Christ here if you will have him to own you hereafter before all the World Mat. 10.32 But if you be ashamed of him he will of you 6. And Lastly You must hearken to that of our Saviour Luk. 21.36 Watch and pray alwayes that you may be accounted worthy to escape all those things which shall come to pass and stand before the Son of Man 1. Watch for his coming as to general so to particular Judgment which you know not how soon it may be Blessed is he that watches and keeps his Garment Rev. 14. Blessed is the Servant whom when his Lord shall come doth find so doing Mat. 25. 2. Pray pray without ceasing that whensoever he comes you may be able to bid him welcome and lift up your heads because your Redemption draws nigh Amen These special things you are to meditate on in and about the Day of Judgment and the rather because many and great will be the benefits of it For 1. it will make you to take the more heed to your thoughts words and wayes seeing all must come to judgment 2. It will quicken you to get and clear up your interest in Christ and make him your Friend that so you may find him an Advocate instead of a Judge 3. It will cause you to erect a Tribunal here and sit in judgment on your selves that so you may not be condemned with the wicked World 4. It will stir you up to a more faithful discharge of your duties as it did the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.8 10. Knowing the terror of the Lord we perswade men and labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 5. It will make you take heed how you censure and judge others Rom. 14.10 and slight what others censure and judge of you 1 Cor. 4.3 4. Seeing we must all be â—udged of the Lord and we are sure he will judge 〈◊〉 â—â—â—teous judgment acquit the Innocent and condemn only the Nocent Thirdly Of HELL In and about that to meditate on these things What Hell is The hideousness of the place The greatness of the punishment both of loss and sense The eternity of it How inexpressibly they bewail their folly in bringing themselves there What they would be willing to do and suffer they might get out of it And what our duties are in respect of it 1. What Hell is viz. That place which God hath prepared and appointed to be the habitation of the Devil and wicked Reprobates to punish them with everlasting torments for the praise of the glory of his Justice That there is such a place is clear out of the Word Mat. 25. last Mark 9.43 to 49. 2 Thess 1.8 9. 2. The hideousness and dreadfulness of the place called A great Deep a bottomless Pit Rev. 9.1 A Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 Darkness and utter darkness Mat. 22.13 A Lake of Fire Rev. 19.20 3. The greatness of the punishment there both of loss and sense 1. Of lâ—ss not only of all Honours Riches Pleasures and Comforts of this Life but a separation for ever from the gracious presence of God and bliss of the Saints 2 Thess 1.9 Quod omnium omnino suppliciorum summum quo Deus homines punire potest The greatest punishment God can inflict upon the Creature Nam uti videre Deum ipsissima beatitudo est ita Deum videre non posse maxima damnatorum poena est saith a Father As the happiness of the Saints consists in the Vision of God so the misery of the damned in that they are deprived of the presence of God this is that which they call paena damni the punishment of loss 2. For the paena sensus the punishment of sense That is so great as it cannot be greater Luke 16.23 I am horribly tormented in this flame saith Dives And needs must it be so 1. In respect of the things they are to suffer as the Worm that never dyeth and the Fire that never goes out Mark 9.44 A Fire that so far exceeds in torment this earthly Fire as real Fire doth painted Fire now Fire of all torments is the greatest and Fire with Brimstone of all fires the hottest Rev. 21.8 Isa 20.23 And as extremity of fire so some think of cold because it is said There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 2. The torment is so great in respect of the extent of it because it is to be inflicted on the whole Man Soul and Body every faculty and power of both none here being free from sin none there shall be free from punishment and if the pain of one member sometimes be unsufferable here what must the torture of all if a drop of God's Wrath be so bitter what will be the Sea of God's Vengeance 3. So great in respect of the ground of their suffering to wit the infinite wrath of God which the whole Creation cannot stand under much less a poor weak sinful Worm of the Earth 4. To meditate on the eternity of the punishment in Hell After the damned have been in