Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

So that hereby their occasions being few and narrow, those things which they here enjoy are unto those occasions largely suitable, and by consequent very satisfactory unto their desires. But worldly men are here at Home, they have their portion in this life: hereupon their desires are vast, and their occasions springing out of those desires, infinite. A man in the right way finds at last an end to his journey, but he that is out of the way wanders infinitely without any success. Rest is that which the desires and wings of the soul do still carry men upon. Now the faithful being always in the way, do with comfort go on, though it be peradventure deep and heavy, because they are sure it will bring them home at last; but wicked men in a fairer way are never satisfied, because they have not before¹ them that rest which their soul desires. For inordinate lusts are ever infinite. What made the heathen burn in lust one towards another, but because the way of nature is finite, but the way of sin infinite? What made Nero that wicked emperor have an officer about him, who was called Arbiter Neroniana libidinis, the Inventer and Contriver of new ways of uncleanness, but because lust is infinite? What made Messalina, that prodigy of women, whom I presume Saint Paul had a particular relation to, Rom. 1. 26. Profluere ad incognitas libidines, as the Historian speaks, prostitute her self with ⟨p. 80⟩greediness unto unnatural and unknown abominations, but because lust is infinite? What makes the ambitious man never leave climbing, till he build a nest in the stars; the covetous man never leave scraping, till he² fill bags, and chests, and houses, and yet can never fill the hell of his own desires; the epicure never cease swallowing, and spewing, and staggering, and inventing new arts of catches, and rounds, and healths, and caps, and measures, and damnation; the swearer find out new gods to invocate, and have change of oaths as it were of fashions; the superstitious Traveller run from England to Rhemes, and from thence to Rome, and from Rome to Loretto, and after that to Jerusalem to worship the milk of our Lady, or the cratch and tomb of our Saviour, or the nails of his Cross, or the print of his feet, and I know not what other fond delusions of silly men, who had rather find salvation any where then in the Scriptures;