Death is an everlasting banishment from the world, I shall go• whence I shall not return. This may lie very sad upon their spirits,1 who have not a better place then the world to go to, when they go from the world. To go whence we shall never return, and yet where we cannot endure to be a moment, is deepest misery: Such a man cannot choose but set out with a sad heart. And that's the reason why wicked men, whose consciences are awakened, go so unwillingly to this sleep, they know whither they are going, only they know they cannot return. Make ye friends ('tis Christs counsel) of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations (Luk. 10.9.) Mammon of unrighteousness, that is, say most Interpreters, Mammon gotten unrighteously; but surely Christ would not teach any to make men our friends, by that which makes God our enemy.2 They translate better, who render it, Make ye friends of the false or unfaithful Mammon, that is, of that Mammon which will deceive and leave you shortly, therefore make you friends of it, while you have it; that when ye fail, that is, when you die or go out of the world, they may receive you, that is, ye may be received into everlasting habitations; leave not this habitation, till ye have got interest in a better. The Saints arm themselves against death by this argument, We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hand, eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5.1.) We know there is no return to buildings made with hands, we must leave our houses for ever, our lands for ever, and our relations for ever, but we are assured of a building of God, an house not made with hand, eternal in the heavens. This supported their hearts, when their earthly houses were falling.
Death is an everlasting banishment from the world, I shall go• whence I shall not return. This may lie very sad upon their spirits,1 who have not a better place then the world to go to, when they go from the world. To go whence we shall never return, and yet where we cannot endure to be a moment, is deepest misery: Such a man cannot chuse but set out with a sad heart. And that's the reason why wicked men, whose consciences are awakened, go so unwillingly to this sleep, they know whither they are going, only they know they cannot return. Make ye friends ('tis Christs counsel) of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations (Luk. 10.9.) Mammon of unrighteousnesse, that is, say most Interpreters, Mammon gotten unrighteously; but surely Christ would not teach any to make men our friends, by that which makes God our enemy.2 They translate better, who render it, Make ye friends of the false or unfaithfull Mammon, that is, of that Mammon which will deceive and leave you shortly, therefore make you friends of it, while you have it; that when ye fail, that is, when you die or goe out of the world, they may receive you, that is, ye may be received into everlasting habitations; leave not this habitation, till ye have got interest in a better. The Saints arm themselves against death by this argument, We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hand, eternall in the heavens (2 Cor. 5.1.) We know there is no return to buildings made with hands, we must leave our houses for ever, our lands for ever, and our relations for ever, but we are assured of a building of God, an house not made with hand, eternall in the heavens. This supported their hearts, when their earthly houses were falling.
- 1Animula vagula, blandula, &c. quae nunc abibis in loca? A•r.
- 2Quod est falsum [Greek or Hebrew] ab Hellenistis usu Hebraeorū dicitur. Hens. exercit. Sacr.Quod est falsum 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 ab Hellenistis usu Hebraeorū dicitur. Hens. exercit. Sacr.
