4 'the Vanityoj theWorld. f) Ut thi~ bet~ngs to the Crcat~1res . So that we ought to(/) ufc the Crearures, that we ~~~m eftm· !llaY ~rr1vc at the Creator: We may fervc our feh•es of them, but we muft alone en~ h61 mund~ JOY lum. IU/J frtttnd;,~n, u~ t'nviji!Jili• Dei ptr 'e• iJu.t jAE1~t]unt, inttllig• n:ttr, h#• efl, ut,, temporalibul .tttrrJII !llfillntln'. AuA:. mJ. Now that which makes the whole World become Vanity, is when we break this order of l!fe and Fruition; when we fet up any particular created Good as our End and Happmefs, which ought only to be nfed as a means to attain it. All things in t~e World are in themfelvcs good; but when we propound .them as the grcateft and h1gheft Good that we expea fatisfa8:ion from, this turns them all into Vanity; and fo every thing befides God, becomes nothing. And thus we have a brief account whence proceeds this Vanity of the \Vorld, not from the nature of tli.ings, but from thofe vain hopes and expeCtations we build upon them, for that happinefs which they cannot afford. It remains therefore to difplay before you this Vanity of thc\Vorld1 in fome more remarkable particulars: Whereof take thefe follow in~ Inftanccs. I. Firft, The Vanity of the World appears in this, That all its Glory and Splendor, depends ~eCrly upon Opinion and Fancy. lt is not fo much what things are, as what we account them, that makes themGood or Evil: And what can be v:1incr than that Q~,Uit.lmapiui}ltrimlidtmiiP'· llf"ilil pntium tjl, ttmtttm t~pud hli"lfl'lll'lflio.Na,.,lltiflt~ptr• fu .. f~ilt gt>l11U'4: mrjl,.nt. Plin. lil i :1.. d~ Gtm. Bmuni drlmmti,nM'fl•, t.b. r. which borrows its worth fr-om fo v.1in and fickle a thing as our Eftimation? And therefore we find the things of the World rated divcrfly, according to the efteem that !\·fen have of them. What were Gold :md Silver, had not Mens F:mcy ftampt upnn them .:tn excellency far beyond their Dltural nfefnlncfs? This great Idol of the World was of no v:1luc among thofe b:1rbarous Nations, ·where abundance made it vile. They preferred Gb.fs :md Beads before it, and made that their T reafhre, which we make our Scorn. They dcfpife our Rithes, and we theirs; and t rue Reafon will tell us, th:1t both the one and the other arc in thcmfe\vcs alike dcfpicablc; and it is only Fancy that puts fi1ch an immodeft and extravagant price upon them, far above their natu ral worth. Should the whole World confpirc together tiJ depofe Gold and Silver from that fovcrcignty they have ufi1rped over us, they might for ever lie hid' in the Bowels of the Earth, e'er their true ufefulncfs would entice any to the pains and hazard of digging them out into the Light. Indeed the whole ufe of what we fo much dote upon, is mcerly fantaftical ; and to make our felvcs needy, we have invented an artificial kind of Riches; which are no more neccff.1.ry to the Service of Sober Nature, th:1n Jewels and Bracelets • JEFar. were to that Plane-t ree which * Xtr.ws fo ridicnlouOy :tdo~nc~. And.altho' we e.:t1. :~..c. l<t · gerly pnrft1c thefc things, and count our felves poor and md1gcnt Withotlt them ; yet poffihly right Rcafon will dictate, _That they arc no more nc~d~11 to us, than to brute or fcnOefs Creatures; and that Jt would be altogether as nd1cnlous for a Man to be deck'd with them, as for a Beaft or Plant; werc...it but as uncommon. Thefe precious trifles, when they arc hung about tis, make no more either to the wJrmth • ~ , , or defence of the Body than if they were hung UPIJn a Tree they 7 ,.,;;r:;:,";;'~~i'::•Jji; could make its Le~vcs more verdant, or. its lhade more r~fr,elhing. -:1w£M,,. ~,..-u-,1 v !v1tt.u.~vr.~; * Doth any Man ltc the fofter, becaufe h1s Bed-pofl:s arc g1~t. Doth -r~· J X.f'-~~~r ·~ni ;u~v it.Nr his Meat and Drink rclifh the better, becanfc ferv'd up m Gold? .,, t.4AMv (Tlt~'IJ¥fv; !1 ~· Is his Houfc more convenient, becaufe better carved or painted? r;;;::,;,w 'f otzt:l:'r";:~ t~~ Orar~ hisCiooths more fit? becaufemorcfa lhionablethananot~er's? Xftl.n:;~ , Mi ~· ,,..,211nfvf~v And tf they :1re not neceil~ry to thefc natural U(cs, :tll that IS left ~t11.1V&:r :HJrum tiJlir~ ;n:!f~~· t hem is but Fancy and Opmwn. Indeed, Mankmd couzen them· ,.g,;~v ; Lucian. Cynicu ~ . fc\ves by compact; and by fctting a value upon thi ngs thatarcrarc, have made many think themfelves poor, whereas God and Nat~re made all equally wealthy had they not artificially impoverilh'd themfclves. It IS nothing but Con· ceit tha; makes the diftCrence between the richeft and the meaneft, if both enjoy Nccelfaries. For what are all their fuperftnous Riches, but a Load that Mens Covetoufnefs lays upon them? they are but like * Roman Slaves, that were wont to carry heavy burthens of Bread upon their B:1cks, whereof others eat as large a !hare as they. \\Thatfoevcr is more than barely to fatisfie the Cravings of Nature, is of no other ufe but only to ·i· look upon. Thy Lands, thy Houfes, ,._-Ut fi rttit~!am panU, '!Jt · nlflts inttr, tt~u.flt fortC vthlll hlJINtro, nihiU p/U4 lletlpiM qu•m 'ijutnilptrti#'it. Hor.Stat. r. t Ecd~(. 5· 11 . and fair Eftatc, are but Pictures of things. The pooreft that fees them, enjoys as much
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