Life eternalLife eternall

Use 5 If this be so, then unchangeableness is an excellency in him:¹ for all his Attributes are exceeding excellent. Then if thou wouldest judge of any thing in the world, thou must take this as a measure by which thou mayest prize and esteem ⟨p. 107⟩it: look how changeable it is, so much the worse it is; if it be good, the more immutable, the better it is, for all changeableness cometh from weakness. Therefore learn to value it so: and you shall find this of much use. As we may see in the heavens: it is said that they are vain, because they wax old as doth a garment, but thou art the same, Psal. 102.26, 27. Go through every thing glorious in the world, glorious Churches, they are subject to change; as Jerusalem, the glory of all the earth, it is ruinated, and brought nothing. Take men that are most eminent, yet because they are subject to change, by death or by passions, there is an unevenness in them: though they live here like Gods in their glory. Therefore magnify no man, but labour to be persuaded of thy self, as a man. I need not speak to you of riches, they take to themselves wings and fly away; nor of credit and honour, they are in the power of them that give them: whatsoever is changeable, according to the mutability of it, so value it. But I press the contrary. Look upon the things that are not changeable, and labour to prize them. Thou shalt find saving grace to be unchangeable, though it may be impaired in degree, and may recoil to the root, and may not bud forth as at other times, yet it is unchangeable, it shall never be taken away: So spiritual life is unchangeable, when that begins, then the other shakes off, even as old nails do; when new grow under them: therefore this should ⟨p. 108⟩teach us to value it much.

Vse 5 If this be so, then unchangeablenesse is an excellency in him:¹ for all his Attributes are exceeding excellent. Then if thou wouldest judge of any thing in the world, thou must take this as a measure by which thou maist prize and esteeme