________ ADljcouifeiftbeFearif~~----~--~~ but a Cypher in our Enjoyment; they are 'Junol, in tl1e Purfuil; but they are Clouds~ in the Embracement. All the Pleafures of the World are but an Earnell: of Grief, ifChap. ' '· not of Ruine : Take them all and bring them to a Perfon that lies under a troubled~ ConfCience, how fuddenly are they extinguiJbed I They are no more able to ·give eafe to a wounded Spirit, than a drop of Wine is able to fweeten a large Velfel of Water ; and therefore certainly it mull be a Folly to make thefe your End and Happinefst becaufe they deceive your Expectations. Whereas the Plearures which the Soul obtains from Communion with God, they do not cloy us but they fatisfie us; the things of the World cannot fat isfie our Senfes, but the Peace of God palfeth all Un· ~I~~?~~~~~~ fs0~~~~:~~~·=11~:l~retl~5a~ ;~~fu~isft~:i~~~en~~rili:~n ~~:~'whi~ltc~~~e(u~~nttl~~ ~~~~~~-atu~~o~~ P~~~~i;s~5 ~~~~~chd~0:~ ~~;a~:'~y;~~5e;fo~~~f~s ~~J~~~;~~6e;0~om~~~ fink a Man beneath his Species as bodily Pleafures do. As that Heat which is con· veyed to the Body by Exercife, is far more natural and wholefome than that which is conveyed by fire; fo thofe Pleafures which the Soul that fears God obtains by Re· l1g1ous D.unes, arc tar more cxcell~nr than rhofe dreg~y Delights which are conveyed by tbe thtngs of this World. . . 2. Second(;·, As FlcafUrcs do deceive our Expeaarions, lo they draw for t~ our Cor · !·uprions, and confequently render us miferable; and therefore the purfuit of them IS the grcatelt Folly._ There is nothing more dangerous in the World than Sin mingled with Pfc1fure; 'tis hke Poyfon in fwect Wine, which fuddcnly deflroys, which pre· lcntl y ltrikes to the Brain and Hearr, and foconveys Death more fpeedily. And therefore tha~ Perfon who now .makes it his defign to taft the Pleafures of Sin, or rarher .to wallow in''thcm; to drank then in as a Fifh doth Water, as Tertullian fpeaks, Pof! pauca Libidinum momenta evapor.tta, after a few Moments ofl.uft which are eva.. poratcd, what will remain in the Soul? The Body will fail the Lull, the Lull will fail the'-5atisfaaion, and all will fail the Man; and then what is become of his Pleafure? What remains of it but the Worm and the Fire I And is it not a folly then ? Oh do but confider, do you think the Images ofthefe Plcafurcs which are enjoyed in this World are able to rcfre!h the Soul of a damned Petfon? No. They are all ex· tiogui01ed there, they will rather increafe the Torment. o. Secondly, Confider the ProlitsofthisWorld being made our end, whether they ~2tl~a~~~i~t5u~~ifJJ; u~~ d~~trei~::::;; ~~;~~~e{s,~~it ::u7~~~ tl~~t p~;;~~~r~~~~~~~ and therefore the purfuit of them cannot purchafe to a Man the Title of a wife Man, ~:e~~ ·~~~; }e~k ~:t£~lli~i1 °~l:({(~j~c;?of t~;n~~:tJ;~ei~o~ ~~?o ~tne:e;~h:~;_t:;;{ g:f~r~P~'~d\~l~i~~~1~i~~·~l~t~x~~~~e!o~7de~;~t~~tt~fo~ ;~~~~~~~~i7~s ~~~~i~~ a w;~~ roxifm of the Gout or Stone, that th is Man would elleem it a very fooli!h thing in another, to tell him that a piece of Gold would heal him. There is no Suitablenefs between that and his Difeafe; it is JUfi fo here, there is a vaft Unfuitablenefs be· twcen the Soul and earthly Treafures. Befides, imprels this upon your felves; When the Soul fhall take its Farewel of the World, it can carry none of rhefe things with it; :Hld this renders it to be a moft egregious Folly to purfue them. \Vould you not account that Man a very Fool that when he comes to an Inn, Jbould lpend all his time there to furnifh and adorn a Room with curious Hangings, when he mull: flay but for a Night, and leave it the next Day? Oh confider, what is our Life ! Is it not a Vapour? Is it not a Bubble? Is it not fometimes Jborter than a Nigh.t ? And !hall ~~~~~~e~go~tu~h;i~~'ru~~~f ~~~t~v~'i~~~:siil;~\~~ 1::~gf~'~ ~f'~le~o~!t,i~g~{gh~~ Is not this Folly and Madnefs? 3· Tliirdly, To come to the Honours of the World. And as the Scripture tells. us, that Laughur is Madnefs, and Ri,hes are V.tnit); fo it . tells us, that Hono11r j; b111 4 F•n<y. What is the Glory of the World? It is a Phantalin, a Shadow, a meer Re• Aeaion, that which bath no Reality in it. There is a notable Expreffion in 62 Pf•l. '1· Sure!] men of low degree are vanity, and men ofhigh kgrte are a lye. They are the veryer Lye of the two upon this account, hecaufe Greatncfs promifeth fomething, anrl performs nothing : And therefore for a Perfon to make this his Aim, certainly it mull: be an Argument of the greatell Folly. Do but a littlp realize to your felves this, Ccc cce when
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