Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

6o6 That the worldandworldly thing: are msmentany. vs that the world is but a bog,or fandie ground,fubie6t eue- ry day to fleeting and fading, and to be caried away with a floud of fire ; & why then fhould we labour with -Cush paines to build abiding places vpon a foundation fo deceitful & vn- lure ; and not rather bend all our fludiesto be admitted into lobn 14.2.3. chofe mafion houfes,& eternal habitati6s, which Chrifi bath prepared for vs in the heauens?Ifa skilful carpenter,in whofe knowledge & truth we repofe much confidence, fhould cer- tainly affure vs,that al the principals of our houle were fo old Auguft.de Tri- and rotten, that they would within a yeere at furchefl fail; 40.13 caP.7. and the whole building come to ruine, who would not flit out offuch an houle, in which he cannot one night fleepe fe- curely, and vfe all meanes to place himfelfe in a furer habita- on? who would not thinke him a foole that would fo fondly loue this ruinous building, asthat by flaying 1h 11 in it, he would be contented to indanger himfelfe, to be overwhel- med and buried in it ruines? But the Lord our God the ski!. full builder of this great frame ofheauen and earth, whole cunning cannotbe deceived, nor truth deceive, bath plainly told vs that this great building (hall within fhort time fall ; and therefore who wouldheere feat hishopes? who would not change his dwelling, efpeciallyteeing we are proffered the fee - Pimple of that goodly building not made with hands, a.Cor.g.r. but etemall inthe heauens ? yea we are affured of the worlds approching ruine, not only by the word of God, but euen allo by our owne experience; for we our felues do fee it rot - tennes,we daily behold how the flrength thereof decayeth, and that all the creatures do wax more feeble,being much a- bated in their naturall powers and vertues, and (hewing by their weaknes and ficknes that they approch neere their end: the heauens haue not that vertue in their influences as in an- cient times ; the heate of the Sunne is much abated, and his vital! operation in fitblunarie and terreflriall bodies greatly weakened, and though (as the learned haue obferued) this life - giuing fire be lower and neerero vs, yet his vertue being decayed,wehaue leffe comfort and feeling of his heat. The earth alfo which is the mother and nurfc of all inferiour creatures, being come'to old age, and wearie and fpent with much