182 S E R M 0 N S upon Serm.XXVJ; 2. The inegdality between them : They are . not worthy to be compared, xw w$: ae s viAmaar.11Ens, not worthy to future glory, not worthy to beret the one,againit the other, as bearing no proportion. The Conclufionor Judgment ofsthe Apo(lle in this cafe ; the word my1C,4,,, is emphatical,and implieth,that he had weighed there things in his mind; after the cafe was well traverfed, he did conclude and determine upon the whole debate rationibui belie fubduais colligo & flatuo. The Apoftle fpeaketh like.a man that had caftop hisaccounts, well weighed the mattrr he fpeaketh of; and thenconcludeth,refolveth and determineth, that the fufferings whichare to be undergone for Chrift, are nothing, conhdering the glory andbleffednefs which (hall enfue. Do &. That every good Chriflian, or confiderate believer, ¡horriddetermine, that the happi- nefs of hisglorifted eflate cloth infrnitely outweigh and exceed the mifery of his prefent af- fliúions.. I (hall open the Point by there Confderations. I. That counterballancing temporal things with eternal, is the way to clear our miflakes, or prevent, the delufions of the flelh. The Apoftle obferveth this method here and elfe- where, 2 Cor. 4. 17. This light afflitlion which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternalweight of glory: And 'tis neceffary ; for all our miftakes come by reckoning by time, and not by eternity ; but looking to eternity fets us right again, 2 Cor. 4. 18. Looking not to the things_ which are temporal, but to the 'things which are eternal. The flefh is importunate to be pleafed with prefentfatisfa&ions ; it mutt have fomething feen and at hand ; and this tainteth our minds, fo that prefent things bear a big bulk in our eye, but things to come are as a vain fancy ; therefore nothig will feat- ter this miff and cloud upon our underftandings, but a due fight of eternal things, how real they are, and how much they exceed for greatnefs and duration; then we (hall.fìnd that time to eternity is but as a drop loft or fpilt in the Ocean, as a point to the cir- cumference ; and that the honours and dignities of the world, which dazzle mens eyes, are vain and flippery ;that riches,which captivate their hearts,are uncertain and peritlting, that pleafures, which inchant their minds, are fordid and bare , and pats away as the wind; that nothing is great, but what is eternal ; if wicked men did but confider the fhortnefs of their pleafures, and the length of their forrows, they would not be fo be- fatted as they are; and if holy men did bur confider the fhortnefs of their atlliítiors, and the length of their joy and glory, it would animate and encourage them to carry' it more patiently andcheerfully in all their tribulations. 2. This may be done four ways. 1. Comparing temporal good things with eternal good.things, that wemay wean avddraw of our hearts from the one to the other, and focheckthe delights of fenfe ; As wealth with heavenly riches, Heb. to. 34. Te tookjoyfully the fpoiling of your goods, as knowing in your fans, that ye have in heaven a better anda more enduring fubfiance. Eternal blifs in Hea- ven is the moftvaluable and durable kind of wealth, all other treafure cometh more infi- nitely fhort of k, than Wampompeage, or the (hells which the Indians ufe for money, doth of our coin and treafure ; fo to wean us from our fenfual delights , the Scripture propoundeth to ourconfrderation, that eternal and folid joy, which refulteth from the immediate fruition of God, Pfal. 16. 1.t. So to wean usfrom vainglory,andthat we may be contented with the glory that comes from God only, it telleth us of the honour and glory of the Saints, Jahn 5.44. All the fenfual good things we dote upon, are hut a may -5. game or painted Phew in comparifon of what we (hall. enjoy there, 2. Temporal bad things with eternal good things ; fo to defeat the terrors offenfe: All the fufferings of the world are but as the fcratch of a pin, or xi flea- biting. to that Woe, Wrath, and Tribulation that abideth for every foul that doth evil ; no fire like the fire of hell, nor pains like the pains of the worm that never dyeth, Luke 12.4, 5. Fear net them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do 5 but I will forewarn you whomye shall fear ; fear him, which after he bath killed, path power . to cafl into bell. Men threaten prifons, God threatneth hell ; they can mangle the body, but when they have cut it all in pieces, they cannot reach the foul ; if we fn to avoid trouble in the world, we efcape at a dear rate: As a nail driveth out a nail, fo doth one fear drive out another; temporal fufferings are nothing to eternal; Heb: t f. á 5. They accepted not deliverance looking for a better refurretlion 5 the general R.efurnerion is better than prefect rcmi(iion of torments. 3: Tent.
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