his Eftate, upon the next Year's Incomes | Hand to prevent, it is not only irreligi before it come, begins to fpend upon it, ous, as contrary to our Saviour's Com before it come itself, and then, when it mand, Mat. vi. but unreasonable alfo; comes, it cannot fuffice itself; fo the in-as that which even Nature condemns: fatiable and indigent Heart of Man cannot Take not Tbought for Tomorrow; and fubfift and feed its Joy in Complacency fo, by confequent, Boaft not of To-morupon the whole World, if it were pre- row: And there's one Argument from fently in its Poffeffion, without fome the Vanity of fuch Affections, Thou canst Acceffion of Hopes and Expectations not make one Hair black, nor add one for the Time to come. Therefore the Cubit to thy Stature, &c. To what Soul, as it were, anticipates and foreftalls Purpose then are either thefe Vexations the Morrow, and borrows fo much pre- or Gloriations, which cannot prevent Efent Joy and Boafting upon the Head of vil, nor procure Good? Why should our it, which, when it comes itself, perhaps Affections depend upon other Motions? it will not fill the Hand of the Reaper, This makes a Man the greatest Slave let be pay for that Debt of Gloriation and Captive, fo that he hath not the Dothat was taken on upon its Name, or minion and Power of himself. But the compense the Expectation was in it. See Vanity of fuch Affections is the more enJob xi. 18, 20. and viii. 13. Hope is creafed, if we confider that Supreme Elike a Man's House to him, but to many ternal Will, by which all thefe Things it is no better than a Spider's Web. We are determined; and therefore, it is have then a clear Demonftration of the in vain for Creatures to make themselves Madness and Folly of Men, who hang more miserable, or put themselves in a fo much upon Things without, and fuffer Fool's Paradife, which will produce themselves to be moulded and modelled more Mifery afterwards, and that in their Affections, according to the Va- for thefe Things, which are bound up in riety of external Accidents. First of all, that fatal Chain of his eternal Purpose. confider the Independence of all Things Then in the next Place, the Folly of upon us and our Choice; there is no- Men appears from the Inconftancy of thing more unreasonable than to ftir our thefe Things; there is such an infinite Paffions upon that which falls not under Variety of the Accidents of Providence, our Deliberation, as the moft Part of that it is Folly for a Man to presume to Things to come are. What fhall be boaft of any Thing, or take ComplacenTo-morrow, what shall come of my E- cy in it, becaufe many Things fall beftate, of my Places; what Event my tween the Cup and the Lip, the Chalice Projects and Defigns fhall have, this is and the Chin, as the Proverb is. There not in my Hand; thefe depend upon is nothing certain, but that all Things other Mens Wills, Purposes and Actions, are uncertain, that all Things are fubject which are not in my Power: And thereto perpetual Motion, Revolution and fore, either to boaft or glory upon that Change; To-day a City; To-morrow a which depends upon the Concurrence of Heap. And there is nothing between a fo many Caufes unfubordinate to me, or great City and a Heap but one Day; noto be vexed and difquieted upon the Fore- thing between a Man and no Man but apprehenfion of that which is not in my one Hour: Our Life is fubject to infinite Cafu Cafualities; it may receive the fatal Stroke from the meanest Thing, and moft unexpected; it is a Bubble Alotting upon the Water; for this World is a watery Element, in continual Motion with Storms, and in thefe, fo many poor dying Creatures rife up, and fwim and float a while, and are toffed up and down by the Wind and Wave, and the leaft Puff of Wind, or Drop of Rain, fends it back to its own Element: We are a Vapour appearing for a very little Time, a Creature of no Solidity, a Dream, a Shadow and Appearance of fomething; and this Dream or Apparition is but for a little Time, and then it evanifheth, not so much into nothing, for it was little diftant from nothing before, but it dif appears rather. All human Affairs are like the Spaiks of a Wheel, in fuch a continual Circumgiration, as a captive King who was drawing Sefoftris's Chariot, faid, when he was looking often behind him, the King of Egypt, Sefoftris, demanded, for what End did he look fo often about him? Says he, I am looking to the Wheel, mufing upon the Viciffitudes and Permutations of it, how the highest Parts are inftantly the loweft; and this Word repreffed the King's vain Glory. Now, in this conftant wheeling of outward Things, which is the Soul that enjoys true Quiet and Peace, even that Soul that is fixed, as it were in the -Center upon God, that hath its Abode in him; tho' the Parts without be in a continual violent Motion, yet the Center of the Wheel is at much Peace, is not violently turged, but gently complies to the Changes of the other. And then confider the Madness of this, Thou knowest not, &c. There are two Reafons in the Things themselves, Inconftancy, and Independency on us; but this is as preffing as any, our Ignorance of them; they are wholly in the Dark to us, as it were in the lower Parts of the Earth. As there is no more in our Power, but the prefent Hour; for to Yefterday we are dead already, for it is paft and cannot return, it is as it were buried in the Grave of Oblivion; and To-moorow, we are not yet born, for it is not come to the Light, and we know not if ever it will come; so there is no more in our Knowledge, but the. prefent Hour. The Time pait, tho' we remember it, yet it is without our practical