earth and therefore savoured the things of the earth and spake of them but Christ he was of heaven and spake of heavenly things They were minding of their Cummin and Annise and Mint and Tythes and neglected the weighty things of the Law their hearts were upon those things 1 Joh. 4.5 saith he they are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heard them Men that are of the world that love the world they speak of the world and men love to hear them speak of the world And when any speak of heavenly things how unwelcome and unsavory are they 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned They do not perceive the things of God nor receive the things of God they are spiritual and unwelcome unto them Therefore in the 8. Rom. 5 6. saith the Apostle They that are after the flesh do savour the things of the flesh they savour them relish them and delight in them but they that are after the Spirit do savour the things of the Spirit and in Isa 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a delight The Holy of the Lord Honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words God accounts that man a gracious man a heavenly man a good man that turns his foot away from the Sabbath from finding his own pleasure and doing his own will and calls the Sabbath a delight and honourable and doth not his own work and will nor speaks his own words Now our own words are the words of the world the words of the flesh It 's an Argument a man is not of the world when he savours the things of God and turns away his feet from the Sabbath from doing his pleasure on Gods Holy day c. But when a man relishes and savors the world and the things of it in his discourses this shews we are glewed to the world and love the world Ninthly A man loves the world when he doth mourn and lament for the things of the world being taken from him That which we love we mourn when we lose it when men mourn exceedingly for a child it 's an argument they lov'd their child so when men mourn and are afflicted for the loss of Estate Names Friends and Relations it 's an argument they loved the world Rachel weeps and refuses to be comforted why her Children are not Many how greatly are they afflicted when they lose some outward things â—redit profit honours pleasures estates and reâ—â—tions how they mourn and are disconâ—tâ—ted and hang down the head and will not be comforted They love the world and the things of the world Tenthly Lastly we are said to love the world when men are resolved to be rich and will have the world one way or other they will have the world by hook or by crook as we use to say 1 Tim. 6.9 They that Will be rich They are resolved to be rich and to have the world whatsoever comes of it These men love the world indeed Thus then you see what the world is and what it is to love the world The next thing is why we should not love the world nor the things of the world First Those that are in a state of grace be they Babes little Children young men or Fathers they should not love the world because they are called out of the world called off from the world They are called to another state to a state of grace and now their love should run out to grace and the things of another world which they are called unto They are called to be Heirs with Christ and that of Heaven Glory and Happiness and therefore they should not love the world Secondly They should not love the world because it will put them upon things that are unreasonable which will be seen in tvvo or three particulars First 'T will put you upon things that are but probable and make you leave things that are certain Now this is unreasonable to be taken off from things that are certain and to be put upon things that are but probable It is but probabâ— for any man in this world to get the world noâ— to follow hard after that which is but probable whether we shall get it or no Hag. 1.6.9 saith the Prophet 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 cloath you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes and v. 9. Ye looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it It is a hazzard a venture to get the things of this world men may take a great deal of pains and pursue these things eagerly and yet come short of them The greatest part of men dye in their expectations they look to get these things and do not get them nay those that labour most do usually attain least And therefore as the wise man saith Eccles 9.11 I returned and saw under the Sun that the race is not to the Swift who should get the race but the swift it's most probable that the swift should get the Race But the Race is not to the swift nor the Battel to the strong neither yet bread to the wise wise men dont get bread nor understanding men get riches nor get favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all 't is uncertain whether they shall get these things or no. The World and the Devils promises are seldom made good but now for other things they are certain and therefore it puts men upon unreasonable things to leave certain things for improbable things God's promises are certain God will not fail men that take pains for true Wisdom and understanding Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you First seek these things for they are certain Secondly Suppose we do get the world with our endeavours yet we cannot keep them without fear of losing them Prov. 23.4 5. Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not which is not considerable which is not long to continue Riches certainly makes themselves wings others need not make them wings And they flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth To morrow may be a great storm and may blow down the house a great Tempest and the Ship be overturned or driven upon an Anchor and all the
scattered and are strengthened with strength in your souls how sweet is this Now there is true sweetness in acting for Christ a true friend will do Christ service and be thankful for the service because there is a great deal of sweetness in it 1 Tim. 1.12 saith Paul I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me c. putting me into the Ministry I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that hath put me into service he would not have been thankful unless he had found some sweetness in his service It will be our wisdom therefore to do all in the name of Christ if you would find sweetness in the name of Christ so David and the Princes when they had offered so willingly as in the 1 Chron. 29.13 14. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Lord thou hast given to us and we have given to thee and we thank thee that we have had hearts to give unto thee how sweet delightful and pleasing is thy service therefore it will be your wisdom to do all in the name of Christ for it comes from love in you and you will find sweetness in doing for Christ and you will be thankful for the service you do upon that account Thirdly we should do all in the name of Christ from this consideration that it is a special means both to prevent sin and to promote holiness First to prevent sin 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that names the name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity He that names the name of Christ must depart from iniquity this is a preventing of sin now mentioning his name should make us depart from iniquity Why the Lord Christ himself he hated iniquity and loved righteousness His very name should mind us thereof Christ hates iniquity and I will depart â—som iniquity Secondly and acting in his name will put us upon holiness and labouring to he holy The soul saith will Jesus Christ do this I am a doing now but would Christ do thus would Christ think thus would Christ speak thus no Christ would not Christ would speak holy words and do holy actions and think holy thoughts therefore I must do as Christ would do I do all in his name we read of Alexander that had a Souldâ—er in his Camp that did bear his name when Alexander heard it he calls for the Soldier and asks him his name he told him his name was Alexander is it so saith he then see you do nothing unworthy the name of Alexander do that which becomes Alexander so do we bear the name of Christ we must do that which becomes the name of Christ do we bear the name of Christian we must do what becomes a Christian one said I could do this or that if I were not a Christian but I am a Christian and I dare not do this or that I dare not go into such Company I dare not drink healths I dare not be in the mode and fashion of the world And so in the Primitive times the question was have you kept the Sabbath the answer was I am a Christian I dare not neglect the Lords day I dare not speak my own words nor think my own thoughts nor find my own pleasure and why I am a Christian and so it promotes holiness therefore we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Fourthly Lastly we should do all in his name because it will unite and tye the heart of God and Christ abundantly to us Those persons who act all in the name of Christ they are faithful persons as a Servant that doth all in the name of his Master he is a faithful Servant The unjust Steward did not things faithfully he did things in his own name and therefore his Masters favour was not towards him he had none of his favour nor countenance his heart was alienated from him but those that do all in the name of the Lord Christ they are faithful and the heart of Christ is towards such and is wide unto such in Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Blessed is that Servant why his heart is towards this Servant and pronounces a blessing upon him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing how doing doing all in my name and according to my will and for my glory doing all by invocation of my name O blessed is that Servant which when his Lord cometh shall find so doing his heart is greatly towards him The heart of his Master can trust safely in him all the dayes of his life as it 's said of the virtuous Wife Prov. 31.11 The heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil So the Lord Christ can trust in that man or woman who doth all in his name they are faithful and he can trust in them I it is a great honouring of Christ and Christ will honour such a one it 's an honouring of Christ honouring of Christs wisdom honouring of Christs power honouring of his word and name it is the highest service we can do to Christ to do all in his name and the Lord Christ will honour such an one his heart is tyed to him he dares trust him with all he commits his secrets to such So then you see the exhortation back'd with some motives why we should do all in the name of Jesus Christ One thing more which is what directions will you give us now to help us to do all in the name of Christ we see it is a duty a good work and we would gladly do it but what directions and helps may be given to further us therein First consider that the Lord Christ is your Lord. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus if you be Christians he is your Lord Now our Lords commands our Lords will our Lords councels we must do them we must not do our own wills we are the Lords he is our Lord and therefore we must do his will Luke 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say What do you call me Lord and will not you do what I say command and appoint you and do it as I appoint you do all in my name why do you call me Lord Surely if Christ be our Lord we must do all in his name and the more we shall think of Christs Lordship and authority over us the more will our hearts be inclined to do things in his name why he is the best of Lords he is a blessed Lord a sweet Lord a good Lord there is no Tyranny in this Lord no hurt in this Lord nothing but all for good in this Lord he
