A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…

Doct. The World, and all the Lusts thereof are of a transitory and fading condition.

1 The world passeth away, 1 Cor 7.31. [Greek or Hebrew], &c. the shape and fashion of the world passeth away, the word is taken from the presentation of the world, as upon a Stage, a man seldom acts the same part a week together; you shall never see the world, or the Creatures in the same state long, now in one state, then in another; come now and you shall see a man married, come again, and you shall find him a Widower; sometimes joyful, sometimes doleful, crying, Have pity on me, O my friends; sometimes again in abundance of sorrow over-night, and joyful in the morning.

1 The world passeth away, 1 Cor 7.31. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, &c. the shape and fashion of the world passeth away, the word is taken from the presentation of the world, as upon a Stage, a man seldom acts the same part a week together; you shall never see the world, or the Creatures in the same state long, now in one state, then in another; come now and you shall see a man married, come again, and you shall finde him a Widower; sometimes joyful, sometimes doleful, crying, Have pity on me, O my friends; sometimes again in abundance of sorrow over-night, and joyful in the morning.

2 In respect of the fleeting and fading condition of the estate we do enjoy whilst we do enjoy it, fleeting and passing away by little and little, even while you rejoice in it, Isa. 40.6, 7. where he compares them to flowers, which whilst they flourish, decay; what are all the comforts of the world, but a Nose-gay? which for the present thou smellest sweetness and comfort in, yet even as a Posy, whilst thou smellest at it, fades, and dyes; so are all the comforts of this World, even fading, and decaying whilst thou enjoyest them.

2 In respect of the fleeting and fading condition of the estate we do enjoy whilst we do enjoy it, fleeting and passing away by little and little, even while you rejoyce in it, Isa. 40.6, 7. where hee compares them to flowers, which whilst they flourish, decay; what are all the comforts of the world, but a Nose-gay? which for the present thou smellest sweetnesse and comfort in, yet even as a Posie, whilst thou smellest at it, fades, and dyes; so are all the comforts of this World, even fading, and decaying whilst thou enjoyest them.

Again, All the sorrows and vexations of the world pass away, sorrow abides not ever, nor cares, yea in the midst thereof we may find some joy; Psal. 94.18, 19. yet many times we add sorrow to sorrow, we think we shall go on in the bitternesses of our souls all the day, but he was deceived, Isa. 38.15.

Again, All the sorrows and vexations of the world passe away, sorrow abides not ever, nor cares, yea in the midst thereof wee may finde some joy; Psal. 94.18, 19. yet many times we adde sorrow to sorrow, wee think wee shall go on in the bitternesses of our souls all the day, but he was deceived, Isa. 38.15.

3 In regard of the passing away, and fading of all worldly things, Eccles. 1.4. one generation passes after another, and so do all other comforts, yea the World it self shall be consumed, 2 Pet. 3.10. the individuals consumed, the Elements changed, Psal. 102.6, 7.

Q. 2. How do the lusts of the World pass away?

Q. 2. How do the lusts of the World passe away?

A. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, which are the sum of all the ways of the sons of men, all his time is spent either in pleasure, or profit, or credit, and now all these pass away.

A. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, which are the sum of all the ways of the sons of men, all his time is spent either in pleasure, or profit, or credit, and now all these passe away.

1 Because they are oft disappointed of those objects which they aim at, a man pursues pleasure, but he finds sorrow; another Profit, but it fades away; another in ambition seeks Honour, and Glory, but Psal. 112.8, 9. The desire of the wicked shall perish, it shall be as the house of the Spider.

1 Because they are oft disappointed of those objects which they aime at, a man pursues pleasure, but he findes sorrow; another Profit, but it fades away; another in ambition seeks Honour, and Glory, but Psal. 112.8, 9. The desire of the wicked shall perish, it shall be as the house of the Spider.

2 These pass away, because when a man doth enjoy them, they fade and wither away in it; a man strongly desires a thing, but as soon as he hath it ⟨p. 137⟩he is weary of it, 2 Sam. 3. as David that desired the water of Bethlehem, or as Children soon weary when they have that thing they desire, so Gal. 4.15, 16. see how their affections to him were dead, Psal. 26.2. & 139.23, 24. when David looked at the ways of his own lusts, he desired God to winnow him, and see if there were any way of wickedness in him, implying, though sometimes he had lusts in his heart, yet now he found none, 2 Sam. 13.15. Ammon had a strong lust to his Sister Tamar, but when he had fulfilled it, he hated her more than he loved her, so when we have fulfilled a lust, we are not satisfied with it, but say to it, arise be gone, as a Bee, when it hath sucked something from one Flower, goes to another, and then to a third, so we are soon weary of lusts, there is an emptiness in the Creature, no way able to satisfy the desires of mans heart, but they are soon weary, and therefore desire variety.

2 These passe away, because when a man doth enjoy them, they fade and wither away in it; a man strongly desires a thing, but as soon as hee hath it ⟨p. 137⟩he is weary of it, 2 Sam. 3. as David that desired the water of Bethlehem, or as Children soon weary when they have that thing they desire, so Gal. 4.15, 16. see how their affections to him were dead, Psal. 26.2

3 From the perpetual destruction of these lusts and our selves with them; when we dye, all our lusts dye with us, all our pride and wantonness, yea in Hell there are none remaining, but such as come from disappointment of hope, as discontent and murmuring, and obstinacy, and Blasphemy, and despair, but all other lusts, gluttony incontinency, ambition, dye with us, therefore well saith the Apostle, the World passeth away, and the lusts thereof, they are all but for a season.

