A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse…

Thirdly, it is [Greek or Hebrew], an inheritance ¹that fadeth not away. A Metaphor taken from flowers, the beauty of flowers, and the sweetness of flowers withers in a moment, and is quickly gone, and then they are good for nothing, but to be cast upon the dunghill: So it is with all Earthly inheritances, they soon lose their glory and fragrancy. Where is the glory of the Chaldean, ²Persian, Grecian and Roman Kingdoms? Sic transit gloria Mundi, hath been long since written upon them all; ³yea all the glory of the world is like the flower of the field, that soon fadeth away; How many great Men, and great Kingdoms have for a time shined in great glory, even like so many Suns in the Firmament, but are now vanished away, like so many blazing Comets! How hath the Moon of great Mens honours been eclipsed at the full and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon! How soon is the Courtiers glory eclipsed, if his Prince do but frown upon him, and how soon does the Prince ⟨p. 106⟩become a peasant, if God does but frown upon him! The Greek word (Amarantos) say some, is the proper name of a flower, which is still fresh and green, after it hath hung up in the house a long time. It is, as if the Apostle had said, Your incorruptible Crown shall be garnished or adorned with the precious flower (Amarantos) which is always fresh, and green, and flourishing; And indeed this is the excellency of the Heavenly inheritance, that it fadeth not away, that it is a flower that never withereth; all the glory of that upper-world is like God himself lasting, yea everlasting. This never fading Crown is like the flower we call Semper vivens, it keeps always fresh and splendent; the glory of Believers shall never fade, nor wither it shall never grow old nor rusty. Thrice happy are those souls, that have a share in this incorruptible Crown. When Alexander heard the Philosophers discourse of another World, in which he had no part, he ⁴wept, to speak with the Apostle, as one without hope. None on earth have such cause to weep, as those that have no interest in that inheritance that fadeth not away. But,