are more desirable then Gold and Silver Then here we may see who are the richest men in the world and have the best treasure even those that have gotten most of the Word into their hearts not most of the world into their houses and into their possessions the Word is better than thousands of Gold and Silver They are the richest that have most of this heavenly riches let the word of Christ dwell richly in you Col. 3. To be rich in promises there 's the true riches and great riches Here we say he is a rich man that hath many Bonds or Ships or Houses or Lands that hath many Hundreds or Thousands lay'd up or abroad but he is the richest man in the Scripture account and in Gods account that hath most of the Word of God lay'd up in his heart that hath most light in his understanding most promises in his Soul that hath a good stock that hath a treasure within I have hid thy Law in my heart saith David So when Gods Law is hid in your hearts then you are the richest men the wealthiest men and men of substance indeed Thirdly Then I infer from hence that you may see a great difference between men and men between Saints and the men of the world The men of the world they prize Gold and Silver the Saints prize the Word of God Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver David prized the Law of God more than his Kingdom or the Crown of Gold that was upon his head more than the Gold of Vphaz of Havilah and the Gold of Ophyr the finest Godl that might be had Fourthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and Silver then certainly their loss is great that have the Word taken from them I mean the Word outwardly and the Ordinances and enjoyments when our Silver and Gold is taken away we cry out we are undone we are undone No no you are not undone if you have God and his Word but if Gods Word be taken away from men and women they are more undone than others It 's a great loss to lose that that is better than Gold Silver better than all the world There are many in the world at this day that are depriv'd of their Teachers of Sabbaths and of the Word of God They cannot read themselves and they have none to read unto them it 's a sad condition and a great loss unto them and those that rob them of these they must answer for it one day and they are very guilty that have done it Fifthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and Silver then let us esteem if according to the value and worth of it above outward treasure above all Gold and Silver Joâ— esteemed the Word of God more than his necessary food people cannot eat Gold and Silver and House and Land but their necessary food maintains their lives and 't is more valuable than Gold and Silver If you could not have meat and drink what would your Gold and Silver do you good you would part with it all for a little bread for a little drink now Job did value the Word of God more than his necessary food O that we would set such a price upon the Word of God I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Let us all set such a price upon the truths of God there 's more worth in them than you can find out you have riches unsearchable in the promises and in the truths of God Phil. 3.8 Paul accounts all but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus And where will you have that but in the Word of God prize it therefore at a high rate Psal 84.10 A dayâ—n thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere A thousand dayes are almost three years and one would think they might meet with brave things in such a time but one day in the Courts of God is better than a thousand elsewhere The Word of God is little esteemed in these dayes and every thing preferred before it but let it not be so with you Sixthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and fine Gold then let us keep the Word of God as men keep their Gold and lay it up as men lay up their Gold and know the Word of God if you will lay it up it will be a defence unto you and a Buckler unto you Psal 91.4 his truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Solomon tells you money is a defence and Gold is a defence it will defend you from the injuries of the world and wrongs of men so is the Word of God it is a defence it is a Shield a Buckler therefore lay it up safely as you would your Gold and Silver Job 22. The Almighty shall be thy defence so you read it but the Margent is the Almighty shall be thy Gold God would be your Gold if you would lay up Gods truth in your hearts God will be your defence he will be your Gold your treasure Seventhly Lastly if the Word and Testimonies of God be more desirable than Gold yea than fine Gold then let us desire it more than outward treasure let us desire it with ardent and strong desires with sincere desires with abiding constant desires with acting and endeavouring desires let us use our utmost endeavour to be enriched with these riches Psal 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Soul longs saith David and my soul faints for the Courts of the Lord why what was there There was the Word of the Lord there were the Ordinances of the King in his own Courts and he long'd to be there where he might hear the word of God and have the benefit of the Word of God And in Psal 119.131 I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy Commandments Let us wait daily at the Courts of the Lord lot us long and take any pains we can for them Joh. 6. Labour not for the meat that perisheth all your Gold and Silver and these things are all of a perishing nature and will not continue long but let us labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life part with your Silver and Gold which is from the earth to get Scripture Gold which is from Heaven To get Divine truths into your heads and hearts One question more Qu. You will say how shall we get our hearts and the desires of them more inflamed after the Word of God Ans First Consider your own poverty and what riches there are to be had in the Word when men consider they are poor men I am a poor man I have neither house nor Land I have neither Gold nor Silver and in such a place is a Mine and I may go thither and have riches enough this will inflame his desires Now consider your spiritual poverty consider then I have
things that we know we must part with and the loss of other things concerning our souls and which we should mind above all things in the world the Word of God and his Sabbath and Ordinances and Worship and the like these little trouble us Well by these things you may know whether you love the world yea or no and if it be so you are worthy of great blame for loving of the world In the next place it shall be a use of exhortation to exhort you not to love the world nor the things of the world the pomp of the world tho pleasures of the world the profits preferments and honours of the world and the things that are in it Love them not I shall do two things here First Give you several grounds or arguments to enforce the exhortation Secondly Some directions how to take off our hearts from loving the world First We should not love the world because it is a sin to love the world whatever is forbidden us is a sin and will you live in sin is sin a small matter sin is the transgression of a Law you will say well here 's the Law Love not the world If you love the world you transgress this Law therefore dont live in the transgression of this Law It 's an ill thing to live in sin Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sins shall dye be it what soul it will the souls of the highest or lowest learned or ignorant rich or poor if they live in sin they shall dye it 's a dangerous thing to live in sin a pleasing sin a profitable sin an honourable sin if you love the world you live in sin and we should as in the 12. Rom. 9. abhor that which is evil and love that which is good sin is evil the least sin is evil sinful thoughts sinful lusts are evil if unconsented to it's evil much more if consented to and lived in and practised it will bring forth death death eternal for the wages of sin is death that 's the first reason Secondly We should not love the world because it is the command of the great God the great and blessed and glorious God he commands us to not to love the world Love not the world saith he nor the things that are in it shall not the command of the great God obtain upon us and prevail with us In the word of a King there is power here 's the word of the greatest King of all Kings the great God of Heaven and Earth Love not the world saith God saith Peter Lord we have been toyling all the night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy command I will throw out the Net So the command of God we should hearken to it at thy command Lord I will not love the world nor the things of the world In the 35. Jer. 6. There are the Rechabites their Father commanded them to drink no Wine to plant no Vineyards to build no Houses and one comes to them and sets Wine before them and fills Cups and saith unto them drink Wine say they v. 6. we will drink no Wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying ye shall drink no Wine neither ye nor your sons for ever neither shall ye build House nor sow Seed nor plant Vineyard now see in the 14. v. what the Lord saith The words of Jonadab the Son of Rechab that he commanded his Sons not to drink Wine are performed Here 's dutiful Sons observe the command of their Father they will drink no Wine build no House sow no Seed They are performed for unto this day they drink none but obey their Fathers Commandment Notwithstanding I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking but ye hearkned not unto me saith God what a reproach is this to me faith God that the command of a man is observed and obeyed and the command of me the great God that have your lives and all in my hand is not observed not regarded well the great God he faith unto us Love not the world Therefore let his commands be of force and authority with us to knock our hearts off from the love of the world Thirdly Love not the world nor the things of it because it is the portion of the wicked of ungodly men Psal 17.14 From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life There are men of the world Inhabitants of the world they are of the world of worldly principles of worldly affections and of worldly practices and conversations they have their portion in this life saith he the things of this world are their portion would you have your portion here have your portion in these things it 's a poor portion a perishing portion an unsatisfying portion the worst portion of all In the 21. Job 7 8 9. Wherefore do the wicked live saith Job Lord wherefore doth the wicked live wicked men are not worthy to live in the world wherefore do the wicked live become old you are mighty in power To live and live long and be mighty in power and place and honour and estates they are mighty in power Their seed is established in their sight with them and their off-spring before their eyes They have their seed and posterity and are established Their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them Their Bull gendreth and faileth not their Cow calveth and casteth not her Calf they send forth their little ones like a Flock and their Children dance They take the Timbrel and Harp and Rejoyce at the sound of the Organ They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment go down to the Grave Here are wicked men now you see it 's their portion to have the world to have the musick and mirth and all things according to their hearts desires it 's their portion and who would have such a portion It was the trouble of Jer. 12.1 Wherefore doth the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously wicked men prosper in the world though they deal treacherously yet they prosper and saith he Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root They grow yea they bring forth fruit Thou art near in their mouth and far from their Reins The world is the portion of wicked men therefore we should not love it Alexander a Heathen he had all the world he had it for his portion So Julius Caesar he had the Roman Empire for his portion Ahashuerus had 127 Provinces for his portion The world is meat for Dogs as the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a portion fit for Dogs and 't is not Childrens meat therefore we should not love the world it is the portion of the wicked Fourthly We should not love the world because if we do we shall meet with great disappointments much trouble and little good in it Great afflictions we shall have in the world Joh. 16.
