Love to Christ, necessary to escape the curse at his coming

4. Is it not great folly to love that which ye must shortly part with, and not him that ye might enjoy for ever? Though ye have your heart full of Love to other Earthly things, you shall not earry an handful of them into the other World. Eccl. 5.15. As he came forth of his mothers womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out; but Death, that carrieth the Lovers of the World quite away from the things they love, shall set the Soul of a Lover of Christ nearer to him. Phil. 1.23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. The Soul that loveth Christ, when (by Death) it is absent from the Body, it shall be present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8.

5. Is it not great folly to love that which might leave you while ye live, and not that Christ that would never leave you, nor forsake you? As ye are sure these things, which ye love, will be none of yours after Death, so ye are not sure they shall be yours while ye live. May ye not be rich to day, and poor to morrow? Well to day, and sick to morrow? In honour to day, and in disgrace to morrow? Was it not so with Haman? Esth. 6.10, 11, & 7.9, 10. When ye have Riches, and love them, ye are not sure to hold them. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eyes (thine Heart and Love) upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven. The Hebrew Text is, Wilt thou cause thy eyes to fly upon that which is not? Riches fly away, and the Worldly mans Heart, and Love, fly after them; and though his Heart and Love, be swift in their motion after Riches, yet sometimes Riches fly so swiftly, that their Lover cannot overtake them. The pleasures of Sin, and so the profits of the World, are but for a Season,