BOOK 1. THE SUBJECT.
CHAPTER 2.
1.2.3. Directions how to look off all other Things.
1. Study every day more and more the vanity of the creature: read over the book of Ecclesiastes well, it is enough, through the assistance of Christ, to teach you that lesson. A serious and fruitful meditation of that word, "Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity," Eccl. i. 2. What work might it make in your hearts! Men usually look on these things through some false glass, or at a distance, which makes them so admire them; but if they could see them truly in themselves. Oh how uncomely would they be? Or if they could see them as compared to Christ, Oh how vain would they be? Honours and greatness in that respect, would appear as bubbles, pleasures and delights in that respect, would appear as shadows.
2. Converse but a little with any evil thing on this side Christ: have as little to do with the world, the sinful pleasures, profits, riches, manners of it, as possibly you can; the lesser the better. Things of this world have a glutinous quality, if you let the heart lie any while amongst them, it will cleave unto them, and if it once cleave to them there will be no way, but either repentance or hell-fire must part them.
3. Be more and better acquainted with Jesus Christ: get nearer to him, be more in communion with him, get more tastes of Christ and heaven, and earth will relish the worse for them. Oh! when I look on Christ and consider. That he that was the Lord of heaven and earth, put himself into so poor and low a condition, merely for the redeeming of his elect, how should this but deaden my heart to the world? "I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; and account them but dung, that I may win Christ," Phil. iii. 8. If Christ be in view, all the world then is but dung and dross, and loss in comparison; the glory of Christ will darken all other things in the world.
4. Set before us the examples of such saints, who accounted themselves pilgrims and strangers upon earth. The apostle gives you a catalogue of such, "who confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth;" and see how they are used, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented." Who were these? They "were they of whom the world was not worthy," Heb. xi. 13. 37, 38. Oh! when you read, or hear how joyfully these servants of the most High went through their wilderness condition, methinks this should take off your hearts from earthly things.
5. Go in your meditations to heaven, and keep there a while: the mind that is in heaven cannot attend these earthly things: would a man leave his plough and harvest in the field, to run with children an hunting after butterflies? No more will a soul that is taking a survey of heaven and heavenly things, fix his eyes on such poor things below: Non vcicat exiguis, etc. is the character of a truly prudent man: the children of that kingdom above, have no while for trifles, and especially when they are employed in the affairs of the kingdom. Oh! when a Christian hath but a glimpse of eternity, and then looks down on the world again, how doth he contemn and vilipend these things? "How doth he say of laughter, thou art mad, and of mirth, what is this thou dost?" Eccl. ii. 2. Whilst the saints are tasting heaven they feel such sweet, that they care not for other things: Christians! How would this meditation wean your hearts, and make you laugh at the fooleries of the world? And scorn to be cheated with such childish toys: if the devil had set upon Peter on the mount, when he saw Christ in his transfiguration, and Moses and Elias talking with him, would he so easily have been drawn to deny his Lord? What, with all that glory in his eye? So if the devil should set upon a believing soul, and persuade his heart to profits, or pleasures, or honours of the world, when he is taken up in the mount with Christ, what would such a soul say? "Get thee behind me Satan, wouldst thou persuade me from thence with many trifling toys! wouldst thou have me sell these joys for nothing? Is there any honour or delight like this? Or can that be profit, which loseth me this?" Some such answer would the soul return: Oh! if we could keep the taste of our souls continually delighted with the sweetness of heaven, as a man would spit out aloes after honey, so should we spit out all these baits of the world with disdain.
6. Cry mightily unto God, that he would take off your hearts and eyes, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity," Psal. cxix. 37. prays David. Either God must do it, or you will be wearied in the multitude of your endeavours: but, if the Lord draw off the eye, it will be drawn indeed. "Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness," Prays David again, Psal. cxix. 36. If the heart bend downwards, then go to God, to erect it, and to incline it heavenwards; if it be after covetousness, then cry to God, and say, "Lord, not after covetousness, but after thy testimonies incline my heart."
I have hitherto stood only at the door of the text, to call you in; if now you will enter and be intent, and fix your eyes, I will show you a blessed, a most glorious sight. But, first, I must explain the Act, You must look. (Secondly, the Object, You must look on, Jesus.)