thevncertaintieofobiaixingworldly things. sg t uerty it is not ableto glue themtheir wages. Wherebythe way wee may note the miferable feruitude ofa wretched worldling; for God will not reward him becaufebeebath 'renouncedhis feruice,and the worldcannot,hauing nothing todifpofeof; onely it cofoneth him with bate fhifts, and with alluring promifes inticeth him to fpend his flrenghth in vaine, halting afterall his.painefull feruice nothingtobe- flow vpon him. But the vncertainetyof obtainingofworldly things will:§sea,s better appeare, if wee briefly confider fome fpeciall inflan- ofiheweer. ces; for howmany ambitious men haue wee read of;and in taintyef ebtai- our owne experience obferued, who haue moll hungerly singworidly huntedafter honours and preferments; and for reward ofall bonourr... their labours, hauereceiued nothing but contempt and dif -- grace ? Howmanyhaue earneflly firitten to enterthegate of honour, whereof fomehaue been troden vnder foot in the preffe, others thrufl backeby force more firong then them falues, others haue flucke fa$ in the gate by reafonof the crowd,and few haue entred, betides fuch as haueclimbed euer other mens (holders, making themfelues high by the downfals ofother men, anderet%ng trophees to their owne praife, vpon the ruines of other mens fame ? Will you haue examples? Theold world would needs build a tower reach- ing toheaven, that theymight get them a name; but it was rightlycalled Babel,bringing in the end nothing but confu- fion to them, and their proud building. Abfolonwhilefl he defired to beeexalted into the throne, was hanged ina tree; Adoninh afpired to the crowne,. but becaufe God hadnot appointed it to be feton his head, he loftboth it and his life too: yea our firfl parents themfelues whilefi theydefireda fiateabove the condition ofmen, and cquailwith Godhim- felfe, they lofl their prefent excellencyand made themfelues vaffalsand flaues to the wicked fpirits. Others make force little progreffe in their wifhed wayto honour and prefer- ment,butyetneuer cometo 9 goale,nor obtain the garland, . being eithercroffed in theircourfe, orfainting forweariness or trippedvp by thofe9comenext after them, who as furl- denlyfal, asrife,andnofoonermakefomegloriousfhew,but. prefently
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