Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

T fiat worldly thingsthrough our ohmic are hurt full ßÿc. 663 deflrùEtion of body and foule. For as meate it felfe being mo- derately vied becommeth wholefome nourifhment, whereby the body is refrefhed,and the hfe preferued; but ifit bee eaten with a greedie appetite, and in exceflìuemeafure, it oppreffeth the flomacke, and becommeth the mother and nurfe of all dif cafes :fo if we feeke thefe things with moderate loue, and in temperate meafure, they will retrefh and comfort our hearts and foules, fo as theywill be more cheerefull and ftrong in per- forming the duties andworkes of godlineffe; whereas if with a greedie defire we hunger after them, and not contenting our felucs with fufficiencie, labour after fuperfluitie, our foules will be furcharged with a fpirituall furfet, and the difeafes of finne which bring with them eternally death,will abound in vs ro our &Bastion. Thus howfoeuer honors and earthly preferments are (as be- 4.Stél.z. fore I haue (hewed) good and lawfull, profitable and to bee e- that trerldty (teemed with due refpedt,yet if they be exceflìuely ouerualued owrt b,int aboue their worth and preferred in ouriud j gement & affeétion tnubhurtdo p g tboftahodote before fpirituall graces and heauenly glory ; they prefently be- upon them. come not onely vainc and vnprofitable to them that thus haue them, but alto hurtfull and pernicious. Secaufe ouerprizing them in their iudgement, and ouer fondly doting on them in their affection,and in both preferring them before thôfe fpiri- tuall and heauenlyexcellencies; they will be accordingly ready at all times, to hazard the loffe, yea to make a voluntarie for - feiture ofthofethings,which in truth are infinitely better, fo they may either gaine or retaine thefe worldly trifles, which in their deluded iudgement, and corrupted affediion, they ima- gineto be ofgreater worth. For who feeth not that ambitious men immoderately louing,and excefliuely prizing honours,and the glory ofthe world, are ready to run headlong into all ma- ner offinne, and by finning, to hazard the loffe of grace and glory, all opinion of verrue, andhope of happinefle, either for the compaffìng or maintaining of their reputation and prefer- ment?For thus they are ready to raife thcmfelues by others ru- ines ; to honour themfeluesby difhonouring God; to afpiir vnto preferments,by machiauellian policies; to play the hypo- crites in making a femblance and Phew of thofe venues and good parts which were neuer in them, and a thoufand `7u4 fuch `'