Sermons preached

(3.) It comes from weanedness from the World. They that do not seek great things for themselves, will stand to God's allowance. It may be God may bestow great things upon them, as he did upon Abraham and David, but they do not seek them; especially in times when it is a Mercy they have Life and Liberty. That is forbidden, Jer. 44. 5. In short, Grace doth all, both as to Poverty and Riches, and makes Rich and Poor stand on the same Level. Now this is a high point in Religion, to grow dead to the World, to beha•• our selves in a manner as unconcerned in Poverty or Riches: for the World is the great impediment to the Heavenly Life, as being the bait of the Flesh, the snare of Satan, by which he detaineth Souls from God. If once we grow indifferent to these things, we would not feel any great power in Temptations to Pleasure, Wealth, and Honour, and would soon be thorough Christians; the Spiritual Life would be more easy and even: easy, for where Men seek no great things for themselves in the World, and a little matter contenteth their Desires, and checketh their Murmurings, the resistance of the carnal Nature to the Empire of Grace is without much difficulty overcome; they can enjoy plenty or want, renounce their aspiring thoughts, meddle sparingly with fleshly Delights, they are seeking a better Estate. More evenly, there is no notable blemish on them who are Crucified to the World, they do not stain their Profession, wound their Consciences, their choices are governed by Religion, not ⟨p. 244⟩by Carnal Interest, They are kept unspotted from the World, Jam. 1. 27.

(3.) It comes from weanedness from the World. They that do not seek great things for themselves, will stand to God's allowance. It may be God may bestow great things upon them, as he did upon Abraham and David, but they do not seek them; especially in times when it is a Mercy they have Life and Liberty. That is forbidden, Ier. 44. 5. In short, Grace doth all, both as to Poverty and Riches, and makes Rich and Poor stand on the same Level. Now this is a high point in Religion, to grow dead to the World, to beha our selves in a manner as unconcerned in Poverty or Riches: for the World is the great impediment to the Heavenly Life, as being the bait of the Flesh, the snare of Satan, by which he detaineth Souls from God. If once we grow indifferent to these things, we would not feel any great power in Temptations to Pleasure, Wealth, and Honour, and would soon be thorow Christians; the Spiritual Life would be more easy and even: easy, for where Men seek no great things for themselves in the World, and a little matter contenteth their Desires, and checketh their Murmurings, the resistance of the carnal Nature to the Empire of Grace is without much difficulty overcome; they can enjoy plenty or want, renounce their aspiring thoughts, meddle sparingly with fleshly Delights, they are seeking a better Estate. More evenly, there is no notable blemish on them who are Crucified to the World, they do not stain their Profession, wound their Consciences, their choices are govern'd by Religion, not