the world 157 2 Because he delights to exercise the graces of his Saints ib. 3 That his power and wisdom may appear the more glorious 158 Application Use 1 There is a happiness beyond the things of this world 159 Their world called 1 An evil world 160 2 The Devil is called the god of it ibid 3 The pomp of it is not of the Father ibid 4 Its glory is but darkness ibid 5 It knows not God 161 6 It lies in wickedness ibid PSALM 17. 14. TEXT Opened 295 Doctrine There are men to whom God gives some outward good for a while and this is all they are like to have 298 Arguments of Gods love to Saul 1 He was chosen by God Himself c. 300 Explication 1 Why God deals out something to wicked men 304 1 They are His Creatures ib 2 Their time of life is Gods patience ibid 3 It is their day 305 4 They do something for God here ibid 5 To shew them what little good is in this world 306 6 He hath time enough to manifest his justice upon them hereafter 307 7 He shews what great things He hath reserved for His Children 308 8 God fetcheth glory from hence ibid 1 To harden their heart 309 2 To chasten his own people ibid 9 Because he would have no argument of love or hatred drawn from outward things ibid 2 Here is all they are like to have 310 1 Because their names are not in the book of life ibid 2 They are vile in the eyes of God ibid 3 Because they chuse it themselves 311 4 They are sutable to them 313 5 They abuse the portion they have 314 6 They have no interest in Jesus Christ ibid 7 They are no sons 316 8 The manifestation of Gods patience is ended ibid 9 They must have imediately to deal with God 317 3 Corrollaries flowing from hence 1. This is the reason why worldly men are so cunning in things of this world 318 2 This is the reason why so many great ones regard Religion so little 319 3 This is the reason of the stir that is in the world to maintain this their Portion 328 4 What kind of Portion this is that the men of the world have 1 What poor things they are 329 1 They are but imaginary ibid 2 Of a low nature 330 3 But a poor pittance 331 4 It will vanish 332 5 It will stand with the hatred of God 333 2 The tenure by which thou boldest them 335 Opened in 4. things ibid 3 There is a great deal of mixture in what you have 336 1 Of trouble ibid 2 Of curse ibid 4 What Portion thou losest by it 337 1 It is fit for the Spouse of Christ ibid 2 Sutable to an Heir of Heaven ibid 3 It is the height of happiness 338 4 It is Gods great design in making Heaven and Earth ibid 5 It requires the infinite power of God to support a creature in it ibid 6 It remains to eternity ib 5 What is like to be thy end ib 1 Perplexity of spirit when death comes 339 2 You 'l be called to account for all 340 3 A dreadful Portion at the day of Judgment ib. 5 Who the man is that hath his Portion in this world 1 God gives him nothing but what belongs to this life 341 2 By the working of your hearts about your Portion 342 1 Whether your hearts terminate in what you enjoy ibid 2 Whether they go out in full strength to them 343 3 How the loss of them take thy heart ibid 4 Whether they only be sutable to thy heart 344 5 What thou accountest thy cheefest good ibid 6 What you strive to make most sure 346 7 What thou most admirest men for ibid 8 What thou art careful to lay up for thy children ib. 9 Examine thy services in 3 Particulars 1 Are they slight 347 2 Hypocritical 3 Forced 10 Doest thou draw back in Religion ibid 11 Doth God for the present curse thy portion ibid 12 Doth God convince thee of what stops the current of his mercy ibid 13. He spends his daies without fear of being put off with the things of this world 348 6 Exhortation 1 To those that have evidences of a better portion 349 1 Bless God for it 349 2 Be content with it ibid 3 Envy not wicked men ib. 4 Mind higher and better things 350 2 To all to put on for another Portion 351 Motive 1 Ye are capable of it 352 2 Ye are in a fair way for it ib Means 1 Be stir'd with the fear of God 353 2 Take off your hearts from outward comforts ibid 3 Set the glory of Heaven and Eternity before your eyes 354 4 Honor God with your substance here ibid 5 Let your services be choice services 356 6 Be willing to cast away what you have sinfully got ibid 7 Be willing to joyn with those that suffer for God 358 Conclusion ibid READER Thou hast here the Names of the Books that are lately published of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs As also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded VIZ. 1. An Exposition with Practical Observations on the 4 5 6 7. Chapters of HOSEA 2. A Treatise of EARTHLY MINDEDNES Wherein is shewed 1. What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The great evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. verse Also to the same Book is joyned a Treatise of Heavenly-mindedness and walking with God on Gen. 5. 24. And on Phil. 3. 20. 3. The rare JEWEL of Christian CONTENTMENT on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein is shewed 1. What Contentment is 2. It is an holy Art and Mysterie 3. The Excellencies of it 4. The evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Agravations of it 4. GOSPEL-WORSHIP on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed 1. The right manner of the Worship of God in general 2. And particularly in Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper And Prayer 5. GOSPEL-CONVERSATION on Philip. 1. 27. Wherein is shewed 1. That the Conversation of Beleevers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2. Beyond those that lived under the Law 3. And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those Men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17. 14. All which are published by Thomas Goodwin Sydrach Simpson William Greenhil William Bridge John Yates William Adderly All printed by Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhil at the Royal Exchange in LONDON GOSPEL Conversation PHILIPPIANS 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ THE Apostle in the 23. verse of this Chapter we find to be in a straight what to do whether to be willing to live or to die for his own inclination or desire it was rather to die because then he should be with Christ which was best of all A notable Scripture to prove the Immortallity of the soul For if so be the soul did die with the body it
Lord speaks now to the consciences of those that this point concerns that have been negligent in the point of their Conversation thou art the man or woman that God hath as great dishonor from as from most in the world yea certainly there is no men upon the face of the earth that darkens the glory of the blessed God so much as professors of Religion who live loosly al the prophane ones all your drunkards that reel up and down in the streets and your blasphemers yea name what sinners you will there is non that do darken the glorie of God so much as thou doest who art loose in thy Conversation and yet a professor of the Gospel thou castest dirt upon the blessed Image of God thou doest as much hinder the designe that God hath in the world as any men whatsoever thou standest against the great works that God hath to do in the world Oh wretch that thou art what is this a time to be loose and wicked in There was never a time that the Conversations of the professors of Religion were so pried into as now and never a time since Christian Religion was professed upon the earth that the loose Conversation of Professors have done more hurt and I verily beleeve never a time wherein there were more loose Professors If so be that our fore-fathers that were godly and holie and kept strict with God were now alive again they would spit in the faces of manie that would think themselves eminent Professors of Religion because of the looseness of their Conversations And this is the worst that they can all put it upon Christ and the Doctrine of Christ but of that we shall speak more when we come to shew how our Conversation must be as becomes the Gospel of Christ Certainly it is that that is quite opposite to the Gospel of Jesus Christ The Lord rebuke thee this day and let this point be as a dart in thy liver thou art the man that livest in this generation as if thou wert born to do mischief no men live so as if they were born to do mischief as the Professors of the Gospel that live looslie in their Conversations If I should give a mark of a man that were born on purpose to do mischief it 's that man that lives in these times and walks looslie What doest thou convince wicked men and stop the mouthes of wicked men Oh no thou hardenest them and openest their mouthes nay all the scorns of Religion thou art charged with and shalt be brought to an account for it I say such as live looslie in their Conversations they shall be one day charged for all the scorn that is cast upon the profession of Religion and for all the opposition of it and for all the persecution of it and for all the dishonor of it it is because of you you harden the hearts of wicked men that they think they do God good service in following and persecuting such and such men so forward in Religion for they think they are all like to you what care they for mens talking and profession when they see your Conversation loose and wicked therefore they be hardened by you and the Saints they fare the worse for you they are ashamed of it when they go in the streets and meet with some of their acquaintance Oh say they Do you not know such a one what he did such a week in his house how false he was and how he plaid the knave What! one that would go in a morning to hear and rise early in the winter time and take so much pains and yet do such and such things it casts a mighty scorn upon all professors of Religion and upon the Ministers of the Gospel and the waies of the Gospel all I say is scorn'd and contemn'd and men be hardned against it meerly for thy Conversation and it may be some that were coming on and began to think that the profession of Religion was the way to Heaven and for them to be more strict than they were and to enquire after the waies of God more than before and to attend upon the Ministry of the Word but since they heard of such a miscarriage such loosness in such a ones Conversation their hearts rise against it and they blesse themselves from such a way God blesse me say they from such waies If this be the fruit of their profession and of their talking of Religion to do thus and thus So that thou provest to be a stumbling block that others stumble at and perish by and dost thou think that they stumbling and perishing at thy sins that thou shalt go scot-free Canst thou think that thou that art a means to send so many to Hell that thou shalt not go thither thy self Certainly there 's no men in the world that are the causes of sending so many to Hell as such as live loosly in their Conversations when they make profession of Religion Canst thou have any evidence to thy soul that there is any work of grace in thee and yet live looslie Oh! Christ and His Gospel will scorn such as thou art such wicked loose ones thou art a dishonor to Jesus Christ a dishonor to the Gospel and I may say of thee that dost so as it was said of Judas It had been happy if thou hadst never been born especially to be born in these times But we shall meet with these again when we come to the point in the particulars how we should walk as becomes the Gospel this is but only in the general for such as are loose in their Conversations for certainly this must be granted as an everlasting rule That that man or woman which makes not conscience of every thing in their Conversations makes conscience of nothing if there be anie that upon deliberation and knowing this or that to be sin beforehand and yet for by and base ends will sin to get monie or the like and so think to gain or free themselves from some trouble by going against their light and that upon deliberation let that man or woman know that they can have no evidence that they ever made conscience of anie one thing He that breaks one Commandement breaks all and there is such a bond in the Commandements and conscience doth knit the bond so uniformlie that where there is one bond thus broken the truth is all is broken Knowest thou not saith Saint James Oh vain man what doest thou talk of faith if there be no works thou art a vain man and thou doest deceive thy self Certainlie those men that are loose in their Conversations if God doth not humble them and bring down their hearts they will grow in time not onlie to lose their profession as I said but to be enemies to those that are stricter than themselves that is when men have corrupt hearts and cannot get up to that height of strictness that others do they fall to persecute that way which is above
