〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilst they are in the midst of their bodies They lye down in care their rest is in unrest sleep departs from their eyes they are fraughted with fears tossed with contrivances hang in suspence and doubt fear to loose care to keep and contrivances how to encrease and augment their Worldly Good is the whole that is acted on the stage of their lives And will not all this exceedingly imbitter their enjoyments The truth is all the good things wicked men do enjoy will scarce answer the charge they will not as we may say bear charges There is so much of trouble and cumber they meet withall here in this World with their Portion that the play is not worth their candle And if so where then lies their Treasure we do not account that as any part of our treasure which is allotted for spending money by the way As if a man goes a voyage that which is to bear charges and to be spent by the way is not reckoned to be part of his Treasure Now all we have here in this World is but spending money to bear our charges whilst we are on our way towards our longer home Secondly There 's a mixture of grief and anguish in and with the Worldly Good of the wicked They meet with manifold crosses and invincible disappointments in their way their designs are frustrated purposes are broken off and their intendments fail and they being void of those Graces and Spiritual Endowments which alone enable with content to undergo cross occurrences hence they are perplexed and stumble and fall and are broken and snared and taken Isa 8.15 They cannot bear their crosses patiently they want the Grace of Patience nor can they take their afflictions humbly they know not what humility means neither can they undergo their disappointments contentedly Phil. 4.11 they â—ave not learned the way of true contentment And so they lye open to all that grief and anguish which any way can be occasionated from affliction without or that can seize upon a Soul that 's void of a Work of true Grace for so their's is within The felicity of the wicked is not therefore to be the Object of any your envy neither is their State desireable Will you envy them the enjoyment of that which is interlarded with so much anguish as imbitters all the sweet and pleasure or desire that State wherewith you must have more gall than gain more grief than glory oh the many Thornes and Briers that are with them I mean the cares and cumber and they dwell amongst Scorpions in the midst of grief and anguish Now there being such a mixture as this in all they have surely their Portion is very poor in the Earth and in their greatest fulness they can never be accounted truely happy Thirdly There 's a mixture of sin and guilt The worst of evils is intermedled with the best good things the wicked do enjoy Sin it is the worst of evils because the cause of all and sting of all There 's nothing properly that can be denominated evil but so far as sin is in it and in its respect to sin There 's sin and guilt in the enjoyments of the wicked though the gifts of God are good in themselves considered and as from him yet so far as their hand as to acquisition is found therein there is a streak that goes along They get and heap together but they heed not how they encrease but it 's that which is not theirs they enrich themselves Hab. 2.9 but it 's by violence and the spoil of the poor is in their houses Isa 3.14 They covet an evil coveteousness to their house that they may set their nest on high that they may be delivered from the power of evil and they sin against their own Soul Hab. 2.9 10. All their work is to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof Rom. 13.14 They proceed from evil to evil and in their best enjoyments corrupt themselves Idolatry is all their worship and their lust it is their Idol their God is their belly Phil. 3.19 And as they get by wrong so they do not use aright the end of mercies is not aim'd at much less answered by them but all is perverted another way so that their course is evil Jer. 23.10 and their fâ—rce not right And is not here a stream of guilt going with them all along So that let the whole of their race and way be remarked from their first entry upon their portion to the time of their close and parting with it and you find sin and guilt still to attend so as every day adds new sin to the old guilt to the filling up the measure of their sin till they become out of measure sinfull Surely their condition must needs be very miserable when their Portion has sin thus for it's soul and ferment Fourthly There 's a mixture of curse and vengeance in the good things of the wicked The curse runs along with all