IN the foregoing I. verse, St. Paul sets down the worldlings prayer, creed, and commandements; which is their daily de­sire, beliefe and practise, and all contained in three words; Gain is Godlines. Now in my text St. Paul counter-mines their opi­nion, [Page] or raiseth our anti­position to batter down their false conceit, most elegantly crossing and inverting their words; But Godlines with content­ment is great gain.

Take notice of the un­affected II. elegancy of the Apostle, how clearly and naturally with a little ad­tion, he turns the world­lings Paradox into a Christian truth. Though Sermons may not laugh with light expressions: yet it is not unlawfull for them to smile with de­lightfull language: Al­wayes [Page] provided, that the sweetnesse of the sawce spoile not the savouri­nesse of the meat The Eccles. 12. 10. Preacher sought to finde out acceptable or pleasant words, that so his sound matter might be more welcome to his auditors.

Well, here wee have III. two contrary opinions set on foot together, [...] is godlinesse, faith the worldling, whose Gold is his god, looking and telling thereof, his saying of his prayers. Godlinesse is great gain, saith God him­selfe, by the mouth of the [Page] Apostle. Now as Peter Acts 4. [...]9. in another case, whether it be right to hearken un­to man more then unto God, judge yee.

The text presents us IV. with a Bride.

• 2 A Bride-maide.
• 3 Her great portion.
• 4 The present payment thereof.

1 The Bride Godlinesse. We need not enquire fur­ther into her Pedegree and extraction, she car­ries her Father in her Name; and relates to God the Author thereof.

[Page] 2. The Bride-maid. The Virgin her companion that follows her, or her inseparable attendant, Contentment. Godlinesse with contentment.

3 Her great Portion, Wherein observe the rich ware, Gain; The large measure, Great gain.

4 The present payment. Not in expectances or reversions; but down on the naile, presently deposi­ted, is. Godlines with content­ment is great gain.

Wee begin with the Bride, and in the first place let us put it to the [Page] question. What godlines is? To which quere, se­verall answers will be made according to mens severall affections. Aske some Fryer observant, What godlines is, and he will tel you, the wearing of ashirt of hair, girdle of hemp, fasting so often in the week, praying so of­ten in the day with such like Canonical devotions. Ask the tenacious main­tainer of some new up­start opinion, what god­lines is? And he will an­swer, It is the zealous de­fending with limb and [Page] life of such, and such strangetenets, which our fathers perchance never hard of before; yea which is worse, such a person wil presume soto confine Godlines to his opinion, as to ungodly all others who in the least particu­lar dissent from him. Oh, if God should have no more mercy on us, then wee have charity one to another, what would become of us? Indeed Christ tearmeth his own a little flock, Fear not little Luk. 12. 32. flock. But if some mens rash and cruel censures [Page] should be true, the num­ber of the godly would be so little, it would not be a flock.

5 It is a true but sad consideration how in all ages, men with more ve­hemency of spirit have stickled about small and unimportant points then about such matters as most concern their sal­vation. So that I may say (these sorrowfull times having tuned all our tongues to military phrases) some men have lavished more powder and shot in the defence [Page] of some sleight out­works which might well have been quitted with­out any losse to Reli­gion, then in maintaing the main platform of pie­ty, and making good that Castle of Gods service and their own salvation. Pride wil be found upon serious enquiry the prin­cipall cause hereof. For when men have studied many weeks, moneths or years about some addi­tionall point in Divinity, they contend to have the same essentiall to salvati­on, because it is essentiall [Page] to their reputation, least otherwise their discreti­on be called into questi­on, for taking so much pains in vain, and spend­ing so much precious time about a needlesse matter. Hereupon they labour to inhance the va­lue of their own studies, and will have all those mynes gold, which they have discovered; yea, all their superstructures must be accounted fun­damentall: All their far fetcht deductions and consequential results must bereputed tobe im­mediate [Page] and essentiall to godlines; yea, the very life of godlines must be placed in the zealous as­serting the same.