the world and as Christ saith Wo to the world because of offences so wo to the world because of this great offence Christs Kingdom being so spiritual hence it is that the world receives Him not in 1. John 10. And so in John 14. 17. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Mark the world cannot receive the spirit of Truth the world receives not Christ and it cannot receive the spirit of Truth If you speak of the world to men then they savor of those things come to a man and tell him of a good bargain on the Exchange he will listen to you and remember what you say but come and speak to him of the great things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ of the glorious priviledges of that kingdom only there 's a sound in the air and it passeth away and takes no impression at all on the heart of one that is carnal 1 John 4. 5. there you have this exprest fully the very guize and way of a carnal heart They saith the text are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them those that are of the world they speak of the world and discourse of the world and savor the things of the world and the world heareth them but now let a man come and tell them of things that are heavenly of a goodly Pearl of Jesus Christ they savor not those things and they hear them not Oh! 't is from hence that men come not into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ because it is not of this world What 's the reason that there are more comes into the Kingdom of Antichrist than into the Kingdom of Christ Revel 13. 3. The whol world wandered after the beast saith the text because they are of the world and Antichrist doth set up a worldly kingdom instead of Christs kingdom and men that are of the world they flock after Antichrist and hence it was that your great rich men in places where the Gospel hath not been they were Papists or Popishly affected so that therefore the Papists make outward prosperity to be one badge or sign of the true Church hence it is that Popery is so sutable to worldly hearts and the holy Ghost prophesied before hand that the whol world should follow Antichrist only here and there a few poor ones Jesus Christ chuses out of this world to follow him for His Kingdom is not of this world One Particular more in a word seeing the Kingdom of Christ is not of the world then a worldly heart is the most unbeseeming thing in one that professeth himself to be a Christian of any thing that can be in the world If Christs Kingdom be not there certainly thy heart should not be there Thou that professest thy self to be of the Kingdom of Christ which is spiritual and heavenly and yet thou a worldly earthly heart I say it is the most unbeseeming thing that possibly can be what for a Professor of Religion to have an earthly covetous worldly heart By that that I have already spoken in shewing the vanity and the evil of the world and the great evil of loving the world were enough to strengthen this use but now that that I intended should have been to speakesp ecially to those that are Christians that have hopes that God hath made them partakers of Jesus Christ and would be loth to lose their hopes in the good things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for 10000. worlds yet there doth remain much worldliness in their hearts to this day surely this not beseeming one of the profession that thou makest it is no honor unto thy King the Lord Jesus Christ worldly Professors they are great dishonors to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ when there shall appear no difference between those that we account to be men of the world and such as we hope are chosen out of the world Oh! how is Christ dishonored by this Look but upon the lives of Christians that profess Religion and one would think that the Kingdom of Christ were a Kingdom of this world rather than any thing else for I say to outward appearance though it may be Christ may see some integrity within the heart yet to outward appearance there is even almost no difference between them and the men of the world It doth become Christians to live so in their whol course as to make it appear that they are men and women above the world whose Conversations are in Heaven that they do beleeve the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that is not of this world SERMON III. JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world WHAT this Kingdom of Christ was and how different from the kingdoms of this world we have already opened unto you The fourth Use which we are to proceed in is If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world then of all dispositions a worldly spirit is most unsutable to those who profess themselves to be of the Kingdom of Christ Certainly then such as are Beleevers that are come under the Kingdom of Christ they must not be of earthly hearts We find the Apostle in the Epistle of the Ephesians doth rank Covetousness and Uncleanness together and saith of them both in the 5. Chapter 3. Verse Let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints So that a covetous heart after the things of the world it is such a disposition as it should scarce be named among Saints no more than whoredom they should abstain from it as from whordom as it becometh Saints It is the most uncomly thing for a Saint of God one of the Kingdom of Christ to have a covetous heart for the things of the world that possibly can be As it becomes them it doth not become you And Luther that was a great man for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ he is bold to profess it That of all sins he was scarce ever tempted to that sin he found nothing tending almost that way though it 's true there 's no sin but we have the seeds of it in our hearts but yet he found his spirit most above that worldly sin because he was so much taken up with Jesus Christ And indeed the more any soul is taken up with the excellency of Christ and with the glorious things of His Kingdom the more vile will the things of the world be to them We look not at the things that are seen saith the Apostle they are not things to be looked at But at the things that are not seen And in the 6. of the Gal. 14. ver The Apostle Paul that was the great man for the promoting of Christ in the world and the setting up of His Throne he professes That he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him That is he look't upon the world but as a crucified thing What esteem would you have of a man that is hanging upon a
gallows All the world was to him no otherwise was a thing crucified to him and he was crucified to the world the world cares not for me and I care not for the world I am quit with it that way and do as much slight and contemn the world and trample it under foot as the world slights and contemns me and tramples me under foot This should be the disposition of a Christian that is under the kingdom of Christ for now it is to converse with things of another nature And therefore you find that Christ He saith of those that are given to Him by the Father They are given unto Him out of the world John 17. 6. I have manifested thy Name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world No men have Christ manifested unto them but those whom the Father doth give Him out of the world Saith the Father Here 's so many of the world And there are a select company that I wil take out of this rude heap and mass of man-kind and I 'le give them to thee Take them and manifest thy self unto them If this be so that those that come under Christ's Kingdom are given unto Him out of the world then though they live in the world they should not live as of the world Secondly They are chosen out of the world John 15. 19. And they are delivered from the world by Christ Gal. 1. 4. And they are opposed to the children of the world Luke 16. 8 speaking of divers sorts of people and makes the distinction between one and another The Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light These two are opposed one to another the children of this world and the children of light are quite contrary one to another for indeed one is in the kingdom of darkness and the other in the Kingdom of light in the Kingdom of the dear Son of God you must be children of light others are children of the world it becomes a child of the world to follow after the things of the world but not the children of light You are chosen out of the world that you may be the light of the world So the Scripture speaks of the Saints That they should be the light of the world Philippians 2. 15. Now if they have as worldly hearts as others how can they be the lights of the world Oh! many that are Professors of Religion they are indeed but dark lanthorns they have a candle in them have some kind of knowledg but by their worldly Conversations they are made but as dark lanthorns that the light of knowledg and profession that they have is so darkned by it as none can see the beauty and excellency of Jesus Christ shining through them Thirdly Surely it is a very unbeseeming disposition in one that is under the Kingdom of Christ to be worldly for he is appointed to be one that shall judge the world another day In 1 Cor. 6. 