Fourthly, If you would be good betimes, if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your days, then take heed of engaged affections to the things of the World. The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven, 1All these things have I kept from my Youth up, what lack I yet? Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words, Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the Poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me; thou shalt have heaven for earth, a Sea for a drop, a treasure for a mite, a crown for a crumb. I but the young mans affections were strongly engaged to the things of the world, 2and therefore he turns his back upon Christ, and goes away sorrowful, because he had great possessions. O the madness, the folly of this young man, who to enjoy a little temporal ⟨p. 192⟩felicity, hath bid an everlasting farewell to Christ and Glory, in that Gen. 13.2. it is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattle, in silver, and in gold, the Hebrew word (Cabedh) that is here rendered rich, signifies heavy, it signifies a burden, to show us that riches are a heavy burden, and a hinderance many times to heaven and happiness, and this young man in the Gospel found it so to his eternal undoing. Though the Load-stone cannot draw the Iron when the Diamond is in presence, yet earthly possessions did draw this young mans soul away, when Christ the Pearl of price was present, the World is a silken net, and this young man found it so; the world is like Golden fetters, and this young man found it so; the world is like sweet poison, and this young man found it so; 3for he had drunk so large a draught of it, that there was no room in his soul for Christ or heaven, for ⟨p. 193⟩grace, or glory. Some say that when the Serpent Scytale cannot overtake the flying Passengers, she doth with her beautiful colours so astonish and amaze them, that they have no power to pass away, till she have stung them; such a Serpent the World proved to the young man in the Gospel, it did so affect him and take him, so amaze him, and amuse him, that he could not stir till it stung him to death. When the Moon is fullest it is furthest from the Sun, so the more men have of the World, the further (commonly) they are from God, and this the young man in the Gospel made good.
Fourthly, If you would bee good betimes, if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes, then take heed of engageed affections to the things of the World. The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven, 1All these things have I kept from my Youth up, what lack I yet? Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words, Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the Poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow mee; thou shalt have heaven for earth, a Sea for a drop, a treasure for a mite, a crown for a crum. I but the young mans affections were strongly engaged to the things of the world, 2and therefore he turns his back upon Christ, and goes away sorrowful, because he had great possessions. O the madness, the folly of this young man, who to enjoy a little temporal ⟨p. 192⟩felicity, hath bid an everlasting farewell to Christ and Glory, in that Gen. 13.2. it is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel, in silver, and in gold, the Hebrew word (Cabedh) that is here rendred rich, signifies heavy, it signifies a burden, to shew us that riches are a heavy burden, and a hinderance many times to heaven and happinesse, and this young man in the Gospel found it so to his eternal undoing. Though the Load-stone cannot draw the Iron when the Diamond is in presence, yet earthly possessions did draw this young mans soul away, when Christ the Pearl of price was present, the World is a silken net, and this young man found it so; the world is like Golden fetters, and this young man found it so; the world is like sweet poyson, and this young man found it so; 3for hee had drunk so large a draught of it, that there was no room in his soul for Christ or heaven, for ⟨p. 193⟩grace, or glory. Some say that when the Serpent Scytale cannot overtake the flying Passengers, shee doth with her beautiful colours so astonish and amaze them, that they have no power to pass away, till she have stung them; such a Serpent the World proved to the young man in the Gospel, it did so affect him and take him, so amaze him, and amuze him, that hee could not stir till it stung him to death. When the Moon is fullest it is furthest from the Sun, so the more men have of the World, the further (commonly) they are from God, and this the young man in the Gospel made good.
- 1Mat. 19.16-24
- 2Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri, babend• miseriores. August. in Psal. 26.
- 3They are dulce venenum, a sweet poison. Bern.They are dulce venenum, a sweet poyson. Bern.
