LI sermons preached by the Reverend Dr. Mark Frank ... being a course of sermons, beginning at Advent, and so continued through the festivals : to which is added a sermon preached at St. Pauls Cross, in the year forty-one, and then commanded to be printed by King Charles the First.

A SERMON ON THE Fifth Sunday in Lent.

1 COR. ix. 25.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but we an incor∣ruptible.

THe Text is a comparison between the worldly Com∣batant and the spiritual, between the wrastler of this World, and the wrastler with it, between him that strives for the mastery over others, and him that strives for the mastery over himself; between the contenders in the Olympick Games, and the contender in the Christian Race.

And 'tis an apt and fit comparison. Olympus in the Heathen Poets is commonly used for heaven, so the Olympick exercises may well be used to resemble those for heaven, and the heavenly Crown likened to the Olympick Garland, without any offence, though with all advantage.

And 'tis as seasonable as fit. This holy time of Lent is a time of stri∣ving for the mastery with our corruptions, with our corruptible for Gods incorruptible, a time of holy exercises upon the corruptible earth to ob∣tain a Crown incorruptible in the heavens.

And 'tis somewhat more accommodate and easie to our natures, as much as temperance is than fasting, as partial abstinence from inordinacy and excess, than abstaining altogether.

Which makes me hope it will be as profitable as either fit, or seasona∣ble, or accommodate; to teach us by comparing our selves with the Wrastlers of the World: our work with theirs, our reward with theirs, to do as much as they. Indeed, it should be more, as our work is more honourable than theirs, more honourable to master our selves than others, our own unruly beastly passions than any man or beast whatever; and our Crown more worth than theirs, incorruptible than corruptible, and the obtaining it every way as easie, if we would but think it so, or set seriously to think of it: what they do, and what they do it for, how much they do, and how little they do it for; what we do, and for what

we do it; how little we do, and for how much we do it; how little they get for so much, how much we may get for so little.

This is the Sum of the Text; and the intent is to perswade us to be as industrious and careful for a Crown of glory as they are for a Crown of grass, to take as much pains for the praise of God as they did for the ap∣plause of men, to do and suffer as much for heaven as they for less than earth, for a few leaves that grow out of it. And both the one is the bet∣ter to be understood, the other the more likely to be perswaded if I keep the parts of the Comparison together, and do not sunder them, but com∣pare them as we go.

• The two Combatants. The two strivings. The two Dietings or Preparations. The two Crowns.
• The two Combatants, the Temporal and Spiritual.
  • The Temporal, he that striveth for the Mastery, Qui in agone contendit,
  • The Spiritual, We, St. Paul and we Christians.
• The two strivings: Theirs express, ours understood; they strive for masteries, yet not they only, but we also.
• The diet or preparing for it much alike, they are temperate in all things; yet not they alone, but we must too; they do it, but we do it too, or should so, by the Apostles similitude.
• The two Crowns, the one corruptible, that's theirs; the other incor∣ruptible, that's ours; both expresly mentioned and compar'd.

And by comparing them together we shall see the great obligation that lies upon us to be temperate in all things, that is, as you shall see anon, to do all things whereby we may come at last to obtain this incorruptible Crown of glory.

I begin with the two Combatants: the one, is any man; the other, any Christian; the first is a man and no more, the other has a relation to Christ added to him.

That man, that every man striveth for the mastery, to outgo his fel∣low some way or other is from his very nature; there is a kind of natu∣tural contention thence in every body to be some body more than ordina∣ry. If this contention were placed upon good things, or things worth the striving for, it were happy for us. But if we have no better assi∣stance than from nature, we fix it upon Games and Sports, Vanities and Trifles 'tis them we only strive about, there lies our business and our stu∣dy. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, every one of us is no better, strive and study for no∣thing else; and yet vain men that we are, we trouble and toil our selves as much about such nothings, as if they were all we could desire, all we could do.

It being then so natural and necessary a condition to every one of us to be striving for somewhat or other, to aim at some ex••••••ence or other, to be better than our neighbours in some way or other. It were to be desired that this desire, and earnest pursuit were pitched right. 'Tis so in the other of the two Combatants, the Christian.