2. The Saints shall judge the world Now there should be a great deal of difference between Judges and those that are judged by them if they be of the same disposition that the world is why should any be chosen out of the world to judge them Now all the Saints if they do beleeve themselves to be brought into the Kingdom of Christ they should look upon themselves as those that are appointed by God hereafter to judge the whol world and therefore they should not live so as the men of the world do but as Judges very precisely and strictly according to rule 4 ly It is required of them that they should hate their own lives in this world John 12. 15. Now if the Saints should be such as should see so much excellency in the Kingdom of Christ as to hate their very lives in this world then surely to look upon all things in this world as contemptible as hateful in comparison it is not meant Hate their lives that is Absolutely but in Comparison when any comfort or preservation of their lives in this world comes in the least competition with the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ They should look upon the comforts of their lives as a hateful thing and look upon the very preservation of their lives as a hateful thing shall I make my life comfortable with any hindrance unto the Kingdom of Christ Oh 't is that that my soul should abhor and so should I preserve my life with doing any thing that may be any prejudice to the Kingdom of Christ I should look upon the very suggestion to such a thing as that that my very soul doth abhor And we find in Scripture that it 's made an argument of apostasie of one that 's falling off from the profession of Christ to imbrace the world as it is said of Demas in the 2 of Tim. 4. 10. Demas saith Paul hath forsaken me but what is it that hath made Demas to forsake me he hath imbraced this present world So look upon many of your Professors of Religion such vs have been very forward in former times and Oh nothing but Christ in their mouthes they afterward begin to decline and wax worser and worser but observe them they imbrace this present world it is because of some honors and esteem some comforts riches estates that they would have or live at ease in this present world they cannot endure the hatred of the world So it was with Demas when he began to hear Paul he perceived that it was a great excellency to be one of Pauls followers Paul he wrought miracles and Demas I say thought it an excellent thing to follow Paul but after he had followed Paul a while he found that he was persecuted and he saw there was no preferment came in by Pauls preaching nothing but blows and imprisonments and scorns and contempt then Demas begins to bethink himself better and thinks he was mistaken I had thought that this Paul would have been a great man in the world one day and that by my following of him I should get great matters to my self but when he saw that all men were set against Paul and nothing but persecution was like to betide him and his Disciples Demas begins to bethink himself And is it not better for me to keep my credit and esteem in this world so Demas leaves him to shift for himself and therefore saith the Apostle Demas hath forsaken me and imbraced this present world This may be written upon every Apostates grave Here lies an Apostate that hath forsaken Jesus Christ and hath imbraced this present world But observe it and look upon those that were forward in Religion and now are not and see whether they have not more worldly hearts than before and give themselves up to honors and pleasures and profits Therefore it 's exceeding unbeseeming the Saints to have worldly hearts they will
and as for the other that 's but a meer legal thing for men to make conscience of duties and of their lives this is but legal but let them trust in Jesus Christ Christ hath done all what can we be saved by our lives hath not Christ done all Is there not righteousness in Him Let no man deceive you saith the Apostle If there be not a doing righteousness there is no righteousness in you He that doth righteousness is righteous You have nothing to do with the righteousness of Christ as your own applied yet unto you except you do righteousness therefore have a care of your Conversations that you may have evidence to your souls of the truth that there is in your hearts Secondly Have a care of your Conversations that you may continue and encrease that which is within you certainlie those that make profession of Religion and have not a care of their conversations they wil never continue in their profession mark that they may be a Comets a while blasing-stars but they will vanish within a little while you shall find that their profession will wear away where there is not a godly life together with profession profession will vanish and come to nothing their very common graces will be taken away from them if they have not a care of their lives but if they have a care of their lives they wil continue in the waies of godliness and grow up and encrease more and more Thirdly Have a care of your Conversations that you may get honor in the very consciences of men Quest Some will say Should we have a care of our Conversations that we may get honor Ans Yes truly a man may desire to have the testimony of the consciences of those that he lives withal it 's no matter for their talking this or that but that you may get into their consciences God gives you liberty for that Fourthly You by this means will be Instruments of a great deal of publick good if you live according to your profession otherwise no body will regard you you are reffuse no man will imploy you you will be contemn'd and slighted but when they see mens Conversations according to their profession everie bodie loves to make use of these men they know they shall find them faithful in whatsoever they are imployed and so they come to the Instruments of much publick good Fifthly You will further a joyful account against the great day for you must be call'd to account not only for your thoughts and the inward workings of your hearts but for whatever you have done in the flesh we must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to answer whatsoever is done in the flesh Oh be careful of your Conversations that so you may be able to give a comfortable accompt Sixtly and lastly Be careful of your Conversations in respect of your profession This should be the care of those that make profession that we may keep up the succession of the honor nor of Religion from one generation to another Heretofore there were some godly people that liv'd and they kept up in their generation the honor of the profession of Religion Wel-now we are upon the stage of the world and God looks upon us that we should in our generations keep up the succession of the honor of the profession of Religion and so afterward in another generation as men come upon the stage of the world and live here God expects succeeding ages should keep up the honor of the profession of Religion in their times And this one consideration might go to the very heart of ungodly men if they would mind it that it may be thou art the man or woman among others that keeps up in a continual succession enmity against God in the world do but consider of the difference between these two one mans Conversation is wicked and anothers is holy and gracious thou that livest wickedly this evil is charged upon thee that thou art the man that joynest in this work to keep up a continued succession of enmity against God in the world ever since Cains time there was an enmity against God and Cains posterity kept up the succession of it and so from one generation to another there hath been wicked men keeping up the succession of enmity against God and thou in thy generation art come to it and this it seems is thy work but now on the other side ever since Adams and Abels time there hath bin godly men in the world and in every generation some have kept up the honor of profession and now hath God been pleased to reveal his glorious Gospel to thy soul why now thou being careful of thy life and Conversation God imploys thee in this work to keep up the succession of the honor of profession in the world And this is a comfortable life indeed And thus we have done with the explication or the Point Now I shall only give you some passages for the Application of it Application Only saith the Apostle let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ Have a care of this above all things Oh you would fain get more knowledg and be accounted somebody in the place where you live and be an eminent professor where you live Well whatsoever you would fain be accounted of let it be your only care that your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ Oh! this point speaks bitter things and sharply rebukes the carelesness of the professors of the Gospel in point of their Conversation Oh Lord how have we cause to bewail the loosnesse of the professors of the Gospel at this day and I fear that some may be present whose consciences may tell them that they are very loose in the point of their Conversations Thou professest thou knowest Jesus Christ that the Lord hath made known the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel to thee What is thy life Canst thou say as in the presence of God that thy Conversation is answerable I beseech you as in the presence of God examin but this see whether thou art able to say Lord thou knowest according to what light thou hast given me in the Gospel it hath been my care to look to my Conversation Oh that I might live to thy honor and be a witnesse to thy truth that I might hold forth thy image and further thy designs and make up the dishonor that thou hast from others in the world and that I might convince wicked men and stop the mouthes of those that are opposite and that I might be a means to convert those that I live with or otherwise to judge them Oh that I might rejoyce the hearts of the Saints that they might lift up their heads with boldness because of me that they may and so I might be stablished and edified Go along in the rest of the heads Can thy conscience tell thee that thou hast done so No but it s quite contrary in some The
