The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

First, That every Man at his best Estate, is but vanity.

Secondly, That every Man walks in a vain show; surely they are disquieted in vain, he heapeth up Riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Psal. 39.5, 6. The uncertainty and shortness of the Lives of Men, render all their Endeavours and Contrivances about Earthly things, both vain and foolish. When Men lived eight or nine hundred Years, they had opportunity to suck out all the Sweetness ⟨p. 189⟩that was in Creature Comforts, to make large Provisions of them, and to have long Projections about them. But when they had so, they all issued in that Violence, Oppression, and Wickedness, which brought the Flood on the World of Ungodly Men. And it still so abides, the more of, and the longer men enjoy these things, the more without the Sovereign Preservative of Grace, will they abound in Sin, and Provocations of God. But God hath reduced the Life of Man unto the small pittance of seventy Years; casting what may fall out of a longer continuance into Travel and Sorrow. Besides, that Space is shortened with the most, by various and innumerable Incidencies and Occasions. Wherefore in these seventy Years, consider how long it is before men begin to have a taste or gust of the things of this Life; how many things fall in cross, to make us weary of them before the end of our Days, how few among us, not one of a thousand, attain that Age, what is the uncertainty of all men living, as to the continuance of their Lives unto the next Day▪ and we shall see that the holy, wise God, hath left no such Season for their enjoyment, as might put a value upon them. And when on the other hand it is remembered, that this Man who is of such short continuance in this world, is yet made for Eternity, Eternal Blessedness or Misery, which State depends wholly on his Interest on things above, and setting his Affections on them, they must forfeit all their reason, as well as bid Defiance unto the Grace of God, who give them up unto things below.