duty p. 244 245 Education may restraine from evil p. 283 F Fervency and Frequency in duty p. 62 Fulfill lusts of the Flesh what p. 110 Flesh the meaning of it p. 121 How the Flesh opposeth the Spirit p. 120 Slavish Feare p. 176 177 G Spirit of God our Guide p. 82 Why we must follow the Spirits Guidance p. 83 84 We have more sin then Grace p. 191 H Health must be preserved p. 51 52 Humiliation for corruptions p. 144 Our corruption hinders us from doing good p. 208 I Jesus Christ a faithful High Priest p. 66 Inobservancy of the Spirit p. 92 93 Indulgence of sinne p. 118 Inticements to sinne p. 127 128 129 Inability to do good pretended p. 217 Of Interruptions in holy duties p. 231 232 K How godly kept from doing evil p. 262 c. The holy Spirit keepes us p. 265 We are not able to keepe our selves p 277 Gods keeping of us implies our care ibid. L Lusts of the Flesh p. 109 Of seeing Little sinnes p. 129 M Moral perswasions what p. 13 105 Sevcral Motions of the Spirit to good p. 45 Evil Motions of the heart p. 47 Misery of those from whom Gods Spirit is withdrawn p. 71 How we may know the Motions of the Spirit from the Motions of our natural conscience p. 84 85 Common and saving Motions of the Spirit p. 88 Our natures receptive of evil Motions p. 94 Mortification p 150 Mourne for corruption p. 251 N Great is our Need of Gods Spirit p. 70 Of a Natural conscience p. 175 176 Necessity of Ordinances p. 208 O A childe of God may Often commit the same sin p. 41 Avoid Occasions to sinne p. 149 Of Opposition of sinne by the godly and wicked p. 169 c. Of Original sinne p. 205 257 Of necessity of Ordinances p 209 Omission of good damnable p 228 P Pouring out of the Spirit in latter dayes p. 14 Pretending to have the Spirit p. 101 102 Potency of the Flesh p. 133 134 R Repentance a work of the Spirit p. 31 Motions of the Spirit in Reprobates p. 89 Rejoycing in evil p 113 Why corrupt nature remaines in the Regenerate p. 266 967 A Regenerate man doth not sin as he did before p. 134 144 Of Restraining grace p. 276 S Sons of God what it implies p. 2 Spirit of God withdrawing p. 6 Spirit of God works mediately p 16 17 Saints may fall into those sins which are contrary to their graces wherein they are most eminent p. 37 38 Signes of the Spirits withdrawing p 60 61 62 Sin causeth the Spirit to withdraw p 73 74 Sin brings no good fruit p. 97 How the Spirit is in us p. 100 Suppresse the first stirring of sin p. 147 148 Sense of sinne p. 202 203 204. Succeslesnesse in duty whence p. 226 Sincerity accepted p. 259 T Spirit of God keeps us from yielding to Temptations p. 28. Gods Spirit withdrawes but for a time p. 77 V Good unseasonably done p. 50 W Withdrawing of the Spirit p. 6 Wrong six fold to Gods Spirit p. 7 Withdrawing of Spirit from the Word p. 18 Symptomes of the Spirits withdrawing from the Word p. 23 24 Reasons of the Spirits withdrawing p. 32. Christians are weak to do good p. 69 Of walking in the Spirit p. 80 Of wearisomnesse in holy duties p. 238 We must watch our hearts p. 254 Wicked men restrained p. 271 272 c. Wicked men may abstaine from sinne and yet not upon gracious grounds p. 286 287 c. FINIS THE Christians Directory TENDING To guid him in those severall conditions which Gods providence may cast him into Digested in severall SERMONS BY The late faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Minister of Laurence Jury LONDON Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Goldsmiths Row in Cheapside 1653. TO THE READER Christian Reader THe experience which the World hath had of the worth of the works of this Reverend Author renders a commendatory Epistle needless to any thing of his Our business therefore at present is only to put this peece likewise into thy hands and according as we promised at the first to assure thee that it is genuine having been faithfully compared with and corrected by Mr Loves own notes Yet thus much we shall say of it that it cannot but be singularly useful unto Christians in regard that it contains directions how to carry themselves in the various and severall conditions they shall be in in this world whether their condition be afflicted or joyons whether they buy or sell or what way soever they make use of the world here is excellent advice and counsel for them And so beseeching the Lord to accompany it with his blessing and make it profitable to the souls of his people in him we rest Thy faithful Friends Edm Calamy Simeon Ash Jer Whitaker Will Taylor Allen Geere A CHRISTIANS DIRECTORY 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing of it for the fashion of this world passeth away I Have chosen this place of Scripture intending through Gods assistance to make many Sermons upon it being a Text that affords us so much variety of matter but I shall not stand long upon any one particular Doctrine because I would gladly end it in some convenient time This Text may well be called A Christians Directory to guide and direct him in his ordinary course and walking through all the various mutations vicissitudes alterations he may meet withall here in the world whatsoever his condition be here is matter of advice and Counsel for him If he meets with crosses troubles and afflictions then his duty is to weep as if he wept not if he meet with a gale of prosperity with an affluence and confluence of all outward happiness then his duty is to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not If he be a Tradesman and by buying and selling and trading in the world he gets a great estate then his duty is to use his wealth so as if he possessed it not And least these particular cases and directions should not reach every mans particular condition therefore the Apostle gives this generall rule to all that have any thing to do in the world whether in one kind or other that they that use this world must use it as not abusing of it because the fashion of this world passeth away Here you see what work I have cut out to you which will afford abundance of matter I shall only at present make a short entrance into the first direction the Apostle here gives to those that meet with crosses and afflictions in the world namely that they that weep be as if they wept not There is some disagreement in opinion amongst interpreters touching the scope of these words Pareus thinks this Text hath a special reference to
mariage though it be intensive also to all sorts and conditions of people in the world yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition A man in a maried estate must look to meet with cares and crosses and troubles as the Apostle intimates in the next verse but one to my Text Vers 3. and therefore he gives this advice you that are in a maried estate and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the same why you must weep as if you wept not you must mourn regularly and moderately suppose you meet with troubles and afflictions as a froward wife or if you have a good wife yet no Children by her or if you have they are bad Children or if they be good they die God takes them away from you or if they live they take pernitious courses and are a grief and sorrow and vexation to you why in all these or the like conditions you should so moderate your sorrows as to weep as if you wept not And truly beloved the scope of the Chapter caries the sence this way and from hence I might note to you Doct. 1 1. That a maried life exposeth a man to a great many crosses and troubles either unsutableness of temper and constitution between man and wife the having of bad Children or no Children or Children or wife die these and many more afflictions do sometimes happen in a maried estate 2. From hence I note that people ought to take heed what ever troubles they meet with in this condition that they be not cast down with over much sorrow and grief but I only hint these things by the way And though I believe this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall estate yet because the Scripture is large and speaks in generall terms that he that weeps should be as if he wept not c. therefore I shall rather chuse to handle it in this sence that whatsoever crosses troubles losses or afflictions befalls any men here below they should mourn and wâ—ep as if they wept not that is so regulate and moderate their sorrows that they should not be inordinate or excessive in the same and the Doctrine I shall observe from hence is this Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they be not immoderate or excessive in worldly sorrows either for the meeting with any crosses undergoing any troubles or the losing of any comforts here in the world Whatsoever afflictions you meet with or whatsoever comforts you part with you should take care your sorrows be not immoderate and inordinate In the handling of this it may be I may come near the bosoms of many of you some of you it may be are troubled for want of trading that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths others troubled for losses some for crosses and afflictions some for outward others for inward troubles why in all these conditions you must weep as if you wept not you must have a care of immoderateness and excessiveness in all your sorrows Before I shall discuss those quaeries I intend about this Doctrine I shall first lay down three conclusions concerning it Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall sensibleness of any crosses or afflictions you meet with Beloved God would not have you stupid and insensible under his hand this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not doth allow of naturall sensibleness of any crosse or affliction that befalls us God would have none to be stoically insensible of heart Con. 2 2. Take this Conclusion that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and crosses at one time then they are at another It was the case of David at one time when Absalom was dead he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33 Oh Absalom my Son my Son oh Absalom would to God I had died for thee my Son my Son And yet at another time when his Child was dead in the 2 Sam. 12.20 He riseth up and anoints his face and eats bread and takes patiently the hand of God upon him the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate sorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his stroaks upon you to make your burdens heavier and your bondage greater God deals with us as a Father deals with his Child if the Father sees that the Child beares his corrections kindly he will give him the lesse but if he be stubborn and frets and takes on it will not make the Father lessen his stroaks but to give him more and more so