Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

3 6 z Of the vaoitie of lank aad lord jhips,gold and per. uerlalling inberitance,whenthey fet their hearts vpon them: efpecially if(as the Prophet fpeaketh)they have vied oppref- (ion to inlarge their lordlhips, ioyning boule to houfe, and Efay 5.8. field to field, inclofing commons and ditpeopling townes, that thepoore being rooted our, they may place themfelues alone in the middefl of the carth:by which cruelty inlarging their poffelfions which are but momentany, they make themfelues fubieól to an eternal! woe, and molt fearefull maledi&ion. 4.Sec1,3. Neither is there more excellencie or worth in gold and ofthe vauityo f fluer, which by the wife Salmon are reckoned arid ranged gold add fih er. among thofevanities, which bring no good to the owners, Eccle1zsi r, but vexation offpirit, and by the Prophet dtrc led by Gods Habac,z.6, Spirit,they are called thicke clay,which htue their vahie and preheminence aboue other earth, becaufe they are a little more (hiring and ref ned;neither haue they their worth and Chryloft. in value from nature, but from mens opinions. For (as one no- a.Tim,6. Hom. tech) thole things which are naturally excellent, do Phew their owne excellencie without any mount- bancke to corn - mend them, or to fet them out to the Phew, as the fugar his fweetnes, the Sunnehis brightnes, and the earth his fruitful - nes : but thefe wares which are of imaginary worth, need a monitour to tell vs of their excellencie, or otherwife we Ihould not know, much lelfe admire them. For if we do fee copper gilt, weare delighted with the beauty ofthe mettall, and wecall it gold; but whenthole which are more skilfull come and admonifh vs that we are deceived, our errour and Senec.epill.94, admiring wonderleaue vs both together. Moreouer, we fee that God in the veryplacing ofthefe mettais, would take a- way from vs all opinion of their worth and excellencie : for whereas the Lord hath placed his creatures according to their dignity (man only excepted, who is in the place of his exile and banifhmcnt)as the holy Angels in the higheflhea- uen, the Sunne, Moore and Starres in the firmament, the elements as they arc more pure, fo in place one fuperiour ve- to another : he hath feated there fo much admired mettals,in the intrals of the ma! grolfe element, as though he would haue vs fo farce from letting them vpon our heads, or our hearts