that will be ashamed one day so then as Christ saith to Peter Let me say to you Peter Lovest thou me more then these why Lord thou knowest thou knouwest I love thee more so do you love God and Christ more than the world and things of it can you say Lord thou knowest I love thee more than them Do you love Christ and God more than Wives and Children he that don't hate Father and Mother Wife and Children in respect of God and Christ is not worthy of God and Christ though God don't require you to hate them but when they come in competition do you love God and Christ more than your lusts or estate or limbs or lives they loved not their lives unto the death in the 12 Rev. if you love God and Christ more than these happy are you you are sound hearted in truth then God will say here 's a man or woman that loves me with all their heart with all their soul with all their mind with all their strength and I will love them and do for them answerably Thus you may see there are a great many who think themselves sound hearted who are like to prove unsound at the last and so will be ashamed Now to the uses of the point First here we are informed that men of unsound hearts shall not alwayes lye hid They may cover up their unsoundness and keep it from the eyes of men a while but not alwayes They may do by their hearts as by their bodies many have unsound limbs they have untoward diseases and they cover them up and hide them from the world but at last they come to be known and to be discovered Job tells you what the Lord will do in his 12 Chapter Time discovers some see what the times have done in our dayes it hath discovered many the rottenness of their hearts and principles Afflictions are discovering things and discover some when afflictions come then unsound ones are discovered when persecution and temptation come then the stony ground was discovered Death discovers some then they see their hearts and hopes are rotten and that they have been deceived and God will discover all Job 12.21.22 he poureth Contempt upon Princes and weakneth the strength of the mighty he discovereth deep things out of darkness and bringeth forth to light the shaddow of death there 's deep rottenness lyes in darkness in mens hearts they have corrupt principles they have divided hearts they have base lusts they are Hypocrites they pretend one thing and intend another men have the world in their hearts hell in their hearts blood in their hearts revenge in their hearts and all baseness in their hearts and yet have a form of Religion God will discover them and they shall not alwayes lye hid 2. If unsound hearts shall at one time or other be made known then don't envy men of unsound hearts whatsoever their outward happiness be some are very envious when they see men to have great estates honours and great attendance upon them and that their paths are buttered and their feet dip'd in Oyl they are troubled at it but if they be men of unsound principles that have a divided heart men that have a form of Godliness and not the power men that are rotten and do not walk with God in the world do not envy them what if a man have rich cloaths upon his body when he hath a rotten body many have the Plague or the Pox and what if they go in Silks Sattins Velvets do not envy them what if a man have a bountiful body yet have ulcerated lungs what if a man have Dives fare Dives apparel and Dives heart within don 't envy him Their unsoundness will be discovered and then you will say you would not be in their condition for all the world 3. If unsound hearted men and women shall be discovered then let unsound hearted men expect their portion look for shame hast thou an unsound heart is thy heart divided between Heaven and Earth art thou a man that hast a sick soul through lust and sin hast thou seeming graces and not real graces art thou an Hypocrite dost thou profess and not practice look for thy portion shame will be thy portion time is coming thou wilt be found what thou art not thou appearest a Saint thou wilt be found an Hypocrite thou appearest a Christian thou wilt be found to be an Enemy to Christ and God thou wilt be found to be reprobate Silver in Jer. 6. Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them you Jews of all the Nations in the world you went for Silver you had the Oracles the Prophets the Services the Temple and the worship of God but saith the Lord I have found you reprobate Silver I have found you to be dross and I have reprobated you and you are reprobate Silver and so in Ezek. 22.18 Son of man the house of Israel is to me become dross all they are Brass and Tin and Iron and Lead in the middest of the Furnace they are even the dross of Silver the house of Israel is become dross unto me I look'd they should have been sound hearted but they are dross Iron Tin Lead and Brass O that the house of Israel should be dross is not the house of England so and the people of this place so if the Lord should search you what soundness what sincerity is in you what new creatures are you are you regenerate have you Christ in you as well as the name of Christ upon you I am afraid least you should prove Dross Tin Brass Lead and the dross of Silver even reprobate Silver let all them that are unsound hearted look for their portion even shame you will be disappointed of your expectations you will meet with that you did not look for see what the Lord saith of those are right in Luke 21. When these things begin to come to pass lift up your heads and rejoyce for your Redemption draweth nigh when terrors come and when the world shall be even in a confusion and in a flame then do you lift up your heads you shall not be ashamed but all that are unsound hearted will hang down their heads and cry to mountains O cover us and fall upon us because of the wrath of the Lamb O he is come and will discover us Christ knows the heart and the reins and searches them as in Rev. 3. and will render to every man according to what he finds are you rotten you shall be ashamed and I will render to you according to what you are but I will say to the sheep that are sound come ye blessed and I will say to others go ye cursed Math. 25. The wise Virgins they come and they are called to come to enter to take the Kingdom but the foolish Virgins are shut out go ye cursed into everlasting fire they met with that they look'd not for here 's the condition of
Christs mind you will act as Christ acted Christ went up and down doing good as in Acts 10. a man will not live idely and out of a Calling that hath the mind of Christ a man will not be negligent in his Calling and he will aim at Gods glory and his neighbours good in his Calling more then in getting of the world honouring God and doing good to his Neighbour and those he lives among if he have the mind of Christ Christ had nothing of the world but he would do good Christ was much in Prayer so will he Christ was watchful so will he Christ denyed himself and he will deny himself he will walk even as Christ walked 1 Joh. 2.6 he that saith he abides in Christ ought himself so to wolk even as he walked if you have the mind of Christ you will abide in Christ and Christ will abide in you now if it be so you must walk as Christ walked and be in the world even as he was 1 Joh. 4.17 because as he is so are we in this world By these things you may know whether you have the mind of Christ yea or no. In the next place it is an use of exhortation to us that we would be of Christs mind First to those that are of another mind and Secondly to those that are of his mind that they would be more and more of his mind First to those that are not of Christs mind there are many in the world that are of other minds of the Devils mind of the worlds mind and the fleshes mind froward minds bitter minds contentions minds Eph. 2.3 he shews you there what minds people are of Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the lusts of our slesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the Children of wrath even as others We were in an ill condition when we were of that mind and did such things in James 3.14 15. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual Devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work If it be so men have not Christs mind and there is much envying and strife and bitterness in the world in these dayes O what double minds have men what covetous minds what proud minds what hypocritical minds if we have not the mind of Christ we are not true Christians and if we dye we shall perish and be undone for ever Well how shall we get the mind of Christ First lay down your own minds wills if you would have the will of Christ if the Pitcher be full of muddy water you cannot put in Wine Milk or Oyl but you must empty the Pitcher before it can receive any of these Liquors so if you would have the mind of Christ you must empty your selves of your own minds look into 1 Cor. 3.18 Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world you think you are wise and have parts and learning and education and the like they are good in their places but they are nothing to the mind of Christ but if any man seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise Our wisdom is enmity unto God and till you have lay'd down your own wisdom you will never have the mind of Christ nor the wisdom of Christ Secondly if you would have the mind of Christ give up your selves to be Disciples of Christ that is search the Scriptures and study the Gospel especially Joh. 5. Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of me Secondly I come to those that have something of Christs mind that they would la bour to have more of it day by day There is a natural desire and itch in all men to know more and more O that there might be such a spiritual itch and desire in you to know more of the mind of Jesus Christ Paul had it 1 Cor. 2. We have the mind of Christ yet saith he I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified his great desire was to know Christ and the mind of Christ to have the knowledg of Jesus Christ for which he accounted all things but loss and dung O this is the onely knowledge and the excellent knowledge and the soul-saving knowledge and the soul comforting knowledge to have the mind of Christ and to know the things of Jesus Christ and he would have it more and more though he knew it the most of or more than all the men in the world did in that day And why should we labour to have more of this knowledge First because it is the end of the Ministry and of the Gospel the Lord Christ hath given out ordinances a Church is an ordinance and the Officers are ordinances and it is the end of them look into 4 Eph. and see to what end they are appointed v. 11.14 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Mark here 's the knowledge of the Son of God that 's the mind of Christ unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more Children tossed too and fro and carried about â—ith every wind of Doctrine Why all the Ordinances and all the Officers in the Church are for this end to help you to come to the mind of Christ to his mind the fulness of it the perfection of it therefore as you would have the end accomplished so labour to be more and more of the mind of Jesus Christ Secondly you should be so because it is the excellency of a Christian to have the mind of Christ more and more the more consormable to Christ who is compleat and perfect the more excellent you are 't is the very substance of a Christian to have his will his thoughts his affections his ends and aims to be the same with Christ when I have Christs thoughts and Christs will and Christs understanding and Christs affections and Christs ends what a Christian am I then he is the most excellent Christian that hath most of the mind of Christ therefore let us labour to know more of the mind of Christ and to have Christs mind in us Thirdly Lastly it is that which adds to your happiness it is a part of your happiness here in this world to be of Christs mind Wherein lay the happiness of man and wom an at first in the Image of God and it lay in knowledge and righteousness and holiness there was the Image of God Adam was
