Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

The vncertainty o f obtainingworld& thiogt. 584 ments,and in our affe6tion and praélife with much more fer- uencie and earnefineffe loue and feeke them ; feeing theft are certaine and permanent, and the other mofl vncertaine and tickle, and that both in refpe61 of gating and keeping them. For though wefhouldvfeall indeuour, and fpend all our ftrength in fecking and fearching for thefe worldly things, we are not lure with all our lab our to obtaine theme Andthough we fhould get theminto our poffeffion,yethaue we noaffurance to retaine and keepe them. Concerning the former, we find by continual) experience that the fwcat of worldlings is not alwaies fruition, but after that they haue beaten their braines, wearied their bodies, and confumed their firength with working, watching, and continual) car- king and caring; yet are they oftentimes at the end o (their hues, as farm from the end of all their labours, as when they firfibegan. We fee many daily ldce greedie kites, Patching and (Inking continually at the prey, andyettrifle of it after Wifd.p:t4. all their earne(l indeauours, howfoeuer many times they pierce themfelues vpon the pikes of tentations and finne, which Satan like a cunning fowler bath hidden vnder thefe worldly bastes for their defiru6tion. And howfoeuerthefe worldly prodigals being poore, beggerly, and emptie of Luk.tfaó< :heauenly riches and fpirituall grace, doe delire to fill their bellies,and appeafe their raging hungcr,by feeding vpon the draffe and mall of worldly vanities, yetno man giving them, they lofe theirlonging.Neither is this any great wonder: for *11 in the worldis nothing neere fufikient to affoord plentie of thefe things fo much defircd, wall that feeke them;and therefore the fame thing having many competitors, it mull ofneceflìty fall out as it doth in hunting, that one Itarteth the game,and another catcheth it ; and as the prouerbe is, a Man cannotthriuefor throng ofhis neighbors.Yea in truth, themfelues doe croffe themfelues, their delires being con- traric one to another, as aff Being things which will not hand together; for at once they would taketheir pleafures, and heape vp riches, and be :glorious' in the world for.theîr ,.bounticand liberality, and fo griping more then they can hold, oftetitimcs they retain but little, and fometinie lofe P P 4 all,