422 APPENDIX. 



sion : and we have heard of Cedars of Lebanon, 

 that degraded themselves into the protection of a 

 bramble, till fire came out of that bramble and 

 devoured them. We laugh at the Babel-builders, 

 who designed a tower up to Heaven, above the 

 reach of Divine vengeance, or any deluge of wrath 

 that could come on them. But he had reason 

 that said, Totus mundus est plenus turrium Baby- 

 lonicarum : not only the plains of Shinar, the whole 

 world is full of such towers. We all are apt to 

 build castles in the air, some Nf^Aoxoxnuyta, or 

 other ; some city of cuckows in the clouds, like 

 that in the Greek comedian.* We have all of 

 us our gourds, and our brambles to trust in ; apt 

 to canonize our own sanctity, and integrity ; to 

 idolize our own strength and activity ; to defy our 

 own wit and policy. 



But if in good earnest we look toward the co- 

 vert of God's wings, and would put in there, we 

 must begin negatively ; first moult, and cast all 

 our sick feathers, and clip the wings of all our 

 carnal confidences, upon which we are apt to soar 

 too loftily, before we can make good our flight. 

 Confringes ascellas, (so the vulgar Latin reads that 

 text, Levit. i. 17.) the sacrifice of birds is not ac- 

 cepted, till the wings be broken, that is (saith St. 

 Cyril of Alexandria!) till our pride be mortified. 

 God will take us off our false dependencies, and 

 will have us clearly quit all (namely as to trust in 



* Aristoph, t De Adorat. lib. IG. 



