Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

368 Thevanitie ofee lyhauth old fluffe,andhatey duíldíngf. S.Seîi,s. And thus it appeareth how vaine and worthlel9e thefe Ofthe va:rity rich iewels,and co(llie furniture are infllie to bee valued and oflxmpruoru a (leemed. Let vs in the next place confider offtatelie houles buüdtxg,, and fumptuous buildings, wherein woridlie menfo much glorie and delight; in which after due examination we fhall find no more excellencie,or le{fe vanitie. And fir (l, ifwewill credit the wife Salomon (who hauing for a time his affe &ion greatlie let upon them, wanted neither witcuriouflie to con- trine his (lately buildings for moll conuenient vfe, and grea- te(l (late and glory,nor yet wealth to fecond his inventions) hee will tell vs on his owne experience, that when in this kind wee haue done all wee can, yea all wee will, and in our hearts delire; we (hall in the end of all our coil and labour, Ecdef a.4.nt. find nothing but vanitie and vexation of fpirit. Againe,if there wereany excellencie in thefe fumptuous buildings, it is chieflie the glorie and praife of the builders and worke- men,whofe arc and skill is hereby commended, and not of the workemafler and owner, whohad do other part to a& in thefe workes, but to disburfe the money and beare the charge. The honk therefore doth not grace the inhabitant, but he his habitation,when as he maketh it an holie temple for religious duties, a manfion for vertue and good order, the feate of good hofpitalitie, and a place of refuge and re- liefe for the needie and afllided. Neither will thefe flatelie buildings greatlie profit vs, for they do not bring to the ow- ners any found ioy, quiet and contentation, which dwell more often in poore cottages then in (latelie palaces. They doe not free vs from care and griefe, wherewith iatelie buildings are often pefired, when as thatched houles are priuiledged and exempted. They doe not preferue their lords from the encounters of fnckneffes and difeafes; yea ra- ther therelieth an open paffage to let in gouts, patties, col - lickes, confumptions, when as they are kept out from en- tring fuch flenderbuildings,as will fcarce beamoff a (lorme, or holdout raine.The thickneffe of their (lone or well tim- bred walles, nor the flrength of their nailed gates will ferue to keepe out death ; neither will the height of their buildings make him neede a skating ladder, when hee corn - meth