The Practical Christian, Tract · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The World, and the Creatures in it.
IN and about this, to meditate on three things.
1. Thoſe things in the Creatures, that engage our hearts to love God.
2. Thoſe things in the Creatures that diſengage our hearts from inordinate love to, and purſuit of the Creature.
3. Thoſe duties we owe to God for the Creatures, and the Creatures teach us to perform to God.
Firſt, To meditate on thoſe things in the Creatures, which diſcover the love of God to us, and that engage our hearts again to love him. As for inſtance, The Magnitude, Multitude, Variety, Beauty, Structures, Vertues, Sympathy and Antipathy of the Creature.
1. For the Magnitude or Greatneſs of the Creature; Who can meaſure the breadth of the Earth, and the depth of the Sea? (ſaith the wiſe man) Eccleſ. 13. And if the Earth be ſo great, how great is the whole World? The Earth is but a Point, in compariſon of the Heavens Circumference.
2. For the Multitude of the Creatures: Who can number the Sand of the Sea? and if not the Sand, much leſs all the Creatures that are in, and under, and above the Earth; all the Secretaries of Nature cannot number the kinds of the Creature, much leſs the Individuaes, Jer. 33.22. Pſal. 104.25.
3. For the Variety of the Creatures. This is much more wonderful. As there are innumerable Kinds of Creatures, ſo there are kinds of divers forms and faſhions one from the other. Amongſt ſo many thouſand Pebles on the Sea-ſhore, you cannot find two ſtones alike in all things; amongſt ſo many thouſand Heards of Cattle, you cannot find two Beaſts alike in all things; amongſt ſo many thouſand Men and Women that are in the World, you cannot find two perſons alike in all things, but they differ in Face, or Voice, or Geſture.
4. For the Beauty of the Creature. How hath the Lord bedeckt the Heavens with Stars, the Earth with all variety of Beauties, well dreſſed Gardens, fruitful Orchards, green Meadows, pleaſant Woods, ſweet Fountains, Chryſtal Streams, all variety of Colours; ſo as Solomon in all his Royalty, was not cloathed as the Lilly, Matth. 6.29.
5. For the Structure of the Creatures, how admirable is this? In the leaſt, as well as the greateſt; the Soul of a little Fly (ſayes Auſtin) excels the glorious Body of the Sun; the Teeth of a Moth, as wonderful as the Tusks of a Boar; the Thigh of a ſlender Gnat, not inferior to the Thigh of the hugeſt Elephant; the Wings of a Butter-fly, may compare with the Wings of an Eagle. There's not the leaſt Creature, but is ſo admirably fram'd, as all the Artiſts in the World not able to mend or make the like.
6. For the Vertues of the Creature. How wonderful is this in the Elements above, and the Planets beneath, in the Herbs, and Trees, and precious Stones; there is no Creature, even the vileſt and baſeſt, but is good for ſome uſe or other.
7. For the Sympathy of the Creatures, and the Antipathy between them. How ſtrong is this? No reaſon can be given of the ſweet agreement between the Load-ſtone and the Iron, the Lilly and the Garlick, nor of the mortal hatred between the Swan and the Eagle, the little Birds and the Owl.
A ſerious meditation on theſe things, will not onelyonly diſcover the great love of God, and draw out your hearts the more in love to him, who hath done all theſe things for you.
Secondly, To meditate on thoſe things in the Creatures that may diſingage your hearts from the inordinate love of them, and the eager purſuit of them; amongſt others, on theſe things, The Vanity, Uncertainty, Unſatisfactorineſs, Commonneſs, Unprofitableneſs, Deceitfulneſs, Hurtfulneſs, and the great folly of men in making them their portion.