their enjoyments though the bitterness thereof may not be felt at present yet it is gone out and shall seize at length A Portion full of deadly Poyson drunk off may not presently work so as in the very instant of its reception to put forth its venom but by and by it does appear Suppose a man have a Son that Marries richly he gets an Heir that is a very rich match and he has a large Portion with her and you go and fetch away the baggs of Gold and Silver that are her Portion and he huggs himself in his rich fortune but if it should prove that every bagg of Gold you have of your Wives Portion should have the plague in it it were but a poor Portion Certainly thus it is with all ungodly ones in the World that whatsoever they do enjoy let their comforts be never so delightfull and their enjoyments never so lovely all the while they live and continue wicked they have the curse of God that goes along and makes way for their eternal misery As true believers have a blessing of God in outward things that lead the way of their eternal good unto them So the wicked and impenitent have the curse of God mingled with aâ—l their Worldly Good which makes way for their eternal torment §. IX Ninthly Consider the loss unavoidably incurr'd Thou hast gotten one Portion but thou losest a great deal more Thou hast gotten the bagg of Gold but the Plague therein which shall cost thy live So as there is the loss of life with the wedge of Gold Whilst thou hast been busied about the gain and chaffer of the World Josh 7.21 thou hast lost a bargain worth ten thousand Worlds If a man should go to a Fair or Market and make some bargain about some petty thing and afterwards when he comes home knows that by not buying such a thing he hath lost a bargain that would have made him and his posterity
in comparison than the length of a Cane or Trunk through which a man looks on the Heavens or some vast country And ever the greater Magnitude or light there is in a body the smaller will the medium or distance seem from it The reason why a Perspective Glass draws remote Objects close to the eye is because it multiplies the Species We then by Faith apprehending an infinite and everlasting Glory must needs conceive any thing through which we look upon it to be but short and vanishing And therefore though the promises were a far off in regard of their own existence yet the Patriarchs did not only see but embrace them their Faith seemed to nullifie and swallow up all the distance Abraham saw Christs day and was glad Joh. 8.56 He looked upon those many ages which were between him and his promised seed as upon small and inconsiderable distances in comparison of that endless Glory into which they ran they were but as a Curtaiâ— or piece of Hangings which divide one room in a House from another Labour therefore to get a distinct view of the height and length and breadth and depth and the unsearchable love oâ— God in Christ and to find in thy own Soul the truth of God in his promises and that his word abideth for ever and that wilâ— make all the Glory of other things to seem but as grass §. IIII. Fourthly Would you have this Eternal good to be your Portion then labour to take off your Hearts from all the outward comforts that are in this present World Let not your Spirits bottom here Men naturally fix upon things that are here below and look no higher The borders of this World are the utmost confines of their thoughts they look no further All their care and study is what they shall eat Mat. 6.31 and what they shall drink and wherewithall they shall be clothed The bent of their Hearts Thoughts and Works is wholly intended to resolve the old doubts which Carnal Men do make how to satisfie the Lusts of the old man by gathering together a stock of Worldly Comforts In this bottom we find all their Hearts imbarqued But now if you have a desire to look upwards and to trade towards Eternity let your Souls loose from these outward Comforts Faith as was told you to see beyond them will loosen your Souls from them shake them off your Hearts as S. Paul did the Viper from his hand Act. 2â— 5 Solatio miserorum non gaudia beatorum Aug. Epist 119. Look upon them no further than as merely serviceable to you in the way towards youâ— journies end whereto yet theâ— can contribute no further but only as a Viaticum for the body If your thoughts entertain them at any higher rate they will prove a snare and clog unto you in the way They that will be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 fall into Temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull Lusts which drown men in destruction and Perdition Know it is not necessary that you should be rich