The World Conquered, Sermon (6 of 6)

The World Conquered · Sermon (6 of 6)

p. 289The things that are without are yours ſinners; ſin is yours, guilt is yours, temptations ſnares woes, death is yours, becauſe ye are none of Chriſts; this well of life is none of yours. It will be demanded of you, as Math. 22. 12, Friend how camſt thou in hither? what haſt thou to do to take my covenant or the bloud of my covenant into thy mouth, p. 290ſince thou hateſt inſtruction and caſteſt my words behind thee, Pſal. 50.

Such may not come to the well, or if they come, it may prove a well of damnation to them, not of ſalvation: and ſo the Apoſtle tells them it will prove 1 Cor. 11. 29. This water of life may prove as the water of jealouſie, that bitter water that will cauſe their belly to ſwell and their thigh to rott, may be a curſe and not a bleſſing.

Look to it ſinners, you may be drown'd in this well when you come to drink; you may drink flames and fury inſtead of the water of life.

Oh how many have been drown'd in theſe waters? who ruſhing unpreparedly upon this dreadful ordinance, have drown'd all that little good they ſeem'd to have: ſomething poſſibly they formerly had that was hopeful, but by the juſt judgment of God upon them for abuſing ſuch an ordinance they have loſt all: at firſt they came it may be with ſome little tenderneſs and trembling of heart, but not being upright in the main, they have at length loſt all their ſenſe, and have been ſmitten with deadneſs and hardneſs.

O conſider what you are, and how 'tis with you now you come here? are you Chriſts? are you ſincerely his? are you reſolvedly his? if you have not aſſurance that you are his, what probable evidences have you that you are? are your ſouls wiſhing for Chriſt, waiting for Chriſt, thirſting and panting and following after love to Chriſt, likeneſs to Chriſt, ſubjection to Chriſt, evidences that he is yours? are you reſolved, never while you live, to turn back and give over your purſuit of Chriſt nor to ſit down by any thing ſhort of an p. 291univerſal conformity to his image and will?

Are you crucified with Chriſt? Is the world crucified to you, and you unto the world? Is the old man ſlain, and all your earthly members? feel every limb of the old man, if there be not life ſtill found in them; feel the heart of the old man, is there not ſelf-will, ſelf-love, and the love of this preſent world yet alive? feel the head of the old man, is not pride and ſelf-conce it alive? what plottings and contrivances, what great deſigns are there carrying on for the fleſh and the world? feel the gall and the ſpleen of him, is not bitterneſs and wrath, envy and malice yet alive? obſerve the eyes, and the ears, and the tongue, and the habit, and the way; doth not the old man live in all theſe? are not the eyes pleas'd with beholding vanity, the ears itching after fleſhly fooleries? Is not the ſound of him upon the tongue, the ſhew of him in the countenance, the habit, and whole way of life? feel the pulſes of the old man, his breathings and pantings, is it not after earth ſtill?

Brethren, if there be any ſad remains of this earth and fleſh in you, as doubtleſs there are, yet is there an abatement of the power and vigor of them? if the old man be not quite dead, yet is he in a Conſumption? are the waters of luſt fallen; yea, and ſtill falling lower? are you in good earneſt [for] mortification, for the death of every luſt? and are you impatient while they live? are you come to this point, you'l never be the friends of your fleſh, you'l never take its part again, againſt warnings, againſt reproofs, you'l never live in peace with it, but will wreſtle, and p. 292fight, and wait for the victory as long as you live? This will give you good hope, that Chriſt is yours; and good evidence that he calls to you, Come unto the waters.

2. In this Well of Salvation there is water of life: Ye ſhall draw [water] that is, living water: In this water is comprehended all things belonging to life and godlineſs: Here is bread in this water; he that is the Rock ſpringing in the earth, is the bread that came down from heaven, Joh. 6. 48. 50. Here is bloud with the water; out of his ſide came water and bloud. Here is wine and milk in this water, Iſ. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirſteth, come ye to the [waters,] come buy wine and milk. Come to the waters, why what ſhall we get there? O there's wine and milk in the waters; come to the waters for wine and milk.

What caſe is there of any of the Saints, but here's that which is proper for it: Here's water for the filthy, here's bloud for the guilty, here's bread for the ſtrong, here's milk for the weak, here's wine for the ſad; here's for meat, medicine, and delight; here's the flower of the wheat, the healing balm, the ſweetneſs of the fig-tree, the fatneſs of the Olive, the Tree of Life, Chriſt is in theſe waters.

3. This water of life is [to be drawn] out of this Well of Salvation. Hence 'tis that we muſt come, every man with his Pitcher. Faith is our Pitcher, what need of a Pitcher if there were no water to be drawn? unbelievers might then ſpeed as well as believers.

4. Its a joy to the Saints to work at the Well. [With joy] ſhall ye draw, &c. We read, 1 Sam. 7. 6. that p. 293the people of God once drew other waters, and out of another Well; they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. The Wells were their repenting ſorrow-bitten hearts, the waters were their tears, which they poured out before the Lord: theſe were bitter waters, and drawn with ſorrow; the waters you are now come to, are pleaſant; faith, and love, and joy, and praiſe, are here to be both your work, and your waters; the three latter are the pleaſures of the other world; the firſt [Faith] is your Pitcher to fetch them in, and your mouth to drink them down. God hath brought you hither to prove the ſweetneſs of love, to taſte what 'tis to love, and be beloved; God opens you a Spring of everlaſting joy, thereby to dilate and inlarge your ſouls in admirings and praiſes.

4. The advantages we hence get againſt the world; are amongſt others, theſe following.

The precious things of Chriſt thus exhibited in the Sacrament, will

1. Quench our thirſt.

2. Renew our ſtrength.

3. Sharpen our weapons.

4. Set the reward before our eye.

1. They will quench our thirſt after the world. The world invites as Chriſt, Ho every one [that thirſteth] come to my waters; If any man [thirſt] let him come unto me and drink. God and the world are both for the empty ſouls; he that's empty of God, there's a man for the world; he that's empty of the world, there's a ſoul for God; he that is ſurfeited of the pleaſures of ſin, will nauſeate the joys of Religion; he that is ſatiated with the pleaſures of p. 294Religion, will ſlight the joys of the world.

John 4. 14. Whoſoever drinketh of the waters that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt; that is, either when he is come up to the Well head, and ſhall have drank his full draught, he ſhall thirſt no more for ever, he ſhall be ſatisfied for ever; or elſe, he that ſhall drink of my waters here, that ſhall drink of the brook in the way, ſhall not be thirſty after other waters; he that hath drank of the upper ſprings, will better ſpare the nether ſprings.

Our intimate converſes with Chriſt, and thoſe gracious ſavours and divine impreſſions they leave upon our hearts, do naturally weaken and allay our fleſhly appetites and inclinations: wiſdome is not more neceſſarily expulſive of folly, light of darkneſs, holineſs of ſin, then the love and joy of the Lord, of the love and the luſts of this world.

Brethren, whatever divine touches, whatever peace and joy you ſeem to feel upon your hearts, if the world be not a looſer by them, if it ſtand its ground, and maintain its intereſt and eſteem in you, all that you ſeem to feel of God upon you, look to it, that it prove not a fallacy, and a dream: for my part, I ſhall ever ſuſpect that intimacy my ſoul hath ſeem'd to get in heaven, and all the pleaſure of it, if I be not the more content to be a ſtranger in this earth: O my God wilt thou draw forth the breaſts to me, let me ſuck, and be ſatisfied; let the Lord God be my ſatisfaction, and then let the world try the ſtrength of its temptation.

2. They will renew our ſtrength. This ſtaff of bread will be the ſtrength of our hearts, they are p. 295the weak ſouls whom the world conquers. But of this having ſpoken in a former direction, I paſs it over here with the naming.

3. They will ſharpen our weapon. We never are foil'd, but when our faith fails: This is our victory— even our faith; this weapon of our warfare is mighty through God: By how much the more our faith is exercis'd on God, by ſo much the more vigorous; believe and you ſhall be eſtabliſhed, believe, and you ſhall be ſtrengthened, believe, and all that you ſee before you ſhall be meat for your faith to put it in heart.

But how ſhall I believe? yea rather, how ſhouldſt thou but believe? whoſe Table is this to which thou art come? whoſe word was it that ſaid, This bread is my body which was given for you; This cup is the New Teſtament in my bloud which was ſhed for you? This bread is the communion of my body, this cup is the communion of my bloud? what is this body, what is this bloud, but virtually all the ſpirit and life of the Goſpel? what is the meaning of thoſe words, Take, and eat, and drink, but that its the will of God, if it be your will alſo, that all this ſhall be yours? would Chriſt ſay, take, what he meant not to give? would Chriſt ſay, eat, that which is not bread? will be feed ſouls with common bread? did he bring you hither to mock you? how ſhould you but believe?

Believe, and you ſhall find his fleſh to be meat indeed, his bloud to be drink indeed; this bread to be Manna, this cup to come to you full of the ſpirits of the Goſpel, which will ſo nouriſh and quicken your faith, that as a mighty man refreſhed with wine, it will rejoyce to run its courſe, and tread down your Enemy under you.

p. 2964. The reward is ſet before our eye. Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to c…t of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white ſtone, and in the ſtone a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. Chap. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne. There's the Conquerours reward, the hidden Manna, the white ſtone, the new name, the Throne: Now all theſe are here ſet before us, we taſte of the Manna, we have a ſight of the ſtone, and of the Throne; what encouragement is it to the heart to have the reward in the eye: It was ſaid concerning our Lord, Heb. 12. 2. that for the joy that was [ſet before him] he endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame. And we are exhorted in the foregoing words, Let us run with patience the race that is ſet before us, [looking to Jeſus.]

Let us run, looking to Jeſus, let us bear, looking to Jeſus, let us watch, let us wreſtle, let us fight, looking to Jeſus; looking to Jeſus who endured the Croſs, and is ſet down on the Throne: This Croſs is here preſented to us, and in the Croſs the Throne; if we ſuffer with him, if we overcome with him, we ſhall alſo be glorified with him.

Lift up the hands that hang down, confirm the feeble knees; behold the Captain of your Salvation, whoſe reward is with him, and his work before him: Doſt ſay 'tis hard to follow Chriſt, 'tis hard to forſake all for Chriſt? canſt thou [now] ſay ſo when he ſhews thee the treaſure he hath for his followers? open thine eyes, look again upon that treaſure, and then ſee if all the labours, ſtraits loſſes, ſufferings of this life, be worthy to be compared p. 297to that glory which he hath revealed.

