The marrovv of the oracles of God. Or, diuers treatises containing directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life. by N. Bifield, late preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.

CHAP. X.

The vanities of the seeming fe∣licities of the world.

NOw it followeth, that I should intreat of the vani∣ties that cleaue to the seeming felicities of the world, and proue that there is no reason to bee in loue with life for any respect of them.

The best thing the world can * 1.1 make shew of▪ are Honours, Cre∣dit, Lands, Houses, Riches, Plea∣sures, Birth, Beauty, Friends, Wit, Children, Acquaintance, and the like. Now there be manythings which apparently proue, th•…•…re can be no sound contentment, or felicity in these: For,

1. All things bee full of la∣bour,

who can vtter it? Ecclesi∣asticus 18. Men must gaine the * 1.2 blessings of the earth with the sweate of their browes: there is seldome any outward blessing, but it is attained with much dif∣ficultie, paines, or danger, or care, or grieuance some way.

2. How small a portion in these things can the most men * 1.3 attaine? If the whole world were possessed, it should not make a man happy; much lesse those small parcels of the world, which the most men can attaine, Eccles. 1. 3.

3. It is manifest, men cannot * 1.4 agree about the chiefe good in these things. Life is therefore ap∣parently vaine in respect of these things, because there are almost infinite proiects, and variety of opinions: and in all these suc∣cessions of ages, no experience can make men agree to resolue which of these things haue feli∣city in them. Who knows what

is good for a man in this life, all the daies of his vaine life, which he spendeth as a shadow? Eccles. 6. 12.

4. In all these things here is nothing now, but it hath beene; * 1.5 the same or the like to it. Now things that are common, are out of request, Eccles. 1. 9, 10. and 3. 15.

5. The world passeth away, and * 1.6 the lusts thereof: the eye is not sa∣tisfied with seeing, nor the care with hearing. If a man liue many dayes, his soule is not filled with good; the desire after these things will vanish; men cannot loue them still: Our life is spent in wishing for the future, and bewailing of the past; a loathing of what wee haue tasted, and a longing for what wee haue not tasted: which, were it had, would neuer more satisfie vs then that wee haue had. Hence it is that men wearying themselues in see∣king of variety of earthly things

and yet cannot be contented. The vexation that cleaues vnto them still, breeds loathing. We are like men that are Sea∣sicke, that shift from roome to roome and from place to place, thinking to find ease; neuer considering, that so long as the same Seas swell, and winds blow, and hu∣mors are stirred, alteration of place will not profit. So it is with vs; so long as wee carry with vs a nature so full of ill hu∣mours, and that the pleasures of the world haue so much vanity in them, no change of place, or delights can satisfie vs: Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? Eccles. 6. 13.

6. How can these earthly things satisfie, when the nature * 1.7 of them is so vile and vaine? They are but blasts; a very shadow, which is something in appea∣rance, but offer to lay hold vpon it, thou graspest nothing. Man

walketh in a vaine shadow, and dis∣quieteth himselfe in vaine. He that •…•…ueth siluer, shall not bee sati•…•…fied with siluer, Eccles. 1. 9. Psal. 39.

7. Besides, there is a snare in all these earthly things; they are * 1.8 like pitch to defile a man; there is euer one temptation or other lodged vnder them; and the frui∣tion of them, and desire after them, breed may nolsome lusts in the soule, 1. Tim. 6. 6.

8. These outward things are * 1.9 also all vncertaine, & transitory: Riches haue wings, & will suddenly fly away: and Fame is but a blast: and the glory of man is but as the •…•…wer of the field, which is to day, and tomorrow withered. The fa∣shion of this world passeth away: and at the l•…•…st day they shall all be burnt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consumed in in the fire: I meane * 1.10 these senslesse things, we now set our hearts vpon, Esa. 40. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 31.

9. There is no support in these things, in the euil day they cannot

helpe vs, when the houre of temp∣tation comes vpon vs.

10. A man may damne his * 1.11 owne soule by two much liking of these things: the abuse of them may witnesse against men in the day of Christ: Iam. 5. 1. and Phil. 3. 19.

11. In these things there is * 1.12 one condition to all; as it falleth to the wise man, so it doth to the foole, Eccles. 2. 14.

12. All things are subiect to * 1.13 Gods vnauoidable disposing. Let man get what hee can, yet God will haue the disposing of it; and whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shall abide; to it can no man adde, and from it can no man diminish, Eccles. 3. 1.

13. A man may haue all abun∣dance * 1.14 of these things, and yet not haue a heart to vse them. Euill is so set in the hearts of the sonnes of men, and such madnesse cleaues vnto them, that they cannot take the contentment of the things they

haue; and so they bee worse then an vntimely fruite, Eccles. 6. 1, 7. and 9. 3.

