Riches, Beauty, Wisdom, &c. in comparison of God, are lying vanities. [ 1180]
AUlus Gellius writeth of a vain Grammarian,* 1.1 that made himself very skilfull in Salusts works: Apollinaris to try his skill, met him on a day, and asked him, What Salust meant, (if he were so expert in his writings, as he professed himself to be) by saying of C. Lentulus, that it was a question, Whether he were more foolish or vain? The Interpreter made answer, The knowledge I take upon me, is in antient words, not those that are common and worn thread-bare, by daily use. For he is more foolish and vain then Lentulus was, who knoweth not, that both these words note but one and the same infirmity.* 1.2 Apollinaris not satisfied with this answer, makes fur∣ther enquiry, and thereupon concludes, that they were called foolish vain men, not such as the people held to be dullards, blockish, and foolish, but such as were given to lying and falshood, such as gave lightnesse for weight, and empti∣nesse for that which hath not true substance. Thus it is, that all the things of this world, described in that Triumvirate of S. Iohn,* 1.3 whether they be pleasures, riches, honours, &c. if they once come into competition with the honour of God, they are not onely foolish,* 1.4 but lying vanities, such as the covetous mans wedge of gold, the arrogant mans industry,* 1.5 the politick States-mans brains, the confident mans strength, the ambitious mans honour,* 1.6 or any thing else that displaceth God of his right,* 1.7 and carrieth out mans heart and hope after it, is a lying deceitfull vanity,* 1.8 empty as the wind, and as fleeting as the mist in the air.