Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

438 How are we to live dy Faith Serm, 18. raohs dream, to thew its certainty, and the Term of Vanity doubled, to manifel the Tranfcendency, and multiplicity of this Vanity. There is a fivefold Vanity, which Faith difcovers in all its Creature enjoyments, viz.. in that they are : _ Eecl. 1.3, I. Unprofitable. Thus the Preacher, What g profit hath a man of all his labour which he kith taken under the Sun ?W hat profit! Why,he bath filled his hands wich Air, he háth laboured for the Wind, Ecc.5.16, u(i fo much, and no more, than Septimisu Severna got,who having run through vdriosu and great employments, openly acknowledges, Omnia fui, fed nihil prof nit. Creature comforts are net bread,Ifa. 55.2,3 They profit no more than the dream of a full meal cloth an hungry m.an, or I' Corn. a Lap. that Fcmfl. which the I. A1agitian made the German Nobles, who Comment. in thought they fared very delicivu /ly,but when they departed.foundthem. Ifa. 55.2. felves hungry. In á day of wratb,Gcknefs, death,can riches profit? Pray. I I.4, Ezek, 7.19. Ju ft as much as a bag of gold hung abut the neck of a drowning man. 2. Hurtful and pernicious. Solomon obferved that Riches were kept for iEccl. 5.13. the Owners thereof to their i hurt. Hence it is that k Agur prayes Prov.3o.8,ç. againft them : Give me not riches,left I b: full and deny thee; as if abundance made way for Atbeifm,in thole that know net how to manage it. Maximilian the Second was fenf:ble of this,who refuted co hoard up a waft of Treafure, fearing left by falling in love therewith , of a fove- rasgnLord,he fhould become a fervant to the 4 ammon of unrighteouf nefs. Now the burtfulnefs of Creature - comforts thews it felt in/eve- ral particulars. I. Faith knows that they are apt to puff' up and [well the heart with the Tympany of pride. Hence that great Casstion, Deut.8.1 o, to the end. The ufual Attendants on riches are Pride and Confidence. Hence Paul to i Tim,6.z 7. 1 Timothy, charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded. How apt are men to be lifted op with the things of this lower World ! Riches at once f nk the mind downward in covetous Cares,and lift it upward in proud conceits.. To fee a man rich in purfe, and poor in fpirit is a great rarity. 2. Faith knows, that great enjoyments are great fnares and powerfnl temptations to many other lulls, fuch as are Covetoufnels,Lufi, Luxury, Security, &c. The plenty of places oft occafion much wickednefs in per- Ans. Rich Sodom was a nurfery of all impiety. lefurun,wheta he waxeth fat, is apt to kick, Desst.3 2. z 5 . And when lfrael is fed to the full, Ezek. ¡6. n+ then fhe commits abomination. 39,59. 3. Faith is feol ble how apt temporal comforts are to make see fl eight

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