They who have improved their experience of things by Wisdom, and gathered up the value of mans life, by comparing his desire with his Enjoyments, his Troubles and Sorrows with his Content and Joy, have concluded the worth of the life of man to be below nothing; they have drawn a black line upon the whole, and shut up all in darkness. Thus Jacob of old in the account which he gives of his life to Pharaoh, Gen. 47.9. & Job 5.7. And also Solomon, who had an extraordinary measure of wisdom ⟨p. 2⟩by Divine dispensation, who had a large spirit like the Sand of the Sea-shore, he gave himself great liberty in trying what that good under the Sun for the sons of men was, Eccles. 2.1. When he had taken a taste of all the worlds Contents. yet he finds a bitterness mixed in all delights, which abideth no longer then the pleasure vers. 11, & 17. And whosoever shall enter into himself, and feel the workings of his own mind, shall be able to read over the Transcript of the same in his own Conscience. Who is he among the sons of men, that in his Natural life hath attained to a state where in he was able to say, Here I will stay, it is now well with me, I desire no addition to my present condition? If there be any such, I dare undertake to prove him unacquainted with himself. Where now shall I fasten the blame of this universal evil? Shall we fall out with our life, as a thing not worth the having? Shall we shrink unto our former nothing, and cast up our being and life into the hands of God, as that out of which we gathered nothing but bitterness and disquiet? Far be this from us, this were to justify that evil and wicked servant, who said of God, That he knew he was a hard Master, reaping where he had not sown, and gathering where he had not strawed. This would be to accuse God of having made us to an unavoidable necessity of misery. How then comes it to pass, that we are all held fast in this common calamity? It is from thy self, O man, it is from thy self; this evil is because of our falling from God. It is a Righteous thing with God, that when man departed from him, he should reap the Fruit of his own doings; and indeed it is impossible for a creature of our composure ⟨p. 3⟩and constitution, but to feel it self dissatisfied with all worldly material employments, and to find trouble and disquiet in it self, while it is deprived of its true good.
THey who have improved their experience of things by Wisdom, and gathered up the value of mans life, by comparing his desire with his Enjoyments, his Troubles and Sorrows with his Content and Joy, have concluded the worth of the life of man to be below nothing; they have drawn a black line upon the whole, and shut up all in darkness. Thus Jacob of old in the account which he gives of his life to Pharaoh, Gen. 47.9. & Job 5.7. And also Solomon, who had an extraordinary measure of wisdom ⟨p. 2⟩by Divine dispensation, who had a large spirit like the Sand of the Sea-shore, he gave himself great liberty in trying what that good under the Sun for the sons of men was, Eccles. 2.1. When he had taken a taste of all the worlds Contents. yet he finds a bitterness mixed in all delights, which abideth no longer then the pleasure vers. 11, & 17. And whosoever shall enter into himself, and feel the workings of his own mind, shall be able to read over the Transcript of the same in his own Conscience. Who is he among the sons of men, that in his Natural life hath attained to a state where in he was able to say, Here I will stay, it is now well with me, I desire no addition to my present condition? If there be any such, I dare undertake to prove him unacquainted with himself. Where now shall I fasten the blame of this universal evil? Shall we fall out with our life, as a thing not worth the having? Shall we shrink unto our former nothing, and cast up our being and life into the hands of God, as that out of which we gathered nothing but bitterness and disquiet? Far be this from us, this were to justifie that evil and wicked servant, who said of God, That he knew he was a hard Master, reaping where he had not sown, and gathering where he had not strawed. This would be to accuse God of having made us to an unavoidable necessity of misery. How then comes it to pass, that we are all held fast in this common calamity? It is from thy self, O man, it is from thy self; this evil is because of our falling from God. It is a Righteous thing with God, that when man departed from him, he should reap the Fruit of his own doings; and indeed it is impossible for a creature of our composure ⟨p. 3⟩and constitution, but to feel it self dissatisfied with all worldly material employments, and to find trouble and disquiet in it self, while it is deprived of its true good.
