Chapter 26: Persuasions to take off the heart from temporal things
SEcondly, hence let us all make use of this Argument, to take off our spirits from all earthly things that are here below; Let us look upon all things in the world as under this notion, that they are but for a season, and let us improve this argument to the utmost that possibly we can, for the working our hearts off from the things of this world. The beauty of all worldly things is but as a fair picture drawn upon the Ice, that melts away with it; The fashion of this world passes away. When Alexander saw himself wounded, and in danger of death, he then saw the vanity of those flatterers that would have persuaded him he was a God: So when we see those things upon which we set our hearts, as if our chief good, as if a Deity were in them, to be wounded, and ready to perish, let us learn to alter our thoughts of them, to take off our hearts from them.
Much may be done in the improving of this argument, of the fading vanishing nature of creaturecomforts: the Scripture makes much use of it, to take off the hearts of People from them; Why will you set your heart upon that which is not? Riches have wings and will fly away. It charges them that have riches, that they trust not in uncertain riches: Man that is made in honor abides not; They sing to the Tabret and Harp, and make merry, and in a moment they go down to hell. This Moses argument, is the strong Scripture argument: there is nothing but uncertainty, mutability, vanity, upon every creature that is here below. The fashion of the world passes away, and the lustre of it; there is no enduring substance here: Those in the Hebrews were content to part with any thing that endured but for a season, so they might have an enduring substance: and so Abraham looked for a City that had foundations, Heb. 11:10 these cities have no foundations.
All earthly things are like the earth it self, it hangs upon nothing, Job 26:7 and therefore there can be no certainty in them, no continuance in the enjoyment of them: neither will the things of this world abide, they perish in the using of them, and that which perishes in the using, we must not set our hearts upon. Its the expression of Gregory Nyssen, The things of the world are as if a man were writing upon the water with his finger, as any thing is written, the impression vanishes, and nothing appears; not as one were writing upon the sand or dust, which although any little wind blows smooth, yet it stays a while till the wind rises: So the creature is not vain only, because it leaves us after a while, but the comfort of the creature leaves us in the using.
Seneca says, We live amongst things that are perishing. We hear much of the vanity of the creature, and we can speak much of it, but how is it improved? how if you perish eternally for setting your hearts upon these things? and notwithstanding all your talk, this dreadful noise shall be heard from you, We have lost eternity, for setting our hearts upon things that were for a season. It is a notable speech that Ambrose has; Why will you make that whichcannot be eternal for use, eternal for punishment? It is fading, in regard of the use, but it proves to be eternal in regard of the punishment.
Therefore when any temptation comes, to draw your hearts to any thing that gives content to the flesh for a season, O that you might improve this Argument to resist the temptation! What, shall I while away that time I have to improve for eternity to seek after you, and take content and pleasure in you? you are not only temporal yourselves, but you do hazard the loss of eternal things, and hazard the bringing of eternal evils. And therefore do not think it much that I press this argument, because it is ordinary: all that perish, perish because they set their hearts upon that which is for a season: and therefore though the knowledge of this in some general notion be ordinary, yet the truth is, to know it powerfully indeed, and effectually, it is a riddle to the world.
It is a notable place we have in Psalm 49. 3, 4. The whole scope of the Psalm, is to show the happy secure estate of the godly in all troubles, and the vanishing condition of all ungodly in prosperity; now mark how he calls to us in the beginning of this Psalm, to hearken to this argument: We might say, this is an argument we have heard a hundred times, and know what it is, Why should we hearken so? Though you think this is an ordinary Theam, yet this is the great wisdom, and understanding of a gracious heart to know; this is the dark saying that I will open, so says the Psalmist, My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heartshall be of understanding, I will open my dark saying: So when you hear us speaking of this argument, you say, This is an ordinary argument; but the true knowledge of it is a dark hidden thing to the men of the world, and it is the work of the Spirit of God, to make men know this truly: and when God works any saving work upon the soul, he begins in this way, to settle upon the soul this truth, That all the things that it has satisfied it self in, are fading; and what is a year or two, to enjoy all the contentments my heart can desire, if then I must be gone, and bid farewel to all? have not I an immortal soul? and when shall be the time that I shall provide for eternity? And therefore I beseech you look into this argument, and ponder it a little more.
There are three worms that are in every thing of the world, to eat out the strength of it, and make it fading.
First, the worm that is bred in the natural principles; the things that we set our hearts upon, are made of fading principles.
Secondly, there is the worm of the general curse that is come upon them by mans sin.
Thirdly, there is another worm, and that is the particular curse that we bring upon the creatures, by our own proper sins, as especially when we set our hearts upon any fading transitory things below: all things in the world are subject to vanity by the general curse, but the particular curse makes them more vain: and shall we think to satisfy ourselves in the things of the world, that have these three worms, feeding upon them continually, to eat out the strength of them?
