Oftheflfriritstall twill which accompanie worldly thing,. 779 couetoufly feaze vpon there large lordfhips,wee Thal(be in- tangled and infrared. Andanother exhortethvsby al means to flee the immoderate loue of gold, as being a flattering Bafil.epill.ad traitor toour foules,the parent offinne,and the diuels depu- Chilonem. tie to drawvs on into all wickedneffe. Yea fo deceitfull are thefe lnares that few efcape them; and fo thong they are to holdall whom they catch, that fewwhoare once intangled in them can euer get freedomeanddeliuerance. And there- forethe tonne ofSyrach maketh it oneofthe wonders ofthe world,to finde a man perfe6l in this trial!:Who(faith he)hath been tried thereby, and foundperfect ? let him beanexample o f ECC10f.3 t.8.to. glorie,&c. So that Saran, the great enemie ofour faluation, hath not much adoe to vanquifh and leade captiueveto all maner offin,thofe who let their hearts vpon there worldly riches,feeing to get the prey, they are readie of themfelues without his inrigation,to runne willingly into there fnares, and with all fpeede to preuent one another in catchingof thefe baits,euen when the hookeofGnne lying hid in them, is readie to choake them; rriuingwho fhali doemoil dili- gent feruice to the prince ofdarkneffe,whenhe offereth for their reward the rich wages ofworldlywealth.Yéa andwhé they finde themfelues catched in there netsofperdition, by feeding on this pleating baite, fo farre are they fromdefi- ring,and vfing the meanesoftheir deliuerance,that they re- ioyce in theirfoares,and delire more and moreto be intang led,as though they thought it a thraldome to be let at liber tie,and the greater freedome to be fo inthralled. For who feethnot by daily experience, that couetous men, like fifh 4uarut ante. about thebaited hooke,rriue who fhall catch the choaking quanu lucretur, prey, not caring to bee taken, fo they may take it; to lore lucroobecitur; themfelues,for worldly gaine;andwhile, theymayprey on auteguam capia- this baiteofwealth,tomaketheir foulesaprey to that hellifh tur captut e(t. fifher,who fceketh tocatch themon thehooke ofperdition? Whofeeth not that forthe gettingofwealth theyarewit- lin" toomit all duties to God and man ; to neglect friends and kinred,to lie,diffemble,defraud, oppreffc,andwhat not, thatby fpoiling others,they may increafe their owneflock? Andas Satannowpreuailethby thehelpeofthisgolden bait in
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