The hope of the Saints for the present is as the cork to the ⟨p. 66⟩net that keeps it from sinking to the bottom; though they may be in the water, and the lead of troubles and afflictions may weigh them down, yet their hope keeps them above water; they have great hopes, and they have that which makes their hopes substantial; for their faith is the substance of things hoped for. And that is the second thing I now come to: Carnal hearts think there is no substantial real excellency in any thing, but in the outward excellencies of the world; they think that money, Lands, honours, the pleasures and delights of the flesh, have substance in them; and that there is something of reality in these: Now I beseech you, observe the difference between the judgement of the holy Ghost, and the judgement of a carnal heart: whereas a carnal heart looks upon outward things as the only substantial things, (therefore you call your rich men substantial men: and so the Scripture, speaking in the language of men, calls a mans estate his substance, because men count their estate here their substance,) now the holy Ghost accounts all those things that the world looks upon as substances, to be but mere conceits: and those things that the world accounts conceits, to be substances: (and those that judge according to the judgement of the holy Ghost, do the like.) For the first, you know St. John reckons all things in the world in three ranks; either such as are profits, pleasures, or honours: the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life, and the delights of the eye: now for those things that the world counts their greatest substance, their estates, and riches, mark how the holy Ghost thinks of them, Prov. 23. 4, 5. Labour not to be rich, cease from thine own wisdom: wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? That which you call your substance, the holy Ghost says, it is not, it hath not being at all. Well, but honours and preferments have somewhat in them. Nay, they have nothing in them neither. Acts 25. 23. tis said, Agrippa and Bernice came in great pomp to the judgement seat, glittering in their brave apparel; but the word translated great pomp, is, they came with much fancy: what greater honour is there then for Princes to come in their robes upon the judgement-seat, glittering before the eyes of their subjects? thus did they:
The hope of the Saints for the present is as the corke to the ⟨p. 66⟩net that keeps it from sinking to the bottome; though they may be in the water, and the lead of troubles and afflictions may weigh them down, yet their hope keeps them above water; they have great hopes, and they have that which makes their hopes substantiall; for their faith is the substance of things hoped for. And that is the second thing I now come to: Carnall hearts think there is no substantiall reall excellency in any thing, but in the outward excellencies of the world; they think that money, Lands, honours, the pleasures and delights of the flesh, have substance in them; and that there is something of reallity in these: Now I beseech you, observe the difference between the judgement of the holy Ghost, and the judgement of a carnall heart: whereas a carnall heart looks upon outward things as the onely substantiall things, (therefore you call your rich men substantiall men: and so the Scripture, speaking in the language of men, calls a mans estate his substance, because men count their estate here their substance,) now the holy Ghost accounts all those things that the world lookes upon as substances, to be but meer conceits: and those things that the world accounts conceits, to be substances: (and those that judge according to the judgement of the holy Ghost, doe the like.) For the first, you know St. John reckons all things in the world in three ranks; either such as are profits, pleasures, or honours: the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life, and the delights of the eye: now for those things that the world counts their greatest substance, their estates, and riches, marke how the holy Ghost thinks of them, Prov. 23. 4, 5. Labour not to be rich, cease from thine own wisdome: wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? That which you call your substance, the holy Ghost sayes, it is not, it hath not being at all. Well, but honours and preferments have somewhat in them. Nay, they have nothing in them neither. Acts 25. 23. tis said, Agrippa and Bernice came in great pompe to the judgement seat, glittering in their brave apparell; but the word translated great pompe, is, they came with much fancy: what greater honour is there then for Princes to come in their robes upon the judgement-seat, glittering before the eyes of their subjects? thus did they:
