An ark for all Gods Noah's in a gloomy stormy day, or, The best…An arke for all Gods Noahs in a gloomy stormy day, or, The best…

But now all earthly portions are very uncertain; now they are, and anon they are not, Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards heaven. Though the foolish world call riches substance, yet they have no solid subsistence: All earthly portions are as transitory ⟨p. 97⟩as a shadow, a ship, a bubble, a bird, a dream, an arrow, a post that passeth swiftly away. Riches were never true to any that have trusted in them. In this Text Riches are said not to be, because they do not continue to be; ¹they will not abide by a man, they will not long continue with a man, and therefore they are as if they were not. All earthly things are vain and transitory, they are rather shows and shadows than real things themselves; 1 Cor. 7.31. For the fashion of this world passeth away: The Greek word [Greek or Hebrew] signifies a Mathematical Figure, which is a mere notion, and nothing in substance. All the glory of this world is rather a matter of fashion than of substance, 'tis a body without a soul, 'tis a golden shell without a kernel, 'tis a show without a substance; there is no firmness, there is no solidness, ⟨p. 98⟩there is no consistency, there is no constancy in any of the creatures. All the pomp, and state, and glory of the world is but a mere piece of Pageantry, a Mask, a Comedy, a Fantasy; Act. 25.23. And on the morrow when Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp. The original words [Greek or Hebrew] signify great fantasy, or vain show. The greatest glory and pomp of this world in the eye of God, in the account of God, is but as a fantasy or a shadow. It was a custom in Rome, that when the Emperor went by upon some great day in all his Imperial pomp, there was an Officer appointed to burn flax before him, and to cry out, Sic transit gloria mundi, so the glory of this world passeth away: And this was purposely done to put him in mind, that all his honour, pomp, glory, and grandeur should soon pass and vanish away, as the flax did that he saw burnt before his eyes.