7. Be willing to resign them up to Christ, when the enjoyment of them is inconsistent with your fidelity to him. Be not unwilling to let go all your earthly conveniences, at least to hazard them for Christ : Luke xiv. 33, ' Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' We esteem them too much when we prefer theni before Christ and our salvation, or strain conscience for the world's sake, or betray our peace, or wound our souls, rather than endure anything when God calleth us thereunto. If we will lose nothing for Christ, and upon the hopes of the other world, we can expect nothing from him.
Use 2. To dissuade us from earthly-mindedness.
To this end consider —
1. You must shortly die and come to your account, and according to the account you give, and the preparation you have made, you must live in endless joy or misery. When we come to die, it is not the possession, but the use, will comfort us. We can carry nothing with
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us into the other world but the comfort of a good conscience : Eccleg. v. 15, ' As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.' A worldly, wealthy man, when he has made his will, and left all his estate, to such a son such an inheritance, to such a daughter such a portion, to such a friend such a legacy, what hath the poor man left for himself? If he hath not grace, what hath he left to carry with him but the anguish and misery of a guilty con- science, and the expectation of worse to come ? Oh, poor miserable creature ! when he must bid good-night to all the world, and all things take their leave of him, what a sorry comfort will that be that he hath once gotten great things, and possessed great things here in the world! But if he hath used it well, his works follow him.
2. Consider the danger of abundance. An estate may be too great for us to manage, as Saul's armour for David, 1 Sam. xvii. 39. It is harder to go to heaven: Mat. xix. 24, ' It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the king- dom of God.' A moderate condition of life is freest from ensnaring temptations. Abundance of all things without any want disposeth to a forgetful ness of God. Greater estates expose men to greater troubles and cares: Eccles. v. 11, 12, ' When goods increase, they are increased that eat them : and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much ; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.' But chiefly our account is greater : Luke xvi. 2, ' Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward.' Compared with Luke xii. 48, ' Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be 'required.' They must give an account for more opportunities of doing good; they have a greater reckoning to make.
3. See by faith those sure, great, and glorious things which are infinitely more worthy your love and labour. The soul is never cured but by diversion. Nothing doth so powerfully quench our carnal plea- sures, or inclination to earthly things, as a desire of, or a delight in, higher and better things : Col. iii. 2, ' Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.' These things are in two contrary balances ; the more the heart is given to the one, the other gets the less. Moses, Heb. xi. 25, 'chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.'
4. Think often of your great necessities : Luke x. 42, 'One thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.'
5. Keep a daily jealousy of yourselves. It is a great part of your religion to be ' unspotted from the world,' James i. 27. This will never be without watchfulness, these things do so soon taint us ; therefore see how you improve all for God and to eternal ends. Take account often whither the course of your life tendeth, whether to the world or to God and heaven. Because we are not watchful over ourselves, the holy and jealous God watcheth over us, and preventeth our doting on the world by sharp afflictions.
6. Pray often that God would sanctify the labours of your calling,
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and the enjoyments of the world: 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5, 'Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanks- giving ; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.' Prayer blesseth all our enjoyments to us.
SERMON XV.
For our conversation is in heaven. — Phil. iii. 20.