3 From the perpetuall destruction of these lusts and our selves with them; when we dye, all our lusts dye with us, all our pride and wantonnesse, yea in Hell there are none remaining, but such as come from disappointment of hope, as discontent and murmuring, and obstinacy, and Blasphemy, and dispair, but all other lusts, gluttony incontinency, ambition, dye with us, therefore well saith the Apostle, the World passeth away, and the lusts thereof, they are all but for a season.

Use 1. Is it so, that they all pass away, all the Creatures, and all the lusts of the World are transitory? then it may be a strong ground of exhortation to old men and young, love not the World, nor the things of the World, this is the counsel of an aged Apostle, when he was near a hundred years old, he spake it out of experience of heavenly things, and vanity of the World; do but consider the things themselves in their own estate; love not the World, nor the things of the World, for they all pass away; on this ground Solomon exhorts us not to set our hearts on the World, Prov. 23.4, 5▪ on riches, which is the way to honour, cease from thine own wisdom, you think it wisdom to provide a large Estate, but it is folly: Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not? riches certainly make themselves wings, and fly away like an Eagle; suppose one of you should invite your friend to dinner, and lead him to your Garden or Orchard, where he finds a company of w•ld fowl, and you tell him, be of good cheer, yonder is good store of wild fowl we shall have, but when you go to take them, they fly away, how will his expectation b• frustrate? so it may be thou hast thy fields well stocked, thy houses well filled and thou sayest now, soul, eat, drink, thou restest refreshed in them, and settest thy heart on them, but God saith, O fool this night thy soul shall be taken away, and then whose shall all these things be? or else sheep rot, and Cattle dye; casualties by Sea, heavy losses take away a mans Estate suddenly, never did wild fowl more deceive them that set their eyes upon them, than riches do the owners thereof

Ʋse 1. Is it so, that they all passe away, all the Creatures, and all the lusts of the World are transitory? then it may be a strong ground of exhortation to old men and young, love not the World, nor the things of the World, this is the counsell of an aged Apostle, when he was near a hundred years old, he spake it out of experience of heavenly things, and vanity of the World; doe but consider the things themselves in their own estate; love not the World, nor the things of the World, for they all passe away; on this ground Solomon exhorts us not to set our hearts on the World, Prov. 23.4, 5▪ on riches, which is the way to honour, cease from thine own wisdome, you think it wisdome to provide a large Estate, but it is folly: Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not? riches certainly make themselves wings, and fly away like an Eagle; suppose one of you should invite your friend to dinner, and lead him to your Garden or Orchard, where he finds a company of wld fowle, and you tell him, be of good chear, yonder is good store of wild fowle we shall have, but when you goe to take them, they fly away, how will his expectation b frustrate? so it may be thou hast thy fields well stockt, thy houses well fil'd and thou sayest now, soul, eat, drink, thou restest refreshed in them, and settest thy heart on them, but God saith, O fool this night thy soul shall be taken away, and then whose shall all these things be? or else sheep rot, and Cattle dye; casualties by Sea, heavy losses take away a mans Estate suddainly, never did wild fowle more deceive them that set their eyes upon them, than riches doe the owners thereof

Use 2. May teach all that desire perpetuity and constancy in any condition, trust not in riches, honour, no nor in life it self, for they are all transitory, but entreat God to set your hearts on everlasting things, on everlasting life, and enduring riches and pleasures, for from him they flow, Psal. 16. ult. these are an abiding inheritance, and will stick close to us; this is the vanity of earthly things, the fullness of them breeds loathsomeness, and fulsomeness, and a man is dulled with them, they seem full of comfort, till we get them, and when we have them, we are weary of them: but grace on the contrary, seems hateful till it be got, but when it is once got; the more a man hath the more he desireth; godly sorrow breeds repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. neither by God, nor by them, never did christian repent of his repentance, or Faith, or godliness; Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. therefore love not those things which cannot comfort us when we have most need, Joh. 6.26, 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth; so labour not for the riches, or honour, or pleasure that perish, but labour for that profit, and pleasure, and honour which endures for ever.

Ʋse 2. May teach all that desire perpetuity and constancy in any condition, trust not in riches, honour, no nor in life it selfe, for they are all transitory, but intreat God to set your hearts on everlasting things, on everlasting life, and induring riches and pleasures, for from him they flow, Psal. 16. ult. these are an abiding inheritance, and will stick close to us; this is the vanity of earthly things, the fulnesse of them breeds loathsomnesse, and fulsomnesse, and a man is duld with them, they seem full of comfort, till we get them, and when we have them, we are weary of them: but grace on the contrary, seems hatefull till it be got, but when it is once got; the more a man hath the more he desireth; godly sorrow breeds repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. neither by God, nor by them, never did christian repent of his repentance, or Faith, or godlinesse; Riches profit not in the day of wrath,

We come now to the opposition, that which is opposed to the transitoriness ⟨p. 138⟩of these things, the World, and the lusts thereof, viz. He that doth the will of God abideth for ever.