He indeed is the only man that strives for the mastery. All others strive for that only which is but slavery when all is done; We, We Christians alone strive for that which is mastery and excellence. The more men strive for earthly things, the more are they brought under the dominion of them, the greater is their vassalage, and brings them no better, but to cry out with Paul, in the person of the unregenerate man, Rom. vii. Who shall deliver me from this body of death? 'Tis Gods service only that is perfect freedom; we are then only free when we are free to righteousness,

then only masters when we can command our selves. For an ille mihi liber videatur cui mulier imperat? &c. says the Heathen Orator. Can you think him to have got the mastery whom vanity commands, whom his Lusts give Law to, who can neither go nor come, eat nor drink, wake nor sleep, work nor play, speak nor do, desire nor think, but what they would have him. Ego vero istum non modo servum sed nequissimum servum, etiamsi in am∣plissimâ familiâ natus sit, appellandum puto. I truly. says he again, think he is not only a servant, but a drudge, be he who he will, of never so honourable a Fa∣mily. I add, be his victory never so great and notable in meer vain and corruptible things. They do but press him down the more, and subject him to vanity, and leave him groaning under the bondage of corrupti∣on. The master over these is the true Christian only, who by his faith and resignation conquers all his conquests, gets the better both when he overcomes, and is overcome; both when his enemy oppresses him, as well as when himself subdues him, who makes all things serve his tri∣umph, every thing enhance his glory, also things work unto his good, advance his Crown. All else are but the slaves of their conquests, meer drudges to an empty name, an airy title.

And (2.) if we take 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for one that strives or fights, none so truly does it as the Christian. All else do but beat the air, fight with no∣thing in comparison; their combates are not only meerly vain, vain scufflings with air and wind, to no purpose in the world, but the very things and enemies they encounter are, at the best, but men whose breath is in their nostrils, lighter than the very air, and vanity it self, if we be∣lieve the Psalmist, Psal. lxii. 9. and what great conquest over such? 'Tis the Christian that fights indeed, that combates enemies indeed; Princi∣palities, and Powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places, enemies strong and mighty, that go invisible, and strike and wound us when we see them not, that fight with us out of high and almost inaccessible places of defence, that have all possible advantage over us. These are enemies, if we talk of enemies, to fight with indeed. The enemies worldly men so tremble at are but bragadochios to these, all their force and power but weakness if compared with the powers of hell and darkness. This is fighting, to fight with these, to fight with devils, and sins, and lusts; and thus the Christian is the only fighter, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, none but he.

And if I may have leave to expound 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one in an agony, as sometimes it is, none fight to agonies like Christians; they come even to the fiery trial, even unto bloud, even unto death. They did not so in the Olympick, Pythian, Nemaean, or Isthmian Games, they were but Games and Spor•• to the Christian Combate, that fights often to the death, must havtis ways that intention not to give over for death it self, but continue constant to the end. So here we have in this first point even the mastery amongst them that strive for mastery, that they strive for things not worth the striving for; that they strive indeed for slavery, not Mastery; that they scarce do any thing worth the name of striving or fighting; that theirs is but play and sport in comparison of the Christi∣an Combatant; and yet for all that a great deal they do for the victory in these petty trifles; they wrastle, and cuff, and leap, and throw, and run, and try all their strength and powers. And 'tis worth the while to see whether we strive and contend as much in our real Christian combate; in a case vvorthy of the vvhile and labour. That vve are novv to do, second∣ly, to compare our strivings, theirs and ours, the Grecian and the Christian exercises.

Five several exercises, or kinds of striving for the mastery, there was in those Corinthian-games, Wrestling, Cuffing, Quoiting, Leaping, Running. All these answered in our Christian course and exercise.

1. Wrestling. Wrestling against Principalities, against Powers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, says St. Paul, Eph. vi. 12. Wrestling secondly with God in prayer, as Iacob did, Gen. xxxii. 24.

2. Cuffing and buffeting there is to; buffeting our selves, keeping un∣der our bodies, and bringing them into subjection, St. Pauls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ver. 27. making our eyes and bodies, as it were, black and blew by watch∣ings and fastings; cuffing or buffeting our eyes for looking after, our ears for listning to, our bodies for doing, punishing all our powers and senses for acting any thing that is evil; a being buffeted too (2.) by Sa∣tan when we forget to buffet our selves, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Cuffing and buffeting sufficient to be found in the Christians exercise.

