692 71mtworldly thingsbringcontempt efgr4eemedglorr. thers,yetare their harts foopprefred with the waight ofworld- lycares,and the loue of earthly rhings,that no fooner doe they offer to raite them in heauenly meditations,but prefently they are preffeddowse againe,and (as it were) flutterand tire them- felueswithworldlybu6nefl'e. But in truth feldome haue they fo much as any fuchdefire,leeing the world likea thicke cloud, beingneerevnto them, doth ouerfhadowand hide that bright fhining formeof heauenly glory out of their fight, fo as they cannot fee it,& not feeing it,neuer defire it,there being no de- fire and loue ofthat which is not knowne. And as a littlepearle flickingfall vnto the eyedoth blind the fight, and is fufficient tohide from vs the wholeearth andheauen, whichare incom- parabileofgreater quantitie ; fo the world and worldly things Taet®le'tgias like a pearle f}irking chofe to the eye of the foule, do make it aor1efli con- fo f irituailyblind,that it cannot difcerne the Lord, infinite in templarioae re- all poodnes nor the ioyes ofheauen, though withoutall com- pcams.maan. b' s Y terrenerum parifon, they areofgreater excellencie. Towhich purpofeone aúaamfolici- faith, that ifwe delire earthly things, wee are wholly takenvp "dine prnq>a- withthecare of them ; and lb farre,are wee beaten backe from aatmsr.Greg.c. heauenly contemplatiô, by howmuch weareouerpoyfed with eg ' cap .io. the caresofearthlyatffatres.But faynotwithflanding thisblind- neffe, they might haue force glimpfe ofthe fhining brightneffe offpiritaall grace and heauenlyglory, or wanting this, fhould haue it by others defcribedvnto them, fo that fomeknowledge ofthefediuine excellencies, might by the paffageofthe care, be deriued to their vnderllandin(,s; yet being whollypoffeffed with the loueofworIdlything, they would little regard fuch difcourfes, and accounting thefe earthly vanities them chicle treafures,their hearts are to fart fixed vpon them, that no per- fuafion will moue then to kaue them, or once tolookeafter thofe fpirituall and diuine excellencies. For as heewho loueth truelyhis God,dothnot much loue his gold, becaufe hee dice- meth himhischiefetreafure; andas bee who highlyefleemeth Omitcntnirin- heauenly happineffe, doth prefently contemne thefe earthly t+.at tateftia vanities; fo contrariwife they who dote on the idol1 of the sonténst.Aug.. world,doe not refpcé} the Lord ofheauen ; and they whoouer- ualuc earthly trafh,doe contemne, and ter light by chofehea- uenly and eternal' treafurcs. And this our Sauiour plainely teachethvs in the parableofthe guefis invited to the mariage (upper;
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