the door and knocks: Will you ſay to him, Go away to day, and come again to morrow, let Chriſt ſtand a while longer? let his Enemy be firſt ſerved? let me be wanton, and fooliſh, and fleſhly a while longer? I am not vile enough yet, not wretched enough yet? a little more of this madneſs, let me be a fool and a beaſt a little longer, let this Luſt and this Devil alone yet a while? let me be laid faſter in the Stocks, let my priſon be double locked, let my ſoul, and my life, and the everlaſting Kingdome, be brought to more deſperate hazards? a few daies more of bondage and miſery, no Redemption yet, no Reconciliation yet, no pardon, nor grace, nor hope; no God nor Chriſt come here a while? will you ſpeak thus to the Lord?

O open to Chriſt, this day open; while ſin is yet but a youngling, while the world is yet but a new Comer, before you be rivetted into ſuch acquaintance and friendſhip with it, as may never be broken off.

2. Youth is the fitteſt time. Young men have many advantages which old men have loſt, and will never recover; they have this threefold advantage.

1. Youth is more docile and tractable. Old men are more dull and hard to learn, more refractory and hard to be perſwaded; therefore you know its p. 142the practiſe of men to put theirs to Schools, and to Trades, in their younger time. Prov. 20. 6. Train up [a child] in the way that he ſhall go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. What's the reaſon that old men are ſo tenacious of their cuſtomes and wayes? O they were train'd up in them of children.

That which is learned in youth, is eaſier gotten, and longer retained: Old mens capacities are dull, and their memories ſlippery; they are hard of hearing, and as hard to remember what they hear. Old mens hearts are preoccupated, the Devil (as before) hath been before-hand with them; they are ſo over-grown with tares, that the good ſeed comes too late, to be like to take any root in them.

And therefore the Lord charges Parents, Eph. 6. 4. To [bring them up] in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In the morning ſow thy ſeed; our evening is uſually the harveſt of our morning ſeed; the luſts of youth are ripe in age, and the graces of the Aged, are ordinarily the fruits that are grown up out of the ſeed of their youth.

Hence is it, that 'tis ſuch a bleſſing to be the children of godly Parents: they have not only the bleſſing of the Covenant, the promiſe entail'd upon them: To Abraham and his ſeed was the promiſe made; and therefore it was a bleſſing to be a child of Abraham; but they have alſo the bleſſing of holy Education; I know Abraham, that he will command his children and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18. 19. Paul commends Timothy, or rather his Mother in him, that he had of a child known the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3. 15. p. 143David begun with Solomon, whileſt he was a young man, 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Fathers.

And as the Lord charges parents to give holy education, ſo is it the duty and the happineſs of children to receive and ſubmit to it: a towardly and tractable childhood promiſes a gracious and fruitfull age. When he is old he will not depart from it, that is, there's hopes he will not: tis true it does not alwaies prove ſo; ſometimes there's too much truth in that proverb, A young Saint and an old Devil. Some there are, whoſe youth is the winter that withers all the buds of their childhood, or at leaſt their age is the grave, that buries all the flowers of their youth: who however it was with them, whileſt they were under the influences of inſtruction, and the reſtraint of diſcipline; no ſooner do they get their neck from under the yoke, and feel the reins of government looſened, but preſently they grow wild and wanton; and fall to pulling down what hath been built, to rooting up what hath been planted, and razing out thoſe holy principles they have ſuck'd in, and ſo letting themſelves looſe to all manner of rudeneſs and debaucherie: theſe are monſters; a degenerate brood; and of all perſons in the world, moſt likely, after this firſt ſtep from Saints to brutes, to take their next from brutes to Divels. O let all ſuch tremble, whoſe youthful luſts have gotten the head of their religious education; the Divel hath broken into Gods nurſery, and ſnap'd off thoſe twigs, to engraff them in his own Orchard, among thoſe trees that are only for the fire.

p. 144I ſay, thus it may happen; (and look to it, that this be the caſe of none of you) that thoſe who have been trained up whileſt children, in the good way of the Lord, depart from it when they are come to age; yet there is ſuch a flexibleneſs in young ones, and ſuch an aptneſs to receive and retain the impreſſions of their holy education, that there's great hope it may abide by them all their daies. If it ſhould wear out, its uſually worſe with ſuch, then with thoſe that have been born and bred up in the dark; but there's hope it will abide.

2. Youth is more vigorous and ſprightly; of warm affection, and full of action; quicquid agit valde agit, there's life in its action: it is not clog'd with the infirmities, nor depreſs'd with the weakneſs and unweldineſs that creeps on with age. In this morning the Soul is free and freſh, the ſpirits are quick and lively, the edge is ſharp and keen, which in time grows more blunt and dull. We may now both act more for God, and taſte more of God; there would be more ſervice, and we ſhould find more ſweetneſs in it, did we begin betime, before our native warmth is cooled, and our edge turned.

What work do rude young men make in the world? how much ſervice do they to the Devil in a little time? laughing and mocking, drinking and gaming, rioting and revelling, giving themſelves to laſciviouſneſs, to work all uncleanneſs with greedineſs? what haſte do they make to undoe themſelves? how hot are they in their luſts, how heady in their wayes, how ſwiftly and violently does the torrent run down towards the burning p. 145lake? in how little time are the plants and flowers rooted out, which had been ſetting and nurſing up all their time, and how ſuddenly are their weeds ſprung up, and how rank are they grown? what might not this heat and activity have brought forth to God, had it been but ſet right? how greatly might God have been honoured, how much might Souls have been advanced, what a treaſure might have been layd up in Heaven, had the ſtream in this ſpring-tide been running towards God, as it hath been towards Hell?

You that have thus fooliſhly loſt your ſeaſon, and run out the flower of your dayes, oh be aſhamed and bewail your loſs; you that have yet your day before you, be warned, let others folly make you wiſe: know in your ſeaſon what a price you have in your hand.

O 'tis pity ſuch a treaſure ſhould be loſt and waſted: what is God, that he muſt have only the laſt and worſt? Sin and the world muſt have the firſt and beſt, and only the lees and dregs left for him, to whom all is due; the Devil muſt have our marrow, and if God will accept our dry and weary bones, that's all we ordinarily deſign for him.