3. Quoiting or casting; casting away any weight that hinders us, any sin that does beset us, Heb. xii. 1. removing every stone of offence, giving no offence to any in any thing, that our Ministry be not blamed, 2 Cor. vi. 3. that nothing we do, nothing we omit, neither our doing or our not doing, be a stone of stumbling, whereby our brother may justly stumble, or is offended, or is made weak, Rom. xiv. 21. Throw all such stones out of the way, and strive who shall so come nearest that great corner stone Christ Iesus, or the mark of your high calling of God in Christ Iesus, Phil. iii. 14.

4. Leaping also is to be found among the Christians exercises, skipping and leaping for joy at the glad tidings of the Gospel, leaping and prai∣sing God with the lame man that was healed, Acts iii. 8. striving who shall leap farthest in it, leaping, with Abraham, St. Ioh. viii. (for so the word signifies) to see the day of Christ; Leaping, with holy David, before the Ark, 2 Sam. vi. 16. rejoycing, and leaping for joy in the day of our sufferings for Christ, St. Luke vi. 23. making it one of our daily exercises and businesses to praise and magnifie God, and rejoyce in him, in all his days, and ways, and dispensations, strive with one another who shall do it most, who shall go farthest in it.

5. Running we every where meet in the Christians course, running the race which is set before us, Heb. xii. 1. so running as we may obtain, in the verse before the Text. Christianity it self is stiled a race, the Christian Law the Law of it, the Christian the runner, his life the course, heaven the goal; nothing more ordinary.

Besides these five single exercises in the Grecian there was a sixth mixt or compounded of wrestling and cuffing both, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they called it. But in Christianity all are joyned, all are sometimes exercised together; the Christian must be skilled and well exercised in all; wre∣stle against the World, the Flesh, and Devil; wrestle with God, cuff and buffet himself, suffer the buffettings of Satan too sometimes, cast away all weights and stones of hinderance and offence, leap and run with joy and eagerness the race which is set before us, looking unto Iesus, always, in all these, looking unto him that is both the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. xii. 2.

And being thus wholly to be kept in exercise, it will be convenient, nay, necessary now to fit and prepare our selves, so to diet and order our selves that we may so perform them as to obtain the day, to get the victo∣ry, to be temperate in all things as well as any wrestler or runner of them all.

There are four several interpretations of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which we here render temperate.

The first is what here we find it, to be temperate: to keep a certain set diet, whereby their bodies might be best strengthned and enabled, made nimble and active: so it signifieth to the Wrestlers. To observe a spare and moderate diet, such as may most advantage the souls business, best subdue the body and quicken the spirit, be it abstinence from some or sometimes from all kinds of meat and drink: so it signifies to the Chri∣stian. This the Christians, as the other the Wrestlers diet.

Very exact and punctual were they that strove for the masteries in their observances, kept their rules, and times, and kind of diet. I would the Christian now were but half so much to his rule and order. Indeed I must confess theirs was not sometimes a moral temperance, it was sometimes to fulness; yet still such as was prescribed and most conducible to their end, If we would observe as much those abstinences which most make to the enabling us in our spiritual race or combat, I shall desire no more: there indeed fasting and all temperance will come in, will be the Christi∣ans 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Christians being temperate in all things. A thing so necessary, that St. Ierome says no less, than, Difficile imo impossibile est, ut prae∣sentibus quis & futuris fruatur bonis, ut his ventrem & ibi mentem expleat, ut de deliciis transeat ad delicias, ut in utroque seculo primus sit, ut in coelo & in terrâ appareat gloriosus. It is hard, nay impossible, no less says he, to enjoy both present and future goods, our good things here and hereafter too, to fill the belly here, and the soul hereafter, to pass from pleasure into pleasure, from fulness into fulness, to be first in earth and heaven too, glorious in both. He must feed spare here that looks to be fed full there, be temperate in all earthly de∣lights and satisfactions, that looks for heavenly either in the other world or in this either: for the full body stifles the soul, and we are not more unwieldy in body when the belly is over full, then the soul is then. Ful∣ness oppresses even the natural spirits, makes us we cannot even breath freely for the while, enough to shew us our rational spirits are not likely to be freeer to breath, or evaporate themselves to Heaven or Heaven∣wards, whilst the very natural ones themselves are so opprest. From temperance and moderation we cannot be excused, neither in meat, nor drink, nor any thing, whatever weakness may excuse from fasting: so necessary a disposing of us it is to all Christian piety and goodness, yea, and a Christian vertue too it self, Gal. v. 23.