1. On the Vanity of them. Being things in ſhew, rather then in ſubſtance; appearance, rather then reality; Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? Viz. In reſpect of any advantage and comfort, when God withdraws himſelf from the Creature, then they are like ſtanding Pools in Summer, dryed up, when the Creature comes to make uſe of them; yea, they are not onelyonly vain in the Concrete, but vanity it ſelf in the Abſtract; verily, Man in his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity, Pſal. 39.5. Not onelyonly thus, the Man, but every Man; not in his worſt, but beſt eſtate; not only in parts, but in every part, altogether vanity: and if Man, the very beſt of Creatures, how much more thoſe Creatures which God made for Man: What is Honour, but Magnum nihil, a glorious Fancy? Acts 25.23. What is Wealth, but a little white and red Earth? What is all pleaſure here, but a little bitter ſweet? Solomon that extracted the quinteſſence of all, concludes, after the tryal of all, all is vanity and vexation of Spirit.
2. Meditate on the uncertainty of them. 1 Tim. 16.17. Charge them that be rich, they truſt not in uncertain riches; So uncertain, as like Tennis-Balls, they are banded up and down from one to another; they cannot promiſe a day or an hours continuance to you, or you to them, Prov. 23.5. Riches take to themſelves Wings, and fly away like a Partridge, in one mans Field to day, in anothers to morrow; many of great eſtates are on a ſudden brought to nought, by Fire, Water, Thieves: How often have you heard of ſuch and ſuch in honour to day, and diſgrace to morrow; a Rich Man one day, and a Beggar another; in health and jovial to day, and dead, nay (it may be) damned to morrow: be warned by others harms.
3. Meditate on the Ʋnſatisfactorineſs of them. They that have moſt of them, are never ſatisfied with them, Eccleſ. 1.8. Eccleſ. 4.8. Eccleſ. 5.10. Iſa. 55.1. Wherefore do you lay out your Money for that which cannot ſatisfie? You have inſtances of it in all times: The Rich Fool in the Goſpel, not content to have his Barns full, but he muſt pull them down to build them bigger: Abſalom not content to be a Kings Son, but he muſt aſpire alſo to his Fathers Throne: Ahab not content with a Kingdom, but is ſick after Naboths Vineyard. We need not look ſo far back, our latter times give us too ſad Examples; he that hath climed the Ladder of Preferment, high enough to break his neck, yet will indeavour to climb higher and higher, ut lapſu graviore ruat, that he may have the greater fall; he that by baſe and unjuſt Courſes hath ſcrapt together a great heap of Wealth, more then he knows well how to deſpoſe of, yet is ſtill labouring to add Houſe to Houſe, and Field to Field, and Bag to Bag, till he hath added Hell to all; he that hath run riot into all manner of exceſs, and even glutted himſelf with the pleaſures of the Fleſh, will yet be ſtill adding Drunkenneſs to Thirſt, and Fuel to the Fire of Concupiſcence, until he hath brought Poverty into his Eſtate, and Rottenneſs into his Body, and Deſtruction both upon Soul and Body; So unſatisfactory are all thoſe things here below; that like the Fire, Grave, Sea, and Hell, they have never enough.
4. The Commonneſs of them. How that all theſe worldly things are common to the Wicked, as well as the Godly; God gives Riches to them to whom he will never give Grace here, nor Glory hereafter; Riches were never an evidence of Gods Love here, or Salvation hereafter; but only an Intereſt in Chriſt, and Grace from Him. Men may have Riches, and yet be damned; Heirs, and yet be damned; Gifts and Parts, and yet be damned; for all theſe earthly things are common to the wicked with the Godly, Eccleſ. 9.1. and uſually wicked men enjoy more of them then the Godly, Job 2. Pſalm. 73. becauſe it is their portion in this Life, Pſal. 17. end.
