Heaven not to be found upon Earth. [ 1284]
IT is storied of a King of Persia,* 1.1 that he must have an imaginary Heaven, and thereupon he is at the charge of a stately brave Pallace, where in the top he caused the Heavens to be artificially moulded, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars to be painted, and under them the clowds, that by art moved up and down, distilled rain, and made great cracks of Thunder; Above that was placed a great Throne, glistering with all the Art that Nature could afford: This might be suffi∣cient for an Heathen, that knew no better things; But how sad is the condition of a Company of drossy-spirited Men,* 1.2 that (with that Duke of Bourbon in France, who if he might but have his Palace in Paris, would not change it for Paradise) can be content to take the things of this World for their portion; If they had but this or that thing, it were Heaven to them; It argues they have low thoughts of an Immortal Soul, and are ignorant of what an immortal Soul is ca∣pable of, that can think themselves satisfied in any Creature, and have loose thoughts of God, as if there were no Treasures in him, but onely a few temporary Earth∣ly delights; as Meat and Drink and Sports, and whatsoever the vanity of this world calls delightfull.