What are your hearts upon? I urge it upon you as in the name of God, and answer in your secret thoughts, What are your hearts upon? either upon things that are for a season, or eternal? Things that are eternal, you look upon them as high notional things, that never took up your thoughts much: but to go into company, and eat, and drink, and laugh, and get money; these are the things that are but for a season, and these your hearts close with, and bless themselves in. What are become of all those that have had as great dealings, and as many merry meetings as you, and have satisfied the flesh as much as you? they are gone, rotten in their graves, and their souls it may be crying under the wrath of an infinite God, and all their bravery and delight at an end; would you be in their condition? It is a good observation of Abulensis, to show to us the vanity of all worldly excellency, that those who have been the most glorious, in what man accounts glorious and excellent, have had inglorious ends, by which their glory has been stained; and thereby our hearts might be taken off from such things, and set upon those things which are so glorious as they will make us for ever glorious. He instances in Sampson for strength, and yet what a contemptible end had he? So Absolom for beauty; Achitophel for policy; Asael for swiftness; Alexander for great conquests, and yet after twelve years poysoned. He instances likewise in Kingdoms; the Chaldaean, Persian, Graecian, Roman, how soon were they gone? It is a notable speech Augustine has: Go, (says he) and mark and attend the Sepulchres of rich men, and when you see their rotten bones, consider who they once were, and know they do cry unto you; O you men, why do you seek so much to satisfy yourselves in these fading things, and heap upon yourselves vexation, to attain happiness for yourselves in these things? Consider our bones here, and be struck with astonishment, to abhor your luxury and covetousness; for, says he, they cry thus to you, You now are, and we were, and time will be, when you shall be what we are.
And then consider with yourselves, what a doleful condition that man is in, that has set his heart upon things that are for a season: When those are at an end, he may say, Now the thoughts of my heart, and all my hopes are at an end; now I must bid an eternal farewel to all my comforts, to husband, and wife, and neighbors, and friends, and companions; I shall never meet with you more, and never have mirth and jollity, and sporting, and gaming any more, but I must bid farewel to all, the Sun is set, and the season is at an end for all my comfort, and before me I see an infinite vast Ocean, and I must lanch into it; Lord, what provision have I for it? What a dreadful shreek will that soul give, that sees an infinite Ocean it must lanch into, and sees no provision that it has made for it? Indeed those that dye, and are besotted, and know nothing of this infinite Ocean that they must lanch into, they are never troubled; but those that dye, and their consciences are enlightned, they have given a most dreadful shreek, to see themselves lanching into an infinite Ocean of scalding Lead, and must swim naked in it for ever.
And therefore improve this argument, to take off your hearts from things below, and say, What good will it be to me that I have been merry, and would have my will? I came to hear the word, and that was working to pull my lust from me, but my heart was set upon my lust, and I would have it: When my lust shall be at an end, what good will it be to me, to remember I had my lust and pleasure, and delight? This will afford little comfort after it is gone: You may live a year or two, and be drunk many a time that while, and have pleasure in uncleanness, and besot yourselves; consider, many have had pleasures in the flesh, that now are gone, and within two or three years it may be said of you, Such a one was at such a Sermon, and heard, That all things that endure but for a season would not satisfy, and now he is gone; and if you will satisfy yourselves in these things that are for a season, you may cry out in the anguish of your souls, and say, Such a day such an argument was treated upon, and I heard, Nothing that is but for a season will satisfy the heart, and how I should hazard my eternal happiness, if I set my heart upon them; And I heard, I had not only a little River to swim over, but an infinite Ocean to lanch into, and yet I have sought after these things that are but for a season, to satisfy my flesh in them; now my season is gone, and I am lanching into eternity, the Lord knows what shall become of me.
It was the sad expression of Lysimachus, who had lost his Kingdom for one draught of water, For whata short pleasure have I made myself a servant? So consider what a soul-sinking thought this will be to think hereafter; O God, for how short pleasure have I made myself a bond-slave to Hell for ever! One who was made according to the Image of God, who had means for eternal life, yet now am undone for ever! It is reported of Pope Sixtus the fifth, that he sold his soul to the Devil, to enjoy the glory and pleasure of the Popedom for seven years: What infinite folly possesseth the hearts of the children of men, who were made for eternity, to venture eternal miscarrying for a few years, yea, a few hearts contentment to the flesh! The Lord keep us from this desperate folly.
Therefore when we finde our hearts beginning to be let out upon any temporal good, make use of this argument, and let us muse with ourselves, This content and pleasure we have, but will it abide? I was made to abide for ever, I was made for that good that must abide for ever. What are a few years here? Those who abide longest in the enjoyment of health and prosperity, their time is but as a bubble, they are gone, and the memory of them is perished. Pliny says, there was a miraculous example of one Xenophilus, who lived a hundred and five years without sickness: But what is this to eternity? lib. 7. cap. 5.