if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in these afflictions he layes upon us it is the way to have them alleviated but if we repine and murmure against God and are immoderate in our sorrows this is the way to have them increased Queries I come now to the Queries which I promised to handle and they are these three 1. When peoples sorrows are immoderate and excessive for worldly afflictions 2. Why a Christian should take heed that his sorrows be not so 3. I shall give you some considerations to allay excessiveness and immoderateness in sorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world For the first Quest 1 First When may a Christians sorrow either for the meeting with any crosses or afflictions Signes of immoderate sorrowing for worldly afflictions or the losing of any comforts here in this world be said to be immoderate Answ I shall lay it down to you in these five particulars 1. Then is your sorrow inordinate and excessive when it laies you under great indisposition of heart to the performance of religious duties when it makes you unfit and indisposed to holy duties and especially these two hearing the word and private prayer First When it indisposeth you for hearing the word of God as in Exod. 6.9 Moses spake unto the Children of Israel but they hearkened not unto him for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage The people were so grieved and over-pressed with sorrow that what Moses spake to them from the Lord they did not regard it because of their afflictions and great bondage Now if ever any sorrow or crosse went so near thy heart as to disturb thee and indispose thee to the hearing of Gods word that hath been an immoderate sorrow And therefore it is a great sin and greatly to be reproved in those that when any of their nearest relations are dead they are so dejected with sorrow as not to come to Church in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward which is very usuall with a great many In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4 The Lord commanded there that there should none be defiled for the dead amongst his people There was a custom amongst the Heathen when any of
in Esa 61.7 Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads so in 2 Thes 2.16 saies the Apostle who hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation c. here your comforts are but short but in Heaven you shall have everlasting consolation Here your possessions are not everlasting but there shall last for ever in Heaven and here you are soon forgotten and the memory of your names lost but in Heaven you shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112. vers 6. 6. Are the glory and comforts of the world passing away why then know this for your comfort that the crosses and troubles and afflictions of the world are passing away too slight afflictions which are but for a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 Suppose thou art a man of a mean fortune poor and low in the world why yet thy poverty shall passe away suppose thou art a man of a sickly and weak constitution your sicknesse shall passe away too suppose thou art imprisoned and in bondage yet the prisoner shall shake off his fetters and his prison Garments Job 11.16 thy misery shall passe away as a stream of water Omnia dura teleraltia quia brevia so in Esa 35 10. sorrow and sighing shall fly away your miseries and sorrows as well as your comforts are passing away And therefore beloved this should support and bear up your hearts 7. If the pleasure and comforts of this world are passing away then we should take a great deal of heed that we do not incur eternall punishments for momentary pleasures Beloved it were something if our comforts here were equivalent and proportionable to our punishments hereafter Guâ—…a quae ad usum diutur na esse non possunt ad supplicium diuturâ—…m deposcent Ambâ— Divitiae sunt cadu cae saeâ—… vero perpetua but why should any man be so foolish as for to get an Estate that passeth away to damn his soul and purchase to himself a misery and torment that shall never passe away Riches and the outward blessings of this life quickly passe away but the punishment for the abuse of them that endureth for ever This is like prophane Esau who for a mess of pottage sold his birth-right Be perswaded therefore to chuse rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God for a little season here that so you may raign and be happy with them in Heaven to all eternity then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season here and thereby incur to your selves everlasting punishments in the world to come And thus beloved I have in these 15. Sermons gone over many materiall points touching this subject It remains only now that for the time you have yet to live here in the world that those that meet with crosses and troubles and afflictions do weep as if they wept not And those that have riches and honours and comforts and enjoy an affluence and confluence of all worldly prâ—sperity that they rejoyce as though they rejoyced not And those that buy and sell and trade in the world it remains that they buy as if they possessed not And those that any other way use this world it remains that they so use it as not abusing of it for the fashion of this world passeth away The TABLE A. REligion should bear sway over our Affections p. 64. We must not place an inordinate affection upon our Estates p. 85. When men place an immoderate affection upon their Estates p. 86. seq Reasons why we should not p. 91. seq Vse directed to three sorts p. 93. seq Take heed we abuse not lawfull comforts p. 118. 126. Why we must not abuse lawfull comforts p. 119. seq When a man may be said to abuse lawfull comforts p. 121. seq How to use lawful comforts that we may not abuse them p. 123. Reproof to such as do abuse them p. 126. Take heed of abusing spiritual things p. 127. Motives to use the world so as not to abuse it p. 129. B. Christians must take heed they do not transgress in buying and selling p. 68. 74. Rules to be observed in buying Commodities p. 68. seq What things are not to be bought p. 73. Be careful to buy spiritual things p. 74. Be humbled if we have transgressed in buying p. 75. Advice to such as buy and sell yet get nothing by it p. 29. seq Comfort to such p. 95. seq Advice to those that have gotten Estates honestly by buying and selling p. 98. seq Astonishing considerations to such p. 101. To such as have gotten Estates unjustly p. 110. C. Gods people bear crosses better at one time then at another p. 4. Christians should not abridg themselves of lawful comforts p. 64 The Doctrine of community erroneous p. 67. Abuse not lawful comforts See abuse E. Getting an Estate by trading is not disallowed of God p. 85 Christians must not place an inordinate affection upon the Estates they have gotten ibid How to get Gods blessing on your Estates unjustly p. 106. seq Conjectures of one that hath gotten an Estate p. 109 Directions to such p. 110 Six terrible considerations to them p. 111. seq F. Every one should be careful to provide for his Family p. 67 Fashion of the world what it imports p. 133. G. Grieve not excessively for worldly crosses See sorrow H. Exhortation to drive a Trade for Heaven p. 116 I. Christians should not be excessive in worldly joy p. 48 Yet are allowed to rejoyce in worldly comforts p. 49 Religion doth not extirpate but only regulate worldly joy p. 49 The joy of wicked men often mixed with inward griping p. 50 A smaller matter will interrupt their joy then the joy of the godly ibid. Men of a jolly temper exposed to sundry evills p. 55 There may be excess in spiritual joy ibid. Worldly joy when excessive p. 57. seq Rules to keep worldly joy within bounds p. 61. seq Run not to worldly joy to drive away trouble of mind p. 65 See rejoycing L. Whether a man may go to Law to recover his due p. 83 M. A married life exposed to troubles p. 2 We must not be overmuch cast down at the troubles of it p. 3 We must not mourn immoderately for worldly crosses See sorrow P. Every one hath a propriety in his Estate p. 67 Whether it be lawful to take a pawn p. 82 R. Christians allowed to rejoyce in outward comforts p. 49 See worldly joy What things we are not to rejoyce in p. 51. seq What seasons are unfit for rejoycing p. 54. 55. Christians should honour Religion by letting it bear sway over their affections p. 64 Be not prejudiced against Religion as if it were an enemy to your outward comforts p. 64. Do not disparage Religion by abridging your selves of lawful comforts ibid. S. We must not be excessive in worldly sorrow p. 3 We should be sensible of Gods afflicting hand ibid. Immoderate sorrow for affliction provokes God to increase our affliction p. 4 VVhen our sorrows are immoderate p. 5 6 7. VVhy we should take heed of immoderate sorrow p. 8 Reproof of immoderate sorrow p. 10. 29. 37. seq Sorrow more for sin p. 11 Mistake not sorrow for sin when 't is for outward troubles p. 11 Twelve Considerations to allay immoderate sorrow p. 12. seq Rules to moderate worldly sorrows p. 30. seq The difference between a natural sensibleness of affliction and immoderate ate sorrow p. 30. seq How to know whether a man sorrow for his sin or his affliction p. 34. seq Reproof of those that sorrow not for sin p. 38 Exhortation to sorrow for sin ibid. Sin how great an evill ibid. A man may sorrow immoderately for sin p. 39 Few do so p. 40 VVhen sorrow for sin is excessive p. 40. seq Take heed we be not obstinate in sin p. 42 Exhortation not to sorrow immoderately p. 43. Motives ibid. seq The Scripture reacheth to all occasions conditions of men p. 67 Rules to be observed in selling p. 76. seq VVhat things are not to be sold p. 80 At what price we are to sell p. 80 VVhether a man may sell a commodity for more then 't is worth p. 81 VVhether he may sell dearer for time then for ready mony ibid. T. Advice to such as Trade in the world p 93. seq See buying W. VVhen we are too eager upon worldly things p. 122 Worldly things are passing away from us even while they are with us p. 134 Four demonstrations of it p. 135 VVhere to worldly things are compared in Scripture p. 137 VVe should have weaned affections from worldly things p. 138 FINIS
