Gospel Revelation, Treatise 3 · Sermon 10
The Tenth SERMON ON The Excellency of the Soul.
Matthew 16.26.
For what is a man profited if hee ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul?
NOw then having done with that point, wee are to come to the laſt thing; That as the loſs is great, as in all the reſpects I opened, ſo it is ſuch, that ſuppoſe a man to have gained the whole world in a way of the loſs of his ſoul, yet that gain will never recompence it; Job 27.8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though hee hath gained, when God takes away his ſoul? There are ſome men that ſeek the world, and yet loſe both the world and their ſouls, they neither gain the world, nor their own ſouls; and ſome there are that do gain the world and their ſouls both: But there is no neceſſary connexion between either gaining the world, or loſing ones ſoul, or loſing the world, and gaining the ſoul, but one may bee ſevered from the other.
But ſuppoſe God ſhould let a man gain what hee will (though many men ſeek for gain by ſinful waies, and God croſſes them in it, they have not their gain, and yet they are damned eternally for ſeeking gain) but ſuppoſe a man had gotten all the world, as hee would deſire, and yet this man wicked and loſing his ſoul, hee is a moſt miſerable man: Now this is the thing that I have to do, to ſhew unto you what a poor gain a man hath that is wicked, though hee hath got the world, when hee hath caſt up all his reckonings, it may bee ſaid of him, as wee uſually ſay of men that have got little, They may put all their gain in their eye, and never ſee the worſe: So certainly, if thou haſt ſought after gain in this world, in ſuch a way as thou haſt not provided for thine own ſoul, when thou comeſt to ſumme up all thine accounts, thou wilt ſee that very little is got: There are many waies whereby a man may come to ſee all the glory in the world to bee but darkneſs: By ſeeing the glory of God, the glory of Chriſt, and the infinite conſequence of an eternal eſtate; thoſe three things make the ſpiritual man to look upon all the glittering vanities of this world, but as meer darkneſs, and as nothing: — But now there bee three other things that may help a natural man to ſee the things of the world to bee as nothing, and the gains of it to bee very poor gain, (I mean one that is not ſanctified, that hath no grace.)
The firſt is, If God do but pleaſe to wound his conſcience, and terrifie him, hee will ſee all things to bee poor things indeed.
Or ſecondly, When God laies his hand upon him in afflicting of him, upon his ſick-bed, or upon his death-bed. It is reported of Muſculus, that when hee lay upon his death-bed, and his friends coming about him, and ſeeing what a poor condition hee was in, that had been an eminent worthy Inſtrument of God, and an excellent Preacher in his time, and they mourning for the ſad condition they ſaw him to bee in, O quid ſumus? ſay they; as hee lay in his bed hee over-heard them, Fumus, ſaid hee; that is, O what are wee? ſmoak: Many a carnal man in the time of his ſickneſs, and apprehenſion of death, will ſay, that all this world it is as nothing.
A third thing that may make even a carnal heart to ſee all the things of this world to bee as nothing, It is ſtrength of Reaſon; though there ſhould not bee terrour of conſcience, nor any afflictions, yet ſtrength of reaſon may diſcover the gain of this world to bee as nothing, in comparing of it unto the ſoul; and this ſtrength of reaſon God is pleaſed ſometimes to ſanctifie by his Spirit, when it is helped by the Word, by the ſanctified reaſon that there is in the Word; I ſay, when it is helped by that, then God bleſſes it ſo as to work off the heart from the world, to the things that concern the everlaſting good of the ſoul; And it is that that I ſhall ſpeak to at this time, to convince you what a poor thing the gain of the world is, even by ſtrength of reaſon, and yet ſuch reaſon as is founded upon the Scripture. —I have already ſhewn you the things that may make a ſpiritual heart ſee a vanity in all things in the world, as the excellency of God, and of Chriſt, and the conſequences of eternity; Now the other two, terrour of conſcience, and afflictions, they are Gods work, and God, when hee pleaſeth to ſhew the vanity of the World, …oth ordinarily bring them upon the creature; but now for the third way of God to diſcover to the creature by the ſanctified ſaving work of his Spirit, the vanity of all things; I ſhall indeavour to ſhew it you by ſtrength of Argument and Reaſon out of the Word.
As Firſt, Surely though thou ſhouldeſt gain the world, and yet bee a man that art like to periſh at laſt, thou haſt gotten but little; and it appears firſt in this, that all thoſe that ever came to have true wiſdome, and that are in Scripture commended for men of true wiſdome, they have lookt upon all the things of the world as very poor things: — Firſt, What do you think of him that was the wiſeſt man upon Earth (meer man) even Solomon? that had the greateſt experience that ever man had, of what good, the honours, or pleaſures, or profits of the world could do; and yet after all his experience, ſee his teſtimony of all, in Eccleſ. 1.2. Vanity of vanity, ſaith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Obſerve theſe five things in it: — Firſt, The things of this world are not onelyonly vain, but vanity in the abſtract: — Secondly, They are an exceſſive vanity, vanity of vanities, — Thirdly, A heap of vanity, vanity of vanities, — Fourthly, All is vanity, — Fifthly, Hee adds his name to this, Saith the Preacher; Now the word that is tranſlated here Preacher, in the Hebrew, as thoſe that know the tongue, know, it ſignifies one gathered, and it is in the feminine gender, and ſo ſome think it notes the ſoul of Solomon, that gathered wiſdome after hee had been gathering vanity ſo long: But this is the reſult of it, that all things in the world are onelyonly vanity, and that vanity of vanities, heaps of vanity; or elſe a ſoul gathered to God, after all his departure from him, Hee ſaith it is ſo; herein Solomon is like a man that hath gotten to the top of an high hill, ſuch a hill as there are perhaps hundreds of people of a ſtrong conceit, that upon the top of the hill are very rich treaſures to bee had, and they are all ſcrambling up the hill, and treading even one upon another that they may get up the hill; Now Solomon had got to the top of the hill before the reſt, and hee ſeeing men keeping a ſtir to get up out of ſ…h a conceit, cries out to them, Sirs you are all deceived, you are perſwaded that if you could get eſtates, and honours, and promotions, that then you ſhould have a great deal of content, why, I am got upon this hill, and I finde there is nothing but dirt here, there is nothing here that will anſwer all your toyl, and trouble, and expectation, but you will bee utterly deceived; this is the meaning of this Scripture: And then next unto Solomon, one of the wiſeſt and holieſt men that ever lived upon the earth, St. Paul in the New Teſtament; mark, as ſoon as ever God did but work upon his heart, to ſhew unto him better things, Phil. 3.8. Hee profeſſes that hee did account all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus, verſ. 7. But what things were gain to mee, thoſe I counted loſs for Chriſt, yea doubtleſs, and I account all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung, but doggs-meat, that I may win Chriſt. This was the ſleight eſteem that Paul had of all the things in the world, that men kept ſuch a ſtir about. — And ſo when God did but begin to work upon Zaccheus, when hee did but hear of the ſalvation of his ſoul, when Chriſt did but tell him, This day is ſalvation come to thy houſe, preſently, (being a covetous rich man that had gotten his eſtate wrongfully) hee cries out, The half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wronged any man by forged cavillation, I will reſtore fourfold. And ſo John the Beloved Diſciple of Chriſt, which lay in his boſome, and therefore knew ſo much of the mind of Chriſt, you know what hee ſaith in his firſt Epiſt. 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: for all that is in the world, the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father. The luſt of the fleſh, that is pleaſures and ſenſuality; the luſt of the eyes, that is riches; and the pride of life, that is honours; theſe are not of the Father, but of the world, ſaith John; you may think they are great matters, they may bee great in your eyes, but they are not of the Father, but of the world; And the world paſſeth away, and the luſt thereof; but hee that doth the will of God, abideth for ever. It were infinite to ſhew you this both in Scripture, and likewiſe in the whole courſe of the ſtory of the Church, how ſleightly the Martyrs did account all the things of this world, as ſoon as ever God gave them any true ſpiritual heavenly wiſdome; but becauſe that would coſt a great deal of time, therefore wee proceed to ſhew by ſtrength of reaſon, further out of the Scripture; yet this may convince rational men, that that which the wiſeſt men in the world, that have had from God a teſtimony of great wiſdome, have thought to bee a little matter, certainly hath no great matter in it; but they have thought the gain of all the world to bee as nothing; therefore certainly there is no great matter in getting the things of the world, however men eſteem of them.