and great and eminent in this World or that you should have great Estates and incomes here that 's not necessary But it is necessary say that I should have my Heart established with grace Heb. 13.9 It is necessary that I have peace with God and that my sins be pardoned and my Soul renewed It is necessary that I should provide for my Soul and look after the things of Eternal moment but how things go here with me in this present World there is no great necessity so much to concern my self or be affected with them Thus if you will have an interest in the better Portion let your Hearts loose from Worldly Comforts Meditate often upon that saying of our Saviour Christ what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mark 8.36 Pray that the Lord would give you the true sense and understanding of this Text that you may know and inwardly digest the meaning of it and find that vertue in it as may loose your Hearts from this present World §. V. Fifthly Let the whole course of your life be carried on in the fear of God and thence seasoned with a fear lest that here should be the All that ever you are like to enjoy As this was made use of as a sign before so now as a means Let the whole course of your life be steer'd as it were with the fear of God lest that God should put you off with present things Think oftentimes with your selves what if I should never enjoy more good than here I have and that with this present life all my good should end Should God now this night take me away out of the Land of the living and give me my Portion in the Infernal Pit of darkness what would all the good of this present life avail me Had it not been infinitly better that I had never known it nor enjoyed it than thus to be put off with it and for a few transitory hours of fading comforts now to lye howling under the justly deserved wrath of an infinite God in paines unsufferable to all Eternity Often do you meditate and think upon the conditions of those how infinitely forlorn they are to whom it falls out to be their lot to have all their good things here Think with your selves that though they now abound in all wealth and store yet you even see them on slippery ground Psal 73.18 when all their good and jolly thoughts shall perish and they never like to enjoy good hereafter any more Let the course of your life be seasoned with such thoughts as these And especially you that have great Portions in this World and you know that hitherto you have done God his Church or People little or no service you have not served him in the abundance and fulness you do enjoy You know there are many poor People that live upon Almes have done God more service and have contributed more to the Honour of his name than you have done with all your wealth in all your dayes Oh you have great cause to fear lest you be the persons who may take up with this World and for whom there 's no good reserved in the World to come Rulers and governours and the great men of the World had need here be caution'd to consider as having cause to fear lest here should be their All. Oh that amidst their fulness they would mind their latter end Chrysostome on the thirteenth Chapter to the Hebrews speaking of Governours hath such a Speech as this I wonder saith he that any governer should be â—aved We will not say so But they are liable to a great deal of temptations and to assaults that are much more furious and violent to the carrying them away than others are who want those Worldly Comforts and advantages which they do enjoy And our Saviour Christ tells us that a man who has
to the grave God's paâ—â—â—nce bears with the wicked â—w and lets them take this â—orld and their portion here 〈◊〉 as some grow great by oppresâ—â—n some rich by rapine some â—l by fraud some bigg by bribes â—hers drunk with pleasures â—d some swilled with the puffs 〈◊〉 honor They wax fat Jer. 5.28 psal 50.21 they â—ne yea they overpass the deeds 〈◊〉 the wicked they judge not the use the cause of the fatherless â—t they prosper Thus God in â—â—tience as 't were overlooks â—â—em and they think that he is â—â—together such a one as they are â—â—emselves that he never will â—ll them to account as they â—ever call to account themselves â—nt when the time of this long-â—â—fferance is over then the vaâ—â—ty of these worldly good â—â—ings wherein they did so wanâ—only bless themselves will â—ore than sufficiently appear â—nto them Sect. III. Thirdly the time of this lâ— is the season of God's provideâ—tial dispensations which thougâ— guided and ordered by an innite wisdom yet promiscuoâ—ly fall amongst the children 〈◊〉 men so as oftentimes the Goâ—ly here they have their cup fillâ— with wormwood