The divine life in three treatises

Remember then Christians, and still remember it, that Eternity is the matter of your Faith and Hope! Eternity is your portion and felicity! Eternity is the End of all your desires, and labours, and distresses! Eternity is your Religion, ⟨p. 35⟩and the Life of all your holy motions; and as without the Capacity of it, you would be but beasts, so without the Love and Desire of it, and title to it, you would be but wicked miserable men. Set not your hearts on transitory things, while you stand near unto Eternity. How can you have room for so many thoughts on fading things, when you have an Eternity to think on? what light can you see in the Candles or Glowworms of this world, in the Sunshine of Eternity? Oh remember when you are tempted to please your eyes, your taste, and sensual desires, that these are not Eternal pleasures! Remember when you are tempted for wealth or honour to wrong your souls, that these are not the Eternal riches! Houses and Lands are not Eternal! meats and drinks are not Eternal! sports and pastimes, and jocund sinful company are not Eternal! Alas, how short! how soon do they vanish into nothing! But it is God, and our dear Redeemer that are Eternal! The flower of beauty withereth with age, or by the nipping blast of a short disease; the honours of the world are but a dream; your graves will bury all its glory. Down comes the Prince, the Lord, the gallant, and suddenly takes his lodgings in the dust. The corps that was pampered and adorned yesterday, is a clod to day. The body that was bowed to, attended and applauded but the other day, is now interred in the vault of darkness, with worms and moles. To day it is corruption and a most loathsome thing, that lately was dreaming of an earthly happiness. One day he is striving for riches and preeminences, or glorying and rejoicing in them, that the next day may be snatched away to hell. O fix not your minds on fading things, that perish in the using, and by their vanishing mock you that set your hearts upon them. You will not fix your eye and mind upon every bird that flieth by you, as you will on the houses that you must dwell in: nor will you mind every passenger, as you will do your friends that still live with you. And shall transitory vanity be minded by you above Eternity?

Remember then Christians, and still remember it, that Eternity is the matter of your Faeith and Hope! Eternity is your portion and felicity! Eternity is the End of all your desires, and labours, and distresses! Eternity is your Religion, ⟨p. 35⟩