4. Improve worldly proſperity this way; turn the world upon it ſelf, beat it with its own weapons: As the Lord, Judg. 7. 22. ſet Midian againſt Midian, every mans Sword againſt his fellow; ſo let Chriſtians ſet the world againſt the world, let its own hand be againſt it ſelf. The proſperities of the world are the keeneſt, and moſt deadly weapons in all its quivers; if theſe might be turn'd againſt its own breaſt, what a ſlaughter would be made?

But how may this be done? hearken to me, and I will tell you how: Receive all the good things of the world,

As

Talents.

Temptations.

1. Receive all the good things of the world as Talents, for which you muſt give an account: Conſider your ſelves as Stewards of all that you have; you have nothing under your hand, but what is your Maſters, and for which you muſt be reſponſible: This is a truth written in nature, as well as in Scripture; you may as well reckon your ſelves your own Makers, as your own Lords; and you may as well reckon your ſelves your own Lords, as unaccountable for what you have.

If you have an eſtate, if you have friends, if you have great offices, honors and dignities; if you have a larger proportion of bodily health, better parts and endowments of mind, you have ſo much the more to reckon for; as your riches encreaſe, as you are advanc'd higher in the world, ſo your work, and your care, and your Obligation thereto encreaſes; the more you have committed p. 298to your truſt, the harder will your task be to mannage it well, and the more dreadful will be your doom if you miſcarry: If the doom for one talent hid in a Napkin be ſo dreadful, Mat. 25. 30. Caſt ye the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, what will thy judgment be for ten talents, all ſpent upon Harlots, or in riotous living?

The ſenſe of this will both ſtill your fleſh, from craving what you have to be beſtowed upon it, and kill your deſires after more: Give what you will to it upon ſuch terms, to uſe it all for God, and to be lyable to a ſevere account for whatever is otherwiſe imployed, and your very fleſh will be ready to turn it back upon your hands.

Say to thy covetous heart, here's an opportunity for thee to be rich; work as hard as ever thou wilt, get as much as ever thou canſt, but when thou haſt done, know that whatever thou haſt gotten, is none of thine; thou doſt but get, that thou mayſt have ſo much the more to uſe for God, or to looſe for God; not an houſe, not a field, not one peny of all that thou haſt laboured for, muſt be ſpent upon thy fleſh; thy pride, or thy appetite, or thy covetouſneſs, ſhall have never the more for all thy ſtore, but all muſt go another way; tell thy heart thus, that thy fleſh muſt not have the ſpending of it, and then ſee how little pleaſure 'twill have in gathering.

Tell thy ſlothful heart, here's an eſtate for thee, here are honors, here is the love, and good will, and good opinion of men for thee; if thou likeſt it, take it, but know, that this is all to ſet thee the harder on work; they are all thy Maſters goods, p. 299which he gives thee with this charge, Occupy till I come. Haſt thou an eſtate? look to it, for he will look for it, that thou honor the Lord with thy ſubſtance; and the more thou haſt, the more care will it coſt thee, and the more labour to uſe it well. Haſt thou dignities, and art thou ſet in authority? take heed and ſee to it, that thou be good in thine office; woe to thee if thou neglect the charge of the Lord, and what wilt thou do to fulfill it? Haſt thou the love and good will of men? this gives thee the fairer opportunity, and thereby impoſes on thee the greater neceſſity, to deal roundly with them, in counſelling, admoniſhing, and reproving them, as occaſion ſhall require; they will take that from thee, which they will not from another, and upon that account there's none in the world that owes them ſo much of that ſervice, nor ſhall pay ſo dearly for his neglect as thou; and ſo whatever elſe thou haſt, wiſdome, learning, natural parts, bodily health, the more thou haſt of them, the more work they will find thee: Tell thy ſlothful heart thus, and what thank will it give thee for ſuch advancements whatever they be.

Tell thy voluptuous heart, here are pleaſures for thee; here's meat, and drink, and fine cloaths, and ſports, and paſtimes; here are Gardens and Orchards, Apes and Peacocks; but what wilt thou do with them, now thou haſt them? ſo much as will help thee to be more uſeful, and ſerviceable to the ends of thy being; to glorifie thy God, to promote the ſalvation of thy ſoul, ſo much thou mayſt take, but take more at thy utmoſt peril; tell thy ſenſual heart, the more thou haſt of theſe p. 300things, the more wilt thou be put to that hard duty of ſelf-denial; thou muſt vex, and torment, and crucifie thy fleſh the more, by how much the more thou haſt to ſatisfie it; whatever thou haſt before thee, and how much ſoever thou luſteſt after it, thou muſt not touch more then thy allowance; though thou haſt it in thine hand, yet thou muſt rather put a knife to thy throat, then thine hand to thy mouth.

What, ſayes the fleſh, Is this all that I gain by having ſo much about me, only ſo much the more labour, and vexation at preſent, and the heavier account hereafter? May I have an eſtate, or honors, or pleaſures, and when I have them, muſt they be none of mine? ſhall I be never the better for them, never the richer for all my ſtore, never the higher for all mine honor, never the merrier for all my pleaſures? I had even as good go without them, as have them on ſuch terms as theſe, even take them back again.

Any man of underſtanding would reaſon thus, why ſhould I ſo eagerly wiſh for more then I have? have I not trouble enough already, labour enough, and care enough already? have I not enough to anſwer for already? is it ſo hard to be faithful in my little, how then ſhall I do, if I be ruler over much? Is it ſo hard to deny my fleſh when I have not to ſatisfie it, how ſhall I ſay it nay, when it luſts for what I have in mine hand? will this be an advance to my contentment, to have, and not to enjoy, to ſee and not to eat; not to taſt what is at my mouth, nor to look on what is before mine eyes? and yet muſt it be thus with me, and the more I have, the more thus? p. 301Well, the Lord who knows my frame, and what condition I am beſt able to uſe, proportion out to me, according to the good pleaſure of his will: no more talents then he gives me power to uſe well; no more money, no more honours, no more love and reſpect from men, then will furniſh me for the work of God, and further me in the way of life, and abound to my account another day: away with that load, though of gold or greatneſs, which is more then I can bear, without the neglect of God or my Soul; let me be intruſted with nothing, but what I am able to ſteward well; and what ever I have, let me be ſuch a good ſteward of it that I may give up mine account with joy and not with grief, which would be unprofitable for me.

O brethren if we did ſee Talent written upon every worldly comfort, and a redderationem, to be the Motto upon every talent, our fleſh would be ſuffered to make but ſhort meals on what we have, and yet would be leſs hungry after a larger allowance.

What is it that makes proſperity ſo pleaſant to carnal minds? O here's a feaſt for my fleſh; eat drink be merry, here's enough for many years: belly, take thy fill, here's a full table before thee. Pride, ſpare not for charges; put on thy attire, deck thy ſelf with ornaments, crown thy ſelf with garlands, fear not, thou ſhalt not want to maintain thee. Soul take thy pleaſure, ariſe chooſe what will delight thee, withold not thy ſelf from any joy; the ſun ſhines upon thy tabernacle, put away ſorrow from thee: ſee the ſtore thou haſt about thee; varieties of all that thou loveſt, go feed thy p. 302ſelf on what ever beſt likes thee, ſqueeze out the juice of all thy fruits, fill thy cup and be merry.

But what ſhall I do in the day of reckoning? Give an account of thy ſtewardſhip; how will that word ſound? oh that will be ſuch an ill look'd lace on every garment, ſuch ſour ſauce to every diſh, ſuch a ſtinging ſpice to every cup, that the fleſh would rather have no garment, meat, or cup; then thus lac'd ſauc'd or ſpic'd.

If the rich men and mighty, if the greedy horſeleaches, the oppreſſing extortioners; if the riotous ruffians, the proud wantons, thoſe ſons of Bacchus and ſpawn of Venus, that debauch their Conſciences and proſtitute their Souls to their filthy luſts; whoſe life is nothing elſe but either a raking together of fuel to maintain their fires, or a dancing before them, and ſacrificing all their vertue modeſty yea and humanity in thoſe flames, if theſe moſt brutiſh among the people, would for a few houres, put off beaſt and put on man, and view their reckoning they have to make of their maſters goods, all either hoorded up in the dark, or ſpewed out into the draught, and piſſed againſt the wall; and conſider how this account would paſs in the great day: this would ruſt out the comfort of all their treaſures, ſtain the beauty of all their pleaſant wayes, and cool their luſtings after them.

2. Receive the proſperities of the world as temptations: What God beſtows as Talents, the Devil makes temptations; what God intends as inſtruments for ſervice, the Devil makes forage and weapons of war; proviſion for luſt which fight, againſt the ſoul, God ſaies, Make ye friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when theſe fail you p. 303may be received into everlaſting habitations, Luk. 16. 9. Make God thy friend, make conſcience thy friend, make Gods poor thy friends, make thee friends for hereafter, with what thou haſt. The Devil ſaith, make thee friends here, make the rich thy friends, make thy companions thy friends, make thee friends here, with what thou haſt, fear not for hereafter, for when will theſe things fail thee? God ſaies Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, Prov. 3. 9. Thou haſt received much, now think what to return. The Devil ſaies, now thou mayſt kick againſt God, and ſpurn with the heel; now thou mayſt be merry and mad; 'tis for poor men to be honeſt and ſober, to pray and ſeek God, thou needeſt no ſuch wayes to ſupply thee: wherefore is it better with thee then with others? wherefore haſt thou mony, and houſes, and lands? is it, that thou ſhouldſt bury all under a buſhel, or hide them in a napkin? was it ever intended, thou ſhouldſt be poor whileſt thou art rich? that thou that haſt, ſhould be as thoſe that have not? why doth thy way proſper? what's the meaning of all thy abundance? doth it not call to thee, eat that which is good and let thy ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſs.

1 Tim. 6. 9. They that will be rich fall into a temptation and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful luſts, which drown men in perdition and deſtruction.

He that falls into the hands of his riches, falls into the hands of his fooliſh and hurtful luſts; he that falls into the hands of theſe, falls into the hands of the Devil, into temptation and ſnare; and a he that falls into temptation, is ſwimming down the ſtream into perdition and deſtruction.

