Ofthecautious to beohferuedin the right vfeofriches. 227 our corruption this abundance ofriches and wealth is the foundation and ground of many dangerous tentations; whereby Satan choketh invs the feed ofGods word,wca- nethvs from the loue of heauen and heauenly things, puf feth vsvp with pride,and maketh vs forgetful! ofGod, and ofall duties which weowe vetohim.So that like as ourbo- dies,whëthey exceflìuely abound with any humour,though itbe neuer fogood in it fen, they are thereby call into de- fperatedifeafes,ifitbee not purgedand abated ; fo it fareth withvs in relpec`l of our flares, for when they abound with fuperfluitieofthefc good things which areearthlyand tem- porall,andare not abated by imploying them togood vies, theymake our foules dangeroufly lick in finne,and betray them to bee ouercome by the tentations ofthe diuell. And therefore as the difcreet Merchant,though his wares be ne- uer fogood,fitteth his burthen tohis fhip, not ouerloading it withmore thenit can well carrie,for feare left all fhould frnke; and ifa flormehappen, is readie to lighten his (hip, by calling out a part of this alfo, that fo the refidue with himfelfe may efcape thedanger; fo wee are to vfe the like wifedome,and not ouerburthen our mindes andfoules,with a greater loade ofthefe earthly things, then theycanwell beare,but allow onlyvnto them a fit and competentpropor- tion;and ifSatan taking aduantage ofour plentie, doe in- danger vs with the (formes of his tentatious,weare tocafe our felues by giuing part ofthat, which othfrwifewe might well vfe, to the poore, to preferueour foules from fuffering íhipwrack,andfo (hall wenot only faue there(l for our own Eccleftr a. vfe,butcaflingour wares vpen the face oftheft waters,'reJha1l after many dates findethem,with no fmall aduantage. And thus haue I (hewed that howfoeuer abundance is 4.Seci.6. good in it (elfe, yet in many relpe&1s the delire thereof is That it isvn hurtful l vnto vs. The which may further appeare by chele 1amfi ll f > vs"' reafons.Firft, becaufe riches are not abfolutelygood,but in defire faperfai- refpedioftheend,or vfe, for which they are defired and pof -1te' felled, according to which end they are to be meafured and proportioned ; for thofethings whichare good in refpe&of _ their end, are to bemeafured according to this end. As for Q`2 example,
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