Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Chap.z. Secr,2. LorJking tmto :ftfus. Book. I. this life as men do paffe over a Deep, imagining themfelves to have golden mountaines, and rocks of diamond, but when they awake at the day ofdeath' , they fin de themfelves to have nothing. Why Chrifiian, wilt thou Jet thine eye; upon that whi~·h Prov. 1 H. is not? I. 0 bferve that riches are not, they are nothiAg, thofe , thi.ngs that make men great in the eye of the world , are notl:ting in the eys ofGod.2.0bferve thatGod ;would not'have us ~o much as Jet our ep upon them,they arc not obJects worth the lookmg on. 3. Obferve with what indignation he fpeaks againfi thofe that will fet their eyes upon thefe vanities, wilt thou Jet thine eyu upen a thinJ which i;· not? q. d. what a vain,unreafonable,fottiib, fenfeleffe thing is this ? 2. Confider that all fuch things (if they are any thing) they a~e but trifles, deceits , thornes , miferies, uncertain things; this is an ordinary theame ., it is every mans object , and every mans fubject , and a very eafie thing it is to declaim up the vanity, mifery, uncertainty of the cre~tures; ay but do you make it the matter ot your meditation;' and be you ferious in it, think of it deeply , and defire God to be in your thoughts ; Oh what work will it t9en make in your breails! oh how would it wean your loves and defires off all thefe things ! Chrifiians ! confider all thefe adjuncts ofall fublunary things; when thet:reatures tempt you, be not en6ced by ~he beauty of them, fo as to forget their vanity; fay , here is a flow- · er, fa ire, but fading ; her\! is a glaffe that's bright, but very brittle. .... 3. Confider the difference ofthefeobjects,Chrifr,and all other things; as thus, all other things are vanities, but Chrifr is a real, folid, fubfrantial, excellent, glorious. thing ; all other things are · temporary, fading things, but ChriH: is an enduring fubftance, the .fameyefferday, and to day , a?Jd fur e1.;er , whic-h is, and Revel. 1.4, which was ,and which is to ·cc;ne: all other things are thoms,vc:<:a- · tionoffpirit, butChrifris fullofjoyandcomfo.rt, am fl: ravifhing object , all compofed ofloves, or altogether lvue!y, 0 Cmr. 5. 16 ' who would make it his bnfineffe to fill his coffers with pibb!es, · . when ~1e may have pearls, or gold, or filver, or precious things? what, mufi you l??k off your finnes ? why fee ,before you the · graces of the Sptnt ofChrifl:; mufi you look offyour idle finful Wmpany ? fee before you the fe!lowfbip of the F atber, and the w____ C 3 . S Mne o

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