Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That the earthly things abufed,become fnares unto vs. 249 they owe vnto men, without all refpeEt of acquaintance, friendfhip and kindred, yea offidelitie and common hone - flie,fo they may afpire to their proud hopes, and compaffe their ambitious ends; not caring whom they tread vnder foote,fo they make their falles fleps, whereby themfelues may rife. Neither doe there tentations onely take hold of worldlings and wicked men, but euen of the deare feruants ofGod,as we'e may fee in the example of the difciples ílri- uingfor fuperioritie,and contending one with another,who Luk.9.46. fhould be greatefl,and haue the higheft place in Gods king_ a(oa h ¡tit; ho_ dome. In a word,fo great is the force of this tentation; that fti+aires firth (as one faith) no man can fKficiently difeerne the firength ofsifaquie:bel. this enemie,but hee who haste' proclaimed warre aping it : for law audixerit g f quia et fr hoW faeuer it may feeme more eafie vesto any to Want this honour guam facile eR and praifè when it is denied, yet it is moilhard, net to bee too laude carere mach delightedwith it,when it is offered him. dam denegatar, The like alto may bee Paid of riches, which through our n oiffin"dlita â corruption, are the ground of many dangerous tentations, cum ofertur. both in refpe6t of their getting,keeping and bellowing; for, Auguft.ad Au- astheApoflle faith, they that will be rich, fall into tentations reliuoi.epift andfnares, andinto manyfooligi nd noif m luits,which droenc 64'toln.z. men inperdition and delirodion: for the delireofmanie is the 4.Seü,5. roote ofalleuill. And moll hard it is to abound with them, th60GCaf ns fe and not to abufe them vnto finne,for want ofobferuing the many dangerous former cautions which are required to their lawful' vfe; to tentations. which purpofe one faith ,iti.ea matter ofacgreatdifcultie to 6..9.5 0. aboand withriches, and not at any time abufe them, as to flare pothegri.in A- vponthewatersandnottobedacked; in ref ecsl whereofthc pothe. P Y Clem :Alexán:' are likened vnto thornes,which vnleffe a man hold very wa- pndagog.lib. rily,he is lure to bee pricked : and to a ferpent,which who 3cap.6 fo holdeth vnskilfully, it will wind about his hand,and bite him. In- regard of which danger through our corruption, the fcripture fpeaking of them doth connnôly adde Tome e- pithete which may weane our harts and afredtions fr6 them, in relpeól ofimmoderate lout ;as,theadeceitfulnes ofriches, ' Marth.r3.zx, vncertaine riches, b riches of this world, the mammon of b r.Tim.. rye iniquitie and fuch like ; and giueth vs many admonitions, Luk.i6.9. that we fhould neither ouergreedily,def re them, nor when -ee