Secondly, What if a man doth gain the world, but loſes his ſoul, he is never a whit the better for any thing in the world; we ſay ſometimes in our common language, ſuch a man is the beſt man in the Pariſh, and I have the hands of the beſt men in the Pariſh; the truth is, wee mean the richeſt men in the Pariſh: but riches and honours make no man one whit better than hee was before:Prov. 10.20. The heart of the wicked is little worth. Let a man have never ſo great an eſtate, hee may have ſo many houſes that are worth ſo much, but hee is worth no more than hee was; as a great letter makes no more to the ſenſe of a word, than a little letter doth; ſo great honours, and great places, make no more to the excellency of a man, than to bee without them; theſe things in the world they have no goodneſs in them any further than wee put goodneſs upon them; wee may indeed make good uſe of them, and ſo by our good uſe wee may make our ſelves better through Gods Grace; but the poſſeſſing of them doth not make any ſoul one whit better than it was before, they make many ſouls worſe; thouſands of ſouls grow worſe than they were before, by the enjoyment of the world, but where have you one better? none can bee better by the things of the world, no, it muſt bee by ſome grace of God that a ſoul grows better, and not by the things of the world: I will give you for this, this demonſtration, you never finde in Scripture (that I know of) that ever any childe of God was worſe for afflictions in the concluſion, but you may finde, that almoſt every childe of God that was in proſperity, was the worſe for their proſperity, there are very few to bee excepted: I confeſs wee read not of Daniel, nor of Nehemiah, and I know not any but thoſe two, but ever were the worſe for their proſperity, but not one worſe for afflictions, from Geneſis to the Revelation; therefore certainly there is no ſuch great matter in the things of the world; That is a remarkable place wee have in Dan. 11.21. And in his eſtate ſhall ſtand up a vile perſon, and hee ſhall obtain the Kingdome by flatteries. — A vile perſon, and yet have the honour of the Kingdome, how can this ſtand? yes, it is by interpreters thought to bee Antiochus Epiphanes, hee was advanc'd to that mighty height, that I remember Joſephus ſaith,Antiq. l. 12. c. 7 that the Samaritans in their letter to him give him the Title of the mighty God; hee had that title given to him by thoſe that were under him, and Antiochus Epiphanes, which ſignifies illuſtrious; Illuſtrious Epiphanes, the Mighty God, and yet the Holy Ghoſt gives him this title, a vile perſon; what good do a few herbs that are ſtrewn upon a Carrion do? do they make the Carrion to bee leſs corrupt and putrified than it was? truly all the bravery that wicked men have, it is at the beſt but a few herbs and flowers ſtrewn upon a filthy carrion, which makes them not to bee the better: The things of this world therefore in Scripture are called the things of another mans, in Luk. 16.12. And if you have not been faithful in that which is another mans, who ſhall give you that which is your own? You may know the meaning of it by the verſe before: If therefore yee have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, who will commit to your truſt the true riches? The riches of this world are called unrighteous Mammon; now theſe are oppoſite to the true riches, as if theſe were not True riches, and then in verſ. 12. If you have not been faithful in that which is another mans, that is, in theſe riches of the world, who ſhall give you that which is your own? ſo that nothing is a mans own, to make him better, but grace; the good things of the ſoul, they are a mans own, but the other things they are the worlds things, they are not a mans own; therefore what doth it profit a man that hee hath gained the world? for hee is never a whit the better man.
Thirdly, All theſe things, they are things beneath the ſoul, things of an inferiour nature; what good is it for a man that hath gotten never ſo much food, that hee hath laid up for his horſes and doggs, but hee hath nothing for his children or for himſelf? So if a man hath gotten the world, hee hath gotten ſomewhat for his body, his inferiour part; I but hee hath gotten nothing for his ſoul that is above it: Theſe are things beneath and under the ſoul: what good would it bee for a ſouldier, if hee have gilt his ſcabbard, but hee hath a broken ruſty ſword within, or but a wooden ſword within? Therefore I finde in Scripture that the bodies of men and women are called the ſheath of their ſouls, Dan. 7.15. I Daniel was grieved in my ſpirit, in the midst of my body. So it is in your books tranſlated, but thoſe that underſtand the Original Text, they know it is a word that ſignifies a ſheath, and ſo Arius Montanus turns it, and likewiſe in your Margents, in the midſt of his ſheath; and by comparing this Scripture with another, it is plain, that that is the propriety of the word, 1 Chron. 21.27. Where the Text ſaith, The Lord commanded the Angel, and hee put up his ſword again into the ſheath thereof. Now the word that is here tranſlated ſheath, I finde by comparing of them together, that it is the very ſame word in the Original that Daniel tranſlates body; for the body is but as the ſheath unto the ſoul, and what will it gain a ſouldier to have a brave ſheath, and in the mean time have nothing within it, or that that is of no uſe at all? thus it is with many, they ſeek great things for their bodies, but their ſouls are left in the mean time without any ſuccour or help, and in a moſt miſerable condition; all things that are in the world ſhould bee ſervants to thy ſoul, for they are all inferiour to it. Wee account it a great diſ…onour to a man to marry his ſervant; a man of eſtate in the world, if wee hear hee hath married his ſervant, which is very mean, wee account it a diſhonour: Now for thy heart to mingle it ſelf with the things of this world, as its chiefeſt good, what doſt thou but marry thy ſoul to that which ſhould bee thy ſervant? for all theſe things are but as ſervants to the ſoul; and for the heart of a man to bee ſet upon the things of this world, it is to have the curſe of Cham to bee upon him; A ſervant of ſervants ſhalt thou bee; for the things of the world they ſhould bee thy ſervants, and thou art their ſervant, and ſo a ſervant of ſervants; the curſe of Cham is upon thee, when thou art a ſlave to thy eſtate, or thy honours, or to thy brutiſh luſts, a ſervant of ſervants art thou.
