Answ. No: for whosoever you are that speak, or think thus; Do you know what the burden of Prosperity is? You see a Town sometimes upon the side of a Hill, and you say, what a fine Town is there, what pleasant Meadows are about it, what excellent Woods, what clean Ways unto it: Thus you speak at a distance: But when you draw near unto this Town, and go through some of the Lanes, you find them very dirty, and then you say, I did not think at a distance, that there had been such a dirty Lane about this Town; I saw nothing but fine, and clean Meadows when I was at a distance, I did not think there had been such dirty passages to it. So, when you look upon Prosperity at a distance, you think there is no dirty Lanes, no foul Passages to it, and from it; but when you come near unto it, then you find many a dirty passage, and you say, O! what dirty sloughs are here? The Truth is, the more Prosperous (I speak now of outward Prosperity) a mans Condition is, the more opportunities he hath, of doing, and receiving good. But if you look into Numbers, 4. you shall find, That every opportunity of Service carries a burden with it; and therefore the Service of the Levites, is often, and in many verses of the Chapter, called a burden: I will name but one, which is the last; According to the Commandment of the Lord, they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his Service, and according to his Burden: Service, and Burden, do here go together; Burden, and Service; Service, and Burden. And now poor soul, is it a burden to you, that you are freed from a burden? hath not our Lord and Saviour Christ said, and do you not find it in Experience, That the poor receive the Gospel? is not a living Sprig of a Tree, better than a dead Arm? The poor Hen (you know) so long as she lives, is upon the Dunghill, and there she is scraping, and picking up her living; but when she is dead, then she is brought unto the Masters Table. The Hawk on the contrary, while he is living, is carried upon the Fist, and upon the Arm, and hath good flesh, and provision made for him, and a house to sit in; but when the Hawk dieth, then he is thrown out unto the Dunghill. So in this case; so long as a poor, godly man is living here, it may be he is upon the Dunghill, and picking up his living, a little, and a little; but when he dieth, then he is brought into his Masters presence.
Answ. No: for whosoever you are that speak, or think thus; Do you know what the burden of Prosperity is? You see a Town somtimes upon the side of a Hill, and you say, what a fine Town is there, what pleasant Meadows are about it, what excellent Woods, what clean Waies unto it: Thus you speak at a distance: But when you draw neer unto this Town, and go through some of the Lanes, you find them very dirty, and then you say, I did not think at a distance, that there had been such a dirty Lane about this Town; I saw nothing but fine, and clean Meadows when I was at a distance, I did not think there had been such dirty passages to it. So, when you look upon Prosperity at a distance, you think there is no dirty Lanes, no foul Passages to it, and from it; but when you come neer unto it, then you find many a dirty passage, and you say, O! what dirty sloughs are here? The Truth is, the more Prosperous (I speak now of outward Prosperity) a mans Condition is, the more opportunities he hath, of doing, and receiving good. But if you look into Numbers, 4. you shal find, That every opportunity of Service carries a burden with it; and therefore the Service of the Levites, is often, and in many verses of the Chapter, called a burden: I wil name but one, which is the last; According to the Commandement of the Lord, they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his Service, and according to his Burden: Service, and Burden, do here go together; Burden, and Service; Service, and Burden. And now poor soul, is it a burden to you, that you are freed from a burden? hath not our Lord and Savior Christ said, and do you not find it in Experience, That the poor receive the Gospel? is not a living Sprig of a Tree, better than a dead Arm? The poor Hen (you know) so long as she lives, is upon the Dunghil, and there she is scraping, and picking up her living; but when she is dead, then she is brought unto the Masters Table. The Hawk on the contrary, while he is living, is carryed upon the Fist, and upon the Arm, and hath good flesh, and provision made for him, and a house to sit in; but when the Hawk dieth, then he is thrown out unto the Dunghil. So in this case; so long as a poor, godly man is living here, it may be he is upon the Dunghil, and picking up his living, a little, and a little; but when he dieth, then he is brought into his Masters presence.
