Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

554 Of the miferie saccompanyingworldythings. by and contentment coR nting with them : for what prepa- rations are required to delightful' fhcwes,rcuels, and pa- fimes? and what running and riding, toiling and moiling, catering and cooking, is neceifary for the prouifon of vuneceffarie dainties ? In fo much as the epicure himfelfe who made a god ofhis bellic,and an idol of his pleafure,pre- Hieron.lib.a. fcribeth to his difciples for their chiefe diet, motes, ap- aduerl.louin ples,and ordinarie meares, which might bee procured with tom .. greatetl cafe; becaufe exquifite banquets, anddaintie fare, requiring for their preparation great care and labour, did bring vnto men more paine and trouble in their getting,then plealure and delight in their enjoying. In a word, whofocuer purchafe any ofthefe worldly vanities, they are faine to buy them at fo high a rate, that if at the firft view the price were fet vpon thefe deceitfull wares,all would pafîe by them, and not once cheapen them. 4.Sefis.ó. And thus haue I ¡hewed what miferies accompanie thefe That mens worldly things in refpeél of the paines which are taken in Pines inget' their getting. Now ifwe further confider that thefe weari- ihiñgr istcom. Tome labours of the body,are commonly ioyned with the fin monlyaccera. of the foule, and that as they bring to the one temporarie panted with troubles, fo to the other eternal( torments,ifthey be not pre.. Anne. uented by ferious repentance, we may iuflly conclude that in this refpc& alto they are truely miferable. For what greater miferie can be imagined then to toile for that which is not worth ourpaines, and after all our labour to glue our foules to boot, for the procuring of thefe trifling vanities? to fell our foulcs vnto finne,and by fin vnto dcath,which the whole world cannot redeetne whenthey are once loft ?For ifitwill not profit vs by the loflè ofthem to gaine the whole world, Mar. l 6.t6. as our Sauiour fpeaketh ; then how wretched is theireftate, who fuPaine by finning this vnrecouerable loffe, for the ob- taining offome (-mall pittance, & flender (hare of the worlds vanities ?But who feeth not that few ofmanycompaffe thefe worldly things by honer} and lawful! meanes; but take in- dire& and finfitll courfes for the atchieuing of their ends? Some wronging others by violence, oppreflion, trecherie, and fubtiltic, fraud and deceit ; and almofl all wronging themfelucs