6 But it will be the sa­fest way for us to take a­description of godlinesse from a pen infallible, im­partiall, and unconcer­ned in our modern di­stractions. Even from Saint Iames himself. Pure James 1.27. religion (or godlinesse) and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visite the fa­therlesse and widdows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspoted from the world. This [Page] setteth forth the practi­call part of Religion, and, as I may term it, the heat of godlinesse. To which if the speculative part, the light of Godlinesse bee added, to know the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom he John 17. 3. hath sent, then godlines is made compleat. And godlinesse thus defined admits of a latitude, so that it may consist with some errours in judge­ment, and infirmities in practise; Provided that the godly person persists in Faith, Hope and Cha­rity, which hold out the [Page] summe of Religion as to the necessary part there­of. As for all particular forms of Church Go­vernment, Ceremonies and outward manner of divine worship, most of them admitting of al­teration upon emergen­cies, and variation accor­ding to circumstances of time, place, and persons, (though these be more or lesse ornamentall to god­linesse, as they neerer or further off relate to di­vine institution) yet it is erronious to fixe or place the life or essence [Page] of godlinesse therein. Act. 10. 34. Wee conclude this point with the words of Saint Peter Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of per­sons; But in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him: Yea, in one and the same nation, he that fear­eth him and worketh righteousnesse of what Sect, Side, Party, Profes­sion, Opinion, Church, Congregation soever he be is accepted with him, as having true godlines in his heart which with con­tentment is great gain.

[Page] 7 Come we now to the Brid-maid attending her, Contentment. Content­ment is a willing submis­sion of ours to Gods will in all conditions. I say willing; for, if it be pa­tience perforce, what re­ward have you? What doe you more then others? Doe not e­ven the Publicans and Sinners the same? Yea, what doe you more then Mules and Horses which being kept with Bit and Bridle quietly carry their ryders which they cannot cast off; In all conditions, patient in adversity, [Page] humble in prosperity, thankfull in both; loo­king neither above our estates with the ambiti­ous man to have it high­er; nor beyond it, with the covetous man to spread it broader; nor besides it with the envi­vous man, repyning at the estate of others: but directly on the Portion God hath given us, and fully satisfied with the same. Even justifying Gods proceedings unto us, though wee receive from him what flesh & blood would count hard [Page] measure, namely, if his Divine wisdome should so appoint it, That with Eccles. 7. 15. just men we perish with our righteousnesse, whilest wicked men prolong their lives in their wickednes.

8 Here we must take notice of the conjuncti­on copulative, with. God­lines with contentment. Which furnisheth us with two profitable ob­servations,

• 1. Wheresoever there is true godlinesse there is content­ment.
• 2. Wheresoever there [Page] is true content­ment there is god­lines.

Like Saul and Ionathan, 2 Sam. 23 lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their deaths they are not divided. These twin gra­ces alwayes go together; True it is, that Gods chil­dren may often have their fits and qualms of discontentment, as Eliah 1 Kin. 19 4. and Ionah had: But this Jonah 4.1 proceeds from the im­perfections of grace in them; They are not dis­contented as they are godly, but as they have a principle of ungodlinesse [Page] in them the remnant of carnall corruption.

9 On the other side, no wicked man what­soever he pretendeth, can have true contentment.

Remarkable it is that in the same chapter wee finde two brethren lay­ing claim to the grace of contentation, but on dif­ferent; yea, contrary ti­tles.

Esau said, Gen. 33. 9 I have enough my brother, keep that thouhast unto thy self. Ja­cob said, Gen. 33. 11. God hath dealt graciously with mee because I have enough. Now [Page] Esau's enough was indeed not enough, being onely a proud and vain-glorious brag, scorning and dis­daining at the first (till importunity altered him) to receive a guift from his younger Brother, as if it were a disgrace and disparagement to his greatnes to admit of any addition or accession of his estate from his infe­riour. Iacobs enough was a true and reall acknow­ledgement of Gods goodnesse to him, rest­ing satisfied with that portion divine provi­dence [Page] had alotted him, such contentment al­waies gos with godlines, and is great gain.

10 Come we now to the Dowery; and before we descend to the parti­culars thereof, take no­tice in generall of Gods bountifull dealing with his servants. God might command us to work and give us no wages, and most justly enjoyne us to labour all day in his Vineyard, and give us no penny at night; Very good reason. Why should we expect to receive [Page] profit by him, who re­turn no profit to him. When yee have done all those Luke 17.10. things which are commanded you: say, Wee are unprofi­table servants, wee have done that which was our duty to doe; Saul did not give but take a dowry with his 1 Sam. 18 25. daughter, and it is obser­vable that 100 of fore­skins onely were requi­red of David, but he gave 200 for her. Such was the super-errogation of his valour; love and loy­alty especially when joy­ned together, never give scant measure: God in [Page] like manner might ex­pect that wee should give him a portion for the attaining of godli­nes; All wee can doe all wee can suffer is too lit­tle to purchase so preci­ous a grace. Yet see the goodnes of God, who knowing he is to deale with such dull work­men, who will take pains no longer then they are paid, whets us on with reward in his service.

