XI. Luke xv. 16. 46. SER M. on the fhortness and frailty of our life) become so infipid to us, that we find little appetite to them, or relish in them; our restlefs minds will begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness, defiring fome fatiffaction thence: difcerning these fecular and carnal fruitions to be mere hufks (the proper food of fwine), we shall bethink ourselves of that better nourishment (of rational or fpiritual comfort) which our Father's house doth afford to his children and fervants. Being fomewhat disentangled from the care of our farms and our trafficks; from yoking our oxen, and being married to our prefent delights; we may be at leifure, and in difpofition to comply with divine inviMatt. xxii. tations to entertainment fpiritual. Experiencing that our trade about these petty commodities turns to small account, and that in the end we fhall be nothing richer thereby; reafon will induce us, with the Matt. xiii. merchant in the Gofpel, to fell all that we have (to forego our present interefts and designs) for the purchafing that rich pearl of God's kingdom, which will yield fo exceeding profit; the gain of present comfort to our confcience, and eternal happiness to our fouls. In fine, when we confider ferioufly, that we Heb. xiii. have here no abiding city, but are only fojourners and pilgrims upon earth; that all our care and pains here do regard only an uncertain and transitory state; and will therefore fuddenly as to all fruit and benefit be loft unto us; this will fuggeft unto us, with the good Heb. xi. 16. patriarchs, xgeilovos opéyeo das margidos, to long after a better country; a more affured.and lasting state of life; where we may enjoy fome certain and durable repose; to tend homeward, in our defire and hopes, toward thofe eternal manfions of joy and reft prepared for God's faithful fervants in heaven. Thus will this confideration help toward the bringing us to inquire after and regard the things concerning our future itate; and in the refult will engage us to compare them with these prefent things, as to our concernment in them and the confequence of them to our 14. 1 Pet.ii. 11. advantage XI. advantage or damage, whence a right judgment S ER M. and a congruous practice will naturally follow. There be four ways of comparing the things relating to this prefent life with those which refpect our future ftate: comparing the goods of this with the goods of that; the evils of this with the evils of that; the goods of this with the evils of that; the evils of this with the goods of that. All these comparisons we may find often made in Scripture; in order to the informing our judgment about the refpective value of both forts; the prefent confideration intervening, as a standard to measure and try them by. Firft, then; comparing the prefent goods with those which concern our future ftate, fince the tranfitoriness and uncertainty of temporal goods detract from their worth, and render them in great degree contemptible; but the durability and certainty of fpiritual goods doth increase their rate, and make them exceedingly valuable; it is evident hence, that fpiritual goods are infinitely to be preferred in our opinion, to be more willingly embraced, to be more zealously pursued, than temporal goods; that, in cafe of competition, when both cannot be enjoyed, we are in reafon obliged readily to part with all these, rather than to forfeit our title unto, or hazard our hope of those. Thus in the Scripture it is often difcourfed: The world, faith St. John, passeth away, and 1 John ii. the defire thereof; but he that doeth the will of God, 17. abideth for ever. The world, and all that is defirable therein, is tranfient; but obedience to God's commandments is of an everlasting confequence; whence he infers, that we should not love the world; that is, not entertain fuch an affection thereto, as may any way prejudice the love of God, or hinder the obedience fpringing thence, or fuitable thereto. All flesh is grafs, faith St. Peter, and all the glory of 1 Pet. i. 24. man as the flower of the grafs; the grafs withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever: all worldly glory is frail and Q2 fading, 19. XI. SER M. fading, but the word of God is eternally firm and permanent; that is, the good things by God promised to them, who faithfully serve him, fhall infallibly be conferred on them to their everlasting benefit; whence it follows, that, as he exhorts, we are bound to gird up the loins of our mind, to be fober, 1 Pet. i. 13. and hope to the end; to proceed and perfift conftantly in faithful obedience to God. Charge those, 1 Tim. vi. faith St. Paul, who are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor truft in uncertain riches, but in the living God; that they do good, be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate; treasuring up for themfelves a good foundation for the future; that they may attain everlasting life. Since, argues he, prefent riches are of uncertain and fhort continuance; but faith and obedience to God, exercised in our charity and mercy toward men, are a certain ftock improvable to our eternal intereft; therefore be not proud of, nor rely upon thofe, but regard efpecially, and employ yourselves upon thefe. Our Saviour