The word may yet (2.) be rendred continence; so it seems to be taken, Tit. i. 8. where 'tis distinguished from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sober, or temperate, and joyn'd next to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, holy, clean, or pure. A point observed by those ago∣nothletae to abstain from Wine and Women for the time of their providing themselves against those games: So the Poet. Qui cupit optatam cursu con∣tingere metam abstinuit vino & Venere. And our Apostle tells us of such a kind of temporary continence, very convenient for those Christi∣ans that more especially addict themselves to the Christian exercises, particularly of Prayer and Fasting, chap. 7. of this Epistle, ver. 5. But no time but commands Continence and Chastity to all Christians whoso∣ever, that no uncleanness be so much as named among them; for it be∣comes not Saints, Ephes. v. 3. it becometh not the Gospel of Christ, which is a doctrine of all holiness and purity. Nothing more weakens and indisposes the body for vigorous and noble actions, nothing more un∣fits the soul for the race of Christian piety, nothing more blinds it from understanding, nothing more keeps it from desiring, nothing more dis∣ables

it from performing it then inordinate and sensual lusts, and indul∣ging to them. To run, or wrestle, or combate well we have as much need of continence as any that ever strove for secular mastery.

A third notion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there is to signifie a constancy of mind to abstain from all things that are hurtful. Suid••s and Hesychius render, it to abstain from evil. And that not only things that are truly such, but those things also sometimes that may hinder the greater good. Thus St. Paul in this Chapter a little before the Text abstains from using his Christi∣an liberty, that he may so with the greater profit and success fulfil the course of his Ministry: will not use the power he had to live upon preaching of the Gospel, but voluntarily preaches to the Corinthians upon free cost, that he might gain the more, ver. 19. becomes again all things to all men, that by all means he might gain some, ver. 22. He saw the Corinthians were close, and covetous, forsaw it was like to hinder his preaching much if he put them to much charge; he therefore supersedes his pow∣er and liberty (though he convinces them from the beginning of the Cha∣pter, that such he had, and just, and natural, and reasonable, and ordi∣nary it was) lest he should not do so much good upon them as he desired. But though we must not expect that all men should advance to this height, they must yet resolve to remove all real and and faulty hindran∣ces out of the way, abstain from all occasions and appearances of evil, which may at any time hinder or rob us of our Crown, make us fall short of the Goal of Heaven and Glory.

Lastly, It may signifie his having all things in his power, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the getting the mastery over himself, getting the victory over one desire after another, denying himself first one liberty, then another, till at last he has mastered all, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, got all into his power. Thus strove those Grecian Wrestlers, and Racers, ordered and tempered their bodies by degrees, first to this exercise, then another; first to this height, then a higher; first to this, then to a further, till they had gotten a per∣fect mastery and command over all their powers, and members, to use them to the greatest advantage and agility. This is the Christians bu∣siness too, to keep our soul and body in continual exercise, always doing, ever suffering somewhat, now striving against that sin, then a second; now mortifying that lust, then another; now moderating this passion, then sweetning that; one while denying himself this liberty, then an∣other; sometimes attempting this difficulty, then some other; some∣times running after good, sometimes wrestling with evil, sometimes cuf∣fing and crucifying an inordinate desire, sometimes throwing off such and such a habit, sometimes leaping away in fear from an occasion or opportunity of doing ill, sometimes leaping into a way or occasion of doing good, sometimes leaping for joy when it is done: whereby at length by continual exercise and custom, we may happily come to a per∣fect temper in all our powers and faculties of soul and body, bring them all to an exact obedience, to the obedience of Christ, to run the race, to fight the fight that he has set before us.

Delicatus es miles, si putes te posse sine pugna vincere, sine certamine triumphare, &c. says St. Chrysost. Thou art too delicate a Souldier for Christ, if thou thinkst thou canst overcome without striving, triumph without fighting. Exsere vires, &c. put out thy strength, fight valiantly, contend fiercely in the Christian warfare: Remember thy covenant, think upon thy condition, consider thy warfare, the covenant that thou madest, the condition thou under∣tookest, the warfare thou gavest thy name too at thy Baptism. The

Christians life is but a continual warfaring against the world, the flesh, and the Devil; thy Captain calls, and leads thee to it, and thy crown expects thee, not a Crown of corruptible leaves, or flowers, but an in∣corruptible Crown of Glory. Be temperate and sober, be chaste and continent, be vigilant and constant, be diligent and active in Christs holy work and business, that thou mayest run without falling, wrestle without being thrown, cuff without being beaten, quoit all thy labours near the mark, out-leap all evil ways, perform all thy exercises, get happily at last to the end of thy way and labour, snatch and carry away the Crown prepared for thee. That's the fourth and last point of the comparison between Crown and Crown, the one corruptible, the other incorruptible.