fruit of Christ where there is a spiritual life there is a spiritual taste where there is no spiritual life there is no spiritual taste at all Heb. 5. They had their senses exercised to discern between good and evil some have no spiritual senses they cannot discern between good and evil therefore they find no â—â—etness in the word of God that 's one reason men and women are dead in sins and trespasses and never are quickned with the life of grace Secondly Some have their tastes yet find no sweetness because they have a fullness of other things in them Prov. 27.7 The full soul loatheth an Honey-comb If there be a fulness in us nothing is sweet unto us now men and women are full of several things First some are full of the world Amos 8.5 when will the new moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat and the like these were full of the world and so they could not taste of spiritual things Matth. 13.12 He that received among Thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the world and he becometh unfruitful Secondly Some are full of conceitedness in Luke 18.11 The Pharisee he was conceited of his own goodness righteousness and doings and the Church of Laodicea she was full and wanted nothing and so could not taste the dainties of the Lord nor the sweetness that was in his Ordinances and his word there was such a fullness in them of their own conceitedness that they wanted nothing Thirdly There is a fullness of errors in many a fullness of opinions Scribes and Pharises they found no sweetness in Christ nor in Christs way they were full of their own opinions errors traditions and false doctrines So many now are full of their own light and the light within that 's all in all unto them and they find no sweetness in Ordinances nor in the means of Grace Fourthly Many yea most are full of creature delights and creature contentments and creature comforts full of sensual pleasures they take so much pleasure in the creature in their outward comforts contentments in their estates and relations in their gifts and parts and things of that nature that they can taste no sweetness in the word of God Thirdly Men taste not the sweetness in the word because of their slighting of the word and hence it is a just Judgment of God to suffer them not to taste the sweetness that is in the word when they made light of the Gospel and the Gospel dainties prepared for them Matth. 22.5 They went away and flighted the invitation to the Gospel feast It is said in Luke 14.24 none of them shall Taste thereof that is none of them shall ever taste the sweetness or goodness therein they might hear but they should taste no sweetness in their hearing and therefore to slight the word of God is a great evil and will hâ—nder persons from tasting the sweetness that is in the word of God Fourthly A fourth reason is that formality that is in the people they come to the Word and Ordinances of God with formal hearts and spirits we come not to the Ordinances as the Ordinances of God we come not to the word as the word of the great God we hear not for time to come we hear not for eternity we hear not as matters of life and death and therefore we dont find that sweetness as they do that hear so Men pray but not in the Spirit serve God but not in Spirit they draw near God with their lips but their hearts are far from him Fifthly And I may add one thing more people dont find sweetness in the word of God because they do nourish some base lust or corruption in their hearts And Peter gives you an intimation of this 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and envies and evil-speakings as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If there be in our hearts such things we shall not taste the sweetness of the sincere milk of the word neither shall we grow thereby so now you see what hinders the tasting of the sweetness of the word Qu. Another question may arise hereupon and that is What should we do to find sweetness in the word of God An. First If you would find sweetness in the word of God get hungry souls Prov. 27.7 To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet If we had hungry souls the bitterest truth in all the word of God would be sweet unto us Now there be three things which beget hunger in men and women there 's Fasting Purging and Excercise First If you would have hungry souls you must fast much I dont mean a fasting from bread meat and drink but from sin fasting from pleasures and delights fasting from lawful things of the world 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had â—one and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that bay as though they possessed not Fast from your lawful enjoyments from your pleasures delights and contentments and this will breed an appetite to the word of God Secondly Purging we take bitter things to purge us so we should take something to purge our Hearts our Heads and Consciences Be sensible of sin and the bitterness of sin what a bitter and evil thing sin is what danger sin doth involve the soul in and expose it to the wrath of God hell and damnation we should take some pills to mortifie our lusts and then the word of God would be sweet unto us indeed Thirdly Exercise will beget a stomach 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self to Godliness If men and women did pray much read much meditate much and have their hearts much in Heaven they would have hungry souls after the word of God and find a sweetness in the word of God Joh. 7.17 saith he there If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self He shall know whether the Doctrine be not an heavenly Doctrine and a sweet Doctrine he shall taste the sweetness of my Doctrine that I have brought down from my Father if he will do the will of God So that that 's the first thing to get hungry Souls and then we shall reâ—ith the word of God and find sweetness in it Secondly If we would find sweetness in the word of God we should make much Conscience of the Lords time and day and sanctifie the Lords day if we did sanctifie the Lords day as we ought to do we should find sweetness in his Ordinances and sweetness all the week after in his Ordinances and in his word Isa 58.13.14 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing
understood by the word World Secondly By world is meant the customs and manners the worship and fashions of the world Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to the world but be transformed that is be not conformed to the customs and manners of the world to the worship of the world and fashions of the world So world is used there And in the 2 Col. 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances after the Commandments and Doctrines of men By world is understood the Rudiments of men the Ordinances of men the worship of men and wayes of men in the worship of God So that world doth imply the customs fashions manners and worship of the world and in the Galatians they are called weak and beggerly Elements the traditions and inventions of men Thirdly By World is meant the pomp and splendor of the world the glory and greatness of the world whether in men or other creatures as the excellencies and gifts of Men the profits and pleasures of the World which Satan makes use of to further his Kingdom and Interest and to hinder the Kingdom and Interest of Christ So in Gal. 6.14 saith Paul there God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world I am crucified unto the pomp and glory and splendor of the world and all that 's goodly in the world and the world is crucified unto me it 's a dead thing unto me and I am a dead thing unto it Demas embraced the world the things the pleasures the profits the honours the comforts the contents of the world So then love not the world Dont love the creatures of the world the customs and fashions of the world the splendor and pomp and glory of the world the worship of the world These are all understood here Now what is it to love the world First To love the world is highly to esteem of the world to have the world in a high account For Christ saith The things that are of high account with men are abomination with God When we have the world and the things of it in high esteem and in high account this is to Love the world As those in the 14. Luk. when they were invited to the great Feast they had their Farms their Oxen their Wives the things of the world in higher account than the things of Christ When these are highly esteemed we are said to love the world Many men would think themselves made if they had the world I were happy if I had such an Estate such Honours such Greatness I were made In the 144. Psal from the 12. verse to the end That our Sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our Daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace That our Garners may be full affording all manner of store that our Sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets That our Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no breaking in nor going out that there be no complaining in our streets Happy is that people that is in such a case David speaks in the person of the men of the world They are happy men who have all prosperous and successful But he corrects it Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Jonas highly esteemed his Gourd that perished in anight The Jews highly esteemed their Temple so that we are said to love the world when we set a high value and estimation upon the things of the world Secondly We love the world when we have our thoughts much upon the world what any persons love that their thoughts are much upon O how I love thy Law saith David it is my meditation all the day What we love our meditations are most upon Now when our thoughts are most upon the world we love the world and the things of it 't is in our thoughts early and late Men are full of the thoughts of the world the pleasures the honours the profits the contents the delights of the world their thoughts are taken up with them James 4.13 Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain Their thoughts were much upon the world buying and selling and getting of gain and thus they testified their love unto the world So in the 49. Psal 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all Generations they call their lands after their own Names Their inward thoughts All their thoughts were taken up with these things and busied about these things which argued their love of the world Phil. 3.19 Earthly minded men when mens minds are upon the earth and the things of the world they love the earth and they love the world they are Inhabitants of the earth they are of the earth and that 's a second thing wherein the love of the world consists to have our thoughts taken up with the world and minding the world and carried towards the world Thirdly Men are said to love the world when their desires are after the world what men and women love they desire much their desires are strong that way and run after those things Love is a desire of union too or with the thing loved They are carried unto the thing you know what 's said in the Commandments Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House Thoushalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-servant nor his Maid-servant nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours When there is a covetous desire in the soul that shews the soul is in love with the thing O now the desires of men are carried after the things of the world strongly affecting the things of the world Fourthly The love of the world is in this in setting the heart upon the things of the world when the heart is setled upon things Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Many set their hearts upon the things of the world Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols his heart is set upon his Idols when the heart is set upon things there 's loving of them you know what Samuel said to Saul Set not thine heart upon thy Fathers Asses Mens hearts are set upon their goods and their cattel and their corn and wine and oyl and their pleasures and profits and those things that the world holds out Col. 3.2 Set your affections upon things above and not upon the things on the earth Men set and settle their affections upon the things of the earth one thing or other here below steals away the hearts and the hearts are taken up with them and so they love them In the 24. Matth. 38. As in the dayes