Jer. 8.14 psal 73.14 psal 66.11 12. and the waâ— of gall given them to drink Tâ—â—â— are plagued all the day long aâ— chastened every morning They 〈◊〉 brought into the nest and afflictiâ—â— is laid upon their loins men râ— over their heads they go throuâ—â— fire and water All these aâ— many more hardships they eâ—dure and yet none of the come to pass without God's prâ—vidence which so orders thâ— they shall be fully tried in thâ— present life Luk. 22.31 Amos 9.9 and sifted like as coâ— is sifted in a sieve They haâ— their full dose and share of greâ— and sore afflictions in this prâ—sent life for here 's the time all the misery pain and sorroâ— â—hat ever they shall endure and â—fter this life all their grief shall â—e at an end For God shall â—ipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 21.4 â—â—d there shall be no more death â—either sorrow nor crying neither â—all there be any more pain for â—â—e former things are passed away â—nd as povidence measures out â—â—ch a share of this life oftenâ—â—mes unto the godly so it yields 〈◊〉 contrary portion unto the â—icked the good things of this â—resent life fall into their boâ—oms as if the windows of heaâ—en were opened to shour down â— blessing on them and the sluâ—es of hidden yet but worldly â—â—easure being opened did conâ—urr by a joynt confluence to â—ake them happy Their eyes â—â—â—and out with fatness they have â—ore than heart could wish Psal â—3 7 And why This is the â—ime for an infinitely wise and â—idden providence to exert it â—elf in various dispensations â—o as no man may know either love or hatred by all that is before hiâ— Eccles 9.1 The wicked caâ— not hereupon argue that Gâ—â— loves them because they 〈◊〉 warm in the Sun of a prospâ—rous Estate neither may tâ—â— faithful say that God haâ— them because his dealings seeâ— to be so harsh with them 〈◊〉 is no arguing from outwaâ—â— providential Dispensations 〈◊〉 things that are of an eternâ—â— nature as God's love and hâ—tred are We should look uâ—on the way of providence heâ— to be more occult and mystâ—cal than that the sense aâ—â— meaning thereof should so eâ—sily be discerned and so knoâ— this that because now is thâ— time for providence to carâ— on its hidden works therâ—fore the wicked have such â— large Dole of outward gooâ— things given to them Sect. IV. Fourthly Wicked men may â—o somewhat for God here they â—ay be serviceable in some reâ—pect at least do something that â—aterially is a service and God â—ill not be indebted to them He â—nows they are a mercenary and â—amorous generation and that 〈◊〉 he should not give them waâ—es for any service they are emâ—â—oyed in for him they would â—â—esently clamour on him Now â—od will not have them exclaim â—â—ainst him but if possible stop â—â—eir mouths and will give to â—ery one something for what â—â—ey do for him though it be â—â—ver so little here in this world â—e have a notable place for this Ezek. 29.18 19 20. Nebuchadâ—â—â—zar King of Babylon caused 〈◊〉 Army to serve a great service â—â—â—inst Tyrus every head was â—de bald and every shoulder was â—ed this great service God 〈◊〉 him upon and it seems he 〈◊〉 not as yet given him wages well God he requires aboâ—â— this and seems to complaiâ— that when Nebuchadnezzar aâ—â— his Army had done him such seâ—vice yet he should not have râ—ceived his wages but be as were forgotten all this whilâ— Therefore saith God Behâ— I will give the land of Egypt 〈◊〉 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylâ—â— and he shall take her multitude Ezek. 29.18 〈◊〉 take her spoil and take her prâ— and it shall be the wages for 〈◊〉 army I have given him the lâ— of Egypt for his labour whereâ— he served against it because 〈◊〉 wrought for me saith the lâ— God The Lord will not be 〈◊〉 debted in the least to any wicâ— man for the least service thaâ— shall do for him nay he is 〈◊〉 a bountiful Master that he 〈◊〉 pay those whom he does impâ— not onely according to the mâ— of their service the pains 〈◊〉 have endured the difficult the work the success that ensued nay take in all the â—cumstantial attendants and acâ—â—â—sories of their imployment 〈◊〉 will not only pay them acâ—â—rdingly not abating an Ace â—s usually said but as a bounâ—â—â—ul Lord he will give more 〈◊〉 cause his wages to overflow â—d therefore well may the â—cked who are imployed in â—d's service or at least in such â—rks which materially are a â—vice have sometimes a large â—le of outward Mercies 'T is â—e the wicked in Scripture 〈◊〉 compared to thorns and briâ— now we know that a thorn â—y serve to stop a gap though â—e but a thorn-bush and if it â—â—e to stop a gap and be of 〈◊〉 use it hath that benefit by 〈◊〉 that