Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

of divers forts of temptations, . minds on better things. Men had therefore need to take heed unto themfelves, that they of the world as though they ufed it not; that they poffeffe the things of the world, and be not poffeffed of them : For if once they fet their hearts upon them,and be wholly addicted unto them, they fall into tentation and fnares of the devil, and into many fooliJb and noyfóme lufis, which drown men in perdition and defiruction, t. Tim. 6. g. As the good things in the world are many By evils and times baits and fnares to allure men to evil, and to cr °fes entangle them therewith; fo the evils and croffes which be in the world are many times terrours to (care and terrifie men from God. If thou embrace godline ff and f ncerely prof jfe the truth,then, faith the world, thou fbalt not onely bereave thy [elf c f thatplea- fire,profit and preferment which thou mighteflt have en- joyed, but thou ¡halt live in miry, in want,drfgraceand contempt; nay, it may fo be that thou _limit lofe thy goods and hazard thy life. Thus by allurements on the one fide and terrours on the other fide many men are tempted with Demas to forfake God, and to embrace this prefent world. But we muff be careful' to make Mofes his choife, Heb. i i .14, i 5, z 6. remembring that this life is but a moment in refpet of immorta- lity, and therefore that it is not onely mere folly but extreme madneffe to hazard , nay indeed to lofe, the eternal' fruition of God and all happineffe in heaven for the momentany fruition of finne in this world. The defires of the world are but vanities in comparifon of heavenly bleffings. The croffes and terrours of the world are not worthy of the glory that frail be revealed. And fo much of the tentations of the 399