Brethren, how many of our morning hours are already run out, and what hath the Lord had of them? how few early Chriſtians are there of us? who of us are there that came along into the vineyard, at the firſt hour of the day? we think the laſt hour the beſt, and enough for our work; ſoon enough to come into the vineyard, when we are going out of the world; we will not bear the burthen and heat of the day, but chooſe rather to come in the cool of the evening. Unworthy Spirits; p. 146weele firſt make our ſelves good for nothing, and then weele be the ſervants of God.

3. Young men have day before them: he that hath a long journey to go, had need ſet out early; he that hath much work to do had need be at it betimes: he that goes an Apprentice to a trade when he is old, is not like to do any great matter at it; either to get any great skill, or to make any great gain: they are never like to come to much, who are ſo long ere they come to any thing: the journey of a Chriſtian is long, vita brevis iter longum; the work of a Chriſtian is great. Young men, if you would come to Chriſt this day, the youngeſt of you would find work enough, to hold him the longeſt day he has to live: theſe ſtrong holds which have been ſo long a fortifying againſt Chriſt, will not be batter'd down in a day; your evil cuſtoms and evil habits which have been ſo long growing and rooting in you, will require time to be well changed and rooted out; grace and peace and aſſurance are ordinarily the fruits of many years labour and travail: when you have wrought your ſelves out of work, then wiſh you had ſtaid longer out of the vineyard.

3. The firſt time is the acceptable time. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of ſalvation. The preſent ſeaſon is the bleſſed ſeaſon. [the accepted time] that is the time wherein you may be accepted, and which God will take well at your hands, if you will accept. Now you may be accepted, for behold he calleth you; tis a queſtion whether hereafter you may or no: if you will not accept to day, it may be God will not accept to morrow.

p. 147Its very acceptable to the Lord, he likes it, and takes it well at our hands that we give him a preſent anſwer: delaies are as unpleaſing to him, as they are dangerous to us: Wilt thou ſay, when he calls thee, ſuffer me firſt to go and bid them farewell that are at my houſe? yea wilt thou ſay, when he ſaies come and be my ſervant, ſuffer me firſt to go and ſerve my belly and my appetite, and afterwards I will be thine? ſuffer me firſt to get me an eſtate, to get more money or lands and then I will be for getting grace? how do ye think God will take ſuch an anſwer?

The Lord loves to ſee a willing people; of a ready and forward mind; that will offer up their firſt fruits unto God. Tis recorded to the perpetual honour of that good King Joſiah 2 Chron. 34. 3. That in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to ſeek after the God of David his father. He was but 16. years old, when he began to look heavenward; and you may perceive how well the Lord took it, by his recording the very year.

O it is a pleaſant thing to ſee the buds of grace putting forth in the morning of nature; to ſee men growing up in grace, as they grow up in ſtature; this is by ſo much the more beautiful, by how much the more rare and ſeldom found. A godly young man is a Jewel, that ſparkles forth a luſtre, among all the gravel and pebbles of the earth: what a vaſt difference is there, betwixt an humble meek ſober gracious young man or woman, and the rude proud wanton riotous brutiſh of that age? Old age is a crown, and this crown will be much more glorious, if it be deck'd with the flowers of the ſpring.

p. 1484. If the Devil hath the firſt time, he'l endanger to have the laſt too. 'Tis ſeldome ſeen, that thoſe that paſs over their youth and their ſtrength, in the ſervice of ſin, do ever become the ſervants of God at laſt: thoſe that ſtand out againſt Chriſt, to their laſt day, do moſtly ſtand it out in their laſt day. How ſeldome do we hear of an old overgrown ſinner, ever prove a ſincere Convert at laſt?

The experiences of the Miniſters of the Goſpel do teſtifie, that the ſucceſs of their Miniſtery is ordinarily moſt upon the younger ſort; a twig is more eaſily bow'd, or pluck'd up, then an old tree: if thy heart be too hard for the Word, whileſt it is young and tender, how difficult will the caſe be, when its brawn'd and cruſted by age?

Zophar in Job, ſpeaking of an old ſinner ſayes, Job 20. 11. His bones are full of the ſin of his youth, which ſhall lie down with him in the duſt. Obſerve here theſe two things.

1. That age doth often pay the ſcores of youth; the pains of age are often the reward of the pleaſures of youth; the wantonneſs of youth is often revenged by the weakneſs and diſeaſes of age; mens aged bones do remember them of their waſted marrow. Sinners, though you think you can never fill your bellies with your luſts, while you are young, yet God will fill your bones with them when you are old; and 'twill be but a ſad meeting, when young ſins and old bones meet together. O what a ſtrange difference will there be betwixt feeling our aged aking bones, full of the duties of our youth, our prayings, watchings, faſtings, labourings and ſufferings, and having them fill'd with our youthful luſts and lewdneſs?

p. 1492. Where ſin breaks its faſt and dines, it often ſups and lodges, it lies down with him in the duſt. If timely repentance do not lay thy ſin in the duſt, when thou art young, vengeance is like to lay it down with thee in the duſt when thou art old. [It ſhall lie down with him in the duſt.] A dreadful word; the meaning is, it ſhall never be pardoned, or done away, he ſhall carry his ſins out of the world with him, as he liv'd, ſo he dies.

'Tis ill having ſin thy bed-fellow; 'tis ill ſleeping one night in unrepented ſin; but O what will it be to have all thy wickedneſſes, thy companions in the grave? 'tis a wretched thing to live in ſin, but beware of dying in ſin: whileſt the Worms eat up thy fleſh, theſe Vultures ſhall gnaw upon thy ſoul.

Young ſinner, take heed of going on in the hardneſs of thine heart: If the Word of Life do not part thee and thy ſins, death ſhall not part you, the grave ſhall not part you: Death ſhall part betwixt thy body and thy ſoul, betwixt thy ſins and their pleaſures, betwixt thy ſins and their gains; but it ſhall never part betwixt thy ſins and thy ſoul, they die with thee, and are buried with thee, and they ſhall riſe with thee, and become the fuel of that fire that ſhall burn to the bottom of Eternity.

