Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

A 5óo Qf the miferies Whichaeeempauy worldly thixgr, himfelfe, then to hue difgraced, though it be but in the opi- nion only of his ovine conforts? And though he haue many Refter1.9.tt. -preferments, and much glorie in the world, what comfort doth he take in all the reff, ifhe be depriued but of one, yea jibe come fhort ofhis hopes where he thought to obtainer lofing that which he neuer had, but only in conceit? So the couttous man bewailed) his loll riches asifhe had loft him felfe;and that not out ofpaffion only,huc out ofan ill groun- ded iudgement, which maketh him fo to efferme them, as though all his good and happines confìfled in hailing them, acid all ill and mifcrie in their want; and hence it is that in their vfuall phrafe off eech they fay: when wealth'is confer- red on them, that they are made, andwhen it is taken away that they are vndone, or (as it were) vnmade againe; fudge ins, that in having, or not hauingriches, their making or marring chiefelyconíffeth: yea fo faff hold doth their im-- moderate loue ofthis earthly Mammon take of them, that they can more eally part with their foules then parrwith it, as we may fee in the exampleofthe rich tnanin the Gofpell, A,atth.r9.t:. who when he could learne ofour Sauiour no other meanes to be faued,then by parting with all and following him, he went away forrowfull for the loft` ofhis foule, but yterefol- ued tokeepe his wealth. And fuch as their love is whílef&' they haue it, fo fuch is their griefe when they are forced to leaue it, and that not only when they lof all, but alto fome (mall part or portion of it, in regard whereof, he who hath the greaten riches, bath a1Co moff plentiful matter offorrow arnd griefe ;becaufe in fuch abundance, and fo many parti- culars which are all cafuall, Tome things muff of necefíìtie euery hand while mifcarie,rheloffe wheroffo much & often troubleth him, that it were much better for him,that he had neuer had them, then to fuflaine fuch griete in loing them. Bien aped Se. Neither can the greatneffe oftheir elates lefT'en their forow necam.detran- when any lolfebefahleth them: for as one faid wittily; An qua. animi, lib. hairie man doth with no leffe paine fullerhis haire to be pul- cap.8. led off, then he who is altnofi bald; and a wound bringeth as much griefeto a Giant,as tea Dwarfe;and fo in like man - ner it is all one, whether a couetous man hath much or little, becaufc