Here indeed first properly comes in the But, the comparisons before have run somewhat even; combatants, and exercises, and preparations much alike; but here nothing but the name, no comparison between mortal and immortal, vanity and reality, finite and infinite: Yet let us a little compare them as we can.

The Crown these Gamesters strove for was but of leaves of Pine, or Apple; of Oak, or Olive; of Laurel, nay, or even Grass sometimes: Corruptible these indeed, nay, and vain too, to do so much, Multa tulit fecitque puer sudavit & alsit, to run, and sweat, and toil, and keep ado for such a toy as the best of these, how vain and foolish. The very Heathen themselves Anacharsis in Lucian sufficiently deride it.

Yet as ridiculous as it seems the greatest part even of the Christian world strive and labour for as little. What is the aim of all the great ones of the world but leaves and grass? What get they by all their la∣bours and pursuits, but some such business: Let them all have their de∣sires, and it comes to no more. Let the one obtain his so much desired honour, another his beloved Mistriss pleasure, a third his darling wealth: (of one of which three kinds of leaves all their Crowns are made) and what get they but meer fading leaves, neither fruit nor flower.

The Crown of honour, what is it, but a very leaf that withers pre∣sently? the worm of envy consumes it presently, the blast of jealousie nips it in its glory, the breath of malice deads it in a trice. The Crown of pleasure has a woe upon it, Isa. xxviii. 1, 3. a woe that will consume them, Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower: all that are drunk with any pleasure, their very Crowns wither upon their heads, the intemperate heat that both produ∣ces and rises from their sensual pleasures, turns the colour of their beauty, and will make their garlands e're long smell rank and stink with their own corruption. The Crown of Riches has a worm commonly that breeds in the leaf, this Oaken Garland in which we place so much strength, and stedfastness, has an oaken Apple among the leaves that nurses a worm to consume it when we least think of it. Nay, though we had coronam mi∣litum, a Crown, an Army of men as thick as the spires of Grass, to en∣compass and guard either our honours wealth or pleasures; yet they would all prove in a little time but as the Grass; all men are nothing else, Sr. Iames i. 11. but particularly the rich man, so says that Apostle, ver. 10. the rich man as the flower of the grass, he shall pass away. He shall not stay for a storm to blast or blow him away, even the Sun of prosperity shall do it, Mole ruit suâ, his own weight and greatness shall throw him down. For the Sun is no sooner (mark but that, no sooner) risen with a burning

heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower of it falleth, and the grace of the fashions of it perisheth; so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Mark that too in his very ways, his own very ways shall bring him to ruine and destruction. 'Tis so with the leaves of honour, 'tis so with the leaves of pleasure, the very Sun no sooner rises upon them, but it withers them; the very Sun-shine and favour of the Prince ruines them, the burning heat of their pleasures waste them away, make their pleasures trouble∣some and burthensome in a little while, and a while after vanish and con∣found them with shame and reproach, leave them nothing upon their heads, but ill coloured and ill seated leaves, ignominy and dishonour, no∣thing in their souls but driness and discomfort; their estates too often∣times drained dry, scarce any thing but the Prodigals Husks to refresh them, or dry leaves to cover them.

But the Christians Crown is nothing such, 'tis a flourishing Crown, Psal. cxxxii. 18. a Crown of pure Gold, Psal. xxi. 3. a Crown of preci∣ous Stones, Zech. ix. 16. a Crown of Righteousness, 2 Tim. iv. 8. a Crown of Life, St. Iames i. 12. a Crown of Honour, Psal. viii. 5. a Crown of Stars, Rev. xii. 1. a Crown of Glory, 1 Pet. v. 4. a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away, in the same verse, eternal, everlasting. A flourishing, not a withering Crown, a Crown of Gold, not of Grass; of precious Stones, not of Leaves, of Righteousness not unjustly got∣ten, of Life not unto Death, of Honour not to be ashamed of, of Stars, not Stubble, of Glory, not vanity, that never so much as alters colour, but continues fresh and flourishing, and splendid to all eternity. An inhe∣ritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for us, says St. Peter, 1. Pet. i. 4.