Well now at length what ſay you young men? when for God and the other world? when for wiſdome, ſobriety, chaſtity? when for Religion in earneſt? now, or not till hereafter? will you yet be ſo unworthy as to give your marrow to the Devil, and reſerve nothing but dry bones for the Lord? will you offer up your firſt fruits to Bacchus p. 150and Venus? will you burn out your Candle to light you on in your noyſome lewdneſs, and never be ſweet till you be conſumed into a ſtinking ſnuff?

How few are there that will hearken? what wild creatures, wild Aſſes Colts are the moſt of the youth of the earth? what a wanton waſtful luxurious looſe Age is this firſt Age? It cannot be ſaid, as to Iſrael, Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindneſs of thy youth, and the love of thine Eſpouſals; but I remember the luſts of thy youth, the lewdneſs, and the madneſs, and the wantonneſs of thy youth; art thou willing it ſhould be hereafter thus ſaid to thee?

Remember now thy Creator, and ſee if that will not hold thee to another courſe. Doſt thou not want a bridle in this unruly age? what bridle but the memory of a God?

Remember that there is a God. Thou runneſt on thy courſe as the horſe ruſheth into the battel; thou art wilful and obſtinate in thy way, and wilt not be turned back; thou ſayeſt in thine heart, my tongue is mine own, my time is mine own, my eſtate is mine own, who is Lord over me? But remember there is a God.

Thou committeſt thy wickedneſs it may be in ſecret, thy way is in the dark, thou makeſt thy advantage of the twilight, and imboldeneſt thy ſelf with this, what eye ſhall ſee me? but remember there is a God.

Thou deſpiſeſt wiſdome as folly, thou hateſt inſtruction, ſeriouſneſs is thy ſcorn, ſobriety thy deriſion; thou makeſt a mock of holineſs, and laugheſt at the reproofs of thine iniquities: Bid p. 151thee be wiſe, and repent of thy wickedneſs, as good ſpeak to the wind, or the ſtones of the earth; tell thee of Death, or of Judgment, as good tell thee a dream: Let a Parent adviſe thee, let a Miniſter or a Chriſtian friend warn thee, and how are they either ſlighted or laugh'd out of countenance. But remember that there is a God.

Thou wilt know no other heaven but below; thou bleſſeſt thy ſelf in the earth, in thy pleaſures, in thy companions, and canſt fancy no other happineſs but thy fools Paradiſe; But remember that there is a God.

Remember that this God is thy Creator; and therefore thy Governour and Judge, to whom thou oweſt thy ſelf, and thy time, and to whom thou muſt give up thine account.

Remember and return to thy God; remember and repent; remember God, and then run on if thou dar'ſt, be a drunkard if thou dar'ſt, be a wanton if thou dar'ſt, be a worldling if thou dar'ſt. Remember thy God and repent.

Remember thy Creator [now in this day of thy youth.] If ever, why not now? Is not this the fitteſt time? Is not this the accepted time? May not this be the only time? How know'ſt thou but that this may be the Word of the Lord to thee, Now or never? Wilt thou never learn wiſdome till thy loſs teach thee it? Wilt thou never know thy day, till thy Sun be ſet? Young men, reckon not upon the evening, your Sun may be ſet at noon: Conſider what thou art to day; as one of the fools in Iſrael; a vile inſipid uſeleſs thing, the filth, the refuſe, the off-ſcouring of the earth; and if thou wouldſt not be found thus at thy dying day, let not p. 152this night overtake thee, before thou haſt run from thy ſelf, and thy ſins, unto thy God.

Such of you, Brethren, as have already return'd to the Lord, and accepted of his Grace; as have had the grace to conſecrate your youth to the Lord, Oh bleſs the name of God, bleſs him while you live and have any being. Who hath redeemed your life from death, and crouned you with loving kindneſs and tender mercies; who hath taken you out from among the dirt and rubbiſh, and made you poliſhed ſtones for his Temple; who hath cur'd you of your madneſs, and made you the children of Wiſdome; who hath ſeparated the precious from the vile, fetch'd you out from the rude Rabble, and thoſe Potſheards of the earth, wherein there is no pleaſure, and mark'd you up for his Veſſels of Honor: What day the Lord goes forth among the wild Herd, and takes out here and there one of the company, he ſaith, Theſe ſhall be for me; this young man, or this young woman ſhall be mine; they ſhall be mine in the day wherein I make up my Jewels; and for the reſt that will not hearken, let them run, till death ſeize upon them, and the pit ſwallow them up.

Yet ſay, young man, of which number wilt thou be? of the taken, or the left? wilt thou along after thy Creator? or wilt thou ſtay with thy companions? what wilt thou ſay to the Lord? Take me, or leave me? let me be thine, or leave me to my ſelf? let me this day repent and be ſober, or let me run mad ſtill, till there be no place for repentance? Conſider and be wiſe.

But to return to our matter in hand,

2. The circumſtance of his education. He had been p. 153bred up from a child, in a gallant Princely way; he knew not what belonged to a low eſtate: thoſe that never had much, forſake but little when they forſake all; 'tis but a ſhort ſtep from a little to nothing: he can take no great harm in a fall, who alwayes ſits on the ground; want will never much pinch thoſe who never underſtood plenty; 'tis no ſuch hard change, to be caſt from the Cottage to the dunghill: we poor little ones, if we had hearts, might ſay we have not opportunities, to leave much for God; 'tis thoſe who dwell on high, whoſe Mountains are exalted among the tops of the Mountains of the earth, and that have had their Neſt among the Stars, 'tis theſe are like to feel it, when they muſt take up their dwelling in the duſt; and this was Moſes caſe, from the height to the depth, from the height of eaſe and honour, to the depth of affliction and hardſhip.

3. The circumſtance of his Obligations. Pharaoh's Daughter had ſtrangely oblig'd him, had ſav'd his life, took him up an abject Infant, and adopted him for her Child, given him Princely breeding, and ſet her heart upon him as her own: and hereupon the ingenuity of his Nature could not but plead with him thus: Unworthy unthankful creature, what art thou meditating? whither art thou going? a running away from her, whoſe pity gave thee thy life? who pittied thee, and loved thee? who loved thee, and took thee in? who took thee in, and bred thee up? what art thou? what haſt thou, that ſhe may not juſtly call her own? and wilt thou thus requite that pity, love, bounty, which thou canſt never recompence? what a reproach wilt thou become, mark'd out for infamous, p. 154an unworthy, unthankful, diſingenuous, ill natur'd man? whither wilt thou cauſe thy ſhame to go? oh how would ſuch ſuggeſtions gall and gravel an ingenuous ſpirit.

