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

Thirdly, there is another worm, and that is the particular curse that we bring upon the creatures, by our own proper sins, as especially when we set our hearts upon any fading transitory things below: all things in the world are subject to vanity by the general curse, but the particular curse makes them more vain: and shall we think to satisfy our selves in the things of the world, that have these three worms, feeding upon them continually, to eat out the strength of them?

Thirdly, there is another worm, and that is the particular curse that we bring upon the creatures, by our own proper sins, as especially when we set our hearts upon any fading transitory things below: all things in the world are subject to vanity by the general curse, but the particular curse makes them more vain: and shall we think to satisfie our selves in the things of the world, that have these three worms, feeding upon them continually, to eat out the strength of them?

What are your hearts upon? I urge it upon you as in the name of God, and answer in your secret thoughts, What are your hearts upon? either upon ¹things that are for a season, or eternal? Things that are eternal, you look upon them as high notional things, that never took up your thoughts much: but to go into company, and eat, and drink, and laugh, and get money; these are the things that are but ²for a season, and these your hearts close with, and bless themselves in. What are become of all those that have had as great dealings, and as many merry meetings as you, and have satisfied the flesh as much as you? they are gone, rotten in their graves, and their souls it may be crying under the wrath of an infinite God, and all their bravery and delight at an end; would you be in their condition? It is a good observation of Abulensis, to show to us the vanity of all worldly excellency, that those who have been the most glorious, in what man accounts glorious and excellent, have had inglorious ends, by which their glory hath been stained; and thereby our hearts might be taken off from such things, and set upon those things which are so glorious as they will make us for ever glorious. He instances in Sampson for strength, and yet what a contemptible end had he? So Absalom for beauty; Ahithophel for policy; Asael for swiftness; Alexander for great conquests, and yet after twelve years poisoned. He instances likewise in Kingdoms; the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, Roman, how soon were they gone? It is a notable speech Augustine hath: Go, (says he) and mark and attend the Sepulchres of rich men, and when you see their rotten bones, consider who they