The blessed A­postle in the former part of the Chapter, had given di­rection in Ca­ses [Page 2] of cōscience, being a man that had the Tongue of the Learned to speak a word in season to the wearie: whereupon (as having in his eye greater matters than particularities) as his use is al­most in every Epistle, he calls them from particular Cases, that they should not over­much trouble themselves about them, but the maine, The time is short, Let those that are mar­ried, be as if they were not, &c. But

First he gives satisfaction to the particular Cases,We must know par­ticulars in our jour­ney to heaven. for as it is in travelling, it is not enough to know that a mans way lies East, or West, or North, or South, but he must know the turnings and windings, the particularities of the way: So in Religion it is not enough to know that we must serve God above all, and love our Neigh­bour as our selfe, &c. Those [Page 3] generalities that Atheists pre­tend to shake-off all studie of Religion by, if they know a few generalls. Our knowledge stands in clearing particular Cases, which being cleared the way is smother to heaven­ward; yet notwithstanding we must not dwell too much upon particulars, for here you see the Apostle calls them off, Finally my Brethren, the time is short, it remaines that we looke to the maine, &c. For the fashion of this World pas­seth away; wherein we consi­dered two points in generall, which I will name, and ha­sten to that: inlarging of that that I thinke sitting for this time.

The first was this, that

A very good way to satisfie Cases of Conscience in particu­lar, is to have in our minde the maine▪ Doct 1. Looking to the maine helps par­ticulars▪

[Page 4] For there be many that puzzle themselves all their life, about this and that particular, and forget the maine in the mean time, let a man looke to the maine, and he will soone re­solve whether it be good to re­deeme time to heare a Ser­mon now and then: he will doe it, and not make a Case of it, for it helpes the maine, I came into the world to save my soule, &c.

And so for sanctifying the Lords-Day entirely, many have scruples and keepe adoe, but if they had the love of God in their soules, and did looke to the maine, they would cut off that idle question: why doe I trifle about this and that idle question, how stands it with the maine?

And so for conversing with company, are they such as are comfortable and cheerefull? [Page 5] are they such as may helpe to the main? no: why do I intangle my selfe in that which hinders the maine? So we see Paul when he had resolved the par­ticulars, he calls them to the maine, Brethren the time is short; and therefore be in these things as if yee were not, (as we shall see anone in the par­ticulars) For the fashion of this World passeth away. To adde a little in this point, This is the reason why none but a true Christian can carry himselfe moderately in the things of this world, why? because none but a sound Christian hath a maine, and a chiefe end that swaies the sterne of his whole life, hee lookes to heaven and happines, and how it shall be with him afterwards, and he considers particulars thereafter, when another man of necessi­tie must erre in particulars, [Page 6] because he hath not a gracious ayme: you have no man but a Christian, but he looseth him­selfe in the things of this world.

Well, the second thing is this, you see that

Religion meddles with all mattersDoct. 2. Religion reacheth to other callings.

With the World, with Mar­riage, with buying and pos­sessing, as we shall see after­wards. Saith an Athiest (that sto­mackes it, that his waies should be hindred from that comman­ding skill of Religion which hath to doe in all things) What hath the Minister to doe with our Callings, with Lawyers, with Trades-men, or States-men? What hath the Minister to doe with these things?

It is true not with the mate­rials, with the particular mat­ters of those, that is left to those that are Artists, that have skill in the particulars; but a mini­ster and a Christian, and Reli­gion in any man hath to deale [Page 7] with these things, as they helpe to further the maine; for Reli­gion is a skill that fits a man for a further end, for his last end, that fits him for heaven.Religion guides all to the maine.

Now being such a skil it must direct every thing so farre as it helps or hinders that, The heathen Philosopher could say, State knowledge is a commanding knowledge, why? because it med­dles with all trades. How? hath a States-man skil in this or that trade? No, not in the particular mystery, but he hath skill so far as he sees what may serve for the publicke good. Let the safety of the Common-wealth be the law of all trades. The State know­ledge is the supream knowledg which is for the good of the whole, therefore he cuts of par­ticulars if they be mischievous to the whole: so all trades wee must tell them of their faults, as they are blemishes to Religion, for wee must not bee so [Page 8] in this or that trade, as that we forget we are Christians, and therefore we must heare meek­ly the word of God, when it meets with our particular cal­lings, we see Paul medleth with buying and selling, with marriage, &c. How? As farre as they might hinder the main. Finally my brethren, the time is short, and the fashion of this World passeth away. Therefore be not over-much in these things.

It is an antient rule, (sum­ma ratio, &c.) it is the maine reason that makes for Religion, as I said before of State-know­ledge: it is (summa Lex) though that be the Supreame in regard of inferiours, yet there is one above that, that is the chiefe Law of all that makes for Religion: that is the chiefe reason of all that makes for Religion, there be [Page 9] many particular reasons that make for this and that, I, but Religion faith the contrary, and that must rule, that is the (summa ratio.) Now I come to unfold the particulars, but to hasten to the maine. The Apostle heere stands upon five directions and bounds; those five directions with three reasons.The five particular directions

Let those that are married, be as if they were not.

Those that weepe, as if they wept not.

Those that reioyce, as if they reioyced not.

And they that buy, as though they possessed not.

And they that use this world, as not abusing it.

How are these five directi­ons inforced?

They are inforced from three reasons.

[Page 10] The first is in the front of the Text. The time is short. There­fore be moderate in all things here.

The second is in the shutting­up of the Text, For the fashi­on of this World passeth a­way.

The third reason is a maine reason too: that is from their state and condition in Christ: why Brethren, faith hee, Par­takers of the heavenly Calling, as he saith in another place, Partakers of better things, and by being Brethren, Brethren in Christ, members of Christ; he is the knot of the Brother­hood, being Borne againe Sonnes of God, Brethren of Christ, Brethren partakers of the heavenly Calling, not Bre­thren onely among your selves, but Brethren in Christ, and so Sonnes of God and Heires of heaven. What, for you [Page 11] to be immoderate in the things of the World; Paul wraps up a moving reason, not onely to insinuate into them to gain their affection, Oh! my Brethren: but to adde a force of reason like­wise. Brethren, The time is short. And Brethren, the fa­shion of this world passeth away. So adde these three rea­sons to the five directions, and wee see how strougly Paul backes his directions. Indeed it was needfull for Paul so to do; we are so desperatly set on the things of this world, we are so hardly taken off, that there must be reason upon reason; for the Holy-Ghost, the Holy Spi­rit of God, loves not wast of rea­sons, to spend them where there is no use. And therefore wee must thinke it is a weightie point & of great equity, that we give eare to these directions that have so strong reasons.

[Page 12] But to come to say somewhat of the particulars.

