2. Mortify the Love of the World, the three great Lusts mentioned 1. Joh. 2.16. the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, that is, the inordinate Love of Sensual Pleasures, Earthly Riches, and Worldly Honour: These three make the World in the heart, and join us to the outward World to become one with ⟨p. 40⟩it; Unless these Concupiscential Chains be broken, we can never be in a posture for suffering; if thou wilt not part with a little Sensual Pleasure for Christ, thou wilt never suffer for him; if Lust blind thee and turn thee into a Brute, thou wilt be too low and base to be capable of it: He that is melted in the fire of Lust, will not endure the flames of Martyrdom; he that makes his belly his God will never suffer to avoid Idolatry. It is very observable in the Prophet, that first he tells them, that whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away the heart. Hos. 4.11. and then adds, My People ask counsel at their stocks; that is, their Idols, Verse 12. A Sensual man, that is unhearted by his Lusts, is much fitter to fall down to an Idol, than to suffer for Religion. Separate thy self therefore from the sensuality of the World, that thou mayest never fall into the Idolatry of it: Put away the Cup of Pleasures, that thou mayest be in capacity to drink of the Cup of Sufferings; the Sensual Cup leads to stings and torments; but the Suffering one tends to the pure Pleasures that are above. Again, if thou wilt not part with one earthly Estate for Christ, thou wilt never suffer for him. When our Saviour bid the young man, sell all, he went away sorrowful, ⟨p. 41⟩Math. 19.22. S. Cyprian, 1speaking of some in his time that fell off in persecution, saith, that their estates were as chains and fetters to them; that they could not go and suffer for Christ. The covetous man, who is a mental Idolater, will, if occasion require, be an outward one too, and fall down to a Stock or Stone rather than lose his Land. If thou wouldest be able to suffer for Christ, thou must break off the earthly Chains from thy soul, that, when the Temptation comes and thou art offered, as the blessed Martyr Julitta was, to have thy estate upon the denial of Christ, thou mayest then be able to give the same answer as she did,2 Valeat vita, valeant meae facultates; Farewell life, farewell Estate:
2. Mortify the Love of the World, the three great Lusts mentioned 1. Joh. 2.16. the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, that is, the inordinate Love of Sensual Pleasures, Earthly Riches, and Wordly Honour: These three make the World in the heart, and joyn us to the outward World to become one with ⟨p. 40⟩it; Unless these Concupiscential Chains be broken, we can never be in a posture for suffering; if thou wilt not part with a little Sensual Pleasure for Christ, thou wilt never suffer for him; if Lust blind thee and turn thee into a Bruit, thou wilt be too low and base to be capable of it: He that is melted in the fire of Lust, will not endure the flames of Martyrdome; he that makes his belly his God will never suffer to avoid Idolatry. It is very observable in the Prophet, that first he tels them, that whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away the heart. Hos. 4.11. and then adds, My People ask counsel at their stocks; that is, their Idols, Verse 12. A Sensual man, that is unhearted by his Lusts, is much fitter to fall down to an Idol, than to suffer for Religion. Separate thy self therefore from the sensuality of the World, that thou maiest never fall into the Idolatry of it: Put away the Cup of Pleasures, that thou maiest be in capacity to drink of the Cup of Sufferings; the Sensual Cup leads to stings and torments; but the Suffering one tends to the pure Pleasures that are above. Again, if thou wilt not part with one earthly Estate for Christ, thou wilt never suffer for him. When our Saviour bid the young man, sell all, he went away sorrowful, ⟨p. 41⟩Math. 19.22. S. Cyprian, 1speaking of some in his time that fell off in persecution, saith, that their estates were as chains and fetters to them; that they could not go and suffer for Christ. The covetous man, who is a mental Idolater, will, if occasion require, be an outward one too, and fall down to a Stock or Stone rather than lose his Land. If thou wouldest be able to suffer for Christ, thou must break off the earthly Chains from thy soul, that, when the Temptation comes and thou art offered, as the blessed Martyr Julitta was, to have thy estate upon the denial of Christ, thou maiest then be able to give the same answer as she did,2 Valeat vita, valeant meae facultates; Farewel life, farewel Estate:
- 1Facultates sue velut compedes ligaverunt; illa fuerunt vincula, illae catenae, quibus virtus erat retardata & fides pressa, & anima vincta. De lapsis.
- 2Magd. hist. cent. 4. cap. 12.
