When Daniel, chap. 4. had the vision of the estate of the four great Monarchies of the world; the Persian, Chaldean, Grecian, and Roman, it was ⟨p. 52⟩set out unto him by the four winds: what are all the Empires, all the dignities of the world, but as wind? There is no reality in these brave Court things, which are so admired and magnified by the most. When Agrippa and Bernice came in great pomp to the judgement seat, Acts 25. 23. it was all but a mere fancy,1 for so the words are in the original: they came with much fancy. Honour is but a shadow, and when it comes from these outward things, it hath not the dignity to be so much as the shadow of a substance; for all these outward things are as shadows, Prov. 8. 20. 21. wisdom there says, that she leads in the paths of righteousness, and in the midst of the paths of judgement, that she may cause those that love her to inherit substance: the word substance is translated by some id quod est, that which is, that which hath a being, as if nothing had a being, as if nothing could be called a substance, but that which wisdom (that is, grace and godliness) gives to inherit. The fashion ⟨p. 53⟩of this world passeth away, says the Holy Ghost:2 the word in the original signifies the surface, the outside, as if all the things of the world were a mere surface, & a vain outside. The shadow of a man may be longer or shorter,3 but the man remains the same still, it adds nothing to the man: honours & preferments may be more or less, but the man remains the same he did before. No man, says Seneca, whom riches and honours set high, is therefore great, he only seems so, because we measure him with his Basis; but set a dwarf upon a mountain, he is not higher, and set a mighty high statue in a pit,4 it is not the less. When gold is raised from twenty shillings to two & twenty, the gold was as good before as it is now, it is the same piece still that then it was, the raising of it is only in the estimation of men. It is said of Eliakim, Isaiah, chap. 22. v. 24. They shall hang the honour of his fathers house upon him; honour is but an external additament, there is no internal excellency in it. Great letters ⟨p. 54⟩in a word set out with gays, take up more room then others, make a greater show in the word then other letters, but they add no more to the sense of the word then others do:
When Daniel, chap. 4. had the vision of the estate of the foure great Mornarchies of the world; the Persian, Chaldaean, Graecian, and Romane, it was ⟨p. 52⟩set out unto him by the foure windes: what are all the Empires, all the dignities of the world, but as winde? There is no reality in these brave Court things, which are so admired and magnified by the most. When Agrippa and Bernice came in great pompe to the judgement seate, Acts 25. 23. it was all but a meere phancy,1 for so the words are in the originall: they came with much phansie. Honour is but a shaddow, and when it comes from these outward things, it hath not the dignity to be so much as the shaddow of a substance; for all these outward things are as shaddowes, Prov. 8. 20. 21. wisedome there saies, that shee leades in the pathes of righteousnesse, and in the midst of the pathes of judgement, that shee may cause those that love her to inherite substance: the word substance is translated by some id quod est, that which is, that which hath a being, as if nothing had a being, as if nothing could bee called a substance, but that which wisedome (that is, grace and godlinesse) gives to inherite. The fashion ⟨p. 53⟩of this world passeth away, saies the Holy Ghost:2 the word in the originall signifies the surface, the outside, as if all the things of the world were a meere surface, & avaine outside. The shadow of a man may be longer or shorter,3 but the man remaines the same still, it adds nothing to the man: honours & preferments may be more or lesse, but the man remaines the same he did before. No man, saies Seneca, whom riches and honours set high, is therefore great, he onely seemes so, because we measure him with his Basis; but set a dwarfe upon a mountaine, hee is not higer, and set a mighty high statue in a pit,4 it is not the lesse. When gold is raised from twenty shillings to two & twenty, the gold was as good before as it is now, it is the same peece still that then it was, the raising of it is only in the estimation of men. It is said of Eliakim,
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 3Nemo istorum quos divitiae & honours in alto fastigio ponunt magnus est, sed ideo magnus videdetur quia illum cum basi sua metiris.Nemo istorum quos divitiae & honores in alto fastigio ponunt magnus est, sed ideo magnus videdetur quia illum cum basi sua metiris.
- 4Pumilio magnus non est, licet in monte constiterit colossus magnitudinem suam servabit, etiamsi ste•erit in puteo. Se•. Ep. 77.