that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage Their affections were set upon those things When the affection is set upon any thing we love the thing Fifthly We are said to love the world when we imploy the chiefest or most of our strength in and upon and about the things of the world when our chiefest strength is imployed about them our time and strength goes out most that way In the 6. Joh. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth saith Christ but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you c. Labour not when our chief labour is about meat that perishes and upon these things we love them When the bent of the soul is that way when men rise early and lye down late and spend their time that way In the 13. Rom. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof When we make provision for the flesh and the lusts thereof to fulfil them to gratifie them and satisfie them 't is an Argument that we love the world men follow it with eagerness their time and strength are improved that way Sixthly We are said to love the world when as we do watch all opportunities and occasions to get the things of the world to buy cheap and sell dear to get great estates and houses and lands and things of that nature The Children of this world saith Christ are wiser in their Generation than the Children of light The Children of the world are wise in their generation to get all advantages whereby to raise themselves In the 8. Amos 4. Hear this O ye that swallow up the needy even to make the poor of the Land to fail They do watch advantages even to swallow up the needy to make a prey of the needy and to have their labour for a song and for nothing They swallow up the needy and make the poor of the Land to fail They are like unto the Eagle or unto the Kite that sores aloft and looks downward to seize upon the prey the heart ranges and roves abroad after something or other in the world to settle upon In the 12. Luke 29. Seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful mind Be not like Meteors in the air that hover there and then fall upon the earth so many are like Meteors in the air hovering about and at last they fall upon the earth Some do say if I had gotten such an estate then I would take my ease and be at rest as in the 18. Prov. 10 11. saith the wise man there The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as a high wall in his own conceit A rich man when he hath gotten wealth he will settle upon it it 's his strong City he will rest there it 's as a high wall in his own conceit 't is a wall to defend him against all his enemies and all injuries and wrongs So then we love the world when we watch advantages and hover over the things of the world to get something to rest upon and confide in and trust in and secure our selves by Seventhly We love the world when we can endure great hardships for it and the things of it That which we love we will endure any thing to accomplish it Jacob he loves Rachel and he will endure cold and heat Winter and Summer to accomplish his desires So when men can endure great difficulties and run through great dangers and venture upon any thing to get the world they do love the world It 's said of Souldiers they will venture their limbs and lives for eight pence a day And hose that are Duellers will venture their souls for their credit 't is not their credit their honour to put up an injury or a wrong but they must venture the hazzard of their lives and souls to maintain their credit and honour In Psal 107.23 24 25 26 27. you may see how men endure the dangers and the storms at Sea They that go down to the Sea in Ships and do business in great waters they see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the Heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble They endure trouble even that melts their very souls They reel too and fro and stagger like a Drunken man and are at their wits end Men will endure any thing at Sea to get the wealth of the world which argues the love of the world All the difficulties that they meet with will not quench their love though they meet with storms and waves and dangers yet it doth not quench their love to the world they are not weary of any thing so they may get the world But as for the things of God and of the Soul the Gospel and the Sabbath how soon are men weary of these Amos 8.5 Hear this ye that swallow up the needy you say when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat making the Ephah small and the Shekel great and falsifie the ballances by deceit They are not weary of the world but soon weary of the new Moon and weary of the Sabbaths and of the Ordinances of God Men can endure any difficulties and dangers to get estates but will hardly endure any thing to get Heaven and Grace and Interest in Christ Eighthly Men love the world when they savour much or most of the world When they savour most of the world in their discourses and the things of the world they are of the world Christ tells you out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks When the world 's in the heart the heart loves it Now it 's an argument the world 's in the heart when mens discourses are of the world and savour most of the world In Joh. 3.31 saith the Lord Christ he that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that is of the earth is earthly when men are of the earth worldly and love the world they are earthly and speak of the earth and savour the things of the earth How savory are discourses of gain and pleasures and honours to them In Joh. 8.23 And he said unto them ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world Christ was not of the world and he was speaking of heaven and heavenly things and the things that concern the eternal good of mens souls but they were of the earth and spake of the earth He speaks of the Scribes and Pharises how they did love the applause of men and vain glory and sought high places and upper rooms and things of that nature They were of the
goods be lost to morrow may be a fire in thine house therefore wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not But if we get grace that will continue with us if we get peace and joy none can take them from us if we get interest in Christ none can pluck us out of his hand Thirdly Suppose we do get them and we can keep them yet they will not satisfie our souls and therefore to be put upon that which will not satisfie and let go that which will satisfie the soul is unreasonable Eccles 5.10 He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied therewith If we love the world the honours the pleasures or any thing in the world we shall not be satisfied with it for every creature hath a cranny in it yea there is a curse goes along with it In the 6. Mich. 14 15. Thou shalt eat but not be satisfied and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee Thou shalt be cast down though thou gettest never so much And that which thou deliverest will I give up to the Sword Thou shalt sow but thou shalt not reap thou shalt tread the Olives but thou shalt not anoint thee with oyl and sweet wine but shalt not drink wine There 's a vacuum in all creatures every creature hath but dry breasts it will not yield that which we expect and look for at it There is not that in Riches and Honours or Trades or Health or Wives or Children or Estates which men expect Haman had great honour and greatness in the world as much as a man could desire yet he wants Mordecai's cruse and that doth sowâ— all unto him There is vanity and vexation in all estates and conditions Solomon hath written that Inscription upon all things here in the world Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of spirit Therefore to love the world and the things of it puts us upon unreasonable things But now the things of God are better than the things of the world Fourthly it puts us upon the worst things all the things in the world are perishing things but the things of God are durable things These things are but Dogs meat as Paul calls them but the things of God and of Heaven and of the Kingdom they are excellent things There 's an excellency in grace there 's an excellency in the knowledge of Christ now we let these things go and choose the other that 's unreasonable Thirdly We should not love the world because it 's scandalous to the wayes and things of God when professors are as the men of the world it is a scandal unto the wayes of God To love it and the things of it so that nothing appears but a profession of Religion 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of Godliness but denying the power Who are those that have a form of Godliness but deny the power Covetous men lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Now this brings a great scandal upon the wayes of God that men of the world say these Professors are as covetous as any love the world as much as any and early up and down late and as greedy after the things of the world as any others whatsoever what 's in their Religion so that hereby Religion suffers The Spies brought up an ill report upon the Land of Canaan So these bring up an ill report upon God and his Ordinances upon the Milk and Honey that is in that Land indeed They are ready to say such and such are great professors and make a noise in the world but Silver comes from them as a joynt from the body as blood from their veins they are so hard that there 's nothing to be gotten from them In Matth. 18.7 Woe be to the world because of offences And one of the great offences that comes is from Professors because they love the world so much Fourthly As it is scandalous so it is idolatrous when men love the world they make an Idol of the world The world hath their hearts their heart is glewed to the world Eph. 5.5 Nor covetous man who is an Idolater and in the 3d. Collos he tells you that covetousness is Idolatry We cry out of the Papists that they set up Images and Pictures and bow to them and we are greater Idolaters our selves if we love the world and the things of the world We set up Idols and Pictures in our hearts and certainly Idolatry is a great sin and an Idolater is a grievous sinner We would be loath to have that imputation fastened upon us to be Idolaters and yet if we love the world we are Idolaters and live in Idolatry Fifthly It 's a dangerous thing to love the world A man that loves the world whose bent is that way is in danger of two or three things 1. A man that loves the world by little and little grows a stranger to God a stranger to Christ we cannot at once have our eyes upon Heaven and upon Earth too When we are between two men or two mountains the nearer we draw to one the further we go off from the other So the further we go off from God the more we love the world When men do love the Cistern they leave the Fountain all the creatures they are but Cisterns and when our hearts run out to these then we leave God who is the Fountain 2. Another evil is that we grow acquainted with the worlds wayes and the wayes of worldlings we grow acquainted with their shifts and their over-reachings and their plots and designs and customs and many times with their oaths and wicked courses and we are defiled and hardened thereby 3. We expose our selves to divers Temptations and Snares which are hurtful Those that will be rich fall into a snare and into a temptation and many hurtful lusts 't is a thousand to one if we dont lose a good Conscience thereby Nay we are in danger of losing our very souls by loving the world and the things of the world In the 19. Matth. 23. Then said Jesus unto his Disciples verily I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven What a danger is that man in that loves the world and the things of the world in danger of losing Heaven of losing his soul what will it profit a man to win the world and lose his soul And he that loves the world he is labouring to get the world and be great in the world and so to hazzard his soul 'T is dangerous to love the world Sixthly We should not love the world because it puts us upon impossibilities Matth. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mamon The Lord Jesus Christ tells you 't is an impossibility to serve God and Mamon every man saith I will serve God and love God I were not