He that dreads not temptation, knows not himſelf p. 304nor it. What art thou? what is temptation? doſt thou know what thou art? what a weak and ſilly thing thou art? how ignorant of Sathans devices? what a ductile ſequacious ſoul thou art, apt to be led away with every luſt? what a dry tree, what tinder thou art, apt to take fire of every ſpark? Brethren, if you know not your own weakneſs, if you are not ſenſible how hard tis for you to reſiſt, how eaſily you are overcome of temptation, you are ſtrangers from your ſelves. Chriſt knew you better when he bid you pray, Lead us not into temptation. He knew well enough what work the tempter would make with you, if he could but get you within the reach of his net, and therefore taught you to pray to be kept out. Have you never prov'd your own weakneſs? do you not remember how you uſe to come off when you have been tempted? have you no ſad experiences by you, your broken peace, your wounded ſpirits, your waſted Conſciences to remember you of it? do you not ſtill uſe to come off by the loſs?

Conſider friend, it may be thou art of a Covetous heart, and an earthly mind; and this, when it meets thee in the preſence of God, what a ſhame and ſorrow is it to thee? thou bewaileſt it, and abhorreſt thy ſelf for it; thou confeſſeſt it to God, prayeſt againſt it, covenants againſt it; and by that thou haſt ſtood a while before the Lord, and taſted of the delights of his love, thou haſt gotten thine heart a little raiſed to things above; thou canſt ſcorn this earth, and hopeſt thou ſhalt never be ſo taken with theſe beggarly things again; and yet, no ſooner hath the Devil gotten thee abroad, into thy houſe among thy treaſures, into thy field p. 305among thy ſheep and oxen, but thine heart is gone preſently after them; all the prayers and tears and vows are forgotten and thou art as buſy and eager upon the world as ever.

It may be, thou art poſſeſſed of a ſlight and frothy ſpirit, given to vanity, carnal mirth and jollity▪ and when thou comeſt to pray or to humble thy ſelf; when thou art alone and haſt freedom to be converſant about the matters of thy ſoul, thou art for the time, gotten to be a little ſerious; the ſenſe of eternity falling upon thee, thy ſoul taking a walk to the grave, and looking over to thoſe deeps that are on the other ſide, thy ſpirit is hereby conſolidated and gotten into a more ſober frame; and then preſently thou hopeſt thou ſhalt never evaporate into ſuch froth and folly again: and yet behold, as ſoon as ever thou falleſt into company with vain perſons, and haſt been entertained a while with their unſavoury merriments, thou quickly becomeſt as one of them.

It may be, thou art of a pettiſh and froward ſpirit, and this hath coſt thee dear; many tears and troubles of heart; and ſometimes poſſibly thou haſt prayed and humbled thy ſelf into more meekneſs and patience and quietneſs of ſpirit; and yet the next croſs that comes, if but a very look, a diſreſpectful word, nay, may be but a ſurmiſe or a jealouſie of a ſlighting thought, will put thee beſides all thy patience, and ſet thee all in a flame.

How many ſuch experiences haſt thou of thy ſelf? haſt thou not often found it thus? muſt thou not acknowledg it hath been thus again and again? Have not theſe been ſometimes thy groans before the Lord, at ſuch times when thou haſt felt thy ſelf p. 306in a better frame, Oh that it might be ever thus? O that this might hold; that I might never ſink into this earthlineſs, that I might never ſwell with this froth or fury again? O this ſlippery and unſtable heart; I fear it, I doubt how it will ſerve me; if the world or this fleſh do but call me away; if any temptation comes, either to court me or to croſs me, I fear me, all this calm and ſerenity will quickly become clouds and tempeſts: Speak Chriſtian hath it not been thus many a time? O what a weak thing art thou?

And what is temptation that you do not fear it? if you know not I will tell you: there are theſe four things in it.

Deception.

Infection.

Seduction.

Perdition.

1. Deception: temptation is an artifice contriv'd on purpoſe to beguile and deceive us, Gen. 3. 13. The ſerpent beguiled me and I did eat: 'tis a juggle, or a cheat, that carries a ſtinging tayle under a fair face: that promiſes a kindneſs or advantage, but either hath nothing in it, or a miſchief: there's no temptation, but its outſide and inſide, its head and tayle hath as much difference, either as ſubſtance and ſhadow, or as bait and hook.

2. Infection: the heart by reaſon of its filth and rottenneſs, is apt to take infection ('tis dangerous for perſons abounding with ill humours, to come into ill aires) and temptation is as the air from a plague ſore, that conveyes infection: temptation does ſo ferment innate corruption, that it putrifies into the more deadly malignity: our being converſant with the pleaſures, and faſhions, and p. 307luſts of this World, our living in ſuch evil airs, do leave ſuch corrupt impreſſions and diſpoſitions upon us, as do ſuffocate our ſpirits, and deſtroy the very vitals of religion in us.

See it in experience: look what mens outward condition, and their ordinary converſes are, ſuch are their tempers and complexions: you may ſee in their faces, and ſmell in their very breaths, where they uſe to live. Thoſe that are dwelling, and have their whole occupation in the earth, are they not moſtly earthen ſouls? thoſe that dwell at eaſe, and with the careleſs and idle, are ſluggiſh and ſleepy ſouls: thoſe that live in pleaſure, in mirth and jollity, what are their Souls but bladders of froth and vanity? He that dwells in the pomps and glories of the world, proud and haughty, ſcorner is his name, and according to his name ſo is the man: he that is the companion of drunkards, and partaker with the adulterer, his very inwards often become debauchery: poſſibly their wayes of life at firſt found them in ſounder tempers; but behold now they are all infected perſons: this earth hath infected them, their eaſe hath infected them, their pleaſures, and their pomps, and their companions have infected them, leavened them into their own natures.

Oh what ſad metamorphoſes do we ſometimes ſee, even of the moſt promiſing ingenuous natures, by their overbold or unwary converſes; ſpoil'd not only of their moſt gracious inclinations, but of all tinctures of good nature; grown proud, and wanton, and froward, and rude, and perverſe, who were once loved for their humility, ſobriety and meekneſs; and all this by the infection they p. 308have received from their ways, or companions.

Thoſe that will run into temptations, that will adventure themſelves any where whither their luſt leads them, that will not firſt enquire, Is it good for me to be here? is it ſafe for me to walk thus? are as mad and fooliſh, as thoſe that will run into a Peſthouſe, or lodge amongſt Lepers. Doſt thou not ſee what thy boldneſs hath already coſt thee? Is not the hew of thy Society already grain'd into thy face? art thou not become as one of them thou converſeſt withall? has not the Infection ſeiz'd on thine heart, and does not the Leproſie appear in thy forehead? take heed fooliſh ſoul, if it be not already, in how little time, may this diſeaſe be incurable.

3. Seduction. Leading aſide to errors and miſtakes, to believe a lye: there are temptations that corrupt the judgement, as well as the affections, that change the principles, as well as the diſpoſitions. When the heart is leavened into vanity, it muſt have a Religion that's ſuited to it; its vain ways muſt be all made right in its eyes: when the heart is become a Libertine, all its principles muſt be latitudinarian: What ſay the great men, and wiſe men? what ſay many of the wits of the world, the men whoſe eyes are opened, in compariſon of whom all their fathers were but children, and knew nothing at all? are theſe for this ſtrict and circumſpect ſelf-denying life? do they not teach us better doctrines? the Spirit of Religion is not nice and moroſe, nor ſo ſtraitlac'd as repreſented by ſome, but more Noble, and generous, and free, not feeding men with fears and jealouſies, not loading them with heavy p. 309burdens, nor limiting them within narrow bounds, nor impoſing on them ſuch ſeverities as ſome others plead for; that is, in other terms, (if ſome mens doings may be a Commentary on their ſayings) Religion is for licentiouſneſs, a Patron for luſt, a friend of the fleſh and fleſhly liberties; as if Chriſt was out when he ſaid, Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life; and his Apoſtles after him when they exhorted, See that you walk circumſpectly: Paſs the time of your ſojourning here in fear.

But why may not theſe be in the right? this is the eaſieſt and leaſt troubleſome way; O that this might be Religion indeed! and why may it not? theſe men ſee as much as others, and theſe men have ſouls as well as others; well, I am for them.

And when our ſpirits are ſuited to carnal ways, and our judgments are brib'd to give their ſuffrage for them, how eaſily doth our foot fix in them: our luſts lead us aſide, and our evil principles warrant our wandrings; our corrupt affections carry us into crooked ways, and our corrupt judgments will take upon them to make the crooked ſtrait.

4. Perdition: that's the term, or Gulf, whether theſe ſtreams are carrying us down; temptation is deſtruction begun, and deſtruction is temptation finiſhed: the Devil hath done his work, temptation hath ſerv'd his turn, when it hath drown'd the ſoul in perdition and deſtruction.

Well now, Is not temptation to be feared? would you not fear to be deceived, to be infected, to be ſeduced, to be deſtroyed? and is not p. 310proſperity a temptation? will the devil be friend you for nothing? is not this chaff a bait? is there not a Net ſpread under? who is it that ſaid, The proſperity of fools ſhall deſtroy them? and how doth it deſtroy, but by firſt deceiving them?

Can you rejoyce when you fall into temptation? can you ſport your ſelves in your own deceivings, and bleſs your ſelves in your own deſtruction? will you luſt, and covet, and lye, and labour, and toil, and all to treaſure up gins, and ſnares, and nets, and hooks, to take your ſouls withall, and will you take theſe, as the reward of all your labour?

Are you temptation proof? are you gotten above the danger of temptation? dare you challenge the tempter into the field? when ſo many great men, and wiſe men, and good men have ſo ſadly fallen, and ſuffer'd ſuch unſpeakable loſs, are you ſecure from any ſuch prejudice? are you gotten to that pitch, that you can now touch pitch, and not be defiled, or walk upon coals, and not be burnt?

Have you never ſuffer'd by your proſperity? hath your ſoul never ſuffer'd, your conſcience never ſuffer'd? have you never been deceived and beguiled by it? have you never loſt ſome better things, by your over-loving theſe? have you been deceiv'd formerly, and is there no danger of being deceiv'd for the future? have you been deceived, and is there no danger you may be deſtroyed? hath the firſt work of temptation proſper'd, and is there no fear but that it will miſcarry in its laſt?

Chriſtians, ſtudy throughly the miſchiefs of temptations, and be convinc'd, that the proſperities p. 311of the world are the moſt miſchievous of temptations; receive them as ſuch, and then ſee if this will not cool your covetouſneſs.