art an offence to me in that thou shouldest make such a motion to hinder me from going on to work out and accomplish the salvation of my people and then it could not be from the Spirit for sayes he Thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that are of man At the first view you would deeme this a very loving motion but the devil had a finger in it he will move you to do good so it may hinder you in the performance of a greater good But the Spirit of God will so move you to the doing of one good thing that it shall not justle out the performance of another 3. The devil when he moves men to do good it is to make them do it unseasonably on pâ—rpose that one duty may justle out another as suppose thou wouldest pray and happily the devil he cannot distract thee by sinful thoughts yet he will labour to do it by good thoughts unseasonably remembred as if thou art praying to have thy thoughts then taken up with what Sermons thou hast heard and of what parts of the Bible thou hast read this though in it selfe it is good yet it comes from the devil and therefore those that now come to our assemblies and will presently fall upon private prayer in the time of publick worship though the duty in it self is good yet it is unseasonably done and comes not from the holy Spirit the God of order There are several instances hereof That man which came to Christ and desired him to divide the inheritance between him and his brother Luke 12.13 the motion though it was good yet it was unseasonably made because it was when Christ was preaching and therefore though good yet it came from the devil that he might hinder a greater good And thus those people When will the new Moone be over that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate Amos 8.5 It was no evil thing to sell wheat but the motion was unseasonable because it was upon the Sabbath day Good motions in season they are a blessing Deut. 28.12 even as rain in a dry season is a comfort but raine in harvest is not so Good motions coming into a mans minde unseasonably as when a man is praying then to think of what he hath heard in a Sermon and when a man is hearing then to think of praying these come from the evil not the good Spirit as a Printer though his paper be good and his letter faire yet if he misplace his letter and put one letter for another he will make non-sense Even so are good thoughts out of season 4. When a man is moved so to do good that the performance of it is a prejudice to bodily health this comes not from Gods holy Spirit but from the evil spirit And herein young converts are very injudicious at first they have strong affections and they think they must read so many Chapters pray so many houres and hear so many Sermons otherwise their consciences check them and they think that all this comes from God whereas rather they are put upon it by the impulses of their own spirit If thou art strongly moved to a duty and so moved to it that either the continuance or frequency in it doth impaire the strength of nature this is not commanded by God for God had rather have mercy then sacrifice in such a case God is not rigorous and cruel in commanding of duty The Jews learnt of God to sacrifice their beasts but they learnt of the devil to sacrifice their children God requires not that you should fast so often and do duty so long as to weaken health and strength he hath made no duty for the soul to be prejudicial to the body God will have mercy and not sacrifice Hosea 6.6 God deals with young converts as Jacob did with the children and flocks he will not out-drive them Indeed it is the devils Religion to put men upon such services as are cruel to their own bodies and thus the worshippers of Baal they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them 1 Kin. 18.28 they were cruel to their own bodies whereas the Lord never commanded any such thing at their hands I mention not this that it may be a plea for any one to pamper their bodies or that they should be negligent in the service of God but for the sake of young converts who think they can never do enough in duty who do more then ever God required at their hands 5. Motions from the devil to good they are usually when they may hinder and cause a man to neglect his outward and necessary calling this young converts are greatly faulty in their endeavours are such and their prosecutions so earnest to live holily that they live idly God did never so order Religion that it should be a disadvantage to our particular callings in the world He is a good Christian that knows how to pray and hear and how to labour in his calling too I know that secular affaires and imployments they robbe the soul of much time in that duty it ows to God I plead not at all for this but this is that which I would presse I would neither have your particular callings rob time from your general callings and duties as Christians nor your generall callings rob time from your particular callings as men who are to live here in the world This was a corruption grown upon the first plantation of the Church the Apostle tells you of some who walked disorderly and did not worke at all 2 Thes 3.11 Some imagine that under this pretence they would not follow a calling because they would wholly devote themselves to the service of God of these the Apostle speakes and such are they who lead a Monasterial life under a pretence to be more at leasure to serve God when indeed they but put their candle under a bushel and hide their talent in a napkin This comes from the Devil and not from God for God never ordained that his service should make you negligent in your outward callings but hath commanded that with quietness you work and eat your own bread 2 Thes 3.12 1 Tim. 5.8 I speak not this to make men worldly and that they should glut themselves with worldly business It is the fault of many that they grasp too much worldly business and are to their souls worse then Egyptian task-masters but let not men rob time from God and give it to the world but I speak this for the sake of young converts who will be every day fasting and every day hearing and in the mean time neglect their outward and necessary callings in the world 6. Motions to good come from the Divel in case our motions of duty to God make us neglect our duty to man A notable text you have for this out of the Evangelist Matthew the Scribes and Pharisees had taught this Doctrine
in the world and this some will make a hinderance to duty They will tell you that their conditions are necessitous and that they have time little enough to follow their callings and therefore they hope God will dispense with them though they be not so much in duty as other men Such as these were they who were bidden to that great Supper mentioned by Luke Luke 14.18 to 26. who with one consent began to make excuse One had bought a piece of ground and he must needs go and see it another a yoke of Oxen and he must go and prove them and another married a wife and he could not come Such pretences as these are found in corrupt nature to make callings in the world to be a dispensation to duty to God and that I may take off this mistake I shall lay down these three particulars 1. That God never ordained our particular callings as men to justle out our general callings as we are Christians or that civil duties should justle out Divine duties A wise management of and forecast in your worldly affaires would give you time enough to set about divine duties a holy prudence and providence will redeem time for prayer hearing c. 2. Consider that the way for God to blesse you in your outward callings is to be much imployed in religious duties It is the saying of one that had but two acres of ground and a rich Lords land was by his the poor mans was fruitful and the Lords was barren whereupon the Lord came to him and ask't him the reason Oh Sir sayes he I water my little ground with prayers and teares every morning this is the way to be blessed in the world Psal 34.10 Mat. 6.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give God his due and he will give you yours Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all other things shall be given in unto you 3. Thou sayest thou must follow thy calling and so neglectest thy duty to God consider that for this God may be provoked to blast thy outward imployments without Gods blessing it is in vain to rise up early and to sit down late and to eat the bread of sorrowes Psal 127.2 as the Psalmist speaks God doth many times curse thy outward condition because thou deniest him duties of religious worship 4. And lastly God was angry with Moses for neglecting duty and with the Israelites also though they had more urgent affaires to plead then all you have Moses though he were in a journey and one would have thought that might have been a good excuse for him for the not circumcising of his childe and yet the Lord was so displeased at this neglect of his that he met him in his Inne Exod. 4.24 and had like to have killed him God would not dispense with the neglect of his Ordinance though the necessity of a journey might have pleaded an excuse for Moses So the children of Israel whilest they were in the wildernesse God was angry with them because they neglected this Ordinance of circumcision and yet they might have pleaded for themselves that they were moving from place to place pitching their Tents now here now there and though this pretence may seem very fair Josh 5.5,6 yet God was not pleased with them which may teach us that it is not our worldly imployments nor necessary affaires in the world that can give us a dispensation in the performance of our duty to God 3. Another stratagem of corrupt nature in this point is this Semper incipio vivere That a man will purpose and promise to do duties but not till his present estate and condition is changged when a man shall sit down and say If I were in another condition God should have more duty and service from me then now he hath but in this condition that I am now in I have not time nor opportunity This is a most plausible stratagem whereby your corrupt hearts labour to take you off from duty Suppose thou art a young man and a servant thy heart will suggest unto thee thus but if thou wert then a Master Oh how many houres wouldest thou spend in Gods service thou art a poor man and thou sayest Oh if I were a rich man how liberal would I be Thou art a private man but if thou wert a Magistrate what good wouldest thou do this was Absalom's vain conceit But remember this if thy condition should be changed and thy heart remain unchanged thou wouldst still be the same man though thy condition were altered and to you that have been or may be thus deceived by your deceitfull hearts I would lay down these partilars 1. Know that it is a meer deceit of heart to think that if thy condition were changed thou wouldest be a changed man it appeares to be a deceit upon this ground because if thou art not good in thy present condition thou canst not be good in any condition if thy heart be the same and the reason is it is thy naughty heart which makes thee bad in thy present condition Coelum non animum mutat and if that continues with thee thou wilt be bad in another condition if thou art a bad servant thou wilt be a bad Master and if a bad childe thou wilt be a bad father if thou art not good in a single condition thou wilt not be good in a married estate unlesse thy heart be changed if thy heart be not changed thy lifee will not 2. Consider that every other condition which thou dost so admire and desire after it hath peradventure more snares more incumbrances and inconveniences then the present condition thou complainest of thou art now a young man and thou complainest that thou hast not time to pray what wouldest thou do 1 Cor. 7.34 if thou hadst the charge of a house and family a publick condition hath more distractions and encumbrances then any private condition and therefore do not deceive your selves 4. Another stratagem of corrupt nature to keep a man from duty is by putting a foule vizard upon the beautiful face of religious duties Just as the flesh to provoke a man to sin will smear over sin and make it appear like the beautiful face of grace so the heart on the other side to keep a man from duty will smear over the beautiful face of godlinesse with carnal prejudices even as Judas did disparage that most excellent and memorable act of Mary in that honourable liberality she shewed unto Christ in breaking the boxe of ointment as a profuse and riotous waste Matth. 