worthy to live else but if we love the world we dont serve God and love God we cannot serve God and Mamon Mamon is Riches 't is an impossible thing and therefore the Lord Christ when he was tempted by the Devil Matth. 4.10 saith he Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve I cannot hearken to thy Temptations to imbrace the world no 't is impossible him Onely shalt thou serve God Onely is to be served and we cannot serve two Masters whosoever loves the world hath two Masters to serve God and the world and 't is impossible to serve them both Seventhly We should not love the world because hereby we make God our enemy 'T was a sad thing when God said to Jer. Behold I am against thee I am thy enemy to have the great God the Lord of Hosts the Lord of Sabbaths the Lord of Heaven and Earth to be our Enemy O dreadful whosoever loves the world is the enemy of God in 4. James 4. Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enemity with God That 's more than an Enemy Enmity to God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the Enemy of God Would you be enemies to God Love the World If you would not be enemies to God dont love the world Better have all the world our enemy than God our enemy all the world to be against us than God to be against us And in Psal 10. It 's said The covetous whom God abhors A man of a covetous heart and covetous affections is greedy of the world and loves the world God abhors him To have God our enemy is sad what will become of that man or woman that hath God for their enemy The love of the world doth make God our enemy Eighthly We should not love the world because it makes us expensive of time which is better than the world Would any man lay out Gold and Silver for Straws and Stubble and Chips and Butterflyes and such things as these Those that love the world are at greater expences than the world is worth and they give that for the world which is better than the world The best things of the world are the riches and honours and pleasures and preferments and learning and gifts but now our souls are better than all these better than the whole world What shall a man give in exchange for his soul all the world is not worth one soul one soul is worth a Million of worlds Now to lay out our time strength understandings and souls about the world and the things of the world what expences are we at we give too much for the world the world is not worthy of our affections understandings strengths hearts therefore see what the Prophet saith in Isa 55.2 he comes there with a vehement expostulation wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread 'T is not bread when you get it It 's not any thing will satisfie or advantage your souls And you labour for that which satisfieth not So that we are at too great cost and too great expences when we love the world and labour to get the world and buy it at so dear a rate Ninthly We should not love the world because it imbaseth the understanding that most noble faculty of the soul The world doth imbase our understandings and imbase our spirits our understanding was made and given us for God and for heavenly things that we might have Communion with God by virtue of our understanding and reason and apprehension and fall in with God Now if the Body be for God as in 1 Cor. 6.13 much more the soul and the understanding is for God and for heavenly things and not for the Earth and earthly things Now the world doth imbase our understandings for what is the world it's a meer dirty thing Rom. 8.20.22 You shall see that the world is subject to corruption subject to vanity the world is in bondage to corruption and the world lyes in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 It lyes like a piece of Carrion in a Ditch it lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wicked one in the Devil And what can the world contribute to your understanding now to do you good No it imbases the understanding and makes the soul earthly drossy muddy and miery Now will you imbase a noble Soul to a dirty World in Dan. 2. There is mention made of a great Image and what was the best of that Image the Feet are Clay and the Legs are Iron and the Thighs are Brass and the Belly is Silver and the Head is Gold the best is but Gold and Silver and they are rusty things perishing things and these do imbase a noble Heroical Soul to be bowed down to these things for the Soul becomes that which it loves if it loves the earth it is an earthly soul Tenthly The world it is of a damning nature and therefore we should not love it The world doth not onely indanger us but it drowns the soul in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition The soul is drown'd in perdition whosoever is a lover of the world is a child of the world and so is a Son of perdition It 's said of the man of sin he is a Son of perdition the world doth make men leave Christ in the 19. Matth. 22. There 's a young man comes to Christ Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life keep the Commandments saith Christ He saith unto him which Jesus said Thou shalt do no Murther Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. The young man saith unto him all these things have I kept from my youth up what lack I yet Jesus saith unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and come and follow me but he leaves Christ he went away sorrowful saith the Text why he had great Possessions So the Scribes and Pharises they leave Christ for their Credit Joh. 12.42 43. So in the 8. Matth. 34. The Gadarens desire Christ to be gone out of their Countrey they would have none of Christ but they loved their Swine which were drown'd in the Sea and the world drown'd them in perdition Eleventhly The world is a great enemy to growth in grace and Communion with God for the world and the things of it divert the heart from spiritual things Martha is cumbred about many things and diverted from Christ and hearing of him So in Matth. 13.22 He also saith Christ that received seed among the Thornes is he that heareth the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becometh unfruitful So that the love of the world
and the things of the world are a great enemy to growing in grace and to Communion with God It makes men to leave the best things and most excellent things even Grace it self and God himself and Communion with God A worldly heart hath little or no Communion with God If a Woman fall in love with another and commit folly with another her Husband cares not for Communion with her so is it here ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Psal 73.27 They went a whoring from under God Men go a whoring from God when they love the world and dote upon the world and the things of it Now what an enemy is the world to growth in grace and Communion with God Twelfthly The world is the Devils Instrument whereby he ensnares men and women and leads them captive at his pleasure he is called the God of the world and he takes men with the world The world is his grand Instrument to take men and women In Matth. 4.8 9. he thought to catch Christ with the glory of the world The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them Here was his last bait whereby he thought to catch Christ And saith unto him all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He thought to catch Christ with it but the Lord Christ was too hard for him but 't is his Instrument whereby he catches men and women Thus he caught Eve by the fruit of the Garden thus he caught David by Bathsheba and thus he caught Achan by a Wedg of Gold and a Babilonish Garment And thus he catches men and women some by Wine some by Women some by Kingdoms and he leads them captive when he hath taken them by some bait or other of the world something or other he presents sutable to the eye to the taste to the fancy or to their opinion he presents something or other sutable by which he leads them Captive at his will 13. Lastly We should not love the world because it is that which causes men to erre and go astray from the truth and from the wayes of God and leads them to Apostacy in the end 1 Tim. 6.10 The Love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith Mark they have erred from the faith if we love the world we will let the faith go and truth go and the wayes of God go and so we make way for Apostacy what was it caused Spira to renounce the faith whose story you have heard of and is among you it was the love of the world of his credit and esteem and outward engagements that he had These made him to renounce the faith And so Demas 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken me saith Paul and embrac'd the present world What forsake Paul that great Apostle brought up at the feet of Gamaliel a man wrapt up into the third Heavens a man of that note that Paul was to forsake him for the present world yet Demas did it the Love of the world drew him off from Paul and his Doctrine and Church State and wayes the Devil by that means drew him away So then you see the reasons why we should not love the world nor the things of the world But now a Question or two comes to be answered Qu. What must we then quite cast off the world and have nothing to do with the world Anâ— I answer not so neither 't is not said here we may not have the world but we must not love the world We may have to do with the world I shall answer this question in three or four things First We may study the world make it a part of our study we may study the works of God in the world they are honourable sought out of all them that have pleasure therein we may study the world for the world will teach us many good lessons First We may study the world and come to the knowledge of the invisible things of God by these visible things Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are cleerly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and God-head so that they are without excuse We may come to know there is an eternal God an Omnipotent God by these visible things and in the 12. Job 7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee These will teach us something the Beasts and the Fowls and the Earth and the Fishes will teach us the invisible things of God and instruct us in those things may do us good There 's something to be learned from these therefore we may study these God's power wisdom goodness mercy are all learned by the creatures Secondly The creatures do teach us prudence and providence Go to the Ant thou Sluggard he layes up in Summer against Winter Thirdly The creatures will teach us to do the will of God Psal 119.91 They Continue to this day according to thy Ordinances for all are thy Servants They all serve thee The Sun and Moon and Stars they all serve the Lord and the Winds do serve the Lord Psal 148.8 Stormy winds fulfil his Word The very winds do fulfill the word of God and obey his voice and do what he commands them to do They teach us therefore to do the will of God shall the waves and winds and all the creatures obey the Lord and shall not man obey the Lord for whom all these were made Fourthly They teach us to wait upon God 145. Psal 15. The eyes of all wait upon thee that thou mayest give them their meat in due season the fowls of the heaven wait upon God the very Leviathan in the Sea waits upon God for its meat in due season And what shall we be carking and caring about what shall we eat and what shall we drink and wherewith shall we be cloathed who feeds the Wild fowl in the air the Lord feeds them and therefore they teach us to wait upon God without carking and being distracted and desponding Fifthly The creatures do teach us to expect glorious liberty from the hand of God Rom. 8.14.21 The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God and v. 21. They wait to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Children of God there is a glorious liberty for the Children of God to come to they may be in bondage and are at this day but there is a liberty and a glorious liberty and shall not we wait for it when the whole