5. Take notice of the Unprofitableneſs of them. Mark 8.36. What will it profit a man to win the World and loſe his Soul; they cannot profit a Mans Perſon, neither his Soul, nor Body, nor his Poſterity; they may ſeem to profit in a day of Proſperity, but not of Adverſity, a day of common Calamity, Sickneſs, Death, Judgment. 1. They cannot profit or better a mans perſon; it may make him a worſe, but not a better man; he may conceit himſelf a better man, and the men of the World may eſteem him the better for his abundance of theſe things, his high Place, his brave Apparel, his great Revenues; but God eſteems no man the better for theſe things, Job 34.19. Job 36.19. 2. They cannot profit or better the Soul, hurt it they may, and do; as for inſtance; 1ſt. They keep them from looking after piety, Luke 14.18. 2ly, They diſtract them in duty, Ezek. 33.31. 3ly, It makes them unfruitful in duty, Mat. 13.22. They may better his outward condition; he may eat more, and go finer, and lie eaſier; but they cannot better his inward condition, help to Pardon, or Peace, Grace, or Glory: Thou and thy Money periſh with thee, that thinkeſt the Gift of God may be purchaſed with Money, ſaid Peter to Simon Magus, Acts 8.20. God will not give away his Graces (as the Indians do their Gold) for Gaudes and Rattles, Toyes and Trifles. 3. Unprofitable to the Body. Can Honour or Wealth buy Health, or get a ſtomach to meat, or procure eaſe, reſt, and ſleep? No, we find by experience the contrary; he that hath moſt of theſe outward things, can but eat, and drink, and cloath himſelf; and ſo doth a poor man, and with more comfort and contentment, many times, then the Rich, and hath uſually a a better appetite to his meat, and more ſweet ſleep after his labour, Eccl. 5.11. Job 20.22. 4. Unprofitable likewiſe to his Poſterity: How often have you ſeen after that men have toyled and turmoiled in the World all their dayes for their Children, their Children to be either ſuddenly ſnatcht away from their Wealth, or their Wealth from their Children: How often have you ſeen the Proverb made good, Covetous men have either Prodigals or Fools to their Children; ſuch as either preſently conſume it away, or are ſoon cheated of all: If you would obſerve it, you may find many Parents bewailing their folly at the laſt, that they have toyled ſo much in the World for ſuch wicked and rebellious Children; and many Children curſing the time that ever their Parents left them ſo great and ill-gotten Eſtates, according to that Job 21.19. 5. However they may afford them ſome comfort in the day of proſperity, and in a day of peace, yet not in the time of Adverſity, and in a day of Calamity in a day of Sickneſs, Death, and Judgement. 1ſt. Not in a day of common Calamity, when the Judgments of God are upon the Land, Sword, Famine, Peſtilence, 1 Sam. 12.21. Prov. 11.4. Zeph. 1. laſt. Ezek. 7.19. 2ly, In Sickneſs; It is not high Places, honourable Titles, full Bags, great Revenues, that can prevent or remove Stone, Gout, Strangury, Feaver, or any Sickneſs or Pain; it's true, they may procure Phyſicians, and Medicines; but thoſe kill, rather then cure, without the Lord. 3ly, In the hour of Death, Job 27.8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul? All the Rich Fools Wealth, could not keep his Soul one night longer, Luke 12.15, 20. 4ly, In the day of Judgment, all the World is ſo far from profiting, as they ſhall ſee all in fire about their ears, & have nothing left but an account how they got, and kept, and imployed it; and the more they have had of this Worlds good, and the leſs good they have done with it; and the more they have abuſed it, the more and greater will be their torment. 5ly, All they have of the World, cannot ſave them from Hell, Luke 16.23. Rev. 21.8. nor mitigate their torments there; Dives could not procure a drop of Water to cool his ſcorched tongue, Luke 16.24, 25. So as you ſee clearly and fully, what unprofitable and helpleſs things theſe of the World are without Grace, they cannot free from any thing that is truly evil, Sin or Pain; nor help to any thing that is truly good, Pardon or Peace; they cannot keep ſickneſs from the Body, or trouble from the Mind, or terrors from the Conſcience, or the Soul out of Hell; they may make men worſe, but never the better.