A little to quicken and give life to theſe two particulars, ponder deeply, what a dreadful thing 'twill be to miſcarry in the Judgment. 'Tis not who ſhall ſtand in the Synagogue, or ſit in the Palaces, but who ſhall ſtand in the Judgement; 'tis not, who hath been cloathed in Purple, fared ſumptuouſly, lived deliciouſly; 'tis not, who hath gotten the faireſt houſes, the largeſt fields, the greateſt flocks; 'tis not, who hath been the greateſt Landlord, but who hath been the beſt Steward, that will be the concerning queſtion: whatever thy receipts have been, whether little or much, what if thy Bill of accounts ſhould be rejected with this under-written, Away from me thou evil and ſlothful ſervant, thou haſt been unfaithful: Caſt ye the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

What if this ſhould be thy caſe? to be fetch'd down from thy high places, to be thruſt out of thy Storehouſes, to be ſnatch'd out of thy ſhop, or thy field, to be arreſted at thy table, in the middeſt of the feaſt, and carried away before thy Judge, with the account of an unprofitable ſervant, or an unfaithful ſteward? oh how dreadful will be thy appearance at that day? how wilt thou hide thy ſelf, or how wilt thou bear the face of thy Judge, before whom thy own Conſcience ſhall arraign and accuſe thee, for a falſe and fooliſh ſervant?

And what hazard is there that this may be thy …aſe, whoſe way does proſper? when the very ſame things that are thy Talents to be accounted p. 312for, are thy temptations to neglect thy account; when the very matter of thy truſt is a temptation to abuſe it; the more thou haſt, the more thou haſt to anſwer for, and the leſs like to have what to anſwer; the more thou haſt, the more will thy fleſh be craving for it ſelf, every luſt will come in for a ſhare; thy pride muſt have ſome, thy appetite muſt have ſome, thy paſſions muſt have ſome, thy covetouſneſs would have all, and the more they ſee in thine hand, the more clamorous will they be for it; theſe beggars will neither take a denial, nor an ordinary alms at a rich mans door.

How hard will thy caſe be, either to grant or deny; if thou deny, thou ſeem'ſt cruel to thine own fleſh; if thou granteſt, thou art falſe to God and thy ſoul.

Were theſe things duly weighed, there would not be ſuch ſcuffling after the world, nor ſuch whinings under its want; he that had leaſt would not murmure at his poverty, and he that had moſt would not boaſt of his riches; he that had leaſt would be content, and he that had moſt would be afraid; and all would conclude, that abundance is leſs to be deſired, and want leſs to be feared.

5. Hold your thoughts, affections, and ſenſes, under conſtant government.

1. Your thoughts. Where the thoughts are, the ſoul is, Pſa. 139. 8. When I awake, I am ſtill with thee; that is, my thoughts are preſently with thee, my meditations are of thee; and where my thoughts are, there am I. When the thoughts are with God, the ſoul is with God, when the thoughts are in the earth and mud, the ſoul is all bemired.

p. 313The ſoul goes forth, to view, to taſte, and to chuſe for it ſelf; the thoughts take a view, the affections and ſenſes taſte and take the reliſh, and then accordingly the will chuſes: The will ſhould nakedly follow the underſtanding, and chuſe only what the unbyaſſed judgment tells it is good; but it does too ordinarily follow the affections and ſenſes; theſe blind the reaſon, and ſo ingage the will; we chuſe what we love, and what pleaſes, rather then what upon an impartial deliberation, we judge to be good.

The things of both worlds work upon hearts objectively; by the good or evil that is apprehended in them, they accordingly affect us; our thoughts ſearch into things, what there is in them; when our thoughts by ſearching find out God, God is regarded; and when they are in ſearch after the world, they make a ſhift to fancy this to be good, and accordingly it is imbraced.

The thoughts are the feet and the eyes of the ſoul; the feet, Eccleſ. 5. 1. keep thy feet when thou goeſt into the houſe of God; that is, keep and look well to thy thoughts. The eyes, Prov. 17. 24. The eyes of a fool; that is, his thoughts, are in the ends of the earth; the rovings of the thoughts, are the ſouls compaſſing the earth, and its walking to and fro to the ends thereof.

Keep your thoughts in by the Lord, and you keep your ſouls in; your thoughts will be in exerciſe, will be walking daily and hourly, ſome whither or other; there's no keeping them in, they will abroad, either to heaven or earth: oh ſend them to heaven daily, and hold them there, let them have no leiſure to wander in this earth.

p. 314Brethren, think your ſelves up to heaven; as we may pray our ſelves up, and believe our ſelves up to heaven, ſo we may think our ſelves thither: worldly men think themſelves into pride, or think themſelves into covetouſneſs, or think themſelves into wantonneſs, are ſo long thinking, and thinking in fuel for luſt, till they have ſet it all in a flame: as worldly men think themſelves into wickedneſs, ſo let Chriſtians think themſelves into holineſs, think themſelves into humility, ſobriety, contentation, and heavenlineſs of mind; call off your thoughts from this earth, and you will ceaſe to be earthly, call them back from vanity, and you will ceaſe to be vain; call them up to heaven, and you call them off from what's below.

Think on God more Chriſtians, and the everlaſting Kingdome; think on the way that leads to it, on the dangers that lie in the way, on the dread of periſhing in the way, on the beauty, and pleaſure, and comfort of being upright in the way, of the goal and prize that is at the end of the way.

Take up ſuch thoughts as theſe; Is not God better then the world? that is, is not all things better then nothing? Is not grace better then ſin? that is, is not fair better then foul? Is not peace better then wrath, peace with God, then friendſhip with the world? are not the fillings of Gold, better then heaps of earth?

Is a little grace ſo good, and is not more deſirable? can there be much grace, where the deſire is ſo divided betwixt it and vanity? Is gold in the Our ſo precious, as gold out of the fire? Is the p. 315twilight pleaſant, O what is the day light? Is a mixture of fleſh and ſpirit, of heaven and earth, as deſirable as all ſpirit, all heaven? If grace be ſo good, if peace with God be ſo precious, why do I not ſeek it? if I have a little grace, if I have a little peace, why do I not preſs for more? when ſhall I increaſe, and grow rich towards God, if I do not decreaſe towards this earth?

Be thinking thus on heaven and heavenly things, and if you will be thinking of earth too, think of the dark places of the earth, and the dark ſide of its brightneſs; think of the precipices, the mariſhes, the quagmires, the barren Mountains, and deſolate Wilderneſſes, the bryars, and thorns, and wild beaſts of the earth; my meaning is, if you will ſtudy the world, ſtudy its vanity and vexations, the danger you are in of being loſt, or torn in pieces, or ſwallow'd up of them.

How uncertain are theſe riches? how vaniſhing is this mirth? how unconſtant are theſe friends? what a blaſt are theſe honors? what a flaſh are theſe pleaſures? what a bubble are theſe buildings? how long will they luſt? what will be left of them a few years hence? But O the thorns, and the bryars, the vexations, the cares, the fears, the diſappointments, the croſſes, the ſweat, and the ſorrows, that are mingled with theſe pleaſures and poſſeſſions. But yet farther, O the darts, and the arrows, and the ſtings that come after! O the ſtabs, and the wounds that they give to the ſoul, the darkneſs, and death, and damnation, that they are dragging it into!

If you will be thinking on the world, let it be with ſuch thoughts as theſe, and then ſee if it p. 316would be ſo hard to make an exchange of earth for heaven.

Brethren, the reaſon why it is ſo hard a work for the Miniſtry to perſwade in ſouls to Chriſt is, becauſe we cannot get them to entertain any ſerious thoughts of Chriſt, and of the bleſſedneſs that comes in with him: the reaſon why we cannot fetch them off from the world, is, becauſe we cannot perſwade them to think as they ſhould of it, of the vanity of it, of the bondage it holds them in, and the miſery it ſubjects them to: If we could but ſet you a thinking once, what harm would it be to me to hearken to Chriſt? what will become of me if I do not hearken to him? when ſhall I come to Chriſt, if I ſtill cleave to this preſent world? what if I ſhould never come, but ſhould ſtand at this diſtance from him to my dying day? Can I ever hope for mercy from Chriſt, if for the love of the world I now refuſe him? will he regard my cryes, when hereafter I ſhall call, Lord open to me, Lord anſwer for me, Lord ſave me; if I reject him when he calls, Soul open to me, Soul ſubmit to me: How ſhall I ſtand in the Judgment, if I have no Chriſt to ſtand with me? will my eſtate, will my pleaſures, will my friends be good Advocates for me in that day? will this be a good Plea, Lord Jeſus appear for me, let thy wounds plead, let thy bloud plead for me, let me ſtand as one of thine, for I am he that would none of thee; I ſet at nought thy counſels, and deſpiſed thy Covenant, and trampled upon thy bloud, and preferr'd my houſe, and my money, and my pleaſures, and my luſts, before thy love? I am he, whom when thou calledſt I would not p. 317come, whom thou wouldſt have turned, but I would not turn; when thou wouldſt have pardoned and healed me, I ſold thy pardon, and refuſed to be healed, and wilt thou not plead for ſuch a one as I? I have choſen [this] world for my portion, I have lov'd it, and ſerv'd it, and when I ſhould have been praying or hearing, minding my ſoul, and laying up treaſure in heaven, I was loath to be ſuch a bad husband, I was buſie in following my affairs, looking to my Corn, and my Cattel, and my Trade; and here I have gotten money and Lands, and will not theſe plead for me? Is not a rich mans Plea good? will not my gold, and my ſilver, my honors, or my ornaments, get entrance into thy Kingdome? if not Lord, this is all I have to ſay for my ſelf, if this will not do, who ſhall plead for me?

O Brethren, if you would be perſwaded to ſit down daily, and to think over ſome ſuch thoughts as theſe, then there would be hope: If we could but preach you upon this thinking, there would be hope that you might think you into Chriſt.

2. Hold your affections under government, Prov. 16. 32. He that ruleth his ſpirit, is better then he that taketh a City: and no wonder, for he hath taken the whole world captive. All victories imaginanable are ſumm'd up in this one victory, the conqueſt of the heart.

