446 LIFE OF FAITH. turfs quis fruatur bonis: ut hic ventrem, et ibi méntem impléat: ut à deliciis ad delicias transeat ; et in utroque seculo primus sit ; ut in terrâ et in cuelo appareat gloriosus ?' The hope is; that with God such human impossibilities are possible. ` But it is more ter- rible than desirable. to be put upon so great a difficulty. Sweet dishes will have wasps and. flies ; but most of them are drowned in their delights. Saith Boetius of prosperity and adversity, ' Illa fait, hæc instruit:.illa mendacium specie bonorum mentes fruen- tium ligat: hæc cogitations fragilis foelicitatis absolvit. , Itaque illam videas ventosam fluentem, suique semper ignaram :'banc sobriam, succinctamqueac ipsius adversitatis exercitatione prudentem.' A full meal seems best in the eating, but a light meal is better the next day. - More thank God in heaven for adversity than for pros- perity ; and more in hell cry out of the fruit of prosperity than of adversity. Many did never look towards heaven till affliction cast them on their backs, so that they could look no other way. " It is good for me that 1 have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes," saith David, Psal. cxix. 71. "Before I was afflicted, 1 went astray;" ver. 76. "In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me ; " ver. 75. One sight of heaven, by faith, will force you to reckon " that the sufferings of this present tiros are unworthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us; " Rom. viii. 18. To suffer for Christ aad righteousness' sake, is but to turn an unavoidable, fruitless pain, into that which, being involuntary, is the more easy, and hath a great reward in heaven ; Matt. v. 11, 12. And to part with that for a crown of life, which else we must part with for nothing. Worldly friends, and wealth, and honor, are summer fruit that will quickly fall. Hungry fowl know where it is harvest, ' At simul intonuit fugiunt.' Those that must dwell with you in heaven are your sure and steadfast friends, Tætera fortunæ, &c.' Those that are now highest, and least acquainted with the tongue of malice, the unfaithfulness of friends, or rage of enemies, shall shortly say, " Atque have exemplis quondam collecta priorum : Nurse mihi suet propres, cognita vera mans." There is but the difference of an ' est' and au ' erit,' between their mirth and endless sorrows ; their honor, and their endless shame ; nor between our sorrow and our endless joy. Their final honor is tobe embalmed, and their lust to be covered with a sump- tuous monument, and their names extolled by the mouths of men, that little know how poor a comfort all this is to themiserable soul. In the height of their honor you may forésee the surgeon opening their bowels, and showing the receptacles Of the treasure of the epicure, and what remains of the price that he received for, his
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