A Difcotor e of true happineffe. It powredout asdaft , andtheir flefh as the dung. Neither theirfl- ver, nor their goldfhall be able to deliver them in the day of the 1 Lordswrath, but the whole landfhall,be devoured by the fire of his jealoufe, Ezech. 7. i 9. their Aver andtheir goldcan- not deliver them in the day o f thewrath oftheLord: they (hallnot fatisfie theirfoulet neitherfill their bowels ; for this refine afor their iniquitie. Obad. Though thou exalt thy f Pileas the Eagle andmake, thy nef among thetarres,thencewill Ibringthee down, faith the Lord. It is not then any wedge of gold, or height of place, can priviledge, or proteaus; when our Gnnes are ripe, and ready to take the same ofGods fierce wrath and indignation. Thirdly,theycannot ílretch themfelves untoeternitie. For 3 there are no contentments of this life (whether they lye in honours ,riches,pleafures,friends,or the like) letthem be ne- ver fo manyin number,fopotent in theworld,or inour own perfwafions,foexempt from mixture ofdifcomfort; that can pofliiblybringus further, thenour death-bed. It may be for a few and wretcheddaies of our life, they have detained us in a fooles paradife,yet full of Vipers and Scorpions; It may be they have left fome obfcure prints of unfound joyes in our paffages : but then, at their farwell, they are utterly difpoy- led oftheir weake,and imaginary fweetnes: and are wholly turned into wounds, and wormewood, into gall and vexati- on. They Ieave afling indeed in theconíèience, that never dies; but themfelves dieall at our deaths, and liedown with us in our graves. Why then, when the immortall foule, be- ing diflodged from this tabernacle of clay, {hall nowbe- gin toenter the confines ofeternity; what flail comfort it, through thatendleffe duration ? For if it looke backe to this inchof time,which it confumed invanity,it may aske:Why have Ibeene troubled about many things ? Why have I dif- quietedmy felfe in vaine?Why have I infolentlyinfulted o- ver innocency,and accounted finceritie madneffe? What bath pride profited me ? dr what Iprofit hath the pompe of riches brought me ? And it may be anfwered : All tbofe things are paredaway lske, afhadow, andas a Poaf that pa4etlo by: asa f ile C that
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