26.8 So thy corrupt heart will suggest to thee what is zeal for God but rashnesse and indiscretion and what is holinesse but basenesse of minde what is patience not to give injury for injury but a sordid temper and what is walking with God but a Monkish kinde of life what is a consciencious care to sanctify a Sabbath it is
deceit I shall say three things 1. It is a good rule of the Schoolmen that you must not neglect that which is good in it selfe and necessary to avoid a sin which may be by accident a sin for otherwise you should never perform duty If a man will avoid hearing lest he should be distracted therein and praying lest he should have wandring thoughts by this reason a man should never perform duty Now to hear and to pray it is good in it selfe but that thou art distracted in hearing or thy minde wandring in praying this is an accident and therefore thou must not upon a pretence of being guilty of lesse evill leave undone those duties which in themselves are good 2. Those men which make this a plea they will not performe duty because they sin in duty upon the same reason they may as well say they will not follow their callings in the world because they sin in them and therefore this plea though it be a plausible one and doubting Christians are many times intangled therewith yet by this plea you will not onely be taken off from religious but civil duties also 3. Consider that the avoiding of evil upon this pretence you do thereby run into a greater evill and the reason is because wilful neglects and total omissions are greater then spiritual defects in the manner of religious performances it is a lesser sin to be distracted in prayer then not to pray at all This plea therefore is but a lazy plea of corrupt nature to make us neglect religious performances 14. Another plea is a pretence of disability to perform as we ought The flesh will tell you if thou wert able to perform duty better thou shouldest be incouraged to do it often but alas thou art not able to perform duty when thou comest to hear thou wantest faith to believe the word and memory to treasure it up When tho◠comest to pray thou wantest a composed minde and thou wantest apt expressions and hence the flesh pleades that disability to duty should take a man off from duty This plea prevailes with many Christians troubled in conscience and in answer thereto consider 1. That many Christians which pretend disability it may be the reason is not disability but rather enmity against duty which is the cause of their neglect Nolle in causa est cùm non posse praetenditur Sen. Epist 116. Seneca hath a passage to this purpose in one of his Epistles Men sayes he pretend that they are not able to do good but the true cause is they are not willing not a disability in the nature but an enmity in the heart which is the cause It is worth your noting that where the Apostle mentions a disability to duty he there mentions also the enmity of a natural mans heart against duty The carnal minde Rom. 8.7 sayes he is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be So that those who plead a disability they have cause to look to their hearts whether their neglect of duty doth not rather proceed from a dislike in judgement rather then a disability in affection 2. Christians are apt to make disability a plea to neglect duty when indeed it is rather the danger that doth attend duty that keeps them off then disability You have a notable instance of this in Moses a good man you have the story at large in the fourth of Exodus God commands Moses that he should go into Egypt Exod. 4.10,13,19 and there to take the care and charge of his people but what sayes Moses Oh sayes he Wilt thou send me to conduct this people alas I am not able I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue this was a plausible pretence and therefore in the thirteenth verse sayes he Lord I pray send by the hand of him whom thou wilt send But now was Moses disability the real cause wherefore he would not go why no therefore in the nineteenth verse you have there the true reason discovered Return saith the Lord into Egypt for all the men are dead which sought thy life There the Lord hints the cause Moses had formerly killed an Egyptian and there was great search made after him And when God bid Moses go again into Egypt he was afraid Moses doth not tell God so but pretends disability then the Lord told him shat the men were dead which sought his life and then the Text saith that Moses took his wife and his children and went down into Egypt 15. Another plea is succeslessenesse in duty the flesh will suggest thus unto thee What needest thou continue in a godly course of life thou hast made many a prayer and heard many a Sermon and yet thou art never the better To this I answer 1. That thou owest duty to God as thou art his creature though he should never give thee successe in his service 2. Duty it selfe is successe the very performance is a recompence if God should never bring thee to heaven thou hast in part a recompence that God suffers thee to perform duty to him here You have your fruit unto holiness Rom. 6.20 as the Apostle tells you and in the end you shall have everlasting life holinesse and duty they are the reward of duty 3. Consider that there is a two-fold successe attendant on duty First a real successe Secondly a sensible successe Sometimes the successe is sensible and a mans affections are raised and his lusts subdued but though successe may not alwayes be sensible yet it is alwayes reall a godly man gets real good by all the duties he performes Ephes 6.8 Whatsoever good any man doth the same he shall receive whether he be bond or free No man shall open the dores of Gods house in vain Wicked Ahab that did God but temporal service God requited him with a temporal reward 1 Kings 21.29 there is alwayes a real successe which goes along with the performance of our duty And thus I have layed down the stratagems and deceits of the flesh whereby it labours to divert men from duty and have given you answers to them all that you might not be deceived by the sly subtility thereof Vse 1 The Use shall be unto those men whose consciences tell them they have been deceived by some of these pleas of corrupt nature so as to omit good duties Before such I would lay these five considerations 1. That a man may go to hell for the omissions of good duties as well as for the commissions of sin Natural conscience will tel a man that gross sinners shall not inherit the Kingdom of heaven but Scripture will tell you also that men shall go to hell for the omissions of good It is observable in the sentence which shall be pronounced at the last day by the Judge of all the world that the form of
will be a great means to keep out worldly sorrow the glory and happiness of Heaven will so transport a Christians soul with spirituall joy that he will not easily be over-whelmed with worldly sorrow I have read one of the Schoolmen that was of this opinion that the reason why Adam in innocency was not sensible of his nakednesse was because he was so taken up with immediate converse and communion with God So now if you were more taken up with conversing with God and apprehensions of glory though you had nothing here below yet you would think you wanted nothing The consideration of Heaven and glory and happiness would make you over-look all worldly crosses and afflictions it is said of Paul that he was rapt up into the third Heaven and saw things ineffable but whether in the body or out of the body he could not tell that is he saw so much glory and was so taken up with the joyes of Heaven that he could not tell whether he was in the body or no it made him to forget all his troubles and miseries here below I remember I have read in Jerome what advice he he gives a young man in his time that was overmuch pressed with sorrow and grief for worldly crosses Saies he do but now and then take a turn or two in Paradise and then you will never think of a wilderness or be troubled at the miseries of a desert Oh beloved that your souls had once this art of divine speculation and contemplation that you might have an experimentall knowledge of the joyes of Heaven and this would keep you from mourning any more for worldly crosses When Christ was transfigured upon the Mount saies Peter to him Master Master it is good for us to be here let us build three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias he was so lifted up with the sight of Heaven that he never thought that he was then upon a barren Mountain and of what wants and exigencies they should be driven to there I have formerly told you what I have read of the Eagle that she is like no other Bird that flies in the Aire for whereas all other Birds when they are hurt or want meat to satisfie their hunger will crie and mourn and make a noyse the Eagle when it is hurt will fly aloft and comfort her self with the warm beams of the Sun And oh Beloved if you would Eagle-lik sore aloft in divine meditations and contemplations of heavenly glory and happiness this would arm you against worldly sorrow very much 8. Remember that your sins call for more teares from you then you are able to shed and therefore do not wast them about worldly things Beloved could you dissolve into tears for your sins it would all be too little to express your grief and sorrow for them nay were every drop of tears you shed an Ocean it would be too little to shed for sin Tears are sweet water and it is pitty to wash foul Rooms with them reserve them for your sins they have more need of them and if you had more tears all would be too little nay were your head a Fountain and your eyes Rivers of tears they would all be too little to shed for those many sins and iniquities that you have committed against God And thus I have done with this first part of the Text and they that weep as if they wept not SERM. VI. 