Fourthly, They are ſuch things as God in his ordinary adminiſtration of providence hath denied to the choiceſt of his ſervants, ſpecially in the times of the Goſpel: Many of the choice of his ſervants in former times were in very low and mean conditions; but for the times of the Goſpel, how did Chriſt himſelf, who was the Son of God, live? hee had not a hole to hide his head in; The fowls of the air had neſts, and the Foxes had holes, but the ſon of man, not whereon to lay his head. Jeſus Chriſt, that was infinitely beloved of the Father; and all the Apoſtles, they were in a poor mean condition, every one of them died a violent death, but onelyonly John; wee have records of their ſeveral ſorts of death, ſome crucified, ſome ſtoned, and ſome other kinds of death, but all put to death, ſave John, and read but the latter end of the eleventh of the Hebrews, Thoſe that the world was not worthy of, how they wandered up and down, In ſheep-skins, and goat-skins, and dens, and caves of the earth. That was a little before Chriſts time, hee ſpeaks of thoſe in the time of the Macchabes: Now certainly, if God hath ſo ordered things in his general adminiſtrations, towards ſuch as are moſt dear in his eyes, as to deny them theſe things, that they ſhall have but little of them, there is no great matter in them, ſurely if there were any great matter in them, God would not deny them to his ſervants; when a wicked rich man ſhall look upon a poor man that walks humbly before God, and would not commit the leaſt ſin willingly for a world, meethinks ſuch a man ſhould think thus, Oh Lord! what a difference is there between ſuch a poor man and I, and yet my conſcience tells mee, that God hath more honour from him in one day, than hee hath from mee in all my life; ſurely there is no ſuch great matter in the things of the world, that God hath denied them him: If there were any great matter in them, certainly ſuch as walk moſt humbly with God, and moſt cloſe with God, ſhould have them if they were abſolutely good. — And indeed, this is one great reaſon that Gods own dear ſervants ſhould have ſo little of the world, and others ſo much, it is, that hee might hold this forth to all the world, that the things of this world have but little in them.
Fifthly, And conſider but the next Argument which follows upon this, and is of a near kin to it, That all the things of this world, the pleaſures, profits, honours, they ſurely have no great matter in them, for they are no more than may ſtand with Gods eternal hatred of his creature. Now certainly, thoſe things that have no higher excellency in them than may ſtand with the eternal hatred of the Infinite God, certainly they have no great excellency in them; thoſe things that Reprobates may have, ſurely have no great matters in them, that that you give to your Swine, you make no great matter of it; take all the things of the world, they are no more than God gives to Swine, than God gives to Reprobates, than God gives to ſuch as hee doth eternally hate; I remember that Luther hath ſuch an expreſſion as this of the Turkiſh Empire, It is but a crum that the great Maſter of the family caſts to his Dogg: Now if all the Turkiſh Empire be no more than a bit of bread that you would caſt to your Dogg, then what is your eſtate? The Lord who is ſo infinitely rich in mercy, hee can afford ſuch bones for Doggs as theſe are, ſurely there is no great matters in theſe things that Reprobates may have as well as children; therefore you that are poor people (and yet godly) that want theſe things, do you quiet your hearts, what though you have not ſuch an eſtate as others? Oh do not murmure! why, it is no great matter you want, you want but that that God gives to Reprobates; Suppoſe a man gains the world, if hee loſe his ſoul, what gets hee? hee gets a bone that Doggs have, for the loſs of his ſoul.
Sixthly, Take this Argument, That the things of this world, they have no reality in them at all, no real good in them, according to the language of Scripture, what are the things of the world divided into? take the diviſion that you had before of St. John, The luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life. Take pleaſures, and riches, and honours, do but ſee what the Scripture ſpeaks of them all.
Firſt, For ſenſual pleaſures, you think they have a great deal of reality in them, why in the Scripture phraſe they are nothing, in Amos 6. compare the former part of the chapter with verſ. 13. verſ. 4. That lye upon beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches, and e… the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves out of the midſt of the ſtall, that chaunt to the ſound of the Viol, and invent to themſelves inſtruments like David, that drink Wine in bowls, and anoint themſelves with the chief ointments, but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joſeph. Here is the pleaſures that theſe men liv'd in, deſcribed; but mark what hee ſaith, in verſ. 13. Yee which rejoyce in a thing of nought: You do rejoyce in that which is nothing; all theſe pleaſures, theſe brave merriments, when you get into a Tavern, there you drink, and vaunt, and have pleaſure and muſick, and what a brave life is this? I but, yee that rejoyce, ſaith the Holy Ghoſt, in a thing of nought, it may bee a great matter in your eyes, I but the truth is, it is nothing; that is for Pleaſure.
Secondly, For Riches, ſee the teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt concerning them, in Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thi…e eyes upon that which is not? That which hath no being at all; no, it is onelyonly grace and godlineſs, that is that that hath a beeing, Prov. 8.21. That I may cauſe thoſe that love mee to inherit ſubſtance, Junius turns it, to inherit that which is; you think that the things of grace are but imaginations, and onelyonly worldly things are real, no, the things of the world are but fancies, and the things of grace are real.
Thirdly, And then the third is for Honours, Act. 25.23. And on the morrow when Agrippa was come and Bernice with great Pomp; With much fancy, it was but all a fancy,foreign. and the truth is, the excellency that theſe things of the world have, it is an excellency that our fancy puts upon them; as a peece of gold that heretofore was but twenty ſhillings, it is raiſed up to two and twenty ſhillings; I but though men may raiſe it up in their fancies to bee worth more, the gold is the ſame: So the things of this world, wee may raiſe them up very high by our fancies, but there is no more real good in them than there was before they are but ſhadows, and though a mans ſhadow bee longer or ſhorter, yet a man grows not longer and ſhorter with his ſhadow; ſo though a mans eſtate bee more or leſs, yet his happineſs doth not grow more or leſs according to his eſtate; therefore ſtill, what doth it profit a man if hee gains the world? why hee gains a ſhadow, hee gains that that hath nothing in it, hee gains a fancy, a dream, and hee loſes his ſoul for all this.
Seventhly, Further, ſuppoſe there were ſome reality, yet there is nothing that can ſatisfie the heart, Iſa. 55. Why do you lay out your mony for that that is not bread and for that that ſati…fies not? OnelyOnly Grace is that that ſatisfies the ſoul; theſe things have ſo much mud at the bottom, that you cannot have a full draught of them. — And beſides, there is a curſe of God upon them, that they ſhould not ſatisfie; yea God hath ſo faſhioned the hearts of the children of men, that they ſhall never bee ſatisfied with theſe things: And the eager deſire after theſe things, comes from a great diſtemper; juſt as Maids and Women that have green-ſickneſſes, or that long; you ſhall have them long for coals, it may bee, and dirt, and ſo green fruit, but though they long for it, yet this cannot ſatisfie them, why, becauſe it is but traſh: So the heart of a man or woman that longs for the things of this world, why it is in a diſtemper, as one that longs to feed upon dirt, they may feed upon them, but never bee ſatisfied with them.
