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Curta nefcio Quid femper abeft Rei-Hor. there is still something wanting to make them Happy.

Thus do Vain Men difquiet themselves in Vain; whilft they look not up to Heaven for Happiness, but feek it here below, in Earthly Enjoyments. They thought they had tak en all Care for themfelves, and made good Provifion for their Happiness, but they fee at last, when this World is near at an End with them, that all their Happiness is but as a Ifa. xxix. Dream when one awaketh-They then a waken and find their Soul is Empty. They have taken great Pains, but to no good Purpofe; they have labour'd hard for That which profiteth not. And now at length they fee their Folly, in labouring only for the Meat that perisheth, in labouring for the Body only, without making any separate Provision for the Soul. They find now, that they have all their Life been embracing Clouds, and catching at Shadows: Or, to fpeak in the Ifa. lv. 2. Prophetical Language,They have spent their Money for That which is not Bread, and their Labour for That which fatisfieth Hab. ii. not-They have labour'd in the Fire, and wearied themselves for very Vanity.

13.

But were Men as much in earnest for Heaven, as they are for the Things of this World, they would never fail of their Aim. Would they but be as heartily concerned to improve

themselves

themselves in Grace and Goodness, as in fortune and Estate; Nay, would they be but at Half the true Care and Pains to make themfelves Good, and fit for Heaven, as they are at to make themselves Rich and Great, they would be fure of Succefs in their Defign; their Labour would not be in Vain: They should then furely reap the Fruits of it, when the Fruits of all their Worldly Labours will fail and forfake them. Therefore our Saviour endeavours to direct Men's Thoughts and Pains aright; Not to lay up their Treafures on Earth, where, though they had never fo much real worth in themselves, they will yet be fubject to Accidents and natural Decay; but in the other World, where they will be a durable lafting Stock, which they shall find ready laid up for them against they come.

When the Wife for this World, (Fools and Sinners,) that were all for laying up their Treasures Here, and taking up their Inheritance on this fide Jordan, fhall fee all Their Wisdom at an End, and all the Fruits of it vanishing away and forfaking them; And fi nally when They, and all that they had fet their Hearts upon, fhall Perifh together; Then fhall Heaven open its Everlasting Doors to all the true Sons of Wisdom, the faithful Subjects of the King of Glory; to commit to them the True Riches, Eternal in the Heavens; and to give them their Inheritance Acts xx. amongst 32.

Pfal. xxiv.

among ft them that are Sanctified. -And then fball Wisdom be juftified of all her Children.

I might add this Confideration farther, that there are very few in comparison that ever are in the Way, or ever have the Opportunities of becoming very Rich or Great; and Fewer yet that have Parts and Abilities to make them eminent for Learning and Knowledge or Worldly Wisdom, however defirous they might be of any of them. But whoever will be as Careful and Induftrious for Hea venly Treasure as Men usually are for Worldly Wealth, fhall be fure to speed; becaufe All of us have Parts and Abilities, and Opportunities too, to make Ourfelves Wife for Heaven. It requires no Nicety of Underftanding, nor Strength of Parts: Probity of Mind and Integrity of Heart, with ApRom. xvi, plication and Care, will well fuffice to make us Wife unto that which is Good; which at last will prove to be the only true Self-Wisdom.

19.

These then are some of the Advantages or Preheminences of Religious Wifdom above the Wisdom of this World, that it provides better even for our Worldly Happiness: But efpecially it takes Care of the Soul, and provides for our Future Happiness, for our Life Eternal after this Mortal Life Ended: And if we will truly purfue our own Happiness, it will furely direct us to fuch Ways and Means for the Attainment of it, that we can never fail of Success.

Since therefore this Divine Wifdom is the Only true Self-Wisdom, let us no longer delude ourselves with Vain Dreams of Happinefs from this World, but earnestly labour after that Wisdom which is from above, the only fure Guide to Eternal Happiness.

This Wifdom the Wiser Men are, the more they know how to value: And the Wifeft of Men does earnestly exhort all, to Prefer it, to Value it, to Seek and Labour af ter it, above any thing that is in the World; for that she is more precious than Rubies, and Prov. iii. all the things that thou canst defire are not to be compar'd unto her.-That he is a Tree of Life to all that lay hold of her, and Happy is every one that retaineth her. Therefore above all things (fays he,) Get Wisdom, Get Understanding Wifdom is the Principal Prov. iv. thing, therefore Get Wisdom. Or to speak to you in the Words of Wisdom herselfHear Inftruction (fays fhe,) and be Wife, andProv. viii. refufe it not. Blessed is the Man that bear-33, &c. eth me, watching daily at my Gates. For whofo findeth me, findeth Life, and shallobtain favour of the Lord: But he that finneth against me, wrongeth his own Soul: All they that Hate me Love Death. Now it is will known, that by Wisdom, in Scrip. ture Language, is meant that true Heavenly Wisdom, that alone can lead us to our Hap

piness.

It

L

It is certainly then the greatest Folly, it is Infatuation, it is Madness, not to Confider these Things which are of fuch infinite Concernment to us. What have we our Rea fon for, but to reflect upon Ourselves, to mind what we do, and wifely to Confider and Compare Things together? And upon the whole matter, to Judge, and Choose, what makes most for our true Intereft: To Confider our Whole Selves, our Souls as well as our Bodies; and our Whole Duration or Extent of Being; not only in this World, but in the Other; and to order all our Actions not with Regard to this present Time, but with Regard to Eternity? In all we do, to look forwards to the final Iffue, to the last Event and Utmoft Confequences of our Actions? To reckon as furely on what will furely be, as if it was already Prefent to us? And if we have reafon to believe that we fhall furely Die, and come again to a Future Staté after Death, in which we shall be either Hap py or Miferable to all Eternity, according as we live here in this Life, it would certainly be our greatest Wisdom to make it our main Bufinefs and Design whilst we are in this World, fo to Live in it, as to make ourselves of the Number of those, that shall be accounted Worthy to Efcape the Wrath to come, and to ftand before the Son of Man, when he fhall come to Judge the World in Rightenefs.

Would

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