11 Here I deny not but it is lawfull to look on those blessings and be­nefits which God reach­eth [Page] out to us for his ser­vice; Moses himself had re­spect unto the recompence of re­ward. Hebr. 11.26. But two things we must take heed of; First that wee receive this re­ward in notion and na­ture of a meere gratuity, not exactly merited by the condignity of our performances, and onely due unto us by the ver­tue of Gods free promise and not our deserts. Se­condly, that as we look on the reward, so wee look through and be­yond it. It being a good Inn for our desires to [Page] bait at, but a bad home for them to lodge in; Let us labour to devest our souls of mercenary thoughts, and learn to serve God for himselfe; Active was the affection of Sechem to Dinah, as ap­pears Gen. 34.11, 12 by his request to Iacob and his sonnes. Let me finde grace in your eyes, and what yee shall say unto mee, I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as yee shall say unto me: But give me the Damosel to wife. Oh, that our hearts were but wrought to this holy [Page] temper, that we should desire godlinesse on any terms, undergo any hard­ship, though there were neither Hell to punish, nor Heaven to reward. However great is Gods goodnes, who knowing whereof wee are made, and remembring that we are but dust, is plea­sed to spurre us on in the rase of piety with a re­ward propounded, god­lines with contentment is great gain.

12. So much in gene­nerall, That there is a Dowry; Now in parti­cular [Page] what is the dovvry of godlinesse. It is great gain.

Great gain, of what? Let Object. Saint Paul himself, who wrote this Epistle tell us, when he cast up his au­dit, what profit he got by the profession of Piety. In labours more aboundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons 2 Cor. 11 23. more frequent, in deaths often. Where is the gain, all this while? Perchance it fol­lows, We will try ano­ther verse. In journying of­ten, in perils of waters, in perils Vers. 26. of Robbers, in perils by mine own Country-men, in perils by [Page] the Heathen, in perils in the City, in perils in the Wildernes, in perils in the Sea, in perils a­mongst false brethren. Where is the gain all this while? you will say, these were but the Apostles adven­tures, his rich return (slow but sure) will come at last. Once more we will try. In wearinesse [...] 27. and painfulnesse, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and na­kednesse. The further we go, the lesse gain we find, Cushai said unto David, May all the Enemies of [...]. my Lord the King be as [Page] the young man Absalom is. But if this be gain, May all the enemies of God and goodnes have plenty thereof. It will never sink into a worldlings head that godlinesse is gain, whilest the gran­dees of piety are found so poore, Eliah begging food of a Widdow, Peter with­out gold or silver; Our Saviour himself not ha­ving where to lay his head.

It is confest that the Answ. doctrine in the text, can in no wise be made good according to the princi­ples [Page] of flesh and blood. Our Saviour said unto Pilate, My kingdome is not of John 18.36. this world. So the sense and interpretation of my text is not of this world, is not carnall but spiritu­al, not temporal but eter­nal. This will plainly ap­pear, if these two parti­culars be well weighed.

• 1 What the world counts gain, is losse.
• 2 What the world counts losse is gaine.

What the world counts gain is losse. For what will it profit a man if he win the whole world, and loose [Page] his own soule. Most poore is the condition of those who have plenty of worldly wealth, and are not rich towards God; Coun­try Luk. 12.21. people having a peice of light gold use to fill the Indentures thereof with dirt, so to make it the heavier; But wisemen wil not take dirt for gold in payment. It seems in like manner that wicked men being sensible that they want waight in the scales of the sanctuary, Dan. 5.27. (Tekel thou art waighed in the ballance and found too light) of set purpose load them­selves [Page] with thick clay. But Hab. 2.6 all will not make them currant in Gods sight, for riches availe not in the day of Prov. 11.4. wrath. They are long in getting with much pains, hard in keeping with much care, quick in loo­sing with more sorrow. Wherefore as the Apo­stle mensions Science falsly 2 Tim. 6.20. so called, so this is gain fals­ly so called by men.

