Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6 · Section 15
Trials hereof.
1 A conſtant and uſual ſavouring of earthly things, with a conſtant and uſual diſguſting and diſreliſhing of heavenly things, Rom. 8.5. They that are after the fleſh do ſavour the things of the fleſh, and they that are after the Spirit do ſavour the things of the Spirit. Such men are preſently jaded in thinking of heavenly things.
2 A diſpoſition to hold the things of the World, notwithſtanding duty and a good conſcience call us to leave them; ſuch was the young man, Matth. 19.22. the ſtony ground, Matth. 13.21. The ſtony ground, though they had not a purpoſe to leave Chriſt when tribulation came, yet they had not a purpoſe to ſtick to Chriſt, if tribulation ſhould come.
We often, upon falſe grounds, count men worldly, as becauſe we ſee them laborious in their callings, when our ſelves are idle, when we ſee them have much buſineſs when our ſelves have little, or when they uſe moderation and frugality in their apparrel and houſe keeping, when perhaps our ſelves are too profuſe, or becauſe they will not beſtow upon ſuch objects as we would have them, or becauſe they have a diligent hand to provide for them and theirs; but theſe are not ſignes of a worldly heart, but contrarily when a man claſps his heart about his eſtate, and ſaith, I will not leave thee, I will not go from an high condition to a low, this argues a worldly heart: for as he is an heavenly Chriſtian who hath a diſpoſition to hold Chriſt though he loſe all, Phil. 3.8. So he is an earthly man, who reſolves to hold what he hath, though he loſe Chriſt.
3 By the hearts running habitually upon the world, Phil. 3.19. Whoſe end is deſtruction, who minde earthly things. Some men ſo minde earthly things, that their end will be deſtruction. No ſpeech but of the world, no delight but in the world, Amos, 8.5. Even on the day of worſhip they cryed, when will the Sabboth be gone, that we may ſell wheat? Their hearts run upon bargains, upon purchaſes, high places, &c. Ahabs heart ſtill ran on Naboths Vineyard, Hamans heart ran upon honour, he thought he ſhould be the man whom the King would honour, Heſt. 6. 1 Joh. 4.5. They are of the world, therefore ſpeak they of the world. Thus the glutton, Luk. 12.19. his ſoul ran upon his goods, thinking he had much goods laid up for many years. A poor condemned man ſhould not be thinking ſo much of meat and drink, as how to eſcape the ſword of the executioner; Thou comes into the world a condemned man; though thy thoughts may be of thy particular calling, how thou increaſes or decreaſes, yet ſpecially ſhould thy heart run upon heavenly things, and how thou mayeſt eſcape the wrath to come.
4 When the heart is exerciſed in covetous practices, 2 Pet. 2.14. Curſed children, and an heart exerciſed with covetous practices are joyned together, as if he ſhould ſay, ſuch men, how ever magnified of men yet are curſed children. Thou thoughteſt perhaps God would never have given thee riches, had he not loved thee; oh! but if ye be covetous, you are curſed children, and God abhors you. Now the covetous practices of theſe men are many, as 1 haling and tearing away from others by any indirect means, as Ahab and Jezebel, Achan, Judas, and thoſe Jam. 5.2. Who defrauded thoſe of their wages who reapt their fields, Hab. 2.6. Wo to him that increaſeth that which is not his.
2 By ordinary ſaving: when God calls them to ſpend, they will give good words, be warme, be filled, but give not thoſe things which are needfull to the body, Jam. 2.15, 16. as their hands are ſhut up, ſo are their bowels, 1 John 3.17.
It was a ſpeech of Chryſoſtom, Hom. 34. to the people of Antioch, Whatſoever thou haſt above neceſſary relief for thy ſelf and family (and Godly moderate, not unſuitable and endleſs care) of providing honeſtly for our families, (which who ſo doth not is worſe then an Infidel) is not ours now, but the goods of the poor, and who ſo depriveth them of it, is a thief and a murtherer. I will not deny nor maintain this aſſertion, but leave it as I found it, but this I ſay, Its a ſigne of a covetous heart when thou haſt ſuperfluities, and thou ſhuts up thy heart to him which is in neceſſities, yea, which is worſe, to him that is in extremities.
Another covetous practice is, making bargains, ſo that ſtill they will have an hole to creep out at.
Another is in their entertainment of others. Eat and drink ſay they, but their heart is not with thee, Prov. 23.7, 8.
Another is witty carnal excuſes to ſave their purſes, as that they cannot get in money owing to them, they have ſuch poor relations lying upon them, they have had ſuch loſſes, ſuch a charge, a hard farme, they have done as much as others, the pariſh or Church muſt look to them, thouſands of excuſes people have. So that as the liberal heart deviſeth liberal things, and by liberal things ſhall he ſtand, Eſa. 32.7, 8. So theſe covetous churles deviſe covetous devices, and by his covetous devices ſhall he fall in the day of account.
5 When the heart is full of carkings how to live here, but few or no cares how to live eternally. What ſhall I do in old age when my limbs are gone; when a dear year comes? many ſouls are ſo haunted with theſe cares that they can take little comfort in any thing they have, and theſe carkings are ſo much worſe, when they are in them who have either a competency, or abundance. This doth not directly prove the reign of worldlineſs, but is a ground for the heart to ſuſpect it ſelf.
Againſt theſe carkings oppoſe the care God hath for beaſts and fowls, and much more for men; he that cares for his enemies will much more care for his friends and children, if for his children when they ſought him not, much more when they ſeek him and find him. Carke not for future times, this day may conclude thy life.