6. Think on the Deceitfulneſs of the things of the World. They do promiſe to men much help and comfort, or rather men promiſe to themſelves much by them, but both they and themſelves deceive themſelves, and meet with bitterneſs inſtead of ſweetneſs, and trouble inſtead of comfort, therefore called deceitful Riches, Mat. 13.22. Like Jael, ſeeds men with Milk, but pierceth their heads and hearts afterwards with ſorrow; like Joab and Judas, who ſalute with a Kiſs, but ſtab to the heart.
7. On the Hurtfulneſs of them: Eſpecially being got and kept by unlawful means, and uſed and imployed to unlawful ends, they keep them from a great deal of good, and expoſe them to a great deal of hurt. 1. They keep men from a great deal of good, as the minding the glory of God, and the good of Souls, both their own and others, keep them either from uſing the means of Grace, or from profiting by them, Ezek 33.31, 32. Luke 18.19. 2. Expoſe them to a great deal of evil, both of Sin and Puniſhment, the wrath and curſe of God and Man both here, and to all eternity in Hell, as you may ſee clearly, Eccleſ. 5.13. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. James 5.1, 2, 3. Hence it is that Solomon ſtiles them, not only Vanity, but vexation of Spirit, becauſe they are ſtill vexing men either with cares in getting, or fears in keeping, or ſorrows in loſing; and our Saviour compares them to Thorns, becauſe they are ſtill piercing both head and heart with troubles in getting, and grief in parting with them.
8. Meditate on the great folly and madneſs of men, in minding, affecting, and purſuing theſe things of the World before, and more then the things of God, and Chriſt, and his Spirit, and Kingdom, and the wellfare of their own precious and immortal Souls: The Spirit of God brands them frequently in the Scripture for Fools, or the Fools, and the worſt of Fools, Prov. 1.22. Mat. 23.17, 18. Luke 12.19, 20. and not without cauſe.
1. He is a Fool that is not able to diſcern between Copper and Gold, Pebles and Pearls, that will part with the richeſt Coyn, for the richeſt Counter; what are all temporal things, in compariſon of ſpiritual and eternal Excellencies, but droſs and dung, foreign, offal and Dogs-meat, in compariſon of Chriſt, Grace, and Glory, as the Apoſtle ſtiles them, Phil. 3.
2. He is a Fool, you know, that minds onelyonly things preſent, and nothing for the future; A wiſe man foreſees the evil and hides himſelf, but a fool paſſeth on and is puniſhed, Prov. 22.5. A wiſe man fore-ſees and fore-caſts his buſineſs, but a fool doth neither: And ſuch fools are all worldly wiſe men, all for this preſent World, and nothing for another. I have read a ſtory of a certain great Man, that having many Houſes, was wont every month to go from one Houſe to anothe…, and ſend Harbingers before to make proviſion for him; at laſt falling ſick, and drawing towards his end, a Servant of his came to viſit him, and asking him how he did, Oh, (ſaith he) I am going to another World; Maſter (ſaid he) you were wont here to ſend Proviſion before you to your Houſes here, have you done ſo for another Houſe, your eternal Houſe? Oh no (ſaid he) that is my folly and miſery.
3. He is a fool that will hazzard and adventure his life for a toy and a trifle, and put off a buſineſs for the preſent of greateſt conſequence, to another day, when yet he knows not whether he ſhall have another day; and yet this is the greateſt folly of worldly wiſe men, though they hear often that there's but one thing neceſſary in the World, in compariſon whereof all other things are unneceſſary, viz. the Salvation of the Soul, yet will hazzard that, to gain the World, and put off that to the laſt and weakeſt hour, when they can ſcarce think upon any thing elſe but pain; and then when 'tis too late, lament their great folly and madneſs in it.