But that we shall come more fully to when we speak how our Conversations should be becoming the Gospel of Christ But I speak this in this point as a preparation to that especiallie to young Professors that have been wrought upon by the Word within these few yeers since there hath bin more freedom of preaching the Gospel and I verily beleeve that divers of you in this Congregation do know many young ones and others that have been wrought upon by the Ministrie of the Word that for the first yeer were verie exact and verie careful of their lives and verie punctual in every thing but you now see them begin to grow loose and wanton and vain in their Conversations Oh this is a sad and an evil thing If you would be careful of your Conversations observe this seventh Rule Be not onlie careful at the first work of God upon you when you begin to be enlightened but in the constant course of your lives Oh give me a professor of Religion that was wrought upon when he was a Youth or a young Maid and yet continues till they be old disciples in a constant way of holiness and strictness Oh! They are the most beautiful objects that are in the world to behold the Sun in the firmament is not so glorious as an ancient professor of Religion that hath continued constant in the waies of godliness from his youth that can say as good Obadiah once said 1 King 18. 12. I have feared the Lord from my youth and my conscience though it tell me of many failings and weaknesses yet my conscience excuseth me in this that I have endeavored with a good conscience to walk with God and without offence to man and not given way to my self in any way of loosness since God made known Himself to me Oh such may have an abundance entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and die with abundance of comfort But thus much for this first point That Christians ought to be careful of their Conversations We come now to the second and that is the main point in the Text. Let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ 2. Doct. Every kind of Conversation of professors is not enough it must rise to that height as must be sutable to the Gospel of Christ meet for the Gospel that they do profess That 's our point Now we shall come to the Particulars what Conversation it is that is meet for the Gospel of Christ I gave you the Heads in the opening of it But now I shall speak to them First That Conversation that is meet and becomes the Gospel of Christ must be a Conversation raised to a higher degree than the light of Nature will raise it That Conversation that is no higher than possibly may be raised by the light of Nature certainly that 's not a Conversation becoming the Gospel of Christ that 's beneath not fit for the Gospel of Christ As thus Suppose a man in his Boat here in the Thames rows very exactly I but this is not a work sutable to shew the skill of a Navigator of one that professes the art of Navigation it 's beneath that Why so To live exactly according to the light of Nature it is beneath the Conversation that becomes the Gospel of Christ if so be that a man should make his boast that he hath great skill in the art of Navigation And how will he shew this skill he will go into a Boat and there he will row over the Thames and by that you may see what a mighty Navigator he is this would be ridiculous to any man And so if one that professes the Gospel of Christ would manifest that he is a good Christian What doth he do the life that he lives it is no other than a man by the light of Nature may be enabled to this is even as ridiculous as the other 1. As now for instance The light of Nature that will teach this That we are to worship God the Heathens have worshiped God in their way 2. Yea the light of Nature will teach That we must live justly among men yea and that we must do as we would be done to This the light of Nature will teach Many of the Heathens have had that principle to be just with men to do as we would be done by The light of Nature condemns grosse sins of Drunkenness Adulterie Swearing c. I could give you many instances in the Laws of Heathens punishing those sins very severely and some of them with death 3. Yea the light of Nature will rise thus high That a man should be consciencious should make conscience of secret sins of sins that none in the world could know of or are ever like to know of As I remember sometimes I have told you of one of the Heathens that did but owe for a pair of shoos to a Shoo maker and no body knew it but only the Shoo-maker himselfe the Shoo-maker dies no body could challenge this of him yet his conscience would never let him be at quiet until he ran and threw the money into the shop and said Though he be dead to others yet he is not dead to me whereas he had a temptation to have kept it because no body could challeng it he knew it was not his he knew it was either the Childrens or Executors and so he restortd it Many particulars might be named to shew how far we might go by the light of Nature but now I only bring it in to this end to shew that if we would have our Conversations such as becomes the Gospel of Christ we must go beyond what ever anie have done by the light of Nature and yet Oh Lord how short do manie Professors of Religion come of this How manie that will profess they hope to be sav'd by Christ I suppose there is not anie one in this Congregation or if I should go to everie ones house that belongs to the Parish they would say they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ and yet what worship of God is there And what justice is there among men to do as they would be done by Nay this is a Rule that will examin manie professors of Religion and their consciences would tell them that in such and such things they would be loth to be dealt with as they deal with others And for gross sins manie Professors of Religion break out into them also for all are a kind of Professors of the Gospel at large Drunkards and Adulterers and Blasphemers and yet they will come and make profession of Religion and think it very much if they should be denied the Sacrament of the Bodie and Blood of Christ Why are they not Christians and their children Christians and yet must they not be Baptized And yet they are beneath Heathens Heathens will rise in Judgment against them And for conscienciousness in secret I appeal to everie one of your consciences are there no sins that
the world that we were in bondage to while we were children for though we were subject to Christ then yet we were but in our non-age and indeed in comparison of what we are in the times of the Gospel we were slaves rather than subjects we were then in bondage and then in Col. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Phylosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ after the rudiments of the world These rudiments of the world they had some reference as it appears in reading this Chapter unto the ceremonies of the Law and together with them there was mixture of mens own inventions they were the rudiments of the world not after Christ you do not acknowledge Christ to be a King when you worship him in a worldly way after the rudiments of the world As now for instance because men were wont to honor the Presence Chamber where the King sits when you go into it you are to be uncovered Now like unto that according to the way of the world men think that because they meet here for Religious ends to worship God that when they come as any time in the week into such a place as this is they must come uncovered now this is after the rudiments of the world you think to worship this King after the same way but his way of worship is no such low institution And as they bowed to the Chair of State and so they would bow with cap and knee to the Communion Table that they cal'd the Altar now these are according to the rudiments of the world but Christs Kingdom is not of this world His worship must be spiritual in Heb. 9. 1. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary Mark in the time of the Law it was but a worldly Sanctuary in comparison of what is now in the times of the Gospel those waies of worship though they were once appointed by God Christ the King of His Church in the new Testament would not have His homage tendered up by these waies of worship they were too worldly for Him then surely to have the inventions of men in the worship of Christ in the new Testament especially it is too worldly for Christ No it must be Divine and Spiritual he that worships must worship in spirit and in truth al that worship and homage we tender up to Jesus Christ we must look to have it spiritual and not worldly and so the Ordinances though they have something external as the Sacraments yet if we stick to the outward part we do not worship Christ as our King in a right way but we must be spiritual in all look upon the spiritual part in al Ordinances or else I say we do not tender up that homage to Christ that is due to Him as the King of His Church Sixthly Christs Kingdom is not of this world that is The Officers that Christ hath appointed for the government of His Church are not of this world are not to be of this world but they are all to be by Divine Institution Observe the difference in the Administration of Christs Kingdom and the worldly Kingdoms In the kingdoms of this world men may invent as many new Officers as they please they may errect new Officers in a State and Common-wealth But al the men in the world cannot errect any one new Office in the Church cannot make one new Officer otherwise than is in the Word we do not reade of any such name as Tryers there Now though we do not find Officers of States in the Word yet a Human Creation is enough as the Apostle cals it Be subject to every Ordinance of men You have it in Peter the word that is there translated Ordinance of men it is a Humane Creation In the Church there can be no new Officers created Christ hath made Pastors and Teachers Elders and Decons and Widdows in the Church and not any new sort can be added by all the men in the world And therfore it was heretofore as in Popery so in Prelacy they would errect a new kind of Religion as they cal'd it more spiritual and so made the Kingdom of Christ like unto the kingdoms of the world and thought that they had power to make as many new Officers in the Church as they pleased Certainly this was a derogation from the kingdom of Christ they made it too worldly A second difference in the Church-Officers from the Officers in the kingdoms of the world is this If once they be put into such a place in the Church they have the ful power of the place As supose now a Pastor or a Teacher hath as much power as any one Pastor or Teacher upon the face of the earth there cannot be a difference between one Officer and another of the same kind in the Church as in the State Now the State may limit their Officers as they please in some Countries they may make Justices of the Peace for one use and in another Country for another use they may limit them according as they please how they shall execute their places and when they must leave their Offices to others But in the Church one Pastor whatsoever he be hath as much power of Christ in him as any that live for as there can be no new Offices in this kingdom of Christ but by Divine Institution so there can be no limitation of their Office but according to the Institution of Jesus Christ So His Kingdom is not of this world It 's true if so be that the Magistrate shall come in by Law to help the Church so far as they shall come in to give Civil help to the Church they may appoint Officers to see that their power be not abused but not any that are properly Church Officers to administer any spiritual Ordinances in the Church but such as are by Divine Institution Seventhly The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world the weapons by which Christ doth fight with His adversaries to maintain His Kingdom are not the weapons of the world in that notable Scripture 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong bolds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Mark here 's the weapons of the Kingdom of Christ Christ brings into captivity every thought easts down strong holds whatsoever strong hold or high thing is lifted up against the Kingdom of Christ Christ hath weapons in His Kingdom to cast it down but saith he the weapons of our warfare there is a warfare they are not carnal but spiritual Christ in His kingdom He doth not appoint carnal weapons He gives not unto His Church weapons of the flesh to make men beleeve whether
