II. The Reasons, why they did not avail him, nor will avail any others, who, with Haman, placeth his Happiness in the fruition of them.

I. The Example of Haman is very remarkable and inftructive, a moft evident Argument of that Truth for which we now contend; which will appear, if we view the feveral Circumftances of his Life and Greatness. He enjoyed all those Advantages which could enhance the Opinion of his own Happiness. Among thefe, none of the leaft is, that he rose to this Grandeur from a mean Eftate, which fet a better relith upon his Happiness, and made it the more valuable to him.

To one who had all his Life long enjoy'd the uninterrupted courfe of Profperity, thefe Honours might appear of lesser Value. A Satiety of Pleafures, might in fuch have extinguished an esteem of them. He might not know how to prize them, because he never knew the want of them, To be brought up in a conftant Plenty of all that Senfe can defire, will oft-times produce a Greatness of Mind, furmounting at last those petty Objects. For the defire of Man in this Life is reftlefs; fo that what he hath always poffeft he will fcarce think defireable. 'Tis Novelty which recommendeth Temporal Enjoyments: The want of them fir raifed

raised a defire of them; and their abfence ministers an esteem of their Greatness.

Haman had, no doubt, while yet in a mean Condition, before he was taken notice of, or advanced by his Prince, admir'd the Honour and Riches of other Men, envied their Happiness, and bounded his Hopes in the Acquifition of a like Fortune. He had often imagined he fhould be truly Happy, when he should have obtained what he fo much defired. The Opinion of this Happiness had taken deep root in his Mind, had filled his Thoughts and poffeft his Soul. And now after his Defires were accomplished, his Hopes fulfilled; when he was raised to a greater Dignity, than himself before had even dared to hope; when he was far advanced above all those, whose Happiness he had fo long both envied and admired; when he was newly entred upon the Poffeffion of his Hopes, and had not fo long enjoyed the Pleasures of them, as to be glutted by them; yet notwithstanding all these Advantages, he declares, this availed him nothing.

Again, if fuch a Confeffion fhould proceed from the Mouth of a Philofopher, it might poffibly be attributed to fomewhat elfe than Conviction of Judgment. It might arife from Vain-glory and the Defire of being reputed Superior to all the Satisfactions of Senfe, and the Vanity of this Life. It might be thought to be spoken with defign VOL. II.

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of raising an Opinion of his own extraor dinary Wisdom or Mortification. was usually objected to the Heathen Philofophers, that they fecretly entertained the love of thofe Vices, against which they fo furiously declamed, and directed their Difcourse rather for applause than conviction. Or if fuch a Saying fhould proceed from a firm Perfuafion in them, it still deferved not to be admired: because they knew, or pretended to know, a more real and defireable Happiness; fo that to deprefs the Pleasures of Senfe, and exaggerate thofe of the Mind, was no more than their Profeffion did require of them. Or if a Chriftian fhould, make fuch a Declaration after a ferious Meditation of the Vanity of this Life, and the Rewards proposed to him in another, we should much lefs be moved at it. In Him, that would be but natural: He profeffeth himself a Citizen of another World, a Pilgrim and Stranger upon the Earth, whofe Hopes and Expectations are placed in Heaven. But when a profeffed Worlding, who knows no Happinefs, but what is to be received in this Life, who never confidered or conceived a fpiritual Felicity, who greedily feeks after fecular Advantages, and makes thofe the only Objects of his defire: If fuch an one, in the midst of his Fruition, declares his unfatisfaction; this is an unanswerable Evidence, which nothing but the force of Truth can extort, which cannot be denied. And fuch

was

was Haman, a stranger to the Promises of God, an Enemy to Religion, a Slave to his Paffion, a Votary to Luft and Pleasure; and yet even he, in the Fruition of all which he had hitherto fo ardently defired, confeft, that it availed him nothing.

Further, this Speech of Haman was not the effect of any fudden Motion, but of mature Deliberation. A worldy Man perhaps may be driven by fome Disappointment or unwelcome Accident, to blafpheme his Mammon, and in a hafty Conceffion to declare the Vanity of all fublunary Enjoyments; to renounce his part in them, and pretend that he doth not value them: yet would be unwilling to be taken at his word, and stript of all. Such Sallies of Paffion declare not the fixed Judgment of a Man, and not proceeding from Deliberation, carry no Authority with them. But the Refolution of Haman in my Text was far otherwife. He pronounced this in a fedate Difpofition, after long Confultation. He fent for his Friends to acquaint them with it; and when they were met, did not immediately break out into a transport of Paffion, and bewail his miffortune. He recounted and amplified the Benefits of Fortune to him, took a full Profpect of all his imaginary Happiness, as it is in the 11th Verfe, And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him; and how he had

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advanced him above the Princes and Ser vants of the King. He gave its due weight to every Circumftance of his prefent Fortune, infifted upon all the Topicks which might amplify the greatness of it, magnified it in a fet Harangue, and yet after all, at laft concluded, that all this availed him nothing.

A ftrange Conclufion for an Haman to make; which yet will carry greater weight along with it, if we confider, that this proceeded not from any Representation made to him by his Friends whom he had called together, of the Vanity of his Riches, the Mutability of his Fortune, or the Mortality of his Nature. Such Suggestions might poffibly have diverted his Vain-glorious humour for a while to a melancholy Confideration of them, and in that Difpofition have forced him to make this Concession. As Solon did to Crafus, making a pompous fhew of his Treafures and Magnificence: and the Prophet reduced King Hezekiah to more humble Thoughts, after he had in Oftentation expofed his Riches to the view of the Ambassadors of Babylon, by telling him, that they should be carried away to Babylon. In that cafe, to restrain the love of worldly Pleasure, and for a while feem weary of it, may easily be accountable. But here the Friends of Haman, far from performing such an Office, fought rather to congratulate his Fortunes, to flatter his Paffions, to foment