2. Others are sensible of the evil of their hearts, at least are jealous and afraid lest it should be found that their hearts do cleave inordinately unto these things. Hence they endeavour to contend against this evil, sometimes by forcing themselves unto such acts of piety or charity as are contrary unto that frame, and sometimes by labouring a change of the frame itself: especially they will do so when God is pleased to awaken them by trials and afflictions, such as write vanity and emptiness on all earthly enjoyments. But for the most part they strive not lawfully, and so obtain not what they seem to aim at.
This disease with many is mortal; and will not be tlio- roughly cured in any but by the due exercise of this part of spiritual mindedness. There are other duties required also unto the same end, namely, of the mortification of our de- sires and affections unto earthly things, whereof I have treated elsewhere. But witliout this, or a fixed contem- plation on the desirableness, beauty, and glory of heavenly things, it will not be attained. Farther to evince the truth hereof, we may observe these two things: 1. If by any means a man do seem to have taken off his heart from the love of present things, and be not at the same time taken up with the love of things that are heavenly, his seeming mor- tification is of no advantage unto him . So persons frequently through discontent, disappointments, or dissatisfaction with relations, or mere natural weariness, have left the world, the affairs and cares of it, as unto their wonted conversations in it, and have betaken themselves to monasteries, convents, or other retirements suiting their principles, without any ad- vantage to their souls. 2. God is no such severe lord nnd master as to require us to take off our affections from, and mortify them unto, those things which the law of our na- ture makes dear unto us, as wives, children, houses, lands and possessions, and not propose unto us somewhat that is incomparably more excellent to fix them upon. So he in- vites the elect of the Gentiles unto Christ ; Psal. xlv. 10. ' Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear ;
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forget also thine own people and thy father's house ;' that is, come into the faith of Abraham, who forsook his country and his father's house, to follow God whithersoever he pleased. But he proposeth this for their encouragement, ver. 11. 'So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty, for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.' The love of the great King is an abun- dant satisfactory recompense for parting with all things in this world. So when Abraham's servant was sent to take Re- bekah for a wife unto Isaac, he required that she should imme- diately leave father and mother, brothers, and ail enjoyments, and go along with him ; but withal, that she might know herself to be no loser thereby, he not only assured her of the greatness of his master, but also at present he gave her jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; Gen. xxiv. 53. And when our Saviour requires that we should part with all for his sake and the gospel, he promiseth a hundred-fold in lieu of them, even in this life ; namely, in an interest in things spiritual and heavenly. Wherefore, without an assiduous meditation on heavenly things, as a better, more noble, and suitable object for our affections to be fixed on, we can never be freed in a due manner from an inordinate love of the things here below.
It is sad to see some professors who will keep up spiritual duties in churches and in their families, who will speak and discourse of spiritual things, and keep themselves from the open excesses of the world ; yet when they come to be tried by such duties as intrench on their love and adherence unto earthly things, quickly manifest how remote they are from being spiritually minded in a due manner. Were they to be tried, as our Saviour tried the young man who made such a profession of his conscientious and religious conversation; * Go sell what thou hast, give to the poor, and follow me ;' something might be pleaded in excuse for their tergiversation. But alas ! they will decline their duty when they are not touched unto the hundreth part of their enjoyments.
I bless God, I speak not thus of many of my own know- ledge ; and may say with the apostle unto the most unto whom I usually speak in this manner, ' But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak ;' Heb. vi. 9. Yea, the same testimony may be given of many in this city, which the same
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292 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
apostle gives unto the churches of Macedonia; 2 Cor. viiu 1—3. * Understand the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in a great' trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves.' There hath been nothing done amongst us, that may or can be boasted of, yet considering all circumstances, it may be there have not been more instances of true evangelical charity in any age or place for these many years. For them who have been but useful and helpful herein, the Lord remember them for good, and spare them according to the multitude of his mer- cies. It is true, they have not, many of them, founded col- leges, built hospitals, or raised works of state and magnifi- cence. For very many of them are such, as whose deep po- verty comparatively hath abounded unto the riches of their liberality. The backs and bellies of multitudes of poor and needy servants of Christ have been warmed and refreshed by them, blessing God for them. ' Thanks be to God,' saith the apostle in this case, ' for his unspeakable gift ;' 2 Cor. ix. 15. Blessed be God, who hath not left the gospel without this glory, nor the profession of it without this evidence of its power and efficacy. Yea, God hath exalted the glory of persecutions and afflictions. For many, since they have lost much of their enjoyments by them, and have all endangered continually, have abounded in duties of charity beyond what they did in the days of their fulness and prosperity. So ' out of the eater there hath come forth meat.' And if the world did but know what fruits in a way of charity and bounty, unto the praise of God and glory of the gospel, have been occasioned by their making many poor, it would abate of their satisfaction in their successes.