but only in a deluding dream or imagination, and
therefore will certainly make the issue rather vexation than gloriation,
or there wants property and interest in them, for they are changeable and
perishing in their own nature, and by divine appointment, that they cannot
be conceived to be the proper good of the immortal soul. They cannot be
truly our own, because they will shortly cease to be, and before they
cease to be, they may in a moment cease to be ours. That tie of interest
is a draw knot, whatsoever catcheth hold of the end of it looseth it.

The object of degenerate and vicious boasting is here held out: "Boast not
thyself," or "of thyself." Whatsoever be the immediate matter of it, this
is always the ultimate and principal object. Since man fell from God, self
is the centre of all his affections and motions. This is the great idol,
the Diana, that the heart worships, and all the contention, labour,
clamour, and care that is among men, is about her silver shrines, so to
speak, something relating to the adorning or setting forth this idol. It
is true, since the heart is turned from that direct subordination to God,
the affections are scattered and parted into infinite channels, and run
towards innumerable objects, for the want of that original unity, which
comprehends in its bosom universal plenty, must needs breed infinite
variety, to supply the insatiable appetite of the soul. And this might be
enough to convince you, that your souls are quite out of course, and
altogether wandered from the way of happiness because they are poured out
on such a multiplicity of insufficient, unsatisfying things, every one of
which is narrow, limited and empty, and the combination and concurrence of
all being a thing either impossible or improbable to be attained. But we
may conceive that men's affections put themselves into three great heads
of created things, one of which runs towards the goods or perfections of
the mind, another towards the goods or advantages of the body, and a third
towards those things that are without us, _bona fortunae_, riches and
honour, &c. Now each of these sends out many streams and rivulets as so
many branches from it, but all of them, though they seem to have a direct
course towards other things, yet wind about and make a circular progress
to the great ocean of self-estimation, whence they issued at first.

You may find all of these, (Jer. ix. 23,) falling under a divine
interdiction and curse, as