Through the corruption of thy heart they prove but fuel for thy lusts on earth; & if thou shouldst die, having only this worlds goods, they will feed the eternal fire in hell. It is storied of Heliogabalus, that he had silken halters to hang himself with; ponds of sweet water to drown himself in; and gilded poison to poison himself: Truly more hurtful are the worlds trinity, riches, honours and pleasures, to them that have great estates in the world, but no estate in the Covenant. Poison worketh more furiously in wine then in water; and so doth corruption many times bewray it self more in plenty then in poverty: It is sad, that thou shouldst not be led to God by that which came from ⟨p. 182⟩God. But O how lamentable is it, that thou shouldst, Jehu like, fight against thy Master with his own Soldiers; like the dunghill, the more the Sun shineth on it, it sends forth the more stinking savour;1 that thou shouldst by the riches which his Majesty hath given thee, only have this cursed advantage, to be the greater Rebel! Many good works hath Christ done for thee, for which dost thou stone him? John 10.32. for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy house? by oaths, or drunkenness, or gaming, or by atheism, and irreligion, or at least by putting him off with a few short, cold, formal prayers, and that but now and then neither: Many good works hath he done for thee, for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy heart? by letting the world and the things of the world have the highest seat there, the throne, thy chiefest esteem, warmest love, and strongest trust? What sayest thou, is it not thus? and is this to be led by his goodness to repentance? Oh consider thy bodies mercies are holy baits laid by God to catch thy soul. He trieth the vessel with water, to see whether it will hold wine; do not like the foolish fly, burn thy self in this flame of love; turn not his grace into wantonness; ⟨p. 183⟩but let the kindness of God be salvation unto thee; thou shouldst by those cords of love be drawn nearer unto him, and by those bands of mercies be tied closer to his commands. How shouldst thou gather, if the streams of creatures be so sweet what sweetness is there in God who is the Fountain? If he be so good in temporals, surely he is better in spirituals, and best of all in eternals:
Through the corruption of thy heart they prove but fuel for thy lusts on earth; & if thou shouldst die, having only this worlds goods, they will feed the eternal fire in hell. It is storied of Heliogabalus, that he had silken halters to hang himself with; ponds of sweet water to drown himself in; and gilded poyson to poyson himself: Truly more hurtful are the worlds trinity, riches, honors and pleasures, to them that have great estates in the world, but no estate in the Covenant. Poyson worketh more furiously in wine then in water; and so doth corruption many times bewray it self more in plenty then in poverty: It is sad, that thou shouldst not be led to God by that which came from ⟨p. 182⟩God. But O how lamentable is it, that thou shouldst, Jehu like, fight against thy Master with his own Souldiers; like the dunghill, the more the Sun shineth on it, it sends forth the more stinking savour;1 that thou shouldst by the riches which his Majesty hath given thee, only have this cursed advantage, to be the greater Rebel! Many good works hath Christ done for thee, for which dost thou stone him? John 10.32. for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy house? by oaths, or drunkenness, or gaming, or by atheisme, and irreligion, or at least by putting him off with a few short, cold, formal prayers, and that but now and then neither: Many good works hath he done for thee, for which of them dost thou stone him out of thy heart? by letting the world and the things of the world have the highest seat there, the throne, thy chiefest esteem, warmest love, and strongest trust? What sayest thou, is it not thus? and is this to be led by his goodness to repentance? Oh consider thy bodies mercies are holy baits laid by God to catch thy soul. He tryeth the vessel with water, to see whether it will hold wine; do not like the foolish flie, burn thy self in this flame of love; turn not his grace into wantonnesse; ⟨p. 183⟩but let the kindnesse of God be salvation unto thee; thou shouldst by those cords of love be drawn nearer unto him, and by those bands of mercies be tied closer to his commands. How shouldst thou gather, if the streames of creatures be so sweet what sweetnesse is there in God who is the Fountain? If he be so good in temporals, surely he is better in spirituals, and best of all in eternals:
- 1The Poet feigned Pluto to be the god of riches, and Hell, as if they had been inseparable. Homer.
