The Tenth Evil.

10. Earthly-mindednesse, is so great an evil wheresoever it prevails, as it were just with God that thy name who art so earthly-minded should be written in the earth. I say, those that are earthly-minded and have this sin prevailing upon their hearts, and are not sensible of it, they have cause to fear least God should write their names in the dust: yea, lest God hath already written their names in the earth; in the 17. of Jerem. 13. we reade of such an expression, OhPage  44Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters. And it's apparant that he speaks of earthly spirits here, for in the 11. verse he saith, As the Partridg sitteth on eggs and hat∣cheth them not, so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his daies, and at his end shall be a fool: and then he goes on and describes the excellencie of God and his Sanctuarie, A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary, &c. As if he should say, There are a company of foolish vain men that seek after nothing but getting riches and the things of the earth; But a glori∣ous high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary: Oh Lord we see an excellencie in thee and in thine Ordi∣nances, and thy Sanctuary, Oh Lord the hope of Israel in whom there is such excellencie, is there any that do forsake thee who hast so much excellencie in thee, who art the hope of Israel, Oh Lord, just it were that their names should be written in the earth, that they should never come to partake of those good things that there are in thee, the excellent things that there are in thine Ordinances, and in thy Gospel, but Lord, let their names be written in the earth: an earthly spirit (I say) may fear least the name of it be written in the earth, lest God write concerning such a man or such a woman, earth shall be their portion, and their mouths shall be fil'd with earth one day, and that's all the good that they shall have from the Almighty: Oh those who have known God and the things of eternal life they cannot but apprehend this to be a sad and a grievous evil, for their names to be written in the earth.