Well, but Moſes breaks through all; let my fame be infamy, let me be accounted any thing, unworthy, unkind, fooliſh, or any thing that's worſe; God is worthy, for whoſe ſake I ſhould bear all this; and away he goes.

'Tis not the leaſt of temptations which lies on ſome mens ſpirits, and which unhappily keeps them from Chriſt, that they ſhall diſcontent their friends, diſoblige their dear Relations, ſeem to put a ſlight upon the love, and kindneſs, and deareſt reſpects of thoſe, whom they have lov'd as their own ſouls; if I take this courſe, if I fall into this uncouth diſcountenanced reproach'd way, what will they call me? how will they look on me? how ſhall I look my Father in the face, or my Husband, or my Wife in the face? what will become of the eſteem, and affection, and dearneſs which now I have with all my intimates, and acquaintance? what ſhall I be accounted? with whom ſhall I be reckon'd? how ſhall I bear up under thoſe evil reflections, and thoſe unworthy imputations, that I cannot but expect?

But now a reſolved Chriſtian will weigh the other ſide too: But how ſhall I look God in the face? how ſhall I look Chriſt in the face, if upon ſuch grounds I refuſe to hearken to him? who hath been ſuch a friend as God hath been to me? who hath loved me as Chriſt hath loved me? who hath done for me as he hath done for me? who hath laid down his life for me? who muſt ſave p. 155my ſoul from death? how ſhall I look God in the face, if this be all I have to ſay, I would have followed thee Lord, I would have hearkened to thee, but my Father and Mother would have been angry then, my Husband or Wife would have taken it unkindly, I ſhould have diſpleaſed my friends, they would have counted me a fool, or a mad man, or unkind, or unthankful, if I had hearkened to thee? Oh I remember what he hath ſaid, Mat. 10. 37. He that loves Father or Mother more then me, he that loves Son or Daughter more then me, is not worthy of me. He that forſakes not Father and Mother cannot be my Diſciple; therefore I have no more to ſay, my Friends are dear, my Husband is dear, my Wife is dear to me, I rejoyce in their love, and I would not their diſpleaſure, I would not worthily be counted unworthy, or unkind, or diſreſpectful, or undutiful to any of them; but God is more then all.

My friends, if you will go along with me, if you will to Chriſt with me, if you will be for holineſs with me, (and oh that you would) come along, let's along to Chriſt together, let me have your company to heaven; oh that I could pray you thither, oh that I could perſwade you thither, I love you ſo well, that I am loath we ſhould part companies; if you will go along with me, if I may be the Lords, and yet be yours, I am much more yours then ever; but if this be the condition of your love, you will love me ſo I love not Chriſt, you will be my friends, ſo the Lord be not my friend; you will reſpect me, and eſteem me, ſo I will deſpiſe and diſreſpect holineſs; you will be for my company, ſo I be not for heaven, p. 156or ſo I will not go ſo far, or ſo faſt that way; if this be the condition of your love, ſtay with us, do as we do, live as we live, be merry, be vain, take thy pleaſure, take thy liberty as we do, and we will love thee; if you will not love me on other terms, then farewell to you all, and to all your love: I have learn'd what this meaneth, he that loveth Father or Mother more then Chriſt, is not worthy of him; he that loveth favour or reſpect more then Chriſt, is not worthy of him; and till you can make it out, that you have oblig'd me, more then Chriſt hath oblig'd me; that your love will be better to me, then the love of Chriſt; that reſpect from men will be better to me, then acceptance with God, you muſt give me leave to run the hazard of loſing ſuch friends, whom I cannot keep without loſing God, and my ſoul.

4. Circumſtance. But when he went from Pharaohs Court, whither went he? when he left the boſome of Pharaohs Daughter, to whom did he joyn himſelf? why to a company of poor bondmen, that were labouring at the brick Kilns; and not to be a Taskmaſter, or Ruler among them; but to take his lot of ſuffering with them, chuſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, &c.

Now lay all theſe circumſtances together; Moſes that had been bred up, and liv'd in the Equipage of a Prince, and might have ſo continued; when he came to age, and underſtood what the advantages of worldly greatneſs were; when he had his ſenſes quick about him, and could make the higheſt experiment what the ſweetneſs of worldly pleaſures was, in the higheſt Spring-tide of worldly luſts and temptations; when 'twas high p. 157water without, and his youthful blood was moſt aflote within; when he had time before him, to make the moſt of the worlds favours; who had never known what an harder and lower condition meant; who had been ſo ſtrangly obliged, by ſignal favours, and could not but be ſtrongly prompted, from principles of ingenuity, not to ſlight ſuch favoures: in the midſt of all theſe temptations, for the ſervice of his God, and from his affection to his brethren, he voluntarily, not upon force but of choice, diſrob'd himſelf of all his glory, and eſpouſed the ſufferings of his brethren; eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures in Egypt. v. 27.

O brethren how may we be filled with wonder? and which of the two wonders are the greateſt, Moſes his ſelf-denial, or our denial of Chriſt? Moſes his comming off in ſo great a floud of temptations, or our being ſo ordinarily overcome in thoſe little temptations which daily occurre? how little is it that we do or can deny our ſelves in for Chriſt? what have we forſaken, or what are we willing to forſake for Chriſt? upon what inconſiderable termes have Chriſt and our Souls ſo often parted? what cheap duties will we not do? what cheap ſins will we not abate? what ſmall temptations are hearkned to, when Chriſt cannot be heard?

How often have we neglected to reprove a ſin, for fear of looſing a friend? how often have we neglected to ſpeak of God, for fear of diſpleaſing our company? how often have we denyed conſcience, that we might not deny our luſts? what ſinful pleaſures, that our hearts have been luſting p. 158after; what ſinful gains, that our eyes have been ſet upon; what pleaſant morſels, that our appetites have been craving, have we been able to deny them? how do we let conſcience lye at the mercy of every luſt? if luſt will but crave, it muſt be granted whatever become of conſcience.