And having now compared our Crowns, and finding so vast, so infi∣nite a difference between them. Can we think much to do as much for this incorruptible Crown of Glory, as the other do for their vain and corruptible one? Shall they that strive for petty masteries, for toys and trifles, for ribbands and garlands, be so exact in their observances so strict in their diet, so painful in their exercises, so vigilant in their ad∣vantages, so diligent in providing, strengthning, and enabling them∣selves for their several sports and undertakings, and shall we that are to strive for no less than Heaven it self, be so loose in our performances, so intemperate in meat and drink, so sluggish in our business, so careless of advantages, so negligent in all things that make towards it. Are leaves worth so much, and the fruit of eternal peace so little? Is a little air, the vain breath of a mortal man to be so sought for, and is the whole Heaven it self, and the whole Host and God of it, the praise of God and Saints, and Angels, that stand looking on us, to be so slighted, as not worth so doing, doing no more than they? Where is that man, Dic mihi musâ virum, shew me the man that can, that takes the pains for eternal glory, that these vain souls do for I know not how little enough to stile it.

But if we compare the pains the ambitious man takes for honour, the voluptuous for his pleasure, the covetous man for wealth; meer leaves of Tantalus his Tree, that do but gull, not satisfie them, the late nights, the early mornings, the broken sleeps, the unquiet slumbers, the many watches, the innumerable steps, the troublesom journeys, the short meals, the strange restraints, the often checks, the common counterbuffs, the vexatious troubles, the multitude of affronts, neglects, refusals, denials, the eager pursuits, the dangerous ways, the costly expences, the fruitless

travels, the tortured minds, the wearied bodies, the unsatisfied desires when all is done, that these men suffer, and run through, the one for an honour that sometimes no body thinks so but he that pursues it; the o∣ther for a pleasure base oftentimes and villanous: the third for an estate not far from ruine, nay, oftentimes to ruine his house and posterity. If I say, we compare these mens pains and sufferings, with what we do for Christ, and God, and Heaven, and happiness, true, real, immoveable happiness and glory, Good Lord! how infinitely short do we come of them? shall not they rise up against us in judgment and condemn us; nay, shall not we our selves rise up against our selves in judgment, who have done many of these things, suffered many for a little profit, vain-glory, or vain hope, which we thought much to do for eternal glory? This we do, we strive, and labour, and take pains for vanity; we are temperate in all things, restrain and keep in our selves, for the obtaining sometimes a little credit, sometimes a little affection, or good opinion from some whose love or good opinion is worth nothing; or if it be, is as easily lost, as soon removed & changed from us, is commonly both corrupt and corruptible without ground, and to little purpose. But for Gods Judgment, Christs Affection, the Holy Spirits good Love to us, for the praise of good men, of Saints, and Angels, the whole choire of Heaven rejoycing over us: nay, for Heaven it self, and blessedness, and glory, all which we might obtain with the same pains, and lesser trouble, and in the same time, 'tis so little that we do, so far from all, that I may with∣out injury stile it nothing.

But for Gods sake, for Christs sake, for our own sake, let it not be so for ever; let us not always prefer Glass before Diamonds, Barley Conrs before Pearls, pleasure, or profit, or honour before Heaven, and Happi∣ness, and Glory. There are in Heaven unspeakable pleasures, whole Rivers of them there. There are in Heaven infinite and eternal riches, which we can neither fathom nor number; there is glory, and honour, and immortality, and eternal life. There are all these Crowns made in∣corruptible and everlasting, all running round, encircling one another like Crowns, encircling our souls and bodies too like Crowns, without end, without period. If we would have any Crowns, Honour, or Riches, or Pleasure, let us there seek them where they are advanced to an incor∣ruptibility, made incorruptible, where the leaves are turned into ever∣lasting fruit, incorruptible honour, incorruptible pleasure, incorruptible riches, incorruptible all. Let us but do for them, thus advanc'd and heightned, as we do for them when they are but fading and wither∣ing, and unsatisfying, and I say no more, but you will with as much ease obtain this incorruptible and immortal; as that mortal and corruptible. God grant us grace to do so, to strive for the mastery over our selves, and lusts, and sins, so to be temperate, abstemious, vigilant, and industrious in the pursuit of Heaven, as we are or have been of the earth, that we may at last be crowned not with a corruptible but an incorruptible crown of glory and everlasting life.