We must remember (to make way to what is to bee spoken of these things) that every one of these reasons have a force in e­very direction: you that have Wives, be as if you had none, for the Time is short, and the fa­shion of the world passeth a­way. And so you that weep, as if you wept not, for the time is short, and the fashion of the world passeth away. And you are Bre­thren, you that use the world as not abusing it, for The time is short, and the fashion of the world passeth away. So that all these reasons must bee thought on in every particular direction, that I speake of, only in generall; J will speake a little of the first reason, The time is short.

What time?The time is short.

The time of the world;1. Of the World. there is but a little time before the [Page 13] day of iudgment; Christ is at hand to iudge the quicke and the dead. The time betweene this and that is short, it was short then, it is shorter now, The time is short, wee are fallen into the latter end of the world: but that is not all.

Our time is short of our little world,2 Of our life our particular iudgment is neere at hand: it shall bee with us at the latter day, as it is when we dye, our time is short, the time of our particu­lar life is short, and that is more forcible to perswade us, The time is short.

The season of the time,2. Of op­portunity which is the prime time: The season and opportunity of time is shorter then the time of life: for we have not opportunity of time all our life. The time is short: 1. Time is short. that is, the advantage of doing good, and of taking good is short. All the yeare is not [Page 14] harvest or seed-time, it is not al­wayes Tyde, it is not alwayes sun-shine, and as it is in nature, so it is in the spirituall state of thinges: we have not alwayes advantages and opportunities, wee have not alwayes gales. Opportunitie therefore is shor­ter then time, as our time is shor­ter then the time of the world. The time is short. The opportuni­tie and season of time is shor­ter: well I will not dwell vp­on this poynt, though it bee a great inforcement, It is short, 2 Time is uncertain.

I, and vncertaine, we cannot tell how short. If it were told any of us heere, that within two dayes you shall dye, it would startle vs, the best of vs all; it would make vs looke a­bout vs: but who of us all, knowes certainly that we shall live two houres. The time as it is short, so it is vncertaine, and heere is the wondrous folly [Page 15] of our nature, that we will take so much time to come, in trust, as though we should live so long and make a covenant with death, but one party cannot make a covenant, God and the time to come make no covenant with us. Therefore it is extremi­ty of Folly to say, I shall live so long, & so long. Thou foole, faith God, when he proiected for a long time, and had treasure laid up for many yeares, Thou foole, this night they shall take thy soule. A man is a foole when he makes account of continuing of that he hath no promise of. And therefore the time being short, and uncertaine too, Take it while wee may catch hold of it, especially the opportunity of time.

And then in the third place it is irrecoverable,3. It is ir­recovera­ble. when it is gon, there is no recalling back of time when it is past. In all these [Page 16] respects we must be good hus­bands of time, wee must be thrifty of our time, and not take care how to drive away that, that flyes away of it selfe to fast: it is a precious thing, precious for great purpose.

What is this little time given us for? To provide for eternitie world without end: and wee trifle it a way about this thing and that thing to no purpose, we fill it up with vanity, and with sinne, which is worse. In this little time we do that, that in a long time after, we cannot undoe againe, that is our mad­nes and folly, therefore The time being short, let us take heed what we doe in it, we may do that in a little time, that wee may rue for eternity, we may do that good, and get that good in a little time, that may stand by us world without end; those that have but a little plot of ground, [Page 17] oh! they will husband it so, that they will not lose a hand­full of it, so those that have but a little time, oh! let them husband it well, sow that little time well, sow that seed that may breed a harvest, that may benefit us after that wee may say, Oh! it was a great blessing, that God gave me a little time to get into Christ, to repent of my sins. &c. Beloved there are three maine parts of this little time.

• Past,
• Present,
• To come.
  1: Repent the time past in ill.

The Time that is gone, let us repent of it, if it have not bin spent well, that is the best use we can make of the time past; for there is nothing to be done in the time that is past. But if things have been done ill, repent2. For time present do good.

The Time present is to doe good in, and for the Time to [Page 18] come, it is out of our power; and therefore even for the present we must worke. The Time past, the best use we can make of it, is to comfort our selves, as Hezekias, in our since­ritie, or to repent if any thing have been done amisse; but looke to the present, put not off, do the worke, for which we came into the World, present­ly, The time is short, the busines is great, the iourney is long, it is a great iourney from earth to heaven, it is a great matter to get from earth to heaven.

Now having such businesse to heaven, let us, I beseech you, consider the weight of the bu­sinesse, and give our eyes no sleepe,3. For time to come get into such a state as is not lyable to time. nor our eye-lids slum­ber, till we are gotten into such a state and condition, as is not lyable to time, let us make this speciall use of pre­cious time. Those that are [Page 19] young let them bee advised to take Time along with them,Advice to youth (which is to be estee­med farre above Gold) and consecrate the prime and the flower of their time to God, and to the best things, espe­cially considering, that wee have no assurance of this Time.A memo­randum to old age. And those that are old, that through age are going into the grave, let them not neglect their Time. A young man (as wee say) may die soone, an old man cannot live long. And therefore let those that are stricken in yeares be put in minde to thinke that their time is shorter then others. All mens times are short, old mens shortest. Let those therefore that are in years thinke of this, The Time is short. Our folly is this, we make it shorter then it is, by our [Page 20] Vanity Vanity. it were well if it were onely vanity, by ma­ny sinnefull actions many shor­ten their dayes by intemperate courses, and so are fellons upon themselues, or by their wicked­nes, they give God occasion to shorten their dayes. A blood­thirstie and crvell man shall not live out halfe his dayes. God meets with him, so The time is short, and we make it shorter, we are guiltie of the shortnes of our time our selues, let us take heed of that. But I have bin over long in this point, on­ly because it is the prime reason, set before all the particulars, I beseech you consider. The time is short. If we doe not make use of it, we are worse then the Divell himselfe,Our neg­lect of time makes us worse than the Divel he makes use of the shortnes of his time, what doth hee? Because the time is short, he doth all the mischiefe he can. Hee fills up [Page 21] his time to increase his king­dome, he doth all the mischiefe he can, for this reason; because his time is short: let us learne some what of the worst of spirits, but that which it serves for in particular heere, let us thinke of it in that respect, ha­ving many things to doe, and the time being short; let us bee sure wee doe the maine thing that we come for, and other things as they help the maine, and not hinder it. The time is short, and we have many busi­nesses to doe, let us be sure that we doe all our busines, so as that wee leave not the maine undone, that is the maine hee aimes at here; The time is short.

It remains that those that have wives, bee as if they had none.

That is the first particular;Marriage lawfull. for before they had asked him [Page 22] Cases of Conscience about mar­riage, and that makes him speak of it. All the particulars have dependance one upon another. Those that mary wil have occa­sion to weep, that is next, for there will be cause: There will be losse of Husband, or wife, or childe, and there is some­what alwaies family-crosses at­tend upon Marriage. And there­fore hee addes weeping after Marriage.

