That worldly things cannotfatisfie or bring contentment. 429 man,is muchworfe then thofe that are of poore efiate ; yea Surelyherin thevery beaflsare tobe preferred before him;for theywhé hunger inciteth thé hunt aftertheir prey,but when their flomackeisfufficiently filled, their appetite alfo refleth fatisfied, defining no more till againe hunger prouoketh them. But (aswee fay) the couetous mans eye isfarre worfe thenhis bellie ; for whenhee hath enoughand toomuch in hispofheflion hee greedily hunteth aftermore, and is neuer fatisfiedfolong as he feeth any thing which isto be defined. To this purpofe oneoftheancients fpeaketh fitly. Couetouf- neße( faithhe) the more it taketh from others and raketh Aaaritiaquo together, the more poore it is in it owneopinion ; it enuieth Ptara abítn[eria all men, and isvile to it felfe; it is poore, in abundance of eomagic ino_ riches; andneedie in affe6tion,when it is rich in poffef ion, dimómn ins It hath no meane in raking, becaufe it hath nomeafureofnida,frbi vitir, defiring. It fo inflameth the mind, and feedeth his foule with &c.Ambrof de his fire,that itfeemeth oncly in this to differ from lull, that Cain. &Abel. this lußteth after beautifull perfons,andthat thebeanieearth. lib.cap.s. T.4° It troubleth the elements, ploweth vp the fea, diggeth the earth, and with varietie ofwifheswearieth the heavens, be- ing thankfull neither for faireweather nor for foule; it repi_ ninglyextenuateththe yeerelyprofits,and findethfaultwith the fruits ofthe earth. Seeing therefore couetoufnefle is vnfatiable, Iet vs not 4.5`ec`tt.IT. feekefor fuflîciencieand contentment inearthly abundance, That it isin imagining that the more wee encreafe in riches, the fooncr vaineio feeke wefhall refifatisfied: for when our defines exceed meafure for ri. tment . wee cannot attaine vnto contentment by adding to ourcbescbes wealth, but by detra6ting from ourconcupifcence ; not by increafing-our riches, and filling our chefls withfiluer and gold,butbydiminifhing our greedyappetite,andemptying our hearts ofvnfatiable couetoufneffe.For as well mayaman fill a fieue with water, or abottomles purfe withmoney,as a couetous heart with fuffaciencie ofriches. And therefore as his follie were rediculous, who fhould endeauour to fill a leaking or bottomleffeveffell ina ditch or pond, and not be- ing able todoe it,fhould carrie it toa full riuer,or the maine fea, becaufe the reafon why it cannotbee filled, is not in the quantity
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