they will or no. You will say If there be not such weapons that are outward to force men then all will be to no purpose it will be nothing Yes saith the Apostle Our weapons are not carnal but Spiritual and he answers that objection That men will not care for them if they do not come in an outward compulsary way by imprisonments and fyning and such kind of waies We speak not what power the Civil State hath but Christ hath committed no such thing to the Church as the Church and these weapons the Apostle speaks of though they be not carnal but spiritual yet they are mighty through God and the more spiritual they are the more mighty they are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth its self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The weapons What are they They are the two edged sword of the Spirit the Word of God in the Name of Christ and with the authority of Christ preached to the people in the Word of God binding men in a dogmatical way these are our Spiritual weapons Christ hath never appointed his Church to defend its self by carnal weapons the Church goes no further than Spiritual weapons it 's in the very text that I have read to you My Kingdom is not of this world Mark what follows What were the weapons Christ had to defend His Kingdom surely no worldly weapons My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were saith he of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from hence if my Kingdom were from hence I should have the like weapons to defend me as the Kings of the world have to defend themselves Q. You will say What 's the fighting and Wars for now May there not be Wars and fighting for the maintainance of Religion and the Kingdom of Christ A. Now to that I answer thus That the Church hath not these weapons as a Church they have only spiritual yea and were it that any Church of God were in any place where they had not a Civil Right to the exercise of their Religion then I confess meerly for their Religion when the Civil right of the State is against it if they should take up arms and fight for it I think they should go beyond the Commission of Jesus Christ they should trust Christ for His Kingdom and we find no Warrant in all the Book of God for to take up weapons meerly for the defence of Religion And therefore in the primitive times never took up weapons all their armor were prayers and tears Obj. But we do you 'l say now Are not our Wars for the defence of Religion Ans Now to that it 's cleerly answered thus Our Wars are for the defence of the Civil Right we have to the outward practice of our Religion and so by weapons we may defend our Civil Right that is if we live in such a State where we have Civil Right by the Laws of the Sate to the peacable enjoyment of our Religion if any shall come to disturb us then by the vertue of our Civil Right we may take up weapons to sight and defend our selves with I but this is not as a Church nor meerly for Religion for if now the Civil State should be so changed that the Supream Power should be against the waies of Religion yet for Civil things they would defend us but for the waies of Religion they were against us in it I confess in such a case for men that have no Civil authority at all to take up weapons to force any practice or way of Religion this would not be warrantable by Christ and by this we should fight for the kingdom of Christ by other weapons than ever Christ hath appointed but now when we have the Civil Power the Civil Magistrate may grant Civil Liberty and Civil Liberty for the outward practice of Religion and so we may defend such a Right as this for the peaceable practice of our Religion that none should come to force any other false Religion upon us But now the kingdom of Christ is not of this world the weapons of Christs kingdom are spiritual weapons and in those times when there were no outward weapons to defend the kingdom of Christ as in the Primitive times when all Civil States were against the kingdom of Jesus Christ Did it not thrive We are ready to say Al Religion will be taken away except there be such compulsary waies I do not say but there may be compulsion to keep men from mischieving of others in things that are against the foundation But now for the raising up of the Kingdom of Christ we know that when there was no compulsary waies yet the kingdom of Jesus Christ went on and flourished as much as ever it hath done since so that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world He hath not committed to His Church those weapons that are carnal all their weapons are weapons that are spiritual to prevail with the hearts and consciences of men and no further And if we did understand this aright it would mightily quiet our spirits and the more we did rest upon the weapons Christ hath appointed in his Word the more we did look into the Armory of the Gospel to find what weapons there are there against errors and abuses in his Church the more we should have the Kingdom of Christ prevail amongst us Eightly The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world that is the Priviledges of Christs kingdom are not worldly priviledges but Spiritual and Divine and Heavenly Priviledges Men that live in several kingdoms have several priviledges some in one way and some in another so every society of men and every kingdom have priviledges men that are subjects of such a Kingdom they have the priviledges that belong to such a kingdom We plead for many priviledges as we are the free born Subjects of England that the people have a right to by their freedoms being born free Subjects as those that are above them have a right to that power that they have So now in the kingdom of Christ there are some priviledges that those that are in the kingdom of Christ have that others have not As now When any man comes into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Oh he comes to partake of a great many excellent priviledges being once made a free Denizon in this Kingdom of Christ he comes to have a great many priviledges that others have not But of these I shall treat more particularly afterwards Ninthly The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world the penalties and punishments that Christ hath in his Church are not worldly I do not mean only external ones for they may be refer'd to that head of the weapons of Christ but we take them under another notion Those that are truly the Subjects of
certainly Apostatize if their hearts take deep root in the earth If you find your spirits so glewed to the things of the world that you know not how to part with them that you know not how to live in a place and not to have your neighbors love and respect and to honor you and to have the countenance of the times in which you live Do you find your hearts thus cleaving to the things of the world like the Serpent that dust you eat and upon your belly you go Know that thou hast a worldly heart thou art like to be an Apostate from the Truth of God ere long In the 2. of Titus 12. the Apostle saith That the grace of God that hath appeared to all men teaches them to deny all worldly lusts Oh my brethren let 's labor to walk worthy of our Calling into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 1 Thess 2. 12. There the Apostle with a great deal of earnestness speaks to the Thessalonians exhorting them that they would Walk worthy of God who hath called them into his Kingdom and Glory Are you converted to Christ you are called into this Kingdom walk worthy of Him And mark his earnestness in the verse before As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children We comforted you in shewing you the excellency of the Kingdom of God and the Priviledges of this Kingdom we exhorted you and we charged every one of you as a father doth his children And what did he exhort and charge them to it was this That they would walk worthy of God who had called them into his Kingdom and his glory Oh! 't is a great mercy that God hath revealed any thing of the Kingdom of his Son unto you walk worthy of it as it becomes those that are called to be the Subjects of such a glorious Kingdom as this is and above all things have a care and let me warn you of this worldliness in the hearts of the Saints Namely of a crafty cunning subtilness in the things of this life there is nothing more unbeseeming a Christian than a crafty cunning subtilness for the world many men bless themselves in this and they take abundance of content to think that by their craft and cunning sophistry they can fetch about things circumvent others so provide for themselves in this world I say there is nothing more unbeseeming a Christian than to be crafty and cunning in circumventing others and providing for themselves in the matters of this world In 1. Cor. 2. 12. saith the Apostle We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God it is that we have received There is many men you may plainly see that they have the spirit of the world that 's thus I have many times wondered at it some men come and speak to them about any matters of the Kingdom of Christ they speak so foolishly and childishly either they must hold their peace and say nothing or else if they do speak they discover so much ignorance and childishness that a man would wonder where the understandings of such men are that have liv'd so long a time in the world as they have done and heard so much of Religion and when one hears them speak so one would wonder how these men should have understanding to live in the world but now these in the businesses of the world they are as worldly politick no man can out go them there they can foresee all kind of dangers in any miscarriage and can judge of twenty things together in their thoughts and compare one thing with another see further into the world than other men so that a man would wonder sometimes I say when one hears them speaking of Religion whether these men have any wit or understanding but when one follows them in the things of the world you shall see them as witty as understanding as judicious and as cunning as any men almost can be they have received the spirit of the world and they are led by the spirit of the world the god of this world hath taken possession of them and it 's that that makes them so but they have not received the Spirit of Jesus Christ they may say quite contrary to the Apostle saith the Apostle we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of Jesus Christ they may say we have not received the Spirit of Christ but of the world it 's true Christ would have us so long as we live in the world to be as wise as serpents yet innocent as doves the wisdom that is for the promotion of the Kingdom of Christ it is a wisdom that hath an upright plainess in it and is according to the simplicity of the Gospel indeed when they have to deal with wicked men they may exercise a natural wisdom to avoid the dangers of persecution or to avoid the circumventing of wicked men but when they have to deal with spiritual things there the wisdom is that that holds forth a simplicity of the Gospel that is carried on with plainess and simpleness of heart The Hebrews have the same word that signifies a naked man and a cunning subtil man You shall find where it 's said of Adam and Eve they were naked nakedness of spirit and subtilty may stand together they signifie the same thing to shew what kind of subtilty should be in those that are the People of God it should be that that may stand with a naked spirit so as if God would discover the secrets of all their hearts to all the children of men that they should not be ashamed to have all their secrets to be opened to them But now the cunningness that is the cunningness of the serpent is such a cunningness as men if they were but laid open would quickly be ashamed of And so much of the fourth use that it is unbeseeming those that are of the kingdom of Christ to have the spirit of the world because Christs kingdom is not of this world 5. Vse Hence we see the reason of the meanness of the outward condition of the people of God in this world why is it that Christ hath so ordered things that the people of God should be so outwardly poor in this world My Kingdom is not of this world saith Christ Therefore why should any that come under my kingdom look for great things in this world they must look to have their comfort and glory in things that concern my Kingdom and not in the things of this world in Psal 73. 