3. A disorderly ranking of means and ends. There should be a subordination of all our labours to higher ends. Baruch was not to consider of life and livelihood, but to discharge his duty ; but he look- eth to life and safety, and subordinateth the command of God to that end : Mat. vi, 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God.' All christians should first seek to honour God, and please God, and enjoy God. But we prefer our own ease, quiet, profit, before the glory of God, and our pre-
SEK3I0N' UPON JEREMIAH XLV. o. 485
«ent good before our future ; and, to get the world, lose ourselves, sell the soul, break our peace, part with better things for these things' sake, sell our birthright for a mess of pottage, dig for iron with mattocks of gold and silver, and so grossly seek after great things for our- selves.
Sixthly, That God's people have not wholly divested themselves of this evil frnme of heart. Self-love is not extinguished in them, but ■only mortified. They do not so grossly, heinously, and 2)rincipally gratify carnal self; yet ease is good; they would have the world friendly ; and when they cannot reconcile God's dispensations and their selfish and fleshly inclinations, their hearts are disquieted.
Reasons — (1) Self is dear; (2.) The world is near; (3.) Faith is Aveak ; (4.) Love to God is not so fervent as it should be.
1. Self is dear. A man is not wholly dispossessed of carnal self till lie come to heaven. Flesh dwelleth in them, as well as the Spirit: Gal. V. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.' As long as flesh dwelleth in them, they would have things grateful to sense ; and sometimes in such an inordinacy that they can- not so sweetly trust God when dangers assault them, or submit to God when his providence is past ; but they bewray, before the event, some diffidence ; after the event, some impatience.
2. The world is near. While the soul dwelleth in flesh, and looketh out by the senses, present things will work upon us : ' Demas hath for- saken us, having loved this present world,' 2 Tim. iv. 10. Partial de- fection, forsaking Paul's company, loath to undergo the hazards of the gospel ; so Baruch here.
3. Faith is weak, which should carry us to the world to come : 2 Cor. iv. 18, 'While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are tem- poral, but the things which are not seen are eternal' It is not easy to shut the eye of sense or open that of faith.
4. Love to God is not so fervent but that it sufifereth some abatement by carnal self-love: 2 Tim. i. 7, 8, ' I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee. For God hath not given lis the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,' &c. Timothy needed to be put in remembrance. It is hard to deny all for ^n unseen God.
Seventhly, The children of God may have too great desires of their ■own i)eace, safety, and welfare before some imminent calamity ; as Zebedee's children: Mat, xx. 19-21, 'Then came the mother of Zebedee's children, with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou ? She saitii unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right liand, and the other on the left in thy kingdom.' Christ had but newly foretold his passion. Oh, how hard a thing is it to get rid of the love of the world, and pleasant dreams about it! The apostles and their friends dream of an earthly kingdom, and worldly honour to Christ's servants, notwithstanding he did so often tell them the con- trary, and did study to prepare them for the cross. Oh, how necessary
486 SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
is it that all should watch then- hearts, that the love of the world may not creep upon them ! Once more, the disciples quarrelled at Christ's last supper who should be greatest, Luke xxii. 24, which should be looked upon as the worthiest, and so be preferred before the rest. So Baruch here, who had written the roll, and believed it, and so must know that God Avas about to pluck up and cast down ; yet he seeketh his own personal welfare, loatli to hazard his interests for God. The best men are too much apt to be taken up with a care of their own? safety, and so neglect their duty.
Reasons.
1. That it is a sin misbecoming the people of God.
[1.] They have chosen God for their portion, and so seek all their happiness and comfort in him, and not delight in anything apart from God. If they lose all, they have enough in God : 1 Sam. xxx. 6, ' The people spake of stoning him, but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God ; ' Hab. iii. 18, ' Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, <fec., yet I will rejoice in the Lord ; I will joy in the God of my salvation.' On the contrary, Saul comforted himself in the creature when he had lost God's favour : 1 Sam. xv. 29, 30, ' Then he said, I have sinned : yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.' The Lord hath rejected thee ; yet honour me before the peo])le. He should have mourned to get God's favour again. To lejoice in anything besides God, that is, apart from God, and not iu' order to him, is adultery. Covetousness, which is but another word for seeking great things for ourselves, is sometimes called idolatry, Eph. V. 3, because it is a setting up another chief good, and so another God. And sometimes adultery: James iv. 4, 'Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ?' Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God.' If God hath given thee the creatures as servants, they must not come into the master's bed.