And then ioy, because there is ioy. A woman brings forth in sorrow, but shee Joyes when a man childe is borne, as Christ speakes. There is ioy in chil­dren, and there is mutuall ioy in that sweet coniugall friendship, there is much ioy: and there­fore as there is weeping, so there is ioy in Marriage.

And those that buy, as if they possessed not. There must be buy­ing where there is wife and chil­dren [Page 23] there must be looking to posteritie: and then all this enforceth, Vsing of the World. And men when they enter in­to to that estate, they enter into the world, as wee use to say, they beginne the world anew, they enter into the world: for there are many things necessarie to maintaine that societie. Therefore wee see one thing depends upon a­nother: hee ioynes all toge­ther, ayming especially at one thing, at that kinde of life espe­cially.

Now in every one of these particulars, hee gives a liber­ty to doe the thing, you may Marry, you may Weepe, you may joy, you may buy, you may use the World; but as there is a libertie, so there is a danger, you may, but you may goe too farre. And there­fore with a liberty, hee gives a [Page 24] restraint. There is a danger, and a restraint upon the danger; doe them, but take heed you over­doe them not. And this restraint is backed with reason, he hath reason for his restraint. The time is short: and therefore there is danger, lest you shoot your selves too farre, lest you passe too deepe into these things, And the fashion of this world passeth away, all things here passe away. Therefore it is in vaine for you to be overmuch in those things, that are passing things.

And then you are Brethren, called to greater matters, so there is a libertie, a danger, and a restraint upon the danger, and likewise a reason to back it in every particular.

The libertie.1 A liberty to marry. We may Mar­ry. I will not stand upon that: I had occasion heretofore to speake of it, it is not questio­ned [Page 25] this liberty. There is not onely a liberty, but it is an ho­nourable estate, and necessary; honoured in Paradice, honou­red by Christs presence. There is no question of the liberty of that by which the Church is maintayned, by which the Church is brought into the world, for heaven. There is no question of that, and it was the Divell that brought in a base esteeme of that honourable Condition in Popery, wherein they would bee rather the members of an Harlot, then the head of a wife. It was the Divell that brought in those abhominable opinions and wri­tings to disparage that honou­rable Condition, and so it must be thought.

But there is a danger, and that is the maine thing.2. Danger. You that have wives be as if you had none. There is a great danger in adou­ble [Page 26] respect. A danger in the things, and a perill if wee goe too farre in them. That is, there is a great hazzard, that we shall goe over-farre in that conditi­on, and a danger that it tends to.

For instance, Those that have wives, have they not beene drawne away by their wives, as Solomon was to Idolatrie? Is there not a danger of being drawne away? And is there not a danger in being drawne a­way to hazzard our Soules? There is a danger to be hurt, and a danger in being hurt, did not sinne come in that way? Was not Adam led away by his wife? and how many men perish by being too Vxorious, by being too flexible in that kinde? If they had remembred the Apo­stles precept to marry, as if they had not, they would not have been so drawne away. There­fore there is a danger, and a re­straint [Page 27] upon that danger, Let those that have wives, be as though they had none. What to use them as if they had none? to care for them, as if they had none? No,Those that have wives to be as if they had none how to be un­derstood. that is not the mea­ning; but to be as if they had none. That is, Let them be as reso­lute for Gods Truth, as if they had no wives to hinder them; Let them bee as willing to suffer crosses, if God call them, as if they had none. Let them bee as readie to good Duties if it fall within their Calling, as if they had none. Let them avoyde distracting Cares, and worldly Incum­brances; as if they had none. Let them not pretend their Marriage to their basenesse, and worldlinesse, and for a­voyding of Crosses and afli­ctions when God is pleased to call them unto them. Let them not pretend Marriage for [Page 28] their doubling in Religion and dissembling, I shall undoe my wife and children, Let them bee as if they had none: for Christ hath given us direction to hate all in respect of Christ. A man is not worthy of Christ and of Religion, that undervalues not wife and children, and all for the Gospell. If things stand in question: whether he shall stick to them, or to Christ, his chiefe husband: then we must sticke to him. The reason is, the bond of Religion is above all bonds.Bonds in Religion, above all other. And the bond that bindes us to Christ, it abides when all bonds cease; for all bonds be­tweene husband and wife, be­tweene father and children, they end in death: but the bond of Christ is eternall. And therefore every bond must serve the maine bond: and therefore we must not pretend this and that to wrong Christ and Re­ligion, [Page 29] which is the maine bond: Wee must so labour to please others, that we displease not our chiefe husband. For the time will bee, when wee shall neither marry nor give in Marriage: but we shall bee as the Angells: and that time shall be without bounds and limites, for Eternitie, and wee must looke to that. And therefore those that marrie, Let them be as if they were not mar­ried. You know how it fared with him in the Gospell, that pretended this, for his not com­ing to Christ: hee that was married, saith, I cannot come, he could not, his excuse was more peremptory then the rest; he couldnot. Could this excuse him? And will pretending this excuse men when they are called to duties? There is that disproportion, so much between Christ our chiefe Husband and [Page 30] any other, though it be the wife of our bosome, or the children of our loines (the one having redeemed us, and is our best husband, a husband for E­ternitie in heaven) that no ex­cuse will serve the turne for a man to wrong the bond of Re­ligion for any bond whatsoe­ver. And therefore you know the peremptorie answer to him that pretended that excuse, You shall never taste of my feast. But I have beene too long in this point, intending other ma­tters.

And those that weepe, as though they wept not.

It is lawfull to weepe,Weeping lawfull not onely for sinne (that should be the main) but likewise to weep for the miseries of the time and state we live in. There is a li­bertie here, Oh! that my head [Page 31] were a fountaine of teares, saith Ieremiah; he thought he could not weepe enough: and there­fore he wisheth that his head were a Fountaine, hee thought his teares would soone be dry, Oh! that my head were a foun­taine, so that there is a liberty to weepe. Nay men are bound to weepe. There are teares of sympathy, for the miserie of the State and time we live in. And so for familie-losses and crosses, wee are flesh, and not spirit, and God hath made us men, and hath given us sensible apprehensions of griefe; and it is a cursed temper to bee without Naturall affection. Wee may weep, and we may grieve, nay, we ought to grieve.

Now griefe is as it were the cloud from whence the showre of teares comes, and weeping is but a distillation of that vapour.