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not WEe now proceed to the second part of the Apostolicall Directory and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not If your condition here in the world be sad and miserable and afflicted then your duty is to weep as if you wept not But if you meet with a gale of prosperity and happiness and enjoy the comforts of this world in abundance then you must rejoyce as if you rejoyced not that is you must rejoyce moderately and with discretion And the point of instruction that I shall give you from hence shall be this Doct. That it is the duty of Christians not onely to take heed that they be not excessive in worldly sorrow for outward crosses but also to take care that they be not excessive in worldly joy for outward comforts All under-moone comforts we may joy in them too much In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall dispatch these 2. or 3. queries 1. I shall shew you when your joy is excessive 2. I shall lay you down some Rules to keep your joy within bounds that you do not over-joy in the comforts of this life 3. And then I shall give you something by way of Use and Application I shall not come to handle any of these at this time Severall Conclusions concerning immoderate joy for worldly comforts but shall first as my usuall method is lay down 6. or 7. Conclusions by way of premise 1. Take this Conclusion That though Christians must take heed that they are not immoderate in their joy for worldly comforts yet you must know that you are allowed by God to rejoyce in the outward comforts that he gives you here in this world Eccles 3.4 saies Solomon There is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce and in Eccles 9.7.9 Goe thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest So in Eccles 7.14 in the day of prosperity rejoyce so Deut. 12.7 ye shall rejoyce in all that you put your hand unto This Conâ—… sion is necessary for sad and melancholy Christians that though they enjoy an affluence and confluence of worldly comforts yet will not at all rejoyce in them beloved God allowes you to rejoyce Consid 2 2. Consider that Religion does not extirpate or annihilate worldly rejoycing but only regulate it It is not like a Weeding-hook to pluck up your joy by the roots but like a Pruning-hook to lop off the luxuriancy of it and to keep your joy in its due decorum This I lay down to take away those prejudices that many men harbour against Religion as if it made men melancholy being apt to think that when once they begin to be Religious that then they must forsake and abandon all worldly comforts and for ever shake hands with all the pleasures of this life Beloved Religion doth not annihilate but regulate your joyes nay being Religions does rather increase then any way diminish your joyes when God made a Covenant with Abraham he promised him a Son and God gave him the name saying thou shalt call his name Isaac which signifies laughter Gen. 17.19 to shew that after thou art in Covenant with God thou mayst have joy and pleasure and therefore do not harbour such ill thoughts of Religion as to imagine you must shake hands with joy when you close with Religion 3. Take this conclusion that the worldly joy of a wicked man is oftentimes mingled with more
more any is taken with the estimation and contemplation of the Joyes of Heaven the lesse he will be in the valuation and admiration of comforts here on earth The higher you stand the lesse you see things below will any rejoyce in the light of a Candle when he sees the brightness of the Sun shining in its full strength It is a Rule amongst Divines that as Physicians when a man bleeds at nose to stop and make a diversion of the blood will open a vein so the way to keep your worldly Joy from being excessive is seriously to ponder and consider what great cause you have of spirituall Joy and reioycing and this will divert your joy from worldly objects To turn all the affections on the right objects is the way to keep them from being excessively bent upon the wrong fear God and you will not fear men love Christ and you will not over-love the Creature weep for sins and corruption and you will not mourn too much for outward crosses rejoyce in spirituall things and you will not joy over-much in temporalls 2. Rule 2 If you would be kept from excessive joy in outward comforts consider that nothing here below is worthy of your joy the world is not worthy of a godly mans affections Heb 11.38.40 and therefore saies Amos in Amos 6.13 why do ye rejoyce in a thing of nought the world is as nothing the fashion of this world passeth away it is not worthy of a Christians joy Acts 25.23 when Agrippa came to the court of Judicature to judge Paul it is said he came with great pomp but in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came with a meer fancy all the honours and riches and bravery of the world are but meer fancies very unworthy of a Christians Joy 3. Consider that the more you rejoyce in any outward mercy the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your mercies the more you rejoyce in your comforts the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your comforts And therefore excessive joy in outward comforts is no less then robbery you deprive God of that which of right belongs to him 4. Consider that thou spoilest thy mercies by rejoycing too much in them you provoke God to take away that which you so much rejoyce in I may very fitly compare rejoycing in your mercies to a posie in your hand Now you know if you handle a posie gently and smell to it now and then it will continue fresh and fragrant a whole day together but if you crush it in your hand and are continually smelling to it it will die and wither the sooâ—… So the more you rejoyce in the things of the world 〈…〉 they will forsake and leave you whereas if you did 〈…〉 and joy in them moderately and not affect them so much you would injoy them more and keep them longer with you 5. Consider that if you rejoyce over-much in those mercies you injoy you will grieve and sorrow over-much in the want of those mercies when God shall take them from you If you would live with such weaned affections from the world that the comforts of it might be but as the Gloves to your hands then you would easily part with them without any great trouble but if you love the world so dearly and the comforts of it cleave so close to you as the skin to your flesh you will not part with them but with a world of grief and a world of pain and trouble And thus I have done with the second query I have but a word of application and so I shall conclude Applicat And the use that I shall make of it shall be by way of caution in four or five particulars Caution 1 1. Is this so that Christians must take heed that they do not exceed in their worldly joy then do so much honour to Christianity as to let it appear that it does bear a greater sway and authority over your affections then any thing in the world besides Let Christianity be so far honoured by you as to have your love and joy and sorrow and all your affections regulated by it Caut. 2 2. Never be prejudiced against Religion as if that were an enemy or any way destructive to your worldly joy for it doth not extirpate but regulate your joy It is not a weeding-hook to pluck up and root out your Joy but a Pruning-hook to moderate and rectifie your Joy oh do not therefore entertain hard thoughts of Religion Caut. 3 3. Take this caution you that are Christians do not disparage Religion to the world in abridging your selves of that lawfull Joy and comfort that God hath given you and his word allows you in the mercies and blessings of this life for a Christian to hang down the head and pull in the lip to have teares in his eyes and sorrow upon his heart not to have a chearfull look nor a comfortable word this disparageth and laies a scandall upon Religion and therefore do not abridge your selves of the lawfull Joy in the Creature that God allowes you I remember Calvin saies that because he was such a pensive and sorrowfull man the Papists would not embrace his Religion he being so sad and mournfull Caut. 4 4. Take heed likewise of too much jollity As you must take heed of a sad disconsolateness so you must take heed of a lightness of spirit of too much joviallness you must as it were cut a hair in two neither be too sad nor yet too joviall Caut. 5 5. Take heed of ever running into worldly joy and pleasures to expell and drive away trouble in your mind You that use such base shifts and unlawfull means to quiet your Consciences and to remove terrour of mind It is the ready way rather to trouble and disquiet then to appease your Consciences You that in your sorrows give your selves to mirth and pastime and merry meetings thinking thereby to drive them away you do rather increase and augment them Just like the Pelican of whom it is reported that being naturally affraid of fire the shepheards are wont to carry some Coles and lay them by her nest and she poor â—illy Creature keeps a fluttering with her wings thinking thereby to extinguish and put them out but does inflame and kindle them and by this means the fire burns both her nest and self too So for us to go to worldly joyes and pastimes to quench the sorrow and trouble of our minds is the ready way rather to increase then remove our grief SERM. VIII 1 Cor. 7 30. And they that buy as though they possessed not WEe now come to the third part of the Apostles direction in these words and they that buy as though they possessed not I shall spend only two or three Sermons upon this third branch and then come to the latter part of the Apostles direction and they that use this world as not abusing of it We shall begin with the