all that while the Sun â—es upon it and it is kept â—m the fire whereas were it 〈◊〉 for use it might presently brought to the fire An Arâ—ent by the way to provoke men to be of as much use to 〈◊〉 Church of God as possibly they can to stop those gap whereby there might be an in to their harm or an occasion their prejudice It may be tâ— is the very thing for which yet thou art in the sun-shiâ— and which keeps thee from fire but if thou once comelâ— be unuseful the fire is the 〈◊〉 thing thou shalt hear of Mâ— wicked men God doth make of in divers services and mâ— refreshing and good his Churâ—â— shall have from them The Lâ— causes the very earth to help woman and to swallow up the 〈◊〉 cast out of the Dragon's mâ— to carry her away Earthly 〈◊〉 not only as to their frame Being but as to their mind motions too are sometiâ—â— made use of for the good
themâ—â—lves and yet fall so as to rise â—o no more They are but set 〈◊〉 slippery places as the Psalmist â—eaks and then cast down into â—â—struction and brought into deâ—â—lation as in a moment they are â—terly consumed with terrours â—sal 73.18 19. Psal 73.18 19. Thus they flatâ—â—r themselves in their own â—â—es until their iniquity be â—â—und to be hateful They say â—â—ey shall die in their nest and â—ultiply their days as the sand â—his was the ground upon which â—ob's friends argued so strongly â—gainst him That surely God â—d not love him because it â—ent so ill with him Thereâ—re they did not speak of God â—e thing that was right measuring his thoughts by outwarâ— providences in this world aâ— modelling all their Argumenâ— according to this Rule Now thâ— is too low a way to measure thâ— mind of God who is infiniâ— in knowledge and of whoâ— understanding there is no reaâ— It is as high as heaven what caâ— thou do deeper than hell whâ— dost thou know the measure theâ— of is longer than the earth aâ— deeper than the sea Job 11. 8 â— Job 11.8 9. The Lord would teach his peopâ—â— from the plenty of outwaâ—â— Mercies the wicked do enjoâ— to look for other evidences 〈◊〉 his love evidences of anothâ—â— nature than these things are 〈◊〉 which the love of God may cleared up unto them Tâ—â— seems to be the carriage of tâ— Almighty in these his works Providence unto his peoplâ— You see how the draff and sâ— of this world is cast befâ—â—â— them and how they wall therein and fill their bellies â—ot you look upon these things â—s arguments of my love to â—hose persons who enjoy them â—or you see what kind of creaâ—ures they are sometimes cast â—mong even amongst my most â—itter and cruel enemies such â—s are and will be so and who â—buse these good things to a furâ—her hardening them in their â—nmity but do not you regard 〈◊〉 envy not their Portion neiâ—her judge their Condition â—herefore happy measure not â—ny Love by outward Mercies â—or I thus promiscuously cast â—hem abroad into the world to â—ive check to such thoughts as â—ould argue either love or haâ—red from them Eccles 9.1 Sect. XII Lastly The Lord gives such 〈◊〉 large Dole of outward Merâ—ies unto the wicked in this preâ—ent world because this is all â—hat ever they are like to have They are never to expect any â—ore The Lord deals with them as Abraham did with tâ—â— Sons of the Concubines whiâ— he had he gave them gifts aâ— sent them away from Isaac his sâ— eastward into the east-countreâ— but he gave all that he had unâ— Isaac Gen. 25.5 6. So tâ—â— Lord gives worldly gifts unâ— the wicked and as it werâ— packs them far away they mâ— have nothing to do with hâ— habitation and his holy placâ— the Heavenly Jerusalem is reseâ—ved for his Isaacs the childrâ— of the Promise These Sons 〈◊〉 the Concubine they may tâ— vail into the East-countrey and there gather their gold aâ—â— silver and precious stones â—mong the smooth stones of the streâ— as the Prophet speaks in anothâ—â— case is their Portion Isa 57.6 And thâ— is all that ever they are like 〈◊〉 have they are to go their waâ— and expect no more Thus deaâ— Jehoshaphat likewise with thoâ— Sons that were not to plead 〈◊〉 Title to his Kingdom intenâ—iâ—g the Throne and Crown for â—ehoram their father gave them â—reat gifts of silver 2 Chron. 