those torments as many thousands and millions of years as there be Creatures in the World and motions in those Creatures they are as far from ending as at the first beginning for the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment Mat. 25. last There the Worm of Conscience never dies and the Fire of Hell never goes out and if a gnawing oâ— a Worm in the Tooth or the Bowels the holding of the hand or the foot in the fire but a few â—ours be unsufferable what will the eternity of it be Well might he cry out Oh! Eternity Eternity Eternity in Hell for ever for ever for ever Eternity is enough to make the least punishment though it were but the biting of Fleas or stinging of Ants intollerable 5. Meditate on the remedilessness of those torments As they are endless so they are remediless Insernus sine misericordis quos tenet cruciat saith one Ther 's neither Silver nor Gold Wit nor Policy Might or Power can help neither Tears nor Prayers Sighs nor Groans Vows nor Promises Cries nor Wishes never to have been or to have been the vilest of Creatures will be heard or prevail no nor any Creature in Heaven or Earth to interceed for them nay should all the Angels and Saints in Heaven fall down at the feet of Christ to beg mercy for one Soul it would be to no purpose Christ would deny them all there without mercy without pitty without remedy they must lie and cry and never die whence that pathetical wish of the Lord Deut. 32. Oh that men were wise c. 6. Meditate on the sad company wicked men shall have in Hell Viz. No other then the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 And if Job complained that he was a Companion for Owls Job 30.29 and David cries out Wo is me that I dwell in Mesech c. Psal 120.5 How will the wicked then to have no other Companions than the Devils If the appearance of an
Lord under the consideration of it Secondly As there followed guilt so filth or the defilement of the whole Man with sin original and actual and here to meditate what these are and what special things in them are to be meditated on for the humbling of our Souls and the keeping us from closing with Temptations to them First What sin is viz. The transgression of the Law of God either revealed in the Word 1 Ep. Joh. 3.4 or written in the heart Rom. 2.14 15. and here about sin to take notice and meditate on the ugly filthy hurtful hateful nature of it 1. For the ugly nature of sin it is not only evil but the worst of all evils and the cause of all other evils that it is most contrary to God's most Holy Nature that which made the Devil a Devil and Hell to be Hell without which the Devil would be a blessed Angel and Hell would be Heaven that also that could not be expiated and done away by the death and blood-shed of all the Creatures but only by the precious heart-blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly Meditate on the filthy nature of it as it is compar'd to the Excrements of Man Isai 4.4 and called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excrement of Excrements or superfluity of naughtiness James 1.21 yea not only filthy in the concrete but filthiness it self in the abstract 2 Cor. 7.1 Q. But how doth this appear A. In that it defiles a man in all and all to him 1. It defiles him in all every faculty of Soul every power of Body Mat. 15.19 20. whence Solomon calls the sinner a loathsome Person Prov. 15.3 because sin is that which makes him loathsome to all to God and Man and Himself 1. To God Zach. 11.8 my Soul loatheth them 2. Loathsome to Men especially good Men Psal 15.4 Prov. 29. last Isai 66.24 3dly That which makes men loathsome to themselves when God once opens their Eyes to see it and brings them home to himself by Repentance Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.6 Rom. 6.21 Secondly As it defiles a Man in all so all to him all his Relations all his Enjoyments all his Actions natural civil religious Titus 1.15 To the impure all things are impure the Word is a killing Letter the Sacraments Seal up Damnation in short of so defiling a nature as all the Water of the old World could not wash away the stain of it nor all the Fire of the last Judgment and of Hell will be able to burn up the dross of it Thirdly Meditate on the hateful nature of sin how hateful it is to God and good men 1. To God it is the only object of his hatred he hates nothing but as it is sinful not the Devil but only as sin made him a Devil 2. That it is so hateful to God appears in that he hates it where-ever he sees it Even in his own Son who knew no sin yet because he took our sin upon him he so manifested his hatred of it as he would