3. It informs us, that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights. A Man of a great Estate, and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life, may seem to live a merry Life; O but a Believer hath strong Consolation, such as when it is put to the Trial, will bear him out in Life and Death. Wicked Men may rejoice, as a Bird sings in the Fowler's Snare; they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while, but in their latter End they will be Fools. Alas, your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colic or Head-ache, nor give you a good Night's Sleep: Small Comfort! that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress, nor ease the Conscience. Solomon saith, Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath, Riches many times prove our Burden; and none lie so obnoxious to public Displeasure as rich Men: the Comfort is soon lost, it lieth without us. An Estate cannot be carried about you, though it be in Jewels, it is liable to hazard. The rich Jews were carried captive, when the Poor were left to till the Land. So in the Day of Man's Wrath, it falls most upon worldly great Men; they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out: but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance, Heb. 10.34. Though with Joseph they lose their Coat, yet they keep a good Conscience, and this makes amends for all their outward Losses. But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath, there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience, and in the Pangs of Death. Christian, as sure as the Lord liveth, there will a time come when the Strength of your Comforts will be tried. Here you sit a brooding upon Wealth, as the Partridge upon rotten Eggs; and what then? At his latter End he shall be a Fool, Jer. 17.11. Why at his latter End? Then he shall be so in the Conviction of his own Conscience, his own Heart will call him Fool; O Fool! O mad Man that I was, in lavishing out my Time, Strength and Care upon that which will yield me no Comfort! Mr. Fox tells us of a rich Cardinal, when about to die, cried out, And must I die that am so rich? Will not Death be bribed? Will Money do nothing now? This will be your Case and Condition when you come to die, if you get not an Interest in this strong Consolation:
3. It informs us, that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights. A Man of a great Estate, and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life, may seem to live a merry Life; O but a Believer hath strong Consolation, such as when it is put to the Trial, will bear him out in Life and Death. Wicked Men may rejoice, as a Bird sings in the Fowler's Snare; they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while, but in their latter End they will be Fools. Alas, your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colick or Head-ach, nor give you a good Night's Sleep: Small Comfort! that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress, nor ease the Conscience. Solomon saith, Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath, Riches many times prove our Burden; and none lie so obnoxious to publick Displeasure as rich Men: the Comfort is soon lost, it lieth without us. An Estate cannot be carried about you, though it be in Jewels, it is liable to hazard. The rich Jews were carried captive, when the Poor were left to till the Land. So in the Day of Man's Wrath, it falls most upon worldly great Men; they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out: but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance, Heb. 10.34. Though with Ioseph they lose their Coat, yet they keep a good Conscience, and this makes amends for all their outward Losses. But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath, there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience, and in the Pangs of Death. Christian, as sure as the Lord liveth, there will a time come when the Strength of your Comforts will be tried. Here you sit a brooding upon Wealth, as the Partridg upon rotten Eggs; and what then? At his latter End he shall be a Fool, Jer. 17.11. Why at his latter End? Then he shall be so in the Conviction of his own Conscience, his own Heart will call him Fool; O Fool! O mad Man that I was, in lavishing out my Time, Strength and Care upon that which will yield me no Comfort! Mr. Fox tells us of a rich Cardinal, when about to die, cried out, And must I die that am so rich? Will not Death be bribed? Will Money do nothing now? This will be your Case and Condition when you come to die, if you get not an Interest in this strong Consolation:
