M READER, An is an excellent Creature, ennobled with a rational Immortal Soul, capable to atchieve the greate things, and to enjoy the best things: yet alas fee we not man fo far defpirited, and fork be low himself, as ignorantly to delpite the bf things, and fondly to affect the worst things; paffionatly pursuing Vanities for Felicities; Are not Worldly Plesfures, Profit, and Preferments, the painted Feas thers that the most part to childifly follow after, which a puff of wind foon driveth from the greedy hand, when at the next point of grafping: O how indifcreet and foolish are Men in their choice, who thus choose that which refuses them, and pitch upon that for their Portion which is no ways proportioned to the vaft Capacity of the Immortal Soul,there, fore will a Wife man ufurp this Morto Non eft mortale quod opto, Are we not daily Obfervators of the Changablenefs and Uncertainty of Humanes affairs and Enjoyments? have we not feen lome of Fortunes molt famous Darlings, who have been favoured with the greateft affluence of Temporal Felicities, yet feon abandoned her Favour and made Miferable, yea & how much before their Fall honoured and admired, so much thereafter defpifed and vilified. Ecel, 10.7. do not Men thus deceive themfelves in dreaming to and Contentment in fublunary things, when GO hath legibly engraven this indelible Infeription upon the Forefront of them all, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity and vexation of Spirit: Let me then Argue with you in the Scripture Style, ja. 55. 2. Wheretore do you spend Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which fatisfeth not: and O that I could' Argue you not only inte an Opinion of the Vanity and Mutability of Creature comforts, but also into a firm Perfwafion, that your fummum bonum or chief Happiness lyesin terminating your Choice on GOD, for your Alfafficis ent Portion, and not on Corruptible things, to which Purpose, the Argument prefixed to the Abs ftract of Ecclefiaßes in Metre pag, 2. All Men would happy be But few do fee, What is true Happiness The moft but Guels And in their Gueffes err: Some Dream it lyes in Pleasures, Some their Kings Ear to have But Sol'mon doth averr, Can never be, In fucb uncertain things, As take them Wings And leave thee to Lament The Time mifpent And loft,in feeking Loffes, main Scope of the enfuing Treatife, is, to diffwade diffwade and divert you from the inordinate purfuit of Worldly Trade and Trafh, and to engage you to Trade with CHRIST, that fo when this Worlds Wealth may be gone from you, or you from it, ye may come to be Poffeffors of an enduring fubftance. One thing among others that moved me to handle this peculiar Subje&, was, because it bath pleafed God to call me to the Minitry, who had oc cafion in my Younger years to be bred at Holland, in Merchant accounts Book-keeping, and other parts of the Theorie of Merchandizing, with a Delign at that time to have followed this kind of Inftitution of Life, in the PraЯlick part whereof also, I have fometime been employed, when i had not accefs (through the injuries and unfettlement of the late times) to follow my more free and earnest Incli. nations to the Miniltry: I humbly think that all forts of Chriftians may find in the following Tra& what may be fteadable and fuitable to many of their Soul Cafes and Concerns, but I fpecially Recom mend it to Merchants or Tradesmen Apprentices, that they may perafe the fame in their pare Va. cant bours, no doubt, they may fpend their time in lefs profitable Occupations and Divertisements, I add no more but craves your favourable Accep tance and Prayers, praying that GOD may Blefs unto you the Perutal of what follows. A |