The Covetous Caliph of Babylon, when taken Prisoner, was set by the Great Cham of Tartary, in the midst of those treasures which he had wretchedly scraped together, and bidden eat his fill and satisfy himself, but amongst all his heaps of silver and gold, he was miserably famished. The soul will starve for all the food which the whole world affordeth it. A worldling is like Tantalus, who had Apples at his Lips, and water at his Chin, yet pined for want; In the midst of his sufficiency, he is in straights; If thou triest the whole creation, and empannellest every creature upon the Jury, to enquire where satisfaction is to be had, they will write Ignoramus upon the Bill; If thou askest the Sea, it will answer as concerning wisdom; The Sea saith, It is not in me; And the Depth saith, •It is not in me; The Earth saith, It is not in me; Ask every worldly blessing particularly, and it will say, It is not in me. Thou mayst call and cry to them in thy need for comfort, as eagerly and earnestly as Rachel for children, and will each answer as Jacob did ⟨p. 832⟩here, Am I in Gods stead, that hath with-holden thy desire from thee? Or as the Angel to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? he is risen, he is not here; Am I a poor finite being in Gods stead to satisfy the vast desires of thy capacious soul? Why seekest thou living comforts, amongst dead creatures, it is gone, it is not here? The World entertains its best guests, no better then Caligula did his favourites, whom he invited to a feast, and when they were come, set golden dishes, and golden cups empty before them, and told them, they were welcome, and he would have them feed heartily; All the trees in the garden of the creation, are like those trees which Solinus mentioneth in Assyria, the fruit whereof seemeth as yellow as gold, but being touched, is as rotten as dirt.
4. The things of this world are vexatious. Their sting paineth far more then their honey pleaseth; They are like the Egyptian reed, which will not only fail them that trust it, but also pierce them with splinters, and wound them deeply, sooner or later; They who will be rich, pierce themselves through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6. 9. Instead of satisfaction, thou wilt find vexation. The things of this world are not only wind, for their vanity; but also thorns, for the vexation they cause.
The Covetous Caliph of Babylon, when taken Prisoner, was set by the Great Cham of Tartary, in the midst of those treasures which he had wretchedly scraped together, and bidden eat his fill and satisfie himself, but amongst all his heaps of silver and gold, he was miserably famished. The soul will starve for all the food which the whole world af•ordeth it. A worldling is like Tantalus, who had Apples at his Lips, and water at his Chin, yet pined for want; In the midst of his sufficiency, he is in straights; If thou tryest the whole creation, and empannellest every creature upon the Iury, to enquire where satisfaction is to be had, they will write Ignoramus upon the Bill; If thou askest the Sea, it will answer as concerning wisdom; The Sea saith, It is not in me; And the Depth saith, •It is not in me; The Earth saith, It is not in me; Ask every worldly blessing particularly, and it will say, It is not in me. Thou mayst call and cry to them in thy need for comfort, as eagerly and earnestly as Rachel for children, and will each answer as Iacob did ⟨p. 832⟩here, Am I in Gods stead, that hath with-holden thy desire from thee? Or as the Angel to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? he is risen, he is not here; Am I a poor finite being in Gods stead to satisfie the vast desires of thy capacious soul? Why seekest thou living comforts, amongst dead creatures, it is gone, it is not here? The World entertains its best guests, no better then Caligula did his favourites, whom he invited to a feast, and when they were come, set golden dishes, and golden cups empty before them, and told them, they were welcome, and he would have them feed heartily; All the trees in the garden of the creation, are like those trees which Solinus mentioneth in Assyria, the fruit whereof seemeth as yellow as gold, but being toucht, is as rotten as dirt.
4. The things of this world are vexatious. Their sting paineth far more then their honey pleaseth; They are like the Egyptian reed, which will not onely fail them that trust it, but also pierce them with splinters, and wound them deeply, sooner or later; They who will be rich, pierce themselves through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6. 9. Instead of satisfaction, thou wilt find vexation. The things of this world are not onely wind, for their vanity; but also thorns, for the vexation they cause.
