The ninth Duty that lies upon those who have been §9burnt up, is, to see the vanity, mutability and uncertainty of all worldly comforts and enjoyments, and accordingly to 1set loose from them, and to get their aff•ctions weaned from them. Behold in four days time, a glorious City is turned into a ruinous heap: and a little world of wealth is laid in ashes, and many hundreds of families almost reduced to beggary. And are not these loud Sermons of the vanity, mutability and uncertainty of all earthly things. That's good advice Solomon gives, Prov. 23. 4, 5. Labour not to be rich. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards 2heaven. All certainty that is in riches, is that they are uncertain. Riches, like bad servants, never stay long with one Master. Did not the Citizens of London see their riches flying away from them upon the wings of the fire, and of the wind, when their own and their neighbours habitations were all in flames. O Sirs, what certainty can there be in those things, which Balls of Fire, Storms at Sea, false Oaths, or treacherous friends, may in a few days, yea, in a day, an hour, deprive us off. God can soon clap a pair of wings upon all a man has in this world. And therefore he acts safest and wisest, who sits most loose from the things of the world. Riches are not for ever: and the Crown doth not 3endure to every generation. This Adonibezek, Belshazzar, and many other great Princes have found by experience, as Scripture and Histories do sufficiently testify. In all the Ages of the world the Testimony of Solomon holds good, Eccles. 1. 2. Vanity of vanity, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. The things of this world are not only vain, but vanity in the abstract. They are excessive vanity; ⟨p. 185⟩vanity of vanities: yea, they are a heap of vanity; vanity 4of vanities. And this the burnt Citizens have found by sad experience, the world is all shadow and vanity: its like Jonah's Gourd, a man may sit under its shadow for a while; but it soon withers, decays and dyes. He that shall bu• weigh mans pains with his pay, his miseries with his mercies; his sorrows with his joys, his crosses with his comforts, his wants with his enjoyments, &c. may well cry out, Oh the vanity and uncertainty of all these earthly things.
The ninth Duty that lyes upon those who have been §9burnt up, is, to see the vanity, mutability and uncertainty of all worldly comforts and enjoyments, and accordingly to 1set loose from them, and to get their aff•ctions weaned from them. Behold in four dayes time, a glorious City is turned into a ruinous heap: and a little world of wealth is laid in ashes, and many hundreds of families almost reduced to begga•y. And are not these loud Sermons of the vanity, mutability and uncertainty of all earthly things. Thats good advice Solomon gives, Prov. 23. 4, 5. Labour not to be rich. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards 2heaven. All certainty that is in riches, is that they are uncertain. Riches, like bad servants, never stay long with one Master. Did not the Citizens of London see their riches flying away from them upon the wings of the fire, and of the wind, when their own and their neighbours habitations were all in flames. O Sirs, what certainty can there be in those things, which Balls of Fire, Storms at Sea, false Oaths, or treacherous friends, may in a few dayes, yea, in a day, an hour, deprive us off. God can soon clap a pair of wings upon all a man has in this world. And therefore he acts safest and wisest, who sits most loose from the things of the world. Riches are not for ever: and the Crown doth not 3endure to every generation. This Adonibezek, Belshazzar, and many other great Princes have found by experience, as Scripture and Histories do sufficiently testifie. In all the Ages of the world the Testimony of Solomon holds good, Eccles. 1. 2. Vanity of vanity, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. The things of this world are not only vain, but vanity in the abstract. They are excessive vanity; ⟨p. 185⟩vanity of vanities: yea, they are a heap of vanity; vanity 4of vanities. And this the burnt Citizens have found by sad experience, the world is all shadow and vanity: its like Jonah's Gourd, a man may sit under its shadow for a while; but it soon withers, decayes and dyes. He that shall bu weigh mans pains with his pay, his miseries with his mercies; his sorrows with his joyes, his crosses with his comforts, his wants with his enjoyments, &c. may well cry out, Oh the vanity and ucertainty of all these earthly things.
- 11 Tim. 6. 17. 1 John 2. 17. Heb. 11. 25.
- 2He saith not, they take wing, but they make them, and not the wings of a Hawk, to fly away, and to come again to a mans Fist, but the wings of an Eagle to fly quite away.
- 3Prov. 27. 4.
- 4All in Heaven write vanity of vanities upon all sublunaries; and all in Hell write vanity of vanities upall sublunaries and why should not all on earth write vanity of vanities upon all subluminaries. 1 Kings 9. 13. Gen. 3.