creation waits for it Sixthly Lastly The creature teaches us to know times and seasons the Stork the Crane and the Swallow they know their times and seasons and shall not we know times and part seasons We are therefore to make it a part of our study to study the world and the creatures Secondly We may pray for the things of this world Prov. 30.8 Agur prayes there Remove far from me vanity and lyes give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me you see here he prayes for food convenient So in Luke 11. Christ teaches us to pray Give us day by day our daily bread that is things needful for this life needful for my state and condition and relation that I am in Thirdly We must follow a calling in this world and use lawful means to obtain the things of the world 2 Thes 3.10.12 The Apostle orders there If any man work not neither should he eat Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread The Lord commands and orders it so men are to have a calling and to follow a calling and to be diligent in their calling 1 Cor. 7.33 He that is Married careth for the things of this world how he may please his Wife He ought to take care and to please his wife and provide for his wife and Children 1 Tim. 5.8 He that provides not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denyed the Faith and is worse than an Infidel and they ought so to labour as they may have wherewith to relieve others Eph. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth Men ought to have a calling and follow a calling and so to follow it that they may not live upon others and be idle but have to relieve others and help others that are impotent or aged and sick and weak or made poor by the providence of God Acts 20.35 It is more blessed to give then to receive Men should labour therefore to have that so they may give rather than receive Fourthly We may use the world it 's not said here use not the world but love not the world nor the things of it 1 Cor. 7.31 And they that use this world as not abusing it Men indeed do abuse the world to gratifie their lusts and to satisfie the flesh as in the next verse All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world we may use the world but not abuse it Qu. Now the next question is when doth a man so use the world as not to abuse it An. I answer first a man doth not abuse the the world but use it well and right when he uses all things for that end that God hath made them Now in Prov. 16.4 you shall see for what end God hath made the world He hath made all things for himself God hath made all things and all things in this world for himself for his own praise and honour and glory and therefore in the 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Let God be glorified in your eating and drinking in your recreations in all your actions in all your sufferings do all to the glory of God for God hath made all things for himself and in 1 Cor. 6. Ye are not your own ye are bought with a price glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods When you use your understandings your affections your speech your eyes your hands your feet when you use all to the glory of God Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity when your feet run the way of Gods Commandments when you use all for the glory of God then you dont abuse the world but use it a right way Secondly When we walk with God in the use of the world and the things of it and answer Gods call It 's said of Enoch he walked with God three hundred years he walked with God in his calling we are but Stewards and God calls upon us ever and anon to do this and to do that he calls upon us to give to the poor we answer Gods call So when God calls upon us to mourn we mourn when he calls us to Sympathize with those that suffer we Sympathize when he calls us to rejoyce we rejoyce when we abridge our selves of our liberty at Gods call now we use the world aright Thirdly We use the world aright when we use the world and the things of the world to promote spiritual good in our selves or others Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose Now when I use the creature to promote my spiritual good the good of my soul to get more grace to further my peace and comfort and content and communion with God I use the word aright I use it well Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven When I use the world so that I make my light to shine by it and so to shine that men may see my good works when I do good with my estate that men may glorifie God now I use my estate aright When I make friends of unrighteous Mammon that 's using the world aright to promote spiritual good Many use their estates to crush others and to be revenged and to have their lusts satisfied and so they promote the interest of Satan this now is an ill use of the world and the things of the world Fourthly Then I use the world aright when I do use the world on the by and I mind the things of God and of my Soul as my main business The world is to be minded but on the by and the things of God and of the Soul are to be my main business here in the world Wherefore hath God set me in this world is it to get riches and honours and to have my pleasures and to gratifie my lusts No but to glorifie his name and to work out my own salvation now when I make this my main business I use the world aright Therefore saith Christ Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth to everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father Sealed Let that be your main business to get the bread that endureth to everlasting life to get grace to work out your salvation to get assurance and clear evidences for an eternal good condition this must be your main scope and business here in the world but many look at heaven
not what We brought nothing into the world and 't is certain men dont think it certain that they shall carry nothing out of the world but 't is certain you may build upon it that you shall carry nothing out of the world Well let us be content then with a little of the world Fourthly This serves for reproof to reprove most men and women Professors Christians those that are look'd upon as Godly and in the state of grace 't is a reproof unto them that they love the world and the things of the world I might bitterly and sharply reprove men and women and professors upon this account But I know what will be said presently we dont love the world we do but use the world I should be glad it would prove so let us come to the test then and try it out whether we do love the world yea or no and I shall desire you to put some questions to your own hearts to deal impartially with them for you see what is said Love not the world not the things of it Qu. First put this question unto your souls am I not more careful and take greater pains and am at greater costs for the things of the world then I am for my soul and the things of my soul then I am for heaven and the things of heaven spiritual things how careful are men and women and what costs and pains will they be at for houses Land Purchases good Bargains what a deal of pains do men take about these things if there be a crack in a title of Land or of a House what pains will they take to cleer up things to get things made sure If there be a storm at Sea that Ships be in danger what insuring is there Men will take pains and be at cost to insure the same but now as for their souls and eternal conditions what little pains do men take and what little cost will they be at that way whereas the Scripture saith Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling you are in a storm and your salvations are in danger you may lose your souls work out your salvations with fear and trembling Work them out of the dark work them out of the doubts and fears and all disputes work them out against all objections and get things cleer'd up work out your salvations with fear and trembling 't is a hard work a difficult work to accomplish and bring about and there need be great pains taken about it 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure there must be diligence give diligence to it saith he it calls for it it is not easily done 't is not saying A Lord have mercy upon me will save a man or assure a man No there must be praying and strugling and crying and wrestling with God searching of Scriptures and applying of truths home to a mans own heart and v. 5. Giving all diligence add to your faith virtue c. men and women should be diligent and very diligent and all their diligence should run out that way to get grace and to make their callings and elections sure Now we give all diligence in other things and little pains is taken about the soul what doth this argue then but that I love thy world and the things of the world my love 〈◊〉 greatest that way Qu. Secondly Put this question to your own hearts doth not the world and the things of it jossel aside and out of place the things 〈…〉 of God Do not the things of the world 〈◊〉 the wall of the things of God and jossel tha◠aside In the 14. Luke when they were called to the great feast they all made their excuses saith one I have bought a yoke of Oxen and I must go try them I have bought a Farm and I must go see that I have married a Wife and I cannot come they could not come to hear Christ nor partake of the great things that Christ tendred unto them in the Gospel they jossel'd out these things So the things of the world do jossel our prayer the reading of the world instructing of their family meditating and the examining of their hearts c. and if they do not jossel them out yet they do curtail them and they are shortened and lessened do you in the first place seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof No the things of the world it 's to be fear'd do jossel out the things of the Kingdom of heaven the things of God and of the Soul and this is an argument that we love the world when better things and things of greater weight and concernment are set aside for petty and mean things in comparison some flight business do make a man neglect holy duties or post them over in a formal way whereas David who was a man after Gods own heart a gracious man in the 119. Psal saith I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I considered my wayes the world was drawing me another way but I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments and v. 62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous Judgments I will rise at mid-night I will break my sleep I will do it in secret when no eye sees me none privy to it but God We hardly will awake to give thanks to God for choice mercies much less for righteous Judgments it 's one argument we love the world when spiritual things and duties are thrust aside upon the account of the things of the world Qu. Thirdly Put this question to your souls soul art thou content with a little art thou content with a little grace with a little knowledge of God with a little communion with God with a little heavenly-mindedness but art thou not eager upon the things of the world and never content and satisfied with the world and the things thereof Soul wouldst thou not have more and more and more and more still of the things of the world more this week and more next year and daily more and more of the world Is it not with your souls as with the Horse-leech in the Prov. that cryes give give Soul if it be so thou dost love the world men and women deceive themselves and think they dont love the world when as still they are greedy of the world and covetous after the things of the world In the 8. Amos 5. When will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat When will these spiritual duties be over that we may mind the world and follow the world and get the world In the 1. Prov. 19. So is every one that is greedy of gain Men are greedy of gain men look upon those that are rich in the world and they labour to be like them