Thirdly, Meditate on the duties you ow to God for the Creatures, and the uſes you are to make of the Creatures; I ſhall but name a few: As,
1. To contemplate thoſe glorious Attributes of God, which ſhine forth in the Creatures, as his Eternity, Omnipotency, infinite Wiſdom, and unſearchable goodneſs to Mankind, in making a World, and all things in it for him, and him for himſelf; and that, firſt, Becauſe it's expreſly commanded, Eccleſ. 7.13. Job 37.14. 2. The practiſe of the Saints, Pſal. 77.11, 12. Pſal. 143.5, 6. all Gods People, Pſal. 111.2. 3. Becauſe it's the end wherefore God made Man, and gave him a reaſonable Soul; not onelyonly that he ſhould barely view the Creatures, but contemplate his glorious Attributes that ſhine forth in them. There's no skilful Artificer that will take it well to have his skill not taken notice of in the works he doth; much leſs will God, and it will exceedingly agravate mens ſin and condemnation at laſt, that they have ſo much taken notice of, and admired the works of men, and ſo little taken notice of the great and glorious Works of God in the Creation of this glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth.
2. Duty, to learn thoſe good things in the Creatures, which they do teach us in, and by the inſtinct of Nature: for all the World is but a great School, to teach us the knowledge of God, Rom. 1.20. Creatio Mundi Scriptura Dei, Univerſus Mundus, Deus Explicatus, (as one ſaith well) The whole Creation is a Scripture of God, the Heaven, the Earth, and the Sea.
3. Great Leaves of that Book; the Creatures contained in them, as ſo many Lines, by which God would read a Divinity-Lecture to us, all the Creatures but a Ladder made of many ſteps to raiſe us up to God, and as it were, a pair of Spectacles, whereby we may read God, and the inviſible things of God more clearly and plainly, Jenkins on Jude.
But what are thoſe things the Creatures teach us?
They all teach us Obedience, Love, Unity, and dependance upon God, a deſire of freedom from that bondage our ſin hath brought upon them.
[1.] They all teach us Obedience to God, for they all keep their ſtation in which God hath ſet them; they all do what God commands them, and leave undone what he forbids them. 1. They all keep their ſtation; the Sun rejoyceth to run its courſe, the Sea keeps within its Banks, the Earth ſtandeth faſt upon her Foundation; onelyonly Man is fallen from it. 2. They do whatſoever God commands them; Pſal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, &c. the Sea, and the Winds, and all fulfil his Word, Pſal. 148.8. 3. They leave undone what he forbids them; the Fire burns not, the Sea ſtands on heaps, the Sun ſtands ſtill, and goes backward ten degrees; the Fire deſcends, and the Water aſcends at his command; all the Creatures have an ear to hear their Creator, only Man is deaf: Yea, (and mark farther) they not onelyonly obey their Creator, but they obey him in a right manner: For, 1. they ſerve him only, and not us any further and longer then we ſerve him; therefore he is called the Lord of Hoſts, becauſe all is at his command, to teach us, as to obey him, ſo him only, and men no further then they obey God. 2. They ſerve him chearfully, Pſalm. 19. The Sun rejoyceth as a Gyant to run his courſe; and ſo ought we, for the abundance of all his goodneſs to us, or elſe are threatned to ſerve our enemies in the want of all things, Deut. 2.8. 3. They ſerve him conſtantly day and night, and are never weary of doing him ſervice; ſo neither ought we, 1 Cor. 15. laſt. Be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, &c. Gal. 6.9. Be not weary of well doing, &c. 4. They ſerve the Lord freely, by the inſtinct of Nature; how much more ſhould we by the inſtinct of Grace. 5. They waſte and conſume themſelves in the ſervice of us, to teach us to ſpend our ſelves, and be ſpent for God.
[2.] They all teach us to love God, as being all fruits and tokens of his love to us; and refuſe to love us, if we neglect to love him; the Sun denies its Shine, the Clouds their Rain, and the Earth its Fruits; they teach us alſo as to love God, ſo to love others for God's ſake, eſpecially thoſe that are nearly related to us; for they generally love thoſe of the ſame kind, and are very tender over their Mates, and to their young ones.
