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covenant and the new. For they were many of them about temporal things, the good things of this world, and this life ; those of the new are mostly of things spiritual and eternal. God would not call off the church wholly from a regard unto these things, until he had given a sufficient demonstration of their emptiness, vanity, and insufficiency, in the cross of Christ; 2 Cor. iv. 16—18.
Whither so fast my friend ? What meaneth this rising so early and going to bed late, eating the bread of carefulness ? Why this diligence, why these contrivances, why these sav- ings and hoardings of riches and wealth? To what end is all this care and counsel ? Alas! saith one, it is to get that which is enough in and of this world, for me and my children, to prefer them, to raise an estate for them, which, if not so great as others, may yet be a competency; to give them some satisfaction in their lives, and some reputation in the world. Fair pretences ; neither shall I ever discourage any from the exercise of industry in their lawful callings. But yet I know, that with many, this is but a pretence and covering for a shameful engagement of their affections unto the world. Wherefore, in all these things, be persuaded sometimes to have an eye to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith : behold how he is set before us in the gospel, poor, despised, reproached, persecuted, nailed to the cross, and all by this world. Whatever be your designs and aims, let his cross continually interpose between your affections and this world. If you are believers, your hopes are within a few days to be with him for evermore. Unto him you must give an account of yourselves, and what you have done in this world : will it be accepted with him to declare what you have saved of this world, what you have gained, what you have preserved, and embraced yourselves in, and what you have left behind you ? was this any part of his employment and business in this world ; hath he left us an example for any such course? Wherefore, no man can set his affections on things here be- low, who hath any regard unto the pattern of Christ, or is any measure influenced with the power and efficacy of his cross. ' My love is crucified,' said a holy martyr of old : he whom his soul loved was so, and in him his love unto all things here below. Do you therefore find your affections ready to be engaged unto, or too much entangled with, the
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things of this world ? are your desires of increasing them, your hopes of keeping them, your fears of losing them, your love unto them, and delight in them, operative in your minds, possessing your thoughts, and influencing your conversa- tions ? Turn aside a little, and by faith contemplate the life and death of the Son of God ; a blessed glass will it be, where you may see what contemptible things they are which you perplex yourselves about. Oh, that any of us should love or esteem the things of this world, the power, riches, goods, or reputation of it, who have had a spiritual view of them in the cross of Christ.
It may be, it will be said, that the circumstances mentioned were necessary unto the Lord Christ, with respect unto the especial work he had to do, as the Saviour and Redeemer of the church: and therefore it doth not thence follow, that we ought to be poor, and want all things as he did. I confess it doth not, and therefore do all along make an allowance for honest industry in our callings. But this follows unavoid- ably hereon ; that what he did forego and trample on for our sake, that ought not to be the object of our affections, nor can such affections prevail in us, if he dwell in our hearts by faith.
2. He hath done the same in his dealings with the apostles, and generally with all that have been most dear unto him, and instrumental unto the interest of his glory in the world, especially since life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel. He had great work to do by the apostles, and that of the greatest use unto his interest and kingdom. The laying of the foundations of the glorious kingdom of Christ in the world was committed unto them. Who would not think that he should provide for them, if not principalities or popedoms, yet at least archbishopricks and bishopricks, with other good ecclesiastical dignities and preferments ? Hereby might they have been made meet to converse with princes, and had been freed from the contempt of the vulgar. But Infinite Wisdom did otherwise dispose of them and their concerns in this world. For as God was pleased to exercise them with the common afflictions and calamities of this life, which he makes use of to take off the sweetness of present enjoyments, so they lived and died
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in a condition of poverty, distress, persecution, and reproach. God set them forth as examples unto other ends, namely, of light, grace, zeal, and holiness in their lives, so to manifest of how little concernment unto our own blessedness, or an interest in his love, is the abundance of all things here below ; as also, that the want of them all may consist with the high- est participation of his love and favour; 1 Cor. iv. 9. 11 — 13. * For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death. For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and unto angels, and to men. Even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place ; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless ; being persecuted, we suifer it ; being defamed, we entreat : we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day.' And if the consideration hereof be not of weight with others, undoubtably it ought to be so with them who are called to preach the gospel, and are the successors to the apostles. There can be nothing more uncouth, absurd, and shameful, nothing more opposite unto the intimation of the wisdom and will of God in his dealings with those first and most honourable dispensers of it, than for such persons to seek and follow . greedily after secular advantages, in worldly powers, riches, wealth, and honour. Hence there hath been, in former ages, an endeavour to se- parate such persons as were by any means dedicated unto the ministry of the gospel, from all secular dignities and revenues. Yea, some maintained that they were to enjoy nothing of their own, but were to live on alms, or the free contributions of the people. But this was quickly con- demned as heresy in Wickliff and others. Yet another sort set up, that would pretend thereunto as unto themselves, though they would not oblige all others unto the same rule. This produced some swarms of begging friars, whom they of the church, who were in possession of wealth and power, thought meet to laugh at and let alone : of late years, this contest is at an end. The clergy have happily gotten the victory, and esteem all due unto them that they can by any ways obtain ; nor is there any greater crime than for a man to be otherwise minded. But these things arc not our