By ſpirit we are here to underſtand, the paſſions or affections, the ſpirit of man is, as the Apoſtle ſaies Jam. 3. the tongue of man is, an unruly evil; impatient of ſubjection, and preſſing for dominion.

p. 318God hath placed our affections under government; under the government of our reaſon, and thoſe principles of heavenly wiſdom, faith, righteouſneſs and holineſs, which we are indowed with; but theſe (like an unbroken horſe, that will not go whither the rider, but whither it ſelf liſteth) do riſe up and rebel againſt reaſon, and will be the leaders and not followers: and this unrulineſs of the paſſions is the root of the diſtempers and diſorders of the life: when men ſurrender up themſelves to be lead by affection whither doth it carry them? reaſon leads us up to God. It is the Candle of the Lord; that lights us our way to him: our affections are blind guides; love is blind, deſires are blind, and whether will the blind lead us? If we could live by faith, nay if we could but live more by reaſon (by right reaſon) we ſhould get us up out of this earthly country: even reaſon will tell us, that God is better then creatures, and that the inordinate following of creatures, is the forſaking of God.

For the better holding your affections right, take theſe two directions.

1. Keep your ſelves in the love of God.

2. Whatever you love in the world, let it be alſo your fear.

1. Keep your ſelves in the love of God: let affection follow the conduct of reaſon to Heaven, and there let it dwell, but till reaſon lead it down again: keep your ſelves in the love of God, Jude 21. keep up a right underſtanding of God and that will keep up your affections; keep up your affections to God, and that will keep them off from the world: the heart will ever be in love; and till it p. 319find a better, this harlot muſt be its beloved: deformity is as beauty whileſt beauty is out of ſight. He ſaies in vain, ſet not your affections on the earth, that does not firſt ſay, ſet your affections on things above. He that ſaies, ſet your affections on things above, and not on the earth, if he be heard in the firſt, will not be denyed in the ſecond: keep you in the love of God, and you keep you clear of the love of the world.

2. What ever you love in the world, let it be alſo your fear: fear will be loves bridle, and reaſon would teach you to fear what ever you love here: nothing hath ſuch an advantage upon us, to ſteal away our hearts from God as the things we love. The Lord is ſeldom ſuch a looſer as by his bounty, when he lets down his ſilver cords of love, to draw up our hearts, we make chains of them to fetter us here below. His gold and his Jewels, his bracelets and earrings, which he ſends us to allure our love, are often molten into an Idol and engroſs our hearts to them.

Whatever thou loveſt in all the world, haſt thou a wife or a child that thou loveſt, haſt thou a friend or companion that thou loveſt, haſt thou an houſe a pleaſant habitation, haſt thou gardens or orchards, fields or vineyards that thine heart is pleas'd withall, O be jealous of them: Keep your diſtance come not too near; thou commeſt for my Soul (my child) my houſe, my mony my friends, I muſt have an eye to you, you come to ſteal away mine heart.

What a ſad requital, and yet how commonly is this the requital, which we make for bounty and kindneſs? I ſhould have lov'd God better, if he p. 320had not been ſo good to me: I ſhould have lov'd God better, if he had not given me ſo good a wife, ſo dear a child, ſo fair an eſtate, ſo many friends: wilt thou fear ſuch unworthineſs? then fear whatever thou loveſt.

If what you love be not alſo your fear, it's like to be your loſs and ſorrow. If Sampſon had fear'd his Delilah whom he ſo loved, he had ſav'd his locks, his God and his life: his love to that harlot did him more miſchief, then all the armies of the Philiſtimes. Solomons wives became his tears: fondling children often revenge their parents dotage, by becoming thorns in their ſides and ſwords in their hearts: whatever thou overloveſt, look for it, to find it thy croſs or thy curſe: what will thy friends, or thy mony be, when either thou haſt loſt them, or thy ſoul by them? what ever thou overloveſt God will tear it from thine heart, if ever he mean thee good, he will touch thee in the apple of thine eye, he will try thee in thine Iſaac, he will tear off that Jewel that entices thy Soul from him: what thou canſt not part with, look for it, that muſt go, or thy ſoul.

3. Set a ſtrict watch upon your ſenſes: By theſe 'tis, that Satan with all his temptations, hath ſuch an eaſy paſſage to our hearts: our ſenſes are the doors of our hearts; the outlets of corruption, and the inlets of temptation; they bring the outward objects, and the inward luſts together; when the fuel and the fire are layd together, then there is a flame.

Both the Evil and the Good that is in us, came in much by this way. How came Sin and Death into this world, and all the plagues and miſeries we are labouring under, or lyable to? which way p. 321came they in? By the eye they came in: when the woman [ſaw] the fatal apple, then ſhe luſted and taſted, Gen. 3.

How came life and immortality, grace and peace, and all our glorious hopes in again? By the Ear they came in. By this the promiſe entred, by this Faith entred, Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing.

Nihil eſt intellectu quod non fuit prius in ſenſu, ſaith the Philoſopher, there's nothing in our underſtandings, and as little in our affections, whether good or evil, but what made its way by our ſenſes. If God hath our eye and our ear, he hath our heart; if the Devil have gotten theſe once, 'tis not like to be long, ere he be poſſeſſour of all: of ſuch mighty conſequence is the keeping our ſenſes, as Heaven and Hell amount to.

Our ſenſes are now vitiated and corrupted; pre-occupated by ſin and the Devil; ſhut againſt God, and open to iniquity. Sin hath gotten the ſtart of grace; and having gotten poſſeſſion of the houſe, makes good the doors for it ſelf and friends: whatever knocks for entrance, the word preſently is who comes there: and if it be a friend, a friend of ſin, there's free admiſſion: So that now in pleaſing our ſenſes or leaving them at liberty to pleaſe themſelves, we betray our Souls to the hands of Hell: to be a Senſualiſt is next to being a Devil: to leave our ſenſes unguarded, is to leave open the floudgates of Hell: the Devil could not wiſh our Souls in other hands, then to be given up to our ſenſes: neither Devil or World need doubt of entrance, while they have a friend at the door; theſe earthen gates like that iron gate, will p. 322open of their own accord to them, when ever they come.

Our depraved ſenſes are the great adverſaries to Chriſtianity: whatever is ſaid of the enmity of the world, of it's gains and faſhions, its pomps and pleaſures, all lyes upon this ſcore, as they are the objects that tickle and pleaſe the ſenſes, and by theſe, deprave the mind and turn away the heart.

What is it that lyes in the way of the Goſpel; that obſtructs it's paſſage and hinders it's work upon Souls? why is it that Chriſt is not more gladly and generally receiv'd? O this is it that hinders; 'twould deprive us of many a ſweet morſell, of many a pleaſant draught, 'twould pull off our vain habits, and wanton faſhions; 'twould pare off our fleſhly pleaſures: no more indulging to appetite, no more pleaſing our eyes, and ears, and palates, if Chriſt be once entertained: now we can take our liberty to make proviſion for the fleſh, and let the fleſh take it's fill: we can feed our ſelves with the fineſt, cloath our ſelves with the beſt, we can ſoke our ſelves in all ſorts of ſenſualities; we can fetch in load upon load, and make the beſt of what's before us: we can milk every dug, we can ſuck every bottel, we can dig in every mine, we can plough and reap in every field that the world hath; there's nothing but Chriſt can hinder us; once give ear to him, and that will ſpoil all our mirth and marre all our markets: then we muſt keep within bounds, and neither get nor ſpend more then he allows us: we muſt keep to our allowance and but a ſhort allowance neither, ſuch as will be too p. 323ſtrait for fleſh and bloud to ſubmit to.

And hereupon our eyes and ears, which are ſo open upon the World and it's vanities, do as it were invite, and call in all the help the world can make, to reſiſt Chriſt and his work; do call in all the baits and temptations that the whole world is furniſhed with, to divert and turn aſide the heart from hearkning to Chriſt. Help World; help O my carnal friends, help O my fleſhly pleaſures, help O my houſe and money, Chriſt is come for mine heart, I am loath it ſhould go there; can you do nothing to ſtay it with you? help or it's gone.

Friends, would you not that the world keep Chriſt out, or draw you aſide from him? ſhut the doors againſt it; make a covenant with your eyes and ears, ſet a watch upon them; put a bridle upon your appetite, and keep the door of your lips; ſhut the world out; be deaf to it's flattery, be blind to it's glory, wink it into darkneſs; ſhut the doors and keep the world out, and then Chriſt will be the better accepted.

Live above the pleaſures of ſenſe. What have you no higher pleaſures, no Nobler delights? have you not a God to delight you in? have you no ſoul delights? or are theſe they, wherein the Bruits have as great a ſhare as you? Is meat, and drink, and cloaths, and ſports, the food of ſouls, your heart delights? muſt your immortal part live at the Trough, and feed on ſwill and husks? where is peace with God? where is the fellowſhip of the ſpirit? where is the joy of the Holy Ghoſt, and the hope of glory? where is the ſweetneſs of ſincerity, and the peace of conſcience? are there no ſuch things, or is there no pleaſure in them? p. 324Are you content to take up with this mud, whileſt thoſe pure ſtreams run by? or muſt you have both? Is it not enough that your ſouls may rejoyce, that your hearts may feaſt and ſing, unleſs your fleſh alſo may frisk and frolick it out in it's brutiſh mirth and pleaſure? Go taſte and ſee how good the Lord is, drink of his rivers, acquaint your ſelves with his pleaſures; and then ſee, if an Heaven ſatiated ſoul can envy the brutes the pleaſures of ſenſe.

Laſtly, Make a ſolemn ſurrender of your ſelves and ull that you have to the government and diſpoſal of God, lay down all at his feet, and reſolve to take up nothing, but with his leave and for his uſe.

Let the Lord have the whole ordering of you, for your,

Getting.

Keeping.

Uſing.

1. Seek no other things, nor any greater abundance of them, then God allows you to ſeek: Buy not an houſe, nor a field, or a living, but make God the purchaſer: go not into the fair, or the market, into the ſhop or over the ſeas, but when God ſends you; drive not that trade or that bargain, concerning which you cannot ſay, I am herein trading for God: let the Lord appoint you, your work and your reſt, your labour and your profit, be content with what comes in. Seek not great things for your ſelves, and quarrel not with providence, if by all your ſeeking you get nothing.

Seek no more, nor no other things then God would have you, and ſeek them no otherwiſe then in Gods way and order. God hath other works then theſe for you to do; God hath other things p. 325then theſe for you to ſeek. God ſaies ſeek my face, ſeek my Kingdom; [firſt] ſeek my kingdom and the righteouſneſs thereof: what is this done? Is God ſure? Is the kingdom ſure? have you grace? have you peace? have you enough of theſe? have you wrought your ſelves out of work here? is there no more to be done, no more to be gotten? is there never a gulf yet fixed betwixt you and glory, that needs your care how to get over? are you paſt all danger of miſcarrying for ever? is your way cleared of all your difficulties and hazards? have your ſouls no enemy left alive? Are your luſts dead, the world vanquiſhed, and the Devil troden under foot? have you as much grace as you need? as much faith and love and patience as you need? Are you paſt that prayer Lord increaſe our Faith? Are you paſt thoſe counſels, Hold faſt that thou haſt. Grow in grace, follow after, preſs to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus? have you hit the mark, have you wonne the prize?

