Chap. z8. min Sxpofition upon the Book of Jo a. Verf. it 9. 249 From this large defcription of the way and meanes of getting creature out ofthe earth, Obferve, Firff, Strong and confiant labour compaffethgreatthings, even thegreatefi things of this world. What may not men doe, if they have a heart and will put their hands to the doingof it ? Thefoul of thefluggard (faith Solomon) Prov, 13.4.) defireth andbath nothing ; we may fay, The foul of a laborious man may have any thing that he delires. He that is nothing but defres,lhall have nothing that hedefires;but he that addethgood endeavours to his delires, can delire nothing that is good, and good for him,but he mayhave it. So Solomon concludes in the verfe before-mentioned., in oppofition to the fluggard s" Butthefoul of the diligentfhall be made fat. Secondly, Obferve ; True and hearty defires, are altvayes followed with firong and bard endeavours. They who indeed delire goldand giver, will feek to the ends and dig to the bottome of the earth for them. Through defre (faith Solomon, Prov. 18. r.) a man having feparated himfelf (from all things that may hinder him) fecketh and intermedletb with all wifdom ; that is, with all chofe things, wherein hemay either exercife the wifdom which he bath attained to, or attain to more wifdom. The true delire ofthe mind is like the hungry appetite of the flomack, it provokes to anyNines which may give it fatisfa6tion. And becaufe nothing can fatisfie delre, but etijoymenr,therefore the defrer needs no Taskmailer a Man will enjoyn himfeif the hardell tasks, upon a hope of enjoying what is defired. Thirdly, Obferve ; That, for the things of thisworld, worldly menare willing to beffow firong and confiant labour. The explicationof the whole context makes good the truth of this obfervation. Neither darknefs, nor the fhadovv of death, neither trifling damps, nor over-flowing floods, neither rocks nor mountains have been able todifcourage the hearts, or wea- K k ken
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