If the name of Chriſt ſhould prevail no more in Heaven, then it ordinarily doth on earth; if God ſhould ſo ordinarily deny thoſe prayers, we offer up in Chriſts name, as we deny thoſe precepts, which in the ſame name are ſent down to us, we ſhould have as little hopes towards Heaven, as the Lord hath honour on earth.

We grudge, we murmur, we quarrel with God, if he deny us in any thing, croſs us in any thing, and yet how many denyals muſt he bear from us, and be patient? 2 King. 5. 13. If the Prophet had bid thee do ſome great thing, wouldeſt thou not have done it? how much more when he ſaith, waſh and be clean? If it had been ſome great thing the Lord had required of us; (that it is not) all we have is but a little: if it had been ſome great thing, twere a ſhame to deny it to God; but when ſuch little things can't be granted, not a word ſpoken ſometimes, in a whole day together; not an alms given, not a vain pleaſure abated, not a wanton faſhion laid aſide; not a proud look, or a froward tongue, or a wanton eye, or a greedy appetite reſtrained at his word; when we fail in ſuch little things, what ſhould we have done had we ſtood in Moſes his ſtead?

Brethren, when we are led aſide from a ſelf-denying, to a fleſh pleaſing life, we are ready to ſay to thoſe that reprove us for it, Oh you do not p. 159know my temptations; if you were in my circumſtances, you might have done the like. But you do know Moſes his temptations; and if you had had more of Moſes heart, you would not have complained ſo much of great temptations.

Beloved, you that dwell in your ſieled houſes, lodg in your warm, and eaſy beds, are clothed in your ſoft and coſtly raiment; fed at your full tables, cheared by the countenance and courteſies of your friends; compaſſed about with your accommodations of all ſorts; when you can chooſe rather a poor cottage, an hard lodging, rough or ragged garments, hungry meals, hard uſage, from friends and enemies; when you can chooſe all this, rather then ſin againſt Chriſt; when upon a little ſin, all your comforts might be continued to you, there's that ſelf-denial, that will prove, that you can live without being beholding to the world for its good will, or without fear of its ill will.

2. Contentment in greateſt ſtraits, Phil. 4. 11, 12. I have learned in whatſoever eſtate I am, to be content.

[In whatever eſtate] whether I have little or much, ſomething or nothing, ſtill content: contentment is the heart at eaſe, our well pleaſedneſs with our condition, without quarrelling at our lott, without murmuring againſt God, and without ſelf-tormenting vexations. Thoſe whoſe God is the world, cannot long be quiet: the world like the moon, waxes and wanes; the world like the Sea, ebbs and flowes; and the heart of the worldly is like their God, Iſa. 57. 20. The wicked are as the troubled ſea, that cannot be at reſt: when tis full ſea there's a little ſtand; but when the tide turns, away their reſt ſwims down the ſtream.

p. 160The world is too little when at fulleſt, to fill the heart; this Sea is to narrow when at broadeſt, to extend it ſelf paralel to our expatiating deſires, Iſa. 28. 20. The bed is ſhorter then that a man can ſtretch himſelf on it, the covering narrower then that he can wrap himſelf in it. The wide Ocean to the heart of man, is but as the narrow Seas; he can drink it up and be thirſty ſtill: when it hath ſpent its ſtore upon him, that's the voice, what no more? Is this all. But what is the world to content a Soul, when tis low water? What reſt can there be, when ever and anon the banks will be empty?

God is the ſame; enough and he changeth not: the manifeſtations of God are unequal; ſometimes bright and ſometimes dimmer; ſometimes he is ſeen, and ſometimes out of ſight: and hereupon there is ſometimes leſs quiet in the hearts of the Saints, then at other times; but whileſt the heart feels that God is there, there's no want. Diſquiets there may be, but tis not whither the world ebbs or flows, but whether God be preſent or abſent that makes the change upon the Spirit: let God be with me, and then let the world be with whom it will: let me have an houſeful or but an handful, tis all one as to my Soul contentment. A Chriſtian is as little beholding to the world for his contentment, as he is for his godlineſs; and that ſure is little enough: as he will be godly, without asking leave of the world, ſo he will be contented, whether the world will or no: godlineſs and contentment grow both together; as much as you find of the one, ſo much of the other: if contentment be but ſmall, godlineſs is not great; they grow both together, and the ſame root bears p. 161them both. Godlineſs comes down from Heaven, and never did contentment ſpring up out of the earth; they have the ſame fountain, both come from the Father of lights, Jam. 1. 17.

You that are ordinarily male contents, look to it that you be not ſtrangers from God; if there be any thing, yet ſure there's but little of God in you, that need ſo much of the world to keep you quiet: if this be it that can [only] ſtill you, look to it, this is ſtill your God. Oh what reſtleſs Spirits for the moſt part have you? never well, never at reſt: what's the matter? what is there wanting? what would quiet you? A better houſe? a greater eſtate? better trading? kinder neighbours? And can you not be content as you are? content without all theſe? muſt you be rich? muſt you have all to your mind, or you will ſtill be thus angry? go ſerve the world then, and take it for your God, ſay no more the Lord is my portion, if he be not enough to content you.

Contentment in God will be one of the beſt evidences of your conqueſt over the world: he is a Chriſtian of proof, that cannot be content with the world, and yet can be content without it: that cannot be contented with the world, when he hath moſt of it; and yet can be content when he hath the leaſt of it, yea can be content without it, if God be his.

If the world can content you, to be ſure it can command you; if you make it your pay-maſter it will be your task-maſter: whither will not men go, what will they not do for contentment?

