T EPIST.L I 253 A fJ!t~h<fe w.orldly rhiffcs, ufe, wirhour.a!fection; and know to diClingut!h wifely, be. twixr aScotca\1 duloe e, and a ChnCltan contempt: and have longmaderheworld, nor your God, bur your Gave. And.in.rruth (chat I mayloofe my felfe inroa bold and free difwurfc) what other refpect ts tt worthy of~ I would adore tt on my lace, tfl could fee any Majdlie that might command veneration. Perhaps it loves me nor lo much as to lhcw me his bdl. I have fought it enough: and have feene what ethers have doated on and wondered at their madnelfe.So may llooke to fee better things above, as I nev~r could fee ought bere, but vanitie and vilenelfe. . . What is fame,but linoake~and metall, but drolfe ~and pleafure,bur a ptll tn fugar~ Let fome G11lants condemnethis, as the voice ofa Malancholike Schr. Her: I fpeake that which they lhall feele, and lhall confelfe. Though I never was fo, I have feene B fome as happy as the world cou.ld make them : and yet I never fa:v any more difcon. tented. Their life bath been neither longer, nor fweeter, nor thetr heart lighter, nor their mea!es heartier, nor their nights quieter, nor their cares fewer, nor their cornplaints.Yea we have knownc Come that have loll: theirmirth when they have found wealth· an cl' at once have ceafed to be merry and poore. All tbefe earthlydelights, if they w~re found,yet how lhortthey are!and iftheycould be long, yet how unfound! If they were found, they ar~ but as a good day b~tweene ~wo agues, or a fu~-1hine bct\~ixt two tempells. And Ifthey vfere long, thetr honey IS exceeded by thetr gall. This ground be1res none but maples, hollow and fruirlelfe; or, like the banks of rhe dead Se3, a faire apple, which under a red fide conraines nothing but dull:. Ev<ty c Rower in this gardeneither pticks or fmels ill. !fit be fweet, it harh thornes: and ifir have no thornes, it annoyes us withan ill fent. Goe then,ye wifeidolatrous Paralites, and erect fhrines,and offer facrilices toyour God, theworld, and feeke to pleafe him with your bafe and fervile devotions: it lhall be long enough ere fuch rdigion fh1ll make you happy.You lhall at !all: forfake thofe alrars,empty and forrowfuii.How eafy is it for us Chrill:ians, thus to infulr overthe worlding, that thinks himfelfe worthy ofenvie ~ How ealie to turne off the world with a fcorncfull repulfe; and when it makes usehe Devilsprofer,AUthtfewill Igi'Jitthtt,to return Ptttrs anfwer,Thy filvtr a11d thy g•ldperifh with thtt/How ealieto account none fo miferable,as rhofe thlt are rich wirh injurie, and grow great by being confcious of fecrer evils~ Wealth and honour, when it comes upon the beCl tearmes, is but vaine; but, when upon illconditiD ons,burdcnfemr. When they are at the bell:,they arc fcarce friends : bur,wh<n at the worll:, rormemers.Aias,how ill agrees agay coar,and a fellered heart~ What avail:s an high rirle, with an hell in the foule ~ · I admire the faith of M I [er: bur,prefuppoliog his faith, I wonder notat his choice. He preferred the afRiClions of Ifr•tl,ro theplea. fures ofv£gypt;and chofe rarherto eattheLamb,with fowre herbs,then all their fLihpots: for how much better is ir to be miferable then guiltie ~and what comparifon is there betwixt farrow and linne ~ !fit were poflible, lee me rather be in hell wirhour linne, then on earrh wickedly glorious. Bur how much arc ye bound to God rharal- !owes us earthly favours wirhoutthis oppolirion! That God harh made you 'ar once honou~able and jull:, and your life pkafanr and holy, and harh given you an higf1 eClate wtth a good hearr;are favours,thar look for thanks. Thefe mud be aci<nowledg. E ed,norrell:ed in :They are yet higher thoughts that muCl perfe~ your contemmem, What God bath given you,is nothing to that he meanes eo give: Hehath biulibe. rall;bur he wil be rnunilicenr•This is not fo much as the tall:e ofa full cup.FJI\en your eyes upon your future glory, and fee howmeanly you flJall ell:eeme rhefe earthly graces. Here you command bur a linle piotanceofmould (great inde,d, to u<; lirrle, eo the whole :)there, whole heJven !hall be yours.Here you command,bur as a fubjetl: there .you !hall raigne as a King, Here, you are obferved; bur fomerimes with your JUil: dtClalle : there lhall you raigne with peaceiand joy. Here, you are noble among men; there, glonous amongCl An!(els. Here, you want nor honour; bur youwanr ~Ot cr~lfes: there, !s.nothing but fdicitie. Here, you have fome !bore joyes : there, IS nothmg buteterDttle. You area flranger, here; there, at home. Here,Saran remprs you, and men vex you: there, Saints and Angels lhall applaud you; and God !hall fill you wirh himfdfe. In a word, you are onely blelfed here, for that you flull be. Z Thefe
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