Is there not much of this work to be done which God would have [firſt] to be done? yea with ſome of you, is it not all behind hand? nothing done for your Souls; no knowledg, no grace gotten? nothing of the work of converſion, nothing of the work of repentance done; the firſt ſtone of the new building yet to be layd, yea not ſo much as the old rubbiſh removed, not a luſt caſt out, your carnal hopes not yet thrown down the hard heart not ſo much as touch'd?

What is there nothing done for the other world by ſo many of you, and ſo little done by the beſt of you, and are you yet ſo buſy for this world? Is p. 326this as God would have it? is this to ſeek the world as God would have you ſeek it? Go and ask counſel of God, Lord what wouldſt thou have me to do? how far forth for this world? how far forth for the other world? which ſhall be firſt minded? which ſhall be chief? and what ever the Lord doth ſpeak, let this be thy reſolve, I will firſt ſeek the kingdom of God, and for other things I muſt do as I may.

2. Keep and lay up no more by you, then God would have you: Say of all you lay up, This is Gods ſtock, this is his treaſure: whatever you have, let God keep the purſe: when he ſaies, Bring no more into the treaſury, ſtay your hand, beſtow it elſewhere as he ſhall appoint you. Let no ſtollen goods be found with you: all's ſtollen, ſtollen into your purſe, ſtollen into your houſe, which the Lord would have otherwiſe diſpoſed of. Be not then laying up, when God ſaies lay out, be not then ſparing when God would have you ſpending.

God ſaies, Caſt thy bread upon the waters, be ready to diſtribute: What ſaith he to thoſe rich men, Jam. 5. 2, 3. your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten: your gold and ſilver is cankered, the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt you; you have heaped up treaſure (an evil treaſure) againſt the laſt days: what do you treaſure up for the moth and the canker and the ruſt? no more ſuch heaping up, bring forth out of your treaſure.

3. Uſe what you have as God would have you uſe it: bring forth, but only by Gods order. Be good ſtewards; remember your account, book down all your expences: let nothing go any way, but what you are willing ſhould be book'd, and let nothing be book'd, but what you would have read in your reckoning day.

p. 327Let your fleſh have no more then the Kings allowance: feed it as a ſervant, let it not want what's neceſſary, but feed it not into wantonneſs or idleneſs: let it have never a meal nor a morſel more, then is fit for a ſervant. Let it not have the command of your eſtate, or be it's own carver, but let it be at the finding of conſcience; let never a penny be laid out upon it, either for food or raiment but what conſcience allows. Let your families be provided for, your friends entertained ſo, as that nothing be wanting, nothing be waſted. Be provident but not penurious, uſe hoſpitality but hate to be prodigals: give to all their due and no more: and whileſt your fleſh hath it's due, your friends and families their due, let not Gods friends want theirs: whomever he ſends to you for an alms, ſend them not away empty, ſend portions to thoſe for whom nothing is provided: feed, cloath, harbour, lend, give, according as God hath communicated to you, and ſhall command from you; and in giving thus to all, the things that are theirs, you give unto God the things that are Gods.

Remember carefully this laſt direction: Lay down all you have at the feet of God, and neither ſeek nor uſe any thing, but according to his order and will. Never let luſt ſet you on work, and leave nothing to its diſpoſe: feed not your eye or your appetite, feed not your pride or your covetouſneſs, till God bids you feed them; and then you ſhall find your luſts to ſtarve under your hands; and when worldly luſts are dead, the enmity of the world is ſlain, it's temptations vanquiſhed, and from being your Lord, it's henceforth become your ſervant: now p. 328you may make your friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, and when theſe fail, you ſhall be received into everlaſting habitations.

For a cloſe of all, let me yet a little farther perſwade you, to preſs hard for this victory over the world; and to this end, let me ask you theſe following queſtions,

1. Are you for the ſaving of your Souls?

2. Is not the World an enemy to your Souls, and the ſalvation of them?

3. Is not victory over this enemy poſſible?

4. Is not victory over this enemy deſirable?

5. Can this victory be bought to dear?

6. What if this enemy ſhould reign to death?

7. [Wil] you henceforth become enemies to this enemy?

1. Are you for the ſaving of your Souls? what are you for? for Heaven or Hell? 'tis the ſame queſtion as, are you for Heaven or Earth? ſpeak friends, where would you that your lot ſhould fall? will you be written in the earth, or amongſt the living in Jeruſalem? will you have your good things here, or will you wait for them till hereafter? which do you moſt regard, the joynt and eternal intereſt of your bodies and Souls, or the ſingle and temporal intereſt of your bodies? In a word, will you be ſaved or damned?

Do you ſo verily believe, a reſurrection from the dead, and a judgment to come? that there is another world? that this world ſhall vaniſh away, and the other world ſhall abide for ever; that there is an eternal ſtate of bleſſedneſs and miſery, into one of which ſtates your Souls muſt immediately enter, as ſoon as they are looſened from this p. 329body? that the future bleſſedneſs is unſpeakable, that the future miſery is intollerable? Are you Atheiſts or Infidels, or elſe do you ſo verily believe this, that it is the great aim and deſire of your hearts, to obtain this bleſſedneſs, and to eſcape thoſe torments?

Deſcend into your hearts, conſider the choice that's ſet before you, and come to a reſolution: what do you chooſe? light or darkneſs? life or death? eaſe or anguiſh? rejoycing or howling? lifting up of the head or gnaſhing of teeth? eternal pleaſures, or eternal fire? With whom will you dwel? with the Saints or with Serpents: with Michael or the Dragon? in the joy of the Lord or in the terrours of the Lord? What ſhall be your ſentence? Come or depart? come ye bleſſed or depart ye curſed? inherit the kingdom or away into the fire? what ſay you? conſider and ſpeak, will you be damned, or are you for the ſaving of your Souls? If you ſay you are for ſalvation, then let me farther ask you,

2. Is not the world an enemy to your ſalvation? Is ſalvation poſſible without a victory over it?

Is it not againſt the declared will and purpoſe of God? Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called; whom he called, them he alſo juſtified; whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified: who are the juſtified and glorified? is it not, onelyonly the called? is there ever another man of the number? And who are the called of God? is it all thoſe that are bid to come? is he of them that makes light of it? that ſaies, I cannot come: that ſaies, no Lord, I pray thee call ſome other gueſts, and let me alone as I am; to follow my oxen and my farm and my wife, p. 330I pray thee have me excuſed? is this one of the called of God? If not, what hope of his ſalvation? will God change his purpoſe and baulk his way, to gratify thy carnal mind, and reconcile luſt and eternal life?

Is there not an inconſiſtency in the nature of the things? to be ſaved, and left under the power of the world, is to be ſaved, and yet left under the power of the Devil? to be ſaved and yet left unſanctified: to be made free and yet left in bonds. Doth it not enervate and reſiſt all the means of ſalvation?

Doth not the world hinder the word, that that cannot proſper with you? is not this it, the luſts and love and cares of this life that choke the word that it becomes unfruitful? Math. 13. 22. Hath not the world hitherto dealt by you, as in the beginning of this diſcourſe, I told you it would? darkned your eye, that you could not ſee? deadned your ſenſe that you could not fear? hung upon your hearts and about your necks that you could not come to Chriſt? Have you ſeen? have you feard? are you come to Chriſt? or are you not yet in your ſins? why what is it that hath hindred you, and kept you back from Chriſt hitherto, but either the cares of this life, or the deceitfulneſs of riches, or the pleaſures and luſts of this preſent world?

Doth not the world hinder prayer? hold you back from going to God to ſeek your lives at his hands? while you ſhould be with God to ſeek your lives, the world calls you abroad to ſeek your livings: a little praying muſt ſuffice a worldly heart; when the tribes go up to pray before the Lord, how often is the worldlings place empty? If I were to go in ſearch for a worldlings heart, I would ſeek all the p. 331places of the earth firſt, ere I would ſeek him before the throne of grace: he is ſo ſeldom there, that you may as well ſeek an idle ſhepherd in the pulpit, as a worldly heart in the cloſet: O if worldly men did no more diligently ſeek the world, then they uſe to ſeek God, what poor men would they be?

Get you aſunder worldlings, let your Souls and this harlot part, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinence, that your prayers be not hindred: what praying whilſt the world is ſtill with you? and what hope of ſalvation, whileſt no praying?

3. Is this enemy invincible? Is not victory over it poſſible? is it not poſſible for thee to become an enemy to this world? if thou art an enemy thou art a conquerour. It's true thou haſt an hard field to fight, and there's great hazard thou mayſt be eternally loſt by it. It hath ſlain ſo many Souls, and laid them up in everlaſting chains; there have been ſo very few have eſcaped with their lives, that it's a great queſtion, whether thy life may not alſo go. Thou haſt been ſo long a captive, that it is much to be doubted whether ever thou mayſt be ſet at liberty. Thou beareſt ſuch a love to the world, thou wilt ſo hardly be perſwaded, that 'tis thine enemy, and art ſo apt to take it to be a better friend then God is to thee; thou art ſo hardly perſwaded, that he is a friend to thee, that doth but tell thee, the world is an enemy, and art ſo angry at any that offers to aſſiſt thee againſt it, or but perſwades thee to take heed of it; thou art ſo apt to take all the counſels, warnings, reproofs, that are given thee, to put thee upon thy watch p. 332againſt it, to be injuries, unkindneſſes; that it's much to be feared, how it may go with thee.

There have been ſo many charges made againſt it without ſucceſs; the axe hath been ſo often layd at the root of this tree; God hath been hewing at it, conſcience hath been hewing at it, may be, all thy life long; the word hath been fighting againſt it, prayer hath been wreſtling with it, meditation hath been conſidering about it; Thou haſt been ſo often warned, Take heed and beware of covetouſneſs; Love not the world, nor the things of the world; mortify thy members which are upon the earth; Flee youthful luſts; Get thee up from the tents of theſe men, ſet not thine affections on the earth; Thou haſt been ſo often told, That the faſhion of this world paſſeth away; thoſe that will be rich fall into a ſnare; the friendſhip of the world is enmity againſt God; and after all this there is ſo little done; thy heart is ſo much upon it ſtill, it holds to this day, ſo ſtrong an hand over thee; thou art ſtill ſiding with it and taking its part, againſt God and thine own Soul; thou art ſo loath to hear, that 'tis a ſin to be worldly minded, or to be convinced that thou art a worldling; that I muſt tell thee, 'twill be hard work for thee, to obtain the victory, and to eſcape with thy Soul.

