Son through the Spirit with nothing but a state of grace and salvation and the fruition of God All that worth which silver and gold and such worldly things have is not so much in their own nature as from our esteem or from some outward humane appointment but we can never thus make them equally excellent with our selves 'T is true by a wilful slavery to sin we may as the Prophet speaks Jerem. 6. 30. turn our selves into brasse and iron and reprobate silver we may unman and unchristian our selves we may undervalue and debase our Souls blotting out the image of God and writing upon them the superscription of earth and the world Thus indeed the Epicure may greatly delight in sensual pleasures and the ambitious mind in flattering titles and the frothy wit in abusive lightness Thus 't is true carnal and worldly things to carnal and worldly hearts may become but too sutable dear and precious But the desires of a gracious heart are after higher and better things For every faithful Christian considers that God hath made even our bodies upright and our faces lifted from the earth that we might conceive how far from it our heaven-born Spirits should be elevated towards himself and Christ and heavenly Glory which are therefore most excellent because most proportionable and sutable to our Souls in their utmost capacities 5. And lastly the worthlesness of the world appears by its unprofitableness As Samuel said to the people 1 Sam. 12. 20 21. Turn ye not aside from serving and following the Lord for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit because they are vain Too many indeed are ready to think the profits of the world worth their gaining even by the loss of their consciences of heaven and God himself And as for those who make conscience of their waies and endevour to walk circumspectly closely and humbly with God who scrupulously forbear prophane rash oaths and idle discourse who are sensible of the least secret sin who avoid what they can all occasions and appearances of evil who withstand the corruptions of the times and places they live in though they gain less in the world these are often accounted such as know not what is best for themselves But S t Paul assures us that such Godliness with contentment is the truest gain whereas the world when you have spent all your thoughts and the labour of your lives upon it though it may further you in some lesser respects yet it cannot profit you in the main thing necessary It cannot procure us the favour of God who regardeth not the rich man more then the poor for they are all alike the work of his hands He accounts of all not according to their meanness or greatness but according to their real piety and goodness Prov. 19. 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity then he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool Prov. 28. 6. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness then he that is perverse in his ways though he be rich Observe They are the poor that walk in their integrity that know love and serve God not that kind of poor who are grossely ignorant and neglectful of God and who lead sensual sloathful and heathenish lives though they above others might be most easily convinced of the emptiness and unprofitableness of the world and so have greater care of their Souls salvation seeking out after God in Christ to supply their Spiritual necessities that it may be better with them in the life to come Again the world cannot ease the pain of an afflicted conscience nor can it give us the grace we want Ordinarily 't is so abused that it makes people not more thankful but more forgetful of God nor doth it as it ought draw their hearts nearer to God but sets them at a further distance from him nor doth it make them more humble but more haughty nor more constant and sincere in duties but more unfit for any good word or work Nor can the world profit us in the day of wrath When the sinful pleasures of youth are ended by sickness age or death what can be left but the worm of conscience bred out of them to torment the Soul for ever Have you not sometimes considered with your self how soon the world and its pleasures will turn you off How can you but now and then take notice of your own frailties which tell you how certainly and shortly you must lie down in the dust Do you not sometimes go to the house of mourning or stand by dying people confessing the world to be nothing worth and complaining of the losse of their time and strength spent upon it And do you not see how little it doth for them in their greatest need Oh therefore let this prevail with us to prize our Souls above the world let this with what hath been considered in the foregoing particulars make us set as light by it as it doth or will do by us Let us henceforth make Christ our treasure and count it our happiness to honour and worship him as we ought to do Let us make God our portion and sit down content with him alone and let them who can get no better take the world and the pleasures of it Having now seen what it is to gain the world and the worthlesness thereof though gained we are in the next place to consider what it is to lose the Soul and the preciousness of that if lost As to the losing of the Soul the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred to lose signifies to have a mulct or punishment inflicted and so may import not only the fatal final losse or damnation of the Soul but also any losse or damage that belongs to it here or hereafter 1. Therefore to lose the Soul is to lose ones self A mans Soul is the principal part of himself and so it is in S t Luke ch 9. 25. What is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself Soul and body too and be cast away 2. To lose the Soul implies a being deprived of all further opportunities and seasons of grace of all virtuous and gracious endowments which are as the life of the Soul When Christ calls by death or Judgement they that like the foolish virgins have not oyl in their lamps and their lamps trimmed that have not their Souls adorned with the saving graces of his Spirit they shall not enter with him Having waited so long already and all in vain he will now stay no longer till they go and buy for themselves but will shut the door of mercy against them for ever 3. The losing of the Soul implyes the losse of all such earthly enjoyments as sensual hearts love and prize above their Souls and for which they undoe themselves for ever Oh who can express the wretchedness of such people when they shall stand before the Judgment seat of God to
