Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

692 71mt worldly thingsbring contempt efgr4eemedglorr. thers,yet are their harts fo opprefred 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 preffed dowse againe,and (as it were) flutterand tire them - felues with worldlybu6nefl'e. But in truth feldome haue they fo much as any fuch defire,leeing the world like a thicke cloud, being neere vnto them, doth ouerfhadow and hide that bright fhining forme of 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 little pearle flicking fall vnto the eye doth blind the fight, and is fufficient to hide from vs the wholeearth and heauen, which are incom- parabile ofgreater 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 a or1efli con- fo f irituailyblind,that it cannot difcerne the Lord, infinite in templarioae re- all poodnes nor the ioyes of heauen, though without all com- pcams.maan. b' s Y terrenerum parifon, they are ofgreater excellencie. To which purpofe one aúaamfolici- faith, that if we delire earthly things, wee are wholly taken vp "dine prnq>a- withthe care of them ; and lb farre,are wee beaten backe from aatmsr.Greg.c. heauenly contemplatiô, by how much we are ouerpoyfed with eg ' cap .io. the cares ofearthlyatffatres.But fay notwithflanding this blind- neffe, they might haue force glimpfe of the fhining brightneffe offpiritaall grace and heauenly glory, or wanting this, fhould haue it by others defcribed vnto them, fo that fome knowledge of thefe diuine excellencies, might by the paffage of the care, be deriued to their vnderllandin(,s; yet being wholly poffeffed with the loue ofworIdlything, 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 truely his God,doth not much loue his gold, becaufe hee dice- meth him his chiefetreafure; and as bee who highly efleemeth 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 w hoouer- ualuc earthly trafh, doe contemne, and ter light by chofe hea- uenly and eternal' treafurcs. And this our Sauiour plainely teacheth vs in the parable of the guefis invited to the mariage (upper;