12. Behold those that are ungodly prosper in this world saith the Scripture As for men that are godly and come under the Kingdom of Christ they must look for a prosperity that is beyond this world God gives the earth to the children of men and to the men of the world Let them prosper saith God here 's their portion here 's
in opposing the Kingdom of Christ when as it is not of this world it is not that that doth intrench upon their worldly priviledges 8. Vse Hence this Kingdom if it be not of this world then it doth not depend upon 〈◊〉 world become of the world what will the Kingdâ—â— of Christ will go on Men are afraid Oh! if the Enemies should prevail and overcome and take away our Civil Rights Oh then the Kingdom of Christ what will become of that Let us not be too solicitous about that for the Kingdom of Christ is of another world there is no such dependance of the Kingdom of Christ upon the Kingdoms of this world but though they were broken the kingdom of Christ would subsist We indeed should labor to preserve our Civil Liberties as much as we can yea and our Civil Liberty in exercise of Religion in a War-like way and I should wonder that any should mistake in that when as this hath been so declared from the beginning of the War to this time that we may fight for the Civil Liberty we have to the peacable practice and profession of our Religion so far we may and that hath been the ground of our War had we indeed liv'd in such a Country as the Christians in 〈◊〉 primitive times where the Governors and the generâ—â—â—ty of the Country had been against it then indeed the taking up of Arms might have been very questionable but now when we live in such a place where our Civil Laws are for the protection of us in the practice of our Religion if any will come and disturb us we may take up Arms because we have a right to the profession of it by the Laws of the kingdom 〈◊〉 have to our Houses Lands and Estates but that by the way But that 's the thing I aim at in this use that though our Civil Right should be lost yet the kingdom of Christ would go on for all that Heb. 12. 28. this is a kingdom that cannot be shaken At those times when the Magistrates were the greatest enemies unto the kingdom of Christ yet even then the kingdom of Christ went on as fully as ever it hath done since that time but the Magistrates may be helps and there is a promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church but yet so it fell out that at the first when the Church was in its infancy that it did thrive as much when Magistrates and Civil Power was against it as ever it hath done since and thereby Christ would shew us that His Kingdom doth not depend upon this world but the Kingdom of Christ doth stand and will stand and it doth and will prevail to the end of the world The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it it shall be more than conqueror and this is a great comfort to the Saints 9. Vse If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world but of another then hence we collect the absolute necessity of living by faith Christians had need then have a principle of faith to live by for their greatest good is in things that are beyond this world their very King that they obey is a King that cannot be seen by the eye of sence nor by the eye of reason they had need have an eye of faith to behold their King in his glory The Throne of this King of Saints is not a visible Throne to be seen by the eye of sence and reason but by the eye of faith The Priviledges that we speak of are â—ot to be seen and enjoyed by sence and reason but by faith And so the Ordinances of this Kingdom and the Laws and Statutes of it they are Spiritual and must have faith to close with them and all the comforts of this Kingdom must be drawn in by faith therefore it is of absolute necessity that the Saints should exercise much faith in their lives that they should live continually by faith As the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by faith and not by sight It is not by Sight we walk indeed all the good things that there are in the kingdoms of the world they are seen by sence and reason reason and sence is enough to order us in the matters of the kingdoms of this world but now the kingdom of the Son of God that we are translated into it 's a Spiritual an Heavenly kingdom so that the Saints must walk by faith and not by sight therefore my brethren labor to strengthen faith and act your faith and live upon faith exercise faith in all your waies make much of grace and faith or you will never have much good in the Kingdom of Christ but that grace will help you comfortably to enjoy and spiritually to improve all the good things in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to an everlasting advantage 10. Vse If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then the greater mercy to thy soul that ever thou wast brought under this Kingdom of Christ Oh! thou maiest look back unto thy former time and know that thou hadst a worldly heart worldly apprehensions thy spirit was worldly altogether for things of the world taken with the pomp and glory and the pleasures of this world How comes it to pass that thou shouldest have a Heavenly Kingdom reveal'd to thee Whence was it that ever Jesus Christ should be known to thy soul that was so worldly so drossie so earthy a soul thou wast as deep rooted in the world it may be as any and yet that the Lord should cull thee out of the world and reveal such a Kingdom to thee that is such a mystery as the Princes of the world have not known that thou that art a poor creature shouldest come to understand the â—â—alities of Christ that the wise and learned men of the world have not known Oh! the Free Grace of God to thee and not unto the world As Judas not Iscariot said How is it that thou revealest thy self to us and not unto the world how comes it to pass that such wise men that bear sway in the world they have very poor and low and mean and contemptible thoughts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ they look upon it but as a meer notion and a conceit of men and the rather because they see but a few poor people that are but of mean parts that do imbrace such a way upon that they contemn it and through the worldly wisdom that they have they come to undervalue it Oh! then bless God that ever he should chuse such a poor weak wretch as thou art for to make known the things of the Kingdom of Christ unto and therfore of al men you rich covetous men they are hardest to be wrought upon by the Ministry of the Word When Christ Himself was preaching it is said in Luke 16. 14. That the Pharisees who were covetous they derided Him they blew their noses at Him for that
all their good their portion is in this life and therefore they are greedy upon this let it be upon the ruin of never so many men though it be to raise their estates by my ruin and the ruin of others that are never so innocent what care they they are greedy upon having their lusts satisfied for here is all their protion 3. Their portion is here in this world They care not for Religion they will make use of pretences of Religion any way for their own ends what care they what Protestation they make for Religion and the maintainance of it so be it that they may ruine me they regard not at all any thing in regard to have their own â—â—ds Lord deliver me from such men 4. They have their portion in this world Hence it is that their hearts are so swelled with pride in their lusts and so warms their malice it is so heated with such outrages Oh let not the foot of pride come upon me deliver me from proud men that are flush'd with the enjoyment of their hearts desires 5. They look only to what they enjoy in this world and therfore so long as they may have their own ends and own lusts they will be exceedingly hardened in their own waies they will give no glory to thee but will be so much the more inraged against me by taking it as an argument that their waies are good Lord therefore deliver me from those men 6. They are men that scorn at prayer or at any thing that is said concerning the tenderness of conscience they despise conscience and prayer Lord let me never fall into the hands of such men as those are deliver me from the men of this world who have their portion in this life For the opening of the words from the men of the world the words are translated by some from mortal men from men though of the world yet are not like to enjoy the world long for the Original doth signifie as much from frail men they shall not have it long in the 89. Psalm 47. Remember how short my time is what little time I have in this world the word is from the men that shall have but a little time in this world and the men of this world the Hebrew word here that is translated men sometimes with but the change of the position of one prick it signifies dead men mortui as well as vivi I say with the change not of a prick but only of the position of one prick of one point it signifies dead men they are men of the world but such men as are within one prick of death within one point of death howsoever they rejoyce who have their portion their dimension that is given out unto them in this life the word life though in the singular number in your books in the Hebrew it is in the plural Lives they are men that have all they have but only leased for their lives nay not so much as leased they have but an estate for life at the most and this present life unto them is instead of all lives from the men of this world that