himself doth often infift upon and inculcate this compariMatt. vi. fon Treasure not unto yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but treasure up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and ruft doth not corrupt, Matt. vi. 25. and where thieves do not break through and fieal. Do 19, 20. not take care for your foul, what ye shall eat, and what ye fhall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on; John vi. 27. but feek first the kingdom of God. Labour not for the food that perifheth, but for the food that abideth to eter 33. Θησαυρὸν nal life; fell your fubftance, and give alms; provide yourLuke xii. felves bags that wax not old; an indefectible treasure in the heavens. Thus doth the holy Scripture, fetting avinale. forth the uncertainty and tranfitoriness of the prefent, the certainty and permanency of future goods, declare the excellency of these above those; advifing thereupon, with highest reason, that we willingly reject thofe (in real effect, if need be, however always in ready difpofition of mind) in order to the procuring 27. procuring or fecuring of these. It also, for our ex- s ER M. ample and encouragement, commends to us the wif- XI. dom and virtue of thofe perfons, who have effectually practised this duty of Abraham, our father, Heb. xi. 10. who, in expectation of that well-founded city, made and built by God, did readily defert his country and kindred, with all prefent accommodations of life : of Mofes, who difregarded the fplendours and de- Heb. xi. 23. lights of a great court; rejected the alliance of a great princess, and refufed to be called the fon of Pharaoh's daughter, in refpect to the Modanodocia, that future diftribution of reward; a fhare wherein shall affuredly fall to them, who above all other confiderations regard the performance of their duty to God: of the Apostles, who forfook all, parents, brethren, Matt. xix. lands, houses, trades, receipts of cuftom, to follow Luke xviii. Christ; him at present poor, and naked of all fecu- 28. lar honour, power, wealth, and delight; in hope only to receive from him divine benefits, and future preferments in his kingdom of Mary, who neglecting Luke x. 39. present affairs, and feating herself at Jefus's feet, attending to his difcipline, is commended for her wifdom, in minding the only necessary thing; in choofing the better part, which could never be taken from her: of St. Paul, who accounted all his gains (all his worldly Phil. iii. interefts and privileges) to be damage, to be dung in refpect to Chrift, and the excellent knowledge of him, with the benefits thence accruing to them. On the contrary there we have Efau condemned and stigmatized for a profane and a vain perfon, who (avri maç Heb. xii. Bewrews) for one little eating-bout, one mefs of pottage (for a little prefent fatisfaction of fenfe, or for the fuftenance of this frail life) did withgo his birthright, that emblem of spiritual bleffings and privileges. We have again reprefented to us that unhap- Mark x. 17. py young gentleman; who, though he had good qualities, rendering him amiable even to our Saviour, and had been trained up in the obfervance of God's commandments, yet not being content to part with his : 7, 8. 16. XI. SER M. large poffeffions, in lieu of the treasure by Chrift offered in heaven, was reputed deficient; could find no acceptance with God, nor admiffion into his kingdom; for a petty temporal commodity forfeiting an infinite eternal advantage. For, faith our Saviour, Matt. x. 37. He that loveth father or mother above me; he that doth Luke xiv. not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers Mark x. 29. and fifters, yea his own life, for me and the Gospel, is not worthy of me, nor can be my difciple. He that in 26. his esteem or affection doth prefer any temporal advantages before the benefits tendered by our Saviour (yea doth not in comparison defpife, renounce, and reject his deareft contents of life, and the very capacity of enjoying them, his life itself) doth not deferve to be reckoned among the difciples of Chrift; to be so much as a pretender to eternal joy, or a candidate of immortality. Our Saviour rejects all fuch unwife and perverfe traders, who will not exchange brittle glafs for folid gold; counterfeit glittering ftones for genuine moft precious jewels; a garland of fading flowers for an incorruptible crown of glory; a fmall temporary penfion for a vaftly rich freehold; 1 Pet, i. 4. an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in the heavens. Thus doth the holy Scripture teach us to compare thefe forts of good things; And fecondly, so alfo doth it to compare the evils of both ftates; for that feeing, as the foon ceafing of temporal mifchiefs fhould (in reasonable proceeding) diminish the fear of them, and mitigate the grief for them; fo the inceffant continuance of fpiritual evils doth, according to just estimation, render them hugely grievous and formidable; it is plain, that we should much more diflike, abominate, and fhun fpiritual evils, than temporal; that we should make no queftion rather to endure these paroxyfms of momentary pain, than incur those chronical, and indeed incurable, maladies; that we should run willingly into these shallow plashes of present incon venience, |