first If your livelihood and subsistence consists in buying and selling in turning and winding of mony then your duty is to buy as if you possessed not whether you buy or sell for both are included in this phrase whatsoever you get by buying and selling and trading in the world you must have your hearts so weaned from what you have as if you had got nothing at all they that buy must be as if they possessed not Possess your wealth you may but you may not be possessed by it rebus non me trado sed commodo said Seneca And here beloved being to preach in a City of trading and to an auditory that live by buying and selling and trafficking in the world I shall a little enlarge my self upon this point But before I come to handle it directly I shall draw out such collaterall Doctrines as the words will afford As first from the consideration of the scope that the Apostle aims at in bringing in of this expression they that buy as if they possessed not the Apostle had all along before in this Chapter spoken of Marriage and the duty of people in that estate and here he treats of trading of buying and selling from whence I note Doct. 1 1. That those to whom God hath given a charge and a Family he commands them more especially to buy and sell to be diligent in their Callings for the maintenance of those that belong unto them 1 Tim. 5.8 He that provides not for his own and especially those of his own house hath denyed the faith and is worse then an Infidell 2. From the variety of the matter the Apostle here handles whether men are in an afflicted and sorrowfull or in a prosperous and joyfull condition whether they buy or sell or what ever their condition be here is matter of advice for them from whence I note Doct. 2 That the Scripture is large and reaches to the severall and various Callings and conditions of men in the world There is not any Calling condition kind or sex of people in the world but there are either generall or particular directions that the word of God affords them and therefore well might the Psalmist say Thy Commandements are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 3. From the tearm the Apostle here useth they that buy now buying you know is a giving a valuable summe of mony for a Commodity which the seller hath profit and advantage by hence I may note Doct. 3 that the Apostle was against the Doctrine of community or having all things common amongst men the very mention of buying and selling intimates and denotes a propriety in what a man hath A man hath a propriety in his Estate or whatsoever he hath lawfully gotten and therefore the Doctrine of Court parasites who scrue up Monarchy so high as if the King may by power and force take away all that a Subject hath is false and erroneous This is tyranny and not Soveraignty And hence it was that Ahab though he were a covetous King yet he would not take away Naboths Vineyard by force and violence but would buy it of him this therefore makes against a community for buying and selling argues a propriety in the seller of what he hath Doct. 4 4. And they that buy as though they possessed not I observe from them further That a man may lawfully get wealth and lay up an Estate by his Trade and Calling 5. Observe further That when a man hath gotten an Estate and much wealth and riches by Trading buying and selling in the world yet they must use them with such weaned affections from them as if they had gotten nothing at all I do not intend to insist particularly upon any of these points but shall draw out two generall Doctrines from the whole bulk and body of the Text. They that buy the Apostle does not only prescribe Rules about Marriage and to men in a conjugall estate but likewise about buying and selling and negotiating in the world from whence observe Doct. That Christians ought to take heed that they do not transgress Scripture Rules in buying and selling 2. And they that buy as though they possessed not from whence observe Doct. That Christians ought to carry such weaned affections to what they have gotten by buying and selling as if they possessed nothing at all I shall be but brief in this latter point but shall expatiate be more large in the former That Christians should take heed that they do not transgress Scripture Rules in their buying and selling And now beloved will you follow me a little and lend me your attentions in the handling of this point I shall this morning lay you down some Scripture Rules which are to be observed in buying and in the afternoon shall give you some Scripture Rules which you are to take heed that you do not transgress in selling Severall Scripture Rules and Cautions concerning buying 1. I shall spend this hour in giving you ten particular Scripture Rules which you are to take heed that you do not transgress in your buying As 1. If you would not transgress Scripture Rules in buying then take heed that you do not discommend those commodities that you are about to buy thereby to bring down the price of the Commodity and so to get it cheaper and for lesse then it is worth There is a known place for this in Prov. 20.14 It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone his way then he boasteth In Solomons time men were so wicked that when they came to Market to buy any thing the buyer would say it is naught it is naught though the Commodity were very good and vendible and the price demanded by the seller reasonable but when he is gone then he boasts that is he boasts of what a good penyworth he had and what a good Bargain he had made or the like this then is the first caution in buying a Commodity do not discommend it thereby to have it cheaper when it is good and vendible 2. Do not make Vowes and Protestations that you will give no more for a Commodity then what you have first offered when afterwards you must and do give more This is a common practice among men to come to a Shop and bid money for a Commodity and the buyer to say I will not give a peny more and the seller not to take a farthing lesse and yet both the buyer gives more and the seller takes lesse then what the one first bid and the other first profered it for This though frequently practised yet cannot be justified It is a very palpable lie and a great sin and therefore take heed of it if once thy promise be past thou art bound up thou sinnest if thou give a peny more 3. Do not give counterfeit money for those Commodities you buy It is said of Abraham whose just dealing and actions are recorded to be an example and pattern to succeeding Generations
eager after riches Eccles 5.10 that you never think you have enough When men enlarge their desires like hell and are like the grave that will never be satisfied When you are like those spoken of in Esay 56.11 that were greedy Doggs that could never have enough such men are slaves to their wealth and their riches possesseth them more then they it Beloved when you are thus eagen in your pursuit of riches and so restlesse in your desires after the things of the world this shews that your affections are too much set upon them And thus I have done with the first question and have shewed you when peoples affections towards their Estates and possessions may be said to be excessive Quest We come now to the second Question which is this Why should Christians be so carefull that they do not place an immoderate affection upon their wealth and possessions in the world Answ I answer first because of the uncertainty and instability of all earthly comforts all the glory of the world is called but a fashion they are things only in shew and appearance not in reality the world is not only a bundle of vanities and so not worth any thing but these are also liable to a great deal of uncertainty inconstancy therefore we should not set our affections too much upon them either the world will leave you or else you must leave it Prov. 23.5 It may be your Estate will die and decay before you die for riches as Solomon saies take unto them wings and fly away from you which he useth as an Argument to take off mens affections from the world Beloved could you carry your wealth with you when you go hence and keep it to eternity then indeed your earnest and unwearied endeavours after it were excusable but seeing you must leave all behind you when you die naked came you into the world and naked shall you return you shall carry nothing with you therefore do not set your hearts too much upon them In Psal 49.12 saies the Psalmist Psal 39. Psal 49.10 Man being in honour abideth not men heap up riches but know not who shall enjoy them In Eccles 2.18 He leaves it unto the man that shall be after him Reason 2 2. Another reason is because you know not what they shall be that shall enjoy what you labour for you may take a great deal of pains in gathering and heaping up wealth and yet leave it to them that will neither love you nor thank you for it Now shall I toil and moil in the world and hazard my soul to get riches when I may leave my Estate to I know not whom that it may be will neither love me nor thank me for it nor yet honestly or charitably imploy it Eccles 2.19 I hated all the labour that I had taken under the Sun because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me and who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool Shall I rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness and take so much pains to get an Estate when I do not know whether a wise man or a fool may enjoy it You that are such covetous muck-worms as spend all your strength and time in getting riches and heaping up wealth carkingly and eagerly yet thou dost not know whether he that shall rule over all thy labour shall be a wise man or a fool a good man or a bad a friend or a stranger whether he shall imploy it well or ill 3 Do not place your affections excessively upon the world because you have better things pertaining to another world that you should place your affections upon you have true lasting and durable riches to rejoyce in as reconciliation with God cōmunion with Christ the comforts of the Holy Ghost justification of your persons sanctification of your natures acceptation of your services c. you have all these to rejoyce in and therefore why will you be so much in love with Pebbles when you may have Pearls in the room of them with Counters of Brasse when you may have peeces of Gold 4. Another reason is this because if you do place your affections too immoderately upon the things of the world when you come to part with them and it pleaseth God to take them away from you the losse of them will be the more grievous and vexatious to you When the Lord comes to lay you upon the D◅ghill like Job and strips you of all your comforts riches possessions Children and friends in one day how bitter and grievous will this be to you If your