FREEDOM FROM EARTHLY-MINDEDNESS

Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1646)

...First... be watchful over your thoughts. Do not take liberty to let your hearts run too far in the things of the earth. What time you have for meditation, let it be as much as can be reserved for spiritual things. Most men and women think they may take liberty in their thoughts. Why, the thing in itself is not unlawful! Aye, but your thoughts will steal upon you and affect your heart very much. Therefore, watch narrowly over your thoughts, and keep them within Scripture bounds.

The second direction: Be humbled much for sin, for that will take off the heart from earthly mindedness. Earthly minded men, who have earthly and drossy hearts, have not known what the weight and burden of sin mean. Just let God lay the weight and burden of sin upon the soul, for that will take the soul off from earthly things quickly! Oh, those that have gone on in the world in a secure condition and have never known what trouble of conscience for sin meant have grown seared in those earthly contentments. But those men that have had the weight of sin lie upon them know what it is to have to deal with an infinite God! In bearing the burden of the wrath of an incensed Deity, such men know that they have other things to look after than the things of the earth. If God would just humble your hearts, the humiliation of your spirits would quicken you, take off the dullness and deadness of your spirits, and stir you up to look after things other than the things of this life.

The third direction: Further, set the example of the saints before you who have been the most precious servants of God in former times. Note how they counted themselves as pilgrims and strangers here on the earth. At your leisure, read Hebrews 11:13: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

Mark, therefore, how it follows in the 37th verse, “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented.” Who were these people? They were... such precious saints of God that the world was not worthy of them. Now, when we set before us how joyfully these servants of the Most High went through all their wilderness condition, this should make us ashamed of our earthly mindedness and thus be a mighty help to us.

The fourth direction: Then, if we consider the great account that we are to give for all earthly things, you will note that you only look upon the comfort of them. But consider the account you must give for them. This would be a means to take off the heart from earthly mindedness. And consider, what if you were now to die and go the way of all flesh. What good would it be to me to remember what contentments and pleasures I had in the earth?

The fifth direction: But above all, set Jesus Christ before you and be meditating on the death of Jesus Christ. That is the great thing that will take the heart from the things of the earth. Be looking upon Christ crucified, how He Who was the Lord of heaven and earth put Himself into such a low condition merely to redeem us! Conversing much with the death of Jesus Christ deadens the heart much to the world. In Philippians 3, we have a notable text for that in the example of Paul. He counted all things as dung and dross for Jesus Christ...

Perhaps some of you think of the glory of Christ in heaven, and that may, for the present, make you less worldly. But let me entreat you to meditate on the death of Christ and know that there is an excellency in conformity even to the death of Christ, such an excellency that may take your hearts from the things of the world! It is said of the king of France that he, asking once about an eclipse, said, “I have so much business in the earth that I take little notice of the things of heaven.”

O my brethren! ... I beseech you, let not this be said concerning any of you... Do not plead that you have such great business, that you had so much to do in this earth, that you take little notice of the things of heaven. Surely, the saints of God have their business in heaven as we shall, God willing, see hereafter. Their city business, their trading, their aims, their bent is higher than the things of this earth.

There are things that a man may let out his thoughts and affections to as much as he wants. This shows the vanity of the things of this world, that a man needs to be very wary how much he minds them. He cannot enjoy the comforts of this earth without some fear. But now, when he comes to converse with heaven, there he may let himself out to the uttermost. That shows the excellency of these things... O the excellency lies in things above that are heavenly and spiritual, where the saints have their conversation!