Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

lob g.7. f 26 Of themanifoldmsferies ofmanrlife. and to fixe themon God his fpirituall graces and heauenly happines, which bring vs fincere ioy, without the mixture of any evils. The miferies then of mans life either refpc& him generally, or his feuerali ages and eflates. The generali mite. ries vnto which mans life is fubie&, arc either thofe which are his own dire &ly, or elfe his friends,which are his by fym- pachie, compaflion and fellow feeling. Concerningthe for - tner,ifwedo but take a flight view ofttiofe miferies to which our fraile life is fubie&, we (hall find that euen a large world ofwretchedneffe,doth ouerwhelme thislittle world of man, and that whether we refpe& his Bate or perfon.For firfl,vnto how many miferies is man fubie& about his Bate, whiled he feeketh to preferue and maintaine, or to aduance and better it? with what painfull labours doth he fpend his flrength in the worker of his calling, that he may prouide fufficient fór himfelfe and his charge, which dependeth vpon him? what cares, what watching,running ,riding,buying,feiling,plow - ing (owing, reaping, and turmoiling to get a poore lining? And this miferie Eliphaz pointeth at ; Miferie (faith he)com- meth not from the clia, neither Both afflitlionrring out efthe earth; butman it borne onto tretuaile,ae the ff'ar(es flievproard. With all which labourswhen as he hath worneout both bo- dicand mind, oftentimes for want ofGodsblcflìnghe hach no fucceffe, and bath infl caufe to complaine, that he bath fpenthisflrengthinvaine, feeing with all his indufirie and labour he cannot attaine vnto the things which he laboureth for ;but notwithflanding all his diligence pinechwith want, orhauin found that he fought for, how ishe; troubled in the poffeffion, how grieued with his loffes, while(' God blowing upon that he hath, notwithflanding all his care and labour, it vanifheth like fmoakc, leaning him in pouertie, who ere whiles was rich, and in contempt and difgrace,who not long fence was refpe &ed and efleemed of all? Againe, how innumerable are ourwants aboue all other creatures in the world,& what care and paines is required to make a fup- plie,aad to furnifh vs with necelfaries and fufficiencie ? what adoe to prouide vs nourifhmenr,what catering and cooking, boiling, mailing, baking, faucing? and when it is fetbefore vs