6 Book I. 3· Confider the difference of thef< objects, ~hri!l:, and all other things ; as tb;;;:-;j{ orher thmgs are vamtte>, but Chnllts a 1:eal, fohd, fub!hnnal, excellent , glorious thing; l\<vc'.L4. all other tlungs are temporary, fadmg thmgs, but Clmllts an enduring fubitance, the !•'"' ycjlerday,and to d~~y. and joY ever,~,·h:ch zs, andlrh1cb was, and whzch t.s to come: a!I otf:e·· things are thorns, vtJ<ation of f, trit, but Chrill is full of joy and comfort, a moll ra: Cant.;.rs. vilhing object, all compofed ?f loves,or altogether lovely. 0 who would make it his bu:i. neffe to fill hiS coffers wtth ptbbles, when he may have pearls, or gold, or lllver, or p>eci– ous things? what, mull you look off your Iins? why fee before you the graces of the Spmt oiCh:t~; mull you l~ok ofiyour tdle finfull company? fee before youthefciiotvrlohn. ,, 3 ,-;- Jlnp of the fatrJer, and the Son,the Lord {e(m Chrifl; mull you Jook.off~our pomp and glory? fee before you the pnvtledge ofaJGptlon , you Ihall be ca!!ed the (om and d.wci;. 1\om.s. 13 .• tm of C.od, heirs and co-heirs with Chnjf; h1ull you look off your worldly ridte>l'j;., before you the rtches of the graces of Chrill: : mufl: you look off linful pleafures? fee Pfalme 16. 11• before you ~ulnefs of joy, at Chrijis right hand arc plca.flms evermore: mui! you look off your own nghteoufnefs ? fee before you the riglueoufnefs of Chrill Jefus. 0 what 3 vafl: difference is there betwixt thefe objects, Chrifl:, and all othe:· things? 4- Confider that Chrifl: looked off heaven and heavenly things tor you, how much more fhould you look off the earth and earthly things, the world and worldly rl:i 11 o, fo~ hi:n? Chrillleft the glory; the company, the pleafures ofParadife for you,and he"""~' 2Cor.8.9. himfe!f of no reptJtation, he nothing'd himfelf (as it were) for you; )'Ott kz;otv thegrace of our Lord {e.fl« Chrijl, who though he was rich, yet for y011rfak!,s he became poor, that)'"' thr011gh hu poverty might be made rich. 0 let that melting love win you to him, and wean you offall other things ! .~ 5- Conlide_r thlt the rational foul of man is oft too high a birr!1 to fpend its fl:rength upon other things; the foul of man is of the fame nature wirh Angels; it is a kind of divine fpar k; now ifa man have a golden mill, he would not ufe it to grind din, fl:raws, and rotten fl:icks in ; the foul, the mind, the thinking faculty of man is too high to be ex– ercifed in the things of this earth; the foul is of amoll excellent capacious n~ture , iris fit to converfe not only with Angels·, but with the eternal God himfelf, with Father, Son, and holy Gholl; it is of a tranfcendent being, put all the world into the ballance with it, and it is nothing in comparifon: the foul of the meanell gally·llavc is nrore precious then heaven and earth,then Srn, and Moon, and Stars,and a!I the hoafl: of heaven; now if a mans foul be offuch an high-b~rn nature, if the Lord hath put furh a fpirit into the bofome of man, for him to beltow thei!rengthof it uponlow, bafe, meane,and eanhly things, oh what an evil is this? . 6. Confider how lhort is the time tbt you have here in this woz Jd: this is rhe argutCor.7· :,,3t. ·mem of cbe 1\pofi:le, becdl{e the time is j!Jort> the-refore let m nfe the£rorldas if lVC Jt[cd ir r.or, therefore Jet our hearts be taken off tltefe things; yet a few dayes, and you fhall be here no more; time paffeth on, many hundred difeafes are ready ro affaultyou ; you tltat are reading, or hearing.talking or walking, you muftv<ry flwnly be earned onmens fhoul· ders and laid in the dull and'there left to the worms 111 darknefs and corruptwn; you are alm~fl: there already; i; is b'ur afew days, or months, or years, and what is that when M>th. t6. >6. once they are gone and pall? and oh what is a man profited, if he gaine the whole world, ~r~drhen loje his[011le ? . . . . . , 7. Confider the great account that you are to gire of all earthly thmgs: tt ts. the hn of moll of the fons of men to look on creature-comforts, but they conhder not the ac– count they mull: give for them. Oh here's a prevailing motive to take off your eyes! Co.n· lider the Jail accounts ; what ifyou were now rodie, and to go the way of a·llllellt, and then to make up your reckoning, what good would it do you to t~emember all thofe con· tenrments and pleafures you once enjoyed upon tlt~ earth? If thetaCl:or,afrer many years fpcnr inforreignecoumries, at lafl retumshome w11h tlm btll ofaccounts, thus mNch for fintring,fomuch for dancing, thUfor coltrting, that forfeaf!ittg, ~~ho wot:ld not bl:une hun fc""' fo fond a reckoning? oh it will be a fad reckumng tftheb;JI come 111. tlur you hove fpem moll: ofyour time in looking and gazmg upon rarrhly tlungs. SECT.
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