[Page 32] Now if wee may grieve and ought to grieve for the times, and it is a stupid temper, not to apprehend the miseries of the state, & times we live in, if we may grieve, we may weep, that is put for the Spring whence weeping comes. For griefe it selfe, there is a liberty no question of that, wee may weepe, but we must weepe, as if wee wept not. For there is a danger in weeping over much for any crosses.Weeping excessive dangerous Here is a dan­ger for wee may flatter our griefe too much, for wives, or children. God takes it ill, he takes it unkindely, that when Christ himselfe is a perpetuall husband, and God is an Ever­lasting Father, that we should weepe and grieve too much; for the losse of father, or of wife, or of childe. For is not God worth all? So there is a danger, that naturally we are [Page 33] prone to over grieve, when wee doe grieve, as we are to over-joy when we doe joy, for our Nature can hardly keepe bounds; and God takes it un­kindely when we doe so, when wee over-grieve,Excessive griefe ar­gues want of trust in God. for it is a signe wee fetch not that com­fort from him that is the Spring and Fountaine, that wee should doe. And therefore let those that weepe, be as if they wept not. That is, not over-much. For the time is short, doest thou loose any friend, or any thing, The time is short, we shall meet a­gaine. There is but a little time betweene this and the latter Judgement, And the fashion of this world passeth away. There will be a new World, a new heaven, and a new earth. And then wee shall live for ever with the Lord.

And then my Brethren. Why? Brethren should not be with­out [Page 34] hope of the Resurrection, as the Gentiles are. They may weepe that never thinke to see one another againe. But a Christian, a brother, that hath hope of meeting againe, let not him weepe as without hope, so let us weepe, as if wee wept not: So hee layes a re­straint upon that, nay though our weeping bee for sinne, there must be a moderation in that,Moderation in griefe for sin. for wee may over­grieve, for wee are bound to Ioy in the Lord, and al­way to reioyce. And there­fore wee must weepe for sinne, so as wee must remember to Ioy. Wee must with one eye looke upon our sinnes to humble us, and to worke upon our hearts to grieve; but with the other Eye, wee must looke upon Gods mercie in Christ to comfort us againe. The best griefe of all must bee [Page 35] moderate, much more griefe for any earthly thing.

Now when we are tempted to over-grieve, for any earthly thing, the best way is diversion. Doe I grieve for these? I, but is my soule as it should be? Let me weepe over my dead soule, as Christ wept over Lazarus, when he was dead Let mee weepe over my dull soule, let me weepe over that.

As Physitians, when the bloud runnes too much one way, they give an issue another way: so let us turne our griefe the right way, if wee weepe for other things, How is it with us, is the life of Grace there? Is reckonings eaven betweene God and my soule? Am I fit to end my dayes? Am I in a state fit for heaven? then we shall weepe for some­thing. It is pitty such pearles as tears should be lost; God hath no [Page 36] bottles for teares that are shed over-much for the things of the world. But if they be for our sinnes, and the sinnes of the time wee live in, and for the ils and miseries of the State that are on us, and hang over our heads, then let us weepe to pur­pose, turne our griefe the right way, and then let us grieve a­maine, if we will, so our griefe runne in that channell.

Those that Ioy as if they did not.

Ioy we may, and we ought, for God envies not our Ioy,Ioy law­full. hee hath given us wherewith in this life to Ioy, abundance of comforts of all sorts, for all our senses Flowers, and Colors, &c. Wee have nothing in soule or body, but it hath obiects to de­light in, God hath made him­selfe [Page 37] for the soule to delight in, and there is somewhat to de­light us in every Creature, so sweet is God; wee may, and ought to reioyce. God gives us wife and children to reioyce in, Reioyce in the wife of thy youth. There is no question of a libertie in these things.

But then there is a danger:Danger in Ioy. especially in the sweet affecti­ons. There is danger, because wee are like to over-ioy. And poyson is the subtillest, convey­ed in sweet things. Wee are proane to over-Joy. There is a danger, therefore, there must bee a restraint. We must Ioy as if we reioyced not: that is, so ioy, in any thing here, as considering that the time is short, I cannot enioy it long. Shall I ioy in that that I cannot inioy? The time is short, I cannot enioy them. If a man cannot enioy a thing long, he cannot joy. The time is short [Page 38] you must goe. The things must goe, and both must goe: And the fashion of this world passeth away. All the frame of things passe away; Marriage passeth away; and Callings passe a­way▪ and friendes passe a­way, and all passe away. And therefore Ioy, as if you ioyed not. I beseech you let us leame to Ioy, as if wee re­ioyced not. The Prophet calls Nineveh a reioycing Ci­tie. And wee live in a Io­viall age. Men eate and drinke as they did in the dayes of the Old World, In Noahs time, they marry, and give in Marriage. Wee live in Joviall times; and therefore wee had need to lay some restraint upon our ioy: espe­cially when God calls us to mourning as well as Ioy, as hee doth if wee looke round about us▪ If wee looke upon [Page 39] the time, we should see cause to Ioy as if wee did not. Wee must not alway bee on the merry pinne, as wee say, but wee must temper and qualifie our Ioy.

Now considering that the Apostle addes, weeping, grie­ving and Ioy, you see that

Religion is especially in mode­rating the affections.

Religion is in purging the af­fections from the evill that is in them,Religion in the affections chiefely and moderating them, if they bee lawfull and good. And therefore thinke not that you are Religious e­nough, if you know a great deale, as many Christians are verie greedie of knowing. And yet if you looke to their lives, their griefe, and their Ioy is intemperate, they have not learned to bridle and to [Page 40] schoole their affections. You see that Religion is in moderating of griefe and Ioy in earthly things: Let us see men shew the power of Religionin bea­ring of crosses, so that they weepe as if they wept not: and in bea­ring prosperitie so as they can learne to abound, to Ioy, as if not. That man hath lear­ned Religion to purpose: for Religion is especially about the affections: for wee are good if wee Joy well, and grieve well, but not, if wee know much. The Divell doth that better than wee: Therefore especially labour, that God would vouchsafe Grace to go­verne the affections, that wee may know how to Grieve and how to Ioy, as naturally indeed we doe not.

And then wee see here ano­ther point (which now I adde) that

[Page 41] The Affections of Gods peo­ple are mixed.

They so weepe as that it is mingled with Ioy,Affections of Christi­ans mixed. and their Ioy is mingled with Wee­ping. They weepe as if they wept not, They Ioy as if they Ioyed not.

A carnall man is in simples altogether; If he Ioy he thrusts the house out of the window, (as wee say) If hee be merry hee is mad, he hath no bounds. If he be sorrowfull, if some­what restraine him not, hee sinkes like a beast under his sor­row, as Nabal did, for he hath no grace to temper his sorrow, and to temper his Ioy. And therefore hee is over sorrow­full, or over Iocund. Ah! but Grace (considering that wee have obiects of both) doth tem­per the affections. A Christi­an when hee Ioyes, he doth not over-Ioy, for hee hath cause at [Page 42] that time to mourne for some­what: and when he grieves, he doth not over-grieve: for hee hath somewhat then to Ioy in; for Christ is his, and heaven is his, and the Provi­dence of God to direct all for good, is his still, hee hath some­what to Ioy in at the worst. And therefore all his affections are tempered and qualified. So much for that point.

