Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

652. Of thefhortnefeandfrailtieofinetns /ife. owners ofthe things wee pofïeffe; for if they were ours, wee might take them with vs, whereas now we leaue them behind vs, to become for a time other mens,as before they were ours; and that which is truely our owne we take away with vs ; that is,either our vertues and graces, to be crowned and rewarded; or our faults and Pinnes, tobe condemned and punifhed. Nei- therwill they though they abide with vs, preferue vs from death, that we alfo may flay with them ; for death will not bee bribed,and the God oflife and deathwill take no price for the redemption ofourliues; for we haue nothing to giuebut that which ishis owne; and though all wee poffeffe were ours, yet pfal49.6.7.8. it were not a price fo fufficient as would be accepted. And they- : fore let vs not with worldly men croft in ourgoods, nor bomb our felues in the multitude of our riches ; for a man can by no [itch meanes redeeme his brotber,he cannot giste his ranTome to god,that hemayline /lill for euer,andnotfee the graue. So precious is the re- demption of their fardes, and their continuance for ever; for lbife men dteas well asfooles,andteave their riches for others; as the bongenofra Pfalmifl fpeaketh. Let vs not greedily gape after abun- dgfrderiaivcre- dance,feeinga little will ferue vs for our momentanie lives; pat via breuia. for why (horrid wee ouerburthen our (clues in carying fuch potafurursuma great rouifron ,`for fo fhort a iourney ? and our hues be- portaaturcum g P mate di qua ing fhòrt, why fhould we looke after long hopes?Why fhould ppergiturGreg we be fo eager in gathering; when as we cannot !fay by it when lib.4o. h °mil it is gathered? and flore vp abundance in a orange commie, burnt; 2, where we haue no afflirance ofabiding fo much as a day? If(as the heathen man well obferued ) wee were affured to hue the Euripides a. long age of an Hart or Rauen, our greedineffe in gathering pud Stobnum. were the more to be pardoned ; but feein gwe are mortal( men, who fpeedily haflento old and decrepit age, it is follie and madneffe to dote vpon abundance,feeing we (hall confrrme our hearts with intolerable forrowes, in fcraping that together, which others when wee are gone will riotoufly fpend. How much better were it to part with our riches freely for the loue of Chrifl, then to bee forced whether wee will or no, to lcaue them by death? How much better were it, feeingweecannot flay with them long on earth,to fend themby the hands of the poore before vs to heaven, where wec. (hall remaine for euer ? For if we.keepe them 11111 in our owne cuflodie, wee (hall haue no