afterImmortalCjlory. while they are here out of their place ? Is this world made for Man, an Ark of travel, a Scool ofvanity, a Laborinch ofterror, a Grovefull ofthorns, a Meadow full ofScorpions ; a fiourifhinggarden without fruit, a fountain of mifery, a river of tears, a feigned fable, a detcffable frenzy : and is this the place ofman ? What means the fabrickofour body lifted up to heaven, our hands, eyes, head upward, but to thew us, as Chalfdiuí the heathen man obfervcd, that our Progenitors arc from heaven, that our place is in heaven. Every place is adequate to the thing placed in it ; is this world adequatetoman ? are not his defires infinitely extended beyond the fame ? Every place hash a confcrving vertue in it : Dotb this world prcferve man ? well may it minifter a little food to this beaft ofours,which we carry . about us,but can it afford the leaft favory model to the foul ? it were to bewifhed that it did not poyfon, contaminate, and defile the foul : fo that the fafeft way for she foul, is to flicfrom the world, as from the face of a Serpent : Is this world the place of man, why doth our tender Mother the Church, affoon as we come into the world, Match us out of the world ; and as foon as we breath in the air, bury no by Taptifwin thegrave of Chrift,and as loonas wemove in this world,confignc us with the fign ofthe Crofi, to fight againfi the world, andall the pomps of the fame, and are not we Grangers? Are not they ftrargers, that have different lasses , and divers cuftomes, and another Prince to rufe and command them ? You have heard of the Prince of the air, and the Lewes of the flefh; of the fafhions of the world, of the wifdame that is from below, and earth creeping S Are Chriftians guidedby thcfe rules ? have they not the Godof heaven and earth , the Lewes of the Spirit, and the that it from above, andcuitomes that arefrom heaven, whereby to regulate them ? Who are the rocs of this world? are they not thole who have theGodof this world to reign in their hearts ? who arc led captive by him ? whofe underfiandangs are dark. ned,thcir wills obfirmated,their hearts hardned, their coníciences feared, their con- verfation defiled with all uncleanneffes, their fenfes open breaches for fin to enter; their tonguesblalpheming the namcof God ? and are there cot-Predations fit for the Saints ? and are they not s7irangers ? Are not theylïranQers thatare not capable of honours,' of poffiffions in the place wherein theylive,as being not free Denizens of the place ? and isnotthisproper to Chriftians, whofe duty it is to vilifie riches, and honours, and pleafures in them- felves, as much as they that have there, doothers that have themnot ? to account Iriches the greateft poverty, and pleafures the greateft torments? and honours the greateft ignominy, and power the greateft weaknefs ; not to poJJfs the world; not to enjoy it, not to account any thing good that maketh not the owner better, not to admit any thing from the world, but fo far as it may advance the true Nobility ofman, the purity of the Imageof God, his reftitution to his ancient defcent, his re- creating him in the poffeffion ofheavers, and the fociety of Angels and Arch- Angels, to rife up in Armes againff this material world, and to rend himfelffrom this fartaient matter, ; and out of the grcatnefs ofhis Spirit , and noblenefs ofhis difpofition, tobe altogether ambitious of the pretence ofGod, and of there con flant and unchangeable good things? This is the duty of Chriftians, and are not they Strangers? Are not they ftrangers that have double lmpoft, and double cuftomes, and the greateft taxations laid upon them ? is not this peculiar unto the Saints in this life? have they not a$li &ions laid upon them in the greateft meafure ? muff they not through many afflict ?ions enter into the f(ingdome of heaven ? Have they not tears, and that in abundance, for thesemeut, andfor their drink.? Havethey not enemies from within, and enemies from without ?. Muff theynot be conformable to their i head Chrift, their elder brother : ashe had his double portion in this life, ofaflli- efions and punifhments ;' fo muff they have a as lac was fau&ificd by,affli&ions, fo muff they alto. The gold is not pure , unlefs it be tried.; northe water fweet, íf it have not a currant :nor the veffel bright, unlefs it be feonred; nor the Saints fit for heaven , unlefs they be prepared by affli&ións : what man was there that ever let himfelf ferioufly,' either to reform himfelf or others, that found not 253
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