i T he Vanity of the Creature4 37 bee of all Metals the moll folid, and therefore leaf+ fub- je6t to decay, yet it is not immortall and durable riches ; for the Apofile tels us, that filver and gold are corruptible things, and that there is a ruFt and canker which eateth up the gold and flyer of wicked men. I confeffe the hearts of many men are fo glewed unto the world, efpe- cially when they finde all things fucceed profperoufly with them, that they are apt enough to fet up their ref}, and to conceit a kinde of f}edfafineffe in the things they poffeffe. Becaufe they have no changes, faith the Prophet David, therefore they feare not God : But yet I fay, where the Lord doth not wholly give a man over to heape up treafures Unto the lai4 day,to be caten up with the canker of his ownewealth , the foule mull ofneceffity fometime' or other happen upon fuch fad thoughts is thefe : What ailes my foolifh heart thus to cate up it felfe with care, and to rob mine eyes of their beloved fleepe for fuch things, as to the which the time will come when I mull bid an everlafling farewell ? Am I not a poore mortali Creature, brother to the Wormes, filler to the Dull ? Doc I not carry about with mee a foule full of corruptions, a skinne full of .difeafes ? Is not my breath in my noflrils, where there is roome enough for it to goe out, and polsi- bility never to come in again ? Is my fle(h of braffe,or my bones of iron,that I fhould thinke to hold out,and with- out interruption to enjoy thefe earthly things? Or if they were, yet are not the Creatures themfelves fubjec'l to period and mortalitie ? Is there not a Mòth in my richeft garments,'a Worme in my talleft Cedars, a Can- ker and rull in my firmelt Gold to corrupt and eat it out? Or if not,will there come a day, when the whole frame of Nature 'hall bee Pet on fire, and the Elements themfelves !hall melt with heat, when that univerfall flame (hall devour all the bags , and lands , and cffices. and honours, and treafures and fiore-hòufcs of worldly men ? When Heaven and Hell (hall divide the World ; D 3 Heaven; I Per.I.18. Iam.ç.i. Pfa1.5 S. to, .t
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