hearts be cemented and glewed to the world and the things thereof sit as close to you as the skin upon your flesh you will not part with them but with a great deal of trouble and difficulty but if you live with weaned affections to the world and the comforts of this life are but as the Gloves to your hands which you may easily pull off without any pain Then when God calls for any of your comforts or strips you of all of them you will be willing to part with them and say with Job the Lord gave and the Lord takes blessed be his name for all Job 1.21 Otherwise it will be a great misery and a sad affliction to thee to be stript of those possessions that have taken full possession of thy heart And thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of this part of the Text and they that buy as if they possessed not Use We come now to the application and the use that I shall make of this shall be directed to three sorts of people Is it so that Christians ought to take heed that they do not place immoderate affections upon the riches and possessions they get in the world then I have something to say First to those that do buy and sell and trade in the world and take a great deal of pains and yet God doth not bless their endeavours with any increase they buy but possess nothing they labour and toil in the world but get nothing 2. To those that buy and sell and possess riches in the world but do it by dishonest gain 3. To those that buy and sell and get great Estates and do it lawfully and by honest and commendable courses I shall spend two Sermons in speaking to these three sorts of people and shall now begin with the first 1. To you that buy and sell and are industrious in your Callings in the world and yet God doth not blesse you with any increase you buy but possess nothing and can hardly bring the year about with all your pains and labour and sweat and toyl in the world you cannot advance your Estate nor get any thing at the years end Advice to such as take pains in the world and yet are scarce able to get a subsistance to such as you are I have two
things though you do follow your Trade which is lawfull and commendable yet if this makes thee neglect the duties of Gods service as Family-duties and closet-duties c. then you do abuse lawfull things and therein consisted Martha's abuse of lawfull things in Luke 10.40 Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things saies Christ she was troubled about the matters of the house but she neglected the one thing necessary the hearing of Christs voice And therefore all you that are Tradesmen men of great imployments in the world take a serious survey over your own hearts consider whether you do not rob God of his due and by your too eagerly pursuing the things of the world neglect the duties of his service 2. When you cannot take that naturall refreshment in the blessings of God which he allowes when you cannot eat your bread with quietness you are so perplext and ingulpht in the world that when as Solomon saies by reason of your abundance you cannot sleep when you have neither time to eat by day or sleep by night then you are too eager about the things of this world And thirdly when a man is restless and unsatisfied with his condition he would be greater and richer then he is and drive a greater Trade then he does this is to be too eager upon the things of the world 3. Another thing wherein men abuse the lawfull things of this world in their use is when they use them too dependingly when they trust and rely and depend too much upon the things of this world The comforts of this life may well be compared to the Reeds of Egypt that if a man leane upon them would not only deceive his expectations and break under him but pierce and run into his hand so if you rely too much upon the things of this world they will break and frustrate your hopes and fly away from you and pierce you through with many sorrowes It is a good observation that one hath saies he The World hangs upon nothing and therefore why should we depend upon that which hath no foundation 4. A man useth lawfull things abusively when he uses the world too carkingly when a man shal be so troubled with solicitousness what shall become of him and his Family hereafter in his old age that he cannot enjoy any comfort or quietness in what he possesses for the present then he abuseth the things of this world The things of this world are not durable and lasting and therefore we should not set our hearts upon them or be troubled at our future Estates but live without care as the Apostle saies in the next verse to my Text we should not be too carking and sollicitous about the things of the world Quest 3 We come now to the third Query what a Christian should do that in the use of the lawfull comforts of this life he may not abuse them but that he may use lawfull things lawfully what course should a Christian take that he may do thus Answ I shall dispatch this very briefly and shew you in 4 particulars how you may do to use lawfull things lawfully and not to abuse them 1. If you would use lawfull things lawfully use them spiritually and then you will not use them abusively use earthly things with a heavenly mind As wicked men do use spirituall things carnally so should you use carnall things spiritually that is while you are about carnall things you should make a spirituall use of them And thus our Saviour did when the people came about him for bread he took occasion thereby to tell them of the bread of life and of that Mannah that came down from Heaven that a man might eat thereof and not die So when the Samaritan woman was bufie at the well drawing of water Christ from thence took occasion to tell her of the water of life of living water that if a man drinks thereof he should never thirst more Thus did Christ improve carnall things spiritually A man may lawfully talk and discourse of worldly things of buying and selling and trading but still in the close there should be a touch of something that 's spirituall and heavenly A man will never use the world well till he uses it spiritually one that treats upon this subject saies that as he sate once in his study he saw a little Robin-red-breast pitch upon his window chirping and he presently made this spirituall use of it Saies he this poor Bird that knowes not where to abide but to rest upon a hedge and knowes not where to have a bit of meat or where she shall pick up the next crum yet she can sing and be merry and therefore why should I that have enough of the things of this world be dejected and troubled with care and solicitousness for them 2. Use the things of this world reflexively and then you will not use them abusively Reflect from the world up to God When you are enjoying any of the comforts of this life and find a relish and sweetness in any of the Creatures then by way of reflexion consider that if there be such a sweetness and deliciousness in the Creature what a sweetnesse is there in God the Creator if there be so much beauty and excellency in the Creature how much beauty and glory and transcendent excellency is there in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ if there be so much light and brightness in a Candle what is the light of the Sun the glory of Heaven and the splendor of the Lord Jesus Christ who is ten thousand times brighter then the Sun If you do thus use the world you will not abuse it If the Creature be so full of goodness and sweentess how full is God if there be such comfort in having an estate here below what coÌ„fort is there in having grace in our hearts to enjoy those treasures that are incorruptible and fade not away which neither the moath nor rust can corrupt nor theeves break through and steal use the world as a Looking-glasse which casts a reflexion not as a mud-wall O beloved if we could thus in the use of all creature comforts look up to God and reflect upon the giver of them we should never abuse them 3. You must use the comforts of the world weanedly with weaned affections from them Thus David did though he were the King of Israel and sate upon the Throne yet he was as a weaned Child to the things of the world Psal 131. verse 1. Beloved you that have great Estates in the world should yet live with weaned affections from the world the Scriptâ—re does not only enjoyn Christians to crucifie the flesh but the world too They that are Christ have not only crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts as in Gal. 5.24 but they are crucified to the world too thus Paul was saies he I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me the world
did not care a pin for Paul and he did not care a pin for the world he that will use the world well must use it weanedly 4. If you would not use the comforts of the world abusively you must use them orderly first seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and then all other things shall be added to you Mat. 6.33 before you seek after the world you should seek the things of Heaven seek the Kingdom of Heaven first in your judgements and esteem as the chief and supreme object of your desires and delight let the chief bent of your heart be after spirituall things make this your businesse for which you were sent into the world you may seek after the things of the world but when you have them you must use them in a way of subserviency to heavenly and spirituall things you may follow your Calling in obedience to Gods Command but let your aims be thereby to be the better able to maintain your Family to serve God in that relation and place he hath set you to relieve the poor and comfort the needy and support others that want the help and assistance of your charity you should have an eye upon spirituall things as being chiefly to be lookt after and use all your comforts as so many steps to advance you nearer Heaven you should be subservient to God in whatsoever condition he hath placed you and not use the world for the worlds sake and follow a Calling and buy and sell meerly to get gain and to grow rich and great in the world making Religion and godliness subservient to the world for this is a very great abuse of the world but let all things here below be secondary and subservient to spirituall and heavenly things It is observable that in the Lords Prayer where there are five Petitions for spirituall things there is but one for temporall things and that is give us this day our daily bread to note and intimate to us that our desires and endeavours should be most after spirituall things And besides these are petitioned for in the first place before worldly things to note that the things of the world