Knowledge, it admits of no Refor mation by it: And the Time to come, it is not born to us, and 'tis all one as if we were not born to it. And indeed, in the Lord's difpofing of all Affairs under the Sun, after this Method, there is infinite Wisdom and Goodness both, tho at the first View, Men would think it better, that all Things went on after an uniform Manner, and that Men knew what were to befal them; yet I say, God hath herein provided for his own Glory and the Good of Men: His own Glory, while he hath referved to himfelf, the abfolute Dominion, and perfect Knowledge of his Works, and exercises them in fo great Variety, that they may be feen to proceed from him; and for our Good, for what Place were there for the Exercise of many Christian Virtues and Graces, if it were not fo? What Place for Patience, if there were no crofs Difpenfations? What Place for Moderation, if there were no Prosperity? If there were not fuch Variety and Vicif fitude, how should the Evennefs and Conftancy of the Spirit be known? Where fhould Contentment and Tranquility of Mind have Place? For it is a Calm in a Storm properly, not a Calm in a Calm, Calm, that is no Virtue. If the feveral Accidents of Providence were foreseen by us, what a marvelous. Perturbation and Disorder would it make in our Duty? Who would do his Duty out of Confcience to God's Command, to commit Events to him? Now, there is the Trial of Obedience, to make us go by a Way we know not, and refign ourselves to the all-feeing Providence, whofe Eyes run too and fro throughout the Earth. Therefore, that no Grace may want Matter and Occafion of Exercife; that no Virtue may die out for Want of Fewel, or ruft for lack of Exercife, God hath thus ordered and difpofed the World. There is no Condition, no Pofture of Affairs, in which he hath not left a fair Opportunity, for the exercifing of fome Grace. Hath he fhut up and precluded the acting of one or many through Af. Aliction, then surely he hath opened a wide Door, and given large Matter for Self-denial, Humility, Patience, Moderation; and these are as precious, as any that look faireft. In a Word, I think the very Frame and Method of the difpofing of this material World, speaks aloud to this Purpose. You fee, when you look below, there is nothing feen but the Outside of the Earth, the very Surface of it only appears, and there your Sight is terminated; but fook above, and there is no Termination, no Bounding of the Sight, there are infinite Spaces, all are transparent and clear without and within. Now, what may this prefent unto us? One fays, it fhews us that, our Affections fhould be fet upon Things above, and not on Things below, seeing below there is nothing but an outward Appearance and Surface of Things, the Glory and Beauty of the Earth is but Skin deep; but heavenly Things are alike throughout all tranf parent, nothing to fet Bounds to the Affections, they are infinite, and you may enlarge infinitely towards them. I add this other Confideration, that God hath made all Things in Time, dark and opake, like the Earth: Look to them, you fee only the Outfide of them, the prefent Hour, and what is beyond it you know no more than you fee the Bowels of the Earth: But Eternity is both Tranf parent and Confpicuous throughout, and infinite too. Therefore God hath made us blind to the one, that we should not fet our Heart, nor terminate our Eyes upon any Thing here; but he hath opened and fpread Eternity before us in the Scriptures, so that you may read and underitand your Fortune, your everlasting Eftate in it. He hath fhut up temporal Things and fealed them, and wills us to live implicitely, and give him the Truft of them without anxious Forefight; but Eternity he hath unvailed and opened unto us. Certain it is, that no Man till he be fully poffeffed of God, who is an all-fufficient Good, Pfal. iv. can find any Satisfaction in any present Enjoyment, without the Addition of fome Hope for the future. Great Things without it will not content; for what is it all to a Man, if he have no Af-` furance for the Time to come, and mean Things with it will content. Great Things with little Hope and Expectation, fill with more Vexation instead of Joy; and the greater they be, this is the more increased. Again, mean and low Things, with great Hopes and large Expectations, will give more Satisfaction; therefore, all Mankind have a Look towards the Morrow, and labour to fupply their prefent Defects and Wants, with Hope or Confidence of that. I would exhort you Yyy who a who would indeed have folid Matter of 16, 17, 18, 19. O! a Charge worthy Gloriation, and would not be befooled to be engraven on the Tables of our into a golden Dream of vain Expectati- Hearts; worthy to be written on the ons of vain Things, that ye would la- Ports of all Cities, and the Gates of all bour to fill up the Vacuities of prefent Palaces. You would all have a Foun Things, with that great Hope, the Hope dation of lafting Joy, "fays he; but why of Salvation, which will be as an Helmet feek you lafting Joy in fading Things? to keep your Head fafe in all Difficulties, and certai Joy in uncertain Riches, and 1 Pet. i. 3. Heb. vi 18, 19. Rom. v. folid Contentment in empty Things, and 5. It is true, other Mens Expectations not rather in the living God, who is the of Gain and Credit, and fuch Things, inexhaufted Spring of all good Things? do in fome Measure, abate the Torment Therefore, if you would truly boaft of and Pain of prefent Wants and Indi-To-morrow, or fing a folid Requiem gencies: But certain it is, that fuch Hope to your own Hearts, there is another is not fo fovereign a