Consider 1. How undesirable a world this is. This World is not Paradise now, but a Prison rather to the Children of God. Tis a Vain World: Vain because Unprofitable. What profit has a man of all his Labour under the Sun? What profit when he has Laboured for the Wind? A great Emperor who had passed through many Offices, and at last obtained the whole Roman Empire, the mightiest that ever was, after all made this Protestation before the world, Omnia fui sed rihil profuit; I have been all things, but it profited ⟨p. 164⟩me nothing at all. Could a man grasp the whole World into his hands, it would not yield satisfaction to his Soul. They say of Alexander the Great, that he wept because there was but one world for him to enlarge his Conquests in. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing. Some have Expressed it too argutely when they have said, A round World will never fill a triangular Heart. But it is a serious Truth, that all the things of this world cannot satisfy the vast desires of an immortal Soul, but it will be wishing for something better than the best Earthly Enjoyments, or than them all. Solomon was as Competent a judge of what this world could afford as any man that ever lived in it. And the account which he gives of it, yea, the Sum Total is that in Eccl. 1.2. All is Vanity. Not only Vain, but Vanity it self. So that if a man could possess all the things that are in the world, they are Nothing, for he possesseth Vanity. 'Twas the Expression of a Famous man, If all the World were to ⟨p. 165⟩[…] Sold, it is not worth a mans opening •is Mouth to say, I will not buy it. And •hall we make this world then to be •ur Home, when it is all Vanity? And •ot only so, but Vexation of spirit too, […] Solomon there says. There is great Vexation oftentimes in Obtaining the things of this world. Alas! Many •et the world by wounding their own consciences, and that proves Vexation •o them. And there is great vexati•• keeping the world. The Rich mans abundance won't suffer him to sleep. […] is reported that Cyrus made a poor •an vastly Rich, who found such vexation about the keeping and the disposal of his Riches, as that he gave •he greatest part of them away, and •hose rather to have only a moderate state that so he might Enjoy himself, and live with greater Contentation. There is great Vexation in the •oosing the world.
Consider 1. How undesirable a world this is. This World is not Paradise now, but a Prison rather to the Children of God. Tis a Vain World: Vain because Vnprofitable. What profit has a man of all his Labour under the Sun? What profit when he has Laboured for the Wind? A great Emperor who had passed through many Offices, and at last obtained the whole Roman Empire, the mightiest that ever was, after all made this Protestation before the world, Omnia fui sed rihil profuit; I have been all things, but it profited ⟨p. 164⟩me nothing at all. Could a man grasp the whole World into his hands, it would not yield satisfaction to his Soul. They say of Alexander the Great, that he wept because there was but one world for him to inlarge his Conquests in. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing. Some have Expressed it too argutely when they have said, A round World will never fill a triangular Heart. But it is a serious Truth, that all the things of this world cannot satisfy the vast desires of an immortal Soul, but it will be wishing for something better than the best Earthly Enjoyments, or than them all. Solomon was as Competent a judge of what this world could afford as any man that ever lived in it. And the account which he gives of it, yea, the Sum Total is that in Eccl. 1.2. All is Vanity. Not only Vain, but Vanity it self. So that if a man could possess all the things that are in the world, they are Nothing, for he possesseth Vanity. 'Twas the Expression of a Famous man, If all the World were to ⟨p. 165⟩〈…〉 Sold, it is not worth a mans opening •is Mouth to say, I will not buy it. And •hall we make this world then to be •ur Home, when it is all Vanity? And •ot only so, but Vexation of spirit too, 〈…〉 Solomon there sayes. There is great Vexation oftentimes in Obtaining the •hings of this world. Alas! Many •et the world by wounding their own •onsciences, and that proves Vexation •o them. And there is great vexati•• keeping the world. The Rich mans •bundance won't suffer him to sleep. is reported that Cyrus made a poor an vastly Rich, who found such exation about the keeping and the isposal of his Riches, as that he gave he greatest part of them away, and hose rather to have only a moderate tate that so he might Enjoy himlf, and live with greater Contentaon. There is great Vexation in the oosing the world.