have their portion in this life there are these Two Doctrinal Conclusions in the words that lie plainly before you the first is There are a Generation of men to whom God gives some outward good things for a while but these are all that ever they are like to have they shall never have any more good from God than they have here for the present that is the first That Gods Saints do desire to be delivered from such kind of men These two contain in them the scope of the holy Ghost in the words First There are a Generation of men unto whom God gives out a portion some comforts in this world and here is all that they are like to have And now set your hearts I beseech you unto what I have to say in this Argument for in my thoughts thinking what to pitch upon for such an Assembly as this at length I could not determine of an argument that I thought might more reach unto the hearts of those to whom I was to speak as I hope before I have done you will find it such a serious argument that concerns us all I have read of Gregory that being advanced to preferment professed that there was no Scripture that went so to his heart that struck such a trembling into his spirit that daunted him so much as this Scripture did Here you have your reward Son in your life time you have had your pleasure Oh this was a dreadful Scripture that sounded in his eares continually as Hierom speaks of that Scripture Arise you dead and come to judgement night and day he thought that Scripture sounded in his his ears So Gregory here you have your reward in this life you have had your pleasure This was the Scripture that night and day sounded in his ears Oh that it might please God to assist so far to speak out of this Scripture to you that I might make this Scripture ring in your ears even when you lie upon your beds after the Sermon is done that yet you may think this Scripture rings in your ears Men of this world who have their portion in this life If this Scripture should prove to be the portion of any one of you of the richest in this place Wo unto him that ever he was born which I shall after make out more fully to you But you 'l say do you think to preach to men that have their portion here in this life I fear me I may meet with some whom it doth so neerly concern yet do not think that I have those thoughts of you all for you shall find before I have done this Scripture will concern every one in this Congregation but yet be not any of you too too ready to put off this from you to think your selves out of the danger of this Scripture for it was spoken concerning Saul and Saul might have for ought I know as strong arguments of Gods love to him as many of you I fear have this day 1. Saul was a man chosen immediately by God himself to be the first King that ever was over his own people and was not that a great favor 2. Saul for his person was one of the goodliest men that was amongst all Israel higher from the shoulders to the head than any of them 3. For his Endowments he was a man whom God did endow with admirable gifts of Government he caused another spirit to come upon him he was a man that when he heard of his preferment seemed to be very humble as judging himself unworthy of such a dignity in the first of Samuel 9. 21. Saith he Who am I and what is my Fathers house that I should be thus chosen And when he had been chosen some that would reject him Children of Belial that notwithstanding God honoring of him yet would seek to cast
will call for it all again but that which he gives to His Sons to His Children they shall have mercy for ever though not to enjoy it in the same way they shall enjoy the same good and comfort Eternally And then further Eighthly The portion that the world hath here you heard before it comes from Gods patience now there will be an end of the manifestation of the glory of patience in this world as thus As there are some graces of the Spirit of God in the Saints that shall have an end in regard of their exercise here in this world so there are some attributes of God that shall have an end in regard of the manifestation of them in that way that God doth now manifest them here in this world and that is the patience of God towards ungodly ones Now if they hold all upon patience when the time of the glory of that in this world shall come to be at an end then all their good is at an end Further Ninthly Ungodly men they shal have to deal with God immediately in the world to come I beseech you observe but this answer I 'le hasten they must have to deal immediatly with God in the world to come Now they have to deal with God through Creatures and while they have to deal with God through Creatures they may get a great deal and may make shift for much but when they shall come to deal with God immediatly then it will be otherwise with them As for example There are a great many hang-bies at great mens houses perhaps when they come to have to deal with the servants they get some bits and scraps and many things from the servants but if they know they can have nothing but from the very hand of the Knight or Lord of the house himself then they will expect no great matter So wicked men of this world they are as hang-bies that all that they have are but as scraps from the servants they have to deal only with creatures they look no further but hereafter things shall be setled another way and all things shall be weighed by God Himself in a ballance of Justice and distributed by the hands of God Himself immediately and now things will be carried after another manner the Lord Himself will come to dispose of things It was a speech of a German Divine though he were a good man and lived very innocently when he lay upon his sick bed and apprehended Death he was in great terrors of spirit mightily troubled and some of his friends came to him and asked him Why should you be so troubled that have lived so good a life as you have done This was his answer The Judgments of God are one and the judgments of men are another I am now to deal with God it is true I lived thus before Men and Men gave their Verdict of me as good and thought I was in a good condition but O I am now to go to God and to deal immediately with Him and Gods judgment and Mans judgements are different things when God shall come to weigh all mens portions out as it will be then So much Righteousness so much portion so much happinesse you will say then Lord what shall become of us all All our righteousness is as the menstruous cloath I but for the Saints the Righteousness of Christ will be put into one Scale and their Portion into the other and their Portion will be weighed by the Righteousness of Christ Now when thou comest to God thou must come to the Scale and thou wilt put in thy good servings of God and thy comming to Church and some good Civil actions and Natural and Moral things thou hast done thou wilt put them in the Scale saith God That which thou hast had already weighs down all those Hast thou nothing to put into the Scales but this thou hast had thy reward already for all this and much more than this then if there be nothing to but into the Scale but this thou art undone and there is nothing for thee for Eternity And here is the ground of the confinement of the Portions of wicked men These are the Two first things Thirdly I will give you some CORRALLARIES only from hence Is it so that wicked men have a portion here and here is all First Here we may see the Reason why the men of the world are so cunning in the things of the world why they can make so good shift for themselves in the world rather than other men can Why here 's their Portion their very happiness and good is here no mervail though they make such shift as they do here the Apostle in 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world saith the Apostle we cannot tell how to shift in the world so as other men do for indeed we look further than these things and so cannot shift as other men can They that have the spirit of the world and have their portion in the world they can shift but we have not received the spirit of the world You know a Swine though it goes abroad all day wandring up and down it knows the way to the trough at night but a Sheep if it go a wandring a little way out of his place a Sheep doth not know how to come back again but wanders up and down till it be even lost and is as a lost sheep when it is once wandring up and down but Swine are not so So ungodly men though they go up and down wandring they know how to come to their trough at night they have better skil in the world they are more artificial in the things of the world they have better understanding as the Scripture speaks The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light Why is it Their Portion is in this world That 's the first Corrallarie 2. Corr. Here we see the Reason Why there are so many great ones in the world that regard Religion so little as they do and the waies of God and the Church of God why 't is not their portion those things that concern another life is not any part of their portion they mind what it is that concerns the present life because this is their portion When many come into places of dignity and power What are their thoughts Now they think of gratifying their friends now they think of respect and honor that they shall have abroad in the world and be accounted some-body now they think of revenging al their wrongs of making up of all their broken titles c. This hath been heretofore I suppose very ordinary in men advanced amongst you these are all their thoughts as for doing service for God and for His Church and vindicating the Truth of God and Honor of God that is scarce in all their thoughts for they do not look upon that as part of their Portion Here is the reason