There is a notabe story of Theodorus a yong man, there being a time of great festivity and jollity in Egypt, and there was a great deal of feasting and musick, and delight in his fathers house: The yong man withdrew himself from all the company, and got alone, and fell a meditating thus, Here is delight and content to the flesh, I may have what I will desire, but how long will it last? And upon this meditation, thinking with himself▪ this will not hold long, he withdrew himself into a room private, and fell down upon the earth, and with many tears cryed out thus unto God in prayer; O Lord, (says he) my heart is open unto you, I indeed know not what to ask, but only this, Lord let me not dye eternally; O Lord, you knowest I love you, O let me live eternally to praise you! And when his mother came to him, and would have had him come to the rest of the company that were bidden, he made an excuse and would not, only upon this meditation, because he saw this would not hold.
O that God would fasten these thoughts upon you, when you are in the midst of your delights; But will this hold? Is not this one thing that is spoken of amongst the rest, that is but for a season? Think also upon this consideration; These things that are in the world, if they were a thousand times more then they are, yet being but for a season, this is enough to take off our hearts; but now when we consider they are but for a season, and but slight things, empty vanities besides, this should take off our hearts abundantly more; if they had a great deal in them, yet not being eternal, they are not very desireable. How vain then is mans heart, in being set upon such vain things? Well may man be said to be lighter then vanity; no vanity is so vain, as the trusting in vanity; all the vanity in the creature amounts not to so much vanity as the trusting in vanity.
And yet again consider, that the emptiness that is in these things, would make the eternity of them to be miserable. You will say this is a riddle, how can it be made out? Certainly it is so, there is such an emptiness in the things of the world, that they are fain to borrow succession to make them comfortable, and it is the end of some, and the beginning of others that makes them comfortable, and not the continuance of any outward comfort; as now the laying in a soft down bed, is easie and comfortable, and delightful; but if one were condemned to this, to lie there forty years together, and never to come out, it would be a torment, but to lie eternally it would be more, so that eternity puts a misery upon the comfort: And so take any one comfort, and to be tyed to that, if there were not a ceasing of one, and the beginning of another, the comfort would be miserable; and the reason is, because the comfort is so empty: But the enjoying of God, the eternity of it makes it comfortable; we shall as much delight in the comforts we have enjoyed of God, after we have enjoyed them hundred thousands of years, as we did at first moment we entred upon them.
Yet further, let us turn the consideration of this so far, to take off our hearts from the things below, as not to be troubled much for any affliction and misery we have here, for they are but for a season; the being for a season, takes away the comfort of the creature, and the being for a season, takes away the bitterness of affliction: Is there any affliction upon you? think this is not eternally though, this is not hell. This is the great complaint of a soul in the time of trouble, O how long shall it be? for ever? But so we cannot say of any afflictions here in this world, that they shall be for ever. In Dan. 11:25 speaking of the great affliction of the Church, this is brought to alleviate all, yet the end shall be at the time appointed; so long as a man can look to the end of an evil, it is not much, it is for a season; if he can but see banks, he is well.
Yea, and the evils that we do endure here, as they are but for a little season, so they are but in the due season, they are in this season, and that is that which should comfort us; because there is not so much danger in any thing we suffer here, while we suffer it in this season. Suppose any of you had your Ship leak, if it leaks when it comes into harbor, though it be an evil to you, and brings trouble, yet you comfort yourselves in this, It is not in the main Ocean though: If I had had this leak in the main sea, what had become of me? and so for troubles and sorrows, you may say, It is upon me, but blessed be God, it is upon me here; Indeed if it should prove to be upon me eternally hereafter, it were a great evil, but it is here. S. Augustine said, Here Lord cut me, dowhat you will with me, but spare me hereafter; It was the prayer of Fulgentius, Lord grant patience here, and pardon hereafter: though I have never so much affliction here, it is no great matter, so I shall have pardon hereafter.
Yea, the enduring of affliction in this season, shall be that which may deliver us from enduring evils eternally hereafter: God aims at it, and he has no other end, but only to deliver from eternal sorrows, We are chastened, that we might not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11. And that he does by causing a man or woman, when any afflictions are upon them, to think thus; Lord, is this evil and pain so grievous to me that lasts but for a while, what will eternal evils be to me? Drexelius reports of a yong man that was given to his lust, and pleasure, and could not endure to be crossed, but of all things he could not bear it, To be kept from sleep, and to awake in the dark; and being sick, he was kept awake in the night, and could not sleep, and he began to have these thoughts, and think, What, is it so tedious for to be kept from sleep one night, and to lie a few hours here in the dark? O what is it to be in torments, and darkness everlastingly! I am here in my house upon a soft bed in the dark, kept from sleep but one night; O to lie in flames, and in darkness for ever and ever, how dreadful will that be? And this was the means of the conversion of that yong man, that was given to all manner of lusts before.
O that the Lord would settle this argument upon you, so as to work it every way to be useful; for your pleasures, they are but for a season, why should I set my heart upon them? And for sorrows, if those be grievous, if a fit of the Stone, or of the Strangury, or the Fever be so grievous, what will that be to be eternally scalding in the wrath of God? Thus you see the consideration, That things are but for a season, how useful it is for to take our hearts from them, and to uphold our hearts in any evils and troubles that we should endure.