not spare the severe punishment of it in him because the Creatures could not strike a stroke hard enough he was pleas'd to bruise him Isai 53.16 and to lay upon him the fierceness of his wrath Lament 1.12 Secondly As hateful to God so to all good men Psal 139.21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee search me and try me c. Psal 119.128 I hate every false way the Martyrs so hated sin as they chose rather to burn at the Stake and undergo any torment than give way to any sin Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was wont to say that if he saw Hell on one side and sin on the other and he must of necessity choose one he would rather choose Hell without sin and no wonder for where there is no Sin there is no Hell Fourthly On the hurtful nature of sin this appears 1. In that it is the greatest Enemy to God to Christ to the Spirit to Us 1. To God it 's that which seeks to un-Throne Him and un-God Him and there is no true and loyal Subject but will endeavour the death of him that seeks the death of his Soveraign Lord and King Secondly The greatest Enemy to Christ that which brought him from Heaven to the Cross made Him sweat Blood under the apprehension of his Father's wrath due to him and to cry out on the Cross to the amazement of Heaven and Earth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thirdly The greatest Enemy to the Spirit of God that which quencheth and grieveth and vexeth and resists him makes him to leave his Habitation and when he goes out the Devil comes in with seven worse Spirits than ever Mat. 12.45 Fourthly The greatest Enemy to Us that which deprives us of all good Isai 59.2 and exposeth us to all evil Rom. 2.8 9 10. pulls down all manner of Judgments on Persons Families Towns Cities Kingdoms Countreys Prov. 8. last Rom. 1.16 Eph. 5.5 That which makes every man to come in with a Cry and go out of the World with a Groan So much of Sin in general Secondly For Original sin that you may be effectually humbled under it to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. What it is 2. The several Titles given to it with the Reasons of them 3. The Parts of it 4 The extent of it And 5. The fruits of it First What it is for the understanding of this you are to Note that Original sin is taken either actively or passively First Actively for the sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit and is call'd by Divines Peccatum Originans the beginning-sin or the sin giving a beginning to all other sins Secondly Passively for the corruption of nature flowing from that first sin of Adam and is call'd Peccatum Originatum or sin taking a beginning from that first sin of Adam and this is that which we are to speak unto and may be described thus A privation of Original righteousness and a depravation of the whole Man with unrighteousness Justly deriv'd from the loins of our first Parents unto all their Posterity by reason whereof every Man and Woman is conceiv'd and born in sin brings into the World with them the Seeds of all sin is inclin'd to all evil and averse to all that is good 1. There is a deprivation of Original righteousness wherein Man was created Rom. 3.10 There 's none righteous no not one Secondly A depravation of the whole man with unrighteousness Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in man for the word is in the Neuter Gender and it is further evident by the Apostle's Prayer for Universal Sanctification 1 Thes 5.23 Implying an Universal Corruption Thirdly I say justly deriv'd from the Loins of our first Parents to all their Posterity as you may see Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in his own likeness that is
over the Creatures he that was Superiour to all was made inferiour to all Psal 49.20 Isai 1.3 Jer. 8.7 The Prophet puts them to School to all to learn of the Creatures 4. As Man lost his preheminence so his authority over all he that was Lord over all became a Slave to all who instead of serving Man rebels against Man labours to pick out his Eys Pro. 30.17 to eat his Flesh and lap up his Blood 2 King 9.36 Sixthly Man lost his liberty by Creation he was a free Denizen and Citizen of the World all at his command but presently after the Fall became a Slave and was in Bondage to all the Devil the World and the Flesh 1. To the Devil taken and carried Captive by him to do his pleasure 2 Tim. 2 last Eph. 2.2 2. To the World so as to be drawn aside from that which is good and drawn into evil by the baits and allurements of it on the one hand and the menaces and persecutions of it on the other 1 Epist Joh. 4.5 whence that of James 