Obj. Aye, but they have wit, and memory, and parts, &c. Yet they are but as the flower of the grass, perhaps better than ordinary grass, ' but the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth.' What continueth then ? Oh, the word of the Lord, and comfort and gi-ace by that word, ' endures for ever,' 1 Pet. i. 25, and makes us endure for ever. This is excellently set down by the prophet David. We see there, the righteous man is compared to a tree planted by the water side, his leaf fails not, Ps. i. B. So a Chris- tian is planted in Christ, he is still on the gi-owing hand, and his leaf shall not wither : ' Those who ai'e planted in the house of the Lord, shall flomish
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in the courts of our God, they shall still brinf^ fniit in their old age, they shall be fat and flourishing, they shall gi'ow like a cedar in Lebanon,' Ps. xcii. 13.
Use 1^ This clear difference should stir us up to be comforted in our con- dition^ which is firm and stable. Wliy do we value crystal above glass ? Because it is brighter, and of more continuance. Why do we value con- tinuing things ? inheritance above annuities ? Because they continue. If by the strength of our discourse, we value things answerable to their last- ing, why should we not value the best things ? Our estate in grace, this is a lasting condition : for a Christian is like a cedar that is rooted, and takes deeper and deeper root, and never leaves growing till he grow to heaven. ' He shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon.'
Use 2. Again, let all them make use of it, that find not the worh of grace upon their hearts. Oh ! let them consider what a fading condition they are in. They think they can do great matters. Perhaps they have a destructive power. They labour to do mischief, to crush whom they will in this world. But what is all this '? We see what the psalmist saith of a Doeg, a cursed man, who had a destroying power. ' "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, 0 mighty man ? the goodness of God endureth continually,' Ps. Hi. 1. Why boastest thou thyself, that thou canst do mischief and overturn God's people ? &c. Know this, that the good will of God continues. Boast not thyself ; thy tongue deviseth mischief, as a sharp razor ; God shall destroy thee for ever. Ho shall cast thee away and pull thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living. Those men that rejoice in a destructive power, in their ability to do mischief, and exercising of that ability all they can, they shall be plucked out of their place, and rooted out of the land of the living. And as it is in Job, they shall be hurled away as a man hurls a stone out of a sling, Job. xxvii. 21. Then what shall the righteous say ? They shall see and fear, and say, ' Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in wickedness,' Ps. Hi. 7. He thought to root him- self so fast, that he should never be removed ; but at the last it shall come to pass, that all that see him shall say, ' Lo, see what is become of him ! this is the man that trusted in his riches, and made not God his strength.' What is become of him ? Saith David of himself, ' I am like a green oHve tree in the house of God ; I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever,' Ps. Hi. 8. Let them trust, if they will, in riches, power, strength, and favour with Saul and great men ; yet notwithstanding, be Doeg what he ■will, ' I shall be a gi'een olive planted in the house of God,' &c.
So here is a double use the Scriptm-e makes of these things. 1. The godly man rejoiceth in his condition ; and 2, Other men fear and grow wise, not to trust to their fading condition. They are, as the prophet speaks, ' as a bay tree,' Ps. xxxvii. 35, that flourishes for a time, and then after come to nothing, ' their place is nowhere found.' They keep a great deal of do in the world for a time, but afterwards, where is such an one ? Their place is nowhere found, nowhere comfortably. They have a place in hell, but comfortably a place nowhere. This is the estate of all those who have not a good root. For, saith Christ, ' Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up,' Mat. xv. 13. It is true of every condition, and of eveiy man, if God have not planted him in that excellent state, or do not in time, he shall be rooted up. For the time wiU come that the earth will hold him no longer. He roots himself now in the earth, which then shall cast him out. Ho cannot stay here long. Heaven
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