Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

490 That worldly things are vnprofitable. rich apparell. And furely this errour muff needs be foule: for ifricheswill not giue vs precedence before thole who are honourable in the world; if they will not purchafe true no- bilitie, nor place vs in the feateoftrue honour; or if they doe, yet this honour is efleemed bale, as being tied to their wealth, rather then to their perlons (for if curry one ac- count it bafe to haue all his efleeme for his feruants fake ; it is much more bafe to be efleemed onely for his money fake, which is of leffe excellencies) then how much leffe can this riches intitle vs to the true nobility of a chrillian, which chiefly confifleth in vertues and true godlineffe,which fifa.pf.t, are free gifts of Gods rich grace,and neuetto be bought for any money ? Finally, wee are not bettered by worldly plea. lures in thofe maine things wherein the goodneflè ofa chri.. flian chiefly conf:fleth, we are not furthered by them in our courfe ofgodlines,nor made more zealous in Gods feruice; we are not by them weaned from, but rather wedded vnto the world, nor helped forward, but rather hindered in at. tainingvnto our heauenlyioyes; yea fo farre are they from betteringvs in the bell things, and aduancing vs to the fru- ition of fpirituall grace, and eternall glory, that they doe not better vs in worldly things : for they doe not prolong life but fhorten it, nor preferue health but impaire it, nor make vs honourable, but difgracc vs, nor enrich our elate, but rather impaire and begger it : how vnproñtable and con - temptibletherefore are thefe vanities, which neither make vs better to God, nor to the world ; neither more honefl in pur felucs, nor morehonourable in others eflimation? CHAP.