Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

156 That Chrisiian5Jliaul notdoteonVearldly vanities, talitie,whieb are meregreedily, t hen wifely,afefled anddeirred, It well becommeth children to dote vpon trifles,their want of Wit fcruing for theirexcufe; but ifwhen they are come to age,and haue knowledge of better things,they ate ail' fond of theft foolcries,and ride vpon flickes,or fit playing in the dufl,they feeme to all abfurd and ridiculous:and fo although our infancie in knowledge might excufevs, and make our former fondneffe in affedting childifh vanities feeme more tollerable; yet rfnow hauing attained to riper eeres, and more knowledge, both of their vilitie and bafenes, and of the exccllencie ofGods fpirituall graces,and eternall ioies, we will fill dote vpon them, and preferre them either in our iudgement,affe6lion,or pra6life before theother our folly is fo much greater then cheirs,as the things which we negled to obtaine there trifles,doe excell chofe things in worth and excellencie,whieb worldlymen doe thinke eflimable. Whi- lefl we looke vpon thefe things alone,and vncompared, wee may thinke them of Tome worth, and fuch as may deferue ourloue in affe6ling them, and our labour in feeking them; bin; if euer wee had tailed of there fpirituall and heauenlie, dainties,we would in comparifon of them, loath theother, phd.3.7, eflecming themwith the Apoflle no better then dung and Joffe, in rcfpeól of Chrifl,and the rich treafures of his bene- fits : and as thofewho hauing walked in the bright fun- fhine,can fee nothing when they come into darke places; s.Cor.za. fo if with the Apofile, wee had euer feene the glorious brightneffe ofcheheauenlyioyes, wee fhould neuer bee fo cleere-fighted in beholding there earthly vanities; but ha- uing the ties ofour minds dazeled with the former beautie, we would Tooke oucr thefe contemptible trifles without re- fpetr Ifwe could fhare our hart and affe6tions between God and the world, haue one foot in heauen,!and the other fixed upon the earth,lifc one eie vp to there heauenly excellencies, and call the other downe vpon thefe earthly vanities; final - lie,if we could haue both the honour ofthe world,and the glory ofGods Kingdome, thefe temporaryriches,and thofe eternall treafures,the pleafures ofthe flefh, and the ioycs of heauen,there.were Tome reafon why wee fhould efleeme,af- fc6l,