Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

516 Of the manifold miferies of mens life. fhould much efleeme them, orlet our hearts vpon them : for let vs put into the one fcole,rhofe things that we thinke wor- thie the name ofgood, which is to be defired ; and into the other, the miferies, euils, inconueniences, and difcontent- ments which alwaies do accompanie them ; and we fhal find that there is no proportion, betweene the huge heape of the one, and the little graine of the other,betweene the ocean of miferie, and fnall drop of true delight and happinefle. It is true that this notable hypocrite the world is alwaies readie todeceiuevs, by promifing vnto vs excellent benefits, and things fincerely good,without the mixture of any euill; but when it commeth to performance, behold it tempereth a dram ofbonie with a pound of gall; it promifeth all good, but it payeth vs with mill, or at leaf+ mixeth it with folittle good, that it ferueth but to glue vs a morequicke talk and true rellifh ofthofe eutls which accompany it: it promifeth life and payeth death ; it proffereth ioy, but behold it giueth forrow; and commonly if we haue but one good meale of delight and comfort, we mufl walke in the flrength thereof many daies, and hauing nothing to feed vpon but trouble and difcontent, lofe all that former pleafure many times o- ver, with griefes and crates, before ourcomforts be againe renued.And thus doth world, like a flatelybuilt fcpulchre, make vnto vs outwardly a goodlyfhew,though there be no. thing within but rottennes and. putrefa &ion; and like a fub. tile merchant, it offered) vs a good fample of bad wares,and outwardly prefenteth to our view the bell end of the fluffe, whereas the inmoft and middleparts are courfe and flight; and placeth the purefi and choicefl commodities inthe vpper part of the vcffell, whereas in the middle and the bottome,it is mixt, counterfeit, and purpofcly falfified to deceiue vs. Neither in truth is it more apt to deceiue, thenwe to be de- ceiued; for as thole who arc borne in a mill are fo well ac- quainted with noire, that it little difquieteth them; and as they who are bred and brought vp in a prifon, are nor much troubled with their reflrainr, nor offended with their little light, nor grieued to carrie their glues and bolts ; yea con- rrariwife, whentheir irons are but a little lightned, they are comforted