thankful for But as they are abstracted from God and inordinately loved sought and trusted in so they have this five-fold vanity which is but too easily discovered in them namely their unsatisfactoriness their commoness their deceitfulness their unsuitableness and unprofitableness 1. That which speaks the little worth but great vanity of worldly things is their unsatisfactoriness Ahab had the possession of a wealthy Kingdome and yet for want of Naboths vineyard only how was he heart-sick so as to take no content in all his other enjoyments 1 Kings 21. 4. In like manner to what a wonderful height of dignity and earthly happiness was Human advanced and yet how did so inconsiderable a thing as the want of poor Mordecaie's knee damp all the delights of his proud heart Esther 5. 11 12 13. Knock at the door of the Choicest earthly possessions and they will tell you one by one sufficiency is not in me The creature if parted from God is empty and the Soul too and what fulness can be had by adding one emptiness to another Many a poor man hath thought if I had but enough to supply such necessaries and discharge such debts how chearfully would I serve the Lord without distraction and not care so much for the world any more But when these desires have been granted they have found themselvs still unsatisfied being ready now to thirst as much after fulness as before after necessaries It is God only who is All-sufficient both as to his own happiness and our satisfaction Gen. 17. 1. It is Christ the uncreated Wisdome Prov. 8. 21. Who fills the treasures of those that love him and causeth them to inherit substance And if he do not make God ours as well as the creature our condition will be but like theirs mentioned Haggai 1. 6. Ye have sown much and bring in little Ye eat but ye have not enough Ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye clothe you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes Solomon that was so rich to compass all worldly accommodations and so wise to find out what was best in them to be enjoyed after a full experience tells us that if they lead not to God they will be but vanity and vexation of Spirit 2. How doth the Commonness of these worldly things abate the value of them Eccl. 9. 1 2. They come alike to all and none can certainly know by them either love or hatred whether they be the friends or enemies of God You cannot say God gives me poverty therefore he hates me or he gives me riches therefore he loves me such conclusions are weak and deceitful For the good may be afflicted as well as the bad and sometimes undergoe the heaviest burden of earthly trouble Luke 16. 15. And on the other hand the wicked may flourish for a while as well as the righteous and sometimes enjoy the greatest measure of worldly prosperity Psal 17. 13 14. Renewing grace is a certain sign of Gods favour and a special distinguishing mercy and therefore highly to be esteemed and earnestly sought after but outward comforts common natural gifts and acquired abilities as a fair estate an healthful body a faithful memory a quick understanding a ready utterance or the like these though blessings in themselves yet are but blessings of the left hand such as are given to the heathen Idolater as well as to the Christian Worshipper to the clean and unclean to him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not And therefore this their commonness shews much of their vanity and worthlesness 3. How is there in worldly things a vanity of deceitfulness which also speaks them less valuable How many people come to the world as to a lottery looking for a prize but go away cheated with a blank How often doth the world by promising much and performing little first abuse our Judgements and then frustrate our hopes and expectations Have you not sometimes found creature-confidences like the trusting in the Staff of a brokenreed whereon if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it Isa 36. 6. Have you not sometimes enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season and flattered your self with the long continuance of them Whereas that season is gone and never returns again Can you not remember what happiness you may have promised your self in such a friend such a purchase such a preferment but some unexpected disappointment or other some Crosse or other hath much imbittered them unto you and lessened your comfort in their enjoyment The mutability of the world is the great deceit of it which that we may avoid let us duly consider what the Apostle hath written 1 Tim. 6. 6 7 8 9 10 17 18 19. And again 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Oh let us not suffer our selves to be imposed upon counting that to continue long which he according to the experience of all tells us shall abide but a short while and then passe away Oh let us not think with them Isa 56. 12. what carnal delights we will have this day and to morrow much more abundant Oh let us not say with him S t Luke 12. 19 20. Soul take thine ease eat drink be merry thou hast much goods layd up for many years Least we be awakened with that terrible voice of God saying as unto him Thou fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Why should we inordinately set our hearts and affections on that which is not for as Prov. 23. 5. Riches honours pleasures make themselves wings and fly away When we think our selves most sure of them when we trust most in them when by the abuse of them we are become most proud stomackful secure and negligent of Gods service then are we most sadly deceived then the wing of prodigality of oppression of casualty sweeps them from us or else the wing of death carries us away from them in a moment But suppose the world to perform more then it promiseth and that we could be sure of it for a very considerable while yet have we not immortal Souls to provide for Have we not matters of life or death to look after And what can all the world be to this Oh therefore how nearly doth it concern us to lay up in store for our selves a sure foundation for the time to come to anchor our Souls upon Christ the rock of ages who will never deceive us and not to hazard them for any thing in this worthless because deceitful and changeable world 4. That which further shews the worthlesness of the things of the world is their vanity of unsutableness in respect of the precious Soul Those are corporeal and fading this is spiritual and immortal Those are limited and finite beings this a substance of unbounded desires and can be fully satisfied with nothing but communion with the Father and the