Eighthly, Yet further; how can the gain of the world make up the loſs of any ſpiritual good? for one that goes on in waies of looſeneſs, that ſoul, whatever hee gets in the world, hee hath it without God, God in his ordinary providence may caſt it in, but hee hath it without the bleſſing of God with it: What if a man had never ſuch fine flowers in a Garden, if the Sun ſhould never ſhine upon them? truly ſo it is w…th many wicked men, they have brave and fine eſtates, but they never have the Sun-ſhine of the bleſſing of God upon any thing they have; yea that that they have in a way of ſin, they have it with a curſe of God together with it: That that wicked men feed upon, it i… b…t …will, and like Hoggs-meat that is wrapt up in the dirt; their meat is filthy and ſtinking it ſelf, but when it is wrapt up in dirt, then it is worſe, and ſo their eſtates; the Scripture calls all in the world but as doggs-meat, and it is wrapt up in their ſin, and the curſe of God is upon it. Suppoſe that that thou doeſt feed upon had no curſe of God upon it, yet it is but as a peece of carrion, but now it is wrapt up in thy ſin, and ſo long as thou goeſt on in thy ſin, the curſe of God is upon it: But now, the good of all the things in the world conſiſts in this, the communication of Gods goodneſs towards mee in them, and Chriſts bleſſing of them to draw my heart nearer to God, and to bee inſtrumental for mee the better to ſerve God; but Oh how few men do know wherein the true chief good of theſe things doth conſiſt: I have more of the things of the world than others have, I, but wherein am I more happy? wherein? Oh! I ſee God letting out of himſelf to me in the way of his goodneſs, and hee gives mee this to do him more ſervice than others that are poor; Oh, if thou couldeſt ſay thus, this were a ſign of a gracious heart indeed. A man that loſes his ſoul, and gets the world, hee gets dogs-meat wrapt up in dirt and filth. Oh poor price for an immortal ſoul!
Ninthly, And then beſides, wee muſt ſhew you ſomewhat about the uncertainty of all theſe things. Charge thoſe that are rich in the world, 1 Tim. 6.17.that they truſt not in uncertain riches. The whole wo…ld is as it were upon a wheel; the Scripture ſaith, that the tongue ſets on fire the whole courſe of nature, it is in the Original, the wheel of nature; all theſe things are turning up and down, as it were in a wheel you have heard of the wheel of him who was a great King, and having overcome others ſet them to draw his Charriot, but he obſerving of them as they drew his Charriot, took notice how they continually look'd back unto the wheel, and asking them what the reaſon was, why ſay they, wee by this ſee the turning of the things of this world, the nail that is now on the top, is by and by on the bottom, wee were high enough within a while, but now are low enough; and the conſideration of this did abate the pride of that great Prince that made four Kings to draw his Charriot: So it is but a wheel of nature, and wilt thou venture thy ſoul for theſe things that have no certainty in them? I remember Philip de Co…ines reports of a Duke of Exeter, which married one of the Kings of Englands Siſters, and yet hee ſaith, that hee was ſeen in the Low-Countries begging his bread bare-foot; Oh therefore would a man venture the loſs of his ſoul for the gaining of theſe things that are ſo fading and paſſing away! All fleſh is graſs, and as the flower of the field, it paſſes away, and comes to nothing; yea at thoſe times when wee have moſt uſe of the things of the world, then they are gone from us, as Abſalom when hee was caught by the tree, and had the moſt uſe of his Mule, then his Mule left him, and leaves him hanging by the hair of the head; ſo worldly things are moſt out of the way, when you have the moſt need of them; and will a man venture the loſs of his ſoul for the gaining of theſe things that will leave you when you have the moſt need of them; when you lye upon your ſick-bed and death-bed, what good will it do you to think that I wore fine cloaths, and I had ſo much riches coming in yearly: Riches avail not in the day of wrath; but Righteouſneſs, that delivers from death. All theſe things are but fading, and will fail a man when he… hath the moſt need of them. I remember our Chronicles tell a ſtrange ſtory of Richard the third King of England, and you that have them, it is worth your reading; I do not know that ever I read of a more magnificent Coronation for a King, than of his, ſet out in abundance of glory, hee had one Earl that bare before him his Crown, and four Earls carrying four ſwords before him, one a ſword of ſtate; and another without a point, to betoken mercy, and two glittering ſwords, one in reſpect of the Temporalty, and the other in reſpect of the Clergy, and four Barons bearing a Canopy over his head, and himſelf in a long Purple Velvet Robe, and his Queen in all her Pomp and State; himſelf had a Duke to bear up his Train, and his Queen ſhee had a Counteſs to bear up hers, and divers other particulars that might bee ſhewn to ſet out the greateſt pomp and glory almoſt that could bet conceived for a man to bee in; but behold the revolution of things, within ſome two years and a little more after this, this glorious Prince was ſlain, and his body lying naked to the view of all, and carried on a Horſe with his hands and head hanging down on the one ſide, and his heels on the other, as Butchers carry Swine or Calves, and ſo hee was carried to Leiceſter, and there lay divers daies above ground naked and contemptible, and the very ſtone in which his body was laid, was afterwards made uſe of to bee a Trough for Horſes to drink at, at a common Inne; ſuch hatred did they ſhew to him, which a while before was in ſuch a glorious condition: Thus wee ſee that theſe things which are here, will not hold long, and for one to ſeek to make his reſt in theſe things, is, as if a bird ſhould build her neſt in a little buſh, that is floating up and down in the Sea; theſe things will carry you a little way, but not far; wee have all to provide for eternity. If a man had a Voyage to the Indies, and hee ſhould provide a little Boat that ſhould carry him from Weſtminſter to the Bridge, it were a poor proviſion; ſo when wee provide for outward comforts, and no more, wee little think of the great Voyage that wee have to go; wee have all of us to ſail to eternity, and what is a Boat of theſe outward comforts to carry us that long Voyage? The things of this world may well bee compared to a Tree in the time of a ſtorm; when you are travelling in the way it begins to rain, and you ride under an Oak or an Elm-Tree; Now if there falls but a little Rain, it may keep you dry, but if it rains much, the longer you ſtand under the Tree, the worſe you will bee: So the things of this world may comfort and quiet us againſt a little trouble, but Riches, as I ſaid, Avail not in the day of wrath. They will not keep off the dreadful ſtorm of Gods wrath; all theſe things are uncertain, and will diſappoint us.
