Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

It was a heavy charge that S. James, cap. 5. laid upon some, that they lived in pleasure upon earth: as if he should have said, earth is not the place for pleasure; this is the place of sorrow, of trouble, of mourning, of affliction. Thus Abraham charged Dives, In your life time, says he, you had your pleasure: the emphasis lies there, in your life time, that should not ¹have been the time: let us take heed we be not too hasty in seeking our rest, our pleasure and delight; we may perhaps have a little for the while to the flesh, and because we will not be content with that ⟨p. 62⟩condition that God hath appointed for his people, here we may lose our parts in that glorious eternal ²rest which God hath prepared for his people hereafter. Seek for that which ye do, namely for rest, but do not seek for it where ye do: if we seek our rest in this world, notwithstanding we meet with so many troubles in it, what would we do if the Lord should let us prosper? Behold (saith an Ancient) the world is troublesome, and yet it is loved, what would it be if it were peaceable? you embrace it though it be filthy, what would you do if it were beautiful? you cannot keep your hands from the thorns, how earnest would you be then in gathering the flowers?

1. 1Quaerite quod quaeritis, sed non ubi quaeritis. August. Confess l. 4Quaerite quod quaeritis, sed non ubi quaeritis. August. Confes l. 4
2. 2Ecce, turbatus mun dus, & amatur; quid si tranquillus esset? Formoso quomodo haereris, qui sic amplecteris foedum? flores ejus quomodo colligeres, qui à spinis non revocas manum?

Secondly, hence it appears, that prosperity is not always a sign of love and favour from God. Rome makes it a note of the true Church: if that were so,