sis Of themanifoldmifriet ofmass daily intangled in the fnares oÑin,andhaue our-bef4a&ions fo imperfeól and flained with our . corruptions, that if-the Lord fhopld examine them according to his righteous iudgemenr, they would deferue a curie rather then a blef- fing, and.punifhment rather thena reward ?. What amiferie is this,that after we haue withJacob prcuailedwithGod, we fhould halt of our corruptions tothe dayof death; and af- terwe hauebroken outof the prifonofSatans bondage,and (hakenoffthe chaines ofhis fubieélions,al our ioynts fhould be fo flifft and bennmmed,that wee fhould to thevery end oflife,lamely performeall holy duties, andhaltlike wret- ched, creeples in the waits ofGod? Finally, that themore timeis added to our dales, the morewee (hould adde tei the heape ofourGanes,and prouoke our. good God toMil dif- pleafure, who bath fo tenderly 'cued vs, that bee gave his outme deare forme,to death for the perfedling of our-re- demption ?: And this is the chiefepart ofall our miferie, as being that Tbat the things cutfed fountaine fromwhich all the ref+ fpring and flow; for *Phis Isleare by reafon hereofall thecreatures in the worldare made fub- ned ie& to corruption, and being made for bleffn s the are onelybyne- P s g g r y e/frie. turned intopunifhments; and though outwardly they feeme excellent and defireable,yet this hidden, poyfon offinne fey cretly lurking in thern,maketh vs tocall themvp with griefe, when with great pleafure we haue fwallowed them downe. So that euen thofe things whichwe chiefly affeél are full of wretchedneffe, betides thofe innumerable miferies ioyned with them,which all taking notice of,doe abhorre and (bun. And though the things we defife werefreed from outward and accidentalieuils ; yet themfelues bringwith themmife- rie enough tomake themWily loathfometo allthat iudici- oufly talkandrell i(h them.For thechiefe goo.dneffe ofthefe worldly things whichwedefìre,confifleth not inany abfo- lute excellency that is in thcmfelues, but onelyas theyare prefent helpes to freevsforthe time from- the culls which we feare; and no other worth or eflcemehaue theybut as they come commended by fome vrgent necefïìt -y : thus wee desireriches, not fomuch-ffor anyexcellenciewe(ce inthem, as
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