Now theſe and divers other Conſiderations that might bee added, are the ſtrength of Reaſon grounded upon the Scripture, to convince a man of the vanity of all the things of the world. Now put all theſe Conſiderations together, and well may wee ſay, as it was ſaid of the price that was given for Chriſt, that Zechariah propheſies of, thoſe thirty peeces, a goodly price that was given for him. You hear ſometimes of Judas's ſin, that hee betrayed Chriſt for thirty peeces, a goodly price; I may well apply this to your ſouls, you that venture the loſs of your ſouls for getting the world, though you could poſſibly get all the world, conſidering what hath been ſaid, it is a goodly price; do you not ſee what a goodly price is given for your ſoul? if theſe things bee but made real to you, it would bee of marvelous uſe to help againſt any temptation to any thing of this world. Now you have ſe…n what darkneſſe is upon all things, how they are all but glittering vanities, and not worth the venturing of the ſoul for, take heed of hazarding your ſouls upon any of theſe things, you will curſe your ſelves hereafter when it is too late; Oh curſed wretch that I was, that I ſhould yet venture upon ſinful waies that I was told would in-danger the eternal deſtruction of my ſoul! and notwithſtanding I heard what a vanity was in all theſe things, yet for ſuch a vanity I was drawn aſide to loſe mine own ſoul; well, you ſee the upſhot of all, that to venture your ſouls for the gain of the world, it is to venture the loſs of pearls for pebble ſtones, to venture Gold for dirt, yea for dirt that hath a great deal of poiſon in it, for ſo it hath; all theſe things in the world being ſeparated from God, they are not onelyonly dirt, but there is poiſon in them. Now then, theſe things being laid together, you ſee the point cleared, and all that doth remain it is but to binde up this in ſeveral Uſes and Applications; If all theſe things bee ſo poor and mean, what uſe are wee to make of all theſe Meditations and Conſiderations?
USE.
Then for Uſe, If theſe things bee ſo, in the firſt place wee learn, not to envy at the proſperity of ungodly men, whatever it be, let them ruffle it out for a while here in this world, and carry all before them; let man have his day here in this world, there is no great cauſe to envy him, if hee bee going on in ſuch a way as hee is like to loſe his ſoul; poor miſerable wretched creature that hee is, better ten thouſand times hee had never been born: Poor people that are wicked, (as many are) they have the curſe of God mingled in water, and rich men that are wicked, they have the curſe of God like poiſon in their Wine; now wee know, of the twain, the poiſon will work more ſtrongly in Wine, than in Water, and ſo of both, certainly ungodly rich men, that have moſt of the world, are the moſt miſerable creatures, for they have more to anſwer for than others have, and their eſtates are uſually fuel for their luſts, and ſo their condition is worſe than the condition of any beggar that begs his bread from door to door; And certainly there is no wicked rich man upon the earth, but if ſo bee that hee dye ſo, hee will hereafter curſe the time that ever hee had an eſtate, and wiſh hee had been a beggar, and gone begging up and down in his raggs, for then hee had not had ſo much to anſwer for before God. O hee is not a man to bee envied at! What man is there that would envy at a malefactour condemned to dye, though hee have on brave cloaths? would not any one of you rather ſave your Ruſſet plain ſuit, or a Leather ſuit, than a ſuit of Velvet, and go to bee executed in it. I have read of Chryſoſtom, who being invited to a feaſt, as hee was a going, hee met with one a going to execution, and it fell out that the way to execution was a very fair way, but the way that lead him to his friends houſe, it was a dirty Lane, and hee makes this meditation of it, Oh how much better is it to go in this dirty Lane, to go and rejoyce with my friend, than in a fair plain way, and go as the other doth to execution! hee was not willing to go his way, though it were a fair and plain way, but rather to go his own, though a foul and dirty, hee conſidered that the end of the way was different: So do not look much upon men and women, what their preſent condition is, but look what their end is like to bee, and do not envy them. I ſuppoſe you cannot but have heard the ſtory of a poor ſouldier, that having a command from his General not to touch any thing upon pain of death, yet coming by a Vine, takes a bunch of Grapes; the General being very ſtrict, hee condemns him to dye, becauſe of his diſobedience, and as hee was going to execution, hee went eating the bunch of Grapes; his fellow-ſouldier rebuk'd him, but hee gives him this anſwer, I pray yee do not envy my Grapes to mee, for they coſt mee dear: So truly wee have little cauſe to envy the men of the world their Grapes, that they have their mirth, their merry-meetings, whatſoever they have, for it is like to coſt them dear, it is like to coſt them their ſouls, they indanger their eternal periſhing; and therefore there is no cauſe at all to envy ſuch. David indeed was troubled a while when hee ſaw the proſperity of the ungodly, but when hee went into the Sanctuary, Pſal. 73.there hee underſtood their end; Oh my Brethren, you are come into the Sanctuary, you are come now in the exerciſe of the Word thus to hear what is like to become of ungodly men, that injoy all the world for their portion, their end is like to bee the loſs of their ſouls eternally; do not envy them; Thou doſt envy them, and ſuppoſe that God ſhould ſay to thee, well, it ſhall bee with thee, as with them, that is, you ſhall have as much as they, and there is all the good you are like ever to have from mee; would you not ſee cauſe to give a dreadful skreek, if ſuch a meſſage ſhould come from Heaven to you? what a fooliſh thing were it for a childe that hath a loving Father, and a great Inheritance that hee expects from him, becauſe hee ſees a ſtranger that comes and ſits at the Table, and have better proviſion than hee hath, to grumble and grutch, becauſe hee hath not ſuch proviſion made for him every day? Oh hee hath no cauſe to do ſo, for the Inheritance is reſerved for him. God, hee is a rich Houſholder, and hee can give ſuch things as theſe are to his enemies, as wee ſpeak of, but the Inheritance is reſerved for thee; envy not the ungodly in the enjoyment of the world, for the truth is, their portion it is but very little, it is but a poor pittance for an immortal ſoul to have, though hee ſhould have all the world. It is true, wee ſhould bee ſenſible of our unworthineſs of the leaſt crum of any good thing, yet though wee ſhould bee ſenſible of our unworthineſs, yet wee ſhould not bee ſatisfied with having all the world for our portion. It was a moſt admirable ſpeech of Luther, when divers of the Princes of Germany made much of him, hee began to bee afraid leſt hee ſhould have his portion in theſe outward things, and here ſhould bee all, hee breaks forth in this expreſſion, fearing leſt God ſhould give him his portion here; I did, ſaith hee, proteſt to God with all my power and ſtrength that hee ſhould not put mee off ſo with theſe things, hee would not bee content with them; that is the firſt Uſe; Little cauſe to envy at the men of the world; for the truth is, it is but a poor pittance they have, and they have made a moſt miſerable bargain: If you ſhould ſee one that profeſſes himſelf to be a Merchant, and hee ſhould venture many thouſand pounds, but bring home nothing but a fair painted bauble for children to play with, would you envy it to him? Juſt thus it is with the men of the world, they flatter and pleaſe themſelves with their baubles, but their ſouls are gone in the mean time.