And they that buy, as if they possessed not.

It is lawfull to buy,Buying lawfull. because it is lawfull to make contracts; and proprietie is lawfull: every man ought to have his owne, or else there were no thest, if there were no propriety; nor there could be no workes of mercie. Now if proprietie and dominion of things be lawfull, that we may possesse things as our [Page 43] owne, then buying is lawfull, that is one way of contract, of ma­king things our owne, there is no danger in that.Danger in buying. But there is a danger in the manner of buy­ing. Men buy to perpetuat them selves, They call their lands after their names, such a house of such a one, Enoch of Enochs, and they thinke to continue for ever. God makes fooles of them, for how few have you that goe beyond the third generation? how few houses have you, that the childe, or the Grand-childe can say, this was my Grand-fathers, and my Great Grand-fathers? How few houses have you, that are now in them can say, My An­cestour dwelt here, and these were his Lands? Goe over a whole Countrey it is hard­ly so.

Men when they build toge­ther with building in the earth, they build Castles in the [Page 44] aire, they have conceits: Now I build for my childe, and for my childes childe. God cros­ses them, either they have no po­steritie, or by a thousand things that fall out in the world, that it falls out otherwise. The time is short, And the fashion of this world passeth away. That is, The buildings passe away, the owning passeth away, al things here passe away: and therefore buy as if you possessed not, buy so as wee neglect not the best possession in heaven, and so pos. sesse these things, as being not possessed and commanded of them.

In Levit. 25. There you see the yeare of Iubile in the 50 yeare war, that all possessions might returne againe, if men would. God trained them up by this, to teach them that they should not thinke of inheriting things long, that they bought; [Page 45] for it returned in the yeare of Iubile, in the fiftieth yeare: so wee must learne that we can­not possesse things long. Though we possesse them our selves, wee may bee thrust out by fraud or tyranny. Therefore Let those that buy, be as though they did not possesse. Ier. 22. 23. he saith, Thou makest thy nest in the Cedars, and thinkest it shall be thus and thus with thee. Oh! Beloved, let not us build and dwell in our hopes and assu­rance upon that which will yeeld no certaine hope and as­surance in this world, For the fashion of this world (as we shal see after) passeth away.

And then for Brethren, that have an inheritance in heaven, for them to buy as if they should live here for ever. Brethren, that is a reason to take them off, Bre­thren buy as if you possessed not. Thus you see, I have gone over [Page 46] the foure Directions.

They that use the world, as not abusing it.

Wee may use the world, while wee are here in it, for we cannot want the things of this life. We are members of two worlds, while we are here. Wee are Members of this world, and wee are heires of a better, wee have relation to two worlds.

Now while wee live in this world,Vsing the world law­full. wee must use the things of this world. How many things doth this poore life need while wee are in this world? While we are passengers, wee must have things to helpe us in the way to heaven. Passengers must have recessaries, there is no question of that. And ther­fore we must use the world ma­ny waies, it is a point of Na­ture: [Page 47] and therefore I will not spend time in that. But then, Vse the world,

As not abusing it.

There is danger in using the world,Danger in vsing the world. there is a danger of clea­ving in our affections to the things of this world, so much as that wee forget a better world: and therefore wee should use it as not abusing it.

How should we use it?

VVhy use this world as laying a foundation for a bet­ter World. VVhile wee live here, use the world as wee may further our recko­nings for a better. Vse the things of the world as wee may expresse some grace in the using of it. Vse the world as that the using of it may comfort us when the thing passeth. The [Page 48] world passeth. But let us use the world, as that the grace that wee expresse in the use of it may continue. Use the world to the honour of God, to the good of others, to the increase of our reckoning: abuse it not to the dishonour of God: fight not against God with his own blessings, that is to abuse the world: Forget not God the Giver. Were it not an un­kinde thing if a man should in­vite strangers, if they should turne their kinde friend that had invited them, out of dores? And so it is to use the things of the world so, as to turne God out of our hearts that gives all. Turne not the things of this world against God, or a­gainst others, to make them weapons of iniustice, to be great to ruine others. Abuse them not to wrong, and to pierce our owne soules (as the Apo­stle [Page 49] saith) with Cares and the like: This is to abuse the world when wee dishonour God and wrong others, or to pierce our owne soules: God hath not given us the things of this world for this end, to hurt our selves with them. And there­fore together with the things let us desire a gracious use of all things; for a gracious use of them, is better than the thing it selfe. Labour to use them as not abusing them (as we shall) if wee have not grace to use them well, (as one saith) Ma­ny men have the gifts of God without God; because they have not his grace. When we have the gifts of God, desire Grace to mannage them well. To his children God gives this with the other: hee never gives them any thing, but hee gives them Grace to make a sanctified use of it. They are [Page 50] sanctified to all thinges, and all things are sancti­fied unto them, Vse the world as not abusing of it. The rea­son is strong, The time is short, why should wee bee over­much in using the things of this world (for that is one way of abusing of the things of this world) The time is short, wee must bee pulled from them whether wee will or no. And therefore let us weane our selves, For the time is short. And then The fashion of this world passeth away. Why should wee dote upon a pe­rishing fashion? All things here passe away, the things of the world passe away, and a new fashion comes after And then you, Brethren, that are heires of a better world, use this World, as not abusing it; Brethren, hee puts them in minde of a higher calling. And [Page 51] so I come to the last.

For the fashion of this world passeth away.

That is the second reason,The world a shew. The Schema, that is, the Ap­parition of this world, the out­ward fashion, the outward view and hew of the things of this world passe away. It is a notable diminishing word in the Originall, as if the world were not a substance, but a fa­shion, Schema. As wee say in Philosophy, in the Aire there are Apparitions and substan­ces, as there are flying-hor­ses sometimes, and fighting­men in the aire: These are not substances, but Appari­tions of things; it is but Phasis, but an Apparition, or Shape. The substance and true Realtie of these things [Page 52] is another matter: so whatso­ever is in the world, it is but an apparition: When the Di­vell shewed Christ all the king­domes of the world, hee shew­ed him but an apparition, but a shew of things.

There is a diminishing in the word, Shew.

And then in the word, fadeth away.

