566 The Children' of this World Vol. 1. Text; while he commends the Wifdomofthe Children ofthis World , he adds that which is a confiderable blemifh and abatement to it, The Children of this World are wifer, c TP 1Ævecv r v Éa'JTÌUV for their Age, for the concernments of this pre_ fent Life ; but this is but a fhort and purblind Wifdom, which fees but a little way, and confiders only things prefent and near at hand : whereas true Wifdom hath a larger and farther Propped, and regards the future as well as the prefent, and takes care to provide for it. Nay our Saviour gives the Wifdom of this World its utmofl due, when hefays, The Children of this World are wife for their Generation ; for this is the very belt that can be faid of it, it feldom looks fo far, and holds out fo long. Many Men have furviv'd their own Projets, and have lived to fee the Folly and ill Fate of their covetous and ambitious Defigns. So the Prophet tell us, fer. 57. i r. As the Partridge fitteth on Eggs, andbatcheth them not ; fohe that getteth Riches, andnot ty right, (hall leave them in the midfi of his Days, and at his End(hall he a Fool. This is Wifdom, to regard our main Intereft ; but if we be wrong in our end, (as all worldly Men are) the £after and farther we go, the more fatal is oùr er- ror and miflake. The Children of this World are out in their end, and miflaken in the main ; they are wife for this World, which is inconfiderable to Eternity ; Wife for a little while, and Fools for ever. idly, From what hath been Paid we may infer, that if we lofe our Souls, and come fhort of Eternal Happinefs, it is through our own fault and grofs neglet; for we fee that Men are wife enough for this World ; and the fame prudence, and care, and diligence applied to the concernments of our Souls, would infal- libly. make us Happy. Nay our Saviour here in the Text tells us, that ufually lefs Wifdom and Induftry, than the Men of this World ufe about the things of this World, is exercifed by the Children of Light, who yet at laft, through the Mercy of God, doattain Eternal Life. So that it is very plain, that if Men would but take that care for their Im- mortal Souls, which they generally do for their frail and dying Bodies, and be as heartily concern'd for the unfeen World, and for Eternity, as they are for Things Vifible and Temporal, they would with much more certainty gain Hea- ven, than any Man can obtain Worldly Riches and Honours. And can we ,in confcience defire more, than to be happyfor ever, upon as eafy and upon more certain Terms, than any Man can be rich or great in this World t For we may mils of thefe things afterall our travel and pains about them ; or if we get them, we may lofe them again : But if we feek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouf- nefs, if we be fincerely good we are fore to have the reward of it, even that Eternal Life, whichGod, that cannot lie, hathpromifed ; if we layup for ourfelves Treafures in Heaven, they will be fafe and fecure there, where no Moth can cor- rupt, nor Thieves break through andfleal. If we would ferioufly think of the other World, and were throughly pofleft with a firm belief of the Eternity of that Happinefs or Mifery, which remains for Men after this Life, we fhoufd pray to God, and hear his Word, and perform all the Duties of Religion, with the fame care and concernment, with the fame fervour`and intention of Mind, as Men profecute their worldly bufinefs. Were we fully perfuaded of the unfeen Glories and Torments of the other World, we should be much more affeted with them, than with all the Temptations and Terrors of Senfe ; becaufe in Reafon they are much more confiderable. The Dilgrace of the Pillory will fright Men from Perjury ; and will not everlafling Shame and Confufion t The fear of Death will deter many Men from robbing and flealing, who would perhaps venture upon thefe Crimes, if there were no danger in them ; and will not the Horrors of the fecond Death, of the Worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched, have as great an awe and influence up- on us t If they have :not, it is a ligo, that we do not equally believe the danger of Human Laws, and the Damnation of Hell. Surely Men have not the fame belief of Heaven, and Affetion for it, thatr they have for this World. If they had, their Care and Diligence about thefe things would be more equal. For we are not fo weak as we make our felves x we
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=