Secondly, Wherefore in the ſecond place, let all thoſe that do ſeek to get the world in thoſe waies wherein they are like to loſe their ſouls, let them lay this Scripture to heart, and O that God would ſettle it upon their ſpirits, that you might when you awake in the night ſeaſon think of it; when you walk up and down, when you are in your ſhops, in your buſineſs, think but of this Text; I remember I told you in the beginning, of one that counſelled one of the Kings of Portugal to think of this Text a quarter of an hour every day, O that you would every time you awake, eſpecially you that have been ſeeking after much of the world, think ſeriouſly of this Scripture, Am not I the man or woman that have hazarded my ſoul for ſeeking after ſomewhat of the world? haſt thou never ſought to gain any thing of the world in a way of ſin, and to this day thy heart not thorowly humbled for it, nor repented? it may bee not to this day made reſtitution? hath not the eager purſuit after the things of this world taken thy heart up ſo much, that thou haſt not favoured the things of God and eternal life? thou lookeſt upon the things of the world, as if they were the onelyonly realities, but for ſpiritual things, they are imaginations; have not the things of this world ſo taken up thy ſpirit, as made thee to have ſleight thoughts of ſpiritual and heavenly things? haſt not thou bleſt thy ſelf in the injoyment of theſe things, though in the mean time God hath not made known to thee the riches of his Kingdome? yet thou haſt thought thy ſelf to have enough in the enjoyment of what thou haſt; haſt not thou often, when thou haſt been at the Word, had thy thoughts and ſpirits about the things of the world, as the things ſuitable to thee, but the things of the Word thou haſt not reliſht? yea and any thing in the Word that hath come cloſe to that covetous corruption of thine, thy heart hath ſecretly derided it; there are no men in the world that do more ſecretly condemn and deride the things of God, ſpiritual things, than worldly-minded men. In Luk. 16.14. wee read that Chriſt preaching to the Phariſees againſt their covetouſneſs, and telling them That no man could ſerve two Maſters, but either hee will hate the one, and love the other, or elſe hee will hold to the one, and deſpiſe the other, yee cannot ſerve God and Mammon, ſaith Chriſt: You cannot think to have your hearts ſet upon the world, and your gain, and yet ſerve the Lord; but if your hearts bee ſet ſo upon your eſtates, you will make bold with God, you will venture upon the waies of ſin, for the gaining of the things of this world; but mark, The Phariſees alſo who were covetous,foreign. heard all theſe things, and they derided him; the word in the Greek is, They blew their noſes at him; as a man when hee ſcorns and derides another, hee will ſ…ew it by his noſe; ſo they in a kinde of ſpeaking in their noſe, in a jeering, ſcorning way, they derided Jeſus Chriſt, that talk'd after this faſhion, What, that a man cannot ſerve God and Mammon too, that a man cannot look after the things of the world, and the things of God too: Carnal hearts, they do hear things in Religion, as unſavoury things, whoſe hearts are after the things of the world. And ſo not onelyonly for Riches, but for thy Credit: Haſt thou not often ventured to lye, to ſave thy credit in ſomething, and haſt been more troubled when thou haſt been diſcovered in any thing that makes againſt thy credit, and eſteem, than in the ſin that thou haſt committed againſt God? Now by ſuch kinde of evidences it is clear, that men injoy the world in ſuch a way, as wherein they are like to loſe their ſouls to all eternity; and now, Oh do but look upon your eſtates that you have, and do but think what they coſt you, and little comfort you will have in them. It is obſerved of David, when hee did long for the waters of the Well of Bethlehem, and there were men ventured their lives to get him the water; when it came to him, hee would not drink of it, Oh it is the price of blood! ſo when thou lookeſt upon thy eſtate, and fitteſt at thy table, and ſeeſt that thou haſt more there than other men, and lookeſt into thy Cheſt, and there thou haſt plenty of Garments, and thy children are fine and brave, and the like; theſe are pretty things for a while to pleaſe the fancy with, I but what do they coſt? as hee that would reckon his cloath, hee reckons that the dying and the ſpinning it coſt him ſo much, I but what coſt the wooll? why, that was his own, and hee accounted nothing of that: So, ſuch and ſuch things that thou haſt, what do they coſt? they coſt thus much, and thus much, I but hath not thy ſoul gone into the bargain? and canſt thou have pleaſure in it, when it coſt thee ſo dear as it hath? Pſal. 31.6. the ſpirit of holy David riſes up in indignation againſt ſuch men as theſe are, I have hated them that regard lying vanities; My ſpirit cannot but with indignation and abomination riſe up againſt them; what? that men ſhould follow after vanity, when there are ſuch glorious things to bee followed after? when there is the bleſſed God, and the glorious Riches of Grace and Salvation that are revealed in his Word that may take the hearts of the children of men, and yet they follow after vain things; men that have immortal ſouls, capable of eternal communion with the Lord in the higheſt Heavens, for them to follow after vanity, and ſatisfie themſelves in ſuch things, I hate them, ſaith David; certainly it is the curſe of God that is upon the hearts of men, that ſuffers them to follow after ſuch things, and eſpecially in the times of the Goſpel, when ſuch glorious things are revealed to their ſouls, I ſay the curſe of God is upon them, Iſa. 44.20. Hee feedeth on Aſhes, a deceived heart hath turned him aſide, that hee cannot deliver his ſoul, nor ſay, is there not a lye in my right hand: Hee feedeth of Aſhes; A deceived heart hath turned him aſide, that hee cannot deliver his ſoul, there lies the ſore evil of it; A deceived heart, hee needs not caſt it upon the Devil, but it is his own bare filthy corrupt heart that dares not truſt God for his ſoul for eternity, hee will have preſent things, come of it what will come; hee knows what the meaning of preſent things are, but what thoſe are that are to come, hee knows not; a deceived heart hath ſeduced him, and hee cannot deliver his ſoul, nor ſay, Is there not a lie in my right hand? that is, is not the ſtrength of my indeavour ſet upon falſhoods? the chief of my ſtrength and indeavours, is it not ſet upon a lie? Chryſoſtome ſaith, If hee were to preach to all the world, hee would chuſe that Text as ſoon as any; Oh yee children of men, why do yee love vanity, and follow after leaſing? And it were happy, if it were alwaies ſounding in the ears of every one, whoſe hearts are after preſent things, ſo that ſuch a one may hear a voice behinde him, ſaying, This is not the way, but this is the way, walk in it: Thou haſt deceived thy ſoul all this while, and wearied thy ſelf, and that through the curſe of God upon thy heart; as Hab. 2.13. Behold, is it not of the Lord of Hoſts, that the people ſhall labour in the very fire, and the people ſhall weary themſelves for very vanity? Is not this of the Lord of Hoſts? So when wee ſee men and women, why they have underſtanding in the things of the world, yet for the matter of God, they have none at all; They are very induſtrious and laborious to get outward things, and outward comforts of this world, and tire themſelves; can ſit up late, and riſe early; Oh is it not of the Lord of Hoſts that people ſhould thus weary and tire themſelves? by way of ſimilitude wee may apply it to the ſpirits of men, that are wearying and tyring of themſelves after vanity; it is the Lords curſe that is upon their hearts. It is ſaid, I remember, of Dionyſius, that when hee was upon his ſick-bed, hee hears Thales the Philoſopher diſcourſing excellently about divers excellent moralities, and hee curſes thoſe pleaſures and delights that had taken off