[3.] They all teach us unity amongſt our ſelves, for they all combine and conſpire in one, for the good of the whole; they all prefer the good of the whole, above their own particular: the Fire will deſcend, and the Waters aſcend, rather then there ſhall be a vacuum in Nature; though they be of contrary qualities, yet they do not trouble, but help one the other; the Fire warms the Air, the Air preſerves the Water, the Water moiſtneth the Earth; one Element is a good Neighbour to the other, and all to teach us, we ſhould not be hurtful, but helpful one to another, and prefer the publick, before our own private good.
[4.] They all teach us dependance on God, for being, and well-being, Pſal. 147.9, 10. The eyes of all things look up to thee, &c. To teach us to look up to God, and to have our dependance upon him, for our ſelves and ours, and to be careful about nothing, Phil. 4.7. Matth. 6.26. to the end.
[5.] They all teach us a deſire and longing, to be freed from that bondage our ſins have brought upon them and our ſelves, Rom. 8.19, 22. And ſhall the Creatures ſigh and groan under our burdens, and we not under our own?
A third Duty, is this, To bewail the firſt ſin of ours, which brought ſuch vanity and vexation upon the Creatures: God at firſt looked down upon all that he had made, and loe it was all very good, Gen. 1. laſt. uſeful and profitable to man; but no ſooner had Man ſinned, but all became, not onelyonly vain and unprofitable, but vanity of vanities, and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 1.
4th Duty, Take heed you do not give thoſe affections to the Creature, which are due onelyonly to God, as our Love, Fear, Deſire, Delight, Sorrow, Hope, Confidence; for this is to rob God of his Glory and give it to the Creature; that which is expreſly forbid, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. therefore to take heed of it: And,
1. To take heed of inordinate love to them, ſo as to be unwilling to part with them at the call and command of God; for this is to love the Gift more then the Giver; and this is no other then ſpiritual Idolatry and Adultery, Col. 3.5. & James 4.4. This alſo the next and readieſt way to be deprived of them, and to have a croſs, if not a curſe, in them: Beſides, if you love them too much, be ſure you will grieve the more when they are taken from you, and be made to wiſh you had never loved them ſo much, for then you ſhould not have grieved ſo much, and by both, ſo diſhonour God, diſgrace Profeſſion, and bring diſtempers upon your ſelves, and therefore love not the World, nor the things of the World, 1 John 2.15.
2. Take heed of inordinate fear of them, ſo as to fear their diſpleaſure, more then Gods, ſo as to be drawn by them to diſpleaſe God to pleaſe them, becauſe they cannot hurt you or help you without God. Iſa. 51.12, 13. Who art thou that art afraid of Man that ſhall die? &c. and God is able to plague you, not onelyonly here, but to all eternity hereafter; and therefore, ſaith our Saviour, Fear not them that can onelyonly kill the body, &c. And what ſaith the Apoſtle? Gal. 1.10, Go I about to pleaſe men? if ſo, I ſhould not be the Servan… of Chriſt.
3. Take heed of inordinate deſire of the Creatures: For conſider, 1. they are no way able to ſ…tisfie your deſires; the more you have of them, the more you will deſire of them, Eccleſ. 4.8. Hab. 2.15. He enlargeth his deſire as Hell, and can never be ſatisfied: And this is the juſt Judgement of God upon men, for their inordinate deſire of them; and therefore let your converſation be without covetouſneſs. Remember there is nothing can ſatisfie the deſire of the Soul, but God. Feciſti nos Domine propter te, &c. Thou haſt made us, O Lord, for thy ſelf; and our hearts are reſtleſs until they return unto thy ſelf, (ſaith Auſtin) and therefore. Iſa. 55.1. Why do you lay out your money for that which is not bread, and which cannot ſatisfie? 2. Becauſe it's a ſin of a very provoking and pernicious Nature. 1. Of a provoking Nature, being no other then ſpiritual Idolatry and Adultery, as you ſaw before, and may further in this, that ſuch Worldlings are ſaid to ſacrifice to their own Nets, Hab. 2.16. to make their belly their God, Phil. 3.19. 2. Of a pernicious Nature, that which ſhuts out God, and all that's good, John 5.40. Mark 4.9. Gal. 5.17. and lets in Satan, and all that is evil, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10.