Why run we ſo often from God, but for our contentment? what ſeek we in our fields, in our p. 162beds or among our companions, but our contentment? company to pleaſe us, pleaſure to content our minds? We miſtake the ground; contentment does not grow in any of theſe fields, but however, there we are digging for it; and we never bethink our labour for any thing that will promiſe us, Ile content thee for thy pains: this the world promiſes, I'le content thee, I'le content thee; and as long as we dare take its word, it has us ſure enough for ſervants: once find your miſtakes; hear riches ſay, 'tis not in me, hear pleaſures ſaying, 'tis not in me, hear friends ſaying, God help thee to a contented mind, we cannot, hear the whole world ſaying, theres no ſuch plant in all my gardens; thou mayſt go from plant to plant, from flower to flower, till thou haſt tryed all my ſtore, and never find contentment amongſt them all; tis in another field, in the other world, the paradiſe of God; ſend thy heart thither for it, purchaſe that field, and there dwell and ſatisfy thy Soul. Once hear every creature, every condition telling thee thus, tis not in me to content thee, tis from within, tis from above that thy contentment muſt come; and then, when thou ſeeſt that all the world cannot content thee, what wants of any thing the world hath will diſcontent thee? whatever it be the fruition whereof cannot content, its want need not diſcontent us.

O what a conſtant calm and ſerenity ſhould we feel in our ſpirits? what ſteadineſs would appear in our lives? what triumph over the World, and all its changes, did we feel this truth in our hearts? In God alone my contentment lies.

Oh how much below the excellency and the p. 163ſweetneſs of ſuch a life do we live? how hard to be pleas'd? how ſoon out of patience? what a ſmall matter will put our hearts upon the Rack? Some there are that are ever male-contents, there's no condition that can keep them quiet, if they be the greateſt Candidates of Providence, they are ſtill murmuring; they not only know not how to want, or to be croſs'd, or to be in ſtraits, but neither how to abound; they are never well f…ll nor faſting, but will be ſtill picking quarrels, even with their moſt plentiful and proſperous ſtate; they will be vexing and fretting themſelves for they know not what, though they can ſcarce tell what they would have more, or otherwiſe then they have, yet they are angry that 'tis thus; what pleaſes them to day, they nauſeate to morrow; theſe are their own peſts, the moſt miſerable of men.

But vvhen vve are in ſtraits indeed, vvhen Providence does frovvn upon us, and keeps us lovv and ſhort of vvhat our minds deſire, then hovv fevv of us can ſay, It is well?

Brethren, look not on diſcontent as a little evil; that vve ſhould count it but a ſmall thing for God to ſave our ſouls, unleſs he vvill pleaſe our ſenſes; that vve ſhould count it but a ſmall thing, that God ſhould give us our lives, unleſs he alſo give us our vvills; as if nothing vvould pleaſe us, unleſs the Lord vvill ſet us on the Throne, and let us carve for our ſelves, and be Governours of the vvorld.

A diſcontented perſon ſayes, 'Tis but little that God hath done for me, 'tis but little that God hath given to me; he hath but given Chriſt to me, p. 164he hath but pardoned my ſins, he hath given me nothing but Heaven and everlaſting glory; what Blaſphemy is here? Ah Wretch! doſt make a But of Chriſt, a But of Pardon and Salvation? thou haſt reaſon enough to fear, that Chriſt and Life is none of thine, who makeſt ſo little account thereof.

Think not that miſchief little which diſcontent will bring forth; how great things will this little thing do? Whence are all our wandrings from God after ſin, after vanity, but from a preſent diſcontent with our condition? whence is envy? whence is covetouſneſs? whence are frauds, oppreſſions, robberies, but from hence, that we are not content with our own? Whence is that luſting and running out after fleſhly liberty, after unlawful pleaſures, after an eaſier and looſer life, but from this, that we think to mend our condition, and to make our ſelves happier then Religion allows us to be.

Is that little, which makes God little, and Chriſt little, and the everlaſting Kingdome little, and ſends us to the Devil to inlarge our quarters which God allovvs us?

To cloſe up this, I ſhall give you a ſhort and more diſtinct vievv.

1. Of the evils and miſchiefs of diſcontent.

2. Of the excellencies and ſvveetneſs of contentment.

1. The evils and miſchiefs of diſcontentment (as hath been already in part hinted) are theſe follovving.

1. It denies Gods ſufficiencie; it ſayes, In the fulneſs of [his] ſufficiency I am in ſtraits. Diſcontent argues want, or elſe

p. 1652. It impeaches Gods goodneſs and bounty. Whatever is with him in the houſe, yet there's no good houſe-keeping: If in my Fathers houſe there be bread enough, yet he keeps me ſhort enough, I have but little, the Lords hand hath been ſhortned to me.

As we go along, conſider Brethren, whether you would not be aſhamed thus to ſpeak; and yet is not this the voice of your diſcontented hearts? If God ſhould challenge us, as he did Iſrael, Jer. 2. 5. What iniquity have ye found in me? Or as Micah 3. 6. O my people what have I done to thee, wherein have I wearied thee? how have I uſed thee? Come forth, teſtifie againſt me. Or as Pharaoh ask'd Hadad, 1 King. 11. 22. What haſt thou lacked with me, that thou wilt be gone? If the Lord ſhould ask us thus, Diſcontent would anſwer, Yes I have lacked, thou haſt been an hard Maſter to me, thou wilt not let me have my will; this I have lacked, and that I have lacked, I have been ſtraitned in the Lord, he hath been a Wilderneſs, and a Land of darkneſs to me. Though Conſcience muſt ſay with David, The Lord is my Shepherd, I want nothing, yet this male-contented heart will ſtill be complaining.

3. Hereupon it rebels, and will not ſtand to Gods allowance: When God will not ſatisfie, we fall to ſharking and ſhifting for our ſelves: Diſcontent with our lot (as I ſaid before) lies at the bottom of all our unlawful carving for our ſelves; hence is covetouſneſs, hence is fraud, oppreſſion, &c. becauſe we are not content with Gods allowance.

4. It diſgraces godlineſs. Whatſoever is boaſted p. 166of it, that its wayes are the wayes of pleaſantneſs, and all its paths are peace; that the merchandiſe thereof is better then ſilver, and its gain then gold; that its a tree of life; that length of daies, riches and honours, attend upon it; as Prov. 3. Whatever the Scriptures ſpeak, and mens mouths ſpeak, of the excellencies, the ſweetneſs, and ſatisfaction that a godly life brings in, a diſcontented heart denies all, and tells the World there's little in it: Peace, and joy, and gain, and ſatisfaction, where is it? there is not enough to keep the heart in any tolerable quiet; there is not enough to ſtill the ſoul from murmuring and complaining: What do our diſcontents ſpeak leſs in the ears of the World?

