John 6. 27. Heb. 10. 3-l· 2 COi'~4.17)18 Heb. T3. r. 1 fee. 1. -1· 1r•. 3 s. •o. 1:•• 45· 17. Mzuh. 16,26. Dan.6. JO· Nchcm. 7· 1. Etlh:r. 4· 16. 1 Nchc·m,Z.4,S· Chap. 5· Sea.u. fuch as go on refolvedly in their fin, or will qkc no refolutions of better courfes,) it was the fad cxprcflion of one L_rfimach~ts, who lo!l h1s Kmgdom for one draught of water; 0 for what a Jhort phafl.rc ha'?le I hfi " Kmgdom ? 0 confider what a foul.finking thought will this be to think hereafter, 0 God f or how jhort a plcafure ha'lJe I hjl a Kingdom l the Kingdom vf Hcav~ft? And ngam) fer rvhar a Jhurt pll'Pjitre have I made myJe!f a bo>.·d-J!aw to hclt and dev•ls for ever ? It is reported of Pope Si~·tus the 5th. that to enjoy the glory and plcafure of the Popedomc for feven years, he fold his foul to the Devil; what infinite fvlly poffeffeth the hearts of the children of men, who were mc.de for eternity, to venture eternal! mifcarryi11g for a few years, yea a few hearts• contentments to the llelh. . , 5· Compare Chritt, and the things ofChrill:, with riches, or worldly profits in the particulars foremen:ioned, and thence draw out conclufions: as r. Worldly profir,· are 'l)aniria,butChnll: and the thmgs of Chrill: arc rralitw,they arc truc,real,fubltantial folid things. 2. Worldly profits are injl'abtluics, unc<rtamt~ts, but Chti!l and the thing; of Chritl arcJl-ablc things 3 they are things that pcnjiJ not ; ;m end~rir.gfl.bJiar.cc; tun:•.Jt things: So the t\polllc, the things wh1ch an [ten ttrc ttmporall, viz... riches, honours~ houlcs, but tbi,:gs 1rhioh arc not {ttn, as Chrift, grace, holineffe, Gods favour, Heaven, are <terra!, l· Worldly profits are thornes, vcxatton of [Pmt , but Chrifl: and the things of Chnfl: arc full of J"Y and comfort ; not like the joyes of earth, that blaze for a time, that are like the crmkling ofthcr.cs m.cl<r a pot, but yccld no durable, folid heat; no, no. they are inward, found, fubflantia!, lall:ing joyes; and when we COl\lC to heaven, they !hall be unmixt joyes, pure comforts without any mixture of difcomforc, or grief oi any kind. 4· Worldly profi'ts are but momcmany, and of a fading, perifhing nature; but Chrif1 and the things of Cbriit are all durable, ariq laf1ing, yea everlalhng. Chrifl is the fame yfterday, and to day, andfor ever. And heaven (wherein Ch:ill:is) isan i;;hcritance in<·orrupt ib!e, und<ftied, that fadeth not an·ay. Spiritual! joy is an evalaftmu j•y, and falvation is an evcrlaftmg falvation. Oh mufc on thefe differences betwixt Chrtfr and profits ! What wife m<1n would make it his bufincffe to fill his coffers with pibblcs, when he may have pcarles, gold, or filver.? Whar is a man p;ojiwl, if he jl:a/1. gain the whole world, and lofe his on>nfa~tl? 6. Go on in the wayes of godlinefs, .though all our profits be hazarded; keep on our way, and paffc not for them, trull: God with them; If we do f1ill enjoy them, fo it is; ifnot, yet maintain a conll:antll:rong refolution of keeping en in the ways of Gods fear. Thus did Daniel, notwithll:anding<}he Princes and Nobles watched him in the matter of the Lord his God, yet he abated not one whit, he went on in his courfe for all the hazard he was in; the confront ways of godlincffe in communion with his God was more fwect and precious to him then all his Court· preferments. Nrhem:'a!>, notwithll:anding the oppofitioH he had, notwithll:anding the confpirings, complaints, and many letters fent to informe againfl him, )'et he went on in the work of the Lord. Thus Davidprofcffeth, Though hi1;ces jpake againfl him, yet he did (and hnvou!c!) me– dtMte on Gods Law. 7· Appe~r for God,and his Caufe,his Truth,and Pcopl~, though the iffue may fcctil dangerous, and when none clfc will. Thus Herfer did with that brave refolutionof hers, If I perijl,, I ptrijh. Thus Nehemiah did, who thoufth he was fomethir.g afraid at firll: to fpeak to that heathenilh King in the behalf of his Religion and his People, yet having lift up his heart to God, he fpake freely unto him. Oh let not a publikc good caufe be dalhcd and blall:ed, a.nd none have an heart to appear for it, for fear of the Joffe of worldly profits: . Chrill:ians lhould have that mobility of mind which the Pro. phets had, and the Apoll:les had, and which they that ferve riches cannot have. \1\fhat? do publikecaufes for God and his people, call you outro venture your eftates? Surely it is beneath true nobleneffe of fpirit to provide oncly for your cafe and fafecy. \Ve lhould ftudy duty, more then fafety. 8. Confider, that our hearts are not perfeCt with the Lord till we come to a difp<>– lition to let go .every thing for the Lord. Look under the whole heaven, if there be any thing we would not forfake, or any thing we would not fuffer for the Lord, our heartS. are not perfeCt with God. Whofoever he vethat forfakes not a!l(mvote or ad:)fo· Chrift, he cannot be a Difcip!e ofChrifl; if thou art born to a thoufand pound lands a year, yet if God, and a good confcicnce to Wttneffe the truth, call for tt, thou mull: for fake all. As Chrill: faid to the young man, if thou wilt be pe>feCI, go,[<!! all that thH< haft, MdgTil_"f t• the poor, and th"' Jl:alt have trea{ure in heflven ; Were Chnll: now on earth he ro~~
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