[2.] The enjoyments of this world. They are valuable upon a natural account, but we must consider them with respect to our end. Are they helps or hindrances to heaven ? If hindrances, it is the greatest misery that can befall us. It is a great part of God's curse to con- demn some men to worldly felicity: Jer. xvii. 13, 'All that forsake
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thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written on the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters ; ' Luke xvi. 25, ' Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things.' A little as a help to heaven is a great mercy, and an estate is more valuable by the use than the possession : Luke xii. 21, 'So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
[3.] Duties. Time spent with God in order to our great end is the best part of our lives : Ps. lxxxiv. 10, ' For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand : I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness ; ' because there is trading for heaven. When you are employed in the world, you make provision for a few months or days, it may be hours.
[4.] Graces are glorious things, because they are the seed and earnest of eternal glory. It is called an ' immortal seed,' 1 Peter i. 23. By these we are more prepared for, and assured of, our great end.
[5.] Christ is valued as the only way to the Father t John xiv. 6, ' Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh to the Father but by me.' And therefore all things are lessened in our estimation in comparison of him : Phil. iii. 8-10, ' Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the know- ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : that I may know him, and the power of his resur- rection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.'
[6.] The favour of God. It is heaven begun ; the first taste we have of our everlasting comfort, which, if we get, we need not envy the best estate of worldlings : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.'
Use 4. Do we make heavenly things our scope ? Whither are we going ? What is the thing we intend ? Eiches, pleasures, and honours in this world, or eternal blessedness ? Our scope will be known by our work. What do we most resolvedly carry on ? None so wicked but they will be religious, till religion crosseth that one thing which they do desire. If we design heavenly things for our scope and happiness, all things will be subordinated to them, and we will hold on our way, though disappointed in other things ; for then you will only mind temporal things in order to eternal.
I come now to the next thing to be noted, which is his seriousness. He maketh it his business : ' This one thing I do.' Our scope is known by our work, the main thing we attend upon as our great care and business. That which is our first care and chiefest business is usually called in scripture our 'one thing,' Ps. xxvii. 4, 'One thing have I desired of the Lord ; that will I seek after ; ' as if all other things should be forgotten for this one thing's sake : Luke x. 42, ' But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen the better part.' In short, that is our one thing which is most minded, which taketh up our life
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and love, heart and mind. It is our work, our one tiling which must be more esteemed by you than all things in the world besides ; other things must stoop to this one thing, and serve this one thing. This is the business which you have to do, and the end for which you live in the world.
Doct. 2. Those that make heavenly things their scope must also make them their business.
There is a double notion which is of great use to us in the spiritual life — making religion our recreation, and making religion our business.
1. It must be our recreation, in opposition to tediousness and weari- someness ; so we must delight or recreate ourselves in God's statutes: Ps. cxix. 16, 'I will delight myself in thy statutes;' ver. 47, 'I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.'
2. It must be our business in opposition to slightness. Why must religion be made our business?