272 The carele fMerchant éTc. Oh ! bottomlefs depth of horror; oh unexprell'ible torment of a forfaken foul ! what greater mifery, faith devout St: Bernard, then alway to be wifhing for that which shall never be, and for the removingof that that (hall never ccafe to be. Therefore the fum is this; Hath the covetous exchanged his foul for riches the ambitious for honours: hath he loft it for the riches ofCreffeu; the power of.A- lexander; the Empireof Augutus; the glory of the whole world ? yet incond- deration of VP. To preveot this mifcry be- times. end ofhis life lofs ofhis God The what is a man profited ? extremity ofhis pain eternityof all Now then for force application, and todraw toward a concluuon : fuffer the word ofexhortation (brethren) and captivate your thoughts to the obedience of Jefas Chrift. You efpecially whoGod bath bleffed above others,concerning the, enjoyment ofoutward,temporal things. If ever you be defirous to efcape the direful', flaughter-houfe of Hell ; to cfcape thofe burnings, and thofe everlafting yelhngs, while youhave time, bethink your felves offome favingcourfe to flicfrom the wrath to come. And now in time raft upyour accounts : take heed left for the love ofthis prefent world, you lofe your God, the life of your fouls. There is a way thatferüs right to a man ( faith Solomon) but the end of it it the manifoldwades ofdeath. Some Babilonifh garment, force Naboths Vineyard, force fweet preferment; but if the means be unlawful, if it difturb confcience, and prejudicethe glory ofGod, and occafion the deftruétionof thy foul, then fay , twat(hall Ido when God /hall rife up ? andwhen be¡hall rout, what fhallI anfwer ? This will be thereckoning of foolsat the laft, what bathprideprofitedus? andwbat loath riches broughtxi? Sure- ly thegain will be no other than what Prometheus is fabled to have had by Pandora's; box, a place to be tormented. Or what Hercules got by Dianira's garment. Such will be the final iffue ofall Mammonifts, that live among(} Chriftians,and itp- der means of better reformation, and more fan&ification in their wayes ; I fay this will he the finaliffue. The worm of defpair alwaygnawing, and never dying; and the flames ofeternal Topbetnever to be extinguifhed. Therefore in fuch a cafe, if thoutell me thou knoweft what thou doft,andwhat thougaineft. Let me tell thee, thou little knoweft thy dammage, and what thon haft loft. Alas, what arc the goods of this life, when they are compared with eternal damnation ? and the fwcetnefs' of imaginary gain, what proportion hath it with the bitternefs of fo great a lofs ? Riches have wings , they take their leave ; honour is traufitory ; pleafures file away : whereas the foul ofman isthe fubjea of immortality. And thy poor neglefted foul muff bide by it for an everlalting pledge, and pay, the debt. O ! then, contemnthis glory that is nothing; Firft feekÿ'ods kingdom, and the j glory ofit : fuller not heaven to fraudat fo great a diftance to thyfoul, tafle and fee howgracious theLord is, byone drop ofwater from that celeftial fountain ; by one cram fromthat heavenly table ; and then as concerning the things below,thouwilt'; account them asdrofs anddung, in comparifon of that joy,and peace ofconfcience. R.efolve as Tbemi9ocles, when he.fave a goodlybooty,he would not ftoop to take it up : leave thefe things for the Children of this world: But let your care be topleafe theLord, and togain the peace of a good confcience ; Firftfeekthe kingdomofGod,, which conflits not en meat and drink; but ix righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghofl'. Remember thevanity of the things of the vvorld ; remember hove un- able the foul is to enjoy hell, and to lofe heaven vvithout eternal horror : and in confiderationhereof. Ufe the werld,aethough you nfidit.not; andufe thisasa proof, ', hide itin a fanaified memory,andvvrite it in the table of afandifted confcience, (if. it vvere poffible)with apen of Iron,and the point ofa Diamond. What isaman pro-; fitedifhe gain the whole world,and loft his ownfoul ? 1 CHRISTI
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