That worldly things arethecaufes efidolatrie. 674;.' our loue; how infinitely more excellent and amiable is God, the author ofall their goodneffe,and thole ioyes which hehath prepared for vs inour owne Country? Or ifwecannot, being tiedwith our feules vnto things prefent, feate our affe6fions wholly in heaucn,nor altogether fixeourhearts and mindsvpon God,theauthor ofall our good,becaufe theyarepulled downe from thishie pitch of heauenly meditations,with the weight ofour worldlynecef$tics; yet at loft let vs imitate the Eagle, which taketh all her delight inboatingabone the clouds,and in lookingvpon theSunne, and feldomeftoopeth,but when hun- ger compelleth her tofeeke after herpray: fo let our conuer- si cuntta mum. facionbewholly in heauen, and let vs take our chicledelight dirclimqueremä in contemplating the beaatie and excellencic of the Sunne ofpot /lu,furme- righteoufneffe,and King ofglorie,neuerCuff-ring our heartsand m,q,;di hints minds to refflonger upon earth, then the neceffïtiesofnature tamemper ee doeconfaraine vs. And feeing wecannot leaue theworld alto.. eon reneaaini gether;yet(as one perfwadeth vs)let vs fo takehold ofit, that it Fmrundo. _ .dot nottake hold ofvs,and fo poffeffe the thingsofthc world, mit, ge, inLne that we be not poffcffed of them ; faits haue them vnder the r 4,ló. ruie,and at the command efour minds, that they doe notim- prifon themonearth inthe flautfhbands ofcarnall loue. Let vs haue earthly things in our vfe, butheauenly in ourdefires; let them (rue as helpesin our iournie,but let vsxeferue thole eter- Phil:3.:o. nailioyes,asourchichehopesforouriournicsend; let vslooke vpon worldly benefits,but on the one fide, aspalling bythem; but let thedes ofour foules be firmely, and with all intention fixedbeforevson our heauenly happineffeivnto which we are trauelling. Finally,ifthe earth for a time muff needshaue our I.Cer.7a93a. bodies,yetlet Godhaue our hearts and minds ; and thoughwe bee conftrained tovfe the things of theworld, yet let vs take heed(as the Apoflle exhorteth) that we doenot abufe themvn- tofinne, by 1 ttingouraffediotasmorevponthem,then vpon Godhimfelfe,and the riches ofhisKingdome. Thelccond maine finne direlyagainil themaieftieofGod, which thefeworldly things ouerualued, and immoderately lo- That roorldty ued,doe caulevstofall into, is thatcapitali finne ofidolatrie, things iomode- wherebymenas much as in them lieth,pull God outofhisroi- rarefy lowed, all throne,and treafonablvfet vp in hisplace anotherLord and ' J tau King,towhomthey acknowledge their fealtyand alleageance. Xx a For
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