If they have ventured themselves to be faithful for you know you can have no peace except they have it and it were an unworthy thing to think of your safety without theirs likewise Object But you will say We would not have our Estates and Peace thus as you speak upon any terms without any regard to Religion we have our portion in Religion as well as you and we have our Consciences to look after as well as you and God forbid it should be otherwise but that Religion should prosper too with our Peace but we would not have Sects and Sectaries to be maintained in the Kingdom let us have Truth and Religion but away with them Ans 1. Do you understand what they are you speak of Do you know wherein you and they differ You cry out of them as if they were of another Religion whereas when it comes to be scan'd the difference between you and them will not be so great But further I put this to you Ans 2. Do you spend as much breath in praying for these kind of men as you do in railing upon them then somewhat may be said Ans 3. It is a vain thing to think that true Religion can be maintain'd and have the liberty of it without some difference of Opinion amongst us Indeed the Turks have as much peace in their Religion as any Religion hath in all the world and there is as little difference of Opinions amongst the Turks as there is in any Religion whatsoever but well may that Coat have no seam that hath no shape If the Truth of Religion comes to appear certainly it is impossible but many differences in opinion must come and it is a most intollerable pride of heare and tyranny in any whatsoever to think by violent means to force all to be of the same opinion that they are of in matters that are not of the Foundation and that may stand with the Peace of a Common-wealth too You take upon you in that more than Christ doth more than the Apostles ever did Object But You will say If men be in an Error why should they not be forced Shall every man be lest to his Opinion to do what he will Answ No I plead not for that neither Therefore I except all Opinions 1. Against the Foundation of Religion 2. All those Opinions that are against the Foundation of Civil Government Take these Two aside and then for other Opinions that are of a lower inferior nature I say there you take too much upon you whosoever you are if you should think to force men to be of the same Opinion as you are and there is no such way to make disturbance in Churches or Commonwealths as to force men to be of the same Opinion in things that are of an inferior nature Object But you will say If it be an Error they must not be left to live in it Answ Nay stay there A man may be in an Error and yet you have nothing to do to offer violence unto him to bring him out of his Error you may seek to convince him as much as you can but to offer violence you undertake more than God hath given you Commission to do whatever you are and I give this Scripture for it that is cleer in Romans 14. 2. One beleeveth he may eat all things another eateth herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let him that eateth not not judge him that eateth And so he tels us Who art thou that judgest another Who art thou that judgest These two Opinions could not be true One man doth eat herbs the other man makes conscience of it and cannot do it Certainly one of these was a sin at that time one of them was a sin to eat herbs and that he might eat no flesh for God never commanded them that they should eat no flesh to make conscience to eat no flesh was a sin but yet though one were a sin yet they that were in the right must not by violence force those that were in the wrong to their opinion but they must leave them to God I say in matters of such consequence as these it is a point of Antichristian tyranny and pride and notorious pride in men that have taken so much upon them as to force all to be of the same opinion this is not the way certainly for true peace But thus much for the second Corrallarie The Third follows 3. Corr. If men have their portion in this world here is the Reason that there is such a stir in the world by men to maintain this their Portion what a deal of stir is there what rending and tearing is there that they might maintain their Estates Especially if some men have a higher Portion in the world than others Oh what a deal of stir is there to maintain it I remember Henry the fourth writes to Pope Gregory and tels him that by reason of an Emulation there was about the Popedom one being chosen in Rome and the other in another place that there were 230000. men lost their lives out of that Emulation meerly about two men two Popes it cost the bloods of two hundred thirty thousand men O what a stir is therein the world to satisfie the wils of a few men in the world Certainly one day the world will be wiser and will understand that they are Men and not Dogs that they were not made to be subject to the humours and the lusts of men and that no man hath now any further power over him but what they have by an agreement from them one way or other either implicit or explicit one way or other it is by their agreement that any man hath any power over them and can exercise any The world I say ere long I hope will be wise enough to understand this and therefore will not so sacrifice their lives for the satisfying of the wills of a few men in the world they shall not make such a stir in the world as heretofore they have done Indeed men make a great stir now to maintain their portions for the contention is not de finibus but de haereditate not about matters of bounds and limits as he said but it is about the inheritance it self it is about their portion it is their God And do you say What ails me when you have taken away my gods Here is the ground of all the stirs and Combustions in the world because carnal hearts look upon what they enjoy as their portion But how comes it thus to pass that men should be so greedy of this their portion Is it such an excellent portion that they are so greedy of it Is it worth so much that they contend so much about it This makes way for me to slip into the Fourth Particular Fourthly To enquire what kind of Portion this is that these men of the world have in this world that they make such a stir about And therefore
to make way for that First Consider what poor things they are that they make such a stir about Secondly Consider the Tenure upon which they hold whatsoever they do enjoy Thirdly Consider the mixture of Evil that there is in that they do enjoy Fourthly The blessed Portion that they lose that they might enjoy Lastly The dreadful end that there will be to such men that have their portion here 1. The poor things that men have here in this world What are they Their Comforts for the most part are but imaginary In Hosea 12. 1. Ephraim feeds upon the wind And when a bladder is ful of wind one prick lets it quite out and so when Death comes it lets out all their Comforts even as the wind goes all out at one prick in a bladder so all the comforts of the men of the world go out by the prick of death In Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not it is not it hath no reality in it And in Acts 25. when Bernice and Agrippa came in great pomp and state to the Assembly that which you have in your books translated great Pomp it is in the Greek with great Fancie all the pomp and jollity in the world it is but a fancy this is their portion 2. That which they have it is of a very low nature this would be an argument we might phylosophize in if it were fit or if we had time but I 'le quickly pass over these things it 's of a very low nature it not much concerns the soul all the portion they have Therefore saith the Text here Thou fillest their belly it 's but a belly full what is that to the soul Indeed the rich man in the Gospel could say Soul take thy ease for thou hast goods laid up for many yeers eat drink c. Wilt thou say Soul take thy ease because thou hast goods laid up and because you may eat and drink What is all this to the soul Ambrose hath such a speech upon the place If the man had the soul of a swine what could be said otherwise for indeed these things were sutable to the soul of a swine you shall find that a man is not the better because of outward things not a whit the heart of the wicked is little worth his estate may be somewhat worth his house may be somewhat worth his lands may be somewhat worth But the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10. And would not you think it to be a great evil if so be that when you go up and down abroad you should certainly know that there is no man doth give you any entertainment or any respect but it is for your servants sake that tends upon you would not that discourage you and trouble you Indeed you come to such a mans house and he seems to make you welcome and you have entertainment I but you come to know afterwards that it was not for your sake but for your servants sake that be loved would you think you had a good entertainment there the truth is so all the respect you have in this world it is for your servants sake for your goods house and lands it is not for any worth that is in you It was a speech that Socrates spake once to one Achilous when he had a fine house and a many brave things there saith he There are many come to see thy house and thy fine things there but no body comes to see thee they know there is a worth in thy fine house and in thy fine furniture but they see no worth in thee Indeed all these things are not souls meat it is not mans meat they feed upon it is but ashes it is nothing to the soul of man Further 3. Suppose it were for the soul What thou hast here is but a very poor pittance a scantie portion thou hast not all the world neither thou hast thy portion in this world If thou hadst the whol world at command yea if God should make a thousand worlds more for thee to command this were all but a poor pittance to put off an immortal soul withal but now that thou hast is but a little minnim in the world All Nations of the Earth are but as the dust of the ballance and drop of the bucket to God What is thy dust then what is thy house and land then As Socrates wittily rebuked the pride of Alcibiades when he was very proud that he had so much Land lay together He brought his Map of the world to him and saith he Pray shew me where your land lies here one prick of a pen would have described it all Should we take a rich man here that hath a great deal of land and bring a Map of the world to him all England Ireland and Scotland are but three little spots unto the world And what are your Farms and your Mannours you have you have but a little portion if you had all it were no great matter the truth is All you have in this world cannot be enough to make you live in fashion in the world like a man it 's not enough I say for to live like a man in the world to live like one that hath an immortal soul like one that hath the Image of God upon him and was sent hither into the world to do some great service as every one of you was sent hither to do therefore it is but a mean thing little cause you have for to rejoyce in it It 's true they that are godly account themselves unworthy of the least thing they have here in this world but I 'le tell you a Mystery of Religion now a practical Maxime of Religion that is a great Mystery to the world and that is this That a gracious heart though he thinks himself unworthy of the least crum of bread yet all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth will not serve him to be his portion will not satisfie him though he hath a heart that will be satisfied with any thing as counting himself unworthy of the meanest condition in this world as a present gift of God but if God should give him Heaven and Earth he hath such an unsatisfying heart as he would not be satisfied with Heaven and Earth except God gives him Himself therefore certainly thy portion is but a very little portion 4. Those things that thou hast are things that will vanish and quickly come to nothing It is said of the whol world in Job 26. 7. The whol earth hangs upon nothing and so all things of the Earth do and therefore it is said of Abraham in Hebrews 11. That he sought a City that had foundations All other things are as things that have no foundation at all There is a worm in every creature that will consume it in time and the Scripture calls all our riches Vncertain riches and Christian thou art made for an eternal condition these things