The fashion of this world pas­seth away; or as some translate it, Deceives, and turnes us aside: And so it doth indeed from better things. The fashion of this world passeth away. That Translation is fit enough. It pas­seth away. Now shall wee be immoderate in any thing that passeth away? It is but an Apparition, but a shew, but a Pageant. The word is partly taken from a Pageant, or a shew that hath a resem­blance of this and that. But [Page 53] there is no realtie or substance in a Pageant. From this, That the thinges of this world are but an Apparition or Page­ant,

Learne to conceive aright of the things of this life,Vse Things of this life shewes. that there is no realtie in them to speake of. They have a kinde of realtie: Riches are in some sort riches: and Beautie is in some sort Beautie: and No­bilitie is in some sort Nobili­tie and so Possessions are in some sort Possessions. But all this is but a Pageant as it were, as a man that acts in a Page­ant, or in a Play, hee is in some sort a King, or a Beg­gar for the time: But wee value him not as hee is then, but as hee is when he is off the Stage. And while wee live here, wee act the part, some of a Rich-man, some of a Noble­man, some of a Beggar or [Page 54] poore man, all is but an acting of a part. And there is a lesse proportion betweene the a­cting of a part in this life, than there is betweene our life and eternitie. All is but the acting of a part. VVee are not rich in the grave more than others. The King is as poore in the Grave, as the base Peasant, his Riches follow him not. The worme and the grave know no dif­ference, when wee goe to that house there is no diffe­rence: all acting, and all differences end in the Grave. And therefore considering, that this world is but an Ap­parition, but the acting of a part, why should wee thinke our selves the better for any thing here? Doth hee that acts the part of a Noble­man upon the Stage think him­selfe better than another, that [Page 55] acts the part of a Poore man? No. Hee knowes hee shall goe off in short time, and then hee shall bee as hee was before: why are wee not thus wise in better things: It is not hee that acts; the greatest part, but hee that acts well, he that acts the part of a poore man may bee better than hee that acts the part of a rich man: it is not the greatnesse of the part, but the well acting of it: all is but an Apparition. If a meane man honour God in his condition, and bee faith­full in a meane estate, hee is a thousand times better then a great man that makes his greatnesse an instrument of in­iustice, as if all the world were to serve his turne, and to make men Idolize him, such a man is a wretched man, and will bee when hee is turned off, the Stage. It is no matter [Page 56] how long hee hath lived, or how great a part hee hath A­cted, but how well. VVee value not men as they are when they are acting, but as they are after. If they were bad before, they are bad after: and they are praised after, if they doe it well. So it is no matter what a man acts, if hee doe it well, hee is for ever happie. If hee doe it ill, hee is forever miserable: all here is but a Pageant. If you talke of realtie,Things in religion, reall. it is in the things of Religion. If you talke of true Nobilitie, it is to bee the Childe of God. If you talke of true Riches, they are those that wee carrie to our death­bed, those that wee carrie to Heaven; those that comfort the soule; those that inrich the soule with Grace, and Comfort, and Peace, that is true Riches. If you talke of [Page 57] true Beautie, it is to have the I­mage of God stamped upon our soules, to bee like Christ, to be new Creatures. If wee talke of true Strength, it is to stand against Temptations, to be able to serve God, and to goe through the world without polluting our soules, to beare Crosses as wee should, that is the true realtie. The things of this life are all but Ap­paritions and Pageants. The greatest man in the world will say so when he lyes a dying, as that great Emperour said, I have runne through all things, and now nothing doth mee good. The realtie was gone that hee thought of, and now there was nothing but a shew and Apparition; when the realtie was gone, nothing doth mee good. Come to a man that is gasping out his life, and aske him, what doth honours doe [Page 58] you good? What doth riches doe you good? what doth possessions doe you good? So­lomon a wise man, wise by the Spirit of God, wise by experi­ence, because hee was a King: wise by a speciall gift of God, and the spirit of God, and ex­perience together with the spi­rit of God and a gift of Wise­dome, hee had all to inable him to give a true sentence; hee that had runne through the varietie of all good things, what doth hee pronounce, but Vanity of Vanities? he cannot ex­presse himselfe, Vanity of vanities sayth Wise, Holy, experienced Solomon, he that had all abili­ties that no man was able to say it so well as hee, yet hee saith Vanitie of Vanities, and that which is worse Vex­ation of Spirit, if a man have not especiall grace to man­nage them a right. And there­fore I beseech you Brethren, [Page 59] doe but represent the things of this life, even under the notion here, they are but Appariti­ons, they are but Pageants. If wee be to buy any thing in this world: wee pull off the trappings, wee pull off the Masque, or else wee may bee couzened in the thing: So if we would iudge of the things of this world as they are; What is within Riches? is there not a great deale of care? What is within government? What is within the things of this life? There is a goodly shew and Apparition: what is within? Pull of the Masque, and then you shal see the things of this World: The more you pierce into them, and the more you know them, the worse you will like them. Like a picture that seemes goodly stuffe afar­off, but neere-hand it seems baser so if you come neer these things [Page 60] there is emptinesse, and not onely so, but Vexation But in the things of heaven, the nea­rer you are, the more you will love them, the more you will admire them: the more a man knowes God, the more hee may know him: the more a man knowes Christ and loves Christ, the more hee may: there is a height, and bredth, and depth, there all dimensi­ons in the love of God in Christ, and in the ioyes of hea­ven, they are beyond compre­hension. The things that wee have in Christ, they are lar­ger than the soule, wee can­not comprehend them. There is nothing here, but wee may compasse it, it is inferiour to our knowledge and affecti­ons; our affections and our knowledge are larger than any thin here; the things of a bet­ter life are beyond all. Shall [Page 61] wee stand upon apparitions, that the more wee know them, the more wee shall under­valew them?

And the fashion of this world passeth away.

It is a fashion, It passeth away. it is but a fashi­on, and then it passeth away. In­deed they doe passe away, ex­perience sheweth that they passe even like a river. As we see the Thames, or any river, the water passeth away, it goes and goes along, but it never comes: so the things of this world, they passe away, but they never come againe, they vanish away, and wee passe a­way with them too. Even as men in a ship, whether they eat or drinke, or sleepe, or walke, the ship goeth, and they goe in it. So it is in this [Page 62] world, whether wee eate or drinke, or sleepe, wee passe a­way to death. Every day takes a part of our life away: and every day wee live, wee live a day lesse, it is gone and past, and never returnes againe, as water, which it is gone: and whether wee walke or doe any thing, the time passeth. While you heare, and while I speake, the time passeth, and ne­ver returnes againe: so the fa­shion of this world passeth a­way. All thinges are passing here.

VVhat is the ground of this, that all things are thus passing? Goods that are not stable, we say they are move­ables, and indeed those things that wee call immoveables are moveables: All passe a­way, heaven and earth will passe away ere long. And there will bee a new heaven [Page 63] and a new earth. Kingdomes passe away, and Kings passe away, and States passe away. VVhat is become of Rome? VVhat is become of Ierusalem? VVhat is become of Babylon, and all those goodly Cities? All are passed away, they are all gone. This experi­ence speakes as well as Di­vinitie.

