wallow in the dung and orduie of his carnal pleasures, and wish himself for ever shut up with his swill in the hog's sty of this dunghill eartli, rather than leave these to dwell in heaven's palace, and be admitted to no meaner plea- sures tlian what God himself with his saints enjoys. It were even just if (iod gave sucli brutes as these a swine's face to their swinish hearts: but, alas! how few then should we meet that woxdd have the countenance of a man ! the greatest part of the world, even all that are carnal and worldly, being of the same mind, though not so impudent as that wretch, to speak what they think. The lives of men tell plain enough that they say in their hearts. It is good being here; that they wish they coidd build tabernacles on earth for all the mansions that are prepared in heaven. The ti-ansgression of the wicked said in David's heart, that ' the fear of God was not before them,' Psa. xxxvi. 1. And may not the worldliness of a muckworm say in the heart of any rational man, that heaven and heavenly excellences are not before their eyes or thoughts? Oh, what a deep silence is there concerning these in the conversations of men I Heaven is such a stranger to the most, that very few are heard to inquire the way thither, or so much as ask the question in earnest, what they shall do to be saved. The most express no more desires of attaining heaven, than those blessed soids now in heaven do of corning again to dwell on earth ; alas ! their heads are full of other projects ; they are either as Israel, scattered over the face of the earth to gather straw, or busied to pick that straw they have gathered ; labouring to get the world, or pleasing themselves with what they have got. So that it is no more than needs to use some argimients to call men off the world to the pursuit of heaven, and what is heavenly.
First, For earthly things, it is not necessary that thou hast them ; that is necessary which cannot be supplied per vicm-ium, with somewhat besides itself. Now, there is no such earthly enjoyment, but may be so supplied, as to make its room more desirable than its company. In heaven there shall be light, and no sun; a rich feast, and yet no meat; glorious robes, and yet no clothes; there shall want nothing, and yet none of this worldly glory be found there ; j'ea, even while we are here, they may be recompensed : thou mayest be under infirmities of body, and yet better than if thou hadst health : ' The inhabitants shall not say, I am sick ; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity,' Isa. xxxiii. 34. Thou mayest miss of worldly honoin-, and obtain, with those worthies of Christ, Heb. xi., a good report by faith ; arid that is a name better than of the great ones of the earth ; thou mayest be poor in the world, and yet rich in grace; and ' godliness with content is great gain.' In a word, if thou partest with thy temporal life, and findest an eternal, what dost thou lose by thy change ? But heaven and heavenly things are such as cannot be recompensed with any other. Thou hast a heavenly soul in thy bosom ; lose that, and where canst thou have another? There is but one heaven; miss that, and where can you take up your lodging but in hell? One Christ that can lead you thither; reject him, ' and there remains no more sacrifice for sin.' O that men would think on these things! Go, sinner, to the world, and see what it can afford you in lieu of these ; may be it will offer to entertain you with its plea- sures and delights : O poor reward for the loss of Christ and heaven ! Is this all thou canst get? Doth Satan rob thee of heaven and happiness, and only give thee this nosegay to smell on as thou art going to thy execution 1 Will these quench hell-fire, or so much as cool those flames thou art falling into? Who but those that have perverted their understandings, woidd take these toys and new- nothings for Christ and heaven? While Satan is pleasing your fancies with these rattles and baubles, his hand is in your treasure, robbing you of that which is alone necessary : it is more necessary to be saved than to be ; better not to be, than to have a being in hell.
Secondly, Earthly things are such, as it is a great uncertainty whether with all our labour we can have them or not. The world, though so many thousand years old, hath not learned the merchant such a method of trading, as that from it he may infallil)ly conclude he sliall at last get an estate by his trade ; nor the courtier such rules of comporting himself to the humour of his prince, as to assure him he shall rise. They are but few that carry away the prize in the world's lottery ; the greater niunber have only their labour for their pains, and a sorrowful remembrance left them of their egregious folly, to be led such
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