hopes of a little sordid gain or pleasures mayst thou not remember how deeply thou makest thy own and others Souls guilty of abundance of sin vanity and prophaneness and then think how dear bought thy mirth would be if that nights laughter should as it may for any thing thou knowest end in weeping and gnashing of teeth As also how little gainer thou wilt be when thou hast staked and lost if not the maintenance of thy family yet thy time reputation and the credit of religion and therewith the favour of God the peace of thy conscience and the happiness of thy Soul 4. Moreover how powerfully should the same consideration perswade each one to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the spirit 1 Pet. 2. 11. As also 5. not to covet to be rich in a sinful way because they that do so fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. And again Jerem. 17. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool The next temptation that comes to draw thee like Esau Judas Ahab or Achan to gain some little trifle or to get some swinish pleasure Thy conscience may tell thee that if thou dost deliberately commit such a sin thou dost at the same time wilfully in a manner sell or pawn thy Soul which is of so great value or at the best dost for a small matter most sadly venture the loss of it For thou knowst that the sin is damning in its own nature and thou canst not tell but thou mayst dye with the guilt of it upon thy conscience being thou canst not tell whether God will give thee time or an heart to repent of it or no. Which of us should not be afraid to consent to any wilful sin if we verily thought we should dye presently upon the doing of it Should the Tempter offer us all the Kingdomes of the world as a reward of our iniquity surely we should see sufficient reason like our Saviour to refuse to fall down and worship him or any ways to yield unto him considering that by dying instantly upon the deed done we might lose a Soul as our Saviour tells us more precious then the world Or as in an ancient inscription upon a certain monument in this Land Who so him bethoft Inwardly and oft How hard it were to flit From bed unto the pit From pit into pain That nere shall cease again He would not do one sin All the world to win If therefore tempted to any of the fore-mentioned evils or any other think seriously with thy self would I now do this if I were to leave this world presently and my Soul call'd to an account as soon as it is done And then think further with thy self that thus it may be for ought thou knowest for thus in Gods just judgment it hath been with many a one Many like Belshazzar Elah or Amnon have dyed in the midst of their drunken Cups Dan. 5. 6. 1 Kings 16. 9 10. 2 Sam 13. 26. More like Corah and his company have been swept away in their rebellious courses either against Minister or Magistrate Others like Zimri or Cozbi have been smitten with death in the act of their uncleanness Not a few have begun frivolous and malicious law-suits and dyed in the prosecution of them In some peoples mouths a lye a curse or a rash oath have been their last words In other peoples lives a fraud or oppression have been their very last actions Christian Reader surely this should lay a constant restraint upon thee and make thee watchful against all vicious practices least thou be tempted so to sin against thy own Soul at any time that on the morrow it will be too late to repent thee of it least on any worldly account for a thing of nought thou hazard thy Soul more worth then a thousand worlds Oh resolve henceforth stedfastly with thy self however tempted to any destructive wickedness of life by Gods assistance to keep thy precious Soul safe and innocent whatever thou gettest or whatever thou losest in this worthless and perishing world Use 3. Is the Soul so precious and the loss of it so dreadful Let this then be further improved to make every faithful Christian watchful against errour in Judgment as well as against wickedness of life and conversation Heresies are reckoned by the Apostle among the works of the flesh Gal. 5. 19 20. And some are said to be damnable 2 Peter 2. 1 2 3. and 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness This Use much concerns thee if thou livest near or among Seducers who by their often gainsaying in private what thou hearest in publick by their interest and familiarity with thee by their seeming piety and sheeps-cloathing by their confident assertions and proud pharisaical boastings by their cunning reasonings their fair flattering words or their terrible threats would bear thee down from truth and unity But to keep safe thy Soul be intreated to these few things 1. Forget not how errour leads to schism and separation which is full of horrible impiety For is not schism or causless dividing from the congregations of Christian people a breach of peace and so a violation of the very Testament of our Lord St John 14. 27. As also of love and so a disowning the Chief badge whereby Christs disciples are known from the infidel world S t John 13. 35. Is not schism further a subdividing of the Church into factions and parties who expose and discover each others infirmities to the wicked and to the common adversary so that they are scandalized and entertain hard thoughts of religion and of God the Authour of it and are prejudiced against all the perswasions of the Gospel though designed for their own good Oh how heavy an account will such discredit of religion such dishonour of God such frustrating of Christs Gospel-designs and the miscarriage of such a multitude of Souls amount to Again is it not schism and division that lessens the Common strength by dispersing it into many smaller societies Did those who withdraw from us joyn with us and strengthen our hands as they may do and be never the lesse holy but the more we might hinder more evil and more convince the ungodly and do much more good But now separating from us and speaking all the evil they can against us and against what