Second thing, and that is the duty here pressed. (1.) Here is the privative. (2.) The positive part of our duty. Here is mortification and vivification. Mortification: ' Let us lay aside,' <fcc. ; vivification : 'Let us run with patience,' &c. In both the branches he alludes to terms l)roper to races. In a race, you know, men strip themselves of their clothes and whatever is burdensome and heavy, that they may be the more light of foot ; and so the apostle bids us ' lay aside every weight ;' and they did withal diet themselves, that they might have no clog from within : 1 Cor. ix. 25, ' Every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things ;' ze., they took care that they did not clog and dispose i themselves for the race they were to run. But they verily run only for a corruptible crown ; we for a crown that
' Qu. ' indispose ' ? — Ed,
HeB. XILl.] FAREWELL SEKMON. 415
is inccrrnptible and glorious ; so, according to this double practice of racers, we are to cast aside every weight from without, &c. So here is a double object — laying aside every weight, and every sin. There is onus externum — tlie weiglit without that presses us down and hinders our speed ; and then there is hrqoedimenlMm internum, there is sin, that which weakens within. By reason of the former we make little speed, by reason of the latter we are often interrupted ; and therefore we must do as they, that they might be swift and expedite : ' Lay aside every weight,' and be moi-e ' temperate in all things.' Herein a runner in a race differs from a traveller : a traveller strengthens him- self for his journey as well as he can, his clothes on, sometimes carries a great burden with him ; but a runner of a race makes himself as light as he can. But to come more particularly to the words.
First, ' Lay aside every weight.' By weiglit is meant those things that burden the soul, and make our heavenly progress more tedious and cumbersome ; and by weight is meant (I think) the delights and cares of the world, the multitude of secular business, all our earthly con- tentments and affairs, so far as they are a burden to us, hinder us in our way to heaven ; these must all be put off : Luke xxi. 34, saith Christ, ' Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,' &c. The heart that is depressed cannot be so free for God and the offices of our heavenly calling, w^hen we give way to surfeiting, drunk- enness, and cares of this world.
1. The heart maybe overcharged with the delights of the world. Surfeiting and drunkenness must not be taken in the gross notion ; you must not think of spewing, reeling, vomiting, as if to avoid these were a full compliance with Christ's direction ; the heart may be over- charged when the stomach is not. There is a dry drunkenness and a more refined surfeiting ; and that is when the heart grows heavy, unfit for prayer, relishes not the things of the Spirit ; when the delights of the flesh clog the wheel, abate that vigour and cheerfulness that we should show forth in the worship of God and holy actions. When the delights of the flesh withdraw us from that watchfulness and diligence that is necessary in taking care for our souls, then the heart is over- charged. Voluptuous living is a great sin, it choices the seed of piety so soon as planted in the heart, so that they can bring nothing to perfection ; it brings a brawn and a deadness upon the conscience and affections ; there is nothing that hardens the heart so much as the soft- ness of carnal pleasure: Jude 19, 'Sensual, having not the Spirit.' Sensuality quenches our natural bravery and the briskness of spirit that becomes a man ; much more doth it hinder the sublime opera- tions of the Spirit of God. Well then, remember. Christians, you are not only travellers by the way, but runners in a race. If we were to speak to you only under the notion of travellers in a way, this were enough to wean you from the delights of the flesh : 1 Peter ii. 11, ' As strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.' The more you indulge these fleshly lusts, the more you hearten and strengthen the great enemy of your souls, and starve the better part. But you are as runners in a race. By this metaphor the duty is more bound upon you ; much more should you beat down
416 FAREWELL SERMON. [HeB. XII. 1.
the body and keep it in subjection. The apostle hath a notable word : 1 Cor. ix. 27, * I keep under my body, and bring it in subjection/ &c.
1 beat down my body ; you must either keep under pleasures, or pleasures will keep you under ; for a man is soon brought under the power, dominion, and tyranny of evil customs and some brutish pleasure by indulging the lusts of the flesh, 1 Cor. vi. 12. Be but a little addicted to any one thing, and you are brought under the power of it. The flesh waxes wanton and imperious, and a slavery grows upon you by degrees. The more you cocker carnal affections, the more they increase upon you ; and therefore you must hold the reins hard, exercise a powerful restraint. Solomon in his penitentials gives us an account of his own folly, and how fearfully he was corrupted this way : Eccles. ii. 10, ' Whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy,' &c. This was that which brought him to such a lawless excess, and at length to fall off from God. When we give nature the full swing, and use pleasure with too free a license, the heart is insensibly corrupted, and the necessities of life are turned into disease, and all that you do it is but in compliance ■with your lusts ; your eating and drinking is but a meat-offering and drink-offering to lusts and carnal appetite. I remember Solomon saith, Prov. xxix. 21, * He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child, shall have him become his son at length;' i.e., allow a servant too much liberty, and he will no more know his condition, but grow contemptuous, bold, and troublesome ; so it is here. We are all the worse for license. Natural desires, unless they feel fetters and prudent restraints, grow unruly and excessive ; and therefore it is good to abate the liberty of the flesh, that the body may be a servant and not a master. When you deny yourselves in nothing, but satisfy every vain appetite, custom grows upon the soul, and intemperance proves a trade and a habituated distemper, so that you cannot when you would, upon prudent and pious respects, refrain and command your desires ; and therefore it is good sometimes to thwart and vex the flesh, as David poured out the water of Bethlehem that he longed for,