Gospel-revelation in three treatises, viz, 1 The nature of God. 2 The excellencies of…

In the fourth place, If God be thus excellent, and his Use 4 glory so great above the earth and heavens; Hence we may learn to know the vanity of the creature. Set but God now, and the creature together, nay, all the creatures in the world together, Oh how is the vanity of all creature-comforts in the world made known to us. There are many ways to convince us that there is a vanity in all things in the world, by the strength of reason we may be convinced, and by experience: A man sometimes that hath an estate, God doth but touch his body, and lays him upon his sick-bed; such a man saith, Oh what a poor thing is it to enjoy all the world? had I all the world at my command, I could have no comfort in it, and therefore what a vanity is there in the creature: And another perhaps by arguments and reasons, will tell you that every thing is vain, and there is no contentment, nor continuance in any thing in the world: When we see men that are rich and great dye, and carry nothing with them, we are ready to say, Oh how vain the world is! these are some means to cause us to see the vanity of the creature: But what are all these to the sight of God? The sight of the ⟨p. 37⟩glory of God, it is infinitely more powerful to discover the vanity of all things in the world to us: That man, or woman, that hath had once a real sight of this God in his infinite excellency, will not much regard what becomes of him concerning outward things in this world. He that sees God to be great, will see all other things to be small. And indeed we never see God to be truly excellent, except we see him alone to be excellent. Thou thinkest thou knowest somewhat of God, I but still the excellency of the creature is glorious in thy eyes: Certainly thou dost not know God aright: If thou knowest God aright in his excellency, thou knowest him Alone to be excellent, and therefore if thou knewest no other excellency but God, all other things would be but vanity in thine eyes. In 2 Cor. 3.10. saith the Apostle there concerning the glory of the Law, compared with the glory of the Gospel, That that which was made glorious, now had no glory by reason of a greater glory that is come: So I may say in this case, the things of the world that were glorious in thine eyes before, yet now they are not glorious, but all darkened, because there is a greater glory that now comes and shines in upon thee.

In the fourth place, If God bee thus excellent, and his Use 4 glory so great above the earth and heavens; Hence wee may learn to know the vanity of the creature. Set but God now, and the creature together, nay, all the creatures in the world together, Oh how is the vanity of all creature-comforts in the world made known to us. There are many wayes to convince us that there is a vanity in all things in the world, by the strength of reason wee may bee convinced, and by experience: A man sometimes that hath an estate, God doth but touch his body, and layes him upon his sick-bed; such a man saith, Oh what a poor thing is it to injoy all the world? had I all the world at my command, I could have no comfort in it, and therefore what a vanity is there in the creature: And another perhaps by arguments and reasons, will tell you that every thing is vain, and there is no contentment, nor continuance in any thing in the world: When wee see men that are rich and great dye, and carry nothing with them, wee are ready to say, Oh how vain the world is! these are some means to cause us to see the vanity of the creature: But what are all these to the sight of God? The sight of the