Chap.i 5. An Expofitionupon the Book of J OB. Verf.3 I. s Idols have , and therefore they bear the brand of this re- proach, Lying vanities : That they are fo , appears clearly in two particulars. First, In the report which theymake of themfelves. Secondly, In the promifes which they make to us. Fiat, In the report which theymake of their own worth ; if you lock upon thebill of theCreature,it puts down not on- ly a hundred for fifty,but a million for a mite-: For, how much foever it is worth , yet it bears no proportion to that which it would be esteemed worth : As fume rich men are not half fo rich as they deíìre to be reckoned ; fo riches themfelves are not fo rich by thoufands of thoufands as they would be rec- koned. There is indeed a created worth in theCreature, for it is the workof God ; but fincc the fin of man hath (as to us ) both imbatèd , and imbittered the Creature , it is worth no- thingcomparatively to that at which it is rated , both in its own, and our Books. Secondly, The Creature (in this notion ) is a lyingvanity, while it put-wades us ; that in the enjoyment thereof we (hall be happy ; whereas our happinefs doth not confft in any Creature injoyment;unlefsGod himfelfbe our portion,we are both poor and miferable in the fulleft poffeffìon of the Crea- ture. God is the living *ream , the Creature at the befit was but a Ciftern, and now it is but a broken Ciftern which leaks out all the waters that pats into it, unlefs God flop the chinks, andmend the cracks of it by Jefus Chrift. Again, The Creature promifeth to cafe us of our cares, yet it doth but multiply them :. TheCreature promifeth to fatis- tie our deti,res , yet it doth only encreafe and enrage them. Riches are not food , but fewel toour defires ; they do not allay our appetite, as bread doth, when received into the flu - mack, but enflame our appetite, as wood Both , when it is calf into the fire. Further, The Creature promi-reth to protei us; hence that of Solomon (Prov. i o. i g, ) The rich mans wealth is bid firong Citie : That is, it promifeth to be fo , and tells him, it will do that for him,which a strong City doth for its Inhabitants, defend him again(( all Commers and Invaders ; yet the fame Solomon affures us in the next Chapter (Verf,'4,) That riches A a profit
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