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses c. and 1 John 2.15 3. To the Flesh to do whatsoever it shall suggest for the gaining and retaining of honour and profit and pleasure Rom. 6.16 John 8.34 2 Pet. 2.19 and in this slavery and bondage all Men and Women are by nature and that not unwillingly and grudgingly but readily and cheerfully and with the greatest delight so far from being desirous to be brought out of it as they account those their greatest Enemies that would endeavour to bring them out of it Jer. 18. There is no hope but we will walk every â—ne after the imagination of our own hearts Jer. 43.1 2 3. Jer. 44.16 17. Thus you see the greatness of the punishment of loss Et heu quantum mutatus ab illo How much is Man alter'd from his first estate Tristis Lacrymosa commutatio a most sad and lamentable change you see from favour to wrath from fellowship to banishment instead of the Image of God the image of sin and Satan for glory misery for dignity infamy for dominion subjection for liberty slavery Secondly For the Positive part of punishment or the punishment of Sense that followed the fall upon every Son and Daughter of Adam and that was the curse of God Gal. 3.10 and what is this curse but the infinite and unsupportable wrath of God and all manner of Plagues Judgments and Miseries in Life at Death and after Death 1. In this life in Soul and Body in Name and Estate 1. In Soul blindness of mind hardness of heart Isai 6.9 a reprobate sense Rom. 1.23.26 strong delusions 2 Thes 2.11 horrors of conscience Isai 65.13 seconded with Hellish despair and blasphemy as in Cain Saul Judas 2. In Body all manner of aches sicknesses diseases Deut. 28.21 to the end 3. In name infamy shame reproach Deut. 28. â—â— 37. 4. In Estate losses crosses curses in getting cares in keeping fears in losing sorrows and that many times unto death Deut 28.16 Jer. 12.13 Mal. 2.2 I will curse your blessings yea I have curst them already Secondly In the end of this life death the King of terrors Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6. last Job 18.14 Thirdly After this life if men die in their sins impenitentâ—â— 1. As soon as the Soul is separated from the Body it is immediately carried by the Devil into Hell Luke 12.20 and there kept in Prison till the Day of Judgment 1 Pet. 3.19 the Body thrown into the Grave where Death gnaws upon it as upon Carrion in a ditch with the mouth full of Earth and the Belly full of Worms and the Carkass full of stinch 2. At the Day of Judgment by the Almighty Power of the Lord Jesus Christ the Supream Judg of Heaven and Earth the Soul is brought out of Hell and the Body out of the Grave out of which as soon as it begins to peep it shall behold the whole World on Fire about its Ears Christ on his Throne of Glory the Saints whom they derided and persecuted taken up into the Clouds to be assessors with Christ in Judgment upon the wicked World whil'st they with the Devils are left below to stand forth before the Tribunal of Christ and hear that dreadful Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels wherein every word is a Hell before they come to Hell 3. After the Sentence is past all wicked Reprobates shall be thrust away from the Judgment Seat of Christ and thrown into Hell with the Devils there to lie and fry and cry under easless endless and remediless torments And thus much of the cursed state of man by transgression and the things to be meditated on in it That your meditation on them may be the more effectual to cause you speedily to hye out of it 1. Beg the Spirit of God to convince you thorowly of the truth of it it being no other than what God hath spoken in his Word and we find by bitter experience 2. Labour to be truly sensible of and deeply humbled under the fight and sense of it so as to give no rest to your selves until that you are brought out of it for the promises of mercy run only unto such Mat. 9.13 Luke 19.10 Mat. 11.29 And that you may be truly sensible of and effectually humbled under it beg the Spirit of God to prick your hearts with the consideration of it as he did those Converts Acts 2.37 and tremble to stay a moment in your unregenerate estate as the Jaylor Acts 16. when Paul had preacht unto him 4. Be willing to receive Jesus Christ on his own terms not only as your Jesus but your Lord and Christ John 1.12 Rom. 13. end Lastly Hearken to that Counsel of your Lord and Saviour Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel and then his promise is to receive all and cast away no one Soul that comes to him and rests upon him for Conversion and Salvation Joh 6 37. Amen Sect. 3. The third state of Man is