Look to it, ſuch a diſeaſe which hath been ſo long rooted in thy nature; ſuch an enemy that hath ſo long lien in thy boſome, that thou wilt not be perſwaded, that 'tis thy diſeaſe, that 'tis thine enemy; ſuch a diſeaſe will hardly be cured, ſuch an enemy will hardly be conquered.

But yet, is not a victory poſſible? Is this diſeaſe unto death, and is there no remedy? Is there p. 333no balm in Gilead? is there no Phyſitian there? Is the field loſt, and is there no recovery? who is it that hath bid thee fight againſt this enemy? Is it one that had a mind to mock thee? Look upon the Captain of thy Salvation, hath not he overcome the world? Hath not he ſaid, Be of good comfort; look unto me, and be ſaved; come unto me, and ye ſhall have reſt? Doth he not call to thee, Wilt thou not be made clean; wilt thou not be made free: If thou wilt thou mayſt, there lies all the difficulty, that's all the doubt, whether thou wilt or no; as hard as the victory is, if thou periſh by the world at laſt, thy deſtruction will be laid at thine own door; 'tis becauſe thou wilt not accept of deliverance, if thou wilt thou mayſt.

4. Is not victory over this enemy deſirable? Is not liberty deſirable? is not life deſirable? be an enemy and live, the world kills none but its friends.

Would it not be well with you, if this ſpirit of the world were caſt out, and God had given you another ſpirit? would it not be a good exchange, if for this carking, caring, anxious earthly greedy heart, you had obtained a contented patient mortified ſpirit, an heavenly mind? would not the matter be well mended with you, if for your treaſure on earth, you could make God your treaſure? could you not wiſh it were ſo?

Can you ſay, I thank God I am yet a worldling? I thank God my heart is ſtill below? I can mind my pleaſures, and gains; I can ſatisfie my luſt, and take my liberty, and follow my affairs, without troubling my ſelf about theſe higher matters that I know not? Hitherto I thank God, this world hath been too hard for the Goſpel; the devil hath p. 334kept poſſeſſion, and hath kept Chriſt out? whileſt others have puzled and amuſed themſelves with their thoughts, and hopes, and fears about another world, have made an adventure for the unknown riches, have been filling their heads, and perplexing their hearts, with cares for hereafter, and have neglected and ſtraitned themſelves here, I thank God I have been no ſuch fool?

While you may ſay, I thank God, [I have] an eſtate in the world, I have friends in the world, can you alſo ſay, I thank God this is my treaſure, theſe are my delights? I can never trouble my ſelf with thinking of, or ſerving any other God but theſe, I can take theſe in exchange for my ſoul? I thank God for that unrighteouſneſs, or that unmercifulneſs, which he hath left me to, and let me alone in, whereby I have gotten me an eſtate, and preſerved it entire to me? it had been worſe with me then 'tis, if I could not have ly'd and defrauded; if I had made Conſcience of Sabbaths, of praying, and hearing, and ſpending ſo much time this way as others do? I had been a poor man had I taken this courſe, but I thank God I was wiſer then ſo? Can you ſay thus?

Chriſtians may, and will ſay, I thank God I am crucified to the world, I thank God for Faith, and Prayers, and Sabbaths, for a new heart, and a new life; bleſſed be God that hath choſen me out of this world, and called me by his grace; bleſſed be God for a part in Chriſt, and hope towards God; bleſſed be the day, wherein my ſoul was divorced from this world, and eſpouſed to another Husband; I would not be in bondage to this earth again, I would not be a fleſh pleaſer, a ſelf-ſeeker p. 335again, if the devil would hire me with all the Kingdomes of the world; there is not a Chriſtian in the world but will ſay thus: But where is the worldling that dares deliberately to ſay, I thank God I am a worldling ſtill, God hath dealt well with me, that he hath left me out, and let me alone to follow mine own heart?

Speak worldling, had it not been well for thee if thou alſo hadſt been brought in to Chriſt? would it not be well for thee, if yet thou mighteſt, mighteſt ceaſe from this earth, and be a Candidate for heaven, mighteſt ceaſe to be a drudge, and a ſlave, and be delivered into the liberty of the Sons of God? would it not be well with thee if thou wert? would it not be well with thee if yet thou mighteſt? doſt thou never wiſh, O that my ſoul were in ſuch a caſe? why then wilt thou not, in this thy day?

5. Can this victory be bought too dear? There's nothing in this world but may be over-bought: An Army may be ſo weakned in the fight, that victory will not repair it; Crowns and Kingdomes may be bought too dear; all the royalties and revenues of the world may be purchas'd at ſuch a rate, that they may not be a ſaving bargain: But can redemption from the world be over-bought? will not the ſalvation of thy ſoul pay all thy charges? Its true, thy reſcuing from this enemy may not be without much damage and loſs, not only of the ſhip, and the lading, but of thy life: when thou conquereſt this enemy, thou wilt looſe a friend; in thy conquering thou wilt purchaſe enmity; therefore the world hateth you: Thou wilt not only create thee enemies by thy Conqueſt, but wants, and p. 336ſtraits, and labours, and cares: when thou ceaſeſt to be a ſervant to this world, think not to have an eaſie idle life, thou wilt have more and harder work then ever; the purſuing thine enemy that he rally not again upon thee; the watching thine heart, the guarding thine eye, the governing thine appetite, that they run not again after it, the pleaſing and following thy Lord in all things that he commands thee; what day thou breakeſt with the world, and joyneſt thy ſelf to the Lord, this life of labour and care thou putteſt thy ſelf upon; thou muſt no more thirſt after thy ſtoln waters, nor taſte of thy forbidden pleaſures; thou muſt no more traverſe thy moſt pleaſant ways, nor ſtick at the moſt painful duties; nay, not thine eaſe only, or thy pleaſure, but thy life alſo, and all that thou haſt muſt go, when ever thy Lord calls thee to it.

What courſe ſhort of this, will either obtain, or ſecure thee the victory? but how will ſuch a life down with thee? how will thy ſpirit bear it? when thy faint heart ſhrinks from it, when thy proud or ſtubborn heart ſwells againſt it; when thy old pleaſures and liberties, when thine old friends and companions, when thy ſilver and thy gold cry after thee, canſt thou leave us thus? can thy ſoul part with us for ever? thou wilt then find that this victory coſts thee dear.

But is not thy ſoul more worth then all this? wilt ſay, Better I were damn'd then ſav'd at ſuch an hard rate; hell rather then this way to heaven?

'Tis hard to be a Chriſtian, 'tis true; but bleſſed be God my ſoul is eſcaped, my foot is gotten p. 337out of the ſnare, liberty, liberty is brought to this captive, and the opening of the priſon to the bound; he whom I now ſerve, how hard ſoever his work is, is no hard m…ſter, he gives good wages; were his work harder then 'tis, yet 'tis not worthy to be laid in the balance with ſalvation: I will not die for an eaſie life.

6. What if this enemy ſhould reign till death? how do you think your worldly life will look, when you come to die? do you think you ſhall then ſay, I have done well to be a worldling? it may be, if God ſhould ask you now, doſt thou well to be covetous? doſt thou well to be a ſelf-ſeeker? you would anſwer him as Jonah did, Jonah 4. 9. when God ask'd him, Doſt thou well to be angry? it may be you would anſwer as he, yes, I do well to be angry, I do well to be covetous, or proud, or ſenſual; but do ye think you ſhall ſay thus at death? ſhall you then think you ſay, I have done well, I have done wiſely for my ſelf, I have coveted a good covetouſneſs, 'tis well for me that I did not hearken to theſe preachers, that I have lived in pleaſure, that I have heaped up treaſure for theſe laſt daies? if I were to begin the world again, and were to live over my life the ſecond time, I would take the ſame courſe I have taken; and I could wiſh every friend I have in the world, every companion I have, every child I have, to take example by me, and to live as I have lived? would you ſay thus? would you wiſh thus in that day?

Sometimes we hear a dying Worldling to wiſh all his friends, Take warning by me, O take heed as you love your ſouls, that you ſpend not your daies as I have done; but do you ever hear them ſay, p. 338Take example from me, follow my ſteps; now I find the comfort of my earthly-mindedneſs, now I find the comfort of my luſts and pleaſures; O that you might all have the comfort at your dying day wherewith I am now comforted? when did you hear of ſuch an inſtance?

Speak worldling, let thy Conſcience ſpeak; when death comes to arreſt thy ſoul, and to carry it hence immediately before thy Judg, there to receive thy ſentence according to what thou haſt done in the body; is this the ſtate thou wouldſt be found in? reeking in thy worldly luſts, ſoaked in ſenſuality, eaten out of worldly cares, loaden with worldly goods, and as empty of the knowledg and grace of God, as thou art at this day? wouldſt thou be content to ſay in reſpect of divine grace, as thou muſt in reſpect of worldly goods, Naked I came into this world, and naked I muſt go out of the world? would you that death ſhould carry you thus before your Judg? would you have that written on your forehead, when you come to ſtand before that dreadful Tribunal, which was written on the Tomb of that Edomite, Pſa. 52. 7. Lo this is the man, that took not God for his ſtrength, but truſted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthened himſelf in his wickedneſs?

Do not your hearts tremble when ever you give them leave to think of that day? do not the fore-views of death, and thoſe anticipations of Judgment you ſometimes feel in the Court of Conſcience, uſe to ſhake you?

But how will it be when it comes? when the pale horſe comes to your door, and you are juſt mounting for the other world; when your Judge, whoſe eyes are as flames of fire, his feet as burning p. 339braſs, with his ſharp two edged ſword in his mouth; when your Judge ſhall be ſet on the bench, and your guilty Souls be brought to the Bar? when he ſhall make inquiſition for bloud; for the bloud of Chriſt, which hath been trampled under foot, for the bloud of the poor, which hath been ſuck'd out of their hearts; for the bloud of your Souls, which hath been ſold and ſacrificed to luſt; when all your oaths and lyes, your frauds and oppreſſions, your unrighteouſneſs and unmercifulneſs; when your profaned ſabbaths, your neglected duties, your waſted conſciences; when either the ruſt and the canker of your riches, which you have wickedly gotten, or the waſt and the aſhes of them, which you have as wickedly ſpent; when the roul wherein all theſe things are written, ſhall be ſpred and read before the Lord, and your Souls ſtruck dumb and ſpeechleſs in his preſence; Judg Oh Judg what your thoughts will then be of your preſent wayes.