13 Secondly, They nicke-name that losse which is gain in very deed, such were all those sanctified afflictions which Saint Paul suffer­ed. [Page] It is confest that thornes and thistles had never grown in the world, had Adam stood in his integrity, yet some of them since mans fall cannot well be wanted; Holy thistle (we know) hath a Soveraign vertue, and sweet bryer hath a pleasant scent. All tribu­lations are thorns to flesh and blood (the word imports as much) yet as Sanctified to Gods children in Christ they become of excellent use, increasing their grace here and glory hereafter; [Page] Lynnen new washt though it may dry more by day time, is observed to whiten more in a fair night; Adversity sanctifi­ed to a Christian soule doth more improve the same in purity and piety, then the constant enjoy­ing of a prosperous con­dition.

14 But we need goe no further for the proof of the great profit gotten by Gods service, then to the words of the Apo­stle. Godlinesse hath the pro­mise 1 Tim. 4.8. of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. [Page] It is reported of Alexander that having conquered the World, he wept be­cause there was no more left for his valour to o­vercome: But least Gods children should have any cause of discontentment, that their joy may have room enough to dilate it self in, see a life and a life, a vvorld and a vvorld, one here and another hereafter, one in possessi­on, another in reversion alotted unto them.

15 Come we now to the present payment, is, Even at this present in­stant, [Page] God hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoyce. Excellent is the expression of the Apostle. Or things present, or things to 1 Cor. 3. 22. come, All are yours. Here some carping curious Criticks may challenge St. Paul of impropriety of language; yea, finde both fals Grammar and Logick in his words, false Tense, to say future things are, fals Logick, for how can things to come be ours, which be not, But know St. Paul spake with lan­guages 1 Cor. 14 18. more then them all, and had no need to learn the [Page] congruity of constructi­on from any other. It is good in law to say, This reversion i mine because the reversioner is in pre­sent possession of the right to it, though not of the profit by it; yea, hea­ven on earth is actually ours already; the possessi­on of a clear conscience, and the spirit of adopti­on signs and seals unto us the favour of God, then which, no greater gain.

16 And now as the Eunuch said to Philip, See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized, so say I. Act. 8.36 [Page] Behold, here is a Bride, Godlines, ready provided; A bride maid, Contentment, ready prepared. The great portion presently to be paid. What hin­ders now but the mar­riage may instantly pro­ceed, that so we may be wedded and bedded to­gether. But what an­swered Philip to the Eu­nuch? If thou believest with all thine heart, thou maiest be Acts 8. 37. baptised. So say I. If thou lovest this Bride with all thy Soule, counting no­thing too dear to obtain her, the marriages solem­nities [Page] may instantly goe on. Oh that I had per­swasive eloquence ef­fectually to advance this match, the best is, what is vvanting in mee the spokesman, is plentifully supplyed in her the bride.

17. But two things we must beware of. Take heed you mistake not the shaddow for the sub­stance, the picture for the person. Saint Paul tels us of some, who have the 2 Tim. 3. 5. forme of godlinesse, but deny the power thereof. The Poets tels us of ma­ny [Page] who at first were sui­ters to Penelope the Mi­stresse, but at last were married to the Maids which attended her. It is to be feared that many who pretend to love godlinesse it self, fall at last a courting and woe­ing of the forme, the meer outside and garb of Religion, and content themselves with the same: wherein an hy­pocrite may equally, yea exceed the sincerest Saint and servant of God.

Lastly, Beware least thy coveteous heart ra­ther [Page] love the Portion then the Person, have more minde to the gaine then the godlines. We finde how the next kins­man was very ready to redeem the parcel of Nao­mies land which was his brother Elimelechs. But as soon as withall he heard, hee must take Ruth to Ruth. 4. 6. wife, he fell back from his promise and purpose; Many there be which are very forward to wed the gain, but are utterly un­willing to have the god­lines with it. Such a sui­ter was Balaam himselfe: [Page] O that I might aye the death of Num. 23.10. the righteous, and let my last end be like his, who was carelesse to live the life of the righteous. But let us labour to have the sub­stance and sincerity of Piety in our hearts, knowing that we are to deale with such a God who prefers a dramme of integrity before a pound of profession; And if wee acquit our selves upright in his pre­sence, godlinesse with contentment is great gain unto us. I say god­linesse in generall not re­strictively [Page] Engrossed to some particular party, but extended according to the dimension of cha­rity to all persons agree­ing in the essentials to sal­vation; In my fathers house there be many Mansions, as Joh.14.2 if God had provided se­verall repositaries of hap­pinesse for such as differ in smaller opinions, vvhilest all agreeing in generall godlinesse, may meet in one grand Hea­ven and place of eternall Felicity,

Amen.