4. Take heed of inordinate delight in them, of rejoycing in them, more then in God or without God; for they are all but broken Ciſterns, that can hold no Water of Conſolation to refreſh you in a time of need; they all are but like Job's Friends, miſerable Comforters; that delight and comfort men have in them, is more outward then inward. Prov. 14.15. I… laughter the … is heavy, and all that comfort tranſitory and vaniſhing. 1 Cor. 7.30. The time is but ſhort, and the faſhion of this World paſſeth away, and uſually ends in more melan… …lly and heavy-heartedneſs afterwards, and without repentance in end…s torments, Luke 16. Rev. 18.7. Look how much pleaſure as ſhe hath had, ſo much torment gi… u…to her; and therefore, Jer. 9.23 …hus ſaith the Lord, Let not the Wiſe Man glory in his Wiſdom, nor the Mighty Man in his Might, nor the Rich Man in his Riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, That he underſtands and knows me, &c. For what is all mens carnal Wiſdom and Policy … out Grace, but Folly; and all their … Weakneſs; and all their Riches, but … Pſal. 49.6, 7.
5. Take heed of inordinate grief for the loſs of them; God being the Sovereign Lord of his Creatures, he may diſpoſe of … ſeems good to himſelf, when he takes away any thing he takes but his own; and he will never take away any Creature-Comfort, but when he ſees it moſt for his glory and your good; he never takes away a Temporal, but he offers a better, viz. a Spiritual and Eternal Comfort; and for you to be impatient and diſcontented, is but to provoke him to take off another; and therefore take heed of it, becauſe worldly ſorrow often brings death; or if not ſo, yet makes men more unſerviceable to God, to Men, and to themſelves: whence that of our Saviour to his Diſciples, when they grieved at the tydings of his ſhort departure from them, John 14.12. Let not your hearts be troubled, &c.
6. Take heed you do not place your hope or confidence in any Creature, either your own, or their Wits, Wealth, Policy, Power, to ſupport, ſupply, help and comfort you in an evil day; for vain is the help of the Creatures, they are all but helpleſs helps, they cannot help themſelves, much leſs others; when God ſhall ſtretch out his hand againſt evil doers, then both he that helps, and he that is holpen, ſhall both fall together, Iſa. 31.3. Prov. 15.19. and therefore, Pſalm 146.3. Truſt not in Princes, and 1 Tim. 6.17. Truſt not in uncertain riches; Truſt not in them, becauſe they are uncertain, a Fire may conſume all in an inſtant, or Death may ſuddenly ſnatch you away from all, as it did the Rich Fool; and then how will you bewail your folly in putting ſo much confidence in them, and expecting ſo much good from them; and therefore take heed of it; and hearken to the council the Pſalmiſt gives you, Pſal. 62. If Riches encreaſe, ſet not thy heart on them; and pray with David, Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity; O Lord incline my heart unto thy Teſtimonies, and not unto Covetouſneſs, Pſal. 119.36.
7th Duty. To ſeek the Scriptures, and uſe them, ſo that God may have the Glory, and you the comfort. How is that? Mark well:
1. To ſeek them only in the ſecond place after Spiritual and Eternal Excellencies, Matth. 6.33. John 6.27. This will ſweeten and ſanctifie all your Temporals, and make them true Bleſſings unto you.
2. To ſeek them onelyonly in and by the uſe of lawful means, for it is infinitely better you ſhould be without them, then you to have the curſe of God with them, and loſe your precious Souls by them.