5. It is its own plague and puniſhmont; it eats out and devoures the good and the comfort of all we have: the want of Mordecai's Cap and Knee, made all the honour that Haman had in the Kings Court, to be as nothing to him. Ahabs whole Kingdome could not keep him in health while he wanted Naboths Vineyard. Diſcontent is ſuch a ſickneſs of the heart, as makes it diſreliſh whatever elſe it hath to delight and pleaſe it.

Diſcontented perſons are apt to think, that all their troubles are from without, one thing is wanting, and another thing is amiſs; as he that hath a tender foot complains of his ſhoe, 'tis too ſtrait, or too hard; or as a ſick man of his meat, or his drink, or his bed, his bed is hard, or not well made, his meat is not good, or not well dreſs'd; but the fault all the while is in his foot, or his ſtomach, in his weakneſs and wearineſs; his tender foot makes his ſhoe wring, his ſick ſtomach makes his meat unſavoury, his weary bones p. 167make his bed uneaſie; 'tis this evil ſickneſs of thine heart that makes thee angry with thy ſtate, and makes the very comforts of thy life uncomfortable to thee; this thou wanteſt, or that thou likeſt not, and that vexes thee; why if this want were ſupplied, and that vexation were removed, thy ſickly heart would ever find ſomething or other to torment thee; thou wilt never want a plague whileſt thou carrieſt this evil heart about thee.

6. It Idolizeth the world, and argues captivity to it: What, could the World do, if thou hadſt it, that which God cannot do without it? Could the World content thee? or canſt thou not find contentment when any thing of that is wanting? who then is thy God?

2. The excellencies and ſweetneſs of contentment.

1. There is a chearful ſubmiſſion in it; a reſting in Gods allowance, and a well-pleaſedneſs with our condition; let the Lord deal out to me, and keep back from me whatſoever he will; its the Lord, let him do whatſoever ſeems him good; God is pleas'd it ſhould be thus, and therefore I am pleas'd. O what a ſweet life were this? all the perturbations of our lives ariſe from the claſhing of Gods Will, and our wills; when ours is ſwallowed up in his Will, then there's reſt: Nothing comes amiſs to us, there's nothing to grieve or offend, when we like what ever God wills.

Brethren, this we pray for, Thy will be done: this we profeſs, Not my will, but thine; and when our hearts conſent that our prayers ſhould be heard, and will come in and ſubſcribe our Petitions, how ſweetly will all run on: When we can p. 168heartily ſay, Not my will, but his be done, we ſhall be alſo able to ſay, Becauſe his will, mine is done.

2. There is ſatisfaction in it; ſatisfaction with God, Prov. 14. 14. A good man is ſatisfied; ſatisfied from himſelf, from within him: God is within him, and thence his ſatisfaction; there's no true contentment, but what's bottom'd on God: Thou haſt many wants, and many wiſhes, and many hopes; if theſe were once anſwered, then thou thinkeſt all would be well: No, no, it would not do; if thou hadſt thy wiſh, and thy hopes, there would ſtill be ſomething wanting till thou comeſt to take up with thy God: When thy ſoul can dwell at eaſe in the midſt of ſtraits and wants, that's a ſign thou haſt taken God as thy ſufficient portion.

3. Independence from the world; I mean wholly, as to matters of Religion and Conſcience: thou canſt now be happy with, or without the World, and he that can be happy with, or without it, can be holy which way ſoever the world goes; as long as thou canſt be content, thou wilt dare to be conſcientious. For

4. Its an Antidote againſt temptations: 'tis the hungry Hound that follows his game, when he's full he will not hunt: When thou findeſt this ſelf-ſufficiency, thy ſoul will not bite at the Worlds baits.

5. Its its own reward: Its both our duty, and our comfort. Let us be content, this is one of thoſe Commandments, [In] keeping whereof there is great reward: this is the ſweet of thy life, contentment: this is the ſauce of thy meat, the ſugar of thy cup, the crop, the cream of all thy enjoyments.

p. 169Oh Chriſtians, Would you be happy? be content, and you are happy: Would you not be in want? be content, and you have enough? Would you not be poor? be content, and you are rich: Would you have your houſes, and your buſineſſes, and all your concernments, according to your mind? be content, and it is done: Would you be free from trouble, and paſſions, and perplexities of mind? be content, and they all vaniſh: Would you live at hearts eaſe, and carry all things ſweetly and ſmoothly on? be content, and then ſoul take thine eaſe: Would you be content? I, there's the difficulty; this would heal all my ſores: But how ſhall I be content? ſeek not for it here, in any thing below thee, or without thee, ſeek for it within, ſeek it from above, take up with God, and in him thou ſhalt find reſt.

Only that you may find contentment in God;

1. Make God your own: Look not for content in the World, and look not for content in God, without a propriety in him: Look not for content, and dare not to be content without God: It is a ſhame not to be content with God, but it is a madneſs to be content without God, and an intereſt in him. May be ſome of you will ſay, I thank God I am none of theſe male-contents, I am of a ſedate and quiet ſpirit, I am well pleas'd with my ſtate; what, and yet a ſtranger from God? Is God none of thine, and yet content? Its well with thee to day, but where mayſt thou be to morrow? Is it no matter where? Will theſe bubbles and ſhadows, will Death and Hell content thee? art thou content to go down into the Pit, and periſh everlaſtingly? God would not have thee to p. 170be patient of his wrath, much leſs to be contented. Oh Brethren, let your ſpirits boil up, while you will, into the higheſt extremities of impatience, under ſin and wrath; how can you be quiet, whileſt God is angry? beware of having one good thought of your ſtate, ſuffer not your hearts to have one hours reſt, till God be yours: make God ſure, and then be content with any thing, but dread that contentment that is where God is not, Pſal. 16. The Lord is my portion,—the Lord is at my right hand, therefore mine heart is glad, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: But wilt thou ſay, The World is my portion, the Lord is not my portion, yet my heart is glad?

