Chap s:Se&.u. parting from us i> by way of flight, that is a fud<len, fwift, and irrecoverable motiori. 5 . Obferve, that this flight is by the wings ofan Eagle, whtch of all bttds hath the moft fudden, the moll: fwift, and the moll: irrecoverable motiOn. 6. 0 bferve, that none needs to put wings upon them to fly away,for they maks thcmfelves wrr;gs,there ts matter enough in themfelves to work out their own corruption, and to put themfelves mto a· flight. Uh that- the glory of the world were dark_ned irt o11r eyes as or~ce tt j!Jnll be, that tt mt.,ghr not be fo dear Jtnt() m~ !t. is! . . . z. Confider them as infl:abtltttes,uncertamttes; All worldly thmgs whatfoever are mu– table,changeable,tranfitory;and hence the .Apofl:lc fr!les richesu.:certain riches.All world– ly things are like the Sea ebbmg and flowmg ; or ltke the Moon always encreafing or decreafing . or like a wheele alwayes turning up and down. Such a frory we have of Stf vftm Ki~g of Eygpt, who would have his chariot drawn with four Kings, and one Of them had his eyes continually on the whe.cle; whereupon Scji.JI:ris asked him wh~t h~ mcaat by it? He anfwered, tt put hun mmmde of the mutabt!tty of all earthly thmgs, f •r I foe (faid he) that part ofthe.whecle whzch IS no."' up on h•gh, IS prefemly down beneath, 111Jd that part wh.ch es now beiow,.zs pre[ently u~ on f"gh: \V hereuponScfi{lres bemg mo– ved, confidering what mutabt!tty mtght be m hts own efrate ; he would never nave htS chariot drawn after that mann'r any more. · 3. Confider them as fnares, and thornes. To this purpofe cryed Solomon,all is vanity, -andve.t·attol1 ofSpirit. \Vorldlings! do you nat feel this ~rue? Mark but how your worldly cares do rufh upon yDu in the morning as foon as you awake ; mark but how they accompany you in the day; mark but how they f?llow you to your beds at night, mark but how they hinder your fleeps , and affitd: you tn your dreams; 0 ,what fears? ' What fufpicions? What undermining of one another? What difappointments? What Vexations ? What a clutter of bufineffes croffing one the other ? \Vhat fnares and temptations lie in your \Vay at every hand ? You wal/z_ all the day long upon fnares; upon dangerous fnares that bring much fin and guilt, and will bring much forrow and Jniftry; 4 . Confider them as fading in regard ofufe, which yet may prove eternal in regard of punifhment. 0 what a dreadfull noife is that in hell! We have loft·cterniry,fwJetting ourhe•rts upon things that were bttt momentany. A frrong motive to work in us a Self– denya/1 of thefe profits; What? jhallllofe eternity for things momentany? ]hall I whirle -away that time that I have to improvefor eternity, tofeek.,.afur you, and to tal:.!content and pleafurc inyou?This is no ordinary motive or argument. Indeed the knowledge of this in fome general! notion may be ordinary, but"to know it powerfully indeed, and ef– fe.'l:ually in.ocea, it is a parable, a riddle to the world, Pfal. 49. 4- Someobferve that when God works any faving work upon the foul, he begins in this·way, to fettle upon the foul this truth, that all things here arefading: tF!d what_is ayear or two to enjoy all the contentments >n thu world, •f then I muff begom, and b,dfamvefl to all? Have not f an immortal}oul? and when]hall be the time thtlt I jha/1 provide for eternity? To help on fuch·a foil! (now I am upon this fubjeCl:) confider whofoever thou art thefe two or three que(tions: I. Wfw is thy heart ~<pon ? 1 urge th_is fJ.Uefl:ion as'in the name of ~hrtfl:, and anfwer thou thaneadeft, what" thy.heart upon ? Ifthou lookefl: upon thihgs eternal as·high notional things, and fitte.r for fome thoughts hereafter; then 2 . What wdl be thy tho~<ghts at the hour ofdeath? tt may be thefe : Now are all my hopes at ·an end, now I muft b,dfarewell to all my comforts, 1jiJall never have mirth and jollity any --i~ore~ the Sun is Jct, thefeafon is at an endfor all my comftJ'i'ts; Norv I fee 'btfore me an 1njiwrevaft Ocean of et~rmty, and ofneceJJit:y I muft lanch into it 0 0 Lord, 1-.hat Provifton 'have I (or et? 0 there s ~ thoughtthat wtll rent the heart mpceccs ! 0 what a dread– :t;ul fhmk wtll that foul gtv~ that fees before it-rhatinfinite Ocean of etemity; and fees no provtfion that tt hath made for tt? \Vhat wtll tt think, but here's an Ocean ofhot fcaldmg lead,and I muft lanch into it,and I muff Jiwim n~k;d-in it for ever and.everi! know l)Ot how thts word may work, but if it be trampled unaer foot, it may be within this year, or two, or three, it will be faid ofthee; %eh a· one was at fuch a S'!!t1nori, or fuch a one read fucha book, and learned, that worldly projitn~ere but momemany, but no\v he ts gon~; or tt may be thou wilt fay on -rhy death-bed, jiteh a boc/z_, andfui:h a thing 1 ;ead,_ thM all World~ profits were but momentany, an4 that I had not oneiy·a4·ittl~ River. !"o fwtmov~r, but an tnjinuc OceiJn to lanch 'inro, andyet 1 would not be warned;·· itndnctV my fe~fon ugon~, and I am lan_ching into cterniez, •he Lqrd k,.nowes what jht#i<brcome of me. And 1f thou penfh·mdeed; then 3· What will be thy'tboug~ts in.hell. (Uperik only,~o: ftich Ecc!cf. 2 Job.ts.e'. . -1.. Pfa!. 49· 4o . ,,
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