Serin. i 8. on Divine Providence ? 441 into the fire. It promifeth to protec`1 us but performesno more than the great tree doth from a foaling and lafiìngftorm. It premifes to contiene with us, though Father and Mother forfale, yet it will not, whereas it ufually proves like AbfolomsMnle,then apt to go from under us, when we mall need it. Thus the Creatures are deceiefull,i.e. They are objeE7ive- ly deceitfull ; through the deceitfulnefs of our hearts and lints, we are deceived about them, if not by them. They fruftrate our expe6la tion, when our hopes of advantage by them are at the high, ft : feldom or never make good to the enjoyer, what they promifed to the expeeiant. Like yonab's Gourd, when moil needed, then they wither : Like Hefter: invitation of Ramey to a Bangmet with the King, which lli'd his blad- der with windy hopes, but foon after ended in his Ruine. 6. And laftly,Faith knows,that Creature - comforts are f unfatisfying f Vanities. This tote Philofopher faw by the dim eye of Nat ;ere conclu- ding, "I That the World being Orbicular, of a round figure,could never fill up the Corners of an heart, which is Triangular. The Creature were a God to us, if it could do this to us : Kindle thirflings it may, but quench none : Can beget a thoufand fears and cares, but quiet none. Here the eye is not * fate fled with fecing,nor the ear with hearing. The foul í}iÌ1' Ecele 1.8. crying out, Give, give. It is God alone fatiafies,Pfal. 3 6.8,9. It is only a God in Chri ff that can give the foul refs, Mat. t 1.29.God would not re fI from his works of creation, till man was formed. Man cannot reff from his longing defires till God be enjoyed, and then, and not till then can an holy David fing a Lullaby to his foul, t Return unto thy reff O my foul, t Pfal: i t 6.7.; for the Lord bath dealt bountifully with thee. Faith having this, expref!` her judgement concerning the true Nature and worth of Creature - comforts, concludes her work in three refolves, z. In the midit of thefe my enjoyments, I muff tale heed that my heart fits from them. Thefe handfome Piftssres mull be only hang'd on the wall, not glued to ir. Though riches encreafe, I may not, muff not fet nay heart anthem. Thus the Pfalmiff, Pfa/ .62.1o. Vfe them I may, love them I may not, t $ohn 2. 15, 16, My afeClions may perchance pitch, but muff not fix on thefe things below, Co1.3.2. Look upon them I mull with an holy indifferency, and ufe them as if I ufed them not, u poJJ"efs them as if poffeffed them not. The zeal of my Spirit muff be u t Cor,7.3t: for !Heaven, and heavenly things. My foul muff prefs hard only after God, as Davide did, Pfal. 63. t, 8. 2. Though I have all thefe comforts, yet 1 may not, muff not mardi- nately, irnmoderately, carnally delight and rejoyce in them. Thus the A- poftle enjoyns, i Cor.7.29. It remains, that both they that have wives be
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