2. Advance in godlineſs. What is God to the contenting of a ſoul without godlineſs? you can neither underſtand, nor taſt of God, without godlineſs: Contentation ariſes from communion; and by how much the higher our communion with God, by ſo much the more full our contentment. Godlineſs is the proof of God, of his riches and ſatisfying excellencies, Rom. 12. 2. Be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, [that ye may prove] what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You that are but young beginners in Chriſtianity, you yet but little know what a treaſure the Lord is; no man knows but he that hath it, and no man hath much of this treaſure, but he that's rooted and grounded in the love of God, and raiſed and inlarged in the experimental exerciſes of godlineſs. 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godlineſs with contentment is great gain. When godlineſs riſes ſo high, as to bring in contentment, (a little will not do it) then you ſhall p. 171find it great gain. Never look to find the gain of godlineſs, but according to the proportion you find of contentment, and never look for great contentment, nor count that content you have any great vertue, where there is but little godlineſs.

3. Patience in the greateſt diſtreſſes: Patience (as I have elſewhere noted) is the fleſh mortified, and the fleſh mortified is the world vanquiſhed: the fleſh, while it is alive, will quickly feel; and when it ſmarts, twill kick and fling, and put the whole Soul into a combuſtion: when the world with all its fury, either cannot make the fleſh to ſmart, or not ſo, but that the Soul can bear it and ſtill keep quiet, there's patience. When the world hath not only made ſome lighter onſets, by its vollies of reproaches and mockings; but perſecuted us to Bonds and Impriſonments, prepared for us its inſtruments of death, and forced us to reſiſt unto bloud; when ſcourging, and ſtocking, and ſtoning, and ſtarving, and ſawing a ſunder, as twas the caſe of thoſe believers, Heb. 11. are all put to it and not pleas'd and cannot force a murmuring or repining thought againſt God, nor an unworthy reflection on thoſe holy wayes which have coſt us ſo dear: but the Soul ſtill keeps ſilence; and with our Lord, Iſa. 53. we lye as lambs dumb before the ſhearer, yea before the butcher, when we are in ſuch great patience in ſo great ſufferings; when the world hath done its worſt by us, and yet cannot have its will of us, there's the victory, ſhall I ſay? nay there's the triumph of faith over the world.

4. Humility in the height of honour: When the world can neither depreſs nor ſinfully exalt us, p. 172neither ſink nor ſwell us; when it can neither beat us on the lower ground, nor on the pinnacle of the Temple.

Some Chriſtians have been highly exalted in the world; have been raiſed from the duſt to ſit with the Princes among the people: have been numbred among the great and the honourable; and made to ride on the high places of the earth. Joſeph from the Priſon, is lifted up to be the ſecond in the Kingdom; Mordecai, from the threſhold of the Kings houſe, to be the man whom the King delights to honour; David from the ſheepfold to the Throne.

Others have had the nobler advantages of inward worth and accompliſhment. Moſes was learned in all the wiſdom of the Egyptians. Paul brought up at the feet, and furniſhed with the learning of Gamaliel; too great a diſputant for the Philoſophers of his age. Apollos an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures.

Others have been had in great renown for their noble acts and mighty works which they have done. How was it with David upon his ſlaughter of the Philiſtine, with Daniel upon his interpretation of the Kings dream, with the Apoſtles ſometimes upon the miracles that they wrought?

Such a ſtate as this, a ſtate of honour and renown, is a keen weapon in the hand of the world whereby it often ſtabs the Soul of all vertue and grace: thoſe that are blown up to the top of the mountains, are often blown away by the winds of pride and popular applauſe

Thoſe who can keep humble in ſuch heights, whoſe hearts ſtill keep their dwelling on the lower p. 173ground, who are little ones in all their greatneſs; little in their own eyes, and willing to be little in the eyes of others; who can take their crowns, and their garlands that are ſet on their own heads, and tranſlate them on the head of their Lord; who account it their honour to decreaſe to his increaſing; here are the perſons whoſe humility ſignifies ſomething.

What is it to be humble, when we have nothing whereof to be proud? to be low when we cannot climbe high? when the conſcience of our poverty and penury, that we have no worth in our ſelves and are of no value with others, checks every aſpiring thought? what is it not to boaſt, when we have nothing nor have done any thing whereof to boaſt? Some are ſo fooliſh, as to be proud of meer conceits; to dream themſelves ſomething, and then to be proud of their dreams; but thoſe that are not thus madly proud, what great matter is it if they be not?

When there is ſtore of fewel for this luſt to feed upon, and the bellows of popular breath blowing it up, and yet it burns not, this is ſomething. Doſt thou not know thy ſelf what thou art, and what thou haſt, and how thou art eſteemed? every one loves thee, and admires thee, and applauds and ſpeaks well of thee, and thou haſt merit enough in thee to deſerve it all; why ſhouldſt thou not accept of all this reſpect, and be of the ſame mind with all that know thee? why ſhouldſt thou not think as well of thy ſelf, and prize thine own worth, and know thine own place, as well as they? Then to have all check'd and repell'd with ſuch thoughts as theſe; But who am I that I ſhould lift up my ſelf? what have I that I have not received? I have wiſdom, p. 174I have ſtrength I have riches, but whoſe are all theſe? are they mine own? of mine own getting? Have I done any thing more then others, through whoſe ſtrength was it? in whoſe name was it? this is humility indeed.

Act. 3. 12. Why look ye on us ſo earneſtly? The Apoſtles, Peter and John, had done a great cure upon the lame man, and the people were greatly taken with it; they ran together to ſee theſe men, and wondred at them, and the cure which they had done; Theſe are ſtrange men, Gods rather then men, by whom ſuch a mighty cure was wrought. But behold, they are not at all tranſported with the peoples wonderment, nor will accept of their applauſe; Ye men of Iſrael why look ye ſo upon us, as though we by our own power had made this man to walk. You are miſtaken in us, we are not the men you take us to be; we could no more have cur'd this man by our own power, then any of you could have done; wonder not at us, give glory to God, give glory to God; God hath magnified his Son Jeſus; 'tis his name, and through faith in his name, by which this man is made whole.