Now the ground of all this is,1 Reason, because they were made of nothing. not onely the Nature of things, taken from the Nature of all things that are made of nothing; and therefore sub­ject to fall to their first princi­ples againe. That is the funda­mentall reason, why things may bee moove-able and passe a­way. But that they are so, it is not a sufficient reason, for GOD might have sus­pended the mutabilitie of things, if hee would, as the heavenly Angels are mutable, [Page 64] because they are Created, but God hath suspended there mu­tability world without end; And therfore it is not sufficient that all things are of nothing, it shewes that of themselves, they may turne to nothing indeed.

But there is another reason behinde,2. They are accur­sed. that now since the fall of man, there is a curse upon all things. There is a sentence of mutability and change, and a sentence of passing is passed upon all this, that all things that have a beginning, shal have an end, and that this world shal be a Stage of changes and al­teration: There is a sentence of Vanitie upon the Creature, (as Saint Paul saith Divine­ly) The Creature is subject to Vanitie, Rom. 8. not of his owne will, but because God hath subdued it to Vanitie. Rom. 8. Man commit­ted Treason, and therefore the [Page 65] Creatures which are mans ser­vants, all mourne for their masters fall; they all mourne in blacke, as it were. All the Creatures are subiect to Vani­tie, all the Creatures under the Sunne, are subiect to mutabi­litie and change: but we may thanke our selves, wee are the grand-traitors that brought this miserie upon the Creature; that is the true reason why all things passe away, and so why our selves have the sentence of death upon us, wee passe away, and the things passe away, and wee in the use of them. Thus you see the ground of this, why things passe away in the sen­tence of mutabilitie and vani­tie that God hath passed up­on them.

If this be so,Vse. Not to grieve for the losse of them. beloved, let us learne not to passe much for things that will passe away, not to passe for them: learne all [Page 66] the former directions. The fa­shion of this world passeth a­way. Shall wee grieve much for the losse of that that wee cannot hold? Wee say if a glasse be broke, is a man much angrie? a frayle thing is broken. If a friend bee dead, shall a man bee therefore an­gry? The fashion of this world passeth away. A sentence is passed upon them. Shall I be moved at that that God hath set downe a Law for, that one generation shall goe, and ano­ther shall follow after: and there is a succession as in the streames of water? Shall I op­pose Cods sentence? God hath made all things fraile, and it is but the common condition of all since the fall.

So it should be a use of com­fort and contentment with any thing in this world,2. Vse. To be content with little. place, or Riches, or honour, I must [Page 67] leave them, I know not how soone: and this will breed a disposition of contentment. It is enough for him that must leave all, I know not how soone, have I little or much, I must leave all: here is enough for him that must leave all: and therefore leave worldly things to worldly men: leave all these vaine things to vaine men: shall I build a fixed hope on vaine things? Oh! no, that should not be so.

As we must learne content­ment,3. To be moderate in desires. so it should take us off from the hopes of this world, and from promising our selves that which we have no pro­mise in the world for, nor ex­perience. VVho promised thee thou shouldest enioy thy wise long, that thou shoul­dest enjoy thy children long, thy place long: haste thou a promise for this? The na­ture [Page 68] of things fight against thee. The things of the world are variable. Have wee not experience of former times? And have wee not Scriptures to shew that all is Vanitie? Why should wee promise our selves that which the Word doth not promise us, or that wee cannot see experience of in the world? Why would wee have a condition severed from all men? The seeing of things in a condition of fa­ding, as it should teach us con­tentment in the use of all things, so it should teach us moderation and wisedome, that Wee should not promise our selves any thing in this world.

And it should teach us to provide for stable,4. To pro­vide for bet­ter things for cer­taine things in changes and alterations: Looke to some­what that may stand by us, [Page 69] when all these things are gone: will all these things leave me, and must I leave them? How is it with me for world with­out end? Shall I not there­fore looke for those comforts and those graces, and for that condition, that will abide when I am gone hence? what desperate folly were it? Let us labour for a sanctifyed use of the passing away of these things, that wee may provide for that which is not subiect to alteration and change. The fa­vour of God. in Christ is for e­verlasting. The Graces of Gods Spirit are for Everla­sting. The condition of Gods Children is for everlasting. And therefore why should we looke after perishing things, and neglect better? For a Christian hath the realtie of things, hee hath a Husband for ever. Hee hath matter of ioy [Page 70] for ever, he hath a possession for ever▪ & then there will be a new world. All these things are but Shews: the Christian hath the re­alty of al, that never passes away: and therefore considering that all things else passe away, but the things that belong to a Chri­stian as a Christian; let Christi­ans learne to make most of their best calling, and value them­selves as they are Christians, and value others as they are Christi­ans, not as they are rich, or as they are poore as they are noble, or as they are great. The fashion of this world passeth away; va­lue them by that they have of eternitie, what of the Spirit is in them? what of the Image of God is in them? What Grace is in them? are they new borne? are they truely noble? are they new Creatures? va­lue them by that, and labour to get that stamped upon our chil­dren, [Page 71] and upon our friends. La­bour to have Communion so with those that wee love, that wee may have eternall Com­munion in heaven with them. Labour so to enioy our friends, that our friendship may con­tinue in heaven, considering, that The fashion of this world passeth away. All friendship, all Bonds, all Possessions and all that we dote of, and are despe­ratly mad on, all passeth away. The fashion of this world passeth away.

It is a strange thing (Be­loved) That a man capea­ble of high thoughts,The world too low for a Chris­tians thoughte. of ex­cellent thoughts, should spend the marrow of his soule, and the strength of his spirits, a­bout these things, that he should tyre his spirits, that hee should cracke his Conscience, that hee should weare out his Life about thinges vvhich [Page 72] he cannot tell how long he shal inioy them, and neglect these things that abide for ever: for a man this is ill, but for Bre­thren, as he saith, for Brethren to doe so, that have an inheri­tance immortall, for them to bee cast off the hookes for everie Crosse, for everie losse,Why Christians are excessive in outward things. that are the children of God, and heires of heaven. What a shame is this, that Chri­stians are so much in ioy, and so much in sorrow for these things. It comes from 2 or 3 grounds.

First,1. They looke not upon them as past. they doe not consider and looke upon things as past: they looke not with the eye of Faith upon things, these things will passe: but they looke upon things in passing, and they see no alteration for the present: they should consider, I, but what sentence is upon them? These are as good as past, they will bee gone ere long, [Page 73] looke upon things in the world, see all things are passed. We are dead, our friends are dead, and the world is gone. Faith saith this, wee consider not this Eye, and so we are carried a­way with them: wee looke upon things passing, and there wee see little alteration. A man that lookes upon the sha­dow passing, hee cannot see it: but if hee come two or three houres after, hee shall see it past. Let us looke upon things as gone, though they bee not for the present gone, see them in the Eye of Faith, and that will make us consider them as pas­sing away.

