How to live to god., à2r felf,.when he moli perfebtly, and With due affection leeks God. Therefore in feeking ourfelves,we lofeour happinefs. Saint Paul fo conceived of their bleffednefs : they let fall.themfelves in the higheftpoincof felf-love, when they flood in competition.with God,or,çappolitionagainft God. Motesdefired that hit namemight be blotted on; of r'he Bookof life, rather than God fhouldbe dilhonoured. And faith the Apofile, i could be content to be feparatedfrom Chrifl,for my Brethren fake ; that is,tha t Chrill may be glorified. He knew that his happinefs laynor in enjayinga blefled eitate to himfelf,fecefromcare and trouble : But that herein his happinefs lay,that God maybe glorified,and that he might bring it to pafs by any means, that he night ferve God, in ha tend whereto God hath appointed him :And the more perfeólly he couldattain that end, the more petfeéìly he fhould attain his happinefs. So it is with a true Chriftian, he is fofar blefled,and happy inHeaven as he is ferviceable toGod on earih,as he live: ro him,and doth much,and.futîerethmuchfor him: When that life that he hath,is fpeni ( in the feveral anions, and turnings, and changings of it ) in the fervice, and co the glory ofGod: Therefore t fay confider this : You lofe that which you leek; you feem to leek happinefs to your felves, by feeking wealth and pleafures, and Earthly advantages ro your (elves; and while you leek them, with a negleót of duty co God, with a negledtof the difcharge of that work and fervice he bath committedso you : you lore that happinefsthat you feem to leek, and which you fhould leek indeed, which is the perfection, the endof the Creature: The ferviceof his Creator. So you fee what we lofe. Confider fecondly, what we gain. It may be you gain wealth for your (elves: This is fomewhrt you will fay. Ic may be you gain Honour, and Efteem in the World : You gain a Name among(} men, or fome Earthly advantage. Alas 1 what is this if it be rightlyconfidered ? It is but thegainóf a fhadow to thelofs of the Soul. If it be wealth ; doth it fatisfie theSoul ? Doth it quiet the Confcience t Doth it fill a man fo, as that he needs no more ? All the wealth in the world cannot do this there is an emptinefiin all thefe things : There is ftilnefs to be had only in God, in Chrif, in fpiritual things : Nothing elfe is able to fatisfie the Soul in all it's delires, to give it perfect peace. If the happinefs of a man were either in himfelfor in any other Creature, he need have nothing to.do with God, he need not then to look higher above himfelf. But God hath placed a vanity both in men, and in all creatures : Man is vain, and all the creatures in the world are%snity, and vexation of Spirit. And when the Scripture calleth them vanity, what doth it mean, but that they are empty things? they have not that naurifhment in them, that they feem to have ; they have not that in them, that they fhould have, according to that elteem that me,i put upon them : They are empty things: Aswe fayof Wells, when they want water, they are. empty, though they be full of other things, as Duff and Sand, eat. Or as Clouds that have no moiftnre, and rain in them, they are empty : So are all things-in-ehe world therefore empty s becaufe they have not in them, that which the heart Peeks after : They have not happinefs in them, they have not contentment in them: What is this then, but to forfake bread, and to leek .after Husks, like the Prodigal that left his Fathers houle, where there was bread enough,and to feed on Husks with Swine? to leavethe approach and seeds ofthe Soul to God,whereinit may fatisfie it fell to the full,w'ith that which is food indeed : and tofeek fomewhat in the world that it cannot get. I fay, this is a mans lofs. Nay, he lofeth himfelf in living to himfelf : What fhall it profit a man to win the whole world, and lofehimfelf? Mat. 16.26. To lofe bit Soul, faith one Evan - gelift, to lofe himfelf faith another. Aman lofeth himfelf, when he birth his Soul. And this he doth in the negleet of God, he lofeth the Soul in that asfion : When a man gathereth wealth by indireót means, or keepeth his wealth and doth not dif- burle it in the ferviceof Cod, for his glory, or whatfoever elfe a man Both ; in gaining the worldhe lofeth himfelf. He that will lofe his life [hall fave ir, and be that will Pave hit life, [hall lofe it, Mark ro. A man never lofeth a (hadowmore han when he followeth it : Thefalter he purfues is, the fatter Rill it runneth from It him: That which he gains, is butaihadowof gain. ;. Helofeth himfelf. Matt 26. Mark,Jo.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=