14. Euery day hath his euill; and * 1.15 afflictions are so mingled with these outward things, that their tast is daily marred with bitter∣nesse which is cast into them; no day without his griefe: and vsu∣ally the crosses of life are more, then the pleasures of liuing; so as they that reioyced, ought to bee as though they reioyced not.

15. Lastly, if all these consi∣derations * 1.16 may not suffice, then remember that thou art mortall; thy life is short, it passeth as a dreame, it is but as a span long, thy dayes are few and euill; all these things are clogged with a neces∣sity of dying. Life was giuen thee with a condition of dying, Gen. 47. 9. Iob 14. 1. Thy life passeth like the winde, Iob▪ 7. 7. Yea, our dayes consume like smoake, Psal. 102. 3. All flesh is grasse, Esa. 40. 6. And hence arise

many considerations deduced * 1.17 from the head of our mortalitie: For,

1. All these things are but the * 1.18 necessaries of thy Inne: Thou art a stranger and a pilgrim, and canst enioy them but as a passenger; thou canst carry nothing out of this world but in all points as thou cam∣mest into the world so must thou goe hence, Eccles. 5. 13, 14, 15.

2. The time, place, and manner * 1.19 of thy death is vncertaine: there is no time nor place, but man may dye in it; the Court, the Church, the Campe: yea the ve∣ry wombe is not excepted. There is but one way to come into the world, but there are a thousand wayes to goe out; and therefore the possession of all things is wonderfull vncertaine.

3. When thou diest, all will be forgotten, there is no more re∣membrance * 1.20 of former things, nor shall there bee any remembrance of things which are to come, with those

that 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, Eccles. 1. 11. 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉, in the daies to 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 •…•…gotten. Yea, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 forgotten in the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 hee hath done right; Eccles. 8. 10. For this very rea∣son Salomon hated life, Eccles. 2. 17.

4. Wh•…•…n thou diest, thou shalt * 1.21 die either without issue, or leaue children behind thee. If thou dye without issue, how hast thou beene▪ infatuated in seeking these outward things with so much care and toile, and couldest neuer say to thine owne soule, For whom doe I•…•…rauell, and defraud my selfe of pleasure? Thou gatherest these things, and know•…•…st not who shall in∣ioy them. Eccles. 4. 8. If thou die and leaue issue; thou mayest be frighted and amazed with one of these things. For either thou mayest be d•…•…spisest while thou liuest, of those for wh•…•…m thou endurest •…•…ore trauell, so as they that shall come af∣ter thee, doe not reioyce in thee, Ec∣cles.

4. 15, 16. Or else thou mayest leaue the fruite of thy labours to a foole, or a wicked wretch. For who knoweth whether hee that shall rule ouer thy labours, shall be a wise man or a foole? This very conside∣ration made Salomon hate all his labour which hee had taken vnder the Sunne; and he went about to make his heart despaire of all his la∣bours, that he should vse all his wisedome and knowledge for attaining of great things, and yet might bee in danger to leau•…•… all for a portion to him that hath not laboured in wisedome: and all this is vexation of spirit, Eccles. 2. 18. to 24. Or else thou mayest beget children, and thy riches perish before thy death, and then there is nothing in thine hand to leaue them, Eccles. 5. 14.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What th•…•… seeming feli•…•…ties of the world are.
• * 1.2

  Fifteene arguments to proue the vanity of the best worldly things. 1 All full of labour.
• * 1.3

  2. A small portion that is at∣tained.
• * 1.4

  3. Men can∣not agree about the good •…•…hat i•…•… i•…•… them, which should be best.
• * 1.5

  4. No∣thing.
• * 1.6

  1. The de∣sire after these things will not last.
• * 1.7

  6 Their •…•…re is va•…•…e.
• * 1.8

  7. Th•…•… a∣m•…•…y of the world is •…•…he enm•…•…ty with God.
• * 1.9

  8. All sub∣•…•…ect to va∣n•…•…ty or violence. Ma. 6. 19, 1•…•…. They may be lost at t•…•…e very seate of i•…•… •…•…gement. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 •…•…6 1•…•…. & 4 1, 2
• * 1.10

  9 T•…•…y w•…•… •…•…ot helpe v•…•… •…•…n the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day.
• * 1.11

  10. The loue of them is •…•…amnable.
• * 1.12

  11. One condition to all.
• * 1.13

  12 God wi•…•… dispose
• * 1.14

  13. A man may want an heart to vse them.
• * 1.15

  14. The e∣uils of life euer •…•…ing∣led with them.
• * 1.16

  15. Thou art mortall
• * 1.17

  Our mor tality ag∣grauated by 4 consi∣derations.
• * 1.18

  1 All •…•…hou ha•…•…t 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but the proui∣sion of a Pilgrim.
• * 1.19

  2 Thy death is vncertaine.
• * 1.20

  3. When thou diest, all will bee forgotten.
• * 1.21

  4 Thy case in death, whether thou die with, or without issue.