Againe,2. We compare not with eternitie. wee are deceived hence in the passing of the things of this life, that wee compare them not with Eter­nitie. VVee thinke it a great matter to enioy things twenty or fortie yeares. VVhat is this [Page 74] point of time to eternitie? Compare this short time here, of health and strength, of ho­nour and place, and friends, what is this to Eternitie? what desperate follie is it to venture the losse of Eternitie, for the enioying of these things? Compare these things with world without end, and that will keepe us from being de­ceived, with these passing things: we are deceived, because wee laie them not in the bal­lance with things that are for ever.

And then the third ground is wee are forgetfull,3. We for­get our better condition. wee are not mindefull of our best condition, wee make not that use of our knowledge that wee might.

When a Christian is all in passion, all in Ioy, all in feares, or in griefe: why, what is the matter at that time? What [Page 75] thoughts hath hee of his Eter­nall estate, of the fading con­dition of these things? he is for­getfull and mindelesse. And therefore let us labour oft to keepe our soules in a heavenly frame. And to draw to a conclu­sion, let us leame to value our selves above all things below: if we be Christians, as we al pro felse our selues to be, value our selves above all things below. It is a poorenesse of spirit for a Christian, for to over-ioy or to over-grieve for any thing that is worse than himselfe. Are not all things so that are here, if we be Christians indeed? if were not Christians the very toads and serpents are better then blaspheming and filthy Crea­tures, that are opposers of Gods Ordinances, they are better than such wretches, as many among us, the Divell is almost as good as they such are [Page 76] next the Divell. The earth they treade on is better than they: but if a man have grace in him, all the world is inferiour to him. What weakenesse of spi­rit is it therefore, and empti­nesse to bee put off with over­much cause of griefe and for­row for any thing below, that is meaner than our selves, for a­ny thing that is fading, when wee have a condition that is not subject to fade? And there­fore oft thinke of our dignitie in Christ; thinke of this mo­tive here (Brethren) thinke of that as well as of the fading condition here. If wee would weane our selves from these things, oft thinke of the eter­nall estate of a Christian, that our thoughts may runne upon that much: and then upon the fraile condition of all things below, that wee may be taken off from them; for two things [Page 77] mortifie a man.

The taking off of his affecti­ons from that they are set on,

And to set them upon that that will fill them, and satisfie them to the full. If a man doe that, hee doth that that a mor­tified man should doe, that is in this world, passing to a bet­ter.

To conclude all with this.

All things here in this world are subordinate to a fur­ther end. And let us consider therefore that wee use them, as that wee loose not the maine,

All the contentments of a Traveller,Simile. are subordinate to helpe him to his iourneyes end. If things come amisse in his Inne, will hee quarrell with Host, that hee hath not a soft bed? Hee will thinke, I am go­ing, I shall have better at home; and these lead me home­ward, [Page 78] so all things below are subordinate helpes to better: Shall wee make them the maine? Shall wee make all things subordinate to them, as worldlings doe, subordi­nate Religion to worldly things, and make all things contrary? They do not grieve as though they grieved not; but they heare, as if they heard not. They receive the Sacrament, as if they recei­ved it not. They pray, as if they prayed not. They speake of Holy things, and do them, as if they did them not. All things in Religion, as if not, but for other things, they are drowned in them: This is the policie of Sa­than, that labours to bring Re­ligion to bee subordinate. So that if men can bee religious, and have the favour of such a one: If hee can be Re­ligious [Page 79] and bee great in the world, hee will: but if Re­ligion it selfe, and the stan­ding for it hinder their aimes away with it, they will ra­ther bee hollow, then stand for a good cause, because they have not learned to subordi­nate things to the maine end; and the reason is,The rea­son why men aime not at the maine. because they have not Grace and hea­venly VVisedome to teach them in what place things should bee valued; what is the maine, and what attends upon the maine, and there­fore they take by-things for the maine, and the maine for the by. Indeed no man is wise, but a sound Christi­an, and hee is wise for his soule, and hee is wise for Eternitie.Applicati­on to the Sacrament But what is this for the Sacrament? To cut off other things, it is this.

[Page 80] Are all things perishing food, such as we must leave, vaine and emptie things? Will not this therefore make us seek the maine, the food that in­dures to everlasting life, and la­bour to bee in Christ more and more, labour to cherish Communion with Christ, that Everlasting Bond? VVhat is the Sacrament, but the Food of our Soules, our Everlasting Manna, that will continue for ever, and make us continue for ever? Christ, if we have him hee continues for ever, and hee makes us continue for ever too. And therefore considering that all things else are vaine. I beseech you let the consideration of that that hath beene spoken, bee as sowre herbes to make the Passeover, to make Christ relish the better. Oh! Are all things vaine, and shall I [Page 81] not labour to have my part in that that shall never die in him that is my Husband for ever, and my Lord for ever? Shall I not labour to strengthen mine Interest in him that hath all good things in him? What if all the earth should fayle? If I have Communion with Christ I have all. If I marry Christ, I have all with him. All is my Ioynture, if I have Christ once, All things are yours, if you are Christs. If I have Christ what can I want, when I receive the Sacrament, having Communion with Christ? Let this strengthen my desire to come to the Sacrament, in this that I have spoken: that all o­ther things fayle, our commu­nion with Christ is Everla­sting. Therefore looke to that. Christ is the food of the soule: all other food the sweet­nesse of it is gone within a [Page 82] quarter of an houre: The sweetnesse is gone presently, and the strength within a day or two, of all other food that wee take: but this food Christ, the food of the Soule. Christ offering himselfe unto death, and shedding out his bloud, and giving his bodie to bee crucified for us: This food feedes our soules to ever­lasting life. VVee cherish our Faith in the assurance of the favour of God to everlasting: the sweetnesse, the strength, and the comfort of this food indures for ever. And there­fore considering that all other things are food that perisheth; labour for that that will feed us to everlasting life. And then wee shall make a right use of the alteration and change of all things.

A heathen man can say this Text, all▪ that I have, set [Page 83] (Brethren) aside: a heathen man could tell you, The time is short, And the fashion of things passe away. Hee sees them, and thereupon could in­ferre the Negative part: ther­fore wee should not be world­ly for the Negative part: by the light of Nature, a man that hath no Religion may bee sound in that, and therefore not to care much for earth­ly things, considering that wee must bee gone.

A Heathen man could speake very sweetly this way, as Plu­tarch, and Seneca, and the rest: what fine speeches had they this way. Oh! but the Po­sitive part, that is, when we see all things here are vaine and fading, to know what wee must cleave too, that is proper to religion to know Christ, & the good we have by Christ, when we have him▪ we have al, he is the [Page 84] of our soules: these things are proper to Religion: and there­fore let us arise from the consi­deration of the Vanitie of all things to the positive part, to interest our selves in that that is better then all things. Which if we have, we have all; and then we shall make a right use of this.