his heart from attending to ſuch things: When thou comeſt upon thy ſick-bed, what will comfort thee then? it cannot bee thy ſilver nor gold; therefore oh that the Lord would make thee now for the preſent to ſee thy vanity and folly before it be too late, and thou curſe thy ſelf, and there bee no hopes for thee! But it is this point ſhews the folly and madneſs of thoſe that ſeek after never ſuch great things in the world with the hazard of their ſouls, but then, what ſhall wee ſay to thoſe that will hazard their ſouls for every trifle? Wee ſpoke of that in the aggravation of the dreadfulneſs of the loſs of the ſoul, onelyonly a word or two more of it here. In Amos 2.6. God complains there, that the righteous were ſold for ſilver, and the poor for a pair of ſhooes: That they put ſuch a poor price upon righteous men, and upon poor men; as if God ſhould ſay, Know, I put a greater price upon my righteous ſervants, than all the ſilver in the world; Oh now! the complaint may bee againſt many people, that ſell their ſouls for ſilver, yea even for a pair of ſhooes, for a trifle, for a toy, for nothing; not for all the world, but for every little pittance; what is that that thou haſt, or art like to have? why very poor things in compariſon of the world. I remember it is reported of Alcibiades a young Gallant, that Socrates comes in a jeering way unto him for his pride, and brings him a Map of the world, and ſaith hee to him, Shew mee, I pray thee, where lies thy Land here: Now, if I were to ſpeak to Princes and Emperours, yet this Text would ſpeak dreadfully to them, that they ſhould venture their ſouls for Kingdomes and Empires; but now for you that are never like to have any ſuch things, for you to ſet your hearts upon ſuch trifles, and ſo to damn your ſouls, what can you get? look upon a Map, and ſee what all England is: Europe is but a fourth part of the world that is known, I but then what is England to Europe, and then to all the world? and then what is one County in England, and one City, or one Houſe? I have a great many Tenements, ſaith one, in a Pariſh, but what is all this to the world, and all this world unto Heaven, and Heaven and the world unto God? but now to think that thou art bleſſed, becauſe thou haſt but a few rotten Tenements, Oh what a ſeduced heart hath deceived thee, that thou canſt bee ſatisfied with ſuch things as theſe are? this one meditation mee thinks might ſink into the hearts of thoſe that will venture their ſouls for every trifle: If ever thy ſoul bee ſaved, God muſt ſet ſuch a price upon it, that hee muſt give more than a thouſand worlds are worth to ſave it, hee muſt give no leſs than the blood of his Son; and canſt thou think that the infinite God ſhould prize thy ſoul at ſuch a high rate, when thou thy ſelf doſt prize it at ſuch a low rate? If ſo bee that a man had loſt any thing of his eſtate, and it could not bee redeemed without ſome great ſumme of mony, If his friends come to know that hee doth not prize what hee hath loſt, will any friend bee ſo mad as to lay down five hundred pound to redeem that for his friend which hee knows aforehand that hee doth no… prize at twelve pence? So, canſt thou think that that ſoul of thine that thou prizeſt at nothing, that the Infinite God ſhould lay down ſuch a price to redeem it?
Thirdly, From the conſideration of the compariſon of the gain of the world, to the loſs of the ſoul; It is a Uſe of exhortation, To teach us to anſwer all temptations, or to work this upon our hearts, the anſwering of all temptations to any way of ſin, To anſwer all with this, you offer mee too little, whatſoever you can offer mee, to draw mee to think well of ſin, certainly it is too little, for it indangers my ſoul; the thorow underſtanding of this point, and the working of it upon the heart, is a very great help againſt whatſoever temptation ſhould come to draw thee to ſin.
Surely, If theſe things bee ſo, then this can bee no Argument for mee to neglect any duty that God calls for at my hands, or to venture upon any way that my conſcience tells mee is ſin: Oh but if I do thus, it will indanger my eſtate, but if I do ſuch a thing I ſhall get ſo much by it: Certainly there can bee no ſtrength in this, if what hath been ſpoken out of this Text bee true. But now when there comes a temptation and prevails over thee, thou doſt deny this Scripture to bee the Word of God, and thou ſetteſt thy judgement againſt the truth of God; but now conſider with thy ſelf which is like to ſtand, know, that God will make his Word ſtand, hee will make it good, when thou and a thouſand thouſand ſuch as thou art ſhall periſh for ever; and therefore, as you that are chapmen, when men offer you leſs than your ware is worth, you ſcorn and contemn them; ſo you ſhould do when temptation offers you leſs than your ſoul is worth. Wee read of Saul, when hee ſaw the people following David, ſaith hee, What can the ſon of Jeſſe do for you? Can hee give you Olive-yards and Vine-yards, and the like? So when temptation to ſin comes, ask it, what can you do for mee? can you ſave my ſoul in the time of diſtreſs? you would draw mee to ſuch and ſuch courſes, ſuch and ſuch companions would draw mee to ſuch and ſuch waies, I but you may put them off with this, Is this the way to ſave my ſoul? if it bee, then I will do it, but if it will not do that, God forbid that I ſhould meddle; Oh therefore remember, remember, that the faſhion of this world paſſeth away, 1 Cor. 7.30, 31. The Apoſtle would take off the hearts of men from the things of this world, and bring this Argument, ſaith hee, The faſhion of this world it paſſeth away; Therefore uſe the world, as not abuſing it. That that you have in your Engliſh book, paſſes away, it is (foreign) and I finde two very learned Writers tranſlate it by a word that ſignifies to deceive; The faſhion of the world will deceive you at laſt, and another by a word that ſignifies, To go quite croſs; Theſe two ſignifications it hath, it doth deceive, or it goes quite croſs; the outward ſhew of the world, oh it doth deceive thouſand thouſands of ſouls to their eternal perdition, and it goes quite croſs; it ſeems to promiſe thee thus and thus much, but it will go quite croſs in the concluſion, and will bee thy undoing, if thou doſt not take heed; and therefore let not any thing in the world bee a temptation to thee, for the leaſt ſin that poſſibly may bee. I remember Auſtin in his book about an officious lye, hath this paſſage; ſaith hee, A man muſt not tell an officious lye (that is, a lye without an intention to do any body hurt) for the gaining of the world, nay, for the gaining of all the ſouls in the world, the leaſt ſin is a greater evil, than the gain of all the world is a good, becauſe that it is dangerous to the ſoul, upon that very ground; and therefore it is ſaid of Baſil, when the perſecutors terrified him with the loſs of all that hee had, but that did not prevail, then they made him fair proffers, and great advantages that hee ſhould have, I but Baſil laught at them, and bid them go and proffer ſuch things to children: So the ſtory of the Martyrs tells us of Auſtinius, that godly man, that having been a means to demoliſh a place for Idol worſhip, The Idolaters afterwards came upon him, and put him to extremity of torments, and ſet children upon him to rake his fleſh with their knives, but at length they would bee content if hee would but give never ſo little for the building up of the Idol Temple again, to let him go free, No, ſaith hee, not one half-penny. Certainly this point will bee enough to juſtifie any that ſhall loſe eſtate, or indure any thing in the world, rather than do any thing that may in the leaſt degree hazard their ſouls: And ſo that Martyreſs Juletta, when one accuſed her, and ſaid, that ſhee was a Chriſtian, nay, then ſaith the Judge, you muſt not have liberty of the Law, No, ſaith ſhee, then farewel riches, and life, and all; ſhee would bee ſure to keep her ſoul ſafe, whatſoever became of all other things.
