Let it be the top of your ambition, and the height of all your designs, to glorify God, to secure your interest in Christ, to sieve your Generation, to provide for Eternity, to walk with God, to be tender of all that have ⟨image 3⟩Aliquid Christi, any thing of Christ, shining in them, and so to steer your course in this world, as that you may give 1up your account at last with joy: All other ambition is base and low. Ambition (saith one) is a gilded misery, 2a secret poison, a hidden plague, the Engineer of deceit, the mother of hypocrisy, the parent of envy, the original of vices, the moth of holiness, the blinder of hearts, turning medicines into maladies, and remedies into diseases. In the enthronization of the Pope, before he is set in his chair, and puts on his triple Crown, a piece of tow, or wad of straw is set on fire before him, and one appointed to say, sic transit gloria mundi, the glory of this 3world is but a blaze. St. Luke calls Agrippa's pomp [Greek or Hebrew], a fantasy or vain show; and indeed, all worldly pomp and state is but a fantasy, or vain show. St. Matthew calls all the world's glory, [Greek or Hebrew], 4an opinion: and St. Paul calls it, [Greek or Hebrew], a Mathematical 5figure; which is a mere notion, and nothing in substance: The word here used, intimateth that there is nothing of any firmness, or solid consistency in the creature; it is but a surface, out-side, empty thing: all the beauty of it, is but skin-deep. Mollerus, upon that Psal. 673. 20. concludeth, that men's earthly dignities are but as idle dreams; their splendid braveries, but lucid fantasies. High seats are never but uneasy, and Crowns are always stuffed with Thorns; which made one say of his Crown, Oh Crown, more noble than happy: shall the spirit of God, the grace of God, the power of God, the presence of God, arm you against all other sins, evils, snares, and temptations, as you are by a good hand of heaven, armed against worldly ambition, and worldly glory:
Let it be the top of your ambition, and the height of all your designs, to glorifie God, to secure your interest in Christ, to seve your Generation, to provide for Eternity, to walk with God, to be tender of all that have ⟨image 3⟩Aliquid Christi, any thing of Christ, shining in them, and so to steer your course in this world, as that you may give 1up your account at last with joy: All other ambition is base and low. Ambition (saith one) is a guilded misery, 2a secret poyson, a hidden plague, the Engineer of deceipt, the mother of hypocrisie, the parent of envy, the original of vices, the moth of holiness, the blinder of hearts, turning medicines into maladies, and remedies into diseases. In the enthronization of the Pope, before he is set in his chair, and puts on his triple Crown, a piece of tow, or wad of straw is set on fire before him, and one appointed to say, sic transit gloria mundi, the glory of this 3world is but a blaze. St. Luke calls Agrippa's pomp 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a phantasie or vain shew; and indeed, all worldly pomp and state is but a phantasie, or vain shew. St. Matthew calls all the world's glory, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, 4an opinion: and St. Paul calls it, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Mathematical 5figure; which is a mere notion, and nothing in substance: The word here used, intimateth that there is nothing of any firmness, or solid consistency in the creature; it is but a surface, out-side, empty thing: all the beauty of it, is but skin-deep. Mollerus, upon that Psal. 673. 20. concludeth, that men's earthly dignities are but as idle dreams; their splendid braveries, but lucid fantasies. High seats are never but uneasie, and Crowns are always stuffed with Thorns; which made one say of his Crown, Oh Crown, more noble than happy: shall the spirit of God, the grace of God, the power of God, the presence of God, arm you against all other sins, evils, snares, and temptations, as you are by a good hand of heaven, armed against worldly ambition, and worldly glory:
- 1Mat. 25. 21.
- 2B•rnard. Cardinal Bourbon, would not lose his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise: Act. and mon. Fol. 899.B•rnard. Cardinal Burbon, would not lose his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise: Act. and mon. Fol. 899.
- 3Act 25. 23.
- 4Mat. 4. 8.
- 51 Cor. 7. 31.
- 6The Roman• built Virtue's & honours Temples close together, to show, that the way to true honour, was by Virtue, Aug.The Roman• built Virtue's & honours Temples close together, to shew, that the way to true honour, was by Virtue, Aug.