his gracious state by Regeneration and here to take notice of and meditate on these things First The free and unsearchable love of God to us in it 2. The nature of it what it is and wherein it consists 3. The differences of true grace from false grace from restraining grace 4. Degrees of true sanctifying grace 5. The signs of it 6. The priviledges of such as have it 7. The motives to it 8. The means for the maintaining encreasing and persevering in it First For the free unsearchable love and grace of God to his in not leaving his Elect in their fallen cursed condition but in his appointed time effectually calling all such as belong unto his Election of grace out of a state of nature into a state of grace God might have for ever passed by fallen Man-kind as well as he did the fallen Angels though he lookt in mercy upon some he might have passed
7. The strictness of the account 8. The terror of it to the Wicked 9. The comfort of it to the Godly 10. What we are to do to escape the terror and enjoy the comfort of it 1. Meditate on the Certainty of it However wicked men and atheistical wretches scoff and say Where 's the promise of his coming yet he will most certainly come to Judgment for he hath appointed a day that he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man Christ Jesus Acts 17.31 2. On the Uncertainty of that day He will come to Judgment in a day and hour that knoweth no man no nor the Angels in Heaven Mat. 24.36 He will come as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 and in an hour when men think not of Mat. 24.44 As the Lightning out of the East Matth. 25. and as Travel upon a Woman with Child 1 Thes 5.3 3. To think on the near approach of that day Phil. 4.5 Let your moderation be known in all things for the Lord 's at hand sayes the Apostle And James 5.8 The coming of the Lord draweth nigh and vers 9. Behold the Judge stands before the door If he were so near then doubtless he cannot be far off now now he is ready to come to Judgment if not the general yet remember your particular Judgment may be before the next morrow 4. Meditate on the great solemnity of that day Then the Trumpet will sound to summon all the World before the Judge of all the World 1 Thes 4.16 Mat. 25.31 5. On the universality of that Judgement 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ high and low rich and poor young and old none to be exempted not the greatest Potentate Rev. 6. to the end I have read of a wicked King that on his death-bed fell a weeping and being askt by his Brother why he so wept Answered Oh saith he to think that I who have judged others must stand forth to be judged my self 6. The impartiality of that Judgment He will judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 There will be no respect of Persons no Advocate to plead the cause of wicked Men no Bribes to be taken in that Court 7. Of the strict account that is to be made in that day of all mens most secret Thoughts Words and Works First Their Thoughts Rom. 2.16 Secondly Their Words Mat. 12.36 Thirdly Their works Eccles 12.14 And the Books wherein all these are written Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead c. Q. What are these Books A. There are five the Book of the Creatures the Book of the Scriptures the Book of God's Remembrance the Book of Conscience and the Book of Life 8. The terror of that day unto all found out of Christ and enemies to him and of all other dayes the most terrible to the wicked and ungodly of the World and that 1. in respect of him that is to be their Judge the Lord Jesus Christ whose Name they have blasphemed whose Creatures they have abused who Sabbaths they have prophaned whose Gospel they have disobeyed whose Grace they have despised whose Spirit they have despighted whose Ministers they have contemned whose Children they have persecuted He to be their Judge who is infinite in Knowledge to find out every sin and sinner infinite in Justice to render to every man according to his work infinite in Power to â—â—row Soul and Body into Hell If in the time of his humiliation he struck so many Souldiers to the ground with his Voice when they came to apprehend him Quid faciet judicaturus qui haec fecit judicandus saith one If he did this when he was to be judged what shall he do when he comes to judge his presence will be so terrible as the greatest will call to the Rocks and to the Mountains to fall upon them and hide them from this presence of the Judge Râ—â— 6. about the latter end 2. The terror will be the more in respect of the dreadful manner of his coming in that he will come suddenly in an hour that men think