21.3 and of gold â—nd of precious things with fenced â—ties in Judah but the kingdom â—ave he to Jehoram because he was â—â—e first-born So God deals wâ—tâ—â—any of the wicked in this â—orld as Jehoshaphat did with â—is other Sons who gave them â—heir Dole before hand in great â—ifts and so committed their â—ortion into their hands and â—hey were not to expect any â—ore the kingdom it was for the â—â—rst-born Thus the wicked have â—reat gifts in this world their â—ortion is put into their hands â—nd they are to expect no more They are not from hence to arâ—ue That because he hath done â—o well for them that therefore â—e will do better and intends â—hem a further good cujus conâ—rarium est verum Nay you may â—ather gather an Argument â—uite the other way because God intends no further good unto you hereafter therefore is you have so much now Thâ— we use to answer men that haâ—â— had their Dole already givâ— them and they will come agaiâ— Why do you come again yâ— have had your Dole alreadâ— So God will answer to maâ— men when they shall cry to hiâ— for mercy at that day Wâ— come you to me for more yâ—â— have had your Dole alreadâ— Have not you had more than 〈◊〉 your work comes to Did nâ—â— your cup overflow in your lifâ— time Psal 73.7 Had not you more thâ— heart could wish Why do yoâ— come again Did not I saâ— God shew my self glorious 〈◊〉 mercy in your day that you bâ—ing so wicked as you were haâ— yet so much of the good thingâ— of the world as you had I diâ— not only spare you and eke oâ— my long-sufferance towards yoâ— but I loaded you then with bâ—nefits and heap'd my blessing on you if so be you would therâ— by have been led to repentance Rom. 2.4 â—nd therefore though you be â—enied eternal mercies hereafâ—â—r yet you have cause to tell â—e Devils themselves and â—mned creatures that shall be â—ur companions That God was â—ry merciful to you while you â—ed in this world You had a â—rge Portion here but here 's â—ur All. Son remember that â—ou in thy life-life-time receivedst â—y good things thou canst not â—pect them hereafter too CHAP. VI. â—â—at the good things the Wicked do enjoy are confined to this present life and why Sect. I. THE Third Particular propounded in the handling this Point is to shew That 〈◊〉 the good things the wicked do enjoy are confined to this presenâ— life so as when their life ends then all their good is at an enâ— When the wicked man dieth he shall carry nothing away His glory shall not descend aftâ—â— him Psalm 49.17 Naked 〈◊〉 came into the world and nakeâ— he shall return All his goâ— things have their period wiâ—â— him he cannot carry them aloâ—â— into another world when deaâ— seizeth on him then he is parâ—ed from them And then whâ— shall those things be which he hâ— provided Luk. 12.20 Though whiles he â—ved he blessed his soul aâ— his flatterers were about hiâ— and his cogging Parasites aâ— they praised him yet he sâ—â— go to the generation of his fâ—thers Psal 49.18 and shall never see lighâ— and then all his good thiâ— are concluded with him Aâ— it is so that the Portion of tâ—â— wicked cannot outlive bâ— is confined to this present lifâ— because First That there are some men whose names are written in â—he earth Cum homines beati esse volunt si vere volunt profecto esse
makes the Comparison Isaiah 38.12 Such things as may be gathered together into a narrow room Time is short that is that Time which the Lord hath spread over all Things like a Sail hath now this â—ive thousand years been rolâ—ing up and the end is now at hand as Saint Peter speaks â— Pet. 4.7 The Day is approaching when Time shall be â—o more And so the Words â—n the Original will well bear â—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The remainder of time â—s short or Time is short for so much as yet remaineth of it to be folded up and therefore we ought to behave our selves as men that have more serious things to consider of as men that are very near to that everlasting Haven where there shall be no use of such Sails any more And in the Apostle's close the same Reason is farther yet enforced For the fashion of this World passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Figure intimating that there is nothing oâ— any firmness Quodcunque nunc nascitur mundi ipsius senectute degenerat ut nemâ— mirari debeat singula in mundo caepâ—sse deficere cum totus ipse jam mundus in defectione sit Cyprian Cont. Dem. or solid Consistancy in the Creature it is but a Surface an Outside an empty Promise all the Beauty oâ— it is but skin-deep And theâ— that little which is desirablâ— and precious in the eyes oâ— men which the Apostlâ— calls The lust of the World 1 John 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it passeth away and is quickly gonâ— The Word as the Learned diâ—ferently render it hath thâ—â— several Arguments in it 〈◊〉 express the Apostle's Exhortation 1. It deceives or couzens and therefore use it as if you us'd it not use it as a man in a serious business would use a false Friend that profers his assistance though his Protestations be never so fair yet so employ him as that the business may be done though he should fail thee 2. Transversum agit It carries a man head-long The