Cordial to the Heart, Treasure to be laid up in Store against as to expel all Grief, but leaves much the Time to come; the Time only worVexation within; but then alfo, the fre- thy to be called Time, that is Eternity; quent Difappointment of fuch Projects and that is, ftudy to do Good, and be and Defigns of Gain, Honour and Plea-rich in good Works, in Works of Piety, fure, and the extreme Unanswerableness of these to the Defires and Hopes of the Soul, even when attained, muft needs breed infinite more Anxiety and Vexation in the Spirit, than the Hope of them could give of Satisfaction; yea, the more the Expectation was, it cannot choofe, but the greater Shame and Confufion muft be. Therefore, if you would have your Souls truly established, and not hanging upon the Morrow uncertainly, as the most Part of Men are, get a Look beyond the Morrow, unto that ever-Even like that of the Fools in the Palafting Day of Eternity, that hath no Morrow after it; And fee what Foundation you can lay up for that Time to come, as Paul bids Timothy counfel the rich Men in the World, who thought their Riches and Revenues, their Offices and Dignities, a Foundation and Well-fpring of Contentment to them and their Children, and are ready to fay with that Man in the Parable, Soul take thy Reft, thou baft enough laid up for many Years. Charge them, (lays he), &c. Tim. vi. of Mercy, of Equity, of Sobriety. This is a better Foundation, for the Time to come; or, rather receive and embrace the Promife of eternal Life, made to fuch, that free and gracious Promife of Life in the Gofpel; and fo you may fupply all the Wants and Indigencies of your prefent Enjoyments, with the precious Hope of eternal Life which cannot make afhamed. But what is the Way that the most Part of Men take to mitigate and fweeten their present Hardships? rable, Luke xii. They either have fome. thing laid up for many Years, or elfe their Projects and Designs reach to many Years: The Truth is, they have more Pleasure in the Expectation of fuch Things, nor in the real Poffeffion, but that Pleafure is but imaginary either. How many Thoughts and Designs are continually turning in the Heart of Man, how to be rich, how to get greater Gain, or more Credit :-Men build Catles in the Air, and fancy to themselves, as it were, were, new Worlds of meer poffible Beings; and in fuch an Employment of the Heart, there is fome poor deceiving of prefent Sorrows, but at length they recur with greater Violence. Every Man makes Romances for himself, pretty Fancies of his own Fortune, as if he had the difpofing of it himself; he fits down, as it were, and writes an Almanack and Prognoftication in his own fecret Thoughts, and designs his own Profperity, Gain and Advantage, and Pleasures or Joys; and when we have thus ranked our Hopes and Expectation, then we begin to take Complacency in them, and boaft ourselves in the Confidence of them, as if there were not a fupreme Lord who gives a Law to our Affairs, as immediately, as to the Winds and Rains. Now, that you may know the Folly of this, confider the Reason which is fubjoined, For thou knoweft not what a Day may bring forth. There is a ConThere is a Concurrence of Inconftancy in all Things, and Ignorance in us, which might be fufficient to check our Folly of confi dent and prefumptuous Expectation from them, and Gloriation in them: So that, whether we look about us to the Things themselves, or within us to ourselves, all Things proclaim the Folly and Madnefs of that which the Heart of Man is fet upon. And this double Confideration the Apostle James opposes to the vain Hopes and confident Undertakings of Men, Chap. iv. 13. &c. Which Place is a perfect Commentary upon this Text: He brings in an Inftance of the Refolutions and Purposes of rich Men, for the compaffing of Gain by Merchandise, whereby you may understand all the feveral Designs and Plots of Men, that are contrived and ordered, and laid down in the Hearts of Men, either for more Gain, or more Glory, or more Pleasure and Eafe. Now, the grand Evil that is here reproved, is not fimply Mens Care and Diligence in ufing lawful Means for their Accommodation in this Life, or yet their wife and prudent Forefight in ordering of their Affairs for attaining that End, for both these are frequently recommended and commended by the wife Man, Prov. vi. 6. and xxiv 27. But here is the great Iniquity, that Men in all thefe Contrivings and Actings, carry themselves as if they were abfolute Independents, without Confideration of the fovereign univerfal Dominion of God. No Man almoft reflects upon that glorious Being, which alone hath the negative and definitive Sentence in all the Motions and Affairs of the Sons of Men, or confiders, that it is not in Man that walks to direct his Paths; that when all our Thoughts and Defigns are mar-fhalled and ordered, and the completeft Preparation made for reaching our intended Ends, that yet the Way of Man is not in himself, that all these Things are under a higher and more abfolute Dominion of the most high God. Whofe Heart doth that often found unto? A Man's Heart deviseth bis Way, but the Lord directs his Steps: And fo is not bound by any Rule to conform his Executions to our Intentions; for he works all according to the Counsel of his own Will, and not ours; and therefore, no Wonder that the Product of our Actions do not anfwer our Intentions and Devices, because the fupreme Rule and Measure of them is above our Power, and without our Knowledge. And therefore, tho' there were never so many Devices in the Heart of Man, never fo wifely or lawfully contrived and ordered; Y y y 2 tho' |