affections bring great afflictions unto men and women in the 12. Luke 20. see how short a mans time is the fool there in the Gospel had got a great estate thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry but God said unto him Thou fool This night thy soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided we have many such fools in the world that lay up much here and think they shall live long and be at ease as many use to say well when I have gotten such an estate then I will give over the Sea and live at ease but before that comes Thou fool This night thou art taken away from it in the midst of thy pursuit of it so that we cannot long enjoy the things of this world and therefore seeing the time is short as the Apostle saith use the world as not abusing it use the world you may but dont love it for then you abuse it use the world for your necessity to further your journey to Heaven to further your accounts before God but dont abuse it dont love it The time is short Eighthly To take our hearts off from the world consider that those are truely Godly they are for God and not for the world Psal 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself God hath set a Godly man apart from the world and set him for himself now if thou beest set apart for God wilt thou give thy self to the world Be for him who hath set thee apart for himself A maid when she is set a part by friends for such a man she will be for him and not for another so when God hath set you apart from the world your hearts will be for God and not for the world and it 's an argument that a man is a Godly man when he is set apart God calls them out of the world and chooses them for himself and he will have them to be imployed in his way and his work and not for the world A Godly man is above the world and better than the world and what should he loose himself in the world and mire himself with the world Heb. 11. of whom the world was not worthy the world did not think them worthy to live in it and the world was not worthy of them so precious is a Godly man the soul is a precious thing and more precious than all the world but when there 's precious grace in the soul it 's far beyond the worth of worlds a thousand worlds are not worthy one gracious soul therefore be not for the world but for God for whom thou art set apart Ninthly We should not love the world because such as do love the world they dont love the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.18 19. Many walk saith he of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ Mark they are not friends to Christ nor to his Cross they are enemies to the Cross of Christ and who be they he tells you in the 19 v. who mind earthly things Men that mind earthly things the things of this world are enemies to the Cross of Christ and James 4.4 saith the Apostle Ye Adnlterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God To be an enemy of God and an enemy to Christ is a sad thing not to love the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha Let him be accursed till I come saith the Lord Jesus I will come e're long again to see who loves me and who loves me not now if any man dont love me let him be accursed till I come and send him to hell and give him his portion there well then this should prevail with us not to love the world for we cannot love Christ if we love the world no man can serve two Masters we cannot love God and Mammon Tenthly Lastly we should not love the world 't is not the end of our creation nor the end of our redemption but crosses the end of both why was man created man was created for God and for communion with God he was made after Gods own Image in knowledge and righteousness and holiness that so he might be a meet companion if I may so speak for God to converse with and to have familiarity with Now if we love the world what Communion have we with God how do we answer the end of our creation In Rev. 14.4 he tells them that they are redeemed from the earth and from among men it crosses the end of our redemption The end of our Creation is to have Communion with God to serve God and to walk with God and the end of our Redemption is that we should follow the Lamb and being redeemed serve in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our lives Now loving the world is cross to both these if we love the world we will follow the world if we love Christ we will follow him So that if you would not cross the end of your creation nor the end of your redemption dont love the world nor the things of the world By this time I conceive you are convinced in your Judgments you should not love the world But here 's the business we would not love the world but we find it such a hard thing that we know not how to get our hearts off from the world and the things of the world therefore what should we do in this case First If you would have your affections and hearts off from the world look well to your Judgments and dont highly esteem the world for the affections do follow the judgment and the apprehensions If men have strong apprehensions of things they will have strong affections and when men do highly esteem of things then their hearts are carried out strongly after those things and work violently towards them Now then have low thoughts of the world judge of the world as the Scripture judges of it and how doth the Scripture judge of the world look into the 1. Gal. 4. who hath delivered us from this present evil world 'T is an evil world a world that is full of evils full of sins full of mischief full of oppression full of corruption subject to bondage subject to perishing an evil world full of evil plots and designs and devils Thus the Scripture judges of it do you judge of it so So in the 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyes in wickedness Judge you so of it here 's a world lyes in wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyes in the devil and he makes use of the world to deceive you and undo you and to draw you to perdition Should a
and to overtake them to be as great and high and honourable as they to have as great Purchases as they have to have as great Revennues and In-comes as they have but they look not at those that are rich in grace those that are very spiritual and heavenly and Godly and walk close with God and say I would I were like to them and so labour to get more grace and to walk with God as Enoch did for three hundred years together now when it is thus it 's an argument men love the world Ask your own hearts therefore whether it be so or no with you that you are desirous of more and more of the world but are not desirous after more and more of heaven and of God and covetous after the best things Fourthly Ask your hearts what they do find most sweet and content in is it not in the world and the things of the world how sweet and pleasing are they unto our natures but for the things of heaven what are they what are the things of heaven unto you they are like the white of an Egg they are unsavory things to men and women or very little savour in them There be many that say who will shew us any good who will shew us a good bargain who will shew us a good purchase who will shew us any good But Lord saith David do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon me There was good in that that was sweet unto him the light of Gods countenance Psal 34.8 Taste and see that the Lord is good the Lord is good and the Lord is sweet to my soul and he would have others taste how good the Lord is to have the favour of God communion with God peace with God joy in the Holy Ghost oh these have a sweet taste and relish to a gracious heart and soul Others say who will shew us any good Corn and Wine and Oyl Pleasures and Profits and the like these are pleasing to them and as for spiritual and heavenly things they are notions and shaddows and they make small account of them but a gracious soul he finds it as in the 19. Psal The Statutes of the Lord are right saith David Rejoycing the heart his Crown and Kingdom did not so rejoyce his heart as God's Statutes did and v. 10. More are they to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb Give me Gold say some Gold Gold but saith David the Statutes of God they are more desirable than fine Gold the choicest Gold they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Honey is sweet but the Honey-comb the Honey that runs out of it self out of the Honey-comb that 's sweetest of all now saith he they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Now what sweetness do your souls find in these things In the 3. Mal. 14. What profit is it say they that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts we find no profit in this serving of God and in being much in prayer and reading and meditation and holy conference in hearing and worshipping of God We find no profit in it what profit is it To such men Gain is Godliness but to a gracious heart any thing of God is sweet and great gain Qu. Fifthly put this question to your hearts heart dost thou not use questionable and unlawful means to get the world and neglect lawful means and unquestionable means that would get heaven and get spiritual things Many do use things questionable and means questionable and unlawful too to get the world you have it in the 1 Thess 4.6 That no man go beyond anâ— defraud his Brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such dont men go beyond others and defraud others to get the world oppress or over-reach them as the word signifies they have a deep insight into things and they will over-reach a man that 's simple and labour to wring from them and draw from them that so they may encrease their estates these love the world so in the 8. Amos 5. saith he They do falsifie the ballances by deceit when men do falsifie the haslances have false weights false wayes false lights it 's an argument they love the world and the things of the world that will hazzard their souls to get the world and grate upon their own Consciences for if ever their Consciences be awakened they will speak and accuse and condemn for such practices This is a manifest argument of loving the world if we can use questionable means and unlawful means and then neglect the means that are unquestionable and very lawful God hath appointed means to get Grace Prayer Meditating hearing the Word searching the Scriptures these are means that are unquestionable and will bring in gain whereas the other are questionable and unlawful means Qu. Sixthly put this question to your souls Soul dost thou not affect notions and learning and wisdom of words and parts and gifts and things of this nature All these things are of the world and how are mens fancies tickled with these and affected and taken with these Humane Learning Fathers and Latine Greek Hebrew and Authors how it pleases some men which shews they are but carnal natural and worldly as Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.4 My Speech and my Preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God The faith of such men stands in the wisdom of men he is a brave Orator he is a Learned man and he hath singular notions and expressions and these things please them and so they have a faith that stands in the wisdom of men but now as for the simplicity of the Gospel and plain wholsom truths these are hardly welcome to them Now that which is of God is plain and spiritual and the more spiritual any truth is the more welcome to a gracious heart but the more spiritual it is the less acceptable to that man whose heart loves the world because it strikes at his carnalness and his corruptions So that ask your hearts that question Qu. Seventhly Lastly put this question to your hearts whether thou art not more griev'd and troubled for the loss of outward things worldly things then thou art for the loss of spiritual things or the removal of spiritual things many mourn bitterly for Relations Husband taken away a Wife taken away Children taken away Estate taken away how they mourn and weep and hang down their heads and forsake their dyet and take to their Chambers and Beds and will not be comforted many times But if a Godly Minister be taken away Ordinances taken away Sabbath taken away Meetings taken away these things dont much trouble them Now it 's an argument that we love the world when we can be affected so with the loss of these