3. To ſeek them not for themſelves, not for your own ſelves, for this is to make them your chief good, and ſet them up in the room of God, but to ſeek them for God's ſake, the Churches ſake, and your Souls ſake.
1. For God's ſake: That you may be quickned and enabled by them to ſerve him the more faithfully, chearfully, and fruitfully, in them, and by them, and for them; for this is the end wherefore he gives them, that they may be helps, and not hinderances in the Worſhip and Service of Him, Deut. 28.47.
2. To ſeek them for the Churches ſake: That you may be the more able by them to promote Religion, propagate the Goſpel, and ſupply the neceſſity of the Saints.
3. For your Souls ſake: That you may both procure and improve the means and ſeaſons of Grace, have the more time and leaſure to attend on the Word, holy Conference, Meditation, &c.
In ſhort. If you would have comfort in ſeeking theſe outward things, ſeek them in Chriſt, with Chriſt, and for Chriſt.
1. In Chriſt; See that you have a ſpiritual right to them, in and by him.
2. With Chriſt; That you may have his preſence in the uſe of them.
3. For Chriſt; That he may have the more glory from you by them.
… …y, and Laſtſy, Make a ſpiritual uſe of them; For this you may obſerve to have been the pract…e of the Saints in the Scripture, and of our Lord and Saviour himſelf, by Corporeal Things, … h…s Hearers to the meditation of Spiritual Things; by earthly, to heavenly Bread and Water, John 4. John 6. from the S…wing of the Seed, to … them of the Preaching of the Word. Ma… 13.19. From the Reaping of the Harveſt, to … of the laſt and general Judgment. Verſ. 39. All to teach us to … Spiritual Uſe of the things we ſee and uſe, we ſhould imitate him in it; as for inſtance. In thoſe excellencies we ſhewed you in the Creatures;
1. From the greatneſs of the Creatures, we ſhould be led to contemplate the greatneſs of our God; if they be ſo great, much more he that made them; Altior Caelo, profundior Inferno, latior Terra, Mari diſſutior, nuſquam eſt, & ubique eſt, (ſaith Bernard); He is higher then Heaven, lower then Hell, broader then the Earth, wider then the Sea, no where, and yet every where, Iſa. 40.12, 15.
2. From the multitude of the Creatures; we ſhould be led to conſider the honour of the Creator. If a Kings Dignity conſiſt in a multitude of Subjects, and a Fathers Honour in the multitude of Children, how infinite muſt the Dignity and Honour of God be, that hath ſo many Subjects, and Servants, and Sons, as there be Creatures in Heaven … Earth.
3. From the variety of the Creatures, we ſhould be led to contemplate the wiſdom of the Creator. Pſal. 104.24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wiſdom haſt thou made them all: the Earth is full of thy riches: Rom. 11.33. foreign! Oh the depth and riches of the wiſdom of God, &c.
4. From the beauty of the Creature; we ſhould be led to think of the infinite and incomprehenſible beauty of God, who pu…s all this beauty in the Creatures, and therefore muſt needs have it infinitely in himſelf.
5. From the admirable ſtructure of the Creatures; we ſhould be led to conſider the infinite knowledge of God, and the wonderful power of God, as Moſes; Exod. 15.11. Glorious in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders; and David, Pſal. 136.4.
6. From the ſecret and hidden vertues of the Creature; we ſhould be led to contemplate the admirable perfections of God, who hath put ſo many perfections into the Creature; he muſt needs be moſt perfect in himſelf, from whom all others come, James 1.17.
Laſtly, From the Sympathy and Antipathy in the Creatures; we ſhould be led to conſider of the Sympathy between Chriſt and his Members, and Antipathy between the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent.
Therefore ſhould you meditate on theſe things in the World, and the Creatures of it, that God may have his glory in them, and you the comfort of them, and whilſt you live in the World, may be enabled to live above the World, and mind, and prepare, and fit for a better World.