Laſtly [will] you now become enemies to the world? Be enemies and you are conquerours, will you deal with the world as an enemy? will you fear it as an enemy? will you fly from it, will you fight againſt it as an enemy? ſhall the Lord be your God? ſhall the Lord be your friend? ſhall the Lord be your treaſure? will you caſt away all your Idols and will you come and be reconciled to God? what ſay you? will you be crucified to this, and make an adventure for the other world?

Now becavſe this is ſo great a queſtion, and ſuch as on the anſwering thereof, the whole iſſue and ſucceſs of all that hath been ſaid, depends, I ſhall give you the opportunity to pauſe a while here, and deliberate upon it, ere you give in your anſwer.

Before you anſwer this queſtion, conſider yet farther,

1. Doth not God call you off from the world?

2. What is there in your denyal?

1. Doth not God call you off from the world? who is it that ſaid, 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the world nor the things of the world? Conſider and compare theſe two Scriptures. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled to God, and Jam. 4. 4. The friendſhip of the world it enmity againſt God; whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What is the errand, upon which the Miniſters of the Goſpel are ſent from the Lord unto you? I, it not to perſwade p. 340you to be reconciled to God? the word which they preach, is therefore called, the word of reconciliation Can you be reconciled to God, whileſt you hold in with the world? Can any thing be ſpoken plainer then this, He that will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God? when we therefore warn you be ye reconciled to God, do we not therein call you to make war with the world? and doth not God himſelf call you by us? warn you by us?

But beſides the call of the word, do not both the goodneſs and ſeverity of God call upon you?

1 Doth not the goodneſs, the mercy and kindneſs of God call upon you, Rom. 2. 4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and long ſuffering, and forbearance not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? Rom. 12. 1, 2. I beſeech you by the mercies of God, that ye preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice; holy acceptable to God, which is your reaſonable ſervice: and be ye not cenformed to this world. Worldly men mind worldly things, having their converſation in the fl…ſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh and of the mind; But will you be conform to them? I beſeech you be not. I beſeech you by the mercies of God, be ye not conformed to this world: If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels of mercies, be ye otherwiſe minded. You profeſs that Chriſt is your conſolation, that the love of God is your comfort, that the fellowſhip of the Spirit is your rejoycing; Are there any ſuch things? Is there any thing in them? then let theſe ſuffice you: will you have your converſation, and take your portion, with thoſe who are ſtrangers to Chriſt, and the comforts of his Spirit? I beſeech you by the mercies of God that you do not. Do you hope for mercy? have you received mercy? do you live upon mercy? hath mercy pitied you, ſpared you, pardoned you? doth mercy feed you, cloath you, and comfort you, and will you not hearken to its beſeechings?

Why what doth mercy ſpeak? is this it's word, Continue in ſin for grace hath abounded? now follow thy pleaſures, and thy liberties; God is reconciled, thy ſins are forgiven, thy Soul is ſecure; now thou mayſt ſlight the Lord, now thou mayſt trample upon mercy, now thou haſt obtained it; is this the leſſon that mercy teaches? or what doth it ſpeak? is not this the voice of all the kindneſſes and compaſſions of the Lord, come back from your vanities, come away from following p. 341Idols, he ſacrifices to God, and proſtitute not your ſelves any longer to the luſts of your fleſh? come away; for our ſakes come; as you love mercy come, as you have received mercy come, as you hope for mercy come. Is not this the voice of mercy, and ſhall it not prevail? how ſhall mercy be heard when it pleads for you, if it cannot be heard, when it pleads thus with you? Is this the rate and price you put upon the grace of God, that you will deny it, in thoſe little things it demands of you? not a carnal pleaſure to be abated, not a vain companion to be diſpleaſed, not a few handfuls of earth to be troden under foot, for its ſake? Doth all the intereſt, that Chriſt and his grace hath in you, come to no more then this?

Brethren, where is ingenuity? is not goodneſs obliging? will you ſhew what power mercy hath with you, how much you can do, how much you can leave for love? you at leaſt, that have obteined mercy, methinks your hearts ſhould be at your mouth, ready to take their flight from this wilderneſs, to the mountains of ſpices. Hath God given himſelf? hath God given me his Son, and granted me mercy unto life? now let him take all; farmes and oxen, ſilver and gold, honours and pleaſures, let all go, and thou O my Soul become a ſacrifice to the moſt high: my love where art thou, my deſires whither run you? come back from theſe vanities, and get you up to your God; mercy hath deſcended, let me aſcend with it, and no longer dwell in the duſt.

2. Do not the ſeverities of God call you off? what mean the Judgments of God, which he executes on the earth, but to drive us up from our ciſterns to the fountain? what mean the wormwood and the gall, but to wean us from theſe dugs? wherefore are our diſappointments, vexations, diſtreſſes, but to tell us, this is not your reſt? what ſpeak the winds and the ſtorms, the flouds and the fires, the ſword and the famine, the thief and the moth, but get you up, get you up out of this place? of what uſe is the croſs but to crucifie? to crucifie us to the world, and to crucify the world unto us?

Brethren, have we not ſufficiently ſmarted for our folly? what is it that makes us ſo many rods, and makes the laſhes of them to cut ſo deep, but our unmortifiedneſs to this earth? how eaſy would our croſſes lye were we dead to the world?

That's the voice of the croſs, Be mortified, be crucified; prevent the greater ſeverities of God: Be crucified or God will crucifie you: Be crucified to the world or look to be crucified p. 342by the world: Friends, would you have but one croſs in all your lives? chooſe you whether you will have one or many; get your earthly minds nayld to the croſs of Chriſt, and there's an end of all your croſſes; every other croſs that comes, will thenceforth be ſo eaſy, that it will even looſe its nature.

2. What is there in your denyal to hearken to theſe calls of God? Is there any thing leſs in it then this I will not be reconciled to God! I chooſe rather that God be mine enemy, then that the world be not my friend; I had rather have the wormwood and the gall, then not the milk and the honey. God ſaies give me thine heart, no he ſhall never have it, I have beſtowed it on the world, and there let it go. God ſaies Take me for thy portion, no I will not, let me have my portion in this life. God ſaies take me for thy Lord, no I will not; I will not that God ſhall reign over me. God ſaies, as thou hopeſt for mercy hearken, as thou hopeſt for mercy ſubmit to me; refuſe at thy peril; be a worldling at thy peril, be a ſenſualiſt at thy peril: well at my peril be it, I will run the hazard of that; mercy or no mercy, I cannot hearken to that word which is ſo contrary to me.

Is not all this comprehended in your denyal to come off from the world? O tremble, and now at length come and give in your anſwer.

Are there any of you that will yet ſay to me as thoſe Jews, Jer. 44. 16. The word which thou haſt ſpoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not do? or as thoſe Jer. 2. 25. there is no hope, as good hold thy peace, ſpeak no more to us about it, for we will not hearken; we have loved ſtrangers and after them we will go; we have loved our companions, and after them we will go; There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, we will walk after the imagination of our own evil heart, Jer. 18. 12.

Is there no hope indeed? would you henceforth be given over as hopeleſs? would you that the Ambaſſadours of the Lord keep ſilence, and for ever give you over as loſt men? ſhall there be no more treaty with you about this thing? would you that we ſhould preach no more to you, nor pray no more for you, that you may be brought to a better mind?

May there not be yet hope concerning you? may you not yet be convinced? may you not yet be perſwaded?

This once let me prevail with you; Oh might we hear ſuch a word from you, We have done with all our Idols; to the p. 343Moles and to the Batts with them all: we have done with this vain earthly life; no more ſuch madneſs to venture eternity for minutes, to ſtake the everlaſting kingdom for pictures and ſhadows. Come we will hearken to the Lord this day; hitherto we have been written in the earth, henceforth for the inviſible world: hitherto we have lived in pleaſures, we have been ſowing to the fleſh, we have been labouring for the wind, we have been laying up our treaſure on earth; we have been gathering in dirt and throwing away Manna, we have fed upon aſhes and trod upon pearls; our life hath been either a meer play or a labour for bubles; Henceforth for ſubſtance, for the durable riches, for the everlaſting pleaſures, for the bags that wax not old, the treaſure in Heaven that faileth not.

What ſay you brethren, ſhall this be your voice? will you hearken to the Lord? at length give in your anſwer, will you now become enemies to the world? will you indeed? ſhall your Souls and it now be parted? Then go and draw up a writing of divorcement, carry it before the Lord, and acknowledg it as your act and deed; and giving your ſelves to him, go preſently and take your leave of all things under the Sun. Bid farewell to thoſe that are with you in the houſe, farwel Father, farewel Child; farewel Husband, farewel Wife; Bid farewel to all within doors and without; farewel Goods, farewel Mony, farewel Sheep and Oxen, Lands and Livings; farewel my pleaſant habitation, farewel my merry dayes and eaſy nights; farewel my friends and dear acquaintance; farewel love friendſhip credit in the world, farewel liberty and life.

Go take your leave of all the world to day, ſtay not till to morrow, leſt it again intangle you, and bewitch you into another mind; And this is the leave I would adviſe you to take of all you have; Be able to ſay to them all, I am none of yours, you are none of mine. I am none of yours, I have given my ſelf to the Lord; you are none of mine, with my ſelf I have given away you all: the Lord hath given you me, and to him I return you, and ſhall not henceforth count you any thing to me, but what you are to him. I have given him the right of you and when he calls for it, I will give him poſſeſſion. I can enjoy you and I can want you, I can be thankful for fruition and I can bear your loſs▪ with what I have I am content, if I have not, I will be patient, whether I have or no, I am ſtill the ſame; and henceforth, I will ſeek you as if I ſought you not, I will uſe you as if I p. 344uſed you not; while you are with me I will rejoyce as if I rejoyced not, that I may weep as if I wept not when we muſt part, and I muſt know you no more.

Go thus and take your leave to day, or if you find it more then one dayes work, as 'tis like you may, ſet to it every day, let not your hearts be quiet till they and this world be thus parted.

And then ariſe, put on thy ſandals, and after thy crucified Lord, Deny thy ſelf, take up thy croſs and follow him and thou ſhalt have treaſure in Heaven.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Alleine, The World Conquered (1668)