The laſt Uſe is an Uſe of Incouragement to thoſe that will rather venture all in the waies of God, than to hazard their ſouls; thou art the wiſe Merchant, that art willing to ſell all for the Pearl, and bleſs thy ſelf in God for this, that ever God hath put this into thy heart, to look to that which is the main chance, as wee uſe to ſay: If God had left thee to thy ſelf, thou mighteſt have gone on in ſuch waies as others do, but canſt thou ſay, the Lord hath cauſed the fear of himſelf, and the fear of eternity to fall upon my ſoul, and I can appeal to him, that whatever comes of mee in regard of outwards, mee thinks I can bee ſatisfied, ſo bee it all things bee well with my ſoul; I ſay, bleſs thy ſelf in God; a man is not to praiſe himſelf, but in God, that is thus, When thou doſt conſider how God hath drawn thy heart to him, and thy intereſt in God, thou mayeſt bleſs thy ſelf in God, in the grace of God, that hath given thee a heart, taken off from creature-comforts, diſ-ingaged from them, and ſet upon the things that concern the eternal ſalvation of thy ſoul; bleſs thy ſelf in God, and bee not troubled though thou beeſt cut ſhort in the things of this world. One would think that that which hath been ſaid about the vanity of the things of this world, ſhould make people that are croſſed in them (if they bee godly) to bee ſatisfied. What if thou art plundered of all, and …aſt little p…oviſion for thy family, and …aſt bread for one day, and knoweſt not where to get bread for the next? I but is thy ſoul ſafe? I remember wee read in Geneſis of the King of Sodome; hee could ſay to Abr…ham, Give mee the ſouls, and take the goods to thy ſelf; though hee were but a Heathen King, hee ſpake of their natural l…ves: So do you whoſe hearts God hath inclined to ſoul-ſaving waies; ſay to the men of the world, Do you take the riches, but let mee have the ſafety and welfa e of the ſoul: Oh if God have aſſured thee upon good grounds that thy ſo…l is ſafe, thy ſin pardoned, what great matter though thou haſt not ſome of the lumber of this world? If a malefactour that were in danger to die, ſhould go to ſeek for a pardon for his life, well, when hee hath gotten it, and is coming from the preſence of the King, perhaps hee loſes his glove or handkerchief upon the ſtaires, were it not an unſeemly thing for ſuch a man to fall a crying, and wringing of his hands, becauſe hee had loſt his glove? Juſt thus, for all the world, is the madneſs and folly of people that ſay, they have ſome comfortable hope that God will have mercy upon their ſouls, and will ſave them for ever, yet when they are croſt and wronged, they cry out, they are undone; man and woman thou art not undone, for thy ſoul is ſafe. Lord ſtrike (ſaith Luther, ſtrike, onelyonly pardon my ſin; And my Brethren, well may you bee incouraged to undergo any difficulties, and to bear the loſs of the comforts of this world, for the ſaving of your ſouls) for indeed the Lord hath granted to us the way of ſalvation of ſouls at an eaſier rate than our Forefathers had; If I ſhould but tell you the way that many of our Forefathers had for the ſaving of their ſouls, and many of the Saints of God in former times, you would have ſaid then that it was a difficult way to ſave ſouls, and go to Heaven: As I will but give you an inſtance of one man, and another woman, how hardly they came to ſalvation. That bleſſed Martyr Benſeſius, ſee but what a way hee had to Heaven for profeſſion of Chriſtian Religion; The Perſecutors came to him, and becauſe hee would not deny the Truth, they ſtrike his body in all his members out if joynt, and when they had done that, they make wounds in all parts of his body, then thirdly, they bring Iron combs ſharpened, and ſo rake upon his body thus wounded, and when they had done that, they laid him upon an Iron grate, and with inſtruments of Iron open thoſe wounds, and after that they melt hot burning ſalt, and ſtrew it upon thoſe wounds being opened, and then they come with hot Irons; and fear him with thoſe hot Irons, and after that dragg him by the heels into a dungeon, where they had prepared ſharp ſhells, and there hee lay and periſhed; here is one that went to Heaven upon hard terms, you will ſay; but God calls not you to do ſo, but to deny your ſelves in ſome baſe luſt, in ſome ſinful and ungodly way, in ſomething that you may ſpare, that you may ſpare as well as the water out of your ſhooes, as wee uſe to ſay.
And then of a woman, that was of Noble birth, and yet ſhee being convented for Religion, and anſwering boldly and reſolutely, and would not yeeld, after many temptations and fair ſpeeches, they dragged her by the hair of the head from the ſeat of Judicature, and having dragged her, they pull off one joynt from another, and having done that, get the teeth and claws of wilde beaſts, and rake her fleſh from the bones, and having afterwards done that, then they came with hot Irons and Torches, and burning flames, one of one ſide, and another of another ſide, and ſcorch and burn her to death in ſuch a way as that was, and yet ſhee goes on conſtantly; ſo bee it ſhee might ſave her ſoul, ſhee was willing to indure all this miſery; wee do not know what God may call you to before you die; many of our Brethren have ſuffered very hard things, and God may call you to hard things, Oh that this Text might prepare you! And now my Brethren, as it hath been a means to carry others thorow temptations, and many difficulties in this world, ſo if you would lay but theſe truths to your hearts, and if you cannot think of every particular paſſage, yet do but think of the Text, and take but this one Note, and that is, that whereas God calls others to ſpend their ſtrength in ſuffering ſo great evils, to ſave their ſouls; bee you willing to ſpend the ſtrength that God ſpares you, in doing, in ſerving; ſpend your ſtrength in active obedience ſo much the more, by how much the leſs you are called to ſpend it in the way of paſſive obedience, that ſo you may have cauſe to bleſs God for ever in Heaven, when you ſhall come to ſee ſoul and body to bee bleſſed and ſaved eternally; you may bleſs God for ever in Heaven for revealing ſuch a truth, and ſetting home ſuch a Text; What ſhall it profit a man, though hee gain the whole world, and loſe his ſoul? and what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul?
FINIS.