should be subservient to spirituall things These are four Rules which if you observe you will not use the world abusively And thus I have gone over the Doctrinall part of this Subject I shall only speak a word or two by way of application and so have done Use 1. Is it so that we ought not to abuse the lawfull comforts of this life then by way of reproof this Doctrine layes from God a just blame and rebuke upon all those that do abuse the things of this world It is lawfull formen to eat and drink and enjoy the comforts of this life but you must not abuse them to excess to gluttony or drunkenness c. 2. By way of exhortation There is none of you that live in the world but you must some way or other make use of the world my great request therefore is that you would use the world as not abusing of it and to prevail with you herein I shall lay before you severall Considerations but the time being now past I shall reserve them to another time SERM. XIV 1 Cor. 7.31 And they that use this world as not abusing of it for the fashion of this world passeth away THere is yet something behind by way of use from this Doctrine That Christians in the use of lawfull things must take heed that they do not abuse them which I shall finish this morning and leave the inducement because the fashion of this world passeth away till the after noon Use The uses that I shall make of it are only two 1. By way of caution and 2. By way of exhortation 1. Is it so that Christians should be carefull in the use of lawfull comforts not to abuse them but so to use the world as if they used it not then beloved take these few cautions along with you Caution Caution 1. If you must not abuse worldly things then much more ought you to take heed that you do not abuse spirituall things in your use of them You must be carefull that your practises be answerable to your Professions and not profess much and practise little Do not make Religion a Cloak to impiety You use to come to Church and frequent the Ordinances of God but take heed that you do not abuse this practise and make it a Cloak to cover some secret villany or impiety Do not abuse the word of God nor use thy tongue to scoffe and jeer at the Scriptures do not abuse your gifts nor graces nor contemn and despise those that want them If a man be carefull not to abuse an Iron tool or Instrument he will be much more carefull that he does not abuse a silver or a golden one if you must not abuse things of an inferior and baser nature then much more should you not abuse things of a higher and more excellent nature If you must not abuse worldly things then much lesse spirituall things therefore abuse not Ordinances abuse not Sacraments nor Sermons nor the means of grace by living unfruitfully and unprofitably under them 2. Take this caution that these advices of the Apostle to weep as if we wept not to rejoyce as if we rejoyced not to buy as if we possessed not are not to be extended to any spiritual performances but only to outward things The Apostle does not bid you weep for sin as if you wept not neither doth he bid you rejoyce in God and Christ as if you rejoyced not nor does he bid you use spirituall things as if you used them not and buy the things of God as if you possessed not there are many men that in the use of worldly things will rejoyce as if they were made up of nothing but joy and mirth and as if all their blisse happiness did consist in these outward comforts and many there are that can almost dissolve into tears for outward losses troubles or afflictions but when they come to rejoyce in spirituall things they can then rejoyce as if they rejoyced not and in mourning for sin they can weep as if they wept not and use the things of God as if they used them not Oh how opposite and contrary do men go to the rule of the blessed Apostle here they can pray as if they prayed not they do not pray even while they are a praying Men should use a moderation and indifferency in the things of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but you should not do so in spirituall things but in them you must pray as if you were praying as 't is said of Elian James 5.17 and powre forth strong cries to God and hear the word of God as if you were a hearing of it and do every duty with your whole strength and might Use Exhorta ∣ tion Vse 2. Let me perswade you by way
made to promote their Creators glory yet they are made to be instruments of his dishonour and subjected to the lusts of wicked men and therefore consider of it when thou dost abuse the Creatures to excess either in drunkennesse or gluttony or pride if it were possible those Creatures would sigh and groan that they are thus necessitated to serve thy lusts which should be instruments of their Creators glory 7. Consider that by abusing the lawfull blessings you enjoy you provoke the Lord to take away those blessings from you As in Hos 2.8.9 saies God there because I gave thee Corn and wine and Oyl and silver and gold and thou hast abused them therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness the abuse of mercies does many times provoke God to strip us of them we see by experience that many that abuse their wealth and Estates come to beggery before they die and many that abuse their wits become very fools 8. To disswade you from the abuse of lawfull blessings consider that such practises will nourish in your hearts security and carelesness in preparing for the coming of Christ to judgement Mat. 24.38 Luke 17.27 As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be also in the dayes of the Son of man they did eat they drank they married wives they were given in marriage untill the day that Noe entred into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all and as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded till it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed Beloved many of you have your hands and heads and hearts so full of the world that you are secure and heedless in preparing for the last day at least in preparing for your last day the day of your death 9. Consider that by abusing the Creatures you force them to do that which by naturall instinct they have no inclination or promptitude to do in Rom. 8.19 The Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly that is the Creature is imployed in vain and sinfull uses not by its naturall instinct or by the Creatures naturall inclination but unwillingly thy hand that is imployed in any sinfull action or thy leggs that carries thee to a Stage-play or thy tongue that is an instrument of lying or swearing c. they do not do these things willingly or by naturall instinct they are not enclined to do it but rather to set forth their Creators glory The Sun does not willingly shine to give light to wicked men to deceive and oppress their Neighbours in their Shops No Creature does give a willing consent to be imployed to his Creators dishonour the Creatures are made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope that is in hope that alwayes the Creature shall not be thus subject to wicked men and instrumentall to their sin and of their Creators dishonour The Creature is subjected in hope to be some time or other freed from this burden of being made use of by wicked men to Gods dishonour 10. Consider that you cannot use the things of the world long and therefore you should use them well this is the Argument in the text It remains Brethren saies the Apostle the time is short therefore let him that weeps be as if he wept not and he that rejoyceth as if he rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed not and those that use the world as not abusing of it why because your time is short you cannot enjoy them long and therefore you should use them well And thus beloved I have done with these Apostolicall Directions there now remains behind only the reasons or motives why we should not use the things of this world abusively because the fashion of this world passeth away Why must we weep as if we wept not and rejoyce as if we rejoyced not and buy as if we possessed not and use the world as not abusing of it why because the fashion of this world passeth away The fashion of this world The word signifies a mathematicall figure as hath been noted which is a meer notion and nothing in substance such a thing is the world all the pomp and glory and honours or riches and greatness of the world they are all fading vanishing comforts they are continually passing away like the gliding stream The fashion of this world The word saith another Authour signifies such a fashion as is in a Comedy or Stage-play where all things are but for a while to please the eye A man acts the part of a King that is but a Beggar so all the comforts and glory and honours of the world they are passing away like the water of a River they are continually running away from you Budaeus reads it deceiveth as an ignis fatuus Doct. I should in the first place handle these words in a relative consideration as a reason why we must use the world as not abusing of it because the fashion of this world passeth away and fom thence you may observe That the serious consideration that all the comforts and blessings of this world soon passe and fade away should be a strong motive to Christians not to set their hearts upon them Doct. 2 Who would set his heart upon that which so quickly passeth away as the running water posteth swiftly away so the things of the world are soon gone and therefore this should provoke Christians not to abuse them but to use them well seeing they are passing away But I had rather handle the words as an intire proposition of themselves and then the Doctrine from them will be this That all the comforts and conditions of this world are passing away from us even while they are with us This is the Doctrine I shall spend an hower upon in the afternoon SERM. XV. 1 Cor. 7.31 For the fashion of this world passeth away THe fashion of this world passeth away The observation from these words was this that all the comforts and contentments of this life are passing away from us even while they are with us They are of â—…ansitory and fading nature Beloved that I may a little work this generall point upon your affections I shall first shew you that this is a truth and then draw some practicall inferences from it and so finish this Text. That all the things of the world are posting away from us while they are with us I shall manifest unto you by these 3. or 4. demonstrations 1. It appears to be so by an induction of particulars All the comforts of this life are passing away from us while they are with us if you look upon all conditions