Lusts of the World are so strong and impetuous that they are apt to enflame the desires and even violently to carry away the heart of a man And for this cause likewise use it as if you used it not engage your selves as little upon it as you can do as Mariners in a mighty Wind hoise up a few Sails expose as few of thy affections to the rage of Worldly Lusts as may be beware of being carried where two Seas meet as the Ship wherein Paul suffered Shipwrack I mean of plunging thy self in a Confluence of many boisterous and conflicting Businesses lest for thine inordinate prosecution of Worldly Things the Lord either give thy Soul over to suffer Shipwrack in them or strip thee of all thy Lading and Tackling break thine Estate all to pieces and make thee glad to get to Heaven upon a broken Plank 3. The Fashion of this World passeth over it doth but go along by thee and salute thee and therefore use it as if thou usedst it not do to it as thou wouldest do to a stranger whom thou meetest in the way he goes one way and thou another Salute him stay so long in his company tilâ— from him thou have received better Instructions touching the turnings and difficulties of thy own way but take heed thou turn not into the way of the Creature lest thou lose thine own home Thus if you study the nature of all Worldly Enâ—oyments and their insufficiency as to Eternal Satisfaction you 'l find from such â—onsiderations an advantageâ—us Income The practical knowledge of the vanity of all â—emporal good will be one â—ood step in the way towards â—he enjoyment of Eternal §. III. Thirdly Get an Eye of Faith to look through and above the Creature A man shall never get to look off from the World tilâ— he can look beyond it For the Soul will have hold fast of something and the reason why meâ—cling so much to the Earth is because they have no assurance if they let go that hold of having any Subsistance else where Labour therefore to get an interest in Christ to find an everlasting footing in the stedfastness of Gods promises in him and that will make thee willing to suffer the loss of all things Phil. 3.8 iâ— will implant a kind of hatred and disestimation of all the mosâ— precious endearments which thâ— Soul did feed upon before St Peter saith of wicked men that they are Pur-blind they cannot see a far off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they can see nothing but that which is next them and therefore no marvel if their thoughts cannot reach unto the end of the Creature There is in a dim eye the same constant and habitual indisposition which sometimes happeneth unto a sound Eye by reason of a thick mist though a man be walking in a very short lane yet he sees no end of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet l. 2. and so a natural man cannot reach to the Period of Earthly things Death and Danger are still a great way out of his sight Whereas the eye of Faith can look upon them as already expiring and through them look upon him who therefore gives the Creatures unto us that in them we might see his Power and taste his Goodness And nature it self methinks may seem to have intended some such thing as this in the very order of the Creatures downwards a mans eye hath something immediately to fix on all is shut up in darkness save the very surface to note that we should have our desires shut up too from those Earthly things which are put under our feet and hid from our eyes and buried in their own deformity All the beauty and all the fruit of the Earth is placed on the very out-side of it to shew how short and narrow our affections should be towards it But upward the eye finds scarce any thing to bound it all is transparent and diaphanous to note how vast our affections should be towards God how endless our thoughts and desires of his Kingdom how present to our Faith the Heavenly things should be even at the greatest distance The Apostle saith Heb. 11.1 that Faith is the substance of things hoped for that it gives being and present subsistency to things far distant from us makes those things which in regard of natural causes are very remote in regard of Gods promises to seem hard at hand And therefore though there were many hundred years to come in the Apostles time and for ought we know may yet be to the dissolution of the World yet the Apostle tells us that even then it was the last hour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2.18 because Faith being able distinctly to see the truth and promises of God and the endlesness of that life which is then presently to be revealed the infinite excess of vastness in that made that which was otherwise a great space even seem as nothing no more