Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

the vncertaintie of obi aixing worldly things. sg t uerty it is not able to glue them their wages. Wherebythe way wee may note the miferable feruitude of a wretched worldling; for God will not reward him becaufe bee bath 'renounced his feruice,and the worldcannot,hauing nothing to difpofe of; onely it cofoneth him with bate fhifts, and with alluring promifes inticeth him to fpend his flrenghth in vaine, halting afterall his.painefull feruice nothingto be- flow vpon him. But the vncertainety of obtaining of worldly things will :§sea,s better appeare, if wee briefly confider fome fpeciall inflan- o fihe weer. ces; for howmany ambitious men haue wee read of; and in taintyef ebtai- our owne experience obferued, who haue moll hungerly singworidly hunted after honours and preferments; and for reward ofall bonourr... their labours, hauereceiued nothing but contempt and dif -- grace ? How manyhaue earneflly firitten to enterthe gate of honour, whereof fomehaue been troden vnder foot in the preffe, others thrufl backe by force more firong then them falues, others haue flucke fa$ in the gate by reafon of the crowd,and few haue entred, betides fuch as haue climbed euer other mens (holders, making themfelues high by the downfals ofother men, and eret %ng trophees to their owne praife, vpon the ruines of other mens fame ? Will you haue examples? The old world would needs build a tower reach- ing to heaven, that they might get them a name; but it was rightly called Babel,bringing in the end nothing but confu - fion to them, and their proud building. Abfolon whilefl he defired to bee exalted into the throne, was hanged in a tree; Adoninh afpired to the crowne,. but becaufe God had not appointed it to be fet on his head, he loft both it and his life too: yea our firfl parents themfelues whilefi they defireda fiate above the condition ofmen, and cquailwith God him - felfe, they lofl their prefent excellencyand made themfelues vaffals and flaues to the wicked fpirits. Others make force little progreffe in their wifhed way to honour and prefer - ment,but yetneuer come to 9 goale,nor obtain the garland, . being either croffed in their courfe, or fainting for weariness or tripped vp by thofe 9come next after them, who as furl- denlyfal, asrife, andnofoonermakefomegloriousfhew,but. prefently