And fee how he reprefents the condition of men in this world by things of the greatest swiftnefs, and uncertainty; as a fhadow, and as a post that hafteth by, which no man may ftay; even so a man hurries through time, into eternity, v. 11. 12. As a ship that paffeth over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the path-way of the keel in the waves. Or as a bird that hath flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found. Or like as when an arrow is fhot at a mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again; fo that a man cannot know where it went through. Even fo doth a man pass through the world. But I need not stand to prove this, it being a point of undoubted certainty and every man's observation; but (the more is the pity) of too little confideration. Let us therefore pass over this point with the good meditation of the pfalmist, Pfal. xc. 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wifdom. Time is a thing of the greatest importance, but of the most uncertain continuance; for we may fay, upon the improvement of a little time, the state and, welfare of an immortal foul doth depend to eternity.

In this respect you see that less of a man is in this world than hereafter here he is frail, and weak, brittle, and crafy, obnoxious to difeafes and all manner of accidents: fo that, were we not the care of divine providence, when we confider the many conveyances that are in our bodies, the varieties and changes we are exposed unto: we fhould think it a thousand to one, that a man lived to fix..

ty

ty years. That is the first thing; there is less of a man in this world, in respect of his being and continuance here.

2. In this state, there is lefs of right judgment of things, and perfons. Things here, go under falfe appearances; and persons here, are under the pow-_, er of lying imaginations. The platonists have obferved, that there is a world of diligence, care, and thoughtfulness neceflary for a man to understand the truth. I should not bely human nature, if I should say, that the wifest of us live very much in a fools paradife; and that in a world of things, we are mistaken; and that our fuppofitions are not well grounded, nor our apprehenfions well governed, nor our hope and expectation well fecured. There is much of that which is falfe, miftaken and infincere, that takes place in the life of man. I might bere inftance in wealth and riches, which are thought to be the greatest reality in the world, and yet one of the wisest men that ever was, and one that had the greateft experience, hath told us, that it is great folly for a man to fet his heart upon it. Prov. xxiii. 5. Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is not ? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away, as an eagle towards heaven. But then, as for the profane and diffolute part of the world, they live altogether in a lie, and are false in the main. For the fool hath faid in his heart there is no God. Pfal. xiv. 1. Not that he hath any ground for fuch a fuppofition or imagination: for fee what the pfalmift faith, in the next words as an account from whence this opinion arifeth, corrupt are they, and

have done abominable works. So that this wicked principle in their mind, did arise from the wicked practices of their lives. Whereas, it ought to be,

practice in pursuance of principle: but here it is, principle accommodate, and suitable to loofe and vile practice. And well might the pfalmift call these fools, because they are bold to controul the eternal and indifpenfible reafon of things, and venture to deny the difference between good and evil, upon a moral account. And certainly thefe, in a chriftian ftate, are horribly prodigious and monftrous, that fhall take up fuch principles; when the very philofophers, who had only the light of nature, have fo ftrongly vindicated the difference of things, upon a moral account. And, if mind and understanding in man, fignify any thing; or if a man know any thing in the world, by the natural ufe of his mind and understanding; he knows the difference of good and evil, upon a moral account. But many mens principles are vitiated and corrupted by the exorbitancy of their practice, and a vitiated fenfe is no true judge. But to fpeak home to the point, that men here live in a lie, and are under misapprehenfion, and led away with falfe appearances, that there is but little in the life of man that is fincere, and true: the fool hath faid to himself, that he had goods laid up for many years, and that his foul might now, eat drink, and be merry, Luke xii. 19. But v. 20. God faid unto him, thou fool, this night thy foul fhall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided. So Ifa. lvi. 12. we read of fome that fay, come let us fetch wine, and we will

But stay a

He that will

fill ourselves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. little; that is well, that ends well. make his reckoning of himself, and leave out God, he must reckon again. He that will make up his accounts by his own fancy, may put himself into a fool's paradife but things in the iffue will not answer his expectation, and supposition. This is

the calamity of us mortals; not that which is true, folid, real and substantial doth always take place ; but that which is imaginary doth take too great place in the life of man: not that which is honeft, right and good; but that which is pleasing and profitable or rather, not things of the mind, but matters of fenfe, do prevail upon many men. And that is the fecond thing: lefs of man is in this state, than in the other; because there is fo little of true judgment of things, and persons. But

3. Lefs of weal or woe, is in this ftate, than in the other; for men in this ftate do not fully reap the fruit of their own ways; they do not come to the proof of the bargain they have made. Here, men only triumph in their imaginations, because they think to carry the cause, and that things must be fo, because they would have them fo. But hereafter, there will be fad reflection, as you have this matter admirably expreffed in the book of Wisdom, V. I. &c. Then shall the righteous man stand in great baldness before the face of fuch as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they fee it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his falvation, fo far beyond

all

all that they looked for. And they repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themfelves, this was he whom we had fometimes in derifion, and a proverb of reproach. We fools, accounted his life madnefs, and his end to be without honour. How is he numbred among the children of God, and his lot is among the faints! Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not fbined unto us, and the fun of righteousness rose not upon us. We wearied ourselves in the way of wickednefs and deftruction; yea we have gone through deserts where there lay no way: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it. What hath pride profited us, or what good hath riches with our vaunting, brought us? All these things are passed away like a fhadow, and as a post that hasteth by. This was the representation that is happily made in this book, which fhews the fad and miferable condition that every finner will be in at the laft.

Whatsoever of good that is here begun, hereafter will be promoted, advanced, and perfected and the like may be faid of evil, for the backflider in heart fhall be filled with his own ways, Prov. xiv. 14. Every finner fooner or later fhall receive the fruit of their own doings. It is a most fignal place, that of the apostle, Rom. ii. 5.&c. wicked men are faid after their hard and impenitent heart, to treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds. To them wha by patient continuance in well doing, feek for glory, and bonour, and immortality, eternal life; but unto them

who