not of in a moment in the twinkling of an eye 1 Cor. 15. as Travail upon a Woman with Child 1 Thes 5. as a snare upon all the sons of Men Luke 21.35 And as suddenly so most gloriously will he come with thousand thousands of his glorious Angels and glorified Saints Dan. 7.10 And in flaming fire rendering vengeance to all that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8.3 It will yet be more dreadful in respect of the separation that will be then made of them from all the Godly those wicked ones that upon the Earth scorn'd to take the left hand or sit in the lowest place shall then be forced whether they will or no to take the left hand and stand below amongst the Goats and with the Devil and his Angels when the Godly shall be taken up into the Clouds and shall be Accessors with Jesus Christ in Judgement upon the wicked World 4. The terror will yet be greater in respect of that most just and dreadful sentence that is to be passed upon them Depart ye cursed c. Wherein every word is a Hell before they come to Hell breatheth out nothing but Fire and Brimstone is enough to break the heart of a sinner and add a new degree of misery To depart from so Glorious and Gracious a Presence were Hell enough but they must depart with a Curse and not only so but into Fire and that everlasting Fire and that with no other Companions but the Devil and his angels insulting over them with hellish â—espight and stinging exprobations of their folly and madness in neglecting so great a Salvation as was tendred so often to them and lâ—sing Heaven for a base Lust 9. Meditate on the exceeding great joy and comfort to all true Believers and gracious Souls the most joyfullest and comfortablest day that ever they knew and that in many respects mind them well 1. In respect of the Judge Quia idem erit Judex qui patronus qui mediator et pontifex saith Ambrose He to be our Judge who is our Advocate our Mediator our merciful high Priest our dear Head and Husband and who will be afraid to appear before such a Judge 2. In respect of their enemies it will be a day of Revelation Vindication Exultation First A day of Revelation Rom. 8.19 when those who were censured to have been Hypocrites shall be found to have been true Nathaniels those that were censured to have been Factious and Rebellious against their Governors shall be found and acknowledged to be the onely true and loyal Subjects the best Friends to Church and State when those that were censured to have been but precise Fools shall be acknowledged even by the wicked themselves to have been the onely wise Men and themselves the very Fools as he brings them in the 5th of Wisdom We Fools c. Secondly A day of Vindication
worse but not a better man he may conceit himself a better man and the men of the World may esteem him the better for his abundance of these things his high Place his brave Apparel his great Revenues but God esteems no man the better for these things Job 34.19 Job 36.19 2. They cannot profit or better the Soul hurt it they may and do as for instance 1st They keep them from looking after piety Luke 14.18 2ly They distract them in duty Ezek. 33.31 3ly It makes them unfruitful in duty Mat. 13.22 They may better his outward condition he may eat more and go finer and lie easier but they cannot better his inward condition help to Pardon or Peace Grace or Glory Thou and thy Money perish with thee that thinkest the Gift of God may be purchased with Money said Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8.20 God will not give away his Graces as the Indians do their Gold for Gaudes and Rattles Toyes and Trifles 3. Unprofitable to the Body Can Honour or Wealth buy Health or get a stomach to meat or procure ease rest and sleep No we find by experience the contrary he that hath most of these outward things can but eat and drink and cloath himself and so doth a poor man and with more comfort and contentment many times then the Rich and hath usually a a better appetite to his meat and more sweet sleep after his labour Eccl. 5.11 Job 20.22 4. Unprofitable likewise to his Posterity How often have you seen after that men have toyled and turmoiled in the World all their dayes for their Children their Children to be either suddenly snatcht away from their Wealth or their Wealth from their Children How often have you seen the Proverb made good Covetous men have either Prodigals or Fools to their Children such as either presently consume it away or are soon cheated of all If you would observe it you may find many Parents bewailing their folly at the last that they have toyled so much in the World for such wicked and rebellious Children and many Children cursing the time that ever their Parents left them so great and ill-gotten Estates according to that Job 21.19 5. However they may afford them some comfort in the day of prosperity and in a day of peace yet not in the time of Adversity and in a day of Calamity in a day of Sickness Death and Judgement 1st Not in a day of common Calamity when the Judgments of God are upon the Land Sword Famine Pestilence 1 Sam. 12.21 Prov. 11.4 Zeph. 1. last Ezek. 7.19 2ly In Sickness It is not high Places honourable Titles full Bags great Revenues that can prevent or remove Stone Gout Strangury Feaver or any Sickness or Pain it 's true they may procure Physicians and Medicines but those kill rather then cure without the Lord. 3ly In the hour of Death Job 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul All the Rich Fools Wealth could not keep his Soul one night longer Luke 12.15 20. 4ly In the day of Judgment all the World is so far from profiting as they shall see all in fire about their ears have nothing left but an account how they got and kept and imployed it and the more they have had of this Worlds good and the less good they have done with it and the more they have abused it the more and greater will be their torment 5ly All they have of the World cannot save them from Hell Luke 16.23 Rev. 21.8 nor mitigate their torments there Dives could not procure a drop of Water to cool his scorched tongue Luke 16.24 25. So as you see clearly and fully what unprofitable and helpless things these of the World are without Grace they cannot free from any thing that is truly evil Sin or Pain nor help to any thing that is truly good Pardon or Peace they cannot keep sickness from the Body or trouble from the Mind or terrors from the Conscience or the Soul out of Hell they may make men worse but never the better 6. Think on the Deceitfulness of the things of the World They do promise to men much help and comfort or rather men promise to themselves much by them but both they and themselves deceive themselves and meet with bitterness instead of sweetness and trouble instead of comfort therefore called deceitful Riches Mat. 13.22 Like Jael seeds men with Milk but pierceth their heads and hearts afterwards with sorrow like Joab and Judas who salute with a Kiss but stab to the heart 7. On the Hurtfulness of them Especially being got and kept by unlawful means and used and imployed to unlawful ends they keep them from a great deal of good and expose them to a great deal of hurt 1. They keep men from a great deal of good as the minding the glory of God and the good of Souls both their own and others keep them either from using the means of Grace or from profiting by them Ezek 33.31 32. Luke 18.19 2. Expose them to a great deal of evil both of Sin and Punishment the wrath and curse of God and Man both here and to all eternity in Hell as you may see clearly Eccles 5.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. James 5.1 2 3. Hence it is that Solomon stiles them not only Vanity but vexation of Spirit because they are still vexing men either with cares in getting or fears in keeping or sorrows in losing and our Saviour compares them to Thorns because they are still piercing both head and heart with troubles in getting and grief in parting with them 8. Meditate on the great folly and madness of men in minding affecting and pursuing these things of the World before and more then the things of God and Christ and his Spirit and Kingdom and the wellfare of their own precious and immortal Souls The Spirit of God brands them frequently in the Scripture for Fools or the Fools and the worst of Fools Prov. 1.22 Mat. 23.17 18. Luke 12.19 20. and not without cause 1. He is a Fool that is not able to discern between Copper and Gold Pebles and Pearls that will part with the richest Coyn for the richest Counter what are all temporal things in comparison of spiritual and eternal Excellencies but dross and dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offal and Dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Grace and Glory as the Apostle stiles them Phil. 3. 2. He is a Fool you know that minds onely things present and nothing for the future A wise man foresees the evil and hides himself but a fool passeth on and is punished Prov. 22.5 A wise man fore-sees and fore-casts his business but a fool doth neither And such fools are all worldly wise men all for this present World and nothing for another I have read a story of a certain great Man that having many Houses was wont every month to go from one House to anothe◠and send Harbingers before